Thomas Hall's Supplement: To the Reader

Having occasion lately to peruse Mr. Burroughs on Hosea xiii. 13, I found that his commentary was defective, and that Mr. Burroughs (that prince of preachers) died before he had finished the chapter; whereupon I perused the remainder of the chapter, and finding it to be very pertinent to these present di’owsy, dangerous times, and that no man had set upon it these twelve years, (for so long has Mr. Bun-oughs been dead,) having a little respite, in the strength of my God I undertook it, and by his assistance have at last completed it. True, it has cost me some pains, the most of these five verses being so turned and tortured, so intricate and perplex, admitting of so many various lections and senses, and interpreters so divided amongst themselves, that he had need of a great deal of prayer and patience that undertakes them. I think there are not many harder verses in the Bible than some of these, yet by a good hand of Providence I have gone through them, and have not balked any known difficulty, but have made all as plain and intelligible as possibly I could.

Many posthumous works have had supplements excelling their predecessors; this cannot be expected here. All that I can promise thee is this, that I have as fully and faithfully explained the text as I could. I have raised thence many useful observations, and given references (because I understand they are very acceptable to many) to such as enlarge upon any point more fully. Some common places are succinctly handled, and if any controversy occur, (according to my custom and calling,) they have a lash and a pass.

As for the fourteenth chapter, it is piously and pithily opened by two very grave, judicious men; Drll^oiib. so that now you have the whole prophecy completed. If thou reap any benefit, give God the praise, who is pleased to show light in the darkness, and strength in the weakness, of

Thine in the Lord,

THOMAS HALL.