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Pagan. The Romanifts themfelves make univerfality and perpetuity the fpecial marks and characters of their church and no people more induftrious than they in compaffing fea and land to make profelytes.

All fincere proteftants cannot but be greatly grieved at the fuccefs and prevalence of this religion, and the papifts as much boaft and glory in it, and for this reafon proudly denominate theirs the catholic religion. But it will abate all confidence on the one hand, and banish all fcruples on the other; if we confider that this is nothing more than what was fignified before-hand by the Spirit of prophecy. It is directly foretold, that there fhould be fuch a power as that of the Pope of Rome, exercised in the Chriftian church, and that it should prevail for a long feason, but at last should have a fall. Several clear and exprefs prophecies to this purpofe have been produced out of Daniel and St. Paul in the courfe of these differtations; but others clearer ftill, and more copious and particular, may be found in the Apocalyps or Revelation of St. John, who was the greateft as he was the laft prophet of the Chriftian difpenfation, and hath comprehended in this book, and pointed out the moft memorable events and revolutions in the church from the apostles days to the confummation of the mystery of God.

But to this Book of the Apocalyps or Revelation it is ufually objected, that it is fo wrapt and involved in figures and allegories, is fo wild and vifionary, is fo dark and obfcure, that any thing or nothing, at least nothing clear and certain, can be proved or collected from it. So learned a man as Scaliger is noted for faying (1) that Calvin was wife, because he wrote no comment upon the Revelation. A celebrated (2) wit and divine of our own church hath not fcrupled to affert that that

(1) Calvinus fapit, quod in Apocalypfin non fcripfit. Vide Scaligerana fecunda. p. 41. But Scaliger was not very confiftent in his opinion of the Revelation. For as the Bishop of Rochester remarks, he fays in another place, Hoc poffum gloriari me nihil ignorare eorum quæ in Apoca

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lypfi, Canonico vere libro, prophetice fcribuntur, præter illud caput in quo væ fepties repetitur: ignoro enim idne tempus præterierit, an futurum fit. Scaligeran. Ima. p. 13.

(2) Dr. South. See Vol. 2. Serm. II. P. 422. 6th Edit.

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book either finds a man mad, or makes him fo. Whitby, though an useful commentator on the other books of the New Teftament, would not yet adventure upon the Revelation. "I confefs I do it not (3) (fays he,) for want of wisdom; that is because I neither have fuffi"cient reading nor judgment, to difcern the intend"ment of the prophecies contained in that book." Voltaire is pleafed to fay, that Sir Ifaac Newton wrote his comment upon the Revelation, to confole mankind for the great fuperiority that he had over them in other refpects but Voltaire, though a very agreeable, is yet a very fuperficial writer, and often miftaken in his judgment of men and things. He never was more mistaken, than in affirming that Sir Ifaac Newton has explained the Revelation in the fame manner with all thofe who went before him; a moft evident proof that he had never read either the one or the others, for if ever he had read them, he must have perceived the difference. How ever it is undeniable that even the most learned men have mifcarried in nothing more than in their comments and explanations of this book. To explain this book perfectly is not the work of one man or of one age; and probably it will never all be clearly understood, till it is all fulfilled. It is a memorable thing, that Bishop Burnet (4) relates to this purpofe of his friend the most learned Bishop Lloyd of Worcester. He fays that that excellent perfon was employed above twenty years in ftudying the Revelation with an amazing diligence and exactnefs, and that he had foretold and proved from the Revelation the peace made between the Turk and the Emperor in the year 1698 long before it was made, and that after this he faid the time of the Turks hurting the papal Chriftians was at an end: and he was fo pofitive in this, that he confented that all his fcheme fhould be laid afide, if (5) ever the Turk engaged in a new war with

(3) See Whitby's Pref, to his Treatife of the Millenium.

(4) Burnet's Hitt. of his own times. Vol. 2. p. 204.

(5) Upon reflection I think it not impoffible that Bishop Burnet might

mistake, and fo might mifreprefent Bishop Lloyd's meaning. If he faid indeed, that the Turks would never engage in a new war with the papal Chriftians, he was plainly in the wrong the event hath fhewn that he was in the

wrong

THE

CIES.

