Annotations Upon the New Testament, To the reader – List of books
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
READER,
THere is a threefold manner of citing Scripture out of the Old Testament used by Christ, the Evangelists and Apostles, for either they say simply, it is written, or it is said, Matth. 4.4.7.10. Or it is written by the Prophet,Laurentius in 1 Pet. 1.2.6. p. 122. or in the Prophets, Iohn 6.45. Or lastly it is written by the Prophet with the name expressed, Esay, Ioel, &c. Marke 6.7. Acts 2.16. Neither is it strange, that neither the Chapter nor verse is named by them, since this Arithmeticall distinction both of Chapters, and specially of verses (which wee have now in our Bibles) is a very late invention.See my Annotations, and Beza on 1 Cor. 11.1. This distinction of the Bible into Chapters and verses was made by men subject to errour, and therefore is found oftentimes irregular, separating that which ought to follow in a continued threed, and confounding that which ought to be distinguished.That note on Matth. 5.26. the farthing was the least coyne used amongst the Jewes, &c. that had from Mr Perkins on that place, yet how is that the least, if a Mite be lesse by one halfe? Matth. 12.33. Christ can moderate the observing of the Sabbath, as he doth the other Ceremonies of the Law, these are Calvins words, by which hee seemes to make the observing of the law a Ceremony. The Bookes of the New Testament are 27. the Chapters 260. I do often in these notes relate the opinions and expositions of others, without passing my censure upon them, as Luke 2.7. I relate Mr Cartwrights opinion though I approve it not; for the originall is most cleere against it. And Mark 16.7. Peter is set behind, &c is Mr Cartwrights observation, but not so solide; the marginall notes and those in the text may perhaps therefore sometimes interfeire and crosse each other, as Marke 1.1. I say in the text (out of Gerhard) that Marke relates Histories more largely, whereas the margent and the thing it self speakes, that he related them more briefly, sometimes the severall notes in the text it selfe may seeme repugnant, as Matth. 24.14. I say from Calvin, that Christ onelyonly affirmes, that the Gospell shall be propagated to the utmost ends of the earth before his last comming, whereas v. 3. I observe out of B. Downam. that Christs comming is not treated of till, v. 23. Luke 5.39. Old wines are wont to be of a more gentle tast, &c. is contradicted by the margent and experience.
I hope Divines will not censure mee, as if I did Falcem in alienam messem immittere. Dr Hall *Practic. Cases of conscience resolved. lec. 3. case 10.doth determine it lawfull for those that are not professd Divines, in some cases to interpret the Scripture. I shall neede the favourable construction of Divines in the worke it selfe, since it is the first of that nature wherein I have adventured (though by the helpe of the best Commentators) purposely to explaine the sacred text. I desired (having had opportunity of consulting with so many Criticks for the accomplishing of my Critica Sacra) to make an Essay as it were in this booke, how usefull such kind of learning was for the clearer explication of the Scripture. I shall therfore much varie I beleeve in these Annotations from those Englishmen and others, which have formerly expounded either the New Testament or whole Scripture. In such a multitude of Collections taken from severall Writers, and many of them long since, there may be some luxuriant branches, which might by Judicious Divines have beene thought fit perhaps to have been lopt off, could I have been so happy as to have had them first diligently scanned by such.
Opere in longo fas est obrepere somnum.
I shall willingly submit it to the Judgement of experienced Divines, and such especially as are versed in this kind of learning. The New Testament in the Greeke is so little, that by one houre in the morning and evening in one weeke (saith Broughton *Explicat. of the Apocal.) one may with ease and great delight read it over, yet this booke (saith hee) hath above 4600. words. Pasor inlargeth the number; He saith the Appellative words are 4168. The proper names 474. The whole 5242. Hee reckons up seven Dialects of the New Testament. Neither is it strange (saith he) that the footsteps of all dialects are to be found there, since the Apostles published the Gospel, not onelyonly to the Jewes, which used the Septuagint or Greeke version of the Old Testament, but also to other people differing in severall Dialects. The Attick Dialect, as it is the most elegant of all the rest in the Greeke, so it is most frequent in the New Testament. If Christians may by these Annotations (which have cost me a great deale of paines) be furthered in the study and knowledge of the Scriptures, I shall blesse God for it,See my Annotations on Iohn 5.39. and thinke my labour well bestowed. Austen *l. 3. confess. c. 5.while he was a Manichee slighted the Scripture for the plainnesse of the stile. Visa mihi est (saith he) indigna scriptura quam Tullianae dignitati compararem, the Scriptures seemed to me farre unworthy to be compard to the statelinesse of the Ciceronian eloquence; but after he grew acquainted with Christ, though hee much delighted in reading Tullies Hortensius, yet this thing onelyonly (saith hee) in such a heate of zeale tooke mee off,l. 3. confess. c. 4. that the name of Christ was not in it. I shall wish thee as much delight and benefit in perusing my Booke, as it hath cost mee paines, in collecting, transcribing, inlarging, and reviewing it, and rest.
Thy Hearty well-wisher, EDWARD LEIGH.
The names of such Bookes as this Authour hath formerly written.
viz.
1. A Treatise of Divine Promises.
2. Analecta, or Observations on the Twelve first Caesars.
3. Critica Sacra on the Greek of the New Testament.
4. Critica Sacra on the Hebrew of the Old Testament.
5. A Treatise of Divinity in Three Bookes.
6. The Saints Encouragement in Evill Times.