THERE are two widely different methods of interpreting the language of the Sacred Scriptures. The one almost universally prevalent in the Christian world, the merely literal method of interpretation, assumes that there are no other and higher truths in the Divine Word than those which are expressed in its natural language, or in the mere letter. The other proclaims that the whole Word is written in a symbolic language, called correspondences; and that it contains, within and above the letter, an interior sense which is entirely distinct from the literal sense, which internal sense treats not at all of natural things, but everywhere of spiritual and Divine things. That for the most part the literal sense is true also, yet that there are portions of the Word which cannot at all be interpreted literally.

They who hold to the merely literal interpretation of the Word, are compelled also to admit that there are certain portions in which the language is highly figurative, and which have what is called a figurative There is, however, a very wide distinction between this figurative sense and the spiritual sense revealed through an understanding of the language of correspondences. In what is called figurative language the idea which is expressed is a literal idea, not expressed in a

sense.

"Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."-Matt. xvii. 19, 20.

NO. XXXIII.-VOL. III.

25

direct way, but by some obvious image, or figure of speech. But the language of correspondence is such that it contains spiritual, and even Divine ideas within it, entirely distinct from, and above what is expressed by the letter, whether that be direct or figurative. Even where the language is figurative, this spiritual and Divine sense is still above even the natural truths which the figure conveys.

Only a portion of the Word is figurative, as that term is commonly used, and understood, but the whole Word, as to every least expression, is correspondential. That is, it has everywhere a spiritual sense, distinct from and above the letter.

The language of correspondences is also fixed and determinate in its signification. It leaves nothing to individual fancy or conjecture. But figurative language is uncertain. Hence it is that different commentators, among those who deny the spiritual sense of the Scriptures, widely disagree in their interpretation of what they regard as the figurative portions of the Divine Word. Having no fixed and definite rule of guidance, each one interprets the figure according to his own fancy, or conceit.

There are several important reasons why this passage cannot, with any satisfaction to the rational mind, be interpreted literally. In the first place, it promises to man the quality of omnipotence,-"nothing shall be impossible unto you," and is thus opposed to the general tenor of the Scriptures, which imply, if they do not directly teach, that omnipotence is a quality which belongs only to the Divine Being. Secondly, it is opposed to the laws of Divine order as everywhere displayed, and is thus irrational. In the third place, it is opposed to fact. The power here promised is not possessed by those who have faith. In the whole history of the Christian Church, there is no record that the power to remove mountains was ever possessed. No such power was exercised by the apostles themselves. It is not an accompaniment, or an effect of faith now. There is no evidence that it ever was so. But we need not dwell upon these things, for they are obvious to every thinking mind, and, as we have before remarked,-in view of the direct and positive character of the declaration,—they form the very ground of the difficulty involved in this passage. To the spiritual sense, then, let us direct our attention.

The first point of our inquiry must be as to the nature and quality of true faith, which is the faith here spoken of; and then we shall be better able to understand and appreciate its power and effects. The faith of which the Lord here speaks is a living faith. It is not a mere belief. True faith is truth grounded in the affections of the will.

genuine love of truth, therefore, is the ground of all true faith. Not a merely intellectual love of truth, or a love of truth for the sake of being wise, or intelligent, or of being so esteemed by our fellow-men. It is a love of truth for the sake of goodness of life, to which it leads. It is primarily love to the Lord, as the source of all goodness, and all truth. It is love to the Lord not merely as a person-an infinitely glorious Divine Man-but especially a love of the qualities of His character. The primary quality of His character is love. "God is Love," says the apostle. His infinite love is constantly exercised and manifested in the creation and sustentation of the universe, and it is an unselfish love. It is constantly and infinitely exercised toward others out of Himself. "The eyes of all wait upon thee," says the Psalmist, "and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing." Now, if we truly desire to love the Lord, which is the first essential of a true and living faith-that is, to love the qualities of His divine character,-we must seek finitely to imitate His love, by cultivating a love of similar quality in ourselves. We are, every one of us, placed, by a gracious Providence, in a noble field for the cultivation and exercise of such a love. We are placed in a community of frail and dependent creatures like ourselves, whom we often feel inclined to treat harshly and condemn-if not to hate-because they manifest just such evils as we know-or ought to knowthat we have in ourselves. But as the Lord Himself desired good even to His enemies, and prayed for them, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,"-as "the Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works," so He commands us, "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." It is-and it ought to be so regarded-the greatest blessing to us that we are placed in circumstances where this divine virtue of forgiveness has such abundant opportunity for its exercise. Let us remember that if none ever offended against us we should have no opportunity to forgive. It may not perhaps be unprofitable for us to consider that we are thus in a position finitely analogous to that in which the Divine love itself stands in relation to our evils and infirmities. How forcibly are we reminded of this in the Divine admonition, "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men

their trepasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." But not only does love to the Lord, as the only ground of true faith, require that we live in the exercise of the spirit of forgiveness, it requires that we strive to live in a state of constant thoughtfulness, and active endeavour, to be useful to, and to promote the real happiness of others, out of ourselves, and apart from any selfish consideration. In this we shall most truly and effectively cultivate a real affection for that quality of the Divine love which created a universe, is probably still creating, and which sustains it, in order to bestow happiness upon it, and endow it perpetually with His Divine blessing. There is no other way in which love to the Lord manifests itself, but in charity to the neighbour. Love to others, or charity to the neighbour, is the very form of Divine love in the mind of man. How appropriately then did the Lord de clare, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me;"-and, "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."

As love to the Lord is the essential ground of a true and living faith, so the doctrine of the Lord, or the truths of the Word which teach us the nature of His character and attributes, are the highest and most important truths of faith. Since we cannot love, and can have no faith in a Being whom we do not acknowledge, a devout and reverent acknowledgment of the Lord, is indispensable to a true faith. As also the love, which is the ground of faith, is a love of the qualities of the Divine character, it is of the highest importance that we gain a just and true conception of His character, that in these highest truths of faith we guard against error,-lest we cultivate a love for, and fix our faith in qualities which are not His, but abhorrent to the infinite holiness of His Divine character. Subordinate truths of faith are those which dis play to us the hereditary vileness of our nature, which point out to us the particular evils of our own character, and instruct us how we may successfully combat against them, and overcome them. Also those truths which teach us our duty to God, and our duty to our neighbour, both in general, and, in the particular relation in which we stand. If these truths be sought after, and loved and practised, and applied for the sake of our spiritual purification, for the goodness of life to which they lead, then they become truths of faith. When we begin thus to receive truth into our affections, to unite truth with love, it is the first implantation of faith in our minds-we have "faith as a grain of mustard-seed." This is the beginning of the kingdom of heaven within us. "The kingdom of heaven," says our Saviour, "is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: which in

deed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the fowls of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof." This growth of the kingdom of heaven, is the gradual increase of this living faith within us, until it takes final full possession of our regenerated minds. As we go on, from day to day, to receive and to practise the truths of the Divine Word, which are the truths of faith, our faith will daily increase. And it is only by such a life that our faith can be increased. It is important that we bear distinctly and indelibly upon our minds the impres sion that a living faith is an active, working faith, not a mere intellectual belief,—and that its chiefest, heaviest work, is in the reformation and regeneration of our own corrupt and evil minds. It is for this reason that the kingdom of heaven is likened by our Saviour to "leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." No other faith, no merely intellectual faith, no mere profession of faith, can save. "What doth it profit, my brethren," says the apostle, "though a man saith he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? . . . . Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead ?"

As faith is truth grounded in love, it is plain that false doctrine cannot become true faith. Hence although mere belief in true doctrine is not faith, and therefore does not save, yet the acknowledgment and reception of true doctrine is necessary to faith, and it cannot exist without it. Faith, or divine truth received into the affections, and made the rule of daily life, begets humility, thankfulness, abiding trust and confidence in the providence of our heavenly Father, and is the parent, indeed, of all Christian graces. It is such a belief and confidence in the truths of the Divine Word, and the promises and encouragements there held out to us, as can only come from actually living and practising those truths. This is the faith which in its small beginnings is "as a grain of mustard-seed," yet its efficacy is such, that he who is principled in it is able to say to this mountain, "Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto him."

We come now to consider what are the mountains which are removed by faith. They are not physical mountains. No man, in the free exercise of his rational faculties, can entertain the thought for a moment, that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, of which the text speaks, will enable a man, by a word of his mouth, to move an earthly mountain from its base. The Lord spoke on this, as on every other occasion, in symbolic language that is, in correspondences. Hence it is written, "Without