^ m ^ ■0 BS530 1 T58 ¥-4- # 4P»l ■ >H j C£ en i — i 3 PM 4^ ps OO pq o H 1-3 o h3 * a U Eh ft 3 O *— i p > c ^ o (3 P w X ffl 0) ^ H a: £ . H IZh to 1 02 Ph o CJ> ^ 1 — 1 Cu "B5530 Eooft Societg fox Promoting Religious iftnotoletrp, NO. 19, PATERNOSTER ROW. COMPANION TO THE BIBLE. INTENDED FOR BIBLE CLASSES, FAMILIES, AND YOUNG PERSONS IN GENERAL. / PART I. PRINCIPALLY REFERRING TO THE OLD TESTAMENT. PART II. — PRINCIPALLY REFERRING TO THE NEW- TESTAMENT. WITH MAPS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, CANAAN, AND THE TRAVELS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL. LONDON: Printed for THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY ; SOLD BY THE 13oofc £>octet£> Ux promoting Religious l¬ole&ge, NO. 19, PATERNOSTER ROW. CONTENTS. PART I. Chap. Ptt « e J I. Title of the Bible £ II. Antiquity of the Bible 5 III. Excellency of the Bible 7 IV. Inspiration of the Bible » V. Design of the Bible 10 VI. Authenticity of the Bible 12 VII. Translation of the Bible 17 VIII. State of Mind necessary to read the Bible 21 IX. Rules for the profitable reading of the Bible 24 X. Geography of the Bible, particularly of the Old Testament 32 XI. Hebrew Offices 34 XII. Hebrew Festivals "*7 XIII. Divisions of the Bible 43 XIV. Analysis of the Books in the Old Testament 45 XV. Chronological Order of the Books of the Old Testament. . . 93 Chronological Arrangement of the Psalms 100 XVI. Jewish History between the Times of the Old and New Testament 1° 2 PART II. I. Title of the New Testament I II. Biography of the Writers of the New Testament 2 III. Analysis of the Books of the New Testament 7 IV. Harmony of the Gospels 64 V. Chronological Table of the New Testament Scriptures ... 68 VI. The Miracles of Christ 63 VII. Recorded Parables of Jesus Christ 69 VIII. Remarkable Discourses of Christ 70 IX. Jewish Sects 71 X. Heresies among the Apostolical Churches. 73 XI. Fulfilled Prophecies of Scripture 75 XII. Unfulfilled Prophecies of Scripture 96 XIII. Figurative Language of the Bible 101 XIV. Index to the Symbolical Language of the Bible 104 XV. Character and Influence of Christianity, and its Claims upon all Mankind 115 XVI. Plan for the annual Reading through of the Bible 119 XVII. Geographical Gazetteer of the New Testament 124 XVI 1 1. Scripture Money, Weights, and Measures 129 XIX. Chronological Index of the whole Bible 131 XX. Scripture Names 139 OUTLINES FOR BIBLE-CLASS INSTRUCTION. The following plan was originally drawn up by the Rev. Dr. Romeyn, of New York, and recommended by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America : it has been revised for this work. I. Observe the historical part of the scripture lessons, relating to the two great divisions of mankind — the church and the world. II. The biographical part, embracing the two distinct classes, believers and unbelievers ; with the different effects which their good and bad example have had upon the church and the world. III. The doctrinal part, teaching the nature and perfections of God ,• the character, person, offices, and work of Christ ; the influences of the Holy Spirit ; the actual state of man by the fall, and his renovated character by grace, marking distinctly the gradual increase of knowledge on these points from age to age, through the patriarchal and levitical dispensations, till the chris- tian revelation furnished mankind with the clear and full deve- lopement of God's merciful purposes towards our world. IV. The preceptive part, including the whole range of our duties agreeably to the moral law. V. The positive ordinances, comprising tho sacrifices, types, the priesthood, the temple-service, and the sacraments ; distin- guishing between these positive institutions and moral duties,— the first dependent on the will of God, and therefore mutable ; the last on his nature, and therefore immutable : marking the changes of the first from time to time, with the reasons for the change, and unfolding the influence which they were obviously intended to have upon the spiritual exercises of our hearts, and our obedience to the moral law. VI. The practical lessons which the historical and biographi- cal parts furnish for the regulation of human conduct, in all the relations of life. In these outlines it will be understood, that general questions, under each division, should be proposed to the pupils, and full instruction given by the teacher. COMPANION TO THE BIBLE. PART I. Chapter I. — Title of the Bible. The word Bible is taken from the Greek word Bihlos, which signifies book ; and the volume to which chris- tians give that title, by way of eminence, is called The Bible, because of its supreme excellency, being the book of books, the best book. The Bible is called The Scriptures, from the Latin word Scriptura, which signifies a writing ; and it is called The Holy Scriptures, because it contains the collection of the writings of holy men, who, at different times, were raised up and inspired of God, for the purpose of publish- ing his commandments and promises, and the records of his mercies and judgments, for the instruction and sal- vation of mankind. The two parts of the Bible are called the Old and New Testaments, (2 Cor. iii. 6. and 14.) or covenants. They are so named because they contain the revelations or testaments of God's covenant of mercy, for the re- demption and glorification of sinful man, by the interpo- sition of the Messiah, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only Mediator between God and man. Ch. II. — The Antiquity of the Bible. That the Bible has existed from very remote ages, will not be disputed, except by those who are grossly ignorant. The proofs of its antiquity are, beyond all comparison, more numerous and convincing, than can be advanced in favour of any other book in existence. It has never been A3 6 CH. II. THE ANTIQUITY OF THE BIBLE, without its intelligent witnesses, and zealous guardians ; though some of them have been the greatest perverters of its peculiar principles, or the bitterest enemies of the christian name. The Old Testament has been preserved by the Jews, in every age, with a scrupulous jealousy, and with a veneration for its words and letters, bordering on super- stition ; demonstrating their regard for it as divinely in- spired. The Hebrews never were guilty of negligence in relation even to the words of their sacred books; for they used to transcribe and compare them so carefully, that they could tell how often every letter came over again in writing any book of the Old Testament. The Old Testament contains, besides the account of the former ages of the world, the code of the Jewish laws, both civil and religious ; and the records of their national history, for more than one thousand nine hundred years, from the call of Abraham ; as well as prophecies, which regarded a distant futurity, and which have re- spect to times yet to come. The celebrated Roman his- torian Tacitus, who lived in the apostolic age, speaks of the Jewish books as very ancient in his time. They were translated from the Hebrew into the Greek language more than two thousand and one hundred years ago ; and they were possessed in both those languages by the Jews. By those Jews who lived among the Greeks, they were read in their synagogues every sabbath day, in the translation, the same as the Hebrew Scriptures were read by the native Jews : commentaries were written upon them by their learned doctors ; copies of them were circulated in every nation where the Jews were scattered, and thus the sacred books were multiplied without number. The books of Moses, including Genesis, Exodus, Le- viticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, were written more than three thousand and three hundred years ago, and nearly fifteen hundred years before the christian era : many of the other books were published above a thousand years, and those of the elder prophets about eight hun- dred years before the advent ot Christ, CH. III. — THE EXCELLENCY OF THE BIBLE. 7 As to the writings of uninspired men, they are modern compared with the Holy Scriptures. The earliest pro- fane history which is known is that of Herodotus, in Greek ; which was written no earlier than the time of Malachi, the last of the Old Testament writers. Some- what more ancient than Herodotus, are the poems of Homer and Hesiod : the period in which they were writ- ten cannot be correctly ascertained ; hut those who allow them the remotest antiquity, place Homer only in the days of Isaiah the prophet, and Hesiod in the age of Elijah. It is not, indeed, agreed among the learned, whether there ever was such a person as Hesiod. The hooks of these ancient, uninspired writers are of a quite different character from the Holy Scriptures ; they are tilled with silly and absurd fables, and contain many im- purities. They make no discovery of the just character of the only living and true God, though they contain much concerning religion. As to the history by Hero- dotus, it contains much that is merely fabulous and untrue ; but as far as it records the transactions of his own age, or describes the things within the compass of his own observation, or details matters of fact of which he was correctly informed, his statements confirm the faith- fulness and accuracy of the records contained in the holy and inspired word of the Lord. Ch. III. — The Excellency of the Bible. That the Bible is the best book, might be proved suf- ficiently from its sanctifying and transforming influence upon the minds of all its devout readers. But this is manifest more especially from the fact of its having God for its author : and that God is its author is evident, from its being the only book which teaches every thing that our Creator requires of us, either to know, or believe, or do, that we may escape his deserved displeasure, obtain his sovereign favour, and dwell for ever in the bliss of his immediate presence. 1. It opens to us the mystery of the creation ; 2. The nature of God, of angels, and of 8 CH. III. THE EXCELLENCY OF THE BIBLE. men; 3. The immortality of the soul; 4. The end for which man was created; 5. The origin of evil, and the inseparable connection between sin and misery ; 6. The vanity of the present world, and the glory reserved in a future state for the pious servants of God. In the Bible we are taught the purest moralitj', perfectly accordant with the dictates of sound reason, and confirmed by the witness of our conscience, which God has placed for him- self in our breasts. In this volume we see described all the secret workings of the human mind, in a manner which demonstrates the inspiration of Him, who is the Searcher of hearts. It gives us a particular account of all the spiritual maladies of man, with their various symptoms, and the methods of their cure. From this source flow all the pure streams of spiritual and healing knowledge, to bless mankind with recovery from his fallen state, with salvation and immortality. Although many hundreds of thousands of books have been written in different ages by wise and learned men, even the best of thein will bear no comparison with the Bible, in respect either of religion, morality, history, or purity and sublimity of composition. Perhaps no man was ever better qualified to pronounce his judgment in this matter than the late sir "William Jones, who was one of the most learned men that ever lived. He says, " I have regularly and attentively read the Holy Scriptures, and am of opinion that this volume, independent of its divine origin, contains more true sublimity, more exqui- site beauty, purer morality, more important history, and finer strains both of poetry and eloquence, than could be collected within the same compass, from all other books that were ever composed in any age or nation. The anti- quity of those compositions no man doubts, and the un- strained application of them to events long subsequent to their publication, is a solid ground of belief that they were genuine predictions, and consequently inspired." The commendation which bishop Home gives to the book of Psalms, is found to be true of the whole Bible, by the devout christian, who, alone, is capable of per- ceiving its excellency. That pious prelate says, " Indited CH. IV. — THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE \) under the influence of Him, to whom all hearts are known, and all secrets foreknown, they suit mankind in all situations, grateful as the manna which descended from above, and conformed itself to every palate. The fairest productions of human art, after a few perusals, like gathered flowers, wither in our hands, and lose their fragrancy ; but these unfading plants of paradise become, as we are accustomed to them, still more and more beau- tiful ; their bloom appears to be daily heightened, fresh odours are emitted, and new sweets are extracted from them. He who hath once tasted their excellences, will desire to taste them yet again ; and he who tastes them oftenest, will relish them best." Ch. IV. — The Inspiration of the Bible. The books of the Old Testament, in the number and order in which we now possess them, were held sacred by the Jewish church. Concerning them especially the apostle Paul declares, " All scripture is given by inspi- ration of God," 2 Tim. iii. 16. and the apostle Peter, in reference to the same, testifies, " No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the pro- phecy came not in old time by the will of man ; but holy- men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. Being inspired of God, signifies being supernaturally influenced by his Holy Spirit : thus the ancient prophets are said to have spoken by divine inspiration. The in- spiration of the sacred writers consisted, 1 . In their being- infallibly excited and moved to undertake their work ; 2. Being furnished by special revelation from God with the knowledge of things which they had not previously possessed; 3. Being directed in the choice of proper words to express their conceptions ; and, 4. Being guided in all things to write according to the will of God. That the Holy Scriptures were inspired, is evident from their divine sentiments in religion ; 1 . The glorious cha- racter under which they represent Almighty God ; 2. The 10 CH. V. — THE DESIGN OF THE BIBLE. purity and reasonableness of their morality ; 3. The majes- tic simplicity of their style ; 4. Their wonderful efficacy on the minds of believers ; 5. The faithfulness and disin torestedness of the writers ; 6. The miracles by which they confirmed their doctrines ; 7. The astonishing preserva- tion of the several books to our times ; and, 8. The fulfil- ment of their numerous and various prophecies. " The inspiration pleaded for extends to all the books of the sacred scriptures, and to all the writers of them, and principal speakers introduced in them ; and though all that is contained in them is not of God, or inspired by him, as the quotations from heathen writers, the words of Satan, the speeches of bad men, and even of good men, in which some things not right are said of God, as by Job and his three friends ; yet the writers of the books in which these sayings are, were under a divine impulse, inspiration, and direction to commit these several things to writing ; partly for the truth of historical facts, and partly to show the malice of devils and wicked men, as well as the weaknesses and frailties of good men, and all are for our caution and instruction." Dr. Gill. " Inspiration belongs to the original writings. No one contends for any degree of inspiration to the transcribers in different ages. Accuracy in the copies they have made, is, under God, secured by the fidelity of the keepers of Scripture, bv the opposition of parties watching each other, as of Jews and Christians, and various sects, and by the great multiplication of copies and translations into different languages, which took place so early. The agreement among the ancient manuscripts, both of the Old and New Testaments, has been ascertained, by the strict- est examination, to be astonishingly exact." Haldane. It certainly is so as to all points of importance. Ch. V. — The Design of the Bible. The Bible having God for its author, and having been given by the special inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we may be assured that it has been written for the most CH. V. THE DESIGN OF THE BIBLE. 11 important purposes. The Bible is evidently designed to give us correet information concerning the creation of all things by the omnipotent word of God ; to make known to us the state of holiness and happiness of our first parents in Paradise, and their dreadful fall from that con- dition by transgression against God, which is the original cause of all our sin and misery. Also to show us the duty we owe to him, who is our almighty Creator, our bounti- ful Benefactor, and our righteous Judge ; the method by which we can secure his eternal friendship, and be pre- pared for the possession of everlasting mansions in his glorious kingdom . The Scriptures are specially designed to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus ; 1 . To reveal to us the mercy of the LORD in him ; 2. To form our minds after the likeness of God our Sa- viour; 3. To build up our souls in wisdom and faith, in love and holiness ; 4. To make us thoroughly furnished unto good works, enabling us to glorify God on earth ; and, 5. To lead us to an imperishable inheritance among the spirits of just men made perfect, and finally to be glorified with Christ in heaven. If such be the design of the Bible, how necessary must it be for every one to pay a serious and proper attention to what it reveals. The word of God invites our atten- tive and prayerful regards in terms the most engaging and persuasive. It closes its gracious appeals by pro- claiming, " Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely," Rev. xxii. 17. The infinite tenderness of the divine compassion to sinners, flows in the language of the inspired writers with which they address the children of men, and the most gracious promises of the Lord of glory accompany the divine invitations. But those who oppose the merciful designs of the Bible with all its wondrous grace, will not be held guiltless in the great day of the Lord. " How shall we escape," says an apostle, " if we neglect so great salvation?" Heb.ii.3. Neglect of the Bible, under the christian dispensation, is despising the pity and tender mercy of God, and the blessings of his gracious covenant. The apostle, by the Holy Spirit, appeals to the careless in those awfully 1*2 CH. VI.-^THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE BIBLE. awakening- words ; " He that despised Moses's law died without mercy under two or three witnesses ; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing-, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace," Heb. x. 28, 29. Our merciful Lord and Saviour himself has declared, " He that be- lieveth not shall be damned !" Mark xvi. 16. Ch. VI. — The Authenticity of the Bible. We have the most ample and satisfactory proofs that the books of the Bible are authentic and g-enuine. The scriptures of the Old Testament were collected and com- pleted under the scrupulous care of inspired prophets. The singular providence of God is evident in the trans- lation of the Old Testament into Greek, nearly three hundred years before the birth of Christ, for the benefit of the Jews who were living- in countries where that lan- guage was used. The testimony which our Saviour bore to the Old Testament used by the Jews in Judea, and the quotations which the New Testament writers have made from its several books, g-enerally from the Greek trans- lation, confirm what has been already said on the anti- quity of the Bible, and prove its authenticity. This will appear in a much stronger point of view when we con- sider the Jews as the keepers of this Old Testament — their own sacred volume, which contains the most extra- ordinary predictions concerning the infidelity of their nation, and the rise, progress, and extensive prevalence of Christianity, — their still existing and remaining the irreconcilable enemies of its claims, — and that their enmity should also be foretold. That all the books which convey to us the history of the events of the New Testament were written and im- mediately published, by persons living at the time of the things mentioned, and whose names they bear, is most fully proved. J. By an unbroken series of christian CH. VI. — THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE BIBLE. 13 authors reaching from the days of the apostles, down to the present time. 2. By the concurrent and well-informed belief of all denominations of christians. 3. By the unreserved acknowledgment of the most learned and intelligent enemies of Christianity. That the books we possess under the titles of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were written by the persons whose names they bear, cannot be doubted by any well- informed and candid mind : because, from the time of their first publication, they have been uniformly attri- buted to them by all christian writers. That all the facts related in these writings, and all the accounts given of our Saviour s actions and sayings arc strictly true, we have the most substantial grounds for believing. Mat- thew and John were two of our Lord's apostles ; his constant attendants throughout the whole of his ministry ; eye-witnesses of the facts, and ear-witnesses of the dis- courses which they relate. Mark and Luke were not of the twelve apostles ; but they were contemporaries and associates with the apostles, and living in habits of friendship and intercourse with those who had been pre- sent at the transactions which they record. Many sup- pose that Luke was one of the seventy disciples who were ordained by our Lord to preach his gospel ; and if bo. his personal knowledge of Christ must have been almost equal to that of the twelve apostles. However, if not one of the seventy, he was the constant companion of Paul for many years, and well knew the things con- cerning which he wrote. In the beginning of his gospel, therefore, Luke declares his intimate acquaintance with his subject. " Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eye-wit- nesses and ministers of the word : it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the cer- tainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed/ Iiukc i. 1 — 4, B 14 CH. VI. THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE BIBLE. Luke being- also the author of the Acts of the Apostles*, we have for the writers of these five books, men who had the most accurate knowledge of the things which they relate, either from their own personal observation, or by means of immediate communication with those who saw and heard every thing recorded. They could not, there- fore, have been themselves deceived ; nor had they any inducement or inclination to deceive others. They were men of honesty, simplicity, eminent integrity, and ami- able candour, which are qualities singularly manifest in all their writings ; and their greatest enemies have never attempted to cast the least stain upon the purity of their characters. It was not possible for them to gain any- thing by false statements ; and the doctrines which they published, they themselves at length ratified with their own blood. But, besides all these qualifications, to compose those writings which contain the gospel of our salvation, they were moved, not only by a benevolent regard for the souls of men, but by the sovereign influences of the Holy Spirit; and his gracious and infallible directions secured them from every possible error and mistake, in writing books adapted for the edification and sanctifica- tion ot all nations, and for all succeeding- generations. The same effectual inspiration of the Holy Spirit in- fluenced the apostles, in writing the epistles to the newly- founded churches, agreeably to the promises of their Master, Christ. About the commencement of the second century, copies of most of the New Testament books were collected into one volume. At first, indeed, for want of full information, the epistles and gospels being in the care of different and distant churches, and as several books, falsely attributed to the apostles, were published, and widely circulated, some of the churches hesitated about receiving the epistle to the Hebrews, the second epistle of Peter, the second and third epistles of John, the epistle of Jude, and the book of the Revelation. A scrupulous investigation of their claims was there- fore instituted ; and after a rigorous examination, it appeared evidently clear that they were the inspired CH. VI. — THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE BIBLE, lb productions of the apostles of Christ; and, therefore, they were admitted by consent of all the churches, as of equal authority with the other parts of the New Testa- ment. As to the preservation of the sacred books down to our times, it is certain, that although the original copies may have been lost, the books of the New Testament have been preserved without any material alteration, much less corruption ; and that they are, in all essential matters, the same as they came from the hands of their authors. In taking copies of these books by writing, from time to time, as the art of printing was then un- known, some letters, syllables, or even words, may have been omitted, altered, or even changed in some manu- scripts : but no important doctrine, precept, or passage of history, has been designedly or fraudulently corrupted. This would have been impossible : because, as soon as the original writings were published, great numbers of copies were immediately taken, carried by the evange- lical missionaries wherever they went, and sent to the different churches : they were soon translated into foreign languages, and conveyed into the most distant countries : they were constantly read in the christian assemblies, diligently perused by many private christians, some of whom had whole books by heart ; they were quoted by