Eph 3 :21 Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages World Without End Amen

Late regius professor of Hebrew,
and formerly Sir Thomas Adams' professor in the University
of Cambridge; D. D. of  the University of Halls; Canon of
Briston; Rector of Barley, Herts, &c.

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Table of Contents

Preface

In Three Books

1. One The Covenants
2. An Exposition of the Vision of the Prophet Daniel
3. An Exposition of the Revelation of St. John

• Advertisement

• Preface and Introduction

  • Part I.—On the Principles of Scriptural Interpretation adopted by Mr. Mede and his followers.

  • Part II.—On the Principles of Prophetical Interpretation, propounded in the Works of J. H. Todd, D.D., of Trinity College, Dublin, &c.

  • Part III.—On the Principles of Interpretation adopted in the following Work.

    • On the Opinions and Usages of the Early Church, as to Prophecy.

Book One: One The Covenants

• Chapter 1

  • Sect. 1.—General Remarks on the Nature of Revelation.

  • Sect. 2.—On the purely religious nature of Revelation, and its necessary requirements of real religion in those professing to receive it. Prophecy and its necessary character and requirements.

  • Sect. 3.—On the means provided under the first Covenant, for the establishment of the last.

  • Sect. IV.—On the Question, whether any return of the Jews to Canaan is to be expected.

  • Sect. V.—On some particular places in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, which have been supposed to foretell a return of tlie Jews to Canaan.

  • Sect. VI.—On the Causes of the Dispersion of the Remnant, or holy party among the Jews, and of its return from this.

• Chapter 2

  • Sect. I.—On the Duration of the Theocracy, and the Times of its dose.

  • Sect. II.—On such places of the Old Testament as speak of the period appointed for the close of the Theocracy, and for the establishment of a New Covenant, under the terms, the latter day or days, the last days, end or ends of the world, the day or the-great day of the Lord, and the like.

  • Sect. III.—On Places in the New Testament referring to the last days, the end, or ends of the world, and the like.

• THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK.

  • APPENDIX.

Book Two: An Exposition of the Vision of the Prophet Daniel

• Chapter 1: ON THE PERIODS OF THE FOUR GREAT MONARCHIES.

  • Sect. I.—On Daniel's period of Seventy Weeks.

  • Sect. II.—On the Four Great Monarchies of Daniel, as given in Ms Second Chapter.

  • Sect. III.—On the Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Daniel, and particularly on the Little Horn, as predicted by him.

• Chapter 2: ON DANIEL'S FOURTH VISION, AS GIVEN IN CHAPTERS X. XI. XII. OF HIS BOOK.

  • Sect. I.—On the Successors of Alexander the Great, Antiochus, Ptolemy, &c.

  • Sect. II.—On the interference of the Roman Power with the successors of Alexander; its destruction of the Theocracy: its own fall.

  • Sect. III.—On the Blasphemy of the Little Horn, or Antichrist: his Fall, and the Establishment of the Kingdom of the , son op man.

  • Sect. IV.—On the Antichrist of the New Testament, St. Paul's Man of Sin, Son of Perdition, &c.

• GENERAL CONCLUSION TWO PRECEDING BOOKS.

Book Three: AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN.

• Chapter 1: ON THE WARNINGS GIVEN TO THE CHURCHES OF ASIA.

  • Sect. I.—On the Author, Writer, Scope, and Period of the fulfilment, of this Revelation.

  • sect. II.—On the General Scope of the First Three Chapters of the Revelation, and first Vision of St. John.

  • Sect. III.—On the more Important Particulars of Chaps. -I. II. III.

• Chapter 2: ON THE SECOND VISION OF ST. JOHN, AND FIRST SERIES OF EVENTS.

  • Introduction to the Opening of the Seals.

  • Sect. I.—On the Opening of the First Seal.

  • Sect. II.—On the Second Seal.

  • Sect. III.—On the Third Seal.

  • Sect. IV.—On the Fourth Seal.

  • Sect. V.—On the Fifth Seal.

  • Sect. VI.—On the Sixth Seal.

• Chapter 3: ON THE SOUNDING OF THE SEVEN TRUMPETS.

  • Sect. I.—On the first Trumpet, and Ministry here employed.

  • Sect. II.—On the Second Trumpet.

  • Sect. III.—The Third Trumpet.

  • Sect. IV.—The Fourth Trumpet.

  • Sect. V.—The Fifth Trumpet.

  • Sect. VI.—The Sixth Trumpet.

  • Sect, VII.—Matter preliminary to the Recapitulation of the second Series of Events, under the Trumpets.

  • Sect. VIII.—Recapitulation of tlie Events already brought before us wider the Seals and Trumpets.

• Chapter 4: THE FOURTH VISION OF ST. JOHN, AND THIRD SERIES OF THE EVENTS OF PROPHECY.

  • Sect. I.— On the Church in the Wilderness.

  • Sect. II.—On the Rise of the Persecuting Power, symbolized by the Little Horn, &c. of Daniel: the False Prophet, and his Ministry.

  • Sect. III.—On the Triumph of the Church, after a Recapitulation of the Events of the Seven Trumpets.

• Chapter 5: ON THE SEVEN VIALS.

  • Sect. I. — Preliminaries to their Outpouring.

  • Sect. II.—On the First Vial.

  • Sect. III.—The Second Vial.

  • Sect. IV.—The Third Vial.

  • Sect. V.—On the Fourth Vial.

• Chapter 6: ON THE CLOSE OF THE WHOLE.

  • sect. I.—On the Judgments inflicted on the Great Whore.

  • Sect. II.—On the Celebration of the Victory won.

  • Sect. III.—On the Results of this Victory.

  • Sect. IV.—Presenting a short Recapitulation of the Warfare and Victory.

    • Excursus.—On the extraordinary Troubles of the last days of the Roman Empire.

  • Sect. VI.—On the Fall of the Antichrist.

• Chapter 7: ON THE DOCTRINES CONNECTED WITH THE EVENTS ALREADY CONSIDERED.

  • Sect. I.—On the Judgment delivered.

  • Sect. II.—On the particular Character and State, in principle, of the First Resurrection: or, which is the same thing, Christianity in the abstract.

  • Sect. III.—On the Privileges, &c. of the extended Canaan of the New Covenant.

ADVERTISEMENT

THE following inquiry has been made with the view of ascertaining, whether Scripture itself would not supply better means of discussing the great question of prophecy than those usually had recourse to; and, then, whether results different from those generally arrived at, and more in unison with Apostolic Christianity, would not be obtained. Certainly no one, accustomed to any thing like sound investigation, can feel satisfied either with the means generally used, or the results arrived at. This has been the author's feeling.

In order therefore, to lay before readers generally the real state of the case ; the nature of the principles visually employed, and the conclusions thence arrived at, have been examined in the first place, and shewn to be unsound. In the next, others have been proposed and shewn to be in unison with those generally adopted by the early Christian Church, and the conclusions arrived at to be in the main the same. These principles are moreover, those which have been recommended by the best writers on Hermeneutics, with this exception, that they apply Scripture in the interpretation of itself, to a far greater extent; render the process of interpretation more easy and natural, and the results arrived at much more certain.

It will hence be readily perceived that, to discuss some single question of prophecy, whether as to the second coming of Christ, the Antichrist, the Millennium, the Restoration of the Jews, or the like, is not the object of this work, although in its details it embraces them all: that its object rather is, to consider prophecy as one great question perfectly at unity with itself,—as it must be if of divine origin,—and, as involving all these collateral considerations, forming in detail its constituent parts. And in this it is, that the peculiarity of the following Work consists. It exhibits this question in its own remarkable simplicity, integrity, and unity; and presenting a whole as closely connected, inseparable, and harmonious, as it is simple, obvious, and satisfying: Christianity such as the Prophets had foretold, taught and established by the Apostles, and now working its wonders of mercy and of love in this country, and in all its dependencies, as far as the imperfect faith of their several inhabitants will permit it to do so.

One great and valuable result of the whole is, that the question of Prophecy is not a difficult one; and another, that all has been fulfilled. Difficult indeed it has been made; but then, this has grown out of the adoption of technicalities, with which it had nothing to do: and great is the wonder that these should so long have kept their ground, and the world have hence remained in so much perplexity and doubt on the subject. The case will perhaps, henceforth, be different. Every thing connected with this question cannot, I think, but assume a much easier, and more instructive aspect. The Law, the Psalms, the Prophets, &c. of the Old Testament; the teaching of our Lord, as far as this question is concerned; that of His Apostles and the book of the Revelation, of the New, must become matter of much easier apprehension, unless I am very greatly mistaken, than it has been. While all these will, in their united and aggregate capacity, form a chain of evidence such as to be irresistible, and, at the same time, a source of spiritual instruction and edification, such as a Revelation from above, made for all sorts and conditions of men, would be reasonably expected to supply. Not indeed that these have been entirely wanting. Christianity, like some chymical bodies under certain circumstances, is too powerful to be confined in its effects under any amount of pressure whatsoever. And, as to the fulfilment of all, this must depend on the goodness of the proof offered; which I leave to the judgment of the Public.

It only remains now for me to commit my Work to the patient and candid examination of the Reader, intreating him not to be too hasty in coming to his conclusions upon it. Much perhaps not met with before may be presented to him, which may require some time for reflection: besides, it will be necessary to view the whole as constituting one great subject: and hence, as entitled to consideration in the combination and agreement of all its parts; each of which involving questions of grave and interesting import. These things being duly attended to, I cannot but hope, that the interest of its perusal will prove as great to the reader, as that of its writer has been in its composition.

PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION

IT will be very justly expected, that any one offering to the Public a new work on Prophecy,—so many having appeared of late years,—would have some strong reasons for doing so; and, that he would make it his first business to render these. I believe I have such reasons, and it is my intention now to render them as briefly as I can.

My reasons then are: I. The fact, that many are quite unaware of the grounds on which this question has been placed, and are hence, scarcely in a situation to judge, either of the goodness, or not, of the results arrived at. This will make it necessary, II. to examine these; and to shew the nature of their results; and then, III. should these appear to fall short of what the nature of the case requires, to propose others on which reliance may be placed, and such as to afford results answering more fully to the terms of Holy Writ.

