THE

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE.

ARIOUS methods have been employed, by the wisdom of God, for the inftruction of mankind. Hiftories have been written, in which the great events of antiquity are diftinctly recorded, the moft illuftrious characters are faithfully delineated, and the moft important leffons. are forcibly inculcated. Laws have been published, ftamped with divine authority, fhowing the good and acceptable will of God, in the keeping of which there is a great reward; and ferving as a lamp to guide our feet into the ways of righteousness and peace. Poetry hath displayed its attractive beauties and graces, with the happy defign of captivating our hearts to the love and obedience of facred truth, and ftimulating our ardour in the practice of goodness. The great principles and duties of morality have been enforced in fhort proverbial fentences, furnishing excellent practical rules of action, and recommending, by the most powerful motives, every part of good conduct. Sublime truths, and interesting discoveries, have been prefented to view, respecting the Eternal God, the operations of his providence, the difpenfations of his grace, and the glory of his kingdom, calculated to proA duce

duce the most falutary effects. Prophecies have been delivered, at the diftance of ages from the predicted events, unfolding a fcheme fo aftonishingly vaft, and altogether unparalleled, as should ftrike awe and wonder into the hearts of men; and make us conclude, that the fubject, in which we are thus inftructed, must be of the highest moment, and greatest concern to mankind.

This mode of inftruction, though prefump-. tuously affumed by fome Heathen oracles, is peculiar to the Moft High God, with whom a thousand years are as one day, and to whom are known all his works from the beginning of the world. For this purpose he raised up fucceffively a race of men, under the special direction of his Holy Spirit, who, for many ages, delivered one prediction after another, giving notice of the great events which, commencing in early ages, reacheth to the confummation of all things; particularly defcribing the dignity of our Redeemer's perfon, and the glorious purposes for which he came into the world. This method of conveying knowledge by prophecy, is, above all others, attended with many important advantages. It ferves to raise admiration of that beneficent scheme devifed by infinite wisdom for our recovery, and to convince men that the fubject to which it relates must be of the last confequence to the inhabitants of this earth. It fhows the truth of the facred oracles in the most ftriking light; and affords a proof, that is continually growing ftronger, that the fcriptures are the word of God. It alfo encourages us to entertain the pleafing hope, that the bleffed defigns

which God hath in view to accomplish, fhall be proportioned to the greatness of the means used by him who worketh all in all. With this agreeable expectation, we enter with pleasure on the confideration of the prophecies before us, deeply impreffed with a fenfe of their excellence, variety, and ufefulness.

As to the fubjects treated of in this inspired book: It contains a rich variety of matter, well deferving our moft attentive confideration. The infpired writer having been employed as a teacher of the people, his difcourfes are not merely prophetical, they are replete with inftruction, admonition, reproof, and confolation. They abound with animated representations of the infinite majefty, the perfections, providence, and government of Jehovah; to which is added, a hiftorical defcription of fome interefting events which happened in the days of our prophet. They are enriched with many excellent precepts, which fhow us what the Lord our God requireth of us, and direct us in the paths of righteoufnefs, whilft the oppofite fins are marked and reprehended in fuch a manner as tends to awaken the confcience and affect the heart. They are interfperfed with declarations of the gracious purposes of God toward his people, with denunciations of awful judgments againft tranfgreffors, with affurances of deliverance to the penitent, and many powerful arguments to the duties of obedience. Above all, they treat of the great Meffiah, typified by the rites instituted under the former difpenfation, prefigured by many righteous men, and whofe way was prepared

by

by the whole series of events which preceded his appearance. Chrift, especially Chrift crucified, throws a moft agreeable light on the Old Teftament, particularly on the prophecies of this book. Unless the rites and facrifices, appointed under the former difpenfation, are confidered in reference to him, they will feem a confused heap of unmeaning ceremonies. Unless we view the prophecies as ultimately receiving their completion in him, and the interefts of his kingdom, they will feem wrapt up in impenetrable obfcurity. On the contrary, when we trace their connection with our Saviour, the centre in which all the great lines of revelation unite, what admirable order and defign, what agreeable fymmetry and proportion, what beautiful harmony and œconomy, are confpicuous in the different parts which compofe the whole, framed to convey the moft ufeful inftructions, and to promote one great end!

These prophecies then concern us, as well as thofe to whom they were firft delivered. They affured them of the certainty of events then future; they inftructed them in the mind of God, and were admirably fitted to infpire them with reverence for that fovereign hand which uniformly directeth all things. The partial accomplishment of these predictions ought to be confidered by us as an agreeable pledge and fecurity, that those which remain to be fulfilled fhall certainly have their completion in due time, whilft it affords us ftrong encouragement to intrust all our concerns in the hands of our faithful Creator. It is therefore both our duty

and