confidence in Christ unshaken. Some of his last words were, "Brother, I die in the Lord; I am very happy." So that if any that knew him well, were to ask me, Who are those persons that die in the Lord? I should not hesitate a moment to say, Those that lived and died like Mr. Saltren."

DOWNFAL OF ANTICHRIST.

THE following letter, and that which will appear in our next Number, are written with great modesty and ingemuity; and the calculations they contain have certainly the air of probability; but, though we feel as ardent a wish as the author himself for the downfal of Antichrist, and the spread of the Gospel, yet we do not mean, by inserting them, that our readers should understand that our views and his are in all respects coincident.

SIR,

WHEN the disciples put the following question to

Christ, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?"---he gave them this answer: It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." Acts, i. 6, 7. We must not presumptuously inquire into any of those things which God has kept secret; but it is our duty to seek after the knowledge of all those things he has been pleased to reveal.

The astonishing events, that are now taking place in the present convulsed state of Europe, are of such a nature and magnitude, and are likely to be followed with such consequences, that they demand the most serious attention. The chief actors in this dreadful controversy among the nations, have, no doubt, certain objects in view. It is possible, however, that something may be done in this awful scene, which neither of the contending parties designed. We find in the Scriptures a number of instances, that when men have intended to accomplish one thing, God, in his providence, has over-ruled their intentions and actions to bring to pass another, and sometimes the very opposite of what they intended. Perhaps something of this kind may be the case, before the present shaking of the nations comes to an end. To pretend to the gift of prophecy is wicked, and to give heed to such pretences is an evidence either of great weakness, or of great blindness of mind. The spirit of prophecy

will not again be given to any of the sons of men. The system of divine revelation is long ago completed, and an awful threatening is denounced against that man who shall pretend to add any thing to it. Rev. xxii. 18, 19.

There is an intimate connexion between the word and works of God. In the former he makes known the plan of his procedure, by the latter we see how he executes it. Hence they mutually explain and illustrate each other. And, therefore, if we would understand either the one or the other, we must compare them together. This holds good, in a special manner, in relation to the prophecies in Scripture, and particularly with respect to those in which times and events are connected together. Here, after all our care and diligence, we may mistake, by applying events to prophetical times which do not belong to them. This is owing to our not discerning the nature and kind of the events foretold, and which are to happen at such times. Perhaps the following dates, of the times of the rise and fall of Antichrist, may be founded on mistakes of this kind. Yet when we compare the past and the present dispensations of divine Providence with the prophecies, and the prophecies themselves one with another, they seem to have so much probability in them, as not to be unworthy of attention.

The prophets have given several characters of the time when Antichrist would appear. First, that the Roman empire, particularly the western part of it, should be divided into ten kingdoms, or separate governments. The little horn, Dan. vii. 8. 24. was to rise after the other ten. We are, therefore, not to look for his appearance before the year 407. The ten kings did not all arise till about that time.

The subversion of the imperial government of Rome is another character of the time when Antichrist, or the man of sin, would appear. "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work Only he who now letteth, will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." 2 Thes. ii. 7, 8. The man of sin could not make his appearance while the imperial government stood in his way. This obstacle was taken out of the way in the year 476, when Odoacer, king of the Heruli, deposed Augustulus the last of the Roman emperors in the west. We may, therefore, conclude from this character of the time, that Antichrist will soon appear; "then shall that Wicked be revealed,” but not instantly.

For

For we must compare with this a third character of the time, given in Rev. xvii. 8---11. "The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, (whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world) when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven moun tains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition." The seven heads of the beast signify both seven mountains, and seven kings, or forms of government. Five of these forms of

government' were fallen in John's time, viz. Kings, and consuls, and dictators, and decemvirs, and military tribunes, with consular authority. One was then existing, viz, emperors. This form of government fell, when Odoacer deposed Augustulus, in the year 476. Odoacer caused himself to be proclaimed king of Italy, but would not assume the purple, or any other mark of imperial dignity. Theodoric, the Goth, defeated and put to death Odoacer, and was acknowledged king of Italy. He and his successors retained the same laws, the same form of government, and the same magistrates, which the Romans had while under the emperors. The Gothic kings chose Ravenna for the seat of their government. They held the dominion of Italy from the year 476 to the year 553, that is 77 years; but they lost the government of Rome in the year 537: So that if we reckon from this year, Rome was under the Gothic government only 61 years.

