had to the context, which carries us back to the commencement of the chapter, and clearly shews that these directions had reference to the twelve apostles, only. So, to understand 1 Pet. iv. 18, we must refer back to ver. 12, whence it is plain that the apostle is speaking, not of a future state-at least, not primarily-but to the sufferings and afflictions which were then approaching. And here we must remark, that, however useful to some purposes as for reference, &c.-our present divisions into chapter and verse may be, they do yet generally most materially interfere with the sense of many passages, and prevent the reader from giving that attention to the context, without which he will ever be liable to err in the sense of Scrip ture. In consulting the context, particular attention must be given to the frequent parentheses which occur, particularly in the writings of St. Paul. Many of these are pointed out by the characteristic marks in our English Translation, but it has not always been done, nor is it always correctly done. even where it has been effected. To the unlearned reader it will sometimes be a task of considerable difficulty to determine a parenthetical passage; but much may be done by perseverance and caution. In any doubtful case recourse must be had to a judicious commentator, whose decision may be adopted, if recommended by its probability, though we cannot decide upon the propriety of the steps by which it has been arrived at, or the validity of the evidence by which it is supported. In some cases the writer points out, in a manner sufficiently obvious to every attentive reader, the extent of the parenthesis into which he has been led, by a repetition of his words in the return to his principal subject. Thus in the 3d chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians, the writer, after entering upon his principal topic, with "For this cause I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles" (ver. 1.), diverges, upon the mention of the Gentiles, to a consideration of their call to the blessings of the covenant; and in the 14th verse again returns to his topic, with a repetition of the same words: "For this cause [I say] I bow," &c. From an inspection of the passage, we think it will appear more natural to insulate only these 13 verses, than to extend the parenthesis to the first verse of the subsequent chapter, as our translators have done. It is but in very few cases, however, that the parenthesis is so strongly marked: in others it is only to be ascertained by a close attention to the scope and line of argument pursued by the writer. In the first Epistle to Ti mothy we have a parenthesis from ver. 8. of chap i. to ver. 17 inclusive. Taking occasion from the false teachers, St. Paul speaks of the true and proper use of the law, according to the Gospel committed to him; and having given vent to the feelings of his heart, he returns, ver. 18, to the scope he had in view in the third verse, where he intimates, by using the comparative particle as, that the completion of the sense was to be expected in the subsequent verses. The whole of the discourse connects thus: As I besought thee to charge "As some that they teach no other doctrine, but seek after godly edifying; and that the end of the commandment was love, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned, &c.-so now, I commit the same charge unto thee -that thou mayest hold faith and a good conscience," &c, Another instance we have in Phil. i. 27, to chap ii. 16 inclusive. The apostle, in a peculiar parenthesis, discusses a subject, the proposition of which is contained in chap. i. 27; and afterwards, ch. ii. 17, he returns to what he was discoursing of in the preceding chapter. In conformity with this statement, we find (ch. i. 23.) that Paul says he is influenced by two things, a desire both of life and death; but he knows not which of these to choose. Death is most desirable to himself, but the welfare of the Philippians requires rather that he may be spared a little longer; and, having this confidence, he is assured that his life will be lengthened, and that he shall see them again in person. Then, after the interruption which his discourse had received, he proceeds (ch. ii. 17) as follows: "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all." The intervening charge is happily and judiciously introduced by the apostle, in order that the Philippians might not remit their exertions until his arrival, but contend for the faith of the Gospel with unity and humility. It is proper to observe, however, that the words which are thus insulated are never superfluous; but arise either from some pressing necessity, or from the ardent and overflowing love of the writer. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, for instance, how forcibly does the description of the subject insulated by the parenthesis, elucidate the point which Paul had to prove. For if God had committed to the apostle a dispensation of grace for the Gentiles, and the revealed mystery of Christ, that the Gentiles were co-heirs, members of the same body, and partakers together with the Jews, of the promise in Christ; Paul undertook the ministry through the Gospel, and conformably with the gift of that grace (which is all contained in chap. iii.); and thence it clearly follows, that the Gentiles were not to be excluded from communion with the Jews in Christ. * V. MAKE A CAREFUL COLLATION OF PARALLEL PASSAGES. This is one of the most efficient aids that can be adopted for obtaining a right understanding of the doctrinal parts of the Bible, and it is placed within the reach of all who can read the Scriptures. From some experience in this practice we scruple not to assert, that its adoption will contribute more towards the attainment of Scriptural knowledge, than much time spent in the perusal of commentaries and other biblical helps, however valuable such works may be in their place. In the Holy Scriptures, as in all other ancient writings, there must of necessity be some passages, the meaning of which upon a first perusal will appear obscure and uncertain. And though it is granted that in some cases this results from allusions to facts and circumstances, the knowledge of which must be sought elsewhere, yet it will be found on trial, that a diligent and judicious comparison of parallel passages will generally remove the difficulty, and render the meaning apparent. This, as before remarked, is eminently the case in the doctrinal parts of the Bible, which will be most satisfactorily explained and illustrated, "not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.' "If the economy of nature is not to be learned from a transient inspection of the heavens and the earth; and if the ground will not yield its strength but to those who diligently turn it up and cultivate it, who can imagine that the wisdom of God's word can be discovered at first sight by every common reader? Nature must be compared with itself; and the Scripture must be compared with itself, by those who would understand either the one or the other."