Observations Upon the Old Testament, Title page – Index
CHOICE OBSERVATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS Upon the Old Testament.
Containing in them many remarkable matters, either not taken notice of, or mistaken by most, which are Additionals to the large ANNOTATIONS made by some of the Assembly of DIVINES.
To which are added some further and larger OBSERVATIONS Of his upon the whole BOOK of GENESIS Perused and Attested by the Reverend BISHOP of ARMAGH, And Mr. GATAKER Pastor of REDERITH.
By the Learned and Industrious JOHN RICHARDSON, Bishop of Ardagh in Ireland, one who had a considerable hand in the forenamed large ANNOTATIONS.
LONDON, Printed by T. R. and E. M. for John Rothwell, at the Fountain and Beare in the Goldsmiths-Row in Cheapside. Anno Dom. 1655.
Reader,
THou art seriously to consider, that the Reverend AuTHOUR did not cite Scriptures by number, but weight: He did not jumble Scriptures together fortuitously, (as too many do, as Democritus did his atomes) but judiciously selected out those which were most apposite. And surely, nothing is more helpful to the right understanding of Scripture, then comparing it with it selfe: do not therefore sleightly passe over his Scriptures, as if they were of no moment, but diligently peruse them, and let it not be grievous to turne to the places cited, for the marrow of this Book consists in the Authours dexterous paralleling of Scriptures together, Farewell.
To my REVEREND and LEARNED Brother, Doctor Richardson BP. OF ARDAGH IN IRELAND
Right Reverend and Worthy Brother,
YOu know that out of that intimacy which hath ever been betwixt us from our youths, I cannot be unacquainted with the course of your studies. And you being now entred upon the last Scene of your life, as well as I, thereupon I would willingly become a Perswader of you, not to let your Labours be lost, and die with you; but to publish some or most of them to the view of the World, for the benefit of the Church. The last thing I viewed of yours were your Annotations upon GENESIS, having before perused your other Explanations and Observations upon the Old Testament, though sleight and suddenly done, as you say, yet think them not unworthy of the Presse. For I finde therein divers things of moment, which I meet not withal in others. And to prevail with you herein, let this finde some place, That it is the judgment and desire of
Your endeared Friend and Brother, JAMES ARMAGH.
The EPISTLE Dedicatory, to the REVEREND BISHOP of ARMAGH.
Most Reverend, and my very good Lord,
YOur word shall be my warrant, and your desire my duty, to publish my Annotations upon GENESIS, together also with my Explanations and Observations upon the Old Testament, yet I would be loth your Lordship should beare any share of the blame, or harsh censure that may hap to passe upon them, Coming abroad, I know not to whom I may rather dedicate them, then to him who is the cause that they see the light. And the inscribing of whose name, will bring lustre and credit to the Work it self, however otherways but too weak and unworthy. To speak much in this kinde of your selfe to your selfe, suits not so well, with that humility and modesty which befitteth us both. And in so doing I should but light a candle before the Sunne. Yet you will give me leave to enjoy, and make this expression of mine own comforts, which I have still derived from all those endearments, wherewith you have vouchsafed to oblige and honour me, even from our younger years, in our joynt Educations and first Employments, until now that we both are ready to leave the stage of this life. My thankfulnesse for your favours may haply receive some piece of emprovement hereby. And my Prayers shall still be continued, for the Prolongation of your dayes, to the further good and glory of the Church of God. This tribute you may duly and daily expect from
Your obedient Servant, Suffragane, and Loving Brother, JOHN ARDAGH.
Mr. GATAKER'S EPISTLE to the Bishop of Armagh, wherein is his Attestation upon the Reverend BISHOP RICHARDSONS Observations and Explanations upon the OLD TESTAMENT.
Right Reverend,
I Acknowledge my self, besides many other fore-passed real fruits … favour, much beholden to your Lordship, for your late kinde … and the addition unto it, in imparting unto me those learned and … Observations of that Worthy Bishop, whose eminent parts I had formerly taken notice of, and upon occasion given testimony of to others, in his Annotations on a great part of the Prophets, whereunto he herein sometime referreth himself. Now albeit when your Lordship left them with me, you were pleased to afford me a longer space of time for the perusal of them, which I was willing to accept, not knowing what leisure I should have for them in regard of some present distractions; yet I could not forbear to lay hold on all opportunities, to enjoy the view of them; which I much thirsted after: which upon serious survey I found to be answerable to my pre-conceived expectation of them, and well-worthy their Authour, containing in them many remarkable matters, either not commonly taken notice of, or mistaken by the most. In the Computation of times, your Lordship well knoweth, and much better then my self, that there are divers difficult points much disputed and debated among the grand Masters of that part of learning, in which being not so exactly versed in such Accounts, I dare not take upon me to determine ought. I have drawn up here a short note of some things of no great moment, which meeting with, I stick at, or have doubt of, that it may appear to your Lordship, that I have not slighted or laid it by me, but have advisedly run it over: which having dispatched, I was the rather willing to return it to your Lordship by the hands of my sonne Tayler, who was willing to take thereby occasion to wait upon your Lordship, to present you with a sorry fruit of my fruitlesse labours, which I shall intreat your Lordship to accept, and to look on with a favourable eye. This short list of my work and undigested thoughts, your Lordship may be pleased, if you shall think good, and deem them worthy of his consideration, to impart unto the Venerable Bishop, with recommendation of my due respects, and sincere affection to him, whom I should be right glad to be better acquainted withal, together with my humble request to him, that he will pardon my boldnesse, and bear with my weaknesse, which in these scriblings I doubt I have too much discovered. So with sincere acknowledgement of your Lordships manifold favours, and my deep engagements; in lieu whereof I have nothing of worth to return, but thanks to you, and prayers unto the Lord in whose work you labour, for his gracious and powerful support of you therein, I take leave, craving liberty to subscribe my self
Your Lordships weak and unworthy, but sincere well-wisher, much obliged in him, THO. GATAKER. Roderith, June 1652.
