PREFACE TO THE
APPENDIX OF THE THIRD EDITION.

ALL matters of superior importance, pertaining to this version, and some which are of less moment, (only as affording principles and rules of interpretation, or a vindication of them,) are to be found in the appendix to this edition. Every thing is not formally defended by arguments, and the laws of criticism; but enough, in our judgment, to assist the reader in examining and judging the whole work. Doctor Stuart gives us a new version of the epistle to the Romans, on twenty-seven octavo pages; but in vindicating and illustrating his version, and views of the epistle, he has given us a about five hundred and fifty octavo pages. He has also given us a new version of the epistle to the Hebrews, in twenty-four pages, and added to it for the same purpose, six hundred and fifty pages of the same dimensions. Had we been at the same pains in justifying our amendments, according to the rule of proportion, our appendix would have contained exactly twelve thousand octavo pages. And who is prepared for such a task? His works on the two epistles are sold for eight dollars. On this ratio, the whole New Testament would cost eighty dollars, (for these two epistles are not more than a tenth part of the whole volume,) and would require ordinary readers some eight or ten years to read and digest.

We have condensed much information in the form of alphabetical tables. Of these there are found, in the appendix to this edition, the following:--

I.--A table containing the proper names which are found in the New Testament, etymologically explained, and accented for pronunciation, according to the most approved standards.

II.--A Geographical Index.

III.--A table exhibiting the different views of eminent writers, on the chronology of the books of the New Institution.

IV.--A Chronological Index, containing a variety of events, political and religious, connected with the Christian History, from the nativity of Jesus to the death of the Apostle John.

V.--A talbe of time.

VI.--A talbe of measures of length.

VII.--A table of measures of capacity.

VIII.--A table of precious stones mentioned in the apostolic writings.

IX.--A table of the Hebrew, Grecian, and Roman coins, mentioned in the New Testament.

X.--A table of the sects, offices, and officers, mentioned in the New Testament.

XI.--A miscellaneous table of such things as cannot be classified in the preceding tables.

XII.--A table of the interpolations and spurious readings, found in the common Greek Testament, according to Griesbach, and others.

XIII.--A table of prophetic symbols.

XIV.--A table of the principal Greek terms yet in controversy, showing their various occurrences, and acceptations in the common versin, and, in others of reputation.

The judicious reader will perceive that, in these vocabularies, arranged alphabetically, an amount of information can be communicated, which would require a volume of notes to give in detail. Of course, then, not much is left for particular notes, critical and explanatory. The principal notes which we annexed to the first and second editions are, however, continued, and some new ones added. These are wholly of a literary character, and every thing, of what is called a theological or sectarian aspect, is cautiously avoided.

We have to add, that, in making out the tables in this appendix, we have availed ourselves of the labors of our predecessors; correcting and enlarging, abridging and new modifying, where, in our judgment, it appeared necessary and expedient. Amongst those to whom we are most indebted, the following are chief:--Horne, Lardner, Adam Clark, Michaelis, J. E. Worcester, Collins, Doctor More, Benson, H. Wilbur, Cruden, and Greenfield's Greek Concordance.

In the deparment of notes, critical and explanatory, we have not, in any instance known to us, departed from the canons of criticism, and the laws of interpretation of the authors of the basis of this version:--viz. Doctors Campbell, Macknight, and Doddridge; nor from those recommended and enforced by Horn, Michaelis, Ernesti, Bishops Pierce and Benson, Locke, Stuart of Andover, Mill, Wetstein, and Griesbach. If, in any point, we have given a different result from some of them, we always wrought by their own canons of criticism. We have neither made nor adopted any by-laws, or rules of interpretation, unsanctioned and unapproved by the constitution of the commonwealth of letters.

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