of their state. But suppose the term "earth" really to mean earth;-suppose the promise to say, that "the meek" shall truly hereafter "inherit" the earth, and that too in a renewed and glorified state,—they themselves moreover, being, as must be remembered, in a glorified condition, as well as in one of supreme happiness, freed from all those evils that oppress them here, for "the former things will then have passed away;" suppose, moreover, the renewed earth to be the locality of Christ's glorious and everlasting reign, as well as of His people's eternal inheritance; suppose that here they shall "see the King in His beauty," and be with Him for evermore; word, that here they shall "inherit all things which the Father hath prepared for them;-suppose this, I say, and then, instead of being comparatively valueless as the promise seemed before, how unspeakably precious does it become, and how full of meaning the words " BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH "! Viewed in this light, assuredly the promise may well make "their hearts burn within them," and cause them to rejoice. at the prospect before them, "with joy unspeakable, and full of glory."

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Nor must we, before leaving this subject, fail to notice the appropriate connection there is between the promise and the character of those to whom it is made. There is a connection of the kind in each of the Beatitudes, the promise in each case holding out the hope of a future condition which shall form an exact contrast with the present one; or an appropriate blessing. "Blessed are they that MOURN: for they shall be COMFORTED.' "Blessed are the MERCIFUL: for they SHALL OBTAIN MERCY." It will be seen, that there is a peculiar suitability to the character of the "meek" in the promise made to them. Their non-resisting character is calculated to tempt the wilful opposition of those who differ from them, and who partake of a different spirit; and sometimes, as we have seen, they are exposed in consequence to fearful violence, and multitudes of them have been cut off from the land of the living, their earthly portion, whatever it was, being ruthlessly taken from them, or they from it. How exactly suited to their case, therefore, is the encouragement which the Saviour holds out to them in the promise which He has selected for their special comfort! In it He may be heard saying in effect to them:-"Fear not, little flock, it is your

Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. I know your troubles. Your enemies have taken advantage of your meekness to molest you in every way, and have even sought to cut you off from the earth, even as they did me; but you are the very characters who shall inherit the earth for ever. The wicked and ungodly have cut you off from it, but hereafter they shall be cut off, and you shall be restored. And whereas your first enjoyment of it was very imperfect, your second shall be without alloy of evil. Yes; here, on this earth, where many of you have been so cruelly persecuted, shall you be in a state of blessedness and joy; - here, where, like me, you have been hated and despised, shall you be crowned with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,' which your former ' afflictions, which were but for a moment, will have worked for you!'"1 Thus the promise is exactly suited, when thus understood, to the character and condition of those to whom it is made. It does

not now, as it did before, fail when it is most wanted; but yields most where most is needed. It

1 2 Cor. iv. 17.

has comfort for all the meek, but more especially for those who endure most persecution for righteousness sake. It therefore fully meets all the requirements of the case. What more can be needed to prove that the light in which it has been now placed is alone the true one?

Here, then, is the first-fruit of the theory which it is the object of this essay to establish. Here is the first synthetic or deductive application of it to the interpretation of Scripture. A passage which,

according to the ordinary mode of viewing it, is found to have little or no point, and but little practical bearing, changes its character when viewed in the light of this theory, and becomes replete with the most important truth. Its every term is full of meaning, and its great leading doctrine fills the heart with hope and joy. An inductive process has put us in possession of a theory, which, applied deductively, explains a case that before remained obscure and inexplicable. The result is, I conceive, all we can desire. I have dwelt the longer upon it, both because of its own intrinsic importance, and because it affords a very striking and satisfactory illustration of our subject.

We have considered, for the sake of illustration, a promise to the righteous; let us next examine, for the same purpose, a threat against the ungodly. The following passage will afford us an opportunity

:

of doing so "The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." (Ps. xxxiv. 16.) Let this language be compared with what actually occurs at present, in order that it may be seen whether it is possible to confine it to the present time, or whether it is not absolutely necessary to view it in the light of the future; and whether, when so viewed, it is not true that, like the promise to the righteous which we have been considering, it can only be consistently interpreted on the principle that this earth is to continue for ever.

It must be remarked that the term "earth "1 meets us here also, and, as in the former case, it limits our reflections on the passage, seeing that we are compelled to consider what holds true of it, consistently with the use and meaning of this term. The very same things may be said of the use of it here

1 The same term as before, y