Rev. xiii. 5. City, and the fame Period given for the Beast to continue, and xii. 14. for the Woman to be nourished, for a Time, Times, and half a Time, from the Face of the SERPENT. Thefe different Expreffions are allowed to make up and fignify the fame Number of Ezek. iv. 6. 1260 Years, or prophetic Days.

Dan. xii. 7.

II.

12.

12.

By this Standard, it appears, that the three Prophecies of Daniel in the last Chapter are to be measured. The firft is the Time, Times, and half a Time; the fecond contains one Thousand two Hundred and ninety Days: and the third extends to one Thousand three Hundred and five and thirty Days. Most Interpreters of the Number fix Hundred threefcore and fix in St. John, have endeavoured to find out a Name whofe Letters fhould make up this Sum in numeral Computation; but from the Words of the Prophecy, there is no Occafion for fuch an Attempt. The Words are Rev. xiii. 18. these : "Let him who hath Understanding count the Number of the Beaft: for it is the Number of a Man, and his Number is fix Hundred threefcore and fix.

As this is called the Number of a Man, and not the Number of a Name, in the fame Senfe, as the Measure of a Man, and Pen of a Man, in other Places of Scripture, meaning fuch as are in common Ufe; we have good Ground to fuppofe, as Lowman and others obferve, that it does not fignify a Name, but a Period of Time. I fhall endeavour to fhew, that it is the Year of the Chriftian Church 666, from which we are to count the Numbers of Daniel and St. John; and that, at their Expiration, all Oppofition to the Gospel from the Antichrist of worldly Power, and of falfe Interpretation fhall fall to the Ground, This laft is an Antichrift with its Babel, Lip or Tongue of Confufion, in every Church upon Earth, in a greater or less Degree.

In the Year of Christ 606, the Bishop of Rome was declared by the Emperor Phocas univerfal Bishop, Father or Head of the Christian Church. From this Time may be dated the open and undisguised Introduction of those innumerable Incroachments on civil Liberty through Thirst of Wealth and Dominion, and of those most wicked Corruptions of Doctrine, which were stealing in, one after the other through fo many fucceeding Centuries.

In

In the Year 622, and by Strauchius 602, Mahomet arofe and began to spread his Imposture upon the Ruins of the Chriftian Church, where the Gofpel, as to any fpiritual Interpretation, feems to have perished long, long before. In this Century then occur two Events in a religious View, which can only be important in the Sight of God, and which, the Prophecies of the New Teftament principally regard. These both fell out near each other, and gave Birth to two ftranger Appearances than ever happened during the Covenant of Abraham to Chrift. The first is a Beaft within the Confines, or rather in the Heart of the whole Christian Church, confifting of many Nations and Languages, corrupting and destroying by Degrees every great and venerable Truth of the Gofpel; while a falfe Prophet without the Church, in no Alliance or Union with it, yet building on Jefus Chrift as his Precurfor, established a most profane Mixture of all Religions in his own, and spread it far and wide over Nations, wherein the. Gospel had been received before.

Now the Number 666 is in all Appearance the Period of Time, from which the Duration of both these dreadful and impious Ufurpations, which rofe up long before, is to be counted..

Three very great Events are to be fulfilled before the Prophecies of Daniel and St. John expire.

First, The Power of the Antichrift at Rome, and of the Mahometan Imposture, over the many Peoples and vaft Kingdoms under their fpiritual Tyranny and Bondage, must be rooted up.

Secondly, The Converfion of the Jews, and by their Means: the great Flowing in of the Gentile World, yet in Darkness, must come to país.

Thirdly, Muft arrive the first Resurrection for the Martyrs, and Rev. xx. 4. for those who had not worshipped the Beast, neither his Image: This will open the happy Reign of Chrift over the 70 Nations of the World for a Thousand Years, before the Day of Judgment. These last and greatest Designs of Providence appear to have only the Compafs of 242 Years more or lefs for their Completion. For if the Number of 1260 Years be counted from the Year of Christ: 666, when the Beaft within, and the falfe Prophet without, the Church,

Church, were risen and gone forth with great Power and Dominion, it will expire about the Year 1926.

Now this Period of 1926 Years deferves particular Notice, as it fo nearly fills the fame Duration of the Covenant with Abraham the Father of the Jews; for the best Systems of Chronology fix the Call of this eminent Character to 1921 before Christ, or some few Years more. In the fame Number of Years downward from Chrift, who is the true Abraham or Father of many Nations, the Fall of all Antichrifts, of Rome and of Mahomet, and Gentilifm and of false Prophets or Interpreters of the Gospel, will arrive. Then the prophetic Name of Abraham, as he is the typical Father of many Nations, as well as the private Father of the Jews, according to the Flesh only, will take Place in a nobler Senfe, than has yet been fulfilled in that fmall Portion of the Jewish and Gentile People, who have been converted to the Meffiah, and enjoyed the Light and Knowledge of his great Salvation.

