ters.

We find, from heathen writers, who were strangers to the Jewish religion, that the most ancient tradition of all nations, respecting the early history of the world, is exactly agreeable to the relation of Moses, though expressed in a more abstruse, doubtful and imperfect manner. The description of the origin of the world, in the ancient Phenician history, translated by Philo Biblius from Sanchoniathon's collection, and transmitted to us by Eusebius, is materially the same, with that which is recorded in the Book of Genesis, when separated from the fabulous notions with which it is blended. The Egyptians, according to Laertius, acknowledged, "that originally the world was a confused chaos, from whence the four elements were separated, and living creatures made; and that the world had a beginning, and consequently would have an end." Hesiod, the most ancient writer whose works have reached us, says, that "all things had their origin from a rude chaos ;" and Ovid, in the first book of his "Metamorphoses," tells us, "that before the seas, and the land, and the canopy of heaven existed, there was one appearance throughout the whole of nature, which they called chaos-a rude and indigested mass, in which earth and air, fire and water were in discriminately mixed." In short, Thales, Anaxagoras, Aratus, Virgil and Homer, speak of the original of all things, comformable to the account given by Moses, though in a different phraseology; and we learn from Josephus, Philo, Tibullus, Clemens Alexandrinus, and Lucian, that the memory of the six days work was preserved, not only among the Greeks and Italians, by honouring the seventh day, but also among the Celta and Indians, who all measured their time by weeks.-Manetho, who wrote the history of the Egyptians, Berosus, who wrote the Chaldean history, Hierom, who wrote the history of Phenicia, and Hecatæus, Hillanicus and Ephorus, who wrote the history of Greece, all agree in asserting, " that those who descended from the first men, in the first ages of the world, lived many of them nearly a thousand years."

With regard to the deluge, we find most of the Greek and Roman writers, Ovid, Lucian. Berosus the Chaldean, Abydenus the Assyrian, and many others referring to that great event, and detailing the particular circumstances connected with it, in language nearly similar to that of the Sacred historian; such as, the preservation of Noah, the ark in which he was preserved, the mountain on which it rested, the dove and the raven which he is said to have sent out, and the wickedness of the Antediluvians, as the cause of that dismal catastrophe. We find, also, that the whole mythology of India is full of allusions to the general deluge, which appears to be the commencement of their present era; and that accounts of the same event are to be met with in China and Japan.*

An acquaintance with ancient history is necessary for enabling us to fill up the blanks left by the Sacred historians. From the time of Ezra and Nehemiah to the birth of Christ, there is an interval of about four hundred and fifty years, of the events which happened during which we have no account in any part of the inspired writings. A knowledge of the events which happened during this interval is necessary, in order to complete our views of the scheme of Divine Providence, and to unfold to us the series of God's dispensations in relation both to the Jews and the surrounding nations. During this period, too, many of the predictions of Daniel and the other prophets received their accomplishment,particularly those which relate to the Medes and Persians, the Macedonian empire, the times of Alexander the Great, Ptolemy Philadelphus, Antiochus Epiphanes, Philip of Macedon, and the persecutions in the days of the Maccabees. In order, therefore, to obtain a clear and comprehensive view of the ways of Providence during this interval, such works as Shuckford's "Connexion of Sacred and Profane History," and Prideaux's "Connexions of the Old and New Testament," require to be studied with care, in many parts of which will be seen a running commentary on Daniel's vision of the "Ram and He-Goat," and of "the things noted in the Scripture of truth," which have a reference, among other things, to the kings of Persia, to Alexander and his successors, and the warlike expeditions in which they were engaged. For an elucidation of the general train of events from the Mosaic creation to the establishment of Christianity, "Stackhouse's History of the Bible," in six volumes 8vo, or in three volumes 4to, with the additional notes and dissertations of Bishop Gleig, will be found an invaluable treasure, and will amply repay the reader who gives it a diligent perusal.f

• See Maurice's "Indian Antiquities," and Bryant's System of Mythology."

