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the earth. The former (if what is fignified by the emblem of it, be not already commenced

I have been confirmed in my conjecture, that this may be the true period, by its corresponding with the rule of computation which I had previoufly prefcribed to myfelf; that no Era of confummation could be received as the true one, in which all the peiods particularized do not confpire. For as the time of the Holy City being trodden down by the Gentiles may be computed from the Perfian capture of it in fix hundred and fourteen ; when the nearest round number that will include the whole time intervening from that year to eighteen hundred and fixty-fix, will be twelve hundred and fixty; fo in confidering the number mentioned by Daniel in his eighth chapter, which it seems moft reasonable to compute from the joint acceffion of of Cyaxares and Cyrus to the throne of Babylon, I found, that by following the reading of the Septuagint, (for by that of the Hebrew text the time from the date juft mentioned, would be already elapfed) the number of years, two thoufand four hundred, will be complete, (as nearly as can well be fuppofed, chronology will come to the truth under

commenced, by gradually taking, through the hand of death, out of the, kingdom

under fo many revolutions, and in fo long a space) at the fame time with the other periods. For from the year five hundred and thirty-eight before the christian cera, the year of the taking of Babylon, to the year eighteen hundred and fixty-fix there are two thousand four hundred and four years, differing only four years from the period affigned. To this it may perhaps be objected, (for it has been fo already by a friend) that the space of fe venty-one years, the whole yet to intervene between the prefent, and the year eighteen hundredand fixty-fix, feems too contracted for the events that remain to take place before the confummation predicted. Yet, what are thefe events? pouring forth of the laft plagues, all of which may be, nearly, cotemporary: Iniquity arriving at its greatest height; to which it is now in full carreer: the fall of the Ottoman empire; already tottering: and the defolation of Rome; which a few months may at any time produce. For the final deftruction of the papal power, and the gathering together of the Jews are works of the fame day with that of

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kingdom of the beaft, all who have any good thing in them) ftands next in

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revelation of the Lord. Should the reader ftill be unwilling to expect a time fo much earlier than that imagined by others, whofe opinion is fupported by the ancient tradiction of the world's enduring two thousand years under the Meffiah; I would remind him, that however authentic this tradition may be, (and I by no mean think lightly of it) yet we have an affurance from our Lord himself, that the duration of the last evil daies shall be shortened for the fake of the elect; and if by daies commenfurate with the fymbolical number ufed in the revelation in fpecifying the reprefentatives of the elect, that of the tribes of Ifrael multiplied by that of the apoftless one hundred and forty-four, these in the prophetick ftyle ftanding for years. precifely express the complement of two thousand from eighteen Kundred and fixty-fix. While this last number is producible from the number of the name of the beaft, by a process of which the principles are furnished by that number itself. All these coincidences in a number with which I was at firft supplied by certain Data found in the vifion itself, have, I confefs, made an impreffion on my mind. If to the

reader

the order of prophecy to the last prediction that has been fulfilled: and therefore its feafon may daily be expected to arrive. While the feven laft plagues in which the wrath of God is filled up, will hardly be fuch inflictions, as to leave any who honeftly obey their Lord's command, and watch, long at a lofs to difcriminate them from more common occurrences. A little while, confequently, and we fhall know whether they are begun to be poured out in the present sufferings of, the earth, or are all yet to be expected. In either case the place of our own age in the line of prophecy is afcertained to be after

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reader they should appear unworthy of attention, he will at least do me the juftice to acknowledge, that my opinion has not been taken up entirely at random; but even on ground more evidently furnifhed by the text, than that on which my predeceffors have proceeded..

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that period of which the Evangelist was commanded to write," bleffed are the "dead which die in the Lord hence

forth," and before that in which the pouring out of the vials manifeftly appears, and the figns of the times now brought forward are fuch as loudly call on us to look up and lift up our heads "for the time of our redemption draw"eth nigh."

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The ftrained ridicule, the affected contempt, of our adverfaries may be oppofed with the force of facts.

That which the firft preachers of our faith declared, fhould be the ftate of thefe daies actually is the ftate. Can we then have a better pledge that that of those yet future will also correfpond to their words? The general departure from their doctrine; the punishment of those who forfook it; the finking state of the powers which have been the inftruments

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