Star. — London, England, 1808-03-17 00:00:00

m , and said , as for partiality, ha eras ktheen scioas o f,it. • Alts CANNING, after highly complimenting the . ..„ ts o f the Speaker, submitted a Resolution expres -7; . of t h e approbation of the House, for his able od impartial conduct, which was carried without a Mr. Tierney only dissenting. Adjourned at near One o ock. -- _ piNlimmmimml . ~_ ON THE PROPHECIES. NUMBER 11. INTRODUCTION. Tbe fu lfilment of Prophecy is an argument for the t h o f Revela tion, Which connot be overthrown by' tij i: adversaries ; for, events, which take place many turies . a f te r they were p redicted, cannot be the re :of combination and imposture. If only a few facts trout partially applicable, either as to their nature, ,the foe o f their fulfilment, there might be some • orsioivj in the objection, ' that the y were merely q resu lt of contingencies ;' for either the t e l c cia : ti a a re wholly true or wholly false. But when see t h e m receive their accomplishment in every t only as to the event foretold, but in coincidence p y itb a , f i tr ified time, and all in the p recise erder in which :,,, n t s corer tippointed to follow each other, it must re oil a great share of credulity to believe that such a r ec ord rests on any thing short of divine authority. It is not my intention to enter into an examalation tf t h e prophecies in general, and of the events, which the c ourse of that PROVIDENCE, which governs the enicerse, have been brought about to fulfil each of orr , in par/iodize. Such a work would go beyond wi n c h which I have prescribed to myself, and s u ,Oss necessary, as many of the Old Testament ri llcies have been already the subject of copious r d able comments. I may here observe, however, a t the corning of the MEssimr, his marmot of life, Es mighty works, his death, his resurrection, were vcomplished, so exactly agreeable to what had been ... 7 etold by the prophets of GOD; that many of the Irish ration professed their faith in him as GOD'S soirrr.o, and thus conf.rmed the truth of the pro ,ltcies. The rejection of the SAVIOUR by the rest of tat nation, the desolation that afterwards came upon and their consequent dispersion over the world, s)far from being arguments against the truth of the Gxistiaa religion, are proofs of the truth of the pro- Odes. That nation, by the wise Providence of Go, is still preserved a distinct people, as a //vitt' , rei , we for the truth—a circumstance without a pa ellA in history. Had it happened to the Jews as to ::±er conquered nations, the enemies of Truth, avail : themselves of the circumstance, would not have ailed to assert, that the prophetic books of the Old Testament were written subsequently to the events they redicted. Nay, such is the obstinate perverse tess el some men, that they have actually made this as, rtion, as if it could be credited by any person in [is right mind, that the Jews, who have ever hated tlle Christians, could have been brought to agree with these very Christians in fabricating books which endemn themselves. Yet those, wholican believe ech an inconsistency, affect to wander at the credu. .:y of others ! The Jews have been thus preserved distinct from 2 nations, among which they were scattered, as vardians of the Scriptures, and witnesses of their nth. Ido not mean to affirm that they have not :any case altered them, for the contrary is the fact; bat I have no hesitation in asserting, that the present sate of the Hebrew text furnishes abuadant evidence that these alterations were alt effected in consequence cf any deliberate design to corrupt them. They have arisen chiefly from the carelessness of transcri lrs, and partly from the too hasty adoption of emen dations intended to restore the purity of the text, in places where it was judged faulty from the former • cause. In short, though the Jews cannot be acquit ted of having been instrumental, though uninten fmlly, in corrupting some pa!:sages, they may be ?lowed the credit of having been jealous to main ta:n the purity of the Scriptures*, and their jealousy has b2en o f much service in preventing some of the I Doctors of :he Christian clinch from effecting the mischief, which chemise have been expected from their zealous labours to make the Scriptures of the Old Testament speak a language consonant to tut wishes. Not only the first coming of the MESSIAH, but events that were to happen subsequently, and to fol-' lc...reach other in a specified order, down to the end ef the worici, HP: shall corn- the second time, v:ere foretold by the Prophets of the Old Testament. The volume of prophecy was enlarged by CHRIST t md his Apostles ; and the regular accomplishment e. these predictions leaves those men without ee:cuse, rho deny the truth of the miracles wrought by JESUS !speak of the Jew, here only as a nation to whom, and