XI.

worship of the elements of the world; LECT. describing their powers and operations under the form of fable and mystery, and ferving them with a multitude of emblematic rites and ceremonies. Because the

true God taught his people by mystical representation, they truly would have their myfteries too: and I take this to be the true origin of the fabulous ftyle in the Greek mythology: though it makes a wretched figure in many particulars; as the woolly-headed negro favage does, when we confider him as a fon of Adam descended from paradise. The whole religion of heathenifm was made up of facred tradition perverted, a customary ritual, and phyfiological 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 moft 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 X 2 them.

XI.

LECT. them. But the interpretation of this facred language takes off the feal from the book of life, and opens to man the treafures of divine wisdom, which far exceed all other learning, and will be carried with us into another world, when the variety of tongues fhall cease, and every other treasure shall be left behind.

We study fome human writings, till we are fo enamoured with the spirit of them, that it would be the highest pleasure to see and converse with the perfon, of whose mind we have fuch a picture in his works. Bleffed are they who fhall aspire to the fight of God on this principle; for their hope and their affection fhall be gratified. They who now fee him by faith, as he is manifefted to them in his word, fhall fit with him in the glory of his kingdom: and then they will know the value of that wisdom, which has led them through the fhadows and figures of temporal things, to that other world, where all things are real and eternal.

THE SYMBOLICAL FORM COMMON TO THE

WISDOM OF ANTIQUITY, PROFANE AS WELL

AS SACRED.

(A SUPPLEMENT TO THE LAST LECTURE.)

I

T was observed in the foregoing lec- SUP. ture, that in antient times fentiment and Science were expreffed by wife men of all profeffions under figns and Symbols. could not purfue this obfervation in the body of the lecture, as being lefs proper for the pulpit. But it is pity we should drop a matter of fo much curiofity and importance without defcending to fome examples of what I there advanced.

Whoever enters into the learning of antiquity, or, if already learned, recollects what he has met with, will foon discover, that theologians, moralifts, politicians, philosophers, astronomers; all who have made any pretenfions to wisdom, have

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ufed

SUP. ufed the language of fymbols: as if the

mind were turned by nature to this kind of expreffion, as the tongue is to founds and indeed this language of figns is, properly speaking, the language of the mind; which understands and reafons from the ideas, or images of things, imprinted upon the imagination.

All the idols in the world, with their feveral infignia, were originally emblematic figures, expreflive of the lights of heaven and the powers of nature. Apollo and Diana were the fun and moon; the one a male, the other a female power, as being the leffer and weaker of the two. Both are reprefented as fhooting with arrows, because they caft forth rays of light, which pierce and penetrate all things.

As the objects, fo the forms of worfhip were fymbolical: particularly that of dancing in circles to celebrate the revolutions and retrogradations of the heavenly bodies. It was an ancient precept, gosиUVEL περιφερόμενος, turn round or move in a cir

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cle

cle when you practice divine adoration:" that is, do as the heavenly bodies themfelves do.

-"that move in myftic dance, not without fong, MILT. We find the facred dance appointed and practifed in the church: where its true and original intention was probably to ascribe to the Creator the glory of the heavenly motions: and the idea might be that of a religious dance, in those words of the pfalm, let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad: the other parts of the creation being called upon to fignify their adoration by their own proper motions; as the sea to roar, the trees to wave, the floods to clap their hands.

The figures by which the conftellations and figns are diftinguished in the heavens, are mostly symbols of such high antiquity, that we are not able to trace them up to their original. The accounts given of them by the Greeks and Romans deserve no regard; being childish and ridiculous. In many of these the meaning is easy, because they speak for themfelves.

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SUP.