thy presence? if I climb up into heaven thou art there; if I make my bed in hell thou art there; if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utmost part of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.'

It is a peculiarity of Hebrew poetry, that it alone, of all the poetry we know of in the world, retains its poetic structure in the most literal translation; nay, indeed, the more literal the translation, the less the poetry is injured. The reason is, that the sacred poetry of the Hebrews does not appear to depend on cadence or rhythm, or any thing merely verbal, which literal translation into another language necessarily destroys; but on a method of giving to each distinct idea a two-fold expression, so that when the poetry of the Old Testament is perfect, and not injured by erroneous translation, it exhibits a series of couplets, in which the second member of each couplet repeats the same, or very nearly the same sense, in a varied manner-As in the beginning of the 95th psalm:

O come let us sing unto the Lord,

Let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation;
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,
And show ourselves glad in him with psalms:
For the Lord is a great God,

And a great king above all gods:

In his hands are the deep places of the earth,
And the strength of the hills is his also.

The motive for adopting such a structure we easily conceive to have been, that the composition might be adapted to responsive singing. But, can we avoid acknowledging a much deeper purpose of infinite wisdom, that that poetry which was to be translated into all languages, should be of such a kind as literal translation could not decompose?

On the subject of Hebrew poetry, however, it is only necessary to refer the reader to bishop Lowth's work already mentioned, and to that shorter, but most luminous discourse on this subject, prefixed to the same excellent author's translation of Isaiah.

ter; fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of man.-For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.'

The Proverbs are an invaluable summary of every species of practical wisdom. The first nine chapters being a discourse on true wisdom, that is, sincere religion, as a principle, and the remainder a sort of magazine of all its varied parts, civil, social, domestic, and personal, in this world; together with clear and beautiful intimations of happiness in a life to come. As for example:- The path of the just is as a shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.' Here, one of the most delight. ful objects in nature, the advancing dawn of the morning, is educed as an emblem of that growing comfort and cheerfulness which inseparably attend a life of piety. What then, by inevitable analogy, is that perfect day in which it is made to terminate, but the eternal happiness of heaven? Both these books, with the greater part of the Psalms, have this suitable peculiarity to the present occasion, that they issued from a royal pen. They contain a wisdom, truly, which belongs to all; but they also have much in them which peculiarly concerns those, who, by providential destination, are shepherds of the people. The 101st psalm, in particular, may be considered as a kind of abridged manual for princes, especially in the choice of their company.

CHAP. XXIII.

The Holy Scriptures.-The New Testament.

THE biographic part of the New Testament is above all human estimation, because it contains the portraiture of him in whom dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily.'-If it were, therefore, our hard lot to say what individual part of the Scriptures we should wish to rescue from an otherwise irreparable destruction, ought Moral philosophy in its truest and noblest it not to be that part which describes to us the sense, is to be found in every part of the Scrip- conduct and preserves to us the instructions of tures. Revealed religion being, in fact, that 'day God manifest in the flesh? Worldly Christians spring from on high,' of whose happy effects the have affected sometimes to prefer the Gospel to Pagan philosophers had no knowledge, and the the rest of the New Testament, on the intimated want of which they were always endeavouring ground that our Saviour was a less severe preto supply by artificial but most delusive contri- ceptor, and more of a mere moralist than his invances. But the portion of the sacred volume spired followers, whose writings make up the which is most distinctly appropriated to this sub- sequel of the New Testament. But never sureject are the books of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs.ly was there a grosser delusion. If the object In the former of these, amid some difficult pas-be to probe the heart of man to the centre; to sages, obscured to us by our ignorance of ancient nations and manners, there are some of the deepest reflections on the vanity of all things earthly, and on the indispensable necessity of sincere religion, in order to our ease and happiness, that ever came from the pen of man. It asserts the immortality of the soul, of which some have supposed the Jews ignorant, in terms the most unequivocal. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.' And it ends with a corollary to which every human heart ought to respond, because all just reflections lead to it.Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matVOL. II. 8*

place before him the terrors of that God, who to
the wicked is a consuming fire;' to convince
him of that radical change which must take
place in his whole nature, of that total conquest
which he must gain over the world and him-
self, before he can be a true subject of the Mes-
siah's spiritual kingdom; and of the desperate
disappointment which must finally await all
who rest in the mere profession, or even the
plausible outside of Christianity; it is from our
Lord's discourses that we shall find the most re-
sistless means of accomplishing each of these
awfully important purposes.

