in this Style. 1. The Word of God must be governed by the

same General Law as his Works; and this is the Law of the above

Analogy. (1.) That when the Divine Speech, or the Divine Word,

which is the same thing as the Divine Truth, emanates from the

bosom of Deity into the circumference of Creation, or into the

world of Nature, it there clothes itself with Images taken from

that world, and that it cannot otherwise be presented to Mankind :

(2.) But it thus is presented with a fulness which no other kind of

Language could afford: 2. Variety of Phraseology in the different

Inspired Penmen, not inconsistent with Verbal Inspiration. 3. The

difference between Plenary and Personal Inspiration; and that the

former is necessarily occasional, and not permanently attendant on

certain Persons. III. That the Holy Scriptures are the Divine

Truth thus brought into a natural form; and that therefore their

Interior Meaning can only be understood by an application to them

of the Law which governs the Relation between Natural Objects

and Spiritual and Divine Essences. IV. Applicability of the Rule

to the Prophecies of the Divine Word. The View proposed supplies

exactly what, in other Systems, was felt to be wanting. 1. Sen-

timents of Biblical Critics on the Double Sense of Prophecy.

Necessity of making the System uniform. 2. Rule of Analogical

Interpretation adopted by Sir Isaac Newton and Bishop Warburton.

3. Defects of their Rule, and the necessity of extending it further.

V. Examples of the Light which results from the application of

the Rule of Analogy between Natural Things and Spiritual to the

Prophecies. 1. Ezekiel's Prophecy of a great Sacrifice upon the

mountains of Israel. (Ezek. xxxix. 17 to 20.) (1.) General Re-

marks on the Class of Prophecies which can be intended for Spiritual

Fulfilment only. (2.), Evidence that this Prediction belongs to that

Class. (3.) General Signification of Judæa and the surrounding

Countries. (4.) The Spiritual Analogy of the relations of Place

deduced. (5.) The Signification of the Land of Gog and Magog

as resulting from this Analogy, and of an Invasion thence of the

Land of Judæa. (6.) The light thrown by this Prophecy upon

that portion of the Prophetic Word which treats in its Letter of

particular Countries and Nations. (7.) The Import, in the Lan-

guage of Analogy, of the Address to the Fowls and Beasts. 2. The

Lord's Prophecy of his Second Coming in the Clouds of heaven,

(Matt. xxiv. 29, 30.) (1.) The former part of this Chapter a

remarkable instance of that Class of Prophecies which admits a

Literal Fulfilment: yet the Spiritual Fulfilment the principal thing

intended. (2.) The impossibility of connecting the former part of

the Prophecy with the latter by the Literal Sense alone, and the

Inconsistencies incurred by Commentators in the attempt. (3.)

Inquiry instituted into the specific Signification of the Coming of

the Son of man in the Clouds. (4.) The terms must have a

determinate meaning. (5.) The Import of the phrase, "Son of

man," as used in Scripture. (6.) The Ground of that Import in

Analogy. (7.) Signification of the Clouds, when mentioned in

Scripture; with the Analogical Reason for it. (8.) The Meaning

of the Prophecy thus rendered evident. 3. John's Vision of Spi-

ritual Babylon, (Rev. xvii. 3 to 6.) (1.) Signification of Babylon

in Scripture, as discoverable from the circumstances predicated

respecting it: (2.) Of the circumstances predicated of Babylon

personified. Conclusion: That the Prophetic Parts of Scripture

are composed in the Divine Style of Writing, and that, thus far,

the claims of the Scriptures to Plenary Divine Inspiration are

established.

LECTURE V.-Page 383 to 544.

Proofs and Illustrations continued.

The Argument, respecting the proof of the Plenary Inspiration

of the Scriptures by their Style, more distinctly stated. I. Ap-

plicability of the Law which governs the Relation between

Natural Objects and Spiritual and Divine Essences, or of the

Science of Analogies, as a Rule for the Interpretation of the

Historical Parts of the Divine Word. 1. Sentiments of Biblical

Critics, and admissions of Expositors, on the Typical Nature of

the Scripture History: (1.) In regard to the Miracles; (2.) And

other Circumstances. 2. Necessity of making the System uniform.

II. Just Ideas of the nature and uses of the Israelitish Dispensation

necessary to the right apprehension of the Israelitish History. 1.

The selection of the Israelites as a peculiar people, not intended so

much for their own benefit as for the general benefit of mankind.

2. It promoted this object; (1.) By their filling a station indispen.

sable in the Divine Economy, during a period in which a higher

or more extensive Dispensation could not have been received, and

in supplying the Preparation without which such superior Dis-

pensation could never be given at all: (2.) By furnishing the means

by which the Holy Word might be written: which they did by

representing divine things under External Symbols and Natural

Occurrences; for which office they were peculiarly suited by their

distinguishing Temper and Genius. III. Examples of the Light which

results from the application of the Rule of Analogy between Natural

d

things and Spiritual to the Scripture Histories. 1. The Miraculous

Capture of Jericho: (Josh. vi.) (1.) The Acts of Violence per-

formed by the Israelites, and some of the Enactments of the Law,

merely permitted to them "because of the hardness of their hearts,"

and because they could be so overruled as to afford exact Symbolic

Representations of the Spiritual and Heavenly things which are the

real objects of all the Divine Commandments. (2.) The Spiritual

Import of the Command to destroy the Canaanites; (3.) of the

circumstances attending the Capture of Jericho. 2. Jephthah and

his vow: (Judges xi.) Remarks on the literal history. (1.) Ne-

cessity for an appearance, on the face of the Narrative, as if the

Sacrifice took place. (2.) The Origin of Human Sacrifices: (3.)

