2. From Professor STUART'S Edition of Ernesti's "Elements of Interpretation."

"Who is ignorant of the innumerable controversies that have arisen about the tropical and literal sense of a multitude of passages in the Sacred Writings? Almost all the enthusiasm and extravagance that have been exhibited in respect to religion, have had no better support than gross material conceptions of figurative language; or, not unfrequently, language that should be properly understood has been tropically construed. There is no end to the mistakes on this ground. Nor are they limited to enthusiasts and fanatics. They develop themselves not unfrequently in the writings of men grave, pious, excellent, and in other parts of theological science very learned. Indeed, it is but a recent thing, that it has come to be considered as a science, and a special and essential branch of theological science, to study the nature of language, and above all the nature of the Oriental, Biblical languages. Long has this been admitted in respect to the classics, and all works of science in ancient languages. But in regard to the Bible, the most ancient book in the world, and written in a language the idiom of which is exceedingly diverse from our own, it seems to have been very generally taken for granted, that no other study was necessary to discover its meaning, than what is devoted to any common English book. At least, a Bible with marginal references, studied by a diligent and careful use of these references, might surely be understood in a most satisfactory manner. In very many cases, the first thing has been to study theology; the second, to read the Bible in order to find proofs of what has already been adopted as matter of belief. This order is now beginning to be reversed. The nature of language, of Scripture language, of figurative language, and of interpretation, is now beginning to be studied as a science the acquisition of which is one of the greatest ends of study; as it is the only proper mode of leading the theologian to the knowledge of what the

Bible really contains. Here, too, is a common arbiter of the disputes that exist in the Christian world.

The nature of language and of tropical words, thoroughly understood, will prostrate, among all intelligent and candid men who really love the truth, a great part of all the diversities of opinion that exist.” - Note on p. 74.

"The time is coming, (I cannot doubt it,) when all the dark places of the Bible will be elucidated, to the satisfaction of intelligent and humble Christians. But how near at hand that blessed day is, I do not pretend to know. 'The Lord hasten it in its time!""-Note on p. 19.

"It is really matter of regret, to find in most of the old and distinguished writers on theology, such a multitude of passages adduced as proof-texts, which, when hermeneutically examined, prove to be in no wise adapted to establish the doctrine, in confirmation of which they were cited. It must be acknowledged, that the pleasure of reading many very valuable works of this nature is greatly abated by the study of sacred interpretation, which teaches more correct exegesis. This loss, however, is more than compensated by the deep conviction which springs from the examination of genuine proof passages." Note on p. 20.

D. LATENESS OF THE DISCOVERY THAT

WROTE IN POETRY.

THE PROPHETS

From a Preface to Bishop Lowth's "Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews," by Rev. CALVIN E. STOWE, D. D., Professor of Biblical Literature in Lane Theological Seminary.

[Can we read the following extracts without surprise at the lateness of a discovery so essential to a correct view of the prophecies, and at the need and the eclat of Lowth's labors at so late a period in the history of biblical study? Is it not even more surprising, that any can think themselves bound by uninspired inter

pretations of the prophecies made before this discovery? Why, then, should they not still use text-books on Geography written before the age of Columbus?]

