SERMON

XI,

and to build Jerusalem, still, besides the

prophetic and somewhat obscure sense of the word weeks, we cannot beforehand calculate exactly when these weeks commence q, or in what term they are to be accomplished. Yet, notwithstanding these uncertainties, the Jews saw very clearly, and, from them, the rest of the world conceived an expectation, that the person predicted was to appear in that age, or about that time, in which he did appear, and which, from the tenour of the prophecies, they had computed would be the time of his appearance.

In like manner, the season of Antichrist's appearance in the world is left to be collected from general intimations; and, when the du

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“ Whatsoever time of Messiah's appearing Almighty “ God pointed out by Daniel's lxx Weeks, yet I believe “ not that any Jew before the event, could infallibly de

sign the time without some latitude; because they could “ not know infallibly where to pitch the head of their ac

XI.

SERMON ration of his tyranny is limited to twelve hun

dred and sixty days, besides that the expres- : sion, as before, is ænigmatical, we have no means of fixing the commencement of that period so precisely, but that some doubts may arise about it, till the accomplishment of the prophecy shall give light and certainty to the computation. Yet still, as in the former case, we have such data to proceed upon' in calculating the reign of Antichrist, as may let us see about what time it was to be expected.

Thus much being premised, I have now only to remind you of what the prophets expressly declare concerning the rise of Antichrist. The eldest of these, the prophet Daniel, says it was to be in the time of the fourth kingdom, that is, of the Roman; which, for the convenience of the prophetic calculațions, is considered as subsisting, though in a new form, under the ten kings, among whom it was to be divided. He further tells

that Antichrist was to arise from among, and after, the ten kings; that is, we are to look for him then, (and not before) when the Roman empire has undergone that change of government?

XI.

Next, St. Paul, it seems, had told the Thes- SERMON salonians, what it was that, for a time, prevented the appearance of Antichrist : But that information hath not been transmitted to us. However, he says to them-le know WHAT with-holdeth that he might be revealed in his time : and further adds, he, who now letteth, will let, until he be taken out of the ways.

Now, by putting these passages together, and by comparing them with the predictions of Daniel, not we of these later times only, before whom the man of sin is supposed to be evidently displayed, but the early fathers of the church, long before the events happened to which these prophetic notices could be applied, clearly saw, or at least generally conjectured, that the impediment, here mentioned, was the then subsisting power of the Cæsarean government; which, they said, was first to be taken away, and then Antichrist would be revealed t.

Lastly, the Apostle St. John not only confirms the prophecies of Daniel, tha Antichrist should arise out of the ten kings, who

SERMON

XI.

were to have the western empire shared out among them, but adds this remarkable circumstance, That he should ride the ten kings"; which implies, that he should co-exist with them: And it further appears, that he was to receive his whole power froin them, and was finally to be destroyed by them.

Now, turn to the history of the fourth kingdom, and see how it corresponds to these prophecies. Observe, when the western empire under its Cæsarean head, was taken away; how it was, afterwards, dismembered by the northern nations; by what degrees it fell at length, into ten; that is, many distinct, independent kingdoms; at what time this partition was made, or rather fully settled and completed. From this time, and not before, you are to look for Antichrist, now gradually rearing himself up among the ten kings; and at length, in a condition, by the power, which they gave to him, to ride, that is, to direct and govern them. From this time, again, compute the 1260 years, the predicted period of his government; and, keeping your eye all along on the ecclesiastical and civil state of our Western world (the predicted theatre of all

SERMON

XI.

these transactions) see, if you can help concluding, I do not say at what precise time, but about what time, Antichrist appeared; see, if the commencement of his reign be not so far determined as that you may be certain of its being long since past; and see, if very much, , at least, of that allotted period, through which his dominion was to continue, according to the prophecies, be not, by the evident attestation of history, now run out.

TO DRAW, then, what hath been said on the several marks of Antichrist, to a point. Consíder, within what part of the world, he was to appear; in what seat or throne, he was to

, be established; of what kind, his sovereignty

l was to be ; with what attributes, he was to be invested ; in what season, or about what time, and for how long a time, he was to reign and prosper : Consider these FIVE obvious characters of Antichrist, which the prophets have distinctly set forth, and which, from them, I have successively held up to you: And, then, compare them with the correspondent charac

you

find inscribed, by the pen of authentic history, on a certain power, sprung up in the West ; seated in the city of Rome; calling himself the Vicar of Christ; yet full of names of blasphemy, that is, stigmatized with

ters, which