therefore fuppofe applicable to the prophecies in the fecond and third chapters, and the more fo, as the eighth and ninth feem to relate to the rife of other powers in Afia, namely, the Saracens, the Bowides, the Turks, &c. which History tells us, conquered and governed Perfia. The Apocalypfe has no reference to the Revolution in Perfia; yet with refpect to Eastern Rome, it certainly has for all the calamities it suffered, to its final fall, are defcribed in it. CHAP. VIII, We conceive alludes to the troubles which exifted while Perfia* remained under the Saracens, or the Empire of the Caliphs, for 304 years, to its total fall in 933; during which time, the Magian religion was fupplanted by Mahometifm. The innumerable occurrences which Hiftory furnishes during this period, render it impoffible to apply any to the particular found of the trumpets. We therefore fhall fuppofe it to allude to the invafion of the Arabs in Afia, Africa, and Europe, and to the fieges of Conftantinople: Perhaps the 8th verfe, "A great * Gib. Vol. 10, p. 83. с moun mountain burning with fire was caft into the fea*,” may allude to the Greek or artificial fire at the firft fiege of Conftantinople. CHAP. IX. This chapter begins with opening the bottomlefs pit, from whence we have already remarked, the greatest evils are to fpring: And the conclufion of the last chapter, " Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to found;" marks the heavy calamities which are to follow. Verse 3. "And there came out of the smoke locufts upon the earth; and unto them was given power, as the fcorpions of the earth have power. Verse 4. "And it was commanded them that they fhould not hurt the grafs of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the feal of God in their foreheads. * Invention and ufe of the Greek fire, which they denominated liquid maritime fire. Gib. Vol, X. p. 14, to 16. Verle Verfe 5. "And to them it was given that they fhould not kill them, but that they fhould be tormented five months." In the language of prophecy, five months are confidered to be equal to 150 years. In the Hiftory of the final conqueft of Perfia by the Bedoweens, A. D. 1062, we read * that " Abusaid, and his fon Abu Taher, were called to the prophetic offices of Imams, by the voice of God, and the people, who in the city of Cufa, and other countries, had been converted to the doctrine of Carmath, an Arabian preacher, who ftyled himself the Herald of the Meffiah, who had converfed with him in a human shape, and the reprefentative of Mohammed the fon of Alit, of St. John the Baptift, and of the angel Gabriel. That in his myftic volume the precepts of the Koran were refined to a more spiritual fense and that these rebellious Imams could mufter 107000 fanatics. That after his death his twelve Apostles difperfed themselves among the Bedoweens, "a race ofmen", fays Abulfeda, " equally devoid of reafon and religion." Abu Said and his fon Abu Taher, between 900 and 929, continued their conquests until they pillaged Mecca; the well of Zemzem overflowed with blood, the veil of the Caaba was divided among these Gib. Vol. X. p. 74, &c. † p. 75. C 2 P. 77. impious impious fectaries; and the black stone, the first monument of the nation, was borne away in triumph to their capital. A general revolt of the provinces in different parts of the Saracen empire took place, by the Viceroys or Governors, from A. D. 800, to A. D. 936, during which period the flaughter of the Mahometans must have been very great. We conjecture this as a fufficient proof, that the three verses, viz. 3, 4, and 5, allude to this period; for, although Syria and Egypt were twice difmembered by their Turkish flaves of the race of Toulun and Ikshid*, we do not read of any fufferings of the Chriftians: So that this part of the prophecy is fo far fulfilled, by killing those who had not the mark of God in their forehead: As the war arofe from the herefy in the religion of Maho met. The first great battle recorded in history was in the year 900. If we are permitted to state the date of the entrance of the Bedoweens into Syria, in A. D. 912, it will enable us to account from that period to the capture of Conftantinople by the Turks. * Gib. Vol. x. p. 82. The The five verfes, from the seventh to the eleventh, inclufive, by the figurative expreffions "The shapes of the locufts were like unto horfes, &c." We conceive represent the increase of the power of the Bedoweens, until the defeat of Mahmud the Gaznevide, the last Imam, A. D. 1038, at the small town of + Chorafan, in Perfia. Verse 11. "And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit." That is, their first king was elected by a people ripe for rebellion against their Sovereign and government, and by fanatics. "Which is the angel of the bottomless pit?" The first evil or meffenger to another, which is to arife out of the bottomless pit in Roman Afia, and to which we apply the 6th vial. Verse 12. "One woe is paft, and behold there come two woes more hereafter, viz." I. The invasion and conquest of Persia and of Afia Minor by the Turks. II. The capture of Conftantinople. + Gib. Vol. X. 344. III. |