Sint casta deliciæ meæ Scripturæ tuæ ; nec fallar in eis, nec fallem ex eis.

Augustini Confess. xi. 2.

OXFORD,

PRINTED BY W. BAXTER.

SOLD BY J. H. PARKER; AND BY J. G. AND F. RIVINGTON,

LONDON.

PREFACE.

THESE Lectures being designed for Students, who have neither leisure nor opportunity to consult many Commentaries, the Author has selected from some of them, and from other works, such observations as he conceives will facilitate their understanding the Diatessaron, that is, a continuous narrative of our Saviour's life in the words of the four Evangelists. He has not scrupled to adopt the remarks of others, and, when it suited his purpose, their expressions; but he feels it to be his duty to make this acknowledgment of his obligations. Scott's Commentary, which also embodies much of what is valuable in Hammond, Whitby, and other standard expositors, and Macknight's Harmony, may be regarded as the basis of this work; and the Compiler is greatly indebted to Dr. Hales's New Analysis of Chronology, and to Blomfield's Critical Digest, from which he has derived much information which he might not otherwise have obtained.

Other works, both ancient and modern,

have been examined, but they are generally expressly cited. The remarks, it will be observed, are more frequently explanatory than devotional; but the Compiler trusts, that he shall not therefore be supposed to undervalue the latter; for he firmly believes, that the holy Scriptures were not written, like the compositions of uninspired men, to gratify curiosity by the communication of knowledge, but to make the reader "wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus ;" and he is persuaded, that they have been justly characterised by the Apostle, (2 Tim. iii. 16.) as profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Still he has considered, that the text must be accurately understood before it can be judiciously applied; and he has introduced no moral and spiritual improvements of it which would have enlarged the volume, without increasing in proportion its value, since he does not aspire to equal in excellence, or usefulness, those contained in the many edifying works in which our language happily abounds. He would refer the Student, who seeks through their assistance to be "built up in our most holy faith," (Jude 20.) to works which have been long familiar to the devout believer, and which will not disappoint him; to Bishop Hall's