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our translators to be its meaning in these passages, make it probable that, in the first mentioned examples likewise, it hath the uncommon signification contended for, especially if, so understood, it agrees better with the context.-There are, however, two or three instances of uncommon significations given to words, for which the author can produce no authority. But he contends that the context leads to these significations of the words; and that, in giving them such signification, he is supported by critics and dictionary writers, who prove the uncommon significations which they affix to some words, only by producing a single passage from an approved author, in which it cannot be otherwise understood. See examples, 2 Pet. i. 20. note. Many of the alterations introduced into this new translation of the epistles may perhaps be thought needless, as making but little difference in the sense of the passages. Yet it is a sufficient justification of these alterations, that they render the language of the translation more grammatical and modern, and that they approach nearer to the words of the original than the translation in our English Bible. A number of them, however, on a nearer inspection, will be found to preserve the emphasis of the original expressions, and to show the propriety of the reasoning, and even to convey important meanings which are lost in the common version.*

By bringing the translation of the Scriptures as close to the original as the idiom of the language will allow, many advantages will be obtained, of which the following are the chief:-1. A translation which exhibits, not the glosses of commentators, but the very words of the original, as nearly as can be done in a different language, will afford the unlearned the greatest satisfaction, by making them see with their own eyes the heavenly light of truth, and will give the translation that authority which a translation of the word of God ought to have with all who read it.-2. By a just literal translation, which expresses the true meaning of the sacred writings, those controversies concerning the articles of our faith, which have arisen from a wrong translation and application of particular texts, will be cut up by the roots; and the disciples of Christ, discerning the truth, will be led into a more liberal way of thinking in religious matters than formerly, and, of course, will entertain charity towards those who differ from them, the want of which hath occasioned numberless evils in the church.-3. An accurate, perspicuous, unambiguous translation of the Scriptures,

The following are examples of small alterations, made in the new translation, which greatly improve the sense of the passages where they are introduced, and which, at the same time, are perfectly lite ral-1 Cor. iii. 2. Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.' In the original it is, stiv Inotus 8 Xeros, which is Jesus the Christ.' For the doctrine that Jesus is the Christ, promised in the law and the prophets, is the great foundation on which the Christian church, the temple of God, is built.Rom. ix. 5. From whom (6 Xeros) the Christ descended.'-Ephes. iii. 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ.' In the original it is, είναι τα έθνη συγκληρονομία, και συστωμα, και συμμετοχή της επαγ y, That the Gentiles should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of his promise in Christ;' namely, with the Jews. For the apostle's meaning is, that, under the gospel, the Gentiles are equally entitled with the Jews to all its privileges, and to all the promises of God.-1 Thess. iv. 16. With the voice of the archangel.' This translation implies, that there is but one archangel; whereas in the original it is, I can exay you, with the voice of an archangel. Rom. iv. 3. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham-through the law.' This translation leads the reader to think, that Abrahamn was under the law of Moses; whereas the expression in the original is, ix voμov, through law; that is, through the works of any law whatever.-1 Cor. xv. 26. 'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.' This implies, that there are some enemies who shall not be destroyed; whereas in the Greek it is, X5, X TEOS, XX THEY NOSTRI Savaros, 'Death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed,.'-James iii. 8. But the tongue no man can tame;' as if it were impossible for men to govern their own tongues; whereas in the Greek it is, την δε γλοσσών ουδείς δύναται ανθρώπων Spar, but the tongue of men no one can subdue.'-1 Pet. iv. 15. "To him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.' This translation represents the judgment of the world as at hand when St. Peter wrote; but in the original it is res 174, who is prepared to judge, &c. namely, by the commission and power which the Fa ther hath bestowed on him for that purpose.

will be of great use in guarding the unlearned against errors, which have a tendency to perplex their minds, and make them careless of the duties of morality. (See Rom. vii. 12. to the end; and 2 Cor. iii. 5. new translation.)-4. A just translation of the Scriptures, by exhibiting the doctrines of the gospel in their genuine simplicity, will effectually show the futility of the cavils of infidels, which, for the most part, are founded on wrong views of the doctrines of revelation.-These certainly are objects, which all who have the interests of Christianity at heart must wish to see attained; objects of far greater importance to the welfare of the world than those which engross the attention of a frivolous age.