to llz'karnedmtn as a body—l wish to render that justice whi ch their due. It may,. however, without prejudice to them as a be admitted, that there have been individuals amoag '-'nu who have wiltally endeavoured to corrupt the Text of :riptere. This is only allowim- that ter are men among the !etts as void of principle, as some of tin's.: that have falsely been (44 Christians. A learned Itw, a v,ry sound critic, once in my hearing, that he h.t , l no dcubt %ch..tever that seve-1 rl of the Il e hr. w MSS. had been vitiated by unprincipled J ews, ' ll4 a good price might Le obtained for them, when Kennicott 1 1 "Istoaking his cciationc, on account of thcir ~n;que reading: ! !"their translaions they have, like others, leanedto their own hut this is very ditf...rent frt.nt wilfully corrupting the ginAL t the Evaigtlirts Lave recorded Li; prophtcies. Cliairr. For those who say a sheer . its miracles and the will be convinced," might, if they were not blind, see a wonderful miracle of daily occurrence—the rise and fall of empires, accompanied with circumstances, which " make men's hearts fail them for fear," set political sagacity at defiance, and, in their issue, prove the wisdom of this world to be only folly. They might see all these happening exactly as foretold in the Scriptures of Truth many ages before, and at the precise time appointed for their completion. In the strictures, which I am about to offer, I mean to confine myself chiefly to the Apocalypse, and to those prophecies, which collaterally embrace the same events. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, and 'which he sent and signd by his Angel unto his servant John, who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw, was given for the express purpose of :hewing unto his servants things that were shortly to come to pass— ( Rev. i. 1.) We may therefore be assured that this book, instead of being mysteriously unintelligible, as some men assert, and as others have tended to make it by their explanations, is sufficiently plain to be under stood. So far is it from being presumptuous, that it is the duty of the servants of Gon, to search into the divine purposes which it unfolds; and blessed is he that reaeleth and they that hear the words of this prophecy. But in applying the historical events, which fulfil prophecy, the method, which has been most commonly practised, must not be followed by those, who would attain, in any measure, a true understanding of the book, and who are really desirous to hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Such is the natural obstinacy and pride of the heart of man that, however strong the evidence may be to the contrary, he is ever inclined to give any interpre tation of Scripture, and to apply any events as the fulfilment of prophecy, excepting such as militate against his own opinions, or those of his sect : To this must be ascribed the practice that has generally been followed by commentators—of collecting facts from his tory, and then forcing the book to speak the sane things. — Indeed many of the eventsin history are so applicable, that, even in this loose way, it is scarcely possible to miss them all ; but, when this method is followed, many facts must be overlooked and many more be misapplied, even by those who are in search of the truth. The Church of Rome is so palpably Anti christian in its doctrines and practice, that persons of every other communion, seeing how very applicable many parts of the prophecies are to her abominable usurpations, excluding themselves from the censure, load her with every kind of odium ; and, generally, instead of examining how far the same character may belong to their own church, content themselves with declaiming against her idolatry, superstition, and ty ranny—few men ever thinking it at all necessary to examine the conversation received by tradition from their fath.:rs. The Church of Rome, it is true, is the mother of harlots, but she is such as a Church : therefore the harlots her daughters, are churches.—Since then there are many daughters of Babylon, to determine who they arc, is a question of the utmost importance, and de serves the most serious investigation of every enquirer after truth ; for whatever other qualifications a man may possess ; if he be afraid to investigate this ques tion, he never can arrive at a right knowledge of the meaning of the prophecies. The order I propose to follow in the observations which I have to offer on the prophecies, will be— I. To enquire what Sealed Booi it was, which John saw opened by the Licn of the Tribe of Judah, and the nature of its contents, as declared by the removal of its seven seals, and the sounding of the rrven trumpets ; and here I hope to prove that the scaled book was that of the Prophet Daniel, and that it is now an Open Book. 11. To examine the Book that has been thus opened (viz. Daniel) and shew now exactly its predictions have been verified. 