And of Sacrificial Worship in general; with its Ground in, and Sig-

nification by, the Science of Analogies. (4.) The Signification of

an apparent, and of the actual Sacrifice of a Child. (5.)† The

principles applied to the case of Jephthah's Vow, and shewn to

explain, most satisfactorily, the statements of the Narrative.

3. The combat of David and Goliath. (1 Sam. xvii.) 4. The

circumstances attending the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. IV.

Examples of the Light which results from the application of the

Rule to the Ceremonial Precepts of the Divine Word. 1. The

Sacrifices in general: 2. The Prohibition of various kinds of meats :

(Lev. xi.) 3. The Law of the Nazarite: (Numb. vi.) 4. Baptism

and the Lord's Supper; which were instituted under the Christian

Dispensation as an Epitome of the whole Ceremonial Law.-In-

ference from the whole. V. Additional Argument, -1. Proposed

and Illustrated: A false Rule of Interpretation could not draw from

the Scriptures a coherent sense throughout: But the Doctrine of

Analogies does this: Wherefore it must be the True Rule of In-

terpretation, and the Scriptures must be written according to it.

2. The argument afforded by the fact, That a number of Writers,

living at distant periods, produced Compositions all uniformly fol-

lowing this Law.-Inference repeated,-That the Style in which

the Scriptures are composed is the truly Divine Style of Writing;

and that nothing short of Plenary Divine Inspiration could be ade-

quate to their production. Thus they are truly denominated THE

WORD of GOD.

* Erroneously marked in the place referred to, (3.)
+ Erroneously marked (4.)

LECTURE VI.-Page 545 to 631.

The whole Fabric of Infidel Objections shewn to be without

Foundation.

I. General View of the System and Arguments of the preceding

Lectures: 1. The first stage of the Argument: 2. The second: 3.

The third: Important additional Testimony: 4. The last. II. The

four Classes of Infidel Objections stated in the first Lecture resumed,

and examined by the View which has been developed of the nature

of the Holy Word, and of the means of deciphering its true Sig-

nification. 1. Imputed Inconsistencies with Reason and Science

considered (1.) Style of Writing in the first part of the book of

Genesis. (2.) Genius of Mankind in the Primeval Ages. (3.) Co-

incidences between the Narratives of this part of Scripture and

ancient Traditions.-Conclusion: That the Word of God pro-

nounces no dictum upon the questions agitated by Science. 2. Im-

puted Contradictions considered. (1.) The case of the water turned

into blood by the Magicians of Egypt. (2.) Why were four Gospels

written? (3.) Theory of their variations proposed. (4.) Illustrated

by the different accounts of the treatment and behaviour of the

Lord Jesus Christ at the Crucifixion: (5.) By the two modes of

representing the conduct of the Thieves. (6.) The two accounts of

the Temptation in the Wilderness. (7.) Matthew's naming Jere-

miah instead of Zechariah a necessary result of his Inspiration.-

Conclusion: That the varying statements of the Sacred Writers,

fairly interpreted, actually become evidences of their Inspiration.

3. Imputed Violations of Morality considered. (1.) That they only

evince the Representative Character of the Israelitish Dispensation.

(2.) David not the Pattern of a saint, but the Type of one. 4. Im-

puted Insignificance considered. General Reply confirmed ;-That

all such Objections arise from taking a merely superficial view of

the Sacred Scriptures, and from an utter Ignorance of their true

Nature. III. Address to Christians on the Necessity of taking

higher ground in their Controversy with Deists. IV. Address to

Deists, on the internal causes of Scepticism. Conclusion.

APPENDIX.

Page

No. I.

Proofs of the Symbolic Character of the Writings

of the Old Testament afforded by the Revelation

of John

i

Page

No. II.

No. III.

No. IV.

No. V.

No. VI.

No. VII.

An Attempt to discriminate between the Books of

Plenary Inspiration contained in the Bible, and

those written by the Inspiration generally as-

signed to the whole

The Great Objects and Phænomena of the Mun-

dane System considered, as they are referred to

in the Language of Prophecy, and of the Scrip-

tures in general

The Signification of the Clouds, when mentioned

in Scripture, further Illustrated

Illustrations of the Jewish Character; evincing

its Aptitude for a Dispensation consisting chiefly

in External Rites

Critical Examination of Jephthah's Vow

Arguments for the Literal Interpretation of the

first part of Genesis considered

No. VIII. Remarks on the Recent Volume of Bampton Lec-

tures, by the late Rev. J. J. Conybeare, M.A.;

and on the Support which it affords to the main

Principle of the present Work

ix

XXXV

xliv

liii

lx

lxx

lxxi

8 For image read images

The reference to Dr. Paley, in the Note, p. 334, should be to his Evidences,

Pt. II. Ch. iv. § iii.