p. 128. Two kinds of demons, fouls of men deified

or canonized after death, and feparate spirits; p. 129.

Good and bad demons; p. 130. The Gentile no-

tion of demons has fometimes place in scripture; p.

131 133. A paffage in Epiphanius, that much

confirms and illustrates the foregoing exposition; p.

133–135. The worship of faints and angels now

the same as the worship of demons forinerly; p. 135,

136. The rise of this worship; p. 136. Too much

promoted and encouraged by the fathers from Con-

Itantine's time, and particularly by Theodoret; p.

137, 138. The conformity between the Pagan and

Popish worship; p. 138, 139. III. The worship of the

dead to take place in the latter times ; p. 139. What

these latter times are; p. 140, 141. IV. The wor-

fhip of demons foretold exprefly by the Spirit in Da-

niel ; p. 142. V. Propagated and established through

the hypocrisy of liars; p. 143, 144. VI. Forbidding

to marry, a farther character of these men; p. 144.

Who first recommended the profession of single life;

p. 145, 146.

The fame persons, who prohibited

marriage, promoted the worship of the dead; p. 146,

147. VII. The last note of these men, command-

ing to abstain from meats ; p. 147. The same per-

fons, who propagated the worship of the dead, im-

pose also abstinence from meats ; p. 148. This ab-

Itinence perverting the purpose of nature; p. 149.

All creatures to be received with thanksgiving ;

ibid.

DISSERTATION XXIV.

An ANALYSIS of the REVELATION,

IN TWO PARTS.

PART I,

p. 150—271,

Very useful to trace the rise and progress of religions and

governments; p. 150. None more wonderful than that

of Rome in iis fuccefs and prevalence; ibid. This

signified beforehand by the Spirit of prophecy, and

particularly in the Revelation; p. 151. The ob-

jections made to this book by feveral learned men;

p. 151, 152. This book difficult to explain ; p. 152. A

memorable story to this purpose, of Bishop Lloyd of

Worcester; p. 152, 153. This book not therefore

to be despised or neglected ;, p. 153. The right me

thod of interpreting it; p. 153, 154. What helps and

assistances are requisite; p. 154. Hard fate of the

beft interpreters of this book ; p. 154, 155. Great

encouragement however in the divine benediction;

P. 155.

CHAP. I. Ver. 1, 2, 3: contain the title of the book, the

scope and design of it, and the blessing on him that

seadethi

, and on them that attend to it; p. 155. Ver.

4, 5, 6, 7, 8; the dedication to the seven churches of

Asia, and a folemn preface to show the great authority

of the divine revealer; p. 156. Ver. 9--20: the place,

the time, and manner of the first vifion; p. 156, 157.

The place, Patnjos, whither St. John was banished in

the reign of Nero more probably than in that of Do-

mitian ; p. 157. The arguments for this opinion; p.

158-161. The Revelation given on the Lord's

day ; p. 161. The manner and circumstances of the

firit vision; p. 161, 162.

CuĄp. II. III. contain the seven epistles to the seven

churches of Asia; p. 162-175. Why these seven

addreffed particularly: p. 166. Thefë epistles not

prophetical, but peculiar to the church of that age;

p. 167, 168. The excellent form and structure of

thefe epiftles; ibid. In what sense they may be faid

to be prophetical; p. 168. Prefent ftate of the feven

churches ; p. 168–175. Of Ephesus; p. 168, 169.

Of Smyrna ; p. 169, 170. Of Pergamus; p. 170,

171. Of Thyatira : p. 171. Of Sardis; p. 171, 172.

Of Philadelphia; p. 172, 173. Of Laodicea ; p.

173, 174. Ufe that we are to make of these judge

ments; p. 174, 175.

CHAP. IV. the preparatory vision to things which must

be hereafter; p. 175, 176. The fcenery drawn in

allufion to the incampment of the children of Israel

in the wilderness, and to the tabernacle or temple; p.

176, 177.

CHAP. V. a continuation of the preparatory vifion, in

order to show the great importance of the prophea
cies here delivered; p. 177, 178 Future events fup-
posed to be written in a book; p. 179. This book
fealed with feven feals, fignifying fo many periods
of prophecy; ibid. The Son of God alone' quali-
fied to open the feals; ibid. Whiereupon all creatures

fing praises to God and to Chrift'; ibid,

CHAP. VI. Ver. 1, 2: contain the firft seal or period,

meinorable for conquest; p. 180. This period com-

mences with Vefpafian, includes the conqueft of Ju-

dea, and continues during the reigns of the Flavian

family and the short reign of Nerva; ibid. Ver. 3, 4:

the second seal or period noted for war and Naughter;

p. 182. This period commences with Trajan; ibid.

