ΤΟ THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, WILLIAM, BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND, AND METROPOLITAN. MY LORD ARCHBISHOP, In offering to the British Public a new edition of the Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, to whom can I dedicate it with more propriety than to your Grace? While you, my Lord, presided over the Diocese of London, when I was unknown, except by the publication of the first edition, you were pleased to consider the production of a layman, who, by the death of his parents, had been deprived of the opportunity of prosecuting his studies at one of the Universities, sufficient to authorize your Grace to admit me to Holy Orders: and I was thus enabled to realize the long-cherished wish of devoting myself to the service of our Reformed Church, in attachment to whose principles I had been educated at the ROYAL AND ANCIENT FOUNDATION OF CHRIST'S HOSPITAL. Your Grace has since honoured my various publications with your approbation; and, in presenting me to the benefice which I now hold, your Grace has enhanced the value of the favour conferred, by the manner in which it was bestowed; kindly and promptly, without expectation, without solicitation. The former editions of this introduction were inscribed to a late eminent nobleman,* from whom I had received many favours, the grateful remembrance of which I hope to cherish through life. But I could not suffer the work again to go forth to the public, without offering some memorial of my gratitude to your Grace. The very kind and encouraging reception given to my efforts for facilitating the study of the Sacred Volume has animated me to renewed exertion; and in dedicating to your Grace the Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, with the latest corrections and additions, I indulge the hope that it may prove not unworthy of the patronage which your Grace has been pleased to extend to its author. I have the honour to subscribe myself, my Lord, Your Grace's much obliged and faithful Servant, THOMAS HARTWELL HORNE. JUNE IV. MDCCCXXXIV. (RECAP) *The Rt. Hon. Charles, Baron Colchester. 27081 3 ADVERTISEMENT ΤΟ THE SEVENTH LONDON EDITION. IN preparing this edition for the press, encouraged by the very favourable reception given to the former impressions of this work, the Author has carefully revised it throughout; and has availed himself of numerous suggestions for simplifying and improving the arrangement of the several volumes, which, at various times, have been communicated to him. By enlarging the pages, and abridging various parts which would admit of being condensed, as well as by transferring to the appendixes certain articles which had before been incorporated in the body of the work, the Author has been enabled to introduce a considerable quantity of new and important matter, without materially enlarging its size, or at all increasing its price. These various alterations and additions, he trusts, will be found to render his labours not unworthy of a continuance of that patronage with which they have hitherto been honoured; and also, with the DIVINE BLESSING upon his work, will contribute to facilitate the devout and attentive study of "the Holy Scriptures, which ALONE are able to make us wise unto salvation, THROUGH FAITH, which is in Christ Jesus." London, June 4, 1834. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE NEW AMERICAN FROM THE SEVENTH LONDON EDITION. THE publishers, on presenting this extensive and valuable work to the public, take the opportunity to say, that they have spared no pains to secure a correct arrangement and impression of the work from the latest London edition, and to have it appear in an improved form and style, and yet at a lower price than the former edition. By referring to the Author's Advertisement above, it will also be readily seen that this edition has many and important advantages over any other. It comprises all the Author's most recent improvements and additions; and it will be seen that he has revised the whole work, simplified its arrangement, and added much new and important matter. Philadelphia, October, 1835. LET THE SWEET SAVOUR OF JEHOVAH OUR GOD BE UPON US, AND THE WORK WE TAKE IN HAND DIRECT FOR US; THE WORK WE TAKE IN HAND DO THOU DIRECT! PSAL. XC. 17. BISHOP HORSLEY'S VERSION. IF I HAVE DONE WELL AND AS IS FITTING THE STORY, IT IS THAT WHICH I DESIRED; BUT IF SLENDERLY AND MEANLY, IT IS THAT WHICH I COULD ATTAIN UNTO. 2 MACCABEES IV. 38. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.* THE Author of the present work cannot offer a sources of information which he was seeking; he new edition of it to the Public, without expressing then resolved to procure such of them as his very the grateful sense he entertains of the very favour-limited means would permit, with the design, able manner in which his volumes have been in the first instance, of satisfying his own mind on received. In addition to the extensive circula- those topics which had perplexed him, and ultition which his work has obtained in the Universi-mately of laying before the Public the result of ties and other Theological Seminaries in England, his inquiries, should no treatise appear that might he has the satisfaction of knowing that it has been supersede such a publication. adopted as a text book in various Universities and Theological Seminaries in North America. Thus encouraged, the Author has sedulously availed himself of the suggestions which have been liberally communicated to him for correcting his work, and improving its arrangement. By enlarging the pages, as well as employing a small but clear and distinct type in several parts of the work, he has been enabled to introduce a large mass of new and important matter. The idea thus conceived has been steadily kept in view for more than twenty years;' * and although, during that interval, several valuable treatises have appeared on the study of the Holy Scriptures, to which he gladly acknowledges himself indebted for many important hints and illustrations; yet, since no one has been published in the English language, embracing all those important subjects, which the Author apprehends to be essential to the CRITICAL STUDY of the sacred volume, he has been induced to prosecute his investigations, the result of which he tenders for the assistance of others. The two Volumes,t of which the work now consists, will be found to comprise the following topics: THE INTRODUCTION TO THE CRITICAL STUDY AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, once more offered to the Public, is designed as a comprehensive MANUAL of Sacred Literature, selected from the labours of the most eminent biblical critics, both British and foreign. It originated in the Author's own wants many years VOLUME I. contains a CRITICAL INQUIRY