In Bishop Glelg's edition of Stackhouse's History, a long and useful dissertation, entitled, "An Appa

3. A knowledge of the manners and customs, climate and seasons, arts and sciences of the Eastern nations, is essentially requisite, in many instances, in order to understand the allusions of the sacred writers, and the meaning of various portions of Scripture. For example, when an untutored reader peruses the account given in the Evangelists of the cure of the paralytic who was carried by four men on a bed, and who, finding it impossible to pass through the throng, ascended to the top of the house in which Jesus was, and let him down bed and all, "through the tiling," into the very room where he was sitting he is apt to entertain a very confused and erroneous idea of the circumstances of the case, when his attention is directed solely to the mode of building in this country. But, when he is informed, that the houses in the country of Judea were low-built and flat-roofed, and surrounded with a parapet breast-high, that there was a ladder or pair of stairs which led to the top of the house from the outside, and a trap-door or hatchway in the middle of the roof-he will soon acquire a clear idea of the circumstances stated in this and other parts of the Evangelical history, and of the ease with which the paralytic man might be conveyed to the top of the building and let down through the roof. The same facts likewise illustrate the circumstance of Peter's going to the top of the house to pray, and the custom of making proclamations from the house-tops, to which there are several allusions in Scripture. A knowledge of the weather and seasons of Judea, is frequently of use to illustrate the force of certain expressions of the sacred writers. It may seem to us nothing extraordinary that there should be "thunder and rain in harvest," or in the months of June and July, when Samuel said, "Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain."* But Jerome, who lived in Judea many years, says, it never rained there at that season; so that the thunder and rain which happened at the intercession of Samuel were truly miraculous, and as such," the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel."-Again, in Luke xii. 55, it is said, "When ye see the south wind blow, ye say there will be heat, and it cometh to pass." In our climate, where the south wind seldom blows, this may not be always the case. But in Syria, Egypt, Judea and the adjacent countries, the effect here mentioned is striking and

ratus to the History of the Bible," has been left out, without any reason being assigned for the omission. In other respects the original work appears to be complete. Bishop Gleig's improvements consist chiefly in bringing forward the discoveries of modern science for the purpose of elucidating certain Scriptural facts, and repelling the objections of infidelsand in various dissertations on some of the leading doctrines and historical facts of revelation, which form valuable additions to the original work of Yckhouse. See also Horne's Introduction, &c. am. xii. 17.

uniform. When the south wind begins to blow, the sky becomes dark and heavy, the air grew and thick, and the whole atmosphere assumes a most alarming aspect. The heat produced by these southern winds has been compared to that of a huge oven, at the moment of drawing out the bread, and to that of a flame blown upon the face of a person standing near the fire that excites it.

Thousands of illustrations of Sacred Scripture may be derived from such sources; and he who is unacquainted with them must remain a stranger to the beauties of the style of the inspired writers, and to the precise meaning of many portions both of the historical and the prophetical writings. The manners and customs of the Eastern nations have remained nearly the same for several thousand years; so that those which are found existing in the present day are exactly, or nearly the same, as those which prevailed in the times when the books of the Old and New Testaments were written. Modern oriental travellers, in their descriptions of the arts, sciences and manners of the East, have furnished us with a mass of invaluable materials for the elucidation of holy writ, and they have proved, in many cases, unintentionally, better commentators than the most profound critics and philologists. Many of their insulated remarks of this kind have lately been classified and arranged by various writers, particularly by Harmer, in his " Observations," Burder in his "Oriental Customs," Paxton in his "Illustrations," and Taylor, the late learned editor of the new editions of Calmet's Dictionary, in his Fragmenta, appended to that work, which contains an immense number of such observations, illustrated with a great variety of engravings.

