CONTENTS.

p. ii

xxii

PREFACE,

Advertisement,

xxi

List of Authors,

Ch. I. Extracts from the Apocalyptic Discourse of Mr. Fleming,

wherein he applies the fourth vial to France; with an inquiry into

their general import, and definitions of Antichrist,

1

Ch. II. Farther remarks on the Fourth Vial, and Mr. Fleming's

interpretation of it; with some incidental thoughts on the imme-

diate causes of the overthrow of the French monarchy, 10

Ch. III. Observations and extracts respecting the authenticity

of the Apocalypse,

19

Ch. IV. General observations on the book of Revelation, and

particularly on its uses and its obscurity,

26

Ch. V. St. John's description of the Ten-horned beast, the

l'epresentative of Civil tyranny, and of the antichristian princes

established in the Western part of the Roman empire, illus-

trated,

43

Ch. VI. His description of the Two-horned beast, the represent-

ative of the antichristian priesthood and of ecclesiastical oppression,

illustrated,

.. 57

Ch. VII. Remarks introductory to an examination of that part

of the eleventh chapter of the Apocalypse, which is thought to
relate to France and the French revolution,

96
Ch. VIII. Expectations of various prophetical interpreters, which

are founded on that eleventh chapter, and respect a revolution in

France,

.78

Ch. IX. That part of the eleventh chapter of the Apocalypse,

which contains a symbolic account of the witnesses, farther in-

vestigated,

105

1

Ch. X. On the concluding part of the eleventh chapter of St.

John, and his description of the period of the seventh trumpet;

with some short extracts respecting the fifth and sixth trumpets, as

interpreted of the conquests of the Saracens and Tuiks,

137

Ch. XI. On the Vials in general, and the fifth vial in parti-

cular,

149

Ch. XII. Observations and Extracts relative to St. Paul's Pro-

phecy of the Man of Sin,

160

App. to ch. XII. Facts and observations designed to prove, that

almost

every kind of ecclesiastical usurpation was introduced, and

almost every species of superstition encouraged, as early as the

Fourth Century; and, therefore, that the prediction of the Coming

of the Man of Sin ought not to be exclusively applied to the church

of Rome, since the man of sin was already come, and fully mani-

fested, several centuries before the authority of that church was

established among the nations of Europe,

171

Ch. XIII. Passages from the Apocalypse, which respect the

corruptions and the destruction of the symbolic Babylon, and

relate to the antichristian hierarchies in general, and especially to

the church of Rome; with a brief statement of early opinions

on the antichristian power in the Apocalypse,

195

Ch. XIV. Observations of various writers, which serve to shew,

that unequivocal marks of antichristianism are impressed not

only on the church of Rome, but also on the other national

churches of Europe; with some passages intended to prove the

bad effects, which their connexion with a hierarchy, and elevation

to a bishopric, produced on the mind and the conduct of Dr. New-

ton, bishop of Bristol, and of Dr. Hurd, bishop of Worcester, 206

Ch. XV. Daniel's prediction of the Fall of the Papacy concisely

noticed; with a digression relative to one of the symbols most fre-

quently employed by Daniel and St. John,

243

Ch. XVI. Thoughts on the course of future events, and parti-

cularly on a prediction of St. John, in which he appears to foretell

a memorable war, in which a number of combined princes will be

totally overthrown,

252

Ch. XVII. Remarks on the symbolic harvest and the symbolic

vintage, foretold in the fourteenth chapter of the Revelation, and

on a kindred prophecy of Joel,

263

Ch. XVIII. Prophecies in the Apocalypse, which point out the

destruction of all the Governments in Europe, which are oppressive

and antichristian,

271

Ch. XIX. Extracts from different authors, containing observa.

tions on the evidences of prophecy in general, and on the authen-

ticity of the Hebrew prophets in particular,

279

It is proper to inform the reader, that the heads prefixed to the

chapters, are more brief than those contained in the preceding table

of contents.

The table of contents of the second volume, is also prefised to that

volume; but the numbering of the chapters is continued in succession from

the concluding chapter of the first volume ; which will also render the re-

ferences to the chapters in the English edition, and this edition equally

correct.

CHAPTER 1.

ON MR. FLEMING'S INTERPRETATION OF THE FOURTA VIAL.

THE desire of penetrating into futurity is a passion congenial to the human mind; and whenever, from a careful inspection of prophecy, the attempt is attended with any share of success, our curiosity is awakened and our attention fixed. This, in the opinion of many, has happened with respect to a Discourse of Mș. Fleming; since, writing at the commencement of the present century, he gave, in the course of his remarks on the book of Revelation, such a representation of events, as, in a considerable degree, has been accomplished near the period of its termination.

In the sublime scenery of the xvth ch. of that prophecy, seven angels' are represented as having seven vials, which are called the seven last plagues ; for, says the prophet (v. 1.) in them is filled up the wrath of God. These plagues, which are successively described in ch. xvi, Mr. Fleming regards as “judgments' principally, though not exclusively, upon Rome Papal 2.'

The passages which follow are extracted from a Discourse, published, with three others, by Mr. Fleming 3 in

1' In the style of prophecy, every thing is called an angel, that notifies a message from God, or executes the will of God! Lowman on ch. i. 1.

2 See p. 59, 77.

3 Our author's father, who published a large work, entitled the Fulfilling of Scripture, was one of the 400 ministers of Scotland, who were ejected from their livings soon after the restoration of Charles II. When liberated from his confinement in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, he fled to Holland; and his son, Mr. Robert Fleming, in consequence, carried on his

A

the year 1701. After endeavoring to shew, that the three first vials pointed out events, which had undermined the power of the Roman pontiff and his adherents; he proceeds to the fourth, as foretelling other events, which would, assuredly, be in a high degree injurious to them.

St. John says, ch. xvi. v. 8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the san; and power was given unto șim to, scorch men with firé, "The chief thing,' says Mr. Flem: ing, to be taken notice of here, is, that the sun and other luminaries of heaven are the emblems of princes and kingdoms, as we took notice of before. Therefore the pouring out of this vial on the sun MUST denote the humiliation of some eminent potentates of the Romish interest, whose in fuences and countenar.ce cherish and support the Papa) cause. And these therefore must be principally under: stood of the houses of Austria and Bourbon, though not exclusively of other Popish princes. So that there is ground to hope, that, about the beginning of another such century, things may again alter for the better: for I cannot but hope that some new mortification of the chief supporters of Antichrist will then happen; and perhaps the French Monarchy may begin to be considerably humbled about that time: that whereas the present French king takes the