would be as impoffible for him to withhold his affent from the truth of prophecy, in fuch a cafe, as from that of the light of the fun, or of his own existence. In applying it to the present work, I have, moreover, been led to believe, that the impreffion thus made upon his mind (as I trust it will upon many), as it were, by ocular demonftration, would be more lively, his conviction more perfect, and his faith in revealed religion more firmly established, than by the more familiar confideration of the prophecies which have been fulfilled in times past.

Impreffed with this opinion, I have been induced to fearch the Scriptures alone, for thofe prophetic marks which might poffibly refer to the prefent critical and awful state of the world. I forefaw the arduoufnefs of the tafk, and diftrusted my own abilities. I wished it to be performed by the more pious and learned, whofe profeffion and duty, at all times, call upon them to examine and expound the Scriptures. I wished it to be done by them, becaufe it is their duty to "fight, without fainting, the

good fight of faith." And the more especially, at this awful and critical juncture, when a monstrous fyftemn of impiety, anarchy, and atheism,

atheism, denounces their own destruction, threatens to fap the very foundation of their holy religion, and to diffolve the connexion between man and his God; and becaufe, from that well prepared profeffional quarter, I believed it would be better done. But at the fame time, as it is certainly incumbent upon every man who loves the truth, to contribute his beft, however weak, endeavours towards the fupport of it, I have not been difcouraged, in the following differtations, from putting forth my little ftrength, in oppofing the alarming and ruinous fyftem of irreligion. And I trust they have been composed with that diffidence, which is ever ready to retract an error; and with that humility of spirit which most ardently wishes for, and is often a guide to, the difcovery of truth. With a mind thus impreffed, I have fully been perfuaded, that the marks and figurative descriptions of the extraordinary and truly wonderful events, which have come to pafs, within these laft twelve years, are to be found in the Apocalypse, and some of the apoftolic epiftles. To these parts of the holy Scripture I fhall principally call the reader's attention; but I would firft fay a word on the pro phecies in general.

PROPHECY is generally understood to be an anticipated history of events from the beginning of the world, to the end of time. It may be claffed among the firft, and greatest of miracles, ever presented to the human mind. It is almost coeval with the world itself. God himfelf vouchfafed to foretel to Adam his own future ftate, and that of his defcendants, immediately after his difobedience and fall *. And it was that God, who has fince inspired " his fervants

the prophets," from Noah to John the divine, with the spirit of prophecy; by impreffing their minds with a perfect view of the great and prominent events which were to come to pafs in the world to the end of time: a miracle as much above the power of man to perform, and as utterly incomprehenfible to the human intellect, in its natural ftate, as curing the blind, raifing the dead, or the conception of a virgin.

The all-wife God does nothing in vain. He has a certain aim and end in all his difpenfations. He would not therefore have worked fo great a miracle, without intending it should answer as great a purpose and it is manifeft, not only from the tenour of the Scriptures, but from the prophecies themselves, that they were defigned

* Gen. iii, 15-20.

to

to demonftrate the fupremacy and providence of God over the world, as well as the revelation of his divine and righteous will to mankind, to be a rule for their conduct towards him, and to their fellow-creatures. To this may be added, that thefe prophecies have ever been, and will continue to be, living miracles; increased, increafing, and perpetual confirmations of those two great leading and important truths, to every properly inquifitive and serious mind, defirous to know, and careful to compare, the prediction with the accomplishment.

That fuch are the excellent purposes of prophecy, is abundantly proved by the great variety and wonderful precision of the awful and tremendous predictions, already completed. To recall a few inftances to the reader's remembrance. The prophecy of Noah respecting the Arabians, and of Mofes concerning the difperfion and fate of the Jews, the first foretold more than 4000, and the last more than 3000 years past, have, in every circumstance predicted, been either fulfilled, or are fulfilling, at this day. The fame may be obferved of the different prophecies regarding the destruction of Nineveh, Babylon, Tyre, and the four great empires; and alfo the coming of Chrift. Nor

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must we pass over our Saviour's own prophecies concerning the deftruction of the Temple at Jerufalem, or his paffion, crucifixion, and refurrection; nor thofe of the divine author of the Book of Revelation, in which are clearly predicted the rapid and astonishing progress of the gofpel of Chrift, and its triumph over the errors and darkness of heathen idolatry, in all parts of the earth; the fubfequent decline and degenerated state of the church; and, finally, the rife of thofe two formidable apoftafies, the Mohamedan and Papal, by which that church fhould be "trodden under foot" 1260 years. The completion of these prophecies, as far as regards human teftimony, refts upon that of many faithful and learned historians, contemporaries with the events themselves, who recorded them for the information of posterity, and could have no poffible motive to deceive the world, either by the fabrication of falfehoods, or the misrepresentation of facts. To this may be added the teftimony and opinions of other writers, both in the church and out of it; men, equal in piety, integrity, erudition, and critical knowledge, to any that have ever lived; and far above all the infidels and temporizing Chriftians, who affert without the fhadow of proof, and flander the prophecies as

vifionary,