be 'diligently corrected and compared with the original 'most dear reader, the New Testament or Covenant L Chap Internal History. Chap. iii. of the edi tions of 1525, 1534. A comparison of the texts of the first and second editions fully bears out the description which Tyndale Comparison here gives of his work. To take one example only: of the thirty-one changes which I have noticed in the later version of 1 John, about a third are closer approximations to the Greek: rather more are variations in connecting particles or the like designed to bring out the argument of the original more clearly; three new readings are adopted; and in one passage it appears that Luther's rendering has been substituted for an awkward paraphrase. Yet it must be remarked that even in this revision the changes are far more frequently at variance with Luther's renderings than in accordance with them'. The Glosses of the edi The importance of the New Testament of 1534, tion of 1534. which is altogether Tyndale's noblest monument, gives a peculiar interest to the short glosses with which it is furnished. Though these do not throw much light upon the translation itself, yet they give such a lively image of the character of Tyndale that a few specimens of them cannot be out of place even in a history of the text2. Generally they are pregnant and pithy comments on the passage with which they deal, designed to guide the reader to its spirit, and Bengel himself is not more terse or pointed. Such for example are the following3: 'When ought is said or done that should move to 'pride, he dasheth them in the teeth with his death and 'passion. Matt. xvi. 21. 1 These variations are given in detail in App. III. 2 It is difficult to say why these marginal glosses and those on the Pentateuch were not included in the collected edition of Tyndale's works. Nothing that he has written is more characteristic. I have made no attempt to con ceal what appear to me to be errors in Tyndale's teaching. The passages quoted fairly reflect his whole style. Those who take account of the circumstances under which he had to work will not pass a severe judgment on unguarded or one-sided state. ments. 'A covenant to them that love the word of God, to win other with word and deed; and another to them. that love it not, that it shall be their destruction. Chap. iii. History. Mark iv. 24. 'Adam's disobedience damned us all ere we ourselves Rom. v. 15. wrought evil; and Christ's obedience saveth us all ere we ourselves work any good. [Luther.] 28. "God chooseth of his own goodness and mercy: Rom. viii. calleth through the Gospel: justifieth through faith: glorifieth through good works. 'If a man have the gift, chastity is good, the more quietly to serve God; for the married have oft much trouble; but if the mind of the chaste be cumbered with other worldly business, what helpeth it? and if the married be the more quick-minded thereby, what hurteth it? Neither of itself is better than the other. Neither is outward circumcision or outward baptism worth a pin of themselves, save that they put us in remembrance to keep the covenant made between us and God. I Cor. vii. 26. 26. 'Faith maketh us sons and of the nature of Christ, Galat. iii. and bindeth each to have other in the same reverence that he hath Christ. 'Where true faith in Christ is, there is love to the Eph. iii. 17. neighbour; and faith and love maketh us understand all things. Faith understandeth the secrets of God and the mercy that is given her in Christ. And love knoweth her duty to her neighbour, and can 'interpret all laws and ordinances, and knoweth how 'far forth they are to be kept and when to be dispensed with. 'By our works shall we be judged, for as the invisible | 1 Pet. i. 17. faith is, such are the works by which faith is seen. 'We be the Church; and the obedience of the heart 'is the spiritual sacrifice. Bodily sacrifice must be Chap. iii. James ii. 17. Rev. vii. 1. Matt. xi. 27. Acts vii. 48. Acts xiv. 23. Acts xvii. II. Rom. i. 32. Rom. vi. 23. Rom. xv. 2. ‘offered to our neighbours, for if thou offerest it to God, 'thou makest a bodily idol of him. 'Now if any man that is not merciful believeth to 'have mercy of God he deceiveth himself; because he 'hath no God's word for him. For God's promise per'taineth to the merciful only; and true faith therefore is 'known by her deeds. 'Angel is a Greek word, and signifieth a messenger; 'and all the angels are called messengers because they ' are sent so oft from God to man on message. Even so 'prophets, preachers, and the prelates of the Church are 'called angels, that is to say, messengers, because their 'office is to bring the message of God unto the people. "The good angels here in this book are the true bishops 'and preachers, and the evil angels are the heretics and 'false preachers which ever falsify God's word, with which the church of Christ shall be thus miserably 'plagued unto the end of the world, as is painted in 'these figures.' In other places Tyndale calls attention emphatically to the substance of a text, often by a single word, and again by a brief note, as: 'God is not known as a Father but through Christ. 'God dwelleth not in temples or churches made with 'hands. 'Prayer and fasting go together. Search the Scriptures, for by them may ye try all 'doctrine. 'To have pleasure in another man's sin is greater 'wickedness than to sin thyself. 'Eternal life is the serving of Christ. 'He is strong that can bear another man's weakness.' Sometimes, though rarely, the gloss is simply explanatory: 'Love is the sign that the sins are forgiven her. 'This John is the same Mark that writ the Gospel of Mark. pence, Chap. iii. History. Luke vii. 47. 'These silverlings, which we now and then call 'the Jews call sicles, and are worth a tenpence sterling. This [means] thou shalt kindle him and make him Rom. xii. 'to love. 20. 'Bishops and elders is all one, and an officer chosen Tit. i. 7. 'to govern the congregation in doctrine and living.' In a very few cases the gloss takes a polemical character, but still without bitterness: > Luke ix. 4. I 'Go not from house to house as friars do. 'To speak with tongues or with the spirit is to speak 1 Cor. xiv. 'that other understandeth not, as priests say their ser'vice. 16. 'A good lesson for monks and idle friars.' [Comp. Thess. iv. Luther.] In one passage only I have noticed a mystical interpretation which is foreign to the general complexion of Tyndale's notes1: 11. 'Night: when the true knowledge of Christ, how he John ix. 4. only justifieth, is lost. Then can no man work a good work in the sight of God, how glorious soever his works 'appear.' In his Preface to the edition of 1534, Tyndale had expressed his readiness to revise his work and adopt any changes in it which might be shewn to be improvements. The edition of 1535 [or G. H. 1534] is a proof of his sincerity. The text of this exhibits a true revision 1 It is right to add that I have not examined whether the glosses are suggested by any earlier commentaries. 2 Is it this edition to which Joye refers in his Apology (p. 4)? Tyndale agreed, as he writes, 'that we should 'with one accord in his next Testa- The edition again re of 1535 vised from the Greek. |