rivers, villages, cities and governments. If these prophets only conjectured or guessed that the events they foretold might or would come to pass, then may we not ask, with some degree of wonder at least, Suppose it had been said of some other city beside Babylon, that it should become pools of water and never more inhabited? May not our curiosity be somewhat excited when we notice that of the thousand proud and wicked cities around, the prophet did not happen to write these things of any, Babylon excepted? And had they been written of any other one city, town or village, that was or has been upon the face of the earth, we know of none where their truth could be seen. These, and the other particulars we have noticed, came to pass many centuries after these books of prophecy were written, (according to infidel authority,) or after unbelievers wrote against them.

May we not inquire, with some degree of wonder, Suppose some writer of the Old Testament had happened to conjecture and write concerning Damascus, Sidon, Jerusalem, Jerico, Nineveh, or any city, town or village, except Tyre, that the soil on which it stood should be scraped away, and fishermen's nets rest upon its nakedness, who could point to its accomplishment? On the broad surface of the earth, or along the protracted shores of ocean, the prophet was surely fortunate, to hit upon the only spot where these things did happen. Long and dreadful calamities were promised to Jerusalem; but suppose it had been said that owls and tigers should inhabit pleasant palaces there, how many thousand now would clap their hands, rejoicing that such a conjecture was ever made. Suppose some one, two thousand years ago, had ventured to guess that the time would come when a shepherd would be afraid to drive his flock where Palmyra of the desert then stood, or through

Athens, Ephesus, or Rome; name any spot you please but one, and where would his reputation stand?

An admirer of the Bible, who once sought, during many years, an opportunity to converse on this subject with those of improved minds; asked questions resembling those above, oftener than he could name or remember. He found that the reason they had not thought with some degree of interest on some such Bible facts, was, they did not know that such facts existed. They could not think what God had said of Persia, Egypt, or Syria, strange, for they did not know what he had said, or that any thing was written about almost any nation or city, that could be mentioned to them. Those of them, who had read the Bible through, did not know that the things we have named were in the Bible! A thousand similar facts were equally unknown to them. If the learned unbeliever of the present day, is thus wanting in the ancient literature, connected with the Bible, it will not be hard to fancy the condition of the uneducated scoffer. Thousands who range the streets of our large cities, seem to be beyond remedy. Their furious hatred towards all that is meek or holy, prevents their listening to expostulation; and their ignorance renders them incapable of weighing argument, on almost any subject. Their confidence in their edifice, however, would no doubt be much shaken, were it not that they fancy that they have substantial support in their sameness of belief, with the learned and the great. We were to show that scoffers are wilfully ignorant of Bible language; but we must first devote a few more chapters to facts. It is important that we should have a fair view of the fact that men have some appetite for darkness, but none for light. This can be seen, if we show that men will not inform themselves, even where they con

demn. It is possible that some reader may be in the state of mind which once belonged to an old and wealthy merchant, who fancied that he had fully investigated the matter. "I have (said he) heard these things spoken of all my life; I have looked through the Bible; I have thought on these things as I rode on my horse, as I lay on my bed, as I stood behind my counter, and I cannot believe, because I am unable to understand the subject. Many things in religion seem to contradict my plainest reason."

Mark this case. The preceptive doctrines of Christianity are plain enough for a child to understand, and lovely enough to captivate all that is not enmity against God. The old man was not attempting to obey any of these; he only had his eye directed toward that which might appear difficult to him. So far as he could see, he was not trying to perform; but on more mysterious points, spoke of an investigation, which was no investigation. We must illustrate this: suppose there was a ploughman, who had some strange dislike toward the science of chemistry; he professes to disbelieve the whole of its facts and theories. Suppose he declares that many doctrines of chemistry contradict his plainest common sense. He takes up a receipt for making ink, and avers, that to speak of mingling several clear white fluids together, and expecting black as the result, contradicts his plainest reason.

Again, he says, that chemists speak of mingling two cold substances until each shall become hot, without the addition of a third; but declares that this contradicts all that is rational. He finally adds, that he can never attempt to practice that which he cannot understand; that he has read of alkalis, caloric, affinities, &c. until all appears to him a mass of confusion, and a jargon of

nonsense. That he has thought on these things as he rode on his horse, as he lay on his bed, and as he ploughed in the field. And to crown all, chemists differ amongst themselves?

At all this the philosopher would smile, and tell him, that in order to practice the most useful part of chemistry, (making salt, washing clothes, or baking bread, &c. &c.) it was not necessary he should understand all that the Creator knows about it. He would tell this doubter that he might easily try the matter, take different substances, and do as directed, and he would soon know the truth of these things experimentally. Finally, he would tell him, that if he must search into deeper matters, he must investigate in reality; that his much talked of research, had left him ignorant still; that this ignorance could be removed; and that he certainly should not condemn, with a confident air, until it was removed.

The doctrines of the Bible may be known, and their usefulness tested practically. Experimental knowledge is the safest and the best in the world. But if any are resolved that they will have a different kind of evidence, or none, let them see that their wilful ignorance is removed, before they venture to decide for eternity.

CHAPTER XI.

THE GREAT AND THE TALENTED DO NOT ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH BIBLE FACTS.

ITEM V.-Egypt.-All the early history of Egypt, so impressively foretold by the prophets, we pass over, and

come at once down to the particulars that are accomplishing now, in 1836, to those things which have been fulfilling in all recent years, as well as in ancient days. We come to notice those predictions concerning Egypt, which the reader, whether young or old, has lived to see every day of his life.

The words of Ezekiel: "And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and I will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, and they shall be there a base (Heb. low) kingdom. And it shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations, for I will diminish them that they shall no more rule over the nations. And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked, and I will make the land waste and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers, I the Lord have spoken it. I 1 will also destroy their idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph, and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt."

We remark, 1st.-It was very unlikely to human apprehension that Egypt should be the lowest of kingdoms always. Of all other nations, it was most unlikely that Egypt should be depressed very long; because her unparalleled fertility and consequent populousness, promised a speedy recovery after a downfall. Shall that country, which was so long, so universally, and so justly called the granary of the world, have any other than a dense population? And, if numerous, shall strength be wanting to recover her freedom? It was more improbable of Egypt, than of any other spot of earth, that strangers should always rule and waste it, because of its situation. The Mediterranean on one side, the Red Sea on another, impassable deserts on another, promise great defence. But the total inunda