but these selected sections (pericopae).  Collections of these lessons were called by the general name of lectionaries (lectionaria).  Those from the gospels or Acts and epistles received special names indicative of their contents.  See Bleek, Sec. 265; Horne’s Introduction, vol. 4, chap. 4, end.

11.  From the above brief survey, it is manifest that none of the external divisions of the sacred text rest on any divine authority.  They are the work of uninspired men, and are to be treated accordingly.  For convenience of reference, a division of the Scriptures into chapters and verses is indispensable; and we may well rest contented with that which now prevails, though it cannot claim perfection.  But in the interpretation of the inspired word we must go behind human divisions, carefully inquiring after the true connection of thought, according to the acknowledged laws of interpretation.  To give one example out of many, we must not infer that the last verse of the eleventh chapter of the book of Revelation belongs to the preceding and not the following context, because of its separation from the latter in the division of chapters; but we must determine its true connection independently of this division.

A very good arrangement is that of Paragraph Bibles, in which the distinctions of chapter and verse are thrown into the margin, the text being broken into longer or shorter sections according to the true course of thought.  Yet this mode of division also is human, and cannot be infallible.

12.  The titles of the several books of the New Testament did not proceed immediately from the authors themselves.  In form they present some diversity; for example:  The Gospel according to Matthew; according to Matthew; the holy Gospel according to Matthew, etc., the shorter and simpler titles being, as a rule, the more ancient.  For substance, however, the different forms are the same.  They represent the ancient church tradition, and are of very high authority.  The subscriptions, on the other hand, which stand at the end of the epistles of Paul, that to the Hebrews included—­are confessedly the work of later copyists.  They are of no authority, and are sometimes manifestly incorrect.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE NEW TESTAMENT TEXT AND ITS HISTORY.

The history of the New Testament text naturally falls into two main divisions, that of the manuscript text, and that of the printed text.  A few remarks will be added on the principles of textual criticism. See PLATES at the beginning of this book.

[Transcriber’s Note:  Transcriptions of the Plates are at the end of this e-book.]

I. THE MANUSCRIPT TEXT.