given to the whole heathen world, or to all who were not Jews, Rom. i, 16; ii, 9.

These Greeks, called Exxnxo by Josephus, are always styled Exanres in the New Testament. On which account Grotius, understanding by the EXλsa, or "Grecians, to whom some of those, who were dispersed on the persecution which arose about Stephen, preached the Lord Jesus," Acts xi, 19, 20, Greeks by nation, concludes there is a mistake in the text, and alters it according to the Syriac and vulgate versions: "certe legendum," saith he, "pos тus Exλyvas.” προς τις Ελληνας.” So indeed the Alexandrian manuscript reads, but is supported by no other copy. And which, I think, is decisive against it, it is evident from the words immediately preceding, that these Grecians were by nation Jews, and not Greeks, it being expressly said, that those who were scattered on the persecution "preached the gospel to the Jews only.” As for the Eaves, or Greeks, mentioned in St. John's Gospel, John xii, 20, as being come to Jerusalem at the passover to worship in the temple, and likewise those mentioned in the Acts, as worshipping along with the Jews in the synagogues, Acts xiv, 1; xviii, 4, they were doubtless Greeks by birth and nation, yet proselytes to the Jewish religion. There is a distinction made betwixt Jews and proselytes, Acts ii, 10, but none betwixt Hebrews and proselytes, because a proselyte might be either an Hebrew or an Hellenist, according to the language in which he performed public worship.

That the Hellenists, or Grecians, were Jews, is further argued from the account we have, chap. ix, 29, that when at Jerusalem St. Paul " disputed against the Grecians, they went about to slay him," as the Jews at Damascus had done before, ver. 23. Now had these Grecians been strangers of a different nation, it cannot be imagined they durst have attempted to kill a Jew, among his own countrymen, in the capital, and without a formal accusation of him before any of their tribunals?

Upon the whole, the Exλnia, or Grecians, being Jews who used the Greek tongue in their sacred exercises, the Hebrew Jews and Grecian Jews were distinguished in those days, in like manner as the Portuguese and Dutch Jews are among us, not so much by the place of their birth (many be

ing born in England, others abroad), as by the language they use in their public prayers and sermons.

I have already observed, that the language, which the Grecians used in sacris, was that of the Septuagint, which is likewise the language of the New Testament. It hath been, therefore, by some called the Hellenistic tongue, to distinguish it from pure Greek, while others, rejecting the distinction, assert the purity of the New Testament Greek. A considerable dispute hath hereupon arisen in the learned world, with which it is proper we should not be unacquainted.

Concerning the Language of the New Testament.

Scaliger, observing that the phraseology in the New Testament agrees with that of the Septuagint, calls it the Hellenistic dialect. Heinsius imagined it to be a language different from the pure Greek, as the Italian is from the Latin, and peculiar to the Hellenists: a people, he supposes, who dwelt in Asia, and in several of those eastern parts. He was opposed by Salmasius*. Phocenius, also, engaged in this controversy, and maintained the purity of the New Testament Greek. To him Gataker replied in his piece, De Stylo Novi Testamenti.

The common opinion is, that the Greek of the New Testament is neither pure, nor a new language; but may properly be called the Hellenistic dialect; inasmuch as the words are sometimes used in a different sense, and different construction, from what they are in other authors. There is, also, a mixture of Latin, Persic, and Syro-chaldaic words, besides solecisms and Hebraisms.

1st, The following Latin words are mentioned: xodparins, quadrans, Matt. v, 26; xyvoos, census, chap. xvii, 25; dyvapor, denarius, chap. xviii, 28; λɛyɛwv, legio, chap. xxvi, 53; πραTwμov, prætorium, chap. xxvii, 27; x85wdia, custodia, ver. 65;

* "Hebræus nomen gentis est," saith Salmasius," Hellenistes Dialecti. Hoc convenit omnibus hominibus græcè scientibus et loquentibus, quia gentem non denotat, sed omnem hominem «λλnuĝovta." De Linguâ Hellenistica Comment, p. 191, edit. Lugd. Bat. 1643, in support of which piece he published the same year his Funus Linguæ Hellenisticæ, against Heinsius's Exercitat. de Hellenistis et Ling. Hellenist.

