tihv ciently simple and comprehensive, p. 1. II. Two principal rules of interpretation laid down. p. 5. 1. Four minor rules added, p. 6. 2. The advantages of the two primary rules, p. 7. III. The general plan and arrangement of the prophecies adopted in this work, stated, p. 8. IV. The prophecy of the Great Image of Daniel proved to relate to the temporal history of the world, and the vision of the Four Beasts to the history of the Church, p. 10. 1. Their general contents point this out, and particularly the different terms in which the period of the Mil- lennium is described in each prophecy, p. 10. Y. The Sealed Book of Saint John proved in like manner to relate to the tetnporal history of the Roman Empire, the Little Opened Book to the history of the Chmch* p. 11. b X CONTENTS. 1. Because the Sealed Book contains nothing relative to the Church, but what is shewn to he nccessar/li/ connected with the history of the Empire. |>. 12. 2. Because, on tht- other hand, the contents of the Little Opened Book are universally understood to relate to the ('htirc/i. p. 14. ?3. Because tlie Protestant British nation appears in the Sealed Book in a (empornl character, and in the Little Opened Book in a. v/jirj<;/a/ character, p. 14. 4. The terms in which the future state of the blessed is ■poken of in each book also point out a distinc- tion between their several subjects, p. l6. 5. This distinction also pointed out by a remarkable variation in each book, in the description of the adoration rendered to Christ, p. 17. 6. A distinction between the subjects of these books fur- ther pointed out by the subdivisions of each book being dissimilar, p. 19. VL The i^eneral plan confirmed, by shewing in a brief exa- mination of the Apocalypse in the natural order of the chapters, thatitcontains — first, under the Seven Seals a regular and complete history of the Western branch of the Empire; secondly, under the Seven Trumpets a regular and complete history of the Eastern branch of the Empire ; and, thirdly, in the Little Opened Book a regular and complete his- tory of the Church, p. 19. Vn. The history of the Western branch of the Empire proved to terminate at the same time with the history of the Eastern branch of the Empire, or the Seventh Seal proved to synchronize with the Seventh Trumpet, p. 30. VIlI. The history of the Church proved to terminate at the same time with the histories of the Western and Eastern branches of the Empire, or the Seven CONTENTS. xi Vials of Wrath proved to sychrouize with the Sc- * venth Seal and Seventh Trumpet, p. 31. IX. The varioiib prophecies of Dauiel, Es^dras, and Saint John, classed together, which relate to the Romau Empire, viz. 1. During the period of its Strength, as one grea-t uiidi- vidt^d empire, p. 33. 2. During the period of its Weakness, when divided into ten kingdoms, p. 35. 3. During the period of its Destruction, when the ten kingdoms are broken to pieces, p. 36. X. The various prophecies of Daniel, Esdras, and Saint John, classed together, which relate to the history of the Church, viz. 1. During the period of Paganism, p. 37. 2. During the period of Poperj'. p. 38. ^ 3. During the period of Infidelity, p. 39. ^ XI. The various prophecies of Daniel, Esdras, and Saint John, classed together, which relate to the Tem- poral Kingdom of Christ, viz. 1. During the period of its Commencement, p. 41. 2. During the period of its Progress, p. 42. * 3. During the period of its Perfection, p. 44. « Observations on the Arrangement of the Apocalypse adopted by former Commentators, I. The various parts enumerated of which the Apocalypse consists, p. 45. II. Observations of Whiston on the importance of ascer- taining the connexion and relative position of these several parts, or of establishing certain syn- chronisms, p. 45. III. The principal discovery of Mede was the synchronism of the end of the period of the 1260 years, and the «ud of the period of the Sixth Trumpet, p. 47. b2 xii CONTENTS. IV. Mede and Whiston, as well as Mr. Faber and Mr, Cunlnghame, consider all the Seven Trumpets as being contained in the last Seal. p. 47. 1. This opinion considered to be erroneous, its origin ex- plained, p. 48. V. Mr. Faber rejects the synchronism adopted by Mede and Whiston, and makes the 1260 years end with the Sixth Vial. p. 51. 1. The strong terms used by Whiston in speaking of the clearness of the proof of his synchronism, p. 52. 2. Mede and Whiston prove their synchronism principally from Rev. x. 7, p. 52. 3. Mr. Faber gives an unsatisfactory interpretation of Rev. X. 7j p. 52. 4. The text. Revelations, xvi. 17, by which M. Faber supports a supposed sychronism of the end of the 1260 years with the end of the Sixth Vial, consi- dered and shewn to be misapplied by him. p. 53. VI. Mr. Cuninghame considers the Seals and Trumpets as running parallel with one another, and makes the Sixth Seal synchronize with the Seventh Trumy>et. p. 55. 1. Objections to this arrangement stated, p. 55. "3. Arguments adduced to prove, that the period of the Seventh Txurapei J'olhivs the period of the Sixth Seal, p 57. VII. Mr. Cuninghame considers the Seven Vials as.syn- chronical. p. 50. 1. The first argument by which he supports this ar- rangement stated and shewn to be inconclusive, p. 59. 2. The second argument by which he supports this arrange- mentstated and shewn also to be inconclusive, p. 61. 3. Mr. Cuninghame's arrangement involves an incon- sistency, p. 63. 4. The speedy fall of the Ottoman Empire predicted, and CONTENTS. xiii referred to as bringing with it a refutation of the different systems of Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuning- hame. The date of this observation given, p. 64, 5. Mr.Cuninghame's scheme objectionable, as affording too great facility to the commentator, p. 66. 6. Mr. Cuninghame's synchronical arrangement of the Seven Vials shewn to be a necessary consequence of his placing the Sixth Seal parallel with the Se^ venth Trumpet, p. 69. 7. Sixth Seal and Sixth Trumpet shewn both to terminate on the lOlh of August, 1792. p. 71. VIII. Mr. Faber introduces a period that has no proper place under aay Seal or Trumpet, p. 7-4* IX. Mr. Cuninghame also introduces an event for which he finds no proper place under any Seal or Trumpet, p. 74. X. Commentators erroneously limit the Little Opened Book to four chapters, p. 75. XI. Table explanatory of Mr. Faber's arrangement of the Apocalypse, p. 78. XII. Table explanatory of Mr. Cuninghame's arrangement of the Apocalypse, p. 78. Symbolical Dictionary^ viz, I. The Earth—The Third Part of the Earth— The Fourth Part of the Earth — An Earthquake, p. 81. — The Sun — The Moon — The Stars — The Heavens— The Sun (spiritually)— The Moon (Spiritually)— The Stars (spiritually) — Great Waters, p. 82. — The Sea— A Sea of Glass— The Four Winds, p. 83,— The Great River Euphrates — The Air — Wild Beasts, p. 84.— The Horns of Wild Beasts— The Heads of Wild Beasts— The Image of a Wild k\v contents. Beast — Tlie two-homed Beast of the Eartli — The Scarlet-coloured Beast out of the Bottomless Pit — The Cha-te Woman, p. 85.— The Seed of the Wo- man-^Pornii-ation — The Unchaste Woman — The Kings of the Earth who have committed fornica- tion with her — The Undefiled with Women — The Great City Babylon, p.86. — The Great City called Sodom and Ea^ypt — The Holy City Jerusalem — The Teni pie— The Outer Court, p. 8?.— The Holy Place or Second Court— The Holy of Holies, p. 88. — The LivingCreatuves which surround theTlirone — Incense or Sweet Odours*, p. 89. — White Robes — The Israelitish Nation — The Gentiles — The Two Witnesses, p. gO. — Rain from Heaven — Grass and every green thing — A River of pure Water — Rsvers and Fountains of Water — A Falling (or Shooting) Star — A Comet — A Flood, p. 91. — A Storm of Hail — A Flight of Locusts — Ships — Ship Masters — A Seal or Mark set upon any one — The Seal of God — The Wings of an Eagle, p. 92. — The Wings of a Fowl of the Air — An Horse — The Tail of a Scorpion — The Tail of any Animal — A Day — AMonth — A Time or Year — A Dividing of Time — An Hour. p. 93. — The Harvest of the Earth — The A'^intage — Fire — Lightning — Thunder, p.94. H. All objects introduced into a symbolical description not necessarily themselves symbolical, p. 94. IIL Symbols, though all of them substantives, maybe used as adjectives, p. 95. IV. We must distinguish in Saint John between Symboli- cal description and the machinery of tlie prophecy, p. 96. V. Also between symbolical description and symbolical nar- rative, p. 97. CONTENTS. Kemarks upon the Interpretations of the Symbols given by former Commentators. I. Inconsistency of the commonly received interpretation of theSymbol of the Third Part of the Earth, p. 99. 1. The cause that has led to its general adoption is a universal error, made in the supposed relative po- sition of the Seals and Trumpets, p. 99, 2. Mr. Cuninghame's criticism upon Mr. Faber'B inter- pretation of this Symbtil correct, p. lOO. 3. A new interpretation of this Symbol proposed by Mr. Cuningliame, not satisfactory, p. 102. 4. No means of avoiding the difficulty found by Commen- tators in the interpretation of this Symbol, except by correcting in the usual arrangement of the Apo- calypse the relative position of the Seals and Trum- pets, p. 102. II. The Symbol of the Scarlet-coloured Beast erroneously interpreted, p. 103, 1. This error creates a difficulty in the interpretation of Rev. xvii. 11. p. 103. 2. Notwithstanding this difficulty, Mr. Cuninghame has suggested the meaning of the text, referring it to Napoleon Buonaparte, p. 104. 3. The difficulty of this text (acknowledged by Mr. Cuninghame) is removed, by adopting the new meaning of the Symbol of the Scarlet-coloured Beast, p. 105. 4. Other texts, as Rev.xi. 7 and xvii. 8, satisfactorily ex- plained, by adopting the new meaning of the Sym- bol, p. 106. 5. 'A prediction that Buonaparte will become Emperor of Rome ; the date of this inserted, p. 105. tvi CONTENTS. 6. The homogenous Symbols of the Great Red Dragon, the Two-horned Beast of the Earth, and theScar- letrcoloured Beast out of the bottomless pit, re|)re- sent severally Paganism, Popery, and Infidelity, p. 113. III. The Symbol of the Great City called Sodom and Egypt hitherto erroneously interpreted, p. 114. 1. The text, Rev. xi. 8, satisfactorily explained, by adopt* ing the new interpretation of the Symbol of the Great City called Sodom and Egypt, p. 114. 2. The homogenous Symbols of the Cities represent Pa- ganism, Pope rj', and Infidelity, p. 114. IV. The meaning given in this work to the Israelitish Na- tion, and to various other Symbols, diiferent from those of other Commentators, p. 114. CHAP. ir. DanicVs Vision of the Great Image — describing, \st. The Kingdom of Babylon. 2rf. The Kingdotiis of Media and Persia. 3rf. The Kingdoms that were the seat of the Ma-' cedonian Empire. 4th. The Western Roman Empire, in the periods of its strength, tceakness, and destruction : and 5th. The Temporal Kingdom of Christ in the periods of its commencement, progress, and perfection, I. Founders of the three first Empires all informed of the things in prophecy which related to them- selves, p. 120. II. The vision of the Great Image and of the Four Beasts relate to the four great Empires, and the vision of the Ram and the He-goat to the second and third of these Empires, p. 124. CONTENTS. xVii III. The Head of Gold in one vision, and the Lion in the other, each represent the Kingdom of Babylon, p. 1^26. jy. The Breast and Arms of Silver in the one vision, the Bear in the other, and the Ram \vith two liorns in the third, are diflerent representations of the united Kingdom of Media and Persia, p. 1-26. V. The Belly and Thighs of Brass in the one vision, the Leopard with four heads in the other, and the He- goat, having eventually four horns, in the third, are different representations of the Kingdom of Alexander and his successors, p. 129. VL The Legs of Iron, and feet and toes, part of iron and part of clay, in the one vision, and the Ten-horned Monster in the other, each represent the Western Roman Empire, p. 133. J. The Western Roman Empire in the period of its strength typitied by the Iron. p. 133. 3. The Western Roman Empire in its divided and weak state typified by the mixture of the Iron and Clay, p. 135. VII. Inquiry which are the Ten Kingdoms represented by the Ten Toes of the Image, and the Ten Horns of the Monster, p. 136. J. Analogy requires that they should be interpreted as describing territorial subdivisions of the Western Roman Empire, p. 138. 2. References made to various prophecies in proof of this. p. 138. 3. The Ten Kingdoms named, p. 142. VIII. The Ten Kingdoms divided into the two classes of the Kingdoms of Iron and theKingdoms of Clay. p. 143. 1. The future tj-rannical reigns of Rome and Austria declared. — This predicted while Buonaparte was Emperor of France, p. 144. xvii. CONTENTS. IX. The destruction of the Ten Krngdoms, and the com- mencement of the Temporal Kingdom of Christ, represented by the Stone smiting upon the Feet and Toes of tl>e Image. — This period commenced in the year 17.02. p. 144. X. The Progress of the Kingdom of Christ represented by the Stone's increasing to a Mountain, p. 150. XL The Period of the Perfection of theTemporal Kingdom o-f Christ, or the Millennium, is the period during which the Mountain hlls the whole Earth, p. 150. Ikemurks upon the interpretations given by former Commen~ tutors of the vision of the Great Image, and the other visions in ichich the four great Empires arc represented. I.. Sir Isaac Newton considers the Four Beasts as represent- ing distinct and separate territories, p. 151. I. This hypothesis controverted by Mr. Faber. p. 153. *3. The gro^unds of Mr. Faber's objection to Sir Isaac Newton's hypothesis exaiuined and replied to* p. 153. :k The interpretation '^uen in this work to the three ribs in the mouth of the Bear, nearly the same as that given by Sir Isaac and Bi^h(>p Newttm. p. 155. <. No particuhir interpretation of these symbols given by Mr. Faber. p. 155. II. The principle of territorial representation not adopted by foinier comineutators in their interpretations of the ten toes of the Image and the ten horns of the fourth Beast, p. 186. t. List "-iven of the Ten Kingdoms by Bishop Chandler, and adopted by Bishop Lloyd, Mr. Faber, and Mr. Cuninghame. p. 157. i. Mr. Mede's list of the ten kingdoms, p. 158, CONTENTS. xi» 5. Sir Isaac Newton's list of the ten kingdoms, p, 158. 4. Bishop Newton's list of the ten kingdoms, p. 159. 5. Considernble variations observable in these lists, and consequent uncertainty respecting them. p. 159. 6. The kingdoms usually named of very inferior import- ance, p. l6l. III. Inquiry how far the histories of the kingdoms hitherto named agree with the particulars mentioned in prophecy, relative to the Ten Toes of the Image and the Ten Horns of the Fourth Beast, p. l64. 1. Mr. Mede, Sir Isaac Newton, and Bishop Newton, agree in their interpretations of the three horns that were plucked up by the little Papal horn ; but the two former find a difficulty in reconciling their interpretations of this part of the prophecy with their lists of the ten kingdoms, p. 164. 2. Bishop Newton forms his list with a particular view to the interpretation of the three horns that were plucked up. p. 166. 3. Mr. Faber, objecting to Bishop Newton's list of the ten kingdoms, gives a new interpretation of the three horns that were plucked up. p. 166. 4. Evident objections to his interpretation, p. 167. 5. Mr. Faber endeavours to modify the symbolical re- presentation relative to the three horns, so as the better to admit of his interpretation, p. 167. 6. He gives a new translation of an important word. p. 169. 7. A remark upon Mr. Faber's interpretation, p. 169. 6, Mr. Faber's interpretation open to a similar criticism to that which he makes upon Bishop Newton's. p. 171. 9. The difficulties found by former commentators in naming the ten kingdoms, so as to include the three that were plucked up, can only be removed XX CONTENTS. by admitting the principle of territorial repre-» sentation. p. 172. IV. The second circumstance mentioned in the prophecies, relative to the ten kingdoms, not fulhlled in the kingdoms named in the lists of former commenta- tors, p. 173. V. The third circumstance relative to the ten kingdoms also unfulfilled by the kingdoms liitherto named, p. 174. VI. The fourth circumstance relative to these kingdoms also unfulfilled, p. 174. VII. Usual interpretation of a passage relative to the king-^ doms of Iron and Clay unsatisfactory, p. 176. CHAP. III. DanirVs Vision of the four Beasts ^ representing the Four Ruling Kingdoms of the World. The Little Papal Horn described — Firsts in the period of the 126O years of its prosperity ; Secondly, in the period during which tlte Judgment sits upon it to take aicay its dominion. 1. J. HE Papal Power the chief subject of this prophecy. p. 17.0. IF. Different appearance of the kingdoms of this world to Nebuchadnezzar and to Daniel, p. 180. nr. The Symbol of the Great Sea. p. 181. 1. The Symbol of the Four Winds, p. 182. 2. The Four Beasts rising out of the Sea. p. 184. IV. The Symbol of the Eagle's Wings upon the Lion. p. 134. 1. The Lion's Wings plucked, p. 186. V. The Bear with three Ribs in his mouth, p. 187. VI. The Leopard with four heads and the Wings of a favyl. p. 18S. VII. The Ten-horned Monster, p. 188. CONTENTS. . jcxi Vlir. The rise of the Papacy represented by the rise of tlie little horn having eyes. p. IQO. IX. The overthrow of three of the ten kingdoms,, throuoli the influence of the Papacy, represented in the prophecy by three of the ten horns being plucked up by the little horn. p. 193. 1. Accomplishment of this prophecy, p. 193. 'X. The Papacy makes war with the Saints, and prevail* against them for a time, times, and half, or 1260 years, p. 195. 1. Commencement of this period correctly dated by Mf» Cuninghame from the edict of Justinian, in March, 533. p. 197. 2. May have terminated, according to the scriptural mode of reckoning, any where between March, 1792, and March, 1793. p. 198. 3. The actual termination of the period was on the 10th August, 1792. p. 199. XI. The period of the destruction of the Papacy com- menced in the year 1792. p. 199. XII. The sitting of the Judgment for the destruction of the Papal nations of the Roman Empire, or the first period of the reign of Christ and of the Saints '-' commenced at the same time. p. 200. 1. This proved from the vision of the Great Image, p. 202 2. From Rev. x. 1 — 7. p. 202. 3. From Dan. vii. 21, 22. p. 203. 4. Fi-om Rev. xi. 15 — 18. p. 203. 5. From the representation in the Apocalypse of the manner in which the seven last plagues are in- flicted, p. 204. 6. From the description given of the Saints in the battle of Armageddon, p. 205. 7. From the prophecy of Enoch, p. 206. '8. From the description given of the Saints at the com- mencenaent of the Millennium, p. 207. xxii CONTENTS. 9. The doctrine of the present consciousness of the fflo- rified saints not unscriptunil. p. 207. XIII. The period of the destruction of the Roman Empire will terminate A. D. 182-2 — 3. p. 210. XIV. The burning the l>ody of the Ten-horned Monster, the Coming of the Son of Man, and the restoration of the Jews, immediately succeed, p. 211. XV\ The 1 10th Psalm contains a remarkable prophecy of these times, and particularly of the conversion of the Jews. p. 213. XVI. The description given of the time of the second ad- vent of the Son of Man in the Evangelists accords with that given in this prophecy of Daniel, p. 214. XVII. The period of the Millennium, p. 2l6. Remarks on the interpretations of the Vision of the Four Beasts given by former Commentators. I. Mr. Faber considers the period of the prolongation of the lives of the three first Beasts to be during the pe- riod of the Millennium, p. 217. 1. This interpretation connected with his rejection of the principle of territorial representation in interpret- ing the symbols of the Four Beasts, p. 219. 2. Mr. Faber's interpretation inadmissible, p. 220. 3. Inconsistent also with the descriptions elsewhere given of the state of the world during the period of the Millennium, p. 221, A. Proof that the prolongation of the lives of the three first Beasts is before the destruction of the fourth Beast, and not during the Millenuium. p. 222. 3. The interpretation given in this work, of the prolonga- tion of the lives of the three first Beasts, to be found also in the vrork of Sir Isaac Newton . p. 289. CONTENTS. xxiu n. All former Commentators have confined the rei^^i of Christ, during the latter days, to the single period of the Millennium, instead of -iving to it to thn-« periods, consisting severally of 30, 45, and 1000 years, fu 223, 1. Consequently passages in Daniel, that refer to these distinct periods, are by Mede and Bishop Newton considered as referring to one and the same period. p. 224. 2. Mr. Faber embarrassed in his interpretation of these passages owing to the same circumstance- p, 225, 3. The unbiassed evidence of an old Commentator ad- duced to prove that the reign of Christ begins with the period of the Seventh Trumpet, i. e,, in the year 1792. p. 228. 4. Mr. Faber does not divide the history of the Papacy into two distinct periods, as the prophecy aeems to require, p. 229- 5. Defect in Mr. Faber's system pointed out, as it regards his application of the numbers of Daniel, p. 230. III. Passage of Zechariah quoted, that refers particularly to the period of the 45 yeari of Daniel, p, 231. CHAP. IV. The Vuion of the Ram and the He-goat^The secmd ruliws ^ kingdom of the world, comprehending Media and Persia -The third ruling kingdom of the world, comprehending Macedon, Thrace, Syria, and Egypt--And the Maho- metan Little Horn, described. I. This vision relates particularly to the Mahometan Power, p. 233. Ii: The prophecy, omitting the history of the kingdom of jtxiv CONTENTS. Babylon, commences with the history of the united kingdom of the Medes and Persians, — and why, p. 234. III. The first position of the ram with two horns, as de- scribed by theProphet, aptly represents the position of the forces of the Medes and Persians at the time the vision was seen. p. 236. IV. The pushings of the Ram describe the conquests of Cyrus, p. 238. 1. Quotation from the history of Prideaux, describing these conquests, p. 239. V. The He-goat's coming with rapidity from the AVest, describes the rapid advance of Alexander into Asia at the head of his army. p. 242. I. The death of Alexander, and the division of his king- dom into four parts, p. 246. VI. The rise of the Mahometan Little Horn. p. 247. 1. This Little Horn represents a teacher of certain new doctrines, p. 248. 2. The Mahometan and Lifidel Powers both represented in Revelations as rising out of the bottomless pit. — A great similarity in their doctrines, p. 250. 3. The Mahometan Power indebted partly to the influence of its new doctrines for its success in arms. p. 250. 4. The Mahometan Power arose when the corruption of the Greek Church was complete, p. 251. 5. Its conquests described, p. 251. * 6". Establishes itself upon the ruins of the Eastern Church. : P- -5'^' •V. Magnifies himselfagaiost the Prince of theHost. p. 242. VII. Reference made to the prophecies iu the Revelations, relative to the Mahometan Power, p. 254. VIII. The period during which Mahometanism ie to pre- vail,— The importance of correctly ascertaining ythen this period will terminate, p. 256. CONTENTS. xxr 1. Caution used by the Author in attempting to ascertain the true interpretation of this part of prophecy, p. 257. 2. Difficulties which it appeared must attend this part of prophecy, p. 258. 3. The Author disappointed in the expected termination of the vision, p. 259. 4. Finds however that the actual termination is equally satisfactory with either of the results he had ex- pected ; whiie it is at the same time free from the difficulties which he had apprehended, p. 260. 5>. The actual termination of the period of the vision falls into the period of the progress of the Kingdom of Christ, and divides it into two regular parts ; the first of which terminates with the conversion of the Mahometan nations; the other with the con- version of all the Pagan nations of the world, and the introduction of the Millennium, p. 26l. IX, The fall of Mahometauism may perhaps be considered as beginning when the fall of the Ottoman Empire takes place. This event is mentioned i.n the Reve- lations as the next that is to occur, when the suf- ferings of France, predicted under the fifth Vial, are accomplished, p. 263. X. It cannot be determined from the prophecy in what man- ner the Ottoman Empire will fall. This will be shortly shewn by the event, p. 264. Remarks vpon the Interpretations of the vision of the Ram and the He-goat given by former Commentators, \ I. The Little Horn of the He-goat formerly supposed to represent Antiochus Epiphanes. p. 265. II. Sir Isaac and Bishop Newton consider it aa |i symbol of c xxvi CONTENTS. the Empire of the Romans as established in the East, and are followed in this interpretation by Mr. Cuninghame. p. 266, III. Mr. Faber correctly interprets it as representing Maho- metanism. His satisfactory argument against a contrary interpretation, p. 267. IV. Mr. Faber's opinion, that Popery and Mahometanism began at the same time, and would end together, erroneous, p. 269. 1. This opinion supported by a mistaken interpretation of Dan. xi. 31 and xii. 11. — It leads Mr, Faber to give too late a date to the commencement of the vision of the Ram and the He-goat. p. 270, 271. V. Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame's ideas as to the time of the commencement of the vision of the Rum and the He-goat, are both accommodated to their previous interpretations relative to the 1260 year* of the Papacy, p. 271. VI. The year in which the vision was seen the only date pre- cisely marked in the whole prophecj'. p. 272. VII. Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame fix upon the yeara A.C. 535, and A. C. 508, for the commencement of the vision, as being suitable to their respective systems, p. 273. 1. These two dates, the subject of a long discussion carried on between Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame, in the pages of the Christian Observer, but attended with no decisive result, p. 274. VIII. The prophetic visions uniformly commence from the time at which they were seen. p. 275. 1. This proved from the vision of the Great Image. p. 276. 2. From the vision of the Four beasts, p. 276. 3. From the most natural interpretation of the vision of the Ram and the He-goat, p. 276. CONTENTS. xxvii 4. From the last prophecy of Daniel, p. 277* 5. From the Apocalypse of St. John. p. 277. IX. The argument by which Mr. Faber supports his opi- nion, that the vision commences after the conquests of Cyrus, stated, and replied to. p. 273. X. A different argument by which Mr. Cuninghame supports the same opinion stated, and replied to. p. 280. XI. Description from Prideaux of the victories of Darius Hystaspes. — These victories referred to by Mr, Faber as those represented by the pushings of the Ram. p. 283. 1. These victories unsuitable with the symbolical repre- sentation of the Prophet, p. 285. 2. No other victories more suitable mentioned in history subsequent to these, p. 286. XII. Mr. Cuninghame understands the Temple at Jeru- salem mentioned in the prophecy in two different senses, p. 288i XIII. His opinion that the Sanctuary was cleansed in the year 1792 untenable, p. 288. 1, This proved both from facts and prophecy, p. 289- Ohservations upon the controversy between Mr. Faber and > Mr. Cuninghame, relative to the Interpretation of the ^, vision of the Ram and the He-goat. I. Mr. Cuninghame brings as an objection to Mr. Faber's interpretation of this vision, that the Mahometan Power did not rise " in the latter time" of the four kingdoms. — This objection valid against Mr. Fa- ber's interpretation of the Four Horns, but not against the application of the symbol of the Little Horn to Mahonaetanism. p. 291. xxv.ii CONTENTS. 1. Mr. Faber, to support his system, gives a new meaning to the words rendered in our version " the latter *• time." p. 292. 2. Explanation of the text, " the latter time of their king- " dora." p. 248 & 293. 3. Mr. Cuninghame, to support his system, gives a new meaning to these words, p. 2J}4. II. Mr. Cuninghame's second objection, that the daily sa- crifice was already taken away from the Eastern Church before the rise of Mahometanism, an- swered, p. 295. III. Mr. Cuninghame's third objection, that Mahometanism was an opposing superstition without the Church, and not an Abomination of Desolation in the Church, answered, p. 29f>. 1, Quotation from Mr. Faber, shewing the similarity tiiat there is between Popery and Mahometanism, and between the symbols by which they are repre- sented, p. 298. 2. A remarkable passage quoted from the prophecy of Esdras, in which this similarity is pointed out. p. 299. IV. Mr. Cuninghame's^burth objection, that Mahometanism did not " destroy the mighty and the holy people," answered, p. 300. V. A quotation from Mr. Faber, in answer to Mr. Cuning- hame's fifth objection, that Mahometanism can never " stand up against the Prince of Princes ;'* and further remarks on this subject, p. 302. VI. Mr. Cuninghame's sixth objection, that Mahometanism cannot be considered as an Abomination of Desola- tion in the Eastern Church, because it is not so represented in the account given of the Fifth and Sixth Trumpets, answered, p. 303. CONTENTS. xxix 1. Mr. Cuninghame's objection, that it is not so repre- sented in any other part of the Apocalypse, an- swered, p. 305. CHAP. V. DanieVs last Prophecy of^* that which is noted in the Scrip* " ture of Truth.*' The history of individual Kings of Persia, Greece, Syria, Egypt, <§-c. — The history of the Infidel King. I. X HE events of the present day of an importance suffi- cient to lead us to expect that they wjU be the sub* ject of prophecy, p. 307. II. Napoleon Buonaparte a character of not less importance than Cyrus, Xerxes, Alexander, &c, who are all mentioned in prophecy, p. 307. m. The last prophecy of Daniel describes Napoleon Buo- naparte, the Infidel Power of the last days. p.308i IV. His hatred to the British nation characteristic, p. 308. V. The period of Infidelity confined to the period of the lif|B of an individual, p. 30f). I. The prophecy therefore relating to it consists through* out of the histories of the X\\e%oiindividuals, p.309, VI. This prophetic vision, like every other, commences from the time when the vision w^s seen, p. 310. VII. Daniel had a clearer understanding of this vision than of any other — and why, p, 313, VIII. The sublime vision of Christ seen by Daniel, similar to the appearance of Christies described in the Re-( velations. p, 3l6, JX. It is the Angel Gabriel who tovxches Danjel to strengthen him. p. 3^0. XXX CONTENTS. X. The Prince of Persia, who withstood the Angel Gabriel — who supposed to l)e. p. 318. 1. Reference to the Book of Job, Saint Jude, and Reve- lations, for examples of Satan's open opposition to the Church of Christ, p. 319. XI. Gabriel the only Angel that is named in Scripture, and employed on the highest commifesions relative to the Church of Christ, p. 322. XII. The Angel Gabriel declares, that he had assisted to overthrow the Babylonian, and that he should here- after assist to overthrow the Persian Empire. p. 323. 1. Remarkable passage in Prideaux's history illustrative of the accomplishment of this prediction, p. 3^4. XIII. Four Kings of Persia, Cambyses, Smerdis, Darius Hystaspes, and Xerxes, spoken of. p. 325. XIV. The expedition of Xerxes into Greece, p. 327. XV. In passing from the Persian to the Grecian Empire, the prophecy omits the reigns of several Kings of Persia, p. 328. XVI. The reign of Alexander the Great, p. 328. 1. His death, and the division of his kingdom, p. 329. XVII. The reigns of the Kings of Syria and Egypt — Se- leucus Nicator King of Syria, and Ptolemy King; of Egypt, p. 330. XVIII. Antiochus Theus King of Syria, and Ptolemy Phi- ladelphus King of Egypt, p. 333. XIX. Seleucus Callinicus King of Syria, and Ptolemy Euergetes King of Egypt, p. 335. XX. Seleucus Ceraunus and Antiochus Magnus, Kings of Syria, p. 336. 1. Ptolemy PhilopatorKing of Egypt defeats Antiochus the Great with immense slaughter, p. 337. 9. He gives himself up to debaucheries, and persecutes the Jews. p. 339. CONTENTS. xxxi .3. Ptolemy Epiphanes succeeds to the throne of Egypt on the death of Ptolemy Philopator. p. 341. 4. Antiochus the Great invades Egypt, p. 341. 5. The Jews revolt from Ptoltmy. p. 342. 6. Antiochus defeats the army of Ptolemy, and takes Sidon. p. 343. 7. Antiochus grants great privileges to the Jews. p. 344. S. Gives his daughter Cleopatra to the young King Pto- lemy, p. 345. 9. Who takes the part of her husband rather than of her father, p. 346. 10. Antiochustakesmanyofthemaiitimeciiiesandislands on the coasts of Asia Minor, p. 347. 11. He is completely defeated by Scipio, and Syria be- comes tributary to the Romans, p. 349. J 2. Dies ingloriously. — The manner of his death not pre- cisely known, p. 350. XXI. The prophecy passes over to the Roman Empire. — The history of litile more than two hundred years has j'et been given. — The prophecy would be ex- tended to an extraordinary length were it to relate in this manner the lives of a regular succession of individuals, p. 351. XXII. This kind of prophecy so clear, that were it continued through every generation, every event would have been foreseen before it took place, p. 352. XXIII. A great interval in the prophecy to be expected in this place, p. 353. XXiy. The prophecy passes from Antiochus the Great to Louis XVI. the immediate predecessor of the In- fidel King. p. 353. J. Louis X^'I. a Raiser of Taxes. — His eventful death. p. 354. XXV. Napoleon Buonaparte of base origin, obtaius the Em* pire of France by ariihce. p. 355- xxxii CONTENTS. 1 . He is appointed to the command of the auny of Italy in the year 1796. p. 359. (c) Defeats the Austriatis under General Beaulieu — who is obliged to retreat into the Tyrol, p. 359. 2. Enters upon the Papal territories 19th of June, 1796-^ the Pope obliged to purchase a peace by great sa- crifices, p. 36l. 3. Consolidates his power in Italy — flatters the Literati. p. 363. 4. Levies imiuerise contributions, p. 368. 5. Takes the castle of Milan, and invests the fortress of Mantua, p. 3/4. 6. The Emperor of Austria uses every exertion to collect another army for the defence of Italy, p. 377. 7. Buonaparte, though possessed only of an inferior force, defeats the Austrian armies by the skilfulness of his manoeuvres, p. 3,79- 8. End of the campaign of the Austrians in Italy, p. 381. 9. The plans of the Austrian army betrayed to Buona- parte, p, 382. (fl) Their great loss in this campaign, p. 381. 10. The Emperor of Austria and the Pope enter into a league together, p. 384. («) General Colli sent by the Emperor tp take the. com- mand of the Papal forces. — The Papal States over- run by the French. — The Pope submits, p. 390. 1 1 . Recapitulation of the events of thecampaign. — During his stay in Italy Buonaparte shewed his hatred of England by occupying the port of Leghorn, p. 391. [a) Suspension of hostilities with Austria in April, 1797. — Treaty of Campo Formic signed 17th of Octo- ber, p. 397. {b) Situation of the Pope during the year 1797. p. 39R. The overthrow of the Papacy expected at Rome. p. 398. CONTENTS. xxKiii fc) An Insur ration in Rome. — The Papal government overthrown. — Rome declared a Republic i5th February, 1798. p. 399. fd) The Cardinals expelled fiom Rome.— The Pope himself banished, and dies in obscurity, p. 402. 12. Buonaparte sails from Toulon, and lands in Egypt 2d July, 1798. p. 404. 13. Battle of the Nile fought on the let of August, 1796. p. 405. (a) Buonaparte repulsed before St. John d'Acre in May, 1799. p. 405. 14. Quits the expedition, and returns to France 23d August, 1799- p. 407. 15. Finds the aifairs of France in great disorder, p. 469. (aj His military success. — Defeats theAustrians ii^the battle of Marengo l6th June, 1800. p. 410. (b) The Austriaus defeated by Morcau in the battle of Hohenlinden, fought on the 3d December, 1800. p. 411. (qJ Treaty of Luneville signed on the 9th February, 1801. p. 412. 16. Buonaparte enters into a negotiation with the Pope for the re-establishment of the Catholic worship in France ; Concordat signed lOth September, 1801. p. 412. 17. Excites a confederacy of the Northern Powers against Great Britain, p. 419. (a) The Danes defeated in the battle of Copenhagen on the 2d April, 1801, and detached from the con- federacy, p. 426. /^i>The confederacy finally dissolved by the death of the Emperor Paul, and the accession of the Erapevor Alexander, p. 429. J8. General efforts made for the diffusion of religious xxxiv CONTENTS. knowledge. — Different Missionary Societies esta- blished.— Bible Society established in the year 1804. p. 430. 19. Sutierings of the Protestant countries of Germany, from the year 1805 to the year I8O7 ; and again in the year 1813. — Establishment of the Society for the Relief of the Distresses in Germany, p. 435. ■ Xa) The prophecy continuing the personal history of the Infidel King. p. 445. '20. Aggrandizement of France during the negotiation of the peace of Amiens, signed on 27th March, 1802. p. 447. (a) Buonaparte exercises an arbitrary and despotic power in France, p. 448. 21. Commences a long course of uninterrupted prosperity — defeats the allied Austrian and Russian army at the battle of Austerlitz 2d December, 1805. p. 450. (a) Forms the Confederation of the Rhine — defeats the Prussians at the battle of Jena on the 14th October » I'SOG — and the Russians in the battle of Friedland on the 14th June, I8O7. p. 453. (h) Places his brother Joseph on the throne of Spain, 1808. p. 454. (c) Renews the war with Austria, and enters Vienna 13th May, I8O9. p. 455. (d) Peace concluded at Vienna on the 14th October, 1809. p. 456. (e) Divorces the Empress Josephine, and marries the Archduchess of Austria, p. 456. " (f) Invades Russia with an immense force, June, 1812. p. 458. 22. The policy of Buonaparte in rewarding his followers with grants of land in the conquered countries p. 459. (a) List of the Kings, Princes, and Marshals, create4 by him. p. 463. CONTENTS. XXXV 23. The character of Buonaparte — his infidelity and un- belief— trusts alone in his own destiny — honours only the God of War. p. 465. (a) Magnifies himself, and speaks marvellous things against the God of Gods. p. 468. (h) Assumes even the name of the Divinity, p. 472. 24. His retreat from Moscow in the winter of the year 1812— The campaign of the years 1813—1814. p. 473. 25. Buonaparte abdicates the thrones of France and Italy, and retires to the island of Elba. p. 474. XX\"I. Tlie remainder of this prophecy, relating to things yet future, to be illustrated by comparing it with the cotemporary prophecies in the Revelations. p. 476. 1. The periods of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Vials, already expired, p. 476. 2. The Fifth Yial predicts a dreadful judgment upon France; the events of this Vial probably yet future, p. 476. 3. The same period spoken of in Dan. xi. 40, which de- cribes a joint attack upon Buonaparte by the Em- perors of Austria and Russia, aided by a great naval force, p. 477. 4. The Infidel Power passes over from France to some other country, p. 477. XXV^II. He goes by land on a second expedition into Egypt, passing in his way through Judea — then again returns from Egypt into Judea, probably to oppose the restoration of the ten tribes, when he and all his army are utterly destroyed, p. 478. XXVIII. A time of general trouble. — The Jews converted and restored. — The second period of the Temporal Kingdom of Christ commences, p. 482. xxxvi CONTENTS. Remarks on the Interpretation^ given by former Comtnaifo' tors of the last Prophecy of Daniel, or of ** that which •* is noted in the Scripture of Truth.''^ I. All Commentators agreed in their interpretation of the first part of this prophecy, as relating to the several Kingsof Persia, Greece, Syria, and Egypt, p. 483, 1. Commentators universally allow that the latter part of the prophecy is more obscure, p. 484. 2. The first verses of that part of the prophecy v^rhich re- lates to the Vile Person, applied by all Commen- tators to Antiochus Epiphanes, p. 485. 3. No part of the prophecy, after verse 31, interpreted by Mr. Faber, or the generality of Commentators,. as relating to the life of on individual, p. 486. 4. Mr. Faber's interpretation given, p. 486. 5. The first part of the prophecy being remarkably clear, the obscurity which is supposed to exist in the lat- ter partaflfords a presumptiun that the true inter- pretation of it has never yet been discovered, p. 488. II. Reference made to the different interpretations given by Mr, Faber and Mr. Cuninghame, of the vision of the Ram and the He-goat. — Bishop Newton's and , Mr. Cuninghame's interpretation of that prophecy to be rejected, because the temple at Jerusalem is i/icon«i/e»icou„igeme„t, refer to a ,,er,od of Paganism. f the Great Red Dra^n, ng seven heads and ten horns. Rev. xii. N. B. The Pagan persecit- - J7W bein^' over he/ore the Staled and Little Opened Booh ence, the eeenlx dexenbcd •ouMC/mwiiiHcaicu. Popery, The Temporal Kingdom of Chrisl 12C0 VE.\RS. Daniel's \'ision Great Imasre, Io::.n^ r:OMAN E^IPIRE. The Period of the Strength The Roman Empire The Period oflbe Weakness ot The Roman Empire. Daniel's Vision oflhe Four Beasts, ontainspriiiripalhtlieHis- The Period Paganism, Ihe period of the Ten- Poperv, is the periott of the Time, jmos, and half, or 1 260 years during which the Saints are given into the hand of the little Papal horn, Dau.™.B,24. 2.S Daniel's \ i.sion of The Ram The Ile-Goat, MAHO.METANISM ; the n-mnrmimeneetin the tlurd Ytar of //cM.i.-iov I.e. in tite j/eiir before Christ 553. Dan. viii. I. Daniel's Prophecy of " That which is noted in the " Scripture of Truth," contains principally the his- ■iy/rw, who I •as subdued and rentla-ed tributary by the lia~ Pro/thrty thai the Homan Em- iHdii'iduai in its Jirtt jierioda. namely. U Pupery. Esdras's Vision The Great Eagle, coQtftiiis the history of the ROMAN EMPIRE. riie P.'riod TlieStivn^tliof the Roman Empire, ..jd«f " the Twelve Feathered- lii-re which follottod," i. e. of il 1)1' the Foreign Rouicui Eui- Tlie AVeakness of the Roman Empire, divided state, is the jierinH of the eight little ut.dci Ftht-tl "~ ...-.-, ,. - J parts, of j_ and three great Roman Ci fl. Esd. xi,l,:{, Thii it coiled " t/ieAfiddle t, WH. 1 owl Seal 0. i < \ M cakiiess S i Trumi.n 0. ( ■if \ = f am. A. D. IOCS 1 „ f • 2 V a,a>asu«!inh3 J Roman Lmpire. Trumpet? Thunder or Vial I. ^'^^' 1 2fi(A -./«?. 1792 ThuDderor Vial ii. Thunder or Villi 3. Thunder or Vial 5. com. 1 Match, ISIS Thunder or Viul G. Thunder 01 Vm! 7- The Period of the Destruction of the Roman Empire. .r the 1260 years of the Two- bomed BcEist that came u|) out of the earth, and of the Beast thai roie out of the sea, liaiiog sev(;n heads and tea mdi XOIhyiug. 1792. ir of the Scarlet -coloured Beast that ascvndeth out of the Bot- tomldss Pit, having sevei The Roman Empire, n Ha divided stale, is the period of the Ten Toes, part of Pot- ter's clay, and part of iron. Dan. li. 33,41^13. end* lotft .lug. 1792 SlahoiiM-tan Nil THE MILI.ENMIM. YEARS. Dan. xii. 12. Commencement Tcmpori^l Kingdom olCIirist, is in Sikiiit John the period of the Wrath of the Latnh. Destrurtiwiof the Roman Empire, and of rhe Commencement Temporal Kinp-dom of Christ, :s the pi-riod in which the ue& uf ihc Gn:at Image, and The Period of 1 he ProgT-ess of tho Kingdom of Christ, is in Sdint John the i)€riod during which the Bridn makes herself ready for the oiRrriaje. The Period The Perfection Kingdom of Christ, is in Saint John the i*n^ which commences »«^ i°«: m.-irriftKe supper "' "^'■'J^^''' TheSainis live and rcipu .iih Christ J^nn^^th^^^P^^''^ Tlie Period The Progress KinsrdomofChrist, the jienod m w die Ciiy, tii»"irra Wind QW rvduccd to powder, and s the period in which the The period of Tht; Terf'^ftjon of the Kin<^doW of Christ, little Papal Horn, to take The Progress of lite Kinijfdom of Clirist. n the pcriixl in which llio hody of the Ten-honiod Biiisi is given (o ihi- liuruing Hanf Thesublimcdeicriiif.«,. ,>f the Second Advent ot the Sun ot Man in this period, wilt be foiiml in Uan. vii. i;). t,„»paiv aU. Kii. I.Rev. i. T.Zcoh, xii. lU. n. Thcss. ii. 8. Jude. 14,15. Luke, xxi. its— 28. Acta, ii. 19,30. Ri-v. xri. 15. p/,rf. A. I>. 1H6T. The Period of The Perfection Kingdom of Chrijt, is the t^eriod nhea tlu- and Uie gi»Atn.-s|i3» 11. Infidelity. The InfidflKutg, orthe vile .h A I), IHtiT. The I'erioil ..r The IViCrtiMi. The Kins'loui of Christ, fcjojfulu A COMBINED VIEW OF THE OF DANIEL, ESDRAS, AND ST, JOHN. CHAPTER L Introductory Observations and General Rules of Interpretation. — Arrangement of the Pro- phecies.— Symbolical Dictionary. It is to be regretted that the Prophetic Writ- ings have been too much considered as the subjects of speculation, rather than as the ob- jects of scientific research ; and that even the most perfect theories of the Commentators on Prophecy, like the systems proposed by the earliest philosophers to account for the motions of the heavenly bodies, are formed on prin- ciples not sufficiently simple and comprehen- sive, and therefore, while they aifprd a solu- 2 Combined View of the Prophecies, tion to some phenomena, are found to leave many others still unsatisfactorily explained. But whenever the Prophecies are completely understood, there is no doubt that the same grandeur, unity, and simplicity of plan will be discovered in the Word of God, as already are acknowledged in the works of His hands. Any partial elucidations of the Prophetic Writings should therefore be considered rather as of- fering means to the disclosure of the general laws of these writings, than as being valu- able in themselves ; for it can only be by its agreement with one general plan, that we can be sure that any interpretation is in itself cor- rect ; and except they lead to the illustration of some general principle, these partial dis- coveries will be of little advantage to the pro- gress of the science ; for with some portion of truth, there will be combined so great a pro- portion of error, that these truths themselves will be of but little practical use. The attention therefore of all Commenta- tors should be directed towards this one object: viz., with the aid of such striking elucidations of prophecy, as are afforded by certain passages in history, to form the fewest and most simple rules of general interpretation. The wonderful events which have taken place since the year 1792, have so much increased Introductory Observations^ 6fc. 3 the number of facts forming prophetic data, as to have introduced anew era for prophetic his- tory ; and writers of the present day, in their attempts to elucidate the Prophecies, possess advantages very superior to those enjoyed by their predecessors. These advantages have not, however, been sufficiently applied to their most important end, the discovery of general prin- ciples: and though the number of writers has been greatly increased, it is very questionable whether the science has been proportionably advanced, either in itself, or in the estimation of the public ; and whether the great diversity of opinions, and the many fanciful interpreta- tions proposed, have not rather tended to con- firm the idea before entertained, of the great difficulty and uncertainty of any attempt to ex- plain the prophecies. The works of Mr. Faber, and of Mr. Cuning- hame, are however to be esteemed as valuable acquisitions to the public ; for they have un- doubtedly tended to throw considerable light on some important points. In the course of the examination, upon which we are now entering, I should willingly have avoided any reference to the opinion of other Commentators, leaving each system to stand upon its own merits ; but I am aware of the truth of the observation made by Mr. Faber, b2 4 Combined View of the Prophecies. that on so important a subject, and Mhere only one interpretation can be right, no person ought to offer a ne^v one, unless he can at the ' same time shew that of his predecessor to be : unsatisfactory*; and this rule I feel it pecu- liarly incumbent upon me to observe, as my chief object is to maintain the accuracy, pre- cision, and competency of the Prophetic Writings. As there can be but one true interpretation of each prophecy, Commentators, in order to obtain this, should endeavour to make their general rules of examination as strict as pos- * See the Dedication of Mr. Faber's Work on the Pro- phecies, where he observes qs follows : — " An intemperate " introduction of new interpretations is highly dangerous *' and mischlerous ; because it has a natural tendency to " unsettle the minds of the careless and the wavering, and *' is apt to induce them hastily to take up the preposterous ** opinion, that there can be no certainty in the exposition of *' Prophecy. On these grounds I have ever been persuaded, ** that a Commentator discharges his duty but ver^- imper- *' fectly, if, when he advances a new interpretation of an)- " prophecy that has been already interpreted, lie satisfies ** himself with merely urging in favour of his scheme the ff most plausible arguments that lie has been able to invent. *' Of every prediction there may be many erroneous expo- " sitions, but there can only be one that is riglit : it is not ** enough therefore for a Commentator to fortify with elabo- *' rate infrenuity his own system. Before he can reasonably «« expect it to be adopted by others, he must shew likewise. Introductory Observations^ 6fc. & sible ; that while they are found to be uni- versally applicable, they may yet in every in- dividual case allow of but one meaning. The following Rules are founded upon a con- viction that the Prophetic Writings are in every respect perfect, and consequently capable of one uniform and satisfactory explanation: Com- mentators endeavouring to obtain an interpret- ation of them on these grounds, may hope that their labour will not be vain and fruitless. THE FIRST RULE therefore which I pro- pose to establish is, That all the prophecies must be arranged on one uniform plan. *• that the expositions of his predecessors are erroneous in " those points wherein he differs from them. Such a mode *' of writing as this may undoubtedly expose him to tlie " charge of captiousness : it will likewise unavoidably in- *' crease the size of his work ; and may possibly weary those '* readers, who disUke the trouble of thoroughly examining " a subject : but it will be found to be the only way, in •' which there is even a probability of attaining to the truth." The method here recommended by Mr. Faber I agree with him in considering as the best calculated to produce eventu- ally a fixed and established interpretation of the Prophecies ; I shall therefore follow it throughout this investigation. But as it may only be necessary to consider the interpretations given by the best and latest writers, my obser\'ations will chiefly be made upon Mr. Faber's " Dissertation on the Prophecies relative to the Period of the 126O Years," &c. &c., and upon Mr. Cuninghame's " Dissertation on the Seals and Trum- pets, and the Prophetic Period of 1260 Years." 6 Combined View of the Prophecies, THE SECOND RULE enjoins the forma- tion of a Symbolical Dictionary, on the suppo- sition that the language of prophecy is clear and definite, and that each word or symbol contained in it preserves the same meaning : or in other words, this Rule requires ns in explaining any symbol, to refer to every other passage where it occurs, and to giy^ it throughout a similar and consistent interpretation. To these two principal rules the following Minor Rules may be added. I. As the figurative language of the Scrip- tures is peculiarly natural, and striking, so in interpreting the symbolical prophecies that must be considered to be their true meaning which is most easy and natural. II. We should consider every visible symbol, as representing some visible object. III. We must not interpret two co-existent symbols, as representing the same object ; for the same thing would then appear to be in two places at once *. IV. On the ground of the supposed precision of prophetic language, a preference should * The propriety of this Rule is so obvious, that it seems unnecessary to sjiecify it; it is therefore principally introduced in order to notice a moditication of it under certain circum- stances. An instance of what might appear an exception to the rule occurs in chap. xii. of the Revelations, where the Introductory Observations, Sfc. 7 be given to that sense of any word or phrase which is most limited and precise. These appear to be all the rules which it is necessary to enumerate, for it would seem super- fluous to add that each symbol must be made to preserve in the interpretation a natural and con- sistent course of action -f-. By a compliance with the First Rule, which requires us to arrange the several Prophecies ac- cording to one general system, we shall be as- suied that we accurately understand the plan of each ; as the one will confirm the other. By Church is represented by two co-existent symbols, — The Woman, — and The Seed of the Woman : — but here it is to be observed, that the two s}Tiibols describe the same thing in two different capacities, and, taken together, only form one complete representation of the object : the Woman repre- sents The Church as a Spiritual Establishment, or a Collec- tive body, The Seed of the Woman, the Individual Mem- bers of that body. So the Holy Place or Inner Court of the Temple, mentioned in chap. xi. of the Revelations, also represents the Spiritual Church on Earth, — its Individual Members, are Those who worship in that part of the Temple. t Yet the Two Witnesses spoken of in chap. xi. of the Revelations as prophesying, clothed in sackcloth during a period of 1260 years, have been represented in the works of I believe all our best and ablest Commentators as slain, lying dead three years and a half, and ascending into Heaven, several hundred years before they consider the period of their prophe- Bjnng upon earth to terminate. 8L Combined View, 6fc. this Rule also, which leads us to make natural divisions in all the prophecies, and to establish certain coincidencies between them at collateral points, the Commentator will be enabled to confirm his interpretation, by comparing it with that of the parallel prophecy, where most frequently the same fact will be found to be spoken of, in terms equally applicable to the event. In adhering to the Second Rule, that of re- ferring to all the places Avhere the same symbols are found, we are using the surest means of obtaining the correct sense of each word or symbol employed in the narration of prophetic history. In examining, as required by our first rule, the M orks of the historical prophets, Daniel and Saint John, for the purpose of discovering their general plan, we shall perceive two classes of prophecies, of which the object of the one is to give the Temporal llistor} of the ^^orld, and of the other, the History of the Church. Thus the vision of the Great Image of Daniel*, and the Sealed Book of Saint Johnf? will be found to relate to the history of ihe kingdoms of this world : while the vision of the Four Beasts of Daniel :|:, and the Little Opened * Daii. ii. 31, 45. t Rev. vi. to x. * Dan, vii. Arrangement of the Prophecies. 9 Book of Saint John *, relate chiefly to the history of the Church ; being principally occupied by the account of the Papacy. In these two his- tories of the World and of the Church, the time subsequent to the rise of the Roman Empire is divided into three periods ; and the last pe- ! riods in both histories will be found to sjn- chronize. The periods in the history of the Roman Em- pire may be called, First, the Period of its Strength as are- public, and under its emperors. Secondly, the Period of its Weakness, when divided into ten kingdoms. Thirdly, the Period of its Destruction. The three successive periods in the history of the Church, during the same space of time, are those in which it is opposed by its three great enemies, the Pagan, Papal, and Infidel Powers. "'The period of Destruction in the history of the Empire, is the same as the period of Infide- lity in the history of the Church ; the last periods in each synchronizing. The Temporal Kingdom of Christ \^ also described as succeeding to the kingdoms of this world. * Rev. xi. to xxi. 10 Combined View, Sfc. Its history divides likewise into three periods, which may be called those of its Commence- ment, Progress, and Perfection. The first, or that of its Commencement, synchro- nizes with the period in ^\ hich the Empire is Destroyed, and consecjuently with that of Infi- delity in the history of the Church. Before I proceed to arrange the different pro- phecies according to the scheme lieie proposed, it will be desirable that I should bring for- ward some arguments to prove that the vision of the Great Image of Daniel and the Sealed Book of Saint John relate solely to the kingdoms of this w orld ; and in the event to the temporal kingdom of Christ : and that the vision of the Four Beasts of Daniel, and the Little Opened Book of Saint, John, relate principally to the history of the Church ; and ultimately to its triumphant and universal establishment. On a cursory examination of these prophe- cies it will be evident, that the fii'st part of the vision of the Great Image does not include any thing relating to the Church * : and it is to be observed, that when the Kingdom of Christ is afterwards introduced into the vision, it is spoken of only as a temporal kingdom ; for the stone is represented as breaking in pieces the * Dan. ii. 31 — 33 and 37—43. Arrangement of the Prophecies. 11 ten toes of iron and clay* ; which description is intended to shew the destruction of the tem- poral power of the ten kingdoms of the divided Roman Empire : and by its afterwards increas- ing to a mountain, and tilling the whole world -f, is described the universal establishment of the same temporal kingdom of Christ upon earth, during the period of the Millennium. On the other hand, the vision of the Four Beasts appears to relate principally to thel history of the Church; the kingdoms of this' world, or the four Great Empires, being- only spoken of as introductory to it : .the chief subject of it is the persecution of the Saints by the Papal Power, (which is represented under the emblem of a little Horn) and the sub- sequent destruction of that power J. The terms used in this prophecy, in relation to the period of the Millennium, also shew, that the object of it is peculiarly the Church ; for it is spoken of as the period in which the Saints, or the Church, should possess the kingdom §. In comparing this description with that before given of the same period, in the vision of the Great Image, we may clearly perceive the different objects of these two prophecies. In proceeding to inquire into the subjects of * Dan. ii. 35. f Dan. ii. 34, 44. : Dan. vii, 8. "20 — 26. § Dan. vii. 27. 12 Combined View, 6fc. the Sealed and Opened Book of St. John, 1 would observe, that the Sealed Book (consisting 6f chap. vi. to X. of Revelations) Mill be found' hereafter, upon minute examination, to relate only to temporal concerns. The Six first Seals will be found to relate to the Empire in its Western Branch, during its Two first Periods, and though these may seem to contain something relative to the Church, as we might discover from Rev. vi. 11, that the Church would be exposed, during the periods of these Seals, to two persecutions (the one Pagan, and the other Papal), it is to be ob- served, that these are not predicted or symbo- lically represented, but only alluded to, as being connected with the signal temporal judg- ment of the great Earthquake of the French Revolution, described in Rev. vi. 12 : Mhich temporal judgment was inflicted on account of these persecutions, and is in fact the only event mentioned as taking place upon earth during the whole period of the fifth and sixth Seals. The Six first Trumpets will be found to relate to the Empire in its Eastern Branch during its Tm'o first Periods, and here, under the third Trumpet, the introduction of false doctrines into the Greek Church is indeed actually re- presented under the figure of a Star falling upon the Rivers and Fountains of water, and Arrangement of the Prophecies. 13 making them bitter* ; but this event is men- tioned in the Sealed Book, only because it was intimately connected with the history of the Empire^ laying the foundation for the preva- lence of the Mahometan arms, which eventu- ally caused its overthrow : so that we may here trace the same connexion between the intro- duction of false doctrines f into the Greek Church, spoken of upon the sounding of the third Trumpet, and the Woes that were after- wards inflicted by the Saracens and Turks, described under the fifth and sixth Trumpets, as we before observed in the history of the Western Branch of the Empire, between the persecutions of the Saints, referred to upon the opening of the fifth Seal, and the Judgment of the Earthquake of the sixth Seal, by which these persecutions were avenged. Thus, from both these instances we find that, in the history of the Empire, as much of the history of the Church is introduced, as is inseparably connected with it : and in the his- tory of the Church also, the kingdoms of this * Rev. viii. 10, 11. t These false doctrines are also alluded to by Daniel, when he speaks of the transgression which the Mahometan arms were raised up to chastise. " And an host was given him" («. €. to the Mahometan power) " against the daily sacrifice, by reason of transgression." Dan. viii. 12. 14 Combined View, 6fc. world are spoken of, as far as is necessary, for the purpose of introducing and explaining the subject treated of*; but still, each class of prophecy has its own peculiar and distinct object. That the Little Opened Book of St. John (consisting of the eleventh and following chap- ters of Revelations) treats chiefly of the Church, and particularly of the remarkable period of the 1260 years, will clearly appear from the most cursory examination of it: I shall not therefore think it necessary in this place, to go over any part of its contents, espe- cially as I shall have occasion to do so here- after, in examining the plan and arrangement of the Apocalypse. For one further and more particular proof, however, that the Sealed Book relates to the history of the Empire, and the Opened Book to the history of the Church, I refer to chap, vii. of Revelations, being a part of the Sealed Book, and to chap, xiv*, being part of the Little Opened Book ; and both relating to the same period (commencing in the year 1792). A comparison between these two chapters will accurately point out the peculiar design of each book ; for we shall find the same nation spoken of in each ; and, in each clearly * Dan. vii. l — 7, viii. 3 — 8, Arrangement of the Prophecies. 15 under a different character : in the Sealed Book, as it stands related to the Empire, and in the Opened Book, as it stands related to the Church. In the Sealed Book during the last period of the Empire, before the work of destruction commences, a people, represented under the emblem of the Israelitish nation, and called the Servants of God, are put under His pro- tection, and sealed with His seal : that the temporal judgments about to be sent upon the earth, might not come nigh them*. The Pro- testant nation is introduced here in its national capacity, as one of the ten kingdoms of the divided Roman Empire ; and is here described as being preserved amidst the temporal judg- ments, by which the others are destroyed. In the Opened Book, chap. xiv. 1 — 5; and chap. XV. 2 — 4, the same people, or the Pro- testant nation, is again introduced, and during the same period as before, namely, that in which the last judgments are inflicted upon the Western and Eastern branches of the Empire, and upon the enemies of the Church ; and we find them described in this place in their cha- racter as members of the true Church, and as triumphing in the destruction of its enemies f . * Rev. ni. 1 — 4. See also Article Israelitish Nation, in the Symbolical Dictionarj-. f Rev. xiv. 4. • H 16 Combined View, ^-c. The purity of their religious profession, and their having " the first" forsaken the Papal superstition (while the other nine nations of the divided Roman Empire remained under its influence), is also mentioned ; and they are represented as glorifying God, in this eventful period, for the manifestation of His judgments in the world. In all these particulars they appear as connected with the history of the Church ; they sing, likewise, a " new song," which is represented on a former occasion, as part of the employment of the Living Crea- tures and Elders, or of the Church in Heaven*. And it is before, or in the presence of these, that the Israelitish nation are represented as singing this song of triumph ; implying, that they are thus emplo} ed in their characters as members of the Church on earth. In comparing the descriptions given of the future state of the blessed in each book, we shall still find some reference to a distinction be- tween the subjects of which they particularly treat (although during this period, the his- tories of the empire and of the church may be considered as united), for the principal descrip- tion given of this period, in the sealed book, is, that the Mro we of God should be with men, *Rev. V. 9. See also article, The Living Ceeatubes, i:c. in the Sjinbolical Dictionary. Arrangement of the Prophecies, 17 and that he should rule* his people ; while in the opened book, the Church, or the new Jeru- salem, is principally spoken of, its description occupying nearly the whole of chap. xxi. The distinction between the subjects of these books, as relating severally to the Empire and to the Church, we shall tind also to pervade the descriptions which are given in each of the transactions in heaven. For, preparatory to the entering upon the prophetic parts of his narrative, St. John de- scribes the Living Creatures, and the Elders of the church, as standing near the throne of God, and the Angels as surrounding them-j* : and when our Saviour, who appears as a Lamb that had been slain, receives the book of prophecy to open it, the Church first, and then the An^ gels, fall doAvn and worship him ; the Church ascribing praise to him as their Redeemer, and the Angels ascribing power, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing, to him as their King:}:. Christ is here represented as receiv- * The word rendered, in our translation of Revelations vii. 17, " to Feed,^^ frequently signifies to Rule or Govern, in its most unlimited sense ; it is the same word that is founrf in Rev. xix. 15, where it is said that Christ should " smite the nations with a sharp sword," and " Rule them with arod of iron;" and which occurs again in the same sense, in Rev, ii. 27, andxii. 