by the Apostle; especially if we confider at the fame time, what had been revealed to the Prophet before, in regard of the Time, Times, and the dividing of Time; and the putting the Son of Man at the Head of an Empire, which was to be univerfal as to Extent, and everlafting in refpect of Time, Chap. vii. 25, 13, 14, 27. For as to the Perfecution of Antiochus Epiphanes against the Jews, and the putting an End to the public Worship of God by him, it is plain from Dan. viii. 13, 14. that his Abolishment of the facred and civil Liberties of that People was to laft two thousand and three hundred Days; whereas the Accomplishment of the Prophefy, relating to the Scattering of the Power of the holy People, Chap. xii. 7, &c. by the Prince mentioned Chap. xi. 21. was to laft no more than a Time, Times, and a half, or at most but a thousand two hundred and ninety Days; anfwering to a Time, Times, and an half, or a thousand two hundred and threefcore Days, fpoken of by St. John in the Paffage before quoted. So that this Event, of which I have been fpeaking, cannot refer to the Times of the Syrian Tyrant above-mentioned, but must relate to fome other, which

was

was to happen in the laft Age of the Chriftian Church, after St. John's Time. Accordingly it must be noted here, that the Prophecy relating to the Reign of Antiochus aforefaid ends with the 19th Verse of the xith Chapter of Daniel; that the 20th Verfe relates to Antiochus Eupator his Son, who fucceeded him, and after a short Reign of little more than a Year, was dethroned and put to Death by his Uncle Demetrius, having been traitorously put into his Power * ; and that the 21ft Verfe, and all the Remainder of the Prophecy, relates to fome other Tyrant, who was to be a much greater Enemy to the pure Church of God in the laft Ages thereof, than even Antiochus himself would have been in his Days.

Having fet Things in this View, let us now fpeak of Michael in the Light in which St. John puts him; and in order to do this, it is neceffary to confider the Emblems and figurative Expreffions which he makes use of, together with the Explanation which he himself gives of them. Accordingly, the Seven Angels of the Seven Churches of Afia,

Maccab. vii. 1, &c.

Afia plainly point out the feven chief Minifters, Super-intendants, or Bishops of those feven Churches, each in his respective Diocefe and confequently Michael the Arch-angel must be put to point out a certain Archbishop, who was to arife in the pure Church of Christ in fome future Age.

Agreeably hereto, Jehovah gives Daniel to understand, Chapter x. 1, 14. that the Time appointed for the Accomplishment of his Vision was long, as to the first Period of it; and that it would not take place in all refpects till the latter Days, or the laft Age of the Church of God. And Zechariah alfo intimates, that his Prophecy recorded in Chapter iii. did not only relate to Joshua the High Priest, of whom he speaks in the Beginning of his Vifion, but to another Joshua and his Fellows; anfwering to Michael and his Angels, mentioned by St. John, who were to make their Appearance in the Days of the Meffiah (whom he styles the Branch, as Ifaiah had done before him) and at the Time when he would remove the Iniquity of that Land, which would be made the Inftrument of introducing his Kingdom into the World; when all Man

kind are to be in a happy, as well as peaceful Situation, Zech. iii. 8, &c.

The Author of the Treatife quotes an other Text, as if it countenanced him in his Error; that God had put guardian or governing Angels to prefide over the World, viz. Heb. ii. 5. where it is faid, unto the Angels bath he not put in Subjection the World to come, whereof we speak, or of which the Apostle had been speaking, Chap. i. 8, &c. a Paffage which he fays implies, that the present World was governed by them. But if we give due Attention to the Context, we shall find that it points out no fuch thing: The Meaning of it being only this, that when the Kingdom of God came to be established in the next Age of the World, which` the Propagation of the Gospel was defigned to prepare all Nations for, Mankind would be perfectly well governed under it, even tho' none of the Angels above would be at the Head of it, but the Man CHRIST JESUS. This Kingdom, the present Bishop of Clogher calculates will take place in the Year 2015; but Mr. Whiston in the Year 1766. How these learned Gentlemen came to differ fo much

in

in this Refpect, is befides my Purpose enquire; but whoever reads the Prophecies of facred Writ attentively, will find that very happy Times are to take place on Earth before its Diffolution, preceded by very bad ones.

As to the Name of Michael, which fignifies who is like unto God, it was given to intimate, that the two Perfons pointed out by that Arch-angel, namely, the High Priest of the few's, and the Arch-bishop of the pure Church of God aforefaid, would exercise the very fame high Office each in his Turn, as God himself would one Day condescend to do in the Perfon of Jefus Chrift, who in the Days of his Flesh was confecrated to be an High Priest for evermore, and the Bishop of our Souls, Heb. vii. 28. and 1 Peter ii. 25. and this is a farther Proof of what I have been offering above on that Head.

I

Having thus pointed out the Miftakes of the Author of the Treatife, in regard of his Notions of guardian Angels of Nations, I beg leave to obferve, that I don't mean to infinuate by any thing that I have said, that there are not any Ranks of Diftinction among

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