enjoyment of his love. The dispensations of his grace present themselves in succession to our view, and still, as they advance, increase in their clearness and beauty, till at length the triumph of a Saviour's mercy is complete, and "the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord.' Thus the word of prophecy, when received in simple faith, fulfils its appointed office as a beacon-light, and leads our thoughts onward, through all the changes of time, to that rest which remaineth for the people of God.'"-(pp. 41-43.)

The great principle of interpretation, for which Mr. Birks contends, is a consistent adherence to the obvious literal sense of Scripture, whensoever, as already observed, that sense will stand compatibly with the principles of common sense. And to a departure from this principle, and the consequent prevalence of erroneous dogmas in regard to prophecy, he attributes much of that neglect and indifference with which the subject is viewed by numerous divines in the present day. On this point the following observation is very just :

"But there is a further cause of this general neglect, in the wide-spread feeling of uncertainty and doubt as to the true sense of the Scripture prophecies. Many things have concurred in this effect;-the mysteriousness which must be admitted, in some few of the prophecies themselves,-the variations of numerous expositors,-the gross perversions of some,―the vague, uncertain allegories of others, and the currency of the false maxim, that all predictions, when fulfilled, are clear, and when unfulfilled, obscure and inexplicable. These causes, and such as these, have changed the faith of the Church into bewildering uncertainty. The vision, according to God's own warning, has become as the words of a book that is sealed. Divines have maintained, in the face of the clearest examples, and the plainest warnings, that the inspired predictions were not meant to be understood till after their fulfilment. So that the metaphor of the apostle has been reversed. Christians have learnt to describe the word of prophecy, not as the beaconlight, but as the trackless and dangerous ocean. They have ventured to be wise above what is written, and have warned their brethren against that very study, on which the Holy Spirit has pronounced a solemn and repeated blessing."-(pp. 46, 47.)

If any would inquire more particularly what they are to understand by the literal sense, Mr. Birks replies-"First, the literal sense is that in which we adhere to the common usage of terms, and the natural scope of the passage, as inferred from the context alone. Secondly, it is, when we attach to a prophecy that same sense which we should naturally assign to it, if it were a history of past events, and not a prediction of the future." This sense he proceeds further to explain, defend and illustrate-not pushing it to an extreme, as some writers have done, and thereby injured the cause which they have meant to serve, but showing "that when rightly understood it admits of the intermixture of figurative language; is the true groundwork of symbolic exposition; and consistent with allegorical applications, wherever they can be proved from Scripture itself, and are not perverted, so as to set aside the direct meaning of prophecy."-(p. 58.)

We must indulge in one further extract, in order to afford a specimen of the just and forcible manner in which Mr. B., in the course of his argument, shows that the true literal sense must be practically the most spiritual, and therefore in reality the most conducive to edification :

"The last and most important objection, is the supposed earthly, gross, and carnal character of the literal interpretation. This idea repels many Christians from the subject, and makes them view it as a snare and hindrance, rather than a help to the soul. Hence also the title, spiritual, is often given to the figurative mode of exposition. Let us examine then, by a few plain tests, to which that high title justly belongs; and may the Holy Spirit of God enlighten our understanding, and lead us all to a right and true decision!

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First, The truly spiritual interpretation is that which calls Faith into the liveliest exercise. For Faith is the nurse and mother of every Christian grace, the inlet of all spiritual life to the soul. To which of these two modes of exposition does this character apply? To that pliant and easy method which receives in the letter whatever accords with our Gentile taste, or chimes in with our favourite system, or falls with a curse on the devoted head of the Jew; and then turns the rest into an allegory, to be moulded at our will? Surely it applies much rather to the literal exposition. For this calls us to the docility of a little child. It bids us cast away our high imaginations, and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, by receiving his messages in their simplest and plainest sense. It commands us, in short, to break down the pride of our human systems, and to sacrifice our dearest prejudice, rather than to do violence to one jot or tittle of the word of God.

Secondly, An interpretation is spiritual, in proportion as it illustrates the harmony and glory of the Divine attributes. In which exposition is this feature most conspicuous? In the literal, which rests simply on God's veracity, and shows his truth alike displayed in the desolation and the recovery of Israel; and not his truth only, but the depths of his long-suffering, and the perseverance of his love, and the triumph of his grace, and the riches of his boundless wisdom? Or in the figurative, which is based chiefly on the ingenuity of man; which represents the God of truth as fulfilling his threatenings in the letter, but provides an excuse why his promises need not be so fulfilled; and thus destroys the balanced harmony of righteousness and grace, in the providence of the Most High toward the lost sons of Israel? On the literal view of prophecy, though grievous darkness has rested on their outcast race for two thousand years, the bow of the covenant, bright with hope, is seen still shining over them; on the other view, the arch is broken, and disappears, and nothing remains of its loveliness but the dark cloud of vengeance.

