endeavour to ascertain the real sense of what they read: concluding that whatever impression is found to be left on the mind after a bare perusal of the words, must be what the sacred writers designed. They use in short little or none of that care which is employed on any other subject in which we are much interested, to read through each treatise consecutively as a whole; to compare one passage with others that may throw light on it; and to consider what was the general drift of the author, and what were the occasions, and the persons he had in view.

He

In fact, the real students of Scripture, properly so called, are, I fear, fewer than is commonly supposed. The theological-student is often a student chiefly of some human system of Divinity fortified by references to Scripture introduced from time to time as there is occasion. proceeds-often unconsciously-by setting himself to ascertain, not, what is the information or instruction to be derived from a certain narrative or discourse of one of the Sacred Writers, but what aid can be derived from them towards establishing or refuting this or that point of

dogmatic Theology. Such a mode of study surely ought at least not to be exclusively pursued. At any rate, it cannot properly be called a study of Scripture.

There is in fact a danger of its proving a great hindrance to the profitable study of Scripture. For so strong an association is apt to be established in the mind between certain expressions and the technical sense to which they have been confined in some theological System, that when the student meets with them in Scripture, he at once understands them in that sense, in passages where perhaps an unbiassed examination of the context would plainly show that such was not the author's meaning. And such a student one may often find expressing the most unfeigned wonder at the blindness of those who cannot find in Scripture such and such doctrines which appear to him to be as clearly set forth there as words can express; which perhaps they are, on the (often gratuitous) supposition, that those words are everywhere to be understood exactly in the sense which he has previously derived from some human system;-a system through which, as through a discoloured medium, he

views Scripture. But this is not to take Scripture for one's guide, but rather to make one's self a guide to Scripture.

Others again there are who are habitual readers of the Bible, and perhaps of little else; but who yet cannot properly be said to study anything at all on the subject of religion; because, as was observed just above, they do not even attempt to exercise their mind on the subject, but trust to be sufficiently enlightened and guided by the mere act of perusal, while their minds remain in a passive state. And some, I believe, proceed thus, on principle; considering that they are the better recipients of revealed truth the less they exercise their own reason.

But this is to proceed on a totally mistaken view of the real province of Reason. It would indeed be a great error to attempt substituting for Revelation, conjectures framed in our own mind, or to speculate on matters concerning which we have an imperfect knowledge imparted to us by Revelation, and could have had, without it, none at all. But this would be, not to use, but to abuse, our rational faculties. By the use of our senses, which are as much the gift of the

Creator as anything else we enjoy and by employing our reason on the objects around us, we can obtain a certain amount of valuable knowledge. And beyond this, there are certain other points of knowledge unattainable by these faculties, and which God has thought fit to impart to us by his inspired messengers. But both the Volumes-that of Nature, and that of Revelation-which He has thought good to lay before us, are to be carefully studied. On both of them we must diligently employ the faculties with which He, the Author of both, has endued us, if we would derive the full benefit from his gifts.

The Telescope, we know, brings within the sphere of our vision much that would be undiscernible by the naked eye: but we must not the less employ our eyes in making use of it; and we must watch and calculate the motions, and reason on the appearances, of the heavenly bodies which are visible only through the telescope, with the same care we employ in respect of those seen by the naked eye.

And an analogous procedure is requisite if we would derive the intended benefit from the pages

of inspiration; which were designed not to save us the trouble of inquiring and reflecting, but to enable us, on some points, to inquire and reflect to better purpose ;-not to supersede the use of our reason, but to supply its deficiencies."

On those points above alluded to, I cannot but think that a moderate degree of thoughtful study of Scripture,-not taken at random, in detached passages, as if we were consulting the "Sortes Biblicæ," but examined in the same way in which we endeavour to get at the true sense of any author on a subject which we are really anxious to understand,-will enable us, through divine help, to escape those perplexities and errors into which many have fallen.

§ 2. To begin then with our Lord's own declaration respecting the self-denial required of his followers: we find that, at a time when great multitudes were crowding after Him, in eager expectation of the speedy commencement of the Kingdom of Heaven, "having called the people unto Him, with his disciples also, He said unto

I have treated more fully on this point in Essay iii. § 5, Fourth Series.