And first, as to the Principles adopted :—for from these will appear the sort of grounds usually taken in discussing this question. These then are, as far as I have been able to ascertain them, those only of ingenious conjecture, supported in detail by what may be termed the doctrine of resemblances. For example, the meaning of a prediction of Scripture is, in the first place, guessed at; in the second, the event so supposed to be had in view, is made to quadrate with it, to a certain extent, just in proportion to the amount of ingenuity exerted: the resemblance so obtained is, as it is then thought, too near to have been undesigned. And the conclusion is, that the needful has been satisfactorily ascertained.

Now it is not my intention to condemn, by wholesale, the use of conjecture ; this would be absurd : all 1 intend to urge is, that conjecture be sober, and be severely dealt with : in other words, that the resemblance be not only good, but that it be proved, by some other considerations, to constitute an identity with the event, &c. supposed to be foretold. Because, without such check as this, since resemblances are extremely pliant things, and are easily made to bend to the will of their authors, they may be found perhaps in a thousand other things, equally satisfying, and equally applicable to such prediction. And hence it is, that an Antichrist has been found in perhaps every age of the Church ; and, in some of these, more than one individual has been fixed upon, and urged,—as the taste may have suggested,—as the very and undoubted character foretold. The same, it need not be dissembled, has been, and is still, the case among ourselves.

There is a reason for this in the nature of things, and such as ought ever to put us on our guard, as to such resemblances : it is this: The affairs of the world are subject to certain and invariable laws. The nature of man is everywhere the same. Similar conduct will therefore in all times, and in all places, produce similar results: and, if prediction be appealed to, any one of these may readily be mistaken for the one predicted. E. g. States and Empires necessarily arise out of small beginnings. Necessity, in the first instance, calls for and produces industry, thriftiness, economy, and the like : these again, naturally produce wealth, extent of influence, and so on: these will, in the next place, bring in luxury, indolence, want of good faith, and "the other thousand nameless ills." And to these, will as naturally succeed, poverty, weakness, disagreement, and dissolution.

These different circumstances will again, produce extraordinary characters: that is, the talent bestowed on particular persons will now be called forth, which would other­wise have remained latent. War will create heroes ; peace, characters such as circumstances may require; lawyers it may be, statesmen, poets, or the like. And, should prediction have foretold some extraordinary character connected with any of these callings; a little ingenuity will discover an individual so nearly resembling the description given, as to supply a tolerable conclusion, that this could not have been undesigned. This again,—should the particular period for the appearance of such character not have been well defined, or the definition given not have been understood,— will be deemed ground sufficient also, to fix the period of his appearance. And such has actually been the fact as to the Antichrist of Scripture.

This then has been the case with the interpreters of prophecy to a marvellous extent: and the consequence has been,—and must continue to be, so long as the same system is pursued,—one ingenious writer has superseded another, because his conclusions have been more plausible, and exciting, than those of his predecessor. And for this again, the nature of the case supplies the best of reasons. It has been very generally determined, that much of prophecy is yet to be fulfilled:—right or wrong is not now the question.—It has also been generally supposed, that certain obscure marks have been given, by which the several periods of fulfilment may be known. This would, of necessity, produce a large number of competitors for the discovery of the period, or periods, so intimated. And the consequence has been, these have been very numerous, and their discoveries as various as their several tastes. Some have lived long enough to witness the failure of their own predictions, as to such periods: others, to see, and lament over, these failures: while all have deplored the encouragement thus given to infidelity, and the uncertainty of the once more sure word of prophecy daily increased.

Still, the source of all this has remained undetected, and undisturbed : new predictions—for such indeed are all such interpretations,—have been made to supply the places of the former unhappy ones. The period of fulfilment has accordingly been urged onwards ; and, unless I am greatly deceived, must continue to be so, even to the consummation of all things [It is a very natural and indeed constant, result with the Interpreters of prophecy, to push into futurity every thing that cannot be readily made out. It was this, as we shall presently see, which induced many of the Fathers to place the Antichrist not far from the dissolution of all things. Hence too, Mr. Mede and his followers hare wandered into the obscurities of futurity for a large portion of their conclusions: and, for the same reason, Dr. Todd has committed all,-— if I understand him rightly—to the nox caliginosa of his predecessors; leaving the whole in a perfect state of chaotic darkness and confusion!], unless something more certain, and better grounded, be in the mean time proposed and received. There is moreover, another evil attending this progress of prophetical interpretation : it is this: As much is thus carried out into futurity, it has unhappily been determined, that, not only a great part, but that the most glorious part, of prophecy remains yet to be fulfilled. The consequence of this again necessarily is, that something better than what we now have is expected to take place; and hence, that Christianity, as we have it, is not the glorious system foretold by the Prophets: and again, that another and better Dispensation is to supersede that taught and established by the Apostles! This, though not holden by all, is by very many; and consistently so. It is the genuine result of the grounds taken : and it is a bad one; and such as might naturally be expected from the adoption of bad principles.

Another consideration, of great moment, has likewise grown out of all this; and, as far as I am able to judge, is equally groundless as to authority, and bad as to consequence. It is the adoption of judaizing principles, and then the arriving at judaizing results ; both of these greatly affecting Christianity, and tending marvellously to obscure the letter of Scripture, and to destroy the evidences to its truth. In this case, we have the period for the restoration of the Jews to Palestine, determined by a cabbalistic process of Rabbinism ; and, of necessity, subject to all its uncertainty. Then again, a sort of pre-eminence is ascribed to the Jews, so restored; and Christianity is injured, both as to its claims and its power, just in proportion as the Jew is advanced, and his system is extolled.

Add to this the confident predictions daily issued as to the nearness of this glorious period, and the general excitement so raised, even to the highest possible pitch. Every new circumstance of political importance is seized upon, as the certain forerunner of all this ; and the natural consequence is, those most extensively wrought upon are tempted to make the affairs of this world necessary to religion, and to substitute a walk by sight, for that of faith: not to insist upon the grievous mistake of reposing matters of such importance upon conclusions which, when duly sifted, amount to nothing beyond the conjectures of good, but grievously mistaken, men. It will be unnecessary to dilate on these points now, as they will be abundantly discussed and exemplified, in the course of the following inquiry, when proof of their character and effects will be given. We now proceed therefore to our examination of the critical principles and practices of Mr. Mede, which are those adopted by all our writers on prophecy.

Part I.—On the Principles of Scriptural Interpretation adopted by Mr. Mede and his followers.

We have, in Mr. Mede's work on the Revelation, a sufficiently full development, and application, of his principles of interpretation. We shall commence with his comment upon the seals. He tells us, in the first place, that, "The first prophecy of the seals comprehendeth the destinies of the Empire. The other" (Rev. x. 9,10.) "of the little book, the destinies of the Church, or of Christian religion, until at length both shall be united in the Church reigning; the kingdoms of this world becoming our Lord's, and his Christ's." No one will, as yet, mistake this for any thing more than an expression of Mr. Mede's opinion. Let us now see what he advances in support of it.

"For," continues he, "as in the Old Testament Daniel did as well foreshew the coming of Christ, as digest the des­tinies of the Jewish Church, according to the successions of Empires; so it is to be conceived, that the Apocalypse doth measure the state of Christianity by the affairs of the Roman Empire, which should yet remain after Christ. Neither," adds he, "doth the event cross it." I remark: This may be very true, or it may not: certainly the reasoning offered so far, is any thing but sufficient to convince us that it ought to be received.

For, in the first place, Daniel has indeed determined in a most particular manner, the destinies of the Jewish Church, as also the period in which the Christian Church should be established. But, Can we hence assume,' that the Apocalypse has in like manner determined those of the latter? Mr. Mede tells us that the event doth not cross this. But here again the question may arise, Can we safely rely on his expo­sition of the Event ? We shall presently see.

Our first question will be then, Are we reasonably bound to conceive that the Apocalypse is, just as the Book of Daniel is, a collection of predictions intended to determine the events, with their times, which should continue to occur in the Christian Church! In the first place, it has never yet been satisfactorily shewn,—and, I think, cannot be,— that the Apocalypse does contain a series of new predictions as it is the case with Daniel. My own impression is,—and the following pages will, perhaps, suffice to prove its truth,— that the Apocalypse contains no original predictions at all; but exhibits, on the contrary, at once a synopsis, and system of interpretation, of all such prophecy as refers to the establishment of the Christian Church, and nothing else. Nor again generally, has prophecy before it any thing beyond the establishment of the everlasting Covenant made with Abraham: in other words, the establishment of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus, Abraham's seed in whom all nations should be blessed. The Apocalypse itself declares moreover,—rand this on principle,—that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; not the prediction of certain political events, with their times, which might more or less affect the external circumstances of the Church, even to the consummation of all things. Nor, again, is the Kingdom of Christ to be considered so far a Kingdom of this world, as to have for one of its main elements those events of time, which are clearly foreign to its express, and expressed requirements. —Of all which, abundant proof will be found in the following pages.

But, if we allow Mr. Mede's parallel to hold good, then must it militate most effectually against his theory. E. g. The prophecies of Daniel, it is certain, are not consecutive as to time. Generally speaking,—and as it respects every thing connected with our inquiry,—they are confessedly repeated predictions of the same things. The first Vision (Chap, ii.), clearly predicts the fall of the four great Empires, which should precede that of our blessed Lord. The second (Chap, vii.) foretels the same thing, as also does the third and the fourth. If therefore, we are to adopt the analogy here recommended by Mr. Mede, we must refuse to accept his arrangement of the times, as to the seals and the little book, &c. For my own part, I entertain no doubt,—and sufficient proof will be given below,—that the different Visions of St. John are, just as those of Daniel are, repe­titions of the same events and times; and that this repetition has been had recourse to for the best of purposes, viz. to enable him to take up all the more remarkable predictions of the Old Testament, and to apply them to the establishment of the Church of the New: and further, to afford the best key to the true interpretation of them all; such as otherwise we never should have had.—Sufficient exemplification of this will be given in its place.

