the Beaft has no power, but the Image of it has, which is the refemblance thereof, in its mode of government. They force not men, like the beaft, to belief as they do; but like him they force all to pay for the fupport of their worship, as alfo tythes to their priests. Every Christian is called in the New Teftament a prieft, "Ye are a chofen generation, a royal priesthood." But they reduce Chriftianity to the dead letter of the Mofaic law, inftead of causing the power of truth to be felt upon the heart that Christians might be taught to offer (as pricfts) themselves a living facrifice unto God, through the miniftration of Jefus of Nazareth, the great high priest. You now behold the beat dying, the image thereof muft die alfo; that when he shall come, whofe right it is to reign, there may be no obstacles to the universal re-. ception of the Gofpel, nor to the knowledge of the excellency, of the beauty and fimplicity of truth; nor to the prac tice of its precepts. if you would read over Bishop Newton on the Prophecies, I think you would be much struck with the ten kingdoms of the western Roman empire, and from freth and daily illuftrations of the conduct of Providence apply them, and the prophecy of Daniel, and the Revela tions, to things at the very door. Every kingdom into which the four great monarchies have been divided, must be overturned. I beheld till the thrones were caft down, and the ancient of days did fit." Dan. vii. 9. To your fecond question I wish I had time to be explicit. In Rev. xii. we find a description of the ruin of Antichrift, and we find it there recorded, that truth fhall be perfecuted by him for 1260 days. We find, xiii. under different figures, the fame power defcribed, as having dominion over the earth for 42 months, which multiplied by 30 is 1260 days, com-` pare this with the angel defcribing to Daniel the length of the reign of Antichrift in the last chapter, and he calls it 1290 days, and pronounces a bleffing on thofe who wait to the 1335 days. A prophetical day is defcribed in fcripture as being a year; and here are three diftinct periods given, to understand them rightly we must know their commencement, and find fome torrefponding circumftance at the clofe of the periods, to prove the truth of the date. In the year 532 the Emperor Phocas proclaimed the Bishop of Rome to be the head of the church, by the title of Univerfal Bishop, hereby difowning Jefus, who had hitherto been confidered as fuch; but the Roman Pontiff firft, and afterwards his image, fet themfelves in the temple, (the church) of God, faying that they VOL. II. M m were were henceforth to be obeyed as God; for this purpose they abrogated many of the laws of Chrift, many others they obfcured by comments without knowledge, and the remainder they render a nullity, by enjoining many laws which he did not command. Here then is Antichrist-need I tell a Greek scholar that Anti fignifies For-and therefore (for Christ) can only mean a pretended friend, and what is the Chriftiani y of the prefent day, and for ages paft, but iniquity and abomination, as being diametrically opposite to every thing he had commanded. In the xith chapter we find the clofe of the 1260 days defcribed by an earthquake, in which the tenth part of the city fell. The city is here taken for the whole western Roman empire-as New Jerufalem is often in the prophecies taken for the whole people of God, and is particularly fo, in Paul's Epiftles, and this book of the Revelations.-Now adding 1260 years to the year 532 brings it to 1792-that memorable epoch, when the tenth part of the Roman western empire, France, fell by a political earthquake.-That it was France, I infer from the 13th verfe, and in the earthquake were flain of (names) of men (for fo it ought to be read) feven thousand. I am almost afhamed to talk of languages before you--for I am but a dabbler. I would not da it, but I know your goodnefs will pardon, and if I am wrong, your knowledge correct. Seven fignifies fulness, seven thousand I therefore conceive to be a totality of mighty names-and in that political earthquake all the mighty names perifhed. This then, I think confirms the period of the commencement of the downfall of Antichrift in 1792; and as Daniel fpeaks its final downfall to be 30 years after, I can't but think it will take 30 years wholly to deftroy that baftard Chriftianity, the fpurious offspring of the adulterous intercourfe of churchand state. - No man in England more heartily detefts French condu& and principles than I do, they are indeed contrary to every thing virtuous and lovely; but was I in Arabia I should fhudder at the awful effects of the Simoon, ought I not also towarn those who would be scorched by its poisonous heat, if L gave them not notice? I would not blow the fiery vapour; but I fhould not dare to fit filent if I faw it coming.And the remainder were affrighted and gave glory to God; this will be fulfilled when it anfwers the end for which God appointed it. Infidelity, with all its horrors, gives glory to God, by destroying the weed of fuperftition which has for ages -- paft 1 paft choaked the plant of truth; and France, the grand fountain of infidelity will pour forth its torrents, till it has deluged the whole Chriftian world, and the only destination that fhall then be known among mankind, fhall be he that believeth in Jefus of Nazareth and he that believeth not.Then that man who has fufficient holy boldness, to avow his faith amidst the laugh of mankind, will manifeft it by his practice; but to accomplish this purpose, I conceive the prefent nefarious fyftem of government to be raised up in France, nor do I think the expofing of their iniquity, by every power in Europe, will injure their caufe; but rather ferve to ftrengthen it. There is in the bofom of every man a principle of felf-love, in a Chriftian it leads to do good to all, to bear and forbear with all, and even to fuffer for all ; for the prefent peace of mind that he derives from it, and for the happiness he enjoys in confequence, from the hopes of realizing the great and precious promifes made unto him. In a man of the world felf-love operates differently, it leads him into guile, oppreffion, and every iniquity, to procure the