greatly whatever human conception is capable of imagining or combining together. Such then being the extent, the usefulness, and the excellence of the Prophecy delivered in the Apocalypfe, what can be more curious or interesting than a history founded upon it, which is what we offer to the Chriftian Reader? THE Editor to the Public Page i Chap. I. Explication of the firft Chapter of Chap. II. The Hiftory of the first Age of Prelude to the Sounding of the feven Trumpets 27 The Sounding of the first Trumpet Prelude to the Pouring out of the feven Vials The Pouring out of the first Vial The Opening of the second Seal The Sounding of the Jecond Trumpet The Pouring out of the second Vial The Explication of the fecond Seal, fecond The Sounding of the third Trumpet The Pouring out of the third Vial The Opening of the fourth Seal The Explication of the fourth Seal illuf- The Sounding of the fourth Trumpet The Pouring out of the fourth Vial Chap. VIII. The Hiftory of the fifth Age of The Sounding of the fifth Trumpet Chap. IX. Continuation of the History of the fifth Age of the Chriftian Church The Pouring out of the fifth Vial Narrative preparatory to the Prophecy of The Sounding of the fixth Trumpet THE GENERAL HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, DIVIDED INTO SEVEN AGES, AND DEDUCED CHIEFLY FROM THE APOCALYPSE. BEFORE we enter upon this prophetic hiftory, it will be neceffary to explain the firft chapter of the Apocalypfe, as it contains the preface to the whole book, and, on that account, is effential to the prefent work. CHAPTER I. Explication of the firft Chapter of the Apocalypfe. APOC. Chap I. verse 1. The Revelation of Jefus Chrift, which God gave unto him, to make known to his fervants the things which must shortly come to pass: and fignified, fending by his angel to his fervant John. V. 2, Who hath given teftimony to the word of God, and the teftimony of Jefus Chrift, what things foever he hath feen. We are here informed that the book of the Apocalypfe is a Revelation, which Jefus Chrift, as ManGod, received from God: the purpose of which is to disclose to his fervants, the chriftians, a series of events very interefting to them, and which must B fhortly Shortly come to pass. This revelation Jefus Chrift communicates by the channel of his angel, whom he fends to deliver it to his fervant John. The character here given to this fervant John fhews him to be the Apostle St. John; for he is here faid to have given teftimony to the word of God, by his preaching and fuffering for the caufe of God, and to have alfo given teftimony of Jefus Chrift, by bearing witnefs to what things foever he had feen of his divine Mafter. And this account of him coincides with what St. John fays of himself at the beginning of his first epiftle: That which we have heard, lays he, which we have feen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life we declare unto you. . We have faid that it was Chrift who fignified or notified this his Revelation, fending it by his angel; which is confirmed by what he himself speaks in the conclufion of the Apocalypfe: I Jefus have fent my angel, to testify to you thefe things in the churches, Apoc. xxii. 16. But it might be equally faid, that God himself communicated this prophecy by his angel; for we likewife read: The Lord God of the fpirits of the prophets fent his angel to fhew his fervants the things which must be done fhortly, Apoc. xxii. 6. which words are quite fimilar to those above of verfe the firft. However, it is not material whether to God or to Jefus Chrift the communication of the prophecy be afcribed, when we confider the divinity of Chrift. Another obfervation we muft here make, is concerning the angel of God or Chrift, who is fent to communicate the Apocalypfe to St. John. He is generally fuppofed to be a real angel; but upon clofe examination we think he will appear to be St. John the Baptift. This perfonage is peculiarly vefted with the character of angel* or meffenger of • The word angel fignifies messenger. God |