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G[e i, * f- Faber, -- lyptic vial-., aiid tht -.- re volut i onary g^ "v e mm en t a critical e the pix)phecic3 oi r t *s. \^ ...L. i h, '-^-^ '-... fti Srtanley^. 1773-1854:. | on ti e effusion of the fifth apoca^ 1 on of the imperial j : which is added I combined view of .1 John. :i ^ V- ^■^■' -,.-^ lit^ iVi* ■*. '-"^ London 1815. 0. 7 p ^^ No. J of a vol.^^ of pamphlets TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA REDUCTION RATIO: // I UN! SIZE:__js.5L^_ibi!^ i MACS PLACEMENT: lA ft^ IB IIB _ DATIi FII.NTED:___./_2;ja^;^^ INITIALS__ tz £_ ■'^BY: RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS. INC WOODBRfDGErCT : LLK [ ; r T \ 4 r 1. i. i-^ i V 1 X ST. PA%I*S CHURCH yard; 1?^ tuw and Ciibirt, St. John''s Sqi^arct CUrkenioeU, 1815. \ (» 1 U i It: ^1 4 f/ I' REMARKS Ott THE ^J^FUmf^^ OF THE FIFTH APOCALYPTIC VlAlt I f A^D TIIK LAT£ EXTRAORDINARY RESTORATION OF TUB IMPERIAL RETOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT OP FRANCE. If I I a .4 Is •^*>*'r^*-^^****»^^*-^*>< l\ In ofder that the principles on which my sentiments relative to the effusion of the fifth apocalyptic vial and the late restoration of the revolutionary government in France are founded, may be the more distinctly under- stood, it will be proper for me briefly to point out the steps by which I arrive at my com elusions. For any attempt to explain a particular part of a chronological prophecy will be mere guess-'work, unless it emanatQ out of a well-established general system. I. The author of the Apocalypse describes himself as beholding in prophetic vision a wild-beast, which has seven heads and ten horns. This symbol, by the general consent a.6 I If I i lU Jl ^ of commentators, though they have not always been consistent in the detail, represents the Roman empire from first to last, under all its different governments, and in its two succes- sive states of union and division. The last head or form of government, which St. John represents as being double, a seventh merging in an eighth which two are yet essentially but one, I have shewn at large, in my Dissertation on the 1 260 days, to be the feudal or Carlc- vingian Emperorship rising out of the Roman Patriciate. From the divided state of Europe at every subsequent period, it almost necessa- rily followed, that this Emperorship was of au ambulatory nature : for, except its first rise, it exercised no real authority over the general Roman empire, because it was destined to co- exist with ten regal horns ; but yet it bore the predicted character of a head, because in point of rank and precedency it was ever tlie acknowledged head of the European republic. Such was the manner, in which it existed : and such was the sole n>.anncr, in which it could exist agreeably both to prophecy and to the nature of tlun'gs ; for in no other manner i.-^ it possible, tiuit a head should co-exist with ton independent horns. 1 . The last head then of the Roman empire arose in France and Italy; for the French monarch Charlemagne was successively Patn- cian of Rome and Emperor of the Romaics. This dignity remained for some generations in his posterity. At length the French king lost the title of Roman Emperor; and, in the day$ ofOtho the great, the last head was trans* ferred from France to Germany. Here i| continned for many ages, its precedence as the undoubted head of the Western Koman empire being fully acknowledged by every independent king, though its actual represen- tative was sometimes the chief of one family and sometimes of another. But, as this head arose in France and Italy, and afterwards migrated into Germany; so it was destined, in like manner, to leave Ger- many, and to return into France and Italy. In May 1804, Buonaparte assumed the titl^ of Emperor of the French. In August 1804, the Emperor of Germany or (to give him his then regular official title) the Emperor of the Romans assumed the title of Emperor of Austria for his hereditary dominions. In March 1805, Buonaparte became King of Italy and Rome. In July 1806, sprang up under the French emperor tlie Confederation of the Rhine. And, on the memorably August 7, 1806, the Austrian Emperor of the Romans formally abdicated that title, and absolved all the princes of the empire from the duties by which they were united to Jiiiii b2 f^ f jdbMAlttjaBKiU as its legal chief* At this point then, the Carlovingian en^ierorship, or the last head of the great Roman beast^ manifestly reverted to France and Italy, where it had first originated: ind, agreeably to so plain an historical fact, Buonaparte, as if fully conscious of the transfer, has affected on all occasions to consider himself the successor, not of the Capetian, but of the Carlovingian, princes. In his armorial bear- ings, the bees ol the two first dynasties have supplanted the lilies of the third: and, in his style, he has adopted the title of Emperor rather than that of K?«o *. 2. Such being the case, if I have succeeded in proving the ambulatory Carlovingian Em- perorship to be the last head or form of par- amount government in the Roman empire: ihen, as that head paused away from Germany in August 1 806, and as the French Emperor then became its manifest representative; what- ever is foretold in prophecy relative to this last head subsequent to August 1806, must doubtless be fulfilled in the Roman imperial government of France. . 3. Let me not however be here misun- derstood as asserting, that, because the tiaus- ♦ See Butler's Revolutiona of Germany, p. 207, 208. This is a most useful manual for these, v\ lio wish to obtain a dear and succinct view of the various changes in the succcs- *sion of the impeiial-^ignity. - fcr took p]ace during the reign of Napoleon Buonaparte, that single individual hencefoi'lh becomes the exclusive scope of prophecy until the awfid retributory day of Armageddon. He is no further the subject of it, than, as his actions form a pai't of the general actions of the Infidel King or Kingdom of Daniel now identified with the last head of the Roman beafet. Pi^ophecy does not so much treat of individuals^ as of comimmities : and, if the wonderful events of these last days be indeed foretold, as I believe them to be ; the Infidel Roman government of France, no mere indir vidttal who may for a season administer it, is the theme of the inspired writers. It matters little, whether Robespierre, or Buonaparte, or any other ruffian of the same stamp, be tor a season at the head of affairs ; the revolutionary government, as contradistinguished from tliat ichich preceded it, is alone the subject of pro- phecy. So tliat, in my view of the question, if Buonaparte were slain tomorrow, and if one of his generals stepped into his vacant throne, no event would have occurred which were worth prophetic notice. I am inchued indeed to believe, that the revolutionary imperial go vernment of France, whatever shrewd blows it may receive during the intermediate period, M ill never be subverted until the awful day of J4 t I- \ h f" i I }mtMiSSiM Armageddon*; but I hold it to be of the very le^t importance to the aocomplisliment of prophecy, whether Buonaparte, or any other sitnilar miscreant, be actually at the helm. The dynasty or government^ I repeat it, not the administering individual, is the sub- ject of prophecy ; so that I cannot but consider ft as a vain v^^aste of time to speculate upon what may be the probable end of the man Napoleon. 11. The apocalyptic series of the seven trumpets is divided into four and three. The four first trumpets, as our best commentators (with some slight shades of dlfFerence) are unanimously agreed, and as (I thhik) there cannot be a reasonable ground for doubt, describe the subversion of the Western Roman empire and the harassing of the Eastern Ro- man empire by the Gothic warriors of the north. The three last trumpets are empha- tically designated as three woes : gtud of the^e the two first are now generally allowed to re- late to the Saracens and the Turks. Suppos- ing these then to be the two first woe?, it is difficult to conceive what we are to expect for the third woe, if the French revolution "* See Dan. xi. 56. He is to prosper, of course with ■some temporary incidental exceptions, iiil the indignation be aecompiisfud. One of thts^ exceptions we have just wit- witii all its amazing consequences be not intended. Accordingly, in my work, I have set forth at large my reasons for believing, that tlie third woe is the French revolution. But, if the thu'd woe be the French revolution ; then the seventh trumpet mu^;t liave begun to sound, because the seventh trumpet ushers in the third woe. And, if the seventh trumpet has begun to sound ; then the series of the «even vials must have con>menced, because it may be proved to demonstration that all the seven vials are introduced by and compre* hended under the seventh trumpet Agreeably to this arrangement, and merely following the course of events, 1 suppose tlie first vial to relate to the noisome sore of atheism, which first openly broke out in the August of 1 792 ; the second and third, to the dreadful bloodshed, internal and external, produced by the French revolution ; and the fourth, to the tremendous military tyranny exercised by the chief of the revohitionary government, when the atheistical republic became a despotic monarchy under Buo- naparte. HI. When my book was originally pub- lished in the beginning of the year 1806, 1 saw clearly that the fifth vial had not then been ix)ured out : and 1 further perceived, that the chief of the house of Austria, in his quality It ') ! I 11 ti (ir i'l; I. »if t i w ^ of the Carlovingian Emperor of the Romans, was at that time the representative of the last head of the Roman beast ; no transfer of the dignity to France having then taken place* Hence I could only say in general terms, that, whenever the fifth vial was poured out, it would aftect that European government which should then be the representative of the Ro- man beast's last head; but that it was impos-p sible to tell beforehand, which government would then be its representative. My book made its appearance in the January of 1806; and, in August 1806, time, the best interpreter of prophecy, solved the problem. The Carlo- vingian Emperorship was then transferred from Germany to France: and, as the govern- ment of that country thus became the repre- sentative of the last head, whatever is foretold of that last head subsequent to the prophecy of the fourth vial * must plainly be accomplished in that government. Thus far, if my principles were valid, was sufficiently manifest : but still, as the fifth vial was yet future, it was impossible to say definitely what precise event or events it would bring to pass, I might indeed affirm, as in fact I did affirm, that it portended some * That is, subsequent to the prophecy contained in Rev^ xvi. 8, 9. *1 grievous calamity; which should strike the very throne of the Roman beast, which should fill his whole kingdom with darkness, and Mhich should cause his adherents to gnaw Jtheir tongues for pain. I could see likewise very distinctly, on the supposition that my principles were valid, that the calamity, fore- told under the fifth vial, must necessarily befall the imperial revolutionary government of France; because that government had then become the last head of the Roman beast, and the prophecy respects the Roman beast under his last or Carlovingian head. But, how or ichen the French government was to writhe under the calamity in question, I pretended not to determine ; because the prediction was as yet unaccomplished. I could only wait iu patience for the presignified event: and so, accordingly, I did wait. The words of the prophecy are these. And ^^^^ Jif^^^ angel poured out his vial on the THRONE of the beast : and his kingdom was full of darkness^ and they gnawed their tongues for pain^ and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, find REPENTED NOT of their deeds^. Now, as I have just observed, it is easy enouglj to see the general nature of this pre- •' 1 I " tl'l i^Jl I. ■J.l u * Rev. xvi, 10. ■'■-"J." ..