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THE
FAMILY EXPOSITOR;
PARAPHRASE AND NOTES
THE NEW TESTAMENT.
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PHILIP
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TJIE
FAMILY EXPOSITOR;
OR, A
PARAPHRASE AND VERSION,
NEW TESTAMENT;
WITH CRITICAL NOTES,
A PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT OF EACH SECTION.
BY PHILIP IdODDRIDGE, D. D.
STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED VERBATIM FROM THE BEST EDITION IN QUARTO, WITH A PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR.
LONDON : PRINTED FOR WILLIAM BAYNES AND SON,
PATERNOSTER-ROW,
AND H. S. BAYNES, EDINBURGH.
MDCCCXXV.
BUNGAY .
Stereotyped and Printed by J. & R. Childs.
TO
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS
THE PRINCESS OF WALES
MADAM,
I MOST thankfully acknowledge the condescension of your Royal Highness in allowing me the honour of laying this work at your feet, and committing it to so august a protection ; and humbly beg your favourable acceptance of it, as a most sincere though inconsiderable expression ot the profoundest duty, and most cordial esteem. /. , 1 1 j
Could I lay open to your Royal Highness all the secret sentiments of my heart you would read there the most affectionate sense of that gracious Providence which conducted you hither, to mstruct and adorn Great Britain by so amiable an example, as well as to bless it with a race ot princes descended from the illustrious houses of Brunswick and Saxe-Gotha in so happy an union ! Joytully have I, long since, taken my part with thousands in congratulating ray country and your Royal High- ness on this occasion, and acknowledging that wise and paternal care his Majesty hath therein ex- pressed for the happiness of succeeding generations : but permit me, Madam, freely to add, that with regard to yourself, I rejoice not so much in this accession to your grandeur, as in the persua- sion I have, that you are possessed of a mind so superior to it, as to render it m all its remotest consequences, what greatness is not always to its possessors, safe, honourable, and advantageous. Universal report leaves me no room to doubt, that, even in this bloommg age, you are tenderly sen- sible of the shining dangers inseparable from so high a rank ; and that it appears to your princely wisdom chiefly desirable, on account of those distinguished advantages which it may give, of approv- ing yourself the faithful servant of God, and the generous friend of the public.
Among the principal of these advantages, your Royal Highness will undoubtedly number the oppor- tunity which this exalted station of life affords you, of forming to early sentiments ot religion and virtue the opening minds of your royal offspring ; those dear pledges of the liberty and happiness of ages yet to come, on whose temper and character so much of public glory to our nation, so much of private felicity to yet unformed families, will depend. We adore the great Disposer of all events, who hath lodged this important trust in so wise and so pious a hand ; and it must argue a very irreligious or a very careless temper, if any neglect earnestly to pray, that He who hath so gra- ciously assigned it to you, may direct and prosper you in it. While you. Madam, during the tender years which most naturally fall under the care of a mother, are endeavouring to bless those lovely infants with an education like that which you received from the excellent princes your parents, may your Royal Highness, in a success like theirs, receive the joys you have given ! May they arise and shine on the whole Protestant world, in the lustre of every royal virtue and every christian grace, which can render them dear to God and to their country, and, to say all m a word, worthy their relation to the Prince and Princess of Wales, and to all the glorious line of remoter ancestors from which they spring ! u i r i *i
I should esteem it one of the greatest blessings of my life, and should be able to relish the thought in the nearest views of death itself, if this humble present, which I here offer to your Royal Highness, might give you any assistance in these pious cares. If the kings ot Israel were required not only to read the law of Moses all the days of their lives, but to write out a copy of it with their own hand; it may reasonably be expected, that christian princes should make the far more glorious gospel of the Son of God 'their daily study, that it may be their constant gmde. And I persuade myself. Madam, that none of the fashionable amusements of the age will seem to you in any degree comparable to that rational and elevated pleasure, which you will hnd m pointing out to your happy charge, as they grow capable of such instructions, the resplendent example ot Jesus, the Prince of heaven, and the King of alory ; in tracing the marvellous and edifying circum-
DEDICATION.
stances of his life, as here described ; and in urging their humble and dutiful regards to that Divine yet condescending Redeemer ; to whom your Royal Highness, with all those amiable virtues which render you the delight and boast of ournation, will thankfully ascribe your own hopes of being finally accepted by God, and sharing the joys of his eternal presence.
These hopes, Madam, are the grand supports of the human mind, in those views from which royalty and empire cannot shelter it. An awful Providence, which we must all long lament, did early write these admonitions to your Royal Highness in the dust of one of the best of queens. The attention with which her late Majesty studied the sacred oracles and the evidences of our holy religion, for which, even in her departing moments, she expressed so firm a regard, will, I hope, never be forgotten by any allied to her, or descended from her. Nor am I able, in all the overflowings of the most affectionate gratitude and duty which I now feel, to form a more important wish for that condescending Patroness to whom I am addressing, than (to borrow the words of the Hebrew monarch) that the testimonies of God may be her " delight and her counsellors !" And I trust. Madam, that they are so ; I trust, that conscious of a heart devoted to God, and supported by a well-grounded confidence in his favour, you are fixing your eyes on a celestial diadem, which shall sparkle with immortal glories, when the kingdoms of this earth shall be known no more, and all its pageantry shall be passed away like a dream. May you at length, in a very distant moment, have a happy accession to that never- fading crown ; and, after having long adorned the highest stations here with that amiable Prince, whose constant and endearing friendship is so much more to your Royal Highness than all the gran- deur which can result from your relation to hira, may you be both exalted to the superior glories of the heavenly kingdom !
I hope your Royal Highness will please to pardon me, that I have expressed myself with so much warmth and freedom, in a presence I so highly revere : but I should be most unworthy of the name and honour of a christian minister, if I were ever ashamed of sentiments like these ; and the assiduity with which I have lately been sitting at the feet of my Divine Master, while commenting on these authentic memoirs of his Hfe and history, hath inspired me with a veneration and ardour which it is not easy to repress. I am sensible. Madam, these are unfashionable strains on such an occasion ; and it would have been easy to have filled many more pages than these with panegyric, on what I have read of your illustrious ancestors, and what I have heard from multitudes, of the charms of your Royal Highness's person and character : but I imagined that such hints as these were more suitable to that plainness and simplicity which at all times become a servant of Christ ; and I flatter myself, that to a person of your Royal Highness's penetration, they will not seem less expressive of that undissembled esteem, and affectionate zeal, with which I am,
MADAM,
Your Royal Highness's
Most faithful, most dutiful,
And most obedient, humble servant,
PHILIP DODDRIDGE.
PREFACE
TO THE FUiST VOLUME OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION
CONTAINING THE
FORMER PART OF THE HISTORY OF CHRIST.
I HAVE long been convinced, that if any thing can stop that progress of infidelity and vice, which every wise man beholds with sorrow and fear ; that if any thing can allay those animosities, which (unnatural as they are) have so long inflamed us, and pained the heart of every generous christian ; in a word, that if any thing can establish the purity and order, the peace and glory of the church, or spread the triumphs of personal and domestic religion among us, it must be an attentive study of the Word of God, and especially of the New Testament ; that best of books, which, if read with impartiality and seriousness, under the influences of that blessed Spirit by whom it was inspired, would have the noblest tendency to enlighten and adorn the mind, and not only to touch, but to animate and transform the heart.
The station of life in which Divine Providence has placed me, rendered it peculiarly necessary for me to make these sacred oracles my principal study ; and having, to my unspeakable delight and advantage, felt much of their energy, I long since determined, that it should be the main business of my life as an author to illustrate them, and to lead my fel- low-christialls into a due regard for them, by endeavouring, in as plain and popular a manner as I could, to display their beauty, their spirit, and their use : and I thankfully acknowledge the goodness of God to me, in giving me health and spirits to finish so considerable a part of my design, though I have so much other business daily on my hands, and have been obliged to execute this in a much more laborious manner than I at first apprehended would have been requisite.
The title I have given to the work sufficiently explains its original design, which was chiefly to promote family religion, and to render the reading of the New Testament more pleasant and improving to those that wanted the benefit of a learned education, and had not opportunity or inclination to consult a variety of commentators. And I thought it proper still to retain the title of The Family Expositor, even when I had made some alteration in the plan ; because that is still the leading view of the greater part of the work. In pursuit of this, I have given a large Paraphrase on the sacred text, well knowing that this is the most agreeable and useful manner of explaining it to common readers, who hardly know how to manage annotations, especially when they are to be read to others. The chief objection against this way is, that when a whole verse, and much more when several verses are taken together, (as they frequently are,) it requires a great attention, and in some places some considerable penetration, to trace the exact correspondence between the respective clauses of the text and the paraphrase. There are some performances of this kind in our ovm language, as well as in others, in which such liberties are taken, that I freely confess that, were it not for the initial references, or opposite column, I should not be able to guess from the paraphrase itself what the scripture was which it pretended to explain. This must undoubtedly give the greatest advantage for disguise and misrepresentation ; and where those glosses are read by themselves without the scriptures, (which I know has been the case in some families,) it is really exchanging the prophets and apostles for modern divines. To prevent this intolerable evil, I have formed my paraphrase so, that it is impossible to read it without the text, having every where interwoven the words of scripture with it, and carefully distinguished them from the rest by the Italic character ; so that every one may immediately see, not only the particular clause to which any explication answers, but also what are the words of the sacred original, and what merely the sense of a fallible man, who is liable, though in the integrity of his heart, to mislead his readers, and dares not attribute to himself the singular glory of having put otF every prejudice, even while he would deliberately and knowingly allow none.
I thought it might be some additional improvement of this work, and some entertainment to the more accurate reader, to give the text in a new version ; which I have accordingly done from the original, with all the care I could. There are so few places in which the general sense will appear different from our received translation, that some will perhaps think this an unnecessary trouble : but I can by no means repent it, as it has given me an opportunity of searching more ac- curately into several beauties of expression which had before escaped me, and of making some alterations, which, though they may not be very material to the edification of men's souls, may yet in some degree do a farther honour to scripture ; raising some of those ornaments which were before depressed ; and sufficiently proving that several objections urged against it were entirely of an English growth : ends which might yet more abundantly be answered by a new version of the Old Testament, which has suffered much more in our translation, as it is natural to suppose it must.
I thought it might also conduce to the usefulness of this Exposition to digest the history of the four Evangehsts into one continued series, or, in other words, to throw it into the order of an harmony. By this means, each story and dis- course is exhibited with all its concurrent circumstances, as recorded by the sacred penmen ; frequent repetitions are prevented ; and a multitude of seeming oppositions are so evidently reconciled, as to supersede many objections, and render the very mention of them unnecessary. My reader will hardly imagine the pains that this part of the work has cost me, both in examining the order of the several texts, and collating the different accounts in each, in such a manner.
PREFACE.
that no one clause in any of the Evangehsts might be omitted, and yet the several passages to be inserted might make one connected sense, and, without any large addition, stand in a due grammatical order. I was the more sensible of this labour, as I laid it down for a maxim to myself, when I entered on this work, that I would study as much as possible to make it an original in all its parts. Accordingly, the first copy of it was drawn up with hardly any other assistance than that of the Greek Testament, which I endeavoured to harmonize, to translate, to paraphrase, and to improve, just as if none had ever attempted any thing of that nature before me. Afterwards I was obliged to compare it with what othei-s had done ; and, as may easily be supposed, I found in many instances an agreement, and in many others- a difference, betwixt them and myself. Where we differed, I endeavoured impartially to examine the reasons on both sides; and where I have perceived myself indebted to any, for leading' me into a more just and beautiful »emo;z, explication, or disposition, than I had before chosen, I have generally, and, so far as I can recollect, universally, acknowledged it ; unless where the hint came from some living friend, where such acknowledgment would not have been agreeable. There are, no doubt, many other instances in which the thoughts that seemed originally my own, night be suggested by memory, thougli I knew not from whence they came ; and a thousand more are so obvious, that one would suppose they must occur to every attentive reader, who has any genius and furniture for criticism. To have multiplied references and quotations in such a case, would have been, I think, a very useless and burdensome piece of pedantry, and might (as I fear has been the case with Pfeiffer and Wolfius) have discouraged the reader from consulting any, in so great a crowd. I could not well brook the drudgery of transcribing the works of others, and should scorn the meanness of dressing myself up in borrowed plumes ; but if any imagine me a mere compiler, I shall not be greatly concerned at their mistake, but say, with the modest and excellent Mons. Rollin, " If the things themselves are good, it signifies very little whose they are."*
The Notes are, at the desire of many friends, entiiely added to my first scheme ; and when I saw so many persons of learning and rank were pleased to encourage my undertaking, I thought it would be no unacceptable expression of my gratitude to them, to insert several which I should otherwise have omitted. Some of them seemed absolutely necessary to justify the version and paraphrase, in what might seem most peculiar in it : several more refer to the m^der, and give my reasons for le^ ving the general track where I have left it, and for not leaving it much oftener, where some very learned and ingenious authors have taken a great deal of pains (though, I persuade myself, with a very good intent) to lead us out of the way : and as several of these are modern writers, the remarks are such as do not commonly occur. The rest of the notes consist, either of some observations on the beauty and force of various passages, which I do not remember to have seen elsewhere ; or of references to, and observations upon, considerable writers, whether they be or be not professed expositors of scripture, who seem in the most masterly manner to examine or to illustrate and confirm the sense I have given. These are generally but very short ; because it would have been quite foreign to my purpose, and utterly inconsistent with my scheme, to have formed them into large critical essays : but I hope they may be some guide to young students, who, if they have libraries at hand, are in great danger of being lost in a xvood, where, I am sorry to say it, they will find a multitude oi pricklij and knottT/ shrubs, and in comparison but few pleasant and fruitful trees. It has appeared to me an office of real and important friendship to gentlemen in this station of life, to endeavour to select for them the most valuable passages which occur in reading, and to remit them thither, not only for the illustration of scripture, but also for their direction in studying the evidences and contents both of natural and revealed religion. This I have done with great care and labour in a pretty large work, which perhaps may be published after my death, if surviving friends should judge it proper. To that I have generally referred those citations which relate to polemical divinity/ ; and at present only add, that, with regard to these notes, I have endeavoured to render them easy and en- tertaining, even to an English reader; and for that purpose have cautiously excluded quotations from the learned languages, even where they might have served to illustrate customs referred to, or words to be explained. That deficiency may be abundantly made up by the perusal of Eisner, Albert, Bos, Wolfius, Raphelius, Fortuita Sacra, Sfc.-\ books which I cannot but recommend to my young friends, as proper not only to ascertain the sense of a variety of words and phrases which occur in the apostolic writings, but also to form them to the most usefid method of studying the Greek classics : those great masters of solid sense, elegant expression, just lively painting, and masculine eloquence, to the neglect of which I cannot but ascribe that enervate, dissolute, and puerile manner of writing, wliich is growing so much on the present age, and will probably consign so many of its productions to speedy oblivion.
The Improvement of each section is entirely of a practical nature, and generally consists of pressing exhortations and devout meditations, grounded on the general design, or on some particular passages, of the section to which they are annexed. They are all in an evangelical strain, and they could not with any propriety have been otherwise. I am well aware that this manner is not much in the present taste, and I think it at once a sad instance and cause of our degeneracy that it is not. If it be necessary that I should offer any apology, it must in short be this ; I have with all possible attention and impartiality considered first the general evidences of the truth of Christianity, and then those of the inspiration of the New Testament, which seems to me inseparably connected with the former ; and, on the whole, am in my conscience persuaded of both, and have been confirmed in that conviction by the most laboured attempts to overthrow them. It seems a necessary consequence of this conviction, (and I am astonished it should not be more gene- rally attended to,) that we are with the humblest submission of mind to form our religious notions on this plan, and to give up the most darling maxims which will not bear the test of it.
I should think any impartial reader must immediately see, and every judicious critic be daily more confirmed in it, that the New Testament teaches us to conceive of Christ, not as a generous Benefactor only, who, having performed some actions of heroic virtue and benevolence, is now retired from all intercourse with our world, so that we have no more to do with liim than to preserve a grateful remembrance of his character and favours ; but that he is to be considered as an ever-living and ever-present Friend, with whom we are to maintain a daily commerce by faith and prayer, and from whom we are to derive those supplies of divine grace, whereby we may be strengthened for the duties of life, and
• Que m importe d'ou il soit, pourvu qvi'il se trnuve utile. — Roll. Aftm. d'enseign. Vol. I. p. 75.
+ As some of the books mentioned abore are not very common among- us, it may not be improper to insert their titles : viz. Jacohi Eisner, Obseival. Sficrcp, 2 vol. 8\o. Trnject. ad Rken.n20. Albfrti Observ. Philolog. Zvgd. Sat. 1725. Lambcrli Bos Eiercitat. PItitolog. Franek. 1700. Lambert'. Bos. Animadvers. Franek. 1715. Lamberti Bos. Observat. Miscell. Leovard. 1731. Raphelii Annotat. Philol. in Nov. Teit. ti Xeno-phonle, Polybio,et Herodoto collect<r,Z tom. Lunen. 1731. Wolfd Curte Philolog. et Crilictr, iio. Hamb. 1720.
PREFACE.
ripened for a state of perfect holiness and felicity. This is evident not only from particular passages of scripture, in which he is described as always with his church, (Mat. xxviii. 20.) ; as present wherever two or three are assembled in his name, (Mat. xviii. 20.) ; as upholding all things by the word of his power; (Heb. i. 3.) and as Head over all to his church ; (Eph. i. 22.) but indeed from the whole scope and tenor of the New Testament. These views are there- fore continually to be kept up ; and for any to pretend that this is a round-about method, (as some have presumed to call it,) and that men may be led to virtue, the great end of all, by a much plainer and more direct way, seems to me only a vain and arrogant attempt to be wiser than God himself ; which therefore must in the end appear to hQfoUi/t with whatever subtilty of argument it may be defended, or with whatever pomp of rhetoric it be adorned.
The New Testament is a book written with the most consummate knowledge of human nature ; and though theie are a thousand latent beauties in it, which it is the business and glory of true criticism to place in a strong point of light, the general sense and design of it is plain to every honest reader, even at the very first perusal. It is evidently intended to bring us to God through Christ, in an humble dependence on the communications of his sanctifying and quickening Spirit ; and to engage us to a course of faithful and universal obedience, chiefly from a grateful sense of the riches of divine grace manifested to us in the gospel. And though this scheme is indeed liable to abuse, as every thing else is, it appears to me plain in fact, that it has been, and still is, the grand instrument of refonning a very degenerate woild : and, according to the best observations I have been able to make on what has passed about me, or within my own breast, I have found that, in proportion to the degree in which this evangelical scheme is received and relished, the interest of true virtue and holiness flourishes, and the mind is formed to manly devotion, diffusive benevolence, steady fortitude, and, in short, made ready to every good word and work. To this therefore I am determined, at all adventures, to adhere ; nor am I at all ashamed or afraid of any scorn which I may encounter in such a cause ; and I would ear- nestly exhort and entreat all my brethren in the christian ministry to join with me, as well knowing to whom we have committed our souls ; and cheerfully hoping, that He, by whom we have hitherto, if faithful in our calling, been supported and animated, will at length confess us before the presence of his Father and the holy angels, in that day when it will be found no dishonour to the greatest and wisest of the children of men to have listed themselves under the banner of the cross, and constaatly and affectionately to have kept their Divme Leader in view.
I cannot flatter myself so far as to imagine that I have fallen into no mistakes, in a work of so great compass and difficulty ; but my own conscience acquits me of having designedly misrepresented any single passage of scripture, or of having written one line with a purpose of inflaming the hearts of christians against each other. I should esteem it one of the most aggravated crimes to make the life of the gentle and benevolent Jesus a vehicle to convey such poison. Would to God that all the party names, and unscriptural phrases and forms, which have divided the christian world, were forgot ! and that we might agree to sit down together, as humble, loving disciples, at the feet of our common Master, to hear his word, to imbibe his Spirit, and to transcribe his life in our own !
I hope it is some token of such growing candour on one side, as I am sure it should be an engagement to cultivate it on the other, that so many of the reverend clergy of the establ islmient, as well as other persons of distinction in it, have favoured this undertaking with their encouragement. To them, and all my other friends, I return my most hearty thanks ; and shall remember, that the regard they have been pleased to express to it, obliges me to pursue the remain- der of the work with the utmost care and application ; and earnestly entreat the farther assistance of their prayers, that it may be conducted in a manner subservient to the lionour of the gospel and the edification of the church.
In these volumes I have been desirous to express my gratitude to the subscribers, by sparing nothing in my power which might render the work acceptable to them, both with respect to its contents and its form. The consequence of this is, that it has swelled to a number of sheets, which by more than a third part exceeds what I promised in the pro- posals ; which, though at a great expense, I chose to permit, rather than I would either sink the paper and character beneath the specimen, or omit some remarks in the notes which appeared to me of moment, and rose in my mind while I was transcribing them. But I hope this large addition to what was at first expected, will excuse my not complyuig with the importunity of some of my friends, who have requested that I would introduce this work with a dissertation on such points of Jewish antiquity as might be serviceable for the fuller understanding the New Testament, or with a discourse on its genuineness, credibility, inspiration, and use.
As to the first of these, (a compendious view of such articles of Jewish antiquity as may be a proper introduction to the critical study of scripture,) I do with great pleasure refer the generality of readers and young students to the general preface to the Prussian Testament, published by Mess. L'Enfant and Beausobre ; which preface was some years since translated into English, and suits the purpose better than any thing I have seen within so small a compass. As to the latter, I purpose, if God permit, when I have finished the second volume, to publish, with another edition of my Three Sermons on the Evidences of Christianity, two or three discourses more on the inspiration of the New Testament, and on its usefulness, especially that of the Evangelical History ; to which I may perhaps add some farther directions for the most profitable manner of reading it. At present I shall only add, that daily experience convinces me more and more, that as a thousand charms discover themselves in the works of nature, when attentively viewed with glasses, which had escaped the naked eye ; so our admiration of the holy scriptures will rise in proportion to the accuracy with whicli they are studied.
As for these histories and discourses of Christ, I may say of them, with far greater justice, what Simplicius doth of Epictetus, in the passage of which my rnotto is a part, and with which I shall conclude my preface : " The words them- " selves are generally plain and intelligible : but I have endeavoured thus to unfold them, that my own heart might be more " deeply impressed with the spirit and certainty of them ; and tliat others, who have not themselves equal advantage for " entering into it, might be guided into their true interpretation. But if, on the whole, any reader continue entirely unaffect- " ed with them, there is little prospect that any thing will reclaim him till he come to the tribunal of the invisible world.*"'
* Kai Ei'i ^£v 01 Koyoi Ci^ar a X£ij»v h iffwf, x^3 r» S\nxrm 'SnxTlvtrntf/ aciflm. O t£ ya:? ypt^ijv, mfxiixdi^ipos r£ acfiX sr^f avta! •Yivmtlxi, xai riw aXn^iixs aulx"/ xilaveoilixwlEjW x.zi r:ci PiXtuxim ot sr^ X^yaj ISwuQefjfOi, iJus tfaJi rivJt X6i(>iyiJ7i3(y_£X ns ejmivsjis X'Jlcf. — Ei Si Tis vm r«lav /xrt axJx'^ ruv Xo^ot, vnt ^avcn ay t«v £v aSv Sixx^fim vi:ivivy^i''n.
