casting much increased light upon these important topics;* so that though the fancies and vagaries of men who give too much rein to the imagination will never be reconciled, yet many apparent discrepancies will be brought to harmonize with the general plan and scope of prophecy. Mr. G. Habershon, in a recently published Dissertation on the Prophetic Scriptures, has demonstrated that there exists in the word of God a principle of double commencement and termination in regard to some of the chronological periods; and by analogy he successfully shows that some of the conflicting epochs in the writings of eminent commentators may be brought to concur. Another important principle to be kept in view is, the high probability, that there may be a mystical fulfilment of some of the dates and facts connected with the chronological prophecies, and a literal fulfilment likewise; (see the note, page 96;) for though the proof, that time must always be restricted to the literal acceptation of the terms in which it is expressed, would necessarily shut out the principle of interpreting it mystically; yet the proof, that we may justifiably view it on some occasions as expressing duration in a mystical or symbolical sense, does not necessarily shut out the literal: for that may be held in combination with it, and a two-fold fulfilment maintained. Some indeed have already maintained this. In a published letter of the Rev. John Fletcher of Madeley to the Rev. John Wesley, written on these subjects, he says: "It is worth observation, that as the tyranny of Antichrist will last 1260 years; so his last raging, or that tribulation which will be so uncommon, shall last also 1260 common days, and not prophetical ones; 'because, for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened,' according to our Lord's merciful promise. This observation will cast a great light upon all those numbers, and prevent many objections." But this subject will more properly come before us in the next chapter.

* Mr. Cuninghame has recently published a work in which he endeavours to confirm the great periods of Daniel upon the year-day system, by a remarkable concurrence, in the chief of them, of the principal astronomical cycles. The correctness however of his inductions has been ably combated by Mr. Frere in the volumes of the Investigator, and compels that degree of hesitation in regard to them, which has prevented me from bringing them forward

here.

CHAPTER XI.

ON THE ANTICHRIST.

ON no subject of prophecy has there been more difference of opinion among expositors of all ages than concerning the ANTICHRIST, and the principal circumstances and events connected with him. It is indeed chiefly to this subject, that, in some periods of the church, the difficulties of commentators seem to have been confined: for as regards the coming of CHRIST, the manifestation of his kingdom, the restoration of the Jews, the resurrection of the saints, the regeneration of the world, &c. there has been at times, more especially during the two first centuries, a tolerable agreement among orthodox writers. This has doubtless arisen in great measure from the fact of the principal prophecies which concern Antichrist being veiled (as noticed in a former chapter) in symbolical and figurative language; by which the Lord has designedly kept back from ages and generations a clear apprehension of many things connected with his developement; and from the farther fact (as I apprehend,) that the actings or manifestations of Antichrist belong to different periods of the church, in the course of which he assumes different aspects, and comes forth to view in connection with different persons and principles. Thus it has happened, that whilst some particulars concerning him have been fulfilled, -if not in a plenary, yet certainly in a primary, sense,-others, which have had reference to different circumstances and times, or which at least wait for a more exact accomplishment, have been wrested by interpreters, and forced in all their particulars into an accommodation with events to which they do not properly, or at least do not entirely, belong.

Some writers of the present day have been led, from the controversies and discrepancies to which this state of things has given rise, to conclude that nothing has as yet been accomplished, and that the whole therefore of the prophecies in Daniel and St. John relates to things future. And some of these writers have given indication of a considerable disposition to return back to the opinions of the primitive fathers, who in like manner are supposed to have considered the accomplishment of the whole to be future in their days, and to have maintained a unison of sentiment on these matters which could only have been the result of apostolical traditions prevalent among them. Both these conclusions I apprehend to be in a measure erroneous. For though many things remain yet to

be fulfilled, far more, I am inclined to think, than the generality of commentators suppose; yet much, I am persuaded, has been accomplished already, as will presently be shown: and though in some particulars the early fathers agreed concerning Antichrist, (in regard to which it is but fair to conclude that there was apostolical tradition prevalent among them, and deferred to as such,) yet on many other points they betray a great variety of sentiments, which shows that they must have been greatly in the dark in regard to them. Some of these have already been adverted to in the two former chapters; e. g. their opinions concerning the fourth empire of Daniel, and also concerning the time or duration of the visions; and other opinions will be noticed as they fall incidentally under observation in the course of the inquiry into this branch of the subject.

I. There are some preliminary particulars which require to be noticed, before proceeding to the application of those scriptures which bear upon the subject.

1. It will be useful to make mention, in the first place, of the principal prophecies which have been supposed more especially to relate to Antichrist.

The Apocalypse, then, appears chiefly devoted to the description of the origin and actings of Antichrist, and of the judgments finally poured out upon him: but more particularly chapters xi. xiii. and xvii. have reference to the Antichristian powers themselves. Other portions, however, are interpreted by different commentators as setting forth the same things. For example, some have thought that the epistles to the seven churches contain, under the address to each, a description of the prevailing apostacy and corruptions which were to characterize seven different ages through which the church was to pass;* numerous commentators have considered the four first seals (at least the latter of these seals) as referring to the same; and some are disposed to view some of the circumstances of chap. ix. as intimately connected with the beast of chaps. xi. and xvii.