•-•., w 15 licted rolamilv, though historical facts alone can enable us\o explain it in detail. TAe imperial throne of France^ then the representative of the beasts last head, is to be violently attacked : the attack is to prove suc' cessful; for the bestial kingdom is to be filled UHth darkness : the military adherents of the throne are to be filed with diabolical rage, on account of the calamity sustained by that throne : and yet no sig7is of repentance are to appear. This is evidently the general purport of the prophecy; if we admit only, that the Carlo- vingian Emperorship is the last head of the beast, and that that Emperorship was trans- ferred from Germany to its native France in the August of 1 806. Accordingly, it was not long before events furnished us with a key to the particular im- port of the prophecy, which w^as found exactly to agree with its supposed general import. 1. The fifth vial, if I mistake not, began to flow in the year 1808 ; when the Spanish na- tion arose as one man, and (in perfect har- mony with the prediction) struck directly at the THRONE of the beast by declaring the im- perial government of Buonaparte to be a ty- rannical usurpation. From this cliaracteristic I suspected at the time that the fifth vial had commenced ; and, on that ground^ I anti- ■mlifl if cipated a series of disaster* to France, though of course I knew not to what precise extent they might amount. My sentiments on tlie matter stand recorded in a respectable nK)nth- ly publication : and I scrupled not to avow ni> belief, that the Spanish struggle would b© successful *. As yet however the "stream flowed with comparative penimousness : baffled in Spain> Tranche Was nevertheless eminently successful in Germany : the vial had merely comn^iKied. But its baneful effects «oon began to be felt upon a larger scale. The autumn of 1812 was marked by Buonaparte's frantic attack upon Russia. Of his vast armanfjent, not a tithe returned to tell the tale^ The campaiga of 1813 was disthiguished by bfe complete de^ feat before Leipsic, his loss of the whole ctf Germany, and his disgraceful flight across the Rhine. The vial was nmv flovvitig with pop- teutons rapidity: but even yet, its stream, though copious, was not at the height. In the spring of 1814, the allies occupied Paris; and, as the characteristic mark of the fifth vial is, that it should be poured out upon the THRONE of the beast; so, in exact accord- ance with prophecy, the sovereigns declared ♦ See Christian Observer for Dec. 1S08. p. 7^7^ My paper there inserted bears date Oct. 1. 1808. if kfj 12 tliat they would treat neither with Buona- parte nor with any member of his family, and commanded the vanquished French senate to call another prince to the throne. Their mandate was obeyed : Buonaparte was com- fielled to abdicate : and the ancient dynasty was restored, • But, though the vial was thus to he poured out on the throne of the beast, no intimation is given, that his sovereignty should be com- pletely anmhilated : his imperial throne was to be shaken indeed to its very centre, but it ^^snoVio he overturned entirely; his king- dom was to remain, though filled with dark- ness. Such is evidently the drift of the pro- phecy: and with it facts precisely agreed, though in a manner wholly unprecedented in 4iistory. Buonaparte, driven as he was from FraTice and Italy, was yet neither stripped of all his dominions, nor was he compelled to resign his imperial dignity. As the Western empire was not less the Western empire in the eye of prophecy, when confined during the short reign of Augustulus to the limits of Rome ; and, as the Eastern empire was not less the Eastern empire in the eye of prophecy, when confined during the reign of the last Constantine, to the limits of Constantinople ; so neither was the kingdom of the last head less the kingdom of the last head, nor did it« 13 representative cease to be its true representa-- tive; because his throne was attacked, be- cause his kingdom was filled with darkness, and because his actual dominions were con- tracted within the narrow space of a small island. The allies not only suffered the tyger to escape from the toils ; but they universally for the first time, even in the hour of his ad- versity, recognized him as the lawful Em- peror of the West, tliough they confined his sovereignty to the isle of Elba. Unexampled in hifirtory, as the fate of Buonaparte has been ; yet the confinement of the Carlovingian so- vereignty within a very narrow province is by no means unexampled. Thus, to give a single instance, when the last male of the house of Austria died, and when his hereditary domi- nions passed into the house of Lorraine ; the petty elector of Bavaria became Emperor of the Romans, and in that quality was the ac- Juiowledged head of the Roman world though his actual dominions consisted only of a smaU German principality. The emperor Napo.- leon then in the isle of Elba was not less the representative of Charlemagne, than the em- peror Napoleon upon the throne of France, Italy, and the western Germany. The allies unconsciously fulfilled a prophecy, in recog- nizing the imperial title of Napoleon and in I 'i . 1 .1 i I f fi If !llt m .11 I *. >i ' ( I !.'■ 11 I f ^ t- ;, f* III r4 jjdrmitli^g him ta hold a sovefeigwty however amall. Had they not do«e this, the revalue Uonary government would have ceased to exist : % doing it, they preserved the line of the revolutionary government unbroken. 2, Such were the effects of the fifth vial upon the THRONE of the beast; nor were they less felt throughout his kingdom : we have all been witnesses?, that, as his kingdom, France has been filled with darkness; and the ex- treme rage of the military, at finding their favourite chief driven out to make room for the peaceful Louis, cannot be more accurately ijeseribed, according to every account which we have had of it, tlian in the emphatic lan- guage of prophecy that they gnawed their tongues for pa in. 3. Nor has the last part of the prediction been less minutely accomplished. No signs of PENITENCE havc appeared. The infa- tuated Capets have pertinaciously adhered to the contemptible superstition of Popery : w hile their subjects, plunged (as I have been credibly informed) in the very grossest prac- tical abominations, have despised the theolo- gical nmmmeries of their restored prhices, not 85 enlightened scriptural protestants, but as determined infidels or atheists. IV. The same principles which led me to expect sonie remarkable attack on the throiie 6 I n of the last head even when it seemed to be flourishing in all its palmy vigour, led me also to expect that the restoration of the Bourbons would not be permanent even when all Eu- rope was rejoicing at the downfall of Buona- parte. The opinion I repeatedly avowed to my friends, both in conversation and in let- ters : and so fully was I convinced of its sta- bility, that, in the fifth edition of my work published early in the present year, I hesitated not to insert a long note to that purpose^ which bears date July 28, 1814, as the time when it was written *. As for the individual who might be the instrument of this expected counter-revolution, it appeared to me to be a matter of very little consequence : for the struggle, according to ray view of prophetic interpretation, lay not between the two mdivi' duals Louis and Napoleon, but between the two governments over which they severally presided. Hence I only intimated my belief to be, that the Bourbon government would not stand, but that the revolutionary imperial government would be restored. I judged it very pi^ohahle^ that tlie agent might be Napo- * See my Dissert, on the ICGO days. 5th edit. vol. ii. p. 400 ft intra. To one of my friends I wrote a letter to the 3ame purpose, dated May 1 9, 1314. Ht has just rcmiaded me of the circumstaacc. 1 5 I I >'i> i i "^ }i i I 'If f << 1 i^ m § 16 leon himself: though I deemed it, as I still deem it, altogether uncertain a pftori, whetli^r he, or his son, or some other miHtary adven- turer, would be the person. I only thought myself warranted to expect the downtall of the regal government and the restoration of the revolutionary imperial government ; and thisy accordingly, I did expect : but, hoic soon^ or by whose agency, it might happen, I pre- tended not to determine ; because the pro- phecy afforded nie tio sort of intimation. My own private conjecture indeed was, that the restoration of the revolutionary government would probably not take place, until ten of fifteen or even twenty years : but, as this was mere conjecture, I was not warranted in making it public ; and events have shewn, that so far I was quite mistaken, for the re- storation has followed with a rapidity which I had not anticipated. I mention this, to shew how vague and uncertain conjecture must always be, when it is not built on Jixed principles. 1. But, though my principles did not en- able me to determine the time wheUy or the ion by whorn^ the restoration of the revo- .c.onary government would be effected ; they did enable me to assert positively, that sooner 17 or later such a restoration would take place. I shall therefore state the principles^ on which my opinion was founded. The last head of the Roman beast, at the period when the fifth vi^l began to flow, had been shewn to be the imperial government of France : consequently, as events have proved, the plague of the fifth vial fell upon the throne of Napoleon. Now, under the sixth vial, which at some indefinite interval follows the fifth, we find the beast, notwithstanding that tremendous attack upon his throne which fills his whole kingdom with darkness, just as rampant and powerful as ever : for he is de- scribed, in conjunction with the dragon and the false prophet, and by the agency of wliat are mystically termed three unclean spirits like frogs, as gathering together into one grand confederacy all the king's of the Roman or papal world *. It is not difficult to guess what the nature of this confederacy will be ; for the establishment of a sort of feudal or federal em- pire, in which all the continental sovereigns of western Europe should be the vassals of the Franco-Roman monarchy, has already been developed as the leading policy of Buonaparte. We learn then from the yet unaccomplished prophecy of the sixth vial, that such an em- • Rev. xvi. 12—16. i ' ,M I II m (I i f rl^ . . \ 1* 11 1 18 pire ivilly sooner or later, be established either by Napoleon himself 6r by some successor of his. But this prophecy plainly could not have been fulfilled, unless the revolutionary imperial government of France had been previously restored : for, if it had continued in the state to which it was reduced in the spring of 1814, how could it accomplish what it must accom- plish under the yet future sixth vial ; that is to say, how could it succeed in forming a fe- deral empire of A\\ the kings of the Latin ivorld ? Hence I distinctly perceived, that the recovery of the beast from the attack made upon his throne under the fifth vial, or (in plain English) the restoration of the imperial government and the downfall of the Bourbon government, was absolutely necessary to the accomplishment of the prophecy of the sixtli vial ; because, unless such restoration should bave been previously effected, the confederacy under the sixth vial plainly could not be brouglit about by tlie last head of the beast or (in other words) by the imperial govern- ment of France. Such being the case, I evidently saw, tliat, sooner or later, either be- fore or about the effusion of the sixth vial, the Bourbon government must fall, and the im- perial government must be restored. Accord- ingly, my reliance on my principles was so stron"-, that I had no fear in making my opi- 19 ttion public : but, as I have already observed^ 1 had no means from prophecy of determining, either the time when^ or the individual by whomy the counter-revolution would be effected. The naked fact abne was all that I could vouch for* 2. In a similar manner, and on similar principles, though I think it certain that a confederacy of the Latin kings will hereafter be formed under the controul of the last head of the Roman beast ; yet I can neither say how soouy nor can I at all determine whether the war in