That the history of the Papacy, however, does consist of two distinct periods, will, I think, appear to any one who will impartially consider the texts, Dan. vii. 21, 22, 25, and 26, for during the 1260 years, the Papacy is represented as prevailing against the Saints; but, at the Sitting of the Ancient of days, a reverse takes place, and judgment is said to be given to the Saints of the Most High, and the time is said to be come that they should possess the kingdom *.

I may observe also, that it appears as a defect in Mr. Faber's scheme, that the periods of the

*

Though Mr. Faber has retracted his opinion expressed in the third edition of his work, that the judgment of the Ancient of days, mentioned in Dan. vii. 26, had begun to sit (from the admission of which it must follow, that the 1260 years, or "the "time, times, and the dividing of time," mentioned in verse; 25, were already expired); he still allows, as who must not, that the consumption, destruction, or spoliation, of the Papacy has commenced. This consumption of the Papacy however is clearly mentioned in the latter part of verse 26, as the consequence of the Sitting of the Judgment; and, I must confess, that Mr. Faber's idea (see Christian Observer, 1808, page 281), that these occurrences are prior, in point of time, to the Sitting of the Judgment mentioned in the former part of the verse, appears to me perfectly inadmissible.

The reader will find my views of Dan. vii. 25, 26, and 27, already clearly stated by Mr. Cuninghame in the Christian Observer, for the year 1807, pages 701 and 775; and for the year 1808, pages 141, 347.

thirty, and forty-five years, are both referred to the last Vial, which contains merely the event of one of the seven last plagues that are inflicted on the Roman Empire; while at the same time the important events of the Sitting of the Ancient of days, and the Coming of the Son of Man, are left without having these, or any suitable periods, annexed to them.

The first of these periods, namely, that of the Thirty years (which is the period in which we live), is occupied by the first act of the destruction of the Roman Empire, and of the Papacy, and contains the events of the six first Vials of Wrath. The second period of the Forty-five years contains the most important of all Prophetic events, the great judgment of the seventh Vial; at the conclusion of which, we are also taught to expect the manifestation of our Lord, to the utter destruction of all the enemies of his Church. The last twenty years of this period though containing no variety of events is yet briefly noticed by all the historical prophets; and is, I conceive, spoken of by the prophet Zechariah (chap. xiv. ver. 6, 7), when he describes a period subsequent to the great battle of Armageddon, as "a day that should "not be clear nor dark, but should be one day

2 Thess ii. 8,

"known to the Lord, not day nor night;" which description he concludes by stating, that "it shall come to pass that at eventide (or at "the end of that period) it shall be light;" a conclusion similar to that of Daniel, who speaks of the end of this period of forty-five years as introducing the period of the Millennium, saying, "Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days*." And so Saint John also, speaking of the termination of this period, says, "Blessed are they which are called to the marriage-supper of the Lambt," or are permitted to enter upon the blissful period of the Millennium.

66

* Dan. xii. 12.

† Rev. xix. 9..

CHAPTER IV.

The Vision of the Ram and the He-goat.

The second Ruling Kingdom of the World, comprehending Media and Persia; the third Ruling Kingdom of the World, comprehending Macedon, Thrace, Syria, and Egypt, and the Mahometan Little Horn, described.

THIS Vision was seen by Daniel two years subsequently to the date of the preceding vision, or in the year A. C. 553; being the third year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon.

As the former vision related chiefly to the great Western, or Papal Apostacy, so the prin cipal object of this is to describe the Apostacy of the East; and the beautiful and striking prophecies here introduced respecting the MedoPersian and Grecian empires, may be considered as introductory only to its main design,

which is to give the history of the Mahometan Little Horn.

We find that the first of the four Beasts is not mentioned in this prophecy, because it was written only fourteen years before the taking of Babylon by Cyrus; and the forces of the Medes and Persians were already united together, and were making advances towards the attainment of the empire of the world; the second Beast, or the united kingdom of Media and Persia, is therefore made the immediate subject of the prophecy, and the kingdom of Babylon is passed over. The fourth Beast, representing the Western Roman empire, is also here unnoticed; because it was not connected with the Mahometan Apostacy, whose permanent influence was confined to the territories of the three first ruling kingdoms of the world.

The prophecy is given in the following words, Dan. chap. viii. ver. 1," In the third <: year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision

appeared unto me, even unto me, Daniel, "after that which appeared unto me at the first. "2. And I saw in a vision, and it came to pass, "when I saw, that I was at Shushan, in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of “ Ulai. 3. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and I and behold there stood before the river

saw