made, brake them in pieces, and carried them away into their own country, to convert them to other ufes. Thus he alfo fpeaks by Jeremiah;

66

Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach "is broken in pieces: her idols are confounded, "her images are broken in pieces f." And he appeals to the general deftruction he should bring on the idols of the heathen, as a proof of their vanity, and of his own fole dominion. "JEHO"VAH is the true God, he is the living God, and "an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth fhall "tremble, and the nations fhall not be able to "abide his indignation. Thus fhall ye fay unto

them, The gods that have not made the heavens, "and the earth, even they fhall perish from the "carth, and from under thefe heavens.-They "are vanity, and the work of errors in the time "of their vifitation they fhall perish. The por"tion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the "former of all things;-JEHOVAH of hofts is his

IV. The accomplishment of prophecy is another proof of the divine unity. This is not merely a proof from facts, but one of the most striking kind that can poffibly be conceived. We have a twofold view of the fame fact. We fee it firft in the book of prophecy; and then, perhaps, many centuries after, in the book of providence. We view it firft, as it exifts in the divine mind and immutaplé decree; and then, as it is actually brought in

f Jer. i. 2.

Jer. x. 10, 11. 15, 16.

to

to being, with the moft minute conformity to its prototype. Prophecy is thus a living, a permanent, a perpetual hiftory, that fhall continue to fhed its precious light on the Church, and on the world, till time shall be no more.

Need we wonder, then, that God fhould frequently refer to it, in proof of his abfolute and unrivalled perfection? When he proclaims that peculiar honour which he had conferred on his ancient people, as the witneffes of his unity, he immediately appeals to the prophecies he had delivered to them, and to their illuftrious ancestors, as verified by the event. "Ye are my witneffes, "faith JEHOVAH :-that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am HE: before "me there was no God formed, neither shall there "be after me.-I have declared, and have faved, "and I have fhewed, when there was no ftrange

66

66

god among you: therefore ye are my witneffes, "faith JEHOVAH, that I am God h."" I am the "first, and I am the last, and befides me there is

no God. And who, as I, fhall call, and fhall declare it, and fet it in order for me, fince I ap"pointed the ancient people? and the things that "are coming, and fhall come, let them fhew unto "them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid have not "I told thee from that time, and have declared "it? ye are even my witneffes. Is there a God "befides me? yea, there is no god, I know not any."-"Remember the former things of old, "for I am God, and there is none elfe, I am God, B 4 "and

b Ifa. xliii. 10. 12.

i Ifa. xliv. 6.-8.

"and there is none like me, declaring the end "from the beginning, and from ancient times the

66

things that are not yet done, faying, My coun"fel fhall ftand, and I will do all

“fure k."

my plea

We have formerly feen, that God appeals to his power manifefted in creation, in proof of his being the only true God. But, in revealing himfelf to an obftinate and unbelieving people, he does not reft the evidence of his claim in this refpect merely on his own teftimony, or refer to that particular' account of the work of creation. which no one but himfelf could give. He produces another fpecies of evidence, arifing from his wonderful works in behalf of his Church, efpecially in relation to preceding predictions. This is a combined proof of the moft convincing kind. Is it true, that the work of creation clearly demonftrates that He, to whom it belongs, is God, and God alone? While the wonderful works of JEHOVAH afford a difplay of the fame almighty power which was manifefted in creation; thefe, as verifying his word of prophecy, in which he has afferted his claim to creative power, inconteftably prove the juftnefs of his claim to the character of Creator, and at the fame time fhew that there is, that there can be, "no God befides. "him." When, therefore, we find this affertion of creative power mingling itself in the prophecies concerning the deliverance of the Church, we are not to view it in the light of a parenthe

fis,

k Ifa. xlvi. 9, 10. See alfo chap. xlv. 21, 22.; xlviii. 3.-5. 12. 14. 16,

fis, merely expreffing the dignity of the speaker. It is indeed a diftinguished branch of that evidence, which is exhibited for the prefent confirmation of the faith of those who already believe, as declaring the certainty of the event; and at the fame time denotes that the event itself, when it fhall take place, fhall, in its connexion, afford a fufficient ground of conviction to thofe who have formerly rejected the divine teftimony. Of this kind of evidence, we have various examples. "Thus faith JEHOVAH thy Redeemer,--I am JE

66

HOVAH that maketh all things; that stretcheth "forth the heavens alone; that fpreadeth abroad "the earth by myself:-that confirmeth the word "of his fervant, and performeth the counfel of "his meffengers; that faith to Jerufalem, Thou "fhalt be inhabited :-that faith to the deep, Be “dry; and I will dry up thy rivers: that faith of Cyrus, He is my fhepherd, and fhall perform “all my pleasure ; even saying to Jerufalem, Thou "shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy founda"tion fhall be laid!" What a beautiful connexion here, between creative power, omnifcience, and the completion of prophecy in wonderful operations! To the fame purpofe is the following language: "Thus faith JEHOVAH,-Ask "me of things to come concerning my fons.-I "have made the earth, and created man upon it. "I have raised him up," that is, Cyrus, 66 in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways m." In the ufe of this argument, faith may either defcend

Ifa. xliv. 24.-28. m Ifa. xlv. 11.-13. See alfo Jer. li. 14, 15.

fcend from the creative power of God already believed, to a firm perfuafion of the accomplishment of the prophecy; or, as excited by the manifeftation of God's faithfulnefs and power in fulfilling the prophecy, it may afcend to a firm perfuafion of his being the Creator and the only true God. Faith, indeed, as it ftill refpects the power of God, finds great encouragement in viewing this perfection as manifefted in creation. For there is no work, which it is called to believe, that can be too hard for Him who formed all things of nothing. Hence Abraham, when called to believe againft hope, that he fhould be the father of a feed like the fand of the fea, found no obftacle to believing this, while he credited the doctrine of creation. "He believed God,-who "calleth the things that be not as though they "were"." Hence alfo we are commanded to commit our fouls to him, as to a faithful Creator : where his infinite faithfulness and almighty power are conjoined, as affording a strong ground of confidence.

V. JEHOVAH hath manifefted that he is the one true God, by answering the prayers of his worhippers and many remarkable inftances of this are recorded, for confirming our faith in this important doctrine. Elijah propofed to the people of Ifrael, that the decifion of the controverfy between JEHOVAH and Baal fhould turn on this hinge. He faid to them, "Call ye on the name " of

n Rom. iv. 17.

o Pet. iv. 19.