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PREFACE.

THE BIBLE (or the Book') is the name usually given to an ancient collection of sixty-six smaller volumes, comprising narratives, poetry, moral axioms, and religious discourses, written in Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek, by many different authors, who lived successively during a period of more than fifteen hundred years. Exceedingly valuable as containing the most ancient writings, the most remarkable and best accredited histories, the sublimest poetry, and the noblest personal, social, and political morality in the world, it has peculiar and extraordinary claims on account of its professed ORIGIN and OBJECT,-declaring itself to be a Divine revelation, in which God is made known to us, in order that he may be honoured in the restoration of our fallen race to purity and happiness.

Whilst no one can deny that it is possible for the Creator to give to his intelligent creatures direct revelations respecting himself and his will, his wisdom and benevolence render it highly probable that he should have made such communications, if they were necessary. And, when we consider the deep degradation of millions of heathen in every age and of every form of worship (compare Rom. i. 18-32 with ancient histories and modern missionary records)—the dismal uncertainty of the greatest pagan philosophers respecting the attributes and purposes of God, and the nature and destinies of the human race (compare Acts xvii. with Plato's Phædon and Cicero's Treatise De Natura Deorum)—and the entire failure of all modern theorists, though borrowing much from revelation, to construct any system affording adequate motives to self-improvement, or sufficient consolation under inevitable suffering-we must be convinced that it was essential to the well-being of man that God should so speak to him.

Now the Bible expressly and repeatedly claims to be the word of God—the only and complete written revelation of the Divine will. In proof that it is so, we observe,

1. Its numerous books, written in different ages and countries by men of different ranks and classes-shepherds, fishermen, priests, warriors, statesmen, kings-all have one great subject; and, amidst numerous diversities of form, style, and manner of thought, are pervaded by the same ideas, which are gradually developed, with no real contradictions, yet with such circumstantial variations as disprove the possibility of collusion; clearly showing that one mind, through more than fifteen hundred years, must have been engaged upon it.

2. The description which it gives of man's state, however opposed to his self-flattering views, exactly accords with what he sees passing around him and within him; so that the more closely any one scrutinizes the thoughts, desires, and motives of his own heart, the more will he be convinced that the Bible proceeds from One who knows all the hidden secrets of his heart, and gives a far more accurate account of his disposition and character than he himself could have done: -while the representation which it contains of the character of GOD, being altogether unlike and infinitely superior to any ideas of Him which fallen

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man ever formed, evidently could not have originated in his mind, but must have been communicated to him from a higher Being. In the life of the Redeemer especially, human excellences are delineated which no biographer had ever attributed to his hero; but which are not less striking for their naturalness and reality than for their perfect agreement with the dictates of enlightened conscience.

3. All that the Bible discloses respecting the moral government of God, and human responsibility, and the connection between our present conduct and our future destiny, is in perfect accordance with the constitution of nature and the order of providence-as manifested in the punishments and rewards which even now follow virtue and vice, in their effects upon men's physical and mental constitution and outward circumstances-in the pleasure bestowed or the pains inflicted by consciencein the approbation or contempt of others, and in the retributions of domestic and of civil life-all of which sufficiently prove that, even in the present degenerate and disordered world, the Divine administration is on the side of the righteous; and amply justify the conclusion that, as this book declares, virtue, militant here, will be triumphant hereafter; and that the first-fruits of God's moral government which are perceptible now are the sure signs of its future perfection in the world to come.

4. The plan of salvation which it reveals, through the mediation of the Son of God, is altogether beyond the limits of human invention or conjecture; while, at the same time, it affords a matchless display of holiness and love in indissoluble union, which fully accords with our most enlightened notions of the Divine attributes, and can easily be conceived to produce effects upon the welfare and happiness of the whole universe far beyond our present powers of knowledge or comprehension. And not less does the wonderful adaptation of this scheme of mercy to the condition of man prove that it proceeded from the Author of his nature; for it meets all the exigencies of the case-awakening conscience and satisfying its demands-supplying motives to holiness of irresistible force providing influences fully adequate to the moral renovation of every human being, whatever be his character, condition, or circumstancesand giving solid peace to the mind; as is remarkably illustrated by the fact that no instance is on record, or can be produced, of any sincere believer in the religion of the Bible who, in the prospect of dissolution, ever repented of his faith.

