Thefe Prophecies, when confidered collectively as forming one grand affemblage of proofs of their divine authority, and as having a reference to one grand connected fcheme, bear a ftrong and clear teftimony to the truth of every particular recorded in the holy Scrip tures. They establish the truth of Prophecy upon acknowledged facts, and point out the ufe and ultimate end of Prophecy to be the establishment of the Christian Religion upon the bafis of Divine Revelation. They show, that the establishment of Christianity was only the beginning of the Meffiah's reign-and that the objections to Christianity drawn from the corruption and diftreffes of the Church, and the small number of Chriftians, refult from a partial and confined view of the whole scheme, as it is displayed by the Prophetical writings -it being clear, from the Prophecies themfelves, that a long feries of time is required for their fulfilment.

They show, that the different powers of Antichrift were clearly predicted; and as it has evidently appeared under different forms, it furnishes an additional argument, upon Prophetic and Hiftoric ground, for the truth of that Religion it aims to destroy.

They

They prove, that the Hiftory of the Church of Chrift agrees exactly with the Prophecies concerning it, and that the present state of the world not only agrees with the Prophecies which have been uniformly understood to belong to the later ages, and from the combined light of History and Prophecy are feen to be now in their regular fucceffion before us, but that it seems to point towards the accomplishment of thofe Prophecies which remain to be fulfilled, and which will gradually complete the ftupendous fcheme of Providence, it has been the defign of this work to point out; as a protection against the torpor of Indifference, the artifice of Scepticism, and the violence of Infidelity, which fo dreadfully infest the prefent age.

These Prophecies are a warning voice to the thoughtless, to reflect, and to "fearch the Scriptures, and examine whether these things be fo." In them we see the plain traces of a Deity, the proofs of his Providence, and the authentie evidence of a Revelation.

Prophecy is indeed the voice of God appealing to the records and the obfervation of man for its eternal truth: it fpeaks to unbelieving Jews, to careless Chriftians, and to infidels

infidels of all denominations, and it adapts its awful declarations to the fpiritual wants of all mankind in every age. The truth of Prophecy admits not only the clear illustration of History, but the evidence of daily experience, and common observation. The prefent hour bears witness to its Divine origin, as well as the generations that are paffed.

"Jerufalem is now trodden down by the Gentiles" its walls are beaten down, its ditches are filled up, and it is furrounded with ruins of buildings-it is the refidence of the defpotic Turks, and fuperftitious Christians, divided into various communities of Greeks, Armenians, Copts, Abyffinians, and Franks.

The Jewish People are now dispersed among all the nations of the earth," yet diftinct and separate from all-" afflicted, but not forfaken," reviled as a proverb and a by-word," yet numerous, and, in general, opulent; "enriched with the spoil of their enemies"" they abide without a king, and without a priest P, and without a facrifice," a confpicuous monument of the truth of Prophecy, to every people among whom they

VOL. II.

See vol. i. p, 241.

B b

dwell.

dwell. Where are the Affyrians, and the Romans? They are fwept off from the face of the earth. "The name and the remnant has been cut off." "I will make a full end of all the nations, but I will not make a full end of thee." The conquerors are destroyed, and the captives remain.

Babylon, "that great city," is fulfilling her deftiny of "never being inhabited; it has not been dwelt in from generation to generation;" "it has never rifen from the defolation brought upon her: the wild beasts of the defert, lie there," and all is folitude and defolation.

The Sons of Ifhmael ftill wander over the deferts, and have their habitations in the tents of Kedar," and are "wild men ;" their hands are still against every man, and every man's hand is against them." Every act of plunder committed by the unfubdued and roving tribes of the wild Arabs upon the Caravans that traverse the deferts, bears witness to the truth of the memorable prediction pronounced 4000 years ago.

See Gibbon's teflimony, that not one of the antient Roman families remained in the eleventh century. Decline and Fall, c. Ixix.

Egypt

Egypt remains "a bafe kingdom" according to the Prophetic word '; "It shall not exalt itself any more above the nations." The Babylonians, the Perfians, the Macedonians, the Romans, the Saracens, the Mamalukes, and the Turks have held it in conftant subjection for near 2000 years fince this Prophecy was uttered.

The Mahometan Antichrift ftill rears its proud crescent in the Eaft, though its avenging fword, having done its appointed office, has been long put up into the scabbard.

The corruptions and fuperftition of Antichriftian Rome continue, though the time of her tyranny is past- "The decree is gone

forth, who fhall difannul it ?" The exact time of its full accomplishment it is not given to us to know; "the one day in which her plagues fhall come upon her, when she shall be thrown down with violence, and found no more at all,' cannot be yet discovered with certainty; but the time is declared with fufficient accuracy to explain the wonderful events now paffing in the world. Some of the kings," or nations who gave her their ftrength and power," have