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TO THE

PARISHIONERS OF LOUGHGALL,

AS A MARK OF

Zeal, for their religious Inftruction;

AND OF

Gratitude, for their long and partial Attention;

THIS COMPILATION OF THE

GOSPEL,

FROM THE

Scripture of the Four Evangelists,

is affectionately inscribed,

by their attached Friend,
and faithful Minister,

WILLIAM BISSET.

a 2

PREFACE.

IT is obvious to a common reader, that a complete history of our Lord Jefus Chrift is not to be found in the gofpel of any fingle Evangelift. Several minute facts and incidental fayings of our bleffed Saviour, and even some transactions of importance, are mentioned by one Evangelift, and omitted by another. We ascribe however, with equal confidence, the gift of infpiration to them all; and, confequently, whatever is recorded by any one of the four Evangelists must have its place in the general account, before a full and entire view can be given of the actions and doctrine of Jesus Christ.

The apoftle St. John acknowledges in plain terms, that his gofpel, if it be confidered as an hiftorical narration, is at least deficient in fulnefs. And many other figns truly did Jefus in the prefence of his difciples, which are not written in this book.

The fact is, that not St. John alone, but all the Evangelifts, had a feparate and particular object in view, befides the manifestation of the truth, which is common to them all; and a dif

cerning

cerning reader will perceive, that they studiously felect those topics, and record those incidents, which are beft adapted to the fecondary end they proposed to attain.

The peculiar defign of each gofpel has been well afcertained by external proofs, grounded on the uncontradicted authority of early history; and by internal evidence contained in the gofpel itself. It is not neceffary to my purpose to enter at large upon that fubject, which has been amply difcuffed by the fathers of the church, and by many able divines of later times: but perhaps it may be useful to fome, whofe inftruction I have at heart, to mention the characteristic marks by which the feveral Evangelifts are diftinguished; an habitual acquaintance with which may prevent their being furprized, and perhaps embaraffed, by the unimportant (a) variations that occur in reading and comparing the refpective gospels with each other.

St.

(a) Where this happens without any change or encroachment on the fenfe of the paffage, it is wretched cavilling to make objection to it. Our Lord fpoke to his difciples in the Hebrew or Syriac tongue; they delivered the fubftance of his inftructions in the Greek: and whoever has feen one language turned into another by different perfons, or even by the fame perfon at different times, will fcarcely be furprized by any frequency of verbal variation. E. g. Compare the parallel paffages of St. Mark and St. Luke in our English version: in the original the fame words are used by both the Evangelifts.

Mark xii. 38-39.

Which love to go in long clothing: and love falutations in the marketplaces: and the chief feats in the fynagogues, and the uppermoft rooms at feasts.

Luke xx. 46.

Which defire to walk in long robes: and love greetings in the markets: and the highest feats in the fynagogues, and the chief rooms at feafts.

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