Simplic. in Epictct. Proem. Northampton, •Nov. 27, 1738. /
b
PREFACE
TO THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION
CONTAIMNO THE
SECOND PART OF THE HISFOllY OF CHRIsr.
The publication of this Second Voliane of the FAMILY EXPOSITOR hath been delayed so long beyond my own expectation, and that of my friends, that it may perhaps seem necessary to introduce it with an apology for that delay. But it would be tedious to enumerate a variety of circumstances which have concurred to occasion it. It is generally known, that the unusual severity of the last winter laid a kind of embargo on the press ; and they that are at all acquainted with the business of printing, will easily apprehend that, under the most faithful and careful direction, a work of considerable bulk is liable to many other interruptions, even where the manuscript is entirely finished before the impression is begun. But, after all, the chief reason why this hath been published no sooner, is (what I hope my subscribers will easily excuse) the large addition I have made of more than fifty sheets to the hundred which I was by the proposals obliged to deliver.
On the mention of this, I think myself obliged to renew my thanks to those, who, by honouring me with their names and encouragement on this occasion, have put it into my power to publish the work with such improvements ; and shall think myself happy if those improvements, however laborious and expensive to the author, may render it more acceptable and useful to them.
The tables prefixed to the first volume are concluded in this, and represent the disposition of the harmony in so clear a view, that by comparing them together it would not be difficult to find any particular text. But a deference to the request of some of the subscribers engaged me to add another table at the end of this volume, (of the same kind with that in Mr. Bonnel's Harmony,) which will at once direct both to the section and the page where any verse may presently be found.
I cannot pretend so much as to conjecture when the remainder of my undertaking will be completed. I shall however proceed in it as fast as my health and other affairs will permit. In the mean time, I think it necessary to observe, that I have by the advice of some considerate and judicious friends, deferred the index, and some other things which' I intended to have thrown into an appendix here, till I have finished what I am preparing on the Acts ; that so they may stand, as they very properly will, at the end of the historical books of the New Testament.
How far the subscribers to these two volumes may think it proper to encourage the rest, must be referred to themselves. In the mean time, as that must be exceeding precarious which depends on the continuance of one man's life and health, I would desire permission here to take leave of my friends, at least for the present, with such a serious address as may be the most substantial expression of my sincere gratitude and respect.
I should have thought, my honoured friends, that I had made you a very unworthy return for this public token of your regard to me, if I had offered you merely an amusement, though ever so critical and polite. It had been much better, on both sides, that the work should never have been undertaken or perused, than that these divi7ie authors should be treated like a set of profane classics ; or that the sacred and momentous transactions they relate should be handled and read like an invented tale, or a common history. I have often reminded 77)7/selfoi it, and permit me now. Sirs, solemnly to remind ;i/ou, that these are the memoirs of the holy Jesus, the Saviour of sinful men, whom to know- is life eternal, and whom to neglect is everlasting destruction. We have here the authentic records of that gospel which was intended as the great medicine for our souls ; of that character which is our pattern ; of that death which is our ransom ; of hi7n, in short, whose name we bear as we are professed christians, and before whose tribunal we are all shortly to appear, that our eternal existence may be determined, blissful, or miserable, according to our regard to what he has taught, and done, and endured. Let not the greatest therefore think it beneath their notice ; nor the meanest imagine, that, amidst all the most necessary cares and labours, they can find any excuse for neglecting, or even for postponing it.
Had I not been fully convinced of the certainty and importance of Christianity, I should not have determined to devote my whole life to its service: (for, on the principles of natural religion,! know the soul to be immortal, and should expect nothing but its ruin in the ways of the most sanctified fraud :) but as I am thus convinced, I must make it my humble request to every one that enters on the perusal of these volumes, that they may, for a little while at least, be the employment of his retired hdurs ; and that as he proceeds from one section to another, he would pause and reflect, " Whose 'words do I hear ? " Whose actions do I survey ? Who?e sufferings do I contemplate ?" And as all must know they are the u-ords, the actions, and Ihe sufferings of Jesus the Son of God, our'supreme Lord, and our final Judge, let it be farther and very seriously inquired in what degree the obvious and confessed design of the glorious gospel has been practically regarded and complied with : " Can I, in ray heart, think that I am a disciple whom such a Master will approve, and whom he will chuse for his attendant in that " world of glory to which he is now gone ?" Let the plainness of this advice be forgiven ; for such is the temper and con- duct of most who call themselves christians, that if this religion be true, their cold and unafTecting knowledge of the history of Christ, and of the purposes of his appearance, will only serve to furnish out matter for eternal self-accusation and remorse:
PREFACE.
and he is, at best, but a learned and polite infidel who would not rather be the instrument of conducting the lowest creature, capable of reading or hearing these lines, to the saving knowledge of a crucified Redeemer, than fill the most refined nation with his own applause, while the grace of the Saviour is forgotten, or his service neglected.
I have yet one farther request to add to those of my readers who are heads of families ; which is, that they would please to remember the title of the work, and consider it as chiefly intended, in its most essential parts, for a Family Expositor. I heartily rejoice in the reason which I have to hope, that, low as our religious character is fallen in these de"-enerate days, acts of domestic worship are yet performed by multitudes of christians of various denominations : yet I cannot but fear, that the scriptures are not so constantly read at such seasons as they formerly were ; an omission which must be to the great detriment both of children and servants. One would think, that those who believe the divine authority of scripture, and its infinite importance, should be easily prevailed upon to restore this useful exercise, at least for one part of the day ; and I would hope, that what I here offer them may render it more agreeable and useful. It would give me inexpressible delight to find that this is the case in those famihes with which I am most intimately acquainted ; and would be an encouragement to hope this work may be proportionably useful in places and times to which neither my observation nor intelligence can extend.
I shall conclude this preface with my hearty prayers, that, weak and imperfect as these labours are, the divine bless- m^ may every where and always attend them ; and that it may rest on all who have patronized them, and on all who shall peruse them ! May every prejudice against the truth of Christianity, or against its power, be vanquished ! May the most insensible minds be awakened to attend to religion, and may the weak and languishing be animated to press on to greater attainments in it ! May those that are preparing for the service of the sanctuary, (as every part of this performance is their concern,) be by every part of it more abundantly furnished for the various duties of their important office ! And may those who are yet but babes in knowledge, through the divine blessing grow by that sincere milk of the word which is here presented, as I trust, in its genuine simplicity ! In a word, may many persons, families, and larger societies, receive devout pleasure and solid lasting improvement from it ; that the great God, of whom and through whom are all things, may in all be glorified, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who in all the sacred volumes, and especially here, is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, to whom be everlasting honour, love, and obedience ! Amen.
P
TO THE THIRD VOLUME OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION,
CONTAINING THE
ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.
1 HE natui'e and design of this work, and the principles on which it hath been undertaken and conducted, have been so largely represented in the preceding volumes, that it is unnecessary here to enlarge upon them. But, as what I now present to the reader concludes the historical part of the New Testament, this seems a very proper place to recollect the promise which I long since made, of offering some remarks on the excellence and usefulness of that history, which may dispose the reader more frequently to review it, and to study it with the greater application.
It must be universally granted, that the excellence of any perfonnance is to be estimated by considering its design, and the degree in which it is calculated to answer it. The design of the gospel-history is summed up in the words which I have placed for my inotto ; which, though they are taken from the conclusion of St. John's gospel, are applicable, not only to all the other Evangelists, but likewise to the Acts of the Apostles, that invaluable appendix to them. " These " things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that believing, ye might have life through his name."
I shall beg leave to show how admirably the history before us is calculated to answer both these ends, viz. to produce a conviction of the truth of Christianity, and to make those good impressions on the heart, which may secure the eternal life and happiness of the reader ; which no speculative conviction, even of the most sublime, comprehensive, and important truths, will itself be able to do. I apprehend that, in proportion to the degree in which these two premises can be illustrated, the excellence and value of this history will immediately appear ; for no man is so far infatuated as to dispute whether obtaining life, eternal life, be an end of the highest importance, how light soever he may in fact make of it, and how wantonly soever he may baiter it away for every trifle that strikes his imagination, or fires his passions. Obvious as the hints are which occur on these heads, I will touch a little upon them ; that we may more evidently see how much we are indebted to the divine wisdom and goodness in giving us so invaluable a treasure as these books contain, and how highly we are concerned to attend diligently to the contents of them.
b 2
PREFACE.
Fii'st, Every intelligent reader of this evangelical history must have seen, that it is admirably adapted to produce and support in all attentive and impartial minds a strong conviction of the truth of Christianity, and by consequence of the divine glories of Jesus the Christ, as the Son of God.
It is evident, that our most material arguments for the demonstration of the truth of Christianity are drawn from miracles, from prophecies, from the character of its founders, and from the genius of the religion itself. Now, though all these receive great illustration from the epistolary parts of the New Testament, and some of them, especially the second, from the Old ; yet it is certain, that the grand basis and foundation of them all, is what we read in the History of Christ and his Apostles. There we are informed of the miracles which they wrought, of the character they maintained, and of the system of religion which they published to the world ; and the application of Old-Testament prophecies to Jesus of Nazareth, is, beyond all controversy, to be justified chiefly from what we find there.
These books do in the most authentic manner, as we have demonstrated elsewhere, show us who Jesus of Nazareth was, and what he professed himself to be. They give us an account of the very high pretensions he made to an immediate mis- sion from God, and to a most intimate relation to him as his Son, in a peculiar and appropriate sense, not communicable to any other. They give us also, as in this connexion it is very fit they should, a very large and circumstantial narration of a variety of miracles which he wrought. Their number appears to be very great ; so that a late writer, who had considered them very accurately, reckons up sixty-nine relating to particular persons, besides twent\' other instances, in all of which several, and in most of them multitudes, yea, frequently great multitudes, are mentioned, not merely as the spectators, but as the objects, of his miraculous power, which must on the most moderate computation arise to many hundreds ; not to men- tion those yet more numerous miracles which were performed by his apostles in his name, wherever they came, especially after the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them ; or the variety of supernatural gifts and powers with which they wereendowed, and which in many thousands of instances they communicated toothers.
It is farther to be recollected here, that these miracles were not of such a kind as to leave any room for a doubt, whether they lay within the natural efficacy of second causes or not ; since the most hopeless and inveterate diseases gave way, not merely to some trivial application of means, whether internal or external, but to a touch or a word ; and Death itself obeyed the voice of Jesus, and of his servants speaking by his authority.
Now I could wish, that any one who feels himself inclined to scepticism with regard to Christianity, would sit down and read over any one of the Evangelists in this particular view : that he would take the stories of the several miracles in their succession, and after having attentively weighed them, would ask his own heart, whether, if he had seen such facts as these, he would not immediately have been convinced in his own conscience, that this was indeed tiie seal of heaven set to the commission of the person who performed them ; and, consequently, whether, if these things were really done by Jesus, and his missionaries in his name, he must not be compelled to acknowledge that Christianity is true. Let any impartial and rational man in the world judge whether, if any impostor had arisen, falsely and blasphemously arrogating to himself the high titles of the Son of God and Saviour of men, God would have honoured his lips with this wonderful power over diseases and death, or his dead body after a public execution with a resurrection : that is, in one word, whether he would have interposed to give such credit to him, as it is not pretended he hath ever given, in any other instance, to the best of men in the best of causes. Every man's heart will surely tell him, with the circumstances of such facts full in his view, that the only question is whether they be themselves credible ; and that, if this be allowed, the divine attestation to the authority of such a Teacher follows, by a connexion which can never be broken, and which probably few men living will have an inveteracy of prejudice sufficient to gainsay.
The historical books of the New Testament do also admirably illustrate that argument in favour of Christianity, which is drawn from the accomplishment of prophecies ; and this in a variety of respects. Many very important passages of this kind are expressly quoted, not merely by way of allusion, but by a literal and exact application of them, according to their genuine sense, and agreeably to the connexion in which they stand. The application of some others, in themselves more dubious, will upon strict examination appear just, and may prove a key to the sense of many more, on the truest principles of analogy ; as many writers have shown, and perhaps no one, since Eusebius wrote his Demonstratio Evangelica, more judiciously than Mr. Jeffery in his controversy with Mr. Collins. Nay, the texts quoted by way of allusion and accommo- dation, of which there are such numerous instances, have consequentially tended to the establishmeatof the argument from prophecies, however under injudicious management they may seem to have perplexed it ; as they nave had their share in recommending the Jewish scriptures to the perusal of christians, and so in guarding them more surely against any possibility of corruption, if the Jews themselves could have been wicked enough to attempt it.
But, besides these various views in which the citations may be considered under this head, I must farther observe, that when not this or that particular passage of the evangelical history alone, but the whole series of it, comes to be compared with correspondent representations in the Old Testament, it fixes upon the mind the strongest impression that can well be irragined, of the reference of the prophets to Jesus as the Messiah. The ingenious Earl of Rochester, whose story is so celebrated, was deeply sensible of this with regard to the 53d of Isaiah, as illustrated by all the story of our Lord's passion ; and there are many other sections of that prophet, and of several others, to which the remark may be applied ; which indeed extends to all the general representations of the Messiah's character, conduct, and circumstances.
The account which the New Testament gives us of the temper and character of ou-r Divine Redeemer, is a topic of argument on this head by no means to be forgotten. We do not indeed there meet with any studied encomiums upon the subject. The authors deal not in such sort of productions ; but, which is a thousand times better, they show us the character itself. The sight of what is great and beautiful has another kind of efTect, than the most eloquent description of it. And here we behold the actions of Christ ; we attend his discourses, and have a plain and open view of his behaviour. In consequence of this, we see in him every thing venerable, every thing amiable. We see a perfection of goodness no where else in the world to be seen or to be heard ; and numberless arguments plead at once, to persuade the heart that it is absolutely impossible such a person should be engaged in a design founded in known falsehood, and tending only to mislead and ruin his followers.
And though it is true the character of his apostles does not fully come up to the standard of their Master, nor is entirely free from some small blemishes, yet we see so little of that kind in them, and, on the contrary, such an assemblage of the human, divjne, and social virtues, that we cannot, if we thoroughly know them, if we form an intimate acquaintance with
PREFACE.
them, entertain witli patience the least suspicion that they were capable of a part so detestable as theirs must have been, if they knew Jesus to have been an impostor, and the gospel a fable; with which they must be chargeable, if Christianity were not indeed autlientic and divine.
The series of sufferings which they endured, the gentle, humble patience with wliich they bore them, the steady perse- verance and invincible fortitude with which they pursued their scheme in the midst of them all, and with no earthly prospect but that of a continued hardship and persecution, till it should end in death, furnish out an important branch of this argument ; which the book of Acts, especially taken in connexion with the Epistles, does almost continually illustrate, in the most artless, and therefore the most forcible manner.
To conclude this head, the history before us represents, in the most clear and convincing light, the genius of that doc- trine which Christ taught, and of the religion which he came to settle in the world. When we view it as exhibited in human writings we may mistake ; for it is too often tinctured with the channel through which it has passed. Men of bad dispositions have warped it, to make it comply with the corruption of their own hearts, and to subserve, in many instances, the schemes of their ambitious and worldly interests. Good men, insensibly influenced by a variety of prejudices, which under fair and plausible forms have insinuated themselves into their breasts, have frequently mistaken, not the essentials of Christianity (for no good man can mistake them) but the circumstantials of it ; and have propagated the various and frequently contradictory mistake, with a zeal which nothing but an apprehension that they were W^ fundamentals could have inspired ; and thus its original purity and beauty have been debased and obscured : but here we drink this water of life at its fountain-head, untainted and unmixed ; and with that peculiar spirit which at a distance from it is so apt to evaporate. Here we plainly perceive there is nothing in the scheme but what it is most worthy of God to reveal, and of his Son to publish to the world : here we see, not as in the heathen writers, some detached sentiment, finely heightened with the beauty of expression and pomp of words, like a scattered fragment, with the partial traces of impaired elegance and magnificence ; but the elevation of a complete temple, worthy of the Deity to whom it is consecrated : so harmonious a system of unmingled truth, so complete a plan of universal duty, so amiable a representation of true morality in all its parts, without redundancy, and without defect, that the more capable we are of judging; of real excellence, the more we shall be possessed in its favour : and if we have a capacity and opportunity of examining together with it the books Avhich the followers of other religions have esteemed sacred, and the systems of doctrines and manners which their re- spective founders have published to the world, we shall find how much the gospel is credited by the comparison ; shall indeed find the difference much like that of a coarse picture of sunshine, from the original beams of that celestial lumi- nary. This I have so deeply felt in mine own heart while reading these books, and especially while commenting upon them, that it has been matter of astonishment as well d& of grief to me, that there should be any mind capable of resisting evidence so various, so powerful, and so sweet.
But this leads me to the other branch of the argument ; in which I shall remind my reader,
Secondli/, That these books are admirably adapted to make those impressions on the heart, which may prepare it for eternal life, through the name of the Redeemer, of whose divine mission they contain such incontestable proofs.
Now the most effectual demonstration of this would be, an attentive perusal of these books, not so much with a view to criticise upon them, as to give up the soul to their genuine influences, and to leave the heart to be (if I may so express myself) carried away with the torrent whither it will ; and the impulse cannot fail of being in some happy direction, and amidst all its varieties, will undoubtedly bear us forward towards that perfection of goodness and of happiness which is the great end of all our pursuits.
For surely the breast of every well-disposed reader, under the influences of that blessed Spirit which guided the sacred penmen in these lively and well-chosen narrations, must by every page of them be inflamed with some devout passion ; and his progress must often be interrupted with tears of holy delight, or with warm and perhaps rapturous aspirations of soul. Surely this adorable Saviour cannot be heard, cannot be seen, without admiration and love. Surely the heart must often, as it were, go out to meet him, with its cheerful " hosannahs to him that coraeth in the name of " the Lord." Often must it rise in affectionate praises to the God and Father of all, who blessed this earth of ours with such a Visitant, who enriched it with such an unspeakable, such an inestimable gift. A thousand times must it con- gratulate, and almost envy, the happy lot of those who, dwelling on earth, though in the meanest cottages, when it was blessed with the presence of such a Teacher, of such a Friend, had daily opportunities of conversing with him ; and as often may it exult to tliink, that he is still near by his spiritual presence, carrying on the kind purposes of his appearance in mortal flesh, and waiting, by the dictates of his divine philosophy, to train up the immbrtal spirits of men for their proper and complete happiness. Under the impression of that thought, how strongly must the soul be disposed to inquire after Christ, to form an acquaintance with him, to commit itself to his discipline and guardianship, to trace his steps, and as far as possible to imbibe his Spirit. What will appear so desirable, as to secure his friendship, to be honoured with his high approbation, and enriched with the blessings of his patronage and care ? Receiving the divine oracles from his lips, what incomparable advantages have we for learning every thing truly great and lovely ? What powerful inducements diligently to labour, ardently to pray, liberally to dispense good, calmly to endure injuries, patiently to support the heaviest afflic- tions, and resolutely to meet the most dreadful death, if called out to encounter it in the way of our duty.
Among many other good affections which the perusal of this history may naturally inspire, and which I have endea- voured often to suggest in the Improvements which conclude each section, I cannot forbear mentioning one more ; I mean, a generous and cordial love to our fellow christians of every rank and denomination. I never reflect upon the New Tes- tament in this view, but I find it difficult to conceive, how so much of a contrary temper should ever have prevailed among such multitudes who have professed religiously to receive it, yea, whose office hath been to interpret and enforce it. To have listed under the banner of Jesus, to have felt his love, to have espoused his interest, to labour to serve him, to aspire after the enjoyment of him, should methinks appear to every one, even on the slightest reflection, a bond of union too strong to be broken by the different apprehensions that one or another of us may entertain (perhaps, too, after diligent in- quiry) concerning the exact sense of some of the doctrines he taught, or the circumstantial forms of some of his institutions. An humble sense of our own weakness, and of the many imperfections of our character, which will never be more deeply felt than when we consider ourselves as standing before our Divine Master, will dispose us to mutual candour, will guard us against the indecency of contending in his presence, and will, as St. Paul witli admirable spirit expresses it, dispose us " to " receive one another as Christ hath received us." Yea, our hearts Will be so eagerly desirous of employing our life
PREFACE.
in serving him to (he best purpose we can, that we shall dread the thought of mis-spending, in our mutual animosities, accusations, and complaints, the time that was given us for ends so much nobler, and which is capable of being employed to the honour of our common Lord, and for the benefit of the church and the world.
I hope I have not forgot, jn the ensuing work, this lesson which I have on every occasion been so solicitous to inculcate on others. It would have been almost impossible, on some texts which have fallen before me, especially in this third voUatic, not to have shown my sentiments on some points of discipline, in which, if they were not different from those which generally prevail, my known conduct in continuing among the Protestant Dissenters would be equally foolish and wicked. Yet, in handling these texts, I have not only conscientiously abstained from all reproaches, to which indeed I am on no occasion inclined, and which I should esteem peculiarly indecent where the religious establishment of my country is in question, and above all where a body of men would be affected, many of whom have been, and are, among the ablest advocates and brightest ornaments of our common Christianity ; but I have also been careful to adjust my expressions with as much tenderness and respect, as integrity and that reverence which an honest man would owe to the judgment of his own conscience, were it much more singular than mine, would admit. On these principles I have chosen to content my- self with giving what I take to be the true and genuine sense of the scripture in question, rather than to point out any society or body of men that seem to have mistaken it.
I have also been obliged, in many of my interpretations, to differ from writers of various countries, and of various deno- minations in our own, whom I greatly esteem, and from whom, on other passages, I have received much light ; but I have in such cases been careful not to drop any severe word : as indeed I think, where we have reason to believe that a writer siiicerely intends to illustrate scripture, and to inform the world, he has so far at least a title to our candour and respect; though we may imagine him to be much mistaken in his judgment, and may think it our duty to endeavour to point out his mistake, and to guard others against it. I hope such a conduct will need no apology to the living writers with whom I have taken such a liberty ; nor shall I take it amiss to be animadverted upon by any of them with the same spirit : and, if I may by this means be led to rectify any mistakes into which I may have unwarily fallen, I hope I' shall be duly sensible of the obligation : For I esteem an endeavour to set a man right in religious opinions which we ourselves apprehend to be important, the second office of christian friendship, as that of attempting to reform his morals is undoubtedly the first.
