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of whom he speaks in the language of the Old Teftament. Now, as the reign of Antichrift ends in 1260 years, and the Millennium commences in 1335 years, this intermediate number of 1290 years refers to the converfion of the Jews. For, without all controverfy, they are members of the Millennial church, in common with the Gentiles, and therefore must be converted before the 1335. Again, there is no event which we can suppose more interesting to a person of Daniel's difpofition, than the reftoration of his brethren to the favour of God. Befides, no event takes place betwixt the close of Antichrift's reign and the commencement of the Millennium, fo important as the converfion of the Jews. It is therefore moft probably the event intended. If fo, it takes place thirty prophetic years after the fall of the Pope's temporal fovereignty; and as the temporal fovereignty falls in the year 1998, their converfion fhall happen in the year 2028'.

I am the more inclined to this calculation, from the parallel ftated by the Apostle, betwixt the conduct of God to the Jews, and his treatment of the Gentiles. "For as ye (the Gen

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(1) The difference betwixt the civil and the prophetic year, is fo finall in the courfe of thirty years, that it is not material to reckon it, for it does not amount to one

whole year.

tiles) in times past have not believed God, "yet have now obtained mercy through their "unbelief. Even fo have thefe (the Jews) "now not believed, that through your mercy, "they alfo might obtain mercy. For God hath "concluded all that is Jews and Gentiles) in "unbelief, that he might have mercy upon "all," Rom. xi. 30. 32. To make the par rallel exact, it is meet that the Jews fhould remain in unbelief, as long as the Gentiles did. The Gentiles remained excluded from the ordinances of the true religion for 2000 years, from the call of Abraham to the coming of Chrift The Jews must remain in unbelief for the fame period.

The prophet Hofea appears to me to have the converfion of Judah and Ifrael in view. "Af"ter two days will he revive us; the third day "he will raise us up, and we fhall live in his "fight," (chap. vi. 2.). Converfion is frequently represented in fcripture by a refurrection. The converfion of Ifrael, in particular, is defcribed by this figure, Ezek. xxxvii. A day in prophetic language has various acceptations. It is put fometimes for a natural day, sometimes for a year; and at other times it fignifies a thoufand years, according to that of the Apoftle Pe"One day is with the Lord as a thou"fand years, and a thousand years as one day,"

ter.

(2 Pet.

(2 Pet. iii. 8.) If taken in this last sense, it intimates, that the Jews, after remaining excluded from the ordinances of the true religion, and continuing ftrangers to the influences of the Spirit of God for 2000 years, fhall immediately, as these end, partake of the Spirit of God, and be admitted to the privileges of his children. The unbelief of the Jewish nation commenced about the time of Chrift's perfonal ministry; and he was confiderably advanced in his personal ministry, in the 28th year of the common reckoning, which answers to the 32d year of his age. Their unbelief, therefore, ought to end about A. D. 2028.

SECTION VII.

Time of the Battle of Armageddon.

THE battle of Armageddon moft probably will take place forty years after the converfion of the Jews. My reafons for this opinion are,

First, It requires a confiderable time to collect the allies of the beaft. The emiffaries dispatched by the dragon, the beaft, and the falfe prophet, "go forth to the kings of the earth, and of the "whole world." Thefe kings must be perfuaded by "lying wonders," Rev. xvi. 14. 16. After

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After they are perfuaded severally, it requires time to concert together, and to bring up their forces to the place of Armageddon.

Secondly, It requires time on the other hand, to inftruct the Jewish church, after their converfion, and previous to their fettlement in Judea, when they are to be the model of the feveral Chriftian churches spread over the earth.

Thirdly, I suppose these words of the prophet Micah to be applicable to the period which elapfes betwixt the converfion of the Jews, and their fettlement in the promised land. " Accord

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ing to the days of thy coming out of the land "of Egypt will I fhew unto him marvellous "things," (Mic. vii. 15.) As the days alluded to were forty years, and the Jews are again fettled in Judea, in confcquence of the battle of Armageddon, I conclude, that the like number of years fhall run betwixt their converfion and the time in which the battle is fought. By adding therefore forty to the year 2028, we have 2068, as the year in which the battle fhall be fought.

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SECTION VIII.

Time in which the Millennium begins.

THE Jews take poffeffion of the land given their fathers, in confequence of the victory obtained in the battle of Armageddon: But wars follow, in order to destroy the system of Babylon, and fubdue the remaining power of the kings who fupported it. I fuppose these wars take up five years, which, in conjunction with the former forty, make up the number 1335. At the end of which the Millennium begins, (Dan. xii. 12.); that is 45 years after the converfion of the Jews; 75 years after the close of the 1260 years of Antichrift's reign, or the fall of the Pope's temporal fovereignty; and 1335 prophetic years from the commencement of his reign, in the year 756. At that period the Church being triumphant over the world, and peace universally established, the spirit of prophecy begins to reckon the Millennium, A. D. 2073; or, in regard the odd days and hours by which the civil year exceeds the prophetic, amount in 75 years to one whole year, by deducting these, the Millennium will commence A. D. 2078.

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