The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 354, 13 September 1849, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

I'.e just and fear riot: Let all the ends thon aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1849.

Letters from London were received here yesterday, which had arrived at New Plymouth by the barque Cornwall, and had been forwarded thence by the overland mail to Auckland. We have no general intelligence, however, as the newspapers brought by that vessel have not yet reached us. The Cornwall left London on the 20th of April, and arrived at New Plymouth on the 19th of August. She had several emigrants on board, principally, we are informed, for Otago, whither she had sailed.

Although we are far from adopting the opinion that Biblical topics should be excluded from the columns of a newspaper,—(for, assuming the Bible to be what it professes, and can be demonstrably proved, to be, the voice of the Creator speaking to his intelligent creature — man, we can conceive of no human concern in which its guidance should not be reverentially sought, and its paramount authority acknowledged,)— we yet concur in the view so far as freely to admit that theological discussions, especially those which partake of a controversial character, should, as a general rule, bo confined to the publications which are distinctively called " religious." It will scarcely however, be an overstepping of the boundary line thus prescribed, if we devote a column or tv/o to-day, when no subject of more immediately present interest claims this portion of our space, to soir-e account of, and a few extracts from, a very remarkable work, which, from the extraordinary sensation it has lately excited in Europe, is no doubt known by name to many of om readers, but has probably been seen by comparatively few of them. We

refer to " The Rise and Fall of the Papacy, by the Rev. Robert Fleming," which was originally published in the year 1701 by the Author, who was then Pastor of a Scotch Church, assembling in Foundei's Alley, Lothbury, London, and has lately been reprinted in several editions and perused by nearly all classes — from curiosity, where no higher motive prevailed. The attractiveness of the book lies in the startling fact, that, — besides its correctness in some collateral " conjectures," — it is found to contain predictions of the dates of two of the most important events of modern times, the accurate verification of which is already matter of history. We allude to the French Revolution at the close of the last century, and the deposition of the Pope within the last year. The interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy is confessedly, and for obvious reasons, the most difficult path in the wide field of Scriptural research, — a path, however, upon which many have rushed with as much boldness, as if they were themselves inspired prophets, to whom the secret of " the times and the seasons" had been infallibly made known. Had their own humiliation and disappointment been the only consequence of their temerity, few would have regretted it ; but the falsification of their most confident predictions gave poignancy to many a sceptical sneer, and led not a few — (of whom the late learned and laborious commentator, Dr. Adam Clarke, may be named as a striking example,) —to regard the Apocalypse as nearly, or wholly, a sealed volume, not to be unlocked until the accomplishment of the things written in it ; and thus tacitly to relinquish their claim to the peculiar benediction pronounced on those " that read and that hear the words of this prophecy." Fleming, on the contrary, was distinguished for modesty, and a total absence of self-reliance. He could truly say, " I do industriously avoid the fatal rock of positiveness which so many Apocalyptical men have suffered themselves to split upon." His highest estimate of his labors was, — « By all which I hope I have given the world such a key to unlock all the chambers of the Book of the Revelations, as / hope I may venture to say, if considered and used impartially, judiciously, and diligently, will be found to give some new light to us, in our mental journey through the mazes and turnings and dark passages thereof." Without asserting for his views any higher claim to respect than he thus asserted for them himself, we may observe, that, in some important particulars, they have been so borne out by subsequent events, that, if they were only (as h« in another place calls them) " guesses," he has been fortunate and successful in them, beyond most, or all of the many who have put forth " conjectural thoughts " on the same points. We may add here that in summing up the principles on which his interpretations are based, we have no desire to introduce anything that may pain any reader, whatever his religious persuasion may be. On all the doctrinal matters to which he refers, Fleming would have been amongst the first to concede, and even