observed, and subsequently corrected, the mistake : one Huiss, however, who collated the Codex Alexandrinus with a copy of Beza's edition printed with the mistake X«w, noted va& as a various reading of the Codex Alexandrimis. On which ground Maestricht has by this Canon condemned the reading va&, as if it were found in only one MS., though it is really found in all, and is undoubtedly the true reading. These mistakes could not have been committed by Maestricht, unless his Crisis, taken as a whole, were erroneous. The last words of this Canon, " pro vided the Received Text," etc., needlessly imperil the reading of the Received Text.
10. Nor should two Codices establish a Various Reading, in opposition to the reading received and published and of sound sense : since it merely argues the carelessness of two tran scriptions, executed by two transcribers, or perhaps by the same hand. This holds good, more especially in the case of omission, when it is generally sufficient to say, " it has been left out."
This Canon is cited on Rev. xiv. 1 and xvii. 4, though the marginal reading of those passages (which refutes the mistake introduced by Erasmus, and received by the Stephani and so many others) is supported not by merely two, but by all Manu scripts. And yet there are those, who dare to limit the exercise of Divine Providence in preserving the integrity of the New Testament exclusively to the Stephanie Press, and cease not to bring the charge of audacity against all, who endeavour to employ earnestly and reverently, for the common edification, all the helps, which Divine Providence has vouchsafed to the age in which they live.
11. Nor should three or four MSS. establish a Various Reading (especially in the case of an omission) in opposition to twenty or more MSS.
This Canon is cited, for example, at Luke xiii. 35 ; but the marginal reading in that passage is supported, not by three or four, but by very many witnesses, and those too of high character. Thus in Matt. ii. 11 and xxviii. 19, the marginal reading is supported, not by merely three or four MSS., but by so many, that the reading of the Text is not firmly supported by the tes- timonv even of one.