Paraphrase on the New Testament

An Account of the Reason and Use of this Paraphrase.

READER,

THis Paraphrase, written for my own use, being published for yours, in order to that end I owe you this account of it. A Friend long urging me to write a Paraphrase on the Epistle to the Romans, as being hard to 〈…〉 understood; when I had done that, I found so much profit by that Attempt, that it drew me to go on till I had finished what I offer you. It was like almost all my other publick works, done by the unexpected conduct of Gods urgent Providence, not only without, but contrary to my former purposes. God hath blest his Church with many Mens excellent Commentaries on the Scriptures; and I never thought my self fit to do it better than they have done: But that is best for some persons and uses which is not best to others. I long wish'd that some abler Man would furnish vulgar Families with such a brief exposition, as might be fitted to the use of their daily course in reading the Scriptures and instructing their Housholds. I found that many who have done it better than I can do, are too large and costly for this use: some (like De◊date) very sound, are unsatisfactorily brief; some have parcelled their Annotations into so numerous shreds, that Readers (specially in a Family course) will not stay to search and set them together, to make up the sense. I like Dr. Hammends order best, but 1. I differ from him in so much of the matter; 2. and took his stile to be too lax; 3. and his Criticisms not useful to the vulgar, 4. and his Volumn too big, and costly: And therefore I chose more plainly▪ and yet more briefly and practically, by the way of Paraphrase, to suit it to my intended end.

But I must give the Readers notice, 1. That where I seem, but in few words to vary from the Text, those words answer the large Criticisms of divers expositors, as the Learned may find by searching them and the Greek-Text; though I must not stay to give the reason of them as I go on. 2. That tho I have studied plainness, yet brevity is unavoidably obscure to unexercised persons, who as Learners cannot understand things without many words. 3. That where the Evangelists oft repeat the same things, to avoid tediousness, I repeat not the whole Exposition; and yet thought not meet wholly to pass it by. 4. That where the Text is plain of it self, instead of an Exposition, I fill up the space by Doctrinal, or Practical Observations, seeing Practice is the end of all, and to Learners, this part is of great necessity. 5. That where great Doctrinal Controversies depend on the Exposition of any Text, I have handled those more largely than the rest, and I hope with Pacificatory and Satisfactory Evidence.

◊y great desire and care is, that ◊ may hereby p◊omote Christian Piety in Families. To which special end I also wrote my Poor Mans Family-book, and The Catechizing of Housholders. And had I not done it in many Books so oft already, I should here set my self with greatest Earnestness to urge and intreat all Christian Parents, to the more faithful Practice of Family Religion, especially in the wise and diligent Instruction and Education of their Children. Sure no good Christians should come behind the Jews, who had far less light and help that we have, who yet are twice Commanded by God, Deut. 6. and 11. [Hear O Israel, the Lord God is one Lord. Thou shall Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children, and shall talk of them when thou fittest in thy House, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou lyest down, and when thou risest up: And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy Hand, and they shall be as Frontlets between thine Eyes: And thou shalt write them on the Posts of thy House and on thy Gates.] Yet now many thousand Families called Christians, account this much Puritanism, and needless preciseness; as if the Scripture, (even the Gospel of Salvation) were only for the use of Priests, yea some that disown the Papists restraint of the Laity-unlicensed, from reading it translated in a known Tongue, do worse than Popishly refrain themselves. And those that in Baptism vowed to bring up their Children as Christians in the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, persidiously break that solemn vow, as they Hypocritically made it; and by ungodly negligence betray to Satan the Souls of their Children (and themselves) which they devoted to God.

Reader, I beg of you as from Christ, for his sake, for your Souls sake, for your Childrens sake, for the sake of Church and Kingdom, that you will conscionably and seriously set up Family-Religion, calling upon God, Singing his Praises, and instructing your Children and Servants in the Scripture and Catechism, and in a wise and diligent Education of Youth. Hear me, as if I beg'd it of you, with tears on my knees? Alas, what doth the World suffer by the neglect of this. It is out of ungodly Families that the World hath ungodly Rulers, ungodly Ministers, and a swarm of Serpentine Enemies of Holiness and Peace, and their own Salvation. What Country groaneth not under the Confusions, Miseries and horrid Wickedness, which are all the Fruits of Family neglects, and the careless and ill Education of Youth. It is a work of great skill and constant care to instruct and Educate your Children, and to keep them from tempting Company and snares. To cry out of dumb or unfaithful Ministers, while you are worse at home your selves, is but self-condemnation: Are M◊n◊st◊rs more obliged to care for your Childrens Souls, by Nature, or by Vow and Covenant, than you are. Can they do that for whole Parishes, which you will not do for for one Houshold or your own Children. The first Charge and part is yours: If Families treacherously neglect their part, and then look that all should be done at the Church you may as wisely send Boys to the Universities, before they are taught to Read or Write, in lower Schools. If there be any hope of the amendment of a Wicked, Miserable distracted World, it must be mostly done by Family-Religion, and the Christian Education of youth. Godliness is profitable to all things; but the Curse of God is in the house of the wicked. And the ungodly betrayers of Souls, of themselves, Children and Servants, will very quickly be Summoned to a terrible account: Especially those that should as Rulers be Exemplary to the vulgar, and are ashamed to own serious Family-Religion, as if all beyond some formal Hypocrisie and lip labour, were a dishonour to their houses, or a needless thing.