urge, liberty of thought, and the exercise of every individual's right to judge or himself on all that is proposed to him as truth. The propositions which he labours to establish as fundamental to his more precise expositions, are, in substance : that trie Apocalypse was written by the Apostle John, and is certainly a sacred and canonical book : — that it was written after the destruction of Jerusalem, and that consequently, its visions relate not to occurrences before the overthrow of the Jewish city and state, b»t subsequent to that even t, — to the history of the Christian Church to the end of the world:— that" Babylon the Great" or the Apocalyptical beast, with its seven heads and ten horns, is no other than an emblem of the Roman empire ; that the seven headed beast represents Rome under the ecclesiastical government of the Papacy : and that the Seven Kings, represented by the seven heads of the beast, are the seven forms of supreme government that successively obtained among the Romans. In these first principles of his scheme, it will be evident to those who have studied the subject, that his views, though differing from those of some other Protestant commentators in a few particulars, are in general accordance wilh their opinions as to the bearing of many of the predictions on Rome Papal. On the merits of that judgment, we do not enter here, but proceed, as we proposed, to give some further brief account ot the book, by showing how the author applies his system to the course of certain events. Having stated and vindicated as rules of interpretation that the apocalyptical numbers of 1260 day 3, 42 months, and time, times, and a half, are synchronical, and to be interpreted prophetically, years being understood by days ; and that in order to understand the prophetical years aright, we must reduce them to Julian years, (which, " overlooking smaller measures of time" will leave 18 years to be cut off from the 1260), he says,— To apply this, therefore, to our design,. If we may suppose that A.ntichrwt began hii reign in the year 606, the additional 1260 yeart of his duration were I the Julian or ordinary yeari, would lead us down to ' the year 1806, an the lait period of the leven-headed monttei. But seeing they are prophetical years only we must cast away 18 years in order to bring them to tho exact measure of time that the Spirit of God dtiigui i» tlys book. Ami tbui the final period 1 ql

papal usurpations, (supposing that ho did indeed ris in the year GOO,) muit conclude with the year 1848. We now come to quote the portion of the book which has of late attracted special regard. The reader will bear in mind that the author wiote in the year 1700 :—: — And now seeing I liave marked out the time we are in at present, it n lime also to put a stop to our Apocalyptical thoughts, seeing no man can pretend, upon any just grounds, to calculate future times. However, teeing I have come 10 far, 1 shall adventure to present you further with some conjectural thought* on this head, for I am far from the presumption of men,^R> give them any further character. Now my conjectures thall relate to two thing!, viz^ — to the remaining part of this vial, and to the other vials that follow this. And, first, as to the remaining part of this vial, I do humbly suppose that it will come to its highest pitch about anno. 1717, and that it will run out about the year 1794 The reaioni of this conjecture are tw«: The first is, because I find that the papal kingdom got a considerable accession to its power upon the Roman western empires being destroyed anno- 475, to which the Heruli succeeded the year following, and the Ottrogoths afterwards. Now, if from this remarkabls year we begin the calculation of 1260 years, they lead us down to a.d. 1735, which, in prophetical account, it this Tery year 1717. The second is, because, as I have many years ago observed, this year leads us down to a second centenary revolution. For it is observable that John Hubs and Jerome of Prague, to run this up bo further, were burned anno I'M 7 ! after which tbo true religion in Bohemia end other places was mom obscured and supprekied, until that famous year 1517, when Luther arose, and gave the revolution a new resurrcetion, according to that remarkable prediction of Jerome of Prague, Centum annis rtvolutis Dto re* spondiliitis et mihi, which the Bohemians afterwards stamped upon their coin as their, motto. From this year the reformed did Hill increase, whatever stops and troubles it met with, till the year 1617, about which time the German and Bohemian wars I egan to break out ; and it is but too obvious what an ebb hath flown from that time to this, notwithstanding the pouring out of the second, third, and fourth vials. So that there it ground to hope that about the beginning of anothrr such century things may again alter for the better ; fo? I cannot but hope that some new mortification of the chief supporters of Antichrist will