5. t Rev. iv. and v. % Rev. v. 8—14. C 18 Combined Vieu\ &^'c. ing the adoration both of the Church and of the Angels ; of the one, as the Head of the Ghurch, and of the other, as the Creator and Governor of the World ; for the book about to be opened contains the histories of each*. But when the prophecy commences, it is observable^ that during the events of the larger or Sealed Book, though the Church is represented as present, the ascriptions of praise are made by the Angels alone f as ministers of his power ; for the events relate to the kingdoms of this world, and to Christ as King ; whereas, during the events of the Little Opened Book, these ascriptions are made by the Church, while the Angels are not mentioned as uniting in them J ; for the contents of this Book relate to the Church, and to Christ as its head. The cir^ cumstance is remarkable, and has been noticed by former commentators, who have not, hoAv- * The Little Book was included in the Larger Book, for it related to the same period ; the opening of the Seven Seals, opened the whole period of time from the reign of Constan- tine the Great, to the end of all things, though the events thus revealed are separately detailed in three several histories, as relating to the two Branches of the Empire and to the Church ; when the histoiy of the Church is therefore intro- duced, it appears contained in a little book or codicil ** that has been opened." ,t Rev. vii. 11. X Rev. xi. l6, and jdx. 4. Arrangement of the Prophecies. 19 ever, been able to offer any explanation* ; nor does it appear easy to find one, unless that l)e admitted as satisfactory which is here pro- posed. A further proof of a marked distinction be- tween the two classes of Prophecies, is derived from their first periods being different the one from the other ; for were we to attempt to di- vide the Sealed Book, containing the history of the Empire, so as to correspond with the termi- nation of the first period, or the commencement of the second period of the 1260 years, in the history of the Church, the division (as will ap- pear when yse proceed to the minute interpreta- tion of each prophecy) would fall between the third and fourth Seals, where there is no natural division pointed out ; but where, on the con- trary, it would divide the four homogenous sym- bols of the Four Horsemen, seated on various coloured horses. A similar observation applies to the vision of the Great-Image of Daniel, whose first period [i. e., of the legs of Iron) I consider as cotemporary with that of the Four Horsemen in Saint John. There is one striking proof which may yet be given, of the correctness of the general theory I have adopted, derived from shewing * See Whiston on the Revelation of St. John. c2 *20 Combined View, Sfc. that the Apocalypse of St. John, in the inter- pretation of which commentators have so mucli differed, falls in immediately with it, in the na- tural order of the chapters. For this purpose, we shall go over, in a cursory manner, the con- tents of each chapter, in the order in which they stand ; and we shall find, as will be confirmed by the more minute investigation of it here- after, that the Temporal History of the Western Branch of the Roman Empire is first given, as divided into three periods, and brought to a conclusion, when the Temporal Kingdom of Christ, which succeeds to it, is spoken of, be- fore another subject is admitted. After this, there is a pause in the representation, inti- mating the commencement of a new series of Prophecy ; and the Temporal History of the Eastern Branch of the Empire, divided also into three periods, is next begun, and brought to a conclusion. Then follows, lastly, the history of the Church, with an intimation, that the order of pro- phecy is again about to commence ; and this is brought down as divided into three periods, to the termination of its militant state, or to the final Destruction of its enemies. The progress and triumphant establishment of the Church of Christ upon earth, are next described, then the day of the last judgment, mu\ finally the future Arrangement of the Prophecies. 21 happy state of the blessed, with an account of which the book closes. The arrangement of the Apocalypse, thus un- derstood, is perfectly simple, and we shall have occasion to admire the manner in which it is written, that not only new subjects are intro- duced by intimations that the order of Pro- phecy is on the point of commencing afresh, but at the conclusion of each history, the same events appear to be pui-posely spoken of in si- milar language, to shew where the different pe- riods in the History of the Church and of the Empire synchronize. In commencing the examination proposed, I would observe, that the prophetic part of this \ Book begins with the sixth chapter, which con- ■ tains, under the four first homogenous Seals, the history of the first period of the Roman Empire, properly so called, viz., the Western Branch of the Roman Empire. This first period here described, is the Period of its Strength, while under its Emperors. The two next Seals occupy the second pe- riod, or that of its Weakness, while divided into ten kingdoms ; this period ends with a Great Earthquake under the Sixth Seal, which iii?me- diately precedes (as we learn from the verses that follow) the third period, or that of the De- struction of the Empire, described in the next 22 Combined View^ Sfc. chapter, called also here, the Day of the Wrath of the Lamb* ; and in Isaiah, the Day of Ven- geance of Christ, and the Year of his Re- deemed. Chap. vii. commences with an intimation that it succeeds to the period of time described in the foregoing chapters ; it relates, verses 1 — 8, to the same branch of the Empire during- the Period of its Destruction, and of the Wrath of the Lamb ; yet it does not detail the effects of that wrath, but shews that one of the ten na- tions of the divided Western Roman Empire, as being- under the peculiar protection of God, should be exempted from it. The Seven Thunders in this History of the Empire (referring to the same events as the Seven Vials of Wrath in the Histoiy of the Church) could not now be introducetl, though ' we have arrived at the period, in the order of time to ^A'hich they relate, or that in which the Western Roman Empire is destroyed ; for the judgments of this period affect also the Eastern branch of the Empire, and the apostate Church ; but the histories of these last have not yet been given, which must first be sei)arately related, ' before the judgments which are common to them all can be declared. * Rev. vi. 17. Arrangement of the Prophecies. ^2r • It is because the account of the destruction of tlie Empire is not yet to be noticed that the opening' of the Seventh Seal is not stated at the commencement of this chapter to usher in the Period ; for, had it been said, as in former cases, " The Seal was opened,'* we should have expected of course, that what followed would be the peculiar subject of that Seal, in which we should have been deceived ; for the prin- cipal events of the Seventh and last Seal relate to the Destruction of the Empire, Avhich could not, for the reasons stated, be yet spoken of. The History is carried on in the remainder of this chapter to the end of all things, as ap- pears from comparing verses 15, 16, 17, with the description of the future state of the blessed, contained in chap. xxi. 3, 4, for in both chap- ters the same expression is used, that God should dwell with men. — In the Sealed Book it is said, that his Throne should be with men, or that he should " dwell among them'* as their King ; and in the Opened Book, that his Ta- bernacle should be with men, or that he should " dwell with them" as head of the Church. — With this chapter terminates the History of the Western Branch of the Empire. Chap. viii. begins with an intimation, that the period of the Seventh and last Seal is passed ; and then there succeeds a pause iU 24 Combined View, Sfc. the representation, intimating that the Seven Seals having- been opened, the Apostle St. John was about to begin a new series of Prophecy, and to detail, in the periods of the Seven Trum- pets, the corresponding History of the Eastern Branch of the Empire. This chapter contains, verses 3 — 5, a general introduction to the sub- ject of the Seven Trumpets, and a summary account of them, referring to a most important event, which will take place in the period of the Seventh, namely, to the second and last Great Earthquake of the Apocalypse, which is accompanied by voices, and thunderings, and lightnings. Verse 6 — end, contains an account of the four first Trumpets, and gives the His- toiy of the Eastern Branch of the Empire in its first period, describing various events which took place during the reign of the Em- perors. Chap. ix. contains an account of the Fifth and Sixth Trumpets, or the first and second Woe-Trumpets, which relate to the Eastern Branch of the Empire during its Second Pe- riod, Avhile desolated by the Saracens and Turks. Chap.x. relates to the Eastern Branch of the Empire during its third and last period : the seven Thunders, or Declarations of Wrath, which occupy this period, are heard by St. Arraiigement of the Prophecies. 25 John ; but the sounding- of the Seventh Trum- pet, which refers to the whole period of the Thunders, and which, according to the regular order of the Prophecy, should have announced them, is not here mentioned ; the reason of this is, that they are the same as the Seven Vials of Wrath, containing the Seven last Plagues, after- ^> ards introduced ; which affect, at once, each Branch of the Empire, and the Apostate Church ; but the history of the Church has not yet been heard ; the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet, announcing the destruction common to all, is therefore not yet made known ; and that which the voices of the Seven Thunders uttered, is directed to be concealed, in order that it may be revealed in its proper place, or when the History of the Church in its First Periods has been related. We find that the circumstances connected with the introduction of the Seventh Trumpet are similar to those of the Seventh Seal, for the period to which they both allude is to be noticed, but the principal events which passed in this period, to be concealed : and here there appears a beautiful variety in the method by which the same end is attained ; in the case of the Seventh Seal we have seen, that other events*, not immediately connected with the * See Rev, vii. 1 — 8. 26 Combined View, ^c. principal subject of it, but taking place at the same time, were introduced to fill up the pe- riod ; and after they were passed it was inti- mated, that the period of the Seventh Seal was passed : in the case of the Seventh Trumpet, the seven successive judgments, ^^hich are the chief events of this period, are made known to St. John by the voices of the Seven Thunders : but he is commanded to seal up that which they uttered, and not include it, as yet, in his Prophecy. In both cases, the period of time is noted, but information as to the principal events which passed in it is not prematurely given. With these Seven Thunders terminates the history of the Eastern Branch of the Em- pire. Chap. xi. commences the history of the Church, containing part of the Little Opened Book, which, when St. John had received, as described in the preceding chapter, he was told he must prophesy again, or speak of the same periods in the history of the Church, which he had already gone over in the history of the Eastern and Western Branches of the Empire. This chapter notices (in verses 1 and 2) a general defection from spiritual worship, ' which should take place in the Visible Church, for a period of 1260 years. In verses 3 — 12, it mentions the disesteem in which the Word of Arrangement of the Prophecies. 27 God, contained in the Old and New Testa- ment, should he held during' this period. In verse 13, the Earthquake of the Sixth Seal is again spoken of, and is introduced into this Little Book, relating to the Church, because it is equally a judgment on the nations, and on the Apostate Church ; and is the forerunner of the series of judgments about to be inflicted upon both, during the last period of 30 years. After this, the sounding of the Seventh Trum- pet, which refers to the same point of time as the opening of the Seventh Seal, is announced: for the history of the two first periods in the Western and Eastern Branches of the Empire having been before related, and the history of the Church being- now brought down to the proper period, the Seventh Trumpet, which refers to all three, is at length said to sound ; the Day of the Wrath of God to arrive ; and, the Kingdoms of this world to become the Kingdoms of Christ. The eleventh chapter contains therefore an epitome of the whole his- tory of the Church militant. The subsequent chapters of the Little Book only repeat this history, and enlarge on the events of its several periods. Chap. xii. recommences the subject, con- taining the history of the Church during the latter part of its First Period, or that of Prf^ 28 Combined View, 6j'c. ganism, when it was persecuted by the Roman Empire under the influence of Satan, the God of Idolaters. Chap. xiii. succeeds, in the order of time, to the foregoing chapter; and contains the his- tory of the Church during- the Second Period, when it was persecuted by the Roman Em- pire, under the influence of the Papacy. Chap. xiv. ver. 1 — 13. succeeds, in the order of time, and relates to the Third and last Period ; representing chiefly the Protestant nation during the Period of Wrath ; as glorify- ing God for His judgments upon the Papacy : ver. 14 — end, relates to the judgments, which, during the same period, are inflicted upon the Papal nations ; of which the last will be sig- nally severe. Chap. XV. and xvi. describe the same period; the Seven Vials of Wrath are poured out, con- taining the Seven last Plagues, which are the same as the Seven Thunders, and are therefore referred to by the Seventh Seal, and the Seventh Trumpet ; for they are the final judgments upon the Eastern and Western Branches of the Empire, and upon the Papacy ; and also, in the end, upon the Infidel power. Chap. xvii. and xviii. relate to the same period ; and the Roman Empire is shewn (chap, xvii. ver. 1 — 6) under the influence of the Beast Arrangement of the Prophecies. 29 out of the Bottomless Pit, or the Beast of In- fidelity. The remainder of this chapter is occu- pied with the explanation of the Angel, respect- ing the Beast of Infidelity. Chap, xviii. con- tains the remainder of this "period ; and conti- nues the Vision from the 6th verse of the pre- ceding chapter, describing the double fall of the Papacy. Chap. xix. succeeds in the order of time, and describes (verses 1 — 8) the further period of 45 years, which, after the destruction of the Infidel Power and the Papacy, intervenes before the commencement of the Millennium. Verses 8 — 10, introduce the Millennium. Verses 11— 20, refer to the last part of the period of 30 years ; and describe the last great battle, in which the Infidel Power and the Papacy are overthrown. And verse 21 gives an account of the subsequent complete annihilation of all the enemies of Christ. Chap. XX. treats of the Millennium ; and reaches to the consummation of all things, and to the last judgment. Chap. xxi. and xxii. describe the future state of the blessed. We have thus, by a slight reference to the contents of each chapter of the Apocalypse, shewn that it contains, in regular order, — first, the history of the Western Branch of the Em- ^ Combined View,, SfC. pire, divided into the periods of the Seven Seals ; then, the history of the Eastern Branch of the Empire, divided into the periods of tlie Seven Trumpets ; and thirdly, the History of the Church ; the last period of which is occu- pied with the pouring out of the Seven Vials of Wrath, by which its enemies are destroyed. The commencement of each history, Me have already shewn, is marked in the text, by an in- timation that the order of prophecy is about to begin afresh ; and we have now to shew, from notices also discoverable in the text, that these histories end together, or that the periods of the last Seal, and the last Trumpet, in the history of the Empire, and the period of the Seven Vials of Wrath, in that of the Church, synchro- nize. In order to prove the synchronism of the last Seal and Trumpet, I would observe, that on the opening of the Sixth Seal, it is said, that " there was a great Earthquake," described in chap. vi. 12 — 14 ; and from the next verses 15 — 17, we learn, that this Earthquake is immediately fol- lowed by the Great Day of the Wrath of the Lamb. Again, where the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet is mentioned, in chap. xi. 13 — 18, we find, that an Earthquake immediately /j?ecfr/c.9 it ; and that as soon as the Seventh Trumpet Arrangement of the Prophecies. 31 sounds, the Day of the Wrath of God is said to be arrived, from which circumstances we draw the conclusion, that the period of the Sixth Trumpet* contains the Earthquake, which is im- mediately followed by the Day of the Wrath of God ; but the period of the Sixth Sealf , we have just seen, contains the same Earthquake : the periods of the Sixth Seal and the Sixth Trum- pet therefore synchronize, both containing the same events. The Sixth Seal in the history of the Western branch of the Empire, being thus proved to synchronize with the Sixth Trumpet in the his- tory of the Eastern branch of the Empire, it follows, that the Seventh Seal also synchronizes with the Seventh Trumpet, or that these histo- ries terminate together. To prove that the period of the Seventh Trumpet synchronizes also with the last Period in the history of the Church, or that in which the Seven Vials of Wrath are described as being poured out, I would observe, that on the sound- ing of the Seventh Trumpet^ " the Temple of God is opened in Heaven," or the Holy of Holies is opened, and there is seen in his Tem- ple the Ark of his Testament. There then fol- lows the Second Earthquake of the Apocalypse, * Rev. xi. 13. t vi. 12. 32 Combined View, ^c. Avliich is distinguished from the first by the *' Great Hail," said to accompany it*. In like manner, in the history of the Church, when the pouring out of the Seven Vials of Wrath is described, we find that the Temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in Heaven is opened -j- ; and the se\en Angels having the seven Vials come out from thence to pour them out upon the earth, and the effect produced by the seventh Vial is an Earthquake accompanied by j a Great Hail. Thus v/e find that the periods ' of the Seventh Trumpet, and of the pouring out of the Seven Vials is the same ; for during each, the Tabernacle in Heaven is opened, and each contains the Second and Last Great Earths quake of the Apocalypse, which is accompanied by a Great Hail. The Seventh Seal has before been shewn to synchronize with the Seventh Trumpet ; thus the Seventh Seal in the history of the Western Empire, the Seventh Trumpet in the history | of the Eastern Empire, and the period of the \ Seven Vials of Wrath in the history of the Church, synchronize, and these histories ter- minate together ; and the proofs of these syn- chronisms are the more satisfactory, as they are founded on a reference to the simple language * Rev. xi. 19. t Rev. xv. 5, 6. Arrangement of t/te Prophecies. 33 of the text, considered independently of any interpretation that may be given to the sym- bols. The natural arrangement of the prophecies of Daniel and St. John into two classes, as re- lating to the Empire and to the Church, and the division of the history of each, into three periods of time, having been thuss established by a cursory examination of the prophetic writ- ings, and especially of the Apocalypse of St. John, Mhich, taken in the regular order of the chapters, points out such an arrangement : I now proceed, in compliance with our first rule, to class the various prophecies according to the plan thus established , so as to bring into one point | of view all those relating to the same period. In arranging the different prophecies accord- ing to their several periods, it v, ill be found that I shall follow the natural order of the text ; and that this arrangement will therefore be made in a great degree upon a consideration of the text as unconnected with its interpretation : but that so important a part of the plan may be the more intelligible, I shall give the supposed date of each period, and upon mentioning the prophecies belonging to each period, I shall add a brief intimation of the subjects to which they relate. The Roman Empire in the Period of its 34 Combined View, 6^-c. Strength, before the reign of its emperors' terminated, or its complete division into ten kingdoms, took place, is spoken of in the vision of the Great Image of Daniel in the first clause of verse 33, chap, ii., in this brief description, *' his legs of iron." — It is during this period in Esdras^s vision of the Great Eagle, that the " twelve Feathered Wings," and" the Feathers Mhich followed*," are said to reign, under jvhich symbolical representations are described the rei«*ns of the twelve Caesars, and the fo- reign Roman Emperors who succeeded theniv — This period comprehends also the events of the four first homogenous Seals -j", and the four firstTrumi)ets J of the Sealed Book of St. John, which run parallel to one another, each Seal to its corresponding Trumpet^ : the Seals when * II. Esd. xi. 12—21. t Rev. vl. 1—8. if Rev. \4ii. % It is to be understood tliat the whole time of the Roman Empire, frcnn the year SJO ^the date of the removal of the *eat of Empire to Constantinople) to the end, is divided into the periods of seven Seals (to which the periods of the seven Trumpets are parallel), each period therefore must embrace a large space of time : the symbolical descriptioa in each may, however, refer only to some principal event which took place in it ; it is not meant, therefore, that the actions represented in the parallel Seal and Trumpet are cotemporary, but that their periods are bo; that is, that the action of the first Trumpet will be over before the action of the second Seal commences ; and the actioa of the second Trumpet will b» Arrangement of the Prophecies. 35 opened, representing" all the Roman Emperors in four classes, and in the characters in ^\ hich they appeared as connected with the Western Empire ; and the Trumpets announcing the events of the Eastern Empire, during the same period. — This period is supposed to end about the year 606. The Empire in the Period of Its Weak- ness, when divided into ten kingdoms, is de-* scribed in the vision of the Great Image of Daniel, in the latter clause of verse 33, chap, ii., in these words, " his feet and toes, part of iron and part of clay ;" the ten toes representing ten kingdoms, of which some are strong, and others ^veak. — This period of the Empire is oc- cupied in Esdras's vision of the Great Eagle by the description of the " Eight Contrary Feathers," that " became little Feathers and small," and the three great Heads of the Eagle^ while in a dormant state* : these emblems re- presenting the same number of ten kingdoms, of which three are strong and tyrannical, and seven weak, for although eight little feathers are spoken of, two of these will be found to re- over before the action of the third Seal commences, and so with the rest, — See the Prophetic Chart, iu which the dates inserted under each Seal and Trumpet, are those of the jyrin-^ eipal actions that took place in each period. * II. Esd. xi. 3, 4, 11, 22 — 24. D 2 36 Combined FtVtt), ^c. present only one of the minor kingdoms, whicli \ is a nnited king"dom, composed of Uvo parts. — This period comprehends in the Sealed Book of Saint John the events of the iifth and sixtli Seals'* relating- to the Western Roman empire, and those of the fifth and sixth Trumpets, called the first and second Woe-Trumpets f, re- lating to the Eastern Roman empire. The sixth Seal describes the French Revolution being the last and principal event -which took place in the Western Roman empire during the Period of its >\'eakness ; and the fifth and sixth Trumpets announce the desolation of the Eastern Roman empire during the same period, by the Saracens and Turks. — 1 liia period i» ^ supposed to extend from about the year 606 to the year 1792. The Period of the Destruction of the empire is in the vision of the fireat Image of Daniel, the period hed. Arrangeme7it of the Prophecies. 47 ** all expositions must be precarious and uncer- " tain, and only depend on the fancy and imagi- *' nation of every commentator. This was the ^' great Mr. Mede's settled and constant judg- *' ment in this matter ; and his attempt being *' built on this method, had such vast and unex- *' pected success, that the body of the Protestant ■' churches have generally declared themselves '*' satisfied in the greatest part of his foundations *' laid down in his Clavis Apocaly ptica, and I can *' add with Monsieur Jurieu, that his works of " this kind have ever charmed me, and that I *' can lind nothing like them in all the other " Expositors, and I take the true reason to be *' (besides his extraordinary judgment in the *' Scripture in general, his impartiality, and the *' extraordinary blessing of God upon his *' labours), that he laid the foundation right by " the exact observance of this method, as far as *' possibly he could ; and that he would not *' venture a particular application of any visions, *' till by the demonstration of his synchronisms " he had fixed the order and series of them all *' beforehand ; and it is to be lamented, that " his example has never since been rightly fol- " lowed by any/' The principal discovery of Mr. Mede, relative to the arrangement of the Apocalypse, was the synchronism between the termination of the 48 Combined View, k^c. period of the sixth Triiiripet in the Sealed Book, and the period of 1260 years in the Opened Book ; in other points his arrangement seems to have been defective, for he neither considered the Seals and 'rrnmj)ets as running paral- lel to each other, nor the seven V^ials as being subdivisions of the seventh Trumpet ; the latter defect in his plan was corrected by Wliiston, who clearly proved all the seven Vials j to be included in the seventh Trumpet ; the - arrangement of Mede, thus improved by Whis- ton, has been, I apprehend, that most generally adopted by all commentators since his time, and was as folloA^ s : first, the seven Seals ; secondly, 1 the seven Trumpets, being supposed subdi- i visions of the last Seal ; and thirdly, the seven ] Vials of Wrath, being subdivisions of the seventh Trumpet. — The termination of the period of 1260 years, contained in the Little Opened Book, syuchronizing with the division between ' the sixth and seventh Trumpets. The erroneous idea that the seven Trumpets were contained in the seventh Seal, arose from the description of the sounding of these Tnnn- pets folloA^ing immediately the mention of the Opening of the seventh Seal *; it not being- understood that the ojiening of the seventh Seal was here mentioned at the end, and not, ♦ Rev. viii. I ami G. Arrangement of the Prophecies. 49 as is the case with every other Seal, at the be- ginning of its period ; the reason of which singular circumstance has already been ex- plained *. And the true meaning of the Si- lence of half an Hour, which intervenes before the sounding of the Trumpets f, and intimates a break in the order of prophecy, and a recom- mencement of the subject from the earliest period, being overlooked. The proof that the seven Vials are subdi- visions of the seventh Trumpet, is shewn by Whiston nearly in the same manner as in the preceding pages of this work J. The synchronism between the end of the pe- riod of the 1260 years, and the termination of the period of the sixth Trumpet (or, what is the same thing, the first sounding of the seventh), is thus stated by him in his 15th proposition ; " The six first Seals, and the six first Trum- *' pets are all over before " the end of the 1260 years of Antichrist's " reign ; and the seventh Trumpet or seven " Vials contained in it, follow immediately after " that time, and are cotemporary with the first " ages of Our Saviour's Kingdom succeeding " to it/' *■ See page 23, first paragraph. f Rev. viii, 1 and 2, J See page 31—32. 50 Combined View, Sfc. lie speaks with truth of this s} nchroiiisni, as including- the main and almost only connexion between the two systems of the Sealed and Opened Books, and denominates it" the great- est instance of divine art and surprising con- trivance" of the whole book ; the proof of it is two-fold, the synchronism being marked in each book ; in the Sealed Book by the mention of the period of the 1260 years, which belongs to the Opened Book, and which is introduced into the Sealed Book in that solemn and awful declaration of the angel, that when the seventh Trumpet " shall begin to sound, the mystery of God*," or this period of 1260 years, " should be finished," and again in the Opened Book by the mention of the seventh Trumpet f, which belongs to the Sealed Book, and which is in- troduced into the Opened Book, when, after the Earthquake, which terminates the period of the 1260 years' prophesying of the Witnesses, it is said that the Seventh Trumpet sounds. Whiston justly remarks, that it is worthy of ob- servation, that the Seventh Trumpet, which belongs to the Sealed Book, should be here in- troduced out of its place, in order to point out the synchronism, and calls this synchronism (of the termination of the period of the 1260 years, with the termination of the period of the Sixth * Rev. X. 7. fRev. xi. 15. Arrangement of the Prophecies. 51 Trumpet, or the commencement of the seventh) " the principal ^'om?, or most eminent hinge on " which the whole order and series of the " visions of the Apocalypse does depend." Mr. Faber's plan, which I will now consider, varies from this of Whiston ; for continuing an interpretation of the older commentators, that the period of the 1260 years of the Papacy ought to be dated from the year 606, and would there- fore terminate in the year 1866 ; he at the same time introduces an interpretation (and I am fully satisfied a correct one), that the period of the Seventh Trwnpet commenced in the year 1792. These two opinions however cannot be both held without violating the established s>Tichronism of the first sounding of the Se- venth Trumpet, and of the expiration of the period of the 1260 years, the last being made, by these interpretations, not to take place till 74 years after the former : this difi*erence of 74 years is considered by Mr. Faber to be filled up by the pouring out of the six first Vials, the period of the 1260 years being supposed by him to extend nearly to the end of the Se- venth Trumpet, and to terminate between the sixth and seventh Vials *; but in this arrange- * See Table in page 78, explanatory of Mr, Faber's Ar- rangement of the Apocalypse. £ 2 52 Combined View^ 6fc. ment it seems evident, that Mr. Faber has not sufficiently attended to what Whiston calls the " grand rule of interpretation^" viz., " that we " should not venture a particular application " of any visions, till by the demonstration of " synchronisms the order and series of them has " heexi Jixed before-hand ;" for in his plan we find that the " main synchronism, the princi- " \idi\ joint, and most eminent hinge, on which " the Avhole order and series of the visions of *' the Apocalypse does depend," has been vio- lated, though Whiston considers it as proved by " words which are of themselves too plain to " admit any evasion. The text, Rev. x. 7, by which Mede and Whiston consider this synchronism as esta- blished, is as follows : " But in the days of the '* voice of the seventh Angel, when he shall " begin to sound, the Mystery of God should be " finished ;" but this text is considered by Mr. Faber to imply only " that the Mystery of God (or the mysterious period of the 1260 yeai-s) " should be finished in the days of the voice of " the seventh Angel, in the course of the pe- '' riod during which he should be sounding his " trumpet," and he considers it as " left wholly " undeterminable by this passage, in what par- '' ticular part of this period the M} stery ^ as to *' be finished ; whether at the beginning, in the Arrangement vf the Prophecies. 53 *' middle, or at the end of it *." He therefore fixes thetemiination of the Mystery nearly at the end of the period of the Seventh Trumpet, that is, between its sixth and seventh subdivisions. The passage as it stands in our version — the translation given in the learned work of Arch- deacon Woodhouse, which is as follows, " In " the days of the voice of the seventh Angel, " tehen he is about to sound, and the mystery of " God was finished,'* or that given even by Mr. Faber himself, in support of his hypothesis, " that the mystery of God should be finished " in the days of the voice of the seventh An- " gel, lehen it is about to be that he should ** soitnd,'' appear however to me to be all equally irreconcileable with his idea, that it Avill terminate towards the end of the period of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet. Mr. Faber, in support of his opinion, that the pei-iod of the 1260 years terminates between the periods of the sixth and seventh Vials, refers to the following text, Rev. xvi. 17, " And " the seventh Angel poured out his Vial into " the air, and there came a great voice out of " the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, *' It is done." These words " It is done," Mr. Faber supposes to imply, that the period of the 1260 years then expires. * Faber's Dissertation, vol. \. p. 53. 4 edit. 54 Combined View, Sfc. But, as I can by no means understand this expression as referring either to the expiratioii of the period of the 1260 years, or to the commence- vient of the period of the seventh Vial, I con- sider it as totally incompetent to prove their synchronism. With respect to the first idea, that of its re- ferring to the expiration of the 1260 years, I must observe, that this voice is heard -when the last of those seven judgments, by which the Papal nations and the Papacy are destroyed, is inflicted ; it does not therefore refer to the first expiration of the 1260 years mentioned by Da- niel as the duration of the prosperous state of the Papacy, but to the last act of the subse- quent period (of 30 years) during which " they *' take away its dominion, to consume and de- *' stroy it to the end." With regard to the second idea, I would say, that the expression must naturally be considered as referring to the effect of the judgment then in- flicted by the pouring out of the seventh Vial ; and therefore relates not to the commencement of the period of the seventh Vial, but to the ] termination of it. The other argument, adduced by Mr. Faber in support of his hypothesis, being grounded on what I consider to be an erroneous interpreta- tion of Dan. xi. 31, and xii. 11, will not come Arrangem en I of the Proph ccies. 55 under consideration in this place, where I am only to consider the plan and arrangement of the Apocalypse as shewn by notices in the text^ considered as unconnected with any interpre- tation. In Mr. Cuninghame's arrangement of the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials, and of the period of the 1260 years, the period of the seven Trum- pets is made in some measure synchronical with that of the Seals* ; but instead of making the period of each Seal tally with the period of its corresponding Trumpet, he considers the pe- riod of the six first Seals as equal to the period of the seven Trumpets, the sixth Seal being supposed to extend to the same point of time as the seventh Trumpet. The seventh Seal is also supposed to include the periods of all the seven Trumpets, recommencing a new Series of Prophecy from the earliest times : but the in- congruity of making the Seal, which is last in the whole series, thus refer to the earliest events in the order of the prophecy, is evident, and has already been clearly pointed out by Mr. Faber in the Appendix to his Dissertation, when ex- amining the plan of the work of Archdeacon Woodhouse, into which a similar arrangement * See Table in page 79, explanatory of Mr. Cuninghame's Arrangement of the Apocalypse. 66 Combined View, Sfc. of the Seals had before been introduced. He there observes that the Seventh Seal must na- \ turally be supposed to be called the seventh, as | succeeding the other six, which, according to this arrangement, it does not, for the opening of the Seventh Seal synchronizes with the open- ing of the first, and therefore precedes the open- ing of the remaining five. This objection ! against the scheme of Archdeacon Woodhouse is equally forcible against that of Mr. Cuning- hame; and acquiescing in the justice of the criticism, I agree with Mr. Faber in consider- ing the arrangement as inadmissible ; but on the other hand I am of opinion with Mr. Cuning- hame, that '' the commonly-received interpre- " tation of the sixth Seal is erroneous, and that " it refers not to any thing that took place in " the time of Constantine," but to much later events, which are to precede and to be the signs of the speedy approach of the second advent of our Lord ; but though Mr. Cuninghame's idea of the sixth Seal is, I believe, so far correct, I apprehend he has erred in supposing that the Day of Wrath is spoken of* as belonging to the period of the sixth Seal, instead of being spoken of in order to connect the period of the sixth Seal with the following period of the Day of * Rev. vi. 17. Arrangement of the Prophecies, 57 Wrath, described under the seventh Seal and Trumpet, which connexion would not other- wise have been discoverable, because the chap- ter which immediateli/ folloivs* does not speak of the destruction of the Empire in the Day of Wrath, but of the presei'iation of the Protestant Nation during that period. We shall be confirmed in the opinion that the Day of Wrath (or the period of the seventh Trumpet) follows the period of the sixth Seal, instead of being', as Mr. Cuninghame supposes, cotemporary w ith it, if we observe that in Rev. vi. 17, it is at the conclusion of the period of the sixth Seal that the Day of Wrath is said to be come ; but in Rev. xi. 18, the Day of W rath is said to be come upon the first sounding of the seventh Trumpet before the opening of the Temple^ and consequently before the infliction, of any of the seven last plagues ; clearly shew- ing, that the end of the period of the sixth Seal, and the commencement of the period of the seventh Trumpet, refer to the same point of time. As it is of the greatest importance that no point in the general plan and arrangement of the Apocah pse should be considered as left un- decided, as a further proof that the period of * Rev. vii. 58 Combined View^ ^-c. the sixth Seal is prior to that of the seventh Trumpet, I observe that the sealing of the ser- vants of God in their foreheads (the action de- scri])ed in the seventh chapter of the Revela- tions), is said to come " after' the Earthquake, and the other events of the sixth Seal. But this action takes place when the judgments are about to be inflicted upon the earth, by means of the Angels to whom " it M'as given to hurt the earth," an expression which unquestionably refers to the pouring out of the Seven Vials of Wrath upon the earth, during the period of the Seventh Trumpet ; it follows, therefore, that the Earthquake, and other events of the sixth Seal (inasmuch as they precede the period of the seventh chapter of the Revelations), precede the period of the seventh Trumpet. A similar circumstance to that which we have just been considering, namely, of the Day of Wrath's being spoken of in the preceding pe- riod of the sixth Seal, occurs in chapter xii. of Revelations, where, after the persecution of the Great Red Dragon is spoken of, the flight and retreat of the Woman into the Avilderness for 1260 years ; is also mentioned* ; this I un- derstand as pointing out the connexion of the period of the Great Red Dragon,' or Pagan- ism, with the period of the 1260 years of the ♦ Rev. xii. 6 and 14. Arrangement of the Prophecies. 59 Two-horned beast, or the Papacy, iynmediately following; but Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuning- hame infer from it, that the period of the Great Red Dragon is the same as that of the Two- horned Beast or the Papacy. It is to be remarked further, that Mr. Cuning- hame, in his arrangement of the Apocalypse, considers the periods of the seven Vials as co- temporary, and not as succeeding each other : the arguments by which he supports this ar- rangement, will be found in the following quo- tation from his Mork : " I shall now," he observes, " offer one or " two arguments to shew that the Vials cer- *' tainly are synchronical. " The seven Vials are the constituent parts of " the Third Woe, or the seventh Trumpet, and " contain all the remarkable events of that " Trumpet. But these Vials contain only one " Earthquake (or revolution), viz., that of the " seventh Vial ; and likewise only one symbo- " lical storm, with its concomitant effects, which *' is also mentioned in the Seventh Vial : there- " fore the seventh Trumpet contains only one " symbolical Earthquake and storm ; and it folj " lows, that the lightnings, voices, thunderings, " earthquakes, and great hail, seen by the " Apostle in Rev. xi. 19, are precisely the same *' as those seen under the seventh Vial. But 60 Combined View, 6fc, *' the symbolical tempest and earthquake of Rev. *' xi. 19 (which are the same with those of the *' Seventh \ ial), immediateli/ succeed the open- " ing of the Tem-ple of God in heaven., which " had previously been shut; and the effusion of " the first Vial also immediatelj/ follows the " opening of the temple in heaven. Rev, xv. 5, " xvi. 1, therefore the Earthquake of the Se- ^' venth Vial, which is the same with that of " Rev. xi. 19, must be synchronic al with the " effusion of the first Vial, since they both " equally happen immediately after the opeu- ^' ing of the temple, and the first and seventh " Vials being thus shewn to be synchronical, *' all the rest must be so likewise.'* In part of the premises here laid down, 1 perfectly agree with Mr. Cuninghame ; for the earthquake of the seventh Trumpet, men- tioned in Rev. xi. 19, is unquestionably the same as the earthquake of the seventh Vial mentioned in Rev. xvi. 18; but I cannot agree iVith him in opinion, that this earthquake takes place immediately upon the first sounding of the Trumpet, and that its effusion is therefore cotemporary with that of the^rs^ Vial. The earthquake, it must be observed, is thje only event mentioned in the summary account of the seventh Trumpet, given in Rev. xi. 19; nothing therefore can be collected from this Arrangement of the Prophecies, 61 Xtxi^ as to the place it occupies, whether at the beginning or end of the period to which it be- longs : the only deduction to be drawn from this text is, that the earthquake, as being the only event mentioned, is the principal and most important one that takes place in the whole period of the seventh Trumpet ; the pro- bable conclusion therefore may be, that it re- fers to the last event of the seventh Trumpet, or to that through which the whole series of judgments will be consummated ; accordingly we find it placed under the seventh Vial, which we must naturally consider as foUo^v- ing the other six, and the pouring out of which is accompanied by a voice, saying, " It is done/* This Earthquake is an event of such trans* cendent importance, that it is also alone re- ferred to in a summary account of all the seven Trumpets, given in Rev. viii. 5. The second argument adduced by Mr. Cu- ninghame, to prove that the seven Vials are all synchronical, is thus stated : — " Again, no one will deny, that in the year " 1792, a most awful political storm and " mighty earthquake began to agitate and con- " vulse the Roman Empire. The shocks of " this earthquake have succeeded each other *' with such rapidity and violence, as to threaten ^ Combined View, 6fC' " the utter subversion of civil society. Now it " is quite incredible that the earthquake should *' be tio where mentioned in the Vials : and it is *' 7iot mentioned, unless it be the earthquake " of the seventh Vial; therefore, the conclu- j *' sion is, that it is that very earthquake, and " that the seventh Vial began to be poured out " in 1792 ; and as the Jirst Vial began to be '* poured out in the same year, these two, and " all the other Vials, are synchronical." ' This argument is founded upon the supposi- tion, that the period of the sixth Seal, which contains the Earthquake of the year 1792, syn- chronizes with that of the seventh Trumpet, or of the Vials ; but though I agree with Mr. Cu- ninghame in opinion, that the French Revolu- tion is referred to by the earthquake of the sixth Seal, this would be with me a reason why I should 7iot expect to find it mentioned in the period of the seventh Trumpet amongst the Vials, but in the period of the sixth Trumpet, accordingly immediately before the sounding of the seventh Trumpet I find an Earthquake takes place, in which a tenth part of the City falls * ; and this earthquake I consider with Mr. Faber as referring to the French Revolution j*, and the \ earthquake of the seventh Vial as relating to ^ * Rev. xi. 13. t Faber's Dissert, vol. II. p. 115. 4th edit. Arrangement of the Prophecies. 63 some similar event yet future. Mr. Cuning- hame's idea, that the various changes in the kingdoms and states of the continent, which have taken place from the year 1792 up to the present time, are all to be referred to a continu- ance of the Earthquake of that year, I cannot consider as admissible, because these changes are not of a nature to be represented by the symbol of an Earthquake, for they have not originated, like the French Revolution, from internal commotions, but have been effected in each kingdom by the invasion of a foreign enemy. That there is some defect in Mr. Cuning- hame's arrangement, in which the Vials are considered as synchronical^ and are all made to refer to the whole period of the sixth Seal, will, I think, appear from a reference to the sym- bolical description given of the period of the fourth Vial, during which we find that the power and influence of the Sun is so increased, that it scorches men with intolerable heat ; while in the period of the sixth Seal the Sun undergoes a total eclipse, becoming " black as " sackcloth of hair." These effects, however, Mr. Cuninghame*s theory necessarily obliges him to interpret as taking place at one and the same time, and the Sun is therefore supposed' by him to withdraw his light at the very period 64 Combined View, 6fc, that he emits the greatest degree of heat*, « representation which must be considered as un- sanctioned by any other of the symbolical de- scriptions of the Apocalypse, which, though won- derful and portentous, are never so dissimilar to any possible appearances in nature, or, as I should rather say, so absolutely contradictory in their terms. I may observe further, that the regular suc- cessive occurrence of the events which we have already witnessed, and which we find described as taking place during the periods of the five first Vials, must in itself refute the idea of their being synchronical, and that the eiTors both in Mr. Faber's and Mr. Cuninghame's theories re- specting the Vials will more clearly appear, should the Ottoman empire soon fall, as it is * " It appears tome, that when this Vial (i. ^., the fourth) " 19 poured on the Sun, he withdraws his hght, at the same « time that he scorches men with fire, or he emits a hglit " which is hke the flames of hell-darkness visible. — The aa- " cient Imperial power is extinguished, and the new Imperial «' power emits scorching fire, but no cheering light. And as " the operation of all the Vials continued till the awful day ♦' of Armageddon, with continually increasing violence, we « may suppose that the effect of this Vial will be to rend. 313 Trumpet 1 com. 3T6 Trumpet 2 C0J71. 395 Trumpet 3 coin. 441 Trumpet 4 com. 455 Trumpet 5 com. 612 Trumpet 6 com. 1281 O a; i( 2 |eq (aq.s g Seal 6 commences lOth Aug. 1792, and reaches to the period of the Mil- lennium 'J} > *s *> i 3-* 11 ■^1 ico Vials 12 3 4 5 6 7 are synchronical, and began to be poured out iti tlieyear 1792. These are the same as the seven Thun- ders. ■ THE MILLENNIUM. Trumpet 7 commences 1 0<7t Aug. 1792, and reaches to the period of the Mil- k lennium The Numbers of Dauiel. commence Mar. 533 Period of 1260 years ends 10th Aug. 1792* 30 years ends 1828 45 years ends 1867 * A'^. B. The cleansing of the Sanctuary, or the erpiiation of the period of DanieVs Vision of the Ram and He-goat, is supposed both by Mr. Faber and by Mr. Cuning- hame necessarily to synchronize with the expiration of the period of the 12(j0 years. The Vision was seen in the year A. C. 553, Mr. Faber reckons '2400 years from the year A. C. 535, iri which year he supposes the action of the Vision to commence, and thus brings the termination of the period down to the year 1 866". Mr. Cuninghame reckons 2300 years from the year A. C. 508, in which year he sup- poses the action of the Pmoti to commence, and thus brings the termination of the period down to the year 1792. 80 Combined View of the Prophecies. SYMBOLICAL DICTIONARY. Having' arranged in their respective periods, agreeably to the natural divisions found in them, the various prophecies of Daniel, Esdras, and Saint John, so as to form a combined view of those prophecies which we shall hereafter consider separately, and more at length, we now proceed, preparatory to this examination, to fulfil the requirements of our Second Rule ; which enjoins the formation of a Symbolical Dictionary ; in order that we may ensure the giving to each symbol, whenever it occurs, a similar and consistent interpretation. And here it is to be observed, that the advan- tage of the symbolical language of Scripture is this : that while it throws an apparent veil over the things of which it treats, it becomes, when understood, remarkably clear, beautiful, and descriptive ; for the symbols are not arbitrarily chosen to represent things as words do in com- mon language, but are in themselves descriptive, and in themselves contain the character of the object they represent ; and this beauty in the symbolical language, as well as the connexion between one symbol and another, will, I hope, Symbolical Dictionary. 81 be perceptible in examining the following ex- planations ; though its accurac}^ and precision will more clearly appear at some future time, when I shall refer to this Symbolical Dictionary in giving an interpretation of the Revelation of Saint John. The Earth — The territories which were the seats of the four great empires ; here the em- blem is nearly the same as its object, for the whole natural earth is made to represent Uiat important portion of it, which alone is the sub- ject of prophecy*. The Third Part of the Earth — The East- ern Roman Empire-j*. The Fourth Part of the Earth — Italy:}:. An Earthquake — A Violent Commotion, threatening the dissolution of a kingdom or empire§. Connected with the emblem of the Earth, are the* emblems of the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Sea, the Great River Euphrates, &c. •* Rev. Yii. 1, 3. viii. 5. xi. 6. xii. 12, 13, l6. xiii. 12. xvi. 1, 2. t Rev. viii. 7 — 12. ix. 15, 18. xii. 4. % Rev. vi. 8. It is possible that Italy may be denomi -^ated the fourth part of the earth, because it was the principal seat of the \^,"estern Roman Empire, one of the four ruling kingdoms of the world, while the. Eastern Roman empire, as including part of the other three ruling kingdoms, is rop'-eseii^ed by a larger division. § Rev. vi. 12. viii. 5. xi. J3, VJ. xvi. 18. G 82 Comhined View of the Prophecies. The Sux — The Ruling Power of the whole prophetic earth, and the principal ohject of at- tention in the political heavens : or the Roman j Emperor, while the empire was in its undivided state ; and, after that, the King of the principal \ kingdom of the divided empire*. The Moon (which is considered as the con- sort of the Sun) — The Empress or Queen f. The Stars — The Princes and Nobles of a kingdom:|:. The Heavens — The Political S3stem in which all these appear§. The emblems which relate to the heavens are also used sometimes to represent spiritual ob- jects, and then they signify as follo^A s, viz. : . The Sun — Our Saviour the sun of righteous- ness ||. The Moon — His chaste and faithful Consort, the Church^. The Stars — The Apostles, Bishops, or Mi- nisters, of his Church**. The Heavens, when spoken of spiritually, must be understood in their literal sense, as being the actual seats of blissff . Great Waters — Multitudes of people. The * Rev. vi. 12. viii. 12. xvi. 8. xix. 17. f Rev. vi. 12. viii. 12. X Rev. vi. 13. viii. 12. § Rev. vi. 14. || Rev. ix. 2. xii. 1. ^ Rev. xii. I. *♦ Rev. i. iG, 20. ii, 1. iii. 1. Kii. 1, 4. ft Rev. xii. 5, 7, 8, 10, 12. xiv. 17. xv. 5. Si/mbolical Dictionary. 83 noise of many m aters is as the noise of a mul- titude of people*. The Sea, or "the untillable and barren deep/' — Multitudes in a barren and unfruitful state towards God ; which are subject, also, to be agitated by storms like the troubled deep, that cannot rest, but whose waters cast up mire and dirt. If it is the Great Sea, it may represent the Gentiles, or the nations of the world at large, professing paganism. If an Inland Sea, it may represent the population of some prin- cipal kingdom, in an unfruitful state, profess^ ing infidelity, or a corrupt religion -j*. A Sea of Glass (understood in a temporal sense) — A Population in a tranquil state ; not liable to be agitated by storms, or the spirit of violence and discord : — Applied to spiritual things, it may be supposed to have a similar meaning:]:. The Four Winds (understood in a temporal sense) — The Spirit of Violence and Discord ; which acting- upon the population, impel them against one another in different directions, and excite universal tumult and disorder : here, the object being invisible, the emblem is also invi- * Rev. xvii. 15, Psal. Ixv. 7. Isai, xvii. 12. f Rev. xiii. 1. xvii. 15. xxi. 1. Isai. Ivii. 20. Ezek. xlvii. S. Dan. vii. 2, 3. II. Esd. xi. 1. Rev. vii. 1. viii. 8. xvi. 3. % Rer, iv. 6. XV. 2. G 2 84 Combined View of the Prophecies. sible*. — A Whirlwind, or violent wind, applied to spiritual things, appears, in some parts of Scripture, to be used as an emblem of the Wrath of God t. The Great River Euphrates — The Turk- ish Empire, which first arose in the neighbour- hood of that river J. The Air ; — The meaning of this symbol, I conceive to be derived from its property of l)e- ing every where present ; and that it is used to express Ihiiversality ; in this case, a judgment or Vial of Wrath, being poured out into the air, would imply that it w as one of universal extent I and influence §. W iLD Beasts, savage and ferocious in their nature, persecutors of the meek and helpless, and cruel devourers of each other — One or other of the Four ruling Kingdoms of the world ; the seats of the four great empires, which were cruel persecutors of the Church, w^ere always engaged in warfare, and have sue- ! cessively destroyed each other. These symbols are each strictly confined to certain territories^ so as not to interfere with one another ; but form together a complete division of the pro- phetic Earth into four parts ||. * Rev. vii. 1. Dan. vii. 2. f Rev. vi. 13. Dan. ii. 3.5. + Rev. ix. 14. xvi. 12. § Rev. ix. 2, xvi. 17. Eph. ii. 2. [1 Rev. xiii. 1, 12. Dan. vii. 3. Si/mbolical Dictionary. 85 The Horns upon the bodies of three of the Beasts — The Minor Kingdoms into which tliree of the ruling kingdoms of the world were di- visible. These minor symbols, or subdivi- sions of the prophetic Earth, are likewise con- fined each to a certain territory, and form a complete subdivision of the territory of these ruling kingdoms, into as many parts as there are horns upon each beast*. The Heads of a Beast — The Rulers of a Kingdom or Empire f. The l3fAGE (or likeness) of the Fourth Beast or Temporal Roman Empire — The Temporal Sovereignty assumed by the Papacy +. Wild Beasts of a different description, men- tioned in the Apocalypse as the Two-hornj:d Beast of the Earth§, and the Scarlet-co- loured Beast of the Bottomless Pit|(, savage in nature and bestial in principle, — The Papal and Infidel Powers, enemies and perse- cutors of the Church. The Chaste Woman, the spouse of Christ, — The True Church (considered as an esta- * Rev. xii. 3. xiii. 1. xvii. 3, 7, 12, l6. Dan. vii. 7, 8, 20, 24. t Rev. xii. 3. xiii. 1, 3. xvii. 9 — 11. Dan. vii. Q. X Rev. xiii. 14, 15. xiv. 9, 11. xv, 2. xvi. 2. xix. 20. xx. 4. § Rev. xiii. ii. xiv. 9, 11. xv. 2. xx. 4. || Rev. xi. 7. xvi. 10, 13. xix. 19, 20. S6 Combined View of the Prophecies. blishment), bringing forth spiritual children to Christ. She is said to reside in the wilderness for 1260 years, which is typical of her being, during that period, in a barren and unproduc- tive state*. This symbol is similar to that of the Holy City Jerusalem. The Seed of the Woman — True Believ- ers in Christ, or the spiritual members of his bodyf. Fornication — The Forsaking of the Wor- ship of the True God to Worship Idols:|:. The unchaste Woman, or the Great Har- lot— The Papacy which has turned the nations to Idolatry, or Spiritual Fornication §. The Kings of the Earth who have com- mitted fornication with her — The Rulers of the Papal Nations II . The Undefiled with Women — The Pro- testant Nation, which professes the pure doc- trines of the Gospel, and which is uncontami- nated by the pollutions of the Papacy^. The Great City Babylon, built and esta- blished upon earth — The Papacy, being an establishment of great extent. This city is * Rev. xii. 1— end. xix. 7. xxi. 2, 9. xxii. 17. t Rev. xii. 4, 5, 17. X Exod. xxxiv. 15, l6. Deut. xxxi. l6. Ezek. vi. 9. xvi. &c. &c. § Rev. .wii. xix. 2. |1 Rev. xvii. '2. xnii. 3, 9. H Rev. xiv, 4. Symbolical Dictionary. 87 founded upon a corrupt worship of the true God*. The Great City called Sodom and Egypt, — Paganism and Infidelity jointly, being esta- blishments of M'ide extent and influence, and si- milar in nature, for they are both founded on a denial of the true Godf. The Holy City Jerusale3I, including the Temple— The Visible Church of Christ, whose empire and influence will begin when Sodom, 151gy])t, and Babylon, are destroyed. This is a city whose foundations are sure, for it is founded upon a reliance on the covenant of grace, and on a knowledge of the true God. Durino- the period of 1260 years, the whole of this city is trodden under foot of the Gentiles, excepting the interior courts of its temple. In its future glorious state, when purified, and renovated, and containing none but spiritual worshippers, it is called the New Jerusalem ±. T The Temple consists of three parts, the Outer Court, or the Court of the Gentiles, which is common to all the Inhabitants of the City, and represents the body of those who are Professors of Religion only, and do not be- long to the spiritual church §. * Rev. xi. ]3. xiv. 8, 20. xvi. ig. xvli. 5, 18. xviii. 2, 10, 16, 18, 21. t Rev. xi. 8. + Rev. iii. 12. xi. 2. xxi. 2, 10. xxii. 14, 19. Gal. iv. 25. § Rev. xi. 2. S8 Combined View of the Prophecies. The Holy Place, or Second Court of tlie Temple, where none but the Priests miglit en- ter, represents the Spiritual Church upon earth, j or the body of the true worshippers of Christ, : who are " made kings and priests unto God*/* Immediately before the door of the Holy Place j was situated the altar of burnt-offering, repre- ' senting that there is no admittance into the true Church, but through faith in the merits of the death and sacrifice of Christ. The Holy Place had no ligiit from without, being illuminated only by the candlestick v» ith seven lamps, which typified the Spirit of God ; thus the Spiritual Church derives all its light from the illumina- ' tion of the Holy Spirit. In the Holy Place was the altar of incense, by this it is implied, that it '. is in the Chun h of Christ alone that acceptable prayer is offered up : there like-.A ise was placed the shew-bread, of which the priests alone might cat, typif\ ing that bread of life, by w hicji the Church of Christ is fed. — Those that wor- ship in the Inneii Court of the Temple are the same as " the Seed of the Woman," the In- dividual iViembers of the Spiritual Cliurch-j*. 1 he Holy of Holies was a type of Heaven^ the place of the immediate presence of God, and of his throne. The Temple in Heaven * Rev. xi. 1. XV. 8. t Rev. xi, 1. Symbolical Dictionary . 89 in the Apocal\pse means the Holy of Holies, and symbolically represents the Church in Hea- ven*. In the New Jerusalem there will be no Temple f, for the Temple will then be identified with the Holy City; there will be no part pecu- liarly holy, for all will be holy ; The Church in Heaven will descend to Earth J, and God will dMcll ^Tsith men. The whole earth will be the Temple of Christ, and the whole Temple the Holy of Holies. The Living Creatures which surround the Throne— The Church in Heaven. This symbol is taken from the appearance of the twelve Tribes, as usually encamped round the Tabernacle in four companies§, under the four banners of the tribes of Judah, Ephraim, Reu- ben, and Dan, having upon them the figures of a Lion, an Ox, a Man, and an Eagle||. Incense, or Sweet Odours — The Prayers of the Saints which ascend up to Heaven, and are acceptable to God. None might offer the incense who was not of the seed of Aaron ; this typifying, that by Christ alone we can approach unto God ; for God seen out of Christ is to sin- ners a consuming fire^. * Rev. xiv. 15. XV. 5, 6. xvi. 1, 17. fRev. xxi. 22. + Rev. xxi. 2, 3. § See Whiston, Sir Isaac Newton, &c. II Rev. iv. 6 — 9. V. 6 — 14. vi. 1 — 7. vii. n. xiv. 3. xv. 7. xix. 4. ^ Rev. V. 8. viii. 3, 4. Pea. cxli. 2. Mai. i. 11. Luke i. 10. 90 Combined View of the Prophecies. White Robes — The Righteousness of the Saints, which is derived from Christ*. The IsRAELiTisH Nation, which alone was chosen from all other nations to the knowledge of God during the times of the three first great Empires, is made to represent that favoured Protestant nation, which has alone in these latter \ days been so selected and chosen to the know- i ledge of his name from amongst the ten nations of the divided Roman empire f. The Gentiles, as contrasted with the Jews, — The Nine Papal Nations, who though they do not avoAv it, yet like the Gentiles of old bow I down before stocks and stones, and worship • dumb idols J. The Two Witnesses who prophesy, clothed in sackcloth, for a period of 1260 years — who have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy — who smite the earth with plagues — and destroy their enemies Avith fire proceeding out of their mouths — and a\ ho are called the two olive trees and the two can- dlesticks standing before the God of the whole earth — The Old and New Testament, vhich I have borne witness to God for many ages — - which contain predictions of the period of the ] 1260 years' spiritual drought and barrenness — * Rev. iii. 4, 5. iv. 4. vii. 9, 13. xlx. 8, 14. f Rev. vii. 4 — 8. xiv. 1,3. XV. 2 — 4. Dan. xii. 28, 30, 3-2. X Rev. xi. 2. symbolical Dictionary. 91 which contain denunciations of successive judg- ments to be inflicted upon the kingdoms of the workl — which predict the destruction of their Papal enemies — and which are the appointed sources of grace and spiritual light*. Rain from Heaven — The vivifying and fer- tilizing influence of the Holy Spiritf. " Grass and every green thing," — True Be- lievers, or those who live under the influence of the Spirit of God;}:. A River of Pure Water — The Pure Doc- trines of the Gospel, the support of our spiritual life§. Rivers and Fountains of Water — The Sources of Religious Instruction. These, if pure, convey life and health ; but if made bitter by the infusion of false doctrines, they cause those who drink of them to diej[. A Falling (or Shooting) Star — A Minis- ter of Religion, Avho apostatizes from the truth, and brings in false doctrines^. A Comet, or " Horrible Star," — A great Warrior and Destroyer; one of portentous as- pect, who plagues the nations**.. A Flood, or Mass of Waters in motion, car- * Rev. xi. 3—12. t Rev. xi. 6. Heb. vi. 4 — 8. X R^v. viii. 7. ix. 4. § Rev. xxii. 1, 17. Isai. xli. 18. Iv. 1. Ezek. xlvii. 1 — 9. Zech. xiv. 8. || Rev. vii. 17. viii. 10. x\i. 4. xxi. 6. ^ Rev, viii. 10. ix. 1. ** II. Esdras, xv. 40. 