WESTMINSTER DIVINES and OTHER PURITANS (Gouge, Gataker, et al.), The Westminster Annotations and Commentary on the Whole Bible, 6 volumes, (Cerlox Bound Photocopy Series. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Still Waters Revival Books, 1998, 1657), Additional Title: Annotations Upon all the Books of the Old and New Testament: This Third, above the First and Second, Edition so enlarged, As they make an entire Commentary on the Sacred Scriptures: The like never before published in English. Wherein the Text is Explained, Doubts Resolved, Scripture Parallel'd, and Various Readings observed; By the Labour of certain Learned Divines thereunto appointed, and therein employed, As is expressed in the Preface, 1657, (add puritan bookself cd) EEBO.
"The original title read: 'Annotations Upon all the Books of the Old and New Testament: This Third, above the First and Second, Edition so enlarged, As they make an entire Commentary on the Sacred Scriptures: The like never before published in English. Wherein the Text is Explained, Doubts Resolved, Scripture Parallel'd, and Various Readings observed; By the Labour of certain Learned Divines thereunto appointed, and therein employed, As is expressed in the Preface.' The preface (found in the first volume) recounts not only a short history of the English Bible, but sets forth the great advantage to true Religion which accrues (contrary to the mysticism of the Anabaptists and the anti-intellectualism of the modern backsliding church) when faithful notes are 'bound in' with the Scripture text -- this bringing forth nothing different than the effect generated (through God's grace) by faithful preaching, faithful commentaries, faithful creeds, faithful covenants, faithful confessions, etc. Pointing out that this blessing from God was never more obvious than in the case of the Geneva Bible and its marginal notes (and that the people knew it to be so when they were left with Bibles without annotations honoring to God), the preface further states, 'hence were divers of the Stationers and Printers of London induced (by the people -- RB) to petition the committee of the Honourable House of Commons, for licence to print the Geneva notes upon the Bible, or that some notes might be fitted to the new translation: which was accordingly granted, with an order for review and correction of those of the Geneva edition, by leaving out such of them as there was cause to dislike, by clearing those that were doubtful, and by supplying such as were defective. For which purpose letters were directed to some of us from the Chair of the Committee for Religion (in 1648--RB), and personal invitations to others, to undertake and divide the task among us, and so cometh in our part, whereof we shall give the world a true and just account in that which followeth.' The detailed account which follows in the preface is fascinating, mentioning, among many other things, the divines' 'use of... the Dutch Bibles... set forth at... Holland, by order of the States'.
The diligence given, the energy expended, the obvious humility, and the fearful trembling before God's Word which is evident in these commentators makes this truly a classic Puritan work -- a work of great value! Just knowing, as Barker points out, that this commentary was prepared mostly by Westminster divines, by order of Parliament, at the time of the Assembly" (Puritan Profiles, p. 37),
certainly bodes well for the level of scholarship it contains. Moreover, with Gouge, one of the most respected English Covenanters at the Assembly playing a major role, the thoughtful student of Scripture and history ought to take note: for a theological feast of mature Puritan thought surely awaits those that sup at this table. Esteemed, by the mid-1640's, 'as the father of the London Ministers,' Gouge was elected as Assessor for the Westminster Assembly on Nov. 25, 1647. His detractors sometimes called him an "arch Puritan" (cf. Ibid., p. 35). Dr. Gouge's 'share of the useful work consisted of Kings, and the subsequent books down to Esther, inclusive' (Smith, Select Memoirs of English and Scottish Divines, p. 534). Most of the others chosen to this work had similar credentials, though not all exhibit equal proficiency and some later backslid from attainments reached at this point. Nevertheless, when the commentators were first chosen, these Annotations were produced by some of the most qualified English Puritans -- as a historical high water mark for Puritan scholarship was beginning to crest. Furthermore, in prosecuting this work the divines note, 'therefore we have put ourselves to much more pains (for many months) in consulting with many more authors, in several languages, than at first we thought of, that (for the propriety of the original text, for pertinent and profitable variety of versions, for consonancy of parallel Scriptures, and for perspicuity in clearing of the darkest places) we might bring in such observations, as might not only serve to edify the ordinary reader, but might likewise gratify our brethren of the ministry, at least such among them, as have not the means to purchase, or leisure to pursue, so many books, as (by order of the Committee) we were furnished with all, for the finishing of the work, committed to our hands' (Preface). As the work wore on, however, it became apparent that the original intention (of printing these annotations as marginal notes in the Bible) would no longer fit the scope and length of commentary that had been produced. Thus, the notes were not added to the Scriptures directly, but rather published as a separate commentary (which we are offering here) -- except that we have divided the work into six volumes rather than the original two, because of logistics. 2383 (8.5" X 11") pages." -- SWRB