meaning of the Oriental Symbols ; it is an interefting enquiry referved for another 
work, and is doubtlefs one great key to the knowledge of antiquity. _ ern „ 
But one thing it is neccffar.y to premife, which ought always to be had in rein ^ 
brance, when difcourfing of hieroglyphics and fymbols ; “ That in toe primaev 
« when they were adopted as the means of communicating knowledge, it is ev ^ 
“ the amazing difcovery of alphabetical writing had not been made. Symbo s, t ^ 
« fore, were the figns fixed on by the firft fages and inftruftors of the human ^ 
“ to exprefs vifibly the conceptions of the mind. Each was the memorial o a ce 
“ tain truth, and of the ideas connected with its eftabltfhment.” And it 1S . e ; r 
poffible to conceive, by what other effectual method they could have imparte . 
knowledge, and given remembrancers of it; or how elfe they could have le t 
ments of their difcoveries, and of their wifdom, to future ages. 
The illuftration of ancient fymbols, no doubt, fo far involves many remote ^ 
fions, to which we are but little accuftomed ; and fo much refers to a fyftem o ^ 
munication, now in a great meafure become obfolete, that the minds of rea e ^ 
general may not be formed to have adequate apprehenfions of their nature an 
portance; and even the more learned and intelligent have been difpofed to 
their facred moment, and to confider them rather as a fpecies of venerable a u 
than as the genuine elements of divine knowledge. _ oflC e 
Language and metaphors, and the fymbols from whence they are derive > ^ 
applied to facred purpofes, become in fome meafure entitled to a lafting refpeft. ^ 
evangelists, and other sacred writers, in many inftances avowedly a t h e 
phrafeologies and allufions venerated in the- Gentile world, to whom they addi e 
gospel of Jesus, as the moll effectual means of giving energy to their holy C °^ ueil ce 
References alfo to the primaeval fymbols occur, apparently with the fame 1,1 ^ ^ 
and defign, efpecially in the writings of St. John. * “ I will make him a ^ ^ 
« IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND WRITE UPON HIM My NEW NAME,’ is intere 
guage in any age ; but would be exceedingly more expreflive to thofe initiate ^ 
ancient myfteries, as they to whom the evangelical writings were addreffed ia 0 ( 
neral been. The columns of the primaeval fanftuaries were infcribed with {0 * 
the Deity, and of the attributes of that sacred name, which they dared not 
nounce but in the hour of folemn invocation. c ofl' 
When a devout fenfe of Divine Providence (of whole reign this facied co ul ^ e3 fef 6 
tained the hallowed record) was imprinted on the mind of man, he in ^ ^ 
reflected the glory of that light which was imparted to him: he was ^ 
knowledge of God ; his name was written in his heart. This was the laft & 
of thofe religious initiations fo venerated of old. ’Twas only in awful ° it 1 
that any could approach the fancluary, where thefe high communications we ‘ e ^j ul np5> 
fecret; the minifters of the temple interpreting the fymbols of the Lcred ^ ^ h eY 
opened the light of heaven, and thofe myfteries of divinity which they involve • 
kneeled before the moft holy One, and revered it, as in fome meafure t 
reprefentation of the invifible attributes and government of God. _ b , cfn ^ 
This column or pillar of the temple, therefore, became a devotional j fulfil' 
fui table accompaniment to the Crofs of Jefus; as at once allufive to the vir 
rne n£ 
* Rev. iii. 12. 
