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to it; and my own conviction of the truth of my scheme and the weight of the subject.

THE AUTHOR.

Note. Since writing this Dissertation, Mr. Faber's last volume, that upon the Restoration of the Jews, has made its appearance: Upon the perusal of which, I have been strengthened in finding so many of my opinions accord with his upon this point. His scheme relative to Ezekiel's Gog, I think incorrect, and have assigned my reasons in a section inserted for the purpose.

DISSERTATION.

CHAP. I.

We are taught in the prophetic parts of the sacred Scriptures, to expect the rise of a terrible, atheistical Power, and a vast influence of Infidelity, in the last days, or just before the Millennium.

THERE are many predictions of this event, both in the Old and New Testaments; some of which will be noted in the following sections.

SECTION I.

Preliminary remarks upon the 10th and 11th chapters of Daniel.

The first passage, which will be adduced to prove the proposition, is Dan. xi, from the 36th verse to the end. To prepare the way for the consideration of this passage, let the following things be premised. The prophet Daniel had twice predicted the existence of the Roman empire; in the legs of iron;* and in the fourth beast strong and terrible, having great iron teeth.† Popery had been before predicted, under the emblem of the little horn of the Roman beast, speaking great things against the Most High. And Mohammedism had been predicted, under the emblem of the little horn of the he-goat; as Mr. Faber has ingeniously shown.

*Dan. ii, 34, 40. + Dan. vii, 7. § Dan. viii, 9.

Dan. vii, 8, 24.

Vol. i, p. 158.

⚫ In Dan. ix, we have an account of the prophet's fasting and supplication relative to the return of the Jews from Babylon: upon which he has his vision of their return; of the seventy weeks; of the coming and death of the Messiah; and of the destruction of Jerusalem.

Then in the beginning of chap. x, we are informed, In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a thing was revealed unto Daniel, and the thing was true; but the time appointed was long. And the whole of the succeeding chapter is taken up in preparing to present this far distant thing to view. In verse 14th, the Angel says, Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people, in the latter days; for yet the vision is for many days. No such formal preparation was made, nor notice given, of the great distance of the event, when the prophet was about to predict the Roman empire; or the introduction of Popery; or of Mohammedism; although the two latter were then ten or twelve hundred years future. Here was a new subject, a most interesting thing to be revealed, the time of which was to be long posterior to those which had just before been predicted. The revealing Angel seems to have but one thing in view: A thing was revealed to Daniel. It was to be a thing closely connected with what should befall the Jews in the latter days. This could not refer to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. For this had been before predicted;* and it was not by far so distant, as was the thing now to be revealed. The latter being what is to befall the Jews in the latter days, evinces, that it was to be something beside Popery. Nor did the Papal imposture ever so materially affect the Jews, as a nation, as appears to be here indicated. The thing to be revealed then, must be an event to take place near the time of the final restoration of the people anciently in covenant with God; and just before the Millennium; and an event, which will deeply affect that people at that period. It was also a thing before predicted by the other prophets. Dan. x, 21, But I will show thee that, which is noted in the Scripture of truth.

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