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 show 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, 3.) 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 letters.

3. The express conclusion, added by the writer at the end of an argument, demonstrates his general scope.

Thus, in Rom. iii. 28., after a long discussion, Saint Paul adds this conclusion :- Therefore we conclude, that man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law: hence we perceive with what design the whole passage was written, and to which all the rest is to be referred. The conclusions interspersed through the epistles may easily be ascertained by means of the particles, "wherefore," "seeing that," "therefore," "then," &c. as well as by the circumstances directly mentioned or referred to.

$ 4. On the Analogy of Languages.

1. ANALOGY OF LANGUAGES defined.

Analogy of languages is an important aid in enabling us to judge of the signification of words.

Analogy means similitude. For instance, from the meaning attached to the forms of words, their position, connexion, &c. in one, or rather in many cases, we agree to establish a similarity of meaning, where the phenomena are the same, in another. This analogy is the foundation of all the rules of grammar, and of all that is established and intelligible in language. The analogy of languages is of different kinds, viz. 1. the Analogy of any Particular Language (that is, of the same language with that which is to be interpreted), the principles of which are developed by grammarians. This kind of analogy has been termed Grammatical Analogy. 2. The Analogy of Kindred Languages. (Stuart's Elements of Interpretation, p. 50.)

II. USE OF GRAMMATICAL ANALOGY.

Grammatical analogy is not only useful in finding the usus loquendi, but is also applicable to some doubtful cases; for instance, when the kind of meaning, generally considered, is evident, (by comparing other similar words, and methods of speaking, concerning such things, appropriate to the language,) we may judge of the especial

force or power of the word, by the aid of grammatical analogy.

In 1 Pet. v. 5. where many critics have attached an emphatic sense to eykоußwoαodai, we must compare the other Greek phrases which relate to clothing or investing; and thus we shall see that the prepositions πepɩ, aμpi, and ev, are used in composition without any accession of meaning to the verb thereby; for instance, μaтLov περιβάλλειν, αμφιβαλλειν, or εμβαλλειν, simply means to put on a gar ment. Consequently, εγκομβώσασθαι means no more than ενδύσασθαι with which it is commuted by Clemens Romanus. The meaning, therefore, of the apostle Peter's expression be clothed with humility

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III. ANALOGY OF KINDRED LANGUAges.

Another analogy is that of KINDRED LANGUages, either as descended from one common stock, as the Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldee, and Arabic; or derived the one. from the other, as Latin and Greek.

Besides the critical use to which the Cognate or Kindred Languages (a notice of which is given in pp. 88—90. suprà,) may be applied, they afford very considerable assistance in interpreting the Sacred Writings. They confirm by their own authority a Hebrew form of speech, already known to us from some other source: they supply the deficiencies of the Hebrew language, and make us fully acquainted with the force and meaning of obscure words and phrases, of which we must otherwise remain ignorant, by restoring the lost roots of words, as well as the primary and secondary meaning of such roots; by illustrating words, the meaning of which has hitherto been uncertain, and by unfolding the meanings of other words that are of less frequent occurrence, or are only once found in the Scriptures. Further, the cognate languages are the most successful, if not the only means of leading us to understand the meaning of phrases, or idiomatical combinations of words found in the Bible, and the meaning of which cannot be determined by it, but which, being agreeable to the genius of the original languages, are preserved in books written in them.

Schleusner has availed himself, in his Lexicon, of the cognate dialects, to illustrate many important passages of the New Testament.

IV. In consulting the cognate languages, however, much care and attention are requisite, lest we should be led away by any verbal or literal resemblance that may strike the mind, and above all by mere etymologies, which, though in some instances they may be advantageously referred to, are often uncertain guides. The resemblance or analogy must be a real one. We must, therefore, compare not only similar words and phrases, but also similar modes of speech, which, though perhaps differing as to the etymology of the words, are yet evidently employed to designate the same idea. The following example will illustrate this remark:

In Matt. viii. 20. we read that Christ had not where to lay his head: which expression has been interpreted as meaning that he had literally no home of his own. But considerable light is thrown upon it by two passages from the Arabic History of Abulpharagius; in the first of which, having stated that Saladin had animated his soldiers to the storming of Tyre, he says, that no place now remained to the Franks, WHERE THEY COULD LAY THEIR HEAD except Tyre; and again, after relating that the Arabs had stormed Acca, or Ptolemais, he says that NO PLACE WAS LEFT TO THE FRANKS, on the coast of this (the Mediterranean) Sea, WHERE THEY COULD LAY THEIR HEAD. (Abulpharagii Historia, pp.406. 591.) From these two passages it is evident that the evangelist's meaning is, that Jesus Christ had no secure and fixed place of residence.

$5. Of the Analogy of Faith.

I. ANALOGY OF FAITH defined.

The Analogy of Faith may be defined to be the constant and perpetual harmony of Scripture in the fundamental points of faith and practice, deduced from those passages in which they are discussed by the inspired penmen, either directly or expressly, and in clear, plain, and intelligible language. Or, more briefly, the analogy of faith may be defined to be that proportion, which the

doctrines of the Gospel bear to each other, or the close connexion between the truths of revealed religion. It is one of the most important aids for ascertaining the sense of Scripture. The Analogy of Faith is an expression borrowed from Saint Paul's Epistle to the Romans (xii.6.) where he exhorts those who prophesy in the church (that is, those who exercise the office of authoritatively ex.pounding the Scriptures,) to prophesy according to the proportion, or, as the word is in the original, the Analogy of Faith.

II. Hints for investigating the Analogy of Faith.

1. Whenever any doctrine is manifest, either from the whole tenour of divine revelation, or, from its scope, it must not be weakened or set aside by a few obscure passages.

No truth is more certain in religion, or is more frequently asserted in the Bible than this, viz. that God is good, not only to some individuals, but also towards ALL men. (See Psal. cxlv. 9. Ezek. xviii. 23. 32. John iii. 16. Tit. ii. 11, &c. &c.) If, therefore, any passages occur which at first sight appear to contradict the goodness of God, as, for instance, that He has created some persons that he might damn them (as some have insinuated), in such case the very clear and certain doctrine relative to the goodness of God is not to be impugned, much less set aside, by these obscure places, which, on the contrary, ought to be illustrated by such passages as are more clear. Thus Prov. xvi. 4. has, by several eminent writers, been supposed to refer to the predestination of the elect and the reprobation of the wicked, but without any found. ation. The passage, however, may be more correctly rendered, The Lord hath made all things to answer to themselves, or aptly to refer to one another, yea even the wicked, for the evil day, that is, to be the executioner of evil to others: on which account they are in Scripture termed the rod of Jehovah (Isa. x. 5.), and his sword. (Psal. xvii. 13.) But there is no necessity for rejecting the received version, the plain and obvious sense of which is that there is nothing in the world which does not contribute to the glory of God, and promote the accomplishment of his adorable designs.

2. No doctrine can belong to the analogy of faith, which is founded on a single text.

Every essential principle of religion is delivered in more than one place. Besides, single sentences are not to be detached from the