nifter in place of a Lord; and on the contrary, Love, Delight, Momentoufness of Matter, is fignifi ed by putting a Dom. in room of a Minifter, or a great Dominus for a lefler.

Axiome 7. The Poetick and Prophetick Books are fo full of Alterations from the Grammar Table, that the Exceptions would exceed the Rules; yea, the former, viz. Job, Proverbs and Pfalms, differ in the very Points themselves, fo that they need a diftinct Table: This would ftand a moft powerful Argument against their Validity, but fo harmonious with the Rhetorick Table, that there is fcarce any exception from both Tables; and confequently an efficacious Argument that that double use was the defign of the Author; for de contingentibus non datur certa fcientia, there cannot be any orderly Analyfis where there was no Methodical Synthefis; we may as well affert the Worlds Harmony out of Epicurean Atoms; or that the Bible came to pafs by a Shower of Letters; as thefe Points to be incerted, without the ends being defigned that they are fuch adapted Means for.

The Third Branch of this Argument are the Rules particular about each Points Value and Ufe, abfolutely confidered. The moft comprehenfive of which I fhall reduce to Seven alfo; tho Seventy will scarce comprehend them all, until again and again refin'd.

Rule 1.

Silluk:- concludes every Verfe, and fuppofes every Verfe concluded by it (in the Grammatical Table) to contain one entire Propofition, if litterally the Verse do not, as Gen.14.1. it is a Mystical Senfe that makes up the Propofition G4

which

which is not at first feen; for in that Gen. 14. I. there is a clear Type of the Four Monarchies : If there be but one Propofition in the Verse there is no place for or in that Verfe without an Emphasis.

Rule 2. Admach divides every Verfe of Two Propofitions (not more nor fewer) of diftinct Subjects or Arguments, exactly in the middle, where the Matter gives moft proper place, "if he find not Two, he will make Two, and that will make his Emphasis appear.

Rule 3. When the Verfe is of 3 Propofitions in Profe, there is but when the Verfe is of Three Propofitions in Verfe; and fometimes it fupplies the place of when but Two Propofitions.

7

Rule 4th. and fometimes do divide the greater Members of a Propofition, as the former Four did the greater or immediate Members of an Oration, viz. Propofition.

The Characters of great Members are

1. Three Words at least. 2. The Matter is the Circumstances, or Properties, or Actions of the Subject. 3. It contains a compleat Answer to fome Questions about it. What? Where? When? How? Why?

In Verfe are Majores Domini, and have the fame Office.

Rule 5. The following Domini in the Scheme, are Minores, but of different degree in feparation. 1. Their place is fecond or third from great Dom. but the Majores are in the 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th place.

2. They comprehend but Two Words.

3. The likenefs, equality or dependance of these Members are indicated by the variety of thefe fub-diftinguishers.

Rule

Rule 6. A Parenthesis is. either of two Words, and then it begins with a Minor, and is concluded with a Major, if it end 4 or 5 Words before a Dom. abfolutum. Or 2dly, Of more Words than two, and then it begins with a Major, and is concluded as the former; for if either ends but in 2 or 3 Words before a Dom. abfol. they are concluded by a Minor. But if a Minor, or an abfolutum Dom. come in the room of a Major or Minor, there is an Emphafis, as the Matter will manifeft. If more than a Verfe, or if a whole one be a Parenthefis, the former Rules are fufficient.

Rule 7. There remains another Rule for Emphafis, viz. Maccaph () it accelerates the Word fo as to make it one in Conftruction with the following, and fignifies Hafte, for that Word has no Accent, whereas on the contrary many have Two Accents, which makes that one Word Two in confecution, Gen. 35. 22. is a moft noble Inftance of this kind, where there is a whole Sentence, each Word having two Conftructions, and two Senfes, and both pertinent and Emphatick.

This Argument is to me Demonstration, and tho treated with Variety, is omitted by nonelying fo obvious, fpun out of the very Bowels and Effentials of the Art. I thought it worth while to enquire, what had been, or could be faid against it; and I found Capellus in his Vindiciis, Anno Dom. 1689, much defpifing and contemning of it, p.906. cap. 17. but moft weakly refuting it; tho I fhall at this time fhun Controverfie. I cannot but give an account of this, because it strikes at the Root of my Tree,

שלשלת המקרא

Firft, Says, he, Ledeburius in his Preface to No 570 1647. indirectly proves the Antiquity of the Points, from their admirable Order that favours more of Divine Wisdom than Humane Industry. It is wonderful that he fhould not once meddle with Wafmuth, who fo fully answers all his Arguments, returns them as oppofite Arguments on him, and falls foul upon Ledeb's Preface. Wafmuth was Printed 1664. 24 Years before this Vindicia.

Secondly, He fays it is a Work of Herculean Labour, aptly to reduce thefe Accents, to their feveral Claffes and Dominions, but of very little Ufe.

Refp. That shall be seen in the Chapter, Of the Uses of the Accents.

Thirdly, Four or Five of the great Points, he fays, are useful, the reft are Trifles.

2. One may do better by comparing Contexts and Verfions, or by prudential Conjecture, than by them Points. 3. Suppofe Senfe and Reafon can be better made contrary to them Rules than by them; I will yield to Reafon, and flight Maforetical Authority.

Refp It's certain all are of the fame Authority and Antiquity, the fruit of the fame Wisdom, and that the Momentoufnefs of the Matter may be more Marked by a little Point, than what is marked by a great one, Prov. 1. 1. I would know of Capellus whether Solomon or David be called there King of Ifrael, Gen. 11. 20. If Shem or Japhet be the elder; if Habbak. 2. the just by Faith fhall live, or just fhall live by faith; And I would have the Reader try if by all his Critical Comments, he can fuit the Point.

Refp.

Refp 2. That is the Question if the Authority be Maforetical 500 Years after Chrift, or before. Refp. 3. He cannot know nor understand the Propofition, Antecedent or Confequent without knowledge of the Points; and can he understand the whole by unknown parts.

Refp. 4. The preferring Verfions to the Original; and Conjecture, to certain Rules, are both of a piece; I interpret French the one way, and Latine the other way, which renders me liable to filthy Blunders in the one, when I am fure of the other.

Refp. 5. Suppofe the Maforites the Authors; can we pretend, or he, to fuch Skill in the Hebrew as they had? And fuppofe he can make a coherent Senfe, Piercing contrary to the Points by his own value of the Tiberians, I ought to prefer that Sense; for Inftance, Pfal. 30. 6. (Clop. tranflates it thus) Many Lives are but a Moment in Divine Wrath: In his favour weeping lodges but a Night; there is rejoicing in the Morning: Our English thus, His anger endureth but a Moment, Lives are in his favour; weeping may endure for a Night, but Joy cometh in the Morning. The Queftion is, which of these Senfes are preferable. Clop. against the Points not allowing to an abfolute Lord the power of a Comma, against his conftant Ufe, or our Tranilators that follow a common Rule.

I have given to this Vindicia of Capellus but a curfory View for Three Hours time. The General Cry of the Learned of that Opinion is,it ought to be answered, None has Anfwered it: My Anfwer and Opinion is, It was Anfwered 24 Years before it was Printed, by Wafm. Vinditia. And if he had not been confcious of Impotency, or self

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