There were however a few, though but few, interpreters of better note, who flourished during the period now under consideration, and who followed a better mode of interpretation. We shall briefly enumerate them.

3. BEDE Expositio in Libros Historicos Veteris Testamenti, in librum Tobiæ, Jobum, Parabolas Salomonis, et Cantica Canticorum: Expositio in Novum Testamentum, Retractationes et Quæstiones in Acta Apostolorum, folio. In his works.

The venerable BEDE, who lived in the eighth century, composed a Catena on nearly the whole of the New Testament, from the writings of the fathers, in which he interspersed but few remarks of his own. Deeply versed in Greek literature, he has the peculiar praise of drawing from original sources.

4. ALCUIN, the countryman and contemporary of Bede, compiled a commentary on some parts of the Scriptures, in which he made selections from Jerome, Chrysostom, Augustine, Bede, and other writers; not always with the best judgment. His biblical labours are contained in the editions of his collected works, printed at Paris in 1617, and at Ratisbon in 1777 in two volumes folio.

§ 2. SCHOLIA ON THE ENTIRE BIBLE, OR THE GREATER PART THEREOF. 1. Joannis MARIANE Scholia in Vetus et Novum Testamentum. Paris, 1620. folio.

2. HUGONIS GROTII Annotationes ad Vetus et Novum Testamentum. The Scholia on the Old Testament were first published at Paris, in 1644: and those on the New Testament at the same place, in three volumes, in 1641, 1646, and 1650. They are also to be found in the fourth volume of his Opera Theologica (Basil, 1732, folio), as well as in the Critici Sacri, and in Calovius's Biblia Illustrata. They were republished in 4to., with numerous corrections by Vogel, vol. i. Halæ, 1775; vol ii. and vol. iii. were published in 1776 by Doederlein, who, in 1779, published an Auctarium, also in 4to., which was separately sold under the title of Scholia in Libros Poeticos Veteris Testamenti An edition of them was published by Mr. Moody, in two vols. 4to. London, 1727; and his Scholia on the New Testament were reprinted at Erlang in 1755 and following years, in 4to. In 1830, a very neat edition of the Scholia on the New Testament appeared at Groningen, in 8 vols. 8vo., the anonymous editor of which professes that he carefully corrected the numerous errors which had crept into preceding impressions. We have been thus minute in stating the editions of Grotius's Scholia, on account of their intrinsic value. Father Calmet has criticised many parts of them with great severity, particularly his preface to an explanation of the Canticles. "Grotius, says Dr. Doddridge, has done more to illustrate the Scriptures, by what is generally called profane learning, than perhaps almost all the other commentators put together; nevertheless he too often gives up prophecies which, in their original sense, relate to the Messiah. His notes on some texts are large and learned dissertations, which might have profitably been published by themselves." "His learning," says an eminent biblical critic of the present day, "was very extensive; his erudition profound; and his moderation on subjects of controversy highly praiseworthy. No man possessed a more extensive and accurate knowledge of the Greek and Latin writers; and no man more successfully applied them to the illustration of the sacred writings. He is, perhaps justly, suspected of Socinian sentiments; and is, in general, so intent upon the literal meaning of the Scriptures, as to lose sight of the spiritual." (Dr. A. Clark. 1) On the New Testament, Grotius is particularly valuable for understanding the history and Hebraisms. The character of Grotius as a commentator is both fairly and ably estimated by Mr. Conybeare in his Bampton Lectures for 1824. pp. 259–263.

3. DIODATI (John) Annotations on the Bible, translated from the Italian. London, 1664. folio.

Diodati was an eminent Italian divine and reformer in the early part of the 17th century; his annotations are properly Scholia, rather practical than critical, but containing many

1 The references above, as well as in the following pages, to Drs. Doddridge and Adam Clarke, are to the "Lectures on Preaching" of the former, inserted in the fifth volume of his detached Works, printed at Leeds, 1804, p. 471. et seq., and to the "General Preface" of the latter, prefixed to vol. i. of his Commentary on the Bible, which is noticed in a subsequent page.

useful hints; a considerable portion of them was introduced into the "Assembly's Annotations," noticed in p. 254. No. 5.

