every designed alteration muft immediately have been ' detected"."

All the books of fcripture have alfo,' obferves Dr. Priestley, many internal marks of their being the 'genuine production of the ages, in which they are faid 'to have been written, as they contain so many allusions to particular perfons, places, opinions, and customs, ' which are known, from other allowed hiftories, to have exifted in thofe times 10. In agreement with this remark of Dr. Prieftley, Dr. Hartley afferts, that 'hif'tory and chronology were in fo uncertain a ftate in 'ancient times, that the prophecies concerning foreign ⚫ countries could not have been adapted to the facts, even after they had happened, with fo much exactnefs as ' modern enquirers have fhewn the fcripture-prophecies to be, by a learned nation, and much lefs by the Jews, 'who were remarkably ignorant of what paffed in fo'reign countries"."

The pretenfions of the Hebrew prophets to be con'fidered as God's appointed fervants, were,' fays Mr. Gray, demonftrated by the unimpeachable integrity of 'their characters; by the intrinfic excellence and tendency of their inftruction; and by the difinterested ⚫ zeal, and undaunted fortitude, with which they perfe'vered in their great defigns. These were ftill farther 'confirmed by the miraculous proof which they dif

9 Key to the Old Teft. p. 20, 23. After obferving that the Septuagint may have been tranflated from very ancient Hebrew manufcripts, bp. Newcome adds, this obfervation may be extended to the Chaldee paraphrase ' of Jonathan, made about the time of Chrift; to the Syriac version, which ' is generally attributed to the first century; to the imperfect Greek verfions of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, who lived in the second century; and even to the Latin verfion, of which Jerom was the author in the fourth century.' Attempt towards an Improved Verfion of Ezekiel. Dublin, 1788. Pref. p. 36.

'played of divine support, and by the immediate com 'pletion of many less important predictions which they' ' uttered. Such were the credentials of their exalted 'character, which the prophets furnished to their contemporaries; and we, who having lived to witness the appearance of the fecond difpenfation, can look back 'to the connexion which fubfifted between the two 'covenants, have received additional evidence of the inspiration of the prophets, in the atteftations of our Saviour and his apoftles; and in the retrofpect of a germinant and gradually maturing scheme of prophecy, 'connected in all its parts.-We have ftill farther incontrovertible proofs of their divine appointment, in the numerous prophecies, which, in these latter-days, are fulfilled, and ftill under our own eyes continue to ' receive their completion1."

6

6

The next quotation is from that ingenious and truly liberal prelate, Dr. Newcome, bp. of Waterford. God raifed up a fucceffion of prophets among his people for many wife and gracious purposes. They were not only defiged to retain the Jews in the worship of the one true God; but to fpread the knowledge of him among the neighbouring nations, by the fame of their predic⚫tions and miracles. They were a barrier against those ' prevailing kinds of fuperftition which confifted in the fuppofed evocation of departed spirits, and in confult'ing imaginary local deities, for the purpose of gratifying the natural thirft which all mankind have for the knowledge of futurity.-It must also be observed, that the atteftations given by the prophets to the Mofaic law, their inftructions and exhortations, their reproofs ' and threatenings, were powerful means of preserving the Jews in obedience, and eminent difplays of the di

12

Key to the Old Teft, p. 313.

⚫ vine

'vine goodness and compaffion. Another defign in fending the prophets was, that they might record 'God's dealings with his people and with other adjoin*ing nations and empires; and might thus tranfmit to after ages a moft inftructive hiftory of his adorable ways in governing the world. Jofephus afferts 13, that, 'from the death of Mofes to the reign of Artaxerxes, the prophets who fucceeded that legiflator wrote the ' tranfactions of their own times.-This affertion is con'firmed by the facred writers; who mention the name of

