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Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, by HENRY C. SLEIGHT, in the Clerk's office of the Southern District of New York.

SLEIGHT & VAN NORDEN, PRINT.

PREFACE

ΤΟ

HENRY'S COMMENTARY.

BY

ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER, D.D.

PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE SEMINARY AT PRINCETON, N. J.

COMMENTARIES on the Bible may be conveniently divided into two kinds, the CRITICAL and PRACTICAL. The first, by a grammatical analysis of the words and phrases of the original text, endeavour to ascertain the literal meaning of each passage; and to enable others to judge of the correctness of the interpretation, the whole critical process is spread before the reader. Helps of this sort are very important to the learned, for, in all cases, the literal sense must be determined before any proper use can be made of the text, or any other interpretation founded on it. The propriety, force, and meaning of a metaphor, or an allegory, can only be known by first understanding the literal meaning of the words employed; and the same is true in regard to what may be called the mystical, or spiritual, meaning, of any passage of Scripture. But, however necessary this critical analysis may be, it can be useful to none but the learned. Commentaries of another kind, therefore, are required for common readers, who have as deep an interest involved in the truths of the Bible, as the critical scholar; and who are as much bound in duty to search the Scriptures: for as every man must give account of himself, both of his faith and practice, he must have the right to judge for himself. The best helps ought, therefore, to be provided, to enable all classes of men to form correct opinions on the all important subject of religion. For this reason, many practical expositions, not only of detached passages and single books, but of the whole Bible, have been composed, and have been extensively useful in elucidating the Scriptures; and in teaching how the truths of Revelation may be applied to regulate the hearts and direct the lives of men. In this class, HENRY'S EXPOSITION holds a distinguished place. This work has now been before the Christian community for more than a hundred years, and has, from its first publication, been so well received, and is so generally approved, that all recommendation of the work itself seems to be now superfluous. It has, indeed, become a standard work in theology; not with the people of one denomination only, but with the friends of sound piety and evangelical religion, of every name. Many other valuable commentaries, it is true, have been given to the public since this work was first edited, and have deservedly gained for themselves a high estimation and extensive circulation. But it may be safely said, that Henry's Exposition of the Bible has not been superseded

by any of these publications; and in those points in which its peculiar excellence consists, remains unrivalled. For some particular purposes, and in some particular respects, other Commentaries may be preferable; but, taking it as a whole, and as adapted to every class of readers, this Commentary may be said to combine more excellencies than any work of the kind which was ever written, in any language. And this is not the opinion of one, or a few persons, but thousands of judicious theologians have been of the same mind; and it may be predicted, that as long as the English language shall remain unchanged, Henry's Exposition will be highly appreciated by the lovers of true religion.

Our object in this Preface is, to endeavour to point out some of the more distinguishing characteristics of this great work, and to offer some motives to induce Christians of our country to study it. Before I proceed farther, however, I would remark, that the principal excellence of this Exposition does not consist in solving difficulties which may be found in Scripture. On this ground, complaint is sometimes heard from those who consult this Commentary, that they may obtain light on obscure and perplexed passages, of being disappointed in their expectations; and that, while plain passages are largely expounded, those which are difficult are briefly touched, or passed over without notice. To this objection it may be answered, that to exhibit the use and application of those parts of Scripture which are not involved in difficulty, is far more important for practical purposes, than the elucidation of obscure passages. It is a general, and surely it is a comfortable fact, that those parts of Scripture which are most obscure are least important. But the same objection might be made, and indeed has been made, to all Commentaries, that they leave the difficult texts as obscure as they found them; from which the only legitimate inference is, that, in regard to a large portion of texts of difficult interpretation, the learned and unlearned stand very much on the same level; yet, doubtless, much light has been shed on many things in the Scriptures, by the labours of the learned. And although we do not claim for this Commentator the highest place among Biblical critics, yet we have a right to say, that HENRY was a sound and ripe scholar; and especially, is said by his biographers to have been an excellent Hebrew scholar. We are not to suppose, because no parade of critical learning is exhibited in these volumes, that the Author did not critically examine every text. As the Orator is said to practise the art of eloquence most perfectly, when all appearance of art is concealed; so we may say, that he makes the best use of the critical art in the instruction of the people, who furnishes them with the results, without bringing at all into view the learned process by which they were arrived at. One fact is certain from internal evidence, that Mr. Henry wrote his Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, with the learned compilation of Pool, called Criticorum Synopsis, open before him; as, in all difficult passages, he has judiciously selected that opinion from the many presented in this work, which, upon the whole, seems to be most probable.

But, while we contend that our Author is a sound and ingenious Expositor, as it

relates to the literal interpretation of Scripture; yet we do not found his claim to preeminence on his critical acumen, or profound erudition, but on qualities which shall now be distinctly brought into view.