To Mr. Mede's interpretation of the Seals, I have nothing generally to object: still I say, means are afforded in the Scriptures and histories of those times, such as will supply a far more particular and trustworthy explanation of them. This I have endeavoured to give in the following pages; how successfully, it is for others to judge. So much for generals, let us now come to particulars, and examine some of Mr. Mede's principles, in their application to certain parts of Scripture : and it is not so much the conclusion here, as the means used for arriving at it, that we have in view.

He tells us then, on the first seal [Comment on the Revelation in loc], that " The first chance of the Roman Empire, and surely very notable, is the original of the victory of Christ; whereby the Roman gods begin to be vanquished, and their worshippers being pierced with the arrows of the gospel, begin every where to fall away," &c. Which is generally true: let us now consider the sort of proof offered, as to the particulars.

"The discloser of this seal," says Mr. Mede, "is the first beast, in the shape of a Lion, standing at the East; and sheweth a horseman coming out of his quarter, that is, an Emperor; from whose getting on horseback to ride, that is, coming to his Empire, the distinct space of the first seal is to begin ; to wit, from the glorious exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ [Mr. Mede very properly directs us here to Ps. xlv. 5, but this he does merely to apprise us, that " to be carried on horseback is a badge of authority." "Lo! the woman riding upon the beast," Chap, xvii. 3; and "in the same sense Deut. xxxii. 13; Isa. lviii. 14; Ps. lxvi. 12." It does not seem to hare occurred to him, that Ps. xtv. 5 would apply the best possible interpretation to this place. I find Mr. Mede frequently in this predicament.]...The beginnings of the following seals are directed by the Roman Emperors," &c. Now, to object to these positions is not so much my present business, as it is to shew that the principle here applied, i.e. mere conjecture,—can furnish us with no result worthy of confidence. And first, as to what is said of this first beast, his being in the East, and exhibiting a horseman, or Emperor, as just now stated.

It is assumed here then, that,—as the four beasts or living creatures, standing before the throne, appeared respectively as a Lion, a Bullock, a Man, and an Eagle; and, as it is said by Aben Ezra, that the ensigns of the Hebrew camp in the wilderness were, to the East Juda, a Lion; to the West Ephraim, a Bullock; to the South Reuben, a Man; and to the North Dan, an Eagle: and this again, because " The Talmudists seem to give the reason thus: four things are proud (or which excel) in the world; the lion among the wilde beasts, the bullock amongst cattel, the eagle amongst birds, and a man whom God hath endued with beauty, &c.; which," Mr. Mecle continues, "may be confirmed out of the four-fold face of the Cherubims :...by which is signified, that it was the Lord, and the king of the four bands or camps of Israel, which was carried on them:" (that)—we may safely rely on this exposition. Let us see.—

That these four Beasts had these several characters, can­not be disputed; for John himself (ver. 7, here) gives it: but then, why these four should be selected, to the exclusion of the other eight ensigns, surrounding the Israelitish camp, the Talmudical extract just mentioned, can scarcely suffice to shew; and the same is perhaps true, as to the ensign of a Bullock ascribed to Ephraimu Joseph,—personated here probably by Ephraim,—is said (Gen. xux. 22), to be "a fruitful bough:" where indeed (ver. 9), Judah is said to be a Lion's whelp. The ensign of Ephraim therefore, should rather seem to be the Bough of some fruit-tree, than a Bullock. And again, Dan is said (ib.) to be "a Serpent by the way, an adder in the path:" and hence, some have supposed, that out of Dan the Antichrist should come. But Aben Ezra tells us, that the ensign of Dan was an Eagle. I only ask, Is the conjunction of these two Jewish notions, foundation sufficient whereon to build any system of Scriptural interpretation ? or, Is this sufficient to confirm the position, that hence the Cherubim were so constructed, and so to be understood ? Surely all this is any thing but certain: and yet it is here put forth with unhesitating confidence !

We are also told (pari ratione), that "the beginnings of the following seals:" i. e. after this first, " are directed by the Roman Emperors;" and we find accordingly, in the comment on the second seal, " The discloser of this seal is the second Beast, in the shape of a Bullock placed at the West: and whilest in the vision he biddeth look back towards him, thereby he warneth, that this seal beginneth, when Trajan the Spaniard bare rule, being an Emperour coming from the West,"..."thenceforth the same" (i.e. western) "stock reigned even until Commodus; where the space of this seal endeth." In the first place, we have no intimation whatever,—as far as I can see,—of John's looking towards the West, much less of his being bidden to do so. This is all pure imagination! In the next, If we are hence to assume, that Trajan was the first persecuting Emperor;— which the place would seem to require;—then would this manifestly "cross the event:" for, as shewn below (p. 201, seq.), it was Domitian,—who is represented in Holy Writ, as also in some of his own coins, &c. sitting, and not riding,—— who was the first Persecutor.

And again, On what solid grounds can it be assumed, or maintained, that out of these four Beasts ministering before the throne, three must represent persecuting Emperors? And then, that the following ones, up to the times of Commodus, will supply all that is required to satisfy the terms of St. John, as given under the second seal 2 One would, at first sight, hardly imagine that any thing like this could satisfy the words of this Evangelist. Let us now see what Mr. Mede further advances for this purpose:—

We have then, I. The slaughter of the Jews under Trajan and Hadrian, proved sufficiently well from Dion and Orosius, &c. Mr. Mede then concludes thereon,—and the matter which he gives is not without its value,—" that this. ruine seemeth to have been the most grievous fit of all that unheard-of tribulation, which our Saviour had foretold should come upon the Jews. And therefore not unworthily chosen by the Holy Ghost, before all other events of that time, for the expressing of this second space, since it excelleth, as well because of the nation, as of an accomplishment so renowned." To all this I have nothing to object as matter of history, and as belonging to the times of these Emperors (see p. 314, below). What I want to know is, How it can be made to appear that Trajan, Hadrian, and Commodus, personated three of the four Beasts of St. John, full of eyes, &c., whose employment was to praise God, and who actually constituted the Cherubim of glory ? I say here, as before, that nothing perhaps short of inspiration can pronounce all this to be wrong: while it is certain, that nothing like proof has yet been offered that it is right; or, that the assumptions with which we set out, have thereby been established as good.

Under the third seal, we have the shape of a man standing at the south: i. e. the Emperor Septimim Severus, an African, and therefore from the south. He was too the only Emperor out of Africa: and so he might be, and yet have nothing to do with this question: for, not a word about the south occurs in St. John! But we have an Emperor here standing, not riding; while riding in our first seal, con­stituted the mark of imperial authority! But, I must correct myself; a little lower down (p. 45 seq.), Severus and Alex­ander are made to personate the Rider on the black horse: we have therefore now, two Emperors represented by this, one rider who comes from the south, one of whom belonged not to that quarter! Again, this horse is made to imply by its colour,—usually signifying sadness, mourning, terror,— " the severity of justice." Is not this again, a rather large assumption ? for nothing like proof is offered in support of it. Again (ib.), " The pair of balances cannot fitly be joyned with the measure." Which is not true, for it is shewn (p. 349, below), that in mystical language of this sort, this usage is common.

Mr. Mede goes on : "In these reigns, more glorious and notable than any in past times, or following times,'" there were neither dearths nor famines ; but, on the contrary, great plenty, and the most impartial administration of justice. He does not seem to have been aware, that as yet he had offered nothing like proof, that these reigns were meant by St. John: nor, if they really were, how we are fairly to account for the colour of the horse, i.e. black, usually denoting sadness, mourning, and terror, in times so singularly glorious! Surely the sadness, mourning, and terror, experienced by the thieves of these times, according to Mr. Mede, could hardly have been of sufficient importance to induce the Sovereign Disposer of events to honour their sufferings here, as thieves, with the colour of this horse ! The characters moreover of these two Emperors, have merited the honourable and lasting distinction of a pair of balances, in the Church of Christ! This surely would have been to make the testimony of Severus and Alex­ander the spirit of prophecy. Let the reader judge. But Severus was, according to Eusebius, a cruel Persecutor! [His testimony is (Eccl. Hist. lib. vi. c. 1), " Porro cum S everus persecutionem adversus ecclesias excitasset, per omnes qwidem wbique. locorum ecclesias ab athletis pro pietate certantibus illustria sunt confecta martyria," &c. In Alexandria and the Thebais this raged more particularly, and in which the Father of Origen is said to have been beheaded, and Origen himself to have been vigorously sought after in order to put him to death. See ib. capp. iv, v. Alexander was indeed a very excellent Prince: but this tends in no degree, as far as I can see, towards connecting him with this black horse.] His reign could therefore, hardly be thought a glorious one by the suffering Church.

"Our fourth seal is disclosed by the fourth beast in the shape of an Eagle, standing at the north,...whereby is shewed that the beginning of the seal is to be fetcht from an Emperour thence arising:" i. e. Maximinus the Thracian, bred and brought up in the north.—But could this place be fairly supposed to be in the North by St. John 2 It is true indeed that Maximinus was a beast, a murderer and persecutor of a very rare description, and so was Gallienus his successor. It is also true that slaughters, famines, pestilences, and dearths prevailed during their times, to an extraordinary degree ; still, neither any one, nor indeed all, of these things put together, will tend in the least to prove, that these Em­perors are here personated by the Rider on the pale horse. Mathematical demonstration cannot indeed be required : but something amounting to probability at least, should have been proposed; and, I think, is to be had: but which, if not more worthy of acceptance than all this, ought certainly to be cast to the winds.

"The two seales that follow," continues Mr. Mede, "have no help from the Beasts, like as the former, concerning the time of their beginning; and therefore none here (are) any more to be seen upon horses." But, it may be asked, Were any Roman Emperors there to be seen upon horses? Mr. Mede has assumed that there were: as he also has that three of these were also shewn forth, in the Cherubim of glory! and that in all this, the events do not cross the supposition. All which, I must say, affords nothing like reasonable proof, that the assumptions, good or bad, are worthy of acceptance. But, as the introduction of these Emperors has so conducted us to the times of Gallienus, we can now, ac­cording to Mr. Mede, proceed ourselves onward to the rest.

