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great Liberties, and departed from the original Text with Defign, adding fome Things, and leaving out others wilfully to ferve fome private Views of their own. And others will tell you that this has been done by the Jews, who out of Hatred to the Chriftians have malicioufly altered the Hebrew Copies. But I think it is unjust to charge either the Jews, who were the Keepers and Prefervers of the Original Hebrew, or the LXX, who tranflated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, with any wilful Variations from the true and authentic Text, where thofe Variations may be otherwife accounted for in the Manner I have fhewed they may be. However, I confefs, there are fome Variations, which I think cannot be fo accounted for; the Difference being fuch as could hardly proceed from mere Miftake or Overfight. This particularly appears in the Genealogies of the Patriarchs in the fifth and eleventh Chapters of Genefis: Where almost every Patriarch is faid to have lived an hundred Years longer before he begat his Son according to the LXX, than he is according to the present Hebrew Bibles. Such a long, regular Difference as this could not proceed from the Careles nefs or mere Overfight of any Tranfcriber. However, we cannot fay that the LXX did here wilfully vary from the Original, or that this Variation was not in the Hebrew Copies before the LXX made their Tranflation, and that these hundred Years might be in that Hebrew Copy from whence they tranflated; though at this Distance of Time we cannot account for it. We have juft Reafon to believe that in the Chronology of thofe Genealogies there was a Variation in the Hebrew Copies before the Days of Jofephus, who lived at the Time when Ferufalem and the Temple were deftroyed by the Romans: And therefore alfo might be in those Copies before the Verfion of the LXX.

For as Jofephus was a Prieft, who in his Courfe attended on the Temple to perform the Service of the Temple, we can scarce doubt but he had an Hebrew Copy of the Bible; nevertheless, in his Chronology, he differs from the prefent Hebrew Text, as he does alfo from the LXX. The Samaritan likewife (which is but another Copy of the Original Hebrew, written in the more ancient Hebrew Letter; that which is now ufed by the Jews, being what they learned from the Chaldeans during their Captivity in Babylon) differs in its Chronology from the other three. From whence we may reasonably conclude, that the LXX were not the Authors of this Difference, but followed that Hebrew Copy from whence they tranflated.

Another great Difference between the prefent Hebrew Copies and the LXX, which may alfo feem to have been done with Defign, is the Tranfpofition of Chapters or Parts of Chapters towards the latter End of the Book of Exodus. After you come to the End of the feventh Verfe of the 36th Chapter in the LXX, you will find immediately following, what follows not in the prefent Hebrew, confequently not in our English Bibles, until you come to the 39th Chapter. And fo through the 36, 37, 38 and 39th Chapters, you will find that put in one Place of the LXX which ftands in another Place in the present Hebrew and English Bibles. The Occafion of thefe Tranfpofitions, and of the like in fome other Places, Dr. Grabe, in his Letter to Dr. Milles, conjectures might probably proceed from thofe who made up or ftitched

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together the Rolls or Leaves of the Books after they were written, and by Mistake placed one Roll or Leaf where another fhould have been: Such Mistakes we find Bookbinders sometimes make now. And this Mistake having been made in the Hebrew Copy from whence the Verfion of the LXX was made, these Dislocations are found in all the Copies of the LXX.

Another Ocoafion of various Readings, particularly as to whole Sentences or Periods, is fuppofed to have rifen froin marginal Notes, which private Perfons fometimes made in their Bibles; fome Copier tranfcribing from fuch Book, believing these Notes to have been fet there to fupply an Omiffion of a Sentence by the former Copier, has put it into the Text of the Copy he writes, from whence other Copies being taken, this marginal Note becomes Part of the Text in those Copies which are tranfcribed from it. This might be done in Hebrew Bibles, before the Tranflation of the LXX, and from thence might be taken into that and other Tranflations.

Many various Readings alfo with regard to Words only between the LXX and other ancient Tranflations, and that of our English Bible and other modern Tranflations made from the prefent Hebrew Copies, have proceeded from the Jewish Maforites, who having invented a Number of Vowel Points and Pauses, have thereby affixed a particular Reading and Senfe to many Words, different from that Reading and Senfe in which they were understood by the LXX, and other ancient Tranflations made before the Invention of thefe Points. But of these Maforitic Points I fhall have Occafion to fay more hereafter.

