that is very far off." It shall be my endeavour, therefore, to expound these scriptures with no other meaning than they simply purport, and only then where I am borne out by the rest of the prophecies; and I think I may show enough to prove that all the prophecies are true, and that where they have not been accomplished, they must be fulfilled.

The words of the book of Revelation, I trust, I cannot take away from, or add to: I will try, in the expounding, not to take from their force; and my only object shall be to endeavour to prove to those who have not so much time to enter into the mysteries of prophecy, that the Scriptures as they are written are true; and that no mortal could have contemplated, much less have written them; that they cannot be broken, as saith our Saviour; that their preservation is a marvel; and that, like the Jews dispersed, they are (as

standing miracle to the world.

Locke observes) a

My humble exposi

tion, I say, is merely for the purpose of assisting my readers to know, that the words as they are

should be believed as they are written. St. John is not bid to write the things which have been; but it is written, "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." In the first chapter and first verse we shall find, that the Revelation is to point out things, (not that are past, but that are to come to pass, at any rate after it was signified to John,) the words are, "the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly* come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John." Let us be assured, therefore, that what is written are words of truth, which, if they have not been, they will be fulfilled; but that nevertheless God is able to preserve us, though "He who now letteth, will let,”—¿. e., as I understand the scrip

* In the second epistle of Peter, iii. 8, we find that the apostle, after having spoken with regard to the final judgment, saith, "Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

it

may

tures, who now lets the wicked have their way, will yet hereafter let them take their swing; as where it is written, "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" Yet in the midst thereof will he preserve us," who is mighty to save." And is it any thing unreasonable to apprehend, that God should make a manifestation of his Almighty power, at the restitution of all things, before the end and consummation of the world? and however be as a book that is sealed, and as a vision to the wicked, it shall be plain to the righteous." "When ye shall see these things begin to come to pass," saith our Saviour in his celebrated prophecy, "then look up, for your redemption draweth nigh." Expositors have hitherto applied this prophecy of our Lord, almost exclusively to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, but they have not explained the more important application of that notable prophecy; on the contrary, to reconcile the sayings to the destruction of that city, one who is esteemed of great authority says, the simple words, "the sun shall

* Sir I. Newton, and others also that might be enumerated; but Bishop Horsley is of a contrary opinion.

be turned into darkness," does not mean that this shall be the case, but that it is put for the rise or fall of a kingdom, and so applies it to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; and it is observed by another, that this must be the fact, because it is afterwards said by our Saviour, " And this generation shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled." But I answer, that the righteous are accounted for a generation, and so in like manner are the wicked. In the twenty-second chapter of the Psalms, and 30th verse, it is written, "A seed shall serve him, it shall be accounted unto the Lord for a generation." See also the 73d chapter and 15th verse; the 102d chapter, and 2nd verse; and 1 Peter, ii. 9.

These passages explain, that a generation, which is sometimes put to signify an age, is put also to signify a race of people; though out of every generation, and nation, and kindred, and tongue, and so the elect will be found to be composed, who are called "an holy nation,-a peculiar people." Let us not therefore deceive ourselves, nor lay such flattering unction to our souls, as to suppose that

the denunciations against a sinful people contained in the prophecies have had an entire effect, and so regarded only generations gone by, which should only serve for ensamples; for think ye that they were the worse sinners of their race that were in Jerusalem when Titus besieged it? What, when their fathers more particularly stoned the prophets! They were no more the worst offenders of their race, than they were the greatest sinners that were in Jerusalem on whom the tower of Siloam fell. We may be assured that the prophecies will have an ulterior effect, and that where a nation or people are therein spoken of, the wicked among the descendants of that nation or people are included. But expressions of scripture are put for this and that, say many, till every passage becomes questionable to us, as if, as observed in my preface, the miracle were greater of the sun being turned into darkness than the formation of it. Visitations which are intended for examples, by a forced interpretation, we construe altogether accomplishments of prophecy, as in the instance of the conquest of Jerusalem by the son of Vespasian; and