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DISSERTATION XXII.

St PAUL's prophecy of the Man of Sin.

p. 80-117.

St Paul's and St John's prophecies copied from Daniel

with fome improvements, 80. Two most memorable

prophecies of St Paul, the first of the man of fin, 80.

I. The fenfe and meaning of the paffage, 81. The

coming of Chrift in this place, and the day of Chrift,

not meant of the deftruction of Jerufalem, but of the

end of the world, 82. Other memorable events to take

place before, 84. What the apoftafy, 84. Who the

man of fin, 85. His exalting himself, 85. His fitting

in the temple of God, 86. These things communicated

before to the Theffalonians, 87. What hindered the

revelation of the man of fin, 87. His deftruction fore-

told before his other qualifications, 88. His other qua-

lifications defcribed, 89. II. This prophecy strangely

mistaken and mifapplied by fome famous commenta-

tors, 89. &c. Grotius's application of it to Caligula

and Simon Magus, refuted, 90. Hammond's appli

cation of it to Simon Magus and the Gnoftics, refuted,

91. Le Clerc's application of it to the rebellious Jews

and Simon the fon of Gioras refuted, 94. Whitby's

applications of it to the Jewish nation with their high-

prieft and Sanhedrim, refuted, 95. Wetstein's appli-

cation of it to Titus and the Flavian family, refuted,

96. They bid fairer for the true interpretation, who

apply it to events after the destruction of Jerufalem, 98.

Application of it to Mohammed, refuted, 98. Appli-

cation of it to the Reformation, refuted, 99. Appli-

cation to the future Antichrift of the papifts refuted,

100. III. The true application of this prophecy, 100,

&c. The apoftafy charged upon the church of Rome,

ΙΟΙ. The pope fhown to be the man of fin, 101.

How thefe things came to be mentioned in an epistle

to the Theffalonians rather than to the Romans, 104.

The feeds of popery fown in the apostle's time, 104.

The empire of the man of fin raised on the ruins of the

Roman empire, 105. Machiavel cited to fhow how

this was effected, 105. Miracles pretended in the

The empire of the man of

church of Rome,' 108.

fin will be totally deftroyed, 109. The man of fin

the fame as the little horn or mighty king in Daniel,

109. Generally both by ancients and moderns deno-

minated Antichrift, 110. The ancient fathers give

much the fame interpretation of this whole paffage,

100. Juftin Martyr, Irenæus, and Tertullian in the

fecond century, 110. Origen in the third century, 111.

Lactantius, Cyril, and Ambrofe in the fourth century,

111. Jerome, Austin, and Chryfoftome in the latter

end of the fourth, or the beginning of the fifth century,

112. Whofoever affected the title of univerfal bishop,

he was Antichrift, in the opinion of pope Gregory the

great, 114. How the true notion of Antichrift was

fuppreffed, and revived again with the reformation, 115.

How this doctrine afterwards became unfashionable,

but is now growing into repute again, 116. Conclu-

fion;
fuch a prophecy at once a proof of revelation,

and an antedote to popery; the blindness of the papists

in this particular, 117.

DISSERTATION XXIII.

St PAUL's prophecy of the Apoftafy of the latter times.

p. 118-145.

St Paul much affected with the forefight of the great

apoftafy of Chriftians, 118. Defcribed here more

particularly, 119. I. The apoftafy fhown to be ido-

latry, 120. Some in feripture often fignifies many, 121.

The apoftafy to be great and general, 122. The

fame in the Jewish and Christian church, 123. Shown

more particularly to confift in the worshipping of de-

mons, 123. Demons in the Gentile theology middle

powers and mediators between the Gods and men, 124.

Two kinds of demons, fouls of men deified or canoni-

zed after death, and feparate fpirits, 125. Good and

bad demons, 125. The Gentile notion of demons has

fometimes place in fcripture, 127. A paffage in Epi-

phanius, that much confirms and illuftrates the fore-

going expofition, 130. The worship of faints and an-

gels now the fame as the worship of demons formerly,

132. The rife of this worship, 132. Too much pro-

moted and encouraged by the fathers from Constan-

tine's time, and particularly by Theodoret, 133. The

conformity between the Pagan and Popish worship,

136. III. The worship of the dead to take place in

the latter times, 136. What thefe latter times are,

137. IV. The worship of demons foretold exprefsly

by the Spirit in Daniel, 139. V. Propagated and e-

ftablished through the hypocrify of liars, 139. VI.

Forbidding to marry, a farther character of thefe men,

141. Who first recommended the profeffion of fingle

life, 141. The fame perfons, who prohibited marri-

age, promoted the worship of the dead, 142. VII.

The last note of these men, commanding to abstain

from meats, 144. The fame perfons, who propaga-

ted the worship of the dead, impose also abstinence

from meats, 144. This abftinence perverting the pur-

pofe of nature, 145. All creatures to be received with

thanksgiving, 145.

DISSERTATION. XXIV.

