SERMON IV. or extraordinaryd, or described 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, alleged, 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 d Socrates foretold that he should dye within three days : and the event followed. -Est apud Platonem Socrates, cùm esset in custodiâ publicâ, dicens Critoni suo familiari, sibi post tertium diem esse moriendum quod, ut est dictum, sic scribitur contigisse [Cic. de Div. 1. i. c. 25.] Jesus foretold that he should suffer death by crucifixion. [John iii. 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 sagacious conjecture. Can it be said of such, as the two last, Augurium, ratio est, et conjectura futuri ? Ovid. Trist. 1. I. viii. 51. 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 some corresponding accident; which will not be long in occurring to those, who are upon the watch to make such discoveries. Upon these grounds, the superstition 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: à consideration, of great moment to the men of this craft f; and which hath not been overlooked by those, whom we account true prophets." • Hoc si est in libris, in quem hominem, et in quod tempus est? Callidè enim, qui illa composuit, perfecit, ut, quodcunque accidisset, prædictum videretur, hominum et temporum definitione sublata-said, 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. * Διὰ τὸ ὅλως εἶναι ἁμάρτημα ἔλατίον, διὰ τῶν γενῶν τὸ πράγ μαλος λέγεσιν οἱ μάντεις. And again - οἱ χρησμολόγοι, ἐπροσogíZorla wóre. Aristot. Rhet, 1. iii. c. v. VOL. V. SERMON IV. SERMON IV. 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 cause, on this subject, I shall not decline to give them very serious answer. a 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 g Permultorum exemplorum et nostra plena est respublica, et omnia regna, omnesque populi, cunctæque gentes, augurum prædictis multa incredibiliter vera cecidisse. Cic. de Leg. 1. ii. p. 337. IV. objectors, as any of those, which they have SERMON 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 h. What further construction was then put on this prodigy, doth not appear: but, as the science of augury advanced in succeeding times, a very momentous and striking prophecy was grounded upon it. For we have it affirmed, on the high authority of M. T. VARRO, that Vettius Valens, an augur of dis b Certabant, urbem Romam, Remoramne vocarent. Omnibu' cura viris, uter esset induperator. Cedunt de cœlo ter quatuor corpora sancta Cic. de Div. 1. i. c. 48. i Quot sæcula urbi Romæ debeantur, dicere meum non est: sed, quid apud Varronem legeriin, non tacebo. Qui Libro Antiquitatum duodevicesimo ait, fuisse Vettium Romæ in augurio non ignobilem, ingenio magno, cuivis docto in disceptando parem; eum se audisse dicentem: Si ita esset, ut traderent historici, de Romuli urbis condendæ auguriis, ac duodecim vulturibus; quoniam cxx annos incolumis præ IV. SERMON tinguished name in those days, took occasion from this circumstance (and in the hearing of Varro himself) to fix the duration of the Roman empire. The TWELVE VULTURES, he said, which appeared to Romulus, portended, that the sovereignty of that state and city, whose foundations he was then laying, should continue for the space of TWELVE HUNDRED YEARS. It is of no moment to inquire, on what principles of his art the learned augur proceeded, in this calculation. The TRUTH is, that the event corresponded, in a surprising manner, to the conjecture; and that the majesty of the Western empire (of which Rome was the capital) did, indeed, expire under the merciless hands of the Goths, about the time limited by this augural prophet. It should, further, be observed that this prediction was of such credit and notoriety, as to take the attention of the later Romans themselves, who looked with anxiety for the ac teriisset populus Romanus, ad mille et ducentos perven turum. CENSORINUS de die natali, c. xvii. p. 97. Cantab. 1695. k Hence Sidonius, in personating the city of Rome, makes her ask Quid, rogo, bis seno mihi vulture Thuscus aruspex |