The text of the Greek New Testament followed in this translation, is the one in common use; which, because it was settled according to the opinion of learned men in different countries, who compared a great number of MSS., and fixed on the readings which appeared to them best supported, the author hath not attempted to alter. Only because the oldest MSS. are written without any distinction of the words by intervening spaces, and of the sentences by commas and colons, and without the spirits and accents, the author hath altered the accenting and pointing of the common edition in a few instances, in order to obtain a better and more perspicuous sense of the passages, than that which arises from the common pointing.-Farther, although by the care with which other MSS. and versions have been collated, since the text of the New Testament was settled, more various readings have been procured, none of these readings are followed in this translation, except the few which our English Bible hath adopted, and which shall be mentioned in the notes. The author's attachment to the common text hath not proceeded from an implicit acquiescence in the opinion of the learned men who settled it, but from a persuasion that the readings which they adopted are, for the most part, better supported by MSS. and agree bet ter with the context, than either the readings which they rejected, or than those which have been obtained since their time.‡ Some of the rejected readings, indeed,

Although the distinction of words in MSS. by spaces, and of sentences by points, was known in Cicero's time, it was not much used, except by the Roman lawyers in public instruments. (Clerici Ar. Crit. p. iii. sect. 1. c. x. 7. 9.) In Ms. copies of the Scriptures these distinctions were not used at all, till Jerome first attempted them in his translations of the books of the Old Testament. (Ibid. No. 5. 7.) The MSS. of the Scriptures now remaining, the oldest of which are more than 300 years later than Jerome's time, show, that even then the separation of the words by spaces, and the distinction of the sentences by points were not commonly used. It is evident, therefore, that the transcribers, who first attempted to accent and point the Greek New Testament, having no ancient MSS. to guide them, must have been directed merely by their own opinion of the meaning of the passages. The editors also who published the first printed copies, must have followed the same rule in accenting and pointing their editions. Wherefore, to alter the accents and points of the commonly received text, is not to alter the text of the Greek Testament, but rather to restore it to its primitive truth, and ought to be admitted, if thereby a better and more perspicuous sense of the passages is obtained. See examples, Rom. ii. 8,9. vii. 25. viii. 20, 21. 2 Cor. ix. 10. xii. 11. xiii. 2, 3. new translation.

On the revival of learning in Europe, some of the most eminent men of the age employed themselves in collating all the MSS. of the Greek New Testainent which they could find, for the purpose of obtaining a correct text of these invaluable writings.

Among those who applied themselves to that important work, Cardinal Francis Ximenes, archbishop of Toledo, and his three learned assistants, whom he had made professors in the university of Alcala for that very purpose, were most eminent, and deserve to be first mentioned; because they set about the work early, though the fruit of their labours was not communicated to the public till a number of years after their edition was finished. The copy which they made their text was a MS. sent to them from the Vatican library, by Pope Leo X. with orders not to depart from it in the least. Accordingly, excepting a few alterations, they transcribed the whole faithfully; namely, the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, and the Greek New Testament, to the Revelation, which is wanting in the Vatican copy. This transcript they compared with a number of MSS., some of them furnished by the pope, and others by the cardinal himself; particularly a very ancient MS, of the epistles, sent to Ximenes from Rhodes; and at the same time they marked the readings of all those MSS. which were different from the Vatican copy. The New Tes tament being finished, was printed in the year 1515. But Ximenes did not choose to publish it separately from the rest of the Bible,

stand on an equal, or perhaps on a better authority than those in the received text. But as they make no material alteration in the sense of the passages where they are which was not completed till the year 1517, and he dying, his Bible was not given to the public till about the 1524. year

The next person of note who attempted to restore the true readings of the Greek New Testament, was Erasmus, of Rotterdam. He, by collating five Greek MSS. and some Latin copies, amended both the Greek text and the Vulgate version, and published both, with large notes, at Basil, in the year 1516. This was the first copy of the Greek New Testament that was published from the press. Mill tells us, that, exclusive of typographical errors, it contains above 500 wrong readings, and about 100 genuine ones.

In the year 1518, a Greek Testament was published at Venice by Andreas Asulanus, Aldus's son-in-law; Aldus himself having died about two years before. Certain learned men corrected this edition, by collating it with some very ancient MSS. But its text is similar to that of Erasmus, which was published a little before. Both editions have the same apparatus, and, with a few exceptions, the same errors. Yet on the authority of the above-mentioned MSS. the Aldin edition differs from the Erasmean in not a few places.

In the year 1519, Erasmus published his second edition, with a translation from the Greek, and the notes greatly enlarged; printed by Froben. It has also an index of the solecisins and other faults of the Vulgate version, which exposed Erasmus to much censure, and created him many enemies. Mill says the text of this edition is much more correct than that of the foriner.

In the year 1521, a Greek New Testament was published at Hagenau, in which the editor professes to have followed the editions of Aldus and Froben. But Mill tells us, that, on examining it, he found the editor had followed Erasmus's first Greek Testament even in those readings which were corrected in the second publication. In the year 1522, Erasmus's third edition came out, printed at Basil by Froben, in which he followed the text of his second Greek Testament, except in 118 readings, which he took from the Aldin edition and some new MSS. which he had collated or examined: And on the margin he marked about 19 readings, taken from Aldus. The text in this is somewhat more correct than that in his second edition. And the famous text, 1 John v. 7. concerning the testimony of the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, is inserted in it in Greek. Erasmus says, he took it from a copy which he calls the British, and that he inserted it that there might be no handle for calumniating him.

