χχίν A. M. CHRONOLOGICAL SCALE. B. C. 2560 The Israelites enter the promised rest in Canaan: the 1444 Great Sabbatical Period of 2555 years ends: and the Great Period of 1440 years commences, as observed by the Chaldees and Persians. MILLENNIUM IV. 3000 Oct. 30th. The Temple of Jerusalem dedicated by So- 1004 lomon: the Shechinah appears in the Holy of Holies. 3029 Thursday, Nov. 4th. The Golden Calves erected by 975 Jeroboam: the defection of Israel; Ezekiel's prophecy of 390 years commences. 3262 Isaiah's prophecy of 16 and 5 years foretelling the 742 captivity of Israel commences. 3278 The period of 16 years foretold by Isaiah ends: that 726 of 5 years commences. 3280 Fall of Moab: Israel overrun by the Assyrians : 724 middle of the Great Period of 1440 years. 3283 The last period of 5 years foretold by Isaiah ends : 721 Israel led into captivity. 3380 Josiah's reform of the national religion; the defection of Judah; Ezekiel's prophecy of 40 years com mences. 624 3398 The Expedition of Nebuchadnezzar against Syria: 606 the period of 70 years' captivity, foretold by Jere miah, commences. 3405 Captivity under Jehoiachin: epoch from whence the 599 prophecies of Ezekiel are computed: Daniel's period of 1335 years commences. 3420 Last deportation of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar : end of the periods of 390 and 40 years, foretold by 584 3450 Daniel's prophecy of the profanation of the Temple, 554 for 2300 evenings and mornings, delivered. 3466 July 9th. Fall of Babylon; end of the first of the 538 Prophetical empires, and rise of the second or Persian. Daniel delivers his prophecy of the 70 weeks. CHRONOLOGICAL SCALE. XXV A. M. 3468 Cyrus succeeds to the empire of the East. Jeremiah's B. C. 536 prophecy of the 70 years' captivity accomplished. 3547 March 25th. Return from Babylon, and restoration 457 of the Jewish Polity under Ezra. The 70 weeks, foretold by Daniel, commence. The Great Paschal Cycle of the Jews computed from this epoch. 3596 The first division of the 70 weeks, foretold by Daniel, 408 terminates. The order of Prophets cease; and are succeeded by the men of the Synagogue. 3674 Fall of Babylon before the arms of Alexander; end 330 of the second and commencement of the Greek, or third of the Prophetical Empires. 3700 Commencement of the period of 2300 years, to the 304 fall of Antichrist and cleansing of the Sanctuary. 3836 Oct. 11th. Profanation of the Temple, for 2300 168 mornings and evenings, as foretold by Daniel, com mences. 3836 June 30th. Defeat of Perseus by Paulus Æmilius: 168 end of the third of the prophetical empires, and rise of the fourth or Roman. 3839 Dec. 12th. Purification of the Temple: prophecy of 165 2300 evenings and mornings accomplished. 3964 Herod declared King of Judah by the Romans, in the Consulate of Pollio: Virgil celebrates the period of the Great Restitution. MILLENNIUM V. 4000 Feb. 3rd. Presentation, in the person of Jesus, of God manifest in the flesh, in the Temple; Great Period of 1440 years observed by the Chaldees and Persians ends the Magians, having come from the East to Jerusalem, adore the infant Messiah. 4030 Second period of Daniel's 70 weeks ends; the last week commences. Baptism of Christ. Pilate enters on the government of Judea. C 40 4 A. D. 27 mended itself by the evidence with which it was miraculously confirmed; while to us, from whom this mode of attestation is withdrawn, it commends itself, not less forcibly, by the certainty of the events, in which it has been accomplished. In each of these methods, the certainty of the divine interposition is, in fact, no less adequately established; however widely they may appear to differ, in the manner in which they operate on our conviction. If the miraculous power, to which the divine legate appealed in attestation of his authority, proved the immediate intervention of the Deity in a former age; the prophetic spirit, which the accomplishment of what he uttered proves him to have possessed, proclaims it not less clearly in the present. Such appear to the inquirers into the grounds of Revelation, to be the main pillars on which our Faith is properly supported. To such evidence, it is conceived, the Apostle alludes, in representing it as susceptible of proof, from "the demonstration of Wisdom and Power;"* these being the divine attributes which particularly manifested themselves, in the preternatural evidence, afforded to our Holy Religion, in Inspiration and Miracles. Of these different species of evidence by which our faith is influenced, the former, as displayed * 1 Cor. ii. 4. in the prophetical writings, claims my immediate attention. On the particular object of the course, to which my present observations are introductory, it must be superfluous to enlarge, after the discussions of the many able and learned divines, who have preceded me in my present office. The part to which I am pledged will be most effectually discharged, in offering the few preliminary remarks, which are necessary to the explanation of my own views and purposes; and on the justness of which the selection and distribution of the subject, which I have chosen for discussion, is properly founded. In entering, with this view, on the consideration of Prophecy, as constituting a body of evidence calculated to operate on our conviction; I cannot approach the subject, without expressing some apprehension for the result, before my present auditory; who from that nice discrimination, which constant exercise renders more keen, are peculiarly qualified for the detection of what is false in principle and fallacious in deduction. When, indeed, I regard the difficulties, with which the undertaking in which I am embarked is beset; I feel the necessity of summoning all the resolution, which the consciousness of the nature and strength of my cause is calculated to inspire. And such is indeed, the nature of the subject, to which I have undertaken to bespeak attention, that when it is once declared, no labor of proof will be necessary to shew, that the power of human utterance is incapable of adding any thing to its dignity or importance. If Prophecy, in the claims which it prefers to our attention, admit of establishment; no feebleness in the manner in which they are advanced, can diminish our obligation to admit them.. If it bear, in the nature of the communication made to us, evidence of the source from whence it proceeds; as it addresses us in the voice of God Himself, no course remains to us, but that followed by the prophet, to answer in reverence and submission, "Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth." * And his part who would vindicate to it this character, will be fully discharged, who barely enumerates the qualities by which the claim may be most clearly established. I. In entering upon this office, the safest course, as the most becoming, is to attend to the suggestions of scripture, and to pursue the clue which it prescribes. As inducements have existed in all ages, to lead the interested and the deluded to affect an immediate communication with the Divinity; it was expedient, from the first, that the inexperienced might not be misled by the arts of the hypocrite, or errors of the enthusiast,—to supply them with a test, * 1 Sam. iii. 9. |