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alike set at defiance the laws both of God and man. We have beheld scenes of carnage and impiety, which well deserve to be ushered in by a distinct woe-trumpet, and which may justly claim to themselves the title of a harvest of God's wrath. These scenes have at length passed away, like the distempered and fantastic visions of a sick man; and the sun of military tyranny has begun to scorch the irreclaimable inhabitants of the Pupal Roman empire with an intolerable heat. The madness of the harvest therefore is past; and we must expect in due season the commencement of the vintage, in which the enemies of God will be finally destroyed for ever.

At present we are living under the fourth vial;* and, from the great length of time which both Popery and Mohammedism have continued, we cannot be very far removed from the end of the 1260 days, whatever be the precise year from which they ought to be dated. The year, which I have fixed upon for their date, is the year 606; a year marked by so singular a combination of circumstances, that I know not how any other can with equal propriety be selected. If then I be right in my opinion, we are now removed but little more than 60 years from the commencement of the time of the end and of the vintage of God's wrath. Be this however as it may, we are undoubtedly living in the last days of blasphemous infidelity, in that awful period which is the peculiar reign of Antichrist. The signs of the times all concur to teach us, that we are fast approaching towards the catastrophè of the great drama. We have seen the unexpected union of Infidelity and Popery; an union, no doubt preparatory to the predicted final league of the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the papal earth,† We have seen measures taken, as it were, towards making the atheistical king the last head of the beast. We have seen Palestine, the predicted stage on which Antichrist with his congregated vassals is doomed to perish,

* I have already stated it to be not improbable, that the fifth vial may have been poured out since this Work was first published. June 10, 1806.

This confederacy seems now actually to have begun to be formed. June 10, 1806. There is reason to believe, that the atheistical king is now become the last or CarTevingian head of the beast. June 10, 1806.

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brought forward in a remarkable manner to public notice, and becoming at once a subject of political discussion and an object of hostile invasion. We have seen the kings devouring the flesh of the great whore, and making her naked and desolate, though her spiritual empire over the minds of men still continues. We have seen, and may now see, the waters of the mystic Euphrates rapidly drying up, previous to their final complete exhaustion under the sixth vial. And we have

seen of late years, what I cannot but consider as at least one of the minor signs of the times, an unusual and laudable attention paid, in this protestant country, to the predictions of the ancient prophets. Although the book be sealed, and will not be fully understood, till the time of the end yet, as that time is now approaching, many run to and fro and knowledge is increased. Of the wicked indeed, of those who are either members of the great Apostacy or have been tainted with the blasphemous impieties of Antichrist, none shall understand; but the spiritually wise children of the symbolical woman, they who profess the same evangelical principles as those who perished at the era of the Reformation in trying, in purging, and in making white, their apostate brethren, these

shall understand.*

Compare Dan. xii. 3, 9, 10. with xi. 35. The wise, here mentioned, are evidently the same as those men of understanding, some of whom, at the time of the Refor mation, should perish in attempting to propagate the truth. To these spiritually wise children alone shall it be given of their heavenly Father to understand the signs of the times their opponents, through ignorance or contempt of them, will suddenly pull down swift destruction on their own heads. I know not any better comment upon the words of the prophet than the sciolist Voltaire's pert remark, that the great Sir Isaac Newton wrote his comment on the Revelation, to console mankind for his superiority over them in other respects. With regard to an attention paid to the prophecies being one of the signs of the times, the opinion of Sir Isaac Newton and Bp. Horsley will at least exempt me from the charge of fancifulness in enumerating it among them. "Amongst the interpreters of the last age,” says Sir Isaac, "there is scarce one of note who hath not made some discoveries worth knowing: and thence I seem to gather, that God is about opening these mysteries.” In a simi lar manner, the Bishop remarks, that the character of the maritime people destined to take the lead in the restoration of Judab "seems to describe some Christian country, where the prophecies, relating to the latter ages, will meet with particular attention; where the literal sense of those, which promise the restoration of the Jewish people, will be strenuously upheld; and where these will be so successfully expounded, as to be the principal means, by God's blessing, of removing the veil from the hearts of the Israelites." It cannot but be pleasing to the serious reader to observe the different estimation in which prophecy is now held throughout the protestant kingdom of England, from what it was by the Jews previous to the sacking of Jerusalem. We are informed by Josephus, that in his days it was no uncommon thing to hear his

