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Suffer no lewdness, nor indecent speech,

Th' apartment of the tender youth to reach.

Thus far in answer to the foregoing question.

DRYDEN.

But I retire; for Mr Clark of Hull, in his treatise of education, and Mr Philips, preceptor to the duke of Cumberland, has given more excellent directions for learning Latin.

XIX. WHEN a language is learnt, if it be of any use at all, it is pity it should be forgotten again. It is proper, therefore, to take all just opportunities to read something frequently in that language, when other necessary and important studies will give you leave. As in learning any tongue, dictionaries, which contain words and phrases, should be always at hand, so they should be ever kept within reach by persons who would remember a tongue which they have learnt. Nor should we at any time content ourselves with a doubtful guess at the sense or meaning of any words which occur, but consult the dictionary which may give us certain information, and thus secure us from mistake. It is mere sloth which makes us content ourselves with uncertain guesses; and indeed this is neither safe nor useful for persons who would learn any language or science, or have a desire to retain what they have acquired.

XX. WHEN you have learnt one or many languages ever so perfectly, take heed of priding yourself in these acquisitions: they are but mere treasures of words, or instruments of true and solid knowledge, and whose chief design is to lead us into an acquaintance with things, or to enable us the more easily to convey those ideas or that knowledge to others. An acquaintance with the various tongues is nothing else but a relief against the mischief which the building of Babel introduced: and were I master of as many languages as were spoken at Babel, I should make but a poor pretence to true learning or knowledge, if I had not clear and distinct ideas, and useful notions in my head under the words which my tongue could pronounce. Yet so unhappy

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a thing is human nature, that this sort of knowledge of sounds and syllables is ready to puff up the mind with vanity, more than the most valuable and solid improvements of it. The pride of a grammarian or a critic generally ex, ceeds that of a philosopher.

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CHAP. VIII.

Of inquiring into the Sense and Meaning of any Writer or Speaker, and especially the sense of the Sacred Writings. Ir is a great unhappiness that there is such an ambiguity in words and forms of speech, that the same sentence may be drawn into different significations; whereby it comes to pass that it is difficult sometimes for the reader exactly to hit upon the ideas which the writer or speaker had in his mind. Some of the best rules to direct us herein are such as these.

I. BE well acquainted with the tongue itself, or language wherein the author's mind is expressed. Learn not only the true meaning of each word, but the sense which those words obtain when placed in such a particular situation and order. Acquaint yourself with the peculiar power and emphasis of the several modes of speech, and the various idioms of the tongue. The secondary ideas, which custom has superadded to many words, should also be known, as well as the particular and primary meaning of them, if we would understand any writer. See Logic, Part I. Chap. 4. § 3.

II. CONSIDER the signification of those words and phrases, more especially in the same nation, or near the same age in which that writer lived, and in what sense they are used by authors of the same nation, opinion, sect, party, &c.

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Upon this account, we may learn to interpret several phras ses of the New Testament out of that Hebrew Bible into Greek, which is called the Septuagint; for though that version be very imperfect and defective in

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many things, yet it seems to me evident that the holy writers of the New Testament made use of that version many times in their citation of texts out of the Bible.

III. COMPARE the words and phrases in one place of an author with the same or kindred words and phrases used in other places of the same author, which are generally called parallel places; and as one expression explains another which is like it, so sometimes a contrary expression will explain its contrary. Remember always that a writer best interprets himself; and as we believe the Holy Spirit to be the supreme Agent in the writings of the Old Testament and the New, he can best explain himself. Hence that theological rule arises, that scripture is the best interpreter of scripture; and therefore concordances, which shew us parallel places, are of excellent use for interpretation.

IV. CONSIDER the subject of which the author is treating; and, by comparing other places where he treats of the same subject, you may learn his sense in the place which you are reading, though some of the terms, which he uses in those two places, may be very different.

And on the other hand, if the author uses the same words where the subject, of which he treats, is not just the same, you cannot learn his sense by comparing those two places, though the mere words may seem to agree: for some authors, when they are treating of a quite different subject, may use perhaps the same words in a very different sense, as St Paul does the words' faith, and law, and righteousness.

V. OBSERVE the scope and design of the writer: inquire into his aim and end in that book, or section, or paragraph, which will help to explain particular sentences: for we suppose a wise and judicious writer directs his expressions generally toward his designed end.

VI. WHEN an author speaks of any subject occasionally, let his sense be explained by those places where he treats of it distinctly and professedly: where he treats of any subject in mystical or metaphorical terms, explain them by other places where he treats of the same subject in terms

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CHAP. VIII. OF ANY WRITER ÓR SPEAKER.

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that are plain and literal: where he speaks in an oratorical,
affecting, or persuasive way, let this be explained by other
places, where he treats of the same theme, in a doctrinal or
instructive way: where the author speaks more strictly,
and particularly on any theme, it will explain the more loose
and general expressions: where he treats more largely, it
will explain the shorter hints, and brief intimations; and
wheresoever he writes more obscurely, search out some
more perspicuous passages in the same writer, by which to
determine the sense of that obscurer language.

VII. CONSIDER not only the person who is introduced
speaking, but the persons to whom the speech is directed,
the circumstances of time and place, the temper and spirit of
the speaker, as well as the temper and spirit of the hearers:
in order to interpret scripture well, there needs a good ac
quaintance with the Jewish customs, some knowledge of the
ancient Roman and Greek times and manners, which some-
times strike a strange and surprising light upon passages
which before were very obscure.

VIII. In particular propositions, the sense of an author may be sometimes known by the inferences which he draws from them; and all those senses may be excluded which will not allow of that inference.

NOTE, This rule indeed is not always certain in reading and interpreting human authors, because they may mistake in drawing their inferences; but in explaining scripture it is a sure rule, for the sacred and inspired writers always make just inferences from their own propositions. Yet even in them we must take heed we do not mistake an illusion for an inference, which is many times introduced almost in the same manner.

IX. IF it be a matter of controversy, the true sense of the author is sometimes known by the objections that are brought against it. So we may be well assured the apostle speaks against our justification in the sight of God by our own works of holiness, in the 3d, 4th, and 5th chapters of the epistle to the Romans, because of the objection brought against

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against him in the beginning of the 6th chapter, viz. "What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" Which objection could never have been raised, if he had been proving our justification by our own works of righteousness.

X. In matters of dispute, take heed of warping the sense of the writer to your own opinion by any latent prejudices of self-love and a party-spirit. It is this reigning principle of prejudice and party that has given such a variety of senses both to the sacred writers and others, which would never have come into the mind of the reader, if he had not laboured under some such prepossessions.

XI. FOR the same reason, take heed of the prejudices of passion, malice, envy, pride, or opposition to an author, whereby you may be easily tempted to put a false and invidious sense upon his words. Lay aside, therefore, a carping spirit, and read even an adversary with attention and diligence, with an honest design to find out his true meaning; do not snatch at little lapses and appearances of mistake, in opposition to his declared and avowed meaning; nor impute any sense or opinion to him which he denies to be his opinion, unless it be proved by the most plain and express language.

LASTLY, Remember that you treat every author, writer, or speaker, just as you yourselves would be willing to be treated by others, who are searching out the meaning of what you write or speak and maintain upon your spirit an awful sense of the presence of God, who is the judge of hearts, and will punish those who, by a base and dishonest turn of mind, wilfully pervert the meaning of the sa cred writers, or even of common authors, under the influence of culpable prejudices. See more, Logic, Part I. Chap. 6. 3. Directions concerning the Definition of Names.

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CHAP.

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