SIR ISAAC NEWTON

A dissertation by Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) on 1 Timothy 3:16. A copy, in the hand of John Berriman (1691-1768), Rector of St. Alban, Wood Street, London. The dissertation, in the form of a letter, reviews the history of this text and its corruption . The dissertation is described here as a second letter, the second of two letters from Newton to John Locke (the first being concerned with 1 John 5:7) dated 14 Nov. 1690. These were published in 1754 as 'An historical account of two notable corruptions of scripture' from a manuscript in the Remonstrants' Library, Amsterdam. The letters are regarded as a crucial document for the study of Newton's theology, in particular his anti-Trinitarianism. They offer a painstaking collation of these two verses, both widely regarded as clear evidence for Trinitarianism, as they appear in surviving early Bibles in various languages and as they are quoted by various Fathers. Newton's conclusion is that the wording was altered, by accident or design, in the fourth or fifth century. Front cover: Inscription in the hand of John Berriman, who came to know a manuscript of Newton's dissertation in 1738 and who presented this copy to Sion College in 1749: 'A MS. dissertation on 1 Tim. 3.16. To be perused by those that desire it, in the presence of the Librarian: but not to be lent out, without leave from the President, Deans and Assistants for the time being, and upon sufficient caution and security, to be punctually and faithfully return'd in a short time. J. Berriman'. f. 1r-v. A note signed by John Berriman, concerning the text and the source of his transcription (from a manuscript in the Remonstrants' Library at Amsterdam). ff. 2r-10v. Text of Newton's dissertation. f. 11r-v. A postscript by John Berriman concerning Newton's accusations against Catholics and Orthodox of corrupting the text.

Another manuscript is held by New College Library, Oxford, shelfmark: Ms. 361(4). This was used for the edition in H.W. Turnbull et al., eds., 'The Correspondence of Isaac Newton', 7 vols. (Cambridge, 1959-1981) vol 3: 83-129. See also the text available in 'The Newton Project' (online resource).

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