THE GREAT REVOLUTION THAT IS TO HAPPEN AT THE TIME OF THE CHURCH'S TRANSLATION TO HEAVEN; AS THE LAST CONCLUDING SCENE PREVIOUS TO THE Caution in speaking of future things-A great Revolution to happen-One of the ten kingdoms to fall-Titles of honour totally abolished-The fright these things occasion-Another argument proving that the deliverance of the Saints will be a translation to Heaven-The second woe past! Its commence- ment clearly defined in the taking of Constantinople in 1453— The Turks prepared for this great undertaking-Their fall will be a most signal event-Harmony of the different lines of pro- phecy both in the Old and New Testaments-Encouragement to prophetical studies-Rev. Charles Buck's notice of this The preparation in Heaven for this event-Our indifference— Signs of its approach_Referred to Old Testament Prophets- They say little of Christian historical times - Of the latter times are profuse-Chief reason because they are connected with the Jewish Restoration-Why called "The mystery of God"- Disbelief and infidelity of the present times-Certainty of the the wrath of God-Kingdom of Christ-Daniel's last great 289 INTRODUCTION. THE Revelation of St. John may be considered a treatise shewing the vital changes which have taken place, and which are to take place in the world, in connection with the church of Christ; revealing the hidden springs of the rise, continuance, and fall of nations in a few words, it may be pronounced A PERFECT CHURCH HISTORY. Before proceeding to its interpretation, it will serve to place the whole scope of the subject in a more striking light, very summarily to retrace the ground over which we have trodden in the Old Testament prophecies. In doing this I would point out— FIRST. Those predictions of Daniel which were accomplished before the Christian era, and therefore do not relate to events in this prophecy. These consist of all those which have any connection with the three successive ruling kingdoms of Babylon, Persia, and Greece, to the full establishment of the fourth or the Roman empire. Before this prophecy commences, likewise, the whole of those Old Testament predictions relative to the Death of Christ, the consequent termination of the Jewish Dispensation, as well as those relating to the fall of Jerusalem, and the entire and complete dispersion of the Jews themselves, had all been fulfilled. Nothing, when this last great Revelation was given, was left unfulfilled but what belonged to the Christian Dispensation. To these SECONDLY, I Would direct attention, as forming the nucleus of St. John's prophecies. Those of this description that have most particularly attracted our notice have been, 1. The destruction of the undivided Roman empire, represented by the cutting down of the Great Tree of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which chiefly took place when it was attacked on all sides by the barbarous nations; and after which, it is said, it was bound together by a band of iron and brass, or by the Latin and Greek kingdoms. 2. The division of the Western or Latin branch of the Empire, or the Roman Empire proper, into the ten kingdoms predicted by the ten toes of the Great Image, and by the ten horns of the monstrous wildbeast. 3. The springing up of the little papal Horn, or the rise of the Papacy in the midst of these ten |