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Thus from the time the Mohammedan delusion was first propagated, till the Saracenic armies were driven out from the western kingdoms of Europe, was about 120 years. Let a medium then, between these extremes be assumed, as the time for the fair manifestations of the first wo. The medium is 60 years. This added to A. D. 606, (the year in which Mohammed retired to his cave, as noted above) makes 666. The year of the Christian era 666 then, or the close of the year 665, may be viewed as the time, when the first wo was fairly manifest.

And it may be striking to note, that the number 666 is the largest whole number, which multiplied by three (the number of the woes,) will fall within the 2,000 years of the reign of sin. 666 multiplied by 3, gives

1998.

This number 666 is the noted number of the Papal Beast; as we have seen, Rev. xiii, last. The number of his name has been explained. The two systems of delusion, the Papal and Mohammedan, were to be synchronical, or were to occupy the same period. The development of the Papal apostacy was gradual. It will, by and by, be noted, that much was done by Justinian, the eastern emperor, as early as A. D. 534, toward the establishment of Popery. But it was 222 years after this, before the Pope was invested with the civil government of the exarchate of Ravenna, by Pepin King of France, A. D. 756. A medium, between these periods may well be assumed as the proper time of the manifestation of the Papal power. And no period has a better claim, as being this medium, than A. D. 666, the above noted time of the first wo. This then, may be the true sense of the number of the Papal Beast, (Rev. xiii, last,) which is 666. At that period of the Christian era, the judgment by the Papal Beast, and that of the first wo, were manifest, as fully introduced, and fairly under way. And the nearest whole number expressing one third of the time previous to the year 2000, was then expired.

The double of the 666, for the time of the second wo, gives A. D. 1332. And in fact, at that very time,

the second wo, by the rise and ravages of the Turks, was just fairly manifest to the world! In the year 1300 the Turks collected their strength under Othoman, their first chief; freed themselves from the yoke of the Tartars; and began to extend their conquests. In the year 1363 they crossed the Hellespont into Europe, and threatened Constantinople. The medium between these two periods, appears the most proper time to be taken, as the time of the fair development of the second wo. This medium is A. D. 1332; the very number made by the double of the 666. Here is the close of the second third of the 2000 years.

The 666 multiplied by three, for the analogical time of the third wo, (or the time when it would be natural to expect it, from the analogy of the two preceding woes,) gives the year 1998; just time enough, as it would seem, to have the field of the wicked world cleared, for the introduction of the Millennium, at the close of the year 2000. Analogy from the natural week, (six days for labor, and the seventh for rest,) and the number seven being of so great use in the sa cred writings, seem to point out the above time for the introduction of the Millennium.

But relative to the actual taking place of the third wo in the year 1998, it may be remarked, that such is to be the terribleness of the scenes, which are just to precede the third wo, that Christ says, "Except those days shall be shortened, no flesh could be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened." The third wo then, must something anticipate its analogical period, or the time, in which, from the analogy of the two former woes, it might naturally be expected.

But how long shall be this shortening of the days? Or when will the third wo commence? Let the following be examined for a reply. The third wo may be expected in the year made by the addition of the noted 1260 years, to the aforementioned 666. This bring to the close of the year 1925. Then add to this the additional numbers (Dan. xii, 11, 12,) of 30 and 45, making 75 years, (perhaps for the establishing in

Christianity of the remnant of the Jews and Israel, Zech. xii, 9, to end; and for the gathering in of those who shall be left of the fulness of the gentiles,) and we are brought to the close of the year 2000, for the full introduction of that period, to which, Daniel says, chap. xii, 12, "Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh."

Should this scheme prove correct, we then have the sense of the noted 666, as it is the number of the Papal. Beast. It is that year of the Christian era; being the time for the full manifestation of this Beast to the world; and also of the first wo, which was collateral with the Papal Beast; being the period of the first third of the 2000 years of the reign of sin under the gospel; and the double of which gives the time of the second wo. And also being the time for the commencement of the noted 1260 years, or the time of the mourning state of the witnesses, or the wilderness state of the Church.

According to this view of the subject, the third wo, for the sudden and utter destruction of Antichrist, and of all the persecuting enemies of the Church, is still 113 years future. This 113 years will afford an interesting period, for that power of the last days, that is "part of iron and part of clay, partly strong and partly broken," to perform the things which he is yet to accomplish; and for the Church to do and to suffer the things spoken of her, in the last days.

