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the scriptural imagery, will | preachers have always taken be more intelligible, more advantage of some such agreeable, and more edify- | analogy, after the manner ing to all sorts of hearers. of the Scripture itself, If this is the method God which gives us the pattern hath been pleased to prefer of all true preaching. for the teaching of man, it must be the best when one man undertakes to teach another.

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We have seen how our Saviour's preaching was in the form of parables how the Apostles in their interpretations of the Old Testament apply it as a figure and shadow of things to come; and how in their exhortations they reason from some parallel case in the ways of nature. And still it will always be found, that nothing has such an effect in preaching, as the skilful handling of some image or figure of the Scripture. For truth, as we have often observed, does not enter into men's minds in its own abstracted nature, but under the vehicle of some analogy, which conveys a great deal of sense in very few words: and therefore the best

Let me show you how this is by an example. Suppose a preacher would persuade his audience not to abuse the station in life to which Providence hath appointed them; and not to presume upon the character they may sustain amongst men for a short time here upon earth: he reasons from the transitory nature of worldly things: and this he teaches them to see as in a glass, by setting before them the changeable scenery and temporary disguises of men in a theatre. In the world at large, as upon a stage, there is a fashion in the characters and actions of men, which "passeth away," just as the scenery changes, and the curtain drops, in a theatre; to which the Apostle alludes. The world is a great show,

1 Cor. vii. 31.

which presents us various scenes and fantastic characters; princes, politicians, warriors, and philosophers; the rich, the honourable, the learned and the wise and with these, the servant and the beggar, the poor, the weak, and the despised. Some seldom come from behind the scenes; others, adorned with honour and power, are followed by a shouting multitude, and fill the world with the noise of their actions. But in a little time, the scene turns, and all these phantoms disappear. The king of terrors clears the stage of these busy actors, and strips them of their fictitious ornaments; bringing them all to a level, and sending them down to the grave, as all the actors in a drama return to their private character when the action is over.

From this comparison, how easy and how striking is the moral. Nothing but a disordered imagination can tempt an actor on a

stage to take himself for a king, because he wears a crown, and walks in purple: or to complain of his lot, because he follows this fictitious monarch in the habit of a slave. Therefore let us all remember, that the world, like the stage, changes nothing in a man but his outward appearance: whatever part he may act, all distinctions will soon be dropped in the grave, as the actor throws off his disguise when his part is over. On which consideration, it is equally unreasonable in man, either to presume or to complains.

One such moral lesson as this, which shews us the real state of things under a striking and familiar resemblance of it, is worth volumes of dull abstracted reasonings. It captivates the attention, and gives lasting information: for when such a comparison hath once been drawn out, the instruction conveyed by it will be revived as often

See Dunlop's Sermons, vol. i. on 1 Cor. vii. 31. "The fashion of this world passeth away."

as the image occurs to the | and judge well. But it is

memory.

To the scholar, the symbolical language of the Bible is so useful, that every candidate for literature will be but a shallow proficient in the wisdom of antiquity, till he works upon this foundation: and for want of it, I have seen many childish accounts of things from men of great figure among the learned. In ancient times, sentiments and science were expressed by wise men of all professions under certain signs and symbols, of which the originals are mostly to be found in the Scripture; as being the most ancient and authentic of all the records in the world, and shewing itself to be such in the form of its language and expression.

How nearly poetry and oratory are concerned with the science of symbolical expression, has already been observed. With this key, a scholar may penetrate far into the art of poets and orators; and the next thing to composing well is to taste

also of eminent use for unfolding the religious mysteries of heathen antiquity.

The Grecian and Roman mythology has been much enquired into by the learned, and is still a great object with them. Whoever considers the form of religious instruction in the Church of God, will plainly see, that the mystical or mythological form among the heathens was derived from it, and set up against it as a rival. It pleased God to prefigure the mysteries of our faith from the beginning of the world by an emblematic ritual: this manner therefore the heathens would necessarily carry off with them; and when they changed the object of their worship, and departed from the Creator to the creature, they still retained the mystical form, and applied it to the worship of the elements of the world; describing their powers and operations under the form of fable and mystery, and serving them with a multitude of emble

the treasures of Divine Wisdom, which far exceed all other learning, and will be carried with us into another world, when the variety of tongues shall cease, and every other treasure shall be left behind.

matic rites and ceremonies. | of life, and opens to man Because the true God taught His people by mystical representation, they truly would have their mysteries too and I take this to be the true origin of the fabulous style in the Greek mythology: though it makes a wretched figure in many particulars; as the woollyheaded negro savage does, when we consider him as a son of Adam descended from paradise. The whole religion of heathenism was made up of sacred tradition perverted, a customary ritual, and physiological fable; but the emblematic manner prevails in every part alike; and therefore every scholar ought to be well acquainted with it.

Yet after all, it will be found most valuable to the Christian believer. The knowledge of human languages prepares us for the reading of human authors; and great part of our life is spent in acquiring them. But the interpretation of this sacred language takes

off the seal from the book

We study some human writings, till we are so enamoured with the spirit of them, that it would be the highest pleasure to see and converse with the person, of whose mind we have such a picture in his works. Blessed are they who shall aspire to the sight of God on this principle; for their hope and their affection shall be gratified. They who now see Him by faith, as He is manifested to them in His word, shall sit with Him in the glory of His kingdom: and then they will know the value of that Wisdom, which has led them through the shadows and figures of temporal things, to that other world, where all things are real and eternal.

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(A' SUPPLEMENT TO THE LAST LECTURE.)

It was observed in the foregoing lecture, that in ancient times "sentiment and science were expressed by wise men of all professions under signs and symbols." I could not pursue this observation in the body of the lecture, as being less proper for the pulpit. But it is pity we should drop a matter of so much curiosity and importance without descending to some examples of what I there advanced.

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politicians, philosophers, astronomers; all who have made any pretensions to wisdom, have used the language of symbols: as if the mind were turned by nature to this kind of expression, as the tongue is to sounds: and indeed, this language of signs is properly speaking the language of the mind; which understands and reasons from the ideas, or images of things, imprinted upon the imagination.

All the idols in the world, with their several insignia, were originally emblematic figures, expressive of the lights of heaven and the powers of nature. Apollo

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