However, if from this prophecy the first Chriftians drew a wrong conclusion, it was not by the fault phecy refers to a Prophecy already accomplished. Now, if it can be fhewn, that he is fpeaking of the SECOND COMING Of Jefus, and that the word of prophecy refers to a long series of predictions to be fulfilled in order, there is a fair end of this new interpretation. First, then, it is to be observed, that the Epiftle, in which the paffage in queftion is found, is a farewell-epifle to the Churches. St. Peter (as he tells them, chap. i. ver. 14.) knowing that fhortly he must put off this his Tabernacle.-Now the great topic of confolation urged, by thefe departing Saints, to their widowed Churches, was the SECOND COMING of their Master. And of this coming it is that St. Peter fpeaks, in the words of the text For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the POWER AND COMING of our Lord Jefus Chrift. He fubjoins the reason of his confidence in this SECOND COMING, that he and the reft of the Difciples were eye-witnesses of the majefty of the FIRST, ver. 16. That the fecond coming is the fubject of the difcourfe, appears further from the recapitulation in the concluding part of the Epiftle, where he reproves thofe fcoffers of the last days, who would fay, where is the promife of his COMING? for fince the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were, &c. [chap. iii. ver. 3. 4. The primitive Chriftians, as we have feen, had entertained an opinion that the SECOND COMING of their Master was at hand. And the caufe and occafion of their mistake has been explained. Thefe Scoffers the Apostle confutes at large from ver. 5th, to the 13th. And recurring again, at ver. 15, to that more fure word of prophecy, mentioned chap. i. ver. 19. he refers evidently to thofe parts of St. Paul's writings, where the Prophecies in the Revelations concerning Antichrift are fummarily abridged, of which writings he gives this character-As alfo in all his Epiftles, Speaking in them of these things, in which are fome things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unftable wreft, as they do all the other Scriptures, unto their own defruction. [ver. 16.] In which words, we have the trueft picture of thofe indifcret Interpreters who fet up for Prophets in predicting the events of unfulfilled Prophecies, instead of confining themfelves to the explanation of thofe already accomplished. But not only the general fubject of the Epiftle, but the very expreffion used in the text in queftion, fhews that this POWER VOL. V. X AND fault of the Divine Prophet, but their own. Jewifh Tradition might at first mislead the followers of Jefus AND COMING of our Lord Jefus Chrift is his fecond coming.-For we have not followed (fays he) CUNNINGLY DEVISED FABLES [σεσοφισμένοις μύθοις] [σcooproprévois pútors] when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Now, an atteftation of a voice from Heaven at his firft coming, tho' it had been a figment of the Relater, could with no propriety be called a cunningly dewifed Fable. But fuppofe the Apostle to fpeak of Christ's Second coming, when according to the promife, there was to be a new Heaven and a new Earth, wherein was to dwell righteousness, after the old had been burnt up and deftroyed by fervent heat [chap. iii. ver. 12, 13.] if this awful scene were an invention, it was truly characterised by a cunningly devised Fable, such as those in which Paganifm abounded, where, in their MYTHOLOGIC relations, they speak of the Regions of departed Heroes, &c. Locos lætos & amoena vireta Fortunatorum nemerum, fedesque beatas. And, to afcertain his meaning, the Apoftle ufes a phrafe by which only the mythologic fables of Pagan Theology can be defigned — ίν γαρ σεσοφισμένοις ΜΥΘΟΙΣ ἐξακολουθύσαντες - not following or imitating the cunningly devised fables of the Greek Sophifts and Mythologifts. Secondly, it fhall be now fhewn, that, by the more fure word of prophecy, the Apoftle does not mean, as Mr. Markland's interpretation fuppofes, a Prophecy fulfilled, but a long feries of Prophecies to be fulfilled in order, and in the courfe of many ages. We may obferve then, that concerning this more fure word of prophecy, the Churches are told, they do well to take heed, as unto a light that fbineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the dayfar arife in their hearts. [chap. i. ver. 19] Now, from Prophecy thus circumflanced, it plainly appears, that it could not be a compleat Prophecy of any event fulfilled, fuch as that of Ifaiah, chap. xlii. ver. 1, which Mr. Markland fuppofes is the Prophecy here spoken of, because it was not a light fin ing in a dark place until the day dawn; fince, with regard to the Prophecy in question, the day was not only dawned, but advanced; yet the Apoftle fuppofes the darkness to exist, and the day dawn to be far diftant. Neither, on the other hand, could Jefus to believe that the deftruction of the World was very foon to follow the deftruction of Jerufalem: But thefe men foon put off Tradition, with the Law: And Scripture, which was then recommended to them as their only ftudy, with the DOUBLE SENSES with which it abounds, might eafily have led them to a diftinction of times in this 1 it be a Prophecy totally unfulfilled, for fuch are totally dark