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with his only surviving parent Julia Daubuz, by the religious persecution of 1686. In 1689 he was admitted of Queen's College, Cambridge, and remained in college till 1696, when he accepted the situation of head-master of the School of Sheffield. He left Sheffield in 1699, on being presented to the vicarage of Brotherton, near Ferrybridge, where he was much loved and respected. He died there on the 14th of June, 1717, it is said of chagrin, in consequence of the discouragement of Dr. Bentley, who knew more of the world than he did, to whom he mentioned his intention of publishing his elaborate commentary on the Book of Revelation. There is another work of Mr. Daubuz, which displays also great learning, entitled ‘Caroli Daubuz Presbyteri et A. M. pro testimonio Flavii Josephi de Jesu Christo, libri duo: quorum priore de variâ ejus fortunâ, usuque, necnon auctoris consilio in eo conscribendo pertractatur; posteriore, vero ex stylo ac dicendo modo et sensu, ejus veritas comprobatur. Cum præfatione Johannis Ernesti Grabe: Lon. 1706, 8vo." "'*

* Hunter's “History and Topography of the Parish of Sheffield, in the County of York," &c.

A

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE

CONCERNING THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD; AND THE HELPS AND RULES WHEREBY IT IS то BE EXPLAINED.

OF

IN the first ages of the world, there were no characters to express the sound of words: and therefore, for the sake of posterity, the wisest men were obliged to contrive some way whereby things memorable might be committed to lasting monuments. This they did, by a combination of visible figures, which, according to their notion of them, having a metaphorical relation or similitude, or at least affinity to their conceptions, might excite in others the very same conceptions.

Thus concerning the Ethiopians in particular, and the Egyptian priests, Diodorus Siculus says,* "That their letters were the figures of all kinds of animals, and of the parts of human bodies, and of instruments, especially such as belonged to wrights and builders. That their writing did not shew the discourse about the subject matter, by the composition of syllables, but by the emphasis of the figures; and that, by following the signification or emphasis, and nature of every figure, and exercising the mind by long study and memory, an habitual faculty was got of reading every thing that was written.

And that this Symbolical, or as others term it Hieroglyphical character, or way of writing, was before the

*Diod. Sic. Lib. iii. p. 101.

invention of letters, is asserted by Servius,* Lucan,† Tacitus, Ammianus Marcellinus ;§ and, in short, by all authors who have professedly treated on this subject. And it is observable, that the Americans, who knew nothing of letters till the Europeans discovered their continent, had only, and still retain, the use of the hieroglyphical characters.

Now from this difficult kind of writing, in use amongst the most learned men in the Eastern nations, there naturally arose a symbolical way of speaking; the symbolical characters they were so conversant in continually furnishing them with metaphors, and other tropes, first in their mysterious or religious speeches, and from thence easily passing on to vulgar matters.

Such a figurative and florid way of expression gave a certain majesty and beauty to their thoughts, distinguishing their style from that of the vulgar, and was therefore retained by them even after the invention and use of letters, insomuch that their religion and history, their arts and sciences, and most of their rules and maxims of wisdom, were some way or other couched in such figures or symbols.

Hence it comes that most of the Oriental languages, and most of the ancient poets, affect this way. And hence is it, in condescension to the ways of men, that the said kind of style is so often used by the sacred writers, and in a manner wholly adopted in the Revelation by St. John; to whom the great events, relating to the Christian Church, were, for reasons of the greatest moment, and sufficiently obvious, represented in visions, evidently consisting of the like kind of symbols; and whose language, therefore, in conformity thereto, is, for the most part, symbolical.

In order, therefore, to understand the said prophecy, it

* Serv. in Virgil. Æn. L. v. ver. 85. Tac. Annal. L. xi. c. 14.

† Luc. Phars. L. iii.
§ Amm. Marc. L. xvii.

will be absolutely necessary to be in some measure acquainted with the main principles upon which the first inventors of the symbolical character and language founded the signification of their symbols; all the several kinds of symbols which they used being used by St. John.

Now the said symbols may be reduced to these four

sorts :

1. Such single symbols, as are taken from the heavenly bodies; as the sun, moon, and stars.

2. Such single symbols, as are taken from the rest of the visible works of nature; as animals, mountains, seas, rivers, and the like.

3. Such single symbols, as are taken from the arts and sciences, customs and practices of men; as the habit or clothing, a bow, crown, sword, and the like kind of things, existing by institution.

4. Such symbols as are compounded, consisting of two or more single symbols.

As for the first kind of symbols, their signification is to be deduced from the union which the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and others, supposed there was between the worlds, invisible, natural, and political.

As they looked upon the heavens,* and the parts thereof, as representatives and symbols of the invisible divinities, the supreme, and its angels and ministers; so in process of time they began to think the visible symbols to be the deity itself, and its angels, whose glory and majesty, as well as offices and works, they believed did appear in the sun, planets and stars, and in their motions, revolutions, and relations, or aspects.

Then, to ground their adoration of the natural or visible

*Vid. Platon. Timæi fin. c. 1, 2, &c.

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