111..T0 explain the prophecies delivered by John, in consequence of his eating the book, by the command of the Angel, after it was opened—Prophecies which he was commanded to prophecy against many people, and nations, and tongues, and Kings. In the course of this investigation, I humbly hope, 1. To prove, in the most plain and intelligible style, i to the satisfaction of the unprejudiced, that all the leading periods of time, in which the wonderful events predicted by Daniel and John, were to take place, are given in the books themselves ; and that, therefore, the events must be found and ascertained by the dates, and not the dates by events assumed as the fulfilment of these predictions, which is an abso lute inversion of the natural order of things. €2. To point out, and in many instances with con siderable precision, those events which actually were an accomplishment of these prophecies; and, 3. To ascertain from the dates and the 64 Signs of the Mies," the period to which we are now arrived. THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. THURSDAY, MARCH 17. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE CLOCK. Consuls, for money, 644 —for April, 6414—Re O duced shut. (Thulium *—Excheq. Bills, 4s. pr. • PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY. 3 per Cent. Red. Ann*. shut India Bonds, 1.. dis. :1 per Cent. Cons. 64i Ex. Bills, :Is. 4s. pr. 1 per Cent. Navy 9611 English Tickets, 211. Imperial 3 per Cent. 631 Cons. for acc. 641 Imperial Ann. 7 11-16 Bank Stock for opg. 2324 The long expected FIFTH REPORT of the COMMIS SIONERS of MILITARY INQUIRY, which has just made its appearance, discovers several abuses in the Medi cal Department, particularly in the accounts of the Plymouth Hospital in the years 1796, 1797, and 1798. The Report, including the Appendix, extends to 274 pages : we shall give large extracts, as s3on as we can possibly find room. BII3LICUS. •• • IA the course of this investigation, it is not only possible, but highly probable, that the Author may fall into many inaccu racies. He will be glad to benefit by the corrections of the judi cious, for his only alas is to elicit Truth. In Biblical criticism many of the Readers of the STAR could render essential service to the object he has in view. The Editor of that Paper has been furnished with a channel by which any communications that may relate to the subject, may be trasmitted to the Author, who will receive them with gratitude. But he hopes not to be misunder stood : he has no wish to receive the lucubrasions of system mongers; nor will he suffer himself to be drawn from the direct object of his pursuit to answer Cavillers. GENERAL WHTLELOCKE'S TRW.: It has been incorrectly stated in come-of the M.)rn. ing Papers, that the Members of the Court Mar met yesterday ; and, after deliberating some time, finally decided upon the Sentence to be pronounced. The Court certainly did meet yesterday, at ten o'clock, in the Board Room of Chelsea College; but . they adjourned almost immediately, consequence of the indisposition of the Judge-Advocate-General. This morning the Members again assembled in die Board-room, and the Judge-Advocate General being present, they proceeded to deliberate, with closed doors, on their smtence. They continued sitting at twelve o'clock. NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE. Yesterday his MAJESTY held the most numerous Court that had ever been seen at the Queen's Palace. At two o'clock his MAJESTY held a Chapter of the Order of the Bath. Viscount STItANGFORD was introduced between Sir THOMAS TRIGG and.SirDavinDuNuas, junior Knights present, and conducted to his MAJESTY, who was I pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood upon him. After the ceremony, his MAJESTY held a meeting of the Knights of the Thistle. His MAJESTY having been pleased to dispense with the ceremony of holding a Chapter, those of the Noble Order who attended did not come in their robes. The Earl of ABERDEEN was introduced and in vested witk the vacant Order, worn by the late Earl of GALLOWAY. His MAJESTY held a private Levee, when the fol lowing had the honour of being presented to his MA JESTY upon various occasions— Earl Gat ir, upon coming to his title, by his Grace the Duke of Athol. Sir HA avEY Bauer, upon coming to his title, by Lord Hawkes bury. Lieutenant-Colonel Lord C: ma or DIRE sroao ' on being ap pointed to the command of the Queen's Dragoon Guards. General Sir DAVID Du NDAS, ii ? on his marriage. Lord RANCLIEFE, upon his marriage, by his uncle the Earl of Moira. Vice-Admiral ROWLEY, upon his being appointed to the com mand at Jamaica, by Lord Mulgrave. The Earl of DIGBY, upon his bein g appointed to the Lieute nancy of the County of Dorset, vacant by the death of the Earl i of D