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to the Ground, and stamped upon them. And an Hoft was given him against the daily Sacrifice, by reafon of Tranfgreffion, and it cast down the Truth to the Ground, and it practifed and profpered. You need but read the Hiftory of the Macchabees, to fee the exact completion of all this in Antiochus Epiphanes; or if you pleafe, you need but confider the Interpretation which was given of it to Daniel, which is rather Historical than Prophetical. The time of Antiochus his Reign, is described in it after this manner: And in the latter time of their Kingdom, when the Tranfgreffours are come to the full, a King fhall stand up, &c. For it is very true, that the Monarchy of the Seleucides was foon after fubverted by the Romans. His natural Temper is also described in this Prophefy, to be fuch as 'tis reprefented to us by Li

and Polybius, &c. He shall be of fierce Countenance, and understanding dark Sentences. And the fame Oracle further adding, he shall destroy the Mighty and the Holy People, foretels his Wars against the Jews, how grievously he should oppress them. His Victories and all his Advantages obtained by Fraud and Deceit, are further represented to us in it. And through his Policy alfo he shall caufe Craft to profper in his Hand, and he fhall magnify himself in his Heart, and by Peace Shall destroy many. Laftly, His Death, and the kind of his Death related in the Book of Macchabees, are very well denoted in it, in these Words, He shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes; but he fhall be broken without Hand.

Let him that is not perfectly fatisfied with all thefe Prophecies, but read that other contained in the Ninth Chapter of Daniel, which is too long for us here to infert: There he may find Q

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the Rife and Progrefs of the Grecian Monarchy; its Decay, caufed by Alexanders's Death; the Rife of the Four great Monarchies, formed out of the Remainders of it; the Wars which afterwards raged betwixt the Ptolomees and the Seleucides, their Truces, Treaties, Marriages, Progreffes, Defeats, Confederacies, the Efforts which Antiochus made against the Holy People; and laftly, the total Ruin of Alexander's Succeffors, and the Destruction of thofe Empires which had fo much afflicted God's People. Let him but compare this Prophefy of Daniel, with Livy, Juftin, and Polybius, &c. And then let him doubt if he can, whether the Prophet does not deferve as well as they did, the Name of an Historian.

'Tis needlefs here to infift upon trifling Criticisms, we argue from the Prophefie in general; that there is none can doubt but that it is very clear, and was exactly fulfilled. 'Tis now our Incredulous Adversaries part to tell us what is their Opinion about it.

Porphirius speaks for them all; he affirms that the Book of Daniel is fuppofititious, and that the Prophecies which are comprehended in it, were compofed after the Events: For fo clear he found them to be, that he thought he could get off with no better Evasion than this, which of it felf falls to the Ground, and would not be worth our infifting upon, had the Incredulous any thing better to alledge for themselves.

For who does not perceive that that is a meer Sufpicion, which proceeds from the great desire they have, that those Prophefies fhould not pass for true? Did ever the Jews doubt of the Authority of the Book of Daniel? Or did ever any of that Nation complain of any fuch Counter

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feit? And how comes it that Jofephus tells us, that the High-Prieft of the Jews thewed Alexander the Great, the Prophefies of Daniel, which promised him the Empire? Or how came that Monarch on that confideration, fo generously to treat the Jews, if those Prophefies were not of that Date? How could fo many various Sects which divided the Jews fince the time of Alexander, have unanimously confented to the Supposition of this Book ?

But who does not perceive, that whether that Book be fuppofititious or not; 'tis yet unqueftionably a Prophetical Book, because these are Two most evident Truths: The Firft, That the Book of Daniel was in being before the coming of Jefus Chrift. The Second, That the most remarkable Prophefies of Daniel were fulfilled near about, or fomewhat after that time; and that for Example, the last Devastation of Jerufalem, effected by the Abominable, or the Roman Eagles which Jefus Chrift himself foretold, could not have been added to them after the Event, as we fhall prove hereafter more at large?

Let the Incredulous therefore make what brustling they please, and put their Fancy never fo much to the wrack, ftill they will be forced to own, either that those numerous Prophefies fhewed them in the Scriptures of the Jews, were added to them after the Events, or that they were a meer effect of Chance, or elfe that they proceeded from fome other Spirit, than the Spirit of God: But yet there is never a one of thefe Three Sufpicions that they can entertain, without first renouncing the Lights of Common Senfe. For if they pretend never fo little to rationality, 'twill be doubtless impoffible for them to think

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think that so many Propheties fo coherent together, so circumitantial, to extraordinary, and fo exactly fulfiled, fhould be the meer production of Chance: they must needs acknowledge that they are far more ancient than the Events, which Confeflion the Prophetie alone of the Calling of the Gentiles, repeated almoit in every Page of Scripture, cannot but force out of them even against their Will. And we'll fhew them, that fuppoling thofe Prophetes had a Supernatural Principle, they could never have proceeded from any Malignant Spirit, or from any other Source but the Spirit of God; which we fhall do, when we fhall joyn thefe Prophesies to all the other Characters of Divinity with which that Revelation is qualified, viz. To the Sublimity of its Doctrin, the Simplicity of its Stile, that Integrity of Manners, that fo fenfible Fidelity and that Self Denial in its End, and that Sanctified Morality taught in its Harmonious Agreement with Natural Religion, that Spirit of Piety, that Salt of Vertue, every where feafoning it, and that I know not what of Divine, which is unexpreffible, and which a Good Soul can better feel than utter. In truth, nothing but a prodigious Irregularity in the Mind, can ascribe such a Revelation as this to a Spirit of Darkness : But if this be not what the Incredulous have to fay, we would at least fain know what can be their Defence.

CHAP.

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CHA P. V.

That fuppofing we find the Jewish Revelation qualified with Characters of Divinity, we may very well from that very Obferva tion affure our felves it never was essentially corrupted,

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Ince the Jewish Revelation is altogether Divine, we cannot first of all, but assure our felves from thence, that Providence has always carefully watch'd left Men through their Malice, fhould alter or corrnpt it; because God is ingaged by his Wisdom and Goodness to the preservation of his Works.

It would argue Extravagance and Impiety too in us, if we fhould put lefs Confidence in God with respect to matters of Religion, than with respect to those of Nature. Since therefore 'tis the least of our Apprehenfions, that the Goodness of God fhould act fo unfuitably to it felf, as to permit that the Crops which shoot up this Year, fhould produce nothing but Poyfon, though a different configuration of Parts from what used to be, were fufficient to produce that effect; fo in like manner we do not fear his Wifdom should ever permit, that a Revelation defigned to give us Life, fhould become the inftrument of our Death.

Thofe who want both Time and Understanding to examine in particular what are the means which the Wisdom of God has made ufe of to preferve this Revelation down to us fo pure

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