"Whom shall he teach knowledge; and whom shall he make to understand doctrine
them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts For precept must be
npon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and
there a little." Isaiah xxviii. 9, 10.

"The Spirit of the

Gospel to the poor."

Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
Luke iv. 18.

"To the poor the Gospel is preached" Luke vii. 22.

LONDON:

JAMES NISBET AND CO., BERNERS STREET.

MDCCCXXXVII,

Printed by J. Shayler, at the Wonston Press.

PREFACE.

THE Cottager's Guide to the New Testament is intended to convey, in a simple form, all the information which is necessary for a right understanding of that portion of the Word of God. Those who have had the benefit of a cultivated education are often little aware, how many things are unintelligible to the less educated reader, for want of that knowledge which is so common to themselves. Having acquired information, and finding others in their own class of society equally informed, they gradually assume that all classes are acquainted with that which they know so familiarly. Those, however, who have much intercourse with the lower classes of society, continually discover how much a want of acquaintance with the commonest things hinders the profitable reception of the instruction which so many are willing to afford. Most of the authors of the various excellent Commentaries on the Scriptures, have taken for granted, that a great deal more of preparatory knowledge is possessed by their readers, than has been, in fact, acquired by moderately educated persons. For this reason their works have been found to be comparatively of little value in the cottage. By the publication of "The Cottager's Guide to the New Testament" an attempt is made to remedy this evil. The first object of the work is to put before the reader a very plain explanation of every portion of the New Testament; arranging the History of our Lord in harmony, in which the plan of the Rev. Edward Gresswell is followed. Frequent references are made to other parts of Scripture, by which the consistency of the whole of the Bible, in its statement of doctrine, may be plainly perceived. Every thing will be explained as it occurs in the Scriptures, without supposing any preparatory information. Only such words and phrases will be used as seem most suited to the capacities of the class of persons for whose benefit the work is undertaken.