4. Jo. Christ. Frid. SCHULZII et Geo. Laur. BAUERI Scholia in Vetus Testamentum. Norimbergæ, 1783-1797. 10 vols. 8vo.

The three first volumes only of these learned Scholia were ostensibly written by Professor Schulze 1, who states in his preface, that, in imitation of Rosenmüller's Scholia on the New Testament, he undertook similar short notes on the Old Testament. For this purpose, he has made extracts from the best philological and critical Scholia, chiefly from German works which are not readily accessible to or intelligible by foreigners; this is no small advantage; and, independently of it, Schulze has added numerous critical notes of his own, besides the contributions of his learned friends. (Maty's Review, vol. v. pp. 406-412.) On the death of Schulze, Professor Bauer continued the work, and published the remaining seven volumes on the same plan.

5. Ernest. Frid. Car. RoSENMÜLLERI Scholia in Vetus Testamentum. Lipsiæ, 1795-1826. 18 vols. 8vo. Editio Nova, auctior, vols. 1–23. 1823-35.

The Scholia of the younger Rosenmüller have long enjoyed a high reputation on the Continent. When he began to publish the first edition of his work, he was a neologian of the lowest class. In the new edition, he has given up many of these offensive tenets. He now admits the Pentateuch to be the composition of Moses, and finds predictions concerning the Messiah almost as often as one could desire; although some few of the psalms he still considers as not referring to the Messiah. But now and then the wary reader will plainly see that, as to any belief in inspiration, he is still as much a rationalist as ever he was. The student will find in most of his works very important treasures, if he knows how to make a right use of them. (Andover Biblical Repository for Jan. 1832, pp. 213215.) The new edition of Rosenmüller's larger Scholia appeared at Leipzic in the following order: —

Parts I and II., comprising the Pentateuch. Vol. I. Genesis, 1821; Vol. II. Exodus, 1822; Vol. III. Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

Part III. Isaiah, 3 vols. 8vo. 1818-1829-1833.

Part IV. The Book of Psalms, 3 vols. 1821-1823.

Part V. The Book of Job. 1824.

Part VI. Ezekiel, 2 vols. 8vo. 1826.

Part VII. The Minor Prophets; Vol. I. Hosea and Joel, 1827; Vol. II. Amos, Obadiah, and Jonah. 1827; Vol. III. Nahum, Micah, and Habakkuk; Vol. IV. Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

Part VIII. Jeremiah, 2 vols. 1826-27,

Part IX. The Writings of Solomon, Vols. I. and II. 1829.

Part X. Daniel, 1833.

Part XI. The Historical Books. Vol. I. Joshua. 1832.; Vol. II. Judges. 1835.

6. Ern. Frid. Car. ROSENMÜLLERI Scholia in V. T. in Compendium redacta [à Joanne Christophoro LECHNER]. Vols. I.-VI. Lipsia, 18281836. 8vo.

"In a brief preface to the first volume, the author states that he had frequently been solicited to publish an abridged edition of his copious original work, which amounts to [upwards of] twenty volumes; and several others are yet to be added, in order to complete his design. The price of this is so high, even in Germany, that many who wish for the work, are unable to purchase it. Principally with a view to accommodate persons of this class, the author has undertaken to publish a compendium of his original work. This labour he performs in the main by proxy. The gentleman who actually executes the task, is named John Christopher Sigismund LECHNER, and is evening preacher at St. Paul's church in Leipzic. The professor speaks of him as 'vir clarissimus, in sacrarum literarum dextre versatus.' His commission is, to select from the larger commentary whatever pertains to the explanation of the meaning and forms of words in which there is any difficulty;

Jahn affirms that they were not written by Schulze himself, but by Schöder under his name: and he further adds, that, in general, on difficult passages, an antient and a modern interpretation is given, and the decision between them is left to the reader's judgment. (Jahn, Enchiridion Hermeneutica Generalis, p. 173.) Whether Schöder or Schulze wrote the first three volumes, is not material now to know: useful as the work unquestionably is, the reader should be informed that the author has adop'ed the hypothesis of many German divines, that Moses was a clever mythologue, who compiled his history from certain mythi or traditional narratives! This hypothesis is also adopted by Dathe; and it was embraced by the late Dr. Geddes in his version of the Bible. See it examined, and (we trust satisfactorily) refuted, in Vol. IV. pp. 6-8.

