AlltheearlyHebrewgrammars，fromthatofReuchlindown，assertthedivineoriginandmiraculousclaimsofHebrew。Itisconstantlymentionedas“thesacredtongue“——sanctalingua。In1506，Reuchlin，thoughhimselfpersecutedbyalargefactionintheChurchforadvancedviews，referstoHebrewas“spokenbythemouthofGod。”
　　ThisideawaspopularizedbytheeditionoftheMargaritaPhilosophica，publishedatStrasburgin1508。Thatwork，initssuccessiveeditionsamirrorofhumanknowledgeatthecloseoftheMiddleAgesandtheopeningofmoderntimes，containsacuriousintroductiontothestudyofHebrew，InthisitisdeclaredthatHebrewwastheoriginalspeech“usedbetweenGodandmanandbetweenmenandangels。”Itsfull-pagefrontispiecerepresentsMosesreceivingfromGodthetablesofstonewritteninHebrew；and，asaconclusiveargument，itremindsusthatChristhimself，bychoosingaHebrewmaidforhismother，madethathismothertongue。
　　Itmustbenotedhere，however，thatLuther，inoneofthoseoutburstsofstrongsensewhichsooftenappearinhiscareer，enforcedtheexplanationthatthewords“Godsaid“hadnothingtodowiththearticulationofhumanlanguage。Still，heevidentlyyieldedtothegeneralview。IntheRomanChurchatthesameperiodwehaveatypicalexampleofthetheologicmethodappliedtophilology，aswehaveseenitappliedtoothersciences，inthestatementbyLuther’sgreatopponent，Cajetan，thatthethreelanguagesoftheinscriptiononthecrossofCalvary“weretherepresentativesofalllanguages，becausethenumberthreedenotesperfection。”
　　In1538Postillusmadeaveryimportantendeavouratacomparativestudyoflanguages，butwiththeorthodoxassumptionthatallwerederivedfromonesource，namely，theHebrew。
　　Naturally，ComparativePhilologyblunderedandstumbledalongthispathintoendlessabsurdities。Themostamazingeffortsweremadetotracebackeverythingtothesacredlanguage。
　　EnglishandLatindictionariesappeared，inwhicheverywordwastracedbacktoaHebrewroot。NosuppositionwastooabsurdinthisattempttosquareSciencewithScripture。Itwasdeclaredthat，asHebrewiswrittenfromrighttoleft，itmightbereadeitherway，inordertoproduceasatisfactoryetymology。Thewholeeffortinallthissacredscholarshipwas，nottofindwhatthetruthis——nottoseehowthevariouslanguagesaretobeclassified，orfromwhatsourcetheyarereallyderived——buttodemonstratewhatwassupposednecessarytomaintainwhatwasthenheldtobethetruthofScripture；namely，thatalllanguagesarederivedfromtheHebrew。
　　Thisstumblingandblundering，undertheswayoforthodoxnecessity，wasseenamongtheforemostscholarsthroughoutEurope。AboutthemiddleofthesixteenthcenturythegreatSwissscholar，ConradGesner，beginninghisMithridates，says。”WhileofalllanguagesHebrewisthefirstandoldest，ofallisalonepureandunmixed，alltherestaremuchmixed，forthereisnonewhichhasnotsomewordsderivedandcorruptedfromHebrew。”
　　Typical，asweapproachtheendofthesixteenthcentury，aretheutterancesoftwoofthemostnotedEnglishdivines。FirstofthesemaybementionedDr。WilliamFulke，MasterofPembrokeHall，intheUniversityofCambridge。InhisDiscoveryoftheDangerousRockoftheRomishChurch，publishedin1580，hespeaksof“theHebrewtongue，……thefirsttongueoftheworld，andfortheexcellencythereofcalled`theholytongue。’“