EneλaTwp, spiculator, Mark vi, 27; XEVTUρIWY, centurio, chap. xv, 39; xoλwvix, colonia, Acts xvi, 12; σudaplov, sudarium, chap. xix, 12; μaxɛλλov, macellum, 1 Cor. x, 25; μeμßpara, membrana, 2 Tim. iv, 13.

Instances of Latin phrases are συμβάλιον λαβειν, concilium capere, Matt. xii, 14; epyaσiav devas, operam dare, Luke xii, 58. Besides Latin there are,

2dly, Persic words; as payo, magi, Matt. ii, 1; yaga, thesaurus, Acts viii, 27 (the proper Greek word is naupos); and likewise yaloguλaxior, John viii, 20. There are also,

3dly, Syro-chaldaic words; as, Aßßa, Mark xiv, 36; AxeλSapa, Acts i, 19; ßeoda, John v, 2; Eççada, Mark vii, 34; Foλyoda, Matt. xxvii, 33; xopßav, Mark vii, 11; paxa, Matt. v, 22: and whole sentences ; as Ελωί, Ελων, λαμμα σαβαχθανί, Mark xv, 34; μapav ada, 1 Cor. xvi, 22; Tanıda, x8μ, Mark v, 41,

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Various instances of solecisms are alleged; as, 7 xairy diadyuy εν τω αιματί με, το υπέρ υμών εκχυνόμενον, for εκχυνομενω, which it should be in regular construction with Tw apari, Luke xxii, 20. And the following, απο Ιησε Χρις8, ο μάρτυς, ο πίσος τω αγαπησαντι ημάς και εποίησεν ήμας, &c., Rev. i, 5, 6. Again, • vixwv, Swow Autw, &c., chap. iii, 21. In like manner, o vixwv, ποιησω αυτον συλον, &c., ver. 12. And also την δόξαν αυτό, πλήρης χάριτος, &c., John i, 14.

Several methods have been taken to make out the grammatical construction of these passages. But the attempt is needless; Gataker* having shown, that such solecisms are common in the purest Greek writers. And, indeed, they are often looked upon as beauties, rather than blemishes.

Hebraisms are observed in abundance, and that both in words and phrases, in construction and in figures.

In the first place, Hebraisms in single words are of three sorts:—such as are properly of a Hebrew extract: such as are indeed of a Greek extract, but used in a different sense from what they are in other authors, and in a manner conformable to the Hebrew: and words, new coined, to trans. late Hebrew words by.

* Annot. in Marc. Antonin, lib. iii, sect. iv.

1st, There are words of an Hebrew extract, which have either a Greek termination, as Mercias, John i, 42; Earavas, Matt. iv, 10; Exspa, Luke i, 15, potus inebrians, from shechar: or others which retain the Hebrew termination, as Αλληλεία, Rev. xix, 1; σαβαώθ, Rom. ix, 29; Αβαδδων, Rev. ix, 11.

