•■ .(**'' 
 
 > * ' 
 
 "■-'. '»^\ ■• 
 
 •"* >~ ' '^ 
 
 -"rfV •, ' > . -v 
 
 ;'.<* •' 
 
 .*:. - ;'*. 
 
 /%^.^,>-:v.. 
 
 .'K . , , „ J , 
 
 ^/i-^:.' ' 
 
 Kiw "J • * 
 
 lU -.', * / > -, • . 
 
 ^:'''''^': 
 
 fr^';-. • :: 
 
 fr>*s-:- • ••.• 
 
 ■.^:>; ' : " 
 
 
 /^"^*v!!.- : .■ 
 
 
 
 
^1 
 
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY 
 
 ^]¥OTES, 
 
 ON MANY PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE, 
 
 (of the new test^^mestt chiefly)) 
 
 WHICH TO COMMON READERS ARE HARD TO BE UNDERSTOOD. 
 
 CONTAINING, ALSO, 
 
 AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE GENUINE BEAUTY AND 
 FORCE OF SEVERAL OTHER PASSAGES. 
 
 BY EZEKIEL J. CHAPMAN, A. M. 
 
 MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 SECOND EDITION, 
 With many additions and improvements. 
 
 " So they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly, and gave the 
 Bnse, and caused them to iM^rstand tl^ reading." — Nehemiah viii, 8. 
 
 C <* 
 
 UTICA: 
 
 PRINTED BY HASTINGS & TRACY. 
 1831. 
 
^.P'^l>r%\ 
 
 Northern District op New -York, to wit:— 
 BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the fifteenth day of Januairy, in tlic 
 fifty-fifth year of the independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1831, 
 e/ekiel J. Chapman, of the said district, has deposited m this office the 
 title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as author, m the words foUowingj 
 to wit : — 
 
 "Critical and explanatory Notes on many Passages of Scripture, (of the 
 New Testament chiefly), which to common readers are hard to be understood. 
 Containing, also, an Illustration of the genuine Beauty and Force of several 
 other Passages. By Ezekiel J. Chapman, A. M. Minister of the Gospel.- 
 Second edition, with many additions and improvements. < So they read m 
 the book, in the law of God, distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them 
 to understand the reading.'— Nehemiah viu, 8." 
 
 In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An 
 act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies ot maps, charts 
 and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times 
 therein mentioned ;" and also, to the act, entitled " An act supplementary to 
 an act, entitled ' An act for the encouragement of learmng, by securing the 
 copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such cop- 
 ies, during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof t® 
 the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints. 
 
 RUTGER B, MILLER, 
 Clerk of the Northern District of New-YorJu 
 
 fif 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 It is acknowledged by Christians of every name, that 
 there is no book so important as the Bible. This acknow- 
 ledgment is grounded on the conviction they have, that the 
 Bible is the word of God ; who, as they rightly judge, would 
 never be concerned in making any communications to man- 
 kind, but what were both worthy of himself, and interesting 
 to them. If the Bible be, as it professes to be, a revelation 
 from Heaven, every attempt made for the illustration of its 
 contents must, of course, be laudable ; and if made judi- 
 ciously, cannot fail to be, in a greater or less degree, bene- 
 ficial. Let no one conclude from the fact of the divine 
 origin of the Bible, (a fact which is here taken for granted), 
 that it needs no illustration ; that it must be already suffi- 
 ciently plain and intelligible. The contrary to this would 
 be the more reasonable inference. So far as such a reve- 
 lation should relate directly to our own duty, and our own 
 most important interests ; so far we might expect to find it 
 plain, and easy to be understood, so that the way-faring 
 man, though a fool, need not err therein. And precisely of 
 this character the JBible is found to be in this view. But a 
 revelation from Heaven must be supposed to relate to other 
 subjects than these, and subjects of far more difficult com- 
 prehension. Indeed, if thei scriptures contained nothing but 
 what we could easily and fully understand, it would rather 
 be a presumptive evidence against their divine, and in favor 
 of their mere human origin. For what man can fully com- 
 prehend, man might, for aught we know, have also origina- 
 ted. It is accordingly found to be a fact, and it is generally 
 acknowledged, that the scriptures do contain some things 
 
IV PREFACE.. 
 
 which are hard to be understood. This is expressly declared 
 by St. Peter, in respect to the epistles of St. Paul ; and it 
 is equally true of many other parts of the sacred volume. 
 To us, who live at a period so remote from that when the 
 scriptures were written, the difficulty of understanding cor- 
 rectly and fully some parts of them, must be peculiarly 
 great. Many things related in scripture — the parables, for 
 instance, and many of the metaphors and illustrations there 
 employed — refer to manners and customs prevalent among 
 the Jews and the surrounding heathen nations, in that early 
 age ; and of course cannot be fully understood without a 
 knowledge of those manners and customs, which were in 
 many respects very different from ours. To understand 
 correctly and fully such parts of the sacred volume, and to 
 enter fully into the spirit of them, it is necessary that we 
 should, as it were, forget our own times, and throw ourselves 
 back into the early ages, two or three thousand years ago. 
 It is for want of this preparatory knowledge — this knowledge 
 of ancient and eastern manners and customs — that many 
 things in scripture, which were perfectly familiar and intel- 
 ligible to the Jews, are so unintelligible and so uninteresting 
 to us. Besides, the scriptures were originally written in 
 languages very different, as to their structure and idiom, 
 from ours ; and this circumstance ought to be remembered 
 by all those who would correctly interpret them. In some 
 instances, (few indeed, comparatively), where our English 
 Bible presents no difficulty, we fail of perceiving the real 
 *' mind of the Spirit," for want of a more correct translation. 
 In such cases, the passages, as we have them, may not 
 indeed be hard to be understood, but are liable to be mis- 
 understood ; that is, to be understood in a sense different 
 from that which the Holy Ghost intended. In other cases, 
 the difficulty attending a passage, as it stands in our version, 
 would be removed by an acquaintance with the original 
 language. It is an auspicious feature of the present age, 
 that so much attention is paid to Jewish antiquities, and to 
 sacred philology, especially in our theological seminaries. 
 No human sciences are so indispensable as these are, to a 
 correct interpretation of the word of God. Sound philology 
 is of far greater use in this business than philosophy. The 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 ptovince of the former is to ascertain what the scriptures 
 do mean. The business of the latter frequently is to deter- 
 mine what they should mean, in order that they may support 
 some preconceived sentiments, or some favorite system. 
 Far be it from me to insinuate that the holy scriptures can 
 ever be rightly interpreted, or even understood so as to 
 make us wise unto salvation, without assistance superior to 
 that which mere human learning, or human science of any 
 kind, can give. No ; there must in both cases be divine 
 illumination — the aids of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. ii, 11-14.) 
 It would, however, be mere presumption in us, to expect 
 that God will in this case, more than in others, work for us 
 without the use of the appropriate means on our part. 
 
 But waving general remarks on this subject, I proceed 
 to say a few things with more immediate reference to the 
 work now offered for the second time to the public. The 
 object I have in vievs^ in this work is not so much to instruct 
 the learned, (though it is believed some parts of it will prove 
 interesting and useful to them), as to furnish plain common 
 people with a compendious exposition of such passages of 
 scripture, as they are in the habit of proposing to ministers, 
 and as many of them have proposed to me, for explanation. 
 It is not enough, as it respects them, that such passages are 
 explained by our best commentators and critics, so far as 
 the hght they had enabled them to give the explanation. 
 Their works are in general so expensive, that many cannot 
 purchase them. At the same time, they are, at least in 
 many places, so rare as to be accessible only by a few. A 
 compendium of judicious criticism, and of explanatory re- 
 marks on important difficult passages of the Bible, adapted 
 to the understandings, and designed for the benefit of the 
 common people, has long appeared to me as a desideratum 
 in theology. Such a compendium I have endeavored to 
 furnish. How successful I have been in the attempt, others 
 qualified to judge must decide. In preparing the following 
 work, I have had in view, also, the benefit of bible classes, 
 and of Sabbath schools. Among all the books introduced 
 into those youthful seminaries, I have never yet either seen 
 or heard of any work like the present. And something of 
 the kind, some convenient manual of sacred criticism, and 
 1* 
 
n ?REEACE. 
 
 of explanatory remarks on the scriptures, certainly appears 
 to be mwch needed by them. My concern (so far as exe- 
 gesis is concerned) has been with such passages only, as ap* 
 peared to me to need explanation, and these I have endeavor?- 
 ed to explain as concisely as possible. To an intelligent and 
 reflecting mind it will readily occur, that the preparation of 
 a work of this kind must be attended with great and peculia!* 
 difficulties. I have found it to be so. On many of the 
 difficult passages of scripture our best commentators them- 
 selves are not fully agreed. I can only say I have done 
 what I could. It would be both tedious and needless to 
 enumerate all the various and numerous authors whom I 
 have consulted in reference to the following work, and with 
 the view to render it as accurate as possible. Several of 
 them are mentioned in the body of the work itself. Above 
 all, I have diligently and prayerfully examined the holy 
 scriptures themselves in their original languages, and have 
 made considerable use of the Septuagint. What is here 
 offered to the public-is the fruit of much thought, as well as 
 of much reading. I can truly say with Bishop Home, in 
 the preface to his Commentary on the Psalms, " Much labor 
 hath here been bestowed, where little appears." The first 
 edition of this work was well recommended by judges qua- 
 lified to decide on its merits, and has proved useful to many. 
 This second edition contains many corrections and improve- 
 ments on the first, together with much additional matter ; 
 and will, it is hoped, be considered as far more valuable, 
 and prove far more useful than that. No uninspired author 
 is infallible ; and it would be strange indeed, if the following 
 work should be free from errors. It is believed, however, 
 that whatever they may be, they are not such as can mate- 
 rially affect any important article of christian faith or practice. 
 The work, such as it is, I now commend to God, the great 
 source and patron of truth, with the earnest wish and prayer, 
 that it may please Him to make it very useful to all who 
 may have access to it, and who feel desirous to understand 
 the scriptures. 
 
 E. J. CHAPMAN. 
 
 Manlius, JV. Y. January 1, 1831. 
 
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY 
 JTOTES, &c. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 Chapter hi, Verse 12. 
 *^ He will bum up the chaff with unquenchable fire.'^ 
 This prediction of John the Baptist alludes to the follow- 
 ing practice of people in his days. Having winnowed the 
 grain, and thus separated the chaff from the wheat, they set 
 fire to the former on the windward side. The fire in that 
 case had such an advantage over the chaff, that it would not 
 cease until the chaff had been utterly consumed. Thus the 
 fire was unquenchable. And thus figuratively and impres- 
 sively does the Baptist represent the ivorthlessness of hypo- 
 crites, (for they in a moral sense are the chaff), and also 
 their complete and eternal ruin. See Burder's Customs. 
 
 Chap, v, 13. 
 
 " Ye are the salt of the earth." 
 
 The use of material salt is two-fold — to preserve and to 
 season. For the first of these purposes, we apply it to meats, 
 and to those other substances that we wish to preserve from 
 putrefaction ; and for the latter purpose, it is daily placed 
 on our tables, and is usually considered as an indispensable 
 article for every family. In a sense correspondent to this 
 two-fold use of material salt, true Christians, and christian 
 ministers especially, may be called the salt of the earth ; for 
 when they act as such — act in character, and do not " lose 
 their savor," they are the means, the instrumental causes of 
 preserving this guilty world from destruction. They prove 
 the means of this by their prayers especially, as appears in 
 the case of Moses praying for the Israelites, and in other 
 
8 CRITICAL AND 
 
 similar cases mentioned in the scriptures. At the same 
 time, so far as they act in character, they become the means 
 of seasoning the minds of their fellow men with grace and 
 true wisdom. How desirable, then, in this view, is it, that 
 their number should greatly increase ! 
 
 Verse 21. 
 
 " Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old 
 time, thou shalt not kill." 
 
 The original may as well be translated thus : — It hath 
 been said to the ancients, i. e. God hath said to the ancients, 
 thou shalt not kill. The design of our Saviour in this verse, 
 and in those other parts of this chapter where the same 
 phraseology occurs, seems to have been, to remind the 
 Jews of what the Lord had said of those precepts and pro- 
 hibitions which the Lord had given to their fathers, as well 
 as of those glosses, and erroneous or partial interpretations, 
 which had been put upon them by their fathers and rabbis. 
 At the same time, his design was to explain those precepts 
 and prohibitions ; to illustrate their spiritual and comprehen- 
 sive import, in opposition to what their Wind guides had said. 
 
 Verses 23, 24. 
 
 " Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there 
 rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave 
 there thy gift before the altar, and go thy v/ay ; first be re- 
 conciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." 
 
 It is well known to be the practice of individuals in some 
 of our churches, to absent themselves from communion at 
 the Lord's table, because some others who approach that 
 sacred ordinance have either injured them personally, or 
 have in other respects acted in a manner unbecoming their 
 christian profession ; and that these passages have been 
 sometimes mentioned or referred to, in vindication of such 
 a practice ; but surely without reason. For a moment's 
 careful attention must convince us, that the direction before 
 us respects not the aggrieved party, but the one who had 
 caused grief. These words of Christ relate not to the one 
 who had received the offence, but to the one who had given 
 the offence. He (the latter, and not the former) is the one 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 9 
 
 who is to defer the offering of his gift ; or (as it may mean 
 in reference to us Christians) the coming to the Lord's table, 
 until he shall have become reconciled to his brother ; or at 
 least until he -shall have faithfully endeavored to become so, 
 by making all reasonable acknowledgments and conces- 
 sions, or explanations, as the case may require. No one 
 has a right to stay away from the sacramental communion, 
 and so disobey a plain command of Christ, (1 Cor. xi, 25), 
 merely because another has done wrong. 
 
 Verse 39. 
 
 " But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil ; but whoso- 
 ever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other 
 also." 
 
 The word evil in this passage denotes not the evil One, 
 for him we are expressly commanded to resist, (James iv, 
 7) ; nor the evil thing or moral evil, viz. sin, for this we are 
 commanded both to resist and to mortify ; but it denotes 
 the evil man, the unreasonable and angry assailant. For 
 proof of this, nothing more is necessary than a mere atten- 
 tion to the whole passage : — " I say unto you, that ye resist 
 not (or rather not to resist) evil ; but whosoever shall smite 
 thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." 
 
 Chap, vi, 30. 
 
 "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which 
 to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not 
 much more clothe you, ye of little faith." 
 
 From Drs. Russell and Shaw, we learn, that on account 
 of the extreme scarcity of fuel, the orientals use the dry 
 stalks of herbs and flowers, of rosemaiy, and of various other 
 plants, to make fire, and to heat their ovens. To common 
 readers, casting grass or herbage into ovens, sounds strange ; 
 but such, for the reason just mentioned, has long been the 
 practice in Judea, and in the countries adjacent. 
 
 Verse 34. 
 " Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow." 
 In the delivery of this precept, our Saviour did not design 
 to prohibit, or discourage absolutely, all care and concern 
 
10 . CRITICAL AND 
 
 about our future worldly condition, but merely to repress 
 solicitude or anxiety about it ; as must be evident both from 
 the precise import of the original verb, which signifies to 
 take anxious thought, and also from the fact that such abso- 
 lute indifierence would be altogether inconsistent with our 
 performing, as we ought, our proper business in life, and 
 even with our very subsistence. 
 
 Chap, vii, 21. 
 
 " Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall 
 enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will 
 of my Father, which is in heaven." 
 
 The Jews (says Thomas Hartwell Home, in his Intro- 
 duction to the Study of the Bible), "had a notion that all 
 Jews would certainly be saved. Turretin brings a passage 
 from the Codex Sanhedrim, which affirms that every Jew 
 had a portion in the future world, and another from the Tal- 
 mud, viz. that Abraham is sitting near the gates of hell, and 
 does not permit any Israelite, however wicked he may be, 
 to descend into hell. Now, in opposition to such traditions 
 as these, Jesus Christ says — Not every one that saith unto 
 me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." 
 But though our Saviour might have alluded primarily to such 
 notions as these, we are not to suppose that this solemn de- 
 claration of his concerned the Jews only. It is as true of 
 us, as it ever was of them, that not every one that saith, 
 Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Let 
 us not satisfy ourselves with a mere profession, nor with 
 any thing short of doing the will of our heavenly Father, 
 remembering it is they only that do his commandments, that 
 will have right to the tree of hfe, or that can enter in through 
 the gates into the city. (Rev. xxii, 14.) 
 
 Verse 23. 
 " I never knew you :" — Not that Christ never knew them 
 as creatures, as men. The meaning is, he never knew 
 them in the sense of approbation, i. e. he never approved 
 of them. In this sense is the word repeatedly used in scrip- 
 ture, as in 1 Cor. viii, 3 : — " But if any man love God, the 
 fame is known of biro," i, e. approved of him ; and in GaU 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 11 
 
 iv, 9 : — " But now after that ye have known God, or rather 
 are known of God" — approved of God. 
 
 Chap, viii, 22. 
 
 " Let the dead bury their dead ;" i. e. let the spiritually 
 dead, those dead in trespasses and sins, bury their dead. 
 They are competent to that business ; they can perform all 
 the necessary funeral rites for their departed friends. But 
 thou hast other business — " Go thou, and preach the king- 
 dom of God." 
 
 Chap, viii, 4. 
 
 " And Jesus saith unto him, see thou tell no man; but go 
 thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and^ offer the gift that 
 Moses commanded for a testimony unto them." 
 
 The gift here mentioned denotes the gift or offering of 
 birds and lambs, as prescribed in Lev. xiv, 1 — 32, for the 
 cleansed leper. These he was to offer in presence of the 
 Jewish priest, whose official duty it was, to pronounce him 
 in that case legally clean ; and all this was to be done " for 
 a testimony unto them," i. e. the Jews, that the leper was 
 legally cleansed. From the whole system of divine insti- 
 tutes relative to the plague of leprosy, and particularly from 
 the extreme caution and diligence with which the priest was 
 to proceed in his examination of the person suspected to be 
 the subject of it, we may learn how careful and how faithful 
 ecclesiastical judicatories should be, in examining and dis- 
 ciplining the members of the church, and especially those of 
 them whose " spot is not the spot of God's children." For 
 the loathsome disease of leprosy undoubtedly represents sin, 
 the still more loathsome disease of the soul. Once more : 
 From our Lord's particular direction to the healed leper, it 
 is demonstrable, that the Jewish dispensation was not then 
 abohshed ; that, on the contrary, its ceremonial injunctions 
 remained in undiminished force. 
 
 Chap, xii, 5. 
 
 *' Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath 
 days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are 
 blameless ?' 
 
 It is well known that under tjie Jewish economy, the pro- 
 
12 CRITICAL AND 
 
 fanation of the Sabbath was uniformly represented and uni- 
 versally considered as a very heinous sin. So heinous was 
 it, that next to idolatry it seems to have been to the Jews 
 the most procuring cause of divine judgments. How, then, 
 could the profaners of that holy day have been pronounced, 
 and by Christ himself too, as blameless 1 Or was there any 
 thing in the character, circumstances, or official prerogatives 
 of the priests, which allowed them to transgress, with impu- 
 nity, an express command of Jehovah, and that, too, in the 
 very sanctuary — in the sacred temple itself? Our Lord in 
 this place evideatly refers to those sacrifices, in the offering 
 of which, the priests, by virtue of their office, were to be en- 
 gaged. As if he had said, " Do not the priests on the Sab- 
 bath kill, flay, and burn the beasts devoted to sacrifice, and 
 do other such like things, which, in a common case, and 
 where divinely instituted worship was not at all concerned, 
 would profane the Sabbath? And if they could, with impu- 
 nity, thus violate the rest to be observed on the Sabbath, 
 certainly a compassionate God, who requireth mercy and 
 not sacrifice, or mercy before sacrifice, would not condemn, 
 nor ought the Pharisees to condemn, a man, merely because 
 to satisfy the cravings of hunger, he had plucked and eaten 
 \a few ears of corn on that day. " The Sabbath was made 
 for man, not man for the Sabbath." 
 
 Verse 40. 
 
 " For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the 
 whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and 
 three nights in the heart of the earth." 
 
 A serious difficulty seems to attend the last part of this 
 verse, viz. in reconciling it with the account given by the 
 Evangelists, respecting the time of our Lord's continuance 
 in the grave. On first view, there is certainly an apparent 
 discordance between the prediction of the Master and the 
 statements of the disciples. According to Matthew, Mark, 
 and Luke, Christ was crucified on Friday at the ninth hour, 
 or at three o'clock, P. M., as we reckon time ; and all the 
 Evangelists agree in stating, that he arose on the first day of 
 the week, before the approach of day-light. How, then* 
 could he have been three days and three nights in the heairt 
 
SlXPLANAtORT NOtES. 13 
 
 ^f the earth, or in the grave ? Strictly speaking, he was there 
 only eight or nine hours of the first day, the whole of the 
 second day, and perhaps four or five hours of the third day. 
 The embarrassment caused by this passage may be at once 
 removed, by only attending to the chronological reckoning 
 of the Jews. What that was, we may learn from a careful 
 consideration of a few such passages as the following : — 
 1 Kings, XX, 29. '' And they pitched one over against the 
 other seven days, and so it was that in the seventh day the 
 battle was joined." Esther iv, 16: " Go gather together 
 all the Jews th^t are present in Shushan, and fast ye for 
 me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I, 
 also, and my maidens, will fast likewise." Compare this 
 with chapter v, 1 : " Now it came to pass on the third day^ 
 that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner 
 court of the king's house." Luke ii, 21 : ** And when eight 
 days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, 
 his name was called Jesus." Now the general remark, 
 which the above texts and others like them manifestly sug- 
 gest and justify, is this, viz : — The Jews sometimes reckoned 
 ii, part of a day for the whole day. The truth of this appears 
 from each of the above mentioned texts. In the first of 
 them, seven days are mentioned ; but it could not have 
 been seven whole days, because on the seventh day " the 
 battle was joined" — drew on, or came on. On that day, 
 then, the encampment ceased, and actual engagement en- 
 sued. At what particular part of the seventh day, the fight- 
 ing comfnenced, we are not informed ; but any one acquaint- 
 ed with the usual practices of belligerents would conclude, 
 of course, that it must have been some considerable time 
 before dark. But still the encampment is said to have last- 
 ed seven days. In the second of these passages, we have 
 Esther's proposal or direction to Mordecai, to gather to- 
 gether the Jews, that they might fast for her three days, both 
 night and day, neither eating nor drinking during the whole 
 of that period ; also, on account of her own resolution to 
 subject herself to the same self-denying regimen. But it is 
 • said, " Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the 
 inner court of the king's house." If, then, Esther executed 
 H^her resolution, (which none, I believe, denies), she muet 
 
 2 
 
14 CRITICAL AND 
 
 have fasted three days and three nights. But this, in the 
 literal sense of the words, was impossible, because on the 
 last of these days she put on her royal apparel, and appear- 
 ed in the presence of king Ahasuerus, to see whether she 
 might obtain favor in his sight : In plain English, she ceased 
 fasting before the third day closed. Still, according to the 
 Jewish reckoning, which frequently acknowledged a part of 
 a dtiy for the whole day, she might be said to have fasted 
 three days. In the last of these passages, we are told that 
 '^ w^hen eight days were accomplished, for the circumcising 
 of the child, his name was called Jesus," i. e. he was cir- 
 cumcised with that name. But, surely, there could not 
 have been an interim of eight whole days (each consisting 
 of twenty-four hours) between the time of his birth and that 
 of his circumcision ; for on the first of these days he was 
 born, and on the last of them he was circumcised ; and it 
 would be very absurd to suppose, that his birth took place 
 the very first hour and first minute of the first day, and that 
 his circumcision was put off until the very last hour and last 
 minute of the eighth day. In strict accordance, however, 
 to the idiom of the Hebrew, it might be said, " eight days 
 were accomplished" between these two events. Enough 
 has been said to show, that according to the Jewish reckon- 
 ing and phraseology^ Christ might, with propriety, be said 
 to have been " three days and three nights in the heart of 
 the earth," or in the grave. I may add, that the Jews never 
 brought any objection against Christ, to prove he v/as a false 
 prophet, from these words of his,' or from this his prediction 
 respecting himself; which they surely would have done, if 
 the prediction itself had not been fulfilled ; that is, if he had 
 not in fact lain three days and three nights in the grave, ac- 
 cording to their method of reckoning time, \ 
 
 Verses 43, 44. 
 
 " When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walk- 
 eth through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then 
 he saith, I will return into mine house from whence I came 
 out ; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and 
 garnished," &c. 
 
 ^rom the expression in our English Bible, *' he waiketh 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 15 
 
 througli dry places, seeking rest," &c. many readers proba- 
 bly suppose, that the dispossessed man is here meant. But 
 this is a mistake. It is not the man, but the unclean spirit, 
 who is here figuratively represented as walking through dry 
 places, seeking rest, and finding none. One proof of this 
 is, that in the original Greek, the participles rendered seek- 
 ing, having come, are in the neuter gender, and must, of 
 course, according to the rules of syntax, agree with the an- 
 tecedent, 'ff'vsujxa — spirit. By this parable, our Saviour meant 
 to represent the moral state and final doom of the Jews, as 
 a people. Having remarked that the evil spirit went, and 
 took with himself seven other spirits more wicked than him- 
 self, and thus fortified, re-entered his old habitation ; He 
 added, " even so shall it be also unto thisiviched generation.''^ 
 As applied to them, it denoted that the hosts of hell and 
 powers of darkness perceiving that they were unable to with- 
 stand the artillery of truth, as managed by John Baptist, 
 Jesus Christ, and his apostles, would flee for safety to the 
 Gentile nations, which had always been in the moral sense 
 "dry places," having never yet been watered from '' the, 
 river of God." There, however, they would be as unable 
 to find rest as before. Nay, as the triumph of the gospel 
 among the Gentiles would be both more decisive and more 
 general than it had been among the Jews, the evil spirit 
 would perceive himself to be in greater danger, and be moro 
 alarmed than before, and would therefore return with seven- 
 fold rage and violence to his former possession, the Jewish 
 nation ; a prediction, which, with awful exactness, has been 
 fulfilled upon that devoted people. The parable is also ap- 
 plicable to individuals, as such. And 0, how many there 
 are among ourselves, of whom it is but too just a represen- 
 tation ; who hear the word of God, and are convinced of its 
 truth, and of their own great wickedness and moral ruin, 
 and become indeed partially reformed ; so far, at least, that 
 the evil spirit leaves them. They leave off* and forsake 
 their former wicked practices. But as they are not truly 
 converted, as no good spirit enters into them, and they have 
 '' no root in themselves," their reformation, such as it is, 
 proves of short duration : And how often, after the Holy 
 Spirit has ceased to strive with them, do they become seven* 
 
15 CRITICAL AND 
 
 fold worse than they were before ! Reader, is this the case 
 with you 1 Pause, and think. 
 
 Chap. XIII, 30. 
 
 " Let both grow together until the harvest ; and in the 
 time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather together 
 tirst the tares, and bind them in bundles, to burn them ; but 
 gather the wheat into my barn." 
 
 It is not my present design to explain particularly " the 
 parable of the tares of the field." An infallible expositor 
 hath already done this, as you may see by consulting that^ 
 paragraph of this chapter which commences with the 36th, 
 and ends with the 43d verse. One or two sentences, how- 
 ever, in our Lord's exposition, it is to my present purpose 
 here to insert, because they furnish an explanation, and of 
 course a correct one, of several terms used in the passage 
 before us, viz : — *' The good seed (i. e. the wheat) are the 
 children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of 
 the wicked one ; the harvest is the end of the world, and the 
 reapers are the angels." We have, then, Christ's authority 
 for understanding the terms tares and ivheaf, as denoting 
 saints and sinners, the righteous and the wicked. But why 
 then, it may be asked, is it necessary to be so particular 
 and so strict, as many ministers and ecclesiastical judica- 
 tories are, or at least profess to be, in regard to the moral 
 qualifications of candidates for church-membership and com-!- 
 munionl For does not Christ here, in the person, of the 
 householder, direct that both sincere Christians and hypo- 
 crites be permitted to belong to his visible church, until the, 
 time of the general harvest, (or end of the world, verse 39), 
 when, and not before, the separation is to be made ? In re- 
 ply to this query, which appears at first very plausible, the 
 following very important remark must be made, viz : that 
 this direction has no reference to the introduction of persons 
 into the church ; it does not specify, nor does it at all refer 
 to the qualifications which persons must have, in order to 
 join the church of Christ. On the contrary, it supposes, 
 that by some means or other these persons are already in 
 the church ; and the direction relates merely to the manner > 
 of treating them after they are there. Our Saviour in seve* 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 17 
 
 ral of his parables — as that of the ten virgins, that of the 
 net cast into the sea, and in this of the tares — evidently 
 supposes that hypocrites are, and will be, in his visible 
 t hurch. This He supposes, and takes for granted, merely 
 as a matter of fact, without, however, expressing his appro- 
 bation of it. On the contrary, He implicitly proclaims his 
 disapprobation of it in declaring, that though He had sowed 
 the good seed, the tares were sown by an enemy, the devih 
 The general import of the text now under consideration is, 
 in brief, only this, viz : — that after the tares have in fact 
 gotten in among the wheat, or hypocrites among the godly, 
 it is too late, it is impossible, for the servants of the house- 
 holder, for christian ministers, to make any thorough discri- 
 mination and separation between them. It has been re- 
 marked by such as were acquainted with the ancient tares, 
 that in the first stages of their growth, they looked so much 
 like the wheat, that it was nearly impossible for the most 
 piercing human eye to distinguish the one from the other. 
 The difference could not be fully seen until they had begun 
 to head ; that is, a little before harvest. In like manner, 
 hypocrites are frequently, in all outward respeciSj very simi- 
 lar to true Christians. For ministers, therefore, to attempt 
 a thorough separation of the one from the oiher, would b© 
 not only in vain, a fruitless labor, but very dangerous also ; 
 chiefly, because in rooting up the tares, they might root up 
 the wheat also with them. But it is a solemn truth, that 
 this separation will be made another day. Christ v/ill then 
 come with his fan in his hand, and will thoroughly purge his 
 floor ; but the tares and the chaff" He will burn up with un- 
 quenchable fire. 
 
 Chap, xiv, 26. 
 
 " The disciples were troubled, saying, it is a spirit ;" that 
 is, a spectre, an apparition, for the word in the Greek is not 
 fltv£'j|xa, but (pavTajfxa. 
 
 Chap, xvi, 18. 
 
 *' And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter ; and up- 
 on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell 
 shall not prevail against it." 
 
 By the rock on which Christ^s church is built, must be 
 intended either Christ himself, who in other places is called 
 
 2* 
 
18 CRITICAL AND 
 
 a stone and a rock, (see Ps. cxviii, 22, compared with Mat 
 xxi, 42, and Isa. xxxii, 2), or that article of faith which Pe- 
 ter had just professed, vi;z. that Christ was the Messiah, the 
 Son of the living God. But what is meant by the last 
 clause of the verse, " the gates of hell shall not prevail 
 against it ?" In reply, it may be observed, that whenever 
 any particular \yord or phrase is the key to any passage of 
 scripture ; that is, whenever any such word or phrase can 
 of itself open and discover the true meaning of any such 
 passage, (as is sometimes the case, and seems to be so 
 here) ; it of course becomes necessary to investigate the 
 import of that word or phrase, as used in other passages. 
 No difficulty attends this sentence, but what arises from 
 the phrase, " gates of hell," -ruXai a(5ou. If, therefore, we 
 can ascertain the import of these words, we may perceive 
 at, once the import of the sentence itself. As to the word 
 here translated hell, see a more particular explanation than 
 can be here given, in my notes on Acts ii, 27. It denotes, 
 generally, the invisible state of the dead, the region of de- 
 parted spirits. Sometimes, it means the grave ; and such 
 seems to be its most proper meaning in this place. A gate 
 is that which opens to a way, and afterwards leads to some 
 place. So the gates of the grave, or of death, are such 
 things as lead to the grave, or death and destruction, such 
 as sickness, diseases, and various calamities. This same 
 phrase is used in another place, (Isa. xxxviii, 10), where 
 Hezekiah says, " I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall 
 go to the gates of the grave ; I am deprived of the residue 
 of my years." The words used in the Septuagint, and 
 which are an exact translation from the Hebrew, are ifuXaig 
 ow5ou. Now, what Hezekiah meant by his going to the gates 
 of the grave was, that he should not live, but die, as appears 
 from his words immediately following, viz : — " I am depriv- 
 ed of the residue of my years. I said, I shall not see the 
 Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living. I shall be- 
 hold man no more with the inhabitants of the world." And 
 this phrase, as used in a moral sense, or figuratively, seems 
 to denote moral diseases, such as errors, sins, &c. None 
 of these, nor all the powers of darkness, shall ever destroy 
 the church of Christ. In a word, the meaning of the passage i 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 19 
 
 before us is, that this church shall never die, never be de- 
 stroyed ; but shall always live, and shall finally triumph, in 
 spite of all its enemies. 
 
 Chap, xviii, 6. 
 " Whosoever, therefore, shall offend one of these littlo 
 ones, that believe in me, it were better for him that a mill- 
 stone were hung about his neck, and that he were drowned 
 in the depth of the sea." 
 
 The first and most common meaning of the word offend 
 is, to irritate, to make angry. But the original word here 
 used signifies, to cause one to fall into sin, by laying a stum- 
 bling block before him. The expression of hanging a mill- 
 stone about one's neck, and thus drowning him in the midst 
 of the sea, alludes to a mode of punishment sometimes used 
 among the ancients. But our Saviour did not mean, that 
 of even a more tremendous punishment than this, a person 
 should be worthy, merely because he should happen to dis- 
 please one of his disciples. Christ himself sometimes dis- 
 pleased, and in this sense offended his disciples, by telling 
 them unwelcome truths. (See Mat. xvi, 21 — 23, and John 
 vi, 65, 66.) The apostle Paul displeased the Christians of 
 Galatia, and so much so as to become their enemy, by tell- 
 ing them the truth, (ch. iv, 16.) If, indeed, Christians were 
 perfectly as they ought to be ; if they were wholly renewed 
 in the spirit of their mind, God's holy truth would never 
 displease them ; and there would be no danger of our dis- 
 pleasing them, by saying or doing any thing which is inclu- 
 ded within the limits of christian duty. But Christians be- 
 ing as they are, but partly sanctified, it is far otherwise ; 
 and it may be our duty sometimes to say and do such things 
 to them, as may displease and irritate them, though, un- 
 doubtedly, such things should be said and done in as inof- 
 fensive a manner as possible. Our Saviour's denunciation 
 in the text before us, is manifestly levelled only against 
 such as should, whether by persecution, or flattery, or in 
 any other way, become designedly or willingly the instru- 
 ments of the apostacy and final ruin of his followers. 
 
20 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Verse 34. 
 
 " And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tor- 
 mentors, (i. e. prison-keepers), till he should pay all that 
 was due." 
 
 The prisons of the ancients, according to Harmer, were 
 very different from ours. Their prison was a part of a pri- 
 vate house, and commonly of the house where their criminal 
 judges dwelt. Hence, then, we have the illustration of 
 Jer. xxxvii, 15 — ''Wherefore the princes were wroth with 
 Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house 
 of Jonathan the scribe." Another fact relative to the pris- 
 ons of the ancient orientals was, that the keepers of them 
 had, to a lamentable degree, the power of treating the pris- 
 oners according to their pleasure. The injunction on them 
 was not so much to treat the prisoners humanely, as to keep 
 them safely. (Acts xvi, 23.) They might indulge them with 
 privileges, or put them in irons, or throw them into the dun- 
 geon, and use them with a severity which Christianity would 
 forbid ; and which, had its genuine spirit and power prevail- 
 ed among them, it would have prevented. Hence, then, 
 the force of this passage, " delivered him to the tormentors." 
 Hence the force of Jeremiah's request that he might not be 
 carried back to the dungeon, lest he should die. Hence 
 the energy of those scriptures which speak of the " sighing 
 of the prisoner;" and what a terrible emblem is there here 
 of the future misery of the finally impenitent ! What reason 
 for gratitude have we, that prisoners in our days are treated 
 so much more humanely than they were in ancient times, 
 and among the heathen ! In this respect, as in innumerable, 
 others, we may say — " See what hath Christianity done." 
 
 Chap, xix, 24. 
 
 " And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go 
 through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter 
 into the kingdom of God." 
 
 Some, in attempting to explain this text, have supposed 
 that the original word here used, might as well have been 
 translated a cable, or a cable-rope. But though the image- 
 ry might appear the most natural, or less unnatural, with 
 that translation, there still remains an insurmountable ob- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 21 
 
 / 
 
 jeetion to it, which is, that the word xafxsXoj, signifies pro- 
 perly a camel, and not a cable-rope. See Schleusner on the 
 word. Besides, what relief can the mind obtain, by substi- 
 tuting cable-rope for camel 1 It is as really impossible that 
 a cable-rope should pass through a needless eye, as it is that 
 a camel should. I would here insert the interpretation given 
 of this scripture by Harmer, which, whether satisfactory or 
 not, must be allowed to be ingenious. It is to this purpose : 
 " The Arabs have long been accustomed to ride into houses 
 for plunder, &c. Hence, and to prevent this, the people 
 made the doors of their houses low, about three feet in 
 height. Their camels, also, the predatory Arabs had caus- 
 en to enter houses, by making them first kneel down upon 
 their knees." IV ow, to this custom, Harmer thinks Christ 
 refers in this passage. As if he had said, it is easier for a 
 camel to enter a house through a very narrow passage, one, 
 as it were, like the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to 
 be saved. On this construction the comparison is not quite 
 so unnatural, as to the unlearned reader it now appears^ 
 Perhaps, however, it is sufficient, if, with Schleusner and 
 Rosenmuller, and other good expositors, we understand 
 this declaration of Christ as only a proverb — a prover- 
 bial expression, sometimes used by the Jews, when they 
 would express either an absolute impossibihty, or a very 
 ^reat difficulty. Before leaving this passage, however, I 
 would just mention ivhat sort of rich men our Saviour here 
 meant. His own words, as cited by Mark, ch. x, 24, will 
 clearly show. "Jesus answereth again, and saith unto 
 them — Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches 
 to enter into the kingdom of God." It hence appears, that 
 there is not, in the nature of the case, any absolute impossi- 
 bility of a rich man's being saved, as Mat. xix, 24, separate-* 
 ly. considered, would seem to teach. And we know from 
 facts, that this is not in the nature of things impossible ; for 
 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and David and Job, who were 
 rich in this world's goods, were rich in faith, also ; and they 
 are now heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to 
 them that love him. And surely no rich man will be 
 damned of course, and because he is rich, any more than a 
 poor man will be saved of course, and because he is pqor^ 
 
22 CRITICAL AND 
 
 It cannot be denied, that there is a peculiar and a very great 
 difficulty in the way of a rich man's being saved ; and this 
 seems to be the whole of what our Lord intended in the pas- 
 sage to which we are now attending. If he enters into the 
 kingdom of God, it will be " so as by fire." But the diffi- 
 culty arises, not so much from riches themselves, as from 
 the nature of the human heart, which is so much attached to 
 earthly treasures, and so much inclined to "trust in uncer- 
 tain riches," to make them an idol — a god. And by com- 
 paring these two passages together, we see it is only those 
 rich men that so do, that shall be finally excluded from the 
 kingdom of God. How important, by the way, is it to com- 
 pare scripture ^\'ith scripture — one passage or paragraph with 
 another that relates to the same point, in order that we may 
 rightly understand the word of God ! 
 
 Terse 28. || 
 
 " Verily, I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, 
 in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit upon the 
 throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, 
 judging the twelve tribes of Israel." 
 
 The meaning of this text will be essentially affected by 
 the punctuation we may adopt. If we adopt that used in 
 Griesbach's edition of the Greek-Testament, which is ap- 
 proved by Scott, and which probably is the most correct one, 
 it would appear that the 'rraXr/yevsgla,. the regeneration here 
 mentioned, is to be understood as referring not to Christ's 
 disciples, and so denoting that moral change — that change 
 of heart which they had experienced, but to the day when the 
 Son of Man should sit upon the throne of his glory ; in other 
 words, that regeneration, in this place, denotes that gi'eat 
 change in the moral world which will be effectuated at the 
 day of judgment, when there shall be made a new heaven 
 and anew earth ; that, in short, the meaning is, as if Christ 
 had said, " Ye who have followed me in this world, shall, on 
 the great day — that day of the restitution of all things, (Acts 
 iii, 21), and of moral regeneration, sit upon twelve ihrones,'* 
 &c. But to conclude hence, as it appears some have done, 
 that personal regeneration (meaning thereby the renovation 
 of the heart by the Holy Spirit) does not take place in this 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 23 
 
 world, nor until death, or the day of judgment, is extremely 
 absurd. 
 
 Chap, xx, 23. 
 
 " But to sit on my right hand and on my left, is not mine 
 to give ; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepar- 
 ed of my Father." 
 
 The sentence " it shall be given to them," is inserted by 
 our translators, and there is nothing answering to it in the 
 original. This interpolation, designed, no doubt, to illus- 
 trate, appears greatly to obscure, or rather to misrepresent 
 our Saviour's meaning. As the passage now stands, the 
 word mine seems to be emphatical ; and common readers 
 would from the whole infer, that the privilege of sitting at 
 Christ's right hand in his kingdom, he had no power to give 
 to any ; that, however, it should be given (say by his Fa- 
 ther) to them for whom it was prepared. But leave out the 
 interpolation, and the true meaning of the passage is per- 
 fectly plain ; thus, " To sit on my right hand and on my left, 
 is not mine to give, but (or except to them) for whom it is 
 prepared of my Father." The restriction impHed in the 
 words relates not at all to the power of Christ, but simply to 
 the number of those to whom it was consistent or proper 
 that the privilege or prerogative in question should be given. 
 This passage, therefore, when rightly understood, does not 
 at all contradict, but rather supports the doctrine of our 
 Saviour's divinity. 
 
 Chap, xxii, 28—33. 
 
 " Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be 
 of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and 
 said unto them. Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor 
 the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither 
 marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of 
 God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the 
 dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by 
 God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of 
 Isaac, and the God of Jacob 1 God is not the God. of the 
 dead, but of the living." 
 
 If regard be had merely to the etymology of the word 
 avajra^i^, it must be allowed that it is rightly rendered in 
 English, resurrection. In the verses now before us, it 
 
M Critical anis 
 
 seems, however, to denote that state of being which Is to 
 succeed the resurrection of the body, and which is commonly 
 called the separate state. For, observe the argument. Our 
 Saviour introduced the declaration of Jehovah to Moses, 
 (Exodus iii, 3, 6), as a proof and as an instance of the 
 dva^ragig. But surely, from the state of those patriarchs, 
 as it was in Moses' time, it could never be proved that the 
 dead bodies of men will rise again. For those patriarchs 
 had not risen again ; and of course their case was neither an 
 instance nor a proof of the literal resurrection. But it was 
 both a proof and an instance of a state of conscious exist- 
 ence after death. In a word, from this declaration of Jeho- 
 vah to Moses, " I am the God of Abraham, and the God of 
 Isaac, and the God of Jecob," a declaration made four hun- 
 dred years after their death, the logical inference is simply 
 and solely this, viz : that those patriarchs, that is, their souls, 
 were then alive ; for God is not the God of the dead, but of 
 the living. The conclusion then is, that the verses before us 
 are a direct and decisive proof of a separate and a future 
 state, but not of a corporeal resurrection, otherwise than 
 by implication and inference. 
 
 Chap, xxiii, 5. 
 
 *' They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the 
 borders of their garments." 
 
 The Greek word translated phylacteries, is derived from 
 pv'kcciS'ui, to keep, to preserve ; and as here used it denotes 
 those scrips of parchment which the Jews wore on their 
 foreheads, or on some conspicuous part of their garments, 
 and on which were written and preserved some select and 
 favorite sentences of their law. This practice was in con- 
 formity to the precept in Deut. vi, 7 — 9, which they under- 
 stood in the literal sense. 
 
 Verse 27. 
 
 *' Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed ap- 
 pear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's 
 bones, and of all uncleanness." 
 
 The following remarks from Robinson's Greek Lexicon, 
 may serve to illustrate this passage, viz : — " The sepulchres 
 of die Hebrews, at least of the wealthier part of them, were 
 usually spacious caverns ; either natural, of which many 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 25 
 
 were found in Palestine, or hewn by art out of rocks, or in 
 the sides of mountains. (See Gen. xxiii, 9 : Matt, xxvii, 
 60.) The roofs of these sepulchres were supported by col- 
 umns, and they often contained different apartments, around 
 the sides of which were cells for the reception of the bodies. 
 The mouths of the caverns were closed by doors, or large 
 stones, to prevent the dogs and jackalls from entering ; and 
 in order to give notice to those who might pass by, and thus 
 prevent them from becoming defiled, by inadvertently touch- 
 ing a sepulchre, the external parts were annually white- 
 washed in the month Adar." 
 
 Chap, xxiv, 15. 
 
 "When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of deso- 
 lation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy 
 place," &c. 
 
 By this expression is intended generally the Roman army, 
 which emphatically made desolate by its conquests and ra- 
 vages. It was called the abomination of desolation, on ac- 
 count of those images of their idols which were engraven on 
 their standards, and which were .extremely abominable to 
 tho Jews — abominable, both because they were the images 
 of deities, which images the Jews were by the second com- 
 mandment expressly prohibited from either worshipping or 
 making ; and because they were the images of such detest- 
 able deities or idols as the Romans worshipped. 
 
 Verse 17. 
 " Let him which is on the house top, not come down, to 
 take any thing out of his house." 
 
 To understand this passage, it must be remembered that 
 the houses of the Jews had flat or horizontal roofs. Hence 
 we read of David's " walking upon the roof of his house." 
 (2 Sam. xi. 2.) The meaning of our Saviour evidently was, 
 that those Jews who should happen to be on the roofs of their 
 houses, (whether for recreation or devotion), when the Ro- 
 man armies appeared before Jerusalem, should entirely dis- 
 regard every thing in the house, however valuable, and if they 
 meant to save their lives, go immediately down at the outer 
 " stairs, and thus flee out of the city. 
 
 3 
 
26 critical and 
 
 Chap, xxiv, 28. 
 
 "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be 
 gathered together." 
 
 This remark is undoubtedly true in the literal sense. To 
 a dead, mouldering, putrefying body, not only eagles, but 
 other winged animals, spontaneously resort, (Gen. xv, 11.) 
 It is, however, sufficiently evident that our Lord intended 
 that the remark should be understood in some other than the 
 literal sense. For from the parallel place in Luke xvii, 37, 
 it appears it was in answer to the disciples' inquiry, "Where 
 Lord?" i. e. where shall these predicted calamities be expe- 
 rienced? To this inquiry, Christ gave no other reply than 
 this — " Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be 
 gathered together." By the carcase, therefore, must be 
 meant the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who as a people were 
 morally and judicially dead ; and by the eagles, the Roman 
 armies, which might properly be called by this name, both 
 on account of the rapidity of their marches, and because they 
 had the sign of the eagle on their standards. 
 
 Verse 41. 
 
 " Two women shall be grinding at the mill ; the oiie shall 
 be taken, and the other left." 
 
 To a mere English reader, and to any one not acquainted 
 with ancient manners and customs, this prediction of Christ 
 appears strange and almost unintelligible. For the satis- 
 faction of such readers it should be observed, that the ancient 
 mills, and the ancient method of grinding corn, were very 
 different from ours. Their mills were hand-mills, and were 
 managed by women. (See Ex. xi, 5.) The orientals have 
 preserved mills of the same sort, and the same method of 
 grinding, down to the present time. Dr. Clarke, in his late 
 travels through Palestine, observed the same practice at 
 Nazareth. Two women sat on the ground opposite to each 
 other, with two round flatted stones. On the top of the 
 upper one was an opening, or hollow place, where the corn 
 was put in, as it now is into the hoppers of our grist-mills. 
 These stones or stone-mills were turned, it seems, with a ! 
 sort of crank, and were sometimes pushed from one to the | 
 other. In this manner they ground daily. This business is 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 27 
 
 usually done in the morning, so that if any one then walks 
 out, he will hear the noise of many of these mills at the same 
 time. At a time when grist-mills were not in use as they 
 are now, and when the usual method of grinding corn was 
 by these kand-mills, one of them must of course have been 
 considered as essential to every family ; and to have been 
 deprived of them must have been a great calamity. There is 
 more meaning, therefore, than most readers imagine, in that 
 threat which the Lord gave, in Jer. xxv, 10 — " Moreover, I 
 will take irom them the voice of mirth, and the voice of glad- 
 ness ; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the 
 bride ; the sound of the millstones, and the light of the 
 candle." 
 
 Chap, xxv, 36. 
 
 '' Sick, and ye visited me." 
 
 The original v/ord here used signifies a looking after, over- 
 seeing, taking care of, &c. In Acts vi, 3, the same word is 
 rendered '' look out." It is only for such a visiting of the 
 sick, thai the final benediction of the Saviour, " Come, ye 
 blessed of my Father," &c. will be pronounced. "Let 
 him that readeth understand." 
 
 Chap, xxviti, 19. 
 
 " Go ye, therefore, and teach (or disciple) all nations, 
 baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost." 
 
 When the preposition sk governs an accusative, (as it 
 does here), it is very frequently rendered into. Thus it may 
 be rendered, and thus mdny eminent divines do render it, in 
 this place — " into the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost." There is some difference in the 
 meaning of these expressions. To baptise in the name of 
 the adorable THREE, means to baptise by their authority. 
 To baptise into their name, means to initiate one, so far as 
 any external rite can do it, into that religion which they, in 
 fulfilment of their eternal, federal, and mutual engagements, 
 have established and continued on earth. It denotes, also, 
 an introduction of one into the visible church. 
 
28 CRITCAL AND 
 
 MARK. 
 
 Chapter ii, Yerse 18. 
 
 " And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to 
 fast ; and they come and say unto him, why do the disciples 
 of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not 1" 
 
 My only object in introducing this scripture, is to show 
 what is included, or at least one thing that is included, in 
 fasting. That one thing now referred to, is abstinence from 
 food. Indeed, this is believed generally, though not univer- 
 sally. Some there are who believe that abstinence from 
 food is not necessary to fasting. Now, such persons seem 
 to confound the act itself with the object or end of the act ; 
 and this is, probably, the cause of their error respecting this 
 matter. The end of fasting is, doubtless, the mortification 
 of sin, (see Isa. Iviii, 6) ; and the only, or certainly the chief 
 reason, why it is valuable or desirable at all, is derived from 
 its tendency to accomplish that end. But the act itself of 
 fasting is a different thing. And that this includes absti- 
 nence from food appears — 1st, from the original Greek 
 word, vri^suu, here used ; which, according to Schleusner and 
 Parkhurst, properly denotes such abstinence ; and, 2dly, 
 from the parallel scripture in Luke v, 33, where we read — ■ 
 '^ And they said unto him, Avhy do the disciples of John fast 
 often, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees ; but thine 
 eat and drink?" Here fasting is directly opposed to eating 
 and drinking, and eating and drinking to fasting. From 
 these two passages taken in connection, it is perfectly plain, 
 that the eating and drinking mentioned in the one is the same 
 with the fasting not mentioned in the other. — How often 
 persons should fast, and how long this exercise should be 
 continued, must be determined by circumstances ; only let 
 it be remembered, no one fasts, strictly speaking, any longer 
 or any further than he abstains from food and all animal nour- 
 ishment. In conclusion, I would remark, it is veiy lament- 
 able that this exercise should be so generally neglected as it 
 appears to be in our days. For that it is sometimes a duty, 
 the holy scriptures clearly teach, (see Mat. iv, 16 — 19, and 
 1 Cor. vii, 5) ; and that for spiritual purposes it is a blessed 
 privilege, the experience of those who have made the trial 
 proves. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 29 
 
 Chap, in, 14. 
 
 ** Atid he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, 
 and that he might send them forth to preach." 
 
 There are three Greek words which are translated preach, 
 viz : xri^Cge(jj, xarayysXku, suayysXi'^w. Those who can read 
 the Nev/ Testament in its original language, may perceive, 
 both from the etymology of the words themselves, and from 
 an examination of those passages wherein they occur, that 
 all these words are not perfectly synonymous. The first 
 and second, it is true, are nearly so ; bat between the first 
 and the last there is a wide difference. And it appears 
 in that— 
 
 1. Koipujjw (to publish, to proclaim as an herald or public 
 crier) may have for its object any thing good or bad, desira- 
 ble or undesirable, as war or peace, prosperity or adversity, 
 joy or sorrow ; but the object of suav^sXj^^w is always some- 
 thing g'pod and agreeable. 
 
 2. The former, as is evident from the very import of the 
 word, supposes a large, or at least a considerable number 
 present. But not so necessarily with the latter. The glad 
 tidings may be declared toonlyo??e. (See Luke i, 19), "I — 
 Gabriel — am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these 
 glad tidings." 
 
 Chap, vi, 12. 
 ^' And they went out, and preached that men should re- 
 pent." 
 
 There are two words in the original translated repent — 
 fA^ravoiw and f/^srajmsXo.aat. But these are not wholly sy- 
 nonymous. The former, which is the word used when the 
 scriptures require repentance as a duty, or represent it as 
 necessary, signifies exactly a change of the mind, and such 
 a change as includes commonly a godly sorrow for sin, and 
 external reformation. (See among other instances of this 
 use of the word. Acts ii, 38 — iii, 19— xvii, 30 : Luke xiii, 
 3, 5.) But the latter may denote mere repentance, mere 
 sorrow. Accordingly, we find, that when such a sorrow is 
 mentioned, as is eUiphatically the sorrow of the world, that 
 worketh death — such a sorrow as has for its object the evil 
 consequences of sin, rather than the odious nature of sin it- 
 self, the word used is commonly jasra/xsXojxa*. At any rate, 
 
 3* 
 
so CRITICAL AND 
 
 there is some difference in the meaning of these two words ; 
 and the above remarks may be highly useful to the reader, 
 particularly in enabling him to understand what the scriptures 
 mean, when, as is sometimes the case, they ascribe repent- 
 nace to really impenitent sinners, as to Judas. (Mat. xxvii, 
 3.) Let the reader who is desirous of further satisfaction on 
 the two texts last commented upon, consult Dr. Campbell's 
 Preliminary Dissertations. 
 
 Chap, ix, 49. 
 
 " For every one shall be salted with fire ; and every sa- 
 crifice shall be salted with salt." 
 
 What could our Saviour have intended by the first part of 
 this verse — " every one shall be salted with firel" It is evi- 
 dent there is here a reference to the precepts of the Mo- 
 saic law, relative to those oblations which were required un- 
 der the former dispensation. (See particularly Lev. ii, 13 :) 
 " And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season 
 with salt ; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant 
 of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering ; with all 
 thine offerings thou shalt offer salt." But the question is, 
 whether the text now before us is to be understood as a pro- 
 mise or as a threat ; or whether, if considered as a prediction, 
 it is to be understood as a prediction of the happy state of 
 the righteous, or of the miserable state of the wicked; 
 whether, with Mack night, Parkhurst, and some others, we 
 are to understand rfvpi, fire, as in the dative case, and accord- 
 ingly to interpret the passage thus : — " Every (redeemed) 
 one shall be salted for the fire of God's altar, and so shall 
 be offered as an holy and acceptable sacrifice," (Kom. xii, 
 1); or whether, with Henry, Doddridge, Scott, Schleus- 
 ner, and most of the best commnetators, we are to under- 
 stand the passage as a denunciation against the wicked, and 
 accordingly to mean thus, or on this wise, viz : — "As every 
 Jewish oblation was to be salted, sprinkled with salt, in or- 
 der that among other purposes, it might be the more readily 
 and completely consumed by fire ; so, and in allusion lo 
 that custom, every damned soul shall be salted, and thus be 
 prepared to undergo the fire of God's wrath." The last 
 seems, on the whole, the best interpretation, and is most 
 
EXPLANTORY NOTES. 31 
 
 generally approved. Let it be remembered, however, that 
 the analogy here implied between the Jewish sacrifices or 
 oblations, which, or some of which, were to be utterly con- 
 sumed by fire, and the case of the finally impenitent, does 
 not prove that the latter are to be literally consumed or an- 
 nihilatedy any more than the scripture application to them of 
 the terms perish, be destroyed, &;c. does. All the destruc- 
 tion intended by such terms or phrases, as applied to the 
 wicked in a future state, is a destruction of enjoyment, of 
 hope, and of all prospect of good — not of rational exist- 
 ence. 
 
 Chap, xi, 13, 14. 
 " And seeing a fig-tree afar off, having leaves, he came, 
 if haply he might find any thing thereon ; and when he came 
 to it, he found nothing but leaves ; for the time of figs was 
 not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, no man eat 
 fruit of thee hereafter forever ;" with Mat. xxi, 19 ; " and 
 presently the fig-tree withered away." 
 
 The attentive reader naturally inquires, why should Jesus 
 curse the fig-tree for its ban*enness, when, as appears from 
 the passage itself, the time of figs, or of its bearing figs, had 
 not yet come 1 For, " shall not the Judge of all the earth do 
 rightl" And could it have been right or reasonable for Him 
 to expect and demand fruit from the fig-tree, when, from the 
 very nature of the case, fruit was impossible ; and finally, to 
 condemn the tree ' to perpetual sterility, merely because it 
 did not do that which it was impossible for it then to do? 
 With this passage expositors have been much perplexed. 
 Some of them have supposed, that the fig-tree in question 
 was of a peculiar kind, of that kind which bore at the same 
 time figs of two years' growth — figs of the present year and 
 of the past. And hence they conclude, that even if it were 
 too early for figs of the present year to have been there, still, 
 as it was usual for such fig-trees to have some fruit upon 
 them all the year round, some figs at least of the preceding 
 year might have been reasonably expected. Others have 
 supposed, that for the correct explanation of this passage, 
 the word gathering ought to be understood — thus : — " When 
 he came to it he found nothing but leaves ; for the time of 
 gathering figs was not yet." When the Jews said, " There 
 
32 CRITICAL AND 
 
 are yet four months, and then cometh harvest,'* (John iv, 
 35), they meant by the harvest, the ingathering of the 
 harvest. In like manner, ii is said, may the passage before 
 us be understood. And as the time of gathering figs, and 
 carrying them off, had not yet come, so, and for this rea- 
 son, Jesus might properly have expected to find them still on 
 the tree. But there is another interpretation of this passage, 
 far more simple, and, I think, far more satisfactory, than ei- 
 ther of the preceding. It should be remembered that the 
 word yet is inserted by our translators. There is nothing 
 corresponding to it in the original, which may just as well 
 be translated thus : — " It was not a time of figs ;" that is, 
 there were no figs there ; the tree was barren ; it did not 
 bear figs that season. According to this interpretation or 
 translation, the two last clauses in verse 13 are indeed syno- 
 nymous ; but this is only in conformity to the well knovm 
 idiom of the sacred languages. The above solution being 
 adopted, (and it is surely an allowable pne), we are entire- 
 ly relieved from embarrassment in accounting for Jesus' 
 cursing the fig-tree. For it would hence appear, that the 
 simple reason why Jesus cursed the fig-tree was Ms barren- 
 ness. The tree, it is true, had leaves in plenty, but that was 
 all. It was not with it a time or season of bearing figs. 
 Though it had leaves, and therefore must have been alive, 
 and capable of bearing fruit, yet it was utterly barren that 
 year. Hence our Lord cursed it, and it withered away. 
 " Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples ; 
 and they are written lor our admonition, upon whom the ends, 
 of the world are come." The barren fig-tree was an apt 
 emblem of the Jewish nation, which, like that tree, had 
 leaves in plenty. It had made a good profession. To the 
 eye of sense, and at a distance, it looked green and fair, and 
 seemed to promise much " goodly fruit." But on a nearer 
 approach, and a more accurate view, all these appearances 
 were found to be deceptive ; so that the Lord Jesus might 
 properly say, in application to them, " Behold these three 
 years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none." 
 In the curse which Christ pronounced on the fig-tree, and in 
 the ruin which followed, we behold an emblem of the Lord's 
 dealings with that incorrigible people. But all this was for 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 33 
 
 oitr admonition also. "Let ours, then, learn to maintain 
 good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful," 
 lest we also should meet with a similar doom. "If God 
 spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare 
 not thee." 
 
 Chap, xiii, 11. 
 
 " But when they shall lead you and deliver you up, take 
 no thought before hand what ye shall speak ; neither do ye 
 premeditate ; but whatsoever shall be given you in that 
 hour, that speak ye ; for it is not ye that speak, but the Ho- 
 ly Ghost." 
 
 How have enthusiasts wrested this scripture, and, it is to 
 be feared, to the destruction of many ! It has been frequent- 
 ly used to disprove the necessity of study in christian min- 
 isters ; to prove that they ought not to premeditate on their 
 subjects ; that they should not give themselves the trouble 
 of determining or even thinking before hand what or how 
 they shall preach ; but must expect and depend upon a cer- 
 tain inspiration, or immediate divine assistance, to be im- 
 parted at the moment they enter the pulpit or place of 
 preaching, and to be continued so long as they are there ! ! 
 The true, the whole meaning of this passage, may be easily 
 understood, by comparing it with the parallel one in Mat. x, 
 17 — 20 — " But beware of men ; for they will deliver you up 
 to the councils, and they will scourge you in their syna- 
 gogues : And ye shall be brought before governors and 
 kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the 
 Geatiles. But when they dehver you up, take no thought 
 how or what ye shall speak ; for it shall be given you in that 
 same hour what ye shall speak." A mementos attention to 
 this passage in Mark, as illustrated by the one in Matthew, 
 must convince any candid, unprejudiced mind, that the for- 
 mer relates solely to that defence of the gospel and of them.' 
 selves, which the apostles were to make before the Jewish 
 sanhedrim and Gentile tribunals. Our Lord here directed 
 his apostles, that when arraigned, or about to be arraigned, 
 before those bodies, on trial for their lives, they should not be 
 anxious in respect to self-vindication, assuring them, that 
 ability sufficient for this purpose would be immediately im- 
 parted to them from on high. This scripture, therefore, is 
 
34 CRITICAL AND 
 
 of no force at all, to support the groundless, false, and high- 
 ly dangerous sentiment, that ministers in these days, may, 
 in ordinary cases, preach without study and previous prepa- 
 ration ; a sentiment embraced of course by none but the ig- 
 > norant. 
 
 Chap, xv, 23. 
 
 " And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myiTh ; 
 but he received it not j" i. e. wine rendered bitter by myrrh 
 and other substances. 
 
 It was the custom in those days, to give this potion or 
 cordial to condemned prisoners, to stupify them, and thus 
 to render them less susceptible to pain. This was done, pro- 
 bably out of mere compassion to the sufferers. But as Jesus 
 had undertaken, and was resolved to suffer io the full extent 
 which was necessary, in order that he might be a propitiato- 
 ry sacrifice for sin, so that God might consistently be just, 
 and the justifier of him that believeth ; and as his sufferings 
 could not have availed for this purpose, if there had been any 
 mitigation oi" them from the proffered cordial — for this rea- 
 son he rejected it.' 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chap, it, Verse 1. 
 
 '* And it came to pass in those days, that there went out 
 a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be 
 taxed." 
 
 " All the world" — But certainly this phrase can denote at 
 most only the Roman empire ; for beyond that the jurisdic- 
 tion of Augustus CiEsar could not extend. In this text, 
 therefore, (and in many others also), the word all is clearly 
 used in a limited sense. Let the Universalist remember 
 this — " should be taxed," or registered, enrolled. By the 
 laws of the Roman empire, all its subjects were required to 
 profess their citizenship, aqd to give in their names, which 
 were to be registered and preserved in the archives of the 
 empire. This, it seems, was to be done for two purposes ; 
 that thereby an accurate census might be taken of the num- 
 ber of inhabitants, and that the business of taxation might 
 
i 
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 35 
 
 be adjusted. And in order to this, it was necessary that 
 each one should go to the place of his nativity, or that of his 
 stated residence. Accordingly, it is said, verse 3, " And 
 they all went to be taxed, (or enrolled, as the word properly 
 signifies), every one into his oivn city.^' 
 
 Yerses 8 — 12. 
 
 " And there were in the same country shepherds abiding 
 in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And 
 lo ! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory 
 of the Lord shone round about them ; and they were sore 
 afraid. And the angel said unto them — Fear not, for behold 
 I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all 
 people : For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, 
 a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." 
 
 This day, here mentioned, is supposed to have been the 
 25th day of the month which we call December. The same 
 day, accordingly, has been and still is usually denominated 
 Christmas day, in commemoration of the birth of Christ. It 
 should be remembered, however, (as Mosheim observes), 
 that the ancient eastern nations celebrated the sixth of Jan- 
 uary as the day of the incarnation. That day they called 
 Epiphany, from the Greek word 'E'lricpavsia, signifying mani- 
 festation, because on that day, as they supposed, the im- 
 mortal Saviour was manifested to the world. The interim 
 between these two dates is short — only twelve days ; so that 
 still, by the concurrent voice of both ancient and modern 
 Christians, Jesus Christ was born about the last of Decem- 
 ber or first of January. But how, the unlearned reader of 
 our climate may inquire, could this be ? Could shepherds 
 be then abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks, 
 and by night too 1 The difficulty relative to this subject 
 will vanish, when he recollects or understands the latitude 
 of Judea. This is about thirty-one degrees. No valid ob- 
 jection, therefore, to the commonly received opinion relative 
 to the time of our Lord's incarnation, can arise from the fact 
 of the above mentioned contemporary employment of the 
 shepherds. For in that latitude and warm climate, shep- 
 herds might have been very comfortable on the 25 th of De- 
 oember, or the 6th of January, while out in the open Helds at- 
 
36 CRITICAL AND 
 
 tending to their flocks. This seems to be the proper place 
 for raising a decided testimony against the manner in which 
 Christmas day is very frequently spent. He that regardeth 
 the day at all in distinction from other days, should surely 
 regard it unto the Lord. Some undoubtedly do thus regard 
 it ; but how many there are who spend the day in vain amuse- 
 ment, or at best in mere conviviality, and without scarcely 
 a thought of that glorious event which was announced by 
 the angels to the shepherds ! ! 
 
 Chap, iv, 20. 
 
 " And when he had closed the book, he gave it to the mi- 
 nister and sat down." 
 
 The word translated minister, in this verse, denotes not 
 what in these days is commonly intended by the term, i. e. 
 a christian pastor, but a menial servant, whose business it 
 was to take charge of the sacred books. The same word 
 occurs, and is similarly translated, in Acts xiii, 5. 
 
 Chap, v, 37, 38. 
 
 " And no man putteth new wine into old bottles ; else the 
 new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bot- 
 tles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles, 
 and both are preserved." 
 
 For the information of common readers, and for the ex- 
 planation of these passages, it should be remembered that 
 the bottles of the ancients were very different from ours. 
 They were made of leather, or rather of the skins of animals. 
 And if these leather or skin bottles were new and strong,' 
 they might preserve in safety the new wine put into them ; 
 but if they happened to be old and decaying, the new wine, 
 still in a state of fermentation, would burst the bottles ; and 
 thus, both would the former be wasted, and the latter utterly 
 destroyed. No man, therefore, of any sense, would put 
 new wine into old bottles. Thus much for the literal mean- 
 ing of these verses. From the connection, it is evident that 
 the spiritual meaning of our Saviour was, that it would be 
 wholly improper and injurious to impose on his disciples, as 
 yet weak and but little experienced in the divine life, such 
 severe mortifications and rigorous observances as John's 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 37 
 
 tdisciples practised, in conformity to the directions and the 
 example of their master. 
 
 Chap, vi, 1. 
 ^ " And it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the 
 first, that he went through the corn-fields." 
 
 The only difficulty attending this passage is found in the 
 expression, "the second Sabbath after the first." What 
 Sabbath was that 1 The following interpretation, contained 
 in Robinson's translation of Wahl's Lexicon, seems the 
 most satisfactory of any which to my knowledge has ever 
 been given, viz : — " It was the first Sabbath after the second 
 day of the passover. Of the seven days of the passover, 
 the first was a Sabbath, and on the second was a festival, in 
 which the fruits of the harvest were offered to God. (Lev. 
 xxiii, 5.) From this second day the Jews reckoned seven 
 weeks or Sabbaths to the feast of Pentecost. (I^ev. xxiii.) 
 Hence the first week, or the first Sabbath which occurred 
 after this second day, was called 'E^dofxa^, or I,6Ma<T-ov Ssv- 
 'TSpo'jr'p'ZJ^-rov ; i. e. the second Sabbath after the first." The 
 same interpretation is given also in Poosenmuiler's Scholia. 
 
 Yerse 12. 
 
 " And it came to pass in those days, that he v/ent out into 
 a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to 
 God." 
 
 That our Saviour's animal frame should have been so in- 
 vigorated, and his devotional frame of mind so continued, 
 as that he might in fact have prayed all night, either mentally' 
 or vocally, is not at all incredible, especially if we have re- 
 course to that divine, miraculous agency, which on another 
 occasion enabled him to fast forty days and forty nights in 
 succession. It should be observed, however, that the Greek 
 word 'Tfpo^suyjjy here translated prayer, signifies sometimes.- 
 both in the holy scriptures and in other writings, an oratory, 
 a prayer-house, or place of prayer. Of these the Jews had 
 many, and the pious among them frequently resorted thereto 
 for devotional exercises. They were open at the top, were 
 surrounded by trees, and frequently situated near to some 
 sea or river. (Acts xvi, 13). And such is, probably, tlie 
 
 4 
 
38 CRITICAL AND 
 
 import of the word in this place. The sense of the passage 
 then may be this : Jesus went out into a mountain to pray, 
 and continued all night in a place of prayer ; where, un- 
 doubtedly, he was employed the greatest part of the time io 
 devotional exercises. 
 
 Chap, vii, 28. 
 
 " For I say unto you, among those that are born of wo- 
 men, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; 
 but he that is least in the kingdom of God, is greater than 
 he." 
 
 If this passage mi^iht be allowed to speak for itself, human 
 explanation would be unnecessary, because it would then 
 explain itself. It is true, that in the parallel place, Mat. xi, 
 11, the word prophet is not found ; but even there it is evi- 
 dently understood. Greatness is of two kinds ; greatness 
 in the sight of God, and greatness in the sight of men. The 
 former of those is unquestionably here meant. But this also 
 is two-fold, personal and official. Both of these may have 
 been referred to by our Saviour, in this his declaration ; but 
 the last is principally intended. (See Luke i, 15 — 18.) By 
 the kino^dom of God here mentioned, or, as it is in Mat. xi, 
 11, ** kingdom of heaven," is meant this kingdom under its 
 new or (as it is commonly called) christian dispensation. 
 In short, the meaning of the declaration before is obviously 
 this, viz : that as prophets or teachers, none antecedent to 
 John had been superior to him, as none had been favored 
 with greater light and knowledge, and none had been sent 
 on a more honorable and important embassy, (or indeed on 
 one .so honorable and important, for he was the immediate 
 forerunner of our Lord, and sent directly to prepare his 
 way) ; but yet, that the least true prophet or teacher, under 
 the much more luminous dispensation of Christ, would, in 
 the before mentioned respects, be superior to even John the 
 Baptist. And hence, by the way, it is very evident that John 
 the Baptist did not come under the christian dispensation, 
 as some pretend. 
 
 Verses 36—39. 
 
 " And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat 
 with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat 
 down to meat. And behold a woman in the city, which was 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 39 
 
 % sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pha- 
 risee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment ; and 
 stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his 
 feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, 
 and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment." 
 It is here said, Jesus " sat down to meat." It should, 
 however, be romembered, that the word used in the original 
 is dvsxXi'^r], which signifies exactly, he lay down or reclined 
 himself. The most usual word for sitting down is ya^YHj^aij 
 or xRi^i'^w, when used intransitively ; and as to lie dov/n, to 
 recline one's self is the strict and proper meaning of the 
 word dvoxXivw, from which dvixklSy] is derived ; so such must 
 be its only proper import in this passage. For if Jesus sat 
 down in the sense in which v/e nov/ understand the word ; 
 if, while eating at table in the Pharisee's house, he was re- 
 ally and properly in a sitting posture, the actions here attri- 
 buted to this woman would have been evidently impossible. 
 If Jesus sat down to meat as we now do, his feet being of 
 course on the floor under the table, how could this woman 
 get at them, to v/ashthem? And besides, how could she 
 wash them standing, as it is said she did? She '' stood at 
 his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash his feet 
 with tears." Verse 3S. Frequently has the author's mind, 
 especially in his youthful days, been much perplexed with 
 this scripture, as it stands in our common version. Nor 
 can any considerate reader avoid perceiving and feeling the 
 difficulty attending it, until he becomes acquainted with the 
 customs of the ancient Jev/s at their meals. These, accord- 
 ing to Campbell and other authentic writers, v/ere the fol- 
 lowing. Three couches were set in the form of the Greek 
 letter TT. The guests lay down obliquely, reclining on iheir 
 left arm, at the same time feeding themselves v.ith their right 
 hand, their feet being of course backwards. Their couches 
 were somewhat higher than their tables. Hence we easily 
 see how the woman might have stood behind Christ, i. e. on 
 the back side of the couch, and have there washed and wiped 
 his feet. The knowledge of this custom renders the whole 
 history of this affair easy to be understood, and completely 
 removes all the difficulties which must evermore be felt by 
 such of us as know nothing of any other customs than our 
 
40 CRITICAL AND 
 
 own. The above remarks, by the way, may serve to ex- 
 plain what is meant by John's leaning on Jesus' bosom or 
 breast, at table. (John xiii, 23, 25.) 
 
 Chap, viii, 22. 
 
 " Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into 
 a ship with his disciples." 
 
 The word ship, as used by us, denotes the largest kind 
 and highest rank of sailing vessels. But il would be a great 
 error to suppose that the irXoTa of the New Testament were 
 of this description. In general, they were only barks, or 
 barges, or sailing boats. There are two Greek words 
 translated ship — vauj and /TrXorov. According to Schleusner, 
 the former denotes a large vessel ; the latter a small one, a 
 fisherman's boat. 
 
 Chap, xii, 35. 
 
 " Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning." 
 
 The ancient orientals were in the habit of weaiino- lono", 
 loose, and flowing garments. Whenever, therefore, they 
 had to do any business which required strength and much 
 activity, it would be necessary for them to tie and tuck up 
 those garments ; otherwise they must have proved to them, 
 a very serious impediment. Accordingly, we find that iq 
 such a case they did so. (See 1 Kings xviii, 46 : 2 Kings iv, ' 
 29 : Job xxxviii, 3 : Jer. i, 17.) The ])hrase " lights burn- 
 ing," relates to the preparation which servants were to make, 
 for their masters, on their return from nocturnal feasts, espe-\ 
 cially marriage feasts. (See v. 36, and Mat. xxv, 1 — 10). This 
 direction of our Lord, considered as thus allusive, is there- 
 fore replete v»ith meaning and energy, and reminds us, that 
 like the children of Israel, (Exod. xii, 11), we should be ia 
 continual readiness for marching ; and that we should be- 
 very careful to cast away from us all those transgressions, 
 and not to entangle ourselves with any of those worldly 
 cares, which v/ouki prevent or impede the prompt discharge 
 of our duty .; and that with our lights or lamps thus burning, 
 we should be always ready for the arrival of our Lord. 
 " For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, 
 and will not tarryj' 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 41 
 
 Chap, xiii, 24. ^ 
 
 ^' Strive to enter in at the strait gate ; for many, I say 
 Mnto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." 
 
 The Greek word translated strive, signifies to agonise, to 
 be in an agony, (lAike xxii, 44) ; and of course very im- 
 pressively represents the earnestness, {he vehemence, the 
 violence, (Mat. xi, 12), with which we should seek the king- 
 dom of God and his righteousness. But how are we to un- 
 derstand the last part of the verse, ** For many, I say unto 
 you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able ;" or shall 
 not prevail ? Do we not read, " Seek, and ye shall find ; he 
 that seoketh, findethl" Our Lord might have meant by this 
 expression, that many would seek to enter in by wrong ways, 
 or certamly not by the right way, and in the right way ; for 
 observe, he does not say that they will agonise for this pur- 
 pose ; that they would strive to enter in at the strait gate, with 
 a self denial, an earnestness, and a perseverance, equal to that 
 practised by worldly men, in quest of a corruptible crown. 
 (See 1 Cor. ix, 25, where the same Greek word is used.) 
 But what Christ principally intended was, that many would, 
 in their way, seek to enter in when it should be !oo lafs, and 
 hence should not be able. That such was most directly his 
 meaning, is evident from his words immediately following : 
 ** When once the master of the house is risen up, ;md has 
 shut to the dooTj and ye begin to stand without, and knock 
 at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us ; and he shall 
 answer and say unto you, 1 know you not, whence ye are." 
 Let none, therefore, forget that noio is the accepted time^ 
 that now is the day of salvation. Seek ye the Lord while he 
 may be fontuJ. Seek him before the door is shut, when it 
 will be too late to find him. 
 