many prophets as having recorded the affairs of the 'Jewish nation. A farther and most important reason 'for inftituting the prophetic order was, that, by a long ⚫ series of predictions, the attention of the Jews might be ' turned to the coming of their Meffiah; and that the faith of fucceeding ages in that great event might be thus confirmed. The writings of thefe prophets bear. plain fignatures of their divine authority. Examine the books of the Greek and Roman fages; and obferve 'what discordant opinions they contain on almost every point of theology and philofophy. But in the Hebrew 'prophets there is a wonderful harmony of doctrine for ' above a thousand years 14; unparalleled in the writings of any country. Hiftory teaches us, that a great number of their prophecies has been accomplished; and we know that fome of them are accomplishing at this day. It alfo peculiarly deferves our notice, that thefe holy men entertained the moft worthy conceptions of the Deity in the midst of an idolatrous nation; * and inculcated the fupreme excellence of moral duties, 'when all around them, even the few worfhippers of 'Jehovah himself, were folely intent on ritual obferv.

13 Contr. Ap. I. 8.

14 From Moses before Chrift about 1500, to Malachi before Chri ' about 436.'

4

ances. The writings, which these men of God have tranfmitted down to us, will be eminently useful in every age of the Chriftian church; not only as they ⚫ contain illustrious prophecies of many events and especially of our Bleffed Lord's appearance, but for their magnificent defcriptions of the Deity, for their animating leffons of piety and virtue, and for the indignation ' which they exprefs and the punishments which they denounce against idolatry and vice: which particular 'topics, among many other instructive and important ones, are treated by them with uncommon variety, 'beauty and fublimity, and with an authority becoming ⚫ambaffadors of The Moft High".'

In enumerating the ufes of prophecy in ancient times, Dr. Jortin fays,

་ 1. It ferved to fecure the belief of a God and of a 'providence. As God is invifible and fpiritual, there

was cause to fear, that in the first and ruder ages of the world, when men were busier in cultivating the earth 'than in cultivating arts and sciences, and in feeking 'the neceffaries of life, than in the ftudy of morality, they might forget their creator and governor; and therefore God maintained amongst them the great ar'ticle of faith in him, by manifeftations of himself; by fending angels to declare his will; by miracles; and by 'prophecies. These were barriers against atheism.'

2. It was intended to give men the profoundest ' veneration for that amazing knowledge from which nothing was concealed, not even the future actions of creatures, and the things which as yet were not. How 'could a man hope to hide any counsel, any defign, or 'thought from fuch a being?'

15 An Attempt towards an Improved Verfion of the Twelve Minor Prophets, 1785, pref. p. 5.

3. It contributed to keep up devotion and true religion, the religion of the heart, which confifts partly in entertaining juft and honourable notions of God and of his perfections, and which is a more rational and a more acceptable fervice than rites and ceremonies.'

4. It excited men to rely upon God, and to love him, who condefcended to hold this mutual intercourfe ' with his creatures ""."

With refpect to the Hebrew prophets, whofe infpired writings ftill continue to inftru&t mankind, it may,' fays Mr. Gray, be affirmed, that in the long and illuftrious fucceffion from Mofes to Malachi, not one appears, who was not entitled to confiderable reve⚫rence by the display of great and extraordinary virtues. Employed in the exalted office of teaching and reform*ing mankind, they appear to have been animated with a becoming and correfpondent zeal.-The moft intem'perate princes were fometimes compelled unwillingly 'to hear and to obey their directions, though often fo 'incensed by their rebuke, as to refent it by the severest 'perfecutions. Then it was, that the prophets evinced the integrity of their characters, by zealously encountering oppreffion, hatred, and death, in the cause of religion. Then it was, that they firmly fupported trial of cruel mockings and fcourgings; yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment. They were ftoned, they were 'fawn afunder, were tempted, were flain with the fword: they wandered about, deftitute, afflicted, tormented".? To the fame purpose speaks Mr. Lowth. With what • undaunted courage and conftancy did they reprove the 'popular vices of the times they lived in ? Not fparing 'the greatest persons either out of fear or flattery. And if

་

16 Rem. on Eccl. Hift. 2d ed. vol. I. p. 60.

17 Heb. xi. 36, 37. Key to the Old Test. p. 328.