had before determined to be done; as the Gentlemen of the Port-Royal, who can't be fufpected in this matter, have very well rendred it. We need but confider, that this place is not precisely to be understood of the Death of Jefus Chrift, nor of the wicked Confpiracy of Herod, of Pilat, of the Gentiles, and of the Jews, to put him to Death, as if that had been predeftin'd and determin'd by God's decree (for now Chrift had been for fome time crucified) but of the Per fecution of the Apostles and Chriftian Church, by all thofe Infidels; Jefus Chrift looking upon the Sufferings of his Dia fciples and Members, as his own, accor ding to what he himself fays to Paul, when he perfecuted his Church, Saul,Saul why perfecuteft thou me This is evident from the following part of this Discourse; for the Apostles having fpoke of the mi-Aas 19. raculous Cure of the Lame Man, and of the prohibition of the Council of the Jews to preach in the name of Jesus, and of the fevere Threatnings denounced against thofe that fhould continue to preach his Doctrine; all the Affembly unani mously lifted up their voice, and pronounced those words: Which plainly hews, that they spoke of fome particuG

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lar Confpiracy against themfelves. But take it what way you pleate, it will ot admit of the common Explicacion tha is put upon it: For it is not laid, that God had appointed, that Herod, Pilat, and the rest, thould have done what they did, but at most that they had done that which God had determined to come to pafs; which are two things altogether different. God, for example, has determined, that good Men muit enter into the Kingdom of Heaven by crosses and difficulties, but he has not determined or appointed that the Wicked fhould Perfecute them; he has only left the Government of the World in the hands of those who are Enemies to his Religion, who by a deliberate malice, abuse that Power, which has been given them, and who perfecute that Religion, which opposes their Corruption and condemns their wicked Practifes.

VIII. When the Verfions make St. PePet.2.8.ter fay, That many did (tumble at the word being disobedient, whereunto alfo they were appointed; we are tempted to believe, that God has decreed that the wicked fhould be Rebellious, and fhould ftumble at the Word; and this indeed is the opinion of those who follow this Transla

ion. But befides that this would excule their crime, and that this being fuppofed, none could be called Difobedient, fince it were in vain for man to oppofe himself to the will of God; it is likewife plainly contrary to the exprefs Declara tions of God in the Scriptures, wherein he protefts, nay, fwears too, that he does not delight in the Death of Sinners that he wills that all fhould be faved and come to the knowledge of the Truth; and that he neglects nothing which is fit and proper to be done, to bring them to that happiness which he defign'd them for. It had certainly then be much more reasonable, to have tranflated the words of the Original otherwife than to give them a meaning which is fo injurious to the Goodnefs and Juftice of God, and which may, throw Sinners into defpair, and make them altogether neglect their Duty. The Apoftle mani feftly fpeaks of Unbelievers, and fays, that they ftumble at the word which was offered to them, or, which was put near them, or, upon which they were fet; for the Original may admit of thofe three Tranflations. It is a plain Allufion to thofe that walk, without taking notice of their way, or to Builds, who fumble G 2 against

against the Materials that are given them to build with; for the Apoftle had been comparing Jefus Chrift to a corner-ftone, which the Builders had dif allow'd,and had become a ftone of ftumbling, and a Rock of Offence to thofe that did not believe. We must therefore rectifie the Tranfpofition that is in the Original, which gives occafion to this dangerous Miftake, and Tranflate with the Syriack Verfion; being disobedi ent, they ftumble at the Word, which was offered uton them, or, thơ it was offered unto them.

IX. Lucas Brugenfis,and Maldonat, have Matt. 3. obferved a likeTranfpofition in thefe words 16. of St. Matthew, That when Jefus was Baptized, he went up straight-way out of the water; and lo the Heavens were opened unto him, &c. For it is plain, that the word ftraightway fhould be placed after thefe words, and lo; as is evident from Mark 1.St. Mark, who fays, and straightway

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coming out of water, or, as foon as he came out of the water, he faw the Heavens opened. In effect, why fhould St. Matthew have obferv'd, that Jesus came ftraightway out of the water, after he was Baptiz'd; for what fhou'd he have done there, after he was Baptiz'd? This

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Reflection were altogether useless; but it was very much to the purpose, and even neceffary too, to take notice, that as foon as he had come out of the water, the Heavens were opened to him at the same instant, and that he faw the Spirit like a Dove defcending upon him. We must therefore Tranflate, And Jefus when he was baptized, went up out of the water, and lo ftraightway the Heauens were opened unto him, &c.

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Heb. 9.

X. Several learned Men have remark'd a very important Tranfpofition of Terms, in the Book of Revelations, where all the Verfions, except that of Caftalio, makę St. John evidently contradict the Apostle to the Hebrews, making the one fay, that Rev. 13. the Lamb was flain from the foundation of the World, whereas the other declares exprefly, That Chrift has not offered him25, 26, Jelf often; that he has not fuffered often 28. fince the foundation of the World; that he has appeared but once in the end of the World, to put away fin, by the Sacrifice of himself; and that he was once offered, to bear the fins of many.Itis true,that to justifie the expreffion of St. John, it is faid, that his meaning was not, that the Lamb was actually flain from the foundation of the World, but only that it was flain in the

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