numerous writers, and appealed to, as the inspired standard of doctrine, by various sects, who differed from each other, some on important points ; and, conse- quently, they were jealously watchful against the least attempt, either to falsify or to alter the word of divine revelation. " Who can imagine that God, who sent his Son to declare this doctrine, and his apostles, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to indite and speak it, and by so many miracles confirmed it to the world, should suffer any wicked persons to corrupt and alter any of those terms on which the happiness of mankind depends ? It is absurd to say that God repented of his good will and kindness to mankind, in vouchsafing the gospel to them ; or that he so far maligned the good of future b 2 16 CH. VI. THE AUTHENTICITY Otf THE BIBLE. generations, that he suffered wicked men to rob them of all the good intended to them by this declaration of his holy will. " Dr. Whitby. That there should be differences found to exist in the manuscripts of the Holy Scriptures, cannot be surprising to any one, who recollects that before the invention of printing-, in the fifteenth century, copies of all books were made by transcribers ; some of whom were ignorant, rash, or careless, though skilful in the art of writing'. These persons were not supernaturally guarded against the possibility of error ; and a mistake in one copy would necessarily be propagated through all that were taken from it ; each of which copies might likewise have pecu- liar faults of its own : so that various, or different read- ings, would be thus increased in proportion to the num- ber of transcripts that were made. Besides actual oversights, transcribers might have occasioned various readings, by substituting, through ignorance, one letter, or even word, in place of another : or being inattentive, they might have omitted a line or period. In these dif- ferent ways, it is very natural to expect, reckoning all the little diversities of single words, syllables, and let- ters, that many thousands of various readings should be discovered, in collating several hundred manuscripts of the whole Scriptures. The manuscripts of the sacred books are found in every ancient library in all parts of the christian world ; and amount in number to several thousands. About five hundred have been actually examined and compared by learned men with extraordinary care. Many of them were evidently transcribed as early as the eighth, seventh, sixth, and even the fourth centuries. Thus we are car ried up to very near the times of the apostles, and the promulgation of the inspired writings. The prodigious number of these manuscripts, the remote countries whence they have been collected, and the identity of their contents with the quotations which the fathers of different ages have made, demonstrate the authenticity of the New Testament. It has been, indeed, asserted by learned men, that if the New Testament were lost, its CH. VII. — THE TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE. 17 contents might be wholly supplied by the quotations from it, which are found ia the writings of the fathers of the first four centuries of the christian church. , Ch. VII. — The Translation of the Bible. The authenticity of the Bible will be more fully esta- blished, by a consideration of some of its translations ; and young believers cannot fail to be interested, in being informed some particulars concerning the history and character of that in the English language. The Old Testament, as has been noticed in the pre- ceding chapter, was translated into Greek nearly three hundred years before the birth of Christ. This version is commonly called The Septuagint, from the reported number of seventy-two, or, in round numbers, seventy Jewish elders, who were employed in the work. Soon after the publication of the apostolic writings, the Bible was translated into Latin, for the use of the christians using that language. This version was called the Italic, which being in the vulgar tongue of the Romans, was called the Vulgate, of which, a. d. 384, Jerome, who died a.d. 420, published an improved translation, con- taining both the Old and New Testament, with prefaces to the several books : this is the only authorized Bible of the Romish church at the present time. In French, the Waldenses had a translation of the Bible, made by their celebrated leader, Peter Waldo, about a.d. 1160, and another, more generally published, about a. d. 1383. In Spain, Alphonsus, king of Castile, had a transla- tion of the Sacred Books made into his native dialect, about a. d. 1280. In Germany, a translation of the Bible was made about a.d. 1460. Luther published a new translation of the New Testament, a.d. 1522, and of the whole Bible, a.d. 1532. In England, several attempts were made at different times to translate the Bible into the vulvar language, b 3 18 CH. VII. — THE TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE. especially by Bede, a learned and pious monk, who died A. d. 785 ; and by king Alfred, who died a. d. 900 : but the first complete English translation of the Bible, it is generally admitted, was made by Wickliff, about a. d. 1380. The New Testament by that great man has been printed ; and there are, in several libraries, manu- script copies of his translation of the whole Bible. The first printed English Bible was a translation made by William Tindal, who retired to the continent, to prose- cute that work in security. He was assisted by Miles Coverdale, another English exile. The New Testament was printed at Antwerp, a. d. 1526, but most of the copies were bought up and burnt, by order of Tonstal, bishop of London. An improved edition was published in 1530. In 1535 the whole Bible was published by Coverdale, and rapidly sold ; but while this edition was being prepared, Tindal was seized by the papists, through the treachery of Henry Philips, an Englishman, and, being strangled, he was burnt as a heretic at Filford castle, between Antwerp and Brussels. This christian martyr expired, praying, " Lord ! open the eyes of the king of England !" Two of Tindal's assistants shared a similar fate : John Frith at Smithfield, and William Roye in Portugal. On the death of Tindal, the good work was carried on by Miles Coverdale, assisted by John Rogers, who was afterwards the first martyr in the reign of queen Mary. They revised the whole Bible, comparing it with the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and German ; adding notes and prefaces from the German translation by Luther. It was dedicated to Henry VIII. and issued in 1537, under the borrowed name of Thomas Matthews. It was printed on the continent ; but a license was obtained for publishing it in England, by the influence of archbishop Cranmer, lord Cromwell, and bishops Latimer and Shax- ton. This translation of the Bible, revised by Cover- dale, with prefaces added by Cranmer, was printed in England in 1539, and called Cranmer's Bible. Another edition of this Bible was printed in the following year, 1540, and, by royal proclamation, every parish was obliged to place a copy of it in the church, for public CH.VII. — THE TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE. 19 use, under the penalty of forty shillings a month. Two years afterwards the popish bishops procured its sup- pression by the king : it was restored under Edward VI., suppressed under Mary, and again restored under Eliza- beth. In the reign of Mary, some English exiles at Geneva, among whom were Coverdale and John Knox, the celebrated Scotch reformer, made a new translation, which was printed in 1560. This is called the Geneva Bible : it contains marginal readings and annotations, the chapters divided into verses, and other important helps; on which account it was greatly prized. Arch- bishop Parker engaged some learned men to make a new revision or edition, which was published in 1568, and was called the Bishop's Bible. This translation was used in the churches, though the Geneva Bible was generally^ read in private families : more than thirty editions of which were printed in as many years. King James dis- liked the Geneva Bible, on account of the notes : and when many objections against the Bishops' Bible were made at the Hampton Court conference in 1603, in con- sequence of the request of Dr. Reynolds, the king gave orders for a new translation. Forty-seven learned divines were engaged in the work, which was commenced in 1 607, and completed and published in 1 6 1 1 , with a learned preface, and a dedication to king James. After this publication, all the other versions fell into disuse, and king James's version has continued to this day to be the only Bible allowed to be printed, without notes, in Great Britain. The translators did not pretend that it was a perfect and faultless version ; and as it was made so long ago, it may be reasonably supposed that it is capable of some improvements : but of its general excellence, the follow- ing testimonies, given by learned divines of different communions, may be regarded as sufficient to satisfy any unlearned reader. About a hundred years ago, Dr. John Taylor wrote, — " You may rest fully satisfied, that as our English trans- lation is in itself by far the most excellent book in our language, so it is a pure and plentiful fountain of divine 20 CH. VII. THE TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE. knowledge ; giving- a true, clear, and full account of the divine dispensations, and the gospel of our salvation : so that whoever studies the Bible, the English Bible, is sure of gaining that knowledge, which if duly applied to the heart and conversation, will infallibly guide him to eter- nal life." Dr. Geddes says, — " If accuracy, fidelity, and the strictest attention to the letter of the text, be supposed to constitute the qualities of an excellent version, this, of all versions, must in general be accounted the most excellent." Dr. Doddridge observes, — " On some occasions, we do not scruple to animadvert upon it ; but these remarks affect not the fundamentals of religion, and seldom reach any further than the beauty of a figure, or at best the connection of an argument." Dr. Adam Clarke declares, — " It is the most accurate and faithful of all translations. Nor is this its only praise : the translators have seized the very soul and spirit of the original, and expressed this, almost every where, with pathos and energy." The Rev. Thomas Scott writes, — " It may be asked, How can unlearned persons know, how our translation may be depended on, as in general faithful and correct ? Let the inquirer remember, that Episcopalians, Presby- terians, and Independents, Baptists and Psedobaptists, Calvinists and Arminians, persons who maintain eager controversies with each other in various ways, all appeal to the same version, and in no matter of consequence object to it. This demonstrates that the translation, on the whole, is just. The same consideration proves the impossibility of the primitive christians corrupting the Sacred Records." Thus we see a merciful providence has marvellously appeared in raising up learned men to translate the Holy Scriptures : and there are at this time more than one hundred and fifty languages in which the oracles of God are circulated ! 21 Ch. VIII.— State of Mind necessary to the Reading of the Bible The sovereign goodness of God lias been singularly- manifested in the wisdom and skill with which he has endowed his servants in relation to his inspired word* Through his gracious providence, the Holy Scriptures have not only been preserved down to our times, but they have been translated into our language by pious and de- voted men; and by the same providence, skilful me- chanics have been led to discover the wonderful art of printing ; by which means, the Bible is now become the commonest book among us, so as to have been our lesson- book from childhood ; while four hundred years ago a copy cost many pounds, even if it could be obtained at all. But to derive saving and eternal benefit from the Scriptures, it is necessary to read them, not merely as at school, but as deeply and personally interested in their contents : as heirs of an eternal existence, and candidates for a glorious immortality. Some persons read the Bible only as a book of amuse- ment ; others peruse it as the most ancient record of authentic and faithful history; and others again — as scholars, as critics in its refined classic language, and on account of the beauties of its style and composition. But there are not a few, who, according to its principal de- sign, read it with devout veneration, and with earnest prayer for the divine illumination and the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit. To read the Word of God with saving benefit, the heart must be prepared with suitable dispositions. 1. The Bible must be read with reverence. It is to be remembered, that it is the inspired revelation of the Lord God Almighty. This appears to be lamentably forgotten, even by many pious persons. We are so much accus- tomed to the sight of a Bible, that we are in danger of looking upon it merely as a common book: but every time we cast our eyes upon the sacred volume, our minds should be impressed with its character, as a standing 22 CH. VIII. — STATE OF MIND NECESSARY TO miracle of sovereign and divine mercy. " My heart standeth in awe of thy Word," said the royal Psalmist, Psa. cxix. 161. This wonderful book hears upon its communications, the evident impress of God : it carries with it divine authority : it is the only rule of our duty in this life, and the law by which we shall all be judged at the last day! " Thus saith the Lord, To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my Word," Isa. lxvi. 2. Nothing, surely, can be more unbecoming, than to read the Word of Almighty God with an irreverent, careless, trifling mind : and can there be any thing more dan- gerous ? 2. Docility or teachableness is indispensable to a pro- fitable reading of the Scriptures. They are the "Oracles of God;" and he who would read them to edification and salvation, must humbly receive their infallible instruc- tions as the dictates of infinite wisdom. " The meek will he guide in judgment ; and the meek will he teach his way. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; and he will show them his covenant — (so the marginal reading,) to make them to know it," Psa. xxv. 9 and 14. Prejudices, preconceived notions, and favourite opinions must be laid aside ; and the mind must yield to the truth of God as wax to the seal. Every beloved lust must be denied, and every darling sin must be sacrificed. The apostle James gives this inspired direction — " Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save the soul," James i. 21. The manner in which the early christians regarded the Scriptures, at once evinces both reverence and humility. " When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe," 1 Thess. ii. 13. 3. Devout reliance on the influences of the Holy Spirit, is necessary to a beneficial reading of the Bible. " The natural man," however he may be polished in his manners, and possess a mind furnished with various THE READING OF THE BIBLE. 23 stores of knowledge, being- prayerless, " receiveth not the tilings of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness to him : neither can he know them, because they are spi- ritually discerned," 1 Cor. ii. 14. To prepare our sen- sual minds savingly to regard the inspired Scriptures, God, our heavenly Father, has graciously promised his Holy Spirit to those who pray for his illuminating and sanctifying influences ; " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and up- braideth not; and it shall be given him," James i. 5. " If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him !" Luke xi. 13. " Many of the things of God in the Scriptures are very deep, so that they cannot be discovered but by the help of the Spirit of God. This is the great and principal rule, which is to be given to those who would find out the mind of God in the Scripture. Let them be earnest, diligent, constant, fervent in their supplications and prayers, that God, according to his promise, would gra- ciously send his Holy Spirit, to guide, lead, instruct, and teach them ; to open their understandings, that they may understand the Scriptures, as our Lord did for his dis- ciples. Unless we have his guidance, we shall labour to little purpose in this matter. Yea, wo be to him who leans to his own understanding herein." Dr. Owen. 4. The Bible must be read with ardent desire to enjoy its consolations, and to obey its precepts. If the Bible has been given to us by divine inspiration, and if it is designed to make sinners wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus ; if it is able to build us up in faith and holiness, to qualify us for communion with God on earth, and to give us an inheritance among all them that are sanctified through faith in Christ Jesus, it must be read and studied, with a humble, believing, prayerful mind ; so that its soul-renewing doctrines may be under- stood and loved, and its holy precepts cordially and uni- versally obeyed. In this manner, as a recorded example to us, did the devout Psalmist study the Word of God, 24 CH. IX. RULES FOR THE PROFITABLE and realize its divine blessing's. Psalms xix. and cxijf. are most beautifully edifying- specimens of a profitable manner of studying- the Bible. May every reader of these pages, possessing- the spirit, be led to adopt the language of the Psalmist — " Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever : for they are the rejoicing- of my heart," Psa. cxix. 18. 72. 80. 111. " If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God," John vii. 17. " The whole Scripture is divinely inspired and profitable ; being written by the Holy Ghost for this purpose, that in it, as a common healing office for souls, all men may choose the medicine suited to cure their own disteiiipers. It searches their hearts, discovers their thoughts, fixes principles in their consciences, judges their acts, supports their spirits, comforts their souls, enlightens their minds, guides them in their hope, confidence, and love to God, directs -them in all their communion with him, and obe- dience unto him, and leads them to an enjoyment of him. And this work of the Holy Ghost in it, and by it, seals its divine authority unto them, so that they find rest, spiritual satisfaction, and great assurance therein. When once they have obtained this experience of its divine power, it is vain for men or devils to oppose canonical authority, with their frivolous cavils and objec- tions." Dr. Owen. Ch. IX. — Rules for the profitable Reading of the Bible. Besides the state of mind in which the word of God may be read profitably, there are many rules, of more or less importance, to be observed in order to derive the full amount of benefit in this employment. The following have been eminently useful. HEADING OP THE BIBLE. 25 1 . Read the Bible daily. An equal portion cannot be read every day by all persons. Mr. Thomas Gouge, an eminent minister, read fifteen chapters daily. Chrysos- tom, a bishop of the fourth century, besides other por- tions, read through the epistle to the Romans twice every week : but such a measure is not practicable by every one ; nor is it to be recommended. Probably, however, there are few or none who could not read a chapter in the morning, and another in the evening. But even if it were only a verse at each time, with larger portions on the Lord's day, very great profit would arise to the me- ditative, devout believer. " His delight is in the law of the LORD ; and in his law doth he meditate day and night," Psa. i. 2. " Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors," Prov. viii. 34. 2. Read through each book of the Bible. It indicates a trifling mind, to read any important book only in parts, and those irregularly : but this is a common evil. How much more unwise and criminal must such a proceedings be in relation to the word of God! Merely " to dip into a book," especially the volume of inspiration, is not the way to understand the full meaning of its author. Many of the books of Scripture are, in a great measure, inde- pendent of the others. Thus Genesis, the four Gospels, the Acts, Romans, and Hebrews, cannot be clearly under- stood by parts only being read. Each book should be read throughout in course before another is begun, that the full sense and scope of the writer may be perceived.. Though all are necessary, and designed for our in- struction, yet all the books of the Bible are not of equal interest, especially to the plain christian ; and, there- fore, they do not claim so much of his attention. The Psalms, each of which is an independent writing, the Gospels, and the Epistles, generally engage the minds, of believers in the greatest degree ; as they seem pecu- liarly adapted to edify, sanctify, and console them in their pilgrimage : but the scope, and force, and design and benefit of them can be fully realized, only in perusing each as a whole. C 26 CH. IX.— RULES FOR THE PROFITABLE 3. Regard the design of each book. Detached pas- sages of Scripture are often misunderstood and misap- plied, even by good men, through inattention to the de- sign of the inspiring Spirit, Ungodly men often per- vert the word of God, as Satan did when he tempted our Saviour, Matt. iv. 6. Peter, admonishing his brethren against such an evil, especially in relation to difficult passages in Paul's epistles, observes, " Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction," 2 Pet. iii. 16. To illustrate this rule we may refer to the epis- tles of Paul to the Romans and to the Hebrews. They both contain the same divine doctrines of salvation, but his manner of setting them forth is strikingly different. The epistle to the Romans was written for the instruc- tion of believers generally, while that to the Hebrews was addressed to the Jewish people specially, and de- signed to show that the ceremonial institutions established by Moses, were intended only for a time ; while the various services of the priesthood, the sacrifices, and the purifications, prefigured the all-glorious priesthood and atonement of Christ as our surety, and the sanctification of the church by the blessings of his grace. 4. Consider the Bible as a harmonious whole. "The writers plainly make it appear, that they wrote, not of themselves, but as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. For though they were men that lived in different ages of the world, and in different parts of it, and were of dif- ferent interests and capacities, and in different conditions and circumstances, yet they are all of the same senti- ment ; they speak and write of the same things, deliver out the same doctrines and truths, enjoin the same moral duties of religion, and the same positive precepts, accord- ing to the different dispensations under which they wrote, and relate the same historical facts. There are no con- tradictions to one another, no jar nor discord between them, but all uniform and of a piece. What seeming contradictions maybe observed, are easily reconciled with a little care and study." Dr. Gill. 5. Remark the testimony of the ancient prophets to READING OF THE BIBLE. 27 Christ. The spirit of the whole Bible is to direct its readers to Jesus Christ. One of the glorified elders de- clared to John, that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy," Rev. xix. 10. So said our Lord himself, " Search the Scriptures, for they are they which testify of me," John v. 39. He conversed on this subject, after his resurrection, with two of his disciples. " And be- ginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, con- cerning me," Luke xxiv. 27.44. " To him," said Peter, " give all the prophets witness, that thiiough his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins," Acts x. 43. By this, it is not intended that every part or passage refers to Jesus Christ ; but that the doc- trinal spirit of the whole volume testifies the necessity, sufficiency, and blessings of a Mediator between God and man ; while very many passages point out the glory, the offices, and the grace of Jesus Christ, as the only Sa- viour of sinners. " Let this also commend the Scrip- tures much to our diligence and affection, that their great theme is our Redeemer and salvation wrought by him." — Archbishop Leighton. 6. Make the Bible its own expositor. In consulting parallel passages of Scripture, by the help of a Bible with marginal references, or by means of a concordance, incalculable advantage may be gained. While we are required to " search the Scriptures," we are directed to be diligent in "comparing spiritual things with spiritual," 1 Cor. ii. 13. "I will not scruple to assert, that the most illiterate christian, if he can but read his English Bible, and will take the pains to read it in this manner, will not only attain all that practical knowledge which is necessary to his salvation, but, by God's blessing, he will become learned in every thing relating to his religion, in such a degree that he will not be liable to be misled, either by the refined arguments or false assertions of C2 28 CH. IX. — RULES FOR THE PROFITABLE those who endeavour to engraft their own opinions upon the oracles of God. He may safely be ignorant of all philosophy, except what is learned from the sacred books; which, indeed, contain the highest philosophy, adapted to the lowest apprehensions. He may safely remain ignorant of all history, except so much of the history of the first ages of the Jewish and christian church as is to be gathered from the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. Let him study these in the manner I recommend ; and let him never cease to pray for the illumination of that Spirit by which these books were dictated; and the whole history of abstruse philosophy and recondite history shall furnish no argument with which the perverse will of man shall be able to shake this learned christian s faith." — Bishop Horsley. 