'of God,' in his margin with a mark denoting it not to be destitute of probability. 1 Cor. ix. 10. X. 9, the Improved Version has try the Lord' for which the authority is great; but Griesbach retains Christ' which circumstance is mentioned in the note.--xv. 39. 47. the Improved Version has the second man will be from heaven [heavenly]'; Griesbach has, the second man will be [the Lord] from heaven.' The authority for the omission is very great; for the addition, it is small; but, at any rate, if the word were inserted in the text, especially in brackets explained as they are, Griesbach's text should have been distinctly noticed, 2 Cor. xii. 7. Gal. i. 15. Eph. iv. 6, 29, where the note refers to Griesbach's first edition; his 2nd has

χρισας. vi. 12. 2 Tim. iii. 16. the Improved Version has All scripture given by inspiration of God: the authority for omitting x21 is very slight. Heb. x. 34. What we have principally to object to, in these departures from Griesbach, separate from what we have already stated, is, that in several instances we find no means of knowing what his text actually is. We believe that several of the departures are agreeable to the first edition, and are merely copied from New

come.

We have noticed four or five slight departures from the received text, authorized by Griesbach's authority, but not noticed in the notes. These are in the following passages. Rom. xiii. 1. xv. 7. ĭ Cor. xv. 20. 2 Cor. iv. 10. vii. 16. After these general remarks we may proceed rapidly with our survey. The first two chapters (with the exception of the first four verses) are in italics; but the brackets are properly omitted. The reasons for the mode of printing are assign ed in a note of considerable length.

In Luke iii. 23. Wakefield's translation is adopted, and Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, iv. 41. The Improved Version has and suffered them not to say that they knew that he was the Christ.' The alteration is important and just, vii. 47. the last clause. of the verse is printed in italics, for which there is no authority but the Cambridge M. S. xii. 49, the Improved Version has, and what do I desire? O that it were already kindled! it has and what do I desire, if it be already kindled ?' xvii. 16. at the feet of Jesus' where of Jesus should have been in italics: the Greek is of him. Similar little inaccuracies we have observed in John viii. 58. I am he. Acts ix. 22. this man, ix. 34. who is the Christ? Rom. vii. 23. xiv. 11. xas TOUTO, Eph. iv. 9. expression. Luke xxii. 43. 44. are in italics. The external authorities are not inconsiderable; but Griesbach does not consider them sufficient to authorize his lowest mark. xxiii. 43, is in italics. The external authority is very small. xxiii. 46, the Improved Version has 'I commit myself:' the note is " spirit, N. i. e. my breath or life. See Luke viii. 55." We should have preferred spirit or life. In passing, we may observe that Middleton's reasoning here and on Acts vii. 52, has, in our estimation, rendered it very probable, that the Centurion's acknowledg ment in xxiii. 47. is to be rendered, certainly this man was the just,' meaning the Messiah.

The introduction of John's gos. pel, as would be expected, would furnish considerable field for controversial critics. It was our intention to have quoted it with the notes, but our limits will not permit. We do not wish to enter into controversy; but after closely examining it, may be allowed to state that we do not see any thing in the rendering

of it in the Improved Version, which is not authorized by the Greek. The rendering is considerably formed upon the old Socinian model;-but we must refer the reader to the version, and to the

notes.

John v. 4. is printed in italics. The few last words of verse 3, and the whole of verse 4, are included in brackets, having Griesbach's mark of probable omission; vii. 53. viii. 11. are in italics, and included in brackets for the above reason. xi. 39. the smell is offensive.' N. follows the public version, xii. 3. very precious balsam of spikenard,' it has ointment of liquidnard. and so in other cases, balsam for ointment, xiii. 1. Now Jesus having known before the feast of the Passover-and having' is we think a very valuable change: xiii. 30.for sop, we find in the Improved Version a piece of bread. xiv. 16. (and other places) the Improved Version has Newcome's marginal rendering advocate instead of comforter: xvii. 3. that they may know thee to be the true God, and Jesus thy messenger to be the Christ.' We are not concerned with this text in a doctrinal point of view, but as critics must state, that we think this rendering less accordant with the Greek than the Primate's that they may know thee, the only true God, and him whom thou hast sent, even Jesus Christ.' were just about to add, that the last words appear to have been added as an explanation by some early writer, when on referring to Newcome's version we perceived that this was his opinion. If the present rendering be justifiable in general, we see no reason for altering whom thou hast sent; and the first to be should of course have been in italics: xxi. 5. N. has my children;' the Improved Version has young men.' We do not like the change; but it

We

is much better than Mace's and Campbell's rendering my lads.'