which we are about to embark will be successful or unsuccessful on the part of the allies. My conjecture is, that for a season it will be successful ; but, as my grounds are purely hypothetical^ my conjecture must be received accordingly. The grounds however are these : and the reader may speculate upon them at his leisure. At present it is wholly uncertain, whether we have reached the end of the fifth vial or not If then we have reached it, France will be successful ; if we have not reached it, the allies will be successful. Why then, it may be asked, do I conjecture tlie success of one party, rather than of the other ? My reason is this. The characteristic badg^ of the fifth vial is an attack upofi tjie thkqne c2 ■ is ' ■ I a 'N i m «;' Ij ./l I if 20 of the last headi NbW the principles, on which the allies embark in the present war, strongly partake of the characteristic badge in question. They openly avow^ that their prin- ciples in 1815 are the very same as their principles in 1814 ; that is to say, they openly avow, that they war exclusively against the THRONE of Napoleom Here then we have the characteristic badge of the fifth vial : and hence I think it not unlikely, that the war may to a certain extent be successful. The intelligent reader will easily perceive^ why this is a mere conjecture. I want the basisy by the possession of which I could speak with certainty. Were I sure that the fifth vial had not completely run out, I should be sure that the allies w^ould be victorious. But I am not sure : and therefore I can only guess, from the remarkable character of the impending war, that the fifth vial is not yet quite exhausted. Should that prove to be the case, then no doubt the allies will be victori- ous, and revolutionary France will experience yet further calamities. V. The next primary event in prophecy will be the downfall of the Ottoman em- pire, which will begin to be dismembered as soon as the sixth \ial sliall begin to flow. During thp effusion of the same vial, the^reat confederacy of tlie beast will be formed ; very if. i p 21 probably, I think, by subtle and dark in^ trigues. How soon these events will take place, we have no means of determining : but fresh light breaks in upon this awful subject every day. Long-Kcivton, May 'J, 181.-. V 1 A if I 'I.' fi , f n ll 28 to 'establish such a scheme, were plainly su- perfluous: I need only observe, that the scheme was marked out abstractedly y before any use was made of it in the ivay of exposition. The arrangement, which Mr. Frere advo- cates, differs widely from the precedhig one : though he, like myself, attempts very properly to establish it uhstractedhjy before he applies any of the prophecies to historical /ac(*. His proposed arrangement is this. The seven seals follow each other in regU" iar chronological order. The seven trumpets also follow each otlier in regidar chronological order. But the seven seals and the seven trumpets run parallel to each other in two distinct lines y commencing from the same his* torical point. The earthquake, on this princi- pie, which takes place under the sixth sealy is the same event as the earthquake of the sixth trumpet : and the seventh seal and the seventh trumpet both commence exactly at the same point of time. HencCy as the seven vials are all compehended under and mtr^oduced by the seventh trumpety they are all compre- hended under and introduced by the se- venth seal likewise. These vials follow each other in regidar chronological order. The period of the 1260 days commences at an apocalyptically unspecified point between the fourth and ffth trumpets oi' betu^een the \i 1^ f n fourth and fifth seals : but it terminates at the apocalyptically specified point of the beginning of the seventh trumpet or seventh seal *. Now it is sufficiently manifest, as Mr. Frere perfectly well knows, that, if either of these abstract arrangements can be shevra to be erroneous, the whole interpretation built upon it will be untenable as a regular system; though particular expositions may very possibly be right, more however in that case from good luck than from their having emanated out of ajvrmly established general plan. Thus, if Mr. Frere's abstract arrange- ment be proved to be erroneous, his scheme of interpretation will immediately fall to the ground, though by good fortune he may here and there be right in his view of insulated par- ticulars. The same remark applies of course to my own abstract arrangement : if that can be over-thrown, the general plan of interpretation built upon it will be worth just nothing. The two arrangements standing in decided opposition to each other, whatever tends to disprove the one will just so much pave the way for the reception of the other : and in-' deed it is almost impossible to produce an argu- ment against either, without at the same time \}ii f , * See the chart prefixed to Mr. Frere's work, where this system is very lumijioiisly exhibited. ill 17 29 producino: an argument in favour of its rival. My plan therefore will be, in some measure at least, to consider them jointly. 1. What, I think, must first strike the cau- tious reader is this : my arrangement is per- fectly analogical; Mr. Frere's arrangement is perfectly the rever&e of being analogical. According to my theory, as the seven vials are all introduced by the seventh trumpet, and as the two septenaries of the trumpets and the vials thus form a regular chronological series ; so the seven trumpets are all introduced by the seventh seal, and the two septenaries of the seals and the trumpets form in like man- ner a regular chronological series: and again, as the expiration of the 1260 days is marked by one of the great apocalyptic epochs; so the commencement of that period is marked by another great apocalyptic epoch. But, according to Mr. Frere's theory, though the seven vials are all introduced by the seventh tioimpet, and though the two seji- tenaries of the trumpets and the vials thus form a regular chronological series ; yet the seventh seal does not similarly introduce the seven trumpets, and the two septenaries of the seals and the trumpets do not form a regular chronological series, but (wholly nnlike the two septenaries of tlie trumpets and the vials) they run parallel to each other : and again. 29 though the 1260 days are made to terminate with one of the great apocalyptic epochs; yet they are made not to commence with one, but, on the contrary, they are supposed to begin at an unspecified point which occurs between two of the great apocalyptic epochs. In this arrangement, the analogy, which even a good writer, much more therefore an inspired writer, might be presumed to maintain in order to his being intelligible, is altogether violated: and the consequence is, that we feel ourselves treading quite upon uncertain ground. For, if one author chooses, in his interpretation, to make the trumpets and vials successive, but the seals and trumpets parallel ; another may, with at least as much plausibi* lity assert, that they are all parallel, and call upon Mr. Frere to shew why two of the sep- tenaries should be parallel and two successive: and, if this other author may make such an assertion ; a third again may say, that the seals and the trumpets are successive, but that the trumpets and the vials are parallel. In short, if once we depart from the obvious analogical arrangement, which I have adopted, and to which the Avhole prophecy itself leads us very unequivocally ; we may ring as many changes as we please, and all with equal emolument, on the three apocalyptic septen. aries. ^ ■> /•l A t" I so 2. Here however Mr. Frere will say, that, however useful analogy may be in ite place, the arrangement of the three septenaries must be determined by certain inienial marks which may be observed in the text itself, and that the same mode of classification must be adopted in the apocalyptic arrangement of the 1260 days. To this I readily assent, and feel myself not unprepared to meet him on such ground. (I.) We will begin with discussing the arrangement of the seals and the trumpets. When I was studying the subject previous to vrriting upon it, I observed, as Mr. Frere and almost every other commentator has ob- served, that the seven seals are plainly repre- sented by the prophet as succeeding each other in regular chronological order. I fur- ther observed, that all the six first seals are described as ushering in certain prominent events : but, when I came to the seventh, I found that it merely introduced w^hat St. John styles silence in heaven about the space of halj an hour. Such being the case, I could only view this short silence as being a brief period of stillness preparatory to what may be esteemed the real and proper contents of tlie seventh seal. Reading forward, therefore, J observed, that the short silence was immedi- ately followed by the successive sounding of HI ^ 31 seven trumpets. Hence, with Made and I believe every other interpreter, I naturall) concluded, that the seventh seal introduced and comprehended the septenary of the trum- pets. For, unless this arrangement were adopted, I perceived, that the seventh seal, unlike its six predecessors, would introduce just nothing at all, save a brief period of perfect inaction. My supposition therefore was, that the troubles figuratively described under the sixth seal were to be succeeded by a period of silent inaction, which the seventh seal should introduce previous to the sounding of the seven trumpets. Such an arrangement however does not satisfy Mr. Frere : and he even charges me with exhibiting a period wholly unknown t9 St. John^ simply because I place the half hour's silence exactly where the apostle Iiim- Belf had placed it ; to wit, immediately after the opening of the seventh seal and immedi- ately before the sounding of the first trumpet *. Let us see then, by what arguments he would substitute liis own arrangement for that which I have adopted from Mede and our best com- mentators. As the seven trumpets are supposed by Mr. ♦ Contents, p. xiiL Work, p. 71. See Rev. viii. 1,2. 6.7. i I i r •! ') M I t * i i. Frerd to run parallel to the seven seals, in- stead of being successive to theni ; and as he pronounces the seventh seal to commence syn- chronically with the seventh trumpet and to comprehend the very same events : we are of course prepared to expect, that the contents of the seventh seal will perfectly resemble the contents of the seventh trumpet. On turning to the text then, we read of the seventh seal, that, when the lamb had opened ity there was SILENCE IN HEAVEN about the space of half an hour: but of the seventh trumpet we read, that, when it was sounded, there were great VOICES IN HEAVEN *. Now, as a dead silence in heaven is the very reverse of great voices in heaven, it being obviously impossible that silence and noise should sy^ichronically coexist in the same place^ Mr. Frere found that the mute seventh seal could never be made to coincide with the vocal seventh trumpet, un- less it were managed on a totally different principle from what it had hitherto been managed. In order therefore to make them coincide, he has recourse jointly to argument and to criticism. The argument, when thrown into regular syllogistic form, is this. The seven trumpets run parallel to the seven • Rev. viii. 1. xi. t^. 