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August of the year 1802, or in the May of the year

1804 and forthwith power is given to it to scorch

men with the fire of an extensive imperial military

despotism. The rise and progress of the Francic

Emperorship or the short-lived and sword-slain seventh

head of the Roman beast. p. 379.

II. The fifth vial is poured out on the figurative throne of the

Roman beast, now existing under his seventh and last

head, in the June of the year 1808: and his king-

dom forthwith rapidly fills with the darkness of poli-

tical death. The decline and fall of the Francic

Emperorship, or the slaughter of the seventh head of

the Roman beast by the sword of foreign violence.

p. 384.

1. Remarks on the poetical machinery of the oracle of

the fifth vial. p. 384.

2. The existing head of the Roman beast, at the epoch

of the effusion of the fifth vial, was the Francic Em-

perorship. p. 387.

3. Application of the prophecy to historical facts. p.

388.

(1.) A statement of the abstract import of the pro-

phecy. p. 389.

(2.) A statement of the mode in which the prophecy

has been accomplished. p. 389.

4. Though the imperial throne of the Roman beast of

the seventh head has been overturned, and though

he himself has been politically slain as an Empire

by the deadly wound inflicted upon his short-lived

seventh head; still his territorial kingdom remains,

notwithstanding it is full of the darkness of figura-

tive death or imperial non-existence. p. 393.

5. As the period of the fifth vial comprehends the term
of the Roman beast's allegorical death or political
non-existence as an Empire under some one or
other of his seven successive heads; it will not ex-

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likewise all those grand events, which are afterward more

copiously detailed, and which are placed immediately be-

fore the commencement of the Millennium. p. 411.

I. The annunciation, IT IS DONE. p. 413.

II. The great earthquake. p. 414.

III. The storm of hail. p. 415.

IV. The final destruction of Babylon. p. 415.

V. The marriage of the Lamb. p. 415.

1. The question, as to the character of the Lamb's con-

sort, discussed negatively. p. 416.

2. The question, as to the character of the Lamb's con-

sort, discussed positively. p. 417.

VI. The battle of that great day of God Almighty. p. 420.

1. The country, which extends 1600 furlongs. p. 422.

2. The region of Armageddon. p. 423.

VII. The manifestation of Christ and his armies mounted on

white horses. p. 424.

1. The bare phraseology of the passage will not prove
this manifestation of Christ to be his literal second

advent. p. 426.

2. The theory of Mede and of those, who contend for

the occurrence of Christ's literal second advent, at

this precise chronological point of the Apocalypse;

that is to say, subsequent to the expiration of the

latter three times, and immediately before the com-

mencement of the Millennium. p. 428.

3. The whole of this theory rests ultimately upon the

gratuitous assumption: that ALL the texts, which

announce a future coming of Christ in glory, re-

late to one and the same event, namely the literal

second advent of the Lord; and, consequently,

that ALL texts, which contain any such annuncia-

tion, cannot be interpreted figuratively, but must

of very necessity be interpreted literally. p. 432.

4. Though no demonstration of their theory has been
attempted, so far as I can find, either by Mr. Mede
or by his followers: I shall myself, for the sake of

arguing the matter fairly and candidly, supply, so
far as I believe it can be supplied, their palpable
deficiency. p. 434.

(1.) A statement of the sole apparent evidence, which

can be adduced in favour of Mr. Mede's spe-

culation. p. 434.

(2.) A demonstration of the insufficiency of that evi-

dence. p. 435.

5. The erroneousness of the theory of Mr. Mede de-

monstrated, from the inevitable difficulties and con-

tradictions by which it is encumbered. p. 438.

(1.) The theory does not accord with our Lord's own

account of his literal second advent to judge

all mankind, both the quick and the dead,

both the good and the bad. p. 438.

(2.) The theory contradicts the express declarations

of Christ, St. Paul, and St. John. p. 445.

(3.) The theory contradicts the joint positive attesta-

tion of Isaiah and Zechariah. p. 449.

(4.) The theory contradicts the universal attestation

of prophecy, that the unbelieving Gentiles will

be converted to Christianity after the over-

throw of the great Roman confederacy at the

close of the latter three times and a half.

p. 451.

(5.) The theory contradicts the testimony of St. John,

by making any consistent and intelligible pro-

duction of the final confederacy of Gog and

Magog an utter impossibility. p. 452.

6. In addition to these difficulties and contradictions, it

may be remarked, that Scripture compared with

Scripture, or the passage in Acts iii. 19-21 com-

pared with the passages in Dan. ii. 35, 44, 45.

vii. 13, 14, 27. xii. 12. Isaiah ii. 1-5. xi. 10.

-16. lx. lxv. 17-25. lxvi. 5-24. Joel iii.

Zechar. xiii. 8, 9. xiv, inevitably brings out the

result, that the literal second advent of Christ, so

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