General Directions on Exposition Continued

§ 1. Make yourselves acquainted with the roost considerable authors that illustrate scripture well,lhough they are not direct com* mentators. Such as,

§ 2. WiTsius, of whom I may justly say, no man is more distinct in his method, elegant in his language, and candid in his sentiments.’ — His Metetemata, and Misc. Sacra and Egyptiaca, are in this view, and indeed in every view, the most valuable works I know ; — especially the first and last.

§ 3. Saurin, in whom there is an amazing mixture of learaing and politeness, takes in the most useful hints of criticism in his dissertations on the several subjects he treats of. — An index is added to this work of the particular passages in authors of rank which he has consulted. — In this, as well as in all the elegance of expression and beauty of imagination which he has found the happy art of ming* ling with criticisms, he incomparably exceeds most others.

4. Gataker’s barbarous Latin renders

the reading of him very tedious; but he was

a Yiice critic, and his notes, which afford the

most useful matter for popular exposition, are

deservedly in high esteem.

5. Frankius-’s Manuductio deserves to be often read. It contains the best rules for studying the scriptures that I ever remember to have seen; — it has. not however, many illustrations of particular places.

6. Blackwall’s Sacred Classics gives many well chosen instances of passages in the classics, which may justify many of those in scripture that have been accounted solecism. — They illustrate the beauty and energy of many others, and contain good observations on the divisions of chapters and verses by which the sense of scripture is often obscured.

7. LiGHTFooT has collected a multitude of useful and excellent illustrations of scriptures from the Talmud and other Jewish writers. — He has also shewn the force of many others, especially in his harmony. — But he rather illustrates particular texts well, than gives a good account of the series of a discourse. And he seems- to me very often mistaken in his dates, and in what he says on the occasion, particularly in many of the Psalms.

8. Calmet has all that is valuable in his Dissertations in his Dictionary. — The former is extravagantly dear, the latter is a pretty

abstract from the former, and is of a moderate price. — They should be bought by all means. §’9. Mbdi: has a good many original thoughts, not to be found any where else. — His writings on the Revelations are peculiarly famous, — but his Diatribe will best reward a diligent perusal; — yet here many mistakes will be found.

^10. Hallet has many uncommon thoughts, but, several of them he confesses he owes to Mr. Pierce. ‘His notions and interpretations of scripture, are so exceedingly singular, that it is worth while to read them, though perhaps not one in ten will appear satisfactory. — * It i§ observable, that some of those difficulties which he illustrates well, are those in which many other commentators have failed; — and -his remarks on the defects of our present Hebrew copy are generally solid.

<J 11. Edwards (Dr. John) does not deserve that contempt as a critic, into which he has in some respects fallen as a polemic writer. — His discourse on the scriptures, in three volumes, and three other distinct volumes of Dissertations and Exercitations are reckoned the best of his works, and deserve to be carefully read.

§ 12. Lord Barrington’s Essay on the various dispensations of God to mankind has some important thoughts, but a great deal of it goes ou a mistake. — His Miscel, Sacra are much more valuable; — multitudes of texts are illustrated by them, especially in the first volume, which is incomparably the best. — It is proper

to read his schemes in all the united evidences he can give it, in order to judge what regard is to be paid to the frequent use which Benson makes of it, in his commentary and discourse on the Acts..

§ 13. Lardnbr. The first volume of his Gospel History is one of the most valuable pieces the age has produced; — and a multi* tude of places both in the gospels and in the Acts are illustrated py it.

14. It will be worth while to read over most of these books, and to note all the most remarkable passages; to make extracts of them in the margin of your Bible, or interleaved Testament. — And let it be a rule, when a good note occurs, to set it down immediate