that the angel faid of Jefus before he was conceived in the womb, (Luke I. 33.) He fhall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there fhall be no end."

After what manner thefe great changes will be effected, we cannot pretend to fay, as God hath not been pleafed to reveal it. We fee the remains of the ten horns, which arofe out of the Roman empire. We fee the little horn ftill fubfifting, though not in full ftrength and vigor, but as we hope upon the decline, and tending towards a diffolution. And having feen fo many of thefe particulars accomplished, we can have no reason to doubt that the reft alfo will be fulfilled in due feafon, though we cannot frame any conception how Chrift will be manifefted in glory, how the little horn with the body of the fourth beaft will be given to the burning flame, or how the faints will take the kingdom, and poffefs it for ever and ever. It is the nature of fuch prophecies not to be perfectly understood, till they are fulfilled. The beft comment upon them will be their completion.

It may yet add fome farther light to the prophecies, if we compare this and the former together; for comparing feripture with feripture is the best way to underftand both the one and the other. What was reprefented to Nebuchadnezzar in the form of a great image, was reprefented again to Daniel by four great wild beasts: and the beafts degenerate, as the metals in the image grow worfe and worfe, the lower they defcend.

This image's head was of fine gold, and the firft beaft was like a lion with eagle's wings; and thefe anfwer to each other; and both reprefented the powers then reigning, or the kingdom of the Babylonians: but it appeared in fplendor and glory to Nebuchadnezzar, as it was then in its florithing condition; the plucking of its wings, and its humiliation were thown to Daniel, as it was then drawing near to its fatal end.

The breaft and arms of filcer, and the second beaft like a bear were defigned to reprefent the fecond kingdom, or that of the Medes and Perfians. The two arms are fuppofed to denote the two people; but fome farther particulars were hinted to Daniel, of the one people iting up above the other people, and of the conqueft of

three

three additional kingdoms. To Nebuchadnezzar this kingdom was called inferior, or worse than the former; and to Daniel it was defcribed as very cruel, Arife, devour much flesh.

The third kingdom, or that of the Macedonians, was reprefented by the belly and thighs of brafs, and by the third beaft like a leopard with four wings of a fowl. It was faid to Nebuchadnezzar, that it should bear rule over all the earth; and in Daniel's vifion, dominion was given to it. The four heads fignify Alexander's four fucceffors; but the two thighs can only fignify the two principal of them, the Seleucidæ, and Lagidæ, the Syrian and Egyptian kings.

The legs of iron, and the fourth beaft with great iron teeth, correfpond exactly; and as iron breaketh in pieces all other metals, fo the fourth beast devoured, and brake in pieces, and flamped the refidue with the feet of it; and they were both therefore equally proper reprefentatives of the fourth kingdom, or the Roman, which was ftronger and more powerful than all the former kingdoms. The ten toes too and the ten horns were alike tit emblems of the ten kingdoms, which arofe out of the divifion of the Roman empire; but all that relates to the little horn was revealed only to Daniel, as a perfon more immediately interefted in the fate of the church.

The ftone, that was cut out of the mountain without hands, and became itself a mountain, and filled the whole earth, is explained to be a kingdom, which thall prevail over all other kingdoms, and become univerfal and everlafting. In like manner, one like the fon of man came to the ancient of days, and was advanced to a kingdom, which fhall prevail likewife over all other kingdoms, and become univerfal and everlafting.

Such concord and agreement is there between these prophecies of Daniel, which remarkable as they are in many things, are in nothing more remarkable, than that they comprehend fo many diftant events, and extend through fo many ages, from the reign of the Babylonians to the confummation of all things. They are truly, as (2) Mr. Mede called them "the facred calen

(2) Mede's Works, B. 3. p. 654.

"dar

"dar and great almanac of prophecy, a prophetical chronology of times measured by the fucceffion of four principal kingdoms, from the beginning of the cap"tivity of Ifrael, until the mystery of God fhould be "finished." They are as it were the great outlines, the reft moftly are filling up the parts: and as these will caft light upon the fubfequent prophecies, fo the fubfequent prophecies will reflect light upon them again.

