Quarto. :








PROPHECIES CONCERNING BABYLON. 119


tion to his message than to deride and despise it: and yet such an
event would not be more strange and incredible than the destruction
and devastation of Nineveh. For Nineveh was much the larger, and
much the stronger, and older city of the two; and the Assyrian
empire had subsisted and flourished more ages than any form of
government in this country: so that you cannot object the instability
of the eastern monarchies in this case. Let us then, since this event
would not be more improbable and extraordinary than the other,
suppose again, that things should succeed according to the predic-
tion, the flood should arise, and the enemy should come, the city
should be overflown and broken down, be taken and pillaged, and
destroyed so totally, that even the learned could not agree about the
place where it was situated. What would be said or thought in such
acase? Whoever of posterity should read and compare the pro-
phecy and event together, must they not by such an illustrious
instance be thoroughly convinced of the providence of God, and of
the truth of his prophet, and be ready to acknowledge, Verily this is
the word that the Lord hath spoken, Verily there is a God that
judgeth the earth !


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THE PROPHECIES CONCERNING BABYLON.
