dating, and illustrating Scripture which is offered by Scripture itself, has not as yet prevailed to any great extent in the Church. Our rankly-abundant discrepancies of opinion, our dulness of sight in interpreting prophecy, prove this beyond all question. We are called upon, then, to advance further, till we arrive at such a proficiency in the study and treatment of Scripture, as is worthy of men and of kings, and corresponds with sufficient close ness, to the perfection of Scripture itself. Men must, however, be prepared for this by passing previously through the ordeal of difficulties.1 The history and description of those ages, would furnish fitting matter for an accurate and useful treatise ; but other things are more necessary in this place.
Whosoever desires to render any help in interpreting Scrip ture, should examine himself, and ascertain by what right he ventures to do so. As far as I am concerned, I did not apply my mind to writing commentaries from any previous confidence in myself; but unexpectedly, by little and little, under the Divine guidance, I have been led on to the present undertaking. The nature of my public office, which imposed on me for more than twenty-seven years, the duty of expounding the Greek New Testament to studious youth, induced me in the first instance to make some observations [on that Sacred Volume]. As their number increased, I determined to commit them to paper, and, at the suggestion of a certain venerable Prelate,2 to put the finishing hand to them. Exegesis was accompanied by revision of the text ; in revising the text for the interpretation of the Apocalypse, I was led on to investigate successively different various readings. The harmony of the Evangelists, commenced in the mean time, and the Exegesis of the Apocalypse, produced the Ordo Temporum. Now all these having been in turn carefully examined, are corrected, filled up, and blended together in the same Exegesis
1 Whatever to the contrary those ' literati' may think, who, relying on their own powers alone, suppose, that nothing is effected towards the understanding of Scripture by trials and by prayer but all by mere meditation. IT is
TROUBLES [vexatio] THAT GIVE UNDERSTANDING.
2 Christopher Zeller, prelate of Lorch.— (I. B.)