To the willing disciple our Saviour is in-
M

deed the gentlest of instructors; to the contrite | derstood it so fully, and has expressed it so ap penitent he is the most cheering of comforters; positely, as to need only a simple rendering of to weakness he is most encouraging; to infirmi. his own exact words in order to his having, in ty, unspeakably indulgent; to grief or distress every language, the air of an original. of whatever sort, he is a pattern of tenderness. The epistolary part of the New Testament is, But in all he says or does, he has one invariable perhaps, that with which the generality of readobject in view, to which all the rest is but sub-ers are least acquainted. Some profess to be servient. He lived and taught, he died and rose again, for this one end, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.' His uniform declarations therefore, are-'Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.-Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee.' · Except a man deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me, he cannot be my_disciple.'

discouraged by the intricacy of the sense, particularly in the writings of St. Paul; and others fairly acknowledge that they conceive this part of the Scripture to be of less moment, as being chiefly occupied in obsolete controversies peculiar to the time in which they were written, consequently uninteresting to us. Though our limits do not admit of a particular reply to those unfounded prejudices, yet we cannot forbear regretting, what appears to be a lamentable ignorance of the nature and design of Christianity, To corrupt human nature these lessons can which distinguishes our times, and which has never be made engaging. Their object is to given rise to both these suppositions. They, for conquer, and finally to eradicate that corrup- example, who regard religion but as a more subtion. To indulge it, therefore, in any instance, limated system of morality, and look for nothing is wholly to reject them; since it is not with in the Scripture but rules of moral conduct, must particular vices that Christ contends, nor will necessarily feel themselves at a stand, when he be satisfied with particular virtues. But he something infinitely deeper seems to present itcalls us, indispensably to a state of mind, which self before them. But if it were first fully known, contains, as in a root or principle, all possible what the Christianity of the Apostles actually virtue, and which avoids, with equally sincere was, their sentiments would soon become inteldetestation, every species of evil. But to human ligible. They treat of Christianity as an inward nature itself, as distinct from its depravity, to principle still more than as a rule of conduct. native taste, sound discriminating sense, just They by no means neglect the latter; but the and delicate feeling, comprehensive judgment, former is their leading object. In strict obprofound humility, and genuine magnanimity servance of that maxim, so variously given by of mind, no teacher upon this earth ever so their divine master-Make the tree good and adapted himself. In his inexhaustible imagery, its fruit will be good.'-They accordingly dehis appropriate use of all the common occur- scribe a process, which, in order to real goodrences of life, his embodying the deepest wisdomness, must take place in the depths of the heart. in the plainest allegories, and making familiar occurrences the vehicle of most momentous instruction, in the dignified ease, with which he utters the profoundest truths, the majestic severity which he manifests where hollow hypoerisy, narrow bigotry, unfeeling selfishness, or any clearly deliberate vice called forth his holy indignation; in these characters we recognise the purest, and yet most popular, the most awful, and yet the most amiable of all instructors. And when we read the Gospels with rightly prepared hearts, we see him with our mind's eye, as he actually was in this world, scarce less effectually than those who lived and conversed with him. We too, 'behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.'