Our fifth seal then, dates from Aurelianus; and we are told, that " the most notable chance of the Roman estate under this seal...is that persecution of the Christians begun by Dioclesian, continued by others, the most bitter by much of all which were before." In this fact Mr. Mede is right; while it must be obvious to all, that his mode of conducting us to it cannot be depended upon.

And upon the whole of this,—which .is given merely as an exemplification of the principles and practices of Mr. Mede's school,—what have we, I ask, short of the wildest sallies of a most luxuriant fancy, unchecked by any thing calculated to confine it within the bounds of judicious inquiry! We have, for example, the Israelitish camp introduced, for the purpose of directing our attention to the four Cardinal points of the heavens. We next have these, connected with the "four living creatures before the throne" One of them is converted into our Lord, because He is elsewhere said to go out riding on, conquering and to conquer. This riding next suggests the notion of Empire: and accordingly, the other three living creatures are metamorphosed into three Roman Emperors! and, as the Cardinal points just mentioned, must be divided among these riding Emperors, the three points which we have now to deal with must be, the South, West, and North; the East being previously disposed of. This being settled, we have the birth-places of these Emperors determined, viz. Africa, Spain, and Thrace! Surely it must be superfluous to carry this out farther. Every one, accus­tomed in the least degree to critical inquiry must see, that the system, and the conclusions, so devised, conducted, and recommended for adoption, must be beneath the respect which would entitle them to any extended examination, and much less to acceptance.

The following is added, not because it has any thing to do with Mr. Mede's system, but because good examples of Scriptural interpretation are contained in it. "The chance of this" (sixth) "seal," says he, "is an admirable shaking of the heaven and earth. Whereby the wonderful change and subversion of the state of Rome heathen, by Constantine the Great, and his successors the standard-bearers of the Lamb, figured; whereby suppose all the heathen gods shaken out of their heaven.""..."Furthermore," continues he, "the Emperors, Kings, and Princes, who thought to help their gods so greatly in danger, to denounce war against Christ's standard-bearers, to fight with their powerful forces; and being even conquered to renew the battle with all their strength, were slain with unheard-of slaughter, discomfited, and put to flight; until at last, their condition growing desperate, there was none could be found to succour any more the Roman religion, falling to ruine with so great a crush." Mr. Mede then gives the text (Rev. vi. 12—IV), with particular remarks on each verse. I will notice those on verses 13,14.

"The heavens vanished," &c...." The whole place is taken out Isa, chap, xxxiv. ver. 4, where plainly," adds Mr. Mede, " in the self-same representation... the Holy Ghost doth point out the destruction and mine of the kingdom of Edom, as here the Kingdom of Idols. The heavens,'' saith he, "shall" (be) "rolled together as a book" &c. "The meaning whereof the Spirit in the Revelation would render something more clear by a double supply of words," &c..,." Furthermore," adds he, "concerning the same ruine of Edom,... do Obadiah, Jeremias, chap. xlix. from the seventh ver. to the 22. Ezek., xxxv. through the whole, and xxv. 12, handle it; which therefore I mention, lest any should conceive the description of Isay applicable only to that great day of universal judgment." All which—and more might be added—is to the purpose. If Mr. Mede had always adopted the course which he has here, he would have long ago solved all the difficulties connected with this Book.

He next proceeds (p. 80, seq.) to the seventh seal, which he makes to synchronize with the whole seven trumpets: and to contain all that is enounced under them. In like manner his first Vial commences with his seventh trumpet, and the remaining ones proceed onwards to the consummation of all things. The intervals occupied by the first six seals, six trumpets, and the last seven vials, respectively, he makes to occupy, I.—as we have seen,—the period of the Apostolic preaching, of the persecutions under the Caesars, and of the establishment of Christianity, in a sort of infantine state under Constantine. II. Under the trumpets, he finds the events of the Church under the Papal corruptions and persecutions: and III. Under the vials, the state of the Church after the second appearing of our Lord, by whose coming the Papal Antichrist is to fall, the Jews to be restored, and a sort of Millennial state then to follow: all which, it might be supposed, would be established by good and powerful proofs. We shall see.—

One reason for this adjustment is the fact, that a certain analogy runs through these several series of enouncements and events, which Mr. Mede thinks ought not to be disre­garded; but his chief reason appears to be the following [In a tract entitled Paraleipomena, "Remaines," &c., p. 1. seq. Vol. II.], viz. "The Apocalyps considered only according to the naked Letter, as if it were a History, and no Prophecie, hath marks and signes sufficient by the Holy Spirit, whereby the Order, Synchronisme, and Sequele of all the Visions therein contained, may be found out, and demonstrated." He proceeds, " For example: Are we assured what the Prophecie of the Whore of Babylon meanes? For here, here, I say, we must first pitch: and therefore (mark it) the Angel himself of purpose expounds this Vision onely of all the Visions the Scheme representeth. Doe we know then," continues he, "what this meaneth ? If we doe, then behold the Scheme, and see there what will follow: viz." &c. That is, Mr. Mede having lengthened out the period of prophecy beyond that of the seals generally, he offers this as a proof that he was right in so doing, and as a safe ground on which to place his further speculations. He proceeds therefore,—

1. That all the Visions contemporating with Babylon's times, must be expounded of such things onely as belong to the times of Babylon's whoring.

2. All Visions preceding must be interpreted of things foregoing it.

3. All Visions following, of things to be after it, &c. "Verbum intelligenti sat est." This contains the sum and substance of Mr. Mede's progressive scheme; the foregoing, a specimen of his reasonings; and both these, as followed out by himself, and by all his followers, exhibit the true and real grounds of his and their expositions. Let us examine it.

As to the first point, I agree with Mr. Mede, viz. that there are things given by the Holy Ghost in the Revelation, quite sufficient to suggest, and to guide, its true interpretation [E.g. We hare Rev. i. 18, "/am he that liveth, and was dead," &c. which must have been intended to shew us, that this person was Christ, as remarked in its place. Ib. ver. 7, " He cometh with clouds," &c., must have been given to teach us, that this had been somewhere else said, and to direct us to such place or places for its interpretation. The same must be true of all places either quoting, or alluding to, the Old Testament, which is abundantly exemplified in the following work.]. But I dissent from him when he says, that the Angel has not afforded any explanation, except only as to the Whore of Babylon, because I find many other such explanations. [In Chap. vii. 14. " These are they which came out of great tribulation," &c: i. e. in the persecutions of the Little Horn, and from what follows (ib. 16, 17,) they must be members of the Church below, not above. Again, xi. 15 : "The kingdoms of this world have become," &c.: i.e. the Church of Christ is established. Again, xiv. 4: " These were redeemed from among men," &c.: so also xii. 17: " It is done." Again, xix. 8: " The fine linen is the righteousness of saints." See ib. 10. " The testimony of Jesus," &c. ib. 13. "His name is the word of God." ib. xxi. 3. "The tabernacle of God," &c. to which very many more might be added : all of which are, of necessity, to be taken in their obvious and direct import.]

I am left now to suppose that, by the Whore of Babylon, and the interpretation given by the Angel, the general matter of Rev. chap. xvii. is meant, and by the explanation in view, its last verse: viz. "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth" (i. e. at this time) "over the kings of the earth" Here then, according to Mr. Mede's own rule, we are to take this "according to the naked Letter." Let us do so; and What will the result be ? Quite the reverse of what his system requires! The Angel says then to John, "The woman" i. e. Babylon's Whore, " is that great city (now) holding rule over the kings of the earth." But the city which then held this rule, was heathen Rome, not Papal Rome, be­yond all possible doubt. This, I say, we do know most cer­tainly. So far this question is settled, upon Mr. Mede's own principles. Mr. Mede has here made a very common mistake by supposing, that the present time, so intimated, must be that present to himself!

There are, it should be observed, other ways of arriving at this result, which we may as well now notice. One, the supposed probability, that the descriptions given both by Daniel and St. Paul of the Antichrist, answer too well to that of the Roman Pontiff, to have been accidental. He is therefore, the Antichrist. The answer to which is: Resemblance does not constitute identity: and hence, many of the other resemblances so proposed, have been found to fail. But there are considerations, quite sufficient to set this question at rest. I will adduce one only. According to Daniel (chap. xi. 31), Arms should stand on his part, and they should...take away the daily sacrifice,...and place the abomination that maketh desolate. Now it is certain, that the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate was set tip by heathen Rome, and by no other power: as it also is, that our blessed Lord Himself has applied this prediction of Daniel, to these very events. See Matth. xxiv. 15, with its parallels. That there is a resemblance between these and other descriptions of the Man of sin, and the Pope, there can be no doubt: but, as before, these are not sufficient to establish an identity. Another way of getting to the same conclusion is, a cabbalistical solution of the number 666 of the Apocalypse. It will be seen in its place (Chap. xiii. 18), that there are good reasons for believing, that this reading is not genuine ; and, that if it were, still it will admit of so many solutions, that it is perfectly useless; and further, that the place is sufficiently clear without it. Other such expedients are noticed below in their places.

To return to Mr. Mede: he places the times of Babylon's Whore then, far beyond those of Heathen Rome, and within those of Papal Rome. But, according to the inter­pretation of the Angel, they are those of Heathen Rome, Mr. Mede is therefore, clearly wrong in so fixing this his first, and governing particular; and this, even according to his own rules of interpretation!