Acts ii. 22. N. has, a man whom God hath attested among you,' the Improve Version 'aman from God manifested among you:' iii. 26. (and other places) servant,' which is Newcome's marginal rendering: in his text he has Son.' We observed that doctor Gerard in his institutes gives the preference to the rendering adopted in the Improved Version: iv. 12.the Improved Version has Newcome's marginal rendering 'healed,' and 'healing,' viii. 33.

his condemnation was extorted' according to the excellent rendering of Michael Dodson, xvii. 22.

in

I perceive that ye are exceedingly addicted to the worship of demons,' instead of Newcome's all things ye are somewhat too religious.' We do not like either rendering, but do not know what to offer in their place: verse 23.to an unknown God' is certainly preferable to Newcome's rendering. To keep up the force of the original and the manner of Paul's address, the next clause should be rendered whom therefore ye worship without knowing him.' On referring to Wakefield, we perceive that this is his mode of rendering. The Improved Version agrees with the public version and Newcome's. xx.28. the Improved Version following Griesbach, has feed the church of the Lord.'

Rom. ix. 5. God, who is over all, be blessed for ever.' Be should have been in italics. We consider this rendering, and that of Newcome and the public version, equally agreeable to the Greek; and therefore our choice must be determined by the analogy of scripture. ture. The position of oyntos will perhaps cease to be an objection to our assertion, when it is observed, that in the corresponding places in which it is employed, other clauses

depend on 90s; here the sense is best in its present situation. xvi. 25, (and elsewhere) the Improved Version and N. have ancient disputations as the rendering of Xeros as: probably they are right, but the literal English should have been put in the margin. 1. Cor. iv. 15. I am your father;' Newcome agrees with the common version. We are sorry to see the alteration here and in some other places, without being uniformly made. To us it appears important to leave such passages unaltered unless the literal English is placed below; because they tend to explain scripture-phraseology. ix. 27. after having served as a herald to others, I myself should be disapproved. 'This is Doddridge's rendering; but as the word herald is not capable of the double application of the Greek, we do not approve of the rendering.

2. Cor. viii. 9. the gracious goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, while he was rich, yet for your sakes he lived in poverty.' We cite the passage as a considerable alteration on Newcome, rather than to examine it, but shall say, that being rich' is more literal. Phil. ii. 7. did not eagerly grasp at the resemblance to God; but divested himself of it. and took on him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man, &c.' Separate from controversial difficulties, there are literary ones in the passage; and we doubt whether this rendering fully solves them. Col. ii. 9. the fulness of the Deity.' 1. Tim. iii. 16. following Griesbach, the Improved Version has he who was manifested.' At the beginuing of the Hebrews are several considerable alterations; but for these we must refer to the version, merely stating the principal: verse 3. who being a ray of his brightness, and an image of his

perfections.' The second chapter of Peter is inserted in italics.

Several alterations occurred to us in the perusal of this work; but upon the whole, as it seems to be our business rather to shew what the work is, than to aim to improve it, we think it advisable to omit them. Newcome's little grammatical errors, we observe are corrected; but we are surprised to see an house &c. retained. In general the punctuation is unexceptionable; and we perceive that Newcome's has in some instances been materially improved.

We intended to have laid before t our readers some specimens at length of this version; but it is scarcely necessary. We shall therefore content ourselves with two short specimens; John xii. 23– 32.Eph. i. 3—14.

"The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily verily I say unto you, unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it remaineth a single grain: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life, shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it to everlasting life. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and, where I am, there shall servant also be: if any man my serve me, him my Father will honour. Now is my soul troubled: and what shall I say? Father, save me from this

hour? But for this cause I came to this hour. Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." The multitude therefore who stood by, and heard it, said that it thunOthers said, "An angel spake Jesus answered and said, to him." "This voice came not for my sake, but for of this world: now the prince of this sakes. your Now is the judgment world will be cast out. And although I shall be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me."

