at that time troubled with "enticing words, phi-1 (d) The rules for applying the aid afforded by losophy, and vain deceit, after the rudiments of an examination of the scope, to the investigation the world." He also shows, by borrowing argu- of particular passages of Scripture, must be nearly ments from evangelical doctrines, in order to combat the same as those employed in the investigation legal teachers, and by the inferences which he of entire books. The whole context should be draws from those arguments, that certain judaizing carefully examined, for the purpose of ascertaining teachers burdened the consciences of the Colos- whether the scope is expressly stated or fairly sian converts, by enjoining on them the observance implied in the writer's own words. Thus, if we of the ceremonial law, the necessity of circum- would understand the design of the apostle in cision (ver. 11), of keeping particular days (ver. 1 Cor. x. 25-29, we must refer back to ch. viii. 16), and of abstaining from divers kinds of meats 1, where his purpose in this part of the letter is (ver. 16-21); from which, as an intolerable yoke, clearly pointed out. Sometimes the design of a the apostles had deemed it necessary to deliver particular passage is ascertained by the concluding the Colossian church. Comp. Acts xv. with Gal. inference which the writer deduces. So Paul, v. 3, 4, &c. (4) If we rightly consider what is Rom. iii. 28: Therefore we conclude that a man said of Epaphras, at the commencement and con- is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law;" clusion of the epistle, we shall probably infer, that which defines the scope of the passage. Particular while he was earnestly commending to Paul the attention, then, should be paid to the particles, faith and love of the new converts, and while wherefore," "therefore," "then,” “ seeing that," glowing with holy zeal for their welfare, he moved &c. Considerable care, and some practice, will be the apostle, by his entreaties, to dispatch this letter requisite, to enable us to distinguish between the to Colosse and Laodicea, ch. i. 8, iv. 12, 13. principal and subordinate conclusions; but the These points being premised, it is easy to ascer- benefits derivable from the practice will abuntain the scope of the whole epistle; which was, dantly repay the labour expended upon it. that Paul, in obedience to his duty as an apostle, might confirm the Colossian converts in the doctrines of faith, and in seeking after that holiness which flows from them. It was also, that he might seasonably heal the breaches made by Jewish errors, which had spread, and were perhaps still prevailing; and that he might deliver the church from the evils which those errors had induced, as well as avert from it those which he foresaw would be consequent on this vain deceit. It very evidently appears, from the whole structure of the epistle, that the reason the apostle had for so carefully confirming the Colossians in the purer doctrines of the faith, was a fear lest they should be injured by the pernicious opinions of heretical men; and the apostle himself makes all the doctrines stated have a reference to it, when he says, "This I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words," ii. 4. The declaration contained in these words should be well considered, as we recognise in it the true and genuine scope of the whole epistle, expressed in Paul's own words.*

(c) Here it may be remarked, that the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and particularly the fifteenth chapter, is of special assistance in attaining to a right understanding of the epistles of Paul. The historical books of the Old Testament render the same assistance in reading the Prophets and the Psalms; and the Books of Moses elucidate the writings of both Testaments.

Franck's Analysis of the Epistle to the Colossians, Ap. Guide to the Scriptures.

(2) Where no assistance can be derived from any expressed or implied declaration of the writer's scope, we must endeavour to ascertain, from other authentic sources, the occasion on which the book was written; and the particular circumstances, at that time, of the persons to whom it was immediately addressed. To know, for example, that at the time John wrote his gospel, the Gnostic heresy was spreading itself through the church, and to be acquainted also with the leading features of that corruption of religion, will materially assist in understanding many passages in that important document, which it would seem probable must have had some reference to their errors. A knowledge of the state of the church at Corinth will throw considerable light upon the epistles directed to it by Paul, in which it is natural to suppose he would refer to their mistakes and dissensions. So also we may perceive the force and beauty of many of the expressions in Ps. xcvi. and cv., when we ascertain, from 1 Chron. xvi., that they were sung on occasion of the ark being brought up to Jerusalem by David. The same remarks will apply to the prophetic writings, which may be materially elucidated by observing the circumstances that called forth many of the predictions, and the state of things to which they had an immediate reference. Should both these sources of information fail to ascertain the scope of the author, we must

(3) Attentively and repeatedly read the whole book, with a view to discover its scope from a general and connected view of its contents.