then happen, and perhaps the Fiench monarchy may begin to be considerably humbled about that time; that whereas the present French King takes the sun for hit emblem, and this for his motto, Nee pluribus impar, he may at length, or rather his successors, and thij monarchy itself, at least before the year 1791, be forced ta acknowledge, that in respect to neighbouring: potentates he is even tingulis impar. But as to the expiration of this vial, I do fear it will not be until the year 1794. The reason of which conjecture is this, that I find the Pope got a new foundation of exaltation, when Justinian, npon his conquest of Italy, left it in a great measure to the Pope's management, being w.lling to eclipse his owa authority to advance that of this haughty pielate. Now this being in the year 552, this, by the addition of the 12o'0 years, reaches down to the year 1811, which, according to prophetical account, n the year 1794. And then I do suppose the fourth vial will end, and the fifth commence, by a new mortification of the papacy, after this vial has lasted 148 years, which indeed is long, in comparison with the former vihls ; but if it be considered in relation to the fourth, fifth, and sixth trumpets, it is but short, seeing the fourth lasted 190 yean, the fifth 302, and the sixth393. But, second, to proceed with my other conjectures, relating to the remaining vials, I do further supposethat, The fifth vial, Rev. eh. x\v., rer. 10, 11, which is to be poured out on the seat of the beast or the dominions that more immediately belong; to, and depend upon the Roman see ; that, I say, this judgment will probably begin about the year 1794, and expire about A.D. 1843. So that the duration of it upon this supposition, will be for the space ot 54 years. For I Do | suppose, that teeing the pope received the title of supreme bishop no sooner than an. 606, he cannot be supposed to have atiy vial poured upon his seat immediately (so as to ruin his authority so sigually as thU judgment is suppo»ed to do) until the year 1848, which is the date of the 1260 years in prophetical account, when they are reckoned from aa. CO6. But yet we are not to imagine that this vial will totally deitroy the papacy (though it will exceedingly weaken it) for we find this still in being and alive, when the next vial is poured out." It is not surprising that the progress of revolutionary principles in France, the "mortification" of the "monarchy," the " humbling" and execution of the unfortunate Louis XVI. (whose private virtues should have proved a shield to his person if they could not support his throne), and the frightful evils which aa the regicides turned upon each other rapidly deluged the land with blood — fixed the attention of the few studious observers to whom, Fleming's all but forgotten book was yet known, on the above passage. Numerous editions of the discourse was then published both in Eng-» land and America. But again it was falling into oblivion, when the overthrow of the Papal sovereignty and the flight of the Pope so precisely at the anticipated date, recalled it into notice, and gave it greatly augmented claims to consideration ; for, as has been justly remarked, the two periods being distinct a multiple force is now given to the weight of the author's conclusions. Even sceptics and scoffers have been so impressed by the facts as to declare that, as coincidences, they are the most remarkable on record ; and some habitual " believers in all unbelief" have avowed that "if they could obtain a sight of the manuscript of Fleming's Discourse, in proof of its genuineness, they should feel themselves constrained to louk at the Bible with greater reverence than ever." But as we all have more or less of an instinctive desire to penetrate into what is still future, it may be interesting to note Fleming's " conjectures " as to the predictions which ac cording to his views remain to be fulfilled after 1848. "The sixth vial, ver. 12, &c, will be poured out upon the Moliametaa antichrist, as the former on thsi papacy. And seeing the sixth trumpet brought the Turks from beyond Euphrates, from crossing which river they date their me, this sixth vial dries up their

wares, and exhausts their power, at the means and way to * prepare and dispose the eastern kings and kingdom* to renounce their heatheniih and Mahometan errori, in order to their receiving and embracing Christianity.' For I think this is the natite import or the text, and not that the Jewi are to be understood under this denomination of the kings of the East, which is such an odd straining of it to serve a turn, as I cannot admit of. Now, seeing thii rial ii to destroy tho Turki, we heir of three unclean spirits like frogs or toads, that were sent out by Satan, and the remains of the polity and church of Rome, called the beat and falie prophet, in order to insinuate upon the et stern nations, upon their deserting Mabometism, to fall in with their idolatrous