7. Possess correct ideas of the method in which alone a sinner can attain to a state of justification before God, and be qualified to dwell in his presence in heaven. " We arc accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our works and deservings." — Church of Eng- land, Art. XI. " Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone." — Assembly's Catechism. See Isa. liii. 10 — 12. Rom. v. 17—19. 2 Cor. v. 21. Tue scripture doctrine of sanctification should be well understood. A sinful creature can be prepared for the kingdom of God only by being regenerated, " born of the Spirit :" the alienated and unholy mind being re- newed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. " Not by works of rigliteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy lie saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour," Titus iii, 5, 6. Allowing these leading principles to rule in the mind, it will be prepared to understand many pas- sages of Scripture, which would otherwise appear obscure or inexplicable. READING OF THE BIBLE. 29 8. Remember, that many things in the Old Testament were designed by God as types or emblematical repre- sentations of Jesus Christ and his relation to his church. That which was prefigured is called the antitype. The apostle declares, " The law had a shadow of good things to come ;" by which were prefigured many things con- cerning the mediation of Christ and his redemption of the church, Heb. viii. 5. ix. 8, 9. x. 1. Great caution is indeed necessary in the interpreta- tion of the types; for many, by their indiscretion and unrestrained fancies, have exposed the doctrine of types to ridicule. There is one certain and infallible rule which we have for the interpretation of types. " Whatever persons or things recorded in the Old Testament, were expressly declared by Christ or his apostles to have been designed as prefigurations of persons or things relating to the New Testament, such persons or things, so re- corded in the former, are types of persons or things with which they are compared in the latter." — Bishop Marsh. Many persons were typical, as Adam, Melchisedec, Moses, and David. Things were typical, as Noah's ark, the manna, and the tabernacle. Places were typical, as Canaan, Jerusalem, and the cities of refuge. Institutions were typical, as the passover, the repeated atonements, and the purifications ; of which the epistle to the He- brews is an inspired exposition. 9. Preserve in mind an accurate idea of the term co- venant, as used in the Bible. It generally signifies a league, contract, or mutual agreement made between two parties ; but in the Scriptures it most frequently denotes a solemn promise made by God, to a certain person or persons, for important purposes. There are several co- venants mentioned in the Bible, of which the following ought to be attentively considered. (1.) The Covenant of Obedience, commonly called the Covenant of Works, between God the Creator and our first parents, and with all mankind in them : of this co- venant the tree of life was the sacramental sign, Gen. ii. 9. iii. 22—24. (2.) The Covenant of Safety with Noah, for all c 3 30 CH. IX. — RULES FOR THE PROFITABLE mankind, of which the rainbow was the appointed token, Gen. ix. 9—17. (3.) The Covenant of Property with Abraham and his seed, renewed with the children of Israel at Sinai : the seal of this covenant was circumcision, Gen. xvii. 1 — 13. Exod. xix. 1 — 7. Deut. ix. 5 — 11. (4.) The Covenant of Royalty with David, 2 Sam. vii. Psa. lxxxix. 19—35. (5.) The Covenant of Redemption and Grace, with Christ as its surety. Hence the apostle declares of be lievers, " God hath saved us, and called us, with a holy calling - , not according- to our works, but according- to his own purpose and grace, which was g-iven us in Christ Jesus before the world began," 2 Tim. i. 9. The covenant of grace is a merciful constitution of things, in which God takes sinners into a new relation to himself as his peculiar people ; stipulates blessings and privileges for them, gives them laws and ordinances as the rule of their obedience, and the means of their cor- respondence with him, the whole transaction being rati- fied with the blood of sacrifice. This covenant of mercy was made known to mankind in former ages by means of the animal sacrifices ; its awful conditions were sealed by the blood of Christ, and it is now commemorated by the people of God, in the communion of the Lord's Sup- per. The covenant of grace is contrasted by the apostle with that of Moses ; and its merciful provisions are de- clared as infinitely better than those of the Levitical dis- pensation. " He," Christ, " is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts ; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people ; and they shall not teach every man his neigh- bour and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more," Heb. viii. 6—12. READING OP THE BIBLE. 31 10. Rig-lit apprehensions concerning- the law are of much consequence to the Scripture reader. The word law is variously used in the Bible, in reference to be- lievers on Jesus Christ. It is employed to denote the Levitical institutions, which were partly of a political, partly of a moral, and partly of a religious character. From these the Hebrew christians were delivered by virtue of their faith in Christ. Law is used in the New Testament to signify that rule of our duty both to God and man, which was delivered to Moses in ten command- ments, and which was summed up by our Lord in those two comprehensive precepts, " Thou sbalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind ;" and, " Thou shak love thy neighbour as thyself." This must necessarily be a rule of duty to all intelligent creatures ; and though believers in Christ are not under it, as a condition of justification and life, it will be for ever obligatory upon all men. 1 1 . Obtain a general acquaintance with the geography of the Bible, so as to be familiar with the relative situa- tion of the principal countries mentioned in the Scrip- tures. 12. Get a correct acquaintance with the Hebrew offices, and the sacred festivals. 13. The chronology of the Bible should be well con- sidered by the Scripture reader, by which much light will be thrown upon the various parts of the word of God. The principal epochs, or remarkable periods of time, ought to be familiar to the christian reader: the creation of the world before Christ 4000 years : the deluge b. c. 2348 years : the calling of Abraham b. C. 1921 years: the exodus of Israel B.C. 1491 years : the dedication of Solomon's temple B.C. 1012 years: the captivity of Judah b. c. 588 years : the close of the Old Testament b. c. 400 : the termination of the New Testament his- tory a. d. 100. 14. The customs of ancient nations should be con- sidered. Besides the peculiar religious ceremonies of the Hebrews, there were many national customs, which may appear singular to us, and which therefore are 33 CH. X. — GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. necessary to be known. The houses were generally built with flat roofs ; upon which the inhabitants were accus- tomed to walk, and sometimes to sleep, and where pious persons were used to retire for prayer, Acts x. 9. The bottles mentioned in Scripture were made of the skins of animals ; and their books were few and small, written upon pieces of parchment, which were folded upon rollers, &c. &c. See " The Manners and Customs of the Jews." 15. Notice several peculiarities in our version of the Bible. The words printed in Italic letters, have not cor- responding words in the original : they were added by the translators to complete the sense ; but in some instances they make it obscure. The word Lord, when printed in capital letters, is, in the Hebrew, Jehovah, signifying that Being who is eternal and selfexistent, and who gives being to others. Lord, in small letters in the original, signtfies ruler or sustainer; see both Psalm ex. 1. The larger Bibles have many words placed in the margin, which are the more literal renderings of the original words to which they refer: those in the Old Testament are distinguished by the letters Heb. signifying that such is the correct meaning in Hebrew ; and those in the New Testament by Gr., denoting that such is the literal sig- nification in the original Greek. Ch. X. — Geography of the Bible, particularly of the Old Testament. The principal countries mentioned in the Old Testa- ment, except Egypt, are situated on the western border of the Asiatic continent. In that quarter of the world, the first man was created — there dwelt the first long- lived patriarchs, and the descendants of Noah, till long after the deluge — there the great monarchies of Assyria, Babylon, and Persia were founded and flourished. The ruins of stately palaces, and of other magnificent build- ings, which are still to be seen throughout the countries t. 33 sian, and .fficiently abitants, nitted to to have ed river ;he land lor, now iarbeck ; •rincipal •es, and ist coast >w neck ed Sea, frica or its air, st deli- plants, events re the re the -where ;re our t work of the finong- ation, )m of Ham, nSea pt on mded rabia .vledi- — ». . JJb iuurr xnetjreat Sea; and on the rth by the Mountains of Lebanon in Syria. Its length PARTICULARLY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 33 that formed the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian, and the Grecian and Roman empires in Asia, sufficiently attest the multitude and riches of its ancient inhabitants, and corroborate the astonishing accounts transmitted to us by different ancient historians. Paradise, or the garden of Eden, is supposed to have been situated in Armenia, near the celebrated river Euphrates. The country called Palestine, or the land of Judea ; Syria, including Phoenicia ; Asia Minor, now called Natolia; Mesopotamia, now termed Diarbeck; Chaldea ; Assyria, and Arabia, constitute the principal countries noticed in the Old Testament scriptures, and are all in Asia. Egypt, which is on the north-east coast of Africa, is separated from Asia only by a narrow neck of land, called the Isthmus of Suez, and the Red Sea, now called the Arabian Gulf. Asia is celebrated as being far superior to Africa or even Europe, both in the salubrious serenity of its air, and the rich fertility of its soil, producing the most deli- cious fruits, and the most fragrant and balsamic plants, gums, and spices. The Scriptures, however, relate chiefly to the events which took place in Palestine or Canaan — where the kingdoms of Israel and Judah flourished — where the temple of God was erected by king Solomon — where most of the inspired Scriptures were written — where our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the all-important work of human redemption — and where the apostles of the Saviour were supernaturally qualified to go forth among all nations, to preach the gospel of eternal salvation, bringing sinners of every tribe into the kingdom of Messiah. Canaan was so named from Canaan, the son of Ham, the son of Noah. It lay between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains of Arabia, extending from Egypt on the south to Phoenicia on the north. It was bounded on the east by Arabia Deserta ; on the south by Arabia Petrcea, Idumea, and Egypt ; on the west by the Medi- terranean, called in Scripture The Great Sea; and on the north by the Mountains of Lebanon in Syria. Its length 34 CH. XI. HEBREW OFFICES. from the city of Dan, which stood at the foot of those mountains, to Beersheba, which was situated at the southern extremity of the land, is about two hundred miles; and its breadth, from the shores of the Mediter- ranean to the eastern border, is about ninety miles. This country is known to us by several significant names be- sides that of Canaan : it is called The Land of Promise, from the fact of its having- been promised to Abraham and his family : Palestine, from the Philistines : Judea, from the tribe of Judah possessing its most fertile divi- sion. It is frequently called The Holy Land, from the circumstances recorded in the Holy Scriptures, especially as the ministry of Christ was exercised in that country ; and as there the obedience, and death, and resurrection of Christ took place for our eternal salvation. On the completion of the work of redemption, the apostles were commissioned to "go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature ;" and the ful- filment of their ministry opens to us a new field of geo- graphy. Asia Minor, Greece, and several other parts of the Roman empire, especially the countries around the shores of the Mediterranean, might claim a particular notice in this place, did the nature of this work allow of an extension of the subject : but the reader is referred to Chapter XVII. in the second part, called, The Geo- graphical Gazetteer to the New Testament. Ch. XI. — Hebrew Offices. Correct notions concerning the several Hebrew offices, will be valuable to the Bible reader. , 1. The patriarchs were the fathers who lived in the early ages of the world, and who became famous on ac- count of their long lives, and their descendants. Adam, Seth, Enoch, &c. were eminent before the deluge : Noah and his sons after that event. Job, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his sons, are the other most celebrated patri- archs of the Old Testament ; they were the founders of mighty families. The patriarchs exercised a kind of CH. XI. HEBREW OFFICER. 35 sovereign authority in their respective households, being both priests and princes. In Job and Abraham we see excellent examples of the patriarchal government. 2. The prophets were illustrious persons who were divinely raised up among- the Israelites, to be the extra- ordinary ministers of the dispensations of God. They flourished in a continued succession during a period of more than a thousand years, reckoning- from Moses to Malachi ; all co-operating in the same designs, uniting in one spirit to deliver the same doctrines, and to predict the same blessings to mankind. 3. The priests were those persons who were set apart to offer sacrifices to God, and make intercession with him for the people. Before the call of Aaron, patriarchs, elder brothers, and princes, or every man for himself, offered sacrifice ; as is evident from the history of Cain, Abel, Noah, Job, and Abraham. Among the Israelites, after their departure from Egypt, the priesthood was con- fined to one tribe, and it consisted of three orders — the high priests, common priests, and Levites. The high priest was the first character among the Israelites, as he was the medium of communion with God. The priesthood was hereditary in the family of Aaron, and the first-born of the oldest branch of it, if he had no legal blemish, was always the high priest. He was consecrated with solemn pomp, and officiated at the daily sacrifice in splendid robes ; especially on the day of atonement, on which occasion he wore the precious breastplate, with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraven on gems, set in it, that he might be admonished to bear on his heart the whole community, for whom the sacred ornament was a memorial before the Lord. In his appointment to his office, and in his consecration, sacrifice, and intercession for the people, the high priest was an eminent type of Jesus Christ, Exod. xxviii. xxix. Lev. xvi. Heb. iii. v. vii. viii. ix. x. The priests were also of the family of Aaron : they were the ordinary ministers of religion, and their duty was to offer the daily and other sacrifices, under the direction of the high priest ; to conduct all the various 36 CH. XI. — HEBREW OFFICES. services of the tabernacle ; to manage all the religious ceremonies of the people, and to instruct them in the law of God. They were divided into twenty-four ranks, each rank serving weekly in the temple. The high priest prefigured our Lord Jesus Christ, in his mediation with God by atonement and intercession. The ministers of the gospel were represented by the ordi- nary priests. 4. The Levites were the descendants of Levi, but not of the family of Aaron : they were a lower order of eccle- siastical persons, inferior to the priests, and their assist- ants in the inferior part of the sacred service. The Le- vites corresponded to deacons under the gospel. Tn this subordinate capacity were all the posterity of Moses ; affording a proof that he was not influenced by ambition, but acted by the Divine direction. The Levites applied themselves to the study of the law, and they were dis- persed through the country as the ordinary teachers, ma- gistrates, and judges of the people. They had no landed property except forty-eight cities ; for God was their in- heritance, and he appointed the tithes of the produce of the land, as a reward for their services among the people, Num. xviii. 20—32. xxxv. 1—8. 5. The Nethinims, from the Hebrew word Nathan, " to g'ive," were servants, who had been given up to the service of the tabernacle and temple, at which they offi- ciated, in the more laborious duties of carrying wood and water. They were the Canaanites whose lives were spared, Joshua ix. Ezraviii. 20. 6. Nazarites were persons devoted to the peculiar service of God, for a week, a month, a year, or for life. Samson and John the baptist were Nazarites by birth ; others were voluntary, Num. vi. Acts xviii. 18. xxi. 21 — 26. The Rechabites were of this class of persons, Jer. xxxv. 7. The Scribes among the Israelites were writers of the law; persons who addicted themselves to literary pursuits. They were a class of lawyers by profession : at first they were only the copiers of the law, or secretaries to the government ; but from transcribers of the sacred CH. XII. — HERREW FESTIVALS AND SEASONS. 37 writings, they assumed the office of its expounders, till in the time of our Saviour, their commentaries had, in man) r things, superseded the Word of God. Ch. XII. — Hebrew Festivals, Times, and Seasons. To a serious reader of the Bihle, a general acquaint- ance with the Hebrew times and seasons is important. The Israelites had two different periods, from which they began the computation of their year; — one for civil pur- poses, the other for the regulation of their religious fes- tivals. The sacred year commenced in the month Abib, which corresponds with our March ; because in that month the Israelites were emancipated from their slavery in Egypt : the civil year began in the month Tisri, an- swering to our September. The Hebrew mode of reckon- ing months was not as ours, but strictly lunar: they, therefore, cannot be reduced to correspond exactly with ours, as they consisted of 29 and 30 days alternately. To make their year equal to the solar, the Jews took care every three years to add a month to Adar, and called it Ve-Adar or second Adar. The natural day the Israelites distinguished from the civil : the civil day was from the rising to the setting of the sun ; and the natural day was of 24 hours, reckoning from one sun setting to another. The night was divided into four watches, each watch containing the space of about three hours. The following Table of Hebrew Time may serve to explain more clearly the periods of the several sacred festivals. 38 CH. XII. HEBREW FESTIVALS AND SEASONS. TABLE OF HEBREW TIMES AND FESTIVALS Hebrew Month'3. Correspond- ing with the Months of Month Sacred Year. 1st of the Civil Year. Sea- sons. Festivals. Abib, or Nisan. Exod.xii. 2, 18. xiii. 4. Esth. iii. 7- March. 7th X ■ < IB 11 a o GC I s OB ■v osing that God never afflicts his sincere servants, at east in so grievous a manner as Job was then suffering, charge him with being a wicked man and a hypocrite in CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF JOB. 73 religion ; and therefore they reproach him severely, and exhort him to repentance before God. Job, in asserting his integrity, and defending- the purity of his character, argues that God does afflict the righteous for the trial of their faith and obedience ; but several ex- pressions of Job manifest a spirit of self-justification, not only against his uncharitable friends, but apparently in relation to God. Elihu, as moderator, blames the other friends of Job, on account of their unrighteous censoriousness, while he reproves Job for his rash expressions. The contents of the book of Job are the more remark- able, as they relate to times so ancient ; and because they evince to us that the principal articles of the true faith were maintained at so remote a period. Among other points of important evangelical doctrine, we learn the following from the book of Job : 1. The creation of the universe by one supreme, al- mighty, eternal Being. 2. The government of the world, by the powerful, universal, and perpetual providence of the Creator. .3. That the providential government of Almighty God is carried on by the ministry of an order of his intelli- gent creatures. 4. That a part of these glorious beings are fallen from their original loyalty, dignity, and felicity, and are be- come apostates, of whom Satan is the chief. 5. That these superior creatures, both good and bad, are subject to their Creator ; to whom they are required to render an account on stated occasions. 6. That every human being, descending by ordinary generation from Adam, is a partaker of a fallen nature, and born in sin. 7. That Almighty God would be propitious to sin- ners, by means of a sacrifice of atonement for trangres- sion. 8. That God, sometimes for his own glory, and for their personal benefit, tries the faith and love of his most eminent servants by great afflictions. 9. That an expectation of the promised Messiah was 74 CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF PSALMS. cherished by many, beyond the boundaries of the land of Canaan. 10. That good men derived substantial consolation from the belief of a general resurrection from the dead, and of a future state of felicity for the righteous. References in Job. Ch. i. 7. 1 Pet. v. 8. Rev. xii. 9, 10. 21. 1 Tim. vi. 7. Eph. v. 20. 1 Thess.v.18. — ii. 10. Jas. v. 10. — iv. 18. 2 Pet. ii. 4. — v. 12. 1 Cor. iii. 19. 17. Heb. xii. 5. 19. 1 Cor. x. 13. Ch. xii. 10. Acts xvii. 28. — xiv. 12. iii. 21. — xix. 25. 2 Tim. i. 12. 26, 27. Phil. iii. 20, 21. 1 John iii. 2. 1 Cor.xiii. 12. — xxii. 6, 7. Matt. xxv. 42. — xxvii. 8. xvi. 26. — xxxiii. 27. Luke xv. 10. 21. — xlii. 8. Jas. v. 11. PSALMS. The book of Psalms is a collection of inspired hymns and songs, meditations and prayers ; and the book is so called, because psalms signify holy songs. In the ori- ginal they are said to present every possible variety of He- brew poetry. They are commonly called the Psalms of David, because he wrote the largest portion of them. The other writers of the Psalms were Heman, Moses, Asaph, Jeduthun, and some inspired prophets, who lived during the Babylonish captivity ; and some even at a later period. The book of Psalms is considered as containing the sum of the whole Bible, adapted to the purposes of devo- tion. The design of these compositions is, the instruction of the church, and the assistance of pious men in the acceptable and profitable worshipping of God. For this purpose, being written in various styles of verse, many of them were set to music, and sung by the Jews, in their public exercises of religion, and they have always been prized by the people of God as suitable helps in communion with the Father of spirits, both in public and private. While this book has a literal sense, applying generally to the circumstances of the several writers, its main de- sign is to exhibit the Saviour, and to manifest the varied CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF PSALMS. 75 experience of the true believer. David himself was an eminent type of Christ, being an extraordinary king - , priest, and prophet of Israel. The Jewish community prefigured the professing people of God ; their enemies weretypieal of those of the church ; and their victories shadowed forth the triumphs of believers. To read the Psalms with the full measure of profit designed by the Holy Spirit, we should, 1 . Obtain a knowledge of the ancient scriptures, par- ticularly the history of David as recorded in the books of Samuel, and in the first book of Chronicles. 2. Give an attentive consideration to the application of the Psalms to Jesus Christ and to the church, by the inspired writers of the New Testament. 3. We should possess a regenerate and spiritual mind; and the more a believer is advanced in experimental god- liness, the better will he be prepared to perceive their divine excellences, and to realize the heavenly consola- tions which are conveyed by the Psalms. The word Selah, found in many of the Psalms, denotes a musical elevation of sound. In the confession of his sin, the penitent believer will find the most suitable assistance in the 51st Psalm ; in praising God, his grateful soul will be enlarged by the 103d; in praying for grace, and adoring God for the Scriptures, his mind will be abundantly furnished by the 119th ; in supplicating for the prosperity of the church, his heart will be inspired by the 122d ; and in imploring the extension of the church, embracing the heathen in its salvation, the 67th will inflame his benevolent devotion. The number of the Psalms is one hundred and fifty, and they have been classed under six heads. I. Prayers — 1. For pardon of sin, vi. xxv. xxxviii. li. cxxx. Those called penitential are, vi. xxxii. li. cii. cxxx. cxliii. 2. When prevented attending public worship, xlii. xliii. Ixiii. lxxxiv. 3. In affliction, iii. xiii. xxii. lxix. lxxvii. Ixxxviii. cxliii. 4. In trouble, iv. v. xxviii. xli. xliv. lv. lxiv. lxxix. lxxx. lxxxiii. cix. cxx. cxl. cxli. cxlii. G 2 76 CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF PSALMS. II. Thanksgiving Psalms — 1. For personal mercies, ix. xviii. xxx. xxxiv. xl. lxxv. ciii. cviii. cxvi. cxviii. cxxxviii. cxliv. cxlv. 2. For mercies to the church, xlvi. xlviii. lxv. lxvi. lxviii. lxxvi. lxxxi. lxxxv. xcviii. cv. cxvi. cxvii. cxxiv. cxxvi. cxxix. cxxxv. cxxxvi. cxlix. III. Psalms of adoration — Of the majesty, glory, and perfections of God, viii. xix. xxiv. xxix. xxxiii. xlvii. 