to have been drawn up, according to the rules which regulate "the enticing words of man's wisdom, and their "great swelling words of vanity." In the grandest language that displays the threatened judgment or the promised mercy, I doubt not, we shall not fail, when all is fulfilled, to find every where the simplicity of truth: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

The language of prophecy, as of the scriptures in general, is confessedly often figurative, and on some occasions, no doubt, it may require a nice discrimination to point out what is figuratively to be understood and what literally. "Comparing spiritual things with spiritual," should, of course, be the plan pursued, in places where difficulty occurs. I think, however, the remark of Hooker, I hold it for a most infallible rule in expositions of sacred scripture," that, "where the literal construction will stand, that which is farthest from the letter is commonly the worst,"* is worthy of the greatest consideration, in all our attempts to explain the word of God, and especially so in our endeavours to understand the language of unfulfilled prophecy; and here too, from the sense of our partial knowledge, we should hesitate much in drawing our conclusion that the literal construction will not stand."

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This we know, that "the very image" of every "shadow of good things to come," which yet falls upon the Church of Christ, must stand forth before us; every oath and covenant of God, the language of whose promise, if we may so speak, though ofttimes remembered, is not yet exhausted, must be so kept and fulfilled by the God of Truth," that his servants "shall know in all their hearts and in all their souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord their God spake concerning them."+ The complete and ultimate verification not only of every typical prophecy that remains unfulfilled; but the completing and filling up of every typical

* Ecclesiastical Poetry, Book v. 59. + Joshua xiii. 14.

or symbolical fulfilment of prophecy, where any thing has fallen short of the original prediction, all these are the subjects of unaccomplished prophecy-and "one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law" "and the prophets," "till all be fulfilled."

We would, therefore, in humble hope of the blessing of God, availing ourselves of what we have learned from the accomplishment of former prophecies, direct our attention to what remains to be fulfilled, and prepare ourselves to mark the signs in the passing event of our times-and surely they are eventful times!—and with the "word of prophecy" in our hands, we would watch the openings of Providence, as he that changes times and seasons, removeth kings, and setteth up kings," shall be pleased to disclose during the short day of our pilgrimage upon earth. We would obey the command to "watch," and should the Lord delay his coming till our appointed hour is past, our watch will be relieved, by those who shall arise after us. And we, if we "have obtained like precious faith" with them of old, shall depart and be with Christ in spirit," while our bodies sleep in the dust of the earth, till the full time is come: and, with Daniel and all the redeemed out of mankind, "we shall stand in our lot at the last day.”

ADDENDA.

I HAVE thought it expedient in most of the passages of Scripture quoted in this work, to retain the original names applied to the Deity in the sacred volume, conceiving this practice to be always useful, and, on many occasions, of the highest importance.

These names are, principally, five in number, EL, SHADAI, SABAOTH, ELOHIM OF ELOAH, JEHOVAH or Jaн.

1

For my notions respecting the derivations and meanings of these Divine names, I beg leave to refer to a publication on the book of Job, Part I, Sect. 1, and will here only briefly recapitulate what I believe to be the chief idea, respectively denoted in these names of Deity.

1. EL, the OMNIPRESENT, "under the notion of proximity"-"coming close up to every thing." Acts xvii. 27, 28, may therefore be conveniently quoted to express its meaning, where St. Paul declares to the Athenians, "The unknown God," as "not far from every one of us :" "for in him we live, and move, and have our being."

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2. SHADDAI OF SHADAI, the ALMIGHTY,—particularly in this view— "the SUPPLIER OF ALL SUFFICIENCY TO HIS CREATURES. St. Paul's words may serve for an explanation: "not that we are sufficient of ourselves, our sufficiency is of God:" "my God will supply your need :" "God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye always having all-sufficiency in all things, may abound in every good work."

3. SABAOTH (Lord of Hosts) I regard as one of the divine names ; it implies, literally, "the WARRIOR, by way of eminence"-" the mightiest of all who engage in the array of battle." The full manifestation of God in this name, will be, when in "the great day of the battle of Almighty God," one appears with the armies of heaven, as the Avenger and Redeemer, "Who in righteousness doth judge and make war.”

4. ELOHIM OF ELOAH, has given occasion to much disquisition. I would briefly sum up its pregnant meaning. The object or objects of any man's religious trust and worship is, or are, His Elohim; but to us there is but one Elohim,-the Elohim of revelation,-manifested to those who are taught by him, not "as one only person, but as three persons -Father, Son, and Spirit;" yet still one undivided Deity-manifested to those whom he acknowledges as "his people," or "his children,” in a

covenanted relation, as shown in the dispensation or economy of the Christ which dispensation, was from the beginning ordained, and ordered in all things, foreshewn in mystic rites of sacrifice and purification: its gracious benefits moreover were often pledged, and promised, and even confirmed by solemn oaths,—whence many derive the term Elohim, as though he were a sworn God" to the heirs of promise-all that believe in his name. But this covenant, long the hope of the church, was only actually made, " put in force," and carried into execution over the dead body of the crucified Saviour, when God “raised again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant," and gave him to be THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL LIFE TO THEM THAT OBEY HIM"-" God in Christ"-"both God and man," anointed by the Holy Ghost—“ reconciling the world to himself.”

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5. For the term JEHOVAH or JAH, that I may not too much lengthen this note, I refer as above to the new translation and exposition of the book of Job. Jehovah is the only application which is used to form a proper name of the Deity. It denotes, indeed, his self existent, and eternal, unchangeable essence-the Being of all Being; but this, I think, is not all it denotes, further, the essential Godhead as, in its second person, it takes a visible form, and comes into its own creation as personally the image of the invisible Deity, one person of that indivisible Deity sustaining the birth of a creature, "born in the world," come in the flesh :" as was ordered in everlasting covenant, "taking the manhood into God," making that manhood at first, for our sakes, the seat of his great humiliation, then in it being glorified with the glories as of the only begotten Son of the Father, exalted to the right hand of power and majesty on high, seen of angels," and at the day appointed for "the revelation of the Son of man" to come again in the same glorified body; not only-as by virtue of his offices-" Jehovah's Christ," "King of glory," and "Lord of all," but as the only and eternal manifestor of " the fulness of godhead" to all created beings,-IMMANUEL-" God with us."

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I am satisfied that the ineffable name Jehovah was meant to be translated in the Revelation, "who is, and was, and is to come." But, observe, it is not "He who is, and was, and is to be," but "is to come.' And if JAH is any thing else than an abbreviation of Jehovah generally, it denotes" HE THAT IS TO COME," or "HE THAT SHOULD COME."