An ANALYSIS of the REVELATION.

IN TWO PARTS.

PART I.

P. 147-261.

Very useful to trace the rife and progrefs of religions and

governments, 147. None more wonderful than that

of Rome in its fuccefs and prevalence, 147. This fig-

nified beforehand by the Spirit of prophecy, and par-

ticularly in the Revelation, 148. The objections

made to this book by feveral learned men, 148.

This book difficult to explain, 149. A memorable

ftory to this purpose, of Bishop Lloyd of Worcester,

149. This book not therefore to be despised or ne-

glected, 150. The right method of interpreting it,

150. What helps and affittances are requifite,

150. Hard fate of the best interpreters of this book,

150.
Great encouragement however in the divine

benediction, 151.

CHAP. I. Ver. 1, 2, 3: contain the title of the book, the

fcope and defign of it, and the bleffing on him that

readeth,

2

{readeth, and on them that attend to it, 152. Ver. 4. 5, 6, 7, 8: the dedication to the feven churches of Afia, and a folemn preface to show the great authority of the divine revealer, 152. Ver. 9-20: the place, the time, and manner of the firft vifion, 145. The place, Patmos, whither St John was banished in the reign of Nero more probably than in that of Domitian, 154. The arguments for this opinion, 154. The Revelation given on the Lord's day, 157. The manner and circumftances of the first vision, 157.

CHAP. II. III. contain the feven epiftles to the feven churches of Afia, 158-169. Why these feven addrefed particularly, 162. Thefe epiftles not prophetical, but peculiar to the church of that age, 162. The excellent form and ftru&ture of thefe epiftles, 162. In what fenfe they may be faid to be prophetical, 162. Prefent state of the feven churches, 163-168. Of Ephefus, 163. Of Smyrna, 164. Of Pergamus, 165. Of Thyatira, 166. Of Sardis, 167. Of Philadelphia, 167. Of Laodicea, 168. Ufe that we are to make of thefe judgments, 169. CHAP. IV. the preparatory vifion to things which muft be hereafter, 170. The fcenery drawn in allufion to the incampment of the children of Ifrael in the wildernefs, and to the tabernacle or temple, 170. CHAP. V. a continuation of the preparatory vifion in order to fhow the great importance of the prophecies here delivered, 172. Future events fuppofed to be written in a book, 173. This book fealed with feven feals, fignifying fo many periods of prophecy, 173. The Son of God alone qualified to open the feals, 173. Whereupon all creatures fing praises to God and to Christ, 174.

CHAP. VI. Ver. 1, 2: contain the first feal or period, memorable for conqueft, 174. This period commences with Vefpafian, includes the conquest of Judea, and continues during the reigns of the Flavian family and the short reign of Nerva, 174. Ver. 3, 4 the fecond feal or period noted for war and flaughter, 176. This period commerces with Trajan, 176. Comprehends the horrid wars and flaughters of the Jews and Romans in the reigns of Trajan and Adrian, 176,

continues

Continues during the reigns of Trajan and his fucceffors by blood or adoption, 178. Ver. 5, 6: the third feal or period, characterized by the ftrict execution of juftice, and by the procuration of corn and oil and wine, 178. This period commences with Septimius Severus, 179. He and Alexander Severus just and fevere emperors, and no lefs celebrated for procuring corn and oil, &c. 179. This period continues during the reigns of the Septimian family, 180. Ver. 7, 8: the fourth feal or period, diftinguished by a concurrence of evils, war, and famine, and peftilence, and wild beafts, 180. This period commences with Maximine, 181. The wars of this period, 181. The famines, 182. The peftilences, 182. The wild beafts, 183. This period from Maximine to Diocletian. 183. Ver. 9, 10, 11: the fifth feal or period, remarkable for a dreadful perfecution of the Chriftians, 183. This the tenth and last general perfecution, begun by Diocletian, 185. From hence a memorable æra, called the era of Diocletian, or æra of martyrs, 185. Ver. 12-17: the fixth feal or period remarkable for great changes and revolutions, expreffed by great commotions in the earth and in the heavens, 185. No change greater than the fubverfion of the Heathen, and establishment of the Chrif tian religion, 186. The like figures of fpeech ufed by other prophets, 186. The fame thing expreffed afterwards in plainer language, 188. CHAP. VII. a continuation of the fixth feal or period, A defcription of the peace of the church in Conftantine's time, 190. And of the great acceffion of converts to it, 190. Not only of Jews, but of all nations, 190. This period from the reign of Conftantine the great to the death of Theodofis the great, 192. CHAP. VIII. Ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: The feventh fear or period comprehends feven periods diftinguished by the founding of feven trumpets, 193. The filence of half an hour previous to the founding of the trumpets, 193. As the feals foretold the ftate of the Roman empire before and till it became Chriftian, fo the trumpets forefhow the fate of it afterwards, 194. The defign of the trumpets to roufe the nations against the Roman empire, 194. Ver. 7: At the founding of the firft rúm