1. lxv. lxyj. lxxvi lxxvii. lxxxix. xciii. xcvi. xcix. civ. cxi. cxiii. cxiv. cxv. cxxxiv. cxxxix. cxlviii. cl. Of the providential care of God over good men, xxiii. xxxiv. xxxvi. xci. c. ciii. cvii. cxvii. cxxi. cxlv. cxlvi. IV. Psalms of doctrinal instruction — The excellency of the scriptures, xix. cxix. The vanity of man as mortal, xxxix. xlix. xc. The characters of good and bad men, i. v. vii. ix. x. xi. xii. xiv. xv. xvii. xxiv. xxxii. xxxiv. xxxvi. xxxvii. 1. Hi. lviii. lxxiii. lxxv. lxxxiv. xci. xcii. xciv. cxii. cxix. cxxi. cxxv. cxxvii. cxxviii. cxxxiii. V. Prophetical Psalms — relating- especially to Jesus Christ, or Messiah, ii. viii. xvi. xxii. xl. xlv. lxviii. lxxii. lxxxvii. cix. ex. cxviii. VI. Historical Psalms — Isxviii. cv. cvi. cxxxv. cxxxvi. About fifty Psalms are either quoted or referred to in the New Testament. References in the Psalms. Ps.ii. 1. * Acts iv. 25, 26. Ps. xxxi. 5. Luke xxiii. 46. 7. ' xiii. 13. — xxxii. 1. Rom. iv. 6 — 8. Heb.i.5.v.5. — xl 6. Heb. x. 5. — viii. 2. Matt. xxi. 16. — xli. 9. John xiii. 18. 4. Heb. ii. 6. — xliv. 22. Rom. viii. 36. — xiv. 1. 3. Rom. iii. 12. — xlv. 6. Heb. i. 8. — xvi 10. Acts xiii. 35. — lxviii. 18. Eph. iv. 7, 8. — xviii. 49. Rom. xv. 9. — lxix. 21. John xix. 29. — xix. 4. x. 18. 22, 23 . Rom.xi. 9,10. — xxii. Matt, .vxvii. — lxxviii. 2. Matt. xiii. 35. Mark xv. — xci. 11. iv. 6, 7. Luke xxiii. — xcv. Heb. iii. 9. 15 John xix, iv. 7 CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF PROVERBS. 77 Ps. cix. 8. Acts i. 20. — ex. 1. Matt. xxii. 44. Luke xx. 42. — cxvii. 1. Rom. xv. 11. — cxviii. 22. Matt. xxi. 42. Ps. cxviii. 22. Acts iv. 11. Eph. ii. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 4. 7. — exxxii. 5. Acts vii. 46. — exxxviii. 8. Phil. i. 6. PROVERBS. Proverbs are wise sayings, contained in short sen- tences, which can be easily remembered : and the book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings, given by divine inspiration, and written in the poetic style. They relate to almost every part of moral and religious duty ; and they have been always considered by the church as forming a storehouse of practical wisdom, directing us how to walk with God in the way of holiness. Most of these proverbs were written by Solomon, the wise king of Israel ; on which account they are commonly called by his name. The book of Proverbs is divided into thirty-one chapters, which include three principal sec- tions. Section I. Embraces the first nine chapters, which contain the most affectionate and forcible exhortations to engage men to the study of wisdom in the fear of God, ch. i. — ix. Sec. II. Contains the wise maxims of Solomon ; and which are, in a proper sense, proverbs, ch. x.' — xxix. Sec. III. Consists of the last two chapters ; the first of which contains the wise sayings and instructions of Agur to his two disciples Ithiel and Ucal : the other the exceUent lessons addressed to king Lemuel by his mother. The most remarkable things in the book of Proverbs, are the invitations and counsels to mankind by Christ in the character of Wisdom. See ch. viii. References in Proverbs. Ch. i. 20. John vii. 37. Ch. x. 12. Jas. v. 20. — hi. 11, 12. Heb. xii. 5, 6. — xi. 30. _ 34. Jas. iv. 6. 1 Pet. — xvii. 27. i. 19. v. 5. — xv hi. 21 Matt. xii. 37. G 3 78 CH.XIV. ANALYSIS OF ECCLESIASTES. Ch. xix. 17. — xx. 9. — xxii. 6. — xxiv. 23. — xxv. 6, 7. Matt. xxv. 41. 1 John i. 8. Eph. vi. 4. Jas. ii. 1. Luke xiv. 8-10. Ch. xxv. 21,22. Rom. xii. 20 — xxvii. 1. Jas. iv. 13; — xxviii. 5. 1 Cor. ii. 1 5 1 John ii.20-27 — xxx. 8. Matt. vi. 11. ECCLESIASTES. Ecclesiastes signifies preacher ; and this hook was so called because of its doctrines and the design of its pub- lication. It was written by Solomon, at the close of his life, after having- been drawn aside by his idolatrous wives, as a monumental expression of his sincere repent- ance, and of his unfeigned return to the Lord. The book of Ecclesiastes is a continued discourse in twelve chap- ters. Its design is twofold: 1. To testify and demon- strate, from the experience of a wise and prosperous king, that riches, and honour, and all possessions and gratifica- tions of an earthly kind, are totally insufficient to satisfy the soul of man ; 2. To draw off men from the pursuit of all worldly objects as their supreme good, direct- ing them to the fear of God, and to communion with him, as the chief end of man, and as his highest happiness and honour. The things most remarkable in the book of Eccle- siastes, are the beautiful descriptions which it contains, of the appearances of nature, the circulation of the blood, the structure of the human frame, and its humiliating •decay. Ch. i. 2. — iii. 17 — vi. 12 — vii. 20. Beferences in Ecclesiastes. Ch. viii. 12. Rom. viii. 20 2 Cor. v. 10. las. iv. 14. Rom. iii. 23. — xi. 9. — xii. 14. Matt. xxv. 34—41. Rom. ii. 6. 2 Cor. v. 10. SONG OF SOLOMON. The Song of Solomon is a sacred poem, composed by the king of Israel. According to the best commentators on the Bible, this book is i sublime and mystical allegory, referring to CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF SONG OF SOLOMON. 79 Jesus Christ and his union with an uncomipted church. Under the natural and endearing figure of a bridegroom and bride, it is designed to set forth the affection of Christ towards his church, he being its heavenly bride- groom and husband ; ministers are his friends ; the bride is the churcn of true believers ; and her companions are all who seek the society of the church. In the character of husband and bridegroom, in similar figures of speech, our Saviour is several times represented to us, both in the Old and New Testaments. See Psalm xlv. Jer. iii. 12 — 14. Hosea ii. 14—23. Matt. ix. 16. xxii. 2. xxv. 1—11. John iii. 29. 2 Cor. xi. 2. Eph. v. 23—27. Rev. xix. 7 — 9. xxi. 2—9. xxii. 17. It may be remarked, that no unregenerate, sensual person can understand this book: none but heavenly- minded men, who can truly say of Christ, " This is my beloved, and this is my friend." References in Solomon's Song. Ch. i. 4. — ii. 3. — iv. 7. -—15. John vi. 44. Phil. iii. 12,13. Rev. xxii. 1, 2. Eph. v. 27. John iv. 10. Ch. iv. 15. Johnvii. 38. — v. 2. Rev. iii. 20. — vii. 1. Eph. vi. 15. — viii. 11. Matt. xxi. 33—43. 14. Rev. xxii. 20. PROPHETS. The following baoks, sixteen in number, Lamentations be\ ; ng considered as an appendix to Jeremiah, are pro- phetical. Their writers were a class of God's ministers, who were formerly called seers, holy men of God, and prop'aets. They were the philosophers, divines, and in- structors of the Hebrews in religion and virtue. The earlier prophets, as Elijah, Elisha, Micaiah, and some others, appear to have committed nothing to writing : but those who were endowed with the spirit of prophecy in its most exalted sense, and who were commissioned to utter predictions, the accomplishment of which was far distant, were directed to write, or cause them to be written. In reading the prophets, we should have especial 80 CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF ISAIAH. regard to the apostle Peter's important declaration. " Knowing- this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, lor the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man : but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. The prophecies in these books embrace a vast range of subjects, especially relating to the Jewish nation, to Jesus Christ, and the christian church ; and inclucle no- tices of the several empires and nations of the world, down to the end of time, as they were, or as they will be, in various ways connected with the church of God. ^ The style of the prophets is highly poetical and figura- tive, and their metaphors and allusions require devout attention. Kings, queens, and magistrates are frequently represented by the sun, moon, and stars ; kingdoms and cities, by mountains and hills ; the covenant of God, by lawful marriage, and departure from his worship, by adultery. Acquaintance with history is requisite to qualify a per- son to understand many of the prophecies ; and others, which are yet unfulfilled, are necessarily attended with obscurities or difficulties, which time alone can removej and which should be always studied with deep humility of mind. ISAIAH. Isaiah was a prophet of Judah, and he is supposed to have been of the royal family. He began to prophesy in the reign of Uzziah, who died b. c. 758 years, and he continued his ministry till after the death of Hezekiah, who died b. c. 698 years; he must, therefore, have pro- phesied above sixty years. He is thought to have been put to death by order of Manasseh, when that king was in the height of his enormous wickedness. Isaiah has been called the evangelical prophet, on account of his having foretold so many things concerning the birth, ministry, sufferings, and death of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and the glorious times of the gospel. Many parts of this book are most admirably adapted to promote the spiritual CH. XIV. — ANALYSIS OF ISAIAH. 81 edification and consolation of believers, especially the last twenty-seven chapter 5 ! The design of the prophec!c3 of Isaiah was threefold : 1 . To declare to the Jewish people the greatness of their wickedness. 2. To exhort all classes among' them to repentance, on account of their transgressions. 3. To comfort those who truly feared the Lord, with promises of divine support ; to assure them of the com- ing of Christ ; and to encourage their expectation of the future enlargement, and the permanent glory of the church. The book of Isaiah is divided into sixty-six chapters, and contains six principal sections. Section I. Contains several discourses and predictions, delivered in the reign of Uzziah, ch. i. — v. Sec. II. Predictions delivered in the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz, ch. vi. — xii. Sec. III. Predictions against the Babylonians, As- syrians, and other nations, by whose oppressions or wick- edness the Israelites had been injured, ch. xiii. — xxiv. Sec. IV. Prophecies of great calamities, which should befall the people of God : His merciful preservation of a remnant of them, and their restoration and conversion to Christ — their enemies and antichrist being destroyed, ch. xxv. — xxxv. Sec. V. The accounts of the invasion of Judea by Sen- nacherib, and the destruction of his army, in answer to the prayer of Hezekiah ; and the sickness and miracu- lous recovery of Hezekiah, ch. xxxvi. — xxxix. Sec. VI. Contains a series of prophecies, delivered toward the close of the prophet's ministry. This portion of Isaiah's writings constitutes the most elegant part of the Old Testament; and the most important for its evangelical contents. The chief subject is the restora- tion of the church ; and the prophet connects the de- liverance from Babylon, with the spiritual and eternal redemption of Jesus Christ. The most celebrated and interesting prophecies deli- vered by Isaiah, relate to three momentous subjects. 82 CH. XIV. — ANALYSTS OP ISAIAH. 1. The captivity of the Jews in Babylon, on account of their sins ; and their certain deliverance from that idolatrous city, by Cyrus the Persian conqueror, whom Isaiah foretold byname, nearly 200 years before his birth, ch. xliv. 28. xlv. 1—4. 13. 2. The circumstantial particulars concerning- the birth, ministry, sufferings, and death of Christ as an atone- ment for sinners : many of which are described by the prophet with the accuracy of a present observer, and eye- witness of their fulfilment, ch. ix. xxxv. liii. lxv. 3. The growing enlargement of the church in the times of the gospel dispensation ; increasing in numbers and prosperity, until " the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth,' 1 in the full millennial glory, ch. ii. ix. xi. lxvi. In the book of Isaiah there are several facts recorded, which deserve particular remark. 1 . The account of the Assyrian army besieging Jeru- salem, and their destruction in one night to the number of 185,000, by a commissioned angel of the Lord. 2. The alarming illness and extraordinary recovery ot king Hezekiah, and the merciful addition of fifteen years to his life, ch. xxxvi. — xxxix. References in Isaiah. Ch. i. 9. — v. 1, 2. — vi. 9, 10. — vii. 14. — viii. 14. 18. — ix. 1, 2. — xi. 10. — xiii. 10. — xxi. 9. — xxii. 22. — • xxv. 8. — xxviii. 16. Rom. ix. 29. Matt. xxi. 23. Johnxii.40,41. Mark iv. 11,12. Matt. i. 23. 1 Pet. ii. 8. Heb. ii. 13. Matt. iv. 16. Luke i. 32, 33. Rom. xv. 10-12. Matt. xxiv. 29. Mark xiii. 24. Rev. xvih. 2. iii. 7. 1 Cor. xv. 54. Rom. ix. 33. Ch. xxviii. 16 . 1 Pet. ii. 6—8. — xxix. 13. Matt. xv. 8, 9. — xxxv. 5, 6 xi. 5. xv 30. — xl. 3. iii. 3. Luke iii. 4. 6. 1 Pet. i. 24. 11. John x. 11. _ xiii. i_4. Matt. xii. 18. — xliv. 3. John vii. 38,39, — xlv. 9. Rom. ix. 20. 23. xiv. 11, 24. 1 Cor. i. 30. — xlix. 6. Acts xiii. 47. — Ii. 6. 2 Pet. iii. 10-1 3. — Iii. 7. Rom. x. 15. CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF JEREMIAH. 83 Ch. lin. 4. Matt. viii. 17. Ch. lviii. 7. Matt. xxv. 35. — 5. 1 Pet. ii. 24. — lix. 20. Rom. xi. 26. 10. 1 Cor. v. 21. — lxi. 1. Luke iv. 18. 12. Heb. vii. 25. — lxiii. 1, 2. Rev. xix. 13. — liv. 1. Gal. iv. 27. — lxv. 1. Rom. x. 20. 13. John vi. 45. — lxvi. 24. Mark ix. 44. JEREMIAH. Jeremiah prophesied for about forty-three years before the destruction of Jerusalem ; and during- several years after that calamitous event, which took place 588 years before the birth of Christ. After the destruction of Je- rusalem, Jeremiah followed those Jews who retired into Egypt. There he continued to reprove them on account of their idolatry, and sealed the truth of his ministry by the blood of martyrdom, the Jews having- stoned him. In the treatment which Jeremiah received from his country- men, we perceive the rooted enmity of the unrenewed mind of man against the righteous authority of God. The book of Jeremiah is divided into fifty-two chap- ters, containing- four collections of prophecies ; but they are not arrang-ed in chronological order. They have been placed in the following order by a learned translator of the book of Jeremiah. I. Prophecies delivered in the reign of Josiah, ch. i. — xii. II. Prophecies delivered in the reign of Jehoiakim, ch. xiii. — xx. xxii. xxxv. xxxvi. xlv. — xlviii. xlix. 1 — 33. III. Prophecies delivered in the reign of Zedekiah, ch. xxi. xxiv. xxvii. — xxxiv. xxxvii. — xxxix. xliv. 34—39. 1. Ii. IV. Prophecies delivered under the government of Gedaliah, from the taking of Jerusalem to the retreat of the people into Egypt ; and those which Jeremiah de- livered to the Jews in that country, ch. xl. — xliv. The fifty-second chapter is supposed to have been added by Ezra, as an introduction to the book of Lamen- tations. The prophecies of Jeremiah relate to three principal points : 84 CH. XIV. — ANALYSIS OF LAMENTATIONS. 1. To admonish the Jews of the certain and approach* ing destruction of their glorious temple, on account of its pollution by their idolatries ; and of the wasting of their country, as a punishment for their apoatacy and wickedness. 2. To invite the people to repentance by the promises of divine forgiveness, and of deliverance from Babylon, at the expiration of seventy years. 3. To comfort the pious with renewed assurances of the advent of Messiah, and the blessings of his kingdom. The most remarkable things related in the book of Jeremiah are, 1 . The series of persecutions and sufferings which the prophet endured in the faithful discharge of his ministry, as the messenger of God ; on account of which, and of the affecting nature of some of his writings, Jeremiah has been called the Weeping prophet. 2. The instructive character under which the Messiah was foretold — the Righteous Branch, and the LORD our Righteousness, ch. xxiii. 5, 6. 3. The spiritual and eternal blessings of the Lord's covenant, to be communicated to the church, as the fruits of the righteousness and sacrifice of Christ, ch. xxxi. 31—36. xxxiii. 8. 14—16. References in Jeremiah. Ch. ii. 13. John iv. 14. Ch. xviii. 6. Rom. ix. 20. 21. Matt. xxi. 33. — xxiii. 6. 1 Cor. i. 30. Mark xii. 1. — xxix. 7. 1 Tim. ii. 2. Luke xx. 9. — xxxi. 15. Matt. ii. 17, 18. 30. Acts vii. 52. 31. Heb. viii. 8-10. — vi. 16. Matt. xi. 29. x. 16, 17. — vii. 11. xxi. 13. — xxxiii. 16. 1 Cor. i. 30. ix. 23/24. 1 Cor. i. 29-31. LAMENTATIONS. The Lamentations are the mournful elegies which Jeremiah composed on beholding the city and temple of Jerusalem lying in heaps of ruins. These poems are remarkable both for the plan on which they are written, CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF EZEKIEL 85 and for the subjects which they commemorate. The La- mentations consist of five chapters, each having- twenty- two stanzas or verses, beginning with the several letters of the Hebrew alphabet in their proper order : the third chapter having sixty-six verses, has three verses together commencing' with the several letters in order. The subject of these Lamentations is the various dreadful calamities of the Jews, through the unfeeling- brutality of the Babylonian soldiers ; but they are under- stood to predict the still greater miseries which were brought upon the Jews when the city and temple were finally destroyed by the Roman soldiers, the severer judg- ment of Heaven on account of their crucifying " the Lord of glory." References in Lamentations. Ch. ii. 2. Matt. xi. 23. I Ch. iii. 45. 1 Cor. iv 13. — iii. 33. Heb. xii. 10. | — iv. 13. Matt, xxiii. 31-37. EZEKIEL. Ezekiel was of the sacerdotal race, and among the first captives who were carried to Babylon. He prophesied during the early part of the captivity, commencing his ministry about 590 years before the birth of Christ. The design of his prophecies was the instruction of the cap- tives ; for the first multitude who had been carried to Babylon, seeing no appearance of Jerusalem being de- stroyed, as Jeremiah had foretold, deplored their condi- tion in having submitted to the Chaldeans. Ezekiel, therefore, was raised up to exercise his ministry. 1 . In confirming the truth of what Jeremiah had de- clared, by new predictions concerning the certain and speedy destruction of Jerusalem, on account of the con- tinued idolatry and wickedness of the people. 2. To comfort the pious among the captive Jews, with the assurance of their future restoration, and of the divine judgments upon their cruel oppressors. 3. To foreshow the flourishing and happy state of the church in the times of the Messiah. The book of Ezekiel is divided into forty- eight chap- ters, containing four principal sections. 86 CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF DANIEL. Section I. Relates the call of Ezekiel, and his prophe- tical commission, ch. i. — iii. 21. Sec. II. Contains various predictions of approaching judgments upon the Jews, on account of their idolatry and wickedness, ch. iii. 22. — xxiv. Sec. III. Records the threatenings of heavy judgments upon the several surrounding - nations, that were enemies and oppressors of the Jews, ch. xxv. — xxxii. Sec. IV. Describes the future restoration of the Jews, with their spiritual prosperity, especially under the reign of Messiah, and the destruction of their enemies, ch. xxxiii. — xlviii. Among- the most remarkable thing-s recorded by the prophet Ezekiel, are his instructive visions ; of which two especially have never failed to attract the attention of pious students of this book. 1 . The vision of the resurrection of dry bones, assuring the restoration of the people of Israel, ch. xxxvii. 2. The vision of the holy waters, representing- the spiritual blessings conveyed by the gospel in its advancing progress through all nations. See ch. xlvii. compared with Rev. ch. xxii. References in Ezekiel. Ch.xii.22_27.2Pet. iii. 4. — xviii. 7. Matt. xxv. 35. — xxvii. 27. Rev. xviii. 19. — xxxiv. 23. John x. 11. — xxxviii. 2. Rev. xx. 8. — xlvii. 1-8. xxii. 1, 2. Ch. i. 5. Rev. iv. 6 13. 5. 27. i. 13—15. 28. iv. 3.i. 17. — ix. 4. vii. 1 — 3. 6. IPet.iv. 17. DANIEL. Daniel was but a youth (in years) when he was car- ried among the first captives to Babylon ; and he pro- phesied during the captivity, until after Cyrus succeeded to the throne of his uncle Darius, a period of more than seventy years. Daniel was a person of extraordinary sanctity and wisdom, with which God endowed him, qualifying him to be an eminent instrument in accom- plishing the designs of his all-wise providence. His CH. XIV. ANALYSIS OF DANIEL. 87 predictions are the most extraordinary and comprehen- sive of all that are found in the prophetical writings ; for they include the general history of the world, as well as that of the church of God under the Jewish and Chris- tian dispensations, from the period in which he lived to the final consummation of all things ; and he alone, of all the prophets, foretold the exact time when the Mes- siah should appear and finish the great work of human redemption. The book of Daniel is divided into twelve chapters, and contains two principal sections ; the former histori- cal, and the latter prophetical. Section I. Relates various circumstances in the history i Ahijah, Iddo, V I Isaiah.and others. J Ezra and others... Nehemiah Nehemiah I , 99 CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS. Name. Before Christ. Kings- of Judah. Kings of Israel. Jonah, Between 856 and 784. Joah, Amaziah, or Azariah. Jehu and Jehoahaz, or Joash and Jeroboam II Amos, Between 810 and 725. Uzziah, ch. i. 1. Jeroboam II. ch. i. 1. Hosea, Between 810 and 725. Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah. Jeroboam II. ch. i. L Isaiah, Between 810 and 698. Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekaiah, Pekah, and Hosea. Joel, Between 810 and 6G0, or later. Uzziah orManasseh. Ditto. Micah, Between 758 and 699. Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, ch. i. 1. Pekah and Hosea. Nahum, Between 720 and 698. About the close of Hezekiah's reign. Zepha- mah, Between 640 and 609. Josiah, ch. i. 1. Jeremiah, Between 628 and 586. Josiah. Hahak- kuk, Between 612 and 598. Jehoiakim. Daniel, Between 606 and 534. During all the cap- tivity. Obadiah, Ezekiel, Between 588 and 583. Soon after the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. Between 595 and 536. Captivity. Haggai, About 520 or 518. After the relurn from Babylon. Zecha- riata, Between 520 and 510. Malachi, 1 Between 436 and 397. 8| c P Si * =< 33 * 5 Hi en £ p «< *•§ S -5 8 2 Ii s Is § ^ o 3g w ^ S O |-| c a p o § u e 5 •2 a oS c o "S^^mSi^h^ 3 x ..5 .S . OS & "* s 3«4rtil X X *•- B a o O X X x p > 5 ■* - X X K i-iil III 1 1 lllfl Sill x sco CO Wfc^. I I 1 | | 1 1 1 ©* m _ (Mill ' •"•2 8 :§1 '. ai'* 3 P tfl : rj?^ S^ • -13 e8 § O c O h J « 1 > o flee to the moun diers surrounding Philistines at Gat he city of Gath .. re of Adiillam.... urdered by Doeg . on by Doeg on by Saul y of the Ziphites . j kill Saul derness of Engedi it of Judea srael oval of the ark . . moval of the ark. prophetic address of Syria and Edo the Ammonites a and murder of Ui m Absalom aches of Shimei . c.S "o»r,5£'SSS*' : :o M S £ "*$■£ s-.2 c IIIIJJlli 1 1|1| s °! 1 1 SIS s 3 g •■::::::::::::: : £«££S2S2 2£222222 ■£ £2 22 2 2 WSa555QQS5Q53bS5e B oooaop o - 1 o ■* o e> JO OS s ^ 15 irT o 8 8*J 00 RJ tf« CO lOHSIH oca. o>'iiniftC!'-t^in!0>oifi ' £ oQ a> 'r* «~ *- a> J », a> • t- cS toWK> «o32sf a; c-i co . i— I tO i— l OS to -r gsR C^CO CO lft Ift^f? • co to t^cys 2 co co co 23 • CJ5 Oi CJ> o> < 01 ©* CN c3 ** S jS 5 j» "* 1 3 I O !>->.£3 *£: m 3 -a s OJ .• a "3 3 £2 sis 1 8 § a.53 to ^ ? •-« a „ " 3 £ - s v a "5 -a MS eg g Ctf °? . r_1 . © Ojl £.- CN—l^ TcAT c 3 ^ si -d > rj CO =! ^ O -S S « 2 2 2 I 05 5 5 S U C9P-S ■S-O-s 2-3 7 ~ ;« ■ s u i>£3£ 16 1 I s=>r:> = = « x X*** x£~ CH. IV. — HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS, 65 —I IftCJO " • • . t^L*A ,~ *£> ^ G^ O* c-i CQ iO : H| fiHn , h h co . ,.^"*.-; -nil to 0j> c~~ « | I ' I :Ji I I IS £ o ^ — -c OHO ~£X!*5::~ > > tj 2 S3 a to§liP KM '* 66 CH. IV. —HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS. i i : A= I r-^. to ifi o I I I ■* CO . m . • I aim u" ►.•.J-2 r «« :|| -K«-„ ; :a x I I °?T . 9)115 (O coco ■<* 1 1 I S=T 222 HO) « • 5 * &i B a; B x SV, S it o , S ^ 3 ^ O. •O be- £ fi .1 S £ So* R ."" W ~; • '<3 "S ^'«. l= « ' °* s' e i s § t% -a ^^ ^ -s U CJ3 lj JX C — .fi J3 bC*XX ** '3 B £ • o h 'S £ o -j= o s * c 5 ^ rt^3-a .— i « ," -fi o 5 h3oh « hjSom 5> 'S^^X^- = >>r s «a«c CH. IV. — HARMONY Or' THE GOSPELS. 67 I I Is '-'TO —I 7 . rl ^ in -4 : H I I I I I ; S I =p I i | 9 °G o 68 Ch. V.— Chronological Table of the New Testament Scriptures. The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language : but concerning the exact time when each of the several books was written, it is now difficult to determine ; consequently there is some little difference of opinion among learned commentators, in reference to some of them. The following table has been compiled from the most celebrated writers on the subject. BOOK. AUTHOR. FOR WHOSE USE. WHERE WRITTEN, Mattheu-.gospelof, , Matth Judea Hebrew Christ! in Hebrew / Greek Ditto 1 Thessa&oaianfl ... Paul 2 Thessalonians ... Ditto . . Galatians Ditto . . 1 Corinthians Ditto . . Romans Ditto . . 2 Corinthians Ditto .. James James . Mark, gospel of. . . . Mark. „ Ephesians Paul . . Philippians Ditto .. Coloisians Ditto Philemon Ditto Hebrews Ditto Luke Luke, gospel of , 1 Timothy".'.... . . Ditto . . Corinth... Ditto Ditto Ephesus . . Corinth. . . . . Macedonia . , Judea .... „. Rome .... .. Ditto . . Ditto .. Ditto Ditto . . Ditto Philemon . ., . . . Italy Hebrew Christians Greece I Theophilus and ,, ureece. , . . .. i .-, , : i„ fiu..-,r;„. Gentile Christians. ... CO Ditto 52 Ditto 52 Ditto 53 Ditto 57 Ditto 58 Ditto.. 58 Jewish nation... 61 Gentile Christians ... 61 Ditto 61 Ditto 62 63 Ditto , Paul Ditto , Titus. 1 Peter Peter. Jude Jude.. 2 Peter Peter. Ditto...... Macedonia , Ditto f Babylon 1 or Rome Unknown . , Gentile Christians J Ditto 64 Timothy 64 Titus 64, General 64 Ditto C5 ,?