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THE

HOLY BIBLE,

CONTAINING THE

OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS:

WITH A

COMMENTARY

ARRANGED IN LECTURES FOR THE USE OF FAMILIES,

BY THE

REV. CHARLES GIRDLESTONE, M.A.

RECTOR OF ALDERLEY, CHESHIRE.

DLEI

IN SIX VOLUMES.

VOL. V.

S. MATTHEW-S. JOHN. ·

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. G. F. & J. RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD,

AND WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL.

LONDON:

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, PRINTERS,

ST. JOHN'S SQUARE.

PREFACE.

THE work, of which the following publication forms a part, is designed to furnish a commentary on the Scriptures, at once explanatory, practical, and devotional. The arrangement is especially adapted for that reading of the Bible in families which is growing daily into more common use. The style and matter have been made as near, as the author was able, to such plain and profitable exposition, as any competent master of a family might be conceived likely to draw up, or deliver, of his own. And as most families comprise parent and child, master and servant, regard has been paid to the capacities and wants of each class of hearers or readers. These conditions have necessarily excluded all length of argument, all extent of disquisition, all statement and refutation of objections, all painful discussion of controverted opinions. But within these limits there seems to remain ample room for setting forth the main drift of the inspired text, and for enforcing the more important doctrines, and duties, which it may be plainly shewn to contain. And for such use as is here chiefly intended, it may be thought, with some reason, that a commentary is the better, in proportion as it presents less show of learning, requires less labour of attention, and contains less matter of doubtful speculation. Whilst the commentator, exempt from the necessity of proving, and refuting, and disputing, may venture, in humble imitation of a Divine example, to teach "as one having authority."

According to this design the work has been arranged in distinct consecutive lectures. To these are prefixed the words of Scripture, divided into paragraphs, and so printed in the same opening with the lecture, that the reader may have under his

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