+ "He is the best reader," says one of the Fathers, "who interprets sayings by sayings; who brings not an interpretation to Scripture, nor imposeth a sense upon Scripture, but findeth a sense in Scripture, and draws it from Scripture." The testimony of that eminent biblical scholar, Bishop Horsley, to the singular advantages derivable from the practice here recommended has been often quoted with approbation; and as we despair of exhibiting * See the Analysis of the Epistle to the Ephesians, in Franck's Guide to the Study of the Scriptures, Appendix. + Jones on the Figurative Language of Scripture, p. 2. Hilary de Trin, lib. 1. D these advantages in so just and forcible a light as the learned prelate has done, the reader will profit by a perusal of the passage. His words are these. "It should be a rule with every one, who would read the Holy Scriptures with advantage and improvement, to compare every text, which may seem either important for the doctrine. it may contain, or remarkable for the turn of the expression, with the parallel passages in other parts of Holy Writ; that is, with the passages in which the subject-matter is the same, the sense equivalent, or the turn of the expression similar."— “It is incredible to any one who has not in some degree made the experiment, what a proficiency may be made in that knowledge which maketh wise unto salvation, by studying the Scriptures in this manner, without any other commentary or exposition than what the different parts of the Sacred Volume mutually furnish for each other. I will not scruple to assert, that the most illiterate Christian, if he can but read his English Bible, and will take the pains to read it in this manner, will not only attain all that practical knowledge which is necessary to his salvation; but, by God's blessing, he will become learned in every thing relating to his religion in such a degree, that he will not be liable to be misled either by the refined arguments or the false assertions of those who endeavour to ingraft their own opinions upon the Oracles of God. He may safely be ignorant of all philosophy, except what is to be learned from the Sacred Books; which indeed contain the highest philosophy adapted to the lowest apprehensions. He may safely remain ignorant of all history, except so much of the first ages of the Jewish and of the Christian Church as is to be gathered from the canonical Books of the Old and New Testaments. Let him study these in the manner I recommend, and let him never cease to pray for the illumination of that Spirit by which these Books were dictated, and the whole compass of abstruse philosophy, and recondite history, shall furnish no argument with which the perverse will of man shall be able to shake this learned Christian's faith. The Bible, thus studied, will indeed prove to be what we Protestants esteem it—a certain and sufficient rule of faith and practice, a helmet of salvation, which alone may quench the fiery darts of the wicked." Parallelisms have been divided into real and verbal. The former embrace the matter of doctrine and history; the latter regard words and phrases, modes of arguing, figures, and style. They are further divided into adequate and in * Nine Sermons, p. 121, &c. adequate adequate when they affect the whole subject proposed in the text; inadequate, when they affect it only in part: *the former of these are of course the most important, but the latter are not to be undervalued. Mr. Horne, in his valuable "Introduction to a critical knowledge of the Holy Scriptures," has laid down a series of rules for the comparison of parallel passages, from which we select the following, as available to the English reader, subjoining a few remarks and illustrations. 1. "Those passages are first to be compared which were written by the same author, and on a parallel subject." The propriety of this canon needs scarcely a remark; for although the Scriptures were written by men under the influence of the Holy Spirit, yet it is evident that the writers were left in a considerable measure to the exercise of their natural faculties, and each has his peculiar and prevailing style. Those persons who are in the habit of closely studying the original Scriptures, well know that a word is sometimes used by one writer in a sense peculiar to himself; in which case it is obvious that the meaning can only be derived from a careful comparison of verbal parallelisms in the same author. The same may be said of modes of arguing and the methods of illustrating doctrinal truths. Now, although a person unacquainted with the original languages, is deprived of the high advantage of comparing the writer's own words, inasmuch as he is obliged to have recourse to a translation, yet our version is in the main so faithful, and the translators have so far "seized the spirit and the soul of the original," that the rule laid down for the scholar may be beneficially adopted by the unlearned. We should unquestionably look to an author for his own meaning, rather than to any stranger or second person :-if a man knows his own meaning better than any one else does, his own meaning must be sought from himself to the utmost. Little need be said on the latter part of the rule. It must be obvious, that as an adequate parallelism is preferable to an inadequate one, so a parallel subject must be preferable to one which is only incidentally referable. 2" Ascertain whether the resemblance which one passage bears to another be a true resemblance, and whether the passages are sufficiently similar; that is, not only whether the same word, but also the same thing, answers together, in order to form a safe judgment concerning it." The reason for this rule is to be found in the several senses * See Franck's Guide to the Study of the Scriptures. P. ii. ch. 1. |