In

the epistolary parts of the New Testament, espe- | reading which has been recommended for the cially, great light will be derived to the sense of several books should be carried throughout the the text, if this kind of reading be adopted; and, whole, and that conclusions as to that revelation indeed, it should never be dispensed with, in the should not be drawn till the joint amount of the study of these important, and in many respects whole can be thus collected. Not thus to gather, difficult, letters. They should be read, and re- from all the different books, what each has said read, from beginning to end; and it is preferable of their common subject, must be to narrow the to use a copy where the text is not divided into grounds on which it was designed that our chapters and verses. Each one should be read as opinion of the revelation should be formed.‡ we would peruse an epistle from a friend; and that three or four times over, without interruption, until we have fully apprehended the meaning, and the subject of the whole letter becomes clear. From this perusal, re-perusal, and repetition of the document, we shall obtain a right knowledge of the scope of the author, and an acquaintance with the general argument of the epistle.* For, as it has been well remarked, the composition of every such work, however loose and imperfect, cannot have been fortuitous; we know that by some exertion of mind it has been put together, and we discover in its connexions, such as they are, indications of the purpose for which the exertion was made. According to the tendency of the composition, may the inference be safely made to its purpose. Nor should this examination be restricted to separate books of the Old or New Testament: it should be extended to embrace all those books as a whole. As every part of the divine revelation has an ultimate reference to one great subject, which is carefully pursued throughout, it is obvious that the continuous

* Franck's Guide, p. 63.

(4) It should be borne in mind, that the whole design of the Scriptures is to treat of Christ, in his mediatorial capacity. The Redeemer is the sum and substance the very soul-of Scripture; and every part of it has a reference to him, and his mediatorial kingdom. Some passages treat expressly of him, inculcating faith in his promise, and obedience to his will; some contain prophecies concerning him, fulfilled, or remaining to be fulfilled; others exhibit types and figures; while some are to be referred to him by the analogy of faith, which is entirely founded upon him. Hence the necessity of keeping the eye of faith constantly fixed upon the Redeemer, in reading every part of Scripture. "In him all the promises of God are yea and amen;" 2 Cor. i. 20. To him all the genealogies refer, all the times relate, all the ceremonies point; and as the sun imparts his light to all the heavenly bodies, so Christ, "the Sun of Righteousness," gives light and meaning to every part of the Bible.

5. Having thus pointed out the principal rules for discovering the scope of a writer, it only remains to offer a suggestion or two, by way of

+Cook's Inquiry, p. 204. Mr. Locke states, in his preface caution, in the use of this aid to discover the sense of Scripture.

to the epistles of Paul, that after having been convinced, by long experience, that the ordinary mode of reading a chapter, and then consulting a commentator upon it, failed in giving him a just conception of the sense of an epistle, he saw plainly, after be began once to reflect upon it, that if any one should now write him a letter, as long as St. Paul's to the Romans, concerning such a matter as this is, in a style as foreign, and expressions as dubious, as his seem to be; if he should divide it

into fifteen or sixteen chapters, and read one of them to-day, and another to-morrow, and so on, it was ten to one that he should never come to a clear comprehension of it. The way to understand the mind of him that wrote it, he observes, every e would agree, was to read the whole letter through, from one end to the other, all at once, to see what was the main subject and tendency of it; or, if it had several parts or purposes in it, not dependant one on another, nor in a subordination to one chief aim and end, to discover what those different matters were, and where the author concluded one and began another; and if there were any necessity of dividing the epistle into parts, to mark the boundaries of them. In the prosecution of this Mr. Locke determined upon reading each of the epistles Panl through at one sitting, and to mark, as well as he was able, the drift and design of the writer. By persevering in this plan, he at length obtained a good general view of the apostle's mala purpose ia writing the several epistles, the chief branches of his discourse, and arguments used, and the disposition of the whole.

