CHAPTER XIV. ON VARIED INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MORE OBSCURE PROPHECIES. [218] The subject of prophecy, in one important respect, is brought at present, in an unfavourable, not to say erroneous aspect, before the public mind. The mass of clear prophecy that has been remarkably fulfilled, is very great. This having been fully developed in former works, to the general satisfaction of men's minds, many modern authors have given comparatively little attention to the plain prophecies that have been clearly fulfilled; but chiefly discuss the more difficult predictions. Hence a bystander may be ready to think that the whole subject of prophecy is full of nothing but difficulties; but the reading of such books as Keith's first work, and Bishop Newtons's Dissertations, may shew that this is by no means the case, and that there is evidence, irresistible by a candid mind, of God's foreknowledge, and the inspiration of his word, in prophecies, unquestionably written long before the events took place, and already fulfilled in corresponding history. [219] It is important, however, to remove this stumbling block from the differences of eminently pious and good men on obscurer prophecies, and to lessen the impediment which this presents to the pursuit of so deeply interesting and practical a subject. As it is greatly to be desired that these differences should never be discussed in a spirit that may pain a The mystery of iniquity was even at work, we know, in the apostolic age (2 Thess. ii. 7; 3 John 9.), but Popish errors began to be sanctioned by authorities in the 6th and 7th centuries. Spanheim mentions these innovations in the 6th century; prayers to saints, public use of images, veneration of relics, purgatory, Litanies to the Virgin Mary, canon of mass. And in the 7th century; the dedication of the Pantheon to the saints; tonsure and celibacy of the clergy were commanded by Pope Martin, and the service in Latin by Vitalian; prayers for the dead and abstaining from meats. Mr. Lathbury gives the following dates, as the times when Popish errors were made articles of faith by general councils. 700 Invocation of saints 787 Image worship 1076 Infallibility 1215 Transubstantiation Supremacy 1415 Half Communion 1438 Purgatory 1547 Seven sacraments Venal sins Christian brother, or excite unholy feelings in his mind, so is it desirable also that they should not be unduly magnified; the effects of which will be to raise an insuperable obstacle to the study of prophecy, or to weaken that evidence of Divine inspiration which it has furnished, or to set aside the labours of learned and holy men, in which the Protestant church has rested for centuries. There are some great points in which all who have deeply and seriously studied prophecy are agreed; and especially as to those great objects of prophecy, the near coming, in some way, of our Lord, (in which Mr. Faber is not an exception,) and the judgments connected with it, there is a remarkable uniformity of testimony among all the most diligent students of prophecy. Even where a spiritual Millennium only is expected, a coming distinguished by preceding judgments, and a subsequent blessedness, is anticipated. By some who deny a personal coming of Christ to reign for a thousand years, (as by our own Lightfoot, Bishop Hall, and Mr. Gipps, or the foreign divines, Mastritcht, Turretine, and Markius,) the Millennium is supposed to be past, and the Saviour's coming to judgment, to be near. Where the Revelation is supposed to be fulfilled, (as by Mr. Burgh and Mr. Maitland) the Saviour's speedy coming is expected. Even where, as by Faber and Vint, a [220] personal premillennial coming is denied, an awful intermediate coming, in judgments on the wicked, and blessedness to the righteous, is declared. The voice of prophetic writers is here harmonious to a surprising extent. May these great truths then, approaching awful judgments, and approaching incalculable mercies, attract the minds of Christians,-and lead all to the holiness, and spirituality, and blessedness of a waiting, prepared, and joyfully expecting state of mind: may we throw off all slumbers, and trim our lamps for that which the concurrent voice of Prophetic interpreters states to be near! Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Matt. xxv. 6. The varied interpretations of Prophecy, and especially of the book of Revelation, it must be allowed, however, are, to careless or superficial observers, exceedingly distracting and confusing. Of the APOCALYPSE, some say nearly all has been fulfilled, some say none has been fulfilled; some give one part of the book, and others a totally distinct series, to the same facts. How shall we gain a guide to our path? Let us remember that we are yet in the midst of God's dispensations; the building of his temple is not completed; the scaffolding is about a large part of it, the rubbish is not removed, many parts are unfinished, and those that are in a state of forwardness, want that entire completion which will show their full and appropriate use, and their perfect beauty, when the magnificent temple is altogether complete and furnished. Now the Revelation is a plan of this building in its varied parts, and in its completion: and human writers are not like the great Architect, who has all [221] in his mind; but like lookers-on, having indeed a hope of partaking hereafter of the worship, and obtaining a residence within the courts, but yet having little architectural skill to discover its state, and progress, and ultimate glory. Let us then imagine these different lookers-on coming to this building from time to time in its progress. They have cast their eye over the plan; but perhaps cursorily, perhaps misled by false explanations, or confused by varied accounts of it, and thus they look on what has been doing in past years. To some it seems a heap of confusion; the ground broken up in all directions; heaps of soil in one part, of materials for building in another, a large and extensive erection indeed before them, but no beauty or harmonious proportion, and they say at once, this is not the building that our plan points out. temple is not yet begun. Our Another looker-on comes, and gazing on a part that is advanced beyond the rest, and finding the floors laid, the windows in, and the rooms almost ready, and looking only at this part, he concludes at once the building is finished, the plan is completed, what can you expect more? Another