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by intelligent readers, I have no doubt but it is a judicious, able work, and is entitled to the public patronage.”

Albany, July 16, 1835.

W. B. SPRAGUE.

From Rev. Dr. TUCKER. "Having examined Rev. Mr. Smith's Key to the Revelation, I am prepared to express my approbation of the work. The author, well known by other works, has evinced in this his usual knowledge of the Scriptures; his soundness of judgment, and correctness of sentiment. As a commentary, it is critical and judicious. And as an exposition of this difficult part of the holy Scriptures, it is lucid and convincing." MARK TUCKER.

Troy, N. Y., July 17, 1835.

A minister, in high repute in his county and State, said, as I lately entered his house, I have been reading your Key to the Revelation; and am highly pleased with it. I have been much prejudiced against writings of this kind; but am now convinced of my error; and am determined to study the prophecies.

The evidence of the divinity of the Revelation rests on that of the divinity of the Bible. If the one is true, the other is true. For the Revelation is a mirror, reflecting the glories of the Bible. And the evidence that each is the word of God is full; and should ever rest on every heart. The want of this cripples the Christian's faith; withholding its support. A concise view of the points of evidence that the Bible is the word of God, is as follows: 1. Man's need of such a book; and hence the presumption that God would give it. The immortality of the soul, and salvation for lost man, are learned here only. And as God conversed with Adam in Paradise, he certainly would reveal his will to his children, if he designed salvation for them. Where then, is such a revelation? The Bible has claims to it, as far superior to all other books that make any claims, as the sun is superior to a glow worm. 2. The fulfilments of its prophecies. A line of the great events, most interesting to the church, from the beginning, have been long predicted. And to this day they have been most clearly fulfilled, and fulfilling; which is a kind of constant miracle in evidence of the truth of the Bible. The divinity of the Apocalypse is here most perfectly demonstrated. Its events have been, and are fulfilling as clearly, in the eyes of men skilled in prophecy, as eclipses (previously calculated) evince the truth of our system of astronomy. 3. Miracles; events out of the course of nature, to vindicate God's word. These have been numerous; and before the eyes of both enemies and friends. And they furnish the highest evidence for the Bible. Suppose a voice from heaven should now say to us, I will give you new evidence of the truth of the Bible. The sun shall now stand still for twenty-four hours; and then go on its course! We all watch for the event; and it is fulfilled! Would this be ample evidence? This we have, in Joshua x. 12-14; and many other miracles equally convincing. 4. The history of Christ on earth. Here is evidence perfect in kind and degree. Long was he predicted; and he fulfilled these predictions in all respects,

in his person. In the record given of him, the rays of the light of the Bible meet, and demonstrate his divinity, and their own. 5. The testimonies of the Apostles. They testified, not to opinions; but to facts; each one of which evinces the divinity of the Bible: viz., Christ's life with them on earth; his miracles; his death; his resurrection; and his ascension to heaven in their full view! Nothing earthly could induce the Apostles to bear these most unpopular testimonies at the peril of their lives, and to seal the truth of them with their blood. 6. The unity of the Bible. Written by different men, at different times, and places, by men unacquainted with each other, in no preconcerted combination, of different habits; and yet all uniting in the same views of God, of Christ, of the Spirit of God, of fallen man, of the great salvation by Christ, of heaven, of hell, and of the way to each; as well as predicting the same temporal events. This shows that they "wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 7. The excellency of the word of God; its doctrines, duties demanded, and its motives, all being such as are worthy of God, and most happy for his people. 8. Its height and sublimity: being as much above created wisdom, as heaven is above the earth. As well might the infidel tell us, that the sun is but a dark body, produced by some designing man, and is a curse to the world; as to say the same thing of our Bible. 9. Its power on the human soul:— being sharper than any two edged sword." "He that believeth hath the witness in himself." The vilest sinners have been tortured by its stings on their consciences. 10. The wonders God has wrought by it :-in the Apostles' days; in the destruction of paganism in the Roman empire; in ancient Britain with our heathen fathers; in all Christian lands, turning them from paganism; in the mission stations of our day; and in salvations wrought among us. The Bible must have been written by good or bad But bad ones would not have written such a book, if they had been able; for they have ever hated it. And good men would tell the truth concerning their inspiration. 12. All objections worthy of note have been often refuted. Thus the Bible is the word of God. And thus the Revelation,-its finishing touch and the reflecting glass of the whole,-is worthy of a very different attention than what it has hitherto received!

66

men.

August 16, 1837.

INDEX.

LECT. VIII. CHAP. 8 continued.-Trumpet 2, a burning mountain cast

into the sea; or the city of Rome taken and plundered, 103.—
Trumpet 3, a bitter star falls on the rivers, &c., wars of Odoacer,
and the Arian heresy revived, 104.-Trumpet 4, a third part of
light darkened; or the fall of the empire, 106.

