(4.) The whole course of speech, especially in the New Testament, is accommodated unto the nature, use, and propriety of that lan- guage, as expressed in other authors who wrote therein, and had a perfect understanding of it. From them, therefore, is the proper use and sense of the words, phrases, and expressions in the New Tes- tament much to be learned. This no man can make a judgment of
in controversy with Brian Walton; for which see vol. xvi. of his works. His argument proceeds on the supposition that, by a continuous miracle, extending over ages, every point and letter of Scripture have been indubitably preserved as they came from the inspired penmen. But it is a necessary condition of the argument, that what he alleges or assumes respecting the miraculous preservation of all the letters and words of Scrip- ture should be true. If it be not true, and if there be really higher evidence for the peculiar claims of the Word in the fact that, with the common liabilities of all manu- scripts to corruption, it exists in such accuracy and perfection, greater reverence is shown to it in critical efforts to weed out all remaining errata by the collation of manu- scripts, than by slothful acquiescence in the text, without any attempt to ascertain on what authority it must be received as the actual text of inspiration. — Ed.
CHAP. VIII.] MEANS FOE UNDERSTANDING THE MIND OF GOD. 215
in a due manner but he that is skilled in that language, as used and delivered by them. Not that I think a commentary on the New Tes- tament may be collected out of Eustathius, Hesychius, Phavorinns, Julius Pollux, and other glossaries, from whose grammaticisms and vocabularies some do countenance themselves in curious and bold conjectures, nor from the likeness of expression in classic authors. This only I say, that it is of singular advantage, in the interpretation of the Scripture, that a man be well acquainted with the original languages, and be able to examine the use and signification of words, phrases, and expressions as they are applied and declared in other authors. And even to the understanding of the Greek of the New Testament it is necessary that a man have an acquaintance with the Hebrew of the Old; for although I do not judge that there are such a number of Hebraisms in it, — in a supposed discovery whereof con- sists no small part of some men's critical observations, — yet I readily grant that there is such a cognation and alliance in and between the senses of the one and the other as that a due comparing of their expressions doth mutually contribute light and perspicuity unto them.
By these things great advantage may be obtained unto the right understanding of the sense of the Scripture, or the mind of the Holy Ghost therein; for there is no other sense in it than what is con- tained in the words whereof materially it doth consist, though really that sense itself be such as our minds cannot receive without the especial divine assistance before pleaded. And in the interpretation of the mind of any one, it is necessary that the words he speaks or writes be rightly understood ; and this we cannot do immediately unless we understand the language wherein he speaks, as also the idiotisms of that language, with the common use and intention of its phraseology and expressions. And if we do not hereby come unto a perfect comprehension of the sense intended, because many other things are required thereunto, yet a hinderance is removed, without which we cannot do so; occasions of manifold mistakes are taken away, and the cabinet is as it were unlocked wherein the jewel of truth lies hid, which with a lawful diligent search may be found- And what perplexities, mistakes, and errors, the ignorance of these original languages hath cast many expositors into, both of old and of late, especially among those who pertinaciously adhere unto one translation, and that none of the best, might be manifested by in- stances undeniable, and these without number. Such is that of the gloss on Tit. hi. 10, " Hgereticum hominem de vita," which adds, as its exposition, " tolle." And those among ourselves who are less skilled in this knowledge are to be advised that they would be care- ful not to adventure on any singidar exposition of the Scriptures,
2 1 6 CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS, ETC. [BOOK VI., PART II.
or any text in them, upon the credit of any one or all translations they can make use of, seeing persons of greater name and worth than to be mentioned unto their disreputation have miscarried upon the same account. A reverential subjection of mind, and diligent atten- dance unto the analogy of faith, are their best preservative in this matter; and I fear not to add, that a superficial knowledge in these tongues, which many aim at, is of little use unless it be to make men adventurous in betraying their own ignorance. But the sense and substance of the Scripture being contained entirely in every good translation (amongst which that in use among ourselves is excellent, though capable of great improvements), men may, by the use of the means before directed unto, and under the conduct of the teaching of the Spirit of God in them, usefully and rightly expound the Scrip- ture in general unto the edification of others; whereof many instances may be given amongst ancient and modern expositors.