relates more especially to the New Testament, you have the proofs of the truth of the Christian religion: The nature of the New Testament style: The chronology and geography of the New Testament: The Hebrew money, weights, and measures: The various readings: The division into chapters and verses: The heresies in the days of the Apostles: The versions of the New Testament, ancient and modern, to which will be added an account of our English ones, &c. DING OF ESTAMENT. I. ous know the under make use of the ministry The previ will, and transmitting to ledge of a general knowledge, at several things is es, is absolutely necessa- necessary to e holy scriptures. We standing the time and country the sa-scriptures. anguage and character; s, and usages of the peo; and many other parti er. terial difference between the accomplishment of it, the sacred writers of the former have borrowed the language of the latter, have perpetually alluded to it, and applied the predictions to the events of their own times, in imitation of their Divine Master, who always referred back to that Source. So that in order rightly to understand and explain the New Testament, one ought to be well read in the Old, and have a true notion of the state of things in the days of the Evangelists and Apostles. THESE are the reasons that have induced us to compose this Discourse, as an Introduction to the Reading of the New Testament. It is indeed true, that all things necessary to salvation are clearly and plainly revealed, and therefore such persons as have neither the leisure nor opportunity of improving themselves in such parts of learning as are before mentioned, have yet this comfort and satisfaction, that they may easily find and discover all saving Truths without much study and application; as, on the other hand, they are entirely without excuse, if they neglect to search the scripture. on pretence of ignorance or inability. However, it mus be owned, when we come to a close and thorough ex amination of the holy scriptures, we shall, unless fur nished with the knowledge of the particulars above mentioned, be continually liable to mistakes, imagin we understand what we have no notion of, or, at best but a very imperfect one, and find ourselves puzzle and put to a stand at every turn. For want of thes helps, the scriptures are frequently ill understood, an ill explained. Some put abstracted and metaphysica senses on passages that contain plain and simple truth and expressed in common terms. Others having learn a system of divinity, instead of explaining scripture b scripture, by considering the context and parall places, wrest the Word of God to their pre-conceive opinions. Others again, having regard only to H modern languages, customs, and manners, cannot b s to pass, that the holy scriptures, on, are so disfigured, as hardly schools and seminaries of learn of the young students are filled aerical notions, entirely unheard In order to remedy these inendeavour to give a general mecessary for the more profitable ptures, especially the New Tes be preach and had accordingly revealed it The Gosphets, that the gospel should bepel was rst; so was it natural, and evened to the Jews first, HRIST to chuse at first Disciples and by Jewish Nation and Religion. It Jews." e that they should be mean and only for the greater manifestaout because of that spirit of pride h reigned among the rich and the precepts of the gospel odious were inconsistent with their preBut though the Apostles were it must not from thence be conentirely destitute of learning and improvements as were necessary e discharge of their glorious funcdiscourses are commonly exd familiar manner, yet you may them such eloquence and sublihave proceeded from men of no hey are sometimes guity of failition, presumption, and the like; heir behalf, that it proceeded not wn, as the general temper of their ohn iv. A&ts. xiii. 46. to nation. Nor let it be thought a disparagement to the Apostles, that some of them had learned and followed handicrafts; for it may reasonably be inferred from the instance of Joseph, who, though he was descended from the royal family of David, was yet a carpenter; and from that of St. Paul, who notwithstanding his being a Rabbi, and a citizen of Rome, had learnt tent-making; that mechanical employments were not inconsistent with learning, or accounted a disparagement. Though St. John was a fisherman, yet there are several passages in his gospel, whereby we may be convinced tha he was versed in the mystical writings of the Jews and had even some tincture of the Grecian philosophy. Which last will appear more probable, if it be considered, that this Apostle lived for a considerable time in Asia. The office of a Publican, which was that of St Matthew, was indeed looked upon as scandalous among the Jews, who were extremely jealous and tender of thei liberty; but it was in such high esteem and repute among the Romans, that according to Cicero, The order of the Publicans consisted of the choicest of the Roman Knights was the ornament of the city, and the support of the com monwealth. Hence it is evident, that though St. Matthew in all appearance was a Jew, yet he could not be o the meanest of the people, since he had been admitted to so considerable a post. These few reflections an instances may serve to shew, how false and groundles the objections are, that were urged by the Heathen Acts xviii. 3. e "It was a custom among the Jews, of what rank or quality soeve "to teach their children some ingenious craft or art, not only as a r medy against idleness, but as a reserve in time of want. 66 W "have a memorable instance of this custom in those two brothers "Chasinai and Chanilai, whose story Josephus relates at large "though they were persons of note, they were nevertheless put with weaver to learn the trade, which, says the historian, was no disparage ment to them, (ποιήσεις ἐκ ὄντος ἀπρεπῶς τοῖς ἐπιχωρίοις, &c "Rabbi Jose was a currier, or a leather-dresser; Rabbi Jochanan w "a shoe-maker, and from thence sirnamed Sandalar, &c." Mr. Falle Sermon on Acts xviii. 3. p. 12, &c. |