AnAccount of theRealri and Vfe of this PA APHIASE, READER, THis Paraphrafe, written for my own ufe, being publifb'dforyours, in order to that end I oweyou this account of it. A Friend long urging me to write a Paraphrafe on the Epiftle to the Romans, as being hard to be ttnderflood, when I had done that, Ifoundfo much profit by that Attempt, that it drew me to go on till I had fin:fb'dwhat I offeryou. It was like almoft all ny other publick Works, done by the unex;eFled conduci! of God's urgent Providence, not only with- out, but contrary to myformer purpofes. God bathblefs'd ha Churchwith many Mene excellent Commzntaries-on the Scriptures ; andInever thought my (elffit to do it better than they have done : but that is bell for fame perfono and ufes which is not bell to other,. I long wifb'd thatfame abler man would fnrnifh vulgar Fa- milies with fuch a brief Expofuton, as might be fitted to the ufe of thctr daily courfe, in reading the Scripture and.inftrut ing their Hoofbalde. I found that ma. ny who have done it better than I can do, are too large and caflly for this ufe : tome (like Deedate) very found, are unfatisfellarily brief; fame have parce 'd their An. notations into"fo numerousfhreds, that Readers (effiectallyin aFamily (ootle) will not flay to fearch and foe them together, to make up the fenfe. I like Dr. Ham- mond's order bell ; but, i. I differfrom him info muchof the matter ; z. and took hù Stile-to be too lax ; 3. and his Critic:fns not offal to the Vulgar ; 4. and his Volume too big and cofily: And therefore Ichofe more plainly, andyet more briefly and praflicafly, by the wayofParaphrafe, tofuit it to my intended end. But I muftgive theReaders notice, L That where Ifeem, but in few words, to vary from the Text, thofe words anEwer the large Critictfms of divers Expofitors,ax theLearned mayfind byfearching them and the Greek Text ; tho' I mull not flay to give the ream of themas Igo on. z. That tho' I haveftudied plainne f , yet bre- vity is unavoidably obfcure to unexercia'dPerfons, who, as Learners, cannot under- fiend things without manywords. ;. That where the Evangelifts oft repeat the fame things, to avoid tedioufnefs, I repeat not the wholeExpofition; andyet thought no meet wholly to pats it by. 4. That where the Text >s plain of it felf, in sad of an Fxpof:tion, Ifill up the Jpace by DoSfrinal or Praflical Obfrcations, teeing Prahtlte u the endof all, and toLearners this part is ofgreat necefty. 5. That where great Doeirinal Controverf es depend on the Expofttion of any Text, I have handl'd thofe more largelythan the reft, and, Ihope, with Pacificatory and Sat it- fafloryEvidence. Mygreat Delire andCare is, that ¡mayhereby promoteChriflianPiety in Fami- lies. To which fpecial end I alfo wrote my Poor Man's Family-book, and The Catechifing ofHoufholders. Ind had Inot done it in many Books fo oft already, I fhould herefit myfelfwith greateft earneftne(s to urge and entreat all Chriflian Parents to the more faithful pra/lice of Family Religion, efpecially in the wife and diligent Inflruflion andEducation oftheir Children. Sure no good Chriftians Jbould come behind the Yews, Who hadfar left Light andHelp than we.have,who yet are twice commanded by God, Dent. 6. o r. f Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord God is one Lord. Thou (halt love the Lordthy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy might, And thefe words which I command thee this day, (hall be in thy heart: And thou (halt teach them diligently to thy Children, and (halt talk of them when thou fittefc in thy I-loufe, and when thou walk'( by A 2 the
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