This seems to be the form of government foretold in the propheey; it continued only the short space of 61 or 77. years at most. It was a form of government differing only in name from the imperial; and, therefore, if we reckon this a distinct form of government, Antichrist will be the eighth; but if we do not so reckon it, he will be of the seven.

May not these expressions in the prophecy refer to this time ?" The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,---the beast that was, ard is not, and yet is." The beast had an existence while the imperial government stood; but when it fell, one of his heads was, as it were, wounded to death, Rev. xiii. 3. sq that it ceased to exist, The imperial title becoming extinct,

and

and the Gothic kings making Ravenna the seat of their government, it might have been rationally expected that Rome would never have become again the mistress of the nations. But when the Goths lost their dominion, Antichrist ascended out of the bottomless pit, the deadly wound was healed, and the beast exists again: Rome regains her power, and exercises it in a more formidable and terrible manner than ever.

If this be a right application of events to the prophecy,. then Antichrist arose about the year 537, or at farthest about the year 553. He continues 42 months, or 1260 prophetical days, that is, 1260 years, Rev. xiii. 5. ; consequently we may expect his fall about the year 1707, or 1813.

These dates seem to receive some support from the prophecy of Daniel. In the last chapter of his book three remarkable periods are mentioned. It seems evident that they all begin at one and the same time. The only difference is, the latter always exceeds in length or duration the preceding, and points out a time when God will accomplish some very eminent event in behalf of his church. They seem to be all given in answer to the question, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" Dan. xii. 6. The sufferings of the saints, and the preservation of the church, especially under the long and tyrannical reign of Antichrist, the downfal of this persecuting power, and the ruin of its supporters; the universal prevalence of the truth, after all the subtle and violent opposition made to it, and the commencement of that happy period, when all people, nations, and languages shall serve our Lord Jesus Christ, Dan. vii. 14. are wonderful dispensations of divine Providence.

Dan. xii. 6, 7. "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished." Here mention is made of a period consisting of a time, times, and an balf; that is, a year, two years, and an half, making in all three years and an half; the same with 42 months, or 1260 days. This is the period of Antichrist's reign, during which he will "scatter the power of the holy people." See Dan. vii. 25. Rev. xi. 2,3. xii. 6, 14. xiii. 5. At the end of this period, all these things foretold concerning him shall be finished.

Dan.

Dan. xii. 11. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days." This period takes its date from a time of remarkable apostacy, as the words of the prophecy plainly intimate. And no time so fitly answers this character as the time of Antichrist's rise. This is confirmed by Rev. xi. 2. where we find the court which is without the temple, and the holy city is to be trodden under foot by the Gentiles, or Papists, who, though they are Christians in name, are Gentiles in worship and practice; worshiping angels, saints, and images, and persecuting the followers of Christ. These Gentiles take away the daily sacrifice, and set up the abomination that maketh the visible church of Christ desolate for the space of 1260 years: But this is a longer period by 30 years. Perhaps these 30 years may belong to the time of the seventh vial; at the very beginning of which, or rather just at the end of the 1260 years, and at the beginning of these 30 years, Rome will fall; and during the 30 years, they who still cleave to the abominations of Popery will be cut off by terrible judgments, Rev. xvi. 17---21. xix. 11--21, while the Gospel is preached, attended with power; so that the whole system of Popery shall be abolished for ever.

There is a third period mentioned, Dan. xii. 12. «Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days." This period extends itself 45 years beyond the preceding, and 75 beyond the reign of 'Antichrist. During these 45 years, it may be expected, that the Gospel, being rendered effectual by the power of the Spirit of God, will be preached with increasing success throughout the whole earth, so that Deism, Mahometanism, heathen ignorance, superstition, and idolatry shall be brought to an end. Satan shall be bound, and the Millennium commence ; for it is said, Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to it.

There remains yet another number to be considered; this is mentioned in Dan. viii. 13, 14. "Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." This period exceeds the longest of the three preceding ones by the space of 965 years. It is most likely, however, that they both end at one time. During the Millennium there is nothing foretold to YOL, IV, happen,

K