　　Yetmoreemphatic，eightyearslater，wasanothereminentdivine，Dr。WilliamWhitaker，RegiusProfessorofDivinityandMasterofSt。John’sCollegeatCambridge。InhisDisputationonHolyScripture，firstprintedin1588，hesays：“TheHebrewisthemostancientofalllanguages，andwasthatwhichaloneprevailedintheworldbeforetheDelugeandtheerectionoftheTowerofBabel。ForitwasthiswhichAdamusedandallmenbeforetheFlood，asismanifestfromtheScriptures，asthefatherstestify。”HethenproceedstoquotepassagesonthissubjectfromSt。Jerome，St。Augustine，andothers，andcitesSt。
　　Chrysostominsupportofthestatementthat“GodhimselfshowedthemodelandmethodofwritingwhenhedeliveredtheLawwrittenbyhisownfingertoMoses。”[415]
　　[415]Forthewholescripturalargument，embracingthevarioustextsonwhichthesacredscienceofPhilologywasfounded，withtheusemadeofsuchtexts，seeBenfey，GeschichtederSprachwissenschaftinDeutschland，Munchen，1869，pp。22-26。Astotheoriginofthevowelpoints，seeBenfey，asabove；heholdsthattheybegantobeinsertedinthesecondcenturyA。D。，andthattheprocesslasteduntilaboutthetenth。ForRaymundusandhisPugioFidei，seeG。L。Bauer，ProlegomenatohisrevisionofGlassius’sPhilologiaSacra，Leipsic，1795，——seeespeciallypp。
　　8-14，intomeiiofthework。ForZwingli，seePraef。inApol。
　　comp。IsaiaeOpera，iii。SeealsoMorinus，DeLinguaprimaeva，p。447。ForMarini，seehisArcaNoe：ThesaurusLinguaeSanctae，Venet。，1593，andespeciallythepreface。ForgeneralaccountofCapellus，seeG。L。Bauer，inhisProlegomena，asabove，vol。ii，pp。8-14。HisArcanumPremetationisRevelatumwasbroughtoutatLeydenin1624；hisCriticaSacratenyearslater。SeeonCapellusandSwisstheologues，Wolfius，BibliothecaNebr。，tomeii，p。27。Forthestruggle，seeSchnedermann，DieControversedesLudovicusCapellusmitdenBuxtorfen，Leipsic，1879，citedinarticleHebrew，inEncyclopaediaBritannica。ForWasmuth，seehisVindiciaeSanctaeHebraicaeScripturae，Rostock，1664。ForReuchlin，seethededicatoryprefacetohisRudimentaHebraica，Pforzheim，1506，folio，inwhichhespeaksofthe“indivinascripturadicendigenus，qualeosDeilocatumest。”ThestatementintheMargaritaPhilosophicaastoHebrewisdoubtlessbasedonReuchlin’sRudimentaHebraica，whichitquotes，andwhichfirstappearedin1506。ItissignificantthatthissectiondisappearedfromtheMargaritainthefollowingeditions；
　　butthisdisappearenceiseasilyunderstoodwhenwerecallthefactthatGregoryReysch，itsauthor，havingbecomeoneofthePapalCommissiontojudgeReuchlininhisquarrelwiththeDominicans，thoughtitprudenttosidewiththelatter，andtherefore，doubtless，considereditwisetosuppressallevidenceofReuchlin’sinfluenceuponhisbeliefs。AlltheothereditionsoftheMargaritainmypossessionarecontentwithteaching，undertheheadoftheAlphabet，thattheHebrewletterswereinventedbyAdam。OnLuther’sviewofthewords“Godsaid。”seeFarrar，LanguageandLanguages。ForamostvaluablestatementregardingtheclashingopinionsattheReformation，seeMaxMuller，asabove，lectureiv，p。132。FortheprevailingviewamongtheReformers，seeCalovius，vol。i，p。484，andThulock，TheDoctrineofInspiration，inTheolog。Essays，Boston，1867。
　　BothMullerandBenfeynote，asespeciallyimportant，thedifferencebetweentheChurchviewandtheancientheathenviewregarding“barbarians。”SeeMuller，asabove，lectureiv，p。
