A90280:327
Of the divine original, authority, self-evidencing light, and power of the Scriptures. With an…Of the divine originall, authority, self-evidencing light, and povver of the Scriptures. With an…
Of the divine original, authority, self-evidencing light, and power of the Scriptures. With an answer to that enquiry, how we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God. Also a vindication of the purity and integrity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Old and New Testament; in some considerations on the prolegomena, & appendix to the late Biblia polyglotta. Whereunto are subjoined some exercitations about the nature and perfection of the Scripture, the right of interpretation, internal Light, revelation, &c. / By John Owen: D.D.Of the divine originall, authority, self-evidencing light, and povver of the Scriptures. With an answer to that enquiry, how we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God. Also a vindication of the purity and integrity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Old and New Testament; in some considerations on the prolegomena, & appendix to the late Biblia polyglotta. Whereunto are subjoyned some exercitations about the nature and perfection of the Scripture, the right of interpretation, internall Light, revelation, &c. / By Iohn Owen: D.D.
Oxford: printed by Henry Hall for Tho, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Sect: 9. 5. Of the [Greek or Hebrew] which are pleaded in the next place to this purpose, I shall speak afterwards. The difference in them is in the Consonants, not in the Vowels, which yet argues not that there were no vowels, when they were collected, or disposed as now we find them. Yea that there were no vowels in the Copies from whence they were collected (if they were so Collected) may be true; but that that Collection was made any later for the main of it, then the days of Ezra, doth not appear. Now whatever was done about the Scripture in the Judaical Church, before the times of our Saviour, is manifest to have been done by Divine Authority, in that it is no where by him reproved: but rather the integrity of every word is by ⟨p. 274⟩him confirmed. But of these things distinctly by themselves afterwards we are to speak.
Sect: 9. 5. Of the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 which are pleaded in the next place to this purpose, I shall speak afterwards. The difference in them is in the Consonants, not in the Vowels, which yet argues not that there were no vowels, when they were collected, or disposed as now we find them. Yea that there were no vowels in the Copies from whence they were collected (if they were so Collected) may be true; but that that Collection was made any later for the maine of it, then the daies of Ezra, doth not appeare. Now whatever was done about the Scripture in the Judaicall Church, before the times of our Saviour, is manifest to have been done by Divine Authority, in that it is no where by him reproved: but rather the integrity of every word is by ⟨p. 274⟩him confirmed. But of these things distinctly by themselves afterwards we are to speak.
Sect. 10. A sixth Argument for the novelty of the Points is taken from their number; for whereas it is said all kinds of sounds may be expressed by 5 vowels, we are in the present Hebrew punctation supplied with 14 or 15: which as it is affirmed, manifests abundantly that they are not Coaevous or Connatural to the language it self, but the Arbitrary, artificial invention of men, who have not assigned a sufficient difference in their force and sound to distinguish them in pronunciation. But this objection seems of small importance. The ground of it is an Apprehension, that we still retain exactly the true pronunciation of the Hebrew Tongue, which is evidently false. It is now near 2000 years, since that Tongue was vulgarly spoken in its purity by any people or nation. To imagine that the True, exact, distinct pronunciation of every Tittle and syllable in it, as it was used by them, to whom it was