obferved by Jofeph Mede," that the last times, fimply and in general, are the times of Chriftianity: the last times in Special and comparatively, or the latter times of the last times, are the times of the apoftacy under Antichrift." And we have, I think, clearly feen that "the latter end of the days of vengeance," which are "the times of the apoftafy under Antichrift," are occafionally exprefsly diftinguished. The fecond and third chapters of the fecond of Peter, and the Epiftle of St. Jude", do certainly belong as little to the Papal power of Antichrist. But do we know of no Power in these present days, to which this description will most accurately apply? Is it poffible to draw a more exact picture of APOSTATE INFIDELITY, united with DEMOCRATIC TYRANNY? And if, upon examination, we find any correfponding marks of this dreadful power in the fecond beaft of the Revelations, having already feen them in the Prophecy of Daniel, will not this agreement add so much weight to the feparate teftimony of each, as altogether to be nearly demonftrative evidence to

с

Mede's Works, p. 804.

See p. 301-30%.

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the truth of the opinion and the juftnefs of the application?

But though, from the various circumstances already stated, we cannot be surprised that most of the learned Commentators have failed in their attempts to explain a Prophecy respecting events which to them were veiled by futurity; we have the authority of fome, who, either unfettered by fimilar prejudices, or endowed with fuperior fagacity, formed conjectures concerning the second beast, which at once excite our admiration, and confirm the opinion which is now offered to the confideration of the publick.-The Bishop of Meaux, and the learned Grotius, approached more nearly to the truth than has been usually imagined, when they supposed the second beast to denote PHILOSOPHY, falfely fo called."― Dr. Hartley, in the conclufion of his Obfervations on Man, confiders "INFIDELITY as the Beast." It is also his opinion, that when the world shall be arrived at a certain degree of depravity, it will then be prepared for "the times of defolation." - Sir Ifaac Newton, and Dr. Clarke, interpreted

the reign of the Beaft" to be "THE OPEN AVOWAL OF INFIDELITY"- They farther conjectured, that "the ftate of Religion in

France,

France, and the manners of the age, combined with the Divine Oracles to announce the approaching reign of the Beast" — And they confidered it as probable, that the Ecclefiaftical Conftitution of France would foon be fubverted, and that the standard of Infidelity would be firft fet up there." And they supposed Rev. xi. 7. to relate to this important æra in the Chriftian world. "And when they [the two witneffes] fhall have

f

See the conclufion of Hartley's Obfervations on Man, published by G. Nicol-Whifton's Life, and Clarke's Works. The conjecture formed by Mr. Fleming concerning the destruction of the French Monarchy under the fourth vial, before, or about the year 1794, printed nearly a hundred years ago, remarkably coincides with this conclufion with recent facts. and with the general idea of the Prophetic writings contained in this chapter. Lowman, Bishop Newton, and feveral others have looked to France as the scene of fome great change, or fome dreadful event that would particularly affect the church of God.

f Whether Fleming's opinion respecting "the witneffes" be equally well founded with his conjecture relative to France, must remain a queftion. He supposes "the witneffes were flain" immediately before the Reformation, "and" ascended up to the heaven of reft and fecurity when the Proteftant Churches were established." This opinion, with which Bishop Newton and many other learned Commentators concur, is very confolatory at this period of general attack; but I confefs it appears to me to be attended with too many difficulties to be adopted with confidence.

finished their teftimony, [or shall be finishing, or be about to finish, their teftimony and they were to prophefy the fame number of years as the first beast, that is, 1260] the beaft that afcendeth [that is, afcendeth, or is afcending AT THE TIME that the witnesses are finishing their teftimony] out of the bottomlefs pit, shall make war against them, and shall overcome and kill them."It will appear evident that the beaft thus defcribed is the fame with the second beaft of the thirteenth chapter of Revelations, which "afcendeth out of the earth," when we confider the numerous paffages in Scripture, which indicate that "the bottomlefs pit" does not mean the fame as the fea. And this point will be found to throw confiderable light upon the fubject as we proceed in our endeavours to investigate it.

The INFIDEL POWER of Antichrift fhewn to be predicted alfo in the Revelation.

It is confidered as an established point, that the beaft with feven heads and ten horns, and the woman upon whofe forehead was written,

Myftery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth"," denote the Papal Antichrift, whose feat is Rome, and that the duration of this Antichristian Power was to be 1260 years.-The difficulty has been to understand the meaning of the beaft which comes up out of the earthh-had two horns like a lamb, and fpake as a dragon, exercifeth all the power of the first beaft before him, and caufeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beaft whofe deadly wound was healed," -"deceiveth many by means of miracles [wonders] which he had power to do in the fight of the beaft, faying to them that dwell in the earth, that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a fword and did live-and had power to give life unto the image of the beaft; that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beaft, fhould be killed; and he caused all, both fmall and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads, and that no man might buy or fell, fave he that had the mark, or name of the beaft, or the

* Rev. xvii. 5.

Rev. xii. 11, &c.

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