33 seals. Therefore the earthquake of the sixth seal must be the same as the earthquake of the sixth trumpet*. Since therefore these two earthquakes are the same, whatever follotcs the one must likewise follow the other. But the time of God's wrath with various aicful concomitants follows the earthquake of the sixth trumpet, and is introduced by the seventh trumpet f. The great day also of the Lamb's tcrath with various awful concomitants follows the eartliquake of the sixth seal. Therefore the day of the Lamb's wrath with its various auful concomitants, being introduced by the seventh trumpet, must be introduced also by the seventh seal. Consequently, the real con- tents of the seventh seal are not the half-hour's silence, but the events detailed in Rev. vi. 12—17, subsequent to ^Ae word Earthquake. In other words, the seventh seal does Hot com^ me7ice in Rev. viii. 1, but in Rev. vi. 12, with the words And the sun became black. It requires little dialectical acumen to per- ceive, that this whole argument is built upon a glarmg- petitio principii. The basis of it is an assumption of the very point which ought to have been proved, namely the parallelism of the seals and the tmmpets. But, unless * Rev. vi. 12. xi. 13, t Rev. XI. 18. comp, with ver. IS, 14, 15, D At 1 ■^ I U * •// 34 this be proved, Mr. Frere has no right to say, that tlie earthquake of the sixth trumpet is the same event as the earthquake of the sixth seaL And, if he has no right to make such an asser- tion without first proving the parallelism, Ihert all the res-t of the argiunent plainly falls to the ground. This illogical argument has necessarily led Mr. Frere into the criticinni, which I have just alluded to. If Ihe contents of the seventh seal are lo be sought in Rev. vi. 12—17, beginning with the words And the nun: then Rev. viii. I. must speak, not of the commencement of the seventh seal, but of its termination. In this manner accordingly, which indeed is absolutely neces- sar)' to his proposed arrangement, Mr. Frere does understand Rev. viii. I. He tells us, that Rev. viii. begins xcith an intimation, that ihe period of the seventh seal is passed*: and he afterwards censures Mede and others of his predecessors for not having miderstood, that the opening of the seventh seal n-as not men- Honed till the end instead of the beginning of the period to which it referredf. Now it may be observed on this criticism, that if Rev. viii. opens with an intimation that the period of the seventh seal is passed, the in- * P. 15. ■y P. -i7. See also p- 71. S5 timation must doubtless be contained in the words When he had opened the seventh seal. All therefore that we have to do is to inquire, both on the ordinary principles of language and on the general context of the passage, what is meant by the words in question. In common convei-sation, when we speak of a man opening a book, we mean that he is beginning to read it, not that he has Jinished reading it ; because we usually open a book at the commencement of our perusing it, and «hut it at the conclusion of our perusal. What St. John indeed saw was a roll, and not a modern book: but this will make no material difference ; for, if we had been read- ing out of a roll, we could scarcely be said to open or unfold the identical part which had occupied our attention precisely when we had Jinished reading ; we should rather, I appre- hend, tmfold the roll, when we began to read. Hence, in ordinary conversation, if we re- marked, that a man opened a book or unfolded a roll ; few probably would understand «s to mean by such an expression, that the man had been diligently reading out of the book or roll for the last hour, and that now he had Jinished his task. We usually, in short, say, that a man opens a book when he begins to read it, and shuts it when he has done reading; not that he shuts the book when he begins to D 2 /( /li ! m ^ , I ' I' )i 1 ^ , 1 ill fl 1 ■* ' 'i 36 read, and opens it for the first time when he Jinishes. Thus it appears, that our common colloquial idiom is decidedly against Mr. Frere's proposed interpretation of the place ; namely, that the expression When he had opened the seventh seal contains an intima- tion that the period of the seventh seal is PASSED. It is useful however in the elucidation of difficult or ambiguous passages to attend to the context : let us see therefore, whether the context will happily lead us to the right un- derstanding of the present place. The phrase When he had opened (Gr. ire fjvot^i) occurs no less than seven times in St. John's account of the seven seals. Now, whatever ambiguity there may be in the phrase itself^ as it occurs seven times in a continued and plainly con- nected narrative, sound criticism requires, that, as we understand it one place, so we should likewise understand it in all the other six. If therefore, as applied to one seal, it means the commencement of that seal; we may safely venture to conclude, that, as applied to the other six, it analogously means their several commencements : and vice versa, if, as applied to one seal, it means the termination of thai seal ; we may no less safely conclude, that, as applied to the other six, it means their several terminations. In six instances out of the S7 seven then, to wit in the cases of the six first seals, the expression, Mr. Frere himself being judge, denotes the commencement of a seal: yet does he assure us, that, in the case of the seventh seal, it assumes the directly opposite sense of termination. Here we have two diametrically opposite senses given of the same phrase, as it occurs in one continued narra- tive : the expression lolicn he opened thejirsty second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth, seal, means the commencement of each of those seals ; but the expression when he opened the seventh seal means the termination of that seal, for Rev. viii. (if we may believe Mr. Frere) begins ivith an intimation that the period of the seventh seal is passed. That the phrase ought to be interpreted homogen- eously, is sufficiently clear : but I see not, how we are to ascertain its real meaning, except by adverting to its use in ordinary conversa- tion. Now that has determined it to denote commencement ; a very good sense, for Mr. Frere himself has so interpreted it in six instances out of seven. Hence I conclude^ tliat Rev. viii. so iar from beginning with an intimation that the period of the seventh seal is PASSED, does in truth begin with an intima- tion that it is now commencing. The reader will probably now be inclined to think, that Mr. Frere's arrangement of the i\y i A * I m (\ t 38 seals and the trumpets is untenable, and that the jiroper arrangement of tliem is that which I had adopted from Mede and others of my predecessors. But, if Mr. Frere's arrange- ment be overthrown, tlie interpretation which depends upon it falls jointly to the ground. Hence the two septenaries of the seals and the trumpets cannot relate to the two parallel lines of Roman history in the west and in the east: hence the earthquake of the sixth seal cannot mean the French revolution, but must shadow^ out some event which took place many centuries before : and hence the wrath of the Lamb under the i'?a:^/i seal, erroneously placed by Mr. Frere under the seventh seal, cannot have been excited by the same event as that which provokes the wrath of God under the Bcventh trumpet. (2.) Let us now attend to the arrangement of the trumpets and the vials. Here I have the good fortune perfectly to agree with IVlr. Frere. Before his work was published, I had demonstrated with mathe- matical certainty from the internal evidence afforded by the text itself, that the seventh trumpet introduces and comprehends all the Beven vials. In this, both Mr. Frere and Mr. Cuninghame acquiesce, though the latter un- fortunately mars the arrangement by sup- posing the vials to run parallel mstead of ■■-««««; ,1 39 being successive to each other. To repeat therefore the demonstration, would be plainly superfluous: we are all agreed, wliere iu"- deed there cannot be a shadow of doubt, that the seven vials are introduced by an J com- prehended within the sounding of the seventh trumpet. (3.) This now fully established point will greatly assist us, in the proper synchronical arrrangement of the 1260 days: and, for want of due attention to it, both Mr. Frere and Mr. Cuninghame have erred. The former of these respectable writers, after properly remarking that an abstract ar- rangement of the apocalyptic synclironisms must be obtained from the internal evidence afforded by the text itself before any attempt be made to apply the prophecies to historical facts, proceeds to intimate that I have failed to attend to this sound canon, merely because I do not admit the 1260 days to end at the conunencement of the seventh trumpet *. One might imagine from the mode in which he speaks of my supposed mistake, that I had never heard of snch an arrangement as that which makes the commencement of the se- venth trumpet mark the termination of the 1260 days. This, however, is an error on 'i M li '1' Pp. 44, 50, C58. gftji^giMCilMB i fj !i# 40 his part; an error, Mhich the reader may* easily correct by referring to my work on the sii1)ject. I did not make tlie 1260 days ter- minate with the commencement of the seventh via!, because I was ignorant that an attempt had been made by Mede and other writers to estabUsh their synchronical termination with the commencement of the seventh trumpet : but I adopted my own arrangement, because I was decidedly convinced that that of Mede was erroneous. Mr. Frere indeed speaks of ]Mede's arrangement as being estabhshed with such absohite demonstration, as to admit of no further controversy; and thence blames my alleged inconsistency in supposing the seventh trumpet to introduce the French re- volution, while I nevertheless esteem the end of the 1260 days to be yet future. But to this charge of inconsistency I beg leave to de- cline subscribing. I certainly think, that the French revolution was that tremendous tliird woe wliicli the seventh trumpet was destined to introduce ; and in this I agree with almost every modern expositor, though there may be some minor variations in our specific dates: but I do not make the 1260 days end at that epoch, because I flatly deny that they have ever been abstractedly proved to termi- nate with the commencement of the seventh trumpet, as Mr. Frere too hastily would per- 41 suade us is the case. On the contrary, as it may be easily demonstrated that the 1260 days do not terminate with the commence- ment of the seventh trumpet, and I am fully persuaded that the seventh trumpet began to sound when it introduced the woe of the French revolution ; I, on that very account, even independent of various other reasons, feel myself compelled to maintain, that the 1260 days did not terminate at the beginning of the French revolution. When Mr. Frere contends that Mede has proved the end of tlie 1260 days to synchro- nize with the beginning of the seventh trum- pet, he quite forgets to add, tlial Mede like- xoise assert the end of that period to syn- chronize with the beginning of the seventh vial. The fact was this : that great expositor clearly saw, that the six first^ vials and tlie commencing plague of the seventh must in- evitably be included within the period of the 1260 days. Hence he perceived, that the 1260 days must necessarily terminate with the commencement of the seventh vial: and here accordingly, like myself (a point wholly overlooked by Mr. Freie), he places their termination. Thus far all was riglit : but, unhappily mistaking ^as Mr. Frere^has done after him) the meaning of the mighty angel's declaration in tlie tenth chapter M 'I' 'k n\ ! [i] 1*1 /.' 42 of the Apocalj-pse *, he persuaded him- ^If that the 1260 days likewise terminat- ed with the conimencement of the geventli trumpet. Under this view of the subject, which Mr. Frere has very injudiciously omitted to state, no resource was left him but to make the seventh trumpet and the seventh vial exactly synchronical : and such an ar- ran^-cment of course compelled him to place all the six first vials anterior to the sounding of the seventh trumpet; in order that he might thus place them, where he saw they mvst be placed, within the period of the 1260 days. This was the real ground of :Mede's arrangement, which Mr. Frere incau- tiously deems to have been established beyond a possil)ility of contradiction. Mede perceived that tlie six first vials could not but be in- cluded within the 1260 days: he further per- ccived from such incontrovertible premises, that the 1260 davs nuist inevitably terminate M ith tlic commencement of the seventh vial : but he aho thought he had reason to imagine, that they terminate with the conunencement of the seventh trumpet: lience, as I have just observed, he was compelled to make the seventh trumpet and the seventh vial perfectly svuchrunical ; and hence he was likewise l»' i * Rev. X. 6, 7. 