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BOOK II. ON THE INTERPRETATION OF

SCRIPTURE.

THE Literary History of the Sacred volume having thus been considered, we now proceed to discuss its INTERPRETATION: and here the various subsidiary means for ascertaining the sense of the inspired writers first demand attention. This is the subject of the first chapter of the present book: the remaining chapters will shew, in what manner the sense, when discovered, is to be communicated, expounded, and applied.

CHAPTER I.

ON THE LITERAL, GRAMMATICAL, OR HISTORICAL SENSE OF

ALTHOUGH in every language, there are very many words, which admit of several meanings, yet in common speech there is only ONE true sense attached to any word, which sense is indicated by the connexion and series of the discourse, by the design of the speaker or writer, or by some other circumstances, unless any ambiguity be purposely intended. The same usage obtains in the sacred writings.

The LITERAL SENSE of any place in Scripture is that which the words signify or require, in their natural and proper acceptation. Thus, in

Gen. i. 1. God created the heavens and the earth, the words mean what they literally import, and must be interpreted according to the letter. So, in John x. 30. the words I and the Father are one so distinctly and unequivocally assert the deity of Christ

and his equality with God the Father, that it is difficult to conceive how any other than their proper and literal meaning could ever be given to them.

The literal sense has been termed the HISTORICAL SENSE, as conveying the meaning of the words and phrases used by a writer at a certain time.

Thus, in Gen. x. 5. Isa. xi. 11. and many other passages of Scripture, the word isles or islands signifies EVERY inhabited region, particularly all the Western Coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, and the seats of Japhet's posterity, viz. the northern parts of Asia, Asia Minor, and Europe, together with some other regions.

SECTION I. Rules for Investigating the Meaning of Words, generally.

Since words compose sentences, from which the meaning of Scripture is to be collected, it is necessary that the individual meaning of such words be ascertained, before we proceed further to investigate the sense of Holy Writ. As the same method and the same principles of interpretation are common both to the sacred volume and to the productions of uninspired man, the signification of words in the Holy Scriptures. must be sought precisely in the same way in which the meaning of words in other works usually is or ought to be sought. And since no text of Scripture has more than one meaning, we must endeavour to find out that one true sense precisely in the same manner as we would investigate the sense of any antient writer and in that sense, when so ascertained, we ought to acquiesce, unless, by applying the just rules of interpretation, it can be shewn that the meaning of the passage has been. mistaken, and that another is the only just, true, and critical sense of the place. The following general rules will be found useful for this purpose.

1. Ascertain the notion affixed to a word by the persons in general, by whom the language either is now or formerly was spoken, and especially in the particular connection in which such notion is affixed.

The meaning of a word used by any writer, is the meaning affixed to it by those for whom he immediately wrote. For there is a kind of natural compact between those who write and those who speak a language; by which they are mutually bound to use words in a certain sense: he, therefore, who uses such words in a different signification, in a manner violates that compact, and is in danger of leading men into error, contrary to the design of God, "who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. ii. 4.) The received signification of a word is to be retained, unless weighty and necessary reasons require that it should be abandoned or neglected.

We shall be justified in rejecting the received meaning of a word in the following cases, viz.

(1.) If such meaning clash with any doctrine clearly revealed in the Scriptures.

(2.) If a certain passage require a different explanation from that which it appears to present: as Mal. iv. 5, 6. compared with Luke i. 17. and Matt. xi. 14.

2. Where a word has several significations in common use, that must be selected which best suits the passage in question, and which is consistent with an author's known character, sentiments, and situation, and the known circumstances under which he wrote.

For instance, the word BLOOD, which on various accounts is very significant in the Sacred Writings, denotes our natural descent from one common family, in Acts xvii. 26. ; - death in Heb. xii. 4. ; the Sufferings and Death of Christ, considered as an atonement for the souls of sinners, in Rom. v. 9. and Eph. i. 7.; and also as the procuring cause of our justification in Rom. v. 9., and of our sanctification in Heb. ix. 14.

3. Although the force of particular words can only be derived from etymology, yet too much confidence must not be placed in that frequently uncertain science.

4. The distinctions between words, which are apparently synonymous, should be carefully examined and considered.

In the 119th Psalm there are ten different words, pointing out the word of God; viz. Law, Way, Word, Statutes, Judgments, Commandments, Precepts, Testimonies, Righteousness, and Truth or Faithfulness. Now all these words, though usually considered as synonymous, are not literally synonymous, but refer to some latent and distinguishing properties of the Divine Word, whose manifold excellencies and perfections are thus illustrated with much elegant variety of diction.

5. The epithets introduced by the sacred writers are also to be carefully weighed and considered, as all of them have either a declarative or explanatory force, or serve to distinguish one thing from another, or unite these two characters together.

6. General terms are used sometimes in their whole extent, and sometimes in a restricted sense, and whether they are to be understood in the one way or in the other, must depend upon the scope, subject-matter, context, and parallel passages.

The word, live, in 1 Thess. iii. 8., it is evident both from the subject-matter and the context, must be taken in a restricted sense, and not as implying the apostle's natural life or existence.

SECTION II. Aids for Investigating the Meaning of Words in combination.

§ 1. Of the Scope, and Context.

I. The SCOPE defined.

A consideration of the Scope or design which the inspired author of any of the books of Scripture had in view, essentially facilitates the study of the Bible: because, as every writer had some design in view, it is natural to conclude that he would express himself in terms adapted to his purpose. To be acquainted with the scope, therefore, is to understand the chief part of the book. The scope of an author is either general or special; by the former, we understand the design which he proposed to himself in writing his book; by the

latter, we mean that design which he had in view, when writing particular sections, or even smaller portions, of his book or treatise.

II. Hints for ascertaining the Scope.

The means, by which to ascertain the scope of a particular section or passage, being nearly the same with those which must be applied to the investigation of the general scope of a book, we shall briefly consider them together in the following observations.

1. When the scope of a whole book, or of any particular portion of it, is expressly mentioned by the sacred writer, it should be carefully observed.

The scope and end of the whole Bible collectively, is contained in its manifold utility, which St. Paul expressly states in 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. and also in Rom. xv. 4. In like manner, the author of Ecclesiastes announces, at the beginning of his book, the subject he intends to discuss, viz. to shew that all human affairs are vain, uncertain, frail, and imperfect; and, such being the case, he proceeds to inquire, What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? (Eccl. i. 2, 8.) And towards the close of the same book, (ch. xii. 8.) he repeats the same subject, the truth of which he had proved by experience. So, in the commencement of the book of Proverbs, Solomon distinctly announces their scope (ch. i. 1-4. 6.). St. John (xx. 31.) announces his object in writing his Gospel to be that men might believe that Jesus is THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, and that, believing, they might have life through his name; therefore, all those discourses of our Lord, which are recorded almost exclusively by this evangelist, are to be perused with reference to this particular design.

2. The scope of the sacred writer may be ascertained from the known occasion, upon which his book was written, and also from history.

We know from history that many persons disseminated errors and defended Judaism, during the time of the apostles; who therefore found it necessary to oppose and refute such errors. This was the occasion of Saint Peter's second Epistle: and this circumstance will enable us to ascertain the scope of many of the other apostolic

Tetters.