the traveller; and by a better acquaintance with the country, the manners, and the language of the fcene of revelation, we have gained means of more perfectly understanding the facred writers: while even the lapse of time has by the completion laid open to us their predictions; and in a manner not the least remarkable, thofe of the prophet, in whofe writings the very words I am confidering, are found. That fuch extraordinary coincidences in accomplishment of this prophetick fentence must be far beyond the conjecture of any human mind, no one will deny, and the vague fimplicity of the declaratioh is. a fufficient pledge, thatit was not made by Daniel with a view to allure men in a diftant age to study predictions he had forged, and wreft them to a meaning, in which they might seem suited to fome For would not a vain impoftor. have expreffed himself in more haughty epithets?

events.

epithets? Should we not in fuch a cafe, instead of the prefent unaffected terms, have read fomething of the following kind: "fhut the book and feal it to the "time of the end eagerly fhall mul"titudes then examine its contents, and "bleffed fhall they be with the know"ledge of the wonderous things taught therein." But as there is nothing of this kind to excite, or even excuse a fufpicion of the authour's endeavouring from vanity, to impose himself on mankind for a prophet; fo on the other hand, the very remarkable manner in which, we of this land especially feel the words have been accomplished at the very period to which they relate, is a fufficient teftimony of their proceeding from Him, Who alone "can declare,' "and fet in order, and fhew the things "that are coming, and shall come."

But to return to the vifion of St..

John

John; he having by command of the voice from heaven taken the little book out of the hands of the Angel, and by his direction eaten it, found it fweet in his mouth, and bitter after it was fwallowed; an emblem ftrongly expreffive of the fenfations of the apoftle on learning that while expofed to perfecution in the Eaftern, in the Western empire the profeffion of the gospel fhould be countenanced by the ruling powers; but yet that the chriftianity thus profeffed, would in the doctrines be wonderfully corrupted, and in the practice of it made ftill more abominable. And this fymbolical act being thus explained by the Angel, "thou muft prophecy "again before (or concerning) many

66.

peoples, and nations, and tongues, "and kings:" the next fection of the prophecy opens with a connecting link, artificially formed to unite it with the former; an account of the ftate of that.

city

1

city to which the chriftians of the Eaft and Weft look with equal regard, followed by a statement of the situation, in which the true disciples of Chrift fhould be found for many days under both empires.

"And there was given me a reed, fays the apostle, "like unto a rod, and "the Angel flood, faying, rife, and "measure the Temple of God, and the "altar, and them that worship therein. "But the court which is without the

66

Temple leave out and measure it not; "for it is given unto the Gentiles: and "the holy city fhall they tread under "foot forty and two months." For the completion of the prediction in a figurative fenfe, let the reader confult the former expofitors already referred to'; That it has in a very remarkable degree been accomplished alfo in a literal sense, we learn from Mr. Gibbon; who informs

us

us, that before the capture of Jerufalem by the Saracens, the Perfians under the reign of Chofroes the fon of Nufhirwan, took it by affault; "the fepulchre of "Chrift, and the stately churches of "Helena and Conftantine were con"fumed, or at leaft damaged by the "flames and the maffacre of ninety "thoufand Chriftians is imputed to the

Jews and Arabs, who fwelled the dif"order of the Persian march." (ch. 46.) From this period (A. D. 614) with little interruption has the city been in the hands of the enemies of the gospel; but with this attendant circumftance, that in the midst of it, even while thus pof feffed by their adverfaries, the Chriftians have retained a place of worship. "In "the capitulation with Omar (Mr. Gib"bon fpeaks) the inhabitants had ftipu"lated the affurance of their religion "and property. The articles were in"terpreted by a mafter against whom

" it