and spurious Christianity, rather than with the true reformed doctrine. And these messenger* shall he so succeisful as to draw these eastern kings and their subjects, and with them the greatest part of mankind, to take part with them. So that by the aisistance of thece their agents and missionaries they shall engage the whole world, in some manner, to join wiih them in rooting out the saints. (And here in a parenthesis Christ gives a watchword to his seivants to be upon their guard in thii hour of trial, Ter. 15) But when th« Pope hat got himse'f at the head of this vast army, and h»s brought them to the place of battle, called Armageddon (i. «. the place where there will be a most diabolical, cunning, and powerful conspiracy against Christ's followers) ; then immediately doth the seventh angel pour out hit vial, to their ruin and destruction. The stt«uth vial therefore being poured out on the «ir, ver, 17, bring! down thunder, lightning, hail, and storms ; which, together with a terrible earthquake, destroys all the antichristian nations, and particularly Rome, or mystical Babylon. And, as Christ concluded his suff. rings on the cross with bis voice, "It is finished," so the Churche*' sufferings are concluded with a voice out of the temple of heaven, and from the throne of God and Christ there, saying, " h is done." And therefore with this doth the blessed milieu ium of CbrU'v't spiritual reign on earth begin ; of which, and what may be supposed to follow, we took some notice above. Now seeing these two vials are, as it were, ♦• one continued; the first running into the second, and the second completing the first ;" the one giving us an account of the beast's preparation for warring against fche saints, and the other shewing the event of the whole; there is no need to give you any conjectures about the conclusion of the sixth vial, or the beginning of the lait ; only you may observe, that the first of these will probably take up most of the time between the year 1848, and the year 2000 ; because such long messages and intrigues (besides the time spent before in destroying the Turkish empire), and preparations for so universal a war mast needs take up a great many years : Whereas our blessed Lord ft«ms to tell us that the destruction of all those his enemies will be accomplished speedily, and in a little time, in comparison with the other vial. Supposing, then, that the Turkish monarch should be totally destroyed between 1848 and 1900, we may justly assign 70 or 80 years longer to the end of the sixth seal, and but 20 or 30 at most to the last. Now, how great and remarkable this last destruction of the papal antichrist will be, we may guess by that representation of it* chap. 14, 19, 20, where it is set forth under the " emblem and character of the great wine-press of the wrath of God" (which can refer to nothing but tlie event of the seventh vial, as I might shew it large had I time). Now thii " wine-press is said to be trodden without the city (vi?., Jerusalem or the church, seeing this i« called the city, in Scripture style, as Rome is called the great city) in Armageddon, Her. 16, 16, which may bear allusion to the valley of decision, Joel 3, 2, 12, 14* However the greatness of this slaughter appears in this, that the blood is represented to flow in such a current as to reach even to tho horse-bridles, viz., of the servants of God, employed in this execution: for without doubt this relates to what we have, chap. 19, 14, which I beseech you to compare with this place. For ye will find that a large account is given of the fall of Babylon, chap. 18, and "of the trumpet of the church upon her final victory over this enemy," chap. 19* 1, &c la another part of his discourse he more distinctly states some of the views here hinted at. Thus, he says — Now as near as I can trace the time of this donation of Pipin, it was in or about the year 758, about the time that Pope Paul the first, began to buld the church of St. Peter and St. Paul. Now, if we make this the era of the Papal kingdom, the 1260 years will not run out before the year 2018, according to the computation of Julian years ; but reducing these to prophetical ones, the expiration of the papal kingdom ends exactly in the year 2000, according to our vulgar reckoning. And if what I suggested above be true, that anti-christ shall not finally be destroyed till the coming of Christ, then may this calculation be looked upon as very considerable. For it has been a very ancient opinion that the world would last only six thousand years ; that, according to the old traditional prophecy of the house of Elias, the world •hould stand as many millenaries as it was made in, days; and, that, therefore, as there were '»two thou* sand years from the creation to Abraham, without a written directory of religion, and two thousand from theuce to Christ, under the old economy of the law, so there would be two thousand years more under the Messiah." So