A90280:329
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.
The truth is, the Hebrews have but 10 vowels, 5 long, and 5 short, or 5 great and 5 less; Sheva is but a servant to all the rest; and its addition to Segol and Patha makes no new vowels. To distinguish between Camets Hateph, and Hateph Camets there is no Colour. Seven only of them, as Morinus hath manifested out of R. Jehuda Chiug, one of the first Grammarians among the Jews, namely, [Greek or Hebrew] they called (of old) Kings, or the chief Rulers of all the motions of the letters. So that indeed they have not so many figures to distinguish sounds by, with all their vowels, as have the Greeks. Besides the 7 vowels they have twelve diphthongs, and three of them as to any peculiar ⟨p. 277⟩sound as mute as Sheva. 1It is true, Pliny tells us that Simonides Melicus found out two of the vowels, [Greek or Hebrew] and [Greek or Hebrew], as he did also two Consonants [Greek or Hebrew] & [Greek or Hebrew]: but surely he did so, because he found them needful to answer the distinct sounds used in that language, or he had deserved little thanks for his invention. Speaking lately with a worthy learned friend, about an universal Character, which hath been mentioned by many, attempted by divers,2 and by him brought to that perfection, as will doubtless yield much, if not universal satisfaction unto learned and prudent men, when he shall be pleased to communicate his thoughts upon it to the world; we fell occasionally on the difference of apert sounds or vowels, which when I heard him with good Reason affirm to be 8 or 9, remembering this Argument ⟨p. 278⟩about the Hebrew points, I desired him to give his thoughts in a few words the next day, which he did accordingly; now because his discourse seems evidently to discover the vanity of this pretence, that the Hebrew vowels are an arbitrary invention from their number, I have here inserted it.
The truth is, the Hebrews have but 10 vowels, 5 long, and 5 short, or 5 great and 5 lesse; Sheva is but a servant to all the rest; and its addition to Segol and Patha makes no new vowels. To distinguish between Camets Hateph, and Hateph Camets there is no Colour. Seven only of them, as Morinus hath manifested out of R. Jehuda Chiug, one of the first Grammarians among the Jews, namely, they called (of old) Kings, or the chiefe Rulers of all the motions of the letters. So that indeed they have not so many figures to distinguish sounds by, with all their vowels, as have the Greeks. Besides the 7 vowels they have twelve dipthongs, and three of them as to any peculiar