and heighten them by the strongest and most facred endearments of Christianity. But 'tis in vain to bestow words upon any perfon to convince him of the excellence of this divine paffage, who does not feel the force and pathos

of itho

There are a great many ways of expreffion which are originally Hebraifms, but have been tranfplanted into the Greek by the best authors; and are now proper and genuine phrases in the Greek tongue, tho' that be rafhly deny'd by feve ral grammarians and commentators. room nie↑

.§.2. There was in the laft century a famous contest between Pfochenius and our countryman Gataker The firft affirm'd that there were no -Hebraifms at all in the Greek of the new Teftament. But 'twas impoffible he should have fuccefs in that attempt. Indeed in his book he proves fome paffages, which had been thought by many to be peculiar to the Hebrew language, to be good Greek too: but he is generally too forward and affuming, and produces many of his authorities out of low writers, which can have no rank among the genuine Claffics. Gataker runs into the contrary extreme, and denies the

i Philip. i. 8. Gen. xliii. 30. Efa. lxiii. r.

purity of several expreffions in the new Testament, tho' they be found in the first-rate Greek authors, because they are likewise used in the Hebrew Bible. Which feems to me very humourfom and unreasonable; because different languages in many instances agree in phraseology and common ways of speaking; and a form of speech in any language, which agrees with the Hebrew, is fo far from deferving to be rejected for that reason, that 'tis more authentic and valuable, as agreeing with that facred and original language.

This learned man will not grant that the noblest and best poets do establish any idiom; and fays no phrafe can be prov'd to be pure Greek, only because it is found in poets, tho' they be the most celebrated for purity: which is an affirmation that tends to render fome of the noblest productions of human wit of little fervice; and fome of the greatest masters barbarians in their own language. There are indeed fome peculi arities in the poets, fome liberties in ranging their words, and fome words which profe-writers scarce ever use. But the greatest part of the phrafes and figures of language are common to the poets and profe-writers. The plaineft and purest of the profe authors in fome places are as dar ing in ftrong metaphors and high flights, as the

C

loftieft

loftiest poets themselves. themselves. Herodotus, Thucidides, Plato, and Xenophon, a very familiar and eafy writer, fometimes have as high expreffions, and as much going out of the vulgar way, as any thing in the chorus of the tragedians, or the lofty ftanza's of Pindar Herodotus frequently ufes the Tmefis, fo rare in profe-writers; and delights in Homer's expreffions, even when moft daring.

m

̓Ανὰ τ ̓ ἔδραμον καὶ ἔβλασον – παραγυμνοῖ ἕπος· ἐκπλώσαντες το νόs in Herodotus *, περᾶν χρὴ παιδία in Plato', Πετραὶ τὸ ἠλίβατοι, and οἱ πῦρ πνέοντες in Xenophon, more bold and poetical than Homer's μένεα πνείοντες ", are inftances of poetical liberties not the most daring, which are taken by thofe profe-writers. There are vast numbers of the same nature, fome few of which we may have occafion to produce in the procedure of this work. Can any equal judge, who does not condemn these chief authors of Greece, be offended at that beautiful bold expreffion of St. Luke, 11λoiw μrì δυναμένῳ ἀντοφθαλμεῖν τῷ ἀνέμῳ, when the fip could no longer look the form in the face? Oecu

k P. 431.1.21. Her. 9. p. 526.1. ult. Herod. 6. p. 335.1. 35. 1 Plat. Ref. 5. 372. Ed. Maffey.

Xen. Cyr. exp. 1. p. 27. Xen. Hellen. 7. The critics allow poetical expreffions to be prudently us'd by profe writers. Δεν γὲ χρῆσθαι αυτή ποιήσει ἐξαλλάττει γὰρ τὸ Αιωθός και ξενικήν ποιεῖ τὴν λέξιν. Αrift. Rhet. 1. 3. c. 3.

menius,

menius, a native Greek, and commentator on the facred writers, feems not to relifh this noble expreffion, but formally and coolly tells us, that the word is properly apply'd to a man only.

"Tis a vigorous compound word us'd by Polybius, and in this place is furprizingly bold and agreeable, and the paffage is rais'd and strengthen'd by two lively Profopopeïas. 'Tis the obfervation of the great critic Demetrius Phalereus, that fomething of the poetic phrafe and fpirit gives nobleness and magnificence to a difcourfe". Indeed there always wants both fpirit and pleafantness in a profe-author, who is altogether insensible of the charms and graces of poetry. But when and how far to throw in the heightenings and embellishments of poetry is not to be learnt by tumbling over fcholiafts and writers of Lexicons, nor railing duft in libraries; but requires a delicate ear, a quick apprehenfion and great ftrength and foundness of judgment. How fmall a portion of the poetical fpirit fell to the fhare of Mr. Gataker appears from all this writings; particularly his tranflation of the Greek verfes he quotes into Latin. That smooth line of one the politeft and fweetest of the Greek poets","

n Dem. Phal. 112. p. 71.

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• Theot. Id. 27. v. 64. Παρθένος

Παρθένος ἔνθα βέβηκα, γυνὴ δ' εις οἶκον ἀφερῶ,

is fo heavily fetter'd, and moves fo aukwardly in this gentleman's Latin verfion, that I believe it will make a very grave man fmile.

Veneram ego huc virgo, at mulier fum jam hinc reditura".

This digreffion, I hope, will be easily pardon'd, because the ufe and pertinence of it will appear in the process of this work.

§. 3. It will now be a fit preparation to the following chapters to fhew that not only this learned man, but feveral authors, antient and modern, native Greeks, celebrated linguifts and commentators, have too forwardly pronounc'd many places in the new Testament to be mere Hebraifms, Arabifms, &c. which are found exactly parallel to the common expreffions of the first-rate writers of old Greece; and have boldly affirm'd many to be falfe and barbarous, which upon examination come up to the standard of primitive purity. I enter upon this examination, not with the least intention to gratify the vanity of contradict

P Gat. de ftyl. N.T. p. 131.