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fuddenly and at once; which not being the cafe, it seemed to follow, that the prophecies were falfe, or at leaft ill understood: when yet, furely, they were then fulfilling under the eyes of these fcoffers.

It will be confidered, how far these hints may go towards refcuing fome refpectable interpreters (for I fpeak only of fuch) from that contempt, which has fallen upon them, and, from them, on the prophecies themselves, for fome hazardous conclufions, or (if you will) predictions, formed and given out by them, concern, ing the reign and fall of Antichrift. My meaning, however, is not to make myself responsible for these conclufions. They may not be rightly drawn from the premifes, laid down; or the premifes may bẹ fuch, that the precise date of those transactions cannot be determined from them, at leaft, not, till the scene of prophecy be closed, or, in the prophetic language, till the mystery of God be finished [n]. In the [n] Rev. x. 7

mean

mean time, it is not clear and undeniable that there is no ground at all for fuch conjectures: or, if it were, it would only follow that they, who made them, had been rafh and indifcreet in commenting too minutely and confidently on prophecies unfulfilled; and it would be weak, as we have seen, to contract a prejudice against the subject itself from the mistakes of fuch

commentators.

V. After all, the main and master prejudice, I doubt, is, that levity of mind which difpofes too many to take their notions on this, and other fubjects of moment, from certain polite and popular, it may be, but frivolous and libertine writers: men, who have no religion, or not enough to venerate the prophetic fcriptures; who have no knowledge, or certainly not enough to understand them.

But with fuch cavillers, as these, I have no concern; this Lecture, and the subject of it, being addreffed to men of another character,

character, to fair, candid, fober, and en lightened inquirers, only: For fo the infpired perfon, who firft announced thefe wonders concerning Antichrift, to mankind, expressly declares, or rather prophefies-None of the wicked shall understand; but THE WISE fhall understand [o].

[o] Daniel xii. 10.

SER

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SERMON IX.

The Prophetic Style confidered.

EZEKIEL XX. 49.

They Say of me, Doth he not Speak
Parables?

IN

N recounting the various prejudices, which have diverted many perfons from giving a due attention to the prophecies concerning Antichrift, I may be thought to have overlooked ONE of the most confiderable which arifeth from the peculiar Style, in which they are delivered. But this being a fubject of larger compafs, and nicer inquiry, than the reft, (in which, too, the credit of all the prophetic fcriptures, as well as thofe refpecting Antichrift, is con

cerned)

cerned) I have purposely reserved it for a distinct and separate examination.

WITHOUT DOUBT, a plain man, brought up in our customs and notions, and unacquainted with theological ftudies, when he firft turns himself to the contemplation of the Jewish and Chriftian prophecies, will be surprised, perhaps difgufted, to find, that he understands little, or nothing of them. His modefty may incline him to think, that fuch writings are too myfterious for his comprehenfion: or, his laziness and prefumption may difpofe him to reject them, at once, as perfectly unintelligible; to confider the language of them, as a jargon, to which no ideas are annexed; or, at least, as a kind of cypher, of so wild and fanatical a texture, that no clear and certain conftruction can be made of it.

Now, this prejudice, whichever way it points, will be obviated, if it can be fhewn, 1. That the prophetic ftyle was of common and approved use, in the times, when

the

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