Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

purpose of supporting what they call the sacred compact, and the security of thrones, sufficiently explain this part of the prophecy. (See Ps. ii. 1, 2, 3, 4.)

But they are also to command that an image be made to the Beast, somewhat resembling the late tyrannical government, which had been nearly, but not wholly, destroyed by the sword of France. Is not this, it may be asked, most literally and lamentably fulfilled, in the commands issued by the Holy Alliance, to every nation that has changed, or attempted to change, its system of government, that they should renounce such immediately, and restore the ancient régime; threatening that, in the event of disobedience to their holy command, they would destroy their country by fire and sword? Did they not retain their combined armies in France, till such an image of the Beast was made and set up? Is not Naples and Sardinia, occupied by their troops, till such an order of things be re-established? And have they not, at this very time, met at Verona, in order to issue their decrees to the people of Spain and Portugal, that they shall abolish their free constitutions, and, hy restoring "the absolute king," and the power of the priests, make " an image to the Beast" in its stead? Is it not, also, a most striking and remarkable circumstance, that in those countries where this image of the Beast is already erected, it could not sustain itself for a day or a month, but for the assistance of some external power. The next verse (the 15th) clears up this difficulty; for we there read that "he" (the Beast, or Holy Alliance) "had power," not only to cause the image to be made, but, "to give life unto the image of the Beast, that the image of the Beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image "of the Beast should be killed." In illustration of this we have been referred to the recent conduct of France towards Spain, and the kind of interference exercised by the Holy Alliance on this subject; an interference which has been well described in the official journal of the French government, the Moniteur. "After the indecision which so many opposite opinions must have every where produced, we should find a solid basis for new conjectures, in the assurance, that France has occupied, at the congress of Verona, the place which belongs to her among the mo"narchies of Europe; and that the continental powers leave "to her the end and termination of the affairs of Spain, with "the intention of concurring with all their force in such plans "of execution as France shall be in a situation to adopt." Here we see this second Beast (the Holy Alliance) exercising

66

66

66

66

all the powers of the first Beast; receiving into, or rejecting from, the monarchical association every nation, according as they do or do not erect an image to the Beast, by the restoration of their former tyrannies. France, listning to their bidding, has done this; she is, therefore, admitted into her place at the congress of Verona; and this Holy Alliance, has given her leave to act against Spain at her good pleasure. Weak, distracted, and powerless in itself, her present government only derives life from this holy association; it is they who cause and enable her to speak; and it will be by the aid of their permission and assistance, giving to her "the place which belongs to her among the monarchies "of Europe," that she will be enabled to pursue to destruction those who oppose her, probably succeeding in restoring the ancient despotism of Spain, thus "causing that as many "as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed." Thus, according to this prophecy, may they go on, till the whole of Europe shall have adopted one common system of oppression and of priestcraft, thereby making their governments an image of that Beast, which had had a wound by the sword, indeed, but which still did live. Many may suppose that England will be excepted, but there would appear ground for a contrary opinion. There are many causes operating to impoverish this country; to break its proud spirit, and induce it patiently to submit to a military despotism. There can be very little doubt, but that the Alien Bill in time of peace, and many other restrictions laid on the liberties of this country, by Castlereagh and his coadjutors, were in compliance with the suggestions or dictation of the Holy Alliance, and with a view to the ultimately enslaving this nation; when, after we too have made our government an image of the Beast, we may be regarded as, like France, fitted to "take the place which belongs to us, among the monarchies of Europe.' This is a fearful prospect! Let us hope then that this dreadful state of things may not be of long duration. With a view to the ascertaining this point, let us see if in this prophecy there be any clue, by which we may discover the duration of the woe in question. In the 18th verse it is said, "Here is wisdom; let him that hath understanding count the number" (or say the duration)" of the Beast, for it is the number of a man, "and his number" (duration) "is six hundred three score and "six." When events foretold have had their fulfilment we have the evidence of facts; but before that time we must exercise our judgment, and from the most reasonable conjectures, leaving it to time to refute or establish our opinion.

66

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

66

Our friend hazards a conjecture in explanation of this verse, suggesting that the number of the Beast describes the time it shall have existence; and that its being the number of a man implies that its existence shall depend upon the life of one man, at whose death it also shall expire. It remains then to ascertain what space of time is designed, and it has been suggested that 666 weeks are intended; which, from the date of the commencement of the Holy Alliance will expire between October and December 1828. Daubitz, a celebrated writer on prophecy, says, that "the "terms of days and years must be determined by the circum"stances and intent of the writer;" and again, that they "may, "in the symbolic style, signify any portion of time, provided it "is a fixed period." Now a week evidently is a fixed period, and it may be argued, that we are justified in considering the number as denoting weeks only, because it is not in the nature of things that such a combination of tyrants could longer exist; the wonder, indeed, being that it should exist so long and this opinion is further strengthened by an immediately succeeding passage, (ch. 15, v.2) where the writer, describing more happy times, sees, as "standing on a sea of glass," those that had "gotten the victory over the "Beast, and her image, and over the number of his name;" that is, who had not only outlived the duration of the second Beast, who is not even here mentioned, it having been long extinct, but who had also overcome every other beastly power with all their appendages. That the Holy Alliance depends for its prosperity, and even for its existence, upon one man no one can entertain a doubt; that man is the Emperor Alexander-the head and support of this beast-like association: and as, in a despotic government, like that of Russia, every fhing depends on the will of the reigning despot, nothing is more probable, than that his successor would adopt a new line of policy, and dissolve this Holy Alliance; the breaking up of which might then be considered as terminating the "second woe." This alliance arose out of the French revolution-it is the last dreadful undulation of that earthquake which shook the world; when it has ceased, at length, Behold the third woe cometh "quickly." It is, at any rate, probable, that, whenever the Holy Alliance is broken up, the concealed jealousies, the smothered sense of injuries, the latent ambitions of the various powers and governments of which it is composed, will break out with the greater force from having been so long repressed; and that wars will occur of the most sanguinary nature, between the formerly allied monarchs, whose

