CHA P. XXIV.

The Syriack Verfion, which we now have, is the fame which was made in the Apoftles' Time. This proved by three arguThe Syrians, from whom we had it, believed it to be the fame. It is improbable the Antient Version should be loft. It wants the Parts of the New Teftament, which were laft

I

ments.

written.

HAVE attempted in the foregoing Chapter to fhew, that a Verfion of the New Teftament was made into Syriack in the time of the Apoftles; I fhall now endeavour to prove, 3. That the Syriack Verfion which we now have, is the fame which was then made. In order to which, I obferve;

1. That it was conftantly and univerfally believed by the Syrians, from whom we had this Verfion, that it was made by St. Mark the Evangelift. The truth of this depends upon the teftimony of Poftellus, a learned man, who affifsted Widmanftadius in his firft edition of this Verfion; and avers, that he received this account from the Syrians themselves, when he travelled among them, to acquire the knowledge of their language and cuftoms..

2. Whether this Verfion was made by St. Mark or not, it is very improbable that the Church at Jerufalem or Antioch, or any other Church, for whom the Syriack Verfion was first made, would suffer it to be loft. There was no more probability of the Syrians lofing their tranflation, than of the Greek Churches lofing their original. A Church of Chriftians, who were in poffeffion of fo valuable a treasure, would be continually using it; its copies would be daily multiplying amongst them, and fo they cannot reasonably be supposed to have lost it; they looked upon it as the word of God, though not in the language in which it was originally written, and therefore

a Guid. Fabrit. Præfat. in Syr. Test.

would

would be careful in preferving it. Every one knows, how exceeding fond the Jews were of their Chaldee Verfions of the Old Teftament. Galatinus tells us, they paid the fame respect to them, as to the original itself: and is it not likely the Chriftian Jews would be as careful of their tranflations of the New Testament, as the others were of the translations of the Old?

3. The Syriack Verfion, which we now have, is the fame which was made in the Apoftles' time, because it has not in it thofe books of the New Teftament, which were laft written, viz. The fecond Epiftle of Peter, the fecond and third of John, the Epifle of Jude, and the Revelation. These indeed have been added, fince this Verfion was brought into Europe, viz. the four Epiftles by Mr. Pocock, and the Revelation by De Dieu; but it is, I think, agreed by every body, even the editors themselves, that these are but modern translations. Now there can be but two probable reafons affigned, why they were wanting in the copy brought by Mofes Meridinæus into Europe, and the other antient Syriack copies; viz. either,

1. Because they were not received into the Canon, and judged authentick, when this Verfion was made. It is cer tain these books were not at first received by all, but for a long time rejected by many, as Eufebius tells us : or

2. They are not in the Syriack copies, because they were not written when the Syriack Verfion was made; and this indeed feems most probable; for had they been written then, thofe fo useful Epiftles would have been tranflated, for the fame reafon as the others. This was the argument, which, among others, convinced Tremellius and the learned Bp. Walton, that this Verfion was made in the Apostles' time. I conclude therefore, fince this Verfion has the feveral periods. of St. Matthew's Gofpel, in the fame order with our present copies, that they never have been difordered or misplaced.

a De Arcan. Cathol. Verit. I. 1.

c. 6.

b Hift. Eccl. 1. 3. c. 24, 25. &

1. 6. c. 25. & 1. 7. c. 25.

Præfat. in Nov. Teft. Syr. 4 Prolegom. in Bibl. Polyglot. xiii. §. 15.

IN DE X

TO THE

THIRD VOLUME.