They detect a root of evil which disqualifies man for all real virtue, and deprives him of all real happiness. And they describe an influence proceeding from God himself, through a divine Mediator, ready to be communicated to all who seek it, by which this evil nature is overcome, and a holy and heavenly nature formed in its room. They describe this change as taking place by means of the truths and facts revealed in the Gospel, impressing themselves by the power of God's holy Spirit upon the mind and heart; in consequence of which new desires, new tastes, new powers, and new pursuits succeed. Things temporal sink down into complete subordination, to things eternal; and supreme love to God and unfeigned charity to man, become the master passions of the soul. The acts of the Apostles belong in some de. These are the subjects which are chiefly dwelt gree to the biographic class. Where the matter on in the Epistles, and they will always in a of a work is of the deepest moment the more measure be unintelligible to those who do not agreeableness of its manner is of less impor-receive the truth in the love of it. Even in tance. But where a striking provision has been made for pleasure, as well as benefit, it would be ingratitude as well as insensibility not to notice it. It is indeed impossible for a reader of taste, not to be delighted with the combination of excellences, which this short but most eventful narrative exhibits. Nothing but clearness and accuracy appear to be aimed at, yet every thing which can give interest to such a work is attained. Neither Xenophon nor Cæsar could stand a comparison with it. St. Luke in this piece has seen every thing so clearly, has un

many human pursuits, actual practice is indispensable to a clear understanding of the prin ciples.

If this be a fair state of the case, ought we not to study these portions of Scripture with an attention suitable to their acknowledged depth, instead of attempting to force a meaning upon them, at the expense of common sense, in order to make them seem to correspond with our su perficial religion? Should we not rather endeavour to bring our religion to a conformity with their plain and literal import? Such attempts,

sincerely made, would soon give clearness to the understanding; and a more than philosophic consistency, as well as a more than human energy, would be found there, where all before had seemed perplexed and obscure.-We do not, however, deny, that the Epistles contain more reference than the Gospels to Jewish customs, and to a variety of local and temporary circum-sight, and by consequence a divine origin. It stances not well understood by us. Yet, though written to individual men, and to particular churches; not only general inferences, applicable to us may be drawn from particular instructions, but by means of them, the most important doctrines are often pointedly exhibited.

Where this truly Christian discernment is exercised, it will be evident how much it softens and enlarges the heart! how it extends and illuminates the mental view! how it quickens and invigorates the feeling! how it fits the mind for at once attending to the minutest, and compre. hending the vastest things! In short, how pure, how wise, how disinterested, how heavenly,-we had almost said how morally omnipotent it makes its complete votary!

encouraging promise which was given to man after the primeval transgression, and it occupies the last portion of the New Testament. It might naturally have been expected, that in a revelation from the sovereign of all events, the future designs of Providence should be so far intimated, as clearly to evince a more than human foremight also have been thought probable, that those prophecies should embrace so extended a series of future occurrences, as to provide for successive confirmations of the revelation, by successive fulfilments of the predictions. And lastly, it might be thought reasonable, that while such intimations should be sufficiently clear to be explained by the actual event, they should not be so explicit as to gratify curiosity respecting future contingencies; such an anticipation of events being clearly unsuitable to that kind of moral government under which the author of our nature has placed us.

It is conceived that such precisely are the characters of those predictions which are so numerous in the Scripture. They point to a continued succession of great occurrences; but, in general, with such scattered rays of light, as to furnish few materials for premature speculation. Even to the prophet himself the prospect is probably enveloped in a deep mist, which while he looks intently, seems for a short space to open, and to present before him certain grand objects, whose fleeting appearances he imperfectly catches, but whose connexion with, or remoteness from, each other he has not sufficient light to distinguish.

These remarks, however, apply most strictly to prophecies of remote events. When nearer occurrences are foretold, whether relating to the Jewish nation, or to the countries in its neighbourhood, there is often a surprising clearness, as if in these cases, the intention was to direct conduct for the present, as well as confirm faith by the result. And in a few important instances, even distant futurity is so distinctly contemplated, as to make such predictions a permanent, and to every candid reader, an irrefragable evidence, that a volume so undeniably ancient, and yet so unequivocally predictive, can be no other than divine.

