Expository Notes on the Pentateuch, Title page – Errata
EXPOSITORY NOTES, WITH Practical OBSERVATIONS;
TOWARDS The opening of the five firſt Chapters of the firſt Book of Moſes called GENESIS.
Delivered by way of EXPOSITION In ſeveral Lords-dayes Exerciſes.
By BENJAMIN NEEDLER, Miniſter of the Goſpel at Margaret Moſes Friday-ſtreet, LONDON.
Hereunto is added by way of Apendix certaine Directions for the right underſtanding of the Scriptures.
London, Printed by T. R. & E. M. for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham, at the Bear in Pauls Church yard, near the little North-door. 1655
To the WORSHIPFULL, AND The reſt his loving friends, The Pariſhioners of MARGARET MOSES Friday-ſtreet, London.
Dearly beloved,
THe main deſigne of a Miniſter of the Goſpell, next to the glory of God, ſhould be the ſpirituall good, and advantage, as of the Church of God in generall, ſo of the flock committed to his charge in particular.
Had not this conſideration been very powerfull, and prevailing on my Spirit, it would not have been able, to have broke through thoſe many difficulties and diſcouragements (amongſt which the unworthineſſe, and weakneſſe of the Author was not the leaſt) that did way-lay the publication of theſe papers.
The reſult of my thoughts being affirmative, as to the preſenting of them to publike view, I determined to dedicate them to you my people.
The reaſons that moved me to this, (beſides your intereſt in the compoſer of them, having been your Paſtor now, for ſome yeares; and the equity of it, that they that called for, and rejoyced in the firſt-fruits of his Miniſtery, ſhould have tendred unto them the firſt-fruits of his labours in this kind alſo) were ſuch as theſe.
1. That I might be inſtrument all to eſtabliſh you in ſome of the truths of Chriſt in theſe erroneous dayes; a fitter expedient hereunto I know not any (next to the illumination of the Spirit) then the riight understanding of the text; For theſe late yeares eſpecially, the Devill hath walked up and downe our ſtreets with a Bible under his arme, and upon every turne pleads Scriptum eſt, It is written.
2. That you might be the more confirmed, concerning the ſweet harmony of the Scriptures; how one Scripture ſweetly embraces, and kiſſes each other, although there be many in the world, that would if they could (Horrendum ſcelus!) make them to fall out, and mutiny. One cals the Old Teſtament, and the New, Gods two lips; whereby he breatheth out the ſame truth. Some have gone about to finde contradictions in them, but the ſpirit of contradiction was in them, that went about it. Oh that we could as well agree with them, as they agree with themſelves: while they are at peace in their doctrine, we are at warre in their interpretation.
3. That you might take notice of the obſcurity of ſome texts of Scripture. We may ſay of the whole booke of the Scriptures, as Saint Peter doth of all Pauls Epiſtles: In which are ſome things hard to be underſtood: Some 2 Pet. 3. 16things, though not all; there are ſome excellent herbes in the garden of the Scriptures, whoſe names we know not. Difficilia quae pulchra. And theſe things, They that are unlearned, and unſtable, wreſt, as they do alſo, the other Scriptures, unto their own deſtruction. They deale with the Scriptures, as Chymiſts deale with naturall bodies, torturing them to extract ſomething out of them, which God and nature never put in them; Or as torturers deale with an innocent man, make him ſpeake that which he never thought; A ſeaſonable Item for theſe dayes, when men think a ſmall meaſure of gifts ſufficient for the interpretation of Scripture.
God would not have the weakeſt of his people ſtarved, and therefore ſome truths are eaſy; nor the wiſeſt of them cloyd, and ſated, and therefore ſome truths are obſcure. Nor have we cauſe to murmur, or repine at this diſpenſation. Since the fall, the underſtandings of men, are ſhrunke up, and contracted. Shall the little viall be angry, becauſe it cannot containe the water in the Ocean? Shall the blind man blame the Sun, for ſhining no brighter?
4. That however God diſpoſe of me by his providence, I might leave ſomething in your hands, which might be for your ſpirituall advantage: A Sermon, or Expoſition, if called to minde, (and I hope this ſmall manuall may be your remembrancer) may do your ſouls good, ſeven, ten, twenty yeares after its delivery. Phyſick doth not alwayes worke when it is taken, no more do the Ordinances. 'Tis ſaid there, That many reſorted unto Jeſus and ſaid, John did no miracle, but all things Joh 10. 41, 42.that John ſpake of this man were true; and many beleeved on him there. John had Preached of Chriſt before, but they did not beleeve in Chriſt when he Preached; But when Chriſt comes amongst them; they upon Johns Sermons preached a great while before, then believed.
You have in theſe papers, (for I thought it not ſafe to go without a guide, the way in many places being difficult) the conduct of ſeverall eminently learned Authors, burning and ſhining lights, at whoſe torch my candle received light, though I may ſay, to the praiſe of free-grace, it ſhines not altogether (unleſſe we referre to God) with a borrowed, and derivative luſtre, &c.
One of theſe things I ſtudied in this ſmall piece, was plaineneſſe; it being for a conſiderable part of it polemicall: And beſides, truth is an excellent Jewel, beſt when plain ſet.
I have ſeverall counſells to you, lying neere my ſpirit, poſſibly I may have another opportunity to offer them. At preſent let me exhort you (as moſt pertinent to the buſineſſe in hand) to a diligent study of the Word of God; To this purpoſe, I have annexed by way of Appendix, certain directions for the right underſtanding of the Scriptures; if they may be of any advantage to you, bleſſe God for them.
Beloved, the deſire of my ſoul is, that your ſoules may be ſaved. This is the prayer of
Your ſervant in the work of the Lord, Benjamin Needler. From my Study at Bun-hill, Nov 17, 1654.
ERRATA.
Page 42, Line 9, for I read If p, 53, l, 3, f, foure r, five, p, 73, l, …3, f, principilis r, principiis, p, 83, l, 1, f, the calling on, r, the carrying on, p, 89, l, 11, f, Incommodum r, Incommodam, p, 95, l, 11, f, 8, r, or, 131, l, 3, f, gracious evidence, r, no gracious evidence, p, 150, l, 22, f, this, r, thy, p, 208, l, 2, for eſie, r, eſſe, p, 208, l, 23, f, ſinon, r, ſin.