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Apoftacy. This Period will not begin till the Seventh Trumpet founds, and will probably end at the fame Time as the Vifions of the Little Book, about the Year 2000.-Chap. VI, Of the Millenium, or the Reign of Chrift during the Seventh Millenary of the World, or from the Year 2000 to 3000. After which follows the Refurrection and laft Judgment.-Chap. VII. The Glory and Happiness of Heaven, to continue for ever. The Conclufion.'

As a Specimen of the author's ftyle, which we think excels in point of perfpicuity and neatness, we fubjoin his seventyfourth annotation on the concluding verfe of the Apocalypfe; it being difficult, within our limits, to detach fuch a portion of the text as would, by itfelf, be clear and intelligible; befides that we are warmly difpofed to recommend the whole to the serious perusal and attention of the public.

• Be with you all, Amen.] On looking back on the visions in this Book, and comparing them with the Hiftory of the Chriftian church, one Reflection feems very natural. Let us fuppofe that St. John had as clear a view of the events that were to befal the church, when he wrote this book, as we have now by the records of history. Let us fuppofe that he knew the Chriftians would be perfecuted for the two next centuries, and then gain an establishment under the Christian emperors; together with all the circumstances attending these facts, which we now read in the annals of thofe times. Let us fuppofe that he knew perfectly the ravages of the northern nations; the religion of Mahomet, enforced by arms; and the devaftations of the Turks. Let us fuppofe that he knew that a Christian bishop fhould rife to fuch a degree of power as to be the tyrant of the church, a promoter of idolatry and various fuperftitious ceremonies, and a perfecuter of them that adhered to the word of God. In a word, let us fuppose that he knew as much of the then future hiftory of the church as we know now. Let us farther fuppofe that he meant to describe all he knew, under a feries of prophetic vifions, and that with fo much clearness as to convince an attentive reader, that he really had fuch a knowledge of future events, given him by God,, for wife purposes.,

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Now, fuppofing all this, it may be asked, could he have executed his defign more effectually, and with greater beauty and propriety, than is done in this book?

For objects in vifion, expreffive of future events, he would naturally have recourfe to the hiftory of the Old Testament, and the circumftances of Jewish worship: for this language. had already been adopted by the old prophets, and by the

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Chriflian

Christian teachers. He would reprefent conquerors by warhorses; a destroying enemy by locufts, a burning mountain, or the fea and rivers bloody: the agency of invisible spirits, by Michael the tutelar angel of Judea; or by a ferpent or dragon, when he would exprefs the invifible enemies of God's people. As the Jewish church was known by the name Daughter of Zion, it would be natural to fignify the Chriftian church alfo by a woman; in whom the drefs and other circumftances would be expreffive either of its purity or corruption; a state of perfecution, or worldly profperity. The active members both of the pure and the corrupt church, would naturally be ftyled prophets; thefe being the chief directors of old, both in the pure church at Jerufalem, and in the idolatrous part that worshipped the golden calves at Bethel.

In a word, were a Jew converted to Chriftianity to defcribe, in prophetic language, the future hiftory of the Chrif tian church, made known to him by Revelation, it would probably be just fuch a compofition as this of St. John. The vifions would follow in the fame order of time as the events were to happen; as is really the cafe, according to the account given of the book in this expofition: a circumstance in which it differs from all the expofitions known to the author.

• And as different actions done at the fame time must be re

lated feparately, in order to diftinguish vifions representing contemporary events, from thofe that defcribed fuch events as were to follow one another in point of time; this difference might be pointed out by placing the contemporary visions in a feparate part, or Little Book.

This would probably be the cafe, fuppofing the writer, to have a distinct view of future events, and to be left to himself to defcribe them in vifions and prophetic language. But in fact the cafe was fomewhat different. The writer feems really to have seen the vifions which he defcribes, fome on the land, fome on the fea, others in the air or heaven, while he was in Patmos. And we cannot conceive any vifions better fuited to exprefs the events. He defcribed what he faw, and probably might not know himself all that was meant thereby. For he feems to have written all he knew, except in the cafe of the Seven Thunders, in the tenth chapter, where he was forbidden to write what he heard. Neither this nor any other prophecy is of private fuggeftion, proceeding from a man's own will or imagination; but holy men of old fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft: fearching what manner of things and times the fpirit that was in them did fignify.

Thus

Thus confidered, the Revelation has in itself evident proofs of its divine authority. Indeed this, and fome other parts of Scripture, that fortel things lately fulfilled, or now fulfilling, have, with respect to us, an increafing evidence of their authority. For when we fee events in fuch a variety of inftances correfponding to defcriptions, which we know were written many ages before the events happened, and there being not one vifion but what admits a fair application (except those which from their place in the book, and other circumstances, are judged to foretel events not yet come to pafs) we find ourfelves obliged to own, that no man could write this book unlefs God was with him.'

A View of the great Events of the Seventh Plague, or Period, when the Mystery of God fhall be finished. Rev. x. 7. By Robert Ingram, A. M. 8vo. 3d. Robinson.