5. The moral teachings of the Bible, which fully accord with the fainter light of natural religion, bespeak its Divine origin. The religion which it reveals is spiritual and holy, requiring universal moral rectitude, and extending to the inward principles and motives of human conduct-not overlooking the outward forms, but valuing them only as they are expressions of the internal spirit; unlike all human religions, which have respect to the garb and manners of piety rather than to its heart and soul. Among numberless illustrations of the moral dignity of

the Bible may be instanced its truthfulness and its goodness:-its truthfulness, as seen in the fearless exhibition of truths the most unwelcome to human selfishness, pride, and prejudices-its candid forewarnings of the trials and sufferings incident to true piety in the present worldand its faithful delineation of good men, whom it nowhere describes as perfect, although it presents them as sincere, holy, and devoted disciples of a perfect system of truth and duty; and its goodness, as manifested in the spirit of love and kindness which breathes through every part of this book-its solicitude for the young-its sympathy for the poor, the oppressed, and the suffering-and its benevolent regard for classes of the human family whom every other system of religion overlooks and despises.

6. Another evidence of the truth of Scripture is found in its perfect agreement with personal experience. It declares, for example, that the fruit of righteousness is 'quietness and assurance for ever'-that sincere believing prayer to God is ever answered, either in the bestowment of the blessing asked, or of some greater-that obedience to the Divine precepts is followed by inward joy, even though it may lead to outward suffering;-in a word, it describes the history and experience of all Christians, and, with no less accuracy, those of the ungodly; and the description, in each case, is found to be true. The Bible is thus incessantly proving itself to be the word of unerring and ever-living truth.

7. The effects of the Bible upon those who believe it are such as no other book was ever known to produce; altering entirely the character and conduct, producing eminent virtue, supplying extraordinary consolation, and especially giving birth to expansive and self-denying benevolence. So that if a person of entire impartiality, of sound mind and holy disposition, should be shown the two companies of those who have received and those who have rejected the Scriptures; and should compare the seriousness, learning, patient investigation of truth, solid judgment, holy lives, and composure in a dying hour, without unmanly terror or indecent levity, of the one company, with the character and conduct of the other, he would be induced to take up the Bible with profound veneration, and the strongest prepossession in its favour.' -Scott. It has also widely diffused a vastly beneficial influence wherever it has been known; improving the moral and social state of the world to such a degree as to make its own accounts of the depravity of former times, though corroborated by many ancient writers, and by the existing practices of the dark parts of the earth, appear almost incredible; while all other professed revelations have not only proved utterly worthless for the purpose of ameliorating the condition, or reforming the character of those who have most heartily received them, but have cherished and called into action the most depraved principles of the human heart.

To these might be added (beside the whole body of external evidences) many other marks of moral beauty and Divine wisdom in the word of God: its variety combined with its unity; its brevity, and yet its inexhaustible fulness; the consistency and harmony which exist between its several portions, as seen in the mutual relations of the Old and New Testaments-the mutual connections of the historical, poetical, and didactic booksthe exact correspondence of the types under the law with the substance under the gospel, and of predictions in the prophets with their fulfilment in the person and work of

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the Saviour; and the complete subordination of all that is merely personal, national, or temporary, to the higher interests of universal and eternal truth and goodness.

It should also be remembered, that if this volume be not a revelation from heaven, there is no other document in the world which can substantiate its pretension to be such; so that we are left in darkness as to the origin or the destiny of the human race, the whole history of the world is unexplained, and man himself, with all his noble powers and endowments, will appear to have existed in vain.

Such are a few of the reasons which are sufficient to satisfy every honest inquirer that the Scriptures are not a merely human production, but 'given by inspiration of God.' But a practical belief of the gospel usually rests upon more simple grounds even than these. A man who has just views of the character of God, and of himself, will accept the Saviour here offered to him, just as a drowning man will lay hold of the arm that is stretched out to draw him to the shore; and, in proportion as the heart and conduct are influenced by these doctrines, will the understanding be opened to perceive their perfect fitness, unquestionable truth, and surpassing glory.

By the DIVINE INSPIRATION of the Scriptures, we mean 'such a complete and immediate communication, by the Holy Spirit, to the minds of the sacred writers, of those things which could not have been otherwise known, and such an effectual superintendence as to those particulars concerning which they might otherwise obtain information, as sufficed absolutely to preserve them from every degree of error in all things which could, in the least degree, affect any of the doctrines or precepts contained in their writings.... They wrote, indeed, in such language as their different talents, educations, habits, and associations suggested or rendered natural to them; but the Holy Spirit so entirely superintended them, when writing, as to exclude every improper expression, and to guide them to all those which best suited their several subjects.'-Scott. See 1 Cor. ii. 13.

