royal family of David; and appears to have been carried into Babylon when very young, during the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah. He appears to have been instructed in all the wisdom of the Chaldeans, which was, at that time, very great, and he was soon distinguished in the Babylonish court, as well for his wisdom and strong understanding, as for his deep and steady piety."-(Dr. Clarke.)

He was the Shakspeare of his day, with these differences-his tragedies were real, and his histories were written before the events, instead of after; and his language was as pure as his thoughts were elevated.

HOSEA. "This prophet lived in the kingdom of Samaria; and his prophecies, for the most part, relate to the ten tribes. As a writer, he is concise, sententious, abrubt, and often very obscure, though he is sometimes highly animated and occasionally sublime."-(Dr. Clarke.)

If some of his images are, to our eyes and ears indelicate, they show, at least, that he lived among a people awfully corrupt. The last chapter, however, makes amends for all. No one can read it as he ought, without profit.

JOEL, "The son of Pethuel, was, as is supposed, of the tribe of Reuben, and cotemporary with Hosea. His language is elegant, perspicuous, clear, diffusive, and flowing; and, at the same time, animated, nervous, and sublime. The first two chapters are inimitably beautiful; and the language well adapted to the subject."(Dr. Clarke.)

AMOS. In the order of time, this prophet was before Hosea, and cotemporary with Jonah. He was from the humblest walks of life, but it is well observed, that "the same heavenly spirit which inspired Isaiah and Daniel in the palace, inspired David and Amos in their shepherd's tents; at one time using the eloquence of some; at another time making others eloquent, to subserve his great purposes."-(See Dr. Clarke's preface and notes.)

OBADIAH. Very little is known of this prophet. He prophesied against Edom, and his prophecies have been literally fulfilled. And he must be a very hardened sinner who cannot learn a lesson of morality from the 12th and 13th verses of this prophecy.

JONAH. "Our Saviour makes frequent mention of this prophet, from which we may conclude,1. That there was such a person. 2. That he was swallowed by a sea monster. 3. That he preached to the Ninevites, and that they turned from their evil ways, and obtained mercy at the hand of their offended God. In point of time, he was before Hosea."-(See Clarke's notes on this book.)

MICAH. "This prophet has something of the dramatic style. He is sometimes peculiarly grand and graceful. And for sublime and impressive diction in several places, he is unrivalled. The Lord's controversy (chap. vi. 1—8,) is equal to any thing even in Isaiah. He was cotemporary with Hosea.

NAHUM.

"This prophet lived after the time of

Jonah. He prophesied of the destruction of Nineveh, As a writer, he is ranked among the most classically poetical of all the minor Prophets, and superior to them all in boldness, ardor, and sublimity."-(See Clarke and Bishop Newton on this prophecy.)

HABAKKUK. "This prophet was probably of the tribe of Simeon, and was cotemporary with Jeremiah. As a poet, he holds a high rank among the Hebrew prophets. His hymn (chap. iii.) is allowed by the best judges to be a model of Lyrical sublimity, and one of the most perfect specimens of that class of compositions."-(See Dr. Clarke and Bishop Lowth.)

ZEPHANIAH prophecied in the days of Josiah, king of Judah. As a poet, he deals much in amplification. (chap. i. 14-16.) Two of his expressions, or phrases, have become almost proverbial among religious people. (Chap. i. 12.)

HAGGAI. He was probably born in Babylon, during the captivity, and was one of the first sent to comfort and encourage the Jews in rebuilding Jerusalem. The spirit of prophecy and of poetry, by this time, manifestly declined-the period of visions draws towards its conclusion-and the words of Micah, 'The sun shall go down over the prophets," (chap. iii. 6,) begin to be most affectingly fulfilled.

ZECHARIAH "Returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel, and began to prophesy two months after

Haggai. He is the longest (the most lengthy) and the most obscure of all the minor prophets. His style is interrupted and without connexion. But his prophecies concerning Christ are more particular and express than those of the other prophets of his time." The light of prophecy was now like that of an almost expiring lamp, or of a flickering taper, which often brightens just as it is about to expire.

MALACHI. This is the last of the Jewish prophets. Not only the spirit of Hebrew poetry, but even the elegance of their language, was now on the decline. In a few years, they both expired. Malachi however, notwithstanding this, spoke clearly of the coming of the Messiah, and of his forerunner, John the Baptist. (Chap. iii. 1; iv. 5.)

LECTURE V.

ON THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God."2 Tim. iii. 15.

As the writings of the New Testament are so well known, it is thought unnecessary in this place to give a description of them; but we will now enter more particularly upon the question of the Divine inspiration of the whole Bible.

1. It will not be denied, that the whole nation of the Jews, from the time of Moses to the time of Christ, believed in the divine inspiration of their sacred books; and it must be confessed that they had greater opportunities of satisfying themselves of the truth of this, than any unbeliever at this day has of proving the contrary. We therefore fearlessly assert that such a belief obtained in the time of our Saviour, that it was well founded, and that it is impossible for any one to prove that the scriptures of the Old Testament were not divinely inspired. Suppose, for example, what no one can deny, that these books were in ex