adverse party, as may be easily shewn. [They must
establish many modes of accounting for many classes and groups of
evidence. Broad and sweeping measures are now out of date. The burden of
proof lies with them.]

Sec. 3.

The force of what I am saying will be best understood if a few actual
specimens of omission may be adduced, and individually considered. And
first, let us take the case of an omitted word. In St. Luke vi. 1
[Greek: deuteroproto] is omitted from some MSS. Westcott and Hort and
the Revisers accordingly exhibit the text of that place as
follows:--[Greek: Egeneto de en sabbato diaporeuesthai auton dia
sporimon].

Now I desire to be informed how it is credible that so very difficult
and peculiar a word as this,--for indeed the expression has never yet
been satisfactorily explained,--should have found its way into every
known Evangelium except [Symbol: Aleph]BL and a few cursives, if it be
spurious? How it came to be here and there omitted, is intelligible
enough. (_a_) One has but to glance at the Cod. [Symbol: Aleph],

[Greek: TO EN SABBATO]
[Greek: DEUTEROPROTO]

in order to see that the like ending ([Greek: TO]) in the superior line,
fully accounts for the omission of the second line. (_b_) A proper
lesson begins at this place; which by itself would explain the
phenomenon. (_c_) Words which the copyists were at a loss to understand,
are often observed to be dropped: and there is no harder word in the
Gospels than [Greek: deuteroprotos]. But I repeat,--will you tell us how
it is conceivable that [a word nowhere else found, and known to be a
_crux_ to commentators and others, should have crept into all the copies
except a small handful?]

In reply to all this, I shall of course be told that really I must yield
to what is after all the weight of external evidence: that Codd.
[Symbol: Aleph]BL are not ordinary MSS. but first-class authorities, of
sufficient importance to outweigh any number of the later cursive MSS.

My rejoinder is plain:--Not only am I of course willing to yield to
external evidence, but it is precisely 'external evidence' which makes
me insist on retaining [Greek: deuteroproto--apo melissiou keriou--haras
ton stauron--kai anephereto eis ton ouranon--hotan eklipete]--the 14th
verse of St. Matthew's xxiiird chapter--and the last twelve verses of
St. Mark's Gospel. For my own part, I entirely deny the cogency of the
proposed proof, and I have clearly already established the g