Julian Pe- 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and fol- Sea of riod, 4740. lowed him. Vulgar Æra, 27. of the New Testament. If we consider the design of Revela- The design of Revelation is likewise to demonstrate to the The New Testament, like the Old, contains a great number of prophecies, many of which have already been fulfilled, many are now fulfilling, many remain to be accomplished. The same spirit of God dictated both covenants: the design of the one revelation is uniform: the plan, we may naturally conclude the same; and we may expect, therefore, that some events in the New Testament may be intended to typify those circumstances. which are the subject of its prophecies. In the instance before us, we have a plain example of a prophecy which was delivered under circumstances which may seem to typify the event foretold. Christ assured his disciples that they should become fishers of men: that is, they should be successful preachers of his Gospel. The words, in their simple meaning, must be considered only as a metaphor; but the events which took place at the time they were spoken will possibly justify us in supposing that they are to be interpreted as an intended resemblance, or type, of the fulfilment of our Lord's prophecy. As the net drew up so great a multitude of fishes, so also should the Apostles on a future day bring many myriads into the Church of God. Lampe (a), in his work on St. John's Gospel, has indulged his imagination very fully on this subject. He certainly demonstrates that the several objects, means, and terms, which are used by fishermen, and concerning fishing, were interpreted by the ancients in an emblematical sense, and similar interpretations may be found in the talmudical writers. I am always anxious to avoid any fanciful meanings of Scripture, as inconsistent with sobriety and sound judgment. The imagination is the worst and blindest guide in these things. But as the subject is curious, and may profitably engage the attention of theolo Galilee. Julian Period, 4740. Vulgar Æra, 27. 19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he Sea of saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who Galilee. also were in the ship mending their nets. gical students, I have collected some instances, which may Lampe first refers to the Old Testament, to shew the pro- Engedi and Eneglaim were situated at the north and south points of the Dead Sea. This sea then, as having covered the cities of the plain, which were consumed for their wickedness, may be considered as a most appropriate emblem of the state of the Heathen or Gentile world, and gives additional force to the passage: even that sea should be so changed by the waters of the river of life, that there, even there, should be the spreading forth of nets, and abundant success to the labour of the fisher men. Archishop Newcome translates the text more intelligibly than in our own version, which is rendered obscurely. The instruments of fishing, Lampe observes further, are the hook and the net. Men are said to be drawn as with the bands of a man: and it is the hook of judgment and restraint with which Isaiah represents Jehovah as restraining the madness of Sennacherib. In the mode of fishing also, two things particularly resemble the ministry of the Gospel. The persevering labour required, night and day constantly at work, and although frequently disappointed, still urging, persevering, and labouring, with the hope of success. The cunning and skill requisite in this pursuit, as pertaining to the Christian teacher, is well described in Matt. x. 16. and 2 Cor. xii. 16. Ambrose remarks on this subject-the apostolical instruments are appropriately compared to nets, which do not kill their prey, but keep them and bring them from the darkness of the deep into the light of day. The Talmudists also have used the same metaphor. The teachers of the law are called by Maimonides, Talm. Torah. דייני תורה .7 .p Petronius Satyr. cap. 3. gives the same emblem. The arbiter elegantiarum, would be surprized to find himself in this company. Lampe quotes also from a hymn, preserved by Clemens Alexandrinus (b), in which Christ is thus addressed Αλιεν μερόπων Τῶν σωζομένων Πελάγος κακίας Ιχθὺς ἁγνὸς Κύματος ἐχθροῦ Γλυκερῇ ζωῇ δελεάζων Piscator hominum Pisces castos Undâ ex infestâ Dulci vitâ inescans. Plutarch also, in his treatise on Isis and Osiris, affirms, that in the Egyptian hieroglyphics a fish was placed as an emblem of hatred. Julian Pe 20 And straightway he called them: and they left Sea of riod, 4740. their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, Galilee. Vulgar Æra, and went after him. 27. LUKE V. 1-11. 1 And it came to pass, that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we Εν Ζαὶ γῆν ἐν τῷ προπόλω τὸ ἱερῶ τᾶς Αθηνᾶς ἦν γεγλυμμένον βρέφος, γέρων, και μετὰ τῆτο ἵεραξ, εφεξῆς δὲ ἰχθὺς, ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ ITTOS Tотaμios. In the vestibule of the temple at Zai, an infant, an old man, a hawk, a fish, and a hippopotame were sculptured. Each emblem had its appropriate meaning, and the fish represented hatred, ἰχθύς δὲ μῖσος, ὥσπερ ἔιρηται διὰ τὴν θάλατταν. It was possibly in allusion to the same well known emblem, that the ancient Christians called themselves 1xovs (c). Pythagoras also, who obtained much of his knowledge from pure sources (d), prohibited the eating of fish. In the epistle of Barnabas, ch. x. the wicked man is compared to fish. Μακάριος ἀνὴρ, ὅς ἐκ ἐπορεύθη ἐν βελῇ ἀσεβῶν, καθῶς δι ἰχθύες πορεύονται ἐν σκότει εἰς τὰ βάθη. Arnold proves in his notes to the Sota of the deeply learned Wagenseil, that voluptuaries and sensualists were represented by the emblem of fishes. Oppian Halient, lib. 2. Ιχθύσι δ' ἔτε δίκη μεταρίθμιος, ἔτε τις ἀιδὼς Which is an exact description not only of the manner in which (a) Prolegomena ad Evang. Johan. p. 12, 13. and notes. (b) Pæd. lib. 3. in fin. (c) Vide Bingham Eccles. Antiq. The reason he assigns is, that the word was compounded of the initial letters 'Inσous, xpisde, De Yios, Σwryp, on the authority of Optatus, vol. i. p. 3. 