No offence will, I hope, be taken at the method I have thought myself obliged in honour and conscience to have recourse to, for solving some of the difficulties which have occurred, and which I knew not how to account for candidly any other way, than by supposing, that here and there our received reading hath varied from the original. 1 believe it will be allowed by every competent judge, that there is no one manuscript now in the world unexceptionably exact. And it is some satis- faction to me to reflect, that critics of the first character for modesty, piety, and orthodoxy, have not only made use of this expedient, but have abundantly justified it in their writings; among whom I cannot forbear mentioning those two justly celebrated critics, as well as accurate divines, Calvin and Beza ; the latter of which has expressed his sentiments on this head in so judicious, correct, and elegant a manner, that I cannot forbear inserting his own words at the bottom of the page, though I have had obvious reasons in this work for taking care not to load the margin with quotations from the learned languages.*
I am sensible how much I am indebted to the public for the kind reception it was pleased to give to the two former volumes. I hope they who favoured them with their patronage and encouragement, and have an opportunity of perusing this, will find by what I now offer them, that the indulgence shown me, far from making me indolent, hath rather quick- ened my diligence. If God grant me life and health, I purpose concluding the whole in three volumes more ; in which I shall still endeavour, by the divine assistance, uprightly to illustrate what I in my conscience believe to be the true sense of the sacred writers ; and shall at the same time labour, to the utmost of that ability which God may give me, to elevate, to animate, and to unite the hearts of my fellow christians, that I may subserve the grand plan of the gospel, and give the most substantial proof that I have not studied its doctrines in vain. May I ever reap the first-fruits of the attempt in my own soul ! And if the slender and precarious thread of my life be cut short before, in the midst of so many other necessary employments, such a work can be completed, may God graciously accept a purpose with which I trust he has inspired a breast unfeignedly devoted to his service ! And may he in that case raise a much abler hand to execute a task, at the pros- pect of which, though after the preparation of more than twenty years, I feel a secret kind of terror, mingling itself with all the delight with which I am springing forward to undertake it!
* Beza, ill his note on Acts vii. 14, wlien he proposes the conjectural emendation of irivlss instead of irsvls, adcjs, " Neque vero hujns erroris obser- " vatio qnenquam debet offendere, vel in diibium revocare verbi divini auctoritatera ; quum et ex HehrrFd veritale, ut diximus, emendetur, et salva " niliilominus, turn dnctrinae, turn etiani historise ipsius, fides permaneat ; et res ipsa clamat, non uno loco, temporis injuria, persecutionum acer- " bitate, adversariorum veritatis fraude, hajreticorum audacia, pastoruni denique inscitia et oscitantia, numerorum notas labefactari, et alia periou- " losiora in macros libros invebi potuisse -. Quae tainen erudili et sancti homines, turn ex aliorum locorum collatione, turn ex fidei analopia, partim " animadverterunt, et emcndarunt; partim etiani pusteris observanda, et corrigenda reliquerunt: Sic prospiciente suae ecclesise Dominu, \\t " quamvis integri non pauci libri interciderint, et errata de quibus dixi irrepserint, tamen salutis doctrinani totara his ipsis libris ccrtissime ct " verissinie comprehcnsani habeat ecclesia, et ad finem usque sa;culornm sit liabitura."
Caivin on Matt, xxvii. 0. Harm. Evan. p. 354, speaking of the insertion of Jeremiah's name (as he thinks) for Zechariah's, says roundly, " Quo- " modo Hieremite nomen obrepserit, me neseire fateor, nee anxie lalioro. Certe HieremicE nnmen crrore posilum esse pro Zecha'ritl, res ipsa osten- " dit, quia nihil tale apud Hieremiam legitur, vel ctiam quod accedat." And on Acts vii. 16, where the name of Abraliam seems to be |)Ut for that of Jacob, lie says, " In nomine Abraha erratum esse palam est ; — (luare hie locus eorrigendus est."
NORTHAMPTOX,
December 11, 1746.
POSTSCRIPT,
SINCE I first published the two former volumes of the Family Expositor, I have taken the Harmony under an attentive review ; but though the publication of this volume, which has long since gone through the press to the end of tlie Chro- nological Table, has been delayed so many months beyond my expectation, yet during all this time I have not met with any convincing reasons for transposing one section of it. A variety of necessary engagements have prevented my taking the new and elaborate work of the Reverend Mr. Pilkington on this subject under that accurate examination wliich the learning, ingenuity, and candour apparent in it on the slightest review may well demand. I hope I shall soon have the pleasure of doing it, and shall receive much light and benefit from it. In the mean time, as a specimen of the readiness with which I shall make my acknowledgments on any such occasion, for farther instruction on subjects on which I tiave publicly delivered my own thoughts, I cannot but mention the great pleasure with wliich I liave traced the illustration which the account of our Lord's resurrection has received, from those very weighty and accurate observations which have been made upon it, with so much sagacity, delicacy, and candour, by Gilbert West, Esq.
It is great satisfaction to me to find that we agree in several very important circumstances of the story, in which some late very ingenious writers on this subject have differed from us both ; as it likewise is to see, that several of those versions and criticisms which I had proposed and pleaded for, have the sanction of Mr. West's concurrence in them. But as this gentleman has advanced several very material things relating to this very important part of the Harmony of the Evangelists, which were wholly unthought of by me or any other commentators that I have per- used, and which also seem to carry along with them a very high degree of probability, in the happiest manner to agree with each other, and greatly to illustrate other scriptures, I shall here give my reader a brief view of Mr. West's scheme, referring to his invaluable work itself for a more particular account of it, as well as for a variety of most solid and important remarks relating to the evidences of this great fact, and of the truth of Christianity in genera], which is so inseparably connected with it.
The scheme proposed there, so far as I can recollect it from an attentive penisal, is this : That during the time of our blessed Redeemer's lying in the grave, several of the pious women who had attended him from Galilee, together with some of their female friends and acqugiintance at Jerusalem, agreed to meet at his sepulchre, early on the morning of the third day, to embalm the body. Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, Salome, and Joanna, were principal persons in this appointment : The chief care of preparing, that is, pounding, mixing, and melting, the spices, was left to Joanna and her company, who were to be there about sun-rising ; whereas the two Maries, and Salome, (of whom Matthew and Mark chiefly write,) came thither tt^im, before the appointed time early in the morning, or as the day dawned, in order Saupriaai, to view the sepulchre, that they might judge whether they and their companions could be able to remove the stone which closed it, or whether it would be necessary to call in other assistance, as they then knew nothing of the guard which was set upon it. While these three women last mentioned were on their \vay, Jesus arose, when the angel had opened the sepulchre and struck the guards into amazement and consternation ; the con- sequence of which was, that some of them went to the Jewish rulers, and joined in contriving and propagating the senseless falsehood of the body's being stolen, and others went into -other parts of the city, and told the matter as it really was. In the mean time the angel disappeared, and Mary Magdalene approaching the sepulchre, discerned from some distance that the very large stone that stopped it was rolled away, and concluding from thence that the body was removed, left the other Mary and Salome to wait for Joanna and her company, while she herself ran to Peter and John to acquaint them with what she had discovered. While she was gone, these two (the other Mary and Salome) went toward the sepulchre, and entering into it, saw, to their great astonistiment, an angel, who told them that Jesus, whom he knew they sought, was not there, but was risen from the dead, and gave it them in charge to go and acquaint his disciples with it, and to let them know that he would give them a meeting in Galilee. The greatness of their consternation prevented them from saying any thing immediately to any one, even to some of thci': own company, who might pass and repass within their view at least, and so occasioned a delay which left room for some other circumstances. Just as they were on their return, Peter and John came, (perhaps passing by them at some distance,) and Mary Magdalene followed them. John at his first arrival only looked into the sepulchre ; but when Peter came and entered it, John went in too, and from the circumstances in which lie saw things, believed that Jesus was risen ; though the angel (who could appear or disappear at pleasure) did not render himself visible to either. They returned to the city, and Mary Magdalene, who was now alone, stooping down to look into the sepulchre, saw two angels : but (perhaps imagining they were young men, whom curiosity or accident might have brought thither) took little notice of them, and continued weeping in deep thought and distress, till Jesus appeared, and made himself known to her in those very remarkable words, John xx. 17. which Mr. West illustrates with some very peculiar observations.* Leaving her very suddenly, our Lord appeared to the other Mary and Salome, whom
* Our autltor observes, tlmt fliis text, " I am not yet ascended," &c. comprehends in a few words a variety of most important hints, which have pot commonly been taken notice of in them ; particularly that our Lord intended by them to recall to the minds of his disciples the discourse he had with them three nif;hts before, in which he explained what he meant by going; to the Father ; (see John xvi. 2S.) and by twice using the word ascend, designed to intimate, that he was to go up to heaven, not merely in spirit, as the pious dead do, but by a corporeal motion and translation, and that it would be some time before he took his final leave of earth by this intended ascension : All which weighty expressions and predictions concur with a thousand other circumstances, to show how impossible it was that such an apprehended appearance should have merely the result of a disordered imagination ; a consideration which Mr. West illustrates at large, as he also does the mistaken apprehension of the disciples, who, when some of their companions, whose veracity they could not suspect, testified they had seen the Lord, thought his body was not risen, but that it was only his spirit that appeared to them ; which hint 1 mention as a key,,by means of which many passages in the Evangelists are explained in this work.
POSTSCRIPT.
he permitted to embrace his feet, comforted them under their fear, aad renewed the assurance the angel had given them, that he would meet his disciples in Galilee. While these things were passing at some distance, and the scene at the sepulchre was clear, Joanna and the women who brought the spices, (and of whom Luke only writes, ) came and en- tering into the sepulchre, at first saw no one in it, till the two angels, who a few minutes before had appeared to Mary Magdalene, made themselves visible to Joanna and her attendants, and assuring them of the resurrection of Jesus reminded them how it had been foretold by himself, with the previous circumstances of his sufferings, but gave them no charge concerning the information to be carried to the apostles ; that having been committed to the others. Yet (as it was natural to suppose they would) some of this second company ran to the city, and, by whatever accident it hap- pened, reached the eleven, and some other disciples who were with them, before the two Maries and Salome arrived telling them (which was all they could tell them) that they had seen a vision of angels, who asserted that Jesus was alive. Peter on this ran a second time to the sepulchre, (Luke xxiv. 12.) and not entering as before, but only stooping down and looking into it, he saw no angels, or any thing else, but ra oOovia KHfitva [lova, only the linen clothes lying there, on which he returned ; and just on his making that report, the two disciples who went that day to Emmaus, or some from whom they received their information, (Luke xxiv. 22 — 24.) left the place before the arrival of the two Maries and Salome ; who, retarded, as was hinted above, by some unknown accident, (perhaps by guessing wrong as to the place where they might find the largest company together,) at last, however, reached them, and made abundant satisfaction for the little delay, (for all might perhaps have passed in an hour,) by assuring them, not only that they also had seen an angel who informed them of their Lord's resurrection, but that Jesus himself had appeared .to them, and had even permitted himself to iTe touched by two of them.
This is Mr. West's scheme of this important story ; and the reader will easily perceive, that it chiefly differs from mine in these two circumstances : — That it supposes the women to have made two different visits to the sepulchre, and in consequence of that, two distinct reports ; whereas mine unites them (though I do not suppose they all came together, but that they met there :) And that it also makes Peter to have run to it twice, of which I now think there can be no reasonable doubt, though I before incorporated Luke's account with that of John, relating to his running thither with John on Mary Magdalene's first report.
On the whole, whatever embarrassments some may apprehend, I am fully convinced that the scheme I have offered in ray Harmony will fully acquit the Evangelists from any charge of absurdity or contradiction ; and I think it far preferable to any other method of adjusting them which I ever met with before or since the publication, till this piece of Mr. West came info my hands ; But his plan, though not altogether clear of some difficulties, (especially from the connection of the 1st and 10th verses of the xxivth of Luke with the intermediate,) yet seems on the whole to have so many advantages, that I am inclined to acquiesce in it. I doubt not but those of my readers who have not read the ingenious piece from which this extract is taken, will be glad to find it here, and will take the first opportunity of per- using the book itself, in which they will find a variety of other excellent remarks. I cannot conclude without recom- mending it to the divine blessing, and declaring my joy, that so able and worthy a defender of Christianity is risen up, in a rank of life which leaves no room for insinuating any suspicion of those secular views to which some, who may perhaps judge of others by what they know of their own low principles of action, may be ready ungenerously, and in many instances ridiculously, to impute those efl'orts, which the ministers of the gospel are so frequently making for its vindication.
Since all the preceding part of this Postscript was written, the world has been blessed with another admirable pro- duction of this kind, from the pen of one of the politest of writers and worthiest of men, who is lately become the public advocate of that religion to which he has much longer been a distinguished ornament. Many of my readers will undoubtedly know, that I refer to the Observations o?i the Conversion and Apostkship of St. Paul, by the Honour- able George Lyttleton, one of the Lords of the Treasury ; a piece, if I may presume to give my opinion of it, as perfect in its kind as any our age has produced. I cannot but greatly regret, that I have not the opportunity of enriching my notes on the Acts with several of this gentleman's judicious and entertaining remarks, which I shall not fail to attempt, if a second edition should be required. In the mean time, I mention it here, that no one who has it in his power may lose the pleasure and benefit of perusing that masterly treatise ; in which he will find a most compendious yet unanswerable demonstration of Christianity, proposed in so clear, elegant, and nervous a manner, with such intermingled traces of the author's excellent heart, that he must surely be among the most perfect, or the most unteachable of mair- kind, who is not greatly instructed and edified by it.
October 2S,\1A1.
PREFACE
TO THE FOURTH VOLUME OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION
COMMENCING WITH
THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.
After what I have said concerning this work, in the prefaces to the former volumes, I have little to add, but what re- lates to the manner in which I have endeavoured to conduct this part upon the Epistles ; which, 1 bless God, he has carried nae through, and thank the public they4iave so kindly encouraged.
As far as I know mj'self, I have no favourite hypothesis to serve, nor a fondness for any unscriptural phrases ; in which so many have, on one side and the other, made the very being of orthodoxy to consist. 1 have been disposed to let Scripture carry me along with it, wherever it naturally leads, rather than resolve it should follow me. Instead of labour- ing to establish any particular liuman system, which has always, 1 fear, a leaven of imperfection attending it, I have en- deavoured to keep controversy as much out of sight as possible, and to represent what I verily believe to be the scripture- doctrine, in as simple a manner as I could, and divested of those particular expressions, which some, who perhaps are not averse to the main doctrine itself, are ready to rise up against.
But I have not the vanity to hope I have escaped all prejudice. Where it has been manifested, may God pardon it, may my brethren excuse it, and may divine illumination, more plentifully imparted, preserve others from being led into any errors into which I may have fallen !
I hope it will be deemed no matter of just offence, that I have not always critically examined those interpretations, ■which, as seeming less natural, I have declined. It had been endless, amidst such a variety of sentiments and explications, to have done this. Some commentators have darkened these Epistles so much, that I am sensible St. Paul's writings are best explained, by keeping their glosses as much as possible out of sight. I have therefore frequently passed them over, as if I had never heard or known them. And if any should impute this to ignorance, I wish they had happened to be in the right ; as it had been the saving a great deal of important time, not to have known the manner in which these writings have been tortured, to serve and save a favourite hypothesis.
It has seemed reasonable to me, when the text and context will bear two interpretations, to prefer that which gives the noblest and most extensive sense, and might make the passage in question most universally useful. And I hope this general apology will be sufficient.
If I have been less sanguine than some would chuse, let it be forgiven. I wrote with fear and trembling, when I consi- dered the favourable reception which the former volumes had met with, and that these which I now publisli might probably follow them over a considerable part of the protestant world : a testimony, I hope, that they breathed a spirit of piety, rather than party ; and a reason for caution in these, that an air of authority might not mislead, or of rashness offend.
I have endeavoured to guard against excessive length in the Paraphrase ; and so much the rather, as St. Paul's sentences are often so long, that I feared I should otherwise have obscured the sense, rather than illustrated it ; and have rendered one of the liveliest writers in the world (for such undoubtedly St. Paul is) tedious to the reader. To avoid this, I have often broke one sentence of the text into two or three in the Paraphrase ; and have had a great deal of work in the review, to correct the obscurity, which was the natural consequence of following one leading thought.
I have aimed at making the Improvements naturally arise out of, and follow the scriptures illustrated; and by tracing the temper of the apostles, under the influence of the great truths they are inculcating, to produce correspondent affections in my own heart. I have endeavoured that the mind of the reader, more attentive perhaps at first to the critical sense, maybe led iato the practical use, which, plain as it generally is, is indeed the end of all, and, alas! the hardest of all to teach. I have preferred plain and useful reflections to those which might have been curious and surprising ; and proposed those lessons which I would be most desirous to impress upon my own heart.
When this work is read in the families or closets of any who practise //-ee prai/er, I would desire them to observe, how naturally the several Improvements will furnish them with proper materials for this important and delightful exercise ; and by such a use of them, their hearts may be more powerfully impressed with the truths illustrated, and the duties recom- mended. In this view, I have in some of them suffered my thoughts, while warmed with serious and devout meditation, to breathe forth the language of prayer and praise ; which may furnish ray fellow christians with a specimen of the manner in which most of them may be converted into direct addresses to God.
Upon the whole, the design of this work is not to proselyte men to human names, nor to reconcile them to this or the other discriminating phrase; which, in the mouth of one, may be truth and propriety, and in the mouth of another, false- hood and nonsense ; according as any idea or none, a just or a wrong idea, may be affixed to them. Nor is my design to influence christians to worship here or there — my design is to let into the heart the great sentiments of Christianity, and to ' convey them there as warmly and strongly as I could. And I hope God will graciously reward the faithful care with which I have consulted the honour of my sacred guide, by making it the means of spreading true religion, and nourishing many souls in fervent piety, brotherly love, and universal goodness. Amen.
PHILIP DODDRIDGE.
DIRECTIONS
READING THE FAMILY EXPOSITOR.
As to the manner of reading tliis hook in famihcs, I would advise as follows : — First let the passage of scripture he read from the common translation in the inner column, nnless the family have their Bibles before them : then read the New Version by itself, which is interwoven with the Paraphrase, but distinguished by the Italic character ; and then the Paraphrase and Improvement.
As for the Notes, I should advise the person ^vho officiates, to select such as are of most general concern, and read them after the paragraph to which they belong : for it is not so agreeable to inter- rupt the sense by introducing them before it is completed. Other notes may perhaps be more fitly made matter of conversation afterwards : but this is referred to the prudence of particular persons, who will judge with a regard to the state and character of the families in question.
In reading the Compound Text, it may be observed, that the words of the several Evangelists are distinguished by crotchets, thus [ ] ; and the clauses included within them are always marked with the name of the Evangelist from whom they are taken, uidess a single text only be added at the end of the verse, to which they must of course belong; or, where more texts than one are added, the crotchets which have nothing to distinguish them belong to the first.
I am pleased to think with how much ease any attentive reader will distinguish the Text itself from the Paraphrase, in consequence of the extraordinary care which hath been taken to keep the work in that particular remarkably correct ; for which, I am obliged to pay my public and most thankful acknowledgments to my worthy brother and friend, the Reverend Mr. Godwin, who generously undertook the great trouble, not only of revising each sheet as it came from the press, but also of inspecting the manuscript before it went thither, and of making several important altera- tions in it, very much for the better ; of which I should have been ready to have given a more particular account, if his modesty and goodness would have permitted it.
ADVERTISEMENT
TO THE READER, BY THE EDITOR.
PREFIXED TO THE SIXTH VOLUME OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION.
The author of this work had written upon the title of that manuscript volume which contained the Epistle to' the Romans, the following direction : — " N. B. If I die before this work is finished, as it " is most probable I shall, I desire that it may be transcribed, as far as it goes, by Mr. Orton ; and " that he would add such notes as he shall judge most proper, from my written critical notes on the " Epistles ; and that it may be printed, by subscription, in one, two, or three volumes, as shall be "judged most convenient, and according to the progress which Providence may permit me to make " in it. Jan. 1, 174G-7." — I think it therefore incumbent upon me to inform the subscribers what progress the author had made in this work, and what has been done to it since his death, in order to remove those suspicions which often arise concerning the authenticity of posthumous works.
When it pleased God to put a period to the author's life and labours, he had finished his Paraphrase and Improvement of the epistolary part of the New Testament, and of the book of the Revelation, and fairly wrote it out in short-hand ; and had added the principal notes which he intended to publish. At the end of the manuscript volume containing the Revelation, he had wrote, " Through the good " hand of God upon me, which I desire most thankfully to acknowledge, I ended the first copy *' of the Family Expositor, Dec. 31, 1748. exactly two years after I began to write upon the " Romans: having pursued it, during that time, without the interruption of one single day: such " health and such resolution did it please God to give me, amidst the various scenes of business, " danger, and amusement, through which I passed ! May his grace raise to himself a monument " of praise from this feeble etlort to explain, illustrate, and enforce his word !" And under, — " I " ended my Notes on the books I had thus paraphrased and improved, Aug. 21, 1749. having " daily pursued the work in like manner, whether at home or abroad." — He had transcribed for the press, the Paraphrase, Improvements, and Notes, of the two first volumes, as now published ; the Paraphrase and Improvements of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and the two first epistles of John. The Notes on these three Epistles, together with the Paraphrase, Improvements, and Notes, on the remaining Epistles, and the Revelation, were transcribed from his short-hand copy by my own hand, or under my inspection, by some of his pupils ; and I carefully revised the transcript several times, and compared it with his short-hand copy. — I can assure the subscribers, that the utmost caution has been used, that no one sentiment of the author should be suppressed or changed, and only such expressions varied, as to avoid tautology, and for the sake of perspicuity and accuracy, it might be presumed the author would have varied, had he transcribed this part of the work, and given it his finishing hand. In the margin of the short-hand copy, he had wrote hints of some alterations to be made in the phraseology and length of some sentences, as well as of notes he intended to add when he transcribed it for the press. I have endeavoured to follow these hints in the best manner I could ; and accordingly a few notes have been added to vindicate or illustrate his Version or Paraphrase, and references inserted to other critics ; most of which were taken from his notes, according to the direction mentioned above. On the whole, I hope the attentive reader who is acquainted with his style and sj)irit, will discover nothing in the latter part of the work unsuitable to either ; and will join with me in thankfulness to God, who spared his life till he had completed this important and useful undertaking.
ADVERTISEMENT.