 Chap, xiv, 23. 
 *' Go ye o it into the highways and hedges, and compel 
 them to comf in." 
 
 The wortl compel, as defined by Walker, signifies " to force 
 to some act, to oblige, to constrain ;" and as vulgarly used 
 in our days, it certainly denotes a kind of coercive influence. 
 In this sense it seems to be sometimes used in the sacred 
 writings, as in Mat. xxvii, 32 : Acts xxvi, 11. But in this 
 
 4* 
 
42 CRITICAL AND 
 
 place it surely can signify nothing more ihB.nto urge — to urge 
 by importunate persuasion. Physical force has been frequent- 
 ly used by Papists, and sometimes by Protestants, to make 
 converts to chri.^tiaiiity, or rather to their ov/n peculiar te- 
 nets ; but invariably, when used, it has produced many more 
 hypocrites than true Christians. The only conversion which 
 the gospel recognises as real, sincere, genuine, is a voliinta- 
 ry one — the conversion of the heart; and the only means 
 which it authorises for the accomplishment of this great pur- 
 pose, are those of the moral kind, such as instruction, per- 
 suasion, exhortation, prayer, and the like. 
 
 Terse 26. 
 
 *'If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and 
 mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, 
 yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." 
 
 Rightly to understand this apparently hard saying of Christ, 
 gome acquaintance with the idiom of the Hebrew,- i. e. with 
 the modes of expression peculiar to the Jews' language, is 
 necessary. This is necessary to a correct interpretation of 
 many passages in the Nevv Testament ; for though the ori- 
 ginal language of the New Testament be Greek, its idiom 
 is the Hebrew ; as we might well suppose would be the case, 
 from the fact that all the writers of the jVew Testament, 
 (with the exception perhaps of St. T^uke), and our Lord Je- 
 sus Christ too, were themselves Hebrews or Jews. Among 
 the peculiarities of their language was this, viz : expressing 
 a thing ahsoluteljy, or with apparent absoluteness, when the 
 thing itself, or the proposition affirming it, is to be under^^ 
 stood comparnfively. (See in illustration, Rom, ix, 13 — - 
 *' Jacob have I loved ; but Esau have I huted ;" not abso- 
 lutely, but comparatively, or in comparison with Jacob. 
 See also Ps. li, 16, compared with Mat. xii, 7.) And this 
 same idiom obtains in the verse now under consideration. 
 Its true meaning will appear by comparing it with the paral- 
 lel passage, Mat. x, 37 — "He that loveth father or mother 
 more than me, is not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son 
 or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me." The ha- 
 tred, therefore, which must be exercised by the Christian 
 towards his near relatives, and which is here represented 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 43 
 
 as essential to one's being a true and accepted follower of 
 Christ, is only a comparative hatred. We must hate them 
 not absolutely, but comparatively, or in comparison with 
 Christ ; for surely his gospel neither requires nor allows us 
 to hate, strictly and properly, a7iy of our fellow creatures, 
 but on the contrary, to love them all, even our enemies. 
 (Mat. V, 44 : 1 Thess. iii, 12.) The meaning, in a word, is 
 this : We must love Christ above all. He must be enthroned 
 supremely in our affections and judgments, and must, in our 
 view, have in all things the pre-eminence. If, then, he 
 should say to you or me, as he did to Peter, " Lovest thou 
 me more than these,^^ what answer must we give 1 
 
 Chap, xv^ 7. 
 
 " i say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heavea 
 over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and 
 nine just persons, which need no repentance." 
 
 How often has the question been put — Who are these 
 ninety and nine just persons, that need no repentance 1 
 Surely (hei need, the absolute necessity of repentance, must 
 be co-extensive with sinfulness and guilt. And " who can 
 say, I have made my heart clean : I am pure from my sin 1" 
 Some expositors refer this expression to the angels, suppos- 
 ing that they, viz. those '< angels which have kept their first 
 estate," are intended thereby. It is conceded both that they 
 are just persons, and that they need no repentance j but 
 whether it be indeed true, that there is more joy in that holy 
 and happy world, which has for so many thousand years been 
 the place of their residence, over one repenting sinner of our 
 race, thim over them, or over ninely and nine of them, we 
 may well doubt. The self-righteous Pharisees, and others 
 like them, appear to have been the persons chiefly intended 
 by this expression. (See Schleusner, Parkhurst, Bishop 
 Pearce, &c. ) But how, you will ask, could it be said that they 
 need no repentance ? Does not our Lord say to such charac- 
 ters, *' Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish?" 
 (Luke xiii, 3.) How, then, could it be said, and that too by 
 Christ himself, the faithful and true witness, that they need 
 no repentance? Answer — Just as well and just as properly 
 as it may be said, " They that be whole need not a physi- 
 
44 CRITICAL AND 
 
 cian, but they that are sick." Those Pharisees wefe self^ 
 righteous to a great decree — ^just and righteous in their own 
 apprehension. Kence the scripture speaks of them as trust- 
 ing in themselves, that they were righteous, and as going 
 about or seeking to establish thoir own righteousness. iNor 
 was their righteousness ceremonial only ; it did not consist 
 only and entirely in an exact observance of the rites and 
 ceremonies enjoined l>y tlu* Mosaic law. In many rcf pects 
 they were really maral^ in the usual sense of the word, and 
 " blameless, touching the righteousness which is of the 
 law." Hence the title of just persons was readily given to 
 them by their countrymen general iy. And from several pas- 
 sages of scripture it appears to have been not unusual for 
 God to give to men, to ihe Jews especially, those titles or 
 appellatioris by which thev were usually distinguished among 
 their fellow men. 'There is no difficulty in seeing how 
 there should be joy in heaven over one sinner that repcnteth, 
 more than over ninety and nine such just persons, who 
 thous:hl they needed no repentance — no thorough change of 
 character. 0, sinners ! what a weighty reason for your im- 
 mediate repentance is heve presented ! Your pious relatives, 
 ministers of the gospel, Christians generally, all heaven, 
 would rejoice, in seeing you throwing down the weapons of 
 your rebellion. 
 
 Verse IS. 
 
 '* I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, 
 Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee." 
 
 The only remaric 1 shall make on this passage is, that it 
 seems sufficiently to justify the use of such expressions as 
 these — " rebellion against heaven,''^ " assistance o( heaveny''* 
 &c. Some object to such expressions, on the ground ihat 
 they savour too much of heathenism. Indeed, they may be 
 used too frequently and too loosely. But when we use them 
 understandingly and reverently, or, in a v/ord, as not abus- 
 ing them, we have scriptural warrant for our practice. See 
 beside this passage, Ps. Ixxiii, 9 — " They set their mouth 
 against the heavens ;" i. e. against God. Dan. iv, 26 — 
 " Thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shall 
 have known that the heavens do rule ;" i. e. Jehovah doth 
 rule. 
 
explanatory notes. 45 
 
 Chap, xvi, 8, 9. 
 
 " And the lord commended the unjust steward, because 
 he had done wisely ; for the children of this world are in 
 their generation wiser than the children of light. And I 
 say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of 
 unrighteousness ; that when ye fail, they may receive you 
 into everlasting habitations." 
 
 The lord, i. e. the rich man mentioned in verse 1^ commend- 
 ed the unjust steward. He did not approve of him as though 
 he had done rightly ; for he had no right thus to dispose of 
 his master's property, without his master's consent; but 
 commended, praised him, because he had done wisely, i. e, 
 for himself, (compare Ps. xlix, 18), in thus providing for 
 himself a home and a subsistence, after he should have 
 been put out of the stewardship. " For the children of this 
 world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." 
 The meaning is, that worldly men are more prudent in form- 
 ing, and more energetic and persevering in executing plans 
 to obtain the riches and honours of this transitory world, than 
 Christians are to secure an interest in the durable riches and 
 everlasting honours of heaven. Alas, how true is this ! But 
 what can be the meaning of verse 9- — " And I say unto you, 
 make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteous- 
 ness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlast- 
 ing habitations ?' Mammon, in this place, denotes riches, 
 worldly possessions. (Compare Mat. vi, 24). The phrase, 
 " mammon of unrighteousness," is a Hebraism, for un- 
 righteous mammon or riches, so called because they are 
 often gotten unrighteously, as well as unrighteously and in- 
 juriously used. With this mammon of unrighteousness we 
 are to make to ourselves friends, that when we fail, they 
 may receive us into everlasting habitations. One inter- 
 pretation of these words is — that with the right use of this 
 world's goods, we should conciliate the friendship of our 
 fellow-men, so far as we can do it conscientiously and con* 
 sistently ; at any rate, that in our worldly affairs we should 
 pursue such a course as can give no just ground of offence, 
 and such as is well adapted for making them our friends, 
 and would do it, were their hearts rightly disposed, and ca- 
 pable of being won by kindness ; that with our worldly 
 
46 CRITICAL AND 
 
 possessions we should do good, especially to the poor and 
 needy ; should be like Job, eyes to the blind, and feet to the 
 lame, &c. ; that when we die, and leave this present world, 
 these our worthy friends, who have been relieved by our 
 charities, i. e. those of them who have died before us, and 
 gone to heaven, may receive us into heavenly mansions. If 
 the phrase " they may receive you," must be understood lite- 
 rally ; that is, if it must be understood as denoting some 
 particular persons, and the act of some particular persons, 
 it seems as though it ought to be referred to the persons just 
 mentioned ; those v/hom we may have made our friends, of 
 or with the mammon of unrighteousness. Certainly the 
 correspondence between the literal and the spiritual import 
 of the parable, is much better presented by ihis interpreta- 
 tion, than by one which would refer this phrase to any other 
 beings. For, it should be remembered, that the persons 
 who received the unjust steward into their houses, were the 
 very same who had been the subjects of his profuse, though 
 unjustiKable beneficence. Another interpretation, however, 
 of the last part of verse 9, may be given, and perhaps a bet- 
 ter one. In ch. xii, 20, Goo ia represented as saying to the 
 rich man — " Thou fool, this night do or shall they require 
 thy soul of thee ;" for so it is in the Greek. But this is a 
 Hebrew idiom, for " thy soul shall be required of thse," as 
 it reads in our translation. So, when it is said, " ihey may 
 receive you into everlasting habitations," the meaning may 
 be, and probably is, simply this, viz. that ye may be received 
 into everlasting habitations. This last is the interpretation 
 adopted by Rosenmuiler and f»everal other distinguished 
 critics. 
 
 Chap, xvim, 12. 
 
 " I fast twice in the week." 
 
 It appears from ancient records, that the two days of fast- 
 ing among the Pharisees were the second and the fifth days 
 of the week, or Thursday and Monday, as we denominate 
 them ; on Thursday, in memory of Moses' going up to 
 Mount Sinai; and on Monday, in memory of his coming 
 down from thence. 
 
 Chap, xix, 22, 
 
 -^ '' Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking 
 
 up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow." 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 47 
 
 The intelligent reader readily perceives that either these 
 words are to be understood as the language of the sinner's 
 heart, or the whole is to be read interrogatively, thus — 
 " Knewest thou that I was an austere man 1" &c. 
 
 Chap, xx, 18. 
 
 *' Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, (this stone, Mat. 
 xxi, 44), shall be broken ; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it 
 will grind him to powder." 
 
 Christ here refers to himself, as, by way of eminence, the 
 stone— ihe tried corner stone mentioned by Isaiah and Da- 
 vid; and is supposed to predict the certain doom of two 
 sorts of persons. Those who should fall upon him in pres- 
 ent unbelief, and persecution, and finally in crucifying him, 
 would be broken — terribly punished with the loss of their 
 religious privileges, and with grievous temporal calamities, 
 especially in the approaching destruction of Jerusalem, 
 (v»^herein, as Josephus says, 1,100,000 Jev/s lost their lives). 
 But a still more terrible punishment awaited the finally im- 
 penitent, on whom this mighty stone should fall, in his final, 
 and holy, and tremendous vrrath. It would " grind them 
 to powder." Therefore, " Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, 
 and, ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a 
 little." 
 
 Chap, xxi, 11. 
 
 — " And fearful sights and great signs shall there be 
 
 from heaven." 
 
 Josephus, the Jewish historian, who was an eye-witness 
 of the destruction of Jerusalem, says, that for some time 
 before that event, a comet like a flaming sword waved over 
 Jerusalem ; that there was in the air the appearance of con- 
 tending armies ; that the great gate of the temple, v»'hich 
 twenty men could scarcely shut, and which was made fast 
 with bolts, was seen to open of its own accord, at the sixth 
 hour of the night ; that at the feast of Pentecost, when the 
 priests went at night into the temple to attend their service, 
 they heard a great noise, and after that the sound as of a 
 multitude, saying, " Let us go hence ;" that four years be- 
 fore the war, one Jesus, at the feast of tabernacles, began 
 on a sudden to cry aloud, " A voice from the east, a voice 
 
48 CRITICAL AND 
 
 from the v/est, a voice from the four winds, a voice against 
 Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bride- 
 grooms and the brides, and a voice against this whole peo- 
 ple ;" and that he continued this cry for seven years and 
 jfive months. The testimony of Tacitus, also, the Roman 
 historian, is to the same effect. We see, then, in part, what 
 Christ intended by the fearful signs and great sights from 
 heaven. 
 
 Chap, xxii, 32. 
 
 " And when thou art converted, strengthen thy 
 
 brethren." 
 
 The word conversion is commonly used by Christians, to 
 denote that great moral renovation called a change of heart, 
 or, (as Christ expresses it, John iii, 3), a being born again. 
 Hence the perplexity occasioned to some by these words of 
 Christ to Peter. For was Peter, say they, never converted 
 before ] \Yas he never a good man until after his fail 1 In re- 
 ply, it may be remarked, that there is no necessity of re- 
 stricting the term conversion to the sense just mentioned. 
 On the contrary, whether we regard the precise import of 
 the word itself, or the manner in which it is commonly used 
 and applied in the scriptures, we shall perceive that it is as 
 properly applicable to those active moral exercises or chris- 
 tian graces in the creature, which follow regeneration, as it 
 is to that great change itself. The meaning of this text ap- 
 pears to be as if Christ had said, ' "When thou, Peter, art 
 brought to repentance, for this thy sin in denying me ; know- 
 ing, as you then will know, the weakness of human nature, 
 and of even good men, strengthen thy brethren.' And it is 
 very remarkable how Peter remembered and obeyed this 
 dh-ection of his Lord. In particular, his two epistles relate 
 much to the subject of trials, and are excellently adapted to 
 comfort and strengthen such as are " exercised thereby ;" 
 such as, to use his own words, " are in heaviness, through 
 manifold temptations." 
 
 Chap, xxtii, 31. 
 " For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be 
 done in the dry ?" 
 
 Among the Hebrews a virtuous man was often compared 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 49 
 
 to a tree flourishing in vigor and beauty ; but the wicked 
 were compared to a dry tree, the proper image of misery 
 and death. (See in illustration, Ps. i, 3, and Isa. Ivi, 3.) 
 The sense of the passage, then, is as if Christ had said — 
 * If such things be done to the good, to myself, what shall 
 be done to, what must be the punishment of, the incorrigible 
 Jews, and of all the finally impenitent.' Like the dry tree 
 they will be fit only for the fuel, and their '* end will be to be 
 burned." (Heb. vi, 8.) 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 Chapter i, Yerse 16. 
 
 " And of his fulness hav6 all we received, and grace for 
 grace." 
 
 The last clause of this verse, which indeed is the only 
 part of it that requires explanation, has been variously un- 
 derstood and interpreted. Believers are here said to receive 
 from the fulness of Christ, grace for grace. What can be 
 the precise meaning of this expression 1 Without mention- 
 ing all the constructions of this phrase which have been 
 adopted by different expositors, I shall merely suggest that 
 w^hich on mature deliberation appears to me to be the best. 
 The meaning of St. John, in this verse, is supposed to be as 
 if he had said — 'From the fulness that is in Christ, the incar- 
 nate Word, have all we believers received spiritual supplier 
 in great abundance and variety ; and particularly grace for 
 grace ; i. e. there is grace in us, answerable to grace in him; 
 we have the same sort of dispositions as he had. He had 
 them, indeed, ivithout measure, but we in measure, yet 
 abundantly ; and we are hereby conformed to the image of 
 him who is the first born among many brethren.' (Rom. 
 viii, 29.) 
 
 Verse 21. 
 
 " And they asked him, what then ? Art thou Elias 1 And 
 he saith I am not." 
 
 This is the record and testimony of John the Baptist res- 
 pecting himself, according to St. John. But according to St. 
 Matthew, xi, 13, 14, Jesus Christ, the faithful and true wit- 
 
 5 
 
50 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ness, said — " All the prophets and the law prophesied until 
 John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias which was for 
 to come." Now, it must be allowed, there is at first an ap- 
 pearance of a contradiction between these two texts. John 
 the Baptist says expressly, that he is not Elias ; and Christ 
 says as expressly, that he is Elias, which was for to come ; 
 i. e. who was to come as the forerunner of Christ, to prepare 
 his way, agreeably to Isa. xl, 3, and Mai. iv, 5. Can these 
 two texts be reconciled with each other? Answer — 'Easily, 
 by only attending to the meaning of John and of Christ. John 
 the Baptist meant that he was not that identical prophet, call- 
 ed Elias or Elijah, who appeared in the time of Ahab. Jesus 
 Christ meant, that though John the Baptist was not that iden- 
 tical per.'on, yet he came " in the spirit and power of Elias," 
 (Luke i, 17) ; and in this sense, or in reference to this, he 
 might properly be called Elias or Elijah. Hence we see, 
 that neither did John the Baptist nor Christ say any thing 
 but what was perfectly true, in the sense they meant to be 
 understood, and that there is a perfect consistency between 
 their respective declarations on this subject. 
 
 Chap, iit, 3. 
 
 " Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say 
 unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the 
 kingdom of God." 
 
 The Greek word here translated again, sometimes signi- 
 fies froiu above, and is accordingly thus translated in verse 
 31st of this chapter, and in James i, 17. The word mfm, 
 jn this passage, is generic, denoting neither males of one age, 
 to the exclusion of those of another, nor indeed the male sex, 
 to the exclusion of the female ; but mankind generally. In 
 proof of this, it may be observed that the corresponding 
 Greek word rls is thus generic, signifying exactly, any one. 
 Let us, "hen, never forget that to enjoy eternal happiness in 
 heaven, a spiritual change, an internal, moral renovation, is 
 necessary ; that this is necessary for every one, for the 
 merely moral, as well as for the openly profane ; and that 
 for the production of this change, supernatural, divine influ- 
 ence is necessary ; and let it be our unceasing prayer, " Cre- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 61 
 
 nie in me a clean heart, God ; renew a right spirit within 
 me." 
 
 Verse 12. 
 
 " If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, 
 how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly Ihings?' 
 
 There is no other difnculty attending this passage, than 
 what relates to the first part of it — " If I have told you earth- 
 ly things, and ye believe not." The difficulty lies in seeing 
 hon^ this remark can be true. For did the l-^ord Jesus, 
 vi'hile on earth, spend his time in talking to the people about 
 earthly, worldly things 1 From his li,ie, as written by the 
 Evangelists, we certainly should not drav/ any such conclu- 
 sion ; but the contrary would thence most clearly appear. 
 At least, it would thence appear that he v/as never in the 
 ^ habit of talking about worldly things, except for the illustra- 
 tion of heavenly things. Row, then, aie we to understand 
 these words 1 It should be remembered that the entire par- 
 agraph, from the 1st to. the 13th verse, relates to the new 
 birth. The verse now under consideration is enly a con- 
 tinuation of the same subject. By earthly things, therefore, 
 our Saviour must have intended the nevj birth if&elf — its na- 
 ture, necessity, and the mysterious manner in vvdiich it is 
 effected ; ,of which points he had just spoken. (See verses 
 3, 5, 8.) These might be called earihly thinps, because 
 that great moial change, is confined to this earth or v/orld, 
 and must be effected here, if any where ; because it might 
 be illustrated by earthly things, as water and wind ; and 
 because it is a simple subject, and to the true Christian 
 plain, and easy to be understood, especially as com>pared 
 with heavenly things — things relating more directly to the 
 inhabitants, exhibitions, eniployments, and enjoyments of 
 the heavenly world ; subjects, which, to a mind like that of 
 Nicodemus, would be more abstruse, refined, uninteUigible, 
 and incredible. 
 
 Verse 13. 
 
 *' And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that 
 came down from heaven." 
 
 Of all those subjects which lay beyond the reach of ordi- 
 nary human investigation, the Hebrews were accustomed to 
 i3^aj that they were in heaven ; and if any appeared to under- 
 
52 CRITICAL AND 
 
 stand them, he was said by them to have been in heaven, 
 and thence to have obtained his knowledge. (See Deut. 
 XXX, 12, and Prov. xxx, 4.) 
 
 Verse 23. 
 
 " And John also was baptising in Enon, near to Salim, 
 because there was much water there." 
 
 Much water — in Greek vSaifa ifoXka, literally, many wa- 
 ters. I find in my Hebrew Bible, an exactly correspondent 
 phrase used, in Num. xx, 11, viz: maim rabbim. The 
 radical Hebrew word rabah, signifies to be, or to become 
 great, either in number or in quantity. Our translators have 
 rendered the clause referred to in this last verse, viz. Num. 
 XX, 11, thus : — " The water came out abundantly." Literal- 
 ly, it would be, " many or great waters came out." But 
 whichsoever of these words be used, many or great, it can- 
 not be rationally supposed that a river, or indeed a stream 
 of water of any considerable depth, was produced by Moses' 
 striking the rock with his rod. The Psalmist, speaking of 
 the same event, says — '' Behold he smote the rock, that the 
 waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed." (Ps. 
 Ixxviii, 20.) The meaning is, the waters flowed from the 
 rock, and ran along on the ground, in such quantities as 
 were sufficient to quench the thirst of the Israelites and of 
 their cattle. And as this Hebrew phrase answers exactly 
 to the Greek one, in John iii, 23, I would propose it as a 
 query worthy of some attention, especially from linguists, 
 whether this last passage is so decisive in proof of baptismal 
 immersion^ as is by some supposed. 
 
 Chap, iv, 11. 
 
 " The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to 
 draw with, and the well is deep ; from whence then hast 
 thou that living water?" 
 
 From Rauwolf, as cited by Harmer, (vol. 2, page 142| 
 Clark's edition), we learn that the wells in Judea have no 
 implements to draw water with, except what those persons 
 bring with them who go thither to draw. Speaking particu- 
 larly of the wells at Bethlehem, he says, " The people that 
 go to dip water, are provided with small leathern buckets 
 
EXPLANTORY NOTES. Ow 
 
 and a line, as is usual in these countries." Hence, then^ 
 we may see the reason why the Samaritan woman was so 
 much astonished at Christ's offering her water to drink, (i- 
 e. material water, for she understood him to mean that), 
 when he had nothing to draw with— hud not provided himself 
 with the leathern bucket and the line. No wonder that in 
 such a case she should be astonished at Christ's remark, 
 especially as she did not then know u^ho it tvcis that said to 
 her, "Give mo to drink." (Verse 10.) How clearly aiad 
 impressively do these v/ords of the woraai\ to Christ, togeth- 
 er with the whole conversation that passed betv/een them, 
 illustrate the backwardness, the dullness of sinners, in re- 
 ceiving spiritual instruction ! Though Christ referred to the 
 water of life, and was explicit enough to convince any one 
 not wholly blind, that he did refer to it, (see verses 10, 14) ; 
 yet she all the while understood him as referring to material 
 water only. And how evident it is from this instance, that 
 the understanding of the female sex also, as well -as of the 
 male, is in respect to spiritual things, " darkened, by reason 
 of the blindness (or callousness) of their hearts !" 
 
 Terse 20. 
 
 •• Our fiithers worshipped in this mountain ; and ye say 
 ihat in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." 
 
 To understand the import of this remark of the Samaritan 
 woman, it is necessary to recur to a few facts in sacred his- 
 tory. It should, however, be first observed, that Mount 
 Gerizim was the mountain to which this woman here refers. 
 Near to this mountain the patriarchs, and particularly Jacob, 
 erected altars, (Gen. xxxiii, 20, &c.) ; and from it Moses 
 pronounced the blessing. (Deut. xxvii, 12.) No temple, 
 however, was erected there until the time of Sanballat, the 
 well known contemporary and adversary of Nehemiah. 
 From Josephus we learn, that this Sanballat, finding him- 
 self unable to prevent the rebuilding of the temple at Jeru- 
 salem by Nehemiah, resolved to build another of his own 
 elsewhere. He was, it seems, determined to prevent the 
 performance of divine worship, especially of sacrificial wor- 
 ship, at Jerusalem; and if he could not accomplish his pur- 
 pose in one way, he meant to do it another. If the temple 
 5* 
 
54 CRITCAL AND 
 
 must be rebuilt on Mount Zion, he would build another on 
 Mount Gerizim. Hence, as he supposed, the people would 
 become divided ; and thus his darling object would be, at 
 least in part, accomplished. Accordingly, through his in- 
 strumentality, a temple was erected on Mount Gerizim. 
 And these two temples stood in a state of mutual rivalry and 
 opposition for about two hundred and twenty years ; and until 
 Hircanus, a high priest of the Jews, destroyed the one on 
 Mount Gerizim, about one hundred and thirty-one years be- 
 fore Christ. But so long as this temple stood, the Samari- 
 tans resorted to it for worship ; and even after it was destroy- 
 ed, and no vestige of the edifice itself was visible, its very 
 site was considered as holy ground, and was accordingly 
 resorted to by the Samaritans for devotional purposes. 
 Hence, then, the remark, and hence the meaning of the re- 
 mark of the Samaritan woman, " Our fathers worshipped in 
 this mountain.''^ But still the Jews believed that divine 
 public worship ought to be performed, and that especially 
 sacrifices ought to be offered, at Jerusalem ; and this opinion 
 they, it seems, considered as sufficiently supported by such 
 passages as 1 Kings xi, 32, &c. The truih is, both these 
 sorts of people had been in an error ; the one for ascribing 
 too much, and the other for ascribing too Uttle importance 
 to Jerusalem, and to divine worship as there performed. In 
 2 Kings xxi, 7, we read, that " The Lord said to David, and 
 to Solomon his son — In this house, and in Jerusalem, which 
 I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my 
 name forever ;" and this, surely, implies that some peculiar 
 vsanctity was attached to that city and to its temple, and that 
 they both had been and would be peculiarly privileged. Yet 
 it could not hence be inferred that any other place or temple 
 was in itself unholy, nor that religious worship would fail of ac- 
 ceptance, merely because it was performed elsewhere. Still 
 less ground could there have been for the belief in the exclu- 
 sive holiness of any particular places or temples, since the ad- 
 vent of the Messiah, as the darkness then passed away, and 
 the true light shined. Hence said our Lord to the woman, 
 " Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall nei- 
 ther in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the 
 Father. The hour cometh, and now is, when the true wor- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 55 
 
 shippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth ; for 
 the Father seeketh such to worship Him." 
 
 Chap, v, 18. 
 
 " Therefore, the Jews sought the more to kill him, because 
 he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God 
 was his Father, making himself equal with God." 
 
 This is one among the many scriptural passages, in which, 
 though the general idea is given, the exact meaning and force 
 of the original have not been transfused into our version. 
 The word Ulog, in the Greek, signifies not merely his, but 
 his otvn, as we say. " It denotes property, appropriation, 
 or peculiar relation." (Parkhurst.) This then is the mean- 
 ing : — He said that God was his own Father ; i. e. his by 
 way of eminence ; peculiarly his Father ; his Father in a 
 sense in which he is not the Father of mere men, nor of any 
 other being. Indeed, it is evident the Jews understood him 
 to mean thus, because they understood his claiming the filial 
 relation in question, as equivalent to "his making himself 
 equal with God." Besides, it is impossible to account for 
 the rage which this declaration of Christ excited in their 
 minds, on any other ground. This passage, then, rightly 
 interpreted, is more in point, and has more weight in proving 
 Christ's divinity, than common readers are apt to imagine. 
 
 Yerse 31. 
 " If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true." 
 It is difficult to see why any man, and especially the 
 "faithful and true Witness," might not speak the truth, in 
 opposition to speaking falsehood, of himself, as well of any 
 other person or thing. The meaning of Christ, therefore, 
 must have been, " If I only bear witness of myself, my tes- 
 timony is not valid and sufficient ;" i. e. is not what your 
 law requires, for that requires at least two or three witness- 
 es ; and if this number were necessary for the condemnation 
 of a criminal, (Deut. xvii, 6), undoubtedly it must be to 
 prove the divine mission of a prophet. That the word true, 
 in this verse, means sufficient, and that our Lord here refer- 
 red to the above mentioned requisition in the Jewish law, 
 further appears, from his proceeding to mention three wit- 
 
56 CRITICAL AND 
 
 m 
 
 nesses in his favor ; that of his Father, (verse 37) ; that of 
 John the Baptist, (verse 33) ; and that of his own worksj 
 (verse 36.) 
 
 Chap, viii, 36. 
 
 " If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be 
 free indeed." 
 
 The only remark I would make on this scripture is, that 
 it justifies the distinction sometimes made between moral 
 freedom and spiritual freedom; for these Jews were cer- 
 tainly in some sense free already. Else they would not 
 have been moral ajrents, nor of course accountable for their 
 actions ; for freedom is an essential property of moral agen- 
 cy, and absolutely necessary to render any one accountable. 
 No one, it is presumed, will deny that these Jews were ac- 
 countable creatures. They must then have been free agents ; 
 i. e. they must have possessed mora/ freedom — the freedom 
 of moral agents. A>ut yet these words of Christ plainly im- 
 ply that there is another kind of freedom attainable by men, 
 and one more excellent than the other — the fruit of his gos- 
 pel and renewing fi;;ice, of v^^hich these Jews were, and of 
 course all the unrenewed are, utterly destitute ; for ^^who- 
 soever committeth (Y^factiseth) sin, is the servant of sin.'* 
 (Verse 34.) And tlvis is what may be called, in contradis- 
 tinction to the other, spiriiual freedom, or (to use scripture 
 language) "the ghrious liberty of the children of God." 
 The due consideration of these two sorts of freedom, and of 
 the difference betwcn them, might serve to silence, at least 
 to confute, many o: the objections which are now brought 
 against the calvini ;;e exhibition of some evangelical sub- 
 jects. Possibly bo ;i these sayings may yet be true, and 
 consequently consist nt with each other, viz : " Whosoever 
 will, let him take tb' water of life freely;" and " No man 
 can come to me, exc pt the Father, who hath sent me, draw 
 him." (Rev. xxii, 17: John vi, 44.) 
 
 Chap, x, 12. 
 
 " But he that is ai /ireling, and not the shepherd, whose 
 own the sheep are nc t . seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth 
 the sheep." 
 
 This passage would not be particularly noticed in a trea- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 57 
 
 tise of this kind, had it not become necessary to protest 
 against that misapplication of it which has been made by ig- 
 norant and bigoted people. How often have such persons 
 applied it to those ministers of the gospel, who have receiv- 
 ed, and thought it right to receive, from their people, a stipu- 
 lated worldly maintenance ! How often have such ministers 
 been called hirelings, becaus^e they received pay, i. e. a main- 
 tenance, and frequently a very scanty one too, for their ser- 
 vices ! At the same time, it is remarkable that no other 
 class of citizens in community has been branded with this 
 odious appellation, merely for this reason. It is taken for 
 granted by these persons, that all other sorts of people are 
 of right entitled to reward for their labours, themselves not 
 excepted. But if a minister receives, and especially if he 
 demands such reward, he is immediately called a hireling. 
 Now these persons ought to be instructed in this one thing, 
 viz. that there is a great difference between amere hireling, 
 and a hired man. A hireling, as we usually understand 
 the term, is a mere mercenary, working only for the sake of 
 the wages. But a hired man need not be of this descrip- 
 tion. For though many hired men, and some hired minis- 
 ters, are undoubtedly hirelings also ; yet their being so is 
 not owing to the bare fact, that they receive and expect pay 
 for their work, but solely to the selfish, sordid disposiiion 
 with which they work and receive their pay ; to the circum- 
 stance, that as the pay was the only motive to, so it is the 
 only end of their working. The distinguishing badge of th© 
 hireling intended by Christ, is ^^ not- caring for the sheep,^^ 
 But must we certainly conclude, that no man who feeds a 
 flock, can have any care at all for the welfare of the flock, 
 merely because he beheves in, and claims his right to eat of 
 the milk of the flock? (See 1 Cor. ix, 7, with the context.) 
 If every hired man must necessarily be a hireling too, in the 
 bad and usual sense of that term, what a humiliating view 
 would this give us of ninety-nine out of a hundred of our 
 race ; for probably as large a proportion of them as this, is 
 sometimes, and in some way or other, hired by their fellow 
 men. 
 
58 critical and 
 
 Chap, xiv, 12. 
 ■ '* Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, 
 the works that I do shall he do also ; and greater works 
 than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father." 
 
 This verse contains two propositions : — 1. That the be- 
 liever in Christ should do not only the same, but even great- 
 er works than Christ had done. 2. That the reason of this, 
 was Christ's going to his Father. And that both are true, 
 we ought not to doubt, because they were both delivered 
 from the mouth of " the ftiithful and true Witness" himself, 
 and are introduced with " verily, verily," an asseveration, 
 or emphatical expression, which he frequently used when he 
 was about to assert and inculcate some very important 
 truth. But the question is,, how, or in luhat sense, are they 
 true? In what sense v/as it to be understood that believers 
 in Christ, i. e. the apostles, should do greater works than 
 any he had done 1 Ans'ver — These words of Christ may re- 
 late to Jji{r7,c/es inpart, but they relate chiefly to tliQ success 
 which sliould attend and follow the apostle's ministry. The 
 apostles were to have, and they actually had, more visible 
 success in their evangelical labours, than Christ, v/hile on 
 earth, had in his. The number of those who bscamo con- 
 verts to chrislianity after Christ's d^^ath, viz. jn the apostol- 
 ic age, or during the lives and by the labours of the apostles, 
 was much greater than that of those who became converts 
 during Chiist's life time. From the second chapter of the 
 Acts of thd Apostles, it appears that the conversion of three 
 thousand souls was the fruit of a single sermon delivered by 
 St. Peter ; a number, probably, much greater than the ivlioh 
 number of tho.se who became Christ's friends and followers, 
 during his personal abode on earth. And the reason why 
 the apostles should (instrumnntally) do such great and 
 mighty works, was, that Christ would go to his Father, and 
 thence, having received gifts for men, would send down up- 
 on them his Holy Spirit, and thus endue them with power 
 from on high. (John xvi, 7 — 12: Luke xxiv, 49.) It is 
 said in reference to the time of Christ's personal residence 
 on earth, " The Holy Ghost was not yet given, because 
 that Jesus was not yet glorified." (John vii, 39.) 3^ut after 
 the heavens had received him to the glory which he had with 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 59 
 
 the Father, before the world was, the blessed Spirit was 
 indeed given, and much more remarkably and gloriously than 
 it had ever been before ; not only in his miraculous, but al- 
 so in his illuminating, awakening, renewing, quickening, 
 comforting, ana saving influences. 
 
 Chap, xv, 2. 
 
 " Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh 
 away ; anu every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, 
 that it may bring forth more fruit." 
 
 Persons may be said to be in, Christ in two senses ; by 
 profession m< rely, and in reality, or by a vital union. Those 
 of the former cla.ss are unfruitful, and must as such be taken 
 away — remove d ; but not so with the latter, nor with any 
 one of them ; ^ar " every branch that beareth fruit, he purg- 
 eth it, that it iTsay bring forth more fruit :" '' i ie purgeth it," 
 i. e. he pruneth it ; for such was evidently the meaning of 
 Christ in this place. For the metaphor is taken from vines 
 and fruit trees, whose branches are pruned, or cleared of 
 useless shoots and twigs, that they may thereby become 
 more fruitful. ( 
 
 Chap, xvi, 13. 
 
 " Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, i§ come, he will 
 guide you into all truth." 
 
 In the original, the definite article is used ; it is t^v akr]' 
 ^s'lav. The English translation, therefore, ought to have 
 been " into all the truth." The necessity of this interpretation 
 appears, not only from the circumstance relative to the arti- 
 cle, but also from another circumstance or fact equally un- 
 deniable, viz. that it surely is not the office-work of the Holy 
 Spirit to lead men into truth and science of all kinds. The 
 ordinary teachii^gs and influences of the Holy Ghost have 
 no concern with any other sort of truth than evangelical 
 truth, or, as the scripture calls it, " the truth as it is in 
 Jesus." 
 
 Yerse 23. 
 
 " And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, veri- 
 ly, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in 
 my name, he will give it you." 
 
 Though the word ash occurs in both the members of this 
 
60 CRITICAL AND 
 
 text, its meaning is not the same ; nor is it in the Greek the 
 same word that is used, in both these instances. In the 
 former it is spwraw, which signifies properly to interrogate, 
 to ask questions ; in the latter'^it is ajVs'w, which signifies sim- 
 ply to beg, to beseech, to pray. Our Saviour's meaning, 
 when he said, '' In that day ye shall ask me nothing," was, 
 that in that day, i. e. after ho had ascended to heaven, and 
 the Holy Spirit had been ponred out, their minds would be so 
 enlightened, and their views so rectified and enlarged, that 
 they would not have occasion to question him — to enquire of 
 him about the meanin;^ of his words, nor to consult him in 
 their difficulties, as frequently before they had found it ne- 
 cessary to do. Prayer, however, would be as necessary af- 
 terwards as it ever had been ; only it would be offered in a 
 different manner from what it had been. During " all the 
 time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them," 
 they had been accustomed to offer their petitions in a great 
 measure to him drectly. But henceforth, in consequence 
 of being more enlightened by the Spirit in respect to the true 
 way of access to Ihe mercy-seat, they would pray more di- 
 rectly to the Father in his name, or through his mediation, 
 and intercession ; and these their petitions would be answer- 
 ed. It is remarkable, also, that lohatsoever they should ask 
 the Father in his name, He would give it them. Whatever 
 special reference this language, and language like it used 
 in a few other places, (see chap, xiv, 14 : Mark xi, 23, 24), 
 might have had to the apostles, as such, it seems it does not 
 refer to them exclusively. For St. John, writing to Chris- 
 tians generally, says, (1 John v. 14, 15) — " And this is the 
 confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing ac- 
 cording to his ivill, he heareth us : And if we know that he 
 hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the pe- 
 titions that we desired of him." The most onlightened, the 
 most spiritual, and the most 'prayerful among Christians, 
 generally agree in this ; that much more is included in the 
 •prayer of faith than is commonly imagined. And so far as 
 the passage before us is applicable to believers generally, it 
 certainly appears to favour such a sentiment. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 61 
 
 Chap, xix, 11. 
 
 " Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at ail 
 against me, except it were given thee from above : There- 
 fore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." 
 
 There is no difficulty attending the first part of this verse. 
 Our Lord here implicitly reproves Pilate for his arrogance, 
 in pretending to so much power against him, and reminds 
 him that all this his power was given him from above. Of 
 course, it was not his own originally, but he was dependent 
 for it. He had received it, and he ought not to glory as though 
 he had not received it. Some difficulty, however, attends 
 the last part of this verse, as connected with the first part. 
 The word '' therefore," commonly denotes some inference 
 from what has been said before ; or it is used to give some 
 reason for what had been before said. But how could the 
 mere circumstance, that all Pilate's power against Christ 
 was given him from above, or from heaven, be of itself any 
 reason why Caiaphas and the Jewish Council, who delivered 
 Christ to Pilate ; had any greater sin in the affiiir of Christ's 
 final condemnation and crucifixion, than Pilate had 1 Doubt- 
 less, the former were in fact far more criminal in this affair 
 than the latter. But wherefore 1 Evidently, because they 
 had so much greater light and knowledge respecting the true 
 God and his law, and the doctrine, miracles, and life of Je- 
 sus, than Pilate, a heathen, had ; and because, notwithstand- 
 ing all this, they " delivered up Jesus, and denied him, in 
 the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him 
 go, and desired a murderer to be granted unto them, and 
 killed the Prince of Life." They, therefore, sinned against 
 far greater light and knowledge than Pilate did ; and this 
 we suppose to have been the reason why they were more 
 criminal in this affair than Pilate was ; and not the mere 
 circumstance that all Pilate's power against Christ was giv- 
 en him from heaven. There is another reading of this 
 
 passage, cited by Rosenmuller, and adopted by some crit- 
 ics, and which probably is the true reading. The reading 
 in question includes a change in the punctuation, by con- 
 necting (5»a rturo, " therefore," with avw^sv, " from above," 
 thus : — " Thou couldest have no power at all against me, 
 except it were given thee from above, /or this purpose. He 
 
 6 
 
62 CRITICAL AND 
 
 that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.*' Every 
 Greek scholar knows that the preposition and pronoun bere 
 used, maybe translated indifferently, therefore, on this ac- 
 count, fur this purpose, according to the exigency of the case. 
 I would only add, (what indeed every reader must perceive), 
 that this latter reading gives a good sense, entirely clears 
 the passage of all difficulty, and renders the whole plain, 
 and easy to be understoood. 
 
 Chap, xx, 17. 
 
 '* Jesus saith unto her, touch me not ; for I am not yet 
 ascended to ray Father : But go to my brethren, and say 
 unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father ; and 
 to my Gv:>D5 and your God." 
 
 The question is, how could the circumstance that Jesus 
 had not yet ascended to his Father, be a reason why Mary 
 might iiot touch him 1 That this scripture may be rightly 
 understood, its several clauses must be considered con- 
 nect vely. The following paraphrase will, as is believed, 
 illustrate the Saviour's meaning : — ' Touch me not, Ma- 
 ry, at present ; i. e. do not stand indulging your person- 
 al affection towards me ; for I am not yet ascended to my 
 Father, as you see, but shall yet spend some further time 
 on earth with my disciples ; so that you may hereafter have 
 opportunity to see and converse with me. But for the pre-- 
 sent I appoint you to other business. Go to my brethren, 
 and say unto them, I aspend unto my Father, and your Fa- 
 ther ; and to my God, and your God.' We should .always 
 be willing to fprego private, personal gratification, when it 
 interferes with the public good. 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 Chapter i. Verse G. 
 " When they, therefore, were come together, they asked 
 of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the 
 kingdom to Israel ?' i. e. Wilt thou now deliver us from the 
 Roman yoke, and reinstate us once more, in the rank, rights, 
 and privileges, of an independent kingdom ? 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 63 
 
 How impressively, then, does this question show, that 
 even pious and good men (for such the apostles undoubted- 
 ly were) may bo the subjects of much weakness in faith, and 
 of many defective and erroneous views ! Though Christ had 
 so explicitly declared, " My kingdom is not of this world," 
 his disciples generally, and even his apostles, had been slow 
 of heart to believe this ; and had, it seems, never ceased to 
 indulge the imagination that their Master would, in due time, 
 assume and wield the sceptre of an earthly prince. That 
 they had this notion, " all the time that the Lord Jesus went 
 in and out among them," is plain, from several passages in 
 the Evangelists. (See Mat. xx, 21 : Mark ix, 34: Luke 
 xxiv, 21.) And this mistaken notion they continued to 
 cherish, until after his resurrection, as the text now under 
 consideration plainly evinces. Doubtless the apostles had 
 some just yiews of the true nature of the Messiah's reign ; 
 but those views were at best obscure and very imperfect, 
 and continued so until the memorable day of Pentecost. 
 The lesson we may hence learn, or rather the practical con- 
 clusion we ought hence to draw, is, not to deny to others 
 the character, nor refuse to them the peculiar privileges of 
 true Christians, merely because they may be weak in faith, 
 and their views of truth may be in some respects defective, or 
 even erroneous ; provided, at the same time, their practice 
 he in the main, '- such as becomes the gospel of Christ." 
 
 Verse 12. 
 
 " Then returned they unto Jerusalem, from the mount 
 called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day's 
 journey." 
 
 The " Sabbath day's journey" of the Jews was about two 
 thousand cubits, eight furlongs, or, in other words, about 
 one mile. Perhaps one reason why this particular distance 
 was assigned, was, that this was the distance required to be 
 between the ark and the camp, (Josh, iii, 4) ; and as the 
 towns in Judea were commonly small in respect to local ex- 
 tent, so this distance would be usually as much as needed 
 to be travelled over, in order to reach their synagogues, the 
 usual places of their worship. There may be no ground 
 for supposing that the same rigorous restriction, if it may be 
 
64 CRITICAL AND 
 
 SO called, is now imposed on us ; yet surely we may hence 
 lawfully conclude, that such travelling on the Sabbath as is 
 practised by many persons at the present day, and that too 
 merely for worldly purposes, is highly improper and wrong. 
 
 Chap, ii, 27. 
 
 *' Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, {slg a^ou) ; neither 
 wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." 
 
 This is a quotation from Ps. xvi, 10. It is evident that 
 the primary reference of the words was to David himself; 
 and it is equally evident from St. Peter^s application of 
 them, in verse 31st of this chapter, that they are referable 
 principally and ultimately to Jesus Christ. The question 
 then immediately arises, in what sense are they, in this ap- 
 plication to be understood ? That Christ's soul should not 
 be left in hell, is not at all incredible. But the thing implied 
 in the declaration, viz. that Christ, or Christ's soul, was once 
 there, creates the difficulty. For the explanation of this pas- 
 sage the following remarks may be useful, especially to com- 
 mon readers. There are two Greek words which are transla- 
 ted hell, Yiz"A§rig, and Tsswa. But their precise signification 
 is very different. "ASrig, or ASyjs, is derived from a and ej^sw, 
 and means of course invisible. It is synonymous with the 
 Hebrew word sheole. " A^tjj denotes sometimes the grave, 
 but more commonly the state of the dead, or the region and 
 state of separate spirits after death, whether that state be a 
 state of happiness or of misery. To the rich man, (Luke 
 xvi, 23),"AS'Y\i was a state of misery. We cannot, however, 
 determine that he was in misery, merely because he was in 
 "A8r]^ ; for Lazarus, who was not in misery, was there also. 
 But that the rich man was in misery, we infer solely from 
 other circumstances, other expressions used in this chapter, 
 such as " being in torments," *' I am tormented in this 
 fiame," &c. They were both in "A^^is' ; i. e. they were both 
 in the state or region of departed spirits ; but to the one, 
 "ASri^ was "joy unspeakable;" to the other, *^ everlasting 
 burnings." Of both the Hebrew and the Greek term we 
 may affirm, however, that they have not, either of them, in 
 themselves considered, any necessary connection with future 
 punishment, as will be evident to any one who will examine 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 65 
 
 m the Hebrew Bible, and in the Septuaglnt translation, the 
 following passages, viz : Gen. xlii, 38 : Isa. xiv. 9, and 
 xxxviii, 10. But Tsiwa denotes properly the place of tor- 
 ment. It is derived from oe and hin^om, i. e. the valley 
 of Hinnom. (See Josh, xv, 8.) In this valley, sometimes 
 called Tophet, the idolatrous Israelites caused their children 
 to pass through the fire, to Moloch. (2 Kings xxiii, 10.) 
 From its having been the place of such horrid crimes, and 
 abominations, and miseries, it came to pass, in process of 
 time, that the word Fsswa was used ta signify the future 
 state of sin and misery. If now the inquiry be, in what 
 sense Christ went to hell, or, in other ^/ords, what is meant 
 by Acts ii, 27, the verse before us, the reply is — all that is 
 meant by it is, that he was for a season, not in Tsivva, the 
 place of torment, but in "ASyj^, the grave, the state of the 
 dead, the region of departed spirits. In that state, however, 
 Christ was not to he left ; and, we know, he was not left 
 there. His body was not left in the grave, so as to see or 
 experience corruption there ; nor was his soul or spirit left 
 in the region of departed spirits. From that state of the 
 dead into which Christ descended, he arose again in his per- 
 fect man, consisting of both soul and body. 
 
 Chap, vr, 1. 
 
 ^' And in those days, when the nunAer of the disciples 
 was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians 
 against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected 
 in the daily ministration." 
 
 The word hi the original, which is here translated Gre- 
 cians, denotes not the descendants of Javan, or the proper 
 Greeks, but Grecised Jews, or Hellenists, as they are com- 
 monly called ; i. e. those Jews, who, having resided in coun- 
 tries where the Greek language prevailed, had themselves 
 learned to use that language, in place of that dialect of the 
 Hebrew which was then spoken by their countrymen gene- 
 rally. These persons also commonly used the Septuagint, 
 or Greek translation of the Old Testament, in place of the 
 Hebrew scriptures. 
 
 6* 
 
66 critical and 
 
 Chap, ix, 7, compared with xxii, 9. 
 
 '' And the men which journeyed with him stood speech- 
 less, hearing a voice, but seeing no man." But in ch. xxii, 
 9, it is said — " And they that were with me saw indeed the 
 light, and were afraid ; but they heard not the voice of him 
 that spake to me." 
 
 All the difficulty we meet with in comparing these two 
 passages, arises from their apparent contradiction. For in 
 the first it is said that Paul's fellow travellers heard a voice ; 
 and in the last, that they heard not the voice. Now, on first 
 inspection, it is evident, that either there is in reality a con- 
 tradiction between tbese two statements ; the one of St. 
 Luke respecting Paul, and the other of St. Paul respecting 
 himself; or the Greek word axouw (hear) is used in different 
 senses in these two passages. I'he latter is undoubtedly 
 the truth. In the Greek classics, as Kype has shown, the 
 word dxovu) is sometimes used to signify understandings as 
 well as mere hearing. The same word is so used, and so 
 translated, in 1 Cor. xiv, 2 ; and so manifestly is it to be 
 understood in Acts xxii, 9. There is, therefore, no contra- 
 diction between these two passages. Taken together, their 
 meaning is this : Paul's companion's heard a voice, i. e. 
 heard a noise, a sound ; yea heard the voice itself, though 
 they neither understood its meaning, nor distinctly heard the 
 articulate words which were spoken. They heard the voice 
 with the ear, but did not understand it — did not understand 
 the meaning of it. 
 
 Chap, xiv, 15. 
 
 " Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like 
 passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn 
 from these vanities unto the living God," &c. 
 
 It is probable that the most of common readers under- 
 stand the word " passions" here in its bad sense, as denoting 
 the bad, the wicked passions. And there can be no doubt 
 that the apostles were to a degree, and at times, the subjects 
 of such passions even as others ; because, though good men, 
 they were sanctified but in part, and had still a law in their 
 members, Warring against the law of their minds, as Paul 
 acknowledges respecting himself. (Rom. vii, 23.) At the 
 same time, whether we regard the proper import of the 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 67 
 
 Greek word o/xoio'ra^sr^, which signifies, to be affected in 
 like manner, subject to like infirmities and sufferings ; or 
 the main object of the apostles, in this their expostulation 
 with the men of Lystra, which was to *' restrain the people 
 that they should not do sacrifice unto them," (verse 18) ; 
 we must be convinced that they meant to tell the people 
 something more or other, than that they the apostles were 
 depraved and wicked men like themselves. It seems that 
 the Lystrans at first supposed that Paul and Barnabas were 
 some supernatural, celestial beings, because Paul had just 
 wrought a miracle before their eyes ; that they were, in 
 short, some of their own deities. Hence they called Bar- 
 nabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercurius, and were for immedi- 
 ately offering sacrifices unto them. To dissuade them from 
 such idolatrous and sacrilegious adoration, the apostles "rent 
 their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out and 
 saying, Sirs, why do ye these things ? We also are men of 
 like passions with you," &c. Now, it should be remem- 
 bered, that the Lystrans, as well as other heathens, general- 
 ly beheved already, that their deities were in fact of like 
 passions with themselves. But this their belief was no im- 
 pediment, but rather an excitement to their worshipping 
 them. For the apostles, therefore, to have merely announ- 
 ced to the Lystrans, that they, their supposed deities, were 
 of like irascible, or voluptuous, or ambitious passions with 
 themselves, would not have served either to afford them any 
 new information, or to restrain them from their meditated 
 idolatry ; which last, as before observed, was the main object 
 they had in view. What the apostles, then, most directly 
 meant in this declaration, was to teach the Lystrans whoj 
 rather than what they were ; to declare their humaiiy rather 
 than their moral character ; that they were not *' gods in the 
 likeness of men," as they had supposed, but mere men, their 
 fellow mortals, subject to the same infirmities, calamities, 
 and mortality, with themselves ; and therefore not the proper 
 objects of divine worship, which was due not to any mere 
 men, as they were, nor to any mere creature, but to Jehovah 
 only — to " the living God, which made heaven, and earthy 
 and the sea, and all things that are therein." 
 
68 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Chap, xvi, 34. 
 — " He rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." 
 It is well known that this passage has been much used in the 
 baptismal controversy, especially by those writers who advo- 
 cate the doctrine, that adults or believers only, are, accord- 
 ing to scripture, admissible to baptism. The Pedobaptist 
 alledges, verse 33, viz : " And (the jailer) was baptised, he 
 and all his straightway," as proving, from apostolic prece- 
 dent, the propriety and duty of household baptism, in his 
 sense of the phrase. The Antipedobaptist or Baptist (as 
 he is commonly called) replies, the household of the jailer 
 were believers ; and for proof of his position refers you to 
 the words now before us — " He rejoiced, believing in God, 
 with all his house." That the household of this man were 
 in fact baptised, both parties concede. The only difference 
 in sentiment between them on this point, respects the ground 
 or reason of their baptism. The one thinks they were bap- 
 tised on the ground of the faith of their head ; the other con- 
 cludes they were baptised on the ground of their oivn faith, 
 and thinks that this passage proves it, or proves at any rate, 
 that his household, and all his household, were believers ; 
 for it says, " He rejoiced, believing in Goo, with all his 
 house." Now, there is nothing in the Greek, that answers 
 to the phrase, " with all his house," but one compound word, 
 viz. "Travoixl, an adverb. Every Greek scholar knows that 
 these words, translated into English in the order in which 
 they stand in the original, would run thus : — " He rejoiced 
 in or with all his house, having (i. e. he having) believed 
 God." The single question is, whether, in translating this 
 sentence into our tongue, the same order in respect to the 
 location of words ought to be observed, as is observed in 
 the original. In both the Latin and Greek languages, words 
 are very frequently transposed. Sometimes, also, though 
 not so frequently, the same is the case with the Hebrew. 
 Now the question is, whether they ought to be transposed 
 in this place, or to stand as they are. If the latter — if the 
 words are to be translated in the order in which they stand 
 in the original, -^ravoixj would naturally qualify '/j^aXX»a^7o, he 
 rejoiced. If they should be transposed, then Travoixi would 
 naturally qualify crg'Tri^rsuxw^, he believed. According to 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 69 
 
 the first arrangement, the sense would be this : — " He re- 
 joiced with all his house, (he) having believed God." Ac- 
 cording to the last, this : — " He rejoiced, having believed 
 God, with all his house." It is evident our translators 
 thought the words ought to be transposed, because in their 
 version they have transposed them. Whether they judged 
 rightly or not, is a question I shall not at present discuss. 
 Before this scripture is dismissed, I would, however, remark, 
 that in other places, where the faith of the household was 
 clearly meant to be expressed, the phraseology in the origin- 
 al is somewhat different from what it is here ; and the dif- 
 ference appears in two respects ; the Greek words used to 
 express the household, or family, are not the same exactly 
 as in this instance ; and the faith or the religious act of the 
 parent or head of the household is mentioned first in order y 
 i. e. before the household is mentioned. (See in the Greek 
 Testament, John iv, 53 : Acts x, 2 ; and xviii, 8.) 
 
 Chap, xvii, 3. 
 
 " Opening and alledging, that Christ must needs have suf- 
 fered, and risen again from the dead ; and that this Jesus, 
 whom I preach unto you, is Christ." 
 
 Small words often very materially affect the meaning of 
 a sentence ; and none more so than the articles a and the. 
 " Thou art the man," said Nathan to David. (2 Sam. xii, 
 7.) How differently must David have felt in hearing these 
 words, particularly in the then existing circumstances, from 
 what he would have felt had the prophet said to him merely — 
 thou art man, or — thou art a man ! The difference in mean- 
 ing and force between these expressions, every one intui- 
 tively sees. These remarks are applicable to, and may 
 serve to explain, the passage now under consideration. To 
 say that Jesus is Christ, or a Christ, is one thing. To say 
 that he is the Christ, is another, and a quite different thing. 
 Be it remembered, that the names Jesus Christ (the one of 
 Hebrew, the other of Greek derivation) are, like most of the 
 other proper names of scripture, significant and characteris- 
 tical. Jesus signifies Saviour ; Christ signifies anointed. 
 It should be remembered, also, that the great and principal 
 point in debate between the adherents to Judaism, and the 
 
70 CRITICAL AND 
 
 advocates for Christianity, in the apostles' days, was, (ag 
 indeed it has been ever since), whether Jesus -.vas the Mes- 
 siah, the Christ predicted and promised in the Old Testa- 
 ment, or not. The former contended he was not, but an 
 impostor, (as of course he must have been, if he were not 
 the true Messiah) ; the latter maintained that he was, and 
 appealed to the prophecies, and reasoned with the Jews out 
 of their own scriptures, in proof of the point. On some 
 accounts, it was peculiarly important that the apostles should 
 "testify to the Jeivs, that Jesus was the Christ," if indeed 
 he were really so ; as the apostles were most fully assured. 
 For, as a people, the Jews " received him not" in this char- 
 acter ; they could not rightly understand many parts of their 
 ov/n scriptures, of the prophecies especially, without the 
 admission of this point of doctrine ; they could not otherwise 
 perceive their own real and enormous guilt in crucifying 
 him ; and the knowledge of this truth was absolutely neces- 
 sary, that they might see that their own dispensation was 
 then passing away. Accordingly, we find from the Acts of 
 the Apostles, that when the apostles preached to the Jews, 
 they insisted particularly on this single point — ihat Jesus 
 was the Messiah. And what the apostle in this place 
 intended to testify to his hearers, (who by the way were a 
 congregation of Jejt'.s), doubtless was something more than 
 that Jesus v/as a Christ — an anointed one. He meant to 
 tell them that Jesus was the Christ ; — the true Messiah fore- 
 told by the prophets ; Jehovah's anointed One, by way of 
 eminence, and superiority to all others. (Ps. xlv, 7.) And 
 as he meant to tell them so, he did tell them so ; for in the 
 original it is o X^ijroj, the Christ. As the definite article is 
 used in the Greek, it ought not to be omitted in our version. 
 This clause, then, translated literally and exactly, would 
 run thus : — "This Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is the 
 Christ." And how important it is to contend earnestly for 
 this doctrine in these days, since there are now so many, 
 not only among Jews, but among Gentiles also, who deny 
 the Lord that bought them ! 
 
 1 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 71 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 Chapter 1, Verse 17. 
 
 "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed, from 
 faith to faith ; as it is written, the just shall live by faith." 
 
 By " the righteousness of God," in this place, seems 
 to be intended God's method of making sinners righteous ; 
 or, in other words, his method of justifying and saving sig- 
 ners. Such is evidently the import of this phrase, as used 
 in several other parts of this epistle. (8ee particularly ch^ 
 iii, 21 — 27, and x, 3 — 5.) But what is to be understood by 
 the expression, " revealed from faith to faith 1" The word 
 "f'^Ti? (faith) sometimes signifies fidelthj or faithjulness^ as 
 in Rom. iii> 3 : Titus ii, 10 : in which last place it is also 
 rendered fidelity. This word, as we see, occurs twice in 
 this place — " revealed from faith to faith." In the first in- 
 stance, it seems to denote an important object of our faith 
 or belief, viz. the faithfulness of God ; and in the last, that 
 internal act or exercise of the creature, which we usually 
 call faith. In a v/orv!, the general import of this verse ap- 
 pears to be, that in the gospej, God, from or in the exercise 
 of his faithful nes?r; revealeth to our faith his glorious right- 
 eousness, i. e. bis method of justifying and saving sinners. 
 This He, in the gospel, revealeth to our fnith, as an object 
 to be believed by us. It is only by faith in this righteous- 
 ness that we can live — be justified and saved here, and be 
 entitled to eternal life hereafter. 
 
 Chap, ti, 5. 
 
 *' But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest 
 up unto thyself vv'rath against the day of wrath, and revela- 
 tion of the righteous judgment of God." 
 
 It hence appears, that the purpose for which the day of 
 judgment and its investigations have been appointed, is not 
 that the supreme Judge m^y find out what the character and 
 conduct of men and angels have been ; (these he knew 
 before) ; but it is that He may reveal to the assembled uni- 
 verse the reasonableness and rectitude of his moral govern- 
 ment ; that He may show, make it manifest, that both in 
 the dispensations of his providence, and in the kingdom of 
 grace, He, the Judge of all the earth, has done and will then 
 
72 CRITICAL AND 
 
 do rightly, towards and with all created moral agents ; that, 
 in short, the day of judgment is appointed for his sake as 
 well as theirs ; to illustrate and vindicate his own character, 
 in those irreversible sentences which will then be passed 
 upon all his accountable creatures. 
 
 Chap, iv, 4, 5. 
 
 " Now, to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned 
 of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but be- 
 lieveth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is count- 
 ed for righteousness." 
 
 Religious works are of two kinds, works of the law, and 
 works of faith ; or, as they are sometimes called, works le- 
 gal, and works evangelical. Now, working of the first sort 
 is intended by St. Paul, in these verses ; as appears from 
 the circumstance, that the working here mentioned is oppo- 
 sed to believing, which is itself, in a certain sense, a work ; 
 for, " This is the work of God, said Christ, that ye believe 
 on him whom he hath sent." (John vi, 29.) But it is an 
 evangelical work ; it is not performed with th<e view or ex- 
 pectation of meriting any thing by it. The meaning of St. 
 Paul, therefore, was as if he had said — ' To him that work- 
 eth on legal principles, the reward, in case there were any, 
 would be of course considered as a debt. But to him that 
 worketh not, i. e. on legal principles, but believeth on him 
 that justifieth the ungodly; that seeks justification, not by 
 works but from mere grjice through faith, his faith is counted 
 for righteousness.' Surely, nothing could have been further 
 from the apostle's meaning in these words, than to assert, 
 either that a true believer does not work at all, or that the 
 final reward of such an one will be a reward of debt. 
 
 Verse 11. 
 
 *' And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the 
 righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircum- 
 cised ; that he might be the father of all them that believe, 
 though they be not circumcised ; that righteousness might 
 be imputed to them also." 
 
 I would here propose it as a query, whether commentators 
 in general have hit on the true, or rather the full meaning of 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 73 
 
 one particular in this most instructive passage. It is here 
 said, " Abraham received the sign of circumcision, &c. 
 that he might be the father of all them that believe." Abra- 
 ham is, accordingly, often called the father of believers, and 
 doubtless in reference to the phraseology used in this verse. 
 But the question is, in what sense is Abraham the father of 
 believers, of all them that believe 1 The very prevalent, and 
 probably the general sentiment, is, that he is their father by 
 virtue of his pre-eminent faith. The justness of this senti- 
 ment, abstractedly considered, is not denied. But was this 
 the truth chiefly intended by the apostle in this place 1 As 
 the words before us are an exact translation of the original, 
 they maybe safely depended on, and should be carefully at- 
 tended to. " He received the sign of circumcision, a seal, 
 &c. that he might be the father of all them that believe." 
 (See a similar phrase used in verse 18.) Now, does not 
 this show, that Abraham's receiving of circumcision, was in 
 order that he might be the father of all believers ; and does 
 it not imply, that he would not have been their father, in the 
 sense here intended, if he had not received circumcision ? 
 Does it not show, that- as he was the first who received that 
 rite, so it was his receiving it that constituted him their fa- 
 ther ; and that of course he became the father of all believ- 
 ers, not so much by his faith, as by covenant relation, and 
 by receiving the external sign of that covenant ; that he 
 thereby became their /ederaZ father, or their father by fede- 
 ral relation 1 Such is surely the nost natural interpretation 
 of the words, as they stand in our version ; and, as has been 
 before remarked, they are correctly translated. Now, then, 
 for the consequence of this, or for the practical bearing of it 
 on a very important subject. If Abraham became, by cir- 
 cumcision, the federal father of all believers ; in other words, 
 if he sustains a covenant relation to them all, then of course 
 they all sustain a covenant relation to him. That the Jews 
 ought not to be considered as the only persons interested in 
 this covenant relation, appears from the apostle's saying, 
 " that he might be the father of all them that believe, though 
 they be not circumcised ,*" i. e. not of the believing Jews 
 only, but of the believing Gentiles also ; for these last are 
 the only persons to whom the words " not circumcised," ara 
 
 7 
 
74 CRITICAL AND 
 
 applicable ; all the members of the Jewish Church having 
 been circumcised. I repeat the sentiment, that it may be 
 the more carefully remembered. If Abraham be the cove- 
 nant father, the federal head of all believers, Gentile as well 
 as Jewish, then all such believers must be in covenant re- 
 lation to him. The discerning reader will instantly see the 
 bearing of this inference on the pedobaptist controversy. If 
 this scripture has been rightly interpreted, it affords strong- 
 er evidence than has been usually imagined, of the continu- 
 ed existence of the Abrahamic covenant, and, by necessary 
 consequence, of the propriety, duty, and privilege, of infant 
 baptism. 
 
 Chap, v, 7. 
 
 " For scarcely for a righteous man will one die ; yet per- 
 adventure for a good man some would even dare to die.'' 
 
 But why not be as willing to die for the one as for the 
 other ; for are they not both one and the same character 1 In 
 reply it may be observed, that as the righteous man and the 
 good man are here manifestly contrasted to each other, so, in 
 the judgment of St. Paul, an inspired apostle, they must have 
 been separate and different beings. It is evident, also, from 
 the manner in which they are here compared — from the 
 greater sacrifice which he here supposes one would be will- 
 ing to make for the good man than for the righteous man — 
 that the good man was considered as the more excellent and 
 estimable character. It is granted, that in many parts of 
 scripture, the term righteous, as applied to men, denotes 
 genuine, evangelical piety. But it cannot be so here. By 
 the "righteous man," therefore, seems intended a moral 
 many or at best one who is blameless touching the righteous- 
 ness which is of the law ; and by the good man, one of 
 positive and eminent worth and usefulness. 
 
 Verse 12. 
 
 " And so death passed upon all men ; for that all 
 
 have sinned." 
 
 Expositors have not agreed in their interpretations of this 
 passage. The original may be translated either thus : — * On 
 which, whereupon, for that, because, all have sinned ;* or 
 thus : ' In whom all have sinned ;' for the Greek relative 
 
EXPLA.NATORY NOTES. 75 
 
 pronoun here used is the same, in both the masculine and 
 neuter genders, and therefore may refer either to the person, 
 i. e. to the *' one man," mentioned in the first part of this 
 verse, or to the thing, reason, cause — cause of the event 
 mentioned immediately before, viz. death's passing upon all 
 men. Some expositors, as Witsius, Henry, &c. say, *' In 
 whom (i. e. Adam) all have sinned." This interpretation 
 implies something more, than that we became sinful in con- 
 sequence of Adam's transgression. It implies, and directly 
 means, that we sinned in and loith him, or that his sin was 
 so imputed to us, as to be reckoned our sin ; so that we are 
 chargeable with the guilt, and liable to the punishment of it, 
 as much as if we personally had committed it. But perhaps 
 it would be sufficient, if, instead of saying that Adam's de- 
 scendants are guilty of his personal act, in eating the forbid- 
 den fruit, we should say only, that they become sinful in 
 consequence of that act, and by virtue of a divine constitution, 
 which connected their moral character and state with the 
 conduct of their federal head, while he was on probation in 
 paradise. The author prefers, on the whole, the first of the 
 above mentioned versions of this text, viz : " On which, for 
 that, or because, all have sinned." He supposes that the 
 apostle, in this verse, designed simply to give us an account 
 of the origin of sin and death in our world, and that his true 
 meaning herein may bo cApj-^ssed in the following para- 
 phrase, viz :-' Wherefore, as through or by means of one man, 
 Adam, sin entered into the world, and death entered at first, 
 by, through, or in consequence of sin ; even so now, death 
 passes upon or must befall all men, for that or because all 
 '. have sinned.' This interpretation, it is true, implies that 
 temporal death is the direct consequence, fruit, or eflfect, of 
 personal sinning, or personal sinfulness only, and not of the 
 sins of any other one. And that this also is a true senti- 
 ment, appears from Ezek. xviii, 20. 
 
 Verse 14. 
 ' " Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even 
 ' over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's 
 ' transgression." 
 ■ The persons here intended are probably infants. Of 
 
76 CRITICAL AND 
 
 them it may properly be said, that they have not sinned after 
 the similitude of Adam's transgression ; i. e. they have not 
 committed actual sin, nor have they sinned wilfully and de- 
 liberately, as he did. Another interpretation, however, of 
 the phrase, ''that had not sinned after the similitude of Ad- 
 am's transgression," is proposed by Rosenmuller, viz. that 
 it denotes actual transgressors ; but then not such as Adam 
 was. Adam sinned against a -positive, express law of God ; 
 but these sinned only against the law of nature, and so not 
 as Adam did. Which of these interpretations is the best, 
 let the reader judge. 
 
 Chap, vi, 17. 
 
 " But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin ; 
 but ye have obeyed from the heart, that form of doctrine 
 which was delivered you." 
 
 As to the first part of this verse, it is evident that the word 
 whereas, or although, is to be understood ; thus : — " God be 
 thanked, that although ye were once the servants of sin, ye 
 have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine," &c. ; 
 for, surely, it is very absurd to suppose that the benevolent 
 soul of the apostle would have rejoiced, or been thankful, 
 merely because his Roman converts had once been sinful, 
 and of course miserable. In respect to the last clause, it 
 must be observed, that exactly translated, it would read 
 thus : — " Ye have obeyed from the hcait, that fumi of doc- 
 trine into winch ye have been delivered.''^ The language is 
 metaphorical, and highly expressive. It alludes to melted 
 metals being cast into their respective moulds. As these 
 metals, in consequence of being cast into their moulds, as- 
 sume of course a shape, a configuration, similar to that of 
 the moulds themselves ; so it is with the souls of believers. 
 They are cast, as it were, into the mould of the gospel, and 
 are moulded accordingly. " How forcible are right words," 
 even " the words which the Holy Ghost teachethi" 
 
 Chap, viii, 16. 
 
 " The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that w6 
 are the children of God." 
 
 Whether this scripture ought to be considered as " hard 
 to be understood," or not, it is undeniable that by many it 
 
BXPLANATORY NOTES. 77 
 
 l^as not been understood rightly. I refer to the witness of 
 the Spirit, here mentioned. This has been understood by 
 some to mean a certain impulse on, or suggestion to the 
 mind, (and perhaps both an inexpressible and unaccountable 
 one), that the person receiving it is a child of God., But 
 if we carefully attend to the sense in which the word witness 
 is commonly used in the sacred scriptures, we shall find it 
 is not in this sense. See as specimens, John v, 36 — " But 
 I have greater witness than that of John ; for the works 
 which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works 
 that I do, bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me." 
 Acts xiv, 3 — '^ Long time, therefore, abode they speaking 
 boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony (or bore witness) 
 to the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to 
 be done by their hands." lb. verse 17 — " Nevertheless, 
 He left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and 
 gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our 
 hearts with food and gladness." In all these passages the 
 word witness is evidently used as denoting proo/ — evidence. 
 In the same, or in a similar sense, is this word to be under- 
 stood in the verse before us. The idea is, that the Spirit 
 beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of 
 God ; not by some sudden and unaccountable suggestion, 
 or impulse, or immediate revelation ; but by affording us 
 evidence, proof of the matter ; evidence of a far different 
 kind from such impulse, suggestion, or immediate revela- 
 tion; evidence arising from the habitual temper of our 
 minds and tenor of our practice. This evidence, or witness, 
 is then the strongest, when the Spirit of God, acting accord- 
 ing to his own holy nature upon our souls, remarkably pro- 
 duces and stirs up within us those holy affections, which are 
 the genuine fruits of the Spirit. These constitute his wit- 
 ness or testimony ; and it is then, particularly and eminently, 
 that the believer hath this two-fold witness of his adoption — 
 the *' witness in himself," and the " witness of God, which 
 is greater." Have we any thing of this witness t 
 
 Chap, ix, 1 — 4. 
 " I say the truth in Christ ; I lie not ; my conscience also 
 bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great 
 
 7* 
 
78 CRITICAL AND 
 
 heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could 
 wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, 
 my kinsmen according to the flesh." 
 
 The third verse, especially, requires explanation. It has 
 been understood by some, and by some distinguished di- 
 vines too, to mean that St. Paul was willing to be eternally 
 damned, for the sake of the salvation of his countrymen the 
 Jews. If, indeed, such was his spirit, and if his design in 
 this place was to declare it, one of these two conclusions is 
 inevitable. Either, 1, St. Paul did not feel rightly — to say 
 the least, felt enthusiastically, at that time ; or 2, such is the 
 spirit of true Christianity and of true Christians, especially 
 of eminent Christians, like St. Paul ; ihey also, not only 
 ought to feel willing, but do feel willing, to be eternally 
 damned, if thereby they may be made the means of saving 
 their fellow sinners ; and such ought to be the spirit of every 
 Christian, and must be, so far as he is actuated by true chris- 
 tian benevolence. And of course, this may properly be 
 assumed and used as a test of christian character, as in fact 
 it has been by some, viz : ' Am I willing, are you willing, 
 to be eternally damned for the glory of God, and for the sal- 
 vation of our fellow sinners V The author has not at present 
 any concern at all with this general question, otherwise than 
 as it may be affected by this text of scripture, which he will 
 endeavor to explain in the best manner he can. It would 
 be of great use, in enabling us to get at the apostle's real 
 meaning in these words, if we could only first determine with 
 certainty to what period and state of his Hfe he here refers ; 
 v/hether he here meant to tell us what his views and feeHngs 
 were before his conversion to Christianity, or ajhrwards. 
 The general opinion, no doubt, is, that he here meant to tell 
 us what was his state of mind after his conversion, and when 
 he wrote this epistle. But 1st, Some learned divines (of 
 whom Dr. Dwight was one) have thought differently. In 
 support of their opinions they alledge, and alledge truly, that 
 the verb rivx'^M^, here used, is in the imperfect tense of the 
 indicative mood, and therefore signifies exactly, '*I did 
 wish," i. e. while a Pharisee. These divines think also, that 
 the sentence which is the occasion of the whole difficulty, 
 ought to be considered as only parenthetical. Says Dwight, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 79 
 
 (ser. 95 of his Theology), " The words rendered /or I could 
 loish that myself iv ere accursed from Christ, ought to be in- 
 cluded, as they plainly were intended to be, in a parenthesis." 
 The whole would then read thus :— " I say the truth in Christ ; 
 I lie not ; my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy 
 Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in 
 my heart (for I also did wish that myself were accursed from 
 Christ) for my brethren, my kinsmen accordifig to the flesh." 
 According to this reading, the phrase, " accursed from 
 Christ," whatever may be intended by it, has no reference 
 to Paul's brethren the Jews, as though he had ever wished 
 to be accursed from Christ for them, or on their account ; 
 but the whole sentence included in the parenthesis, is design- 
 ed only to give the reason of what he here so solemnly 
 declares, viz. that he had great heaviness, and continual 
 sorrow of heart, for that people. Or, in other words, ac- 
 cording to this reading, the meaning of the whole is, that 
 St. Paul experienced great mental distress on account of his 
 brethren the Jews, in view of their deplorable state of unbe- 
 lief, and hardness of heart, and violent opposition to Christ 
 and to Christianity. He could, and he did, feel deeply for 
 them on this account, from his own experience ; because 
 he himself had been in the same state, when he was " a blas- 
 phemer, and a persecutor, and injurious ;" but he had been 
 since enlightened, to see the guilt, misery, and danger at- 
 tending that state. He also did once, as they did then, wish 
 to be accursed — separated from Christ. This interpreta- 
 tion I mention, merely, as one which has been given by 
 some able divines. Even Dr. Scott, though in the body of 
 his Notes he gives a different one ; yet in his critical re- 
 marks appended to the Notes, in the last edition of his 
 Commentary, renders the verb ^p-x^o^riv in the past tense of 
 the indicative, and says, " this appears to me the most literal 
 and natural construction of the clause ;" though he propo- 
 ses it, he says, " with great hesitation." But, 2dly, If this 
 scheme of interpretation should be discarded ; if the verb 
 ^^X^M^f though really in the past tense of the indicative, 
 must here be construed as though it were in the Greek op- 
 tative mood, and so signify, " I could wish," which is possi- 
 ble, (as instances of a similar kind sometimes occur) ; if the 
 
80 CRITICAL AND 
 
 clause before mentioned ought not to be included in a pa- 
 renthesis, and so be considered as an independent sentence, 
 but must be construed as in immediate connection with what 
 follows in the same verse ; and if the apostle must be un- 
 derstood as expressing his benevolent views and feelings in 
 respect to the Jews, not while he was a Pharisee, but after 
 his conversion to Christianity, and at the time he wrote this 
 epistle ; still, there is no need of supposing that he here 
 meant to declare in so solemn a manner, his wilUngness to 
 be eternally damned for their salvation. Let us examine 
 the passage a little more closely. 
 
