Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Title page 1 – To the reader
A PLAINE And Familiar EXPLICATION (by way of Paraphrase) OF ALL THE HARD Texts of the whole Divine Scripture of the OLD and NEVV TESTAMENT.
BY JOS. EXON.
LONDON, Printed by MILES FLESHER, for NATH: BVTTER at the Signe of the Pyde' Bull at S. Austins Gate. MDCXXXIII.
TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY MONARCH CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITAINE, FRANCE AND IRELAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH.
MOST GRATIOVS AND DREAD SOVERAINE,
NOthing can so much concern a man to seeke for, as life eternall; the onelyonly meanes to finde this eternall life, is the knowledge of God; there is no meanes to know God, (to purpose,) but by his Word; this word, though plaine, and cleare in the maine truthes, yet wants not some difficulties, in other expressions; the explication of these difficulties, is (for a great part) the occasion, and matter of our Sermons, Lectures, Commentaries; every man holding it both an high honour, and an happy service to be Gods trucheman to the world; the clearest and shortest way of explication, is by Paraphrase: many learned Interpreters, both of our Church, and the Roman, have undertaken this taske by parcels, the use and benefit whereof, is, and should no lesse, be universall: My meannesse hath therefore boldly endeavoured this great worke; which, as I durst not undergoe, without the aide of the best Commenters, both ancient and moderne; so I do in all humility subject it to the grave and holy judgement of this renowned Church: it is so farre from my thoughts, peremptorily to prescribe senses unto any, as that I am ready upon better information, to amend my owne errours: OnelyOnly my desire, and ambition is, to give some light to weaker apprehensions; wherein I hope to do a service, not utterly unbeseeming your Majesties gracious Patronage; and unspeakably beneficiall to many thousands of soules; who shall blesse God for the least glimpses of illumination in these divine Oracles.
The worke, such as it is, I most humbly cast downe, with my selfe, at your Majesties feet; for who but Gods Vice-gerent upon earth could seeme proper to challenge the protection of a businesse, so highly importing the honour of the God of heaven; and amongst Kings, (besides the relation of a Soveraine Master) who but the Defender of that true faith, which is infallibly grounded upon these holy Scriptures: eminent no lesse in goodnesse and piety, then in greatnesse and power; the great patterne of devotion, twice every day (even in publique view) constantly busied in this booke of God: In so many names, I have presumed through your Majesties royall hands, to tender it unto Gods Church; not without the vowes of my most fervent prayers to God for the inlargements of his blessings upon your sacred person, family, government, as who am ever justly obliged to be
Your Majesties most loyall and faithfully devoted servant IOS. EXON.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
Reader,
I Cannot be so weake, as not to presuppose, that so great, and bold a worke must needs undergoe variety of constructions: There will not want some, I doubt not, who will be of opinion, that this labour might have beene better spared; as thinking the Scriptures to lie already too open to vulgar hands; with whom it is not now seasonable to argue that beaten question concerning the expedience of the free allowance of Gods Booke to Laick readers; wherein the Church of England (our deare and blessed mother) hath sufficiently declared her judgement (besides words) by her ingenuous practice; onelyonly therefore taking this liberty for granted, I shall easily from hence evince the usefulnesse of some such plaine and orthodox explication; For, since the Scriptures are through the liberall bessing of God, promiscuously allowed to all hands, I aske whether it bee not much better they should bee put into the way of being rightly understood by the simplest, then to lie under the danger of an ignorant mis-construction; Neither doe I hereby indevour to make them more common, but better conceived; that, where the letter is in use, the sense may not be mis-taken; The inconveniences that are pretended to have followed upon the open, and free permission of Scriptures in vulgar languages, have sensibly arisen from the mis-understanding of them; remove that perill, & the frequence and universality of thē can be no other then a blessing; This service I have here indevored to perform; having cōmonly in the passages of this worke, trod in the steps (as I have judged) of the best interpretations: & seldome when, gone alone: Neither doe I offer to obtrude these my explications upon any reader, as Magisteriall, and peremptory; Who am I that I should take upō me to governe, and command other mens thoughts? but modestly and humbly propound them to Gods Church, as probable helpes to weaker judgements: leaving my reader free, in the meane time, if my sense satisfie not, to his owne further disquisition: OnelyOnly, since all men have not choice of commenters, nor leasure to compare them, nor skill to judge of the fairest sense, I have undertaken this paines for the ease and advantage of my plaine reader, to cull out, and commend unto him, the most safe, and likely interpretations. In the historicall part, he shall need little help, in the Poeticall, or Sapientiall, more; in the propheticall most of all; in many passages whereof, every line is a riddle; I should bee vaine to brag of my fidelity herein; as who have not knowingly omitted any clause, wherein there seemed to be any shew of difficulty; nor clogged the volume with glosses that I conceived unnecessary.
Some perhaps will imagine it might have been much better, to have taken the whole text before me, then to have thus selected some noted periods of harder construction; Who may be pleased to consider how much vastnesse might so have accrewed to this labour, and how little use; To paraphrase easie texts, had beene to set up a candle before the Sunne; and to publish the whole Text, with a partiall explication (if leave might possibly have beene obtained for so bold a project) had beene to raise the bulke, and to lose the vigour and benefit of the worke: Since there be some historicall bookes of Scripture, wherein there is very little use of any Paraphrase; and some (as those of the Chronicles) wherein there is none at all; Herein therefore I have done that, which I judged to availe most to the use and profit of my Christian Reader; whō I must suppose furnished with a Bible at home; and willing to helpe his understanding in places of more obscurity.
To fore-mention the particularities of that benefit which may arise to Gods Church in the use of so plaine an enarration of the meaning of his holy Spirit, were both too much to distrust the judgement of others; and to seeme to set forth the glory of my owne indevours; the infirmities whereof, if they may receive pardon from God, and my Superiours; and amendment from more able hands, to whose aide and correction I doe humbly submit my selfe, and them, it shall bee the utmost of my ayme, and ambition.
That good God, who hath graciously inabled mee, notwithstanding the throng of other occasions, to goe through with this well-meant worke, blesse it to the behoofe of his Church, and the glory of his owne Name. Amen.