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copies of Gregory's history in which Gogue is adverted to as having survived Sigebert, does not exist in two principal manuscripts; and the other chapter is, of itself, of little weight. 8th. Lastly; Fredegarius wrote his history, as he expressly declares, to supply such facts as others had omitted, and to extend those which they had abridged.

The fate of GOGUE; his exaltation to the highest post of honour and power among THE FRANKS, short only of the legi timate sovereignty of the realm; and his downfall and sanguinary death; are therefore facts established in the early history of the Franks. But yet, if the latter point was not so well supported as it is, this at least would remain incontestable; that the name of GOGUE, TOr, which has been in vain sought for in the annals of all other pations, has always subsisted in the national

* Lib. vi. c. 1.

+"Plurima prætermissa inserui :-necessarium duxi " veritatem diligentius insequi. Cuncta quæ certifica"tus cognovi, scribere non silui; sed curiosissime

quantum potui omnia inserere studui."-FREDEGARII Prolegom.

history of the FRANKS or FRENCH, as that of the first Major Domus Regia, Dux FRANCORUM, or REGENT of that people*, mentioned in history. And the figurative allusion, which would be elegant and strictly classi cal in human poetry, acquires a character stupendous and terrific, if we contemplate it as the poetry of sacred and infallible PROPHECY.

VII. With respect to the question which appears to have so much embarrassed Michaelis; how the geography of the Prophecy is to be understood? whether with relation to the seats of the nations mentioned, as they subsisted in the age of the

*The first mention of the office of Major Domus Regia is by Gregory of Tours, the first Frankish historian, in the person of Badechisile, in the year 581, where he only cursorily notices it; he omits altogether to speak of Gogue in that particular office. But GoGUE had been formally invested with it in Austrasia, as early as the year 561; and the particulars of his inauguration are recorded by Fredegarius, the second Frankish historian. We may therefore confidently regard GOGUE as being, in fact, the First Major Domus Regia of which authentic history preserves any memory.

prophet, or with relation to their situations in an afterage? I apprehend, that one simple and rational principle must determine that question. It must be understood with relation to the generation which it was immediately to concern, and to the time when it was to be rendered intelligible by the fulfilment : otherwise, it could not benefit either age. And, as no former generation was ever able to unravel the Prophecy for want of the fulfilment ; so, the generation which was to receive the benefit of that illustration, would not be left altogether to the dubious, and nearly obliterated, geography of the prophetic age, for the means of acquiring that benefit. In this, and in all the other Prophecies, the generation which is to be the witness of the accomplishment, is the object of the Prophetical Communication; and the prophets are employed "to minister those "things, not unto themselves *," or their contemporaries, but to those persons who should eventually be called upon to bear testimony

* 1 Peter, i. 10, 12.

to their truth. The prediction is conveyed through channels which comprehend it not; for the future intelligence of those who shall behold it vindicate its veracity. In determining finally the correspondence which has been pointed out, between the modern names of Russ, MOSKUA, and TOBOL, and the prophetic names of Ros, Mosc, and TOBL, I shall (after the arguments which have been advanced, and the stupendous events which have been attested,) abide by the rule laid down, upon another occasion, by that cautious and scru pulous etymologist, Michaelis: "In quæs❝tione de nominibus propriis geographicis instituta, plerumque non etymologias, ut

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supra dixi, sed vocem ac sonum sequi de"bemus; nec philologia, uti et ingenio, sed AURIBUS. In a question concerning "geographical proper-names, we ought for "the most part to follow, not etymologies, "(as I have already said,) but utterance

"Geog, Heb. Ext." p. 22.

"and sound; and not to employ philology “and ingenuity, but OUR EARS *.”

VIII. But the Prophecy of Ezekiel, though it was delivered so long ago as whilst the Jewish people were suffering captivity in Babylon, was directed to the last great event of secular concernment to the future universal church of THE MESSIAH; and was pointed to regions which, though at that time in ignorance of His name, were foreordained to be eventually comprehended in the number of HIS PEOPLE. Hence it is, that the prophet employs the familiar, but figurative, denomination of "Israel," to express all God's future people'; and that, of "the mountains of Israel," to

*(Ros-Pas, Rus, Græcis), "Russia, Rusz incolis, "la Russie Gallis, die Russ-landt Germanis.

(Mosc)-"Moscha, sive Moscua, Mosqua indigenis, "Moscou exteris, Moscau Germanis:-ibi Moscua Aluvius.

(TOBL)" Tobolium et Tobolsca, urbs Moscoviæ Tar"tariæ, Siberia Caput. — Ab altera parte fluvius Tobol est, unde Urbi nomen."- BAUDRAUD, Geograph.

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