 First, let us inquire what we are to understand by the 
 word accursed, in this place ? Now, the word in the original 
 is a noun — dva^Sjxa, denoting in general a person or thing 
 accursed, separated to destruction ; not however always, 
 perhaps not commonly, to destruction in a future world. 
 " This word in the Septuagint, always answers to the He- 
 brew CHEREM, which in like manner denotes, in general, 
 total separation from a former state or condition, and par- 
 ticularly, either things or persons devoted to destruction,^^ 
 (Parkhurst.) I may add, that temporal destruction only, is 
 the most that the word cherem signifies usually, perhaps in 
 every instance of its occurrence in the Hebrew bible. Let 
 the Hebrew scholar examine, among a vast multitude of 
 other passages, Deut. vii, 26 : Josh, vi, 17, 18, and vii, 12. 
 
 Next, let us inquire into the meaning of the preposition 
 from, (Greek, aico), as used in this passage. Now, this 
 word, in the original, sometimes signifies after the example 
 of as in 2 Tim. i, 3 — " I thank God, whom I serve from 
 my forefathers ;" i. e. after the example of my forefathers. 
 From these remarks, it is evident, that the meaning of the 
 apostle, in this so much controverted passage, maij he, at 
 most, only this, viz. that for his brethren's sake — for the 
 promotion of their eternal good — he was willing to be ac- 
 cursed, or devoted to destruction, after the example of 
 Christ ; i. e. to suffer as he suffered, to be reproached, per- 
 secuted, excommunicated, or even crucified, as Christ was, 
 if thereby he might be made the means of saving his brethren 
 the Jews. Yea, on supposition that he here expresses his 
 state of mind while a Christian, (as is commonly supposed), 
 
iiXPLANATORY NOTES. 81 
 
 and not while he was a Pharisee, such, it is believed, must 
 be his meaning, and nothing more. The damnation of the 
 future world includes unrestrained and everlasting enmity 
 against God, as well as mental remorse and corporeal pain. 
 And could St. Paul, who loved God supremely, have felt 
 willing — can any real saint feel willing — to be eternally an 
 enemy to Him 1 Whether, therefore, St. Paul should be un- 
 derstood as expressing his state of mind before or after his 
 conversion, it is manifest that there is no necessity of con- 
 cluding that he had here any reference at all to future pun- 
 ishment. 
 
 Chap, xi, 24. 
 
 " For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree, which is wild 
 by nature, and wert graffed, contrary to nature, into a good 
 olive tree," &c. 
 
 In this chapter, in the context especially, the apostle is 
 treating of the future restoration and conversion of the 
 Jews, and of their incorporation with the Gentiles, or rather 
 of the Gentiles' incorporation with them, in an ecclesiastical 
 connection. The Jews and the Gentiles are represented 
 by the metaphor of olive-trees. The Jewish church is said 
 to be the good olive-tree ; and the Gentiles, in their pagan 
 state, are called the wild olive-tree. The apostle, speaking 
 to the Roman Gentiles, says, '* Thou wert oit out of the 
 olive-tree, which is wild by nature, and wert graffed, con- 
 trary to nature, into a good olive-tree." This language, 
 when divested of all metaphor, evidently means, that the 
 Roman Gentiles had been taken out of their wild, barren, 
 pagan state, or had been delivered from it, and had become 
 incorporated with the real and fruitful church of God ; i. e, 
 with God's ancient church, which had been, in essence, con- 
 tinued under the christian dispensation. But let us attend 
 more particularly to the phraseology of the apostle, in verse 
 24th, that we may see how instructive, and how impressive 
 it is. Now, there is herein an evident allusion to the cus- 
 tom so frequent, as well in ancient as in modern times, of 
 grafting fruit trees. But the particular object of our present 
 attention, is the manner in which the apostle describes the 
 grafting of the Gentiles into the stock of God's ancient Isra* 
 el. This, he says, was " contrary to nature*" 
 
82 CRITICAL AND 
 
 1. The grafting itself was contrary to nature and custom. 
 For when^men graft their trees, their design uniformly is to 
 improve their fruit ; not only to make the same tree more 
 fruitful, but also to cause it to produce better fruit than it 
 did before. Thus, a scion of a good apple-tree is grafted 
 into a crab apple-tree ; but the contrary is not true. Men 
 do not, unless infatuated, or prompted by the mere curiosity 
 of making an useless experiment, graft the scion of a crab- 
 ti"ee into a genuine and good apple-tree. In short, the scion 
 grafted in is always considered as superior in quality to the 
 old stock into which it is grafted. But it was not so in the case 
 before us. The Roman Gentiles were cut out of the wild 
 olive-tree. They were the scion of a very bad tree, of a 
 tree that bore no fruit except wild fruit ; and as such were 
 grafted into a good olive-tree, a tree unspeakably better than 
 the parent stock of that scion. There was something, 
 therefore, in the grafting itself, which was contrary to na- 
 ture. 
 
 2. The consequence^ also, of this grafting, was contrary 
 to nature. For after the scion or branch of one tree is 
 grafted into another, it still bears the fruit of the parent 
 stock ; but it is not so here. The Gentiles, after their in- 
 grafting into the good olive-tree, bore the fruit, not of their 
 parent stock, not of their old wilrl olive, but of the good ol- 
 ive-tree into which theij were grafted. How instructive and 
 impressive, then, is the expression, " graffed contrary to na- 
 ture," when abstractedly considered ! But it ought not to be 
 considered in this manner merely ; for it has an important 
 bearing on a very important subject. This verse, taken 
 even by itself, and especially in connection with the whole 
 paragraph, teaches the essential identity of the two church- 
 es — the Jewish and the Christian ; or rather, the essential 
 identity of the church of God under the Jewish and Chris-, 
 tian dispensations. More directly still, it teaches the glo- 
 rious excellency of this church under the former dispensa- 
 tion. From this passage, and from the whole context, it is 
 evident that the Jewish church was not a mere civil com- 
 munity, nor merely an ecclesiastico-political society, as 
 some choose to call it ; but a real church of the living God ; 
 2- good olive-tree, fair, and of goodly fruit. (See Jer. xij 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. Sh 
 
 16.) Such, surely, it was in reppect to its constitution, and 
 the divine requirements of all its members, whatever may 
 have been, from time to time, the real character and con» 
 duct of most of its members. 
 
 Chap, xiv, 5. 
 
 " One man esteemeth one day above another ; another 
 esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persua- 
 ded in his own mind." 
 
 How often has this scripture been misunderstood and mis- 
 applied ! How often has it been quoted in self-justification, 
 by those who would not " remember the Sabbath day, to 
 keep it holy !" How often have such persons referred to it, 
 to show that even St. Paul considered it as a matter of indif- 
 ference whether any weekly Sabbath were observed by 
 Christians, and by people under the christian dispensation, 
 or not ; or to show, at least, that St. Paul would have every 
 man's practice, as to this matter, regulated by his own pri- 
 vate opinion, whatever that might happen to be, relative to a 
 weekly christian Sabbath ! But, from the connection, it is 
 very evident that the text before us refers not at all to the 
 Lord's day, or to a weekly Sabbath ; but solely to certain 
 ceremonially holy days. It should be remembered that the 
 church at Rome was composed partly of Jews, or of those, 
 who, with many remaining Jewish prejudices, yet believed 
 in Jesus as the Messiah, and partly of Gentiles. The Jew- 
 ish part being still "zealous of the law," were for observing, 
 in distinction from other days, their neiv moons, their various 
 feast days, &c. But the Gentile part believed that the dif- 
 ference in respect to sanctity, which had previously existed 
 between those days and other week days, was annihilated, 
 when Jesus expired on the cross. Hence, then, we have 
 the true and the only meaning of the apostle's declaration — 
 ** One man esteemeth one day above another ; another es- 
 teemeth every day alike." 
 
 Verse 6. 
 " He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God 
 thanks ; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not» 
 and giveth God thanks." 
 
S4 CRITICAL AND 
 
 To understand this passage, the above remark, respecting 
 the component parts of the Roman church, must be remember- 
 ed. The Jewish part of that church conscientiously abstained 
 from the use of certain meats^ on the supposition that they were 
 unclean, according to the decisions of the Mosaic ritual law. 
 The Gentiles, on the contrary, believed that " to the pure, 
 all things were pure.'^ They had no scruples as to the law- 
 fulness and propriety of partaking of those same meats, and 
 accordingly did partake of them as freely as of any others. 
 Now, the apostle here supposes and teaches, that both these 
 sorts of persons acted conscientiously, and according to the 
 light they had ; though, of course, they both could not have 
 been correct in their views relative to this subject, because 
 they herein differed from each other. At the same time, the 
 error in question was one of comparatively small impor- 
 tance, and not such as could of itself prevent the acceptance 
 of either party with their God. And the sentiment which 
 the apostle meant to express in this place, is manifestly this, 
 viz : — * Those who ate those meats, ate them *' to the 
 Lord," with a view to his glory, giving him thanks for the 
 same, and for their'christian liberty ; and those who abstain- 
 ed therefrom did it in like manner, " to the Lord," and from 
 a self-denying regard to what they believed to be his will ; 
 while, at the same time, they gave him thanks for the bless- 
 ings which they ciid enjoy.' 
 
 Verse 22. 
 "Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God." 
 How often has this passage been misunderstood, and 
 even perverted to a bad purpose, by such as were "unskil- 
 ful in the word of righteousness," and wished, perhaps, for 
 some excuse to justify themselves in the neglect of duty, 
 and were unwilling to acknowledge their accountability to 
 God, and to his people, for their faith and practice. Our 
 faith, say they, (whatever it may be), ought to be a person- 
 al concern, or at most, a concern between ourselves and our 
 God only ; for St. Paul says, " Hast thou faith ? have it to 
 thyself before God," Sometimes this passage has been 
 perverted in another way, equally, or perhaps much more 
 dangerous and destructive. It has been understood, it 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 85 
 
 seems, by some, as relating to experimental religion, and as 
 a sort of ^divine prohibition for them to say much, if any 
 thing, to others, about the state of their minds, as it respects 
 conyiction of sin, or those various moral exercises which 
 are peculiar to the new-born soul. These, say they, are 
 matters betwee,n us and our God only. But it is certain 
 that such persons misunderstand St. Paul, in this passage. 
 For it is evident from the connection, that the faith he here 
 intends, is a faith relative to the same matters which had 
 been already mentioned, such as days, meats, &c. St. 
 Paul's meaning was, that those of the Roman church, who 
 believed that there was such an important difference between 
 those days, meats, &c. as that some of them were holy, and 
 some unholy, should keep this their faith to themselves, and 
 not trouble with it those of their brethren who thought dif- 
 ferently, and who had equally with themselves the right of 
 private judgment. It would be well in these days, if the 
 spirit and meaning of this advice were more regarded hj 
 different Christians, in respect to those non-essential points 
 in which they differ from each other. 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chapter i, Yerse 26. 
 
 " For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not marjy 
 wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, 
 are called." 
 
 There is nothing in the original which answers to the 
 words are called, which words are accordingly printed m 
 italics in our English version. Some suppose, therefore, 
 and not without reason, from the connection, that the active 
 verb call would be as proper, or rather more so ; and that 
 {he apostle's reference in this passage was not to the subjects 
 or recipients of the divine calling, but to the instruments, hy 
 or through whom the Corinthians had been called. In brief, 
 the precise meaning of the apostle appears to be, as if he 
 had said ; * Ye see the manner of your calling, brethren ; i. e. 
 ye see loho they are that call you to the faith and fellowship 
 of the gospel. Evidently, they are not men of worldly wis- 
 
 8 
 
86 CRITICAL AND 
 
 dom and persuasive eloquence ; not the mighty ones of the 
 earth ; not those of noble birth. Such are not the persons 
 whom God hath sent to call you. No ; but for this purpose 
 he hath sent us, who are dionsidered by the world as weak, 
 foolish, base, and despicable.' The whole context seems 
 to justify and require this interpretation. (See particularly 
 verses 25, 27, 28, 29.) It is undoubtedly true, that not 
 many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many 
 noble, are effectually called to glory and virtue here, and to 
 eternal life hereafter ; but this does not appear to have been 
 the truth intendv^d by the apostle in this place. 
 
 Chap, ii, 9, 10. 
 
 *' But as it is v/ritten, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard ; 
 neither have entered into the heart of man the things which 
 God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath 
 revealed them unto us by his Spirit." 
 
 To understand these verses correctly, we must consider 
 them in connection with each other, and with the context. 
 It will hence appear, that the word mmi, in the 9th verse. 
 does not denote man in the generical sense — not what we 
 intend by the term mankind, especially when this term is 
 understood in its most absolute and extensive sense, as de- 
 noting the human race universally, and without exception. 
 The apostle did not mean that none of the human race had 
 ever seen and heard, and in some measure understood, the 
 things which God had prepared for them that love himo 
 From the context it is evident, that by man, in this passage, 
 the apostle meant man as unenlightened by a special, divine 
 revelation, and as of course unrenewed and carnal. The 
 apostle's meaning was, that though such a man had not seen, 
 nor heard, and could not properly conceive, of " the good of 
 God's chosen," as disclosed in the great plan of redemp- 
 tion, and reserved in heaven for them ; yet to the saints 
 generally, and to the apostles particularly and eminently, 
 this glorious subject had been revealed by the Spirit. 
 
 Chap, hi, 13. 
 *' Every man's work shall be made manifest ; for the day 
 shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire ; and 
 the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 87 
 
 What can be the meaning of this last clause, '' and the 
 lire shall try every man's work of what sort it is V It is 
 conceded, I beheve, universally, and it is certainly true, 
 that the word Jire is here used not literally, but figuratively. 
 The effects produced by literal or material fire may be com- 
 prehended in these two, viz. purification and destruction. 
 Of the things specified in the context, some are tried and 
 purified by fire, as gold and silver ; some are destroyed by 
 it, as wood, hay, and stubble. In similar ways do fiery tri- 
 als (1 Pet. iv, 12) operate ; and correspondent to these are 
 the effects they produce on different persons. On some 
 persons their effect is to make them the '■'■ vessels of mercy 
 fitted for their Master's use" here, and for glory hereafter. 
 Some they prepare for destruction. The fire intended in 
 this passage, may be, in part, the fire of persecution, which, 
 in figurative language, maybe called eminently a fiery tria . 
 But the day of judgment is particularly referred to, as ap- 
 pears from the preceding part of this same verse : — " Every 
 man's work shall be made manifest; for f/j-e c^ax/ shall de- 
 clare it, because it shall be revealed by fire." That will 
 indeed be a day of purification to the righteous, and of de- 
 struction to the wicked, and of fiery trial to all. (See Mal- 
 achi iv, 1.) Let us then seriously inquire who of us can 
 abide the scrutinies of that day. O, '' who (of us) may 
 abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when He 
 appearethi" 
 
 Chap, iv, 4. 
 
 " For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby 
 justified ; but he that judgeth me is the Lord." 
 
 What could the apostle have meant in saying, " I know 
 nothing by myself ; yet am I not hereby justified ?" The 
 general sentiment Paul meant here to express, must have 
 been as follows, viz : that though he knew nothing of evil, 
 by, in, or with himself; i. e. though he was not conscious 
 to himself of guilt in the commission of any known sin, or in 
 the omission of any known duty, whether as a Christian or 
 as an apostle ; yet he could not be hereby justified before 
 God. If justification could be either absolutely, or, as it 
 were, by the deeds of the law, still, on that ground, some- 
 thing more than a negative righteousness would be necessa- 
 
88 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ry. Pre-eminently then is this the case, on the ground of 
 that divine economy which requires faith, in order to justifi- 
 cation ; which declares that to the believing sinner, "his 
 faith is counted for righteousness," and which wholly ex- 
 cludes our own legal righteousness from having any agency 
 in justifying us before God. 
 
 Terse 15. 
 
 " For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ ; 
 yet have ye not many fathers." 
 
 The word in the Greek is 'rraidciyuyog, rendered in Gal. iii, 
 24, a schoolmaster. Such were the instructors here refer- 
 red to by the apostle. The word, in its original and literal 
 import, denoted those persons "to whom the care of the boys 
 of a family was committed, v/ho trained them up and formed 
 their manners, attended them at their play, instructed them 
 at home, accompanied them to and from the public school, 
 and when they had grown up, became their companions." 
 (See Robinson's Greek Lexicon.) In general, they were 
 not only very attentive to their pupils, but at times very se- 
 vere also. Hence the propriety of applying this term to the 
 Jewish law, as the apostle does, in Gal, iii, 24. Hence, 
 also, we may discern the contrast, or tha diflerence, which, 
 in the text before us, the apostle meant to express, between 
 those numerous instructors or pedagogues and himself, in 
 respect to the benefit which the church at Galatia had re- 
 ceived from them respectively, and in respect to the spirit, 
 the temper of mind, which they on the one hand, and he on 
 the other, had exercised towards the members of that church. 
 He had been their spiritual father, having begotten them 
 through the gospel ; bat none of them had been such ; and 
 as a father, he exercised towards them that tender feeling, 
 which was the direct counterpart to that severity which those 
 Jewish instructors, that desired to be teachers of the law, 
 as the way of justification and salvation, had exercised and 
 manifested, and which the very nature of the Jewish ritual 
 was so well calculated to cherish. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 89 
 
 Chap, v, 11. 
 
 ^•' But now I have written unto you, not to keep company; 
 if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or cove- 
 tous, or an idolator, or^ a railer, or a drunkard, or an extor- 
 tioner ; with such a one no not to eat." 
 
 The eating here prohibited appears to be eating at com- 
 mon meals, in distinction from eating at the Lord's table ; 
 for, 
 
 1. The very phraseology here used seems to require this 
 interpretation. The apostle's direction, in respect to the 
 treatment of this corrupt person, was two-fold — general and 
 particular. The general direction was, " not to keep com- 
 pany" with him. The particular direction was, " no, not to 
 eat." Now here is evidently a descent from the greater to 
 the less. From the very phraseology of the apostle, then, 
 it appears that the least or lowest kind of association and 
 intercourse is here intended. But certainly, eating at the 
 Lord's table is one of the highest expressions and acts 
 of christian intercourse and communion ; or rather the very 
 highest, in some respects, that ever takes place here on earth. 
 
 2. That eating at common meals is here intended, ap- 
 pears "yet far more evident," from comparing the passage 
 with Mat. xviii, 17 ; a text, which, equally with the one now 
 under consideration, relates to a professing Christian, or to 
 a man that once was such, and in good standing in the 
 church ; but who has since, for his sins, been disov/ned by 
 the church, and excluded from their communion. Christ's 
 direction in this last passage is — " If he neglect to hear the 
 church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publi- 
 can." It is well known that the Jews, in our Lord's time, 
 would not eat at commion meals with publicans, and sinnersj 
 and heathens. They considered it as wrong so to do- 
 Hence they found fault with Christ, because that though a 
 Jew, he ate v/ith publicans and sinners. Nov/, as the cor- 
 rupt, and irreclaimable, and excommunicated brother, was 
 to be treated as an heathen man and a publican, i. e. as the 
 Jews treated heathens and publicans, and as the Jews would 
 not eat with them at common meals ; so the course to be 
 pursued by church members, in respect to excommunicated 
 persons, seems plain, viz : that they ought not (in ordinary 
 
 8* 
 
90 CRITICAL AND 
 
 cases) even to eat with them at common meals, until they 
 repent and return to duty. I say, in ordinary cases ; be- 
 cause there are exceptions to this rule, in favor of near rela- 
 tives and connections, as husbands and wives, parents, 
 children, &c. For in their case, prior obhgations exist; 
 obligations arising from their peculiar relation to each other; 
 obligations, too, which Christianity never was designed to 
 cancel, but rather to illustrate and enforce. 
 
 Chap, vi, 4. 
 
 "If, then, ye have judgments of things pertaining to 
 this life, set them to judge, who are least esteemed in the 
 church." 
 
 The inquiry is, who are meant by those hast esteemed in 
 the church ? It should be observed, that the original word 
 here rendered least esteemed, properly signifies despised. 
 Accordingly, it is sometimes rendered despised ; sometimes ' 
 set at "nought. (See Luke xviii, 9, andxxiii, 11: Rom. ■; 
 xiv, 3 : Acts iv, 11.) In short, in other passages where it" 
 occurs, it usually conveys a bad meaning, and is at the same 
 time strongly expressive of that meaning. It appears, at 
 any rate, a very improper word to be applied by Christians 
 to their christian brethren. For this reason, as well as from 
 the general scope of the context, it is presumable, that by 
 the least esteemed or despised, St. Paul intended heathen 
 magistrates. Accordingly, by Whitby and some of the best 
 critics, and in Griesbach's edition of the New Testament, 
 this verse is read interrogatively, thus : — " If, then, ye have' 
 judgments of things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to 
 judge who are least esteemed in the churdi'?" And this ap- , 
 pears well to suit the main argument of the apostle. For 
 ill the context, he treats upon the subject of Christians going 
 to law one with another, and reprove^ them, if not absolutely 
 for going to law, yet for going to law before wibelieverSy i. e. 
 unbelieving magistrates. (Verses 1 — 6.) He argues from 
 the greater to the less, thus : — ' If the saints are counted wor- 
 thy to judge the world, and angels too, i. e. to be assessors 
 with Christ in the general judgment ; then, certainly, they 
 jirc qualified to judge upon and decide worldly matters.' 
 And in verse 5th, he expresses his astonishment and regret, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 91 
 
 that there should not be a wise man among them, who should 
 be able to judge between his brethren, in their unhappy dif- 
 ferences and disputes about worldly matters. And as in 
 verse 4th, he is evidently upon the same subject, and admin- 
 istering the sarne reproof; so it would be very natural to 
 understand him here as saying, ' If, then, ye have judgments 
 of things pertaining to this life, do ye indeed set heathen 
 magistrates to judge ; those who are least esteemed in or 
 by the church ; men, who, as to their moral characters, are 
 generally least esteemed, and often despicable V The main 
 point at which the apostle aimed, in the whole of this expos- 
 tulation, was to prevent the Corinthians from going to law 
 with one another before heathen magistrates, and to prevail 
 on them to refer their differences to an arbitration of their 
 christian brethren for adjustment. 
 
 Chap, vii, 14. 
 
 '' For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife ; 
 and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband ; else 
 were your children unclean ; but now are they holy." 
 
 Our chief concern, at present, is with the last clause of 
 this verse, " Else were your children unclean ; but now are 
 ihey holy," What can be the meaning of this expression? 
 Especially, what did the apostle intend by the term holy in 
 this place ? To prepare the way for an answer, it should be 
 observed, that in the Greek language, (wherein the New 
 Testament was originally written), there are two words, 
 both which are in our tongue rendered holy. These are, 
 ogios, and oc^joj. The primary and proper import of the for- 
 mer, when applied to persons or moral agents, is, according 
 to Schleusner, true godliness. " Signijicat (says he) sanc- 
 tum, pium erga Deimi, integrum viicB, verum Die cidtorem, 
 puriim a vetiosiiate.''^ The word occurs, if the author has 
 rightly computed, only eight times in the New Testament, 
 viz. in Acts ii, 27, and xiii, 34, 35 : Heb. vii, 26 : 1 Tim. 
 ii, 8 : Titus i, 8 : Rev. xv, 4, and xvi, 5 ; and in five" of 
 these instances it clearly means as above defined. It de- 
 notes, properly, a mental quality ; internal, moral excel- 
 lence ; or in a word, it properly denotes what we common- 
 ly intend by the term holiness. And sometimes (as it cor- 
 
92 CRITICAL AND 
 
 responds to the Hebrew word chasid) it denotes particular- 
 ly the exercises of godliness, as they respect the indigent 
 and miserable ; and when used in this application, it signi- 
 fies humane, benign, merciful, &c. But ayio^ is more gen- 
 eral in its signification. In very many, or most of those in- 
 stances, wherein it occurs in the Greek New Testament, 
 and in the Septuagint version of the Old, it certainly cannot 
 denote either internal moral excellence, or any moral quali- 
 ty at all. For it is apphed to Jerusalem, Mat. iv, 5 ; to 
 the temple, Micah i, 2 ; to the mount of transfiguration, 
 2 Pet. i, 18 ; to the camp of Israel, Deut. xxiii, 14 ; to the 
 ground where Moses stood, Ex. iii, 5 ; to the anointing oil 
 for the tabernacle, Ex. xxx, 25 ; to the vessels of the 
 sanctuary, 1 Chron. xxii, 19 ; to Aaron's garments, Ex. 
 xxviii, 2, &c. Let the Greek scholar examine the above 
 texts, as they stand in the Septuagint and Greek Testament. 
 True, it is sometimes the case, that intelligent beings, to 
 whom this word is applied, are holy, in the spiritual sense 
 of that term ; and in some cases, the word itself, as applied 
 to them, may directly denote such a quality. But this is 
 not the primitive and original sense of the word. Its origi- 
 nal and proper signification is, sepai-ation from a general to 
 a particular, from a common to a special use ; or, as it res- 
 pects things of reUgion, it denotes dedication, consecration 
 to the service of God, or a being set apart for his service 
 and worship. And this, let it be remembered, is the word 
 used in this place, '' Else were your children unclean, but 
 now are they holy ;" where, by the way, holy is opposed to 
 unclean ; and hence we derive additional evidence, that the 
 word means in this place as above explained. For the term 
 unclean, as used by the Jews, denoted generally what was 
 not fit to be offered to God. How natural, then, to under- 
 stand holy in this passage, as denoting what is fit to be of- 
 fered, consecrated, dedicated to Him ! If, then, the children 
 of professing believers arc holy in this sense — are fit to be 
 set apart for God, and dedicated to him, is it not proper that 
 they should receive the distinguishing badge of such dedica- 
 tion ? Who, then, can forbid water, that they should not be 
 baptised ? Schleusner's comment on the words, *' but now are 
 they holy," is, " Jam vero habentur membra ecclesia chriS' 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 93 
 
 tiancB ,•" i. e. but now are they accounted members of the 
 christian church. Whether this comment be allowed to ex- 
 press exactly the sense of the apostle, or not, it seems, at 
 least to the author, impossible to invent any consistent or 
 reasonable interpretation of this passage, but w^hat will fa- 
 vour the cause of infant baptism. Some say the word 
 
 holy here means legithnate. Now, of such persons as can 
 say so seriously, I would ask — Have you ever considered 
 the implication of this, or the consequence that must follow, 
 if your interpretation be correct 1 A strict and candid atten- 
 tion to the whole verse must evince, that whatever be the 
 import of the term holy, as here used, it is applicable to the 
 children of believers only ; or that no other children than 
 those of believers are holy, in the sense here intended. For 
 the only reason here mentioned by St. Paul, why these 
 children are holy, is, that the unbelieving husband is sancti- 
 fied by (or to) the wife, and the unbeHeving wife is sancti- 
 fied by (or to) the husband ; " else," says he, (i. e. other- 
 wise, were it not for this reason), your children would be 
 unclean ; but now are they holy." Since, then, this is the 
 only reason why these children are called holy ; on supposi- 
 tion that holy itself means legitimate, the conclusion is, that 
 where this reason does not exist ; i. e. where the unbeliev- 
 ing husband is not sanctified by the wife, nor the unbeliev- 
 ing wife by the husband ; or, in other words,, when neither 
 of the parents is a believer, their children must necessarily 
 be illegitimate ! ! But, depraved as the world is, such a 
 conclusion is wholly inadmissible, because it is contrary 
 to fact. Still, as it so directly follows from the above men- 
 tioned construction of this text, we must either adopt the 
 conclusion, or discard the construction itself. Which of 
 these two things must be done, '•'judge ye." 
 
 * Veuse 25. 
 
 "Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment of 
 the Lord ; yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtain- 
 ed mercy of the Lord to be faithful." 
 
 Hence, it seems, some have inferred that Paul was not al- 
 ways under inspiration, when he wrote his epistles, but con- 
 tented himself, at times, with the delivery of his own iiv 
 
94 CRITICAL AND 
 
 dividual opinion ; that, to be sure, such was the case in res- 
 pect to this passage. As to this inference, it is natural to 
 remark, that on supposition of its justness, we ought to 
 conclude that Paul was of course under inspiration, (at least 
 in his own opinion), in all those other parts of his writings 
 wherein he does not express any hesitancy as to this matter. 
 But the truth is, all St. Paul meant was simply this, viz. that 
 in respect to virgins, the Lord had not seen fit to give him 
 any express directions, as he had done in respect to a man's 
 putting away his wife, and a wife's putting away her hus- 
 band. Surely, we are not to conclude that the apostle was 
 not under inspiration, merely because such inspiration did 
 not extend to every conceivable subject. 
 
 Verse 36. 
 
 *' But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely 
 toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need 
 so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not ; let 
 them marry." 
 
 To prevent needless questions and scruples relative to 
 this passage of scripture, it may be observed, that its mean- 
 ing, evidently, from the context, is this : — ' If a man have a 
 virgin-daughter, or any other virgin-maiden, under his care, 
 that is marriageble, and disposed to marry, and circumstan- 
 ces on the whole render it expedient and best that she should 
 be married ; let such a father or guardian do what he will in 
 reference to her ; i. e. let him, if he pleases, give her hi 
 marriage to some suitable companion. He does not sin in 
 so doing. Let them marry ; i. e. let her and him whom her 
 father or guardian has provided for her, and whom she has 
 chosen as her companion, become one in the conjugal state.' 
 To marry, or to he married, is one thing ; to give in mar- 
 riage, is another. It is of the last, only, that the apostle 
 treats in this verse, and also m verses 37 and 38 of the 
 same chapter. 
 
 Chap, ix, 24 — 26. 
 
 " Know ye not, that they which run in a race, (i. e. in the 
 stadium, or circus), run all, but one receiveth the prize ? So 
 run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for 
 the mastery, is temperate in all things. NoWj they do it to 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 95 
 
 obtain a corruptible crown ; but we an incorruptible. I, 
 therefore, so run not as uncertainly." 
 
 These verses manifestly refer to the races performed at the 
 Isthmian games in Greece. Though to some of them sev- 
 eral prizes might have been assigned, and of different value ; 
 yet to that here referred to there belonged only one. The 
 hope of winning it stimulated alike each of the racers ; and 
 that they might " not run in vain," they had previously ha- 
 bituated themselves to the strictest temperance, as to eatjng 
 and drinking, and every article of sensual indulgence. But af- 
 ter all, the prize in view, if obtained, would be of very httle 
 service or value ; for it v^^as only a crown or garland of leaves. 
 Nevertheless, from those races the apostle drew spiritual 
 instruction. As often as he witnessed them, he resolved that 
 he would " run the race set before him," with at least equal 
 agility and vigour ; and, that he might run not as uncertain- 
 ly, would habituate his body to at least equal temperance 
 and subjection ; and he here exhorts his Corinthian converts, 
 and through them all Christians, to do so likewise. How 
 important it is for us, like the apostle, to derive spiritual 
 instruction from natural objects ! How important not to be 
 outdone in our pursuit of the prize of our high calling, by the 
 men of the world, in their pursuit of earthly treasures ! How 
 grateful should we be, that though only one could obtain the 
 prize, in the case here referred to by the apostle, all Chris- 
 tians, who run with patience the race set before them, may 
 and will obtain the heavenly prize ! But how necessary it is 
 we should remember, that as the prize in question would be 
 awarded to the candidate only at the end of the race-ground ; 
 at the further goal ; so it is only to those who persevere in 
 the christian race until the end of life, that the incorruptible 
 crown will be given. 
 
 Chap, x, 20. 
 
 " But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, 
 they sacrifice to devils, and not to God." 
 
 In the Greek, it is Saiiiovkts, to demons — false, fictitious 
 gods, says Rosenmuller, in his comment on the passage. 
 There are in the original three words, which, by our trans- 
 lators are rendered devil, and in the plural devils, viz. iJ<a§o- 
 "kog, Satfxouvj and ^cmjjwvIov. The former of these commonly 
 
96 CRITICAL AND 
 
 denotes the fallen angels, and still more commonly the arch- 
 apostate, Satan. Sometimes, however, when used in the 
 plural number, the word is applied to human beings, as in 
 1 Tim. iii, 11—" Even so 'must their wives be grave, not 
 slanderers," Greek, (xo^ SiaQoXovg. (See also 2 Tim. iii, 3, and 
 Titus ii, 3.) The word properly signifies a false accuser, 
 or slanderer, and when the singular article is prefixed, (as 
 ^ja§oXo^,) it denotes Satan. Aai^owv and daiy.oviQv are near- 
 ly synonomous, and convey, each of them, a somewhat dif- 
 ferent meaning from StoL^oXog. With respect to ^ocifxovjov — 
 the word now under consideration, the word used in the 
 passage before us — -as used by the heathens, it signified 
 generally an intermediate class of spirits, whose rank in the 
 scale of being was supposed to be in a sort of medium be- 
 tween God and man ; and sometimes, also, it signified the 
 departed, deified spirits of good and virtuous men. But 
 though by heathen writers the term is frequently used in a 
 good sense ; i. e. good in their sense of goodness ; yet in 
 the New Testament it is invariably used in a bad sense, with 
 the exception, perhaps, of Acts xvii, 18, where the same 
 word in the Greek occurs, and is there translated gods. If 
 now the inquiry be, what is the direct meaning of the scrip- 
 ture before us, " I say that the things which the Gentiles 
 sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, (demons), and not to 
 God ;" the best reply appears to be this : — It means, that 
 though in offering their sacrifices, they might have designed 
 to offer them to demons, in their sense of the term ; i. e. 
 either to an intermediate class of beings between Jehovah 
 and men, or to the departed deified spirits of illustrious men ; 
 yet that in reality they offered them to evil spirits — evil de- 
 mons ; for such, in the christian sense, most or all of their 
 demons, even the best of them, were. 
 
 Chap, xi, 5. 
 
 "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her 
 head uncovered, dishonoureth her head." 
 
 From the connection it is evident, that by " her head," in 
 this last instance, is intended the man, the woman's husband. 
 If a woman should appear and pray and prophesy in a public 
 assembly, with her head and face uncovered or unveiled, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. ^,97 
 
 she would thereby dishonor her husband. She would dis- 
 honor herself, as she would not appear with that decorum 
 (verse 13) which was proper for her sex ; and by dishonor- 
 ing herself, she must of course dishonor her husband. She 
 would dishonor her husband, also, as she would thereby af- 
 fect that masculine appearance, (verse 7), that precedence 
 and authority, which it could not be for the credit, either of 
 herself to assume, or of her husband to permit. (See the 
 comment on the next passage.) 
 
 Verse 10. 
 
 *' For this cause, ought the woman to have power on her 
 head, because of the angels." 
 
 The word power, in this place, evidently refers to the veil 
 or covering which the woman wore on her head. Such in 
 ancient times was the custom among the Greeks, Romans, 
 and Jews, when they appeared in worshipping assemblies. 
 This covering, as worn by the women in apostolic times, 
 was a token both of their modesty, and of their subjection 
 to their husbands. But what are we to understand by the 
 expression "because of the angels ?" Though the scriptures 
 use the word angels in various senses, and sometimes inteod 
 thereby mere men, (see Rev. ii, 1, 8, 12, 18, &c.) ; yet the 
 most natural interpretation of the term in this place is, that 
 it denotes not human spies, as some think, but those celes- 
 tial beings who are usually intended by the term angels. 
 And the apostle appears here to teach, by implication, that 
 they are occasionally, though of course invisibly, present in 
 the worshipping assemblies of Christians, to observe whether 
 the due brder and spirituality are there maintained, as well 
 as to assist in their devotions. What an awful motive, by 
 the way, is this, for us to keep our hearts j as well as our feet, 
 when we go to the house of God ! 
 
 Verses 14, 16. 
 *' Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a mart hare 
 long hair, it is a shame unto him 1 But if a woman have long 
 hair, it is a glory to h«r, for her hair is given her for a cot- 
 ering." 
 
 9 
 
98 CRITICAL ANI> 
 
 As nature or custom (see Schleusner on the place) doesr 
 not seem to teach us, in these days, much on this subject, one 
 way or the other, this is one of the numerous passages whose 
 hteral meaning cannot be rightly understood, without some 
 knowledge of oriental customs. Sir J. Chardin, speaking 
 of the people of Asia, says — " The men are shaved, (only 
 one lock of their hair excepted) ; the women nourish their 
 hair with great fondness, which they lengthen by tresses and 
 tufts of silk, drawn down to the heels." The customs of the 
 Asiatics change but seldom ; and this custom, with many 
 others mentioned in the Bible, continues among them until 
 this day. 
 
 Yerse 28. 
 
 " But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of 
 that bread, and drink of that cup." 
 
 The word Soxiihcl^oj, here translated examine, properly 
 signifies to try, prove, or examine a thing, in respect to its 
 quality or nature ; to ascertain whether it be genuine or not. 
 In its original and literal acceptation, it was applied to met- 
 als, such as silver, gold, &c. These were cast into the fire, 
 and thus were SoxiiJ^a^o^isvoi, i. e. tried, in order that it might 
 appear whether they were, or how much of them was, pure, 
 genuine gold or silver, and how much dross. True, the 
 word in this passage is used figuratively, but evidently with 
 an allusion to its primary and literal import. Hence, then, 
 we have the true meaning of St. Paul in this place. It was 
 not, as some have supposed, that the Corinthians should ex- 
 amine themselves in respect to their needs only, or chiefly; 
 but it was that they should examine, try, prove themselves, 
 in respect to character, that they might know what manner 
 of spirit they were of; in other words, whether they were 
 true, genuine believers or not ; and if, in the result, it should 
 appear that they were, how much pure, genuine religion they 
 had, how much of the " gold tried in the fire," and how 
 much dross. (See 1 Pet. i, 7.) It is obvious, then, that in 
 the scripture before us, it is implied that real piety is an 
 indispensable pre-requisite to such a partaking of the sacra- 
 ment, as is either acceptable to the Lord, or beneficial to 
 the communicant. 
 
explanatory notes. 99 
 
 Verse 29. 
 
 '^ For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and 
 ^rinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's 
 body." 
 
 It is well known that this verse has been the occasion of 
 much disquietude and distress, in the minds of many sin- 
 cere, but weak believers. It is probable that an erroneous 
 view of it has kept away from the Lord's table many, who 
 ought by all means to have approached it. Hence, it is 
 very important that the passage should be rightly understood. 
 And for this purpose it should be observed and remembered, 
 that the word x^/fxa properly signifies judgment, merely, 
 though sometimes it signifies condemnation, or adjudication 
 to punisnment. (See Luke xxiii, 40, and xxiv, 20 : Rom. 
 iii, 8, and xiii, 2, &c.) Sometimes, indeed, the word seems 
 to denote punishment, of some kind or other, as in Gal. v, 
 10 : Mat. xxiii, 14 : 1 Pet. iv, 17: Rev. xvii, 1. It is ob- 
 vious, however, that in neither of these passages, does it 
 signify, primarily or properly, the punishment of hell, which 
 IS what we usually intend by the word damnation. Nor 
 was this the thing intended in the verse before us. Thus 
 much at least may be concludod from the previous remarks. 
 To these we may add, that the eating and drinking unwor- 
 thily at the Lord's table, is not the unpardonable sin. What 
 that is, see Mat. xii, 32. The meaning of the passage then 
 must be this : — ' He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, i. e. 
 without the requisite desires and fitness of character, (see 
 Mat. xxii, 8), eateth and drinketh judgment or condemna- 
 tion to himself.' He is herein, and for so doing, judged and 
 condemned, not only by his own conscience, if it be prop- 
 erly enlightened and unbiassed, but by the Judge of all the 
 earth. His sin is doubtless great, though not " a sin unto 
 death ;" not a sin that seals, or is necessarily connected 
 with, the future and eternal damnation of the soul, as some 
 very erroneously seem to have supposed, from this passage. 
 Hence, he may be forgiven, and will be, if penitent. 
 
 Chap, xii, 7. 
 " But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everj 
 man, to profit withal." 
 
100 CRITICAL AND 
 
 This scripture has been sometimes brought along with 
 some others, to prove that there is in every individual of 
 mankind, some spark or portion of divine light, which, if 
 faithfully cultivated and improved, will insure his eternal 
 salvation, in opposition to the sentiment generally consider- 
 ed orthodox, viz. that we are by nature in a state of total, 
 spiritual darkness. But when thus used, it is evidently 
 wrested from its primary and proper meaning. Rightly to 
 understand this text of scripture, we must remember that 
 the apostle is here treating of the gifts of the Spirit. Be- 
 tween these and the graces or fruits of the Spirit, mentioned 
 in Gal. v, 22, there is a great difference ; as great, indeed, 
 and the same as there is between disposition and ability — 
 between holy affections of heart, and the power, capacity, 
 or ability of performing such and such outward acts. The 
 former, the gifts of the Spirit, are excellent, and ought to be 
 earnestly coveted, (verse 31) ; but the latter are more ex- 
 cellent than they, as the apostle observes, (verse 31), and 
 proceeds to illustrate at large, in the article of charity or 
 love, (chap, xiii, 1, ad finem.) Now, that it was only of 
 spiritual gifts the apostle was here speaking, a bare attention 
 to his argument must convince us. For observe, that as a 
 proof, or rather instance of the truth of what he had said 
 in verse 7j he immediately says, '' For to one is given by the 
 Spirit the word of wisdom ; to another the word of knowl- 
 edge, by the same Spirit; to another faith, (some miraculous 
 or extraordinary faith, probably), by the same Spirit; to 
 another the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another 
 the working of miracles ; to another prophecy ; to another 
 discerning of spirits ; to another diverse kinds of tongues ; 
 to another the interpretation of tongues." The above quo- 
 tations show, moreover, that in verse 7, St. Paul referred 
 not only to the gifts of the Spirit exclusively, but also, in a 
 great measure, to such gifts as were bestowed in the apos- 
 tolic age, and in primitive times ; for evidently some of the 
 gifts above enumerated, were peculiar to that age, and to 
 those times. 
 
 Chap, xiii, 1. 
 
 " Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels> 
 and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or ^, 
 tinkling cymbal," &c. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 101 
 
 The word charity, as commonly used and understood 
 among men, denotes liberality to the poor and needy ; a 
 munificent disposition, a disposition to supply their wants, 
 especially their bodily wants ; and from signifying the cause, 
 it has been used to signify the effect, also, viz. munificence 
 itself. Thus, he who feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, 
 relieves the distressed, and does these things gratis, is called 
 a charitable man. Sometimes, also, the word is used to 
 signify a disposition to think favorably of our fellow men, 
 in regard to their spiritual state and another world. Hence, 
 he who believes that people of different religious sentiments 
 and communions may be equally safe, in regard to another 
 world and eternal happiness, is by many considered and 
 called a charitable person. Their meaning is, such a per- 
 son is not bigoted, but liberal in his views and feelings — 
 charitable, in this sense. And perhaps some may think that 
 the Universalist is of all men the most charitable, because 
 he believes that all men will be finally saved, whatever their 
 religious sentiments or moral conduct in this world may 
 have been. But the charity of the New Testament signi- 
 fies, strictly speaking, neither of these. Its corresponding 
 term in the original is ky(xiir\^ i. e. love, holy love. Such is 
 the precise signification of the word. So our translators 
 have commonly rendered it ; and why they have not thus 
 rendered it uniformly, I cannot explain in any other way 
 than this ; that in their time, these two words, charity and 
 love, were synonymous, and of course interchangeable ; 
 which very possibly might have been the case then, but 
 which we know is not the case now. This scriptural charity, 
 this holy, divine love, doubtless includes a generous kind- 
 ness towards the poor and needy, and will lead to the out- 
 ward expressions of such a temper, in attempts to supply 
 their wants, and to relieve them in their distresses. If our 
 supposed benevolence does not produce beneficence, and if, 
 moreover, it does not lead to that particular species of it 
 which was last mentioned, it certainly cannot be true or 
 genuine benevolence ; for, " whoso hath this world's good, 
 and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels 
 of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in 
 him]" (1st Epis. John, iii, 17.) Again, this same blessed 
 
 9* 
 
102 CRITICAL AND 
 
 temper includes a disposition to think favorably of others, so 
 far as known circumstances will permit; for " charity (love) 
 thinketh no evil," unreasonably or unnecessarily. Still, be 
 it remembered, this scriptural charity is something more 
 than either or both of these. It is love, holy and divine love, 
 that love which is "the fruit of the Spirit," and which only 
 is the " fulfilling of the law." Before I close my remarks 
 on this passage, I would just observe, it plainly implies, 
 (particularly when connected with the two succeeding ver- 
 ses), that the possessing of many excellent and uncommon 
 gifts is compatible with the utter w^ant of holy love, as every 
 attentive reader must perceive. How important, then, that 
 we should distinguish betv/een the mere gifts and the graces 
 of the Spirit, and closely examine ourselves in regard to our 
 moral character '? For though a man should speak with the 
 tongues of men and of angels, &c., if he has not charity or 
 divine love, he is nothing in the view of the great Omniscient, 
 but a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. Therefore, 
 while we may " covet earnestly the best gifts," in order that 
 we may be the more useful to our fellow men in those sta- 
 tions wherein Providence has placed us respectively, let us 
 attend yet more earnestly to this " more excellent way." 
 
 Verse 13. 
 
 " And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three : but 
 the greatest of these is charity." 
 
 But how or why is charity, or love, greater than faith and 
 hope ! In several particulars love has the pre-eminence. 
 That we may, however, adhere as closely as possible to the 
 reasoning of the apostle, I shall here mention only one, viz. 
 duration. The superlative excellency of love consists in 
 this; it "never faileth." This cannot truly be said of the 
 mere gifts of the Spirit, as possessed in the present world ; 
 for " whether there be prophecies, they shall fail ; whether 
 there be tongues, they shall cease ; whether there be know- 
 ledge, it shall vanish away." (Verse 8.) Nor can this be 
 aaid of faith and hope. Faith will hereafter be turned into 
 sight, and hope into enjoyment ; but " charity never fail- 
 eth •;" it will last forever. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 103 
 
 Chap, xiv, 1. 
 
 " Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rath- 
 er that ye may prophesy." 
 
 The word prophesy, according to Johnson and Walker, 
 signifies primarily and properly, " to predict, to foretell, to 
 prognosticate, to foreshow." Such is the signification as- 
 signed to it by common consent, and by common practice, 
 which governs chiefly in regard to the use of language. But 
 this cannot be the meaning of the word, as used in many 
 parts of scripture, and particularly in the verse before us, 
 and frequently in other parts of this chapter. The usual 
 scriptural sense of this word is, to preach, as is justly re- 
 marked by the above mentioned lexicographers. The gen- 
 eral meaning of the word, as used in this chapter, clearly is, 
 "to explain scripture, and publicly to discourse of divine 
 things, in an instructive and edifying manner." (Dodd- 
 ridge.) In verse 4, prophesying is opposed to speaking in 
 an unknown tongue. " He that speaketh in an unknown 
 tongue, edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth, edifieth 
 the church." The antithesis or contrast here expressed, 
 implies, that by prophesying, the apostle meant not only in- 
 structing the people, by explaining divine truth to them, but 
 also doing this in a very plain manner, and very i7itelligibly, 
 so that the Corinthians might not be to their brethren hke 
 one that spake in an unknown language, or unintelligibly. 
 The prophesying in the apostolic age, v/as usually delivered, 
 it seems, by divine inspiration. In conclusion, it is very 
 natural, and seems very important, to remark, how vastly 
 preferable, in the judgment of an inspired apostle, are the 
 useful to the merely brilliant talents, in every public teacher ! 
 Though St. Paul could speak with tongues, more than all 
 the Corinthians, and felt thankful to his God that he could 
 do so ; yet in the church he had rather speak five words with 
 his understanding, that he might thereby teach others also, 
 and thus be useful to them, than ten thousand words in an. 
 unknown tongue. (See verses 18, 19.) 
 
 Chap, xv, 22. 
 *' For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be 
 made alive." 
 
104 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Among the texts brought by the Universalists in defence 
 of their peculiar tenet, this, it is well known, always holds a 
 prominent place. The import of it, as they understand, or 
 pretend to understand it, amounts to this : — ' As in Adam all 
 are lost, so in Christ all are saved.'' It needs but a little 
 knowledge of human nature, especially of our innate and 
 strong desire for happiness, to be satisfied that such an in- 
 terpretation would be very gratifying to us all, to the antago- 
 nists of the UniversaUsts, as well as to the Universalists 
 themselves, provided only we could see it to be a just inter- 
 pretation. But if we candidly and carefully examine the 
 context, and in so doing allow ourselves to be guided by 
 our judgment, and not by our selfish feelings, we cannot 
 avoid the conclusion, that this very welcome interpretation 
 is by no means admissible. It is evident that the main sub- 
 ject treated of in this chapter, is the literal resurrection, the 
 resurrection of the body ; and the main proof of this in- 
 teresting article of our faith, that is here insisted on, is the 
 resurrection of Christ. (See from verse 4 to verse 23.) — 
 Though other matters are mentioned in this chapter, yet that 
 a resurrrection of some sort or other is its principal subject, 
 is undeniable. The only question is, what sort of a resur- 
 rection is it, a literal or a spiritual one 1 That the resurrec- 
 tion of the body is the precise point treated of by the apos- 
 tle, both before and after the verse now under consideration, 
 none who will understand his words according to the common 
 acceptation of language, can reasonably question. (See 
 before it, verses 12, 13, 15, 16.) See after it, verse 35 — 
 " But some man will say, How are the dead raised up, and 
 with what body do they come ?" and verse 44 — " It is sown 
 a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." As, then, 
 both before and after verse 22, the resurrection of the body 
 is clearly the subject of discussion, and as nothing in the im- 
 mediate context forbids our understanding the same as be- 
 ing meant there also, it seems that by the usual and autho- 
 rised rules of interpretation, we are obliged to understand 
 the apostle as referring in this 22d verse, to the literal death, 
 and the literal resurrection, only. Besides, the argument 
 here used by the apostle, viz. that drawn from the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ, would not be suitable to his purpose, unless 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 105 
 
 the resurrection treated of in this chapter were that of the 
 body ; for the resurrection of Christ was a corporeal, literal 
 resurrection, a resurrection of the body. How, then, could 
 it be called the first fruits or pledge of them that slept, or of 
 their resurrection, unless the resurrection of their bodies 
 were meant ? The meaning, therefore, of St. Paul, in this 
 verse, appears to be as if he had said, ' As in Adam all die a 
 natural death, so in Christ, or in consequence, and by virtue 
 of his resurrection, they all shall arise from their graves, 
 and thus hterally be made alive again ;' that thereby, and in 
 their perfect man, consisting of soul and body then reunited, 
 they may be fully prepared to be judged according to their 
 works. This is in substance the interpretation adopted by 
 Henry, McKnight, and Scott. If St. Paul referred at all 
 in this passage, and in the context, to a spiritual death, and 
 a spiritual resurrection, and to Adam and Christ as federal 
 heads, and as sources, the one of spiritual death, and the 
 other of spiritual life, to mankind ; then his meaning must 
 have been thus : — ' As in Adam all his seed (which are all 
 mankind) die morally or spiritually — become dead in tres- 
 passes and sins ; so in Christ, the other federal head, all his 
 seed (i. e. all true believers) shall be made spiritually alive I 
 Whichsoever of these interpretations be adopted, this text, 
 it is easily seen, affords no aid to the cause of universalism* 
 
 Terse 24. 
 
 " Then cometh the end, Avhen he shall have delivered up 
 the kingdom to God, even the Father ; when he shall have 
 put down all rule, and all authority and power." 
 
 For the explanation and correct understanding of this 
 very significant text, it should be observed and remember-' 
 ed, that the scriptures appear in some places to distinguish 
 between the kingdom of God and tho kingdom of Christ. 
 They are both the same in respect to their general nature ; 
 so they are in respect to their grand ultimate object, which 
 is the universal extension and complete triumph of truth and 
 righteousness. But yet, in respect to administration and dura- 
 tion, there may be said to be a difference. The Son admin-^ 
 isters by a delegated and derived, the Father by an underivecl 
 power. The kingdom of the Father is to be strictly and ab-/ 
 
106 CRITICAL AND 
 
 solutely everlasting ; the kingdom of the Son, as such, is to 
 continue only until " he shall have subdued all enemies un- 
 der his feet." (What that means, see the comment on the 
 next verse.) He will then deliver up his kingdom to God, 
 even the Father ; and this kingdom will ever afterwards be 
 the Father's. And it may be for the arrival of that great 
 event, that grand consummation in the moral world, when 
 Christ shall gather together the whole multitude of the re- 
 deemed, and shall present them to his Father, and when, of 
 course, his mediatorial reign shall cease, as being no longer 
 necessary, and shall be alasorbed in that of the Father, so 
 that God may be " all in all" — I say, it may be for the arri- 
 val of that great event, at least, in part, that our Saviour di- 
 rects us to pray, in the petition to the Father, *' thij kingdom 
 come." The circumstance, however, that Christ will der 
 liver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, is perfectly 
 consistent both with his being properly a divine person, and 
 with his officiating forever and ever as the Father's vicege- 
 rent in administration. The subordination of the Son, pre- 
 dicted in verse 28, may be simply official ; and official sub- 
 ordination may well consist with essential equality. By the 
 way, this text disproves universalism, i. e. the restoration 
 scheme. For that scheme supposes (see Chancey and 
 Winchester) that some sinners will be found impenitent at 
 the great day, and will, as such, be then adjudged by Christ 
 Jesus to the second death, which, they allow, will continue 
 for ages of ages. The advocates for the restoration scheme 
 contend, however, that when those same sinners shall have 
 suffered the pains of the second death, they will be delivered 
 from their gloomy prison, and admitted to heaven ; or if 
 (what they allow to be possible) some of them shall still 
 stand it out, and continue so unreasonably obstinate, as that 
 they will need and must endure still further punishment in 
 another state of trial, yet that they will all eventually be 
 saved. But how inconsistent with such a doctrine is the 
 text before us ! By the end mentioned in this text, must be 
 intended, the end of the world, the day of judgment. By 
 the kingdom to be then delivered up, the mediatorial king- 
 dom is unquestionably intended. If Christ will then deliver 
 up his kingdom, of course he will no longer act as Media- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 107 
 
 tor ; and if so, then, obviously, no sinners can ever be saved 
 bij him after the day of judgment. Can they be saved by 
 any other person, or in any other way ? Let the word of 
 God answer : — " Neither is there salvation in any other ; 
 for there is none other name under heaven, given among 
 men, whereby we mnst be saved." (Acts iv, 12.) 
 
 Verse 25. 
 
 "jFor he must reign till he hath put all enemies under 
 his feet." 
 
 How frequently and how triumphantly have these words 
 bjeen brought forward in aid of the universahan cause ; but 
 manifestly with no reason. The phrase ' putting under 
 one's feet,' does not necessarily, nor even naturally, denote 
 a moral, cordial, willing subjection. When the captains of 
 Israel, in obedience to the command of Joshua, (ch. x, 24), 
 put their feet upon the necks of the five kings of Canaan, 
 they did not thereby bring them into cordial subjection to 
 Joshua's government, nor into cordial affection to his per- 
 son. But mark the sense in which this phrase is used in 
 other places of scripture. See as a specimen, Ps. viii, 
 4 — 8 — " What is man, that thou art mindful of him ? and 
 the son of man, that thou visitest him ] For thou hast made 
 him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with 
 glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion 
 over the works of thy hands ; thou hast put all things under 
 his feet." But certainly this phrase, *' under his feet," as 
 here used by David, cannot denote a moral, cordial, willing 
 subjection. For the Psalmist proceeds to mention, " all 
 sheep and oxen, yea, the beasts of the field, the fowl of the 
 air, the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the 
 paths of the sea," as among the all things subjected to man. 
 But as these animals are not moral agents, so of course they 
 are not capable of moral subjection. All, therefore, the 
 Psalmist meant was, that those animals were subjected to 
 man's dominion, so that they would be afraid of him, be un- 
 der his control, and acknowledge him as their lord and ruler. 
 In like manner, but not otherwise, can it be said with truth, 
 that all Christ's enemies shall be put under his feet. 
 
108 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Verse 29. 
 
 <'EIse what shall they do which are baptised for the dead, 
 if the dead rise not at all ? Why are they then baptised for 
 the dead?" 
 
 Of this difficult text several interpretations have been 
 given. Some have supposed that the phrase, " for the 
 dead," means for their dead things. It is acknowledged 
 that the adjective or adjective-noun here used, may be in 
 either the masculine, feminine, or neuter gender, according 
 to circumstances, and the exigency of the case. But yet, 
 what rational or definite meaning can be attached to the ex- 
 pression, dead things, it is difficult to conceive. Some 
 have supposed that St. Paul, in this passage, refers to a cus- 
 tom supposed to exist in his time, viz. of some being bap- 
 tised, (with water), in the place, stead, or room, and for the 
 benefit of others, who were dead, and who had died without 
 having received that ordinance. But as it is questionable 
 whether such a custom ever existed in the christian church, 
 and as the intrinsic folly of the custom itself, seems to forbid 
 even the supposition that it could well exist in the luminous 
 age of the apostles ; so that interpretation of the passage, 
 which is built on this hypothesis, must be relinquished. It 
 remains, then, that we exhibit what appears to be the true 
 meaning of the passage ; and for this purpose, it is neces- 
 sary to explain the import of the Greek terms used in the 
 expression, "baptised for the dead." The word ^a-TrWi^w 
 (baptise) is used in at least three senses in the scriptures. 
 Its first and most common reference is to that outward ordi- 
 nance, or christian sacrament, called baptism. As understood 
 in this sense, it signifies to immerse or wash with water. 
 (See Mat. iii, 16 : Luke vii, 29 : John iii, 23 : Acts ii, 38, 
 and x, 47.) Again, the word signifies sometimes the ope- 
 rations, the influences of the Holy Spirit ; and as used in 
 this acceptation, it is called spiritual baptism. (See in 
 illustration, Mat. iii, 11: Acts xi, 16.) Once more, the 
 word sometimes denotes sufferings; commonly extreme 
 sufferings ; sufferings nigh unto death ; as in Mark x, 38 : 
 Luke xii, 50. Now, in respect to the passage before us, it 
 would make good sense, if the word ^aifri^o^svoi were under- 
 stood, in either of the above mentioned senses. The first, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 109 
 
 llowever, seems on the whole preferable to either of the 
 other two ; chiefly, because it is in the New Testament, 
 the most common sense of the term. The preposition u-TTsp, 
 here translated for, properly signifies in the 'place, or room 
 of. (See Rom. v, 8, 11 : 2 Cor. v, 14, 15 : 1 Pet. ii, 21, 
 and iii, 18.) The words twv vsx^wv, translated the dead, 
 relate to persons, and not inanimate things, and must here 
 denote those persons who had died, in the literal sense. The 
 meaning of this passage, then, may be expressed in the 
 following paraphrase : — ■' Else what shall they do, who, in 
 token of their receiving the christian faith, are baptised 
 (with water) in the room or as the successors of the dead ; 
 of those Christians who have either died in the natural way, 
 or have suffered martyrdom, if the dead rise not at all 1 And 
 why, if there be no resurrection, and if they be not firmly 
 persuaded of it — why do they so readily step into the ranks 
 of Christ's fallen soldiers ; thereby taking their room, and 
 supplying their place, and thus exposing themselves to simi- 
 lar sufferings and a similar death 1' Surely, if there be no 
 resurrection, and no future state of rewards, they would be 
 %^ery foolish in so doing ; in thus depriving themselves of 
 the pleasures of this life, and exposing themselves to so 
 many hardships, and even to a violent and cruel death. 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Chapter ii. Verse 14 — 16. 
 
 ** Now, thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to 
 triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his 
 knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a 
 sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them 
 that perish. To the one we are the savour of death unto 
 death ; and to the other the savour of life unto life." 
 
 The word ^piaf;.€sjw, here rendered causeth to triumph^ 
 occurs also in Col. ii, 15, where it is rendered triumphing 
 over. The apostle may be understood as giving thanks to 
 God, either because He had triumphed over his pharisaic 
 pride and obstinate temper, by the renewing and sanctifying 
 agency of his Holy Spirit, and had made both himself and 
 
 10 
 
110 CRITICAL AND 
 
 his fellow apostles, as individuals, the trophies of his gi-ace j 
 or rather, (as the English version implies, and as the two 
 following verses most directly show), because He had 
 made him and the other apostles triumphant, as such, by 
 crowning their labors with such signal success- In these 
 three verses, the apostle is supposed to allude to a practice 
 among the xtomans, which was this : — When their generals 
 returned as conquerors from a successful campaign, they 
 were accompanied by some distinguished persons, whom 
 they had taken as captives. When they entered the capital 
 city, the streets were paved with roses, and other things of 
 a sweet odour. Of their captives some were pardoned and 
 allowed to live, and some were put to death. To the for- 
 mer these sweet smelling roses were reviving indeed ; they 
 were a savour of life ending in life, of prolonged life. To 
 the latter, also, they were reviving at first ; but the revival 
 was short ; it was like the revival before death, a sort of 
 death-revival, rather threatening than otherwise. In short, 
 to them these same sweet smelhng roses v/ere a savour of 
 death unto death. The main spiritual instruction of the 
 whole appears to be this, viz : that the same odoriferous and 
 blessed gospel, or the scheme of truth therein taught, pro- 
 duces very different effects on different hearers, even as the 
 beams of the sun do on w^ax and clay. Some it softens, and 
 some it hardens. Some the truth '' prepares unto glory," 
 and some it ripens for-destruction. And in either case, the 
 effects produced will be according to the dispositions of the 
 persons, and tho manner in which they treat the messages 
 of reconciliation. How important, then, the admonition, 
 " Take heed how ye hear !" 
 
 Verse 17. 
 
 "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of 
 God ; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of 
 God, speak we in Christ." 
 
 Ka-^rrjXsiJW, of which the participle is here used, and trans- 
 lated corrupt, literally means to adulterate, as a dishonest 
 vintner or tavern-keeper does his wines and other costly 
 liquors. Accordingly, the word, or a noun of the same root, 
 is found used by the LXX, in this literal sense, in their 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. Ill 
 
 iransiation of Isa. i, 22. In our version it runs thus : — 
 " Thy silver is become dross ; thy wine mixed with water ;" 
 which is indeed an exact translation from the Hebrew. But 
 in the Septuagint, it is exactly thus :— '' Thy vintners min- 
 gle the wine with water." In the text before us, the word 
 is used metaphorically, in application to the word of God, 
 and denotes adulterating that word. Liquors may be adul- 
 terated in two ways ; by infusing into them certain ingredi- 
 ents, to give them a, good colour, an agreeable taste, and a 
 better relish, but which are in their nature poisonous, and 
 may prove so to those who drink them ; and by pouring 
 into them such ingredients, as, though not destructive to the 
 lives or health of people, weaken the liquors themselves, 
 such as water, &c. How forcible the metaphor, and alas, 
 how justly descriptive is it of too many professed religious 
 teachers in all ages of the church, and in our own time also ! 
 How has the pure gospel been adulterated by them, so that 
 the minds of many have been corrupted from the simplicity 
 that is in Christ ; and that, too, in ways corresponding to 
 those above mentioned I For there are two ways in which 
 the souls of men may be corrupted and destroyed ; hj 'poi- 
 soning them, and by starving them ; by preaching false 
 doctrine, and by keeping back the true doctrine. And how 
 frequently have souls in fact been coiTupted and destroyed 
 in both these ways! How careful, then, should ministers 
 be, that they do not " handle the word of God deceitfully ;" 
 that they do not corrupt the gospel, either by mixing with it 
 a vain philosophy, (Col. ii, 8), and curious speculations of 
 their own, to render it more specious and more agreeable to 
 the proud heart and depraved taste of man ; or by adding 
 to it the miserable " traditions of men," useless ceremonies, 
 &c. the tendency of which things must be either to poison 
 or to starve the souls of men. It is said many people in 
 Paris (France) onCe lost their lives, in consequence of a 
 merchant's seUlng them adulterated liquors. Ought not 
 corrupt teachers to fear lest a similar, though a more dread- 
 ful destruction, (because that of the soul, and an eternal 
 one), should ensue, on their adultera.tion of the lively ora- 
 cles ? 
 
112 critical and 
 
 Chap, hi, 18. 
 
 '* But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass th© 
 glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from 
 glory to glory, even as by ,the Spirit of the Lord." 
 
 In the original, the word translated open is a passive par- 
 ticiple, signifying exactly unveiled, or uncovered. Hence 
 we learn the precise meaning of this text. Moses had a 
 veil over his face. (Verse 13.) A moral veil was also upon 
 the minds of the Jews, when their law was read. (Verses 
 14, 15.) But from true Christians, as living under a so 
 much more luminous dispensation, „ the veil is removed, so 
 that they, with unveiled, with uncovered, open face, may 
 behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. How valuable 
 our privileges, how great our responsibility ! 
 
 Chap, iv, 17. 
 
 " For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 
 worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
 glory." 
 
 It is impossible to do perfect justice to the original of this 
 text. The xaQ virsp^oXrjv slg vitsp^oXriv, is, (says Mr. Black- 
 wall, in his Sacred Classics), " infinitely emphatical, and 
 cannot be expressed by any translation." Assuming, how- 
 ever, our version of this passage, as being on the whole 
 equally correct with any that can be produced, I request the 
 reader's attention for a moment to the beautiful and energetic 
 climax here observable, viz : — Glory ; weight of glory ; 
 eternal weight of glory ; exceeding and eternal weight of 
 glory ; more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; far 
 more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Such, afflict- 
 ed Christian, will be the certain product and gracious reward 
 of those afflictions, which, for Christ's sake, and for con- 
 science sake, you undergo in this world of trial. Again, 
 very observable is the phraseology here used by the apostle, 
 relative to his own afflictions themselves. He calls them 
 light afflictions ; or, as it is exactly, the hghtness of our 
 afflictions ; i. e. lightness itself. But if we regard the suh- 
 ject-matter of his afflictions, viz. bonds, imprisonments, for- 
 ty stripes save one, &c., beside those things which cam© 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 113 
 
 upon him daily, the anxious care of all the churches, we 
 should be apt to think them uncommonly and exceedingly 
 heavy and oppressive ; yet still he calls them light afflic- 
 tions — light, not absolutely, but comparatively, when com- 
 pared with " the joy that was set before him." Experience 
 proves that the oppressiveness, or the contrary, of any trial, 
 depends not so much upon what is external in it, as upon 
 the temper of mind with which it is met, and sustained. If 
 faith, and hope, and love, be iti a low state within us, we 
 shall '' faint in the day of adversity ;" but if they be in lively 
 and vigorous exercise, "none of these things will move us." 
 
 Chap, viii, 1. 
 
 '' Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of 
 God, bestowed on the churches of Macedonia." 
 
 As the phrase " we do you to wit," is now obsolete, 
 and scarcely intelligible, it may be well, for the sake of 
 common readers, to observe, that the corresponding original 
 word signifies simply, " we make known." The idea is, 
 ^' we make known or declare unto you the grace of God, 
 bestowed on the churches of Macedonia." 
 
 Verses 16, 17. 
 
 *' But thanks be to God, v/hich put the same earnest care 
 into the heart of Titus for you. For indeed he accepted 
 the exhortation ; but being more forward, of his own accord 
 he went unto you." 
 
 The only remark I make on these verses is, that taken in. 
 connection, they shov/ that divine operation on the mind of 
 man is perfectly consistent with his liberty. It was God 
 who put that earnest care into the heart of Titus for the 
 Corinthian church ; and his so doing occasioned, and as it 
 were necessitated, Titus' going unto them for their relief. 
 At the same time, Titus was altogether free in going, for 
 "being more forward, of his own accord he went unto them." 
 
 These texts may serve as specimens of many others that 
 might be produced ; and the general truth thereby establish- 
 ed is, that divine operation on the heart or will of man, 
 whether he be saint or sinner, never infringes his liberty, 
 nor at all affects it, otherwise than as it may the more firmly 
 10* 
 
114 CRITICAL AND 
 
 establish it. If God works in men to do, then they will 
 necessarily act ; and if he works in them to ivill, also, then 
 they will necessarily 3ici freely. 
 
 Chap, xii, 2. 
 
 " I knew a man in Christ, above fomieen years ago ; 
 (whether in the body I cannot tell ; or whether out of tlie 
 body I cannot tell ; God knoweth) ; such a one caught up 
 to the third heaven." 
 
 This last expression is agreeable to the notions of the 
 ancient Jews. They supposed three heavens. , The first 
 they placed in that part of the aerial regions where the birds 
 fly, and the clouds move, and whenice the showers descend. 
 Hence we read of the fowls of heaven, Ps. civ, 12 ; of the 
 clouds of heaven. Mat. xxiv, 30 ; and of the rain of heaven, 
 Deut. xi, 11. The second heaven was that part of supernal 
 space called now, as well as then, the stamj heaven, where 
 the sun, moon, and stars, and other heavenly bodies, are. 
 Hence we read of the stars of heaven, Mark xiii, 25 ; and 
 of the host of heaven. Acts vii, 42 ; by which phrase the 
 heavenly bodies generally appear to be intended. The 
 third, or highest heaven, the Jews considered as the resi- 
 dence of the blessed Jehovah, and of the holy angels ; also, 
 as the future receptacle and eternal home of all the redeem- 
 ed. In this last sense is the word heaven used in the fol- 
 lowing places : Mat. v, 45, and xviii, 10 : 2 Cor. v, 1. As 
 St. Paul was a Jew, it was of course to be expected, that 
 both in his preaching and in his writings, he would use, if 
 not the Jewish language, yet at least the Jewish idiom, i. e. 
 those modes of speaking which were peculiar to the Hebrew 
 language. The above remarks may help us to understand, 
 in part, what the apostle meant, when he spake of a certain 
 man (i. e. himself) who was caught up to the third heaven." 
 
 Yerse 16. 
 
 "Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with 
 
 guile." 
 
 Either this clause is to be understood as the objection of 
 Paul's enemies against him ; as what they said about him ; 
 or as an interrogation, like a similar clause in verse 18, res- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 115 
 
 pectirig Titus ; or the word ^oXw must be here used in a 
 good sense. In reference to the last interpretation it may 
 be observed, that words, the same in the original, and in 
 our translation too, are used sometimes in a good sense, 
 and sometimes in a bad one. Of these, the words anger, 
 emulation, tradition, are specimens. Of these three inter- 
 pretations, however, the first, viz. that Paul here alludes to 
 an insinuation or objection of his enemies, seems much the 
 best. Surely nothing could have been further from the 
 apostle's design, in this place, than to encourage pious 
 frauds^ falsely so called, or duplicity of any kind ; and they, 
 who, whether Papists or Protestants, have understood and 
 interpreted the passage in this sense, have not only done 
 injustice to the apostle, but, it is to be feared, much injury 
 to the cause of Christianity. 
 
 GALATIANS. 
 
 Chapter v, Yerse 4. 
 
 *' Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of 
 you are justified by the law ; ye are fallen from grace." 
 
 Those who are but moderately acquainted with the theolo- 
 gical controversies of the present day, know very well, that 
 the subject oi^ falling from grace has, among others, occu- 
 pied much attention, and been the theme of much debate. 
 To prove that true Christians may, and sometimes do, fall 
 from grace, this passage has with others been frequently ad- 
 duced. To some, this verse has probably appeared as suffi- 
 cient of itself to support that doctrine ; one reason of which 
 is the phraseology here used. For who can doubt whether 
 Christians do not, or at least may not, fall from grace, when 
 it is here expressly said that they had thus fallen 1 Now, in 
 all controversies, it is necessary that the precise point in 
 debate should be explicitly stated, and fully understood. 
 By falling from grace, as the phrase is used in this dispute, 
 is, or ought to be meant, a true Christian's falling from an 
 interest in the covenant of grace, from a vital union to his 
 Redeemer, and losing entirely all his religion, so as to be 
 lost forever. This is in reality the only point relative to this 
 
116 CRITICAL AND 
 
 subject, about which there is any room for debate between 
 the two parties. As it has not been the author's design to 
 engage in controversies, further than should appear necessa- 
 ry for the execution of his miin purpose, announced in the 
 title page ; he will not, of course, at present concern him- 
 self with either the arguments for, or objections against, this 
 doctrine. He would just observe, however, that this scrip- 
 ture has no reference to that doctrine, as above explained ; 
 and that even if it had, it could be of no force to support the 
 Arminian sentiment respecting it. It is observable, that it 
 is only one class of Christians, or of professed Christians, 
 that is here said to have fallen from grace, (whatever may 
 be intended by that phrase), viz. those who are "justified by 
 the law." Strictly speaking, this is impossible. St. Paul 
 declares, in Rom. iii, 20, that "by the deeds of the law, 
 there shall no flesh be justified in his (God's) sight." All, 
 therefore, St. Paul could have meant in the expression, 
 "whosoever of you are justified by the law," must have 
 been, ' whosoever of you seek to be justified by the law.' 
 Such are the* persons St. Paul here mentions, as having 
 fallen from grace ; and if by the term law, here, he meant 
 the ceremonial law chiefly, (as the context shows, where he 
 speaks so much of circumcision), why then the mmiber of 
 those here mentioned, as falling, or as having fallen from 
 grace, must be still more limited. — Having shown what 
 sort of persons are here intended, by those who had falleu 
 from grace, it may be well to inquire, in the next place, 
 what is intended by the grace itself, from which they had 
 fallen. The general meaning of the word X'^piV, is favor, 
 kindness granted to the undeserving, to the poor and needy. 
 It is used, however, by Christ and by his apostles, with va- 
 rious shades of m.eaning, (as every one acquainted with the 
 Greek Testament knows), but which it is unnecessary to 
 specify in this place. Suffice it to say, that in the passage 
 before us, it means the gospel — the gospel plan or scheme 
 of salvation, called, in Acts xx, 24, " the gospel of the 
 grace of God." In this sense it is used in other passages. 
 (See John i, 17 : 2 Cor. vi, 1 : Titus ii, 11.) These re- 
 marks seem to furnish the proper clew for the understanding 
 of this passage. If we candidly peruse this epistle through- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. ' 117 
 
 out, we shall perceive that there was in the Galatians, or in 
 many of them, a strong propensity to seek justification be- 
 fore God from the law, or (which is the same thing) on the 
 ground of their own observances and works. (See particu- 
 larly, chapters i, 6; ii, 21 ; iii, 1 — 4; iv, 10, 11.) To 
 bring them off from this legal ground, and to estabhsh them 
 on a purely evangelical one, was the main object of St. 
 Paul in writing this epistle, as must be evident to every one 
 who attentively reads it. And such was manifestly his ob- 
 ject in the passage before us, and in the entire context. 
 The meaning, therefore, of this passage, must be substan- 
 tially this, viz. * If you, Galatians, look to, and depend on, 
 the law for justification, Christ is become of no effect, or is 
 of no use to you : You have in this case fallen from, and 
 given up, and renounced, the gospel plan, which proposes 
 to save you by mere sovereign grace.' 
 
 Chap, vi, 4. 
 
 " But let every man prove his own work ; and then shall 
 he have rejoicing in himself a:lone, and not in another." 
 
 As to the proper import of the verb (5o5ti[xct^sVw, ( prove) ^ 
 see the criticism on 1 Cor.^ xi, 28. The inquiry now before 
 us is, what is intended by the last clause of the verse, 
 " Then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in 
 another?" The meaning evidently is, then shall he have 
 that joy which arises from his oimi sight of his good state, 
 and not merely from the favorable opinion entertained of 
 him by others. In respect to this affair, as well as many 
 others, " it is a light thing to be judged of man or of man's 
 judgment ;" for this is frequently erroneous. But when we 
 ourselves discern the evidences of our good state ; when 
 we see them ourselves ; when our own eyes behold them, 
 and not another's ; this affords satisfaction* Thus " the 
 good man is satisfied /ro?n himself, ^"^ 
 
 Yerse 17. 
 
 " From henceforth let no man trouble me ; for I bear in 
 my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." 
 
 " Let no man trouble me," i. e. (as is evident from tho 
 context, and from the tenor of the whole epistle), with dis* 
 
118 CRITICAL AND 
 
 putes and contentions about circumcision, and the other 
 pecuharities of Judaism. For this request the apostle sub- 
 joins the followmg reason ; " for I bear in my body the 
 marks of the Lord Jesus. f What did he mean by those 
 marks 1 It is probable he referred to those scars and wounds 
 which had been caused by the stripes he had received, and 
 by those chains with which he had been bound, and galled, 
 in the service of the Lord Jesus. The Greek word ^Tiy^a- 
 ca denoted, literally, those marks or brands which were 
 sometimes imprinted by the ancients, on their servants and 
 soldiers, to show to whom they belonged ; and the apostle 
 might have used the word in a similar sense in this place. 
 He might have referred to his sriyif^ctray also, as tokens not 
 only of his past sufferings in the cause of Christ, but also of 
 his continued, indissoluble relation to his adorable Lord, 
 notwithstanding all those sufferings. In those scars and 
 v/ounds the apostle gloried more, than did the Roman gene- 
 ral in those scars and wounds which he had received in 
 facing the enemies of his country. We hence learn, that 
 the true believer glories iii tribulation undergone for Christ's 
 sake ; and that no species nor degree of it, yea, ' neither 
 death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, 
 nor things present, nor things to come, nor the height of 
 prosperity, nor the depth of adversity, nor any other crea- 
 ture, can separate him from the love of God, which is in 
 Christ Jesus his Lord.' Surely a believer, and especially 
 a minister of this description, ought not to be needlessly 
 troubled or impeded in his career to glory, and in his at- 
 tempts to conduct poor sinners there, by " foolish questions 
 and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the 
 law ;" nor about many other things, too, which are fre- 
 quently thrown in his way ; but which are equally '* unpro- 
 Stable and vain." 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 119 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 Chapter iv, Terse 5. 
 
