SECTON I. OF THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TRANSLATING AN INFALLIBLE...
REVELATION FROM ITS ORIGINAL COPIES, AND PRESERVING IT ENTIRE THROUGH
ALL THE REVOLUTIONS OF THE WORLD, AND VICISSITUDES OF HUMAN LEARNING TO
OUR TIME
Admitting for argument sake that the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testament were originally of divine supernatural inspiration, and that
their first manuscript copies were the infallible institutions of God,
yet to trace them from their respective ancient dead languages, and
different and diverse translations, from the obscure hieroglyphical
pictures of characters, in which they were first written, through
all the vicissitudes and alterations of human learning, prejudices,
superstitions, enthusiasms and diversities of interests and manners, to
our time, so as to present us with a perfect edition from its premised
infallible original manuscript copies would be impossible. The
various and progressive methods of learning, with the insurmountable
difficulties of translating any supposed antiquated written revelation
would not admit of it, as the succeeding observations on language and
grammar will fully evince.
In those early ages of learning, hieroglyphics were expressive of
ideas; for instance, a snake quirled (a position common to that venomous
reptile) was an emblem of eternity, and the picture of a lion, a
representation of power, and so every beast, bird, reptile, insect and
fish, had in their respective pictures, particular ideas annexed to
them, which varied with the arbitrary custom and common consent of the
several separate nations, among whom this way of communicating ideas was
practised, in some sense analogous to what is practised at this day by
different nations, in connecting particular ideas to certain sounds or
words written in characters, which according to certain rules of grammar
constitute the several languages. But the hieroglyphical manner of
writing by living emblems, and perhaps in some instances by other
pictures, was very abstruse, and inadequate to communicate that
multiplicity and diversity of ideas which are requisite for the purpose
of history, argumentation or general knowledge in any of the sciences or
concerns of life; which mystical way of communicating ideas underwent a
variety of alterations and improvements, though not so much as that
of characters and grammar has done; for in the hieroglyphical way of
communicating their ideas, there was no such thing as spelling, or
what is now called orthography, which has been perpetually refining and
altering, ever since characters, syllables, words or grammar have been
brought into use, and which will admit of correction and improvement as
long as mankind continue in the world. For which reason the original of
all languages is absorbed and lost in the multiplicity of alterations
and refinements, which have in all ages taken place, so that it is out
of the power of all Etymologists and Lexieonists now living, to explain
the ideas, which were anciently connected with those hieroglyphical
figures or words, and which may have composed the original of any
language, written in characters, in those obsolete and antiquated ages,
when learning and science were in their infancy: since the beneficial,
art of printing has arrived to any considerable degree of perfection,
the etymology of words, in the scientifical and learned languages, has
been considerably well understood: though imperfectly, as the various
opinions of the learned concerning it may witness. But since the era
of printing, the knowledge of the ancient learning has been in a great
measure, or in most respects, wholly lost; and inasmuch as the modern
substitute is much better, it is no loss at all. Some of the old English
authors are at this day quite unintelligible, and others in their
respective latter publications, more or less so. The last century and a
half has done more towards the perfecting of grammar, and purifying the
languages than the world had ever done before.
I do not understand Latin, Greek or Hebrew, in which languages, it
is said, that the several original manuscripts of the Scriptures were
written; but I am informed by the learned therein, that, the other
languages, they have gone through their respective alterations and
refinements, which must have been the case, except they reached their
greatest perfection in their first composition; of which the progressive
condition of man could not admit. So that the learned in those
languages, at this day, know but little or nothing how they were spoken
or written when the first manuscript copies of the Scriptures were
composed; and consequently, are not able to inform us, whether their
present translations do, any of them, perfectly agree with their
respective original premised infallible manuscript copies or not. And
inasmuch as the several English translations of the Bible do materially
differ from each other, it evinces the confused and blundering condition
in which it has been handed down to us.
