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"time" of that period, the very time pointed out for his coming. And if we confult the apoftolic divifion, we find that we are now in "the last days,' in the laft time" of the Chriftian difpenfation, even far advanced in the time of reformation, during which only the * Gofpel of Chrift is to be preached, and his merciful defign of faving a fallen world to ceafe. And thus both of them unite in difcovering this truth, that this is the feafon and time appointed for Antichrift to come.

And here the correfpondency of the prophecies in respect to the time of this great event is highly worthy of our notice. Daniel predicted that The Little Horn fhould come at the latter end of the time of the fourth beaft, or the Roman empire; St. Paul declared that the Man of Sin fhould "be "revealed" when the apoftacy "fhould be taken "out of the way;" St. John, that the beaft of the bottomlefs pit fhould "afcend" when § "the two witneffes," or the church of Chrift, fhould "have nearly finished their teftimony in fackcloth;" and here again he tells us, that Antichrift fhall come "in the last time," or within the period of the Reformation. Now, all the events, thus referred to by the different prophets to point out the time of the coming of Antichrift, are, in a manner, before our eyes. We have feen the laft remains of the Roman empire, which has continued under differ ent forms two thousand five hundred years, perish only the other day; and that the apoftacy has been "taken out of the way" by a variety of means, befides the feceffion and revolt of millions of its devotees. We have seen the two witneffes, or the church of Christ, prophefying " in fackcloth," nearly the

*Rev. xiv. 6. § Rev. xi. 3.7.1

Dan, vii. 8, 9, 10, 11.

H H

2 Theff. ii. 7.

allotted

allotted period of a thousand two hundred and fixty years, lately delivered, not only from the papal depreffion, but from the all-devouring jaws of French atheism and blafphemy, by the powerful arm of (next to the God of heaven) the angel of the waters; and defender of her faith, and ready to put off her mourning; and we have feen the Reformation not only come, but, fo well established as to open the bofom of humanity and Christian love to all who fear God and give HIM the glory." Surely fuch a ftriking coincidence of teftimony, taken from the facred records of divine truth, muft convince the most incredulous, if he is capable of ferious reflection, that the prefent time is the peod foretold, in which "Antichrift is to come."

To afcertain whether this formidable enemy to Chriftianity is come or not, we must confider the figns by which he is defcribed; for having pointed out the time of his coming, the apostle has given, in a brief manner (becaufe no doubt he and others had before more particularly delineated his character), certain marks by which he fhould be known; and his arts and delufions guarded against, when he fhould come. To put out of the queftion the name "Antichrift," which plainly imports a great power at perfect enmity with Christ, the marks are fo decifively clear and unequivocal, that it feems impoffible for a mind, unprejudiced, to read and miftake their meaning; and the more especially as they are not figurative, but literal. He tells us, "whofoever denieth the Son, hath not THE "FATHER" (evidently meaning, that he hath not God with him, but is left to "the love of the world,” and the firong delufion of his all-deftructive lufts); but that he that acknowledgeth the SoN hath the "FATHER aljo;". hath "the love of God," and the

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merciful protection of both the Father and Son. Again, "Hereby ye know the spirit of God; every fpirit that confeffeth that Jefus Chrift is come "in the flesh is of God; and every fpirit that con"feffeth not that Jefus Chrift is come in the flesh " is not of God; and this is that Spirit of Antichrift "whereof ye have heard that it should come Again, "For many deceivers are entered into the "world, who confefs not that Jefus Chrift is come "in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrift." And again, “Who is a liar," meaning the greatest of all liars," but he that denieth that Jefus is the Chrift? He is Antichrift that denieth the FATHER "and THE SON."

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Now, where is the difficulty of understanding this plain defcription of " Antichrift?" The: obvious fenfe of it is, that he fhould be a power that should "deny both the FATHER and the SON;" the Father as the true and only God, the creator of heaven and earth; and Jefus the Chrift, as come in the flesh to reveal the divine will, and to atone for the fins of mankind; or, in other words, that he should deny not only the existence and the per culiar doctrines of CHRIST, but even that fundamental principle, "THAT THERE IS A GOD." But in what -age of it, fhould we fearch the annals of the world, fhall we find a Power fo monftrous and confummately wicked? Not among the Powers profeffing paganism, for they, in the midft of their polytheifm, have ever believed in one fupreme, invifible Spirit, the creator of all things, and had fome notions of a future ftate of rewards and punishments; nor among the apoftate Powers, for the Mohamedan Powers have ever profeffed faith in God, as the creator of the universe, and the difpenfer of rewards and punishments in a future life; and the Pope has

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ever believed that "Jefus Chrift is come in the fiefh;" that "Jefus is the Chrift," or Saviour of the world, and confeffed both "the Father and "the Son;" nor in the Chriftian world, for that has alfo confeffed all the divine truths revealed by Chrift refpecting the Father and himself. These are all the Powers of which hiftory gives any account, as having come, from the time of the flood down to the present day. We must then look for " Anti"chrift" in the present times, and if we do not find him here, confefs that he is not come. But can it be poffible for any ferious mind to take a view of the immoral and impious principles and the hoftile conduct of the revolutionary republic of France, against all that has had the leaft appearance of Christianity, and not to fee " Antichrift" here defcribed, ftanding in the moft glaring light before him? It feems impoffible; for fhe has avowedly, and in the most public and authoritative manner, in her legislative capacity, declared, that Jefus Chrift was an impoftor! that the fallible and corrupt reafon of fallen man is the only true and Supreme God; and in direct hoftility to all the truths of the -revealed word of God, through Chrift, she has established a fyftem of impiety, blafphemy, and atheism, in their ftead. In fhort, whether we confider the political principles of her conftitution, or her doctrine and inftruction, we find them directly denying the creation of the world by the true God, and of the redemption of it by his bleffed Son; or of Jefus being" the Chrift come in the "flesh;" and in fhort, both "the FATHER and the "SON.

22

Thus, this great event, foretold by Daniel, more than twenty-three centuries ago, and by St. Paul and St. John not lefs than Seventeen hundred

I

years,

years, with all the particular circumftances which have attended it; an event, exclufively of all other events that have happened in the world, fo extraordinary and fo improbable and unexpected, that no perfon would have thought it within the confines of poffibility, had it been announced at 'the very eve of the time before it took place, has been accurately and completely fulfilled. Is not this a clear and full demonftration of the miraculous truth of prophecy of the existence of its Divine Author, and his holy word revealed through his immaculate Son? A DEMONSTRATION IRRESISTIBLE, BECAUSE AS EVIDENT TO HUMAN PERCEPTION, AS THAT OF THERE BEING A SUN IN THE FIRMAMENT, OR AN EARTH IN WHICH WE LIVE,

APPENDIX.