o rchester, by Lord Hawkesbury. Viscount STRANCITORD upon his being appointed his Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of the Brazils, by Mr. Canning. Major-General MURRAY, upon his promotion, in being ap pointed to the Command of the Royal Regiment of Malta. AUGUSTUS ATKIN:IN, Esq. upon his being appointed Ensign to his Majesty's Yeomen of the Guards, by the Earl of Maccles field. He was invested with the Silver Stick of Office accordingly. Earl GOSFORD, upon coming to his title. The Earl of ABERDEEN, by the Marquis of Abercorn. The Earl of WALDEGRAVE, upon his return from abroad, by the Earl of Aylesfortl. The Archbishop of DUBLIN, upon his arrival from Ireland. Rear-Admiral Mu 'MAY , upon his return from the River Plata. General FINCH, upon his promotion. The Marquis of Tttomoso, upon his coming to his title. The Archbishop of CA so/ r, upon his arrival from Ireland. Lieutenant-Colonel M`Don A LD, upon his promotion to the Ist Regiment of Guards. Lieutenant-Colonel FOLEY, upon his promotion to the Ist West India Regiment. Colonel PARKER, upon his promotion to the command of the West Suffolk Militia. The Rev. Dr. GOODENOUGH, the Bishop of Carlisle, did homage before his MAJESTY, upon his e'eetion to that see. Admiral Sir ROGER CURTIS, Admiral DOSICT, and Mr. FORDYCE, laid before his MAJESTY another Report of the Commissioners of Naval Inquiry. His MAJESTY held a Privy Council, at which Vis count STRANGFORD was introduced, and sworn in a Member, and took his seat at the Honourable Board accordingly. The Earl of DIGBY was introduced, and sworn into the office of Lord Lieutenant of the County of Dorset. His Majesty gave audiences to the Cabinet Ministers, at which were present the Marquis of THOMOND and 1 1 Viscount CATHCART. The Marquis of TIMMOND deli- vered to his MAJESTY the Order of St. Patrick, worn by the late Marquis. COOKE is re-engaged at Covent Garden Theatre, at a considerable advance of salary, for three years. I MALDEN COMMlTTEE.—Yesterday Mr. DALLAS, as 1 1 Counsel for Mr. GASKELL, the Petitioner, opened his 1 case ; abandoning the charge of treating, he confined his allegations to two points, viz. bribery, and an ille gal admission of voters on the poll, in behalf of the sitting Member, Mr. WESTERN, and non-admission of legal votes, tendered to be received for the Peti tioner, Mr. GASKELL ; of the former description were, Reynolds, Boyton, Collins, and Trott ; of the latter, Horton and Boreham. The Sheriff of Essex made a return of the poll ; and after die admission of some other necessary documents, the Committee adjourned to this day. Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the East India House, when the under-mentioned Comman ders took leave, previous to departing for their respec tive destinations, viz. Captain JOHN DALE, Streatham; Was. LYNCH, Harriet.— Madras and Bengal. Captain JOHN CAMERON, Jane Duchess of Gordon; R. H. &roar, Bengal—Ceylon and Bengal. Captain Joan B. SAMPSON. Earl St. Vincent; Was. NESBITT, r Huddart.—Bombay. Captain Youno was sworn into the command of the I Lord Eldon. Colonels ALEXANDER BEATSON and EDWARD S. BROUGHTON, took the usual oaths on being appointed Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Island of St. Helena. The Court adjourned at six o'clock, till to-morrow. CORN EXCHANGE, MARK-LANE, MARCH 16.—Wheat is in middling supply to-day, and the trade dull, in sales at small variation in price—Barley likewise—. Malt is rather higher—Grey Peas, with the two sorts of Beans, are rather lower—There are but short sup plies of Oats, and this article Is. and 2s. per quarter dearer—ln Flour no alteration. GENERAL CURRENCY AS UNDER: Wheat, 455. 58s. 725. Beans (old) 525. 58s. Od. Fine ditto, 745. 765. Tick ditto (old) 50s. 555. Od. Rye, 465. SCs. Oats, 315. 355. 383. Barley, 40s. 455. Od. Poland ditto, 395. 40s. Od. Malt 655. 755. Potatoe ditto 00s. 42s 6d. White Peas (boile,rs)l62l. 1725. Rape Seed, 301. 331. Os. Grey ditto 525. 585. Fine Flour 555. 601.—c- 50s. 555. PORTSMOU fH, MARCH 15. Arrived the Bold gun-brig, from the Downs, with a fleet of transports and outward-bound vessels ; among w:iich arc the Bonetta, MAINLAND; Meaburn, JOHNS ; Thames, BELE ; John, CONYERS ; Essex, BEI'Ts ; Symmetry, BERRY ; Rodney, BURNS ; and the Antelope, —; also arrived the Dapper and Margarett gun-brigs, from a cruize.—Wind E.N.E. MARCH 16.—Nothing arrived or sailed this day. The Thrasher gun-brig is appointed convoy for Guernsey.—Wind S. E. DOVER, MARCH 16. Part of the suite of the Prussian Minister are here, he is expected to night, and will sail to-morrow if the wind is fair. DEAL, MARCH 15. • Sailed through the Downs yesterday, the Rolla, GEARY, for Virginia. Sailed yesterday afternoon, the Speculator lugger, with several transports, coasters, &c. under convoy, to the Westward. Arrived the Flamer gun brig, from a cruize, and remains in the Downs, with the rest of the ships as per last. MARCH 16.