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predictions of these very apostacies, delivered many centuries before they took place.

I dwell not on the features of the eastern antichrist, as painted in the book of Daniel, and the kindred language of St. John, because I hasten to notice what more immediately presents itself before our eyes, the great western apostacy. Let us first see how it is delineated by the prophetic pencil of Daniel. We there find it set forth as a seducing power, that was to arise after the conversion, downfall, and division into ten sovereignties of the fourth, or Roman empire-little, in comparison of these others as to secular authority, but claiming and obtaining an universal spiritual authority over the body of the western kingdom,—acquiring and maintaining this through policy and craft, procuring a voluntary surrender of power from really superior sovereigns, and using it to become a leader to others in apostacy, persecution, and various kinds of opposition to the truth."

With these criteria, I compare St. Paul's description in the New Testament of the apostacy, or falling away, when the man of sin should be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God; whose coming is after the working of satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish-God sending them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.-The mystery of iniquity, adds the apostle, doth already work; only, he who now letteth, will let, until he be taken out of the way. In this delineation, I find the same. distinctive features as in the description of the prophet, with the additional marks of blasphemous usurpation of the place and authority of God-a mystery of iniquity, which was already insinuating itself when the apostle wrote, but which was let or hindered, by the jealous authority of the Roman empire, united then under one potent government; but which would be revealed when the downfall and dis

(n) Daniel vii. 19–25.

memberment of that empire should remove the obstacle to its developement.

The same great apostle resumes the subject in his first epistle to Timothy, and foretells that in the latter times, some should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats-particulars all falling under the same heads as those before enumerated.

We next come to the closing visions of prophecy in the Revelation, and, lo, the same corruption as in the prophet, the same times assigned to it, the same geographical and chronological position in the map of prophecy, lead to the confirmation of all our previous notions, and add many other decisive indications. The apostacy is here described as a power having a mouth speaking great things, and even blasphemies; it makes war with the saints; it has horns like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon; it doth great wonders, and deceiveth those that dwell on the earth. It is called Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the Earth. It is further depicted as a sorceress, decked in purple, and scarlet, and gold, and precious stones, and pearls: drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus-working by other governments, who agree to give unto her their strength and power-and thus becoming the fountain head-of corruption; and inducing the kings of the earth to commit fornication with her. Moreover, the place is now absolutely fixed, the city of the seven mountains; the great city that reigneth over the kings of the earth-the head of the fourth empire. The time also is more expressly limited to the period when the dismembered kingdoms of the Roman empire agree to give their power into her hands. The duration also, is defined to be twelve hundred and sixty prophetical days, or years—a period already assigned in the book of Daniel, and confirmed in the Revelation, by six or seven repeated declarations.

What spiritual power it was, that arose in the city of Rome after the fall of the empire, uniting in itself all these marks and indications, I need not tell you. Let the corruptions of doctrine and precept, the usurpation of the rights of conscience, the prohibition of the free use of the scriptures, the spiritual establishment of idolatry, the principle of working by craft, meretricious splendor, and religious delusion-the energy of error-together with the persecutions which have characterized for so many centuries the church and bishop of Rome, expound the divine prophecies.

Such a combination of tokens, verified before our eyes in a spiritual apostacy, which has existed unchanged in all its characters, for nearly twelve centuries, is a proof of prophetic inspiration of the most illustrious kind; at the same time that it explains and developes the mystery of the divine providence, which the actual state of christendom exhibits-nay, it turns the most painful and oppressive view which the sincere Christian can take of the declension of the church, into the strongest confirmation of his faith.