At length, in the year 1524, the Complutensian, or Ximenes's Bible, was published in six vols. folio: a noble work, every way worthy of the cardinal at whose expense it was executed, and of Pope Leo X. ho patronized it. The Old Testament consists of four vols. having three columns in each page. In the first is the LXX. translation, according to the Vatican copy, with an interlined Latin version. In the second column is the Vulgate, or Jerome's translation, corrected by the best MSS. In the third column is the Hebrew text; and below are placed, in two columns, a Chaldaic translation, and a Latin version of that translation.-The New Tes tament is in one volume: the Greek text, according to the Vatican copy, in one column; and the Vulgate, or Jerome's translation, in another. The sixth and last volume contains a dictionary of the Hebrew language. There are also a variety of prologues interspersed through the whole, of which it is needless to give an account.

After the publication of the Complutensian Bible, Erasmus, in the year 1527, set forth his fourth Greek New Testament; in forming which, he says, he made use of the Complutensian Bible. It has three columns in each page. In the first is the Greek text; in the second is Erasmus's own translation; and in the third is the Vulgate version. With respect to the Greek text of this edition, Erasmus professes to have followed that of the Complutensian Bible. Accordingly, although the text is, in general, agreeable to that of his third edition, Erasmus thought proper to depart from it in 106 instances; and, instead of its readings, to substitute those of the Complutensian Bible.

In the year 1534, Simon Colinæus, a Parisian printer, published his Greek Testament, without any preface informing the reader in what manner he had formed his text. So that it is uncertain whether he followed the text of any of the former printed editions, or any particular MS.; or whether he chose what he judged the best readings of all the manuscript and printed copies he had examined. Mill tells us, that he found in it more than 150 readings, in which it differs from all the former editions; and that most of them are authorized by MSS. At the same time he observes, that, from the love of novelty, or to make the text more clear, Colinæus, upon the authority of one or two MSS. only, had sometimes departed from the common readings, notwithstanding they are much better supported than those he hath adopted. Of this Mill gives many examples; and adds, that this New Testament abounds in various readings; and that, although a considerable number of them are unsupported, yet he found 180, which, in his opinion, exhibit the genuine Greek text.

In the year 1535, Erasmus published his fifth and last Greek Testament; the text of which is the same with that in the former, except in four places, where Mill thinks it exhibits the genuine readings. In this, Erasmus apologizes for the errors of his former editions.

In the year 1546, Robert Stephen, printer to the king of France, published his first Greek Testament in decimo sexto, with a preface, in which he tells us he had procured from the king's library some MSS. of admirable antiquity; that from them he had formed his text, in such a manner as not to have admitted a letter which was not supported by the best MSS.; that among other helps he had used the Complutensian Bible, whose readings he found to agree wonderfully with the king's MSS. ; in short, that having col.

found, to have adopted them would have been to change the received text for no purpose.-The rejected readings, which alter the sense of the passages, especially those lated the text with the king's MSS. and with the Complutensian Bible, he had admitted those readings only which were supported by the greatest number of the best copies. But Mill thinks he esteemed those the best which agreed best with the Complutensian Bible. The MSS. which Stephen collated were 15 in number. These he marked by the letters of the Greek alphabet. Mill hath given a full account of them all in his Proleg. No. 1159, &c.

In the year 1549, R. Stephen published his second Greek Testament, in the same volume with the former, and with the same types and preface. In this, the number of the pages, and even the lines in every page, are exactly the same with those in his first edition. The text also is the same, except 67 readings, of which Mill thinks four are dubious, and of the rest he supposes 26 to be genuine, which are taken, partly from the last editions, partly from MSS., and partly from the Complutensian Bible.

In the year 1550, Stephen published his third Greek Testament, printed in a large volume with great types. When he undertook this edition, he had 16 MSS., which some time before he had collated with the Greek text twice, and did the same now a third time. To the gospels he prefixed that account of the lives of the evange lists which Erasmus had inserted in his Latin translations, and to the Acts of the Apostles, some excerpts from Euthalius's prologues to the epistles, concerning St. Paul's preaching and martyrdom. He also inserted the contents of each epistle; and on the margin, marked the principal various readings of the 16 MSS. which he had so carefully collated.-Morinus tells us, that Beza, when forming his copy of the New Testament, borrowed these 16 MSS. and marked some readings omitted in Stephen's edition as too minute, though in reality they are of use in ascertaining the text.-In this copy, Stephen hath departed from the text of both his former editions in 284 instances; of which Mill thinks 71 are genuine. rest are of doubtful authority, or consist of minutiæ, concerning which nothing certain can be determined. Mill adds, that Stephen's regard for the Complutensian Bible had now become so great, that he resumed in this edition 31 of its readings which formerly he had rejected; and that he adopted 27 of them on its single authority, contrary to the other MSS. Dr. Symonds, in his useful observations on the expediency of revising our present English Bible, page 136. tells us, that this is the text which King James's translators chiefly used.