LECT. IX. CHAP. 9.-Two of the three wo trumpets. Trumpet 5, a
star falls, and opens the bottomless pit; or rise of Mohammedism;
109.-Trumpet 6, the four angels loosed; or rise of the Turkish
empire, 115.

LECT X. CHAP. 10. Notable descent of Christ; or infidel France in the
revolution of 1789, 119.-Terrors of the last of it, 122.

LECT. XI. CHAP. 10 continued.-Seven thunders;-sense of their being
sealed from Daniel, 131.-Oath of Christ explained from Daniel,
135.-Little open book, 138.

LECT. XII. CHAP. 11.-Unmeasurable sin of popery, 141.-The two
witnesses, 143.-The 1260 years, note, 142-Power of the wit-
nesses over judgments, 145.

LECT. XIII. CHAP. 11 continued.-Witnesses slain, 149.-Arguments
that the event is future, 150.-Their resurrection, 159.-Earth-
quake following, 160.-Trumpet 7, Ruin of Antichrist, 161.

LECT. XIV. CHAP. 12.-Second general division of the book. Object
of this chapter, 165.-Objection answered, note, 165.-Symbolic
woman, 166.-Twelve stars in her crown,-the twelve apostles,
&c., Note on this, 168.-Her delicate state;-the great red dra-
gon, &c., 169.-Her child born, and is safe, 171.-Objections
answered, note, 172.-First flight of the woman, 174.-War in
Heaven, 175.-Dragon cast down. Joy on the occasion, 176.

LECT. XV. CHAP. 12, continued.-New persecutions, 180.-Second
flight of the woman; which brought the Pilgrims to America, 181.
-Arguments for it, 183.-Note on the 1260 years, 182.—Early
Indian wars, note, 188.

LECT. XVI. CHAP. 12 continued.-Floods by the serpent, 195.-Floods
swallowed up, 200.-New war of the devil in America, 203.

LECT. XVII. CHAP. 13.-Healed head of the Roman beast, 204.-
But one beast can exist at a time, 208.

LECT. XVIII. CHAP. 13 continued. The papal beast, 217.-His image
of the first beast, 218.-Miracles, mark, &c. His number, 221.

LECT. XIX. CHAP. 14.-The Lamb on mount Zion, 223.-Missionary
angel flying. Former dissertation on it before it commenced, 226.
-A second angel to come, 233.-A third, 235.

LECT. XX. CHAP. 14 continued. The deep trials of the Church, 238.
Christ on his white cloud, for his harvest and vintage, 239.

LECT. XXI. CHAP. 15. The seven angels of the vials, 246.—The vic-
torious on a sea of glass and fire; an emblem of the gospel minis-
try gives to those angels their vials of wrath, 249.

Old

CHAP. 16 introduced, 251.-The vials commence.
views of the vials unsatisfactory. Some arguments for my view
of the vials, 254.-Vial 1, Reformation, 255.

LECT. XXII. CHAP. 16 continued, 257.

LECT. XXIII. CHAP. 16 continued.-Vial 2, Fifty years war in Italy, 265.

LECT. XXIV. CHAP. 16 continued.-Vial 3, Papal nations involved in
in the seventeenth century, 273.

wars,

LECT. XXV. CHAP. 16 continued.-Kings scorching the pope, by pro-
tecting their people against his terrors; and by banishing the Je-
suits, 280.-Code of the Jesuits, note, 280.

LECT. XXVI. CHAP. 16 continued.-Vial 5, on the seat (throne) of the
papal beast. Revolution in France, in 1789, 285.-State of the
pope compared with his former state, 287.

LECT. XXVII. CHAP. 16 continued.-Vial 6, Subversion of the Turkish
power, 291.-Kings of the east, 294.-Time of this event, 295.

LECT. XXVIII. CHAP. 16 continued.-Three unclean spirits, like frogs,
297. The false prophet and popery the same, note, 298.—A
warning voice from Christ, 301.

LECT. XXIX. CHAP. 16 continued.-Vial 7, the battle of the great day
of God, 305.

LECT. XXX. CHAP. 17.-The papal harlot on the back of the new
beast, 311.-This beast was, and is not, and yet is, 314.-The
seventh head not yet come, 315.-Such a power was to arise,
316.-Character of Voltaire, note, 318.

LECT. XXXI.

CHAP. 17 continued.-Enormities of the beast, 323.-
The new beast and healed head the same, 325.-A broken rod,
note, 324.-The ten horns of the beast, 325.

LECT. XXXII. CHAP. 17 continued.-Enormities of the beast continued,
as given in ancient prophecy, 328.—And by the apostles, 332.
LECT. XXXIII. CHAP. 18.—A further view of the descent of Christ, in
chapter 10, 335.

LECT. XXXIV. CHAP. 19.-The marriage of the Lamb, 341.-Battle
of the great day, 345.-Gog and the beast from the bottomless
pit the same, note, 346.

LECT. XXXV. CHAP. 20.-Satan bound; the Millennium, 349.-Length
of Millennium, 353.-Apostasy, 356.—General judgment, 357.

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