4. An acquaintance with Ancient Geography, especially that part of it which relates to the Eastern countries, would enable a person to peruse many portions of Scripture with much greater interest and intelligence, than if he were altogether ignorant of this branch of knowledge. In the history of the Old Testament, and in the Prophetical writings, there are frequent references and allusions to Mesopotamia, Idumea, Egypt, Assyria, Chaldea, Arabia, Ethiopia, Lybia Parthia, Scythia, Persia, and other countriesto the cities of Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, Damascus, Tadmor, Tyre, Sidon, &c.-to the great Sea, or the Mediterranean, the Dead Sea, the Sea of Tiberias, the Red Sea-the isles of Chittim, Cyprus, Crete, Melita-the rivers Jor dan, Kishon, Jabbok, Euphrates, Hiddekel, Pi son, Ulai, Abana, Pharpar, &c.-Now, a knowledge of the positions of such places with respect to the country of Judea, their relative situations with regard to each other, and of the outlines of their history, and of the warlike achievements and commerce of their inhabitants-is frequent. ly necessary, in order to attain a clear and com

prehensive view of the passages in which there are allusions to such localities.-In reading the Evangelists, it is highly expedient to know, for example, the position of Samaria, Galilee, the lake of Gennesareth, and the river Jordan, with respect to that portion of the Holy Land, denominated Judea the situations of Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jericho, Nain, Sychar, Bethsaida, Cana, Tyre and Sidon, with respect to Jerusalem, and their respective distances from that metroplis and the characteristics of the inhabitants of these places; for, upon a knowledge of such circumstances, our perception of the beauty and appropriateness of our Saviour's discourses, and of the propriety of his actions, will, in a great measure, depend. In reading the history of the journeyings of the Apostles, it is no less expedient that we have lying before us maps of Asia Minor, of Ancient Greece, of Palestine, of the Eastern parts ef Africa, and of the islands of the Mediterranean, and that we have some accquaintance with the history and character of the tribes which inhabited these countries in the days of the Apostles. Without such knowledge and assistances, we must, in many instances, read their narratives without ideas and shall be unable to appreciate their labours, the long journeys they undertook, the fatigues they endured, the dangers to which they were exposed by sea and land, and the allu sions made to such circumstances in the Apostolic Epistles.*

5. An acquaintance with the facts of Natural History and Science, and with the general phenomena of Nature, would tend to throw a light on many passages of Scripture, and would enable persons to perceive a beauty and an emphasis in certain expressions, which they would otherwise De apt to overlook. For example, in the beginning of the hundred and thirty-fifth psalm, the servants of God are exhorted to "praise the name of Jehovah ;" and in the sequel of the Psalin various reasons are assigned why we should engage in this exercise. One of these reasons is, that "He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth." Many persons who read or who may sing this portion of sacred poetry, would be apt to overlook the circumstance now stated as an argument of very inferior importance. But if we examine the subject attentively, we shall find, that this physical operation of the Almighty is not only very wonderful in its nature, but that upon it most of our comforts, and even our very existence, depend. Evaporation is a process by which water and other liquids are converted into vapour. The matter of heat, combining with water, renders it specifically lighter, by which

• The student of ancient geography will be assisted in his researches by a perusal of Wells' "Set of Maps of Ancient Geography," twenty-three in numher-and Wells' "Sacred Geography," modernized by the Editor of Calmet's Dictionary, which is one of the most accurate and complete works of the kin

means it rises and mixes with the atmosphere. where it remains either invisible, or assumes the appearance of clouds. In this state it occupies a space fourteen hundred times greater than in its ordinary liquid state, and consequently is much lighter than the atmospheric air into which it rises. It has been calculated, that, from an acre of ground, during twelve hours of a summer's day, more than 1600 gallons of water have been drawn up into the air in the form of vapour. From the whole surface of the ocean there arise, every twelve hours, no less than 30,320,500 000 000 or more than thirty millions of millions of cubic feet of water, which is more than sufficient to supply all the rivers that intersect the four quarters of the globe. This immense body of vapour is formed into clouds, which are carried by the winds over every part of the continents; and, by a process with which we are still unacquainted, is again condensed into rain, snow or dews, which water and fertilize the earth. Now, if this wonderful and extensive process of nature were to cease we might wash our clothes, but centuries would not dry them, for it is evaporation alone that produces this effect-there would be no rains nor dews to fertilize our fields, and the consequence would be, the earth would be parched, and the vegetable productions which afford us subsistence would wither and decay,-the rivers would swell the ocean, and cause it to overflow a portion of the land, while, at the same time, their sources would soon be completely exhausted, and their channeis dried up. In such a state of things, the whole system of terrestrial nature would be deranged, and man, and all the other tribes of animated nature-deprived of those comforts which are essential to their existencewould, in a short time, perish from the earth. So that it forms a powerful and impressive motive to excite us to praise the name of Jehovah, when we call to remembrance, that it is He "who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth," and thus preserves the harmony of nature, and secures to all living creatures the blessings they now enjoy.