66

enmity against each other will be the more furious because so long concealed. Thus it is highly probable, that when those nations who have been so long enslaved by this oppressive Beast, see its images, or members, thus engaged in conflict with each other, they will make a fresh struggle to throw off the fetters of despotism, and then revolutions throughout Europe may be the inevitable result. This, it is said, appears to be the natural consequence of the breaking up of the Holy Alliance. What follows we need not now attempt to enlarge upon. Under the third woe, or seventh trumpet, will, it is represented, take place "the pouring "out of the seven vials," which are indicative of more severe calamities, than have ever before been experienced by man; calamities which, in this account, are emphatically called "vials of the wrath of God." Babylon the Great is then finally brought to judgment before God, and her destruction determined on; thereby finishing what, to the understanding of short-sighted mortals, is called "the mystery of God, by destroying those who had destroyed the earth, and by the introduction of a system of everlasting peace and universal benevolence-a state of things wherein will be fulfilled the words uttered "by the great voices in heaven," which were heard by the writer of the Apocalypse exclaiming "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our "Lord, and of his Messiah, and he shall reign for ever 66 and ever."

[ocr errors]

Thus far the suggestions of our friend; which, however various may be the opinions entertained as to the application of prophecy, we do not hesitate strongly to recommend to the serious consideration of the Christian: if mistaken in the appropriation of individual passages to particular facts or if deemed so by our readers-the principles and general line of argument here suggested cannot, if properly attended to, but prove beneficial.

Again, before concluding, we would observe, that our object in this Review, is not merely to record the passing events of the day; but, if possible, to discover and convey to the Christian every circumstance that marks the directing finger of God in the government of the world; to shew how he ought to deport himself, lest he join in supporting what God has determined to destroy; and that thus seeing the work to be of God, he may feel his mind at ease under the most perplexing circumstances, well knowing that his interest is in "the Master of the storm," and confiding and rejoicing in the thought that though impiety and

Nor all the pomp which glares at Mammon's shrine,

Be deemed an offering, or a rite divine.

Though faithful, mild; and candid, though severe;
By reason strong-and testimony clear-

Deceit no robe-hypocrisy no shade

Priestcraft shall ne'er the beams of truth evade;
Prevarication shall confess the smart,
Which just exposure fixes in her heart;
And mystery's self retire, abashed to see
Fair truth arrayed in bright simplicity.

O glorious cause!-true weal of human kind-
'Tis thine to raise and dignify the mind-
To guide the passions 'midst the jarring strife-
The trials, troubles, wants, and cares of life;
To point the path where virtue's summits rise—
Sprung from the earth-but pointing to the skies;
To bind the sons of men in social love,
And all the bliss of pure religion prove.
May He whose wisdom rules this vast machine—
Guides every movement with a hand unseen—
From whom all being and all power have flowed-
Whose love the gracious means of bliss bestowed—

Deign all your labours to approve and bless,
And crown your heartfelt wishes with success!

CRANBROOK, Dec. 10, 1822.

666

[ocr errors]

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

NOTICES. WE have received, signed J. N., "An Answer to the Question, 'Why are you an ATHEIST?'' It appears temperately and well written. J. N. however appearing fully aware of the danger of circulating atheistical speculations, prudently enough wishes to transfer to us the responsibility of publishing his views. This, in our opinion, is not the age in which any inquiries, however bold, ought to be pressed. If, on re-perusal, it appears we can do it with safety, we shall probably insert the letter of J. N.; which, with the suppressed poem of Queen Mab, may afford us materials for an article in reply-on the Being and Attributes of a God.

sup

The MARRIAGE CEREMONY, and the best means of obtaining relief to dissenters from the oppressive effects of the existing law on that subject, will have our early attention.

Simple unlaboured POETRY, communicating to moral and religious subjects a greater force and interest than can be imparted by any other species of composition, is always to our taste-such is the first part of "THE YEAR," furnished by our correspondent. A poem possessing all the feeling, piety, and moral discrimination, of Cowper's "TASK," divested of its orthodoxy, may be esteemed a desideratum by the friends of rational Christianity; let us hope, then, that our correspondent's poetic labours may be directed to this end. The Consistent Character, and the Inconsistent Character,' are, certainly, excellent subjects for his Muse; there is, however, a higher character for poetic description, which we shall venture to recommend as suited to "THE YEAR"- The Religious APOSTATE'-and for this, we think we might furnish some hints to our friend.

HETHERINGTON, PRINTER, 13, KINGSGATE STREET.

« AnteriorContinuar »