43 compelled to place all the six first vials before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Now it is abundantly manifest, that the whole of this theory is at once overturned by the proof, that all the seven vials are poured out after the seventh trumpet begins to sound ; a point, which Mr. Frere and Mr, Cuninghame contend, as strenuously as I do, to have been established past contradiction. For, if all the seven vials are posterior to the commencement of the seventli trumpet, and if the six first vials and the commencing point of the seventh must needs be cornpre' hended within the period of the 1260 days: then of course the 1260 days, the expiration of which Mede fully allows to synchronize with the beginning of the seventh vial, can- not also synchronize with the beginning of the seventh trumpet; because all the seven vials, and therefore much more the last of them, are now confessedly posterior to the be- ginning of the seventh trumpet. The merest tyro in logic will readily per- ceive, that the only way, in which Mr. Frere can extricate himself from the toils in which he is hampered, is to deny a synchronism alike maintained by Mede and myself; namely, that the six first vials and the com-' mencing point of the seventh must neces- sarily be included within tlie 1260 days : for, t I I" I m r if .. ■> J ..— aOei '^ if \ . 'It I ki I .■' 44 if that synchronism be allowed, then of course the two positions, that the 1260 days expire at the heginnmg of the seventh trumpet^ and that all the seven vials are introduced by the seventh tnnnpet, cannot be both held ; one or other of them Mr. Frere must inevitably give up, because the two cannot consist to- gether. All therefore, which I have to do to make tlie argument complete, is to prove, that tlie six Jirst vials and the commencing point of the seventh must necessarily be in-- eluded icithin the period of the 1260 days. This, accordingly, I now undertake to do. (a.) It has been indisputably demonstrated, as Mr. Frere and Mr. Cuninohame both ftilly allow, that all the seven vials are intro- duced by and comprehended within the seventh trumpet : whence of course it fol- lows, that the effusion of all the vials is pos-^ terior to the connnencement of the seventh trumpet. (i&.) It is also fully allowed, that the sack- cloth-prophesying of the two witnesses ex- actly synchronizes from begiiming to end with the period of the 1260 days : whence it obvi- ously follows, that, whatever occurs during the sackcloth-prophesying of the witnesses, occurs also during the period of the 1260 days. (( .) Now we are told, that the witnesses. \\ * 45 during the days of their prophecy, have power to shut heaven that it rain not, and that they have likewise power over the waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they w ill * : whence it is manifest, that the turning of the waters into blood, and the smiting of the earth w itii every plague, are events which occur during the time of the sackcloth-prophesying of tlie witnesses. (d.) But the sackcloth-propliesying of the M^itnesses synchronizes from begiiming to end with the period of the 1260 days (§ 6.); and the waters are turned into blood, and the earth is smitten w ith every plague during the time of the sackcloth-prophesying (§ c.) : whence it necessarily follows, that the turning of the waters into blood, and the smitino- of the earth with every plague, occur during the period of the 1260 days. (e.) Now the seven vials are expressly said to bring on seven plagues f ; and they are moreover all declared in general to be poured out upon the earth J : the earth therefore is smitten with every plague by the operation of the seven vials. The second and the third vials moreover are said to be specially poured out on the sea and the rivers ; and their po- • Rev. xi. 6. t Rev, xv. \, 7, 8. t Rev, xvi. 1. I m\ \ I : \ 1 I I n 46 tency is such, that the waters are changed into blood * : the waters are therefore changed into blood by the operation of the seven vials. (f.) But we have already seen, that the w^aters are changed into blood, and that the earth is smitten with every plagTie, during the period of the 1260 days (§ d.)- and we have now seen, tliat the waters are also changed into blood, and the earth is also smitten with every plague, by the operation of tlie seven vials (§ e.). (g-.) Hence it follows, that the six first vials and the commencing or operative point of the seventh, which produces the plague of a great earthquake, must necessarily be in- cluded within the period of the 1260 days: because the identical events, which are said to occur during the period of the 1260 days, are produced by the operation of the vials. Hence moreover it follows, that the declara- tion Tt is dojiCy which proceeds out of the temple at the commencement of the seventh vial, means, that the period of the 1260 days 4s finished f. Accordingly, as the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth, and as Babylon is more or less triumphant during the lapse of the 1260 days; so we are expressly assured, thaj)> * Rev xvi, S — 7, -fj* Rev. xvi. 1 7. \ \ 47 at the effusion of the seventh vial, and there- fore of course not earlier except in a very in- ferior sense *, great Babylon came in remem- brance before God to gire unto Iter the cup of the trine of the fierceness of his wrath -f. Hi- therto the witnesses had prophesied more or less in sackcloth, and Babvlon had more or less been triumphant : but now, at the effu- sion of the seventh vial when the 1260 davs expire, the witnesses cease to prophesy in sackcloth, and Babylon receives the full cup of almighty wrath. I have now proved, that all the six first vials and the commencing or operative point of the seventh are comprehended within the period of the 1260 days, and consequcntly that the 1260 days expire with the voice and the earthquake and the judgment of Babylon at the commencement of the seventh vial ; as Mede clearly saw, and fully admitted, many years ago. But it had already been proved, to the full satisfaction of Mr. Frcre himself, that all the seven vials are posterior to the commencement of the seventh trumpet. There- fore, as the 1260 days expire at the com- * In an inferior sense, Babylon may be said to have come up in God's remembrance at the time of the reformation, and again at the time of the French revolution ; but what is here meant is plainly the exterminating judgment, described at large in Rev. xviii. •J- Rev. xvi. 19- \ III f t I' 48 mencement of the seventh vial, Ihey cannot expire at the commencement of the seventh trumpet ; a point, which Mr. Frere unwarily supposes to have been irrefragably demon- stratedy but which in reality is quite inca- pable of standing the test of a close examina- tion. Such being the case, if the seventh trumpet began to sound synchronically with the French revolution, that very circumstance alone will prove, that the 1260 days cannot have expired in the year 1792; as Mr. Frere and Mr. Cuninghame, erroneously even on their awn principles, liave unadviseably been led to contend. The conclusion, to which we have been brought, wlioUy unhinges Mr. Frere's specu- lations on accomplished prophecy *. Judging * Much has often been said on tlie vanity of speculating upon unfulfilled prophecy, and Sir Isaac Newton has fre- qtiently been cited as reprobating such a humour : but 1 have never yet seen this matter clearly laid down ; and I am con- vinced, that many largely deal out their censures upon those who do thus speculate, without at all understanding the i'Toufids on which such censures are alone justifiable. I shall therefore lake tJtm opportunity of saying a few words on tlie subject. As the accomplishment of prophecy admits only of tnoral demonstration and is incapable of mathematical, all prospec- tive reasoning on the subject must of couise be hypothetical. Yet, if the principles be well established, the conclusions nuist just as inevitably follow as the conclusions to which we are brought by a mathematical train of reasoning from any acknowledged dogma. Supposing then a prophetic point of 49 that the 1260 days expired in the year 1792, and rightly pronouncing from Daniel's num- interpretation to be established with as much evidence as the nature of it admits, whatever prophetic particulars depend on it must inevitable/ follow ; and, if they be future, we may hi/po^ thefically foresee that they zmll follow without at all justlj incurring the charge of presumption. Now the only evidence, by which any prophetic point of interpretation can be established, is, either the declaration of the prophet himself or the exact accomplishment of particu^ lars so far as they have been developed by him, or the^e two taken conjointly. Thus, to exemplify these positions: the apocalyptic harlot is declared to be the great city, which in the days of St. John was mistress of the whole w orld ; and, as for the beast which she rides, the sixth head is declared to be then in existence, five are said to have already fallen, and the seventh together with the ten horns is pronounced to be future. The express declaration therefore fixes the compound symbol to the Ro- man empire : and the actual rise of the last head and of the ten horns, at a period subsequent to the age of the apostle, proves by the accomplishment of particulars the accuracy of that declaration. But the woman rides the beast even to the very end, and is described as flourishing synchronically with the last head and the ten horns. Hence she cannot be Rome pagan at that time ; and therefore can only he Rome papal. She acts however precisely the same part to St. John's ten- homed beast, that the little horn does to Daniel's ten-homed beast. Hence we may be sure, that the horn and the harlot symbolize the same power. Now, if these points have been established, all the particu- lars w hich depend upon them will have been established like- wise. Consequently, since it is foretold that the beast and the Ihtle horn are to be destioyed at the end of the 126*0 days, and since it has been established that by those symbols tho E li n%\ f '. .'* X' m^tfuagggugtitiUB^saM if 4 I Ij ? " 1 50 ber 1290 thai the infidel power will be brokeil in Palestine at the close of 30 years from the Roman empire under all its various forms and the papal cburch of Rome are intended ; Sir Isaac Newton himself scruples not to predict (if we choose to call it predicting) the destruction both of the Empire and of lh« Papacy. Yet I know not whv he should be charged with presumption for thus anticipating an unaccomplished prophecy. His reason- ing indeed is hi/pothetical : but grant his premises, and his conclusion must inevitably follow. In a similar manner, Mr, Mede hesitates not to predict the downfall of the Ottoman empire under the sixth vial. His reasoning again is hj/potlte- iical: but grant only his premises, iiudyou must acknowledge the validity of his conclusion. My own anticipations, when- ever I have indulged in them, have been regularly deduced on the very same principles. Tlius, as the Roman beast cer- tainly exists under his last head during the efi'usion of the vials, I could feel no doubt in asserting even previous to the event, that, under the Jifthxhl, the power, which should then represent the last head, would experience some great attack upon its imperial authority ; but that it would assuredly recover from that attack, because we find it as strong as ever under the siith vial : and, as the French imperial government became the repre??entation of the last head anterior to the effusion of the fifth vial, 1 had no hesitation in pronouncing that the French government was the subject of the prophecy. Exactly on the same principles again I will predict (i( we must use an offen- sive word), that the last head of the Roman beast will sooner or later succeed in organizing a confederacy of the kings of the Latin world, and that with them he will perish bet>veen the two seas ki Palestine ; a prediction, in which I perfectly agree with the late Bp. Horsley who said much the same thing : yet', in reality such an assertion is no proper prediction either of the bishop's or of mine j we merely applj/t what t)aniel and St, John hu\& foretold. Our reasoning, hke that 51 end of the 1266 clays ; he is led somewhat ad- venturously to predict, that Buonaparte, whom of Nevi^on and Mede, is hypothetical If the French im- perial government became the last head of the Roman beast in August 1806, by the formal resignation of the Roman Emperorship on the part of Austria: then all, that is foretold of the last head between that period and the present ; must have been accomplished in the government of France ; and all that is foretold of the last head subsequent to the pre- sent time, must likewise hereafter be accomplished in the government of France, unless tlie ambulatory last head should pass away from that country. Now, that thi? will not be the case, may be collected with sufficient clearness : for the Infidel kingdom has been shewn to be France ; but the de- struction of the Infidel kingdom is perfectly the s;ime as the destruction of the last head, both in time, place, and circum- stances ; therefore, as the Infidel kingdom and the la^t head are now united, so they will continue united until the time of their joint destruction. Such being the case, whatever is henceforth predicted of the last head, is in effect predicted of the imperial government of France. I again repeat, that^ grant only my prennses, my conclusion is inevitable. At the same time, since my argument, like those of Mi\ Mede and Sir Isaac Newton, is hypothetical ; disprove my premises, and my conclusion wiil of course fall to the ground. If the ten-horned beast and the little horn do not me^ the Ro- man empire and the Papacy, then mi/ anticipations will all be erroneous : but, in that case, I shall at least have the com- fort of knowing, that Mede and Newton and Horsley will have been equall) mistaken in their anticipations. On the whole then I think it clear, that Sir Isaac Newton did not mean to censure anticipations thus regularly deduced liom established premises, because he himse/t scruples not to advance such anticipations ; but to check the vain humour of lavintT down minute particulars not distinct'y specified in r2 ("ij u I \ % 52 he fancies to be a personal Antichrist, will perish in the Holy Land with all his chivalry in the now rapidly approaching year 1822, 3, He further thinks, that in the same year the Jews will be restored : and he asserts, that the downfall of the Ottonian empire about the year 1819 will effectually convict me of error. Mr. Cuninghame, who likewise makes the 1260 days expire in the year 1792, has pre- cisely the same view of the subject; save only that he perceives not, any more than my- self, how I am to be confuted by the downfall of the Turkish empire. Of such predictions, I need scarcely say, that I believe not one word: and, if the Ottoman monarchy were to be subverted to-morrow, my system, what- ever may be its merits, would be just where it was. As for the restoration of the Jews, we prophecjf. Thus I am willing to hope^ that Sir Isaac would not have blamed me for asserting that the revolutionary goverumeul of France, now identified with the last head, will, under the yet future sixth \ial, organize a grand confe- deracy of the Latin kings, and will then perish in the day of Arraageildon : but I will grant, that he might very reason- ably have censured me, if I had undertaken to state the name of the individual wlio will be the special agent, or to tell how many battles he will tight, or to specify what precise city he will then make \iu capital, or to describe the colour of his uniform. These remarks may perhaps give a di<«tinct idea of what I concdivo to be the real promise of an interpreter. w. 53 are plainly enough told, as Mede truly re- marks, that it will commence at the close of the 1260 days, not at the close of the 1290 days, where Mr. Frere places it without a single shadow of authority : so that the fact of tlieir restoration being yet future is itself a decisive proof, that the 1260 days have not expired. And, as for the commencement of the 1260 days in the year 533 with a supposed grant of universal episcopacy to the Pope by the emperor Justhiian, it will be time enough for me to subscribe to it, when Mr. If'rere and Mr. Cuninghame shall have satisfactorily ac- counted for the extraordinary circumstance, that Gregory the great, about some 60 years after the date of this imaginary grant should have been quite ignorant of its existence. But I have already so exhausted both these themes of controversy, that it were idle to begin again. Suffice it to say, that, as I thoroughly disbelieve the predicted Palestinian overthrow of Buonaparte in the year 1822 ; so I can dis- cover no warrant from prophecy for believing, that he will make Rome the seat of his empire. He may, or he may not: on such a point, prophecy, so far as I can understand it, is wholly silent. 3. Thus I am wiUing to hope, that the foundations, which Mr. Frere has attempted to disturb, remain unshaken ; and that those, A IIU'l' 54 which he would substitute in their place, arc laid in the sand. His abstract arrangement of the Apocalypse being wholly untenable, and inine being proved to be right by the most direct evidence from the text itself ; the natural consequence will be this : his general scheme of interpretation must necessarily be erroneous, though he may very possibly be rio-ht in certain insulated particulars; my general scheme ofinterpretation, on the con- trary, Avill be right, though in some insulated particulars I may liave erred. Accordingly, I have more tlian once had occasion to correct partkiilars, and I take this opportunity of ac- knowledging that Mr. Frere very justly cen- sures my view of the apocalyptic third part^ and my opinion respecting the prolongation of the lires of Daniel's three first beasts *- ; but so Avell were my foundations laid in my abstract svnchronical arrangement of the Revelation, tiiat I have never found tlie least need to alter my general sclieme : that remains what it * Mr. Cunioghame had previously objected to my third part, and it now stands corrected in the 5th edition of my \vork. 1 wish I had earlier known Mr. Frcre s very proper censure of my prolongation : I would then have corrected diat also. In saying this, I do not pledge myself to adopt the views either of Mr. Cuninghame or of Mr. Frere. I need scarcely remark, that neither of these errors at all affect my sj/slem. They may both be corrected with perfect facility. See Frerq pp. ^00, 208, 280. 55 always was; and every day convinces me more and more, that my system is built upoii truth. I need scarcely say, that, if my system be right, Mr. Frere's must be w^rong : and, as it is now^ proved to be so by argument, I am fully persuaded, that, when the year 1822 ishall arrive, its fallacy will be no less demon- strated by the stubborn evidence of facts. The same remark applies to Mr. Cuning- hame's system. III. Mr. Frere's unfortunate supposition, that the 1260 days expired in the year 1792, tias thrown him wrong in his view of the war between Daniel's Wilful king and the two kings of the north and the south: and, as error is rarely single, he has further treated the whole of Daniel's last prophecy in such a manner, as cannot for one moment be tole- rated. He rightly pronounces, as I had done before him, that all the earlier part of this prophecy is mainly designed as a chronological intro- duction to the hero of the piece, namely the Wilful or Infidel king : but he maintains, that the prophecy throughout treats of individuals j and that the Wilful king is the individual Buonaparte; whence he takes occasion to censure my much preferable opinion, that the Wilful king is no mere individual man, but a national community or kingdom or govern- jiii I 3/ ! I 1 li k \l LU it 56 tn«i/. As for the prophecy itself, he explains It justly enough as far as the lime of Antiochus the great: but then he leaps at once over a space of some nineteen or twenty centuries from Syria to France, and from Antiochus to Louis XVI. This transition is made at Uan. XI. 19, 20; the nineteenth verse speaking of AnUochus, and the twentieth of the unfortu- nate Louis. In the twenty first verse Buona- parte makes his appearance, in the character of a mle person ; and what succeeds is thought to give us a full account of his more early campaigns. We are now, according to Mr. Frere's theory, past the end of the 1260 days! Hence, on Ids principles, he supposes, that the war of the Infidel king with the kings of the North and the South is the recent unsuccessful war of Buonaparte with the emperors of Russia and Austria ; the monarch of Austria bein"- plainly the king of the South, because AustHa signifies Uie Sotith. At the close of this war, the Infidel king, says Mr. Frere, is to pass ove7', that is, into Italy ; wliere he is to make Rome' his capital, his French empire being over- turned. Thence he is to direct his arms against Palestine : and in that country he is finally to perish in the year 1822; that is to say, Uiirty years after the supposed termination of the 1 260 days *. • Pp. 293—476. 57 I will venture to say, that nearly the whole of this arrangement is perfectly untenable. I. It is not easy to conceive, how the first part of the prophecy can be deemed a chrono- logical introduction to the history of the In- fidel king, if we are to vault at once over a period of near twenty centuries and to pass abruptly from the Syrian Antiochus the great to the French Louis the sixteenth. An Eng- lish historian might with just as much pro- priety make the Persian wars of Alexander a chronological introduction to the Normau conquest or the Saxon invasion. But this is not all : when the prophet has finished speaking of Antiochus, he tells us, that a raiser of taxes, meaning (says Mr. Frere) Louis XVI. shall stand up in his estate, in the glory of the kingdom *. The raiser of taxes therefore is to be the successor of Antiochus : for he is to stand up in his estate and in the glory of the kingdom of Syria. How does this apply to Louis ? Perhaps Mr. Frere may say, that his estate does not mean the estate of Antiochus, but the estate of the tax-raiser ; and the kingdom, not Syria, but France. This turn however will not serve his piir- pose. Both the tax-raiser Louis, and the * Dan. xi. 20. I t f -I /., MUgjMiggai MUUMi ^g^g^gumis^i^^aa^^m ':/ I " i i 58 vtle person Buonaparte, are equally said to ^tand lip in ins estate *. Now, when the vile person is said to stand up in iiis estate^ Mr. Frere understands the phrase to mean, not that the vile person should stand 7^ in h,s OWN estate, but in the estate of the tax-raiser, or that Buonaparte should succeed Louis in the kingdom of France : hence, when the tax- raiser is said to stand up in his estate, Mr. Frere must, if he would be consistent, under- stand the phrase to mean, not that the taX" raiser should stand up in his own estate, but in the estate of the king of the North, or that liOms should succeed Antiochus in the king- dom of Syria-f. But, if this be the meaning of the phrase, it is abundantly clear that the tax-raiser, who succeeds Antiochus cannot be Louis: and, if the tax-raiser cannot be 11' '3 * Dan. xi. 21. + If I mistake not, iSIr. Frere has availed himself of the ambiguity of our English pronoun his, which we use both reflectively and demonstratively. At least it is necessary for his scheme of interpretation, that the phrase his estate in ver. 20. should denote reflectively his own estate, but that that very same phrase in ver. 21. should mean demonstra- tively his (i. e. the tax-raiser's) estate. The difference ap- pears more palpably in the Latin. In order to preserve his system, Mr. Frere must inevitably translate I^D 7j; in ver. 20 hflnsuo imperio; ivhWe yet he renders the same 10D by, as it occurs in ver. 21, by /// ejus imperio. If we may take such liberties as these, rt will not be difficult to make a pro- phecy speak what suits us best. "59 trouis, then neither can the vile person be Buonaparte : and, if the vile person cannot be Buonaparte, then neither can Lord Nelson be the admiral of the sliips of Chittira. la short, all the prophecy, which has been so strangely misapplied to Louis and the early campaigns of Buonaparte, must be restored to those to whom it has been so rightly ap- plied by Bishop Newton. 