92 Combined Vieic of the Prophecies. rying away and destroying every thing- opposed to it — A large Body of Men, or an Army in motion, faying every thing' Avaste before it*. A Storm of Hail, beating down and destroy- ing all the fruits of the earth — An Invasion from \ the Northern Regions, where hail may be sup- posed to be generated f. A Flight of Locusts, which settling, devour and lay waste the fruits of the earth — An Inva- sion and Settlement of a people from a Southern Country, where Locusts are bred J. Ships — The Establishments of those who make a gain of godliness§. Ship Masters, or Merchants — Venal Eccle- siastics ||. A Seal or Mark being set upon any one is an act of appropriation, by which the thing or person marked, is considered as the property of him who affixes the mark^. The Seal of God being set upon any one, with the idea of appropriation, includes that of security and protection**. The Wings of an Eagle, are the emblems of Power and Wide Extended Empire, including also the idea of protection -j-f. * Rev. xii. 15, ifi. Dan. ix. 26. xi. 22. f Rev. viii. 7. xi. 19. xvi. 21. X I^^v* '^' ^- § ^^^' viii. 9. xviii. 17, 19- II Rev. xviii. 11, 15, 17, 23. If Rev. xiii. l6, 17. xiv. 9, 11. XV. 2. xvi. 2. xix. 20. xx. 4. ** Rev. iii. 12. vii. 2. ix. 4. xiv. 1. xxii. 4. ft Rev. xii. 14, Exod. xix. 4. Deut. xxxii. Symbolical Dictionary . 93 The Wings of any other Fowl of the air are emblems of Swiftness only*. An Horse is an emblem of Power and Au- thority. A person seated on an horse repre- sents a person possessing such pow er and autho- rity. A person seated on a white horse, repre- sents one who is victorious and successful f. The Tail of a Scorpion (the seat of poison) — The Seat of False and Deadly Doctrines J. The Tail of any animal — The Seat of errone- ous Doctrines, which are base and degrading-§. A Prophetic Day — A Yearjj. A Prophetic Month — Thirty Years^. A Time, or Prophetic Year — Three hun- dred and sixty Years**. A Dividing of Time — One hundred and eighty Years-j-j-. A Prophetic Hour — A Month, or twelfth part of a year. When not introduced into the calculation of a precise period, it means indefi- nitely a short period$:J:. 11. Ruth ii. 12. Psal. xvli. 8. xxxvi. 7. Isai.xviii. 1. Ezek. xvii. 3, 7- Dan. vii. 4. * Jer. xlvili. 9. Dan. vii. 6. Prov. xxiii. 5. f Rev. vi. 2—8. xix. 11, 14, 19,21. Psal. xlv. 4. if Re\\ ix. 10. § Rev. ix. 19. xii. 4. Isa. ix. 15. || Rev. ix. 15. xi. 3, 9, U. xii. 6. Numb. xiv. 34. Ezek. iv. 6. ^ Rev. ix. 5, 15. xi. 2. xiii. 5. ** Rev. xii. 14. Dan. vii. 25. xii. 7- ft Dan. vii. 25. xii. 7. ++ Rev. ix, 15. xi. 13. xiv. 7. xvii, 12. xviii. 10, 17, 19. 94 Combined View of the Prophecies. The Harvest of the Earth — A Time of temporal judgments, Avheii " the time of her Harvest is come," and " her slain fall in the midst of her*/' The Vintage, or The Treading of the Wine Press (succeeding to the Harvest) — The Time when Christ will inflict a still more signal jutigment on his enemies, " treading them in " his anger, and trampling them in his fury." This judgment will be attended with a very great effusion of blood f. Fire — Destruction inflicted upon an enemy J. Lightning, or fire from heaven — A Manifest Vengeanqe of God upon his enemies §. Thunder, which attends the lightning — A Plain Declaration, that such judgments are from Godil. These are the chief of the emblems used in the prophetic writings, and are mostly found in the Revelation of Saint John. In order to guard against mistakes in their interpretation, we must observe, that all objects introduced into a sym- ' bolical description, are not necessarily to be i * Rev. xiv. 15. Jer. ix. 22. li. 33, 47, 4|f). Joel, iii. 13. f Rev. xiv. 18 — 20. xix. 15. Isai. Ixiii, 1 — 6. J Rev. viii, 5,7, 8. xi. 5. xiii. 13. xiv. 18. xv. 2. xvi. 8. xviii. 8, xx. 0, 10, 14, 15. xxi. 8. Psal. xcvii. 3. § Rev. iv. 5. viii. 5. xi. 19. xvi. 18. Psal. cxliv. 6. Zecb. ix. 14. f] Rev. viii. 5. X. 3, 4. xi. 19. xvi. 18. Symbolical Dictionari/. 95 ' considered as themselves symbolical ; thus, ia the description of a Star falling from heaven to earth, heaven and earth must be understood ac- cording to their literal meaning, and the Falling Star be taken only as symbolical ; a commen- tator not attending to this principle of interpre- tation, would be forced to give various significa- tions to the symbolical Heaven and Earth, or other objects, and thus destroy the simplicity and precision of the prophetic s}Tnbols. Again it is to be observed, that the symbols, though all of them substantives, may be used as adjectives, and be attached to another sym- bol, and then, retaining their original meaning, they express some quality or property in the principal symbol to which they are appendages : thus, where a Woman is represented in Rev. chap. xii. as clothed with the Sun, having the Moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve Stars upon her head ; the symbolical Woman only is the noun substantive; the Sun, thi^ Moon, and the Stars, are used as adjectives, ex- pressing qualities and properties belonging to her. Respecting these adjectives, as well as others in similar instances, nothing further is narrated in the course of the prophecy, they being appendages to the noun substantive, which alone is intended to be represented as ac- tually existing in its place. It is, I think, for 96 Comhined View of the Prophecies. ^ want of sufficiently unaerstanding or adverting- to this use of the symbols, that commentators, with the exception of Mr. Taber, seeing the Church already represented by the \\ oman her- self, and fearing, I conceive, to represent the same object, namely, the Church, in two places at once, have given various and unsatisfactory interpretations of the symbolical Moon ; which, as connected with the spiritual Sun and Stars, undoubtedly typifies the Church ; and this in- terpretation is confirmed by the consi-leration, that in the Apocalypse, what a symbolical object stands upon, appears intended typically to de- scribe what it actually is*. Again it is to be observed, that we must dis- tinguish, in the Revelation of Saint John, be- tween that which makes a part of the machinery of the prophecy, and that which belongs to the prophecy itself: Commentators, from not ad- verting to this distinction, have interpreted the silence of half an hour, which immediately pre- cedes the sounding of the seven Trumpets, as * So in Rev. xv. 2. The Israelitish Nation, or Protes- tant British Nation (spoken of before in chap. vii. vcr. 3 — 8. and in chap. xiv. ver. 1,2), is represented as standing dnv'in^ ' the 30 years of trouble and discord upon a Sea of Glass, where \ the Sea of Glass (or the population in a tranquil state, not liable to be agitated by the spirit of violence and discord) is the same in import as the protestant British Nation which stands upon it. Symholical Dictionary. 97 if it were symbolical, whereas, it is only part of the machinery, or a pause in the representation : this error has led, among the older writers, to the universal mistake Avhich has been made by them in the arrangement of the whole series of Seals and Trumpets. The Heavens have likewise been considered as symbolical, and interpreted as such, where they only mean the scene in which the repre- sentation appears. There is also a distinction, which it may be useful to point out, between symbolical descrip- tion and symbolical narrative ; for, in the former, every thing should be deemed incon- sistent and inadmissible but what the Apostle could actually have seen, while the latter is only to be considered as narrative in figurative lan- guage, and is introduced sometimes, in addition to symbolical description, to relate some parti- culars that could not be shewn in the repre- sentation. Thus, when it is said that the Two Witnesses who prophesy fo» 1260 }ears who are then killed, and who then rise again, " are the Two " Candlesticks, and the Two Olive Trees ;" the latter sentences of course do not belong to sym- bolical description, but to narration in figura- tive language, and imply (in simple language) u 98 Combined View of the Prophecies. that the Two Witnesses are the two great sources of spiritual light and grace. Again, when it is said that the beast out of the Bottomless Pit is the eighth head of tJie beast., the passage is not descriptive, for the beast, as seen by the Apostle, had only seven heads. It must therefore be considered only as narrative in figurative language, implying that the Beast that rises out of the bottomless pit would be the eighth Ruler of the Roman em- pire. Other instances of symbolical narrative, as distinguished from description, occur where the Woman^ sitting on the seven-headed beast, is gaid to be the Great City, or the Papacy ; and again, where the Holy City is said to copae dowTi as a bride prepared for her husband. Remarks upon the Interpretations of the Sym- bols given by former Commentators. As the meanings given to many of the sym- bols in the foregoing Dictionary diifer from those given in the Work of Mr. Faber (who has, 1 believe, treated this part of the subject of prophecy more regularly than other writers), I shall consider a few of those differences, Symbolical Dictionary. 99 which appear to be of most importance, as be- ing connected with that general plan and ar- rangement of the Apocalypse, which, in the fonner part of this chapter, I have attempted to establish. The most important symbol, in this point of view, is that of the Third Part of the Earth, which is here considered as the sym- \ bol of the Eastern Roman empire, but is sup- posed by Mr. Faber, and other commentators, to represent the whole Roman empire, both Western and Eastern, and therefore to have the same signification as is also given by them to the symbol of the whole Earth ; but the in- ] consistency of thus making the third part equi- valent to the whole is so evident, that it be- comes necessary to explain how an- interpreta- tion of this kind could ever have been general!}^ received. It undoubtedly owes its origin to an erroneous location of the Seals and Trumpets, by which the Seals were made to precede the Trumpets instead of running parallel with them ; for the Seals being thus made alone to refer to thejirst periods of the Roman empire, and the Trumpets alone to its latter periods, had the Trumpets, Avhich speak of the Third Part of every thing — as the Third Part of the Sun, the Third Part of the Moon, the Third Fart of the Stars, the Third Part of the Sea, h 2 100 Combmcd View of the Prophecies. the Third Part of the Rivers and Fountains of Water, &c. &c. — been correctly considered as referring solely to events which took place in the Eastern Roman empire, the Westerh Ro- man empire in its latter periods would, by this arrangement of the Seals and Trumpets, have been entirely excluded from prophetic history, and therefore to avoid this, a more extensive signiiication than consistency admitted, has been given to the symbol of the Third Part of the Earth, and to the other symbols in ^vhich a Third Part is alone spoken of. It is, however, universally agreed, that the commission given on the sounding of the sixth Trumpet to the four angels, which were bound in the river Euphrates, " to slay the Third Part of men," refers to the destruction of the Eastern Roman empire by the Turks : ana- logy therefore seems to require that the Trum- pets, which universally speak of the Third Part of the several object* introduced, should all be considered as referring to the Eastern Roman empire alone. That the interpretation of the phrase, " the Third Part." is an acknowledged difficulty amongst commentators, will be seen by the fol- lowing quotation from the work of Mr. Cu- ninghame, which contains a correct criticism iipon the interpretation of this symbol adopted Symholical Dicfionari/. 101 by Mr. Faber : " There is a circumstance," he observes, " with respect to the Trumpets, which " seems to have perplexed all our interpreters. " It is, that on the sounding of each Trumpet, " only a third part of the object against which " it denounces vengeance, is destroyed. I have " not," he adds, " in any author, whose writ- " ings I have met with, seen any sufficient rea- " son for this singular fact. Bishop Newton " supposes that there is a reference to the Ro- " man empire, as being at that time a third " part of the known world, and the Bishop is " followed by Mr. Faber in this idea, But it " may be remarked, that the symbolical uni- " verse, seen by the Apostle John, represented "• not the Mhole habitable world, but the Ro- " man empire in particular, which is the spe- " cial subject and theatre of the apocalyptic " prophecies ; and, in the interpretation of the " Vials, Mr. Faber himself admits this to be " the case. The earth (says Mr. Faber, in his " remarks on the first Vial) is the Roman em- " pire. If then the entire symbolical earth " denote the Roman empire, to suppose that " the frequent mention of a third part of this " Roman earth has any relation to the propor- " tion which the Roman empire itself bears to " the whole habitable world, would be to in- " troduce the greatest confusion of ideas into 102 Combined Viexc of the Prophecies. " the exposition of the prophecy*". The so- lution of the difficulty proposed by Mr. Cu- ninghanie is, that the destruction of a third part should be considered as referring- to the partial and incomplete destruction of the Ro- man empire, which took place at the division of the empire into ten kingdoms ; its total and complete destruction being reserved for the pe- riod of the pouring out of the seven Vials of Wrath. This interpretation avoids indeed the inconsistency of representing a third part as equal to the whole, but does not suit the word's of the prophecy, where the complete destruc- tion of a certain portion of the earth is spoken of, and not the incomplete destruction of the whole : As this interpretation is certainly unsa- tisfactory, 1 conclude that there is no possible way of removing the diflSculty, except by doing away the cause which gave rise to it, and adopt- ing a more correct arrangement of the Apoca- lypse f. * Cuninghame's Dissertation, p. 75. t Mr. Faber has lately, in his fifth edition, altered his in- terpretation of this sjTiibol, aud makes it in one passage sig- nify the Eastern Roman empire, in others the Western em- pire, while the other third part he supposes to be Africa. This may be an improvement upon the former interpretation of the symbol, but this also is obviously objectionable, as the precise meaning of the symbol, whether Asia, Europe, or Africa, must, in all cases where it occurs, be left uncertain. Symbolical Dictionary, 103 Amongst the apocalyptic symbols, another of the greatest importance will be found to ba the Scarlet-coloured Beast of the Bot- tomless Pit, which is here considered as a symbol of the Infidel Power, but, is supposed by Mr. Faber, Mr. Cuninghame, and I believe all other commentators, to represent the Secu- lar Roman empire, and to be the same as the Ten-horned Beast of the Sea. Several diffi- culties, however, will be found to occur in giving to it this meaning : for instance, it is said, in Rev. xvii. 11, that the Beast out of the Bottomless Pit should be the eighth and last Head, King, Ruler, or Form of Govern- ment, of the Roman empire, and that he w ould be one of the seven ; which Mr. Faber observes necessarily implies, that the same individual would be successively the seventh and eighth Head or Ruler of the empire in two different capacities, and he supposes the prophecy to have been fulfilled in the person of Charle- magne, first as Patrician of Rome, and after^ wards as Emperor of the Romans. The terms of the Prophecy, however, are, that the Beast of the Bottomless Pit will be this seventh and eighth head, which, according to Mr. Faber's and Mr. Cuninghame's idea, that the Beast out of the Bottomless Pit is the ten-horned Beast of the Sea, would imply, that the Ro- 104 Combined View of the Prophecies. man Empire Mould be the seventh and eighth head or Ruler of the Roman Empire, The passage thus rendered is so unintelligible, that Mr. Cuning'hame points it out as the most dif- ficult of any in the Apocalypse, and in so doing' acts the part of a judicious and faithful expo- sitor of prophecy, whose duty it is, not only to give in every case the best interpretation in his power, but also to point out where there ap- pears any remaining difficulty requiring fur- ther explanation. After suggesting the correct interpretation of the passage, referring it to Napoleon instead of to Charlemagne, and to the future revival by him of the title of Em- peror of the Romans, by which he v^ ould be- come the eighth head, he being at that time the seventh head as King of Italy, Mr. Cuniiig- hame adds, " In offering these observations, I " wish to be understood as speaking with very " great diffidence ; as the part of the Apoca- " lypse, which has appeared to me most diffi- " cult of explanation, is that which relates to " the seventh and eighth heads of the Beast. *' If the difficulty arises from this part of the *' prophecy not having been yet accomplished, " we have no reason to be surprised at it, and " we must patiently wait till events shall ren- " der it clear." Though Mr. Cuninghame has doubtless obtained the ultimate meaning of Symholical Dictionary. 105 the passage (but not the full meaning, for I conceive that Buonaparte will not only revive the title of Emperor of the Romans, but will actually make Rome the place of his residence), he has not conjectured the real cause of the difficulty found by him and other commenta- tors, in giving the exact verbal interpretation of it ; for this difficulty does not arise from the prophecy's being yet unaccomplished, but from an erroneous interpretation having been given to the symbol of the Beast of the Bottomless Pit, by which means we find the passage is made to represent the Roman Empire as be- coming a King. Whereas, nothing can be more intelligible than this prophecy, ^vhen the new meaning of the symbol is adopted, for it then declares, that the Spiritual Beast of Infi- delity (the Infidel Power of the Apocalypse embodied in an individual), or the Infidel King of Daniel, having been the seventh head of the Roman Empire, as King of Italy, will also be the eighth head in another capacity, and probably, therefore, with the title of Em- peror of Rome^. * This Prophecj^ which leads us to infer that Buonaparte will become Emperor of Rome, is so confirmed by other cir- cumstantial prophetic evidence, that I do not hesitate to avow my conviction of the certainty of the event, although he is at this time so situated, as in appearance to render such an event highly improbable — having, however, more than a year ago lOG Combined View of the Prophecies. Again, in Rev. xi. 7, we read, that " the " Beast that ascendeth out of the Bottomless *' Pit shall kill them," referring to the Wit- foreseen and declared, from the Prophetic M'^ritings, the re- verses which France would undergo, and which she has since sustained, as well as the termination of her tyrannical career, and the future removal of the Empire of Buonaparte from France to Italy, I see nothing in his present circumstances but what has a direct tendency towards the accomplishment of the Prophecies thus, understood. Tiiree or four years will shew how far I am correct in my views, and I wish now to- record my opinion, that it may become hereafter an evidence of the clearness and precision of the Prophetic Writings. Mr. Cuninghame's theory led him to expect that the military power of France would continue " with awfully increasing •' energ}-, till the battle of Armageddon," and that the French would even recover the disasters of their retreat from Moscow (see Dissert, pages xxi. and 341 — 343). It was in maintaining the certainty of the termination of the strong and tyrannical rule of France, and the consequent probability of the then continued success of the Russians, that in the month of April, 1813,1 first wrote on the subject of prophecy. {This note dated 30th April, 1814. Printed 28th May, 1814.) — 1st Edit. Since the foregoing note was written, Buonaparte has been raised from his state of degradation, to be once more an object of anxiety and terror. It is remarkable, that Mr. Faber, in his fifth edition (published at the same time with my first), speaks also in the strongest terms of his expectation of his future rise. After having stated that he considers the fifth \'^ial as accomplished, in the reverses sustained by France from the summer of I SOS, to the period of his abdication, in the spring of the year 1814, he observes as follows; " Would we know the future fate either of this extraordinary Symholical Dictionary. 107 nesses, who are said, in the same chapter, to have prophesied for 1260 years, which seems to imply, that the Beast that kills the AVitnesses *' man, or at least of his dynasty, we shall find it declared *' with sufficient plainness under the sixth Vial, which yet re- ♦' mains to be poured out. In that prophecy we are taught, *' that, notwithstanding the temporary humiliation of Me' " imperial head under the fifth Vial, he shall appear again in " full power during the effusion of the sixth, which dries up " the watersofthe mystic Euphrates, for he then, apparently *' by means of the most subtle intrigue, contrives to recover " all his former authority, and to organize a mighty confede- " racy o^the Kings of the Latin earth. With the troops of " this confederacy he is gathered to Armageddon ; and there, " as we are expressly assured, he will be taken and slain, in " strict alliance with the false Roinan prophet. I pretend not " to say, how soon such a counter-revolution will occur; nei- ♦' ther willl presumetodetermine, whether itwill be brought " about by Napoleon himself, or by his son, or by some other •• military adventurer who may succeed him as Emperor of «• the West ; but this is certainly foretold, that the same last *' head of the beast , which experiences so signal a humiliation " under the fifth Vial, shall lae the sovereign lord of a great *♦ confederacy of vassal Latin kings uaAtv the sixth. Whence *' the inference is obrious, that, if the Napoleonic Govern' *' ment be the representative of the last head, as I believe it to " be ; it will assuredly rise again, more formidable than ever, " from its present state of depression ; though, when it does " rise, its triumph will be only short-lived. " This not very consolitary anticipation, while the whole " country is rejoicing over the supposed fall of the tyrant, " may perhaps cause me to be greeted with the Homeric " compellation of ii^avl* Kay.aiv, such however are the deduo 108 Combined View of the Prophecies. will so ascend at the end of the 1260 years, and the passage correctly interpreted, as relating to the Beast of Infidelity, gives a consistency to ** tious, ivlilch necessarily flow from the view that I find " myself compelled to take of the prophecies of Daniel and *« St. John." Again he says, " The very recognition of the legitimacy " of his title, will obviously be in itself a tower of strength " to him; and I cannot but think it too plain, that, in this " most impohtic concession, we may distinctly perceive, *' that God has turned the council of the allied negotiators " into foolishness. Hovering like an eagle on the coast of " Italy, the now /aw/w/ Emperor of the West, will serve as «' a rallying point to all the discontented. No more will an " obscure adventurer be placed in competition with the " hitrh-born Capets ; Italy and France must in future make " tlieir choice between an acknowledged regal Emperor,. " who may have been unfortunate, but whose exploits have " been of the most dazzling nature ; and a shadow of a king, " who has owed his restoration, not tothe choice of his sul>- " jects, but to the irresistible mandates of victorious fo- " reign powers. In the mind of a French soldier, the re- " turn of the Bourbons will ever be inseparably coupled " with the disgrace and humiliation of his country ; while " his warlike abdicated Emperor, every fault and every *' miscarriage blotted out by the tear of pity, will be re- " collected only as the firtn-souled warrior ; who to the last " contended with the invaders of France, and who ceased " not to struggle for her independence even against the " most fearful odds, until an intimidated senate, with an " enemy at their very gates, passed, by manifest constraint, " the edict of his deposal." — Fahers Dissertation, pages 405 — 408, 5th edition. Si/tnbolical Dictionary . 109 that general plan and arrangement of the Apo- calypse, in which the period of the 30 years of Infidelity is considered as succeeding to the In the foregoing passages it will be seen, that Mr, Faber speaks of the dynasty of Buonaparte, as well as of the indi- vidual; this necessarily arises from his fixing the time of | the battle of Armageddon (when we both agree, that the i Infidel Power v.ill be at the head of all the Papal nations ' of the Continent), to the year 1866, instead of to the year j 1822—3. It will be observedalso, that he appears (as Mr. Cuning- harae has done), to identify France with the Infidel Power, while I distinguish between the future prosperity of Buona- parte, and the future state of that kingdom, considering that Rome is hereafter to be his seat of empire, and that the «' tyrannical career" of France is terminated ; as will ap- pear on a reference to various passages, in ray first edition, and to the corresponding passages in this. And 1 have now to add, that I strongly suspect that the fifth Vial of Wrath, which is described as poured out upon France, is yet unaccomplished, though on account of the particular and unusual connexion there is between the sub- jects of the fourth and fifth Vials (the one relating to Buo- naparte as the head of the French Empire^ and the other to the kingdom of France itself J, it may be difficult, till events shall make it clear, positively to decide whether the fourth, terminated in the year 1812, or in the year 1814; for, speaking in symbolical language, how shall we now say whether that darkness which overtook the French, in Octo- ber, 1812, and continued till the month of April, 1814, was the failure of the light, and scorching influence of*^ the Sun," which may be supposed to mark the termination of the period «f the fourth Vial; or whether it was that grievous ♦'dar^JMs" 110 Combined View of the Prophecies. • 1260 years of the Papacy during which the Witnesses prophesy clothed in sackcloth. By the new interpretation of this symbol, which is described (Rev. xvi. 10) as overspreading the king- dom of France, during the period of the succeeding, or fifth Vial. When a Commentator, however, has translated the sym- bolical and figurative language of a prophecy, into plain and simple language, he has done all that is peculiarly his pro- vince, and there is no doubt (if the interpretation be cor- rect), that wlien the events predicted have actually occurred, they will be so striking, that no one can easily fail in cor- rectly applying them. The following brief view of the seven Vials, will point out the several subjects of them. Their effusion, it has been already stated, 1 conceive to be limited to a period of thirty years, commencing in the year 1792, and ending in the year 1822 — 3. The first Vial (as it is generally admitted) describes the grievous " Sore" of Atheism, which fell upon, the Papal nations, in the year 1792> and with the greatest propriety, thisVial introduces the period of the Thirty Years of Infidelity. The second Vial predicts the bloodshed, which should take place in some one principal unbelieving and unfruitful nation ; this was accomplished in revolutionary France, during the reign of terror, from September, 1792, to July 1794, when the whole kingdom was converted, as it has been expressed, into one immense slaughter-house. France being the principal theatre of infidelity, this was a severe but just judgment upon her, and its magnitude was evi- dently such, as to make it a sufficient object of prophecy. — For the interpretation of these two Vials, I am indebted to Mr. Faber. The third Vial, I conceive, piedicts a severe judgment upon Symbolical Dictionary . Ill another difficult passage is likewise explained, in which the Beast of the Bottomless Pit is re- presented as having had a prior existence, and the Apostate Visible Church, which had so far departed from the faith, as herself, to "shed the blood of saints,*' and to become their bitterest persecutor. — This was ful- filled by the campaigns in Italy, in the year 1796 — 7, and by the overthrow of the Papal government of Rome, in February, 1798. — As the Papacy has so long been the great enemy of the true Church, the importance of the object of this vial, is sufficiently apparent. The fourth Vial predicts the eufferings of the world, from the power and influence of some one eminent Individual, — This has been fulfilled in the long military despotism of Buonaparte, from the year 1800, to the year 1812, or pos* sibly to the year 1814; who has, in the course of his career, caused an immense destruction of human life, and produced an extraordinary accumulation of misery. The importaoce of this Vial must be felt by every one. The fifth Vial foretells a dreadfal retribution on the king- dom of France, which, after having been a scourge to other nations, is herself to experience the greatest miseries. — That the horrors of the retreat from Moscow, the battle of Leipsig, and the campaign in France, of the year 1814, have not furnished an adequate accomplishment to this prophecy, I would not take upon myself decidedly to say, although I think not, and for this reason amongst others, because the sufferings of this period fell chiefly upon the French Army, whereas the prophecy predicts a most dreadful judgment upon the «« kingdonC of France itself, «* the seat of the *« Beast," out of the bottomless pit, i. e., of the Infidel Power; and 1 am disposed, from a comparison of this with other prophecies, to believe, that the judgments of this Vial are now about to commence. 112 Combined View of the Prophecies. is spoken of as " the Beast that was, and is " not, and is about to ascend out of the bot- " tomless deep, and to go into destruction," The sixth Vial foretells the fall of the Ottoman empire in the East, and the increase of the influence of Buonaparte (or of his principles) in the West, preparatory to his being head of the Roman empire. The seventh Vial foretells a great revolution all over the Papal continent ; the division of the papal Roman empire into three great kingdoms, and other events of the most mo- mentous importance. — In the interpretation of the fourth Vial, as well as of the two first, I agree with Mr. Faber ; I also agree with him in the main, in the interpretation of the symbolical language of the three last; though the correct application of these, to events, remains yet to be decided. Observing the course of the Vials, hitherto accomplished, ,it is remarkable, that with the exception of the first, which is of a general and introductory nature, and does not de- scribe a temporal and visible judgment, there has beeu a regular interval and pause between each. Now the year 1814 has afforded another interval or pause of this kind; and this leads to the supposition, that some great judgment is about to take place, and whether it is that of the Sth or 6th Vial, and consequently, whether it will affect France, or whether the Ottoman empire in the east, while Buonaparte increases in power and mfluence in the west, the lapse of a few months, will, I have no doubt, point out. ] have to add, tliat should it (as I apprehend it will) prove io be the fifth, we must still, from the consideration that but 7 of the 30 years remain, necessarily expect that the pouring ©ut of the sixth Vial, and the fall of the Ottoman empire, will very quickly follow, i, e., will take place in about three or four years. — This Note dated Sth April, 1815, printed, IQth April, 1815. Symbolical Dictionary^ 113 which implies that " it was," as Paganism, had ceased to be during the period of Popery^ but was, at the period of the angel's explana- tion, " about to ascend out of the bottomless *' deep," pr to revive as the Beaat of Infidelity^ and to go into destruction* . And here ^^e may observe, how strongly the passage in which ^his symbol is introduced, thus explained, con- firms that general theory in which the history of the Church is considered as divided into the three successive periods of Paganism, Popery, and Infidelity, and iu which the period of Infidelity is made to synchronize with tliat of the destruction of the Empire, it being ob- served, that as Paganism and Infidelity are, as establishments, joined together, and represent- jed by one symbol, namely, that of the united City called Sodom aiid Egypt, so, in their active capacity % they are represented by similar symbols, having only a shade of difference, for we liere find, that the Scarlet-coloured Beast of Infidelity that arose in the year 1792, is repre- liented as being the old Red Dragon of Pagan- ism revived ; and the resemblance bet^veen them was, if I mistake not, twenty years ago pointed out by a writer, who first warned the Christian world of the true nature of the theu new French principles. * Rev. xvii. 8. (Archdeacon Woodhouse's literal translation.) I 114 Comhined View of tJie Prophecies. The Great united City, called Sodom and Egypt, wliicli is here considered as the symbol of Paganism and Infidelity, jointly (as esta- blishments of M ide extent and influence) is sup- posed by Mr. Faber to be the same as the Great City Babylon, but if so, it does not ap- pear ^vliy the City should in one particular passage be called by a new name : on the other hand, if it represents Paganism and Infidelity, there appears a great propriety in the descrip- tion, where the dead bodies of the Witnesses, who are slain by the Beast out of the Bottom- less Pit, or by Infidelity, are said in Rev. xi. 8, to lie in the street of this City, rather than in the Great City Babylon, which represents the Papacy. By this interpretation we also obtain an explanation of the remainder of the passage, where, in allusion to the double import of the symbol, it is said, that our Lord was also cru- cified in this City : for he was crucified by Pagans : and thus, in the homogenous apoca- lyptic symbols of the Cities, we again discover the grand divisions of the history of the Church, into the times of Paganism, Popery, and Infi- delity. The Israelitish Nation, which is sup- posed to represent the British Nation, affords another instance of an important variation from the meanings usually given to the symbols of Si/mbolical Dictionary, 115 thy Apocalypse ; and it has already been shewn in the preceding pages (15 and 16) of this work, how strongly the passages in which this symbol is introduced, so interpreted, confirm the gene- ral plan and arrangement of the Apocalypse Avhich has been adopted. There are other s} mbols, in the interpreta- tion of which I differ from Mr. Faber ; and se- veral interpretations which I believe are new ; such as the symbol of the Holy of Holies ; which, instead of being considered as repre- senting the Church during i\\e future period of the Millennium, is considered, in conformity to the symbol, as being all along co-existent with the other parts of the Temple, and as re- presenting through all its periods the Church in Heaven : an interpretation w hich will be found to explain many parts of the machinery of the Apocalypse. I also interpret differently to other commen- tators the symbols of the Ten Horns of the Fourth Beast, which are here supposed to re- present a territorial division of the Roman Em- pire into so many parts. The Image of the Beast, the Fourth Part of the Earth, the Four Winds, &c. &c. have also ncAv meanings given to them ; but these, not being intimatel}- con- nected with the general plan and arrangement ofthe Apocalypse, need not be here considered, i2 ( 116 ) CHAPTER n. I)anleVs Vision of the Great Image— describi?tg, 1st. The Kingdom of Babylon. 2d. The Kingdoms of Media and Persia. Sd. The Kingdoms that were the Seat of the Macedo^ nian Empire. 4th. The Western Roman Empire, in the Periods of its Strength., Wea/t>- ncss, ajid Destruction: and, bth. The Tempo* ral Kingdom of Christ, in the Periods of its Commeticement, Progress, and Perfectionr. Tnt first prophecy, in the order of time, which will come under our consideration, is that of the Tision of the Great Image, contained in the second chapter of Daniel ; the introduc- Htf6n to which is as follows ; Dan. chap. ii. ver. 1. " And in the seeon(l year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebu-, •ith this further object, that they toight know tliat the God who strengthened and exalted them ^^ as the God of Israel, and that they might thence be disposed to shew favour 'to his church. To Nebuchadnezzar the revelation was made known for the sake of Daniel, and the Jews, his companions in captivity*. To Cyrus, that he might restore the Jews to their own land, and command the rebuilding of the temple f. To Alexander, that when he came against Je- rusalem with the intention of severely punish- ing its inhabitants, his disposition might be so changed towards them, that he should not only pardon their offence, but receive them into fa- vour, and grant them w hatever privileges they desired J. Whether the present Ruler of France §, who is the principal individual spoken of in the pro- phecies relating to the fourth, or Roman em- pire, has seen any of those Mhich relate to him- self, cannot here be determined ; but, as the Infidel Power, it is not to be supposed that he * Dan. ii. 30. f Isa. xlv. 5, 13. Ezra i. 2. . J See Prideaux's Connec. anno A. C. 332. § This commentuiy on the vision of the Great Image was written at the end of the year 1813, and consequently while Buonaparte was yet Emperor of France. — 1st Edit. DttnieVs Vision of the Great Image. 123 would be influenced by them. It is plainly shewn in the prophetic writings, that in these latter days, the interference in behalf of the Church has been of a different nature ; for Ave there find, that the favoured Protestant Nation, which now stands in the place formerly occu- pied by the Jewish nation as the chosen people of God, is represented as having been taken at the commencement of the present period of trouble under the peculiar protection of the Almighty, and as being throughout this period victorious and successful over its enemies*. We now proceed to the consideration of the prophecy itself : the first part of king Nebu- chadnezzar's dream is thus related to him by Daniel, ver. 31 : " Thou, O king, sawest, and " behold a great image. This great image, " whose brightness was excellent, stood before " thee, and the form thereof was terrible. 32. " This image's head was of fine gold, his " breast and his arms of silver, and his belly " and his thighs of brass." And afterwards, in giving the intei^retation of this part of the visLn, he adds, ver. 37: " Thou, O king, art a " king of kings : for the God of heaven hath *' given thee a kingdom and power and strength *' and o-lorv. 38. And wheresoever the children * Rev. vii. 1 — 'i' 124 Combined View of the Prophecies. *' of men dAvell, the beasts of the field, and the " fowls of the heaven, hath he given into thine " hand, and hath made thee ruler over them *' all. Thou art this head of gold. 39. And " after thee shall arise another kingdom infe- *' rior to thee, and another third kingdom of " brass, v^'hich shall bear rule over all the " earth." As in this vision the same four ruling- king- doms of the world are represented, that were afterwards seen in the vision of the four Beasts, and as the Vision of the Ram and the He-goat relates also to the second and third of these four kingsoms, these several prophecies may be advantageously compared together for mutual illustration. The three first ruling kingdoms are thus described in the vision of the four Beasts, Dan. vii. 4: " The first was ' like a Lion, and had eagle's wings, and I ' beheld till the Avings thereof were plucked. ' — 5. And behold, another beast, a second, like ' to a Bear, and it raised up itself on one ' side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of ' it between the teeth of it ; and they said ' thus unto it. Arise, devour much flesh. — ' 6. And lo another, like a Leopard, which ' had upon the back of it four wings of a ' fowl ; the beast had also four heads, and ' dominion was given to it."" DanicVs Vision of the Great Image. 125 Again, in the Vision of the Ram and the He- goat, the Ram (which answers to the Bear in the vision of the four Beasts) is thus described ; Dan. viii. 3 : — " Behold, there stood before the river ^' a ram which had two horns, and the two *' horns were high, and the higher came up *' last. 4. I saw the ram pushing westward, *^ and northward, and southward, so that no ^ beasts might stand before him." — And after- wards in the same vision, the He-goat (which 8ii«wers to the Leopard in the ^'ision of the Four Beasts) is seen coming with such swift- ness from the west towards the east, that he appears not to touch the ground ; he has a notable horn between his eyes, and smites the Ram, and tasts him down to the ground and, stamps upon him, and it is added, that " when " he was strong, the great horn was broken, *^' and for it came up four notable ones to^vard ^' the four winds of heaven." These are the several texts which descril^e t?ie three first ruling kingdoms of the world ; and we find that Daniel, in giving the inter- pretation of the vision of the Great Image, in- forms King Ne}>uchadnezzar, that he himself, ^i' the kingdom of Babylon, over which he ruled, is the head of gold. As the kingdom of Babylon is in this vision represented by Gold, the most precious of me- 126 Combined View of the Prophecies. tals, so in the parallel vision of the four Beasts, we find it represented by a Lion, the most noble of wild beasts, by the dignity of the emblem employed in both cases, is signified the extent of its dominion, its power, and its riches; thus, Babylon is called in Isaiah, " the golden city," and Nebuchadnezzar is said by Daniel to be " a king of kings." The territories represented by the head of Gold, and by the Lion, are not to be consi- dered as extending beyond the province of Ba- bylon ; though the dominion of the kingdom of Babylon (typified by the eagle's wings, that the Lion for a while possessed) extended to other countries, as Syria, Palestine, &c. If the period of its duration, as the ruling- kingdom of the world, be considered as com- mencing with the destruction of Nineveh, by the Medes and Babylonians, which took place six years before Nebuchadnezzar came to the throne, and as terminating with the taking of Babylon by Cyrus ; the whole period would be from the year A. C. 612, to A. C. 539*, beijig only 73 years. The second symbol (the breast and arms of Silver) represents the united kingdom of the Medes and Persians, which next succeeded to * Prideaux's Connec. in loco, DanieVs Visioti of the Great Image. 127 the empire of the world. As silver is inferior to gold, so this kingdom is spoken of by Da-, niel, as " inferior" to that of Babylon ; that is, inferior in point of dignity and riches, though more martial. Thus, in the vision of the four Beasts, we find it represented by the Bear, inferior in dignity to the Lion, but more savage and ferocious. The Bear is represented as having three ribs in his mouth, and as being commissioned to " arise and devour much flesh :" and these three ribs, we learn from the prophecy of the Ram and the He-goat, re- present the conquests of the Medes and Persians (typified by the pushings of the Ram) " Avest- *' ward, and northward, and so^ithward;" in which direction the conquests of Cyrus were made*. First, he defeated Croesus, king of Lydia, and subdued the whole of Asia Minor, which lay in a westerly direction — by these vic- tories paving the way also for the submission of Syria and Arabia — next he marched into *' the upperj^'or northern " countries of Asia," and lastly marched southward, and besieged and took Babylon, which lay also in a soutJi- erly direction from Ecbatana, the capital of Media, completing, by this last action, the * Prideaux's Connec. anno, 543, 128 Comhincd View of the Prophecies. series of his conquests to the West, to tlie A^orth, and to the South. The symbols of the breast of Silver in this ^vision, the Bear in that of the Four Beasts, and the Ram seen in a third vision, all refer to the territories of the united kingdom of Media and Persia alone. Accordingly we find that the symbols of the Bear and of the Ram are re- presented each as composed of only tn-o partSy for the Ram is said to have two horns, of which *' the higher came up last ;" and the Bear is said to raise himself up on one side, so as to make one side higher than the other. Media, the most ancient kingdom, is here represented by the first horn of the Ram, and Persia by the horn which came up last, and which eventually became the highest when Cyrus, the Persian, became head of the united kingdoms: which elevation of the Persians above the Medes, is like^^ ise represented ^hen the Bear is «een to raise himself up on one side. Though the symbol of the Bear refers to the kingdoms of Media and Persia alone, its con- quests as before mentioned, extended over many other countries, as Asia Minor, Syria, and "Eg}pt, and all the East, as far as the river In- dus. The same observation, of course, applies to the Ram seen in the other vision. If the pe- DanieVs Vision of the Great Image, 129 riod of the duration of this kingdom, as the ruHns: kingdom of the world, be considered as commencing with the taking of Babylon by Cyrus, in the year A. C. 539*; and as termi- nating with the defeat of Darius, the last Per- sian monarch, in the year A, C. 331*, it will include a period of 208 years. The next emblem in the vision of the Great Image, is that of the belly and thighs of Brass, representing the kingdom of Alexander the Great, which succeeded to the empire of the world. This kingdom is also in the vision of the Four Beasts, represented by the Leopard, having four heads, and in the vision of the Ram and He-goat, by the He-goat, having eventually four horns. As brass is inferior to silver, so the kingdom of Alexander is still inferior in dignity to the kingdom of the Medes and Persians which pre- ceded it, but is yet more martial. Thus, in the vision of the four Beasts, the Leopard also may be considered as inferior to the Bear, though it is more jfierce and swift in its move- ments : and the Goat, seen in the third vision, may also be considered as inferior to the Ram, though it is represented as being more warlike and active. * Prideaux's Connec. in loco. 130 Combined View of the Prophecies. It is said of the Leopard, that " dominion was given to it/' which refers to that dominion which was obtained by Alexander the Great, through his victories over the Persians. The conquests of Alexander are more parti- cularly described in the vision of the Ram and the He-goat ; their rapidity, which was their peculiar characteristic, being typified in the one vision by the Leopard's having on his back four wings of a swift fo\vl of the air, and in the other, by the swiftness with which the He- goat was seen to move from the West towards the East ; which is described as being so great, that he appeared not to touch the ground. The kingdom of Alexander was, as is well known, after his death, divided into four minor kingdoms, by four of his captains and succes- sors. These A>cre typified by the four horns of the He-goat ; and were first the kingdom of Macedon and Greece ; secondly, the kingdom of Thrace and Bythinia ; thirdly, the kingdom of Syria, and the East, and fourthly , the king- dom of Egypt. The four heads of the Leopard relate to the same kingdoms ; but, being heads and not horns, there is a possibility that they have a particular reference to the four captains of Alexander, as the heads of their respective king- doms; viz., Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy, by whom the division was made. Daniel's Vision of the Great Image. 131 The following several symbols, Yiz.,the belly and the thighs of Brass, seen in the vision of thp Great Image ; the Leopard, seen in the vision of the four Beasts; and the He-goat, seen in the vision of the Ram and He-ooat ; equally represent the territories of the king^ dom of Alexander the Great, and his Succes- sors ; as distinguished from the kingdom of Ba- bylon, and from the united kingdoms of Media and Persia ; and comprise the several countries above mentioned, as composing the four king- doms represented by the four horns, viz., Mar- cedon, &c. Thrace, &c. Syria, &c. and Egypt. The province of Babylon, and the kingdoms of Media and Persia, though conquered by Alexander the Great, are excluded from the four heads of the Leopard, or the four horns of the Goat, because they respectively belonged to the symbols of the Lion, and of the Bear ; and the territories east of Persia, extending to the ri- ver Indus, are also excluded : for they form no part of the prophetic Earth, or of those territo- ries which are the peculiar subject of prophecy. If the period of the Macedonian empire be dated from the defeat of Darius, king of Per- sia, by Alexander the Great, in the year A. G. 331*, and be considered as extending to the * Prideaux's Connec. in loco; K 2 132 Combined View of the Prophecies. year A. C. 190*, when Antiochus the Great, king of Syria (the principal of the four king- doms of the divided Macedonian empire), was defeated by L. Scipio, and made tributary to tlie Romans, the whole time of this empire would include a period of about 141 years. We now proceed to the consideration of that part of the prophecy which relates to the fourth kingdom, the seat of the fourth empire ; which has been of far greater importance than those which have preceded it; both on account of its extent and duration, and also on account of the great events which have taken place during its period ; for the fourth ruling kingdom of the world (which I consider to be the same as what is usually called the Western Roman em- pire) has, in its undivided, and divided state, ex- tended its dominion nearly over the whole pro- phetic Earth ; and its influence has reached to every part of the world. It was during the period of its dominion, that the most import- ant of all events, the birth of Our Saviour, took place ; and that the Gentiles were called into the Church ; blindness having for a sea- son fallen upon the Jewish nation, which, in the time of the three first empires, was the only depository of divine truth, * Prideaux's Connec. in loco. Daniel's Vision of the Great Image. 133 The fourth kingdom, or the Western Roman Empire, is, we tind, again inferior in dignity, but still more martial than those which pre- ceded it; for it is represented in the vision of the Great Image by Iron, inferior to Gold, Sil- ver, and Brass, though stronger : and in the vi- sion of the four Beasts by a Monster, having great iron teeth, which far surpassed in strength and ferocity the three beasts m hich preceded it. This kingdom was eventually divided into ten minor kingdoms, which are typified by the ten toes of the Image, and the ten horns of the Monster ; its territory extends to the west, as far as the kingdom of Great Britain, which is in- cluded in it ; its northern boundaries are pro- bably the Danube and the Rhine ; its southern lioundary is the Mediterranean ; and its east- ern, the Grecian empire. In examining- the prophecies relating to the Western Roman empire, we shall, in con- formity to the plan of this work, consider first, the Period of its Strength as one great king- dom ; secondly, the Period of its Weakness, when divided into ten kingdoms ; and lastly, the Period of its Destruction. The Period of its Strength, in its undi- vided state, is described Dan. chap. ii. ver. 33, in these words, " His legs of Iron," the iron ty- pifying the great strength of the empire. Jn the 134 Combined view of the Prophecies, interpretation (ver. 40) it is said " The fourth " kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch " as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth " all things, and as iron that breaketh all these" (viz., the Gold, the Silver, andtheBrass), *' shall it break in pieces and bruise ;" that is, it should excel in strength, and overcome the kingdom of Babylon, the united kingdom of Media and Persia, and the kingdom of Mace-^ don, &c., which had before been represented tinder those 'three symbols. Again, in the parallel vision of the Fonf Beasts, Dan. chap. vii. ver. 7, the Western Em- pire is thus described in the period of its strength : " Behold, a fourth beast, dreadful " and terrible, and strong exceedingly : and it " had great Iron teeth : it devoured and brake " in pieces, and stamped the residue Avith the " feet of it ; and it was diverse from all the *' beasts that were before it." This description is repeated in verse 19 of the same chapter; Vvhere it is spoken of " as the fourth Beast, " M liich was diverse from all the others, exceed- " ing dreadful ; whose teeth were of iron, and " his nails of brass ; which devoured, brake in *' pieces, and stamped the residue with his " feet." In the passage quoted from the vision of the Great Image, and in each of these latter verses quoted from the vision of the four Daniel's Vision of the Great Image, 135 Beasts, we find therefore beautiful and striking- descriptions of the power of the fourth kingdom, or Western Roman empire, and of its subduing the other three kingdoms during the period of its strength. In the Period of its Weakness, or in its divided state, it is represented in the vision of the Great Image, by " the feet and toes, part of " potter's clay, and part of iron;'' and in the parallel vision of the four Beasts, by the ten horns of the fourth ; which are said to be " ten *' kings," or kingdoms, " that should arise ;" the number of toes agreeing with the number of horns; and both equally representing ten minor kingdoms, which were formed by a divi- sion of the Western Roman empire. The sym- bols of the feet and toes of the Great Image are afterwards thus explained by Daniel to king- Nebuchadnezzar, ver. 41 : " And whereas thou " sawest the feet and toes, part of potter's clay, " and part of iron, the kingdom shall be di- " vided ; but there shall be in it of the strength " of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron " mixed with miry clay. 42. And as the " toes of the feet were part of iron and part of " clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong-, *' and partly broken." The ten kingdoms of the divided Western Roman empire are represented in these verses 1-36 Combined View of the Prophecies, as being some of them strong, and others weak; and as differing from each other as iron diti'ers from clay ; and we find the contrast between these two classes of kingdoms yet more strik- ingly pointed out in verse 43 ; where it is said by Daniel to king Nebuchadnezzar, in explain* ing the vision, " Whereas, thou sawest iron *' mixed with miry and clay, they shall mingle " themselves with the seed of men : but they '' shall not cleave one to another, even as iron *' is not mixed with clay :'* by which we un- derstand, that though the strong and powerful king"doms should be mingled with the base and inferior kingdoms (called as a term denoting weakness and inferiority, " the seed of men)," lying mixed together with them as the broken pieces of the Western Roman empire ; they should not " cleave together," or assimilate ; but should be perfectly distinct and separate characters ; there should appear in the strong kingdoms all the iron, all the stiength and t}'- ranny of the old Roman empire, but none of the weakness of the inferior kingdoms of clay. In this part we shall tirst inquire which are the ten kingdoms represented by the ten toes of the Image ; and the ten horns of the fourth Beast ; and then proceed to arrange them into the two classes of iron and clay. In endeavouring to decide the important Daniel's Vision of the Great Image. 137 question, which are the ten kingdoms interested in tlie prophecy of Daniel, we should consider what are the chief subjects of prophecy ; and we must conclude, that these are, first, the tes- timony of Jesus Christ* ; secondly, the history of his Church ; and thirdly, the history of the kingdoms of this world, as connected with his Church. The prophecy of Daniel every one considers as reaching to the end ; we may therefore ex- pect to find mentioned in it those modern nations of the divided Roman empire, in whose revolutions and actions the Church of Christ lias been the most interested ; and amongst these we must necessarily class Rome, the seat of that great enemy of the Church, who is the principal subject of Daniers vision of the four Beasts. Great Britain, the chief supporter of the Protestant cause, and the principal seat of the true Church, ^ve must suppose also to be noticed in prophetic history ; as well as Austria, the head of the Germanic empire ; and France and Spain, who have been the cruel persecutors of the Saints. The prophecy of the four Beasts also teaches us, that three of these ten kingdomi^ are taken possession of by the spiritual Horn ; of which three, Rome is evidently one. We, * Rev. icix* 10» 138 Combined View of the Prophecies. therefore, in addition to those above named, are directed to look for two, ^hich united to Rome, ])ecame the property of the Pope ; and formed the territories of the Church. But though we should probably be correct in thus fixing upon seven out of the ten kingdoms, some principle of interpretation is to be sougiit for, by which we may precisely ascertain the complete number of the kingdoms typiaed by the ten horns. And here we must be guided by w hat we find in other parts of the prophetic writings, and argue from analogy. We have already seen, in the emblems repre- senting the four kingdoms which obtained suc- cessively the empire of the w orld, the accuracy with which they are described as territorial di- visions of the whole prophetic Earth, and that their territories are obviously designed to be kept perfectly distinct and separate one from the other. For instance, because the kingdom of Baby- lon formed the first Beast; and Asia Minor, with Upper Asia, formed together part of the third Beast ; these three provinces are decidedly excluded from the second Beast^ and are repre- sented as three ribs in the mouth of the Bear, or flesh that he had seized to devour ; the repre- sentation pointing out, that these three pro- Dtiniets Vision of the Great Image. 139 vinces would be overrun and subdued by the Medes and Persians. Again, in the vision of the Ram and the He- g-oat, the second ruling kingdom of the worlds as there described, evidently consisted of onli/ two parts, viz., of Media and Persia, which were typified by the two horns of the Ram, of which the higher came up last. It appears, also, in considering the symbol of the fourth Beast representing the kingdom of the Romans, that it does not include Babylon, Media, and Persia, or the four minor kingdoms of the Macedonian empire ; for these territories (the greater part of which afterwards formed the Eastern Roman empire) are called " the residue" which the ten-horned Beast is repre- sented as conquering, or stamping with his feet. Vie shall see likewise when the destruction of the latter days is spoken of, that it is said Dan, ii. 35, " Then was the iron, the clay, the " brass, the silver and the gold, broken to " pieces together, and became like the chaff of " the summer threshing-floors;" from which description we must conclude, that the gold^ the silver, the brass, the iron, and the clay, re* present territorial divisions ; for they cannot be considered as severally representing the Baby- lonian, Medo-Persian, Macedonian, and Roman Empires, each in its full extent, because the 140 Combined View of the Prophecies. three first have not in these latter days any existence. Again we shall find in the vision of the four Beasts, it is said, that the lives of the three first Beasts were " prolonged for a season and a time" after they had their " dominion^'* or empire, taken away. By which is described the state of the countries represented by the three first Beasts, from the period when they ceased to be the seat of empire, to that in Avhich they will become the seat of the Church, and part of the universal kingdom of Christ : and we .nay here again observe, that the four ruling kingdoms of the world are described as territo- rial divisions of the prophetic Earth ; for they are clearly spoken of as being only for a certain period the seat of empire^ and as being distinct from each other, and co-existent. As it thus appears that the four ruling king- doms of the world exhibit a territorial division of the whole prophetic "Earth" (or of that part of the world which is the subject of prophecy) into four parts, so we may further observe that the horns upon the bodies of the second and third Beasts represent territorial subdivisions of the second and third ruling kingdoms. The first ruling kingdom of the world con- sisted only of the single province of Babylon, the first Beast therefore has no symbol of this kind attached to it. Daniel's Vision of the Great Image. 141 The second ruling kingdom consisted of two territorial subdivisions, namely, of the provinces of Media and Persia, the Ram, therefore is re- presented as having ti&o horns. The whole of the third ruling kingdom of the world, or the kingdom of Alexander the Great, was subdivided a few years after his death, that is, in the year A. C. 301, into four parts, by four of his captains and successors ; and the He-goat is consequently represented as having four horns ; and the rise of these horns is universally dated from the year in which this division took place. In endeavouring to intei*pret the part of pro- phecy now under consideration, we are directed therefore by the analogy of all preceding pro- phecies to look for a similar territorial sub' division of the Western Roman empire into ten kingdoms, which we are to consider as having each a peculiar territory of its own, into which is not to be reckoned its conquests over the ter- ritories of others. Accordingly we find, that the Western Roman empire, as bounded on the north by the Danube and the Rhine, is divisible exactly into ten parts, all of which, excepting two that perished early, have existed for nearly the whole period of the divided state of the em- pire. Of these, the three first are Lombardy, which was the seat of a powerful kingdom; 142 Combined View of the Prophecies. Ravenna, which was the seat of the Exarch, who ruled over a great part of Italy ; , and Rome, which was formerly the seat of empire. The addition of Naples and Tuscany to these three, forms a complete territorial division of Italy into five parts : the five other kingdoms are France, Austria, Spain, Portugal, and Britain. The te7i forming together a complete territorial division of the Roman Empire, are therefore as follows : 1 Ravenna, 2 LoMBARDY, y forming the Papal States. 3 Rome, 4 Naples. 5 Tuscany. 6 France. 7 Austria. 8 Spain. 9 Portugal. 10 Britain. As no other ten kingdoms can be named on the principle of a territorial division, if this, as we have every reason to suppose, is the correct principle on which the prophecy of Daniel should be interpreted, we may assume with confidence that these are the ten kingdoms re- ferrecj to in his prophecy ; we shall find like- Darnel's Vision of the Great Image. 143 wise that they answer to all the particulars mentioned of them in the remainder of the vision of the Great Image : and in the parallel prophecy of the four Beasts. These particulars are, that the papal horn took possession of three of them ; that they are divisible into two classes, the strong and the weak, the Iron and the Clay ; and that all excepting two (which we are informed by prophecy perished early, by being united to Rome) should be in exist- ence when the period of the destruction of the empire commenced ; for we are told, that the stone smote upon the feet and toes of the image. Having named the ten kingdoms, I now pro- ceed to divide them into the two classes of the kingdoms of iron, and the kingdoms of clay. The kingdoms of iron I consider to be three, viz., France, Rome, and Austria ; and the kingr- doms of clay to be seven, namely, Ravenna, Lombardy, Naples, Tuscany, Spain, Portugal, and Britain. With respect to the character of the three first, as tyrannical kingdoms, I shall have to shew hereafter, in considering other prophecies, that though always great, either in extent, or importance, they are in the prophetic writings said to remain comparatively in a state of rest, \ till after the commencement of the last period, ^ or till after the year 1792. France, which is 144 Combined View of the Prophecies. represented in one of these prophecies as the first that wakes or starts into new hfe, it will be allowed has, since its rise as Imperial France, been a tyrannical empire, and of a dif- ferent class from all others of the divided West- ern Roman empire which have yet appeared. France, therefore, being the only iron kingdom whose character has yet been developed, Me can speak of the fulfilment of this prophecy no further than as it has been accomplished in her tyrannical reign, under her present ruler* ; and here the accomplishment appears most striking ; a very few years also will shew whe- ther I am correct in expecting the complete ful- filment of it in the future tvrannical reiijns of Rome and of Austria. The successive t}Tanni- cal reigns of these three great kingdoms belong iiow^ver to the next period, namely, to that of the Destruction of the Roman empire ; but I mention in this place the t}Tanny then exer- cised by them, in order clearly to establish the character of France as one of the king- doms represented by the iron toes of the Great Image. The period of the Destruction of the Wes- * The reader is requested to bear in mind, tliat this inter- pretation of the vision of tlie Great Image was written in the -year 1813, while Buonaparte was Emperor of France. Ist Edit, Daniel's Vision of the Great Image. 