As I faid before, various Readings, and confiderable ones too, will be found in all Books written before Printing was invented. And the more Copies of fuch Books have been written, the more various Readings there will be. And as more Copies of the Holy Scriptures have been written than of any other Books, it is no Wonder if more various Readings be found in them, than in Books lefs often transcribed. For except the Tranfcribers of the Holy Scriptures were all infpired, and preferved from Error by the Spirit of God, as the firft Penmen of thofe facred Books were, it is morally impoffible but they should be guilty of fome flight Miftake or Overfight in fo long a Work. And therefore we find like various Readings in the Greek Copies of the New Teftament, which you (by comparing the LXX and the English Versions) have done in the Old, though perhaps not fo confiderable. The learned and induftrious Dr. Milles has collected a very great Number of various Readings from feveral Manufcripts, in his excellent Edition printed at Oxford and published 1707. To give an Inftance of one or two confiderable ones. The Doxology at the End of the Lord's Prayer, Matth. vi. 13. is omitted in feveral MSS. And eleven whole Verfes at the Beginning of the eighth Chapter of St. John's Gofpel. Alfo the 7th Verfe of the fifth Chapter of the firft Epiftle of St. John is omitted in almost all the MSS. now remaining in thefe western Parts of the World. So that the Doctor could not procure or be informed of one MS. that had it. Though Robert Stephens declares it to have been in fome of the MSS. from which he published his neat and correct Edition of the New Teftament 200 Years ago: Which Edition our prefent

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printed Greek Teftaments have generally followed. And as there are fuch Omiffions in fome Copies, fo there are alfo fome Additions of whole Periods or Sentences: As A. vi. 18. at the End of the Verfe is added καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς ἕκασος εις τα ίδια. Now if our English Translation had been made from one of thefe Copies, you would have feen a Difference as to whole Periods or Sentences between our Tranflation and our common Greek Teftaments. And I doubt not but our common Greek Teftaments may be corrected from fome of the various Readings.

There is no Doubt but the Holy Scriptures, as written by the divinely-infpired Penmen, were without the leaft Miftake or Overfight. Therefore the five Books of Mofes, which were written with his own Hand, and repofited firft in the Tabernacle, and from thence tranfferred to the Temple, were perfectly free from all Error, fo much as in a fingle Letter. The fame we are to believe of the other Books of the Old Testament, written by the Prophets or infpired Writers. The Originals of which we may alfo believe were from Time to Time repofited in the fame Place, from whence Copies were taken, for publick Ufe. For we read Deut. xvii. 18. that the King (when they fhould have one) was commanded to write him a Copy of the Law in a Book, out of that which is before the Priests and Levites. And 2 Chron. xvii. 7, 8, 9. Jehoshaphat fent his Princes, and with them be fent L vites, and they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the Cities of Judah, and taught the People. From hence it is manifeft that there were many Copies of the Law, or of the five Books of Mofes. And no Doubt but Copies were taken of the other facred Books from Time to Time as they were written.

But when the Temple was destroyed, and the whole Nation of the Jews carried into Captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, then all the original Books written by Mofes and the Prophets perifhed together with the Temple, and only Copies remained. However at their Return from the Captivity, when Cyrus had not only permitted, but gave them Protection and Encouragement to rebuild their City and Temple, God raised up Prophets at the fame Time to encourage them in their Work, and to teach and direct them how to restore the divine Worship according to the Law; which could not be done without having the Books of the Law, that is the Pentateuch, or five Books of Mofes. And, I think, it is not to be fuppofed that they had not alfo Copies of all the other Books of Holy Scripture written before that Time, and to which the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah, who returned with the firft, added their own Books. After this, as we read Ezra vii. 1. 6. Ezra a ready Scribe in the Law of Mofes went up from Babylon, and came to Jerufalem, in the Reign of Artaxerxes King of Perfia, above feventy Years after the Restoration granted by Cyrus. He, as is confeffed both by Jews and Chriftians, together with the Prophet Malachi and Nehemiah, another infpired Writer, having added their own Books to the former, did, together with the great Synagogue, collect all the inspired Writings, and compleat the Canon of the Old Teftament. No Pro

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phet being raised up amongst the Jews from the Death of Malachi until the Coming of St. John Baptift.