2. Eq-ially untenable is Mr. Frere's system o: * ,^..Auality, which he injudiciously blames me for not having adopted. His argument is, that, as all the first part of the ])rophecy treats of individuals, the Wil- ful king must likewise be an individual. Now I venture to deny the postulate : the first part of the prophecy does not treat of individuals any more than as their actions are the actions of the power whicli they re- present. Accordingly, even in Mr. Frere's own interpretation, the king of the South in ver. 5 is a different individual from the king of the South in ver 6 ; and the king of the South again in ver. 6 is a different individual from the king of the South in ver 9 ; while he of ver. 9 is again different ixom him of ver. 1 1 . Just the same remark applies to the king of the North, as mentioned in ver. 6, 7, 1 1 . Yet the prophet gives us no intimation, that he is speaking of different individuals. Hence 5 V. t I ^ Ut- 1 1 f V' A U "J' 'f i It i I 60 it i^ manifest that by the king of the North in the early part of the prophecy he means neither an Antiochus nor a Seleucus exclu- sivehfj but the kingdom or dynasty of Syria ; and in like manner, by the king of the South, neither a Ptolemy Philadelphiis nor a Ptolemy Philopater individuallyy but the kijigdoin or dynasty of Egypt. Such being the case, the Iiifidel king cannot mean either Buonaparte or any other mere individualy but a kingdom or dynasty or government actuated by the principles of a revolutionary infidelity. Of the actions of this kingdom Buonaparte's actions ai^ only a portion, just as the actionB of Antiochus or of Ptolemy are but portions of the deeds ascribed to the Northern and Southern kingdoms. This error of Mr. Frere's has made him inconsistent with himself. He says, that the reign of Infidelity lasts from the year 1792 to the year 1822, and that the Infidel king is the individual Buonaparte*. According to this arrangement therefore Buonaparte ought to have mounted the throne in the year 1792. Now he nas not first consul until the year 1802, nor emperor until the year 1804. 3. As the war of the Infidel king with the kings of the North and the South is placed at ♦ Pp. .37, 58. I 61 the time of the end, and as Mr. Frere believes that we are already in the time of the end; he unhappily appHes an event yet future to Buo- naparte's disasters in Russia and Saxony. The success is just what might have been anticipated. Buonaparte, instead of passing over into Italy and making himself emperor of Rome, never went into Italy at all ; but returned, as all the world knows, from Elba into France : and, instead of being victorious at the close of his campaigns with the Northern and Southern kings, as the words of Daniel palpably intimate* ; he was heartily beaten by them, and then compelled to abdicate. Mr. Frere, in his attempt to apply this prophecy to Buonaparte's late disasters, gives us another specimen of arguing from a petitio principii. When Daniel's king of the North attacks the Infidel king, he comes against him, not only with a numerous cavalry, but like- wise icith many ships. Unfortunately the Russian emperor employed no ships: how therefore are v/e to dispose of the ships, used by the king of the North against the Infidel * He shall enter into the countries, and shall overjlozc and pass over : he shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown. Dan. xi. 40, 41. All this the Wilful king does in despite of the Northern and Southern kings; and all this surely points out a series of '!:ictories connected with his invasion of Palestine. Mr. Frere discovcfs in it Buouaprt^'s disasters md flight to Elba, ^1 t { ' r \ y i» •^H| h I. u 62 liing ? Mr. Frere says, that by ships we are certainly to understand cannons : and he proves llie point in the following manner. The war of the Infidel Jung icith the kings af tlie North and the South must mean the war of Buonaparte with Russia and Austria in the years 1812, 1813, 1814. But the king of the North is said to have used many ships : and the Emperor of Russia used no ships, though he used many cannons. Therefore tiie SHIPS of the Northern king must mean the Russian Emperor's cannons, because there is plainhj nothing else that they can mean ^. I am not convinced by this argument. * See pp. 453 — 458. I am not conscious t^iat T have misreprestnted Mr. Frere, by condensing what appears to me the drift of his argument in this syllogism. If I have, while I readily beg his pardon, I must request to have a distinct exposition of what his argument does mean. V\\ hi» t«xt, Mr. Frere says, And with many ships, or with A NUMEROUS ARTILLERY. Then he subjoins in a note. The nmttion here made o/'man y shits presents a diffuulti/^ I must allow ; for the Emperor of Russia certain!}/ did not attack Buonaparte xdth many ships. But I 'Jduk Ihave so clearly shewn, that this part of the prophevi/ mast neces- SARiLY 'cfer to the late overthrorc of Buonaparte, that this uord cannot came any seriotts objection. We may suppose, that the prophet had to make choice of an object to represent that poKcrjul engine of uar, artillery^ not then knoun, which was so formidable an instrument in the attacks of the Russian armies; and that he chose that object tchich he con- iidered to correspond with it in poner and utility. ^^ e may^ therefore conclude, tJiat, in the minute description given of K 'v.. , 'v^*''^injf JJlWriBH^ =a. Whether Austria be tlie destined king of the South, who is to war with the Infidel King at the yet future time of the end, I sliall not pretend to determine ; I shall con- tent myself with observing that Mr. Frere's proof of the point is built upon an error. He says, that Austria signifies the South, ^v'v the attach made by the king of the North upon the Infidel king, the mention of his numerous artillery, that impmiant limb of a modem army, would not be omitled.--N ow, un- less I wholly misapprehend Mr. Frere, the purport of hi» argument is this. / have clearly shewn, that this part of the prophecy necessarily refers to the late overthrow of Buonaparte by the Emperor of Russia. But the Emperor of Russia had no ships, though he had a numerous ARTILLERY. It IS improbable however, that his numerous ARTILLERY should be left unnoticed by the prophet. But he does leave it unnoticed, unless he means to describe it under the appellation of ships. Therefore the ships of the Northern king must mean the c Af^N on s of the Russian emperor. I have added this note, lest the reader should think that I had unhandsomely attempted to exhibit Mr. Frere's argu- ment in a ludicrous point of view. I should be sorry to act m any such maimer : but his argument, so far as I can un- derstand it, when thrown into a regular syllogism, presents the exact form iu which it here appears. Many words fre-^ quently darken the sense of an argument : but, when its several members are briefly and syllogistically marshalled, its conclusiveness or its inconclusiveness is immediately presented to the mind's eye. Tims, in the present instance, Mr. Frere s proof, that SHIPS //zeflw cannons, rests ultimately on the assumption ih^t the prophecy in question must necessarily f'^er to the hte overthrow of Buonaparte by the Emperor of nussla. i'n ■'^'ii^4^^^Wi '■f ■Im 'm W V I: \i ^¥ \ H h h denlly supposing it to be derived from the Latin Auster : whereas Austria really signifies the East-Land, so called by reason of its re- lative position to the rest of Germany from the Gothic Oster-Landt*. IV. Mr. Frere lays it down as a principle, that every chronological prophecy is to be computed from the time when it was revealed to the prophet : and on this ground he main- tains, that the vision of the ram and the he- goat is to be reckoned from the year A. C. 553, when it was seen by Daniel ; censuring me, because I conjecturally computed it from the first year of Cyrus ; when by the union of Media and Persia in one empire the single ram began to have two horns. I deny the justice, bothof tlie principle, and of its present application. 1. A chronological prophecy may or may not, be reckoned as Mr. Frere supposes. I am only concerned however to produce in- stances of the negative. Daniel's prophecy then of the four beasts clearly cannot be reckoned from the time when he beheld the vision. For he actually saw all the four beasts come up out of the sea. But the Babylonian empire had come up long * Thus the eastern Goths were called Ostro^Goths in contradistinction to their brethren the IViti-Goths or U!es((r^ Goths. 65 before Daniel was born ; and the prophecy commences with the rise of that empire Therefore the prophecy is not to be reckoned from the time when he beheld the vision but ;rom a long prior date ; a date, I suspect,' not later than the days of Nimrod *. In a similar manner, the seventy weeks are clearly not to be computed from the year, in which the prophecy was delivered to Daniel, but from a posterior date* Hence we find, that the computation of chronological prophecies has nothing to do with the particular epoch of their being re- vealed; they being reckoned from a date, sometimes earlier and sometimes later. 2. Mr. Frere has been no less unfortunate in the particular application of his rule, than in his laying down of the rule itself. The prophecy of the ram and the he-o-oat contains not the slightest hint, that the num, her mentioned in ver. 14. is to be calculated from the time that Daniel saw the vision : on the contrary, we are expressly told, that it sets forth the chronological durqtioti of the vision itself that is to say, of the several ac^ * I have (My discussed the rise and progress of the old i5ab3aon.co-As.yrian empire in tlie 6th book of my work on Ihe Ongin of Pagan Idolatry. Tt this I beg- to refer the reader, if he wishes to understand the entire purport of the remark in the text. F \V~ ^iil^i 11 ■ 1 i' h' f • ^' I if' i K I • ii tfons exhihiled in the vmotu Now the vision commences willi the pliautasm of a Uvc liorned mm standing on the bank of the river Ulai, and it terminates with the ii>ci- pient cleansing of the ?-anciuary *. Hence it h manifest, lliat the number is to be reckoned from tlie time tlial tlie Iwo-borned ram began fo stand on tlie bank of tlie river to llie time when the sanctuary begins to be cleansed. But the two-horned ram is a symbol of tlie two kingdoms of Media and Persia, united in one empire and ujider one government: fox the unity of Hie ram as disliijctly proves tte coalition, as the duality of tlie horns proves that the single empire was made up of two kingdoms. Hence the tuo independent king- doms of Media and Persia could not ha\^ been jointly represented by this one symbol, anterior to the time that they became one empire under one government ; tiecause, pre- vious to that iime, lliey were (in the language of symbolical prophecy) tn-o beasts, not two horns of one beast. But they did not become cne empire until the first year of Cyrus : and, as the prophet beheld only one ram, he beheld only one empire. Therefore the number can- not be calculated from an earlier date than the first year of Cyrus. Again : thj visioQ • Dan. vi'.i. 3, 14, 67 closes with the incipient cleansing of the sanctuary ; therefore the incipient cleansing, of the sanctuary marks the termination of the number. But I have shewn very fully in my abstract chronological arrangement of the prophecies of Daniel and St. John, that the sanctuary begins to be cleansed at the termi* halionofthe 1260 days, and that the 1260 days terminate synchronically with the num- ber mentioned in the vision of the ram and the he-goal. Of this abstract demonstration however, which has perfectly satisfied one who is no ordinary commentator, my valued fiieufl Mr. Cuninghame, does Mr. Frere take not the least notice ; though he himself very properly says, that all sijnchronisms ought to be abstractedly established from a critical in- spection of the mere text itself, before tee at- tempt to apply any prediction to facts. It certainly therelbre appears to me, that Mr. Frere ought to have confuted my demonstra- tion that these two numbers end synchroni- cally, ere he ventured to assign two totally different terminations to them : for, until tliat demonstration