There is one occurrence relating to it, which my own judgment, and that of many of the author's friends, forbid me to conceal, and the rather, because it has been greatly misrepresented. During the author's life, (in June 1750,) a hre, occasioned by a wax candle being left on his writing-desk, broke out in his study, and consumed many of his papers, and part of one volume of the short-hand copy of this work ; but the light of the fire being providentially discovered by an opposite neighbour, who gave an immediate alarm, it was speedily extinguished. When the author was informeil of the accident, he seemed most anxious about the preservation of this manuscript ; and when the flames were extinguished, to his great joy and surprise, it appeared that the part of this volume, and that only which was destroyed, had been transcribed, and the transcript lay in another place out of danger, and all the untranscribed pages were perfectly legible, and only the edges of them singed. Being an eye-w itness of the danger and deliverance, 1 record this account of it, partly for the satisfac- tion of the subscribers with regard to the exaggerated report, but chiefly as it seems to denote a particular care of Providence in preserving this work, and a favourable omen, that God intends it for extensive and lasting usefulness. " Whoso is wise, and will observe such things, even they shall " understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." Psal. cvii. 43.
In the name of the author's family, I heartily thank the subscribers for their encouragement of this Work, and the gentlemen who have kindly superintended the press ; and I pray that it may answer those pious and benevolent ends for which it was composed and is now published.
J. ORTON..
Sat.op. Nov. 21, 1735.
TABLE OF THE SECTIONS IN THEIR ORDER,
SHOWING THE
DISPOSITION OF THE HARMONY.
MATTHliW.
i. 18, (id fin. i. 1-17
ii. 1—12
li. ]S,ad fin.
iii. 1-rt iii. 7—12
iii. 13, (id fin. iv. 1—11
iv. 13—22
vlii. 11, 15 iv. 23, ad fin. viii. 16, 17
V. 1—1 1)
V. 17-26 V. 27, ad fin. vi. 1—18' vi. IP, ad fii. vii. 1—20 vii 21, ad fin viii. 1 — 4 ix. 2—9
xii. 1—8 xii. 9—15 xii. 15—21
xi. 2—0 xi. 7—19 xi. 20, ad fin.
xii. 22—32
xii. 3.!— .37 xii. 38—15
i. 1—6 i. 7, 8
i. 9—11
i. 12, i;:
'•. 14, 15 i. 16—20
i. 21—31 i. 32—39
i. 40, nd fin. li. 1—14 "
2.3, ad fin. 1—7 7-12
l.i— 19.
i. 1—4
i. 5—25 i. 26—38 i. 39—56 i. 57—06 i. 67, ad fin.
iii. 23, ad fin. ii. 1—21 ii. 22—39
40, ad /in. . 1—6 1. 7—18
. 21—23 . 1—13
. 1 1—30 31—32 I — 11
. 33—39 . 40, ad fin.
V. 12—16 V. 17—28
vi. 1—5 vi. 6—11
vi. 12—19 vi. 20—30 vi. 37, ad fin vii. 1 — 10 vii. 11—17 vii. 18—23 vii. 24—35
\ii. 30, ad fin viii. 1-3 xi. 14, 15 17—23 xi. 27,28 xi. 16, 21, 26, 29—32
|
JOHN. |
SKCT. |
MATTHEW. |
MARK. |
LUK!:. |
JOHN. |
|
|
64 |
xii. 40, ad fui |
.li. 31, ad fin. |
xi 3.3—30 |
|||
|
i. 1 — 14 |
viii. 19—21 |
|||||
|
— |
65 |
xiii. 1-17 |
IV. 1—12 |
viii. 4—10 |
|
|
|
— |
06 |
xiii. 18—23 |
iv. 13—25 |
viii. 11—18 |
— |
|
|
— |
07 |
xiii. 24—30 |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
— |
36—43 |
|||||
|
— |
68 |
xiii. 31—35 |
IV. 20—34 |
— |
— |
|
|
— |
44—53 |
|||||
|
— |
09 |
viii. 18—27 |
IV. 35, ad fin. |
viii. 22 — 25 |
— |
|
|
— |
ix. 57, ad fin. |
|||||
|
— |
70 |
viii. 28, ad fin. |
V. 1—21 |
viii. 26— 40 |
— |
|
|
— |
ix. I |
|||||
|
|
71 |
IX. 10—17 |
ii. 15—22 |
v. 29, ad fin. |
|
|
|
|
72 |
ix. 18—34 |
v. 22, ad fin. |
viii. 41, udfin. |
— |
|
|
-- |
73 |
xiii. .54, ad fin. |
vi. 1-0 |
— |
— |
|
|
— |
IX. 35, ad fin. |
|||||
|
i. 15—18 |
74 |
i. 1—15 |
vi. 7— U |
ix. 1—5 |
— |
|
|
— |
75 |
X. 16-28 |
— |
— |
|
|
|
— |
70 |
x. 29, ad fin. |
vi. 12, 13 |
ix. 6 |
— |
|
|
i. 19—28 |
xi. 1 |
|||||
|
1. 29—42 |
77 |
xiv. 1,2,6—12 |
vi. 14—29 |
ix. 7—9 |
— |
|
|
i 43, lid fin. |
78 |
xiv. 13—23 |
vi. 30—46 |
ix. 10—17 |
vi. 1—15 |
|
|
ii. 1 — 11 ' |
79 |
xiv. 24, ad fin. |
vi. 47, ad fin |
— |
vi. 1(3—21 |
|
|
ii. 12, ad fin. |
80 |
— |
— |
— |
vi. 22-40 |
|
|
iii. 1 — 10 |
81 |
— |
— |
— ^ |
vi. 41— .58 |
|
|
iii 11—21 |
82 |
— |
— |
— ' |
vi. 59, ad fin. |
|
|
ill. 22, ad fin. |
83 |
XV. 1—9 |
vii. 1—13 |
— |
— |
|
|
— |
84 |
XV. U»— 20 |
vii. 11—23 |
— |
— |
|
|
iv. 1-26 |
85 |
XV. 21—29 |
vii. 24, ad fin. |
— |
— |
|
|
iv. 27—42 |
80 |
XV. 30, ad fin. |
viii. 1—10 |
— |
— |
|
|
iv. 43, ad fin. |
87 |
xvi. 1—12 |
viii. 11—21 |
— |
— |
|
|
|
88 |
xvi. 13—20 |
viii. 22—30 |
ix. 18—21 |
— . |
|
|
|
89 |
xvi. 21, ad fin |
viii. 31, ad fin. |
ix. 22—27 |
— |
|
|
|
ix. 1 |
|||||
|
|
90 |
xvii. 1—13 |
ix.2— 13 |
ix. 28—36 |
— |
|
|
|
91 |
xvii. 14—21 |
ix. \4—-^9 |
ix. 37—43 |
— |
|
|
92 |
XV li 2% ail fin |
ix. 30—33 |
ix. 43—45 |
— |
||
|
— |
93 |
xviii. 1—9' |
ix. 33—37 42, ad fin. |
ix.46— 48 |
— |
|
|
~ |
94 |
xviii. 10- 2r) |
|
_ |
||
|
|
95 |
X\ i li. 21, «(/./''! . |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
|
9ti |
. — |
ix. 38-41 |
ix. 49,50 |
— |
|
|
|
97 |
— |
— |
X. 1-10 |
— |
|
|
|
98 |
— |
— |
— |
vii. 1—13 |
|
|
99 |
|
|
— |
vii. 14—24 |
||
|
|
KM) |
— |
— |
— |
vii, 2.5—30 |
|
|
V. 1—16 |
101 |
— |
— |
— |
vii. 37, udfui. |
|
|
V. 17—30 |
IU2 |
— |
— |
— |
viii. 1 — 11 |
|
|
V. 31, ad fin. |
103 |
— |
— |
— |
Vlii. 12—29 |
|
|
1(14 |
— |
— |
— |
viii. 30—47 |
||
|
|
1(15 |
— |
— |
— |
viii. 4S, ad fin. |
|
|
|
100 |
— |
— |
X. 17—24 |
— |
|
|
|
107 |
— |
— |
X. 25 — 37 |
— |
|
|
|
108 |
— |
— |
X. 38, ad fin. |
— |
|
|
|
109 |
— |
— |
xi. 1—13 |
— |
|
|
110 |
— |
— |
xi. 37, ad fin. |
— |
||
|
111 |
|
— |
xii. 1—12 |
— |
||
|
U2 |
|
|
xii. 13—21 |
— |
||
|
113 |
— |
— |
Xii. 22-34 |
— |
||
|
~ |
114 |
|
— |
xii. 35—48 |
— |
|
|
115 |
— |
— |
xii. 49. ad fin. |
— |
||
|
III) |
— |
— |
xiii. 1-9 |
— |
||
|
117 |
|
— |
xiii. 10—22 |
— |
||
|
|
118 |
— |
— |
siii IX ad fin. |
— |
|
|
119 |
— |
— |
XIV. 1—14 |
— |
||
|
120 |
|
xiv 15—24 |
— |
|||
|
— |
121 |
— |
— |
xiv. 25, ad fin. |
~~ |
A TABLE OF THE SECTIONS IN THl'lR ORDER, &c.
|
SECT. |
MATTHEW. |
MARK. |
LUKE. |
JOHN. |
SECT. |
MATTHEW. |
MARK. |
LUKE. |
JOHN. |
|
|
J 22 |
XV. 1—10 |
167 |
xxvi. 1 — 5 |
xiv. 1,2,10,11 |
xxi. 31, ad fin. |
|||||
|
123 |
|
|
XV. 11, adfin^ |
— |
14—16 |
xxii. 1—6 |
||||
|
124 |
— |
— |
xvi. 1—18 |
— |
lliS |
xxvi. 17—20 |
xiv. 12—17 |
xxii. 7—18 |
xiii. 1 |
|
|
125 |
— |
_- |
xvi. 19, adfin. |
— |
ii;9 |
— |
— |
xxii. 24—27 |
xiii. 2, 3—17 |
|
|
12f! |
|
'— |
xvii. 1 — 11 |
— |
170 |
xxvi. 21—25 |
xiv. 18—21 |
xxii. 21—23 |
xiii. 2, 18—30 |
|
|
127 |
|
|
ix. 51— .56 |
— |
28—30 |
|||||
|
xvii, 12—19 |
171 |
— |
— • |
xxii. 31—34 |
xiii. 3t, adfin. |
|||||
|
128 |
|
|
xvii. 20,adfin. |
— |
172 |
xxvi. 26—30 |
xiv. 22—26 |
xxii. 19, 20 |
— |
|
|
12l> |
— |
— |
xviii. 1—14 |
— |
173 |
— |
— |
xxii. 35 — 38 |
xiv. 1—14 |
|
|
130 |
— |
— |
— |
ix. 1—23 |
174 |
— |
— |
|
xiv. 15, adfin. |
|
|
l.il |
|
|
|
ix. 24—38 |
175 |
|
— |
|
XV. 1—11 |
|
|
132 |
— |
— |
— |
ix. 39, ad fill. |
170 |
— |
— |
— |
XV. 12, adfin. |
|
|
X. 1—10 |
177 |
— |
— |
— |
xvi. 1—15 |
|||||
|
13.3 |
|
|
|
X. 11—21 |
178 |
|
|
|
xvi. 16, adfin. |
|
|
134 |
— |
|
|
X. 22, adfin. |
179 |
— |
— |
|
xvii. 1 — 12 |
|
|
13.5 |
xix. 1—12 |
X. 1 — 12 |
— |
— |
180 |
— |
— |
— |
xvii. 13, adfm. |
|
|
136 |
XIX. 13 — 15 |
X. 13—16 |
xviii. 1.5—17 |
— |
181 |
xxvi. 31— .35 |
xiv. 27—31 |
xxii. 39 |
xviii. 1 |
|
|
137 |
xix. 16, ad fin. |
X. 17—31 |
xviii. 18—30 |
— |
182 |
xxvi. 36 — 46 |
xiv. 32—42 |
xxii. 40— 46 |
— |
|
|
138 |
XX. 1—16 |
|
|
— |
183 |
xxvi. 47—56 |
xiv. 43—52 |
xxii. 47—53 |
xviii. 2—12 |
|
|
139 |
— |
|
|
xi. 1-16 |
184 |
xxvi. 57, 58, |
xiv.53, .54, 66, |
xxii. 64—62 |
XMii. 13—18, |
|
|
140 |
— |
|
— |
xi. 17— 4.j |
69, adfin. |
ad fin. |
24—27 |
|||
|
141 |
— |
|
— |
xi. 47, ad fin |
185 |
xxvi. .59—08 |
xiv. 55 — 65 |
xxii 63, adfin. |
xviii. 19-23,28 |
|
|
142 |
XX. 17— :^8 |
X. 32—46 |
xviii. 31—34 |
— |
186 |
xxvii. 1, 2, |
XV. 1—5 |
xxiii. 1: — 4 |
xviii. 28—38 |
|
|
143 |
XX. 29, ad fill. |
X. 40, ud fin. |
xviii. Soadfin. |
— |
11 — 14 |
|||||
|
xix. 1—10 |
187 |
xxvii. 15-18, |
XV. 6—14 |
xxiii. ,5 — 23 |
xviii. 39,arf/rt. |
|||||
|
144 |
|
|
xix. 11—28 |
— |
20—23 |
|||||
|
145 |
xxvi. 6—13 |
xiv. 3—9 |
— |
xii. I— 11 |
188 |
xxvii. 19, |
XV. 15—29 |
xxiii. 24, 25 |
xix. 1—16 |
|
|
14(j |
XX i. 1—9 |
xi. )- 10 |
xix. 29—40 |
xii. 12— !9 |
24—31 |
|||||
|
147 |
xxi. 10—16 |
xi. 11 |
xix. 41, adfin. |
— |
189 |
xxvii. 32—34, |
XV. 21— 23,25, |
xxiii. 20—34 |
xix. 16—18 |
|
|
148 |
xxi. 17 |
xi. 11 |
|
xii. 20—30 |
38 |
27, 28 |
||||
|
149 |
xxi. 18, 19. |
xi. 12—14 |
|
xii. 37—43 |
190 |
xxvii. 35—37, |
XV. 24,20, |
xxiii. 34—43 |
xix. 19—24 |
|
|
150 |
|
xi. 15—19 |
|
xii. 44, ad fin. |
39—44 |
29—32 |
||||
|
151 |
xxi. 20—32 |
xi. 20, ad fin. |
XX. 1—9 |
— |
191 |
xxvii. 45 — 54 |
XV. 33—3!,' . |
xxiii. 44—48 |
xix. 25—30 |
|
|
xii. I |
192 |
xxvii. 55— 61 |
XV. 40, ad fin. |
■K-s.\\\.i9,adfin. |
xix. 31, adfin. |
|||||
|
152 |
xxi. 3.3, ad fin. |
xii. 1—12 |
XX. 9—19 |
— |
193 |
xxvii. 3—10, |
— |
|
— |
|
|
153 |
xxii. 1—14 |
|
— |
— |
02, adfin |
|||||
|
154 |
xxii. 1.5—22 |
xii. 13—17 |
XX. 20—26 |
— |
194 |
xxviii. 1—4 |
xvi. I — 4 |
xxiv. I, 2, 12 |
XX. 1—17 |
|
|
165 |
xxii. 23—33 |
xii. 18-27 |
XX. 27—40 |
— |
195 |
xxviii. 5 — 10 |
xvi. 2—5—11 |
xxiv. 3—11 |
X.X. 18 |
|
|
156 |
xxii. 34 a J fin. |
xii. 28—37 |
XX. 41— 44 |
— |
196 |
xxviii. 11 — 15 |
xvi. 12,13 |
— |
— |
|
|
157 |
xxiii. 1—22 |
xii. 38—40 |
XX. 45, ad fin. |
— |
197 |
— |
— |
xxiv. 13—33 |
— |
|
|
158 |
KV.\\\.2'3,adfin. |
|
— . |
— |
IPS |
— |
xvi. 14 |
xxiv. 33—43 |
XX. 19—23 |
|
|
159 |
— |
xii. 41, adfin. |
xxi. 1 — 1 |
— |
199 |
— |
— |
— |
XX 24—29 |
|
|
160 |
xxiv. 1 — 14 |
xiii. 1 — 13 |
xxi. 5—19 |
— |
200 |
— |
— |
— |
xxi. 1—14 |
|
|
161 |
xxiv. 1.5-28 |
xiii. 14—23 |
xxi. 2L>— 24 |
— |
201 |
— |
— |
|
xxi. 1.5—24 |
|
|
162 |
xxi-v. 20—36 |
xiii. 2 J— 32 |
xxi. 25—33 |
— |
202 |
xxviii. 10, ad |
xvi. 15— 18 |
xxiv. 14 — 49 |
Acts i. 2, 3 |
|
|
iU3 |
\xiv.37,a(/7Jfl |
xiii. 33, adfin. |
xxi. 34—36 |
— |
fin. |
|||||
|
164 |
XXV. 1-13 |
|
— |
— |
203 |
xvi. 19, adfin. |
xxiv. 50, ad |
XX. 30, ad fin. |
||
|
165 |
XXV. 14—30 |
|
_ |
— |
fin. |
xxi. ult. |
||||
|
166 |
XXV. 31 ad fin |
— |
— |
Acts i. 4—12. |
THE
FAMILY EXPOSIT
THE FORMER PART OF THE HISTORY OF CHRIST, AS RECORDED BY THE EVANGELISTS.
SECTION I.
LUKE'S PREFACE TO HIS HISTORY, DEDICATED TO THEOPHILUS, A CHRISTIAN FRIEND, WHOSE COMFORT AND ESTABLISHMENT HE WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED. LUKE i. VER. 1 — 4
LcKEi. Ver. 1. Luke i. Ver. 1.
Forasmuch as many WHEREAS many have undertaken'' to compose the history" of those important SECT. forth i*nor<ierTded°arationof .A^''-^^ "it^hich have been confirmed among us Christians with the fullest and most satis- !•
those thinss,which are most factory e»/r/e«cf,'^ as the great foundation of our common faith; and since some of these
^"^Even as^the^'deinered historians have written, not on their own personal knowledge, but as they, (whether apos- I-uke them unto us, which from tles or Others,) have transmitted them to us, who were themselves, from the beginning _ ^■ the beginuing were eye- of Clirisfs ministry, cye-witnesscs of what passed, and in proof of the sincerity of their The word: """^ ""°'^'"s "^ testimony, courageously became ministers of the word,^ that is, of the Gospel, amidst the
3 It seemed good to me greatest opposition ; I also, having accurately traced all these things^ fro)?i their first 3 also haying had perfect un- j,.-( g^ fj.Qj^ ^j^g yg^y Conception of John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of oui-
derstauQing of all things xi» ,7 //•/ / •, 1 i ^ /• j^i „ jtu ^
from the very first, to write -Lord, have thought it proper to write an orderly account oj them -.^ and 1 criuse to
a WheTeaa mnny have undertaken.'] This must refer to some Histories of the Life of C/trist, which are now lost ; for Matthew and Mark, the only Evang'olists which can be supposed to have written before Lnkc, could not with any propriety be called many ; and of these two, Matthew at least wrote from personal knowledge, not
d Of the word.'] Some have conjectured, that Xc^o;, the word, here signifies Christ, as in the beginning of St. John's Gospel : Perhaps it may ; but I did not think it so evident, as to venture fixing it to that sense.
e Having accurately traced all these things.] The original, irapn-
the testimony of others. One must readily conclude, the books xoXaenxoli uao-iv axpuSu; plainly signifies that acciiracy of invcsti-
refea red to are lost, as none of the Apocryphal Gospels now extant, gallon, on which the perfect understanding of his subject was
published particularly by Fahricius, (in his Codex Apoc. Nov. built.
Test.) or Mr. Jones, (in his History of the Canon j can with any f From their first rise.] Some very pious and learned writers
shadow of reason pretend to equal antiquity with this of St. Lnke. have pleaded this text, as an argument for the inspiration of St.
Butloannot, with ^/mJro.tf and £)7//)/ian«MS, suppose, that the Evan- Luke's Gospel, and consequently of the rest; because the word
gelist here intends the Gospels of Basilides, Cerinthns, and some mu'iet sometimes signifies/roni above, nr from Heaven ; as it plainly
other early Heretics ; since he seems to allow these histories, what- doth, John iii. 31. Jam. i. 17. iii. lo, 17. But Luke so evidently uses
ever they were, to have been at least honestly written, according it ia the sense here given. Acts xxvi. 5. and that sense is so common
to information received from the most capable judges. And it is elsewhere, and seems so absolutely necessary m this connection
strange, that Eusehius should imagine, the words are intended as with ■nx^mo>.Hf^rM''i, that I cannot think this text it all to the purpose,
a severe censure on the now unknown compilers of these histories. The argument I mention, is one of those, which, like pieces of
whoever they were. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. iii. cap. 24. superfluous armour, encumber rather than defend ; and the more I
b To compose the history.] To set forth in order a declaration, am concerned about the cc.nclusion, here or elsewhere, the more
is so antiquated a phrase, that it would hardly be understood any cautious shall I always be, that I may not draw it from such
where but here ; at least I am sure, none could, by reading it, so premises. ,
much as guess at the elegance and propriety of St. Luke's' words, g To write an orderly account of them, x^tJc^n? mi yfx-l<n.] It is
av«:<5xi3ai ^i/i-y/iiiv, which may more literally, and I think far more chiefly on the autliority of this clause, that M. Le Clerc, and
justly, be rendered to compose a history :' AaA I doubt not but many other modern harmonizers have thought (as Beza also did,)
our English word compose, may express as much regularity in the that all the other Gospels are to be reduced to the order of Luke,
order of Ucts, as the Evangelist meant to intimate. wherever they differ from it : a conclusion which, I apprehend, for
c Confirmed among us with the fullest evidence.] I think irfTXrifojo- reasons that sliall afterwards be given at large, to be an occasion
p/iAavtuv IS rather to be understood, as referring to the fulness of of many errors, and particularly injurious to the character of
that evidence with which the facts were attended, than to the confi- St. Matthew. I would only here observe, that the foundation of it
denre with which they were believed. This seems most honourable is very precarious ; since it is evident, this Evangelist might, with
to the Gospel ; but as I know the word is ambiguous, and often great propriety, be said to have given an orderly account of the
used fii the l.ittei- sense, I have chosen to express that also in the History of Christ, as the leading facU are in their due series, though
Paraphrase. Compare 2 Tim. iv. 5. 17. Gr. some particulars are transposed.
2 THE WORD WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD.
SECT, inscribe li to tJiee, O ?)iost nohh Thtcphilus ;^ because, though thou art already in the "",\",[t xVe"o°hiius"'"*'' *'''
1. general acquainted with them, yet I cannot but be concerned, that thou mayest more '^'■4'^That'^thou''mightest
fully? and circumstantially, kno-v> the exact and certain truth of those things, in which know the certainty of those
LUKE thou hast formerly been instructed' by those who were the happy inshtiments of initiat- beMTmsrructed" ''^^*
I- ing thee into the Christian faith ; and I am persuaded, thou wilt be greatly confinned in it, by the attentive perusal of that history, with wliich I here present thee.
