صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

1

:

cond Book of Apocryphal Efdras in a diftinct Co lumn, beyond what I promis'd all which is much more than I at firft eftimated that Arabick Didafealy, and about as much as it really proves to be, by Dr. Grabe's Account of it. "Tis alfo to be obferved, that I have directed the placing of that larger Additional Piece, of Apocry phal Efdras, at the end of the Smaller Fourth, and not of the Larger Firft Volume, for greater Conveniency both of the Binder and Reader. 'Tis farther to be noted, as to Ignatius's Larger Epiftles, that I have almoft always printed by A. B. Usher's most accurate Edition; and that in the Various Readings at the bottom of each Page, A. fignifies the Auguftan or Augsburgh Copy: B. the Leicestershire Copy, now in the Bodleian Library: N. that of Gafper Nidpruck: and T. that of Thuanus, which are all the Greek MSS. which we have of thofe Larger Epiftles. The Greek of the fmaller is according to the laft Oxford Edition, which was made from Profeffor Salvinus's exact Tranfcript out of the Medicean, or only Greek Copy of them; and fo can have no various Readings at all. at all. I include Ruinart's Copy of the Epistle to the Romans under this Head; tho' it be wanting in the Medicean MS, The English Tranflation of the Larger Epiftles is my own; but as carefully revis'd by fome Learned Friends, efpecially by one excellently skill'd in fuch matters: The English of the Smaller is that of the Right Reverend and Learned the Lord Bifhop of Lincoln, in his Second and more accurate Edition of the Apoftolical Fathers. The Greek of the Conftitutions themfelves is according to the Original Venice Edition A. D. 1563. whence all the other are deriv'd, and which was chiefly made from a very good Copy from Crete, and alfo in part from two interpo

lated

lated ones from Calabria and Sicily. And the various Readings at the bottom of the Pages are taken either from the Margin of that Edition, noted al. for aliter; or from the Two Vienna MSS. now firft collated by the Reverend Mr. Anderfon, lately Chaplain to our Ambaffador there, noted

f

for the later, but more correct; and V. for the Older, but more interpolated Copy. I have omitted thofe other various Readings which may be fetch'd from ancient Citations, and fpurious Editions or Extracts, fince they are more proper for a diftinct work, and, excepting a few Cafes, will not, I believe, very often afford us the truer Reading. In this Volume I have printed even all the interpolated Texts, even where I knew them to be fuch, but in double Brackets thus [[]] to gratify the Learned: but I have not in that cafe added a Tranflation,that I might not puzzle the English Reader; for whofe fake only the Verfion is made. Yet where I was at all doubtful, I put the Greek into fingle Brackets thus, and have tranflated it, and left it to every one's own confideration. In one place indeed I have added a Paffage, which is not in any of our modern, Copies, I mean the Genuine Rule for Eafter, but with Comma's for diftinction; and from the undoubted Authority of Epiphanius, in the Fourth Century. And in the Eight Book, I have put the Spurious na of feve ral Doxologies into the Margin, and infert a fmall into the Text, for Genuine as Dr. Grabe has done in the like Cafes of his Septuagint alfo. I have all along preferv'd the fmaller Divifion of Chapters in Le Clercs Cotelerian Edition, but have my felf parted the whole into Seventy great Sections, which appears tohave been the original number thereto belonging. As to the Pages, I have broken through Cuftom

W

A 4

Cuftom for Convenience,and omitting the num bers of Leaves, or of Sides, have only fet down the Pages of the laft mention'd Edition in the Margin, that all Quotations may equally fit them both, without any confufion. I have only fet down the Contents at once by themselves, and have not prefix'd them to their respective Chap. ters, as was partly done in the Venice Edition alfo fince thofe Contents and that divifion ; into Chapters, are both of late date, and of ve ry little confequence. I have moreover divided the laft Chapter, or Apoftolical Canons, into 85 as they were in old time, and as they ftill are in many Copies, particularly that Ancient one! in Joannes Antiochenus of the Sixth Century nay Lonce thought to have fet down the 85th Canon exactly from his Copy, as beft agreeing with the Original Quotations and Teftimonies, but have not taken that liberty. The English of these Conftitutions is my own, but as almost entirely res vifed by the fame accurate Hand that revifed Ig natius; and fome of the more difficult places by another very Learned and Judicious Perfon. Nor did I often truft wholly to my felf in my Tranfla tion of the Original Teftimonies in the Fourth Volume, but had them generally revis'd by the Hand twice intimated already: So that I hope all the Verfions are tolerably exact, excepting that of Eunomius; fo far I mean as has not been already publish'd; for otherwife even this Tranflation has been revifed as far as Bafil, or Dr. Cave could affift us, after the MS. it felf was taken away. When the Oxford, Greek, and Latin, Edition is publifh'd, it will be eafy