be confuted, as he makes the 1260 days end in the year 1792, he ought also to have made the other number end in the same year. But this of course would not nave suited his unfounded dogma, that every chronological vision is to be reckoned from F 2 |i lamttiiiaKi itM 111 mtlli MgwyWHJiMittHM^ttdiii > ! f ft. f 68 the time that it uas seen hy the prophet : hence the dogma was honoured at the ex- pence of tlie demonstration. We ca^nnoi positively determine the precise point, at wliich the vision of the ram and the he-goat commences, until we know tlie precise point at which it ends: and we can- not know the precise point at which it ends, until the 126© days shall have expired. That they liave not yet expired, is certain : both because the Jews have 7iot yet begun to be restored ; and because we are at present /// the midst of the vials^ the six first of which must all be inclnded within the 1260 days. So i'ar as this however we may be tolerably sure, that of the three readings of the num- ber mentioned in Daniel viii. 14, namely 2400, 2300, and 2200, the two last must be erroneous ; because, if they be reckoned backward even from the present year, and Iherefore nuich more from that yet future year in which the 1260 days are destined tu expire, they will fall very lar short of any point at which the vision of the ram and the he-goat may reasonably be thought to have commenced. Hence it will follow, that the lapse of time has irrefragably proved the reading 2400 to be the true reading of the number in (juestion. Mr. Cuniughame indeed, who rightly Q 69 makes the number in this vision end synchro- nically with the 1260 days, supposes the true reading to be 2300; and, as he makes the 1260 days end in the year 1792, he thence very consistently calculates backward his number 2300 from that year, and makes the vision of the ram and the he-goat commence at the point to w^hich that retrograde calcu- lation has brought him. But, while this is perfectly right in theory, it is perfectly wrong in application ; because the 1260 days most assuredly did not end in the year ] 792. For we are all equally agreed, that the seven vials are posterior to that year ; and it has been proved, that the six first vials and the com- mencing point of the seventh must necessarily be included within the 1260 days. Conse- quently, the 1260 davs cannot have com- menced before the effusion even of the first vial. But, if the 1260 days be not yet ex- pired, then neither 2300 nor 2200 can he the true reading of the number *, * Mr. Frere, like myself, maintains C400 to be the ge- nuine reading ; but I see not uliat cogency there is in his mode of proving the point. He says, that all sacred num- bers are capable of being divided by three : but 2400 can thus be divided, and 2300 c^mnot : therefore 2400 is the genuine reading, p. 246. I cannot discern ^^hat pecuhar sa- credness there is in a capability of division by three, even if Mr. Frere were accurate in asserting that all the prophetic numbers may be thus divided. But he is not accurate : Da- i \.. V i':' I f I 70 Supposing, as I do, that the 1260 days will expire in the year 1866, 1 thence, agreeably to the synchronism wliich I had abstractedh/ established, computed backward from that point the number 2400 which is now proved by time itself to be the genuine reading ; in order that I might thus arrive at the com- mencement of the vision of the ram and the he^goat. Such a computation brought me to the first year of Cyrus ; Avhich even a priori was the most probable date of th^e vision, be- cause the symbohcal ram had no existence as a single beast before that year, and because he was then first produced by the imion of the hitherto distinct Idtigdomsy or in symbolical phraseology, the two beasts of Media and Persia. On these principles, I esteem tlie first year of Cyrus, or the first-second year of that monarch, the most probable dale of the vision : though, I repeat it, we cannot attain to ab- solute certaihty until the 1260 days shall have expired ; because the termination of the one number depends upon tlie termination of the other. At any rate, we may be sure that the vision cannot be dated before the first year of Cyrus, for the best of all possible iiiel's 70 week^ for instance cannot be divided by lliree; neiiher can the apocalyptic 1 ) days oi peisecution, iiur the 3J days during which the witnesses He dead. n reasons; the single symbolical ram had m existence xinWX tfi;^ year. This decidedly proves, that I have ascribed the pushings of the ram to their proper cor. responding events in history, and that Mr. Frere is mistaken in supposing them to relate to the conquests of Cyrus previous to the year A.C. 536. If he will reperus^ my citations from history, lie may perhaps think that he lias been too hasty in his cen- sure. The victories anterior to that year were not acliieved by the single ram which Jiad then no existence as one beast, but by the two distinct though allied beasts or king- doms of Media and Persia. On the whole, I see no reason to retract an iota of what I haye w ritten on this sub- ject, V. Mr. Frere censures my opinion respect- ing the ten primary Gothic kingdoms, which I suppose tp be meant by the ten horns of the Itomaq beast, for reasons so fvitiie that they do not appear tp me to require an answer. His ovv^n conjecture, that the ten horns mean the ion states of Ravenna, Lombardy, Kome, Naples, Tuscany, France, Austria,' Spain, Portugal, and Britain, may be con- futed in a very few words. The little horn, which he rigliHy judges to be the Papacy, is described by Daniel as I / k' .1 i • I L }. : I : \ \ II \ 72 springing up behind or after the ten larger horns. But, if the little iy-k^ sprang up he- hind or afte)' tliem, then they must have been in existence anterior to the rise of the little horn. Now the little horn, by Mr. Frere's own account was in existence in the year 533 ; because he says that the saints were then given into its hand, and the saints plainly could not be given to a non-entity. But, if the little horn existed in the year 533, the ten horns must have existed before that year. Now I need scarcely remark, that many of Mr. Frere's ten kingdoms did not exist until lonir after that time *. VI. Mr. Frere censures my assigning only four chapters of the Apocalypse to the little book. Whether his arrangement or mine be the most probable, will best appear by comparing them together. St. John speaks of a sealed book and a little book. Now, as things are great or small by comparison, it is hard to say, why the second of these books should be ■* pp. 133, 154. Sir Isaac Newton justl}^ remarks on lliis subject, tliat, when the Western empire was divided by the Gotlis into ten sovereignties, some of these kingdoms at length fell, and new ones arose: but, whatever uas their number AFTERWARDS, thej/ are still called the Ten k'm^s from their ¥1RST number. Observ. on Dan. c. 6. p. 73. I quite agree with Sir Isaac in his view of the matter, and therefoi^e necessarily esteem Mr. Frert's view erroneotts. 73 called little, except in contradistinction to the iirst^ On this principle, taken in conjunction with the interna 1^1^ idence derived from the text itself, I pronounced the little book to con- tain Rev. xi, xii, xiii, and ^iv; while to the larger sealed book, of which I deemed the little book a codicil, I assigned Rev. vi — x, XV— xxii. Tims, agreeably to the intimation of the prophet, I made the sealed book very considerably larger tlian the little book. Mr. Frere however dislikes this arrangement : and thence, by way of improving it, he would give to the sealed book only Rev. vi — x ; while he more liberally allots to the little book Rev. xi — xxii. By such a plan he makes the little book about thrice as long as the sealed book, and thus effectually destroys its character of littleness : for it becomes in tact by much the larger book of the two *. VII. Mr. Frere supposes the Infidel power to be the scarlet-coloured apocalyptic beast that rises out of the abyss, and distinguishes it from the ten-horned beast that came up out of the sea -f, I can see no difference between these two supposed distinct beasts : for, as all their cha- racteristics are the same, so likewise is their ♦ Pp. 25— 28. t Pp. 9y.237;23S. / tit % t'-- h ^ r "' 74 drigin. With Mr.Frere I once imagihecl that by the bottomless pit^ as the Greek abyssus is unhappily rendered by mv translators, we were to understand hell: but a more accu- rate inquiry has fully convinced me, that the sea and the abyss mean precisely the same ; and, accordingly, I have so stated the matter in the 5th edition of my work. When there- fore the scarlet beast is said to come up out of the abyss, the expression means only that he came up out of the sea agreeably to Rev. xiii. L With Mede and all our best commenta- tors, I think it indisputable, that the beast of Rev.xiii,and the beast of Rev. xvii, are one and the same symbol* Mr. Galloway and Mr. Ettrick have both tried to split the monster hito two, but with no better success than Mr. Frere* VIII. All that Mr. Frere says of the terri- torial possessions of the four beasts of Daniel is to me perfectly unsatisfactory *. The reply to it is simple, *and I think unanswerable : at least, Mr. Frere has not answered it. If the body of the Babylonian beast is to be confined to Babylonia, and the body of the Medo-Persian beast to Media and Persia; then, by parity of reasoning, the body of the * P. 146. 75 Grecian beast must be confiaed to Greece, and the body of the Roman beast to Italy i for, if the other fMsessions of the two first beasts are to be deemed only conquests and not members of their respective bodies ; then> analogously, the other possessions of the two latter beasts must be deemed only conquests and not menibers of their respective bodies. But, according to this arrangement, where sliall we find four heads or horns for the Grecian beast, and ten horns for the Roman beast? Horns are certainly members of a body : but the greatest part of the horns both of the Greek and the Roman beast must be sought for out of Greece and Italy ; which, on Mr. Frere's plan, are the exclusive bodies of those two beasts. For he has no right to extend the bodies of the Uro latter beasts be- yond the limits of Greece and Italy, if he chooses to contract tiie bodies of the two first beasts within the limits of Babylonia and Medo-Persia. IX. I have now noticed the principal matters in Mr. Frere's book : and I certainly do not feel myself iu any wise compelled to adopt his speculations in preference to my own. In our views of the filth vial, we nearly agre«t * : but tiiis is only an instance, which * Pp. 62, 462, and prefixed chart. Mr. Fiere dates the commeacemeut oi this vial too late, in tixiug it to Oct. J 8 12: /■ '1 i « I 4 t Tif •'] >;■■ 1 ^■iii •J ?f^rvf\s to shew, that a commenlalor may be light ill certain insulated particulai's/ while Ins general system is paI|3[*^;fofy untenable be- cause built upon imsoutld foundations. Such I am compelled to esteem the general system of Mr. Frere. It is built upon his abstract arrangement of sijnchronisnis : but that ar- rangement has been proved to be erroneous : the necessary consequence therefore is, that the building wliich it supports is insecure ; though some detached rooms, which are clear of the faulty parts, may be tolerably safe tene- ments. X. Of the apocryphal Esdras I shall say nothing : and I tliink it would be prudent in M\\ Frere, before he says any more about him, to prove that his writings ate canonical. Until tliat be done, all attempts to explain his propliecies will be just bo much labour lost. and he is certainly uiistaken in supposing it to have ended April (), 1B14 : for it was then in fact at its very height. Whetlier it.be eidti j/et exhausted, time alone can determine. Equally mistaken has Mr. Frere been in asserting, that the filth vial would so throw Buonaparte into permanent obscurity, that he should not be actively concerned in the principal events of the next vial. See p. 462. Buonapart^ has em- erged from his obscurity: and the sixth vial is yei future* FINIS. 1 1- ■il Ldw ajid Gilbert, Fnnters, bt. John's-5i]uare, Loudati. -?.