scene, suited to support and animate the Christian, and fill him with gratitude and joy, on the agreeable prospect.

66

It appears reasonable and desirable, that Jesus Christ, who suffered shame and reproach in this world, and was condemned and put to death as a malefactor, by men, should have this reproach wiped off in the sight of all men, and that the cause in which he suffered and died, should prevail and be victorious in this same world, where he suffered and died: that he should, agreeably to ancient prophecies, be here on earth, Exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonished at him (his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men) so shall he sprinkle many nations, and kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard, shall they consider. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and was numbered with the transgressors."

And it appears very desirable that the enemies of Christ and his church should meet with disappointment, be defeated and confounded in this world, and that the reproach which has been cast upon the church should be removed: that the church should put on her beautiful garments, and shine in the true beauties of Christianity: that it should be seen from experiment in this world, what Christianity is, when acted out, according to the true nature aud spirit of it; and that this, and this only, can render men and society happy in this state. All this is therefore predicted and promised. "Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee, and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out, and I will get them praise and fame in every land, where they have been

*Isaiah lii, 13, 14, 15, liii. 11, 12,

put to shame: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth.

One reason why this day of salvation is delayed so long after the death and resurrection of Christ,doubtless is, that there may be proper and full opportunity to discover the depravity and wickedness of man, and the insufficiency of all means that can be used, or methods taken, to bring men to repentance, and a cordial submission to Christ, unless accompanied by the special, omnipotent influences of the Holy Spirit, to renew their hearts and clearly to manifest the natural enmity in the hearts of mankind against Christ, and the truths of the gospel, and their strong disposition, and unconquerable by all possible external means and advantages, to oppose, and pervert the gospel, and abuse it to the worst purposes; that it may appear in the most clear and striking light, how greatly and wholly depraved, and utterly lost, men are, unless they be saved by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; and that the whole praise and glory of the salvation of every one, may be ascribed to the sovereign grace of Christ, and man be forever abased. When God has sufficiently tried men, and used a variety of the most proper and powerful means to bring the world to repentance, and all has proved in vain, he will then pour out his spirit upon all, and renew their hearts, and converts will spring up as grass after showers of rain; and the obstinacy of man, and the power and sovereign grace of Christ, will be acknowledged by all ; and that men are saved, not by human might or powér, but by the Spirit of the Lord.t

And it appears proper and wise, that this day of prosperity and salvation should be in the latter end of the world, in the last times, as this is suited to excite and support the faith and patience of Christians, who live in the preceding dark and evil times; and to encourage and animate them to faithfulness and con

Zeph. iii. 19, 20. † Zech. iv, 6. Rom. xi. 32. 1.Cor. i. 21.

stancy, in following Christ, and adherence to his cause, in the midst of temptations and trials; and this use is made of it in the scripture, especially in the book of Revelation. And this is suited to excite the prayers of Christians in all the preceding ages of darkness, affliction and suffering, and the prevalence of sin, and Satan, for the coming and kingdom of Christ; which he has prescribed as the first and most important petition in the pattern of prayer which he has given. "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Daniel was excited and encouraged to fast and pray for the deliverance of the people of God, from their affliction and distress in their captivity, by finding that this was foretold and promised by Jeremiah the Prophet. And this has actually excited Christians to pray for this event, in all ages of the church; and doubtless they will be awakened and stirred up to pray more generally, constantly, and fervently for this important, glorious event, as the approach of it is found by prophecy to be nearer: And it will be introduced in answer to the prayers of thousands and millions, who have been, and who will yet be, crying to God night and day; resolving not to keep silence, or give him any rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. For he will be enquired of for this by his church and people, to do it for them."+

* Dan. ix, 2, 3, 4. † Isa, Ixii. 6, 7. Ezek. xxxvi. 37.

SECTION II.

In which is considered the probable time when the Millennium will commence.

NOTHING need be plainer than that the time of the church's apostacy or reign of Antichrist, is by scripture, limited to 1260 literal years. Rev. xii. 6. And

the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days (that is, prophetical days, every one of which is a literal year, as we shall presently shew beyond a doubt.) Verse 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness into her place where she is nourished for a time and times, and half a time from the face of the serpent. Chap. xiii. 5. And there was given unto him, (that is the beast, see verse 1, a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was given him to continue forty and two months (or 1260 prophetical days.) Dan. xii. 6, 7. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished, to scatter the power of the holy people all these things shall be finished.

"That days mean years, may, I think, be proved, so far as inatters of this nature are capable of proof, from the writings even of Daniel and St. John themselves.

We may venture to assume, that the same mode of computation, which is used by these writers in one passage, will be used by them in all other passages; at least in all those, which are marked by the cominon feature of treating, not of the fate of individuals, but of the fortune of communities. Hence, if any of their numerical prophecies be already accomplished, we shall thereby have a clue for ascertaining the proper method of interpreting all the rest.

Upon these principles, when we find that Daniel's famous prophecy of the 70 weeks has been proved by the event of our Lord's advent to speak of 70 weeks of years, or 490 years, we may infer that his three years and a half mean years of years, and that his 2300, 1260, and 1335, days, mean the same number of natural years. In a similar manner, finding equally from the event that the ten days persecution of the church of Smyrna mean the ten years persecution carried on by Diocletian, that the five months ravages of the Saracenic locusts mean 150 years, and that the year, the month, the day, and the hour of the Euphratean horsemen mean 391 years and 15 days: we may thence infer, that St. John's three years and a half are years of years; his 42 months, months of years; and his 1260 days and his three days and a half, the same number of natural years. But we find that the three years and a half, the 42 months, and the 1260 days, are all plainly descriptive of one and the same period: hence we are circumstantially led to conclude, even a priori, that they all denote the same space of time. If then we adopt the ancient mode of computing, by years of 360 days each, we shall find, that by such a mode of computation, three years and a half exactly contain 42 months, or 1260 days: hence we are numerically led to conclude, that the three expressions are only different modes of describing one and the same period. The result of the whole is, that prophetic days mean years: and that the three years and a half, the 42 months, and the 1260 days, are alike used to denote 1260 natural years.