search;" for "the deeper it is worked, the richer and more abundant the precious ore becomes." 175 The truths which are thus unfolded are perpetually opening anew, and are ever increasing in brilliancy and beauty and expanding in glory and authority before the inward vision in proportion to the soul's progress in the Christian life (Prov. iv. 18; John xvi. 18; 2 Peter iii. 13); for to this mighty end was it given, to aid our advancement in goodness and truth, not only on earth, but in the never-ending ages of eternity; 176 or, to adopt the 175 Dr. Henderson. 176 It was a "general custom among the Fathers to suppose that Scripture contains latent mysterious meanings beyond the letter, the apprehension of which is disclosed to a faithful life. come to the matter of fact, as proved by the Scriptures themselves, the principle itself must be allowed as right, whatever limitations men may prescribe to the application or use of it. It is very evident how much our blessed Lord has Himself pointed out to us these deep and latent meanings, where we could not otherwise have ventured to sup "Now this mode of interpretation is so general in the Ancient [Christian] Church, that something of the kind may be consid-pose them to exist; as, for instance, in the ered as the characteristic difference between the interpretation of catholic Christians and those of heretical teachers; that the latter lower and bring down the senses of Scripture as if they were mere human words, while the former consider the words of Divine Truth to contain greater meanings than we can fathom, and therefore amplify and extend their signification as if they were advancing onward into deeper and higher meanings, till lost in ever increasing and at length infinite light and greatness, beyond what the limited view of man is capable of pursuing. "Nor does it appear at all unreasonable beforehand-before considering it as a matter of fact, that this should be the case: I mean that the Divine Word should be in its secret range thus vast and comprehensive, as the shadow of the heavens in still and deep waters. sign of the prophet Jonah and the lifting up of the serpent in the wilderness. And in almost all his references to the Old Testament, our Lord has led us to seek for mines of secret information disclosed to the eye of faith, beyond the letter. And it is to be observed that Scripture has not generally pointed out to us those instances in which allegorical interpretation is most obvious and important, but often those in which it is less so; as if, thereby, it rather suggested to us a general law than afforded any direction respecting its limit and extent. If from our Lord's own example we pass to the writings of St. Paul, it is needless to mention the numerous striking instances in which he has unfolded to us the spiritual and high senses of the Old Testament. And passing from Apostles to Apostolical writers, we find the same system acknowledged, as if it were incidentally, but almost universally. "But it might be said that this mode of "With regard, therefore, to this system of interpretation has arisen from the nature of interpretation, we have in many instances the Hebrew language, in which each word Divine authority for it; and beyond where contains many deep and ulterior meanings, we have this authority, it might be thought which may be considered as types of each that we have no sanction for such applicaother. But this observation will, in fact, tions and explanations; in which case it lead us to the same conclusion of its Divine would be similar to the moral principles or character; it is, indeed, only going further doctrines that are deduced from Holy Scripinto the subject-sending us back one step ture, which may be said to flow more or less more in tracing the chain which reaches clearly from the Word itself, and to be supfrom God's throne. For if the sacred lan- ported by analogy, natural consequence, or guage which the Almighty has chosen in agreement with other passages; and these order to reveal Himself to mankind is of to be decided by the judgment of individthis typical nature, it proves that such is the uals, and that natural weight of authority language of God; that in numerous analo- which we allow to be due to the opinions gies and resemblances, differing in time, of great and good men. But further than importance, and extent, but with one drift this, as with regard to moral principles of and scope, He is used to speak to us, blend-doctrine, so also with respect to such particing figure with word spoken. But when we ular interpretations, it is perhaps the case language of a truly great and good man, "It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter." But, you are ready to ask, is this wonderful science of correspondences, that so miraculously unfolds the sacred pages, difficult to acquire? I answer, No. Even children may be readily taught to understand much concerning it." It is, in fact, the earliest language of nature, and the language from which true poetry and eloquence derive all their charms. It is the most impressive and delightful form of instruction, and supplies the most healthful and elevating exercise to the imagination and reason. All other kinds of knowledge are handmaids in its service, and tributary to its confirmation. While the internal meaning is hidden from those who are unprepared "Sufficient for our purpose it is that such a method of considering Holy Writ is catholic, not to say Apostolical and Divine."Tracts for the Times, on Reserve, pp. 21-25. I subjoin the following remarkable passage from The Gospel Treasury Opened, in several sermons preached at Kensington and elsewhere, by John Everard, D.D. It is extracted from one of four sermons on Joshua xv. 16, 17. London, 2d edition, 1679. (as it has been well observed), that for some | in that sense formerly expressed. If you live of them there may be such a concurrent tes- and die with this Word, it will do you no timony in early and distinct churches as to good; I mean the letter of the Word, and the amount to a catholic consent, which consent grammatical, external sense, which these would, of course, have the same kind of men call the Word of God. Yet I tell ye all sacred authority as would attend a similar this is nothing, though you have it exactly agreement with respect to doctrine. by heart; yet this can be of no service to God nor profit to you; this is but bodily la bor and bodily exercise, which profiteth nothing; this is but the flesh, this is but man's teaching; the spirit of it, the Word of God, you never yet found. But yet let us not say, if the spirit be all, what do we want with the letter? let us then cast it away. No, no; by no means. The letter is of use to regulate the flesh, and to prescribe and direct the outward man in bodily exercises: but I say it teaches not, nor feeds not the inward man and the heart. That must be that bread which the Father giveth, which comes down from heaven. 