The

In the year 1551, Stephen published his fourth Greek Testament in a smaller volume, with the Vulgate version on the inward side of the page, and Erasmus's translation on the outward. The text does not differ from that of his third copy, except in one word; but it is, for the first time, divided into those verses which are now commonly used. On the outward margin, the parallel places are marked, together with Osiander's harmony. From this edition, or rather from the preceding one, the Greek text of the New Testament now in common use seems to have been taken, and therefore Mill calls it Stephanica nostra.

In the year 1564, Theodore Beza published his Greek Testament, with a Latin translation and notes. He tells us, that he compared the text, not only with the ancient Greek MSS., but with the Syriac version, and with the writings of the Greek and Latin fathers. In his dedication to Queen Elizabeth, he says, that while he was em ployed in this work, Henry Stephen, Robert's son, gave him a copy of his father's noble edition, published in 1550, on which were marked the readings of about 25 MSS., and of almost all the printed copies. But Mill affirms, that the use which Beza made of these readings was not to ascertain the text, but chiefly to give such a turn to the Scriptures as established his own tenets; and of this he gives various examples, (No. 1258.) He adds, that Beza, in his notes, adopts the expositions of the Latin, preferably to those of the Greek fathers, because they accorded better with his system of theology.

In the year 1569, Robert, the son of Robert Stephen, published a Greek New Testament, in the same volume, and with the same kind of types wherewith his father's first and second editions were printed, and added such of the readings of his father's third publication as seemed to the learned of greatest importance. The text is the same with that in his father's first and second copies, except that he hath adopted seven readings of the third.

In the year 1584, Beza published another edition of his Greek Testament, in which he altered one or two of the erroneous readings which he had formerly adopted, and added some readings from two MSS. of great antiquity, namely, a MS. of the Four Gospels and of the Acts, with the Italic translation, before it was corrected by Jerome. The other is the Clermont MS. of St. Paul's Epistles in Greek and Latin. Of these MSS. Mill hath given a full account in his Prolegomena. Le Clerc, in his Ars Crit. part iii. sect. 1. c. 16. tells us, that in the place where Beza's MS. of the Gospels differs from others, the alterations are evidently made to render the style more agreeable to the Greek idiom; on which account its authority is the less. His MS, of the Gospels Beza gifted to the university of Cambridge, where it now remains.

In the year 1622, Elzevir at Leyden published a Greek New Testament in a small volume, in which the text is printed with great care, agreeably to the readings of the King's MSS. and of the MSS. of the best authority-Two years after this, Elzevir published onother Greek Testament, corrected, as Beza informs us, by not a few persons eminent for learning and piety. Mill says it is elegantly printed, and very correct; and that, except in twelve instances, the text is entirely formed on Stephen's edition of 1550. From this it appears, that the learned pious men above-mentioned approved of the Stephanic text.

In the year 1658, Stephen Curcellæus, a learned unitarian, pub

which relate to controverted doctrines, the author hath mentioned in his notes; but without examining their authenticity, because of these matters the unlearned are no judges; and, with respect to the learned, they may consult Mill, Wetstein, and others, who have made large collections of the various readings, and may judge for themselves.

In the larger edition of this work, the author, following Origen's plan, hath set the common English version opposite to his new translation, that the reader may see in what particulars they differ. And having placed the Greek text in a column between the two translations, the learned, by comparing them with the original, can easily judge to which version the preference is due.

Apostles, and in the writings of the fathers, he hath endeavoured to settle the date of the epistle, and to explain the state of the churches, and the character of the persons to whom it was sent, together with the errors which it was written to correct.

In the new translation, the common division of the text into chapters and verses is retained, because the Scriptures have long been quoted according to that division. But, to remedy the inconveniences which that division hath occasioned, by breaking the text, sometimes even in the middle of a sentence, the author hath prefixed to each chapter what he hath termed a View and Illustration. In these, the principal matters contained in the chapters are set forth at greater length than could be done in the commentary; the arguments used by the inspired writers

SECT. IV. Of the Prefaces, the Illustrations prefixed for proving their positions are distinguished, their relation

to the Chapters, and the Notes.

