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phrases, being in most instances in- might be found in a treat} structive, and in all worthy to be ber of texts, a few of these only have known. But it has not been thought been selected;-illustration, not renecessary, in giving these readings, petition, having been the object in to insert such words as are repeated view.

ences.

in the text, and which would there- The References, therefore, which fore have fruitlessly occupied a por- fill the middle column, have all been tion of the space allotted to refer- diligently considered and applied with a particular attention to this The Various Readings are referred specific end, that none which were to by sinall figures placed immedi-superfluous might be introduced, ately before the words for which they while the most material purposes to are to be substituted; and the Re- be answered by References might ferences by Italic letters, which are nevertheless be effectually secured. generally placed after the first or se- WHETHER the latitude or the licond word of a verse, or clause of a mits of such an undertaking be con. verse, when they are intended to il-sidered, it is proper that the princilustrate the whole of that verse or ples on which it has been conducted clause but when the principal force should be so far explained, as that of the illustration rests on a single the Reader may be apprised of what word, the letter reference is placed im- he is to expect from it, and in what mediately after that word. This has branches of religious inquiry it may been the general rule; and the ex- most materially assist him. ceptions have either been unavoida- In that grand enunciation of the ble, or are quite iminaterial. dignity and design of the Sacred Vo

In referring to several relations of lume, which is given by the Apostle the same facts, by different Writers Paul, (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17,) we are told, in the Sacred Volume, (as in the his-that "ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INtories recorded by the Four Evan-SPIRATION OF GOD, AND IS PROFITAgelists, and in those contained in the BLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR Books of Kings and Chronicles,) the CORRECTION, FOR INSTRUCTION IN corresponding chapters, or parts of RIGHTEOUSNESS; THAT THE MAN OF chapters in each, having been once GOD MAY BE PERFECT, THOROUGHLY noted at the beginning of the history FURNISHED UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS." or subject, it has not been thought But it must be evident, that the necessary to repeat those references Scripture could not be effectually in the subsequent verses, except profitable for these great ends, nor where something material is to be make the man of God PERFECT, * if noticed. Thas also in the prophecy it were not perfect itself; if its dif of Obadiah, which relates chiefly to ferent parts were at variance with the destruction of the Edomites, the each other: if, notwithstanding all prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Eze- the variety of matter, and multiplikiel, and Amos, on the same subject, city of detail, which such a book having been once pointed out at the required, the doctrines revealed, and commencement, are not again refer- the moral duties enjoined, were not red to. And so in the history of our substantially and essentially the Lord's temptation, given in the fourth same throughout; and if all the chapter of the Gospel by St. Matthew, parts did not concur in the plan reference being made from the first of the whole. To exhibit, then, the verse to the fourth chapter of that harmony of the Sacred Writers, on by St. Luke, where the same history the subjects of which they treat, has is recorded, no further reference is been the primary design of this semade to that chapter in the subselection. And as there are some subquent verses; the connexion of the jects of leading importance, in which whole being obvious, and the com- all the rest are included, and by parison easy. More space has been means of which the harmony and thus retained for the illustration or perfection of the Inspired Pages are confirmation of the subjects or sen-written, as with the beams of the tences individually, which are com- sun; to these, especial care and at prised in the particular parts of the tention have been devoted. history or discourse.

For a similar reason, where the 'APTION, perfectus, integer, sanus, inclu same identical words, or nearly so,mis, consentaneus, consummatus.-Hedericus

OF THE POLYGLOTT BIBLE.

