Bible, Scripture.
’TIS a great Question how we know Scripture to be Scripture, whe∣ther by the Church, or by Man’s private Spirit: Let me ask you, how I know any thing? how I know this Carpet to be green? First, because some body told me it was green; that you call the Church in your Way. Then after I have been told it is green, when I see that Colour again, I know it to be green, my own Eyes tell me it is green, that you call the private Spirit.
The English Translation of the Bible is the best Translation in the World, and renders the Sense of the Original best, taking in for the English Translation, the Bishop’s Bible as well as King James’s. The Translation in King James’s time took an excellent way. That Part of the Bible was given to him who was most excellent in such a Tongue (as the Apocry∣pha to Andrew Downs) and then they met together, and one read the Translation, the rest holding in their Hands some Bi∣ble, either of the learned Tongues, or French, Spanish, Italian, &c. if they found any Fault, they spoke; if not he read on.
There is no Book so translated as the Bible for the purpose. If I tran∣slate a French Book into English, I turn it into English Phrase, not into French English [Il fait froid] I say ’tis cold, not, it makes cold; but the Bible is rather translated into English Words than into English Phrase. The Hebraisms are kept, and the Phrase of that Language is kept: As for Example, [He uncover’d her Shame] which is well enough, so long as Scholars have to do with it; but when it comes among the Common Peo∣ple, Lord, what Jeer do they make of it!
Scrutamini Scripturas. These two Words have undone the World; because Christ spake it to his Disciples; therefore we must all, Men, Women and Children, read and interpret the Scripture.
Henry the Eighth made a Law, that all Men might read the Scripture, except Servants; but no Woman, except Ladies and Gentlewomen, who had Lei∣sure and might ask somebody the Mean∣ning. The Law was repeal’d in Edward the Sixth’s Days.
Lay-men have best interpreted the hard Places in the Bible, such as Johannes Picus, Scaliger, Grotius, Salmansius, Heinsi∣us, &c.
If you ask which of Erasmus, Beza, or Grotius did best upon the New Te∣stament, ’tis an idle Question: For they all did well in their Way. Erasmus broke down the first Brick, Beza added many things, and Grotius added much to him, in whom we have either something new, or something heighten’d, that was said before, and so ’twas necessary to have them all three.
The Text serves only to guess by, we must satisfie our selves fully out of the Authors that liv’d about those times.
In interpreting the Scripture, many do as if a Man should see one have ten Pounds which he reckon’d by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. meaning four was but four Unites, and five sive Unites, &c. and that he had in all but ten Pounds; the other that sees him, takes not the Figures together as he doth, but picks here and there, and thereupon reports, that he hath five Pounds in one Bag, and six Pounds in another Bag, and nine Pounds in another Bag, &c. when as in truth he hath but ten Pounds in all. So we pick out a Text here and there to make it serve our turn; where∣as if we take it altogether, and consi∣der’d what went before, and what fol∣lowed after, we should find it meant no such thing.
Make no more Alegories in Scrip∣ture than needs must, the Fathers were too frequent in them, they indeed before they fully understood the literal Sense, look’d out for an Alegory. The Folly whereof you may conceive thus: Here at the first sight appears to me in my Window a Glass and a Book; I take it for granted, ’tis a Glass and a Book, thereupon I go about to tell you what they signifie; afterwards upon nearer view, they prove no such thing; one is a Box made like a Book, the other is a Picture made like a Glass where’s now my Alegory?
When Men meddle with the literal Text, the Question is, where they should stop: In this Case, a Man must venture his Discretion and do his best to satisfie himself and others in those Places where he doubts, for although we call the Scrip∣ture the Word of God (as it is) yet it was writ by a Man, a mercenary Man, whose Copy, either might be false, or he might make it false: For Example, here were a thousand Bibles printed in England with the Text thus, [Thou shalt commit Adultery] the Word [not] left out; might not this Text be mended?
The Scripture may have more Senses besides the Literal; because God understands all things at once; but a Man’s Writing has but one true Sense, which is that which the Author meant when he writ it.
When you meet with several Read∣ings of the Text, take heed you ad∣mit nothing against the Tenets of your Church; but do as if you were going over a Bridge, be sure you hold fast by the Rail, and then you may dance here and there as you please; be sure you keep to what is settled, and then you may flourish upon your various Lecti∣ons.
The Apocrypha is bound with the Bibles of all Churches that have been hitherto. Why should we leave it out? The Church of Rome has her Apocrypha (viz.) Susanna and Bell and the Dragon, which she does not esteem equally with the rest of those Books that we call Apo∣crypha.