And, in the next place, no credence can be given to his other leading positions, viz. That whatever comes before this, i.e. in the order of the text, must be interpreted as taking place before it, in the order of time: and, whatever comes after it, as occurring after it in like manner. This is virtually to assume the whole matter at issue, and upon grounds that are palpably false: every, the merest, tyro in Biblical criticism knowing, that the order of the text cannot be taken as determining the order of events in any case, much less in the language of prophecy; and of this abundant proof will be found in the following pages [ It will be seen below on the Revelation, that the Scriptures referred to by St. John, under each of the several series of the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials, actually contain some particular, or other, suffi­cient to suggest to us their several periods; and that, in no case, do these extend beyond the establishment of the Church under Constantine. That Mr. Mede's rule is false in principle, the visions of Daniel, as expounded by every commentator, will abundantly shew; which must suffice here.]. I remark here once for all: Nothing can be more plausible, or dangerous, than the numerous technicalities of this sort in use among us. Again, the opinion that this Whore of Babylon represents Papal Rome, is clearly a pure assumption; arid, as just now proved, it is a false one. And the conclusion must be: The Scheme of Mr. Mede, resting on these grounds, is at once groundless and deceptive. We may now examine another of his strong grounds, on which he and his followers place the utmost reliance, and urge with but too much success.

We are told in his sermon on Isaiah [Edit. 1652. Vol. I. p. 243, seq.], chap. ii. 2, 3, 4, that "hills or mountains are States, Kingdoms, or Societies of men, which consisting of degrees, rising unto a height one above another, are compared unto mountains raised above the ordinary plain and level of the earth. The Mountain of the Lord's House," continues he, "is that State and Society which is called the Church and People of God...the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, a Kingdom, whose both King, and King's throne, have their residence and place in the Heavens." A little lower down we have,..." the time should one day come, that this People or Church of God, should not only be the most exalted state upon the Earth, and the most ample and universal Dominion that ever was in the World; but the most peaceable," &c.:—which is a genuine Jewish notion !

"But now comes the question," continues he, "whether this, as we have described it, be and hath already been fulfilled ? or whether the time thereof be yet to come ? or if already in any wayes fulfilled, whether it be not in part onely performed, and the full accomplishment reserved for the time to come!"—He then presses the followers of the Pontificate on the perpetual visibility of the Church, and wishes to know, whether even they can point out any time past, or present, in which Popery has exhibited so glorious a visibility as this prophecy of Isaiah foretells. He next argues that, should such a fulfilment have taken place—and he denies not that it partially has,—still, it cannot be shewn that such glorious visibility must necessarily continue : and that, to have so fulfilled the prophecy once, would satisfy the terms of the prediction.—Let this be borne in mind.

We are next taught (ib. p. 247), "that we must distinguish of times...that there are times when the Church is indeed visible, but not glorious. Secondly, times when it is neither visible nor glorious. Thirdly, times when it is to be both visible and glorious." "In the times immediately after Christ's passion...it was neither visible nor glorious." "In the times of the persecuting Emperors...and the nations began to flow unto it, it was a society indeed visible, but not glorions: I am sure it was not in the tops of the mountains; but the Imperiall mountain of Some... overtopped it.. .trampled it under their feet [That is, just as prophecy had foretold it should.]...we speak here of the externall glory.. .In the times of Constantine... the sun seemed as it were to break forth of a cloud, and the Christian society became for a while, both visible and glorious:"—I remark: Now therefore, according to Mr. Mede's own shewing, the prophecy was fulfilled; while no assurance had been given by the Prophets, that this external glory should continue.

We are next told that, "presently after".. .this glory of the Church was not only eclipsed, but even the visibility thereof in a manner covered, and altogether darkened... with that...overspreading cloud of Arianisme [Which, in truth, has nothing whatever to do with the matter, as it will be seen below.]. He next urges the Antichristianisme of papal Borne: then the light obtained by the Reformation; and he adds, " We hope,... it shall become, not" (only) "more visible then yet it is, but far more glorious then ever hitherto it hath been, when the fulnesse of the Gentiles (as St. Paul speaks), shall come in."—And this he defines, a little lower down, (p. 279), by the distinction of " a Society of Christian believers, joyned together in one external Communion, of the same publicke profession, use of Sacraments, and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction or Government,'' &c.

It must be clear enough from all this, what Mr. Mede's notions were on these points: we shall now shew that every one of these is groundless, and unworthy of regard. In the first place then, he allows, as noticed above, that if the Church has been once fully established, the terms of pro­phecy do not require, that it be always maintained in that state [It will be shewn hereafter on Eev. Chapp. i—iii, that Scripture actually provides for the contrary.]. In the times of Constantlne, he also allows, the Church did become.. .both visible and glorious for a while; but, according to his own reasoning, nothing more was required for the fulfilment of the prediction [Isa. ii.]. So far we have no valid objection to the fact, that the Church was once established both visibly and gloriously. But still, it was not fully so. It was indeed both visible and glorious, but not to the extent that will satisfy Mr. Mede, &c. But, Why ?—

The reasons are, according to Mr. Mede, "We find in the Prophecies.. .that there are two sorts and times of the calling in of the Gentiles; the first is that which should be with the rejection and casting off of the Jews, and as St. Paul saith, to provoke them to jealousie: such a calling as should be in a manner occasional, that God might not want a Church [(The Italics are mine.) In other words, the Apostles taught, and the nations received, a mere temporary, make-shift, Christianity: and such is that which we now possess ! This, I say, is a true and necessary result of the principles of Mr. Mede; many of his followers too, carry it out to its legitimate length: viz. that Christianity, as we now have it, is to pass away, and to be followed by something that is better. But see Gal. i. 8, 9, on this!], the time the Jews were to be cast out: for this is that which St. Paul means, Rom. xi. 15, That the casting away of the Jews, is the calling of the Gentiles, or reconciling of the world: whence we may see, that the Apostles were not to preach Christ to the Gentiles, until first offered to the Jews: they refused him: and this is the calling of the Gentiles which hitherto hath been for many ages."

"But," continues he, "there is a second and more glorious calling of the Gentiles to be found in the Prophecies of Scripture; not" (such) "a calling as this is, wherein the Jews are excluded; but a calling wherein the Jews shall have a share of the greatest glory, and to have a preheminence above all other nations, when all nations shall flow unto them, and walk in their light. This is that calling and that time which he calls the fulness of the Gentiles: I would not, brethren, (saith he), have you ignorant of this mystery, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in; and so all Israel shall be saved [The matter here discussed, is taken up again in another Sermon on Jer. x. 11, in which we are told (ib. p. 83 seq.) that, of all the inhabitants of the world, Christianity is but about one sixth part: Mahomatisme has 1, and Ethnicisme a little more than 3. But, as remarked elsewhere, this has nothing whatever to do with the question. Christianity was one carried out under miracle, and set up generally through­out the universe: and this is sufficient for the terms of prophecy. We then have Ps. xxii. 27 : xlvii: lxvi, &c. in all which the establishment of Christ's Kingdom is predicted. 1 Cor. xv. 25, 26, is next quoted, which however, refers not to the fulness, but the duration of Christ's Kingdom: besides, " all put in subjection under Him " does not necessarily mean, that not a sinner shall remain de, facto, but rather de jure, not subject to the Son of Man. The ancients understood this place differently from Mr. Mede, and perhaps more correctly. " We see not yet" &c. Heb. ii. 8, i. e. de facto: for the Apostle lived not to the period when this should take place. Again, ib. 5, " The world to come;" i. e. Christianity, which had not then been established in power: it was therefore to come (Gr. mellosan). We next have Rev. xii. 6, the 1260 days,— during which the Church should be nourished in the wilderness,— turned into so many years, by a sort of cabbalistical hocus pocus. But this again, is all mere assumption. His last consideration here, (p. 87,) is on "the fulness of the Gentiles," Rom. xi. "Now," says he, "because the Jews are not yet called, it followeth that the fulness of the Gentiles is yet to come." But the Jews have been called, and refused to listen thereto : this conclusion is therefore unsound. Verbum sat.]" &c.

We have here therefore, given sufficiently at length, the grounds of Mr. Mede's belief, viz. that the Jews are yet to have a particular call to join the Church; that the Church itself shall be more gloriously, visibly, and fully established: and we are now to rest satisfied, that sufficient proof has been afforded, as to the several and consecutive series of the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials, belonging to these several periods, and then so stretching out until all prophecy shall receive its entire and final fulfilment. Let us examine all this as briefly as we can.

In the first place then, there is no prophecy whatever to be found in the Scriptures, declaring that "so all Israel shall be saved" as just now given by Mr. Mede. This place, it is certain, contains a doctrine, not a prophecy, (see p. 38, &c. below), and, when fully stated, stands thus, " And they, (i. e. the Jews), if they abide not in unbelief, shall be grafted in... .and so all Israel shall be saved:" i.e. IF they believe and receive the Gospel, then shall they be saved: which will suffice for this place. And, as to the prophecies re­lating to the Jews, and seeming to foretell their restoration to Canaan, not so much as one is to be found really promising any such thing: all promise to this effect that can be found, relates to that party among them which is usually styled, "a very small remnant," " the Outcasts, Dispersed" and the like, of Israel and Judah;—while the contrary is positively affirmed of " the multitude'" of them, as shewn below, (p. 33. seq. &c.) Nor again, is it any where foretold that all nations shall flow to the Jews, and so, virtually at least, secure a pre-eminence to them. All that the prophets have said [Isai. ii. 2, seq.] is, that " all nations shall flow unto it," i. e. at some period after their times, and in "the last days" (see below, p. 99, seq.), to the mountain of the Lord's house, the true Zion of God: not to the multitude or people of the Jews. And, in the days of the Apostle Paul, this Zion consisted both of Jews (i. e. the Election, or Remnant), and Gentiles; of Barba­rians, Scythians, Bond, and Free; among whom there was "no difference" and consequently no pre-eminence; of which proof sufficient will be found below.