145 tern Roman empire, and the first period of the Temporal kingdom of Christ, is thus described to King Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. ii. 34 : " Thou '* sawest till that a stone was cut out without *' hands, which smote the image upon his feet " that were of iron and clay, and brake them to " pieces," w hich is afterwards thus interpreted : ver. 44 : " In the days of these kings shall the *' God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall *' never be destroyed : and the kingdom shall *' not be left to other people, but it shall break " in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, *' and it shall stand for ever, 45. Forasmuch " as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of " the mountain without hands, and that it " brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, " the silver, and the gold ; the great God hath *' made known to the king what shall come to " pass hereafter." The Stone here represents the Temporal kingdom of Christ, and, by its smiting upon the feet and toes of the Image, is described the destruction of the kingdoms of the Western Roman empire, which takes place upon its first establishment. It is shewn in the repre- jjentation, and it is also expressly declared, that the smiting of the stone will take place " in the days of these kings," namely, of the ten kingdoms of Iron and Clay. This prophecy 146 Combined View of the Prophecies. therefore requires, that the ten kingdoms of Daniel should be considered as in existence when the reign of the Stone commences, those two of course being excepted which we have before observed are said to fall early, being united to Rome, and with it becoming the pro- perty of the little spiritual Horn ; and we find that eight out of the ten kingdoms, named upon the principle of a territorial division of the \A'estern Roman empire, were actually in existence as separate kingdoms, and in their ordinary state, in the year 1792 ; in m hich year there is every reason to believe, that the smit- ing of the Stone commenced ; for the na- tions of the continent have, since that period, been breaking to pieces, and have been vi- sited by such awful judgments as were never before witnessed : France, Rome, Naples, Tus- cany, Austria, Portugal, and Spain, the seven Roman-Catholic kingdoms, having all of them fallen one after the other, and in the order in which they are here mentioned ; and though France and Austria have revived, as Imperial France, and Imperial Austria ; and Rome, there is reason to think, will revive again as Impe- rial Rome ; it will only be to complete the work of destruction which is still going on. The Protestant country of Great Britain has aloiie escaped these judgments ; and the cause Daniel's VUion of the Great Image, 147 of her being' thus mercifully exempted from them, will be learnt from the vision of the four Beasts, where we are told that they are in- flicted on account of the superstition and idola- try of the Papacy ; for the fourth Beast, or Western Roman empire, is there said to be destroyed, " because of the voice of the words *' against the Most High, which the little (Pa- pal) Horn spakq." This destruction of the nations, during the reign of the Stone (com- mencing in the year 1792), is also unquestion- ably referred to in the beautiful and sublime prophecy respectingthe kingdom of the Messiah, contained in the second Psalm, where Christ is thus addressed : " Yet have I set my king " upon my holy hill of Zion. Ask of me, and " I shall give thee the heathen for thine inhe- " ritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth *' for thy possession. Thou shalt break them " with a rod of iron ; thou shalt dash them in *' pieces like a potter's vessel ;" for there is no other period than that of the reign of the Stone to which this prophecy can apply ; the Papacy, the enemy of the Church of Christ, being till then triumphant ; and the kingdom of Christ, when fully established upon earth, being de- scribed by Isaiah, and all the prophets, as a kingdom of perfect peace and righteousness. The important event of the ruling of the na- L 2 148 Combined View of the Prophecies. tions with a rod of iron, will also be found to be spoken of in Revelations ii. 27. xii. 5, and xix. 15. It is said that the Stone, which smites upon the feet and toes of the Image, is cut out mth- out hands ; because the Temporal Kingdom of Christ is in this period invisible, being visible only in its effects ; and again, because it is of divine origin, and established without any hu- man aid. So, in Isaiah, our Saviour is repre- sented as declaring, " I have trodden the Wine- " Press alone, and of the people, there was none *' icith me, therefore mine own arm brought " salvation unto me :" the treading of the wine- press here spoken of, referring to the great and final destruction of the enemies of Christ, which takes place when the thirty years of the reign of the Stone terminates. The prophecy of the vision of the Great Image thus proceeds ; ver. 35, " Then was the " iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the " gold, broken to pieces together, and became *' like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors, " and the wind carried them away, and no " place was found for them : and the stone that *^' smote the image became a great mountain, " and filled the whole earth.'* The total destruction of the kingdoms of this world, which takes place upon the esta- Daniel's Vision of the Great Imao'e. 149 blishment of the kingdom of Christ, is de- scribed under the strongest figures. In the vision of the four Beasts, it is said to be by fire, which so destroys, as to leave no vestige of that which is consumed ; for the body of the Beast is said to be " given to the burning " flame." And in the passage now before us, the kingdoms of the world are represented as completely annihilated, so that " no place was " found for them.'' The Earth will be utterly beaten to powder at the presence of God. When he enters into judgment with the nations of the earth, they will be found lighter than vanity : the wicked are like the chaff which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth : the apostate nations will be made as the dry chafi* of the summer threshing-floor ; they will be as nothing, and the wind of divine wrath will carry them away, and their place will no more be found. From this and similar awful descriptions of the events of the last days, there is every reason to believe that, by judgments still more dread- ful than those which have, for the space of twenty-two years, been inflicted upon the con- tinent, the Papal nations will be completely destroyed : and that these judgments, extend- ing also to the Eastern Roman empire, will equal in severity those inflicted upon the Ca- 150 Combined View of the Prophecies. naanitish nations by the children of Israel, pre- viously to their establishment in the Holy Land, when they were commanded to leave no soul alive*. The whole of the Roman empire being thus destroyed, and eveiy thing that opposes itself being removed, the Temporal Kingdom of Christ will be established, and will stand for ever. The period, during which the Stone becomes great, is the period of the Progress of the Tem- poral Kingdom of Christ, and consists of the forty-five years discoverable in the last chapter of Daniel. These fortj^-five years are to be reckoned from the complete destruction of the Infidel and Papal Powers, which takes place at the end of the preceding period of thirty years. During this period of forty-five years the kingdom of Christ will extend in every direction, and finally embrace the whole world. The Period, during which the Mountain fills the whole earth, is the period of the Mil- lennium, or that glorious time when Christ shall reign with his Saints upon earth. Then will be fulfilled what is spoken by the pro- phet Isaiah : " Of the increase of his govern. *' ment and peace there shall be no end, upon ♦ Deut. XX. 16, 17. DanieVs Vision of the Great Image, 151 " the throne of David and upon his kingdom, " to order it and to establish it with judgment " and with justice, from henceforth, even for *' ever.*" Remarks tipon the Interpretations given by former Commentators of the visioji of the Great Image, and of the other visions, in which the four great Empires are repre- sented, I am gratified to find, that I have such high authority as that of Sir Isaac Newton, for hav- ing, in the foregoing interpretation of the vi- sion of the Great Image, and in the observa- tions which have been made upon the vision of the four Beasts, considered each of the symbols of the four Metals, and each of the parallel symbols of the four Beasts, as representing a territory peculiar to itself. Sir Isaac observes, that " the nations of " Chaldea and Assyria are still the first Beast ; " those of Media and Persia are still the se- '' cond Beast; those of Macedon, Greece, " Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, are " still the third ; and those of Europe on this *' side Greece, are still the fourth.'* But Mn 152 Combined View of the Prophecies. Faber, in quoting the foregoing passage from the work of Sir Isaac, objects to the principle, by which a precise line of distinction is thus supposed to be drawn between the territories which were severally the seats of the four great Empires ; observing, that " the countries of " Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, cannot be " considered as forming an exclusive part of " the third Beast, because they were originally " provinces belonging to the second Beast," that is to the Bear*. But Sir Isaac and Bishop Newton evidently understand (as they necessa- rily must, in considering the four Beasts as re- presenting a territorial division of the pro- phetic Earth into four parts), that these pro- vinces did not belong to the symbol of the Bear. Mr. Faber, therefore (as it appears to me), here only rejects the theory of Sir Isaac, but does not advance any thing in support of his own system. The arguments that may be adduced in fer- vour of Sir Isaac Newton's hypothesis, have been already briefly stated f. But as Mr. Fa- ber, in controverting this hypothesis, has par- ticularly spoken of the second Beast, as repre- senting, not only the kingdoms of Media and * See Faber's Dissertatiou, vol. i. in 3d edit. p. 205 — 208. 4th edit. p. 232—238. 5th edit. p. 229:— 232. t See preceding pages 133 — 136, Daniers Vision of the Great Image. 153 Persia, but the Medo-Persian Empire, extend- ing to its utmost limits, ineluding in it the countries of Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, &c., I shall reconsider the symbols relating to this em- pire somewhat more at length. Now it is allowed by Mr. Faber, as well as by all other commentators, that the two horns of the Ram, of which the last became the hiah- est, represent severally the kingdoms of Media and Persia ; and, as the Ram has no more than two horns, the natural deduction is, that the representation is limited to the kingdoms of Media and Persia; for we can hardly, consist- ently with the propriety of symbolical repre- sentation, suppose, that the subordinate parts of an empire, or the provinces conquered by the Medes and Persians, as Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, would be represented by the actual body of the Ram, while the principal provinces, as Media and Persia, containing the seat of go- vernment, are represented only by its two horns. To decide this we have, however, an opportu- nity of a reference to a parallel vision, where the symbol, which answers to that of the Ram, is not an horned beast, but a Bear ; here the two provinces of Media and Persia are repre- sented by the tw o sides of the Bear. And, as Ave must in this instance consider the two halves of the symbol as occupied by these two 154 Combined View of the Prophecies. provinces, every other object is consequently excluded from the representation. But not only do we thus prove, that the pro- vinces conquered by the Medes and Persians cannot possibly, as Mr. Faber supposes, be included in the symbols of the Bear and of the Ham ; but, if I may be allowed to use a forensic term, we prove also an alibi ^ith respect to these provinces, and shew them in the mouth of the Bear; for the three ribs there seen '' in *' the mouth of it, between the teeth of it," are such appropriate symbols of the conquered pro- vinces, subjected to the domination and tyran- nical power (or as Bishop Newton expresses it, the grinding oppression) of the Medes and Persians ; and again, this interpretation of the symbols of the Ribs between the teeth of the Bear, is so strongly supported by a similar description given of the fourth Beast, which is represented as having great iron teeth^ with which it devours and breaks in pieces, that is, conquers and destroys, and which is afterwards again spoken of as devouring " the whole earth," which must unquestionably mean conquering the whole earth ; that I think there can be no doubt that the commission given to the Bear to arise and " devour much flesh*' was a commis- sion given to the Medes and Persians to go forth and make conquests ; or that the flesh, i. e., Daniel's Vision of the Great Image. 155 the three Ribs, seen in its mouth, represent, according to the interpretation of Sir Isaac and Bishop Newton, provinces, " which were con- " quered by it, but were not properly parts and " members of its body/* I might here observe, that much of the beauty of the representation which consists in a great degree in its minute accuracy, would be lost in those prophecies which relate to the four great empires, if we were not to consider each of the four symbols as referring to a territory peculiar to itself. And in the instance before us, were I to adopt the principle advanced by Mr. Faber, " that the four Beasts themselves are the four *' great empires considered as respectively ex- " tending to their several utmost limits," in- cluding therefore all their conquests, I should be totally at a loss how to interpret the symbols of the three ribs, which he appears also himself to leave unexplained. Sir Isaac Newton, Bishop Chandler, and Bi- shop Newton, consistently with their hypothesis, consider them as representing the conquests of the Medes and Persians over Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt. In their interpretation of these symbols, I find therefore that I have partially, but not exactly, followed them ; thinking it necessary on the principle of analogy, that these symbols should be interpreted so as to answer 156 Combined View of the Prophecies. to the pushings " westward, northward, and *' southward" of the Ram, and should be li- mited to the first conquests by Cyrus, through which the Medo- Persian empire was established, or " became great." I consequently exclude Egypt, which was not conquered till a later period, or till the reign of Camb} ses, and adopt Armenia, or the Northern parts of Asia, instead of it ; which is referred to by the pushing north- ward of the Ram, and which is particularly mentioned by Prideaux, as being conquered by Cyrus after Lydia, and before Babylon. In the latter part of the interpretation of this prophecy, I am, I fear, without the support of the high authorities i have quoted ; for 1 do not find that they, or any of my predecessors, have extended the principle of a territorial division to the interpretation of the symbols of the ten toes of the Image, and the ten horns of the fourth Beast ; which, it is agreed, represent ten minor kingdoms, formed on the division of the West- ern Roman empire. It becomes therefore necessary, in conformity to the plan upon which I have proposed to pro- ceed, and from the consideration that there can be but one true interpretation of every prophecy, that I should now state upon what grounds I consider the various expositions which have been given by former writers of this important DanieVs Vision of the Great Image, 157 paii; of prophecy to be unsatisfactory and inad- missible. Bishop Newton introduces the following lists of the ten kingdoms into his work, as being those of the most approved commentators, in ^\hose general principles of intei-pretation he agrees ; although, in order to include Ravenna, Lombardy, and Rome, he names the kingdoms himself as existing at a later period than has been chosen by others. The list of Bishop Chandler and Bishop Lloyd (which has been adopted also by Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame) contains the following king- doms : — 1 Burgundians, in Burgundy. 2 Franks, in France. 3 Heruli and Turingi, in Italy, 4 Huns, in Hungary. 5 Lombards upon the Danube, and after- wards in Italy. 6 Ostrogoths, in Meesia. 7 Saxons and Angles, in Britain. 8 Sueves and Alans, in Gascoine and Spain. 9 Vandals, in Africa. 10 Visigoths, in Pannonia. Mr. Mede reckons up the ten kingdoms thus, as they are supposed to have appeared in the year 456, the year after Rome was sacked by 158 Combined View of the Prophecies. Genseric, King- of the Vandals. Here it will be seen, that tlnce kingdoms named in the pre- ceding list are omitted, and others are substi- tuted in their place. 1 Burgundians, in France. 2 Franks. 6 Ostrogoths, whom the Longobards suc- ceeded in Pannonia, and afterwards in Italy. 7 Saxons, in Britain. 8 Sueves and Alans in Gallicia and Por- tugal. 9 Vandals, in Africa. 10 Visigoths, in south of France and part of Spain. [3] Alemanes, in Germany. [4] Britons. [5] Greeks. The list of Sir Isaac Newton is as follows : — 1 The kingdom of the Burgundians. 2 The kingdom of the Franks. 4 The kingdom of the Huns. 5 The kingdom of the Lombards. 7 The kingdom of the Britons. 8 The kingdom of the Sueviaus, in Spain. 9 The kingdom of the Vandals and Alans, in Spain and Africa. 10 The kingdom of the Visigoths. Daniel's Vision of the Great Image. 159 £3] The kingdom of the Alans, in Gallia. [6] The kingdom of Ravenna. The following is the list of Bishop Nekton ; the kingdoms are here named from a later period of the M estern Roman Empire, than has been fixed upon by other commentators, which oc» casions the great variation perceptible between his list and the foregoing. 1 Burgundians, in Burgundy. 2 Franks, in France, 4 Huns, in Hungary. 5 Lombards in Lombardy, 7 Saxons, in Britain. [3] Alemanes, in Germany. [6] Britons. [8] Goths, in Spain. [9] Greeks, in Ravenna. [10] The Senate of Rome, " who revolted fron^ *' the Greek Emperors, and claimed *' and exerted the privilege of choosing^ " a new Western Emperor." The first observation to be made on these lists is, that even the first three, which are equally formed with reference to an early period of the divided Roman empire, are yet found to vary from each other. This Bishop Newton accounts for as arising from " the great disorder and confusion of the 160 Combined View of the Prophecies, " times : one kingdom falling, and another " rising, and scarce any subsisting for a long " while together ;" from which representation of the unsettled state of the Western Roman empire, at the time the ten kingdoms are sup- posed to have been formed, it appears evident, that if we consider them, according to the usual interpretation, as falling upon any suc- cessful invasion by a foreign power, it cannot be decided with any certainty which are the ten kingdoms referred to by the prophet. We seem therefore, in the very outset of our examination, to have arrived at the con- clusion, that if we would name with any cer- tainty the ten kingdoms of Daniel, they must be considered as formed on the principle of a territorial division of the Western Roman empire, when they will be supposed still to continue to exist, through all their changes, as long as their territories are kept distinct from each other, and remain the seats of separate governments. It will be observed also, that I shall name the ten kingdoms, with reference to a later period than other commentators have done, for I do not consider the second period of the Ro- man Empire {i. c, its completely divided and weak state) to have commenced till the begin- ning of the seventh century ; when the Roman Daniel's Vision of the Great Image, 161 emperors, who had recovered Italy on the expul- sion of the Ostrogoths from it^ had again lost the supreme authority in that country from the invasion of the Lombards ; and it was, as is well known, divided into several Dukedoms : the Greek Emperor possessing the Exarchate of Ravenna. But we will now examine whether any of these lists are satisfactory, by inquiring first whether the various kingdoms named in them can be considered as of sufficient importance to fill so prominent a place in prophetic historj^, as that occupied by the ten horns of the fourth Beast of Daniel ; and secondly, how far their histories actually correspond with all the par- ticulars which are mentioned of these ten horns, either by Daniel or Saint John. If we examine the first list (or that most ge- nerally adopted) with regard to the importance of the kingdoms therein named, we shall find it to be very unsatisfactory in this respect, for the kingdom of the Heruli was overthrown after having been established in Italy only seventeen years. The kingdom of the Visigoths in Spain, is considered also to have ended in the year 714, when Spain was conquered by the Saracens — and in short, with the exception of France (which fell in the year 1792), the period of Da- M 162 Combined View of the Prophecies. nieFs prophecy, as far as relates to the ten king- doms, has, according to the usual interpretations of it, been long passed b} . Thus, Mr. Faber observes, in reference to his list of the ten kingdoms, that the " Franks or *' French are the only people of Europe who " can deduce a perpetual succession from the " concpierors of the Western Empire*," and remarks again, that " the original kingdom of " the Angles cannot be considered as being at " present in existence, the line of succession " having been broken both by the Danish and " Norman conquests :" and in another place he observes, that " as for specifying what powers " are now the ten horns, he cannot but consider " it as absurd to attempt it." The Burgundians, the Huns, the Saxons, the Vandals, the Sueves, and the Visigoths, existed also at a comparatively unimportant pe- riod of the Roman empire ; and their histories are connected in a very inferior degree with the history of the Church. On the other hand we shall find that Rome, which is a kingdom of the first importance, as be- ing the seat of that great enemy of the Church, who is the principal object of Daniel's vision of the four Beasts, is itself overlooked in the inter- * Faber's Dissert, vol, i. 3ded. p. 150, 4th ed. p. 176. Daniel's Vision of the Great Image. 163 pretations usually given of that prophecy, for it is not considered by Mr. Faber and others as one of the ten kingdoms represented by the ten horns. If we should ask where is Britain men- tioned in prophecy, that has so long been the principal seat of the true Church, and the great upholder of the Protestant cause ; and which is the nation to whom, above all others, peculiar mercy has been shewn : we are told that it has no place in the prophecy of Daniel ; that the kingdom of the Saxons in Britain was one of the ten kingdoms, but that it perished at the time of the Norman conquest, and that Britain never therefore had a place in prophetic his- tory, as one of these kingdoms, but when it was a barbarous nation, and of no political importance. As the vision of the Great Image, and of the four Beasts of Daniel, reach however to the time of the end, we must naturally suppose that they refer to the present long established king- doms of the Western Roman empire ; and th at the transcendently important events of the pre- sent day, in which they are concerned, are above all others likely to be the subjects of these pro- phecies. It can hardly therefore be thought that any one of these lists, containing the names chiefly of barbarous nations, which are at this M 2 1(34 Combined View of the Prophecies. time nearly forgotten, is a true list of the ten kingdoms of Daniel. This will more clearly appear if we now proceed, in the second place, to consider how far the histories of these na- tions correspond with those particulars which are related of the ten Horns in the prophecies of Daniel and Saint John. In the vision of the four Beasts it is said, that three of the ten horns should be " plucked up " by the roots before'' the little papal horn: should '-'■ fall before it :'' and should '-'■ be sub- " dued by it ;" implying, when correctly inter- preted, that three of the ten kingdoms should be taken possession of by the Papacy. Accord- ingly Mr, Mede, Bishop Newton, and Sir Isaac, equally understand the acquisition of temporal sovereignty by the Papacy to be the particular subject of this prophecy, and refer it to the Pope's obtaining possession of Ravenna, Lom- bardy, and Rome, which have for more than a thousand years formed the papal territories ; they are however much puzzled to make this interpretation accord with their lists of the ten kingdoms. Mr. Mede tries to effect it by call- ing Ravenna " the kingdom of the Greeks ;" by considering Lombardy as a continuation of " the kingdom of the Ostrogoths;" and by calling Rome " the kingdom of the Franks, *' continued in the empire of Germany :" Daniel's Vision of the Great Itnage. 165 Rome being nominally at least subject to Charlemagne and his successors. To this in- terpretation, however, Bishop Newton and Mr. Faber justly object, that though Ravenna and Rome were seized by the Papacy, the Greek and German empires cannot be said to have been plucked up by the roots before the little Horn. Sir Isaac Newton agrees that the three king- doms are Ravenna, Lombardy, and Rome, ob- serving that " it was certainly by the victory of " the See of Rome over the Greek Emperor, -' the King of Lombardy, and the Senate of " Rome, that she acquired Peter's patrimony, *' and rose up to her greatness* :" of which in- terpretation Bishop Newton approves, admitting that " the three kingdoms which he (Sir Isaac " Newton) proposeth were plucked up by the " roots, were totally subdued by the Popes, " and possessed as parts of Peter's patrimony : " but then,^' he observes, " it may be objected, " that only two of the three are mentioned iu ■' his (Sir Isaac Newton's) first catalogue of " the ten kingdoms, the Senate and Dukedom " of Rome being not included in the number:" though " there were not only three horns to be " plucked up before the little horn, but three " of the first horns." * Vide Bishop Newton's Dissertations, vol. i. chap, xxr^ 166 Combined View ttf the Prophectes. Bishop Newton therefore himself propose?} a list of the ten kingdoms, taken " as they stood " in the eighth century, and therein," he ob- serves, " are comprehended the three states or " kingdoms which consfituted the Pope's do- " minions, and w hich" he conceives " to he " the same as Sir Isaac Newtom did, viz., the \ " Exarchate of Ravenna, the kingdom of the " Lombards, and the state of Rome." Mr. Faber, considering it as impracticable to include Ravenna, Lombardy, and Rome, in the list of the ten kingdoms, names the three horns very differently from his predecessors, for he considers them to be " the kingdoms of the He- " ruli, the Ostrogoths, and the Lombards, suc- *' cessively eradicated before the little papal *• horn, which at length became a temporal no " less than a spiritual power, at the expense of " these three depressed primary states*." Thus we see that Mr. Faber agrees with Bi- shop Newton, Sir Isaac, and Mr. Mede, that the acquisition of a temporal sovereignty by the Papacy — that most important event in its his- tory— is the object of the prophecy ; though there is this difference in his interpretation, that he refers the fall of the two first horns to cir- cumstances which had no direct connexion with * Faber's Dissert, vol. 1. 3d ed. p. 194. 4th ed. p. 22. othed. p. 217. DanieVs Vision of the Great Image. 167 this assumption of temporal power : the Heruli, for instance, the first named of the three, having been expelled from Italy between two and three * hundred } ears before the Pope became a tem- poral sovereign. We must however consider prophecy as too concise and striking in its descriptions to be ever justly referred to events so remotely con- nected with its object ; and besides this, the ex- pressions that three of the horns should be plucked up hy the roots before the Pajjacy^ that three should fall before it, and be subdued by it, point out, it appears to me, as strongly as any expressions can do, the active agency of the little Horn in these transactions ; for when we read of one person falling before another, we naturally understand it to mean that he falls by him ; and if there were any doubt whether the word is used in this sense in the present in- stance, the phrase that the little Horn " shall " subdue three kings," w ould put it out of all question. Mr. Faber makes the follow ing observations upon the vision, which are accommodated to his interpretation of it. " With respect to the vision, the appearance," he observes, " which presented itself to Daniel, " seems to have been this. While the prophet " was contemplating ijE^r springing up amongst these, he per- 192 Combined View of the Prophecies. ceives a little horn of a different description from the others, having " eyes like the eyes of " man/' This symbol represents the Papacy as a spiritual power, the eyes intimating a pro- phetic character; Prophets, on account of their speaking of invisible things, and seeing into futurity, being called Seers : and that such is the character of the Papacy in prophetic his- tory, appears also from the book of Revela- tions, where the Papal Power is called " the " false Prophet." He is here said to have a mouth speaking very great things ; and again, he is said to speak words against the Most High, setting his OAvn decisions against those of the word of God, and making arrogant pretensions to those attributes of power and infallibility which belong to God alone. He is said, in verse 8, to rise up " amongst" the others ; in verse 20, to be the horn that *' came up ;*' and in the explanation of the vi- sion in verse 24, he is said to rise " after" the others. Here we must observe, that the pro- phet did not see any of the ten horns spring up; they appeared already upon the head of the beast when he was first seen ; so they are spoken of afterwards as " the ten that were in his " head," and the little horn only is spoken of as " the other which came up." The description here given of the Papal DanieVs Vision of the Four Beasts. 193 horn, as thus rising up amongst the ten king, doms, appears equivalent to the description given of its rise in the Apocalypse, where it is said to rise up " out of the Earth* ;" namely, out of that part of it which formed the terri- tory of the Western Roman empire. It is called a little Horn, because it rose from small beginnings : the corruption of the Church of Rome, as well as its attainment of spiritual power, being secret and impercep- tible, though it gradually increased till at length it became universal ; and the Pope ap- peared as the Great Apostate of the Western Empire. After his rise it is said, that three of the ten horns should be plucked up by the roots be- fore him ; again, tliat three should fall before him ; and again, that three should be subdued by him. These expressions, which so strongly affirm that three of the ten kingdoms of the divided Western Roman empire should be jtaken possession of by the Pope, either by his own agency, or through that of his allies, I refer, with Mr. Mede, Sir Isaac, and Bishop New- ton, to his taking possession of the Exarchate of Ravenna, Lombardy, and the State of Rome ; which afterwards, for above a thousand years, * Rev. chap. xiii. ll, o 194 Comhined View of the Prophecies. formed the territories of the Church. These events happened in the following order ; about the year 730*, the Pope^ taking- advantage of the prejudices of the populace in favour of Image worship, m hich the Greek Emperor Leo had endeavoured to suppress, excommunicated him, and excited his Italian subjects to insur- rection ; who in consequence rose upon the Exarch, who governed in his name at Ravenna, and put him to death. After this event, the Greek Emperor never recovered his authority in Italy ; and the Pope became eventually the temporal, as Mel I as spiritual Governor of the State of Rome. This horn he may therefore be considered as having plucked up by his own immediate agency. About twenty-tive years after this*, the theji Pope claimed from the King of the Lombards the Exarchate of Ra- venna, as forming part of the spoils of an he- retic prince ; for such he termed the Emperor, on account of his having endeavoured to pre- vent Idol worship ; and persuaded Pej^in, King of France, to enforce his claim ; who, march- ing a powerful army into Lombardy, besieged Aistulphus in his capital, and obliged him to resign to the Pope JRave?ina, the object of con- teutioQ} which was then united to the State of ♦ JEchard's Rom. Hist, in loc DaiiieVs Vision of the Four Beasts. 195 Rome, and thus the second horn was plucked up by the roots before the Papacy. Subse- quently to this, about the year 774*, the Pope having, by his intrigues, excited the displea- sure of Desiderius, King of Lombardy^ Desi- derius seized several towns belonging to the Church, and prepared to besiege Ravenna; upon which the then Pope applied to Charle- magne for his assistance, who, marching an army into Lombardy, after a siege of ten months, took Pavia, its capital, and put an end ' to the kingdom of the Lombards^ which had existed in Italy above two hundred years. Thus was the third kingdom subdued before the Pa- pacy, which obtained from Charlemagne a con- siderable portion of the conquered territories. The Prophecy next represents the Pope, or the Papacy, as " making war with the Saints;" the true Church of Christ; the professors of the unadulterated religion of the Bible. He is said to " wear them out," destroying them, and lessening their numbers by continual per- secution. He is said also to " think to change *' times and laws;" for shutting up the word of God as unfit for the perusal of the simple and unlearned, he substitutes in its place the corrupt traditions of the self-called Church; * Echiud's Rom. Hi^t, in loo. o 2 196 Combined View of the Prophecies. being- lifted up with such extreme arrogance as to think that he had supreme authority, and that all events, or the " times," which God " hath put in his own power," and the " laws" of God revealed in his Holy Word, were to bend to him, and be at his disposal : and for a long' season it was permitted that he should pre- vail against the saints, so as nearly to banish true religion from the ^a hole of the AVestern Roman empire : the la^ s of God were abro- gated, his word concealed, and the times appa- rently left to the disposal of the great Apostate for a certain period, called " a time, times, *' and tlie dividing of time/* A Time may be considered as naturally ex- pressive of the longest time or fixed period we are in the habit of calculating by ; or a year. The expression Times implies two of these pe- riods ; and the Dividing of Time, elsewhere called a half time, one half of that period ; making a total amount of three Times and a half, or three prophetic years and a half. That this is the correct meaning of the words will be evident on a reference to the parallel prophecies of Saint John, where the same pe- riod is described as being 42 prophetic months^ and also 1260 proplietic days, each year being considered as composed of 12 months, and each mouth of 30 days. Now in prophecy, a day is Daniets Vision of the Four Beasts, 197 frequently used to represent a natuml year ; as, for instance, Ezekiel*, in prophesying the length of time the Je\vs shoukl suffer for their iniquity, was commanded to lie forty days on one side, eating bread by weight, and drink- ing water by measure ; thus representing the distress the Jews should suffer in their cap- tivity ; and every day he so lay down repre- sented a natural year; as it is said, " Lo, I " have appointed thee each day for a year." There are other instances where a day is used to typify a year, so that we may conclude with certainty, that the period here spoken of as " a time, and times, and the dividing of time," equals 1260 years. A precise period being named for the domi- nance of the Papacy, we must infer, that the commencement of this period will be accu- rately marked ; for it would be in vain that the years were numbered, if the point of time from which the period commenced, was not distin- guishable. Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame have well observed, that it would only be by some authoritative act of the secular power of the empire, that the saints could originally be given into the hands of the papal horn ; the Papacy being a spiritual power which could ♦ £zek. chap. iv. 198 Combined View of the Prophecies. only at fii*st exercise such authority as was per- mitted by the temporal power. Mr. Cuniug- liame further observes, that in looking- for a commencement of the period, marked by such an authoritative act of the state, we shall find, that, in the month of ]March, 533, the Em-j peror Justinian issued an edict against heretics; and when writing to the Pope for his approba- tion of what he had done, addresses him as the acknowledged head of all the holy churches^ and all the holy priests of God. The letter, in which this acknowledgment is contained, as well as the edict to which it related, were in- serted in the volume of the civil law of the Empire, and are still to be found there. From the date of this imperial epistle of Justinian to Pope John, the saints, and times, and laws of the C hurch, may therefore be considered to have been formally delivered into the hands of the Papacy ; and this consequently gives the precise date for the commencement of the pe- riod of the 1260 years. The period being reckoned in years, we may expect to find tlie accomplishment of the pro- phecy agree as to the number of years ; but greater accuracy than this we are not warranted to expect. Now, according to the scriptural mode of reckoning by incomplete time; which method is said to prevail universally in the Daniel* s Vision of the Four Beasts. 199 East, any lengtli of time between 1259 and 1260 years would be denominated by the greater number. The period then having be- gun in the month of March, 533, its termi- nation may have ])een at any point of time from March, 1792, to March, 1793. 1 he principal explosion of the French Revolution on the 10th August, 1792, happened therefore at the expi- ration of the period ; on that day the French Monarchy was overthrown, and the Republic established in its stead. This was an event of an importance wonderfully adapted to mark the expiration of the long period of 1260 years, during m hich it had pleased God, with much forbearance and long suffering, to permit the triumph of the enemies of his truth, the suf- ferings and depression of his church, and the concealment of his Gospel : the French Revolu- tion marked the termination of this order of things; it came to the astonishment of those that dAvell upon the earth ; it ushered in the period of the destruction of the Roman empire, and of the Papacy (through the instrumentality of the Infidel power), a period which is called in the Revelations, the day of the wrath of God ; and in Isaiah, the year of his redeemed. ' In the 25th verse, after the period of the time, times, and half, had been mentioned, during V hich the Saints should be given into the hands 200 Combined View of the Prophecies. of the little Horn, it is said, " But the judgment " shall sit, and they shall take away his domi- *' nion, to consume and destroy it unto the end." From these words we learn, that the complete consumption of the Papacy will occupy a cer- tain space of time, and will reach to the end ; though we are informed in the Revelations, that its first fall Avill be sudden : and so we find, that the spoliation and destruction of the Papacy is not yet completed, though the commence- ment of it was strikingly marked l)y the sudden and extraordinary events of the year 1792. From that year we therefore date the commence- ment of the last period in the history of the Church Militant : and it will be recollected that we have already, in examining the vision of the Great Image, ascertained the same date for the commencement of the last, and co- temporary period in the history of the Empire ; for in considering the reign of the Stone, it was remarked, that the ten kingdoms of the divided Roman empire, or the majority of them, viz., the seven remaining Roman-cathc'ic kingdoms, began in that year to be broken to pieces. At the same time that the Papacy is destroyed, the destruction of the Roman empire also takes place, which is described in this vision in the following words, ver. 9. " 1 beheld till the DanieVs Vision of the Four Beasts. 201 *' thrones were cast down (or placed) and the " Ancient of days did sit ; whose garment was " white as snow, and the hair of his head like *' the pure wool, his throne was like a tiery *' flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10. *' A fiery stream issued and came forth from " before him, the judgment was set, and the " books were opened. 11. I beheld then, be- " cause of the voice of the great words which *' the horn spake, I beheld even till the beast *' was slain, and his body destrojed, and given *' to the burning flame. 12. As concerning *' the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion *' taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for *' a season and time." In this sublime and awful description, the transactions in heaven are revealed, and God is represented as sitting in judgment upon the na- tions of the world. The thrones here mentioned may be understood as being placed for those who were slain for the testimony of Jesus ; for it is at this time that the nations are ruled with a rod of iron, and it was to those who should re- main faithful during the period of the ten perse- cutions, that the following promise was made : " He that overcometh, and keepeth my -works " unto the end, to him will 1 give power over " the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod " of iron, and as the vessels of a potter shall 202 Comhined View of the Prophecies. " they be broken to shivers, even as I received " of my Father* :" in which passage we may perceive, that the pouer exercised by the Saints themselves over the nations is distinctly spoken of, and that it is declared, that they should be made partakers of the reign of Christ. That the reign of the Saints has already com- menced, and began with the period of the de- struction of the empire, is a position however of so much interest and importance as to re- quire that I should bring" forward some texts to support and illustrate it ; and I will first re- fer to those pafisages Avhich speak of the tem- poral kingdom of Christ, and of the reign of the Saints, as conimcncmg' immediately at the expiration of the 1260 years, that is, at the com- mencement of the thirty years ; secondly, to those which speak of the reign of the saints as continued through the whole course of the period of thirty years ; and thirdly, to those which speak of this reign at the end of the period of thirty years. In the vision of the Great Image we have seen that the Stone, or the Temporal Kingdom of Christ, /?r.9^ appears when the destruction of the Empire takes place. So likcM ise, in the Reve- lation of Saint John, immediately before the * Il€v. chap. ii. ver. 26 & 27. DanieVs Vision of the Pour Beasts. 203 sounding of the seventh Trumpet, our Saviour is described as descending from heaven to earth, setting his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth, emblematical of his then taking possession of the kingdoms of this world: and at the same time that awful declaration is lieard, that the mysteriously permitted period of the 1260 years was finished*. In the prophecy under consideration, we also read this passage, Dan. chap. vii. ver. 21 — 22. *' I beheld, and the horn made ^var with the " Saints, and prevailed against them, until the *' Ancient of days came, and judgment was ♦' given to the Saints of the Most High, and " the time came that the Saints possessed the •' kingdom." From which we infer, first, that the coming of the Ancient of days takes place at the expiration of the 1260 years prosperity of the Papacy ; and secondly, that Judgment is then given to the Saints^ and that from that period ihey possess the kingdom. We find also, in Rev. chap. xi. ver. 15 — 18, that immediately after the fall of the tenth part of the City (or after the French Revolution), great voices are heard in heaven, saying, " The king- " doms of this world are become the kingdoms'of ^* our Lord, and of his Christ;" and it is said, * Rev. X. 1 — 7. 204 Combined View of the Prophecies. that it is at this time that he should " give re- ** ward unto his servants the Prophets^ and to " the Saints" and to them that fear his name, " small and great ;" the reward here spoken of being that promised to them in Rev. ii. 26, 27, and iii. 21, and which they Mere also com- manded in Rev. vi. 11 to wait for, till the number of the martyrs that were to be slain by Papal persecution should be completed, or till the period of the 1260 years should be ex- pired. In the Apocalypse, the Church in Heaven, foniied of the spirits of the glorified Saints, is typified by the four Living Creatures which surround the throne, who are said to sing a new song- to him w ho had redeemed them to God by his blood, " out of every kindred, and tongue, " and people, and nation." It is also typified by that part of the Temple, or Church in ge- neral, which is the most sacred ; that is, by the Holy of Holies; so when the ''^Temple in heaven'* (which, literally translated, means the Church in heaven) is mentioned, we find from the de- scription of it, and from the scenery belonging to it, that it is the Holy of Holies that is so called. Tjais being understood, I have to observe, that the seven Vials of the Wrath of Almighty God, wliich are poured out in the course of the period of the thirty years, and which effect the destruc- Dani^rs Visi07i of the Four Beasts. 205 tion of the Roman empire, are delivered into the hands of the seven angels who are to pour them out, by one of the four Living Creatures, The angels M'ho pour them out likewise come out of the Temple in Heaven, which is at this period first opened, when the judgments of God are made manifest. The voice likewise comes out of the Temple in Heaven, which commands the angels to pour them out ; all which tends to establish the opinion, that the Church in Hea- ven, or the Spirits of the glorified Saints, which are typified by the four Living Creatures, and by the Temple in Heaven, are designed to be represented as themselves inflicting those judg^ ments upon the nations, and as ruling them with a rod of iron, during the whole course of the period of the destruction of the Roman empire. In the last dreadful scene of this period^ namely, at the treading of the wine-press, the Saints in heaven are also described as being pre- sent, attending upon that great triumph of their Lord : for of whom else are " those armies in *' heaven" composed, which are mentioned in Rev. chap. xix. ver. 14, " as following Christ " upon white horses ;" the emblems of power and authority, victory and success; and " a§ ^' clothed in fine linen, white and clean'* (which we reaeing placed at the commencement of the period during which judgment is passed upon the Roman em- pire and upon the Papacy, and during which the power of both is progressively consumed' and destroyed. Thus the promise, made in DanieVs Vision of the Pour Bca$ts. 209 Rev. chap. iii. ver. 21, in fulfilled, " To him " that overcometh will I grant to sit with me " in my t/iro?ie, even as I also overcame, and " am sat down with my Father in his thuone.'* And in the Saints being made themselves to sit in judgment upon the Papacy, the following general promise made to the Church by the mouth of the prophet Isaiah is also remarkably fulfilled ; " No weapon that is formed against " thee shall prosper, and evert/ tongue that " shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt *' condemn; this is the heritage of the servants *' of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me " saith the Lord." But to proceed, we learn from the eleventh verse, that it is the Papacy, through its abomi- jiations and its cruelty, that has principally called down these^ heavy judgments upon the earth ; accordingly we find, that they have been inflicted only on the nine Roman-catholic divi- sions of the Western Roman empire ; Britain, the Protestant kingdom, having escaped ; how awful therefore would it be, were she now to give any decided encouragement to the princi- ples of a religion Avhich has been so clearly marked as the object of Divine displeasure. The time when the Beast will be slain will be at the treading of the wine-press, or at thd last great battle, called by Saint John in the p 210 Combined View of the Prophtctes. Revelations, the battle of Armageddon. When that dreadful scene is concluded, its body will be completely destroyed by being given to the burning flame ; this m ill be eftected during *' a " time of trouble, such as there never was *' since there was a nation, even imto that same *' time*." From the 12tli verse it is to be inferred, that the Western Roman empire will not be con- tinued in an inferior state of existence, after its power and strength are gone, as m as the case ivith the other ruling kingdoms of the world, for it will immediately be utterly destroyed ; whereas the three Beasts, ^\h)ch represented the three other kingdoms, have had their lives prolonged, for a season and a time, since their dominion was taken away ; for their total de- struction does not take pl#ce till they perish together with the fourth beast, or M estern Ro- man empire. The period of the destruction of the fourth beast, and of its little horn, being a [)eriod of thirty years, commencing in the year 1792 ; or as we should rather say, being the last thirty of a period of 1290 jears, commencing in the month of March, 533, it will terminate between the month of March, 1822, and March, 1823; * Dan. xii^ I. Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts. 211 and there can be little doubt that the prophetic \ hour will strike with the same precision at the ' expiration of this period, by the overthrow of the Infidel power, the final destruction of the Papacy, and the restoration of the Jews, as it did in the year 1792, by the overthrow of the French Monarchy, and the commencement of i the downfall of the Papacy. After these events, the burning of the body of the beast immediately takes place, and fall^ into the next period of the forty-five }ears of Daniel, to which period the following- descrip- tion also belongs : " I saw in the night visions ; '' and behold, one like the Son of Man came *' with the clouds of heaven, and came to the " Ancient of days, and they broug-ht him near " before him, and there was given him domi- *' nion, and glor^, and a kingdom, that all *' people, nations, and languages, should serve *' him ; his dominion is an everlasting domi- '* nion, which shall not pass away; and his " kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." This period, which consists of forty-five years, may be called the period of the Progress of the kingdom of Christ, when all Mahometan and Pagan nations will be brought into his Church ; and when dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, will be given to him, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. The descrip- p 2 212 Comb hied View of the Prophecies. tion here given is parallel >vitli that in the vision of the Great Image, m iiere tlie Stone is said to become a great Mountain. - We are informed by Daniel, rhap. xii. ver. 1, that during that time of trouble uhioh occupies the commencement of this period, the restora- tion of the Jews will take place ; and from many texts in Scripture there is reason to think that this event will be attended w ith some extra- oi'dinary manifestation of the poM er of Christ. In Saint John we read these words: '• Behold " he Cometh m ith clouds ; and every eye shall *' see him, and they also which pierced him : *' and all kindreds of the earth shall wail be- *' cause of him \" And in Zech. xii. 10, when the conversion of the Je\Ns is spoken of, it is said, that '* they shall look uponliim whom " they have pierced." From a comparison of which texts we may conclude, that the conver-« sion of the Jews will be at the second coming of Christ. A^'e learn also, that at his second coming " all the kindreds of the earth" will be in a state of enmity to him ; or that it will be at the period when infidelity is at its height. So our Lord himself saith, " When the Son of *' Man Cometh shall he ^find faith upon the '' earth." Saint Paul likewise gives a similar * K«v. i. 7. DanieVs Vision of the Four Beasts. 213 description of the time when the Son of Man- should coine, speaking of the Papacy as that wicked one, that sliould ere long be revealed ;' and whom the Lord should destroy with the brisrhtjiess of his coniin<^*. The 110th Psalm contains also a remarkable prophecy of the establishment of the temporal kingdom of Christ, ver. 1. " The Lord said un- " to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until " I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2. The " Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out " of Zion : rule thou in the midst of thine ene- " mies. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the •' day of thy power ; in the beauties of holiness, " from the womb of the morning, thou hast the " dew of thy youth. 4. The Lord hath sworn, " and will not repent, Thou art a priest for " ever after the order of Melchizedek. 5. The " Lord at thy right hand shall strike through " kings in the day of his wrath. 6. He shall " judge among the heathen, he shall fill the " places with the dead bodies, he shall wound " the heads over many countries. 7. He shall " drink of the brook in the way, therefore shall " he lift up the head," The day of the wTath of Christ, or the per riod of the Destruction of the Roman empire, » II. Tbess. iii. 8. 214 Combined View of the Prophecies. is the principal subject of this Psalm (which period is also spoken of in similar terms by the prophet Isaiah, as " the day of the Lord'* that " shall be upon every one that is proud " and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted " up*"), and I conceive that the Jews are par- ticularly spoken of, as repenting and turning- to Christ at his second coming (agreeably to the description which is also given by the pro- phet Zechariah j-), when it is said in verse 3, " Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy " power." The descriptions of the second advent of Christ, found in the Evangelists, direct us like- wise to the same period as this psalm of Da- vid, as the prophecy of Daniel, now under con- sideration, and as the second epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians. That given in the 24th chapter of Saint Matthew is as follows : " 29. " The sun shall be darkened, and the moon *' shall not give her light, and the stars shall *' fall from heaven, and the po^^ers of the hea- *' vens shall be shaken ; 30. And then shall ap- " pear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven : *' and then shall all the tribes of the earth *' mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man " coming in the clouds of heaven, with power * Isaiah ii, 1^. f Zech. xii, 10. Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts. 215 '' and gi'eat glory." The description given in Saint Mark is the same. In Saint Luke, chap- ter xxi. ver. 24, it is said, that " Jerusalem " shall be trodden do>vn of the Gentiles, until " the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."—^ Then follows a description similar to that in Saint Matthew. 25. " There shall be signs- *' in the sun, and in the moon, and in the *' stars ; and upon the earth distress of na- " tions, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves '" roaring": 26. Men's hearts failing them for " fear, and for looking after those things " which are coming on the earth ; for the " powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27. And *' then shall they see the Son of Man coming '* in a cloud, with power, and great glory.** In Joel ii. 31, the same signs are foretold: " The Sun shall be turned into darkness, and *' the moon into blood, before the great and " the terrible day of the Lord come." In the Revelations of Saint John, chap. vi. ver. 12, we find that these signs immediately precede the day of the wrath of God, or the period of the destruction of the Roman empire ; and we know by their accomplishment, that they took place in the year 1792. The words of Saint Luke, that '' there shall be upon the earth dis- " tress of nations, with perplexity ; men's *' hearts failing them for fear, and for looking ijl(i Combined View of the Prophecies. " after those things ^hich are coming npon '.' the earth," contain a striking description of the state of tlie world since that year: "the *■* powers of the heaven," or the different po- tentates of the Roman earth, liave likewise *' been shaken :" and many of them, within the last tA^ enty-two } ears, have been cast down from their spheres. This state of the Avorld will be continued until the next event that is mentioned, which is the coming of the Son of ! Man in a cloud, w\{\\ power and great glorj- ; and which there a]>pears therefore every reason to believe Avill take place at the end of the thirty years. In Daniel, our Saviour is also represented as coming in the clouds of heaven., agreeably to the many descriptions whicli are given of his second advent ; we see him in his mediatorial character as the Son of Man, receiving the kingdom from God the Father, and bestowing, it upon the Saints; we see " the kingdom, and '! tlie dominion, and the greatness of the king- "^ dom under the whole heaven, given unto the *^^jpeople of the Saints of the Most High." ;fTlie dominion of Christ is said to be an everlasting dominion ; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. And under the reign of Christ and his Saints, during the pe- riod of the Millennium, will be experience*! Da7iieVs Vision of the Four Beasts. 217 that state of peace and blessedness thus do scribed by the prophet Isaiah, chap. xi. 6 — ^9. " The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the " leopard shall lie down with the kid ; and *' the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling *' together ; and a little child shall lead them; " and the cow and the bear shall feed ; their " young ones shall lie down together; and the *' lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the " sucking child shall play on the hole of the " asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand " on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt " nor destroy in ail my holy mountain : for the *' earth shall be full of the knowledge of the *' Lord, as the waters cover the sea." ^ ±3 Remarks on the Interpretatlon£ given hi/ for- mer Commentators of the Vision of the Four Beasts, '^] Ci< I /• / ii In referring to Mr. Faber's exposition of thi» / ■* prophecy, I find that we give difterent inter- pretations to the passage, where the three first Beasts are said to have had " their dominion " taken away,'* although " their lives were " prolonged for a season and a time." The season and time here spoken of, Mr. Fabef considers to be the period of the Millennium : 218 Combined View of the Prophecies. observing, that at the termination of the 1260 years, " the fourth Beast and his Httle horn " will be utterly destroyed, and given to the " burning flame, and the triumphant reign of " Christ, or the kingdom of the mountain, " will commence. But the three other Beasts, *' namely, the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, " and the Macedonian, A^hich were all idola- " trous beasts^ as contradistinguished from an '• aposiatically idoUitroiis one, although their " dominion or their power of oppressing the *' Church be taken away, will have their lives, •' or idolatrous principles^ prolonged for a sea- " son and a time : that is, prolonged after the " utter destruction of the revived fourth Beast, " and his apostatical principles, and conse- " quently during the reign of the Saints; " which, as we have seen, is to commence at " the death of the fourth Beast. " The lives hoA\ ever of the three beasts are " only to be prolonged for a season. Unre- " claimed by the glorious manifestations of '-• (iod in favour of his xMillennian Church, *• they will still persevere in their idolatry ; " and, at the close of the thousand years, will " arrive, at such a pitch of daring impiety, as '• to make an open attack even upon the be- " loved city. But fire from the Lord will "'' consume them ; and the Church of Christ DanieVs Vision of the Four Beasl^. 219 " will be finally translated from earth to hea- ven * The reader will recollect, that I have already brought forward the passage in Daniel respect- ing the prolongation of the lives of the three first Beasts, as a proof that the four Beasts must represent territorial divisions of the pro- phetic Earth. Mr. Faber, who supposes the four Beasts to represent, severally, the Baby- lonian Medo-Persian, Macedonian, and Ro- man empires, considered each as extending to their utmost limits^ must necessarily give a. different interpretation from me to this jjro- longation of their lives. If 1 correctly under- stand him, he considers the expression of " the lives of the three first Beasts" whenever used, to be equivalent to the term Paganism (be- cause the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Gre- cian empires, were Pagan empires), and the life of the fourth Beast^ or Roman empire, to mean the " apostatically idolatrous" principles of Popery and Mahometanism. So when the sixth head of the fourth Beast was seen hy Saint John to be wounded and healed again, he supposes the Roman empire was meant to be represented as then passing from Paganism to Popery, and as dying and reviving again f. * Faber's Dis. 3d ed. vol. i. p. 134 ; 4th, p. l60 ; 5th. p. 158. f Faber's Dis, vol. i. 3d ed. p. 245 ; 4th, p. 973 ; .5th. p. 2/0. d'K) Coinbivcd Vinv of ihe Prophecies. The proloii^atiftii of the lives of the tlirer first Beasts is therefore supposed to imply, if I do not mistake Mr. Faber's meaning, that the principles of Paoanism Avill be contitiued during the Millennium, though the Papal and Mahometan Apostacies will l)e destroyed ; and no particular reference is made by him to the three separate kingdoms, which I consider to be represented by the three first Beasts, they ])eing supposed by Mr. Faber to be sucees- sively included and lost (when their dominion terminated) in the bodies of the following Beasts or Empires. Such an interpretation, however, I could by no means admit, for when the lives of three Beasts are said to be prolonged during the do- minion, as I suppose, or (as Mr. Faber sup- poses) after the death of a fourth, 1 conceive that it necessarily must imply that four distinct and separate beasts, or tem])oral kingdoms, ex- isted together, and that the prolongation of their lives must simply mean the prolongation of sucli existence. It ajipears also to me, that if the object waji merely to express that the principles of Pa- ganism would still continue to exist during the Millennium in some parts of the world, that it Avould be a strange Avay of intimating this to sa}, that thr lives of the three Jirst BcasfSr^ Datiiel's Vision of the Four Beasts. 221 would be prolonged ; when, according to Mr. I'aber, the three first Beasts have been long ago swallowed up in a fourth ; and their Pa- ga7tisni, which is considered as being pecu- liarly their life, has also terminated, for it has been changed for the Mahometan Apostacy. If however, a^ hich is not improbable, I have, mistaken Mr. Faber, and he means to give a more precise and definite, and therefore a more correct, interpretation of the passage, and in, saying that " the three Beasts will still perse- vere in " their idolatry," admits a reference to those countries which y> eve peculiar h/ the seats afthe three first Empires^ 1 must consider it as an admission of the principle that the four Beasts represent territorial divisions of the propjietic Earth ; and I should theij only object to his re- ferring the prolongation of their lives to the fu- ture period of the Millennium ; and should have to observe, that Judea itself formed part of the Macedonian empire, or of the body of the third Beast ; and that therefore it seems inconsistent MJth those prophecies whicji speak of the Jews as the instruments of converting" the whole world, to suppose that the life of the third Beast will be thus prolonged, or that for ^ thousand years the people inunediately sur-i I'ounding the church at Jerusalem will still *"' persevere in their idolatry, unreclaimed by 222 Combined View of the Prophecies. " the glorious manifestations of God in favour " of his Millennian Church." The idea of the prevalence of idolatiy during the Mille- nium, in the countries which were the seats of the three first Empires, appears also entirely incompatible with the declaration, that " the ! " earth shall then be full of the knowledge of! *' the Lord, as the waters cover the sea :" and : with what is said in Revelations, that Satan, the great promoter of idolatry, should be bound during that period, " that he should deceive '' the nations no more till the thousand years *' should be fulfilled." So the last attempt of Satan upon the Church is not represented in Scripture as being- the consequence of the na- tions/>€rset;£r«w^ in their idolatry, and at length " arriving* at such a daring pitch of impiety, " as to make an open attack upon the Church;'* but as owing to the influence of Satan being ao-ain exerted for a little season after it had» during the period of the Millennium, been CO nip let ell/ rest ra incd*. But perhaps the most satisfactory proof that what is said of the prolongation of the lives of the three first Beasts, does not refer to a period subsequent to the destruction of the fourth, may be obtained by a reference to the vision of the Great Image ; wliere we find that the iron, the * Re\ . XX. 3, 7—9. DanieVs Vision of the Four Beasts. 