THE INFLUENCE OF THE SEPTUAGINT VERSION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT UPON THE PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY. BY THE REV. WILLIAM RALPH CHURTON, B.A FELLOW OF KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE Εγένετο δὲ τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκονομίας ἔργον, ὥστε μι Cambridge: MACMILLAN AND CO. AND 23, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, London. 1861. 100. b. 40. THIS ESSAY OBTAINED THE HULSEAN PRIZE IN THE UNI VERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE IN THE YEAR 1859. CLAUSES directed by the FOUNDER to be always prefixed to the HULSEAN DISSERTATION. CLAUSES from the WILL of the Rev. JOHN HULSE, late of Elworth, in the County of Chester, clerk, deceased: dated the twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven; expressed in the words of the Testator, as he, in order to prevent mistakes, thought proper to draw and write the same himself, and directed that such clauses should every year be printed, to the intent that the several persons, whom it might concern and be of service to, might know that there were such special donations or endowments left for the encouragement of Piety and Learning, in an age so unfortunately addicted to Infidelity and Luxury, and that others might be invited to the like charitable, and, as he humbly hoped, seasonable and useful Benefactions. He directs that certain rents and profits (now amounting to about a hundred pounds yearly) be paid to such learned and ingenious person, in the University of Cambridge, under the degree of Master of Arts, as shall compose, for that year, the best Dissertation, in the English language, on the Evidences in general, or on the Prophecies or Miracles in particular, or any other particular Argument, iv whether the same be direct or collateral proofs of the Christian Religion, in order to evince its truth and excellence; the subject of which Dissertation shall be given out by the Vice-Chancellor, and the Masters of Trinity and Saint John's, his Trustees, or by some of them, on New Year's Day annually; and that such Dissertation as shall be by them, or any two of them, on Christmas Day annually, the best approved, be also printed, and the expense defrayed out of the Author's income under his Will, and the remainder given to him on Saint John the Evangelist's Day following; and he who shall be so rewarded, shall not be admitted at any future time as a Candidate again in the same way, to the intent that others may be invited and encouraged to write on so sacred and sublime a subject. He also desires, that immediately following the last of the clauses relating to the prize Dissertation, this invocation may be added: " May the Divine Blessing for ever go along with all my benefactions; and may the Greatest and the Best of Beings, by his all-wise Providence and gracious influence, make the same effectual to His own glory, and the good of my fellow-creatures !" Subject proposed by the TRUSTEES for the Year 1859 : The Influence of the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament upon the Progress of Christianity. CONTENTS. General Statement of the Subject. Reasons for omitting the PAGE On the extent to which the Greek Language prevailed in the world at the time of the Christian era. Preparation for the kingdom of Christ by the Four empires represented in Nebuchadnezzar's Vision. The first and second by their relation to the chosen people. The third and fourth more influential in the preparation of the Gen- tiles. Causes of permanence of Greek influence. Intel- lectual empire. Greek colonies in West. Massilia great centre of Greek influence. Churches in Gaul. Empire of Alexander. Alexandria and Antioch. Jewish dispersion. Greek cities in Bactriana. Greek spoken in Syria and Palestine. Use of word "En in New Testament and by Fathers. Greek the language of Eastern and Western |