T

correct any mistakes therein I would alfo, I confefs, willingly have given the unlearned Reader a Tranflation of the Greek and Latin Paffages both in the Differtation on Ignatius

and

[ocr errors]

and in the Essay on the Conftitutions; but perceived it would swell the Volumes fo much, and be fo troublesome to the Learned, and yet not give the Unlearned the full force of the Evidence which in fuch cafes frequently depends on a nice comparison of the Originals, not to be eafily exprefs'd in a Tranflation; that I was deterr'd from attempting it. Nor is this, I think, abfolutely neceffary for their fatisfaction; fince there is, I believe, fufficient evidence for them without it, tho' not for the Learned. For I cannot but think, that thofe Pious, and Honeft, Unlearned Readers, who are lefs prejudic'd by Modern Notions, Difputes, and Diftinctions, are fo much better Judges of plain Reafoning, obvious Teftimonies, and common Senfe, than moft of the Learned that a much lefs Degree of Evidence is neceffary for their Conviction.

[ocr errors]

Ineed not here fay,that the Tranflation of the Second Book of Efdras is the Learned Mr. Ockley's; and that of the Preface to the Doctrine of the Apostles, for the main the Learned Mr. Gagnier's; becaufe the Publick has been already prepar'd by Dr. Grabe to expect fuch Tranflations of the Arabick from them; fince neither Dr. Grabe nor my felf do pretend to underftand that Language. And fo much shall fuffice by way of Advertisement. Only before I conclude, I muft here publickly return my fincere and hearty Thanks to thofe already intimated, and to all others who have any way contributed to this Work, either by affifting directly this Honeft and Chriftian Defign it felf, or by fupporting its Author in any of his Straits and Difficulties. And I do earneftly pray to God to return an Hundred-fold into their Bofom. As I do with the fame Sincerity and Opennefs forgive all that have any way directly difcourag'd or oppos'd the fame de

fign,

36.

[ocr errors]

fign, or flander'd and perfecuted its Author; and with the fame Earneftnefs pray that God will mercfully forgive fuch their heinous Offences; nay, and open their Eyes to fee the things that truly belong to their own, and the Churches real Peace, Advantage, and Reformation ; that fo inftead of fighting against God, or againft one another, we may all unanimously agree in an honest Enquiry after,and ready Obedience to the Divine Will, as it was entirely reveal'd to the World in the firft and pureft Age of the Gofpel. I conclude with thofe Words which I fometime fince made ufe of in my Fourth Letter to my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, concern ing my felf, and my own Management in thefe Important Matters; owning that they do ftill reprefent the Senfe of my Soul, and defiring the Chriftian Reader to attend to them as my folemn Intention and Profeffion before God and Man.

First Reply As to the Manner of my Writing upon thefe to Dr. Al-Subjects, it is, I confefs, too agreeable to the lix p. 35, Warmth and Vehemence of my Natural temper, increas'd by an hearty, and, I am fure, an honest Zeal, for what things foever at any time appear to me to be true,and of Importance in Christianity. I hope God, who knows the inmoft Receffes of my Soul, will not impute all that appears to be rafh, and affuming, to fuch a proud and conceited Temper as it may feem to others to proceed from and that he will mercifully forgive any Offences of that Nature, where he finds the Heart in the main fincere and upright; and honeftly labouring, to the beft of its knowledge, to promote Truth and Piety in the World. And as Lear neftly wifh that this uncorrupt Faith and Practice of the Gofpel, in every part may prevail among us; fo do I heartily defire,

that

« السابقةمتابعة »