Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

itself. Whatever errors may be observed, must be attributed to my
scantiness of knowledge. I do not pretend to write for the learned; I look
up to them myself for instruction. All the pretensions of my work are
included in the sentence that stands in the title: it is 'designed as a help
to a better understanding of the sacred Writings.'" To the numerous
pamphleteering and magazine writers that took up pen against him while
his Commentary was in course of publication, his constant reply was: "I
am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work
cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?" In a letter to the late Rev.
Joseph Hughes he says, "I never wrote a controversial tract in my life; I
have seen with great grief the provokings of many, and a thousand times
has my heart said,
Semper ego auditor TANTUM, nunauamque reponam,
Vexatus toties?
But my love of peace, and detestation of religious disputes, induced me
to keep within my shell, and never to cross the waters of strife. I had
hoped, as I was living at least an inoffensive life, not without the most
cordial and strenuous endeavours, in my little way, to do all the public
and private good in my power, I might be permitted to drop quietly into
the grave. But this is denied me"
To some remarks of mine in 1825, he replied: "You say my notes on
Isaiah are too short—I do not think so: on my plan they are as long as
they should be. It would have been easy to have made them much longer.
Jeremiah and Lamentations are just finishing at press. Ezekiel and Daniel
are ready to go in, as soon as the others come out. And, if God spare life
and health, the twelve minor prophets will be finished before next
Christmas: so I see land at last in this long and dangerous voyage."
At the conclusion of the Commentary in 1820, he says, "In this
arduous labour I have had no assistants; not even a single week's help
from an amanuensis; no person to look for common places, or refer to an
ancient author; to find out the place and transcribe a passage of Greek,