from another remarkable declaration of his. All the prophets, who treat of the restoration of the Jews, represent it as synchronizing with some very signal destruction of God's enemies in the land of Palestine. Now Daniel informs us, not only that his people shall cease to be scattered at the close of the three times and a half, but likewise that they shall be delivered at the same time that an expedi→ tion into Palestine is undertaken by Antichrist, who is there destined to perish; and he moreover teaches us, that this expedition shall take place at a period denominated the time of the end. But this time of the end, as may easily be collected from other parts of the book of Daniel, denotes the period of 75 years, which commences at the expiration of the 1260 years, and extends to the beginning of the Millennium*. Hence it follows, that the restoration of the Jews, synchronizing with the expedition of Antichrist, must likewise take place at

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"will be the end of these wonders or marvellous things in66 quired after in the last verse" (Wintle on Dan. xii. 7). Though the reign of Antichrist seems here fixed for 1290 years, which is a term of 30 years more than was mentioned at Ver. 7, this excess in the opinion of some is the time "allotted for the collecting of the Jews from their captivity among all nations, or the several countries of their disper "sion; and at the close of Ver. 7 there does seem to be a "further period ålluded to for this purpose, after the time, times, "and a half, or the 1260 years." Wintle on Dau. xii, 11.

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Dan. xi. 40.-xii. 1. See my Dissert. on the 1260 years. Chap. iii.

the time of the end, or at the close of the 1260 years.

Some have indeed supposed, that the holy people, whose scattering is to be finished at the end of the 1260 years, are not the Jews, but those pious witnesses who are appointed to prophesy in sackcloth during that period. Such an interpretation however is opposed by our best commentators, as for instance Mede and Bp. Newton. And indeed the very expression to scatter shews, that the Jews must be intended; for in none of the predictions relative to the tyranny of Popery are the witnesses ever said to be scattered, nor in fact were they ever scattered in any such remarkable manner as the Jews. It may be observed, that the same word is used by Moses in Deut. xxviii. 64, to describe the dispersion of his people.

2. Having thus arrived at the conclusion, that the restoration of the Jews will commence at the close of the 1260 years, we may next inquire at what particular epoch in the Revelation it will commence; that is to say, at the beginning of which of the apocalyptic periods the 1260 years may be considered as terminating.

(1.) Here we may first observe, that, since the Jews are to be restored in the midst of great political convulsions, and since in the course of their restoration a great confederacy of God's enemies is to meet with a signal overthrow in the land of Palestine, that apocalyptic period, under which this confede

racy

racy

is described as being overthrown, must plainly be the period, during which the Jews are restored, and at the commencement of which the 1260 years expire. Now the only apocalyptic period, which answers to this representation, is that of the seventh vial. Under this concluding vial, the great Antichristian confederacy of the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the whole Ecumenè or Roman world, is routed at Armageddon, to which it had been previously gathered together under the sixth vial. But Armageddon signifies the cursing to utter destruction at Megiddo*; and Megiddo is a town of Palestine. Moreover St. John teaches us, that this dreadful wine-press of God's indignation should be trodden in some country, the extent of which

It may not however be improper to remark, that Mr. Brightman proposes another derivation of Armageddon, which some may possibly prefer to that which I have adopted, though he himself by running into mysticism does not make the use of it which he might have done. He conceives Armageddon to be

- Ar-magedim, the mountain of delights. Now Daniel teaches us, that Antichrist, immediately before his destruction, will pitch his tents between the seas in '28. Ar-tzebi, the mountain of glory. It is possible therefore, that Ar-magedim and Ar-tzebi may both alike mean Mount Zion; and conse quently that Jerusalem, not Megiddo, is meant by the apocalyptic Armageddon. Perhaps this opinion may be supported by Zechar. xii. 2, 3, 4. xiv. 2, 3, 4. It is almost superfluous to observe, that Jerusalem auswers to the description of being between the seas, no less than Megiddo. But whatever preeise place may be intended, Palestine is plainly the region in which Antichrist will be destroyed.

should

should be 1600 furlongs; and such is found to be precisely the extent of Palestine. Hence it appears, that the destruction of the apocalyptic confederacy of God's enemies will take place in Palestine; and consequently that it must be the same as the final destruction of God's enemies in Palestine, which the ancient prophets have foretold. But this destruction they unanimously represent as synchronizing with the restoration of Judah. Therefore the restoration of Judah must likewise synchronize with the destruction of the apocalyptic confederacy; and consequently must take place under the seventh vial. But the restoration of Judah commences at the expiration of the times of the Gentiles, or at the close of the 1260 years. Therefore the times of the Gentiles must expire, and the 1260 years must terminate, at the effusion of the seventh vial*.

(2.) This matter may be yet further proved almost to absolute demonstration, by pursuing another train of argument, the length of which will readily be excused, when the importance of ascer

*I am no way singular in supposing, that the effusion of the seventh vial synchronizes with the expedition ef Antichrist into Palestine and the contemporary restoration of the Jews. Commenting on Dan. xii. 1, Mr. Lowth observes, that "the Scrip*tures speak of the extraordinary appearances of God's king"dom, as ushered in by great tribulations (See Isaiah xxvi. "20, 21. Jerem. xxx. 7. Matt. xxiv. 21). This some learned

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men suppose to relate to the times of the last vial (Rev. xvi. 18), when there was a great carthquake, saith the text, such as was not seen since men were upon the earth."

taining

taining the right synchronical arrangement of prophecy is considered.

i. That part of the Apocalypse, which treats of "things that must be hereafter *," is divided into three septenaries; that of the seals, that of the trumpets, and that of the vials. Of these, the seals are successive to each other; and, by the general consent of commentators, the seventh seal introduces and comprehends the seven trumpets, which are likewise successive. But there is not quite the same agreement respecting the arrangement of the cials.

Mr. Mede maintains, that the six first vials belong to the sixth trumpet, and that the effusion of the seventh vial synchronizes with the first blast of the seventh trumpet †. His chief arguments in favour of this arrangement are, that the seventh trumpet introduces the third woe, that this third woe is the battle of Armageddon, and that the battle of Armageddon evidently belongs to the seventh vial; therefore that the seventh trumpet and the seventh vial commence together: that the seventh trumpet and the seventh vial both equally introduce the consummation of God's mystery, because it is said, that the mystery of God is finished when the seventh angel begins to sound, and that it is done when the seventh vial is poured out; but the same mystery cannot be finished at two different times;

Rev. iv. 1.

+Clav. Apoc. Pars ii. Synchron. 3. ‡ Rev. x. 7—xvi. 17.

therefore