into lasciviousness, and
_denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ_--These are
murderers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, and their
mouths speaking great swelling words--But beloved, remember ye
the words which were _spoken before_ of the apostles of our Lord Jesus
Christ; how they told you there should be mockers in the last time,
who should walk after their own lusts."

The errors of Rome are not here intended. They are manifestly errors
of a later date, which were to appear after those of Rome should
subside, having lost their influence. It is repeatedly noted that they
were to arise in _the last days_. They are errors of which this age is
witness--errors which have spread, and are yet spreading? those of
infidelity and atheism, with their usual attendants, immorality in
every hideous form. We should therefore "remember the words which were
spoken before"--the warnings which have been given us of those
defections, which were to intervene those of Antichrist, and _the
coming of the Son of man_.

The Apocalypse, though of more difficult interpretation, contains some
particulars sufficiently intelligible and to our purpose. The writer
enlarges on the Romish apostasy, which he describes more minutely than
any who had preceded him, both in its rise and progress, and also in
the circumstances which should attend its overthrow. He foretells the
spirit, pride, riches, glare of ornaments, strange abominations, and
unprecedented cruelties; the power, signs and lying wonders, which
were to render Rome the wonder and dread of the whole earth. The
portrait is in every part so exact and circumstantial, that none who
are acquainted with the history of that church, can mistake it; unless
blinded by interest or prejudice.

The apostle predicts also the other great defection which was to
follow the antichristian, though in language more obscure and
figurative, "And I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, come out of
the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of
the mouth of the false prophet for they are the spirits of devils,
working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, and the
whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God
Almighty." *

* Vid. a discourse on this subject by Timothy Dwight, D.D. President
of Yale College, printed at Newhaven, A.D. 1798.

It deserves particular notice that all these strange declensions,
which were foretold, as