 — — " One baptism." 
 
 Those who are much acqiiainled with the merits of the 
 baptismal controversy, with that part of it especially which 
 relates to the 7node of baptism, know that this expression 
 has been often used by the advocates of immersion, to prove 
 that there is only one scripture mode of baptism, or that 
 water-baptism cannot, consistently with scripture precepts 
 and examples, be administered in only one mode. This 
 " one baptism" they suppose to be immersion, of course. It 
 seems, hov*^ever, that the " one baptism" here mentioned, 
 is to be understood chiefly in opposition to those " divers 
 washings," S^am^ot^ Qa'n'Tigiioig, mentioned by the apostle in 
 his epistle to the Hebrews, (ch. ix, 10), as ha^dng been 
 practised by their fathers. Under the Jewish dispensation, 
 there were divers v/ashings, for divers purposes ; and pro- 
 bably they were performed in divers manners. But under 
 the christian dispensation, as being more simple than the 
 Jewish, there is only one baptism. Christianity does not 
 require the application or use of water, but for one purpose ; 
 its import, w-hen administered in due form, and to qualified 
 subjects, is ahvays substantially one and the same ; and 
 there is no need nor propriety in administering it to the same 
 subject but only once, or at one time. It is at least ques- 
 tionable, whether the apostle, in these w^ords, had any refer- 
 ence at all to the mode of water baptism. Whatever, there- 
 fore, the mode may be, must be determined by other passa- 
 ges of scripture than this. Som.e, however, suppose (though 
 not I think with sufficient grounds) that the apostle refers 
 in this place to spiritual baptism. 
 
 Verse 8. 
 
 " Wlierefore, he saith, when he ascended upon high, he 
 led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." 
 
 This is a quotation from Ps. Ixviii, 18, and is supposed 
 to contain an allusion to the practice of ancient kings, who, 
 after victories, and on other great occasions, distributed 
 gifts among their subjects. Thus, when the ark of the 
 
120 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Lord of Hosts had been brought from Kirjath-jearim to the 
 city of David, and an oblation had been made of burnt offer- 
 ings, David " dealt among all the people, even among the 
 whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as to the 
 men, to every one, a cake of bread, and a good piece 
 of flesh, and a flagon of wine." (2 Samuel vi, 19.) In 
 like manner did Solomon, at the dedication of the temple. 
 (1 Kings viii, 65.) But behold a greater than either Solo- 
 mon or David is here. Greater also is his munificence, for 
 it includes spiritual blessings in heavenly things, in Christ 
 Jesus. For after he had " spoiled principalities and pow- 
 ers, and made a show of them openly," and in testimony of 
 complete triumph, had led captivity captive, and ascended 
 up on high, he also dispersed gifts among his subjects, 
 " And he gave some apostles, (i. e. some to be apostles), 
 some (to be) prophets, some (to be) evangelists, and some 
 (to be) pastors, and some (to he) teachers ; and all for the 
 most important purposes, even " for the perfecting of the 
 saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the 
 body of Christ." 
 
 Verse 30. 
 
 *' And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are 
 sealed unto the day of redemption." 
 
 The sealing of the Spirit, here mentioned, seems to be a 
 metaphor taken from a practice of merchants, viz. putting 
 a certain mark, stamp, or seal, on their goods, whereby they 
 might be known to be theirs. Or the phrase may refer, 
 perhaps more probably, to the ancient custom of setting a 
 seal or mark on the bodies of soldiers and servants, espe- 
 cially on their foreheads and hands ; a fact, which, by the 
 way, may assist in illustrating those texts, Ezek. ix, 4, and 
 Rev. vii, 3. The day of redemption must here denote the 
 day of the general resurrection and final judgment. (See 
 a similar phrase used in Rom. viii, 23.) This passage^ 
 then, rightly understood, not only shows that God's servants 
 have his peculiar distinguishing mark or seal upon them, 
 which is his own moral image, but also appears strongly in 
 point, to support the doctrine of their final perseverance and 
 eternal happiness in the kingdom and favour of God. 
 
 , 
 
Explanatory notes. 121 
 
 Chap, vi, 19. 
 
 " And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that 
 1 may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery 
 of the gospel." 
 
 Many scriptural words have been and still are misused, 
 and made to convey such meanings as, to say the least, are 
 quite foreign from their original import. The remark is ap- 
 plicable, in a degree, to the words heresy, schism, tradition, 
 &c.; and still more so to the one now before us. The 
 word mystery (in the Greek, ^vsttj^iov) has been and now is 
 used by the Papists, to denote the sacraments of the New 
 Testament, and especially that of the eucharist. By Pro- 
 testants, or by many of them, it has been used to denote 
 something incomprehensible and unintelligible by the human 
 mind. Thus, the co-existence of three persons in one God, 
 and of two natures in the person of Jesus Christ, they have 
 declared to be mysterious ; meaning thereby, that by the 
 mind of man they cannot be fully comprehended. But the 
 Greek word iivgrri^iov signifies, primarily and properly, nei- 
 ther of these, but something hidden, concealed, in opposi- 
 tion to its being revealed and known. For proof of this, we 
 need only to attend to the etymology of the word itself, and 
 to the connection and sense in which it is almost invariably 
 used in the New Testament. 
 
 1st. Its etymology. Mu^t^^jov is derived either from the 
 Greek word /xusiv, to shut up, to conceal ; or from the Hebrew 
 noun MiSTAR — a thing hidden, concealed ; which is from 
 the verb satar, to hide, conceal. The etymological im- 
 port of the word, therefore, is not something incomprehen- 
 sible, but something hitherto concealed — not revealed. 
 And that such is in fact its proper meaning, is yet further 
 evident — 
 
 2d. From the connection and sense in which the word is 
 commonly, almost invariably, used in the New Testament. 
 See, among numerous others, the following passages : — 
 Mat. xiii, 11 — " Unto you it is given to know the mysteries 
 of the kingdom of heaven." But how could the disciples 
 know those mysteries, ifthey were incomprehensible or un- 
 intelligible? Rom. xvi, 25, 26 — *' According to the reve- 
 lation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world 
 
 11 
 
122 CRITICAL AND 
 
 began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of 
 the prophets, according to the commandment of the ever- 
 lasting God, made known to all nations, for the obedience 
 of faith." Here a mystery is explained to be that which 
 was kept secret, but which had been since revealed and made 
 manifest, and made known to all nations. 1 Cor. xv, 51— 
 "Behold I shew you a mystery." What mystery 1 The 
 apostle proceeds, in the three succeeding verses, to tell us 
 what it is. It is, in short, the mystery of the general resur- 
 rection, and of that glorious transformation v/hich the bodies 
 of the saints are then to experience. This subject had 
 been kept concealed from the pagan Gentiles. The evi- 
 dence in favor of a resurrection to a future life, from the 
 light of nature, their only guide, was at the best presumptive 
 merely, and was too weak, they thought, to render the doc- 
 trine credible. Hence the Greeks not only disbelieved, 
 but derided it. (Acts xvii, 32.) To them, to the Corinth- 
 ians in their pagan state, this doctrine had been a mystery ; 
 i. e. it had not been revealed to them ; but having been 
 shewed, revealed to them by the apostle, it was a mystery 
 to them no longer. Certainly it was not to such of them as 
 beUeved in the apostle's divine inspiration, and credited his 
 testimony. Once more : Col. i, 25, 26 — " The word of 
 God ; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and 
 from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints." 
 Here a mystery is, said to be that which bad once been hid, 
 but has since been made manifest. I shall quote at present 
 no more passages ; but would merely advise the reader, 
 who may not be satisfied with the interpretation above given, 
 and still adheres to the too prevailing modern one, to attend 
 carefully to the following places, which are, I believe, all the 
 rest whore the word mystery occurs in the New Testament, 
 viz : Mark iv, 11 : Luke viii, 10 : Rom. xi, 25 : 1 Cor. ii, 
 6, iv, 1, xiii, 2, and xiv, 2 : Eph. i, 9, iii, 3 — 9, v, 32 : Col. 
 ii, 2, and iv, 3 : 2 Thcss. ii, 7 : 1 Tim. iii, 9, and iii, 16 : 
 Rev. i, 20, X, 7, and xvii, 5. He will perceive that in al- 
 most all the above texts, mystery {jxxigriq^iav) denotes not 
 something incomprehensible or unintelligible ; but some- 
 thing which had been kept secret, but is now revealed, de- 
 clared in the word of God, declared by him for our instruc- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 123 
 
 tion, and which may of course be in some good measure 
 known and understood by us. The practical use to be 
 made of all that has been said on this article is, that we 
 should be very careful to use scriptural words in their primi- 
 tive and proper sense. To the neglect of this, or to the 
 contrary practice, is to be attributed, in part, a great pro- 
 portion of those doctrinal and practical errors, which have 
 so much abounded in Christendom. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 Chapter i, Verse 10. 
 
 " That ye may approve things that are excellent ;" or, 
 '^ that ye may try the things that differ,' as the clause may be 
 Tendered. 
 
 These words, therefore, may be understood as expressing 
 the apostle's wish and petition, not merely that the Phihp- 
 pian Christians might cordially approve of those things which 
 were really excellent ; but also that their intellectual facul- 
 ties might be exercised in distinguishing truth from error ; 
 that thus they might discover and determine what things 
 were really excellent, and thus v/orthy of approbation. How 
 indispensable then the duty, and how urgent the necessity, 
 of examining, of searching the scriptures, and of Investiga- 
 ting subjects for ourselves ; for if we neglect this duty, and 
 depend on the mere opinions of other men, v/e may indeed 
 be " ever learning," after a sort, but shall be apt " never to 
 come to the (saving) knowledge of the truth." 
 
 Yerse 23. 
 
 " For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to de- 
 part, and to be with Christ, w^hich is far better." 
 
 This is to be classed among those texts of scripture, which 
 exhibit the doctrine of a separate, intermediate state of ex- 
 istence ; for it expresses the conviction of an inspired apos- 
 tle, that immediately on his departure from this world, he 
 should be with Christ. Thus to be, St. Paul says, is far 
 better than to remain here ; which could not be true, other- 
 wise than on the ground that he would then be in a state of 
 
124 CRITICAL AND 
 
 both conscious and happy existence. In a word, the text 
 before us teaches at once the doctrines both of a separate 
 state, and of the immediate happiness of Christians at death. 
 
 Chap, hi, 2. 
 
 "Beware of the concision." 
 
 The word xararo/x^jv, rendered concision, and which may 
 with equal propriety be rendered excision, seems in this place 
 to denote those judaising teachers, who, in the apostolic 
 age, infested not only the Philippian church, but many other 
 churches also ; and who, as this characteristic word imports, 
 cut off, or cut down. Indeed, the word may represent both 
 their works and their punishment. By insisting so much 
 on the necessity of circumcision, in order to salvation, (see 
 Acts XV, 1), and by their incessant commixture of Judaism 
 with Christianity, they cut down, as it were, the fundamental 
 pillars of the latter, and cut off or frustrated the hopes of 
 individuals, since " other foundation could no man lay, than 
 that which was laid, which was Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. iii, 
 11.) The doom or punishment of these men may also have 
 been referred to. By cutting off all well-grounded hopes 
 of salvation from others, they did the same thing for them- 
 selves. By shutting up the kingdom of heaven against other 
 men, they shut it against themselves, also, and were thus 
 left to punish themselves, by being the authors of their own 
 destruction. When the blind lead the blind, both will fall 
 into the ditch. (Luke vi, 39.) 
 
 Yerse 11. 
 
 " If, by any means, I might attain unto the resurrection 
 of the dead." 
 
 This cannot mean the literal and general resurrection. 
 For to the resurrection here spoken of, St. Paul represents 
 it as difficult to attain ; and from the following verses it 
 appears, that whether he should eventually attain to it or not, 
 would depend on his own faithfulness or unfaithfulness. 
 But in the literal resurrection, all men will participate, whe- 
 ther faithful or unfaithful, whether good or bad ; " for the 
 hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall 
 hear his voice, and shall come forth," (John v, 28, 29.) 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 125 
 
 By the resurrection of the dead, therefore, St. Paul must 
 have here intended the receiving of that glorious and spiritual 
 body mentioned in verse 21st, and there represented as op- 
 posed to his present vile body. Or to express it otherwise ; 
 in John v, 29, the I^ord Jesus speaks of " the resurrection 
 of life/' and of "the resurrection of damnation." Now, it 
 is the first of these resurrections that the apostle refers to in 
 the words before us. even the resurrection unto eternal life. 
 Such was the resurrection that the apostle here represents 
 himself as so diligently seeking. , 
 
 Yerse 20. 
 
 "For our convei-eation is in heaven." 
 
 Thb word conversation, in its vulgar sense, denotes fa- 
 miliar discourse — verbal communication. Sometimes it is 
 used to signify intercourse, behavior, &c. But neither of 
 these terms expresses the full meaning of the Greek noun 
 here used. This is TToX/Vsjixa, citizenship. The design of 
 the apostle, therefore, in this expression, was to assert not 
 only the practice, but also the heavenly relation of himself 
 and of his Phiiippian brethren, and Consequently of ail true 
 Chi'istians. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Chapter i, Yerse 24. 
 
 "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up 
 that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, 
 for his body's sake, which is the church." 
 
 What does the apostle mean by " that which is behind of 
 the afflictions of Christ'?" Certainly he does not riiean that 
 the sufferings of Christ were defective and insufficient, in 
 the expiatory and propitiatory sense. We cannot suppose 
 that he would thus have implicitly contradicted the evident 
 import of the last words of his dying Lord — " It is finished." 
 Besides, even if there had been any deficiency or insuffi- 
 ciency in the sufferings of Christ in this view, we cannot 
 suppose that the apostle would ever have seriously thought 
 of making up this deficiency by his own personal sufferings, 
 and thus have placed himself, as it were, on a level with 
 11* 
 
126 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Christ, by undertaking to perform, in conjunction with him, 
 the peculiar, appropriate work of an atoning Saviour ! By 
 <' the afflictions of Christ," in this passage, must be intend- 
 ed afflictions endured ybr tlie sake of Christ ; for the defence 
 of his truth, and the advancement of his cause on earth. 
 Christ himself had suffered much for these purposes, as well 
 as in the capacity of an atoning and propitiatory sacrifice. 
 But there was something behind yet. His people, and es- 
 pecially his ministers, must not only labor, but suffer much, 
 in order that the great and most benevolent purposes for 
 which he came into the world might be accomplished ; that 
 his body, the church, might be edified and enlarged to the 
 degree designed in the divine counsels, and that the glory 
 of God might be thereby promoted. The faithful preaching 
 of the gospel was always in those days attended with many 
 sufferings. But under all these the apostle rejoiced, in view 
 of " the joy set before him," and of the good which would 
 thereby accrue to others. In another view, also, these his 
 sufferings might be called the sufferings of Christ, viz. as 
 they, or many of them, were of the same kind that Christ 
 underwent, and were endured with the same spirit. 
 
 Chap, ii, 8. 
 
 " Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and 
 vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments 
 of the world, and not after Christ." 
 
 The word translated spoil is a compound, being derived 
 from ^uXa, spoils, and ayw, to lead away, or carry off. Pri- 
 marily, it relates to, and is descriptive of the conduct of a 
 victorious enemy, who, having subdued his antagonist, dis- 
 possesses him of his treasures, and carries them off as spoils 
 from the field of battle. How forcibly expressive, then, is 
 it of that complete moral subjection and ruin, to which the 
 apostle considered the Colossians as exposed from philoso- 
 phy. The 9<Xogo(p(a, however, which the apostle here men- 
 tions, cannot intend true and genuine philosophy ; for it 
 would be very absurd to pretend that this can ever be hos- 
 tile, or in any way injurious to Christianity. Neither does 
 Christianity forbid or discourage our attention to the sciences 
 generally, but is friendly to them all, when they are pursued 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 127 
 
 and cultivated in due subordination to our immortal inte- 
 rests. It is too notorious to be denied, that most of the 
 literature and science that have been in the world, s-ince the 
 commencement of the christian era, have been in christian 
 nations, and have been owing, no doubt, to the fostering 
 influence of Christianity itself. But by philosophy, in this 
 passage, the apostle intends what may be called philoso- 
 phism, false philosophy, vain and deceitful, as in this same 
 verse he describes it ; or " science, falsely so called," as in 
 1 Tim. vi, 20. In a word, the object of St. Paul, in this 
 verse, was to warn us against being corrupted from " the 
 simplicity that is in Christ," by infidel philosophy on the 
 one hand, or by Jewish or any other human traditions and 
 inventions on the other. How seasonable, how important, 
 the warning in our own days, also ! " He that hath an ear, 
 let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." 
 
 Yerse 18. 
 
 " Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary 
 humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those 
 things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly 
 mind." 
 
 The only particular in this verse which seems to require 
 illustration, is " worshipping of angels." What is intended 
 by such worship 1 To understand this subject correctly, it 
 must be remembered that the primitive church, though so 
 highly favored with divine inspiration and apostolic instruc- 
 tion, soon began to be infested and corrupted by pagan phi- 
 losophy and Jewish traditions. And perhaps no particular 
 church was more so than the one at Colosse. (See ch. ii, 
 8, 16, &c.) This worshipping of angels seems to have 
 originated among the Pagans. At first, it seems, those 
 angels, or imaginary angels, were regarded by them as 
 mediators only between the Deity and themselves ; but that 
 in process of time, as might have been expected, they be- 
 came more directly the objects of religious adoration them- 
 selves. Indeed, the process in this matter, among the hea- 
 then, appears to have been much the same as it was after- 
 wards in the Roman papal church, in respect to the images 
 of departed saints. Accordingly, in ecclesiastical history, 
 
128 CRITICAL AND 
 
 image-worship itself, as practised by that church, is consi- 
 dered as having come from the Gentiles. (See Milner, vol. 
 iii, page 154.) These remarks may serve to prepare the 
 way for our understanding what is here meant by the wor- 
 shipping of angels. Certain persons, it seems, in the church 
 at Colosse, were still so much under the influence of their 
 old pagan philosophy and superstition, that they were for 
 introducing angels into their worship ; i. e. for introducing 
 angels as helps in divine worship, as mediators, pretending 
 it was too much, too great arrogance for surh mean crea- 
 tures as men were, to attempt to worship ths Majesty of 
 Heaven, without their mediation. There was an appear- 
 ance of humility in all this ; but it was nothing more. It 
 was a mere voluntary humility ; one entirely of their own 
 invention and choice ; such an humility as Jehovah never 
 required, and would never approve : Yea, it was no true 
 humility. It deserved a far different name. It was in reat- 
 ity, pride, rank pride, as it led the subjects of it to " exer- 
 cise themselves in great m.atters, and in things too high for 
 them ;" to pry presumptuously into the invisible world, and 
 to attempt to understand and teach such things concerning 
 angels as are- no where revealed. Thus they intruded into 
 those things which they had not seen, and could not see, 
 nor know, and became, of course, vainly puffed up by their 
 fleshly minds. Besides, by introducing the worship or me- 
 diation of angels, they would rob the Redeemer of his ap- 
 propriate glory ; for he is the one and the only mediator 
 between God and men. (1 Tim. ii, 5.) No wonder, then, 
 that the apostle should give such a caution against the wor- 
 shipping of angels. 
 
 Cha.p. Ill, 14. 
 
 " And above all these things, put on charity, which is the 
 bond of perfcctness." 
 
 It is probable that most readers consider the word ahove^ 
 as here denoting preference ; as if St. Paul had said, * Put 
 on charity, as preferable to all the other virtues,' mentioned 
 in verse 12. Indeed, charity, or love, must be allowed to 
 have the pre-eminence over all the other characteristics of 
 the true believer. (See 1 Cor. xii, 31, and ch. xiii, adjinem.) 
 It does not, however, appear to have been the design of thii 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 129 
 
 passage, to recognise such pre-eminence. The passage is 
 supposed to be figurative, and to refer to the manner in 
 which the ancients, and especially the ancient soldiers, were 
 clothed. They used to have a girdle tied around and over 
 their other garments. That girdle served as a bond or liga- 
 ment, to keep their other garments tight and close together. 
 To a similar tendency and operation of charity, the apostle 
 seems here to refer. Charity, or love, would prove as a 
 "bond of perfectness," or a perfect bond, to keep together 
 and adjust all the other graces and gifts of the Christian. 
 How important, therefore, that in love to God, and in bro- 
 therly love, we should " increase more and more." (1 Thes. 
 iv, 9, 10.) 
 
 I. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 Chapter ii, Verse 17. 
 
 " But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short 
 time, in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abun- 
 dantly to see your face, with much desire." 
 
 The apostle here refers to the event related in Acts xvii^ 
 10. In consequence of the insurrection, menaces, and vio- 
 lence of the Jews, the brethren were obliged to send away 
 himself and Silas by night, from Thessalonica to Berea ; 
 and his design, in the ^ret part of this verse, was to declare 
 not only the fact of his having been then separated from 
 them, but also the manner of such separation, i. e. as it res- 
 pected his own feelings. It v/as, in short, as the original 
 imports, like that of children suddenly torn from their affec- 
 tionate parents, or otherwise deprived of them, and thus 
 made orphans. How pecuhar, how tender, and strong, are 
 the feelings of pious ministers towards their people ! 
 
 Chap, hi, 13. 
 
 " To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable 
 in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints." 
 
 The word saints, as commonly used, denotes the "re- 
 deemed from among men." It is well known, however, bj 
 every one acquainted with the original, that the word aj^joi. 
 
130 CRITICAL AND 
 
 translated saints, is a general word, and that it is with equal 
 propriety applicable to any intelligent beings, possessing 
 sanctity of character. It is applied to God the Father, 1 
 Vet. i, 15 ; to Jesus Christ; Mark i, 24 ; to the Holy Spirit, 
 Mat. i, 18 ; to the good angels, Luke ix, 26 ; to the Old 
 Testament prophets, Luke i, 70 ; to both the prophets and 
 apostles, and to behevers generally. Acts ix, 13, 41. In 
 short, the word, when used without a noun, and ^vitll the 
 article, as in this passage, signifies the holy ones. If now 
 the inquiry be, what class of holy beings is intended by this 
 phrase in the verse before us, the answer is, probably, the 
 angels. It should be remembered, that in this place the 
 apostle is speaking of the second coming of Jesus Christ- — 
 of his coming to judge the world. Now, we are , expressly 
 told in other places, that when he shall come for this pur- 
 pose, the angels shall descend with and attend him. (See 
 Mat. XXV, 31:2 Thes. i, 7.) Again, it will be naturally 
 impossible for the redeemed saints to accompany their Sa- 
 viour, in his final descent from heaven, and th?.t, too, in 
 their perfect man, consisting of both soul and body. And 
 much less will all of them be able thus to attend him on that 
 great occasion, because all their bodies (those only of Enoch 
 and Elijah excepted, and those excepted who shall be alive 
 on the earth at that time) will then be in their, graves. li^,or 
 the Lord Jesus will descend froni heaven with a shout, with 
 the voice of the archangel, and the trump of Gon, before 
 even the dead in Christ shall arise. (Ch. iv, 16.) It seems, 
 necessary, therefore, with McKnight, Rosenmuller, and 
 others, to refer the term saints, as here used, to the holy 
 angels ; they being the saints, or the holy ones, whom St. 
 Paul seems to have intended in this passage. 
 
 CiiAP. IV, 15. 
 
 " For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, that 
 we which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, 
 shall not prevent them which are asleep." 
 
 The sense appears to be this, viz : We, i. e. those saints 
 who shall remain alive at the second coming of Christ, shall 
 not enter heaven any sooner than those other saints, who had 
 already died, or who would have died before the coming of 
 
EXPLANAl'ORY NOTES. 131 
 
 the Lord, and who are then to arise ; but all those who 
 should then have " fallen asleep in Christ,'^ and all others 
 who shall then be alive, and shall have been redeemed to 
 God by his blood, shall be admitted to that holy and happy- 
 world at one and the same time. 
 
 II. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 Chapter it, Yerses 7, 8. 
 
 " For the mystery of iniquity doth already work ; only- 
 he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord 
 shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy 
 with the brightness of his coming." 
 
 By the mystery of iniquity, or of lawlessness, is to be un- 
 derstood, generally, antichristianism, which began to appear 
 at so early a period as the apostolic age, in the ambitious, 
 domineering spirit of some ministers, in the factious, schis- 
 matical spirit of many professors, and in various corruptions 
 of christian doctrine ; and which would more fully appear 
 in these respects, and in others, in subsequent ages of the 
 church, under a papal form. The phrase, " he who now let- 
 teth," (or hindereth, withstandeth), is supposed to denote 
 the imperial Homan power or civil government, which, from 
 motives of policy, operated as a check upon ecclesiastical 
 predominance and corruptions, and would thus operate for 
 a considerable season longer. But afterwards, after the 
 then existing impediment should have been removed, the 
 wicked or lawless one, i. e. the papacy, with all its peculiar 
 deformity, would appear ; which accordingly was or began 
 to be the case, A. D. 606. But this antichristian power 
 was to '' endure but for a while." The apostle expressly 
 predicts his overthrow, and declares by what means it should 
 be accomplished : " Whom the Lord shall consume with 
 the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness 
 of his coming." The consumption and destruction here 
 predicted, must be principally of the moral kind. This ap- 
 pears, whether we consider the means with which they should 
 be accomplished, viz. the spirit of the Lord's mouth, and 
 
132 CRITICAL AND 
 
 the brightness of his coming ; i. e. generally, the influences 
 of his Spirit, accompanying the bright display of his truth, 
 especially in the faithful preaching of it ; (means evidently 
 suited to accomplish no destruction but, that of sin) ; or the 
 fact, that the Papists, as a body of people, have not yet 
 been literally destroyed, though this awful prophecy has 
 been fulfilling against them three hundred years, but are still 
 very numerous— their number being supposed to amount to 
 140,000,000. The destruction of this antichristian power, 
 as such, began at the time of the great reformation, A. D. 
 1517, has been going on ever since, and will be completed 
 at the close of the 1260 years. 
 
 Verses 11, 12. 
 
 " And for this cause, God shall send them strong delu- 
 sion, that they should believe a lie ; that they all might be 
 damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in un- 
 righteousness." 
 
 The 11th verse, if literally interpreted, would certainly 
 show, that there is some agency of God in sin, but doubtless 
 such an one as neither reflects on his immaculate purity, on 
 the one hand, nor abridges human liberty, on the other. 
 The 12th verse illustrates the true cause of the condemna- 
 tion and final ruin of sinners. This is their own wicked 
 choice. It is their being " pleased with unrighteousness." 
 
 I. TIMOTHY. 
 
 Chapter ii, Verse 4. 
 
 "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto 
 the knowledge of the truth." 
 
 As this text has been much used in the universalian 
 controversy, and is much relied on by the advocates for the 
 final salvation of all mankind, it has become, for this reason, 
 very important to investigate its true meaning. To this 
 end let it be observed, 
 
 1st. The passage may express merely God's willingness 
 that all men should be saved. Indeed, although the verb 
 ^tXw sometimes expresses wish^ desire, &c. yet, according 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 133 
 
 to Schrevelius, mere willingness is its primary signification. 
 Now, in this sense, Jehovah, undoubtedly, willeth that all 
 men should be saved. For he saith, " Have I any pleasure 
 at all that the wicked should die ; and not that he should re- 
 turn from his ways and live?' Far from this : " As I live, 
 saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the 
 wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." 
 (Ezek. xviii, 23, and xxxiii, 11.) Such is the benevolence of 
 the blessed God, that it is morally impossible he should be 
 pleased with the death or misery of any human beings in it- 
 self considered. Human happiness and human misery be- 
 ing considered abstractedly, the former would, in nis mind, 
 be infinitely preferable to the latter. Hence, then, and in 
 this sense, he may be said to will the salvation of all men. 
 But this does not imply that all men will in fact be saved. 
 If from the mere goodness of God, and his willingness that 
 all men should be happy, we may conclude that all will in 
 fact be saved, and be eternally happy in another world ; 
 from the same premises we may conclude as well against 
 undeniable matter of fact, viz. the existence of sin and mis- 
 ery in the present world; for the principle of the reasoning 
 is in both cases the same. If because the Lord is good, he 
 will necessarily save all men from eternal misery, then for 
 the same reason, one would think, would he save them from 
 temporal misery, also, or prevent their enduring it, which we 
 know he does not. If from the mere willingness of God 
 that all men should be holy and happy in the future world, 
 we may conclude that all will be holy and happy there ; then 
 from his willingness that they all should be holy and happy 
 in this world, also, wo might conclude that they all would, 
 while here, be both holy and happy. But the conclusion 
 does by no means result from the premises in either case. 
 Though the Lord be willing that all sinners should be saved, 
 if they would be willing, yet none of them are in their natural 
 state willing to be saved, i. e. in his own way ; and to say 
 that this natural unwillingness will ever be overcome, or in 
 any way removed from all sinners, is to beg the question. 
 And if it could be proved that the phrase, "who will have all 
 men to be saved," means that God actually wishes, desires 
 the salvation of all men> (which, in itself considered, he 
 
 12 
 
134 CRITICAL AND 
 
 doubtless doth wish) ; and if it should hence be concluded 
 that all men will hereafter and eventually be holy and hap- 
 py ; the inquiry is, why then are they not all holy and happy 
 in this world ; for is not the latter an object of divine desire, 
 equally and in the same sense with the former 1 But 
 
 2d. In this verse, the apostle may refer to God's precep- 
 tive will or command ; and in this sense, also, it is his will 
 that all should be saved. For not only doth he direct that 
 his gospel be preached to every creature, but "now com- 
 mandeth all men every where to repent." (Acts xvii, 31.) 
 And says St. John, " This is his commandment, that we 
 should believe on the name of his Son, Jesus Christ." A 
 command to repent of sin, and to believe in Christ, amounts 
 to the same thing with a command to be saved ; because 
 such repentance and faith are by a divine constitution con- 
 nected with the salvation of the soul, and are required for 
 that purpose. But whatever may be the import of the word 
 loill, (which is the key to the whole passage), it is obvious 
 that the word itself extends alike to both clauses of the verse. 
 Let us read it again : " Who will have all men to be saved, 
 and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." In the same 
 sense, therefore, in which God willeth all men to be saved, 
 doth he will them all to come to the knowledge of the truth. 
 JSTow the latter clause may be interpreted in perfect consis- 
 tency with either, and with both of the above mentioned 
 constructions. For that God is ivilling that all should 
 come to the knowledge of the truth, appears from his direc- 
 tion to his ministers, to preach his gospel to every crea- 
 ture. (Mark xvi, 15.) And that he commandeth all who 
 have his written word to come to this knowledge, will not 
 be denied by such as have properly read their Bibles, and 
 believe that they are his word. The heathen also have a 
 law, (Rom. ii, 14), and are thereby required to attend to 
 truth and duty, so far as they can be learned from the light 
 of nature, and are inexcusable because they do not. (Rom. 
 i, 20.) But to carry the matter further — to say that the 
 Lord hath purposed that all should come to the knowledge 
 of the truth in this world, is saying far too much, if it be 
 true, that what the Lord of Hosts hath purposed none can 
 disannul, (Isa. xiv, 27) ; and that what he hath determined 
 
EXPLANATOPwY NOTES. 135 
 
 shall be done, (Dan. xi, 36) ; for it is notorious that all 
 have not, and do not come to the knowledge of the truth. 
 The purpose of God, and the providence or providential 
 agency of God, must always correspond to each other ; for 
 the latter is only an execution of the former. God doth as 
 he eternally meant to do, and eternally meant to do just as 
 he doth. None can reasonably deny this. If, therefore, it 
 ever were really his purpose that all men should come to 
 the knowledge of the truth in this world, he would have so 
 ordered things in his providence, that this event should have 
 Taken place. But as in fact the event never has taken 
 place, we must conclude that God never purposed, never 
 decreed that it should — never willed it, in this sense. On 
 the whole, it seems that there is no consistent and proper 
 way of interpreting this passage, but what is contained in 
 one or the other of the two constructions above mentioned. 
 
 Verses 14, 15. 
 
 " And Adam was not deceived ; but the woman, being 
 deceived, was in the transgression. Notwithstanding, she 
 shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue in faith, and 
 charity, and holiness, with sobriety." 
 
 But is there not decisive proof, from Gen. iii, 6, that Ad- 
 am was deceived, and was a transgressor in the affair of 
 the forbidden fruit, and as really so as Eve ? St. Paul's 
 meaning is, that Adam was not first deceived ; and the 
 truth of this appears from Moses' account of the temptation. 
 It thence appears that the woman was first, in both the de- 
 ception and the transgression : Yea, in a sense, it may be 
 said that Adam was not deceived by the serpent at all ; for, 
 from the Mosaic narrative, it appears that his transgression 
 was in direct compliance, not with the temptation of the 
 devil, but with the solicitations of the woman. But what 
 can be the meaning of verse 15th? That the child-bearing 
 there mentioned is not to be understood literally, is at least 
 probable, from the immediately subjoined condition of her 
 being saved therein or thereby, viz. her continuance in 
 faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety. But that im- 
 pious and infamous women are conducted through the pains 
 of the literal parturition, as safely, and perhaps as frequent- 
 
136 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ly, as those of the most exemplary virtue, is too evident to 
 be denied. The word saved here seems to denote spiritu- 
 al salvation ; and the word child-bearing, the child born — 
 the seed of the woman — 'the Messiah. The preposition 
 here translated in — " in child-bearing," when coupled with 
 and governing a genitive case, as in this instance, denotes 
 frequently the cause, either efficient or instrumental, as in 
 John i, 3 ; Lukei, 70 ; Rom. v, 11, and iii, 24 ; and such 
 appears to be its import in this place. The meaning of the 
 apostle, then, appears to have been this : — ' Though the 
 woman was first deceived, and in the transgression, yet 
 her condition, in respect to pardon and eternal happiness, is 
 by no means desperate ; for she may, nay, she certainly 
 shall be saved, in, through, or by that glorious Redeemer, 
 who was to be (and has been) born of her ; provided only 
 she obeys him, in the exercise of faith, and charity, and ho- 
 liness, with sobriety.' This is a very ancient interpretation, 
 and appears to be the best that has been given of this pas- 
 sage. 
 
 Chap, iv, 1 — 4. 
 
 '' Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter 
 times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to sedu- 
 cing spirits, and doctrines of devils ; speaking lies in hy- 
 pocrisy ; having their conscience seared with a hot iron ; 
 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, 
 which God hath created, to be received with thanksgiving 
 of them which believe and know the truth." 
 
 The Protestants appear to be correct in their application 
 of this paragraph of scripture to the Papists, chiefly because 
 the characteristics herein enumerated have been so peculiar- 
 ly exhibited by the latter. The dtdagxakiaig (5ai(xoviwv, trans- 
 lated " doctrines of devils," signify exactly doctrines of 
 demons. (See an explanation of this word in the remarks 
 on 1 Cor. X, 20.) But here arises the inquiry, whether we 
 are by this expression to understand doctrines taught by 
 demons, or doctrines concerning demons ? The last is doubt- 
 less the true construction of the phrase, viz. doctrines con- 
 cerning demons. The Papists have in fact given heed, and 
 still give heed, to seducing spirits. They have also taught 
 many doctrines concerning demons; have recommended 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 137 
 
 and established among themselves images, and image-wor- 
 ship, and said many equally strange and groundless things, 
 about the efficacy of the intercessions of departed saints, 
 and even represented those saints as the proper objects of 
 religious adoration. The propriety, therefore, of applying 
 these verses primarily and chiefly to them, cannot be rea- 
 sonably questioned. 
 
 Chap, v, 9. 
 
 *' Let not a widow be taken into the number, under three- 
 score years old, having been the wife of one man." 
 
 Into what number does the apostle here mean ? Surely 
 not the number of church members ; for neither of the con- 
 ditions here specified, viz. being of the age of sixty years, 
 or having been the wife of one man, could have been a pre- 
 requisite for an admission into that society. Into the visible 
 church a young person, and a person who had always lived 
 in celibacy, were as admissible (other things being equal) as 
 any other person. The number here intended must have 
 been the number of those who were to be maintained by the 
 charity of the church, and perhaps to act as deaconesses in 
 it. To this interpretation the whole context obviously 
 points. (See particularly, verses 3, 4, 8, and 16.) 
 
 Chap, vi, 8. 
 
 " And having food and raiment, let us be therewith 
 content." 
 
 The original word translated raiment, properly signifies 
 covering. It is a generic or general word, and in its appli- 
 cation ought not of course to be restricted to mere raiment, 
 the covering for the body. It is, at least, and with equal 
 propriety, applicable to a dwelling-place, a house, or house- 
 covering. (See Rosenmuiler, in loco.) This exhortation 
 of the apostle, therefore, does not forbid, but implicitly al- 
 lows us to be suitably careful and laborious, for the requisite 
 accommodations and comforts of life generally, such as 
 food, raiment, dwelling houses, &c. for ourselves and fami- 
 lies. At the same time it must be conceded, that by im- 
 plication it forbids us to seek after more, i. e. for ourselves 
 and ours ; and like the similar precept in Mat. vi, 25, for- 
 bids anxiety about even these. 
 12* 
 
138 CRITICAL AND 
 
 II. TIMOTHY. 
 
 Chapter i, Verse 10. 
 
 " Who hath abolished death, and hath brought Hfe and 
 knmortality to light through the gospel." 
 
 By life and immortality, or incorruption, some have un- 
 derstood Jesus Christ himself particularly, as exemplify- 
 ing in his own person, and by his resurrection from the 
 dead, that life and immortality which are to be the inherit- 
 ance of all true believers. The meaning of the expression 
 they suppose to be much the same with that of 1 John i, 2, 
 " the life was manifested ;" i. e. Christ, our life, (Col. iii, 
 4), was manifested. But does it not seem rather absurd to 
 say, that Christ brought himself to light 1 The phrase " life 
 and immortality," is a Hebraism for immortal life. The 
 common understanding of this text, and which amounts to 
 this, viz. that Jesus Christ hath brought the immortality of 
 the soul, and a future state, and particularly the eternal life 
 of the righteous, clearly to light by the gospel, seems alto- 
 gether the best. It should, however, be observed, that the 
 form of expression here used, viz. brought these subjects to 
 light, or illustrated them by the gospel, seems to convey an 
 intimation that these glorious truths themselves were con- 
 tained in the Old Testament, though not therein so clearly 
 revealed ; a position, by the way, supportable from several 
 passages of scripture. (See among others, Mat. xxii, 29 — 
 36.) 
 
 Chap, ii, 4. 
 
 '' No man that warreth, entangleth himself with the affairs 
 of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to 
 be a soldier." 
 
 It was a statute of the Roman government, that a certain 
 class of their soldiers, called the legionary soldiers, should 
 not engage in agriculture, merchandise, or, in short, in any 
 other occupation which would divert their minds from the 
 appropriate business of their own profession. To that stat- 
 ute, and to the practice of the Roman soldiers consequent 
 thereon, St. Paul is supposed to refer in this passage. His 
 obvious design was, to illustrate, by a reference to the duty 
 and practice of those who were then engaged in carnal war- 
 fare, the duty of the minister of the gospel, the soldier of the 
 
 II 
 
 [id J 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 139 
 
 cross ; to show that he, also, should not permit any worldly 
 business or recreations to divert his mind from such supreme 
 and constant attention to his appropriate work, as its unut- 
 terable importance, difficulty, and responsibility, demand. 
 It is, by the way, natural to remark, that if such be the duty 
 of christian ministers ; if, in particular, they so do — are 
 thus devoted to their work ; their people are under the 
 strongest obhgations to afford them a competent worldly 
 maintenance. Humanity and justice, in this case, require 
 it ; not to insist at present on those numerous texts of scrip- 
 ture which require this duty at their hands. 
 
 Chap, hi, 16. 
 " All scripture is given by inspiration of God." 
 Of all the passages commented upon in this work, none 
 is more practically important, and none more deserves our 
 serious attention, than this. It is here said, '' all scripture 
 is given by inspiration of God," or is " divinely inspired," 
 as 6eoir\isvsToi may be rendered. St. Paul must have here 
 referred directly and chiefly to the scriptures of the Old Tes- 
 tament, because, as appears from the preceding verse, they 
 were those scriptures which Timothy had known from his 
 childhood. But there is good reason to believe, that in 
 Timothy's childhood no part of the New Testament was 
 extant in the written form. But though in this passage, 
 Paul must have had his eye directly upon the Old Testa- 
 ment scriptures, the declaration here made is doubtless true 
 in reference to those of the New also. All that seems ne- 
 cessary for the illustration of this text, may be embraced in 
 the answers to these two questions, viz : What is meant by 
 divine inspiration, and what by the declaration, all scripture 
 is divinely inspired ] 
 
 I. What is meant by divine inspiration, in this passage 1 
 No doubt we are to understand by it, in general, some di- 
 vine agency or influence on the minds of the sacred penmen, 
 when they wrote the holy scriptures. So far all theological 
 writers are agreed. But when they proceed further, and 
 attempt to tell us what sort of agency or influence that was ; 
 and one says it was the inspiration of suggestion ; another 
 says it was the inspiration of superintendency ; and another 
 
140 CRITICAL AND 
 
 thinks that in respect to some parts of scripture, it ought to 
 be called the inspiration of elevation ; we perceive they are 
 far from being agreed in their views on this point. It may 
 be most useful for common readers, and may, therefore, best 
 comport with the design of the present work, if (instead of 
 adopting these expressions, or showing what is meant pre- 
 cisely by them) I should comprehend, in a few particulars, 
 what seems to be most important in relation to this subject. 
 I remark, then, 
 
 1st. Divine inspiration is two-fold ; it relates to what ho- 
 ly men of old spake, and to what they wrote. The apostle 
 Peter applies it to what they spake, where he says, "Holy 
 men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ;" 
 that is, when they delivered or uttered their predictions. 
 And whenever those holy men spake in the name of God, 
 and delivered the divine message to their fellow men in any 
 form, whether as a prediction or as a doctrine, or as a re- 
 proof, or as a command, they were divinely inspired, or 
 were " moved by the Holy Ghost," in so doing. But in the 
 text now commented upon, divine inspiration is predicated 
 of what they wrote, of the record which they made. " All 
 scripture is given by inspiration of God." What is scrip- 
 ture ? Is it something spoken, or something written ? The 
 latter, surely. That divine inspiration which was granted 
 to the ancient prophets, was, therefore, two-fold, relating 
 both to their oral and to their written communications. 
 
 2d. Divine inspiration was not confined to neiv truths, or 
 truths not known before. In the 105th and 106th Psalms, 
 David records the wonderful dealings of God with the an- 
 cient Israelites, together with their frequent acts of rebellion 
 against Him. And in the 7th chapter of the Acts of the 
 Apostles, we have a similar historical statement, as made 
 by the martyr Stephen, and which is there recorded by St. 
 Luke. Now, these facts were no new truths to the Jews, 
 in the sense that they were not known by them before. They 
 had been well known by that people, during all their suc- 
 cessive generations, for several centuries past. But David 
 and Luke were, nevertheless, moved by the Holy Ghost to 
 record them. Divine inspiration, therefore, is not confined 
 to new truths — truths not known before. It would be well 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 141; 
 
 for US to keep this fact distinctly in mind, when we read the 
 scriptures, and especially the historical parts of them ; for 
 we should thereby be relieved of some difficulties which we 
 must otherwise experience in respect to the divine inspira- 
 tion of the scriptures. Nor, 
 
 3d. Was the inspiration of the sacred writers confined to 
 the subject-matter of what they were to communicate ; but 
 had respect to their language, also ; that is, to the words 
 and expressions they were to use. " Which things we speak, 
 (says Paul), not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, 
 but which (that is, which loords) the Holy Ghost teacheth." 
 (1 Cor. ii, 13.) The words and expressions to be used in 
 communicating a divine revelation to mankind, are, obvious- 
 ly, of too much importance, to be left in any uncertainty or 
 contingency. How careful are men in respect to the words 
 and expressions they use in their important worldly con- 
 cerns ; as, for instance, in their wills, in their deeds and 
 conveyances, in their notes and receipts, and in every writ- 
 ten document of importance ! What great caution, in respect 
 to phraseology, is used in all the commissions and instruc- 
 tions that are given by the government to their public offi- 
 cers ; to all their foreign ambassadors, particularly I It is 
 well known, that in respect to worldly concerns, much de- 
 pends frequently on a single word used in the written instru- 
 ment. And may not this be equally true in respect to a di- 
 vine revelation ? Is it not evident, that in the latter case, 
 verbal exactness must be unspeakably more important and 
 necessary than it can be in the former, because a revelation 
 from God must relate chiefly to those interests of ours, that 
 are immensely more important than any of a worldly kind 
 can be 1 And can we suppose that any mere fallible man 
 would or could, of himself, and without divine direction, be 
 so happy as to hit always upon those very words and expres- 
 sions, which would be most suited to convey the " mind of 
 the Spirit," neither more nor less, but exactly that which the 
 Holy Ghost intended 1 This, surely, is not credible. We 
 may see, then, in the very nature of the case, an absolute 
 necessity of that which Paul declares as a fact, in the pas- 
 sage just quoted, viz. the influence and direction of the Ho- 
 ly Ghost, in respect to the words, the language used by 
 
142 CRITICAL AND 
 
 himself and by his fellow-apostles, in commtinicating divine 
 truth to mankind. 
 
 4th. Divine inspiration did not dispense with, nor sus- 
 pend, the natural faculties of the sacred writers. Speaking 
 to his apostles, Christ said, " He shall teach you all things, 
 and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have 
 said unto you." (John xiv, 26.) The Holy Ghost, then, 
 made use of and improved the memories of the apostles, and 
 in this way enabled them to communicate to mankind what 
 Christ had previously taught them. Every inspired writer 
 has indeed a mental character, a style and diction, peculiar 
 to himself. But the Holy Ghost made use of the natural 
 faculties of each, such as they were ; and every one was 
 left to communicate divine messages, and divine tmth, in 
 his own way. 
 
 5th. The inspiration intended by the apostle in this pas- 
 sage, must relate chiefly to the scriptures in their original 
 languages. The inspiration which he here ascribes to the 
 writers of the holy scriptures, must relate to those scriptures 
 as those holy men wrote them. But they wrote them in the 
 original languages ; the Old Testament in the Hebrew, and 
 the New in the Greek. Let no one be shaken in mind, or 
 be troubled by this remark, in respect to the authenticity of 
 iour English Bible. As a whole, it is a very faithful and very 
 excellent translation, made directly from the original lan^r 
 guages. But none pretends that the translators themselves, 
 though holy and learned men, were at the same time divinely 
 inspired, in the sense in which the original writers were. 
 Our translation itself is the work of uninspired and fallible 
 men 5 just as all the other translations of the sacred volume 
 are, which have been made, whether in ancient or modern 
 times, into the various languages of the world. And hence 
 none ought to think it strange, if in some respects our Eng- 
 lish version should be found imperfect, and capable of 
 amendment. But, ^ 
 
 H. In what sense is divine inspiration predicable of the 
 whole sacred volume ; or what are we to understand by the 
 declaration, ^^All scripture is given by inspiration of God?" 
 It has been already remarked, that in these words, Paul 
 must have referred to the Old Testament scripture — to the 
 
tXpLAHJiTORY IfOtES. 143 
 
 writings of Moses and the prophets ; though what is here 
 affirmed is equally true of those of the New. This, viz. the 
 divine inspiration of the New Testament writers, I here as- 
 sume, without undertaking to prove the point at large, which 
 would lead me into a discussion quite foreign to my present 
 design, and to the nature of the present work. It ought, 
 however, to be remarked, that the Old and New Testaments 
 are the only writings that can properly make claim to a divine 
 origin. No such claim can properly be made for the Apoc- 
 rypha, For that this, though excellent as a history and in 
 other respects, and though frequently bound in the same 
 volume with the Old and New Testaments, was not given 
 by special divine inspiration, appears from various consider- 
 ations, some of which are these : The Jewish church did 
 not receive it as canonical ; neither Christ nor his apostles 
 ever quoted from, or referred to it. Accordingly, the coun- 
 cil of Laodicea, in A. D. 368, do not mention the apocry- 
 phal books, as among those used by the church. But the 
 question recurs, how is Paul's declaration now before us to 
 be understood, in reference to the canonical scriptures — 
 the Old and New Testaments ? We are not to understand 
 from it, that every thing said in the scriptures was dictated 
 by the Spirit of Gob ; that is, as said by the speakers them- 
 selves. We have in the Bible the speeches and the sayings 
 of Satan, of evil demons, and of evil men. (See Gen. iii, 
 4 : Job i, 9 : Mat. iv, 3, 6, 9, and viii, 31 : Luke iv, 33, 
 34, and viii, 32 : 1 Sam. xxx, 32 : Luke xxiii, 21 : Acts 
 xxiii, 14.) None pretends that what these wicked beings 
 here said was dictated by the Spirit of God, or that they 
 were divinely inspired, when they said the things attributed 
 to them in these passages. But though these speakers 
 themselves were not divinely inspired, in saying what they 
 did ; yet the sacred writers were divinely inspired, in record- 
 ing what they said. And this is what is mainly intended 
 by the declaration, "t^// scripture is given by inspiration of 
 God ;" that is, the record itself is divinely inspired ; the 
 sacred penmen were divinely inspired, in making that re- 
 cord, in writing the sacred volume. To a well-disposed 
 and enlightened mind, a few such passages as those above 
 referred to, and which contain the speeches of devils and 
 
144: CRITICAL ANS 
 
 wicked men, will not occasion any serious difficulty in res» 
 pect to that species of inspiration, which relates to the con- 
 tents, the subject-matter of the Bible ; and they do not at 
 all affect that species of it which relates to the record itself, 
 and which is intended in the passage now commented upon. 
 The sacred writers might have had the guidance of the Holy 
 Ghost, when they wrote or recorded the sayings and speech- 
 es of devils and wicked men, equally as when they wrote 
 any other part of the holy scriptures. It is to be carefully 
 remembered, that when they recorded those speeches, or 
 any of those abominable sins, which are mentioned in scrip- 
 ture, they never express the divine approbation of them ; 
 but always the contrary, when there is any occasion for their 
 so doing. The inspired writer records as a matter of fact, 
 David's adultery and murder, (2 Sam. xi) ; but he adds — 
 " The thing which David had done displeased the Lord." 
 It is not necessary, in order to the whole Bible's being the 
 word of God, that every thing recorded in it as having been 
 said or done, should have been immediately dictated by the 
 Spirit of God ; or that it should be, in itself considered, 
 agreeable to the holy nature of God. In a word : when 
 inspiration is predicated of the entire Bible ; when it is said, 
 as in the passage now before us, " All scripture is given by 
 inspiration of God," reference is had to the record itself; 
 and the meaning is, that in making that record, the sacred 
 penmen were divinely influenced, and directed just what to 
 write, and how to write it ; so that the Bible might be, both 
 as to matter and form, exactly what God would have it to 
 be ; and that it might contain just what he saw proper and 
 necessary to be communicated for the advancement of his 
 own glory, and for the instruction and best good of mankind. 
 And it is in this sense that "a// scripture" is divinely inspir- 
 ed, and that it is even all of it the " word of God." (See 
 Woods on Inspiration.) 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 145 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 Chapter ii, Yerse 5. 
 
 ** For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the 
 World to come, whereof we speak." 
 
 What is meant by " the world to come," in this passage? 
 It is probable most readers understand by this expression, 
 the future state of existence. But this is a mistake. " The 
 Jews were accustomed to dispute concerning the two ages 
 of the world ; the one of which they called clam hazze, 
 the present age or world ; the other olam habbau, the age 
 or world to come. The former, in their opinion, was to 
 comprehend the time from the creation to the advent of the 
 Messiah. The latter they referred to the joyful time when 
 the Messiah should come." (See Robinson's Greek Lexi- 
 con.) This world to come, i. e. the times and concerns of 
 the christian dispensation, as distinguished from all preced- 
 ing dispensations, had not been subjected to the angels. 
 The angels had had much to do in the concerns of the Mo- 
 saic or Jewish dispensation, and had exercised a very con- 
 siderable control over them. In particular, they were the 
 principal instruments whom God used in the introduction of 
 that dispensation, or in the delivery and promulgation of the 
 law. Hence St. Stephen reminds the Jews, that they had 
 " received the law by the disposition of angels," (Acts vii, 
 53) ; and St. Paul declares that this law was ordained by 
 angels, in the hand of a Mediator. (Gal. iii, 19.) But they 
 had not had a similar agency in the introduction of the chris- 
 tian dispensation ; nor had they been permitted to exercise 
 such a management and influence over its concerns, as they 
 had exercised over those of the Jewish. The honor of doing 
 these things was reserved for one greater than the angels ; 
 for the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all the angels themselves 
 were subjected, and whom they all were required to worship 
 and obey. (Ch. i, 6.) 
 
 Yerse 9. 
 
 ** But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the 
 angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and 
 honor," &c. 
 
 The words in the Greek, f^^a-xy t», may relate either to 
 I Christ's grade of existence, while he abode on earth, or to 
 
 13 
 
146 CRITICAL AND 
 
 the duration of that abode. In Luke xxii, 58, these same 
 words are translated " a little while ;" and in Acts v, 34, 
 *' a little space;" and evidently, in both these places, the 
 sense admits of no other, translation than what is there giv- 
 en. Some good expositors, as Erasmus, Beza, Grotius, 
 McKnight, Schleusner, and RosenmuUer, have construed 
 these words in this passage, as though they related to time 
 only — thus : — " But we see Jesus, who was made a little 
 while, or for a little while, lower than the angels." 
 
 Yeese 16. 
 
 " For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but 
 he took on him the seed of Abraham." 
 
 This passage is commonly understood as teaching that 
 Christ, in his incarnation and appearance on earth, did not 
 assume the angelic nature and form, but rather the human 
 nature and form ; i. e. that for our redemption he became a 
 man, and not an angel. Nov/, that this was a truth, that 
 Christ did assume, not the angelic nature, but the human na- 
 ture, and that too with all its infirmities and evils except 
 sin, into an intimate union with the divine nature, that he 
 might thereby be fully qualified for the work which the Fa- 
 ther had given him to do, is undeniable. But the question 
 is, was this the truth chiefly meant in this place, or was this 
 the main thing here intended by the apostle 1 Whoever un- 
 derstands the original, and will attend to the etymology of 
 the verb here used, will perceive that its precise meaning is, 
 to lay hold on, or to lay hold of. Accordingly, it is thus 
 rendered in almost all the instances of its occurrence in the 
 New Testament. (See Mat. xiv, 31 : Mark viii, 23 : 
 Luke xxiii, 26, and xx, 20, 26 : 1 Tim. vi, 12, 19.) This 
 text, then, may, at least as- properly, be translated thus : — 
 * He laid not hold on angels, but he laid hold on the seed of 
 Abraham.' Such is the interpretation of the verse given by 
 many commentators, and such is probably the true interpre- 
 tation of it. And what a good sense does it make ! What 
 an important truth does it exhibit ; a truth, which is not only 
 elsewhere and abundantly taught in the scriptures, but which 
 constitutes the very essence of the gospel. St. Peter tells 
 us, that " God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast ; 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 147 
 
 tliem down to hell, and delivered them into chains of dark- 
 ness, to be reserved unto judgment." For them there is no 
 redemption. But for the seed of Abraham, for the lost 
 sheep of the house of Israel, the Saviour became incarnate ; 
 them he came to redeem ; on them he took hold, to deliver 
 them from going down to the pit. We are not to suppose, 
 from this passage, that the covenant of redemption includes 
 none but the lineal seed of Abraham ; nor that it includes 
 all even of them ; " for they are not all Israel, vv^hich are 
 of Israel ; neither because they are the seed of Abraham, 
 are they all children." (Rom. ix. 6, 7.) The covenant of 
 redemption includes, and Christ came to redeem, all those 
 who ever have been, all who are now, and all who ever shall 
 'be, the spiritual seed of Abraham, whether they be Jews or 
 Gentiles ; and undoubtedly the aggregate number of the 
 saved from the Gentiles will be unspeakably greater than 
 such number from the Jews. Still, however, it was proper 
 that in this place the seed of Abraham should be particularly 
 mentioned ; because not only was the gospel first published 
 to them, and our Lord in person published it to them only, 
 and by this means, as well as by the concurring agency of 
 his Spirit, pecuHarly took hold on them to save them ; but 
 also this epistle w^as written to them. 
 
 Chap, iv, 9. 
 
 " There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of 
 God." 
 
 2a§§arj^f/.oj, the word here translated rest, signifies prop- 
 erly and exactly, a keeping or enjoying of the Sabbath. 
 And in this sense, the verb ^a§§aTi(^6o, from which the noun 
 ga§§ar{^fxog is derived, is used in the Septuagint. (See in 
 that version, Ex. xvi, 30 ; Lev. xxvi, 35.) That this text 
 refers principally to the heavenly state, must be admitted ; 
 yet, as referring thereto, its meaning is more definite than 
 common readers are aware. For as the precise import of 
 ga§§ar»5'f/'0^ is a keeping or enjoying of the Sabbath ; so, as 
 applied to the world of glory, it illustrates very impressively 
 the peculiar natiire of its employments and enjoyments. In 
 other words, it shows that they will be like to those of a 
 Sabbath (i. e. of one rightly sanctified) on earth. It surely 
 
148 CRITICAL AND 
 
 becomes us, then, in the appUcation of this thought, to in- 
 quire whether we love the Sabbath, and its appropriate du- 
 ties, on earth ; whether we can truly call them a delight. 
 (Isa. Iviii, 13.) If we cannot so say, and so feel; if, on 
 the contrary, from weariness with, and dislike to the exercis- 
 es of this holy day, and from worldly mindedness, we are for, 
 saying, *' When will the Sabbath be gone, that we may set: 
 forth wheat," (Amos viii, 5) ; if such be the case with usy 
 dreadful is our state, presumptuous are all our hopes for fu- 
 ture happiness. For, obviously, if we have no relish for the 
 entertainments of our earthly Sabbaths, we cannot have 
 any for the similar and more spiritual ones of the celestial 
 sabbatism ! 
 
 Verse 12. 
 
 " For the word of Oon is quick and powerful, and sharp- 
 er than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing 
 asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and 
 is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." 
 
 By the ivord of God, here mentioned, the written word, 
 the Bible, is generally supposed to be meant. And though 
 the term Xoyog be used in at least sixteen different senses or 
 shades of meaning, and frequently means the Lord Jesus 
 Christ himself; yet that, in this text, it denotes the written 
 word, or denotes that primarily and principally, is very pro- 
 bable, especially because the epithets here used, are in fact, 
 and with peculiar propriety, applicable to the holy scriptures. 
 Most of the language here used is metaphorical, and very 
 strong, but not too strong. Ask the Christian, who has 
 " tasted the good word of God,^' and he will tell you so. To 
 every such an one, the written word has been indeed " quick 
 and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing 
 even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit," &c. or, (as 
 it is expressed, 1 Thess. ii, 13), it '' worketh effectually in 
 them that believe." The degree of its effectual operation is, 
 however, very different in different believers ; as different as 
 are the degrees of that sanctification which they respectively 
 have experienced. It is equally true, that in every instance 
 of its being effectual on either saints or sinners, " the excel- 
 lency of the power is of God, and not of man ;" nor even of 
 the written word itself. It is the Holy Spirit, and that only, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 14& 
 
 which, co-operating with the word, renders it effectual for 
 the " casting down of imaginations, and of every high thing 
 that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God," and for 
 " bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of 
 Christ." (2 Cor. x, 5.) It may be added, that this instru- 
 mental efficacy of the scriptures on their own hearts and 
 lives, is to believers an intuitive and decisive proof of their 
 divine original. 
 
 Chap, v, 4. 
 
 " And no man taketh this honor to himself, but he that 
 is called of Goo, as was Aaron." 
 
 It may be thought by some, that any attempt to elucidate 
 this text is lost, or at least unnecessary labor, because its true 
 meaning may be said to be already evident ; and (what ren- 
 ders criticism the less necessary) self-evident also. But what 
 then is this evident, this self-evident meaning 1 It is easy to 
 tell what it is not, and as easy to prove, that by ignorant en- 
 thusiasts, this text has been misinterpreted, and perverted to 
 very bad purposes. It has been understood and represented, 
 it seems, as teaching that there must^be a kind of passivity on 
 our part, and a kind of miraculous, or at least extraordinary 
 agency and vocation, on God's part, in our induction into 
 the christian ministry ; that personal study and labor in 
 storing the mind with useful human knowledge, say of the 
 languages, history, philosophy, &c. is not at all necessary to 
 qualify one to be an useful minister ; that the young man, 
 or whoever else he be, needs not, or should not, be active in 
 such preparatory studies, and much less in actually entering 
 the ministry ; that in this sense he should not take such an 
 honor to himself; but that, on the contrary, he must wait 
 until he has a divine call ; must remain perhaps at the 
 plough, or at the anvil, or behind the counter, until God 
 calls him to preach ; and must then go immediately, and 
 preach the kingdom of God, not conferring with flesh and 
 blood, &c. &c. But it is time to show what the meaning 
 of this text is. And for this purpose let it be observed, 
 
 1st. That the honor or official station intended in this 
 place, is not that of a common priest under the law, nor of 
 a common minister under the gospel ; but solely of the Jew- 
 ish high priest. Whatever, therefore, may be intended by 
 13* 
 
150 CRITICAL AND 
 
 not taking this honor to one's self, and by being called of 
 God thereto, as was Aaron, this passage has no primary, 
 direct reference to christian preachers in these days* 
 
 2d. On supposition that it is referable, secondarily and 
 consequentially, to such preachers, still the obviously ne- 
 cessary inquiry is, as before, what is meant by these expres- 
 sions—" not taking this honor to one's self, and being call- 
 ed of God thereto 1" Doubtless all those in our days, who 
 ought to preach the gospel, are in a sense '^ called of God" 
 to this work ; but not in the sense that some suppose. 
 Those extraordinary calls to the sacerdotal and other im- 
 portant offices, which were so frequent under the Jewish 
 dispensation, and generally during the age of miracles, are 
 not to be expected now. To be sure, we have a right to 
 demand that those persons who make claim to them, should 
 support their claim by such " mighty signs and wonders,'* 
 as were exhibited by the prophets and apostles, in proof of 
 their extraordinary commission. We may lay it down as a 
 general truth, that God doth not call any man to any parti- 
 cular work, unless he be qualified for that work. To say 
 the contrary, would amount to a practical denial both of his 
 wisdom and of his goodness, in this respect. As the chris- 
 tian ministry is, in respect to the doctrines and subjects it 
 treats of, its bearing on the present and future welfare of 
 mankind, and its eternal consequences in other respects, by 
 far the most important office ever committed to man, it is 
 evident that no novice, nor ignorant person, can be proper- 
 ly qualified for it. And as from its peculiar nature, it is ob- 
 vious that its appropriate duties can never be performed with 
 any good degree of fidelity, except where the heart is right 
 in the sight of God, it is equally evident that genuine person- 
 al piety is another indispensable qualification for it. In 
 short, these two things, at least, are absolutely necessary to 
 constitute any proper quaUfication for the work of the gos- 
 pel ministry, and any real evidence that a man is called of 
 God thereto, viz. unholy desire for the work, (1 Tim. iii, 1), 
 and an abilitij for it, (2 Cor. iii, 6.) Of the first of these, 
 the individual himself must be the judge ; of the last, oth- 
 ers mustbe the judges, and those, too, qualified to judge on 
 this momentous subject. 
 
explanatory notes. 151 
 
 Yerse 7. 
 
 " Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up 
 prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto 
 him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in 
 that he feared." 
 
 The apostle evidently refers in this place to the Lord Je- 
 sus Christ, and shows how he was employed during the 
 time of his personal abode on the earth. The only particu- 
 lar in this text about which there is any difficulty, and the 
 only one which needs illustration, is the last clause, viz. 
 " and was heard in that he feared." That Jesus Christ was 
 heard in his prayers ; that his prayers were accepted and 
 answered by his heavenly Father, is certain from other pas- 
 sages of scripture. Jesus himself said, " Father, I thank 
 thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest 
 me always." (John xi, 41, 42.) And so far, there is no 
 difficulty either in understanding or in believing. But the 
 question is, what does the apostle mean by saying, " He 
 was heard in that he feared?" Some interpreters explain, 
 or rather translate the clause, thus — " because of his piety." 
 The reason of this translation doubtless lies in the supposed 
 meaning of the original terms here used, viz. aTTo rrj'^ suXa- 
 Qsiag ; while, at the same time, the best of all reasons is 
 thought to be hereby given, why his prayers and supplica- 
 tions should be heard and answered, viz. the piety with 
 which they were offered. The word euXa^sia is supposed 
 to signify true piety, religious reverence, godly fear ; and 
 the preposition difo is said to signify, sometimes, /or, or be- 
 cause of. It is conceded that the Greek terms here employ- 
 ed are sometimes used in these senses. This same Greek 
 noUn is translated godly fear ^ in Heb. xii, 28. The Greek 
 preposition here used is translated /or, in Luke xix, 3 ; and 
 because of, in Mat. xviii, 7. But svXa^sla is not always used 
 in this sense, even in scripture, and much less in classical 
 Greek authors. (See in the Septuagint, Josh, xxii, 24, and 
 in the Greek New Testament, Acts xxiii, 10.) And as to 
 a-jro, it is certain that its proper and most common significa- 
 tion is, from. Some ambiguity attends the original in this 
 case; and our translators have preserved a corresponding 
 ambiguity in their version. For the phrase " in that he 
 
152 CRITICAL AND 
 
 feared," may signify either in as much as he feared ; or it 
 may signify in that thing, in respect to that thing he feared. 
 I suppose that the last of these phrases expresses what the 
 apostle intended in this place. A more literal translation 
 of this clause would be this — "he was heard from the fear;" 
 meaning, as I suppose, Christ was heard and answered in 
 respect to that thing which he feared, and was delivered 
 from his fear. The word fear in this case denotes the object 
 of fear. (See Professor Stuart, in loco.) In this sense is 
 the term sometimes used in scripture. (Gen. xxxi, 42 : Isa. 
 viii, 13.) In short, the meaning of this text seems to be 
 this, viz : that in those agonising prayers and supplications 
 which Jesus Christ offered to his Father, during his abode 
 on earth, and especially in the garden of Gethsemane, (Mat. 
 xxvi, 39—44 : Mark xiv, 32—39 : Luke xxii, 41—46), he 
 was heard by his Father in, or in respect to, that thing which 
 he feared, viz. the object of his fear ; and was by Him de- 
 livered from that great evil which he feared. The question 
 now arises, what was that thing which Christ feared, in res- 
 pect to which he was heard, and from which he was deliver- 
 ed ? It seems it could not be his sufferings themselves, 
 whether of vci'md or body ; not even his final sufferings on 
 the cross, because from these he was not delivered. Nor 
 is it to be supposed, that Christ ever did (on the whole, and 
 all things considered) wish and pray to be delivered from 
 them. To say he did, is the same with saying that Christ 
 did, on the whole, wish and pray to be delivered and excus- 
 ed from accomplishing that great work, for which he came 
 into the world ; in the remote anticipation of which he felt 
 such an intense interest and delight, (Ps. xl, 6 — 10), and 
 during the actual accomplishment of which he felt himself 
 so much straitened, and impelled to proceed, until it should 
 be completed. (Luke xii, 50.) The sufferings of Christ, 
 and especially his final sufferings on the cross, were an es- 
 sential part of that work which Christ, as redeemer, had to 
 perform. They were absolutely necessary for that purpose. 
 (Mat. xvi, 21: Luke xxiv, 26.) The fulfilment of many 
 scripture prophecies, the salvation of sinners, and the glory 
 of God, as displayed in their salvation — all depended on the 
 sufferings of Christ. So far as we can see, these immense- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 153 
 
 \y important objects could not have been attained, if Christ 
 had not suffered and died, and if he had not suffered and 
 died in the manner he did. If, then, Christ be such a cha- 
 racter, so disinterested, so regardless of personal considera- 
 tions, as the scriptures represent him, (John vi, 38 : Rom. 
 XV, 3), and as his whole life shows him to have been ; so 
 much bent on advancing the glory of God, in the salvation 
 of sinners ; it is incredible that he ever should have wished 
 to avoid those sufferings, i. e. on the whole, and all things 
 considered. Nor does the account we have of Christ's 
 prayer in the garden, contradict this view of the subject. 
 Christ was man, as well as God. As man, he could feel, 
 under bodily or mental pain, whether actually endured or in 
 prospect, as other men feel, and as all intelligent and all 
 sensitive beings feel. No intelhgent being, holy or unholy, 
 can feel reconciled to pain, as pain, in itself considered. 
 As m.an, as partaker of flesh and blood, with all their inno- 
 cent sensibilities and properties, Christ doubtless felt a 
 strong aversion to those sufferings, which had in a degree 
 befallen him in life, which were increased in the garden, 
 and which were soon to be consummated on the cross. No 
 wonder that his human nature should for a moment sink, as 
 it were, in view of them, and cry out, " 0, my Father, if it 
 be possible, let this cup pass from me : Nevertheless, (he 
 adds), not as I will, but as thou wilt." The account we 
 have in John xii, 27, 28, is perfectly natural, and just what 
 we might expect from such a character in such circumstan- 
 ces : — " Now is my soul troubled ; and what shall I say ? 
 Father, save me from this hour : But for this cause came I 
 unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name." This shows, 
 that whatever was the repugnance which the human nature 
 of Christ felt to the troubles he then endured, and to the still 
 greater ones in prospect— he, on the whole, chose to go 
 forward. In view of " the joy set before him," he cheerful- 
 ly " endured the cross, despising the shame," knowing that 
 these afflictions, which, though heavy, were of short dura- 
 tion, would '' work out an exceeding and an eternal weight 
 of glory," not only for himself, but for " an innumerable 
 multitude" of ransomed souls. But whatever we may sup- 
 pose Christ's feelings to have been in relation to his suffer- 
 
154 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ings in life, in the garden, and on the cross, we know that 
 in fact he was not delivered from them. If any should sup- 
 pose that the burden of Christ's prayer in the garden was, 
 that on the whole he might avoid the death of the cross, with 
 all its concomitant and aggravating evils ; still, he must 
 allow that his prayer in this respect was not heard. Christ's 
 mere sufferings, then, were not the thing in which, or in 
 respect to which, he was heard, and from which he was de- 
 livered. But the thing in which, or in respect to which, 
 Christ was heard, appears to have been his fainting and 
 failing under those sufferings ; so that he should fail of ac- 
 complishing completely the work which the Father had giv- 
 en him to do. As man, " tempted in all points like as we 
 are," and harrassed by the " fiery darts of the devil," he 
 must be supposed to have been, at times, capable of solici- 
 tude from this source ; notwithstanding the assurance he 
 had to the contraiy before the trial came, and before he be- 
 came incarnate. (Isa. 1, 5 — 8.) In respect to this thing, 
 he was heard. From this dreadful evil he was delivered. 
 
 Verse 12. 
 
 *' For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have 
 need that one teach you again which be the first principles 
 of the oracles of God ; and are become such as have need 
 of milk, and not of strong meat." 
 
 The connection of this passage with the preceding part 
 of the chapter should be carefully remembered. The apostle 
 had been speakhig of the Jewish high priest, as a type and 
 illustration of Jesus Christ, who was " called of God an 
 high priest, after the order of Melchisedek." On this sub- 
 ject, he enlarges with equal pleasure to himself and advan- 
 tage to the reader, until he comes to the 11th verse. But 
 there his ardor cools, and he very abruptly and reluctantly 
 leaves for the present his main subject ; not because it was 
 exhausted, (for he had yet many things to say upon it), but 
 on account of the inattention and indifference of these He- 
 brews. What a calamity it is, when such instructive and 
 lively preachers have to speak to such ignorant and stupid 
 hearers ! But to the passage itself. *' When for the time," 
 i. e. on account of, or in respect to the time. The time 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 165 
 
 here mentioned may denote the then present peculiar time^ 
 as a time of persecution, when of course christian instruc- 
 tion, support, and consolation, would be particularly needed 
 by believers ; or rather, as is most probable, the time and 
 very favorable opportunities these Hebrews had enjoyed, for 
 growth in divine knowledge. " Ye ought to be teachers." 
 The apostle did not mean, that, as a people, they ought to 
 be teachers, officially, but in the sense intended in Col. iii, 
 16. *' Ye have need that one teach you again which be the 
 first principles of the oracles of God." How^ forgetful, 
 then, had these Hebrews been, of what they had once learn- 
 ed 5 and what a glass is here, for many modern hearers of 
 the word to see themselves in ! " First principles," &c. 
 Christianity is a science consisting of some simple and ele- 
 mentary truths, here called first principles, and of others 
 more abstruse and sublime, and not so easily understood, 
 called elsewhere " the deep things of God." The apostle 
 adds — " and are become such as have need of milk, and not 
 of strong meat." As on this clause there has been much 
 conversation, considerable debate, and after all quite a di^ 
 versity of opinion, it seems necessary to attend a little to it, 
 to ascertain, if possible, its true meaning. And to do this 
 most effectually, it would be well for us, if, instead of be- 
 wildering ourselves in speculation, we would only attend 
 more closely to the simple metaphor here used by the apos- 
 tlej viz. "milk and strong meat." Milk is a thing easily 
 and quickly digested ; strong meat, not so easily nor so 
 readily. Hence, as says the apostle, " Every one that useth 
 milk is a babe ; but strong meat belongeth to them that are 
 of full age ;" i. e. milk is proper for babes ; strong meat for 
 persons of adult age, whose digestive organs have been 
 strengthened and improved by long exercise. Now", keep- 
 ing this metaphor in mind, we may instantly perceive, that 
 what the apostle primarily intended by " milk," was those 
 doctrines which are plain, simple, and easy to be understood. 
 Equally evident it is, that what he intended by " strong 
 meat," was not so much those doctrines which are pecuHarly 
 offensive to the natural heart, as those which are hai^d to be 
 understood — hard to be digested by the mind ; such doc- 
 trines, indeed, as he had just been speaking of; those rela- 
 
156 CRITICAL ANfi 
 
 ting to the person, character, and official work of the true 
 Melchisedek. The doctrines, therefore, of total depravity, 
 of eternal election, &c. cannot come under the denomina- 
 tion of strong meat ; or, to be sure, no further nor otherwise 
 than as they are hard to he understood. 
 
 Chap, vii, 1. 
 
 " For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of the most 
 high God," &c. 
 
 The writer's object in the present work requires merely 
 that he should show, if possible, who and what this Melchi- 
 sedek was. Now, on this difficult subject there are but two 
 opinions : The one, that he was a man, contemporary with 
 Abraham ; the other, that he was Jesus Christ himself. In 
 support of the opinion that he was Christ, it is alledged, 
 
 1st. That he was without father, without mother, without 
 descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life. 
 These characteristics, it is said, are predicable of Jesus 
 Christ only ; or at least of him, with unspeakably more pro- 
 priety than of any other person. But if we understand them 
 literally, the same sort of difficulty will attend their applica- 
 tion to the man Christ Jesus, as would attend their applica- 
 tion to any other man. The person who brought forth 
 bread and wine, and blessed Abraham, (Gen. xiv, 18, 19), 
 is evidently spoken of as a man. If, therefore, Christ were 
 that person, Christ must here be referred to in his human 
 nature only : But surely as man, Christ was not without 
 mother, nor without descent, nor without beginning of days, 
 nor without end of life. If these expressions should not be 
 understood literally, but only as teaching generally that 
 Melchisedek was without any recorded genealogy, so that 
 his genealogy could not be traced ; why, then, the difficulty 
 not only continues, but becomes greater than before, for 
 Christ's genealogy is distinctly traced by both Matthew and 
 Luke. But, 
 
 2d. Melchisedek was greater than Abraham : Hence it 
 is inferred that he must have been the Christ. But this 
 circumstance alone does not prove that he was the Christ. 
 Those who think it does, must of course proceed on the 
 supposition, that there was not, and could not be, any mere 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 157 
 
 man on earth, in Abraham's time, greater than he. But this 
 Certainly is mere supposition. The greatness attributed to 
 Melchisedek in the context, was not so much personal as 
 official ; it arose chiefly from his being king in Salem, and 
 priest of the most high God. Now, in the light of scripture, 
 no office is so great and so honorable as the latter of these ; 
 and surely, in reference to solemn consequences, both here 
 and hereafter, none is so important. Now, Melchisedek 
 was such a priest, but Abraham was not ; there is, therefore, 
 no necessity of supposing that Christ is the person here 
 meant, merely because this person was superior to Abra- 
 ham ; for in the official sense, at least, i. e. as king in Sa- 
 lem, and priest of the most high God, Melchisedek must 
 have been superior to Abraham, even on supposition that 
 he was a mere man. 
 
