the first, are at once of so definite and so public and so extensive a nature; while the stage upon which it performs them is so distinctly marked out to be the Macedonian Empire which geographically comprehends the Eastern Roman Empire; that, if ever any Power achieved such exploits on such a stage beginning its career of domination immediately after the year 604, authentic history cannot possibly be silent on the subject.

Now it is an undoubted historical fact, whatever application we may make of the fact itself, that, in the year 608 or 609, Mohammed, dexterously availing himself of the unscriptural demonolatry which had infected the Christian Church, set on foot an imposture, which soon overspread the whole Macedonian Empire, and which performed the very actions that are ascribed to the second predicted Power, both in the same geographical region and during the same chronological period.

Hence we may well denominate the rise and continuance of Mohammedism the second extraordinary event which marks the lapse of the latter three times and a half. The event itself, like the event of the contemporary papal domination in the West, is an historical matter of fact: and it must undoubtedly be ascribed to the period of the latter three times and a half, whether we do or do not suppose it to have been predicted by Daniel in his vision of the ram and the he-goat, and whether we do or do not believe it to have been foretold by

St. John in his two successive oracles of the fifth and sixth trumpets'. For myself, I cannot readily imagine, that an event, pregnant with so much use to sound religion, would be passed over in silence by the two great chronological prophets.moo

3

3. The latter three times and a half, commenc→ ing as they do at some point between the years 603 and 615, and therefore terminating at some point between the years 1863 and 1875, comprehend within their period, not only the domination of Popery in the West and the tyranny of Mohammedism in the East, but likewise the prevalence of that modern spirit of Infidelity and Atheism, which exemplified itself in the production of the French Revolution and all its baneful consequences.

This, again, is a naked historical fact; whether the fact itself be or be not foretold in those prophecies, which, as all acknowledge, treat of the latter three times and a half. As for the theological importance of the fact, the Christian, who values his religion, will not be disposed to controvert it: and, with regard to the secular importance of the fact, it will be as little disputed by the mere politician, whether he be or be not a speculative believer in the truth of revelation. Hence, as we have various chronological prophecies which professedly relate to the entire period of the latter three times and a half, we may not unreasonably esteem them defective, if they be wholly silent as

兼

'Dan. viii. 9-12, 23-25. Rev. ix.

to the prevalence of the infidel spirit and the wonderful effects which have resulted from it.

1

On such grounds, I incline to believe, that neither Daniel nor St. John have omitted, in their chronological prophecies, the unhallowed exploits of that God-denying Antichrist, who by the wide diffusion of his spirit should finally identify himself with the apostate Roman Empire, but who in action should chiefly be developed by the principal horn and under the seventh head of that same Empire in its last or divided condition. Daniel, if I mistake not, sets them forth with an extraordinary degree of minuteness and precision: while St. John makes them the leading and preeminent subject of that seventh trumpet, which introduces the third and ultimate great woe to Christianised Europe'.

But, whether prophecy be silent or not relative to that spirit of Infidelity, which, when reduced from theory to practice, has shaken Europe to its very centre; the existence and operations of such a spirit constitute a recorded historical fact: and that fact has occurred within the period, marked out for the second moiety of the seven times of the Gentiles or the broken term of the latter three times and a half.

III. Thus it appears, that, since the seven times, which compose the age of the great metallic image and which form the measure of THE SACRED CALEN

1 Dan. xi. 36-45. Rev. xi. 15-19, xvi. xix. 11-21.

DAR OF PROPHECY, must have commenced with the birth of the golden head at some point between the years 658 and 646 before Christ, and therefore must terminate at some point between the years 1863 and 1875 after Christ: it appears, that, would we know what must be the subject of predictions relative to that period, we need only advert to history. For, since the history of the period in question is the history of the principal events which occur during its lapse; any true prophecy, which relates to it, can only foretell the events which it has been the province of history to record. History, in short, is no other than accomplished prophecy: while, conversely, prophecy is nothing else than anticipated history. If the oraeles of God, as professing to be such in Scripture, be indeed the work of inspiration, prophecy and history will answer to each other like the two edges of an indenture.

RESPECTING THE CHARACTER AND REVELATION OF THE

MAN OF SIN, AND THE NATURE OF THE APOSTASY OUT OF WHICH HE ARISES AND OVER WHICH HE PRESIDES.

THOUGH St. Paul was not commissioned to enter upon the field of prophecy with a copiousness equal either to that of Daniel or to that of St. John; yet he has left behind him two remarkable and connected predictions, which stand so closely allied to the visions of those two prophets that they must not be passed over in silence.

The first of these predictions relates to a character, whom the Apostle denominates the man of sin, and whom he describes as being revealed subsequent to the coming of a great Apostasy: the second. sets forth the nature and peculiarities of that Apostasy, to which in the first he had simply alluded.

We are assured on inspired authority, that noprophecy of Scripture is to be interpreted after an independent or insulated manner, the whole of the sacred oracles forming a single compact and mutually connected body'. This circumstance is, in fact, the necessary result of their having all equally

12 Peter i. 20.