the events many ages after to correspond exactly with the predictions many ages before? This province we will now enter upon, this task we will undertake, and will not only produce inftances of things foretold with the greatest clearnefs in ages preceding, and fulfilled with the greatest exactness in ages following, if there is any truth in history sacred or profane; but we will alfo (to cut up the objection entirely by the roots) infift chiefly upon fuch prophecies, as are known to have been written and published in books many ages ago, and yet are receiving their completion, in part at least, at this very day.

For this is one great excellency of the evidence drawn from prophecy for the truth of religion, that it is a growing evidence; and the more prophecies are fulfilled, the more testimonies there are and confirmations of the truth and certainty of divine revelation. And in this refpect we have eminently the advantage over thofe, who lived even in the days of Mofes and the prophets, of Chrift and his apostles. They were happy indeed in hearing their dif courses and feeing their miracles, and doubtlefs

many

mary righteous men have defired to fee those things which they faw and have not feen them, and to hear thofe things which they heard and have not heard them: (Mat. XIII. 17.) but yet I say we have this advantage over them, that feveral things, which were then only foretold, are now fulfilled; and what were to them only matters of faith, are become matters of fact and certainty to us, upon whom the latter ages of the world are come. Miracles may be faid to have been the great proofs of revelation to the first ages who faw them performed, Prophecies may be faid to be the great proofs of revelation to the laft who fee them fulfilled. All pretence too for denying the prophecies of fcripture is by these means abfolutely precluded; for how can it be pretended that the prophecies were written after the events, when it appears that the latest of these prophecies were written and published in books near 1700 years ago, and the events have, many of them, been accomplished feveral ages after the predictions, or perhaps are accomplishing in the world at this prefent time? You are therefore reduced to this neceffity, that you must either renounce B 4

ages

your

your fenfes, and deny what you may read in

your bibles, together with what you may fee and obferve in the world: or elfe must acknowlege the truth of prophecy, and in confequence of that the truth of divine revelation.

Most of the principal prophecies of scripture will by these means come under our confideration, and they may best be confidered with a view to the feries and order of time. The subject is curious as it is important, and will be very well worth my pains and your attention: and though it turn chiefly upon points of learning, yet I fhall endevor to render it as intelligible, and agreeable, and edifying as I can to all forts of readers. It it is hoped the work will prove the more generally acceptable, as it will not confift merely of abftractive fpeculative divinity, but will be inlivened with a proper intermixture of history, and will include several of the most material transactions from the be ginning of the world to this day.

DISSER

TH

HE first prophecy that occurs in scripture, is that part of the fentence pronounced upon the ferpent, which is, as I may fay, the first opening of Chriftianity, the first promife of our redemption. We read in Genefis (III. 15.) I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed; it shall bruife thy head, and thou shalt bruife his heel. If you under

2

ftand

ftand this in the fense which is commonly put upon it by chriftian interpreters, you have a remarkable prophecy, and remarkably fulfilled. Taken in any other sense, it is not worthy of Mofes, nor indeed of any fenfible writer.

The history of the antediluvian times is very short and concise, and there are only a few prophecies relating to the deluge. As Noah was a preacher of righteousness to the old world, fo he was a prophet to the new, and was enabled to predict the future condition of his pofterity, which is a fubject that upon many accounts requires a particular difcuffion.

It is an excellent character that is given of Noah, (Gen. VI. 9.) Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. But the best of men are not without their infirmities; and Noah (Gen. IX. 20, &c.) having planted a vineyard and drank of the wine, became inebriated, not knowing perhaps the nature and strength of the liquor, or being through age incapable of bearing it: and Mofes is fo faithful

(1) katan, parvus, minor, minimus.

(2) Hinc probabiliter colligi. tur eum fuiffe paternæ iniquitatis focium. Pifcator apud Polum.

(3) Vid. Origen. in Genefim. P. 33. vol. 2. Edit. Benedict. Operosè quæritur, cur Chami maledictionem in caput filii Chanaan contorferit. Refpondet Theodoretus in Genef. quat.