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Everendo admodum in Chrifto Patri, ac Domino, Domino SY MONI permiffione Divina Epifcopo Elienfi; Præfuli tùm moribus fanctiffimis, tum eruditione fummâ longe colendiffimo nec minùs pietati veræ & minimè fucatæ, quam bonis literis, facris præfertim & divinis promovendis Nato: Eccle fiæ Anglicane, Reformata, Catho lica, Decori egregio atque Ornamento: Sacratiffimo fuo in Republicâ Christianâ Ordini quà concionando, quà fcribendo, quà gubernando, eximio femper, & jam longavo Exemplari: Qui Sacrarum Scripturarum amore à teneris impensè captus, cognitione à pueris penitùs imbutus, eafdem optimis Commentariis illuftrare ad fupremam ufque

pergit fenectutem: Neque facrofancta illa Dei O. M. Oracula nifi cum ipfis mortalitatis exuviis jure ponenda cenfet: Brevia hæcce Vaticiniorum Apocalypticorum, omni Thefauro chariorum, Specimina, juxta methodum Cl. Medi r8 μaxacito demonftrativam, pro modulo noftro adornata, in animi perquam grati, fumméque devoti tefferam perennem, atque umμócvvov, Quà par eft Reverentiâ, Lubens Meritóque Dat, Dicat, Confecrat, Gulielmus Whiston Dabam Cantabrigia XVII. Cal. Maj.

A. D. MDCCVI.

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AN

ESSAY

ON THE

Revelation of Saint John.

PART I.

HYPOTHESES or OBSERVATIONS.

T

HOSE Prophecies of the Scripture which relate to the Jewish Church are open and explicit, and make use of a Tear for that known space of time fo call'd, without any covert or myftical Signification. Thus the 400 years of the Sojourning and Affliction of Gen. xv. 13. Abraham's Seed: the 70 years of the Captivity of Jer. xxv.11.12. Babylon: the 390 years of the forbearance of Ezek. IV. 4, 5, God to Ifrael: and the 40 years of his forbear- 6. ance to Judah and very many the like durations, are unanimously and certainly expounded of the fame real numbers of years by all Commentators: and the exact completion of them, at the time every where specify'd, in that moft obvious acceptation, puts the matter beyond dispute with all

men.

II. Those Prophecies of the Scripture which relate
to Christianity, the Times of the Meffias, and the

A

Church

Dan. IX. 24. &c.

Church of the Gentiles upon the rejection of the Jews, are cover'd and enigmatical; and make ufe of a Day for a Tear. Thus the Jews themfelves confefs it is in the most famous of all Prophecies, that of Daniel's 70 weeks: which they expound of fo many years as those weeks include days; and the Chriftian Church not only allows, but earnestly contends for the fame Interpretation, as being a main foundation of her Faith. And this being the primary and moft undisputed Prophecy of this kind ought certainly to be allow'd as the best Rule and Guide for the reft; and fo this Hypothefis might be taken for granted. But to prevent all exception it fhall be particularly prov'd under the first Propofition hereafter. III. The number of Days included in Prophetick Tears is to be the fame that the Computation of the Age and Nation of each Prophet does require. Thus Daniel living in Chaldea and Perfia ufes their year, of 360 days: and St. John living in the Roman Empire, in thofe places where he does not follow and explain Daniel's Numbers, uses that Empires Computation of 365, or 3654 days.

IV. The particular fort of Tear alfo refer'd to by a Day in feveral Prophecies, is partly to be interpreted from the fame Foundation, and to be accounted by the Computation and Stile then in use, when the faid Prophecies and their Periods began. Thus all thofe Prophecies of Daniel, which are dated from his own Times, or began while the Chaldean or Perfian Stile was in use, must be fuppos'd by a Day to intend a

Chal

A&.ij. 17.

2

Tim iij. 1.
Pet. i. 20.

Pet.iij. 3.
Heb. i. 2.

Chaldean or Perfian Tear of 360 days. But fuch as were dated long afterward, from the Roman Times, and refer intirely to them; may juftly be expounded of the Roman or Julian Tears. Thus alfo every one of the Prophecies of St. John being dated in, and wholly belonging to the Roman Times, ought to be expounded of the Roman or Julian Tears upon all occafions. V. Where any Prophecies of the Old Teftament, or at least towards the conclufion of it are exprefly faid to belong to the Time of the End; to the latter Days; to the last Days, or the like: They relate, if not to the very end of the World, yet at least to its last great Age the Days of the Meffias. This is fo exprefly the Explication of the Writers of the New Teftament, and is, I think, fo generally allow'd by the Jews themfelves, Tim. iv. 1,2. that I shall not ftand to prove it more particularly, partz, chap. 3. VI. Intire Numbers of years, or months, or days in See Chronol the Prophecies of Scripture, as well as in its p.8. Chronology are us'd with great exactness, and comprehend no more than fix months, or fifteen days, or twelve hours on either fide: that is, they imply the space mention'd to be nearer to that number than the next, either over or under, according to the most natural and strict fignification of the words themselves. Thus 1260 days may Apoc. xi. ́3. be any space between 1259% and 1260 days. Thus 42 months may denote any space be- ver. 2. tween 41 and 42 months; and 37 months any Dan. vij. 25. fpace between 36 and 37; and 5 months any Apoc. ix. 5, 10. interval between 42 and 52 months. Thus three years and an half, or a time, times, and an half, may

A 2

fignify

I

See Furieu

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