"It must not be dissembled that there are many real difficulties in the Christian Scriptures; whilst, at the same time, more, I believe, and greater, may justly be imputed to certain maxims of interpretation, which have obtained authority without reason, and are received without inquiry." -DR. PALEY. "It becomes the imperative duty of all who love the truth in Christ to purge it, so far as they can, from the alloy which it may have contracted in the course of ages, through the admixture of human conceits."ARCHDEACON HARE. EXPLAINED BY SCRIPTURE REFERENCES Or, the Bible its own Enterpreter BY THOMAS SPALDING LONDON DALDY, ISBISTER & CO. 56, LUDGATE HILL 1877 PREFACE. THE HE writer of the following Essay has, for nearly sixty years, devoted some portion of every day to the study of the Bible. During this long period his views of the fundamental doctrines it reveals have not been materially altered. The truths which gave him peace when a boy are the sure foundation on which he rests in the near prospect of eternity. The light which beamed on his path, when commencing the journey of life, glows peacefully and with heavenly radiance at its close. On some minor points, however, his views have been considerably modified; difficulties which for many years perplexed him have been removed; principles of interpretation, of which formerly he was ignorant, have been adopted; and he has, by long and attentive study, gained a connected view of the whole subject—an attainment not merely valuable, but |