2dly, There are Greek words, used in a different sense from what they are in other authors, and in a manner conformable to the Hebrew; as Bißλes for a catalogue, like sepher; Bißos Yevεσews 1808 Xp8, Matt. i, 1, bin 700. sepher toledhoth Adam, Gen. v, 1. Eis, pa, ev, is always a cardinal, except in the New Testament; where it is frequently an ordinal, like s achedh, in Hebrew; as, s μias σaßBATWY, Mark xvi, 2, primo die hebdomadis, or пρwTMŋ σaßßare, as it is presently after explained, ver. ix: Κατα μιαν σαββάτων, 1 Cor. xvi, 2: like w beechadh lachodesh, the first day of the month. Papa in Greek signifies a word, but in the New Testament it sometimes signifies a thing; like 27 dhabhar; οτι εκ αδυνατησει παρα τω Θεω παν ρημα, Luke i, 37. Αποκε piropal signifies properly, to answer when another hath already spoken; but in the New Testament it is used for taking occasion to speak, without having been spoken to; like gnanah in Hebrew; Kai amoxpides o Indes site: auty, nempe, συκη Μηκετι εκ σε εις τον αιώνα εδεις καρπον φαγοι.. "And Jesus answering, said to the fig-tree," &c., Mark xi, 14. Egoμoλoyɛiv strictly means, to confess; but in the New Testament, to thank or praise; which is evidently a translation of the Hebrew word hodhah, in Hiphil, from Jadhah; " and at that time Jesus answered and said, Εξομολογεμαι σοι, πάτερ, κύριε τε έρανε και της γης, ότι απεκρύψας ταυτα,” &c. Περαν signifies trans, as beyond, or on the other side of a river; but in the New Testament it is used for near to, without determining on which side. Thus we read of "the land of Zabulon, and the land of Naphthali, by the way of the sea, Tepav т8 Iopdave, Galilee of the Gentiles," Matt. iv, 15, that is near, or about Jordan; for neither Zebulon, nor Naphthali, nor Galilee of the Gentiles were beyond (as our translators have expressed it), but near Jordan. IIɛpav, then, is a translation of y gnebher, which signifies near to, on either side, as well as beyond.

bengnebher

Thus Moses is said to have stood hajjarden, Deut. i, 1; that is, near Jordan, for he never went over it into Canaan, Deut. xxxii, 52. There are,

3dly, Some words new coined, to translate Hebrew words by; as αναθηματιζω, for sun charam ; ο δε ήρξατο αναθεματίζειν και ομνύειν οτι εκ οίδα τον ανθρωπον, &c., Mark xiv, 71. Eπλayxvisoμai, a word formed to translate on racham, intimè dilexit: ο δε Ιησες -ειπε, σπλαγχνίζομαι επι τον όχλον, οτι ηδε ημέρας τρεις προσμένωσι μοι, και εκ εχεσι τι φαγωσι, Matt. xv, 32. Xapirow, to translate pn chanan, gratiosus fuit: 0 αγγελος προς αυτήν είπε, Χαιρε, κεχαριτωμένη, Luke i, 28.

Secondly, Hebraisms in phrases, are either,

1st, Such as have not been used by other Greek authors; as, seeing of life and death for living and dying: His Ex μετετέθη το μη ιδειν θανατον, Heb. xi, 5. In like manner the Hebrew, - velo jireh-maveth, Psalm lxxxix, 49 Heb., 48 Engl. Again, λAUDOTAS EN TYS Oσquos Aßpaaμ is analogous to the following expression, All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, 17 jotse jerecho, who came out of his loins," &c., Gen. xlvi, 25 Heb., 26 Engl. Or,

2dly, Such as have not been used by other Greek writers in the same sense as in the New Testament; as, to hear the voice of a person signifes, to obey: Πας ο ων εκ της αλήθειας, ABEL 18 THE PWYNs, John xviii, 37, parallel with nun bipb nyow a chi shemangta lekol ishteka, Gen. iii, 17, To eat bread, signifies, to sit down to a meal; Ου γαρ νιπτονται τας χείρας αυτών, όταν αρτον εσθιωσιν, Matt. xv, 2, which is an expression parallel to this, "And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon; for they heard, on bow chi sham jochelu lachem, that they should eat bread there," Gen. xliii, 24 Heb., 25 Engl.

There are also pleonasms in the Greek Testament; such as do not occur in other Greek authors. As Emapas 8v o Inous, τις οφθαλμες και θεασαμενος οτι πολύς, &c., « When Jesus then lift up his eyes and saw a great company," &c., John vi, 5.

wujjissa וישא אברהם את עיניו וירא ,Parallel to this in the Hebrew

Abraham eth-gneinaiv vajjare: "And Abraham lift up his eyes, and saw the place," &c., Gen. xxii, 4. Again, Quodpadov ήραν φωνην προς τον Θεον, και είπον, they lift up their voice to God with one accord, and said," Acts iv, 24: like the follow

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