characteristics which agree to the papal apoftacy. Giving heed to feducing spirits and doctrines of devils, or as fome fay it ought to be rendered, doarines concerning demons. It is well known that the Romish church has introduced, and continues to patronize a great many fubordinate objects of worship; that the not only offers adoration to faints and angels, but even pays a fuperftitious veneration to images; on which account proteftants juftly charge her with idolatry. The practice of paying a fuperftitious regard to departed faints, particularly to martyrs, began early, I believe in the very next age to that of the Apostles: But it was feveral centuries before the rage for angel, faint, and image worship got to its height. Another characteriftic of this apoftacy is forbidding to marry, and commanding to abflain from meats. This character is easily afcertained. It is well known what church impofes celibacy on its clergy, and encourages a single life by upholding va rious orders of both fexes, a principal part of whofe religion confifts in abftaining from the marriage bed. This apoftacy is more minutely defcribed, in all its parts, in the book of the revelations. To notice all its characters would far exceed the bounds of a fingle difcourfe. The brief remarks which have been made are fufficient to fhow that this prophecy of Paul has been fulfilled. This man of fin, the Apostle tells us, Chrift will deftroy with the breath of his mouth, and confume with the brightness af his coming an event which will, undoubtedly, be accomplished in its time. How far that fucceffion of important events which are fo rapidly paffing before us, will contribute to that end, will be more fully unfolded, by the lapfe of a Little time, than can be afcertained at prefent. The declenfions and diforders which have taken place among Chriftians are urged by infidels, as an argument against the trith of chriftianity. If the chriftian religion, fay they, had a divine original, its author would have interpofed to keep it pure. But, whatever degree of plaufibility there may be in this objection, it is completely obviated by the confideration that all the noted apoftacies from genuine christianity, which have taken place in the world, have been foretold, and are, therefore, fo far from affording any evi

dénce against the truth of revelation, that they strengthen the argument from prophecy. Had not this apoftacy tak en place, and the man of fin, who was fo plainly foretold, been revealed, it might have been improved as an argu-ment against the infpiration of the Prophets who foretold fuch a general falling away.

Although it does not come fo directly within the fcope of the argument for the truth of revelation derived from prophecy, to notice predictions which are not yet accomplifhed, I fhall, neverthelefs, briefly mention two or three of that kind, which are fo plainly expreffed in fcripture that they are fcarcely capable of being mifunderstood. Here let it be obferved that the argument for the truth of. revelation furnished by prophecy is deriving additional strength from time. It is like the path of the juít, a shining light which shineth more and more, unto the perfe& day. It never was the intent of fcripture prophecy to make men Prophets. Hence it is that predictions, before they are explained by the accomplishment, are neceffarily involved in fome degree of obfcurity. But as the fulfillment of prophecy is gradual, many predictions are now fufficiently plain, which, at the time when they were uttered,. and for feveral centuries afterwards, were obfcure.The farther events proceed towards their completion, the eafier it will be to understand the prediction. Many things in prophecy are much plainer now than they were not more than a century ago, and, no doubt, bur, by the beginning of another century, many things will be plainer than at prefent.

The first event which I fhall notice, as yet to be accomplished, is, the calling in of the Jews; their being engrafted into the chriftian church, and made partakers of the spiritual bleffings and privileges from which they are now broken off by unbelief. No event is more clearly, frequently, and fully held up to view, in the prophecies of the Old Teftament, than this. In connexion with their becoming an important part of the chriftian church, they will be restored to their own land, and become a body politic. It must be admitted that there are many paffages in the prophecies of the Old Testament which foretel great

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mercies to the Jewish nation, which obtained at least a par tial accomplishment when they returned from the Babylonish captivity. There are, nevertheless, many others, which, although they contain in them fome circumstances applicable to that return, evidently look much farther, and predict a more glorious reftoration from a more dreadful difperfion. Out of many paffages I shall select the following. The first is in Isaiah, chap. xi. 11, 12. And it fhall come to pafs in that day, that the Lord fhall fet his. Land again the fecond time to recover the remnant of his people, which fhall be left, from Affyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cufh, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the fea. And be shall set up an ensign for the nations, and ball affemble the outcalls of Ifrael, and gather together the difperfed of Judab from the four corners of the earth. The other paffage is Jer. xxiii. 5-8. Behold, the days come, faith the Lord, that I will raife unto David a righteous branch, and a king fball reign and profper, and ball execute juftice and judgment in the earth. In his days Judah fhall be faved, and Ifraet fball dwell fafely, and this is his name whereby he hall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEŎÕUSNESS. Therefore, behold the days come, faith the Lord, that they fball no more fay, the Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Ifrael out of the land of Egypt: but the Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the feed of the house of Ifrael out of the north country, and from all the countries whither I kad driven them; and they fhall dwell in their own land. Thefe prophecies were, in no fenfe, fulfilled by the return of the Jews from Babylon, nor did that difperfion anfwer to the one from which they were now to be restored. has already been obferved that the ten tribes never were comprehended in that restoration. But in that which is here foretold, they were to fubmit to the kingdom of the Meffiah, and become an important part of the gospel church. As this is an event which has never yet taken place, the accomplishment must be ftill future. Prophet Ifaiah celebrates the happy confequences of this return to both Jews and Gentiles, in this and in the following chapter. The Prophet Zechariah, who lived after the re