223 Clay, the Silver, the Brass, and the Gold, are " broken to pieces together.'' The four Beasts, representing- the same objects, are therefore also unquestionably destroyed together^ and the lives of the three first are prolonged until, but •not after, the destruction of the fourth. On referring- to the work of Sir Isaac Newton I find, that he interprets the prolongation of the lives of the three first Beasts in the same way as I have done ; namely, as implying a conti- nuance of their existence until the destructior^ of the fourth. For after quoting- the text he observes, " Therefore all the four Beasts are " still alive, though the dominion of the three *' first be taken away/* He elsewhere ob- serves, that he places the body of the fourth Beast on " this side Greece ; because the three " first of the four Beasts had their lives pro- " longed after their dominion was taken away, " and therefore belong not to the body of the " fourth. He only stamped them with his *' feet." The reign of Christ having hitherto been considered as consisting only of one great pe- riod, called the Millennium ; I have no support from any other commentator for that part of my system, in Avhich I divide it into the three periods of its Commencement, Progress, and 224 Combined View of the Prophecie.f. Perfection ; consisting- severally of thirty, for- ty-five, and one thousand years. But I think that for want of this theory, the interpretation* of preceding- commentators are in some parts unsatisfactor} , and deficient in clearness. Thi.** will appear, if we read the 7t]i chapter of Da- niel, ver. 9 — 14 : for we shall there find that the Sitting of the Ancient of days in judgment (which I suppose takes place at the commence- ment of the thirty years) is spoken af in verses 9 and 10, before the burning- of the body of the Beast, which is mentioned, in verse 11, as the consequence of that judgment. After that, the Coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of Heaven is describe-- ment of the Saints, mentioned in Daniel, must therefore considerably jirecede the Sitting of the Saints in judgment at the commencement of the Millennium, mentioned in Rev. xx. 1 — 4, and nnist be rotemporary with a period \\\ the Revelations of Saint John, prior to that of the battle of Armageddon, in which the Ten- horned Beast is destroyed : and it unquestion- ably coincides with the whole of the period of the seventh Trumpet, when the seven Vials are poured out, and when the Temple in Heaven is opened, and the judgments of God are made manifest* . This opinion was indeed held by Mr. Faber himself, who in one place speaks of the Sitting of the Ancient of days in judgment, as in- cluding " the events which took place in the " year 1798 f ;" his interpretations, as well as * Rev. chap. xi. 17, 18. chap. xv. 4. *' f I believe that both the events wliich took place in tlie *' year 17^8, and the yet more recent spoliation of the Papal ^' territory by Buonaparte, form so many steps, by which, " during the sitting of the Judgment (Dan. vii. 26) the do- •«-' " minion of the little horn is taken away, until at length, ithe " the time of the end, it will be altogether destroyed; FalK'r's Dissert. 3d ed. p. xxviii. DdnieVs Vision of the Four Beasts. 227 mine, therefore, clearly appear to have required a scheme which shall give two periods at least to the reigii of Christ and his Saints ; one of which, beginning- in the year 1792, shall in- clude the events of the } ear 1798, and to w hich may be referred the Sitting of the Ancient of days and the judgment of the Saints, mentioned in Daniel, vii. 9, 10, 11, and 26; and another the future period of the Millennium, to which we may refer the Sitting of the Saints in judg- ment, described in Rev. xx. 1 — 4, To the other synchronism, by which the Coming of the Son of Man, mentioned by Daniel *, is referred to the time of the last judgment, which takes place after the expira- tion of the Millennium f, it must be objected that it would thus be made to appear, that Christ does not receive " dominion, and glor} , "^ and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and " languages, should serve him," till the Millen- nium is over ; an idea which would be incon- sistent with any received opinions of the na- ture of that glorious period of universal holi- ness, and with the descriptions which are given of it in the prophetic writings. As I agree with Mr. Faber that tw o distinct periods are spoken of in Dan. vii. 9 — 11, and in Dan. vii. 13, and yet hold with Mr. Mede * Dan. vii. 13. f Rev, xx. H— 15. q2 228 Combined View of the Prophecies. and Bishop Newton, that both descriptions re- late to events prior to the Millennium, I have the satisfaction on this occasion, as Avell as on most others, of finding, that my theory is sup- ported in its several parts by one or other of our best commentators. In support of the position advanced in the foregoing pages, that the reign of Christ and of his Saints has already commenced, I refer to the 15th proposition of M histon, quoted in page 49 of this work : the reader will there see that he considers it as an established point, that " the jir^t ages of our Saviour's kingdom" are cotemporary with the period of the seventh Trumpet^ or seven Vials. But Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame are both most decided in their opinion, that the period of the seventh Trumpet or seven Vials, began in the year 1792. If I combine together the evidence of our best commentators, of an older and more mo- dern date, 1 obtain therefore complete autho- rity for my position, that the reign of Christ, and of his Saints, began w ith the period of the seventh Trumpet, in the year 1792. That what was foreseen by the older comnoentators, has not been acknowledged in its accomplish- ment by the moderns, has been doubtless owing to the temporal reign of Chi'ist having Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts. 229 been hitherto considered as limited to the single period of the Millennium ; and no one indeed would pretend to say that that period has yet commenced. Mr. Faber does not divide the history of the Papal horn, as the prophecy seems to require, into those two distinct periods ; first, the 1260 years of its prosperity ; and, secondly, the 30 years, during which the judgment sits upon it, to take away its dominion, to con- sume and destroy it unto the end : or other- wise, looking to the course of events since the year 1792, he could hardly have failed to ac- knowledge that the j^rst of these periods has already expired, and the latter commenced. This acknowledgment would, however, have been inconsistent with his main position, that the time of Mahometanism, and the period of the 1260 years of the Papacy, began together in the year 606. How far there is any founda- tion for this highly plausible, but, as I appre- hend, untenable position, will be seen when we consider the last chapters of Daniel ; this hypothesis, resting solely upon Mr. Faber's supposition, that when in the eleventh verse of the twelfth chapter, an abomination of desola- tion is spoken of, w hich is to last for 1260, or 1290 years, it is the Mahometan, and not the Papal Power, which is there designed. 230 Combined View of the Prophecies. That the liistory of the Papacy, ho\vcver, floes consist of two distinct periods, Mill, I think, appear to any one m ho will impartially consider the texts, Dan. vii. 21, 22, 25, and 26, for during^tlie 1260 years, the Papac}' is repre- sented as prevailing against the Saints; bnt, at the Sitting- of the Ancient of days, a reverse takes place, and judgment is said to be given to the Saints of the Most High, and the time is said to be come that they should possess the kingdom *. I may observe also, that it appears as a defect in Mr. Faber's scheme, that the periods of the * Thougli Mr. Fiiber lias retracted liis opinion expressed in tlie third edition of his work, that the judgment of the Ancient of days, mentioned in Dan. vii. 20, had begun to sit (from the admission of which it must follow, that the I2G0 years, or " the " time, times, and the dividing of time," mentioned in verse 25, were already expired) ; he still allows, as who must not, that the consumption, destruction, or spoliation, of the Papacy has commenced. This consumption of the Papacy however is clearly mentioned in the latter part of verse 26, as the conse- quence of the Sitting of the Judgment ; and, I must confess, that Mr. Faber's idea (see Christian Observer, 1608, page 281), that tliese occurrences are prior, in point of time, to the Sitting of tlie Judgment mentioned in the former part of the verse, appears to me perfectly inadmissible. The reader will find my views of Dan. vii. 25, 26, and 27, already clearly stated by Mr. Cuninghame in the Cliristian Observer, for the year I8O7, pages 7OI and 775 ; and for the year 1808, pages 141, 347. Daniel's Viifion of the Four Beasts. 231 thirty^ and forty-Jive years ^ are both referred to the last Vial, which contains merely the event of one of the seven last plagues that are inflicted on the Roman empire ; while at the same time the important events of the Sitting of the An- cient of days, and the Coming of the Son of Man, are left without having these, or any suitable periods, annexed to them. The first of these periods, namely, that of the Thirty years (which is the period in which we live), being" occupied in the destruction of the Roman empire and of the Papacy, is more amply described in prophecy than any other period whatever. The second period of the Fortj- five years* Progress of the Gospel, though containing no variety of events, is yet briefly noticed by all the historical prophets ; and is, I conceive, spoken of by the prophet Zechariah (chap. xiv. ver. 6, 7), when he describes a period subsequent to the great battle of Armageddon, as '' a day that should not be clear nor dark, " but should be one day known to the Lord, *' not day nor night;" which description he concludes by stating, that " it shall come to " pass that at eventide (or at the end of that *' period) it shall be light," a conclusion similar to that of Daniel, who speaks of the end of this period of forty-five years, as introducing* the period of the Millennium, saying " Blessed 232 Combined View of the Prophecies, " is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand *' three hundred and five and thirty days*/' And so Saint John also, speaking of the termi- nation of this period, says, " Blessed are they " which are called to the marriage-supper of *' the Lamb t-" * Dan. xii. 12. f Rev. xix. 9. 233 ) CHAPTER IV. The Vision of the Ram and the He-goat. The second Ruling Kingdoyn of the Worlds com- prehending Media and, Persia ; the third Ruling Kingdom of the Worlds comjDrehend- ing Macedon, Thrace^ Syria^ and Egypt, and the Mahometan Little Horn, described. This Vision was seen by Daniel two years subsequently to the date of the preceding vision, or in the year A. C. 553 ; being the third year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon. As the former vision related chiefly to the great Western, or Papal Apostacy, so the prin- cipal object of this is to describe the Apostacy of the East; and the beautiful and striking pro- phecies here introduced respecting the Medo- Persian and Grecian empires, may be consi- dered as introductory only to its main design, 2-J'J Combined View of (he Prophecieft, ^vliicFi is to giAe the history of the Mahometan Little llorii. We find that the first of the four Beasts is not mentioned in this prophecy, because it was: written only fourteen years before tlie tali in «: of Babylon by Cyrus ; and the forces of the Medes and Pei^sians were aheady united together, and were making advances towards the attainment of the empire of the worhl ; the second Beast, or the united kingdom of Media and Persia, is therefore made the immediate subject of the prophecy, and the kingdom of Babylon is passed oyer. The fourth Beast, representing- the Western Roman empire, is also here umio- ticed ; because \i was not connected m ith the Mahometan Apostacy, whose permanent influ- ence nas confined to the territories of the three first riding kingdoms of the world. T{>e pi*ophecy is given in the following words, Dan. chap. viii. ver. 1, " In the third *' yeai' of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision " appeared unto me, even unto me, Diuiiel, " after that which appeared unto me at the Ih'st. " 2. And I saw in a vision, and it came to pass» " when I saw, that 1 was at Shushiui, in the " palace, which is in the province of Elani ; and " I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of " Uhii. 3. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and I " saw, and behold there stood before the river Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 235 " a Ram, Avhicli had two horns; and the " two horns were high, but one was higher " than the other, and the higher came up " last.'* And afterwards the vision is thus interpreted by the angel, ver. 15. " And it came to pass, " when I, even I, Daniel, had seen the vision, " and sought for the meaning, then, behold, " there stood before me as the appearance of a " man. 16. And I heard a man's voice be- " tween the banks of Ulai, which called, and | " said, Gabriel, make this man to understand | " the vision. 17, So he came near where I " stood : and when he came, I was afraid, and *' fell upon my face : but he said unto me, Un- " derstand, O son of man : for at the time of " the end shall be the vision. 18, Now as he " was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep " on my face toward the ground: but he " touched me, and set me upright. 19. And " he said. Behold, I will make thee know what " shall be in the last end of the indignation : " for at the time appointed the end shall be. " 20. The Ram which thou sawest having two " horns, are the kings of Media and Persia. " 21. And the rough Goat is the king of Grecia: " and the great horn that is between his eyes " is the first king." As it is said, in the introduction to the vi- 236 Combined Vieio of the Prophecies. sion, that Daniel, as minister to the Kin<^- of Babylon, Mas then resident in the royal palace of Shushan ; we learn that Shushan, Mith the province of Elam, of which it w as the metro- polis, was, at the date of the vision, in the hands of the Babylonians; but about three years after, Abradates, Viceroy or Prince of Shushan, revolting- to Cyrus, it was thenceforth joined to the empire of the Medes and Persians. The Prophet, in relating the vision, describes himself as being by the river Ulai, ^^ hen he sees a Ram standing before it. Now the river Ulai is situated between the kingdom of Babylon and the kingdoms of Media and Persia; the position of the Ram therefore, as it appeared to Daniel standing before that river, aptly re- presented the situation of the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, or rather of its forces, at the time the vision was seen. That the then actual situation of the Medes and Persians, is the object of the description, and that the river Tlai was not made the scene of the first part of the vision, merely because Daniel, when he saw the vision, Mas himself in the neighbourhood of that river, m ill appear from a subsequent part of the prophecy, where this first position of the Ram is again referred to, and (being then ad\ajiced into Asia Minor, in which place it was overthrown by the He- Daniefs Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 2St goat) it is spoken of as the Ram that Daniel *' had seen standing before the river." And here it seeras necessary to remark, that though I consider the four Beasts as symbols of four kingdoms, distinguished from each other, and forming a territorial division of the whole prophetic Earth, and having therefore each its peculiar territory, yet I do not understand that these living Beasts represent the territories themselves, but chiefly the strength, popula- tion, and forces, belonging to them. The forces and strength of the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, we see, by the descrip- tion given by Daniel, were confined to the side of the river Ulai ; for they had not yet passed over into the province of Babylon, and still less into Asia Minor. I may here observe, that other instances are found in this prophecy, where an allusion is made to geographical position, viz., in the de- scription given of the conquests of the Medes and Persians (ver. 4), in that of the march of Alexander the Great to attack Darius (ver. 5), and in that of the Mahometan conquests (ver. 9). The accuracy with which the situation of this kingdom, at the time Daniel saw the vision, is here described, is worthy of particular notice, as tending to confirm the principle, which will be found to be universally true, that the histo^ 238 Combined View of the Prophecies. rical prophecies all coininence from the time in Avhich the prophets wrote. 7" he Ram is said to have two horns, ^vhich the Angel interprets as representing " the " kings (or kingdoms) of Media and Persia ;" of these, Persia, which ultimately became the higher, came up last, for it ^\ as the more mo- dern nation, and may perhaps be considered as having arisen as a horn of this Beast, only six years previously to the date of the vision, or in the year A. C. 559, when the Persians came as auxiliaries under Cyrus to his uncle Cyaxares, the King of the Medes. These last, as being the most ancient nation, are always first named in history ; and the empire is called that of the Medes and Persians, not that of the Persians and Medes : but the Persian horn must be con- sidered as having, agTeeably to the prophecy, become the highest, w hen Cyrus, the Persian, became the head of the united kingdoms ; ac- cordingly, after this time, it is generally spoken of only as the Persian Empire. 4. " I saw the Ram pushing westward, and " northward, and southward ; so that no beasts " might stand before him, neither was there " any that could deliver out of his hand ; but " he did according to his will, and became " great." The conquests of Cyrus are here described, by w Inch the kingdom of the Medes Daniel^s Vision of the Ram and H('.-goarius's army standing and guarding the river Granicus, and of Alexander on the other side with his forces plunging in, swimming across the stream, and rushing on the enemy with all the fire and fury that can be imagined. It was certainly a strange, rash, mad attempt, with only about thirty-five thou- sand men to attack, at such disadvantage, an army of more than five times the number : but he was successful in it, and this success ditiused a terror of his name, and opened his ^>ay to the conquest of Asia. ' And I saw him close unto the Ram :' he had several close engage- ments, or set battles with the King of Persia, and particularly at the river Granicus, in Phry- gia, at the Straits of Issus, in Cilicia, and in the plains of Arbela, in Assyria. ' And was moved with choler against him,* for the cruel- Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-goat, 245 ties which tlie Persians had exercised towards the Grecians. ' And he smote the Ram, and brake his two horns.* He subdued Persia and Media, with the other provinces and kingdoms of the Persian empire, and it is memorable, that, in Persia, he barbarously sacked and burned the royal city of Persepolis, the capital of the empire ; and in Media, Darius was seized and made prisoner by some of his own traitor-subjects, who, not long afterwards, basely murdered him. ' And there was no power in the Ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him ;' he conquered m herever he came, routed all the forces, took all the cities and castles, and en- tirely subverted and ruined the Persian empire. * And there was none that could deliver the Ram out of his hand ;' not even his numerous armies could defend the King of Persia, though j his forces in the battle of Issus amounted to six hundred thousand men, and in that of Arbelato ten or eleven hundred thousand men ; whereas the whole number of Alexander's was not more than forty-seven thousand in either eng'age- ment. So true is the observation of the Psalm- ist, xxxiii. 16, ' There is no king saved by the multitude of an host:* and, especially when God hath decreed the fall of empires, that even the greatest must fall. The fortune of Alex- 246 Combined View of the Prophecies. ander, of which so much hath been said, Plu- tarch hath written a whole treatise about it ; the fortune of Alexander was nothing but the pro- vidence of God." " The notable horn between the eyes of the He-goat, is explained by the angel to represent the first king, or the kingdom of the Greeks in Asia, which was erected by Alexander the Great, and continued for some years in his bro- ther Philip Aridoeus, and his two young sons, Alexander Jigus and Hercules. ' But when the He-goat was strong, the great hern Mas broken' —which the angel thus interprets, ver. 22. 'Now that being broken, Avhereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.' The empire of the Goat was in its full strength, when Alex- ander died of a fever at Babylon : he was suc- ceeded on the throne by his natural brother, Philip Aridoeus, and by his own two sons, Alexander -S^gus and Hercules : but in the space of about fifteen years they were all mur- dered, and then the first hor?i, or kingdom, was entirely broken. The royal family being thus extinct, the governors of provinces, who had usurped the power, assumed tlie title of kings : and, by the defeat and death of Antigonus, at the battle of Ipsus, they were reduced to four, Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, and Seleu- I DanieVs Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 247 cus, who parted Alexander's dominions be- tween them, and divided and settled them into four kingdoms." The chief object of the prophecy of the Ram and the He-goat, is to give the history of the Mahometan Power. We are now regularly carried down to the time of the divided Mace- donian empire. The prophecy thus continues: 9. " And out of one of them came forth a little " horn, which waxed exceeding great toward " the south, and toward the east, and toward " the pleasant land ;" which passage the angel interprets as follows : 22. " Now that" (or the great horn) " being broken, whereas four stood " up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out ** of the nation, but not in his power. 23. " And in the latter time of their kingdom, " when the transgressors are come to the full, " a king of fierce countenance, and under- " standing dark sentences, shall stand up. 24. '* And his power shall be mighty, but not by " his own power : and he shall destroy won- '' derfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and " shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. " 25. And through his policy also he shall " cause craft to prosper in his hand, and he '• shall magnify himself in his heart, and by " peace shall destroy many ; he shall also stand 248 Combined View of the Prophecies. " up against the Prince of princes ; but he " shall be broken without hand." The Mahometan power which originated at Mecca, is here described as appearing amongst the four kingdoms of the divided Macedonian empire; and we find, that about the year 632, i it first appeared upon the prophetic Earth, in the upper part of Arabia, w hich formed part of the kingdom that fell to the share of Ptolemy, upon the division of the empire into four parts*. It is said to appear " in the latter time of their " fi^ingdom" that is after their dominion was passed away from them, and they had become subject to the Romans. We have already observed in the vision of tjie four Beasts, that the little horn is de- scribed as •' having eyes," on account of its being meant to represent a prophet or teacher ; and we may observe that the little horn here spoken of, is also described as bearing a pro- phetic character, for it is said to represent " a *' king understanding dark sentences ;" that is, uho is a teacher of some new and mysterious doctrine, implied under the term dark sen- tences ; in which sense the phrase is used in the following passage of the Psalms: " I will iu- ^' cline mine ear to a parable, 1 will open my ♦ RoUin, vol. viii. chap. II. sect. 1, Datiiets Vision of the Ram and He-gout. 249 *' dark sentence upon the harp/* The Prophet here is also said to be a wanior, or one " of '• fierce countenance** Echard observes, that " as Mahomet recom- " mended bis doctrine by indulging his prose- *' lytes in their sensual desires, so he took care " to plant and propagate it by the power of the " sword ; promising peculiar recompences in *' his imaginary paradise to those who appeared *' the valiant assertors of it; upon which ac- " count it gained incredible ground in a short " time. He first spread it in his native country, " which was Arabia the Happy ; where the peo- " pie, for the generality, were buried in a pro- " found ignorance, and divided into twelve " sorts or sects of religion, and all of them *' Pagan and Idolatrous. When he found his " doctrine almost universally received there, *' he placed himself at the head of a company j " of thieves and fugitive slaves, who fled from " all parts to him, allured by a promise he had " given of protecting them, and by a law he " had taught and published, that it was the teill " and command of God that all men should be " free. By the help of these proselytes he as- ■ ' sumed a sovereign power, and so by a double " usurpation declared himself both King and ] ^' Prophet of the Saracens." It will be interesting* to us, who live in the 250 Combined View of the Prophecies. days of Infidelity, to remark, that the Maho- metan and Infidel powers are both (Rev. chap. ix. 2, and xi. 7) described as rising " out of *' the bottomless pit ;*' by which is doubtless implied, that they bring ^vith them the doctrines of Devils. So we shall find a remarkable re- semblance between them ; for the doctrines promulgated by each allowed a freedom from all restraint of laws, human and divine. Their followers were taught that they were free to p,bandon themselves to their own lusts, and free to seize, by force of arm«, the possessions of others. The following expressions found in the pro- phecy, that " His power shall be mighty^ but " not by his own power,'* — that " by peace he *' shall destroy many," — that " through his po- *' licy he shall cause craft to prosper in his " hand," I conceive are all meant to point out a peculiarity in the Mahometan power, viz., that it would chiefly owe its success in arms to the promulgation of its new doctrines ; so we find that the progress of its arms has been at all times furthered by its making converts of the inhabitants of the countries it overran, and also by the enthusiasm produced in the Mahometan armies by their principles, and by their avowed design of rendering their faith universal. And here we find a perfect resemblance be- Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 251 tween the French Infidel, and the Mahometan powers : for as the one was produced by the preaching- of Mahomet, so the other sprang up from the dissemination of the doctrines of Vol- taire : and both have been alike zealous in their endeavours to obtain universal empire, by uniting' the influence of the seduction of their doctrine, to that of the terror of their arms. The Mahometan power is said to arise " when " the transgressors are come to the full ;" from which it appears, that the Saracens were raised up in order that they might chastise the cor- rupt members of the Greek Church. So^ in the Revelations, we find the symbolical repre- sentation of the third Trumpet describes the introduction of the heresy of Nestorius into the Greek Church, which happened about the year 429 ; and afterwards, the sounding of Xhejifth Trumpet introduces the Saracenic Woe, which began after an interval of about two hundred years from the first introduction of the heresy, when, as we learn from this prophecy, the *' transgressors were come to the full." The Mahometan power is said " to wax ex- " ceeding great towards the South, and towards " the East, and towards the pleasant land." The first seat of the Mahometan Power was in the South, Mecca being the birth-place of the Prophet, and the Peninsula of Arabia the 252 Comhined View of the Prophecies. scene of his conquests. His successors ex- tended their empire, and first entered upon the prophetic Earth in the upper part of Arabia, which was the Southern part of the Macedonian empire. They then directed their arms towards the East, *' and having- overcome the" Persians " in the year 632*, and slain Hormisda the " Second, the last Persian king* of the race of *' Artaxerxes, they seized on the kingdom, *' and buried the renown of that nation in cap- *' tivity." Afterwards, having completed their conquest of Arabia, by the capture of Bosra,' the capital City, they marched into Syria, took Damascus, and laid siege to Jerusalem, which they also took, A. D. 637, after a siege of two years : thus extending their conquests " to- ** wards the pleasant land.*' The Mahometans afterwards further extended their conquests, towards the East, to the river Indus ; towards the West, over Africa and part of Spain ; and towards the North, over Asia Minor and Greece. 10th verse. ♦' And it waxed great, even to " the host of heaven, and it cast down some of *' the host, and of the stars, to the ground, and *' stamped upon them." In symbolical lan- guage, the Host of heaven, and the Stars, when ^ Echard Rom. Hi»t. in loc. V Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 253 applied to spiritual things, represent the Mi- nisters of the Church ; that is, if the Host of heaven and the stars are to be taken as different expressions for one and the same thing : but if the expression Host of heaven, is to be consi- dered as meaning the universal system of the heavenly bodies, including stars of greater and less magnitude, then the Host of Heaven must be considered as meaning the Church ; and the greater stars alone, as distinguished from the inferior ones, must represent the Bishops and Pastors of that Church. This interpretation of the symbol of the Stars, when applied to spiri- tual things, is fully confirmed by Revelations, chap. i. verse 20, where the seven Stars are said to be the seven Angels, or Bishops of the seven Churches of Asia Minor ; to whom the Apostle is afterwards directed to address those seven beautiful Epistles, Avith which the Book of Revelations commences : and in every other instance it will be found that when a Star is mentioned in the Revelations, it means, if ap- plied to spiritual things, a Bishop, or Pastor of the Church. This expression, " some of the host, and of *' the stars," were cast to the ground, is not, I conceive, intended to imply, that only a cer- tain proportion of the Ministers of the Church were cast down, where the influence of Mahomet 254 Combined View of the Prophecies. prevailed ; but in strict agreement with the symbols used by Saint John, the Ministers and Pastors of the Eastern Church are considered as part of the Stars belonging to the whole pro- phetic Earth ; in Saint John, they are called " the third part of the Stars," here they^are called " some of the Stars ;'* and we thus are led to understand, that the superstition of Ma- homet affected only the Easterii Church. Ver. 11. "Yea, he magnified himself even to " the prince of the host ; and by him the daily " sacrifice was taken away, and the place of " his sanctuary was cast down." Mahomet allowed our Saviour to be superior to Abraham and Moses ; but as coming last, he considered himself as still superior to Christ ; and thus " magnified himself to" him who is " the '* Prince of the host," or the head of his Church. " The daily sacrifice" of prayer offered to our Saviour, was taken away, and " the place of his sanctuary," or the Eastern Church, was cast down. Ver. 12. "And an host was given him against " the daily sacrifice, by reason of transgression, " and it cast down the truth to the ground, and " it practised and prospered." The reason why this power was given to Mahomet, is here made known ; it was given by " reason of transgres- " sion," or because the Eastern Church had Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 255 left the simplicity of the true faith, and was tilled with the most heretical opinions. The Dra- gon some time before, as represented in Reve- lations xii. 4, had drawn down with his Tail " the third part of the Stars of heaven;" that is, the Devil had already seduced, by False Doctrines, the Bishops of the Eastern Church, or the third part of the Stars ; and Mahomet was commissioned to chastise their departure from the faith, and to take away the form of worship where there was no longer any spirituality : and so in the parallel prophecy in Revelations ix. 4, we find, the Saracens were commissioned not to hurt the " grass or any green thing, neither *' any tree, but only those men which had not " the Seal of God in their forehead :" that is, not to hurt any spiritual worshippers, but only those, who having departed from the faith, were no longer under the protection of God, or considered as his servants. " It cast down the " truth to the ground," for the Mahometan Power, ignorant that it was God alone that ena- bled it to prevail against the Eastern Church and Empire, exalted itself against God, and cast down the truth, denying the Divinity of our Saviour. " And it practised and prospered." Success attended it in all that it v/as permitted to perform, and it was enabled to place itself on the ruins of the Church and Empire, and 256 Combined Flew of the Prophecies. to stand there as the great apostatical power of the East. Ver. 13. " Then I heard one saint speaking, *' and another saint daid unto that certain saint *' which spake, How long shall be the vision *' concerning the daily sacrifice, and the trans- " gression of desolation to give both the sanc- *' tiiary, and the host to be trodden under foot. " 14. And he said unto me, unto two thousand " three hundred" (or as the Septuagint reads, two thousand four hundred) " days ; then shall '* the Sanctuary be cleansed." It has already been clearly shewn in examin- ing other prophecies, that the 1260 years' pros- perity of the Papacy terminated in the year 1792 ; and that the thirty years' destruction of the Roman Empire will terminate in the year \ 1822, when the Papal and Infidel Powers will i he destroyed, and the Jews restored to their own land ; after this, we have found, that pro- phetic history becomes less distinct, and that the world is left in a state of trouble, " such as *' there never was since there was a nation *," notliing more being mentioned except the bless- edness of those who should reach to the end of a further period of forty-Jive ycars^-\ or to the year 1867. The importance of that part of the prophecy * Dan. xii. 1. f Dan. xii. 12. DanieVs Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 257 which is now before us, will therefore appear, if we consider that it is the only source from which any further information can be derived respecting- this period, of which so little is said; and the result of my examination of it, whether satisfactory or not, I can assure the reader has at least been fairly obtained ; indeed for some? time I considered myself as disappointed in the I'esult : though this did not alter my opinion, that but one interpretation could be admitted. It may be well perhaps here to state, that in examining any prophecy, it has always been my practice, in order to secure an unbiassed judgment, not to make a comparison of it with history, till I had previously given it the fullest examination by itself; because prophetic nar- rative may be obscured by preconceived notions, but the language of history is incapable of being perverted. In undertaking the examination of the vi- sion of the Ram and the He-goat, the following- then were the expectations I formed from a consideration of the prophecy alone ; first, I was decidedly of opinion, that the history de- tailed in it began in the year in which the vi* sion was seen ; secondly, of the three read- ings, which are mentioned as found in different manuscripts, namely, 2400 years, 2300 years, and 2200 years, I expected that the first would 258 Combmed View of the Prophecies. be found to be the true number of Daniel : my reason for this opinion was, tliat it is a sacred number, or divisible by three, which all the known numbeis of Daniel are, a property not found either in the number 2300, or 2200. 1 hirtily, I expected that the period would ter- minate either with the year 1822, or the year 18G7. But though on the general principle, that all the prophecies are formed on one plan,, 1 concluded that the exi)iration of the 2400 3 ears (their commencement being fixed to the third year of Belshazzar) would be found to coincide with some other period, 1 could not, in considering the years 1822 and 1867, give a preference to one period rather than another, for tliere were objections to both ; first, the year 1822 appeared to be too early ; for if the king- dom of Christ Mere to make so rapid a pro- gress, as that in the same year in which the Jews are first restored to their own land, the na- tions of the East should be completely cleansed from the Mahometan superstition, it seemed inconsistent to suppose, that the further period o^ forty-Jive years would elapse before the con- version of the Pagan nations of India, &c. would be effected, and before the period of universal blessedness A\ould commence ; m hen every nation in the world will form a part of the Church of Christ. Daniel* s Vision of the Ram and He-o-oat. 259 On the other hand, the year 1867 appeared to be too kite, for if the sanctuary of the East- ern Church was not to be cleansed from the Mahometan superstition till that year, there would be a longer interval than we could sup- pose, between the restoration of the Jews, in the year 1822, and the establishment of the spiritual worship of Christ among the people situated in the immediate vicinity of the re- stored Jewish Church : and as the only event we know of, which is to take place from the fall of the Roman empire and the Papacy, to the establishment of the kingdom of Christ, is the consumption of the Roman empire as it were, by burning ; those days would thus ap- pear to be much prolonged, which Daniel de- scribes, when he says, " There shall be a time " of trouble, such as never was since there " was a nation ;" and of which our Saviour speaks typically, when he says, " That except " those days should be shortened, no flesh. " should be saved." Such were my previous expectations, which, as usual, I wrote down, or fixed firmly in my mind, before I proceeded to prove the correct-, ness of them. My disappointment was after- wards very great, on referring to the work of Prideaux, to find that the third year of Bel- shazzar, when the vision was seen, was the year s 2 260 Combined View of the Prophecies, 553 before Christ, and therefore that the pe- riod of 2400 years Avould terminate neither in the year 1822 or 18G7, but in the year 1847. This was the more disappointing, as it Mas the last prophecy I had to «^xamine, and I had al- ready succeeded to mv full satisfaction in every other part of the prcjphetic writings of Daniel, Esdras, and Saint John ; but finding that even no probable conjectural amendment of the numbers would give any satisfactory result, I considered the case us perfectly hopeless, and intended so to represent it, and to recommend the M aiting for the event ; or, as a last hope, the consultation of other manuscripts, if such should ever be discovered. The precision I had hitherto found in pro* phecy led me, as I have just observed, to ex- pect that this period of 2400 years would ter- minate with one or other of the periods else-, where mentioned by Daniel ; for I did not see^ without such coincidence, how the interpreta- tion c>f a single and detached prophecy could ever be convinciug and satisfactory. It was not, therefore, till after every hope had left me, that I observed that a remarkable agreement was shewn, even by the result I had obtained, between all the numbers of Daniel ; for, though the period of the 2400 years is nut thus made to. terminate with either of the othei* periods,, it OanieVs Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 2^1 exactly divides the difference between them ' into two I'egular portions ; a coincidence, but a degree le«s remarkable, than if it had termi- nated at the same time w ith one of them ; and more suitable to my expectations, as it removed the difficulty I had found in fixing upon either, the one being too early, and the other being too late. The reader then will observe, that the year 1847 divides the period of 45 years into two regular portions of 25 and 20 years each : the periods formed by all the numbers of Daniel, will therefore be 1260 years, 30 years, 25 years, and 20 years ; the first period ended in the year 1792, for the Papacy having prospered 1260 years, then suddenly began to fall ; the second period will terminate in the year 1822, with the final destiiiction of the Roman empire and of the Papacy, and with the commencement of the restoration of the Jews ; the third period (if rightly calculated) will terminate in the year 1847, with the removal of the Mahometan su- perstition from the Eastern Church, or rather perhaps from all the nations of the East where it is now professed ; and the fourth and last period will terminate in the year 1867, with the reception of the nations of China and India^ and ail the idolatrous nations of the whok^' world into the Church of Chrisl. 262 Combined View of the Frophecies. I must apologize for having detained the cp reader with so minute a detail, but the confi- dence to be placed in any result must depend, i|i a great degree, upon the nay in which it has i been obtained ; every one is therefore bound to explain minutely the method used by him, especially in such a case as this, where the sub- ject is of the greatest importance, and the re- sult may perhaps by some be considered as questionable. It is certainly not directly sup- ' ported by any other Prophecy ; but, consider- ing that the event could not so well fall into any other place, and that the number falls into an interval, so as to form a regular series n ith the other numbers of Daniel, I confess, though I dare not say that it is certain, it appears to me to be satisfactory. I might indeed plead, that it is the most satisfactory solution that the question admits of, for I have already explained that it would not have been in all respects sa- tisfactory, had the result been either of the two numbers I was led to expect, from supposing that a precise and marked termination of the period could not be elsewhere obtained. We suppose therefore the answer of the Saint to the question, how long the vision should last till the sanctuary should be cleansed from the Mahometan superstition? to imply, that it would be cleansed in the year 1847 ; but, Daniefs Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 263 as the Papal Power began to fall 30 years pre- viously to the year in which it will be entirely removed from the sanctuary of the Western Church, it may be supposed that the Maho- metan Power Avill also begin to fall some years previously to its being- entirely removed from the Sanctuary of the Eastern Church. As it has been raised and supported by the sword, so the beginning of its fall ought, doubtless, to be \ dated from the fall of the Ottoman empire, which is the event that next succeeds in the Prophecies of Saint John, to the judgments of the fifth Vial inflicted upon the kingdom of France. Whenever therefore these shall be ac- complished, we may shortly expect the fall of the Ottoman empire to follow, iand conse- quently the fall of the Mahometan Religion to commence. 'j^ It is said in a following verse, that in the end it should be " broken without hand^ by which expression we may suppose that there is a re- ferende made to a passage in the vision of the Great Image, where the destruction of the na- tions of the Western Roman empire is said to be effected by the smiting of the Stone " cut " out without hands;'* for we find that the j Eastern and Western empires are broken at the ' same time, and involved in one common de- struction ; the Ottoman or Eastern empire being 264 Combined View of the Prophecies. destroyed upon the pouring out of one of the seven Vials, Avhicli occupy the period of the destruction of the Western empire. The expression, that the stone is " cut out *' without handf'' I have before explained in considering the vision of the Great Image, as implying, that the destruction of the nations of the Western empire, and the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ, is not the work of man, but of God, So we see that now, as formerly, the enemies of the Church are confounded and destroyed by an unseen influence ; " a tumult " from the Lord" is every where upon them, therefore, as in old time, every man's hand is against his fellow, and they are smiting down one another and destroying one another *. This description, and that also given in the Revelations, where we find that the destruction of the Ottoman empire is symbolically repre-r sented by the river Euphrates being dried up^ might appear to authorise the supposition that its power will gradually waste away, and that its end will be, that its resources will be dried up by internal dissensions, fightings, and civil, Avars : yet I do not think that we can form any very decided opinion ou this subject, be- cause it might be said to be broken without * Judg. vii. 22. 1 Sam. xiv. 20. Zech. xiv. 13, Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 265 hand, or by the stone cut out without hands, that is, by the power of Christ, were a foieign power influenced to become the instrument of its destruction ; and as the Ottoman empire, from its first commencement, has been symbolized by the river Euphrates, the entire removal of this Empire (in order to prepare the way for the return of the ten tribes) from icJiatever causes its fall may proceed^ could not be repre- sented by any symbolical description more ex- pressive, than by the drying up of this river. In three or four years, however, there is eveiy \ re£ison to believe, that the question as to the i manner of the fall of the Ottoman empire, i which I do not see can with certainty be pre- ■ viously determined from the prophecy, will be decided by the event. Reinarks vpon the Tnteipretations given by ^,<^,V,..'-: \ former Commentators of the Vision of the Ram and He-goat. The " little horn," which is the principal object in this prophecy, and which we are told represents " a king" of fierce countenance, and " understanding dark sentences, who should " destroy the mighty and the Holy people,** was supposed by the older commentators to re- present Antiochus Epiphanes ; and the eleventh 266 Comhiufd Vicic ofthc Prophecies. v^rse, M'here it is said that he magnified him- self even " to the prince of the host, and hy " him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and " the place of his sanctuary Mas cast tained in the description of the two great Apos- tacies, I cannot but lament that Mr. Faber has been led to carry the parallel between them a step further than he was authorised to do by any scriptural warrant ; and that he has made it a fundamental part of his system that they * This statement agrees with Mr. Faber's general view of tiiese prophecies ; except that as he does not consider the In- fidel Power as an individual, his scheme does not shew the pe- culiar proi*iety of this Power's being introduced in the last prophecy of Daniel by histories of individual kings, as- hy those of Persia, Macedon, Syria, Eg>pt, &g. See Daft ehap. xi.. 270 Comhined View of the Prophecies. began and icoiild terminate together ; a circum- stance which would ])e connected alone Avitli his- tory, and which, if true, would add nothing to the perfection of prophecy, which consists in the accuracy with which historical facts are de- scribed^ whatever those facts may be. And though \V histon, and I believe other commenta- tors, assign the year 606 for the rise of the Pa- pal horn, this opinion, I conceive, should have been rejected by Mr. Faber, and the 1260 years of the Papacy should have been ac- knowledged to have commenced before the rise of Mahometanism, when the evidence of facts shewed him, that the seventh Trumpet, which Whiston, Mede, and all the best com- mentators agree marks the expiration of the 1260 years, sounded in the year 1792. Former commentators, I believe, attempted to bring no evidence from prophecy of this supposed cotemporary rise of Popery and Ma- hometanism ; and the elaborate argument (given also in the form of algebraical de- monstration)* by which Mr. Faber attempts to give to the opinion a scriptural founda- tion, is built upon data, which (as I shall hereafter shew in considering the last chapters of Daniel) are in themselves entirely erroneous. ^ Faber's Dis. vol, i, 3d. ed, p. 228 ; 4th, p. 256 ; 5th, p. 253. DankPs Vision of the Ram and Hc-^oat. 271 I have already shewn, that the adoption of this opinion has obliged Mr. Faber to viohite the synchronism, which is the most strongly established of any in the whole prophetic writ- ings (see pages 51 — 53) : and in examining- his interpretation of the Ram and He-goat, we shall again too plainly discover the effects of this radical eiTor, for it has obliged him to consider the 2400 years of this vision as ne- cessarily terminating at the distance of 1260 years from the first rise of Mahometanism, that is, about the year 1866 ; and he has been consequently led to assign too late a date to the commencement of the vision. That this is the case, I shall not hesitate to attempt to prove, not only because so important a subject requires every one to speak faithfully, and without partiality, but because I am convinced that every commentator on prophecy, who is truly interested in his subject, and who is de- sirous to maintain the precision of prophetic language, would wish either that no suspicion should be cast upon his interpretations, or else that the reasons should be clearly and fully brought forward why they are considered to be unsatisfactory. What must lead us to feel less conficence both in Mr. Faber's and Mr. Cuninghame's in- terpretations of this vision is, that their dif- 272 Combined View of the Prophecies. ference of opinion, as to the time of its com- mencement, appears not to have originated from a consideration of the vision itself, but ivQin i\\e\v previous decisions as to the time of the termination of the 1260 years, Mhich they both suppose s} nchronizes with the termination of the period of the 2300 (or 2400) years. The year A. C. 553, in which the vision was seen which is the only accurately defined date in the whole 2)rophecy, not being admitted to be the date of its commencement, either by Mr. Faber or Mr. Cuninghame, and the vic- tories of Cyrus, the founder of the Persian empire, being by them excluded (by argu- ments, the soundness of which will hereafter be examined), there remains no other event for a period of at least forty years, which can be supposed to mark the commencement of the vision. Mr. Faber, in endeavouring to fix his date, limits himself however, by the interpre- tation he adopts, to a period of twenty-eight years, beginning with the year A. C. 536; and as he supposes the vision may commence from any point of time in liiis period, he very ex- plicitly thus states the principle which alone has decided his choice to the precise year, A. C.535. '' These 1260 days,'' he observes, '* as we have already seen, synchronize with '* the last 1260 davs of the 2200, 2300, or 2400 DanieVs Vision of the Ram and Hc-goat. 27^ '* days ; such being* the casa, we have only to '* compute backwards 2200, 2300, and 2^00 " years, from the year of our Lord 1866, and *' according- to tlie epochs to which they re- " spectively lead us, we shall be able to decide " with some degree of probability, both which " of those three numbers is the true reading, " and likev.ise at what era we are to date the *• commencement of the vision of the Ram *' and the He-goat/' This mode of trial leads Mr. Faber to reject the readings 2200 and 2300 years, because these periods, if made to terminate with the supposed termination of the 1260 years, A. D. 1866, must commence respectively in the years A. C. 335, and A. C. 435; which is " far too late for the proper date of the vision." He therefore adopts the reading 2400, and con- sequently supposes the year A. C. 535, being according to Prideaux, the second year, or pos- uhhj the latter end of the first year, after Cyrus had succeeded to the empire on the death of his uncle Cyaxares, to be the true date of the commencement of the vision : at which period the empire was in a state of peace, Mr. Cuninghame having also excluded (though by a different argument from Mr. Faber) the victories of Cyrus from this vision, T 271 Comhined View of the Prophtcws. iiiuls that it must have commenced according to his interpretation, whicli differs from that of Mr. Fa]:)er, somewhere within a space of sixteen I/cars, viz., between the years A. C. 513, and A. C. 497 *, and l>y a similar process, as Ave mvist suppose, of bach ward reckoning from the year 1792 (his date of the end of the Vim years), is led to tix iii)on the precise year, A. C. 508, as the propel* date of the commencement of this vision ; at which period the Persians were en- ga;^ed in w^ar. These dates, viz. A. C. 535, arrd AC. 508", being- tlierefore the subjects of dispute between Mv. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame, the decision of the question as to the correctness of their res})ective s} stems, has been made to turn upon tlie point whether the Ram, when first seen by Daniel, was in a quiescent state, as Mr. Faber supposes, in the year A. C. 535, or in tlie act of pushing Westward, Northward, and South- ward, as Mr. Cuninghame supposes, in the year A. C. 508. There is so little ground however in the prophecy fur foiniingany strong o}>inion on this subject, that after its having- been for several years discussed in the pages of UAaluable periodical publication, no advances * Cunijigliamt'':. Dissert, p. 0/7- DanieVs Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 275 have I conceive been made towards obtainirg- a satisfactory decision upon it*. We mnst therefore, it evidently appears, either establish a higher standard of prophetic demonstration, or admit that it is in vain to attempt it, and that prophecy is not intended to be the subject T>f it. I have before observed, that " the third year of Belshazzar," or the year A. C. 553, is the only dette precisely established in the whole vi- sion ; it follows therefore, that if we would give to it a satisfactory interpretation, we must in the fii'st place assume that to be the date of its commencement ; for (as it has been said in treating- of the period of the 1260 veal's, men- tioned in the vision of the four Beasts) it would be in vain that the years were numbered, if the time of their commencement were not precisely marked. I must observe also, that to consider the vision as commencing from the time at which it was seen by the prophet, is not only most natural in itself, but is agreeable to the analogy of all the otlier prophecies ; accord- ingly we shall find, that the Medo- Persian em- pire is mentioned no less than four times in different prophecies of Daniel, which circum- • See Christian Observer, for the years 1807, 180S, 1810, and 1811. t2 276 Combined View of the Prophecies, stance is solely owing to liis ahvavs beginning his prophecy from the period in which lie writes, and tracing do\A n tlie stream of time, by a narrative more or less connected, till he reaches the ultimate and principal object of it, which in the visions of the four Beasts, and of the Ram and the Ile-goat, and in his last vi- sion, are severally the Papal, the Mahometan, and the Infidel powers. In referring to the vision of the Great Image in support of this opinion, we shall there find that the prophecy commences at the period in ichich the prophet lerote ; for Daniel, in explain- ing the vision to King Nebuchadnezzar, sa}s, " Thou art this head of gold." Again, if we refer to the vision of the four Beasts, we find that the kingdom of Babylon is also there described in the state in Avhich it was when the vision was seen ; for it is represented by a Lion having eagle's wi?igs, because tlie kingdom of Babylon was then in possession of the empire of the world ; and subsequently to this its loss of empire is described, which hap- pened only a few years after the date of the vi- sion. We shall also find, that the Ram,&c., accord- ing to the most simple interpretation of the prophecy now before us, accurately represents the united kingdoms of the Medes and Per- DanieVs Vision of the Ram and He-goat, 277 sians in the state in which it was when the vision was seen ; the Medes and Persians being then established in the neighbourhood of the river Ulai, and not having yet passed over into the province of Babylon. We find also, that the first part of the prophecy accurately describes those victories of Cyrus, which, at the date of the vision, were on the very point of com- mencing. In the last vision of Daniel, which gives the histoiy of the Infidel Power, the time present is also spoken of, for the angel who communicates the prophecy to Daniel begins it by informing him, that " there shall stand up yet" that is, besides the king then reigning, " three kings in " Persia*." In the Apocalypse we shall find that the time present is also first mentioned as introductory to that which is future ; for Saint John is directed to " write the things that are,'* and then " the " thing-s ^^ hich shall be hereafterj- ;" and so Ave find that in his prophecy the future histories of the Eastern and Western branches of the empire are preceded by the admonitory and prophetic Epistles addressed to the seven Churches in Asia then existing. The opinion, therefore, that the vision of the * Dau. xi. 2. t Rev. i. 19. 278 Combined View of the Prophecies, Ram and tlie He-goat does not commence till eighteen years, as Mr. Faber supposes, or till forty-five years, as Mr. Cuninghame supposes, after Daniel saw the vision, would require the stronsest evidence before it could l)e admitted. I shall now proceed to examine the arguments by which Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame sup- port their interpretations. Mr. Faber, I find, formerly gave an earlier commencement to the vision, and agreed with Bishop Newton, that the pushings of the Ram West^^ard, Northward, and Southward, by which he became great, describe, principally at least, the conquests of Cyrus, the founder of the Medo-Persian empire*. The reason given why he now excludes these conc[uests from the vision, and commences it at a later date, is this, viz., that " the Ram is said to have already had *' two horns when Daniel first beheld itf," and *' that this being the case, the date of the vision " cannot be prior to the time Avhen the Ram " began to have two horns," which Mr. Faber assumes to be after the death of Cyaxares, when the empire was united under the sole dominion of Cyrus. But might we not argue with equal plausi- * Fuber's Die. vol. i. 3(1 eclit. p. 'jG >, 4th p. 20O, 5tli p. 197, t Faler's Dis. vol. i. Sd tdit. p. 'ido, 4th p. i^SS, 5th p. 28S. Dcuiki's J^sioti of the Ram and He-goai, 279 bHity in considering the vision of the four Beasts, that the Ten-horned Monster alrcadif had ten horns wlien it was first seen by Daniel, and therefore that the vision does not com- mence till a period subsequent to the division of the Roman empire, and the rise of tlie ten horns ; and that the victories of the Monster, which was dreadful and terrible, and strong- " exceedingly, that devoured, brake in pieces, " and stamped the residue with his feet," re- present wo^ the victories of the Romans^ but the Kuhsequenl .victories of modern Europe since the rise of the ten horns. Mr. Faber will doubt- less not allow his argument to be ^o applied ; and the fact is, that from the first description of a symbol at the commencement of a prophecy, we can argue nothing as to the order of events, for we shall find that a symbol is always de- scribed in the first instance as complete and perfect in all its parts before the chronological narrative begins. With this exception, I agree that we cannot be too strict in refusing to admit any interpretation wliich ^^ould interrupt the regular chronological order of events in a pi"o- phecy, upon which order the strength of its internal evidence and its character for accuracy, must entirely depend. Mr. Faber's opinion, ijiiU tl)» two horns did not ri^e tiji thj3 Mede^ 280 Combined View of the Prophecies. and Persians were united under the sole domi- nion of Cyrus, is therefore without any support ; but not only so, it may be proved from the pro- phecy to be erroneous, for it will hardly, I con- ceive, be denied, that it was at the period when Ct/rus the Persian became the head of the Em- pire, that the Persian horn which " came up " last" became " the highest ;" the Persian horn must necessarily, however, be supposed to have arisen before it outgrew and overtopped the Median horn ; contrary to Mr. Faber's hy- pothesis, therefore, the Ram evidently had t^o horns before the empire fell under the sole dominion of Cyrus the Persian in the year A. C. 536, and Mr. Faber's argument for not commencing the vision till that year, because it had not till then two horns, is evidently fal- lacious. Mr. Cuninghame does not maintain the same opinion with Mr. Faber, as to the time of the ri>se of the two horns ; but agrees with me, that this event may perhaps be best dated " from " the year A. C. 559, when Cyrus was ap- '' pointed commander of the united armies of " the Medes and Persians, to conduct the war " against the Empire of Babylon." As he therefore does not see the force of the argument, by which Mr. Faber attempts to prove that the Daniets Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 281 vision begins at a late period, he himself en- deavours to prove the same point in a different way. The Ram, he observes, was seen by Daniel " standing" before the river Ulai, i. e., already " firmly established to the i€est of that river, " in those provinces which had composed the " empire of Babylon. This circumstance," he argues, " shews that the date of the vision can- " not be prior to the year A. C. 536*." Now the conquests of Cyrus being thus necessarily excluded from the vision, there are no other conquests of the Medes and Persians, to which we can refer the pushings of the Ram, till about the year A. C. 513, in the reign of Darius Hys- taspes. The vision therefore, says Mr. Cuning- hame, must necessarily have begun about that time. This argument appears to rest upon a merely gratuitous assumption, that Mhen the Ram is said to be seen standing before the river Ulai, it means that he was on the Western side of the river ; Daniel being, as we are informed, on the Eastern side, in the province of Elam. But might I not with at least equal plausibility say, that as the Ram was seen standing before the * Cuninghame'$ Dissert, p. 27^. 282 Combined View of the Prophecies. viv'er, it must be understood that he was facing it ; and that as it is said that he pushed * JVest- icarcl, as a signal of conquest to he made in that direction, he must have been on the Eastern side of the river, and could not yet have passed over into Asia ]Minor. The reader will also recollect, or will find, by a reference to pages 236, 237, that I have un- derstood in a very different m ay from Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame, the description which tJie Prophet g-ives of the first position of the Ram ; and finding that it is first said to stand before the river Ulai, and afterwards^ when ad- vanced into Asia Minor, that it is spoken of as the Ram which Daniel had seen standing before tliat river, I have concluded that the position c«f the Ram, when overthro'wn by the He-goat, was different from what it was when first seen by Daniel ; and that the vision therefore evi- dently began before the Ram was established ifi Asia Minor.. I do not, however, lay great stress upon any of these arguments; but consider the vision as commencing from the date in which it Avas seen, principally, because so to consider it is agrecr * " Butting toithhis horns, for such is the meaning of tlie *' original word, and not running.''' Christian Observer, I Daniel's Vision of the Rum and He-goaf. 283 able to the analogy of all the historical pro- phecies ; and in adopting this period for its commencement, I find every part of the vision accurately correspond with history. Having thus considered the arguments upon "which the interpretations of Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame are severally founded, I shall noAV, from the same historian from whose work I ex- tracted the account pf the victories of Cyrus (see pages 239 — 241), quote the account of the victories of Darius Jij staspes — which are sup- posed by Mr. Faber to he those described by the prophet — that we ma}- thus see how far such an interpretation is fairly admissible. In the prophecy, we see the Medes and Per- sians pushing, in regular order, to the JVest, to the North, and to the South, beating down all opposition ; for it is said, " that no beasts might .