Ezra then and his Companions of the great Synagogue, Firft, made a Collection and Canon of the facred Books. Secondly, As he and fome others who joined with him were divinely infpired, that is, guided by the Holy Ghoft, who preferved them from Error in this great Work, the Copy written by them and lodged in the Temple was perfect and without Miftake. Thirdly, They changed the old Hebrew Letters for thofe of the Chaldeans, as better known to the Jews, who had lived fo long at Babylon : And befides, as they refolved to have no Dealings with the Samaritans, who, as much as they were able, had hindered the rebuilding of Jerufalem and the Temple, they would not write with the fame Letters which the Samaritans made use of, that the Samaritans might not read the Jewish Books, nor the Jews any of the Samaritans. Fourthly, They added fome Connections and Explications. Thus we find in the Pentateuch several Things which we may be convinced were not written by Mofes. As Gen. xxxvi. 31. These are the Kings that reigned in the Land of Edom, before there reigned any King over the Children of Ifrael. The Author of this Verfe and of the Catalogue of the Kings of Edom preceding it, muft live at the Time when there were or had been Kings of Ifrael, fince he denotes the Time, when the Ifraelites began to have Kings. Again, it is faid Gen. xiv. 14. That Abraham purfued the Kings he had overcome unto Dan. Now the Name of Dan was not given to this Place until a long Time, not only after Abraham's Days, but alfo after the Days of Mofes, when 600 Men of the Tribe of Dan took Laifh, as we read Judges xviii. 29. These and many other like Paffages have been urged by fome Perfons to prove that Mofes was not the Writer of the Pentateuch, fince even in the biftorical Parts there are feveral Things mentioned which happened not until after his Death. But thefe Things may reafonably be fupposed to have been put in by Ezra, an infpired Writer, and the great Synagogue, for the better Information of their Contemporaries, when they made this new and compleat Edition of the Canon of all the Holy Scriptures as delivered to the Jews. Which contained thofe, and only thofe, which our Church in her fixth Article holds to be Canonical in the Old Teftament. This Edition of Ezra, an infpired Writer, being written by him, a ready Scribe, and repofited in the Temple, was cer tainly without Fault or Miftake. And from thence many Copies were foon taken for the Ufe of the Synagogues and private Perfons.

But this Original Book of Holy Scripture written by Ezra, and repofited in the Temple, was deftroyed by that bloody Perfecutor of the Fews (the only Church of God at that Time) Antiochus Epiphanes, who, as we read 1 Maccab. i. 21. 56. entered proualy into the Sanctuary, and took away the golden Altar, and the Candlestick of Light, and all the Veffels thereof. And when they had torn in Pieces the Books of the Law, they burnt them with Fire. But when Judas Maccabeus recovered the City and the Temple, (2 Maccab. x. 1.) and cleanfed and purified the Temple, we cannot doubt but he provided a Book of the Law and the Prophets to be there repofited as before; either one which belonged to

his Father Mattathias, or one very fairly and correctly tranfcribed from the best Copies that could be procured: And took good Care alfo to fupply the Synagogues whofe Books were deftroyed as well as those of the Temple. But none of these could be equally free from all Mistakes, as was that of Ezra, an inspired Writer. And thefe alfo were for the moft Part destroyed by the Romans, when the Temple and Synagoguesof Judea were burnt by the Soldiers of Vefpafian and Titus. Whether that particular Book, which to the Time of this final Deftruction had been repofited in the Temple, was any where preferved, is un

certain.

Jofephus, who was taken Prifoner by the Romans at that Time, and was an Eye-witness of the Defolation and Deftruction of his Country, in his Account of his own Life (c. 75.) tells us, that having had Leave given him by Titus, to take whatever he pleafed out of the Ruins of his Country, fays, that he valued nothing fo much, after Liberty for himself and Family, as the facred Books which he accepted as a Present from Titus. Again, in his feventh Book of the Wars of the Jews, (c. 5.) he makes mention, that the Copy of the Law, which they had taken from the Temple, or out of fome Synagogue, was laft in order carried in Triumph at Rome, after the golden Table and Candlestick; and that Titus commanded the fame Copy, together with the purple Veils of the most holy Place, to be carefully repofited in the Temple of Peace. The former Paffage gives not the leaft Hint, that Jofephus fought or took out of the Temple the facred Books granted him by the Favour of Titus: And the latter Teftimonies do directly contradict and deny it. Which I think proper to obferve, becaufe fome have afferted that Jofephus obtained from Titus the authentick Copy repofited in the Temple. But I conceive it is evident from Jofephus's own Account of the Matter, that neither he nor any of the Jews had the Happiness to preserve the Copy there repofited.

I have already obferved to you, that in Books copied by writing from others, there will be Miftakes made, unless the Tranfcribers are guided by an infallible Spirit. I muft now alfo obferve that this has also actually happened in the Hebrew Bibles, as well as other Books. This has not only been afferted by Ludovicus Capellus, and others, who may be thought not to have that due Refpect which we ought to have for the prefent Hebrew Copies: For even Buxtorf, Arnold Boot, and the Lord Primate Uber, the most zealous Affertors of the Integrity of the prefent Hebrew Text, have acknowledged that Text has not been free from fuch Errors as Transcribers are liable to make: And this they have been obliged to, by the various Readings which are found in the feveral Manufcripts of the Hebrew Bible.

Some have indeed gone fo far as to have accufed the Jews of having wilfully altered the Hebrew Text. But this is certainly an unjuft Ac-. cufation. Had they made any fuch Alterations before the Coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift, he and his Apoftles, who fo freely taxed the Scribes and Pharifees with their other Crimes, would not have failed to have taken Notice of one fo heinous as the corrupting the Holy Scriptures, by changing the Text to fupport their falfe Doctrines. But our bleffed Saviour was fo far from laying any fuch Thing to their Charge,

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