IMPROVEMENT.
Let us humbly adore the divine goodness, that facts of so great importance, as tliese now to be laid before us, vi'ere not left to the uncertainty of oral tradition ; but delivered to the church in writing, by persons who had so Ver. 2 many opportunities of learning the truth, and have given such full proof of their integrity in relating it. Let us be thankful, tliat we have not only one such history, but that several imdertook this excellent and necessary work, by whose 'united testimony the whole is confirmed ; while it is also illustrated by the variety of theii- nar- 1 rations, each inserting some considerable circumstance v/liich the rest have omitted. Let us rejoice in that provi- dential care, which hath preserved this invaluable treasure through so many succeeding ages, and some of them periods of the grossest darkness, and the hottest persecution.
3 While we study tliis orderly series of sacred story, let u^ be concerned, that our faith may be established by it, and our other graces proportionably advanced ; maintaining a continual dependence on that blessed Spirit, by whose instmction it was written, to lead us into wise and pious reflections upon it.
To conclude ; fi'om tlie care which this holy Evangelist expresseth, for the editication and comfort of his friend
4 Theophilus, let us learn to regard it as one of the most important offices of friendship, to labour for the spiritual advantage of each other ; by endeavouring, not only to awaken and instruct those that are entirely unacquainted or unaifected with divine things, but also, as we have opportunity, to confirm the faith, and quicken the zeal, of the most established Christians with whom we converse. Happy the men, whose tongues, and wliose pens, are employed in so good a work : may they never, in the remotest ages, fail of some excellent Theophilus, to welcome and encourage their pious attempts !
SECT
2.
JOHN i.
SECTION II.
St. John begins his Gospel with a very sublime and emphatical account of the deity and incarnation of Christ ; and of those glorious rind important purposes, for which he condescended to appear among us in the human nature. Jolin i. 1 — 14.
John i. 1. In the beginning, before the foundation of the world, or tlie first production of any j^ ^^^ be-iLhi- w-., the created being, a glorious person existed, who (on account of the perfections of his nature, y/ord,'^ amf the"-\Vonl' was and his being in time the medium of divine manifestations to u?,) may properly be called with God, a the Word of God.^ And the Word was originally with God, the father of all ; so that to ''"« ^''^■ him the words of Solomon might justly be applied, Prov. viii. 30. " He was by him, as one brought up with Irim, and was daily his delight." Nay, by a generation v.hich none can declare, and an union which none can fully conceive, the Word was himself God,^ that is, 2 possessed of a nature truly and properly divine. I repeat it again, that the condescension of his incarnation may be more attentively considered, this divine [Word] was in the very beginning with God, and by viitue of his most intimate union with liim, was possessed
and tl'.e ^Yon\
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
h O most noble J'heophilus.'] That Theophilus is the name of a particular person, eminent in the church in those early days, and not, (as Salvian thought it,) a general title applicable to every Christian as a lover of God, Dr. Whitby, after many others, hath abundantly proved. What his rank in life was, we do not indeed certainly know ; but it seems, that it was pretty consider- able, for K^xnm was then, as Excellency among us is, a title of honour and respect usual in addressing noble personages : (See Acts xxiii. 26. xxiv. .3. xxvi. 25.) And it might with some peculiar propriety be applied here, as Theophilus was so worthy the name he bore, which signifies a true lover of God.
i Hast been instructed, Tsei wv xalnpcn^ns.] The word doth with great accuracy express the instructions given to those who were training up for an admission to the Christian Church ; whose name of Catechumens was, as it is well known, derived from hence, and applied, without any particular regard to the age of the persons concerned. Compare Acts xviii. 25. Rom. ii. 18. I endeavour to express this in the paraphrase, but it would be very improper to use the English word which most literally answers to the Greek, because that is now almost wholly appro- priated to children.
a ne word of God.} The Greek Lo/jos is now become so familiar to an English ear, that I doubt not lj\it most ot my readers would have understood me, had I retained it in my translation ; which, on account of the singularity of the idea here signified by it, I should have done, had I not feared it might liave been unintelligible to a few at least, and so have impaired the pleasure they might find in so excellent a passage. I know that some of the Fathers render Logos, Reason, as M. Le Clerc doth ; though I apprehend they mean it in a very different sense from him, who seems to understand it only as a strong Eastern phrase, to signify the consummate wisdom of the Gospel scheme. See his Harmony, p. 44. But this will entirely enervate, and destroy the sense of ver. 14, as well as of those texts which speak of Christ's coming out from God, enjoijing glory with him before the world was, c^-c.
b The Word was God.'] T know how eagerly many have con- tended, that the word God is used here in an inferior sense; the necessary consequence of which is, (as indeed some have expressly avowed it,) that this clause sliould be rendered, the Word was a God, that is, a kind of inferior deity, as governors are called gods. See .Tohn x. 34. and 1 Cor. viii. 5. But it is impossible he should here be so called merely as a governor, because he is spoken of as existing before the production of any creatures whom he could govern : and it is to me most incredible, tlmt when the Jews were so exceeding averse to idolatry, and the Gentiles so unhappily prone to it, such a plain writer as this apostle should lay so dangerous a stumbling-block on the very threshold of his work, and represent it as the Christian doctrine, that in the beginning of all things there were tivo Gods, one supreme, and the other subordinate : a difficulty which, if possible, would be farther increased, by recollecting what so many ancient v/riters assert, that tliis Gospel was written with a particular view of opposing the Corinthians and Ebionites ; (See Iren. I. i. c. 20. /. iii. c. 11. Euscb. Eccl. Hist. I. vi. c. 14.) on which account a greater accuracy of expression must have been necessary. There are so many instances in the writings of this apostle, and even in this chapter, (see ver. 6, 12, 13, 18.) where ©so; without the article is used to signify God in the highest sense of the word, that it is something surprising, such a stress should belaid on the want of that article, as a proof' that it is used only in a subordinate sense.— On the other hand, to conceive of Christ as a distinct and co-ordinate God, would be equally inconsistent with the most express declarations of Scripture, and far more irreconcileable with reason. Nothing I have said above, can by any means be justly interpreted in such a sense : and I here solemnly disclaim the least intention of insinuating one thought of that kfnd, by any thing I have ever written, here or elsewhere.— The order of the words in the original, (©£w m o Xoyo;) is such, that some have thought the clause might more exactly be translated, God was the word. But there are almost every where so many instances of such a coustvuction, as our version supposes, that I chose rather
fr John.
TH£ WORLD WAS RIADE BY HIM, YET KNEW HIM NOT. 3
3 All thiiig^ were made yf infiuite glory and felicity. And when it pleased God to begin his work of cix-ation, s£CT. wL'"imt li" y Twd^" ma<te "^ t''^"S^ »" the whole compass of nature xvere ?mde bi/ hiin,'' even by tliis almighty 2. tliat was made. ° Word ; ^tiul ivithout li'iiu was not any thing made, not so much cs one single icing,'^
4 In hira was life ; and whether among the noblest, or the meanest of God's various works. T/iat fulness of john^ the life was the light of power, wisdoui, and benignity, tn/iic/i was hi him, teas the fountain of lilis^to the whole ^■■'
creation : and it is in particular our concern to remember, that the life ^vmch was in him, ivas the light of men, as all the light of reason and revelation was the eiiect of liis energy
5 And the !i<;ht shiiieth On thc mind. And the light long shone in the heathen world, and under the dispensation 5 in darkness, and the dark- of I\Ioses, and it still shineth in darkness, even on the minds of the most ignorant and ness co:iipreheuded it not. pj-gj^j^^g^i p^rt of mankind ; and yet the darkness was so gross, that it opposed its pas- sage, and such was the prevailing degeneracy of their hearts, that they did not apprehend if,' or regard its dictates, in such a manner as to secm-e the blessings to which it would have led them.
re re was a niaa sent As tilis was the case for many ages, the divine wisdom was pleased to inteqDOse in these (j od, whose name icus ipt^gj. Jays, by a clearer and fuller discovery ; and for tliis purpose a man, whose name was John, aiterwards called the Baptist, was sent as a messenger />'o/« God; of whose miraculous conception and important ministry a more particular account i= elsewhere
7 The same came for a given : but here it may be sufficient to observe in general, that though he was liimself, in 7 witness, to bear witness of ^jj inferior sense, " a burning and shinLag light :" (compare John v. 35.) yet he ca?ne only
the Li'dit, tnat ail men j „ i . c ° ^ ^ a- Z Sl i L ■ n ' fj- •
tiirou'^lT lilm inio-ht be- Under the character 01 a servant, and for a witness, that he m/ght lestifi concerning lieve. Christ, the true light, that all who heard his discourses, might bjj his means be engaged
8 He was not that Light, to believe and follow that divine illumination. And accordingly he most readily con- g but ?ra« s.°«; to bear wit- fegged, that he himself was not that light, but only [cajne'] to bear witness concerning
9 That was the true it. T/^e //'we //o-//^ of which he spake, ■ii'flj Christ,s even M(7!f sun of righteousness and 9 Light which lighteth every jjource of truth, which, comimr into the world, enlighteneth every man^ dispereing his man rtat cometh mto the y^^^^ ^^ j^ ^.^^^^ fj,oj^ ^j^g g^^j pf ^^g heavens to the Other, to the Gentile world, which
10 He was in the world, was iii midnight darkness, as well as to the Jews, who enjoyed but a kind of twilight. lie jq bv^him ^nd*^ the^ worfd "^^^ '" '^^ world in a human form; and though the world was made by him,'^ yet the knew him not. world knew and acknowledged him not. Yea, he came into his own [territories,'] even
to follow if, than to vary from it unnecessarily, in this important thing different from our reading and version, " BdinlJ, I am ; I
passage.— I am deeply sensible of the sublime and mysterious "■ ivill send my angel before thy Jface to keep thee in t lie way.'" Fnv
nature of the doctrine of Christ's deity, as here declared : but it xari ufep x. t. x. rx /jL-y f.vrllx,r3 Si 9£i3t, (a remarkable distribution)
would be quite foreign to my purpose to enter into a large discus- ws sroi/<Jiv xxi iSx-aXivs o Oios oryti xj^x Jixnv kxi vo^iov, a^o^nix/xiios tov opiav
sion of that great foundation of our faith ; it has often been done xula AOrO.^I CTfCvToyovov mm, os rnv tm^tXtixv rns npxs raiAns xytXr,;, ax
by much abler hands. It was, however, matter of conscience with u /ityx^jAi ffxtiXius vrsxp^os SixSi^Cixi. Kxi yxp npn'ai ctcu, IJsu, lyu ti/u,
me, on the one hand, thus strongly to declare my belief of it, and a-no^iXu ayytXm p.ou us n-porwrov aou to-j ipuXx^xt ■yt tv m oJw.
on the other hand, to leave it as far as I could in the simplicity of d Not so much as one single being.l There is an emphasis in the
Scripture expressions. 1 shall only add, in the words, or at least words o-j^t ev, which I thought it proper to express in th^version,
the sense of tSishop Burnet, " That had not St. John, and the other than which nothing can be more literal.
" Apostles, thought it a doctrine of great importance in the Gospel e That which was in him was life.] The most antient fathers,
" scheme, they would rather have waved, than have asserted and that quote this text, so generally join the words o 7E7OVEV, with this
" insisted upon it, considering the critical circumstances in which fourth verse, that I cannot but apprehend this to be the true
they wrote." See Burnet on the ^r.'/c/cs, p. 40. reading. (See Dr. Mill's Pro/ff?.) But if any think it improbable
c Alt things were made by him.'} It would be the work of a trea- that ytymi should have different senses here, and in the third verse,
tise, rather than a note, to represent the Jtwish doctrine of the they will please to observe, that the full sense of our version is
creation of all things by the divine Logos ; to which, (rather than expressed in the paraphrase, and that the alteration here made is
the PLitonic,) there may be some reference here. They who have of very small importance. That the heathens sometimes speak of
no opportunity of examining the original Authors, may see what their deities and heroes, as the light and life of mankind, Eisner
those learned men have said, to whom Dr. A. Taylor refers, in his hath shown on this text.
Treatise onXhQ Trinity, ti>- 2iS, to which add. Dr. Pearson on the f Did not apprehend it, <u xxrAxSiv.'] It might not seem so
Creed, p. 118. Dr. Scott's Christian Life, vol. iii. p. 565, Spc. fol. strange, that the world did not fully comprehend the spiritual,
and Dr. Watts's Dissert, on the Trinity, No. iv. 5 3.— There is, since it certainly doth not fully, comprehend the material light, nor
however, a remarkable passage I shall mention to tliis purpose, as indeed any of the most familiar objects it discovers : but the word
a specimen of the rest; and the rather, because it is omitted in is capable of other senses, and is sometimes used for apprehending,
most of the collections I have seen on this head, and not fully cited or laying hold of a thing, 1 Cor. ix. 24. Phil. iii. 12, 13. and some-
and explained in what I take to be its exact sense in any. Philo times for perceiving it. Acts iv. 13. x. 34. Compare Acts xiv. 17.
JudtEus, fde Profug. p. AQ^.J speaking of the chcrubims on the xvii. 25. Rom. i. 20. which all illustiate the Evangelist's assertion.
mercy-seat as symbolical representations of what he calls the g The true h'ght mas Christ.] The original yet more clearly
creating and governing powers, makes this additional reflection: expresses the antithesis between this and the former verse: I have
" The divine word r Logos J is above these, of whom we can have endeavoured to follow it in my version, without supposing ocjtoj
" no idea by the sight, or any other sense ; he being himself t/ie understood here, to answer to exeivos there. I cannot but think the
" image of God, the eldest of all intelligible beings, sitting nearest conjecture of the learned Heinsius very elegant, that the iv at the
" to liirawho is truly THE ONLY ONE, there being no distance beginning of this verse, might belong to the end of the former : the
'between them:" (alluding, I suppose, to the form of those exact construction then would be, Ac, viz. John, «.a,v no^ Ma/ %/i/,
antient chariots, where, as in the chairs we use upon the road, the but he was, (that is, he existed and came,) that he might bear witness
driver sat close to the person driven ; which was not the case in to that light : the true light, &c. was in the world, 8cc. See Heins.
all ; compare Acts viii. 38.) " And therefore he (that is, God) in loc.
" says, / will speali unto thee from the mercy-sent between the two h Which, coming into the world, enlighteneth every man.'] So I
" ch'erubims ; thereby representing the Logos, as the charioteer by chuse to render it, though I acknowledge that our version may be
" whom the motion of these powers is directed ; and himself who consistent with the truth, and that it most exactly suits the order
" speaks to hira, as the rider (or person carried,) who comm.ands of the words in the original ; but the other is also very gramma •
'■ the charioteer how he is to manage the reins." O Si vnspxm 7-Bliv tical, ip^s ipyaixiwi ei? rai wifxrn, and suggests an idea more distinct
from ver. 4. Not to urge, that the phrase'of coming into the world, is, with peculiar emphasis, used of Christ, and especially under the notion of a light. Compare John xii. 4G. I am come a light into the world. John iii. 19. T!ds is the condemnation, that light is come into the world.
i The world was made by him.] Some have supposed this parti-
oj9nv wu cjatvlDf )iviox>]riv. I insert this, as a key to a great many other cularly levelled against the Gnosticks, who maintained that the
passages in Philo ; and shall only mention one more : f De Agri- world was made by an evil Genius ; and that the God of the Old
cult. p. 195.) Where he represents God, as "vgoverning the whole Testament, and the New, were difl'erent and contrary persons. It
*' course of nature both in heaven and earth, as the great Shepherd is certain, that Irenceus, and several others of the fathers, with
"and King, by wise and righteous laws; having constituted his great propriety, have urged this text against that mad notion.
" unerrinsr Word, his only-begotten Son, to preside as his viceroy Eusebius exposes these wretches in a very just and lively manner,
" over this holy flock :" for the illustration of which he quotes and makes use of words which, if he had been our contemporary,
those remarkable words, Exod. xxiii. 23, thougli in a form some- might have seemed directly levelled at a late unhappy writer, who
(scil. ■?uy3!^t£l■f Troinrixi; x»i (3afTi\ix>js) AOPOS ©EIOS, ei5 cpxrnv oux r;>.9£v liEOv, a^c /j.T,Sf)i r:cv xxr' aiiJnTiv e/xJe^j at, aXX' xum £:x;:v vvx^x'-^-v Ceov, T-c'vvo^rwva:77a^ a7rxvT:Jvo rT^EjCyrjelo?, OEyyvro^s, fj.r.Sivt5 ovtos /xt^^iou SiXTrn- U.xr.s, TOT MOXOT 0 EJnv x-\,ivSiiS afiSpVfj.vm^. Aiytrxi 7*5, AaX»:Jw ffoi a/i.9EV roy \Xx'jrr,pi^j x-^x ^£«v tu^ Suotv Xe{8?eiu* wt9' nyic^ov /xsv Eivai r.'-.v SvvxpLZ'My TOV .\OrON, etto^ov Si rov X-tXoyvTa:, EmxEXEUo^tEvov tw ?5Vioxw rx :^p9;
4 THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US.
SECT, to Ihe Jewish nation, which was under such distinguished obhgations to him, and to whom ii lie came unto his o«r.
2. he had been so expressly promised as their great Messiah ; yet his own [peoplcl did 7wt ^'"* '"« own received lum receive him^ as they ought ; but on the contrary treated him in the most contemptuous
JOHN and ungrateful manner. Nevertheless the detriment was theirs, and it was indeed un- i'2 Kut as many as re- '• speakably great to them ; for to as mam/ as received him, and by a firm and lively faith he'^powe™'to''become^the believed on his luxrne, \even'\ to all of the7n, without any exception of even the poorest sous of God, even to them or the vilest, he granted the glorious privilege of becoming the sons of God ; that is, that believe on his name, he adopted them into God's family, so that they became entitled to the present iimnuni-
13 ties, and the future eternal inheritance of his children. And they who thus believed on him }'^, winch were bom not
> ,. ,, . ., . . i- ii • 1 ■ ; /■;/;/- of blood, nor oi the will
were possessed ot these privileges, wor m. consequence or their being born of blood, ot of the flesh, nor of the their being descended from the loins of the holy patriarchs, or sharing in circiuncision, "ill of man, but of God. and the blood of tlie sacrifices ; nor could they ascribe it merely to the will of the Jlesh, or to their own superior wisdom and goodness, as if by the power of corrupted nature alone they had made themselves to ditier ; nor to the will of inan, or to the wisest advice, and >
most powerful exhortations, which their fellow-creatures might address to them ; but must humbly acknowledge, that tliey were born of God^ and indebted to the etiicacious in- fluences of his regenerating grace, for all their privileges, and for all their hopes. Compare John iii. 1 — 8. Tit. iii. 3 — 7. and Jam. i. 18.
14 And in order to raise us sinful creatures to such illustrious dignity and happiness, the 14 And the Word was divine and eternal Word, that glorious person whom we mentioned above, by a most "^ns- usf^(and'*we"beheUi amazing condescension, was made Jlesh,^ that is, united himsL-lf to our interior and his glory, the glory as of miserable natiue with all its innocent infirmities; and he not only made us a transient p, ti, ""l^f^'ff"'/'^" °^ *''? visit, for an hour, or a day, but for a considerable time pitched his tabernacle among us" truth. ' '^^ ^" on earth ; and we who are now recording these things contemplated his glory, (compare
1 John i. 1.) with so strict an attention, that, from our own personal knowledge, we can bear our testimony to it, that it was in every respect such a glory as became the only- begotten of the Father : for it shone forth, not merely in that radiant appearance which invested him on the mount of transfiguration, and in the splendor of his continued miracles, but in all his temper, ministration, and conduct, through the whole series of his life, in which he appeared full of grace and truth ;° that is, as he was in himself most bene- volent and upright, so he made the amplest discoveries of pardon to sinners, which the Mosaic dispensation could not possibly do, and exhibited the most important and sub- stantial blessings,? whereas that was at best but " a shadow of good things to come." Compare Heb. x. 1.
IMPROVEMENT.
Ver. 1 Justly hath our Redeemer said, Blessed is the man that is not offended in me: and we may , peculiarly 2 apply the words to that great and glorious doctrine of the deity of Christ, which is here before us. A thou- sand high and curious thoughts will naturally arise in our coraipt hearts, on tliis view of it ; but may divine grace subdue them all to the obedience of an humble faith -, so that, with Thomas, we may each of us fall down
3, 4 at his feet, and cry with smcere and unreserved devotion. My Lord, and my God I
Let us adore him as the creator and preserver of all, the overflowing foimtain of light and life. Let us with 5 unutterable pleasure hail tliis sun of righteousness, whose rays, by the tender-mercies of the Father, have visited our benighted world, to guide our feet into the way of peace : and while we lament that the darkness hath not apprehended and received him, let us earnestly pray, that he may ere long penetrate every cloud of ignorance and mist of error, and may ditfuse among all the nations knowledge and grace, purity and joy. Let us especially pray, that he may penetrate our beclouded souls ; and that they may, in holy correspondence
strangely took it into his head to call himself Tlie Moral Philo- included. Dr. Whitby, with many others, takes the ivill of Die
sopher. But alas, every succeeding age has had its moral philoso- flesh to signify carnal descent, and the vill of mnn, adoption ;
pbers, who have attempted to remove'that burthensome stone, the which I should jirefer to the opinion of Mess. L'Enfant and
Bible, and have found it returning upon them, so as to grind them, Beausobre, who, without any reason assigned, understand by those
and their schemes, and their confidence, to poivder. Xlie words in born of tlie will of man, proselytes, as opposed to native Jews; a
my view are these; (Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. v. cap. 28. in fin.) sense,' in which I never could 'find the phrase used. The para-
AotXwi afniia^evoi tov t£ vomov kjii tous w^op/ili?, oimt^ov xxi oc6ov StUxaxxXtx;, phrase I have given, keeps the ideas distinct ; answers the frequent
BT^oJiMEi xa:ji1os, Elf tax^'iov iifTi£v>.Eii! oX£9^-oy Kx'iiiu-siwm. " Some, " (who signification of flesh elsewhere ; (compare John iii. G. Rom. vii. 25.
yet it seems pretended to be Christians,) " absolutely rejecting the viii. 3, 8, 12, and Gal. v. 17.) and conveys an important and edify-
" law and the prophets, by a licentious and atheistical doctrine, ing sense, very agreeable to the tenor of Scripture. But I submit
"which they introduced under a pretence of magnifying the it to the reader, without pretending that it is the only interpret.! -
"Divine Goodness, or the Gospel," (for xwiV, Grace, may signify tion the words will bear. I hope he will always carefully distiu-
either,) ^' have plunged themselves into the lowest gulf of per- guish between the text unA the paraphrase, and remember how
" dition." very different a regard is owing to the one and the other.
k He came into his own [territories'] yet his own [people] did not m Jf^as made flesh.] Flesh often signifies man in this infirm and
receive him.] It is so difficult to express the diftirence between calamitous state. Compare Gen. vi. 12. Numb. xvi. 22. Dent. v.
