said the truth. It is ended. Receive my head into your hands; for it is a great satisfaction to me to sit facing my sacred spot, where I was wont to pray, that I may also, as I sit, call upon my Father. Being lifted out of bed, and supported sitting upon the floor, he then sang, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, and immediately breathed his last.

"All that beheld this blessed father's death said, they had never seen any other expire in so much devotion and tranquillity: for as long as his soul continued i. the body, he never ceased, with uplifted hands, to give thanks to the true and living God."*

"Such," adds Mr. Hughes, "is the account of the happy exit of one of the greatest men of the Christian church, when his age and country. We may, perhaps, discern some tincture of supe tion in his desiring masses to be sai or him: but there is no mention of rgatory; no fear of death; no appication to the intercession of saints, nor use of the extreme unction. So much ardent and devotion, in conjuction with unremitting regard for literature, are seldom instanced, even in a purer age of the church."

The private cell or study of Bede was in existence even to the age of the Reform tion, for Simon Dunelmensis mentio, as being shown in his day, "that little mansion of stone where he was accustomed to sit, to meditate, to read, to dictate, and to write ;" and it remained entire to the days of Leland, who speaks of it as a building low in its pitch, small in its size, and vaulted in its roof; containing an altar, although by that time neglected, "yet bearing in the middle of its front a piece of serpentine marble, inlaid into the substance of it," It is observed by Mr. Whitaker, that the rude oaken chair, called Bede's, was in existence in the year 1745, and had nearly been burnt as a popish relic, by an overheated mob. This being mentioned in a provincial newspaper, when Whitaker was then a boy of ten years old, made such a deep impression on his

Preface to Stevens' Translation of Bede.

Polemical or Controversial Divinity

Is Theologia armata, or that part of divinity which instructs and fur nishes a man with necessary weapon to defend the truth against its enemies. Now, the good shepherd's office is not only to feed his sheep, but to secure them from the wolves, or else his care in feeding them serves only to make them the fatter and richer prey. And therefore St. Paul (Titus i. 9.) requires that the teacher should be able, both by sound doctrine to exhort his hearers, as also to convince or refute the gainsayers or opposers. Hæc non sunt To Tuxovlos (as Grotius well glosseth on the text) every man cannot do this, and yet every teacher must. The times wherein we live do much heighten the necessity of this study: for we may enforce the duty on all teachers by the same melancholy argument that St. Paul doth in the fore-mentioned text. The teachers (saith he) must be able to convince gainsayers. Why so? He gives the reason, i. 10, 11. There are many unruly and vain teachers and deceivers, &c. whose mouths must be stopped; who subvert whole houses, teaching those things which they ought not. These unruly and vain teachers, these deceivers,were never certainly in a greater number than now they are. These men's mouths must be stopped-there is a necessity for it; for otherwise they will subvert whole houses, yea, and pervert whole parishes. Not that we have any hopes, in this age, to stop the mouths of our opposers, so as to make them cease speaking (for bawl they will to eternity, they are, as the apostle some where speaks, unreasonable men,

that understand not, admit not of any topics; no argumentation, though never so convincing, will make them give back ;) but so, at least, as that they shall be able to speak little to the purpose, so as to satisfy sober, humble, docible persons, who have not passionately espoused an error; or, to speak in the apostle's phrase, that are not given up to strong delusions, to believe lies, that they may be damned. In a word, our fate in these days is much like that of the re-builders of Jerusalem after the captivity, that were necessitated every one, with one of his hands to work in the building, and with the other to hold a weapon. Neh. áv. 17. With one hand we must build up our people in the doctrine of piety; with the other we must resist heretical opposers, who otherwise will demolish as fast as we build.

tures.

is generally with as much ease slighted and contemned. But we know who they are, who run from one bad extreme into another. For it is certain, that rightly to understand the Holy Scriptures is a very difficult thing, especially for us who live at so great a distance from those times wherein they were written, and those persons and churches to whom they were directed. It is no slender measure: of the knowledge of antiquity, history, physiology, that is requisite to qualify a man for such an undertaking. They know nothing of the Scriptures that know not this. And therefore those unlearned and ignorant men that venture on the exposition of Scripte, being perfect strangers to these parts of learning, must of necessity wrest them to their own and their heers destruction.

hat

I have all this while spoken nothing of the Holy Scriptures, that deep and

divine is to fetch all his treasures.