*I. It has appeared an object of the placed in unquestionable evidence. first magnitude, that the reader of Here, its defection from original pu the Holy Scriptures should be assisted rity is clearly demonstrated; the by references from text to text, to means of its restoration are set forth, have constantly in view the con- and its future destiny is declared. It nexion of all the divine attributes, is an awful responsibility which and the holy uniformity of God in his they incur who wilfully neglect this government, both of his Church, and holy book, and devote all their time, of the world. A display of the true and the powers of their minds, to character and perfections of God terrestrial, and subordinate objects. is, without dispute, one chief de- They slight the pearl of greatest sign of the Inspired Volume. Here, price, which is no where else to be as in Isaiah's miraculous vision, found; and seem as if they were de may Jehovah be seen, sitting upon a termined to frustrate, as far as rethrone, high and lifted up; his train spects themselves, all that Divine fills the temple, and the Sacred wisdom and goodness have done to Writers, like the Seraphim, cover rescue the immortal mind of man themselves, and cry one to another, from spiritual ignorance, error, va and say, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE nity, vice, and ruin. Those, howLORD OF HOSTS, THE WHOLE EARTH ever, who are seeking to enjoy the IS FULL OF HIS GLORY. It is this blessings which the Gospel reveals, which gives to the Scripture its su- will, as they are able, search the perlative grandeur. By it, God is Scriptures; and such persons will known; his will is promulgated; his receive great help from having repurposes are revealed; his mercy is ferences at hand to assist their inannounced; and he is every where quiries. "It were to be wished," exhibited as worthy of the supreme says Bishop Horsley, "that no Bibles adoration, love, service, and praise, were printed without References. of all his intelligent creatures. Lit. Particular diligence should be used tle do those who neglect their Bibles in comparing the parallel texts of think what refined delight they lose, the Old and New Testaments. . . by thus turning away their eyes It is incredible," he adds, "to any from the most sublime, the most glo- one who has not made the experirious, and the most beatifying object ment, what a proficiency may be made of contemplation, that the whole in that knowledge which maketh universe affords. wise unto salvation, by studying the

II. But this manifestation of the Scriptures in this manner, WITHOUT Divine character and government is ANY OTHER COMMENTARY, OR EXPOnot presented to us as a matter of SITION, THAN WHAT THE DIFFERENT mere speculation, in which we have PARTS OF THE SACRED VOLUME MI. no immediate and personal interest. TUALLY FURNISH FOR EACH OTHER, The Holy Scriptures are designed to Let the most illiterate Christian stupromote the Glory of God BY THE dy them in this manner, and let him SALVATION OF MAN. The peculiar pur- never cease to pray for the illuminpose of the whole is, to turn men ation of that Spirit by which these from darkness to light, and from the books were dictated: and the whole power of Satan to God; to raise them compass of abstruse philosophy, and from the ruins of the Fall, and to recondite history, shall furnish no put them in possession of the bless- argument with which the perverse ings of Redemption; to lead them will of man shall be able to shake from sin to holiness; to conduct them this learned Christian's faith." * So through a state of conflict and trial great and perfect is the coincidence on earth, to a state of rest and felicity of every part of the Word of God in in heaven; and so to assist and direct the grand and merciful design of the them in all possible conditions in whole!

life, that they may not fail of these III. This is more apparent, and great ends, except by their own wil the harmony and perfection of the ful rejection of the counsel of God Holy Scriptures are rendered more against themselves. The salvation peculiarly evident and distinct, by of his own soul should therefore be the constant reference of all its the grand concern of every reader of writers to our Lord and Saviour the Scripture. Here the immortality

of the soul is brought to light, and

*Horsley's Nine Sermons, p. 224-238.

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Jesus Christ. To HIM GIVE ALL THE sors themselves; then to Numb. xviii. PROPHETS WITNESS. Acts x. 43. The 23. to shew the typical visitation of things which were written in the it upon the Levitical priesthood; law of Moses, and in all the Prophets, then to Isaiah liii. 11. to shew the and in the Psalms, concern HIM; prophetic declaration of its being (Luke xxiv. 27, 44;) and would come laid on Christ; and, lastly, to 1 Pet. to nothing if he were separated from ii. 24. to shew the actual fulfilment them. He is the bright and morning of that prophecy, and the end to be star; the true light that must lighten answered by it for there we are every man who comes to see the told, that He that judgeth righteously, glory of Divine Revelation. Rev." his own self, bare our sins in his xxii. 16. John i. 9. It has therefore own body on the tree, that we, being been a chief design of this Work to dead to sin, should live to righteous. connect and to exhibit the testimony ness."

