was not the flightest profpect in the political world when thefe conjectures were formed, confirm their claim to probability, they will more clearly prove the legibility of the Prophetic characters respecting "the figns of the latter days," and gradually awaken a more general fenfe of our true interefts as a Nation, and as Individual candidates for the favour of our Lord. Should they contradict this train of ideas, events now unforeseen will farther prove, that in the hands of God there are many ways of accomplishing the fame Defign; and I fhall only add one other to the number who have failed in a matter of acknowledged uncertainty. For it is not poffible, that the erroneousness of fuch conjectures can in the smallest degree affect the certainty of Prophecy itself, or render its mighty Plan less clear to

that which will come firft to the notice of foreign nations concerning the Jews, will be their strange and wonderful victories, and the extraordinary manner of obtaining them, the wonderful things which will be done for them in bringing them together out of their difperfion, and how in all things they profper, and the like. And the fame of these things, and the respect it will procure them, will prepare the Heathen to receive the Gospel, and for the light of falvation by them, and quickly to fall in with them in their belief and profeffion of it. See Jeremiah xxxiii. 7."

Extracts from a Work entitled, "On the Future State of the Church," by W. A. printed in 1684.

the

the mind of any rational being. But, whether these conjectures shall stand the light of future knowledge, or vanish as the mifts of the morning, the many great Events which remain to be accomplished will certainly take place in their appointed order. I prefume not to guefs at times and feasons," which "no man knoweth❞ precifely; for though we are conducted along the chain of Prophecies by the correfponding chain of Circumstances fo regularly, that we unavoidably form fome general ideas concerning them, there appears to me a defigned obfcurity refpecting dates, which ought to check the too general defire of fixing particular years, or numbers of years, for the commencement or duration of prophetical eras, except in those cafes where Scrip'ture language is exprefs, and clearly underftood. If therefore, it be asked, "When will these things be?" the answer must be, We know not. Yet when we confider the astonishing rapidity with which fo vaft a change has been made in the political and religious ftate of the European part of the world, during the last fifty, or even twenty, years— when we obferve how every thing even now Seems to confpire towards the defigned purpose of general purification, punishment, and falvation—when we reflect upon the intimations

* VOL. II.

A a

in

in Scripture, that things fhould be haftened towards the end-that the times of diftrefs fhould be shortened for the fake of the elect, and that the Son of Man will come fuddenly to eftablifh his glorious kingdom, it cannot appear impoffible, perhaps not improbable, that in the almoft fimilar courfe of things" "the mystery shall be finifhed," according to the received tradition concerning the duration of the world h.

The profpect to us and to our children is indeed truly awful. But, by the bleffing of God, it depends upon ourselves, whether, by a timely attention to the warning voice which "the judgments of God" fo loudly direct to the inhabitants of the earth, we fhake off the fetters of Vice and Diffipation, and, armed with the panoply of Heaven ', repel the darts of our Adverfary; or whether, after having

*

The very antient tradition among the Jews, and among many of the antient Gentile nations, that this world would continue in a state of confusion and misery fix thou fand years, and enjoy a state of peace and reft in the feven thousandth, or fabbatical year, has been found to exift in the Oriental writings recently discovered. It is there affirmed, that when the great circle of fix thousand years fhall be finished, the globe shall be renewed, and all things fhall be made new again.

1 Ephef. vi. 13, &c.

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withdrawn ourselves from the dominion of the FIRST BEAST, and after having been fo long diftinguished by the protection of the Almighty, we yield to the infidious arts of the SECOND, receive the mark of his image, and forfeit the only hope of fafety-OUR STEDFAST ADHERENCE TO THE RELIGION OF CHRIST.. We yet, bleffed be God, have abundant cause to hope we may escape the torrent of deftruc tion. We have not felt the general panic which has unnerved the nations of the Weft; but our courage has rifen with our danger. We have but flightly drank of that intoxicating cup which prepared those nations for their fate, and already seem to be recovering from its infatuating effects. Surely we must acknowledge thefe to be fignals of favour, as well as means of prefervation for, let us remember, it is to the pure establishment of the Gospel in these lands, that we owe both our wisdom and our We have been strength *. holpen with the promised help '," while fome of our Proteftant Brethren have fallen the victims of Delusion. They may have fallen to try them, and to make them white" and they may rise again; while we, if we neglect those means of fal→

* See Note in p. 256–260.

! See Daniel xi. 34, &c. and the Introductory Chapter.

vation" which God has vouchfafed to grant us, fhall inevitably "heap to ourselves wrath against the Day of wrath." We have every thing to hope from the word of God: we have nothing to fear but from ourselves m. We

m

2

know

Having long cherished the hope that England is not included in the denounced deftruction of the ten kingdoms, I could not but be highly gratified by the very fatisfactory manner in which this important subject is treated by a Writer who seems to merit the attention of the public. At the particular requeft of an excellent Friend laudably anxious to circulate this confolatory opinion at the awful Moment when the Northern Confederacy threatened us with unprecedented danger, I drew up the following Summary View of Mr. Witherby's arguments (vide his "Obfervations upon Mr. Bicheno's Book") adding a few obfervations. And this Summary appeared in March, 1801, as part of a Letter which my Friend fent to the Gentleman's Magazine. Confidering it as a very valuable support to the language I have ventured to hold respecting this country, I offer no apology for its infertion in this place. I only befeech my Readers to recollect with heart-felt gratitude that most unforefeen deliverance from the danger which occafioned the publication of this extract in a periodical work, and to acknowledge that it furnishes additional ftrength to the humble hope of continued protection. After agreeing with all Commentators, that if England be one of the ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was divided, it must fhare, fooner or later, in the denounced deftruction, Mr. Witherby thus examines this important question. "I doubt not but that the Roman empire was, at its fall, divided into ten kingdoms; but very many circumftances are to be taken into confideration before we can ac

curately