to hopen their eyes, that they may see;" who despise the appointed guides of the district, and alter the very charts of Scripture to suit their own views, and mislead their wretched dupes. Our readers, we are sure, will thank us for transplanting, with some slight additions and alterations, so much of the admirable preface of Mr. Nolan to our pages. For our own parts, we think the whole would have been too little; written, as it is, in a most pure and English style, and containing such an able and comprehensive description of the object proposed. Compelled, however, by hard necessity to abridge, we have only to express our hope that the author will not suffer, in the estimation of the public, by the imperfect manner in which the task is executed. Of persons like the above, who Mr. Nolan more mildly supposes to be actuated by misguided zeal, he pertinently adds," Little content with the endeavour to mistate their author's views, by wresting his words into a description of some trivial and recent occurrence, they humbly take upon themselves the office of prophets, and profanely deduce, from the sacred oracles, authority for their dreams of the past and their visions for the future. Making the language of inspiration a vehicle for disseminating their revolutionary and levelling principles, they labour to produce the crisis' which they desire and predict, by representing it as intended; and while they pretend to diffuse a religion of peace, sound the trumpet of sedition." A more clear or comprehensive view of the conduct of these parties we never remember to have seen. Religion with them is merely an engine of vast power, by means of which they hope to accomplish their own nefarious purposes; and no method of misinterpretation, however loose the analogy upon which it is founded, will be considered unjustifiable, provided the success of their schemes is thereby promoted. By such subterfuges, indeed, infidels have not unfrequently sapped the very foundation of religion in the thoughtless and unreflecting, have shaken the authority of Revelation, and succeeded in reducing the pure faith of the gospel, in the estimation of the vulgar, to the level of degrading superstition or traditional error. Nor can we reasonably wonder that these miserable empirics should thus assiduously labour in their work of perversion and misapplication, when we consider that the system of prophecy has been so wisely constituted, as to furnish the ready means by which their designs can be effectually defeated. By the unerring authority of the prophetic writings, the succession of those great empires has been determined, through which the sovereignty of the earth has been transmitted, and which are generally known as the four prophetical monarchies. But what falls more immediately within the province of the work under consideration to insist upon, is, the important fact, that "in the prophecies usually termed chronological, a series of dates is established, by which the application of the predictions to the events chosen at the will or caprice of the expositor is for ever precluded. By the landmarks thus fixed a line of demarcation is drawn, which cannot be transgressed without involving the guide and his followers in irretrievable perplexity and error." The grand novel feature in this highly important and elaborate work is, the introduction of what Mr. Nolan designates the Sabbatical mode of computing the course of time, which, it appears to us, combines every requisite, and is alike calculated to correct the errors of the computers, and to establish the truth of the prediction. After the perusal of this volume, it will, we imagine, be conceded by all, that this mode of computing the course of time existed even in the patriarchal ages. Under the Mosaic dispensation it clearly prevailed. The whole of the festivals, for instance, under the Levitical law, by the returns of which the progress of time was marked, were ordered by the revolution of septenary periods. From the time of the Sabbath to the institution of the Jubilee, the Sabbatical character of the dispensation is clearly traceable in the times consecrated to religious observance. The connexion being thus established between the lapse of time and the return of the festivals, in the cycles by which they were ordered, a scale is supplied, by which the predictions, properly chronological, may be verified on demonstrable principles. All the leading events in the system of Providence which prophecy served to develop, as deduced from the patriarchal times, and extending through the Mosaic, have been the subject of specific revelations, which may be measured by those periods. It thus becomes possible to prove, to a demonstrable certainty, that the event foretold occurred in the exact crisis which had been predicted. - We do not think a more important object, or one more in accordance with the views of the illustrious founder of the lecture, to which the christian community already owes so much valuable information,could have been selected; and quite satisfied are we, that no divine of this or any previous age ever exhibited more zeal, more learning, more comprehensiveness of judgment and intellect, and more profound investigation, than the present lecturer. As a specimen of laborious accuracy, at once interesting and valuable, the Chronological Scale, calculated by Sabbatical cycles, cannot fail to gratify our readers. The two or three lines on the Seventh Millennium, or Great Sabbath, give a rational view of the universal reign and diffusion of the gospel of Christ, which we vainly look for in the writings of modern millenarians, and the whole document will repay an attentive perusal. MILLENNIUM I. 1 Sunday, Oct. 23d. MILLENNIUM I. Creation commences from the preceding evening. B. C. 4004 5 Sunday, Oct. 24th. Series of Sabbatical years, and Great Sabbatical 3999 Period of 2555 years commence with this epoch. The death of Adam and translation of Enoch happen near the close of the Millennium. MILLENNIUM II. 1000 The sons of Seth, seduced by the daughters of Cain, begin to apostatise. 