The clergy often informs us from the desk, that the translation of the
Bible, which is now in use in this country, is erroneous, after having
read such and such a passage of it, in either Latin, Greek or Hebrew,
they frequently give us to understand, that instead of the present
translation, it should have been rendered thus and thus in English, but
never represent to us how it was read and understood in the antiquated
and mystical figures or characters of those languages, when the
manuscripts of Scripture were first written, or how it has been
preserved and handed down entire, through every refinement of those
languages, to the present condition of Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Probably
this is too abstruse a series of retrospective learning for their
scholarship, and near or quite as foreign from their knowledge as from
that of their hearers.*
It is not to be supposed that all the alterations which have taken
place in language, have been merely by improving it. In many instances,
ignorance, accident or custom has varied it to its disadvantage, but it
has nevertheless been subject to correction, and generally speaking
has been altered for the better, yet, by one means or other has been
so fluctuating and unstable, as that an infallible revelation could
not have been genuinely preserved, through all the vicissitudes and
revolutions of learning, for more than seventeen hundred years last past
to this day.
The diversity of the English language is represented with great accuracy
by Mr. Samuel Johnson, the celebrated lexicographer, in the samples of
different ages, in his history of the English language, subjoined to
the preface of the dictionary, to which the curious are referred for the
observance of the various specimens.
SECTON II. THE VARIETY OF ANNOTATIONS AND EXPOSITIONS...
OF THE SCRIPTURES, TOGETHER WITH THE DIVERSITY OF SECTARIES EVINCES
THEIR FALLIBILITY.
Every commentary and annotation on the Bible, implicitly declares its
fallibility; for if the Scriptures remained genuine and entire, they
would not stand in need of commentaries and expositions, but would shine
in their infallible lustre and purity without them. What an idle phantom
it is for mortals to assay to illustrate and explain to mankind, that
which God may be supposed to have undertaken to do, by the immediate
inspiration of his spirit? Do they understand how to define or explain
it better than God may be supposed to have done? This is not supposable;
upon what ground then do these multiplicity of comments arise, except it
be pre-supposed that the present translations of the Bible have, by some
means or other, become fallible and imperfect, and therefore need to
be rectified and explained? and if so, it has lost the stamp of divine
authority; provided in its original composition it may be supposed to
have been possessed of it.
To construe or spiritualize tie Bible is the same as to inspire it over
again, by the judgment, fancy or enthusiasm of men; and thus the common
people, by receiving God's supposed revelation at secondary hands
(whether at the thousandth or ten thousandth remove from its first
premised inspiration they know not) cannot in fact be taught by the
revelation of God. Add to this the diverse and clashing expositions of
the Bible, among which are so many flagrant proofs of the fallibility
and uncertainty of such teachings, as must convince even bigots, that
every one of these expositions are erroneous, _except their own!_
It has been owing to different comments on the Scriptures, that
Christians have been divided into sectaries. Every commentator, who
could influence a party to embrace his comment, put himself, at the head
of a division of Christians; as Luther, Calvin, and Arminius, laid the
foundation of the sectaries who bear their names; and the Socinians were
called after the Scismatical Socinius; the same may be said of each of
the sectaries. Thus it is that different commentaries or acceptations of
the original meaning of the Scriptures, have divided the Christian world
into divisions and subdivisions of which it consists at present. Nor
was there ever a division or subdivision among Jews, Christians or
Mahometans, respecting their notions or opinions of religion, but what
was occasioned by commentating on the Scriptures, or else by latter
pretended inspired revelations from God in addition thereto. The law
of Moses was the first pretended immediate revelation from God, which
respects the Bible, and after that in succession the several revelations
of the prophets, and last of all (in the Christian system) the
revelations of Jesus Christ and apostles, who challenged a right of
abolishing the priesthood of Moses; Christ claiming to be the antitype
of which the institution of sacrifices and ceremonial part of the law of
Moses was emblematical; but this infringement of the prerogative of the
Levitical priests gave such offence, not only to them, but to the Jews
as a nation, that they rejected Christianity, and have not subscribed to
the divine authority of it to this day, holding to the law of Moses and
the prophets. However Christianity made a great progress in the world,
and has been very much divided into sectaries, by the causes previously
assigned.