Although some apocryphal writings have raised questions respecting the CANON OF SCRIPTURE, it is not very difficult to ascertain what books are properly included in the volume of Revelation. As regards the Old Testament, we have the testimony of our Lord, in numerous instances, to the collection of sacred writings in use in his days among the Jews; and he expressly mentions the three parts of which it consisted, according to the division made at that time-the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, Luke xxiv. 44-46. And from the New Testament writers, from Josephus and other contemporaries, we learn the names of the books of which that collection was composed. The Law included the five books of Moses. The Prophets consisted of two parts: the one, called 'the former prophets,' comprising the historical books, to the end of 2 Kings; the other, called 'the latter prophets," containing all the prophetical books except Daniel. And the third division, which was called the Psalms, because those Divine poems stood first in it, and also named the 'Writings,' comprehended all the rest. It is probable that the collection was made by Ezra (see note at the end of Ezra); and that after his time, his own book, with those of Nehemiah and Malachi, were added. Since then, the Jews have guarded with the utmost jealousy the 'Oracles

of God' committed to them; and we have the evidence of early translators, and of Josephus, a priest and leader of his nation, that precisely the same books rs now bear the name of the Old Testament, were regarded by them as alone possessing religious authority.

The names given to the Old Testament in the New are 'Scripture,' or 'the Scriptures,' or 'the Holy Scriptures' (2 Pet. i. 20; Matt. xxi. 42; Rom. i. 2); 'the Sacred Writings' (2 Tim. iii. 15); 'the Law;' or, 'the Law and the Prophets;' or, 'the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms' (John xii. 34; Luke xxiv. 44).

The genuineness of every book in the New Testament is established by a great variety of historical, critical, and internal proofs. Besides the evidence afforded by their contents, there is express and positive testimony, on the part of both friends and enemies, that these books were written by the apostles of Jesus Christ and their fellow - labourers. Indeed, there are no other ancient works the origin and age of which can be established by so many trustworthy witnesses living at or near the time when they were written. They were received with the greatest respect by the first churches, many of which had among themselves individuals competent, from their own personal knowledge and experience, to judge of the credibility of the facts related in them; copies of them were multiplied and dispersed, as the boundaries of the Christian church were extended; and in every age, from that time to the present, they have been publicly and solemnly read in the assemblies of Christians throughout the world. Wherever the Christian faith was received, these books were acknowledged as the word of God; were quoted and appealed to by persons of different sects and parties among Christians, as the standard of truth; and were explained and illustrated in numerous commentaries and expositions from the first centuries of the Christian era. And while there was this general concurrence of testimony respecting the books now received as canonical, there was no less agreement in excluding all other books professing to have similar authority.

At what period the writings of the New Testament were first collected together cannot be stated with certainty. As this collection took its rise from the communication of its apostolic writings by one church to another, the great distances which separated them, and other circumstances which rendered mutual intercourse difficult, would necessarily cause some churches to possess certain Scriptures earlier than others. Hence their collections of sacred writings must at first have been different, and must have remained so for a longer or shorter time, according to their different situations. But, notwithstanding the great difficulty of multiplying copies in an age when there was no quicker method of producing them than by writing every letter with the pen, it appears that the numerous Christian churches founded in the first century, as well as many private individuals, were possessed of the sacred writings. As early as the second century, a collection of the Christian Scriptures was in general use, consisting of two volumes, under the names of the Gospels' and 'the Apostles;' and subsequently, in about the third century, the complete volume received the title of the New Testament,' or rather 'New Covenant,' in contradistinction to the preceding books, which are called by St. Paul (2 Cor. iii. 14) the 'Old Covenant.' The name BIBLE ('Biblia,' i. e. books),

as applied to the whole, is supposed to have been first used in this sense in about the fifth century.