From hence he is to borrow the principles of all theology, positive, polemic, moral, casuistical; and, therefore, it is evident that unless he be well studied in these, he must needs

be defective in all the rest. He must needs be a weak divine that is not

age,

mighty in the Scriptures, as it is said of Apollos, Acts xviii. 24. And, Lord, how many things are necessary to give a man a right understanding of these sacred writings? I confess we are fallen into a very confident wherein to interpret Scripture is counted in to interpret Scripture is counted the most obvious and easy thing; and every mechanic, that scarce understands common sense, will venture on the expounding of these mysterious books. We have so childishly depart

ed from the error of the Romish

church, in asserting an inexplicable obscurity of the Scriptures, even in things necessary, that for fear of this Charybdis we are swallowed up in as dangerous a Scylla, to make the Scriptures even despicable and contemptible. For, as Nazianzen truly saith, that which is thus easily understood,

a textuary we

in his memory, but also a commentary not only a concordance of Scpture on them in his understanding, who thinks it not enough to be ready in alleging the bare words of Scripture, with the mention of chapter and verse where it is written, unless e know the sense and meaning of what he resectary is able to do, who can quote cites. The former every illiterate Scripture by dozens and scores, the tithe whereof he understands not, and are little to his purpose. The latter is the proper commendation of the divine. Without this grain of salt, the aphorism but now mentioned, most justly falls under the severe censure of our learned Prideaux: a good textuary is a good divine, say many who understand not, mind not, either the text, or divinity, or goodness.

Remark.

A PERSON of the greatest abilities is liable to error, but he who blazons it without delicacy or politeness, affords a much stronger proof of his vanity than of his knowledge. Chateaubriand.

General Introduction to the FAMILY BIBLE now publishing in this city by T. & J. Swords.

The passages in brackets are added to this edition.

[Account of the Bible, and of the lish Translations of it.]

THE Bible is the only authentic source from which we can derive instruction concerning the various dispensations of God to mankind, and the duties required of men by their Creator. The word Bible,' literally sig. nifies book; and the word 'Scriptures,' writings: but these words are now, by way of eminence and distinction, applied exclusively to those sacred compositions which contain the revealed will of God. The words 'Scriptures' and 'Scripture' occur in this sense in the Gospels, Acts,and Epistles; whence it is evident, that, in the time of our Saviour, they denoted the books received by the Jews as the rule of their faith. To these books have been added the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists, which complete the collection of books acknowledged by Christians to be divinely inspired. The Bible, or the Book, the book of books, was used in its present sense by the early Christians, as we learn from St. Chrysostom.

The Bible is divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testament. The Apostle St. Paul, at 2 Cor. iii. 6 and 14, calls the dispensation of Moses "the Old Testament," and the dispensation of Christ "the New Testament;" and these distinguishing appellations were applied by the early ecclesiastical authors to the writings which contain these dispensations. The Greek word, translated' testament, occurs in Scripture both in the sense of a testament or will, and in that of a covenant, Heb. ix. 16. Gal. iii. 15. It seems less properly applied to the ancient Scriptures in the former sense, since the death of Moses had no concern whatever in the establishment or efficacy of the Jewish religion; but, in the latter sense, it very properly signifies the covenant between God and his chosen people. The same word, when applied in the sense of a testa ment to the books which contain the

tions on which God is pleased to offer salvation to his sinful creatures, through the mediation of his only Son Jesus Christ. Bp. Tomline.

The books of the Old Testament were originally written in Hebrew, those of the New Testament in Greek.