"Mahomet taking notice of the numerous sects and divisions among
Christians, in his journies to Palestine, &c, thought it would not be
difficult to introduce a new religion, and make himself high priest
and sovereign of the people." This he finally effected, prosecuting his
scheme so far, that he new modelled the Scriptures, presenting them, (as
he said,) in their original purity, and called his disciples after
his own name. He gained great numbers of proselytes and became their
sovereign in civil, military and spiritual matters, instituted the order
of mystical priesthood, and gave the world a new Bible by the name of
the Alcoran; which he gives us to understand was communicated to him
from God, by the intermediate agency of the angel Gabriel, chapter by
chapter. "His disciples at this day inhabit a great part of the richest
countries in the world, and are supposed to be more numerous than the
Christians," and are as much, if not more, divided into sectaries, from
causes similar to those which produced the division of Christians,
viz.: the different commentators on, and expositions of the Alcoran. The
Mufti, or priests, represented the doctrines and precepts of the Alcoran
in a variety of lights different from each other, each of them claiming
the purity of the original and infallible truths prescribed to the world
by Mahomet, their great reformer of Christianity. For though the several
sectaries of Mahometans differ, respecting the meaning of their Alcoran,
yet they all hold to the truth and divine authority thereof, the same
as the Christian sectaries do concerning their Bible: so that all the
different opinions which ever did, or at present do subsist, between
Jews, Christians and Mahometans, may be resolved into one consideration,
viz.: the want of a right understanding of the original of the
Scriptures. All sat out at first, as they imagined, from the truth
of God's word, (except the impostors,) concluded that they had an
infallible guide, and have, by one means or other, been guided into
as many opposite faiths as human Invention has been capa-ble of
fabricating; each sect among the whole, exulting in their happy
ignorance, believing that they are favored with an infallible revelation
for their direction.
It alters not the present argument, whether the Scriptures were
originally true or not; for though they be supposed to have been either
true or false, or a mixture of both, yet they could never have been
handed down entire and uncorrupted to the present time, through the
various changes and perpetual refinements of learning and language; this
is not merely a matter of speculative and argumentative demonstration,
the palpable certainty of it stands confessed in every Jewish, Christian
and Mahometan sectary.
SECTON III. ON THE COMPILING OP THE MANUSCRIPTS OF THE SCRIPTURES...
INTO ONE VOLUME, AND OF ITS SEVERAL TRANSLATIONS. THE INFALLIBILITY OF
THE POPES, AND OF THEIR CHARTERED RIGHTS TO REMIT OR RETAIN SINS, AND OF
THE IMPROPRIETY OF THEIR BEING TRUSTED WITH A REVELATION FROM GOD.
The manuscripts of Scripture, which are said to have been originally
written on scrolls of bark, long before the invention of paper or
printing, and are said to compose our present Bible, were in a loose and
confused condition, scattered about in the world, deposited nobody knows
how or where, and at different times were compiled into one volume. The
four gospels are by the learned generally admitted to have been wrote
many years after Christ, particularly that of St. John: and sundry other
gospels in the primitive ages of Christianity were received as divine
by some of its then sectaries, which have unfortunately not met with
approbation in subsequent eras of the despotism of the church.
The translation of the Scriptures by Ptolemy Phila-delphus, king of
Egypt, was before Christ, and therefore could not include the writings
of the New Testament in his translation, and "whether by seventy-two
interpreters, and in the manner as is commonly related, is justly
questioned." But where, at what time, and by whom, the Scriptures of the
Old and New Testament were first compiled into one volume, is what I do
not understand: but was it a longer or shorter period after Christ,
it alters not the present argument materially, since the scattered
manuscripts were in a loose and confused condition for a long time; and
the grand query is, when the compilers of those manuscripts collected
them together in order to form them into one volume, how they could have
understood the supposed divine writings, or symbolical figures, with the
ideas originally connected with them, and distinguish them from those
which were merely human, and in comparison of the others are called
profane. To understand this distinction would require a new revelation,
as much as may be supposed necessary for composing the original
manuscripts themselves; but it is not pretended that the compilers or
translators of the Bible were inspired by the divine spirit in the doing
and completing their respective business; so that human reason,
fancy, or some latent design, must needs have been substituted, in
distinguishing the supposed divine and human writings apart, and in
giving a perfect transcript of the original manuscripts. Now admitting
that the compilers were really honest principled men, (which is more
than we are certain of,) it would follow, that they would be obliged to
cull out of the mixed mass of premised divine and human writings, such
as to them appeared to be divine, which would make them to be the sole
arbitrators of the divinity that they were compiling to be handed down
to posterity as the infallible word of God, which is a great stretch
of prerogative for mortal and fallible man to undertake, and as great a
weakness in others to subscribe to it, as of divine authority.
Mr. Fenning, in his dictionary definition of the word Bible, subjoins
the following history of its translations:
"The translation of this sacred volume was begun very early in this
kingdom," [England,] "and some part of it was done by King Alfred.
