mountains and rivers, occupy prominent places. To facilitate our
knowledge of these, and prompt reference to any part of them, we
generalize or throw them into groups. Thus we speak familiarly of the
"solar system," the "animal, vegetable or mineral kingdom." Now, just
transfer these systematized objects from the material and physical, to
the moral and spiritual world. Then consider what relation any one
object bears to the system, and what influence it has upon the other
objects of which it is a part, and its import may be generally,
satisfactorily and certainly ascertained. Thus the same canons or rules
which we apply in the interpretation of other writings, will be equally
available in "searching the Scriptures,"--never, never forgetting that
it is the Spirit of Christ that "guides into all truth," or his own
all-comprehensive rule of interpretation, "comparing spiritual things
with spiritual." (1 Cor. ii. 13.)

In order to the right observance of the divinely prescribed rule,
"comparing spiritual things with spiritual," we must often refer to the
prophecies of the Old Testament,--to the second and seventh chapters of
Daniel in particular, because that prophet, while the church was captive
under the power of literal Babylon, was favoured with a discovery of the
purpose of God, that a succession of imperial powers should afterwards
arise to "try the patience and the faith of the saints." As in the case
of Pharaoh, so in the whole history of the rise, reign and overthrow of
succeeding persecuting powers, Jehovah's design was precisely the
same,--"to make his power known, and that his name might be declared
throughout all the earth." (Ex. ix. 16; Rom. ix. 17.) In connexion with
this, he would "glorify the riches of his grace on the vessels of mercy,
which he had afore prepared unto glory," by sustaining them in the
furnace of trial.