(1) There must be an evident and necessary connexion between the sense given to a passage and the scope of the discourse, and not only some tolerable agreement. The reason for this rule is, that it will sometimes happen, that several interpretations therefore a mere agreement with this can give no may agree with the scope of the writer, and assurance that the sense assumed is the right one. Thus Titus ii. 11 has been interpreted in three different ways, as referring to slaves and their masters-to Jews and Gentiles-and to all men, indiscriminately; but if the scope of the apostle's argument be examined, it will be found difficult to say what real connexion there could subsist in the apostle's mind between the duties of slaves (which is the subject of the exhortation in the 9th verse, and for which the fact stated in the 11th verse is assigned as the motive) and the

Cook's Inquiry into the Books of the New Testament, p. 84.

salvability either of all men or of the Gentiles, as in opposition to the Jews. The only interpretation of the words, therefore, which gives them a necessary connexion with the scope of the passage, is that which refers them to the persons spoken of in the 9th verse, namely, slaves.

(2) But how are we to know when the sense given to a passage has an evident and necessary connexion with the scope of a discourse? The following negative precepts have been given by Professor Stuart; and a meaning which does not infringe upon them will be found to harmonize with the subject of which the sacred author is treating, unless he has violated all the rules of language and reasoning; which cannot be admitted. (1) Where a meaning plainly contradicts the tenor of a discourse, it is to be rejected. (2) When it violates the principles of parallelism, and the conclusions drawn from them, as to the sense of a passage. (3) Where it gives an inept and frigid sense. By this is meant a sense which contributes neither to argument, nor perspicuity, nor ornament.*

Why, by taking one of

(a) The following passages will at once illustrate and confirm the rule. In Luke ix. 50, our Saviour says, "He that is not against us is for us;" but in Matt. xv. 30, it is, “He that is not with me is against me." How are these propositions to be reconciled? them in some limited sense; and the occasion on which the first was delivered evidently points out the limitation it requires. John, having seen one, who was not associated with the apostles, casting out devils in the name of Christ, had forbidden him to do so. Jesus said to him, “ Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us." "Forbid him not,"-that is the precept; forbid him not to do good in my name: and the reason follows,-" for he that is not against us is for us ;" he who does not oppose me promotes my cause ;— let my gospel be preached, even though of strife and contention. Here our Saviour inculcates forbearance towards those who, from whatever motives, promote the progress of his kingdom: but in the place in Matthew, he teaches us, that mere indifference will not avail to our salvation; that they who would obtain the reward must possess the character of his disciples; that they who do not confess him before men, and espouse his cause in this world, will be treated as his enemies at the day of judgment.

(3) The meaning, as discovered by the scope of the writer, should be compared with that which the usus loquendi affords, for the purpose of forming a judgment on their agreement. In other words, we must see whether the usus loquendi will tolerate any particular sense given to the passage by the scope of the discourse, especially in respect to words which have various meanings; or whether there be a repugnance to it. Occasionally, the meaning derived from the scope of the writer will lead to a knowledge of something which may serve to establish its harmony with the usus loquendi. But to interpret solely from the sup-justified by faith, without the deeds of the law:" posed scope of a writer, without the aid and consent of the usus loquendi, and even in opposition to it, belongs rather to rash conjecture than to interpretation by rule.

(b) The manner in which Paul and James have treated the doctrine of justification, will furnish another illustration of this canon of interpretation. James says, "Ye see how by works a man is justified, and not by faith only," ch. ii. 24; whereas Paul says, "Therefore we conclude, that a man is

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and it is a little singular that each of the apostles illustrates his position by the instance of Abraham. But the apparent discrepancy will be removed, if we examine the course of their reasoning. James (4) A proposition occurring in the course of an is labouring to prove that faith without works is argument, is not necessarily to be taken in the a dead faith, a faith which will not avail to salwidest sense which the words will bear. A pro-vation.-" What doth it profit, though a man say position, used merely as a link in a chain of he hath faith, and have not works? Can faithreasoning, is often expressed in more general can such a faith-save him?" "If a brother or terms than would be required to establish the sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and conclusion which the writer is proving; in this one of you say unto them, Depart in peace: be case, the proposition is not necessarily to be taken ye warmed and filled: notwithstanding ye give in the widest sense of which the words would them not those things which are needful to the admit. It may be subject to various limitations, body; what doth it profit?" What sincerity, which the writer did not think it necessary to what worth is there in such professions of kindexpress, because they did not affect the course of ness? What benefit do they confer on those who the argument; and we should ever bear in mind, are the objects of them? "Even so faith, if it that our Saviour and his apostles adapted, for the hath not works, is dead, being alone." All promost part, their instructions to the occasion, without fessions of faith, which do not evidence their attempting to treat religion in a systematic order. truth by a holy life and conversation, are false, vain, and unprofitable. "Yea, a man may say," to such a professor, "Thou hast faith," or pre

* Stuart's Elements of Interpretation, p. 78.