The ORIGINAL LANGUAGES of the Bible are Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, excepting a few portions which, from particular circumstances, were in the cognate Chaldee dialect. See Dan. ii. 4-vii. 28; Ezra iv. 8-vi. 18; vii. 12-26. The books of Moses exist in two forms. Beside the ordinary Hebrew text, there is also the Samaritan Pentateuch, which was in use among the mixed population who inhabited the kingdom of Israel after its conquest by the Assyrians, composed of the remnant of the poorer classes left in the country by Shalmaneser, and of the heathen colonists introduced by him (see 2 Kings xvii. 24-41); and who, in consequence of their political hostility to the Jews, acknowledged only the writings of Moses. The date at which this Hebræo-Samaritan text had its origin is uncertain; it being ascribed by some to a period shortly after the division of the two kingdoms, and by others to a date subsequent to the Assyrian captivity. This text, though inferior in value to the Hebrew, is useful as affording confirmation or correction of it from an independent authority.

All the authors of the New Testament appear to have written in the Greek language. That this was already familiar to them as a vehicle of their religious thoughts and feelings, is evident from their frequent use of the Greek translation called the Septuagint, in quoting the Old Testament, and from the remarkable accordance of their style with the style of that ancient version. This language was also peculiarly suitable for this important purpose, as being at that time almost universally known and used in the most civilized parts of the world.

In the PRESERVATION OF THE SACRED TEXT through many dark and troubled periods, the gracious hand of an ever-watchful Providence may be clearly seen. Among many remarkable circumstances which contributed greatly to this end, may be mentioned the speedy multiplication of copies, the early execution of accurate translations, and the introduction of very extensive quotations from the books of the New Testament in the writings of the early Fathers, which now, from their abundance and their agreement with each other, form one principal criterion for the settlement of the text. As, for many ages, until the invention of printing, the Scriptures were handed down in written copies, there exist, as might be expected, literal and verbal variations between the different ancient manuscripts. In later times, an incalculable amount of learning and industry has been applied to the investigation and settlement of the text; the various authorities have been completely sifted; and the most minute care and attention have been employed in collating all the existing manuscript copies and ancient versions;and the result is, that the Sacred Books are cleared from every cloud of doubt respecting their authenticity. All the omissions in the ancient manuscripts put together would not countenance the rejection of one essential doctrine of the gospel relative to faith or morals; and all the additions countenanced by the whole mass of manuscripts which have been collated, do not introduce a single essential point which is not found in the most imperfect versions. Thus the greatest discrepancies that can be found leave untouched the ground of faith and the rule of life.

TRANSLATIONS both of the Hebrew and of the Greek Scriptures were early made into various languages. The most important of these are, (1.) The Septuagint, which is the name given to a Greek version (already mentioned) of the whole of the Old Testament, made about 280 years before the Christian era, at Alexandria in Egypt, for the numerous Jews who used the Greek language. It was called the Septuagint (i. e. seventy) probably because the seventy or rather seventy-two elders of the Alexandrian sanhedrim are said to have examined and approved the work. This translation is, on the whole, rather free than literal; and having been executed by different persons, it is of various degrees of excellence: but as the most ancient version of the entire Old Testament, made by learned Jews at a period long anterior to the date of our oldest existing Hebrew manuscripts, it is of important service in the establishment of the text, as well as in the elucidation of the Scriptures. It is very frequently quoted in the New Testament. (2.) The Samaritan version of the five books of Moses, which closely follows the Samaritan text, previously referred to, though the translator appears to have availed himself of the labours of the Chaldee paraphrast, Onkelos. This version is supposed to have been made in the first or second century of the Christian era. (3.) The Ancient Syriac version both of the Old and New Testaments, called the Peshito (i. e. 'simple' or 'single'-meaning literal, or free from glosses), and which was made in the first century of the Christian era. This version is faithfully translated, in a pure, easy, and vigorous style, and has been found of important use in interpretation, especially in the New Testament. (4.) The Vulgate, which is the name applied to the Latin translation of the Bible used in the Western church. Several Latin translations were made in the first ages of the Christian church; and by the revision of these, Jerome, towards the end of the fourth century, formed that which is now called the Vulgate, which subsequently came into general use in the Latin church, and is of considerable value in Biblical criticism. (5.) The Targums, or Chaldee versions and paraphrases of the Hebrew Scriptures, which appear to have been made when the Jews began to lose their acquaintance with Hebrew as a living or spoken language; having, during their long exile in Babylon, become familiar with the dialect which was there spoken, and which they brought with them upon their return to their own land. These are of different degrees of value. The two oldest and best are that of Onkelos on the Pentateuch, and that of Jonathan on Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. These were certainly made before A. D. 300, and probably about or shortly before the time of our Lord. Their chief use is in throwing light upon the meaning of words, and upon Jewish ceremonies, customs, and laws.

