An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, To the reader
To the Reader.
ALL Sciences have their introductions and rudimentary Preparatives, by which the learner may bee fitted and instructed to a farther and more researched knowledge of things; All Noble families have their Porters to open unto their Visitors, and courteously to conduct them from the Gate to the Parlour: I doubt not (Candid Reader) but to find thee of my judgement, that the explication of the Scriptures should have its Introduction too, and the Learned, and therefore Noble Family of Commentators, their Ostiaries and Ianitors. Now that I might become a Servant in this Family, and shew my officiousness to give entrance unto the Suters of the holy Ministery, whereby they may have access unto the richer Providores in Gods Family, I have taken up my standing at the threshold of the house of God.
'Tis well known in the Schools, in how little time, how many and great volumes are to be read, how many facilitating and perasceuastical exercises young Clients to Divinity must run thorow; and in apportionating either of daies or hours, to the several sorts of studies, how little time is spent in reading the Holy Scriptures, to get a right understanding of which, ought to bee the chief labour of all men, especially of those that would hear the Lord himself speaking, that they may beleeve, and that what they beleeve as the Oracles of God they may publickly preach; Hee that shall conduce what hee can to the furtherance of such Noble Bereans, Scripture-Disciples, Ile bee his warrant, hee shall not lose his labour.
For their sakes that are students in Theology, by the authority of the National Synods Delegates, I made in my publick Lectures an Analytical Exposition of all the Apostolick Epistles, and those Lectures, though somewhat rude, I committed to the Press, that I might spare many's labour of transcribing them, and I purposed candidly to give you an account of my intent therein, to the end that I might render thee more equitable to mee in thy censure of mee.
For younger Students, for whom the reading of the Scriptures is necessary, but the perusing of larger Commentaries is impossible, according to my duty, I was to set forth an Explication of the main scope of the Text, and of the obscurer words, and harder sentences, and of their coherence one with another, and also with the principal scope; now here was need of an Analysis, Glosses, and some Exposition, or Paraphrase which might bee instead of an Exposition. Brevity was so necessary for the intended Introduction, that it would have been better never to have undertaken it, than not to have made it short; for if there had been no hope of brevity, it had never been at all. Now to the brevity of the Explication, perspicuity was also necessary, lest a trussing together of many things in few words should intangle the Reader.
That I might therefore obtain my designed end, I have pack'd the Analysis, and Commentaries, and Exposition or Paraphrase altogether, every one of which could not singly bee disposed of, without great tediousness: But whether or no, or in what measure I have effected what I aimed at, bee thou thy self Iudge, when having compared the Explication with the Text, thou shalt see how each thing hath reference to other. OnelyOnly know thus much, that I could with a great deal less labour have made my Explication longer, than so short as it is. I have not followed the Logical Analysis any further▪ than was necessary to demonstrate the Scope of the Text; for to mince every member of the sentence by peecemeal, would bee the work of a prolix Commentary: those that are called Logical terms of Art, I have used very sparingly, otherwise, I saw I should raise a quarrel against my self, and a trouble to thee, who mightest more easily understand the matter it self, than thou couldest examine, whether those terms were by mee rightly assigned, and wouldest sooner consent with mee in the main matter, than subscribe to my use of those Logical notions: For every one hath his several way of Analysing, so that you shall hardly finde two Writers that do agree in all their Logick terms, in the Resolution of but one Chapter, even when they unanimously accord in sense. For Logick terms according to a various respect had to the subject and attribute of the proposition to bee proved, are, and ought to be changed, the sense of the place remaining still intire and safe. The Precepts and Exhortations which are emphatically proposed in that which they call (Modus Imperativus) or any other Rhetorical Modus, according to the Rules in Logick, I have turned in Modum Indicativum, that the position to bee confirmed may bee the more clearly illustrated. The emphasis and forcibleness of the Spirit, I have left to bee unfolded in larger Commentaries and Sermons. For your memories sake, I have made the parts of every Chapter, and the chief Positions in every part (as far as the truth of the matter would suffer) very few. Arguments for the confirmation of that Proposition that expresses the scope, I have made more or fewer, all after as perspicuity required; one while contracting the force of many Arguments into one, other while unfolding them severally.
Arguments that make to confirm the chief scope, and the next foregoing matter, I have referred to both. But I have disposed all things by way of Enthymem for brevity and perspicuities sake. If the scope or conclusion seems to bee repeated oftner than was needful, I hope you will pardon mee this labour, when you shall see the conclusion or purpose suppressed to bee more easily gathered by mee, than you can fetch it from what went before. Although at first blush some Arguments seem to bee the same, you shall see some new force the Apostle adds, doth make a difference. Nor let it not trouble you, that the Arguments that I refer to the confirmation of any Proposition, are used by learned men to prove other conclusions: For the same medium may fitly serve for the proving of several Propositions. Where the sense of the verses is obvious, and the connexion plain, there will be no need of this help of mine, which is to take place chiefly in the obscurer passages; but lest there should bee any gap, I have made the work all along similar and homogeneous. Hee that likes not this concise way of writing, I beg of him that hee would not deter others from the reading of it. If this Introduction shall but open a door to the Students of Divinity unto larger Commentaries, I have my desire. A Key, the less it is, the higher it is wont to bee valued. In so great variety of Writers, hee consults best for the Common-wealth, that handles onelyonly necessary things well, or at least, briefly, that the Reader may lose as little labour and cost as may bee.
If this labour of mine bee welcome to thee, your admonition shall not bee unwelcome to mee, though it pitch upon something to bee amended, or if in your prudence you think fit to give mee any advice. I will do my indeavour (God willing) to satisfie thee as to an English Translation, which many of my friends put mee upon, if it shall bee found worth the while. In the mean time I humbly beseech the Father of Lights, that hee would send more learned and able servants of his into this Harvest, that what I cannot, they may do in this kind of writing. For I hope, that very many that are now kept off by the onelyonly prolixity of Commentaries, that they read little or nothing, and with very small benefit, will now read the Scriptures more eagerly, having some short helps for the opening of their scope and sense tendred them.
Farewel. Most desirous of your Edification and Salvation in Christ, DAVID DICKSON.