In any explication of the prophecies you cannot but observe the subserviency of human learning to the study of divinity. One thing is particularly requisite, a competent knowledge of history, sacred and profane, ancient and modern. Prophecy is, as I may say, history anticipated and contracted; history is prophecy accomplished and dilated: and the prophecies of Scripture contain, as you see, the fate of the most considerable nations, and the substance of the most memorable transactions in the world from the earliest to the latest times. Daniel and St. John, with regard to these latter times, are more copious and particular than the other prophets. They exhibit a series and succession of the most important events from the first of the four great empires to the consummation of all things. Their prophecies may really be said to be a summary of the history of the world, and the history of the world is the best comment upon their prophecies. I must confess it was my application to history that first struck me, without thinking of it, with the amazing justness of the Scripture-prophecies. I observed the predictions all along to be verified in the course of events: and the more you know of ancient and modern times, and the farther you search into the truth of history, the more you will be satisfied of the truth of prophecy. They are only pretenders to learning and knowledge who are patrons of infidelity. You have heard in these discourses, of the two greatest men whom this country or perhaps the whole world hath produced, the Lord Bacon and Sir Isaac Newton, the one wishing for a history of the several prophecies of Scripture compared with the events, the other writing Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John: and the testimony of two such (not to mention others) is enough to weigh down the authority of all the infidels who ever lived. You see what standing monuments the Jews are every where of divine vengeance for their infidelity; and beware therefore of the like crime, lest the like punishment should follow; "for (Rom. xi. 21) if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee." Our infidelity would be worse even than that of the Jews, for they receive and own the prophecies, but do not see and acknowledge their completion in Jesus, whereas our modern infidels reject both the prophecy and the completion together. But what strange disingenuity must it be, when there is all the evidence that history can afford for the prophecy, and in many cases even ocular demonstration for the completion, to be still obstinate and unbelieving? May we not very properly bestow upon such persons that just reproach of our Saviour, (Luke xxiv. 25,) "O fools, and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken?" But I have good hope and confidence in God, that (Heb. x. 39) "we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them who believe to the saving of the soul." Indeed, if it was once or twice only that the thing had succeeded, and the event had fallen out agreeably to the prediction, we should not so much wonder, we should not lay such a stress upon it; it might be ascribed to a lucky contingency, or owing to rational conjecture: but that so many things, so very unlikely ever to happen, should be so particularly foretold, and so many ages afterwards so punctually fulfilled, transcends without doubt all the skill and power of man, and must be resolved into the omniscience and omnipotence of God. Nothing certainly can be a stronger proof of a person's acting by divine commission, and speaking by divine inspiration; and it is assigned in Scripture as the test and criterion between a true and false prophet, (Deut. xviii. 22:) "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously;" and in another place, (Jer. xxviii. 9:) "The prophet who prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him." It is so much the peculiar prerogative of God, or of those who are commissioned by him, certainly to foretell future events, that it is made a challenge to all the false gods, (Isa. xli. 21, 28:) "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the king of Jacob; show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods." Lying oracles have been in the world; but all the wit and malice of men and devils cannot produce any such prophecies as are recorded in Scripture and what stronger attestations can you require to the truth and divinity of the doctrine? No man can bring with him more authentic credentials of his coming from God: and the more you shall consider and understand them, the more you will be convinced that (Rev. xix. 10) "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." If to the prophecies you add the miracles, so salutary and beneficial, so publicly wrought and so credibly attested, above any other matters of fact whatever, by those who were eyewitnesses of them, and sealed the truth of their testimony with their blood; if to these external confirmations you add likewise the internal excellence of Christianity, the goodness of the doctrine itself, so moral, so perfect, so divine, and the purity and perfection of its motives and sanctions, above any other system of morality or religion in the world; if you seriously consider and compare all these things together, it is almost impossible not to feel conviction, and to cry out, as Thomas did after handling our Saviour, (John xx. 28,) "My Lord and my God!" This is only one argument out of many, that there must be a divine revelation, if there is any truth in prophecy; and there must be truth in prophecy, as we have shown in several instances, and might show in several more, if there is any dependance upon the testimony of others, or upon our own senses, upon what we read in books, or upon what we see in the world. Men are sometimes apt to think, that if they could but see a miracle wrought in favour of religion, they would readily resign all their scruples, believe without doubt, and obey without reserve. The very thing that you desire, you have. You have the greatest and most striking of miracles in the series of Scriptureprophecies accomplished; accomplished, as we see, in the present state of almost all nations, the Africans, the Egyptians, the Arabians, the Turks, the Jews, the Papists, the Protestants, Nineveh, Babylon, Tyre, the seven churches of Asia, Jerusalem, and Rome. And this is not a transient miracle, ceasing almost as soon as performed; but is permanent, and protracted through the course of many generations. It is not a miracle delivered only upon the report of others, but is subject to your own inspection and examination. It is not a miracle exhibited only before a certain number of witnesses, but is open to the observation and contemplation of all mankind; and after so many ages is still growing, still improving to future ages. What stronger miracle therefore can you require for your conviction? or what will avail, if this be found ineffectual? Alas, if you reject the evidence of prophecy, neither would you be persuaded though one should rise from the dead? What can be plainer? You see or may see with your own eyes the Scripture-prophecies accomplished: and if the Scripture-prophecies are accomplished, the Scripture must be the word of God; and if the Scripture is the word of God, the Christian religion must be true. It is hoped, therefore, that the same address may be applied to you, which St. Paul made to king Agrippa, (Acts xxvi. 27, 28,) "Believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest:" and God dispose your heart to answer again, Not only "almost," but altogether "thou persuadest me to be a Christian!" For your encouragement remember, that (Matt. x. 41) "He who receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward." Wherefore (1 Thess. v. 19, &c.) " quench not the Spirit; despise not prophesying; prove all things, hold fast that which is good. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with Amen." you. 54 ABOMINATION of desolation standing in the Abraham, the patriarch of the greatest re- Acilius, the Roman consul, routs Anti- Agag, his king shall be higher than Agag, Agathocles, dissolute and proud in the ex- Alexander the Great, his designs against Alexander Severus, a just and provident Alexandria, after a long siege, taken by the Alfric in England in the tenth century Ambrose, his affirmation about Antichrist, 412. Angel, flying in the midst of heaven and Angels, seven, having the seven last Antichrist, what mistaken notions the fa- revived again with the reformation, 413; how Antigonus, his attempts against the Arabs Antiochus Epiphanes, succeeds his brother Antiochus Magnus, succeeds his brother Apocalypse. See Revelation. Apostacy of the latter times, St. Paul's Arabians, disdain to acknowledge Alexan- der the Great, 30; his designs prevented Asia, the seven epistles to the seven Asshur. And shall afflict Asshur, what Assyrians, terrible enemies both to Israel Attila, with his Huns lays waste Macedon Austin, his opinion about Antichrist, 412. by Rauwolf, ib. by Peter della Valle, 142; by Babylon, the fall and destruction of spiritual Babylonian, the first of the four empires, Bacon (Lord) wisheth for a history of the Badby, convicted of heresy and burned Balaam, the prophet, a heathen and an Baronius, his character of the tenth cen- Basnage, a remarkable passage in his Beast, with seven heads and ten horns |