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and, more especially, the truth of revelation. "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy."

That the spirit of Prophecy bears testimony to Jesus is a truth, which gives the sincerest satisfaction to every pious mind. It is one of those arguments, which have been prepared by infinite wisdom for the perpetual support of serious Christians, and reserved for the final confusion or conversion of unbelievers; "a light, that shineth in the dark, till the day dawn." During the progress of the divine dispensations, it shines with increasing splendor on the watchful disciple; like the star, which guided the wise men to the birth place of Christ, alternately obscured, and emerging from a cloud; and in their consummation, it will flash irresistible conviction on the most obstinate and thoughtless. From the nature of Prophecy, however, it must necessarily be exposed to cavil, until it be completely fulfilled, for if sooner intelligible it would influence the conduct of men, and seem to contribute to its own completion. Even those predictions, which have been accomplished, may be liable to the attacks of scepticism, till the whole plan be developed: but they will, in every age, sustain the faith of candid inquirers, and make continual additions to the evidence for Christianity.

When a devout mind takes a general view of Scripture, it is struck with astonishment at the

novelty and vastness of the plan, which the sacred writings unfold. We perceive a consistency among Books, composed at intervals of many ages, which convinces us of the superintendence of that Being, "who sees the end from the beginning, from ancient days the things that are not yet done," and "is the same yesterday, to day and for ever." We feel, that neither the narrative of past events, nor the intimations of futurity are subjects for minute and partial criticism. The whole edifice must be seen from such a distance, and with such a comprehensive glance, that its magnitude, design and grandeur shall be manifest, and the proportions of all its parts clearly discerned. We may then descend from this general view to a particular examination of the members: but it would be preposterous to begin with a nice inspection of minute ornaments; for the fitness of these may depend on a survey of the whole.

The sacred writings are entirely different from every other composition; and the language and sentiment, narrative and prophecy are perfectly consistent, though they were composed by a variety of hands, at distant periods, in a series of 1500 years. Since the completion of the canon, the Jews have remained in a state, corresponding with their history and prophecies. No one can read the Bible throughout, with attention and candour, without being struck with the novelty of the matter and the harmony of the plan; nor

can any one recollect the history of the Jews and of the Christian Church, without feeling a conviction of the truth and authority of that uniform stream of Prophecy, which may be traced throughout the sacred volume. The whole train of events tends to one object, and is evidently conducted by an almighty hand; and the current of Prophecy runs steadily in one direction under the same guidance; while nations and kings, and heroes and prophets are unconscious actors in the grand and diversified drama.

As the Almighty lavishes life and the means of enjoyment with a profusion, which defies the efforts of the most wanton destroyer; so, from the stores of his wisdom he scatters the evidences of his existence and providence, in such abundance as to set at nought the "disputer of this world." While the atheist sneers at the continual destruction, that is going on in the animal creation, the utmost industry and ingenuity of the human race could not extirpate a single insect; and while the sceptic thinks, he has overthrown the whole scheme of Prophecy by detecting a misapplication of one prediction, the pious Christian sees the whole Bible interspersed with proofs of providence and prospects of futurity. If a human author wish to prove the truth of an opinion, or illustrate the value of a discovery, he labours to arrange his arguments, and display his proofs with a degree of ostenta

tious care, suited to the scanty and penurious fund, from which they are drawn, conscious, that if one be overlooked, the remainder may be insufficient to secure his success. Not so divine wisdom. Whether it announce the oracles of the Old Testament, or authenticate the mission of Jesus in the New, the tokens of divine authority are so liberally intermixed with every incident in the story, and every doctrine in the dispensation, that neither time nor chance, nor wit nor malice can defeat its design. The deficiency of one prophecy is compensated by the fulness of another; and the obscurity of a part, illuminated by the splendor of the whole: the ignorance of one generation is supplied by the learning and discoveries of the next; and the ambiguity or intricacy of Prophecy cleared up and disentangled by the progress of time. By an enlarged and comprehensive view of sacred history, one may obtain a satisfactory persuasion of its connexion with supernatural power, without being able to prove the authenticity of a single book of scripture; and without capacity to answer objections to one Prophecy, we may feel an irresistible conviction, that the whole scheme is divine. Such is the effect of a liberal and candid survey of this amazing plan.

Another consequence of a rational conviction of this general truth is, that it will confirm our belief in the interpretation of particular predic

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tions. There are some Prophecies so dark and ambiguous, as not to be admitted singly by a candid mind; and, if they stood alone, they would deserve no attention at all. But when we are once persuaded of the truth and tendency of the entire series, these minuter parts will naturally fall into their proper places, and accord so well with the general design, that we can hardly doubt of their application. This observation will apply both to those, which are already fulfilled, and to others, the accomplishment of which is still hidden in the womb of time: for, as sacred history traces the chain of human events backward to its first link, and even makes us spectators of this beautiful frame of nature struggling in chaos, and forcing its way to light; so does Prophecy follow the chain, till it plunge the world into a second chaos, leaving our immortal souls alone upon the shore, to wonder at the wreck of the universe. As the river Jordan, rising from secret springs, and issuing from the Galilean sea, waters the borders of the promised land and rolls on, till it falls into the dead sea; so we see the stream of time, "whose fountain who can tell!" flowing from the vast ocean of antecedent eternity, pursuing its course through the periods of mortal existence, and losing itself in the boundless expanse and unfathomable depths of everlasting duration.

The pious and inquisitive can see, or think they see, with undoubting perspicacity, preparations

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