7 ΟΝ ΤΗΕ PROPHECIES, Which have remarkably been fulfilled, By THOMAS NEWTON, D. D. Now Lord Bishop of BRISTOL. IN THREE VOLUME S. VOLUME the FIRST. THE THIRD EDITION. LONDON: Printed for J. and R. TONSON in the Strand. MDCCLXVI. TO HIS GRACE the LORD ARCHBISHOP O F CANTERBURY. May it pleafe Your GRACE, ITH Your wonted condefcenfion and goodness, to accept this offering from my hands, as a teftimony of my veneration for Your GRACE, and of my gratitude for your favors to me. A work of this kind I could not indeed addrefs to any one fo properly as to Your GRACE, on account of your eminent ftation, and much more on account of your amiable quaA 2 lities, lities, and more ftill as I have the happinefs to live under your peculiar jurifdiction: and Your GRACE is very kind in permitting me to infcribe it to Your Name, which kindnefs I will not abuse with the ufual ftile of dedications. Your GRACE's virtues are fo well known, and fo univerfally esteemed, as to ftand in need of no commendation, and much less of mine. I would rather beg leave to apprife Your GRACE, and the reader, of the defign of these differtations: which is not to treat of the prophecies in general, nor even of those prophecies in particular, which were fulfilled in the perfon and actions of our Saviour; but only of fuch as relate more immediately to these later ages, and are in fome measure receiving their accomplishment at this time. What firft fuggefted the defign, were fome converfations formerly with a great General, who had for many years the chief commands in the army, and was a man of good understanding, and of fome fome reading, but unhappily had no great regard for revealed religion or the clergy. When the prophecies were urged as a proof of revelation, he constantly derided the notion, afferted that there was no fuch thing, and that the prophecies which were pretended were written after the events. He was informed, that tho' fuch a thing might with less fcruple and more confidence be affirmed of fome prophecies fulfilled long ago, yet it could never be proved of any, the contrary might be proved almoft to a demonftration: but it could not be fo much as affirmed of feveral prophecies without manifeft abfurdity; for there were feveral prophecies in fcripture, which were not fulfilled till thefe later ages, and were fulfilling even now, and confequently could not be framed after the events, but undeniably were written and published many ages before. He was ftartled at this, and faid he must acknowlege, that if this point could be proved to fatisfaction, there would be no argu A 3 |