 3d. It is said of Melchisedek, verse 8, "he liveth ;" yea, 
 in verse 24, that " he continueth for even" Hence, some 
 may conclude that he was Christ himself. But all this may 
 mean nothing more than that he liveth in his antitype, and 
 that his priesthood continueth, much in the same manner as 
 the martyrs are said to revi^ and reign in their successors. 
 (Rev. XX, 4.) 
 
 That this Melchisedek was not Jesus Christ himself, ap- 
 pears, because he is said, verse 3, to be " made like unto 
 the Son of God." He could not then have been the Son of 
 God himself. Again, in verses 15, 16, 17, we read, "After 
 the similitude of Melchisedek there ariseth another priest, 
 (i. e. another than either an Aaronic priest, or that Melchi- 
 sedek who met Abraham) , who is made not after the law of 
 a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless 
 life. For He testifieth, thou art a priest for ever, after the 
 order of Melchisedek." By the other priest, Christ un- 
 doubtedly is intended. Christ, then, is here said to be after 
 the similitude, after the order of Melchisedek. He could 
 not, therefore, be that Melchisedek himself; but who, what 
 particular man he was, it is impossible for us to tell. The 
 Jews, and some christian writers, have supposed he was 
 Shem, one of the sons of Noah. But Shem, surely, could 
 not have been properly said to be without father, without 
 mother, without descent ; having neither beginning of days 
 
 14 
 
158 CRITICAL AND 
 
 nor end of life. He had a father and a mother ; his genea- 
 logy had been distinctly traced, and was well known ; and 
 not only had he a beginning of days and an end of life, but 
 it was known when and where he was born, and when he 
 died. — But though we cannot know certainly and exactly 
 who this Melchisedek was, otherwise than that he vras some 
 great and good man, contemporary with Abraham, we may 
 know ivhat he was. Though he was not the Christ, he was 
 an illustrious type of Christ. As such, the apostle repre- 
 sents him in several particulars. At present, I shall select 
 only two, because these are the most prominent, and may 
 comprehend all others. Melchisedek, then, was a pre- 
 eminent type of Christ, as king and as priest. 
 
 1st. As king. He was king in or of Salem, i. e. king 
 of peace ; for such is the import of the Hebrev/ word. Fur- 
 ther : He was, as his characteristic name imports, king of 
 righteousness, or a righteous king. As king, then, what an 
 impressive type was he of him who is set as king on the 
 holy hill of Zion, (Ps. ii, 6), who is emphatically '' the prince 
 of peace," (Isa. ix, 6), and who reigns in righteousness. 
 (Isa. xxxii, 1.) i| 
 
 2d. As priest. Melchisedek was priest of the most high 
 God. Eminently so v/as our Lord Jesus Christ, the high 
 priest of our profession. Melchisedek had no predecessor 
 in office. In this respect, he was icithout descent ; and in 
 this respect, how strikingly did he typify Him " whose de- 
 scent was not counted from them," (verse 6), i. e. from the 
 sons of Levi ; but who " pertained to another tribe, of which 
 Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." (Terse 14.) 
 Once more : As Melchisedek had no predecessor, so he 
 had no successor, otherwise than in his great Antitype. Nei- 
 ther has Christ any successor : " Because he conlinueth for 
 ever, he hath an unchangeable priesthood," or a priesthood 
 which doth not pass away. He is " consecrated for ever- 
 more :" For " the Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, 
 thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek." 
 (Ps. ex, 4.) Before this subject is dismissed, it is proper 
 to remark, that the obscurity, and mystery, and unsatisfac- 
 toriness, which attend the scriptural account of Melchisedek, 
 seem to have been intentional on the part of the Holy Spirit ; 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 159 
 
 in order that this person might the more fitly represent him 
 whose generation none can declare, (Isa. Iviii, 3), and who 
 in this respect, as well as in many others, may be properly 
 called the " Wonderful." (Isa. ix, 6.) Let us not ' exercise 
 ourselves in things too high for us ;' but let it be our main 
 desire and endeavor, to secure an interest in the true Mel- 
 chisedek ; for " he is able also to save them to the utter- 
 most that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to 
 make intercession for them." 
 
 Chap, viii, 8 — 12. 
 
 " For finding fault with them, he saith, behold the days 
 come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant 
 with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah ; not 
 according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in 
 the day when I took them by the hand, to lead them out of 
 the land of Egypt ; because they continued not in my cove- 
 nant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 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 
 mind, 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 neighbor, and every man his broth- 
 er, saying, know the Lord ; for all shall know me, from the 
 least to the greatest." 
 
 In the first edition of this work, the expression, " finding 
 fault with them," was explained, as referring to the people 
 of Israel, and as meaning that God found fault with them. 
 In support of this interpretation, it was remarked, 
 
 1st. That the Greek pronoun, translated them, was mas- 
 culine, and of course could not, according to the rules of 
 syntax, agree with or refer to Sia&yjxais, the Greek word for 
 covenants, which is in the feminine gender ; and 
 
 2d. That it is absurd to suppose, that God should really 
 find fault with covenants of his own institution. It is, how- 
 ever, the opinion of some good commentatoi-s, as Henry and 
 Scott, that it was the covenants themselves with which God 
 found fault. On more mature reflection, I am inclined to 
 think they are correct in this interpretation, as this seems 
 best to suit the apostle's main scope in the context ; though 
 
160 CRITICAL AND 
 
 there are some difficulties attending it, and especially the 
 grammatical difficulty just mentioned, and which occurs 
 and is the same in all the editions of the New Testament 
 which I have consulted. But the point here which chiefly 
 needs elucidation, is the iiew covenant itself. What is in- 
 tended by this covenant 1 Every intelligent reader must in- 
 stantly perceive, that a correct decision as to this matter, is 
 of great practical importance ; for it will have a direct bear- 
 ing on the contested subject of infant baptism. How fre- 
 quently have the advocates for the continued existence of 
 the Abrahamic covenant been answered by their opponents 
 in this way, viz : ' that covenant has been utterly aboHshed;^ 
 and in proof of this, how frequently have the latter alledged 
 the passages now under consideration! For hence, say 
 they, it is evident that an entirely new covenant, and another 
 covenant than that made with Abraham, is made with Chris- 
 tians — the old Abrahamic covenant having been abolished. 
 For does not the apostle say, (verse 13), "In that he saith 
 a new covenant, he hath made the first old ; now that which 
 decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away V^ Hence 
 it is concluded that the great foundation of pedobaptism, 
 that which Pedobaptists themselves acknowledge as such, 
 viz. the Abrahamic covenant continued, is entirely swept 
 away. But is it so indeed? Let us examine the paragraph 
 more minutely. It is manifestly a quotation from Jer. xxxi, 
 31 — 35. For the explanation of this very instructive por- 
 tion of scripture, the following remarks may be useful : — 
 
 1st. The new covenant, here mentioned, is a covenant 
 established by Jehovah with his people in gospel times, and, 
 as will appear in the sequel, is none other than the christian 
 dispensation itself. For the apostle here quotes this pro- 
 phecy from Jeremiah, and applies it to gospel times ; which 
 he would not have done, were not the prophecy or promise 
 itself to be fulfilled in those times. 
 
 \ 2d. This new covenant is here directly opposed, not to 
 the covenant made with Abraham, but to that covenant 
 which Jehovah made with the Jews, in the day when he took 
 them by the hand, to lead them out of the land of Egypt. 
 Both the prophet and the apostle, in speaking of this new 
 covenant, say it was to be '' not according to the covenant 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 161 
 
 tbat God made with their fathers, in the day when he took 
 them by the hand, to lead or bring them out of the land of 
 Egypt." The phrase, " in the day," or in that day, as used 
 in the scriptures, is not always so precise in its meaning as 
 it is when used by us. We mean thereby, that very day — 
 that very space of twenty-four hours. But the scriptures 
 frequently intend by the phrase, about that time ; or a time, 
 a day, not far remote. (See, as specimens, Gen. ii, 17: 1 
 Kings ii, 37.) In the last passage, we have the following 
 address of Solomon to Shimei : — " For it shall be, that on 
 the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, 
 thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die." But 
 Shimei was not put to death on that very day, though he 
 was not long afterwards. The above remarks may help us 
 to understand the true meaning of the phrase, " in the day," 
 in the text before us. Manifestly, it is not to be understood 
 literally, and in its most restricted sense ; for in that self- 
 same day that they went out of the land of Egypt, Jehovah 
 made no covenant at all with them, either new or old. But 
 it means, about that time. In a word, it refers to and means 
 that period, when ^' Moses brought forth the people out of 
 the camp, to meet with God. And Mount Sinai was alto- 
 gether on a smoke ; and the smoke thereof ascended as the 
 smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." 
 (Ex. xix, 17, 18.) -The covenant, then, here meant as that 
 to which this new covenant is opposed, is not the Abrahamic, 
 but the Sinai covenant. This conclusion is both justified 
 and established by the fact, that the great and principal ob- 
 ject of the apostle, in this epistle, was to distinguish between 
 law and gospel ; to illustrate the superiority of the christian 
 to the legal dispensation, and more definitely still to prove 
 to the Hebrews, that the covenant which God made with 
 their fathers at Sinai, and in the wilderness, and on which 
 the whole fabric of Judaism was built, had been abolished, 
 and had been succeeded by the christian dispensation ; and 
 so, to prevail on them to " stand fast in the liberty where- 
 with Christ had made them free." On the whole, it is evi- 
 dent that this covenant was not called new in respect to the 
 Abrahamic covenant, as though it was opposed to that, or 
 as though the introduction of this new covenant would of 
 14* 
 
162 CRITICAL AND 
 
 6otirse cause the Abrahamic covenant to " vanish away," 
 and be no more. But it was called new in respect to the 
 Sinai covenant, or that covenant which God made with their 
 fathers, in the day when he brought them out of Egypt ; so 
 that when this new covenant and dispensation should be in- 
 troduced, the Sinai covenant and Jewish dispensation would 
 cease. The covenant God made with the Israelites at Si- 
 nai, was a totally distinct thing from that which he had pre- 
 viously made with their father Abraham. Nor did the Sinai 
 covenant disannul the Abrahamic covenant. Hence says 
 St. Paul, (Gal. iii, 17) : — "And this I say, that the covenant 
 that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law which 
 was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannul, 
 that it should make the promise of none effect." In short, 
 the paragraph of scripture before us, affords not the least 
 evidence that the Abrahamic covenant has ever been abolish- 
 ed. The mere fact that the Mosaic or Jewish dispensation 
 had been abrogated, and has been succeeded by the Chris- 
 tian dispensation, is no proof that that peculiar covenant 
 which God made with Abraham and his household, as such, 
 and in and through him, with other true believers and their 
 households, as such, has ever been abolished. Pedobaptists, 
 at least, believe that that covenant still continues, and that 
 it will continue until its capital and glorious promise, " In 
 thee shall all families, all nations be blessed," shall have 
 been fulfilled. 
 
 3d. Further to explain this new covenant, it should be ob- 
 served, that it includes something internal, as well as some- 
 thing external ; an internal, personal change of heart and 
 character, as well as an outward divine dispensation. The 
 christian covenant, or dispensation, is called " the ministra- 
 tion of the Spirit." (2 Cor. iii, 8.) The Holy Spirit was 
 to be given far more liberally in gospel times, than it had 
 ever been under the law ; and the consequence of this 
 would be, the saving conversion of vast multitudes unto 
 God. Hence it is said, in the paragraph of scripture now 
 before us — " 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 mind, and write them in their hearts ; 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 16S 
 
 and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a 
 people." 
 
 4th. The time to which this glorious promise has princi- 
 pal respect, and in which it was to have its principal accom- 
 plishment, is evidently yet future. Thus much we must 
 believe, whether the phrases, "house of Israel," and "house 
 of Judah," be understood in their literal sense, or as denot- 
 ing generally the true Israel of God ; whether they be by 
 birth Jews or Gentiles. For surely the time has not yet 
 come, when it has become unnecessary for one man to 
 teach his neighbor, and another man his brother, saying, 
 " Know the Lord ;" nor has the glorious day ever yet arriv- 
 ed among either Jews or Gentiles, (though we believe it sure- 
 ly will), when they have all known the Lord from the least 
 even to the greatest. 
 
 Chap, ix, 28. 
 
 "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many ; 
 and unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second 
 time, without sin, unto salvation." 
 
 Both the Greek word afxaprj'a, and its corresponding He- 
 brew term, signify sometimes a sin-offering. The meaning 
 of the latter part of this text seems to be, that when Christ 
 shall appear the second time, it will be without a sin-offer- 
 ing — such an offering as he made at his first appearing, 
 when " once in the end of the world, he appeared to put a-, 
 way sin, by the sacrifice of himself." When he appeared the 
 first time, it was to save the world. When he shall appear 
 the second time, it will be to judge the world. The pas- 
 sage may indeed be so interpreted, as to admit another 
 shade of meaning, not different, however, materially, from 
 the one given above, and amounting ultimately to the same 
 thing. Thus ; when Christ appeared the first time, it was 
 to bear the sins of many ; which implies something more 
 than that he merely bore them away. He bore them as a 
 burdeny also. But when he shall appear the second time, 
 it will be without bearing sin in any sense ; not of course in 
 the sense of personal guilt, and not in the sense of imputa- 
 tion neither ; but, so far as his redeemed people are con- 
 cerned, it will be to complete their salvation, by receiving 
 
164 CRITICAL AND 
 
 them to himself; that where he is, there they may be also. 
 (John xiv, 3.) 
 
 Chap, x, 4. 
 
 " For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats 
 should take away sins." 
 
 In view of this passage, it is natural to inquire, (and the 
 inquiry is a very important one), how far the animal sacrifi- 
 ces under the law, or the atonements thereby made, availed 
 for the good of those who offered them, or in whose behalf 
 they were offered, and how far they did not. How often, 
 in the account we have of the Mosaic ritual, do we read of 
 an atonement's being made. How often is it said, that by 
 sacrificing the animal which the transgressor brought, the 
 priest made an atonement for him. Now, what sort of 
 atonements were these? Were they real atonements, or 
 typical atonements ? From the well known general habits 
 of thinking on this subject, it is believed that the answer 
 to this question, which would be given by far the greatest 
 part of Christians, would be, that they were typical only ; 
 that they were not in any sense real and efficacious atone- 
 ments, but types only, and prefigurations of that great 
 and really efficacious atonement, which the Lord Jesus was 
 to make, and which he has since made, " by the sacrifice 
 of himself." Now, the truth is, that in one sense, those 
 atonements were real ; in another, only typical. They 
 were real atonements, as it respected the disabilities occa- 
 sioned to the Jew by his transgression of the Mosaic law, 
 and as it respected those peculiar penal evils, to which, in 
 consequence of such transgression, he became exposed. 
 That in these respects they were real atonements, is evident 
 from the fact, that in consequence, and by virtue of the sa- 
 crifice being offered, of the atonement being made, the 
 transgressor was actually freed from those disabilities, and 
 secured against the punishment threatened in that law, and 
 which otherwise he must have endured. In this sense he 
 was forgiven, agreeably to the promise so frequently repeat- 
 ed, " It shall be forgiven him." So far, then, as respected 
 the Jewish laiv, they were real atonements, and sufficient 
 ones. But, in another view, those atoning sacrifices were 
 essentially defective, and entirely insufficient. They " could 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 165 
 
 not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to 
 the conscience." (Heb. ix, 10.) They could not give "the 
 conscience^ or the mind, peace and rest, so that the worship- 
 pers once purged (thereby), should have had no more con- 
 science (or consciousness) of sin." (x, 2.) So far were 
 they from doing this, that they served rather to aggravate 
 their mental disquietude and distress, by bringing their past 
 sins afresh to their remembrance. This was the case, es- 
 pecially, with those sacrifices which were offered once a 
 year, on the great day of atonement. Hence the apostle 
 says, " In those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again 
 made of sins every year." (x, 4.) In the most important 
 sense, therefore, those atonements were only types and pre- 
 figurations of the great atonement made by Jesus Christ. 
 It was by this, only, that the justice of God could be fully sa- 
 tisfied ; it was on this ground, or through this medium, only, 
 that he could fully " declare his righteousness for the remis- 
 sion of sins ;" so that he might be, at the same time, both 
 *'just, and the justifier of him that believeth." And it is 
 only in the believing view of this great atonement, or of that 
 precious blood-shedding, whereby Christ's atonement was 
 made, that the consciences of men ever could be, or ever 
 will be, really " purged from dead works, to serve the living 
 God," so that they may enjoy any substantial peace and 
 rest. Let us, then, turn our attention from the blood of 
 bulls and of goats, which could not possibly take away sin, 
 and "behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin 
 of the world." 
 
 Verses 26, 27. 
 
 " For if we sin wilfully, after that we have received the 
 knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice 
 for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and 
 fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." 
 
 It is well known by those who have been much conver- 
 sant with soul-cases, that these texts have been the occasion 
 of much perplexity and distress, to many persons of thought- 
 ful mind and tender consciences. No matter how terrific this 
 or any other part of the word of God becomes to the stupid 
 and hardened sinner, so that it only leads him to flee from 
 the wrath to come, and to inquire, with the trembling jailor. 
 
166 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ** What must I do to be saved ?" But how deplorable it is, 
 that the heart of the righteous should needlessly be made 
 sad, whom God hath not made sad ; or that any weary, 
 heavy laden and anxious souls should be left in a state of 
 gloom, and almost of despair, in consequence of misunder- 
 standing these texts of scripture ; as probably has been the 
 case with some such. At any rate, it is important that these 
 passages should be rightly interpreted and understood. And 
 for this purpose, we must remember to whom this epistle 
 was written. It was written to the Hebrews, or Jews. It 
 was proper that in writing to them, the apostle should use 
 such a diction as was adapted to their peculiar character and 
 state, and had some reference to the peculiarities of Juda- 
 ism. This he does frequently in this epistle ; and there is 
 an instance of it in the texts now before us. The apostle 
 here refers to the two sorts of sins acknowledged among the 
 Jews ; those of ignorance, oversight, or inadvertence, and 
 those of presMmpfzow. , Of the first, see Lev. iv, 27, 28. 
 " And if any one of the common people sin through igno- 
 rance, while he doeth something against any of the com- 
 mandments of the Lord, concerning things which ought not 
 to be done, and be guilty ; or if his sin, which he hath sinned, 
 come to his knowledge ; then he shall bring his offering," 
 &c. (See, also, verses 2, 13, 22, of this same chapter, and 
 Num. XV, 27 — 29.) Of the second sort of sins, see Num. 
 XV, 30, 31. " But the soul that doeth ought presumptuous- 
 ly, (whether he be born in the land, or a stranger), the same 
 reproacheth the Lord ; and that soul shall be cut off from, 
 among his people. Because he hath despised the word of 
 the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall 
 utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him." Now, 
 it is a presumptuous sinning, that is referred to by the apos- 
 tle in this place. Presumptuous sins are sins committed 
 against light and knowledge ; and it is the fact that they 
 are thus committed, which makes them presumptuous. But 
 the sin here intended is evidently of this character, because 
 it is represented as committed after having received the 
 knowledge of the truth. The word " wilfully," or willingly, 
 (for the original will admit either translation) , must then, irt 
 this place, signify deliberately, obstinately, presumptuously. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 167 
 
 As to the particular kind of presumptuous sinning here in- 
 tended by the apostle, it is evident from the tenOr of this 
 epistle, that it was ajpostacy from Christianity, To this sin 
 the Hebrews were peculiarly exposed ; they were continu- 
 ally in danger of apostatising from Christianity, not only from 
 the persecutions they suffered from their own countrymen, 
 on account of their christian profession, but also from their 
 own remaining undue attachment to the Mosaic dispensa- 
 tion. Hence they were in constant danger of renouncing 
 Christianity for Judaism. This would have been in them 
 an aggravated and presumptuous sin indeed, seeing they had 
 already received the knowledge of the truth ; had been so 
 far enlightened into the evidences and doctrines of Chris- 
 tianity. And they might be sure, that if they should thus 
 sin wilfully ; if they should, either to avoid persecution, or 
 for any other reason, renounce Christianity for Judaism, 
 there would remain no more sacrifice for their sins. The 
 Jewish sacrifices had already lost their efficacy, to avert 
 even national judgments. Indeed, while they remained, 
 and were regularly offered according to divine appointment, 
 they could never " take away sin," or " make him that did 
 the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." They 
 could never make that atonement, the believing view of 
 which would give substantial peace of mind. Moreover, 
 it behoved the Hebrews to remember, that the whole legal 
 economy, including all its sacrifices, was " ready to vanish 
 away," or rather had already ceased, as to its validity and 
 peculiar efficacy. The result was, that if they should apos- 
 tatise from Christianity, and renounce Christ's atoning sa- 
 crifice, there would be no sacrifice whatever for their sins. 
 Such appears to be substantially the meaning of these texts. 
 (See Stuart on the Hebrews.) Doubtless, however, they 
 may be properly considered as by imphcation a solemn 
 warning against sinning deliberately, obstinately, and pre- 
 sumptuously, in any way. 
 
 Verse 29. 
 " 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 
 
168 CRITICAL AiJIJ 
 
 he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite 
 unto the Spirit of grace." 
 
 The only clause in this verse, on which I shall now par- 
 ticularly remark, is the following, viz. " wherewith he was 
 sanctified." The question is, who is meant by the pronoun 
 he, in this place 1 Answer — Jesus Christ is probably meant. 
 The ordinary rules of syntax favor this construction ; for the 
 Son of God is the nearest antecedent. But is it proper to 
 say, that Jesus Christ was sanctified? In reply, it must be 
 observed, that the original word translated sanctified, is used 
 in the scriptures in two senses. Both kadash, in the He- 
 brew, and (X'^Kx^w, in the Greek, signify sometimes to make 
 holy, in the spiritual sense of the expression ; sometimes to 
 devote, dedicate, or consecrate, to some religious or impor- 
 tant purpose. In the first mentioned sense, it cannot with 
 truth be said, that our Lord was sanctified by the blood of 
 the covenant ; for the saying so would manifestly imply, 
 that previously to such sanctification, he was unholy and 
 sinful; a sentiment utterly repugnant to the scriptures, 
 which characterise him as holy, harmless, undefiled, and 
 separate from sinners, and as knowing no sin. But in the 
 last mentioned sense, our Lord was sanctified, i. e. he was 
 devoted, consecrated to God, in the mediatorial work. He 
 was called a Nazarene ; and though his enemies applied 
 this epithet to him reproachfully, yet (as was the case with 
 the inscription on the cross) the Holy Ghost designed it as 
 significant and characteristical ; for, in the true sense of the 
 word, our Saviour was a Nazarene or Nazarite : He was 
 separated not only from sin, but also (after his public life 
 commenced) from all mere worldly employments and con- 
 cerns, and was devoted exclusively to the work which the 
 Father had given him to do. Hence his language to the 
 Jews, (John x, 36), " Say ye of him whom the Father hath 
 sanctified and sent into the world," &c. Hence his remark 
 in his intercessory prayer, " And for their sakes I sanctify 
 myself." But if the pronoun /ie, in this verse, should be 
 supposed to signify a mere man, and of course an apostate 
 from Christianity ; still, on account of the two-fold sense in 
 which the word sanctify is used, it will be very difficult to 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES, 169 
 
 draw from hence any substantial objection against the pre* 
 servation and final perseverance of the saints. 
 
 Chap, xi, 4* 
 
 " By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacri- 
 fice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was 
 righteous, God testifying of his gifts." 
 
 The word here translated "more excellent" signifies 
 merely more, it being in the comparative degree from the 
 word -n'oXu^, much. The passage, then, exactly translated, 
 would run thus : — * By faith Abel offered unto God more, 
 or more of a sacrifice, than Cain.' True, Abel's sacrifice 
 was more excellent than Cain's ; but the apostle seems to 
 have meant something more definite than what is expressed 
 by the general phrase, " more excellent." He meant that 
 Abel's oblation partook more of the nature of a 'proper sac- 
 rifice than Cain's. Additional proof that such was his 
 meaning will appear, from attending to the history of the 
 affair, as recorded in Gen. iv, 3 — 5 : "And in process of 
 time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the 
 ground, an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also 
 brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. 
 And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering ; 
 but unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect. And 
 Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell." You see, 
 then, that Cain's oblation was vegetable ; he brought of the 
 " fruit of the ground." But Abel's oblation was animal ; 
 it being of the " firstlings of his flock ;" and hence it had a 
 more exact resemblance than Cain's, to that great and effi- 
 cacious sacrifice which Jesus Christ afterwards made of 
 himself, when he " died, the just for the unjust, and bore 
 our sins in his own body on the tree." The matter, there- 
 fore, of Abel's oblation, made it more of the nature oif a pro- 
 per sacrifice than Cain's ; for Cain's oblation was a proper 
 meat-offering ; but Abel's was a proper sin-offering. And 
 what a difference was there, also, in the manner in which 
 these two brethren brought their offerings unto God, and 
 how much did Abel excel Cain in this respect ! For " by 
 faith" Abel offered his sacrifice : But nOt so did Cain. He 
 " was of that wicked one." (1 John iii, 12.) 
 
 15 
 
170 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Verse 6. 
 " But without faith, it is impossible to please Him," &Cd 
 This scripture needs to be enforced, far more than to be 
 explained. It may, however, be properly observed, that the 
 faith here spoken of means, directly, faith in God ; as is 
 evident from the immediately subsequent words — " for be 
 that Cometh to God must believe that he is," &c. 
 
 Chap, xii, 1, 2. 
 
 *' Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with 
 so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, 
 and the sin which doth so easily beset us ; and let us run 
 with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto 
 Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." 
 
 The connective word " wherefore," plainly shows that 
 these verses are a kind of inference from the preceding chap- 
 ter, and that of course, by the great cloud of witnesses, we 
 are to understand the ancient worthies there enumerated, 
 who may be said to be witnesses in a two-fold sense ; wit- 
 nesses in the proper sense of the word, as they did on earth, 
 and do now, bear testimony to the truth and cause of God ; 
 eye-witnesses, also, or spectators of the race run by Chris- 
 tians, and of the manner in which they run that race. By 
 the way, what is here said of those ancient worthies, viz. 
 that they are still witnesses, and that Christians are com- 
 passed about with them, plainly implies that those worthies 
 are still alive, i. e. that their souls are still alive. This pas- 
 sage is, therefore, to be classed among those other passages 
 ©f scripture, which teach the doctrine of a separate state ; 
 i. e. a state of conscious existence after death, and between 
 death and the resurrection, when the soul is separate from 
 the body. But what are we to understand by ^^the sin 
 which so easily besets us ?" Some understand thereby, some 
 constitutional sin, as it is called ; i. e. some sinful infirmity 
 or predominant sinful propensity, peculiar to individuals, 
 and occasioned by the peculiar temperament of their minds 
 or bodies, or of both. Such propensity is supposed to be 
 in one, the irascible ; in another, the covetous ; in another, 
 the sensual, &c. Now, that every Christian and every man i 
 has some besetting sin, in this sense of the terms, is proba- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 171 
 
 bly true ; and equally true it is, that every one should lay it 
 aside, and diligently watch and pray against it. It seemSj 
 however, that this could not be what the apostle chiefly in- 
 tended by the phrase in this place ; for this same easily be- 
 setting sin is represented as besetting, at the same time, all 
 the Hebrew Christians, and himself among the rest. But 
 such constitutional sin as has been mentioned, is peculiar 
 to individuals. At least, it would be very absurd to sup- 
 pose, that precisely the same constitutional sin or infirmity 
 could be attached to a whole community, consisting of many 
 hundreds or thousands, among whom must exist and appear 
 a vast variety, in respect to constitutional temperament of 
 both mind and body. Unbelief, particularly, as including 
 the danger of final apostacy, appears to be what the apostle 
 intended by this sin. For this is, in fact, the sin which ea- 
 sily and eminently besets Christians generally. (Mark xvi, 
 14 : Luke xvii, 5 : Heb. iii, 12.) And it may well be sup- 
 posed, that it would easily beset Christians in the apostolic 
 age, particularly ; for that was an age of persecution, and 
 Christians would be in peculiar danger of apostatising from 
 Christianity, through fear of sufferings. No wonder, if, in 
 such circumstances, such fiery trials, unbelief should have 
 easily beset them, and they should have found it hard work 
 to believe in the promise, " I will never leave thee, nor for- 
 sake thee ;" and so to believe in it as to say, " The Lord 
 is my helper : I will not fear what man shall do unto me." 
 (Ch. xiii, 5, 6.) Again; from the connection, and from 
 the general scope of the apostle, it is manifest that the sin 
 here mentioned is directly opposed, both to the virtue which 
 had been so accurately defined and so highly celebrated in 
 the preceding chapter, which was faith, and also to the duty 
 immediately urged, viz. " looking unto Jesus," which, also, 
 is faith. Hence arises additional evidence that the sin itself 
 is unbelief, as above explained. — Before we leave this sub- 
 ject, it is natural to reflect, what a solemn and energetic 
 motive to activity and diligence, in running the christian 
 race, is here set before us ! There is evidently, throughout 
 the whole of this first verse, an allusion to such races as 
 were performed at the Isthmian and other ancient games. 
 (See the notes on 1 Cor. ix, 24 — 26.) We Christians, aU 
 
172 CRITICAL AND 
 
 SO, like those runners, are surrounded by a great cloud of 
 
 witnesses, both in heaven and on earth, and perhaps by the 
 spirits of some of our near departed relatives and friends. 
 Like them, loe must lay aside, and throw away, every thing 
 which would retard our progress, such as our sins, worldly 
 cares, &c.; and as they pressed forward toward the mark, 
 having their eyes constantly fixed on the goal, the end of 
 their race ; so must ive press forward, " looking unto Je- 
 sus ;" or, as the original imports, looking off, i. e. looking 
 off from every created object, unto Jesus, who is not only 
 the author, but perfecter of our faith, and who still proclaims, 
 *' Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown 
 oflife.'^ (Rev.ii,10.) 
 
 Yeese 17. 
 
 " For ye know how that afterward, when he would have 
 inherited the blessing, he was rejected : for he found no place 
 of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." 
 
 The question is, what is meant by the pronoun it, in this 
 text 1 To what does it refer — to the blessing, or to repent- 
 ance ? In other words, what was it which Esau so earnestly 
 sought, but could not find 1 I answer — repentance. This 
 appears from the very structure of the passage ; for the 
 first clause of this verse is wholly distinct from the last, and 
 is accordingly separated from it in our bibles by a colon ; 
 and of course, as (xs-ravoia^ (repentance) is the nearest, so 
 it is the only proper antecedent to the pronoun aur^jv, (it.) 
 Rejjentance, then, was the object which Esau sought, but 
 could not find ; no, not " though he sought it carefully with 
 tears." But how can this be consistent with such scriptures 
 as these : — " Ask, and ye shall receive ; seek, and ye shall 
 find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you : For every 
 one that asketh, receiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth ; 
 and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened?" (Mat vii, 7, 
 8.) In reply, it must be observed, that the repentance 
 Esau sought, was repentance not in himself, but in his fa- 
 ther ; and that the repentance he sought for in his father, 
 was not of an evangelical and spiritual, but wholly of a 
 worldly kind. But to understand this matter fully, we must 
 go back to the history to which this passage refers. " And 
 when Esc^u heard the words of his father, (i. e. lUs declara- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 173 
 
 tion that he had blessed Jacob, and that he should be bless- 
 ed), he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said 
 unto his father, bless me, even me also, my father. And 
 he (Isaac) said, thy brother came with subtilty, and hath 
 taken away thy blessing. And he (Esau) said, is not he 
 rightly named Jacob 1 for he hath supplanted me these two 
 times : He took away my birthright, and behold now he 
 hath taken- away my blessing. And he said, hast thou not 
 reserved a blessing for me ? And Isaac answered, and said 
 unto Esau, behold I have made him thy lord, and all his 
 brethren have I given unto him for servants, and with corn 
 and wine have I sustained him ; and what shall I do now 
 unto thee, my son 1 And Esau said unto his father, hast 
 thou hut one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, 
 O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept." 
 (Gen. xxvii, 34 — 39.) How earnest was the son ; but how 
 inflexible the father ! Esau sought repentance in his father's 
 mind, but could not find it, though he sought it carefully 
 with tears. He earnestly, though unsuccessfully, sought 
 to make his father revoke the blessing he had given to Ja- 
 cob, and give it to himself. The precise meaning of the 
 word fAsravoja is, a change of mind ; and the evident mean- 
 ing of this passage is, that Esau could not change his fath- 
 er's mind, in respect to the benediction. The patriarch had 
 already blessed Jacob ; " yea, and he should be blessed." 
 
 Verse 18. 
 
 "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be 
 touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and 
 darkness, and tempest." 
 
 The apostle did not mean what some may conclude from 
 his words that he meant, viz. that Mount-Sinai might be 
 touched lawfully, or safely, and with impunity. The con> 
 trary appears from Ex. xix, 12, where the Israelites were 
 expressly forbidden to touch the mount, even the border of 
 it, on pain of death. The Greek word here used may be 
 translated, and must here mean, tangible — the object of 
 touch, or that which is capable of being touched. In this 
 sense, only, is St. Paul to be understood, when he says of 
 Mount-Sinai, that it "might be touched;" and we may 
 15* 
 
174 CRITICAL AND 
 
 hence perceive, that there is not in reality the least incon- 
 sistency between what Moses and St. Paul say in relation ji 
 to this matter. 
 
 Terse 24. 
 
 " And to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better 
 
 things than the blood of Abel." 
 
 In many respects does the blood of Christ speak better^ 
 thmgs than that of Abel, but chiefly in this : The latter cried 
 for vengeance, (Gen. iv, 10) ; the former crieth for mercy. 
 Its language is, " Father, forgive them ; for they know not 
 what they do." 
 
 JAMES. 
 
 Chapter i, Verse 13. 
 
 " Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of 
 God ; for God cannot be tempted with evil ; neither tempt- 
 eth he any man." 
 
 But how can this text be reconciled with Gen. xxii, 1 : — 
 *' And it came to pass, after these things, that God did 
 tempt Abraham?' The original word translated tempt, 
 tempteth, is the same in the Greek New Testament and in 
 the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament ; and this 
 very circumstance seems, at first, to increase the difficulty. 
 But there is no contradiction between these two texts. It 
 has been already remarked, in the criticism on 2 Cor. xii, 
 16, that words the same in the original, and in our transla- 
 tion too, are used sometimes in a good sense, sometimes in 
 a bad one. Now, the Greek word ■n'sipoc^w is one of that 
 class of words. It is used in a good sense, in John vi, 6 : 
 2 Cor. xiii, 5 : Heb. xi, 17. It is used in a bad sense, in 
 Mat. xvi, 1, and xxii, 18, 35 : 1 Cor. x, 9 : 1 Thess. iii, 5. 
 As used in the good sense, it signifies merely to prove, exa- 
 mine, make trial of; but as used in the bad sense, it signifies 
 to solicit to sin. We may hence perceive the true meaning, 
 and at the same time the mutual consistency, of the two 
 passages in James and Genesis. When Moses says, " God 
 did tempt Abraham," he means simply — He tried, proved 
 him. When James says, *' Neither tempteth He any man," 
 he means — He doth not solicit any one to sin. In this last 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 175 
 
 sense, " every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of 
 his own lust, and enticed." (Yerse 14.) 
 
 Chap, ii, 24. 
 " Ye see, then, how that by works a man is justified, and 
 not by faith only." 
 
 So says St. James. But St. Paul seems to speak quite 
 differently, for he says, in Rom. iii, 20 — '* Therefore, by the 
 deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his 
 sight ;" and again still more definitely and fully in verse 
 28 — " Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by 
 faith, without the deeds of the law." Now, on first inspec- 
 tion, it is evident that either these two apostles contradict 
 each other ; or they must speak of different hinds of justifi- 
 cation. The latter is undoubtedly the truth. St. Paul is 
 speaking of justification before God, His words are, '* By 
 the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his 
 sight;" or, (as the original exactly signifies), befor^e Him, 
 But James treats of justification in another view. His main 
 object is to show, that true faith is not a fruitless principle ; 
 that faith and works must and will go together ; and that 
 whenever any supposed faith is not accompanied by good 
 works, it is worthless, yea, is no faith. For thus he 
 speaks :— " What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man 
 say he hath faith, and have not works ; can faith save him ? 
 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 
 and one of you say unto them, depart in peace ; be ye 
 warmed and filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those 
 things which are needful to the body ; what doth it profit 1 
 Even so, faith, if it have not works, is dead, being alone. 
 Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works ; 
 show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my 
 faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God ; 
 thou doest well: The devils (demons) also believe and 
 tremble. But wilt thou know, vain man, that faith with- 
 out works is dead ?" (Yerses 14 — 20.) The doctrines of 
 gratuitous justification before God, and of salvation by free 
 sovereign grace, as taught by St. Paul, had been abused by 
 some in the apostolic age, (as they have been by many in 
 our own), and had been perverted to very bad purposes. 
 
176 CRITICAL AND 
 
 (See Jude, verse 4.) The language of these men has ever 
 been to this purpose — ' If the doctrine of eternal personal 
 election be. true, and we are saved by mere grace, then 
 works are unnecessary, so far, at least, as respects our own 
 salvation.' Now, it was probably with a view to such abuse 
 and perversion of the doctrines of grace, and to prevent 
 them effectually, if possible, in time to come, that St. James 
 became such a strenuous advocate for works. On the 
 whole, in the case before us, there is no contradiction be- 
 tween these two apostles. Paul pleads for the reality ; 
 James for the visibility. In a word, the former intends jus- 
 tification before God ; the latter, justification before men. 
 
 Chap, v, 16. 
 •' The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man 
 
 availeth much ;" literally, the imvr ought prayer, i. e. the 
 prayer wrought in his soul by the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Though, however, the original word must express in this 
 place, primarily and directly, not so much the exercises and 
 agency of the creature in prayer, as divine influence, produ- 
 cing such exercises and agency ; yet the former are also re- 
 ferred to, viz. the personal earnestness of the righteous 
 man in prayer. Thus much, to be sure, appears from the 
 instance the apostle immediately mentions, in illustration of 
 what he had just before asserted, viz. the instance of Elijah. 
 *' Elias (or Elijah) was a man subject to like passions as 
 we are, and he prayed earnestly — prayed with a prayer, (a 
 Hebrew idiom), that it might not rain," &c. Have we ev- 
 er prayed in this manner ? 
 
 I. PETER. 
 
 Chapter i. Verse 5. 
 
 " Who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto 
 salvation." 
 
 The Greek (p^ou^jjfxsvou?, translated kept, is properly a mil- 
 itary or rather a martial term, and signifies kept as in a gar- 
 rison. A circumstance, this, showing in a very impressive 
 manner, how strongly believers are fortified in their strong 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 177 
 
 holdj the Lord Jesus. They are kept or garrisoned by the 
 power of God, through faith, unto salvation. How does 
 the expression guard against presumption on the one hand, 
 and indolence on the other ! We must not presume on " our 
 own power or holiness," as though they were sufficient to 
 keep us. No ; it is by the power of God that we are kept. 
 But what shall we say, then 1 That there is nothing for us 
 to do ? Far be it that we should say or think so. We must 
 believe ; must use the appointed means of grace ; must 
 work out our own salvation, and give all diligence for this 
 purpose. In short, divine power is the efficient cause ; our 
 own diligence is the instrumental cause, of our christian pre- 
 servation and final perseverance. And what God hath join- 
 ed together, let not man presume to put asunder. 
 
 Chap, hi, 19, 20. 
 
 " By which, also, he went and preached unto the spirits in 
 prison ; which sometime were disobedient, when once the 
 long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the 
 ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were 
 saved by water." 
 
 From this scripture, some have inferred that our Saviour, 
 after his crucifixion, actually went to the regions of the 
 damned, and there preached the gospel, and offered salva- 
 tion ; and this sentiment has been supposed to derive yet 
 further countenance from the noted passage in Ps. xvi, 
 10, which by St. Peter (Acts ii, 31) is expressly applied to 
 Jesus Christ. But for the true meaning of Acts ii, 31, see 
 the critical remarks on that text in page 64 ; where it was 
 shown that the word there translated hell, has no necessary 
 connection with future punishment, but signifies, in itself 
 considered, either the grave, or the state of the dead, i. e. the 
 invisible separate state generally, whether that state be a 
 state of happiness or of misery. To hell, the place of tor- 
 ment, our Saviour never went. Nor does the text now un- 
 der consideration afford the least evidence that he ever did. 
 It is not said, he went to the prison of those spirits ; but 
 that he went and preached unto the spirits in prison ; went, 
 says Matthew Henry, " not by a local motion, but by spe- 
 cial operation." It is worthy of remark, also, that the word 
 
17S CRITICAL AND 
 
 here rendered jjreached, is not that which signifies appropri- 
 ately, and by way of eminence, to preach the gospel, or to 
 declare the glad -tidings. The original word signifies mere- 
 ly to publish, to proclaim as a herald or pubHc crier : And 
 though it is in the scriptures frequently applied to the gospel, 
 to denote the publication of that also ; yet it is by no means 
 restricted to that sense, but is equally applicable to evil as 
 to good, to happiness as to misery. (See the notes on Mark 
 iii, 15.) Therefore, even on the absurd supposition that 
 Christ was employed during the interval of time between 
 his death and resurrection, in an embassy to those incarce- 
 rated spirits, it would not certainly follow that he published 
 the gospel to them ; that he declared to them the good news, 
 the glad tidings, and ofi^ered them salvation. But his pub- 
 lishing, his preaching, might have been, for aught we know, 
 only a renewed annunciation, that ' there remained no more 
 a sacrifice for their sins ; but a certain fearful looking for of 
 judgment, and fiery indignation, which should devour them 
 as adversaries.' (Heb. x, 26, 27.) 
 
 But it is time to show positively what the true meaning of 
 this scripture is. And for this purpose it must be observed, 
 that the spirits here mentioned, are evidently the spirits, the 
 souls, of Noah's contemporaries ; for they are said to have 
 been disobedient, u'hen once the long-suffering of God wait- 
 ed in the days of JS^oah. But surely this was impossible, 
 unless they then existed. And whereas these spirits are 
 here represented as in prison ; this imports that they were, 
 when St. Peter wrote, in the prison of torment. To those 
 spirits, souls, or persons, while they were on earth, Christ 
 preached by his Spirit, and through or by means of his ser- 
 vant Noah ; i. e. he sent Noah to preach to his contempo- 
 raries, the wicked inhabitants of the old world; to set be- 
 fore them their sins, and call them to repentance ; and to 
 publish, proclaim to them, the impending judgments of Je- 
 hovah, and especially the tremendous judgment of a gene- 
 ral deluge, which, unless they should seasonably repent, 
 would soon come, overtop the highest mountains, and utter- 
 ly exterminate all that guilty generation from off* the face of 
 the earth. Such appears to be the true and the sole mean^ 
 jng of the above passage. 
 
IXPLANATORY NOTES. 179 
 
 IL PETER. 
 
 Chapter i, Yerse 20. 
 
 " Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is 
 of any private interpretation." 
 
 What could the apostle have meant by this last clause — 
 " any private interpretation 1" Some, the Papists especially, 
 have explained it, as denoting that individuals, as such, have 
 no right to judge and determine about the meaning of scrip- 
 ture for themselves — to put their own private constructions 
 upon it ; but, in opposition to this, they should receive as 
 correct and authentic the interpretation put upon it by the 
 church. This, of course, supposes that the church does 
 not, will not, cannot, err in its decisions relative to this sub- 
 ject. It supposes that there is in the church someivhere^ a 
 sort of infallibility, in its interpretations of scripture. But 
 infallibility is not allowed to have existed in any men, or ih 
 any body of men, since the age of inspiration. Nor is it 
 allowed that the right of private judgment has ceased, or ev- 
 er will cease. Henry interprets the words, " any private 
 interpretation," to mean private, individual opinion, and 
 supposes the meaning of this text to be, that no prophecy, 
 nor part of holy scripture, is to be considered as the mere 
 private individual opinion or wish of the writer ; but rather 
 as " the mind of the Spirit," as a revelation from God. But 
 this interpretation makes the next verse a mere repetition of 
 this, and not a reason for what is here said ; and is far from 
 being satisfactory. It ought to be remembered, that it is 
 only the prophecies of scripture that are here mentioned, and 
 that of them only is it here said, that they are of no private 
 interpretation. The primary and most proper meaning of 
 the Greek word rendered private, is one's own ; and it may 
 denote either his own, or their own, according to circum- 
 stances. This text, then, may be understood as teaching, 
 either — 
 
 1st. That the Old Testament prophets did not undertake 
 to give their otvn particular views and interpretations of those 
 predictions which they delivered, viz. of their import, and 
 how they were to be fulfilled. And there was a reason why 
 they should not. They did not, we must suppose, under- 
 stand fully their own writings ; and even if they had fully 
 
180 CRITICAL AND | 
 
 understood them, yet their commission and business as 
 prophetsj would have required them rather to predict than to - i 
 explain. Or, S{ 
 
 2d. This text may be understood as teaching, that no 
 prophecy of the scripture is of its own interpretation ; i. e. 
 (to adopt the words used in Robinson's Wahl), " No pro- 
 phetic declaration of the scripture is to be explained hij iU 
 self, or without reference to the event." Certainly, many 
 of the prophecies of scripture, and more especially those 
 which are expressed in figurative language, are of such a 
 nature, that they cannot be explained 0/ themselves, and hy 
 themselves, nor in any other way than by their accomplish- 
 ment. We must, therefore, wait for the events to take 
 place ; and comparing the one with the other, the prophe- 
 cies with the events — then, and not until then, shall we ful- 
 ly understand those prophecies. 
 
 Chap, ii, 1. 
 
 " But there were false prophets, also, among the people, 
 even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily 
 shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord 
 that bought them." 
 
 The two Greek words, translated " damnable heresies," 
 signify literally and exactly, heresies of destruction, i. e. de- 
 structive heresies. Of these, only one is here specified, 
 viz. " denying the Lord that bought them." This implies, 
 not only a practical disobedience to his authority, but also, 
 and most directly, a denial of his divinity. And surely, * he 
 that hath an ear should hear what the Spirit here saith to the 
 churches.' This warning is as important, and as necessary 
 to be regarded, noiv^ as it was in the apostolic age ; for how 
 many false teachers are there now among the people, who 
 introduce destructive heresies, and particularly the one men- 
 tioned in this text ; teachers who deny the Lord that bought 
 them ; who deny his divinity ; who assert that he was a mere 
 man, or at most a mere creature ; and who do this and 
 such like things privily, not letting their real sentiments be 
 known at first, nor until by artful management, they shall 
 have prepared the way for their probable ultimate reception 
 and triumph. But how dreadful will be the end of such 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 181 
 
 teachers, and of their deluded followers ! They " bring on 
 themselves swift destruction." 
 
 I. JOHN. 
 
 Chapter i, Yerse ^. 
 
 *' If We walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have 
 fellowship one with another." 
 
 On this passage I shall make only one remark, and that 
 not so much critical as practical. It is this ; that in order 
 to enjoy fellowship with our christian brethren, it is abso- 
 lutely necessary that we should walk in the light ourselves ; 
 should live near to God, especially in the performance of 
 secret duties. Our hearts must be right toward Him, and 
 his truth and cause, in order that they may be right toward 
 and with our brethren. 
 
 Chap, hi, 9. 
 
 " Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin, for his 
 seed reraaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is 
 born of God." 
 
 It is certain that this passage must be understood with 
 some qualification ; otherwise St. John would expressly 
 contradict other inspired writers, as well as the testimony 
 of universal observation and experience. Nay more ; he 
 would expressly contradict himself. For this same apostle 
 says, (chap, i, 8), ^' If we say that we have no sin, we de- 
 ceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." The word ifoisT, 
 which is here translated commit, may be translated, and 
 must here mean, loork. Thus : ' Whosoever is born of 
 God doth not work sin ;' i. e. doth not make a business of 
 it ; doth not practise sin ; doth not sin allowedly and hahitii- 
 ally, as others do, and as he himself once did. The reason 
 is, " his seed remaineth in him ;" that seed of divine truth 
 and grace which is incorruptible ; that principle of life and 
 vigor which is always in his soul, opposing sinful, and pro- 
 moting holy exercises of heart. For the same reason, also, 
 and because he is truly born of God, he cannot sin, i. e. 
 
 16 
 
182 CRITICAL AND 
 
 habitually, as others do who have not been born of Goi 
 that isj it is morally impossible he should thus sin. 
 
 JUDE. 
 
 Verse 9. 
 
 '' Yet Michael, the archangel, when contending with the 
 devil, (he disputed about the body of Moses), durst not 
 bring against him a railing accusation ; but said, the Lord 
 rebuke thee." 
 
 The only particular in this verse, of which I shall attempt 
 an explanation — the only one, indeed, which appears neces- 
 sary to be explained, is that which relates to Michael's dis- 
 pute and contention with the devil, about the body of Mo- 
 ses. By the body of Moses, some understand the Jewish 
 church, which, they suppose, may be called the body of Mo- 
 ses, in much the same sense as the christian church is in 
 the New Testament called the body of Christ. But by the 
 body of Moses, in this place, is probably intended his dead 
 body — his corpse. We read, in Deut. xxxiv, 5, 6 — " So 
 Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of 
 Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And He buried 
 him in a valley, in the land of Moab, over against Beth- 
 Peor : But no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day." 
 The Lord, then, buried Moses, but probably through the 
 instrumentality of Michael, the archangel. The reason for 
 this extraordinary burial of Moses' body, and for its subse- 
 quent concealment, is not revealed. It is supposed, how- 
 ever, to have been as follows, viz : that the archangel per- 
 ceived if the Israelites had buried him, and had of course 
 known Ihe place of his sepulchre, they would afterwards 
 have dug up or disinterred his body, and paid divine honors 
 to it. The devil is supposed to have been sensible of this, 
 as well as Michael. Hence, and because he wished to pro- 
 mote such idolatry, he endeavors to get possession of the 
 body. In the mean time, however, Michael interposes, 
 resists the devil, and frustrates his impious purpose. Such 
 mutual contest between Michael and the devil, is supposed 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 183 
 
 to have been the thing intended by St. Jude, in this place. 
 The above appears by far the most satisfactory interpreta- 
 tion, especially vi^hen we consider the fact, that the devil's 
 policy has always been to promote this species of idolatry. 
 And alas ! in this he has been too successful, as appears 
 particularly in the Romish church, where the worship of 
 saints and of images has been, and still is, so general. 
 
 REYELATIO^^, 
 
 Chapter iv, Yerse 6. 
 
 '* And before the throne was a sea of glass, like unto 
 crystal ; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the 
 throne, were four beasts, full of eyes before and behind." 
 
 The word beast, in our language, properly denotes a brute, 
 a dumb, irrational animal ; of course, a mere agent, not a 
 moral agent of any kind. In this sense, also, the word is 
 understood by the common people. Hence the difficulty in 
 the way of their understanding what St. John means, in his 
 representation of these four beasts, as round about the throne 
 of God, and as there uniting vvith the twenty-four elders in 
 their celestial praises. Can beasts, say they, be in heaven? 
 And even if they could be there, yet how can they perform 
 that adoring worship which is here ascribed to them ? For 
 the information, then, of common readers, it should be ob- 
 served, that though in A» D. 1613, when the present Eng- 
 lish version of the Bible was published, the term beasts, as 
 it was then understood, might have correctly expressed the 
 import of the original word, (^wa), this is not the case now. 
 The word signifies precisely living creatures. And though 
 the word itself is generic, and may mean living creatures of 
 any description ; and though it does in fact sometimes de- 
 note dumb creatures, brutes, as in Heb. xiii, 11:2 Pet. ii, 
 12 ; yet, in this passage, it must signify intelligent and holy 
 creatures only ; for surely none but such can be round about 
 ihe throne of Jehovah, worshipping him. 
 
184 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Chap, v, 1. 
 
 "And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the 
 throne, a book written within and on the back side, sealed 
 with seven seals." 
 
 To speak of a book's being written within and on the back 
 side, sounds somewhat strange to an English reader. In- 
 deed, he knows not what to make of the expression, " writ- 
 ten on the back side," unless it be that it was written on the 
 cover ; for the cover of the book is what he would naturally 
 understand by its back side. Here, again, it becomes ne- 
 cessary to advert to ancient customs. The books of the 
 ancients were very different from ours. They consisted of 
 long scrolls, (commonly made of parchment), sewed or past- 
 ed together, and fastened at the end to two rollers, much as 
 coir large maps now are. Hence we read of the roll of a 
 book, as in Jer. xxxvi, 2. These scrolls were seldom writ- 
 ten except on the inner side ; that being the side, which, 
 when the scrolls were rolled up, would of course be turned 
 in. Sometimes, however, and in extraordinary cases, the 
 other side or outside of these scrolls was written on like- 
 wise ; and when this was the case, it was a sign that the 
 scroll contained more matter than usual, and was on tha.t 
 account particularly entitled to the deep and solemn atten- 
 tion of mankind. Such, let it be remembered, were the 
 ^icXj'a, or books of the ancients ; and such, says Doddridge, 
 the copies of the Old Testament in the Jewish synagogues 
 now are. The preceding remarks may, it is hoped, serve 
 to explain satisfactorily the passage now under considera- 
 tion, so far as the nature of the book here mentioned is con- 
 cerned. 
 
 Chap, xi, 1—13. 
 
 " And there was given me a reed like unto a rod ; and 
 the angel stood, saying, rise, and measure the temple of 
 God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the 
 court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it 
 not ; for it is given unto the Gentiles ; and the holy city 
 shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I 
 will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall pro- 
 phesy a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed 
 in sackcloth. These are the two olive-trees, and the two 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 185 
 
 candlesticks standing before the God of the earth : And if 
 any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, 
 and devoureth their enemies : And if any man will hurt them, 
 he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut 
 heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy ; and 
 have power over waters, to turn them to blood, and to smite 
 the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when 
 they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that as- 
 cendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make w^ar against 
 them, and shall overcome them, and kill them ; and their 
 dead bodies shall He in the street of the great city, which 
 spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord 
 was crucified. And they of the people, and kindreds, and 
 tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days 
 and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put 
 in graves : And they that dv/ell upon the earth shall rejoice 
 over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to ano- 
 ther; because these two prophets tormented them that 
 dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half, the 
 spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood 
 upon their feet ; and great fear fell upon them which saw 
 them. And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying 
 unto them, come up hither : And they ascended up to heav- 
 en in a cloud ; and their enemies beheld them. And the 
 same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part 
 of the city fell ; and in the earthquake were slain of men 
 seven thousand ; and the remnant were afii'ighted, and gave 
 glory to the God of heaven." 
 
 As the above paragraph is more evidently determinate, 
 in respect of meaning and application, than many or most 
 other parts of the Apocalypse ; and as it discloses many 
 most important events in the moral world, a great part of 
 which have already taken place, and are recorded in ecclesi- 
 astical history; and as most of those readers for whom 
 chiefly this work is designed, do find difficulty in under- 
 standing what the inspired revelator here says, and need as- 
 sistance for that purpose ; for these reasons, the whole par- 
 agraph is considered as proper for insertion in the present 
 work. 
 
 16* 
 
186 CRITICAL AND 
 
 A reed having been given to the apostle, he was directed 
 to measure therewith the temple of God, and the altar, and 
 them that worshipped therein. By the temple of God and 
 the altar are intended the places where spiritual worship was 
 performed ; and by them that worshipped therein, those are 
 meant who really performed such worship. The court with- 
 out the temple (verse 2) signifies mere nominal Christians — 
 formal professors. This court being given to the Gentiles, 
 denotes that such professors would be under the influence 
 of the maxims, policy, and power of the surrounding ungodly 
 world ; which has always been the case with mere nominal 
 Christians. The treading of the holy city under foot forty 
 and two months, exhibits the character and the duration of 
 the papal tyranny, and implies, that during all this period, 
 true religion would be in a languishing and depressed state. 
 It is allowed by all judicious commentators, that the forty 
 and two months here mentioned, are to be understood not in 
 the literal, but in the prophetical sense, according to the 
 usual chronological reckoning in other parts of this book. 
 Of course, by these forty and two months must be intended 
 a duration, the same with that of the one thousand two hun- 
 dred and three score days mentioned in the next succeeding 
 verse ; for 42, multiplied by 30, the average number of days 
 in a month, yield a product of 1260. It is said, (verse 3), 
 *' And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they 
 shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three score days, 
 clothed in sackcloth." These two witnesses cannot denote 
 two individuals merely, because these same two witnesses 
 are represented as prophesying through the entire duration 
 of the apostacy ; that is, during the whole of the 1260 pro- 
 phetical days, by which are intended so many literal years, 
 according to the computation in Num. xiv, 34, " forty days, 
 each day for a year." (See also Ezek. iv, 4, 5, 6.) But it 
 is very absurd to suppose, that two individuals should proph- 
 esy for such a great length of time ; because never, not even 
 in the antediluvian age, have men lived so long. The most 
 probable opinion is, that a definite number is here used for 
 an indefinite and a sufficient one ; two or three having been 
 the number specified under the law, (Deut. xix, 15), and 
 under the gospel too, (2 Cor. xiii, 1), as necessary, and as 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 187 
 
 sufficient for the confirmation of any testimony, or for the 
 establishment of any matter of fact. By these two witness- 
 es prophesying, is intended, not their predicting future 
 events, but their expounding the holy scriptures ; their in- 
 structing, and warning, and exhorting the people in divine 
 things ; (this being the sense in which the word is common- 
 ly used in the New Testament) ; and particularly their bear- 
 ing testimony against the errors, corruptions, and wicked- 
 ness of that period. The general meaning of this verse ap- 
 pears to be, that during the entire continuance of that nomi- 
 nally christian, but yet really anti-christian power, a compe- 
 tent and siijjicient number of witnesses would be raised up 
 to protest against its enormities ; which, in the sequel, we 
 shall see has hitherto been the case. These two witnesses 
 are said (verse 4) to be, "the two olive-trees, and the two 
 candlesticks, standing before the Goo of the earth." These 
 appellations, as applied to them, signify that Goo's faithful 
 witnesses are precious in his sight, and are appointed and es- 
 tablished to preserve the pure light of truth, and to diffuse 
 its irradiating beams among a benighted world. If any one 
 should hurt these witnesses, (verse 5), the signal vengeance 
 of Heaven would surely overtake him for so doing. These 
 witnesses are said (verse 6) to '' have power to shut heaven, 
 that it rain not in the days of their prophecy;" and also to 
 *' have power over waters, to turn them to blood, and to 
 smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will ;" by 
 which strong figurative language it is represented, that great 
 would their interest in heaven be, and great their influence 
 (should they choose to exert it), either in preventing the de- 
 scent of blessings, or in procuring the infliction of judgments 
 on their enemies and persecutors. It is said, (verse 7), "And 
 when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that 
 ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against 
 them, and shall overcome them, and kill them." The word 
 TsXsVw^i may be understood as meaning, " when they shall 
 be about to finish ;" and as it may be thus translated, so in 
 this place it sJiould be. For as the exasperation and vio- 
 lence of the beast agEiinst the witnesses were evidently owing 
 to their testimomj, they would more naturally be excited du- 
 ring the continuance, ihsoi after the close, or total cessation 
 
188 CRITICAL AND 
 
 of that testimony. We read, (verse 8), " And their dead 
 bodies shall lie in the street of that great city, which spiritu- 
 ally is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was 
 crucified." By the "great city," must be intended gene- 
 rally the Roman empire, which is here, by implication, as- 
 similated to Sodom and Egypt. Sodom was distinguished 
 for its lewdness, and Egypt for its cruelty toward^ the peo- 
 ple of God ; and papal Rome has been similarly notorious 
 for its spiritual lewdness^ or idolatry, and for its intolerance 
 and cruelty towards Protestants. In that great city, that is, 
 in Judea, which was then a constituent part of the Roman 
 empire — a street, as it were, of the great city, our Lord was 
 personally crucified, and has since been often "crucified 
 afresh" in his people. The surrounding ungodly world, the 
 adherents of the beast, seeing the witnesses already dead, 
 would be so far from being moved with sympathy towards 
 them, that they would not even allow them the customary 
 and the very reasonable privilege of a burial : Nay, they 
 would even " rejoice over them, and make merry, and send 
 gifts one to another," to testify their mutual congratulations. 
 To the eye of sense the appearance now was, that " truth 
 had fallen in the streets," and that there would be none to 
 " contend earnest^ for the faith which was once delivered 
 unto the saints." But man's extremity, and especially the 
 church's extremity, is God's opportunity. We see, in this 
 case, that "the triumphing of the wicked is short;" for behold, 
 " after three (prophetical) days and a half, the spirit of life 
 from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, 
 and great fear fell upon them that saw them." (Versell.) At 
 this most critical time, these witnesses revive, and prophesy 
 again. But this was not all. For soon " they heard a great 
 voice from heaven, saying unto them. Come up hither. 
 And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud ; and their ene- 
 mies beheld them." (Verse 12.) They were elevated to 
 an honorable and glorious station, and became the objects 
 of special divine approbation and protection ; and that too 
 in the view, and to the amazement and mortification of their 
 enemies. " And the same hour, (verse 13), was there a 
 great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell ; and m 
 the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand, (Greek, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 18^ 
 
 seven thousand names of men) ; and the remnant were af- 
 frighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven." This 
 shows, that after the resurrection and ascension of the wit- 
 nesses, there would he a great shaking and revolution in the 
 dominions of the beast, or among the apostate papal church ; 
 that a considerable part of it would immediately fall, i. e. 
 secede from papal jurisdiction and connection, and receive 
 the truth as it is in Jesus ; and the remainder would be so 
 " affrighted" by this unexpected occurrence, that they would 
 in a sense give glory to the God of heaven ; so far, at least, 
 it may be supposed, as to cease from open hostility and per- 
 secution, and to acknowledge the providence of God, as 
 exhibited in rewarding his faithful servants, and in punish- 
 ing his and their enemies. — In support of this interpretation, 
 so far as relates to the beast and the witnesses, and their mu- 
 tual conflict with each other, I shall now mention a few facts, 
 as stated in authentic ecclesiastical history. In about three 
 hundred and twenty years after Christ, pagan persecution 
 ceased. Under the reign of Constantino, the first christian 
 emperor, Christianity became the established religion of the 
 Roman empire. But alas ! the gold soon became dim, and 
 the most fine gold was soon changed. That worldly ease 
 and affluence, which arose from governmental protection and 
 favor, did more injury to the cause of vital godliness, than 
 ten successive persecutions had done. The bishops became 
 ambitious of worldly power and distinction. The visible 
 church, though greatly increased in numbers, by means of 
 outward favorable circumstances, soon showed signs of de- 
 cay in point of spirituality. In A. D. 606, the bishop of 
 Rome was, by an imperial edict, constituted universal bish- 
 op ; and the saints then began to be delivered into his hand. 
 Hitherto, however, the Roman pontiff had exercised no ju- 
 risdiction, except in spiritual things. But in A. D. 756, 
 the exarchate of Ravenna was assigned to him, and he be- 
 came thereby a temporal prince. In A. D. 787, a papal 
 council decreed the worship of images. Meanwhile, how- 
 ever, the witnesses appeared ; and in A. D. 794, image- 
 worship was condemned by a council of three hundred bish- 
 ops. In the eleventh century, the witnesses became more 
 numerous, more bold, and more successful. The most 
 
190 CRITICAL AND 
 
 distinguished of them, in that age, were the Waldenses, and 
 the Albigenses. In the vaUies of Piedmont they " kept the 
 commandments of God, andtlie faith of Jesus," and protest- 
 ed against the errors and sins of the times. In A. D. 1206, 
 the inquisition, that horrid engine of popery, was estabhsh- 
 ed ; and these faithful witnesses were the first who experi- 
 enced its cruelties. But no papal cruelties nor stratagems 
 could either cool their ardor or damp their courage. They 
 still persevered in their testimony, boldly declaring, ' that 
 the church of Rome had renounced the faith of Christ, and 
 was the whore of Babylon ; that the fire of purgatory, the 
 sacrament of mass, the worship of saints, &c. were the in- 
 ventions of Satan.' Perceiving that the ignorance, indo- 
 lence, and dissoluteness of the Roman clergy, had been the 
 great means of the so general prevalence of error and 
 wickedness ; and wisely concluding, that for the restora- 
 tion and preservation of *' the faith once delivered unto the 
 saints," a pious, learned, and active m.inistry was, under 
 God, necessary ; they soon turned their attention to this 
 latter object. And among other means used to attain it, 
 was the following. They required of their pastors, before 
 they were ordained, that " they should learn by heart all the 
 chapters of Matthew and John, all the canonical epistles, 
 and a good part of the v/ritings of David, Solomon, and the 
 prophets." (Milner.) In A. D. 1229, the papal authority, 
 with the Roman pontiff at their head, solemnly forbade the 
 use of the scriptures to the common people. In connection 
 with this, they denied the right of private judgment in mat- 
 ters of religion, and required the people to receive as au- 
 thoritative and final, the decisions of the church, i. e. the 
 Roman church, in respect to all matters of doctrine, disci- 
 pline, and worship. Against such tyrannical and antichris- 
 tian measures, the witnesses vigorously protested. The 
 papal maxim, " Ignorance is the mother of devotion," they 
 boldly condemned ; and at the same time declared and 
 proved the absolute necessity of a knowledge of the holy 
 scriptures, not only for ministers, but for the common peo- 
 * pie also. For several hundred years, there had been no 
 translation of the Bible in use, beside the Latin Vulgate ; 
 and as the Latin language itself was not well understood 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 191 
 
 by a great proportion of the people, the necessity of the 
 translation of that blessed volume into other languages, and 
 particularly into the English, was very obvious. Accord- 
 ingly, in about A. D. 1367, WicklifF translated the New 
 Testament into English. And though for reading it, many 
 suffered death ; though Wickhff's books, as well as his body 
 were burned by the Papists, the holy flame could not be 
 quenched, nor could the increasing progress of truth be ar- 
 rested. In the fifteenth century, *' darkness covered the 
 earth, and gross darkness the people." Yet even then the 
 Lord had his witnesses. The most distinguished of them 
 were, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague, who, for receiving 
 Wickliff's books, and for zealously propagating his senti- 
 ments, were burned to death, by order of the council of 
 Constance. Then it was that the cause of the witnesses 
 appeared almost desperate. But in the next century it re- 
 vived ; for then appeared Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, and 
 others, through whose testimony a deadly blow was given 
 to the beast. Then the fainting cause of truth revived ; and 
 as it was always honorable and glorious in the eyes of the 
 Lord, (being, indeed, his own cause), so now it began to be 
 increasingly so in the eyes of men. In vain were the re- 
 formers' books burned, and their lives threatened. In spite 
 of ail the Qn\j and wrath of the beast, the light of the refor- 
 mation soon spread from Germany into most of the nations 
 of Europe. Since that period, the witnesses for God have 
 greatly increased, both in numbers and influence ; and the 
 cause of truth, in opposition to the commandments and tra- 
 ditions of men, has gradually advanced. Still, however, 
 the war is not over. The vigorous efforts now made by the 
 Romanists, to establish their religion in our oiun country, 
 and especially in the great valley of the Mississippi, invest 
 this subject v/ith an interest, which cannot fail of being 
 deeply felt by every true Christian, and by every genuine 
 patriot amono: us. Present appearances indicate it as not 
 at all improbable, that our struggle with Romanism and in- 
 fidelity may be even more severe than it ever yet has been. 
 But let every friend of Christ be at his post, and do his du- 
 ty. The late resolution of the American Sunday School 
 Union, to establish Sabbath schools throughout the valley 
 
192 ^ CRITICAL AND 
 
 of the Mississippi, (wherever it should be practicable), with- 
 in the space of two years, is worthy of all praise. And while 
 we say so, how important it is that we should, as far as pos* 
 sible, second their efforts ; for how can they accomplish this 
 mighty work, without the Co-operation of the christian pub* 
 lie X The most effectual way we can take ^o guard against 
 Romanism, and against Antichristianism, (in whatever form 
 it may appear), is to diffuse far and wide the pure light of 
 God's word ; that light which Heaven will bless for the 
 salvation of souls ; and, especially, to instill its blessed 
 principles into the minds of the rising generation. Let all 
 the friends of Christ, then, do their duty in this respect, and 
 they need have no fears about the final result. Babylon 
 must fall ; and the kingdoms of this world will finally be- 
 come the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ ; and he 
 shall reign for ever and ever. (Verse 15.) 
 
 Chap, xx, 4, 5. 
 
 " And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judg- 
 ment was given unto them : And I saw the souls of them 
 that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the 
 word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, nei- 
 ther his image ; neither had received his mark upon their 
 foreheads, or in their hands ; and they lived and reigned 
 with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead liv- 
 ed not again, until the thousand years were finished. This 
 is the first resurrection." 
 
 It has been a very prevalent opinion among Christians, 
 that the church of God is yet to enjoy a period of hitherto un- 
 equalled prosperity on earth. This period has been usually 
 styled the millennium, and has been supposed to be predict- 
 ed or referred to in several places of scripture ; but in none 
 so clearly, and so definitely, as in the one now under con- 
 sideration. Hence the deep interest Christians have so gen- 
 erally had in this part of holy writ. Hence their desire to un- 
 derstand aright its true meaning ; and hence the questions 
 they have so frequently proposed to ministers and others, 
 for this purpose. On the subject of the first resurrection, as 
 connected with that of the millennium, many persons have 
 been equally inquisitive. It cannot be denied that the senti- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 193 
 
 merits of many of the ancient fathers relative to the millenni- 
 um, were very gross and absurd ; as may be seen by consult^ 
 ingTurretine, "De Resurrectione Quaestio III," and Buck's 
 Theological Dictionary. But this is no reason why ours 
 should be so. Nor should this circumstance be considered 
 as any reproach to the doctrine of the millennium itself; but 
 only as an exhibition of the weakness and errors of some 
 who have been its advocates. The doctrine of the millen- 
 nium is now pretty generally received by Christians, and 
 christi?i!n ministers, as a part of their creed. So far as there 
 is adiir "^nce of opinion among them in regard to this sub- 
 ject, it eems to relate to what maybe called the adjuncts of 
 the doctrine, rather than to the doctrine itself. In other 
 words, they do not all interpret in the same manner what is 
 said in scripture, and especially by the Revelator in this chap- 
 ter, respecting some of those events which are to take place 
 in that glorious period. Most Christians seem to believe in 
 the doctrine itself, as a fact ; but they do not all understand 
 it in the same manner ; as will sufficiently appear in the fol- 
 lowing remarks. All that seems necessary for the illustration 
 of this subject, may be comprised in the answers to the fol- 
 lowing questions, viz : — What is to be understood by the 
 thousand years 1 In. what sense will Christ reign on earth, 
 during these thousand years? In what sense will the saints 
 live and reign with Christ, during the same period? and, 
 What is here meant by the first resurrection 1 
 
 I, What is to be understood by the thousand years ; or 
 how long a period of time is thereby intended 1 The most 
 prevalent opinion is, that a thousand literal or solar years 
 are meant, each consisting of three hundred and sixty-five 
 days. The objection to this sentin^ent, and apparently a 
 very weighty one, is, that no where else in the Apocalypse is 
 time reckoned in this manner. In this book various chro- 
 nological terms and phrases are used ; such as " half an 
 hour," (ch. viii, 1) ; " five months," (ch. ix, 5) ; and " an 
 hour, and a day, and a month, and a year," (verse 15) ; 
 " forty and two months," (ch. xi, 2), and " three days and 
 an half," (verse 9) ; "a thousand two hundred and three- 
 score days," (ch. xii, 6.) In all these instances, time is 
 reckoned, not literally, but mystically; and hence arises? 
 
