I had proceeded in it so far, as to complete the proposed abridgment of the Dissertation, and nearly half of the notes, when my progress was impeded by a severe and protracted illness.

On resuming my labours, after a long interval, yet sooner than I ought to have done, it appeared to me, for the first time, that my work might be deemed not sufficiently accordant with those of my respected predecessors, Ellsley and Slade. This difficulty however was soon removed by the following consideration.

The difference in the subjects treated by us respectively, must necessarily occasion considerable difference in our method of treating them. They, in their departments, had very few prophecies to develop and explain; and these are delivered, for the most part, in literal and plain language. The expositor of the Apocalypse has little else than prophecy upon his hands, predictions couched in symbolical terms, and forming difficult enigmas. It was easy for them to bring into a short compass the opinions of preceding commentators, and either leave them to the reader, or assist him by observations of their own. My task required that I should examine each prophecy by analytical deduction, and by such means, and the concurring assistance of former writers, lay before the student the best exposition in my power. And this exposition could not be accomplished without a frequent reference to my former work, in which the opinions of the best commentators had already been diligently canvassed.

I was no sooner reassured upon this subject, than

another difficulty appeared, not so easily overcome. This arose from my comparing the part of my work so far accomplished, with that upon which I was now to enter. The first contained the explication of those prophecies, which are generally supposed to have already received their fulfilment in history. In this department, the interpretation of a prediction is greatly assisted by a conviction that the fulfilment is probably to be found in the range of history. And the sure test of its truth is at hand; for the right assortment of the event is to be proved, by its agreement with the symbolical picture of it, as exhibited in the historical narration.

The prophecies upon which I was now about to enter, I knew to be of a more difficult character, as containing predictions fulfilled in part only, and destined to receive their final completion in events yet to come. Such arise out of the Βιβλιαριδιον, the little book, seeming to run the space of the 1260 years.

In these the cautious interpreter has found difficulties, which seem not yet surmounted, by writers of more daring genius, who have ventured to ascertain the commencement and termination of these prophetical eras.

When I resumed my studies, I had gone through the easier part of my engagement, and had to face one of more arduous character. At that time my health was unequal to the undertaking, and after some feeble and unsatisfactory attempts, I abandoned it for the present, contenting myself with leaving what I had already effected (a portion

complete in itself) for future publication, if circumstances should call for it.

In this situation my papers continued till the end of the year 1824, when an occurrence in the literary world induced me to examine the opinion I had given in my former work concerning one of these prophecies, as yet fulfilled only in part. From a review of this I proceeded to others of the same class; and, my spirit of enquiry reviving, I resumed my suspended pursuits. I resumed them with a determination to attempt the solution of the more difficult prophecies by a new analysis, without previously referring to the expositions of them, deduced either by myself, or others. Whether in any, or to what degree I may have succeeded in these attempts, I must leave to the judgment of those of my readers who are best qualified to estimate them.

In the execution of the task assigned me, I have consulted a second time the best commentators, especially those enumerated and recommended by my excellent patron, together with others who had been useful to my first publication. Of all these I esteem Vitringa the most valuable. Yet it so happened, that, in my former work, I did not reap all the benefit I might from his Anacrisis. I had the book for some time in my hands, but was obliged to relinquish it before I could obtain another copy, and I am sorry to add, before I was so perfectly aware of my loss, as to feel myself indispensably obliged to redress it. In the present work I have availed myself of his labours to a much greater extent, and

have had the pleasure to find his interpretations more accordant to my own, than those of any other writer of that period.

Of modern writers on the Apocalypse, I have generally forborne to bring forward the names, or canvass the opinions, yet I have not neglected them ; taking care to obtain such an insight into their productions, as might enable me to correct my notions by theirs, in any instances which seem to require it.

With the greater part of these authors, who have imagined the prophecies to be fulfilled almost entirely in the French revolution, I seem to have no common relation, except that the same divine book is the object of our studies. We are not amenable to the same rules of enquiry, or under any similar restriction; and the consequence has been, that our several interpretations have diverged, to such a distance from each other, that there is no hope of mutual accommodation but by the ungrateful and unpromising means of controversy,-a method of conviction which I have always avoided, and am still more desirous to decline, at my present advanced period of life.1 I wish at the same time to acknow

1 No one can wonder, that the prophecies have been diligently searched, for predictions relating to the French revolution,—that formidable series of events, which has so occupied the times in which we have lived. At its first irruption, I was perfectly alive to the danger in which it seemed to place our holy religion. I watched progress with extreme anxiety for a time. But as it advanced into magnitude, involving the fates of other nations, it was easy to perceive that the danger to religion decreased, in proportion as that

its

ledge my sincere respect for that display of genius and learning, and that spirit of enquiry, which has distinguished some of these productions.

And here I must also testify my regret, that, under this general determination concerning living authors, I am not at liberty to express in particular my feelings towards those writers, who, with candour and courtesy, have acquiesced in my peculiar opinions, and adopted them, more or less, into their own expositions. I request them, in this only way now left to me, to accept my sincere thanks.

which affected the rights and happiness of the political world increased, till the object of the wide-spreading contest became wholly political. The religious persecution, while it lasted, was expended upon the massacred and expatriated priests of the Roman Catholic persuasion, and afterwards upon the Pontiff himself, but chiefly for political purposes. The Protestants escaped, excepting so far as they were politically engaged; and in France, the centre of religious violence, they obtained, from their government, a toleration of their religion, which they had never enjoyed since the revocation of the edict of Nantes. This blessing has been since secured to them by the charter of their restored kings.

The raging conflict at length ceased in all parts, subsiding into a general peace; in which the interests of the nations, political and religious, have been settled upon a basis more firm and rational than before; and a prospect is opened for a much greater advance and improvement in the means of national and individual happiness.

More will be said upon the French revolution, as a subject of sacred prophecy, in the sequel. In the mean time, it must be apparent to the reader, that consistently with my second and third rules of interpretation, the French revolution cannot be considered as a woe, upon the pure Christian religion, nor can we expect that it should have been predicted as such in the divine prophecies.