honourable and necessary work, which has been for ages wanted, of liberating the sacred text of the N. T. from unauthorized intrusions and alterations; and that he has exhibited it in a state so nearly approaching to its original and native form, as to exclude all probable expectation of any material improvement from future collations and critical labours.

Our readers, we think, may fairly expect us to point out the most signal instances in which this text adopts readings differ. ent from those of the received text; and affecting, or supposed to affect, the sense and meaning of important passages.

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A small number of those instances possess a theological importance, as they bear some relation to the great controversy concerning the person of Christ. This circumstance, through a lamentable defect of judgement and candour on both sides of that question, has led to some unhappy results. (1.) It has induced some injudicious defenders of the truth, by pertinaciously contending for readings demonstrably spurious, to violate the indisputable rules of moral evidence, or to make erroneous assertions as to particular facts of that evidence and thus to bring dishonour upon the sacred cause which they have so unworthily maintained. (2.) The adversaries, therefore, of the great doctrine of the Redeemer's Deity have boldly drawn the inference, that its assertors have no other foundation for this grand article of their faith than corruptions of the scriptural text. We earnestly hope, for the sake both of the truth itself, and of its misguided opposers, that the time is fast approaching when none but sound evidence shall be produced in behalf of a just cause; and when there will be no chance of evils here arising like those which we have again deplored.

Though we can only present a selection of the variations of the respective texts and versions, we pledge ourselves to bring forwards all that are of any distinguished importance, except in the Apocalypse. We must be permitted to make this exception, because, for a reason intimated in the former part of this article, (pp. 35, 36, of the present volume) the emendations in that sacred book are too numerous and important to admit of selection. We shall likewise endeavour to make our synopsis include specimens of all the various kinds of alterations in the readings. In a few instances only, shall we subjoin the evidence for the readings preferred; since it could not be fully stated, except by a system of abbreviations which would be generally unintelligible, or by extending this part of our review to a tiresome length. We also trust that every competent person, particularly of those who sustain the responsible office of interpreters of the revealed will of God, will ascend to the proper sources, and investigate that evidence for himself.