 17 
 
id4 CRITICAL AND 
 
 I 
 
 strong presumptive evidence, that the "thousand years,^' 
 here mentioned, are not to be understood in the literal 
 sense. Some suppose, that by the " thousand years," are 
 intended a thousand prophetical years ; i. e. three hundred 
 and sixty-five thousand years, as ive reckon years. This 
 sentiment might be supposed, indeed, to derive some support 
 from the manner in which time is usually reckoned in otheTr 
 parts of this book. It has analogy in its favor ; and for this 
 reason I should be inclined to adopt it, were it not for the ap- 
 parent absurdities which might be mentioned as attending 
 such an interpretation, and in view of which our best com- 
 mentators ar^i generally agreed in rejecting it. — There is still 
 another opinion on this point, which is, that the phrase " thou- 
 sand years," is here used indejinitehj ; or that a definite and a 
 large number is here used to express an indefinite and a still 
 larger one. This sentiment certainly appears plausible from 
 the fact, that numbers are frequently thus used in other parts 
 of scripture, as, among others, in 1 Kings xix,lS : Rev. xiv,l. 
 It is also worthy of remark and remembrance, that the parti- 
 cular number, "a thousand," is frequently used in scripture 
 in this indefinite sense, not as denoting that precise number 
 of units which we include in the term, but only as expressing 
 in general, a very large number. (See Deut. xxxii, 30 : 1 
 Chron. xvi, 15 : Ps. 1, 10, and xci, 7 : Isa. xxx, 17.) And, 
 probably, all that is intended by these " thousand years" of 
 Christ's reign on the earth, is, that a time of long dura- 
 tion is yet to come, when true religion shall flourish on the 
 earth, in a degree and to an extent far beyond what has ever 
 yet been realised. And thus much, at least, all must be- 
 lieve, who believe in the prophecies and promises of scrip- 
 ture relative to this subject. These are so numerous, that 
 the only difficulty in quotation lies in selecting. Most of 
 them are so exjilicitj that they cannot fail of being under- 
 stood by every reader of common sense, who duly attends 
 to them ; and at the same time so definite, that they can^ 
 properly be applied only to the " kingdom of our Lord, and 
 of his Christ." I refer the reader to the following, only, as 
 specimens of many others, viz : Ps. ii, 8 ; xxii, 27 ; Ixxxvi, 
 9 : Isa. ii, 2, 4 ; xlv, 23 ; xlix, 6 : Dan. rii, 27 : Zech. xiv, 
 9: Mai. i, 11: Rev. xi, 15. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 195 
 
 II. In what sense will Christ reign on earth, during these 
 *' thousand years ?" The language here used, viz. " they 
 lived' and reigned iviih Christ a thousand years," plainly im- 
 plies that Christ himself will, in some sense or other, reign 
 on the earth during that period. I say on the earth, because 
 (notwithstanding the opinion of some to the contrary) it is 
 certain that the scene of Christ's reign here intended, is the 
 earth, and not heaven, the world of glory. This appears 
 from the limit which is here assigned to that reign, viz. a 
 thousand years ; for in whatever way we understand this 
 expression, v/hether as denoting a thousand solar years, or 
 a thousand prophetical years, or in the indefinite sense, as 
 signifying in general a very long time ; still, it is time, after 
 all, or limited duration only, that is thereby intended. Ab- 
 solute eternity, or endless duration, is never expressed in 
 this manner, but by such terms as these — everlasting, eter- 
 nal, for ever and ever, &c. Again, in verse 5th, these 
 *• thousand years" are said to be "finished," and in verse 
 7th, to be " expired," which surely cannot be said of an ab- 
 solute eternity. But from numerous other passages of 
 scripture we learn, that the reign of Christ in the world of 
 glory, (not indeed as Mediator, but as God, and as one with 
 the Father), and the reign of his redeemed people with him 
 there, will be strictly eternal, and not merely for a thousand 
 years. (Isa. ix, 7 : Rev. xi, 15 : Luke xviii, 30 : 1 Thess. 
 iv, 17: Rev. iii, 12, and xxii, 5, &c.) From these consi- 
 derations it is evident, that the reign of Christ here referred 
 to, is to be a reign on this earth. The question now recurs : 
 In what sense will Christ reign on the earth, during these 
 *• thousand years ?" As to the general nature of his reign at 
 that time, it will doubtless be spiritual only. For such it 
 always has been, and always will be. (John xviii, 36 : Rom. 
 xiv, 17.) But the point more directly embraced in this 
 question is — Will Christ appear on earth personaUij, in the 
 millennium, and will he then reign in this sense ? Some sup- 
 pose he will ; and some respectable writers, too, besides 
 Faber, are of this opinion. But there is no sufficient evi- 
 dence of this. Those very few texts which are usually 
 brought as evidence, and even that noted one in Zech. xiv, 
 4j will readily admit another interpretation. On the other 
 
196 CRITICAL AND 
 
 hand, there are weighty reasons against such an opinion. 
 For 1st, So far as we can see, Christ's personal appearances 
 on earth at that time would not be at all necessary. It will 
 not be necessary for the comfort of his followers. It was 
 not so formerly. When ,our Saviour told his disciples that 
 he was to go his way from them, to Him that sent him, sor- 
 row filled their hearts. But what did he then say to theml 
 " Nevertheless, I tell you the truth : It is expedient for you 
 that I go away ; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not 
 come unto you ; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." 
 (John xvi, 7.) Since, therefore, the Saviour's personal 
 residence on earth was not necessary for the happiness of 
 his people formerly, we may conclude it will not be so in 
 the millennium. Nor will it be necessary for the general 
 advancement of his kingdom. This has always been ac- 
 complished, not by his personal manifestation, but by the 
 efficacious operations of his Holy Spirit ; by his power and 
 grace, as exercised in enlightening the minds, subduing the 
 wills, and sanctifying the hearts, of the children of men. 
 And these divine influences may be imparted as well, if he 
 be in heaven, as if he were on earth. 2d. Several texts of 
 scripture forbid the idea that Christ will be on earth, in his 
 own proper person, during the millennium. The following, 
 among others, deserve particular attention : — Acts iii, 21 — 
 "Whom the heavens must receive, until the times of the 
 restitution of all things." Until those times, therefore, or 
 until the great day of final judgment, Jesus Christ is to be 
 retained in the upper world : And if so, then, obviously, he 
 cannot be on earth during the " thousand years," which are 
 to precede that day. 1 Thess. iv, 16 — "For the Lord 
 himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the 
 voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." It is 
 perfectly plain from the connection, that the period to which 
 this text refers, is that of the general judgment: And we 
 hence learn, that at the commencement of the great day, the 
 Lord Jesus will descend from heaven to earth ; which, on 
 supposition that he were already here, would be not only 
 unnecessary, but impossible. Heb. ix, 28 — " So Christ 
 was once offered to bear the sins of many ; and unto them 
 that look for him, shall he appear the second time, without 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 197 
 
 sin, unto salvation." Hence we learn, that the appearing 
 of Christ at the last day, will be his second appearing. His 
 first appearing was in the days of his flesh : And as his final 
 appearing to judge the world, and to complete the redemp- 
 tion and salvation of his people, is to be his second appear- 
 ing ; so, of course, his personal manifestation on earth, du- 
 ring the millennium, is not to be expected. From these 
 considerations it appears, that Christ will not be on earth 
 personally in the millennium. He will then, indeed, reign 
 on earth, and over the earth ; but it will be as formerly, by 
 his spiritual influence only, while this King of saints himself 
 will be on his holy hill of Zion above. But, 
 
 HI. In what sense will the saints live and reign with Christ, 
 during these thousand years 1 What does the Revelator mean, 
 when he says, " They lived and reigned with Christ a thou- 
 sand years 1" Whom or what does he intend by the pronoun 
 they, in this case "? Now, it is evident from the preceding 
 part of this same verse, that he intends thereby, in general, 
 the martyrs, and such martyrs, too, as had suffered a violent 
 death from the beast, in consequence of their refusing to 
 worship him, and his image. Further, it is to be particular- 
 ly remembered, that it is only the souls, the spirits of those 
 martyrs, that are here mentioned as living and reigning with 
 Christ, in the glorious days. In short, the import of the 
 language here used is, that the spirit, i. e. the self-denial, 
 the holy love, the zeal for God, the faithfulness of the pre- 
 ceding martyrs, of those who had sealed their testimony with 
 their blood, will revive and reign in the people who will live 
 in those happy days ; even as the spirit, the soul of Elijah, 
 revived and reigned in John the Baptist. The way is now 
 prepared to show, 
 
 IV. What is meant by the first resurrection in this place. 
 The answer is, it means not a literal, but a spiritual resur- 
 rection. St. John does not say that he saw the bodies, but 
 that he saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the 
 witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, &c.; and theyy 
 those souls, lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 
 And what is meant by their souls living and reigning with 
 Christ, has been already explained. As men are by nature 
 desid in trespasses and sins ; so the commencement and 
 17* 
 
198 CRITICAL AND 
 
 increase of divine life in their souls, are frequently represent- 
 ed in scripture under the similitude of a resurrection. (Eph. 
 ii, 5, 6, and v, 14 : Col. ii, 12, and iii, 1.) It is, therefore, 
 not a literal, but a spiritual and holy resurrection— a resur- 
 rection peculiar to the saints, that is here intended. Ac- 
 cordingly, it is said in the next verse, " Blessed and holy is 
 he that hath part in the first resurrection : On such the se- 
 cond death hath no power." This passage, therefore, should 
 not be considered as synonymous with 1 Thess. iv, 16 ; as 
 by many it is. When Paul there says, *' The dead in Christ 
 shall rise first," he means a literal resurrection, a resurrec- 
 tion of the body ; as must be evident from the entire con- 
 text. Accordingly, we find that in those other parts of scrip- 
 ture, where the literal resurrection is mentioned, the mode 
 of expression is such as to convey the idea, that in the literal 
 sense, also, the saints shall rise first, ^or when the resur- 
 rection of both the righteous and the wicked is mentioned, 
 that of the righteous is commonly mentioned first. (See 
 Dan. xii, 2: John v, 29 : Acts xxiv, 15.) Indeed, it ap- 
 pears very suitable and proper, that the dead in Christ should 
 in the literal sense rise first ; chiefly, because they are first. 
 *' The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor." It is 
 proper, therefore, that in respect to the resurrection, as well 
 as in all other things, the former should have, finally, the 
 visible pre-eminence over the latter. But though the pri- 
 ority of the literal resurrection of the righteous to that of the 
 wicked, sufficiently appears from other parts of scripture, 
 and is of course a truth ; it is not the truth here intended by 
 St. John. Additional evidence of this is furnished by the 
 very verse in which this first resurrection is mentioned, viz : 
 " The rest of the dead lived not again, until the thousand 
 years were finished." But surely the account we have of 
 the literal resurrection in other places, (see John v, 28, 29), 
 forbids the supposition that there will, or can be, such a long 
 interval of time as a thousand years, (in whatever way that 
 period be computed), between the literal, corporeal resur- 
 rection of the righteous, and that of the wicked. — What an 
 interesting subject, interesting to Christians, is that of the 
 millennium ! The Lord Jesus shall then be *' king over all 
 the earth." Then " shall the heathen be given to him for 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 199 
 
 an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his 
 possession." And from accurate computations relative to 
 the 1260 years, in connection with the present remarkable 
 aspects of Providence on the eastern continent, and in our 
 own country ; from the extraordinary means now used, and 
 efforts now made, to spread the light of the gospel ; also, 
 from the numerous revivals of religion and reformations in 
 so many parts of Christendom, within these few years past, 
 it appears (certainly we may hope) that the glorious day is 
 not far distant, yea, that it has already begun to dawn. And 
 surely it must be the fervent wish and prayer of every true 
 friend of Christ, of every well-wisher to the human race — 
 " May the Lord hasten it in his time. Amen, even so, 
 come, Lord Jesus." 
 
APPEBfDIX, 
 
 CONTAINING CRITICAL AND EXPl^ANATORY NOTES 
 
 ON SOME DIFFICULT PASSAGES IN 
 
 THE OLD TESTAMENT. 
 
 GENESIS. 
 
 Chapter ii, Verse 17. 
 
 ~ " In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely 
 
 die:" 
 
 To express a sentiment intensely and forcibly, the He- 
 brews adopted various kinds of phraseology. Sometimes, 
 for this purpose, they used the adverb meod, signifying very 
 much, exceedingly. Sometimes they used the name of 
 God in connection with the object described ; as, if they 
 wished to tell us that such and such mountains were very 
 high, they would call them mountains of God. Sometimes 
 by a repetition of the same word. Thus, to express ex- 
 treme depth, they would say deep, deep. This last, indeed, 
 was their most usual way ; and of this there is an instance 
 in the clause before us. In the Hebrew, it is 'dying, thou 
 shalt die ;' i. e. thou shalt die indeed, shalt surely, certainly 
 die. The expression denotes not only the certainty, but 
 the terribleness of that death, which would be the conse- 
 quence and the penalty of transgression. And how many, 
 and how dreadful evils have resulted from 
 
 "Man's first disobedience, and the fruit 
 Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste 
 Brought death into the world and all our woe, 
 With loss of Eden, till one greater man 
 Restore us, and regain the blissful seat," 
 
 The death threatened to Adam, as the penalty of trans- 
 gression, includes, according to Witsius, the following 
 things, viz. natural death, consisting in the dissolution of 
 
EXPLAJ^ATORY NOTES. 201 
 
 soul and body ; the miseries of the present life, which are 
 sometimes intended in scripture by the term death, (Ex. x, 
 17; 2 Cor. xi, 23) ; spiritual death, which Paul expresses 
 by a being " dead in trespasses and sins;" and — eternal 
 death. It should be remembered, also, that to this terrible 
 death, not only Adam, but his posterity likewise, have be- 
 come exposed, in consequence of his transgression ; for 
 " by one man's disobedience many were made (constituted) 
 sinners." (Rom. v, 19.) Well, then, might the Creator 
 say to Adam, " In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt 
 surely die.^^ Oh, how necessary is a Redeemer for us mis- 
 erable sinners, and how precious in this view should Jesus 
 Christ be to us ! How thankful should we be, that though 
 " by one man's offence death reigned by one ; much more 
 they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of 
 righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." 
 
 Chap, xlv, 2. 
 
 " And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of 
 Pharaoh heard." 
 
 This, says Sir J. Chardin, "is exactly the genius of the 
 people of Asia, especially of the women. Their sentiments 
 of joy or of grief are properly transports ; and their trans- 
 ports are ungoverned, excessive, and truly outrageous. 
 When any one returns from a long journey, or dies, his fa- 
 mily burst into cries that may be heard twenty doors off; 
 and this is revived at different times, and continues many 
 days, according to the vigor of the passion. I was lodged 
 in the year 1676, at Ispahan, near the royal square. The 
 mistress in the next house to mine died at that time. The 
 moment she expired, all the family, to the number of twenty- 
 five or thirty people, set up such a furious cry, that I was 
 quite startled, and was above two hours before I could re- 
 cover myself. These cries continue a long time ; then 
 cease all at once ; then begin as suddenly at day-break, and 
 in concert." Such, then, has been the mourning of the 
 Asiatics, in both ancient and modern times. Such, also, 
 has been their behavior on occasions of great joy, as well 
 as of great grief, as, particularly, " when any one returns 
 from a loHg journey." And this, by the way, is a lively 
 
2^2 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ^1 
 
 comment on the text now before us, and accounts satisfac- 
 torily for the fact therein stated, viz. " the Egyptians and 
 the house of Pharaoh heard." 
 
 Chap, xlvi, 27. 
 
 -"All the souls of the house of Jacob, which came 
 
 into Egypt, were threescore and ten ;" compared with Acts 
 rii, 14 — ^' Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to 
 him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls." 
 
 These two texts, compared together, have created diffi- 
 culty and perplexity in the minds of many readers. It ia 
 acknowledged there is a discrepancy between them, so far 
 as mere numbers are concerned. Stephen mentions five 
 more souls or persons, as having come v/ith Jacob into 
 Egypt, than Moses does. What shall we say in respect to 
 this inconsistency 1 Can any satisfactory solution be given ? 
 One way of solving the difficulty is by saying, that Stephen 
 quoted from the Septuagint, the Greek Alexandrine version; 
 as the apostles commonly did, when they brought passages 
 from the Old Testament. In that version it is thus : — 
 *' Uajai '\^\)XOii o'/xou 'Iaxw/3 a] 6iss\&ovgai ysra 'laxw,^ sk AU 
 yv^TTov, -^ux*^-' sl35oij^Yiy.o'j'aithTS ;" i. e. "All the souls of the 
 house of Jacob, which entered with Jacob into Egypt, (were) 
 threescore and fifteen souls." Why there should be this 
 difference between the Septuagint and our present conies 
 of the Hebrew Bible, I caunot explain satisfactorily. It is 
 to be presumed, however, that the Hebrew copy, from which 
 the Seventy made their version, contained the passage as 
 they have it. And if it be true, as an able writer has said, ■ 
 viz : — " This version (the Septuagint) also preserves many 
 important ivords, some sentences, and several whole verses, 
 which originally made a part of the Hebrew text, but have 
 long ago entirely disappeared ;" it is possible, that their 
 version may, in this instance, be even more correct than our 
 present Hebrew copies. But the most satisfactory solution 
 oi the difficulty is that given by Dr. Hales, as quoted by 
 Thomas Hartwell Home. It is in these words, viz : — "Mo- 
 ses states, that ' all the souls that came with Jacob into 
 Egypt, which issued from his loins, (except his sons' wives) ^ 
 vere sixty-six souls ;' Gen. xlvi, 26 ; and this number k 
 l^us coUected ;— 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 203 
 
 ** Jacob's children, eleven sons and one daughter, 12 
 Reuben's sons, ------ 4 
 
 Simeon's sons, ------ 6 
 
 Levi's sons, - 3 
 
 Judah's three sons and two grandsons, - - 5 
 Issachar's sons, ----- - 4 
 
 Zebulon's sons, 3 
 
 Gad's sons, -------7 
 
 Asher's four sons, one daughter, and t'vo grandsons, 7 
 Dan's son, -------l 
 
 Naphtali's sons, - 4 
 
 Benjamin's sons, - - - - - -10 
 
 66 
 "If to these sixty-six children, grandchildren, and great- 
 grandchildren, we add Jacob himself, Joseph, and his two 
 sons born in Egypt, or four more, the amount is seventy, 
 the whole number of Jacob's family which settled in Egypt. 
 In this statement, the tuives of Jacob's sons, who formed part 
 of the household, are omitted, but they amounted to nine ; 
 for of the twelve wives of the twelve sons, Judah's wife was 
 dead, (Gen. xxxviii, 12), and Simeon's also, as we may 
 collect from his youngest son Shaul, by a Canaanitess, (xlvi, 
 19) ; and Joseph's wife was already in Egypt. These nine 
 wives, therefore, added to the sixty-six, gave seventy- five 
 souls, the whole amount of Jacob's household, that went 
 down with him to Egypt ; critically corresponding with the 
 statement in the New Testament, that '< Joseph sent for 
 his father Jacob, and all his kindred, amounting to seventy- 
 five souls ;" — the expression, «// his Jcindred, including the 
 wives, who were Joseph's kindred, not only by affinity, but 
 also by consanguinity ; being probably of the families of 
 Esau, Ishmael, or Keturah." Thus does the New Testa- 
 ment furnish an admirable commentary on the Old. 
 
 Chap, l, 3. 
 
 " And forty days were fulfilled for him ; for so are fulfil- 
 led the days of those who are embalmed ; and the Egyp- 
 tians mourned for him threescore and ten days." 
 
 This passage leads to the mentioning of another circura- 
 
204 CRITICAL AND 
 
 stance, which distinguished the mourning of the ancients, 
 especially of the ancient Egyptians. Rollin, in his ancient 
 history, tells us, that when any person in an Egyptian family 
 died, all the kindred and friends put on habits of mourning 
 for forty or seventy days, according to the quality of the 
 deceased. The dead bodies were immediately embalmed, 
 and put into a kind of chest or coffin, and placed up against 
 the walls in their houses, or in sepulchres, if they had any. 
 These embalmed bodies were called mummies. — As the pa- 
 triarch Jacob was a person of great quality and distinction 
 in Egypt, not only among the Hebrews, but among the na- 
 tives of that country also, they would of course, in pursuance 
 of their custom, mourn for him seventy days. 
 
 EXODUS. 
 
 Chapter vii. Verses 8 — 11. 
 
 " And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, say- 
 ing. When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a 
 miracle for you ; then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy 
 rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a ser- 
 pent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and 
 they did so as the Lord had commanded : And Aaron cast 
 down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and 
 it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise 
 men, and the sorcerers : Now the magicians of Egypt, they 
 also did in like manner with their enchantments." 
 
 Miracles have always been considered by Christians as 
 exclusively the works of Jehovah. They are contrary to, 
 or rather aside from, the usual and established course of 
 divine operations ; and hence it is reasonably concluded, 
 that they never have been, and never will be wrought, ex- 
 cept for the accomplishment of some very important pur- 
 pose. No purpose can well be conceived of, as more im- 
 portant, than proving the divine mission of a prophet, and 
 by consequence, the divine orii';in and authority of his mes- 
 sage and communications. And this Christians believe to 
 have been the purpose, the object aimed at by Jehovah, in 
 the miraculous operations of pasc ages. A strong objection, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 205 
 
 however, against the sufficiency of miracles for this purpose, 
 has been considered by some as arising from the exploits 
 of the magicians of Egypt. It is natural to remark, that 
 persons who urge this objection must believe, of course, 
 that the magicians wrought real miracles ; for on no other 
 ground could the objection itself have any real or apparent 
 force. Their reasoning amounts to this : — ^ The magicians 
 of Egypt wrought real miracles. This appears from the 
 circumstance, that to the account of Moses' operations it is 
 immediately added, " and the magicians of Egypt did in 
 like manner, or did so, with their enchantments." These 
 magicians did just as Moses had done. If, then, Moses 
 performed real miracles, these magicians performed them 
 also. Miracles, therefore, are not peculiar to the prophets 
 of Jehovah. They are not in themselves any proof of the 
 divine mission of him who performs them ; or if they are, 
 they prove in this case the divine mission of these magi- 
 cians, equally with that of Moses.' Such an objection has 
 frequently been started by infidels and skeptics ; and as it 
 is one which directly strikes at the authenticity of the holy 
 scriptures generally, it becomes, for this reason, very im- 
 portant to give it an examination. Did, then, these magi- 
 cians work real miracles 1 On this point expositors are not 
 fully agreed. But that they did not work real miracles at 
 all on that occasion, appears— Because, 
 
 1st. In the instance of the lice brought forth by Moses, 
 they were compelled to acknowledge, " this is the finger of 
 God." It is expressly said, " And the magicians did so 
 with their enchantments, to bring forth lice, but they could 
 not,^^ (Ch. viii, 18.) What is here said proves, by the way, 
 that the mere expression, " the magicians did so with their 
 enchantments," is not of itself any evidence that they wrought 
 real miracles ; that they in fact performed the same actions 
 which Moses had performed. This expression is here used 
 in reference to a real miracle, which Aaron, by Moses' di- 
 rection, had immediately before wrought in their presence ; 
 but which, it is here said, these magicians *' could nof^ per- 
 form, and which they acknowledged themselves unable to 
 perform. It is plain as any thing can be, that though these 
 "magicians did so (in some sense) with their enchant* 
 
 18 
 
206 CRITICAL ANI> 
 
 ments," as Aaron had done, they did not in this case do the 
 thing, the deed, the miracle, which Aaron had done ; nor 
 was it the design of this expression, viz. " the magicians 
 did so with their enchantments," to assert that they did. 
 And if this expression does not of itself prove that a real 
 miracle was performed by them in this case, it is but fair to 
 conclude, that it does not prove it in any of those other ca- 
 ses wherein it is used. — But I return from this short digres- 
 sion, to the main argument now in view. We have seen 
 that in respect to the miracle of the lice, the magicians, with 
 all their efforts, could not succeed. But if they had per- 
 form.ed real miracles before, why could they not now ; es- 
 pecially since there v/as no more difficulty in this case, than 
 in the three others before mentioned 1 
 
 2d. It should be remembered, that of the ten miracles 
 performed by Moses, three only are mentioned as having 
 been imitated, or (if you choose to say so) performed by the 
 magicians, viz. that of the rod, that of the waters, and that 
 of the frogs. In respect to the two last, the magicians 
 must evidently have v/rought on a much smaller scale than 
 Moses ; for when Aaron stretched out his rod over the wa- 
 ters of Egypt, " all the waters that were in the river were 
 turned to blood." (Ex. vii, 20.) Nay, from Jehovah's 
 words to Moses, (verse 19), it seems that the waters in the 
 streams, in the rivers, in the ponds, in the pools, and even 
 in the vessels of wood, and vessels of stone, and that, too, 
 "throughout all the land of Egypt," must have experienced 
 the same transmutation, before the magicians attempted to 
 imitate Moses in this miracle. What water, then, could 
 they have had, on which to perfonn their operations I Sure- 
 ly, the quantity of water, that remained for them to work 
 upon, must have been very small ; and it has been asserted 
 by naturalists, that a small quantity of water may, by the 
 efforts of art merely, be made to appear red hke blood. In 
 the case of i\ie. frogs, the magicians could do but little, be- 
 cause Aaron had already caused them to come forth from 
 the streams, from the rivers, and from the ponds ; and they 
 had already covered the land of Egypt. In both these ca- 
 ses, therefore, the magicians must have wrought on a very 
 small scale ; and no more remained to be done by them, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 207 
 
 than what might, probably, have been done by the help of 
 magic alone. 
 
 3d. In chapter vii, 17, it is said that the Lord told Pha- 
 raoh, " In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord." This 
 is spoken in reference to the miracle of turning the waters 
 into blood ; and the meaning of it, on the lowest construc- 
 tion, must be, that this miracle, as wrought by Moses and 
 Aaron, would be in iiself b. sufficient proof of a direct, divine 
 interposition ; and would be suited to reflect light upon the 
 mind of Pharaoh, respecting the true character, and particu- 
 larly the absolute supremacy, of Jehovah. And we may 
 well suppose that such was the fact, such the divine design, 
 in respect to all the miracles wrought by Moses ; especially 
 since this is declared in chapter ix, 14, where Jehovah told 
 Pharaoh, that his object in sending " all his plagues" was, 
 that he (Pharaoh) might " know that there was none like 
 Him in all the earth." But it is easily seen, that the mira- 
 cles of Moses would be no proof of this, if the same miracles 
 were really performed by the magicians, and through the 
 help of magic alone ; for they would in that case lose all 
 their peculiarity o( character, as the worhs of God, and with 
 that, all their force of evidence. In view, therefore, of the 
 object Jehovah aimed at, in those miracles which Moses 
 performed, and which they were so well fitted to accomplish, 
 viz. to shed light upon the mind of Pharaoh respecting his 
 true character, we have another evidence that the magicians 
 did not work real miracles. 
 
 4th. Pharaoh himself did not believe that the magicians 
 wrought real miracles. In every instance, when he wished 
 divine judgments averted, he applied to Moses, and not to 
 his magicians. Now, it is the dictate of reason, that the 
 same power or agency which can inflict judgments, can also 
 remove them ; and Pharaoh, as a rational being, must have 
 known this. If, therefore, Pharaoh believed that the magi- 
 cians had wrought real miracles in the one case, viz. in tn- 
 jlicting those terrible judgments on him, and on his people, 
 how strange it is, that he did not sometimes apply to them 
 to work miracles in the other case also, viz. by removing 
 those judgments. And the wonder on this subject increa- 
 pes, when we consider his pecuhar pride, his contempt of the 
 
208 CRITICAL ANU 
 
 God of Israel, and his attachment to his own idolatry ; prin- 
 ciples which must have effectually prevented his application 
 to Moses, or to Moses' God, for any thing, except in the 
 very greatest extremity, and when all other resources failed. 
 That Pharaoh never did apply to his magicians, to removei 
 the plagues, the judgments, brought on him, and on his peo-J 
 pie, we must conclude, from the total silence of scriptur^ 
 on this point. And that they never had in fact any agency < 
 in removing them, either alone or as co-operators with Mo- 
 ses, is evident in the same manner ; for in no instance is it 
 said, in reference to the removal of the plagues, that " the 
 magicians did so with their enchantments." It seems, then, 
 that Pharaoh did not believe that his magicians possessed 
 any miraculous power. And who could have had a better 
 opportunity, or more advantageous means, for forming a 
 correct opinion about these men, about what they had done, 
 and about what they could do, than he had 1 — But if their 
 operations were not real miracles, what were they 1 Answer : 
 They were mere artful imitations of the miracles of Moses ; 
 produced, probably, by the help of some diabolical agency. 
 The original word, translated enchantments, is derived from 
 a Hebrew verb, which signifies to hide, to conceal, to in- 
 wrap, to involve ; (see Parkhurst and Buxtorf ) ; and is, 
 therefore, well fitted to represent those secret and myster£-» 
 ous arts, those juggling and conjuring tricks, which were 
 sometimes performed of old, and by which false appearances 
 might be substituted for the true ; and thus the senses be 
 deceived. Besides in the history relative to the magicians 
 of Egypt, the word enchantments is found in the following 
 passages, viz : Lev. xix, 26 : Num. xxiii, 23, and xxiv, 1 : 
 2 Kings xvii, 17, and xxi, 6 : 2 Chron. xxxiii, 6 : Eccl. x, 
 11 : Isa. xlvii, 9, 12. True, the corresponding Hebrew 
 word in these last passages is not the same in them all, nor 
 is it the same with that used in the phrase relative to the 
 magicians ; but from the fact, that our translators have used 
 the same English word in them all, it is evident that they 
 considered those different Hebrew words as synonymous. 
 Now, by attending carefully to the passages above cited, 
 and to the connection in which they severally stand, it will 
 be seen, that in all of them the word enchantments means 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 209 
 
 substantially as above defined. In all of them, except one, 
 it is clearly used in a bad^ a wicked sense ; and in some of 
 them, as denoting an intercourse with evil spirits. Accord- 
 ingly, the comment of the ancient Hebrews on the clause, 
 *' The magicians did so with their enchantments," was, "Id 
 opus est dcemonum ,*" i. e. that is the work of demons. (See 
 Buxtorf's Lexicon.) It has been already shown, that the 
 mere declaration, " the magicians did so with their enchant- 
 ments," is no proof that they actually performed the workj 
 the miracle, which Moses had performed ; because these 
 words are used in reference to a case, in which they '^ could 
 nof^ succeed in their efforts. We may well suppose, there- 
 fore, that the similarity implied in this declaration, between 
 the miracles of Moses and Aaron, and the operations of the 
 magicians, relates not to the substance of the miracles them- 
 selves, but to some circumstances attending them, in which 
 there was doubtless a resemblance. Though there may be 
 some difficulty attending the scheme of interpretation adopt- 
 ed above, it seems, on the whole, that there is no other rea- 
 sonable, no other consistent way of understanding the ope- 
 rations of the magicians of Egypt, than by considering them 
 as mere artful imitations o( the miracles of Moses. An ad- 
 ditional circumstance in support of this interpretation is, 
 that in every one of the three instances mentioned above, 
 the magicians /o/Zotyed Moses in their operations, and never 
 preceded him. An imitator must of course /o//oio his origi- 
 nal. It is well known, moreover, that it is usually much 
 easier to follow, than to lead the way, in any thing great or 
 rare. 
 
 Chap, xi, 1, 2. 
 
 " And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak now in the ears 
 of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and 
 every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels 
 of gold." 
 
 It has been said by infidels, that this command could not 
 have been given by Jehovah, as is here asserted, because 
 the conduct which it enjoins would have been so manifestly 
 deceptive, " The Israelites, (says the objector), are here 
 said to have received a command from Jehovah, to borroio 
 of their Egyptian neighbors certain valuable ornamentSj 
 18* 
 
210 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ^i 
 
 when they were on the very point of departure from Egypt, 
 and when, as appears from the very face of the account, they 
 had no design ever to return the loan. Now, all this is ab- 
 solutely incredible. It is incredible, that Jehovah (if he be, 
 as the scriptures say, " a just God and without iniquity,") 
 should have required of his people the conduct here speci- 
 fied, which, in the then existing circumstances, would have 
 been nothing else than extortion and deception." And it 
 is probable that many sincere and humble inquirers after 
 truth;, have experienced difficulty in their attempts to under- 
 stand this passage, in any way perfectly satisfactory to them- 
 selves, on account of its apparent reflection on the divine 
 character. For the two-fold purpose, therefore, of answer- 
 ing the objector, and of satisfying the humble inquirer, the 
 following remarks may be useful. The Hebrew word 
 YisHALU, (from shaal), here translated horroiv, exactly 
 means, and is commonly translated, ask, demand. Accord- 
 ingly, in the Septuagint, and in the Latin Yulgate versions 
 of this text, words synonymous with our word ask are used. 
 In the 'former it is a/rs'w, and in the latter postido. The 
 .Cleaning, therefore, of this command of Jehovah was, that 
 the Israelites should ask, or demand, of their Egyptian 
 neighbors, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. That it was 
 reasonable and right for Him to give them such a command, 
 is evident from the fact, that the silver and the gold are his, 
 and he has a right to dispose of them as he pleases. Equally 
 reasonable and right was it for the Israelites to ask or de- 
 mand these things of the Egyptians, especially since they 
 had received a divine command for this purpose, and had 
 already done them so many important services, for which 
 they had, as yet, received no remuneration. 
 
 Chap, xii, 40. 
 
 '' Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt 
 ia Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years." 
 
 So says Moses. But Stephen declares, in Acts vii, 6, 
 " And God spake on this wise ; that his (Abraham's) seed 
 should sojourn in a strange land ; and that they should 
 bring them into bondage, and intreat them evil four hundred 
 years." Stephen evidently refers to the prediction made by 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 211 
 
 Jehovah to Abraham, in Gen. xv, 13 ; and indeed his words 
 are almost an exact quotation from that passage, as may be 
 seen from comparing the Greek original of the one with the 
 Septaagint version of the other. The passage in Gen. xv, 
 13, quoted by Stephen, is, then, a prediction of which Ex. 
 xii, 40, maybe considered as recording the fulfilment. But 
 the fact or event, as stated in the last mentioned place, does 
 not accord to the prediction. The prediction says four hun- 
 dred years ; the historical record says four hqndred and 
 thirty years. How can these passages be reconciled 1 The 
 first remark which naturally occurs is, that neither of these 
 texts is true, in reference only to the actual residence and 
 servitude of the Hebrews in Egypt. The. fact well authen- 
 ticated is, that they did not live there so long as either of 
 these periods. In his antiquities of the Jews, (book iv, ch. 
 15), Josephus says, " They left Egypt four hundred and 
 thirty years after our forefather Abraham came into Canaan ; 
 but two hundred and fifteen years only after Jacob removed 
 into Egypt." Nor are these periods themselves to be reck- 
 oned from the time Jacob and his family went down to 
 Egypt ; but from that of the calling and departure of Abra- 
 ham out of Ur of the Chaldees. Between the event last 
 mentioned, and the time of the Hebrews' final departure out 
 of Egypt, were four hundred and thirty years ; and during 
 the entire interim, they were sojourners in a strange land. 
 Additional evidence in favor of this interpretation is furnish- 
 ed by the Septuagint, which reads thus : — " Now the so- 
 journing of the children of Israel, which they sojourned in 
 the land of Canaan^ and in the land of Egypt, was four hun- 
 dred and thirty years." But still the question is, how can 
 the fact here asserted agree with Stephen's declaration, in 
 Acts vii, 6, and with Gen. xv, 13, whence it is borrowed ; 
 in both which only four hundred years are mentioned 1 The 
 true solution of the difficulty is this : — The scriptures some- 
 times speak in whole, or, as we often say, in round numbers, 
 when those round numbers express the thing about as it is, 
 and exactly enough, as it respects the main purpose for 
 which the scriptures were given ; which was, not to perplex 
 or amuse us with chronological niceties, but that they might 
 become "profitable (to us) for doctrine, for reproof, for 
 
212 CRITICAL AND 
 
 
 correction, for instruction in righteousness ;" so that we 
 might thereby be "thoroughly furnished unto all good 
 works.'^ Thus, in Num. xiv, 33, the Israelites were told, 
 that in consequence of their murmurings, they should wan- 
 der forty years in the wilderness ; whereas, from chapter 
 xxxiii, 3, compared with Joshua iv, 19, it is evident, that 
 several days at least, if not weeks, were wanting, to com- 
 plete the forty years. Abimelech is said (Judges ix, 5, 56), 
 to have slain threescore and ten persons, his brethren ; 
 which number, as appears from verse 2d, included all the 
 sons his father Jerubbaal had ; but Jotham, one of those 
 sons, was not slain, he having *' hid himself" (Verse 5.) 
 Nor was Abimelech himself included in the number of the 
 slain ; so that two were wanting to complete the number 
 seventy. (See more on this subject, in my notes on Mat. 
 xii, 40.) Such was the idiom, the usus loquendi of the He- 
 brew language. Nor was such a mode of speaking peculiar 
 to the Hebrew ; for how often does it obtain in our own 
 language, as used, too, by native Englishmen, and Ameri- 
 cans. It is commonly assumed, in the conversation and 
 writings of our countrymen, that Jesus Christ was born in 
 the year of the world 4000 ; whereas it is commonly allow- 
 ed by the best chronologists, and may perhaps be fully prov- 
 ed, that he was not born until four years afterwards. In 
 numerous other cases, we content ourselves with using 
 round numbers. Especially is this the case, when the sub- 
 ject on which we speak or write is of such a nature, that a 
 strict regard to chronological exactness is not necessary. 
 Happy, then, is he that condemneth not the scriptures, in 
 that thing which he alloweth both in himself and in others. 
 
 Chap, xv, 4. 
 
 " His chosen captains, also, are drowned in the Red 
 
 sea." 
 
 Let none suppose that the waters of that sea, which the 
 Israelites crossed on their passage from Egypt to Canaan, 
 were really red, any more than those of other seas. The 
 Hebrew name for it is yom suph, i. e. the sea of weeds, or 
 the weedy sea. Why, then, was it called the Red sea ? 
 Some suppose it was so called from Edom, whose descend- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 213 
 
 ants possessed the land adjacent to it on the north ; for 
 Edom, in Hebrew, signifies red. Others suppose it was 
 so denominated from Eruthras, one of the kings of Edom, 
 the word Eruthras being a Greek name, of the same import 
 with Edom in the Hebrew. But, whatever might have been 
 the origin or the reason of its name, it is certain, (if we may 
 credit the testimony of travellers, who have been to see it), 
 that its waters are not now really red, any more than those 
 of other seas ; and, probably, they never were. 
 
 Chap, xvii, 1. 
 
 " And all the congregation of the children of Israel jour- 
 neyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, ac- 
 cording to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in 
 Rephidim.'* 
 
 The following remarks of Shaw, a modern traveller, M'ho 
 visited that part of the country here referred to, will proba- 
 bly be read with interest : — " After we had descended, with 
 no small difficulty, the western side of Mount- Sinai, we come 
 into the other plain that is formed by it, which is Rephidun. 
 Here we still see that extraordinary antiquity, the rock of 
 JWeribah, which hath continued down to this day, without 
 the least injury from time or accident. It is a block of 
 granite marble, about six yards square, laying tottering, as 
 it were, and loose, in the middle of the valley, and seems to 
 have formerly belonged to Mount-Sinai, which hangs in a 
 variety of precipices all over this plain. The ivaters which 
 gushed out, and the stream ivhich flowed, (Ps. Ixxviii, 20), 
 have hollowed, across one corner of this rock, a channel, 
 about two inches deep, and twenty wide, appearing to be 
 incrusted all over, like the inside of a tea-kettle that hath 
 been long in use. Besides several mossy productions, that 
 are still preserved by the dew, we see all over this channel 
 a great number of holes, some of them four or five inches 
 deep, and one or two in diameter, the lively and demonstra- 
 tive tokens of their having been formerly so many fountains. 
 It likewise may be further observed, that art or chance 
 could by no means be concerned in the contrivance, for eve- 
 ry circumstance points out to us a miracle ; and in the same 
 manner with the rent in the rock of Mount- Calvary at Jeru-^ 
 
214 ' CRITICAL AND 
 
 salem, never fails to produce a religious surprise in all wha 
 see it." 
 
 Chap, xxiii, 19. 
 " Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk." 
 Why was this prohibition given ] Had such a barbarous 
 practice ever existed among the Hebrews 1 It does not ap- 
 pear that it ever had. But such was, it seems, in thos€||Ljj 
 days, the practice of the surrounding heathen nations. AftenT" 
 they had gathered in their fruits, they took a kid, and boiled 
 it in the milk of its dam, and then, in a magical way, be- j^„ , 
 sprinkled their trees, fields, gardens, and orchards ; froraj| 
 the superstitious notion, that those trees, fields, &c. would ' 
 thereby be made more fruitful. Now, Jehovah's direction 
 to the Jews was, " Learn not the way of the heathen ;" be 
 not conformed to them. And it must have been chiefly for 
 the purpose of preventing such conformity, and of continu- 
 ing them a "peculiar people," that this prohibition was given. 
 
 Chap, xxv, 18, 19. 
 
 " And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold ; of beaten 
 work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy- 
 seat : And make one cherub on the one end, and the other 
 cherub on the other end : Even of the mercy-seat shall ye 
 make the cherubims, on the two ends thereof." 
 
 In these verses we are told, that Moses was commanded 
 by God to make two cherubims (more correctly two cheru- 
 bim) of beaten gold, and to place them in the two ends of 
 the mercy-seat, or of the propitiatory. The word used here 
 in the Septuagint, for *' mercy-seat," and used by the apos- 
 tle also in the same application, (Heb. ix, 5), is iXa^r7;p/ov, 
 which signifies properly the propitiatory. It is the same 
 word with that used in the original of Romans iii, 25 — 
 '' Whom (i. e. Christ) God hath set forth to be a propitia- 
 tion," or a propitiatory sacrifice. How often has the ques- 
 tion been put — What were these cherubim 1 What are we to 
 understand by them ? What did they represent ? Questions 
 like these have exercised the minds, and employed the pens, 
 of many writers ; and after all, there is much difference of 
 opinion on this subject, i. e. so far as relates to the symholi" 
 £al meaning of these figures. In a general view, or as U 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 215 
 
 regards the subject generally, the following notes, appended 
 to Bishop Lowth's ninth lecture, " On the sacred poetry of 
 the Hebrews," will doubtless be read with interest : — " We 
 first find the cherubim guarding the way of the tree of life. 
 (Gen. iii, 24.) Images of them are then placed in the sa- 
 cred tabernacle, on the ark of the covenant, with their faces 
 turned towards it, and their wings overshadowing the mercy- 
 seat, or the throne of Jehovah, (Ex. xxv, 17 — 20 ; xxxvi, 
 8, 35) ; and in the temple of Solomon there are images of 
 the same sort, though more magnificently executed. (1 Kings 
 vi, 23—29 : 2 Chron. iii, 7, 10—13 : Compare Ezek. xli, 
 18, 19.) Hence, "JTe ivho dxvelleth hehveen the cherubim," 
 came to be an honorary appellation of Jehovah. (1 Sam. iv, 
 4: 2 Sam. vi, 2: Ps. viii, 2: Isa. xxxvii, 16.) In the 
 Psalms and Prophets, they are introduced as the supporters 
 of Jehovah's throne, or the bearers of his chariot, when he 
 rides in the clouds. (Ps. xviii, 11 : Ezek. i, 10; x, 14; 
 Rev. iv, 6.) Ezekiel describes four cherubim, each of them 
 having four faces, namely, of a man, a bullock, a lion, and 
 an eagle, (Ezek. i, 10) ; and St. John, who, according to 
 his usual method, adopts the imagery of Ezekiel, and modi- 
 fies it by his own prolific fancy, gives to one of his cherubim 
 the face of a lion ; to another the face of a bullock ; to the 
 third the face of a man ; and to the fourth that of an eagle. 
 (Rev. iv, 6.) That these cherubim are intended for allego- 
 rical figures, and not for real existences, seems manifest 
 from the different descriptions which are given of them, in 
 different parts of the sacred writings. — In condescension to 
 our condition, as creatures of sense, God presented to the 
 minds of the sacred writers, in prophetic vision, such images 
 as are best adapted to give us some apprehension of the in- 
 describable glories of the invisible world, and of the inex- 
 pressible, and, to human minds, the inconceivable, majesty 
 of the Godhead." Thus far the Notes. — But the question 
 now more immediately before us, respects those cherubim 
 which belonged to the mercy-seat, or the propitiatory, and 
 were placed in the holy of holies of the tabernacle, (Ex. xxvi, 
 33, 34) ; and those also which were afterwards made by 
 Solomon, and placed by him in the holy of holies of the tem- 
 ple. (1 Kings vi, 23, 27.) "V^Tiat did they represent? Of 
 
216 CRITICAL AND 
 
 what were they the emblems, and the symbols 1 On this 
 point there has been quite a diversity of opinion, as may be 
 seen by consulting " Brown's Antiquities of the Jews," part 
 1st, section 2d. He mentions three opinions as the ones 
 " most generally received," viz : *' either that they were 
 hieroglyphics of the Trinity, as they appear in the works of 
 creation, providence, and redemption ; or that they repre- 
 sent the character and office of the ministers of religion ; or 
 are descriptive of the general history of the church ;" i. e. 
 (as he afterwards explains himself), of the church itself, 
 in the several periods of its history, " from the coming of 
 Christ, till the end of the world." That these cherubic 
 figures were emblems of something, of some other beings or 
 things, is conceded by all. It seems, moreover, certain, 
 that they were intended to be emblematical of something 
 celestial, and not of something terrestrial ; of some beings 
 in heaven, and not of some beings on the earth ; because 
 an inspired apostle has decided, that the holy of holies itself 
 was a type, a figure of heaven, even of the heaven where the 
 peculiar "presence of God" is. (Heb. ix, 24.) If, then, 
 the holy of holies itself was a type, a figure of heaven, the 
 same must be true in respect to the furniture of that most 
 holy place ; of which the ark of the covenant, including the 
 propitiatory on the top of it, and the cherubim on each end 
 of it, was an essential and the principal part. So far, then, 
 the point is clear, viz. that these cherubim were emblemati- 
 cal of some being, or beings, in heaven. So far we have 
 scriptural evidence ; but no further, as I can discover. The 
 Hutchinsonian philosophy, of which the learned Parkhurst 
 was a strenuous advocate, maintains, that the cherubim in 
 the holy of holies were hieroglyphics or emblems of the 
 Trinity, as they appear in the works of creation, providence, 
 and redemption. Parkhurst, in his Hebrew Lexicon, under 
 the word kereb, (cherub), says — "Those in the holy of 
 holies were emblematical of the ever-blessed Trinity, in 
 covenant to redeem man, by uniting the human nature to 
 the Second Person ; which union was signified by the union 
 of the faces of the lion, and of the man, in the cherubic ex- 
 hibition. Ezek. i, 10 : Comp. Ezek. xU, 18, 19."— Now, 
 one very just and very important canon or rule, relative to 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 217 
 
 the interpretation of scripture is this, viz : * That no one thing 
 can be certainly concluded to be a type of another thing, 
 unless the holy scriptures themselves declare it to be so.' 
 To all reflecting persons, the great practical importance of 
 this rule must be obvious at once. It is one of the most 
 effectual safeguards against that rage for allegorising, and 
 mystical interpretation, which has done so much injury to 
 the cause of truth, and to sound biblical science, since the 
 days of Origen. Men of prolific imagination, but of little 
 judgment, have found types in almost every thing in the Bi- 
 ble ; and their skill in this has been considered, by many, 
 as an evidence of extraordinary discernment, and even of 
 extraordinary spirituality, on their part. However amusing 
 and gratifying such a mystical interpretation of the scriptures 
 may be to some, " those who, by reason of use, have their 
 senses exercised to discern" things aright, will always re- 
 gard it with suspicion. And it is quite remarkable, that in 
 the same proportion as sound biblical literature has advanc- 
 ed, this method of interpreting scripture has usually become 
 disreputable among Christians, and gone into disuse. We 
 have no warrant for saying, that any one thing is a type or 
 emblem of another thing, further than it was designed by the 
 Holy Ghost to be so : And we have not, and cannot have 
 any authentic information, that any one thing was designed 
 by Him to be so, except as the Bible tells us this was the 
 case. Now, to apply these remarks to the case before us. 
 If the Bible tells us, either expressly, or by evident implica- 
 tion, that the cherubim in the tabernacle and in the temple 
 were, in fact, emblematical of the adorable Trinity in the 
 Godhead, we have a right both to believe and to affirm this. 
 It is safe for us to speak as the Bible speaks. We have 
 scriptural authority for saying, both that the holy of holies 
 itself was a type and emblem of heaven, and that the cheru- 
 bim were emblems of some heavenly being or beings. But 
 where in the scriptures do we find a similar warrant for say- 
 ing, that these cherubim were emblematical of the Trinity? 
 Far-fetched, indeed, and unsatisfactory, is the conclusion 
 that they were, drawn by the Hutchinsonians from the^ace* 
 of these cherubim, as described by Ezekiel, (chap, i, 10, 
 and X, 14) ; and from the " material trinity of nature/* m 
 
 19 
 
218 CRITICAL AND 
 
 they call it, viz : fire, light, and air in motion. It is granted^ 
 that the Father is sometimes designated by the term fire,^ 
 (Heb. xii, 29) ; that the Son is repeatedly designated by^ 
 the term lights (Isa. xlix, 6 : Luke ii, 32 : John viii, 12);- 
 aiid that the Holy Spirit, or his influence on the minds of 
 men, is sometimes illustrated by the term m'?ifl, (Johniii,8,), 
 It is granted, also, that the primary import of the Greek, 
 ^vsCfjoa, spirit, (which is the term frequently applied to the 
 third person in the Godhead), is loind, or air in motion. At 
 the same time, it is remarkable, that these terms j^re, lights 
 and air, (or at least two of them), are sometimes differently, 
 applied, a^ it respects the Godhead. The Father is some- 
 times represented under the emblem of light. (Ps. xxvii, 1 ; 
 Ixxxiv, 11:1 Ep. John, i, 5.) The Holy Spirit, or his in- 
 fluence, is sometimes represented by the term /re. (Isa. vi, 
 6, 7 : Mat. iii, 11.) It is granted that fire, light, and air ift 
 motion, may be, in some measure, represented by the faces 
 of those animals mentioned in Ezekiel's vision, viz : that of 
 an ox or bull, that of a lion, and that of an eagle ; or that 
 there is something in the peculiar nature of those animals, 
 which bears some resemblance to these material agents. 
 The ox or bull, on account of his impetuosity and fury when 
 provoked, may, perhaps, be likened to fire. The lion may 
 be compared to the light, in respect to his shining eyes, his 
 vigilance, and his strength. The eagle, in respect to his 
 rapid flight, may be compared to the air in motion, and in 
 action. And finally, it is granted, that there may be some 
 resemblance between these three great properties or agents 
 in the material world, \'iz. fire, light, and air in motion, and 
 the ever-blessed Trinity in the Godhead. But, that the 
 former were proper tijpes, and were designed by the Holy 
 Ghost to be emblematical of the latter, we are not authoris- 
 ed to affirm, because the Bible does not say that they were. 
 Some suppose that the two cherubim of the ark of the cove- 
 nant were emblematical of the angels of heaven. Dr. Scott 
 was of this opinion, as may be seen by consulting his notes 
 on Exodus XXV, 10 — 21. The clause in the first epistle of 
 Peter, (ch. i, 12), viz. "which things the angels desire to 
 look into," is supposed to favor this interpretation. For the 
 Greek verb there used, and rendered " to look into," signi* 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 219 
 
 lies " to Stoop down, or forward, in order to look at some* 
 tiling ;" a posture, which is thought to have been fitly repre- 
 sented by that of the cherubim over the mercy-seat. But 
 why do we attempt to be wise above what is written 1 Why 
 should we affirm positively such things about the invisible 
 iand celestial world, as are nowhere revealed? (See my 
 notes on Colos. ii, 18.) It seems, all we can know about 
 these cherubim is, that they were emblematical of some be- 
 ings in heaven, of some " living creatures" there, (Ezek. i, 
 5, compared with Rev. iv, 6, 7) ; but of ivhat living crea- 
 tures we do not certainly know, and cannot know in this 
 world. 
 
 NUMBERS. 
 
 Chapter iv, Yerses 1 — 3. 
 
 ^' And the Lord spaka unto Moses and unto Aaron, say- 
 ing, Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the 
 sons of Levi ; from thirty years old and upward, even until 
 fifty years ; all that enter into the host, to do w^ork in the ta- 
 bernacle of the congregation." 
 
 So we here read. But in chapter viii, 23, 24, it is said, 
 *' And the Lord spake unto Closes, saying. This is it that 
 belongeth imto the Levites ; irom tiventy and Jive years old 
 and upward, they shall go in to wait upon the service of the 
 tabernacle of the congregaticn." The apparent contradic- 
 tion between these passages may be obviated as follows : — 
 At the age of hvenhj-Jive, the Levites entered on their novi- 
 tiate, or probationary term, which lasted five years ; and 
 then, or at the age of thirty'yeaYS, they were invested fully 
 with their appropriate office. Such, accordingly, is the so- 
 lution of this matter, adopted by Maimonides, a noted Jew- 
 ish writer ; by Witsius, Scott, and the best commentatOfS 
 generally ; and is, undoubtedly, the true one. 
 
 Chap, xxii, 20 — 22. 
 
 " And God came unto Bal:»am by night, and said unto 
 
 him, if the men come to call tbee, rise up, and go with them; 
 
 but yet the word that I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou 
 
 do. And Balaam rose up in the moriiing, and saddled his 
 
220 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger 
 was kindled, because he went ; and the angel of the Lord 
 stood in the way, for an adversary against him." 
 
 These verses, taken in connection, present a difficulty. 
 They embrace three particulars. The first is, the permis- 
 sion granted by God to Balaam, on a certain condition, to 
 go with the princes of Moab. The second is, Balaam's 
 actually going, in consequence of that permission. The 
 third is, the Lord's being angry with Balaam, ^^because he 
 VJenV^ But why should, or rather how could the Lord be 
 angry with Balaam, for doing that which he had expressly 
 allowed him to do 1 Answer — 
 
 1st. The divine permission granted to Balaam on this 
 occasion, is not to be understood as implying that God ap- 
 proved of the conduct of Balaam here specified. On the 
 contrary, though God permitted Balaam to go, he did not 
 approve of his going for the purpose Balak had in view in 
 sending for him, viz. that of cursing Israel. This appears 
 from the fact, that God had already expressly forbidden 
 Balaam to go for that purpose. " And God said unto Ba- 
 laam, Thou shalt not go with them ; thou shalt not curse the 
 people; for they are blessed." (Yerse 12.) God saw fit, 
 on the whole, to permit Balaam to go ; but it was with the 
 view that his oiun purpose respecting Israel, and not Balak's, 
 might be thereby accomplished, viz : that Balaam might 
 bless the people, instead of cursing them ; might pronounce 
 a prophetical benediction upon them ; might be constrained 
 by a divine influence so to do ; however reluctant he was, 
 on his own part to do it. Balak meant it unto evil ; but 
 God meant it unto good. God has permitted innumerable 
 things, of which, in themselves considered, he never has ap- 
 proved, and never will approve. He "suffered (or permit- 
 ted) all nations to walk in their own ways," (Acts xiv, 16) ; 
 but he did not approve of those ways. If the divine permis- 
 sion, in Balaam's case, must be understood as implying the 
 divine approbation of his going with the princes of Moab, 
 for the purpose which Balak had in view ; then, surely, it 
 would be not only difficult, but impossible, to account for 
 the Lord's being angry with him, because he went. But it 
 is not to be so understood. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 221 
 
 ^d. Balaam appears hot to have complied with the condi' 
 lion, on which his going with the princes of Balak had been 
 permitted. That condition was, the men's coming to catl 
 him. But it seems Balaam did not wait for their call ; but 
 rose up in the morning, and immediately went off with the 
 princes of Moab. It is probable, that he called on them in 
 the morning, instead of waiting for their calling on him. 
 But, 
 
 3d. The motive with which Balaam went, was the thing 
 which principally constituted his guilt, and provoked the 
 anger of Jehovah. He went " for filthy lucre's sake." 
 Notwithstanding all Balaam's apparent conscientiousness, 
 in asking counsel of God, in respect to the affair of going 
 with the princes of Moab, he appears to have been all the 
 time bent on going ; and that, not so much for the purpose 
 of injuring Israel, or gratifying Balak, as for the purpose of 
 obtaining the reward. Hence the apostle Peter, speaking 
 of certain profligate characters, says, /'Which have forsaken 
 the right way, and gone astray, following the way of Ba- 
 laam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteous' 
 ness.^^ And hence the apostle Jude, speaking of similar 
 persons, says, *' Woe unto them ! for they have gone in the 
 way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam, for 
 reiuardy 
 
 Chap, xxv, 9. 
 
 '• And those that died in the plague, were twenty and four 
 thousand." 
 
 But in 1 Cor. x, 8, it is said, " Neither let us commit 
 fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day 
 three and twenty thousand." On these two passages, (be- 
 tween which there is certainly some inconsistency, as it re- 
 spects numbers), it may be remarked, that they do not both 
 relate exactly to one and the same event ; and that the for- 
 mer is more extensive in its reference and import than the 
 latter. From the very face of the latter, as compared witH 
 Num. xxv, 1, we learn for what cause these twenty- three 
 thousand fell or died, viz. for their sin with the daughters of 
 Moab. But beside these, many others perished for another 
 reason, viz. idolatry, and were slain witlji the sword about 
 the same time. *' The people did eat, and bowed down to 
 19* 
 
222 CRITICAL AND 
 
 their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor ; and 
 the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And Mo- 
 ses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his 
 men that were joined unto Baal-peor." (Verses 2, 3, 5.) 
 The number of those found guilty of idolatry cannot well be 
 supposed less than one thousand ; and Moses seems to have 
 referred to the ivhole number of those, who, at or about that 
 time, suffered death from the avenging hand of God. In 
 this view, then, we need not suppose any real inconsistency 
 between the declarations of Moses and Paul, relative to this 
 subject. V 
 
 DEUTERONOMY. 
 
 Chapter vii, Yerse 22. 
 
 ^' The Lord thy God will put out these nations, by little 
 and little ° Thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the 
 beasts of the field increase upon thee." , 
 
 See in connection with this, Ezek. xxxiv, 25 — *' I \yili 
 cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land." For the 
 illustration of these texts, the following observations of 
 Haynes, the traveller, as cited by Harmer, may be useful. 
 In giving an account of his arrival in Cana of Galilee, and 
 of the state of that country, he says, '< The surrounding 
 country swarms with wild beasts, such as tigers, leopards, 
 jackals, &c. whose cries and bowlings, I doubt not, as it 
 did me, would strike the boldest traveller, who had not been 
 frequently in a like situation, with the deepest sense of hor- 
 ror." Also, while visiting Mount-Tabor, and creeping into 
 the holes and subterraneous caverns there, he was told by 
 his guide, he must be more cautious how he ventured ; for 
 he could " assure him, those holes and caverns were fre- 
 quently resorted to by tigers, in the day time, to shelter them 
 rom the sun ; and therefore he might pay dear for gratifying 
 his curiosity." 
 
 Chap, xx, 16, 17. 
 
 '' But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy 
 GoD doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive 
 nothing that breatheth. But thou shalt utterly destroy 
 thorn ; Btamely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaan- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES, 223 
 
 ites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as 
 the Lord thy God hath commanded thee." 
 
 A direction of the same import occurs in chapter vii, 1, 2, 
 where the Girgashites are mentioned, in addition to the six 
 nations here enumerated. It occurs in several other places 
 also. Infidels have sometimes insisted on such passages, 
 as being, in their yiev/, a weighty objection against the divine 
 inspiration of thos i books in which they are contained. The 
 ground of the objection is, that they reflect upon the charac- 
 ter of God, which, in their opinion, is such, that it is morally 
 impossible he should ever have commanded or approved of 
 the conduct here specified. They suppose it would be in- 
 consistent wiih his goodness, for him so to do. They think 
 it would be inconsistent with the impartiality of his good- 
 ness, for him to require some of his creatures to treat others 
 of the same species with themselves, in the manner here 
 mentioned. Such treatment they consider as inhuman and 
 cruel, and as >yhat, therefore, could not have been enjoined 
 by the God of lovs. But it is not for their sake only, that 
 such passages are here roticed. It is well knov/n, that, in 
 view of them, others beside infidels have experienced serious 
 difficulties, and difficulties, too, somewhat of the same na- 
 ture. These difficulties have not, indeed, led to the same 
 result in the latter case, as they have in the former ; i. e. to 
 the conclusion that Moses was not divinely inspired, and 
 that such commands never came from God. They believe 
 that these commands are the commands of God ; and it is 
 on this very account, in a great measure, that they feel the 
 difSculty. For their sake, a few remarks will be made on 
 this subject, with the hope, that, by the divine blessing, they 
 may serve to remove " the stumbling-block out of the way 
 of God's people." (Isa. Ivii, 14*) 
 
 1st. From the history given us of the Canaanites, it is 
 evident that they had become extremely wicked. They were 
 so in Abraham's time, though their " iniquity was not then 
 full." (Gen. XY; 16.) We have a particular account of some 
 of their enormities in the eighteenth and twentieth chapters 
 of Leviticus, and in other places ; whence it appears, that 
 they gave of their seed unto Molech, and caused their child- 
 ren to be burnt in the fire to their gods ; that they were guilty 
 
324 CRITICAL ANto 
 
 of the most abominable lewdness, living in the indulgence 
 and open practice of fornication, incest, and the sin of So- 
 dom ; and that they even defiled themselves with the beasts 
 of the field. For after these vices had been particularly 
 mentioned, and the commission of them had been expressly 
 forbidden to the Israelites, it is said, " In all these the na- 
 tions are defiled, which I cast out before you." (Chap, xviii, 
 24.) Also, in chapter xx, 23, it is said, "For they (i.e. 
 those nations) committed all these things ; and therefore I 
 abhorred them." Such v/ere their abominations, that even 
 the very land was defiled by them, and it spewed them out, 
 (Lev. xviii, 28), as the stomach disgorges from it what is 
 most sickening and oflfensive. At the same time, they were 
 the grossest idolaters. (Deut. xxix, 17.) It is evident, 
 therefore, that they had become, in all respects, extremely 
 wicked. Hence, 
 
 2d. They deserved destruction. If they were so enor- 
 mously wicked, as from the scriptural representations they 
 were, then, certainly, they deserved punishment to some 
 extent, and of some sort or other. And if the moral turpi- 
 tude of those sins which have just been mentioned, and of 
 which they were guilty, be estimated, as undoubtedly it ought 
 to be, by the scriptural standard ; it is not going too far to 
 say, and we have a right to conclude, ' that they deserved 
 destruction for those sins, and not only temporal, but eternal 
 destruction also. , Nor can such a conclusion be invalidated 
 by the plea, that those Canaanites were heathens, who had 
 no other light to guide them but the light of nature ; for the 
 light of nature taught them better, and left them inexcusable, 
 as the apostle Paul shows in the first chapter of his epistle 
 to the Romans ; where, speaking of those heathens who 
 were guilty of the same sins that have just been specified, 
 he declares, that they are '* without excuse," and that '^ they 
 which commit such things are worthy of death." 
 
 3d. God, being a sovereign, had a perfect right to deter- 
 mine in respect to the punishment in this case ; in what 
 mode, to what extent, and by what instruments, it should be 
 inflicted. None can reasonably question this. He might, 
 if he pleased, have destroyed them by his own immediate 
 agency ; aiid in this way vast numbers of them were in fact 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 225 
 
 destroyed, as we see in the case of the Amorites particularly. 
 '* And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and 
 were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the Lord cast 
 down great stones from heaven upon them, unto Azekah, 
 and they died : They were more which died with hdl-stones, 
 than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword." 
 (Joshua X, 11.) He might have caused the eadh to open, 
 and swallow them up, as it did Korah and his company. 
 He might have destroyed them by lightning, pestilence, fa- 
 mine, or the sivord of war , as he saw good. And if the lat- 
 ter were to be the means used for this purpose, he had a 
 perfect right to determine by what class of ^fm the sword 
 should be used. He might have made these seven nations 
 of Canaan the means and instruments of destroying one 
 another ; or he might have sent the surrounding nations, or 
 the Israelites, against them, for this purpose, just as he saw 
 good. 
 
 4th. Absolute as the command given to the Hebrews, to 
 destroy the Canaanites, appears to be, it must, it seemSj 
 have been understood with some limitation, both by Moses 
 and by the Hebrews. By JWoses ; for in Dent, xx, 10, 11, 
 12, he says, or rather God saith by him, " When thou com- 
 est nigh unto a city, to fight against it, then proclaim peace 
 unto it : And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace,, 
 and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that 
 is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall 
 serve thee : And if it will make no peace with thee, but will 
 inake war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it," &c.. 
 Does not this imply, that the utter destruction of the Canaan- 
 ites was to be conditional only ; that in case they should 
 submit, and make peace with the Hebrews, on such terms 
 as should be proposed to them, their lives should be spared? 
 And does it not imply that they were to be compielely des- 
 troyed, only in case of obstinacy and resistance on their 
 part 1 — By the Hebrews, also, this command appears to have 
 been understood v/ith some limitation. One would think 
 so from their practice ; for they did not in fact destroy all 
 that people. Several exceptions are mentioned. Rahab 
 was spared, and her kindred, "And Joshua saved Rahab 
 the harlot alive, and her fatber^s household, and all that sh© 
 
226 CRITICAL AND 
 
 had ; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day ; because 
 she hid the messengers which Joshua sent to spy out Jeri- 
 cho." (Joshua vi, 25.) The reason why she and her fath- 
 er's household were preserved, is here said to be, " because 
 she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent." And that this 
 was a reason sufficient to justify them in the divine mind,' 
 for saving these persons alive, is presumable from the cir- 
 cumstance, that Joshua and the Hebrews are no where bla- 
 med for the clemency which they exercised in this case. 
 But how can we account for this, on the ground that the 
 command ii|^uestion was perfectly absolute, admitting no 
 limitation in al?/ case 1 If it had been thus absolute, neither 
 the reason here mentioned, nor any reason whatever, could 
 have justified them in saving these persons alive. The 
 Gibeonites, also, were spared. " And Joshua made peace 
 with them, and made a league with them, to let them live ; 
 and the princes of the congregation sware unto them." 
 (Josh, ix, 15.) Some peculiar circumstances, it is true, 
 attended this case. Joshua was deceived by that people. 
 From the very plausible account they gave of themselves, 
 he really supposed that they came " from a very far coun- 
 try," and that they were no part of any of the seven nations 
 of Canaan. But he soon discovered his mistake. And why 
 did he not then destroy them, if he had understood the divine 
 command as absolute in the sense above mentioned? The 
 answer doubtless will be, because he had made a solemn 
 league and covenant with them. But would such a cove- 
 nant as that was, a covenant made under circumstances of 
 deception, have been considered by. Joshua, as imposing 
 stronger obligations than an express command of Jehovah"? 
 Can we suppose, in short, that Joshua would have spared 
 the Gibeonites, if he had understood the command in ques- 
 tion in so absolute a sense, that it would admit of no limita- 
 tion in any case whatever ? Other exceptions are mentioned. 
 (Judges i, 25 ; 1 Kings ix, 20, 21.) It maybe added, also, 
 that the very reason annexed to the command to destroy the 
 seven nations of Canaan, implies that the command itself 
 was conditional, and that it was to be understood with some 
 qualification. This reason is said to be, " that they teach 
 you not to do after all their abominations.^^ (Deut. xx, 18.) 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 227 
 
 Now, if they had in fact repented of and forsaken all their 
 abominations, and turned to the God of Israel with all their 
 heart, the reason here stated would not, of course, have ex- 
 isted in their case. 
 
 5th. Palestine, the country inhabited by these seven na- 
 tions, might be lawfully claimed by the Hebrews, the seed of 
 Abraham, as their own country ; for it had become such by 
 the most authentic conveyance imaginable, by the grant of 
 Jehovah himself. (See Gen. xiii, 15, 17; xvii, 8 ; xxvi, 3 ; 
 xxviii, 13, 15.) In that conveyance it was expressly stated, 
 that the land was to be theirs "/or ever^ for an everlasting 
 possession ;" which terms must here be understood in the 
 same sense in which they are when applied to the peculiar 
 laws and ceremonies of the Hebrews or Jews ; i. e. as de- 
 noting a duration co-extensive with that of the Jewish polity. 
 It is no objection to this interpretation of the terms, that the 
 Hebrews did not in fact dwell in and occupy that land during 
 all the intermediate time. The grant made by Jehovah to 
 Abraham, and afterwards renewed to Isaac and Jacob, gave 
 to the Hebrews a right and title to that land, daring the 
 whole period intended by the terms " for ever, everlasting ;" 
 so that it became theirs of right, whether they should actu- 
 ally dwell in and occupy it during the entire interim, or not. 
 This grant or gift of Palestine to the Hebrews, was express- 
 ly recognised in the subsequent periods of their history. It 
 was so in the commission which Jehovah gave to Moses, 
 when he sent him in unto Pharaoh, to demand the liberation 
 of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. (Ex. iii, 
 8, 10.) It was so repeatedly, in the speech which Moses 
 made to that people, and which is recorded in the book of 
 Deuteronomy. (Chap, iv, 1 ; vi, 18 ; viii, 1 ; ix, 5, 23 ; x, 
 11 ; xi, 31.) And, when they were on the point of passing 
 over Jordan, to take possession of that land, the same thing 
 was solemnly declared to them again by Joshua, for their 
 encouragement. (Joshua i, 11.) And besides, so far as 
 occupancy could give a right, they might claim a right of that 
 kind also ; for that country had been previously occupied 
 by the patriarchs and their descendants. Nor does it ap- 
 pear, that they had ever relinquished that right. It may be 
 said, however, that all this would not justify them in treating 
 
!^28 CRITICAL AND 
 
 the inhabitants of that land as they did. The answer is, if 
 they had such a rig it and title to that land, as it has been 
 shown they had, th m they might assert that right ; and by 
 ^uch means, aad in such a way too, as should bs found ne- 
 cessary at the timf^. If they should be resisted and opposed, 
 as we know they weiQ, by formidable combinations, they had 
 a right (according to the then acknowledged laws of war) 
 to oppose force to f >rce, and, in short, to make use of such 
 means as the exigency of the case should require. After 
 all, if any difficulty should still remain, let it be remember- 
 ed, it is nothing peculiar to this case. For, 
 
 6th. This is not the only instance in which the Lord has 
 come out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth 
 for their iniquities. (Isa. xxvi, 20.) The judgments he in- 
 flicted on the nations of Canaan, were not more severe than 
 what he has brought on others of mankind. Witness the 
 destruction of Sodom and G omorrah ; that of Jerusalem 
 and of the Jews, by the Romans ; and especially that of the 
 whole world, (one family only excepted), by the flood. 
 " The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth." 
 (Ps. ix, 16.) And his conduct in all this will, doubtless, 
 be sufficiently vindicated '* in the day of the revelation of his 
 righteous judgment." (Rom. ii, 5.) 
 
 Chap, xxxii, 36. 
 
 " For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself 
 for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and 
 there is none shut up, or left." 
 
 The phrase, " shut up," seems here to mean a being se- 
 cured in a place of secrecy, or in one of safety, as in some 
 impregnable fortress. Such was a frequent fact among the 
 ancient orientals, especially when there were two rival prin- 
 ces or principalities, of which the one sought to exterminate 
 and destroy the other. In that case, the party persecuted, 
 and whose life was in danger, would either get into some 
 place of secrecy, or inclose himself in some strong fortress, 
 or sometimes flee into some foreign country for safety. 
 Thus, when Athaliah attempted to destroy all the seed royal, 
 (2 Kings xi, 1), Joash, the only living child of the late king, 
 was kept for years shut up in a private apartment of the tem- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 229 
 
 pie, in order thai his life might be preserved, so that he 
 might in due time succeed to the crown. So Hadad fled 
 into Egypt, and was there in a sense shut up, or secured 
 from Solomon. (See 1 Kings xi, 14.) Jeroboam did so 
 too, (verse 40), and for the same reason, viz. that he might 
 be there secured against injury from Solomon, until the time 
 should come, when, according to the prediction of the proph- 
 et Ahijah, he should possess the kingdom. The meaning, 
 then, of the texts now under consideration seems to be this ; 
 that Jehovah would judge, avenge the cause of his people, 
 and deliver them, when he should perceive that their own 
 power so to do was gone, and that there was none 5^«^ up 
 and left ; that is, none reserved in some place of safety, to 
 be their future deliverer. Man's extremity is God's oppor- 
 tunity. 
 
 JOSHUA. 
 
 Chapter ix, Verse 23. 
 
 " Now, therefore, ye are cursed ; and there shall none of 
 you be freed from being hewers of wood and drawers of 
 water, for the house of my God." 
 
 To understand the full import and spirit of this maledic- 
 tion, it should be remembered, that among the ancients it 
 was usual to impose the labors and burdens here specified, 
 on the women, as it still is among barbarous and savage na- 
 tions. See, in proof. Gen. xxiv, 11 — "And he made his 
 camels to kneel down without the city, by a well of water, 
 at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out 
 to draw ivater,^' 1 Sam. ix, 11 — "And as they went up 
 the hill to the city, they found young maidens going to draw 
 water, and they said unto them. Is the seer here ?" See, al- 
 so, John iv, 7. And as the customs of the eastern people 
 seldom vary from generation to generation, we find this 
 same custom still prevalent among them. Dr. Shaw men- 
 tions the going out of the women to draw water, as being 
 still a custom among the Arabs in Barbary. Hence we see 
 the full measure of the punishment inflicted by Joshua on 
 the Gibeonites. It consisted not only in the drudgery ex- 
 pressed by "hewing wood and drawing water," but also in 
 
 20 
 
230 CRITICAL AND 
 
 the humiliation attached to it; such being the service usu^ 
 \y imposed in those countries on, and performed by, the 
 women. And when it is considered in what a degraded state 
 their females generally, and especially the menial and labo- 
 rious part of them, were, (so different from what it is in our 
 country, and wherever else Christianity prevails), that hu- 
 miliation itself must have appeared to the Gibeonites as a 
 severe, perhaps the most severe, part of their punishment. 
 
 JUDGES. 
 
 Chapter xi. Verses 30, 31. 
 
 " And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, 
 thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into 
 mine hands, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of 
 the do( ?s of my house to meet me, when I return in peace 
 from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and 
 I will offer it up for a burnt-offering." 
 
 The subsequent verses of this chapter are, probably, fa- 
 miliar to most readers. Such of them as have any concern 
 with Jephthah's vow, will be considered in their proper 
 place. The facts were these. The Ammonites invaded the 
 land and people of Israel. Jephthah sent messengers unto 
 their king, to know the reason of this measure, and at the 
 same time, to dissuade him from proceeding further in hos- 
 tilities. " Howbeit, the king of the children of Ammon 
 hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah." When Jeph- 
 thah perceived that war with the Ammonites was inevitable, 
 he made the requisite preparations for it ; but before engag- 
 ing therein, uttered the vow which has just been mentioned. 
 On his return to Mizpeh, behold ! the object that first met 
 him, was his lorely daughter, an only child ! On seeing her, 
 the father v/as much agitated, and " rent his clothes, and 
 said, Alas, my daughter ! thou hast brought me very low, 
 and thou art one of them that trouble me ; for I have open- 
 ed my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back." His 
 daughter, understanding such language as importing that her 
 father had made a solemn vow unto the Lord, and conclud- 
 ing, also, from his pathetic exclamation, that his vow had i 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 231 
 
 some important reference to her, surrenders herself to his 
 disposal, with only this request, viz. that sho, with her female 
 companions, might go up and down upon the mountains, 
 for two months, to bewail her virginity. " And it came to 
 pass, at the end of two months, that she returned unto her 
 father, who did with her according to his vow, which he had 
 vowed ; and she knew no man." Now, all on this subject 
 which needs any illustration, may be embraced in this sin- 
 gle inquiry, viz : Did Jephthah actually sacrifice his daugh- 
 ter, i. e. put her to death, or not ? It must be acknowledged, 
 that the whole story, taken together, as it stands in our ver- 
 sion, would naturally lead the mere English reader to con- 
 clude that he did ; and such, accordingly, appears to be in 
 fact the general conclusion. But to the justness of this 
 conclusion there are weighty objections. Consider, 
 
 1st. The character of Jephthah. He was a native Jew, 
 and had from his childhood been brought up in the Jewish 
 religion, of which one prominent characteristic was an abso- 
 lute prohibition of the sacrifice of children. (See Lev. xx, 
 2, 3 : Deut. xii, 31 ; and xviii, 10.) If it should be said, that 
 though these texts forbade the Jews to sacrifice their child- 
 ren to Molech, they did not forbid them to sacrifice their 
 children to Jehovah; such an objection would be of no 
 weight. There was a special reason why the sacrificing of 
 children should be particularly mentioned, in prohibitions of 
 this nature ; and that was, the constant proneness of the 
 Jews to imitate the surrounding heathen in their idolatry, 
 and other evil practices, and the great danger they were in 
 from this source. The whole tenor of the Jewish law is 
 against sacrifices of this kind, as all commentators allow. 
 Indeed, in one of the texts cited above, (Deut xii, 31), it is 
 expressly said, '^ Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy 
 God; for even their sons and their daughters they have 
 burnt in the fire to their gods ;" i. e. * Thou shalt not serve 
 the Lord thy God, by sacrificing your children to him, as 
 they have served their gods, by sacrificing their children to 
 them.^ The Jews themselves must be supposed to be, in 
 general, best acquainted with the meaning of their own law. 
 But in the Misna, or traditional law of the Jews, and which 
 contmns their explanatioaa of it, are found these words,. 
 
232 CRITICAL AND 
 
 (verse 212), viz : " If a Jew should devote (to destruction) 
 his son or daughter, his man or maid servant, who are He» 
 brews, the devotement would be void ; because no man can 
 devote what is not his own, or whose life he has not the ab- 
 solute disposal of." It should, also, be remembered, that 
 Jephthah not only was 0/ Israel, but belonged to the true. Is- 
 rael ; for he is expressly mentioned (Heb. xi, 32) as one of 
 those pre-eminent for faith, '' of whom the world was not wor- 
 thy." In view, then, of Jephthah's origin, of his certain 'piety, 
 and of his acquaintance with the prohibitions of Judaism, it 
 seems incredible that he should ever have seriously thought 
 of sacrificing his daughter. Even if his vow had originally 
 contemplated this ; if, as made and intended by him at the 
 time, it was nothing less, and nothingelse, than a solemn prOf 
 mise made to God, actually to put to death, in the way of sa- 
 crifice to him, whatsoever should come forth of the doors of 
 his house, to meet him on his return ; still, for the reasons a- 
 bove mentioned, we cannot suppose, that when he came to see 
 what the object ivaSy that did thus meet him, he should have 
 considered himself as bound one moment by such an obliga- 
 tion. He must have had knowledge, and judgment, and pie- 
 ty enough, to perceive that the vow he had made was a rash 
 vow, and that he had no right at first to make a vow of this 
 sort, without some qualifications and limitations ; but that 
 now, since he had made it, his sin consisted in the making of 
 the vow only ; not in the non-execution of it. When, there- 
 fore, we consider Jephthah's c^-«rac!fer, in connection with his 
 strong parental feelings towards his daughter, his only childj 
 it seems incredible that he could have put her to death. 
 