　　127，andBenfey，asabove，pp。170etseq。ForaveryremarkablelistofBiblesprintedatanearlyperiod，seeBenfey，p。569。
　　OntheattemptstotraceallwordsbacktoHebrewroots，seeSayce，IntroductiontotheScienceofLanguage，chap。vi。ForGesner，seehisMithridatesdedifferentiislinguarum，Zurich，1555。ForasimilarattempttoprovethatItalianwasalsoderivedfromHebrew，seeGiambullari，citedinGarlanda，p。174。
　　ForFulke，seetheParkerSociety’sPublications，1848，p。224。
　　ForWhitaker，seehisDisputationonHolyScriptureinthesameseries，pp。112-114。
　　Thissacredtheoryenteredtheseventeenthcenturyinfullforce，andforatimeswepteverythingbeforeit。Eminentcommentators，CatholicandProtestant，acceptedanddevelopedit。
　　Greatprelates，CatholicandProtestant，stoodguardoverit，favouringthosewhosupportedit，doingtheirbesttodestroythosewhowouldmodifyit。
　　In1606StephenGuichardbuiltnewbuttressesforitinCatholicFrance。Heexplainsinhisprefacethathisintentionis“tomakethereaderseeintheHebrewwordnotonlytheGreekandLatin，butalsotheItalian，theSpanish，theFrench，theGerman，theFlemish，theEnglish，andmanyothersfromalllanguages。”
　　Asthemeresttyroinphilologycannowsee，thegreatdifficultythatGuichardencountersisingettingfromtheHebrewtotheAryangroupoflanguages。Howhemeetsthisdifficultymaybeimaginedfromhisstatement，asfollows：“Asforthederivationofwordsbyaddition，subtraction，andinversionoftheletters，itiscertainthatthiscanandoughtthustobedone，ifwewouldfindetymologies——athingwhichbecomesverycrediblewhenweconsiderthattheHebrewswrotefromrighttoleftandtheGreeksandothersfromlefttoright。Allthelearnedrecognisesuchderivationsasnecessary；……and……certainlyotherwiseonecouldscarcelytraceanyetymologybacktoHebrew。”
　　Ofcourse，bythismethodofphilologicaljuggling，anythingcouldbeprovedwhichtheauthorthoughtnecessarytohispiouspurpose。
　　Twoyearslater，AndrewWillettpublishedatLondonhisHexapla，orSixfoldCommentaryuponGenesis。Inthisheinsiststhattheonelanguageofallmankindinthebeginning“wastheHebrewtonguepreservedstillinHeber’sfamily。”HealsotakespainstosaythattheTowerofBabel“wasnotsocalledofBelus，assomehaveimagined，butofconfusion，forsotheHebrewwordballalsignifieth“；andhequotesfromSt。Chrysostomtostrengthenhisposition。
　　In1627Dr。Constantinel’EmpereurwasinductedintothechairofPhilosophyoftheSacredLanguageintheUniversityofLeyden。
　　InhisinauguralorationonTheDignityandUtilityoftheHebrewTongue，heputshimselfonrecordinfavouroftheDivineoriginandmiraculouspurityofthatlanguage。”Who。”hesays，“cancallinquestionthefactthattheHebrewidiomiscoevalwiththeworlditself，savesuchasseektowinvaingloryfortheirownsophistry？”
　　TwoyearsafterWillett，inEngland，comesthefamousDr。
　　Lightfoot，themostrenownedscholarofhistimeinHebrew，Greek，andLatin；butallhisscholarshipwasbenttosuittheologicalrequirements。InhisErubhin，publishedin1629，hegoestothefulllengthofthesacredtheory，thoughwebegintoseeacuriousendeavourtogetoversomelinguisticdifficulties。