There are also ancient translations in the Gothic, Georgian, Armenian, Ethiopic, Slavonic, and other languages.

Our Anglo-Saxon ancestors had translations, more or less valuable, of different parts of the Bible, by Adhelm, Bede, king Alfred, and others. The Anglo-Norman period also furnished rhyming paraphrases of portions of the Scriptures. But to John Wiclif belongs the honour of first making a version of the whole Bible into English, which he probably completed about A. D. 1380: and although its circulation was greatly restricted, both by the

extreme costliness of copies before the invention of printing, and by the severe punishments, amounting even to death, to which any person having it in his possession was liable, it became an engine of wonderful power, and contributed greatly to prepare the way for the happy changes which afterwards took place. Wiclif also wrote much in vindication of the right of the common people to have the Scriptures in their own tongue.

For the first printed copy of a portion of the Scriptures in English we are indebted to William Tyndale. Unable to accomplish his great enterprise at home, he went to the continent, first to Cologne, then to Worms, and afterwards to Antwerp; and there made his version of the New Testament, not, as former English translators had done, from the Latin Vulgate, but from the original Greek. It was printed in Holland to the extent of thirteen editions in the course of about ten years; the greater portion of which were imported secretly into this country, where they were soon circulated far and wide, and produced great and lasting results; so that, in the convocation of 1536, Edward Fox of Hereford declared, that 'the lay people do now know the Holy Scripture better than many of us.' Tyndale also translated from the Hebrew the Pentateuch and the book of Jonah, which were in a similar manner brought over and largely circulated here; the latter book having prefixed to it a long, bold, and seasonable warning to all England; and he had made very considerable progress in the translation of the rest of the Old Testament, when he was seized by the Romish emissaries at Antwerp, and put to death at Vilvorde, near Brussels, in the year 1536. But, happily, his manuscripts were saved, and came into the possession of his intimate friend and fellowlabourer, John Rogers (afterwards the first sufferer at Smithfield in Mary's reign), who proceeded with the work; and in the year 1537 the whole Bible, with prologues and annotations, was printed, having the letters W. T., in large flourished text capitals, placed at the end of the Old Testament, to mark the very large share which Tyndale's labours had contributed to that portion of the volume; and with 'an exhortation to the study of the Bible,' signed J. R.; thus pointing out Rogers as the editor. For the purpose of concealment, the fictitious name of 'Thomas Matthew' was put upon it; and hence it became known as Matthew's Bible. It was printed somewhere on the continent, but where cannot be ascertained with certainty, and thence imported into England.

In the mean time Coverdale's Bible had been printed at Zurich, in 1535, which professed in the title-page to have been faithfully translated out of the Doutche (German) and Latyn:' but it was soon superseded by Tyndale's superior version, which became the basis of all subsequent editions of the English Bible.

After these there appeared (1) the Great Bible, which was a revision of Tyndale's version. This was commenced by Coverdale at Paris in 1538; but the printing being interrupted there by an order of the Inquisition, the sheets, types, presses, and workmen were brought to London, where the work was finished, and published in 1539 by royal license: and, through Cranmer's influence, an order was made that the clergy should provide 'one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English to be set up in the churches.' 'It was wonderful,' says Strype, 'to see with what joy the book was received, not only among the learneder sort, and those that were noted for lovers of the Reformation, but generally all

England over; and with what greediness God's word was read, and what resort to places where the reading of it was.

Everybody that could, bought the book,

or busily read it; or got others to read it to them if they could not themselves; and divers more elderly people learned to read on purpose; and even little boys flocked among the rest to hear portions of the Holy Scriptures read.' (2.) Taverner's Bible, in 1539, which was also a revision of Tyndale's, by Richard Taverner, a learned layman. (3.) Cranmer's Bible, in 1540, which was a revised edition of the Great Bible, with a preface by the archbishop. (4.) The Geneva Bible, first printed in 1560.