II. The second means for judging of the sense of words, to which reference was made at the beginning of this section, is AN EXAMINATION OF THE CONTEXT.

tendest to have it, "and I have works: show me | God;" therefore all, both Jews and Gentiles, must thy faith without thy works;" give me, if thou be "justified freely through the redemption that is canst, some other proof of it, "and I will show in Christ Jesus," Rom. iii. 23, 24. But this conthee my faith by my works. Thou believest there clusion will not follow from the premises, unless is one God: thou doest well; the devils also we understand, the apostle to lay it down as a believe and tremble." Wherein doth thy faith universal proposition, that "all have sinned."* differ from theirs, if it produce not the fruits of righteousness and holiness? "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead," wholly unprofitable to salvation? "Was not Abraham, our father, justified;" did he not show forth a living faith unto justification, "by works, when he had offered Isaac, his son, upon the altar?" Did he not, by that act of holy obedience, prove and display a living faith in the truth, and power, and promises of God, which "was imputed to him for righteousness?" "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works," producing obedience to the commands of God, however apparently severe, and irreconcileable with his promises; "and by works was faith made perfect," brought forth into action, and shown to be a lively and efficacious principle in the soul? "And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness' and he was called the friend of God. Ye see, then, how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." Ye see that by works a man is justified-by Works evidencing that faith which is imputed to the believer for righteousness; by such works a man is justified, and not by faith only-not by a mere barren profession, or even a mere speculative belief, which does not influence the life and conduct. Such appears to be the course of James's reasoning. Paul, on the other hand, is proving to the Jews, that they, as well as the Gentiles, must be saved by faith; and his argument is this: All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: all have broken the moral law of God; no one, therefore, can be saved by that law, which exacts a perfect obedience; and thence he concludes, “that a man is justified by faith, without," apart from, distinct from, "the deeds of the law." In order to be justified before God, he must have that faith which God will impute to him for righteousness; a faith, however, which works by love, and makes those who are influenced by it zealous of good works. This passage will furnish with another rule.

(5) A proposition must be understood in a sense efficiently large to bear out the conclusion which it is intended to proce. Thus, in the first part of the Epistle to the Romans, Paul's object is to show that the Jews, as well as the Gentiles, need the salvation which is by Jesus Christ; and his argument is this: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of

1. It is certain, that many of the controversies which have been carried on in the Christian church, have arisen in consequence of their authors having overlooked this rule, which is of the very broadest extent in biblical interpretation. Every theological doctrine that has been broached, however absurd or monstrous its character, has been surrounded and supported by a multiplicity of texts, which, having been forcibly abscinded from their respective contexts, were pressed into a service for which they were never designed. Mr. Locke has somewhere said, that "if the Holy Scriptures were but laid before the eyes of Christians in their due connexion and consistency, it would not then be so easy to snatch out a few words, as if they were separate from the rest, to serve a purpose to which they do not at all belong, and with which they have nothing to do. But as the matter now stands, he that has a mind to it may, at a cheap rate, be a notable champion for the truth; that is, for the doctrines of the sect that chance or interest has cast him into. He need but be furnished with verses of sacred Scripture, containing words and expressions that are but flexible (as all general, obscure, and doubtful ones are), and his system, that has appropriated them to the orthodoxy of his church (of whatever denomination it may be), makes them immediately strong and irrefragable arguments for his opinion. This is the benefit of loose sentences, and Scripture crumbled into verses, which quickly turn into independent aphorisms. But, if the quotation in the verse produced were considered as part of a continued, coherent discourse, and so its sense were limited by the tenor of the context, most of these formidable and warm disputants would be quite stripped of those which they doubt not now to call spiritual weapons, and they would often have nothing to say that would not show their weakness, and manifestly fly in their faces."