The principal translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language, is that which is called the Septuagint. This name is derived from the Latin word Septuaginta, Seventy, the version being related to have been made by seventy or seventy-two interpreters. It is recorded that, about the year before Christ 277, Ptolemy Philadelphus, being intent on forming a great library at Alexandria, in Egypt, sent to Eleazar, the high priest of the Jews, to request a copy of the Law of Moses; and, as he was ignorant of the Hebrew tongue, he further desired that some men of sufficient capacity might be sent to translate it into Greek. The messengers who went upon this errand, and carried with them many rich presents for the temple, were received with great honour and respect, both by the high priest and all the people; and having received a copy of the Law of Moses, and six elders having been assigned out of each tribe (seventy-two in all) to translate it, returned to Alexandria. Upon their arrival, the elders betook themselves to the work, and first translated the Pentateuch, afterwards the rest of the Old Testament, into Greek. Whatever may be thought of the truth of this story, it is certain that the translation called the Septuagint, was held in esteem and veneration almost equal to the original, and was not only used by the Jews in their dispersion through the Grecian cities, but approved by the great Sanhedrim at Jerusalem, and quoted and referred to by our blessed Saviour and his Apostles.

The Latin translations of the Bible were, in early times, extremely numerous, but they were chiefly made

punished severely, and some even with death, for reading the Scriptures in English.

In the reign of Henry the Eighth, William Tyndal, a favourer of the reformed doctrines, which were then making a rapid progress, was compelled by the Romish priests to leave England. After travelling for some time in Germany, where he became acquainted with Luther and other learned men, he settled at Antwerp; and with the assistance of John Fry or Fryth and William Roye, he translated the New Testament from the original Greek, and printed it, with some short glosses, or comments, without a name, at Hamburgh, or Antwerp, about the year 1526. This was the first printed edition of any part of the Holy Scriptures in the English language. The impression was sent over to England; and the eagerness which was generally shown by the people, to read the Gospel in the vulgar tongue, quickly excited alarm among those who were devoted to the Romish Church. Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor, and Tonstall, Bishop of London, caused all the copies they could purchase or procure, to be burnt at St. Paul's Cross; and the selling or dispersion of them was prohibited under heavy penalties. In the mean time Tyndal, with the assistance of Miles Coverdale, undertook the translation of the Old Testament, and published the Pentateuch at Hamburgh, in the year 1530, with prefaces reflecting upon the English bishops and clergy; and in the same year he published a more correct translation of the New Testament. In 1531, he published an English version of the Prophet Jonah. He was proceeding in the translation of the other books, when he was seized and imprisoned by the Emperor, through the influence of King Henry the Eighth and his ministers;

and in the year 1536, he was put to death at Villefont, near Brussels, in consequence of a decree made in an assembly at Augsbourg.

In the year 1531, George Joye, an English refugee, published at Strasburg, a translation of Isaiah; and in the year 1534, he published at Ant

werp, a translation of the Prophecies of Jeremiah, and of the Psalms, and of the Song of Moses.

In the year 1535, Miles Coverdale published, in folio, the first English translation of the whole Bible, and dedicated it to King Henry the Eighth. It was probably printed at Zurich; and though it passed under the name of Coverdale only, it is generally supposed that great part of the work was performed by Tyndal, before he was imprisoned, and that his name was not mentioned because he was then under confinement.

Those who were adverse to any translation of the Scriptures, not daring openly to avow their principles, complained of the inaccuracy of Wickliff's and Tyndal's translations; and on that ground objected to the use of them: but, on the other hand, it was contended by the friends of the Reformation, that, if these translations were erroneous, care should be taken to publish one more faithful. In the year 1535, Cranmer, who had been advanced to the see of Canterbury two years before, and whose endeavours to promote the cause of the Reformation were unremitted, had sufficient interest to procure a petition from both houses of convocation to the King, requesting that he would allow a new translation of the Scriptures to be made. Henry consented; and Cranmer, dividing an old English translation of the New Testament into nine or ten parts, distributed them among the most learned bishops and others, requiring that they should return their respective portions, corrected and amended, by a certain day. Every one sent his part at the time appointed, except Stokesly, Bishop of London, and his positive refusal to have any concern in the business seems to have put a stop to the work for the present. However, early in the year 1586, Lord Cromwell, Keeper of the Privy Seal, and the King's Vicar-general, and Vicegerent in Ecclesiastical Matters, published injunctions to the clergy, by the King's authority, of which the seventh was "that every parson or proprietary of any parish church within the realm, before August the first,