*' stand before him," and establishing them- selves, or becoming great, by the overthroAv of other kingdoms. The reader has already seen how accurately this representation describes the victories of Cyrus. The victories of Darius Ilystaspes are described as follows: " From the " time of the reduction of Babylon, Darius " had set himself to make great preparations " for a war against the Scythians, that inha- *' bited those countries which lie between the f Danube and the Tanais. In order whereto. t!84 Combined View of the Prophecies, '- I laving- draAvn together an army -' of seven hundred thousand men, "''"*''^ JDarius 9. "■ he inarched Mitli them to the *' Tliracian Bosphorus, and having there passed " over it in a bridge of boats, he brought all " Thrace in subjection to hini, and then "^ marched to the Ister or Danube." — " He "^ there passed over another bridge of boats " into the country of the Scythians ; and " having there for three months* time pur- '*• sued them through several desert and un- "^ cultivated countries, where they drew him by '^ their flight of purpose to harass and destroy *' his army, he was glad at last to return with *' one half of them^ having lost the other half " in this unfortunate and ill-projected e.vpedi^ " tion.'* — " lie again repassed the river Danube ** into Thrace, where, having' left one of his^ "' chief commanders with part of his army to* " finish his conquests in tliose parts, and tlio- •* rouohlv settle the country in his. obedience. " he repassed the Bosphorus Avith the rest, and '^ retired to Sardis, where he staid all the wm- " ter, and the most part of the ensuing* year, to " refresh" his broken forces, and resettle his *' affiiirs in those piirts of his empire, after the " shock that had been given them by the baffle " and loss which he had sustained in this ill- " advised expedition, * DanieCs Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 285 " About this time, Darius being desirous to *' enlarge his dominions eastward, , . 1 xi • r Anno 50,9, *' 111 order to the con€iuerni4:>- oi ^^^^.^^ ^^ •" those countries, laid a design of -. ,r-i i *' first making a discovery of them ;" which he successively executed by building a fleet of ships, and sending it to sail doNvn the whole course of the river Indus into the southern ocean. This enterprise being completed, and the fleet having returned by the way of the Red Sea, within the space of about two years and a half from its tirst sailing, he shortly af- terwards " entered India with an army, and *' brought all that large country under him, " and made it the twentieth prefecture of his *' empire." Instead therefore of a series of successful ac- tions to the West, to the North, and to tlie South, in which the Medes and Persians beat down all opposition and became gi'eat, we have a successful expedition indeed, but unfortunately towards the East, and an " ill-advised expedi- *' tion" to the North-west, w hich (though Thrace was at this time conquered, and added to the dominions of the Medes and Persians) does not in its circumstances and character at all agree with the symbolical description of the prophet. I now leave it to the reader, having both the. 2S6 ComhincU View of the Prophecies. descriptions I>efore him, to decide, whether the prophet describes the victories of Cyrus, or the conquest of " Thrace, Macedon, and the Ionian *' isles," by " Darius, the son of IJystaspes*.'* As I only differ from Mr. Faber as to the date of the commencement of the vision of the Uam and tlie Ile-goat, and in Avhat relates t^ the early history of the Persian empire, I pro- ceed now to make one or t^o further observa- tions, that apply exclusively to the interpreta- tion of this prophecy given by Mr. Cuninghame, uho has followed Sir Isaac and Bishop Newton, in considering the little horn of the ile-goat as a symbol of the Roman PoAver in the East : but who, by endeavouring to shew that the vision * Faber's Dissert. 3d edit. p. 2G2. Mr. Fabei- states in his last editions (see Faber's Dissert. 4th edit. p. 290, 5th, p. 287) that he considers, that tlie •' successful pus/lings''^ of the Ram, " did not commence " until the year A. C. 508." This idea, ho\ve\er, does not appear to agree with his own interpretation, for Thrace was confpiered by Darius prior to tliis date ; and 1 am not aware of any successes of the Persians in or subsequently to this year, excepting- those of Darius eastward, in his expedition to India. It appears from a reference to Prideaux, that in the year A. C. 503, the Persians failed in an attack upon the Island of Naxus — in A. C. 502, the loiiians revolted from Darius — in A. C. 494, Mardonius failed in an expedition against the Greeks — in A. C. 49I, the Persians were defeated in the battle of Maratlion — and in A. C. 48t>, Darius died ; we find therefore, subsequent to the year 50;*, nothnig to Daniel* s Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 28^ terminates in the year 1792, is involved lA difficulties with respect to the commencement and termination of it, to which their interpre- tations are not liable. Mr. Cuninghame's opinion as to the object of the prophecy causes him to differ from Mr. faber in the interpretation of an important pas- sage, where the Sanctuary or the Tem]ile at Jerusalem is said to be cast down : Mr. Cunins- hame understanding it literally, and supposing" that in this prophecy the destruction of thti Temple by the Romans is foretold ; and Mrl Faber understanding the Temple to be the symbol of the Church of Christ, and that the prophecy refers to the desolation of the Eastern answer to the successful pushings of the Ram. ]Mr. Cuning- hame, consequently, whose hypothesis will not permit liim to begin the vision of the Ram and the He-gout prior to the yair A. C. 508 (the year now adopted by Mr. Faber, as tlie first year of the successful pusliings of the Ram) , advances nothing* further on this subject, than that the troops of Darius " were *• probably occupied at this time in consolidating his" (former) " conquests in Thrace and Macedonia." (Cuningliame's Dissert, p. 27s.) I must now therefore leave it to the reader to decide whether such an interpretation of th.e pi opheey be admissible, and whether these probable events in the North- west, whatever tl;ey we.e, which if they took place, it seems, were not of importance enougli to be recorded in histoiy, are a liatisfuctoiy substitute for the actual conque-its of Cyrus, tltt" fom-.der of the Persian empire. 288 Combined View of the Prophecies. Church, by the introduction of the spiritual abomination of Maliometanism. Both these interpretations are plausible ; and the only way of satisfactorily deciding- which is the correct one, is by inquiring which meaning- of the^ Temple, whether the literal or the si/mholicaly can be maintained consistently to the end. Mr. Cuninghajne, however, having- first adopted the literal meaning of the Temple at Jerusalem, admits that latterh the desolation of the visible Church of Christ is spoken of, and supposes that where it is said to be cleansed at the expiration of the period of the vision, those judgments are foretold which commenced in the year 1792. But though Bishop Newton also has given his sanction to this transition from the literal to the symbolical meaning' of the Temple, I cannot but consider that it is inadmissible, and that the interpretation of Mr. Faber, being' the only one that can be con- sistently maintained to the end, is consequently proved to be the correct one ; for, if we do not allows this, we lose the advantage peculiar to a continued and chronological prophecy, which is, that the interpretation of one part of it serves as a check upon the interpretation of the other. That the period of the vision of the Ram and Ile-goat did not expire in the year 1792, as Mr, Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 289 Cimingharae supposes, will appear, if we con- sider that the cleansing of the Sanctuary men- tioned in it must necessarily be understood as referring exclusively to the Eastern Church, the whole prophecy relating to the Eastern Roman empire. But we shall in vain inquire what change took place in the year 1792 in this Church ; we well know that it was in no respect cleansed in that year from the abomina- tions with Avhich it is polluted ; viz., those of the Mahometan superstition. Mr. Cuninghame may justly say, that th6 Sanctuary of the Western Church ceased in this J ear to be trodden under foot by the Papists^ and that the period of their jirosperity then ter- minated ; for so far facts and prophecy agree together : the period of their rioting in the Western Church then ended, and the Infidels broke in upon them, and became the instru- ments of their punishment. But we must ob- serve, that the period of Infidelity had yet to succeed to that of Popery, and that prophecy is so far from representing the sanctuary of even the Western Church, as being cleansed at the end of the 1260 years, that we are expressly guarded against such an idea by that passage iii llev. chap. xv. ver. 8, where it is said, ihkt " no man was able to enter into the Temple till *' the seven plagues of the seven angels werfe u 290 Combifted View of the Prophecies. " fulfilled:" ^Ahicli is a prediction that there will be no increase to the spiritual Church of Christ (amongst the nine Roman-catholic king- doms of the W estern Roman empire), or in other woids, that the sanctuary of the Western Church will not he cleansed iiW the period of the seven Vials, or the period of the thirty years* destruction of the Roman empire is passed : and this general representation of the state of the Roman empire during this period is con- firmed by the particular account which is given of the effusion of two of the Vials ; for on the pouring out of the fourth Vial, it is said, that " men blasphemed the name of God, which " had power over these plagues, and they " rejyented not to give him glory ;" and the same is said on the pouring out of the fifth Vial : and here also we find that facts and pro- phecy agree together; for if we look to France, to Spain, or to Rome, we shall be obliged to acknowledge that no signs of repentance have yet appeared. I am obliged therefore, though agreeing with Mr. Cuninghame in his general view of the times in which we live, to dissent from his opi- nion that the sanctuary is already cleansed^ these words implying no less than the restoration of the spiritual worship of God, -w here an idola- trous worship had before prevailed, and tlic Daniel's Vision ofihe Ram Und He-goat. 291. event therefore, I conceive, belonging to the period of the progress of the Gospel, and by no means to the commencement of the period of Injidelity, Observations on tlie controversy between Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghamey relative to the interpretation of the Vision of the Ram and lie-Goat. Having freely made my objections to the in- terpretations given by Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame, to the foregoing vision, I will now endeavour to reply to some arguments which Mr. Cuninghame has himself brought forward in the pages of the Christian Ob- server for the year 1808, to prove that the '• little horn" cannot be considered as a symbol of the Mahometan Power, and I should be liappy were I able to throw any light upon those points which that respectable writer proposes for discussion. The first objection which Mr. Cuninghame brings forward is, that " this little horn does not come up after the fall of the four horns, \\ hich arose in the kingdom of Alexander ; on the contrary, the little horns come up out of one of the four pre-existing horns ; and the Angel who interprets the symbols de- clares explicitly, that the power which this u2 292 Combined View of the Prophecies, " little liorii prefigured shall stand up in the " latter time (or at the end) of their kino-- " doms." Mr. Cuninghame consequently maintains that the little horn cannot be a sym- bol of Mahometanism, " M'hich arose more " than six centuries after the fall of the last " of the Macedonian kingdoms *. This objection, I think, may be justly made to Mr. Faber's interpretation of the vision, and it appears to me that he unsuccessfully endea- vours to answer it by saying, that where the little horn is said to stand up " in the latter time " of their kingdom,'* it should be understood that the little horn shall stand up in the ^^ futurity" of these four kingdoms ; " that is to say, in " the course of the period /wi/^re to them "I-." But then I must observe, that the difficulty in which Mr. Faber's interpretation is involved arises entirely from his having interpreted the four Beasts as representing the four empires, considered as extending to their several utmost limits; from which interpretation it must in- deed necessarily follow, that when the Mace- donian empire terminated by the conquest of the last of the four kingdoms, and the Roman empire was established in its place ^ the four horns must be considered as being then com- * Christian Obierver, 1808, p. 209. f p. 41? and 6^0. A Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-Goat 293 pletely destroyed ; and the Mahometan Power, which rose up about six centuries afterwards, could not (as Mr. Faber appears to admit) be said to rise up " in the latter time of their kingdom/' But if we adopt \^ hat I understand to be the correct interpretation of the symbols of the four Beasts, and of their horns, and consider them as referring to certain peculiar and distinct ter* ritories, we shall find that in this prophecy the Western empire is excluded ; and our attention is directed to the Eastern empire alone, as being the territory * on w hich the Mahometan Power would appear : and we are told that it would arise in the course of a period sipohen of as being *' the latter time of these kingdoms," that is, of the four kingdoms of the divided Macedonian empire. If we wish to know what period this " latter time" refers to, it may be explained ia the words of the prophecy of the four Beasts, as the time during Mhich " their lives" or ex- istence " should be prolonged after their domi- " nion was taken away," that is, prior to their final (and as yet future) destruction, but subse- quent to the year in which the Macedonian em- pire was conquered by the Romans. It is said too, that the Horn should rise when the trans- * See description of the rise of the little Papal hern, page •182 of this work. 294 Combined View of the Prophecies, gressors were come to the full ; accordingly we find that it made its appearance in the begin- ning of the seventh century, when the Eastern Church was overrun with heresies. The time in AAhich the Mahometan horn actually arose appears therefore most accurately described in the words of the prophecy ; and to prove that they do not so well suit the interpretation of Mr. Cuninghame, I would observe, that the Roman Power was established in the East by the conquest of the four kingdoms * of the di- vided Macedonian empire, and consequently exactly at the termination of the period of their dominion. But the text which says, that the little horn should stand up " in the latter time " of their kingdom," evidently seems to imply that it should stand up and exist during the course of a period so denominated * consequently we find that Mr. Cuninghanie has felt himself obliged to alter our English translation, in order to enable him to give, as he supposes, the cor- rect sense of the prophecy ; for as Mr. Faber, instead of reading " the latter time of their •' kingdom, i.e., of the four horns (as the text * " The Romans became a horn in the Easjt, rising ont oi' " the kingdom of Macedon, when it was reduced into a liO" «' man Province in the year A. C. 148." See Observations by Mr. Cuninghame in the Christian Observer for tlie yc^r 1808, p. 213. Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-Goat. 295 ^appears in the common version of our Bible), reads the '''■ futuritij" of their kingdom; so Mr. Cuninghame, in his explanation of the vision, reads " the end" of their kinsfdom. Mr. Cuninghame objects, secondly, that the history of Mahometanism, " does not in any " respect answer to the actions of tlie little " horn ;" for that at the rise of Mahometanism, the daily sacrifice was already taken away " by *' the gross corruptions prevailing in the Greek " Church, and its superstitious veneration for " the Virgin Mary and the Saints ;" and that Mahomet therefore could not himself he said to take it away. To this objection I would reply, that the daily sacrifice may be sa^id, by way of eminence, to be taken aivay, when in the place of the true worship an object of religious and idolatrous veneration is permatiently established, which Mahomet has now been for above tAvelve cen- turies amongst all the nations of the East. We shall consequently find that the taking away the daily sacrifice, and the placing the abomination that maketh desolate, are expressions which, where they occur, are always found together, as being necessarily connected with each other. So Mr. Faber reads, Dan. xi. 31, " that the daily " sacrifice shall be taken away, by setting- up 296 Combined View of the Prophecies. " the abomination that maketh desolate*." That there is no force in Mr. Cunin^hame's ob- jection to referring this prophecy to Mahome- tanism, because at the time of its rise the daily sacrifice of spiritual worship was already taken away, will appear further hereafter in consider- ing the last chapters of Daniel, where we shall find that these terms are again used in speaking of the re-establishment of the Papacy by Buo- naparte in the year 1801, from which it is evi- dent that the terms may be used, as they are in this prophecy, although the Church had been previously in a totally corrupted state. " The gross corruptions prevailing in the " Greek Church, and its superstitious venera- " tion for the Virgin Mary," at the time of the rise of Mahometanism, are well known ; and the reader will recollect that they are referred to in the words of this prophecy, when it is said, that the transgressors were come to the full. Again, Mr, Cuninghame observes, that Ma- hometanism was *' an opposing superstition " WITHOUT the Church, and cannot therefore " be an abomination of desolation in the *' Church." And again, he objects, that al- though Mahometanism " oppressed the per- ^' sons of the C hristians, so did the Heathen " Emperors; yet the Heathen persecutions, * Christian Observer, 1808, p. 421. Daniel's Vision of the Ham and He-goaf. 297 " grievous as they were, are never styled a *' taking away of the daily sacrifice^ or placing *' the abomination of desolation, or treading *' the sanctuary tinder foot,'' To these observations I reply, that I consider that the desolation spoken of in this and similar passages is not a temporal but a spiritual deso- lation, and that Mahomet was an Abomination of desolation, not as persecuting the Church like the Heathen Emperors, but as being' the object of religious veneration and of prajer. We learn, however, from the passage where it is said that " the place of his sanctuary was *' cast doivn," that the little Eastern horn was not like the little Western horn to be so esta- blished in the Church, as to be merely a cor- ruption of that Church ; but that, on the con- trary, this power was to be founded upon its complete overthrow. It appears, therefore, that Mahometanism could not be more accu- rately described than it is by the words of the prophecy ; for as Mahometanism and Popery are considered by all historians as the two great and similar Apostacies of the East and West, so we find in the prophetic writings that the same general terms are used in describing them ; and at the same time the peculiarities by which they dijfcr from each other are also marked by slight variations in the description. 298 Combined View of the Prophecies. If the Bishop of Rome set himself up as the object of religious veneration in the West, assuming to himself the character of the Vicar of Christ, so did Mahomet in the East, who proclaimed himself to be the Prophet of God. We are therefore supported in our interpreta- tion, and the beauty and perfection of pro- phecy is manifested, when we shew that the expressions of the taking au-at/ of the dailt/ sa- crifice^ and the placing of the abomination that rtiakcth desolate, are alike used in speaking' of both Mahometanism and Popery, and that the symbols of the two little horns, by which they are represented, resemble each other*. * Mr. Faber obsenes, in his remarks upon Mr. Cuninc^- hame's interpretation, " that by applying the symbol of this " little horn to the Rom\n Power in the East, the homo- *' geneity of Daniel's propliecies is completely violated. If *• the one little horn mean a spiritual power, the Papacy ; «' tlie other little horn must likewise, to preserve homogeneity *' mean a spiritual power of some kind. This is further *' evident, from the strong similarity between the actions 0/ the i* tivo little horns. If tlie actioasof the one be ascribed to a •' spiritual power, we are bound, I think, by every rule of con- •• sistent criticism, to ascribe the actions of the other to a spi- *• ritual power likewise. The second little horn, therefore, '* must either be the same as the first, that is to say, they *' must both be the Papacy, or it must be a spiritual power •' bearing some resemblance to the Papacy. But the two " little horns cannot both represent the Papacy, because they *' are described as beinif horns of two entirely ditl'erent beasts* DatiieVs Vision of {lie Ram and He-goal. 299 And here I would remark, though I pur- posely reserve the consideration of the prophecy of Esdras for a future occasion, that the idea of there being a similarity between Popery and Mahometanism is not peculiar either to histo- rians or to the prophet Daniel : for it is found in a prophecy of Esdras relating to the present period, in which " Asia," a type of the JMaho- metan Apostacy, is addressed as an Apostate and Idolatrous PoAver, similar to Babt/hn (the well known t} pe of the Papal Apostacy) : " And " thou, Asia, that art partaker of the hope of " Babylon, and art the glory of her pei-son : " Woe be unto thee, thou wretch, because " thou hast made thyself like unto her: and " hast decked thy daughters in whoreclom*\ " that they miglit please and glory in tliy " lovers, which have always desired to commit " whoredom with thee ! Thou hast followed " Her that is hated in all her icorks and inven- *' tions-\" Mr. Cuninghame again observes, that "it is " Therefore the second Utile horn must represent some spiri- " tual power within the limits of the Macedonian Empire, as *' the first represents a spiritual power within the huiits of the " Roman empire. To this description nothing tl)at I am *' aware of will answer, except Mohauiinedism." Christian Observer, 1808, p. 420. * See Rev. chap. xvii. ■\ 11. Eid. clusp. xv, vej-. 40— 4S. 300 Combined View of the Prophecies. " said by the Angel in the 24th verse, that this *' little horn shall destroy the mighty and the *' holy people. If by the holy people, in this " verse, the Jews be intended ;" he asks, " ha» " Mohammed ism ptculiarlij destroyed them ? *' If the Saints of the Christian Church be " meant ; then, has Mohammed ism ever " persecuted any professing Christians as " Saijifs/'" In replying' to this observation, I would pre- viously observe, that by " the mighty and the *' holy people, '* I understand that nation to be designed, which is elsewhere spoken of in the prophecies, relating to the latter days, in terms similar to the foregoing, as a people " terrible " from their beginning hitherto * ; a nation " meted out and trodden under foot, Avhose " land the rivers" (or hostile armies |) " have " spoiled." And I am the more disposed to understand the words as relating to the Jews as a nation^ rather than to consider them as de- signed to describe symbolically the Church of Christ ; because 1 find, that even in the sym- bolical prcphsjcies, the Jewish nation is a sym- bol not of the Church of Christ, but of that natio7i which now stands in the situation for- * Isaiah xviii. 7. t See Article Flood, Symbolical Dictionaiy, page 91 of this work. Daniel's Vision of the Ram and He-goat. 301 merly filled by the Jewish nation*, as the chosen people of God. If then we consider, that the Mahometan Power over-ran Judea, and laid siege to and took Jerusalem, which events are described in the vision itself by the little horn's waxing great " towards the pleasant land," and that it has now trodden the Holy City under foot for near twelve centuries, and that after Ma- homet's " coming to Medina," as Dean Pri- deaux observes, " he took that disgust against " the Jews, that he became their bitter and " most irreconcilable enemy ever after, and *' used them with greater cruelty in his wars *' than any other he had to deal imth" we can have no difficulty, I should think, in supposing, that in giving the interpretation of the vision^ the Angel should describe in these terms the influence that Mahomet and Mahometanism had upon the aflairs of the Jewish nation. Mr. Cuninghame again objects, " that it is " said in verse 25, that the little horn shall at " length stand up against the Prince of Princes'* (Messiah), " hut shall be broken without hand, " This standing up evidently," he says, * See Article IsRAELiTiSH NATION, Symbolical Diction- ary, page 90, 302 Comhined View of the Prophecies. " means an open and most daring opposition,- *' If, therefore, this little horn were Moham- *' medism, we might expect to hear something •' of its yet future opposition to the Messiah, in " the book of Revelations. But it only appears *• there in the two tirst W oe-Trumpets, which *' are already past ; and its power is evaporated, *' or dried up, under the sixth Vial, expiring *' without any apparent struggle." This objection has already been satisfactorily answered by Mr. Faber, to Avhose observations upon it 1 refer the reader * ; and I shall only * Mr. Faber remarks, as follows (see Christian Obser\'er, 1S08, p. 419) : " The *p ^^^ac-^^^ will shew him that which is noted in the scrip- ^%4^'fTn . ture of truth ; or those things which were writ. ^'fy%~'¥j '^ ten amongst the decrees of God, and which ^ ffyt M I would therefore assuredly be brought to pass.^«,,^ ^~~Ver. 2. " And now will I shew thee the y^T>4^ of &■» "truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet ^/'^,^^C ' " three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall -.». > " be far richer than they all: and by his " strength through his riches he shall stir up " all against the realm of Grecia." The reign .^4/v4- of Cyrus only continued for four years from ' " ji the date of this vision. His son Cambyses succeeded to him, and reigned eight years. To him succeeded Smerdis the Magian, who feigned himself to be the brother of Cambyses, and was slain after a reign of only seven months, through a conspiracy of seven of the Persian nobles. Darius, the son of Hystaspes, was elected king from amongst the conspira- tors, and reigned for thirty-six years. His son: Xerxes succeeded to him, and was therefore- \\\e fourth king of Persia from Ci/rus, spoken 526 Combined View of the Prophecies. of in the prophecy as being far richer than they all; and of him, it has been observed, that " if you consider this king, jou may ** praise his riches^ not the General ; of ^^ hich " there was so great abundance in his king- " dom, that when rivers Mere dried up by " his army, yet his weaUh remained unex-: *' hausted*.'* It is recorded also of him, that he kept a great proportion of his subjects con-: tinually employed in digging in the gold and silver mines which he had in his territories ; so that it was considered as a great relaxation of his usual seventy in this respect, when " he " only reserved a fifth part of his people for '^' t/ie business of mining •\" Pythius, the Lydian, was, next to Xerxes, the most opulent prince of those times. He en- tertained Xerxes and his ^hole army with an incredible magnificence, and proffered him 2000 talents of silver (about 255,000/. ster- ling) and 3,993,000 pieces of gold, with the stamp of Darius (equal to about 1,700,000/. sterling), towards the defraying the charges of the war against the Grecians. But Xerxes was * See Justin, as quoted in Bishop Newton's Dissertations, from whose work much of the interpretation of the first part of this prophecy will be selected. t Rollin, Book VI. Chap. II. Sect; II. DanicVs last Prophecif, ^c. 327 so far from wanting any supplies, that he re- warded Pythius for his liberality, and presented lum with 7000 pieces of gold to make up his number a complete round sum of 4,000,000. And hy his strength through his riches he stirred 2tp all, both subjects and allies, agaitisf the realm of Grecia. Xerxes's expedition into Greece is t> one of the most memora})le adventures in an- cient history. In raising his army, he searched every place of the continent, and it was the greatest tl>at ever was brought into the tield : for there was no nation that he led not out of Asia into Greece. Herodotus, who lived in that age, Bishop Newton remarks, recounts with great exactness the various nations of which Xerxes's army was composed ; and com- putes that the whole number of horse and foot, by land and sea, out of Asia and out of Eu- rope, soldiers and followers of the camp, amounted to Jive million two hundred and ^*lS^fl'^ eighty-three thousand two hundred and twenty 7nen. Nor was Xerxes content with stirrins^ up the East, but he also '^ entered into a con- " federacy with the Carthaginians, who were " at that time the most potent people of the " West ; and made an agreement with them, *' that whilst the Persian forces should attack Greece, the Carthaginians should fall upon the Grecian colonies that were settled iu 328 Combined View of the Prophecies. " Sicily and Italy, in order to hinder them " frona coming to the aid of the other Gre- " cians. The Carthaginians made Amilcar " their general, who did not content himself " with raising as many troops as he could in " Africa, but with the money that Xerxes had " sent him^ engaged a great number of sol- " diers out of Spain, Gaul, and Italy, in his " service ; so that he collected an army of " 300,000 men, and a proportionate number " of ships, in order to execute the projects " and stipulations of the league*." Thus Xerxes through his riches stirred up all against the realm of Grecia. And after him no men- tion is made of any other king of Persia. For the Prophet, having enumerated four kings of the Persians after Cyrus, passes over eight unnoticed, whose reigns occupied a period of 133 years, and proceeds immediately to the history of Alexander the Great, and of the Macedonian empire. Ver. 3. " And a mighty king shall stand up, " that shall rule with great dominion, and do " according to his will. 4. And when he shall *' stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and " shall be divided towards the four winds of " heaven ; and not to his posterity, nor ac- * RoUin. Book VI. Chap. II. Sec. II. Daniel's last Prophecy^ 6fc. 329 " cording' to his dominion which he ruled : " for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even " for others beside those." That Alexander was a mighti/ king and conqueror ; that he ruled with great dominion^ not only over Greece, and the whole Persian empire, but likewise added India to his conquests ; and that he did accord- ing to his will, none daring to oppose him, are facts too well known to require any particular proof or illustration. But after a reign of twelve years and eight months he died in Ba- bylon : and then his kingdom was broken ; so that in the space of about fifteen years his fa- mily and posterity became extinct, chiefly by the means of Cassander, one of his captains ; and who was eventually one of his successors. It was soon after Alexander's death, that his wife Statira, the daughter of Darius, was mur- dered out of jealousy by his other wife Rox- ana ; and her body was thrown into a well, and earth cast upon it. His natural brother Ari- daeus, who succeeded him on the throne by the name of Philip, was, together with his wife Euridice, killed by the command of Ol^nipias, the mother of Alexander, after he had borne the title of king six years and some months : and not long after Olympias herself was slain in revenge by the soldiers of Cassander. — Alexander -3Egus, the son of Alexander, by 330 Combined Vieic of the Prophecies, Koxana, as soon as he was born, mos joined in the title of king with Philip Aridwus ; and when he had attained to the fourteenth year of his age, he and his mother Mere privately mur- dered in the castle of Amphipolis, by order of Cassander. In the second year after this, Her- cules, the other son of Alexander by Barsine, the widow of Memnon, was also, with his mo- ther, privately murdered by Polyspercon, in- duced thereto by the great offers made to him by Cassander. Such Mas the miserable end of Alexander's family : and then the governors made themselves kings each in his provinces, from which title they had abstained, as long as any just heir of Alexander was surviving. Thus was Alexander's kingdom broken and di- vided not to his posterity^ but was plucked ?//> even for others beside those : and it was divided to the four winds of heaven ; for four of his captains, as has been before noticed, prevailed over the rest, and Cassander reigned in Greece and the West, Lysimachus in Thrace and the North, Ptolemy in Egypt and the South, and Seleucus in Syria and the JEast. Ver. 5. " And the king of the South shall " be strong, and one of his princes ; and he " shall be strong above him, and have domi- *' nion : his dominion shall be a great domi- '' nion." Though the kingdom of Alexanckr DanieVs last Prophecy^ Sfc, 331 was divided into four principal parts, yet only two of them have a place allotted in this pro- phecy, Egypt and Syria. These two were by far the greatest and most considerable : and these two at one time were in a manner the only remaining kingdoms of the four, the king- dom of JVIacedon having been conquered by Lysimachus, and annexed to Thrace ; and Ly- simachus again having been conquered by Se- leucus, and the kingdoms of Macedon and Thrace annexed to Syria ; and these two con- tinued distinct kingdoms after the others were sAvallowed up by the power of the Romans. Bishop Newton observes, that there is mani- festly either some redundance or some defect in the text, and conceives that it may perhaps be better read thus : And the Jmig of the South shall he strong, and one of his princes (that is one of Alexander's princes) aiid the king of the North shall he strong above him, and have dominion, his dominion shall he a great domi- nion. The king of the South was indeed very strong, for Ptolemy had annexed Cyprus, Phoe- nicia, Caria, and many islands and cities and regions, to Eg-ypt. He had likewise enlarged the bounds of his empire, and was now become so great, that he was in a condition not so much to fear as to be feared by his enemies. But still the king of the North, or Seleucus Nicaior, 332 Combined View of the Prophecies. was strong above him ; for having annexed, as we have seen, the kingdoms of Macedon and Thrace to the crown of Syria, he was become master of three parts out of four of Alexander's dominions. All historians agree in represent- ing him not only as the longest liver of Alex- ander's successors, but likewise as the cow- queror of the conquerors, as his name imports ; he subdued many nations and built many cities ; and after Alexander, possessed the largest part of Asia, for all was subject to him, from Phr\- gia up to the river Indus, and beyond it ; and he is denominated expressly " the greatest king " of Alexander." SeleucusNicator having reigned seven months after the death of Lysimachus over the king- doms of Macedon, Thrace, and Syria, was basely murdered ; and to him succeeded on the throne of Syria his son Antiochus Soter, and to An- tiochus Soter succeeded his son Antiochus Theus. At the same time Ptolemy Philadelphus reigned in Egypt after his father, the first Pto- lemy, the son of Lagus. There were frequent wars between the kings of Egypt and Syria. There were so particularly between Ptolemy Philadelphus, the second king of Egypt, and Antiochus Theus, the third king of Syria. DanieVs last Prophecy, ^c. 333 . Ver. 6. " And in the end of years they shall *' join themselves together ; for the king's " daughter of the South shall come to the king of the North to make an agreement: but she '' shall not retain the power of the arm; nei- " ther shall he stand, nor his arm ; but she " shall be given up, and they that brought her, " and he that begat her" (or as it is in the mar- gin, " him whom she brought forth"), " and he " that strengthened her in these times." In the end of years (or in the year A. C. 249), that is, about 30 years from the death of Seleucus Nicator the king of the North, mentioned in the foregoing verse, Antiochus Theus the then king of Syria, and Ptolemy Philadelphus the then king of Egypt, who had carried on war against each other for several yecirs,Joined them- selves, or associated themselves together; for they agreed to make peace, upon condition that Antiochus Theus, the king of the North, should put away his former wife Laodice and her two sons, and should marry Berenice, the daughter of Ptolemy Philadelphus, the king of the South. And accordingly Ptolemy Philadelphus brought his daughter to Antiochus Theus, and with her an immense treasure, so that he received the appellation of the Dowry-giver. But she did not retain the jjower of the arm, that is, her interest and power with Antiochus, 334 Combined View of (he Projj/iecies. for after some time, lie brought buck his former wife Laodice to court again. But neither did he Antiochus stand, nor his arm; for Laodice fearing" the fickle temper of her husband, lest he should recall Berenice, caused him to be poi- soned ; and she (Berenice) leas also given up, and thei/ that brought her, and hi?n whom she brought forth, and he that strengthened her ; for Laodice, not content with poisoning her husband, caused also Berenice to be murdered. Many of her Egyptian women too, and her attendants m ho came over w ith her into Syria, in endeavouring: to defend her, were slain %vith her : and her son was also murdered by order of Laodice. lie that strengthened her may be supposed to be her husband Antiochus, Mho would doubtless have supported her against these designs of Lao- dice, but that he had himself been previously cut off. Others conceive that her father Ptolemy is here meant, who was a very powerful prince, and had an extreme fondness for her, but had died a short time before in Egypt, at the age of 63 years : for it was not till she had tlius lost his powerful support, that Antiochus ventured to remove her from his bed, and to recall Lao- dice*. Ver. 7. " But out of a branch of her roots^ Piideaux, Part II. Book II. Anno A. C. 246. DanieVs last Prophecy, S^c. 335 *' shall one stand up in his estate, which shall " come with an army, and shall enter into the " fortress of the king of the North, and shall " deal against them, and shall prevail : 8. And " shall also carry captive into Egypt their gods, *' with their princes, and with their precious " vessels of silver and gold ; and he shall con- " linue more years than the king of the North. *' 9. So the king of the South shall come into ** his kingdom, and shall return into his own *' land." The crime of Laodice did not Ions remain unpunished and unrevenged ; for Pto- lemy Euergetes, who was brother to Berenice, or sprang out of the same root with her^ no sooner stood up in his estate, or succeeded his father Ptolemy Philadelphus in the kingdom of Egjpt, than he entered into the provinces of the king of the North, that is, of Seleucus Callinicus, son of Loadice, who now with his mother reigned in Syria. And he dealt against them and prevailed^ so far that he took Syria, Cilicia, and the coun- try ]>eyondthe Euphrates, with the city of Baby- lon, and overran almost all Asia, And h£ entered into the fortress of the king of the North, or took the city of y>leucia, which Was kept for some years afterwards by the garrisons of the kings of Egypt; but when he had heard that a sedition was raised in Egypt, he plundered the kingdom of Seleucus, and took /or/// thousand talents of 336 Combined View of the Prophecies. silver and precious vessels ; and itnas^es of the gods, two thousand and Jive hundred ; among" which Mere also those which Cambyses, after he had taken Eg-ypt, had carried into Persia. And for thus restoring their gods after many years, the Egyptians, who were a nation much addicted to idolatry, complimented him witli the title of JEuergetes, or the benefactor. So the king of the South came to the kingdom of the North, and then returned into his own land. He likewise continued more years than the king of the North; for Seleucus Caliinicus died in exile, of a fall from his horse, and Ptolemy Euergetes survived him about four or five years. Ver. 10. " But his sons shall be stirred up, *' and shall assemble a multitude of great " forces ; and one shall certainly come, and " overflow, and pass through : then shall he " return, and be stirred up, even to his fort- " ress," The sons of the king of the North, or of Seleucus Caliinicus, were Seleucus and Antiochus ; the elder of whom, Seleucus, suc- ceeded his father in the throne, jand to distin- guish him from others of the saii>o name, was denominated Ceraunus or the thunderer. Seleu- cus Ceraunus was indeed stirred up, and as- sembled a multitude of areat forces : but being- destitute of money, and unable to keep his army Daniel^s last Prophecy, 6fC. 337 ill obedience, he was poisoned by two of his generals, while on an expedition to Asia Minor, after an inglorious reign of two or three years. Vpon his decease his brother Antiochus Mag- nus was proclaimed king, who was more de- serving of the title of Great, than Seleucus was of that of the Thunderer. The Prophet's expression is very remarkable, that his sons should be stirred up and assemble a multitude of great forces; but then the number is changed, and only one should certainly come, and overjiow, and pass through. Accordingly Antiochus came with a great army and retook Selucia, and, by the means of Theodotus the jEtolian, recovered Syria, making himself mas- ter of some places by treat}', and of others by force of arms. Then, after the interval of a short truce, Antiochus returned and overcame in battle Nicolaus the Egyptian general, and had thoughts of invading Egypt itself. Ver. 11. " And the king of the South shall be •' moved with choler, and shall come forth *' and fight with him, even with the king of the " North, and he shall set forth a great multi- " tude, but the multitude shall be given into " his hand." The king of Egypt at that time was Ptolemy Philopater, who was advanced to the crown upon the death of his father Euer- getes, not long after Antiochus the Great suc- z 338 Combined View of the Prophecies. ce-C(led his brotlter in the thiTme of Syria. Tliis Ftolemy was a most luxurious and vicious prince, but was roused at length by the nearer «ipproacIi of danger ; and was no doubt moved tPith choler for the losses M'hich he had sus- tained, and for the revolt of Theodotus and others; And he came forth^ or marched out of Egjpt, with a numerous army to oppose the enemy, and encamped not far from Raphia, which was the nearest town to Egypt from Rho- nocorura. And there he fought uith him, even with the hing of the North; for thither likewise came Antioclius -^^ith his army, and a memor- able battle Mas fought by the two kings. And the king of the North set forth a great multi- tude. Pol} bins, as Bishop Newton observes, liath recited tiie various nations of which iin- tiochus's army was composed, and altogether it amounted to 62,000 foot, 6000 liorse, and 10^ elephants, J3iit yet the mullitudc was given into the hand of the king of the South ; for Ptolemy obtainfrd a complete victory : and of Antiochus's anny there were slain not much fewer than 10, Lampsacus, and other Greek cities in Asia, which then enjoyed their liberties, finding his scheme Mas to reduce them all to be in the same subjection to him, as they had formerly been to his ancestors, resolved to stand out against him, and sent to the Romans for their protection, which they readily undertook in their behalf. For they being resolved to put a stop to Antiochus's further progi^ss west\yaixl, DaniePs last Propheci/, S^-c. 349 as fearing to -what the power of so great a king misht ofi'ow, should he establish himself in those parts of Asia according to his designs, gladly laid hold of this opportunity to oppose themselves against him, and therefore forth- with sent ambassadors to him, to require of him that he should restore to King Ptolemy all the cities of the lesser Asia that he had taken from him ; that he should quit those that had been King Philip's ; and that he should permit all the Grecian cities in those parts to enjoy tlieir liberties, and not pass into Europe ; and to declare, that in case they had not satisfaction in all these particulars they would make war against hiiii*. After therefore having turned his face unto the Isles, and taken many of them^ a prince, or rather a leader or general, meaning a Roman general, caused his reproach to cease ; for this interference of the Romans aftei-wards gave rise to a war, which ended in the complete overthrow of Antiochus, by Scipio, the Roman general, in a battle fought in Asia, near the cit) of Magnesia, at the foot of Mount Sypylus, in the year A. C. 190 ; in which Antiochus lost 50,000 foot and 4,000 horse, 1,400 also being taken prisoners, and he himself escaped w ith difficulty. Upon this defeat he was necessi- * Prideaux, Part II. Book II. Anno. A. C. 197. • ' 350 Conihined View of the Prophecies. tafed to sue for peace, and was obliged to sub- mit to very dishonourable conditions ; not to set foot in Europe, and to quit all Asia on this side of Mount 7'aurus, to defray the whole charges of the ^^ar, &c., and to give twenty hostages for the performance of these articles ; one of whom was his youngest son Antiochus, afterwards called Epiphanes. By these means, he and his successors became tributary to the Romans ; so truly and effectually did they not only cause the reproach offered hy him to cease ; but retaliating upon him, by depriving him of part of his dominions, and imposing a disgrace- ful tribute upon him and his successors, they caused it to return upon himself, Ver. 19. " Then he shall turn his face toward '• the fort of his own land : but he shall stum- *' ble and fall, and not be found." Antiochus did not long survive this disgrace ; and the latter end of his life and reign was as mean as the former part had been glorious. After the battle fought near the city of Magnesia, he fled away to Sardis, and from thence to Apamea, and the next day he came into Syria, to Antioch, " the fort of his own land" It was thence that he sent ambassadors to sue for peace ; and within a few days after peace was granted, he sent part of ihe money demanded, and the host- ages, to the lloman consul at Ephesus. He i* Daniel* s last Prophecy^ ^r. 351 i-eported indeed to have borne his loss >vitli great equanimity and temper, and said, he was much obliged to the Romans for easing- him from a great deal of care and trouble, and for confining" him within the bounds of a moderate empire. But whatever he might pretend, he lived in distress and poverty for a great king, being under the greatest difficulties how to raise the money w hich he had stipulated to pay to the Romans : and his necessity or his avarice prompted him at last to commit sacrilege. lie marched into the eastern provinces, to collect there the arrears of tribute, and amass what treasure he could : and attempting to plun- der the rich temple of Jupiter Belus in Elymas, he was assaulted by the inhabitants of the coun- try, was defeated, and himself and all his at- tendants were slain. Or, as otherwise reported, he was slain by some of his companions, %vliom ill his liquor he had beaten at a banquet. However it was, his death was inglorious, he stumbled and fell, and was no more found. We are now, in the course of the prophecy, arrived at that time when the Romans became the ruling power of the world. We find tiiat the whole period hitherto described consists of only 347 years, reaching from A. C. 534, when the vision- was seen, to A. C. 187, when Aii- tiochns died ; in which number of years is also 352 Combined View of the Prophecies. included an interval unnoticed of 134 years, being" the peiiod from the end of the reigrn of Xerxes, to the beginning- of the reign of Alex- ander the Great: so that in fact th€ history of little more than 200 years has yet been given. it is evident, therefore, that as a period of above 2300 years intervenes, between the com- mencement of the prophecy, and the appear- ance of the Infidel PoM-er, we must expect to find that some other very considerable portion of time is unnoticed ; for were the prophetic history of the remaining years to be carried on in one unbroken narrative, this prophecy would be made to exceed in length, beyond all pro- portion, those which relate to Popery and Ma- hometanism, and every other scriptural pro- phecy. There is another reason, on account of which we might conclude that it would not be so con- tinued ; for a prophecy of this kind, which gives the lives of individuals of successive ge- nerations, in the form of narrative, is necessa- rily so minute and clear, that the interpretation of one part being discovered by its fulfilment, it would follow, were the narrative uninterrupted, that the particulars of the lives of all the other individuals subsecpiently spoken of in the pro- phecy, would be so clearly revealed, that the success or failure of every thing they uuder* DanicVs last Prophecy, ^c. 353 took would be foreseen long- before the event. This, however, could not be considered as suit- able with what we find to be the real state of the world ; where all the creatures of God, even his enemies, nnknoxcingli/ contribute to bring- about his designs ; and it m ould also be inconsistent with that declaration of the Angel, that this prophecy, in its main import at least, should be sealed to the time of the end. AVe have found, however, that the history has. lutherto been continued in one unbroken narra- live, with the single exception, that in passing from the Persian to the Grecian Empire^ there is ail omission of eight kings, and of a period of 134 years. We are now arrived at that point of time when we must necessarily pass from the Grecian to the Roman empire ; here then, and here only, arguing from analogy, another omis- sion must be expected to appear ; and so ac- cordingly we find it ; for the prophecy passing over all the early part of the history of the Ro- man empire, carries us at once to that most important period, which is more particularly treated of than any other in all the scriptural prophecies ; and to the history of that king, who is individually described by Esdras and $aint John, as well as by Daniel : for LouisXVI. king- of France, is the Star which it is foretold by Esdras should be smitten down to the earth ^ \ "t !* T^f^- 354 Combined View of the Prophecies. by his own people (who were also to hum- ble other kings, overthrow the Papal Baby- Ion, and, by the tyrannical exercise of their power, to commence the destruction of the Ro- man empire *.) And he is also, as has already been shewn, described by Saint John under the symbol of the Sun, that at the end of the 1260 years was suddenly to become " black as sack- cloth of hair -j*," or to be deprived of all splen- dour, power, influence, and regal dignity. The next verse of the eleventh chapter of Daniel, now under consideration, which describes this individual, is as follows : Vcr. 20. " Then shall stand up in his estate " a Raiser of Taxes, in the glory of the king- " dom ; but within few days he shall be de- ^' stroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle." As in the symbolical prophecies the symbols are peculiarly appropriate to the objects they repre- sent ; so in this historical narrative we shall find a similar perfection in the terms applied to individuals, and in the manner in which they are designated. The principal event in the reign of Louis XVI. was the French Revolu- tion, and it is this circumstance that gives its importance and propriety to the term here lipplied to him, *'a Raiser of Taxes;" for it was * II. Esdras, xv. 35—45 ; xi. 3-2. t Rev, vi. 13. DaniePs last Prophecij, S^c, 355 the embarrassment of the French finances, and the strong opposition made by the Parliament to the edicts of the king for raising certain ta.ves, that was the immediate cause of all his misfor- tunes, obliging him first to call together the Assembly of the Notables, and then to have recourse to the States General, who resolved' themselves into that National Assembly, that? on the 10th August, 1792, deposed him frorii' his throne. On the 21st January % 1793, he was, after a mock trial, deprived of life in the eighteenth 3 ear of his reign. Thus having stood up t/^ the splendour of his estate^ and in the glori/ of his kingdom, or, to use the words of Burke, during " the high and palmy state of the " French monarchy ;" he \V3.s within feie years destroi/ed with every circumstance of degrada- tion and of cruelty. He did not fall honour- ably, at the head of his arniies and in the hedi of contest., as other king's who have met with » violent death have usually done, for he was ciii off " neither in anger nor in battle" being de- liberately and basely murdered in cold hloodhy his own deluded and traitrous subjects. Ver. 21. " And in his estate shall stand up d " vile person, to whom they shall not give th^ " honour of the kingdom : but lie shaill come *' in peefceably, and obtain the kingxlom by A A 2 356 Combined View of the Prophecies. " flatteries." The person A^ho succeeds in his estate, or, as the marginal reading allows us to i^nderstand it, succeeds in his place, is particu- larly designated by the term vile ; referring to the lowness of his extraction ; for it is in this sense we must ujiderstand the epithet : for though it would doubtless be equally applicable to the individual now introduced into the pro- phecy, if understood as signifying a morally worthless character, it is the vileness of his origin which forms a distinctive peculiarity in the history of the Emperor Napoleon. That this epithet refers to his origin is also pointed put by the words with which it is immediately connected ; " e Covenant is here individually mentioned, it is more probable that the Chief of the false than of the holi/ Covenant is intended ; the Pope being also in other parts of the Scriptures made a principal subject of prophecy. Our application of tlx' term to him will be further confirmed from our finding that no explanatory word or phrase, indicating that it is the holif Covenant, is in the present instance introduced ; whereas in all passages where the Protestant nation is clearly referred to under the term " the Covenant," the epithet *' /lo/y" is preli.Ke on the same footing with themselves, in ^' whatever related to the liberty of thinking ; ♦' and would feel more satisfaction in acquiring *' their esteem and their approbation of the ." proceedings of the French government, and " of the political maxims on which it acted, .'' than in the submission enforeed by their 366 Combined View of the Prophecies. *' victorious arms. The conquests obtained *^ over the human mind, being of far greater *' importance to men who knew the difficulty " of obtaining them, and tlie utility which " they produced, than victories won by the " sword, and empire maintained througli " terror. " Language of this kind, which was inces- " santly in the mouth of the French general, ** and of those in his confidence and intimacy, " did more in conciliating the people^ who h-ad " submitted to hirn, than the dread of his power ; " the clergy and the nobility excepted : to the " very existence of which orders the French " sj^stem Was immediately inimical : the other " classes beheld in the French a nation of war- " riors, who seemed to have taken up arms for " the purpose of reducing all other nations to " a level of opinion and government with " themselves, and to harbour no enmity but to *' hereditary sovereigns, and the adherents to " implicit obedience in matters of church and " state. " To disseminate such a disposition in the " generality was the chief aim of the French " general i well knowing that, on such aground, *' he would be able to ew^ct a more durable {a- " brie of that republicanism he had in view» -■ than on the militaiy power he had esta- thmieVs last Prophcei^, ^t*, 367 " Wished ; and Tvhicfc, without those concomi- *' tances that he held out to the natives, would *' have been odious to them, and have pre- *' sented no other picture than that of conquest ** and tyranny. " In this court that was paid hy the French *' general to men of letters and genius, we con- " template a policy not less solid than sublime. " The class too that would be flattered by this *' address was more numerous by far than it " w ill be very easy to imagine ; so great a por- '* tion of mankind being so highly satisfied with " their own talents and accomplishments. " The professions of Buonaparte, however, " but ill accorded with his actions. The whole ** of his conduct indicated that his main design " was to establish the power and influence of " the French in Italy. At Milan he formed '* tke plan of a republic on the model of that '* of France^ and to be under her protection, " in the same manner as the victorious and ** ambitious Romans admitted the conquered '' states to the alliances and friendship of the " Senate and people of Rome : thus endea- *' vouring to subvert the authoriti/ of the Em- *' per or ^ and to erect that of France on itsrnin.fy " by abolishing feudal rights, and gi\*ing the *' great mass of the people a share and' an in- ^- terest in the new government. He fortified »368 Combined View of the Propliccies. "■ Verona, notwitlistanding the reclamations *' of the Venetians, and placed qejieral ofjiccrs^ " in whom he could confide^ over the Tuscan *' troops, as well as over those of Piedmont and ♦' Milan. The intentions of the French were " still less concealed at Paris ; where those *' who bore sway, at the same time that they *' professed a desire to fraternize with all na- " tions, talked of nothing but the extension ^ *' of their arms, and of Paris becoming the *' capital of Europe. They boasted of the ge- " nerous design of giving peace and tranquil- " lity to all nations under the protection of the " French republic." Thus he became strong with a small people, or with a force apparently inadequate to the ex- tent of his vie^^ s ; and which might perhap* have been insufficient had the resistance to him been universal. But endeavouring to obtain a party amongst the people themselves, and making use of every artifice that his genius suggested to him, he entered peaceably upon the fattest places of the province. And he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers : he shall scat- ter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches. It is observed in the History of the Campaign in Germany and Italy in the year 1796, that the motives which determined the French go- DanieVs last Prophecy^ Sfd 369 vernment to push the war in Italy ^vith more vigour than it had done the preceding years, were as follows : " To detach the King- of Sar- ** dinia from the coalition — To carry the War " into the proper estates of the Emperor—* " To destroy his preponderance in Italy— To " shut up his ports against the English — and *' above all tojind in a rich and fertile country, " money, subsistence, and resources of every *' description*' I have already mentioned the great contributions which had been exacted from the Pope, as the price of the armistice granted him. The Duke of Parma had also been called upon to pay as his contribution " 2,000,000 of livres French money (84,000/.) *' — To furnish 1,200 draught horses with their " harness, 400 dragoon horses with their har- " ness, and 100 saddle horses, for the superior *' officers of the army — To give up 20 paint- " ings, which were to be chosen by the general- " in-chief, from among those in the duchy — " To lodge in the magazines of the French at " Tortona, 10,000 quintals of wheat and 5,000 " of oats, and to furnish 2,000 oxen." The Duke of Modena had also been obliged to pur- chase an armistice of Buonaparte at a most ex- cessive price, undertaking to pay to the French republic " 7,500,000 livres French money '' (313,000/.) — To furnish 2,500,000 hvres 370 Combined View of the Prophecies. " (105,000/.) in provisions, powder, and other " military stores, for the French army — And to *' deliver np 20 paintings, taken from his gullery " or his dominions, to be selected by persons " nominated by the French for that pnrpose." But besides these contributions exacted upon 'Buonaparte's first successes in Italy, similar de- mands were afterwards made ; whence it is observed by the author of the History of the Campaign of the year 1796, that Buonaparte despoiled Italy of its most precious effects, drawing' from it more than 100,000,000 of livres (4,200,000/.) by contributions. The particulars given are as follows: Lombardy was obliged to contribute 25,000,000 of livres; Mantua, 800,000; the Imperial Fiefs, 200,000; the Duchy of Modena, 10,000,000 ; Massaand Car- rara, 600,000; Parma and Placentia, 20,000,000; the Pope, 36,000,000 ; Bologna and Ferrara, 3,700,000 ; Leghorn, as the depot of English -magazines, 8,000,000. " And," it is further observed, that " if we add to these contribu- ^ tions, the seizure of all the money which was *' found in the public coffers, 51 chests of silver ." plate taken at Milan, Lodi, and Bologna; if ">^ we add the immense value of the requisitions "in kind made by the French, the pillage, the ^■^ extortions, and the robberies, committed by ;" tlie French anny, we may have an idea of the DanieVs last Prophecy^ 6fc. 371 *' fate of Italy ; and of the sentiments which its " inhabitants must feel for their conquerors. " Buonaparte had no hesitation to say, in the *' proclamation which he made to his soldiers " in entering into Carinthia, that all the ex- " penses of the army of Italy during' eleven " months had been paid by the conquered *' countries, and that he had besides sent " 30,000,000 of livres (1,250,000/.) into France." The system of the army*s thus supporting it- self by plunder, and rendering itself inde- pendent of any assistance from the French republic, was so completely acted upon, that it is said to have excited the apprehensions of the friends of liberty in France ; accord- ingly " one of the principal French journalists ** expressed his apprehensions at the critical *' situation in which the republic was placed, " by generals providing for their armies with *' the spoils of conquered countries, when the " necessities of the state prevented them from " receiving supplies from home ; and he cited " the examples of Sylla, Marius, and Caesar, " who conquered the liberties of their country, *' bi/ dispersing among their armies the treasures " they had amassed*^ or by scattering among * Vfm Pss's Life of Buonaparte, Vol. II. p. 91. bb2 372 Combined View of the Prophecies. fhem, as Cuonaparte now did, the prcy^ and spoils and riches. But the French were not satisfied with seiz- ing the gold, the silver, oxen, horses, provisions, and military stores of all sorts ; and ^ith making- such extensive requisitions of these articles, that at the end of the campaign they had " com- " pletely ruined the fruitful and not long before " flourishing country of Lombardy ;" but they made it also a primary object to possess them- selves of all the most valuable specimens of the arts, including it as one article in their treaties with the Pope, and also with the Dukes of Par- ma and Modena (as already mentioned), that a certain number of their most valuable paintings should be delivered up to the commissaries of the French Republic. Several artists were therefore sent from Paris, who chose, in the towns of Bologna, Ferrara, Modena, Urbino, Milan, Pavia, Parma, and Placentia, all the most precious monuments of the arts which were to be found, and sent them to Paris. It has been observed, " that the spoliation of " the repositories of art, which was now an- *' nexed to the conditions of treaties Mith the " Italian Princes, proved one of the most vex- *' atious as well as mortifying circumstances of " the French invasion. The monuments of Daniers last Propheci/, 6)'c. 373 " painting- and of statuary, which adorned their " palaces, cities, and churches, were viewed by " the natives with a mixture of dehght and " veneration. They entertained a species of " affection for them ; and, in the presence of " some of them, they placed not a little confi- " d-ence. They had become a kind of tutelary ^ deities and household gods. The Italians " wer-e sensible of emotions not altogether dis- " similar to those of the Israelite Micah, into " whose house armed men from Dan entered, " and took away ' the graven image, and the " ephod, and the seraphim, and the molten " image*.' In one respect, the oppressions of " the French in Italy were greater than those of " the northern hordes under Attila and Odoa- " cer ; for these chiefs did not trouble the Ro- " mans with demands of pictures, statues, and " sculptures. To deprive the poor Italians of '* objects so long endeared to them, by habit " and possession, seemed an act of tyranny " exercised upon the vanquished in the wan- " tonness of power. Those objects had been " respected by all parties, in the vicissitude of " those events that had so frequently subjected " the places that contained them to different '^ masters. The French were the first who had * " ^"e have taken away the Gods which I made, and what ** have I more ?" — Judges xviii. 