and unintelligible; but this, here spoken of, is a light fhining, tho' in a dark place. : In a word, the character given of the more fure word of Prophecy, as being A LIGHT THAT SHINETH IN A DARK PLACE, can agree with nothing but the Prophecies of St. Paul and St. John and with thefe, it agrees admirably. These Predictions relating to one great event, the future fortune of the Church, under the ufurpation of the Man of Sin, are emphatically called the WORD OF PROPHECY. They began fulfilling even before St. Peter wrote this Epiftle; for St. Paul, fpeaking of the MAN OF SIN, to the Theffalonians, fays, THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY DOTH ALREADY WORK. [2d Ep. chap. ii. ver. 7.] This Prophecy therefore, is, with the greatest elegance and truth, described as a light shining in a dark place. Just so much of the commencing completion was feen as to excite Men's attention; but this glimmering was ftill furrounded with thick darkness: And as the eager curiofity of man tempts him to plunge even into obfcurity in purfuit of a light juft beginning to emerge from it, he fubjoins a very neceffary caution. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. [ver. 20.] As much as to fay, I exhort you to give all attention to this more fure word of prophecy,' but previously to guard yourfelves with this important truth, that the Interpreter of Prophecy is not Man but God, and the full completion of it, its only true interpretation. He fupports this obfervation by a fact-For the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of Man, but holy Men of God Spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, [ver. 21.] i. e. the very Prophets themselves, under the old Law, often understood not the true purport of what they predicted, being only the organs of God's Holy Spirit; much lefs are we to fuppofe the common minifters of the word qualified for the office of Interpreters of unfulfilled prophecies. And in the 3d chapter ver. 16, as has been obferved above, he fpeaks of the mischiefs attending this prefumption. Book VI. Prophecy, a Prophecy formed, as they must needs fee, upon the ancient models. But as Providence is always educing good out of evil, (tho' neither for this, nor any other reafon, is evil ever connived at by the Disciples of Chrift, as appears from the conduct of St. Paul, just mentioned above) this error was fruitful of much fervice to truth. It nourished and increased a fpirit of piety, ferioufnefs and charity, which wonderfully contributed to the speedy propagation of the Gofpel. Before I conclude, let me juft obferve (what I have always principally in view) that this explanation of the Prophecy obviates all those impious and abfurd infinuations of licentious men, as if Jefus was led either by craft or enthusiasm, either by the gloominefs of his own ideas, or by his knowledge of the advantage of infpiring fuch into his Followers, to prophecy of the speedy deftruction of the World. But by strange ill fortune even fome Believers, as we have obferved, are come at length tò deny the very existence of double fenfes and fecondary prophecies. A late writer hath employed fome pages to proclaim his utter difbelief of all such fancies. I fhall take the liberty to examine this bold rectifier of prejudices: not for any thing he hath opposed to the Principles here laid down; for I dare fay thefe were never in his thoughts; but only to fhew that all he hath written is wide of the purpose: though, to fay the truth, no wider than the notions of thofe whom he oppofes; men who contend for Types and Secondary fenfes in as extravagant a way as he argues against them; that that is, fuch who take a handle from the Doctrine of double fenfes to give a loose to the extravagances of a vague, imagination: confequently his arguments, which are aimed against their very being and use, hold only against their abuse. And that abufe, which others indeed have urged as a proof against the ufe, he fets himself to confute: a mighty undertaking! and then mistakes his reasoning for a confutation of the use. His Argument against double fenfes in Prophecies, as far as I understand it, may be divided into two parts, 1. Replies to the reasoning of others for double fenfes. 2. His own reafoning against them. With his Replies I have nothing to do, (except where fomething of argument against the reality of double fenfes is contained) because they are replies to no reasonings of mine, nor to any that I approve. I have only therefore to confider what what he hath to say against the thing itself. 66 1. His first argument against more fenfes than one, is as follows-"Suppofing that the opinion or judgment of the Prophet or Apostle is not to "be confidered in matters of Prophecy more than "the judgment of a mere amanuenfis is,—and "that the point is not what the opinion of the "amanuenfis was, but what the inditer intended to "exprefs; yet it must be granted, that if God "had any views to fome remoter events, at the "fame time that the words which were used were "equally applicable to, and designed to express "nearer events: those remoter events, as well as "the nearer, were in the intention of GoD: And f The Principles and Connection of Natural and Revealed Religion, diftinaly confidered, p. 221. by Dr. Sykes. |