tions will be considerably enlarged, and the ambition of princes will be more effectually fettered. In a word, their attempts to oppress, and to abridge the liberties and happiness of their fellow men will be thenceforward more difficult and more impracticable than they have ever hitherto been.

Dr. Owen observes: "The time shall come wherein the earth shall disclose her slain, Isai. xxvI. 21, and not the simplest heretic," (as they were counted,)" shall have his blood unrevenged; neither shall atonement be made for his blood, or expiation be allowed, whilst a toe of the image or a bone of the beast remains unbroken." Again he remarks, "Is it not evident to him that hath but half an eye, that the whole present constitution of the government of the nations is so cemented with antichristian mortar, from the very top to the bottom, that without a thorough shaking they cannot be cleansed?" In another place he says," God hath three great works to do on the day of his carrying on the interest of Christ and the gospel.-1. He hath great revenges to take; 2. He hath great deliverances to work; 3. He hath great discoveries to make." *

We subjoin a few extracts from Mr. Cox: "The characteristics of Christianity are knowledge, holiness, and love; it is most simple, most beneficial, most beneficent: but the characteristics of popery are ignorance, sin, and cruelty; it is the religion of pomp, of darkness, and of blood."

"The mystery of iniquity worked in the apostles' days, and during the second and third centuries every form of

* In the Supplement, No. VII., VIII., IX., will be found some interesting

extracts.

heresy was promulgated, ceremonies and forms were introduced, and spirituality displaced by superstition. The materials for popery were thus prepared, and by the union of the church with the Roman state, its foundation was openly laid, and the building rapidly carried on. I believe popery as a system, to be like sin; both may, yea, both shall be annihilated, but neither can be changed; while they live, they will retain their nature, and restlessly follow up their grand object, which in both is dominion.”

"Where is the church that hath not been contaminated by her poisonous breath, that doth not manifest somewhat of her spirit and conduct? Persecution, pharisaism, heresy, formality, outward show," exaltation" of the creature, are but too manifest among professors."

See the following important passages, prophetical and condemnatory of the church of Rome. 2 Thess. II. 1—12; 1 Tim. IV. 1-3; Rom. XIV; Col. II. 13-23; 1 Tim. II. 5, 6; Gal. Iv. 3, 9-11; 2 Cor. xi. 13-15. A numerous list of the latter description might be selected from the New Testament.

"Habakkuk contains a description of antichrist in the 'proud' (or boasting, ostentatious) 'man,' that enlargeth his desire as death and hell, (see ver. 5, and compare Rev. vi. 8, and xx. 13.) and gathereth unto him all nations. Moreover, the vision is for the end' or 'appointed time:' and the next chapter follows with a glorious description of the shining forth of the Lord, and 'wounding the head out' (or over) 'the house of the wicked.'

"The early Christian writers in general' referred numerous passages in the Psalms to antichrist, especially Psalm

It is believed that a sharp persecution will be inflicted

on the Protestant churches by the papal power in its last or infidel form, i. e., by the beast which rises out of the bottomless pit, Rev. xi. 7.

The following is Archbishop Usher's interesting interpretation of the temple and outer court, &c., of Rev. xi., as quoted by Mr. Brooks, "This veteran," while "in the immediate prospect of death, observed: 'The greatest stroke upon the reformed churches is yet to come; and the time of the utter ruin of the see of Rome, shall be when she thinks herself most secure.' One presuming to ask him, what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution, he answered: That a very great persecution would fall upon all the Protestant churches of Europe;' adding, ' I

tell you, all you have yet seen hath been but the beginning of sorrows, to what is yet to come upon the Protestant churches of Christ, which will ere long fall under a sharper persecution than ever. Therefore,' said he, look ye be not found in the outer court, but a worshipper in the temple, before the altar. For Christ will measure all that profess his name, and call themselves his people; and the outward worshippers he will leave out to be trodden down of the Gentiles. The outer court is the formal Christians, whose religion consists in performing the outward duties of Christianity, without having an inward power of life and faith uniting them to Christ; and these God will leave to be trodden down and swept away of the Gentiles. But the worshippers within the temple and before the altar, God will hide in the hollow of his hand, and under the shadow of his wings. And this shall be one great difference between the last and all the other preceding persecutions. For in the former, the most eminent and spiritual ministers and Christians did generally suffer most, and were most

G

violently fallen upon. But in this last persecution, these shall be preserved by God as a seed to partake of that glory which shall immediately follow and come upon the church, as soon as this storm shall be over. For as it shall be the sharpest, so shall it be the shortest persecution of them all, and shall only take away the gross hypocrites and formal professors; but the true spiritual believer shall be preserved till the calamity be over.' But there is another point," says Mr. Brooks, "likewise intimated in the Scripture, . . . and that is, the very critical situation of some at that time, who are, in the main, believers, but who, owing to want of watchfulness, and to worldly conformity, and to negligent walking, will likewise be overtaken by the whirlwind, and severely punished. St. Paul clearly alludes to something of this kind in 1 Cor. III. 12-15. Now if any man build upon this foundation' (i. e. Jesus Christ) gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved: yet so as by fire."

THE TWO WITNESSES, REV. XI.

The prophecy of the Two Witnesses, during which this persecution takes place, has, therefore, as we conceive, yet a future accomplishment, however it may have been partially or typically fulfilled, whether at the French Revolution, or at other previous periods, as specified by various writers; not only because the beast which ascendeth out of the bottomless pit-the last form of popery-makes war

against the witnesses and overcomes them, but because it is the time when "they shall have finished their testimony," which we do not suppose to be yet accomplished. See Rev. XI. 3, 7.

"In the seventh chapter of Revelation some events are related which are to happen just before the four angels relax their hold of the four winds; or, in plain language, just before the most destructive wars come upon the world. One of these events is said to be the sealing from these dreadful judgments of the church of God, which is symbolized as 144,000, out of the twelve tribes of Israel. The other event is the mention of a newly-arrived company seen in heaven, 'clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;' which company, it is declared, have come out of great tribulation.' In the Greek word, there is a definite article which is omitted in our translation, and which would render it, 'The great tribulation:' that is, this company of believers have come out of one particular tribulation; one which has just happened. In fact, however, there is a still greater intensity in the original word: there is a double article it is not merely the great tribulation,' but it is emphatically, The Tribulation, The Great One,'-that is, a persecution pre-eminent above all former persecutions for its malignity, cruelty, and universality. The most particular relation, however, of this persecution is to be found in chapter XI. of the Revelation, where, in plain terms, it is said to happen at the close of the 1260 years. The language used with respect to this great persecution is as follows: And when they shall have finished their testimony,'-i. e. when the 1260 years of their prophesying in sackcloth, or in a state of depression, is ended,—' the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war