On this head we will add but one remark more. Even through the medium of a translation, we observe a remarkable difference of manner in the apostolic writers.-There is indeed a very close resemblance between the views and topics of St. Paul and St. Peter, though with much difference of style. But St. James and St. John differ from both these, and from each other, as much as any writers could, who agree cordially in one general end. The Christian philosopher will be able to account for this difference by its obvious correspondence with what he sees daily in natural tempers. In St. John he will discover the cast and turn of a sublimely contemplative mind, penetrating the inmost springs of moral action, and viewing the heart as alone secured and perfected by an habitual filial reverence to, and, as he expresses it, communion with the Father of spirits.' In St. James he will see the remarks of a plain and more practical mind, vigilantly guarding against the deceits and dangers of the world, and somewhat jealous lest speculation should, in any instance, be made a pretext for negligence in practice. And lastly, he will perhaps recognise in St. Paul, that powerful character of mind, which, Of this last class of prophecies, as most dibeing under the influence of no particular tem-rectly interesting, it may not be useless to point per, but possessing each in its full strength, and out the following striking examples.-The deall in due temperament, gives no colouring to nunciation by Moses of what should be the final any object but what it actually possesses, pur- fate of the Jews, in case of obstinate disobedisues each valuable end in strict proportion to ence.*-Isaiah's astonishing picture of the suf its worth, and varies its self-directed course, in ferings, death, and subsequent triumph of the compliance with no attraction, but that of truth, Redeemer ;† a prediction upon which every kind of fitness, and of utility. In such a variety, of sophistry has been tried in vain. The dream then, he will find a new evidence to the truth of of Nebuchadnezzar, with Daniel's interpretaChristianity, which is thus alike attested by wit- tion;t a prophecy which contains in it an absonesses the most diversified; and he will, with lute demonstration of revealed religion. Daniel's humble gratitude, adore that condescending wis- own vision of the four empires, and of that divine dom and goodness, which has thus, within the one which should succeed them.§ His amazing sacred volume itself, recognised, and even pro- prophecy of the seventy weeks, which, however vided for, those distinctions of the human mind, involved in obscurity as to niceties of chronolofor which weak mortals are so unwilling to make gy, is in clearness of prediction a standing miallowance in each other. racle; its fulfilment in the death of the Messiah, and the destruction of Jerusalem, being as solf. Isaiah, liii. ↑ Daniel, ii. Daniel, ix.

The prophetic part is mentioned last, because it peculiarly extends itself through the whole of the divine volume. It commences with the first

*Deut. xxviii.
§ Daniel, vii.

evident as that Cæsar meant to record his own | tention? By that wise and gracious arrange. actions in his Commentaries. To these I would ment every lineament and every point of our add, lastly, that wonderful representation of the divine religion has acquired an imperishable papal tyranny in the Apocalypse, which, how character; since the learned have agreed, that ever, involving some obscure circumstances, is no language is so capable of expressing every nevertheless so luminous an instance as to pre-minute distinction and shade of thought and clude the possibility of evasion. The extreme feeling, or is so incapable of ever becoming equijustness of the statement respecting papal Rome vocal: the works which have been composed in must force itself on every mind at all acquainted it, ensuring its being studied to the end of the with the usual language of the Old Testament world. prophets, and with the authentic facts of ecclesiastical history.

CHAP. XXXIV.

On the abuse of terms.-Enthusiasm.—Superstition.-Zeal for religious opinions no proof of religion.

Among circumstantial prophecies of near events may be reckoned Jeremiah's prediction of the taking of Babylon,† by the king of the Medes, on which the history of the event, as given by Xenophon in the Cyropedia, is the best possible comment. The prophecy of the fall of Tyre in Ezekiel, in which there is the most remarkable detail of the matter of ancient commerce that is perhaps to be any where found. But of all such prophecies, that of our Saviour, respecting the destruction of Jerusalem, as given in repeated parables and express denunciations, is most deeply worthy the attention of the Chris-aware. We are apt to bring the quality down tian reader.

To guard the mind from prejudice is no unimportant part of a royal education. Names govern the world. They carry away opinion, decide one character, and determine practice. Names, therefore, are of more importance than we are

to the standard which the name establishes, and our practice rarely rises higher than the current term which we use when we speak of it.

