might be authorized to apply the whole exclusively to the eastern. But St. Paul alluding again to this anti christian falling away, in his first Epistle to Timothy, 1 Tim. iv. 1. says, "That in the latter times some "shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing " spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypo" crisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; " forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from "meats." This is so strong a mark of the western superstition, that it cannot be mistaken; we must conclude therefore, that the falling away foretold by St. Paul is the whole apostacy and corruption which took place in both parts of the Christian Church.

I cannot dismiss this subject without a few more remarks. Some commentators have taken great pains to shew, that the latter days and the last days do not mean the same period of time, whilst others have confounded them together. It appears to me, that the common sense of language will preclude any necessity for the display of much learning upon the subject: the latter and the last can never mean the same thing, and the giving to them the same sense is making a confusion where the apostle meant to be explicitly clear: "In the latter "times," says this great Apostle, "some shall depart from "the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines " of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their con"science seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and "commanding to abstain from meats." This, as I before observed, is a peculiar mark of the Romish church, and the latter times must then mean the period when the dominion over the saints was exercised by her: the middle ages, that dark reign of gloomy superstition and igIn the common acceptation of language, the

last days must mean a period subsequent to the latter; accordingly the apostle says in his second Epistle to Timothy, "This know also, that in the last days peril"ous times shall come; for men shall be lovers of their "own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, dis"obedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natu"ral affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, "fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, "highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of "God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power "thereof; for of this sort are they, which creep into houses, "and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away "with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come "to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and "Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the "truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning "the faith." This statement is also supported by St. Peter, who says, in his second Epistle, " that there shall " come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own "Justss:" and also by Jude, who says, "but beloved, "remember the words which were spoken before of the "apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told "you, there should be mockers in the last time, who "should walk after their own ungodly lusts: these be "they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the "Spirith."

The latter times and the last days of St. Paul have then given us a description of two sorts of persons: the former I conceive no Protestant will hesitate to ascribe to the Church of Rome; the latter, I am afraid, we can have as little hesitation in ascribing to our own times. Let any sober Christian well consider the state of our own country, where Christ is worshipped in the greatest purity, where morality is better understood, and practice moreattended to than in any other Christian country, and let him say whether he cannot perceive, in this dreadful catalogue of St. Paul, characters which are continually before our eyes; and if it is so in the green tree, how is it in the dry, how is it on the continent of Europe, how is it in every other state of Christendom? But let not the good Christian despond; it is true, "that evil men "and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving "and being deceived;" but the apostle tells us," they "shall proceed no further," that is, they shall not come to a domineering head for any length of time; for if we may dare to interpret a future prediction, the beast in his third appearance will reign but one hour.

pearance in the last time, and the mystery of iniquity was then already at work. St. Paul however, in the passage under consideration, (2 Thess. ii. 7.) is more particular, and is describing the different times and characters of Antichrist; he begins by telling us, that a falling away should come; and that in the latter days a description of persons should forbid to marry, and command to abstain from meats; and also in the last days another description of persons should arise, who would make the times perilous; the latter days and the last days of St. Paul will then exactly accord with the two last woes, and are remarkably descriptive of the middle age and the present.

k 2 Tim. iii. 9.

747. Babylonian monarchy founded....

335. Alexander appointed General of the Greeks.

166. Conquest of Macedonia by the Romans.

133. Conquest of Pergamos.

33. Cleopatra defeated.

27. Octavius Cæsar confirmed Emperor Augustus.

A. D.

175. Growth of philosophical corruption in religion.

248. Dioclesian Emperor.

262. Accession of Galerius.

292. Constantius invested with the purple, and Con

stantine set out to join the army.

306. Constantine saluted Emperor.

325. Corruptions in the doctrine of the Church supported and enforced by power. Council of Nice.

335. Constantine enforced the restoration of Arius. 363. Death of Julian, and end of the dynasty of Con

stantine.

364. Valentinian Emperor.

392. Theodosius Emperor.

408. First siege of Rome by Alaric.

475. Complete subversion of the Roman empire.

630. Establishment of Mahomet.

799. Establishment of the Pope.

R

800. Charlemagne settled in the throne. 962. Otho the Great.