looker-on, surveying the rising edifice, comes to a part which he thinks he has satisfactorily made out, the very rooms described in one part of the plan seem before him; the very pillars, and length, and breadth of it, quite alike; but his neighbour who comes next, shews him something which throws considerable doubt upon this, and leads to a suspicion that the room he was looking at in the plan, is quite in another part of the building. Another then comes, and says it is all too confused [222] for any thing definite to be made out,-why do you perplex yourself about it? An unbeliever gladly avails himself of this, to persuade men to disregard alike the designs of the architect, and the progress of the edifice, since their correspondence with each other cannot be identified. This figure may illustrate the present states of mind in which many are regarding this book; yet must we "hear and read the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein. Rev. i. 3. The humble inquirer after truth, may, therefore, be perfectly assured of the infinite wisdom and ability of the great architect, and that the plan which he laid down is the best that can be devised for his end: he may be assured also that the same mind which devised the plan and "gave it to shew unto his servant things which must shortly come to pass," (Rev. i. 1,) is constantly at work, accomplishing all the parts of his own design, and that it has really been going on through all the years that have elapsed since the plan was first given. To ascertain farther what parts of the building have been erected, and what remains to be completed, will require much careful investigation, and a very slow, and patient, and longcontinued search. It will not do to come at once to plausible conclusions, and because of a likeness in a few things conclude that there is a likeness in all. We must first endeavour to get a clear idea of the plan itself; and the way in which the architect proposed to proceed. We must then get a knowledge of the varied parts of the building, as far as it has already gone. And here we may perhaps mistake temporary sheds [223] and erections for more durable and solid parts. Our next step will be a most careful comparison between the parts built and the plan. And then, remember, still our knowledge must yet be very imperfect, for the building itself is incomplete. Dogmatism, despising of others, fancied superior discernment do not become the looker-on. An architect would smile at the guesses which some apparently wise lookers-on make respecting an earthly building. Patient waiting (2 Thess. iii. 5.) is then a very important part of the wiser way: not careless, unconcerned waiting: for there is a glory about this temple that concerns every human being; and to partake of its glories and dwell in its courts for ever is the happy portion of those interested in it. What mark of wisdom is it to neglect it altogether, when the Lord of all has promised his blessing to those who duly attend to it? We shall find in so doing, many quickening motives to stir us up to gain a meetness for partaking in the everlasting worship of the temple above. It is therefore an important duty here to be an inquirer after the truth, holding fast what is good, and patiently expecting the completion; gaining help from some, in the way of guarding against past mistakes, hints of parts already erected, and of parts yet to be completed, and from others, (like Mede and those who have availed themselves of his labours) in a general explanation of the whole system. And after all, let us remember the infinite wisdom, the almighty power, the unsearchable riches, and inviolable fidelity of him who is carrying on his work till it be completed, and how little our wisdom is, and how certainly at length "he shall bring forth the head-stone [224] thereof, with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." Zech. iv. 7. The difficulties are indeed very needful, and very valuable in this view, to restrain the pride of man's wisdom, and to lay him in the dust. Man is compelled by irresistible evidence to believe that the plan is altogether divine and infinitely wise, and yet he is unable so minutely to explain it, as to give an unexceptionable view of the whole. This accords with all other parts of God's glorious works, and must at least shew him how ignorant and feeble his mind is, contrasted with the mind that formed the plan. And the varying interpretations are all necessary and valuable, to bring out this truth distinctly and prominently. This will also doubtless lead on ultimately to the full discovery of the whole design. Those very interpretations which are the farthest from the truth, may serve, not only to keep up present attention to the prophecies, but also in the result to make the truth more bright and manifest, and to bring out parts of it which would otherwise be unnoticed. This effect has indeed already been in a measure accomplished, and thus no one who has in a serious spirit turned his attention to the subject, shall have laboured wholly in vain. All such researches, even where they have not led to a just view of the meaning, shall yet help to shew the wisdom of the Architect, and the completeness of his plan: and his servants will rejoice in his exaltation, though they be brought low." John iii. 30. Another valuable end of difficulties in interpretation may be this; the obscurities of prophecy keep it veiled both from the wicked, and from the righteous. [225] It is to be hid from the wicked, (Dan. xii. 10,) for many reasons. Though Jeremiah's divine inspiration was acknowledged, and his love to his country unquestionable; yet how was he misrepresented because of his plain predictions of the success of the Chaldeans! Had the statements of St. John, respecting the overthrow of the Roman empire, been plainer, the hatred of the Roman emperors against Christians might have been needlessly heightened, and Christians needlessly harassed. As it was, they attributed the decay of the empire to Christianity, and St. Augustine had to write his vast work, "The City of God," to set aside the false imputation. And as to the true servants of Christ, had the period of 1260 years of an afflicted state of the church been literally mentioned, or generally known till the time was nearly expired, it would have been impossible to fulfil the plain direction of a waiting and watchful spirit for our Lord's coming, when there was a certainty of such a lengthened previous tribulation. |