The abuse of terms has at all times been an evil. To enumerate only a few instances. We do not presume to decide on the measure which gave birth to the clamour, when we assert, that in the progress of that clamour, greater violence has seldom been offered to language than in the forced union of the two terms, Liberty and Pro

A question has been started among scholars respecting the double sense of prophecy; but it seems astonishing to any plain reader of the Bible how it could ever become a matter of doubt. -What can be more likely, for instance, than that some present event in which David was interested, perhaps his inauguration, suggested to him the subject of the second psalm? Yet what can be more evident than that he describes a dominion infinitely beyond what can be attri-perty.* A conjunction of words, by men who buted to any earthly potentate? The fact seems to be, that the Jewish dispensation being, in its most leading parts, a prefiguration of the christian dispensation and the most celebrated persons, as well as events, being typical of what was to come, the prophetic spirit could not easily contemplate the type without being carried forward to its completion. And, therefore, in almost every case of the kind the more remote object draws the attention of the prophet as if insensibly, from the nearer,-the greatness of the one naturally eclipsing the comparative littleness of the other. This occurs in such a number of instances as to form one of the most prominent characters of prophecy.

We shall conclude the subject with observing on that over-ruling Providence which took care that the Scriptures of the Old Testament should be translated into the Greek language, before the original dialect became obscure, by which means, not only a most important preparation was made for the fuller manifestation which was to follow; but the sense of the Scriptures, in all important instances, was so unequivocally fixed, as to furnish both a guide for the learned Christian in after-times, and a means of confronting Jewish misrepresentations with the indisputable acknowledgments of earlier Jews, better used to the language, and uninfluenced by any prejudice. And, may we add, that the choice of the Greek for the original language of the New Testament, is not less worthy of at* Chap. xvii. † Jeremiah 1. and li. Ezekiel xxvi. and xxvii.

were, at the same time labouring to disjoin the things. If liberty, in their sense, had been established, property would have had an end, or rather would have been transferred to those, who, in securing what they termed their liberty, would have made over to themselves that property, in the pretended defence of which the outcry was made. At a more recent period, the term equality has been substituted for that of property. The word was altered, but the principle retained. And, as the preceding clamour for liberty was only a plausible cover for making property change hands, so it has of late been tacked to equality, with a view to make power change hands. Thus, terms the most popular and imposing, have been uniformly used as the watch-words of tumult, plunder, and sedition.

But the abuse of terms, and especially their unnecessary adoption, is not always limited to the vulgar and the mischievous. It were to be wished that those persons of a better cast, who are strenuous in counteracting the evils themselves, would never naturalize any terms which convey revolutionary ideas. In England, at least, let us have no civic honours, no organization of plans.

There are perhaps few words which the reigning practice has more warped from its legiti mate meaning and ancient usage than the term proud. Let us try whether Johnson's definition sanctions the adopted use. Proud,' says that accurate philologist, ' means, elated-haughtydaring-presumptuous-ostentatious,' &c. &c. *By Wilkes, and his faction.

which forms at once the vital spring and essential characteristic of Christian conduct.

Yet do we not continually hear, not merely the morality, have founded them on a mere worldly journalist and the pamphleteer, but the legisla- principle, we commonly see it employed, not in tor and the orator, sages who give law, not to its own distinct and limited meaning, but, on the land only, but to the language, using the the contrary, as a substitute for that compreterm exclusively, in an honourable sense.hensive principle of elevated, yet rational piety, They are proud to acknowledge, 'proud to confess. Instead of the heart-felt language of gratitude for a deliverance or a victory, we hear of 'a proud day,' 'a proud circumstance,'-' a proud event,' thus raising to the dignity of virtue, a term to which lexicographers and moralists have annexed an odious, and divines an unchristian sense. If pride be thus enrolled in the list of virtues, must not humility by a natural consequence be turned over to the catalogue of vices? If pride was made for man, has not the Bible asserted a falsehood?

It is necessary also to apprise those whose minds we are forming, that when they wish to inquire into the characters of men, it is of importance to ascertain the principles of him who gives the character, in order to obtain a fair knowledge of him of whom the character is given. To exemplify this remark by the term enthusiasm. While the wise and temperate Christian deprecates enthusiasm as highly pernicious, even when he hopes it may be honestjustly ascribing it to a perturbed and unsound, or at least, an over eager and weak mind-the irreligious man, who hates piety, when he fancies he only hates fanaticism, applies the term enthusiast to every religious person, however sober his piety, or however correct his conduct.

