THE

VOL. II.]

BIBLIACA, NO.

[No. XII.

IV.-INVESTIGATION

OF THE USUS LOQUENDI OF SCRIP'TURE RELATIVE TO SPIRITUAL CREATION.

WE are aware that some of the canons of Biblical criticism promulgated at the present day would require us to exercise the nicest caution in affixing a spiritual or secondary sense to any word or sentence in the inspired writings. With all due respect however to the just laws of interpretation, we cannot bring ourselves to submit to the frigid code abovementioned,or to believe that Rational scholiasts, or infidel annotators, however useful they may occasionally be in eliciting the import of Hebrew or Greek terms-and many of them certainly have shown too much rank hostility to the truth, not to be made subservient to its advancement in some way-are the proper persons to lay down the rules of sacred hermeneutics. We shall presume therefore to enter upon the following exercitation by taking for granted the fact of a spiritual sense; and that not merely in passages which are elsewhere expressly interpreted by inspired writers in such a sense, but in numberless others, both in the Old Testament and in the New.

We shall take it for granted that the books of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, contain many things which are strictly typical in their nature and design; as for instance, VOL. II.-No. XII.

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that the ancient nation of Israel, or "Israel after the flesh," was, and was designed to be, a type of " Israel after the Spirit," or the true people of God under the Gospel dispensation, and consequently that in many cases the language which is originally predicated of the former, is more fully and emphatically true of the latter. the latter. And so of other things. It no doubt requires a sound discretion to the determination of the interior senses of Scripture, but that there are such senses, and that they may be ascertained without the danger of running into licentious, visionary, or absurd constructions, we see no more reason to doubt, than that the Bible is adapted to every stage of religious attainment, or that the very same passage which contains milk for children, affords strong meat for grown men.

Our present design is to investigate the import of one or two scriptural expressions relative to the work of spiritual creation; and this we design to do by an induction of several examples forming a connected chain of elucidation, which we trust will not be without its interest, though it may possibly subject the writer to the imputation of leaning much more strongly to the school of Coccius than to that of Grotius-an obliquity to which he readily pleads guilty. But however this may be, he is persuaded the millenium of theology will have arrived when the true

meaning of God's word is ascertained, not through the medium of metaphysics, creeds, or lexicons, but by the true inductive method, and making the usus loquendi the grand master-key to unlock the doctrines, precepts and prophecies of the scriptures. The Hebrew tongue has several different terms which are usually employed to express the act of creation, formation, or production, without distinctly implying whether the creation be from pre-existent matter or not. This must be gathered from the context. These terms are

commonly, though ; עשה and, יצר,ברא

་་

not uniformly, rendered in the Greek version of the LXX. by κτίζω, πλαζω, and ποιέω ; of which, χτιζω, and its derivates κτίσις and κτισμα, occur by far the most frequently in the New Testament. That the most simple, natural, and original application of these terms in both languages, is to express material creation, or formation, is unquestionable; at the same time, as we have no means of attaining just conceptions of spiritual objects or operations, but through the medium of language primarily adapted to things sensible and material, these terms are made use of in the sacred writings to represent that new creation or moral renovation which is wrought by the Spirit of God in the souls of his people. And though the general idea of this fact is familiar to all who are conversant with the Bible, it will probably be found that a somewhat close and particular analysis of the subject will cast the light of a satisfactory solution upon several dark and difficult pas

xrov) in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.

Ps. cii. 18. This shall be written

for the generation to come, and THE

PEOPLE WHICH SHALL BE CREATED

(y-Gr.λaos ó xcı(oμevos) shall

praise the Lord. Compare with this

Ps. xxii. 31. They shall declare his righteousness to a NATION THAT SHALL BE BORN. (Gr.

λαῳ τα τεχθησομένῳ)

Is. xliii. 7. I will say to the north give up; and to the south, keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by my name, for I have CREATED HIM (1872-Gr. xaradxevada autov)

όν περιποιησαμην) for myself; they shall show forth my praise.

Observe now the parallel language of the New Testament.

1 Pet. ii. 9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a ho ly nation, a peculiar people, (haos sis repromow) that ye should show forth the praises, &c.

Eph. ii. 10. For we are his woRK

MANSHIP, (Tomα) CREATED (XTIσÕEV7ɛ5) in Christ Jesus unto good works. Chap. iv. 24. That ye put on the new man (xaivov avôpwov) which after God is CREATED (xriddevlα) in righteousness and true holiness.

2 Cor. v. 17. Wherefore if any man is in Christ he is a NEW CREAΤΙΟΝ (κτίσις καινη.)

Gal. vi. 15. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a NEW CREATION (καινη κτίσις.)