that after the militant state of the Christian church is run out, in the year 2000 it is to enter upon that glorious " sabbatical millenary, when the saints shall reign on the earth, in a peaoea >le man* ncr, fora thousand yean more," after the expiration of which, Satan shall be let loose to play a new game, and men shall begin to apostatize almost universally from the truth, gathering themselves together undor the character of Gog and Magog, from the fiur cor« nera or parts of the world, until they have reduced the church to * small compass. But when they have brought the saints to the last extremity, Christ himself will appear iv his glory, and destroy his enemies with fire from heaven, Rev. 20, 9 ; which denotes the great conflagration, 2 Pet. 3, 10, &c ; which is followed by the resurrection, and Christ's calling men before him into jndgment. And perhaps the time of this judgment will take up the greatest parlor the whole of another millenary of years; that as there were lour thousand yeart from the creation to his hrst coming, there may be four from thence to his triumphant entry into heaven with all his saints. For though the Scriptures call this time a day, yet we know that Peter sajs, that "' a thousand years and a day are the same thing in divine reckoning"— 2 Pet. 3, 8. But that all men that ever lived should be publicly judged in a day, a year, or century, bo as to have all their life and actions tried and searched into, is to me, I confess, inconceivable, not indeed in relation to God, but in relation to men and angels, who must be convinced of the equity of the procedure and sentence of the judge. The following short extract embodies some additional notices on the nature of the Millennium, -a subject on which of late years books

have been teeming from the press, — many of them, we regret to say, presenting a painful contrast to the modesty, diffidence, and sobriety of judgment which eminently characterize that before us. It will be seen that Fleming had no leaning to the doctrine of the Pre-Millennial advent and personal reign of Christ on earth, for which some contend so vehemently. But, third, seeing I have touched but slightly npon the millenium, or the thousand years' reign of the saints on earth, I shall desire you to think a little furtlirr on this, as the greatest event that is to happen before the end of the world. I dare not indeed expatiate upon this vast mbject, only I shall suggest a few tilings concerning it. The first is that this is to begin immediately after the total and fiual destruction of Rome papal, in or about the year 2000; and that, therefore, Christ himself will have the honor of destroying that formidable enemy by a new and remarkable appearance of himself, as I •aid above. But, second, we must not imagine that this appearance of Christ will be a personal one, no more than his appearance in the destruction of the Jews by Vespasian and Titus was such, Acts 3, 21. " For the heavens must retain him until the great and last day of the consummation or restitution of all things." Third,— Yet we must have a care of confounding this millenary peaceful state of the church with the-dayof judgment, seeing nothing is more plainly distinguished than these are in the 20th chap, ter of the Revelation, where it is told us, " That after the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be again let loose, and apostatize jl almost universally from Christ," and make war against the saints; and that after the destruction of those enemies, the day of judgment shall commenc. And, therefore, fourth, we are not to imagine that the millenary reign of the saints shall be free from all mixture of hypocrisy and wicked men, or from sin and trouble . seeing the sudden and general apostacy that follows that period is a demonstration, that all were not Israel that feigned themselves to be of it, and wanted therefore only an opportunity to shake off the church's yoke. Nay, the expiration of that period shows, that long peace and prosperity must have corrupted the church itself, else it cannot be conceived to be com istent with the equity and goodness of God to suffer her enemies to go so near the total extirpation of his own professing people. We cannot expect that the account we have thus given of Fleming's Discourse will be satisfactory to all : — one class of readers will probably wish that we had not afforded so much space to the subject, while another class, will as probably, wish that our extracts had been more copious and complete. We only contemplated presenting an outline, which even as an article of news, and from its bearing on the great political events of the day, may be acceptable ; and which, moreover, may be calculated to suggest reflections of deep and permanent importance, as regards both secular and religious, national and individual, concerns. More than this would have led us beyond the limits of our sphere, if not beyond those of our proper province.