Egypt have I called My Son," the primary fulfilment seems to be obviously of the whole family of Jacob, while yet it is applied by an inspired Apostle to our LORD Himself. The prophetic Psalms, again, afford almost innumerable instances of the same thing, at once pourtraying the history of David, or of Israel in the flesh; and yet with equal or even increased obviousness pointing to David's Son, and the true Israel.*

And in connection with this feature of prophecy, it increases the difficulty of interpretation, that sometimes in the same. prophecy the language seems at one time more pointedly applicable to the lesser fulfilment, and sometimes to the greater. Take the second Psalm as an example. The words "Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion," might seem to point more especially to the exaltation of the literal David to the throne of Israel. And yet the very next words most unequivocally designate One greater than David, "I will declare the decree, the

* Ps. ii., xxii., xxxviii., lxxii., are obvious instances.

LORD hath said unto Me, Thou art My SoN, this day have I begotten Thee.”

Another striking instance may be found in the famous prophecy, "Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel," so clearly indicating the birth of JESUS; and yet the very next words are more exclusively applicable to the child that was but a type of Him, "Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings."

And this leads me to notice a third feature in Divine prophecy, that, as in the words just quoted, the symbol or figure is often mixed with the reality symbolized or figured, so that it may not perhaps at once be determined whether its language is simply figurative, or only partially so; or again, whether the figure, and the reality prefigured, may not both be intended, and the language of the prophecy be of twofold fulfilment. Thus, for example, the prophecy of Ezekiel, "I will

sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean" beyond all question points to a moral cleansing of the inner man. And yet the universal Church has ever applied it to the literal waters of holy Baptism.

I have dwelt upon these several points, characteristic of Divine prophecy in general, because I trust the due consideration of them will tend much to elucidate the very difficult prophecy of which the text forms a part, which our blessed LORD spake to His favoured Apostles, as He sat with them on the Mount of Olives, just before His departure from them, in answer to their inquiry, "Tell us when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" In this great prophecy we shall find those very features which have been referred to. Thus in the first place, some of its language seems to possess that combination of clearness and obscurity which was first mentioned as a feature of prophecy. Thus, for instance, verse 15, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet,

stand in the holy place (whoso readeth let him understand)." This is plain as to the leading idea which it presents to the mind, of a fearful and rampant profanation of what is holy. It predicts clearly enough the rise of some great power which is to exalt itself against GOD. And yet the precise method in which this shall be fulfilled, is left in great obscurity. And the practical remark arising from this is, that we must not allow what is obscure in the prediction to turn our thoughts from the awful reality of what is plain; and that it will be no excuse for us, for not regulating our conduct and expectations by this fearful prediction, because there may be insuperable difficulty to us in the wording of the prophecy itself.

Again, the prophecy would certainly seem to be applicable to different although analogous events. The impending destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of that Jewish age or dispensation are ob viously predicted; as indeed it is expressly said in the parallel passage of S. Luke, xxi. 20, "When ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then know that

the desolation thereof is nigh." And yet the prophecy as obviously goes on to predict that of which the destruction of Jerusalem was but the type, the end of this world, or age or dispensation.* As it is written, in the twenty-seventh verse of the same chapter, "Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." This consideration will reconcile many difficulties, in this prophecy of our LORD; and as we have seen it is a feature quite consistent with the general structure of Divine prophecy.

And once more, there is here, probably, as in other parts of Scripture, the mixture of symbol and reality which has been already noticed. Thus when it is said, "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heaven shall be shaken ;" and again in the