We have already shewn its superiority in gaining by Time what the other loses. This advantage is further seen by its being less subject to the mistakes and fallacious impressions of sense than Miracles are.

But as this is a matter of much importance, it may be proper to explain and verify the assertion.

Both MIRACLES and PROPHECIES are indeed appeals to the Senses, but with this difference, that MIRACLES, however illustrious, such as those worked by the first propagators of our holy Religion, are subject to the cavils of Infidelity.

Of this, Dr. Middleton hath afforded a wonderful example; where he insinuates, and would seem to persuade Is, that the Voice from Heaven recognizing the Son of God, was no other than a superstitious fancy of the later Jews called the BATH KOL; a fantastic kind of Divination of their own invention.-As groundless and scandalous as this cavil is, yet it must be owned, that the frame of the animal economy, in which a heated imagination is able to work strange appearances in the body, has given some countenance to infidelity, in its sceptical conclusions against Miracles. And though we have said enough to free those of the Gospel, and some others, confined within the reasonable bounds before laid down, from every imputation of this sort, yet Miracles being, by their very nature, open and liable to abusive interpretations, and Prophecy well secured from them, for this, and for the more weighty reasons given above, we conclude (as the crown of all) with the unerring declaration of the holy Apostle PETER; who, in his second general Epistle to the Churches, alluding to this twofold evidence for the truth of Revelation, namely MIRACLES and PROPHECY, after he had ended what he thought fit to say of the first, proceeds to the other in these words-WE HAVE ALSO A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY-XoμED BE÷ ΒΑΙΟΤΕΡΟΝ τὸν ΠΡΟΦΗΤΙΚΟΝ λόγον -4 word, that may be more firmly relied on, and whose existence is more durable. The word, Beßarrego, including both these senses. And we have shewn that the nature of PROPHECY contains these two qualities.

And they being most eminently comprised in the CAPITAL PROPHECY here described and characterized;

a more particular explanation of it may be naturally expected in this GENERAL VIEW of the Christian Religion.

"We have not followed cunningly devised fables (says the Apostle, ver. 16.) when we made known unto 6% you the POWER AND COMING of our Lord Jesus "Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his Majesty."

17.

"For he received from God the Father honour " and glory, when there was a VOICE to him from the exceeding glory-This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'

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18. "And this voice which came from Heaven we heard, when we were with him in the mount."

19. "WE HAVE ALSO A MORE SURE WORD OF "PROPHECY; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,

as unto a light shining in a dark place, until the day "dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts."

*There are few places, in the Scriptures of the New Testament, plainer than this before us; and yet there are none where interpreters have wandered further from the Apostle's meaning t.

This hath been principally owing to a mistake of the subject. These Interpreters supposed that St. PETER was here speaking of the PERSONAL CHARACTER OF JESUS; and thence concluded, that THE MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY, whereby he strengthens his argument, respected the Prophecies of the OLD TESTAMENT, which establish that PERSONAL CHARACTER.

But the Apostle is treating of a different thing; namely,

of THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL IN GENERAL.

Which shews, that the more sure word of Prophecy regards a Prophecy of the NEW TESTAMENT.

One mistake produced, of course, ancther. For, on supposition, that the personal Character of Jesus was the thing meant, it would follow, that by the power and conuing of our Lord, we are to understand his FIRST COMING; and then, indeed, the word of Prophecy must needs signify a Prophecy ALREADY FULFILLED.

But

From this place to the end, abridged and altered from Discourse On the Rise of Antichrist.

See the altercations between Bishop Sherlock and Dr. Middleton, and their respective Advocates.

5

nothing

nothing is more certain than that the Character here given of that Prophecy, to which the Church is admonished to take heed, or pay its attention, confines us to one, but now, just beginning to attest its divine originalit is a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in our hearts; that is, till a long series of events (yet in the womb of time) shall arise, to give testimony, by degrees, till the whole evidence concludes in one unclouded blaze of conviction. So that the power and coming of our Lord must needs mean his

SECOND COMING.

Yet amongst the Interpreters just before censured, there are some more eminently absurd* than the rest. One of these is even desirous to have it believed, that by this more sure word of Prophecy is to be understood the Prophecy of ISAIAH, chap. xlii. ver. 1. although the Apostle has characterized this to be a light shining in à dark place, &c. i. e. not as convictive evidence at present, yet being a LIGHT, though shining in a dark place, it deserved our attention, till greater lights should arise, which would afford full conviction.