TO THE Reader.
THE first draught of these Observations was ready for the Presse before the Great Annotations upon the Bible, printed in Anno 1651. did come forth. Afterwards perusing them, I found some differences between those Annotations, and these Observations; which did minister some occasion of enlarging my first draught; chiefly by noting and insisting upon these differences: yet rarely naming the said Annotations; but leaving rather the full animadverting, comparing and judging of them, to the judicious Reader. Thereafter I committed these to the Presse. And after a good progress had been made by it, for some reasons, not so fit to trouble thee withal, I was again induced, and over-ruled, to enlarge my self yet much more; and to descend to very many Particulars, by way of Exposition and Explanation in some of the ensuing Books of Scripture, much beyond what was my first Proposal and Intendment. Which thing, I conceive, will dim the light and lustre of those choice places and Observations, which primarily were my only aime. Yet, I hope, to the Candid Reader, These larger additions will not seem altogether impertinent, or improfitable; as to the speedier understanding of Gods Holy Word. Neverthelesse I never undertook or intended to meddle with, or mention all the difficult places of Sacred Scripture. For them, in general, I refer thee to the said Great Annotations, as the best extant in that kinde. Neither do I here touch upon the New Testament, save only when, and where, the Text or the Old Testament doth crave for the quotation of it. In this Collection of Observations and Explanations, I follow the Order of the Books and Chapters of the Bible. And I heartily wish, that the holy Text were alwayes before their eyes, who shall vouchsafe to read them; without which the life of them, or of many of them will be lost. And the numerous quotations therein used will really appear, specially to Divines, to be of good concernment to them, and who shall have occasion to use them, and will take the paines to turne unto them. Be pleased not to think that I am too curious, or thy self can be too ambitious, of knowing any truth revealed in the Scriptures. Thou canst not search them too much, nor can the Word of God dwell too richly and plentifully in thee. Indeed the substantial and essential matters therein, must first be known and cared for. Yet these may help to bring divers remarkable Places and Passages of Scripture into more common knowledge, and familiar notion, then I suppose yet they are. Such as they are, yet now at the last, though the Presse much retarded them, if they may any wayes make for thy spiritual use and profit, that same is the earnest desire of
Thy Servant in Christ J. A.
A TABLE Of such things as are occasionally discoursed of in this Book; But for the maine things, the whole Book is a TABLE to it selfe.
For the larger ANNOTATIONS upon GENESIS, the INDEX referres you to the Chapter and Verse.
A.
THe Ark, its mansions. pag. 76, 77
B
Baal and Baalim. p. 62, 63
Of Bethel. Gen. 28. 19.
Branch taken for the Messias. 423
C
Covenant, how it is new under the Gospel. 424
To be cut off, to what sins threatned, and what it is, Gen. ch. 17. 14. 21
D
Day, when it begins. p. 1. Gen. 1. 5.
Christs Descent into hell, in what sense it is to be taken. 181
E
Egypt. 5
Ephod. 81
Places of Esay cited in the New Testament. 352
Evening, diversly taken. 12
For ever, a phrase diversly taken. 40
F
Solomons foole, who. 298
The foure hundred years of Israels bondage, how accounted. 15, 13
H
God how he hardens, without being the Authour of sin. 359
High places. 90, 91
Hyperbolies much used in Scripture. 52
I.
Jacob marries Leah at or before the beginning of the fourteen years service. 8
Of Jerusalem. 50, 51
Of imprecations. 195
Isreal, how foure hundred years strangers, and where 5
Israels number when they came into Egypt. 9
K
Kings of Israel and Judah, their names, reignes, &c. 100. to 104
M
Hebrew-measures. 6, 14
Melchizedech, who he was. Gen. 14. 18. 254, 255
Ministers among the Jewes, what a liberal maintenance they had. 32
N
Of Names. 3
O
Of Oathes. 138
Of the Oath with the Gibeonites. 50
Oathes are to be kept. 435
P
Passeover, whether Christ kept it on the … day with the Jewes.
Passeover, when kept by Christ, when by the Jews, and how the difference of their dayes … Gen. 1. 5.
Of Prophets. 80, 81
Psalmes, their division. 172. the musick mentioned in them. 173
Psalmes, cited in the New Testament, 175, 176
R
Red sea, why so called. 11
Repentance, how a scribed to God. 422
S
Scribes. 129, 130
Seven yeares Jacob served for Lea…, and seven for Rachel, when and how, Gen. 29. 20.
Sh…kel. 16
Shihor. 115
Of Christs sitting at his Fathers right hand. 251
The Sluggard, how described in the Book of the Proverbs. 274, 275
Sun, how it returned ten degrees. 389
Of swearing and forswearing. 434, 435
Gen. 24. 3.
Swearing, a duty. 434
T
Temple described. 92, to 96
Tempting▪ how ascribed to God, how to men ch. 22. 1.
Of tithes among the Jewes. 31, 32
V
About various readings in Scripture. 106, 107
Of vowes, Gen. 28. 20.
Y
Yeare, when begins. 11, 12