 2d. Provision was made in the Jewish law, for the re- 
 demption of persons or things vowed unto the Lord. Only 
 two sorts of vows are mentioned in the Old Testament. 
 The Hebrew names of these are cherem and neder ; in 
 the one or other of which all the vows made by the Jews 
 may be comprehended. The cherem was the most solemn 
 of all the vows which were made by them, being accompa- 
 nied with an execration. It answers to the anathema, as 
 used in the Septuagint. The person or thing thus vowed un- 
 to the Lord, was said to be " devoted unto the Lord," and 
 could not be redeemed. (See Lev, xxvii, 28.) This sort 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 233 
 
 of VOW respected either persons or things. When it respect- 
 ed ^persons, or, indeed, animals of any kind, it implied that 
 they were devoted to destruction; but when it respected 
 things, i. e. inanimate things, it implied that they were to be 
 utterly consumed by fire, or to be dedicated to the Lord, for 
 religious purposes. An example of this two-fold import of 
 the CHEREM, we have in Joshua vi, 17 — 19, 21 — 24. It is 
 said, (verse 17), "And the city shall be accursed, (Heb. 
 cherem), even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord ; on- 
 ly Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her 
 in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent." 
 What is meant by the cherem, in this place, is explained 
 by the exception here mentioned, viz. that in favor of Rahab, 
 and *' all that were with her in the house." They only wer6 
 to live ; which implies, that all the rest of the persons in the 
 city were to be destroyed. And that the Israelites under- 
 stood the cherem in the same sense, so far as respected 
 not only the persons, but other animals in the city, is evi- 
 dent from the manner in which they treated them ; for ''they 
 utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and wo- 
 man, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the 
 edge of the sword." (Verse 21.) What is meant by the 
 CHEREM here, as it respects inanimate things, is explained 
 in verse 19, viz : " But all the silver and gold, and vessels 
 of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord ; they shall 
 come into the treasury of the Lord^ But in no case could 
 the object of the cherem, whether it were persons or things, 
 be properly redeemed from the use, condition, or destiny, 
 to which they had been devoted. It ought, however, to be 
 observed, that even in case of the cherem, the vow could 
 not be really vahd and obligatory, if it were contrary to any 
 part of the divine law ; for the obvious reason, that the law 
 of God is the paramount and supreme rule of duty, and no 
 person has any right to execute, or even to make, any vow, 
 or to assume any obligation, which contravenes that rule. 
 But the neder, or more common vow, was, (says Thom- 
 as Hartwell Home), "when a person engaged to do any 
 thing, as, for instance, to bring an offering to G on ; or oth- 
 erwise to dedicate any thing unto him." The objects of this 
 sort of vow, or the things vowed in this way, were various, 
 20* 
 
334 CRITICAL AND 
 
 as, e. g. beasts, whether clean or unclean, lands, the tithes of 
 lands, houses, and the person of the vower himself; of all 
 which we have an account in Lev. xx\-iith chapter. All these 
 thiius, with the exception only of clean beasts used for of- 
 ferings, might be redeemed, at the rate and on the conditions 
 specified in that chapter, although they had been vowed unto 
 the Lord. Now the question is, which of these two sorts of 
 vows was it that Jephthah made 1 The question is impor- 
 tant, and particularly in respect to its bearing on the point 
 now immediately before us, viz. that of redeeming his vow. 
 The best way to understand v/hat the scripture really means, 
 is to attend to what it sayi. i. e. to the words, and phrases, 
 and expressions ; or, in a word, to the language tiierein 
 used, and to interpret it according to the iisus loquendi of 
 tlis Hebrews. Now, in the account we have of Jephthah's 
 vow, it is the nedek. only, or common vow, that is mention- 
 ed. This is the word used in the Hebrew, and. not cherem, 
 as in Lev. xxvii, 2S, 29, and of which it is there said, that it 
 shall not be redeemed. Nor is there any intimation given in 
 the account we have of Jephthah's vow, that it was accom- 
 panied with the CHEEEM, unless it be in the expression, ''and 
 I will offer it up for a burnt-offering ;" concerning which more 
 will be said afterwards. It should be further observed, that 
 the persons expressly mentioned in the Old Testament, as 
 anathematised, execrated, and devoted to destruction, were 
 always heathens, aliens, and enemies to God, as the Amalek- 
 ites, and Canaanites, and the inhabitants of Jericho, in par- 
 ticular. (See Judges i, 17: Num. xxi, 1 — 3.) On the 
 whole, therefore, there is abundant evidence that Jephthah's 
 vow was not of that sort which'precluded the possibility of 
 redemption. Not only might he have redeemed his daugh- 
 ter, even if by a rash vow he had devoted her to death ; but 
 he might have redeemed her for a small sum too—only thirty 
 pieces of silrer ; for that was the estimation for a female. 
 (See Lev. xxvii, 4.) And who can doubt, whether he would 
 HOt cheerfully have paid this sum, rather than have sacrificed 
 his daughter? 
 
 3d. Jephthah is no where in any other part of scripture 
 blamed for his treatment of his daughter ; a fact which seems 
 utterly unaccountable, on the supposition that he put her to 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 235 
 
 death, since others are blamed for a sin of this nature. Ahaz 
 is blamed for *' having made his son pass through the fire, 
 according to the abomination of the heathen, whom the 
 Lord cast out from before the children of Israel." (2 Kings 
 xvi, 3.) For a similar practice, the inhabitants of Jerusa- 
 lem are also blamed. (Jer. xix, 5.) But Jephthah is no 
 where in scripture blamed for sacrificing his daughter ; 
 which appears to be a strong presumptive evidence that he 
 never did so. — But after all that has been said, it may still 
 be asked, do not the luorcZs of Jephthah's vow themselves, 
 in connection with the account we have of his executing his 
 vow, show that he actually sacrificed his daughter 1 And 
 how can we consistently understand them in any other sense? 
 Let us attend, then, more particularly to the voiv itself. This, 
 as it stands in our English Bible, is as follows : — *' And 
 iTephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said. If thou 
 shait without fait deliver the children of Ammon into my 
 hands, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the 
 doors of my house, to meet me, when I return in peace from 
 the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I 
 will offer it up for a burnt-offering." Now, the important 
 remark I would make in this place is, that the Hebrew ad- 
 mits of a translation in two other ivaijs. It may be transla- 
 ted thus ; — " Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth 
 of the doors of my house, to meet me, shall surely be the 
 Lord's ; or I will offer it up for a burnt-offering." ' The 
 Hebrew particle vau frequently means or ; and frequently 
 is it so rendered by our translators. In proof of this remark, 
 I refer to the following passages, as specimens only of many 
 others that might be adduced, viz. Gen. xli, 44 : "And Pha- 
 raoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall 
 no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." 
 Ex. xiij 6 — " Ye shall take it (i. e. the lamb) out from the 
 sheep, or from the goats." Ex. xxi, 15 — "And he that 
 smiteth his father or his mother, shall be surely put to death." 
 Verse 17 — " And he that curseth his father or his mother, 
 shall be surely put to death." Num. xxii, 26 — "And the 
 angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, 
 where was no way to turn, either to the right hand or to the 
 left." Deut. iii, 24 — " For what God is there in heavcQ or 
 
236 CRITICAL AND 
 
 in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according 
 to thy might." 2 Sam. iii, 29 — '' Let it rest on the head of 
 Joab, and on all his father's house ; and let there not fail 
 from the house of Joab, one that hath an issue, or that is a 
 leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, 
 or that lacketh bread." In all these passages, the Hebrew 
 particle or conjunction vau, evidently means or, and is so 
 rendered by our translators. The words of Jephthah's vow 
 may, therefore, be translated from the Hebrew, as above, 
 viz : — " Whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house, 
 &c. shall surely be the Lord's ; or I will offer it up for a 
 burnt- offering ;" as it is the same Hebrew particle used in 
 this case, that is used in the texts just cited. And if such 
 be the import of Jephthah's vow, we may weU suppose, that 
 in making it he had a sort of mental reserve, which would 
 allow him to act as the exigency of the case might require ; 
 i. e. either to dedicate to the Lord the object that should 
 meet him, or to offer it up for a burnt- offering, according as 
 the object itself should prove to be fit and proper for the 
 one or the other of these purposes. But the words of Jeph- 
 thah's vow may be translated in another Vay still, thus : — 
 *' Whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house, to 
 meet me, shall surely be the Lord's ; and I will offer him 
 (i. e. to him, Jehovah) a burnt- offering." For examples of 
 a similar idiom in the Hebrew, let the following passages, 
 as they stand in that language, be carefully consulted, viz : 
 Gen. xxxvii, 4, and xxxix, 21:2 Sam. xv, 4, and xx, 5 : 1 
 Kings i, 4, and xx, 9 : JProv. xxviii, 22 : Ezek. xxi, 32. 
 According to this translation, Jephthah's vow will consist of 
 two parts. The first is, that whatsoever, i. e. whatsoever 
 person or object should come forth of the doors of his house, 
 to meet him, on his return, should surely be the Lord's ; 
 should be dedicated, consecrated for ever to his service. The 
 second is, that he would, besides this, offer to Jehovah a 
 burnt-offering. The difference in meaning between this 
 translation, and that contained in our English Bibles, con- 
 sists in this. According to the latter, the very same object 
 or person, who should *' surely be the Lord's," was to be 
 offered up for a burnt-offering. According to the translation 
 which I have last given, they were to be different objects. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 237 
 
 The person that first met him from the doors of his hotise, 
 was to be the Lord's, dedicated for ever to him ; and besides 
 this, he was to offer to the Lord, a burnt-offering. It is 
 readily seen, that so far as Jephthah's vow respected the 
 person or object who should meet him from the doors of his 
 house, its import might be the same, whichever of these 
 translations, which I have given, should be adopted : And 
 every Hebrew scholar knows that either of these translations 
 is admissible. Accordingly, it is believed, that so far as 
 Jephthah's vow respected his daughter, it is to be interpreted 
 accordingly ; and that when it is said, " Her father did with 
 her according to his vow which he had vowed ;" the mean- 
 ing is, not that he put her to death ; but that he gave her 
 wholly to the Lord ; i. e. dedicated her for ever to his ser- 
 vice, in a state of perpetual virginity, and of seclusion from 
 ordinary intercourse with the world. Such, also, is the 
 opinion of many able divines. 
 
 But as there are objections to this interpretation ; and as 
 it is our duty to " prove all things," so far as we can ; and 
 to " hold fast that which is good ;" let us candidly attend to 
 what can be urged on the other side. The advocates for 
 the sentiment, that Jephthah actually sacrificed his daughter, 
 usually alledge the following things :- — 
 
 1st. The letter of the vow itself. It has been already 
 shown, that the original may properly be translated in two 
 other ways, neither of which would favor the idea of an ac- 
 tual sacrifice. 
 
 2d. The agitation of Jephthah's mind, when he saw his 
 daughter. It is supposed that he would not have been thus 
 agitated, had he not foreseen that she must soon be sacrifi- 
 ced, and that, too, by his own hands. But such agitation 
 may be, in a good degree, accounted for, on the supposition, 
 he knew that this daughter, his only child, was to be for ever 
 secluded from him, and devoted to the Lord, in a state of 
 perpetual virginity ; a state which was not only very disre- 
 putable among the Jews, but (as she was his only child) 
 must, in her case, deprive him of all prospect and possibility 
 of having any posterity, to bear up his name in Israel. 
 
 3d. Her request for permission to bewail her virginity for 
 ^wo months. (Verse 37.) It has been said, if she was to 
 
238 CRITICAL AND 
 
 be dedicated by her father to the Lord, in perpetual virginity, 
 such a request would have been needless and absurd ; as in 
 that case, she would have had a whole life to lament it in. 
 But the very phraseology here used, seems rather to confirm 
 the interpretation I have given. For observe, she desired 
 liberty to bewail her virginity, not her approaching death. 
 If she knew that she was so soon to be sacrificed by her 
 father, why did she not bewail her death also, as well as her 
 virginity 1 Again, her design in this request might have been, 
 to get some time for society with her companions, before 
 her perpetual seclusion from them, and for social lamenta- 
 tion ; for she says, " Let me alone two months, that I may 
 go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virgini- 
 ty, / and my felloivs." 
 
 4th. The custom of the daughters of Israel, lamenting the 
 daughter of Jephthah four days in a year. To this it may be 
 replied, that one of the meanings of the Hebrew word tan- 
 NOTH, (as may be seen in Buxtorf's Lexicon), is in Latin, 
 confabulari, i. e. to talk with. In Judges v, 11, this same 
 verb is translated rehearse : '* There shall they rehearse the 
 righteous acts of the Lord." The comment of Kimchi, the 
 celebrated Jewish expositor, on this 40th verse, is in these 
 words : — " Ut scilicet amicis colloquiis earn de virginitatcj 
 et statu vitcB solitario consolarentur ;" In English thus : — 
 " That indeed, with their friendly discourse, they might com- 
 fort her concerning her virginity, and her solitary state of 
 life." The Chaldee, and R. Solomon, explain the above 
 verb, by "ad lamentandum ;" and immediately add, by way 
 of comment, ^^nempe super virginitate ejus ;^^ that is, "to 
 wit, on account of her virginity." Whence it is evident, that 
 learned Jewish doctors, who must be supposed to have un- 
 derstood their own language best, have understood this verse 
 as meaning, that the daughters of Israel went four times in 
 a year, to converse with the daughter of Jephthah, to condole 
 with her on account of her virginity, and solitary state of life, 
 and to comfort her under it ; all which plainly implies tliat 
 she was still alive. But take the passage as it reads : "The 
 daughters of Israel went to lament the daughter of Jeph- 
 thah." The question is, lohat in her, or respecting her, did 
 they lament ? It is not here said, they lamented ber death ; 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 239 
 
 and for us to say they did, is to beg the question. They 
 might have lamented only what they and Jephthah's daugh- 
 ter had lamented before, viz. her virginity. On the wholoy 
 though some difficulties attend every interpretation of Jeph- 
 thah's vow, which has been hitherto adopted, that which I 
 have advocated has the fewest and the least, and is certainly 
 admissible. 
 
 I. SAMUEL. 
 
 Chapter ix. Verse 7. 
 
 " Then said Saul to his servant. But behold if we go, what 
 shall we bring to the manl For the bread is spent in our 
 vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of 
 God: What have we ?" 
 
 For the illustration of this text, the following remarks 
 from Maundrel, a modern traveller, appear very useful, and 
 very necessary to be remembered. In describing his jour- 
 ney through Syria, he has these words, as cited by Harmer : 
 " It is counted uncivil to visit in this country, without an of- 
 fering in hand. All great men expect it, as a kind of tribute 
 due to their character and authority ; and look upon them- 
 selves as affronted, and indeed defrauded, when this com- 
 pliment is omitted. Even in familiar visits amongst inferior 
 people, you shall seldom have them come, without bringing 
 a flower, or an orange, or some other such token of their 
 respect, to the person visited ; the Turks, in this, keeping 
 up the ancient oriental custom hinted in 1 Sam. ix, 7: 'If we 
 go, says Saul, what shall we bring the man of God 1 There 
 is not a present,' &c.; which words are, questionless, to be 
 understood in conformity to this eastern custom ; as relating 
 to Q. token of respect, and not a price of divinationJ^ This 
 last remark of Maundrel is particularly to be remembered ; 
 as many people, when they read of the presents made to the 
 ancient prophets, as of this to Samuel, of that by Jeroboam's 
 queen to Ahijah, (1 Kings xiv, 3), and of that which a Syrian 
 nobleman would have made to EUsha, (2 Kings v, 5, 15), 
 are apt to think those prophets were a mercenary set of m^n, 
 (like modern fortune-tellers), who would not reveal any se- 
 crets, nor foretell important future events, without a reward} 
 
240 CRITICAL AKD 
 
 and that too beforehand ! Now, to think so, and especially 
 to say so, must manifest either a deplorable ignorance of 
 both ancient and modern oriental customs, or (what is still 
 worse) an utter want of candor, and a spirit too much like 
 that of Elymas, the sorcerer. (Acts xiii, 10.) All that needs 
 to be said on this subject is, that the offering of presents, 
 not only to distinguished men in both the civil and ecclesi- 
 astical departments, but to inferiors also, was, of old, a fre-* 
 quent custom in the east ; and, as appears from the journals 
 of our Asiatic missionaries, is so at present. 
 
 Chap, xxviii, 11, 12, 
 
 " Then said the woman. Whom shall I bring up unto 
 thee 1 And he said. Bring me up Samuel. And when the 
 woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice ; and the 
 woman spake to Saul, saying. Why hast thou deceived me? 
 for thou art Saul." 
 
 With the story respecting Saul and the witch of Endor, 
 common readers have been much perplexed ; and not they 
 only. Expositors of scripture have been much perplexed 
 with it. Some circumstances relative to it are really mys- 
 terious, and will probably remain so, until the hght of ano- 
 ther world shall reveal them. The main, the most interest- 
 ing part of the story, and the only particular in it to which I 
 shall now directly attend, is that which relates to the resur- 
 rection or reappearance of Samuel. The question then is — 
 Did this woman really raise, bring up Samuel, or not ? This 
 question, indeed, may be considered as divisible into two, 
 viz : Was Samuel, the true Samuel, in fact raised up at all ; 
 or was it only a spectre, an apparition 1 And, if he was in 
 fact, in his proper person, raised up, did this woman raise 
 him up ; or was his resurrection owing, in any sense or de- 
 gree, to any agency of hers 1 On the first of these questions, 
 some may be ready to decide as soon as they hear it propo- 
 sed ; for what can be more evident, it may be asked, than 
 that it was the real Samuel that appeared, since it is express- 
 ly said, " The woman saw Samuel" — " Saul perceived that 
 it was Samuel ;" And besides, a conversation of some length 
 on matters of state is recorded, as having passed between 
 Samuel and Saul. Well, then, for the present, be it so. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 241 
 
 Say, if you choose, that it was the real Samuel that appear- 
 ed, and not a mere spectre, nor (as some interpreters have 
 strangely supposed) Satan personating Samuel. The next 
 question is — Did this woman raise him up ; or were his re- 
 surrection and reappearance owing to any stratagem or pow- 
 er of hers 1 I answer, no : For, not to insist on the absurdi- 
 ty which attends the supposition, that the Lord of all should 
 permit a woman of her character and occupation, to disturb 
 the repose of such an holy man and distinguished prophet, 
 and even to raise the dead, (a work, which in 2 Cor. i, 9, 
 and elsewhere, is ascribed to God) ; it may be observed, 
 that from the very face of the account, as it stands, it would 
 rather appear that she had no agency, either efficient or in- 
 strumental, in the resurrection and reappearance of Samuel. 
 " Whom shall I bring up unto thee," says she to Saul. "And 
 he (Saul) said. Bring me up Samuel. And when the wo- 
 man saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice." Does it 
 not hence appear, that immediately after Saul had said, 
 *' Bring me up Samuel," Samuel appeared. The narrative 
 is such as to show, that these two events, Saul's charge to 
 the woman, and the reappearance of Samuel, were simulta- 
 neous, or as nearly so as they possibly could be. It shows, 
 at least, that there could not h^ve been so long an interim 
 between them, as to have allowed her an opportunity to bring 
 her magical arts into operation, or indeed to do any thing 
 at all. Accordingly, it seems she did nothing at all in this 
 business ; that she did not even leave the place where she 
 was ; that instantly on Saul's saying, " Bring me up Samu- 
 el," the holy prophet appeared, and doubtless by some other 
 power than hers. It is said, " When the woman saw Sam- 
 uel, she cried with a loud voice." This shows her astonish- 
 ment, and agitation of mind — astonishment, that he had 
 so suddenly appeared — agitation, occasioned by his venera- 
 ble and almost divine appearance ; for when Saul inquired 
 of her the cause of her being so fearfully agitated, she re- 
 plied, " I saw gods ascending out of the earth :...An old man 
 Cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle." But would 
 she have been so astonished, and agitated, if nothing unex- 
 pected had taken place ; nothing but the ordinary effect of 
 her own professional incantations 1 It has been deemed pro- 
 
 21 
 
242 CRITICAL AND 
 
 per to enlarge somewhat on this subject, because by infidels 
 and the adversaries of the Bible, the case of the witch of 
 Endor, together with that of the magicians of Egypt, has 
 been often alledged in proof of their position, viz : that mir- 
 acles, admitting them to have been wrought, are no demon- 
 stration of the divine com.mission of those who wrought 
 them. Or, if they must be so considered, then, say they, 
 they prove the divine mission of the magicians of Egypt, 
 and of the witch of Endor ; and prove, by necessary conse- 
 quence, the equally authorised claims to a divine origin, of 
 such contradictory schemes of religion as that of the Bible, 
 and that of idolaters and conjurers ! Now, it is evident that 
 those who make this objection take it for granted, that there, 
 is as much, or at least as real evidence, that these persons 
 perform.ed real miracles, as there is that the prophets, Jesus 
 Chi'ist, and his apostles, did. But this we deny. As to the 
 exploits of the magicians of Egypt, see my notes on that 
 subject. In regard to the case now immediately before us, 
 it may be observed, that whether it were a mere spectre, or 
 Samuel's real person, that appeared to Saul, a divine, and 
 not a magical agency, was, no doubt, the cause of that 
 event, as well as of those events which followed, viz. the 
 overthrow of the Israelitish army, and the death of Saul, and 
 of his sons. — By the way, and in conclusion, I would re- 
 mark, that the whole story relative to Saul and the witch of 
 Endor, seems a decisive proof that the Jews believed in a 
 separate state of existence ; and believed, not only that the 
 soul was in a state of conscious existence, after it had left 
 the body, but, also, that the deceased were sometimes per- 
 mitted to make, in some way or other, interesting commu- 
 nications to their surviving friends on earth. 
 
 Chap, xxxi, 4. 
 
 " Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer. Draw thy sword, 
 and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised 
 come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor- 
 bearer would not ; for he was sore afraid. Therefore, Saul 
 took a sword, and fell upon it." 
 
 But an Amalekite tells David, '' So / stood upon him, 
 and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live af- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 243 
 
 ter that he was fallen ; and I took the crown that was upon 
 his head, and the bracelet that was upon his arm, and have 
 brought them hither unto my lord." (2 Sam. i, 10.) In one 
 passage, we are told that Saul slew himself; in the other, 
 that an Amalekite slew him. Here is indeed an inconsis- 
 tency. But the sacred writer is not blameable for this ; nor 
 can any valid objection be hence drawn against his divine 
 inspiration. The business of the sacred writers, as such, 
 was simply to make a faithful record of those facts or events 
 which God would have them communicate to mankind. See 
 my notes on 2 Timothy iii, 16 ; where it was shown that it 
 is not necessary, in order to the whole Bible's being the 
 word of God, that every thing recorded in it, as having been 
 said or done by one and another, as, e. g. by Satan, by evil 
 demons, and by wicked men, should have been immediately 
 dictated by the Spirit of God, as said or done by them ; nor 
 that every thing recorded in the Bible, as having been said 
 or done by one and another, should be approved of by God, 
 or should be, in itself considered, agreeable to the holy na- 
 ture of God. We have in the Bible the speeches and re- 
 marks of Satan, and wicked men, some of which are cer- 
 tainly not true. Of this nature, very evidently, is the decla- 
 ration of the young Amalekite. This was merely his own 
 story ; the sacred penman having had no other concern with 
 it than to record it ; and it has all the appearance of being 
 a fiction and a falsehood, framed for ingratiating himself in- 
 to favor with David. Indeed, some of the circumstances 
 attending the young man's story, particularly his exhibition 
 before David, of the crown that had been on Saul's head, 
 and of the bracelet that had been on his arm, sufficiently 
 proved the fact, that Saul was dead ; but they did not prove 
 ivho it was that killed him. But this we learn from the pre- 
 ceding chapter. In the account there given of the battle of 
 the Israelites with the Philistines, it is expressly said, " Sau^ 
 took a sword, and fell upon it." And that the wound h0 
 thereby gave himself was a mortal one, appears from the 
 very next verse, where it is said, '' His armor-bearer saW 
 that Saul was dead" It seems, however, that David be- 
 lieved, for the present, in the truth of what this young man 
 saidj relative to the m^Euaer of SauPs 4eath ; as, indeed, he 
 
244 CRITICAL AND 
 
 well might, not having received (as appears from the con- 
 text) any other intelligence relative to that event, and his 
 story being attended with such plausible circumstances. 
 But this is no evidence that the story itself was true. It 
 shows only, that David was for the present imposed upon 
 and deceived ; as he doubtless discovered afterwards, in 
 consequence of further information. — In the dreadful judg- 
 ment, which, by the providence of God, so speedily befel 
 this youth, (verses 15, 16), we see the truth of the wise 
 man's observation : — " A false witness shall not be unpun- 
 ished ; and he that telleth lies shall not escape." (Proverbs 
 xix, 5.) 
 
 II. SAMUEL. 
 
 Chapter xii, Verses 21 — 23. 
 
 " Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that 
 tliou hast done 1 Thou didst fast and weep for the child, 
 while it was alive ; but when the child was dead, thou didst 
 rise and eat bread. And he said, while the child was yet 
 alive, I fasted and wept ; for I said, who can tell whether 
 God will be gracious to me, that the child may live ? But 
 now he is dead, wherefore should I fast ? Can I bring him 
 back again ? I shall go to him ; but he shall not return to 
 me." 
 
 Without some knowledge of oriental customs, it will be 
 very difficult to enter into the true spirit of these verses ; 
 more especially to understand fully the reason, or reasons, 
 why the servants of David were so much astonished at the 
 conduct of their master, on this occasion. From Sir John 
 Chardin, as cited by Harmer, (vol. 2, page 495), we learn, 
 that " it is usual in the east to leave a relation of a person 
 deceased to weep and mourn ; till on the third or fourth day, 
 at farthest, the relations and friends go to see him, cause him 
 to eat, lead him to a bath, and cause him to put on new vest- 
 ments ; he having before thrown himself upon the ground." 
 One reason, therefore, of the astonishment of David's ser- 
 vants at his behavior, was, that he did not observe the usual 
 forms and ceremonies of mourning. Without waiting *' un-. 
 til the third or fourth day," for others to come and see him., 
 
BXPLANATOR? NOTES. 245 
 
 and rmnister unto him, " David arose from the earth" imme- 
 diately, on hearing of the child's death, " and washed, and* 
 anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and ate bread," 
 (verse 20) ; and did all these things himself, without waiting 
 for the arrival and assistance of his relations and friends. 
 Again ; most readers may not perceive the lohole of the im- 
 port of verse 23 : — " But now he is dead, wherefore shoul<J 
 I fast 1 Can I bring him back again ? I shall go to him ; but 
 he shall not return to me." The general opinion is, that the 
 reason why David did not fast for the child, after it was aC" 
 tually dead, was, his perceiving that the will of Heaven waf; 
 done ; that the child's state, as it respected this world anc 
 the world to come, was immutably fixed by the providenco 
 of God ; and that, of course, all his fasting and praying for 
 the continuation, or rather restoration of its life, would be ic. 
 vain. Such, unquestionably, was a reason, perhaps the 
 principal one, why he ceased fasting. But it appears thero 
 was another reason, also, for it. Maimonides, a noted Jew- 
 ish writer, says, " The Jews did not lament infants, who 
 died before they were thirty days old." The inquisitive 
 reader naturally asks, why there was this peculiarity in their 
 feelings and practice, relative to infants who died under this 
 tender age t The true answer probably is, they believed 
 such infants were saved, and of course happy. 
 
 Chap, xxiv, 1, 2, 9, 10. 
 " And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against 
 Israel, and he moved David against them to say. Go, nuni-» 
 ber Israel and Judah. For the king said to Joab, the cap- 
 tain of the host, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, fron? 
 Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I 
 may know the number of the people. And Joab gave up 
 the sum of the number of the people unto the king : And 
 there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men, 
 that drew the sword ; and the men of Judah were five hun- 
 dred thousand men. And David's heart smote him, after 
 that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the 
 Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done ; and now I 
 beseech tbee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; 
 for I have done very foolishly." 
 
 21* 
 
246 CRITICAL AND 
 
 The whole difficulty relative to these passages, consists 
 in understanding how David's numbering his people could 
 be a sin. That David believed the act to be sinful, is evi- 
 dent from his humble confession, and earnest petition for 
 pardon, in verse 10th ; and that it was really sinful, and to 
 an high degree so, is certain from the dreadful judgment of" 
 pestilence, which Jehovah brought upon Israel for this very 
 act, and by which seventy thousand men were slain. (Terse 
 15.) But ivhy should David's numbering his people be 
 such a great sin 1 Is it not proper for a ruler to know, not 
 only the general character and circumstances, but also the 
 populousness and physical strength, of the nation or people 
 over which he presides 1 And, particularly, if that nation be, 
 exposed to frequent depredations and wars, from hostile cir- 
 cumjacent nations, as the Jewish nation was, is it not pro- 
 per, nay necessary, that its king, or chief magistrate, should 
 become acquainted with its militarij strength, that he might 
 know what would be its ability to contend with them, in case 
 of an invasion 1 Political wisdom would surely suggest the 
 propriety and necessity of such information ; and why, in a 
 moral sense, should there be any thing wrong in it, or in 
 using the means necessary to obtain it ? We believe there is 
 nothing wrong, politically or morally, in taking a census of 
 the inhabitants of the United States. How then could Da^ 
 vid's numbering his people be such a sin? To this it may 
 be replied, that when on former occasions a census was ta- 
 ken, it was done by an express command from Jehovah. 
 There were two numberings of the people in the time of 
 Moses ; and in both these instances, the enumeration was 
 made by an express divine command. (See Num. i, 1 — 4, 
 and xxvi, 1 — 5.) But David's numbering of the people ap- 
 pears to have originated with himself. We have no account 
 of his having received any divine command for this purpose. 
 His sin, therefore, might have consisted, at least in part, in 
 doing that of himself^ which, for ought we know, could have 
 been authorised only by a divine command. Again ; the 
 Lord had required that when the people were numbered, 
 half a shekel from each should be collected for the service 
 of the sanctuary. But as no mention is made of such col- 
 Lection, either in David's order to Joab, or in Joab's pro- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 247 
 
 cecdings consequent thereon, it is probable the collection 
 was omitted. After all, David's sin in this affair consisted 
 principally in his pride : as Hezekiah's did, when he showed 
 his treasures to the messengers of the king of Babylon, (2 
 Kings XX, 13) ; and as Nebuchadnezzar's did, when he said, 
 " Is not this great Babylon, that / have built for the house 
 of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor 
 of my majesty 1" (Daniel iv, 30.) David's pride and am- 
 bition prompted him to count the numbers of his people, to 
 ascertain v/hat a great and warlike nation it was, over which 
 he presided, of whose prosperity he had been the principal 
 instrument, and which he was soon to leave to his succes- 
 sor. Such we mus.t suppose to have been the essence and 
 sum of David's sin in this affair. 
 
 Verse 24. 
 
 " And the king said unto Araunah, Kay ; but I will surely 
 buy it of thee at a price : Neither will I offer burnt-offerings 
 unto the Lord my God, of that which doth cost me nothing. 
 So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen, for fifty 
 shekels of silver." 
 
 But in the parallel place, (1 Chron. xxi, 25), it is said, 
 ^' So Darid gave to Oman, (or Araunah), for the place, six 
 hundred shekels of gold, by weight." Is there not an in- 
 consistency, or rather a conti'adiction, between these two 
 passages 1 The infidel may exultingly pretend there is ; and 
 the superficial reader may not be able to discern and expose 
 the fallacy of the pretence. But a careful attention to these 
 two texts will show, that there is no inconsistency between 
 them. In the first cited passage, mention is made only of 
 the threshing-floor, and the oxen : For these, it is said, Da- 
 vid gave fifty shekels of silver. In the last cited passage, 
 the place is mentioned, which must have comprehended 
 much more than the threshing-floor and oxen. The place 
 included, probably, the entire tract of the mountain on which 
 the temple was afterwards built, together with *' the oxen 
 for burnt-offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, 
 and the wheat for the meat-offering." For the place, thus 
 extensive and comprehensive, David gave six hundred she- 
 kels of gold. We see, then, that if the two passages do not 
 
248 CRITICAL AND 
 
 speak exactly the same thing, they do not speak contrary 
 things ; that there is no discrepancy between them, when 
 rightly understood ; and that they are entirely consistent 
 with each other. , 
 
 I. KINGS. 
 
 Chapter ii. Verses 8, 9. 
 
 " And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei, the son of 
 Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a 
 grievous curse, in the day when I went to Mahanaim : But 
 he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by 
 the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death by the sword. 
 Now, therefore, hold him not guiltless ; for thou art a wise 
 man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him ; but 
 his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood." 
 
 As to the ninth verse, with which my chief concern is at 
 present, it is evident, that the middle clause of it, viz. " for 
 thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do 
 unto him," ought to be understood as a parenthesis. The 
 prominent subject of the verse is David's charge to Solo- 
 mon, respecting Shimei. The middle clause of the verse is 
 an apostrophe to Solomon, and has no direct concern with 
 the charge itself. The charge itself, therefore, is this : — 
 " Now, therefore, hold him not guiltless, but his hoar head 
 bring thou down to the grave with blood." But still a diffi- 
 culty attends this passage, as it stands in our version. That 
 David, a '* man after God's own heart," who had, in such 
 an eminent degree, the spirit of the gospel, and of course 
 the spirit of forgiveness, should command Solomon to put 
 Shimei to death, and that, too, after he had expressly par- 
 doned him, (2 Sam. xix, 23), and when he himself was 
 about to " go the way of all the earth," is, indeed, mysteri- 
 ous and perplexing. Hence arises a stumbling-block to the 
 weak believer, a»d matter of cavil and of triumph to the 
 captious infidel. Infidels have always been ready enough 
 to find fault with David in other respects ; and if in this, al- 
 so, he is so greatly censurable as they suppose, he must, it 
 seems, merit a representation far different from that which 
 Christians, and christian preachers, usually give of him. But 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 249 
 
 let US attend more directly to the charge itself: — " Now, 
 therefore, hold him not guiltless ; but his hoar head bring 
 thou down to the grave with blood." Now, the important 
 remark to be made relative to this verse is, that it may be 
 translated from the original thus : — " Now, therefore, hold 
 him not guiltless ; nor his hoar head bring thou down to the 
 grave with blood." The Hebrew particle vau, or vav, 
 which in our version is rendered but, and which in that now 
 given is rendered nor, as occurring in the Hebrew Bible, is 
 used with no less than sixteen different shades of meaning, 
 (See Parkhurst's Hebrew Lexicon.) Its first and most 
 natural meaning corresponds to that of the English conjunc- 
 tion and; but it is used in numerous and various other 
 senses. The remark, however, which has a direct bearing 
 on the point now before us, and which may be instructive 
 to all, as well as interesting to the Hebrew student, is, that 
 when the particle vau comes immediately after another and 
 a negative particle, (such as means in English, not, neither, 
 nor), it also (viz. the Hebrew particle vau) has, very fre- 
 quently, a negative meaning attached to it : or, at least, ex- 
 tends the force of the negative equally to the last member 
 of the sentence. A few examples may illustrate the truth 
 of this remark. " Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no 
 dew ; neither let there be rain upon you, nor fields of offer- 
 ings." (2 Sam. i, 21.) The Hebrew particle here prefixed 
 to the word sedee, (fields), is vau, which is here justly 
 translated nor ; because it is twice in the same verse prece- 
 ded by the negative particle al, (not, or nor.) "But the 
 king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains, that 
 had rule over his chariots, saying. Fight neither with small 
 nor great, save only with the king of Israel." (1 Kings xxii, 
 31.) In this case, also, the Hebrew particle connected 
 with GADOL, (great), is vau, which the sense evidently re- 
 quires to be rendered nor, and which, accordingly, our trans- 
 lators have thus rendered. For though the particle itself, 
 simply and abstractedly considered, has a connective, rather 
 than a disjunctive signification ; yet, when immediately pre- 
 ceded by a negative particle, as in this case, it also has a 
 negative or prohibitory meaning attached to xi, *' Give m© 
 neither poverty nor riches." (Prov. xxx, 8.) Here, ag^iios 
 
250 CRITICAL AND 
 
 the particle connected with esher, (riches), is vau, which 
 our translators have rightly rendered nor. Let the Hebrew 
 scholar, for his further satisfaction on this point, examine in 
 the original the following passages : — Ex. xx, 4 ; Lev. xix, 
 12 : Deut. vii, 25, and xxxiii, 6 : 2 Kings vii, 10 : 1 Chron. 
 xxi, 24 : 2 Chron. i, 11 : Job iii, 10, and xxxii, 9 : Ps. i, 5 ; 
 xxvi, 9, and xliv, 19 : Prov. iii, 25 ; vi, 4, and xxx, 3 : Isa. 
 xiv, 21 : Jer. xv, 17, and xix, 4 : Ezek. xiii, 5. Enough 
 has been said to show, that the passage before us may as 
 well, or with more propriety, be translated as Dr. Kennicott 
 and various other Hebraists have translated it — thus : — 
 *' Now, therefore, hold him not guiltless ; nor his hoar head 
 bring thou down to the grave with blood." And if the pas- 
 sage may be thus understood ; that is, if it may be under- 
 stood as a prohibition^ rather than as a command for Solo- 
 mon to put Shimei to death ; other circumstances seem 
 strongly to recommend, and to require, such a rendering, 
 and such an understanding of the words. For, 
 
 1st. David had already pardoned Shimei for his past of- 
 fence against him. The history of the affair is affecting :-^ 
 " And Shimei, the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of 
 Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah, to 
 meet king David. And Shimei, the son of Gera, fell down 
 before the king, as he was come over Jordan ; and said un- 
 to the king. Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me ; nei- 
 ther do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely, 
 the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the 
 king should take it to his heart : For thy servant doth know 
 that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I am come the first 
 this day of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my 
 lord the king. And David said. Shall there any man be put 
 to death this day in Israel ? For do not I know that I am 
 this day king over Israel ? Therefore, the king said unto 
 Shimei, thou shalt not die ; and the king sware unto him." 
 (2 Sam. xix, 16, &c.) To say with some, that David par- 
 doned Shimei only for the present ; or with others, that Da- 
 vid meant merely that he would not put him to death ; does 
 Tiot appear by any means satisfactory. The declaration is 
 absolute and decisive — " Thou shalt not die ;" i. e. thou 
 
HXPLANATORY NOTES. 261 
 
 shall not be put to death for this offence ; and this declara- 
 tion was accompanied with a solemn oath. 
 
 2d. Solomon, who must have rightly understood the 
 meaning of this his father's charge, did not understand it as 
 a direction to put Shimei to death, for his previous offence 
 against his father : For after his ascension to the throne? 
 Solomon "sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, 
 Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go 
 not forth thence any whither : For it shall be, that on the 
 day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou 
 shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die : Thy blood 
 shall be upon thine own head." (1 Kings ii, 36, 37.) Now, 
 surely, in all this there is nothing that looks like any design 
 on the part of Solomon, to put Shimei to death. On the 
 contrary, the language here used implies, that so long as 
 Shimei should dwell oxiietly in Jerusalem, and confine him- 
 self to his appointed limits, his life would be safe. True, 
 Solomon did put Shimei to death afterwards ; but it was for 
 a subsequent offence ; an offence not against his father Da- 
 vid, but against himself. Solomon, as we have seen, order- 
 ed Shimei to confine himself to Jerusalem : But Shimei 
 transgressed this order ; for at the end of three years, he 
 went out of Jerusalem to Gath, to seek his servants. (Verse 
 ;40.) Solomon, hearing of this, sent for Shimei, and expos- 
 tulated with him on the iniquity of his conduct, in disobeying 
 him, and in violating at the same time his own solemn pro- 
 mise and oath ; and ordered him, for such disobedience, to 
 be put to death. Shimei's wickedness towards king David, 
 was indeed mentioned by Solomon, as a reason why the 
 Lord would not leave him unpunished. At the same time 
 it is efident, that the primary, principal, and only direct rea- 
 son of Shimei's destruction by Solomon, was his disobedi- 
 ence to Solomon's order before mentioned. If, then, Solo- 
 mon did not in fact put Shimei to death for his offence against 
 his father David, but permitted him to live some years after- 
 wards, it is manifest, that he did not understand the charge 
 nov,^ under consideration, as requiring him to put Shimei to 
 death for such offence. But what, then, is the real meaning 
 of the charge 1 Answer : It appears to be, as if David had 
 said, * Thou knowest Shimei, the son of Gera, who once 
 
252 CRITICAL AND 
 
 cursed me so bitterly. He is verily guilty, and deserves to 
 die. Now, therefore, as thou art a wise man, thoii Wilt 
 readily know what management of him will be most proper. 
 Hold him not guiltless ; for he is by no means so, though I J| 
 have pardoned him for his, offence against me. But he isif 
 still a wicked, artful, and dangerous man. Have your eye 
 upon him ; watch him closely ; beware of giving him too 
 much liberty. In short, let your treatment of him be such, 
 as to show that you consider him as still a wicked and a dan- 
 gerous man : But do not put him to death for an offence 
 which I have already pardoned.' — I shall add only, that as 
 the above interpretation of this passage is certainly admis- 
 sible ; so it completely clears the character, and justifies 
 the conduct of David, in this particular. 
 
 n. KINGS. 
 
 Chapter v, Verse 18. 
 
 '' In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my 
 master goeth into the house of Rimmon, to worship there, 
 and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house 
 of Ptimmon ; when I bow down myself in the house of Rim- 
 mon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing." 
 
 That this singular request of Naaman to the prophet Eli- 
 sha, may be rightly understood, it is necessary, first of all, 
 to inquire and ascertain what it refers to ; whether to his 
 past, or to his proposed future conduct. Did Naaman 
 mean to be understood as praying the Lord to pardon his 
 'past idolatrous worship in the temple of Rimmon ; or, as 
 requesting a license for ihQ future continuation of such wor- 
 ship ? Those who suppose he meant the first, alledge, in 
 support of their opinion, the prophet's reply to him, *' Go in 
 peace ;" a reply, which they can easily understand and jus- 
 tify, on the ground, that Elisha intended hereby to announce 
 to the penitent Syrian, (for penitent they suppose him to 
 have been), a pardon for his past idolatry ; but which they 
 can neither justify nor understand, on the other supposition. 
 Now, from the words of the petition themselves, (especially 
 v/hen taken in connection with the prophet's reply to him), 
 
SXPLAiVATOKY NOTES. 253 
 
 it seems most probable, that neither of these things was di- 
 rectly intended by Naaman. Probably, all Naaman meant 
 m this address to Elisha, was, to request the liberty and pri- 
 vilege of performing, or at least of attending, certain cere- 
 monies ^^ in the idol's temple ;" not as acts of worship to the 
 idol, but simply as expressions of loyalty and courtesy to 
 his prince. His words may be understood in this sense. 
 Such, accordingly, is in substance the interpretation adopt- 
 ed by Henry, Scott, and others, and seems attended with 
 the fewest difficulties. Some difficulty, however, still re- 
 mains. Was there not some degree of guilt in Naaman's 
 proceeding even so far as this 1 How could such conduct 
 consist with the unqualified requisition, " Have no fellow- 
 ship with the unfruitful works of darkness ; but rather reprove 
 them?' And how could the prophet have said to him, *' Go 
 ixi peace," even if no more than this had been his meaning ? 
 Though Naaman was not an Israelite ; though, as holding a 
 high station in Benhadad's court, he might have been expect- 
 ed of course to accompany his master, when he went into 
 the house of Rimmon, and might have considered it as his 
 duty so to do ; still, as a determined worshipper of the God 
 of Israel, (verse 17), it was inconsistent and wrong for him 
 to have given, in any way, the least countenance to idolatry. 
 But, doubtless, we do not understand all the circumstances 
 in Naaman's case. The prophet perceived some favorable 
 things in this man. He perceived that conviction had got- 
 ten hold of his mind ; so far, at least, that he was convinced 
 that bowing himself in the house of Rimmon was not right. 
 Those convictions, we may suppose, he left to work in their 
 own way, and to produce their desired effect, with the hope, 
 that, as his mind became more enlightened, his faith strength- 
 ened, and his judgment matured, he would discern and re- 
 nounce the errors which still adhered to him, in relation to 
 this subject, and protest against all idolatry. In view of 
 the good things which the prophet saw in this man, he foil 
 authorised to say to him, in general terms, " Go in peace ;" 
 hoping, that so far as he was in this respect differently mind- 
 ed from what he ought to be, " God would reveal even this 
 unto him," in his own good time and way. 
 
 22 
 
254 CRITICAL AND 
 
 I. CHRONICLES. 
 Chapter xix, Yerse 7. 
 
 " So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the 
 king of Maachah, to help them." 
 
 Passages of this kind (io not affect any fundamental arti- 
 cle of the christian faith, whatever interpretation we may 
 put upon them. And the only reason why this text is noti- 
 ced at all in this work, is, that the fact herein stated appears 
 incredible. In explanation, it may be observed, that the 
 Hebrew word here used does not always denote chariots. 
 It is a generic noun, and signifies also, sometimes, cavalry, 
 or riders, mounted on chariots or horses, but who occa- 
 sionally served as infantry, or foot-soldiers. And that such 
 is the proper import of the word in this place, appears from 
 2 Sam. X, 6, where we are told, that thirty-two thousand was 
 the number of me^i actually hired by these Ammonites, of the 
 Syrians, besides a thousand men, whom they hired of king 
 Maachah. 
 
 II. CHRONICLES. 
 
 Chapter xxxv, Yerse 24. 
 
 " His servants, therefore, took him (Josiah) out of that? 
 chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had ; and 
 they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried 
 in one of the sepulchres of his fathers ; and all Judah and 
 Jerusalem mourned for Josiah." 
 
 In Bishop Lowth's seventh lecture " On the sacred po- 
 etry of the Hebrews," I find the following remarks on the 
 Jewish sepulchres : — " The sepulchres of the Hebrews, at 
 least those of respectable persons, and those which heredi- 
 tarily belonged to the principal famihes, were extensive 
 caves, or vaults, excavated from the native rock by art and 
 manual labor. The roofs of them in general were arched ; 
 and some were so spacious, as to be supported by colon- 
 nades. All round the sides were cells, for the reception of 
 the sarcophagi ; these were properly ornamented with sculp- 
 ture, and each was placed in its proper cell. The cave or 
 sepulchre admitted no light, being closed by a great stone, 
 which was rolled to the mouth of the narrow passage or en- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 255 
 
 trance. Many of these receptacles are still extant in Judea ; 
 two in particular are more magnificent than all the rest, and 
 are supposed to be the sepulchres of the kings. One of these 
 is in Jerusalem, and contains twenty-four cells ; the other, 
 containing twice that number, is in a place without the city." 
 
 NEHEMIAH. 
 
 Chapter vi, Verse 5. 
 
 ^' Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me, in like man- 
 ner, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand." 
 
 Why this letter should have been sent open, and, indeed, 
 why any notice at all should have been taken of this circum- 
 stance of the letter, it is impossible to determine, without 
 some other information than what the Bible afibrds. For 
 the illustration of this passage, we must again refer to ori- 
 ental customs. Harmer has shown, that the custom of the 
 ancient Asiatics was, and that the custom of the Turks to 
 this day is, when they send letters to common and mean per- 
 sons, to send them ojoen, and unenclosed : But when they 
 wrote to persons of distinction, they enclosed their letters in 
 satin bags, "with a paper tied to it, directed and sealed, 
 and with an ivory button tied on the wax." It is evident, 
 therefore, that Sanballat's sending an open letter to Nehe- 
 miah, was designed for some other purpose than merely that 
 the people should read it, and being terrified Ihereby, should 
 forsake their work, from fear of the Persians. It was, it 
 seems, designed as an insult on Nehemiah, as a contempt- 
 uous treatment of him, and as an indication that he (Sanbal- 
 lat) would be so far from recognising those claims to autho- 
 rity, which Nehemiah had begun to assert, and which he was 
 about to assert with still greater decision, that he would not 
 even pay him any respect above what was due to ordinary 
 men. 
 
 PSALMS. 
 
 Psalm xxii, Verse 3. 
 '* But thou art holy, thou that inbabitest the praises of 
 Israel." 
 
256 CRITICAL AND 
 
 The word tehilloth, translated praises, properly signi- 
 fies irradiations. Accordingly, Bishop Lowth translates 
 the verse thus : — " Thou that inhabitest the irradiations — 
 the glory of Israel." Surely praises, strictly such, can nev- 
 er be inhabited. The word refers to those resplendent ma- 
 nifestations which Jehovah made of himself; sometimes in 
 light and in fire, as at Sinaf, (Ex. xix, 18) ; sometimes ia 
 the pillar of cloud and of fire, (Ex. xiii, 21) ; sometimes 
 over the cherubim, (Ezek. ix, 3, and' x, 4.) In those irra- 
 diations, Jehovah's glorious presence indeed was ; them, 
 He inhabited ; and by or through them. He was praised, 
 and glorified. 
 
 Psalm li, 16. 
 
 " For thou desirest not sacrifice ; else would I give it : 
 Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings." 
 
 But did not Jehovah both desire and require sacrifices 
 under the former dispensation 1 None acquainted with the 
 Old Testament, and believing it to be his word, can deny it. 
 What, then, is the meaning of this passage 1 Answer : It 
 must mean, either that Jehovah did not desire or require 
 sacrifices comparatively ; that is, the sacrifice of brute ani- 
 mals was of very little importance, when compared with 
 that of a broken and contrite spirit, (verse 17) ; or, which 
 is most probable, that no animal sacrifices whatever would 
 be accepted as an atonement for murder — one of the sins 
 which it is the purpose of this penitential psalm to confess 
 and lament. The statute was, ^' Whoso sheddeth man's 
 blood, by man shall his blood be shed." Indeed, by the 
 laws of Jehovah, both murder and adultery were punishable 
 by death. No Jewish sacrifice could expiate the guilt, or 
 save the life of the offender. 
 
 Psalm lix, 14, 15. 
 
 *' And at evening let them return ; and let them make a 
 noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Let them 
 wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not sa* 
 tisfied." 
 
 The following illustration of this passage, by Robinson, 
 in his Greek Lexicon, may be interesting in one view, if iu 
 no other. It may serve as an additional confiriaatioii of 
 
EXPLANATORY KOTES. 257 
 
 what has been repeatedly asserted and verified in this work, 
 viz. the frequent allusions made in the holy scriptures to an- 
 cient oriental customs ; many of which, and this among the 
 rest, continue the same even to this day. ** In the east, (says 
 our author), dogs, with the exception of those used in hunt- 
 ing, have no masters, but wander free in the streets, and 
 feed upon the offals which are cast into the gutters. (Ex. 
 xxii, 31.) Being often at the point of starvation, they de- 
 vour corpses, (1 Kings xiv, 11, and xvi, 4); and in the 
 night, even attack living men. They are objects of univer- 
 sal abhorrence ; and hence to call any one a dog, is an ex- 
 pression of contemptuous reproach." (See Job xxx, 1 : 1 
 Sam. xvii, 43 : 2 Kings viii, 13.) 
 
 Psalm lxxii, 6 — 17. 
 
 *' He shall come down Hke rain upon the mown grass ; 
 as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the right- 
 eous 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. They that 
 dwell in the \/ilderness shall bow before him ; and his ene- 
 mies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the 
 isles shall bring presents ; the kings of Sheba and Seba 
 shall offer gifts ; Yea, all kings shall fall down before him ; 
 all nations shall serve him. For he shall deliver the needy 
 when he crieth ; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 
 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls 
 of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and 
 violence ; and precious shall their blood be in his sight. 
 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of 
 Sheba. Prayer, also, shall be made for him continually ; 
 and daily shall he be praised. There shall be an handful of 
 corn in the earth, upon the top of the mountains ; the fruit 
 thereof shall shake like Lebanon ; and they of the city shall 
 flourish like grass 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." 
 
 That the preceding verses relate primarily and literally 
 to the person and glorious reign of Solomon, is undeniable. 
 22* 
 
258 CRITICAL ANI> 
 
 But that in a secondary and spiritual sen^e, they are refera- 
 ble to the person and administration of " a greater than 
 Solomon," is conceded by the best expositors, and is, in- 
 deed, very evident from the words themselves. By a beau- 
 tiful allusion to various and numerous objects in the natural 
 world, (objects -with which the Jews were perfectly familiar), 
 the Psalmist here represents, as lucidly as the darkness of 
 the age in which he lived would permit^ the character, ex- 
 tent, and duration, of the then future reign of the divine 
 Messiah. It is almost needless to add, for every Christian 
 knows, that this representation is not overstrained, but has 
 been fully verified by facts. Yes, wherever the blessed Je- 
 sus has reigned by his word and Spirit ; wherever (to use 
 the language of this psalm) he has " come down like rain up- 
 on the mown grass ;" there the righteous have flourished like 
 trees planted by the rivers of water, (Ps. 1,2); and abun- 
 dance of peace has been enjoyed. They that dwell in the 
 wilderness, and in the new settlements, have cordially bow- 
 ed before him, and his enemies have been confounded. 
 Yea, kings and emperors, queens and empresses, have fallen 
 dov/n before him, and have become nursing fathers and nurs- 
 ing mothers to his church. Jesus has delivered the needy 
 when he cried ; the poor also, and him that had none to help 
 him. He has spared the poor and needy, and saved the 
 souls of the needy. He has redeemed their soul from de- 
 ceit and violence ; and precious has their blood been in his 
 sight. Our Redeemer shall live for ever and ever. Prayer, 
 also, shall be made, not only to him, and through him, but 
 for him, for the increase and perpetuity of his kingdom ; and 
 eternally shall he be praised by the celestial hierarchy, and 
 by all his redeemed people. To the number of '' ten thou- 
 sand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands," they 
 will say with a loud voice^ " Worthy is the Lamb that was 
 slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and 
 strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." (Rev, v, 11, 
 12.) Indeed, of him only can it be said, with strict proprie- 
 ty, (as in verse 17), that his name shall endure /or ever ; 
 that his name shall be continued as long as the sun ; and 
 that all nations shall call him blessed. — The preceding quo- 
 tations and remarks prepare the way for one important re* 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 25§ 
 
 mark, viz : Many, perhaps most parts of the Psalms, have 
 a two-fold meaning ; a liter al^ and a spiritual or mystical 
 one. The truth of this position, and its importance, as it 
 respects us Gentiles, Bishop Home has ingeniously illus- 
 trated, in the preface to his excellent "Commentary on the 
 Eook of Psalms ;" and it should be carefully remembered, 
 by all such as wish to enter into the true spirit of this most 
 precious part of the sacred writings. — As we have attended 
 to the views which David had of the Messiah, and to the de- 
 scription he gave of his glorious reign on earth, about one 
 thousand years before his incarnation ; it may be proper to 
 hear, also, what Maimonides, a noted Jewish writer of mo- 
 dern times, has to say on this subject. ''As to the days of 
 the Messiah, (says he), they are the time when the kingdom 
 shall be restored to Israel, and they shall return to Palestine. 
 And this king shall be potent, the metropolis of whose king- 
 dom shall be Zion ; and his name shall be famous to the 
 uttermost parts of the earth. He shall be greater than Solo- 
 mon ; and with him shall all the nations make peace, and 
 yield him obedience, because of his justice, and the miracles 
 that he shall perform. If any one shall rise against him, 
 God shall give him up into his hand, to be destroyed. All 
 the scripture declares his happiness, and the happiness ive 
 shall have by him. Howbeit, nothing in the nature of things 
 shall be changed ; only Israel shall have the kingdom ; for 
 so our wise men say expressly. There is no difference be- 
 tween these days and the days of the Messiah, but only the 
 subduing the nations under us. The Messiah shall die, and 
 his son, and his son's son, shall reign after him ; but his 
 kingdom shall endure long, and men shall live long in those 
 days. Eut the days of the Messiah are not so much to be 
 desired, that we may have store of corn and wealth, but 
 for the society and conversation of good men." (See Owen 
 on the Hebrews, vol. 1, page 180.) Still are the majority 
 of the Jews tenacious of these two points relative to the 
 Messiah ; that he is yet to come, and that his kingdom is to be 
 a temporal and a ivorldly kingdom. " Even unto this day, 
 when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart." May 
 God hasten the time, when they shall turn to the Lord, and 
 this vail shall be tak^n away ! 
 
^0 CRITICAL AND 
 
 Psalm lxxxvii, 5. 
 
 " And of Zion it shall be said, this and that man was 
 born in her." 
 
 The words in the original are, ish ve ish, signifying Hte- 
 rally, a man and a man ; or, as they have been rendered by 
 some, the man, even the man. (Boe Bishop Home, in loco.) 
 According to the last rendering, the words are applicable to 
 the Messiah, who was to be born in Zion, and from whom 
 Zion herself was to receive everlasting salvation and glory. 
 He was to be " the man," by way of eminence; " the first 
 begotten among many brethren ; fairer than the children of 
 men ; higher than the kings of the earth." A circumstance 
 giving some weight to this interpretation is, that ish denotes 
 commonly a man of distinction ; as adam (the other Hebrew 
 word for man) does a common man merely. The most natu- 
 ral meaning, however, of the Hebrew phrase, seems to be 
 that embraced in the first mentioned translation, viz. ' a 
 man and a man;' i. e. men in succession, a long succession 
 of men, including among others, some distinguished men 
 also. The principal design of the Psalmist, in this place, 
 seems to have been, to assure us from the spirit of prophe- 
 cy, that numerous and y.et ever-increasing additions would 
 be made to the church of God in future times. " Glorious 
 things are spoken of thee, city of God. Selah." (Verse 
 3.) 
 
 Psalm cix, 7, &c. 
 
 *' When he shall be judged, let him be condemned ; and 
 let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few, and let an- 
 other take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and 
 his wife a widow. Let the extortioner catch all that he 
 hath ; and let the strangers spoil his labor. Let there be 
 none to extend mercy unto him ; neither let there be any to 
 favor his fatherless children," &c. 
 
 Such expressions as these have sometimes proved the oc- 
 casion of much perplexity to the pious, and of much caviling 
 among the wicked. They have been considered by many, 
 as indicating in David a spirit very unchristian, and indeed 
 very malignant and revengeful. Indeed, if they must be 
 considered as mere imprecations, and as expressions of the 
 real desires of David's heart, we all, perhaps, ought to re- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 261 
 
 gard them in the light just mentioned. But the important 
 remark to be made relative to these passages is, that the 
 verbs here used are in the future tense, and that of course 
 the expressions themselves may very properly be considered 
 as predictions only : Thus — *' His days shall be few ; his 
 children shall be fatherless, and his wife a widow," &c. 
 Further, even if the verbs here used should be understood as^ 
 if they were in the imperative mood, and not in the future 
 tense of the indicative, it would not hence certainly follow, 
 that the passages in question ought to be considered as im- 
 precations. They might be predictions still, or at most only 
 prophetical denunciations, by virtue of that well known idi- 
 om of the Hebrew language, by which the imperative mood 
 is sometimes used for the future tense of the indicative. 
 See, in illustration. Gen. xx, 7, which, translated literallyv 
 is, " And he shall pray for thee, and live;" i. e. thou shalt 
 live. Also, xlv, 18 — " I will give you the land of Egypt ; 
 and eat (i. e. ye shall eat) of the fat of the land." (See, al- 
 so, in the Hebrew, Gen. xlii, 18 : Isa. ix, 3.) 
 
 Psalm cxxix, 6. 
 
 " Let them be as the grass upon the house tops, which 
 withereth afore it groweth up." 
 
 The houses of the Jews, as has been already observed, 
 had flat rocfs. (See the comments on Mat. xxiv, 17.) On 
 these was a plaster of terrace. On this some grass grew ; 
 but as it had " no deepness of earth," and was exposed to 
 the scorching rays of an almost vertical sun, it soon wither- 
 ed away. Thus transient, the Psalmist tells us, is the pros- 
 perity of all such as hate Zion. How impressive the illus-. 
 tration! *^ All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the 
 flower of grass." (1 Pet. i, 25.) 
 
 Psalm cxxxix, 21, 22. 
 
 " Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee ? .... I 
 hate them with perfect hatred ; I count them mine ene- 
 mies." 
 
 The hatred here mentioned by David, as exercised by 
 him towards the enemies of the Lord, was a hatred opposed 
 directlyj not to the love of benevolence, but to the love q£ 
 
262 CRITICAL AND 
 
 complacency. (See, as a similar text, Rom. ix, 13.) David 
 hated their characters and conduct ; not their persons. 
 While, as a godly man, he could not but disapprove of and 
 detest the former, he wished well to the latter. 
 
 PROVERBS. 
 
 Chapter ix. Verses 1 — 4. 
 
 " Wisdom .... hath killed her beasts ; she hath mingled 
 her wine ; she hath also furnished her table ; she hath sent 
 forth her maidens ; she crieth upon the highest places of the 
 city : Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither," &c. 
 
 The following custom, noticed by Hasselquist in Egypt, 
 and considered by him as very ancient, may serve to illus- 
 trate these passages. " I saw (says he) a number of women, 
 who went about inviting people to a banquet. They were 
 about ten or twelve, covered with black veils, as is customa- 
 ry in that country. They were preceded by four eunuchs. 
 After them, and on their right side, were Moors, with their 
 usual walking staves. As they were walking, they all join- 
 ed in making a noise." Whence we learn, that the invita* 
 tion to the banquet or feast was given by a number of maid- 
 ens or females ; also, that it was not private, as is usual in 
 our country, but public and loudly proclaimed. Thus much 
 for the illustration of these verses in their literal sense only. 
 Understood figuratively, and in reference to their moral or 
 spiritual import, how replete with instruction are they ! Ta- 
 ken in this view, they remind us of the rich and abundant 
 provision which the God of mercy has made for our famish- 
 ing souls; of the commission given to his ministers, to in- 
 vite thereto their fellow sinners universally, not excepting 
 even the simple, and those that want understanding ; and of 
 the necessity there is of our forsaking our foolish and wick- 
 ed ways, in order that we may be either qualified for, or 
 benefitted by that heavenly banquet. 
 
 Chap, xx, 1. 
 " Wine is a mocker ; strong drink is raging ; and whoso- 
 ever is deceived thereby is pot wise." 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTfiS. 263 
 
 In these days, much is said, and much is done, and much 
 interest is excited in the public mind, in relation to the sub- 
 ject of spirituous liquors. Temperance societies, formed 
 on the plan of entire abstinence from ail intoxicating drinks, 
 except when they are plainly needed for medicinal purposes, 
 i. e. either for curing or preventing diseases, have already 
 become very numerous, and are daily increasing in num- 
 bers and influence. But these societies meet with much op° 
 position, not only from the intemperate, but sometimes, too, 
 from a (^^uarter whence it was not expected, even from per- 
 sons who are themselves decidedly temperate. There is 
 evidently a great difference of viev/s in relation to this sub- 
 ject; not so mu2h in regard to absolute or partial intoxica- 
 tion, (for all sober-minded people allow that to be wrong, 
 and agree in condemning it), as in regard to the principle of 
 total abstinence. Many good people think it not wrong, ei- 
 ther in themselves or others, to use spirituous liquors occa- 
 sionally and moderately, even when they are not the subjects 
 of any particular disease, and when their bodily health is not 
 particularly endangered ; while others are inflexible in the 
 resolution to " go for the whole," (as the saying is), and 
 will be contented with nothing short of " toucli not, taste not, 
 handle not." Now, amidst this diversity of views, it may 
 be well for us to inquire, '' Whatsaith the scripture .?" what 
 instruction does that give us on this subject, either by way 
 of precept or example 1 All, who are acquainted with the 
 Bible, know that it speaks of ivine and strong drink, (of the 
 former especially), in numerous passages beside that whieh 
 stands at the head of this article ; and that it frequently 
 makes mention of such liquors as having been in fact used 
 by the Hebrews, and others, in ancient times. In order to 
 give what light I can from the scriptures on this subject, I 
 shall propose and answer these two questions, viz : — What 
 do the scriptures mean by the terms zoiwe, strong drink, &c. ? 
 and. In what light are they considered in the scriptures ; and 
 how far did God permit the use of them to his people of 
 old? 
 
 1st. What do the scrip tufes mean by the terms wine, 
 strong drink, &c.? I inquire, in the first place, what did the 
 Hebrews intend by the term wine ? Or rather, (to speak 
 
264 CRITICAL AND 
 
 more correctly), what did they intend by those ivords in their 
 language, which are translated ivine in ours 1 They had 
 three words, which by our translators are rendered wine, 
 viz. YAYiN, soBE, and TiROSH. Of these, the two first are, 
 substantially, of the same import, signifying wine in general ; 
 the last signifies neiv ivine, i. e. wine lately made, and which 
 of course is not yet thoroughly fermented and purified. But 
 what did they mean by these terms ? What was the nature 
 of that sort of liquor which is called loine in our Bibles ? I 
 answer, the wine mentioned in scripture was two-fold. The 
 proper wine of the Hebrews, and that which was most used 
 by them, was the simple juice of the grape. For the manu- 
 facture of this sort of wine, their country afforded many and 
 pecuHar facilities and advantages. Numerous vineyards 
 were planted, and fenced, and fortified, with singular care 
 and industry, and great numbers of people were employed 
 in the cultivation of them. (Isa. v, 1 — 4 : Mat. xxi, 33.) 
 The grapes raised therefrom, when pressed, produced wine 
 of an excellent flavor and quality. But still, it was simple 
 pure wine, without any mixture of foreign ingredients, and 
 without any other power to produce either intoxication, or 
 exhilaration of the animal spirits, except what the mere juice 
 of the grape would give. Now, this sort of wine is what 
 we are commonly to understand by the term ivine, as it is 
 used in the sacred scriptures. But beside this, there was 
 another sort of wine, or wine prepared in another form, of 
 which mention is repeatedly made by the inspired writers. 
 This was called mixed ivine, or mingled wine : And this, 
 also, was of two sorts ; so far, I mean, as respects the ma- 
 terials of its composition, the materials that were mixed with 
 the wine ; for sometimes the wine was mixed with simple 
 water or milk. Hence it is said in Isa. i, 22, " Thy silver 
 is become dross ; thy wine mixed with ivater^ And hence 
 the Bridegroom of the church says, in Cant, v, 1 : — "I have 
 drunk my wine ivith my milkJ'^ Wine prepared in this man- 
 ner must have been more harmless, because less inebriating 
 than wine in its pure state ; and it appears to have been de- 
 signed for quenching thirst, and for mere bodily refreshment. 
 But what is commonly meant by mixed wine in the scrip- 
 tures, is wine made stronger, and far more intoxicating, 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 265 
 
 than it was in its natural and unadulterated state ; and this 
 last is the sort of wine that we find mentioned in the follow* 
 ing passages of scripture, viz : Prov. xxiii, 29, 30 — " Who 
 hath woe ] who hath sorrow ? who hath contentions 1 who 
 hath babbling ? who hath wounds without cause 1 who hath 
 redness of eyes 1 They that tarry long at the wine ; they 
 that go to seek mixed ivine.^^ Isa. v, 22 — " Woe unto them 
 that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength, to min- 
 gle strong drink.^^ This mixed wine was a composition, 
 consisting of the simple wine, or pure juice of the grape. 
 mixed with foreij^a substances, such as stimulating and in- 
 toxicating drugs, &c. " It is remarkable, (says Bishop 
 Lowth), that whereas the Greeks and Latins, by mixed ivine^ 
 always understand wine diluted and lowered with water, the 
 Hebrews, on the contrary, generally mean by it, wine made 
 stronger and more intoxicating, by the addition of higher 
 and more powerful ingredients, such as honey, spices — 
 myrrh, mandragora, opiates, and other strong drugs. Such 
 were the exhilarating, or rather stupifying ingredients, which 
 Helen mixed in the bowl, together with the wine, for her 
 guests, oppressed with grief, to raise their spirits, the com- 
 position of which she had learned in Egypt. Such was the 
 spiced ivine mentioned in Solomon's Song, viii, 2. And how 
 much the eastern people, to this day, deal in artificial liquors 
 of prodigious strength, the use of wine being forbidden, may 
 be seen in a curious chapter of Kempfer on that subject." 
 So much for the nature of the wine mentioned in the holy 
 scriptures. But beside the pure, and the adulterated wine, 
 manufactured and used in Palestine, the Hebrews some- 
 times indulged themselves in the use of other stimulating, 
 and, at the same time, far more intoxicating drinks. In 
 what manner exactly they were prepared, we do not know ; 
 but they were all comprehended under the general appella- 
 tion SHEKHAR, i. e. strong drink. Of these we know but 
 little, except that they were more powerful and intoxicating 
 than the mere wine was ; as, indeed, its very name imports^ 
 and as the efiects that were produced by it clearly show. 
 (Isa. xxviii, 7.) The way is now prepared to inquire — 
 
 2d. In what hght are these liquors considered in the 
 scriptures, and how far did God permit the use of them te 
 
 23 
 
266 CRITICAL ANB 
 
 his people of old? That this is a question of great practicd 
 importance, will be admitted, of course, by all those who 
 believe that the ivill of God, as expressed in his word, is the 
 paramount rule of duty for mankind. If we can ascertaiu 
 what that will is in resp6ct to this subject, we ought to b6 
 satisfied. The question here is not, what was the practice 
 of many of the Hebrews in this matter. There were drunk- 
 ards among them, (Isa. xxviii, 1), as well as among other 
 people. If we now find intemperate men, even among 
 those whose appropriate business it is to occupy the sacred 
 desk, it is "no new thing undfer the sun,;" for the same 
 " hath been already of old time," as appears from Isa. xxviii^ ! 
 7. But the question is, how did God view this subject, and 
 how far did he allow his people to use the afore-mentioned 
 liquors 1 This question may be answered, and the point set- 
 tled at once, so far as respects the pure wine, the simple 
 juice of the grape. Even that might be drank, and some- 
 times was drank to excess, and to a degree involving much 
 criminality, as we see in the case of Noah, (Gen. ix, 21), 
 and of Nabal, (1 Sam. xxv, 36.) But that the moderate 
 and temperate use of it was lawful and right, there can be 
 no reasonable question. The scriptures never condemn 
 such a use of this sort of wine. But whenever they con- 
 demn the use of this sort of wine at all, it is always when it 
 is used to excess, and so as to produce either total or partial 
 intoxication. In the second chapter of John's Gospel, we 
 have an account of Jesus attending a marriage feast in Cana 
 of Galilee, and of his there turning the v/aterinto wine, ex- 
 pressly for the purpose of supplying the guests with wine on 
 that occasion ; which, surely, he would not have done, if 
 the moderate drinking of that liquid had been sinful. Nay, 
 further, wine of this sort, or a small quantity of it, was used 
 in the solemn religious services and sacrifices of the Jews, 
 particularly at the morning and evening sacrifice. (Ex. xxix, I 
 40, 41.) And besides, when the Lord's supper was insti- 
 tuted, our Saviour made use of this sort of wine, this '' fruit 
 of the vine," as one of the elements in that holy ordinance. 
 It is impossible to account for the two last mentioned facts 
 in any other way than this, viz : that there was nothing un- 
 clean in the sight of Goo, in the nature of this sort of wine, 
 
EXPLANATORY KOTES. 267 
 
 in itself, and nothing wrong in the moderate drinking of it. 
 Accordingly, it appears from the tenor of both the Old and 
 the New Testament scriptures, that people did in fact, to a 
 great extent, make use of this sort of wine, without any tp- 
 prehension that they were doing wrong thereby, except as 
 they might drink it to excess. In a word, so far as the 
 question respects wine of this sort, the point is settled, and 
 there is no room for debate. But mixed wine, of the species 
 last mentioned above, i. e. wine mixed with stimulating and 
 intoxicating drugs, and which, of course, partook far more 
 of the nature of our distilled spirits, than the pure wine of 
 the Hebrews did, is far from being viewed in the same point 
 of light in the scriptures. They never speak of it with ap- 
 probation. They give no license, either for the drinking, or 
 for the making of it. In the imagery employed by the sa- 
 cred writers, this mixed wine is no where used as a symbol 
 of good, or of spiritual blessings, as the pure wine sometimes 
 is. (Isa. Iv, 1 : Mat. xxvi, 29.) On the contrary, it is allu- 
 ded to by the Psalmist, as a symbol of Goo's holy wrath, 
 and of that punishment which he will inflict on his enemies. 
 "For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine 
 is red ; it is full of mixture ; and he poureth out of the 
 same ; but the dregs thereof, (the sediment, the worst and 
 most intoxicating of the whole), alkthe wicked of the earth 
 shall wring them out, and shall drink them." (Ps. Ixxv, 8.) 
 But in what light do the scriptures view strong drink, and 
 do they allow the use of it in any circumstances ? I answer, 
 God did permit the Jews to use this, as well as wine, in 
 some circumstances. It was allowed as a medicine. Ac- 
 cordingly, we read, Prov. xxxi, 6 — " Give strong drink un- 
 to him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be 
 of heavy hearts." There was also another case, in which 
 God permitted the use of strong drink. It is mentioned in 
 the 14th chapter of Deuteronomy. The Jews were there 
 directed to take the tithe of all the productions of their fields, 
 of their corn, of their wine, and of their oil, together with 
 the firstlings of their herds, and of their flocks, and bring it 
 to the place, which the Lord their God should choose to set 
 his name there. But if that place should prove to be so far 
 4isteiQtj that they could not carry the tithe there in kind, then 
 
268 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ^ 
 
 they were allowed to turn that tithe into money, and to go 
 with that to the place, which the Lord should choose. And 
 then it- is said, verse 26, " And thou shalt bestow that money 
 for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, 
 or for wine, or for strong drink, (Heb. shekhar), or for 
 whatsoever thy soul desireth ; and thou shalt there eat be- 
 fore the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou and thy 
 household." But the manner in which the scriptures com-, 
 monly speak of strong drink, is that of decided and unqua- 
 lified disapprobation. (See, as specimens, Prov. xxxi, 4, 6; 
 Isa. V, 11, 22 ; xxiv, 9 ; Ivi, 12.) It may be added, uni'^ 
 formly do they speak of it in this manner, when they refer to: 
 the habitual use of it.-^Hitherto our investigation has been 
 confined to the Old Testament. If now, we examine the 
 New Testament, we shall find that its decisions relative to 
 this subject are the same, substantially, with those of the 
 Old. The Apostle says to Timothy, in the 5th chapter and 
 23d verse of his first epistle, " Drink no longer water ; but 
 use a little wine for thy stomach^s sake, and thine often in-- 
 firmitiesJ'^ Here, then, the use of wine is expressly allow- 
 ed, (as that of strong drink formerly had been, Prov. xxxi, 
 6), in case of bodily indisposition and infirmity ; or, in other 
 words, as a medicine. Besides, it does not appear, that the 
 New Testament writers- ever forbade absolutely the use of 
 wine, even in common cases. Though the apostles condemn 
 ail intemperate drinking, (Eph. v, 18 : 1 Pet. iv, 3) ; and 
 pronounce all drunkards (continuing such) excluded from 
 the kingdom of heaven, (Gal. v, 21 : 1 Cor. vi, 9) ; yet no 
 where do they prohibit the moderate and temperate drinking 
 of wine, even in common circumstances. Paul says in Ro- 
 mans xiv, 21, '' It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink 
 wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is of- 
 fended, or is made weak." But here was a special case. 
 The apostle refers in the context to the prejudices of some 
 weak brethren. He declares in verse 14, " I know, and 
 am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing un- 
 clean of itself;" and in verse 20, *' All things indeed are 
 pure." But notwithstanding this, if the drinking of wine 
 should prove injurious to the spiritual interests of a christian 
 brother, the law of love irequired that it shoxild be wholly 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 26t 
 
 abandoned. But this rather implies, that in ordinary cases 
 the drinking, i. e. the temperate drinking of wine, was not 
 unlawful. Our Lord Jesus Christ warned his disciples 
 against being overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, 
 &c. (Luke xxi, 34) ; but no where does he positively and 
 absolutely forbid their using wine. And it is probable, that 
 Jesus himself, and his apostles, did sometimes make use of 
 such wine as was then manufactured in Judea. There 
 seems to be but little reference in the New Testament to 
 those strong drinks, which are mentioned in the Old. Per- 
 haps they had, in a great measure, grown out of use, and 
 out of credit. In one case, indeed, the mixed or mingled 
 wine is mentioned. It is that of our Saviour, when hanging 
 on the cross. Matthew says, in chapter xxvii, 34, " They 
 gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall." Mark says, 
 in chapter xv, 23, "And they gave him to drink wine, min- 
 gled with myrrh." One says, it was vinegar, mingled with 
 gall ; the other says, it was wine, mingled with myrrh. The 
 truth undoubtedly is, it was sour wine, mingled or steeped 
 with bitter myrrh. It appears from ancient records, that it 
 was a custom among both Jews and Romans, to administer 
 such a preparation to those whom they had adjudged to ca- 
 pital punishment, just before they suffered, with the view to 
 alleviate their sufferings. But when we read of wine in the 
 New Testament, we are usually to understand by it, " the 
 fruit of the vine ;" the same sort of wine that was so abun- 
 dantly manufactured, and sS generally used, in Palestine. 
 It is evident, therefore, that the wine then used was a very 
 different thing from ours, and far less intoxicating. And 
 hence, we may see how futile is the plea, frequently made 
 in favor of modern wine, as an article of luxury and of daily 
 use, drawn from the fact, that the Jews were permitted to 
 drink wine. The whole strength of such reasoning depends 
 upon a false assumption, viz. that the wine in both cases 
 was the same ; which, it is certain, was very far from being 
 the case. The truth is, neither distilled spirits, nor modern 
 wines, ought ever to be used in this manner. They should 
 be used as a medicine only, in the broad sense of the phrase, 
 i. e. either for curing or preventing bodily disease. Such, 
 I am satisfied, is the conclusion to which a scriptural view 
 23* 
 
270 CRITICAL AND 
 
 of this subject will conduct us. Let the friends of temper- 
 ance, then, take courage, and not only continue, but increase 
 their efforts. The use which has been, and still is made of, 
 ardent spirits, by thousands of people in our land, is not on- 
 ly a great sin in itself; but has doubtless proved, either di- 
 rectly or indirectly, the cause of other sins and miseries, far 
 more than any other vice whatever. Friends of temperance : 
 ^^ Be ye strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak;. 
 for your work shall be rewarded." (2 Chron. xv, 7.) 
 
 Chap, xxiv, 9. 
 
 '^ The thought of foolishness is sin." 
 
 There is a difference between evil thoughts, and thoughts 
 of evil. We not only may, but ought to think of our evil 
 ways, and of our doings that have not been good, that we 
 may '^^ loathe ourselves in our own sight, for our iniquities, 
 and for our abominations." (Ezek. xxxvi, 31.) The mean- 
 ing of the clause before us is, that then are our thoughts of 
 moral foolishness sin, when they include an approbation of 
 such foolishness or wickedness, and a desire and design to 
 commit it. Can we then say, " I hate vain thoughts ; but 
 thy law do I level" (Ps. cxix, 113.) 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 Chapter ix, Yerse 1. 
 
 <' No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is be- 
 fore him." 
 
