I fhall begin the observations I presume to offer with the paffage which is confidered as relating both to Antiochus and to the Romans, who had juft fubdued Grecia, when they commanded Antiochus to return home "For the fhips of Chittim fhall come against him,

C

Newton's Differtations, to fee "how particular and circumftantial it is concerning the kingdoms of Egypt and Syria, from the death of Alexander to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. There is not fo complete and regular a series of their kings, there is not fo concife and compre henfive an account of their affairs, to be found in any author of those times. The Prophecy is really more perfect than any history. No one hiftorian hath related fo many circumftances, and in fuch exact order of time, as the Prophet hath foretold them: fo that it was necessary to have recourse to feveral authors, Greek and Roman, Jewish, and Chriftian, and to collect here fomething from one, and to collect there fomething from another, for the better explaining and illuftrating the great variety of particulars contained in his Prophecy. The exactness of this Prophecy was fo convincing, that Porphyry could not pretend to deny it, and therefore afferted that it could not poffibly have been written before, but it must have been written in, or foon after the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. · Others after him have affeṛted the fame thing, not only without proof, but contrary to all the proofs which can be had in cafes of this nature." Newton, Diff. 16.

The coaft of Chittim and the land of Chittim is a general name for Greece, Italy, and the countries and islands of the Mediterranean-The countries peopled

३

by

him, therefore he shall be grieved and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: fo fhall he do: he fhall even return, and have intelligence with them that forfake the holy covenant. And arms fhall ftand on his part," or as it may be more clearly rendered, “And after him arms (that is, the Romans) shall stand up"-Wintle renders it, "But mighty powers fhall stand up from thefe," that is, from the defcendants of Chittim-" and they fhall pollute the fanctuary of ftrength, and fhall take away the daily facrifice, and they fhall place the abomination that maketh defolate ";" to which paffage our Saviour refers in his prediction of the deftruction of Jerufalem, and therefore fixes its reference to that event. Hiftory fully authorizes us to apply a part of what follows to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes and the Maccabees, in its primary fenfe; with these I prefume the double links of this connecting chain conclude, and the hiftory of the church, is then continued from the deftruction of Jerufalem to the general refurrection.

by Cittim, the fon of Javan, the fon of Japhet. See Newton's fifth Differtation; Bochart, Vitringa, and Wintle.

d

a Daniel xi. 30, 31.

See vol. i. c. 10.

"And

"And fuch as do wickedly againft the covenant fhall he corrupt through flatteries; but the people that do know their God, shall be ftrong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people (by which is to be understood the Chriftians) fhall inftruct many: yet they fhall fall by the fword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they fhall fall, they fhall be holpen with a little help but many fhall cleave to them with flatteries. And fome of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them whiteeven to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed f." We have here predictions of the perfecutions to which the Christians were subjected, with little interruption, for the first 300 years, and of the help afforded them when fallen to the lowest ftate of depreffion, by the establishment of Christianity in the Roman Empire. This is called little help, because the church was raised only to that degree of profperity fuited to a ftate of trial, and continued but a short time to enjoy it; for it was foon corrupted by those who "clave to it by flatteries," or worldly motives.

Daniel xi. 32, 33, &c.

I

There

There was however a remnant left amidst this general apoftafy; and many churches were again established "by them of understanding," to whom the little help was alfo given at the time of the Reformation; but being ftill "the appointed time" of indignation of the reign of Antichrift, and of warfare to the church-they were left to ftruggle with their various enemies; and it is exprefsly declared, "that fome of them fhould fall-not fo much for punishment as for purification—for a time only, and not for ever. And we may farther obferve, that this Prophecy seems to intimate that some of these churches fhould stedfastly refift these attacks, and be enabled "to stand before the Son of man," at his coming to destroy the works of Satan, and to eftablish his church in everlasting perfection, glory, and security.

Thus have we a fummary view of the history of the Chriftian church" till the time of the end" of that tribulation which is fo frequently the fubject of Prophecy. But the angel reverts to what appears to be the principal object of his miffion-to forewarn the church of the nature and conquefts of its enemiesto guard it against the varied efforts of its antagonist to afford a folid ground for faith and hope to reft upon, when affailed by

the

the most furious forms of the conflicting" elements, deceit, and rage, superstition and indifference, ignorance and philofophifm, which fatanic art fhould be allowed to raise within the period allotted for the reign of Antichrift.

It was obferved, that as "the little horn" in the former vifion was faid to fpring from Grecia, we fhould naturally look to the eastern part of the world for the scene of its action. Similar reafons will now lead us to fuppofe that the king now mentioned in this vision, was to arise and display his power in the weft. For the angel has brought down the hiftory to the taking of Jerufalem by the Romans; and we know the Roman Empire was at that time the reigning power. “The king” therefore thus mentioned, without any epithet or distinguishing appellation, we must conclude to be a Roman Power. "And the king fhall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and fhall profper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined fhall

Daniel xi. 36, &c.

be