1. To begin, then, with the style of this work, I would remark, that two qualities, not often united, are here combined, perspicuity and conciseness. That the style is perspicuous needs no other proof than the examination of any page of the Exposition. And when I attribute perspicuity to this composition, I use the word in direct reference to the capacity and apprehension of the unlearned reader. A style chiefly formed of words of a foreign origin, may be as perspicuous to a learned man as any other; but not so to the common reader, who is only familiar with that kind of language which is commonly used in conversation. For the most part, Mr. Henry's style is made up of pure old English words, and therefore it is plain to every class of people; and is also familiar, because the words are the same as those all are accustomed to hear every day. But it will not be so readily granted that the style is concise. The number and size of the volumes seem to lead to a different conclusion. And, indeed, when we see six folio volumes, written by one hand, the presumption is very natural and strong, that he must be a diffuse writer. This, however, in regard to our Expositor, is not the fact. There are few books, in the English language, written in a more concise, sententious style, than Henry's Exposition. On examination, very few expletives will be found. Every word speaks, and every sentence is pregnant with meaning; so that I do not know how the book could be abridged in any other way than by leaving out a part of its contents. And we must distinguish between a long discourse and one which is diffuse a short work may be very diffuse, while one of great length may not have a superfluous word.

2. Another quality of the style of this Commentary is vivacity. This word does not exactly express the idea which I wish to convey, but it comes as near it as any one I can think of at present. I mean that pleasant turn of thought, in which we meet with unexpected associations of ideas, expressed in that concise and pointed form which, on other subjects, would be termed wit. Indeed, if I were permitted to invent a phrase to indicate the quality of which I am now speaking, I would call it spiritual wit. It has, by some, been called a cheerful style; and certainly, the reading of this work has a tendency not only to keep the attention awake, but to diffuse a cheerful emotion through the soul. He must be a very bad man who would become gloomy by the perusal of Henry's Commentary. Now, I need not say how important this quality is in a composition of such extent. Without it, however excellent the matter, weariness would take hold of the reader a thousand times before he had finished the work. This seems to have been the natural turn and complexion of the pious author's thoughts. There is no affectation; no unnatural comparisons, or strained antitheses. It is true, there is an approach to what is called quaintness, and a frequent play on words and phrases of similar sound, but different meaning; but, although these things are not conformable to the standard of modern taste, yet they are very agreeable to the great mass

of the people, and give such a zest in the perusal of the work, that we can scarcely allow ourselves to indulge a wish, that the style were in any respect different from what it is.

3. But a characteristic of this Exposition of a more important kind than any that have been mentioned is, the fertility and variety of good sentiment, manifest throughout the work. The mind of the author seems not only to have been imbued with excellent spiritual ideas, but to have teemed with them. It is comparable to a perennial fountain, which continually sends forth streams of living water. In deriving rich instruction and consolation from the sacred oracles, adapted to all the various conditions and characters of men, the author displays a fecundity of thought, and an ingenuity in making the application of divine truth, which strikes us with admiration. The resources of most men would have been exhausted in expounding a few books of the Bible; after which little more could have been expected, than common-place matter, or the continual recurrence of the same ideas: but the riches of our Expositor's mind seem to have been inexhaustible. He comes to every successive portion of the sacred Scriptures with a fulness and freshness of matter, and with a variety in his remarks, which while it instructs, at the same time refreshes us. Even in his exposition of those books which are very similar in their contents, as the gospels for example, we still find a pleasing variety in the notes of the commentator. It is difficult to conceive how one man should have been able to accomplish such a work, without any falling off in the style of execution.

It is true, indeed, that Mr. Henry did not live to put a finishing hand to the exposition. He had made ample preparations for the completion of the work, but while it was in the press, to the regret of all good men, he was called away from the field of labour. But the providence of God, though mysterious, is always wise. It should be matter of lively gratitude, that this eminent servant of God was permitted to remain so long in our world, and to accomplish so much for the edification of the church, not only in his own, but in all future ages. The commentary was completed by the author, as far as to the end of THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: the remaining books were expounded by certain of his friends, who were eminent for their theological knowledge and piety; and who, doubtless, availed themselves of the assistance of his papers, in executing the work, which they respectively undertook. Their names are prefixed to the books on which they severally wrote the commentary; and although the reader will be sensible of the want of Mr. Henry's peculiar vivacity and happy turn of thought; yet he will find the continuation of the Exposition executed in an able and judicious manner; and with as near an approximation to the author's inimitable style, as could be expected from other hands.

4. There is perhaps no one thing which gives a more distinctive character to this performance, than the weighty, pithy, pointed sayings, with which it abounds. Whether these apothegms were, generally, the production of the author's ingenuity, or were

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