It is equally groundless to affirm, that the prophecies of Scripture speak of two times of calling, or of two sorts of calling, of the Gentiles; or, that the second of these shall be the most glorious: nor has any thing been here advanced tending in the least degree to prove this: nor can there be. The truth is, Mr. Mede has deceived himself by a faulty view of Holy Writ to the effect, that the Jews were now to be cast out, as if this,—predicted as a fact,—carried with it an impossibility of their being otherwise; while the truth is, the Gospel was first preached to them, and many of them received it; but, upon their multitudes' wilfully rejecting it, the Apostles turned to the Gentiles. And again, if their casting away,—because of unbelief,—did administer to the reconciling of the world, and to the riches of the Gentiles; and also, if their receiving the Gospel at that time, would have greatly increased these,—as no doubt it would,—it cannot 'hence be inferred, that St. Paul meant to teach that a second, and more glorious, call was in reserve both for them, and the Gentiles: much less, that any pre-eminence would, in any case, be conferred on either of these. Besides, St. Paul manifestly makes the conversion of the Jews, the duty of the Church [Rom. xi. 31.]; which is virtually to deny, that prophecy has any thing to do with it. Nothing is more common, I know, than to dwell very fondly and largely on inferences of this sort, and then to press them as if they were demonstrations: when it must be obvious to every one, having the least experience in inquiries of this sort, that no reliance whatsoever ought to be placed upon them. So far we have seen nothing, tending to prove that Mr. Mede's arrangement of consecutive periods is well grounded, or, that Jews, as such, are yet to receive a particular call, and so to have a pre-eminence among the nations : all that has been said therefore, on these points, can claim nothing Beyond the respect due to the opinions of Mr. Mede: or, which is the same thing, to mere assumptions.

Let us now examine, a little more particularly, the ar­gument as to the glorious visibility yet in reserve for the Church, but of which neither Mr. Mede, nor his followers, could ever yet see it in possession. I affirm then, if the Church has,—as allowed above by Mr. Mede himself,— been once in possession of the glorious visibility contended for; and, if this has been such as fully to answer the terms of prophecy,—and this is the fact as shewn, (below, p. 340, seq.), then, I say again as before, no expectation can be entertained from prophecy, of a still fuller, and more glorious, fulfilment of its terms [The question, as to degree now before us, is a very difficult one to deal with, because tastes, which entirely govern it, will differ. If however inspiration has pronounced upon it, this ought to satisfy us; St. Paul says then (Col. i. 5, 6.) " The Gospel... is come unto you as it is in all the world," (ver. 23,) " and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven." Now there is no prediction to be found, promising more than this. If it was foretold that this should cover the earth, even as the waters covered the sea; still, the Apostle's "every creature under Heaven," is quite as comprehensive: of this there can be no doubt. And, if it be allowed, that after Paul's time both the extent of its progress, and the number of its recipients were still greater, this will make no difference here. It was perhaps enough for miracle to do, generally to spread Christianity abroad in the different regions of the world, and then to leave it to its own expansive powers to cover the rest. And if it be true, that miracle ceased with the Apostles, or with their immediate converts,—as many have thought,—this must have been the case; and the Church,—as it must be the case ever after,—sent it into the remoter and less frequented places. One, of other places countenancing this, is Horn. xvi. 25, 26, where it is said,..." the mystery which was kept secret, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations," &c.: i.e. the work of proclaiming this mystery had, "according to the command­ment," now been done, i. e. completed, and this " in all nations,'' through the Scriptures of the Prophets, and/or the obedience of faith. It should seem therefore, that the propagation of the Gospel had been now completed, according both to the commandment and prophecy : and so far, miracle must have been put forth: and it actually was. Much was indeed yet to be done in overthrowing its opponents: and this also was done, but that is quite another thing. It may be true therefore, that no such large fulfilment of prophecy was ever intended, as many are willing to believe.]. I now say moreover, that, after this once so realized consummation, it is not visibility either more or less glorious, that is to be sought or expected. With Papists and others who know of nothing beyond externals, such a visibility may be consistently urged: and in this Mr. Mede has perhaps done well in his argument against them, as given above; but, with those who look for the true Zion, the case is quite different: they will look,—as the Holy Remnant did of old, and as the Prophets who were of this party also did,—for the spiritual glories of St. John's New Jerusalem, (see below on Rev. xxi.), and St. Paul's City of the Living God, (see p. 87, note, and 476, seq.) ; for the spiritual manna contemplated by faith in the Eucharist, and the blood also viewed by faith in the Cup of the New Testament, by which alone the conscience can be purged from dead works, and enabled to serve the living God; and indeed for all the blessings, to be sucked as consolations from her breasts, as an entirely spiritual Mother. And it is truly astonishing that a person so spiritually-minded as Mr. Mede evidently was,—and the same may be said of many of his followers,—could be so far wrought upon by the dissimulations of Jews,—for this is judaizing,— as to have adopted opinions so adverse to the spirit of the Gospel [We may now notice a prophecy, which has of late been appealed to as a most triumphant proof of the goodness of Mr. Mede's theory. This was first published in 1701, by a Mr. Robert Fleming; and its object was, according to its last Editor, (London 1848, pref. p. v.) to give a new resolution to the grand apocalyptical question concerning the rise and fall of the Antichrist, or Rome Papal. The process leading to the result sought, is this : " The first rise of Antichrist he dates in a.d. 606 . . . from which he computes that his reign of 1260 pro­phetic years' duration will expire in 1848."—I remark, all this is mere assumption, and it rests on false grounds, as shewn above. And, if the event had answered the terms of the prediction exactly; still Mr. Fleming would have hence been no more a Prophet, than Mr. Murphy was when he foretold, some time ago, the coldest day of the winter following. But the event here is of no such character. The Pope has indeed been forced to quit Rome ; but this no more proves the fall of Popery, than the imprisonment of the Pope did in the days of Bonaparte. We next have the fourth vial of the Revelation poured out upon the Sun; but the Sun is, it is said, a type of the French Monarch; and that the period would close about the year 1794. Here again, the grounds are false as before, and the events faulty. The Sun's being a type of the French Monarch is, too, a perfectly groundless assumption, as to the mind of St. John. And the French Monarch, Louis XVI., was beheaded early in 1793. As a Prophecy therefore this is utterly false! nor did the Revolution then set on foot end till some years after 1794. The period is wrong therefore, at both ends! Dismissing however, for a moment, the groundlessness of all such prophesying as this, I would only ask, Who would expect to find St. John predicting, for the edification and consolation of the universal Church, particularly of his own times, and generally of all ages, under imagery the most lofty and splendid, the event of a runaway Pope ? or the decapitating of a French King ? or,—what is still less likely,—that the Prophets of Israel would be engaged in calling upon heaven and earth to witness the solemn predictions of such trifles ?]

There is still another consideration closely connected with this, as suggested by his words cited above : viz. "a Society of Christians.. joyned in one externall Communion...use of Sacraments, ...Ecclesiastical /Jurisdiction or Government."" Now attached as I am to my own Communion, and ceding to no man in this particular, I cannot nevertheless be brought to believe, that it is necessary to the spiritual glories of the Church;—of its visibilities I now make no account;—that Ecclesiastical jurisdiction and government shall in all cases be identically the same: of this even the Apostolic Churches could scarcely boast. These things are but externals; good indeed in their place, and very desirable, could they be universally realized. To formalists who know of nothing better they are every thing ; while at best, they are entitled only to subordinate consideration in the spiritual household of God; and can never be appealed to as marks either of fulfilled, or unfulfilled, prophecy.

Of this sort too is another consideration, frequently brought before us by Mr. Mede, and his followers: viz. that the political government of the Rome of the Caesars, still exists under that of the Pontiff and others: and the same consideration may be, and is indeed, extended, to the existence, political or otherwise, of the City of Rome itself. When we are told for example, that Babylon should be de­stroyed, and that under this, mystically-speaking, the spiritual Babylon also should; we need not imagine that, as the fall of Babylon was according to the letter, in the first instance, the fall of the spiritual Babylon should also in the second. It is enough here if the spiritual Babylon, as such, fell, leaving the literal and political one just as it was. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world. It has nothing whatever to do either with political, or literal, considerations such as these. We may fairly leave all such to Jews and Romanists, whose hopes rest on nothing better. The Church has more­over been established once in its literal extent and glory; but, that being done, its spiritualities alone are its great essentials.

If therefore it could be shewn, that a real and true succession of the Government of the Caesars now existed—which cannot,—this could not in the least affect our question, which is, Does the spiritual Kingdom of the Son of Man now exist or not ? And to this the answer is : It does in all its spiritual integrity, privileges, and powers: and of this, proof sufficient will be found below. It was in this way too that Babylon, as an Empire, passed to the Medo-Persians; that of these, to Alexander the Great; that of him, to his four Successors; and then to heathen Rome : all and each of these remaining in other respects, just what they were before : and hence it is said, (Dan. vii. 12,) that "their lives were prolonged for a time;'''' while "'their dominion" (only) "was taken away:" i. e. as Kingdoms they remained; as Empires, they ceased to exist as all externals therefore,—whatever they may have had to do with the establishment of the Church at first,—and in this they had much to do,—have now neither part nor lot in this matter: and the same is true, whether these be of an Ecclesiastical, or of a secular, character. No objections therefore of this sort, directed against Christianity as we now have it, are entitled to any consideration, except only to be treated as assumptions, and altogether visionary : the same, —as shewn above,—may be said of Mr. Mede's distinctions of times, as to the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials; of two distinct callings of the Jews and Gentiles: and it is of no moment whatever, whether the assumptions be made in the Scheme itself, or in the Rules given for its guidance, or on the text of Holy Writ; they are still but assumptions, and might as well have been made of the whole matter in debate, simply and at once, as under any modification whatsoever of it. In either case, they are unworthy of confidence.

So far then, we have seen the grounds and reasonings of Mr. Mede, on the strength of which his opinions have been, and are still, recommended and extensively received. But he has something further to offer on the restoration of the Jews, which should not be omitted. This gives us a parallel drawn between the conversion of St. Paul, and that which,— as Mr. Mede will have it,—is hereafter to take place with the Jews : when, according to the theory above considered, the last Vial of wrath shall have been poured out, and the Pontifical Antichrist destroyed. My principal reason for giving this is, to shew generally by what sort of reasoning this argument is also urged.