"Again, that interpretation is most spiritual, which magnifies most the truth and preciousness of God's holy Word. For this is the grand instrument of our salvation, and God has magnified his Word above all his name. But the figurative exposition turns all the prophetic portion into an enigma, which but few can understand, and which must be useless to all others; it first covers the prospect with a deep mist, and then dissuades from farther search as unnecessary and even dangerous. While, on the other hand, the literal interpretation leaves it open to our view, just as the Spirit of God has spread it before us; a land of promise, goodly to the eye, with all the rich and varied beauty of earth, and with all the blessed light and purity of heaven.

"Lastly, The spiritual interpretation is that which uproots selfishness from the heart, and enthrones on its ruins the love of Christ, and the love of our brethren. But by the figurative interpretation, the Gentile Church is taught to appropriate solely to herself all the promises of God, where Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem are most clearly addressed, regardless of the wrong done to

the outcasts of Zion, and of the dark cloud which is thus brought over that glorious attribute of her Lord, his truth and faithfulness. On the other hand, the literal interpretation leads us to rejoice, with a pure and unselfish joy, in the fulness of God's love to his ancient people. It calls us, as Gentile Christians, to be willing ourselves to decrease, if only the faithfulness of our Lord may be vindicated and his glory increased; and our own heart's desire and prayer be fulfilled in the salvation of Israel."—(pp. 71–74.)

(3.) To the Rev. J. W. Brooks, Vicar of Clarebro', Retford, has been assigned, in this course, the bearing of " the Abrahamic Covenant" on the future destinies of Israel. As Mr. Brooks is already known to the student of prophecy, from his volume on "The Elements of Prophetical Interpretation," and from his Essays originally published, under the signature of Abdiel, in both of which the subject here discussed is touched upon, and scripturally handled; we shall content ourselves with merely setting before the reader one or two extracts, from which may be gathered the nature of that covenant, and its harmony with the general scope of prophecy in regard to the restoration of the Jews.

Having shown that the covenant with Abraham and the Patriarchs is identically the same as "the covenants of promise" mentioned by St. Paul;-the same, therefore, as the covenant of grace under which Christians now walk;-he thus proceeds to draw attention to the comprehensive character of this covenant :—

"Some persons have imbibed the notion, that the promises of God are greatly exaggerated by the florid language and poetical imagery employed by the prophets who have conveyed them to us; and that considerable abatement must therefore be made from the terms in which they are stated. The contrary however is the fact; not only human language, but human experience, yea, and the human imagination, all fail of conveying to the soul, previous to the fulfilment, an adequate idea of those blessed realities which are intended when the Lord promises. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.' Whatsoever may be reasonably inferred from a promise,-whatsoever again may be found needful for its most complete and exact fulfilment, though not expressly mentioned,-is, nevertheless, included in it. Here, e.g. in the Abrahamic covenant, we have in the germ all that is gracious and glorious in Moses and the prophets, and in Christ and the apostles! But I will set before you two or three examples, concerning particulars which have already been fulfilled, in whole or in part, whereby you will be better enabled to judge of the riches of the grace of God.

"1. First, there is the promise that God will be the God of Abraham's seed. But before God can manifest himself in so blessed a relationship to any, they must have the guilt of their sin removed; and that it was to be removed, and by virtue of this covenant, is manifest from the prophets. Take Micah,'Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage? he retameth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again; he will have compassion on us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to JACOB, and the mercy to ABRAHAM, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. Thus saith the prophet; but who believed, previous to the event, that in order to perform this mercy to Jacob it was needful that the

eminent Seed promised, the Lord Jesus Christ, should for this purpose actually DIE, that through the blood of this everlasting covenant he might perfect his brethren. Yet the apostle declares expressly, that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. Now in regard to this not being previously understood, it is not that the sufferings of Christ were not beforehand testified of by the prophets;-nor is it that we cannot now, if we take their language in its fair literal sense, perceive that Messiah was to be bruised for our iniquities: but I say, nevertheless, that previous to the event, their language utterly failed of elevating the soul to a due conception of what was required by the justice and holiness of God on the one hand, and what his mercy, and faithfulness, and love was, on the other hand, capable of accomplishing. The most prejudiced must on this head admit, that he hath indeed done for us exceeding abundantly above all that we could ask or think.'”—(pp. 94—96.)