3004 1056 Noah born. Descent of the Watchers. 2948 Total defection of the sons of Seth. 1656 Dec. 3d. Deluge. 2348 1726 The Assyrian, or first of the Prophetical Monarchies founded by Ninus. 2278 MILLENNIUM III. 2000 Abram born; under whom the period of the Unwritten Law commences. 2004 2075 Call of Abram, and departure from Ur. 1929 2082 Thursday, April 22d. Abram receives the Promise, and departs from 1822 Charan: the period of 430 years to the delivery of the Law commences. 2112 The nonage of Isaac ends: the period of 400 years to the deliverance 1892 of the Israelites from Egypt commences. 2512 Thursday, April 24th. The departure of the Israelites from Egypt: pe- 1492 riod of 400 years from the nouage of Isaac ends: the series of Sabbatical years and Jubilees computed from the preceding autumn. 2560 The Israelites enter the promised rest in Canaan: the Great Sabbatical 1444 Period of 2555 years ends: and the Great Period of 1440 years commences, as observed by the Chaldees and Persians. MILLENNIUM IV. 3000 Oct. 30th. The Temple of Jerusalem dedicated by Solomon: the Sche- 1004 chinah appears in the Holy of Holies. 3029 Thursday, Nov. 4th. The Golden Calves erected by Jeroboam: the 975 defection of Israel; Ezekiel's prophecy of 390 years commences. 3262 Isaiah's prophecy of 16 and 5 years, foretelling the captivity of Israel, 742 commences. 3278 The period of 16 years foretold by Isaiah ends: that of 5 years com- 726 mences. 3280 Fall of Moab: Israel overrun by the Assyrians: middle of the Great 724 Period of 1440 years. 3283 The last period of 5 years foretold by Isaiah ends: Israel led into cap- 721 tivity. 3380 Josiah's reform of the national religion: the defection of Judah: Eze- 624 kiel's prophecy of 40 years commences. 3398 The expedition of Nebuchadnezzar against Syria: the period of 70 years' 606 captivity, foretold by Jeremiah, commences. 3405 Captivity under Jehoiachin: epoch from whence the prophecies of Eze- 599 kiel are computed: Daniel's period of 1335 years commences. 3420 Last deportation of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar: end of the periods of 584 390 and 40 years, foretold by Ezekiel. 3450 Daniel's Prophecy of the profanation of the Temple, for 2300 evenings 554 and mornings, delivered. 3466 July 9th. Fall of Babylon: end of the first of the Prophetical empires, 538 and rise of the second or Persian. Daniel delivers his prophecy of the 70 weeks. 3468 Cyrus succeeds to the empire of the East. Jeremiah's prophecy of the 536 70 years' captivity accomplished. 3547 March 25th. Return from Babylon, and restoration of the Jewish Po- 457 lity under Ezra. The 70 weeks, foretold by Daniel, commence. The Great Paschal Cycle of the Jews computed from this epoch. 3596 The first division of the 70 weeks, foretold by Daniel, terminates. The 408 order of Prophets ceases; and is succeeded by the men of the Synagogue. 5674 Fall of Babylon before the arms of Alexander: end of the second and 330 commencement of the Greck, or third of the Prophetical empires. 1 A. M. B. C. 3700 Commencement of the period of 2300 years, to the fall of Antichrist and 304 cleansing of the Sanctuary. 3836 Oct. 11th. Profanation of the Temple, for 2300 mornings and evenings, 168 as foretold by Daniel, commences. 3836 June 30th. Defeat of Perseus by Paulus Æmilius: end of the third of 168 the Prophetical empires, and rise of the fourth, or Roman. 3839 Dec. 12th. Purification of the Temple; prophecy of 2300 evenings and mornings accomplished. 3964 Herod declared King of Judah by the Romans, in the Consulate of Pollio: Virgil celebrates the period of the Great Restitution. MILLENNIUM V. 4000 Feb. 3d. Presentation, in the person of Jesus, of God manifest in the 4030 Second period of Daniel's 70 weeks ends: the last week commences. 165 40 4 A. D. 27 Ob 31 34 70 75 4073 Destruction of Jerusalem: abomination of desolation: St. John's period 706 4709 Iconoclast controversy and persecution commence with Daniel's period of 1290 years to the Great Consummation. 4739 Council of Rome declare Idolatry the established religion of Christen- 736 dom: Sanctuary polluted with idols. End of Daniel's period of 1335 years, and St. John's period of 666 years. Fall of the Beast, and mani festation of Antichrist. The period of 1260 years to the destruction of MILLENNIUM VI. 5000 Establishment of the Electoral College for choosing an Emperor, to be confirmed and consecrated by the Pope: the usurpation of Antichrist completed in the arrogation of universal empire. 996 £999 The period of 1260 years ends. Fall of the mystical Babylon: the de- 1996 struction of Antichrist and purification of the Sanctuary effected. MILLENNIUM VII. 6000 The Great Sabbath commences, with the acknowledgment of Christ's 1997 supremacy and the universal diffusion of the Everlasting Gospel.