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whit more than on any other spot; but it was the only spot, and the only time, that they, or any other men in the flesh, saw the glory of the everlasting kingdom of Christ. The persons to whom the Apostle wrote never could have supposed that the birth, life, and death of Jesus of Nazareth was a cunningly devised fable, because they were facts with which every one of the inhabitants of Judea, to whom Peter wrote, were as well acquainted as he was: but the vision of the glorious kingdom none, except the three witnesses of it, were capable of recording. And he adds, besides this visible ocular demonstration, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye well that ye take heed," &c.-this word of prophecy being 66 more sure to them than even the Apostle's assertion;-that word of prophecy which had from the beginning pointed the attention of mankind to this very everlasting kingdom of glory, of which these Apostles alone had had a glimpse on the mount: for no prophecy, though of necessity relating primarily to events actually occurring in the prophet's own time, was confined to that single circumstance, but always included in them the great consummation and climax of all prophesies, the everlasting kingdom of Christ. These prophecies were to be their guide and consolation "until THE DAY dawn;" which day can only be "the day" of Christ's glorious kingdom. Dr. Pye Smith may say, that this day is the day of grace rising in their hearts; but that is impossible, because the Apostle is addressing those who have obtained "like precious faith" with himself," through the righteousness" of Christ: therefore this day, which was to arise, could not be the day that had already arisen, but must mean the day of glory, and none other.

Instead, however, of its being "well" for the poor Jewish converts to "take heed to the word of prophecy," which the Apostle assures them was more sure than ocular demonstration, Dr. Smith says it is not sure at all, unless the student adopts his twelve canons; the first of which is as follows.

"Rule I. It is necessary that we should acquire information, as full and correct as can be deduced from its proper source, the Scriptural fountains, concerning the life and circumstances of the prophet whose composition is under consideration; the station which he occupied in his country, his connexions with the government and with the people, and the share which he bore and the interest he took in the political and religious affairs of Israel or Judah."

We have no objection to this, as applied to some of the OldTestament prophets, but by no means to all; and it is a pity that Dr. Smith has not interpreted the prophecies upon this method. We, at least, ought to have been the foremost to applaud such an attempt, seeing that in three successive numbers of this journal have appeared an exposition upon these principles by Mr. Irving; and which, to say the least of them, are the most masterly upon this plan which have ever been published. But,

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instead of attempting any thing of the sort, Dr. Smith proceeds, through six long pages, to give a common-place account of the political relations between Judah and its neighbours, such as may be found in every nursery, in "The Bible made easy," or "Scripture Stories for Infant Minds."

"Rule II. It is important to distribute the matter contained in each prophetic book, with care and accuracy, into those portions which the nature of every subject demands."

This note is equally novel and recondite; and means, simply, that the whole prophecy should be taken together, independent of the divisions into chapters and verses.

"Rule III. We must use all the means that are proper, for securing the just interpretation of the words and sentences in which the declarations of prophecy are conveyed."

It is a marvel that Dr. Smith did not next caution his readers to look with their eyes, instead of with their nose.

"Rule IV. We must separate the matter which is actual prophecy, from all other matter which may be interwoven with it."

What a blessing it is to have "theological tutors" to warn us that past tenses do not signify the same time as future tenses!

"Rule V. We should be particularly attentive to the fact, that the real prophecies are generally written in the highest style of poetry; with the most vivid imagery, the boldest figures, excursive descriptions, large digressions and episodes, and all the peculiarities of poetical composition."

If this rule be meant to apply to the prophetic parts of Scripture more than to any other poetry, we deny the fact in toto. If it be meant to apply to all poetry, then it is a common truism, like the former rules. Although Dr. Smith has been so kind as to warn his auditory against the metaphors of God's word, we strongly suspect that he has never done so with respect to Dr. Watts's Hymns: and though he thinks it possible that some persons might be beguiled into taking in their literal sense such expressions as "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts," "I will cause the sun to go down at noon,' &c. &c. (p. 27), he does not think it advisable to put them upon their guard against such phrases as,

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"In vain we lavish out our lives,

To gather empty wind."-Hymn IX.
Mark how the sons of peace come in,

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And quench the kindling coals."- Hymn XXXVI. Against the evil" habit of quoting those passages in ways which imply a meaning and application exceedingly remote from their genuine design" Dr. Smith protests at great length; in which protestation we cordially join. But if we were to point to a person in the whole living Evangelical world who is a more determined example of what ought to be shunned in this particular, the individual to whom we would point should be the Doctor himself.

