dress, but the Bible: and that suffers by it extremely. Yet if this method had not been chosen, if any fine passages had been brought into a fairer light, any harsh ones softened, any dark ones explained, any turn of a sentence made more forcible or more pleasing, by taking only such freedoms, in a moderate degree, as are taken, to a very great one, in most or all other authors, that we translate; the same persons, who complain of flatness or obscurity now, would have complained of artifice and unfairness then. And surely the scrupulous fidelity, which hath been shewn on this occasion, well deserves in return the candour of making all due allowances. Amongst these, a very great one is to be made on the following account, that even this translation was published above 150 years ago; when multitudes of texts were not near so well understood, and consequently could not be so rightly expressed, as they have been since; when also our language was different, in several particulars, from what it is at present; and therefore though it hath been happily secured, by the common use of our Bible and Prayer Book, from changing so fast as it did before, yet some phrases in both are become less intelligible, and a great many less proper and graceful, than they once were not to say, that the utmost propriety and accuracy was not in those days very strictly regarded. Besides, every book of the Bible hath, for the convenience of quotation, been divided, many ages after it was written, into chapters, not always quite so judiciously separated, as they might have been; and these chapters again into very short verses, which persons are too apt to consider as independent sentences; and thus often mistake the meaning, but oftener still overlook the otherwise plain connection and force of argument in the sacred writings: perhaps imagine that there is none, and that studying them is to little purpose. Nay lastly, the very expositors of Scripture, whose profession is to assist men in reading it, and whose utility for that purpose, upon the whole, is very considerable, yet sometimes discourage them from it. For commentators, in all books on which they labour much, and therefore above all in the Bible, on which they have laboured most, frequently perplex what without them would be clear enough; either from partiality to their own notions, or vanity of finding out something new, or desire of seeming to differ from others where they do not, that they may not seem to copy them when they do. All these things contribute to lessen the esteem of the Bible with some, perhaps more than is imagined: for though they may seldom be proposed as direct formal arguments against its usefulness, yet they are secretly and artfully thrown into the scale, so as to weigh a great deal on that side of the question. And many, who will not allow, or, it may be, do not perceive that they think the worse of Scripture for them, yet are kept by them, more or less, from the serious reading of it. But evidently both sorts of persons act very unreasonably. For the original is not in the least answerable for the defects of translations, or for any other human imprudences. And though it cannot, by the best translations, appear in all its primitive splendor; yet in the worst (and ours is far from being such,) it exhibits every thing necessary to the obtaining of eternal life, which alone might sufficiently recommend it to our most reverend respect and diligent meditation. However, besides this, under its greatest disadvantages, if we attend to it judiciously, we shall find in it, (as critics, by no means prejudiced in its favour, have confessed) far nobler and more striking beauties, and in far greater plenty, than in any or all the writers of heathen antiquity. But the internal hindrances (if I may call them so) of studying Scripture, have not been the only, or perhaps the chief ones. Others of strong influence have proceeded from outward and accidental circumstances. When restoring the knowledge of it had overthrown the dominion of Popery over this and several neighbouring countries, (an event, which ought to make it for ever dear to us,) the spirit of controversy, once raised on that subject, was unnecessarily extended to so many others, that the word of God came to be considered by too many in scarce any other light than as furnishing materials for disputes and so the following generations began to grow weary of them and it together. Another misfortune was, that frequently men, not the best qualified for interpreting even the plainer parts of it, blinded with new light, undertook without fear the most difficult; and fathered upon the Bible whatever absurdities had started up in their own imaginations. Besides, not a few in the last century, from an affectation of uncommon esteem for it, introduced its peculiar phrases on occasions of so little dignity, grafted so freely still more peculiar ones upon them, and used both so improperly and unseasonably, that others, from disgust of their language, contracted no small dislike to that of Scripture itself. Nay, I fear, that the sacred writings have not had sufficient justice done them even in the pulpit. We are apter to dwell on general subjects, than to explain particular passages; and afraid to break the force of a reasoning or an exhortation by intermixing with it the exposition of a text. In some degree this may be right: but I doubt we carry it too far, especially as we have no separate expounding of Scripture, which discreetly conducted would be unspeakably useful. And thus the people have been left sadly ignorant of a great part of their Bibles. Now these things coinciding in our days with a higher degree, than ever the world knew before, of that self-opinion, which despises the doctrines of revelation as irrational, and that rage for self-indulgence of every kind, which renders its precepts and threatenings insupportable, have produced an absolute scorn of it in great numbers, and a strange indifference towards it in almost all. So that now mere custom and fashion is thought sufficient to justify, and even require, if we are well bred, a total and avowed neglect of this important book; without spending a moment on the disagreeable examination, what plea it hath to urge for being studied as the law of our lives. Yet visibly these inducements for disregarding it, are, if possible, more groundless than the foregoing. Some have made wrong and absurd uses of it. Why should that hinder us from making the right and wise one? Some are conceited, or vicious, or fond of applause from the weakest of their fellow-creatures. Why should not we, notwithstanding that, be humble and virtuous, and seek the approbation of our Creator? Let us therefore determine, that neither bad reasons nor bad examples shall ever move us to slight the holy Scriptures: and carefully divesting ourselves of the prejudices too commonly arising from them, let us proceed 2. To hear the divine commands for reading and honouring it. Every manifestation of God's will implies in its very nature a command to hearken to it with our deepest attention: and his word could be written down for no other end, than that all persons concerned might peruse them frequently, and bear them always in mind. But that none may pretend ignofance of his purpose, he hath declared it expressly. Moses charges the Israelites: Behold I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me; take heed to thyself, and keep thý soul diligently, lest thou forget them, and they depart from thy heart: but teach them, thy sons and thy sons' sons, that they may learn to fear him all the day's that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. God himself charges them: Lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and teach them your children, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children t. Hé charges Joshua in particular: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and then shalt thou have good success ‡. The first Psalm saith the very same thing of every pious man: His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law will he exercise himself day and night: and whatsoever he doth, it shall prosper §. Nor are we to study the precepts only, but the rest. Isaiah, speaking of the completion of a prophecy, directs the people : Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read. When the rich man in the parable was desirous to prevent his brethren from coming into the same place of torment with himself, Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the Prophets: let them hear *Deut. iv. 5. 9, 10. § Psalm i. 2. 4. + Deut. xi. 18, 19. 21. Josh. i. S. |