fact whatever, by those who were eye-witnesses of them, and sealed the truth of their teftimony with their blood; if to these external confirma→ tions you add likewife the internal excellence of Christianity, the goodness of the doctrin itself, fo moral, fo perfect, so divine, and the purity and perfection of its motives and fanctions, above any other system of morality or religion in the world; if you feriously confider and compare all these things together, it is almost impoffible 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 that there must be a divine revemany, lation, if there is any truth in prophecy; and there must be truth in prophecy, as we have shown in several inftances and might show in feveral more, if there is any dependence upon the teftimony of others or upon our own fenfes, upon what we read in books or upon what we fee in the world.

out of

Men are sometimes apt to think, that if they could but see a miracle wrought in favor of religion, they would readily refign all their scruples, believe without doubt, and obey without referve, The very thing that you defire, have. You have the greatest and most striking of miracles in the series of fcripture-prophecies accomplished ;

you

plished; accomplished, as we fee, in the present ftate of almost all nations, the Africans, the Egyptians, the Arabians, the Turks, the Jews, the Papifts, the Proteftants, Niniveh, Babylon, Tyre, the seven churches of Afia, Jerufalem, and Rome. And this is not a tranfient miracle, ceafing almost as foon as performed; but is permanent, and protracted thro' the course of many generations. It is not a miracle delivered only upon the report of others, but is fubject to your own infpection and examination. It is not a miracle exhibited only before a certain number of witneffes, but is open to the observation and contemplation of all mankind; and after so many ages is ftill growing, ftill improving to future ages. What ftronger 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 perfuaded though one fhould rife from the dead. What can be plainer? You see or may fee with your own eyes the fcripture-prophecies accomplished: and if the fcripture-prophecies are accomplished, the fcripture must be the word of God; and if the fcripture is the word of God, the Chriftian religion must be true.

It is hoped therefore that the fame address may be applied to you, which St. Paul made to king Agrippa, (Acts XXVI. 27, 28.) Believeft thou the prophets? I know that thou believeft: and God difpofe your heart to answer again, Not only almoft,but altogether thou perfuadeft me to be a Chriftian! 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 Thef. V. 19, &c.) quench not the Spirit; defpife not prophesyings; prove all things, hold fast that which is good. The of our Lord Jefus Christ be with you.

grace

Amen.

A

GENERAL INDEX.

The Letters denote the Volume, and the Figures the Page.

A

A

BOMINATION of defolation ftanding in the holy
place, the meaning of that expreffion, II. 263, &c.
why the Roman army is called the abomination, 264.
Abraham, the patriarch of the greatest renown, I. 37.
favored with feveral revelations, 37. thofe concerning
Ifhmael, confidered, 37, 38. the prophecies about Ifh-
mael and his pofterity, how fulfilled, 38, &c. those about
the Ifraelites, how accomplished, 65, 66, &c.

Abftinence from meats, a note and character of the apoftafy,
II. 469.

Acilius, the Roman conful, routs Antiochus, and expels
him out of Greece, II. 121.

Aelius Adrian, the Roman emperor, builds Elia instead
of Jerufalem, II. 316, &c. destroys and disperses the
Jews, 318. III. 55.

Agag, his king fhall be higher than Agag, that part of Balaam's
prophecy explained, I. 126, 127, 128.

Agathocles, diffolute and proud in the exercife of his power,
II. 111. the people of Alexandria rife against him, IEI.
cause him, his relations and affociates to be put to
death, III.

J

Alaric and the Goths invade Italy and befiege Rome, III.
85, 86.
Alexander the great, his defigns against the Arabs prevented
by his death, I. 48, 49. the rapidity of his conquefts,
II. 32, 33. the three chief battles he had with the king
of Perfia, 34. is met by the high-priest in his way

to

to Jerufalem, 37. enters the temple, and the prophecies
of Daniel are fhown him, 37, 38. characterized in that
book, 89. his death and the miferable end of his family,
47, 90, is fucceeded by four of his captains, 48, 90.
Alexander Severus, a just and provident emperor, III. 58,

59.
Alexandria, after a long fiege, taken by the Saracens,
I. 388, the famous library there, when founded and
when deftroyed, 388, 389.

Alfric in England in the tenth century writes against tran-
fubftantiation, III. 159, 160, 161.

Amalekites, Balaam's prophecy against them, how ful-
filled, I. 140-143.

Ambrofe, his affirmation about Antichrift, II. 415.

Angel, flying in the midst of heaven and preaching the
everlaking gospel, III. 252. what meant by saying,
The hour of his judgment is come, 253.

Angels, feven, having the feven laft plagues, III. 268.
pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth,
274, &c.

Antichrift, what mistaken notions the fathers had in this
matter, and how, I. 471-473. how long he is to con-
tinue, 488-490. he and the man of fin, one and the
fame perfon, II. 411. the opinion of Juftin Martyr,
Origen, the reformers and others about him, 412, 413,
418-420. how the true notion was fuppreffed and re-
reived again with the reformation, 417, 418, 419. how
afterwards it became unfashionable, and now grows into
repute again, 422, 423. the blindnefs of the papifts in
this point, 424. infamous for idolatry and deteftable
cruelty, III. 296. all his power shall be completely fub-
dued, and Rome itself deftroyed, 328. defcribed by
Daniel and the prophets, 399, 400. the prophets describe
his downfall, manner and circumstances of it, 400.
Antigonus, his attempts againft the Arabs not fuccefsful,
1. 49.

Antiochus Epiphanes, fucceeds his brother Seleucus Philo
pater, II. 127. obtains the kingdom by flatteries, 128.
the epithet of vile or defpicable given him by the prophet
Daniel, 129. tho' frantic and extravagant, yet fuccessful
and victorious, 130. prefers Jafon to the high priesthood,
131. afterwards advances Menelaus in his room, 132.

extravagant