Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John | Page 5

Roman captivity, the Jews for preserving their traditions, put
them in writing in their Talmud, and for preserving their scriptures,
agreed upon an Edition, and pointed it, and counted the letters of every
sort in every book: and by preserving only this Edition, the antienter
various lections, except what can be discovered by means of the
Septuagint Version, are now lost; and such marginal notes, or other
corruptions, as by the errors of the transcribers, before this Edition was
made, had crept into the text, are now scarce to be corrected.
The Jews before the Roman captivity, distinguished the sacred books
into the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa, or holy writings; and
read only the Law and the Prophets in their Synagogues. And Christ
and his Apostles laid the stress of religion upon the Law and the
Prophets, _Matt._ vii. 12. xxii. 4. Luke xvi. 16, 29, 31. xxiv. 44. Acts
xxiv. 14. xxvi. 22. _Rom._ iii. 21. By the Hagiographa they meant the
historical books called Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings,
Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, the book of Job, the Psalms,
the books of Solomon, and the Lamentations. The Samaritans read only
the _Pentateuch_: and when Jehosaphat sent men to teach in the cities,
they had with them only the book of the Law; for the Prophecies now
extant were not then written. And upon the return from the Babylonian

captivity, Ezra read only the book of the Law to the people, from
morning to noon on the first day of the seventh month; and from day to
day in the feast of Tabernacles: for he had not yet collected the writings
of the Prophets into the volume now extant; but instituted the reading
of them after the collection was made. By reading the Law and the
Prophets in the Synagogues, those books have been kept freer from
corruption than the Hagiographa.
In the infancy of the nation of Israel, when God had given them a Law,
and made a covenant with them to be their God if they would keep his
commandments, he sent Prophets to reclaim them, as often as they
revolted to the worship of other Gods: and upon their returning to him,
they sometimes renewed the covenant which they had broken. These
Prophets he continued to send, till the days of _Ezra_: but after their
Prophecies were read in the Synagogues, those Prophecies were
thought sufficient. For if the people would not hear Moses and the old
Prophets, they would hear no new ones, no not tho they should rise
from the dead. At length when a new truth was to be preached to the
Gentiles, namely, that Jesus was the Christ, God sent new Prophets and
Teachers: but after their writings were also received and read in the
Synagogues of the Christians, Prophecy ceased a second time. We have
Moses, the Prophets, and Apostles, and the words of Christ himself;
and if we will not hear them, we shall be more inexcusable than the
_Jews._ For the Prophets and Apostles have foretold, that as Israel
often revolted and brake the covenant, and upon repentance renewed it;
so there should be a falling away among the Christians, soon after the
days of the Apostles; and that in the latter days God would destroy the
impenitent revolters, and make a new covenant with his people. And
the giving ear to the Prophets is a fundamental character of the true
Church. For God has so ordered the Prophecies, that in the latter days
_the wise may understand, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none
of the wicked shall understand_, Dan. xii. 9, 10. The authority of
Emperors, Kings, and Princes, is human. The authority of Councils,
Synods, Bishops, and Presbyters, is human. The authority of the
Prophets is divine, and comprehends the sum of religion, reckoning
Moses and the Apostles among the Prophets; and if an Angel from
Heaven preach any other gospel, than what they have delivered, let him

be accursed. Their writings contain the covenant between God and his
people, with instructions for keeping this covenant; instances of God's
judgments upon them that break it: and predictions of things to come.
While the people of God keep the covenant, they continue to be his
people: when they break it they cease to be his people or church, and
become _the Synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not._
And no power on earth is authorized to alter this covenant.
The predictions of things to come relate to the state of the Church in all
ages: and amongst the old Prophets, Daniel is most distinct in order of
time, and easiest to be understood: and therefore in those things which
relate to the last times, he must be made the key to