fancied happinefs that is to be derived from superior power, or gratification of the paffions; now as the wealthy are comparatively few, and thofe in want, or at least dependant upon them, numerous, the multitude will flatter themfelves, that should they be affifted by the French, they should attain their power, but avoid their excefs. Add to which, the middling clafs of mankind is now almost destroyed in England, and thofe that ftill exist, are miserable from the accumulating load of taxes, or diffipated from habit, or upon the point of being corrupted by military money. Thoufands too live on the intereft of funded property-inured to idleness and luxury; a national bankruptcy must enlist them under the banners of revolution, to enable them to fupport their helplefs fituation. The fhare, therefore, that I conceive France will have in the accomplishment of these prophecies, is, the being the fountain from which the ftreams of overturning by force of arms, by corruption, and by example, that will deftroy Antichrift in this and every other part of the Roman western empire. I have never seen the Philanthrope; Godwin's Enquiry is but little read, yet more than it merits. It is a flimfy per formance, upon the foundation of the prefent French philofophy. I cannot but conceive that the question concerning the feriptures ought to be thus put; 1. Was there, need for a revelation to be made of the Deity unto Man? 2. Is the Scriptures, or any other religious fyftem, that Revelation? To the first I would fay-as every child talks the language of its parents, and cannot even think without language, the first man and woman must of neceffity have been taught by their Maker to speak, and as the attainment of knowledge by man is progreffive, and by imitation or inftruction, they must therefore have had a teacher, and the inftruction he gave them is revelation. 2. I think the Scriptures to be that Revelation made known unto man at various times, according to the improved capacity of the human mind-and ift. because of the language in which it is written. Every nation of the world fpeaking fome Hebrew, is to me an evident proof that their yarious languages are but dialects of the language of our first parents. 2. Its doctrines concerning God are perfectly in conformity to what we would expect from an Almighty Being. 3. Its precepts, all add to the happinefs of mankind. 4. Its philofophy is in union with nature, and every additional difcovery only ferves to confirm it. 5. Its threats are in union with what we dread, whilst its hopes fhew them to have been dictated by that Being who knew our heart. Much more might be written, but led away by the subject, I had almost forgotten who I was writing to, and that you are capable of teaching me; but your kindness, I am confident, will confider it as a young man. avowing his faith to an old Chriftian, who will kindly tell him wherefoever he thinks he errs.-l felt for your account of your lofjes; I have known what fuch things are, and my heart has often bled, whilft my weeping eyes have overflowed. But hope has indeed flowed of late years into my bofom, through my views of the boundless love of God; I now mourn not as I formerly did, my fchool education will be foon over-foon, fir, will our vocation come on, and you and I fhall meet with friends, or parents or children, with our forefathers, the fpirits of juft men made perfect, and the whole family of God. There fhall we unravel the myfterious windings of Providence, whilft delightful aftonishment burfts fresh every moment upon our wondering minds. What is the overturning of kingdoms to us ?-what to us the lofs of property?-we fhall not have to account for the talent we poffeffed not, but if we patiently endure fuffering, the fpirit of God and of glory will reft upon us. Yours, &c. To Mr. J. WOOD, in anfwer to his Query, page 245. Dear sir, YOUR friendly letter, in the laft Mifcellany, lies before me, accept my thanks for the free manner in which you have remarked upon part of a difcourfe, delivered by me, on the doctrine of the Univerfal Restoration. The free dif cuffion of fubjects is what I moft heartily approve, believing that the more truth is fcrutinized, in a chriftian spirit, the better it will be understood: and that what we preach and write can be of no real ufe, any further than it is carefully examined by our hearers and readers. I do not conceive that there is any material difference between your ideas and mine, upon the point now in queftion, of which perhaps you will be convinced in the fequel. Whether your misunderstanding me, was, or was not, owing to my not fufficiently explaining my felf, is what I will not now difcufs, it might be as you fuppofe: I was apprehenfive at the time that the extenfivenefs of the fubject I had to inveftigate that evening, would prevent my fufficiently explaining myself on every point; however this might be, your communication gives me an opportunity of reftating a point which I think of great importance, on which account, as well as for your fatisfaction, I gladly take up my pen to reply. For the fuccefs of the doctrine of the Univerfal Restoration, I moft ardently pray because I believe it is calculated for the greatest practical utility; but in attempting to diffuse and promote it, I think it neceffary to guard with the utmoft care agzinft its abufe: and what doctrine of revelation, however ufetul in itself, has not been abused? Was I to state it in fuch a loofe and indifinite manner, as would lead perfons to think lightly of the peculiar advantages, refulting from the prefent belief of, and obedience to the gospel, fhould not I be accountable for the confequences? Should not I thereby ftrengthen thofe who oppofe it, in their oppofition?. Believe me, Sir, the diftinctions which you heard me make, between the restoration and several other things, arose from a full conviction that fuch diftinctions really exist,-from a with to imprefs the minds of my hearers, with the vaft importance of receiving and obeying the truth, in the present ftate, and from a perfuafion that fuch diftinctions would enable us, the more readily, to obviate fome of the ftrongest objections which are brought against the final happiness of all mankind. The |