which can never impose upon our Credulity, because their Evidence depends upon their actual accomplishment, and fuch an accomplishment as cannot but be known to us.

CHAP. IV.

Wherein we further examine the Characters of Divinity difcoverable in the Jewish Revelation, by the Confideration of the Prophefies contained in it.

Α

ALL the Scriptures of the Jews, if I may fo fpeak, are nothing but one continued Web of Prophefies. Thus Noah by his curfing Cham the Father of Canaan, foretels what would happen to the Pofterity of the latter. Jacob upon his Death-Bed, forefees how the Land of Canaan would be divided among his Children, and what would be the condition of every Tribe. Mofes declares what Idolatry and Superstition the People of Ifrael would give themselves over to, after his Death. Efaias foretels the coming and the profperity of Cyrus an Hundred Years before he was born. There are feveral Prophets. which denote the future coming of the Babylonians, and the Captivity of the People of God. Feremiah foretels that it would last but Seventy Years. Daniel foretels the last and most dreadful Ruin of Jerusalem by the Roman Armies and feveral other Events little lefs remarkable than that, Lastly, All the Prophets without Exception,

訂

ception, from Ages down to Malachi, declare the Calling of the Gemics, as an event that fhould be attended with many very remarkable Circumftances.

But we inould never have done, if we should at prefent examine all thofe Oracles apart : It will be foficient to pick Two or Three very circumftantial Prophelies out of them, which will enable us to judge of the Character of the others, provided we examine them with duc care, And Daniel will fupply us with fuch as we defire.

The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar is generally pretty well known, and the Interpretation which Daniel gave to it, few People are still

to learn. Thou, O King, faid he, 411 a King of Kings; for the God of Hea

Dan 2.

ven bab given thee a Kingdom, Power, and Strength and Glory. And after thee shall arise another Kingdom inferior to thee, and another Third Kingdom of 1 Brass, which shall bear rule over all the Earth. And the Fourth Kingdom shall be strong as Iron, for as much as Iron breaketh in pieces and fubducth all things; and as Iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou Jaweji the Feet and Toes, part of Potters Clay, and part of Iron, the Kingdom fhall be divided, but there shall be in it of the strength of the Iron, forasmuch as then fameft the Iron mixed with Miry Clay. And as the Toes of the Feet were part of Iron and part of Clay, fo the Kingdom fhall be partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou faweft Iron mixed with Miry Clay, they shall mingle themselves with the Seed of Men ; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as Iron is not mixed with Clay. And in the Days of thefe Kings, fhall the God of Heaven

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fet up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the Kingdom fhall not be left to other People, but it Shall break in pieces, and consume all these Kingdoms, and it fhall ftand for ever. Forafmuch as thon faweft that the Stone was cut out of the Mountain without Hands, the great God has made known to the King what shall come to pass hereafter: And the Dream is certain, and the Interpretation thereof fure.

'Tis no hard matter to perceive, that this Oracle represents to us the Four great Monarchies which had afflicted the People of God from the Flood down unto Jefus Chrift, at whofe coming, they were all brought to an end, to wit, the Empire of the Affyrians, the Medes, the Perfians, and the Grecians. That the Iron which was the Emblem of the Fourth Monarchy,represents the prodigious ftrength of the Empire of the Grecians, which almost in a moment broke to pieces all the other Kingdoms. That the mingling of Iron with Clay, reprefenting the Divifion of that Empire, plainly informs us what happened after the Death of Alexander, when the Grandees having divided his Conquefts among themselves, they established several other Governments much weaker than the former; and that the feveral different Marriages between the Kings of Egypt and thofe of Syria, without ever effecting any folid or durable Union among them, do pretty well anfwer to the Clay of the Image, that could not cleave to the Iron. And as for the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands, which broke the Image, we fhall fee in the fubfequent part of this Difcourfe, that under a mysterious Representation, it includes a Prophefie that had its Completion.

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To the Dream of Nebuchadnezzar, we may further add the Vision which Daniel himself had, and which he describes after this man

ner. Then I lifted up mine Eyes, and Dan. 8. 3. saw, and bebold, there flood before the

River, a Ram which had Two Herns, and the Two Horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up laft. I jaw the Ram pushing Westward, and Northward, and Scuthward; so that no Beafts might ftand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his Hand, but he did according to his Will, and became great. And as I was confidering, behold an He-Goat came from the Weft, on the Face of the whole Earth, and touched not the Ground: And the Goat had a notable Horn between his Eyes, and he came to the Ram that bad Two Horns, which I had feen standing before the River, and ran unto him in the Fury of his Power. And I saw him come close unto the Ram, and be was moved with Choler against him, and smote the Ram, and brake his Two Horns, and there was no power in the Ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the Ground, and stamped upon him; and there was none that could deliver the Ram out of his Hand. Therefore the He-Goat waxed very great; and when he was strong, the great Horn was broken, and for it came up Four Notable toward the Four Winds of Heavens and out of one of them came forth a little Horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the South, and toward the Eaft, and toward the pleasant Land. And it waxed great, even to the Hoft of Heaven; and it caft down some of the Host, and of the Stars to the Ground, and stamped upon them. And an Hoft was given him against the daily Sacrifice, by reason of Tranfgreffion, and it cast down the Truth to the

ones,

Ground,

Ground, and it practised and profpered. Such was the Vision; let us now fee what Interpretation was given him of it.

The Ram which thou faweft, having Chap. 8. 20. Two Horns, are the Kings of Media and Perfia; and the rough Goat is the King of Grecia; and the great Horn that is between his Eyes, is the First King. Now that being broken, whereas Four stood up for it, Four Kingdoms fhall stand up out of the Nation, but not in his Power; and in the latter time of their Kingdom, when the Tranfgreffors are come to the full, a King of Fierce Countenance, and understanding dark Sentences, fhall stand up, and his Power fhall be Mighty, but not by his own Power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall profper and practise, and shall deftroy the Mighty, and the Holy People. And through his Policy alfo he fhall caufe Craft to profper in his Hand; and he shall magnifie himself in his Heart, and by Peace fhall deftroy many. He shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes, but he shall be broken without Hand. Nothing can be more circumftantial han this Prophefy was, nor more exactly fulfilled.

For it is true, that to the Monarchy of the Affyrians fucceeded that of the Medes and Perfians, who one while are look'd upon as Two different Empires, and another while as but one; whereof those Two Nations were as it were the Two Horns, but one was higher than the other, because the Perfians were more powerful than the Medes. The higher Horn came up last, because the Empire of the Perfians was extended toward the Eaft, and the Places oppofite to that which Daniel was in, when he faw this Vifion. This Ram pushed Weftward, and Northward, and Southward:

That