Daniel was much troubled (ver. 28.) and his countenance changed in him at the forefight of the calamities to be brought upon the church by the little horn: but he kept the matter in his heart. Much more may good men be grieved at the fight of thefe calamities, and lament the prevalence of popery and wickedness in the world: but let them keep it in their heart, that a time of juft retribution will certainly come. The proof may be drawn from the moral attributes of God, as well as from his promife; (ver. 26, 27.) The judgment fhall fit, and they Jhall take away his dominion, to confume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven fhall be given to the people of the faints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlafting kingdom, and all dominion fhall ferve and obey him.

INTRODUCTION

to the LECTURE founded by the Honorable

TH

ROBERT BOYLE,

January 5, 1756.

HERE is not a ftronger or more convincing proof of divine revelation than, the fure word of prophecy. But to the truth of prophecy it is objected, that the predictions were written after the events; and could it be proved as well as afferted, it would really be an infuperable objection. It was thought therefore that a greater fervice could not be done to the caufe of Chriftianity, than by an induction of particulars to fhow, that the predictions were prior to the events, nay that feveral prophecies have been fulfilled in thefe later ages, and are fulfilling even at this present time: And for the farther profecution and the better encouragement of this work, I have been called to preach thefe lectures, by the favor and recommendation of the great prelate, who having himself written moft excellently of the use and intent of prophecy, is alfo willing to reward and encourage any one who beltows his time and pains upon the fame fubject. The ready and gracious concurrence of the (1) other trustees was an additional honor and favor, and

(1) The trustees appointed by Mr. Boyle himself were Sir John Rotheram, Serjeant at law, Sir Henry Afhurft of London, Knt. and Bart. Thomas Tenifon, D. D. afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and John Evelyn, Efq; Archbishop Tenifon, the furvivor of thefe, nominated and appointed for trustees Richard Earl of Burlington Dr. Edmund Gibfon, then Archdeacon of Surry, afterwards Lord Bishop of London; Dr. Charles Trimnel, then Bishop of

Norwich, afterwards Bishop of Winchefter D. White Kennet, then Dean, afterwards Bishop of Peterborough; and Dr. Samuel Bradford, then Rector of St. Mary Le Bow, afterwards Bishop of Rochefter. The Earl of Burlington, being the only furviving truftee, appointed to fucceed him in the faid truft, William then Marquis of Hartington, now Duke of Devonshire, Dr. Thomas Sherlock Lord Bishop of London, Dr. Martin Benfon Lord Bishop of

Glocefter,

and is deferving the moft grateful acknowlegements. Engaging in this fervice may indeed have retarded the publication of thefe difcourfes longer than was intended: but perhaps they may be the better for the delay, fince there have been more frequent occafions to review and reconfider them; and time corrects and improves works as well as generous wines, at leaft affords opportunities of correcting and improving them.

This work hath already been deduced to the prophecies of Daniel: and as fome time and pains have been employed in explaining fome parts of his prophecies, and more will be taken in explaining other parts; it may be proper, before we proceed, to confider the principal objections which have been made to the genuinnefs of the book of Daniel. It was before afferted, that the first who called in queftion the truth and authenticity of Daniel's prophecies, was the famous Porphyry, who maintained that they were written about the time of Antiochus Epiphanes: but he was amply refuted by (2) Jerome, and hath been and will be more amply refuted ftill in the courfe of these differtations. A modern infidel hath followed Porphyry's example, and his fcheme of litteral prophecy hath heaped together all that he could find or invent against the book of Daniel, and hath comprifed the whole in eleven objections, in order to fhow that the book was written about the time of the Maccabees: but he likewife hath been refuted to the fatisfaction of every intelligent and impartial reader; as indeed there never were any arguments urged in favorof infidelity, but better were always produced in fupport of truth. The fubftance of his (3) objections and of the answers to him may with truth and candor be reprefented in the following manner.

1. It is objected that the famous Daniel mentioned by Ezekiel could not be the author of the book of Daniel;

Glocefter, Dr. Thomas Secker Lord Bishop of Oxford, now Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Honorable Richard Arundell, Efq; of whom Bishop Benfon died before, and Mr. Arundell fince the appointment of the prefent lecturer.

(2) Hieron. Comment. in Dan. Vol. 3. Edit. Benedict.

(3) See Collins's Scheme of litteral prophecy, p. 147--157. Bp. Chandler's Vindication, p. 4-157. Sam. Chandler's Vindication, p. 3-60.

because