THE leading idea of this pamphlet is, that the mystery of God, under the feventh trumpet, fhall owe its accomplishment to the converfion of the Jews. The Jews, fays the author, when they are converted and restored again to their own land, out of an abhorrence of themselves for their late crime, (Ezek. xxxvi. 21.) and to obliterate it as much as poffible, and that they may even outdo the Gentiles on this occafion, will be more remarkably zealous and diligent than ever any people were before, in converting all nations to the Christian faith. This active and zealous fpirit will, according to the author, excite against them hatred, perfecutions, and wars, on the part of many of the princes and potentates of the world, who will look upon them as forming confpiracies to overthrow their ancient establishments of civil, as well as religious polity. The cruel treatment they must experience in confequence of this jealoufy and hardness of heart, will drive them from one nation and people to another, till at length they fhall have carried the light of the Chriftian revelation to every part of the earth. Thofe nations or individuals who, after all overtures for their conversion, shall remain obdurate, and turn a deaf ear to the voice of divine truth, as well as that grand corrupter of it, the church of Rome, who fhall refufe to be reformed, will at length, though probably at periods of time fomewhat fucceffive, draw down that vengeance of the Almighty, reprefented to St. John, by the feventh angel pouring out his vial into the air, when there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, faying, it is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such

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as was not fince men were upon the earth; and the great city was divided into three parts; and the cities of the nations, and great Babylon, came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath, &c. Rev. xvi. 17, 18, 19,

There appears little novelty in Mr. Ingram's View of the Seventh Plague, except his idea of its being brought down on the unconverted and unreformed part of the world, in confequence of their perfecutions of the enlightened Jews, and their rejection of the Gofpel at the hands of these zealous profelytes. This idea is fupported on no improbable interpre tation of feveral texts adduced by the author, both from the Old and New Teftament.

Mr. Ingram confiders this performance as completing and adding confirmation to An Explanation of the Seven laft Plagues, which he lately offered to the Public.

Letters concerning Education: addressed to a Gentleman entering at the Univerfity. By Peter Williams, M. A. Chaplain of Christ-Church College, Oxford. 8vo. 45. Rivington. A Young man, juft fet free from the reftraints of the earlier fcenes of education, and entering at the university, warm with all the vivid affections of that blooming feason of life, exulting in his confcioufnefs of new enlargement and liberty, is not a little obliged to any fincere and intelligent monitor who may offer him advice at this most critical period.. His fu ture character, happiness, and eftimation in the world, will ever greatly depend on, if they be not generally fixed by his conduct during this ftage of his education. The Letters before us are meant, and indeed appear well calculated, not only to direct the first outfet, but to regulate each progreffive tep from his entrance on the academic walk to its termination on the confines of a perilous world..

Our author does not profefs to amufe his correfpondent with novelties, to fuggeft any unheard-of plans of study, or recommend any change in academic difcipline or customs, (we accufe him of no want of respect for the established modes), but his chief defign is to advertise the young ftudent of every thing that will be required of him in the courfe of his studies, and to encourage his literary purfuits, and the performance of all his duties, by friendly and affectionate admonition. The author has made a frequent, but difcreet ufe of the thoughts' of Bacon, Milton, Locke, Harris, Monboddo, and other writers on learning and education, and he has been profufe in his quotations from the ancient Greek and Latin claffics, al

most

most to a degree of pedantry; unless we fuppofe, what perhaps in candour we ought, that, as all these paffages are untranflated, they were meant to give fome exercife to his young correfpondent, and, now they are published, to other readers in the fame fituation. Thefe paffages are felected with judgment, and are generally fuch as the claffic fcholar cannot but receive with prepoffeffion, and confequently with advant age to the author's probable intention. We do not advance the flight intimation we have given of the want of originality in thefe Letters, with the leaft tone of cynical fastidiousness; for the earnestnefs, good fenfe, knowlege, and perfpicuity, with which they are written, muft claim our unfeigned approbation.

To give our readers a general idea of this performance, we fhall transcribe the table of contents.

Of the Importance of making a good Ufe of one's Time when at the University; and of the Nature of this Correfpondence. Of having a correct Tafte in Matters of little Moment.

Of what depends on the Choice of Company; and of ufing Onefelf, in Time, to make Obfervations on Men and Manners, -Of regulating the Paffions. Of entering upon a Courfe of Study. Of Perfeverance and Regularity in ufeful Studies. Of Reading, confidered in a general Way. Of ftudying Mathematics. Of ftudying the Claffics.-Une Bagatelle.-Some General Obfervations on the Greek Tongue, and of studying it.—An Effay on the Prepofitions of the Greek.-A cursory View of the Revolutions of ancient Literature,-Some general Ob servations on the Latin Tongue. Of attending the public Lectures in experimental Philofophy, &c.-Of ftudying Logic. -Of employing leifure Hours.-Some hiftorical Account of Logic; with fome Remarks upon Ariftotle.-Of taking Care of one's Health.-Of ftudying Hiftory. Of ftudying Rhetoric and Eloquence.-Some Account of ancient Oratory; and of those who made the greatest Figure in it.-A Sketch of a Country Curate's Manner of living. Some general Hints refpecting polite Behaviour.-The fame, refpecting moral Behaviour.The Story of Antonio.-Of studying Poetry.-Some historical Account of the Greek and Latin Poetry. Of studying Ethics. -Recapitulation.-Some general Hints about ftudying Divi

nity.'

The following extract from Letter IV. on the fubject of the Paffions, will give no difadvantageous impreffion of the author's ftyle, and mode of thinking.

As long as man retains any thing that is decent and rational about him, he can never doubt of the wisdom and propriety of being able to regulate his paffions: the queftion is, whether and how this can be effected. That it can be effected, there remains not the least shadow of doubt. Ill, indeed, would man

have

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