E<r rx tSix, and oi iSm, that few versions have attempted it; yet, as 26. Psalm cxlv. 21. Isa. xlix. 26. Acts ii. 17. 1 Cor. i. 29. and many
Grotius hath well observed, the energy of the text cannot be un- other places.
derstood without attending to it. Tliat the JewMi nation was, in n Pitched his tabernacle among vs.] There is so visible a refer- some peculiar sense, under the care and guardian.ship of Christ ence in the word tmmxtiv, to the dwelling of the Shekinah in the before his incarnation, this passage seems strongly to intimate, and Tabernacle of Moses, that it was very proper to render it by the many learned men have shewn it, in what appears to me a con- word I have used, vincmg light. o Full of (jrace and truth.] It is plain, that those words, flnrf j/i?
1 trho v:ere not horn of blood, Si-c. but of God.] 1 am sensible, beheld his fflori/, t/ie i/lori/ as of the onli/-bei/olten of the Father, are
this verse is liable to great difficulty and ambiguity. It is an to be considered as a parenthesis; and these are to be joined with
amazing liberty the author of the New Translation, published the preceding, thus, he dwelt 'amonr/ vs—full of grace and truth.
1727, has taken with it, in explaining it of a birth, which they liad. But the length of the paraphrase riiade It inconvenient to traus-
not from circumcision, nor from the constitvtion of the boil;/, nor from pose them.
the institution of man, but from Cad. I readily allow, that £? p The most substantial blessings.] That truth is sometimes
ixi/j.x%v, of bloods, may include circumcision, but cannot confine it used, not so much in opposition to falsehood, as to hieroglyphics,
to that' patriarchal descent, and the blood of sacrifice.s, were so shadows, and types, an attentive reader must often have observed,
much ( »pe-ided upon by the Jews, that one would suppose them See Ilcb. viii. 2. ix. 21, and Dan. vii. 16. Compare Col. ii. 17.
AN ANGEL APPEARS, AND FORETELS THE BIRTH OF JOHN, 5
1o the purposes of his appearing, be turned as clay to the scal;^ Job xxxviii. 14. The world knew him not ; sECT. but may we know him, and give him that honourable and gi'ateful reception, which so great a favour may 2.
justly demand! — Yet what returns can be proportionable to his condescension, in becoming jlesh for us, and
pitchinss: his tabernacle among miserable and sinful mortals ?— Happy apostles, that beheld his glori/ .' AndVer. 14. surely there are in his word such reflections of it, as we may also behold, and as will oblige us to acknowledge it to be a glory that became the onli/-begotten of the Father.
Let us cordially receive him, as full of grace and truth, that we also may stand entitled to the privileges 12 of God's children. And if we are already of that happy number, let us not arrogate the glory of it to our- selves ; or ascribe it entirely to those who have been the instraments of this important change ; but remember, that of his own will God hath begotten us by the word of his power, and that of him we are in Christ 13 Jesus : to him then let us refer the ultimate praise, if that divine and almighty Saviour be made xmto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Cor. i. 30.
SECTION HI.
An Angel appears to Zacharias, to give him notice of the birth of John the Baptist; and his mother,
on her conception, retires. Luke i. 5 — 25. Luke i. 5. Luke i. 5
?H^rofir^tlie" Kin/^of JN the days of Herod the Great, whom the Romans had made Jang of Judea, there SECT. Judea, a' certain priest was a priest named Zacharias, who belonged to that course of priests in the Temple, 3.
named Zacharias, of the -^yhjch was called the course of Abiah ; as Abiah was the head of one of the twenty-tour wife icas of the daughters courses into which David distributed the priests, (compare 1 Chron. xxiii. 6. and xxiv. 10.) li-'ke of Aaron, and her name whose memory was still kept up, though none of his line returned from the captivity. '• was Ehsabeth. j^^^ f^-^ ^-^j.^^ ^^^^^ -^^ ^j^^ ^^^-^^^ ^^ Zacharias,) was one of the daughters of the honour-
6 And they were both ^^^^^ familv" of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both of them G rijrhteous before (jod, walk- n /■ • i ^ i ^ i i i ■ i j • ^i
ing- in all the command- persons of a vcry tair character among men : and not only so, but suicerely and eminently mentsand ordinances of the righteous in the sight of God, walking before him in the simplicity of their hearts, in a Lord blameless. faithful observance of all the moral commands, as well as ceremonial ordinances and
7 And they had no child, institutions^ of the Lord, in a very blameless and exemplary manner. And they had! because that Elisabeth was ;;i)' n i- i ,i i ^ ■ ■'.' . ^ ,, barren, and they bwth were "0 child, because Elisabeth was barren ; and so pious a man as Zaclianas was, would now well stricken m years, not, on any terms, think of taking another wife, while she lived :^ and indeed there was
no human prospect that their family would ever be built up, because thej/ were both
very far advanced in years. ^ -^"^ 't '^=""^ *° F.^^' And it came to pass, that when he was at Jerusalem, performing the pries fs office 8 nri'estVo'ifice 'be^fore'^ God^ before God, in the order of his course, or of the class to wliich he belonged, according 9 in the order of his course, to the custom of assigning the respective offices of the priesthood to particular persons torn 1>7°thi'"prie*'st-s"office^ *^^^^ i'^ waiting, which was done by lot ; it so happened, that his lot was tlien to liis lot was to burn incense,' perform the most honourable service of daily ministration, that is, to burn incense on the when he went into the golden altar, which was before the Lord, contiguous to the holy of holies. (Exod. xxx. 7. temple of the Lord. ^j^ ^^ ^g.) This he accorduigly did, when he went into the temple of the Lord,
10 And the whole multi- either at the time of morning or evening sacrifice. And the whole inultitiule of pious 10 p"ayii?i! without,^'tt The J^ws assembled for divine worship, (according to the usual custom of the people at that time of incense. ' time,) were praying without, in tire courts of the temple at the time of incense,'^ to
declare then- concurrence with the priest in that intercession which he was making to God on their account. Compare Rev. viii. 3, 4.
11 And there appeared ^/;^ while Zacharias was in the midst of his devotions, on a sudden there appeared 1 1 Lord *'standiu"°^on' the ^^ ^^^"' ^ person, whom, by the form and manner of his appearance, he immediately right' side of fhe altar of knew to be an angel of the Lord ; and he was standing at the right of the altar of '"i9"T d 1 7 1' ^'"ff"'''f» before which, he was then ministering. And Zac/iarias .ymw^g- [////«,] though 12 saw"/,(H!, he was troubled, he was a man of such remarkable and experienced piety, was greatly discomposed, and and fear fell upon him. an unusual terror fell upon him.
13 But the angel said ^'^^ ^^'^ angel immediately scattered his fears, and said unto him with great gentleness 13 unto him, Fear not, Za- of aspect and voice. Fear not, Zacharias ; for I come unto thee with no message of herd ^ and'^tlV'^wf/e'^^'l^sa^ terror j but, on the contrary, am sent to assure thee, that thy frequently repeated prayer- beth siiall bear thee a son, for the redemption of Israel, as well as that wlrich thou hast formerly olfered for a blessing
q Turned as clay to the sea]:] This beautiful metaphor of the approved by persons of the best character. Compare Mai. ii.
inspired writer seems, by a very expressive contrast, to illustrate 14— 16. and 1 Tim. iii. 2.
t'le meaning of wnAxxLi, in the fifth verse. It was for want of c Were ■praying witlwut, at tlic time of Tncense.'] This was the
this, the darkness did nnt apprehend, or receive the lif/ht ; did not foundation of^that elegant figure, by which prayer is so often
form itself into a due correspondence to it, so as to put on its com\>3reA to fncense ; (see Psal. cxli. 2. Mai. i. 11. Rev. viii. 3, 4.)
hihit, and clothe itself with the lustre of its reflected beams, and perhaps, one reason of ordaining Incense might be, to intimate
How glorious and happy is that soul, on which the knowledge of the acceptableness of those pious /irr^yfrs, which were to accompany
Christ hath that genuine influence ! it. And indeed, burning fragrant perfumes was, aiid in the Eastern
a Moral commands, as well as ceremonial institutions.^ Some nations still is, so important a part of the entertainment of illus-
Inve^hought this distinction too nice: but it is certain, the word trious families, that one might well expect it in the house of God.
Sixxivix:tlx is .'■ometimes used to signify ceremonial institntions ; It is so plain that this was only an office of daily ministration,
(s!e Heb. ix. 1, 10.) though it is often taken in a much more ex- and that Zacharias was one of the ordinary priests, that one can-
t'-nsive sense, tt is however evident, that all expressed in the not but be siirprised, that any one should ever conclude from this ^
piraphrase must be intended in the text, since, under the Jewish circumstance of the story, that Zacharias was Sagan, or assistant
dispensation, they could not have approved themselves vpriglit to the higli-prie.st, and was now perforniing his grand office on the
before Cnd, without an obedient regard to the ceremonial law. dav of atonement, and so on this foundation should calculate the
b Takius another wife, while .she lived.] Poly/amy, as well as birfli of John the Jiaptist, and of C/irisf, and all the other feasts
Divorce, were, for the hardness of their hearts, tolerated among the which depend upon them: yet this is done in the Calendars, both
Jews ; but they seem both to have been, in this age at least, dis- of the Roman and Greek church.
6 ZACHARIAS SHOULD BE DUMB TILL THE BIRTH OF HIS SON.
SECT, on thine own family, is at length heard .-^ and in proof of it, I add, that Elisabeth th/ and thou s)iaU c^vll liis 3. 'wife shall ere long bear thee a son, to comfort thee in this thy declining age; and in "^''^^ John.
token of the gracious regard of God to him, thou shalt call his name John,^ that is,
LUKE the grace and favour of God ; to intimate, that the divine grace shall, in a very eminent -!• manner, be upon hun. And this inlimation shall be abundantly answered: for he shall . i* And thou shalt have
1 ^^ T ,■ -11 1 i ji i J/ I ij. 1 ■ i\ J. ■ joy and gladness, and many
be a person of so distinguished a character, that thou shalt have joy and transport m gi/ali rejoice at his birth, him;' and many others shall also have reason to rejoice with thee, on occasion of his
15 birth. For he "shall be great, not in circumstances of outward dignity and splendor, m'tur^s'io-htl'f Ui^*^ Loni'
but, what is infinitely more important, in the sight of the Lord, even Jehovah his God, and shafi drink neither
whose approbation is the hisrhest glory : and in token of his being in a peculiar manner "''"e ^o^ ,f^L°^s., 'Y^^^i
, \\ ,■ ■ /ii ., ° ,■ i AT -i -M ■ n \ 1 I // 1 ■ / ■•/ and he shall be hlled with
separated to his service, (like the antient Nazarites, JMiun. vi. 3.) he shall drinlc ncalier ^i^g iioiy Ghost, even from tvinc, nor any other sort of intoxicating liquor ; and he shall be so early remarkable his mother's womb, for wisdom and piety, that he shall appear to be filled with the holi/ spirit, even from IG his 7nother\s womb. And thus trained up, and'animated for service, he shall, when he dren o"lsr™dJhalVhe turn appears under a public character, turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their to the Lord their God. God ; whose ways they have so generally tbrsaken, even while they are professing them- selves to be his peculiar people, and boasting in such an extraordinary relation to him.
17 And to prepare them to receive the Lord their God, appearing in the person of the . 17 And he shall go bc-
' , . 1 V ^; ;; 7 /■ 7 • -11 i. • 1, 1 • ' j? ■ J. 1 r '"''e hmi in the spirit and
Messiah, he shall go before him, as an illustrious harbinger in the spirit and power of power of Elias, to turn the Elijah, that is, animated by the same sanctity, courage, and zeal for reformation, which hearts of the fathers to the appeared so remarkable in that celebrated prophet : and, according to that prediction of dient'^to«iTwisdom''on^hc Malaclii, (with which the sacred Canon concludes, Mai. iv. 6.) he shall meet with such just; to make ready a peo- glorious success in his ministry, as to convert the hearts of the fathers, with those of P'*^ prepared for the Lord. tlie children ;« that is, he shall bring many, both of the rising, and the declining age, to that real piety towards God, which will be the surest band of their mutual duty towards each other : and many of those who have hitherto been disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that is, insensible of the obligations to real religion, which is the greatest wisdom, shall lie make ready, -^s, a people prepared for the Lord, raising in their minds an expectation of the Messiah, and a disposition to welcome liim when he shall appear.
18 And Zacharias then said to the angel, by what sign shall I /enow that this desir- ^^^^^ tl'lf ai^'Lf '"vhereb** able and wonderful event shall be accomplished ? For in the course of nature it seems shall I'knowVhis! Fo^r \ most improbable: since 1 am an old man, and my wife is also considerably advanced 'i™ »" ^'ii man, and my
^ ^ ^ ^- •" wife well stricken in years.
i?i years. •'
19 And the angel answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in tlie pre- ing^4'id unto" hi"ram sence of God, and near the tlirone of his Majesty, as one of the chief officers in his Gabriel, that stand 'in the celestial court : of whose appearance to Daniel thou hast so frequently read : (Dan. viii. Presence of God ; and am
iri-f-viNj-i-L T c n t. T ' .ti 1 ^ j-1 ■ 1.1 ■ sent to sneak unto thee, an<!
16. IX. 21.) and it is by a peculiar lavour, that 1 am. now sent to spealc to thee, m tins to shew thee these glad tid-
form of unusual condescension, and to tell thee these joy ful tidings. My very appear- ings.
ance ought therefore to have been owned as a sufficient confirmation of the truth of my
message ; especially by thee, who canst not but know, how frequently, in Isiael, tlie most
20 illustrious persons have been raised up from parents who had long ibeen baiTcn.*" J/^^f 20 And, behold, thou shalt
since thou dost not acquiesce in this, God will give thee a sign ; which, while it confirms speak, until th"" day that
thy faith, shall also intimate his displeasure against this sinful mixture of unbelief ; for these things shall be per-
behold, tliou shalt from this moment be silent, and unable to spealc any more, //// the [fJ"!f; l'!,^t wL^'^.!?, !"h
• 7-77 ; ■ 7 7j 7 7- 7 7 -11 1 1 • 1 • 1 1 7-11 ''c vcst uot my words, w h ic tt
day in which these things shall be accomplished, even till the ciay m which l!ie child shall be fulfilled in their
shall be bom; because thou hast not unmediately believed my words, which yet, season.
tlirough the divine indulgence and favour to thee, shall be assmedlj fulfilled in their
season, that is, as soon as thou canst reasonably expect, after thy return home. 21 And the people waited
21 And tlie people, who stood without, were waiting for Zacharias, tliat he might [°^ yfa't'he'tarri^d ^"long dismiss them with his blessing ; (Niuiib. vi. 23 — 27. and Lev. ix. 22, 23.) and they in the temple.
d Tliy prayer is heard."] No doubt he had often prayed for their fattters : 0'55 i» r>\3ft si, which the sevenly render, xt^.Toii;
children; but as he seems now to have given up all expectations m^os ts^os vm\ in which words it is quoted Ecclus.xlviii. 10. Hut St.
of that kind, it is reasonable to conclude, that these words chiefly L^ike's version seems as agreeable to the Hebrew. I thought Sir
relate to his prayers for the deliverance of Israel by the illessiah, Norton KnatchbulVs reason sufficient to justify my rendering it as
whose appearance was then expected by pious persons, conversant I have done ; which is just as our translators have rendered the like
in the sacred v.'ritings ; (Luke ii. 25, 38. xix. 11. xxiii. 51.) and phrase, .Tudith ix. 10. (5«Xov ett' «f^Jov^l, xzi arxovl^: £iri Sej^tovIi, //(£> spr-
the more earnestly desired just at this time, as they suffered so rant with the prince, and the prince n-ith the servant. But, as I\Ir.
many grievous Ihings, by the oppression of the Romans, and the L'Enfant ?nd others, not without some probability, render it, to
tyranny of Herod, which, toward the close of his reign, grew more reconcile fathers and children, supposing it may relate to domestic
and more insupportable. dissensions inseparable from the variety of religious sects then
e TItou shall call his name John.] It was the office of the father amongst the Jews, I was willing to comprehend that sense in my
to name the child ; compare verse 62. It is well known, that this paraphrase. — Sir Norton KnatclibuH's manner of pointing the last
name, in Hebrezv pw, Johanan, (which occurs near thirty times clause of the verse appeared to me so elegant, that I could not but
in the Old Testament, though the English reader is not aware that follow it. Eisner would render it nearly in the same sense, By the
it is the same,) is derived from ri'^, and ^p, and properly signifies wisdom of the fust, to prepare the disobedient as a people furnished
the grace and favotir of the Lord. JiVZ/rt^irt^, and many of the other /or //<# Zor.7, or formed for him. (Compare Isa. xlii. 7. Septuag.)
proper names among the Hchreics, had such a kind of signification, See Eisner. Obsero. Vol. I. p. 170 — 173.
and probably were given in token of their good wishes to the h From parents who had been long barren.] Zacharias being so
infant that received them. pious a priest, could not but often have read the account which the
f Joy and Transport.'] A'yaxxtx'ns properly answers to the word scripture gives of the birth of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Samson, Sa- exultalion, or leaping for joy, and is far more expressive than glad- mnel. Sec. who were all descended from mothers that had been long . ness. Compare 1 Pet. i. 8. iv. 13. and Mat. v. 12. in which last barren. The resemblance in circum.stances might well have pro- places we render it, by being exceeding glad. duced a peculiar regard to them; and one would have imagined he ^ g To convert the liearts of the fathers, with those of tJic children ; must immediately have recollected the slory of the angel's appcar- Ems-^£4.ai xif5i« aa^-.^uv mi texvx.] Here is a plain allusion to Mai. iv. ance to Manoah in particular, when the same scene was acted over 6. where it is said, (as we render it,) that Elijah shall tvrn the before his own eyes, and some of the same expressions used by tha hear! of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to celestial mcsspiiger. Compare Jud^. xiii. 2—14.
THE ANGEL APPEARS TO THE VIRGIN MARY. 7
•awndej-ed that he continued so long in the temple,^ beyond tlie usual time : for he sect. .siaid a while after the angel disappeared, to present before God such humiliations and 3.
22 Ana « hen he came out thanksgivings as tliis extraordinary circumstance requiied. But xohen he came out he
lie coukl not speak unto j 2/ ^ i j. ±j j 1 ^i , .■ • , ■ 1 , , ,
them; and they perceived "^"^ ''0' '^"^^ ™ speak to them; and by the GOiis.teinahon m which he appeared, they LUKE that he had seen a vision in perceived, that he satv a visiou in the teniple ; and he himself bij signs tnti7nated\it'\ ^ on!d*'uTto'them/'and"re: ^^ *^''>" • «'"^ he^ontinucd deaf and . flumb,^ dui-ing the remainder of his stay at 2'2 niained speechless. Jerusalem ; a circumstance wisely ordered by Providence, to awaken a greater and more
general expectation, as to the event of so strange an occurrence.
23 And It came to pass ^„f/ aj'tgr this appearance of the angel to him, it came to pass that token the 23 his ministration were ac- remamuig dai/s of his vumstratiou tijere fulfilled, he departed to lus own house. coniplished, he departed to And ^\ck\y after these dai/s were ended, Elisabeth his wife conceived, according 24
'24 AudTfter these days, ^° *^^^ prediction of the angel; ««r/ apprehending her condition, she concealed her-
his wife Elisabeth conceiv- Self five months In an obscure retii-ement ; not only that her conception might more
months sa'hi-''"^'^'^'^ ^'^'^ certainly appear, but chiefly, that she might enjoy opportunity for those extraordinary
1 ,saji „, devotions which this wonderful favour of Providence demanded: nor could she, under
such^a circumstance, refrain from saying,
1 ^^i ''^•l';'^ ''^'^'- ^\f ^'""'^ The most solemn acknowledgments well become me, because the Lord himself hath 25
dealt with me, m the davs ,7 • ii-i iij ^i- ^ /^ -i- i.
whcicin he looked on m'e, '''"* miraculously mterposecl, and done this great work for me, m his own good time,
to take away my reproacli even in the daijs in -which he hath graciously looked down upon 7ne, to take away
among men. ^^^^ reproach of barrenness among men} For barrenness was accounted a peculiar
reproach among tiie Jews, who looked upon it as a singular happiness to be instrumental
in multiplying the holy seed, according to the promises which God had made them
relating to it.
IMPROVEMENT.
How amiable is the character of this pious pair, who were found walhing in all the commandments and Ver. 6 ordinances of the Lord, blameless ! May our behaviour be thus unblameable, and our obedience thus ■sincere, and universal ! Aid let those v/hose office leads them nearer to God than others, remember their peculiar obligation to imitate such an example.
Let us observe with pleasure, that the prayers which such worshippers oiter, come up with acceptance 13 before God ; to whom no costly perfume is so sweet as the fragrance of a character like this. An answer of peace was here returned, when the case seemed to be most helpless. Let us learn to wait patiently for the Lord, and leave it to his owii infinite wisdom to chuse the time and manner in wliich he shall appear for us."
Zacharias, accustomed as .he was to converse with the God of heaven, v/as nevertheless, as we see, tlirown into great 12 consternation, at tire appearance of his angelic messenger. Tkid may we not regard it, therefore, as an mstance of the goodness as well aj wisdom of God, .that he determines that the services which these heav^enly spirits render us should be generally invisible ? — It is delightful to observe that amiable condescension with wliich Gabriel, the courtier 13, 19 of heaven, behaved on this occasion. Let it teach us, with pleasure to pursue the humblest offices of duty and love wliich God may assign us, towards any of our fellow-servants, even in the lowest stations.
Happy was the holy Baptist in being employed in tliis blessed work of preparing men's hearts to receive a Saviour, 1 7 and reducing the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. May we be inspired with some degree of zeal like his, in our proper sphere, to pursue so noble a design !
V/e see in the instance of Zacliarias, that some remainders of unbelief may be found even m a faithful heart : let us IS, 20 guard against them, as remembering they will be displeasing to God, and hurtful to ourselves. — Aid to conclude, when providence favours us with any peculiarly gracious interpositions, let us attentively remark the liand of God in 24 them ; and let religious retirement leave room for serious recollection and devout acknowledgments.
SECTION IV.