which all the Sacred Penmen bear V. The concurrence of the Old and to the adorable Immanuel; to the New Testament with each other, proper and unequivocal Divinity of and the relation of the types before his nature, the necessity of his me- and under the Mosaic law, to their diation, the reality and design of completion under the Gospel, have his incarnation, his spotless and ex- been studiously regarded, so as to emplary life, his unparalleled suffer- render it evident, that whatever vaings, his vicarious death, the verity riations may have been made in the of his resurrection and ascension form and administration of external into heaven, the sufficiency of his worship, true religion, under the righteousness, the prevalence of his former dispensations, was always intercession, the spirituality of his essentially the same as true relikingdom, his sovereignty in the gion under the present; that "he is Church, his constant care and love not a Jew which is one outwardly; of his people, and the certainty of neither is that circumcision which his second coming to raise the dead is outward in the flesh: but he is a and judge the world in righteous Jew which is one inwardly; and ness;-grand and sublime truths, in circumcision is that of the heart, in which every individual of the hu- the spirit, and not in the letter; man race is deeply and eternally in- whose praise is not of men, but of terested. God. For in every nation, he that

IV. The chief purpose of Christ's feareth God, and worketh righteousmission being that such as believe ness, is accepted of him." Rom. ii. on him might be saved from sin, 28, 29. Acts x. 35. In this, the rewhich is the transgression of the velation made before the institution Divine law, and from the punish- of the Levitical priesthood, that ment due to it; it has been thought made during its continuance, and important frequently to connect that which has been made since its those texts which speak of trans- termination, all agree. The Mosaic gressions, with those in which the ritual was the shadow of good things law concerning them is to be found, to come; so were the priesthood and and in which punishment is threat- kingdom of Melchisedec: and the ened; and sometimes with those in body is Christ, who is essentially the which the atonement is set forth, same, both in his person and in his and pardon is proclaimed; or in government, yesterday, to-day, and which sanctification is promised, or for ever. Heb. xiii. 8. enforced; and these again with such VI. But the instruction diffused as relate to the future happiness and through the Scriptures, respecting glory which is promised to the faith- the gracious and indispensable opeful, or punishment and misery de- rations of the Holy Ghost the Sancnounced against the impenitent. A tifier, has not been forgotten: and small body of divinity is sometimes the references on this article will comprised in a few texts connected shew, that, as to his sacred influence together in this way. Thus, from on the minds of the Inspired Penthose words in Ezek. xxiii. 49. Yemen, we are indebted for all the shall bear the sins of your idols, the truths they have taught us; so to his Reader is referred first to Numb. xiv. influence on the minds of those who 34, as a parallel passage, shewing receive and regard them, must such God visiting sin upon the transgres-persons be indebted for all they have

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learned, or can learn, of them. His connect the devotional parts of Scripwork completes the great design of ture with the occurrences which gave the whole; and his assistance and rise to them, as far as they can be blessing are distinctly promised to ascertained. Thus is Religion known all who sincerely ask them. by its fruits: not as a thing merely

