A Brief Exposition of Matthew, Dedication
A BRIEF EXPOSITION OF THE Evangel of JESUS CHRIST According to MATTHEW.
By DAVID DICKSON, Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Professor of Divinity in the University of GLASGOW.
PHIL. 2. VER. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Iesus: Who being in the form of God, though it not robbery to be equal with God, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the crosse. Wherfore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confesse, that Iesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Third Edition.
LONDON, Printed for Ralph Smith, at the sign of the Bible in Cornhill, neer the Royall Exchange. 1651.
TO THE Right Honorable and truly Noble, MY LORD, EARL OF LOUDOUN, LORD OF MAUCHLIN and TARINZAN, &c. High Chancellor of SCOTLAND, &c. And to His Honorable and Hopeful Eldest Son, my Lord MAUCHLIN, Grace, and Peace.
Right Honourable.
IT is a sweet and remarkable Providence, that within these not many yeers, such a multitude of Impressions of the holy Scriptures are vented among these three united Kingdoms, and so many thousands are of Scots and English, who delight not only to have the holy Bible in their possession and houses; but also to carry it in their pockets, for reading of it upon all occasions: This, as it speaketh much of the desire after divine Knowledge, raised up by God in peoples hearts; and as it promiseth much of the spreading of the light of the Gospel in these Dominions, (especially the Lord having now seconded his own Work, by drawing, from the fountain of his own free grace, the body of these Kingdoms into a solemn Covenant, for purging of all his holy Ordinances, and promoving of sound Religion) so doth it call aloud to all the Pastors of his Flock, and to all the godly learned, by all means to lead the Lords people in upon the right understanding of the Scriptures, left the plain and marvellously consonant word of God be mistaken and wrested, by the instability and unskilfulnesse of such as have not their senses exercised to discern the single meaning of the Lords Voyce, and the admirable harmony of his heavenly Speeches. Many worthy men of God (it is true) have profitably taken pains to this purpose, and some have written large Commentaries upon sundry Books, and parcels of Scripture; others have translated out of Latine the Commentaries of others: But of those worthy mens Labours, only such as have much leasure, and patience to read, can make use: Others have written short Paraphrases of harder places; others, Expositions of hard words; others have minded herewith some sweet notes and observations, all of them contributing one with another to the common good, so much as each sort of Writing could carry: Yet besides all these laudable wayes of explication of Scripture, it seemeth that these dangerous Times, (wherein so many diverse errours are privily crept in, and begun openly also to avow themselves) do call for such an Explanation of the whole Bible, as might not only shew the scope of each Book and Chapter, with the cohesion of the Verses, and the meaning of the Words; but also propone the speciall heads of Doctrine in each place, whereby people might see the whole grounds of Religion in the Text, and be guarded against all damnable errours (in which those persons are easily ensnared, who know not the Scriptures, nor the power of God) and all this to be in such brevity and cleerness, That men in their daily set-reading of the Lords word, might in the space of half an hour peruse a competent portion of Scripture, thus explained.
I say, Set-time for their private reading, because, albeit every man is not set apart for the Word and Doctrine, but most part have, by Gods appointment, civil callings and necessary imployments about the matters of this life, each calling and imployment having its own work, and each work requiring his own time, so that there remaineth little time beside unto many; yet that man is too much busied in temporall affairs, and more involved in the World then he can answer for, who doth not daily redeem so much time, as the necessary exercise of Religion in the Word and Prayer doth require; beside secret ejaculations of Prayer unto God, mixed with his affairs, and the Mason-like-looks of his Conscience, levelling its eye to each action, to see if it be conform to the Rule: for presuppose a man were imployed as much as a King, and had so many Realms to govern as were under David K. of Israel, yet could he not be excused for this, to neglect Gods word & prayer; for Dav. oftner then once a day, yea, & in the night also found time to call on God, & praise his name, & verse himself in his Word, Ps. 119.55, 62, 164. Let the men of this world, who have their portion in this life, & have set up in their hearts the filthy idols of worldly profit, pleasure & preferment, for gaining & keeping wherof, they make use not only of all men, but also of God and Religion, so far only as they may be suitable & serviceable to their base ends; Let such men (I say) neglect reading the Scriptures, and all serious following of religious exercises: But let not the children of God do so, who hold their standing here, and the hopes of eternal life hereafter by faith in Christ, for promoving of whose cause and Kingdom, they are resolved to bear his Crosse, were it even to the doors of Heaven, if so GOD please, and to lay it down on the threshold with thanks and praise, that ever they were counted worthy to suffer for his Name; let not these blessed Soules walk in the way of the ungodly, but rather delight themselves in the Law of GOD, and meditate therein night and day, Psal. 1.2, 3. For the service of such saints, and facilitating of their reading of holy Scripture, I come forth (as before in the brief Explanation of the Epistle to the Hebrews, so now in the brief explanation of the Evangel according to Matthew) to call yet again unto the Godly Learned, to stir up themselves for contributing one with another, unto some such brief explanation of the whole Bible, as their Godly wisdome shall agr…e upon a mould, this or any other: because apparently, it is but little, and not considerable; which any one man alone can overtake in this Work.
As for this Piece, such a one as it is, There is great reason why it should bear your Honourable Name in the title of it, it being a part of the fruit of your Lordships labour, who as One eminently carefull of the purity of Gods ordinances, hath with others of our Renowned Nobility, faithfull Gentrie and Burrows, run the hazard of all things in this life, and of life it self, to purge the land from superstition, and Heresie, and to give freedome, not only to the preaching of the Truth of the Gospel, but also unto Pens and Presses for propagation of it. What singular Proofes of Integrity, and inflexible Constancy your Honour hath given in this great work of uniting these three kingdomes more nearly unto God, and among themselves in the matters of Religion, it is so well known, that I need say nothing, but bless God for the raising up of so many precious Sons of Sion to take their Mother by the Hand, in the day of her calamity, and give thanks to his Majesty for your Lordships in particular.
ANd as for Your Honour, My Lord Mauchlin, I could not but joyn your Lordships Name with Your Noble Father in this Dedication; partly, because you follow up so hard after his foot-steps, that your gracious and prudent Behaviour, observed by all Beholders, hath drawn from your Condesciples in Philosophy a more ample elogy, then either your Lordships Modesty, or my measure of Commendation of men will suffer me to repeat; partly, that your Lordship may be thus yet more ingaged to drink in, and maintain that Doctrine of Salvation by Christ, which giveth the text of his Testament for a Pawn and Pledg of its verity; The love and fruitfull Profession whereof, that it may b… the constant Glory of the House of Lo…doun, is the hearty prayer of
Both your Honours affectionate Servant, in the LORD, DAVID DICKSON