This interpretation rests on the broadest possible basis, viz that of the general theory of the Apocalypse; for if according to this, as developed by the events of the year 1823, the seventeenth chapter of the Revelation relates to the period of the eighth headship only, and verses 8 and 11, are thus to be considered as explanatory the one of the other, it does not appear how it could have been fulfilled, in its enigmatical character, even by Buonaparte the father; nevertheless the former prophetic premises, although deficient, still remain in full force, viz., that Napoleon Buonaparte held the the first founder of the Empire; and the first words in which Buonaparte solemnly announced his birth as a male child were, "It is a King of Rome;" Buonaparte also received and favourably answered in his name petitions addressed to him as King, while yet in his cradle. He would seem to have felt that neither his assuming the bees of Charlemagne, instead of the lilies of France, as the ornaments of his imperial robe; nor his annexation of Rome, the metropolis of the empire, to his own dominion; nor his driving the Emperor of Austria to resign the title of Emperor of the Romans, had constituted him the legitimate successor of the sixth headship; till he had thus, by uniting his son with him, obtained a regular title of headship. short-lived seventh headship; and that the past short-lived seventh, and future eighth, will be both held by the same individual. The prophecy of Daniel xi. is also satisfactorily explained where he identifies the Antichrist of verses 21-39 with the Antichrist of verses 40 -45, seeing that we find them thus extraordinarily identified by Saint John, as forming unitedly but one prophetic character, that of the septimo-octave head. There are, it is hoped, now, many encouraging indications of an increasing disposition in the church of Christ, to pay due attention to that most sacred portion of the revelation of the divine mind, which is contained in the word of prophecy; nor will those who are justly sensibl of its importance (never greater than at the present time,) fail to rejoice that it has particularly engaged the talents of a minister eminently calculated, by the extent and richness of his views, to give it that prominent place in the mind of every member of the spiritual church of Christ, which it ought now to hold; and to direct our knowledge on the subject to the best practical results: upon whose labours, as well as upon those of all who shall aid to prepare the church for the speedy coming of their Lord, may the divine blessing be abundantly bestowed. London, March 22, 1826. N. B. The alterations which have been made in the former edition of this work having been thus fully explained in this preface, to avoid the necessity of repeated explanations in the following pages, the words "Buonaparte," and "Italy," have been changed in page 105, and in the quotation from the first edition given in page 484, for those of cognate signification, Antichrist, and Rome; by which slight alteration all that was formerly written relative to the future rise of Buonaparte exactly describes the author's present views. The passage has also been omitted in page 112 which related to the expected occurrence of the seventh Vial, in or previously to the year 1823, and lastly parenthetical clauses have been inserted where the sixth Vial is mentioned (in pages 65 and 112), implying that though literally interpreted, it indicates the annihilation of the Ottoman Empire, it may hereafter be found, as was particularly the case in the second, third, and fifth Vials, that the fulfilment will not come up in intensity to the highly poetical and hyperbolical language of prophecy. ERRATA. P. 142, line 15. et passim, for Tuscany read The united kingdom of Sardinia, Savoy, and Piedmont.-The dukedoms of Tuscany Parma, Modena, &c. and the republics of Genoa, Venice, Switzerland, &c., being unnoticed in the prophetic division of the territory of the western Roman empire into ten kingdoms. HAVING lately undertaken the more complete investigation of the theory of sacred or perfect numbers, in order to illustrate the grounds of an opinion, formerly given, that Daniel's vision of the Ram and He-goat, relating to Mahometanism, would terminate in the year 1847; the result has been most important in the discovery of three sacred or perfect periods, hitherto unknown, viz. of the vision of the Great Image relating to the four Gentile Monarchies,-of the times of the Gentile Church,-and of the actual duration of Mahometanism, all terminating in, or referring to, the same year 1847, as being the epoch of Jerusalem's restoration to her former purity and splendour. I have therefore thought it desireable, by the omission of less interesting matter, to introduce in its proper place a brief statement of these periods; which will be accordingly found in the following pages 256 to 270. London, June 14, 1827. ADDENDA. In page 265, after line 20, make the following addition. The Number of the sacrifices appointed to be offered on the seven days of the feast of tabernacles, which were 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, (Numbers xxix. 13-32), is shewn by the theory of Sacred Numbers to have reference to the most simple form of arithmetical progression (viz. the continued addition of 1), combined with the sacred number 7. The extreme term of this series being 7, the number of terms 7, and the sum of the terms 70. Insert, in the Prophetic Chart, the period of the commencement of the seventh Vial, viz. 27 July, 1830. CONTENTS. I. SYSTEMS of commentators on prophecy not suffi- ciently simple and comprehensive. p. 1. II. Two principal rules of interpretation laid down. p. 5. 1. Four minor rules added. p. 6. 2. The advantages of the two primary rules. p. 7. III. The general plan and arrangement of the prophecies adopted in this work, stated. p. 8. IV. The prophecy of the Great Image of Daniel proved to relate to the temporal history of the world, and the vision of the Four Beasts to the history of the 1. Their general contents point this out, and particularly the different terms in which the period of the Mil- lennium is described in each prophecy. p. 10. V. The Sealed Book of Saint John proved in like manner to relate to the temporal history of the Roman b |