the faith by the emperor Domitian, he received the Apocalypse or a revelation containing an infinite number of mysteries appertaining to future times," Lib. 1. contra Jovin He always enjoyed a superior share in the affections of his divine Master, and among many proofs of it, he was indulged with this singular and extraordinary favour, not granted to any of the other apostles. This most instructive book we can not but earnestly recommend to every Christian, and we hope our recommendation will have the more weight, as it is grounded on the words of the divine book itself: "Blessed is he, that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy; and keepeth those things which are written in it," Apoc. i. 3. The obscurity, which covers the Apocalypse, has been the occasion of its having been so little attended to." We have therefore attempted to remove that ob stacle: But if we have not totally succeeded, we plead indulgence from the difficulty of explaining a prophecy so sublime, and the most mysterious that is extant. Besides the advantage resulting from a general survey of the history of the Church, another motive for attending to the Apocalypse, is the particular interest every Christian must take in that part of the history, which relates to the pre sent time, and those scenes which are approaching. Much instruction may be drawn from the present state of the Church, as described by our prophetic writer, and caution ought to be the result for what we find is to happen hereafter. If God reveals to us mysteries, it is for our instruction: if he disclos

es to us future events; doubtless he does it to give us warning to prepare for them. This kind of economy almighty God observed towards mankind from the beginning, that in consequence of such previous admonitions, his faithful servants should withdraw themselves from approaching calamities, while the wicked might impute to their own obstinacy the punishments that fell upon them. This bountiful administration of Providence appeared very conspicuous in favour of the Jews, who were generally forewarned by the prophets of the great events that concerned them. The same course we find the Ahnighty has pursued in the Christian age of the world. He has not indeed sent a suc cession of prophets as he did to the Jews. The only considerable prophet Christianity can claim is St. John the apostle: but then he as far excels any one of the ancient prophets, as his Apocalypse contains more matter, and comprises a larger field of history. He grasps the whole period of Christianity. He describes the birth of Christ's Spouse, his Church, and gradually conducts her through her whole progress, till she arrives at the full posses+ sion of her Lord in everlasting glory and bliss. The finger of God appears plainly stamped, upon the book of the Apocalypse, it so far exceeds the reach of human composition. The divine pen visible in every line, as each sentence is apparently written with such precision and accuracy, that a word cannot be added or retrenched without derogating from the sense. The figures and allegories here employed are truly sublime, grand, and beauti

is

ful, and closely adapted in all their parts to the subject. Some of them are borrowed from the ancient prophets, but heightened by superior strokes. St. John's subject, the history of Christ's kingdom, as it surpasses in dignity the object of all preceding prophecies, so he exhibits it in colours that outshine all former prophetic descriptions. This kingdom of Christ, the greatest of all kingdoms, and his government of it, the most perfect of all governments, are described in a style proportionably exalted. The ancient prophets announced the orders and instructions they received from God, and were only favoured with visions in some particular cases: but the beloved disciple of Christ, not only receives from his Lord the verbal account he delivers, but is admitted to see transacted before him every scene of the history which he writes. Again, the ancient prophets chiefly confined their accounts to the temporal transactions of kingdoms; but St. John, after giving the history of the Christian Church for the whole time of her existence in this world, describes her future triumphant state in the heavenly Jerusalem, the period of which will be equal to that of eternity. Besides the picture which he there gives of the heavenly Jerusalem, is drawn with such exquisite art, is painted with such striking colours, and enriched with such charming scenes, and with such a collection of the choicest, the most valuable, and the most shining objects in nature, that the whole surpasses greatly whatever human conception is capable of imagining or combining toge

ther. Such then being the extent, the usefulness, and the excellence of the prophecy delivered in the Apocalypse, what can be more curious or interesting than a history founded upon it, which is what we offer to the Christian reader?

THE

GENERAL HISTORY

OF THE

CHRISTIAN CHURCH:

DIVIDED INTO

SEVEN AGES

AND DEDUCED CHIEFLY FROM THE

Apocalypse.

Before we enter upon this prophetic History, it will be necessary to explain the first chapter of the Apoealypse, as it contains the Preface to the whole book,and, on that account, is essential to the present work.

CHAPTER I.

Explication of the first Chapter of the Apocalypse.

Verse 1. "THE Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass and signified, sending by his angel to his servant John.

v. 2. "Who hath given testimony to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he hath seen."

We are here informed that the book of the Apocalypse is a Revelation, which Jesus Christ, as Man-God, received from God: the purpose of which is to disclose to his servants, the Christians, a series of events very interesting to them, and