Again, we are informed by Solomon, (Eccles. i. 7.) that "all the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again." It appears, at first sight, somewhat unaccountable, that the ocean has not long ere now overflown all its banks, when we consider that so many majestic streams are incessantly rolling into its abyss, carrying along with them into its caverns no less than thirteen thousand six hundred cubical miles of water every year. Solomon partly solves the difficulty, by inforining us, that, "to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return again." But how do they return? Many expositers of Scripture attempt to explain this circumstance, by telling us that the waters of the ocean percolate through the earth, and in some

way or another, arrive near the tops of mountains, where springs generally abound. But such a supposition is not only highly improbable, when we consider the vast mass of earth and rocks, several hundreds of miles in thickness, through which the waters would have to percolate, but directly contrary to the known laws of nature; for no fluid can rise in a tube above the level of its source, which in this case it behoved to do. Modern experiments and discoveries, however, have satisfactorily accounted for this fact, on the principle of evaporation, to which I have just now adverted. From the surface of the ocean and of the rivers themselves, there is carried up into the atmosphere, in the form of vapeur, nearly three times the quantity of water sufficient to replenish the sources of all the rivers in the world. The vapour thus raised is carried by the winds, in the form of clouds, over every region of the globe, and falls down in rains to carry on the various processes of nature. One part falls into the sea, another on the lowlands, and the remaining part is sufficient to replenish the sources of all the rivers. So that the assertion of Solomon is strictly and philosophically correct, that " to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return again." They first fall into the ocean; a portion of their waters is then raised by evaporation into the atmosphere; this portion of vapour, after traversing the regions of the air, falls down in rain, mists, and dews, and supplies the numerous springs" which run among the hills."

Such illustrations, which might be indefinitely extended, not only throw a light on the meaning of the sacred writers, but tend likewise to show the harmony that subsists between the discoveries of science and the truths of revelation. As the Author of Christianity and the Author of the system of nature is one and the same Being, there must exist a harmonious correspondence between truth in the one, and fact in the other; and the more they are studied with intelligence, and in connexion with each other, the more will their harmony be apparent.

It is a circumstance that has frequently forced itself upon my attention, that whatever scene of nature we contemplate, and however brilliant and unexpected the discoveries which modern science has brought to light, however far they have carried our views into the wonders of the minute parts of creation, and into the immeasurable regions of space, where myriads of suns are lighted up, and however much the mind may be lost in astonishment and wonder, at the magnificent scenes which they disclose, we shall find sentiments and expressions in Scripture adequate to express every emotion of the soul when engaged in such contemplations.-Are we contemplating the expanse of the ocean, and the vast mass of waters which fill its mighty caverns? and do we wish to raise our thoughts in adoration of the power of that Almighty Being who formed it

by his word? We are presented by the inspires penmen with expressions in which to vent our emotions. "He holds its waters in the hollow of his hand; he taketh up its isles as a very little thing." "He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a mass; he layeth up the depth as in storehouses." "He divideth the sea by his power; he hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end." "Thou coveredst the earth with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains:* At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. Thou hast set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they turn not again to cover the earth." "He hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it." He hath said to its rolling billows, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed."—Are we spectators of storms and tempests, especially in the terrific grandeur they display in southern climes? Our emotions will be expressed with the greatest emphasis in the language of inspiration, in which we are uniformly directed to view the agency of God in such phenomena. "Clouds and darkness are round about him: He hath his way in the whirlwind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet." "When he uttereth his voice, there is a sound of waters in the heavens; he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the winds out of his treasuries." "The God of glory thundereth; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty; the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon." "Who can stand before his indignation? The mountains quake before him, the hills melt, and rocks are shivered at his presence."