£&:}>»»• • 2 Timothy Paul . 1 John, epistle of. . . John . 2 John, do Ditto. 3 John, do Ditto. Revelation Ditto. John, gospel of Ditto .. . Ephesus Rome Timoth) Ephesus . . . • General 65 63 69 69 97 Ditto 98 Ditto The Elect Lady. Ditto Gaius Patmos General , Ch.VI— The Miracles of Christ. It is evident from the evangelical narratives, that only a very small number of the miracles of our divine Lord have been circumstantially mentioned by the sacred CH VII. — RECORDED PARABLES OF CHRIST. 69 writers. The following', therefore, is only a list of the more particularly noted miracles of Christ. MIRACLES. PLACE. RECORD. Water turned into wine Can* John ii. 1-11. The Capernaum nobleman's son cured. . . . Ditto iv. 46-54. Surprising draught of fishes S. of Galilee Luke v. 1-1 1. Demoniac cured Capernaum Mark. i. 22-28. \ Peter's mother-in-law healed Ditto 30-31. Leper healed Ditto 40-45. Centurion's servant healed Ditto Matt. viii. 5-13. Widow's son raised from the dead Nain Luke vii. 11-17- ' Tempest calmed S. of Galilee Matt. viii. 23-27. Demoniacs of Gadara cured Gadara. . . . 28-34. Man sick of the palsy cured Capernaum • ix. 1-8. Jairus's daughter raised to life Ditto 18-26. Sight restored to two blind men Ditto 27-31. Dumb demoniac cured Ditto 32, 33. Woman diseased with issue of blood healed Ditto Luke viii. 43-48. Diseased cripple at Bethesda cured Jerusalem . John v. 1-9. Man with a withered hand cured Juclea Matt. xii. 10-13. Demoniac cured Capernaum — 22, 23. Five thousand fed Decapolis.. ■ xiv. 15-21. Canaanite woman's daughter cured Near Tyre. xv. 23-28. Man deaf and dumb cured Decapolis. . Mark vii. 31-37. Four thousand fed Ditto. ..... Matt. xv. 32-39. Blind man restored to sight Bethsaida . Mark viii. 22-26. Boy possessed of a devil cured Tabor .... Matt. xvii. 14-21. Man born blind restored to sight Jerusalem . John ix. Woman of eighteen years' infirmity cured. Galilee .... Luke xiii. 11-17- Dropsical man cured Ditto xiv. 1-6. Ten lepers cleansed Samaria . . xvii. 11-19. Lazarus raised from the grave to life .... Bethany. . . John xi. Two blind men restored to sight Jericho .... Matt. xx. 30-34. Fig-tree blasted Olivet xxi. 18-21. The ear of Malchus healed Gethsemane Luke xxii. 50, 51. Wondrous draught of fishes S. of Galilee John xxi. 1-14. Ch. VII. — Recorded Parables of Jesus Christ. PARABLES. PLACE. '' RECORD. Of the sower Capernaum Matt. xiii. 1-23. — tares Mtto {'— -• IKS — seed springing up imperceptibly. . . Ditto Mark iv. 26-29. — grain of mustard seed Ditto Matt. xiii. 31, 32. — leaven Ditto — 33. — found treasure Ditto — 4t. — pearl of great price Ditto —45,46, — net cast into the sea Ditto — 47-50. — two debtors Ditto Luke vii. 36-50. — unmerciful servant Ditto Matt, xviii. 23-35. — good Samaritan Jericho. . . . Luke x. 25-3?. — rich fool Galilee.... xii. 16-21. — servants waiting for their lord Ditto 35-48. — barren fig-tree. Ditto. , . . . . xiii, 6-9, 70 CH. VIII. REMARKABLE DISCOURSES OF CHRIST. PARABLES. PLACE. RECORD. Of the lost sheep Galilee Luke xv. 3-7. — lost piece of money Ditto — 8-10. — prodigal son Ditto ■ 11-32. — dishonest steward Ditto xvi. 1-12. — rich man and Lazarus Ditto 19-31. — unjust judge Peraea xviii. 1-8. — pharisee and publican Ditto — 9-14. — labourers in the vineyard Ditto Matt. xx. 1-14. — pounds delivered for trading Jericho.... Luke xix. 12-27- — two sons Jerusalem . Matt. xxi. 28-32. — vineyard Ditto — 33-46. — marriage feast Ditto xxii. 1-14. — ten virgins Ditto xxv. 1-13. — talents Ditto 14-30. «— sheep and goats Ditto — — - — 31-46. Ch. VIII. — Remarkable Discourses of Christ. DISCOURSES. FLACE. RECORD. Conversation with Nicodemus Jerusalem . John iii. 1-21. . the Samaritan woman. Sychar .... iv. 1-42. Discourse in the synagogue Nazareth. . Luke iv. 16-31. Sermon on the mount Ditto Matt. v. vi. vii. Ordination charge to the apostles Galilee .... x. Denunciations against Chorazin Ditto. ..... xi. 20-24. Discourse concerning healing the infirm } Jerusalem _ John man at Bethesda J Discourseconcerninghisdisciples pluck-} T , M .. .. , „ ing ears of corn on the sabbath J Juaea Matt ' *"• l ~ 8 ' Refutation of the charge, of his working l /"i or , n __-„„, m o»r miracles by the agency of Beelzebub, j ^ a P ernaum 22-37. Discourse on the bread cf life Ditto John vi. concerning internal purity Ditto Matt. xv. 1-20. ■ against giving or taking of- | T):** fence and torgiving of injuries j xvm. at the feast of tabernacles Jerusalem . John vii. on occasion of the adulteress) tv„ ... , ,, woman j Dltto vm. 1-11. concerning the sheep Ditto. D pha n rtees !. ***Z\ * . !!^. ^ } Per * a Luke xi - *Hl Discourse concerning humility and pru- } Galiler '7 1* dence J xiv. /-14. Directions how to attain heaven Peraea, .... Matt. xix. 16-30. B tZT ^.^f.^.. S ^'! nS !. 0i .} Jerusalem xx. 17-19. Denunciations against the pharisees Ditto xxiii. Predictions concerning the destruction of 1 jv tt0 __ Discourse of consolation Ditto John xiv.-xvi. on the way to Gethsemane Ditto Matt. xxvi. 31-36. * with nis di sciples before his ) ,-.-.. *«*«; ic_on ascension I Dltt0 xxrm. 16 ~ 20 * 71 Ch. IX. — Jewish Sects. On the restoration of the Jewish church, after the Babylonish captivity, there arose two parties among- them, who manifested a regard for religion. One of them ad- hered to the scriptures only, rejecting- all human tradi- tions. Professing- to observe the whole law they assumed the name Zadikim, the righteous. From these proceeded the Samaritans and the Sadducees. The other party, be- sides the inspired scriptures, superadded the traditions of the elders ; and from a supposed superior degree of sanctity were called Chasidim, the pious. From these arose the Pharisees and Essenes. 1 . The Samaritans were originally the idolatrous suc- cessors of the ten tribes, part of whom the king of Assyria sent to unite with the scattered few in repeopling Samaria and the land of Israel. At first, as a punish- ment for their idolatry, they were plagued with lions ; but on this being reported to the king, a priest was sent from among the captives, to instruct them in the law of God. " So they feared the LORD, and made unto them- selves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence," 2 Kings xvii. 24 — 33. Afterwards they became partially reformed, admitted the writings of Moses, built a temple on mount Gerizim, and worshipped the God of Israel. From the conversa- tion of the woman of Sychar, we learn that even the more corrupt class had some knowledge of the Messiah, and expected his appearance, John iv. 25. 2. The Sadducees were a kind of deists. They re- ceived their appellation from Sadoc their founder, who lived b. c. 280 years. At first they rejected only the traditions of the elders, as being destitute of divine au- thority , but afterwards they adopted many impious no- tions like those of Epicurus, a heathen philosopher, and rejected the whole of the sacred writings except the five books of Moses. They denied the resurrection of the 12 CH. IX. JEWISH SECTS. dead, the existence of angels, and the immortality of the soul. They admitted the being 1 and providence of Al mighty God ; but they rejected the doctrine of rewards and punishments in a future state. Josephus, the Jewish historian, observes, " Whenever they sat in judgment upon criminals, they always were for the severest sen- tence against them." He also says, " Their number was the fewest of all the sects of the Jews : but they were only those of the best quality, and of the greatest riches among them." 3. The Pharisees were the principal sect among the Jews ; and though they were haughty despisers of the common people, the vulgar entertained such an opinion of their sanctity, that it became a common notion among them, that if only two persons were received into heaven one of them must be a pharisee. The greater part of the doctors of the law and the scribes were of this party. They esteemed the traditions of the wise men as of nearly equal authority with the word of God, and generally gave them the preference ! They were intolerably proud of their religious attainments ; supposing themselves to merit the divine favour by their duties and observances. On these accounts they were justly characterised by our Lord as grossly hypocritical, and at a greater distance from the kingdom of God than even publicans and harlots. 4. The Essenes were a rigid sect of the Jews, a branch of the pharisees ; but they entered upon a more mortified way of living, and were probably more free from hypocrisy. Though our Saviour often censured the other sects, we have no account of his mentioning them ; nor are they noticed specifically by the writers of the New Testament. This has been accounted for by their living in solitary places, somewhat in the manner of the Romish monks, and from their seldom coming- to the temple or into public assemblies. Many suppose that John the Baptist lived among them. They believed in a future state of happiness, but doubted of the resur- rection. They mostly disallowed marriage, adopting the children oi the poor to train up in their principles, CH, X. HERESIES AND SECTS. 73 Candidates for communion with them were in probation for three years, and when fully admitted, they were re- quired to bind themselves to worship God, to practise justice, to conceal none of their mysteries from any of the society, and to communicate them to no other, even to save their lives. They despised riches, and held their property common ; they were remarkably abstemious, ate at a common table, and were extremely plain in their apparel. 5. The Scribes among- the Jews were not a particular sect, but transcribers of the sacred books ; also persons who addicted themselves to literary pursuits : they were interpreters of the law and instructors of the people. 6. The Herodians were not so much a religious sect as a political party. They complied with many heathen practices to ingratiate themselves with Herod and his patrons the Romans. 7. The Galileans, or Gaulonites, appear to have been a turbulent political party among the Jews, rather than a religious sect. Their first leader was Judas, the Gali- lean, Acts v. 37. 8. The Libertines, Acts vi. 9. were such Jews or pro- selytes as were free citizens of Rome, having a syna- gogue in Jerusalem peculiar to themselves. Ch. X. — Heresies and Sects mentioned in the New Testament. It will be evident to every reader of the New Testa- ment, that during the apostolic age many pernicious heresies infested the infant churches. Some of them were introduced by judaizing teachers, who wished to incorporate the Levitical ceremonies with the simplicity of the gospel. Others arose from a false philosophy which was borrowed from the heathen, and which the apostle denounces as vain deceit, Col. ii. 8. To draw up a detailed account of these pagan principles, would be unsatisfactory in itself and unsuitable to this work ; yet it seems indispensable to give some short notices con- cerning the chief of them. Q 74 CH. X. HERESIES AND SECTS. 1. The Nicolaitanes have been supposed to have had Nicolas, one of the seven deacons, for their leader in false doctrine and immorality : but this seems contrary to his character, as declared by the evangelists, Acts vi. and we have no evidence that Nicolas, the deacon, ever departed from the faith of the gospel. These corrupt- ers of religion were a kind of practical antinomians ; they allowed themselves to participate in the sacrifices of the idolaters, and indulged in the vilest impurities, to the scandal of their profession, and to the destruction of their souls. 2. The Antichrists mentioned by the apostle, 1 John ii. 18. were certain heretical teachers, whose principles contradicted the true doctrines of the gospel. They were called Ebionites, from one Ebion ; Cerinthians, from one Cerinthus ; and Gnostics, from gnosis, a Greek word signifying knowledge. Simon Magus, Acts viii. 9 — 24. is said to have been the parent of these heresies. It is difficult to ascertain precisely what doctrines these heretics taught ; some making a distinction between Jesus and the Christ ; some denying the divine nature of our Lord, and others his humanity ; some rejecting his vicarious atonement, and all disregarding his holy pre- cepts. To refute and destroy their pernicious absurdi- ties, the apostle John was inspired to write his gospel and epistles, testifying the proper Godhead, the real manhood, and the propitiatory sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour. John i. 1—3. 14. 1 John i. 1, 2. ii. 18—24. iii. 1. 3. 9, 10. 3. The Stoics, Acts xvii. 18. were pagan philosophers, the founder of whose sect was Zeno, Avho flourished about 350 years before the christian era. They affected a perfect indifference to both pleasure and pain, profess- ing to believe that all things are governed by an irresisti- ble necessity called fate, which was superior to the will of all their gods. 4. The Epicureans were another sect of philosophers, who were the disciples of Epicurus, an Athenian, who flourished about 300 years before the christian era. They taught principles the very opposite to the Stoics ; they CII. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES OF THE BIBLE. 75 ascribed all thing's to chance, and considered pleasure as the chief good. Ch. XI. — Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible. The evidence arising- from the fulfilment of prophecy that the Bible was given by divine inspiration, is at once edifying to the believer and confounding to the infidel. " God in his goodness hath afforded to every age suffi- cient evidence of his truth. Miracles may be said to have been the greatest proofs of revelation to the first ages, who saw them performed. Prophecies may be said to be the great proofs of revelation to the last ages, who see them fulfilled.'" It does not comport with the design of this little manual to embrace all the predictions of the Bible : nor even the principal of those which relate to all the momentous subjects of prophecy. Those which relate to our Lord Jesus Christ alone would require a whole volume. It is designed to notice, and that as briefly as possible, only a few of those relating to nations and countries, the fulfilment of which is remarkable, and the proofs of which are manifest to all observers, even in our own days. For further information the reader is referred to Keith on the Evidence of Pro- phecy. Section I.— THE ARABS. The Arabs claim their descent from Ishmael, the son of Abraham. Concerning him, an angel of the Lord announced to his mother, before his birth : "I will mul- tiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. Behold thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael ; his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him : and he shall dwell in the presence of his brethren," Gen. xvi. 10 — 12. The divine promise concerning Ishmael has been wonderfully verified. In a few years the family of Ish- mael was so increased, that in Gen. xxxvii. we read of Ishmaelites trading into Egypt. His posterity wag Q2 76 CH. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES multiplied exceedingly in the Hagarenes, probably so called from his mother Hagar ; in the Nabatheans, who had their names from his eldest son Nebaioth ; in the Itureans, so called from his son Itur; and in the Arabs or Saracens, who overran a great part of the world, and who remain to this day a numerous people. Ishmael himself subsisted by rapine in the wilderness ; and his posterity, in every succeeding age, infested Arabia and the neighbouring countries by predatory incursions. Every petty chief, in his own district, considers himself a sovereign prince ; and though seemingly divided, they are all united in a sort of league. They live in a state of continual war with the rest of the world, generally robbers by land and pirates by sea. And, as they have been such enemies to the rest of mankind, it can excite no surprise, that, in return, mankind have always been enemies to them. In every age, travellers have been obliged to traverse their country in caravans or large companies, with arms for their protection, and, to defend themselves from the assaults of these freebooters, to march with their sentinels, to keep watch like an army — so literally has the prediction been fulfilled, " his hand shall be against every man." As to that part of the prediction which declares, " he shall dwell (or tabernacle) in the presence of his bre- thren," it has been remarkably fulfilled. The country of Ishmael is situated in that part of the globe where society originated, and the first kingdoms were formed. The greatest empires of the world arose and fell around them. They have not been secluded from correspondence with foreign nations, and thus through ignorance and prejudice remained attached to simple and primitive man- ners. In the early period of their history, they were united as allies to the most powerful monarchs of the east : under Mohammed they carried their arms over the most considerable kingdoms of the earth : through suc- cessive ages the caravans of the merchant, and the com- panies of Mohammedan pilgrims, passed regularly over their deserts ; even their religion has undergone several total changes. Yet all these circumstances, which it OF THE BIBLE. 77 might be supposed would have subdued the most stub- born prejudices, and have changed the most inveterate habits, produced no effect upon the Arabs ; they still preserve, unimpaired, a most exact resemblance to the first descendants of Ishmael. A sensible and penetrating eye-witness, after having lately visited an Arab camp, and examined their pecu- liarities, writes — " On the smallest computation, such must have been the manners of these people for more than three thousand years." Thus in all things verifying the predictions given of Ishmael at his birth, that he in his posterity should be a wild man, and continue to be so, though they shall dwell for ever in the presence of their brethren. And that an acute and active people, sur- rounded for ages by polished and luxurious nations, should, from their earliest to their latest times, be still found a wild people dwelling in the presence of their brethren, as we may call these nations, unsubdued and unchangeable, is indeed a standing miracle — one of those mysterious facts which establish the truth of prophecy. Section II.— THE JEWS. Moses, the appointed deliverer and venerable lawgiver of the Israelites, and many also of the prophets who suc- ceeded him, foretold the future condition of the Jews. With a wonderful exactness they predicted their calami- ties and dispersion on account of their wickedness ; and theii preservation and ultimate recovery through sove- reign mercy and divine goodness. Moses, foreseeing their apostacy and iniquities, wrote, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, the following among many other similar passages. " If ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments ; and if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant ; I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries into desolation ; and I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you ; and your land shall be desolate. And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word, among all the Q3 78 CH. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES nations whither the LORD shall lead thee," Lev. xxvi. 14, 15. 31. 33. Deut. xxviii. 37. The prophet Jeremiah predicted; " I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to he removed to all the kingdoms of the earth ; to be a curse, and an astonishment, and a hissing-, and a reproach among all the nations whither I have driven them : because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising 1 up early and sending- them," Jer. xxix. 18, 19. The prophet Hosea also declared ; " For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king-, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an imag-e, and without an ephod, and without teraphim," Hosea iii. 4. The prophets were also directed to write — " And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them ; for I am the LORD their God," Lev. xxvi. 44. " Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king ; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days," Hosea iii. 5. All these predictions are delivered with the confidence of truth, and the perspicuity of history. They represent the manner, the extent, the nature, and the continuance of their dispersion ; their persecutions, their sufferings, their blindness, their hardened impenitence, and their grievous oppression; the universal mockery, the un- limited diffusion, and the unextinguishable existence of that extraordinary people. Strong were the ties which bound the Jews to Canaan. It was not only a glorious land, but the land of their fathers, and the peculiar gift of Heaven, where only, many of their religious customs could be observed. As nothing could separate them from their temple till it was blazing around them, and multitudes perished in its flames, so nothing could tear them from their country but the overwhelming power of the Roman armies. They were rooted up as a nation and banished from their own land : and by an imperial OF THE BIBLE. 79 edict it was death for a Jew to set his foot in Jerusalem, though every Gentile trod upon its ruins. But the extent of their dispersion is still more remark- able than the manner of its accomplishment. They have traversed the wide world ; and there is not a kingdom upon the face of the earth in which they are not to be found. They are numerous in Poland, in Turkey, in Germany, and in Holland ; in Russia, France, Spain, Italy, Britain, and America. In Persia, China, and India, on the east and the west of the river Ganges, they are found more thinly scattered. They have trodden the snows of Siberia, and the sands of the burning- desert ; and the European traveller hears of their existence, in regions which he cannot reach, even in the very interior of Africa. From one end of the earth unto the other, the Jews and the Jews only have been dispersed among all nations. As christians we are looking forward to times more glorious than the present ; when, as Hosea predicted, ch. iii. 5. " The children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David (the Messiah) their king;" when thev shall be brought into the church of Christ with the fulness of the Gentiles. That throughout all the changes which have happened in the kingdoms of the earth, from the days ot Moses to the present time, a period of more than three thousand years, nothing should have transpired to prevent the accomplishment of these prophecies ; but, on the contrary, that the state of the Jewish, and Christian, and Heathen nations at this day should be such as renders them easily capable, even of a literal completion, in every particular, if the will of God be so, is a miracle, a standing miracle to us ; and which hath nothing parallel to it in the phenomena of na- ture ! The Jews were once the peculiar people of God : and Paul saith, " Hath God cast away his people ? God forbid !" Rom. xi. 1. We see that after so many ages they are still preserved, by a miracle of Providence, a dis- tinct people : and why is such a continual miracle exhi- bited, but for the greater illustration of divine truth and grace, and the accomplishment of the divine promises, 80 CH. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES which are yet to be fulfilled, to the glory of the King Messiah, on whom Abraham and their fathers believed, and of whom the prophets spake. Section III.— JUDEA. Judea, the country of the Jews, of which Jerusalem was the capital, was so exceedingly fertile, that it was ranked by the Greeks and Romans amongst the finest ot their provinces. Celebrated ancient authors bear the most decided testimony to the great number of towns and villages with which it was overspread ; to the eminence of several of its cities ; the excellency of its climate, and the fertility of its soil ; in which it outrivalled Italy as to the abundance and excellency of its fruits. Cultiva- tion was carried to so high a degree, that the Greeks, who possessed a rich and beautiful country of their own, pro- verbially called Syria, including the land of Moab, Am- nion, and Philistia, as well as Judea, a garden. Moses foretold the miserable condition of the country in the most affecting terms. M I will break the pride of your power ; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your eartli as brass. And your strength shall be spent in vain : for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield her fruits. And I will bring the land into desolation ; and your enemies who dweil therein shall be astonished at it," Lev. xxvi. 19, 20. 32. Isaiah, in similar language, said, " Your country is de- solate, your cities are burned with fire ; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled : for the LORD Lath spoken this word. The earth also is defiled under the inhabit- ants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate ; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left," Isa. i. 7. xxiv. 3. 5, 6. Jeremiah also; " I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage ; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies, OF THE EiBLE. 81 They have made it desolate, and being- desolate it mourn- eth unto me ; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart," Jer. xii. 7. 