But, I pause: for surely the combined force of these branches of the fulfilment of prophecy, overwhelms the mind. Each division strengthens the rest: they embrace not matters of curiosity, but are subjects in which the highest interests of revelation are concerned. Under the first head, the prophecies of the Messiah, we see the Christian dispensation established. Under the second, the predictions concerning the Jewish and Christian churches, we see, so far as we have hitherto gone, the designs of God as to the progress of redemption, developed. We behold the Jewish people cast into exile-the cities and nations of the world exhibited in their connexion with the church, and the providence of God displayed in all the revolutions of empire-and the Christian church corrupted and desolated by spiritual judgments for its unfaithfulness to its privileges and advantages. But we must not stop here: let us add a reflection, as we proposed, on the

(o) 'Evépyuav hárns. 2 Thess. ii. 11.

IVth and last branch of this second head, the prophecies

OF THE FUTURE CONVERSION OF THE WORLD, AND THE FINAL TRIUMPH OF HOLINESS AND TRUTH.

For such is the consummation to which we are encouraged to look forward. The earth is to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. The vail is to be removed from the heart of the Jew. The anti-christian apostacies are to cease. The heathens are to be brought home to the fold of God. Jerusalem is not always to be trodden down of the Gentiles. Satan is to be cast into the lake of fire, and to be chained, and deceive the nations no more. Christ our Lord is to reign over all the nations of the earth; a long and glorious period of truth and holiness is to succeed to all the confusions and disorders of the present state of things; and, lastly, after a brief effort of evil and sin, the end is to come. Our Lord will appear to judge the quick and dead, the general resurrection will take place, the righteous and wicked be assigned to their respective portions, and the kingdom of the Mediator be delivered up to God, even the Father.

I adduce not these unaccomplished parts of prophecy, as direct supports of my argument-the case admits not of it— they are not as yet fulfilled—but I adduce them as a strong additional presumption of the truth of all we have hitherto asserted. That such a scheme as we have developed, centering in the person of the Saviour, drawing into its current all the events of the world, marked by the exile of the former church, and by the apostacy of large portions of the present that such a scheme, thus far so undeniably fulfilled by all the events of history, should not rest incomplete, but should look forward to a conclusion as great and glorious, as all the parts are majestic and divine-that it should stretch on to the end of all things, and not desert us till the honor of God is vindicated, the grace of Christ made triumphant, the power of darkness utterly discomfited, and the salvation of the world accomplished, is a token of a divine inspiration, which adds force to all the preceding considerations. The very hazarding of prophecies, which reach to the consummation of all things, and which, if not of divine

prescience, might be defeated and rendered incapable of fulfilment, in any passing age, is itself no mean proof of inspiration. What religion but the true, would have suspended the faith of its adherents on the successive developement of prophecy, from the time of its promulgation to the last judgment?

More than this; That during eighteen hundred years, no series of historical events should have arisen in the least to contradict the succinct and anticipated scheme of the prophecies; but that, on the contrary, the present state of the world should be obviously adapted and prepared for the fulfilment of all the remaining predictions, is a positive argument of no slight force in our favor. The Jews are still distinct from other nations. The Christian church is waiting for the destined termination of the eastern and western apostacies; which is to close her oppressions, and bring on the return of the Jews, the conversion of the nations, and the final triumph of the peaceful and holy religion of the Bible throughout the world. In the mean time, the innumerable prophecies fulfilled and fulfilling before our eyes, are the pledge and assurance of the accomplishment of the remainder. The hope of this blessing sustains the church. under the corruptions which prevail, and excites an expectation of the second coming of our Lord; even as the accomplishment of the predictions of the old dispensation sustained the faith of the Jewish church, as to his first advent. The prophecies also animate to many important duties, warn against the contamination of anti-christian doctrines and practices, and promote humility, prayer, and dependence upon God. With such uses attached to the unfulfilled word, and with such a long series of previous predictions accomplished, I conceive that the future parts of the divine scheme form a powerful presumption in favor of the celestial origin of the whole. In so vast a plan, it is greatly in favor of its inspiration, that it stops not at an intermediate period, nor forsakes the system unfinished, but stretches onward to an adequate and most glorious consummation. I affirm, that no mark of truth can be more palpable than the permitting, in this way, every successive age to judge

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