153

them. But it is very well known, that the Turk he Emperor have engaged in a new war fince that and probably may engage again, fo that by his confent all his fcheme is to be laid afide: and if fo a mafter of learning, fo nice a critic in chronology iftory, one who perhaps understood the prophetic gs better than any man of his time, was fo grofsly ken in the moft pofitive of his calculations, it may at least as an admonition to others of inferior abito beware how they meddle with these matters, and r to avoid the rocks and fhelves about which they many fhipwracks.

t that this book is therefore to be defpifed or neg

They who cenfure and diffuade the ftudy of it, for the most part because they have not ftudied it elves, and imagin the difficulties to be greater than are in reality. It is ftill the fure word of prophecy; en of learning and leifure cannot better employ time and abilities than in ftudying and explaining ook, provided they do it, as Lord (6) Bacon ad

with great wildom, fobriety, and reverence." Bacon adviseth it with regard to all the prophecies, ach caution and reverence are more especially due s of St. John. "The folly of interpreters has en, as Sir Ifaac Newton (7) obferves, to foretel es and things by this prophecy, as if God defigned make them prophets. By this rathness they have - only expofed themselves, but brought the proecy alfo into contempt. The defign of God was ch otherwife. He gave this and the prophecies the Old Testament, not to gratify men's curiofities enabling them to foreknow things, but that after y were fulfilled they might be interpreted by the nt, and his own providence, not the interpreters, then manifefted thereby to the world." If there

If he said only that the Turks o more hurt the papal Chrifwould no more Tubdue any

(6) -Magna cum fapientia, fobrietate, et reverentia-See the quotation prefixed to the Introduction.

fore we would confine ourselves to the rules of just criticifm, and not indulge lawless and extravagant fancies; if we would be content with fober and genuin interpretation, and not pretend to be prophets, nor presume to be wife above what is written; we fhould more confider thofe paffages which have already been accomplished, than frame conjectures about thofe which remain yet to be fulfilled. Where the facts may be compared with the predictions, there we have fome clue to guide us thro' the labyrinth: and though it may be difficult to trace out every minute refemblance, yet there are fome ftrong lines and features, which I think cannot fail of ftriking every one, who will but impartially and duly

examin them.

We thould be wanting to the fubject, and leave our work unfinithed, if we thould omit fo material a part of prophecy. And yet fuch a difquifition is not to be entered upon haftily, but after a diligent perufal of the beft authors, both foreign and domeftic; and it will be happy, if out of them all there can be formed one entire fyftem, complete and confiftent in all its parts. As Sir Ifaac Newton (8) fays, "Amongst the interpreters of "the laft age, there is fcarce one of note who hath not "made fome difcovery worth knowing." But our greatest obligations are owing to three particularly, Mr. Mede, Vitringa, and Daubuz. We shall find reafon

generally to concur with one or more of them; but as they often differ from one another, fo we shall differ fometimes from all the three, and follow other guides, or perhaps no guides at all. What fatisfaction we may give to others, is very uncertain; we shall at least have the fatisfaction ourselves of tracing the ways of providence. It is little encouragement to this kind of ftudies to reflect, that two of the moft learned men of their times, as well as two of the beft interpreters of this book, Mr. Mede and Mr. Daubuz, the one died a fellow of a college, and the other a vicar of a poor vicarage in Yorkshire. Mr. Mede, as we read in the memoirs of his life, was fo modeft, that he wifhed for nothing

(8) Sir Iaac Newton, ibid. p. 253.

more

more than a donative or finecure to be added to his fellowship; but even this he could not obtain.

Alas! what boots it with inceffant care
To tend the homely flighted fhepherd's trade,
And ftrictly meditate the thanklefs Mufe?
Were it not better done as others ufe, &c.

MILTON'S LYCIDAS.

But however let us proceed, encouraged by that divine benediction, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are

written therein.

THE

CHAP. I.

1 HE Revelation of Jefus Chrift, which God gave unto him, to fhow unto his fervants things which muft fhortly come to pafs; and he fent and fignified it by his angel unto his fervant John:

2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the teftimony of Jefus Chrift, and of all things that he faw.

3 Bleffed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep thofe things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

The book opens (ver. 1, 2, 3.) with the title or infcription of the book itfelf; the fcope and defign of it, to foretel things which fhould fhortly begin to be fulfilled, and fucceed in their due feafon and order, till all were accomplished; and the bleffing pronounced on him who fhall read and explain it, and on them, who fhall hear and attend to it. The diftinction is remarkable of him that readeth, and of them that hear; for books being then in manufcript were in much fewer hands, and it was a much readier way to publish a prophecy or any thing by public reading than by tranfcribing copies. It was too the cuftom of that age to read all the apoftolical writings in the congregations of the faithful: but now only fome few parts of this book are appointed to be read on certain feftivals.

4. John

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