VII. As the Scriptures harmonize of times and circumstances: but a in their primary and general objects, living principle in the mind, which so do they with regard to the parti- times and circumstances call into cular subjects comprehended in their action, and contribute to display. plan. Historical accounts are veri- IX. The aphoristic and poetical fied by other coincident ones, or by parts of the Sacred Writings are also accounts of the persons or places to connected, so as to illustrate and which they refer. The prophecies enforce each other; that the Reader of one Prophet, concerning events may be constantly impressed with which were to take place, relating those momentous truths, and that either to kingdoms, families, indivi- sublime language with which they duals, or the world at large, are con- abound, and which afford perpetual sistent with those pronounced by food for the best exercises of the unother Prophets. The accounts of the derstanding, and the finest emotions Jewish polity under its various vi- of the heart; at once furnishing macissitudes, are confirmed by the writ- terials for the most rational enterings of the Prophets who lived du- tainment, and the most solid instrucring or after those vicissitudes; tion. In this respect, the Scriptures while the former tend reciprocally to will be found to resemble the garden establish the authenticity of the lat- of Eden, in which the Lord God has ter. The histories of the Four Evan-made to grow every tree that is gelists have a regular connection pleasant to the sight, and good for and parallelism, especially those of spiritual food. But no Cherubim or Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The re- flaming sword are here to prohibit cital of the transactions of the Apos- access to the Tree of Life. The chiltles, after the ascension of our Lord, dren of the second Adam may freely, strongly authenticates the Apostolic and without fear or interruption, Epistles and Archdeacon Paley has now put forth their hands to its soulwell shewn the confirmation which reviving fruit, and take, and eat, and the Epistles of St. Paul derive from live for ever.

the circumstances recorded by St. X. The agreement of the Sacred Luk, in his book of the Acts. Pro-Writers with each other will be found phecies are connected with their ac- not only to exist in the subjects on complishments, as far as those ac- which they treat, but to extend to complishments are included in the their own individual characters. It Scripture History. Promises and will appear that they were all anithreatenings are connected with mated by the same Spirit; that they their respective fulfilments; precept were all holy men, speaking as they with example, and with supplica- were moved by the Holy Ghost, calltion; and the prayers of believers ing men to holiness, as the indiswith the answers they have received. pensable requisite to the enjoyment All these relations have been care- of everlasting happiness;-men, nefully regarded in this compilation. vertheless, of like passions with ourVIII. Further, the Scriptures are selves, conscious of their own natunot merely intended to lead men to ral infirmity and sinfulness, and of godliness: they are intended also to the mercy of God through Christ Jeexemplify it. Repentance, Faith, sus, as their only refuge from his Hope, Charity, and Devotion, are just displeasure. In short, they were here exhibited in the most perfect men fearing God; loving God; loving models; and it has therefore entered his character, his laws, his will; ad into the design of this Work to shew miring his great and wonderful purthe corresponding emotions and con-poses, and voluntarily, deliberateduct of the Saints, both of the Old ly, and determinedly devoting themTestament and the New, when un-selves to his service, whatever it der the influence of those disposi- might cost them, and to whatever it tions, contemplations, and emotions, might expose them. On all these which are most peculiarly charac- accounts, they are held forth as exteristic of true piety; and also to amples, whose faith, patience, and

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PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH VERSION, &c.

practice, Christians are to follow. Jappears to be daily heightened fresh 1 Cor. xi. 1. Heb. xiii. 7. Ja. v. 10. odours are emitted, and new sweets It is thus that the Scriptures are extracted from them. He who hath PROFITABLE to all the purposes for once tasted their excellencies, will which they are destined, and are cal-desire to taste them yet again; and culated to make the man of God PER- he who tastes them oftenest vill reFECT, and thoroughly furnished unto lish them best."

all good works. To the Inspired Happy in having laboured to faciPages at large may be applied the litate the acquaintance of the Chrisremarks of the excellent Bishop tian with this invaluable treasure, Horne (on the Psalms.) "Indited the Editor has now only to implore under the influence of Him, to whom the blessing of Him by whom its exall hearts are known, and all events haustless stores have been bestowed foreknown, they suit mankind in all on sinful man; and to hope that his situations, grateful as the manna feeble endeavours may be instruwhich descended from above, and mental in advancing the Reader's conformed itself to every palate. edification, and, in their humble The fairest productions of human measure, tend to promote that happy wit, after a few perusals, like gather-state of things, so long foretold, and ed flowers, wither in our hands, and so ardently to be desired, in which Lose their fragancy; but these un- THE EARTH SHALL BE FILLED WITH fading plants of Paradise become, as THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF we are accustomed to them, still JEHOVAH AS THE WATERS COVER THE more and more beautiful their bloom SEA. Heb. ii. 14. Is. xi. 9.

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T. C.