p R E F A c E. THE divine Wifdom treafured up in the Bible, although unadorned with the Paint of human Eloquence, gives us a rich Profufion of a grave, genuine, and majeftic Dignity of Elocution, fuitable to thofe facred Myfteries it unfolds. T:1e beft Evidence of which is, the Tafte and Experience of that Sweetnefs, which many have found in it. Augujline fays, That the Scriptures feemed rude, and unpolifhed to him, in comparifon of Cicero's adorned Style, bccaufe he did not then under– ftand its I11teriora, i. e. inward Beauty; but when his Mind was illumi– nated to underftand them, no Writing appeared fo Wife or even Eloquent. Gregory Nanzianzen, a Man of prodigious Wit and Learning, when he came to take to the Study of this facred Philofophy, vilifies all other Or– naments of Literature amongft the Greek Philofophers. And not only Nanzimzzm did fo, but the learned Paul al[o. By the very Precepts of Rhetoric, what may be one Man's Eloquence, may be another's Folly, becaufe the Style muft be fuited to the various Circum!l:ances of Perfons and Things. The Lawyer pleads eloquently, and !hives to move the Af– fections of others ; the Judge pronounces the Sentence gravely, and the King commands. But if the King perfuades, or the Judge contends, they throw off the Perfon of a King or Judge, ancl affume the Perfon of a Sub– ject and Pleader. What then is the Law of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? Do we think that 'Jehovab will ufe Inductions as Plato, Syllo– gifms as Ariflotle, Epiphonema's as Cicero, Subtilties as Smrca, or any ar– tificial Syntax? If a royal Edict was publifhed in School Syllogifrns, every wife Man would laugh at it. The more plain the Word and Law of the Almighty is, the more becoming the divine Author and Lawgiver, and profitable for Mankind, as more eafily undcrftood, and being like Bread accommodated to every Palate. Yet there is in God·s Word a peculiar Elegance, which even a Homer, or a Cicero's Language, when jull:ly com– pared, is but puerile. The very Exordium of the Book of Ijclias, is a full Demonftration of this, to el'ery candid Reader. Ancl it may be fafely afferted, that confidering the Method and Style, that was thought rnofl: convenient by the fovereign Dictator, that the Argument which it treats of, and the Manner of Expremon ufed, no other Writing can parallel it. That which is holy is alfo venerable, and fuch Things need no flourifhing Illu!l:rations, and becaufe the Multitude of Readers is prorni!cuous, it was needful that it fhould be underftoocl by all, becaufe every Man is b concerned
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