also, whatever is requisite in order to give a correct understanding of facts and events antient rites, the names of persons and places, and other things of a similar nature. In, passages of special difficulty, some account of the views of other critics is given. Various readings that are important, are also noticed. The commission being executed, the whole is reviewed by Rosenmüller himself; corrections are made of his former opinions where he deems them necessary; now and then new matter is added; and a reference is made to important works on various subjects pertaining to sacred criticism, which have been published since the last edition of the larger Commentary. Such is the plan of the Compendium; a work which, in many respects, will be welcome to all the friends of sacred literature. Mr. Lechner appears to have executed his task with great diligence and care. He remains true to his orignal throughout, so far as I have been able to make the comparison. The slight differences, that now and then occur between the abridgment and the original, I presume, are to be attributed to the author himself, and not to the writer of the Compend." (Professor Stuart, in the Andover Biblical Repository for 1832, vol. ii. p. 211.)

The volumes hitherto published contain the following Books of the Old Testament, viz. Vol. I. the Pentateuch; Vol. II. Isaiah; Vol. III. the Psalms; Vol. IV. the book of Job; Vol. V. the book of Ezekiel. Besides the abridgment of Rosenmüller's Scholia, this volume comprises a literal Latin translation of the fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second chapters of Ezekiel's Prophecies (illustrated by three engravings representing the plan of the temple as described by Ezekiel,) executed by Julius Frederick Boettcher, who has endeavoured to elucidate that very difficult portion of the prophet's writings. Vol. VI. contains the minor Prophets.

Edit. Nova,

7. J. G. ROSENMÜLLERI Scholia in Novum Testamentum. Norimbergæ, 1801-1808. Editio sexta, 1827 et annis sequentibus. 5 vols.

8vo.

These Scholia on the New Testament are written by the father of the author of the preceding Scholia. His work is characterised by Professor Stuart as "a very neat specimen of the second order of commentary, that is, an explanation of words and phrases. He is almost every where a local investigator; and scarcely ever does he take a stand, from which he looks out and surveys the whole field in which he is labouring. His philology, in the main, is safe, and worthy of credit: but he is one of those commentators who are more successful in explaining easy than difficult things. Where you most need aid, you find yourself often deserted. The student must not expect to find in Rosenmüller those high and commanding views, which such a man as Calvin was capable of taking. The developement of ratiocination, design, and great object, are not his province. A secondary, but a pleasant, and generally accurate annotator on the philology of particular passages and expressions, he will find in him...... Much of Rosenmüller's commentary is like the production of the poet, whom Horace introduces: - Trecentos in horâ versus- ·stans pede in uno. It might be

written, and doubtless was written, off-hand. It is none the worse for this, so far as it respects the beginner in the study of exegesis. But he must not expect to obtain from it the higher and ultimate ends of commentary of the first order; to meet and to solve formidable difficulties; to throw strong light on the general course of thought and reasoning; to compare with other writers, and educe a harmonious sentiment from the whole; to render prominent the great doctrines which are urged.......... His book was designed, as it seems to me, for tyros; and, as such, it remains, for philological tyros, still a very valuable book." (Andover Biblical Repository for January, 1833, vol. iii. p. 153.) The sixth edition was revised and edited by John Christopher Sigismund LECHNER.

8. REEVES.-The Holy Bible, containing the Old Testament and the New, translated out of the Original Tongues, and with the former translations diligently compared and revised. London, printed for John REEVES, Esq., one of the Patentees of the office of King's Printer. 9 vols. royal 4to. 9 vols. royal 8vo. 9 or 10 vols. crown 8vo.