-Pp. xxv. xxvi. It must be obvious to our readers that a work, embracing such a lengthened period, and written with the minutest accuracy, can scarcely receive proper justice in a brief review; and the fact is, each of the twelve discourses is a mine of biblical wealth, from which future expositors will be able to extract sterling ore. In the last discourse Mr. Nolan takes a most rational view of the probable period fixed in the Divine counsels for the Great Sabbath, or Millennium; fixing its commencement, though upon very different grounds to many modern fanciful theorists, at the termination of the 6000th year of the world. And this proposition receives strong corroborative proof from a prediction, known to exist from the earliest ages among the Jews, and for which many learned and orthodox Christians conceive that authority may be discovered among the canonical Scriptures. In this revelation it is declared, that 6000 years were prescribed to the duration of the world; for 2000 of which it should be without law, for 2000 under the Law, and for 2000 under the Messiah. The remarkable coincidence (continues Mr. Nolan) between this prediction and the distribution of the time intervening between the creation and consummation of all things, is sufficiently established in the affinities which have been recently traced, to entitle it to some share of attention. Thus far, it is obvious, it stands the test by which prophecy should be tried; as the event is answerable to the prognostication. The conformity is, however, observed to extend not only to the epoch of the Advent of Christ, which it has accurately determined, in referring it to the year 4000 of the world; but may be verified in the distribution of the period antecedent and subsequent to the Nativity. The preceding term of years is divided into equal portions by the birth of Abraham, which is placed, in the best digested system of chronology, at 2000 years from the Creation, on the one side, and from the Nativity, on the other. From the time of the patriarch, the commencement of the Law is generally dated by the Jews; who distinguish between the unwritten and the written code, and deduce the former from Abraham, as the latter from Moses. The prophecy of Elias, in its distribution of the 6000 years assigned to the age of the world, into periods of 2000 years, appears thus plainly verified by the event, in the time which preceded the coming of the Messiah. That which has succeeded his advent, is at present in the course of fulfilment; it consequently remains for time to prove how far the period of 2000 years, which it is equally assigned, is accurately determined. Thus far we are assured by experience, that for the eighteen centuries which have hitherto elapsed, the Gospel has expanded its branches and diffused its shade, in conformity to what has been revealed in the prediction. The course of time, as thus distributed into six millenary periods, when viewed in reference to the declaration of the Evangelist, in the text, may be considered as introductory to a seventh, to which an equal duration is ascribed with the preceding. Regarded in this view, it becomes a proper Sabbatism, not merely as succeeding to six periods of the same length, but as distinguished from them, in its consecration to peace and righteousness, while they are consigned to labour and sorrow. The entire course of time, thus viewed in succession, as consisting of seven periods of 1000 years each, has been justly compared to a Great Week; the last period of which, termed, by eminence, the Millennium, as analogous to the primeval Sabbath, forms a proper Sabbatisın. With the analogies on which the preceding deductions are founded, the primitive Christians were well acquainted. They were equally familiar to the Jews, from whom they seem to have passed to the inspired compilers of our canonical Scriptures. The distribution of the age of the world into millenniums, they agree in conceiving was prefigured in the work of creation. While the Divine architect might have at once brought all things into existence by his almighty fiat, he was pleased to employ six days in the work, and to consecrate the seventh by resting from the operation. In this distribution of time at the commencement of the world, he was graciously pleased to signify his intentions as to its future and final destination. For as many days as had been consumed in bringing it into existence, it would be consigned to millenniums of toil and sorrow; and as the seventh day had been devoted to rest, it should enjoy a sabbatism in the seventh millennium. As the Evangelist has been understood to allude to this subject in the text, to it also St. Paul has been supposed to refer in declaring, that "there remaineth a sabbatism to the people of God." And St. Peter has been supposed to recognise the method of reasoning by which the inference on which it is founded is deduced, when he declares, that "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years." Whatever be the opinion which is formed respecting the apostles, it is at least certain that their uninspired contemporaries, in arriving at the same conclusion, have pursued the path in which they have preceded. Unless St. Paul be supposed to proceed on the assumption of its conclusiveness, his inference, that "there remaineth a rest" to be enjoyed, is inobvious or inconclusive. That these notions are not groundless specula |