Paris and London Polyglotts. It is a
literal translation executed in the spirit of the Targum of Onkelos, and
admitting the same class of variations from the letter of the original.

IV. THE SYRIAC PESHITO.

18. This is the oldest version made by Christians from the original
Hebrew. The word _Peshito_ signifies _simple_, indicating that it gives
the simple meaning of the original, without paraphrastic and allegorical
additions. It is upon the whole an able and faithful version. It often
exhibits a resemblance to the Alexandrine version. We may readily
suppose that the translator, though rendering from the original Hebrew,
was familiar with the Septuagint, and that this exerted upon his work a
certain degree of influence. The Peshito was the standard version for
the Syriac Christians, being used alike by all parties; a fact which is
naturally explained by its high antiquity. If it be of the same date as
the New Testament Peshito, it may be placed not far from the close of
the second century.

The _Old Latin_, and in connection with this, the _Vulgate_ of Jerome,
with some other ancient versions of the Old Testament, will be
considered in connection with the New Testament.

CHAPTER XVII.

CRITICISM OF THE SACRED TEXT.

1. The only _legitimate criticism_ of the sacred text is that which has
for its object to restore it, as far as possible, to its primitive form.
Had we the autograph of Moses in the exact form in which he deposited it
in the sanctuary (Deut. 31:26), this would be a perfect text; and so of
any other book of the Old Testament. In the absence of the autographs,
which have all perished, we are still able to establish the form of
their text with a reasonable degree of certainty for all purposes of
faith and practice. The means of accomplishing this are now to be
considered.

2. Here _ancient manuscripts_ hold the first place. It is obvious,
however, that in settling the true reading of a given passage we cannot
look simply to the number of manuscript testimonies. The _quality_ of
the manuscripts must also be taken into account. Here age is of primary
importance. Other things being equal, the oldest are the most worthy of
credence, as being nearest to the original sources. But, in estimating
the testimony of a manuscript, there are other qualities besides age
that must be carefully considered--the care of the transcriber; its
freedom from interpolations by later hands (which can, however, as a