"Rule. VI. It is further requisite, in order to the judicious interpretation of the prophetic Scriptures, that we should have the mind furnished with a correct and habitually recollected knowledge of the history of Israel and Judah, and the nations with which they were connected."

This rule is a repetition of Rule I. The expression judicious interpretation is of constant recurrence through the sermon, and means, of course, an interpretation that agrees with Dr. Smith's opinion. In like manner we find sobriety of interpretation, p. 28; sound judgment, p. 25; judicious critics, p. 23, &c. &c. passim.

Perhaps our readers will be not a little surprised, when they are informed that these judicious critics, with sound judgment, and sobriety of interpretation, and judicious interpretation, are, in Dr. Smith's estimation, those who contend that the Jews are never to go back to their own land; that Messiah is never to reign over them there; and that the Millennium means, a free trade in creeds, and universal dissenterism. Yet Dr. Smith inquires very properly,

"Are we at liberty to put any meaning upon the word of God, different from its own proper, designed, and genuine sense, as ascertained by competent investigation? I can only imagine one way in which such accommodations can be permitted by a conscientious mind; and that is, the existence of some resemblance or analogy, either in the phraseology or in the sentiment, between the cases proposed. If the analogy be in the former, the citation is merely in the same way in which men often quote a line of poetry and apply it to any new occasion: yet it should be recollected, that, in so applying a fine passage, of Virgil or Milton for instance, we can do no harm; we can lead no man into error by it; the new application is never supposed to have been the original intention of the author. But, since the Scriptures are the repository of God's revelation, to which all Christians justly look for the authoritative declarations of eternal truth and religious obligation, it is evidently a far more serious matter for us to quote Scriptural passages even in an incidental way. It is almost certain, that most hearers and readers will imagine that the transient citation, or the felicitous allusion, is mentioned as evidence in the particular respect for which it is adduced. To say the least, therefore, we ought not to indulge in this practice without taking especial care to guard against being misapprehended."

We entirely agree with these sentiments, as well as with the following, and can only express our regret and surprise that Dr. Smith should himself pay so little attention to them in his own interpretations.

"We should never yield to the temptation, to give untrue interpretations of any part of God's most sacred word, in order to have materials for any kind of religious exhortation. We may make striking allusions, and may avail ourselves of forcible and pungent Scripture expressions, to as great an extent as any faithful preacher can wish; and yet not sacrifice the genuine meaning. That genuine meaning we should always make clear: it is the mind of the Spirit: let us not have the presumption to think that we can improve it: but when, as will usually be the fact, it is found to involve some great and general principle, let us enforce that principle in all its variety of application,' for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.'

It is by acting in the manner here condemned, that what is called "spiritualizing" the Old Testament has come to prevail

so generally as it does, especially amongst the Dissenters. There are not only whole chapters, but whole books, which many of their" Gospel preachers" will tell us are of no use, except some half verses, to which they give what they call a spiritual meaning. We subjoin the following, as a specimen of the Doctor's own ideas of the genuine meaning of the mind of the Spirit.

"A state of peace, security, and social felicity, particularly that which arises from the influence of the Gospel upon mankind, is represented by this beautiful imagery.-Jehovah of hosts shall make unto all nations in this mountain, a feast of fat things, a feast of old wines; of fat things full of marrow, of old wines well refined. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatted calf together, and a little child shall lead them: and the cow and the she-bear shall feed together, together shall their young ones lie down and the lion shall eat straw like the ox: and the sucking infant shall play on the hole of the asp, and the just weaned child shall put his hand into the den of the horned viper: they shall not do mischief nor make destruction in all my holy mountain, saith Jehovah. The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun; and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days.-The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee:--thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself.

