many Sects and Divifions as there are amongst Chriftians, and as many different Translations as they make ufe of, they all acknowledge the Authority of the Originals, and their Tranflations in the main are the fame; however, they disagree in rendring fome particular Paffages, which concern the different Opinions of the feveral Parties, and upon that account maintain their own Translation to be more correct than others. If we allow of Mr. Selden's Judgment, who was very able to make a true one, and far enough from being prejudiced in the cafe, he fays, the Englifh Tranflation of the Bible is the best Tranflation in the World, and renders the fenfe of the Original beft, taking in for the English Translation the Bishop's Bible, as well as King James's. However, by different Translations, and by comparing divers Copies and Versions to make out the true Reading, many Texts become better understood, and more fully explained, than if there had been but one Reading, and no difference in the Tranflations. VI. And no lefs may be faid in behalf of the New Teftament than of the Old; for the Books of it were kept from the beginning as a facred Treasure, with great care and reverence, and were conftantly read in the Christian Assemblies, and foon tranflated into all Languages. The Primitive Chriftians chose to undergo any Torments, rather than they would deliver up the Books of Scripture to their Perfecutors to be destroyed, and they were no less careful to preserve them uncorrupted by Hereticks. Befides, when Hereticks attempted to corrupt any Text of Scripture to ferve their particular Herefies, they were declared against, not only by the Orthodox, but by other Hereticks, who were not concerned for thofe Opinions, in behalf whereof the Corruption was intended. So that it was impoffible for any Corruptions to be Table-Talk. impofed impofed upon the Church, or to pafs undifcovered even by fome of the Hereticks themselves. They must be defigned for fome End, and to authorize fome particular Doctrines, and then all, who were not for thofe Doctrines, and more especially those who were against them, would certainly oppofe fuch Corruptions. God, who, for fuch wife Reasons, permits Herefies, that we are told, they must be, I Cor. xi. 19. may, for the like Reasons, permit various Lections, and other Accidents, to befal the Scriptures, which, through the Sins of Men, prove an encouragement or pretence to the introduction and fupport of Heretical Doctrines: yet these Herefies, at the fame time, serve as one means of fecurity against wilful and dangerous Alterations. The agreement likewife of the Greek Text of the New Teftament, with the feveral ancient Verfions, and with the Quotations found in the Writings of the Fathers, who cited and alledged them from the Times of the Apostles, proves that there have been no alterations of any fuch confequence, as to make the Scriptures infufficient for the Ends of a Divine Revelation. If any Man be of another Opinion, let him inftance in any one Article of Faith, or Rule of Life, which cannot be proved from the Scriptures. It is not enough for him to fhew, that fome one or more Texts, which have been brought in proof of it, are difputed, but he must shew that it can be proved by no Text, which is clear and undifputed. Most of the various Lections in the New Testament are either of no moment, being in fynonymous words, or expletive Particles, or they are so apparent Errata, that they may eafily be difcerned and corrected. There is hardly Ꮒ one Text, which concerns any Article of Faith, that has fuch a different Reading, as is contrary to found Doctrine, and if it be contrary, yet the fame Doctrines Vid. Præf. ad Gr. Teft. Oxon. 1675. K 2 are are taught in fo many feveral places of Scripture, that the different Reading of one or two Texts can be no prejudice to the conftant Tenour and undoubted Reading of fo many other. The want of Accents, and Points, and diftinction of words in ancient MSS. Abbreviations, the likeness of Words or Letters, and the repetition of the fame Word, whereby it fometimes came to pafs, that the intermediate Sentence was left out by Transcribers: These are common Accidents, which have occafioned various Lections in all Books. But it happened befides, that Harmonies of the Gofpel's being drawn up, whether for publick or private ufe, wherein the Texts of the feveral Evangelifts, relating to the fame thing, were fet in different Columns, the Transcribers fometimes inferted the words of one Evangelift into the Text of another; and the fame confufion was made in other Books of Scripture, by removing the Words of parallel places from the Margin into the Text. And the Gofpels and Epiftles in the Liturgies, had fuch Alterations, or Additions, as were requifite to make the Senfe compleat in fuch Parts of Scripture, as were felected for that purpose; which Alterations were afterwards transcribed into the Books of Scripture; as if John xxi. 19. he faith unto him, follow me, fhould from our Liturgy, be altered into, Jefus faid unto Peter, follow me. But fuch as thefe, and many others, which help to fwell the number of various Lections, make no variations in the Senfe. The various Lections of the Holy Scriptures, are fo far from being an Argument against their Authority, that they rather help to prove it, fince they are comparatively fo few in a Book of fo great Antiquity. For no care and regard, inferiour to that, which we must i Quod in eâdem re alius nus putaverint, addiderunt. k Gospel for St. John the * Evangelista plus dixit, in alio, quia mi- fuppofe fuppofe Men to have of a Book, which they are convinced is of Divine Authority, could have produced a lefs variety of Readings in a Book of much lefs Antiquity. They are all of no confequence to the prejudice of the End and Design of a Revelation; and therefore they come under the number of fuch Accidents, as God cannot be obliged in his providence to prevent. But the Bible could not, without the signal Providence of God, have been preferved for fo many Ages, under fo many Changes and Revolutions, which the Wisdom of God, for Reafons elsewhere obferved, faw fit to permit, much less could it have escaped with fo inconfiderable Variations, in the many Copies taken, and Verfions made in different Ages and distant Countries, unless it had been fecured by a particular Providence, from thofe Corruptions and Alterations, which are fo frequent in Humane Writings. What has been faid upon this Subject, is confirmed by the large and laborious Collection of various Readings lately published upon the New Teftament; for that learned Author, with the incredible pains and ftudy of near Thirty Years, has revised whatever had been done by others before him in this way, and has made many Additions of his own, out of MSS. and printed Copies, in all Languages, that had not been confulted, or not fufficiently examined. He has, in collating" one Edition, added above " Seven hundred various Lections, which R. Stephens had omitted, not thinking them, it feems, confiderable enough to be inferted. He has not omitted the Collections of Petrus Faxardus, Marquefs of Veles, tho' he had once rejected them as infignificant, but was at laft perfuaded by fome Friend, against his own Opinion, to put them into the Appendix. He has noted every n Addition, and Omiffion, and Variation, which has been obferved of any Word, or Syllable, and even of any Letter, or Point, or Accent, in any ancient Copy, in all Languages, throughout the New Testament. He has examined the Citations of all ancient Authors, and has given us the History of the Text of Scripture, fhewing, as he fays, in what ftate and condition it has been in every Age, fince the firft propagation of the Gospel to this time. In fhort, nothing has been wanting to encrease the Number, or add to the weight of various Lections. But after all this care and diligence, he declares, that much the greateft part of various Lections have been occafioned by Parallel Places of the Gospels, written in the Margin, which afterwards were, by Transcribers, inferted in the Text; and that, in his Collection, above One thousand fix hundred various Lections are of this fort: That the Canon of Scripture never fuffered any corruption by Hereticks: And that this great number of various Lections can be no cause of doubt or fufpicion to judicious Men, of the Authority of the Greek Text, but is, on the contrary, a means to prove and confirm the truth and certainty of it. And he has effectually fhewn that controverted Verfe, John v.7. to be Authentick, by confidering all that has been on both fides produced. Many Men ever fince the Reformation, both in our own, and other Countries, who understood Religion beft, and were moft zealous in defence of it, have been moft forward and induftrious to publish the Bible in all Languages, and with the various Lections of each Language. And whatever fome may hope, and others fear, Experience have fhewn, that they have been no prejudice, but an advantage to Religion, and afford |