attainments, and, in particular, for the eminent services which you have rendered to the cause of Sacred Literature, and Practical Theology, I have the honour to be, MY LORD, Your Lordship's most obedient, And faithful servant, PHILIP ALLWOOD. ADVERTISEMENT. THE following Dissertation, though entirely independent of a former Work, on the subject of Prophecy, by the same Author, is designed to form a Supplement to it: for the concise style of analytical exposition, which he was under the necessity of adopting in the composition of that Work, precluded the possibility of entering, in a satisfactory manner, into the subjects now to be discussed. All these subjects, however, are intimately connected with those of which he has already treated: and the discussion of them, taken in this connexion, will not only serve to afford additional illustration to what he has already advanced ;—but to place still more distinctly before the eye of the Reader, the peculiarly awful and critical state of the time in which he is living. As throughout this little volume, there is a continual and a rapid change of scene; and as the materials of which it is composed are far from being either ordinary, or unimportant; no apology is offered for the frequent use of Italic, and even of Capital, letters, in the exhibition of them. The author writes for his country: and he deems it very desirable, so to direct the attention at once to the principal topics presented, that even " he may run that readeth." A DISSERTATION, &c. IT appears from the authentic monuments of past ages, that, soon after the commencement of the seventh century of the Christian era, two most important Revolutions took place, the one in the East, and the other in the West; Revolutions,— which affected, in the most striking manner, the religious and moral condition of the greater part of mankind, in those parts of the world. In the East arose MAHOMET, the propounder of a new doctrine, which set forth, as the fundamental principle, that "there is one God, and Mahomet is his prophet:" and on this foundation he erected a system of religion, which has had a most extensive and prevailing influence in the regions of the East, and remains to this very day. And, in the West, arose the Bishops of ROME to the plenitude of their power, under the style and title of " ECUMENICAL, or UNIVERSAL, BISHOPS :" whence it has become an indispensable article in the creed of every member of that Church,-to |