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in hea

venly things through Christ: according as he chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that we might be holy and spotless before him in love: having predestinated us to the adop tion of sons by Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious favour, with which he hath favoured us through the beloved Son: through whom we have redemption by his blood, even for giveness of our offences, according to the riches of his favour; in which he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and understanding; having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself concerning the dispensation of the fulness of times, that he would gather together to himself in one all things through Christ, which are in the heavens and which are on the earth, even through him; through whom we have obtained an inheritance also, having been predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: that we should be to the praise of his glory, having first hoped in Christ in whom ye also having be lieved, (after ye heard the word of truth, the glad tidings of your salvation, in whom, I say, ye also having believed,) have been sealed with the holy spirit of promise, (which is the carnest of our inheritance,) unto the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."

:

We seem scarcely able to complete our task without some general judgment as to the work before us. We have already given our

opinion as to the merit of the basis of this version; and leaving out of estimation a very small number of doctrinal passages, (in which our judgment is

not necessary, and respecting which there will we suppose be few completely accordant opinions,) we feel no hesitation in pronouncing it a decided improvement upon that basis, and consequently by far the most faithful representative of the original scriptures, which has hitherto been put into the hands of the English reader. Some of the alterations on Newcome we

more we should have wished to object to; many have had made, particularly with a have had made, particularly with a view to reducing it more to the phraseology of the old version; but in general the alterations are certainly improvements, and most of those which are doctrinal seem to us critically justifiable. Taking these things into calculation, with the unrivalled excellence of the text of which the authors have had the advantage, and which they have followed in most (indeed almost all essential) cases, together with the great difficulty of the undertaking, we consider them as having rendered a very essential service to all who, with unprejudiced minds, wish to lay the foundation of their faith on the words of Jesus and his

apostles.

THE author of the first of these publications was the son of a respectable farmer, and was born at Danby castle in Yorkshire, in the year 1652. In very early life he

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became a catholic, and passed many years in France and Italy. Soon after his return to England, he wrote several pieces against the reformed religion, among which

the Errata of the Protestant Bible held a distinguished place, at least in the estimation of his own party, We know not how it was received by the protestants of that time, but from its having excited so little attention, we suppose they treated it, as it really deserves, as a very weak and groundless attack. Mr. Ward, of course, according to the fashion which prevails in the catholic church, extols the Vulgate amongst the ancient versions, and the Rheinish translation among the modern; and by these, as by the only legitimate standards, he examines the English versions of 1562, 1557, and 1579. Having selected from the two former about one hundred and thirty passages, which are thought to bear some relation to doctrines and practices of the Romish church, and arranged them in separate tables under proper heads, he has placed in a parallel column the same passages, selected from the abovementioned protestant translations, The blindest prejudice alone would prevent, even after such an examination, a decision in favour of the old English interpreters, their translation being far more elegant than the Rhemish, and more consonant with the places from which they are selected; not to say more correct in rendering from those originals, which, in the opinion of unprejudiced inquirers, are of more authority than the corrected version of Jerome. It is indeed very true, and greatly to be regretted, that an attention to theological system, and a desire to discountenance the errors which they had recently abjured, led our early translators to introduce terms which it would have been wiser to omit, and to give to some passages a turn which they will not properly bear. Such errors as these, it was becoming in the catholic writers of those times to expose; and had they not been sub.

sequently corrected, it would have been justifiable and right in catholic writers to continue their animadversions upon them. Gregory Martin, therefore, reader of divi nity at Rheims, at the conclusion of the sixteenth century, was to be censured for publishing his " Discoverie of the manifold Corruptions of the holie Scripture, by the Heretikes of our daies, &c." only so far as he manifested an uncharitable spirit, and represented, as he sometimes did, those passages as corrupt, which had no other fault than that of not agreeing with the Vulgate. The case was materially altered at the close of the seventeenth century, when Ward wrote; and the translations of queen Elizabeth's time had been superseded by one, in which the greater part of the errors that Martin discovered had been corrected. By retaining in his tables the renderings in the former translations, and by adding a column, which is chiefly occupied in announcing the fact, that the passages cited from them have been corrected in the edition of 1683, "his book," as Dr. Ryan justly observes," is a libel on himself, and on those who republish it." The attempt to discredit, by this means, the cause of protestantism, was weak in the days of Ward, and now that the means of biblical criticism are so much increased, and the labours of so many learned and judicious protestants have been successfully employed in correcting the errors of the greater part of the authorized version;-the attempt must be without effect, but upon the most illiterate, and bigoted adherents to the Romish church. And it cannot but be considered as a very injudicious step to republish so virulent a work, calculated to cherish the prejudices of the catholic, and to excite the fears of the protestant, at a time when every heart