IX.

SERMON they served the purpose of a designed concealment just as well, as if, in nature, they were. Whence the conclusion is still the same, That the prophetic style might be the cover of impenetrable obscurities in a prophecy, before its completion, and yet the terms of it be clearly explicable on established rules; the event only enabling the expositor more skilfully and properly to apply those rules.

IV. To conclude this subject; It will now be acknowledged, that the suspicions which have been taken up against the prophetic way of writing, as if it were vague, illusory, or unintelligible, are utterly without foundation. The style of the prophets was the known, authorized style of their age and country, in all writings especially, of a sacred or solemn character; and is even yet in use with a great part of mankind. It further appears, that, as it was understood by those to whom it was addressed, so the principles, on which it was formed, are discoverable by many obvious methods, and may be applied, with success, to the interpretation of it, at this day.

The prophetic style is, then, a sober and reasonable mode of expression. But this is not all. We may, even, discern the expe

IX.

diency, I had almost said, the necessity, of SERMON this style, considered as the medium, or vehi cle of prophetic inspiration.

For we have seen, that the scheme of scriptural prophecy extends through all time; and is so contrived as to adumbrate future and! more illustrious events, in preceding and less? important transactions: a circumstance, which shews the harmony and connexion of the whole scheme, and is not imitable, by any human art, or forethought whatsoever. But now a figurative style is so proper to that end, that we scarcely conceive how it could be accomplished by any other. For thus the ex pression conforms, at once, to the type, and' antitype: it is, as it were, a robe of state, for the one; and only, the ordinary, accustomed dress of the other: as we may see from the prophecies, which immediately respect the restoration of the Jews from their ancient captivities, and, ultimately, their final triumphant return from their present dispersion from the prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, which prefigure, at the same time, the day of judgment from those concerning the first coming of Christ, which, also, set forth his reign with the saints on earth, and

VOL. V.

8

SERMON even the glories of his heavenly kingdomand in a multitude of other instances.

IX.

These successive, and so different, schemes of Providence could only be signified together in a mode of language, that contracted, or enlarged itself, as the occasion required. But such is the singular property of a symbolic style. For none but this, hath fold and drapery enough, if I may so speak, to invest the greater subjects; while yet (so complying is the texture of this expression) it readily adapts itself to the less considerable, which it ennobles only, and not disfigures. The difference is, that what is a metaphor in the former case, becomes an hyperbole in the latter. And this double use of the same symbol, is the true account of such figures as are thought most extravagant in the description of the prophets.

"

We see, then, in every view, how reasonable, how expedient, how divine, the symbo lic style is, in such writings as the prophetic. So that if any be disposed, in our days, to take up the complaint of the text, and to upbraid the prophets by asking, Do they not speak Parables? We may now take courage

IX.

to answer, Yes: but parables, which, as dark SERMON as they are accounted to be, may be well understood; and, what is more, parables, which are so expressed, as to carry an evidence in themselves, that they are what they assume to be, of divine inspiration.

SERMON X.

THE STYLE AND METHOD OF

THE APOCALYPSE.

EZEKIEL XX. 49.

They say of me, Doth he not speak
Parables?

SERMON ALL the prophecies of the Old and New

X.

Testament are written in parables; that is, in highly figurative terms; which yet, on examination, have appeared to be explicable on certain fixed and rational grounds of criticism.

So far, therefore, as any prejudice may have been entertained against the prophecies concerning Antichrist, as if the language of them