vered; for as (4) Theodoret observed long ago, the prophet'hath faid many for all, in the fame manner as St. Paul hath put many for all, when he faid, If thro' the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace which is by one man, Jefus Chrift, hath abounded unto many: (Rom. V. 15.) and again (ver. 19.) As by one man's disobedience many were made finners, fo by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. The proper conclufion of all is the general refurrection, and the confequent happiness of the wife and good; (ver. 3.) And they that be wife, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and

ever.

The angel having thus finished his prophecy of the things noted in the fcripture of truth, an inquiry is made relating to the time of these events. It was faid before (XI. 40.) At the time of the end fhall the king of the south push at him: and here the question is asked (ver. 6.) (5) How long shall be the end of these wonders? The answer is returned in the most folemn manner,

(4) πολλοι δε, αντι το παντες εφη. και γαρ ὁ μακαριος Παύλος αντί τε πάντες, οἱ πολλοι τέθεικε Asyar. x. T. λ. Multi autem

2

pro omnes dixit. Etenim beatus quoque Paulus muli pro omnes pofuit, cum dixit &c. Theod. in locum. p. 693.

הפלאות (s)

:

manner, (ver. 7.) that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. A time, times, and a half, as there hath been occafion to fhow in a former differtation, are three prophetic years and at half; and three prophetic years and a half are 1260 prophetic days; and 1260 prophetic days are 1260 years. The fame time therefore is prefixed for the defolation and oppreffion of the eaftern church, as for the tyranny of the little horn (VII. 25.) in the western church: And it is wonderfully remarkable, that the doctrin of Mohammed was firft forged at Mecca, and the fupremacy of the Pope was established by virtue of a grant from the wicked tyrant Phocas, in the very fame year of Chrift 606. "It is "to be obferved, fays (6) Dean Prideaux, that "Mahomet began this impofture about the fame "time that the Bishop of Rome, by virtue of "a grant from the wicked tyrant Phocas, first "affumed the title of Univerfal Paftor, and "thereon claimed to himself that fupremacy "which he hath been ever fince endevoring

to ufurp over the chriftian church. [Phocas.

made this grant A. D. 606. which was the

very year that Mahomet retired to his cave to "forge that impofture there, which two years "after A. D. 608. he began to propagate at Mecca.] And from this time both having confpired to found themfelves an empire in impofture, their followers have been ever "fince endevoring by the fame methods, that “is, those of fire and fword, to propagate it

among mankind; fo that Antichrift seems at "this time to have fet both his feet upon Chrif"tendom together, the one in the east, and "the other in the weft; and how much each "hath trampled upon the church of Christ, "the ages ever fince fucceeding have abundantly

experienced." There is a farther notation of the time in the following words, And when he fhall have accomplished to Scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished: when the Jews fhall be recalled from their difperfion, then all these things fhall receive their full and final completion. The prophet, not fufficiently understanding this answer, (7) inquired, (ver. 8.)· What or how long fhall be thefe latter times or latter wonders? And it is answered again, (ver. 11.) that from the time of taking away the daily facrifice, and fetting up the abomination

.מה אחרית אלה (7)

that

(8) See

that maketh defolate, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. The days ftill are prophetic days or years: but even if they were natural days, they could by no manner of computation be accommodated to the times of Antiochus

Epiphanes. The fetting up of the abomination of defolation appears to be a general phrase, and comprehenfive of various events. It is applied by the writer of the firft book of Maccabees (I. 54.) to the profanation of the temple by Antiochus, and his letting up the image of Jupiter Olympius upon the altar of God. It is applied by our Saviour (Mat. XXIV. 15.) to the deftruction of the city and temple by the Romans, under the conduct of Titus, in the reign of Vefpafian. It may for the fame reason be applied to the Roman emperor Adrian's building a temple to Jupiter Capitolinus, in the fame place where the temple of God had stood; and to the mifery of the Jews, and the defolation of Judea that followed. It may with equal juftice be applied to the Mohammedans invading and defolating Chriftendom, and converting the churches into mofques: and this latter event feemeth to have been particularly intended in this paffage. If this interpretation be true, the religion of Mohammed will prevail in the east the space of 1260 years; and then a great and glorious revolution will follow; perhaps the reftoration

P 3

restoration of the Jews, perhaps the destruction of Antichrift; but another ftill greater and more glorious will fucceed: and what can this be fo probably as the full converfion of the Gentiles to the church of Chrift and the beginning of the millennium or reign of the faints upon earth? For (ver. 12.) bleffed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Here are then three different periods affigned, 1260 years, 1290 years, and 1335 years: and what is the precise time of their beginning and confequently of their ending, as well as what are the great and fignal events, which will take place at the end of each period, we can only conjecture, time alone can with certainty discover. If we are mistaken in our conjectures, it is no more than (8) Mr. Mede and other much more learned men have been, who have gone before us in this argument. It is indeed no wonder that we cannot fully understand and explain these things for as the angel faid to Daniel himself, (ver. 4 and 9.) tho' many should run to end fro, fhould inquire and examin into these things, and thereby knowlege fhould be increased; yet the full understanding of them is reserved for

the

(8) See Mede's Works, B. (9) Prid. Connect. Part 2, 3. p. 717. De numeris Danielis. B. 3. in the conclufion.

A