into since, at an early period of life; when he stood the Genuineness, Authenticity, uncorrupted Prein need of a guide to the reading of the Holy servation and Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; Scriptures, which would not only furnish him including, among other subjects, a copious inveswith a general introduction to them, but would tigation of the testimonies from profane authors also enable him to solve apparent contradictions, to the leading facts recorded in the Scriptures, and to study the Bible with that attention which particularly a new branch of evidence for their its supreme importance demands: for "every sentence of the Bible is from God, and every man is interested in the meaning of it." At this time the Author had no friend to assist his studies, or remove his doubts,-nor any means of procuring critical works. At length a list of the more eminent foreign biblical critics fell into his hands, and directed him to some of those *This preface was first printed in the year 1821: it is now reprinted with the requisite alterations, to adapt it to the present improved arrangement of the following work. † Bishop Horsley. credibility, which is furnished by coins, medals, inscriptions, and ancient structures.—This is followed by a full view of the arguments afforded by miracles and prophecy, for the inspiration of the Scriptures, and by a discussion of the internal evidence for their inspiration, furnished by the sublimity and excellence of the doctrines, and by the purity of the moral precepts, revealed in the * Now upwards of thirty years. [1834.] This work being originally in four volumes, the Preface has been slightly altered to suit the present arrangement in two volumes. 5 Bible; the harmony subsisting between every | numerous-he had almost said innumerable-conpart; the preservation of the Scriptures to the tradictions, alleged to exist in the Sacred Writpresent time; and their tendency to promote the ings, have disappeared before an attentive and present and eternal happiness of mankind, as candid examination. It may, perhaps, be thought evinced by an historical review of the beneficial that the gross and illiberal manner, in which effects actually produced in every age and coun- some of the productions in question have been try by a cordial reception of the Bible; together executed, renders them unworthy of notice: but with a refutation of the very numerous objections nothing surely is unworthy of notice that is calcuwhich have been urged against the Scriptures in lated to mislead the ignorant or the unwary; and recent deistical publications. though some of the objections raised by the modern opposers of Divine Revelation are so coarse as to carry with them their own refutation, yet others are so concisely and speciously expressed, as to demand several pages,-the result of many days' laborious research, in order to detect their sophistry and falsehood. In the first edition of this work* the Author had given a very brief outline of the evidences for the genuineness and inspiration of the Old Testament, and a more extended view of the genuineness, credibility, and inspiration of the New Testament; and, being unwilling to augment, unnecessarily, the number of treatises extant on these When the Author began to prepare this first subjects, he referred his readers to a few which volume for the press, he had it in contemplation are justly accounted the most valuable. In pre- to publish it in a detached form, in order to furparing the second edition for the press, it was his nish a ready and immediate reply to the objecintention to condense these remarks, and to sub- tions which at that time were almost daily issued join a few additional considerations: but he was from the press. In such a form it had even been induced to deviate from this design by the exten- announced to the Public: but as the objections sive circulation of infidel works and tracts, whose continued to be multiplied, the work imperceptiavowed object was, by the unblushing reassertion bly accumulated in its progress; and when the of old and often refuted objections, or by specious first volume was completed, the Author was insinuations, to undermine and to subvert the obliged reluctantly to abandon the idea of a disreligion of Jesus Christ-" the pillar of society, tinct publication, on account of the additional the safeguard of nations, the parent of social order, which alone has power to curb the fury of the passions, and secure to every one his rights; to the laborious the reward of their industry, to the rich the enjoyment of their wealth, to nobles the preservation of their honours, and to princes the stability of their thrones." Called upon by name from the press, to consider these objections to Divine Revelation, the author felt it his duty not to shrink from the task; and as the antagonists of the Scriptures have in some degree varied the ground of their attacks, he indulges the hope that a temperate discussion of this subject, accommodated to the present times, may be not unacceptable to the biblical student, who may, perhaps, at some future time, be exposed to meet with the enemies of the Scriptures. To his own mind, indeed, the result of the laborious inquiries, in which he has thus been necessarily involved, has been highly satisfactory :-for, not having access to all the numerous and able defences of Christianity against the infidels of former ages, he has been obliged to consider every objection for himself; and in every instance he has found that the • The first edition was published June 4th, 1818. pecuniary loss which he would inevitably have incurred. He has only to express his ardent hope, that this part of his labours may, through the Divine Blessing, enable his readers to be ready ALWAYS to give an answer to EVERY MAN that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them; and he most earnestly requests that they will examine and combine, with candour and attention, all the various evidences here adduced for the genuineness, authenticity, credibility, and divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; and then solemnly and deliberately, as rational and accountable beings, deduce that inference from the whole, for which they must hereafter answer at the tribunal of God. The remainder of this volume, in Two Parts, treats, first, on SACRED CRITICISM; including an Historical and Critical Account of the Original Languages of Scripture, and of the Cognate or Kindred Dialects;-a Critical History of the Text of the Holy Scriptures;-a Critical Notice of the Divisions and Marks of Distinction occurring in Manuscripts and Printed Editions of the Scriptures, and of the Principal Manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments ;-and an Account of the Ancient Versions of the Scriptures. These |