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they sometimes gave powerful exhortations to the people of Judah, both to confirm the piety of the faithful, and to guard the more lax among them from the contagion of Israel's apostasy and guilt, to which not a few in Judah and Benjamin were secretly prone. The knowledge of these facts gives peculiar point to the exhortations of Hosea, (who was contemporary with Isaiah,) and especially to his fine appeal from the close of the eleventh chapter to the end of his prophecy. He draws this distinction between the two kingdoms. "Ephraim," meaning the ten tribes, compasseth me about with lies, and the House of Judah with deceit; but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints." "Ephraim feedeth on the wind and followeth after the east wind; he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah." There is much force and beauty in the following allusion to the patriarch Jacob's vision at Bethel, viewed in connection with these circumstances. "Yea he had power over the Angel, and prevailed: he wept and made supplication to him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us." Thus, in those very fields in which Jacob, their renowned ancestor, had conversed with angels, and drawn down the blessing from heaven, his degenerate descendants had set up the idolatry of the calves, and provoked the most High to scatter them among the nations.

This state of things illustrates many parts of the Divine dispensations towards the Jewish people, as related in the books of Kings and Chronicles. The principal miracles performed, are found to relate to Israel, rather than to Judah; and the ministry of Elijah, who stood at the head of the prophetic dispensation, was almost exclusively confined to the ten tribes. Miracles, we should remember, are uniformly given for the purpose of attesting a Divine Revelation; and God sent Prophets, "with signs following," to authenticate his own word, and leave those without excuse who fell into the snare of idolatry. These miracles were chiefly of an awful and retributive character; and they were intended to confirm the mission of Elijah, as opposed both to the false prophets of Baal, and to the corrupt priesthood of Jeroboam. A miracle was even wrought for Jeroboam's own confutation, at the first setting up of his Egyptian altar, (see 1 Kings xiii. 1-5.,) and another in reference to his wife and child. (xiv. I-16.) The drought for three years, during which time Elijah was fed by ravens, and the prophets of Baal were destroyed; the destruction of the captains of Ahaziah by fire from heaven, and that of the two and forty profane youths, killed by she-bears from the wood, for pouring contempt on the office of the Prophet; these, and other miraculous interventions, which are heedlessly excepted against as severe, were mercifully intended to substantiate the claims of Divine Revela

tion, and to form a solemn protest against idolatry, with all its destructive consequences. But warning and miracle proved vain, so far as the bulk of the nation was concerned, for the ten tribes persisted in their apostasy, and were carried into Babylon, whence, as a separate people, they never returned. Judah also, previously to her captivity, became involved in the same crime, as we find from the testimony of Ezekiel, in his eighth chapter, where he graphically portrays, what Milton calls, the 'dark idolatries of alienated Judah,' and shews that the worst abominations of the Egyptian, the Phoenician, and the Persian rites, were shamelessly practised within the precincts of the temple itself. Yet, in the midst of the denunciations and judgements which form the burden of the prophetic page, the faithful were consoled by those glowing predictions of the kingdom and glory of the coming Messiah, to whom "bear all the prophets witness," which have constituted the hope of the church in all succeeding time. Unlearned readers would often find a key to the prophetical writings, by noticing the first sentences of each book, which usually specify the date and circumstances of the history. We cannot but wish that Mr. Townsend had adverted, in reference to the minor prophets, to points of this nature, as they would have illustrated the specific value of his Arrangement, and have saved us some little trouble in bringing them before our readers. The few notes he has interspersed upon historical events are excellent; they are only too few.

Whatever tends to facilitate the enlightened study of Scripture Prophecy, is confessedly valuable to devout men, as it strengthens the general evidence of Christianity, enlarges the sphere in which the human mind may contemplate the communications of the Supreme Intellect, and guards against those evils which have so often resulted from the intrusion of inconsiderate and incompetent speculators into this department of enquiry. Lord Bacon, in his "Advancement of learning," wished to have a history ' of prophecy,' wherein every prophecy of Scripture might be 'sorted with the event fulfilling the same, throughout the ages of the world, both for the better confirmation of faith, and for the better illumination of the church, touching those parts of prophecies which are yet unfulfilled:' and though much has been done in this department since his time, much undoubtedly remains to be accomplished. It is of the greatest consequence to have some clear notion what prophecies refer to ages past, and have reached their consummation, and what remain unaccomplished; to know what predictions related to the more immediate interests of the Jewish people, at or near the times in which the prophets wrote, and which of them belong more comprehensively to the future and permanent interests of the Church of Christ. Such a distinction is the more

necessary on account of the wild theories of certain recent speculators upon unfulfilled prophecy, who mix and confound together subjects which have no natural connection, heedlessly applying prophecies and denunciations which have already met their accomplishment, (as in the case of Egypt, Moab, Tyre,) to the future overthrow of the papal nations, and the downfal of Antichrist and infidelity. In all former times, the study of the prophecies was supposed to require adequate learning, some fixed principles of biblical criticism, an ability to estimate the force of evidence, a capacity to discriminate between predictions which have, and those which have not, received their completion, a moderate acquaintance with geography and chronology; together with such an estimate of the proper province of reason, and of the necessary limits of the human understanding, as might prevent a rash and peremptory decision, upon points concerning which “the angels in heaven" are declared, by our Lord himself, to have no precise knowledge, and "which the Father hath reserved in his own power." But in the present day, these obvious pre-requisites seem to have been voted utterly useless; the safe rules which guided better understandings have been thrown to the winds; ignorance has assumed the tuition of ignorance; and presumption has uttered its bold anathema, where piety ought to have been content to pray, and patience to wait. Some men seem to approach the sure word of prophecy in pretty much the same spirit as that in which Alexander applied to the priestess and the oracle of old, to dictate, not to entreat; to decide, rather than to consult; determined to find, or to force an answer; or as Saul inquired of the Pythoness of Endor, apparently not at all concerned whether the inspiration came from above or from below. The immediate effect of the very superficial writings of such persons, we regret to say, has been, to attach discredit to the whole subject of unfulfilled predictions, to weaken the faith of the devout, to point the sneers of the profane, to give to those who call themselves philosophical unbelievers, what they deem a triumph, and, in a word, to put the study of prophecy many degrees more backward than it was before.