The a;i-gel Gabriel is sent to the Virgin Mary, to inform her of the conception of Christ by her, in which she
humbly acquiesces. Luke i. 2C — 38. Luke i. 26. LurcE i. 26.
i[^^x.il Ga'brie/«.aT''senl ^^ ^^'^' «-''^^' """'^''' after Elisabeth had conceived, the same angel Gabriel, who had been Slid'
from God unto a city of Ga- the messenger of such good news to Zacharias, was sent from God to a small and incon-
lilee, named Nazareth, siderable city of Galilee, which was called Nazareilf-; lieing cliarged with an important
to I' manVhofe"nameTas coiiunissionVo 'a virgin, who was contracted, according to the Jewish method of espousals, ^"'^'^
Joseph, of the house of Da- to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the royal house of David ; which 07
i So long in the temple.'] All that is here recorded mi^ht have judgment: and so much the rather, considering- the many promises
pn.ssert in a few minutes: it seems probable, therefore, that since God had made to increase the families of his obedient people, Exod.
the people took notice of his continuing so much longer than or- xxxii. 13; Lev. xxvi. 9 ; Deut. vii. 13 ; and Psal. cxxvii. 3—5. J
diuary in the holy place, he spent some time ia secret devotion, will here digress so far as to observe, that, considering how the
where, in a mixture of holy affections rising on so great and extra- whole Jewish policy was interwoven with those acts of religion which
ordinary an occasion, he might easily forget how fast the moments were to be perforra-ed by the priests ahne, it might seem wonderful
passed away. that no provision at all should be made for entailing the priesthood
k Deaf and dumb.'] As )t..<f)05 signifies deaf, (Matt. xi. 5 ; Mark on any other family, if that of Aaron should happen to be extinct.
vii. 32, 37 ; ix. 2-5 ; and Luke vii. 22.) as well as dumb, (Matt. ix. Leaving this contingency unprovided for, was in effect putting the
33 ; xii. 22 ; xv. 31 ; and Luke xi. 14.) So it is plain from verse 62, whole credit of the Jewish religion upon the perpetual contmuance
that Zacharias lost his hearing with his speech, du-ing this in- of the male branches of that family : an issue on which no man of
terval. , Moses' prudence, nor indeed of common sense, would have rested
1 My reproach among men.] That barrenness was so amongst the his legislation if he had not been truly conscious of its divine ori-
Jews, appears from Gen. xxx. 23; 1 Sam. i. 11 ; Isa. iv. 1 ; liv. 1, 4 ; ginal ; especially after two of Aaron's four sons had been cut off in
and many other passages. That a branch of tlie family of Aaron one day for a rash act in the execution of their office, as soon as they
should fail, would also be looked upon as a particular calamity, and were initiated into it, and died without any children, Num. iii. 4.
might, by ignorant and uncharit:ible people, be intcrpreteil as a a Nazareth.] A city in the tribe of Zabnlon, which was reduced
AND FORETELS HER CONCEPTION OF CHRIST.
he viraiii s r.araiS
SECT, illustrious family was now reduced to so low a condition, that Joseph followed the employ- ^,'^'^,'jy^"'^ *^'' 4. ment of a carpenter: and the virgin's naim was Mary, of the same lineage. And the 08 Ami' the angel came
angel entered in to the room, in which she was alone ; and standing before her, surround- in unto her, and siiiii. Hail
LUKE ed with an extraordinary lustre, he addressed himself ?/«?'o her, and said. Hail, O thou toured^'^'thrLnr /s^viai ^- distinguished favourite of heaven! I congratulate thy happiness; for the Lord is with theei blessed art tliou a- ^^ thee, and is about to manifest his condescending regard in a manner which shall oblige all •"«"& women, around thee to acknowledge that thou art blessed among women, the greatest and happiest of thy sex.
29 Now the pious and modest virgin, when she saw this appearance of {the angeQ and si,e w^'troTibkd^aUursiv- heard his message, as she plainly perceived it to be something of a very extraordinary na- jng, and cast in her numl ture, was much disturbed at his discourse ;'' and, not imagining herself at all worthy of what manner of salutation such applause and congratulation, she reasoned with herself, for a while, what kind 0/ sa- lutation this could be,'^ and from what original it could proceed.
30 And the an^el, immediately perceiving it, to disperse the doubt she was in, said unto , ^o And the ang^l said un-
; • T^ '^ z 71/r /• ^T i /I. u J i IT ii ii i jA to her, !• ear not, Mary ; for
her agam. Fear not, Mary ; for I am a messenger sent from heaven to tell thee that thou thou hast found favour with
31 hast found signal favour with God. And be/told, and observe it with due regard, for I God.
assure thee, in his name, that from tliis very time, thou shalt be with child, and at the concdvf i'^n^Tiy womb'and proper season shalt be delivered of a son, and shalt call his name Jesus, the divine Saviour ; bring forth a son, and shalt for he shall come on that important errand, to save men from the tyranny of sin and the '^''lV'n''siviii''be">^ eat and
32 displeasure of God. He shall be incomparably great and glorious, insomuch that he shall si,aii be called the Son of justly be called the Son of the Most High God ; and the Lord shall give him the throne ^^,^*'fH^^*;. i*"'' ^^^^ Y''* of David his father, from whom thou art descended; so that, like David, he shall be the |j"g throne*' of hi.s father Sovereign of God's chosen people, and possess that extensive empire which was promised to David.
the seed of that holy patriarch : (2 Sam. vii. 12, 13 ; Psal. ii. 7, 8 ; and Psal. c.xxxii. 11, 12.)
33 And he shall inherit the kingdom; with this circumstance of superior glory, that, whereas 3.3 And he shall reign David is now sleeping with his fathers, this exalted Prince shall rule over the house ofja- "^'^'' *^|j*^ i'"'"/!^'^"!,^*^?,^*^"'^ cob, even all the true Israel of God, for ever ; and, though the most potent monarchies of there slwll be no end ° the earth will be successively dissolved, yet of his kingdom, there shall be no end, even as
long as the sun and moon endure. See Psal. Ixxii. 5, 17 ; Isa. Lx. 7 ; Dan. vii. 14.
34 And Man/ replied to the angel, O thou heavenly messenger, permit me to ask. How 3-1 Then said Mary unto can this possibly he from this time, as thou hast intimated to me, since I am as yet a [,p^ scfin'^ l"know"'noVa virgin ?^ man?
35 A)id the angel, answering, said unto her. There is nothing in that objection, great as 35 And the angel answer- it may seem, for this whole atFair is to be a scene of miracle : the Holy Spirit shall come hoW Ghos't s"han com'elip! upon thee, and the power of the Most High God shall thus overshadow thee by an on thee, and the power of amazing energy, to produce an effect hitherto, from the foundation of the earth, unknown : *'* -iis'i<?st shall oversha-
7,;^ /. ^,1 ,7 1 /-./>- • ^ji ■ i ;/ -ii J i i.1 • • 1 i- ""^^ thee: therefore also
and therefore that holy Offspring of thine shall, with regard to tins miraculous conception, that Holy Thing which
36 as well as another and yet greater consideration, be called the Son of God. And behold, shall be born of tiiee shall to confinTi thy faith in a declaration which might seem so incredible, I farther assure thee tliat '"'^ao'' Aml!bohoid,*th^ou- thy cousin Elisabeth also hath, by the miraculous power of God, conceived a son., though sin Elisabeth, she hath also she be now in her old age ; and this is the sixth month of pregnancy with her who hath a"e^*^anj^\v,il°?s 'the'sixth long been called barren,'^ and spoken of as one who could have no hope of being a mother, month with her who was
37 And scruple not to believe what I have told thee with regard to thyself as well as her ; for called barren ^ thou well knowest, that nothing is, or ever will be, impossible to God, whose almighty ^^iM be'lmpossible."" '"^^ power operates with equal ease in the most miraculous as in the most common productions.
38 And, strange as the message was, Mary firmly believed it,^ and said, with the most .38 And Mary said, Be-
^miable humility and piety, Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, and would approve ''"''\ Hie handmaid of the 1,- p • 1 /■ 1 1 1 T ■/ - J ■/• L ,1 7 ( T zi ir 11 Lord, be it unto mo accorn-
myselt laithtul and obedient ; 7nay it be unto me according to tliy word ! 1 thankiully ing to thy word. And the accept the honour of which I confess I am unworthy ; and humbly resign my reputation, a"gei departed from he>. and even my life,s to the divine care and providence, while I wait the accomplishment of thy prediction.
Then the angel, having executed his commission, departed front her, and returned to his abode in the heavenly regions.
to so low and contemptible a condition, that no good thing was ex- and rendered just as the latter. The phrase seems to signify, in the
pected from thence. .lohu i. 46. language of scripture, not only that the thing shall really i*- what
b She was disturbed at /</« discourse.'] Some would render esi it is culted, but also that it shall be taken notice of in tliat view:
Tw Xoyo) ai/lB, on account of liim ; and Heinsius hath abundantly which, I think, will appear from an attentive consideration of the
shewn how common this manner of speaking is in the sacred writ- chief texts which have been produced to establish the opposite
ings. opinion. Compare Isa. i. 26. ix. 6; xxxv. 8; xlvii. 1, 5; Ivi. 7;
c JFhat hind of salutntion.l She seems to have suspected it might 1x1.3,6; Matt. v. 9, 19; xxi. 13; Mark xi. 17; 1 John iii. 1.
possibly proceed from the artifice of some evil spirit, to inspire her f Afoiy firmly believed it] It is worthy of our remark, that
with sentiments of vanity and pride. Mary, though a young virgin, should so readily believe an event, in
d How can this Ije— since I am as yet a virgin ?] Some' would itself so much more wonderful than that which Zacharias, though
rtnder this, Jf^hal ! sliall this be if I have no intercourse with a man ? an aged priest, had found it so difficult to credit. And it may be
as if she would be resolved whether this birth were to be produced observed, that the .sacred writers are particularly careful to record
in a common or a miraculous manner. But I think it is more na- instances of this kind in which God doth, .is it were, ou/ of the
tural to suppose that she understood the former words as an intiraa- mouths of babes and sychlinijs perfect his praise.
tion that the eftect was immediately to take place, to which her pre- g Resign my reputation, and even my life.] For both these,
sent circumstance .seemed, humanly speaking, an invincible objec- humanly speaking, might have been in danger, considering the se-
tion. Our English version, I know not a man, is more literal than verity of the Mosaic law against those who have violated the faith
what is here given ; but I do not apprehend that the strictest fide- of their espousals. (Compare Deut. xxii. 23, 24.) And though so
lity requires to render the Hebraism so exactly ; the sense is evi- impious a prince as Herod, who was then on tlie .Jewish throne, un-
delitly the same. doubtedly controlled many of the laws of God, yet the natiiia!
e JfTio hath been called barren.] I cannot think (with some learned severity and extravagant jealousy of his temper would probably
and judicious persons) that to becalled, and to be, signify entirely the engage him to execute this in its lull terror, same thing, so as that the former should be thought a mere pleonasm,
MARY'S VISIT TO ELISABETH. ' g
IMPROVEMENT.
With what holy wonder and pleasm-e should we trace tliis notice of an incarnate Redeemer! and how thankfully SECT, should we adore his condescending goodness, that for us men, and for our salvation, he did not despise the womb ^• of so obscure a virgin !
We too are ready in our thoughts, with Gabriel, to congratulate her on so distinguished an honoui-, and to say, ^^r. 2t as one did to Christ in the days of his flesh. Blessed is the %oo7?ib that bare thee, O Lord, and the breasts XL-hie/i thou hast sucked ! (Luke xi. 27.) But let us remember there is yet a nobler blessedness than this, attending those in whose hearts he is so formed by divine grace, that they hear his word, and do it.
Let us hear it, with joy, that he is Jesus tlie Saviour ; but let us also consider that he is Christ the anointed Sove- 31, 32 reign, who is to rule over God's people for ever. Remember, O my soul, that of his kingdom there shall be no 33 end ; and esteem it thine unspeakaljle honour and happiness to be enrolled among liis faithful subjects.
The glories promised to such, in the future state, are so far beyond experience, or even imagination, that they might, to sense, appear as incredible as the message which Mary received : but let us remember the eternal truth of what Gabriel suggested to her, that nothing is impossible to God. He can therefore ripen our imperfect souls to all 37 the improvement and pleasures of the heavenly state, as easily as he produces the meanest vegetable on tlie earth.
Let the temper of the blessed virgin, on this great occasion, be therefore the beautiful model of ours : so, when the purposes of the Divine Love are declared to us, may we resign ourselves mito the Lord ; and with such calm tran- quillity, firm faith, and joyful acquiescence, may we wait tlie accomplishment of his gracious promise, and say, Behold the servants of the Lord ! be it unto us according to his icord ! So do thou, O Lord, animate and sup- 38 port us ! and the weakest of thy children shall not stumble at tlie greatest of thy promises through unbelief; but, being strong i}i faith, shall give gloty to God. .; ,
SECTION V.
Mar^ visits Elisabeth ; her faith is confrmcd bi/ it, and she breaks out into a song of praise. Luke i. 39 — 56. Luke i. 39. LuKE i. 39.
days, aiid^wenrinto The IN those daijs, or soou after the time that she received the extraordinary message mentioned SECr.
hill-country with haste, ill- above, Mary ff/'o.se from Nazareth, where she then was, and wcnt^ ivith all the expedition 5.
to a city ot Juda, ^^ Conveniently could, to what was called the hill-countri/, which lay towards the south
of Canaan ; and came into a city of Judah, where Zacharias dwelt, with a comfortable ex- i-uke pectation that tiiis visit might tend both to confirm her faith and vindicate her character. ^'
40 And entered into the ^4^,^ accordingly, she entered into the house of her kinsman Zacharias, and, to the 40 luted Elisabeth. pieasmg Surprise ot her triend, saluted hlisaoeth.
41 And it came to pass jind it came to pass, that as soon as Elisabeth heard the salutation of Maiy, the in- 41 th'e sahitation'^f Mary^the f""^ '" ^^'' "^'omb did, Avitli a most unusual emotion, leap for joy, as sensible of the approach babe leaped in her womb : of him whose foreriumer lie was appointed to be. And Elisabeth -was directed to consider ^•a m''^u '^i^'Vi^^'^l *'"'^*^ it in tliis view ; for she was immediately filled tvith an extraordinary desrree of divine in-
Wlth the Holy Ghost. . . i ,.' • n c ,1 rr r'' c^ ■ -l ^ ^ e c • .1 . ,
42 And she spake out with spiration, by the miiuences ot the Holy Spirit. And, tar trom envymg the supenor honour 42 a loud voice, and said, Bless- of her youiig cousiii, she, in very exalted language, congi'atulated her on the occasion ; and, and' biessTd \?*the fruit^of crying"ouf tvith a loud voice, -as in a sacred kind of transport, ^//c said, in the very words thy womb. wliicli Gabriel had before used to the virgin.
Most blessed art tkou, O Mary, among all the 'women in the whole world ; and most '*'' .^"'J'j,^^'^''"" '* *^''^ *^° blessed 2? Me sacred and miraculous /;7«Y o/Z/zy 'W07nb. And indeed, when I consider 43 l.m\\ should come tome/ the matter attentively, I cannot but cry out, in amazement, Whence is this honour done to me, that she who is so highly honoured as to be the mother o/'that wonderful and divine child, whom I would with all humility own as my Lord, should come unto tne as a guest under my roof ; to whom I should rather have hastened to pay my homage ? And that he, of whom thou art now pregnant, is indeed my Lord tlie Messiah, I certainly know by what 44 For lo, as soon as the I have HOW felt ; for, behold, as soon as the first voice of thy salutation sounded in ?nine 44 soun%d *in mliie^ ears'^the ^''''•'' ^ *^°" '^^^t entering into the liouse, the very infant within me leaped in my tvomh babe leaped in my womb for joy, with a vigouT and sprightliiiess miknow7i before ; which I am taught to interpret ^°4^i''Aiid blessed u she that ^ ^^^ homage done to Him before whose face he is to go to prepare his way. And, when 45 believed : for there shall be I Consider the whole affair in all its variety of circumstances, I have reason to say, Happy is a perforrnance of those she that SO readily believed^ what to sense appeared so utterly incredible, without so much from thl Lor\r '"'^'^ *°''' '""^ ^ requiring any miraculous sign of it ; for sm-ely there shall be a very faithful and an exact accomplishment o/"all those things tvhich have been spoken to her from the Lord. 40 And Mary said, iMy Then Mary also was filled with a transport of holy joy ; and under the direction of the 46 Lord *^"'^'' ™''^°'*^y *-^^* same Spirit, as well as in many of those words which she "had learnt from the sacred oracles, she, in the warmth of her devotion, said,^ " My very soul doth most alTectionately ynagnify
a Mary arose and uient, &c.] This was a very wise determination ; touched upon it in the paraphrase ; but I was cautious of being too
as it was very probable that, by communitatiiig the vision she had express, lest I should violate that great decorum which the Spirit
seen, and perhaps also describing the form in which the angel ap- of God, as well as the rules of modesty and piety, taught her to ob-
peared, she might convince Zacharias and Elisabeth that there was serve, when the faults of a husband were in question. — it may be
something singular in her case, and so might bring in the reputation added, that these words shewed her knowledge of Mary's immediate
of such worthy and eminent persons to establish her own, in a cir- belief of the promise made to her : a knowledge which she could
cumstance which might otherwise expose her to great suspicion and only gain by divine revelation, and which, therefore, would be a
censure. — I shall only add, that it is not improbable the city here mutual confirmation of the faith of both.
spoken of might be 'Hebron, a city belonging to the priests in the c Mary also said.'] It is observable that most of these phrases
tribe of Judah, and the hill-country. Josh. xxi. 11. are borrowed from the Old Testament, with which the pious virgin
b Happy is she that believed, &c.] I doubt not but here is an seems to have been very conversant ; especially from the Song of
oblique reference to the unhappiness of Zacharias, who had not im- Hannah, in which there were so many passages remarkably suitable
mediately believed the pi-omise of God to him, and thereby had to her own case. Compare I.Sam ii. 1 — 10; Gen. xxx. 13 ; Psal.
incurred so sensible a mark of the divine displeasure. T have grntly ciii. 17 ; xcviii. 1 ; l.xxxix. 10 ; cvii. 9 ; and Mic. vii. 20.
10 REFLECTIONS ON THE VISIT MARY PAID TO ELISABETH.
SECT. " and extol the Lord, And my spirit, with all its most exalted powers, rejoiceth in God as 47 And my spirit hath re- 5- " mij Saviour ; who, I in'^t, is grantuig me ray own share in that gospel which, by the ap- Jo"^c<l '" <^"'l ™y Saviour, pearance of this his dear Sou, he is sending to so many others : For notwithstanding all 48 For he hath regarded
LUKE « the meanness of my circumstances, and the obscure condition in wliich I live, yet he hath the low estate of his liand- ^ A9. " ^'^''^'"''^^ ^^'"^^ ^ distinguishing regard, and most surprismg condescension upon the low cs- he'noefortii^an^'^^enerations " tate of his handmaid ; for, behold, he hath conferred such an honoior upon me, that I shall call me ijkssed. " am fully persuaded, according to his word by the angel, that not only the present age, but " all future generations, shall call vie happy, ^ and shall admire the peculiar grace and
49 " favour that the Lord hath slle^\Tl me. For he who is poxvcrful beyond all our concep- 49 For he that is mighty " tions, even the Almighty God, to whom this strange event is not only possible, but easy, {f i'^^,'„s'^°"'^[i *'i i"'*^ • ^"^T^ *'■ hath done ihese great and imheard-of things for me ; and his name and nature [is'] so name :'
" holy, that I cannot suspect the accomplishment of any thing that he hath promised.
50 " His mercy also hath in every age been the hope and confidence of his people ; and I so And his mercy is on
51 " well know that it \_is]fro7n generation to generation on them that fear him. He hath generation to generation.
" often wrought the most glorious displays of strength by his irresistible arm : he hath si He- hath shewed " oftendispersedthe /z^y^^sV/^'y sinners that exalt themselves against him, and confounded them strength with his arm ; he
^ ■, ■ 1^ -^ ,, ,, , 1 ■ ■ °- /.,; • ; , „ xr hath scattered tie proud in
52 " in those schemes winch were tlie mosi laboured imagination of their own hearts.^ He the imagination of their " hath often brought down 7nighty potentates fro?n their thrones of dignity Rnd power, hearts.
" and, by some singular interposition of his providence, hath exalted the lowly from their mjlThty*^ from^MfiV^s'eats^
53 " obscurest state, as he is now doing with respect to me. He hath oiten filled the hungry an5 exalted tliem of low '* with avariety of good things, and hath sent awai/ the rich and luKmious sinner cnipiv ;' ^°§l'^V, , ,, £„ , .,
1- •ii-piii-i 1 11- pni • ■ ^-'■ ^ S3 lie liatli fillea tlie
" havmg stripped him ol all his plenty, and turned him out oi all those possessions in which hungry with good things, " he Avas once so confideirt. And, as a glorious instance of his condescension and his power, =1"^ ti.e rich he hath seut
54 " though our condition be so low in comparison of what it once was, he hath now sue- '^^^^ ^He^wth hoi pen his " coured Israel,^ and taken him as his child into paternal protection : and all tins he hath servant Israel, in remem-
55 " graciously done in reinemhrance of his everlasting mercy }^ Even as he long ago spoke '"'g'^^s'^" "mkT'to our " to our fathers, and promised it to Abraham and to his seed, throughout all generations: fathers, to Abraiiam, and to " and we the heirs of those promises sliall now behold them happily fulfilled in all the ful- l"s seed for ever.
" ness of their extent and glory."
56 Then Mary abode voith her cousin Elisabeth about three months, till very near the time 56 And Mary abode with of her delivery ; and then returned to her own house, and lived privately there ; conceal- a,^a returned'To l™r°°owB ing, but not forgetting, these extraordinary things, v/hich had so powerful a tendency to es- house.
tablish and animate her mind.'
IMPROVEMENT.
Ver. 40 How natural is it for those, who have themselves received mercy of the Lord, to communicate their joy to others, 41 , 42 and to seek the society of their fellow-saints, whom he hath honovued with the signal manifestations of his favour ! — Happy they, whose friendship is confirmed and heightened by such endearing tics ! And thrice happy the hum- ble and generous souls who can thus, like Elisabeth, lose the thoughts of private honour and interest in a cordial con- cern for the glory of God and the good of men 5 rejoicing to see othei-s, perhaps in some respects their inferiors, raised to stations of service more distinguished than their own ! 43 If this pious matron thought herself so highly honoured in receiving a visit from the tnother of our infant Saviour, how much more doth it become us to admire the condescension of our glorious Lord, that he will represent himself as graciously Icnoeldng at the door of our hearts, and ready not only to make us a transient visit, but to take up liis stated abode with us !