This was a new translation, with annotations, by William Whittingham and two other English ministers, who took refuge at Geneva during the persecutions of queen Mary. This became afterwards a great favourite with the English people; so that out of one hundred and thirty distinct editions of Bibles and Testaments, which were issued between 1560 and 1603, ninety were of the Genevan text. (5.) The Bishop's Bible, with marginal notes, 1568; so called because archbishop Parker engaged several bishops and other learned men to prepare it. It exhibits some material variations from former versions. (6.) The Rheims and Douay Bible, made by the Romanists; who, finding themselves unable to stop the spread of the Scriptures, resolved to have a version of their own; the New Testament being printed at Rheims, in 1582, and the Old Testament at Douay, in 1610. (7.) And, finally, the present Authorized Version, which arose out of a recommendation made by Dr. Reynolds, one of the Puritan ministers present at the celebrated Hampton Court Conference, to king James I. By the king's command, it was executed by forty-seven learned men, who were divided into six companies, two of which sat at Westminster, two at Oxford, and two at Cambridge. According to their instructions, they followed the Bishops' Bible then in use as closely as adherence to the original would permit. This work was commenced in 1607; and, after being revised by a committee of twelve, and then by Dr. Smith, who wrote the Preface, and by Dr. Bilson, it was printed in 1611. This translation is much admired by competent judges for its general fidelity, as well as for the simplicity, energy, and purity of the style. It would be too much to affirm that it is not susceptible of improvement: but its general excellence is attested by the fact that, with all the diversities of opinion on religious subjects, and the controversies which have been carried on between different denominations of Christians, in our country, all have agreed in appealing to the same version, and none have, in any matters of consequence, objected to it.

It would be interesting, were it possible, to ascertain what has been the whole extent of its circulation; but no certain data exist until recent times. During the last half century the number of copies of the entire English Bible, and of the New Testament separately, which have issued from the press is upwards of twenty-seven millions. This wide and general diffusion of the word of God in our land may well be regarded with devout gratitude as our greatest national blessing.

Besides the English, there were, about the period of the Reformation, translations of the Bible in most of the European languages, including the German, French, Italian, Spanish, and many others. Among these, that of Luther stands pre-eminent for its clearness and accu

racy, and the remarkable purity and elegance of its style. The circulation of it rapidly produced wonderful effects, and contributed more than any other means to extirpate the errors and superstitions at that time prevalent. It also formed the basis of most of the translations made in the North of Europe at that period. More than one hundred and fifty translations of the whole Bible, or of parts of it, have been made during the last half century.

Whilst the essential truths of Scripture are so fully and plainly revealed that every sincere and prayerful inquirer may readily obtain a sufficient answer to his question, 'What must I do to be saved?' there is a considerable portion of the Bible which needs for its satisfactory INTERPRETATION much diligent and well-directed study. If this work be engaged in with an humble, unprejudiced, and teachable spirit, and a sound and cautious judgment, the following simple rules will be found helpful in deriving the greatest benefits from it :

1. The literal and primary meaning is first to be sought; and that is to be ascertained in precisely the same way as that of any other book. The Bible was written for the people, in the common language of men.

2. In order to ascertain the precise impression intended to be produced upon the minds of those to whom the words of Scripture were originally addressed, a knowledge of the persons, places, habits, and customs referred to is of great assistance.

3. Attention should be paid to the peculiar character of each book-whether it be prose or poetry, narrative or prophecy, address or dialogue, devotional or didactic. 4. Observe the gradual unfolding of the Divine will to man, from the first dawn of hope in the first promise to the fulness of the gospel, when the 'Sun of righteousness' had arisen.

5. It must not be supposed that everything in the Bible can be fully comprehended. It is probable that the Divine Being intended that revelation should have its difficulties; in order to further our moral discipline, to make trial whether we would submit our reason to His will, to exercise our faith and diligence, to make us willing to wait till the light of eternity shall disclose allperhaps also to afford us evidence that the book is Divine: for when we find difficulties surrounding us in our search into all the other works of God, was it to be expected that this one alone should be free from them? Much of the prophecy of the Old Testament was not understood till it was fulfilled: indeed obscurity seems to be a necessary condition of prophecy; else it might be said that it had occasioned the fulfilment. Prophecy, therefore, which is still unfulfilled is likely to be obscure. The time has not yet come for a clear understanding of it.

6. Let the mind be thoroughly possessed with a conviction of the infallible truth and supreme importance of the things here revealed; however opposed they may often seem to be to the opinions and principles of mankind in general, even in nominally Christian countries. 7. The Bible should be read with self-application; inquiring how it bears upon our own character and condition; and with a determination, by the grace of God, to carry out in practice what we read. Thus will our own experience both confirm and correct our interpretation of Scripture. Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance,' Matt. xiii. 12. 'If any man will do His will, he shall know of the

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