t--are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel,
and the twelve minor prophets. The vast body of prophecies contained in
these books--the prophetical portions of the other books being also
included--may be contemplated in different points of view.

Many of these prophecies, considered independently of the New Testament,
afford conclusive proof that the Old Testament is the word of God, for
they bear on their front the signet of their divine origin. They contain
predictions of the distant future which lie altogether beyond the range
of human sagacity and foresight. Such is the wonderful prophecy of Moses
respecting the history of the Israelitish people through all coming
ages, Lev. ch. 26; Deut. ch. 28, a prophecy which defies the assaults of
skepticism, and which, taken in connection with our Lord's solemn
declaration, "They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led
away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of
the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled," Luke 21:24,
marks both the Old Testament and the New as given by the same omniscient
God, who declares the end from the beginning. Such also are the
predictions of the utter and perpetual desolation of Babylon, uttered
ages beforehand, and which presuppose a divine foresight of the course
of human affairs to the end of time: "Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,
the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew
Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be
dwelt in from generation to generation." "I will also make it a
possession for the bittern and pools of water: and I will sweep it with
the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts." Isa. 13:19, 20;
14:23. See also the prophecy of the overthrow of Nineveh, Nahum, chs. 2,
3, and of Tyre: "I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like
the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the
midst of the sea." "I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt
be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more." Ezek.
26:4, 5, 14. On all the above prophecies, and many more that might be
quoted, the descriptions of modern travellers furnish a perfect comment.

5. But it is preeminently in Christ that the prophecies of the Old
Testament have their fulfilment. As the rays of the sun in a
burning-glass all converge to one bright focus, so all the different
lines of prophecy in the Old Testament centre