It

centious impurity the doctrine of future retribution it presumptuously thrusts the Messiah from his office and, like its fellow apostasy Popery, it propagates and upholds itself by the sword. appears, moreover, from a computation which will hereafter be made from the numbers of Daniel, that, like Popery, it is to reign precisely 1260 years; and consequently, since both these apostafies commenced in the same year, that they are both likewise to be overthrown in the same year. Of this period nearly twelve centuries have already elapsed: we are therefore fast approaching to the time of the end, and to the day of God's controversy with the nations. The duration then of Mohammedism being the very same as the duration of Popery*, and each being considered by the inspired writers as an apostasy or deflection from pure Christianity, we shall not wonder to find them both represented by the very same symbol of a little horn. Accordingly, as we shall hereafter see, Daniel describes Popery, or the western Apostasy of the man of sin, under the image of a little horn springing up among the ten contemporary horns of the Roman beast: while he predicts the tyranny of Mahammedism, or the eastern Apostasy founded upon the anti-trinitarian doctrines of the fallen star, under the kindred image of

* The reader will of course understand, that I mean Popery properly so called, or the reign of the little horn after the saints had been given into his hand..

another little horn arising out of the ruins of one of the four Greek horns of the Macedonian beast*.

These two great enemies of the Gospel continue during the whole space of the 1260 years comprehended under the three woe-trumpets: a third enemy is predicted as arising towards the close of those years, as continuing only a short space of time, and as perishing firmly leagued with Popery at the very time of the end or the termination of the 1260 years. St. John brings him upon the grand stage of the world with the blast of the third woe-trumpet, and foretells that his open developement should be immediately preceded by the fall of a tenth part of the great Roman city. The miseries, with which he should afflict mankind, he figuratively describes as a harvest of God's wrath

* Here again I shall strengthen myself with the concurrence of Mr. Whitaker; and I may here again observe, that my own opinion relative to the little horn of the he-goat was formed previous to my knowing what was Mr. Whitaker's opinion on the subject. "In the seventh chapter of Daniel there is evidently given "the prediction of the man of sin, or the slavery of the Western empire; and in the eighth appears to be described the rise and progress of Mohammed and his followers, or the subjugation of the "Eastern. I here use the language of hesitation, not from any

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doubt, but from a sincere desire to avoid any just imputation " of arrogance in bringing forward an interpretation, in which "I am not patronized by any preceding writer. Let however "only the latter part of the vision of the Ram and the Goat be seriously considered; and I think the rise, the progress, and the "character, of Mohammed will be fully manifest." Gen. View of the Proph. p. 91, 92.

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which should precede the dreadful vintage of the time of the end; and he sets forth more distinctly the nature of those miseries under the pouring out of a certain number of the seven vials. Daniel describes the same power, as a king or state rising up after the era of the Reformation, and marked by a lawless contempt for all religion. And St. Paul, St. Peter, and St. Jude, concur in describing with wonderful accuracy the principles which should be adopted by the adherents of this power. As for St. John, in addition to what he has said upon the subject in the Apocalypse, he teaches us, that the leading badge, whereby this monster whom he styles Antichrist might be known, should be an open denial of the Father and the Son*.

At the time of the end, or the termination of the 1260 years, when these three enemies of the Messiah shall be overthrown together, the restoration of the Jews will commence; and, when God's great controversy with the nations is fully decided, then will begin the long-expected period of millennian happiness. This period, which is styled the reign of Christ and his saints upon earth or the reign of the symbolical mountain, will comprize the space either of 1000 years or of 360,000 years, according as the number predicted be composed of natural or prophetic years. Which of the two be intended by St. John, the event must determine.

These are the principal matters, of which the

prophecies relative to the 1260 years will be found to treat. Previous to my discussing them at large, I shall bring together in one point of view the four predictions of Daniel which relate to them, and afterwards briefly state the manner in which I conceive the Apocalypse ought to be arranged.

1. The first of these four predictions is the dream of Nebuchadnezzar with Daniel's interpretation of it.

"Thou, O king, sawest; and, behold, a great

image: This great image, whose brightness was "excellent, stood before thee; and the form "thereof was terrible. This image's head was of "fine gold, his breast and his arms of filver, his "belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, "his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou "sawest, till that a stone was cut out without "hands, which smote the image upon his feet that

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were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. "Then was the iron, the clay, and the brass, the "silver and the gold, broken to pieces together, " and became like the chaff of the summer thresh"ing floors; and the wind carried them away, "that no place was found for them: and the "stone, that smote the image, became a great "mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is "the dream, and we will tell the interpretation "thereof before the king-Thou art this head of gold. But after thee shall arise another kingdom "inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of "brass, which fhall rule over all the earth. And

"the

"the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: for"asmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth "all things: and, as iron that breaketh, all these "shall it break in pieces and bruise. And, whereas "thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter's “clay, and part of iron; the kingdom shall be di"vided; but there shall be in it of the strength of "the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron "mixed with miry clay. And, as the toes of the "feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the

kingdom shall be partly strong and partly "broken. And, whereas thou sawest iron mixed "with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with "the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one

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to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. "And in the days of these kings shall the God of "heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be

destroyed and the kingdom shall not be to "other people; but it shall break in pieces and "consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand "for ever*.'

2. The second is Daniel's vision of the four beasts, and the little horn of the fourth beast.

"I saw in my vision by night; and, behold, the "four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea. "And four great beasts came up from the sea, "diverse from one another. The first was like a

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lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the "wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up