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PREFACE

TO THE

Discourses on the Use and Intent of Prophecy, and the Dissertations.

I HAVE nothing more to say for the publi

cation of these Difcourfes, than what appears in the title page.

But, that the reader may not be deceived, it is proper to tell him here, that he is not to expect in the following Difcourfes an answer to a book lately published, entitled, Grounds and Reasons, &c.-That work was undertaken, and has been discharged to the fatisfaction of the public, by a much abler hand. When I entered upon the design of forming these Discourses, it was with a view of fhewing the Ufe and Intent of Prophecy in the feveral Ages of the World, and the manifeft connection between the prophecies of every age. They who confider the prophecies under the Old Testament, as fo many predictions only, independent of each other, can never form a right judgment of the argument for

the truth of Christianity, drawn from this topic; nor be able to fatisfy themselves, when they are confronted with the objections of unbelievers. It is an eafy matter for men of leifure and tolerable parts to find difficulties in particular predictions, and in the application of them made by writers who lived many hundred years ago, and who had many ancient books and records of the Jewish church, from which they drew many paffages, and perhaps fome prophecies; which books and records we have not to enable us to understand, and to justify their applications. But it is not so easy a matter to fhew, or to perfuade the world to believe, that a chain of prophecies, reaching through feveral thousand years, delivered at different times, yet manifeftly subservient to one and the fame administration of providence, from beginning to end, is the effect of art, and contrivance, and religious fraud: that, for fo many ages fucceffively, proper persons should be found to carry on the cheat; and that none of them should have any interest to serve by betraying the secret, or so much honesty and regard to truth as to discover it.

The account given in the fourth Discourse of the remiffion of the curfe on the ground, by covenant with Noah and his posterity, may

be treated perhaps as the effect of mere fancy and imagination; for there are many prejudices which lie in its way. All that I shall say more upon that subject, is only this: if you allow the account, it carries on the series of God's difpenfations towards mankind in a natural gradation, and opens a new scene of providence, where there seems to be great reason to expect one, at the beginning of the new world: if you reject this account, there seems to be a great gap in the facred history, and the new world sets out just where the old one left off; and yet who would not expect that fo great a change fhould be attended with some new degree of light, to comfort and support the poor remains of mankind? If the notion is not approved, it is at least an innocent one; and I am not fo fond of it as to enter further into the defence of it.

As to the Differtations which I have added, the relation they have to the subject of the Difcourfes will appear to those who think them worth the reading; and there is no reafon to trouble others with any account of them.

DISCOURSE I.

2 PETER i. 19.

We have alfo a more fure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that fhineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.

THERE being evidently a comparison in the text between the word of prophecy, and fomething before mentioned or intended, it is neceffary to look back to fee how the relation ftands, and what the thing is to which the word of prophecy is compared and preferred. At the fixteenth verse the Apoftle fays, We have not followed cunningly devifed fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift. And after thus difclaiming all art and deceit in fetting forth the promises and expectations of the Gofpel, he proceeds to declare upon what evidence and authority he had raised fuch expectations in them: But (we) were eye-witnesses of his majefty: for he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came fuch a voice to him from the excellent glory; This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed. And this voice which came

B

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