many Ages, and there are only Copies remaining in this original Language, all which have fuffered by the Overfights, Ignorance, or Boldnefs of Tranfcribers, an old Tranflation may be of great Ufe to fettle the true Reading, by informing us how the Text Itood in that old Copy, from whence that Tranflation was made. For where the LXX, and other ancient Tranflations, differ from the prefent Hebrew Copies, (except there be fome plain Reafon to the contrary) it is Proof that it was fo written in the Copy, from whence that Tranflation was made, and ought to be received as a various Reading: And where there is a various Reading, the true Reading will be bett diicovered, by confidering which is moft agreeable to the Context, and to the other Parts of Holy Scripture.

There is another Ufe alfo to be made of thefe ancient Verfions. The Hebrew is not only a dead Language, and has ceafed to be the vulgar Language of any Nation for above 2000 Years; but is alfo a Language in which we have only one Book remaining, that is the Scriptures of the Old Teftament. And in this Book there are fome Words which occur but once or twice in the whole Book; which makes it very difficult, not to fay impoflible, to know the true Meaning of them without the Affiftance of fome Tranflation, for the Context will not always help us. Whereas the Greek and Latin, though dead Languages alfo, are preferved in a great Number of Books; fo that if we are at a Lofs, to know the Meaning of a Word in one Book, the Conftruction of it in others will inform us. Therefore the old Tranflations, made before the Hebrew had been fo long out of vulgar Ufe, may greatly help us. And we may reasonably believe, that the Tranilators of the LXX were better fkilled in the Hebrew Tongue than any now can pretend to be, and fo were Onkelos and Jonathan, who made the Targums, and thofe who made the old Syriac Verfion. The Arabic Tranflations, though modern, compared with the former, yet it is ftill a living Language, and has fome of thefe Hebrew Words in it, which but once or twice occur, and whofe Meaning the Jews confefs they received from the Arabians.

There is yet another Reafon for which the LXX deferves our Regard; and that is, that it was, together with the Tranflations made from it, the only Scripture of the Old Teftament, (except in fome Parts of Syria) which the primitive Chriftians had for their Instruction and even the Apoftles themfelves quoted it, and that often, in Places where it differed from the prefent Hebrew, and confequently from our English Tranflation. To give an Inftance or two, Rom. x. 18. St. Paul quoting the Words of Pfal. xix. 4. fays, Their Sound went into all the Earth. But in the present Hebrew, and our Bible Translation made from it, it is, Their Line is gone out through all the Earth. And Rom. IV. 12. Again Efaias faith, There fhall be a Root of Jesse, and he that shall rife to reign over the Gentiles, in him fhall the Gentiles truft. So it is in the LXX, Ifai. xi. 10. But in the Hebrew, and from thence in our English Bibles it is, There fhall be a Root of Jeffe, which fall stand for an Enfign of the People, and to it fball the Gentiles feek. There may many fuch Inftances be given, which you may eafily find, if, when you meet with a Paffage in the New Testament quoted from the Old, you will

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compare

compare it with the LXX, and with your English Bible. There are alfo feveral Paffages of the Old Testament quoted in the New, where the Senfe only is given, but the Words differ both from the Hebrew and the LXX.

The Latin Vulgate, in which the Pfalms and Hymns, tranflated from the LXX at the Beginning of Chriflianity, are ftill continued, may in thofe Places be of great Ufe to afcertain the true Reading of the LXX in any doubtful Paffage: And the other Part being of St. Jerom's Tranf lation from the Hebrew, may difcover fome various Reading, wherein his Copy, from which he tranflated, differed from the prefent Hebrew Copies. And the fame may be faid of the Syriac, and other ancient Verfions, made immediately from the Hebrew Original,

But here it may be faid, if the LXX, and other ancient Verfions, are fo different from the Hebrew; and this be a Proof that the Hebrew Copies from which thofe Tranflations were made, was different from the Hebrew Copies we now have; and there is no Original or Autographum of the facred Penman by which thefe Copies may be corrected, nor has been fince the Deftruction of the Temple by the Romans; aud that we must depend upon the Judgment and Care of the Maforites, as the only Evidence we have of the Authentickness of the prefent Hebrew Text of the Old Teftament; and that as they lived not till above 400 Years after the original Copy of thofe Scriptures was deftroyed, how fhall we be fure that we have the true Scriptures which were written by Mofes and the Prophets? Befides, as to the Books of Mofes, there is the Samaritan Pentateuch preferved in the Hebrew Language, only written in a different Character, which in many Places differs from the Pentateuch we have received from the Jews; and that all thefe, whether Originals or Translations, have fuffered much by Copiers, how fhall we be affured that we have the true genuine Scriptures of the Old Teftament, or indeed of the New? For that has fuffered alfo by the Overfight, Ignorance, or Boldness of Transcribers.

