And

departure from Egypt, jewels of gold and of silver, the idea hath arisen in many minds, that as the things then borrowed were never afterwards returned, there was intended, and committed, a real fraud. But it is to be observed, that the word borrow, from the same root, is differently rendered in the case of Hannah, when asking the Lord for a son. Had the root been regarded in her instance, from whence the word Hannah used it, and from whence it was taken, it would have been, she borrowed of the Lord a son. Whereas, there it is rendered she called his name Samuel, which (as the margin of the Bible renders it,) is asked of God; "for she said, I have asked him of God." (1 Sam. i. 20.) Now, here we find the word, though the same, from the same root is not to borrow, but to beg as a favour. the subject is farther explained in the twenty-seventh and twenth-eighth verses of the same chapter. For when she brought Samuel to the temple, she tells Eli, for this child (said she) I prayed, and the Lord" hath given me my petition which I asked of him;" therefore also, I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. In the margin it is, I have returned him, whom I have received by petition, to the Lord; or, he whom I have received by petition shall be returned. Hence, therefore, the original word is not, in the strict sense of it, to borrow as a loan; but may be rendered, to ask or request, or beg and crave. And so I find the verb, or root, rendered in Mr. Parkhurst's Lexicon, page 656.

I have thought it proper, in a work of this kind, to notice the above. But i beg that it may be considered, at the same time, that if the word be still accepted, as our translators have rendered it, to borrow, Exod. iii. 22, there will not attach to it the least matter of fraud. Let it be remembered, that when the children of Israel, under the first

Pharaoh, went down into Egypt, they were commanded by the king not “to regard their stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt was to be theirs." (Gen. xlv. 16-20.) But it appears from their history, that when Jacob and his family went down to sojourn in "Egypt, they took their cattle and their goods with them." (Gen. xlvi. 1-7.) It becomes an important question in the subject, to ask, What became of this property, improved and increased, as we may reasonably suppose it to have been, when another king arose, who knew not Joseph? Moreover, we are told, that the children, when in bondage, built treasure cities for Pharaoh, Exod. i. 8. And what wages did the tyrant give them for those labours? We are told, indeed, that they made their lives bitter to them with their cruel bondage; "and that they cast out their children, to the end they might not live." (Acts vii. 19.) When, therefore, the Lord had turned their tables upon them, and by the plagues upon Pharaoh, and all his people, had made a way for the Exodus of his chosen, no doubt, under the remorse of their minds, and their sorrow of heart, the Egyptians were glad to part with the Israelites at any rate, and therefore lent them, or gave them such things as they asked.

I only beg to add, under this view of the subject, that as the tabernacle in the wilderness was afterwards adorned with the gold and silver the Israelites brought with them from Egypt, it is plain, that the Lord approved of the conduct of his servants in asking from their neighbours such things as they needed, and as the Lord himself had commanded. (Exod. iii. 21, 22.)

And might there not be somewhat typical in the thing itself, in reference to the future call (as was all along intended) of the Gentile church? I beg

the reader to read that sweet passage of the prophet Isaiah, chap. xix. from 18th verse to the end; and see the rich promises of the call of Egypt with Assyria, when the Lord shall set up the New Testament altar, even the Lord Jesus Christ, in the midst of the land of Egypt; and five cities shall speak the language of Canaan, even the gospel language of salvation by the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I would ask, Is not that day, yea, that very day, at hand? Hath not the Lord, even now, been planting the gospel in Egypt? Hath not our God, when working by terrible things in righteousness, as he doth in the present awful war, caused even the Musselmen and inhabitants of Egypt to look on the congregations and prayer meetings of some of our pious soldiers who have been there? The writer of this hath himself received testimony to this striking providence of our God from a faithful soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as a faithful servant of his king and country, who was there, and an eye-witness to such characters looking in upon them, when he and a few of his devout comrades met together to read the Scriptures,and pray, and sing praises to the Lord. And who shall say what eventual blessed consequences may arise out of it? Who knows, but from this may spring up, as from a grain of mustard seed, a glorious harvest to our God? Oh! for that happy period when, according to this sweet prophecy, "the Lord of hosts himself shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hand, and Israel mine inheritance."

BOTTLE. Before the invention of glass, bottles were made, for the most part, of skins. It is proper to keep this in remembrance when reading the Bible, both of the Old Testament and of the New ; for the knowledge and use of glass is of modern

date. Hence, when it is said, (Gen. xxi. 14.) that Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, we may suppose, that this was not only a large skin for a bottle, but as it was put on her shoulder, it was somewhat cumbersome and heavy.

When the men of Gibeon acted wisely with Joshua, as if coming from a far country, we are told, that they not only produced their bread mouldy, but their bottles rent, and patched together, which they said, were new when they left their own country. Bottles rent would be useless if made of glass. (Josh. ix. 4, &c.) Modern travellers relate that, even now, large skins of oxen are made use of for containing liquor; though vessels made of earth are also known. But for large quantities, they tell us, that

still the skins of beasts are in use.

In the days of our Lord, it is certain that stone, as well as earthen vessels, were known, for we read of such at the marriage in Cana of Galilee. (John ii. 6.) But skins were also used; for the Lord speaks of using caution, not to put new (fermenting) wine into old dried bottles. (Matt. ix. 17.) A beautiful figure this, of the precious wine of the gospel, which must not be put into the old skin of our dried nature, but into the new heart of grace. Both must be new, and both are then preserved. (Rev. xxi. 5. 2 Cor. v. 17.)

BOW. The bow, in Scripture language, meaneth much more than the instrument called the bow, used in war. Hence, the dying patriarch, when blessing Joseph, speaks of his bow abiding in strength, because his arms were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. From thence (said the patriarch), is the shepherd the stone of Israel." (Gen. xlix. 24.) And the Redeemer himself

is represented as having" a bow, when a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to couquer." (Rev. vi. 2.) And there can be no doubt, but that the bow mentioned by the dying patriarch referred to Christ. Hence, in allusion to the same, JEHOVAH saith, "I do set my bow in the cloud." (Gen. ix. 13.) And hence John, when he saw heaven opened, beheld "a rainbow round about the throne." (Rev. iv. 3.) And the mighty angel he saw "clothed with a cloud, had a rainbow upon his head." (Rev. x. 1.) It is blessed to view Jesus thus constantly typified.

BOWELS. I should not have thought it necessary to have offered a single observation on this word, considered in the general acceptation of it, for every one cannot but know its obvious meaning. But it may be proper, notwithstanding, to observe, that as in its literal sense, the bowels mean the entrails, so when used figuratively, it refers to the heart and the affections. Hence, it is said of the patriarch Joseph, that at beholding his brother," his bowels did yearn upon him." (Gen. xliii. 30.) And the Lord himself is represented as expressing his tenderness for Ephraim under the same similitude; "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore, my bowels are troubled for him. I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord." (Jer. xxxi. 20.)

But when the word is spoken in reference to the person of Christ in his human nature, here it is not figuratively used, but literally; and the meaning of it is uncommonly blessed and sweet. If the reader will turn to the fortieth Psalm, and eighth verse, he will find Jesus thus speaking by the spirit of prophecy, "1 delight to do thy will, O my God! yea, thy law is within my heart." The margin of the