vifionary, only because, in the darkened state of their minds, they cannot understand them.

But leaving these men to a better way of thinking, it is not to be wondered at, that even to well-meaning Chriftians, learned, as well as unlearned, the prophecies fhould not be intelligible, if they have taken only a superficial view, or have not had patience enough to study them, as Lord Bacon advifes, with wisdom, fobriety, and reverence. This is, in part, to be attributed to the language of prophecy, which is figurative and hieroglyphical; a language in which the thoughts of men were figuratively reprefented. It was, perhaps, the firft written language invented by the human race; nor was the use of it extended to the vulgar, but confined, it fhould feem, to the fecrets of Government, and the myfteries of Theology. It was understood by the learned Egyptians, by the Jews, and, of course, by the prophets; and in this fignificant language it has pleafed God, in mercy to mankind, that the prophets fhould deliver and transmit to future ages the awful events, which were to happen in the courfe of his righteous providence. The fame Guardian Power has also, in a fingular manner, preferved and perpetuated thus much of this most ancient dialect in the

prophecies

prophecies themselves, amidst the ruins of the greater part of it, for that express purpose, while many others of less ancient date have been utterly loft. It is farther to be obferved, and preffed upon the attention of the reader, that the prophecies are written partly in myfterious hieroglyphics, and partly in common and intelligible terms. The meaning of the latter is a clue to that of the former; and therefore, by comparing one fentence, or part of the prophecies, with another, the literal meaning of the mysterious part may be attained; and thus alone the coincidence of the prediction with the events fulfilled, become plainly and minutely difplayed to

view.

Nor must I omit to remind the reader, that there are two kinds of prophecies in the holy fcriptures; fome are admonitory only, as the prophecy of Jonah respecting the destruction of Nineveh, and several others, during the time of the Jews. Thefe were literally expreffed, that they might immediately be understood, and, as in the inftance above referred to, afford the peaple admonished an opportunity of repentance. Other prophecies feem to be intended, by their Divine Inspirer, rather as fo many miraculous and unceasing demonftrations, throughout all

ages,

ages, of his OMNIPOTENCE, his INFINITE WISDOM, and RIGHTEOUS PROVIDENCE over

all his works, as the events fhould, in their order, come to pass in the fight of mankind. These, therefore, are defignedly concealed under hieroglyphical and other figurative language, fo that they cannot, by their very nature, be PERFECTLY understood till the exact time of their accomplishment. Before the event predicted takes place, there is nothing to which the type of that event can properly be applied; nor will it admit of a doubt but that this is contrived and arranged in the abundant mercy of God to man: he has benevolently concealed from human forefight even the occurrences of to-morrow. What mortal has fortitude enough to fuffer, with patience, the diftrefs which a foreknowledge of events might often occafion? Had this been fo ordered by Providence, what a wretched state of despondency must have been the fate of man! Befides, we are expreffly forewarned by Chrift himself, that "it is not for us to know the "times and the feafons, which the Father hath

put in his own power:" the times and feafons of thofe prophetic events, the completion of which has not commenced, because they relate to futurity: fuch as, in the Book of Revelation, the fall of Babylon the Great, the mother

· of

of harlots; the fecond coming of Chrift; the firft. refurrection of the just, and his reign upon earth a thousand years; the last day, or judgment; and finally, Chrift's "delivering up his kingdom to God the Father, that God may be ALL IN

ALL."

One word more before I conclude this Introduction. Fully impreffed with the wisdom of the plan I have before mentioned, recommended by Lord Bacon, I have deviated from the beaten track of former commentators, by forting the prophecies relating to the past and present events, and feparating them from those which refer to futurity, and been enabled by it to avoid many of their inconfiftencies and errors, arifing from their application of the prophecies, which only relate to futurity, to events which had past and been fulfilled; and, moreover, fully convinced that the holy Scriptures are the only true expofitors of themfelves, without confulting the interpretations of others, except those of Bishop Newton and his references, from which I have entirely differed in the following comments, I have made thofe facred oracles of the will of God my only interpreters; by which, I truft, I have been led, not blindfold, through that labyrinth of mysterious types and figurative

expreffione

expreffions with which the prophecies so much abound. In this course of seeking after the truth, I have freely treated of fuch parts of the prophecies as refer to the lately past and prefent events; but in respect to those which refer only to the future, I have treated of them much in the words of the prophet, without enlarging upon them, with defign only to prove the regular order of their fucceffion, and their connexion with the paft, leaving a particular explication of them to others, when the events fhall come to fulfil them. My comments on the first are cheerfully fubmitted to the critical confideration of the pious and the learned, because I know it is thence I may hope for a refutation of the errors I may have inadvertently and in hafte committed; and as to the latter, I have to entreat the reader to confider them as only conjectures arifing out of the probable and not scientific meaning of the prophecies; for I hesitate not to fubfcribe to the opinion of the great Sit Ifaac Newton, that "the defign of God in giving "the prophecies was not to gratify the curiofi"ties of men by enabling them to foreknow things; but that after they were fulfilled they might be interpreted by the events and his own providence, and not that of the interpreter's; and that thus it might be mani"fefted to the world."

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A BRIEF