The works of Richard Hurd, volume 5 (of 8) — Edition Insights

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Authors: Hurd, Richard, 1720-1808 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2017 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Church of England -- Sermons; Poetry -- History and criticism; Romances -- History and criticism; Dialogues, English; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

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Text sections 12

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Richard Hurd's 1772 Warburton Lectures argue that biblical prophecy employs a deliberate hieroglyphic style rooted in ancient symbolic systems, making it amenable to rational interpretation through comparative analysis of recurring symbols and historical context.

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and those of their adherents) not only revived and enforced the old charge of _Antichristianism_ against the church of Rome; but further insisted (on the authority of those prophecies which justified the charge) that Christians were bound in conscience, by the most express command, to break all communion with her. The expedient, one sees, was well calculated to serve the purpose in hand: but still the command was truly and pertinently alledged; for it exists in so many words (however the blindness or the bigotry of former times had overlooked it) in the book of the _Revelations_[140]. So that whoever admitted the _charge_ itself to be well founded, could not reject this _consequence_ of it, That Christ and Antichrist had no fellowship with each other. And on this popular ground, chiefly, the Protestant cause, in those early times, was upheld; with no small advantage to the patrons of it; it being now clear, that the invidious imputation of Schism had lost its malignity in the general obligation, which lay upon Christians, to renounce all communion with the church of Rome.

This being the true account of that zeal, with which the doctrine of Antichrist was asserted in the days of Reformation, let us see how the case stands at present; and whether any reasonable prejudice lies against the doctrine itself, from the uses, that were then so happily made of it.

In the first place, The injunction, _to come out of her_, was, as I observed, not forged by the Reformers; nor (admitting that church to be Antichristian) was it misrepresented by them. Every reader of the prophecies must confess, that the command is clearly delivered, and that the sense of it is not mistaken. How serviceable soever, therefore, this topic was to the cause of reformation, it is not, on that account, to be the less esteemed by the just and candid inquirer.

In the next place, I will freely admit, that the dread, in which most men, if not all men[141], of that time, were held, of incurring the imputation of Schism, was much greater, than the occasion required, and, upon the whole, a sort of panic terror. For, though a causeless separation from the church would indeed have loaded the Reformers with much and real guilt, yet when the abuses of it had risen to that height as to reduce an honest man to the alternative, either of committing sin, or of leaving its communion, they might well have justified themselves on the evident necessity of the thing, and had no need of a positive command to authorize their separation. All this is, now, clearly seen; and if the first Reformers did not see thus much (as very probably they did not) all that follows is, That the doctrine of Antichrist, from which that command derived its effect, was less necessary to their cause, than they supposed it to be; not, that the doctrine itself is without authority, or the command without obligation.

Lastly, I observe, that, though the _violences_ of the time might force the Reformers to take shelter in this doctrine of Antichrist, and though the _prejudices_ of the time might induce them to take the advantage, they did, of it; yet, neither of these considerations affords any just presumption against the doctrine, as it lies in scripture, and is enforced by us at this time out of it; because we argue, not from their authority, but from the prophecies themselves; which are much better understood by us, than they were by them; and are still maintained to speak the sense, which they put upon them, I mean with respect to the general application of them to the church of Rome, though we have nothing to apprehend either from the power of that church, or from the prejudices of the people.

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Richard Hurd opens his twelfth sermon on the prophecies by situating the prophetic style within a long tradition of symbolic communication. He argues that the hieroglyphic mode—ancient, widespread, and still prevalent in many parts of the world—was not an arbitrary choice but a providential accommodation to human nature. Hurd insists that this style, far from being obscure or irrational, rests on "fixed and constant analogies" that can be recovered through careful study. The preacher thus sets himself the task of demonstrating that the prophetic writings are not impenetrable riddles but a language governed by principles accessible to reason.

The Hieroglyphic Basis of Prophetic Language

Hurd grounds his argument in the claim that the prophetic style is constructed on the same symbolic principles as Egyptian hieroglyphics. He notes that this mode of writing was "of common and approved use" in the ages when the prophecies were delivered, and among the people to whom they were addressed. The preacher draws a direct line from the hieroglyphic tradition to the biblical prophets, asserting that the symbols employed are not vague but determinable—either by their own nature or by "the steady use that was made of them." This move allows Hurd to treat prophecy as a subject of "just criticism and rational interpretation," a bold claim that elevates the study of scripture to a disciplined intellectual pursuit.

Three Avenues to Understanding

Hurd outlines three practical means by which the prophetic language can become intelligible to modern readers. First, he points to the internal study of the prophecies themselves: comparing recurring symbols, darker passages with clearer ones, unfulfilled predictions with those already completed, and passages that carry their own explanation with those that do not. Second, he appeals to external sources—ancient records, monuments, and the scattered hints preserved by Greek historians—that illuminate the original hieroglyphic system. Third, he draws on pagan superstitions (omens, augury, judicial astrology) which, he argues, proceeded on the same symbolic principles and thus serve as a commentary on the Jewish prophets. This tripartite method reveals Hurd's confidence that diligent scholarship can unlock the meaning of even the most obscure biblical texts.

The Rhetoric of Divine Accommodation

Throughout the sermon, Hurd employs a rhetoric of humility that paradoxically asserts the superiority of his interpretive framework. He urges his hearers to "enlarge our ideas a little" and not to conclude hastily that a mode of conveyance intended for a general blessing should be judged by "our local notions and confined prejudices." This appeal to a broader perspective serves to authorize his own method while gently rebuking those who would dismiss the prophetic style as merely obscure. The preacher's tone is measured and learned, yet he does not hesitate to invoke divine wisdom as the ultimate warrant for his approach: the very form of revelation, he suggests, was contrived beforehand to facilitate its eventual reception among all nations.

The Audience and the Occasion

These sermons were preached at Lincoln's-Inn-Chapel as part of the Warburton Lecture, a foundation established to prove the truth of revealed religion from the completion of prophecies, especially those concerning "the apostacy of Papal Rome." Hurd addresses a learned, legally minded audience—the trustees include Lord Chief Justice Mansfield—and his argument reflects that setting: it is systematic, evidence-based, and cautious in its claims. The preacher acknowledges that some Jews used the obscurity of prophecy as a pretext for disbelief, citing Ezekiel's complaint, "Doth he not speak Parables?" Yet Hurd turns this objection on its head, treating the very difficulty of the text as an invitation to rigorous inquiry rather than a barrier to faith.

Readers approaching this volume should expect a work of theological criticism that is at once erudite and argumentative. Hurd does not merely expound scripture; he defends a method. His insistence on the rationality of prophetic language challenges both skeptical dismissal and fideistic acceptance. The sermons reward attention to their structure—each proposition is carefully laid out and supported—and to the subtle ways Hurd positions himself between orthodox piety and Enlightenment reason. For those interested in eighteenth-century religious thought or the history of biblical interpretation, this volume offers a sustained example of how one learned divine sought to make prophecy speak with clarity.

That rainy afternoon, Hurd’s insistence on prophecy’s deliberate, almost pictorial structure lingered with me long after the lamp came on. It made scripture feel less like a monologue and more like a layered conversation across centuries. Later, idly thumbing through The Bible, King James version, Book 6: Joshua — Edition Insights, I noticed the same patient, symbolic cadence waiting quietly in the old war narratives. One book simply handed me to the other.