Now as this Period of the Covenant with Abraham in his double Name and Character, as Father of the Jew and Gentile, fills up fo nearly the fame Circle of 1926 or 1921 Years (which is a small Difference in fo long a Tract of Time), and expires at the End of 1260 Years, appointed for the Overthrow of all Oppofition to the Gospel; it seems to bear great Weight from the following Confiderations.

First, The Converfion of the Jews is expected to be one of the laft and most illuftrious Events of the Meffiah's Government. They are the Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh, and are to bring in the great Kingdoms of the Gentile World, who are the Seed of Adam according to the Flesh, as well as themselves. When they shall become the fpiritual Seed of the true Abraham, JESUS CHRIST, the great and heavenly Adam, of a spiritual and immortal Body, they will have the Glory of converting the heathen World, as Hebrews were the first Servants and Messengers of Chrift to that Part of the Gentiles, who have embraced the Gospel through the Labours and Blood of Jewish Apoftles.

Secondly, This great Display of the Power of Chrift feems defigned for the latter Days of the Gospel.

Thirdly,

Thirdly, The Power of Rome, which has the Sons of Abraham See Lesley's in hard Bondage, as well as their Corruptions in idolatrous Wor-Cafe of the ship, are great Obstacles to their Converfion, and Mahomet they Jews. hold in equal Contempt, as his Followers bruise them with a Rod of Iron, and bow down their Backs to Ishmael the Hagarene.

Laftly, There seems to be a Period of Years alluded to by our SAVIOUR: Jerufalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the Luke xxi. 24. Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. St. Paul, treating of the Restoration of the Ifraelites, fays, " Blindness is happened in part unto Ifrael "until the Fulness of the Gentiles be come in."

Rom. xi. 25.

The Fulness seems to mean the Time appointed for the first Part, or first Fruits of the Gentiles to be called unto CHRIST, while the great Body of the Jews remain blinded. It cannot fignify the Fulness of the Number to be faved among the Gentiles; because this Apostle makes the converted Jews, the vifible Means and Instruments under CHRIST of bringing in the great Increase and Flowing of the Gentiles unto the great Shepherd of Souls, just as Zech. ii, 12. the Predictions of the ancient Prophets represent this great Event. 13.

The Image of flowing as a River, used by Isaiah in particular, Isaiah. ii. 2. feems to infinuate, not only the Fulness of Numbers, but the Ixvi. 12. quick Diffusion of the Gospel over the four Corners of the Earth; when that Time fhall arrive. This laft Spreading may well be confidered as a River full and flowing, compared to the small Part of the Heathen World converted in above the three first Centuries; when Christianity obtained the first national Establishment, and even then in a very precarious, flow, and obstructed Way, under Conftantine.

In the same View the Apostle reasons at the 12th Verse;" if the Rom. xi. 12. "Fall of them be the Riches of the World, and the diminishing of them "the Riches of the Gentiles how much more their Fulness?" that is, their Fulness or the general Body of converted Jews, be the Fulness of the vaft Heathen World, which are left for their Harvest in their larger Body, as the Apostle Paul and the small Remnant saved out of that People worked before, among the small Body of the Gentiles, who have embraced the Gofpel.

As then the Times of the Gentiles, or the first Period of the Gospel for that Portion of the Heathen World, which has been called into its Light, appear to be a limited Time, in which they are to enjoy the first Blessing, while the great Body of the Jews continue with the Veil upon their Hearts; what Space of Time can be pitched upon fo likely, for their Converfion, as the End of the Time, Times, and half a Time? To which Expression of ·Daniel, our SAVIOUR feems to allude, which is the fame Number Luke xxi. 24. as 1260 Days, for the two Witnesses, and the 42 Months for the Ezek. iv. 6. Power of the Beaft: They all make three Years and an Half of Days, a Year for a Day.

Now as this Period of Time which includes the three prophetic Numbers, recorded in the Revelation of St. John, has been explained; we will proceed to thofe Numbers in the last Chapter Dan. ix. 23. of Daniel, who is called the greatly beloved Prophet, as John was the beloved Difciple of his Master. These are the only two Prophets diftinguished by this Character, and both contain Promises of the greatest Love and Kindness to Jew and Gentile.

Dan. xii. 7.

Daniel is informed that a Time, Times, and an Half (or Part) which all acknowledge to be the fame, as the 42 Months and 1260 Days of St. John, are determined for the finishing of the fcattering of the boly People. But it does not follow, that this Period of Time should be reckoned from the fame Year 666 for the Jews, as for the Christian Church. The Babylonian Thalmud, which was proclaimed with fuch Pomp and Festivity, and received as the full and glorious Interpreter of the Law of Mofes, (in Comparison of which, He was as Water) this Babylon, full of fpiritual Confufion, appears to be one Idol fet up in the Temple of God, instead of Mofes and the Prophets; by which Means they fell under a far worse and more lasting Captivity to the Doctrines of Men, than their bodily Servitude in Babylon of Old Time for 70 Years only.

It is of little Moment, what Revelation, whether that of Mofes or of CHRIST be read, when the falfe Prophet or Interpreter prevails. At what Time the vaft Thalmud was figned and proclaimed, the Learned are not fully agreed. Capellus, Buxtorf, and

Pfeffer,