Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, To the reader – Errata
A Preface or Advertiſement To the READER.
REader, when I firſt undertook this Work of writing theſe Annotations upon the Scripture, there was not, as I remember, any piece of this kind extant in Engliſh, ſave only the Geneva marginall Notes. But ſince that time (bleſſed be God, the father of lights) abundance of help hath come flowing in by more able Hands. Beſides the two volumes of the Annotations of our Engliſh Divines, and the Tranſlation of the Dutch Notes, (more lately publiſhed) much hath been done in this very way, for the clearing of the difficulties in ſeverall Books of the Scripture, by many particular men. Yea upon two of the Books, which here I have undertaken to explain, ſo much hath been done, I mean by Mr. Caryl in his elaborate Comments upon Iob (ſo far as he hath gone) and by Dr. Reynolds in that choice piece of his upon Eccleſiaſtes, which we have in the great Engliſh Annotations, that they may well give abundant ſatisfaction to thoſe that read them.
But why then do I proceed in this Work? eſpecially conſidering that Item given by Solomon in one of theſe Books, that of making many Books there is no end, and much reading is a wearineſſe of the fleſh? I anſwer truly and briefly; firſt, that I have found ſo much ſweet content and delight in this ſtudy, that I can hardly perſwade my ſelf to give it over. Secondly, that the reiterated perſwaſions of many of my Reverend Brethren that I would go on in this work hath been a very great encouragement therein to me; and thirdly, that I cannot but hope that the plainneſſe of the Expoſitions (if nothing elſe) will make them accepted by many.
The greateſt thing that hath troubled me in this work was, that when I came to commit it to the Preſſe, I found it riſe to ſo far greater a bulk then either of my two former Volumes. But for this I deſire the Reader would conſider. Firſt, that the ſtile and expreſsions of theſe Poeticall Books are farre more dark and difficult, and fuller of many knotty intricacies, then thoſe books that were the ſubject of the former Volumes; and likewiſe that the clearing of the ſcope and dependance of many paſſages herein is a work of much labour (as will be moſt eſpecially found in the books of Eccleſiastes and the Song of Solomon) both which must needs make the Annotations the larger. Secondly, that in this Volume I have undertaken to open, together with the Tranſlation of the Text which we have in our Bibles, the different Tranſlations that are put in the margin, (becauſe I found many of them judged moſt agreeable to the Originall) which I ſeldome did in the other Volumes. And this alſo hath much lengthened the Notes▪ and thirdly, that to ſhorten the work, I have, as often as I could, referred the Reader to the Expoſition of the like paſſages and expreſsions in other places; the frequency whereof therefore I hope will be no occaſion of diſlike to any. Yea in ſome places I have been forced to leave the Reader of himſelf to have recourſe to former Expoſitions: for, as for Inſtance, for the word Selah, and many other words frequently found in the Titles of the Pſalms, ſhould I have inſerted a ſeverall Reference, even theſe, with others of the like nature, would very much have ſwelled the book.
In a word, though the work be larger then I intended, yet I hope it will be the more profitable: I ſtudied brevity, ſo far as it might not prejudice the perſpicuity of the Notes. The good Lord command a bleſsing upon it, where ever it goeth; and if thou, Reader, findeſt it ſo with thee, I know I ſhall have thy prayers, which I ſhall account a great return of Chriſtian love to him, who is,
Thine in the Lord Ieſus, ARTHUR JACKSON.
ERRATA.
Pag. 40. line 31. for overturns read indangers. p. 57. l. 6. for to overwhelm r. ſo overwhelm. p. 69. l. 3. for whoſe troopes r. whole troops. p. 70. l. 19. for as is. r. as it is. p. 80. l. 43. for nor r. not. p. 88. l. ult. for eſcretly r. ſecretly. p. 194. l. 10. r. or 3ly l. 13. r. or 4ly. p. 196. l. 7. dele ſpoken p. 209. l. 2. for ſtone r. braſſe. p. 221. l, 23. dele more. p. 393. l. 9. for work r. word. p. 432. l. 15. for Chro. r. 1 Chro. p. 779. l. 1. for effect r. affect. p. 844. l. 3. for ſee the Note. 2 Cor. 12.8, r. See 2 Cor. 8.12. p. 850. l. 39. for anger r. danger. p. 869. l. 36. for forget r. forgoe. p. 878. l. 13. for better r. bitter. p. 879. for 23. r. 29. p. 869. l. 36. for were their r. were not their. p. 919. l. 23. for worldly men r. worldly wiſe men. Eccleſ. & Cant.
P. 35. l. 33. for ver. 15. r. ver, 5. p. 41. l. 30. they promote r. they may promote. p. 103. l. 43. for retained r. returned. p. 130. l. 42. for into r, in to. p. 149. l. 10. for but when, &c. r. and when by faith we do open to him, yet becauſe, &c. p, 168. l. 38, for people r. goſpel. p. 188. l. 25. and according dele and. p. 206. l. 9. for The laſt r. In the laſt. p. 218. l. 38. for if the word comes r. if they come. p. 225. l. 12. for given the, r. given from the.