It is well known that the epistles to particular churches were written, either to correct certain irregularities into which they have fallen, or to confute the errors of false teachers, who endeavoured to seduce them. It is equally well known, that the epistles to particular persons were written to direct them in the discharge of the offices assigned to them, and to support them under the evils to which they were exposed, while faithfully executing these offices. Wherefore the knowledge of the state of the churches, and of the characters of the persons to whom the epistles were addressed, and of the erroneous doctrines which prevailed in the first age, must be of great use in studying the epistles. To give the reader some idea of these matters, the author has prefixed a preface to each epistle, in which, from the hints given in the epistle itself, and from particulars mentioned in the Acts of the

lished his Greek New Testament. This industrious person, observ. ing that most of the various readings found in the ancient MSS. were wanting in the printed editions, enriched his copy with Wechelius's readings, and those of the Clermont MS., and of that of Thuanus, which contains the whole New Testament except Matthew's gospel, and of Cardinal Mazarin's MS., which is more than 800 years old, and of a MS. of his own, still more ancient. All these readings he placed at the foot of the pages of his own edition. But when he had proceeded half-way, having received, from a learned friend, readings excerpted from Froben's, the Complu tensian, and other approved copies, he placed them at the end of his Greek Testament, together with some from Isaac Casaubon's notes on the gospels, and from the Hervagean edition. Mill tells us, that he proposed afterwards to add the readings of the Alexandrian MS. and of the MS. of the Gospels and Acts, which was Beza's; but he died in the year his New Testament came abroad. About seventeen years after his death, it was reprinted, but without the readings which he intended to have added.

Besides the above-mentioned, there were several other Greek Testaments, with various readings, published, of which Mill hath given an account; but being of less importance, it is needless to mention them here. Farther, as the text of the New Testament was settled before the Alexandrian MS. was brought into Europe, and before Walton published his Polyglot, it is not necessary here to describe either the one or the other. Mill hath given a full account of both in his Prolegomena, from whence most of the above-mentioned particulars concerning the editions of the Greek Bible are

taken.

Mill, in his own noble edition of the Greek New Testament, besides a prodigious collection of readings, from MSS., hath noted all the varieties which he found in the quotations from the New Tes tament, made by the ancient Christian writers.-The text in his edition differs, in a few instances, from that which is commonly used; and, in his notes, he hath proposed more alterations, chiefly on the authority of the Vulgate version. Concerning these, the reader may consult Whitby's Examen, where it is shown that they are neither so well supported by MSS. as the common readings, nor give so good a sense of the passages. For which reasons they are by no means to be admitted.

From the manner in which the text of the Greck New Testa ment in common use was ascertained, every attentive reader must be sensible, that the learned men who employed themselves in that important work used the greatest diligence, fidelity, and critical skill. And as they were many in number, and of different senti ments with respect to the controverted doctrines of Christianity, no reading could be admitted from prejudice, or any particular bias, but every thing was determined agreeably to the authority of the greatest number of the most ancient and best MSS. Therefore,

if the present text is not precisely the same with that which was written by the inspired penmen, it approaches so very near to it, that it well deserves to be regarded as the infallible rule of our faith and manners. See Prel. Ess. II. at the end.

to these positions is pointed out, and the conclusion drawn from them is shown to be just. Also because St. Paul, in particular, hath omitted sometimes the major proposition of his argument, sometimes the minor, and often the conclusion itself, (see Gal. iii. 20.), the author, in his illustrations, hath endeavoured to complete these unfinished reasonings. He hath also marked the apostle's digressions, mentioned the purposes for which they are introduced, and apprized the reader when he returns to his main subject. Lastly, in these views, care hath been taken to show how the apostle's reasonings may be applied, for defending the Jewish and Christian revelations against the cavils of infidels.

Opposite to the new translation, the author hath placed an interpretation, in which the translated words of the text are inserted, for the most part, without any alteration; because, in general, they express the inspired writer's meaning with more energy than it is possible to do by any words of human invention. This interpretation the author has called a commentary, rather than a paraphrase, because it is commonly made, not by expressing the meaning of the text in other words, but by supplying the things that are necessary for showing the scope and connexion of the reasoning, or by mentioning particulars which the apostles have omitted, because they were well known to the persons to whom they wrote, but which, at this distance of time, being unknown to ordinary readers, must be suggested to them. These additions, being properly short notes intermixed with the text, for the purpose of explanation, are all printed in Roman characters, that the reader may distinguish them from the text, which is printed in Italics.

