follow of necessity, that the period of blessedness foretold by Daniel and the périod of blessedness foretold by St. John begin synchronically: in other words, it will follow, that the 1335 days of the former prophet begin synchronically with the 1000 years of the latter prophet; each of these periods alike commencing at the close of that brief intervening time of the end, which follows the 1260 days.

Accordingly we find, that the millennium is placed immediately after the destruction of the tenhorned beast and the false prophet in the battle of Armageddon: while the destruction of the tenhorned beast and the false prophet, who is the same as the ten-horned beast's little supernumerary horn, is placed, both by Daniel and by St. John, very shortly after the close of the latter three times and a half or 42 months or 1260 days; that is to say, at the expiration of that brief time of the end, by which the latter three times and a half are immediately followed'.

But here a question will naturally be called forth by the numerical diversity of the two terms, mentioned, by Daniel and St. John, as alike synchronically commencing with a period of special blessed

ness.

Why does Daniel write 1335 prophetic days, while St. John writes only 1000 natural years; the

Rev. xix. 17-21. xx. 1-6. xiij. 5. Dan, vii. 11, 25-27.

former of these terms exceeding the latter by the space of 335 years?

The solution of this question is afforded by the apocalyptic account of the matters which succeed the Millennium.

Since the 1335 years of Daniel and the 1000 years of St. John commence synchronically, the 335 years, which are the excess of the one number above the other number, must be placed after the termination of St. John's 1000 years.

Now, subsequent to the termination of St. John's 1000 years, the following circumstances are distinctly foretold as occurring.

In the first place, Satan, being liberated from his confinement, goes forth to deceive the nations, which are then in the four quarters of the earth, for the purpose of gathering them together to battle against the Lord and against his saints: in the next place, a great confederacy, which the Apostle from Ezekiel denominates Gog and Magog, having thus at length been formed out of the deluded nations, goes up on the breadth of the earth, and compasses the camp of the saints with the beloved city and, in the last place, fire comes down from God out of heaven, and devours them'. All these matters occur after the expiration of St. John's 1000 years. But Daniel's supplemental term of 335 years evolves also after the expiration

t

1 Rev. xx. 7-9.

of the same period. Therefore, the supplemental term of Daniel's 335 years, and the matters which occur after the expiration of St. John's 1000 years, are plainly synchronical.

Hence, I think, it is evident, that Daniel's supplemental term of 335 years is the precise time which will be occupied, partly in the gradual degeneration of the millennians through the delusive artifices of Satan, partly in the formation of the confederacy of Gog and Magog, partly in the war of that confederacy waged against the saints of God who yet remain undeceived and uncorrupted, and partly in the final destruction of the confederacy by fire from the Lord out of heaven.

How soon the great day of ultimate retribution will arrive after the close of these supplemental 335 years, is designedly left in an awful state of entire uncertainty.

Of that day and hour, says our blessed Lord, knoweth no man; no not the angels of heaven: but my Father only1.

Matt. xxiv. 36.

CHAPTER IV.

RESPECTING THE PROPER ARRANGEMENT OF THE
APOCALYPSE.

WITH these four prophecies of Daniel, the book of the Apocalypse, as communicated to the Apostle St. John, stands immediately connected: for, commencing synchronically with the vision of the great metallic image, and by way of a calendarian introduction bringing successively upon the stage the four great gentile Empires alike represented by the four metals and the four wild-beasts, it is, in fact, only a more minute and more comprehensive prediction of the events foretold in the latter part of the four several prophecies; that is to say, it is a more minute and more comprehensive prediction of the events, which occur, during the sovereignty of the iron and the clay or during the reign of the fourth wild-beast, subsequent to the promulgation of Christianity. Thus the Apocalypse, chronologically commencing with the commencement of the seven times, chronologically coincides with the duration of the great metallic image and with the time which elapses from the dissolution of the image to the final consummation of all things '.

'See below book iv. chap. 2.

In the due abstract arrangement of this mysterious volume, the following are the matters which chiefly require to be discussed: the mutual relation of the three septenaries of the seals, the trumpets, and the vials; the apocalyptic commencement and termination of the latter three times and a half; and the limits and harmonical construction of the greater sealed book and of the little open book.

These several matters must be considered abstractedly, as a necessary preparation for the direct exposition and application of the apocalyptic oracles themselves 1.

1

By abstractedly, I mean independently of any specific mode of applicatory exposition which an inquirer into such matters may have antecedently framed for himself.

This system of abstract arrangement was the admirable plan of the excellent Mede in the construction of his Clavis Apocalyptica: and, without the adoption of such a plan, any interpretation of St. John's prophecies will be purely gratuitous and unsubstantial and unsatisfactory.

In fact, to undertake an exposition of the Apocalypse on any other principle, is to bend the inspired book to our own speculations, instead of bending (as we ought to do) our own speculations to the inspired book. The book must first be abstractedly arranged by the instrumentality of notes or marks, furnished exclusively by itself: and, when, on sufficient internal and independent evidence, it has been thus abstractedly arranged, that arrangement must henceforth be rigidly adhered to; insomuch that no applicatory exposition, which in any wise violates it, must for a moment be tolerated or admitted.

Such is the grand excellence of Mr. Mede's principle of interpretation. To scrutinize, with the utmost severity, the evidence which this great commentator brings to establish any alleged