In the age which succeeded to the reformation, 'holiness' and 'practical piety' were the terms employed by divines when they would inculcate that conduct which is suitable to Christians. The very words conveyed a solemnity to the mind, calculated to assist in raising it to the prescribed standard. But those very terms be But even he who is far from remarkable for ing unhappily used, during the usurpation, as pious ardors, may incur the stigma of enthu masks to cover the worst purposes, became, un- siasm, when he happens to come under the cender Charles, epithets of ridicule and reproach; sure of one who piques himself on still greater and were supposed to imply hypocrisy and false latitude of sentiment. Thus, he who professes pretence. And when, in a subsequent period, to believe in the only begotten Son of God as decency resumed her reign, and virtue was in glory equal with the Father,' will be deemed countenanced, and religion respected: yet mere an enthusiast by him who embraces the chilling 'decorum was too often substituted for religious doctrines of Socinus. And we have heard, as energy, nor was there such a general superiority if it were no uncommon thing, of a French phito the dread of censure, as was sufficient to re-losopher of the highest class, accounting his store the use of terms, which hypocrisy had abused, and licentiousness derided.*

friend un peu fanatique, merely because the lat
ter had some suspicion that there was a God.
In fact we may apply to enthusiasm, what has
been said on another occasion:

Ask where's the North-At York 'tis on the Tweed,
In Scotland at the Orcades; and there,
At Greenland, Zembla-

Indifference in some assumed the name of moderation, and zeal in others grew cool, or was ashamed to appear warm. The standard of language was either let down to accommodate itself to the standard of practice, or piety itself was taken some notes lower, to adapt it to the But it may be asked, has religious enthusiasm, established phraseology. Thus, morality, for after all, no definite meaning? or are religion instance, which heretofore, had only been used and frenzy really so nearly allied, that no clearly (and very properly) as one name amongst many, distinctive line can be drawn between them? to express right conduct, now began to be erect-One of our most eminent writers has told us, ed into the exclusive term. The term itself is most unexceptionable. Would that all who adopt it, acted up to the rectitude which it implies! but, partly from its having been antecedently used to express the pagan virtues; partly from its having been set up by modern philosophers, as opposed to the peculiar graces of Christianity, and consequently converted by them into an instrument for decrying religion; and partly because many who profess to write theories of

It is however to be observed, that at no period, per.

haps, in English history, was there a more strict attention to public morals, or a more open avowal of religion, than during the short reign of queen Mary. Nothing

was with that excellent princess, so momentous an object, as that religion might attain its just credit, and diffuse its effectual influences through society. Upon this her deepest thoughts were fixed; to this her most assi duous endeavours were directed. And it was not wholly in vain. A spirit of pious activity spread itself both through clergy and laity. Religious men took fresh courage to avow themselves, and merciful men laboured in the cause of humanity with increased zeal and success. It seems to have been under this brief, but auspi

cious government, that the dissolute habits of the two former reigns received their first effectual chock.

that enthusiasm is a kind of excess in devotion, and that superstition is the excess, not only of devotion, but of religion in general.' A strange definition! For what is devotion; and what is religion, if we cannot be in earnest in them without hazarding our rationality, which, however, must be the case, if this definition were

accurate? For if the excess of devotion were

enthusiasm, and the excuse of religion were superstition, it would follow, that to advance in either would be to approximate to fanaticism. Of course, he who wished to retain his mental sanity, must listen with caution to the apostolic precept, of growing in grace.

But, with all due respect to Mr. Addison, may we not justly question whether there can be such a thing as an excess of either devotion or religion, in the proper sense of the terms? We never seriously suppose that any one can be too wise, too pure, or too benevolent. If at any time we use a language of this apparent import, we always conceive the idea of some spurious intermixture, or injudicious mode of exercise. But