Although the beautiful editions of the Bible here noticed do not profess to be commentaries, yet, as they are accompanied by short explanatory and philological Scholia, it would be injustice towards Mr. Reeves's splendid and public-spirited efforts to render the Scriptures attractive to the higher classes, were we to pass them in silence. On this account Mr. Reeves's editions may justly claim a place in the present list of Scholia on the Bible. His Scholia are selected from the labours of Bishop Patrick, Lowth, Whitby, and others; and his mode of printing the text is admirable. The historical parts, which are in prose, are printed in continuous paragraphs; and the poetical parts are divided into verses. Each book is divided into sections, conformable to the natural divisions of the several subjects; and, to facilitate reference, the chapters and verses are distinctly pointed out in the margin. There is a learned preface to all the editions. In our analysis of the different books of Scripture, particularly of the Old Testament, we have frequently adopted Mr. Reeves's sectional divisions, which are for the most part very judiciously made. It may be proper to add, that the printing of Mr. Reeves's editions was executed by Messrs. Bulmer & Co., and

by Mr. Bensley, and may safely challenge competition with the most beautiful specimens of British typography. There are some copies extant in four volumes, 8vo., without the

Scholia.

§3. THE PRINCIPAL COMMENTATORS ON THE SCRIPTURES GENERALLY

SINCE THE REFORMATION.

[i.] Foreign Commentators on the whole Bible.

1. The illustrious reformer, MARTIN LUTHER, wrote Commentaries on most of the books of Scripture. A collection of them was published at Wittenberg, in four volumes folio, 1549; and an octavo edition of them appeared at Erlang in 1829 and following years. All the writings of this great man are deservedly held in the highest estimation in Germany, especially his Commentaries on Genesis, and on St. Paul's Epistles to the Romans and Galatians. His Commentary on the Galatians is best known in this country by a translation, which was first printed in 1580 in 4to. and subsequently in folio, 8vo. and in two vols. 12mo. In 1821, was published, in 8vo. a translation of Luther's "Commentary on the Psalms called Psalms of Degrees; in which, among many other valuable Discourses on Individual, Household, and Civil Affairs, the Scriptural Doctrine respecting the divinely instituted and honourable Estate of Matrimony is explained and defended against the Popish Perversion of enforced Celibacy, Monastic Vows, Orders, &c. &c. To which is prefixed, An Historical Account of the Monastic Life, particularly of the Monasteries of England."

2. The biblical writings of JOHN CALVIN, another illustrious reformer, consist of Commentaries, Homilies, and Lectures on almost the whole of the Scriptures: they are to be found in the folio edition of his works, printed at Amsterdam, in 1671, in nine volumes. His Harmony of the four last Books of the Pentateuch has been much and deservedly admired for its ingenuity. The history contained in them forms a distinct part. The rest is comprised under the following divisions:-1. Those passages which assert the excellence of the LAW, by way of preface; -2. The Ten Commandments, under each of which are comprehended all those parts of the law which relate to the same subject, and this forms the great body of the harmony;-3. The Sum of the Law, containing those passages which enjoin love to God, and love to our neighbour;-4. The Use of the Law; and, lastly, its Sanctions of promises and threats. The Commentaries and other expository writings of this great man have always been deservedly celebrated and admired: though it has been the fashion with some modern divines to depreciate them, on account of those peculiar dogmas which Calvin deduced from the Sacred Writings. "Calvin's Commentaries," says the learned Matthew Poole, in the preface to the "Synopsis Criticorum Sacrorum," noticed below, "abound in solid discussions of theological subjects, and in practical improvements of them. Subsequent writers have borrowed most of their materials from Calvin; and his interpretations adorn the books even of those who repay their obligation by reproaching their master." The great critic Scaliger said that no commentator had better hit the sense of the prophets than Calvin; and another eminent critic of our own time (Rosenmüller) has remarked, that although Calvin was not deeply versed in Hebrew, yet as he possessed an acute and subtle genius, his interpretations of Isaiah in particular, contain many things which are exceedingly useful for understanding the prophet's meaning. Nothing, indeed, can more satisfactorily evince the high estimation to which the commentaries of Calvin are still entitled from the biblical student, than the following eulogium of one of the most learned prelates that ever adorned the Anglican Church-Bishop HORSLEY. “I hold," says he, "the memory of Calvin in high veneration; his works have a place in my library; and in the study of the Holy Scriptures, he is one of

the Commentators whom I most frequently consult." To this testimony may be added that of another accomplished scholar lately deceased, the Rev. J. J. CONYBEARE. The Commentaries of Calvin, he says, "though in the exercise of our Christian liberty we may freely question and dissent from many points, both of doctrine and discipline, maintained by their illustrious author, are yet never to be perused without admiration or instruction." The writer of these pages has not often had occasion to refer to the writings of Calvin in the prosecution of this work; yet he has never consulted them but with advantage and with pleasure.