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" The Mysterie of St. Paul's Conversion, Or The type of the calling of the Jews"

1) And yet Paul himself says (I.e.), "Even so have these," (i. e. Jews) "also now not believed, that, through your mercy" (i.e. in preaching the Gospel to them,) "they also may obtain mercy," (i.e. just as the believers had, by the preaching of the Gospel to them). Paul's doctrine is therefore, in direct opposition to this of Mr. Mede.

2) The places cited in the margin here are, Isay lix. 19, and iv. 5: Dan. yii. 7,13: 2 Mace. ii. 8 : Matth. xxiii. 39, and xxiv. 27, 30: Luke xiii. 30: 2 Thess. ii. 7, 8 : Rev. i. 7. Of the apocryphal Scripture we need say nothing, as it can have no authority in this place. Of the rest, as follows, viz. on Isai. mx. 19, see page 378 below; on Ch. iv. 5, see p. 370, &c.; on Dan. vii. 11, 13, page 152, seq. On Matth. xxiii. 39, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," it will be sufficient to remark, that it is a quotation from Ps. cxviii. 26, and that it is no more necessary to suppose from this, that Christ must appear personally, than it is, that Rev. i. 7, is to be so interpreted. See what is said on this place, p. 231, &c. below. Comp. pp. 107, 121, seq. Besides, He that cometh in the name of the Lord, would rather imply some one, any one, of the Lord's Ministers, than the Lord himself. In Matth. xxi. 9, indeed, it is applied to Christ himself, but this was when He came in the form of a servant, and in great humility. See Zech. ix. 9. On Matth. xxi. 27, 30, see p. 122, seq. Luke xvii. 30, evidently refers to the same events, as does Matth. xxiv. 17. See the last reference, on 2 Thess. ii. 7, 8, p. 201, seq.

3) The place had in view here, is Zech. xii. 10, which does not refer to the Jews generally, but only to that Holy Remnant, which should constitute the true Zion in the days of our Lord, and is styled (ver. 7,) " the glory ofthe house of David." It is astonishing to what an extent Scripture has been misapplied on this point.

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It cannot be necessary to follow out this " mysterie" or parallel any farther, extending as it does to six other paragraphs. The only question that need be asked respecting it is, Are we to understand Mr. Mede here as giving positive and direct predictions ? or, as offering certain conclusions, the results of good and sound interpretations of Holy Writ ?

I answer, The first of these is not to be supposed. Mr. Mede was a man of too much real piety to be suspected for a moment, capable of so much wickedness; and yet the " type" is given positively as such. The second then, must have been his intention : and here he has, unhappily, failed to seize the sense of his authorities. There is, moreover, another fault in this parallel, and it is a fatal one. St. Paul himself argues most conclusively from the types of the Old Testament, to the realities of the New: but the nature of the Mosaic Cove­nant gave authority to this: it was shadowy, and to be super­seded by better things. But St. Paul's conversion took place under the New Dispensation, and under this he legitimately so preached; for, in his days this shadowy system had en­tirely passed away. How then, I ask, can St. Paul's conversion be, on Scriptural grounds, typical of something still to come to pass 2 Surely it must be superfluous to add any thing to this, except the remark, that it is judaizing to the fullest extent !

There is one consideration more, of which Mr. Mede and his followers make much use: it is what is called "the year-day theory:" i. e. the art of converting any given number of days into as many years. The necessity for this is the fact, that a very large portion of prophecy is referred to futurity by this school: and hence it becomes desirable to discover some means of getting at its period. By thus turning days into years this is done : it is then foretold accordingly, when the times and events so predicted shall happen. The first place tried in this way, is Daniel ix. 25, se«j. Where how­ever, as shewn below, it can neither be made to answer : nor from the circumstances of the case, can it be applicable. For a substantial refutation of it, as applied to other places, see Mr. Todd's Discourses on the Prophecies, (Dublin, 1840,) page 395, seq., with the authors there referred to.

I have then, a right to conclude on the whole of this, that, whatever the results of Mr. Mede, and his followers may be,—and they are universally governed by these his prin­ciples, and generally arrived at by his mode of reasoning,— whether good or bad, they can scarcely challenge respect, much less confidence: and that, however cleverly or learnedly they may be propounded, or seriously recommended, they evince, from first to last, nothing beyond an unsupported tissue of conjectures; or, what is virtually the same thing, of mere assumptions. The Scriptural interpretations of the Jews moreover, are, and ever have been, conducted on the same principles ; and have in very many instances, arrived at the same results! In all cases, they have succeeded to a marvellous extent, in obscuring the context of Holy Writ, and in lowering the character of Christianity [As shewn above.]: and the consequence has been, much that was intelligible and plain [I need here only remark that, the more sure word of Prophecy, of St. Peter's times, has been made in ours the most unsure that can be conceived. We shall have presently to adduce something more to this effect.] both to the early converts to Christianity, and the earlier Writers of the Church, has been involved in more than Egyptian darkness; and, as with the Jews, has been consigned to an indefinite futurity as the only means of saving its character as inspired. There is no intention here however, of impugning either the learning, ability, or good faith, of any of these gentlemen. They have done the utmost that could be done under the principles of Mr. Mede. It was perhaps more their misfortune than their fault, not to have observed that those principles were faulty. Nor do I arrogate to myself the merit of having discovered those that are better. On the contrary, I have had no doubt that the earlier and better Writers of the Church were guided by others far superior, and these it has been my endeavour to follow out.

Having then so far considered the principles and prac­tices of Mr. Mede, the first, and perhaps the most popular writer, who adopted these ; we will now very briefly review those of the last: viz. the Rev. E. B. Elliott: and here I shall select a portion of his work, in which he does not differ essentially from myself, except only in the manner in which his inquiry has been conducted. [I use Vol. m. 2d Edit. 1846.]

Mr. Elliott heads this part of his work ("Introduction to Rev. xii. 1") with these words: " Retrogression of the Visions:" the consideration of which forms his first inquiry. " It will be necessary," says Mr. Elliott, " to call the reader's attention to the evidence of a retrogressive character in both it, and the two subsequent...visions."—We have here therefore, according to the shewing of Mr. Elliott himself, three visions of St. John at least of a retrogressive''' [Mr. Mede made the same discovery long ago, " The Apostle," says he, " resumes the Vision ab ovo, to make a more particular de­scription of the seven Angels.. .whence they had their Vials," &c. ("Remaines on some passages," &c. p. 32. Ed. 1648. Vol. II.), and this, if I understand Mr. Mede aright, refers to the very place under consideration here.] character: and to these is to be added,—as I shall shew,—that of " the witnesses." Mr. Elliot's words are: " The retrospective history of Christ's two Witnesses not forming an exception" (i. e. to the general progressive character of these), " because that is given in conversational explanatory narrative by the Angelic interlocutor."—Let us see how far this reason will hold.

It is true indeed, an Angelic interlocutor does instruct St. John, verbally of course, as to the particulars of these Witnesses (Chap. xi. 1, seq.): but Does not St. John get the whole of his Revelation from instructions of this sort ?  In the very outset of his Book it is said, "The Revelation... which must shortly come to pass: and He (God) sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John." We find accordingly, that throughout the first three Chapters here, the message is in every case that of the Angel to St. John. There are cases indeed elsewhere, in which John merely narrates the particulars of the visions as he saw them: while, in every one, where we have explanation, it is given either by Christ himself, or by some Angel. But it must depend entirely on the nature of the context, whether the events had in view, are to be considered as belonging to past, present, or future time; it being quite out of the question to imagine, that the mode of making any revelation can have any thing whatever to do with these. I must conclude here therefore, that the reason so assigned for the retrogression adverted to, is altogether inadequate to the purpose for which it has been given.

But the fact of the case, when more particularly considered, is, the language used is not mere conversational narrative: it is that both of command and of prediction. "Rise," it is said, "and measure the temple,"..." and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy" &c. In verse 6, the Angel conversationally tells John what powers these witnesses should possess; still this contains prediction, as before. Now I say, If this place will supply any good reason for a retrogression by the manner of its enouncements, the same may be said of every place similarly circumstanced throughout this whole book. The truth however is, this notion about conversational narrative can constitute no trustworthy canon of interpretation in any case, because it is groundless and deceptive. I agree, nevertheless, with Mr. Elliott when he says, that "we have an interruption here, and a breaking off from the subject next preceding," because there is good reason for this [See on the place below.]; not because the conversational nature of the place will account for it.

But the thing most to be observed here is, a positive infraction of Mr. Elliott's own principles, and of those of his leader Mr. Mede: and this again, the very thing which Mr. Elliott has somewhere condemned in me ! He adds,— and I beg to recommend the consideration particularly to himself,—"I say many" (i.e. retrogressions), "because in effect between the new visions and the old there are traceable many and striking correspondencies ; more, if I mistake not, than have hitherto been thought of," &c. To this Dr. Todd, and some early Fathers, will give a hearty Amen! In the following pages, Mr. Elliott will find some of these correspondencies pointed out, quite as far as he here thinks they may be. He allows indeed, that Chapters vi. vii. viii. ix. x. xi. on the one hand, and Chapters xii. xiii. xiv. on the other, will supply examples. It will be shewn sufficiently at length below [See the several proofs of these, as given in their places.], that the series of these here made two, the context requires, should be reduced to one. I make no account of the conjecture, that the outside writing of the Roll (i. e. of the sealed book) might have had its particular synchronizings with those of its inside; I. Because this is unnecessary; and II. Because it is incapable of any thing like reasonable proof.