As a translator of the Scriptures, the author thought himself bound to give the true literal version of every passage, according to the best of his judgment, without regarding whether it favoured or opposed his own particular opinions, or any of the schemes of doctrine which have divided the Christian world. Yet, as an interpreter, he hath taken the liberty, in his commentary, to submit to his readers, though not always with the same assurance, what in his opinion is the meaning of the passage. There are, indeed, some texts which he hath not ventured to explain, because, though all agree in the translation of them, their meaning hath been much disputed. But in the notes he hath shown how the contending parties explain them for supporting their particular tenets; and hath fairly represented the arguments by which they justify their own interpretations, without concealing any thing that seemed to be of importance on either side. if, on some occasions, he hath leaned towards the interpretation of a disputed text, given by one of the parties, the reader must not conclude that he holds the opinion which that interpretation is advanced to support; for he will find that, in explaining other texts, he hath given interpretations which favour the contrary doctrine. both cases, his only motive for approving these interpretations was, that he judged them the true meaning of

And

In

the passages. The balancing of these seemingly opposite passages against each other, and the application of them for the purpose of supporting a particular doctrine, or scheme of doctrine, not falling within the author's plan, he hath left it, for the most part, to theologians, with this opinion, that the only foundation on which the doctrines of revelation can be securely built is the Scriptures, understood in their plain grammatical meaning. And therefore, in all cases where opposite doctrines have been founded, not on one or two, but on a number of texts, according to their unconstrained meaning, the one class of texts ought not, by forced criticism, to be turned from their plain grammatical meaning, to make them accord with the scheme of doctrine built on the other class. For it will be found, that these seemingly inconsistent texts speak of persons and things of whose existence we are not able to judge. So that the things said concerning them in the Scriptures, which appear inconsistent, may all be true, though we are not able to reconcile them with each other. And as, in natural religion, there are facts discovered to us, by reason and experience, from which seemingly contradictory conclusions may be drawn, both of which we must believe though we are not able to reconcile them, why may not the seemingly inconsistent facts made known in the Scriptures be received as true, upon the testimony of God, though we cannot reconcile them with each other? Wherefore it is no objection to the plain grammatical interpretation of the Scriptures, that it gives them the appearance of inconsistency. If that appearance is in the Scriptures themselves, why should it be concealed, either in the translation or in the interpretation? A translator or an interpreter of the sacred oracles will certainly show, not only greater honesty and candour, but will even come nearer to the truth, when he suffers their real aspect to remain, than if, for the purpose of establishing particular doctrines, or for reducing every thing in revelation to the measure of human conceptions, he attends only to one class of texts, and, by forced criticism, turns all the opposite texts from their plain grammatical meaning to artificial senses which they do not admit without much straining a practice* which hath been too much follow

• Strained criticisms, for the purpose of establishing particular doctrines, the reader will find in Beza's notes on Rom. i. 4. spiritum sanctitatis,and on ver. 17.--and on Rom. iii. 31.-but particularly on Rom. iv. 3. where, to prevent us from thinking that faith is counted to believers for righteousness, Beza affirms, that the phrase, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness,' is an hypallage, for 'righteousness was counted to Abraham by faith;' and 'strongly contends, that that righteousness was 'the righteousness of Christ; contrary to all the rules of grammar, and to the plain sense both of Moses and Paul's words, which declare, as expressly as it is possible for words to declare, that the thing counted to Abraham was his believing God.' See also his notes on Rom. ix. throughout.

The following passages Beza has mistranslated, from his too great attachment to his own opinions. Acts xiv. 23. (XSigoтONUTS da AUTOIS WESTCOTEgovs) cumque ipsi per suffragia creussent per sin gulas ecclesias presbyteros. According to this translation, Paul and Barnabas ordained persons elders, whom the churches chose by their suffrages. But as the word goTORANTES Must be construed, not with the churches, but with Paul and Barnabas, if it be translated per suffragia creassent, it will imply, that the elders were made by the suffrages, not ofthe churches, but of Paul and Barnabas; which is absurd. The common translation of the passage is more just; for ZOTOPI signifies to nominate or appoint simply.-See Acts x. 41. Rom. ii. 7. Τοις μεν, καθ' υπομονήν έργου αγαθού, δόξαν και τιμήν xx xxx Tour: Iis quidem qui secundem patientem expectationem, quærunt boni operis gloriam, &c. Here, by translating voμovny, patientem expectationem, and by separating it from sey ou ayou, and joining you you with Sogav, contrary to all rules, Beza has represented believers as seeking the glory, honour and immortality of a good work. This forced construction and absurd translation, he has adopted, not to remove any difficulty, but to prevent, as it would seem, his readers, from supposing that perseverance in good works is necessary to the obtaining of glory, honour, and immortality.-Rom. v. 16. To nevyzexeμavos: Nam rea tus quidem est ex una offensa: 'For the guilt indeed is of one offence, to condemnation. By this translation, Beza makes the apostle affirm, that all Adam's posterity are actually guilty of his first transgression; and, on that account, are liable to eternal death. But that doctrine is not taught in this passage; for I know no text in which e signifies (reatus) guilt.-Rom. viii. 4. (ive To Sixxiμ You voμov: Ul jus illud legis compleatur in nobis.) That that right