May our faith, like that of the blessed virgin, delightfully rest on all the promises he makes, as fimily believing
45 that there shall be an accomplishment of these things which are spoken ! And, while that accomplishrnent is de-
46 layed, may the pleasing expectation of it tune om- voice to a song of praise like hers ! — Let our souls also magnfy
47 the Lord, and our spirits rejoice in that God, whom we hope, through grace, to be our Saviour ; whose conde-
48 scension hath regarded us in such low circumstances ; and whose almighty power and everlasting love have done
49 such great things for us. — He hath provided heavenly food to satisfy our hungry souls; and hath raised us to 53 enjoy the mercies which, in more obscure intimations only, \\e promised to the -pious patriarchs. — His vicrcy is on
54,55 all that /e-ar him, through succeeding generations. — May such distinguished fovours animate our hearts with those
50 sentiments of devotion and zeal which they are so well qualified to excite ! Otherwise the joy of the Old Testament saiiats, in the distant and imperfect prospect of these blessings, will testify against our insensibOity in the superior ad vantages with wliich we are favoured.
d ShaU call me happrj, tMxx.rz^ia-n.'] I think there are several other f Sent away the rich cmpt'j.'] TLttin^uXi strictly signifies, halli sent
texts where iJ.xy.oi^m should rather be rendered happy than blessed, or turned them out of doors ; and very beautifiiUy represents God
which is the proper signification of tuXoyjilos : (See 1 Tim. i. 11 ; vi. as the great proprietor of all, and the greatest of men as his tenants
15 ; and Rev. xx. 6.) yet I cannot say that the distinction is always at will, whom he can strip and turn out whenever ho pleases,
material, nor do I always observe it in the following version. g He liatk succoured Israel.'] That the word mlAagtlo properly
e /le hath dispersed the hauglitij, &c. Aejxojttitev u-ni^nptm; Siimtx signifies to interpose in favour of a person in great necessity, or ex-
y.x^\x; aiy^uv.] I know this may be rendered. He hath scattered those treme danger, Eisner hath abundantly proved, Observ. Vol.'i. p. 175.
that prided themselves in the imagination, or t\\o\\^\\i,of their hearts : h In remembrance of liis everlasting mercy.'] The beginning of
but 1 apprehended the words would well bear the yet more empha- the 5.5th verse should^ I think, he included in a parenthesis. It
tical sense I have here given them. And thus they are peculiarly makes an easier and stronger sense to suppose that this remembrance
applicable to the gospel, in which God doth not only cast down of his merci/ for ever refers to h'ls everlasting mercies promised to
imaginations and every high thing, &c. (2 Cor. x. 5.) by the hum- the patriarchs. (Compare Gen. xvii. 19; Isa. Iv. .3 ; Rom. xi. 29.)
bling scheme of his recovering grace, but hath remarkably con- Yet I acknowled.ge those blessings might be said to be promised to
founded his most insolent encKiies in their own most elaborate pro- them and their seed for ever, which were entailed on their remotest
.iects, and established his sacred cause by the violent attempts they generations. (Compare Gen. xii. 15 ; xviii. 8, &c.) Care is therefore
iiave made to suppress it. (Compare Psal. ii. 1-.3.) A triumph of taken to express both in the paraphrase.
divine wisdom, of which succeeding ages furnish out memorable i Animate her mind.] Many of the things wliich had passed in
and fronuent instances at home and abroad. tliis journey, and especially that rapturous inspiration which she
THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS, 11
SECTION VI. Tlie Birth and Chcumcision of John the Baptist. Luke i. 57— GG. LoKE i. 57. Luke i. 57.
Now Elisabeth's ^ full j^^D ^jj^n the full time for Elisabeth's deliverif xcas come, she hroucrht forth a son, SECT. be"'deHvxred ; ' Md"°she exactly according to the prediction of the angel to Zacharias. And her neighbours and '-'• brought forth a son. j^^f. relations were acquainted v. ith it ; and having heard that the Lord, in so illustrious
auf he^"r^ou^sILSd^how and remarkable a manner, had magnified and displayed his mercij to her, they ran to tes- ^^^ tiie Lord had shewed great tify their joy, and sincerely congratulated her on the happy occasion. gg
mercy upon her^j^ and they ^^^^^ -^^ particular, it came to pass, that on the eighth daij they came together in some gg '^T^'^AQd 'it'ca'me to pass, considerable numbers, to circumcise the child, according to the law (Gen. xvii. 12 ; Lev. that on tlie eighth day they j^y 3 ) ^^;^^ as it was then customary to give it a name," they that were present would have chncllndtiL7?a7ledhim called him Zacharias, after the name of his father : But his wof//f;-, who had been 60 Zacharias, after the name niore particularly informed hy her husband of what • had passed between him and the "'^fio^A^'d'T'- other an ^^b^^ ^^ ^^^ temple, ansiscred and said, Na//, my friends, it must not be so 5 but he shall swered°.nd"lid!VoT -^0 ; be called John. And when they objected to this, and said unto her. None of thy Hn- 61 but he shall be called John. (j,.ed, either by birth or marriage, is called bij this name, in order to determine the ques- he-^ Tliere 'is'none"lf"thy tion, and to be fully satLsfied, they made signs to his father, to know xvhat he uwuld have 62 kindred that is called by Jfim called. And /iG, by sigus, asked for a writing tablet;^' and when he had received 63 ^''o^T'fthe inadesi"Tis i^, he tvrote, sai/ing. His name is John ; thereby declaring it a settled point, that would to his fother!7ow he woSld admit of uo fart her 'debate. And they were all amazed at the determination. But greater 64 have him called. still was their astonishment to find his tongue at liberty, and his speech restored ; tor his
wr1ting"fable,\mf Jrote"! mouth was immediately opened, and his tongue ^loosed;'] and he spake audibly and dis- sayingt His name is John'. - tinctly 5 beginning, as it was most reasonable, with ;jra/s/;?g- God,'' in that sublmie hymn ^ f4^AnTiTs''mou4" uas -^'l^ch we shall presently record.
opened immediately, and And a religious a^^ful kind of dread fell, not only on those that were present, but on all 65 his tongue loosed : and he f/^gf ^j-^^qf ,j(.^,. fj^cni : and all these things, in a very particular detail cf circumstances, ^''esYnd^ffearclm^^on all were published, and became the great topic of conversation over the whole hill-country of tlmt dwelt round about Judea. A/id all \xise axidTpious-peTsons that heard [them,'] laid them Up c3.kM\y in their G6 them: and all these say- /;f^/,./.y as iiiattei-s hio;hly worthy their fiiture Consideration, 5flj//7;a-, What hind of a child ittiTS were noisea aDroaa .,,/., , . ^ ., ^ -, . ** •, 11. . i- ^ *-^ ^^7A^* ^ t^
throughout all the hill- av// M«.y (^f, who is ushered into the world in SO extraordinary a way ? -4»ri ttieir expecta- country of Judea. tions were further raised by observing, that, as he grew up, the hand of the Lord was sig-
he!?d /L.Said M^rup'n nally with him ; and, through the divine blessing, he appeared not only a healtliful and their liearts, saying, AVhat tluivinsr, but likewise, on Other and higher accounts, a very hopeful child.
manner of child shall this "^
be ! And the hand of the Lord was with him. ^
BIPROVEMENT.
So sure are the promises of God, and so certainly will the full accomplishment of them another day shame our Vcr.S? suspicious unbelieving hearts, and awaken the tongues of bis ser\-ants to songs of praise ! Happy the souls who, by 58 a li\'ely faith in them, are anticipating that blessed 'day, and whose minds, kept in tune by these pleasing views, are . opening themselves to the most tender sympathy with* others, and, like tlie kindred of this pious pair, are making the religious joys of others their owti •, so sharing rather than envying the superior favour bestowed upon them !
Let us leara, mth them, wisely to observe what God is domg around us, and to lay up remarkable occurrences 65, G6 in our hearts : that, by comparing one step of divine conduct with another, we may the better understand the loving-kindness of the Lord, and be engaged to act with more regular obedience in a holy subserviency to his gia- cious purposes.
When, like good Zacharias and Elisabeth, we have the pleasure to see our infant offspring growing up in safety and cheerfulness, with healthy constitutions of body, and towardly dispositions of mind too, let us ascribe it to the hand of the Lord, wliich is upon them for good. Let us remember, that we are at bestbut the instraments of the divine'care and favour to them ; and that our'families would soon become scenes of desolation, did not God watch over them in a thousand circumstances of danger and distress, which no prudence of ours could have foreseen, and wliich no care of ours could have been able to provide against.
SECTION vn.
Zacharias, on the birth of his son, breaks out into a sublime anthem of praise. LiJ^e i. 67, to the end. SECT.
Luke i. 67. LuifE i. 67.
dn^i^fiiw titif t^f.''H"u! iVoirJohn being bom, as we have before described it, Zacharias his father, when he ijji<yi
was nllert with the Holy , „ t" ' , ., , /-,> j •,; ^i • n c ^? r
Ghost, and prophesied, say- first spake after the birth of this extraoramary cliild, was filled with the mttuences oJ t/ie i. '"=> Holy Spirit ; and, in an exalted strain of sacred rapture, he prophesied, saying,
liad herself experienced, and which till now was. probably unknown was cus'oraarj' often to give them the name of their immediate an-
to her, must elevate her thoughts to a very sublime pitch, and en- cestors, Eisner has shewn on this text.
kindle in her attentive, reflecting mind high expectations and glo- b A 'wri/iiifi tablet, -nixihov.'] We have so fetv diminutives in
rious hopes. See Luke ii. 19, 51, and compare note b, page 9. our language, that I was not willing to lose this, which much more
a As it was then customary to give it a name.] The giving the exactly answers the original than taife.
child its name was no more a part of the original intent of ctrcum- c And his tongue lloased ,•] and he spake, praising God."] 1 en-
cision \ha.n oi baptism ; it was an incidental circumstance which tirely agree Nvith the learned Raphelius, (^n«c;. fx Herod, pages
custom had added. And I cannot forbear saying, that in adminis- 219, 220.) that Eisner's criticism ( Obscrv. Vol. I. pages 178, 179.) is
tering the Christian ordinance, I think care should be taken to or- not to be admitted, which would render it, And his tongue alsa^
dertlie voice so, that it may plainly appear we only then speak to spake, praising God. It would then have been iv.yyyovtx, instead oi'
the child by the nam? which hath been already given it.— That the euXo>ot; and Raphclius has given unansvccrable instances, in the
father among the anticnts used to name the children, .and that it most approved writers, of a verb joined with two nouns, vhcti in
12
SECT
7.
THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS,
LUKE I.
70
71
72
" Blessed he Jehovah, the God of Israel, because he hath now owned the relation in " so signal a manner; for he hath graciously looked down upon his people in their dis- " tress, and wrought out an illustrious and complete redemption for them: And he hath " raised up for us a horn of salvation,"" even an honourable and powerful Saviour, who " is already conceived, and will quickly be born, according to our long expectation, in " the family of his servant David : As he hath spoken by the inspiration of liis Spirit, " and given frequent intimations to us d^/ the 7nouth of his holy prophets, u-liich have " been from the beginning of time.^ It now appears, that none of ttiose predictions are " forgotten by him, since he is preparing for us such a glorious deliverance, that we may " thus obtain salvation from the power of the most formidable of our enemies, and may " at length be rescued by his redeeming grace,, f/'o;« the hand of all that hate us :'^ And " this gracious messenger hath God now sent, that he may faithfully ;;(?r/(>rw the mercy " which he {^romisecT^ to our fathers,^ the blessed effects of which extend also to them ; " and by liim shall God appear to be mindful of his holy covenant, which hath passed
73 " through so many various dispensations, yet still in the main continues the same : It being " indeed no other than the oath which he so solemnly sware unto Abrahanf our father,
74 " (Gen. xxii. 16, 17.) According to the tenor of which, he will now grant us the favour " of an opportunity, and a heart to serve him without fear, being delivered out of the
75 " hands of our enemies ; [and to wallc] before him, under a religious sense of his presence, " all the days of our life, in the paths of the strictest holiness and righteousness."^
76 Then turning to his new-born son, he added, " And thou, my dear child, shall have " the honour to be justly called. The prophet of the Most High God ; an illustrious pro- " phet indeed ! for thou art he who, according to the prediction of Isaiah, (Isa. xl. 3.) " shall go before the face of the Lord, even of our divine Messiah, to give notice of his
77 " approach, and to prepare his ways. It shall be thine honourable and delightful office, " not merely to bring the tidings of some temporal deliverance, but to give the knowledge " of eternal salvation to his people, in directing them how they are to obtain the forgive-
78 " ut'ss of their sins : Which, how great soever they have been, may now be obtained " through the tender compassions of our God,s whose bowels of mercy have yearned over " his backsliding children ; by virtue of which compassions, the dawning of the celestial
79 « day^ hath visited us fro?n on high: And the Sun of Righteousness is shortly arising, " to spread sacred knowledge and joy over the regions of ignorance and misery, to en- " lighten those that sit in darkness, and, as it were, in the very shadow of death' itself, " or in the most gloomy and dangerous condition, and to direct our wandering feet into " the way of peace and felicity."
Thus was John the Baptist ushered into the world, and thus were his infant days graced with wonders. A/id the child grew up and became strong in spirit, giving early tokens both of an heroic genius and a pious disposition, through the work of God's Spirit upon him. (Compare Judg. xiii. 24, 25.) And, his pious parents dying while he was young, or being peculiarly directed by a divine revelation in tliis affair, he did not appear in the service of the temple, even when he came to the age nrwhich the priests began their minis- trations J but by divine dispensation and direction, was led to retire into desert places, and to continue there till the day of his being publicly manifested to Israel, and, as it were, inaugurated among them under his prophetic character ; for which the austerity and devo- tion of this solitude was a happy preparation.''
80
68 Blcsseci be the Lord God of Israel, fur he hath visited and redeemed liis people,
09 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David ;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, ■which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us :
72 To perform the mer- cy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,
7;i The oath which he sware to our father Abra- ham,
74 That he wonld grant unto us, that v/e, being; de- livered out of the liands of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and right- eousness before him, all the days of our life.
76 AnA thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways ;
77 To give knowledge of salvation >mto his people, by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercies of our Gnd ; where- by the day-spring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death ; to guide our feet into the way of ]>eace.
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing un- to Israel.
strict propriety it can only belong to one of them. Compare 1 Cor. iii. 2 ; where the original is, VaKx v/jjct tTsrAtix, n«i ai 0f-ji/,-x. I have given you milk to drink, and not meat.
a A horn of salvation.'] As a horn is often used, for the most ob- vious reasons, to express strength and dignity, it being the ornament and defence of the creature that wears it ; so it is sometimes used in the Old Testament with a peculiar reference to the Messiah. Com- pare Psalm cxxxii. 17; Ixxxix. 24; 1 Sam. ii. 10; and 2 Sam. xxii. .3.
b From the beginning of time."] It cannot certainly <-be inferred from hence, as some have argued, that there was, from the beginning of the world, a series of prophets, or that every individual prophet spoke of the Messiah, which can never be proved without doing great violence to the remaining writings of some amongst them. The words of Zacharias only amount to this, that the generality of prophecies, in all ages, refer to this great event. Compare Acts X. 4,-?.
c Be rescued by his redeeming grace/rom the hand of all that hate vs.] This seems to have been the mind of the Spirit as appears by the whole tenor of scripture ; but it is impo.ssibIe to say, whether Zacharias fully understood his own words, which, it is certain, the older prophets, in some cases, did not. See 1 Pet. i. 10, 11.
d Perform tlie mercy {promised] to our fathers.] Hodiwi eXeo? pitla run CTxIigwv ri/Mv-) most literally signifies tn exercise mercy towards our fatticrs ; and might perhaps intimate, that the mercy extended to the pious patriarchs was owing to Chri.st, who was afterward* to appear. Compare Rom. iii. 25. I cannot recollect any other place where sroiJiiai exeo; is to perform a promise.
e 77/1? oath which lie sirare vnio Abraham.] In vindication of our version hom any objection which might arise to a learned reader from the construction of that original, fimiimai (5i,rejixn!— jjxov ov c■:^i'i^i X. T. X. see Bos, Exercit. p. 35. .and Eisner, in loc.
f And to walk in holiness and righteonsncss.] This, as well as de- liverance from enemies, being spoken of as the merciful grant of
God, I cannot but conclude, it refers to those passages in which God promi-sed to pour out extraordinary degrees of a pious spirit on h s people under the reign of the Messiah. Compare Isa. xliv. 1— 5 ; Jer. xxxi. 31 — 34 ; aiid Ezek. xxxvi. 25 — 27.
g Tender compassions of oirr God.] SuXayj;^'' f^s'i^S li's /'f>'"f/«n/" viercy : A strong Hebraism ; which, though I have not literally retained it in my version, I have expressed in the parap/irase ; and it is a method I shall often take in like cases. Compare Jer. xxxi. 18—20.
h The dawning of the day.] It is true that avVIoK)! may signify, as some here render it, the rising snn : and I doubt not but here is a reference to such texts as Mai. iv. 2; and Isa. Ix. 1 — 3; and, pos- sibly, considering the known ambiguity of the //?/;rp;;' word rui), whicli also signifies a branch, there may be some allusion to Jer. xxiii. 5 ; and Zech. iii. 8. But it is strange that any should have thought Zacharias, a Jewish priest, hath here referred to the Greek version of those texts. It is well known, the word properly signifies that part of the heavens_^where the light begins to arise, and the first shining of that light. (Compare Rev. vii. 2.) The dawning of the day seemed therefore a very literal version ; and, 1 apprehend, it more beautifully d'^srribes the state of things just at this interval, than if the sun had been represented as actually risen.
i The shadow of death.] Such phrases as these do, with peculiar propriety, describe the ignorant and miserable state of the Gentile world, and perhaps this former part of the verse may refer to them ; but, as Christ's preaching to the Jews in Galilee, (for it was only to the .Tews he applied. Matt. xv. 24, x. 5, 6 ; and Rom. xv. 8.) is said, Matt. iv. 14 — 16, to be an accomplishment of Isa. ix. ], 2; to which Zacharias here probably refers, I was not willing in the paraphrase to fix it to the Gentiles. The sad character and circumstances of the Jews at this time, as described by Josephus, loo well suit the representation here made.
k Tliis solitude was a happy preparation.] It may further be observed, that such a retirement also contributed to his acceptance
JOSEPH'S SUSPICIONS REMOVED BY AN ANGEL. - 13
IMPROVEMENT.
With what sacred joy should we join in this hymn of praise ! Tlie blessings celebrated in it were not peculiar SECT, to the family of Zacharias, or to the house of Israel; but we, through the Divine goodness, have our share in them : 7. 3y?6' Lord God of Israel liath visited and redeemed us. He hath remembered his covenant with the pious-
patriarchs, in favour of millions who are their seed only as heirs of the faith of Abraham. To us hath he Ver.68.
accomplished the words he had spoken by his holy prophets, and through his tendei^mercies hath caused the 72, 73 &un of Righteousness to arise upon us ; upon us, who were once mdeed sitting in darkness, and in the shadow 70, 78 of death ; and whose ancestors, for many succeeding generations, were lost in ignorance, idolatry, and wickedness. 79 Let us bless the Lord, who hath given us light ; and make it our daily prayer that it may be the happy means of
guiding our feet into the xvai/ of peace. Let us, with pleasure and thankfulness, receive the knov:led<rc ofll
salvation by the remission of our sins, without which we shall never see it but at an unapproachable distance.
Let us repose our cheerful confidence in this Almighty Saviour, this horn of salvation, which God's own right 69 hand hath raised up for us : through him let us seek the pardon of our sins, and deliverance from all the enemies 74 of our souls. And let a grateful sense of his redeeming love engage us resolutely to walk in the strictest holiness and righteousness, as in the presence of God, and careiully to maintain before him a conscience void of offence all the days of our lives.
May we carry this temper along with us into solitude and retirement : may it animate us in the busiest scenes of 80 life; and in every pai-ticular instance, may it determine us in our choice of either, and regulate our conduct in both.
SECTION vin.
Joseph's suspicions concerning Mary removed by the appearance of an angel to him. Matt. i. IS, to the end. ^ Matt. i. 18. Matt. i. 18.
ciirist was on this wise: AnD 710U', having given an account of the birth of John, after^vards surnamcd the Bap- SECT. When as his mother iMary tist, we proceed to that of Jesus Christ, the great subject of our history, which was attended 8.
beforrt'ii'pv ^came° togeufer' ^'^^^ ^^^ "^'^^^ surprising circumstanccs, and -was thus introduced. His mother Mary
.she was fGuud witli child being contracted to Joseph, according to the method of the Jewish espousals, before they matt. of the Holy Ghost. came to cohabit together as man and wife, she xcas found to be loith child ; and this '•
pregnancy was, (as we have been infonned above,) by the miraculous operation of the
19 Then Joseph her hus- Jjoly Spirit. Noxv Joseph, her husband, being a righteous 7nan,^ perceiving there was 19 not willin" to make her a Something very e.xtraordmary m the case, and being by no means ivilUng to expose her public example, was mind- unto public infamy^ by any severe prosecution, nevertheless was so confounded with the
ed to put her away pnvily. conciuTence oif the strange circumstances that attended this affair, as that, in order to secure the honour of his own character, and to behave with all the tenderness tliat might be to a person tliat he loved, he purposed to himself to have divorced her 2lS privately as the law of Moses would have allowed, that is, only in the presence of two witnesses, and without assigning any particular cause.
20 But while he thousfht And as he tuas revolving these things in his 7nind during the night-season, full of 20 angl'fof the'E'rd'a'Seared ^^6 thoughts of what lie was to do, he fell asleep ; and, behold, an angel of the Lord'' unto him in a dream, say- appeared to him in a dream, and said unto him, Joseph, thou son of David, (as being iPo'.j'°/^P''' thou son of Uneallv descended from him) fecrr not to take home Mary thxi xinfe, according to the
Xiavict iciir not to ttikc unto ' ■j ,j v/ •.' * kd
thee Mary thy wife ; for espousals that havo passcd between you, though there may seem some danger of bringing
that which is conceived in a reflection on thyself and family; for that which is begotten and formed in her, is of
ler, IS o t le o y lost. ^^ human Original, but was produced by the miraculous and unexampled operation of the
for^th^Son,'and'thouS ^"(^ ^P''''^ himself. And, in consequence of it, when her time is fulfilled, she^ shall 2\
call his name Jesus : for he bring forth a Son ; and thou, under wliose protection and care he shall be placed during
shall save his people from his imancy, shalt call his name Jesus,^ that is, God the Saviour; /or he shall prove that
glorious and divine person intended by God to save his people, even all that traly believe
in him, both //-ow? the punishment and the dominion of their sins, by procuring an ample
pardon for them, and raising them, after a life of holiness on earth, to a state of complete
perfection and happiness.
by raising; a character for eminent mortification and sanctity ; in- law inflicted on those who had violated the