Let us now consider Mr. Elliott's interpretation of the vision before us (Rev. xii. 1, seq.), "The travailing woman,.. was evidently Chrisfs true Church on earth" &c. He adds, "Another character was,...the Bride, the Lamb's wife." To which, I think, no good objection can be made. He goes on, " The sun is no where in the Apocalyptic imagery made the representative of Christ." Which is faulty: unless it can be shewn, that we are not to look elsewhere for any solution of the Apocalyptic imagery, except only in the Apocalypse itself. St. John tells us (Rev. xxi. 23), that " the City had no need of the sun...for... the Lamb is the light" (i. e. luminary) " thereof:" i. e. the Lamb is its sun, in some sense. "Unto you that fear my name" says the Prophet (Mal. iv. 2), "shall the Sun of righteousness arise :" i. e. of necessity, Christ, in the healing, enlightening, and warming, influences of His grace. Again, Ps. Lxxxiv. 11, "The lord God is a sun and shield: the lord will give grace and glory." Which may perhaps be taken as the best comment on the words of St. John; and therefore as proof sufficient, that Mr. Elliott's view of this place has no foundation in truth. '

Mr. Elliott's next assertion is equally destitute of foundation ; and, what is worse, it bears upon its surface an antichristian doctrine. " Thus," says he (p. 9), " we are led to see that the representation here given of Christ's Church, was not one universally or generally true ; but designative of it at some remarkable and particular time," [So Mr. Mede as noticed above, that God may not, in the mean time, be without a Church. In other words, Christianity was given only as a sort of make-shift, until some second advent,—a mere figment of the imagination,—should be followed by a Millennium!] &c. His reasons given are I. " The heaven meant is evidently political elevation" This is one of Mr. Mede's notions: and it is ground­less ; for the obvious reason, that the Church considered in itself, and, as here exhibited, before the period of its political 'elevation, is, 'as a kingdom,—which is only another name for it,—not of this world. This reason therefore, will no more suffice to shew, that by heaven is meant political elevation, than it will in other places, where we are either told or taught that the vision was in heaven, and where no such notion can be entertained. And, as to the inglorious sort of Christianity here supposed to be symbolized,—i. e. as taught by the Apostles, and now professed among us,—I must be allowed to tell Mr. Elliott, that he is making something worse than a mistake: he is preaching that doctrine which the Apostle has declared, is to be received as entailing a curse even on the Angel that should propound it!

Mr. Elliott's second reason is (p. 10), "As to the descrip­tion of her travailing...to bring forth a male child; the meaning of this," adds he, " will best appear from the very similar prophetic imagery in a vision descriptive of the yet future restoration of the Jews," &c. The allusion is to Isaiah (chap. Lxvi. 8, 9). Let us examine this. We have in this context then, two parties clearly pointed out; viz. those that tremble at God's word, and also their brethren that hated them, and cast them out. Now, it is to the joy of the former, that God shall appear; and to the shame of the latter. And the latter are the Jews generally. Of this there can be no doubt. The Zion here mentioned therefore, must be the true Church, which should so bring forth even a nation in a day: for to her, was the glory of the Gentiles to flow like a stream (ver. 12), not to the Jews : they are to suffer shame as the enemies of God (see verr. 19—24, inclus.). We certainly can have no restoration of Jews here therefore. The promise is clearly made to the Zion of God in Jewry; while shame and vengeance are to fall upon its oppressors.

"Thus the male child," continues Mr. Elliott, " of which the literal Zion is to be delivered, is declared to mean" (i. e. by Mr. Elliott), " her children united and multiplied into a nation or dominant body politic; with triumph," &c. But does it appear from St. John, that this Zion was now exhibited as a dominant body politic, when in fact she had now to submit to a persecution in the wilderness for forty and two months ? Is this a mark of political domination ? Isaiah, it is true, speaks of the same Zion and of a triumph to take place, apparently after this event. We have here therefore, a palpable confusion of times, and of things; not to insist on the obviously groundless assumption, that this vision's being seen in the heavens implies political domination.

Mr. Elliott continues, " In like manner we may interpret the man-child of whom the spiritual Zion, or Church of Christ, appeared travailing to be delivered,—not as the child Jesus, born at Bethlehem, an explanation on no account admissible, —but as its children united into a body politic, and raised to dominant power.'' It certainly is marvellous, that the appearing only of this vision in the heavens, could supply assurances so strong as these, that political domination, union, &p., are meant, and that the birth of the child Jesus at Bethlehem must certainly be excluded, and particularly as it is said by St. John, that this Child should rule the nations with a rod of iron; which must necessarily refer to Christ exclusively, in its primary sense. It probably did not occur to Mr. Elliott that, as Christ is the federal head of His Church, the powers and privileges primarily and properly belonging to Him, are secondarily and subordinated ascribed to His people. I hold therefore, that the Child Jesus is intended in all this; and that, although the Church had no such dominant power before it suffered persecution in the wilderness; dominant power was nevertheless promised to it by the Prophets: and that such it obtained at the appointed time. We have here therefore much error, and not a little confusion.

But Mr. Elliott has reasons to advance, why this glory of the Church is not that ultimate glory to be realized at the second coming of Christ, i. e. when the Jews are to be restored, as stated above. The first is, that "she was immediately afterwards to be persecuted by the Dragon, and then to spend 1260 days, or years, in the wilderness" (pp. 11, 12). But it is sufficiently evident, as shewn below (p. 190, seq.), that this persecution in the wilderness was to try and to purge the spiritual character of the Church, not to mark its inferiority in this sense; but quite the contrary, to shew its power, and hence to foretell its triumph. Mr. Elliott however, places these two considerations " in the most admired disorder;" and then concludes, as it was easy for him to do, that the subordinate and lesser earthly triumph i. e. obtained at the close of these persecutions, was typical of the greater still to come. So far, we have the Christianity of the Apostles made quite of a piece with the political circumstances of the Church, inferior and poor! and the events of Christian times made typical of other events, also to happen in Christian times, without at all considering that the Christian system is not one of types !

But we have another monstrosity here: viz. that out of the one birth brought before us by St. John and Isaiah, Mr. Elliott manufactures two! The first to take place upwards of 200 years after the times of St. John ; the other above 1200 years! In St. John moreover, the woman cries out in the very pains of parturition: Mr. Elliott keeps her in this situa­tion for 280 years before her first delivery, and about 1260 before her second ! But Isaiah is most pointedly adverse to Mr. Elliott. His words are: "before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child." The Prophet, apparently to make this still more striking, adds: " Who hath heard such a thing ? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one bay? or shall a nation be born at once ? for," continues he, " as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." Nothing surely, can be more directly opposed to the statements of Mr. Elliott than are these Scriptures; and let it be borne in mind, Isaiah has before him, beyond all doubt, the very event exhibited here by St. John !

In page 17 too, this woman, or Zion, is made to sustain a gestation of 40 weeks. I am at a loss to discover whence Mr. Elliott got this: yet he says, " calculated on the year-day prophetical chronological scale from the Lord's ascen­sion," &c. i. e. 40 weeks of years making 280 years. It is added, " Her travail had begun above a prophetic week before, in the Diocletian persecution; and long, and painful, and ineffective hitherto, had been her sufferings,...she had brought forth wind: she had wrought no deliverance in the earth," &c. The utter incompatibility of this with Isaiah and St. John, we have seen above. I now remark: It is equally at war with St. Paul, who tells us that, even in his days, the Gospel had been preached to every creature under heaven, Col. i. 23 ; and (ib. 6), "The Gospel...which is come unto you, as it is in all the world." He adds,—which is much to our purpose,—" and bringeth forth fruit" &c. (comp. Rom. x. 18, seq.). And again, in all those places in which believers are styled children of God, adopted children, and the like, it must be evident, that some deliverance, aye, and that a great one, had been wrought in the earth long before the times of Diocletian ! And to this, every Father of the Church before this time bears abundant testimony. What therefore, are we to think of the goodness of this conclusion ?

But "one word more." These 40 weeks were clearly fabricated, in order to carry us onward beyond the times of Diocletian: but, as all history attests,— and as shewn below, —the persecutions of our Zion commenced long before the times of Diocletian. The truth is, his persecution was the last of a series: and it continued not longer than about ten years. Our 40 weeks gestation have therefore, been fabricated in vain; for it must have produced its fruits at least 150 years before! We have then, an unwarranted, unsuitable, and absurd, period of gestation assumed; an unwarranted cabbalistic ground for this is next advanced, and all this with a confidence as great, as if it contained the plainest words of Holy Writ! And this again for the purpose of recommending an utterly false and deteriorated view of our holy faith! It will be sufficient to remark, that such an accumulation of rash, vain, and groundless assumptions, is, happily indeed, but rarely to be found among us: and the wonder is, how this has been so readily and extensively received and believed.

Come we now to the grounds on which these two different periods are attempted to be established: and here we shall find Mr. Elliott just as happy as in his preceding criticisms. "First," says Mr. Elliott (p. 13, seq.), "there seems to me to have been, to a certain extent, a chronological indication in the very use of the symbol of a dragon. For it is a rule...in the Apocalypse to make use of no self-adopted symbols of a country, in reference to times earlier than their actual adoption in that country." I have only to affirm here, that no symbol is adopted either by St. John, or by any other sacred Writer, not common to Ms own times:    I leave it to Mr. Elliott to prove the contrary, because negatives are not things capable of proof. The said rule is therefore, a delusion. He adds, "And since it was not till near the close of the second century that the dragon was first used as a Roman ensign, nor till the third that its use had become common, we might thence probably infer that the time represented in the vision was scarce earlier, if so early as the third century."..." So the intended period would seem to have been some little time before the total dejection of Paganism... at the commencement of the fourth century." We have therefore, the time for this first birth determined, under the operation of a palpably false rule; and this again, in applying a symbol which, had it even been in use in St. John's times, does not appear more likely to have been em­ployed by him, than was that of the Roman Eagles! Such are the reasons advanced for the first and shortest protrac­tion of the labour-pains of our Zion !

Let us now come to the second. We are told then (p. 11, seq.), " These coincidences might perhaps at first incline us to attach the more glorious meaning to the symbols of the vision" (i. e. of a restoration of the Jews, &c.)." But the next figuration," continues Mr. Elliott, " of the fortunes of the woman, or church, shewing that she was immediately afterwards to be persecuted by the Dragon, and then to spend 1260 days, or years, in the wilderness, decisively negatives the position," &c. Mr. Elliott gives us, therefore, one series of persecutions here under the Roman Emperors, ending with a glorious song of victory : but, because he finds woes denounced after the close of this; he takes it for granted that another series of persecutions must necessarily follow. The probability of a retrogression here, could not have occurred to him, notw