"public facts, infpire the 'Chriftian foul with "Chriftian hope and fortitude, and afford a "folemn teftimony to the power and veracity of God. What remains as yet un"disclosed manifefts itself already in a fen"fible manner: and, the times we live in "furnish a faithful and lively picture."

The firft Edition was foon bought up; and though a fecond was earnestly wifhed for, the Author for various reafons declined to undertake it. The experience of nearly thirty years, the latter part of which has been fo eventful, convinced him more than ever that he had not been deceived in his general view of things. To his intimate acquaintance he was often heard to repeat in the language of Mofes in his celebrated canticle, Adeffe feftinant tempora" the times are faft approaching." At length a friend of his who had known him from his earliest days, and been witness to his virtues for many years, offering his fervice to prepare a second Edition; the Author accepted his propofal, and furnished him with fome additional remarks, which will be found in their proper places.

Soon after the Author had favoured the Editor with his additional materials, he clofed a well spent life by an happy Exit. His death, it may confidently be hoped precious in the fight of God! and, his virtues and zealous exertions in the cause of Religion will be long remembered, particularly by the members of the Roman Catholic Communion in this kingdom.

THE Book of the Apocalypfe, according

to that learned interpreter of the Scriptures, St. Jerom," contains an infinite number of myfteries relating to future times." Lib. 1. contra Jovin. "The Apocalypfe," fays St. Austin," is a prophecy of what is to happen "from the first coming of Christ upon earth, "to his fecond coming at the laft day." De Civ. Dei. 1. 2. c. 8. Some modern Writers hold the fame opinion. Befides these authorities, our own ftudy of that myfterious book, diligently purfued, has entirely prevailed on us to efpoufe the fame fentiment. The Apocalypfe exhibits, in general, a fummary of the whole hiftory of the Chriftian Church, from the date of its birth to its triumphant and glorious state in Heaven after the clofe of time. This is the foundation of the prefent Work, and we hope the attentive Reader, when he has confidered the whole, will approve our fentiments and applaud our endeavours. He may perhaps then join us in thinking, that the celebrated Commentators, Boffuet and Calmet, have too much contracted this admirable Prophecy by confining the contents to so short a period as the four firft centuries of the Chriftian æra, and applying the

public facts, infpire the 'Chriftian foul with "Chriftian hope and fortitude, and afford a "folemn teftimony to the power and vera"city of God. What remains as yet un"difclofed manifefts itself already in a fen"fible manner: and, the times we live in « furnish a faithful and lively picture."

The first Edition was foon bought up; and though a fecond was earnestly wifhed for, the Author for various reafons declined to undertake it. The experience of nearly thirty years, the latter part of which has been fo eventful, convinced him more than ever that he had not been deceived in his general view of things. To his intimate acquaintance he was often heard to repeat in the language of Mofes in his celebrated canticle, Adeffe feftinant tempora" the times are faft approaching." At length a friend of his who had known him from his earliest days, and been witness to his virtues for many years, offering his fervice to prepare a fecond Edition; the Author accepted his propofal, and furnished him with fome additional remarks, which will be found in their proper places.

Soon after the Author had favoured the Editor with his additional materials, he clofed a well spent life by an happy Exit. His death, it may confidently be hoped precious in the fight of God! and, his virtues and zealous exertions in the cause of Religion will be long remembered, particularly by the members of the Roman Catholic Communion in this kingdom.

THE Book of the Apocalypfe, according

to that learned interpreter of the Scriptures, St. Jerom," contains an infinite number of "myfteries relating to future times." Lib. 1. contra Jovin. "The Apocalypfe," fays St. Austin," is a prophecy of what is to happen "from the firft coming of Christ upon earth, "to his fecond coming at the laft day." De Civ. Dei. 1. 2. c. 8. Some modern Writers hold the fame opinion. Befides these authorities, our own ftudy of that myfterious book, diligently purfued, has entirely prevailed on us to efpoufe the fame fentiment. The Apocalypfe exhibits, in general, a fummary of the whole hiftory of the Chriftian Church, from the date of its birth to its triumphant and glorious state in Heaven after the close of time. This is the foundation of the present Work, and we hope the attentive Reader, when he has confidered the whole, will approve our fentiments and applaud our endeavours. He may perhaps then join us in thinking, that the celebrated Commentators, Boffuet and Calmet, have too much contracted this admirable Prophecy by confining the contents to so short a period as the four firft centuries of the Chriftian æra, and applying the

whole, except the two laft chapters, to the perfecutions which the Church fuffered from the pagan Roman Emperors, and to the deftruction of the Roman Empire. For this reafon the two abovementioned Authors have often been obliged to wrest the text, and give it a forced and improbable explication, to bring it within their fyftem. On the fame account they have derogated from the dignity and precifion of that prophecy, by applying feveral texts to the fame event; whereas, whoever looks attentively into the tenour of the Apocalypfe, will perceive that St. John's precision and brevity are fuch, that he never repeats the fame thing.

For the unfolding of the different parts of the Apocalypfe, we have followed, in general, the plan laid down by Mr. De la Chetardie towards the clofe of the last century, as it has been fince improved by a late French Commentator on the Scripture. It confifts in a divifion of the whole Chriftian æra to the end of time, into feven Ages, correfponding to the seven Seals, feven Trumpets, and feven Vials mentioned in the Apocalypfe; fo that to each belong a Seal, Trumpet, and Vial. But in the application of the Prophecies contained under thefe Seals, Trumpets, and Vials, as well as in other parts of the Apocalypfe, we have frequently deviated from the above-named Writers, to substitute what we thought a more genuine explication. It must then be observed, that an age and a century

muft