A harmony or synoptical arrangement of the Gospels, with dissertations ...

THIS volume contains the result of investigations commenced thirty years ago, and pursued, at intervals, to the present time. The first sheet of the Harmony was sent to the press last September twelvemonth; and since that period, the execution of the work has been the leading object of my study and labour. The convictions and sentiments with which I have brought it to a conclusion, I have stated in p. cxxiv of the Preliminary Dissertations; and I do not repeat the expression of them here. With perfect comfort, and with great hopefulness, I desire for my Arrangement the severest scrutiny that faithful equity and the love of truth can exercise: I have sought for nothing but conformity with reality; and if my belief that I have attained at least a much greater approximation to it than any preceding Harmonist has attained, should not abide such scrutiny, I shall cherish the expectation that my errors will assist future inquirers in approaching the truth. Till then, my Arrangement may assist others, as it enables me, to retrace with readiness, and in a clear and simple succession, the most important occurrences in the records of the human race.

In one respect alone do I seek for some indulgence; which those will most readily give, who best know the difficulties of the case: I refer to the translation. My first intention was, to alter the common version in those cases only where the purposes of a Harmony required it, which I have found much more numerous than I expected; viz. in corresponding passages, where the same words in the Greek are rendered differently in the English, and where different words have the same rendering. It appeared desirable not to add to the associations which would check the reception of my views as to the Duration of our Saviour's Ministry and the Succession of Events in it. But it was suggested, when commencing the printing, that, as the ultimate object was to aid in the private study of the Scriptures, it would be desirable to depart from the public version, wherever I believed that the sense of the original is not closely or clearly given, or is not expressed according to the present usages of our language; and I undertook what will, I trust, increase the usefulness of the volume, but has increased tenfold the labour required. This, however, has been amply rewarded by a more definite apprehension, in various parts, of the import of the all-important records, and by the perception of numberless indications of authenticity, which, but for such examination, I might have passed by.—All I desire respecting the translation is, that it shall be tried by no other tests than those of close fidelity to the original Greek, and of increased uniformity of rendering. And I would solicit a reference to the last number of the Appendix, where I have given such observations and corrections as have hitherto occurred to me; together with remarks on the position of certain Sections in the Harmony.

In the technical arrangements, by which some of the main objects of a Harmony are so obviously promoted, I have been greatly aided by my Printer; and I am also indebted to him for various suggestions in the progress of the work.-Some incuria we have ourselves discovered, and more will doubtless be observed hereafter; but those who have been concerned in the execution of the work, have done every thing which I could desire in order to carry my plans into effect; and these were often necessarily varied by varying circumstances. We have all done what we could.

On the Preliminary Dissertations is is not requisite that I should offer any remarks, except that the Third, in particular, has extended far beyond my expectations. Those readers who find the preceding Dissertations too full of critical investigation,-though there is little in them which requires an acquaintance with the original language,—may, in the Third, and in the latter part of the Fourth, find much which will aid in the purposes of the volume.

The Notes are only such as the narration or the rendering required; and they present the compressed results of critical examinations, which to have detailed would have required volumes. I have often given the opinions of others as my authority; but, in no instance, without having made them my own; and it is not through negligence or disregard that I have seldom stated the reasons on which I rest conclusions that are different from those of various scriptural critics whose writings I thankfully value. I am happy in referring the student to Kuinoel's Commentarius in Libros Novi Testamenti Historicos, which was reprinted in London some years ago, with Griesbach's Text annexed, and which may now be had at a very reasonable price. The work is tinctured occasionally by anti-supernatural explanations; but it presents almost every thing that can be desired, in connection with Schleusner's Lexicon, and Schmid's Greek Concordance.

The completion of this work may now enable me to proceed with others which have long been postponed for it. Of these the first will probably be a Monotessaron for the use of the young and uninformed. At some future period I hope to publish a similar work, for more general use, with explanatory observations and practical reflections; but in the mean time I should be glad to lead the attention of my readers to the valuable Exposition of the late Rev. Timothy Kenrick of Exeter, which ought to be more known and employed than I believe it is. A second Edition was published in 1824, by his son, the Classical Tutor at Manchester College, York.

During the spring of the present year, the Rev. R. B. Aspland, my esteemed Colleague in the pastoral office, proposed to me to publish this work by subscription, in order that the circulation of it might be made more speedy, and that I might be secured from loss; and by his exertions, and the aid of other valued Friends, here and in other places, the whole of the present impression, consisting of five hundred copies, is required for Subscribers to the work,-though I must reserve a few, to be submitted to the examination of some able Critics in this country, out of my own religious connection, and of some of my Brethren in Boston. This result is much beyond my first expectations; and I am very thankful to my Friends for the service they have rendered me. Through the unexpected extension of my Dissertations, more than reimbursement for actual expenditure has become entirely out of the question. I am happy in presenting my labour to those who have contributed to prevent pecuniary loss; and I shall indeed be thankful if it promote among us the study of the work and the character of him before whose tribunal we shall all stand, for acceptance, or for condemnation.

Dec. 15, 1835.