I answer, the Cafe is the fame as to all the Books that have been written or copied from Time to Time by feveral Hands. The fame may be faid as to Ariftotle, Plato, Demofthenes, Virgil, Horace, &c. there are various Readings which have been found in MSS. of thofe Looks, even as to whole Sentences, as well as fingle Words: And if we had Tranflations of thefe Books near as old as the Originals, no Question but various Readings might be gathered from them alfo... Shall we there fore fay, we have not the Works of thofe Authors, at least not their true genuine Works? Or that fpurious Works are put upon us instead of thofe which the, wrote? And if there be not fo many various Readings to be found in these Authors as have been found in the Bible, the Reafon is, becaufe there have never been fo many Copies of those Books written as there have been of the Bible. Therefore, though we cannot fay that either the Hebrew or the Samaritan, the Chaldee or LXX, or the Latin Vulgate or the Sprice, or any other ancient Tranf Iation, are without a faulty Reading; yet there is no confiderable Fault as to Faith, Doctrine or Manners, in any of them. Moft of the Differences between one Copy and another, or between the Original and the Verfions, confift only in the different Expreflions, which

are

are more or less clear, and which agree better or worfe with the Context, going before, or following after, and which makes the Sense more or lefs perfect. There is none where the Hebrew, or LXX, or any other Verfion, teaches a dangerous Falfhood or manifeft Error, even though a Sentence be in the one, and be wanting in the other; or where there is an apparent Contrariety between the one and the other. Thus, for Inftance, Pfal. xxviii. 1. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord, my Rock, be not filent to me: Left if thou be filent to me, I become like them that go down into the Pit. Here the LXX have omitted the Words thou be filent to me, that is, the Repetition of them as they are in Hebrew, which, though it may make the Paffage lefs emphatical, it alters not the Senfe. So Pfalm xxxiii. 10. the Hebrew reads, The Lord bringeth the Counfel of the Heathen to nought: He maketh the Devices of the People of none Effect. So the Verfe ends; but the LXX add, He bringeth to nought the Counsel of Princes. Thefe Words contain what is moft certainly true, and very probably were in the original Hebrew, from whente the Tranflation of the LXX was made; but omitted in the prefent Copies, by an Overfight of a Tranfcriber. But whether it be fo or not, it affects neither Faith nor Morals, the Doctrine it teaches may be abundantly proved by other undoubtad Texts; fo that if we fhould grant (which I fee no Reason to do) that the LXX have here added to the Text what in this Place was not in the truly original Hebrew, yet it makes no Addition to the Doctrine of the Scripture, which will continue the fame as to this Particular, whether this Sentence belong to this Place or not.

Nay, where there is an apparent Contrariety between the Hebrew and the LXX, and other Tranflations, as in the Genealogies in the fifth and eleventh Chapters of Genefis, which Genealogy foever we follow, whether that of the Hebrew, or that of the LXX, it affects neither our Faith nor our Morals. The Hebrew fays, Adam lived 130 Years, and begat Seth; the LXX fays he lived 230 Years, and begat Seth, and fo on for the ten Generations before the Fiood; the LXX add 100 Years to the Age of each Patriarch before he begat his Son, except to Jared and Methufala, to the Age affigned him in the Hebrew. The Samaritan agrees with the Hebrew in the Age of each Patriarch before he begat his Son, excepting that it makes Jared 100, Methufala 120, and Lamech 139 Years younger when they begat their Sons than the Hebrew does. Thus the Hebrew makes it 1656 Years from the Creation to the Flood, the LXX 2262, and the Samaritan 1307. In like Manner, from the Flood to Abraham, the LXX make almost all thofe Patriarchs to be 100 Years older when they begat their Sons than the Hebrew does; and also between Arphaxad and Sala put in Cainan, and make him 130 Years old when he begat Sala; but in this Period there is no fuch Name as Cainan in the Hebrew Text, but he is named by St. Luke iii. 36. The Samaritan in this Period agrees with the LXX, only that it has not the Name of Cainan in this Genealogy. So the Hebrew number 448 Years from the Flood to Abraham, the LXX 1169, and the Samaritan 1039. But this different Chronology between the Hebrew, the LXX, and the Samaritan, affects neither any Thing that is neceffary to be believed or practifed. What is material and necessary

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neceffary for us to know and believe, in this Part of the facred Story, is the fame in all, there is no Difference between them. They all give us the fame Account of the Creation of the World, the Fall of Man, the Promise of the Seed of the Woman, the Destruction of Mankind, and of all Creatures living on the Earth, except what were preserved in the Ark, the repeopling of the World by Noah and his Sons, the Confusion of Languages at Babel, and fuch like material Parts of facred History, the Memory of which the Holy Ghoft thought fit fhould be tranfmitted to future Ages, unto the End of the World. But as to the Knowledge and Belief of thefe Things, what does it fignify, whether Adam was 230, or but 130 Years old when he begat Seth? whether Cainan was the Son of Arphaxad, and Father of Sola; or whether there never was fuch a Perfon as this Cainan; and that Sala was the Son, not the Grandfon of Arphaxad? That which God defigned we should learn from the facred History contained in thefe eleven first Chapters of Genefis is not at all affected by this Difference in the Chronology of the Hebrew and LXX.

