Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub
[ocr errors]

fore the world, in their united character as seventh head of the kingdoms of this world, that they may accomplish," or fill up themeasure of " its wickedness, and finish its last "end," or bring it to utter destruction and “perdition:" and as Christ at his first advent prepared and laid the foundations for his future glorious triumph, and we look for his second to accomplish that which he hath begun; so Antichrist having already once appeared, will also re-appear, when the prince of life, and the prince of this world, will once more contend for the mastery of it; and the glorious result will be that Satan, having formerly on the first advent been cast out of heaven, as "the accuser

66

of the brethren*," will as the result of the second be cast out of the earth†.

In saint John we find that the eighth head is said to be of the seven, which (if unexplained by the right understanding of the enigmatical passage of Rev. xvii. 11), would naturally lead to the supposition that one individual alone would fill both headships, and that the same who, as seventh head, had fulfilled all of Dan. xi. 21-39, would also, as eighth head, fulfil the remaining portion, ver. 40-45.

In the prophecy of Ezra also it may be remarked that after the judgment upon the Papal

* Rev. xii. 10. Luke x. 18.

† Rev. xx. 1—3.

nations under the fourth Vial, and seventh headship, are spoken of at the close of chap. xv.; it goes on, at the commencement of the following chapter, to denounce the second series of judgments upon BABYLON, (i. e. the Papal Apostasy,) upon ASIA, (i. e. the Mahometan Apostasy,) upon Egypt, and upon Syria; which are to be executed, by Antichrist under his last form but gives no intimation that this latter series of judgments would not be inflicted by the same agent who inflicted the first series of judgments upon them, or that the "horrible star" of chap. xv. 40, who had, as his first act in 1796 -8, gone stedfastly against Babylon, and made her afraid, was now no more.

In reviewing the former part of this prophecy of Dan. xi. 21-45, now particularly under consideration, we find that in verses 21-32 an account of the first establishment of the infidel Antichrist in power is given, in a minute and chronological narrative of all his political actions, from his first prominent appearance in public life, in the campaign of the year 1796, till he became, in 1804, the sovereign of France; and that the prophecy then indicates a break in the narrative, by the introduction of three episodical verses 33-35; after which, at the commencement of the 36th verse, he of whom it is at first said that they should not (immediately) give

66

to him the honour of the kingdom," as being "a " vile person," or not of royal birth, is at length designated by the title of " King," now newly acquired; and having been already sufficiently identified in the course of fifteen verses, the prophecy proceeds, in four verses, 36-39, of an entirely different nature, consisting of general description, and embracing in a few words a long period of time, to give an account of his character and pretensions, and, very briefly, of the remainder of his political career; leaving him however in the height of his power as he appeared about the year 1811 or immediately prior to the Russian campaign; that is, when he had "divided the land" of the western Roman Empire, amongst his relatives and military followers "for (their) gain" or as the reward of their services.

It is remarkable that the prophecy should thus, from the period of the birth of the young Napoleon, cease to speak of the elder Napoleon, and should pass on at once to a yet future period, called "the time of the end," giving an intimation, by its changing its character and becoming again a minute chronological narrative, (which will always be found to be employed, for the purpose of identification, when a new subject of prophecy is entered upon,) that a new person is in this place introduced. That

no other more decided intimation is given of the change which here takes place, is a mystery which can only be explained by the supposition that the infidel Antichrist of the last days, the King of Daniel and the septimo-octave "head," of the Apocalyptic Beast is one prophetic character, manifested in the persons of two successive, yet united, and for a certain period, cotemporary individuals.

The rise of Antichrist in his last form, as eighth head or sovereign of the empire, has always been expected to take place at the pouring out of the seventh Vial; the ground of which expectation is that the Papal Roman Empire, the Great City of Rev. xvi. 19, then assumes a new form, undergoing a tripartite division; but it appears, from the prophecy of Ezra, that Rome and Austria will form two of these states (the third being uncertain), and it is an unquestionable prophetic truth that whosoever shall become at that time Emperor or sovereign of Rome, necessarily thus becomes eighth and last head of the empire, and therefore the Antichrist of the last days, under whom the Roman Empire will go into perdition. And as it will be satisfactory to shew that this expectation is founded on prophecy alone, and not on any present supposed probability of events, the following passage relative to the sixth and

[ocr errors]

seventh. Vials is given from the edition of 1814, in which year even the fifth Vial had not begun its course-" The period of the sixth Vial is "unnoticed in the eleventh chapter of Daniel, we may learn however from Saint John, that during this period preparations will be going "forward for that event which will once more "bring Antichrist into notice; for it is said that "the three unclean spirits of Paganism, Popery,

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors]

and Infidelity, will go forth at this time working miracles to gather together the kings "of the earth to the great day of the battle of "God Almighty, from which we must conclude "that during this period Antichrist will won

66

66

derfully, and as it were miraculously, recover "his ascendency over the minds of men; or at least that all manner of corrupt principles will prosper, and thus prepare the way for that event, which will once more place the Kings of the Earth' "under his controul; for it is the Beast out of "the bottomless pit, who is the eighth and last

66

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors]

head, or ruler, of the Roman Empire, who "leads the armies of the kings of the earth at "the great battle of Armageddon. On the pouring out of the seventh Vial, the second great Earthquake of the Apocalypse will take place, the Great City' will become divided into three parts, the cities of the nations will fall, and great Babylon will come in remem

[ocr errors]

66

66

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
« ПредишнаНапред »