to announce to the Church, through the people of Israel, that their God was the only Creator of the universe, and to tell of "the rest" that remained to His people; but in doing so it would have been impossible, even though it had been desirable, to describe intelligibly the manner of creation, without revealing a thousand other things in all the other sciences.

In the prospect of future discoveries in science, it was indeed necessary so to write that all should be convinced that the author was intimately acquainted with the whole subject, and wrote in a cypher which could only be understood gradually as discovery advanced. In fact, it was necessary to adopt the same plan of revelation which guided the pen of prophecy. The strictly prophetic writings are so worded, that they never could be mistaken for history. Being written before the things which they describe took place, they must be so written, that they never could become the cause or the excitement to their fulfilment.

For example, were we not certain that Hazael had already determined on the murder of his master, the announcement of the prophet that he was to be the king of Syria, might have been the very means of suggesting the crime; so in regard to the events that are future, were these historically described, not only would the spontaneous actions of men be interfered with by what they might regard as fate, but the very end and object of prophecy would be frustrated, which was that when these things come to pass we might believe.

The same principle was necessary, though perhaps for a different reason, in writing an account of creation; future discovery, as well as future history, must not be really anticipated, and yet there must be sufficient evidence that the Author could have anticipated them if He chose.

Let us then examine whether this be the true character of Moses' account of creation; and if so, to what conclusions it would lead us. For this purpose we must inquire what are the characteristic features of the prophetic, or rather the apocalyptic style.

First of all, we find that it assumes the dramatic form, dividing the history into different acts or scenes, which will on that account be more easily remembered, and representing the incidents thus isolated in a pictorial and at the same time allegoric form, so as to convey strong impressions regarding their general character, rather than an accurate knowledge of their details. Such is invariably the style, not only of prophecy, but of every description which is revealed to us of things which we are incapable of understanding. Take, for example, the description of Christ's glory and the saints' inheritance in heaven. He sits at the right hand of God; and they are laid in Abraham's bosom. He sits in the midst of the throne, in the form of a Lamb as it had been slain; they stand before the throne, having crowns of gold upon their heads, palms in their hands, and harps of gold. He leads them like a shepherd; and they drink of the water of life that flows from the throne of God: and God wipes away the tears from their eyes.

In the same style, but more completely in the dramatic form, is Daniel's prophecy regarding the four great monarchies of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Each of these monarchies is represented by a single beast, whose nature and appearance symbolise the character of their respective governments. By this means the history of the world, during several centuries, is sketched off in a few sentences, brilliantly coloured, and full of meaning.

Let us look next at the Revelation of St John, in

which the subsequent history of the world is represented. We can now speak with some confidence regarding the six trumpets which announced the rise of the Papacy, and the seventh which introduced the six vials which represented its overthrow. So completely has the prophecy assumed the dramatic form in this miraculous production, that a mingled history of political and ecclesiastical catastrophes, extending through more than twelve centuries, is crowded into two acts, each having only six or seven scenic representations.

The similarity of the opening chapter of Genesis to the closing scenes of the world's history in Revelation, is very marked; and this is not the only feature in which the beloved apostle resembled the ancient friend of God. The septenary arrangement in both is conspicuous, and the dramatic form the same; seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven vials, correspond with the seven days mentioned in Moses. We perceive also a symbolic character given to each. In the first trumpet and first vial, the earth is the scene of the events; in the second trumpet and the second vial, the sea is turned into blood; in the third trumpet and the third vial, the rivers and fountains of waters are visited with similar judgments; in the fourth trumpet and fourth vial, the sun is the subject; in the fifth trumpet and vial, we find darkness and torment; in the sixth trumpet and vial, the river Euphrates is the scene of events; and in the seventh, voices, thunders, earthquakes, and hail. So in Genesis, we find a single idea made to represent the work of each day: on the first, the light; on the second, the firmament; on the third, the land and vegetation; on the fourth, the sun and stars; on the fifth, the birds and fishes; on the sixth, man and the beasts; and on the seventh, rest and benediction.

The dramatic form is still further conspicuous in Revelation, in the words as well as the actions of the septenary arrangement. Repeatedly do we find the voice from heaven supplementing that which could not be represented by action and scenery alone. Thus, "I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine" (Rev. vi. 6); and again, the souls under the altar cried with a loud voice, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" (Rev. vi. 10, 11). Thus again, the kings of the earth, and the other enemies of the Lamb, said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. vi. 16). In like manner, we find in Genesis the same form of dramatic narrative, ascribing to God verbal commands which it is not necessary to suppose were literally spoken.

Another characteristic in the style of prophetic narrative is the double signification or application to different circumstances and events. For example, the country promised to Abraham and his seed, was not only the land of Palestine, which was entailed on his posterity after the flesh, but that heavenly inheritance which was given to those who, by faith, are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Again, the seventy years prophesied of by Jeremiah applied to three distinct periods of captivity, each of which extended over seventy

years. David, in many allusions to himself and Solomon, used expressions by inspiration which could legitimately apply only to David's Lord. Christ himself, in foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem, spoke in sentences which at the same time described the last judgment; inasmuch as His references to both are conceived in language so constructed, that it is impossible to apply them literally to either separately; and yet the general features of both are most accurately, and at the same time most graphically represented.

We have Scripture authority for applying the same principle of double interpretation to the Mosaic narrative of creation. Paul, in quoting that portion of it which describes the formation of Eve, applies the circumstances of the narrative to the duties of husbands to their wives, saying, "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.” *

Not that he regards the account of woman's creation as a mere myth, which was intended to represent only spiritual truths. On the contrary, his object in quoting it was to establish the intimate relation which was thereby affirmed to exist between husband and wife. But his eye caught, at the same time, another illustration of his subject in the union between Christ and His Church, which he had spoken of a few verses previously, and which he asserts, by inspiration, was also affirmed in the Mosaic Scriptures in those very words which he had quoted.

* Eph. v. 29-32.