11. " And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate ; and ye shall know that I am the LORD/' Ezek. xii. 20. The vision of the inspired prophets was as clear as the eyesight of any who now read the history of Judea, or look upon the face of the land ; while the many vestiges of ancient cultivation ; ruins abounding- everywhere ; the remains of Roman building's and highways, and the natu- ral richness of the soil, in many places yet unaltered, agree with the universal voice of history, in attesting- the dismally altered state of the country. After a long - and uninterrupted possession of Judea by the Israelites, the Chaldeans, Syrians, Egyptians, and Romans, were the strang-ers, who, in succession, brought destruction upon destruction, and prepared the way for more savag-e deso- lators. Early in the seventh century, the Arabian tribes, under the banners of Mohammed, seized, or rather laid it waste. Since that period, it has been torn by the civil wars of the Fatimites and the Ommiades ; wrested from the caliphs by their rebellious g-overnors ; taken from them by the Turcoman soldiery ; invaded by the European crusaders; retaken by the Mamelukes of Egypt, and ravaged by Tamerlane and his Tartars, till at length it has fallen into the hands of the Ottoman Turks. The cities have been laid waste. By the concurring testimony of all travellers, Judea may now, with pro- priety, be called a field of ruins. Heaps of ruins and rubbish are all that remain of Cesarea, Zabulon, Caper- naum, Bethsaida, Gadara, and Chorazin, and many other places mentioned in the Bible. Columns covered with rubbish, and shapeless heaps of ruins, are scattered over the whole country. The land is brought into desolation. The country is overrun by rebel tribes ; the Arabs pasture their flocks at freedom. The most fertile plains lie untilled. The art of cultivation is in the most deplorable state, and the countryman sows with the musket in his hands. 82 CH. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES The remains of highways no longer passable, are still to be seen. In the interior parts of the country, there are neither great roads, nor canals, nor even bridges over the rivers and torrents, however necessary they may be in winter. The roads in the mountains are scarcely pass- able. There are no inns in any part of the country ; neither ports, nor public conveyances ; not a wagon nor a cart in all Syria. These statements are made by dif- ferent and respectable travellers, who agree in testifying to the perfect fulfilment of the predictions, written by Moses three thousand three hundred years ago ; and by Isaiah, at the distance of about two thousand five hun- dred years. It must be acknowledged, that in this is the hand of the righteous LORD, and here we behold the awful severity of God, and the truth of his word. Section IV.— IDUMEA. Idumea or Edom, was the country of Esau the son ot Isaac, and brother of Jacob. This land formed the south- ern boundary of Judea ; but though the people were descended from Isaac as were the Israelites, they were enemies to the Jews. They united with Nebuchadnezzar when he besieged Jerusalem, and urged him to raze it with its temple even to the ground. On account of their idolatry, wickedness, and enmity to the people and wor- ship of God, Isaiah was directed to write, among others, the following awful predictions : " For my sword shall be bathed in heaven : behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. For the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof ; and it shall be a habitation of dragons, and a court for owls," Isa. xxxiv. 5, 6. 13. "I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse, and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes. Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thy heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill : though thou shouldest make thy nest OF THE BIBLE. S3 as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it," Jer. xlix. 13. 16. 18. "Thus saith the LORD God ; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out my hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. Because thou hast had a per- petual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their cala- mity, in the time that their iniquity had an end : there- fore, as I live, saith the LORD God, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee. I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return : and ye shall know that I am the LORD," Ezek. xxxv. 3. 5. 9. " Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Teman ? And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter : and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau ; for the LORD hath spoken it," Obad. ver. 8, 9. 1 8. An intelligent traveller remarks, " From the reports of the Arabs of Bakir, and from the inhabitants of Gaza, who frequently go to Maan (or Teman) and Karak, on the road of the pilgrims, there are, within three days' journey to the south-east of the Dead Sea, upwards of thirty ruined towns absolutely deserted. The Arabs, in general, avoid them, on account of the scorpions with which they swarm. We cannot be surprised at these traces of ancient population, when we recollect that this was the country of the Nabatheans, the most powerful of the Arabs, and of the Idumeans, who, at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, were almost as numerous as the Jews." Yet the ruins of these cities are not the chief monuments of the ancient greatness of Edom. Its capital city, now without an inhabitant, except the wild animals foretold by the prophet a thousand years before it ceased to be tenanted by men, presents one of the most wonderful scenes that can possibly be conceived. 84 CH. XI. — FULFILLED PROPHECIES In the vicinity of mount Seir, the extensive ruins of a large city, heaps of hewn stones, foundations of build- ings, fragments of columns, and vestiges of paved streets, are spread over a valley which is enclosed on each side by perpendicular cliffs, varying from four hundred to seven hundred feet in height, which are hollowed out into innumerable chambers of different dimensions, rising in the cliffs, tier above tier, till it seems impossible to ap- proach the uppermost. Columns also rise above columns, and adorn the fronts of the dwellings ; horizontal grooves for the conveyance of water, run along the face of the cliffs; flights of steps formed the means of ascent, and the summit of the heights, in various places, is covered with pyramids cut out of the rock. The identity of the scene, as described by the prophet, Jer. xlix. 16. in all the terribleness of the human power which pertained to it, and as depicted in the desolate aspect it now exhibits, is such as cannot be mistaken. The mausoleums and sepulchres are very numerous and magnificent. They are of various periods and orders of architecture. One of them in particular is described as a work of immense labour and colossal dimensions, in perfect preservation, containing a chamber sixteen paces square, and about twenty-five feet high, crowned with a pediment highly ornamented, and all cut out of the rock. By these splendid monuments, dedicated to the memory or its rulers, the opulence of the city is demonstrated. The enemies of the gospel might be admonished by the fate of the enemies of the ancient church, who have been cut off according to the word of the LORD ; and whose very land, that especially of the Edomites, for their vio- lence against their brethren of Israel, has been wasted with a curse which shall cleave to it for ever. The most high God will surely avenge the quarrel of his everlast- ing covenant, as certainly as he did that which was to be disannulled. And though the enemies of the chris- tian faith were to league together, as did the confederate tabernacles of Edom against Judah, all the terribleness of their strength would become like chaff before the whirlwind. Men of worldly wisdom should be instructed OF THE BIBLE. 8t> by the monuments of ruined Edom. If all their superior knowledge were unsanctified by religious principles and the fear of God, all their physical science would prove vain, as the skill of the wise men of Teman : all their me- chanical discoveries and operations would end in destruc- tion and eternal oblivion. " Seeing- then that all these things" are perishable ; that even the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness ! According to the promise of God, we are " looking for new heavens and a new earth wherein dvvelleth righteousness/' 2 Peter iii. 10. 13. Section V.— EGYPT. Egypt was one of the most ancient, and one of the mightiest of kingdoms. If it were not the birth-place, it was early the protector of the sciences ; and it cherished every species of knowledge, which distinguished the most enlightened men of remote times. Egypt was, therefore, famous for its wisdom : but it was no less superstitious : and at a very early period of its history excessively ad dieted to idolatry. This profanity and folly they carried to a greater height than any other people, worshipping the sun, moon, stars, men, animals, plants, reptiles, and even the most despicable insects. What history records of its population, cities, and public buildings, would sur- pass credibility, were it not attested by their monuments which remain to this day. Egypt is a scene of antiqui- ties : walking among ruins, the traveller forgets the pre- sent to contemplate the past, and amid the traces of a degenerate race, he marks the remains of a mighty na- tion. The pyramids of Egypt have always ranked among the wonders of the world. Three of them still remain, at the distance of a few leagues from Grand Cairo, where the ancient Memphis stood. It has been calculated by a French engineer, that the stones in the largest of the three, called the great pyramid, are six millions of tons ; and would be sufficient to build a wall round the whole 86 CH. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES of France, (about eighteen hundred miles,) ten feet high and one foot broad. It forms a square, each side of whose base is seven hundred and forty-six feet, and covers nearly fourteen acres of land. It is said to be as large as the area of Lincoln' s-inn fields. The perpendi- cular height is about five hundred and sixty feet ; being one hundred and seventeen feet higher than St. Paul's cathedral in London. The summit, which viewed from below appears a point, is found to be a platform, each side of which is eighteen feet long. The stones with which this enormous edifice is built, are thirty feet long. These stupendous works of man were originally designed as tombs of their kings : from which we may infer the grandeur and resources of the nation. Concerning Egypt it was prophesied : " Thus saith the LORD God : Behold I am against thee, Pharoah king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself! Behold, therefore, I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethi- opia. It shall be the basest of the kingdoms ; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations. Thus saith the LORD God ; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph ; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt ; and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt," Ezek. xxix. 3. 10. 15. xxx. 13. These predictions have been fulfilled with awful mi- nuteness. Egypt is still full of wonders, as its ancient cities and temples are heaps of ruins. Those stupendous temples, abounding with massy and lofty columns, are profusely covered with hieroglyphics ; and, though they were erected by mortals, who had " changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to cor- ruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping tilings," they seem destined to pay homage to the only living and true God, by illustrating both the historical and the prophetical truth of his inspired word. OF THE BIBLE. 87 Deprived twenty-three centuries ago of her natural proprietors, Egypt has seen her fertile fields successively a prey to the Persians, the Macedonians, the Romans, the Greeks, the Arabs, the Georgians ; and, at length, the race of Tartars, distinguished by the name of Otto- man Turks. The Mamelukes, purchased as slaves, and introduced as soldiers, soon usurped the power and elected a leader. They have been replaced by slaves brought from their original country. The system of op- pression in Egypt is methodical. Every thing which the traveller sees or hears, reminds him that he is in the country of slavery and tyranny. In Egypt there is no middle class : neither nobility, clergy, merchants, nor landholders. Ignorance, diffused through the whole po- pulation, extends its effects to every species of moral and physical knowledge. There has not been a prince in the land of Egypt. It has been laid waste, and all by the hand of strangers. It is a base kingdom, and " the basest of kingdoms ;" governed by strangers and slaves. The pashas have been oppres- sors and strangers, and the price paid for his authority and power, and the whole property of the country, being at the will of every succeeding pasha, show how it has been literally sold into the hands of the wicked. The fate of Egypt, as of Idumea and of Judea, demon- strates the Bible to be no cunningly devised fable : but gives the most overpowering evidence, that the prophets who foretold these things, spake and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Section VI.— NINEVEH. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, founded by Ashur, or by Nimrocl, both grandsons of Noah. It was one of the most ancient and renowned cities in the world. Its walls are described by heathen historians, as having been one hundred feet in height, and sixty miles in cir- cuit, fortified by fifteen hundred towers, each two hundred feet high. The expression used by Jonah, the prophet, that " Nineveh was a great city of three days' journey," justifies the description of profane historians. The r2 88 CH. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES population is supposed to have been, at least, six hundred thousand. A succession of warlike princes had esta- blished the greatness of Nineveh on the ruins of the neighbouring- states ; and the greater part of Asia sub- mitted to the Assyrian power. By this growing prospe- rity, the rulers and people became dreadfully corrupted : rapacity, cruelty, and oppression marked the progress of their conquests ; they exterminated the kingdom of Israel, and purposed the same concerning Jerusalem, be- fore whose walls the angel of the LORD blasted in death, during one night, the Assyrian army of one hundred and eighty thousand men. Jonah had preached repentance to the Ninevites ; and they had humbled themselves be- fore God : but returning to their wickedness, Nahum was raised up to declare the righteous judgments of God upon their proud and guilty metropolis. " The burden of" Nineveh. God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth ; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. With an overrun- ning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold : for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture. Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women ; the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies : the fire shall de- vour thy bars. There is no healing of thy bruise ; thy wound is grievous : all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee ; for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?" Nahum i. 1, 2. 8. 10. ii. 6. 9. iii. 13.19. " He will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria ; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations : both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it : their voice shall sing in the windows ; desolation shall be in the thresholds : for he shall uncover OF THE BIBLE. 89 the cedar-work. This is the rejoicing- city, that said in her heart, ' I am, and there is none beside me f how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in. Every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag- his hand/' Zeph. ii. 13 — 15. These predictions have been remarkably accomplished upon Nineveh. A Greek historian, in describing- the manner of its destruction, relates, that the Assyrian army was suddenly assaulted by the Medes in a time of festi- vity : that being- drunk, they were not able to resist the enemy, and a great part of them were destroyed : that the river Tigris, having- increased to an unexampled height, by heavy and long-continued rains, broke down a great extent of the wall, opened an entrance for the enemy, and overflowed the lower part of the city : that the king, in his desperation, heaped an immense funeral pile ; and, having set fire to it, and to the palace, was himself consumed, together with his household and his wealth : and, finally, that the Medes, having taken the city, after a siege of three years, carried away many talents of gold and silver to Ecbatana. The very site of Nineveh was long unknown to the moderns ; so completely have the predictions been ful- filled : but it has lately been visited by several intelligent travellers. They say, that it is now an extended waste, interspersed but here and there with heaps of rubbish. The principal mounds, which are few in number, are in many places overgrown with grass, and resemble the mounds left by the intrenchments and fortifications of ancient Roman camps. The appearance of other mounds and ruins less marked, extend for ten miles, and seem to be the wreck of former buildings. There is not one monument of royalty, nor one token of splendour : the places are not known where they were. There are not even bricks, stones, or other materials of buildings, dis- cernible, in the larger mounds. The place is a desola- tion — an utter ruin— empty, void and waste. The very ruins have perished ; and it is reduced to even less than the wreck of its former grandeur. It shows not the least signs of the greatness of its kings, nobles, or merchants: it 3 90 CH. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES but even the want of these proclaims, most powerfully, the truth of the word of God ! Section VII.— BABYLON. Babylon was the capital of Babylonia, an ancient king- dom founded by the first descendants of Noah, soon after the deluge ; and enlarged by Nimrod, his great grandson, about two thousand years before the birth of Christ. Many additions were made to it by queen Semiramis, and it was greatly strengthened and beautified by various succeeding sovereigns : but it was Nebuchadnezzar and his daughter Nitocris, who brought it to such a degree of magnificence and splendour, as rendered it one of the wonders of the world. Babylon stood in the midst of a large plain, in a very deep and fruitful soil. It was di- vided into two parts by the river Euphrates, which flowed through the city from north to south. Both these divi- sions were enclosed by one wall ; and the whole formed a complete square, four hundred and eighty furlongs, or sixty miles in compass. The walls were of extraordinary strength, being eighty-seven feet broad, capable of ad- mitting six chariots abreast to run upon them, and three hundred feet high. On each side of the river Euphrates was built a quay, and high wall, of the same thickness with the walls around the city. The entrances to the city were by one hundred gates, of immense size, made of solid brass ; and the two parts of the city were connected by a remarkable stone bridge across the river. To pre- vent inconvenience from the swellings of the river, two canals were cut, above the city, by which the super- abundant waters were carried off into the Tigris. Be- sides, prodigious embankments were made, effectually to confine the stream within its channel, and as a security against inundation. The materials for these stupendous works were taken, principally, from the western side of the city, where an extraordinary lake was dug, the depth of which was thirty-five feet, and its circumference fortyr five miles. At the two ends of the bridge were two magnificent palaces, which had a subterraneous communication with OF THE BIBLE. 91 each other, by means of a vault or tunnel under the bed of the river. The old palace, on the east side, was about thirty furlongs in compass, surrounded by three separate walls. The new palace, on the opposite side, was about four times as large as the other, and is said to have been eight miles in circumference. Within this palace were artificial hanging gardens ; consisting of large terraces, raised one above another, till they equalled the walls of the city, and were designed to represent a woody country, having large trees planted on them, in soil of sufficient depth. Near to the old palace stood the temple of Belus, forming a square nearly three miles in compass. In the middle of the temple was an immense tower, six hundred feet in height. This large pile of building consisted of eight towers, each seventy-five feet high, and which were ascended by stairs winding round the outside. On this temple of Belus, or, as some say, on its summit, was a golden image forty feet in height, and equal in value to three and a half millions sterling. There was, besides, such a multitude of other statues and sacred utensils, that the whole of the treasure contained in this single edifice, has been estimated at forty-two millions of pounds sterling. These things displayed the vast wealth and power of the Babylonian empire, and were, certainly, among the mightiest works of mortals. Babylon was called the glory of kingdoms, the golden city, the lady of kingdoms, and the praise of the whole earth : but its pride, idolatry, and wickedness, have been visited in its utter desolation, agreeably to the inspired predictions of the holy prophets. " Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation; neither shall the Arabian pitch his tent there ; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there ; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures ; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in 92 CH. XI. FULFILLED PROPHECIES their pleasant palaces : and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged. For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Baby- lon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD. I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water : and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him ; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates ; and the gates shall not be shut ; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight : I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron ; and I will give thee the trea- sures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, who call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. Publish, and con- ceal not : say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Me- rodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces. Because of the wrath of the LORD, it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate : every one that goeth by Babylon shall be asto- nished, and hiss at all her plagues. Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses : cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly : let nothing of her be left. One post shall run to meet another, and one mes- senger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end. And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, without an inhabitant," Isa. xiii. 19 — 22. xiv. 22, 23. xlv. 1—3. Jer.l. 2. 13. 26. li. 31. 37. The particulars of the siege of Babylon are detailed by Herodotus and Xenophon, two eminent heathen histo- rians. In exact accordance with the inspired predictions of Isaiah and Jeremiah, they say, that Cyrus, with a large army of the Medes and Persians, besieged Baby- lon ; that the Babylonians, conceiving their walls impreg- nable, could not be provoked to an engagement ; that Cyrus contrived a snare for the Babylonians, by turning the course of the river Euphrates through the great lake ; OF THE BIBLE. 93 that the waters being" thus dried up, the soldiers marched to the bridge in the channel of the river ; that, from the negligence of the guards, some of the gates, leading from the river to the city, were left open ; that the troops of Cyrus, entering by this means, took Babylon during the night of an idolatrous festival ; that its princes, nobles, and captains, being drunk with their feasting, were suddenly slaughtered, and that the glorious city, never before conquered, was thus taken without the knowledge of the king, till the poses and messengers ran with the information, which he had scarcely time to receive and understand, before he was also numbered among the multitudes of the slain. Babylon soon be- gan to decline : its lofty walls were reduced to only a quarter of their original height; and from an imperial, it was reduced to a tributary city. Xerxes, a successor of Cyrus on the Persian throne, seized the sacred treasures, plundered the temples, and destroyed the images of pre- cious metal. Alexander attempted to restore Babylon to its former glory ; and designed to make it the metropolis of a universal empire. Ten thousand men were employed in repairing the embankments of the Euphrates, and the temple of Belus : the death of Alexander occasioned the abandonment of the work. About a hundred and thirty years before the birth of Christ, a Parthian conqueror destroyed the fairest parts of Babylon. Several new cities, especially Seleucia, called New Babylon, were built by successive sovereigns in those regions, for the purpose of immortalizing their own names; by which the population of the old city was drained. After the commencement of the christian era, Babylon was but very thinly peopled ; and wide spaces within its walls were brought under cultivation. Babylon continued to decline, and its desolations to increase, till, in the fourth century, its walls formed an inclosure for the breeding of wild beasts ; and it was thus made a hunt- ing park for the Persian monarchs. A long series of ages succeeded, in which no record was made concerning it ; while, as the prophets testified, it was approaching utter desolation. 