indicate, that its origin must have been of long standing, or from earlier date. The text does not say that their origin is subsequent to the sixth vial; although it gives notice of them at that period. Their exist ence, no doubt will prove to have been coeval with that of Antichrist. And no doubt some, if not all of them are accordingly now operating in the world, and in this nation. The dragon in this text is the devil.* The beast is Antichrist. And the false prophet is Pa pal religion; and it may be viewed as including the whole spirit of false religion under whatever form. What particular influence will be found to be represented by the frog out of the mouth of the dragon, as distinct from the other two; or what shades of difference the two former of these modes of diabolical agency will be found to have assumed, it may be difficult now to ascertain. I have no doubt but Illuminism is one of these three unclean spirits; and that re-established Popery, including all fanaticism and fatal error, wherever it be found, is the last. And with respect to a third, time and events will no doubt cast light upon the subject. Let it be what it may, it will prove to have been of diabolical production. For they are spirits of devils. The devil will have peculiar power among men to instigate things favorable to disorganization and Infidelity; and by his satanic influence to prepare men to unite in his cause. He has ever been said to work in the children of disobedience, and to lead them captive at his will. But in the fulfilment of this prophecy, having come down with great wrath, be cause he knoweth he hath but a short time, the devil will be suffered to exercise an unusual influence among men, in exciting their corruptions, as pride, lusts, covetousness, enmity, rage, and all the malignant pas sions. Satan will then be able to instigate the wicked to overleap usual restraints; to break such bands asunder, and to cast such cords from them. Whether any thing more than this, in a land so distant from the seat of the Antichristian beast as ours, will be observable,

as fulfilling the other system of diabolical influence; or whether it will not appear, that the old dragon has long been preparing some engine, which will then be brought into operation against the cause of Christ, the event must decide. The latter seems much to accord with the deep policy of that old serpent, who deceives the world. His plans extend far beyond the apprehensions of the multitudes, who are involved in them, and who with different motives prove instruments of their fulfilment. People may be led, by trifling and seemingly harmless views, into connexions, which Satan may eventually manage to accomplish his malignant designs; and perhaps to subserve one of the three sy stems of influence under consideration.

1

THUS I have endeavored to make it appear, in this chapter, that the last days have arrived; and that an inceptive fulfilment of the predictions concerning Antichrist is now manifest before our eyes. Chronological remarks, and the events and signs of the times, appear to unite, and clearly to indicate the present age as the period of the rise of Antichrist.

Various other tokens of this event are suggested in the word of God; such as, Signs in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke;Wars and rumors of wars;-Pestilences, famines, and earthquakes in divers places;-And an angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to them who dwell on the earth, to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, or a most remarkable missionary spirit in the Christian world, in the same hour with the fall of Papal Babylon. These signs of the last days, serious and judicious people believe they have seen fulfilling, or fulfilled. Upon this I shall not remark.

But concerning the reign of Antichrist, and the prevalence of Infidelity, if John could say to his Jewish brethren, in relation to the continuance of their national polity; It is the last time; and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know it is the last time; truly

we may adopt his inference with an emphasis. If the Infidelity of the impenitent Jews indicated that wrath to the uttermost was just ready to be poured upon their nation; truly the present extensive, systematic, and prevalent agency and Infidelity of the real Antichrist of the last time, does evince, with more emphatical decision, that the battle of the great day is not far distant. For the deduction of the Apostle rested on this ground, that the destruction of Antichrist, at the time of his first appearance, should be even at the doors. Zion will be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. The vintage will commence; the wine press will be trodden. The Lord will roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusa. lem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake. The wicked powers of his enemies will be swept from his presence. And the meek shall inherit the earth, and detight themselves in abundance of peace.

CHAP. III.

Some other Particulars relative to the Subject under consideration.

SECTION I.

The Trials of the Church under the reign of Antichrist.

In this section I shall remark upon some of the prophecies, which are thought to relate to the trials of the people of God under the prevalence of Antichristian tyranny. As the scenes of this tyranny may continue for some time, perhaps for half a century, and it may be more, some of the prophecies now to be noted may relate to that period generally; some to one part of it; and some to another.

But before any prophecies relative to that period are considered, let it be remarked, that the great infidel Power of the last days denominated Antichrist; being also represented as the old Roman beast revived, and as the sixth, or Imperial head, recovered from its deadly wound; these things alone portend solemn things to the Church. Why is this Power called Antichrist? Why was his existence in the last days so long, and so abundantly and solemnly predicted to the Church under this, and various other terrific appellations? Will he not verify the hostility indicated in his very name? Can the appellation of Antichrist be unmeaning? Why is he represented in addition to this, as the last head of the old Roman beast? And the sixth, the most persecuting head, recovered from his deadly wound? The best expositors agree, that a beast, in the symbolic language of prophecy, means a great power hostile to the Church of Christ. Powers ever so great, not hostile to the Church are not symbolized by beasts. And when a great power, that has been hostile to the Church, and has been symbolized by a beast, ceases to

be hostile to the Church, that beast is represented as dying, or being wounded to death: As in the case of the old Pagan Roman empire, when, in the revolution under Constantine, its government was changed from Pagan to Christian. And when the same beast is represented as reviving, the indication can be nothing less, than that a similar Power equally hostile to the Church, and mystically the same, has come into existence. If this trait of character be not verified by the hostility of such a Power to the Church, there can be no meaning in the representation, that the old beast is revived. That Antichrist should be raised up to inflict judgments only on Papal and Mohammedan nations, cannot by any means answer to his appellation; for those Powers were hostile to Christ. But the appellations given to this great Power indicate hostility to the friends of Christ.

And the representation of the sixth, the Imperial head of the old beast being recovered from its deadly wound, and this under the immediate agency of the devil, in his rage of the last days, because he knoweth that he has but a short time, must indicate alarming hostility to the cause of Christ! This was the head, which in ancient days was the most terrible of all the heads of the Roman beast. Under this, Christ was crucified. Under this, the Apostles were put to death. And under this, the greatest exertions were made, in ten bloody persecutions, to eradicate primitive Christianity from the earth. If this head then be symboli cally represented as rising out of the bottomless pit, being revived under the agency of the devil, in his last rage before the Millennium, and all this under the additional name of Antichrist, who the Christians in the days of John had heard was to come, we need not wonder that solemn admonitions are given to the Church. relative to the event. And if amazing hostility be not exerted by this Power against the Church, why is Jesus Christ abundantly represented as coming from heaven, with all his armies and equipage of a most mighty conqueror, to carry on a war against him, and to vanquish him in the battle of that great day of God Almighty?