ed in interpreting the Scriptures, not by one sect only, but by all the different sects of Christians in their turn." It remains, that some account be now given of the matters contained in the notes. In the first place, then, when the author introduces the interpretations of former commentators, he commonly mentions in the notes the proofs by which they support their interpretations; hoping they may be of use, even to the learned, by bringing things to their remembrance which otherwise, perhaps, they might not have recollected. In the second place, as the Christian revelation is founded on the Jewish, and is the completion of it, the apostles, in explaining the doctrines of the gospel, have not only used the language of the Jewish Scriptures, but have frequently quoted or alluded to particular passages in them. Wherefore, that ordinary readers may understand the Scripture phraseology, which, in many particulars, is very different from the language of the European nations, and discern the propriety of the apostle's reasoning, the author, in his notes, hath explained the peculiarities of that phraseology, and hath transcribed the passages of the Old Testament at full length, of which a few words only are quoted, or which are alluded to indirectly, that the reader, who is supposed by the apostles to be well acquainted with the Scriptures, having the whole passage under his eye, may be sensible of the justness of the reasoning. In the third place, as the manners, opinions, proverbs, and remarkable sayings, not only of the Jewish prophets and wise men, but of the sages of other ancient nations, are mentioned or alluded to by the sacred writers, these also are explained in the notes; that what is only a proverb, or an allusion to some known fact or saying, may not be interpreted as a doctrine or prediction, contrary to the intention of the sacred writers. Examples of this kind of allusion are, Matt. ii. 45. x. 39.; Luke xxiii. 31. In the fourth place, as often as an uncommon interpretation is given of any passage, the author, in the notes, hath endeavoured to support it, by its agreement with the context, and with the apostle's design in writing; by parallel passages; by criticisms on the language, especially those contained in Essay IV.; by the established rules of interpretation; by arguments drawn from common sense; and sometimes by the opinion of former commentators, both ancient and modern, whose judgment is justly respected by the learned. In many instances, however, for the sake of brevity, neither the translation, nor the interpretation, though uncommon, is supported by any particu

of the law,' namely, to perfect obedience, 'might be fulfilled in us.' By this translation Beza meant to establish his favourite doctrine, that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers in such a manner, that all which the law required from them is fulfilled in them, so that they become thereby perfectly righteous.-Rom. xi. 32. Teus waytas, omnes illos; and in his note he says, electos videlicet, de quibus disseruit.-Titus ii. 11. Illuxit autem gratia Dei salutifera (4) quibusvis hominibus. Here all men are converted into some men, lest, from the just grammatical translation, any argument should be drawn in favour of universal redemption. See also his translation of 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. 4. ; 2 Pet. iii. 3.-Heb. x. 38. Justus autem ex fide vivit. Sed si quis se subduxerit, non est gratum anime mex. In this passage, by adding the word quis, any one, which is not in the text, and by mistranslating the clause, oux

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★ QURN MOVED QU, Beza hath hidden from his readers that God supposes a just man may draw back, and thereby lose his favour, lest, from that supposition, an argument might be drawn against the perseverance of the saints.

Examples of strained criticism might be produced from Calvin, Grotius, Hammond, Limborch, Locke, Taylor, and other famed commentators. But the above are all quoted from Beza, because most of the Calvinist divines since his time, who have translated and interpreted the apostolical epistles, and among the rest our English translators, have followed him too implicitly. For example, by copying Beza, as he copied the Vulgate, our translators have rendered their version in the following passages, unintelligible:-2 Cor. iv. 3. 'It is hid to them that are lost. 4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not. But what idea can any reader form of Satan's blinding the minds of them who believe not, in other persons who are lost?-2 Cor. v. 2. 'Desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. 4. Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon.' But to be clothed upon with a house,' is a jumble of metaphors, which no ordinary reader can understand. See also Rom. i. 17; 1 Cor. vii. 36.; Heb. ix. 15.

lar proof; because it was supposed, that, to the learned, both would clearly appear from the original itself; and to the unlearned from their giving a better sense of the passages than that found in the common versions and paraphrases. In the fifth place, instead of entering into theological controversies, the author, judging it more for the reader's profit, hath in the notes shown how the important sentiments contained in the word of God may be improved for forming men's tempers and manners. Lastly, In the notes, the author hath displayed the beauties of some of the finest passages, by remarks on the sentiments and language.

