the eye. The language of the apostle is only a strong expression of surprise at the departure of the Galatians from the purity of the Gospel. It however reminds us of those practices of the heathens, which are spoken of by various writers. They believe that great mischief might ensue from an evil-eye, or from being regarded with envious and malicious looks. A shepherd in Virgil, says―

Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi facinat agnos.
Some evil eyes bewitch my tender lambs.

Eclog. iii. 1. 103.—Burder's O. C. vol. i. p. 366.

IV. 24, 25, 26. "Which things are an allegory; for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai," &c. Here the Apostle makes an allegorical and spiritual application of the foregoing history of Sarah and Hagar, of Isaac and Ishmael, and the mystery he tells us is this: The two mothers, Sarah and Hagar, are types of the two covenants, the one of Works, the other of Grace: the two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, are a type of two sorts of men living in the church; the one proceeded from the first, the other from the second covenant; the one regenerate, the other unregenerate. All regenerate men are under the covenant of grace and freedom; for every man's freedom depends upon the covenant under which he stands. Ishmael is the son of the bond-woman, and points at the Jerusalem which then was, and the people of the Jews as they then stood affected, seeking justification, and expecting eternal salvation by the works of the law. But now behold in Isaac, a son of the free-woman, an emblem of the gospel church, which dares not depend upon the righteousness of the law for justification, but relies upon the meritorious righteousness of the Mediator: and this points out Jerusalem above, which is free, and the mother of us all.—Ostervald.

The following view or synopsis of the allegory is taken from Valpy's Greek Testament.

V.-7. "Who did hinder you." According to Doddridge, this, in the original, is an Olympic expression, and properly signifies coming across the course, while a person is running in it, in such a manner as to jostle and throw him out of the way. VI.-11.

"Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand." The most probable opinion pertaining to this is, that the Apostle, generally, employed an amanuensis; but this epistle he wrote with his own hand, and may, therefore, be considered a long epistle. Beza renders it quàm longis litteris.

VI.-17. "For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." The Apostle alludes to those brands or marks, which were often used in ascertaining the property of slaves and cattle, marks of relation to their masters; and also on men for punishment. An allusion of the same kind occurs Rev. vi. 3. The Apostle therefore says, that he bears many marks of his relation to the Lord Jesus throughout his whole body, in those many wounds and stripes he had received for his sake.-Valpy's Greek Testament.

I.4.

66

EPHESIANS.

According as he hath chosen us in him," &c. In order to understand the subject of this chapter, the reader will find it necessary to read to the end of the 14th verse which closes the period.-See the remarks on this subject, in other parts of the work, particularly at Romans.

II.-6. "And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." The Apostle may intend here, by the use of the past tense for the future, to import the certainty of the event.

II.-14. "And hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." Within the court of the Gentiles stood the court of the Israelites divided into two parts or courts, the outer one being appropriated to the women, and the inner one to the men. The court of the women was separated from that of the Gentiles by a low stone wall or partition, of elegant construction, on which stood pillars at equal distances, with inscriptions in Greek and Latin, importing that no alien should enter into the holy place.Horne's Introduction, vol. iii. page 230.

IL- -18. "For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father." The word which we render access, properly refers to the custom of introducing persons into the presence of some prince, or of any other greatly their superior, in which case it is necessary they should be ushered in by one appointed for that purpose, to preserve a becoming decorum.—Doddridge.

IV.-8. "He led captivity captive." The abstract, as here, is often used for the concrete, to denote completeness.— See Chap. v. 8. &c.

IV. 22. "That ye put off the old man." The Apostle, here, appears to allude to a practice in theatres, of putting off, or changing the dresses.

V.-16. "Redeeming the time," &c. The Greek word here rendered redeeming is correctly translated by the French, thus: Rachetant le tems, i. e. purchasing, or buying back the time. According to Bp. Middleton, the Apostle exhorts the Ephesians to purchase this time, or opportunity (of gaining over the heathens), by judicious concessions and a virtuous example.

V. 82. "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." The following remarks on the word mystery, extracted from Mr. Horne's Introduction, will tend to shew that the New Testament does not call upon us to believe mysteries without offering any solution. The first or leading meaning of the word is, a secret, something that is hidden, not fully manifest, not published to the world, though perhaps communicated to a select number. 2 Thess. ii. 7. Ephesians iii. 3—9. i. 9. &c.

Another meaning of the word mystery is, a spiritual truth couched under an external representation or similitude, and concealed or hidden thereby, unless some explanation be given. Mark iv. 11. Rev. i. 20. &c.

A third and principal meaning of the word mystery is, some sacred thing, hidden or secret, which is naturally unknown to human reason, and is only known by the revelation of God. 1 Tim. iii. 16. &c. Lastly, the word mystery is used in reference to things or doctrines, which remain wholly, or in part incomprehensible, or above reason, after they are revealed, 1 Cor. xv. 51. &c. &c.-Vol. ii. p. 667.—See more on this subject in Bp. Sherlock's Sermon on Matt. xi. 6. part iii.

VI.-3. "That it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth." Long life is promised to the Jewish nation in Palestine, for it is added, which the Lord giveth thee. Exodus xx. 12.

The Apostle does not add these last words, which the Lord giveth thee; because, writing to others and not to Jews, he applies that promise made to them, as pertaining to all other nations, if their children are brought up in this early moral discipline. And a nation composed of citizens thus educated cannot but flourish. This does not refer to the long life of individuals.—Valpy's Greek Testament.

VI.-13. " And having done all." More correctly, having vanquished, or dispatched all. This verb, says Mr. Horne, frequently signifies-to dispatch a foe, totally to vanquish and subdue an adversary.-Introduction, vol. ii. page 209.

VI.-16. "Fiery darts." This is evidently an allusion to those javelins or arrows, which were sometimes used by the antients in sieges and battles. Arrian mentions firebearing darts, and Thucydides fire-bearing arrows. Livy calls a weapon of this kind a falarica, which he describes as a javelin surrounded at the lower part with combustible matter, which, when it was set on fire, the weapon was darted against the enemy.-See Burder's O. Customs, vol. i. p. 371.