at the full poffeffion of her Lord in everlasting`. glory and blifs. The finger of God appears plainly ftamped upon the book of the Apocalypfe, it fo far exceeds the reach of human compofition. The divine pen is vifible in every line, as each fentence is apparently written with fuch precision and accuracy, that a word cannot be added or retrenched without derogating from the fenfe. The figures and allegories here employed are truly fublime, grand, and beautiful, and closely adapted in all their parts to the subject. Some of them are borrowed from the ancient prophets, but heightened by fuperior ftrokes. St. John's fubject, the history of Christ's kingdom, as it furpaffes in dignity the object of all preceding prophecies, fo he exhibits it in colours that outfhine all former prophetic defcriptions This kingdom of Chrift, the greatest of all kingdoms, and his government of it, the moft perfect of all governments, are described in a ftyle proportionably exalted. The ancient prophets announced the orders and inftructions they received from God, and were only favoured with vifions in fome particular cafes: but the beloved difciple of Chrift, not only receives from his Lord the verbal account he delivers, but is admitted to fee tranfacted before him every scene of the history which he writes. Again, the ancient prophets chiefly confined their accounts to the temporary tranfactions of kingdoms; but St. John, after giving the hiftory of the Chriftian Church for the whole time of her existence in this world, de 1 particular intereft every Chriftian must take in that part of the hiftory, which relates to the prefent time, and to those scenes which are' approaching. Much inftruction may be drawn from the prefent ftate of the Church, as defcribed by our prophetic writer, and caution ought to be the refult for what we find is to happen hereafter. If God reveals to us myfteries, it is for our inftruction: if he difclofes to us future events, doubtlefs he does it to give us warning to prepare for them. This kind of economy almighty God observed towards mankind from the beginning, that in confequence of fuch previous admonitions, his faithful fervants fhould withdraw themfelves from approaching calamities, while the wicked might impute to their own obftinacy the punishments that fell upon them. This bountiful adminiftration of providence appeared. very confpicuous in favour of the Jews, who were generally forewarned by the prophets of the great events that concerned them. The fame courfe we find the Almighty has purfued in the Chriftian age of the world. He has not indeed fent a fucceffion of prophets as he did to the Jews. The only confiderable prophet Chriftianity can claim is St. John the apoftle: but then he as far excels any one of the ancient prophets, as his Apocalypfe contains more matter, and comprises a larger field of hiftory. He grafps the whole period of Chriftianity. He defcribes the birth of Chrift's Spoufe, his Church, and gradually conducts her through her whole progrefs, till she arrives at the full poffeffion of her Lord in everlasting glory and blifs. The finger of God appears plainly ftamped upon the book of the Apocalypfe, it fo far exceeds the reach of human compofition. The divine pen is visible in every line, as each fentence is apparently written with fuch precifion and accuracy, that a word cannot be added or retrenched without derogating from the sense. The figures and allegories here employed are truly fublime, grand, and beautiful, and clofely adapted in all their parts to the subject. Some of them are borrowed from the ancient prophets, but heightened by fuperior ftrokes. St. John's fubject, the history of Chrift's kingdom, as it furpaffes in dignity the object of all preceding prophecies, fo he exhibits it in colours that outfhine all former prophetic defcriptions This kingdom of Chrift, the greatest of all kingdoms, and his government of it, the moft perfect of all governments, are described in a style proportionably exalted. The ancient prophets announced the orders and inftructions they received from God, and were only favoured with visions in fome particular cafes: but the beloved difciple of Chrift, not only receives from his Lord the verbal account he delivers, but is admitted to fee tranfacted before him every fcene of the hiftory which he writes. Again, the ancient prophets chiefly confined their accounts to the temporary tranfactions of kingdoms; but St. John, after giving the history of the Chriftian Church for the whole time of her existence in this world, de fcribes her future triumphant ftate in the heavenly Jerufalem, the period of which will be equal to that of eternity. Befides the picture which he there gives of the heavenly Jerufalem, is drawn with fuch exquifite art, is painted with fuch ftriking colours, and enriched with fuch charming fcenes, and with fuch a collection of the choiceft, the most valuable, and the most shining objects in nature, that the whole furpaffes greatly whatever human conception is capable of imagining or combining together. Such then being the extent, the usefulness, and the excellence of the prophecy delivered in the Apocalypfe, what can be more curious or interesting than a history founded upon it, which is what we offer to the Chriftian reader? THE Editor to the Public The Introduction. CHAP. I. Explication of the first Chapter of CHAP. II. The History of the firft Age of the Prelude to the Opening of the feven Seals Prelude to the Sounding of the seven The Sounding of the first Trumpet The Pouring out of the first Vial CHAP. III. A further Account of the first Age of the Christian Church CHAP. IV. The History of the fecond Age of The Opening of the fecond Seal CHAP. V. The Hiftory of the third Age of the The Opening of the third Seal The Sounding of the third Trumpet CHAP. VI. A further Account of the third Age of the Christian Church CHAP. VII. The Hiftory of the fourth Age of 93 93 96 97 99 ΙΙΣ |