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"Such is the beauty and grandenr of the poetical style in which the Author of inspiration directed the holy Prophets often to clothe their messages; a style exceedingly conducive to the moral effect of prophecy, and by no means difficult to be understood. It paints with all the freshness of nature and speaks to the understanding through the best use of the senses and affections. Common intelligence, simplicity of heart, and a mind sincerely desirous of knowing the dictates of Heaven, will rarely feel any difficulty in the interpretation of such figures: but persons of weak judgment and arbitrary fancy, destitute of any correct principles for the interpretation of language, especially in its ancient and more unusual forms, and having to support theories of their own deeply tinctured with the colour of worldly politics and external violence, please themselves with literal applications of these descriptions in aid of their fond prognostications."

"Rule VII. It is necessary to acquire an accurate acquaintance with the nature, sources, extent, and meaning of the emblematic imagery used by the prophets."

This rule is illustrated by the information, that "horn signifies authority;" which it does not, but power; and "earthquakes, signify revolutions:" the latter equally trite and indisputable.

"Rule VIII. Different portions of the same prophet, or of different prophets, which refer to the same subject, should be brought together, diligently compared, their agreements or apparent disagreements carefully noted, and the interpretation of each adjusted by the mutual illustration of the whole.

"Rule IX. We must not judge of the reality or importance of any topic of prophecy by either the brevity or the copiousness of the space which it occupies. After some remarks, of little importance, Dr. Smith observes: "With respect also to the Messiah, it requires our observation, that the prophecies respecting his kingdom, its extension and duration, and the happiness of his innumerable subjects throughout the world, are in a much greater proportion than those which describe his humiliation to sufferings and his dreadful death. The reason of this we may probably derive from the circumstances of the people to whom the prophecies were addressed. A chief design of those

gracious communications was to console the people of God, under their calamities and sorrows, by bright pictures of the happiness which should be enjoyed under the reign of the Messiah: evidently, therefore, it was more suitable to that design to dwell more copiously upon the glories which should follow,' than upon the awful and distressing scenes which were to precede and accompany the great PROPITIATION."

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The observation" is correct; but the reason wrong. The "chief design" of God is to exhibit the glorified God-man as King over this fallen, but to be regenerated, universe: and "the people of God" were brought into those situations which should make the language adapted to those situations fitted also to greater and more remote events.

"Rule X. It is our duty to acquire a just conception of the designs of prophecy."

These designs, Dr. Smith informs us, are:

"i. To afford a decisive proof of the existence, perfections, and government, of the One and Only God.

"ii. To afford a decisive evidence, pointing out particular persons as the authorized messengers of God.

"jii. To be a grand evidence of the reality of Divine Revelation.

"iv To console the people of God, under all their afflictions and sufferings, with the assurance of support and deliverance, and with the prospect of the future prosperity of religion in the world."

It is very difficult to understand how a Jew, upon the eve of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, was consoled for the loss of his property, and the slavery of his wife and children, by being informed that two thousand years afterwards the Gospel would be preached in England! and this reflection might have led the Doctor to suspect that there were other designs yet, which had escaped him.

We have already observed what his notion is of "the future prosperity of religion in the world-namely, no Established Churches, and a multiplication of Bible and Missionary Societies and, as a specimen of the mode in which he sets at nought his own fancy of literal interpretation, we subjoin the following remarks:

"But there was also another class of prophecies, the accomplishment of which was represented as belonging to a far distant age. Indeed, all that fall under this class may be justly considered as ONE PROPHECY, disclosed' in many parts and in many modes,' but from the end to the beginning forming one symmetrical whole. This is the great promise, in successive unfoldings from Adam to Abraham, from Abraham to David, from David to Malachi, and from Malachi to John the Baptist, of a SPIRITUAL KINGDOM, founded upon an everlasting covenant, having the DIVINE MESSIAH for its head, and spreading holiness and happiness through the whole earth. From this heavenly source flowed a never-failing stream of consolation to the faithful, under all the dark mysteries of Providence in their own immediate situation. With what joy did Abraham look forwards to the day of Christ, when he beheld it and exulted!' To David, this was all his salvation and all his desire,' when overwhelmed with the moral and judicial consequences of his sins, the intestine criminalities and desolation of his house. It was this which spread the radiance of glory over the prophetic page, and formed so bright a contrast with the burdens of temporal woe which the prophets had to bring."

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