The principal matters in Daniel which relate to it are the Little Horn, which arises out of the ten-horned beast, in chap. vii; the little horn also which arises out of one of the four horns of the He-Goat, in chap. viii; and all that is said about the "vile" and "wilful" person in chap. xi: though in regard to the latter, there is a considerable difference of opinion, whether the "vile person" of verse 21, is the same as "the king who does according to his will," of verse 36; some conceiving

* Brightman, Mede, More, Sir J. Newton, Gill, Vitringa, Cuninghame and Girdlestone, have inclined to this opinion.

the description of the Antichrist to commence only with the latter verse.

Isaiah xiv. concerning Lucifer the son of the morning, otherwise termed in this prophecy the Assyrian. Dr. Whitley says of it "The entire passage is prophetical, and is called by the prophet himself en Mashal, a parabolic or figurative prophecy, and was so understood by the Chaldee paraphrast and by the Syriac and Vulgate versions." P. 273. Mr. Begg considers the prophecy concerning the "cruel lord" of chap. xix. into whose hands the Egyptians are given over, to be the Antichrist also: but this has not been generally considered so.

Habakkuk ii. contains a description of him in the "proud (or boasting, ostentatious) man," that enlargeth his desire as death and hell,* and gathereth unto him all nations. Moreover, the vision is for "the end" or "appointed time:" and the next chapter follows with a glorious description of the shining forth of the Lord, and wounding "the head out (or over) the house of the wicked."

All that relates to Gog and Magog, in Ezekiel xxxviii. and xxxix. were by the fathers in general referred to Antichrist. So were numerous passages in the Psalms, especially Psalm cix. Likewise in the epistles of St. Paul, 2 Thessalonians ii. 3-10.

Other scriptures abound with references to the subject, or to the congregation or agents of Antichrist; more particularly 1 Tim. iv. 1-3, 2 Tim. iii. 1-9, and various places in the epistles of Peter, John, and Jude.

2. The next thing to be noticed is the name Antichrist, concerning the meaning of which, in the first place, commentators differ. For as the Greek preposition av signifies in composition both contrariety or opposition to, and answerableness or correspondency to; so, whilst some have taken it to signify an opponent, others have viewed it as denoting rather an imitator.

Both acceptations of the word however appear to be perfectly reconcileable. He comes as "O avtos-the opposer; (2 Thess. ii. 4.) and Fess-the liar, "who denieth the Father and the Son." 1 John ii. 22. On the other hand, whilst there is a marked contrast, there is a striking correspondency between the Antichrist and Christ: wherefore Hippolytus says, in his work De Antichristo, "the deceiver wishes in every way to appear like the Son of God;" and he then proceeds to show that he comes as a prophet, a priest, a king, a shepherd, a lamb, "the bright and morning star," Lucifer, but all spurious. And thus our Lord himself leads us to expect that many false

* See verse 5, and compare Rev. vi. 8. and xx. 13.

Christs should arise, and should come in his name, saying, "I am Christ," and should deceive many; (Matt. xxiv. 5 with 24) all which appear to be, like the "many Antichrists" of St. John, types of the hues and shades of character which he who is more eminently to be the Antichrist shall assume.

Other names are given to him in the scriptures besides that of Antichrist; as "the man of sin,"-"the son of perdition,""the false prophet," and some others which have already been incidentally mentioned. Andreas, Ephraim Syrus, and others of the early Christian writers, commonly denominate him "the beast" and "the dragon."

.3. From the various names which are given to him, his character and the nature of the offices he will assume, may be pretty clearly inferred: but in regard to three of those offices, viz. prophet, priest, and king,-in which he more particularly mimics the character of the Lord Jesus, a few observations may be needful; the more especially as some have concluded that he will be altogether void of religious profession. There is no need to show that he is to be a king: that is universally concurred in; and the fact that he is described so repeatedly as a horn, (which is a type of a king and a kingdom,) and "the head over the wicked," and "the king that doeth according to his will," sufficiently bespeaks it. That he is to be a priest likewise may be inferred from Psalm cix. which is applied in Acts i. 20. to Judas Iscariot, who was a type of Antichrist, and is therefore called "the son of perdition." He was clearly an -apostle of Christ, though he proved a deceiver and betrayer of his trust; and the words of the Psalm-"and let another take his office," are quoted by St. Peter from the Septuagint, as referring to his ministerial office-"and his bishopric let another take." And next, as respects his being a prophet, it is remarkable that St. John, though he brings before our view a tenhorned beast, which evidently corresponds with the ten-horned beast of Daniel, does not afterwards proceed, as in Dan. vii., to describe a little horn springing up from among the ten horns, but describes instead of it a second beast with two horns,* which he afterwards calls "the false prophet." Compare Rev. xiii. 12-17, with xix. 20. Thus he affects the Melchizedec character of our Lord, and appears as a priest upon a throne.

*

4. The fathers were unanimous in their opinion, that the Antichrist was to be a person; nor has the Greek church, which in most respects has maintained the sentiments of the fathers

*The horns are like those of a lamb, showing that its power is derived from Christ the Lamb, being in fact an usurpation of his name and prerogative; and for his name and church he affects to exercise it. He comes in sheep's clothing, but is inwardly a ravening wolf.

VOL. II.-22