All the different parts of the author's plan, above described, being necessary to the right explanation of the apostolical epistles, the due execution of them hath swelled this work to a great bulk. Yet no one who knows how many volumes have been written by critics and commentators, for elucidating a single Greek and Latin classic, can be offended with the size of this performance. For, however profitable the right interpretation of the writings of the celebrated authors of Greece and Rome may be, to those who take a delight in polite literature, it is a matter of small importance, in comparison with the right interpretation of the oracles of God, by which the faith and morals of mankind are to be regulated. However, that this publication might not be needlessly swelled, the author hath, to the best of his judgment, shunned every thing trifling. And that the same remarks might not be repeated, he hath, as often as it was necessary, referred the reader to the places of the work where they are to be found. When the interpretations and remarks of other commentators are introduced, such only are mentioned as are accompanied with some degree of probability. And both in giving his own interpretations and the interpretations of others, the author hath studied brevity. With the same view, he hath endeavoured, in general, to exclude from his style, tautology, synonymous epithets, and circumlocution. And, that what he hath written may be understood at the first reading, he hath all along aimed at simplicity, perspicuity, and precision in his style. Many Greek words, it is true, and phrases, are introduced, especially in the notes. But these being placed as parentheses, to shew that the sense of the sentences where they occur is complete without them, they can occasion no difficulty to any reader. They are inserted for the sake of persons skilled in the Greek, to whom the author appeals for the justness of his critical remarks. And although the unlearned cannot judge of such matters, he hopes it will be some proof, even to them, that his remarks are well founded, if the alterations in the translation, and in the interpretation which they are designed to support, make the Scriptures more plain to them than they were before, and if they afford a clearer view of the sentiments and reasonings of the inspired writers.

To conclude; As it is ultimately from the Scriptures, and not from creeds and systems, by whomsoever com

posed, nor even from the decrees of councils, whether general or particular, that the genuine doctrines of the gospel are to be learned, the study of these writings is the most profitable work in which any man can be employed, especially if he be a teacher of religion; and the right understanding of them is the best of all acquisitions. The person, therefore, who puts it in the power of others to attain their true meaning, whether it be by faithfully translating them into a known language, or by rightly interpreting them, where they have been misunderstood, performs a work most acceptable to God, and does the greatest possible service to the world. In this persuasions, the author having spent the greatest part of his life in the study of the Scriptures, now offers to the public his translation and interpretation of the apostolical epistles; because, notwithstanding all the light which hath been thrown on that part of the word of God by modern critics and commentators, many obscurities and errors, both in the translation and interpretation of these inva luable compositions, still remain, which the friends of revelation, who are qualified for the undertaking, should endeavour to correct. The author flatters himself, that, by rectifying the translation in many places, and by offering interpretations different from those commonly given, he hath successfully removed some of the former difficulties; and makes no doubt, but, by the diligence and skill of those who shall succeed him, the difficulties which remain will, in time, receive a satisfactory solution. (See Essay I. at the end.) The prejudice, therefore, which is taken up by many in the present age, that such writings on the Scriptures as may yet be published can contain nothing of moment but what hath been advanced before, is groundless, and of most pernicious consequence, as it puts a stop to all farther inquiry. The Scriptures being not yet fully understood, they ought to be diligently searched, that the treasures of divine knowledge, which lie hid in them, may be brought to light. What the author hath said or insinuated in this preface, concerning the things he hath done for the explanation of the apostolical epistles, hath been said, perhaps, with too much confidence. But as he is perfectly sensible that his opinion of his own work will have no influence on the judgment of the public, the things which he hath said can only be meant to draw the attention of the learned, to whom it belongs to determine, whether he hath executed the several parts of his plan in the manner proposed by him; and whether his discoveries, if he hath made any, ought to be approved and received, or disapproved and rejected. To their examination, therefore, he submits the whole, and waits for their decision with respect. In the mean time, he commits his performance to God, in whose hand all things are; with fervent prayers that he would be pleased to make it subservient to his own glory, and to the good of his church. And if, in any degree, it contributes to promote these great ends, he will rest contented, as having received an ample reward.

ESSAY I.

PRELIMINARY ESSAYS.

Of the commission given by Christ to his Apostles; and of the power by which he fitted them for executing that commission; and of the nature and authority of their writings.

THE Lord Jesus before his death spake in this manner to his apostles-John xvi. 12. 'I have yet many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13. How

beit, when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.' From this it is evident, that while on

earth Jesus did not declare the whole doctrines of the

gospel, but left them to be revealed by the Holy Ghost, to the persons who, after his departure, were to make them known to the world. In this method of revealing the gospel, there was both dignity and propriety. For the Son of God came from heaven, not to make the gospel revelation, but to be the subject of it by doing and

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