Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

S. Austin Allibone, comp. Prose Quotations from Socrates to Macaulay. 1880.

Prophecy

No arguments made a stronger impression on these Pagan converts than the predictions relating to our Saviour in those old prophetic writings, deposited among the hands of the greatest enemies to Christianity, and owned by them to have been extant many ages before his appearance.

There are predictions of our Saviour recorded by the evangelists which were not completed till after their deaths, and had no likelihood of being so when they were pronounced by our blessed Saviour.

As to the accomplishment of this remarkable prophecy, whoever reads the account given by Josephus, without knowing his character, and compares it with what our Saviour foretold, would think the historian had been a Christian; and that he had nothing else in view but to adjust the event to the prediction.

It was attested by the visible centring of all the old prophecies in the person of Christ, and by the completion of these prophecies since which he himself uttered.

There are numbers of the like kind: especially if you include dreams and predictions of astrology; but I have set down these few only of certain credit for example. My judgment is, that they ought all to be despised, and ought to serve but for winter talk by the fire-side: though when I say despised, I mean it as for belief; for otherwise, the spreading or publishing of them is in no sort to be despised, for they have done much mischief; and I see many severe laws made to suppress them.

Men mark when [prophecies] hit, and never mark when they miss; as they do, generally, also of dreams.

Divine prophecies being of the nature of their Author, with whom a thousand years are but as one day, are not therefore fulfilled punctually at once, but have springing and germinant accomplishment, though the height and fulness of them may refer to some one age.

Prophecies of him which were so clear, and descended to minutes and circumstances of his passion.

The Jewish nation that rejected and crucified him, within the compass of one generation were, according to his prediction, destroyed by the Romans, and preyed upon by those eagles (Matt. xxiv. 28) by which, allusively, are noted the Roman armies, whose ensign was the eagle.

There was a full entire harmony and consent of all the divine predictions, receiving their completion in Christ.

If the prophecies are not fulfilled in Jesus, it is impossible to know when a prophecy is fulfilled, and when not, which would utterly evacuate the use of them.

The prophets were taught to know the will of God, and thereby instruct the people, and enabled to prophesy as a testimony of their being sent by heaven.