The total perversion of Scripture from its original reference, in order to suit the exigencies of an hypothesis, (arising probably from the fact, that its supporters have no system of biblical interpretation at all,) may well make us wonder that their incompetency is not discerned as soon as their baseless theories are propounded. When we find, for example, these self-styled expositors of prophecy gravely applying to Christendom and Europe, predictions which the inspired writers limit to Edom and Idumea centuries ago, a schoolboy may see that there is a radical fallacy in the system which requires for its existence that the two eyes of history, chronology and geography, should be unceremoniously put out. Yet, one of

them, quoting that expression of David, "Who will bring me into the strong city, who will lead me into Edom?" adds, ́Or 'Europe,' and applies it to the battle of Armageddon; though every one but himself could see at a glance, that the whole psalm refers to David's conquests over Edom and Moab, in his own times. Another of them quoting Isaiah xxxiv. 5, “My sword shall be bathed in heaven; behold it shall come down upon Idumea," Or Europe,' quoth the expounder! By writers of this stamp, the xivth of Isaiah has been most absurdly applied to Bonaparte and the young Napoleon; and concerning the latter, the prediction was hazarded: We doubt not God will bring 'him forth from his youthful retirement, to the astonishment of Europe, to the end that he may complete the work which 'his father began'!! In quoting the 29th verse, "Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina," they call Palestina, Christendom, and add: Then immediately follows the destruction of Christ"endom, "Thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved."" So that, according to these wretched interpreters, Edom or Idumea means Europe, and Palestine, Europe! Why, this is very midsummer madness!" Yet, such dreams and delusions ought not, perhaps, to surprise us, as they have uniformly prevailed in periods of public excitement, and spring partly from that love of the marvellous common to all weak minds, and partly from that desire to penetrate the concealed future, when the present is dark and uncertain, which is one of the off-shoots of the principle of curiosity so strongly implanted in our nature. Dryden complains, not without reason, of similar pretenders in his day,

Who racked e'en scripture to confess their cause ;'

and adds, in a strain of powerful irony, the following vigorous passage, not less applicable to our times than his own:

-But that's no news to the poor injured page:
It has been used as ill in every age,

And is constrained with patience all to take,
For what defence can Greek and Hebrew make?
Happy, who can this talking trumpet seize;
They make it speak whatever notes they please.
'T was given at first our oracle t' enquire,
But since our sects in Prophecy grow higher,

The text inspires not them, but they the text inspire!'

We should have been glad to offer a few words, had our space permitted, on the prophecies of Daniel, and on the interesting period of the sojourn of the chosen people in Babylon. From this, we think, a new era was to be dated, as the Jews were then brought into the focus of the world's light, and the rays of revealed truth

began to be diffused in various directions, by means of the Greek translations of the Scriptures, which contributed to spread some knowledge of the prophecies in the Heathen world. But these points would require a dissertation; and as we have already dwelt long enough upon the Old Testament, we must hasten to give some account of the New. Respecting the return from the Captivity, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, Mr. Townsend has some valuable remarks in his volume of Sermons, which we extract, as illustrative of the manner in which he brings historical references to bear upon the development of Christian truth. The Sermon is upon Psalm cxlvii. 2, 3, 4. In a note, he gives the authority of Dr. Hales for the facts to which he refers; and the same facts are brought forward in his Chronological Arrangement, vol. ii., p. 881.

The peculiar value of the argument for the Providence of God, which I shall deduce from this discussion, is derived from its allusion to facts and dates. The prophecies of the Bible demonstrate the truth of the religion of Jesus Christ: and those prophecies are not the general language of men who foretold future events at random as events which might possibly take place; the prophecies refer to exact and precise dates. The prophets mention the very time when the facts, which they foretold, should happen. Thus, the exact time was declared when the children of Israel should come out of Egypt; and when they were at length delivered, we read, in the emphatic language of Moses, on the self-same day it came to pass; on the self-same day which was prophesied—it is a night much to be observed, because the exact fulfilment of prophecy demonstrated the Providence of God. So it was also with the Babylonish captivity. Seventy years were appointed: and when the seventy years were over, the Providence of God overthrew the kingdom of the Chaldeans, and brought in other powers who had never before heard of the God of the Jews; and who restored the captive tribes at the very time which the prophets had predicted. So it was with respect to the seventy weeks of Daniel, that the Son of God was born at the very time, and place, and under the very circumstances which had been foretold. Now the passage before us has reference to one of the most remarkable of these proofs of the superintending Providence of God. The prophets had foretold that the seventy years of captivity should be ended, and the Jews should be restored; and they added also that Jerusalem, which had been destroyed by the Chaldeans, should be built up again. The Jews were certainly restored at the appointed time: but when they proceeded to build the walls of the city they were opposed by the Samaritans, and by other nations, and the work was suspended for many years. Every application which was made by the Jews to the Court of Persia was made in vain, until about the time when this psalm was written; and Jerusalem was then permitted to be built for this very remarkable reason. The Persians who were the masters over the Jews, had been for many years at war with the Greeks. After many battles by land and by sea, the Greeks become victorious. A treaty of peace was made between the two powers, and one article of that treaty was that