unto me," &c. Here we see that it was not the intention of the apostle to write against marriage generally, but to recommend celibacy rather on the principle of expediency, as more suitable to the distressed and persecuted state of the church. The notion of celibacy which the Romanists collect from this portion of the word of God, arises therefore from a mistake as to the apostle's general design.

3. From considerations arising out of the state of the people to whom the writing was originally addressed: according to the tenth and eleventh Topics, vol. i., p. 486, &c., of these Lectures. Thus you will discern the scope of the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews, in the distressed state of the people addressed. It was a state too trying for some weak members of the scattered church, and quite trying enough for the strongest. Apostasies had occurred, and seemed likely to recur; he therefore assembles all the high considerations to form his subject which were likely to affect and to preserve those that were left to him. This view of things will also equally suit the epistle of James and the first of Peter; and in preaching upon or from these epistles it will sometimes be necessary to point this out to the people: perhaps making it the matter of the exordium.

4. From the known errors of the times. After these had been the subject of warnings by the Spirit of prophecy, they became the subject of animadversion in the true spirit of the ministry. Now, besides other instances, it is sufficient to notice the apostle's epistle to the Galatians against the return to Judaism; or that of St. John against antichrist in his first hideous form. It is hence we perceive the force of many expressions as well as their true meaning; and at the same time we have examples how to animadvert on the errors of the present times.

5. From some conclusions expressly drawn from any argument. These are very frequent in the apostolic writings, and possess the same force as the express mention of their

says:

design. Thus Paul "Therefore we see that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Christ;" from which conclusion it is quite evident that the apostle did not mean to lead us into an expectation of being accepted or justified by our works, but simply through faith in Christ. Hence we see that works are to follow faith, and not to lead to the object for which faith is established.

6. From the general drift and tenor of a book, which must be ascertained by an extensive and well connected view of a whole epistle, &c. This is confessedly difficult, but in some cases it is necessary. Mr. Carpenter lays down this point highly to his own credit and the benefit of the student :-" Such epistle should be read, and re-read, from beginning to end; and it is preferable to use a copy in this case where the text is not divided into chapters and verses." If this cannot be had, let the student dismiss from his mind, or prohibit his eyes from the observance of such divisions; for they are but of modern date, and have their evils as well as their benefits. "Such epistle should be read as we would peruse an epistle from a friend; and that three or four times over, without interruption, until the whole letter becomes clear. From this perusal, reperusal, and repetition of the document, we shall obtain a right knowledge of the scope the author had in writing it, and an acquaintance with the general argument of the epistle. For, as it has been well remarked, the composition of every such work, however loose and imperfect, cannot have been fortuitous; we know that by some exertion of mind it has been put together, and we discover in its connexions, such as they are, indications of the purpose for which the exertion was made. According to the tendency of the composition may the reference be safely made to its purpose." These remarks will generally apply; but in some cases might not the apostles write so much for general purposes as to preserve no connexion in the parts

of an epistle that might lead to its elucidation from a reference to the general tenour of the whole? I cannot see any one particular end proposed by Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians, though the parts of which it consists, and the apostle's intentions in introducing them, are clear enough; and the same may be said of the Epistle to the Philippians. In no other way, indeed, does Mr. Roberts, in his valuable Key to the Bible, discover a scope in the former epistle.

Wherever a particular design or intention can be discovered, in any of the ways just mentioned, it will generally furnish observations calculated to illustrate the meaning and force of the passage to which it refers, and ought by no means to be overlooked; and, whether we use a passage as the foundation of a discourse or as a quotation only, it must never be used in any sense inconsistent with such design. As there is what we call common honesty in commercial affairs, so there is such a thing as common honesty in pulpit affairs; and it becomes us never to handle the word of God ignorantly or deceitfully. It is true we may practise upon the weakness and credulity of a congregation; there may be no spies or informers; the fallacy may be received and swallowed down with avidity, as a wholesome Scripture truth; and there may be a people so vitiated in their taste and understandings as to look out for men who will, by such manglings of Scripture, provide them with the only venison they can relish; but where is truth all this while? Alas! the truth is not in the text or the quotation, separately, but in the scope of the whole context or book.

If, however, no particular scope be apparent, our interpretation of doubtful passages must be governed by the general scope of the whole New Testament-the truth as it is in Jesus-the analogy of faith; and having mentioned the analogy of faith, I shall here take the opportunity to add that it is a kind of appeal to the whole testimony of sacred

writ, as St. Paul, in reference to the sentiment or doctrine he was writing about, appeals: "But what saith the Scripture," &c., Rom. iv. 3, &c. Here he rests his argument upon the general basis of Scripture. Mr. Horne defines this analogy to be the constant and perpetual harmony of Scripture in the fundamental points of faith and practice. He says it is what St. Paul calls "the proportion of faith.” and which should be translated the analogy of faith. To the same effect many commentators interpret St. Peter's maxim (2 Pet. i. 20), that "no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation;" implying that the sense of any prophecy is not to be determined by an abstract consideration of the passage itself, but taking it in conjunction with other portions of Scripture relating to the subject— "Comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (1 Cor. ii. 13): a rule which, though it be especially applicable to the prophetic writings, is also of general importance in the exposition of the sacred volume. And he quotes from Bishop Van Mildart three terms which appear to be synonymous with the analogy of faith, as Rom. ii. 20 : "The form of knowledge; the grand scheme and draught of all true knowledge." Again (Rom. vi. 17): "form or mould of doctrine into which the Christians were cast." And lastly (2 Tim. i. 13): "The form of sound words." Upon the above observations the whole doctrine of analogy is built, and the student must proceed accordingly, praying earnestly for the teaching of the Holy Spirit, without which we shall always be in danger of perverting the truth, or of misapplying its several parts. The parallel passages will generally assist upon these points, and particularly the context should be regarded.

We have seen that the considerations suggested by this Topic are of great importance in determining the true meaning of the sacred writers; and perhaps I cannot better exemplify its use in sermonizing than by offering a few

remarks on some of those institutions, the true nature of which can be understood only in proportion as the end proposed in their establishment is regarded.

all

?

First The Christian ministry, as appointed by our Lord, falls so directly in my way that I cannot pass it over entirely. It should be our constant aim to preserve the office in its purity, and to be ourselves what our Lord and Master expects and requires us to be. What then was the end proposed in its establishment? Was it intended to form a hierarchy, a dominating power, governing according to the rules of civil policy? Did our Lord intend that it should be rendered subservient to the purposes of human ambition, that ministers should become lords over his heritage, and enjoy princely titles and princely revenues? If this be the case, you have certainly usurped an office to which you can lay no claim. But what does the Lord say "My kingdom is not of this world." "Be not ye called rabbi, or master: for one is your master, even Christ; and ye are brethren." "Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." These and other passages, and more particularly when taken in their connexion, certainly intimate that the gospel dispensation knows nothing of ecclesiastical rulers and a temporal head: indeed, had our Lord intended to caution his messengers against all such establishments, he could not have employed language more appropriate or forcible. The end proposed in the appointment of the ministry may be readily understood from the words of Christ: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." From this commission it is evident that the design of Christ was the promulgation of the truth by proper agents and suitable means. Nor are we left to discover by human wisdom either the character of the agents or the nature of the means to be employed; both are sufficiently pointed out in the New Testament and we have only to look at the pages of eccle

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