Thus far my charity this path has tried, (A much unskilful, but well meaning guide:) Yet what they are, even these crude thoughts were bred By reading that which better thou hast read, Thy matchless author's work: which thou, my friend, By well translating better dost commend; Those youthful hours which, of thy equals most 230 In toys have squander'd, or in vice have lost, Those hours hast thou to nobler use employ'd; And the severe delights of truth enjoy'd. Witness this weighty book, in which appears The crabbed toil of many thoughtful years, Spent by thy author, in the sifting care Of Rabbins' old sophisticated ware From gold divine; which he who well can sort May afterwards make algebra a sport: A treasure, which if country curates buy, 240 They Junius and Tremellius[89] may defy; Save pains in various readings, and translations; And without Hebrew make most learn'd quotations. A work so full with various learning fraught, So nicely ponder'd, yet so strongly wrought, As nature's height and art's last hand required: As much as man could compass, uninspired. Where we may see what errors have been made Both in the copiers' and translators' trade; How Jewish, Popish interests have prevail'd, 250 And where infallibility has fail'd. For some, who have his secret meaning guess'd, Have found our author not too much a priest: For fashion-sake he seems to have recourse To Pope, and Councils, and Tradition's force: But he that old traditions could subdue, Could not but find the weakness of the new: If Scripture, though derived from heavenly birth, Has been but carelessly preserved on earth; If God's own people, who of God before 260 Knew what we know, and had been promised more, In fuller terms, of Heaven's assisting care, And who did neither time nor study spare, To keep this Book untainted, unperplex'd, Let in gross errors to corrupt the text, Omitted paragraphs, embroil'd the sense, With vain traditions stopp'd the gaping fence, Which every common hand pull'd up with ease: What safety from such brushwood-helps as these! If written words from time are not secured, 270 How can we think have oral sounds endured? Which thus transmitted, if one mouth has fail'd, Immortal lies on ages are entail'd: And that some such have been, is proved too plain, If we consider interest, church, and gain. O but, says one, tradition set aside, Where can we hope for an unerring guide? For since the original Scripture has been lost, All copies disagreeing, maim'd the most, Or Christian faith can have no certain ground, 280 Or truth in Church Tradition must be found.