94 CH. XI. — FULFILLED PROPHECIES The site on which Babylon stood has been completely ascertained ; and the ruins have been visited and de- scribed by several intelligent English travellers. From being the " glory of kingdoms," Babylon is now the greatest of ruins ; and after the lapse of two thousand four hundred years, it exhibits to the view of every tra- veller the precise scene denned by the prophets of God. The name and remnant are cut olf from Babylon. There the Arabian pitches not his tent : there the shep- herds make not their folds; but wild beasts of the desert lie there, and their houses are full of doleful creatures. It is a place for the bittern, and a dwelling place for dra- gons : it is a dry land and a desert-— a burnt mountain — empty — wholly desolate — pools of water — heaps — and utterly destroyed — a land where no man dwelleth — every one that passes by it is astonished. The superstitious dread of evil spirits, and the natural terror at the wild beasts which dwell among the ruins of Babylon, restrain the Arab from pitching his tent, or shepherds from making their folds there. The princely palaces and habitations of the wondrous city, utterly de- stroyed, are now nothing but unshapely heaps of bricks and rubbish: instead of their stately chambers, there are now caverns, where porcupines creep, and owls and bats nestle ; where lions find dens, and jackals, hysenas, and other noxious animals, their unmolested retreats, from which issue loathsome smells ; and the entrances to which are strewed with the bones of sheep and goats. On one side of the Euphrates, the canals are dry, and the crumbled bricks on an elevated surface exposed to the scorching sun, cover an arid plain, and Babylon is a wil- derness, a dry land, a desert. On the other, the embank- ments of the river, and with them the vestiges of ruins over a large space, have been swept away : the plain is in general marshy, and in many places inaccessible, especially after the annual overflowing of the Euphrates : no son of man doth pass thereby ; the sea or river is come upon Babylon, she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. Birs Nimrod, or the temple of Belus, which was OF THE BIBLE. ya standing after the beginning of the christian era, is still to be distinguished. It has been visited and described by several modern English travellers, who have given sketches of it, from which the following is taken. It is still worthy, from its mere immensity, of being a relic of Babylon the great : for though a mass of ruins, it is no less than two hundred and thirty- five feet high. On these ruins there are vast fragments of brickwork that have been completely molten, and they ring like glass ; and which must have been subjected to a heat equal to that of the strongest furnace. From the summit of this mass may be had a distinct view of the frightful heaps which constitute all that now remains of ancient and glorious Babylon ; and a more complete picture of absolute desolation could scarcely be imagined. Thus we behold the proudest works of the greatest of mortals brought to nothing, and the loftiest monuments of their power, genius, and riches, levelled with the dust, and preserved in ruins, for the purpose of illustrating and confirming the faithful testimony of the eternal God, as recorded in his most holy word. How wonderful are the predictions of his commissioned servants, when com- pared with the events to which they direct our minds ; and what a convincing demonstrative proof do we see of the truth and divinity of the holy scriptures ! With what admirable propriety does Jehovah allege this memorable 96 CH. XII. UNFULFILLED PROPHECY. instance of his foreknowledge, in relation to Babylon, and challenge all the false divinities and their votaries to pro- duce anything of similar import. " Who hath declared this from ancient time ? Who hath told it from that time ? have not I the LORD ? And there is no God else beside me, a just God and a Saviour, there is none else beside me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, say- ing, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my plea- sure," Isa. xlv. 21. xlvi. 10. What an affecting lesson is afforded to us, by the blasted ruins of the temple and palaces of magnificent Babylon ! Powerfully do they confirm, and illustrate, and awfully recommend, the instructive language of the apostles of Christ. " All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof ; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever," 1 John ii. 16, 17. Ch. XII. — Unfulfilled Prophecy. The Bible scheme of prophecy is manifestly divine. Upon this subject the foregoing chapter, on several pro- phecies remarkably fulfilled, will serve as a demonstra- tion to every reflecting reader. Considered in its first dawning ; its gradual advancement ; its partial comple- tion, in the overthrow of the great monarchies ; the ad- vent of the Messiah ; the perfection of his mediation ; the dispersion of the Jews, his enemies ; the establishment of his kingdom among the Gentiles ; and the prevailing influence of its saving knowledge and the fear of the LORD covering the earth, preparatory to the great day of God ; prophecy is an object the most sublime that ima- gination can conceive, and the most important that a devout mind can contemplate. In the Bible we behold the spirit of prophecy pervad- ing all time ; commencing so early as the first man, and extending to the final consummation of all things : we CH. XII. UNFULFILLED PROPHECY. 97 see it uniformly characterising- one person ; first, by dark and obscure intimations, then gradually unfolding itself with brighter lustre as it advances, till the appear- ance of Him who was its ultimate end and object. In Him, and in his apostles, especially in his beloved dis- ciple, we behold it renewed, predicting, with peculiar exactness, every important event which should befall his church, even from its earliest establishment, down to that period of awful expectation, when the great plan of divine mercy shall be brought to a glorious conclusion, and the mysterious counsels of the Almighty, respecting the christian dispensation, shall be closed in judgment and consummated in glory. In the mean time, many great and blessed things are to be effected among the nations of mankind, as declared in the " sure word of prophecy" contained in the Bible. We will notice several particulars. 1. Concerning the Lord our Redeemer, it is said, "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end," Isa. ix. 7. " He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass : as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish ; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. His name shall endure for ever : His name shall be continued as long as the sun : and men shall be blessed in him ; all nations shall call him blessed," Psalm lxxii. 6 — 8. 17. To this end, 2. The gospel is to be preached among all the nations and people upon the earth. " And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," Mark xvi. 15. " Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased," Dan. xii. 4. " And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," Rev. xiv. 6. " The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea," Hab. ii. 14. s 98 CH. XII. UNFULFILLED PROPHECY. 3. The saving influences of the Holy Spirit are to accompany the ministry of the gospel, to give it the ne- cessary efficacy. " And it shall come to pass afterwards, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh," Joelii. 28. " And when he (the Comforter) is come he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment," John xvi. 8. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground : I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring : and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the LORD'S ; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob ; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel," Isa. xliv. 3 — 5. 4. As the consequence of the effusion of the Spirit, the church of Christ is to include all nations, in an extraor dinary state of knowledge, holiness, and happiness. " All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD : and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee," Psalm xxii. 27. " But in the last days it shaU come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills ; and people shall flow into it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob ; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths ; for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many peo- ple, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks : nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shaU they learn war any more," Micah iv. 1.3. " They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea," Isa. xi. 9. " And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising ; I will make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction CH. XII. UNFULFILLED PROPHECY. 99 within thy borders ; but thou shalt call thy walls salva- tion, and thy gates praise, 1 ' Isa. Ix. 3.- 17, 18. " In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLI- NESS UNTO THE LORD," Zech. xiv. 20. 5. Of the Jews it is predicted that their infidelity shall be removed, and by conversion, they shall be brought into the church of Christ, with the fulness of the Gentiles. " For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king-, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim. Afterward shall the children return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter day," Hos. iii. 4,5. " I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication : and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced," Zech. xii. 16. " Thus saith the LORD GOD ; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathens, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land : and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel ; and one king shall be king to them all. I will save them out of all their dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them : so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them ; and they all shall have one shepherd over them ; they shall also walk in my judg- ments, and observe my statutes, and do them. My taber- nacle also shall be with them : yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanc- tuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore," Ezek. xxxvii. 21—24.27,28. Neither will I hide my face any more from them : for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the LORD GOD," Ezek. xxxix. 29. " Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved : as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away un- s 2 100 CH. XII. UNFULFILLED PROPHECY. godliness from Jacob ; for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins," Rom. xi. 25 — 27.' i These are a few of the predictions which abound in the word of God ; and that all these prophecies shall be per- fectly fulfilled we have the most confident assurance, arising- from the faithful word of the LORD OF HOSTS. He has said, " For as the snow and the rain cometh down from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring- forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater : so shall the word be that g-oeth forth out of my mouth : it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing- whereto I sent it," Isa. lv. 9, 10. Besides the infallible word of God, the signs of the times, and the various means which Providence has broug-ht into operation within the last fifty years espe- cially, indicate the approaching- accomplishment of all the merciful purposes of God towards mankind. Scrip- tural truth appears to be better understood by the church of God, and a spirit of candour and love prevails in it, in such a degree, as never characterised it since the apostolic age. Christians of different denominations manifest a greater disposition to merge their peculiari- ties, uniting in the grand essentials of evangelical reli- gion, to extend the kingdom of their Saviour, in blessing the whole family of man. For this purpose missionary societies have been established upon a plan to embrace the whole world. They are supported by the voluntary contributions of the several bodies of christians, whose agents have been eminently honoured of God in diffus- ing the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. By their means whole nations have abandoned idolatry with its degrading brutalities, and multitudes of them have re- ceived the truth as it is in Jesus. It is computed that a thousand protestant missionaries are disseminating the doctrines of their Saviour among the heathen, assisted by at least a thousand preachers and teachers from among the native converts. To further their object, the scrip- tures have been translated by the missionaries into about CH. XIII. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. 101 sixty different languages, which before had never been sanctified by the inspired word of God ; and the Bible Society has published the scriptures, in whole or in part, in about one hundred and fifty languages. Innumerable religious tracts have been published in various lan- guages. Schools have been established at the various missionary stations ; and it is calculated, that not less than 100,000 pagan children and adults are receiving christian instruction in day and Sunday-schools. The cause of Jesus Christ, in the evangelization of the world, is gaining an increase of friends and supporters ; the several governments are becoming more favourable to christian missions ; the fruits of evangelical instruction are appearing in multitudes of devoted converts to Christ among the heathen, and the morning we trust has evi- dently dawned upon the world, which shall be succeeded by the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and by the meridian glory of truth and holiness, when " all "shall know the LORD from the least even to the greatest," and " the kingdoms of this world shall become the king- doms of our God and of his Christ." Ch. XIII. — Figurative Language of the Bible. " I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets," Hoseaxii. 10. This de claration of the Lord God Almighty must be practically regarded, fully to profit by studying the holy scriptures. To adopt this mode of instruction was a merciful con- descension to human weakness on the part of God ; especially in the early ages of the world, when symbolical language originated from the necessary scarcity of words. Figures of speech, as all allow, were occasioned by the very poverty of language. The advancement of society in arts, sciences, and refinement, has produced the addition of a multitude of words. Still, in the high- est state of improvement, all languages continue to be more or less figurative. Probably there are no writings in existence whose 102 CH. XIII. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE style is not, in some degree, metaphorical ; which, in- deed, really constitutes much of its essential beauty. The language of the Bible is highly figurative, par- ticularly the Old Testament ; for which, besides its remote antiquity, two particular reasons have been assigned. First, the eastern nations, possessing warm imaginations, and living in climates rich and fertile, sur- rounded by objects equally grand and beautiful, naturally delighted in a figurative mode of expression, far beyond that of the more sober taste of Europeans in less luxu- riant regions. The other is, that many of the books of the Old Testament consist of Hebrew poetry ; in the style of which the author is allowed, by universal consent, the privilege of illustrating his productions by images and similitudes, drawn from every striking sub- ject which may be present to his imagination. Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, and other sacred poets, abound with figures ; on every occasion their compositions are adorned with the richest flowers and the most instructive metaphors, to impress the minds and affect the hearts of their readers. But their propriety, design, and beauty, can be appreciated fully only by possessing a tolerable idea of the country in which the inspired poets flourished, the peculiarities of its inhabitants, and the idioms of its language. The style of the New Testament also, especially the discourses of our Saviour, are remarkably metaphorical ; by mistaking which the most extravag-ant notions have been published as divine doctrine ; some professors of Christianity adopting a literal application of those expres- sions which were figuratively intended. A few examples will show the incorrectness of a literal interpretation of some of the words of our Lord. Speaking of Herod the king, Christ says, " Go ye, and tell that fox," Luke xiii. 32. Here, as every reader perceives, the word fox is trans- ferred from its literal signification, that of a beast of prey, proverbial for its profound cunning, to denote a cruel tyrant, and that use of the term conveys, as was designed, the idea of consummate hypocrisy. Our Lord said to the Jews, " I am the living bread OF THE BIBLE. 103 which came down from heaven : if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever : and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world," John vi. 51. The sensual Jews understood his words literally ; and said, " How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" ver. 52. not considering that he in- tended the sacrifice of his life, which he gave as an atonement for the sins of the world. In the institution of the Lord's Supper, our Saviour said of the bread, " This is my body;" and of the wine, " This is my blood," Matt. xxvi. 26—28. Upon these words the Roman Catholics, since the twelfth century, have put a forced construction ; and in opposition to other passages of the scriptures, as well as every prin- ciple of nature and sound reason, they have attempted to establish their monstrous doctrine of transubstantia- tion ; or, the conversion of the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper into the real body and blood of Christ, when the priest pronounces the words of pretended con- secration, though to all the senses it remains just the same bread and wine unchanged. The evident meaning of our Lord was, that the bread represented his body, and the wine signified his blood. This mode of expres- sion may be seen used in the Old Testament, Gen. xli. 26, 27. Exod. xii. 11. Dan. vii. 24. and by our Saviour himself in his parables, Matt. xiii. 38, 39. John x. 7—9. Also, Christ calls himself the door, John x. 9. a vine, John xv. 1 . a shepherd, John x. 1 1 . The most common and remarkable figures of speech in the Bible are the following : I. A Metaphor is a figurative expression, founded on some similitude which one object bears to another, as, To bridle the tongue, Jas. i. 26. For the sword to devour flesh, Deut.xxxii. 42. To be born again, John iii. 3. II. An Allegory is a continued metaphor, as the dis- course of our Saviour concerning eating his flesh, John vi. 35— 65. III. A Parable is the representation of some moral or spiritual doctrine under an ingenious similitude, as that of the Sower, Matt. xiii. 2—23. the Prodigal Son, 104 CH. XIV. INDEX TO THE SYMBOLICAL Luke xvi. 11—32. and the Ten Virgins, Matt. xxv. 1—13. IV. A Proverb is a concise, sententious saying-, founded on a penetrating- observation of men and man- ners. Brevity and elegance are essential to a proverb, Prov. x. 15. Luke iv. 23. V. Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one word is put for another ; as, " They have Moses and the pro- phets," Luke xvi. 29. meaning not their persons, but their writings. VI. Prosopopoeia, or Personification, attributes the actions of persons to things, as in Ps. lxxxv. 10. it is said, " Mercy and truth are met together ; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." VII. Synecdoche puts a part for the whole of any thing, or the whole for a part, as Luke ii. 1. " All the world ;" and Acts xxiv. 5. " Throughout the world," by which is meant the Roman empire, or parts of it. In Acts xxvii. 37. the word " souls" is put for the whole persons. VIII. Irony is a figure in which a different thing is intended from that which is spoken. Examples of this kind are not very frequent in the Bible : yet there are a few. Such is the address of Elijah to the priests of Baal, 1 Kings xviii. 27. and the remark of Job to his friends, Job xii. 2. IX. Hyperbole is a representation of any thing as being much greater or smaller than it is in reality. For examples of this figure, see Num. xiii. 33. Deut. i. 28. ix. 1. Ch. XIV. — Index to the Symbolical Language of the Bible. Abaddon, in Hebrew,) A name derived from the title Apollyon, in Greek — J of the Arabian kings, and applied to the Mohammedan powers, by which the christian church in the east was oppressed, Rev. ix. 1 1 . Abomination — 1. Sin, in general. Isa. lxvi. 3. Ezek. xvi. 50, 51. 2. An idol, 2 Kings xxiii. 13. Isa. xliv. 19. LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 105 Abomination — 3. Idolatrous rites and ceremonies of popery, Rev. xvii. 4. Abomination of desolation — The idolatrous ensigns of the Roman army, Matt. xxiv. 15. Adulteress, or Harlot — An apostate city or church, Isa. i. 21. Rev. xvii. 5. Adultery — Idolatry and apostacy, Jer. iii. 8, 9. Rev. ii. 22. Angels — 1 . Intelligent beings employed by God as mini- sters of his providence, Ezek. x. 8, &c. Heb. i. 4—7. 14. Rev. iv. 6. v. 11. 2. Apostate spirits, Matt. xxv. 41. Jude 6. 3. The pastors or bishops of churches, Rev. i. 20. ii. 1. 8. 12. 18. 4. Angel of the Lord, Jesus Christ, Zech. i. 11. Arm — 1. The omnipotence of God, Jer. xxvii. 5. xxxii. 17. 2. The power and miracles of Christ, Isa. liii. 1. John xii. 38. 3. Gracious influences of God on mankind, Isa. Ii. 9. Iii. 10. Armour — Spiritual graces, Rom. xiii. 2. Eph. vi. 11. Arrows — 1. Judgments of God, Job vi. 4. 2. Slanderous words, Ps. lxiv. 3. Babes — 1. Unskilful and foolish princes, Isa. iii. 4. 2. Young orfeeble christians, 1 Cor. iii. 1. Heb. v. 13. Babylon — Papal Rome, Rev. xiv. 8. xvii. xviii. Balaam — The errors and impurities of that apostate, 2 Pet. ii. 15. Jude 11. Rev. ii. 14. Beast — 1. A heathen power, Dan. vii. 17. 2. The papal antichrist, Rev. xiii. 2. 12. xvii. 3. 7, 8. &c. Beast — The four living creatures, improperly called beasts, Rev. iv. They denote the cherubim de- scribed Ezek. i. x. Black, Blackness — Afflictions, Jer. xiv. 2. Joel ii. 6. Blasphemy — Idolatry, especially that of popery, Rev. xiii. 1.5, 6. xvii. 3. Blindness — Ignorance of divine doctrine, Isa. xxix. 18. Rom. xi. 25. Eph. iv. 18. 106 CH. XIV. INDEX TO THE SYMBOLICAL Blood — 1. Slaughter and mortality, Isa. xxxiv. 3. Ezek. xxxii. 6. Rev. xiv. 20. 2. Symbol of the atonement by Christ, Matt. xxvi. 28. Heb. xiii. 20. Body— The sanctified church of Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 13. 27. Book — Symbol of the divine decrees, Ps.xl. 7. Heb. x. 7. Book of Life — The heavenly register of the people of God, Rev. iii.5.xx. 12. 15.xxii. 19. Matt.iii. 16. Bow — 1. Vigorous health, Job xxix. 20. 2. Symbol of evangelical conquest, Rev. vi. 2. Bowels — Tender sympathy, Phil. ii. 1. Luke i. 78. Gr. bowels of mercy. Branch — Christ, Isa. xi. 1. Jer. xxiii. 5. xxxiii. 15. Zech. iii. 8. Bread, food — 1. Divine doctrine, Deut. viii. 3. Isa. lv. 2. Matt. iv. 4. 2. Christian fellowship, 1 Cor. x. 17. Bride — The church of Christ, Rev. xxi. 9. Bridegroom — Christ, the husband of the church, John iii. 29. Rev. xxi. 9. Briers — Persons of pernicious principles, Isa. lv. 13. Brimstone — 1. Perpetual desolations, Job xviii. 15. Isa. xxxiv. 9. 2. Emblem of torment, Rev. xiv. 1 0. 3. Pernicious doctrines, Rev. ix. 17. Bulls — Violent men, Ps. xxii. 12. Candlestick— See Lamp. Cedars — Eminent men, Zech. xi. 2. Cedars of Lebanon — Kings, princes of Judah, Isa. ii. 13. Cedars, twigs of — Nobility, military chiefs, Ezek. xvii.4. Chaff — Worthless, irreligious persons, Ps. i. 4. Matt. iii. 12. Chain — Calamity or affliction, Lam. iii. 7. Clouds — Armies, multitudes, Jer. iv. 13. Isa. Ix. 8. Heb. xii. 1. Crown of life — of glory — Immortality, felicity, and glory of heaven, Jas. i. 12. Rev. ii. 10. Cup — 1. Blessings of divine providence and grace, Psa. xxiii. 5. 2. Divine judgments, Isa. Ii. 17. LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 107 Cup of salvation — Thankful acknowledgment of divine mercies, Ps. cxvi. 13. Cup of blessing — Cup at the Lord's supper, in allusion to the paschal cup, 1 Cor. x. 16. Darkness — 1. Calamity and misery, Jer. xxiii. 1. 2. Irreligion and ignorance, Rom. xiii. 12. Darkness of the sun, stars, &c. — Disorders in the govern- ment, Isa. xiii. 10. Day — 1. A year, Ezek. iv. 6. Rev. ii. 10. xi. 9. xii. 6. 2. An appointed season, Isa. xxxiv. 8. 3. A state of evangelical knowledge, 1 Thess. v. 5. Death, Natural — Separation of the spirit from the body, Gen. xxv. 1 . Death, Moral — Insensibility to the evil of sin, and to the duties and pleasures of the divine friendship, Eph. ii. 2. Rev. iii. 1. Death, Second — Eternal banishment from God, Rev. ii. 11. xx. 14. Death, Evangelical — Mortification of sinful affection, Rom. vi. 8. 1 Pet. ii. 24. Dew — Power of Christ in the resurrection, Isa. xxvi. 19. Dogs — 1. Gentiles, as sunk in impurity, Matt. xv. 26. 2. Idle, luxurious ministers of religion, Isa. lvi. 1 0. 3. Cavilling, unprincipled teachers, Phil. iii. 2. Rev. xxii. 15. Door — 1. The commencement of a new government, Rev. iv. 1. 2. The entrance, or enlarged exercise of the gospel ministry, 1 Cor. xvi. 9. Dragon — 1. Symbol of a royal enemy, Ezek. xxix. 23 — the king of Egypt. 2. Satan actuating his agents, Rev. xii. 9. 3. Dangers or difficulties, Ps. xci. 13. Drunkenness — 1. Emblem of folly, Isa. xxviii. 1 — 3. Jer. xiii. 13. 2. Senselessness, the effect of divine judgments, Isa. xxix. 9. Ii. 21. Dust and ashes — Human nature, Gen. iii. 19. xviii. 27. Eagle — 1. A king or kingdom, Ezek. xvii. 2. The Roman army, whose standards were eagles, Matt. xxiv. 28. 108 CH. XIV. INDEX TO THE SYMBOLICAL Eagle — 3. Emblem of renewed strength, Ps. ciii. 3. Iaa. xl. 31. Earthen vessels — The human body, 2 Cor. iv. 7. Earthquakes — Political revolutions, Rev. vi. 12. Hag. ii. 6, 7. Heb. xii. 26. Egypt — Symbolical name for wickedness, Rev. xi. 3. Elders, The twenty-four — Eminent saints, perhaps patri- archal believers, Rev. iv. 10. Heb. xi. 2. Eyes — I. Applied to the Almighty, denote, 1. His infinite knowledge, Prov. xv. 3. Ps. xi. 4. 2. His watchful providence, Ps. xxxii.8.xxxiv. 