Dissertations on the prophecies, which have remarkably been fulfilled, and at this time are fulfilling in the world

for me to offer, and for Your GRACE to receive. At the fame time it affords me an additional pleasure in giving me an opportunity of acknowleging publicly my obligations to your GRACE for favors great in themselves, but made much greater by your handsome manner of conferring them, unfollicited, unafked, unexpected. I will not fay undeferved, because that would be calling Your GRACE's judgment in queftion; but I will endevor to deferve them: and indeed I should think any preferment ill bestowed upon me, that did not incite and animate me more to profecute my ftudies, and thereby to prove myself more worthy of Your GRACE's favor and kindness to,

Nov. 3. 1758.

Sad to

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My LORD,

Your GRACE's ever obliged

and dutiful bumble fervant,

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THE

TENT S

THIRD VOLUME.

OF THE

DISSERTATION XXIV.

ADE { t

An ANALYSIS of the REVELATION.

IN TWO PARTS.

PART I.

P.. I- 200.

Very useful to trace the rife and progrefs of religi-
ons and governments; p. 1. None more wonder-
ful than that of Rome in its fuccefs and preva-

lence; p. I, 2. This fignified beforehand by
the Spirit of prophecy, and particularly in the
Revelation; p. 3. The objections made to this
book by feveral learned men; P. 3, 4. This
book difficult to explain; p. 5. A memorable
ftory to this purpofe, of Bishop Lloyd of Wor-
cefter; p. 5, 6. This book not therefore to
be defpifed or neglected; p. 6. The right me-
thod of interpreting it; p. 7, 8. What helps and

affistances

A 3

affistances are requifite; p. 8. Hard fate of the

beft interpreters of this book; p. 9. Great en-

couragement however in the divine benediction;

P. 9.

CHAP. I. ver. 1, 2, 3: contain the title of the book,

the scope and design of it, and the bleffing on

him that readeth, and on them that attend to it;

p. 10.
Ver. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: the dedication to the

feven churches of Afia, and a folemn preface to

fhow the great authority of the divine revealer;

p. 11, 12. Ver. 9-20: the place, the time, and

manner of the first vision; p. 12-19. The place,

Patmos, whither St. John was banished in the

reign of Nero more probably than in that of Do-

mitian; p. 14. The arguments for this opinion;

p. 15, 16, 17. The Revelation given on the

Lord's day; p. 18. The manner and circum-

ftances of the first vision; p. 18, 19.

CHAP. II. III. contain the feven epiftles to the feven

churches of Afia; p. 19-41. Why these seven

addreffed particularly; p. 27, 28. These epiftles

not prophetical, but peculiar to the church of that

age; p. 28. The excellent form and structure

of these epiftles; p. 29. In what sense they may

be faid to be prophetical; p. 29, 30. Prefent

ftate of the feven churches; p. 31-41. Of

Ephefus; p. 31, 32. Of Smyrna; p. 32, 33.

Of Pergamus; p. 33, 34. Of Thyatira; p. 35, 36.

Of Sardis; p. 36, 37. Of Philadelphia; p. 37, 38.

Of Laodicea; p. 39, 40. Ufe that we are to

make of thefe judgments; p. 41.

CHAP. IV. the preparatory vision to things which

must be hereafter; p. 42---46. The scenery

drawn in allufion to the incampment of the

children of Ifrael in the wildernefs, and to the

tabernacle or temple; p. 44, 45, 46.

CHAP. V. a continuation of the preparatory vifion

in order to fhow the great importance of the pro-

phecies here delivered; p. 46---59. Future events

fuppofed to be written in a book; p. 48. This

book fealed with feven feals, fignifying fo many

periods of prophecy; p. 49. The Son of God

alone qualified to open the feals; p. 49. Where-

upon all creatures fing praises to God and to

Chrift; p. 49, 50.

CHAP, VI. ver. 1, 2: contain the firft feal or period,
memorable for conqueft; p. 50. This period
commences with Vefpafian, includes the conqueft
of Judea, and continues during the reigns of
the Flavian family and the fhort reign of Nerva;
P. 51. Ver.3, 4: the second seal or period noted

for war and flaughter; p. 51, 52. This period

commences with Trajan; p. 53. Comprehends

the horrid wars and flaughters of the Jews and

Romans in the reigns of Trajan and Adrian;

P. 53, 54, 55 Continues during the reigns of

Trajan and his fucceffors by blood or adoption;

p. 56. Ver. 5, 6: the third feal or period, cha-

racterized by the ftrict execution of justice,

and by the procuration of corn and oil and

wine; p. 56. This period commences with

Septimius Severus; p. 57. He and Alexander

Severus juft and fevere emperors, and no lefs ce-

lebrated for procuring corn and oil, &c; p. 58,

59. This period continues during the reigns of

the Septimian family; p. 59. Ver. 7, 8: the

fourth feal or period, diftinguished by a concur-

rence of evils, war, and famin, and peftilence,

and wild beasts; p. 59, 60. This period com-

mences with Maximin; p. 61. The wars of this

period; p. 61, 62. The famins, p. 62. The pefti-

lences; p. 62---65. The wild beats; p. 65.

This period from Maximin to Diocletian; p. 66.

Ver. 9, 10, 11 the fifth feal or period, remark-

BADES able

•

A 4

able for a dreadful perfecution of the Chriftians;

P 66. This the tenth and laft general perfe-

cution, begun by Diocletian; p. 67, 68. From

hence a memorable æra, called the æra of Dio-

cletian, or æra of martyrs; p. 68. Ver. 12,

13, 14, 15, 16, 17 the fixth feal or period
remarkable for great changes and revolutions, ex-
preffed by great commotions in the earth and in
the heavens; p. 68, 69. No change greater than
the fubverfion of the Heathen, and establish-

ment of the Chriftian religion; p. 70. The like

figures of fpeech ufed by other prophets; p. 71,

72. The fame thing expreffed afterwards in

plainer language, p. 73.

239

CHAP. VII. a continuation of the fixth feal or pe-

riod; p. 74-81. A defcription of the peace

of the church in Conítantine's time; p. 77, 78.

And of the great acceffion of ts to it; p.

79. Not only of Jews, but of all nations; p. 79,

80, 81. This period from the reign of Conftan-

tine the great to the death of Theodofius the