8vo. edit. (d) Vide arrangement of the Old Testament, vol. ii. p. 642. (e) See ou this subject also, Jones on the figurative language of Scripture. Galilee. Julian Pe- have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: never- Sea of riod, 4740. theless at thy word I will let down the net. Vulgar Æra, 27. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me: for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken : 10 And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. MARK i. 16. MATT. iv. 19-22. 16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. MATT. iv. 19-22. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. Mark i. 21. SECTION VII. 23 The Demoniac Healed at Capernaum 25. MARK i. 21-28. LUKE iv. 33-38. 23 This event is placed after the miraculous draught of fishes, on the united authorities of Lightfoot, Newcome, Doddridge, and Pilkington. Michaelis places it after the rejection of Christ by his countrymen, at Nazareth. He supposes that this event, the choosing of the twelve apostles, the sermon on the mount, the cleansing of the leper, the healing of the centurion's servant, the restoration of the mother-in-law of Peter, and of many other sick persons, took place on one day, which he therefore calls the day of the sermon on the mount, to distinguish it from the day in which various parables were delivered, which he denominates the day of parables. His reasons for this order, with the remarks of his learned editor, will be considered hereafter. It is here sufficient to observe he confirms the order proposed by the other Harmonists, excepting that he places elsewhere the miracle which was given in the last section. Mark i. 21. the sabbath-days, he entered into the synagogue, and Capernaum. taught: The scriptural authority for this arrangement is founded on Mark i. 21. After the calling of the four disciples, they immediately went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, which Doddridge (Fam. Exp. vol. i. p. 184.) supposes to have been the next day—ἐυθέως τοῖς σάββασιν ἐισελθὼν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν. The event related in this section, since the time of the learned Jos. Mede, has given rise to much discussion. One class of authorities have supposed that the Demoniacs were merely madmen, others that the bodies of human beings were actually possessed, and controlled, and governed, and inhabited by wicked and impure spirits. Among the supporters of the first opinion we find Heinsius Exercitiones Sacræ, on Matt. iv. 24. Jos. Mede (a) (Works, 4th edit. fol. London, p. 28, &c. sermon on John x. 20. and b. iii. ch. v. on the dæmons of the ancients,) Dr. Sykes (b), Dr. Mead (c), Dr. Farmer (d), Dr. Lardner (e), Kuinoel, and Rosenmüller (ƒ), on Matt. iv. 24.: and in general all those writers of every sect who would believe that origin of the Scriptures, which appears to them rational. On the other side of the question may be placed the uniform interpretation of the passage, in its literal sense by the ancient Church, the best commentators, and all who are generally called orthodox, as desirous to believe the literal interpretation of Scripture, and the opinions of the early ages, in all points of doctrine, whether it can be brought to a level with their reason or not. It is quite unnecessary to attempt to refer to all these writers, of those, however, of a later period, who have written on this subject, may be mentioned Macknight (g), Bishop Newton (h), Jortin (i), (who would hardly have been expected among this number); Campbell (k), Dr. Adam Clarke, in his Commentary, and many others. The sum of their argument is stated by Horne (1), Macknight (m), and Dr. Hales (n), with great fairness and impartiality. I have endeavoured to follow so good an example in the following brief summary of the respective arguments on both sides, beginning with those which are considered conclusive against the doctrine of demoniacal possessions. 1. The word dæmon, properly signifies the soul of a dead person. It cannot be supposed that the speeches and actions recorded of the imagined dæmoniacs could be imputed to these. In reply to this, it is justly said, that the word does not uniformly denote the spirits of the departed. 2. Amongst the Heathens, lunacy and epilepsy were ascribed to the operation of some dæmons, who were therefore called larvati, and cerriti. Several answers may be given to this objection.-One, that it is not quite impossible, but that the Heathens were right.Another, that the opinion of the Heathens, whether right or wrong, is no proof that the Jews were in error: for the demoniacs of Scripture are represented as differing from insane and epileptic persons. Compare Matt. ii. 24. where the daiμovvioμένους, are opposed to the σεληνιαζομένους, the παραλυτικούς, and the ποικίλαις νόσοις, και βασάνοις, συνεχομένους, and in Matt. x. 1. The power to cast out devils, or dæmons, by whatever name the evil spirits might be called, is expressly opposed to the power of healing all other diseases whatever. See Luke iv. 33-36. compare also v. 41. with v. 40. where the same contrast is observable. 3. It is argued that the Jews had the same idea of these dis |