As yet we have beheld no signs of the restoration of Judah: nor, to all appearance, shall we behold any, till the three times and a half draw very near to their termination.*

But, when that famous period shall have expired, then will commence the wars of Antichrist with the kings of the south and the north, and the restoration of the unconverted Jews through his instrumentality. Then will the Lord call unto the land spreading wide the shadow of its wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush, accustomed to send messengers by sea, even in quick-sailing vessels upon the surface of the waters. Then shall the swift messengers go unto a nation, dragged away and plucked, unto a people wonderful from the beginning hitherto, a nation expecting, expecting, and trampled under foot, whose land rivers have spoiled. Then shall all the inhabitants of the world, and dwellers upon earth, see the lifting up, as it were, of a banner upon the mountains ; and shall hear the sounding, as it were, of a trumpet. In spite of the opposition of the atheistico-papal confederacy, the great maritime power of the day shall take the lead in the restoration of the converted of Judah: while the enemies of the Lord, notwithstanding their invasion of Palestine, and notwithstanding their temporary success against Jerusalem, bent only upon the accomplishment of their own schemes, and unconsciously subject to the influence of Satanical delusion,† will madly rush on to their own destruction in the valley of Megiddo, in the

hardened countrymen ridicule the oracles of their ancient prophets, which they had already defied by crucifying the Messiah. Καλπάζει ο μεν εν πας αυτοις θεσμός ανθρω πων, εγέλατο δε τα θεια, και τις μεν προφητων θεσμός ώσπερ αγυρλικας λογοποιΐας εχλεύαξαν. (Joseph. de Bell. Judaic. L. 4. C. 6.) What a singular resemblance there is between this state of the Jews and that of the French at the time of their boasted Revolution.

Since this was written, Buonapartè has begun to assemble the Jezus in a grand council at Paris. Whether it will lead to their restoration, time alone can determine at present we have certainly no right to say that it will. The avowed plan of the usurper is to incorporate them with his other subjects: his real plan may be something different. It is said that the Jews of Frankfort have impiously hailed him as their expected Messiah. Though I do not suppose the individual Buonapartè to be Antichrist, it is worthy of notice that Popish commentators have adopted the belief of some of the fathers, that, whenever Antichrist should appear, the Jews would acknowledge him as their Messiah, and attempt to procure their restoration by his instrumentality. See Calmet's Dict. Vox Antichrist-Cornelius â Lapide's Comment. in Dan. vii. Rev. xiii. Nov. 20, 1806.

Rev. xvi. 13, 14.

region between the two seas, the region whose limits extend 1600 furlongs.

On the whole, it is reasonable to conclude, that the time is not very far distant, when the symbolical heaven and earth shall pass away, and when the personal Word shall begin to tread the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Never were there more awful times than these of the third woe-trumpet. All civilized government has been in a state of commotion; and the powers of Europe have been shaken to their very centre. The end however is not yet. The calamities of the harvest are but the harbingers of those which shall take place under the last vial during the period of the vintage.

For ourselves, we have only to labour, through the grace of God and the assistance of his Holy Spirit, that we may be prepared to meet the Lord at his coming. Death,whensoever it shall arrest our progress, will assuredly be the end of the world to each of us. We pervert the study of prophecy, if we make it only a mere curious speculation. We ought rather so to read the oracles of God, as to profit by them in all holiness of life and conversation. Neither a hearty reprobation of the cruelties and corruptions of Popery; nor an abhorrence of the impious imposture of Mohammedism; nor a detestation of the diabolical principles of Antichrist; are alone sufficient to prepare us for the kingdom of heaven. We must beware, lest we have a name that we live, and are dead. We must be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die; lest our works be not found perfect before God.* It will be but small comfort to each of us as individuals, that our country is preserved amidst the wreck of nations to fulfil the future high purposes of the Almighty, if we through our own negligence fall short of the promised reward. In fine, our eternal interests will be but little benefited by the study of prophecy, unless we pursue it in the manner which the apostle himself hath proposed to us. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."+

Rev. iii. 1, 2.

