the Messiah, in whom such things should be seen to be accomplished, as had been expressly foretold.*

Indeed prophecies, unaccomplished, may have their use; that is, they may serve to raise a general expectation of a predicted event in the minds of those, who, for other reasons, regard the person predicting it, in the light of a true prophet. And such might be one, a subordinate, use of the prophecies concerning Jesus: but they could not be applied to the proof of his pretensions, till they were seen to be fulfilled. Nor can they be so applied even then, unless the things predicted be, confessedly, beyond the reach of human foresight.

Under these conditions, the argument is clear and easy, and will lie thus. "A great variety of distant, or, at least, future events, inscrutable to human sagacity, and respecting one person (whom we will call, Messiah) have been by different men, and at different times, predicted. These events have accordingly come to pass, in the history and fortunes of one person; in such sort, that each is seen to be, in a proper sense, fulfilled in him, and

* Ταῦτα ὁ Θεὸς προεμήνυσε διά το προφητικά πνεύματος μέλλειν γίνεσθαι, ἵν ̓, ὅταν γένηται, μὴ ἀπιςηθῇ, ἀλλ ̓ ἐκ τῶ προειρῆσθαι πιςενθῇ.

J. MARTYR, Apol. i. c. 74

all together in no other person whatsoever: Therefore the prediction of these events was divinely inspired : or (which comes to the same thing) therefore the person, claiming under these predictions to be the Messiah, or person foretold, hath his claims confirmed and justified by the highest authority, that of God himself."

Such is the argument from prophecy: and on this foundation, Jesus assumes to be the MESSIAH; and his religion, to be DIVINE.

II. Let us now see, what the amount of that evidence is, which results from this kind of proof.

Careless talkers may say, and sometimes think, "that prophecy is but an art of conjecturing shrewdly; that the sagacity of one man is seen to be vastly superior to that of another; that, in some men, the natural faculty may be so improved by experience, as to look like divination; and that no precise bounds can be set to its powers." Light or skeptical minds may, I say, amuse themselves with such fancies: but serious men will readily acknowledge, That many future events, especially, if remote, or extraordinary,* or describ

* Socrates foretold that he should die within three days: and the event followed-Est apud Platonem Socrates, cum esset in custodia publica, dicens Critoni suo familiari, sibi post tertium diem esse mo

ed with some degree of particularity, are not within the ability of the human mind to predict. And, to cut off all occasion of cavil, let it be owned, that the argument under consideration is, or ought to be, drawn from the completion of prophecies, so qualified.

To evade the force, which this argument apparently carries with it, it must then be said, that the completion of any particular prophecy, alledged, was fortuitous, or, what we call, a lucky hit.

"Coincidencies of this sort, we may be told, are very frequent. In the ceaseless revolution of human affairs, some event or other will be turning up, which may give a countenance to the wildest and most hazardous conjecture. Hence it is, that every groundless fear, every dream, almost, has the appearance of being realized by corresponding accident; which will not be long in occurring to those, who are upon the watch to make such discoveries. Upon these grounds, the supersti

riendum―quod, ut est dictum, sic scribitur contigisse. [Cic. de Div. 1. i. c. 25.] Jesus foretold that he should suffer death by crucifixion. [John iiì. 14. viii. 28. xii. 32.] He, likewise, foretold that he should rise from the dead, within three days after his crucifixion. [John ii. 19. Matth. xii. 39, 40.]-The first of these predictions, might be a sagaeious conjecture. Can it be said of such, as the two last,

Augurium, ratio est, et conjectura futuri ?

Ovid, Trist. 1. i, viii. 51,

tion of omens hath, at all times, been able to sustain itself; and to acquire a degree of credit, even with wise men. We see, then, that chance, in a good degree, supplies the place of inspiration: and that He, who sets up for a prophet, is likely to drive a safe, as well as gainful trade; especially, if he have but the discretion not to deal too freely in precise descriptions of times, and persons:* a consideration, of great moment to the men of this craft; and which hath not been overlooked by those, whom we account true prophets."

Such libertine reflections, as these, thrown out with an air of negligent ridicule, have too often the effect intended by them. At the same time, they disgust sober men, and are thought too light and trivial to deserve a confutation. But, because I take these suggestions, with whatever levity, or disingenuity, they may be made, to contain the whole, or at least, the chief strength of the infidel

* Hoc si est in libris, in quem hominem, et in quod tempus est? Callide enim, qui illa composuit, perfecit, ut, quodcunque accidisset, prædictum videretur, hominum et temporum definitione sublatasaid, in discredit of the Sibylline oracles [De Div. 1. ii. p. 295. fol. Lutet. 1565] how far applicable to the scriptural prophecies, will be seen in its place.

And again-oi xeno

† Διὰ τὸ ὅλως εἶναι ἁμάθημα ἔλατίον, διὰ τῶν γενῶν το πράγμα λέγεσιν οἱ μάντεις. μολόγοι, ε προσορίζονται πότε.

Aristot. Rhet. 1. iii. c. v.

cause, on this subject, I shall not decline to give them a very serious answer.

IT IS TRUE, no doubt, what is here alledged, That the conjectures of fanciful or designing men, whether grounded on casual signs, or delivered in the direct way of prophecy, have been frequently verified in the events: that is, such events have actually come to pass, in the sense put upon the sign, when it was observed, and in the literal sense of the prophecy, as delivered. History and common life, it is agreed, abound in such instances:* and I shall even make no scruple to produce one of each sort; as much, at least, to the purpose of these objectors, as any of those, which they have produced for themselves.

Nothing is more famous in the annals of ancient Rome, than the story of Romulus, and his TWELVE VULTURES; an omen this, on which the auspicious name of the rising city, and the fortune of its founder, were, at once established.† What

* Permultorum exemplorum et nostra plena est respublica, et omnia regna, ommesque populi, cunctæque gentes, augurum prædictis multa incredibiliter vera cecidisse. Cic. de Leg. l. ii. p.337. † Certabant, urbem Romam, Remoramne vocarent Omnibu' cura viris, uter esset induperator.

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