3. VICTORINUS STRIGELIUS was nearly contemporary with Luther and Calvin, and wrote arguments and notes to the whole of the Bible, which were published at different times between the years 1565 and 1586, and in various sizes. They are much admired for their exactness, particularly his 'Yoμvnμara on the New Testament, which are noticed in a subsequent page.

4. LUDOVICI DE DIEU Critica Sacra, sive Animadversiones in Loca quædam difficiliora Veteris et Novi Testamenti. Amstelodami, 1693, folio. A work of acknowledged character: "Perhaps no man ever possessed a more consummate knowledge of the Oriental languages than de Dieu, nor employed his knowledge to more useful purposes." (Bibliog. Dict. vol. iii. p. 123.)

5. SEBASTIANI SCHMIDII Commentarii in Genesin, Josuam, Ruth, Reges, Samuelem, Jobum, Psalmos, Ecclesiasten, Iesaiam, Jeremiam, Hoseam, Evangelium Johannis, et Epistolas Pauli ad Romanos, Galatas, et Hebræos. Argentorati, 1687, et annis sequentibus. 4to.

Sebastian Schmidt was at least the most laborious and voluminous commentator of his age (the seventeenth century.) Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. vol. v. p. 296.

6. CRITICI SACRI: sive Annotata doctissimorum Virorum in Vetus ac Novum Testamentum; quibus accedunt Tractatus varii, Theologico-Philologici, 9 tomis in 12 voluminibus. Amstelodami, 1698, folio.

This great work, first published at London in 1660, in 9 vols. folio, under the direction of Bishop Pearson, John Pearson, Anthony Scattergood, and Francis Gouldman, is considerably augmented in the above second and best edition. The notes of Grotius, Vatablus,

and Drusius, Munster, Castalio, Clarius, Junius, and Tremellius, are to be found in this collection, besides a multitude of commentators on particular books, and numerous valuable disquisitions on particular subjects, which are enumerated by Dr. A. Clarke in the general preface to his Commentary, vol. i. p. xiii. Of this great work an admirable abridgment has been published under the title of,

7. MATTHÆI POLI Synopsis criticorum aliorumque SS. Interpretum. London, 1669-1674, 5 vols. folio. Utrecht, 5 vols. folio, 1684; also Frankfort, 1712, 5 vols. folio, and 1694, 5 vols. large 4to.

On this most elaborate work the learned author spent ten years; it consolidates with great skill and conciseness all the Critici Sacri of the London edition into one continued comment, besides many valuable additions from other authors of note, Hammond, &c. and his own corrections and decisions in several places. It has many advantages over the Critici Sacri, not only in point of size, but also in its admirable arrangement and concentration of evidence, and in the author's remarks; and it furnishes a most complete material index to the Critici Sacri. (Dr. Hales's Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. preface, p. xviii.) Of the various editions above noticed, that edited at Utrecht by Professor Leusden, is by far the best and most correct. The folio Frankfort edition is not worth purchasing, on account of its incorrectness. The 4to. edition, which is somewhat better, is nevertheless very inaccurate it is badly printed, and sells at a very low price.

1 Conybeare's Bampton Lectures for 1824, p. 237. In the Andover Biblical Repository for 1832 (vol. ii. pp. 541-568.), there is an elaborate essay on the merits of Calvin as an interpreter, translated from the German professor Tholuck, of Halle; under whose auspices (aided by funds furnished by some friends to sacred literature in England) a new, very neat, and cheap edition of Calvin's Commentary on the New Testament was published in small 8vo. volumes, between the years 1881 and 1834.

2 Masch has given the titles and dates of their respective publications; vol. iii. pp. 424— 427.