nimous testimony of interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, who unite in understanding the period revealed to be four hundred and ninety years.

2d, The events which were to take place during the twelve hundred and sixty days, are of too extensive and complicated a nature to be accomplished within the term of twelve hundred and sixty natural days, or three years and a half.*

3d, It is proved by the event, that the twelve hundred and sixty days are not natural days, for the powers whose duration was to be measured by that period, and the depressed state of the church which was to continue during the twelve hundred and sixty days, have in fact existed more than one thousand years, from whatever time we may calculate the rise of these powers, or the depressed condition of the church.

Considering, therefore, that it is established by the above arguments, founded on the nature of things, and the analogies of scripture, and confirmed by the consent of every protestant commentator of note, that the twelve hundred and sixty days mean the same number of years; I remark, in the next place, that the scriptures evidently attach a very great and solemn degree of importance to this prophetical period. We may draw this inference from its being directly mentioned no less than seven times, and alluded to in other places; and likewise from the reverential and awful manner in which the second annunciation of these times is given in Dan. xii. 7. A careful inquiry into the period of the commence

* See Faber's Dissert. on the Prophecies, vol. i. p. 6. 4th edition; where this point is argued at considerable length.

ment and termination of the twelve hundred and sixty years, is therefore very necessary for the elucidation of the Prophecies of Daniel and St. John.

.

In proceeding into this inquiry, I shall endeavour to show, first, what are the internal scriptural marks of the commencement and end of the twelve hundred and sixty years, and shall next compare historical facts with these marks; thus endeavouring, in the method of inductive reasoning, to ascertain the true era of the above period. In this way we may hope to arrive at a certain conclusion respecting this most interesting and important subject of inquiry. It will greatly facilitate what I have in view, if the different scriptural marks be stated in the form of propoThis 'therefore is the method I shall

sitions. adopt.

PROPOSITION FIRST.

The commencement of the twelve hundred and sixty years is to be marked by the giving the saints, and times, and laws (of the church), into the hand of the little horn.

For the proof of this proposition I refer to Dan. vii. 25.

PROPOSITION SECOND.

At the termination of the twelve hundred and sixty years, the Ancient of Days comes, and the judgment sits, to take away the dominion of the little horn, and to consume and destroy it unto the end.

Therefore, when the judgment begins to sit, then the twelve hundred and sixty days are ended.

I rest the proof of this proposition on Dan. vii. 26, compared with the 9th, 10th, and 22d verses.

PROPOSITION THIRD.

The witnesses are to prophesy in sackcloth during the whole twelve hundred and sixty years.

There

fore, when they put off their sackcloth, the twelve hundred and sixty years are ended.

The truth of this proposition is evident from Rev. xi. 3.

PROPOSITION FOURTH.

The mystical woman, the church, is to be concealed in the wilderness during the whole period of the twelve hundred and sixty years. Therefore, when the woman begins to emerge from the wilderness, that period is elapsed.

The proof of this proposition is in Rev. xii. 6. and 14.

PROPOSITION FIFTH.

The twelve hundred and sixty years end at the sounding of the seventh Apocalyptic trumpet.

I prove this by Rev. x. 6, 7, wherein the angel swears, in the awful name of him that liveth for ever and ever, that when the seventh angel, shall sound, time shall be no longer. This signifies (as Mede justly argues) that when the seventh angel shall sound, then the mysterious times of Daniel (i. e. the twelve hundred and sixty years) shall end. This interpretation of the passage is shown by the context to be the true one; for it is added, that at the same period the mystery of God shall be finished; which cannot be till the twelve hundred and sixty years of spiritual darkness and tyranny are ended.

The same thing is further proved by the triumphant language of the elders on the sounding of the seventh trumpet, Rev. xi. 15-18. This language is utterly inconsistent with the idea of the church still remaining under her enemies, and in the wilderness, which must be her condition if the twelve hundred and sixty years do not expire at the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

From the last proposition, the following inference may be drawn: It has already been proved, in proposition second, that the twelve hundred and sixty years end when the Ancient of Days comes, and the judgment in Daniel vii. 9, 10. begins to sit; and we have now seen that the same prophetical period elapses at the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Therefore, as the sitting of the judgment at the coming of the Ancient of Days, and the sounding of the seventh trumpet, both synchronize with the close of the twelve hundred and sixty years, they also synchronize with each other. This confirms the reasoning contained in a former part of this work, whereby we arrived at the same conclusion.*

PROPOSITION SIXTH.

The times of the Gentiles (i. e. the twelve hundred and sixty years) terminate when the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and distress of nations, mentioned by our Lord, begin.

This proposition is founded upon Luke xxi. 25. compared with the context. +

* Page 131, 132.

+ "When St. Luke's times of the Gentiles are finished, then shall "be signs in the sun and moon: the Son of man comes also in the

But it has already been shown, in considering the sixth seal, that the phenomena in the symbolical heavens, mentioned in Luke xxi. 25, and the corresponding passages of Matthew and Mark, are the same with the earthquake of the sixth seal ;* and the earthquake of the sixth seal is, as I have endeavoured to prove, the same with that of the seventh trumpet. Therefore it follows, that the times of the Gentiles, or twelve hundred and sixty years, expire also at the commencement of the earthquake of the sixth seal, and the earthquake of the seventh trumpet, which further confirms the truth of the fifth proposition.

Having thus laid down a series of scriptural propositions respecting the commencement and end of the twelve hundred and sixty years, I shall now go on to compare these propositions with history.

PROPOSITION FIRST.

The commencement of the twelve hundred and sixty years is to be marked by the giving of the saints, and times, and laws, into the hand of the little horn.

That the little horn is the papacy, has been established with such force of evidence by Mede, Bishop Newton, Mr. Faber, and other writers on prophecy, that I do not consider it as at all necessary to enter

"clouds of heaven; the redemption of Israel, and the kingdom of "God, are at hand." Mede's Works, Book iv. epist. 8.-,, The copulative xx, verse 25, is to be taken after the Hebrew manner; “ordinativè for tum, deinde, which you know is frequent in the "' scriptures. “Then shall be signs," &c." Ibid. Book iv. ep. 12.