24. 374 Combined View of the Prophecies. " conceived the idea of seizing them as matter " of mere propertj . Herein they Avere accused *i' of consulting their vanity rather than their " taste for the fine arts. The Romans, in their " triumphant periods^ had plundered the Greeks '^ of all the master-pieces they could find in " their country. This appeared to the French '.' ^ precedent fit ior their imitation, and a sanc- ". :ti(«i. for robbing the Italians of what they " esteemed the most valuable part of their pro- "' pprty,, and the most honourable proof they " stijl retained of their former superiority in '', those departments of genius. The conduct 'f; of the French) in tearing the monuments of " aati^i.uity and art from Italy, and carrying " them to Paris, Avas universally condemned " and execrated by all civilized nations*." " Thus did the French plunder Italy, as the " Romans had formerly plundered Greece -j-." Thus did Buonaparte do that which his fathers had not donc^ nor his fathers' fathers ; the writers who have described these events being obliged to refer as far back as to the ancient Romans for a similar example. And he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds^ even for a time. After the retreat of the Austrians into the Tyrol, " whilst liuo- * See Dodslcy's A«aiuttl Register for the year 1796, p. 96. t See History of the Cumpaiga t)f 17^6, ^. 254. Daniel's last Prophecy^ ^c. 375 " naparte was," as above described, " exer- " cising his empire in Italy, possessing himself •' of its spoils, and rendering himself an object " of fear and hatred, his troops were carrying *' on the sieges of Mantua and of the castle of " Milan. The latter place surrendered on the *' 29th June, twelve days after the trenches " were opened *." Buonaparte being in want of the artillery necessary for carrying on a siege, and of the requisite stores, had been compelled to content himself, after the retreat of General Beaulieu into the Tyrol, with investing the town of Mantua, and he even had not been able to form the blockade but at a great distance, on account of the peculiar situation of the place. " Mantua, which has so much occupied the •' attention of Europe, has been the aim of so " many efforts, has caused such an effusion of " blood, and has long held in suspense the fate " of Italy, has always been fortified ; and its " situation has made it considered in all former " Italian wars as the most important fortress " in that country, and in a military point of " view as the capital of Italy. It has sustained *' several sieges, and Avhenever it has surren- " dered, it has been more in consequence of a " blockade and want of provisions than of open * History of the Campaign of the year 1796, p. 258, ^c. 376 Combined View of the Prophecies. " force, or the regular operations of art. Its " chief means of defence consists less in itsfor- " tifications, than in the difficulties opposed to " the approach and attacks of an enemy. The " tOAvn being entirely surrounded by water and " marshes, its un^vholesomeness is not the least *' of its means of defence ; for it is impossible " to besiege it without risking the total destruc- " tion of an army by sickness. In almost every " siege this place has sustained, pestilential " fevers have made great ravages, both amongst " the assailants and defenders of it. " These considerations did not deter General " Buonaparte, mIio had been taught by past *' successes to be confident of future ones. *' After having carried some outposts of the " town, he opened the trenches before it on the " \Sth of J nil). But the difficulties attending " the siege, the fevers Mhich broke out in his *' army, and the successful sorties of the garri- " son, rendered the progress of the French ex- " tremely slow, and enabled the Count de Can- " to d'Irles, who commanded in the toAvn, to " defend it until relieved*." Thus did Buona- parte forecast his devices against this strong hold for a time, or during the absence of the Austrian army from the scene of action. * History of the Campaign of the year 1796, p. 258—261. Daniel's last Prophecy, SfC. 377 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army: and the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army. The kings of the North and of the South, mentioned in the first part of this prophecy, which related to the divided Mace- donian empire, were the kings of Syria and of Egypt ; but in this latter part of the prophecy relating to the Roman empire, these terms will be found to designate the principal potentates of the north and of the south of Europe. As the Emperor of Russia is unquestionably the principal potentate of the North, so the Em- peror of Austria must be considered to be the principal potentate of the South. Again, as Austria literally means South, the title, King or Emperor of Austria, is in fact the same as King of the South ; and we must further ob- serve, that his Italian states, which were the scene of the battles here described, lie to the south of France. On all these grounds we must suppose that the present Emperor of Austria is here meant by the King of the South ; and the terms being thus understood, the text now before us Mill be explained, by merely pursuing the regular course of the History of the Campaign of the year 1796, which continues as follows. 378 Comhiiied View of the Prophecies. " The court of Vienna saw, when too late, the insufficiency of the troops which it had sent into Italy. As it could not possibly ac- quiesce in leaving so valuable a part of its dominions as Lombardy in the hands of the French, it resolved to make the greatest ef- forts for the recovery of that country. All the troops stationed in Carinthia and Styria were sent by forced marches into the Tyrol ; and the inhabitants of the latter country were equipped and formed into corps of chasseurs. As all these different reinforce- ments would not however have made Ge- neral Beaulieu's army sufficiently strong- to enable him to renew offensive operations, the cabinet of Vienna, attending to the most pressing concern, sacrificed its plan of a campaign beyond the Rhine to its personal and immediate interest in Italy. Field Marshal Wurmser, who commanded the imperial army of the upper Rhine, received an order to set off with 30,000 effective men for Italy, and there to replace General Beau- lieu. The months of June and July passed away before these different corps could form a junction, or be sufficiently recovered from the fatigues of so long a march, and put in a state to act. Ten thousand men out of the 30,000, who had come from the army of Daniel's last Prophecy, 6fc. 379 " the Rhine, were left to observe a French " corps which menaced the bishoprick of " Inspruck, and on the 29th of July, Marshal " Wurmser began his march against the *' French, at the head of an army of 47,000 " men. Buonaparte, though commanding a great armt/, on this second advance of the Austrians, found himself inferior to the ki7ig of the Souths who was now stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army. And he was obliged on the night of the 31st July precipitately to raise the siege of Mantua, with the loss of 600 men, all his artillery, and all the ammunition of the siege. He then took the only course which could save his army and preserve the Milanese. " He judged, that by " concentrating his forces, and advancing ra- " pidly against the corps of M. de Quosdano- *' vich" (who directed the advance of one column), " he might defeat him before he " could be succoured by Marshal Wurm- " ser ;" and with no less expedition than judg- " ment, taking advantage of the faults and of " the separation of these generals, he fell un- *' expectedly on the corps of the latter, which i " being too much extended, was easily de- ] " feated, and dissipated" in several actions, fought on the 31st July, and the 1st, 2d, and S80 Combined View of the Prophecies. 3(1 August. He afterwards on the 5th attacked the army coiniiianded by Marshal Wminser, Avhich he defeated, forcing him to retire into the T}rol. " The Frencii general," it is observed by the author of the History^ of the Campaign of 1796, " executed on tliis oc- " casion the same manoeuvre, to A>hich he had " before owed, and has owed since, so much " success." In speaking of his subsequent actions, this manceuvre is thus explained and described : " He exerted himself constantly to " prevent the tivo corps of his enemy from *' forming a junction ; advanced like light- " ning, sometimes against the one, sometimes " against the other, always attacking tlieir " weakest point, and pushing his successes as '* far, ami with as much vivacity as possible. *' In this manner, although he had upon the '• whole fcAver men than the Austrian generals, " he found himself, when opposetl to either of " them separately, equal, and sometimes even *• superior, in number. The frequency of his *' attacks, and the bravery of his troops, secured *' the success of this manoeuvre, ami gave him " the victory." Thus, notwithstanding the superiority of the Austrian forces, the king of the South (lid not stand ; for Buonaparte, with the generals that acted under hire, forecast de- vices asdinst him. Daniel's last Prophecy^ cVc. 381 The contest continued till the 16th of Ja- nuary, 1797 ; and during the course of the latter part of the campaign, the Austrians liad two armies completely defeated, \^ hich succes- sively attempted to advance, under the com- mand of General D'Alvinzy, to the relief of the important fortress of Mantua ; m hen find- ing themselves, after these reverses, wholly in- capable of undertaking any thing further, or of preserving the places they held, they endea- voured to save the wrecks of the army, by re- . tiring into the Tyrol ; and Marshal Wurmser, who had thrown himself into Mantua, was obliged on the 2d February, 1797, to surrender the fortress, and with it every hope of making any successful opposition to the French forces in Italy. It appears from official reports, that during the eight days between the 30th Jul) , and the 8th August, the Austrian armies, commanded . by Marshal Wurmser and General Quosdano- vich, lost in killed, wounded, and prisoners, no less than 17,000 men : the loss of the armies commanded by Generals D'Alvinzy and Davi- dovich, in the actions of the 14th, 15th, and 16th of November, is estimated at between 12 i l^r and 13,000 men ; and that of the armies com- manded by Generals D'Alvinzy and Provera, on the 14th, 16th, and 16th of January, 1797, 382 Combined View of the Prophecies. at 17,000 men. The computation of the total loss of the Austrians, in the course of the cam- paign, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, is 75,000, and that of the French 60,000. 1 hus the Austrian armies were overjlown*, or broken and dispersed, and many fell down slain. Yea^ thci/ that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him. " Buonaparte was not in- ' debted for his success to his tactics alone. ' He acknowledged himself, in his despatches, ' and the dispositions which he made clearly ' evinced, that he had been thoroughly in- ' structed as to the projects of General D'AI- : ' vinzy. It would be imprudent," it is ob- served, " to ])ublish conjectures on the man- ' ner in which he received this most precious ' intelligence. But that what may be de- ' pended upon is, that he did not procure it ' through the means of a common spy, but ' from some one ^hose situation afforded op- ' portunities of being mcII acquainted with ' the plans formed by the Austrians. If Buon- ' aparte had not been so exactly informed, ' it is reasonable to believe, that instead of ' being so completely victorious, he would ' have been severely beaten at some point or * " And his army shall overflow, or rather shall be over- ■" flown." Bishop Newton in loco. DanieVs last Prophecy, Sfc. 383 other, and that the Austrians would at least have been enabled to break up the blockade of Mantua. That general admitted that he never incurred so great a danger," as upon the advance of General D'Alvinzy, " and that his position hung as it were by a thread/' Buonaparte," it is observed, " as if he had possessed the power of divination, hastened from one place to another on the very day and at the very hour it was necessary for hinx to be at each place, to frustrate the opera- tions of the Austrians. This excessive ex- ertion, the constant cause of Buonaparte's triumphs, might on this occasion have drawn him on to utter ruin, had he not been in- formed with precision of the numbers, po- sitions, and designs, of his enemies. With- out this immense advantage, he would not have dared to move his troops with almost magical celerity, and to expose those points, which he had left without sufficient means of defence, to be forced in his absence. How- ever brave, able, and fortunate, he would never have ventured to play so hazardous a game *." It hence appears, that the main cause of the defeat of the armies of the Em- peror was this, that he was shamefully betrayed, ♦ History of the Campaign of I79G, p. 331, &e. 384 Combined View of the Propheclca. and that those icho fed of the portion of hiis meat assisted to destroy him *. " And both these Icings* hearts shall be to do *' mischicfy and the if shall speak lies at one " table: but it shall not prosper; for yet the " Old shall be at the time appointed*' It has already been observed, that in tliis prophecy the several subjects of it uill be found to be treated of separately and distinctly from each other ; by Avhich plan a greater perspicuity and simplicity is given to it than it could other- wise possess |. The former verses describe the result of the latter period of the campaign, as it affected the Emperor of Germany and the Austrian forces ; and I conceive that the verse * Further information as to the means through which Buon- aparte was made acquainted with the plans of the Austrian army, will be found in a work entitled " Lettei-s from Italy, *♦ between the years 1792 and 1798," by Mariana Starke. The authoress, who waa at that time resident in Rome, when speaking of the advance of General D' Alvinzy's army, relates (see vol. 1, p. 130, Isted.) the following anecdote : *• At this " critical moment (as I heard from what seemed good au- " thority), while Buonaparte was sitting in his tent reckoning " a large sum of money, and waiting for day-break, when •' his troops expected to be attacked," by the forces of Ge- neral D'Alvin7y, " an Austrian officer entered, staid a short " time, and then disappeared. The money disapjieared like- " wise, while Buonaparte told his comrades, thut Italy was " vanquished, and Mantua theirs.^* f See preceding page 347.. Daniel's last Prophecy, Sfc\ 385 now before is to be understood as relatino- to the affairs of the Prince of the Covenant, or the Pope, during tlie latter part of the same period. We have seen that during the first period of the war, upon the defeat of General Beaulieu, and his retreat into the Tyrol, the Pope was obliged to purchase a suspension of hostilities at a very extravagant price. We are now informed that he again confederated with the Emperor^ for it is said, that both these kings' hearts were set to do mischief, and that they spake lies at one table. The mischief re- ferred to in the prophecy, which would have been effected by the success of their confe- deracy, was, we must suppose, the continuation of that system of ecclesiastical tyranny and superstition of which the Pope is the head, and of which Austria is one of the chief supporters, if not the principal one ; but which Buona- parte was destined by Providence to overthrow. The lies which they spake were those false promises of success, with which they mutually encouraged each other ; for the Emperor pro- mised the Sovereign Pontiff " to send him " General Colli, several officers, and ten thou- sand men, to drive the French from both the le- gations *," of which they had taken possession. * Memoirs of Pius VI. Vol. II. p. 2^$, C C 386 Combined View of the Prophecies. This confederacy ])etween the Pope and the Kmperor, or this " perfidious nnder-plot" of the Pope, as it is called by a French writer, took place in the month of December, 1796, and January, 1797. It is mentioned also by the author to ^\hom I am already under so many oblig^ations for the information he lias given relative to the events of this camj)aign ; and whose authority I have already so fre- fjuently referred to, as an evidence of the ful- filment of this prophecy. " The Pope," he observes, " had taken the opportunity of the '* armistice he had concluded with the French" (in the month of June) *' to commence nego- " tiations for peace ; to eftect this he made " many advances to the French government : " but the latter was little disposed to make " peace with a Prince from whom it had no- " thing to fear, and of v^hom it had resolved to " make a prey." The terms they offered there- fore were at once so burdensome and so humi- liating, that notwithstanding the invasion of his dominions, the dangers he incurred, and the Meaknej>:s of his mean^ of defence, he could not resolve to accept them. " It appears how- *' ever that his Holiness was only determined " to a refusal, by tlwse articles which con- " cerned his ecclesiastical jurisdiction : the ac- " ceptance of which would have destix)}ed the Danicfs last Prophcci/, ^'c» 387 doctrine of his infallibility, and the basis of his Spiritual Empire." — " In refusing to ac- cede to the conditions which the French go- vernment wished to impose oti him, he had not been blind to the dangers to which he exposed himself. He was not ignorant that the French had resolved, if not to annihilate, at least greatly to circumscribe his spiritual and temporal power ; and that they would make the utmost efforts to penetrate further into his dominions, to plunder and to revo- lutionize them. Being conscious that he had done every thing to allay the storm which depended upon him, either in the character of a prince, or of Head of the Church, he now thought only of employing all the means in his power to defend his ex- istence in these two respects. Being no longer able to reckon, at least ostensibly, on the succour of the King of Naples, and hav- ing reason to doubt the sincerity of the in- tercession of the court of Spain in his fa- vour, he connected himself more closely laith the court of Vienna.^ and united his destiny ivith that of the latter power. He augmented his army, and placed it on a war establish- ment, and sought for extraordinary means of defence in the affection of his subjects to- wards him, and in their hatred to the French. cc2 388 Combined View of the Prophecies, *' He exhorted all the inhabitants of the terri- " tories of the Churrh to arm ; and to induce " them to do so, neglected neither promises^ ^ nor privileges, nor rewards. .^, *' He was well seconded by the zeal and pa- *' triotism of the higher ranks, and the opulent *' people. They readily employed their mo- *' ney and their influence in raising several *' corps of volunteers. The Princes of Co- *' logne and Borghese each raised a regiment *' at his own expense. The States of the *' Church assumed all at once a military as- " pect, and their Head, after having shewn *' himself worthy of his spiritual elevation, by *' his wisdom and his attachment to principles, *' did himself no less credit as a sovereign by *' his courage and his resolution. On the 20th *' of December he ordered a body of troops to ** march to Faenza, and took measures that it *' should amount in a short time to 20,000 " men. He gave the command of it to the *' Austrian General Colli (formerly the com- *' mander of the King of Sardinia's troops), *' who, he had requested of the Emperor, might *' be allowed to be placed at the head of his " army *." Another writer, already referred to, observes also, that the warlike measures of *. History of the Campaign of 179<5, p. 280, 305, 306. DayiicTs last Prophecy, SfC. 389 the Pope were concerted with the cabinet of Vienna, between " whom and Cai'didal Albani" (the Pope's envoy) " there existed at that time " a very active negotiation.'* That the Pope " had commenced hostile negotiations leith the " Court of Vienna" Avas also one of the ex- cuses for invading the Ecclesiastical State, bronght forward by Buonaparte in his declara- tion of the 3d February, 1797. Thus we see that the Emperor and the Pope spake lies at i one table, or entered into a confederacy together ; for as the Emperor or " King of the South" is spoken of as present in the field in the person of his generals, so he must be considered as present in the cabinet in the person of his mi- nisters ; or the Pope may be more properly \ considered as present at the court of Vienna in | the person of his envoy, the Cardinal Albani. ' But it shall not prosper : for yet the end shall he at the time appointed. We have already mentioned the little success that attended this confederacy, as far as it regarded the Emperor, T\hose forces were completely defeated on the 14th, 15th, and 16th of January, 1797, a catas- trophe which is imputed to several errors, but of which " the greatest undoubtedly was the '* ordering the Austrian General Provera to '* commence his campaign before he could be *' joinrd by the troops assembled at Faenza by 390 Combined View of the Prophecies. *' the Pope, or before they could have time io " inai-ch towards the Po, with a view ofcausingf " a diversion there*." Thus the confederacy did not prosper^ but the Austrian armies failed through treachery^ and their counsels were turned into foolishness ; because the end should be at the time appointed. The result wt>s equally disastrous as it affected the Pope. The events Avhich took place in the Papal territories on this occasion are thu& described. General Colli, who was sent by the Emperor to take the command of the Papal forces, " had not reached Rome until '' the 12th of January, 1797, when he immedi- *';,ately bestowed his attention on the organiza- " tion of the Papal forces ; but our warriors" (the French) " gained so rapid successes, that " the commander-in-chief of the troops of the *' Holy See Mas soon left without an army to " command. In a few days the French made " themselves masters of Romagna, the duchy " of Urbino, and the marquisate of Ancona." And the greater part of the Ecclesiastical State was occupied by the French arms ; when the Pope, in order to save his capital, was obliged to " give unreserved consent to all the proposi- *' tions made to him by Buonaparte. — M ith re- *' spect to General Colli, he had reason to con- * History of the Campaign of 1796, p. 333. DanieVs last Prophecy, Sfc. 391 '* gratulate himself on the resolution which the *' Pope had taken of terminating so unfortunate *' a war with all possible speed. Never had a " campaign been of shorter duration, 7iever " mission less successful*.'* It did not prosper, for the end ivas to be at the time appointed. " Then shall he return into his land with great " riches ; and his heart shall be against the holy *' covenant ; and he shall do exploits, and re- " turn to his own land." " The French general *' having no longer any opponents in Italy, re- " sumed the execution of those plans of plun- " der and dismemberment, which had been " concerted either by himself, or by the leaders " of the French Republic. He laid under fur- " ther contribution the Pope and the Grand " Duke of Tuscany," and was able to boast, as has been already mentioned, " that besides *' paying all the expenses of the army of Italy, " during eleven months, from the spoils of the " conquered countries, he had sent 30,000,000 " oflivres" (1,250,000/.) " into France." In these verses then, namely, from the 22d to the 28th, we have a brief but comprehensive history of the campaign of Buonaparte in Italy in the year 1796. We have found it divided into two periods, " the former," and " the '• latter ;" the first period beginning early in » Memoirs of Pope Pius VI. p. 330. 392 Combined View of the Prophecies. April, when the French under Buonaparte commenced their operations against the Aus- trians, commanded bv Cieneral Beaulieu ; the Austrian army is represented as being com- pletely " broken* or routed by Buonaparte, upon which General Beaulieu was obliged to retreat into the Tyrol. Buonaparte, taking advantage of his absence, is next described as reducing the Pope (or the " Prince of the Co- " venayit*') to submission ; and as spreading his tr(>ops and raising contributions, or as " scattering among them the prei/, and spoil, *' and riches;" and as consolidating his poAver in Italy, " e?itering peaceably upon the fattest " places of the province.'* This period of the war terminated with the investment of iMantiia by Buonaparte on the 18th of July, during the absence of the Austrian army, Mhen he ^'•fore- " cast his devices against the strong holds, even *' for a time." The second period commenced on the 29th July, when Field Marshal M'urmser, having- been recalled from the army of the Upper Rhine to take the command of the army of Italy, ad- vanced to the relief of Mantua. The defeat of that " veri/ great and ynighty army,'* which the Emperor or " King of the South'* collected together, is mentioned, as well as that his coun- sels should be betrayed, or that those who fed of the portion of his meat should destroy him, llie DanieVs last Prophecy^ &;c. 393 last thing spoken of is the alliance formed be- tween the Emperor and the Pope, during- part of the months of December, 1796, and January, 1797, \Ahen they are said to speak lies at one table. The period ends on the 16th January, 1797, on Avhich day the Austrians received a severe defeat in the neighbourhood of Mantua; after which they retired from Italy, giving up the contest : and on the 2d of February, 1797, the fortress of Mantua surrendered. It appears to me that a more l)old and com- prehensive view of the actions of this campaign could not be given than that which is contained in these iew verses of the Prophet Daniel. Short as his account is, it tells more of the real history of the war than the usual details of the historians of the time ; two of those which I have examined make no mention of that cir- cumstance, upon which the whole event of the M ar turned ; and were it not that we have another more detailed history of this campaign, w ritten by an officer w ho states himself to be A\ell acquainted with several persons in the Austrian service, we might have remained igno- rant that^ in the year 17^^^ Austria fell through treachery., for there would then perhaps have been no where any decided mention of this circumstance except the prediction of it, which is to be found in the prophetic history of Da- 394 Combined Vicu: of the Prophecies. iiiel. But ample as the details are Avliich are given by tlie niilitary writer ivliom I have above referred to as noticing this event, there is one partirvilar in the history of this campaign wliich lay out of his province, as belonging only to its moral character. He could trace the reverses that the Austrian armies sustained to the treachery of those ^^ho Mere employed in the service of the Emperor ; but that cause had itself a cause, which is to be found revealed vnl)/ in the Scriptures. It was this, that the " time apjyointcd" for the fall of Papal PoA\er was now approa they are introduced at the end, because they had no immediate concern in the campaign ; but Buonaparte took advantage of the circum- stances of it to shew his constant enmity against that nation. It is said, before his return from Italy into his own land, laden with spoil, that " his lieart shall he against tlie. Holy Covenant ^ The Holy Covenant primarily means the Jews, for formerly, when all the world was involved in the darkness of a false religion, it then pleased God to choose one family alone, the family of Abraham, to himself; to make his name known unto them, and to make a cove- nant with them, that he would be unto them a God, and that they should be hispeople-j-. And so in these latter days, when all the ten king- doms of the divided Roman empire were in- * Rev. x\iii. 24. t Gen. xvii. 2, 4, 7, 9—14, 19, 21 ; Exod. vi. 4, 7. 396 Combined View of the Prophecies. Tolved in the darkness of the Papal supersti- tion, one of them alone was (at the time of the Reformation) called by the mercy of God to the true knowledge of himself. This highly fa- voured nation is Great Britain, which now stands in the place formerly tilled by the Jewish nation, as the chosen people of God ; and against this nation, Buonaparte and Infidel France have maintained a constant and deep- rooted enmity. It has already been stated, that one of the primary objects of the Directory, in the invasion of Italy, was, that they might shut its ports against the English. Soon after Buonaparte's return into France, it is also to be observed that he took the command of an army destined for the invasion of England. But the particular proof that he gave during his stay in Italy , that his heart was set against Great Britain (the Holy Covenant), and ^^hich must tlierefore be considered to be the event referred to in the prophecy, Avas this, that he suddenly and unex- pectedly took possession of the port and opu- lent city of Leghorn, belonging to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, with whom he had con- cluded a treaty, and seize P- 35. 408 Combined View of the Prophecies. " diversion in that quarter of the world in his *' favour, and Mithout a navy, by Avhich to " counteract this derangement of his plans, " great indeed must have been his vexation at " so calamitous a termination*.** What intelligence, communication, or cor- respondence, Buonaparte had at this time with those British subjects, who were traitors to their government, or had forsaken the Holy Covenant (from whom, as we may suppose, he endeavoured to learn how he might best work the destruction of England), is not, I believe, mentioned in any history; for as the treachery which caused the overthrow of the armies of the Emperor of Austria in the year 1796 was chiefly made known by its success, and from Buonaparte's having availed himself of it; so the traitorous correspondence here referred to, not having been attended with any visible re- sult, is perhaps still undiscovered. We may however well imagine, that as hatred to Eng- land was the principal motive for his under- taking the invasion of Egypt, this passion was not decreased by the result of the expedition, and that having indignation against the Holy Covenant, he would leave no means untried to effect its destruction. AVe know that there * Van Ebs's Life of Buonaparte, Vol. V. p. 204. DanieVs last Prophecy^ 6fc. 409 were English and Irish traitors resident at this time in Paris, as there had been ever since the Revolution ; and that delegates had before been expressly sent from Ireland, with whom the Directory had concerted the invasion of that country, which was attempted in the year 1796 : and it is therefore possible, that it was with some of these characters that Buonaparte now held intercourse, though the transaction having been secret, is only revealed in Scrip- ture. Ver. 31. " And arms shall stand on his " part." On Buonaparte's return to France he found their affairs in great disorder, and that their armies had been completely defeated and driven out of Italy by the Russians and Austrians, commanded by General SuwaiTow. In his speech on the 9th of November, 1799, when he assumed the government as First Con- sul, he thus reflects on the incapacity of the former administration ; " What have you " done,'* said Buonaparte, " with the country *' which I left you so flourishing } I left you " at peace, and I found you at war ; I left you " victory, and I have found defeat : I left you " conquest, and the enemy are passing our " frontiers: I left you the treasures of Italy, " and I find nothing but oppression and po- 410 Combined View of the Prophecies. " verty. Where are the hundred thousand " heroes, my companions in arms, whom I " left covered with glory ? What is become of " them ? Alas ! they are no more/' Arms however stood on his part, for his military suc- cess soon changed the face of affairs. General Moreau was intrusted with the command of the army of the Rhine, and Buonaparte him- self undertook the arduous task of leading an army across the Alps into Italy. To effect this the greatest exertions were necessary, the can- non were dismounted, and placed on sledges formed for the purpose, which were drawn by five or six hundred men. One half of each regiment was employed in drawing cannon, while the other half bore the necessary baggage belonging to their corps. In this manner, having accomplished the passage of the Alps on the 31st of May, 1800, he entered Milan. He obtained several advantages over the Aus- trians, and took possession of Pavia and Pla- centia, and on the 16th of June completely defeated their army in the decisive battle of Marengo. So that it is computed that the Austrians lost, during the few days that this campaign had lasted, above 60,000 men. This victory put the fate of Italy in the hands of Buonaparte. The next morning after the battle Daniel's last Prophecy^ ^c, 411 an armistice was agTeecl to on both sides, and immediately after Buonaparte returned to Paris. The operations of Moreau in Germany were equally successful ; having crossed the Rhine he gained various advantages over the Aus- trians ; and agreeably to the general plan of the campaign that had been concerted between him and Buonaparte, so occupied the attention of General Kray, that he prevented his sending any reinforcements into Italy ; but when the armistice concluded in that country between Buonaparte and General Melas, left him more at liberty to act independently, and to advance and push his successes, he speedily reduced the Austrian army in Germany to the necessity of following the example of their army in Italy, and of soliciting an armistice; which was granted on the 15th July ; and on the 28th of that month preliminaries of peace were signed at Paris by the ministers of both powers. These however the Emperor of Germany re- fused to ratify, and hostilities again commenced, which led to the decisive battle of Hohenlin- den, fought on the 3d December. This was a battle " that seemed worthy to decide the " fate of an empire." The French took 80 pieces of cannon and 10,000 men, and the greatest part of the baggage of the Austrian 412 Combhied View of the Prophecies. army. They still continued to advance to- wards the Austrian capital, were again twice victorious, and now approached within tifty miles of Vienna: that city Mas struck with terror ; and " the Emperor m as constrained, " by a succession of heavy losses, to declare " his readiness to detach himself from his " alliance with Great Britain, and to conclude " a separate peace." An armistice was accord- ingly agreed upon on the 25th December, 1800, which terminated in the treaty of Lune- ville, signed on the 9th of February, 1801. Thus arms stood on his part ; for " the (mili- " tary) successes of Buonaparte enabled him " to impose on Austria such terms of peace " as were calculated to consolidate the power " and authority of the victor, and to render " resistance to any of his future projects of " aggrandizement hopeless." Ver. 31. " And they shall pollute the sanc- " tuary of strength, and shall take away the *' daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abo- " mination that maketh desolate." In order that we may ascertain the meaning of the terms here used, viz., the taking away the daily sacri- fices, and placing the abomination that maketh desolate, we will refer to the eleventh verse of the last chapter of Daniel, Mhere they again occur ; and we shall there find, that a certain DanieVs last Prophecy^ Sfc. 413 period of 1290 prophetic days, or natural years, is to be dated from the time when the daily sacrifice is taken away : and again, by a refer- ence to the seventh verse of the same chapter, it appears that this period of 1290 years is a prolongation of that remarkable period of 1260 years, so repeatedly mentioned both by Daniel and Saint John, as that during which the Papacy should flourish. The abomination of desolation mentioned in the verse before us must necessarily therefore be the Papacy. The Sanctuary of Strength is the Temple at Jerusalem, which would formerly have been considered to have been polluted by the intro- duction of the worship of idols, in the place of the morning and evening sacrifice of the Lamb, appointed by the Jewish law. Since the Jewish service has been abrogated, our Saviour has declared, that those who worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth. The polluting of the Sanctuary of Strength, the placing the abomination that maketh deso- late, and the taking away the daily sacrifice, therefore, in these latter days, means the intro- duction of a false religion, and the causing acceptable and spiritual worship to cease ; which was done in the Christian Church, w hen the mummeries, the idolatry, and the abomi- nations of the Papacy, were introduced. 414 Combined View of the Prophecies. This being- the meaning- of the terms, the passage must refer to the re-establishment of the Papacy by Buonaparte, - which took place at this time. The influence of the Pope had been entirely abolished in France at the period of the Revolution ; and he was afterwards driven out of his dominions, and died in exile. In the year 1800, however, a new Pope was elected at Venice, under the auspices of the Emperor of Germany; and in the month of July following, the Austrians being in posses- sion of Italy, delivered up the greater part of the Ecclesiastical States to his Holiness Pius VII., who accordingly took possession of the See of Rome, and began to exercise the func- tions of sovereignty. " Immediately after the treaty of Luneville " had been disclosed, the French Feb. 24, 1801. ^' government, in their accustomed " manner, began to prepare the people for the " change that was intended to be effected, by '■'■ publishing in a newspaper, that the Pope " would be recognized as Bishop of Rome^ and " centre of the Catholic religion, with a mode- "■' rate revenue, a^id that France would allow " his authority, and defray the charges of " public worship, on condition that he should *' sanction the sale of ecclesiastical property, " tlie marriage of priests, and the law respect- DmiieVs last Prophecy^ Sfc. 415 *' ing divorces. In pamphlets too, the press " began to advocate the cause of religions " establishment." — " Long before this, it was " known that some negotiation had been be- " gun between Buonaparte and the Pope, " tending to the revival of a public worship in " France. On the 13th September, 1800, " Pius VII. had addressed a brief to the bishops '' of the Gallican Church,^ informing them of " the circumstance, and requiring them to unite " their prayers to his, to obtain the blessing of " God on his endeavours for the accomplish- " ment of so great a work as the restoration of " the Catholic religion in that great empire. No *' further communication was however made " on the subject." — " In the sprint ^ ^ f * Mav 27, 1801. " of the present year a consistory *' was held at Rome, the discussions and reso- *' lutions of which were secret ; at length, M'hen " matters were considered suffici- ., , June 29, 1801. " ently ripe, a council, composed " of about forty constitutional or intruding *' bishops, and as many priests of the same " description, was held at the church of Notre " Dame, the body of which was filled with an " immense crowd of spectators. The bishop *' of Rennes presided, and after mass had beeii " performed, Gregoire delivered a long dis- " course, describing the events which had 416 Combined View of the Prophecies. " most affected the cause of relieion duriiio- " late years, extolling the Christian system, " and recommending a general union of all *' hearts in the cause of religion. The counsel " then adjourned to deliberate in separate " divisions. " The publication of the Concordat was ex- " pected with great impatience, but till its *' ratification, every precaution was taken to " prevent its stipulations from being ^ . Aug. 11, 1801. " known. ^Vhen it was finally ar- " ranged, an extraordinary congregation of " the Holy College Mas held at Rome to learn " its contents, and while it was being printed " for the purpose of general distribution, the ^' printing-office of the Vatican was kept locked " four days, and carefully guarded by sen- " tinels. At length, the ratifications hav- " ing been formally exchanged, the public " curiosity was gratified by the J ^ '^ Sept. 18, 1801. " publication of this important " compact. It was comprised in seventeen " articles, which, after a statement that the " Catholic, Apostolic, Roman religion, was " the faith of the great majority of the French *' people, and an acknowledgment from his " Holiness, that that religion had derived, and " still might expect, the greatest advantages *' and the highest splendour from the estab- Daniel's lust Prophecy^ Sfc. 417 * lishment of the Catholic worship in France, ' and from its being- particularly professed by ' the three Consuls ; it was agreed, that the ' Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Religion ' should be freely exercised in France; the " government urns to provide a maintenance for " the Bishops and Rectors ; and French Catho- " lies were to he authorized to make donations " or bequests in favour of the Church. This " instrument bore date the 10th September, " 1801, but was not made public in Paris till " the spring of the next year. " This new religious code was announced ♦' to the French people by a proclamation of ,tt the First Consul, dated April the 17th, 1802, " and a solemn celebration of the event was ^" to take place in the church of Notre Dame, '" the metropolitan church of Paris, the next " day, being Sunday. " The magnificence of the fete, which esta- «' blished and proclaimed the Catholic religion *' in Frayice, was far greater and more dazzling " than had attended any solemnity since the " Revolution. The procession of the govern- " ment to the cathedral emulated every de- " scription of eastern luxury and pomp. The *' constituted authorities were drawn up in the " cathedral by eleven o'clock, at which hour *' the procession moved from the Thuilleries. E £ 418 Combined View of the Prophecies. " The First Consul was pi'eceded by the corps " diplomatique, the council of state, the gene- " ral officers, and the ministers. His carriage " was drawn by eight horses, each led by a " servant in a superb livery ; his corps of INIa- " melukes also attended in the richest uni- " forms. In the church the family of Buona- " parte was seated in the most conspicuous " place, above all the constituted authorities " of France. The ceremony proceeded with " great pomp. The anthems and the appro- " priate music were the work of the first com- " posers in France, and the execution was by " no means inferior. Every splendour that " consuls, cardinals, bishops, archbishops, and " the Pope's legate, could give to the re-esta- " hlishment of the Catholic religion in France^ " was most profusely lavished on this solem- " nity. The magnificence of the spectacle, as '' well as the occasion of it, were highly pleas- *' ing to the French people ; and this step " added greatly to the popularity of Buona- " parte. It must however be remarked, that " the republican party were much displeased, " and several of the military obeyed, with the " utmost reluctance, the orders to salute the " cross which was carried before the proces- " sion. With respect to the chief of the " French government, this measure was not Daniel's last Prophecy^ 6fc, 419 " supposed to be connected with any religious ^' motive, but viewed merely in the light of a *' political expedient. The whole life of Buo- " naparte was so replete with acts and expres- ♦' sions which proved an utter contempt for " all religion, and an utter disregard to all *' those obligations which religion tends to ^' impose and enforce, that no one believed in *' his conversion to Christianity, more than I " in his sincere adoption in 1798 of the reli- *' gion of Mahomet. Both were professed for " political purposes, and the present profes- *' sion excited neither wonder nor curiosity, " except as to its probable influence on the " people of France. That the great majority " of the nation was attached to the faith of *' their forefathers was not disputed, and there-. " fore the re-establishment of the rights of " public worship could not fail of producing* ^' an extensive popular effect." Ver. 32. " And such as do wickedly against " the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries ; ^' but the people that do know their God shall ^' be strong and do exploits." The people here spoken of are designated by the term Th§ Covenant^ and are likewise spoken of as thos^ ^' that do know their God'* by which jt \% evi- } dent that the British nation is meant, as in th§ former part of the prophecy it js called thv fi £ !# 420 Combined View of the Prophecies. Holt/ Covenant. The whole of the verse refers to the northern confederacy produced by the intrigues of Buonaparte in the year 1801, when the kingdoms of Russia, Sweden, Den- mark, and Prussia, united together, to main- tain principles subversive of the maritime rights and of the naval superiority of Great Britain. It is observed, that after the astonishing changes produced in the situation of the French nation, by the successful campaign of the year 1800, " the views and pretensions of *' the French government were not less gigan- " tic and insolent, than their power was for- " midable. They felt no hesitation in pub- " lishing and avowing principles and systems, " which in former times would have united " against them every state in Europe. *' Having made peace with Austria, Buona- " parte was at liberty to bend his undivided " attention towards England. The leading " features of his policy towards this country *' appear to have been, to excite a confederacy *' against us among all the maritime powers, " and to exclude us from all the ports of Eu- " rope. When Buonaparte was congratulated " by all the constituted authorities on the " peace which he had made with Austria, he " replied, ' France will not reap all the bless- Daniets last Frophecy^ ^c. 421 " ' ings of peace until she have a peace with " ' England ; all the powers of the continent " ' must force England to fall back into the " ' tract of moderation, of equity, and reason.* " He continued, with unfailing assiduity, to " represent to all maritime nations the over- " bearing haughtiness and insolence of this " country, and he endeavoured to revive the " armed neutrality of 1780 : the principle of " which was, that free and neutral bot- " toms made free and neutral goods. The " glaring fallacy of this opinion needs no " refutation ; the most obtuse mind must be " aware, that such a principle once admitted " would open a door to the exercise of privi- " leges prejudicial in an alarming degree to " the interests of this country ; nor, indeed, " to the interests of this country alone, for " even those powers who are advocates for " its establishment against us, might become, " they knew not how soon, in a situation that " would render it as injurious to themselves. " It was sufficient, however, for Buonaparte " that the idea w^as plausible, and calculated to " flatter the wishes of the different maritime " powers. By his ministers and other agents, " at the courts of Petersburgh, Stockholm, " Copenhagen, and Berlin, he insinuated how " encouraging the present posture of Europe 422 Combined View of the Prophecies. " was for such a step, and how great the ad- " vantages of compelling the English to make " peace on reasonable terms. " The effecting- of this was not then so ditii- " cult : Russia, the most important of the " northern powers, was governed by the em- " peror PauL He had been irritated, by va- " fious accidents, against the courts both of " Vienna and London, but especially against "' the latter ; and on the irritable and irritated *' temper of the Emperor, disgusted with " Austria, and much more Avith England, " Buonaparte operated with consummate ad- " dress and complete success. " The consequence of all this was an em- " bassy from Russia to France^ on which occa- " casion Suonaparte, with admirable policy^ " took care to Jlatter the vanity of Pauly by pay-^ *' ing the most extravagant attentions to his re- " presentative. The ambassador was received " with the most profuse honours: his entry " into Paris was announced by the firing of ** guns; nothing' that he asked could be re- *' fused ; and the good, modest, xmassuming " Count Kalitcheff, knew not whether he was " a man or a god. Buonaparte, however, '* cared not ; he was a master in that perfection " of political skilly which consists in rendering '* the dominant foibles of virtues of your object Daniel's last Prophecy^ &fc, 423 't subservient to your own designs. Paul could " not be proof against such splendid courtesy : " he was won. " Next to Russia, the power of most import- *' ance in the formation of a confederation " against England was Prussia : without her " concurrence, the effects of any confederacy " could neither be very important or very last- " ing, but with it every thing was to be feared. " Prussia commands an extensive maritime " coast, and the navigation of all the great " rivers from the Rhine to the Eider on the " north of Germany : Buonaparte, therefore, •' spared no exertions to bring this power into " the confederacy, and for this purpose he sent *' his brother Louis to Berlin. Nor was it by " secret intrigues only that he endeavoured to *' raise this armed tnonster against England : *' he avowed this intention, with the reasons on " which it was formed, before the whole world. *' In a message to the Legislative Body, which, " like his other messages and measures, was " printed and published, he thus declaims " against Great Britain : ' All the commerce " ' of Asia and immense colonies are no longer " ' sufficient to satisfy the ambition of England ; " * it is necessary that all the seas should be sub- " 'jected to its exclusive sovereignty. It arras ■* ' against Russia, Denmark, and Sweden, be- 424 Combined View of the Prophecies. " ' cause Russia, Denmark, and Sweden, have " ' by treaties mutually guaranteed their sove- " ' reignty, their independence, and their flags. " ' The Princes of the North, unjustly attacked, " ' have a right to rely on the assistance of " ' France : the French government will, with *' '^them, avenge an injury common to all na- " *tions.* " Such was the language of Buonaparte " upon this occasion, and it was echoed by his " faithful constituted authorities with most " courtly similarity ; ' The liberty of the seas, " ' and the repose of Europe,* was the chief bur- " den of the song in all their harangues. Nor " was the press silent in the grand business of *' arming a confederacy against us : many pub- *' lications were issued, whose object was not " only to shew that the overbearing power of " this country at sea ought to be resisted, but " that it might be resisted with success. Ex- " amples were adduced, to shew that maritime , " strength, unsupported by territorial, is no- ' " thing ; and it was confidently predicted, that " the fate of Alexandria, Tyre, Rhodes, Venice, " Genoa, Portugal, Spain, &c., would speedily ] " be the fate of England. " Buonaparte signified to England his in- tention of crushing our maritime supremacy, in " a very courteous manner* — About the middle DanieFs last Propheci/, Sfc. 425 of January, 1801, some valuable books, mag- niticentl} bound, were presented to the Royal Society of London from the National Insti- tute of France : a letter of compliment ac- companied this present, signed — ' Buona- ' parte, President of the National Institute, ' and First Consul of France:' and on the let- ter was a finely executed vignette, represent- ing Liberty sailing on the open ocean in a shell, with the following motto : — ♦ Liberie de men' " The progress of the Northern Confederacy became every day more marked ; Russia, Sweden, Denmark, and Prussia, entered into it with avidity. The Emperor Paul ordered an embargo to be laid on near 300 British ships in the ports of Petersburgh, Riga, Re- vel, and Cronstadt ; but the crews, with their commanders, were taken out of the vessels, and dispersed into the interior parts of the country, to distances from a hundred to a thousand miles, in bodies of ten or twelve men each, and put into prison ! a flagrant act of injustice, a gross and infamous violation of the avowed intercourse of polished na- tions ! besides this, all British property on shore was sequestered ; and seals were placed 426 Combined View of the Prophecies. " on all warehouses containing English *' goods. " The King of Prussia was now universally *' regarded as a party in the grand confedera- " tion, which was well known among the " Northern Powers. Without her accession it " would have been incomplete ; for with the *' good will, or even neutrality of Prussia, Eng- " land might defy the intrigues of Buonaparte, " and brave the utmost rage of Russia, though " seconded by so hardy and brave a country- as " Sweden. The accession of Prussia involving, *' of necessity, that of Denmark, completed the " chain for excluding the English from the •' continent ; from Petersburgh and Stockholm " to the Straits of Gibraltar. " But they that do know their God shall be " strong and do exploits.'* In consequence of " these hostile measures exhibited in the *' North, an order was issued, dated 15th Ja- *' nuary, 1801, for laying an embargo on the *' northern ships ; and the day after a note was " presented to the Danish and Swedish ambas- *' sadors at London : the substance and import " of it was, that his Britannic Majesty being *' informed of the re-establishment of the " armed neutrality, and of the naval prepa- " rations in the Baltic, had determined imme- " diately to adopt the most effectual measures DanieVs last Prophecy^ 6fc. 4^7 *' for repelling the attack he had already expe- " rienced, and to oppose the effects of the con- '* federacy armed against him. A fleet, con- " sisting of eighteen ships of the line, four " frigates, and a number of bomb and gun- " boats, amounting in all to fifty-two sail, and " having on board several regiments of ma- " rines and of riflemen, sailed from Yarmouth " on the 12th March, 1801, for the Baltic, un- " der the command of Admiral Sir Hyde " Parker. On the 30th of this month the " British fleet passed the Sound, and it being " resolved to attack the Danes, the Vice-ad- " miral Lord Nelson ofl*ered his service to con- " duct it. On the morning of April the 2d " Lord Nelson made the signal to weigh, and " to engage the Danish line, consisting of six " sail of the line, eleven floating batteries of " 24 and 18 pounders, and one bomb-ship, be- •* sides schooner gun-vessels. These were *' supported by ♦he Crown Islands, mounting " eighty-eight cannon, and four sail of the ** line moored in the harbour's mouth. The " seventeen sail, being the whole of the Da- *' nish line to the southward of the Crown " Islands, after a battle of four hours, were ^* sunk, burnt, or taken. The van of the Bri- " tish was led by Captain George Murray of " the Edgar, who set a nohle example of intre- 428 Combi7ied View of the Prophecies, " piditif^ which was followed by every captain^ " officer^ and man, in the navy. The loss in " such a battle Mas naturally very heavy. — " The total amount of the killed and wounded " was stated at 943. Among the killed was " the gallant Captain Riou, and Captain Moss " of the Monarch. The carnage on board the •' Danish ships was excessive ; it was calcu- " lated by the commander-in-chief of the " Danes at 1800 ! As soon as the fire from " the Danish line had slackened, and Lord " Nelson perceived that the ships and battery " of the enemy were in his power, he went " into his cabin, and wrote a letter to the " Prince Royal, addressed, ' To the Brothers " * of Englishmen, the Danes,' expressive of " his desire to spare the further effusion of *' blood. An armistice ensued, which soon " led to an amicable convention. " This was a memorable and most bloody " engagement : the Danes fought with incon- " ceivable intrepidity. Lord Nelson told the " Crown Prince's aid-de-camp, who waited " upon him respecting the proffered flag of " truce, that the French fought bravely, but " that they could not have stood an hour the " fight which the Danes maintained for four. " I have been in one hundred and Jive engage- " ments, said he, in the course of my life, but Daniel's last Prophecy^ Sfc. 429 '* that of to-day teas the most terrible of all." Thus the confederacy was broken, and the Danes were detached from it by the arms of Britain, whose seamen have always shewn themselves strong and valiant in her cause, and whose gallant Admiral Lord Nelson was ever ready to acknowledge the hand of God, who, in mercy to Great Britain, strengthened him to do exploits. " There were some points not easily agreed *' upon, which impeded a solid pacification be- *' tween this country and Denmark ; but these " were done away by a fortunate event which " happened at this momentous period — the " death of the Emperor Paul. The new Em- *' peror Alexander, who was immediately pro- *' claimed, declared for the laws and system of " his august grandmother. It was among the " first acts of his reign to release all those Bri- " tish seamen who had been thrown into prison " by Paul; peace and good understanding were *' re-established between the courts of London " and Petersburgh, and all disputes between *' Great Britain and the Northern Powers were " amicably adjusted*." * See Dodsley's Annual Register for the year 1801; see also Van Ess's Life of Buonaparte, vol. V. 430 Combined View of the Prophecies, Ver, 33. " And they that understand among " the people shall instruct many: yet they " shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by cap- " tivity, and by spoil, [many] days. 34. Now " when they shall fall, they shall be holpen *' with a little help ; but many shall cleave to '' them with flatteries. 35. And some of them *' of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to " purge, and to make them white, even to the *' time of the end : because it is yet for a time " appointed.*' The first words of the passage before us, viz, " they that understand among " the people shall instruct many," relate to the exertions which were made at the period of the prophecy at which we are now arrived, by Protestants of every denomination, to instruct many in the important truths of Christianity, The various societies which were at this time instituted, prove the concern that was felt by the British nation for the eternal welfare of their fellows-creatures. The folloAving Mis-, sionary Societies, viz., the Baptist Missionary Society, the London Missionary Society, and the Society for Missions to Africa and the East, had successively risen up during the pe- riod in which the judgments predicted in the foregoing part of the prophecy w ere desolating the earth. The increased attention that was Daniel's last Prophcci/, Sfc. 431 now paid to the education of the poor, must also be considered as being one of the signs of the times. Sunday schools were very gene- rally established, and afterwards day schools, upon a new system first practised at Madras. The most novel and important feature in the attempts that were now made to evangelize the the world was, however, the translation and dispersion of the Scriptures in foreign lan- guages, and particularly their translation into the various languages of the East. About the year 1801, the Baptist Missionary Society first printed a version of the New Testament in the Bengalee tongue, and have since made great progress in translating the whole of the Scrip- tures into various languages of the East. But the society which has been most extensively useful has been the British and Foreign Bible Society, which was first established in the year 1804, a date which, it has been often and justly observed, will form an era in the ^nals of the 19th century. It appears that it has printed or aided to circulate the Scriptures in no less than fifty-five different languages or dialects. Its success, and the encouragement it has met with, have been unexampled ; so that we may truly say, " It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvel- " lous in our eyes." To the establishment of 432 Combined View of the Prophecies, the British and Foreign Bible Society *, Avhich has given rise (reckoning up to the present time) to above sixty other Bible Societies on the continent, I conceive therefore that the prophecy before us particularly refers ; and this idea is confirmed by our finding an evident reference to the object of this Society in the co- temporary prophecy of Saint John ; where it is said, " I saw another angel fly in the midst of " heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to *' preach unto them that dwell on the earth, *' and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, " and people." Rev. xiv. 6. It has been ob- * The following is a Statement of each year's receipts of the British and Foreign Bible Society to the 31st of March, 1815: £. s. d. First year 5592 10 5 Second year 8,827 10 3f Third year 6,998 19 7 Fourth year 10,039 12 Oj Fifth year 11,289 15 3 Sixth year 23,337 0 2| Seventh year 25,998 3 1 Eighth year 43,532 12 5^ Ninth year 7^,455 1 0 Tenth year 67,2 16 6 9 Eleventh year 99,894 15 6 BanieVs last Prophecy, 6^'C. 43l1 served, " That the particular period in which « the British and Foreign Bible Society has •* been instituted, bestows on it a particular in- »' terest and importance, and leads the benevo- *' lent heart to regard it with increased hope, *' as an earnest of extensive blessings to the »' human race; At a period when the most *' awful revolutions have taken place in the ^' affairs of men, AVhen the judgments of *' God are abroad upon the earth. Amidst the | " desolations of war, he who causes the wrath \ " of man to praise him is working in silence *' among the nations, and secretly bringing " o'ood out of evih That furious storm, whicli *' has carried darkness and destruction over " the civilized world, and has threatened to *' lay in the dust all that wisdom had consecra- " ted, or age had rendered venerable, will, at *' last, under the direction of an unseen hand, '* pass away and leave a salutary inauence be- «' hind." The following interesting remarks in the Christian Observer for the year 1811^ strikingly point out, after ten years, the effect of the exer- tions which now^ began to be made for im- proving the moral state of the world, and will clearly shew the import of the text before us— " they that understand among the people shall « instruct many:'—'' On arriving at the close n F F 434 Combined View of the Prophecies. " of the tenth year of our labours/* say the conductors of this publication, and " in the " review of the past, to which we are naturally " led on this occasion, the circumstance with " which we are most forcibly struck, is the dif- '' ferent aspect ^vhich the Christian Avorld ex- " hibits at the present moment, from that *' which it l)ore at the commencement of our " course. Nor is its aspect altered only ; it is " improved beyond the fondest dreams of the " visionary. If we could suppose some calm *' calculating, intelligent Christian Observer " to open his eyes, after a ten years' sleep, on *' the passing* scene, would he not find himself *' almost in a new creation? — Contemplate the " unexampled pains which are taken to instruct *' the poor; the glo7o of holy zeal which is " spreading itself around for the distribution *' of the sacred volume ; and the harmony with *' tchich Christians of every name have united " to diffuse its blessed light/ See missionaries " going forth icith a spirit truly apostolic^ to " carry the glad tidings of salvation to every *' corner of the earth ; the Scriptures translated " into more lansruasres than distin squished the " day of Pentecost^ and dispersed into more *' lands than ever the apostles visited ; all sects '■ and partus, ivho bow the knee in the name of " Jesus, rising as by one consent, yet without DanicVs last Prophecy^ ^'c. ' 435 *' any previous concert, to carry on this labour ** of love ! Behold our kings, and our princes, *' and the nobles of tJie land, brig-htening- their *' honours by patronizing- this divine work ! — *' But why should we confine our view to our *' own island ? Look to the east, and to the " west ; to the north, and to the south. — The *' whole moral universe is moved. — The Lord " himself seems to be preparing- his way in the " earth. The seeds appear to be sowing, whjcli " must sooner or later produce a glorious har- " vest. Happy will they be who shall live to " witness its maturity ! Happy they who may " be instrumental in promoting- its growth! " We would urge all whom our voice can influ- " ence, to aspire to a share in this blessedness; '* to unite their ardent prayers, their holy en- ** deavours, in carrying on this mighty work ; " that in their measure they may all contri- *' bute to the advancement of that glorious *' period, when ' all the kingdoms of the world *' ' shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and " ' of his Christ.'" Thus amply has the prophecy been verified, that at this time those tlutt had ■understanding among the people should instruct many. " Yet they shall fall by the sword, and by *' flame, by captivity and by spoil, [_many~\ days.