 The sense of this scripture is, that no man can know cer- 
 tainly what his moyal character in the sight of Heaven is, 
 merely from the outward events which befall him, in the 
 course of divine providence. If he be prospered in worldly 
 things, this is no evidence that he is the object of Jehovah's 
 complacential lovci If, on the other hand, he be " vexed 
 with all adversity," he ought not hence, or from this circum- 
 stance merely, to conclude that he is certainly in the number 
 of those " whom the Lord abhorreth." In respect to out- 
 ward events, it may be said in the language of the wise 
 mao, " all things come alike to all." But though our moral 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 271 
 
 characters cannot be learned /rom them, they may be learned 
 tvith them, or by them — by the help of them, and from the 
 manner, the temper ofmindf with which we meet the smiles 
 and the frowns of Providence. How important, then, is self- 
 examination in this view ! 
 
 ISAIAH. 
 
 Chapter xiv, Yerses 3 — 23. 
 ''And it shall come to pass, in the day that the Lord 
 shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and 
 from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve ; 
 that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Ba- 
 bylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased 1 the golden, 
 city ceased ! The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, 
 and the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the people in 
 wrath, with a continual stroke ; he that ruled the nations in, 
 anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth 
 is at rest, and is quiet ; they break forth into singing. Yea, 
 the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, say- 
 ing. Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against 
 us. Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at 
 thy coming : It stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the 
 chief ones of the earth ; it hath raised up from their thrones 
 all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak, and say 
 unto thee. Art thou also become weak as we 1 art thou be- 
 come like unto us 1 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, 
 and the noise of thy viols : The worm is spread under thee, 
 and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from hea- 
 ven, Lucifer, son of the morning ! How art thou cut down 
 to the ground, which didst weaken the nations ! For thou 
 hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven ; I will 
 exalt my throne above the stars of God ; I will sit also upon 
 the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north ; I 
 will ascend above the heights of the clouds ; I will be like 
 the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, 
 to the sides of the pit. They that see thee, shall narrowly 
 look upon thee, and consider thee, saying. Is this the man 
 that made the earth to tremble ; that did shake kingdoms ; 
 
272 CRITICAL AND 
 
 that made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities 
 thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners'? All 
 the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every 
 one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave, 
 like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that 
 are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the 
 stones of the pit ; as a carcass trodden under feet. Thou 
 shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast 
 destroyed thy land, and slain thy people. The seed of evil- 
 doers shall never be renowned. Prepare slaughter for his 
 children, for the iniquity of their fathers, that they do not 
 rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with 
 cities. For I will rise up against them, sakh the Lord of 
 hosts, and cut off from Babylon 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." 
 
 One object I have had ia view in this work has been, to 
 illustrate the genuine beauty and force of several passages 
 of scripture. And I know not how to accomplish this ob- 
 ject so well, in reference to the paragraph just quoted, as 
 by quoting the remarks of Bishop Lowth, who is universally 
 allowed to have been a good judge, in respect to such mat- 
 ters as are here presented to our view. His remarks are as 
 follows : — "A chorus of Jews is first introduced, expressing 
 their surprise and astonishment at the sudden downfall of 
 Babylon, and its oppressive tyrant. The harrassed king- 
 doms, or their rulers, denoted by the fir-trees and cedars of 
 Lebanon, shout with joy, and the whole earth and its pro- 
 ductions raise their voice along with them, over the fallen 
 tyrant, and vaunt of their security, now he is no more. — 
 The scene is then changed, (9), and a new set of persons 
 introduced : The regions of the dead are laid open, and 
 Hades is represented as rousing up the shades of the de- 
 parted monarchs. They rise from their thrones, to meet 
 the king of Babylon, on his arrival, and insult him, on his 
 being reduced to the same abject condition with themselves. 
 This is one of the boldest figures ever attempted in poetry, 
 and is executed with astonishing brevity, perspicuity, and 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 273 
 
 force. You are to form to yourself an idea of an immense 
 subterraneous vault, a vast gloomy cavern, all around the 
 sides of which there are cells, (in the manner of the Jewish 
 sepulchres), to receive the dead bodies. Here the deceased 
 monarchs lie in a distbiguished sort of state, suitable to their 
 former rank, each on his own couch, with his arms beside 
 him, and his chiefs around him. These illustrious shades 
 ?ise at once from their couches, and advance to the entrance 
 of the cavern, to meet the king of Babylon, and to insult 
 him in his fall. — The Jews now resume the speech, (12) ; 
 they address the king of Babylon as the morning star, fallen 
 from heaven ; the first in splendor and dignity, fallen from 
 his high state. They introduce him as uttering the most 
 extravagant vaunts of his power and ambitious designs in 
 his former glory, which are strongly contrasted in the close 
 with this present low condition. — Immediately fellows a 
 different scene, happily imagined, to diversify the same sub- 
 ject. Certain persons are introduced, who light upon the 
 corpse of the king of Babylon, cast out, and lying naked on 
 the bare ground ; so disfigured among the common slain, 
 that it is some time before they know him. They accost 
 him with the severest taunts ; bitterly reproach him with his 
 destructive ambition, which brought upon him so ignomini^ 
 ous an end ; and leave him, with execrating his name, race, 
 and posterity. — To complete the whole, God is introduced, 
 (21), declaring the fate of Babylon ; the utter extirpation of 
 the royal family, and the total desolation of the city ; the de- 
 liverance of his people, and the destruction of his enemies ; 
 confirming the irreversible decree by the awful sanction of his 
 oath. — The images of this ode are so various, so numerous, 
 and so sublime ; expressed with such force, in such elevated 
 words, figures, and sentences, that it is impossible to con- 
 ceive any thing of the kind more perfect. We hear the 
 Jews, the cedars of Lebanon, the king of Babylon, the 
 ghosts of departed monarchs, and those who find the king's 
 corpse, and even God himself, speaking ; and we behold 
 each of them acting his respective part, as it were in some 
 well-cast drama. The persons are numerous, and rot con- 
 fused ; bold, but not extravagant. A noble, sublime, and 
 truly divine spirit, glows in every sentence ; nothing can be 
 
274 CRITICAL AND 
 
 found deficient ; nothing redundant. — In a word, for beauty 
 of disposition, strength of colouring, greatness of sentiment, 
 brevity, perspicuity, and force of expression, this ode of 
 Isaiah stands among all the monuments of antiquity unri* 
 vailed." 
 
 Chap, xix, 1. 
 
 " Behold the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall 
 come into Egypt ; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved 
 at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the 
 midst of it." 
 
 From what follows in this chapter, it appears, that this 
 passage may have some reference to those invasions, and to 
 the effects of those terrible invasions, on Egypt, which were 
 afterward made by Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, Camby- 
 ses, and Alexander, in succession. Bishop Lowth thinks 
 it may refer to them all. But this prediction is applicable 
 to, and received a still more literal and signal fulfilment; on 
 another occasion. It should be remembered that the Egyp- 
 tians were very superstitious, and worshipped numerous 
 idols. Among the rest, two were universally adored. These 
 were Osiris and Isis, which are supposed to have been the 
 sun and the moon. But beside these, they worshipped a 
 great number of beasts ; such as the ox, dog, wolf, hawk, 
 crocodile, stork, cat, &c. ; and ascribed divinity even to the 
 pulse and roots in their gardens. Of all the brute animals, 
 to which the Egyptians paid religious adoration, the bull 
 Apis was the most famous, and the most devoutly worship- 
 ped. Magnificent temples were erected to him, and when 
 he died, Egypt went into a general mourning. The funeral 
 parade at the burial of this animal cost eleven thousand 
 pounds sterling. These are the facts, as stated in Rollings 
 ancient history. Now, both Eusebius and Athanasius re- 
 late, that when Joseph and Mary, with the child Jesus, fled 
 into Egypt, (Mat. ii, 24), and took up their abode in Her- 
 mopolis, where was the temple of Serapis ; and when they 
 three had gone into that temple, immediately their great idol, 
 and the dii minores, i. e. the smaller deities of the temple, 
 fell prostrate before them. (See Burder's Customs, p. 181.) 
 Thug their idols were moved at the presence of the Lord Je^. 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 27S 
 
 guS. And to this remarkable event this passage may more 
 immediately refer. 
 
 Chap, xlv, 1 — 7. 
 
 " 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 be- 
 fore 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 treasures of darkness, 
 and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know 
 that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God 
 of Israel. For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel, mine 
 elect, I have even called thee by thy name : I have surnam- 
 ed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the Lordj 
 and there is none else ; there is no God besides me : I gird- 
 ed thee, though thou hast not known me : That they may 
 know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that 
 there is none besides me : I am the Lord, and there is none 
 else. I form the light, and create darkness : I make peace, 
 and create evil : I, the Lord, do all these things." 
 
 It is for the sake of this last verse, chiefly, that I have in- 
 troduced this whole paragraph. But as the preceding verses 
 relative to Cyrus, have in them something very remarkable ; 
 as an illustration of them cannot fail of being interesting to 
 the reader, and may at the same time prepare the way for 
 the explanation of this seventh verse ; I shall in the first 
 place devote some time and labor to them. Cyrus, the per- 
 sonage here addressed, rnd called by name, was the son of 
 Cambyses, king of Persia, and of Mandana, daughter of 
 Astyages, king of Media. Though, for a heathen, remark- 
 ably humane and amiable in his disposition, he was at the 
 same time formidable in arms, and almost always successful 
 in his military expeditions. In the early part of his life, he 
 signalised himself, by compelling Armenia to pay to Media 
 her promised, but afterwards refused tribute ; by taking Sar- 
 dis, capital of Lydia ; and by routing and overthrowing, 
 with an army of one hundred and ninety-six thousand mcDj 
 the army of Crcesus, consisting of four hundred and twenty 
 thousand. But his most glorious exploit was still to be 
 
276 CRITICAL AND 
 
 achieved. In the counsels of Heaven it was ordained that 
 he should be the instrument of carrying desolation into the 
 very heart of that nation, by whom the chosen people of 
 God had been so constantly hated, and so frequently distress- 
 ed. And He '«'^'ho " calleth things that be not, as though 
 they were," here calleth upon him by name, nearly two hun- 
 dred years before he was born, and commissioneth him, as 
 his anointed one, to execute the purposes of his indignation 
 against Babylon. And here let us pause for a moment, and 
 reflect how improbable, in a human view, it was, that " Ba- 
 bylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' 
 excellency," (chap, xiii, 9), could ever be taken by any hu- 
 man stratagem or power ! According to Rollin, this city had 
 been of very long standing ; for it was founded by Nimrod, 
 the great-grandson of Noah, two thousand six hundred and 
 forty years before Christ. By the daily influx of the treas- 
 ures of the east through the river Euphrates, which ran un- 
 der its walls, and by the continual increase of inhabitants, it 
 had become irijmensely rich and populous. It was sur- 
 rounded by a wall three hundred and fifty feet high, and 
 eighty-seven feet in width. This wall inclosed the city in 
 the form of an exact square ; and each side of the square 
 was fifteen miles in length. On each of these sides were 
 twenty-five brazen gates. Hence the meaning of the ex- 
 pressions, "opening before him (Cyrus) the two-leaved 
 gates, and breaking in pieces the gates of brass." In a 
 word, this city had become, as it were, the metropolis of the 
 world, and seemed to bid defiance to any power short of om- 
 nipotence. But before Cyrus, whose right hand the Lord 
 had holden, to subdue nations before him, this great moun- 
 tain was soon to be made a plain. However formidable and 
 invincible it was in a human view, Herodotus and Xeno- 
 phon, two authentic historians, inform us of its capture, and 
 of the means by which it was accomplished. Their relation 
 is to this amount : — Cyrus, in view of the city, despaired of 
 taking it by siege or storm, and resolved to make the at- 
 tempt by stratagem. Accordingly, on a certain night, when 
 king Belshazzar with his lords was holding a great feast, 
 he diverted the course of the river Euphrates into a channel, 
 which had been previously cut by the kings of Babylon, to 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 277 
 
 Ireceive its waters in times of inundation. He then imme- 
 diately marched up with his army, on the dry bed of the old 
 channel, under the walls, and thus became master of the 
 city at once, and without difficulty. These same historians 
 further inform us, that after Cyrus and his army had actual- 
 ly gotten into the dry bed of the river, they might have been 
 taken there as in a net, if the brazen gates, which conduct- 
 ed from the streets to the river, had not that night been pro- 
 videntially left open. But in consequence of revelling and 
 intoxication, the infatuated people had forgotten or neglect- 
 ed to shut them. The unexpected appearance of the Per- 
 sian army in their capital, filled the minds of the Babyloni- 
 ans with alarm and terror, and immediately excited such a 
 tumult, that the gates of the royal palace were by the king's 
 order opened, to inquire into the cause of the great disturb- 
 ance : And thus, by a wonderful management of Providence, 
 was the way immediately prepared for Cyrus to take Bel- 
 shazzar himself, and all his lords, prisoners ; which he ac- 
 cordingly did. The same night was Belshazzar put to 
 death. (Dan. v, 30.) With what wonderful precision, there- 
 fore, was the prediction fulfilled, " I will loose the loins of 
 kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates ; and the 
 gates shall not be shut." No less precise and wonderful 
 was the prediction in verse 3d, viz : " I will give thee the 
 treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places." 
 For the before-mentioned historians affirm, that the treasures 
 which Cyrus found in Babylon, and in Sardis, amounted to 
 one hundred and twenty-six millions two hundred and twen- 
 ty-four thousand pounds, of our money. But with all the 
 good properties which Xenophon, his biographer, ascribes 
 to this prince, he was ignorant^ hitherto, of the true charac- 
 ter of that God, by whose almighty power his right hand 
 had been holden, and whose purposes he had been accom- 
 plishing, in his enterprises and conquests. The words in 
 verses 4th and 5th, " Thou hast not known me," necessi- 
 tate the unwelcome conviction, that this same Cyrus was, 
 during the time of his victorious career, a stranger to the 
 'God of Israel. Jupiter had hitherto been the god, to whom 
 he looked for protection : And hence, when he was going 
 to fight Croesus, hearing a clap of thunder on the right, he 
 
 24 
 
278 CRITICAL AND 
 
 cried out, " Sovereign Jupiter, we follow thee." But from 
 verse 3, "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, 
 and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know 
 that /, the Lord, lohich call thee hy thy name, am the God 
 of Israel,^ it seems that the Lord's design, in what he was 
 to do for him, and by him, was to bring him ultimately to the 
 knowledge of himself. And that Cyrus did afterwards be- 
 come acquainted, in some measure, with the God of Israel, 
 is evident from his proclamation for the return of the Jews, 
 which is recorded in the 1st chapter of Ezra. See his ac- 
 knowledgment in verse 3, "ile is the God." — In view of the 
 preceding remarks, we are now the better prepared to un- 
 derstand what is mpant by the 7th verse, viz : "I form the 
 light, and create darkness : I make peace, and create evil : 
 I, the Lord, do all these things." It must be remembered, 
 that Cyrus himself was a Persian. The doctrine of the 
 Magi, who were the moral and religious instructors of the 
 Persians, was, that there were two co-eternal and supreme 
 beings ; one, the author of all good ; the other, the author 
 of all evil. The terms light, darkness, peace, evil, are ge- 
 neric, and very comprehensive ; denoting moral good, and 
 natural good, moral evil, and natural evil ; denoting, in a 
 word, good and evil of all kinds. The truth of this remark 
 might be shown at large, by a reference to numerous passa- 
 ges of scripture, where these terms are used ; and all who 
 have read the sacred volume with any due degree of care 
 and attention, know it to be a fact. Now, the direct and 
 principal design of this declaration of Jehovah to Cyrus^ 
 spears to have been, to rejute the above mentioned doc- 
 trine ; a doctrine, in the belief of which that prince had been 
 educated ; and to show, in opposition to the prevailing sen- 
 timent of his countrymen, that there was only one supreme 
 Being, (and evidently, in strict propriety, only one can be 
 supreme) ; that light and darkness were alike formed, and 
 peace and evil alike created, by Him alone. This truth 
 had been, in substance, asserted before, in verses 5th and 
 6th, viz : *' I am the Lord, and there is none else ; there is 
 no God besides me : That they may know from the rising 
 of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides 
 me. I am the Lord, and there is none else." But the sen- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 279 
 
 iiment is here repeated in another form, and with some am- 
 plification. When, however, it is added, " I, the Lord, do 
 all these things," we are not to suppose that he doth evil in 
 the usual sense of the terms. For, whatever may be the 
 agency of God, in either natural or moral evil, it cannot 
 arise from any evil design ; nor can it ever be exercised in 
 any manner that is inconsistent with perfect benevolence, 
 au4 spotless moral purity. " Far be it from God, (says 
 Elihu), that he should do wickedness, and from the Al- 
 mighty, that he should commit iniquity." Doing wicked- 
 ness, and committing iniquity, signify the same thing ; but 
 to impute either of these to our Creator, in the usual sense 
 of such expressions, is evident blasphemy. And here I can- 
 not but remark, that great caution is necessary for ministers, 
 whenever they discuss the subject of divine agency in sin. 
 The first of all inquiries should be, what idea did the Jeivs 
 attach to such phraseology ? If we can only ascertain this, 
 we may know what God meant by it ; for, doubtless, in the 
 communications he made to that people, he used language 
 in the sense in which they understood it. The general im- 
 port of this declaration of Jehovah to Cyrus is, that there are 
 not tivo supreme beings, as Cyrus and his countrymen had 
 been taught, and had believed ; but that He only hath su- 
 preme control, and that all events are directed and deter- 
 mined by his providential agency. 
 
 Chap, liii, 3. 
 -"And we hid, as it were, our faces from him ;" or 
 
 thus, " he hid, as it were, his face from us." 
 
 In the Hebrew, the word translated " we hid," is what 
 we should call in English, an active participle of the singu- 
 lar number ; and the pronoun, or final word, of the clause, 
 is, in that language, in the first person plural. Accordingly, 
 Bishop Lowth, who, with all the best commentators, refers 
 the clause to Christ, translates it thus : "As one thathideth 
 his face from us." The meaning of the declaration, that 
 Jesus Christ, in his last sufferings, hid, or rather of the pre- 
 diction, that he would then hide his face from us, must be, 
 either that he then had or would have his human face, as k 
 were, Qovered, and thus hid^ in token of his bearing our 
 
280 CRITICAL AND 
 
 guilt, (according to the prescriptions of the law); or that he 
 then veiled, or would veil, conceal, hide his divine glory 
 from us. Either of these versions is admissible ; and each 
 conveys a most important truth. 
 
 Verse 8. 
 ** He was taken from prison, and from judgment." 
 If the word prison must be retained in our version, som©' 
 other meaning than the common one should, evidently, be 
 annexed to it. For in what prison was our Lord ever con- 
 fined, and from what one was he ever taken 1 We read, that 
 the apostles were imprisoned, (Acts v, 18), and that Peter' 
 was put in prison, (Acts xii, 4); but no where in the history 
 of Jesus Christ, as written by the evangelists, do we read o€' 
 any such thing respecting him. The Hebrew word render- ; 
 ed " from prison," is a noun derived from a verb, which sig- 
 nifies, to restrain, to detain, to rule. As here used, it must 
 denote civil magistracy, i. e. Pilate's tribunal or court, be- 
 fore which Jesus was tried, and by which judgment or sen- 
 tence of death was passed upon him. In that sort of prison, 
 in Pilate's "judgment-hall," Jesus was indeed confined, or 
 rather detained a short time, possibly a few hours ; and 
 thence was he '' taken, '^ and by virtue of Pilate's judgment, 
 or judicial sentence, led to execution. Bishop Lowth, Ie 
 his new translation of Isaiah, renders the passage thus :-— 
 " By an oppressive judgment, he was taken off*." 
 
 JEREMIAH. 
 
 Chapter hi. Verse 2.. 
 
 " In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in 
 the wilderness." 
 
 For the illustration of this passage, the following remarks 
 from Sir J. Chardin, relative to the modern practice of the 
 Arabs, are in point, viz : — '' Thus the Arabs wait for cara- 
 vans with the most violent avidity, looking about them on 
 all sides, raising themselves up on their horses, running 
 here and th^re, to see if they cannot perceive any smoke or 
 dust, or tracks on the ground, or any other marks of people 
 
feXPLANATORt NOTES. 281 
 
 passing along." What a striking coincidence does the 
 above quotation show, between the ancient and modern 
 practices of the descendants of Ishmael ! Always has their 
 hand been against every man ; and, consequently, every 
 man's hand has been against them. 
 
 Chap, xx, 7. 
 ^' Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived." 
 Witsius and Hemy render it thus, * Thou hast persuaded 
 me, and I was persuaded.' Patah, the Hebrew word here 
 used, signifies in Chaldee, to enlarge ; but in Hebrew, to 
 persuade, to allure, to entice, whether to good or evil. 
 Scott's interpretation is to this purpose ; that the Lord, by 
 his promises, (chap, i, 8, 18), had allured him to undertake 
 the prophetical office ; but now he was disappointed, in re- 
 gard to the credit and comfort he had expected. And from 
 the connection, (see from verse 7 to 11), it seems that such 
 was the sentiment which the prophet intended to express. 
 At any rate, this text is of no force to support the doctrine, 
 into the service of which it has sometimes been pressed, 
 viz. that there is a direct positive agency of God in sin. It 
 docs not relate at all to that doctrine, but simply to the 
 prophet's undertaking his appropriate office, and to the 
 events which followed. 
 
 HOSEA. 
 
 Chapter v, VePvSE 11. 
 
 <' Ephraim is oppressed, and broken in judgment, because 
 he willingly walked after the commandment." 
 
 Repeatedly has this passage been proposed to the author 
 for explanation. At first, indeed, it seems attended with 
 some difficulty. The proposition, that Ephraim is oppress- 
 ed, and broken in judgment, we easily understand. We 
 know what is meant by the sentence : Nor do those who 
 have examined the history of the ten tribes, experience any 
 more difficulty in seeing the truths than they do in under- 
 standing the meaning, of this proposition. All the difficulty 
 lies in seeing how they should be thus oppressed, and bro- 
 24* 
 
282 CRITICAL ANI> 
 
 1 
 
 ken, and afflicted, for the reason here specified, viz. because 
 they willingly walked after the commandment. But by the 
 commandment here, we are not to understand the command- 
 ment of God ; as though that people had been so sorely 
 chastised, because they had walked, willingly walked, after 
 his commandments. But what is meant by the command- 
 ment here, is the commandment of Jeroboam, to worship 
 his idols, his calves in Bethel and Dan. Because they wil- 
 lingly obeyed the command cf him, who sought to drive 
 them from following the Lord, willingly followed after and 
 worshipped his senseless idols ; therefore, Jehovah punish- 
 ed them, in permitting them to be sorely oppressed by their 
 own rulers, and in exposing them to the attacks and ravages 
 of hostile invaders. 
 
 JONAH. 
 
 Chapter hi. Verse 10. 
 
 " And God saw their works, that they turned from their 
 evil way ; and God repented of the evil that he had said that 
 he would do unto them ; and he did it not." 
 
 Many readers have experienced difficulty from this text, 
 and from a few other similar ones in the Bible, in which 
 God is said to have repented. But yery few, perhaps none, 
 are so absurd in their views, as to suppose that God ever 
 repents, or is morally capable of repenting altogether, in the 
 same sense in which sinners, as such, are required to repent. 
 Repentance, as existing in them, is connected with " godly 
 sorrow" for sin, ior personal sin, for their own sin ; with that 
 godly sorrow which worketh a salutary reformation, and 
 which includes self-condemnation, (Job xlii, 6 : Lev. xxvi, 
 41 : Ezek. xx, 43), and fixed resolutions for future amend- 
 ment. (2 Cor. vii, 11.) But of such a repentance as this 
 God must be absolutely incapable, because he has no sin to 
 repent of, or to be sorry for ; and because, even if he had, 
 any thing like proper sorrow, either in view of what he has 
 ever been, or has ever done, would be absolutely incompa- 
 tible with that infinite blessedness, which belongs to him. 
 And there are but very few, if any, who suppose that re- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES* 28B- 
 
 pentance of this kind is intended, in those places where Goi> 
 is said to repent. The difficulty in question is not owing 
 to any such supposition as this. But the difficulty, with ma- 
 ny persons, arises from another source. If God ever re- 
 pents, say they, then he must, for aught we can see, be 
 weak, unstable, and mutable, and must actually change in 
 his views, feelings, and purposes. But this would be incon- 
 sistent with numerous other passages of scripture, which de- 
 clare the contrary ; and, also, with that absolute and infi- 
 nite perfection which both reason and revelation attribute to 
 him. They seem to understand repentance, when ascribed 
 to God, as denoting some change in his feelings, and views, 
 and purposes, in some such sense as the term does, when 
 applied to men. Hence arises the difficulty they feel in re- 
 lation to this subject ; for they have been accustomed to 
 view God in a very different light ; even as that Being with 
 whom there is no variableijess, neither shadow of turning. 
 (James i, 17.) At the same time they allow, that something 
 must be meant by such passages. But, 'What do they 
 mean?' is the question that has frequently been proposed to 
 myself, and, undoubtedly, to many other ministers also. — 
 In reply, it may be observed in general, such passages are 
 to be interpreted not literally, hut figuratively. Much that 
 is said in scripture about God, is clearly to be understood 
 in the figurative sense only. This is certainly true of the 
 following passages : — Prov. xv, 3 — '' The eyes of the Lord 
 are in every place. ^' (See also Deut. xi, 12 : 1 Sam. xxvi, 
 24 : Amos ik, 8.) James v, 4 — " The cries of them which 
 have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of Saba- 
 oth." (See also Num. xi, 18 : 2 Sam. xxii, 7 : Ps. xxxivj. 
 15.) Isa. xlv, 12 — "I, even my hands, have stretched out 
 the heavens, and all their host have I commanded." (See 
 also verse 11 ; xlix, 16 : Job x, 3.) Psalm xviii, 9 — " He 
 bowed the heavens, also, and came down ; and darkness 
 was under his feet," (See also Isa. Ix,. 13: Nahum i, 3 : 
 Ex. xxiv, 10.) Now, as we are elsewhere assured, that 
 *' God is a spirit," (John iv, 24) ; and as " a spirit hath not 
 flesh and bones," nor any bodily properties, but is purely an 
 immaterial substance, we may be certain that the above 
 texts, applied as they are to Jehovah, must be understood 
 
284 CRITICAL AND 
 
 1 
 
 figuratively, and not in the literal sense. The eyes of a 
 man are indicative of his intelligence, or at least of his ca- 
 pacity for intelligence, far more than any other part of the 
 human frame. And the phrase, eyes of a man, or what is 
 equivalent thereto, is sometimes used to denote his actual, 
 intellectual discernment, not only in common practice, but 
 in the Bible too. (Eph. i, 18.) And hence, in gracious ac- 
 commodation to our weakness, "the eyes of the Lord," is 
 a phrase used in the scriptures, to denote his intelligence. 
 It is remarkable, also, that this expression, as used in the 
 scriptures, is frequently joined with other such qualifying 
 expressions, as clearly show, that the eyes of the Lord are 
 very different from, and infinitely superior to, the eyes of 
 men, and of all creatures — such expressions as are, more- 
 over, strong proofs of what they would seem, at first view, 
 to contradict, viz. his absolute spirituality. For if Jehovah 
 has eyes, they are eyes which '* run to and fro through all 
 the earth," (2 Chron. xvi, 9); which "are in everyplace,*' 
 (Proverbs xv, 3); and to which " all things are naked and 
 open," (Heb. iv, 13.) Ears are those bodily organs, with 
 which we hear. Now, how could that most comfortable 
 truth, that God attends to the groans, the prayers, and sup- 
 plications of his people, be made known to us in his word, 
 except by such metaphorical language, as is taken from, or 
 has some respect to that organ 1 Hence, his thus attending 
 to us, is called hearing us. If God speaks to us at all, and 
 speaks to vis to any good purpose, as it respects ourselves, 
 he must adapt himself to our natures, organised as they are. 
 How can God assure us, that he is willing to attend to our 
 supplications, more strongly than by telling us that he hath 
 an ear to hear, and that " his ear is not heavy, that it cannot 
 hear ?" — The hands, the right hand, and more especially 
 the arm, and the right arm of a man, are the principal means 
 by which he accomplishes his outward operations ; and these 
 terms, we know, are frequently used by men in the figura- 
 tive sense, as denoting skill, physical strength, power. In 
 the same sense are they frequently used in the Bible, when 
 applied to God ; as in the following passages : — Joshua ir, 
 24 — " That all the people of the earth might know the hand 
 of the Lord, that it is mighty." Job xii, 9 — " Who know- 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 2SS 
 
 eth not, in all these things, that the hand of the Lord hath 
 wrought this ?" Isa. lix, 1 — " Behold the Lord's hand is 
 not shortened, that it cannot save." Ps. cxviii, 15, 16 — 
 " The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The right 
 hand of the Lord is exalted : The right hand of the Lord 
 doeth valiantly." Ixxxix, 13 — " Thou hast a mighty arm ; 
 strong is thy hand ; and high is thy right hand." In the 
 same figurative sense, we are to understand those scrip- 
 tures, which speak of God as flying, (Ps. xviii, 10), as sleep- 
 ing, (Ps. xliv, 23), and as awaking, (Ps. Ixxviii, 65.) And 
 in the same sense, also, must we understand those passa- 
 ges, which ascribe repentance unto God. If any should 
 ask, how do we know that these passages are to be under- 
 stood in the figurative sense ? the answer is, we know it 
 from the very nature of the subject. It is a maxim in the 
 interpretation of scripture, that passages are to be under^ 
 stood literally, unless the nature of the subject, or other 
 passages, require a different interpretation ; but if so, then 
 they are to be understood differently. Now, both these 
 reasons exist in the case before us. The doctrine of the 
 Bible is, that God is not spiritual only, but " a spirit,^^ a 
 pure spirit. (John iv, 24.) Of course, he has no bodily 
 properties. And particularly, so far as respects the subject 
 now more immediately before us, numerous other passages 
 require, that the term repenting, when applied to God, should 
 be understood in the figurative sense only. The Bible ex- 
 pressly and frequently declares, that God is unchangeable. 
 He is unchangeable in his nature, Ps. cii, 25 — 27 — " Of 
 old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth ; and the heav- 
 ens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish ; but thou 
 shalt endure. Yea, all of them shall wax old like a gar- 
 ment ; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall 
 be changed : But thou art the same." Here the nature of 
 God is declared to be immutable ; and its immutability is 
 finely represented, by contrasting it to the mutability and 
 perishing nature of this visible universe. — -God is unchange- 
 able in his purposes also. The scriptures declare, that he 
 is in one mindy and none can turn him ; that his counsel 
 stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations i 
 $hat he declares the end from the beginning, and from ar*- 
 
286 CRITICAL AND 
 
 cient times, the things that are not yet done ; saying, mij 
 counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. (Job xxiii, 
 13 : Ps. xxxiii, 11 : Isa. xlvi, 10.) And it is in reference 
 to these, his fixed purposes, that it is repeatedly said in scrip- 
 ture, God doth not repent, and will not repent. (Num. xxiii, 
 19:1 Sam. xv, 29 : Jer. iv, 28 : Ezek. xxiv, 14.) Thus 
 evident it is from the scriptures, that God is unchangeable, 
 both in his nature, and in his purposes. It is certain, there- 
 fore, that those passages of scripture, which ascribe repent- 
 ance to God, are not to be understood in any sense incon- 
 sistent with his absolute immutability, in both these respects. 
 And, of course, so far as such passages indicate any change 
 at all in relation to God, it must be a change external, and 
 not a change internal ; a change in the outward dispensa- 
 tions of his providence ; not a change, either in his nature, 
 or in the purposes of his mind. If changes in providence 
 must be considered as so many changes in God, then God 
 is continually changing ; because these outward providen- 
 ces are continually changing, in one respect or another. 
 But the truth is, these changes in providence, in outward 
 events, are very far from being changes in God ; nor are 
 the former any evidence of the latter. God's outward, pro^ 
 Fidfential deahngs with the Israelites in the wilderness, fre- 
 quently varied, as their conduct varied, and as they were 
 obedient, or disobedient. But his j)wr|)05e respecting them 
 remained the same. It was to bring them, or at least their 
 children, into the land of Canaan. In the 89th Psalm, God 
 declares, that his treatment of the seed of David would vary, 
 according to circumstances ; that, in a word, it would be 
 according to their own conduct. If, particularly, David's 
 children should forsake his law, and walk not in his judg- 
 ments ; if they should break his statutes, and keep not his 
 commandments ; then He would visit their iniquity with the 
 rod, and their transgressions with stripes. But his purpose 
 remained the same, in regard both to David and his seed. 
 " Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take 
 from /im, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail." (Verse 33.) 
 And again, " His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne 
 as the sun, before me." (Verse 36.) God treats his child^ 
 ren, as the faithful physician tree^ts his patients, The phy« 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 287 
 
 sician varies his treatment of his patient, according to the 
 varying symptoms of the disease ; but all this does not im- 
 ply any change in the physician's mind. His purpose uni- 
 formly is, to heal the patient, if possible. It is certain, there- 
 fore, that those passages which ascribe repentance to God, 
 so far as they exhibit any change at all in relation to him, 
 denote a change in his outward conduct, in his providential 
 dispensations ; not in his mind. And it is evident, that 
 some of ihose passages do denote such an outward change ; 
 those particularly, M^hich relate to cases where divine threats 
 or promises had been previously given. Of the former, the 
 case of th^ IHinevites is an example. The threat had been 
 given, " Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." 
 (iii, 4.) We must suppose that this threat, though express- 
 ed with apparent absoluteness, was conditional, so far as 
 the divine purpose relative to its execution was concerned. 
 This we must suppose from what is said in verse 10 — -"And 
 God saw th:'ir works, that they turned from their evil way ; 
 and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would 
 do unto them ; and he did it not." Now this shows, that 
 when God gave the threat, he meant to treat them according 
 to their conduct ; that, in a word, he would certainly destroy 
 them, if they should not turn from their evil ways, and would 
 spare them, if they should thus turn. God's providence 
 and his purpose must always agree. In other words, he 
 always meant to do just as he does, and always does as he 
 meant to do. The truth of this cannot be reasonably ques- 
 tioned by any man. Now, God did in fact spare the Nine- 
 vites, when they repented ; and, therefore, when he gave 
 the threat, he meant so to do, should this condition be com- 
 plied with by them, as he undoubtedly foresaw it would be. 
 It seems, moreover, that the Ninevites themselves under- 
 stood the threat as conditional. It is evident they had some 
 hope of being sp r.red, in case of reformation. This appears 
 both from what they did, and from what they said. They 
 observed a general fast on that occasion, and cried mightily 
 unto God, saying, " Who can tell if God will turn and re- 
 pent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish 
 notl" In short, the meaning of the threat, so far as its ex- 
 ecution was concerned, must have been the same with that 
 
288 CRITICAL AND 
 
 ©f Christ'--'^ Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish*" 
 (Luke xiii, 3.) It is in this way, that divine threats against 
 bodies of men are to be understood, as we learn from Jere- 
 miah xviii, 7, 8 — -"At what instant I shall speak concerning 
 a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to 
 pull down, and to' destroy it : If that nation, against whom 
 I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the 
 evil that I thought to do unto them." The same condition- 
 ality belongs to the promises, also, which are made to such 
 a nation or kingdom, as we learn from the two verses next 
 succeeding. The same thing is true, also, of divine threats 
 against individuals. Of this we have a specimen in Ezekiel 
 xxxiii, 14 — "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely 
 die." Here the threat is absolute, as to its form. But that 
 there was a condition in it, is evident from what immediate- 
 ly follows, viz : " If he turn from his wicked way, and do 
 that which is lawful and right, ... he shall surely live ; he 
 shall not die." But when divine promises or threats are 
 said to be conditional, this must always be understood of 
 such divine promises or threats, as were not accompanied 
 and confirmed by an oath ; for in such a case, God is never 
 said to repent. When God has thus sworn by himself, his 
 word, which had gone out in righteousness, would not return. 
 But no oath is mentioned, as accompanying the threat 
 against the Ninevites, and we may be sure there was none. 
 Says Bishop Lowth, " Whenever repentance is ascribed to 
 God, it must be meant only of a change with respect to the 
 outward administrations of his providence, and his dealing 
 with men otherwise than he did before." This is true with 
 one qualification, viz. when the repentance in question has 
 immediate respect to some divine threat or promise^ previous- 
 ly given ; for in some places, where repentance is ascribed 
 to God, it does not appear that any divine threat or promise 
 was particularly in view. The above remark is, however, 
 strictly true, in reference to the case now before us, that of 
 the Ninevites. When *' God saw their works, that they 
 turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil" that he 
 had threatened, and he did it not. He no longer threatened 
 ^em so terribly as he had done, and changed his providen- 
 tial dispensations towards them, Iiis outward treatrri^t of 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 289 
 
 them, and made it very different from what it otherwise 
 would have been, i. e. in case they had not repented ; and 
 thus he acted as men do when they really change their 
 minds, though there was no change in his mind* 
 
 2B 
 
COJifCLUDIKG REMARKS. 
 
 How far the main object of the present work, as stated in 
 the title page, and in the preface, has been accomplished, 
 and with what success — i. e. how far the many passages 
 commented upon have been explained correctly, and how 
 far they have been explained in a manner adapted to the un- 
 derstandings of those readers, for whom chiefly this work has 
 been designed — must now be left to their judgment, and to 
 that of an enlightened christian community. In some cases, 
 it will be seen, that the results of my investigations, merely, 
 have been given, without stating particularly that process of 
 thought which has led to those results. My apology for not 
 pursuing a different course in these cases is : — 1st. It did 
 not appear to me to be very necessary for common readers ; 
 and, 2d. The designed limits of the present work would not 
 allow of it. But there is one inquiry, relative to this sub- 
 ject, which has frequently arisen in the minds of many, and 
 to which it seems proper to pay some attention, in this place. 
 The inquiry is this, viz : Why is it that God has left in his 
 word so many things that are hard to be understood, or to be 
 fully comprehended by the mind of man 1 If the Bible be 
 indeed the word of God, and designed for our benefit, why 
 is not every thing in it made plain, so that its true import 
 may be discerned at once 1 In reply to this inquiry, I would 
 offer a few remarks, with the hope, that they may not only 
 afford some satisfaction in respect to the point embraced in 
 the inquiry itself; but may also give to this whole subject 
 more of a practical character and tendency, than could have 
 been reasonably expected in the body of the work itself. 
 
 I. One reason of this may be supposed to lie in the neces- 
 fity of the case. If God should give to us any revelation at 
 all, we might well suppose it would contain eome account 
 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 291 
 
 o£ himself; of his own being, perfections, and government ; 
 of other intelligent beings beside mankind, and superior to 
 them, provided such beings exist ; of another state of being, 
 to succeed the present one, and of its employments, its du- 
 ration, its enjoyments, or miseries, provided these things 
 are realities. But these are subjects, the full comprehen- 
 sion of which must necessarily be impossible to the Hmited 
 mind of man. '' Canst thou by searching find out God? 
 Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection 1 It is high 
 as heaven, what canst thou do ; deeper than hell, what canst 
 thou know] The measure thereof is longer than the earth, 
 and broader than the sea." (Job xi, 7.) We know but very 
 little even of those worldly objects and things, which we 
 profess to understand, and with which we are most familiar. 
 But " that which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can 
 find it out ?" (Eccl. vii, 24.) The difficulty of our compre- 
 hending fully such subjects, must appear peculiarly great, 
 when, in connection with the nature of the subjects them- 
 selves, we consider the weakness of the human mind, and 
 the additional difficulty which it always experiences in refer- 
 ence to things of a spiritual and holy nature, arising from 
 sin. For in regard to these things, " the understanding is 
 darkened, by reason of the blindness of the heart." (Eph. 
 iv, 18.) In the very nature and necessity of the case, there- 
 fore, we may see one reason for the fact now under consi- 
 deration. 
 
 II. Another reason for it may be, that God might thereby 
 make trial of men's tempers and dispositions. We know 
 that this is the case in regard to providence. Many of God's 
 providential dispensations are to us utterly mysterious, and 
 hard to be understood, in any way consistent with our pre- 
 vious and present views of the divine character. His judg- 
 ments are a great deep. We do not, and cannot see, why 
 many events and things should be as they are. The diffi- 
 culty occasioned even to good men, men of faith, by some 
 of the divine providential dispensations in this world, and 
 the great perplexity of mind which they sometimes feel, in 
 view of them, are represented by Asaph, in the 73d Psalm. . 
 Now there are, doubtless, reasons for all this ; and reasons, 
 too, which to the Infinite Mind are sufficient for the divine 
 
292 CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
 
 government being as it is, and for events taking place as 
 Ihey do ; and which would be satisfactory to us, were the 
 eyes of our understanding sufficiently enlightened. And 
 even we ourselves are not left in total ignorance, in relation 
 to this matter. For though we know but little about these 
 reasons, we may, at least, be sure of this, viz : That one 
 object God has in view, in such mysterious providential dis- 
 pensations, is, to try the temi^ers and dispositions of man- 
 kind, and especially the faith of his own children. This is 
 expressly declared to have been the object he had in view, 
 in his mysterious dealings with the Israelites. *' And thou 
 shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led 
 thee, these forty years, in the wilderness, to humble thee^ 
 and to •prove thee, to know ivhat was in thine heart, whether 
 thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no." (Deut. viii, 
 2, 16.) Of the same nature, as we may well suppose, was 
 God's design, in permitting difficulty to attend some parts 
 of his word. It would prove a test, by which the tempers 
 and characters of men might be tried. It would hence be 
 seen, whether they would throw aside the scriptures entirely, 
 and have no more concern with them, on account of some 
 difficulties which attend them ; even as some persons, who 
 have professedly and apparently set out in the way to heav- 
 en, have finally relinquished that way, on account of the tri- 
 als and practical difficulties they met with in their course. 
 Hereby, also, they would be tried, in respect to the search- 
 ing of the scriptures ; whether they would search them or 
 not, as they are required to do. In the same proportion as 
 there are difficulties attending the Bible, is self-denying dili- 
 gence, in the use of the appointed means, necessary for the 
 understanding of it. That such diligence on our part is a 
 duty, (a duty, which, like other duties required of us, would 
 eventually bring its own rich reward), is evident from seve- 
 ral passages of scripture. (See Prov. ii, 1 — 6 : John v, 39: 
 2 Tim. iii, 15.) But the point to be ascertained is, whether 
 we will perform this duty ; or whether, in view of some ob- 
 structions in our path, arising partly from the nature of the 
 subject itself, and partly from the nature of our mental and 
 moral constitution, we will " cast away the law of the Lord 
 of Hosts, and despise the word of the Holy One of Israel.'* 
 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 293 
 
 (Isa. V, 24.) The difficulties attending some parts of the 
 word of God are a weighty reason, not only for personal 
 diligence in study and meditation, and comparing scripture 
 with scripture, &c.; but also for earnest prayer to the Fa- 
 ther of Lights, for special divine illumination, and for the 
 aids of that Holy Spirit, which searcheth all things, even 
 the deep things of God. (1 Cor. ii, 10.) These aids of the 
 Holy Spirit, we are in the holy scriptures repeatedly com- 
 manded, to ask of God ; and we are at the same time as- 
 sured, that he is willing to grant them freely to all who hum- 
 bly ask for them. (Luke xi, 13 : James i, 5.) Now, the 
 point to be ascertained is, w^hether ive ivill thus ask for that 
 divine illumination, that Holy Spirit, whose peculiar official 
 work it is to " help our infirmities," in this case, as well as 
 in others ; and without whose blessed teaching and influence, 
 we, indeed, "know nothing yet as we ought to know," (1 
 Cor. viii, 2), of any part of the word of God. This, viz. 
 the teaching and influence of the Holy Spirit, and earnest 
 prayer for such teaching and influence, on the part of all 
 those who would rightly interpret or understand the scrip- 
 tures, is a matter of the greatest practical importance. " In 
 thy light shall we see light." (Ps. xxxvi, 9.) The difficul- 
 ties attending some points in revealed religion have driven 
 many men to a critical and laborious investigation of the 
 scriptures. But in too many instances, this same investi- 
 gation, though commendable for the ardor and untiring dili- 
 gence with which it was prosecuted, has been radically de- 
 fective, and consequently has failed of issuing in those re- 
 sults, which could have been wished for ; and has even led, 
 in some cases, to very dangerous errors, in consequence of 
 these men's depending too little on the teachings of the 
 Holy Spirit, and too much on the mere powers of the human 
 mind. What a striking exemplification of this has been af- 
 forded within these twenty years past, by the literati of the 
 new school in Germany ! Now, one reason why God has 
 left in his word things of difficult comprehension, may be, 
 not only to try and prove us thereby, whether we will be so 
 much the more diligent in searching the scriptures, (as sure- 
 ly for this same reason we ought to be); but, also, to ascer- 
 tain whether we will search them with the right spirit, with 
 25* 
 
294 CONCLUDING REMAEKS. 
 
 a humble, docile, and prayerful frame of mind, sensible of 
 our own ignorance, and of our utter inability, by reason of 
 sin, to understand aright the things of the Spirit of God, 
 without the teachings of that Spirit, (1 Cor. ii, 11, 14); or , 
 whether, on the other hand, with a proud conceit of the suf- 
 ficiency of human reason for this purpose, we will bewilder 
 ourselves and others in useless speculations, and reject ^ 
 whatever we find in the scriptures, that we cannot compre- 
 hend, " vainly puffed up by our fleshly mind." In suppos- 
 ing this to have been one reason for the fact in question, we 
 only suppose an analogy between what God has said, and 
 what he has done ; between his word, and his providential 
 dispensations. 
 
 III. Another reason why God has left in his word some 
 things hard to be understood, may be, that thus there might 
 be in the scriptures something adapted to every capacity ; 
 and suited to gratify the various innocent tastes of men, 
 (when those tastes were under proper regulations); and to 
 call into exercise their various peculiar talents. There are 
 among Christians, the strong and the weak. The truth of 
 this, as a matter of fact, is not only declared in scripture, 
 (Rom. XV, 1), but is sufficiently evident from daily observa- 
 tion. Now, both these sorts of persons need their appro- 
 priate nourishment. The one have need of milk ; the oth- 
 er, in addition to that nourishment which is necessary for 
 Christians in common, have need, sometimes, of strong 
 meat also. This the apostle teaches, in Heb. v, 12 — 14 ; 
 where, speaking of the latter particularly, he says, *' Strong 
 meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who, 
 by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both 
 good and evil." What the apostle meant by strong meat, 
 in this place, was, things not easily comprehended, in dis- 
 tinction from the plainer and more simple truths of the gos- 
 pel — things comparatively hard to be understood. This 
 must be evident to an attentive, candid mind, not only from 
 the connection in which the passage, containing this expres- 
 sion, is found, (where the character of Melchiscdek is the 
 subject referred to); but also from the metaphor itself, that 
 is here used, viz. *' strong wiea/;" which is a thing of diffi- 
 cult digestion, and which cannot be properly digested at all, 
 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 295^^ 
 
 except by those whose digestive organs have become 
 strengthened by age and use. Now, God hath, in merciful 
 adaptation to the mental character, and to the spiritual state 
 of his children, provided for each one of them his own proper 
 portion. For the weak, who are encompassed with many 
 infirmities ; who are " unskilful in the word of righteous- 
 ness," and who are mere babes in the divine life, milk is 
 provided, even '' the sincere milk 9f the word, that they may 
 grow thereby." (1 Pet. ii, 2.) But for those who are " strong 
 in the grace that is in Christ Jesus," and who are advanced 
 to much higher attainments in their christian course, strong 
 meat is provided. Thus provision is made for " every one 
 according to his several ability." — It is remarkable, also, 
 that there is, among Christians, a great diversity of taste and 
 of talent. Each one has his own peculiar genius, and cast 
 of mind ; so that it is difficult to determine which we ought 
 most to admire — the wisdom of God, in bestowing such 
 "diversities of gifts," all which are needed, (1 Cor. xii), 
 and may, by the divine blessing, be made greatly beneficial 
 to different classes of persons, *' to the use of edifying ;" 
 or — the goodness of God, as manifested in providing such 
 a variety of matter in his word, that every taste may be gra- 
 tified to a reasonable extent, and that no talent may remain 
 either unoccupied, or useless. 
 
 IV. Another reason why God has left so many difficulties 
 in his word, may be, that he might show thereby the impor- 
 tance and the necessity of good human teaching, and of a 
 ivell educated ministry. These things, we know, are un- 
 dervalued by many. The reasons of it are different in dif- 
 ferent individuals. In some, the reason why man's teach- 
 ing is so much undervalued, seems to be mere self-conceit ; 
 a thinking of themselves more highly than they ought to 
 think, and more highly than they^would think, had they more 
 of genuine self-knowledge. Some seem to think they know 
 enough now ; or, if they do not, that they are capable of 
 knowing all they need to know about these things, of them- 
 selves, and without help from others. In others, the reason 
 seems to be, the erroneous vieivs they have about the teach" 
 ings of the Holy Ghost ; as though such teachings were ever 
 designed to supersede divine institutions and the use of 
 
296 CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
 
 means, or were ever to be expected without the use of sucfn 
 means as are within our reach. But however the fact in 
 question may be accounted for, its existence, to some ex- 
 tent, is undeniable. But the judgment of God, which is in 
 all cases according to truth, is very different from the judg- 
 ment of these men, in respect to this matter. This appears 
 from what he has said, and from what he has done. He 
 has said, " How then shall they call on him, in whom they 
 have not believed ? and how shall they believe in him, of 
 whom they have not heard 1 and how shall they hear, with- 
 out a preacher ?" (Rom. x, 14.) When a people are depriv- 
 ed of, or are not favored with good human teachers, and are 
 thus as sheep scattered abroad, having no shepherd, their 
 state is viewed by Christ as being most deplorable. (Mat. 
 ix, 36 — 38.) Among the precious blessings which God pro- 
 mises to his people, is that of such teachers. *' And I will 
 give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed 
 you with knowledge and understanding." (Jer. iii, 15.) That 
 God views human teaching and instruction as very impor- 
 tant ; or rather, that he considers it very important that his 
 own truth should be explained, his precepts enforced, and 
 his ordinances and institutions maintained, by human in- 
 strumentality, appears also from what he has done. Under 
 the Mosaic economy, the tribe of Levi, more especially the 
 family of Aaron, in all their successive generations, were, 
 by divine appointment, assigned to this very business ; and, 
 that they might not be encumbered with worldly concerns, 
 to the neglect of their appropriate work, provision was made, 
 by divine direction, for their worldly maintenance and sup- 
 port by the people. To their priests, their human teachers, 
 it was made the duty of the people to repair for instruction, 
 in the law of God. (Mai. ii, 7.) And beside them, there 
 was an extraordinary class of men, called seers or prophets, 
 who were raised up by God for the same general purpose. 
 *' The office of a prophet was not confined to the prediction 
 of future events. It was their province to instruct the peo- 
 ple, and they interpreted the law of God. Hence the words 
 prophet and prophecy are, in many passages of the scrip- 
 tures, synonymous with interpreter or teacher, and interpre- 
 tation or teaching." (T. H. Home.) It should also be ob» 
 
CONCLUDmO REMARKS. 297 
 
 served and remembered, that those prophets were usually 
 educated in seminaries instituted for that purpose, that they 
 might thereby be the better qualified for the business of 
 teaching and interpreting the word of God, as well as for 
 their other official duties. These seminaries were called 
 Schools of the prophets. On this subject, Edwards, in his 
 History of Redemption, says as follows : — *' And because 
 God intended a constant succession of prophets from Sam- 
 uel's time, therefore, in his time was begun a school of the 
 prophets ; that is, a school of young men, that were trained 
 up under some great prophet, who was their master and 
 teacher in the study of divine things, and the practice of 
 holiness, to fit them for this office, as God should call them 
 to it. Those young men that belonged to these schools, 
 were called the sons of the prophets ; and oftentimes they 
 are called prophets. These, at first, were under the tuition 
 of Samuel. Thus we read of Samuel's being appointed 
 over them, (1 Sam. xix, 20.) The company of prophets 
 that we read of, 1 Sam. x, 5, were the same. Afterwards 
 we read of their being under Elijah. Elisha was one of his 
 sons ; but he desired to have a double portion of his spirit, 
 as his successor, as his first-born, as the eldest son was 
 wont to have a double portion of the estate of his father ; 
 and therefore the sons of the prophets, when they perceived 
 that the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha, submitted them- 
 selves to him, and owned him for their master, as they had 
 done Elijah before him ; as you may see, 2 Kings ii, 15. 
 And so, after this, EHsha was their master, or teacher ; he 
 had the care and instruction of them ; as you may see, 2 
 Kings iv, 38. — In Elijah and Elisha's time, there were sev- 
 eral places where there resided companies of these sons of 
 the prophets ; as there was one at Bethel, and another at 
 Jericho, and another at Gilgal, unless that at Gilgal and 
 Jericho were the same ; and possibly that which is called 
 the college, where the prophetess Huldah resided, was ano- 
 ther at Jerusalem. (See 2 Kings xxii, 14.) It is there said 
 of Huldah the prophetess, that she dwelt in Jerusalem in the 
 college. They had houses built, where they used to dwell 
 together ; and therefore, those at Jericho, being multipHed, 
 and finding their house too little for them, desired leave of 
 
298 CONCLUDING REMARKS, 
 
 their master and teacher Elisha, that they might go and hew 
 timber to build a bigger, as you may see, 2 Kings vi, 1, 2. 
 At some times, there were numbers of these sons of the 
 prophets in Israel ; for whep, Jezebel cut off the prophets of 
 the Lord, it is said, that Obadiah took an hundred of them, 
 and hid them by fifty in a cave. (1 Kings xviii, 4.) These 
 schools of the prophets, being set up by Samuel, and 
 afterwards kept up by such great prophets as Elijah and 
 Elisha, must be of divine appointment ; and accordingly 
 we find, that those sons of the prophets were often favored 
 with a degree of inspiration, while they continued under 
 tuition in the schools of the prophets ; and God commonly, 
 when he called any prophet to the constant exercise of the 
 prophetical ofl^ice, and to some extraordinary service, took 
 them out of those schools ; though not universally. Hence 
 the prophet Amos, speaking of his being called to the pro- 
 phetical ofiice, says, that he was one that had not been edu- 
 cated in the schools of the prophets, and was not one of the 
 sons of the prophets. (Amos vii, 14, 15.) But Amos's tak- 
 ing notice of it as remarkable, that he should be called to 
 be a prophet, that had not been educated at the schools of 
 the prophets, shows that it was God's ordinary manner to 
 take his prophets out of these schools ; for therein he did 
 but bless his own institution." (See Edwards on Redemp- 
 tion.) It should also be remembered, that under the chriS' 
 Han economy or dispensation, God hath, in his wisdom, 
 made the same general arrangement in respect to human 
 teaching, and for supplying his church with human teachers, 
 (Mat. xxviii, 20 : 1 Cor. ix, 14 : Eph. iv, 11, 12 : 1 Tim. 
 V, 17) ; and has required that they be qualified for their 
 work, by being themselves properly instructed, (Luke vi, 
 39 : 1 Tim. iii, 6 : 2 Tim. ii, 15) ; and has told them what, 
 among other things, they must do for this purpose, (1 Tim. 
 iv, 13 — 16.) Now, all this certainly shows the great impor- 
 tance, in God's view, of human teaching, or rather of his 
 teaching the people his statutes and his truth hy human in- 
 strumentality. It shows, also, that all those men who en- 
 gage in this business, should be themselves duly qualified 
 for their work. He might, doubtless, have taught them in 
 other ways. Nay, he inight have so constituted things, that 
 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 209 
 
 110 mediums of instruction whatever would have been requi- 
 site ; but all communications which he saw good to make 
 to mankind, whether '^ for doctrine, reproof, correction, or 
 instruction in righteousness," might have been made direct" 
 ly and immediately from himself. But he has not so done. 
 He has not seen it best so to do. It has seemed good in 
 his sight, not only in general to use means for this purpose, 
 but also to make some of mankind helpers and instruments 
 of good to the others, in this as well as in other respects. 
 Indeed, most men acknowledge this, not only in word, but in 
 deed also. Every theological seminary or school, founded or 
 supported by them, is a practical recognition, on their part, of 
 this truth. So is also their supporting of the gospel-minis- 
 try. All these things seem to furnish satisfactory evidence 
 of their conviction, that they cannot understand sufficiently 
 some things which they read in the Bible, except some man 
 should guide them, (Acts viii, 31) ; or, at least, except God 
 should give them such an understanding through mail's in- 
 strumentality. And it may be for the purpose, in part, of 
 impressing still more strongly on the minds of men the im- 
 portance of good human teaching, and of a well educated 
 ministry, as a means in order to this, that God hath left in 
 his word some things hard to be understood, and which can- 
 not be understood fully^ without some other help than what 
 the Bible itself, and especially our English Bible, affords. 
 
 V. Another reason why God hath left in his word things 
 hard to be understood, (and which cannot be fully compre- 
 hended in the present world), we may well suppose to be 
 this, viz : that we might thereby be induced to long after 
 that bright and happy worlds where the darkness will have 
 been past, and the true light will shine in all its effulgence ; 
 where the book, now in a measure shut, will be opened, and 
 every one of the seals thereof will be loosed. One most 
 interesting view, in which heaven is represented to us in the 
 holy scriptures, is, that it is a world of light and knowledge. 
 " For now we see through a glass darkly ; but then face to 
 face : Now I know in part ; but then shall I know, even as 
 also I am known." (1 Cor. xiii, 12.) " And the city had no 
 need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it ; for 
 the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light 
 
300 CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
 
 thereof." (Rev. xxi, 23.) Doubtless the light and know- 
 ledge of the heavenly state will far exceed all that it is pos- 
 sible for us to conceive of, in the present world. " Then 
 we shall know more than we can now imagine. And then 
 we shall apprehend truth in its relations and consequences, 
 not, as at present, by that tedious and fallible process which 
 we call reasoning, but by a single glance of thought, as the 
 sight pierces in an instant through the largest transparent 
 body." (Newton. ) Glorified spirits will have a far more en- 
 larged view of God's works of creation and providence, 
 than they had, or could have, in this world. Hence their 
 song will be, " Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord 
 God Almighty : Just and true are thy ways, thou King of 
 Saints." (Rev. xv, 3.) But, as the work of redemption is 
 the most glorious of all the divine works, with which we are 
 acquainted ; so this we must suppose to be the object that 
 will principally occupy their attention. If angels desire to 
 look into these things, (1 Pet. i, 12), much more, we may 
 conclude, will this be the desire of the " redeemed from 
 among men ;" for they will not only be angel-like, (Luke 
 XX, 36, compared with Mat. xxii, 30), but will also feel, in 
 some respects, a far deeper interest in these things, than it 
 is possible the angels should feel ; the former, and not the 
 latter, being the persons who shall have been in fact redeem- 
 ed. This work and plan of redemption is indeed now 
 " made known to the sons of men," so far as is necessary 
 for their salvation. But how little a portion of it do we 
 know, or can we know, in this dark world ! Many things 
 relating to it are mysteries still. (1 Tim. iii, 16.) But in 
 the future world, these mysteries will be revealed ; and then 
 those parts of the word of God, which are at present hard to 
 be understood, and all which have a bearing, more or less 
 direct, on the plan and work of redemption, will be fully ex- 
 plained and understood. 
 
 *'Then shall I see, and hear, and know, 
 
 All I desir'd or wish'd below; \ 
 
 And every power find sweet employ, 
 
 In that eternal world of joy." 
 
 And it may have been, nay, we may conclude it was, partly, 
 for the purpose of leading his people to long more intensely 
 
 I 
 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 301 
 
 for that bright and blessed world, that God hath permitted 
 so many clouds, and so much darkness, to rest upon some 
 parts of his loord, as well as upon many of his providential 
 dispensations, during the present life. 
 
 To the foregoing remarks I would add ; how grateful 
 should we he, that there are in the scriptures only some 
 things tjiat are hard to be understood ! These are, indeed, 
 considerably numerous ; as appears, in part, from the pre- 
 ceding pages, and as might be shown still more fully by a 
 more extended specification ; for only a part of those scrip- 
 tural passages, that are attended with some difficulty, is no- 
 ticed in this work. At the same time, those passages, which 
 are of this description, are but few, comparatively, com^di' 
 red with the remainder of the sacred volume. By far the 
 greatest part of the Bible is plain, raid easy to be understoody 
 by all those whose " heart is right in the sight of God," if 
 they have only a common share of intellect, and if they will 
 exert their faculties in search*, ig the scriptures, with humble 
 and fervent prayer for divine teaching, and in the use of those 
 means with which a kind Providence has favored them, or 
 has, at least, placed within their reach. It ought, moreover, 
 to be observed, that most of those scriptural passages, that 
 are hard to be understood, are of but little importance to us 
 in a practical view, compared with those which are more 
 plain and obvious. In relation to all the great concerns of 
 christian faith and practice, the holy scriptures are plain, 
 and easy to be understood ; so that no one can excuse him- 
 self for neglecting them, by the plea, '* I am not learned." 
 (Isa. xxix, 12.) It ha's been remarked above, that in res- 
 pect to the mere fact of difficulties and incomprehensibles, 
 there is an analogy between the divine word, and the divine 
 providence, or those events which frequently take place 
 under the providential reign of God. It may now be added, 
 that this analogy appears in another respect. In all those 
 things which are neces^aiy for the sustenance, health, and 
 vigor of our bodies, our Creator has provided for us most 
 liberally and abundantly, in the various productions and in- 
 exhaustible treasures of the earth. "Who can live without 
 water 1 Behold how freely and abundantly it flows ! How 
 indispensable are the productions of the vegetable and min- 
 
 26 
 
302 CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
 
 eral kingdoms ! And how abundant are they ! How neces- 
 sary for various pui-poses is fuel ! And what a vast quantity 
 of it is found in the forests and fields ! In short, how muni- 
 iicently hath He provided for us from this earth, whatsoever 
 IS needful for food and raiment, and for our worldly com- 
 fort ! And with what facility may a competency of these 
 things be ordinarily attained by us ! As to the luxuries of 
 life, and such things, as, though pleasant to the eye and to 
 the taste, are not necessary for our welfare ; they are more 
 scarce, and of more difficult attainment. Now, somewhat 
 similar to this is the fact, in respect to the holy scriptures. 
 All those instructions which are most needful for us ; '' all 
 things that pertain unto life and godliness," (2 Pet. i, 3) ; 
 all things that are immediately necessary, for the sustenance, 
 health, and vigor of our souls, in the divine life, are there 
 provided for us in abundance, and may, at the same time, 
 be understood by us without any serious difficulty ; provid- 
 ed, only, our hearts are right, and we are diligent in the use 
 of the appointed means. As to those parts of the Bible, 
 which are of difficult comprehension, and which are few, 
 (compared with the remainder of that blessed book), we may 
 well conclude, that an accurate knowledge of them is by no 
 means essential to our well-being, either here or hereafter. 
 Now, how grateful should we be for this ! At the same time, 
 we should aspire after higher attainments. Those parts of 
 the Bible, which are attended with difficulty, especially to 
 the unlearned, "v^ill be found, in many cases, to relate to 
 some of the most sublime and interesting points in revealed 
 religion. They should not, therefore, be despised or neg- 
 lected, because they may, at first, be hard to be understood ; 
 any more than a higher and more elevated p^raciical piety is 
 to be undervalued and despised, because it cannot be attain- 
 ed without difficulty, and because a lower degree of it will 
 render us comfortable and useful, to some extent, in this 
 world, and -will insure our eternal salvation in the world to 
 come. We are required to leave the principles (i. e. the 
 first principles, the elements) of the doctrine of Christ, and 
 to go on unto perfection, (Heb. vi, 1); and not to be child- 
 ren in understanding, but in the understanding (of divine 
 things), to be men. (1 Cor. xiv, 20.) If we would grow in 
 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 303 
 
 gracBy we must, for this purpose, grow in knowledge. That 
 hungering and thirsting after righteousness, which consti- 
 tutes at once the character and the blessedness of true Chris- 
 tians, (Mat. V, 6), involves an earnest desire for the increas- 
 ing knowledge of God, and of his word ; as well as for in- 
 creasing moral conformity to him. Indeed, the former, 
 when it is of the right kind ; when it is not only the know- 
 ledge of the true God, but the true knowledge of God, in- 
 cludes the latter. There is a knowledge that puffeth up. 
 (1 Cor. viii, 1.) But those, on whom their knowledge pro- 
 duces such an effect, ought to remember, that they really 
 know nothing yet as they ought to know. What if that 
 knowledge of the scriptures, which many have, together 
 with the use they make of it, will only prove the means of 
 aggravating their final condemnation. This need not be the 
 case with us. Though the superficial knowledge of some 
 may inflate them with pride, there is no tendency in igno- 
 rance to promote true humility, or any other branch of mo- 
 ral goodness. The occasional abuse of a thing is no argu- 
 ment against its excellency, as it is in itself; nor against its 
 great usefulness, when it is used as it ought to be. While, 
 then, we are grateful that most parts of the divine word are 
 so plain and so intelligible, let us remember that there are 
 other most precious treasures in this field, which cannot be 
 found without digging for them, seeking them as silver, 
 and searching for them as for hid treasures ; but which, 
 when found, will prove an abundant recompense for all the 
 labor spent in their acquisition. 
 
I^DEX. 
 
 TEXTS CRITICISED AND EXPLAINED IN THIS WORK- 
 
 Fas:e. 
 
 Page. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 
 MARK. 
 
 i-j 
 
 Chapter iii, 12, 
 
 7 
 
 Chapter ii, 18, 
 
 28 
 
 V, 13, 
 
 ib. 
 
 iii, 14, 
 
 29 
 
 21, 
 
 8 
 
 vi, 12, 
 
 ib. 
 
 23, 24, 
 
 ib. 
 
 ix, 49, 
 
 30 
 
 39, 
 
 9 
 
 xi, 13, 14, 
 
 31 
 
 vi, 30, 
 
 ib. 
 
 xiii, 11, 
 
 33 
 
 34, 
 
 ib. 
 
 XV, 23, 
 
 34 
 
 vii, 21, 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 23, 
 
 ib. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 
 viii, 4, 
 
 11 
 
 Chapter ii, 1, 
 
 34 
 
 22, 
 
 ib. 
 
 8—12, 
 
 35 
 
 sii, 5, 
 
 ib. 
 
 iv, 20, 
 
 36 
 
 40, 
 
 12 
 
 V, 37,38, 
 
 ib. 
 
 43, 44, 
 
 14 
 
 vi, 1, and 12, 
 
 37 
 
 xiii, 30, 
 
 16 
 
 vii, 28, 
 
 38 
 
 xiv, 26, 
 
 17 
 
 36—39, 
 
 ib. 
 
 xri, 18, 
 
 ib. 
 
 viii, 22, 
 
 40 
 
 xviii, 19, 
 
 19 
 
 xii, 35, 
 
 ib. 
 
 34, 
 
 20 
 
 xiii, 24, 
 
 41 
 
 xix, 24, 
 
 ib. 
 
 xiv, 23, 
 
 ib. 
 
 28, 
 
 22 
 
 26, 
 
 42 
 
 XX, 23, 
 
 23 
 
 XV, 7, 
 
 43 
 
 xxii, 28—33, 
 
 ib. 
 
 18, 
 
 44 
 
 xxiii, 5, 
 
 24 
 
 xvi, 8,9, 
 
 45 
 
 27, 
 
 ib. 
 
 xvii, 12, 
 
 46 
 
 xxjv, 15, 
 
 25 
 
 xix, 22, 
 
 ib. 
 
 17, 
 
 ib. 
 
 XX, 18, 
 
 47 
 
 41, 
 
 26 
 
 xxi,ll. 
 
 ib. 
 
 xx7, 36, 
 
 27 
 
 xxii, 32, 
 
 48 
 
 xxviii, 19, 
 
 ib. 
 
 xxiii, 31, 
 
 ib. 
 
306 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 
 Page. 
 
 Page, 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 
 I. CORINTHIANS. 
 
 
 Chapter i, 16, 
 
 49 
 
 Chapter i, 26, 
 
 85 
 
 '21, 
 
 ib. 
 
 ii, 9, 
 
 86 
 
 iii, 3, 
 
 50 
 
 iii, 13, 
 
 ib. 
 
 12, 
 
 51 
 
 iv, 4, 
 
 87 
 
 13, 
 
 ib. 
 
 15, 
 
 88 
 
 23, 
 
 52 
 
 V, 11, 
 
 89 
 
 iv, 11, 
 
 ib. 
 
 vi, 4, 
 
 90 
 
 20, 
 
 53 
 
 vii, 14, 
 
 91 
 
 V, 18, 
 
 55 
 
 25, 
 
 93 
 
 31, 
 
 ib. 
 
 36, 
 
 94 
 
 viii, 36y 
 
 56 
 
 ix, 24—26, 
 
 ib. 
 
 X, 12, 
 
 ib. 
 
 . X, 20, 
 
 95 
 
 xiv, 12, 
 
 53 
 
 xi, 5, 
 
 96 
 
 XV, 2, 
 
 59 
 
 10, 
 
 97 
 
 XYi, 13, 
 
 ib. 
 
 14,15, 
 
 ib. 
 
 23, 
 
 ib. 
 
 28, 
 
 98 
 
 xix, 11, 
 
 61 
 
 29, 
 
 99 
 
 XX, 17, 
 
 62 
 
 xii, 7, 
 
 ib. 
 
 
 
 xiii, 1, 
 
 100 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 
 13, 
 
 102 
 
 Chapter i, 6, 
 
 62 
 
 xiv, 1, 
 
 103 
 
 12, 
 
 63 
 
 XV, 22, 
 
 ib. 
 
 ii, 27, 
 
 64 
 
 24, 
 
 105 
 
 vi, 1, 
 
 65 
 
 25, 
 
 107 
 
 ix, 7, comp'd with ) nn 
 xxii, 9, s 
 
 29, 
 
 108 
 
 xiv, 15, 
 
 ib. 
 
 II. CORINTHIANS 
 
 
 xvi, 34, 
 
 68 
 
 Chapterii, 14— 16, 
 
 * 109 
 
 xvii, 3, 
 
 69 
 
 17, 
 
 110 
 
 
 
 iii, 18, 
 
 112 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 
 iv, 17, 
 
 ib. 
 
 Chapter!, 17, 
 
 71 
 
 viu, 1, 
 
 113 
 
 ii, 5, 
 
 ib. 
 
 16, 17, 
 
 ib. 
 
 iv, 4, 5, 
 
 72 
 
 xii, 2, 
 
 114 
 
 11, 
 
 ib. 
 
 16, 
 
 ib. 
 
 V, 7, 
 
 74 
 
 
 
 12, 
 
 ib. 
 
 GALATIANS. 
 
 
 14, 
 
 75 
 
 Chapter V, 4, 
 
 115 
 
 vi, 17. 
 
 76 
 
 vi, 4, and 17, 
 
 117 
 
 viii, 16, 
 
 ib. 
 
 
 
 ix, 1-4, 
 
 77 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 
 xi, 24. 
 
 81 
 
 Chapter iv, 5, 
 
 119 
 
 xiv, 5, 
 
 83 
 
 8, 
 
 ib. 
 
 6, 
 
 ib. 
 
 30, 
 
 120 
 
 22, 
 
 84 
 
 vi, 19, 
 
 121 
 
INDEX. 
 
 307 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Chap, ix, 28, 
 
 Page. 
 163 
 
 Chapter i, 10, 
 
 123 
 
 X, 4, 
 
 164 
 
 23, 
 
 ib. 
 
 26, 27, 
 
 165 
 
 iii, 2, 
 
 124 
 
 29, 
 
 167 
 
 11, 
 
 ib. 
 
 xi, 4, 
 
 169 
 
 20, 
 
 125 
 
 6, 
 
 170 
 
 
 
 xii, 1, 2, 
 
 ib. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 
 17, 
 
 172 
 
 Chapter i, 24, 
 
 125 
 
 18, 
 
 173 
 
 ii, 8, 
 
 126 
 
 24, 
 
 174 
 
 18, 
 
 127 
 
 
 
 iii, 14, 
 
 128 
 
 JAMES. 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter i, 13, 
 
 174 
 
 I. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 ii, 24, 
 
 175 
 
 Chapter ii, 17, 
 
 129 
 
 V, 16, 
 
 176 
 
 iii, 13, 
 
 ib. 
 
 
 
 iv, 15, 
 
 ISO 
 
 I. PETER. 
 
 
 ir. THESSALONIANS. 
 
 Chapter ii, 7, 8, 131 
 
 Chapter i, 5, 
 
 iii, 19, 20, 
 
 176 
 177 
 
 11, 12, 
 
 132 
 
 11. PETER. 
 
 
 I. TIMOTHY. 
 
 
 Chapter i, 20, 
 
 179 
 
 Chapter ii, 4, 
 
 132 
 
 ii, 1, 
 
 180 
 
 14, 15, 
 
 135 
 
 
 
 iv, 1—4, 
 
 136 
 
 h JOHN. 
 
 
 T. 9, 
 
 137 
 
 Chapter i, 7, 
 
 181 
 
 vi, 8, 
 
 ib. 
 
 iii, 9, 
 
 ib. 
 
 II. TIMOTHY. 
 
 
 JUDE. 
 
 
 Chapter i, 10, 
 
 138 
 
 Verse 9, 
 
 182 
 
 ii, 4, 
 
 ib. 
 
 
 
 iii, 16, 
 
 139 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter iv, 6, 
 
 183 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 
 y, h 
 
 184 
 
 Chapter ii, 5, 
 
 145 
 
 xi, 1-13, 
 
 ib. 
 
 9, 
 
 ib. 
 
 XX, 4,5, 
 
 192 
 
 16, 
 
 146 
 
 
 
 iv, 9, 
 
 147 
 
 
 
 12, 
 
 148 
 
 
 
 V, 4, 
 
 149 
 
 GENESIS. 
 
 
 7, 
 
 151 
 
 Chapter ii, 17, 
 
 200 
 
 12, 
 
 154 
 
 xlr, 2, 
 
 201 
 
 vii, 1, 
 
 156 
 
 xlvi, 27, 
 
 202 
 
 viii^ 8—12, 
 
 159 
 
 1,3, 
 
 203 
 
308 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 
 Fao;e. \ 
 
 
 Fage. 
 
 EXODUS. 
 
 
 NEHEMIAH. 
 
 
 Chapter vii, 8-^11, 
 
 204 
 
 Chapter vi, 5, 
 
 255 
 
 NUMBERS, 
 
 
 PSALMS. 
 
 
 Chapter iv, 1—8, 
 
 219 
 
 Psalm xxii, 3, 
 
 255 
 
 xxii, 20—22, 
 
 ib. 
 
 li, 16, 
 
 256 
 
 XXV, 9, 
 
 221 
 
 lix, 14, 15, 
 
 ib. 
 
 
 
 Ixxii, 6—17, 
 
 257 
 
 DEUTERONOMY. 
 
 
 Ixxxvii, 5, 
 
 260 
 
 Chapter vii, 22, 
 
 222 
 
 cix, 7, &c. 
 
 ib. 
 
 XX, 16, 17, 
 
 ib. 
 
 cxxix, 6, 
 
 261 
 
 xxxii, 36, 
 
 22S 
 
 cxxxix, 21, 22, 
 
 ib. 
 
 JOSHUA. 
 
 
 PROVERBS. 
 
 
 Chapter ix, 23, 
 
 229 
 
 Chapter ix, 1—4, 
 
 262 
 
 
 
 XX, 1, 
 
 ib. 
 
 JUDGES. 
 
 
 . xxiv, 9, 
 
 270 
 
 Chapter xi, 30, 31, 
 
 230 
 
 
 
 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 I. SAMUEL. 
 
 
 Chapter ix, 1, 
 
 270 
 
 Chapter ix, 7, 
 
 239 
 
 
 
 xxviii, 11, 12, 
 
 240 
 
 ISAIAH. 
 
 
 xxxi, 4, 
 
 242 
 
 Chapter xiv. 3—23, 
 
 271 
 
 
 
 xix, 1, 
 
 274 
 
 II. SAMUEL. 
 
 
 xlY, 1-7, 
 
 275 
 
 Chapter xii, 21—23, 
 
 244 
 
 liii, 3, 
 
 279 
 
 xxiv, 1, 2, 9, 10, 
 
 245 
 
 8,. 
 
 280 
 
 24, 
 
 247 
 
 JEREMIAH. 
 
 
 I. KINGS. 
 
 
 Chapter iii, 2, 
 
 280 
 
 Chapter ii, 8, 9, 
 
 248 
 
 XX, 7, 
 
 281 
 
 II. KINGS. 
 
 
 HOSEA. 
 
 
 Chapter v, 18, 
 
 252 
 
 Chapter V, 11, 
 
 281 
 
 I. CHRONICLES. 
 
 
 JONAH. 
 
 ; 
 
 Chapter xix, 7, 
 
 254 
 
 Chapter iii, 10, 
 
 282 
 
 II. CHRONICLES 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter xxxv, 24, 
 
 ' 254 
 
 Concluding Remarks, 
 
 290 
 
 3477 
 
1 
 
Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
 Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
 Treatment Date: May 2005 
 
 PreservationTechnologies 
 
 A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 
 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 014 242 734 5 
 
 ^:^^m'K 
 
 -m 
 
 
 tmt