The above cited passages clearly bring to our view a people of divine extraction, a holy seed, upon whom a supernatural renovation has passed, and towards whom, consequently, the Most High sustains the relation of CREATOR, in a different sense from what he does towards the rest of human kind. This people, as we have before intimated, were prefigured by his ancient Israel; and so far as the two people are considered in this relation to each other, what is affirmed of the peculiar and supernatural generation of the one, may be regarded as holding equally true of the other. The attributes and predicates of the type, naturally glide into those of the antitype, and vice versa. Accordingly we find the prophet saying,

Is. xliii. 1. Thus saith the Lord that FORMED THEE (IN) O Jacob,

reference to Christ, considered in his all-important relation to this new creation-the spiritual Genesis—are too conspicuous to be passed by without notice. Although the name and nature of God Supreme are in this "one Mediator between God and man," yet the sacred writers frequently labor to establish also with the utmost clearness his community of nature with his redeemed people, and to bring him viewed as man, as near to them as possible in the likeness of their spiritual origin, corresponding graces, related sufferings, similar death unto sin, and kindred resurrection to eternal life and glory. It should not surprise us, therefore, to find in numerous instances the very same expressions applied to Christ and his people—the head and the members-for the Apostle tells us that "both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one." They are mutually assimilated to each other in the whole process of their divine nativity and sanctified life, as far as their distinct natures render such an inter-conformity possible. Of the two following passages we observe, that unless it be granted that the second was designed by the Holy Spirit, in framing the usus loquendi of his word, to contain an express allusion to the first, or an adoption of it as a sufficiently correct, though not literal, version of the original Hebrew, but little stress is to be placed upon it in the present investigation.

Prov. viii. 22. The Lord possesme in the beginning of his

sed (nap)

ways.

Thus rendered by the LXX. Κύριος έκτισε με αρχην οδων αυτού. Our English translators have gratuitously, and we think erroneously, supplied the preposition in, which entirely changes the phasis of the Hebrew reading. The true translation no doubt would be-The Lord possessed me as the beginning of his ways. It may be questioned by the reader, whether this passage, spoken

of Wisdom, or indeed the whole chapter, has any reference whatever to Christ. We answer, that we leave it to him to judge whether the inspired penman of the Apocalypse, intended an allusion to this passage in the following. For ourselves we think he did.

Rev. iii. 14. These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF GOD (apyn Ins XTIσEWS Tou Osov. Compare this with

Col. i. 15-17. Who is the image of the invisible God, the FIRST-BORN OF THE WHOLE CREATION (PWToroxos Taons XTIσEWS) for by him (rather in connection with him) were all things created (EV AUTW EXTICON ra Tavra) that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers: all things were created (ExTioTai) by him and for him. And he is before all things (po TavTwv) and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, (apxn) the first born from the dead (προτοτοκος εκ των νεκρων) that in all things he might have the preeminence.

We are aware that this is relied on as a proof-text in support of the proper divinity of our Lord, and of his efficient agency in the creation of the material universe; and as we cordially believe the doctrine, we are not prepared to deny that this passage legitimately proves it. At the same time we conceive that this sense of a material creation does not come up to the plenitude of the Apostle's meaning. We strongly question whether the primary and predominant import of the passage has reference to the creation of the visible heavens and earth, and the various orders of intelligences. Without excluding this, we rather apprehend its main bearing is on the new creation-the spiritual economy the μsourav omov (Heb. ii. 5,) of which Immanuel himself forms

the most prominent part, and occupies the highest station; this dispensation being subjected in all its departments to his Mediatorial supremacy. This view of the matter we think is confirmed by the express mention of " the church" in the 18th

verse.

We have alluded to the term oixouevn which occurs in the place already cited, and also in ch. i. 6, of the same Epistle. When he bringeth again the first-begotten into the world (as yoxovμevny) he saith, Let all the angels of God worship him. This we do not understand of the material world-the terraqueous globe-which we inhabit, and into which Jesus was brought at his incarnation, but of the dispensation— age (av)—or economy, upon which the Massiah entered at his resurrection, when he was by the right hand of God exalted, and manifested to be the Son of God with power, and fully advanced to his highest glory as Mediator, being then inaugurated as Lord and Head of his kingdom, and appointed to administer a spiritual dominion over his new created people. With this view of Christ's post, resurrection, dignity, and glory, and with the preceding exposition in our minds, we may perhaps suggest an improved rendering of the final clause of Heb. ix. 11; That is to say, not of this building. We render it literally-not of this CREA'TION, (ου ταυτης της κτίσεως.) We have only to conceive of Christ's having now entered upon a purely spiritual dispensation-which fact forms the key to the whole Epistle to the Hebrews, and in which light alone the Apostle seems determined to know Christ, (2 Cor. v. 16,) an economy in which types, and ceremonies, and holy places, and sacrificial offerings are done away, and the great antitype has come, and having passed into the heavens, has to do with "a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this CREATION :"