doubt that the Scripture illumines, than that the sun shines. Moreover, God by His Spirit, Who dwells in the hearts of His people, ratifies and maintains the knowledge that He gives. The figments of the sceptic or the scoffer no more affect such an one than the drifting flakes of a snowstorm affect a castle's wall. They who consorted with the Lord Jesus, received hourly evidence of His being what He was: but it was evidence about which strangers in the distance knew nothing.

Yet the carelessness of the human heart and its innate antipathy to Truth, may be fearfully worked on by Sin and by Satan, and cause evidences, that God has mercifully afforded to momentous facts, to be thrust aside or buried. A remarkable example of this is afforded in the history of the rejection of the Lord Jesus. No fact was more notorious than that of His birth at Bethlehem. The chief Priests and Scribes when asked by Herod, instantly replied that Bethlehem was the appointed place of His nativity; and from the events that subsequently occurred in Bethlehem, thousands in Israel must have known the connexion that Joseph and Mary and the Lord Jesus had with that city. Little enquiry was needed to ascertain the lineage and

birth-place of the Lord Jesus. The National register of Israel declared that the Lord Jesus was of the family of David, and belonged to Bethlehem. Yet the Rulers of Israel silenced Nicodemus by saying, "Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet," assuming that because Jesus lived in Galilee, He belonged to Galilee. When carelessness desires not to know, it can soon find excuses for not knowing.

Can we say that we have not showed like carelessness? Infidels have declared that the Lord Jesus was a deceiver, for that He said that He would appear in glory "IMMEDIATELY" after the destruction of Jerusalem, but that He did not.. What has been our reply? We have virtually said that immediately does not mean immediately; or else, that the unequalled season of tribulation (immediately after which He will come) is past; that the sun and moon have been darkened; the stars have fallen from heaven; that the angels have been sent forth and "gathered together the elect from one end of heaven to the other," and we have thus increased mistrust of Scripture in others, without satisfying our own consciences. Our error in stating the unequalled season of tribulation to be past, is the result of unpardonable carelessness; for the

words used by our Lord respecting it are virtually quoted from the first verse of the twelfth chapter of Daniel-a verse demonstrated by its context to be unfulfilled. It is no little sin thus to nullify the solemn prophecy of our Lord in the twentyfourth of Matthew, and to feed Infidelity by our folly. Yet this we have done, and this, not only in the case of the twenty-fourth of Matthew, but generally throughout all the Prophetic Scripture. A large mass of quotation from the Prophetic Writings will be found in the pages of this volume. The quotations refer to Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, Egypt, Edom, Moab, and other countries. The predictions respecting their now near future are awfully solemn, and should ever be present to the remembrance of those who fear God. Such knowledge is an essential part of that Truth which "sanctifieth." "Sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth.” But we have not used this portion of God's Word. We have almost universally regarded it as a tale of the past: and have treated the unfulfilled portions of Daniel, and the Old Testament Prophets, as we have the twenty-fourth of Matthew. As a consequence we have thrown Scripture open to the assaults of the Infidel. In

Isaiah we read, "Damascus is taken away from being a city." That is false, says Infidelity. Damascus, from the days of Abraham until now, has ever been a city and is at this present moment advancing in prosperity. It has never been "a ruinous heap." What is our answer to this? Have we any? Of the Land of Edom it is said, "And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever; from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever." (Is. xxxiv. 9, 10.) This too, says Scepticism, is false. Edom has ever been visited and traversed, and is so still. What is our reply? Of Egypt, Nineveh, and Babylonia, like things may be said. Evidence of this will be found in the following pages. The fact is that we have been in the habit of saying things that are not true respecting all these places; and thereby we have greatly strengthened the enemies of Scripture. Infidelity cannot be silenced by falsehood: but it may bow, under God's blessing, to the voice of Truth. Several instances of this have come within my own knowledge-one

(as I have already said) very marked and important in its consequences. The narrative would greatly interest; but for private reasons I forbear to give it. To every argument, urged by Scripture respecting these things, the one same answer is to be given. The predictions that are referred to have not been fulfilled. Foreshadowing fulfilments there may have been, but foreshadowment is not fulfilment. The period of their accomplishment is not only marked as future, but it is declared to be at the time when God shall forgive Israel, His nation; restore them to His favour; place them under the shelter of the Blood of Jesus, and make them a blessing to the whole earth. The judgments spoken of will be inflicted in the "Day of the Lord's recompense for the controversies of Zion." "Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: but I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over." (Isaiah li. 22, 23.) Then Damascus shall be taken