Adelmus translated the Psalms into Saxon in 709, other parts were done
by Edfrid or Ecbert in 730, the whole by Bede in 731 Trevisa published
the whole in English in 1357. Tindal's was brought higher in 1534,
revised and altered in 1538, published with a preface of Cranmers in
1549. In 1551, another translation was published, which was revised by
several bishops, was printed with their alterations in 1560. In 1607,
a new translation was published by authority, which is that in present
use." From this account it appears, that from the first translation
of the Bible by Trevisa, into English, in 1357, it has been revised
altered, and passed through six different publications, the last of
which is said to have been done by authority, which I conclude means
that of the king, whose prerogative in giving us a divine revelation,
can no more be esteemed valid than that of other men, though he may
be possessed of an arbitrary power within the limits of his realm to
prevent any further correction and publication of it. As to the changes
it underwent previous to Trevisa's translation, in which time it was
most exposed to corruptions of every kind, we, will not at present
particularly consider, but only observe that those translations could
not, every one of them, be perfect, since they were diverse from each
other, in consequence of their respective revisions and corrections; nor
is it possible that the Bible, in any of its various editions could be
perfect, any more than all and every one of those persons who have acted
a part in transmitting them down to our time may be supposed to be so:
for perfection does not pertain to man, but is the essential prerogative
of God.
The Roman Catholics, to avoid the evils of imperfection, fallibility and
imposture of man, have set up the Pope to be infallible; this is their
security against being misguided in their faith, and by ascribing
holiness to him, secure themselves from imposture; a deception which
is incompatible with holiness. So that in matters of faith, they have
nothing more to do, but to believe as their church believes. Their
authority for absolving or retaining sins is very extraordinary;
however, their charter is from Christ, (admitting them to be his vicars,
and the successors of St. Peter,) and the present English translation
of the Bible warrants it. The commission is in these words: "And I will
give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whoever thou shalt
bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shall loose
on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are
remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained."
That St. Peter or his successors should have a power of binding and
determining the state and condition of mankind in the world to come by
remitting or retaining sins, is too great a power to be intrusted to
men, as it interferes with the providence and prerogative of God, who
on this position would be exempted from judging the world, (as it would
interfere with the chartered prerogative of the Popes in their remitting
or retaining of sins, admitting it to have been genuine,) precluding the
divine retribution of justice; we may, therefore, from the authority
of reason, conclude it to be spurious. It was a long succession of ages
that all Christendom were dupes to the See of Rome, in which time it is
too evident to be denied, that the holy fathers obtruded a great deal of
pious fraud on their devotees; all public worship was real to the people
in unknown languages, as it is to this day in Roman Catholic countries.
Nor has the Bible, in those countries, to this time, been permitted
to be published in any but the learned languages, which affords great
opportunity to the Romish church to fix it to answer their lucrative
purposes. Nor is it to be supposed that they want the inclination to do
it. The before recited grant of the power of the absolution of sin, to
St Peter in particular, was undoubtedly of their contrivance.
In short, reason would prompt us to conclude, that had God, in very
deed, made a revelation of his mind and will to mankind, as a rule of
duty and practice to them, and to be continued as such to the latest
posterity, he would in the course of his providence have ordered matters
so that it should have been deposited, translated, and kept, in the
hands of men of a more unexceptionable character than those holy cheats
can pretend to.
Witchcraft and priestcraft, were introduced into this world together, in
its non-age; and has gone on, hand in hand together, until about half a
century past, when witchcraft began to be discredited, and is at
present almost exploded, both in Europe and America. This discovery has
depreciated priestcraft, on the scale of at least fifty per cent,
per annum, and rendered it highly probable that the improvement of
succeeding generations, in the knowledge of nature and science, will
exalt the reason of mankind, above the tricks and impostures of priests,
and bring them back to the religion of nature and truth; ennoble their
minds, and be the means of cultivating concord, and mutual love in
society, and of extending charity, and good will to all intelligent
beings throughout the universe; exalt the divine character, and lay a
permanent foundation for truth and reliance on providence; establish our
hopes and prospects of immortality, and be condusive to every desirable
consequence, in this world, and that which is to come; which will
crown the scene of human felicity in this sublunary state of being and
probation; 'which can never be completed while we are under the power
and tyranny of priests, since as it ever has, it ever will be their
interest, to invalidate the law of nature and reason, in order to
establish systems incompatible therewith.