+ Rev. i 3.

APPENDIX.

WHEN the first edition of this Differtation was published, I had not had an opportunity of perufing the recently printed work of Archdeacon Woodhoufe on the Apocalypfe; but it would be unpardonable, confidering the plan which I have adopted, to fuffer a fecond edition to make its appearance without noticing it. The thanks of every biblical ftudent are due to the learned author for his very clear and convincing Differtation on the divine Origin of the Apocalypfe, and likewise for many valuable remarks and much found criticism contained in his notes on the book. I feel myfelf peculiarly gratified and interested at finding feveral of my own pofitions maintained and established by a writer, with whom I have not the honour of being acquainted, and whose work I had not read at the time when my own was published. Thus, we are both agreed, that Mohammedifm conftitutes one half of a grand apoflacy from the purity of Chriflianity; that the apocalyptic great city

The pofition, that Mohammedifm is a Chriflian opoftacy, is fo ably treated by the Archdeacon, that I cannot refrain from ftrengthening what I have already said on the fubject with his quotations and arguments.

-He

"Mohammed did not pretend to deliver any new religion, but to revive the old one.. allowed both the Old and New Teftaments, and that both Mofes and Jefus were prophets fent from God (Prideaux's Life of Mohammed, p. 18, 19.); that Jefus, son of Mary, is the word and a fpirit fent from God, a redeemer of all that believe in him. (Sale's Koran, p. 19, 30, 65. Ockley's Hift. of Saracens II.) Mohammed represents himself as the Paraclete or Comforter fent by Jesus Christ, Jahn xvi. 7. (Koran, p. 165.) So, in Mohammed's afcent to heaven, as invented in the Koran, while the patriarchs and prophets confefs their inferiority to him by intreating his prayers, in the seventh heaven he fees Jefus, whofe fuperiority the falfe prophet acknowledges by commending himself to his prayers. (Sale's Koran, p. 17. Prideaux's Life of Mohammed, p. 55.) Faith in the divine books is a neceffary article of the Mohammedan creed; and among thefe is the Gospel given to Iffa or Jefus, which they affert to be corrupted by the Chriflians. If any Few is willing to become a Mohammedan, be muft firft believe in Chrift: and this question is afked him, Doft thou believe that Chrift was born of a virgin by the blaft (i. e. inspiration) of God, and that be was the laft of the Jewish prophets? If he answers in the affirmative, he is made a Mohammedan. (Reland on Moham. pref. 25, 11.) Mohammed arofe to eftablife a new religion, which came pretty near the Jervife, and was not entirely different from that of feveral fects of Chriftians, which got him a great many followers. (Leibnitz's Letter, 1706.) The impoftor Mohammed confessed that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, that he was the Word of God fent from heaven, the Spirit of God declared by the miracles of the Gospel, the prophet of God, whefe office it was to deliver the Gefpel and teach the way of truth, who is to come to judgment and to deftroy Antichrift and convert the Jews. Thus alfo be taught, that the Gofpel of Chrift, and the larv of Mofes, and all the prophets, are to be believed. And thus be was better inclined to the Chriftians than to the Jews. (Spanhem. Introd. ad hift sæc. vii. p. 609.) Mohammedifin began as a christian herefy, acknowledging Chrift for a prophet, a greater than Mofes, born of a Virgin, the Word of God. (Ricaut's Ottoman empire, p. 138.) Sale afferts the Mohammedan religion to be not only Chriftian berefy, but an improvement upon the very corrupt idolatrous fflem of the Jews and Chriftians of thofe times. (Prelim. p. 15.) Jofeph Mcde affirms, that the Mohammedans are nearer to Chriftianity than many of the ancient herefies, the Cerinthians, Gnoftics, Manichees. (Works, p. 645.) Whatever good is to be found in the Mohammedan religion (and some good doctrines and precepts there undeniably are in it,) is in no fmalt meafure owing to Chriftianity: for Mohammedifm is a borrowed fyftem, made up for the muft part of Judaism and Christianity; and, if it be confidered in the moft favourable view, might

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