—Arrived the Amaranthe and Vulture sloops of war ; Fearless and Exertion gun brigs, and Arrow schooner, from the Nore ; Cracker gun brig, from a cruize off Calais. Sailed the Thames long ] boat, for Woolwich. Wind E. N. E. SHEERNESS, MARCH 15. The Amaranthe sloop, Captain BRENTON, sailed this day for the Downs, and the Ariadne was taken into dock. Arrived the Swedish ship Providentia, Starre, from Dover, and the victualling transport Iris (marked D. D.), ORFEUS Master. The Danish ship Elizabeth, which was driven on shore in the late gales, was got off this day at high water. The Spitfire sloop of war sailed this day for Leith. She - has been on shore on the Mouse Sand, but was got off without damage, after taking out. her guns and shot. FROM LLOYD'S LIST. GRAVESEND MARCH 15.—Passed by the following Danish. prizes, viz. the Doris, Mitchenson, from Hull ; Young Prow He len, Ewing, from Cork ; anil the Young Lass, Jager, from Yar mouth. MARCH 16.—Sailed the Jemima, Gibbon, for Dublin ; Roe buck, Matthews, for Africa ; Europe, Gilstone ; William Pitt, ; Sir William Bensley, Hooper ; and the Lord Castlereagh, Keymer, for India. The Hope, Death, from New Brunswick for Li verpool, is stranded on the Island of Wist, Part of the cargo landing. Extract of a Letter from Bourdeaux, dated Febru ary, 1808 :-L" The ship Fame, from New York, de. tained here since -last August, in consequence of the Decree of 21st Nov. 1806,11 as been lately condemned . 1 ' In a letter from Mr. FESIVICK, late British Consul at Denmark, to a gentleman in Dundee, dated Hel singburg, January 21st, he states, " that the Are thusa, kaitt, and Speedwell, Sime, both of Dundee, are lost upon Jutland, and the Masters, as well as the crews, confined at the depot of prisoners, at Randers. They are however all well, and receive very good treatment. The reason that they cannot write to their friends, is the strict adherence of the Danish Government to the edict, prohibiting correspondence with Great Britain." The irruption into Finland has been followed by a Declaration on the part of the Emperor of Russia, in which, after some general expressions of his Imperial Majesty's friendship and regard to his Swedish Ma jesty's Person and Government, he declares, , 4 That, having contracted engagements, which urgently call upon him to contribute all in his power towards acce lerating a solid and lasting peace for the Continent of Europe, he feels himself under the necessity of taking provisional possession of Finland ; until his Swedish Majesty shall think proper to adopt a new and wiser system of politics." A Committee is formed at St. Petersburgh, by the French Ambassador M. Caulincourt, under the orders of Bonaparte, to consider of the best means of carry ing on the trade between France and Russia. The Committee consists of M. M. Raimbert, Crest, De Bilk, Beaumont, and Beaupret. The following Gentlemen, not being connected with trade, have found means to procure passports for England, and are on their journey ; Messrs. Graham, Mildmay, Hay, Robinson, Sanders, and Hon. John L. Melville. A number of the merchants at St. Pe tersburgh had waited on Count Romanzoff, begging his interference to obtain them passes—when he in formed them that they were detained in consequence of the harsh and illiberal conduct of their Govern ment to the subjects of Russia. Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in Peters burgh, to his friend in Dundee, dated I 1 th Jan.— " I was lately at a Court Masquerade. Monsieur CAuLAINcounT has in every instance the decided pre ference shown him by the great ones. He sat down on the right hand of the Empress Mother, and was the first to play cards with her. Her Majesty, after gaining a few ducats from him, turned to Count MEERFELDT, the Austrian Ambassador, and invited him to play cards with her. CAULAIXCOURT then joined the promenade, leading by the hand the Grand Duchess CATHARINE, whom report here now destines to be the bride of his Imperial Master. At the grand ceremony on Twelfth Day of christening the waters, CAULAINCOtRT alone rode upon the Emperor's right hand, and was the only person whom I observed his Majesty speak to. There were 52,000 men under arms, all in new uniforms, after the French fashion. We have accounts of Petitions being presented to your Government, to release the Russian ships from the embargo in England, which is highly reprobated here, as it will only tend to make Jacky suppose you are afraid of him. Gratitude never enters his mind. We hope the Petitions will be disregarded." . ' i 1 1 1 1 , 1 1 , 9 at ut au' ry, en he ty. he de Ong . t of ler- ly, Dut ose no or/ ion grid s to with ger it he :iven the iible, mea. bert, Wm. orted rision Aycs stood mow con o the ained could Mr. It op- a oh nevcr medy teval f the