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turn of the Jews from Babylon, alfo foretels a dreadful defolation, and a glorious restoration of the Jews, which was ftill future. Chap. xiv. The fame happy event is likewife foretold in the New Teftament, particularly. Rom. xi. 25, 26, 27. Although we have not as yet. feen the accomplishment of thefe predictions, is it not evident that many things in the difpenfations of providence are preparing the way for their fulfillment? It has been already obferved that the miraculous prefervation of the Jews as a diftinct people, during all their difperfions, is an event of which the annals of nations furnith not a parallel. They have been now, for more than feventeen hundred years, more effectually fcattered over the face of the earth than any other nation ever was before. Both their civil and ecclefiaftical conftitutions have been diffolved, and their temple and tabernacle fervices abolished, and both their genealogies and diftinction of tribes in a great measure loft. Their prefervation as a diftinct people can therefore be viewed as nothing lefs than a standing miracle. Miracles are wrought only for important purpofes. God has in this remarkable manner, interpofed for their prefervation, because some great and important events which concern them as a nation are to be accomplished in their proper feafon. This is, fo far, a fulfillment of this ancient prophecy as to be a fure pledge for the accomplishment of the whole in due feason.

The entire destruction of the man of fin, at the end of the twelve hundred and fixty prophetical days, or years, is an event ftill future. The myftical Babylon has not yet been cast into the fea like a nighty mill ftone to be heard no more at all. But although this deftruction has not as yet been fully completed, as foretold, yet feveral paffing events fhow it to be drawing nigh. The tife and progrefs of this grand apoftacy we have feen to be agreeable to prophecy. The man of fin advanced, step by step, until he arrived at the height in which he was at the time of the reformation. The mystery began to work early, and after that which letted was taken out of the way, foon made its way to the fpiritual throne. As he arofe by lit tle and little to the height of his elevation, fo the prophe

cies of his downfall have begun to have their accomplish, ment. The papal kingdom loft much of its extent at the reformation. Great Britain, Holland, Switzerland, Denmaik, and a great part of Germany, then withdrew their allegiance, and, in popish countries, he loft much of his abfolute fway. The important events which have taken place during the last twenty years, and which are still paffing before us in rapid fucceflion, are bringing him nearer and nearer to deftrusion. His temporal fovereignty is annihilated, and his fpiritual authority is reduced to little more than a fhadow. The downfall of fuperftition will, we truft, quickly follow the lofs of power.

The prophecies alio foretel that an univerfal fpread of the gofpel will follow, as a confequence of the downfall of the grand apoftacy. This will be accompanied with the downfall of irreligion of every kind. Perhaps there is no event which is fo largely unfolded in prophecy as this. On this theme the infpired penmen of the facred canon delight to dwell. To attempt a particular defcrip tion of this latter day glory of the church, would, at the prefent, perhaps be arrogance. Nor does it pertain to my prefent defign. No doubt a great increafe of knowledge, holinefs and love, as well as of outward peace and prof perity will form effential parts of the latter day glory.

Upon the whole, from the brief and very imperfect view of the ancient prophecies which has been taken in this difcourfe, we fee that a series of predictions were, long ago, uttered by holy men who fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, which related to a variety of events that were to take place in different periods, and that many of thefe prophecies have already been fulfilled with the most circumftantial exactness. The fulfillment of thefe prophecies affords unquestionable evidence that none but God himself could be the author of the prediction, and is a fure pledge that others not yet fulfilled will be accomplifhed in due feafon. The evidence therefore, of the divine authority, both of the Old and New Teftament, which is derived from prophecy, is full and complete. We have therefore all the proof that we can defire, that the gofpel is no cunningly devised fable, but that the fcrip