ON THE

Excellency and Diffusion of the Scriptures.

THE following just and striking observations on the value of the Bible, and the obligations under which Christians are laid to circulate it, are extracted from a most eloquent speech, delivered by the Rev. Joseph Fletcher, A. M. of Stepney, at the last anniversary of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

"In every department of human knowledge there are some principles which possess the authority and force of self-evident truths: they are not so much the conclusions as the elements and materials of reasoning; and we feel in reference to them repose and satisfaction. When, by fair deductions, we can connect them with our duties and our interests, those deductions, in the estimation of an honest and ingenuous mind, acquire the character of moral demonstration. Christianity has its elements and its axioms-its fundamental verities-its ultimate facts; and when these principles lie at the basis of any particular institution, we feel that we stand on the vantage ground of truth, and that we are building on

a rock!

"When we contemplate the miracles and prophecies that accredit the Sacred Volume, and the mighty apparatus employed in the preparation of that Volume, we might fairly infer, even before knowing its peculiar and characteristic discoveries, that it must be of infinite importance to understand and receive it for our own benefit, and of no less importance to do all in our power to make it known to others. But when we advance from the evidence to the truth accredited by that evidence, and proceed to the interior of the sacred temple, what discoveries of love and mercy burst upon our view! Do they not disclose a system of religion, in every point of view adapted to man, as a citizen of this world, and an heir of eternity? Those discoveries are too profound for ignorance to have invented-too consistent for imposture to have devised-too rational for enthusiasm to have imaginedand too humbling and holy for ambition and impurity to have conceived! They bear upon their front the image and superscription of their Divine Original.

"He values not this fountain of living waters, who would not employ all his energy, and influence, and talents, to secure the universal distribution of the streams of mercy. Too long the Christian world has resembled the Israelites, when first settled in the land of promise. They forgot that the whole land, "in the length and breadth of it," was given for their inheritance; but, once domesticated, they were satisfied with far less than the grant of heaven had bestowed. The whole land is given by the heavenly charter to the REDEEMER, and we are commanded under his banner, and by his authority, to " arise and possess it”— to subdue it by a holy and peaceful and benevolent enterprise, to the dominion of the MESSIAH. As yet we have only approached the frontiers of the territory

which is to be brought under the government of the REDEEMER. Let us ascend the high ground of prophecy, and derive from its assurances the materials for our prayers, and the motives for our efforts. The SON OF GOD must and shall destroy the works of the Devil. Falsehood, sensuality, and cruelty, must be banished from our world, by the truth, and purity, and benevolence of the Gospel. The Shaster must vanish before the Bible,-the Crescent fade before the Cross,and the Banner of the REDEEMER wave in triumph over the scenes polluted by superstition, and darkened by ignorance. If the Bible be the word of GOD, it if each ought to be known; if it ought to be known, it ought to be circulated; man knowing it ought to circulate it, all who know it ought to circulate it. The obligation is universal-the responsibility is personal.”

Characteristic Notices of Biblical Works.

SCIENTIA BIBLICA: Being a copious collection of Parallel Passages, printed in words at length, for the Illustration of the New Testament. The whole so arranged as to Illustrate and confirm the different clauses of each verse: Together with the Text at large in Greek and English, the Various Readings and the Chronology. Parts 1, 2, and 3. 8vo. pp. 304. W. Booth, 32, Duke Street, Manchester Square. 1823.

THIS is unquestionably one of the most important works, to the Biblical Student, that has ever yet fallen under our notice; and promises to do more towards the illustration of the Scriptures, and silencing the cavils of infidels, than one half of the commentaries and treatises which are continually pouring from the press. We confess we have often felt the want of such a work, and have sometimes wondered that it has never been undertaken; we believe that the immense labour required has hitherto deterred persons from the task. When we say that such a work has never been undertaken we must be understood in a qualified sense. Fox's Testament is well known, though now very scarce, and a recent publication, under the title of A Self-Interpreting Testament, has attracted some attention; but both these works are so obviously limited in their design, and meagre in their execution, compared with the one before us, as to constitute them works of a very different description. In these works only so many passages are given, as parallel and illustrative, as to render more manifest the utility and importance of one upon a more extensive scale; besides which many of the texts are entirely useless. In the work before us the subject appears to be completely exhausted, and that, we are prepared to say, after carefully examining a considerable portion of it, without heaping together passages which are merely fanciful or verbal parallels

The want of such a work, as we before remarked, has been long felt by Biblical Students; and it affords us considerable pleasure in being enabled unequivocally to pronounce the Scientia Biblica as supplying this desideratum. The industrious author appears to have carefully avoided every thing in the shape of

party feeling, and, as he has emphatically observed in his " Address,” endeavoured "to bring together all those passages which are really parallel and illustrative; to furnish a commentary on the Bible from its own resources, and exhibit the delightful harmony which subsists between the Sacred Writers on the subjects of which they treat."

