is by St. John ramified into smaller branches; and even flender twigs, each bearing its separate fruit. Again, both the above mentioned Prophet and St. Paul have, by foretelling the rife of a power which should not be utterly deftroyed untill the return of our bleffed Lord Himself, drawn an outline of the truth of which every fucceffive age may judge; and at the fame time have traced certain limits for authentick prophecy. Within these limits we have seen the predictions of the revelation run: and in this vifion the larger periods spoken of by the former writers are reduced into fubdivifions each filled with the images of thofe events or characters that should appear therein. Singular in their kind are fome of these events moft diftinct from all others are fome of thefe characters. Yet under an arrangement fo artificial that few authours would would be able to attain to it in reporting paft tranfactions, has a fifherman of Galilee claffed the future appearance of these fo juftly, that in the course of seventeen hundred years the order of the accomplishment has run parallel with the method of the prophecy. Could he then have done this without fupernatural affistance? or, do thefe proofs of his having received it merit no attention? or laftly, what ftronger evidence could be given of the divine approbation of a doctrine, than the uninterrupted completion of a recorded course of prophecies ? miracles repeated on demand, (and if one infidel might have his demand fatisfied in this cafe, why might not another? while in every age, as Mr. Gibbon obferves to a very different purpose, there have been unbelievers to be convinced,) miracles I fay, repeated on demand would on becoming Z 1 coming common ceafe to be fuch, and, confequently lose their effect. With an actual fucceffion of prophets uttering predictions foon to be verified, the effect would be the fame as the example of the people of Ifrael abundantly proves. While the evidence of divine inspiration is much more decifive in a prediction uttered many ages before the event, than in one delivered at a time but little preceeding it. So that a written fyftem of prophecy, acceffible to all to prevent mifrepresentation, and fecured. from corruption by the multiplication of copies, will, if duely confidered, ap-. pear the most powerfull teftimony of divine revelation which the world is capable of receiving. But to add to its effect, the fubject of these prophecies are the fortunes of thofe nations to whom the gospel should be made known; and whofe fufferings for either corrupting or difobeying it are therein foretold. By By this affumption of authority to declare, in the name of its fovereign, the fate of the world, as exifting under the divine government and difcipline, an appeal is most openly and directly made to the justice of God, to counteract the completion of these predictions, if they were not delivered under his commiffion. From the fact then of the Deity not having interpofed to fhew, that his name has been here feigned, what conclufion fhould we draw? furely not, that it was fo? fince for this we have nothing but prefumption: while on the other fide ftands the ftubborn evidence of facts; by better than which no doctrine, however true, can be fupported and by acknowledging the weight of which we fet to our feal, that God hath not left himself wlthout witnefs in the moral, any more than in the natural world. Having Having therefore had the Gofpel announced to us as of fuch importance, that the fate of men would be regulated by the measure of their obedience to it, having had it foretold, that they would tranfgrefs its laws, and corrupt its doctrines, as they have done; and that, in confequence of this mifconduct, particular inflictions defcribed by the prophets would through the judgement of heaven be brought on Chriftendom; and thefe inflictions having hitherto taken place accurately as prefigured; what more could have been done to instruct, to admonish, to alarm us? Or, after ftating what has thus been done, may I not justly, though humbly, take up the words of the Lord by the prophet Isaiah, and addreffing myself to the present generation of Chriftans in the name of our God, fay," and now Oh "inhabitants of chriftendom, judge, "I pray you betwixt me and my Vine syard. |