I know very well that the whole history of God's ancient people is of an allegorical nature,-that many of their observances were typical of future and better objects, that in most of the things that happened unto them they were intended to be our ensamples, -and that much of what was written concerning them in former times, was written for our "admonition." But what I complain of is, that these things are seldom or never exhibited to us, by our modern teachers in their first light, which is often very significant and instructive, but generally only in a secondary and borrowed one. Their literal meaning is despised and thrown away, as the mere husk, while a meaning is adduced, as brought out of them, which was never in them: which they were not intended to teach, and which cannot be supported by them. The first sense being thus rejected, we are prevented from perceiving the points of analogy between it and the truth stated, the beautiful correspondence of all parts of scripture, and the distinct foundations on which the things that are represented ought to be placed. I cannot but think that if any other book were treated in this way, and interpreted after this method, it would produce inextricable confusion, and its author have a just right to complain of being grossly insulted.

An example will explain my meaning, and enforce these observations. Some time ago I heard an excellent minister descanting on this passage in Isaiah," Comfort ye my people, &c. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lord's hands double for all her sins." The Jews, for whom it was first written, were passed over by him as hardly worthy of notice; and after a few introductory remarks, he proceeded to observe from the passage, -that God had a peculiar people in the world, whom he described by their doctrine and practice-that comfort was provided for this people in a variety of sources-that this comfort was to be dealt out to

them by a certain order of men, namely, ministers: "Comfort ye," &c., and, finally, that this people receive "double" from the Lord; either double punishment for their sins, in the double nature of their Surety who suffered it, or a double recompense, the nonimputation of sin, and actual imputation of righteousness; the absolution of their persons from guilt, and their restoration to favour! I say nothing of the spurious theology of this strain: but what an opportunity was lost of deriving from the passage, what it obviously contained, an illustration of one of the most amiable features of the Deity-his fatherly pity and compassion for his people! He had inspired the prophet to predict their punishment in the captivity: but before that prediction was fulfilled, lest they should despond with grief under their threatened calamity, or in its actual endurance, he inspires the same prophet to leave on record a declaration of the accomplishment of their trial, and represents himself as so affected by it, that, at the destined period, he deems it, like an affectionate and pitying parent towards his chastised progeny, even more than what they had deserved, and double to what he could have wished them to endure.

I may give another instance. It is that of the wellknown text in Jeremiah, "How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" I have heard this text preached from three several times, in all of which, its exact connexion, precise import, and immediate bearing, were left unnoticed. It was applied to the agitations of death, and the different states of mind in which they would be approached by persons of different character. Now, admitting that the river Jordan is a proper emblem of death, at least, to a good man, and that the different manner in which it would be met by believers and unbelievers might be fairly illustrated from this passage, yet, why should its original import, which is very useful and admonitory, be sacrificed to this? The inhabitants of Anathoth, the native village of the prophet, had threatened him with martyrdom; he complains to God of their prosperity notwithstanding; the Almighty, in reply, by some well-known proverbial

sayings, tacitly reproves him for his pusillanimity, and bids him brace up his mind for much greater dangers. From whence this lesson, in reference to the dispensations of providence, results-that God annihilates the grief of lesser trials, not by removing them, but by the prospect of greater ones, and that the possibility of these greater ones should be employed by us to check our fainting, and our immoderate grief under the other. But how few have I met with among those who had often heard the passage preached from and quoted, who seemed to have the remotest idea of its primitive signification!

At

And what proof, let me ask, would the preacher find of the theme above adverted to, in his text? what a loss would he have felt, had any one interrogated him to that effect! If he had intended to discuss the different frames of mind in the godly and the ungodly at the surprises of death, he might have found many apposite texts for that purpose, that would themselves have stood in the place of a thousand arguments. But they would not have been so novel, so recondite, so striking; nor have displayed so much ingenuity in bringing out a meaning from them. This, I fear, if thoroughly examined, will be found at the bottom of the prevailing practice I am noticing.

sense.

Do we not see, as the result of this practice, how little the scriptures are understood among us? Many texts are viewed in a sense, which may be true in itself, and perhaps important, but which is not their Who, for example, has any other idea of “ the valley of the shadow of death," in the twenty-third Psalm, than as referring to death itself, though that is to destroy the beauty of the whole figure in the psalm: or of that other passage in Jeremiah, concerning "the balm of Gilead and the physician there," than that it refers to Christ, the great Physician, and the balm of his blood? or of that clause in Malachi respecting "the residue of the Spirit," than as intending the Spirit of Grace? or of those words of the apostle, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, &c., the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," than

that it alludes to heaven! or of what the apostle John says, in his first epistle, of " their eyes seeing and their hands handling the word of life," than that it describes the sensations of religious experience, instead of being a reference to the actual converse of the apostles, and some of their contemporaries, with the human person of Christ? These are but a few instances, out of many that will readily occur; but they serve as a specimen to show the injury that is done to scripture by this habit of treating a large portion of it only in an accommodated manner.

Do, sir, persuade ministers to let us have the whole meaning of God's word. Let each text exhibit its own distinct countenance, while it retains its general likeness to the species. Let not the basis of scripture be narrowed to the superstructure of a certain class of truths, but, while it is seen to sustain these, let it be preserved in all its amplitude for the support of the various kinds of useful instruction that rise from it. By this means we shall be furnished with a perpetual variety in our public ministrations, and with those multiplied and interesting views of truth that will adapt it to all the circumstances and exigencies of human life.

ATTENTION TO THE BIBLE AND ITS REAL
MEANING.

Christ is more indignant at injuries done to his truths than even to his saints; for the truth makes saints, and the husbandman is more careful of his seed corn than of the increase.

A NEGLECT of the Bible among Christians is the source of many mistakes in the judgment, much guilt in the conscience, and great worldliness in the affections. Doubts and fears, darkness and deadness, often spring from this source. Even the perusal of the best of

commentators has its snare. The mind is unable to pursue two different objects at once, and in a proper manner. It is, moreover, liable to take but a slight notice of the text, while intent upon the remarks of the commentator. Perhaps the comment appears more clear, brilliant, and striking. The attention is insensibly drawn away from the words of inspiration, and occupied with the argument or discourse of the annotator. It is well if it does not afterwards retain more of the ideas of the man than of the life-giving word.

MISTAKEN SENSE OF THE PHRASE "THE
ELEVENTH HOUR."

THE following remarks relate to the parable of the labourers, Matt. xx; and the application commonly made of the above phrase, taken from it, to conversion at the close of life. It is frequently said of persons evincing penitence or remorse on a dying bed, "they were saved at the eleventh hour.'"

The general view of the parable seems to be, that the hire of the labourers at the several times it speaks of, agreeably to the divisions of a Jewish day, denoted the calling of men into the church at different periods of life, and that the sameness of the remuneration which it represents to be bestowed upon them at last, notwithstanding the unequal portions of service rendered by them, was intended to allude to the freeness and perfection of heavenly glory in which all converted persons will share.

Doubtless, individuals of all ages, as well as of all ranks in life, are the subjects of converting grace. Some in the beginning of their days, some in their youth, some in maturity, some in middle age, and some in their declining years. Equally certain it is, that at whatever period of life they are called, they will be taken to the same heaven at last, and be all perfectly happy in the presence of the great Lord and Saviour.