15. II. Applied to Jesus Christ, they denote his omni- presence, Rev. ii. 23. v. 6. Heb. iv. 13. III. Applied to man, they denote, 1. The understanding, the eyes of the mind, Ps. cxix. 18.Eph. i. 18. 2. A friendly counsellor, Job xxix. 15. 3. The whole man, Rev. i. 7. 4. Human designs, Deut. xxviii. 54 — 56. Face — 1. The favour of God, Ps. xxxvi. 1 6. Dan. ix. 17. 2. The infidel profaneness of impenitent man, Jer. v. 3. Family— The church of God, Eph. iii. 15. Fat — 1. The most excellent of every thing, Ps. lxxxi. 16. 2. Riches, Ps. xxii. 29. Jer. v. 28. Father — God, whose we are by creation and gracious adoption, Mai. i. 6. ii. 10. Jer. xxxi. 9. Roin. viii. 15, 16. Eph. i. 5. Field— The world, Matt. xiii. 38. Fire —Destructive calamity, Isa. xlii. 25. lxvi. 15. Ezek. xxii. 3 1 . Flesh — 1. Riches, Isa. xvii. 4. 2. Mortal man, Isa. xl. 6. 3. Human virtues or religious privileges, Phil. iii. 3, 4. Forehead — Public profession of religion, Rev. vii. 3. xiii. 16. Fox — Consummate hypocrisy and deceit, Ezek. xiii. 4. Luke xiii. 32. Fruit — Religious virtues and enjoyments, Ps. i. 3. xcii. 14. language of the bible. 109 Furnace — Trying- affliction, or the place of affliction, Deut. iv. 20. Jer. ix. 7. xi. 4. Garments — Souls of men, Rev. iii. 4. Garments, White — Emblems of purity and joy, Isa. Iii. 1. lxi. 10. Rev. iii. 4, 5. xix. 8. Gates — Symbol of security, Ps. cxlvii. 13. Gates of the daughter of Sion — The ordinances of divine worship, Ps. ix. 14. Gates of death — Imminent danger, Ps. ix. 13. Job xxxviii. 17. Gog- with Magog — 1. Great Scythian powers in former ages, Ezek. xxxviii. 2. 2. Infidel nations in the last days, Rev. xx. 8. Gold — Graces of the Holy Spirit, Rev. iii. 18. Grapes — Virtues of religion, Isa. v. 2. Grapes, Wild — Sinful tempers and manners, Isa. v. 2. Hail — The incursions of violent enemies, Isa. xxviii. 2. xxxii. 19. Rev. viii. 7. Hand, Right — Protection and favour, Ps. xviii. 35. lxx'ui. 23. Hand, Laying- on of the — Communication of blessings or authority, Gen. xlviii. 20. Numb, xxvii. 18. Hand of the Lord on a prophet — Influence of the Holy- Spirit,. Ezek viii. 1. Harvest — Extreme judgment, Joel iii. 13. or end of the world, Matt. xiii. 39. Head — 1. The understanding or governing principle in man, Isa. i. 6. Dan. ii. 28. 2. Chief of a people, Mic. iii. 1. 9. 11. 3. The metropolis of a country, Isa. vii. 8, 9. Heavens — 1. The powerful providence of God, Dan. iv. 26. 2. God, Matt. xxi. 25. Luke xv. 18. 3. Political or ecclesiastical governments, Isa. xiii. 13. Hag. ii. 2. 21. 4. The visible church, Rev. xii. 7. 9. Hell — 1. The general receptacle of departed souls, Isa. xiv. 7. Rev. i. 18. 2. The place of eternal torment for the impenitent, Ps. ix. 17. Matt. x. 28. xxiii. 33, 110 CH. XIV.— INDEX TO THE SYMBOLICAL Horn— 1. Strength, Rev. v. 1. 2. Divine protection, Ps. xviii. 2. Amosiii. 14. Luke i. 69. 3. Royal power, Jer. xlviii. 25.Zech. i. 18. 21. Dan. vii. 20. 22. Horse — Emblem of conquest, the work of its rider, Joel ii. 4.Hab. i. 8. Jer. iv. 13. Horse, White — Emblem of happy conquest, Rev. vi. 2. — red, of bloody war — black, of disease and pesti- lence — pale, of famine and misery, Rev. vi. 2. 8 Zech. vi. 2. House — 1. Church of God, Isa. ii. 2. 1 Tim. iii. 15. Heb. iii. 6. 2. Human body, 2 Cor. v. 1. Hunger and Thirst — 1. Natural desires after happiness, Prov. xix. 15. Isa. Iv. 1. Rev. xxii. 17. 2. Spiritual desires, Amos viii. 11. Matt. v. 6. Luke i. 53. Idolatry — Covetousness, Col. iii. 5. An object exces- sively beloved, 1 John v. 21. Image of gold, silver, brass, and iron — The four univer- sal monarchies, Assyrian, Persian, Macedonian, Roman, Dan. ii. 31. 45. Incense — Devotional exercises, Ps. cxli. 2. Rev. v. 8. Infirmities — 1. Bodily weaknesses, Matt. viii. 17. Isa, liii.4. 2. Spiritual weakness, Rom. viii. 26. Jerusalem— 1. Church of God, Ps. cxx. 6. Is'a. lxv. 18. lxvi. 13. 2. Heavenly glory, Heb. xii. 22. Rev. iii. 12. xxi. xxii. Gal. iv. 24. 26. Keys — 1. Power and authority, Rev. i. 18. Isa. xxii. 2. Commission of the gospel ministry, Matt. xvi. 19. 3. Means of scriptural knowledge, Luke xi. 52. Labourers — Gospel ministers, Matt. ix. 37, 38. 1 Cor. iii. 9. Lamb — The Messiah, typified by the paschal lamb, and the daily Israelitish sacrifice, Exod. xii. 11. xxix. 38.41. Lamp— 1. A successor, 1 Kings xv. 4. Ps. cxxxii. 17. LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. Ill 2. Profession of religion, Matt. xxv. 3, 4. 3. Divine illumination and comfort, 2 Sam.xxii.29. 4. A christian church, not candlestick, Gr. lamps, Rev. i. 12. 20. Leaven — Corrupt principles and practices, Matt. xvi. 6. 1 Cor. v. 6. 8. Leopard — 1. A subtle, rapacious enemy, Dan. vii. 6. 2. A person of similar disposition, Isa. xi. 6. 3. Antichristian power, Rev. xiii. 2. Life — 1. Immortal felicity, Ps. xvi. 11. 2. Evangelical doctrine, John vi. 33. 3. A state of justification, John v. 24. Col. iii. 3. 4. Christ the source of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal, Johni. 4. xi. 25, xiv. 6. Col. iii. 4. Light — 1. Joy, peace, and prosperity, Esther viii. 16. 2. Evangelical knowledge and holiness, Isa. viii. 20. Eph. v. 8. 1 John i. 7. Lion — 1 . An emblem of fortitude, the ensign of the tribe of Judah, Gen. xlix. 9. 2. A title of Christ, Rev. v. 5. Locusts — Teachers who corrupt the gospel, Rev. ix. 3. Manna — The felicities of immortality, Rev. ii. 17. Moon — The Jewish ecclesiastical state, Joelii. 31. Rev. xii. 1. Mountain — 1. A kingdom, state, republic, or city, Isa. ii. 12. 14. Zech. iv. 7. 2. The kingdom of Christ's church, Isa. ii. 2.xi. 9. Dan. ii. 35. Mystery — A tiling or doctrine unknown until revealed, Rom. xvi. 25. 1 Cor. ii. 7. Col. i. 26. Rev. i. 20. Naked— Destitute of the garment of holiness, Rev. iii. 17. Names — Persons, Acts i. 15. Rev. iii. 4. Night— Ignorance, error, adversity, Rev. xxi. 25. Number two — A few, 1 Kings xvii. 12. Isa. vii. 21. Number three, or third — Excellency, Isa. xix. 24. Zech. xiii. 9. Number four — Universality, Isa. xi. 12. Ezek. vii. 2. Number seven — Perfection, Rev. I. 4. and throughout the book. t2 112 CH. XIV. INDEX TO fHE SYMBOLICAL Number ten — Many, Dan. i. 20. Amos vi. 9. Zech. viii. 23. Oaks — Princes, Isa. ii. 13. Olive, Wild — Sensual man, Rom. xi. 17. Olive, Cultivated — The church of Christ, Rom. xi. 24. Palm — An emblem of joy and victory, Rev. vii. 7. Paradise — Heaven, the residence of the Redeemed, Luke xxiii. 43. Rev. ii. 7. Passover — Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. v. 7. Physician — Jesus Christ, Matt. ix. 12. Pillar — 1. The chief support of a family, city, or state, Gal. ii. 9. 2. A monument of grace in the temple of glory, Rev. iii. 12. Poison — Lies, evil principles, Ps. cxl. 3. Rom. iii. 13. Rain — 1. Emblem of saving doctrine, Deut. xxxii. 2. 2. Spiritual influences, Isa. xliv. 3. River — 1. The irruption of an invading army, Isa. lix. 19. Jer. xlvi. 7,8. 2. An emblem of exuberant blessings, Job. xxix. 6. Ps. xxxvi. 8. 3. Overflowings of divine love and grace, Rev. xxii. 1. Ezek. xlvii. Rock — 1. A secure refuge, Ps. xviii. 2. Isa. xvii. 10. 2. The founder of a nation, Isa. Ii. 1. Rod — 1. Powerful authority, Ps. ii. 9. 2. Divine faithfulness, Ps. xxiii. 4. Salt — 1. The principles and virtues of christians, Matt, v. 13. 2. The wisdom of christian prudence, Col. iv. 6. Sea — 1. The remote islands and countries of the Gen- tiles, Isa. Ix. 5. 2. The river Euphrates, or Nile, Isa. xxi. 1. Jer. Ii. 36. Seal, Sealed — 1. Symbol of security, Sol. Song iv. 12. 2. Symbol of secrecy, Isa. xxix. 11, 3. Restraint, Job ix. 7. xxxvii. 7. 4. Token of special commission, John vi. 27. 5. Emblem of peculiar interest, Eph. i. 13. iv. 30. Rev. vii. 2—4. LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 1 13 Seed — Evangelical doctrine, Lukeviii. 5.11. 1 Pet. i. 23. 1 John iii. 9. Serpent — Satan, the devil, Gen. iii. 1. 2 Cor. xi. 3. Rev. xii. 9. Sheep — The disciples of Christ, Zech. xiii. 7. John x. 11. 16. 1 Pet. ii. 25. Shield — Faith in the divine promises, Eph. vi. 16. Sleep — 1. Death, Dan. xii. 2. John xi. 11. 1 Thess.iv. 14. 2. Carnal security, Rom. xiii. 11. Sodom and Gomorrah — An apo&tate, wicked city, Isa. i. 10. Rev. xi. 8. Sores — Spiritual maladies, Isa. i. 6. liii. 5. Sower — A gospel preacher, Matt. xiii. 3. 37. Star — 1. A prince or ruler, Num.xxiv. 17. Rev. xxii. 16. 2. Eminent pastors of churches, Rev. i. 20. 3. Apostate teachers, Jude 13. Stone — 1. Jesus Christ, Ps. cxviii.-22. Isa. xxviii. 16. Matt. xxi. 42. 2. A true believer, 2 Pet. ii. 5. Stone, White — Seal or token of full absolution, Rev. ii. 17. Sun— 1. The Lord God, Ps. lxxxiv. 11. 2. Jesus Christ, Mai. iv. 2. Sun and Moon — States, civil and ecclesiastical, Joel ii. 31. Actsii. 20. Swine — Unclean, infidel persons, Matt. vii. 6. Sword — 1 . The symbol of destruction, Deut. xxxii. 41,42. 2. The word of God — the weapon of a christian, Eph. vi. 17. Tabernacle— The human body, 2 Cor. v. 1. 2 Pet. i. 13, 14. Talents— The gifts of God bestowed on man, Matt. xxv. 15. Tares— Wicked infidels, Matt. xiii. 38. Teeth — Symbols of cruelty, Prov. xxx. 14. Thorns — 1. Worldly cares, riches, and pleasures, Luke viii. 14. 2. Perverse unbelievers, Ezek. ii. 6. Throne— 1 . Government or kingdom, Gen. xii. 4. 2 Sam. vii. 12. 16. 2. An order of angels, Col. i. 16. t 3 114 CH. XIV. — INDEX TO THE SYMBOLICAL Thunders — Prophecies, Rev. x. 4. Towers — Protectors, Isa. ii. 12. 15. Travail — 1. Anguish and misery, Jer. iv. 31. xiii. 21. Markxiii. 8. 2. Solicitude of christian ministers, Gal. iv. 19. Tree of life — The pleasures of immortality, Rev. ii. 7. xxii. 2. Trees— Good or bad men, Ps. i. 3. Matt. iii. 10. Vine — 1. The Hebrew church, Ps. lxxx. 8. Jer. ii. 21. 2. Christ the Head of the church, John xv. 1. Vineyard — The church of Israel, Isa. v. 1. 6. Jer. xii. 10. Vipers — Wicked children of wicked parents, Matt. iii. 7. xii. 34. Voice of the bridegroom — Nuptial festivities, invitations of the Saviour, Jer. xvi. 9. John iii. 29. Walk— The habit of life. To walk after the flesh — To be guided by sensual appe- tites, Rom. viii. 1. To walk after the Spirit — To follow the motions of the Holy Spirit, and the counsels of the word of God, Rom. viii. 1. To walk with God — To live in secret communion with God, acting- as in his sight to please and glorify him, Gen. v. 24. vi. 9. Wash, I p . Moral, Ps. xxvi. 6. lxxiii. 13. Washed, >Purification,< 2. Spiritual, Ps. Ii. 2. Ezek. W T ashing, J I xvi. 9. Pardon and sanctification, 1 Cor. vi. 11. Rev. i. 5. vii. 14. Water — The grace of the Holy Spirit, Isa. xliv. 3. John iii. 5. iv. 10. Waters — 1. Afflictions and troubles, Ps. lxix. 1. 2. Multitudes of people, Isa. viii. 7. Rev. xvii. 15. 3. Evangelical ordinances, Isa. Iv. 1. 4. The blessings of the Holy Spirit, Isa. xliv. 3. John vii. 37. Week — Seven years, Dan. ix. 24. Seventy weeks of years, are four hundred and ninety years. Wilderness— 1 . General desolation, Isa. xxvii. 10. Jer. xxii, 6. LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE, 115 2. This world of trial, 1 Cor. x. 5, 6. Isa. xli. 18. Wind — 1. The operations of the Holy Spirit, John iii. 8. 2. Divine judgments, Isa. xxvii. 8. 3. Desolation, Jer. li. 1. iv. 11, 12. Winds, Four — General destructions, Jer. xlix. 36. Dan. vii. 2. Rev. vii. 2. Wine — 1. Temporal blessings, Hos. ii. 8. Ps. iv. 7. 2. Gospel provision, Isa. xxv. 6. Iv. 1. 3. Divine indignation, Ps. lxxv. 8. Rev. xvi. 19. Wings — 1. Protection, Ps. xvii. 8. xxxvi. 7. xci. 4. 2. Evangelical blessings, Mai. iv. 4. Witnesses— Persecuted churches or their pastors, Rev. xi. 3 — 6. Wolf, Wolves — 1. Fierce, irreligious men, Isa. xi. 6. lxv. 25. 2. Bitter persecutors, Luke x. 3. 3. Avaricious men, professedly christian ministers, John x. 12. Acts xx. 29. Women — 1. A state or city, Ezek. xxiii. 2, 3. 2. The church of Christ, Rev. xii. 1. 3. The antichristian church, Rev. xvii. 3. Yoke — 1. Oppressive servitude, Dent, xxviii. 48. 2. Painful religious rites, Acts xv. 10. Gal. v. 1. 3. The delightful service of Christ, Matt, xi. 29, 30. 4. Moral restraints, Lam. iii. 27. Ch. XV. — Character and Influence of Chris- tianity, and its Claims upon all Mankind The Holy Scriptures, as we have seen, are the living oracles of God. They are addressed to perishing sinners, and designed to make men wise unto salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ. In every point of view in which we can contemplate Christianity, it exhibits to us the perfection of heavenly wisdom, and is incomparably superior to all the systems which have ever been presented to mankind, under the sacred name of religion. Its institutes have been written by holy men of God, pro- phets, apostles, and evangelists ; they have been confirmed 116 CH. XV. — CHARACTER AND INFLUENCE by an innumerable multitude of intelligent, learned, and pious believers, in the character of confessors and martyrs for their truth, divinity, and saving- efficacy ; and their transforming - influence on those who receive the love of the truth, still corresponds with their primitive claims, and demonstrates that they came from God. The Bible alone has clearly revealed the self-existence, the universal providence, and the infinite perfections of the one only living- and eternal God. It has both published and illustrated his holy law, as the immutable rule of moral duty for all his intelligent creation. It announces a future judgment, in which all men shall be righteously rewarded or punished according to their cha racter and their works. It contemplates man in that condition, which all history portrays — a fallen, miserable mortal, a guilty transgressor ag-ainst God. It exhibits to his terrified mind, and brings to his awakened con- science, the rich provisions of mercy, full forgiveness and free justification, through the substitution of an almighty Surety. The understanding of man being dark- ened, and his heart corrupted, it sends him an omnipo- tent Sanctifier, whose influence illuminates and purifies the soul by regeneration and sanctification. Christianity thus destroys the deeply rooted enmity of the heart, and brings the alienated rebel to God, as his heavenly Father, to receive the unspeakable blessings of adoption into the family of God, and to enjoy the sweet assurances of im- mortality in the life everlasting. This system of sovereign mercy implants the principles and enforces the practice of every virtue which can exalt, adorn, and improve the human character. Even its par- tial reception has annihilated the cruel barbarities and degrading customs inseparable from former ages. It alone has elevated woman to her just equality with man : it alone has sanctified the conjugal relation ■ it alone has inculcated the duty, and exemplified the expression of domestic harmony, and of parental and filial affection ; it alone enforces mutual forgiveness, confidence, and bro- therly love, irrespective of clime, and age, and nation. Christianity binds all classes together in universal OF CHRISTIA.NITY. 117 sympathy, under a sense of our common necessities, as equally children of the same almighty Parent; and, being christians, as members of the body of Christ, and fellow- heirs of the grace of life. Christianity is the angel of celestial mercy to the sons of wretchedness, affliction, and woe ; and that even where superstition has been mingled with it. " To the influence of Christianity are to be attributed those asylums for the relief of the miserable, which humanity has consecrated as monuments of beneficence. Constantine was the first who built hospitals for the reception of the sick and wounded in the different provinces of the Roman empire. These establishments were multiplied in the sixth, seventh, and eighth centuries, in Italy, France, and Spain. They were afterwards so generally adopted, that, according to Matthew Paris, not less than 19,000 charitable houses for leprosy alone existed in the christian states in the tenth century. Rome contained forty hospitals for va- rious charitable purposes. The number of similar esta- blishments in Petersburg is almost incredible to those who recollect the sudden growth of that capital. In Paris, besides private establishments, there were before the revolution, forty-eight public foundations for the re- lief of disease and indigence.* The metropolis of our favoured country is eminently distinguished by such noble monuments of christian charity above every city in the world. In every part of it are to be seen hospitals, infirmaries, dispensaries, and asylums, built and endowed by the benevolence of chris- tians ; and provided to relieve the sick and the poor, the blind and the dumb, the aged and the orphan. The de- tail would show a list of some hundreds in our British capital, besides the incalculable numbers of the same re- fuges of mercy, which are found in every city and large town in the kingdom. Christianity has given to us our inestimable sabbaths ; thus sanctifying a seventh portion of our days, for the benign purposes of rest, instruction, and devotion. It * Dr. Valpy's Sermon before the Royal Humane Society. 118 CH. XV. CHARACTER OF CHRISTIANITY. prescribes our social meeting's on the day of the Lord, for cherishing fraternal affection, for increasing- rational piety, and mutually to encourage our sublimest anticipa- tions of a glorious immortality at the termination of our earthly sorrows. The sacred exercises of the christian sabbath promote the purest, the most enlarged philanthropy ; and they have been the means of constraining the disciples of Christ to care for the souls of others. The immortal welfare of their neighbours, of their fellow-countrymen, and of the whole earth's population, has engaged their benevolent solicitude. It is computed that more than fifty thousand children of the indigent, are, in Great Britain, supported and educated in the principles of the Bible, by means of the bounty of deceased christians ! Not less than a million of the children, chiefly of the labouring and mechanical classes, are collected every sabbath ; and by a hundred thousand disciples of Christ, they are gratuitously taught to read and understand the words of everlasting life. Thus they are directed in the paths of virtue by the gospel of salvation, and instructed how they may glorify God and enjoy h'm for ever. For the divine purpose of advancing knowledge and religion among all the families of mankind, British chris- tians annually contribute largely. Among the degraded heathen they support some hundreds of apostolical mis- sionaries, — to learn their languages — to translate for them the sacred scriptures — to preach among them the unsearchable riches of Christ — to instruct their children in heavenly wisdom — to show forth to guilty nations the unspeakable blessings of redeeming grace —and by the only Mediator between God and sinners, to lead them to the possession of life everlasting ! Such is the noble spirit, and such the imperishable fruits of Christianity, as contained in the Holy Bible. Its language still addresses equally every child of man ; the monarch and the peasant — the rich and the poor — the learned and the illiterate — the master and the servant — the parent and the child, are alike invited and commanded CH. XVI. PLAN FOR READING THE BIBLE. 119 to return to the Lord our God, by repentance and faith, in humble sincerity. To believe with the heart the record which God has given of his Son Jesus Christ, is to pos- sess an interest in eternal life ; to reject or disbelieve the gospel, is to make God a liar; and how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? Oh. XVI. — Plan for the Annual Reading THROUGH OF THE BlBLE. " Search the scriptures," is the authoritative injunc- tion of our Lord and Saviour, in obedience to which every believer finds both profit and delig-ht. While some appear contented to limit their attention to a few select chapters, the consistent christian feels his obligation to regard every part of the Divine Word. To imitate the worthy example of eminent devout men of former days, many are coinmendably solicitous to read through the Bible at least once a year, but they have no plan for their direction. For the assistance of such, the following Tables have been compiled. It will be readily perceived that the reading of each day is divided into three parts, containing generally a chapter each of the historical, the prophetical, and the devotional scriptures. While it is readily admitted, that some parts of the oracles of God, are far more important for devotional and family reading than others, it must not be forgotten that the apostle Paul has declared, " All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness : that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto ail good works," 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. To distinguish all the chapters and sections which are less necessary to be read, would be difficult on a small scale; a few, however, have been marked, and the rest must be left to the enlightened reader. * * * * * _J CO CI CI ^ HrtHHHHrtnHHBIM, ■ IM II 71 71 (M CT J ' to t^ C-» t^ oo oo oj cq c.ff.ff.e-.oo -*lftt© .OOMN«-*i()(Ot^(»ai©- l i;NM'* ..C^OOOs© h. f -1 u ' £ to -if o* co ■<* >n to t^co os © — i*!M<*ifl»t^co»o- iflM-#«uM»q = — <co i * m in »n ira to to to H,51(M5)«C © r-< «n co ■* m to t^ ec © © h ci co ~# m 3 r-©© — ((Mco^iftwt^xcfio- 1 e« OS ^lAtDtNMefto^sflrt^mtct^aao-int^ifttc^wcsoHiNM pq H P-i W ti *"* "^ ~ -x ./ ■ £ — i « co -* m to j-' o» co •* m so ^ oi co ■* -^ ci co -* £ * in to c-oo c; © i-h oi co -* m to c-~ co o © — < »i co «* seiortfiM^iotsNoosiSHui co -* in to t^ oo «n © -< 5 0CO5 © — IC-1CO HUfttOt^COao £< HH«HHHHHHH51SISC)915)Cl;i!MJin p -^ f-< 5in to £e*eO'<*iQtoc»coo©'-<©ieO"*into £o*cO"*m tooooc>©-< wco « -1 « \ m \ & s ^ 1 D 8 coo>©-jo»co-*»ntoc-ooc5©— "3 <^eo-* S«co-*intoc^oo 5 rHP-(r-l^r-(rHi-(rHrHr-(0-l<^ fl C« s-H(^co-*into£>ooo©--©-- , B »j Psalm 113, 114 115, 116 117, 118 119 to v. 40 41-80 81-128 129-176 120-124 125-127 128-130 131-134 135. 136 137-139 140-142 143, 144 145-147 148-150 Rom. 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 bo j- ec^oort©5W-<#»ntoe^*cj>©— io*M">*intot— »c>©— t ©a „vft <£ t^CO Ci © -< •S 0} — 2e D H ^l(fl —j i—( _T . CO »ft aj(MCOTj .Siftsot^oo©©-*©* ^a* n^wtf^eoaio-iiMM^mtot^wffio-KN L^r-li— Ir— Ir— Cl— IMMW.S __ .— I ,— < r-H r-H 1— < i— 1 rM H r-l rt jq CI W >-HC^co-*»n«DC-ooaiO— i(MCO-4«ifttor^ooff>o— ic-ico-^mtoc-cocTio o HHHHHHHHHHOietffioneiwetMiin H cq O H U o a *"• r " 4 ° "" 4 l ~" 1 "^ • - co ■<* *ft <£> E m co ** stMco jjs^co-^jfttof-ceaso— is-ico Sc-iM^mii ©» a, "-s ^ ^WJ'^'^©~"J*CO-*lfl«0 l>00 CV © — 1 osor^co©© — 1 Q r-l— ' — — .— 1— .— 1— 1_ -ir-<:;iCNCN J Advice to Servants, stitched U 6 Janeway's Token for Children t Jewell, (Reformer,) Writings ot 4 b Jones on the Catholic Doctrine of a Trinity 1 Keith's Evidences of Prophecy . . . . . 1 Knox, John, (Reformer) Writings ot 4 b Latimer, Bp., (Reformer) Writings of 4 b Leighton on the Lord's Prayer, stitched b Leighton's Rules for a Holy Life .............. 03 ■ ditto, with Leighton on the Lord s Prayer 10 Life of Rev. Thomas Scott 1 4 Life of Colonel Gardiner, with portrait . . 2 Newton, by Cecil, portrait 1 6 Manners and Customs of the Jews, with Cuts 1 6 Mason on Self- Knowledge j 6 Mason's Select Remains | Believer's Pocket Companion 1 4 Meade's Almost Christian Discovered 1 4 Negro Servant, by Rev. L. Richmond 4 Memoirs of Mrs Huntington, with Portrait 3 Newton's Forty-one Letters 1 6 Cardiphonia 2 8 Life of Grimshaw 2 Olney Hymns, by Rev. J. Newton, 12mo — - , 32mo. with portrait 2 3 Orton's Three Discourses on Eternity 3 Owen, Dr., on the Glory of Christ ., 2 on 130th Psalm 3 Indwelling Sin ... 2 on Spiritual Mindedness 1 6 Temptation ••■• 1 2 , , Select Works, 1 vol. containing, The Glory of Christ, Indwelling Sin, and Temptation Paley's Evidences of Christianity, 24mo 2 6 Patrick's Devout Christian 2 Philip's Christian Experience 2 6 Pike's Persuasives to Early Piety 1 Repentance Explained and Enforced 1 Reynolds's Compassionate Address 4 Ridley and Philpot (Reformers,) Writingsof 4 8 Richmond's Annals of the Poor «... 3 Robinson's Scripture Characters, 8 vo 9 Romaine's Life, Walk, ani Triumph of Faith.... 4 Scott s Essays, with Life . 2 Force of Truth 1 and Essays 3 Scougal's Life of God in the Soul 1 Scriptural Supports, by Rev. R. Hogg 3 Scudder's Daily Walk 2 Select Sermons, 4 Vols, (each Vol. separate 2*. Sd.) — Serle's Christian Parent 1 Remembrancer, 18mo -. 1 Ditto, and Christian Parent, in 1 Vol — Shaw's Welcome to Affliction and Immauuel.each. . — Shepherd's Consolations for Mourners Sherman's Plea for the Sabbath, 1 Guide to acquaintance with God 2 Short Prayers, large type, 8vo. — Shower's Rellections on Time and Eternity 1 Sibbs's Bruised Reed, new edition 1 Soul's Conflict 1 Soul Prosperity, by J. Dennant 3 Steele's Religious Tradesman 1 The Artizan's Assistant, & Manual for Afflicted , each — The Christian Armed, & the Christian's Help, each — The Cottager's Companion, & Servant's Friend , each — The Lollards ; or, History of the Reformation . . . . — The Memoirs of Mrs. Judson, with portrait 5 The Protestant's Defence against Popery The Seaman's Manual, 2 vols — The Soldier's Manual and the True Catholic, each — The Two Apprentices 1 The Voice of God and Believer's Triumph The Voice of God in his Promises, stitched Thornton, Shepherd of Israel, stitched Tindal, Frith, and Barnes (Reformers) Writings of 4 Twelve Sermons to the Aged, large type 1 Walker's Christian u 1 Watson's Art of Divine Contentment 1 Saints' delight 1 Divine Cordial „ 1 Watts's Psalms and Hvmns large type, shp — 32mo. ditto — 32mo. black calf or roan edges — (small) sheep, 9s. perdoz. or — r— Scripture History, with plates 3 Prayers for Children, stitched Songs for Children, with Cuts — on the Mind, with Portrait * 2 Vincent on Love to Christ Young Cottager 5s. 4ef. per doz. Young 's 'Night Thoughts 1 W Tyler, Printer, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row Is- V,\ (I. •1. <(. 6 11 6 5 C 3 1 4 3 1 6 G 6 3 10 6 BS530 T58 Companion to the Bible : intended for Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library 1 1012 00037 7764 iif