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ported by competent evidence. If it be justly regarded as a useful and an honourable office to publish a correct edition of the works of a classical author, it cannot surely be reckoned less important, or less honourable, to exhibit the text of the sacred writings in a form as nearly as possible ap proaching to the original standard.

Upon these principles Professor Griesbach undertook, and notwithstand. ing the loud clamours and malignant opposition of many, he persevered in, and completed, his great work of publishing a corrected Text of the New Testament, with the various readings and authorities subjoined, for which he is entitled to the warmest thanks of the whole Christian world. Upon the same principles the late Dr. Newcome, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland, printed what he modestly calls An Attempt toward revising our English Translation of the Greek Scriptures, in which he professes generally to follow the text of Griesbach: the publication of which was, however, deferred till after the decease of that venerable and learned prelate, in deference, as it has been rumoured, to the opinions of some persons high in authority and rank, who were fearful of disturbing vulgar prejudices. It is upon the same principles that the present Improved Version offers itself to the public, with the additional advantage of the corrections and improvements of Dr. Griesbach's Second Edition. To prevent, however, undue expectations, it is proper to state that the alterations of the text in the learned Professor's second edition are comparatively very few; much fewer, as he observes, than he had himself expected from the great additional treasure of critical materials with which he was supplied. But he adds, that the experience of twenty years had only confirmed him in his adherence to those rules of criticism by which his judgement had been originally guided: and that the best authorities which had occurred to him since the publication of his first edition had confirmed the testimony of those witnesses upon which he had from the beginning chiefly relied.

To conclude, The editors of the present work offer it to the public as exhibiting to the English reader a text not indeed absolutely perfect, but approaching as nearly to the apostolical and evangelical originals as the present state of sacred criticism will admit: neither do they hold it up as a faultless translation, but merely as an Improved Version, still no doubt susceptible of far greater improvement, which they will rejoice to see undertaken and accomplished by abler hands. In the mean time, having to the best of their ability completed their professed design, they commend this volume, which is the result of their labours, to the candour of their readers and to the blessing of Almighty God:

ΟΤΙ ΕΞ ΑΥΤΟΥ, ΚΑΙ ΔΙ ̓ ΑΥΤΟΥ, ΚΑΙ ΕΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΤΑ ΠΑΝΤΑ, ΑΥΤΩ Η ΔΟΞΑ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΑΙΩΝΑΣ. ΑΜΗΝ.

APPENDIX.

Dr. Lardner's Plan of the Times and Places of writing the Four Gospels and the
Acts of the Apostles. Supplement to The Credibility, &c. vol. i. page iv.

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A Table of St. Paul's Epistles in the Order of Time; with the Places where, and the Times when, they were written. From Lardner's Supplement to The Credibility, &c. vol. ii, page iv.

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A Table of the Seven Catholic Epistles, and the Revelation; with the Places where, and the Times when, they were written. From Lardner's Supplement to The Credibility, &c. vol. iii. page iv.

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A Scheme of the Times, Places, and Occasions of writing the Gospels. Subjoined to page 114 of Dr. Henry Owen's Observations on the Four Gospels. London. T. Payne. 1764.

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Dr. Townson's Opinion concerning the Evangelists. From his Discourses on the Four Gospels. 4to. Oxford. 1778.

THAT St. Matthew was the first writer of a Gospel; that he composed it early for the instruction of the Jewish people, and published it in Judea; and that he was not only anterior to St. Mark and St. Luke, but wrote several years before either of them. Pages 23. 101.

That St. Mark was the second Evangelist; that his Gospel was revised or even dictated by St. Peter; that it was compiled for a mixt society of Jewish and Gentile converts, and according to all appearances published at Rome or in Italy: and that it was published about the end of the year 56 or of 60.

Pages 23. 163.

That the next Evangelist, St. Luke, wrote with a more peculiar view to the converted Gentiles, and, as it seems likely, in Achaia.

Page 24.

That St. John had scen the three former Gospels, and bore testimony to the truth of them; and wrote his own, probably after the destruction of Jerusalem, in Asia Minor.

Page 24.

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2. Schmidius. Fol. Gothæ et Lipsiæ. 1717, which is the most useful. 3. Dr. John Williams. 4to. Lond. 1767.

USEFUL LEXICONS TO THE NEW TESTAMENT.

1. Suicer. Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus. Amst. 1728. 2 vol. Fol. 2. Mintert. 4to. Francofurti. 1728.

3. Parkhurst. Greek and English. 4to. London.

EXPLANATION OF MARKS AND ABBREVIATIONS.

The words which in the judgement of Griesbach should probably, though not certainly, be expunged, are included in brackets. R. T. signifies the received text: viz. that of the Elzevir edition

1624.

N. t. the text of archbishop Newcome.

N. m. the reading of the Primate's margin.

W. Mr. Wakefield's translation.

S. Professor Symonds's Observations on the Expediency of revising the present Version.

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A Table of the Books of the New Testament as they are divided by Eusebius into
those the Authenticity of which had never been called in question, and those
whose Genuineness had been disputed by the early Christian Writers. Euseb.
Hist. Eccl. lib. iii.

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Concerning which Dr. Lardner says that they should be allowed to be publicly read in
Christian Assemblies, for the Edification of the People, but not be alleged as affording
alone sufficient Proof of any Doctrine. Lardner's Hist. of Apostles and Evang. vo.... i. p. 30.

EPISTLE OF JAMES.

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