of God, and a spirit of candour and love prevails in it, in such a degree, as never characterised it since the apostolic age. Christians of different denominations manifest a greater disposition to merge their peculiarities, uniting in the grand essentials of evangelical religion, to extend the kingdom of their Saviour, in blessing the whole family of man. For this purpose missionary societies have been established upon a plan to embrace the whole world. They are supported by the voluntary contributions of the several bodies of Christians, whose agents have been eminently honoured of God in diffusing the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. By their means whole nations have abandoned idolatry with its degrading brutalities, and multitudes of them have received the truth as it is in Jesus. It is computed that a thousand protestant missionaries are disseminating the doctrines of their Saviour among the heathen, assisted by at least a thousand preachers and teachers from among the native converts. To further their object, the Scriptures have been translated by the missionaries into about sixty different languages, which before had never been sanctified by the inspired word of God; and the Bible Society has published the Scriptures, in whole or in part, in about one hundred and fifty languages. Innumerable religious tracts have been published in various languages. Schools have been established at the various missionary stations; and it is calculated, that not less than 100,000 pagan children and adults are receiving Christian instruction in day and Sundayschools. The cause of Jesus Christ, in the evangelization of the world, is gaining an increase of friends and supporters; the several governments are becoming more favourable to Christian missions; the fruits of evangelical instruction are appearing in multitudes of devoted converts to Christ among the heathen, and the morning we trust has evidently dawned upon the world, which shall be succeeded by the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and by the meridian glory of truth and holiness, when "all shall know the LORD from the least U

even to the greatest," and "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ."

CHAPTER XIII.-FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE

BIBLE.

"I HAVE multiplied visions, and used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets," Hosea xii. 10. This de claration of the Lord God Almighty must be practically regarded, fully to profit by studying the holy Scriptures. To adopt this mode of instruction was a merciful condescension to human weakness on the part of God; especially in the early ages of the world, when symbolical language originated from the necessary scarcity of words. Figures of speech, as all allow, were occasioned by the very poverty of language. The advancement of society in arts, sciences, and refinement, has produced the addition of a multitude of words. Still in the highest state of improvement, all languages continue to be more or less figurative.

Probably there are no writings in existence whose style is not in some degree metaphorical; which, indeed, really constitutes much of its essential beauty.

The language of the Bible is highly figurative, particularly the Old Testament; for which, besides its remote antiquity, two particular reasons have been assigned. First, the eastern nations, possessing warm imaginations, and living in climates rich and fertile, surrounded by objects equally grand and beautiful, naturally delighted in a figurative mode of expression, far beyond that of the more sober taste of Europeans in less luxuriant regions. The other is, that many of the books of the Old Testament consist of Hebrew poetry; in the style in which the author is allowed, by universal consent, the privilege of illustrating his productions by images and similitudes, drawn from every striking subject which may be present to his imagination. Mo

ses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, and other sacred poets, abound with figures; on every occasion their compositions are adorned with the richest flowers and the most instructive metaphors, to impress the minds and affect the hearts of their readers. But their propriety, design, and beauty, can be appreciated fully only by possessing a tolerable idea of the country in which the inspired poets flourished, the peculiarities of its inhabitants, and the idioms of its language.

The style of the New Testament also, especially the discourses of our Saviour, are remarkably metaphorical; by mistaking which the most extravagant notions have been published as divine doctrine; some professors of Christianity adopting a literal application of those expressions which were figuratively intended. A few examples will show the incorrectness of a literal interpretation of some of the words of our Lord. Speaking of Herod the king, Christ says, "Go ye, and tell that fox," Luke xiii. 32. Here, as every reader perceives, the word fox is transferred from its literal signification that of a beast of prey, proverbial for its profound cunning, to denote a cruel tyrant, and that use of the term conveys, as was designed, the idea of consummate hypocrisy.

Our Lord said to the Jews, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world," John vi. 51. The sensual Jews understood his words literally; and said, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" ver. 52; not considering that he intended the sacrifice of his life, which he gave as an atonement for the sins of the world.

In the institution of the Lord's Supper, our Saviour said of the bread, "This is my body;" and of the wine "This is my blood," Matt. xxvi. 26-28. Upon these words the Roman Catholics, since the twelfth century, have put a forced construction; and in opposition to other passages of the Scriptures, as well as every prin

ciple of nature and sound reason, they have attempted to establish their monstrous doctrine of transubstantiation; or, the conversion of the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper into the real body and blood of Christ, when the priest pronounces the words of pretended consecration, though to all the senses it remains just the same bread and wine unchanged. The evident meaning of our Lord was, that the bread represented his body, and the wine signified his blood. This mode of expression may be seen used in the Old Testament, Gen. xli. 26, 27. Exod. xii. 11. Dan. vii. 24, and by our Saviour himself in his parables, Matt. xiii. 38, 39. John x. 7— 9. Also, Christ calls himself the door, John x. 9; a vine, John xv. 1; a shepherd, John x. 11.

The most common and remarkable figures of speech in the Bible are the following:

I. A Metaphor is a figurative expression, founded on some similitude which one object bears to another, as, to bridle the tongue, Jas. i. 26. For the sword to devour flesh, Deut. xxxii. 42. To be born again, John iii. 3.

II. An Allegory is a continued metaphor, as the discourse of our Saviour concerning eating his flesh, John vi. 35-65.

III. A Parable is the representation of some moral or spiritual doctrine under an ingenious similitude, as that of the Sower, Matt. xiii. 2-23; the Prodigal Son, Luke xvi. 11-32; and the Ten Virgins, Matt. xxv. 1-13.

IV. A Proverb is a concise, sententious saying, founded on a penetrating observation of men and manners. Brevity and elegance are essential to a proverb Prov. x. 15. Luke iv. 23.

V. Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one word is put for another; as, "They have Moses and the prophets," Luke xvi. 29, meaning not their persons, but their writings.

VI. Prosopopœia, or Personification, attributes the actions of persons to things, as in Ps. lxxxv. 10, it is

said, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."

VII. Synecdoche puts a part for the whole of any thing, or the whole for a part, as Luke ii. 1. “All the world;" and Acts xxiv. 5. "Throughout the world,' by which is meant the Roman empire, or parts of it. In Acts xxvii. 37, the word "souls" is put for the whole persons.

VIII. Irony is a figure in which a different thing is intended from that which is spoken. Examples of this kind are not very frequent in the Bible; yet there are a few. Such is the address of Elijah to the priests of Baal, 1 Kings xviii. 27, and the remark of Job to his friends, Job xii. 2.

IX. Hyperbole is a representation of any thing as being much greater or smaller than it is in reality. For examples of this figure, see Num. xiii. 33. Deut. i. 28; ix. 1.

CHAPTER XIV.-INDEX TO THE SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.

ABADDON, in the Hebrew, A name derived from the Apollyon, in Greek- Stitle of the Arabian kings, and applied to the Mohammedan powers, by which the Christian church in the east was oppressed, Rev. ix. 11.

Abomination-1. Sin, in general, Isa. lxvi. 3. Ezek.

xvi. 50, 51.

2. An idol, 2 Kings xxiii. 13. Isa. xliv. 19.

3. Idolatrous rites and ceremonies of popery, Rev. xvii. 4.

Abomination of desolation-The idolatrous ensigns of the Roman army, Matt. xxiv. 15.

Adulteress, or Harlot-An apostate city or church, Isa. i. 21. Rev. xvii. 5.

Adultery-Idolatry and apostacy, Jer. iii. 8, 9. Rev. ii. 22.