Now, could this be the Character of a Prophecy of the Old Testament; especially one of ISAIAH's, most of whose Predictions referred to, and had their completion in, JESUS, their great object? The dawn and day-star, here spoken of by the Apostle, as of a very distant light, was, in the time of that Prophet, already risen in the hearts of his countrymen, or it would never rise.

Let us, therefore, look out for some more reasonable Paraphrase of the sacred Text.

"That you may be assured (says the Apostle) we "have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we "described to you the power of our Lord at his SECOND "COMING, you should recollect what we have frequently "told you, of his FIRST; having been eye-witnesses of "the Majesty and Miracles attending it, when there

came a voice to him from the exceeding glory, &c."Now, the MIRACLES, which accompanied, and con"firmed his mission, on his FIRST COMING, are surely "sufficient to gain credit to what we have, as often, told you, of his SECOND. And, of this capital Truth, God

* See Mr. M.

"hath

"hath been graciously pleased to add still stronger evidence; by giving us A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY.

-But the general subject of the EPISTLE will further support the truth of this Paraphrase.

It is a farewell address to the CHURCHES, on his having received intimation, from the holy Spirit, of his approaching Martyrdom.

The Apostle begins with repeating to them [from ver. 3d to the 15th] that elegant summary of Christian Religion, as was his wont, on all occasions, to inculcate. Bnt, at this juncture, CONSOLATION being what the afflicted Church most needed, he takes his topic from the REWARDS, now supposed to be approaching, at the second coming of our Lord in the consummation of all things. PERSECUTION had soothed the Sufferers into this flattering error, which was now become general, and not likely to be soon redressed, while they continued unable (as they yet were) to distinguish the two parts of which this PREDICTION, concerning the second coming of our Lord, was composed. Each part had its distinct completion, commencing at different periods. The first, when our Lord came to judgment, on the JEWISH PEOPLE, in putting a complete period to their ECONOMY, by the destruction of their TEMPLE; The other, when he was to pass judgment on the whole race of mankind, and make a final end of the MUNDANE SYSTEM.

Or rather, to speak with more exactness, this prediction of the SECOND COMING was delivered in two Prophecies joined together; and, in intimation of the Jewish mode, mixed and interwoven with one another; generally as little understood, at the time of the delivery, as all those of a like import were, which had either a secondary sense, or included a double subject. But for a larger account of these, and particularly of the sort now in question, I beg leave to refer the Reader to the sixth Section of the sixth Book of this Work..

Such was the Error, which (as we say) gave birth to the consolatory Epistle here explained. But as all ERRORS, together with the accidental good, which, by the directing hand of Providence, they are made to

* See the Discourse on this text, Vol. x. of this Edit.

produce,

produce, are easily attended with much evil; so it was here.

At first, the Error produced sobriety, vigilance, and perseverance in the FAITH. But afterwards, it had a contrary effect. There shall come in the last days (says this Apostle) scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING? For since the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation*.

After the censure of this Impiety, the Apostle proceeds to upbraid their ignorance of the natural constitution of the Earth; which is physically ordained to bring on its own destruction, by FIRE, in some future period, as heretofore, by the destruction of WATER: and that the delay of this dreadful Catastrophe, which affords these scoffs of Impiety, is not owing to the Lord's slackness in the performance of his promise; but to his long-suffering; that all might come to repentance. He then describes this final dissolution of all things, by firet. Out of which (he tells them) shall arise (according to the promise of PROPHECY) a new heaven and a new earth, wherein shall dwell righteousness§. And with this the FAREWELL EPISTLE concludes.

Such being the subject of it, who can doubt but that a true account of the reasoning in the latter part of the first chapter is here given? and, consequently, that the Apostle's purpose is not to speak of indefinite Prophecies already fulfilled IN, OR UNDER, the OLD TESTAMENT, but of some precise Prophecy to be fulfilled under the NEW; in order as the several parts of it (extending through a course of many Ages) should come into existence.

To

TO THIS the Church of Christ is bid TO TAKE HEED, as to a more sure word of prophecy. But had the description ended here, it would have been much too. vague to enjoin our attention in so earnest and particular a manner. The Apostle, therefore, goes on to give it this characteristic Mark-that it was A LIGHT SHINING IN A DARK PLACE. A Prophecy, of which the principal parts were, at that time, surrounded and partly involved in obscurity and darkness; but yet, emitting so * Ch. ii. 3. & seq. † Ver. 9. Ver. 10, 11, 12. § Ver. 13.

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