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fucceeding ages, and that it ftill enriches the "Romish church with its nutricious ftreams."

The church of Rome are with peculiar propriety filed Gentiles, in the period of time to which this prediction relates, for that is the one in which the Pope was vefted with a temporal dominion in Rome, and, as the laft head of Roman government, came in the place of the Heathen emperors; the period, during which, in this book he is reprefented by the hieroglyphic of a ravenous beaft, chap. xiii. the fymbol of a temporal kingdom.

It will appear, that the holy city which the church of Rome fhall tread under foot for 42 months, fhall at the end of that period be refcued from their hands, and meafured off to the true worshippers of God as certainly as the temple was at the beginning of that period. This will be fhewn in the commentary on chap. xxi. 10,21. Upon the principles eftablished in the commentary on chap. ix. 5. the forty-two months here, are 42 prophetic months, that is, 1260 years. But as each of thefe years confifts of twelve months, and each of these months of 30 days, each year muft contain 360 days, which is five days and fome fractions lefs than the folar year, which hath for a confiderable time alfo been the civil year. Therefore five times 1260 days, which is 6300 days folar years, must be deducted ftom the 1260

or 1,7

years, by which they will be reduced to 1 243 folar years, the exact time reprefented by the fymbolical number of 42 months. During that long period of time, the church of Rome fhall appear in great outward pomp and grandeur, and extend over a great part of the world, whilft the church of Chrift during the fame period, bleffed with all the effentials of true religion, shall be stripped of outward magnificence. And during that period, the church of Rome fhall be vefted with a temporal as well as an ecclefiaftic jurifdiction.

But when did thefe 42 months commence? They commenced at the time the church of Rome was vefted with a temporal dominion, and the Popes received the fceptre of the Heathen emperors, as their predeceffors in the government of Rome. This fhall be fhewn in its proper place, from a prediction in chap, xiii. 18. to have been the year of Chrift 756. And it fhall be fhewn from authentic hiftory, that in that very year Pepin king of France granted to the Pope and his fucceffors the temporal dominion of Rome, under the name of the patrimony of St. Peter.

For the 1024 years of that time which is paft, the church of Chrift and the church of Rome have appeared exactly in the fituations in which they are represented in this hieroglyphic. And we have no reason to doubt, that those who fhall live at the end of that period fhall fee that this prediction hath been as exactly fulfilled in the last 209 years

of

of the period, as it has already been in the first 1034 years of it.

This relative fituation of the church of Chrift and of the church of Rome, the former worfhipping God in fpirit and in truth, according to the ordinances of divine inftitution, without external pomp and fhew, the latter regulating their worship by many Heathenish rites with great outward pomp and fhew, the former perfecuted, and the latter perfecuting it for the period of 1243 years, commencing in the year of Chrift 75, and confequently ending in the year 1999, is represented by five different hieroglyphics in this, the 12th and 13th chapters of this book, and the precife fame period of time fixed in every one of them, though moftly in different expreffions.

In this verfe, it is reprefented by the Gentiles treading the holy city under their foot for 42 months;

In the third verfe, by Chrift's two witneffes prophefying in fackcloth for 1260 days ;-in chap. xii. 6. by the woman fed in the wilderness 1265 days; --in chap. xii. 14. by the woman nourished in the wilderness for a time and times and half a time, that is, for three years and an half;-and in chap. xiii. 5. by power given to the Beaft to continue 42 months. The fmalleft attention may fatisfy every candid perfon, that all these five denominations of time fignify the fame precise length of time. For three years and an half, each year confifting of 12 months, are exactly 42 months. And 42 months, each

each month confifting of 30 days, are exactly 1260 days. As we proceed it fhall appear, that all these different hieroglyphics refer to the relative fituations of the church of Chrift and of the church of Rome in the fame period of time, but in different points of view.

Verfes 34-14th. And I will give power unto my two witneffes, and they fhall prophecy a thoufand, two hundred and threefcore days, clothed in fackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks ftanding before the God of the earth. And if any man man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. Thefe have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over waters to turn them unto blood, and to fmite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And, when they fhall have finished their teftimony, the beaft that afcendeth out of the bottomlefs pit, fhall make war against them, and fhall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies fhall lie

in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where alfo our Lord was crucified. And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, fhall fee their dead bodies three days. and a half, and fhall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth fhall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts unto one another; because these two prophets tormented them, who dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half, the fpirit of life from God entered into them; and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them who faw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven, faying unto them, Come up hither. And they afcended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them. And the fame hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were flain of men, feven thoufand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven: The second wo is paft, and behold, the third wo cometh quickly.

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