proved for ever. No rational mind will admit it poffible for the utmost force which objections can mufter to overthrow a single demonftration, or what Dr. Jeremy Taylor has shown to be nearly of equal strength, a moral certainty.

These confiderations have urged me to try whether one argument, which I confider as proving incontrovertibly both the certainty of Revelation and its chief defign, could not be compreffed within narrow limits in fuch a manner, as to ftrike, and not tire the attention. And it is with the earnest hope of accomplishing this great object, that I shall lay before the reader fome few of the most remarkable Prophecies, capable of the shortest and plainest application, in two distinct claffes, and fubjoin the facts, which have fulfilled them. The relation of thefe facts I fhall take from the most authentic and approved hifto rians, both ancient and modern; and confirm every statement by obfervations, authorized by writers diftinguished for their learning, penetration, judgment, and impartiality, in order to give indifputable authority to each application of the Prophecies to the events, stated as their accomplishment, and to the conclufions, that will be deduced from them.

FIRST

FIRST CLASS.-Prophecies which have been fulfilled,-down to the fubverfion of the Jewish government.

SECOND CLASS.-Prophecies relating to the reign of Antichrift, and the reign and final triumph of the Meffiah.

The Prophecies which I have felected for the FIRST Clafs will be fhewn to have been accomplished, by the events to which they are referred, in the fullest sense, and most accurate manner. It will be proved, that the facts recorded have precisely agreed with the facts predicted, and the time, when time is mentioned in the Prophecy, with the time predicted.

The Prophecies I have chofen for the SECOND Class, are fuch as are in part fulfilled, and are, therefore, fo far established upon fafe ground by past time, and accomplishment; and are thus rendered more clearly and certainly proper objects of our attention and inquiry. But as I fhall confider them with a particular view to the present state of the world, and fhall be led to offer an opinion relative to the connexion, which they appear to have as parts of one Power, and to hazard

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hazard a conjecture refpecting the courfe of their completion, I have feparated this Class from the former, that the great argument to be derived from the clear and exact accomplishment of Prophecy may reft entirely upon the acknowledged truth of historical facts.

That these Prophecies were delivered at the time, and by the perfons, to whom they are commonly affigned;-that they were delivered before the events they predict; and that they profeffed to be prophetic at the time of their delivery, and were fo understood to be, by the greatest and most learned perfons, at and after their delivery, are points, that have been long efteemed established, beyond the power of controverfy. But none are feeure from contradiction; and the infatuating folly of the prefent day makes men perpetually mistake affertion for argument. It will not be expected in a work, which professedly aims at conciseness, that what may be called a preliminary subject should be treated very fully. For the detail of proofs, I must refer the reader to thofe learned authors, who have collected the various evidence, and from thence have moft clearly deduced incontestable conclufions in fupport of the authenticity of the Scriptures

Scriptures; and who confequently give ample confirmation to the truth of these points. But I cannot pass them over intirely. And I wish to give the reader, if yet unacquainted with their history, fome information relative to those Prophets, whofe writings will be the fubjects of difcuffion-premifing a few obfervations refpecting the scene of Prophecy, and faying a few words concerning the Prophets in general, before I enter upon the fhort account of the hiftory and explanation of the nature and ufe of Prophecy itself, with which I fhall conclude this preparatory Chapter.

The principal scene of Prophecy, after the death of Mofes, was the country of Judea :a country of little eminence when compared with the mighty empires of the earth; but not fo very inconfiderable as it is usually represented, when compared more justly with kingdoms which exifted nearer to its ancient date. The truth is, that we annex certain ideas

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Porphyry, who lived in the third century, and was an acute and learned writer against Christianity, confeffed that Mofes flourished near 1000 years before any of the Greek Philofophers; and it is well known that Herodotus, the earliest Grecian Hiftorian, was contem

ideas of dignity and greatness to the kingdoms of Troy, of Argos, of Crete, of Lydia, and the different ftates of Greece, because the poets and hiftorians magnify their importance in our youthful minds, and because we never lofe fight of them while we pursue our ftudies. Whereas the Ifraelites, feparated from the rest of the world for the exprefs purpose of preferving the Oracles of God, quietly fettled in the promised land, which they had conquered in far more remote antiquity, or fuffering in captivity the predicted punishment of disobedience to their law, are feldom presented to our notice by thofe authors in whom we are accustomed to confide for our knowledge of ancient history.With the kingdom of Ifrael we are little acquainted, except as it forms a part of early religious inftruction; and the reverence with which we may be disposed to remember it, is often abated when we difcover the low estimation in which it is generally held with refpect to the dazzling points of fplendor, power, and fame. It may however be asked, which of the great monarchies of the ancient world exceeded in magnificence the Court

porary with Malachi, the last of the Prophets.-Hence Jofephus fpeaks with great contempt of the late origin of Grecian literature.

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