We pass by two other instances given by this writer, in the way of illustration, and quote from him the fourth and last :—

"How little was it understood previous to the event, that the election from among the Gentiles,-which we now see is being called out, and who are destined to be made partakers with that election or remnant which has been throughout gathering from among Israel,—I say, how little was it understood that it was contained in the promise, that in Abraham and his seed should all families or nations of the earth be blessed. Yet Paul in Galatians declares, That the Scriptures, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.' And in his Epistle to the Romans he quotes Moses, David, Hosea, and Isaiah, as all testifying, that the Gentiles were to be thus made partakers, and to be accounted for a seed."-(pp. 99-101.)

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Mr. Brooks next proceeds to show the particulars of this covenant not yet fulfilled, and the glorious things which the prophets testify concerning the future accomplishment of the same. For example, the restoration of the whole of Israel to the land of their fathers; (Deut. xxx. 4.) that the promise of possessing the land without molestation, and in great prosperity, is to be accomplished to those Israelites who have died in faith, by their being raised from the dead; (Ezek. xxvii. 11.) that the whole nation, when restored, shall be sanctified; (Deut. xxx. 6; Isa. lx. 21.) that their children shall be princes in all the earth, and have dominion over all nations; that death shall be ultimately swallowed up in victory; that the tabernacle of God shall be with them in a far more glorious manner than at any former period; and that God shall dwell with them, they having David their king over them, and the Lord God at their head. And he concludes with the following questions:

"I now would ask,-Ought not what God hath fulfilled already to be regarded as a most sure token and earnest of the fulfilment of the remainder in his own good time? O, let not the marvellous and extraordinary character of the things predicted, as yet to come to pass, hinder us from receiving them those already accomplished are equally wonderful; and were that

1 Psalm xlv. 16. Isaiah 1x. 12; xxxv. 10; xxv. 7. Hosea xiii. 14. Zech. viii. 3.

which remains a hundred times more difficult to accomplish, yet nothing is too hard for the Lord. But is there anything more difficult for God to effect in the resurrection of all who have had the faith of Abraham, than in the resurrection of Christ? Is it more incredible that God should renew the earth, than that he should regenerate the human heart? Is it more wonderful, that Israel should be brought back and graffed into their own natural olive-tree, than that God should have made a way for us Gentiles, who were once given up to vile affections and to a reprobate mind, to be graffed contrary to nature into the Hebrew stock? No; the same God who hath wrought the one is able to accomplish the other; and the same God is pledged and covenanted by an oath to accomplish both.”—(pp. 103-104.)

We must give one short extract more, inasmuch as it is calculated to remove some of those erroneous impressions, which persons who have not seriously investigated Prophecy are apt to entertain respecting the views of the students of this subject, and to show what their expectations really are:

"Do not think, however, from what I have advanced, on this head, that I lay any undue emphasis upon the mere land of Palestine, or attach undue importance to its possession. I consider the land nothing in itself: any other spot in the universe might equally serve as a platform for the purpose of exhibiting God's glory, whether in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath. The land of Palestine becomes important only because it is the land of promise: this it is which invests it with its peculiar interest. God is by his covenant and oath as much pledged to restore and regenerate that land, as he is to restore and regenerate his people. If these articles may be disannulled, we have no assurance of the accomplishment of any article not yet fulfilled our own final redemption, to be consummated in a glorious resurrection, depends on no surer promise: and if those for which I contend are not to be fulfilled, then have we nothing certain in God's word. Oh! it is derogatory to God to conclude that what he covenants with an oath, and ratifies with the blood of his Son, is to be taken at less than his word; it is to mistake the shadow for the substance-a meagre, inadequate, defective, temporary fulfilment, which was but an earnest and token, for the plenitude of the everlasting covenant!"—(pp. 116, 117.)

(4.) The Rev. C. J. Goodhart, Minister of Saint Mary's, Reading, takes up the special covenant with David, that his seed should sit upon his throne, and reign over the house of Israel for ever; which Mr. Goodhart contends and proves is to be accomplished chiefly in Christ; and that accomplished it cannot be, according to the terms of the prophecy, until Jesus shall actually have given to him by the Lord God "the throne of his father David." On this subject we commend the following observations, as calculated to remove another difficulty entertained by some:--

"We come to the first apparent interruption to the fulfilment of this great covenant, and we find in Solomon a parallel to Adam. The latter exhibited a partial type of the second Adam; and so Solomon was a type, but a partial type, of the king which was to come. He, like his first forefather, was a poor helpless creature, and the consequence was, that before he died he went back from the Lord. God had told both David and Solomon what he would do if the latter should forsake him. Solomon did forsake the Lord in his latter days, and God declared his sin should be visited, and as the sin was not Ост. 1842.

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