It appears rational to expect, (according to opinion of some authors,) that as the rise of the Papal Beast was gradual, and the judgments of the last days, inflicted on the Papacy, were to be gradual; so the 1260 years will be found to measure the times between the events of equal magnitude in the rise, and in the fall of the Papacy. For instance, that just 1260 years before the catastrophe of the Papacy, in the French revolution, some great corresponding event must have taken place, toward the establishment of the Papacy. That 1260 years from the further establishment of the Papacy by Phocas, in constituting the bishop of Rome universal Bishop, A. D. 606, may be expected to bring some corresponding event, in the execution of the judgments on God on Papal nations. And according to the same

rule, if the preceding view given of the number 666 be correct, 1260 years, from that period, may be expected to bring the last fatal blow to the Antichristian nations in the battle of the great day.

It is striking to find, that just 1260 years before the filling of the Papal kingdom with darkness in the French revolution, a notable corresponding event did in fact take place toward the establishment of Popery. The emperor Justinian, having got possession of Italy, greatly promoted the bishop of Rome, as is ascertained by Fleming, Bicheno, and an author quoted by Bp. Newton. He published what is called, The Code of Justinian; "by which (says Bicheno) those powers, privileges, and immunities, were secured to the clergy; that union perfected between things civil and ecclesiastical, and those laws imposed on the Church, which have proved so injurious to Christianity, and so calamitous to mankind." This Code of Justinian has been called, "the strong hold of clarical tyranny." It no doubt formed a strong feature in the visage of Papal corruption.

Relative to the same event, an author quoted by bishop Newton informs,* that in the year 534, Justinian declared him; (i. e. the bishop of Rome) head of all the churches, and judge of all; but himself to be judged by none; he was held in such obsequious awe and veneration, even by the emperors themselves, and he sometimes reproved them with such authority, and anon anathematized them with such force, that he might be said to reign over the emperors, both in spiritual and in temporal things; even while he boasted, that he was all submission, and was a servant of all servants." Mr. Fleming, upon the same event, observes, "I find the

* Nam ex quo anno Domini 534, cum ecclesiasticum omniam caput declaravit Justinianus, aliis omnium judicem, ipsum a mullo judicandum, tanta reverentia et obsequio ab imperatoribus ipsis, cultus est, tauta auctoritate, ipsos subinde reprehendit, interdum etiam anathemate perculit, ut non minus dicendum sit regnasse in spiritualibus, quamvis se subditum semper servum que servorum diceret, quam in temporalibus, imperatores." Vol. ii, p. 321, 10th Edit. Ebing.

Pope, got a new foundation of exaltation, when Justinian, upon his conquest of Italy, left it in a great measure to the Pope's managment, being willing to eclipse his own authorty, to advance that of this haughty prelate."

The above authors differ a little as to the date of this Code of Justinian. Bicheno says, it was A. D. 529 The 1260 years from that time end, A. D. 1789, the very year in which the French revolution commenced. The quotation in Bp. Newton says it was A. D. 534. The 1260 years, from this date, end in A. D. 1794. Granting this latter date to be correct, events accord with it with no less precision. For in the first stages of the French revolution, the hostility was not apparently so direct against the Papal see. The first new constitution, adopted under the National Assembly, gave toleration to religion. But after this was abolished, and another adopted under the Convention, no further toleration was given to religion, or conscience. The reign of terror then commenced. The royal family were destroyed in 1793. And 1794 opened with unprecedented terrors to the Papal system, and the Papal kingdom was soon filled with darkness. This was just 1260 years after the promulgation of the above Code of Justinian, according to the date found in Bp. Newton. Mosheim, speaking of events of the same period, says, "In this apology, (by Ennodius bishop of Pavia in behalf of Symmachus) the reader will perceive that the foundations of that enormous power, which the Popes of Rome afterward acquired, were now laid." And in a following page, speaking of the same Ennodius as a noted author, at that period, Mosheim adds; "Though he disgraced his talents and dishonored his eloquence, by his infamous adulation of the Roman pontiff, whom he exalted so high above all mortals, as to maintain, that he was answerable to none upon earth for his conduct, and subject to no human tribunal." (Vol. i, p. 446, 450.) And it is ascertained, in Mosheim vol. i, p. 447, that in the year 529, just 1260 years before the opening of the French revolution) the order of the Benedictine monks was established. This order

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