Again, when we contemplate the immense number and variety of animated beings which glide through the waters, move along the earth, and wing their flight through the air; together with the ample provision which is made for their accommodation and subsistence,-where can we find language more appropiate to express our feelings than in these words of the Psalmist ? "How manifold are thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast thou nade them all; the earth is full of thy riches; so is the great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. These all wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. Thou givest them,-they ga ther; thou openest thine hand,-they are filled with good."-When we survey the structure of

• Referring to the elage

he human frame, and consider the vast number of hones, muscles, veins, arteries, lacteals, lymphatics, and other parts, all curiously combined, and calculated to facilitate every motion of our bodies, and to produce sensitive enjoyment,along with the organs of sense, the process of respiration, and the circulation of the blood through the whole frame every four minutes,can we refrain from adopting the expressive language of the Psalmist? I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made! marvellous are thy works. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought,”- or variegated like needlework," in my mother's womb.* Thine eyes did see my substance when it was yet imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. How precious are thy thoughts (or, thy wonderful contrivances) concerning me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand." To which may be added the words of Job, "Thine hands have made and fashioned me; thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews; and thy visitation preserveth my spirit."-When we contemplate the minute wonders of creation, and are struck with astonishment at the inconceivable smallness of certain animated beings,-how can we more appropriately express our feelings than in the language of Scripture," He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working; his wisdom is unsearchable, his understanding is infinite; marvellous things doth he which we cannot comprehend. There is none like unto thee, O Lord, neither are there any works like unto thy works. Thou

In our translation, the beauty and emphasis of this passage are partly lost. The expression," curiously wrought," literally translated, signifies "flowered with a needle." The process of the formation

art great, and dost wondrous things; theu art God alone."

When we contemplate the amazing structure of the heavens-the magnitude of the bodies which compose the planetary system, and the numerous orbs which adorn the nocturnal sky-when we penetrate with the telescope into the more distant regions of space, and behold ten thousand times ten thousand more of these bright luminaries rising to view from every region of the firmament-when we consider that each of these twinkling luminaries is a sun, equal or superior to our own in size and in splendour, and surrounded with a system of revolving worlds-when we reflect, that all this vast assemblage of suns and worlds, forms, in all probability, but a very small portion of Jehovah's empire, and when our minds are bewildered and astonished at the incomprehensible grandeur of the scene-where shall we find language to express our emotions more energetic and appropriate than in such passages as these?"Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? He is glorious in power, his understanding is infinite, his greatness is unsearchable. The heavens declare the glory of Jehovah, and the firmanent showeth his handy-work. All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him as less than nothing and vanity. He meteth out the heavens with a span, and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure. hold! the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth. He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. He doth great things past finding out, and wonders without number. Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty! Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out; he is excellent in power, and his glory is above the earth and the heavens. Who can utter the

Be

in a piece of delicate work wrought with a fine neelie, or fashioned with peculiar art in the loom; which, with all its beaut ful proportion of figure and variety of colouring, rises by degrees to perfection under the hand of the artist, from a rude mass of silk or other materials, and according to a pattern lying before him. In accordance with this idea, the Divine Being is here represented as working a shapeless mass, after a plan delineated in his book, into the most curious texture of muscles, bones, veins, ligaments, membrares, lymphatics, &c. most skilfully interwoven and connected with each other, till it becomes a structure with all the parts, lineaments, and functions of a man.-no one of which is to be seen at first, any more than the figures in a ball of silk, before it is fashioned with the needle. The wonders of this workmanship are farther enhancel from the consideration, that, while human artificers require the clearest light for accomplishing their work, the Divine Artist performs it "in secret," within the dark and narrow recess of the womb. The expression, "How precious are thy houghts to me," should he rendered, "How precious are thy contrivances respecting me," namely, in reference to the exquisite structure and organalation of the corporeal frame, on which the Psalmist a fixed his meditations.

forth all his praise ?"

Are we led, from the discoveries of modern astronomy, to infer, that numerous worlds besides our own exist throughout the universe? This idea will be found embodied in numerous passages of Scripture, such as the following;"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." "In these last days he hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." "Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their rust, and thou preservest them all, and the host of heaven worshippeth thee." "He sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers. All the innabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing in his sight. The nations are as the drop of a bucket; and he doth according to his will in the armies of heaven,”