Most Reverend Father in GOD,'

JOHN,

Lord Archbistiop of Torf^
and Primate os ENGLAND.

JMay it please Your Grace,

TH O I have ventured to prefix Your Grace's Name to the following Book, yet my design is not, like others, to swell a Dedication with an Encomium os the subject matter of it, or the Virtues of the Patron to whom 'tis offer'd. For fliould I attempt to recommend the Gospels, I mould be doubly frustrated in the Undertaking, since I could never be able to express their true Worth: and all I could fay would be needless to the Christian Reader j but especially to so Religious a Prelate, who is wejl known to have spent the greatest part of his time in j;he study of them. Whilst I was compiling this my Harmony, 1 was so struck with admiration of the excellent Discourses of Jesus, so inflam'd with Love of his most Holy Doctrin, that methoughts I but just then began to be acquainted with what I scarce ever laid out of my hands from my Infancy. The Works of Men, however exquisite and perfect in their kind, have their Faults and Blemisties, which are: easily discernable upon a strict examination, altho they are wont to escape a transient View j

A 5 whereas whereas'cis the peculiar Privilege of these Divine Writings, that the more they are examin'd, and the better Light they are plac'd in, the moreadmirable they appear to all sincere Lovers of Truth.

And now, should I enlarge upon Your Grace's Learning and Eloquence, and the exemplary discharge of Your Sacred Function, the Repetition would not be displeasing, but certainly unnecessary to those who have bin io often insorm'd os them, and which your own Modesty would rather have me pass by in silence.

Should I plead, to excuse the trouble I now give You, that I owe You this Publick Acknowledgment for the Favour You have done me, in signifying that You do «ot disapprove my Labours, Your Grace has bin so general, a Promoter and Encourages of Learning, that You might expect very many Addresses of this nature; bun chere is a muchbetter way of expressing a just sense of Favors receiv'd^ and I will no longer trespass upon your Grace's Patience in this. That God would grant You a steddy Course of Health, that You may long continue a Patron of Learning, and the Ornament, not of Your Country alone, but the whole Christian World, whose Eyes have now for some time bin turn'd towards England, shall be the hearty Prayers of,

JPHay it please Tour Grace,

Your Graces most obliged
and obedient Servant,

f: Le Cierc.

WHIL E 1 was lately busied in trinflating into Latin Dr. Ham-
mond upon the New Testament, it frequently came into my
mind that there was yet wanting a convenient Harmony of
the Gospels, which might be of use to those who apply themselves to
the study of the Holy Scriptures. I found by experience, that with-
out such an assistance it was impossible for a man with the utmost at-
tention of mind so to remember the Series of the Narrations in the
Gospels, and compare the several Relations of the Evangelists toge-
ther, as to have a clear and distinct" Notion of them; and that this was
not to be remedied by the greatest diligence of Commentators, while the
Gospels continued to be read in the order they were written and published.
1 know very weU that there have appeared several Harmonies of the Gospels
in this and the last Century, but none of them that I have seen is without
these two very great Jnconveniencies: First, the Learned Editors of
them contented themselves with exhibiting to our view in distinct Columns,
the Actions and Discourses that were alike in the several Evangelists, with-
out regard to Chronology and the Time when they were perform d; and
some of them quite omitted St. John, as wholly useless to their purposes
from whom alone nevertheless we are able to distinguish the Tears ofChriJPs
Ministry. And secondly, those Harmonies were cumbred with tedious Com-
mentaries, no way to be compared with the modern Annotations, and
which moreover did not shew us the connexion and dependence of one Story
upon another. Neither was the Text of the Gospels weU disposed, and
we are forced to read the words several times over before we can perceive
wherein they agree and in what they differ ', so that upon the whole I did
not think them of so great use as they might have been made, and I wistfd
that some one or other would set about this task: but having waited
4 long time in vain, I attempted it my self, and having composed the

Harmony

Harmony of the Text, I added a. Paraphrase to explain the meaning of the Words and the connexion of the Text. My design in it, and the Method I prescribed to my self is the subject of the second Dissertation at the end of the Book. I persuade my self 1 have avoided those Intonveniencies which 1 noted in the other Harmonies, and have all Along taken what care I could not to indulge my self in making Conjectures. I have added two other Dissertations, the one concerning the Chronology of Christ, and the other concerning the Evangelists: in the former (have fix}d the Tear ofChrist*s Nativity, having followed in this particular the Sentiments of several very Learned Men, jo as to leave the matter without dispute. In the latter I have proved the Genuinness of the Gospels, and the antient Custom of their being read inpuUick, by Testimonies of the greatest Antiquity, in opposition to what Mr. Dodwel has advanced in his Dissertations on Irenaeus. Now tho Ldo not think J have made any considerable Error as to the main, yet in some particulars ytis possible I have committed some Mistakes, which I will correct as soon as I am advised of them; but if Any onefbaU only rail at me, or detract from my good Name, he is not to expect I shall contend with him at those Weapons. If it be most convenient I will hold my peace; and make no reply, unless it may be of some benefit to the impartial Lovers of Truth.

THE Author's Supplement to Dr. Hammond's Paraphrase and Annotations on the New Testament i in which his Interpretation of many important Passages is freely and impartially examin'd, and the Sacred Text further explained, by new Remarks upon every Chapter; in 40. i» Printed for Sam. Buckley, in St. Paul's Church-yard.

THE