would thus be increased, in proportion to the number of transcripts made. III. The means by which the true reading is to be determined are, 1. Manuscripts; 2. The most antient, and best Editions; 3. Antient Versions; 4. Parallel Passages, (which, being an important help to interpretation, are noticed again in a subsequent page); 5. Quotations made from the Scriptures in the Writings of the early Fathers of the Christian Church; and 6. Conjectural Criticisms. All these sources are to be used with great judgment and mon reading ought not to be strongest evidence. caution; and the comrejected but upon the IV. Infidels have endeavoured to shake the faith of less informed Christians, by raising objections against the number of various readings. The unlettered Christian, however, need not be under any apprehension that they will diminish the certainty of his faith. Of all the many thousand various readings that have been discovered, none have been found that affect our faith, or destroy a single moral precept of the Gospel. They are mostly of a minute and trifling nature: and by far the greatest number make no alteration whatever in the sense. Such are Aaßid (Daвid) for Aavid (David); Σολομωντα (Solomônca) for Σολομωνα (SolomoNA) Solomon; xaya (kago) for na ey (kai ego) (& for and I); Nalager (Nazarer) for Nagape (NazareтH) Nazareth; which, with many others, may be used indif ferently. CHAPTER VII. ON THE QUOTATIONS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE NEW. A CONSIDERABLE difference of opinion exists among some learned 'men, whether the evangelists and other writers of the New Testament quoted the Old Testament from the Hebrew, or from the venerable Greek versions usually called the Septuagint. From an actual collation of the passages thus cited, (which is given at length in Hebrew, Greek, and English, in the author's larger work,) it appears, that, though the sacred writers of the New Testament have in many instances quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures; yet they have very frequently made their citations from the Septuagint, because it was generally known and read: and as the apostles wrote for the use of communities, whose members were ignorant of Hebrew, it was necessary on that account that they should refer to the Greek version. But where this materially varied from the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures, they either gave the sense of the passage cited in their own words: or took as much of the Septuagint as was necessary, introducing the requisite alterations. Difficulty sometimes arises, with respect to the application of the Quotations made by the apostles and evangelists; when they are applied to a purpose to which they seem to have no relation, according to their original design. This difficulty is occasioned by the writers of the New Testament making quotations from the Old, with very different views. It is therefore necessary to distinguish accurately between such quotations as, being merely borrowed, are used in the words of the writer himself, and such as are quoted in proof of a doctrine or the completion of a prophecy. The quotations from the Old Testament in the New are generally introduced by certain formulæ, such as, That it might be fulfilled — As it is written - &c., and various rules have been framed in order to account for their application. They may, however, be referred to the four following classes: viz. I. Quotations from the Old Testament in the New, in which the things predicted are literally accomplished. Direct Prophecies are those which relate exclusively to Christ and the Gospel, and cannot legitimately be taken in any other sense; and the Scripture is said to be fulfilled in the literal sense, when that event, which it foretells, is accomplished. The following table exhibits the principal quotations which belong to this class: Isa. ix. 7. (with Dan. vii. 14. 27.)Luke i. 32, 33. Isa. xi. 10. Isa. xxv. 8. Isa. xxvii. 9, and lix. 20, 21. 92.) Isa. xl. 3-5. Isa. xliii. 1-4. Isa. xlix. 6. Isa. liii. 1. Isa. liii. 36. Isa. liii. 4-6. 11. Isa. liii. 4. Isa. liii. 9. Isa, liii. 12. Isa. liv. 13. Isa. lv. 3. Jer. xxxi. 31-34. Hosea i. 10. Hosea ii. 23. brew iii. 1-4.) Acts xiii. 34. Heb. viii. 8-12. x. 16, 17. Rom. ix. 26. Rom. ix. 25. Pet. ii. 10. Joel. ii. 28–32. (in the He- Acts ii. 16-21. II. Quotations from the Old Testament in the New, in which that is said to have been done, of which the Scriptures have not spoken in a literal, but in a spirit There are citations out of the Old Testament in the New, in a mediate and typical or spiritual sense, respecting Christ and his mystical body the Church. The Scripture is therefore said to be fulfilled, when that is accomplished in the antitype which is written concerning the type. Thus, in John xix. 36. we read, These things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, a bone of him shall not be broken." These words, which were originally written of the paschal lamb, (Exod. xii. 46. Numb. ix. 12.) are said to be fulfilled in Christ who is the antitype of that lamb. Additional examples of the same kind will be found in the annexed passages. 66 Gen. xiv. 18. 20. cited and applied in Heb. vii. 1—10. Psal. xxxv. 19. lxix. 4. and cix. 3. John xv. 25. |