decypher it. WE HAVE SEEN THE AN

TICHRISTIAN POWER ARISE AT THE

COR

SAME PERIOD OF TIME IN THE RUPTIONS OF THE CHURCH OF ROME IN THE WEST, AND IN THE FALSE DOCTRINE OF MAHOMET IN THE EAST-WE HAVE TRACED THE PROGRESS OF ITS INTOLERANT POWER-ITS. HEIGHT-AND ITS DECLINE, IN BOTH; AND WE HAVE SEEN IT MAKE ONE LAST GREAT EFFORT NEAR THE END OF ITS

APPOINTED

SPREADING INFIDELITY OF THE LATER AGES, THROUGH ROMAN CATHOLIC, MAHOMETAN, AND PROTESTANT COUNTRIES, TO CONVULSE THE WORLD BEFORE IT IS ITSELF DESTROYED.

These Prophecies, when confidered collectively as forming one grand affemblage of proofs of their divine authority, and as having a reference to one grand connected scheme, bear a strong and clear testimony to the truth of every particular recorded in the holy Scriptures. They establish the truth of Prophecy upon acknowledged facts, and point out the ufe and ultimate end of Prophecy to be the establishment of the Chriftian

Bb 3

Christian Religion upon the bafis of Divine Revelation. They fhow, that the establishment of Christianity was only the beginning of the Meffiah's reign-and that the objections to Chriftianity drawn from the corruption and diftreffes of the Church, and the small number of Chriftians, result from a partial and confined view of the whole fcheme, as it is difplayed by the Prophetical writings-it being clear, from the Prophecies themselves, that a long feries of time is required for their fulfil

ment.

They show, that the different powers of Antichrift were clearly predicted; and as it has evidently appeared under different forms, it furnishes an additional argument, upon Prophetic and Hiftoric ground, for the truth of that Religion it aims to deftroy.

They prove, that the Hiftory of the Church of Chrift agrees exactly with the Prophecies concerning it, and that the prefent state of the world not only agrees with the Prophecies which have been uniformly understood to belong to the later

ages, and

from

from the combined light of History and Prophecy are seen to be now in their regular fucceffion before us, but that it seems to point towards the accomplishment of thofe Prophecies which remain to be fulfilled, and which will gradually complete the ftupendous fcheme of Providence, it has been the defign of this work to point out; as a protection against the torpor of Indifference, the artifice of Scepticism, and the violence of Infidelity, which fo dreadfully infest the present age.

These Prophecies are a warning voice to the thoughtless, to reflect, and to "fearch the Scriptures, and examine whether thefe things be fo." In them we fee the plain traces of a Deity, the proofs of his Providence, and the authentic evidence of a Revelation,

Prophecy is indeed the voice of God appealing to the records and the observation of man for its eternal truth: it fpeaks to unbelieving Jews, to carelefs Chriftians, and to infidels of all denominations, and it adapts its awful declarations to the spiritual wants of all mankind in every age. The Bb4 truth

truth of Prophecy admits not only the clear illustration of History, but the evidence of daily experience, and common obfervation. The present hour bears witness to its Divine origin, as well as the generations that are paffed.

Jerufalem is now trodden down by the • Gentiles"-its walls are beaten down, its ditches are filled up, and it is furrounded with ruins of buildings—it is the refidence of the defpotic Turks, and superstitious Chriftians, divided into various communities of Greeks, Armenians, Cops, Abyffinians, and Franks,

..

The Jewish People are now " difperfed among all the nations of the earth," yet diftinct and separate from all—" afflicted, but not forfaken," "reviled as a proverb and a by-word," yet numerous, and, in general, opulent; "enriched with the spoil of their enemies"-" they abide without a king, and without a prieft", and without a facrifice," a confpicuous monument of the truth of Prophecy, to every people

See vol. i. p. 252,

among

among whom they dwell. Where are the. Affyrians, and the Romans? They are fwept off from the face of the earth". "The name and the remnant has been cut off." "I will make a full end of all the nations, but I will not make a full end of thee." The conquerors are destroyed, and the captives remain.

Babylon,

that great city," is fulfilling her destiny of never being inhabited; it has not been dwelt in from generation to generation;" " it has never rifen from the defolation brought upon her: the wild beafts of the defert lie there," and all is folitude and defolation.

The Sons of Ifhmael still wander over the deferts, and "have their habitations in the tents of Kedar," and are "wild men ;" their hands are ftill" against every man, and every man's hand is against them.” Every act of plunder committed by the unfubdued and roving tribes of the wild Arabs upon the Caravans that traverse the

• See Gibbon's teftimony, that not one of the antient Roman families remained in the eleventh century. Decline and Fall, c. lxix,

deferts,