them; little or no care being taken by their teachers to explain the fenfe and meaning of any passage however difficult, or to enforce the obligation of any duty however important. A neglect, which un-happily extends its influence likewise to the more advanced stages of life. Many are the families of lower rank especially, who, though they have a just sense of both the privilege and duty, and live in the habitual and zealous practice of reading the Word of God, are yet too apt to think, that as foon as the lefsons for the day are finished, their task is then done; and fo close the book, without attempting to confider what may be the meaning of paffages that occurred in their reading, which, however, they are confcious that they do not understand. And thus, with the best dispositions, they are, by a defective education, deprived of much of the fatisfaction and benefit they might reap from this religious exercise, did they accustom themselves to read the Bible with the fame attention which they find requifite for understanding other books. EVERY language has its own peculiar idiom and mode of expreffion, which even in a contemporary author will not always bear a strict and literal tranflation; and the holy fcriptures, though so clear and. plain in every article of faith and practice necessary to falvation, that he may run that readeth, do nevertheless in other points (in common with all the writings of remote antiquity) abound in a variety of figurative, parabolical, and proverbial expreffions; which being formed on customs extremely different from our own, cannot be perfectly understood without fome regard to those circumstances. This it is that creates the principal difficulty in studying the fcriptures : and to lessen that difficulty, and promote a more general fpirit of rational piety, is my design in this undertaking; by affording a cheap and easy affif-tance to well-disposed Christians of humble stations, and by fetting in a just light fuch passages as the young and ordinary reader, relying on the found of words, might be tempted by the suggestions of a prevailing fuperftition, or enthusiasm, to mifapply in fupport of opinions, which are not founded in the true sense of fcripture, ture, but, on the contrary, whatever ap-pearance they may affume, are really really fubversive of the principles of genuine Chriftianity... Matt. v. 4. Note (b), for that they mourn, read they that mourn. xi. 8. For King's, read Kings. xiii. 19. After any, read one. xiii. Note (b), for Luke xiii. 16. read Chap. xxv. 29. Luke viii. 18.. xiii. 55. Number of Verse omitted in the Text. xxi. 24. For likewife, read like wife... xxi. 28. After fons put (;) xxiv. Note (f), for Gospel, read Prophet: xxvi. Note (n), for Mark xiv. read Mark xiv. 30: Mark ii. 25. For bungered, read bungred. ix. Note (o), for burning, read burnings. --xiii. Note (1), for bis power, read his own power. v. 36. A new Garment. N. B. This article is omitted.. --xvii. Note (i), dele inverted commas. John ii. 11. Number of the Verse is omitted in the Text. ii. Note (i), for told, read foreteld. iv. Note (m), for Verse 10, read Verse 9. vi. 27. The latter Part of Note (g) ought to be (b), referring to the word feated; but the subsequent Notes must all be new marked one letter higher. viii. Note (a), for either by taking, read of taking. xii. Note (m), for to hardened, read to harden.. xviii. 21. For asketh, read afkest. xviii. Note (e), for Gen. xlii. 32. read Gen. xliii. 34. xix. Note (b), after Mark, for xv. 25. read xv. 42.. xx. Note (d), for Pfalm xvl.20. read xvi. 10. Acts vii. 16. For athers, read fathers. ix. Note (n), for criptures, read Scriptures. xvi. 3. Add, Because he knew that the Jews would not bearken to Timothy, had be not been circumcised. - xvi. Note (f), for power, read no fower. xxiv. Note (a), for s called, read is called. THE I 2 T HE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the fon of David, the fon of Abraham (b). Abraham begat Ifaac, and Ifaac begat Jacob, and Jacob be3 gat Judas and his brethren. And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar, and Phares begat Ef4 rom, and Efrom begat Aram. And Aram begat Aminidab, and Aminidab begat Naasson, and Naaf5 fon begat Salmon. And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab, and Booz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed be6 gat Jeffe. And Jeffe begat David the King, and (a) The word GOSPEL fignifies good tidings; and in all the books of the New Testament it stands for the joyful tidings of salvation through Jefus Chrift, and comprehends not only the hiftory of his life written by the four Evangelifts, but likewife the whole covenant of reconciliation and acceptance, its glorious conditions and most glorious rewards. (b) The use of this pedigree is to shew that Jesus was descended from Abraham and David, and was therefore fo far proved to be the true Meffiah, or Christ, whom the Jews were then expecting, according to the Scriptures of the Old Testament. See Gen. xii. 3. xxii. 18. 2 Sam. vii. 12, &c. 1 Kings ix. 5. Pfalm cxxx. 11, 12. Jer. xxii. 5, 6. : B David David the King begat Solomon of her that had been 7 the wife of Urias. And Solomon begat Roboam, 8 and Roboam begat Abia, and Abia begat Afa. And Afa begat Jofaphat, and Jofaphat begat Joram, and 9. Joram hegat Ozias. And Ozias begat Joatham, and Joatham begat Achaz, and Achaz begat Ezekias. 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses, and Manafies begat, II Amon, and Amon begat Jofias. And Jofias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they 12 were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel, and 13 Salathiel begat Zorobabel. And Zorobabel begat Abiud, and Abiud begat Eliakim, and Eliakim be14 gat Azor. And Azor begat Sadoc, and Sadoc be15 gat Achim, and Achim begat Eliud. And Eliud begat Eleazar, and Eleazar begat Matthan, and 16 Matthan begat Jacob. And Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who 17 is called Chrift. So all the generations from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations: and from David, until the carrying away into Babylon, are fourteen generations: and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wife : When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found 19 with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being 'a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away 20 privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a fon, and thou shalt call his name (c) Jefus: for he shall save his people (c) The name Jesus signifies Saviour. 22 from 1 |