Comprehends the horrid wars and flaughters of the

Jews and Romans in the reigns of Trajan and Adrian;

p. 182, 183. Continues during the reigns of Trajan

and his fucceffors by blood or adoption ; p. 184.

Ver. 5, 6: the third seal or period, characterized by

the strict execution of justice, and by the procuration

of corn and oil and wine; ibid. . This period com-

mences with Septimius Severus; p. 185. He and

Alexander

Alexander Severus just and severe emperors, and no

less celebrated for procuring corn and oil

, &c.; p. 185,

186. This period continues during the reigns of the

Septimian family; p. 186. Ver, 7, 8: the fourth

feal or period, distinguished by ia concurrence of

evils

, war, and famin, and pestilence, and wild

beasts ; p. 186, 187. This period commences with

Maximin ; p. 187. The wars of this period; p. 187,

188. The famins; p. 188. The peitilences; 188,

189. The wild beasts; p. 190. This period from

Maximin to Diocletian; ibid. Ver. 9, 10, 11: the

fifth seal or period, remarkable for a dreadful perfe-

cution of the Christians; p. 190, 191. This the

tenth and last general perfecution, begun by Diocle-

tian; p. 191. From hence a memorable æra, called

the æra of Diocletian, or æra of martyrs; p. 192.

Ver. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17: the fixth seal or period

remarkable for great changes and revolutions, ex-

prefled by great commotions in the earth and in the

heavens ; p. 192. No change greater than the fub-

version of the Heathen, and establishment of the

Christian religion; ibid. The like figures of speech

used by other prophets; p. 193, 194.

The fame

thing expressed afterwards in plainer language; p. 194.

CHAP. VII. a continuation of the fixth seal or period;

P: 195, 196. A description of the peace of the

church in Constantine's time; p. 197. And of the

great accession of converts to it; p. 198. Not only

of Jews, but of all nations; p. 198, 199. This

period from the reign of Constantine the great to

the death of Theodofius the great; p. 199.

Chap. VIII. Ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: The seventh seal or

period comprehends seven periods distinguished by

the founding of seven trumpets; p. 199, 200. The

filence of half an hour previous to the founding of

the trumpets; p. 200. As the scals foretold the state

of the Roman empire before and till it became Chrif-

tian, fo the trumpets forethow the fate of it after-

wards ; p. 201. The design of the trumpets to rouse

the nations against the Roman empire; ibid. Ver. 7:

At

At the founding of the first trumpet Alaric and his

Goths invade the Roman empire, twice besiege Rome,

and fet fire to it in several places; p. 201, 202. Ver. 8,

9: At the founding of the second trumpet Attila, and

his Huns, waste the Roman provinces, and compel the

eastern emperor, Theodofius the second, and the

western emperor, Valentinian the third, to submit to

shameful terms; p. 203, 204. Ver. 10, 11: At the

founding of the third trumpet Genferic and his Van-

dals arrive from Africa, fpoil and plunder Rome, and

set fail again with immense wealth and innumerable

captives ; p. 204-206. Ver. 12: At the founding

of the fourth trumpet Odoacer and the Heruli put an

end to the very name of the weftern empire; p. 206,

Theodoric founds the kingdom of the Oftrogoths in

Italy; p. 207. Italy made a province of the eastern

empire, and Rome governed by a duke under the ex-

arch of Ravenna; ibid. Ver. 13: The three following

trumpets are distinguished by the name of the woe-

trumpets

, and the two following relate chiefly to the

downfall of the eastern empire, as the foregoing did

to the downfall of the western empire; p. 207, 208.

CHAP. IX. Ver. 1-12; a prophecy of the locufts or

the Arabians under their falfe prophet Mohammed ;

p. 208–217.

At the founding of the fifth trumpet

a star fallen from heaven opens the bottomless pit, and

the fun and air are darkened; p. 209. Mohammed

fitly compared to a blazing star, and the Arabians to

locusts; ibid. A remarkable coincidence, that at this.

time the fun and air were really darkened; p. 210.

The command not to hurt any green thing, or any

tree, how fulfilled ; ibid. Their commission to hurt

only the corrupt and idolatrous Chriftians, how ful-

filled; p. 210, 211. To torment the Greek and

Latin churches, but not to extirpate either; p. 211,

Repulfed as often as they besieged Conftantinople ;

ibid. Thefe locufts described to as to show that not

real but figurative locusts were intended ; p. 212.

Likened unto horses, and the Arabians famous in all

ages for their horses and horsemanship; ibid. Having

on