We recognize the Greek version-the textus receptus-as that of Mill, thereby setting at defiance all cavilling and dispute as regards contested passages, taking that, which is acknowledged by all learned societies, to be the versio optima. We confess, that individually, we should have preferred the text of Griesbach, but knowing, as we do, that this is liable to objection, we heartily commend and applaud the author's disinterestedness, thus avoiding, as it were, the Scylla and Charybdis of party-feeling. The Various Readings are those of the Authorized Version, and the Chronology that of Blaney. The value of the work is considerably enhanced by the careful preservation of the italic letter, and punctuation of the English version, as also, by giving at "full length" every passage cited. The author also appears to have been solicitous to avoid what has been termed, and that not improperly, mungling the Sacred Text. Hence we have, not only so much of a passage as is absolutely necessary to shew the parallelism, but also its connexion, and hence its literal meaning. These things certainly swell the size of the work, but they in the same proportion increase its value, and will be appreciated by the student and the preacher, who in composition may transcribe the passages without having to turn to them in the Bible. It is not our province to give any specimen of the work; every page exhibits the author's unwearied perseverance and accurate knowledge of the Scriptures; and without hesitation we recommend the Scientia Biblica as indispensible to the Biblical Student, and Preacher of the Word, as it is interesting to the Christian, and the Scholar, and every lover of the Book of God.

II. A Translation of the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ from the Latin Vulgate. Published by Authority, and Diligently Compared with the Original Greek. 8vo. pp. 668. London. Bagster, 7s. 6d. boards.

AMONG the Ancient versions of the Sacred Scriptures the Latin Vulgate ranks as one of the foremost, for the purposes of Biblical Criticism. Hence we feel indebted to Mr. Bagster for having presented us with a new and correct edition of this version, printed uniformly with the other parts of his valuable “Polyglott.” To this he has now added the Translation before us, which we hope will obtain an extensive circulation, especially among the members of the Romish Church.

From the close of the sixth century, when this version obtained the sanction of papal authority, it has been exclusively adopted by the Church of Rome, under the name of the Vulgate version: and a decree of the Council of Trent in the sixteenth century, pronounced it to be authentic, and commanded that the Vulgate alone should be used wherever the Bible is publicly read, and in all sermons, expositions, and disputations. From the multiplication of copies occasioned by the universal adoption of this version in the Western Church, and the practice which prevailed of writing in parallel columns the Italic and the Vulgate, the text fell into such confusion, and was so disfigured by innumerable mistakes of copyists, VOL. I. U U

that the manuscripts of the middle ages materially differ from the first printed editions. Robert Stephens was the first who attempted to remedy this confusion, by publishing his Critical editions of the Vulgate in 1528-1546. These were followed by an edition in 1547, edited by John Hlentenius, a divine of Louvaine, who availed himself of Stephens' labours with advantage. A third corrected edition was published by Lucas Brugensis, with the assistance of several other divines of Louvaine, in 1573, which was reprinted in 1586. All the preceding editions of the Vulgate, were, however, surpassed in celebrity by those published under the authority and inspection of the Roman pontiffs. The first of these was undertaken by the direction of PIUS IV. but was not completed until after SIXTUS V. had ascended the Papal chair. This active and resolute Pontiff prosecuted the design of his predecessors with vigour, and in 1590 the Bible was published, the text of which was declared by him to be the authentic Vulgate, which had been the object of enquiry in the Council of Trent, Scarcely, however, had the Sixtine edition made its appearance before it was discovered to abound with errors, and on the decease of the Pontiff the copies were called in, and a new edition resolved upon by his successor GREGORY XIV. This edition was completed by CLEMENT VIII. and published in 1592. A second edition was published in 1593, differing in some instances from the former. This last corrected edition of the Vulgate, is that from which all the later editions in use among the members of the Romish Church have been formed; and from this the Translation before us has been made.

