14 cxvii. Reflections on the cure of the crooked woman rusalem. SECT. Soever he came, and travelling on toward Jeru villages, teaching and Ver. sect. cxxxiv.) and to spend the little remainder IMPROVEMENT. AGAIN do we see, in a very instructive instance, the power 12 and goodness of Christ. It wrought on a poor despised creature ; 16 but our Lord considered her as a daughter of Abraham, and honoured, even in her, whatever traces of her father Abraham's faith and piety his penetrating eye might discern. Her zeal and willingness to attend on public worship brought her out, though she could not stand upright, and had probably in that respect a much better excuse for staying at home than many could make, who now often absent themselves from the much nobler services of the Christian sanctuary. 11 10, 13 She met with Christ in the synagogue, and returned with a cure. And oh, how many, as the effect of such a pious zeal, though they have not been loosed from their infirmities, have at least been greatly strengthened to bear them. 16 Our Lord says that Satan had bound her. That malignant enemy to our bodies and souls rejoices in any opportunity of hurting either. But it is pleasing to think, that his power is always under the controul of Christ; and therefore shall never be exercised on his people any farther than their gracious Redeemer sees it consistent with their good, and will take care to render it subservient to it. 14 How gravely does this ruler of the synagogue instruct the people in a point of ceremony, while his heart was full of enmity to Christ, and hardened against every sentiment of human compas 15 sion! Justly was his hypocrisy confounded and exposed. We should with pleasure see this Sun of Righteousness thus victoriously breaking through those clouds, which envy and malice had raised to obscure him, and diffusing his sacred light from one 18, 21 end of the heavens to the other. With pleasure should we view the accomplishment of these parables, which represent the success of his gospel as so great; and we should daily pray, with increasing earnestness, that all the remaining nations and kingdoms of this world may at length become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and sincere converts flock to him from every side, even as doves to their windows! Rev. xi. 15. and Isa. lx. 8.) : SECT. THE PREFACE*. THE publication of this second volume 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 included 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 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. The Family Expositor being originally printed in six volumes, the second volume began with sect. xc. but, the present edition being comprised in five volumes, our second begins with sect. cxvi. and the tables of chapters and sections which were formerly divided between the two volumes, are now found at the beginning of the first. Such a change, though we notice it, is of no great importance, and is attended with no disadvantage to the reader. Probably most will consider it an alteration for the better. VOL. VII. A How 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, ny 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 Divine 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 myself of it, and permit me now, Sirs, solemnly to remind you, 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 him, 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, I 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 hours; 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? Whose sufferings do I contemplate?" And as all must know they are the words, the actions, and the 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 my heart, think that I am a disciple whom such a Master will approve, and whom he will choose 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 conduct of most who call themselves Christians, that, if this religion be true, their cold and unaffecting 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: 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 of 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 forgotton, 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 degenerate days, acts of domestic worship are PREFACE, 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 families 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 blessing 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 as 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 throngh 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. Northampton, August 9th, 1740. |