The Jews have a Tradition recorded in their Gemara, that as the World was created in fix Days, it fhould continue 6000 Years, and then have an End, becaufe it is written, Pfal. xc. 4. A thousand Years in thy Sight are but as Yefterday, that is, are bet as one Day. Therefore fay they, as the Creation of the World was finished in fix Days, fo in fix thousand Years fall all Things be accomplished. That this Tradition is older than Chriflianity is certain, becaufe it is ufed by St. Barnabas, the Companion of St. Paul, in an Epistle written by him in the Apostles' Days, and feveral other of the earliest Fathers appear to have been of this Opinion Therefore fays Mr. Mede, (See p. 897 of his Works) "That Difference of the Accounts of the Years of the World, was ordered by a fpecial Difpofition of Providence to fruftrate our Curiofity in fearch"ing the Time of the Day of Judgment." For our Saviour has taught us (475 i. 7.) that it is not for us to know the Times and the Seafons, which the Fether baik put in his own Power. And nothing has caufed fo great a Difference between the ancient Chriftian Chronologers who follow the LXX, and the prefent Chronologers who follow the HeBrean, as this Difference between the Hebrew and Greek of the Age the molt ancient Patriarchs were of when they begat their Children.

Many Times the Difference which is found between the Verfion and the Original, or betwixt the Verfions themselves, as betwixt our Eagle Vertion and the LXX, comes from this; that Interpreters de per always trapilate literally; neither indeed can they, if they will write henfe. For all Languages have their particular Idioms or Forms of Speech, which literally tranflated into another Tongue, will appear barth and abfurd. This will oblige the Tranflator to give the Sente of fach Paffages in a Kind of Paraphrafe, and not in a literal Tranfla tion. There are indeed many Cafes in which a Tranflator obliged to vary from the ftrict Letter of the Original. This may caufe a verbal Difference between the Tranflation and the Original, and likewife between two Tranflations of the fame Book. But thefe Differences diminish nothing from the Authority of either the Original or Franflation, and Linder not but both may pafs as a Rule of our Faith

may

be

and

and Manners. Thefe different Readings, and fmall Faults, which are generally met with in different MSS, and various Editions of all ancient Authors, facred and prophane, both in the Originals, and the Verfions, do not prevent our certainly having the authentick Works of thofe Authors, nor hinder our knowing their true Sentiments.

Whatever Differences therefore we find to have happened through the Carelefnefs, or Ignorance, or rafh Boldness of Tranfcribers, or by any other Means, with Regard to the Hebrew Text we now have, and the different Copies of the LXX, or other Versions, are by no Means fufficient to invalidate the Authority of the Old Teftament, or to give any one juft Occafion to fay that the Scriptures of the Old Teftament we now have are not the Word of God. For notwithstanding these various Readings, even as to whole Sentences, the Providence of God has taken Care, that no fuch Errors have crept either into the Hebrew, or LXX, or other ancient Verfions, as may lead Men into Opinions and Practices contrary to the Defign of the Revelation given. As to Things of lefs Confequence, where neither the Interest of the divine Government, nor the Happiness of Men are concerned, to affert it neceffary that God fhould interpofe in an extraordinary Manner to prevent all Mistakes, fo that there fhould be no Difference between one Copy and another, is to affirm it neceffary that God fhould interpose in an extraordinary Manner, where there is no extraordinary Occasion for it. The great End of a Revelation from God can only be to acquaint Men with his Will in reference to their Duty, and to encourage thereby proper Motives to the Performance of it; that fo they may obtain his Favour, and fecure their own Happinefs. This End is equally to be obtained, whether we follow the Reading of the Hebrew, or LXX, or other ancient Verfions. And therefore all the Objections formed against the facred Books, upon Account of the Differences found in the feveral Copies of the Originals or Verfions we now have, will appear to be of no Force to prove that the Scriptures we now have were not written by divine Authority, till it can be proved that the original Defign of them is hereby obfcured, and that they are infufficient to make Men virtuous and happy. Till this be made out, the Objection carries in it this manifeft Contradiction; That the Scriptures we now have cannot be the Word of God, because there is in them fuch a Number of various Readings as render them infufficient to accomplish that great End for which they are abundantly fufficient.

The Truth is, we have Reafon to admire and adore the Providence of God; that notwithstanding the Holy Scriptures have been dispersed into almost all the Nations of the World, and tranflated into molt Languages, have been transcribed by Chriftians of many different Perfuafions and Opinions; and that, befide the various Readings, which have proceeded from Overfights or Ignorance, or Rafhnefs, there are fome which may feem to have been made to ferve the particular Opinions of a Party; yet, not any Article of Faith, any Doctrine or Duty, any Promise or Threatening, has been affected thereby, or rendered precarious by any various Reading or Corruption. The most that can be faid, where a various Reading, which may give a different Sense to

any