ted 1657. And not yet anfwered that I can hear of.

L. But the Canon of the New Testament was established upon the Authority of the Church.

G. No, my Lord, not at all by her Authority, but plainly by Evidence, they proceeded wholly upon Evidence, viz. whether fuch an Epifle was fent to fuch a Church, as to the Church of Corinth, Ephefus, Galatia, &c. Who carefully kept the Originals, and fent Copies to other Churches, as was Commanded, Col. iv. 16. And by this Communication of the Churches one with another, the true Scriptures were known, and it is commonly fet down at the end of the Epiftles by what Hand they were fent. And by this method the Spurious Epiftles and Gofpels forged by Hereticks were at firft detected, as you will find in the laft Chapter of the fifth Book of Eufebius his Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, where it is told, That the Hereticks were brought to this Teft, and could not produce the Originals whence they took their Copies : And that their Copies did vary from one another, every one adding what Opinion came into his own Head: And that they could not tell from whom they had learned fuch New Doctrines. Thus the Canon of the New Teftament was fettled in those Ages when thefe Evidences were fresh and notorious: And has been received fince that time by all the Chriftian Churches in the World, fo unanimously, that there is no Difpute betwixt any Churches concerning

cerning the Canon of the New Teftament. And this is an Evidence too ftrong for the Caprice of fome particular Men who would fhew their Wit in making Objections against this or that Part. But this cannot hurt the Faith, becaufe the whole Faith is over and over again fully Expressed and Contained in those Gospels and Epiftles, which are acknowledged by all.

L. But there are various Lections and Tranflations of the Scriptures into many Languages, which agree not exactly, and in every point, with one another. And how fhall we examine this by Evidence? What Evidence is there in this Cafe? Here the Authority of the Church must come in to determine between these various Lections and Tranflations. And these various Lections or different Readings of feveral Texts are very many, which fome Learned Men have taken pains to collect.

G. But there is no difference among them in any thing material or what concerns the Faith, So that this inftead of an Objection (which the Deifts make use of to invalidate the Truth of the Scriptures and the Certainty of our Faith) proves a ftronger Confirmation of both, in that among fo many various Readings and Tranflations no material Difference is found or other than may, and without a Miracle muft happen in fo many thousand Copies and Impreffions as have been made of the Scriptures. And none I fuppofe will pretend that every Writer or Printer is infallible, not to miftake a Letter or a Word, or misplace them. But that nothing

thing of this fort has happened to the Detriment of the Faith, or making Difputes in any thing that is material, must be attributed to a very particular Providence.

And the Church of Rome has not undertaken, nor was it worth her while, to attempt the Adjufting of the various Readings: For in that Tranflation which he has moft Approved, the Vulgar Latin, fome of the various Lections are given on the Margin of her own Editions.

But what fignifies the Latin which is not the Vulgar Language of any Nation now in the World, I fay, what does this fignify to the People who understand it not?

L. Therefore to anfwer your Objections of our locking up the Scriptures from the People, we have them now tranflated into the Vulgar Tongues of each Country, particularly in France, where they are publickly fold in the Shops.

G. This inftead of an Anfwer to the Ob jection, is a confeffing to it, and owning it to have been juft and neceffary. And thus much your People have gained by our Reformation.

But alas, my Lord, what have they gained? There is fomething worse than even a total Locking up the Scriptures in thefe Tranflations, that is, a corrupting the Text to deceive the People, different from even your own Vulgar Latin Tranflation, which you have autho rized. This is made apparent in the Colleation, printed here at London, of the many Texts thus evidently abused, both by adding to

them

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them and taking from them, and mifinterpré ting them; in the French New Teftament prin ted in France for the use of the New Converts there. And this has occafioned the Suppreffion of that New Teftament, infomuch that few of them are to be found, at leaft they are not publickly Sold now at Paris.

L. If they are fuppreffed, then your Complaints are anfwered. But have you any Objection against the Louvain Tranflation now Printed and Sold at Paris, with the Approbation of the Doctors and Divines there?

G. Yes, my Lord, here is one in my Hand, bought in Rue St. Jaques in Paris, where they are Printed, with the Approbations before them, in the Year 1791. And in this Tranflation there are many Miftranflations, I will shew your Lordfhip one; it is faid, Acts xiii. 2. As they miniftred to the Lord. The Vulgar Latin has it in the fame Words, Miniftrantibus illis Domino. But this French Tranflation is in these Words, Or comme ils offroient au Seigneur le Sa crifice de la Meffe. When they had offered to the Lord the Sacrifice of the Mass.

L. I fuppofe they took that to be the Meaning of the Words.

G. Your Lordfhip may fuppofe fo. But, My Lord, what the Import of the Words is, or what Confequences may be drawn from them, is what we call Expofition or Commenting upon the Text; but to alter the Words of the Text is of another Nature, it is falfe Tranflation, and not an Interpretation; and comes under

that

that terrible Curfe pronounced Rev. xxii. 18, 19. against those who add to, detract from, or pervert the Words of Holy Scripture.

And to fhew that this was not done by chance, and what Use they intended to make of this Text thus Tranflated, Acts xiii. 2. They put upon the Margin, La Sainte Meffe, the holy Mafs. That the People might here find a plain Text of Scripture for the Mafs and the Sacrifice of it. And in the Index (which is done by the fame Authority as the Tranflation) upon the Word Messe, this Text is named as a Proof that the Apoftles did celebrate Mafs.

This Sacrifice of the Mafs is a plain Addition to the Text. Let me give one Inftance of Subftracting from it. It is faid, Heb. xi. 21. That Jacob worshipped upon or leaning upon the Top of his Staff. But this French Tranflation leaves out the Word 6 upon, and renders it that he Worshipped the top of his Staff. Adora le Haut de fon Baton. And in the Index at the Word Adoration this Text is quoted for the Adoration of Wood, L'Adoration fait aux Bois. Heb. xi. 21. Belike they thought there was fome Image carved or painted on the Top of Jacob's Staff which he worshipped! And fo this is made a Text for worshipping their wooden Images and Pictures! Especially the folemn Worship of the Crofs every Good-Friday. And who knows but that the Head of Facob's Staff was not round but Crutch-ways, fet a-crofs (as is ufual with old Men) and then the Staff was a perfect Cross!

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