the time of the end, the words are clofed up, and fealed till the time of the end. But however the great uncertainty of these events, which remain yet to be fulfilled, cannot shake the credit and certainty of thofe particulars, which have already been accomplished. As (9) Prideaux judiciously obferves, it is the nature of fuch prophecies not to be thoroughly understood, till they are thoroughly fulfilled. Not that fuch prophecies are therefore like the pagan oracles, of an ambiguous, equivocal, and delufive nature. Obfcure they may be, but there is a wide difference between obfcurity and equivocation. The pagan oracles were purpofely worded in fuch a manner, that if they failed in one fenfe, they might hold good in another, tho' (1) directly the contrary: the fcripture-prophecies have a determined meaning, and tho' sometimes they may comprehend more events than one, yet are they never applicable to contrary events. The pagan oracles were delivered for the immediate direction of thofe who confulted them; and therefore a mistake at firft was of more fatal confequence: the fcripture-prophecies were intended more for the inftruction and illumination (1) As in thefe instances P 4 (2) Ou nation of future ages, and therefore it is fufficient if time fhall illuftrate the particulars. The pagan oracles are no fooner underflood, than they are defpifed, whereas the reverse is true of the fcripture-prophecies, and the better you understand, the more you will admire them. The completion of the former demonstrates their fraud and futility, the completion of the latter their truth and divinity.. Upon the whole, what an amazing prophecy is this, comprehending so many various events,, and extending thro' fo many fucceffive ages, from the first establishment of the Perfian empire, above 530 years before Chrift, to the general refurrection! And the farther it extends, and the more it comprehends, the more amazing surely, and the more divine it must appear, if not to an infidel like Porphyry, yet to all who like Grotius have any belief of revelation. How much nobler and more exalted the fenfe, more important and more worthy to be known by men and to be revealed by God, when taken in this extended view, and applied to this long and yet regular series of affairs, by the most easy and natural conftruction; than when confined and limited (2) Ου γαρ τα μελλοντα μόνον προφητεύων διετελεί, καθαπερ και οι άλλοι προφηται, αλλά και και ρον ώριζεν, εἰς ὃν ταυτα αποθησες Tal. Non enim futura folum, quemadmodum et alii vates, prædicere limited to the times and actions of Antiochus, to which yet it cannot be reconciled by the moft strained and unnatural interpretation! What ftronger and more convincing proofs can be given or required of a divine providence, and a divine revelation, that there is a God who directs and orders the tranfactions of the world, and that Daniel was a prophet inspired by him, a man greatly beloved, as he is often addreffed by the angel! Our bleffed Saviour (Matt. XXIV. 15.) hath bestowed upon him the appellation of Daniel the prophet; and that is authority fufficient for any Chriftian: but in this work have been produced fuch inftances and atteftations of his being a prophet, as an infidel cannot deny, or if he denies, cannot difprove. The character that is given of him by Jofephus is nothing more than strictly his due. It exprefieth the sense of the Jewish church; and the fame must be the sentiments of every man, who will confider and compare the prophecies and events together. That hiftorian is commending the fuperior excellence of Daniel's predictions; for he was wont, (2) fays he, not only to foretel future things, as other prophets also did; but <he prædicere folebat, fed et tempus, quo hæc eventura erant, præfinivit. Jofeph. Antiq. Lib. 10. Cap. 11. Sect. 7. p. 465. Edit. Hudfon. (3) ταύτα 1 s he likewife determined the time, wherein they should happen.' Afterwards Afterwards having mentioned fomne of Daniel's prophecies he (3) proceeds thus: All these things, God having * fhown them to him, he left in writing, that . they who read them, and behold the events might admire Daniel for the honor vouchsafed unto him by God; and by these things might be ' convinced how much the Epicureans are mis• taken, who deny a providence, and allow not that God regards human actions, nor that all things are governed by a bleffed and immortal Being for the prefervation of the whole, but • affert that the world is carried on at random without a guide or ruler: which, if it was without a governor as they pretend, would have 'been destroyed by the blind impulse, and have perished and come to nought, as we see ships, ⚫ which are deftitute of pilots, overwhelmed by the ftorms, and chariots overturned and broken to pieces, which have no drivers. For by the things predicted by Daniel, they appear to me widely to err from the truth, who declare, that God hath no care of human affairs for we fhould not fee all things • fucceed according to his prophecies, if it happened that the world was governed by ' chance.' In fhort we fee how well Daniel deferves the character which his contemporary Ezekiel hath given him (XIV and XXVIII.) for his piety and wisdom: and these usually go together, for as the angel faith, (ver. 10.) none of the wicked Shall understand, but the wife fall understand. Happy are they, who both know the will of God, and do it! confignata reliquit: ut qui ea legerint, et eventus perfpexerint, Danielum mirentur ob tam infignem honorem illi a Deo habitum; et Epicureos magno in errore verfari deprehendant,qui providentiam e vita ejiciunt, et a Deo res humanas curari non exiftimant, nec omnia a natura beata et immortali (ad univerfitatis rerum perennitatem) regi & administrari volunt, fed fine rectore et curatore mundum fuopte impetu ferri affeverant: qui fi ita ut illi autumant præ XVIII. Our fide careret, quemadmodum naves fine gubernatoribus vide.. mus procellis et fluctibus obrui, curruique aurigis deftitutos percelli, temerario jane motu labefactatus concideret periretque, Cumque ifta prædicta fuerint a Danielo, videntur mihi a vera opinione multum aberrare, qui Deum non curare pronunciant quid agat genus humanum; non enim vaticiniis ejus eventus refpondiffe confpiceremus, fi omnia in mundo temeritate re gerentur, ibid. p. 466. (1) πρωτον |