PREFACE. THE following Tract, in the original plan of it, was intended to contain no more than that, which was at firft announced, " a 66 Synopfis of the Prophecies relating to the times of the Gentiles; but meeting in the first volume (which was the only one I had till very lately read) of Mr. Gibbon's well-known hif tory, several paffages remarkably elucidating fome of the predictions of the Revelation, I refolved to look farther into his work. When the more I read, the more I was aftonished at the very frong teftimony borne to the accom. plishment of the Prophecies by a writer, who had made an attack upon Christianity, which was at once fubtle and bitter, and fupported by arguments a 2 arguments not the most fair, and statements not the moft candid. As the evidence of a witness fo-free from partiality in its favour feemed calculated to attract the attention of thofe, who affect to confider every thing offered by an avowed chriftian in fupport of revelation as dictated by bigotry; I determined to enlarge my work, and to the statement of the predictions add a brief account of their accomplishment. And I have had the fatisfaction of finding, that the whole portion of the line of prophecy, on which I have thus commented, is attended, in almost every step, by the atteftation of the hiftorian to its completion.. Having it thus chiefly in contemplation to bring forward the facts according with the predictions, and vouched by this writer, I have not hesitated to use the interpretations which former commentators have given of the symbols, where I have thought them juft; without entering deeply into the reasons on which they are are founded; but referring the reader who wishes for more information on these points to the authours themfelves. Neither where I have been induced to diffent from others, have I done more than ftate the grounds of my interpretation. For is it not enough to say what, I think will justify mine own, without striving to expose what to me appears weak in other men's conclufions? I might perhaps in some inftances have pleaded more amply for my agreement or my diffent, had I had access to fome books, which I am not worth; but a small library, and the want of means to enlarge it, reduce greatly the power of quotation. There is however I am forry to fay, a defect in the tract, which ftands in greater need of apology, than the not producing more authorities. I mean the many uncorrected errours of the prefs. In excufe of which it may not be deemed fufficient to urge, that they often proceed from an habit (contracted at firft from neceffity a 3 neceffity, and fince become inveterate) of reading rapidly; by which I overlook many literal omiffions or infertions, which one 'who reads more flowly would detect. The confequence of this, it may be replied, repeated perufals might correct. And it is true; but for fuch I wanted time. For being once perfuaded that the teftimony of Mr. Gibbon might be highly usefull to the cause of religion, I was fenfible that the fooner it could be brought forward, the better; and fincerely lamented every uuavoidable delay. And how many fuch must be there encountered, those alone can tell who have had tracts printed in the country; where a master has no opportunity of selecting his workmen from a tribe of the most idle the world knows. Such as with thefe intentions and under these circumstances I have been able to make it, I now fend it forth. Continued is the attack of the enemies of Revelation; day by day there are are protruded on the attention of the young and the unfteady, under various forms and from different quarters the delufive and pernicious doctrines of those, through its application to whom the name of Philofopher has been utterly difgraced, Rouffeau, Voltaire, and Gibbon. By these the earliest duty of man, the reduction of the first and great Commandment,. 66 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with "all thy mind; " to practice, in the virtue of piety, is fet at nought and the rules of morality in lieu being placed on the firm ground of individual relations, are holden forth as founded in the vague idea of the publick intereft:* the perfection of which it is far beyond the *The agreableness of this doctrine to the human mind (for agreable at first fight is its afpect) feems to arife from its making every man the genreal friend. But while the excuse it yields for every crime committed under the pretence of, or which even may not feem |