SECT. II. Complicated Difficulties in the Sense SECT. III. Difficulties both in Reading and in Sense 1. As the Christian religion is of divine authority, and as the Scriptures are the authentic record and revelation of it, every Chriftian, and especially every Christian teacher, is concerned to understand the Scriptures, and obliged to study them with care. 2. The importance of understanding the Scriptures has never been denied, though the means of attaining to it have not always been fufficiently attended to, even in the schools of Theology. 3. The Scriptures can be understood, only by being studied and interpreted according to the genuine principles of criticism; and a regular deduction of these principles, illuftrated by examples, feems to be the best method that can be taken for affifting students in the study of the Scriptures. 4. It is from the Scripture, rightly understood, that all just opinions in religion are to be derived; but misinterpretation of it is the certain caufe of error. 5. This part of our courfe may be reduced to two general Heads ;-the Sources-and the Objects-of Scripture Criticism. The confideration of the former will lead us to discover the most general and fimple principles; the confideration of the latter will enable us to combine these principles, to deduce from them more particular rules, and to apply them to use. PART PART I. THE SOURCES OF SCRIPTURE CRITICISM. 6. THE fources of Scripture criticifm are reducible to the following: Manufcripts and editions; the original languages; the kindred languages; verfions; the occafion, fcope, and other circumftances of the books of Scripture; comparison of Scripture with itself; ancient history and manners; ancient learning and opinions. 7. These are subfervient to Scripture criticism, either by establishing the true readings, by afcertaining the fenfe, or by displaying the beauties of the Scripture language. CHAP. I. Manuscripts and Editions of the Books of Scripture. 8. THE first thing neceffary for understanding the Scripture, is, to know what the authors really wrote. 9. We cannot determine this by having recourse to their autographa, because all these are long ago loft. Simon, Hift. Crit. N. T. c. 29. Pfaff, de gen. lect. N. T. c. 2. § 7. Michaelis Introd. Lect. f 12. 10. There are many MSS. which have been tranfcribed from thefe or from other MSS. and many editions published from MSS.; which are therefore the fources to which we must apply for discovering what the inspired authors wrote. Simon, ib. Michaelis, 13. 11. It is, chiefly, to the common editions of the books of Scripture that the generality can have recourse for this purpose; and these are sufficient for what is abfolutely neceffary to be known. Kennicott, Diff. General, $7. 12. But, as these editions differ in fome places from one another, and MSS. differ much more, we cannot be certain what was originally written, but by a care ful examination and comparison of the feveral MSS. and editions; and therefore it is of great utility that fuch as have the opportunity, confult thefe, and communicate their discoveries to the world. Ken. ib. 8-14. De Roffi, Var. Lect. Prol. SECT. |