not the evidence which he and his friends had of the truth of the Gospel, from instant miracles; but that evidence which rises on traditional, as it abides in the Church. So that here is no comparison between St. Peter's sensible knowledge of the miracle in the mount in particular, and of the word of Prophecy in general. But just the contrary; between the traditional evidence of miracles in general, and of the prophecies of the future fortunes of the Church in particular. This is the direct aim and tendency of the Apostle's argument; which some late theological refinements and antitheological prejudices have concurred to render infinitely obscure and intricate, though, in itself, as clear as it is rational.

This being premised, we come directly to the question-What Prophecy it is, which the Apostle calls a more sure word-a light shining in a dark place, &c. a Prophecy, which, though it were to receive its full evidence in a future age, yet as then beginning to operate, deserved the most serious attention of the faithful, in that wherein the Epistle was written :—whereunto (says he) ye do well that you take heed?

To which I answer-The description can agree with nothing but the predictions of St. Paul and St. John, concerning ANTICHRIST: For those of St. Paul (and probably the other of St. John) had been published before the writing of this Epistle; for St. Peter recurring again, towards the con*See, concerning the Apocalypse, Sir I. Newton's Observations on the Prophecies, &c, p. 235-246.

clusion

clusion of his Epistle, as the subject of it required, to that more sure word of Prophecy mentioned in the beginning, refers evidently to those parts of St. Paul's writings, where the Prophecies in the Revelations concerning ANTICHRIST are summarily abridged; of which Peter gives this character-As also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things: in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do all other Scriptures, unto their own destruction †. In which words, we have the truest picture of those indiscreet Interpreters, who set up for Prophets, in explaining prophetic events yet unaccomplished; instead of confining themselves to the illustration of those Prophecies that are already fulfilled.

Now this book of the Revelations, containing Predictions darkly and enigmatically delivered, hath yet such strong marks of the Divinity about it, as may well justify St. Peter's character concerning it, of a light shining in a dark place; while his direction to take heed to it, and to contemplate the subject-matter of it, bespeaks his charitable attention to the pastoral care. For several of the Prophecies having already had their completion, even in those early times, frequent attention to this light was useful, to confirm their Faith in the past, and to support their Hopes in the future.

The principal subject of this famous Book relating to one great Event-The future fortunes of the Church, under the usurpation of THE MAN OF + Ver. 16

* Chap. iii. ver. 15. ·

SIN, is elegantly called, by way of eminence, the WORD OF PROPHECY. It began fulfilling even before Peter wrote this Epistle; for St. Paul, speaking of the MAN OF SIN, to the Thessalonians, says, the Mystery of iniquity doth already work *. It is therefore, with the greatest truth as well as strength of Colouring, called A LIGHT SHINING IN A DARK PLACE. Just so much was seen of the busy mystery of iniquity, now beginning to work, as was sufficient to fix men's attention, and to put them on their guard against its delusions.

The Apostle too, for the further encouragement of those whom he exhorts to give early attention to this ray of light, adds, that a time would come when the surrounding darkness should be dispersed, and Day pour in upon the present obscurities in this WORD OF PROPHECY: on which, in the mean time, they were patiently to wait-UNTIL THE DAY DAWN, AND THE DAY-STAR SHOULD ARISE. This long wish'd-for Day at length appeared, with REFORMATION on its wings: A Blessing, which redeemed Reason and Religion from the harpy-claws of Monkish Ignorance and Superstition.-The restoration of abused Science, which accompanied it, is well described by the Day dawning; as the defecation of polluted Religion is by the Day-star rising in their hearts.

At this important ra, the great Mystery of Iniquity was clearly revealed; Antichrist was fully laid open and exposed; and such Evidence given by Prophecy to the truth of the Christian Faith, *Second Epistle, chap. ii. ver. 7.

as

as must, while Reason remains amongst men, strike conviction on the hearts of an unprejudiced. For what but the Spirit of God was sufficient to foretell the Usurpation of an Antichristian Tyranny, which was to arise many ages after, within the Church of Christ itself; a species of blasphemous Dominion, which the world had never seen before, and of which, not the least conception could be formed either from example, similitude, or analogy. But the Apostle foreseeing that when this flood of light should break in upon a long-benighted world, the imagination would be, now, as apt to extravagate, as before, when it was bewildered amidst the surrounding darkness, He thought proper to add this important caution-Knowing this first, that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation; i. e. "When you sit down to study the Apocalypse, let it ever be under the guidance of this great Truth, 'That it is not in the department of man to interpret unfulfilled Prophecies, by pretending to fix the natures and seasons of Events, clearly indeed predicted, but obscurely described. For that the Interpreter of Prophecy is not Man, but God; who, by bringing events to pass, affords to Man the only true interpretation.”

That this is the meaning of the Apostle's words, so long wrested to absurd and licentious purposes, is evident from the reason he assigns of his caution -for the Prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost: i. e. " for Prophecy, under the old Law, was not the effect of human

conceit, but of divine influence." Therefore both the prediction, and the interpretation, which is the accomplishment of the prediction, are equally the word and work of God, and become manifest in the course of his Providence.-Nor did the Prophets themselves always understand the full or even the true import of what they delivered, being only the Organs of the Holy Spirit. Much less then can we suppose the common Ministers of the word to be qualified for the office of Interpreters of unfulfilled Prophecies. How necessary it was to give this caution, appears from what he himself observes in this very Epistle, of certain unlearned and unstable men, who wrested those hard places in St. Paul, where the mari of sin is mentioned, to their own destruction*.

This dangerous ABUSE, which began so early, and lasted so long, hath infected every age of the Church; especially these LATTER TIMES; when the wonderful accomplishment of several of the Prophecies concerning Antichrist, having set Divines upon a more accurate study of the Apocalypse, the men of warmer imaginations, forgetting this apostolic caution, instead of confining their contemplations to the Prophecies already fulfilled, for the support of their Faith, and the consolation of their Hopes, have erected themselves into PROPHETS; and, taking the work out of the hands of Providence, have dared to predict of what is yet in the womb of Time, and still remains in a dark place.

But how extravagant soever some Protestant Interpreters have been, when they gave a loose to their * Chap. iii. ver. 3, 4.

VOL. X.

N

Imaginations,