　　Onepassagewillservetoshowboththerobustnessofhisfaithandtheacutenessofhisreasoning，inviewofthedifficultieswhichscholarsnowbegantofindinthesacredtheory。”OthercommendationsthistongueHebrewneedethnonethanwhatithathofitself；namely，forsanctityitwasthetongueofGod；andforantiquityitwasthetongueofAdam。Godthefirstfounder，andAdamthefirstspeakerofit……ItbeganwiththeworldandtheChurch，andcontinuedandincreasedinglorytillthecaptivityinBabylon……AsthemaninSeneca，thatthroughsicknesslosthismemoryandforgothisownname，sotheJews，fortheirsins，losttheirlanguageandforgottheirowntongue……BeforetheconfusionoftonguesalltheworldspoketheirtongueandnootherbutsincetheconfusionoftheJewstheyspeakthelanguageofalltheworldandnottheirown。”
　　Butjustatthemiddleofthecentury1657cameinEnglandachampionofthesacredtheorymoreimportantthananyofthese——BrianWalton，BishopofChester。HisPolyglotBibledominatedEnglishscripturalcriticismthroughouttheremainderofthecentury。HeprefaceshisgreatworkbyprovingatlengththedivineoriginofHebrew，andthederivationfromitofallotherformsofspeech。Hedeclaresit“probablethatthefirstparentofmankindwastheinventorofletters。”Hischaptersonthissubjectarefullofinterestingdetails。HesaysthattheWelshman，Davis，hadalreadytriedtoprovetheWelshtheprimitivespeech；Wormius，theDanish；Mitilerius，theGerman；
　　butthebishopstandsfirmlybythesacredtheory，informingusthat“evenintheNewWorldarefoundtracesoftheHebrewtongue，namely，inNewEnglandandinNewBelgium，wherethewordAguardasignifiesearth，andthenameJosephisfoundamongtheHurons。”Aswehaveseen，BishopWaltonhadbeenforcedtogiveuptheinspirationoftherabbinicalpunctuation，butheseemstohavefallenbackwithallthemoretenacityonwhatremainedofthegreatsacredtheoryoflanguage，andtohavebecomeitsleadingchampionamongEnglish-speakingpeoples。
　　AtthatsameperiodthesamedoctrinewasputforthbyagreatauthorityinGermany。In1657AndreasSennertpublishedhisinauguraladdressasProfessorofSacredLettersandDeanoftheTheologicalFacultyatWittenberg。AllhiseffortsweregiventomakingLuther’solduniversityafortressoftheorthodoxtheory。Hisaddress，likemanyothersinvariouspartsofEurope，showsthatinhistimeaninauguralwithanysaveanorthodoxstatementofthetheologicalplatformwouldnotbetolerated。Fewthingsinthepastaretothesentimentalmindmorepathetic，tothephilosophicalmindmorenatural，andtotheprogressivemindmoreludicrous，thanaddressesathighfestivalsoftheologicalschools。Theaudiencehasgenerallyconsistedmainlyofestimableelderlygentlemen，whoreceivedtheirtheologyintheiryouth，andwhointheiroldagehavewatchedoveritwithjealouscaretokeepitwellprotectedfromeveryfreshbreezeofthought。Naturally，atheologicalprofessorinauguratedundersuchauspicesendeavourstopropitiatehisaudience。Sennertgoestogreatlengthsbothinhisaddressandinhisgrammar，publishednineyearslater；for，declaringtheDivineoriginofHebrewtobequitebeyondcontroversy，hesays：
　　“Noahreceiveditfromourfirstparents，andguardeditinthemidstofthewaters；HeberandPelegsaveditfromtheconfusionoftongues。”
　　ThesamedoctrinewasnolessloudlyinsisteduponbythegreatestauthorityinSwitzerland，Buxtorf，professoratBasle，whoproclaimedHebrewtobe“thetongueofGod，thetongueofangels，thetongueoftheprophets“；andtheeffectofthisproclamationmaybeimaginedwhenwenotein1663thathisbookhadreacheditssixthedition。