the seals. And before the woes, three pauses of cessations must be admitted of which the third is of much shorter duration than the first and second, as expressly demanded by the words of the prophecy. At the beginning of the woes this prophetic chronology, moreover divides itself, by the internal order of the book, into two remarkable columns ; one of which advances the lineage of the church of Christ, the other marks the progression of the woes, and their pauses of cessation. These two notable columns run on into the sound of the seventh trumpet, where again they furnish the exact dates, to a new succession of prophecies in four lines of periods and numbers, which are terminated by the seven vials, and the commencement of the happy Millennium. The reader perhaps may find this description dark and intricate, I will therefore give him a prospective view of this admirable fabric; the sight of which has brought full conviction to my mind, and comfort to my heart. Let serious and considerate lovers of the prophetic word, determine its real value.

But in order to complete the solution of this divine scheme, or internal prophetic chronology of this prophecy, we are yet to settle those terms of time, which we have denominated indeterminate. These are the times of the woman; the short time of the dragon; the little season of the souls under the altar; the time, to which the angel swore; and the little season, in which the Devil is loose again, after the thousand years. These are the terms of time, in the solution of which, I humbly presume to differ from the learned Bengelius, and many other authors on this important subject. The accomplishment alone, as recorded on the page of history, can determine between us, what degree of credibility may be due to each of our labours.

No doubt, all the periods of time, designated by these terms, have a reference to each other; and as they are all of the same indetermined kind, stand in a comparative re

lation among themselves, as to the exact quantity of time belonging to each period. If therefore a key could be discovered to determine one period precisely; the whole number might be adjusted into a scale of time, at least highly probable, if not certain and conclusive. And as these times also stand connected with the whole body of prophecies, arranged by methodical periods, and extraordinary, determined numbers; their lengths are moreover regulated by circumstances, and the limits of others. I presume to have found this key in the periods of the methodical times, and after mature consideration formed the following scale, which is verified by history, and accords with the scheme and connection of the whole book. I take a hundred years to be a time, and fifty years to be half a time; as it is expressly laid in Genesis, chapter xv. 13, 16. That this is the time of man, and of a generation of men. See also, Job XLii. 16. Isa. xxxviii. 12. Where THORI signifies both.

I must however previously inform the common reader, that some of these terms of time, are very imperfectly translated in our English version. My scale will therefore exhibit them in the original language, and after an improved translation.

SCALE OF TIME.

50 years, suç xaigos, half a timeof the woman. Chap.

100

200

350

800

xii. 14.

καιρὸν, καὶ καιρᾶς, καὶ ἥμιου καιροῦ, f time, times and half a time.

ολίγον καιρὸν The original is not μικρόν, parvum a little time, which would make it shorter than a whole time; it is 'oxíyov, a few, not many, and

must be taken for a numerical word, to signify some times, but

not many times, during which the dragon is to stay on earth. Chap. xii. 12.

950 years, gov xgóvov, A little epocha, when Satan is loose again, after the Millennium.

1000

1078

1100

Chap. xx. 3.

xínia τn, A thousand years common time, of the kingdom of Christ on earth.

Chap. xx.

ὅτι χρόνος οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι, That it will not be a chronos more, to the finishing of the mystery of God, Chap. x. 6. xgovov, Epocha, during which the souls of the martyrs are to rest under the altar. Chap. vi. 2. Aliqui Codd. habent χρόνον μικρόν. Bengelius præfert χρόνον. Lectio μικρόν rejicitur.

The following treatise will shew, how well this measure of time verifies itself on the page of history. Some of these dates have already been proven by a most clear accomplishment of those prophecies, to which they stand connected; and others are now in a state of an inceptive fulfilment before our eyes; which raises the whole scale to at least, a high degree of probability. There is however one item in this rising series of time, which I suppose will meet with many objections. Those of my readers, who have already laid it down, as a settled point, that the duration of the world, or at least of this our solar system, is limited to 7000 years, will find that little epocha, during which Satan is set at liberty again, after the Millennium, very improbable. But when the Word of God is under consideration, all prejudices should be laid aside. The order of the book has placed it there-the spirit of prophecy has assigned it that space; and he is a teacher, whose instructions are entitled to unreserved consent. It is evident from

a multiplicity of expressions in the writings of the apostles, that the times of the New Testament will not be longer, than the times of the Old Testament. The disciples of our Lord often term them, "the latter days,” "“the last days," with other diminishing expressions annexed thereto, indicative of a shorter continuance in-comparison with the time before the birth of Christ. St. John even calls it "the last hour."* But we are not only sure, that the time of the present ecclesiastical economy will not be more than the former one; we also have sound and substantial testimony, even the Word of God, to prove that the two points, the creation and consummation of the world, are at equal distances from the time of Christ's death. The prophet Habakkuk, chap. iii. 2. Prophecying concerning the time of the first advent of our Lord, and of his great work of redemption, has these memorable words in the original: "Thou revivest thy work in the midst of the ages of the world, in the midst of the ages of the world hast thou made it known." And in the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, chap. ix. 26. But now once hath he appeared in SUVTEREÍα Tav aiwvwv, upon the confine of the ages of the world; or in the midst of the ages, in the second age of the world, or upon the confine of the ages of the Old and New Testaments; all which significations of this expression in the original Greek, upon the whole, are tantamount to the same object. I might produce more testimony in justification

* 1 John xi. 18. Our English translation is incorrect in this place. The original is wea, hour, twice, in the beginning and end of this verse, and not καιρός, time.

Coccajus has it: operatio tua est in medio annorum vita ejus, quem in medio annorum notificasti, aut cognoscendum proposuisti, qui ante finem anni prioris, ingruente anno alio, anno seil, acceptationis, et Christum cognoscendum proposuisti et ex mortuis excitasti.

+ Hoc accuratissime in tempus Messiæ nostri congruit. Cum enim ille veniret, finis aderat T HAVEH OLAM, (he was from eternity) et initium TỸ HABBA OLAM (he will be to eternity.) Igitur duo téλn, dựʊ

E

of this point of doctrine, concerning the age of the world, where I write more expressly on this subject. But I will leave this matter here, and unfold that more interesting scheme of the Revelation itself.

Thus I have laid before my reader the proper and peculiar order of this book-the body and branches of this whole system of prophecies, as it presents itself to a discerning mind. In this symmetrical harmony of the different parts to the whole, the accomplishment of one series of prophecies commences after the other, and all go on in symphony, pause, rise again, and stop; as the different parts in a well performed piece of music, in order to produce a general effect on the trembling fibres of sensibility-so here on the states, kingdoms and empires of the world, as evinced by the seven trumpets,

As to the precise time, when the seven vials, containing the wrath of God against the worshippers of the beast, shall begin to be poured out, I am not perfectly certain; but when I consider the different stages of this prophecy, and the proportion of this part to the whole, I feel inclined to fix their commencement at the conclusion of the six hundred and sixty-six years of the power of the beast, For after the fifth vial, although his power is broken, and his kingdom full of darkness, yet it remains a kingdom, and its entire annihilation is reserved for the seventh vial, and the rage of the beast from the bottomless pit. However it appears from the description of his worshippers under the first vial, as if no mark or image of the beast, such as now exists was intended, but others more expressive, which the second beast from the earth will cause to be received, during the inaction of the first. Ne

extremitates et termini horum OLAMIM (to all eternity,) sive alwvwy semet invicem contingebant. Sic Job xxvi. 10. μexes suVTEλElas φωτὸς καὶ ςκότες usque ad confinium lucis et tenebrarum. Hypom.

nemata of Kiittner.