even as authors, for their noble images and defcriptions, their bold tropes and figures, their inftructive precepts, their pathetical exhortations, and other excellencies, which would have been admired in any ancient writers whatever. Obfcurities there are indeed in the prophetic writings, for which many good reasons may be affigned, and this particularly, because prophecies are the only fpecies of writing, which is defigned more for the inftruction of future ages than of the times wherein they are written. If the prophecies had been delivered in plainer terms, fome perfons might be for haftening their accomplishment, as others might attempt to defeat it; men's actings would not appear fo free, nor God's providence fo confpicuous in their completion. But tho' fome parts are obfcure enough to exercise the church, yet others are fufficiently clear to illuminate it; and the obfcure parts, the more they are fulfilled, the better they are understood. In this refpect as the world groweth older, it groweth wifer. Time that detracts fomething from the evidence of other writers, is ftill adding fomething to the credit and authority of the prophets. Future ages will comprehend more than the prefent, as the prefent understands more than the paft and the perfect accomplishment will

produce

produce a perfect knowlege of all the prophecies.

In any explication of the prophecies you cannot but obferve the fubferviency of human learning to the study of divinity. One thing" is particularly requifite, a competent knowlege of history facred and profane, ancient and modern. Prophecy is, as I may fay, hiftory anticipated and contracted; history is prophecy accomplished and dilated: and the prophecies. of fcripture contain, as you fee, the fate of the moft confiderable nations, and the fubftance of the most memorable tranfactions in the world from the earliest to the latest times. Daniel and St. John, with regard to thefe later times, are more copious and particular than the other prophets. They exhibit a feries and fucceffion of the most important events from the first of the four great empires to the confummation of all things. Their prophecies may really be said to be a fummary of the hiftory of the world, and the history of the world is the best comment upon their prophecies. I must confefs it was my application to history, that first struck me, without thinking of it, with the amazing juftness of the fcripture-prophecies. I obferved the predictions all along to be verified in the courfe of events: and the more you know of ancient

Ff 4

ancient and modern times, and the farther. you fearch into the truth of hiftory, the more you will be fatisfied of the truth of prophecy. They are only pretenders to learning and knowlege, who are patrons of infidelity. You have heard, in thefe difcourfes, of the two greatest men, whom this country or perhaps the whole world hath produced, the Lord Bacon and Sir Ifaac Newton, the one wishing for a history of the feveral prophecies of fcripture compared with the events, the other writing Obfervations upon the prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalyps of St. John and the teftimony of two fuch (not to mention others) is enough to weigh down the authority of all the infidels who ever lived.

You fee what standing monuments the Jews are every where of divine vengeance for their infidelity; and beware therefore of the like crime, left the like punishment fhould follow; for (Rom. XI. 21.) if God Spared not the natural branches, take heed left he alfo fpare not thee. Our infidelity would be worfe even than that of the Jews, for they receive and own the prophecies, but do not fee and acknowlege their completion in Jefus, whereas our modern infidels reject both the prophecy and the completion together. But what strange difingenuity must it be, when there is all the evidence that history

can

can afford for the prophecy, and in many cases even ocular demonftration for the completion, to be still obftinate and unbelieving? May we not very properly beftow upon fuch persons that juft reproach of our Saviour, (Luke XXIV. 25.) O fools, and flow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken? But I have good hope and confidence in God, that (Hebr. X. 39.) we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them who believe to the faving of the foul. Indeed if it was once or twice only that the thing had fucceeded and the event had fallen out agreeably to the prediction, we should not fo much wonder, we should not lay fuch a frefs upon it; it might be ascribed to a lucky contingency, or owing to rational conjecture: but that so many things, fo very unlikely ever to happen, should be fo particularly foretold, and fo many ages afterwards fo punctually fulfilled, tranfcends without doubt all the fkill and power of man, and must be refolved into the omniscience and omnipotence of God. Nothing certainly can be a stronger proof of a perfon's acting by divine commiffion, and speaking by divine infpiration; and it is affigned in fcripture as the teft and criterion between a true and a falfe prophet; (Deut. XVIII. 22.) When a prophet Speaketh in the name of the Lord,

if

if the thing follow not nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath Spoken it prefumptuously; and in another place, (Jer. XXVIII. 9.) The prophet who prophefieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known that the Lord hath truly fent him. It is fo much the peculiar prerogative of God, or of those who are commiffioned by him, certainly to foretel future events, that it is made a challenge to all the falfe gods, (If. XLI. 21, 28.) Produce your caufe, faith the Lord; bring forth your strong reafons, faith the king of Jacob; Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods. Lying oracles have been in the world; but all the wit and malice. of men and devils cannot produce any fuch prophecies, as are recorded in fcripture and what ftronger atteftations can you require to the truth and divinity of the doctrin? No man can bring with him more authentic credentials of his coming from God: and the more you shall confider and understand them, the more you will be convinced, that (Rev. XIX. 10.) the teftimony of Jefus is the spirit of prophecy.

:

If to the prophecies you add the miracles, fo falutary and beneficial, fo publicly wrought and fo credibly attested, above any other matters of

fact