practice, what little time I had to spare in my study, from my constant preparations for the pulpit, to spend it in drawing up expositions upon some parts of the New Testament, not so much for my own use, as purely for my own entertainment, because I knew not how to employ my thoughts and time more to my satisfaction. Trahit sua quemque voluptas—Every man that studies, hath some beloved study, which is his delight above any other; and this is mine. It is that learning which it was my happiness from a child to be trained up in, by my ever honoured father, whose memory must always be very dear and precious to me: he often reminded me that a good textuary is a good divine; and that I should read other books with this in my eye, that I might be the better able to understand and apply the scripture.
While I was thus employing myself, came out Mr. Burkitt's Exposition, of the Gospels first, and afterward of the Acts and the Epistles, which met with very good acceptance among serious people, and no doubt, by the blessing of God will continue to do great service to the church. Soon after he had finished that work, it pleased God to call him to his rest; upon which I was urged, by some of my friends, and was myself inclined, to attempt the like upon the Old Testament, in the strength of the grace of Christ. This upon the Pentateuch is humbly offered as a specimen: if it find favour, and be found any way useful, it is my present purpose, in dependence upon Divine aids, to go on, so long as God shall continue my life and health, and as my other work will permit.
Many helps, I know, we have of this kind in our own language, which we have a great deal of reason to value, and to be very thankful to God for: but the scripture is a subject that can never be exhausted. Semper habet aliquid relegentibus—However frequently we read it, we shall always meet with something new. When David had amassed a vast treasure for the building of the temple, yet saith he to Solomon, Thou mayest add thereto, 1 Chron. 22. 14. Such a treasure is scripture-knowledge; it is still capable of increase, till we all come to the perfect man.
The scripture is a field or vineyard which finds work for variety of hands, and about which may be employed a great diversity of gifts and operations, but all from the same Spirit, (1 Cor. 12. 4, 6.) and for the glory of the same Lord. The learned in the languages and in ancient usages have been very serviceable to the church, (the blessed occupant of this field,) by their curious and elaborate searches into its various products, their anatomies of its plants, and the entertaining lectures they have read upon them. The philosophy of the critics hath been of much more advantage to religion, and lent more light to sacred truth, than the philosophy of the school-divines. The learned also in the arts of war have done great service in defending this garden of the Lord against the violent attacks of the powers of darkness, successfully pleading the cause of the sacred writings against the spiteful cavils of atheists, deists, and the profane scoffers of these later days. Such as these stand in the posts of honour, and their praise is in all the churches; yet the labours of the vine-dressers and the husbandmen, (2 Kings 25. 12.) though they are the poor of the land who till this ground, and gather in the fruits of it, are no less necessary in their place, and beneficial to the household of God, that out of these precious fruits every one may have his portion of meat in due season. These are the labours which, according to my ability, I have here set my hand unto. And as the plain and practical expositors would not, for a world, say of the learned critics, There is no need of them; so, it is hoped, those eyes and heads will not say to the hands and feet. There is no need of you; 1 Cor. 12. 21.
The learned have of late received very great advantage in their searches into this part of holy writ, and the books that follow, (and still hope for more,) by the excellent and most valuable labours of that great and good man, bishop Patrick, whom, for vast reading, solid judgment, and a most happy application to these best of studies, even in his advanced years and honours, succeeding ages, no doubt, will rank among the first three of commentators, and bless God for him.
Mr. Pool's English Annotations (which, having had so many impressions, we may suppose, got into most hands) are of admirable use, especially for the explaining of scripture-phrases, opening the sense, referring to parallel scriptures, and the clearing of difficulties that occur: I have therefore all along been brief upon that which is there most largely discussed, and have industriously declined, as much as I could, what is to be found there; for I would not actum agere—do what is done; nor (if I may be allowed to borrow the apostle's words) boast of things made ready to our hand, 2 Cor. 10. 16.
Those and other annotations which are referred to the particular words and clauses they are designed to explain, are more easy to be consulted upon occasion; but the exposition which (like this) is put into a continued discourse, digested under proper heads, is much more easy and ready to be read through for one's own or others' instruction. And, I think, the observing of the connexion of each chapter (if there
