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xxviii
CONTENTS OF INTRODUCTION
| PAR. | PAGES | |
| 362. | Presumption in favour of the integrity of the purest transmitted text derived from the small number of genuine extant readings not attested by א or Β | 277 |
| 363. | Absence of any contrary presumption arising from the complexity of attestation in the N.T., which is in fact due to unique advantages in the antiquity, variety, and excellence of the evidence; | 278 |
| 364. | and yet more in the preeminent excellence of two or three existing documents | 279 |
| 365. | The existence of primitive errors, with variety of evidence, illustrated by 2 Pet. iii 10; | 279 |
| 366. | and not to be denied even where there is no variation, especially if the existing text gives a superficial sense | 280 |
| 367. | Impossibility of determining whether primitive errors came in at the first writing by the author or amanuensis, or at a very early stage of transmission: transitional class of virtually primitive errors in places where the true text has a trifling attestation | 280 |
| 368. | Paucity of probable primitive errors, and substantial integrity of the purest transmitted text, as tested by Internal Evidence | 281 |
| 369. | Total absence of deliberate dogmatic falsification as an originating cause of any extant variants, notwithstanding the liability of some forms of bold paraphrase to be so interpreted | 282 |
| 370. | Dogmatic influence limited to preference between readings antecedently existing: baselessness of early accusations of wilful corruption, except in part as regards Marcion. Absence of dogmatic falsification antecedent to existing variations equally indicated by Internal Evidence | 283 |
| C. 371—374. Conditions of further improvement of the text | 284—287 | |
| 371. | Future perfecting of the text to be expected through more exact study of relations between existing documents, rather than from new materials, useful as these may be: | 284 |
| 372. | but only in accordance with principles already ascertained and applied | 285 |
| 373. | Inherent precariousness of texts constituted without reference to genealogical relations of documents | 286 |
| 374. | Certainty of the chief facts of genealogical history in the N. T., and of the chief relations between existing documents | 287 |
| PART IV | ||
| NATURE AND DETAILS OF THIS EDITION | 288—324 | |
| A. 375—377. Aim and limitations of this edition | 288—290 | |
| 375. | This text an attempt to reproduce at once the autograph text; | 288 |
| 376. | limited by uncertainties due to imperfection of evidence, and by the exclusive claims of high ancient authority in a manual edition; | 289 |
