ment on this subject, with the original extracts, in his Apocalypse, p. 260-273, and his reply to Mr. Faber, p. 27, &c. The passage in Daniel, on which the commencement of the 1260 years is chiefly founded, is thus translated by Wintle, He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall presume to alter appointed seasons and the law which shall be given into his hand, until a time and times and the division of a time. On which Mr. Wintle says, "Either the saints shall be subject to his power, or as seems more agreeable to the versions, his influence shall prevail over the solemnities of the law. Possibly both might be intended to be included in the usurpation."

The Author has not seen his way so clearly on the commencement of the 1260 years, as to give an opinion with confidence upon it; though it justly calls for attentive consideration, be doubts not that it will be given to the Church to see it with greater clearness than it has yet done, if 533, or any of the dates hitherto fixed be the real one.

From whatever dates we reckon, we cannot but consider that the time of the end is drawing near, and that awful events of judgment and of mercy are before us. The time of condemnation and salvation as concerns the professing Christian Church at large, as well as each individual believer, is hastening on. This should lead every Christian on his own part to special watchfulness; on the part of a perishing world to the utmost exertions and prayer; and on the part of the Church and the world to come, to peculiar hope and gladness of heart; when these evil times are passed away, the day of millennial glory dawns on the

world, (2 Pet. i. 19); or in the words of St. Paul, speaking of the loving kindness of God, in choosing his people out of the world, God's purpose is That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. Ephesians i. 10.

CHAPTER VIII.

ON ANTICHRIST.

ANTICHRIST means an opposer of Christ. The name in the Scriptures occurs only in the writings of St. John. He says, It is the last time, and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now there are many Antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ. He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. And again, Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God; and this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already is in the world. 1 John ii. 18, 22. iv. 3. Again in his second epistle he says, Many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist.

Mede applies these predictions (fixing the date of the Epistle previous to the destruction of Jerusalem) to those who should come in the name of Christ, saying, I am Christ, and the false prophets who rose

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before the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. xxiv. 5, 11), and says, John thence gathered that it was the last times of the Jewish polity. He supposes him first to refer to Simon Magus as the first heretic, and then to Menander, Saturnius, Basilides, Carpocrates, Cerinthus, &c. understanding by the name of Antichrist, not merely a single man, but an heretic faction; and many false prophets. But," Mede says, "though I have thought that John, in these places, speaks of false prophets who corrupted the doctrine of Christ before the destruction of Jerusalem, yet may also that little sum of the doctrine of Antichrist, by which it is denied that Jesus is the Christ, be accommodated to that great Antichrist, who having substituted his saints as little Christs to be worshipped, by that denies that Jesus is the Christ, as they who worship many gods, deny that Jehovah is God. Even from this Epistle (v. 21.) something like this may be collected, for when he had said of Jesus Christ, this is the true God and eternal life, he immediately adds, little children keep yourselves from Idols, intimating a fatal future afterwards, that Christians should worship idols in the place of Christ, that is, false Christs and Saints as Mediators."

It will be observed that our Lord, at a later period of his discourse respecting his coming, says, there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect.

May not the name Antichrist be viewed then, rather as a general name descriptive of the oppo

Sir I. Newton takes the same view. See his Observations, p. 256.

nents of Christ, than in reference to a particular individual?

There has been much discussion, whether the name Antichrist be justly ascribed to Popery; and whether the Man of Sin, (2 Thess. ii.) be also rightly ascribed to Popery. After some study and reflection, the author is disposed to think that the great corruption of Christianity in Popery, has in its whole spirit the distinguishing marks of an apostacy, and is properly called Antichrist. It was the general sentiment of the Fathers, that what withholdeth, (2 Thess. ii. 6.) referred to the restraining power of the then Roman Dominion,' and when that was removed, Antichrist would be revealed, and this removal clearly made way for the establishment of Papal usurpations. The mystery of iniquity worked in the days of the Apostles, so that St. John says, even now there are many Antichrists. Looking at the whole tendency of Popery, and seeing how it is adapted in every part to set aside the Father in his love, and the Son in all his mediation, grace, and offices (1 John ii. 18, 22,) the name Antichristian seems most scripturally to be given to that apostacy. Thus the Apostle calls, (2 John vii.) many deceivers, αντιχριστος, the Antichrist, and so justifies the description of the name, to many and successive individuals. The Reformer, Bernard Gilpin, thus argued (assuming Babylon and Antichrist to be the same), "If the Pope be Antichrist, I see not only probable, but even necessary causes to depart from the Popish

1 See Tertullian, Chrysostom, Jerome, &c. There are valuable notes on this subject in Fulkes Testament, on 2 Thess. ii. Cyprian calls all heretics "the percursors of that one and special Antichrist which is to come at the last end of the world."