have darkened these epistles so much, that I am sensible St. Paul's writings are best explained, by keeping their glosses as much as possible out of sight. I have therefore frequently passed them over, as if I had never heard of, or known them. And if any should impute this to ignorance, I wish they had happened to be in the right; as it had been the saving of a great deal of important time, not to have known the manner in which these writings have been tortured, to serve and save a favourite hypothesis. It has seemed reasonable to me, when the text and context will bear two interpretations, to prefer that which gives the noblest and most extensive sense, and might make the passage in question most universally useful. And I hope this general apology will be sufficient. If I have been less sanguine than some would choose, let it be forgiven. I wrote with fear and trembling when I considered the favourable reception which the former volumes had met with, and that these which I now publish might probably follow them over a considerable part of the protestant world: a testimony, I hope, that they breathed a spirit of piety, rather than party; and a reason for caution in these, that an air of authority might not mislead, or of rashness offend. I have endeavoured to guard against excessive length in the Paraphrase; and so much the rather, as St. Paul's sentences are often so long, that I feared I should otherwise have obscured the sense, rather than illustrated it; and have rendered one of the liveliest writers in the world, (for such undoubtedly St. Paul is,) tedious to the reader. To avoid this, I have often broke one sentence of the Text into two or three in the Paraphrase; and have had a great deal of work in the review, to correct the obscurity, which was the natural consequence of following one leading thought. I have aimed at making the Improvements naturally arise out of, and follow the scriptures illustrated; and by tracing the temper of the apostles, under the influence of the great truths they are inculcating, to produce correspondent affections in my own heart. I have endeavoured that the mind of the reader, more attentive perhaps at first to the critical sense, may be led into the practical use, which, plain as it generally is, is indeed the end of all, and alas! the hardest of all to teach. I have preferred plain and useful reflections to those which might have been curious and surprising; and proposed those lessons which I would be most desirous to impress upon my own heart. PREFACE. When this work is read in the families, or closets, of any who practise free prayer, I would desire them to observe, how naturally the several Improvements will furnish them with proper materials for this important and delightful exercise; and by such a use of them, their hearts may be more powerfully impressed with the truths illustrated, and the duties recommended. In this view, I have in some of them suffered my thoughts, while warmed with serious and devout meditation, to breathe forth the language of prayer and praise; which may furnish my fellow Christians with a specimen of the manner in which most of them may be converted into direct addresses to God. Upon the whole, the design of this work is not to proselyte men to human names, nor to reconcile them to this or the other discriminating phrase; which in the mouth of one may be truth and propriety, and in the mouth of another, falsehood and nonsense; according as any idea, or none, a just, or a wrong idea, may be affixed to them. Nor is it my design to influence Christians to worship here, or there; my design is to let into the heart the great sentiments of Christianity, and to convey them there as warmly and strongly as I could. And I hope God will graciouly reward the faithful care, with which I have consulted the honour of my sacred Guide, by making it the means of spreading true religion, and nourishing many souls in fervent piety, brotherly love, and universal goodness. Amen. PHILIP DODDRIDGE. |