:-we

After having compared a considerable portion of this Translation with the original, we hesitate not to say, that it is executed in general with great fidelity :say in general, because there are a few exceptions, which we are under the necessity of pointing out, arising in most cases from the peculiar tenets of the Church to which the translator belongs. Thus Pænitentia, and Pænitentiam agite, are rendered penance and do penance. Now we scruple not to say, that neither the derivation nor the use of the word will justify such a version. Considered as derived from Pæniteo, or the impersonal Pænitet, to cause remorse or repentance, to be sorry, grieved, or wish a thing never had been done, it will indubitably appear that the import of the word is penitence, repentance, or after sorrow. Thus Livy uses it in the following passage: Pœnitentiam celerem, sed seram et inutilem, sequi," Repentance swift, but too late and useless follows." As to the expression Pœnitentiam agite, which may, in some measure, have led to the supposition that it denotes penance, we would merely observe, that it is a well known Latinism, which has obtained in a vast variety of instances; such for example as the following: Agere vitam, to live,-gratias, to thank,-censuram, to censure,―silentium, to silence,―stia, to be idle,-secretum, to be private, &c. The translator in justification of his version has the following note: "Do penance. Pœnitentiam agite, μɛravoete, which word, according to the use of the Scriptures, and the holy fathers, does not only signify repentance and amendment of life, but also punishing past sins by fasting, and such like penitential exerci ses." (page 7.) As it regards the "holy fathers" we shall say nothing, being determined to avoid a controversy from which no good can possibly arise; but for the other part of the question, we are fully persuaded that repentance and amendment of life, and not punishing past sins, is the sense in which μstavaa and pœnitentia are used in the Scriptures. Had the inspired writers intended to ex

press penance they certainly would have employed Tam, which in Latin would have been properly rendered by pœna, whence the word penance is derived. Another instance of this culpable partiality occurs in Heb. xiii. 4. where Honorabile connubium in omnibus, is rendered " Marriage honorable in all," omitting the verb, which is clearly implied; thus affording an opportunity of glossing the text, in a note by, "or let marriage be honourable in all. It is a warning to married people, not to abuse the sanctity of their state, by any liberties, or irregularities contrary thereunto:"-rather, it is, as the context clearly shews, an affirmation of the suitableness and honour of the marriage state, in all; in opposition to the unbridled and unhallowed indulgence of the corrupt passions of human nature. Again, in 1 Cor. ix. 5. the translation of mulierem sororem, by 66 a woman, a sister," though it may be allowed on account of the ambiguity of mulier, is certainly erroneous. St. Paul is here asserting his christian liberty; no part of which could consist in carrying about " a woman, a sister." But what settles the point is the appeal to the example of Cephas, who, we actually find, was married (Matt. viii. 14.), and we may therefore presume that "the other Apostles and brethren of the Lord" were so too. The passage should be reudered, 66 a wife, a sister: "-one who was a christian woman, a sister, in the common faith. As to the translator's accusation of "some translators having improperly substituted a wife for sororem, adɛλon, a sister," we will only say, we believe such a thing was never done. Perhaps the most palpable instance, however, of the translator's predeliction for certain opinions, is to be found in his rendering of 1 Tim. v, 19. and James v. 14. In these passages the Latin presbyterum, which, from the Greek πpeσßuтegos, properly denotes an elder, is rendered a priest. It appears the more singular as the word is in most other instances translated, an ancient. Upon reference to the passages the translator's motive will be evident. In James v. 14. we have," Confess therefore your sins one to another." Now, although the word peccata is applied to denote sins, yet faults is the more natural and obvious meaning of the word. And in this place faults which we commit against one another, and not sins against God, are evidently intended. Hence we are exhorted to acknowledge, or confess them one to another. This cannot denote "the priests of the church," unless we suppose them all to have been "priests" to whom the apostle wrote. We had marked several other passages similar to the preceding, our limits, however, admonish us to abstain; we will only notice one more. Heb. xi. 21. "By faith Jacobadored the top of his rod."-" The Apostle here follows the ancient Greek Bible of the seventy interpreters."- (Note.) This is certain, when he has—naι πрoσExʊvev ΕΠΙ το άκρον της ραβδου αυτού, "and he worshipped upon the top of his staff." The Latin translator has not been equally faithful. The Syriac has strictly adhered to the original. Rom. viii. 3. is extremely faulty; v. 13. is unintelligible; and Phil. ii. 11. is unaccountable. The rendering of Charitas by charity, instead of love, is injudicious; and that of justitia by justice, instead of righteousness, or rectitude of conduct, which the word also denotes, is more so. It renders some passages not only obscure, but absolutely unintelligible. (See Rom. 1. 17.; iv. 3.; x. 4, 5.; Phil. iii. 9.) The retention of such words as the following, from the Vulgate, is certainly highly reprehensible: Azyms for the feast of unleavened bread; Pasch-passover; Neophyt—novice; Holocaust-burnt-offering; Lon