2. That such a perversion of the Scriptures as is here pointed out may be guarded against, the rule laid down for consulting the CONTEXT merits the constant attention of the interpreter. We

* Christian Observer, vol. xi. pp. 12–14.

indispensable that they should be altogether disregarded; at least, in the examination of the context. Dr. Gerard has offered the following suggestions upon the use of the context.

(1) General terms being often used only in a part of their extension, it is the connexion that shows to what part of it they ought to be limited. In Heb. xi. 6, it is said, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." But that this is not saving or Christian faith, is evident from the words that follow, and by which the expression is limited, “must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

(2) In like manner, ambiguous expressions must be restricted, among their several significations, to that one which suits the connexion. In Matt. xxiii. 23, "judgment, mercy, and faith," certainly not belief of any kind, but fidelity, as the connexion shows. In Rom. xiv. 23, the word is employed in another sense: "Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin;" that is not justifying faith, not a warrant from Scripture, but-a full persuasion of the larfulness of the action.

are aware that some persons, who are far from being lawless interpreters, do not hold this aid in very high estimation, conceiving its use to be confined within very narrow limits. But, as Professor Stuart has suggested, this is by no means an accurate view of the subject; for "the immediate context, either preceding, succeeding, or both together, is a rule for judging of the meaning of words of the very broadest extent. In very many cases, indeed, the evidence of the usus loquendi is itself built upon the context. We adopt the opinion, that the usus loquendi sanctions this or that particular sense, because the context clearly shows that such a meaning is to be assigned to it, and that no other can be given without rendering the sense frigid and inept. Moreover, the general scope of an author does not forbid the admission of a great variety of arguments, illustrations, and episodes, into the intermediate parts of a discourse; so that one is far more certain of giving a sense that is congruous, by consulting the immediate context, than by immediately consulting the general scope of the whole. Both, no doubt, are to be regarded; but of the two, the former is by far the most important means of assistance." Indeed," adds this enlightened critic, "I should doubt whether there is any one rule in the whole science of hermeneutics so important, and of so much practical and actual use, as the one in question. Great. care, indeed, is necessary, to decide with certainty, what sense the context requires that a word should have, especially when the immediate subject is briefly stated. But this care is as easily practised as any other rule is, which herme-whosoever cometh to Christ by faith, being given neutics prescribe in different cases. Violence must not be done to words by forcibly subjecting them to the context, against etymology, analogy, the rules of grammar, and the nature of language. But in every thing short of this, all good lexicographers and commentators adapt the meaning of words to the context, in cases too numerous to need any specification."*

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3. It is greatly to be desired, that our present method of breaking the Scriptures into chapters and verses, was superseded by the adoption of a continuous text; or, at least, one only divided into such sections as would be obviously suggested upon a critical examination of the order of the sacred writers. According to our present distribution of the text, the continuity and completion of many discourses are broken in upon, in a way most injurious to their sense, and most prejudicial to ordinary readers. If, therefore, a Bible be used in which these common divisions occur, it is

Elements of Interpretation, p. 80.

(3) Every term should be considered as it stands in the proposition, of which it makes a part; and be explained, not by itself, but so as to bring out the real sense of that whole proposition. In Matt. viii. 24, we read: "Whosoever heareth these sayings, and doeth them [subject], I will liken him to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock" [predicate]. The sense is plain: "He who practises as well as hears, builds his hope of salvation on a sure foundation." But Dr. Gill thus interprets it: "The subject of the comparison is,

him of the Father' [supposed without ground]: such an one hears his words, not only externally, but internally, and he doth them, exercises faith on Christ, his grace and righteousness held forth in them, and performs all duties without any view to obtain eternal life thereby, which he expects only from Christ, as his sayings direct him. Every such believer builds the salvation of his soul; he digs deep, till he come to a good foundation, a rock, Christ, the Rock of ages; and he lays the whole stress of his salvation on him.” Here, plain expressions are explained by metaphorical ones; a meaning is put on a word, inconsistent with its place in the sentence; the sentence destroyed, being all turned into a predicate for a subject gratuitously supposed; the real meaning explained away, turned into an insignificant assertion, 'that he who expects salvation only from Christ, lays the whole stress of his salvation upon him,' or, he who believes on Christ, believes in Christ.'

(4) In a piece of reasoning, every proposition must be considered in its connexion with the whole ar