There is in general, if not always, a degree of ambiguity attending prediction, which is happily removed by its fulfilment. It is the event that fully explains prophecy. To us this happiness is granted; and this shall be the business of the present opportunity, to compare this prediction and the event together. My intention is to impress on my own heart and yours, the sufferings and safety of that blessed cause, in which we are so much interested, and for which we meet this day to pray.

Let us attend to the passage as it lies before us, and beseech the Father of lights to give us a right understanding of its meaning.

The sacred writer asks, why do the heathen rage? This prophetic question was fulfilled when Christ made his appearance in the flesh, and was preached by his apostles.

There is another branch of the sentence in connexion with the preceding; which is, "and the people imagine a vain thing." The people here spoken of are, I suppose, the Jews. They imagined a vain thing when they thought,

1. That Messiah would come as a temporal prince, to deliver and exalt their nation. Such a Messiah would have been of no advantage to them as sinners, as persons under the condemnation of the law. But of this they were not sensible their eyes were blinded to their true condition and need of a Saviour.

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2. They imagined a vain thing, when Herod ordered all the male children, from two years old and under, to be slain, with an intention of cutting off him who was born king of the Jews.

He knew not what he did; or that in doing it,

he was fighting against God, whose purpose shall stand, and who will do all his pleasure.

In each step of their conduct, you see the text exemplified, or have a display of the rage of the rulers and people of the Jews against Christ. All their opposition made to his preaching and miracles was of the same kind, and arose entirely from rage against him. His miracles they ascribed to a diabolical influence, and his doctrine they. despised. They treated him as a deceiver, and raised a clamour against him.

3. They imagined a vain thing, when they hired Judas to betray him, and urged Pilate to condemn him, and when they crucified him. Their design was to get rid of him; but we shall find, before we conclude, that he who sitteth in the heavens did laugh; yea, that he had them in derision.

4. How vain a thing did they imagine when they placed a guard of Roman soldiers at the sepulchre, to prevent the sacred body from being stolen away. Hence they became the first witnesses of an important fact: for they, affrighted, ran into the city, and declared that he had risen. Their wicked designs were thus signally frustrated.

By the heathen are meant all Gentile nations; especially the Greeks and Romans. You recollect the manner in which the apostles were treated for preaching the doctrines of Christ. The Jews and Romans, by their influence, were the principal actors in his condemnation and death; but afterward the Greeks took a very decided part against him. They esteemed Christ crucified foolishness. And when Paul preached at

Athens against idolatry, they mocked. mocked. At another time he was stoned, imprisoned and scourg ed. Such was their rage against him, that they said he ought not to live any longer.

The next verse opens this matter more fully to our view. "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers took counsel against the Lord, and against his anointed."

The terms kings and rulers signify persons clothed with different degrees of power and authority; the former are supreme, the latter subordinate. They united in their opposition to Christ.

You are desired to bear in mind, that this prediction was delivered about one thousand years before the coming of Christ. Its accomplishment hath been exact, so far as the present age of the world. Much yet remains as to the latter part of it.

The kings of the earth set themselves, i. e. in opposition against the Lord, meaning Jehovah ; and against his anointed, meaning Jesus Christ, who is often spoken of in the word of God by this phrase.

Let us now compare prophecy and event together in this part of it.

The first instance of this kind we have in Herod, and in Pilate the Roman governor. You recollect that the former was so much opposed to him that he murdered many infants, that he might be sure to cut off Jesus Christ. Pilate arraigned, tried, condemned him, and delivered him over to the Jews and soldiers, to kill him. You are sensible that the text was literally fulfilled during the ten persecutions under the Ro

man emperors. The first was under the cruel Nero; the second by Domitian; the third by Tra jan. I might mention all the names of those Roman kings or emperors, who set themselves against the Lord's anointed, or his cause in general; but it is not necessary to my present purpose. These persecutions lasted about three hundred years; during which period, thousands of Christ ians were put to death. This was under Rome Pagan. Afterward the most cruel persecutions were carried on by Rome Christian, so called.

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed." The following statement of facts will farther show the exact accomplishment of this prophecy. There was a strong conspiracy between James II. the king of England, and Louis XIV. of France, who were both papists, to extirpate the northern heresy, as they called the protestant religion, not only out of England, but out of Europe; and had laid their schemes so as to be almost sure of their purpose. But just as they were about to put them into execution, God in his providence suddenly dashed all their schemes in pieces by the revolution, at the coming in of king William and queen Mary.'

After this there was a plan laid to accomplish the same thing by bringing in the popish pretender in the latter end of queen Anne's reign; which. also was defeated by Providence.

The emperor of Germany declared war against the duke of Saxony because he favoured Luther and his friends. The king of Spain maintained a long war with Holland and the Low Countries, on the same account.

In Holland, there have been shocking persécutions under the Spanish government. In France, at different times; especially under Louis XIV. who was a most bloody man. In England, in the reign of bloody queen Mary; and in Scotland, in queen Mary's days. Ireland too has had her share in the persecutions of the church. In the reign of Charles I. of England, above one hundred thousand protestants were cruelly put to death. In Italy too the same horrid cruelties have been exercised towards the Lord, and towards his anointed.

By this short sketch of facts it appears, that the text, delivered many hundreds of years past, has been literally fulfilled, as it respects the combination of kings and rulers against the Lord and the cause of Christ. And these cruel persecutions have been carried on in those very countries, which are now the seat of wars and desolations; the Lord hath given them blood to drink in their turn.

We may now look back and trace the progress of error, and departure from the faith, from the beginning, and learn how they have been gradually preparing for the present state of things in the world.

The persecutions of the church, and the corruptions of Christianity, have been long foretold with such clearness, that they have always been expected. The issue of these things hath been also foretold.

We have observed already, that at first Jews and Gentiles opposed the cause of Christ; him they apprehended, condemned and crucified. His followers were treated in the same manner, in different ages, and in different countries.