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Rule I-The Obvious Meaning of the Words the True One-

Bengel on holding to the Text-Melanchthon on the Sense of

Scripture-Luther's view- Writers, humble, open, and sincere.

Remark 1. When an Impossibility seems to be asserted, it is not to

be taken literally-Illustrations of this - The Body and Blood of

Christ in the Sacrament-How to know a figurative Expression

"Buried with him in Baptism." Remark 2. The Meaning must

not contradict our Moral Sense-Figurative Precepts- "Many made

Sinners"

- What the Apostle teaches in reference to this

"The

Wicked made for the Day of Evil"-Nothing Contradictory to our

Moral Convictions. Remark 3. Anything Contradictory to Uni-

versal Experience must be Modified. Remark 4. Poetry and

Prophecy must not be interpreted literally. Rule II. The Mean-

ing of the Words must be taken in accordance with the Usages

of Speech at the time they were Uttered - Changes in our own

Language-Bearing our own and others' Burdens - The Power of

Christ resting upon one-Hebraisms - Things said to be done when

attempted - One who Occasions an Act said to do it-Difficult

things said to be Impossible -- Passages referring Human Acts to

God-Names of Parents used for Descendants - Relatives called

Brothers. Rule III. By the Use of Parallel Passages the Bible

should be made its own Expositor - Importance of Reference Bible

-Bishop Horsley on comparison of Scripture with Scripture - True

meaning of Doctrines thus Discovered - Error of Jews-Must

compare like Terms-Import of the term Baptize-How to use

Parallel Passages - Scripture Terms often have Different Significa-

tions - Gospel Writers Supplement each other - The

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couragement-Abundant answers to all Difficulties - Never give
an unsatisfactory Answer-Dean Alford upon Discrepancies of the
New Testament - Henry Rogers upon the same. Rule V. The
Spiritual Meaning is to be earnestly Sought After-Bible given for a
Special Purpose God teaches some Lesson in every portion-
Error of Ernesti and Grotius-Westcott on Spiritual Interpretation
-The view of Horne.

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.Page 124

CHAPTER VII.

INTERPRETATION OF PARABLE, POETRY, AND PROPHECY.

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Principal Parables delivered in the last year of our Lord's Life-
Distinguishing marks of his Parables-Reasons for using them
View of Tholuck— Aid in remembering Discourses — Powerfully
impressed the Truth - Used to vail Truth, because it had been
Neglected-Analogous to all Christ's Work - Mr. Gladstone's view
of the Parables-Christ supreme in them - First Rule: Must fully
Understand the Parable in all its parts-Second Rule: Discover
from the context the Exact Truth to be Illustrated-Lisco on the
Kernel of the Parable-Lesson of the Parables in the fifteenth of
Luke-Parable of the Rich Fool-Of the Householder and his
Laborers-Third Rule: The separate parts of the Parable should
not be considered out of their relation to the Story - Apt to overdo
in Interpretation - Illustrated from Trench-Much of the Bible
Poetic-Easily remembered-Sir Patrick Hume - Psalms sung in
all Times They are to be interpreted according to the Laws of
Rhetoric-A Doctrinal Statement not to be built up on Figurative
Language-Illustrations from Psalms-Literal rendering of some
shown to be Absurd - To be interpreted in sympathy with the feel-
ings of the Psalmist - Poetry of the Imagination and of the Affec-
tions - The Times and Circumstances of their Composition throw
light upon their Interpretation - Dr. Townsend's Arrangement —
Illustration from Stanley's History of the Jewish Church-Parallel-
ism of the Psalms, Synonomous, Antithetic, Synthetic — The Vin-
dictive Psalms not expressions of Personal Wrath-The Songs of
the Persecuted of all Ages - Dr. Park's Illustration from the late
War-Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are Divine Repositories of Moral
Maxims - Solomon's Song - Isaac Taylor's View- Prophecy
abounds in the Bible-Illustrative Events said to be the Fulfill-
ment - Rachel weeping-Calling out of Egypt - History fulfilled
Prophecy - Prophet no idea of Time-Jesus did not appeal to
Figures - Prophecies of New Testament - Prophecy not History —
Hour of Christ's second coming not Revealed - Irving's Error-Dr.

THE

WORD OF GOD OPENED.

CHAPTER I.

THE BIBLE.

OD revealed himself and his will, at first, to man by in

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spired men; "holy men of God spake as they

1

were moved by the Holy Ghost." Afterward he

caused these revelations to be gathered into an in

God revealed

by inspired men and by an inspired book.

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spired book: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” 2

This course is in wonderful harmony with the divine economy in the creation of the world. Light

In harmony with the creation of the

world.

was formed upon the first day; "in the beginning . . . God said, Let there be light." This light was diffused through chaotic nature, emanating from no local or material fountains : "and God saw the light that it was good." It was not until the fourth day that these floods of light were collected into suns and fixed stars, and became ever after the divinelyappointed sources of illumination. "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night . . . and the evening and the morning were the fourth day."

12 Peter 1, 21.

22 Tim. iii, 16.

3 Gen. 1, 1, 3.

4 Gen. 1, 14-19.

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