'Tis neither Moses, nor the knowledge of the whole law. nor of all the Scriptures can give us that bread; as Christ saith, John vi. 32, 33, Verily, verily, Moses gave them not that bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the bread from heaven; for the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven and giveth life to the world.' "If the literal Scriptures were the Word of God, why doth the Holy Ghost so often say, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear'? And why doth the prophet Isaiah say, that hearing they may hear and not understand, and seeing they may see and not perceive? Make the heart of this people fat, their ears dull, and their eyes heavy, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I should heal them. This is spoken not in regard of those that are ignorant, but of those that are very knowing, and yet their knowledge and gifts and precise holiness, according to the letter, is but a stumbling-block and an occasion of their falling into death and destruction; and thus to know all things is but to be ignorant of all things. "Beloved, the Word of God is subtile, pure, high, holy, heavenly, powerful, quickening, spiritualizing; but the letter is not only dead in these regards, but killing and destructive "And yet this is that I advise still: be sure to maintain the letter undefiled, untouched, uncorrupted. Let his tongue cleave to and forever rot in his mouth, that goes about to abrogate the letter; for without the letter you cannot have the spirit." "Sensual man requires sensible objects as symbols of spiritual things."— Vandervelde. 177 See Reed's Sunday Lessons on Correspond ences for Children, for more than the sum of the letter, and from the unhallowed gaze of the worldly prudent, to babes it is promised that wisdom shall be revealed (Matt. xi. 25), and to the pure in heart, that they shall see God (Matt. v. 8). "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him" (Ps. xxv. 14). "I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts" (Ps. cxix. 100). Let us bring, therefore, to the study of this heavenly doctrine, pure desires, serious thoughts, enlightened reason, an humble and sincere faith, an ardent love, a teachable disposition, a pious and useful life; for "if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God" (John vii. 17). To this must be added an intimate acquaintance with the literal sense of the Word, a knowledge of the mental faculties, a devout habit of reflection on the divine operations as exemplified in the world of nature, and on the forms, qualities, and uses of the objects with which we are constantly surrounded, and its general principles become easy of attainment, and every step we take is attended with accessions of intelligence and delight. Even a small degree of information on this momentous science is an inexpressible blessing. The longer and closer it is studied, the dearer it becomes to its possessor, because it leads him to love the sacred Word of God with increased fervor, to trust revealed truth with a firmer and daily-increasing confidence, and to recognize it as the divinely-appointed means of filling the humble and faithful soul to all eternity, with wisdom, love, peace, and unutterable joy. It is endless in its onward and upward progression, because the things of the natural world, which as outward effects correspond to the objects of the spiritual world, as their inward causes, exist in indefinite variety; for, "all the powers and activities of nature, all its laws, its substances, its forms and changes, are at once the effect and the mirror of spiritual energies;" and because, further, man is not only, as we have already said, a world in its least form, having within him the various principles to which all things in the created universe correspond; but, by regeneration, he becomes a heaven in its least form, possessing ever-growing faculties of eternal life, corresponding with all the glorious realities of the heavenly world above. Of such the Lord speaks when He says, "The kingdom of God is within you (Luke xvii. 21). The practical influence of this great doctrine of the Sacred Scriptures on the heart, the mind and the life, is invaluable. It brings from the clouds of heaven "showers of blessing" (Ez. xxxiv. 26). Its cordial reception, and the inwrought persuasion of its truth, cannot fail to assist in purifying the heart and renovating the character. It is the loftiest and most authoritative standard of righteousness and truth. It is an unerring criterion for the detection of evil and error. It tears away the flimsy veil of indifference or conceit. It searches out our most secret transgressions. It is "the key of [saving] knowledge" (Luke xi. 52). To you it may be given to know, by its means, "the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. xiii. 11). "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa. lv. 1, 10-13).178 178 "The Word of the Lord is compared to rain and snow coming down from heaven, because by rain is signified spiritual truth. which is appropriated to man, and by snow natural truth, which is as snow whilst only in the memory, but becomes spiritual by love, as snow becomes rain-water by warmth."— See A. E. 644; Clowes's Misc. Thoughts, etc., p. 150. |