This prophecy of Daniel may have been fulfilled typically, and in its primary sense, in Antiochus Epiphanes *; but that in this persecutor, the prediction was not finally completed, we may affirm upon the authority of an apostle. For St. Paul, who lived after the times of Antiochus, teaches the Christians of his time to look to a future accomplishment of this prophecy; to expect a falling away from the faith, a signal corruption, and even apostacy, in the leading powers of the Christian Church; when "the man of sin, the son of per dition, shall be revealed," whom he describes in words to the same effect with these of Daniel and St. John; "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is "called God, or that is worshipped, so that he is as God; "sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he "is God; even he whose coming is after the working "of satan, with all power, and signs, and lying "wonders t." It may be useful to bring these several prophecies into one view; so that the comparison of them may be more nearly exhibited. Their relation to each other was observed by so early a commentator as Irenæust * See Wintle, on Daniel vii. &c. + 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4, 9. Lib. v. c. 25. 26. εν DAN. viii. δ. 24. 25. 21. 11. Rev. xiii. 11-13 ; xix. 20, 21. Ιδε, κέρας ἕτερον μικρον ανεβη [11. — αλλο θήκον αναβαῖνον ἐκ τῆς γῆς, μεσω αύλων· και ίδε, ὀφθαλμοι Ὁς ὑπεροισει κακοις παλας και είχε κέρατα δυο όμοια αρνιων και 12. Και την εξεσίαν τε πρώτε θηρις πασαν 2 THESS. ii. 3—5. 8, 9, 10, 11. Ο άνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὁ υἱος Και ποιεί την γην και τις κατοικείας ἐν αναδεικνυπα έαύλον, ότι εσι θεος. τη, ινα προσκυνήσωσι το θηριον το πρώτον Ἡ ἐθεραπεύθη ἡ πληγη το θανάτε αυτό. ~ , 13. Και ποιεί σημεία μεγάλα, ινα και τους 14. Και πλανᾶ τες κατοικείας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς Ο Οὗ ἐσιν ἡ παρεσια καλ ̓ ἐνερ δυνατ παση ή αποςασία τα επι τῆς γῆς ποιησαι εικονα τῷ θηριῳ, ὁ πισεύσαι αυτές τῷ ψεύδει. έχει την πληγην τῆς μαχαιρας, και έζησε. εἰς το Έως ανηρέθη το θηριον και απωλετο, και το σωμα αυτ8 δοθη εἰς καυσιν πυρος. ~ 15. Και ἐδόθη αυτῳ δεναι πνευμα τη εικόνι το θηρίε, ίνα και λαληση ή είκων το θηριό, και ποιηση, όσοι αν μη προσκυνή σωσι την εικονα το θηριε, ἵνα ἀποκλανθωσι. 16. Και ποιες παλας, τις μικρές και τις μεγαλ8ς, και τες πλεσίες και τις πρω χ8ς, και τις ἐλευθερες και τις δελος, ἵνα δωσιν αύτοις χαραγμα ἐπὶ τῆς χειρος αυτών τῆς δεξιας, η έπι των μελωπων αύλων. ~ 17. Και ίνα μη τις δυνῆ]αι αγορασαι' κ. τ. λ. Chap. xix. 20. Και έπιασθη το θηριον, και 21. ὁ μετ' αυτῳ ψευδοπροφήτης ὁ ποιησας τα σημεία κ. τ. λ.—ζωνες ἐβλήθησαν οἱ δυο εις την λίμνην τ8 πυρός την καιομένην εν τῷ θείῳ. οἱ λοιποι ἐπεκ]ανθησαν εν τη ρομ φαιᾳ τῇ καθημενε ἐπὶ τῇ ἱππε, τῇ ἐξελ θεσῃ ἐκ τ8 τομάζος αυτε. Ον ὁ Κύριος Ιησες αναλώσει τῷ πνευματι το τομάλος αυτέ, και καταργησει τη επιφάνεια τη παρεσίας αυτ8. KK 2 In In comparing these descriptions of Antichrist we must observe, that the prophecy of Daniel is the most general, and the most obscure of the three. This is agrecable to the analogy of prophetical Scripture, which is found to afford additional information, as it approaches nearer to the times foretold *. The prophecy of the Apocalypse exhibits a nearer view of the common subject, and discovers objects which had not been discerned before; while the words of Saint Paul may be taken as a comment on those of Daniel; and, being the comment of an inspired writer, may be considered at the same time as illustrating, by the Holy Spirit, the prophecy of the Apocalypse. The little horn, which, in the vision of Daniel, had appeared somewhat more than a common horn, (for it had eyes, and a mouth, and spake, and fought, and conquered,) upon a nearer view, as presented to the Apocalytic Prophet, becomes a separate wild-beast; and yet, between him and the other wild beast there is, as in the prophecy of Daniel, a very close connection and resemblance. He exerciseth all the power of the first beast; renders him an object of worship; becomes great through his influence; partakes all his fortunes; and perishes with him at the last. power This nearer view discovers to us also the two-fold ecclesiastical which Antichrist was to establish, and which did not appear distinctly at the distance at which it was shewn to Danielf. This method of * Bp. Lowth's Prælect. xx. p. 197. sacred Yet it is remarkable, that the three horns rooted up, the three kingdoms destroyed by the little horu, though represented by Daniel, are not at all noticed in the vision seen by Saint John. This part of the prophecy of Daniel appears to me to be of difficult solution. The three kingdoms, which by modern expositors are assigned for this purpose, 66 sacred prophecy, wherein one vision, under the same or different imagery, enlarges upon another vision, and refers to and illustrates the same original archetype, may be frequently observed. Instances occur continually in the visions of Daniel, " which," as Sir Isaac Newton remarks, "all relate to one another, every following prophecy adding somewhat new "to the former*." The vision of the Beasts is only that of the Image enlarged; yet represented under other symbols. And thus the vision of Antichrist, in the Apocalypse, is no more different from those of Daniel, than those of Daniel are from each other. All look to the same times; all are from the same sacred inspiration; and unfold and confirm each other. Now as these several prophecies, of Daniel, of Saint Paul, and of Saint John, seem all to belong "to the latter times," and to point to the same object, supporting and explaining each other; so, they appear to have been evidently fulfilled, or to be now fulfilling in the world. 1. The church of Rome can point out to us the grand apostacy of the Mahometans, accomplished principally by religious artifice; a blasphemous, destructive usurpation, set up in a form the least suspected, because it had the apparent sanctions of purpose, "the exarchate of Ravenna, the kingdom of the Lom"bards, the state of Rome," (Bishop Newton, &c. &c.) taken all together, make so petty a territory, that they seem to compose only a part of one of those ten kingdoms into which the Roman empire, (whether we consider either the whole of it, or the western part only,) was divided. Yet if these be the kingdoms, they belong to one horn only, of the second apocalyptic beast, and to that horn which is to be viewed more particularly in ch. xvii: and thus perhaps in some degree the omission is to be accounted for. * Sir Isaac Newton on Daniel, part i. ch. 3. 5 Religion; |