too, without being subsequently corrupted for the purpose of adapting it to the event, has been (as in the case of Isaiah's prophecy) most providentially accomplished through those very persons whom it condemns. The Papal Church, like the Jews of old, attest the purity of those Scriptures, out of which its corruptions are proved, and shewn to have been predicted. There is, moreover, in the above description, so exact a correspondence with the leading corruptions of Popery and the subsequent reformation of a large portion of the Church, as to satisfy the greater number of Protestants, at least, of the second requisite of a prophecythat it should apply to the event, and to that event only. These circumstances, again, (if the application be correct,) are so far removed from any view which mere reason and human foresight could have suggested to a writer at the period of the Roman empire's greatness and of the Church's infancy, as to make it certain that the source of such knowledge was inspired wisdom, and the fulfilment not the mere result of the prediction.

In asserting for this prophecy the character of

1

evidence to the inspiration of the writer, I would not however be thought to overlook the fact, that of Christians, the Roman Catholics, at least, do not acknowledge the application; and that among Protestants, there have been some who have likewise denied this; and have sought for the event in the impieties and cruelties of Caligula', the extravagancies of the Gnostics, the revolt of the Jews from the Romans', and even the triumphant career of Titus". For the failure of such an exact correspondence as is required to the character of a prophecy, in all these instances, the reader, if he has any doubts that require to be removed, may consult Bp. Newton's twentysecond Dissertation on the Prophecies. In the same Dissertation, or in Mr. Davison's tenth Discourse, he will likewise find the fulfilment as exhibited in the History of the Church's Popish corruptions, and of the subsequent Reformation, distinctly traced-if indeed his own impression, after reading the passage, leaves him in need of a guide.

i Grotius.
In Wetstein.

k Hammond.

'Le Clerc and Whitby.

It should be observed, however, that the use of this, and of all internal evidence, depends, much more than the use of the external, on the peculiar habits of thought, the character, and the pursuits of the inquirer. In short, whilst nearly the same impression may be made on all by a display of external proof, the same internal evidence, which is all-convincing to one, will be feeble to another, and no evidence at all to a third. The fact every thinking mind will acknowledge, (not in the case of religion alone, but on other subjects also,) and I shall have occasion again to revert to it.

And especially with respect to the force of prophecy fulfilled, it should be further taken into the account, that the prophecies of the Bible do not make their full impression singly but collectively. They are-however distinct the human authors in character, and however far apart the periods in which they wrote-a tissue of mutual references. Take from the mass a separate prophecy, it probably applies so inadequately to the event claimed for it, that we are ready to own, that so far from being applicable to that and that alone, its correspondence would

never have struck us, but for the aid of the ingenious commentator. Take that same prophecy; join it on to others, which it was evidently designed to follow up or to precede-to introduce or expand; and as we add part to part, the whole assumes an applicability, that makes us wonder at our former blindness.

We do not justice, for example, to this very passage of St. Paul, if we make use of the prophecy as it there appears alone. He evidently did not so express himself, as if he thought that all the reader was to know of it was contained in those words. He reminds the Thessalonians, that whilst he was with them he had told them these things; and therefore adapts what he now says to knowledge otherwise acquired. To put ourselves in the condition of the Thessalonians, so as to embrace in our view all the prophecy, we must join the apostle's hints to all with which they are connected in other Scriptures, and so interpret them. To my own mind, I confess, the passage alone exhibits such a curious and nice counterpart to the history of the Papal corruptions, and of the Church's reformation, that it does not seem to need this, in order that

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we may so apply it; but the picture is much heightened by adding to it the same apostle's mention elsewhere of the same prophetic view; where he adds the circumstances of "speaking lies in hypocrisy," "forbidding to marry,' commanding to abstain from meats"," and the like. But when I compare it further with the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Apocalypse, and both with those prophecies of the Old Testament, with which they are connected by a similarity of imagery, the shadowy outline assumes more and more the full lineaments of a portrait.

§. 7. The moral instruction contained in Scripture a proof of inspiration.

THAT the moral instruction contained in the Old Testament is worthy of its divine Author; and that the exceptions which have been taken against it apply to what were, in fact, only wise and merciful accommodations to the circumstances and condition of the people to whom it was origin

1 Tim. iv. 3, 4.