PRE FAC E. HE Author of the following Effay does not apologize for his appearing in public, by pretending these common excufes, the importunity of friends, or the fear of having his fentiments mifrepresented; but, as he is a Proteftant, and free Briton, he judges it his duty to contribute his mite for promoting the public good, and honestly declares, that the following are the genuine reafons of publishing his hypothefis. I. To incite others who have more time, and greater advantages, to a more accurate ftudy of the pro. phetical ftile, and of the hiftory of the Chriftian church, that fo, that much neglected book of the Revelation may be refcued from contempt; and that a new and ftriking argument of the truth of Christianity, and of the over-ruling providence of God, may be laid before the world: Which he fuppofes may be done to great advantage by men of true judgement, learning, and piety; as he is fully convinced, that this facred book contains in it all the grand revolutions of the Chriftian church, from the apoftles time to the prefent, and from this to the end of the world; the unfolding of which, in a distinct and regular manner, at leaft to the prefent times, would not fail to give a glorious difplay of the divine perfections, and poffibly might be a key to the difclofing of many future and interefting events. II. To ftir up all ranks to a ferious reformation of heart and life. Since God seems to be bringing about vi PREFACE. about fome great revolution in the world, and that fuddenly; and that he always measures out his mercies or judgements to nations and kingdoms according to their moral or spiritual state; this awful confideration fhould engage each of us to humble ourselves before God, to put away the evil of our doings from before his eyes, and to bring forth fruit meet for repentance. Surely, if we have a juft regard to ourselves, to our country, and pofterity, if we fincerely wish well to the protellant intereft both at home and abroad, this will be our practice. However bad we are at present, yet it is hoped there are many good perfons amongst us; and if, upon this occafion, they should vigorously exert themselves according to their influence and opportunities, great and good effects, through God's bleffing, might be expected. III. To engage all ferious and well difpofed people to be frequent and fervent in their prayers to almighty God, that, by his over-ruling providence, the delufions of Mahomet, the tyranny, fuperftition, and idolatry of the church of Rome, may be perfectly abolished, and that the Christian religion, in its purity, fpirituality, and efficacy, may be diffeminated to the moft diftant corners of the world. When God's judgments are abroad in the earth, and public matters are feemingly drawing nigh to fome remarkable crifis, the faints fhould not be filent. Never was there any fignal deliverance granted, nor any fpecial bleffing conferred, without the fervent prayers of his people. But poffibly it may be faid, If God had defigned to reveal the state of the Chriftian church, and all its grand revolutions from the apostle John's time to the end of the world, then it might have been expected that he would have published this reve lation PREFACE. vii lation in a clear and intelligible ftile, and not have wrapt it up in fuch dark and myfterious phrafes, which, even after the fuppofed accomplishment, the learned and judicious can fcarcely unravel, and muft be a fealed and ufelefs book to the bulk of mankind: And fince an infinitely wife and good God muft, by every revelation of his will, have always some end in view, worthy of himself, and conducive to the happinefs of his creatures; and, as no such important end appears to be ferved by this; therefore it is highly probable that the Apocalypfe is not of divine inspiration. But the objectors ought to confider, that, befides the evidence whereby the infpiration of this book is equally proved with that of the other books of the New Teftament, there were two important ends to be gained by this manner of revelation. ift, That thereby we have an occafion offered, to exercise our mental faculties in the fearch of truth, about the most glorious objects in the universe, namely, the divine perfections, and the fu perintending providence of God, which, when difcovered, cannot fail to awaken every pious fentiment in well-difpofed minds. Whereas, if this revelation had been plain and obvious, our knowledge of these things would have been as natural as refpiration. And it is evident, that, in this present state of the church, where there is no difficulty in the acquiring, there is commonly as little value fet upon the enjoyment; and therefore, as they are pronounced bleffed who read this book, fo this bleffing is not prostituted to the lazy and indolent, but befto wed as the reward of industry and application. edly viii PREFACE. 2dly, If God had revealed the future various re volutions of the church in a perfpicuous manner, then human liberty, or the freedom of the will, would have been greatly limited; fo that there could not have been fuch a proper trial of the worth of human actions as in the prefent cafe. For ex ample, If God had in fo many words pointed out the church of Rome to be the fpiritual Babylon of the Apocalypfe, Who then would have chofen to continue in her communion? or wherein would the remarkable virtue of our reformers have appeared? Befides, fuch a clear revelation, without a conftant fucceffion of miracles, would have prevented the accomplishment. This is plain from the behaviour of king Herod, who being informed by the eaftern Magi of the birth of the Meffiah, and by the chief priests of the Jews, that he was to be born at Bethlehem, would have put him to death, if this had not been prevented by the miffion of an angel to Jofeph, or fome fuch miraculous interpofition. Upon these accounts, it was infinitely worthy of God, to give us fuch a revelation as we have by the apoftle John; whereby he hath dealt with us exactly according to our nature and condition, neither encroaching upon our liberty, nor fuperfeding our diligence, but giving us both a proper trial, and a proper exercife. Though, after all, we have reafon to think, nay, we may certainly believe it, that againft, or immediately before, the happy millennium, when this fort of trial fhall be finished, every cloud of mystery fhall then be scattered, and this revelation, in all its parts, will be perfectly understood; and, fince the fcene begins to open more and more, we have ground re er, ill, Ere -th ut of to Id ground to conclude that thefe happy days are at no death to affert the truth. But, on the other hand, it must be allowed, that the prevalence of deifm and scepticism, hath, by the over-ruling providence of God, occafioned the nobleft defences of natural and revealed religion that have appeared fince the days of the apoftles. And it highly deferves our ferious attention, that in no part of the apocalypfe is deifm pointed out as a caufe of the fubversion of true religion, or of the oppreffion of God's people. Thefe are wholly afcribed to papal tyranny and idolatry. And as there is reafon to think, that the propenfion of the age to deiim, arifes not from any fettled principles, but from the love of vice; fọ it is highly probable that public danger, and fomewhat of the difcipline of the rod (which indeed we have ground to expect) will incline men to fober and |