of the senses, the life of the animal. Of course his speech takes its character from his experience. Without any knowledge of the arts or sciences, with no literature or intellectual culture, his language is necessarily destitute of any terms or words expressive of these things; his vocabulary is very limited and poor, confined mostly to objects of sense, consisting chiefly of nouns and verbs, the names of things, of bodily conditions and wants. There are few words expressive of abstractions, of qualities in their independent and absolute character; or in other words, there are few adjectives or descriptive terms.

The language of a people, in fact, passes through the same process of growth and development which we see in the language of a child. In beginning to talk the child has but few words, and those expressive of objects of sense, and of physical condition, the names of things and wants; with here and there an adjective, or a qualifying, descriptive word, such as good, bad, pretty, ugly. It may early learn the word bread, but it will be long before it will be able to go beyond this in describing its qualities. It will soon catch the names dog and cat, but it will be years before it can describe the first as faithful, devoted, affectionate, watchful, intelligent; or the last as homeloving, playful, wily, treacherous, &c.

So with a people in their rude and barbarous condition, or before they have attained to the civilization of science, philosophy and letters. Their language being poor, and restricted to comparatively very few descriptive terms, they are constantly compelled to resort to comparisons, to figures or metaphors. Hence they say of a brave man, "he is a lion"; by

which they express simply resemblance in character. Having no such abstract terms as brave, courageous, heroic, valiant, fearless, intrepid, they are obliged to resort to comparisons, to express their thought of him by giving him the name of an animal known to possess these qualities. So when they would describe a cunning, artful, intriguing, wily man, having no adjectives of this sort, they call him "a fox"; using the literal term in a figurative sense to set forth his character. And these comparisons are multiplied just in proportion to the poverty of their vocabulary a treacherous person is "a snake in the grass "; a swift-footed runner is " a deer" or a bird"; a fierce warrior is "a panther" or "a wild-boar"; thunder is "the sky's gun"; ice is "water fast asleep "; heaven is "the happy hunting grounds," &c.

Such is the origin of figurative speech, of metaphor, which is simply the changing of a word from its literal sense to a meaning which resembles the literal sense. It is in fact a comparison or affirmation which has the force of an adjective; and which is necessitated by the meagre and deficient vocabulary of the dialect.

On the other hand, when a language has been cultivated and enriched by the growth of civilization, and new words and terms have been invented or borrowed by the poet, the orator, the philosopher, the man of letters; then figures and metaphors are multiplied again. They are employed, not from necessity, as in the former case, but from choice, to add to the variety, beauty, finish and force of the composition or speaking. And thus, as observed, in both extremes of poverty and wealth, of ignorance and cul

ture, a language abounds in figures and metaphors, in similitudes and poetic expressions. The North American Indians are an example of the first extreme; and the poets and orators of Europe and America are an example of the last,

SECTION II.

SCRIPTURAL METAPHORS RELATING TO DEITY.

In view of the facts now set forth, it is easy to see how the Hebrew, in the early stages of its growth, would partake largely of metaphors and similes, Poor in derivative and descriptive forms, or in adjectives and abstract terms, the people would be driven to figures and comparisons when speaking of the attributes and actions of Deity, or what they deemed such. Hence "the Lord is a man of war," he is "the Lord of hosts," he is "a Rock," "a Covert," 66 a Buckler and a Shield"; all which are metaphors to express the manner in which he defends his people, and shows himself "a very present help in time of trouble."

And when they would describe his power, his omnipresence, his justice, they speak of his "right arm,' his "eye,' ," "from the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth"; "the Lord weigheth the spirits." So he " So he "rides upon horses and chariots," "walks upon the wings of the wind," "dwells among the children of Israel," "talks " with the patriarchs, "comes down on Mount Sinai"; he "laughs," he awakes"; he "rests," &c. would be absurd, and shocking to our reverence, to

It

understand these expressions literally; but it would be equally so to interpret literally those passages which ascribe to God human passions, infirmities and weaknesses. As we have seen, they are the necessities of all languages and peoples in the earlier stages of their culture. And so difficult is it, always, to master the idea of purely spiritual existence and action, that we of to-day are compelled to resort to similar forms of speech in expressing our thought of Deity, his character and action.

Under this head come all those passages which ascribe to God-jealousy, "I am a jealous God"; or anger, "God is angry with the wicked every day;" "a fire is kindled in mine anger"; or wrath, "The Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath"; or hatred, "The wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth"; or fury, "The Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots, like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury"; or vengeance, "This is the day of the Lord of Hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries."

Of the same character are such as the following: "Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest." Ps. xi. "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel." 2 Thess. i. "Because of these things, the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience." Eph. v. "Pour out the vials of the wrath of God on the earth." Rev. xvi.

It is impossible to believe that God is affected with jealousy and anger and revenge, and is roused into fierce wrath and fury, in any literal sense of these

words. The expressions are metaphors, and imply nothing more than that the divine judgments on sin and wickedness seem to indicate feelings analogous to these passions and emotions in man. In other words, they are figures representing the severity of God's punishment of wickedness; and they are no more to be understood literally than the phrases "wrath of old ocean, ""the anger of Boreas," "the fury of the

storm," &c.

Jeremiah (xx.) represents God as saying to the people of Judah, "I will fight against you myself with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath. And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast. For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire."

God of course cannot fight against a people; he cannot be moved by fury or anger, in any sense in which these terms are applicable to human beings. But as men are angry and wrathful when they seek to destroy each other, or when they inflict mutual evil or calamity; the calamities and judgments falling on a people for their sins, are ascribed to the anger or wrath of God. And God is represented as fighting personally against them, and destroying them; though at the same time, and in the same breath almost, it is said that the destruction of the city is to be the work of Nebuchadnezzar.

The same remarks apply to those texts which speak of God as repenting that he had created man, repenting that had he made Saul king, repenting of his