*' The walls of the Spiritual Jerusalem, like those 1 F 2 436 Combined View of the Prophecies. of Jerusalem of old, ■were fo he rebuilt ift " troublous times." Great Britain indeed, the chief promoter of this good Avork, has been saved from such trials as are described in the text ; but the Protestant nations of Germany, Tivho have united %vith her in iftsiructing ma)/!/, and have sent out the greater number of mis- v^ionaries, have been most severely afflicted: 'I'he disastrous >var between Germany and France, from 1805 to 1807, produced so much devastation and miser\, that in the latter end of fhe year 1805 a society was formed for the relief of the distresses in GeiTiiany. The va- rious communications to this society, Mhich contain all nearly the same tale of sorrow, would afl\»rd the best comment upon the text, " They '•' shall fall by the swor , from the year 1805 to 1807, and the year 1813. The society having closed their benevolent labours in re- lieving the distresses of the first period, and having transmitted above .£24,000 to the con- tinent for that purpose, \\ ere again lately called together on account of the distresses produced Dciniets last Prophecy, 6fc. 437 bv flie campaig-n of the year 1813. Tlie inter- val between these two periods may be consi- dered as a respite during which the Protestants of Germany might recover in some degree from their first sufferinf^^s ; and as constituting the little help with which they were holpen. It appears that on this second occasion above c£112,000 has been collected by private sul)- scriptjons, and transmitted to Germany by the society; and an additional sum of c£100,000 has been voted by parliament, to be distributed according* to their recommendation. The dis- tresses of this last period appear indeed to have been greater than those of the former. The committee have represented, that " never has ^' the mass of every kind of misery been so " great," that it is " inconceivably great," and that " the many dreadful conflicts m hich have " taken place in Germany, have produced suf- *' ferings almost unexampled in the annals of *' history — villages burnt, cities pillaged, wholt " principalities desolated.'* Saxony, Avhich has been denominated the nursing cradle of the Re- formation, has suffered more than any other place. It is stated, that " iij the tremendous ^' dajs of the 26th and 27th August, 1813, ten " villages in the immediate environs of Dres- 'V den were burqt ; and a far greater number ^' in the latter conflicts, and during the siege 438 Combined View of the Prophecies. " in October and November. Many houses *' Mere demolished merely for the purpose of " fuel, so that in that district alone sixty vil- *' lages were completely destroyed, and not " fewer than one hundred and sixty deprived " of nearly all the means of subsistence, being- *' destitute of cattle, implements of agriculture, *' and seed corn. 1 he inhabitants of the " hnrned and demolished villages sought shelter *' with their helpless families, among their *' neighbours ; but as these also had nothing *' for themselves, much less to give away (espe- *' cially after Napoleon had in the last days of " September ordered all the cattle to be driven '• oft*, and in fact organized a re gtdar system of " pillage]^ the natural consequence was, that " amidst all these horrors and privations a " malignant disease spread in all directions " from the crowded French hospitals, and the " sick soldiers in general, and attacked in par- *' ticular these unfortunate exiled families. — *' The epidemic fever often swept away all the " adults of a family, as one individual was *' obliged to attend upon another, and thus '* the infection became more and more widely *• diffused. Among the hundreds that died *' were very few children, who upon the mIioIc " remained unaffected by the contagion. — " Many of them in consequence lost their Daniel's last Prophecy^ i^c. 439 *' parents or protectors." In the upper circle of Meissen, in an area of about eight (German) square miles, " there were aheady at the end " of January four hundred very young* children, *' bereft of father and mother, without guardian " or provider, destitute of shelter and protec- *' tion, and exposed, amidst the extreme seve- *' rity of a protracted winter, to all the horrors " of want and hunger. Their number in Fe- " bruary increased to five hundred, and then " kept augmenting, as the fatal fevers yet con- " tinned their ravages in that ^^hole district, " and daily reduced more children to the state *' of helpless orphans. Strange as this circum- *' stance may appear," the writer observes, " it *' is but the natural consequence of the inex- *' pressible miseries and hardships which, for " four months, were accumulated on a country " so highly cultivated, and so late a Paradi^i^e ; *' where half a million of famished combatants, *' from almost every region of the continent, " rushed in such a narrow compass upon one " another, and destroyed all before them." — Another writer observes, that of 36,000 inha- bitants of the district which was the immediate seat of the war, " 10,000 were afflicted with " infectious fevers, and 6000 had already" (that is in February, 1814) " fallen victims to 440 Combined View of the Prophecies^ " their direful effects." The accounts from other places are equally distressing: another document states, that " no imagination is suffi-. '<' ciently lively to conceive the miseries spread " every ^vhere by the flying French army on *' their retreat. 1 he nearer they approached " the borders of Cermany, the more furious '• their excesses, the more relaxed their disci- " pline. The consequences may ]>e easily *' imagined. There is no need of a guide to *' find the road from Leipsic to Frankfort. On " both sides of this long road of blood, all lies " wildly mixed ; broken carriages, clothing of " all kinds, fallen horses, and dead soldiers. " Most of the houses in the villages and sub- *' urbs on this road have not only been entirely " plundered, but deprived of all their timber, ^' and reduced to shells. Already a whole *' month has elapsed since those days of terror, ^' and yet no human being, no domestic animal, " no poultry, nay, not even a sparrow, was to *' be met with ; only ravens in abundance, " feeding on corpses, were seen. Since then " some human beings, with the remainder " of the cattle, have returned to their ruined " dwellings, but both carrying within them the " seeds of the most dreadful maladies. Many ^' places in Fulda have jfince lost the tenths DanieVs last Frophecy^ ^^c. 441 ^* nay the seventh part of their whole popula- ♦' tion, and likewise their remaining cattle, " through those maladies ; and yet no end ^' is to be seen of this inexpressible misery. *' Many villages are threatened with entire ♦' depopulation." An English gentleman, on his return from Germany, communicated to the committee the following details from his personal observation : " Between Toplitz and Dresden 500,000 men *' Mere encamped for three months ; and it is ■' at one post north of Toplitz that the most *' decisive signs of war are visible. Preissen, " Knlm, Arbesan, Nollendorf, and several ■ ' other villages in the valley in which Van- '' damme was defeated, are all burnt to the ■^^ ground. From Nollendorf across the Reisen *' Geberge to Peterswalda, not a village is ^' standing. Fifteen or twenty hamlets, through ^' which the road passes to Dresden, are fired ^' and gutted. Amongst the ruins of a village '' perhaps a single chimney is seen smoking ; " and around it are eight or nine families ^' in a wretched situation. In short, from ♦' Toplitz to Dresden, a distance of 70 English '' miles, once fertile and populous, not a single *' village remains. An infectious disorder ^* is universally prevalent. The post-mastei? 442 Co)iihined View of the Prophecies. "' generally warns travellers not to stop ; I saiv " many djing, and one man actually died as I " passed. " From the frontiers of Saxony to the capi- " tal, the eye is presented with one wide waste " of plain littered with straw, and dotted with *' the numerous bodies of horses. The small *' towns and villages on every side of Dresden " are level with the ground. The fields are " totally uncultivated. " The town of Dresden has suffered little or '' no damage ; but it is crowded beyond its " resources, by the multitudes that have *' taken refuge in it from the destruction of " the villages. This is the cause of much " misery. Towards Meissen, two posts, there " are again tremendous evidences of war. — " This is also the case with the portion of *' the country towards Freyberg, which ^vas " the scene of the battle fought previously to " the great events of Leipsic. Only two flocks "' of sheep did I see, until approaching Leipsic, " and not two herds of cattle. The plains " round Leipsic hao the appearance of straw '* yards, strewed with the carcasses of man and " beast. The suburbs of Leipsic have greatly " suffered." These details, to M'hich many distressing particulars mi gilt be added, will be Daniel's last Prophecy, 6 contempt, lehich had been " poured upon the religious and moral principles " contained in that best of all books — the Bible.'* When such public confessions are made, and when the first leisure thoughts of Germany seem to be directed to the establishing- Biljle Societies, m ith the view to disperse more uni- versally the word of God*, may we not hope that the chastisements have effected the pur- poses for which they were sent; and that " the " time appointed" for the end of their suffer- ings is arrived. Ver. 36. " And the king shall do according " to his will ; and he shall exalt himself, and " magnify himself above every God, and shall * See recent communications to the British and Foreign Bible Society, anuounciug the interesting and important in- telligence of the formation of the following Bible Societies on the Continent, viz., A National Bible Society for the Nether- lands, established on the 'igth of June, 1614; The Hanoverian Bible Society, established on the .25th of July ; The Prussian Bible Society, established on the 2d ; The Saxon Bible Society, on the 10th ; and The Polish Bible Society, on the 26th of August. — 1st edit. To the foregoing may now bf added the names of above forty others, recently established. 446 Combined View of the Prophecies. *' speak marvellous things against the God of " Gods, and shall prosper till the indignation ♦' be accomplished : for that that is determined " shall be done. 37. Neither shall he regard *' the God of his fathers, nor the desire of wo- " men, nor regard any (iod : for he shall " magnify himself above all. 38. But in his " estate (or in his stead) shall he honour the " God of forces ; and a god ^\hom his fathers '' knew not shall he honour with gold, and " silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant " things. 39. Thus shall he do in the most " strong holds with a strange god, whom he *' shall acknowledge and increase with glory : " and he shall cause them to rule over many, " and shall divide the land for gain." The sufferings of the Protestant countries of Germany having been described, the prophecy now returns more immediately to the personal history of the Infidel King. It will be recol- lected, that the last events mentioned were the re-establishment of the Roman-catholic religion in France, and the overthrow^ of the confederacy of the Northern powers, which was formed by the intrigues of Buonaparte against the naval supremacy of Great Britain in the year 1801. .The verses now before us refer to the events whicb next succeeded in the order of time, do- DunieVs last Prophecif^ S^c. 44f scribing' the establishment of the immense mili- tary po\\ er of Bonaparte, and treating- of a long* period of uninterrupted prosperity. '■' The Kittg shall do according to his will." Even pending- the negotiations of the peace of Amiens, and during the period of three or four months which intervened between the signing- the preliminaries and the conclusion of the de- finitive treaty, on the 27th March, 1802, Buo- naparte " made such enormous accessions of *' power as caused the greatest uneasiness " throughout the British empire, and excited " the most universal indignation." Very great tardiness was shewn on the part of France in brinsino' the neo-otiations to a conclusion, and he took the opportunity afforded by this delay to establish himself in the sovereignty of Italy, under the title of President of the Italian Re- public, and openly " seized for himself, and in " his own name, all the north of Italy, and ex- " tended his empire to the very frontiers of the *' Neapolitan territory." And no sooner was the definitive treaty signed with England, than he produced other treaties very advantageous to France, which he had privately concluded. By a treaty with Turkey the French were put on an equality with the most favoured nation, and consequently the best of her allies were not even in a commercial view, to be more favoured 448 Comhincd View of the Prophecies. than those Mho, without provocation, had in- vaded and phindered her dominions. By a treaty with the court of Lisbon, all Portuguese Guiana was ceded as far as the mouth of the river Amazons, ^hich cession would have opened for the French a way into the heart of South America. By a treaty m ith Spain, Loui- siana, with Parma and the island of Elba, were ceded to France. " The publication of these " clandestine treaties exhibited in a strong^ " point of view the bad failJi and boundless " ambition of the French government. But the *' ambition of Buonaparte," it is observed, " was by no means satisfied with his Italian " honours ; he now openly assumed the most " arbitrary and absolute j)ower in France^ which " country, as well as Italy, he from thencefor- " ward seemed to consider as his patrimonial '' property. By whatever title he intended to " g-overn France, he resolved to govern li abso- " lately^ and settle the government in his fti- '' mily as a new dynasty. He not only took | " upon himself the state of a sovereign, but " exercised a poicer more arbitrary than ev6r " had been exercised by the former kings of " France." Some individuals, who Mere ac- cused of having spoken Mith too much freedom of his government in their private parties, Mere banished from Paris, amongst m horn Mere se- DanieVs last Prophecy^ ^c. 449 veral ladies of respectability, and Laharpe, who had the highest name and reputation as an author, and who was seventy years of age. Mr. Duval, the author of a dramatic piece which had given offence to Buonaparte, was likewise ordered to leave Paris, and it was expected that he Avould have been banished to Guiana ; but he was at length, at the earnest entreaties of Mademoiselle Beauharnois (the daughter of Madame Buonaparte), permitted to return. " Nothing, however, could more strongly shew " how completely the personal liberty of every " individual in France was unprotected by any " law than those instances. If such sentences " of banishment were completely arbitrary, " the pardon which followed was equally so. " The caprice of the moment, and the effect of '* female solicitation, at length restored those " authors to their families ; but the circum- " stance proved that not a vestige of liberty re- " mained in France. Not only individuals, " but the public bodies which he had himself " constituted, felt the effects of his displeasure " when they ventured to offend him. It was '* not to be expected that General Buonaparte, " who with the bayonets of his grenadiers de- " stroyed the former constitution of France, " and turned out the representatives chosen by " the nation, would suffer any serious opposi- G G 450 Combined View of the Prophecies. " tion from persons named by himself. Not- " withstanding the improbabiUty of success " however, they had the courage to reject a " civil code presented by him, which was full " of absurdity and tyrannical enactments. The " rejection of this code violently enraged him ; " he testified his displeasure by observations " which were not even bounded by the com- " mon rules of decorum, and soon found means " to shew those bodies that they must for the " future he more subordinate to his imll than " ever the Parliament of Paris, or the Provin- " cial Parliamen s, were to the venerable pris- " tine sovereigns of France. Usurped and des- " potic power could never stand the test of cool " and free discussion in times of peace. Buon- " aparte was well aware of this, and therefore '^ in every constitution he ever made for any " country, he laid it down as the first principle, " that the legislative or mock representative " body must never originate any thing, must " never discuss any point hut what the govern- " ment should send to them for discussion, or " rather for their acceptance. By the constitu- " tion which had been made for the regulation " of the French government, one-fifth of those " bodies were to go out annually by ballot ; " and whoever ventured to displease him might " be certain of being displaced at the end of Daniel's last Prophecy^ ^"C. 451 ' the year, and of never again resuming his ' seat. This was a stretch of absolute dominion^ * more absolute, perhaps, than had ever been ' assumed by any Executive power over its ' Senate. After those expulsions, the First ' Consul had an easy and complying Senate, ' who were ready to accept his civil code, or ' any other code he should present them, his ^ Legion of Honour, or any project that came ' into his head, however absurd or unjust. ' The public bodies dared no longer express a ' sentiment of freedom., and if any individual ' ventured either to converse or write with ' freedom, the examples of Laharpe and of ' Duval held out sufficient terrors. An im- ' prudent word might send the father of a ' family to Guiana, and it could not reasonably ' be expected that Mademoiselle Beauharnois ' would always undertake to solicit pardon for ' those M'ho offended the First Consul*.'* \ Thus did Buonaparte do according to his will when he commenced his career as Sovereign of France. In 1804 the Moniteur, the official organ of government, used the following lan- guage : " The First Consul, superior to all " events^ is more enabled than ever to fulfil the " decree of the Fates." The " Senatus Con- * Dodsley's Anniial Register for 1802, p. 89. G G 2 452 Combined View of the Prophecies. " sultum," passed in the same year, by which the title of Emperor was conferred on him, raised him still further above all control, none either at home or abroad being able to dispute his power. He shall prosper till the indignation be ac- complished,for that that is determined shall be done. The short campaign of the year 1805 against Austria, in the course of which Buona- parte took possession of Vienna, terminated in ] the defeat of the combined Austrian and Rus- ? sian armies, in the battle of Austerlitz ; and led to the peace of Presburg, which was signed on the 26th December, 1805. " This campaign,'* | it is observed, " increased the power, dominion, ■ " and renown, of France to a degree not easily " to be appreciated." — " No talents, power, or " combination, in opposition to Buonaparte, " seemed calculated to check his progress ; " but, on the contrary, served in their eftect " to swell his career with fresh victories, and " to add to his strength by increasing his con- " quests." His successes led the French people " to identify their glory and renown with his " own, and by his wisdom in council, greatness " of enterprise, and promptness of action, " he" (apparently) " put it almost out of the " course of things that he should ever meet " with a reverse of fortune. — By the events of DanieVs last Prophecy^ Sfc. 453 " this campaign, the Emperor Francis saw " himself despoiled of by far the greater part " of his hereditary estates, and forced to ac- " cept the conditions of peace imposed upon " him by his opponent, and dictated on the " frontiers of Hungary, his last remaining " possession." The years 1806 and 1807 brought an im- mense accession to the power of Buonaparte. The Confederation of the Rhine, that master- piece as it is called of Buonaparte's policy, was formed in July, 1806, under his protection. On the 14th October, 1806, the armies of Prussia were completely defeated in the battle of Jena, and on the 27th of that month Buonaparte took possession of Berlin. The battle of Friedland was fought on the 14th of June, 1807, when the Russians, who had come to the assistance of the Prussians, were defeated with immense loss ; and this led to the peace of Tilsit, which was concluded between Russia, Prussia, and France, on the 7th July. By this treaty " the King of " Prussia, together with an immense territory, " lost nearly the half of his yearly revenues, " and five millions of his subjects ;" and it is observed, that " all the continent of Europe " now lay prostrate before Buonaparte." At the latter end of the year 1807, he occu- pied Portugal with his troops ; and afterwards, 454 Combined View of the Prophecies. ill 1808, treacherously seized the person of Fer- dinand the Seventh, and took possession of the kingdom of Spain: for " Buonaparte's power " had by this time risen to so enormous a pitchy " that he did not think it necessary to manage " or keep any terms with the opinions and pre- " judices of men or nations" — and he declared, " that if the Spanish nation would not wil- " lingly receive Joseph for their king, he would " put the crown on his own head, treat them as " a conquered province, and find another king- " dom for his brother ; for God had given him " both inclination and power to surmount all " obstacles.'* If the noble, and in some degree successful, resistance Avhich began to be made to his arms by the Spaniards, at the latter end of the year 1808, may be considered as inti- mating that his prosperous career was now drawing towards its conclusion ; its immediate effect was to increase the sufferings of the Spa- , nish nation, and to lead the French to inflict upon them unheard-of cruelties, and thus to ac- complish the indignation which was now poured out upon Spain and Portugal in common with all the other Papal nations ; and to bring to a speedy conclusion, that which it was determined in the counsels of Cod should be done. ! It is observed by the historians of these times, that " a heavy load of national guilt lay upon Daniel's last Prophecy^ jifc. 455 " the Peninsula ; and that those persons, who, " with well-founded faith, could see and un- " derstand that the moral government of the " world is not less perfect nor less certain in its " course, than that material order which sci- " ence has demonstrated, perceived in this ^ " dreadful visitation the work of righteous re- " tribution. The bloody conquests of the Por- " tuguese in India were yet unexpiated ; the " Spaniards had to atone for extirpated nations *' in Cuba, and Hayti, and their other islands. " Vengeance had not been exacted for the enor- " mities perpetrated in the Netherlands ; nor " for that accursed tribunal which, during " more than two centuries, triumphed both in '' Spain and Portugal, to the ineffaceable and " eternal infamy of the Romish Church*/^ We may indeed look upon these enormities as the peculiar cause of that indignation, which seemed to fall more heavily upon them thaji upon any other of the Roman-catholic coun- tries. Early in 1809 the war broke out again with Austria ; and Buonaparte, without relinquishi* \ ing Spain, was successful, aided by the troops of the Confederation of the Rhine, in the bat. i ties of Taun, Abensburg, and Eckmuhl ; and on * Edinburgh Annual Register for 1809, p. 53^. 456 Combined View of the Prophecies. the 13th May, after the campaign had been opened only one month, he entered as a con- queror into Vienna. The advantages subse- quently gained by the Austrians in the san- guinary battle of Aspern, were not sufficient to turn the tide of victory in their favour. They suffered a severe defeat in the battle of Wa- gram, and the war Mas terminated by a treaty, concluded at Vienna on the 14th of October, 1809 ; by which Austria made very large and important cessions of territory, but made one cession of far more importance to Buonaparte, and tending more than any other to consolidate and strengthen his power ; for it was after- wards discovered to have been a secret con- dition of this peace, that the royal family of Austria should he united with the dynasty of Buonaparte, and that the Archduchess Maria Louisa should share with the adventurer Buo- naparte, that throne which had been unoccu- pied by any one of royal birth since it became vacant by the murder of her aunt, Marie An- toinette. In the course of this year Buonaparte had also annexed Tuscany and the States of Rome to the Frencli empire, and added to his other titles that of Mediator of Switzerland. Early in the year 1810, his marriage with the Archduchess took place ; a divorce having been previously pronounced between himself Daniel's last Prophecy^ ^c. 457 and the Empress Josephine. In this year he also took military possession of Holland, and Louis finding- that his brother would grant no terms to his oppressed and unfortunate sub- jects, released them from their oath of alle- giance to himself, and Holland was detinitively united to France. Part of the Tyrol also, which had before been given to the King of Bavaria, was this year annexed to Buonaparte's kingdom of Italy ; and, lastly, the Hanse towns, as Ham- burgh, Bremen, and Lubeck, were joined to the empire of France. Hanover also was this year given to Jerome, King of Westphalia. In 1811 it is observed, " that there existed " not in appearance, through the wide range " of Napoleon's sway, the least opposition to " the measures of his government. The hu- " miliated Court of Vienna was principally oc- " cupied," through this year, " in the restora- " tion of its impaired finances. The rest of " Germany was in part annexed to France, and *' the remainder in close league with it, or " under slavish dependence upon the French " Emperor." In this year " the general " usurper laid his gra»p also upon the Duchy " of Olden burgh," and the King of Prussia " was compelled, after much reluctant delay, *' to join the Confederacy of the Rhine, and to ". place a considerable body of his troops un- )fe^ Conihine.d View of the Prophecies. *' der the orders of the French general who ^' commanded on the southern coast of the '« Baltic." In this year, on the other hand, Portugal was completely delivered from the yoke of the French, by the valour of the allied army un- tler Lord Wellington ; but the usurper Joseph was in possession of the capital of Spain ; and the greater part of that country was in the power of his troops. In the beginning of 1812, Buonaparte pre- pared to force the Court of Petersburgh to main- tain more sti'ictly that system which he had established, by which the merchandise of Great Britain was to be entirely excluded from all the ports of the Continent. In the month of Ja- nuary, as a preliminary measure, 20,000 French troops were sent to occupy Swedish Pomera- nia, and in the middle of June Napoleon joined on the other side of the Vistula the immense force that he had there assembled for the inva- sion of Russia. The Emperor of Austria had lately entered into a treaty with Buonaparte, by which he bound himself to assist him with 24,000 infantry, and 60 pieces of cannon. The King of Prussia also had been forced to form a treaty of alliance with him. " The confede- " rate Princes of Germany had sent their tri- " butary powers ; a reluctant remnant of about Daniel's last Propheci/, 6fc. 459 " 10,000 Spaniards and Portuguese had been " pressed into the service, and not less than *' 400,000 men were ranged under the Despot's *' standai*d*/* We behold him ^t this time arrived at the height of glory, from \^hich he was to be so suddenly east down ; and I here therefore close the consideration of that part of the text, " he shall prosjjcr, till the indignation " be accomplished/* The last words of the text under considera- tion, which we have not yet particularly ad- verted to, are the following : " He shall cause " them to rule over inany^ and he shall divide " the land for gain** It was the policy of Buon- aparte, during the whole course of his suc- cessful career, to reward his generals and offi- cers, and those who sided with him, by giving them a share of the spoil which they had as- sisted him to seize. The act of his dividing the land, therefore, kept pace with his suc- cesses ; and was consequently not completed till his power had reached to its utmost limits. We read in the annals of 1812, that when pre- paring for the invasion of Russia, " he was in " the meantime not unmindful of that plan of " attaching his generals and soldiers by re- " wards, at the cost of the vanquished, which * Narrative of the Campaign in Russia, during the year 1812, by Sir Robert Ker Porter, p. 5. 460 Combined View of the Prophecies. " has been discernible in all his wars. By a " decree issued from the Thuilleries on the " 21st January, 1812, he declares the annexa- " tion to his extraordinary domain, of effects in " the province of Valencia, to the amount of a " principal of 200,000,000 livres ; ordering at " the same time that the Prince of Neufchatel " shall transmit to the intendant-general of " that domain a statement of the generals, " officers, and soldiers, of his armies in Spain, " who had distinguished themselves, in order " that they may receive proofs of his imperial " munificence*/' This was the last act of the kind that he had an opportunity of executing. The prophecy must be considered, however, as referring not to this act alone, but to his uni- versal practice. He began to divide the land for gain after his successful campaign against Austria in the year 1805 ; for we read, that " the first day of the ncAv year, 1806, was dis- " tinguished in Germany by an event not a " little singular ; viz., the coronation of the " Electors of Wirtemberg and Bavaria as " kings ; Avhich dignity was further ampli- " fied by a considerable increase of territory, " at the expense of the unfortunate house of *' Austriaf !" Again, on the 15th of March * Dodsley's Annual Register, 1812, p. l65. + Van Ess's Life of Buonaparte, Vol. VI. p. 264. Daniel* s last Prophecy, Sfc. ' 461 of the same year, Murat was invested with the duchies of Berg and Cleves ; " an act which ** gave serious offence and alarm to the court " of Berlin." Berg had belonged to the King of Bavaria, as Count Palatine of the Rhine, and been ceded to France in exchange for terri- tories belonging to Prussia ; and Cleves, with other provinces, had been given up by Prussia for Hanover. " Various speculations had been " formed with regard to the destination of " these provinces, when they fell into the hands " of France ; but the general sentiment in " Germany was that of surprise and indigna- " tion, when they were given to Murat, a *' foreigner, a soldier of fortune, and the bro- " ther-in-law of Buonaparte." In the same year Holland wsls made a kingdom, and Louis Buonaparte, a younger brother of Napoleon, was placed upoji the throne. In this year Saxony also was erected into a kingdom. We again read, that " on the 31st March, 1806, Buona- " parte submitted to the Senate a variety of " decrees for its approbation ; by one of them " he conferred the kiiigdom of Naples on his " brother Joseph ; by another he gave to Ber- " thier the principality of Neufchatel ; and by " another he created a number of duchies, with *' suitable revenues, in Italy, to be distributed *' among the civil and military officers who had 4dSi Combined View of the Prophecies. distinguished themselves in his service, and to be held by them in property, transmissible by inheritance to their direct descendants in the male line. The last of these decrees," t is observed, *' presents the curious spectacle of the revival of benefices by Buonaparte, within less than tMcnty years after the extinc- tion of the feudal institutions, derived from the victories and destructive conquests of Charlemagne. The erection of the duchy of Benevento into a fief of the French empire^ in favo2ir of Talleyrand, with the title of Prince and Duke of Benevento ; and the grant of the duchy ofPonte Corvo to Marshal Bernadotte, by a similar tenor, followed some months after the preceding establishments*." " From his imperial camp at Finkenstein, on the other side of the Vistula, Buonaparte wrote on the 28th May, 1807, to the Conservative Senate, that he had instituted Duchies, as re- toards for eminent services done him, whether military or civil, and that in pursuance of this system of encouragement, he had created, by letters patent, the Marshal Le Febvre, He- reditary Duke of Danfzig, not only in con- sideration of his late achievement" (the capture of Dantzig), " but because on and ♦ Dodsley's Annual Register, for 1806, p. 218. DanieVs last Prophecy^ Sfc. 463 '• ever since the first day of his reign, Le *' Febvre had rendered him the most signal *' service. It was his business, he said, to esta- *' blish the fortunes of such families as devoted " themselves to his service, and constantly sacri- " ficed their own particular interest to his*.'* We read also, in the annals for the year 1810, that one of the beneficial acts which Bernadotte proposed to perform in favour of Sweden, on his election as Crown Prince, was the " repur- " chasing the estates of Pomerania, which JBtwn- " apart e had distributed atnong his officers," In the annals of the same year, Buonaparte is referred to as an adventurer, who began at the commencement of his successful career, " like " a knight of Romance, to parcel out duchies *' and kingdoms among his kinsnieri and fol- " lowers^'* The following list contaiins some of the names of Buonaparte's relations, marshals, and generals, whom he appointed to kingdoms and dukedoms ; together with the names of the places from which they derived their titles : — Joseph Buonaparte King of Spain . Louis Buonaparte King of Holland Jerome Buonaparte King of Westplialia * Dodsley's Annual Register for 1807, p. 169. t Edinburgh Annual Register, 1810, p. 311, 346. 464 Comhmed View of the Prophecies. Joachim Murat King of Naples . Beauharnois Vice-Roi of Italy Marshal Bernadotte Prince of Ponte Con o Marshal Davoust Prince of Eckmuhl Marshal Berthier Prince of Neufchatel Marshal Massena Prince of Essling Marshal Soult Duke of Dalmatia Marshal Kellerinan Duke of Valmy Marshal Marmont Duke of Ragusa Marshal Ney Duke of Elchingeu Marshal Moncey Duke of Cornegliauo Marshal Mortier Duke of Trevnso Marshal Macdonald Duke of Tarente Marshal Oudinot Duke of Reggio Marshal Champagne Duke of Cadore Marshal Junot Duke of Abrantes Marshal Victor Duke of Belluno Marshal Augereau Duke of Castiglione * Marshal Le FebATe Duke of Dantzig Caulincourt Duke of Vincenza Maret Duke of Bassano Bessieres Duke of Istria Savary Duke of Rovigo Duroc Duke of Friuli Cambaceres Duke of Parma Le Brun Duke of Placenza Talleyrand de Perigord Prince of Benevento Fouche Duke of Otranto ♦ The grants of land and other revenues in the kingdom of Naples, made by Buonaparte to French officers, were lately annulled by the following decree of Joachim Murat, King of Naples, dated 20th October, 1814. " Whereas one of the effects of the treaties concluded by " his Majesty the Emperor of Austria with liis Majesty the Daniel's last Propheci/, «§*anieVs last Prophecy, Sj'c. 467 right, the uncontrolled dominion of the world. He worships no other god than Mars, the god of war, an emblem of his own military power ; to whose service he dedicated, in the year 1801* the Chapel of the Invalides, which had been so- lemnly consecrated to Christianity, " and placed " the image of that Pagan deity on the spot " which had been occupied by the Christian " symbol of redemption*" The sacrifices with which he honours the God of Forces, are repre- sented as being the spoils of conquered coun- tries,— the " gold, the silver, the precious stones-^ " and the pleasant things,** — which he has car- ried away by force and rapine. His places of worship are " strong holds,** or fortifications, the meet habitations of the God of War. The high priests and ministers of his religion are his marshals and generals. The reward by which he acknowledges their service and ministry is, that he increases than with glory, and causes them to rule over many, dividing the conquered countries amongst them for their gain. He is himself " the Genius of Power," as he has al- lowed himself to be called by his servile flatter- ers, and he worships the god of war. We have the following declaration, in his speech to the Council of Ancients, on the 10th of November, ^ L,, * Dodsley's Annual Register for ISOl, p. 267, H h2 468 Combined View of the Prophecies. 1799 ; " / have always followed the God of *' War^ and Fortune and the God of War art " with me.'* The Infidel Power is said likewise to speak mavellous thing^s against the God of Gods ; for as God is the author of all things, as in him we live, and move, and have om* being ; every as- sumption of glory, by man, is an offence against his Creator. How low was Nebuchadnezzar cast down, and how much was he debased, for that boast of his, " Is not this great Babylon «' that I have built ?" And when through pride David directed that his people should be num- bered, what a severe penalty was exacted, and how were those numbers in which he prided himself lessened ! Numerous have been the ex- amples which have shewn, that those who walk in pride, God is able to abase ; and that self- exaltation in man is the highest offence against Omnipotence. But in order to judge how far the text, " He shall speak marvellous thifigs *' against the God of Gods'* is applicable to the Infidel Power, let us consider the character of the two great enemies of the Church who have preceded him, and the expressions M'hich are used respecting them. The Papacy professed to derive its power from God : and the title the Pope assumed was that of " the Vicar of Jesus " Christ." But in as much as he pretended to y' DanieVs last Prophecy^ 6fc. 469 infallibility, and assumed other attributes which belong to God alone, he is described in prophe- tic language as " blaspheming the name of " God," and as " speaking great words against " the Most High." The Mahometans acknow- ledge the power of God, proclaiming, that " there is but one God, and that Mahomet is " his prophet." But a« Mahomet assumed a power that was not given to him, language similar to that of the text is used respecting him, and he is said " to magnify himself in his " heart." The pretensions of the third enemy of the Church, the Infidel Power, we shall find, have risen to an equality with, if they have not far exceeded, those of the Papal and Mahometan Powers : and it is a curious circumstance, that the historians of these times have noticed a similarity in the language and pretensions of Buonaparte and Mahomet. Napoleon in 1809 promulgated this as his maxim of government, that " as there is but one God, so there should be *' in a state but one judicial power." By which reference to " the unity of that God, whose " name he never utters but to outrage, the " Tyrant," it is observed, " wished to incul- " cate the idea, that there is but one God, and " Napoleon is his representative. This is the 470 Combined View of the Prophecies. *' creed/' the writer proceeds to say, " which " this political MaJiommed hints at himself; and *' suffers his Infidel bishops and his flatterers to *' proclaim *." Like Herod, he permitted himself to be ad- dressed in terms that amounted to blasphemy. In 1809 some deputies from the new Italian departments were admitted to an audience, and used the following- language : " The destinies *' of the whole world, they told him, werecon- " tided by the Almighty to his impenetrable " views, to the supreme power of his genius, " to the miraculous exploits of his arms. Hence " a new order of things, already written in the ** books of the Eternal, Mas prepared for their ^ijcountry. In the necessity in which he was H. to overthrow, to destroys to disperse, all ene- V mies, as the wind dissipates the dust, he was 'i^ not an exterminating angel ; but he was the **/ Joeing that extends his thoughts, and measures t^'i the face of the earth, to re-establish happi- M ness upon a better and surer basis. He was A'-jidestined before all ages to be the man of •*^v.God's right hand ; the sovereign master of all .*fi things/' " Language of more idolatrous ado« " ration," it'is observed, '^ was never listened .■■11 •^ Edinburgh Annual Register, 1809, p. 529. DaniiVs last Prophecy, ^'c. 471 i* to by the frantic Caligula. It was not, how- \ *' ever, too gross for the Tyrant to whom it was " addressed ; and he applauded it in his reply *.'* Thus he spake, and permitted others to speak, *' marvellous things against the God of Gods.'* *' The scene also which the Jews had enacted at " Paris under his command," it is obsened, " appeared to have more meaning than was " avowed. It was little likely that he should " have convened their deputies to answer ques- " tions which he needed not have asked, or to " lend their sanction to a conscription which " required no other sanction than that of his " own merciless tyranny. And though doubt- *' less the deputies indulged gratuitously in im- ^' pious adulations, yet it was apparent, that in " some of their blasphemies they echoed the " known pretensions of the adventurer whom " they addressed. In their hall of meeting, '* they placed the imperial eagle over the ark " of the covenant, and blended the cyphers of " Napoleon and Josephine with the unutterable ^'' name of God. — This was French flattery in " Jewish costume. In their addresses they ap- " plied to him the prophecies of Isaiah and " Daniel, calling him ' the Lord's anointed ^* ' Cy ru s ! ' ' The living image of the Divinity !* * Edinburgh Annual Regi^terfor 1808, p. 417. 472 Combined View of the Prophecies. " ' The only mortal after God's own heart, to " ' Avhora he had intrusted the fate of nations, " ' because he alone could govern them -with '' wisdom.' These expressions," it is observed, *' resembled but too much the profane lan- " guage of his Infidel Bishops, and of his own " proclamations. — Nothing -was too impious for " this man — nothing too frantic." After this it only remained, as the cro waning act of his im- piety and blasphemy, that he should assume the name of God himself ; and this we find he did, for it is publicly known, that he desired to be addressed by the title, Votre Providence : and that he was offended with those who dis- dained or feared to give him that appellation. Of this fact I can only speak from common re- port ; but 1 know, from unquestionable autho- rity, that this title was applied to him by one of his ministers, who, at a public dinner, gave the health of his Emperor in the following terms : " Napoleon, L'ami des hommes, et La Provi- " DENCE Du Monde." Thus did the Infidel Power, claiming to himself the attributes, and even the name of the Divinity, speak marvellous things against the God of Gods. But this career of wickedness was at length to have an end ; and the vengeance of the insulted majesty of God, ■which it had formerly been declared, must, on account of his impiety, " sooner or later over- DanieVs last Prophecy^ ^c. 473 *' take him*," was now about to overwhelm him in destruction. Exposed to the severities of a Russian winter, his army, which only six months before was the largest and the best equipped of any we read of in modern times, was so completely destroyed, that out of more than 400,000 men that entered Russia, not more than 25,000 (exclusive of the Austrians) repassed the Niemen ; out of 100,000 horses scarcely one survived ; and of 1,200 pieces of can- non, it is said, that, not a single gun was again carried by the fugitives across the barrier stream j-. Buonaparte, however, on his return to France, having used every exertion to collect a fresh army, obliged the allied Russians and Prussians, at the commencement of the cam- paign of the year 1813, to fall back beyond Dresden, which place he occupied. An ar- mistice Mas then agreed upon, and negotiations Mere carried on, under the mediation of Aus- tria. These however, did not lead to a peace ; and on the 11th of August, the Court of Vienna declared in favour of the Allies, and issued a manifesto against France. In the month of October, Buonaparte, apprehending that his * Edinburgh Annual Register, 1810, p. 529. t See Narrative of the Campaign in Russia during the year 1812, by Sir Robert Ker Porter, 474 Comhined Vieh) of the Prophecies. communications with France might be cut oflV fell back to tlie neighbourhood of Leipsic, where on the 16th the allied arm} made a gene- ral attack upon him, ■which was repeated on the ISthy when he lost 40,000 men and 65 pieces I ©f artillery, and was obliged to make a preci- pitate retreat into France. In the month of December, 1813, the Allies crossed the Rhine, and France itself was the scene of the cam* ' paign of the year 1814. In this campaign va- rious actions were fought, and Buonaparte having incautiously left the road to Paris openj to the Allies, they immediately marched to* wards it ; and having gained a victory under its walls, entered it by capitulation on the 31st of iVIai'ch. On the next day the Senate met, and, ill be found described in Dan. xi. verses 22 — 27. The fourth Vial is poured out upon *' the Sun." In this symbolical description, the Sun represents Buonaparte as the chief po- tentate of the Roman empire, and the events referred to by this Vial, will be found also de- scribed in Daniel xi. verses 31 — 39. The fifth Vial, the' period of which 1 apprehend is yet future, is poured out upon " the Seat of the '' Beast" of the bottomless pit, or of the Infi- Daniel's last Prophecy^ 6\'c. 477 del Power, and predicts therefore, a dreadful ^ judgment upon the kingdom of France. The same period is, I conceive, also referred to in verse 40, of this prophecy, M'hich proceeds as follows ; Ver. 40. " And at the time of the end shall * " the King of the South push at him: and the *' King of the North shall come against him " like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with '* horsemen, and with many ships ; and he " shall enter into the countries, and shall over- " flow, and pass over." The prophecy appears in this place to speak of a new period in the life of Buonaparte, in- troducing it in these words, '• And at the time '' of the end shall the King of the South push " at him/' This description agrees with the circumstances in which he is now placed, for he appears to be entering on a new period of his life ; he himself is said to have declared on ; his late landing in France, that he had given \ the first volume of his life, and that he was now about to give the second. As I conceive that this prophecy relates to fiitwre events *, we must leave it to time to fur- * In my former edition I interpreted this \ erse as describin"- the attack made upon Buonaparte by the Emperors of Russia andylustriaj in the years 181'2, 1813, and 1614; noticing 47S Combined View of the Prophecies. iiish the complete elucidation of it, and I must content myself Avith giving- merely the literal interpretation of the text. It describes a joint attack by land upon Buonaparte, by the King of the South, or the Emperor of Austria, of whom mention has been so largely made in the former part of the prophecy, and by the King of the North, or the Emperor of Russia; in which he will employ, or at least be aided by a great naval force. The term " entering into *' the countries^'* must imply some extraordi- nary movement of the Infidel power, and he is described in the prophecy as passing over, ap- parently accompanied by his arnw, to some other country, probably therefore (as being eventually the seat of his government) to Italy. Ver. 41. " He shall enter also into the glo- ' rious land, and many countries shall be over- ' thrown : but these shall escape out of his ' hand, even Edom and Moab^ and the chief ' of the children of Ammon. 42. lie shall ' stretch forth his hand also upon the coun- ' tries ; and the land of Egypt shall not escape. ' 43. But he shall have power over the trea- at the same time the difficulty that the mention of the " mamj ships** presented to this interpretation, there having been no naval co-operation of sufficient mugnitude to answer to tlie terms of the te\t. DanieVs last Prophecy, ^^c. 479 " sures of gold and of silver, and over all the *' precious things of Egypt : and the Lybians *' and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44. *' But tidings out of the East and out of the *' North shall trouble him : therefore he shall " go forth -with great fury to destroy; and ut- *' terly to make away many. 45. And he shall " plant the tabernacles of his palace between " the seas in the glorious holy mountain ; yet *' he shall come to his end, and none shall help *' him.'' It would perhaps be hazardous to say posi^ tively, that the events here described are en- tirely unconnected with the period of the sixth Vial, which relates to the overthrow of the Otto- man empire. I am, however, disposed to believe that they belong only to the period of the seventh and last Vial, considering that during the period of the sixth, Buonaparte will rather be gradually regaining his influence than actively engaged, as heretofore, in scenes of extensive warfare ; and that the convulsions pre- dicted on the Jirst pouring out of the seventh Vial will bring to him a great accession of power. These verses speak in the plainest terms of a second expedition of Buonaparte's into Egypt, in which it appears that he will not as formerly proceed by sea but by land ; for he 480 Combined View of the Prophecies, enters into Judea, or " the glorious land" before he invades Eg-ypt. This being- his course, it is possible that it will be at this time that " the " Great Head" of the Eagle of Esdras " on the " right side," will, according to his symbolical description, devour the Great Head " on the " left*." Adverting to his former convoca- tions of the Sanhedrim, it is also far from im- possible that this expedition of Buonaparte w ill be connected Avith a partial restoration of the Jews ; for what is more probable than that he may declare himself their Messiah -f, and lead * II. Esdras, xi. 35. f The probability of this has already been speculated upon. The writer of the Edinburgh Annual Register for the year 1 808 observes, that when the Jews, who were assembled in the Sanhedrim at Paris, " reuiinded Buonaparte that, ' lie had •t « overcome, as conqueror, the ancient land of the eternal *♦ 'pyramids, the scene of their ancestor's captivity ; that he •' • liad appeared on the banks of the once sacred Jordan, and *' « fought in the valley of Sechem, in the plains of Palestine,* *' such expressions appeared to indicate a project for resettling *♦ them in the Holy Land, as part of his plans respecting *« Egypt. Nay, as he had successively imitated Hannibal, « and Alexander, and Charlemagne, just as the chance of «' circumstances reminded him of each, was it improbable," obsen'es the author of that work, " that he mig-lit breathe in «' incense till he fancied himself divine ; that adulation, and «' success, and vanity, utterly unchecked as they were, ha\ing *' destroyed all moral feeling and' all conscience, should affect Daniel's last Prophecf/, ^c. 481 some of them back to the Holy Land. His ,progress in Egypt appears to be nearly the same as during- his former expedition, and he approaches the confines of Lybia and Ethiopia. But neics from the East and from the North will trouble him^ for he will, I apprehend, hear of the march of the ten tribes, or of " the Kings ^' of the East," towards the Holy Land, for whom the way has been prepared by the re- moval of the Ottoman empire ; and he will hear of the advance of the Russians also " from *' the North," under whose protection the Ten Tribes will probably be restored. The Emperor Alexander would doubtless favour such a pro- ject; the dominions of Russia sti-etch to the 'East, and will afford her probably a ready in- tercourse with the countries where the ten tribes are now situated, and her facilities for bringing them back to Judea will be further increased, should she possess herself of any or of the greater part of the Ottoman empire. It is very evident, that at this time Russia will once more act a prominent part, and that the hosts of the North will overrun all the Continent, and 1>6- ** his intellect next ; and that, from being the Cyrus of ^e " Lord, he would take the hint which his o^vn clergy had given " him, and proclaim himself the temporal Messiah ?" I I 482 Combined View of the Prophecies. come an exceeding- hitter plague to tjie Papal nations. Saint John says (Jlev. xvi. 2]), " There fell upon men a great Hail out of " heaven, every stone about the weight of a " talent, and men blasphemed God because *' of the plague of the liail, for the plague " thereof was exceeding great*." Buonaparte, on hearing the intelligence from the North and from the East, will retutn into the Holy Land, and will then plant his tabernacles in the valley of Megiddo, between the glorious holy mountains; there the treading of the wine- press will take place, and there he and all his army will perish under the manifest vengeance of God. Chap. xii. ver. 1. " And at that time shall *' Michael stand up, the great Prince M'hich " standeth for the children of thy people; and *' there shall be a time of trouble, such as never *' was since there was a nation, even to that " same time : and at that time thy people shall *' be delivered, every one that shall be found *' written in the book." At this time there will be some glorious manifestation of the per- son of Christ. The Jews will be converted, and every one will be delivered " that shall he * See article Hail, Symbolical Dictionarj', p. 92. DanieVs last Prophecy^ £^c. 483 ** found written in the book," every one of the elect children of God who shall be found having faith in Christ. And hence the importance of that previous warning- and exhortation, which is, through the Apostle Saint John, addressed by Christ to his Church, at the period when the Sixth Angel pours out his Vial :— " Behold *' I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, " and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked " and they see his shame." Blessed is he that has renounced his own righteousness, and is clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ*, with which he may appear with bold- ness in the presence of God. Blessed is he who, when " the Spirit and the bride say *' come," and when Christ saith, " Surely I " come quickly," is able to reply, " Even so ; *' come. Lord Jesus." Remarks on ihe interpretations given hij former v/j^ Commentators of the last prophecy of Daniely or of " that tchich is noted m the Scripture " of Truth:' In adverting to the interpretations which have been given of this Prophecy by preceding *Rev. iii. 18. Isa. liv. 17. I I 2 484 Combined View of the Prophecies. commentators, I have to observe, that no doubt has ever been entertained as to the propriety of applying- the first part of it to the histories of the Kings of Syria and Egypt. Porphyry, as it appears from Bishop Newton's work, thongh he denied the authenticity of the prophecy, did not denj^ the apparent accuracy of its accom- plishment, but rather laboured to confirm it, and drew this inference, that it was so minute iand circumstantial, that it was evidently written after the events had taken place. Bishop Newton also observes that it is more accurate than any history now extant, for no one histo- rian has related so many circumstances relative to the Kings of SjTia and Egypt, and in such exact order of time as the Prophet hath foretold them ; so that he found it necessary to have recourse to several authors, and to collect something from one, and something from an- other, for the better explaining and illustrating the great variety of particulars contained in this prophecy. Porphyry however objects, as it appears from Bishop Newton, that the pro- phecy is true, and exact only to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, and therefore concludes, that it was a forgery written about that time. Bishop Newton and all other commentators also admit, that the interpretation of the latter part of the prophecy is more difficult than that Daniers last Prophecy, 6fc. 485 of the former part ; the reason of which I ap- prehend may be readily given, namely, that all of it subsequent to that part which relates to Antiochus the Great Mas yet unaccom- plished, and therefore it was in vain that they attempted to carry on the interpretation of the prophecy much beyond that period. As it so happened, however, that Seleucus Philopator, the son and successor of Antiochus the Great, was '* a Raiser of Taxes," in as much as Syria being, during his time, a tributary king- dom, he had to raise yearly a thousand talents of gold to pay to the Romans, the 19th verse might appear to admit of a very fair application to him ; and as Antiochus Epiphanes also, the brother and successor of Seleucus Philopator, w as an enemy to the Jews, who were esteemed to be the " Holy Covenant" of old, and as the invasion of Egypt wdi'^HYevLmYksihXe event in his time as well as in that of Buonaparte, the iii*st part of the prophecy, relative to the " Vile Per- " son" or the Infidel King, in these particulars, as well as in some others, may be said to agree with the history of Antiochus Epiphanes ; con- sequently though commentators, as I apprehend, leave the right track at verse 20, it is not till they arrive at verse 31 that the inconsistency of this interpretation appears. For the remainder of the prophecy we have various interpretations. 486 Combined View of the Prophecies. Bishop Newton observes, that to verse 31 all commentators are agreed, none differing- much from the other " but that hereafter they pursue " so many different paths, that it is not ahvays " easy to know whom it is best and safest to " follow.'* He observes for himself, that in one part he may agree A\ith this commentator, in another part Mith that, " and in some in- " stances perhaps ditl'er from all." Neither Bishop Newton or Air. Faber attempt to give an interpretation of this prophecy, as relating- to the lives of individuals^ be} ond the 30th verse. The latter verses 31 — 40, Mr. Faber interprets as follows: Yew 31. " Arms shall stand on his " part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of " strength, and place the abomination that " maketh desolate," he refers to the rise of the Roman power, and to the destruction of Jerusa- lem by Titus. Ver. 32 and 33, " Such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall he cor- rupt," &c., and " they that understand among the people shall instruct many : yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil," he refers to the Pagan perse- cutions of the primitive Christians. Ver. 34, which speaks of the " little help" with which they were holpen, he refers to the rest enjoyed by the Church in the days of Constantine the Great ; and so far Mr. Faber agrees in his inter- Daniel's last Prophecy^ ^c. 487 pretation with Bishop Newton. Ver.35. " Some *' of them of understanding- shall fall," &c., Mr. Faber applies to the Papal persecutions, and especially to those of the sixteenth century. Ver. 36 — 39, relative to the King- who magnified himself above every God, he applies to Infidel France; and the dividing the land for g*ain, mentioned at the latter end of ver. 39, he refere to the sale of the lands belonging to the crown, the church, and the nobility, at the commence- ment of the French Revolution. Ver. 40, which says, that the King of the North shall push at him, and the King- of the South shall come against him, he refers to events yet future, and which he expects will take place about the year 1866, when the 1260 years he conceives will terminate. As Mr. Faber applies verse 39 to events prior to the year 1796, and the next verse 40 to events which are expected to take place about 50 years hence, there is no part of the pro-, phecy, according to his interpretation, that ap- plies particularly to the period between the years 1796 and 1814 ; but it is during this pe- riod that I consider the whole of the prophecy, from verse 21 to verse 39, to have received its | accomplishment, consequently there can be little that is common to both our interpreta- tions. Here, I would observe, in reference to 488 Combined View of the Prophecies. the interpretations Avljich liave hitherto been given of the latter part of this prophecy, that the diversity of opinion that exists amongst com- mentators respecting- it, amounts ahnost to a proof, that the true interpretation has never yet ' been discovered ; for, as Bishop Newton ob- serves, proplietic revelation is " like the shin- " ing" light that sJiineth more and more unto the *' perfect day." If the interpretation of the Jirst part oi X\\\^ prophecy, therefore, relating to earlif times, has been clear, unequivocal, and convincing, we may rest assured that the inter- pretation of that part of it which relates to later events, when it shall be discovered, will be found to be equally satisfactory ; this amounts to a strong presumptive evidence against the interpretations hitherto given ; but the most direct way of refuting them appears to be by taking a general objection to the latitude of the principles upon which they are formed. This case appears to me to be similar to that be- tween Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame, re- lative to their interpretations of the vision of the Ram and the He-goat, which have been no- ticed in the foregoing pages. Mr. Faber has given one interpretation, applying the Little Horn to the Mahometan Power ; Mr, Cuning- hame has given another, in ^\ hich he considers it as an emblem of the Roman Power in the Daniel's last Prophcci/^ <^c. 48^ East ; and it does not appear to me that ]Mr. Cuninghame's theory can be so directly refuted, as by bringing forward, as a valid objection to it, the laxity of the principles npon which his interpretation is given, in as much as that, in the tirst part of this prophecy, he has consi- dered the Temple to be the literal Temple that was cast down by the Romans ; but in the lat- ter part he has considered the Temple to be the symbolical Temple, or the Spiritual Church of Christ, that was to be cleansed at the end of the period of the vision. Now the allo^ving' the Temple to be understood either in a literal or a symbolical sense, affords a facility of inter- pretation, and is a licence which, I think, must be fatal to any system of ^^hich it forms a part; and I consequently consider Mr, Cuninghame's opinion, relative to the little horn of the He- goat, to be untenable. As I observed when considering that prophecy*, so I have now to remark, that consistency of interpretation is a principal criterion of truth, and in a long and continued prophecy it is a sure aiid unfailing one ; if therefore, all the former part of the Jast prophecy of Daniel is proved to relate to the lives of various individuals, we ought; when the prophecy evidently continues to be * See preceding pages, 287, 286. K K 490 Comhincd View of the Prophecies. given in the same terms, and to bear the same character, to expect to find tlie hitter part also fulfilled in the life of an individual*, I have myself endeavoured to sIicav, that from verse 21 to 40 has been already clearly accom- plished in the life of Napoleon Buonaparte ; and if the difficulty, I may say impossibility, of applying this strictly chronological prophecy (consisting of no less than 25 verses, and con- taining a variety of events and facts of a very marked character) to any individual but the one who is the real subject of it be considered (in illustration of which I may refer to the ac- knowledged failure of the older Commentators in their attempis to apply the whole of it to Antiochus Epiphanes), 1 have reason to hope that the interpretation here given will appear satisfactory; but should it not, we must, if we * Mr. Faber expressly states, that he speaks " of tlje " actions of Buonaparte only as being a portion of the actions ♦• of the ivjidel kingdom. Neither he nor any other individual" Mr. Faber observes, " is intended by this infidel king or king- •' dom but France alone, from the commencement of tlie revo- " lution to the termination of the 1260 years" i. e. (agreeably to Mr. Faber's theory) to the year 18G(). — See Faber's Dis- sert, vol. i. 3d edit. p. 402 ; 4th and 5th p. 430. But we may ask if such a passage as the following, " He •• shall stumble and fall, and not be found," is translated by Mr. Faber in the former part of the prophecy as relating to an individual (Antiochus the Great), on wliat principle can Daniel's la&t Prophecy, ifc. 491 would preserve consistency of interpretation, wait till some other individual shall arise, in whom all the particulars of this prophecy shall be more accurately fulfilled. such another passage as this, occurring in the latter part of the same propliecy, " He shall come to his end, and none " shall help him," be translated, not as relating to an ijidivi" dual (a« Buonaparte), but to the infidel kingdom of France ? THE END. *** The Prophetic Chart may he had separately of the Publishers of this Work, price 4s. 6d. mounted on Holland Printed by W. Clowes, Northumberland-court, Strand. Date Due A^^ |.>.. ■ liv %S^»^ r ' ^