ΤΟ

WILLIAM RUSSELL, ESQ.*

And the other Members of the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters of the New Meeting at Birmingham.

MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS,

REMOVED as I have long been from you, and to a distant part of the world, the idea of our happy connexion, which subsisted more than ten years, is always present with me, and the reflection upon it affords me peculiar satisfaction. My separation from you by ruffian violence, which received too much countenance from the general spirit of the times, and to appearance, from the government that should have protected us,† is a subject of great regret; though, together with all other evils that are permitted to take place in the unsearchable ways of Providence, we cannot doubt but that it will ultimately appear to have been productive of good.

To the will of the greatest and best of Beings it clearly behoves us to submit without repining; and our enemies, though on account of the unworthy motives by which they were actuated, they are by no means excusable, yet being considered as the instruments in his hands, should be regarded with pity rather than resentment. By this time too, it may be presumed that the most inveterate of them are convinced of the unreasonableness of their conduct, and truly repent of it, which will entitle them to the forgiveness of every Christian.

It has been impossible for me not to take an interest in every thing that has befallen you since my removal, and I rejoiced in your uncommonly flourishing state presently after your sufferings, through your noble fortitude, and the peculiarly ardent and valuable services of my successors in the ministry; and I have lamented some circumstances of an unfavourable nature, with respect to which your sentiments have not been unanimous, though they have terminated without any serious inconvenience. Dissensions in

* Who died in 1818. See a Memoir in Mon. Repos. XIII. pp. 153–155. † See Vol. X. p. 494, the author's Note.

Christian churches are, no doubt, greatly to be lamented, but they give occasion to the exercise of many Christian virtues, especially those of meekness, forbearance and mutual candour, in which I am confident you will not be deficient.

It was while I was with you that I first undertook the business of expounding the Scriptures from the pulpit, and began with this view to compose the Notes, of which the following publication consists; and therefore it is to you, and to shew my grateful remembrance of our happy connexion, that I take the liberty to dedicate them. Had it not been for the ready concurrence of the society, and the active co-operation of Mr. Russell, and the other leading members of the congregation, who concurred with every proposal that I made, neither this course of exposition, nor the system of catechetical lectures to the young people, with the appointment of elders to assist me in it, or the establishment of your congregational library, could have been carried into execution. But by this means all my schemes for improving the discipline, and promoting the edification of the society, had the advantage of the fairest trial; and being found, in some good measure, to answer the valuable ends proposed by them, they have been adopted by other societies in different parts of the kingdom.

Happy will it be for the Christian world in general when all Christian societies shall adopt whatever promises to tend to their edification, and vie with each other which shall set the best example to the rest; not from a spirit of ambition, or vain glory, but simply to provoke to love and to good works; each shepherd (as Christian ministers are usually termed) feeding, according to the language of our Saviour, the lambs, as well as the sheep of their respective flocks, till the chief Shepherd shall appear, when he will distinguish by his favour those who shall have distinguished themselves as his servants during his absence from us. As I have no expectation of seeing you any more in this life, may we so conduct ourselves in our separation from each other as to secure a happy meeting in another.

I subscribe myself,

Your former pastor,

And at all times

Your Christian friend,

JOSEPH PRIESTLEY.

PREFACE.

THESE Notes on the Books of Scripture I was led to compose as part of my ministerial duty at Birmingham, where Ì introduced the custom of expounding the Scriptures from the pulpit, as distinct from preaching. There are many subjects within the compass of religious knowledge with which it behoves all Christians to be acquainted, that cannot be conveniently introduced into discourses from particular texts; and the amount of all the illustrations of Scripture that could be given in this way would be very inconsiderable in the course of several years. But when large portions are read, and professedly expounded, nothing of importance to the right understanding of them will pass without notice. In this professed exposition, circumstances in history, geography, and the customs of ancient nations, &c., which it is desirable that all Christians should be acquainted with, will of course come into view, and be explained more or less. largely, as the occasion shall require.

This exposition I gave at first extempore; but finding that this part of the service was particularly attended to by my audience, I gave more attention to it myself, and composed my Notes and Observations with more care; and I soon perceived that this was the most acceptable, and generally thought to be the most useful, part of the service. And having been frequently requested to publish what I delivered in this manner, both by my own congregation, and several ministers for their use, I undertook to do it.

In this work I had made considerable progress when the Riots at Birmingham put a period to my labours in that place, and destroyed a great part of what I had composed of these Notes, and had transcribed for the press. Not, however, discouraged by this circumstance, I resumed the same service at Hackney; and, as far as I could judge, with the same acceptance and advantage. And having abundant leisure since my settlement in this country, and

having recomposed, as well as I could, the Notes that were destroyed at the Riots, I have completed the whole in the best manner that I have been capable of; urged both by my own liking to the work, and the frequent requests of my friends in England.

But though I have spared no pains to make this work as perfect as I could, too much must not be expected from it, because my plan does not comprehend every thing. If critics and scholars look into it for the solution of all such difficulties as they particularly wish to see discussed, they will be disappointed. These Notes will appear, from the account I have given of them, to have been composed for the use of unlearned, though liberal and intelligent Christians; for of such my congregations consisted. Nothing, however, which such persons are much interested to know, I have passed without notice, whether I could explain the passages to my own satisfaction or not, and a few observations of a more critical nature I have added since; but which, if any minister choose to avail himself of my labour, he may omit, or change, as he shall think proper. The same may be done by those masters of families whose laudable custom it is to read portions of the Scripture to their children and servants, and to those it is my wish more particularly to recommend what I have done.

My object in these Notes being originally the instruction of my hearers, as it is now of my readers, I collected from commentators, and every other quarter, all the illustrations of difficult passages that I could find; and having no view to publication, I took no care to note my authorities. This, indeed, if the original and only proper authorities be meant, is now impossible, all succeeding commentators having, without scruple, borrowed from preceding ones. I have, however, not failed to mention the names of most late writers whose remarks appeared to be their own, and valuable.

My custom was to note whatever appeared to me to be necessary for the illustration of that portion of Scripture that I proposed to read, without consulting any commentator, and afterwards to look over such as were generally the most esteemed, as Patrick, Lowth, Whitby, Doddridge, &c. &c., to see whether I had omitted any thing that would suit me. But the far greater part of these Notes will be found to consist of such observations as I did not borrow from any writer, though many of them will be, no doubt, materially the same with those of others.