"Though LowтH, when he accepted his Professorship, [in 1741,] had but just completed the thirtieth year of his age, and had never before appeared in a public character, he immediately formed a design which would have done honor to maturer age and long experience. This was no other than to reclaim from the dust of ages and the rubbish of allegorizing mystics, the relics of primeval poetry preserved in the Sacred Writings of the Hebrews, to set them in their true light, and prove them worthy the attention and favor of men of taste. It was his purpose to discover the true spirit and meaning of the genuine oracles of God, and to disjoin them from the rude and tasteless additions of uninspired interpreters. CALVIN and GROTIUS had already given noble examples of acute and logical exegesis of the Scriptures; SIMON and LE CLERC had prepared the way for the investigation of their history; SELDEN had searched out the numerous hints which they give respecting ancient manners and domestic life; MILTON had explored their rich stores of poetic imagery; and many other distinguished scholars, as VITRINGA, BUXTORF, BOCHART, and LIGHTFOOT, had labored successfully in different departments of Sacred Literature; but no one had yet arisen to survey accurately the whole ground, to assign the boundaries of safe investigation, to present the student with a clue that would guide him through the labyrinth of conjecture and mysticism, to collect and arrange the more important results which lay scattered in the writings of others, to look on the Hebrew Scriptures with the eye of a critic and the heart of a poet, and to give to Sacred Interpretation the form and dignity of a science. Notwithstanding all that had been done, but few general and correct principles of exegesis had as yet been settled, the Bible had never been viewed in its true light as a work of

taste, the unnatural and barren expositions of the Rabbins were still deemed authoritative; and Christian interpreters were wandering in the dark wilds of mysticism, or exhausting their strength and wasting their time in the useless search of etymologies and various readings. No one, indeed, had ever ventured to express the opinion that the prophets wrote in poetry, excepting the eccentric HERMANN VAN DER HARDT, who threw out this among the other fancies of his prolific brain (and the idea then lost all reputation by appearing in such company); and the learned VITRINGA, who had given a hint to that effect in his Commentary on Isaiah. Under these circumstances LowтH appeared, with the determination and the ability to breathe a new spirit into the whole business of sacred study.”—p. iv.

"LowTн broke through the trammels of false taste and erroneous theology, penetrated to the secret retirements of the Hebrew Muse, discovered and developed the true nature and genuine sources of the Sacred Poetry, marked out the boundaries of its several departments, and assigned to each its appropriate characteristics, and led the way to a new and more perfect mode of Scriptural interpretation; and by the exquisite specimens of translation with which he illustrated and enriched his Lectures, he proved that the soaring genius and refined taste of the poet may be united with the severe accuracy of the critic, the gravity of the theologian, and the religious sensibility of the devout Christian. The effect was wonderful. LowTH was immediately caressed and honored by all the patrons of learning in his own country, and hailed on the continent of Europe as the former of a new era in the literary world; for it was his work on the Hebrew Poetry which first directed the attention of the studious Germans to a department of literature which they have since pursued with such untiring zeal and astonishing success. In England he has had many admirers, but no successor. p. v.

E. THE FRATERNAL SPIRIT WITH WHICH THEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS SHOULD BE PURSUED.

From Dr. PARK'S "Duties of a Theologian."

"Another duty of a theologian is, to foster a spirit of fraternal interest in the investigations of his brethren. Nothing is more seemly than the scientific coöperation of such friends as Dugald Stewart and Sir James Mackintosh, and from nothing do we turn with more sickness of heart than from the recorded animosity of a Newton and a Leibnitz. The history of theological speculation has too seldom been the history of friends, aiding each other in candid as distinguished from party research. It has too often been the history of combatants, who have striven, not indeed with more noise than others, but with keener passion.

"The peculiar intolerance of theological dogmatists has been owing in part to their love of power. The depravity belonging by nature to all men has cleaved in a measure to ministers; and while in other professions it has found an outlet in a love of gain, or of parade, or of pleasure, it has often been confined in the clerical profession to a love of authority. This is the avenue through which the concentrated' sinfulness of the soul has poured itself out. It has been fostered by the apologizing name of a desire to exert a good influence. It has been favored by the ministerial station. . . .

...

"There has been a second reason for the irritating style of controversial theologians. The weapons of their warfare are of refined power. When they plied the chain, the rack, the fire, they used these grosser implements as the symbols of a more subduing penalty. The symbols have gone; the relics of what they signified remain. It is yet hard for the multitude to rise above a superstitious version of the truth, that what the minister binds or looses here shall be bound or loosed hereafter. To many he yet seems to hold the keys of hell and death. He should be aware of this. It is true he should make a vigorous opposition against essential error.