The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments

God that it
For hereby

mentary of this kind completed, if it please should be completed, by one and the same hand. the many detached books of Scripture, and their seeming incongruities and discrepancies, will be more likely to be interpreted in their proper harmony, than by linking together the annotations and reflections, however superior in themselves, of independent or confederated writers. And the various materials of information, supplied by many excellent works of others, in illustration of the sacred volume, being digested by one mind, into one uniform exposition, may help more than most other methods, to give the reader this profitable impression; that, among the conflicting views of divine truth, so frequently and mischievously based on insulated texts, passages, and books, there is such a thing as a possibility of explaining the whole word of God, in consistency with itself, and with sound reason, and common sense, and all undeniable truth.

Let not however the disputer of this world here expect to find an answer for every perverse or frivolous objection, which the wit of man, in its licentious exercise, has discovered or devised. The best reply to such irreverent speculations, is a studied silence. The best means of convincing such gainsayers, is to shew them that we are too much concerned for their folly to answer them according to their foolishness. Nor must it be supposed that a satisfactory solution will be here afforded, for the many real and obvious difficulties which the word of God presents to the most devout student. Some of these arise from the imperfection of human language; some from the difference between the original and the translation; many from the prejudices current amongst men, many more from the unwillingness, and incapacity of mankind to receive the things of God. A passage now inexplicable, may have been suited to edify men of past generations. Or it may edify them that are to come. It may be profitable to some few in all ages of the world, preeminent in understanding and in grace. Or it may be something utterly beyond the understanding of any man, touched upon of necessity in connexion with something else, which is plain and useful to many or to all. In

such cases, we can give no reason for that which God has said but this it is reasonable that there should be some points in his revelation above our comprehension.

Nor again let the votaries of any human system of divinity, here look to see their favourite texts disproportionately brought forward, their select doctrines appended to every text, whether relevant or irrelevant, and the scientific terms of their theological vocabulary substituted for the plain, pure, and simple phraseology of the inspired writers. On the contrary, it is the fundamental plan of this work, to follow out each passage of Scripture in its own legitimate bearing; neither stretching nor curtailing any single line of doctrine or duty; but speaking the whole truth in the same proportion as it is set down in God's word; with as little reference as possible to the vain questions and bitter disputes which have been the bane of theology; and yet with all due deference to the general consent of the true church throughout all ages, so well expressed, in almost every instance, by our own articles and liturgy. Surely nothing would more tend, under the blessing of God, to heal our unhappy divisions both in the church and out of it, than a habit of studying the Bible on such principles as these. And nothing would more largely help to advance the kingdom of our Redeemer, either abroad or at home, than the healing of our unhappy divisions. That this work, however unworthy in its plan or execution, may be blest in the furtherance of ends so excellent, that both the writer and the reader may be enabled in their religious convictions to call no man master upon earth, to side with no party except so far as it sides with truth, to believe the truth sincerely, and to love it fervently, and above all to adorn the truth thus held, by a humble heart, a holy life, and a heavenly mind, may God of his infinite mercy grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.

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