V. “When the Symbol and that which it symbolizes differ from each other, the correspondence between the representative and that which it represents, still extends to their chief parts; and the elements or parts of the symbols denote corresponding parts in that which is symbolized.”—Ib.
VI. “The Names of Symbols are their literal and proper names, not metaphorical titles.”—Ib.
VII. “A single agent, in many instances, symbolizes a body and succession of agents.”—Ib.
VIII. Symbols of the same kind, and used in the same relations, always represent one class of objects; and when the office of a symbol has been once shown, the same symbol, similarly used, always fills a like office. They are never used arbitrarily.
IX. While like symbols represent like objects, the same agents are often indicated by different symbols.
Thus, a church may be symbolized by a city and a woman; and government, by a beast and a mountain, &c.
23. Inspired Explanations of Symbolic Representations:—
| Ancient of Days—The Most High.—Dan. 7:9, 22. | |
|---|---|
| Candlesticks—Churches.—Rev. 1:20. | |
| Carpenters—Destroyers of governments.—Zech. 1:21. | |
| Days—Years.—Num. 14:34. Ezek. 4:4-6. | |
| Horns, of a wild beast—Kings or kingdoms succeeding to a divided empire.—Dan. 8:22 and 7:24. | |
| Heads, of a wild beast—Kings or forms of government.—Rev. 17:9, 10. | |
| Image, of different metals—A succession of governments.—Dan. 2:37-42. | |
| Incense, or odors—Prayers.—Rev. 5:8 and 8:4. | |
| Lamb, the—Christ.—Rev. 5:6, 9, 10. | |
| Lamb's wife—Risen saints.—Rev. 19:7, 8. | |
| Lake of fire and brimstone—The place of the second death.—Rev. 20:15. | |
| Likeness of a man—The Lord.—Ezek. 1:26, 28, and 8:2, 4. | |
| Linen, fine and clean—Righteousness of saints—Rev. 19:8. | |
| Mountains—Kings, or forms of government.—Rev. 17:9, 10. | |
| New Jerusalem—The redeemed Church, or the Bride, the Lamb's wife.—Rev. 21:9, 10. | |
| Revivification of dry bones—Resurrection of the dead.—Ezek. 37:11, 12. | |
| Stars—Angels, i.e., messengers of the churches.—Rev. 1:20. | |
| Souls of martyrs living again—The first resurrection.—Rev. 20:4, 5. | |
| Stone, becoming a mountain—Kingdom of God.—Dan. 2:45. | |
| Waters—Peoples.—Rev. 17:15. | |
| Wild Beasts—Governments.—Dan. 7:17. | |
| Woman—A city.—Rev. 17:18. Explained to be a church.—21:9, 10. |
24. Tropes are figures of various kinds, used to illustrate the subjects to which they are applied.—They embrace the Simile, Metaphor, Prosopopœia, Apostrophe, Synecdoche, Allegory, &c.
25. Laws of Figures—(a.) “The terms in which they are expressed are used in their ordinary and literal sense.”—Lord.