sounding of the seventh trumpet, both synchronise with the close of the twelve hundred and sixty years, they also synchronise with each other. This confirms the reasoning contained in a former part of this work, whereby we arrived at the same conclusion.*

PROPOSITION SIXTH.

The times of the Gentiles (i. e. the twelve hundred and sixty years) terminate when the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and distress of nations, mentioned by our Lord, begin.

This proposition is founded upon Luke xxi. 25, compared with the context.t

But it has already been shown, in considering the sixth seal, that the phenomena in the symbolical heavens, mentioned in Luke xxi. 25, and the corresponding passages of Matthew and Mark, are the same with the earthquake of the sixth seal ;+ and the earthquake of the sixth seal is, as I have endeavoured to prove, the same with that of the seventh trumpet. Therefore, it follows, that the times of the Gentiles, or twelve hundred and sixty

Pages 166, 167.

"When St. Luke's times of the Gentiles are finished, then shall be signs in the sun and moon: the Son of Man comes also in the clouds of heaven; the redemption of Israel, and the kingdom of God, are at hand." Mede's Works, Book IV. epist. 8.-" The copulative xa, verse 25, is to be taken after the Hebrew manner; ordinativè for tum, deinde, which you know is frequent in the Scriptures. Then shall be signs,' &c." Ibid., Book IV. epist. 12.

Pages 27, 28.

years, expire also at the commencement of the earthquake of the sixth seal, and the earthquake of the seventh trumpet, which further confirms the truth of the fifth proposition.

Having thus laid down a series of Scriptural propositions respecting the commencement and end of the twelve hundred and sixty years, I shall now go on to compare these propositions with history.

PROPOSITION FIRST.

The commencement of the twelve hundred and sixty years is to be marked by the giving of the saints, and times, and laws, into the hands of the little horn.

That the little horn is the Papacy, has been established with such force of evidence by Mede, Bishop Newton, Mr. Faber, and other writers on prophecy, that I do not consider it as at all necessary to enter upon the proof of it.* The Papacy being a spiritual power within the limits of the Roman empire, Mr. Faber argues, I think rightly, when he says that the giving the saints into the hand of the Papacy, must be by some formal act of the secular power of that Empire constituting the Pope to be the head of the Church. It is not, in fact, easy to

* See preface to the second edition, where some reasons are given for this opinion.

+ Mr. Faber has since abandoned this ground and now pretends that the giving of the saints into the hand of the Papacy, must be dated from the time when the whole ten horns of Daniel's fourth Beast, unanimously concurred in acknowledging the spiritual supremacy of Rome. I have considered the

conceive in what other mode the saints could be delivered into the hand of a spiritual authority, which, in its infancy at least, must have been in a great measure dependant upon the secular power for its very existence, and much more for every degree of active power which it was permitted to assume or exercise.

Accordingly we are informed, by the unerring testimony of history, that an act of the secular government of the Empire was issued in the reign of Justinian, whereby the Roman Pontiff was solemnly acknowledged to be the head of the Church. That Emperor, whose reign was marked by the publication of the volume of the Civil Law which was afterwards adopted through the whole extent of the Roman empire, by the different nations who had divided among themselves its territories, was no less ambitious of distinction as a theologian than as a legislator. At an early period of his reign, he promulgated a severe Edict against heretics, which contained a confession of his own faith, and was intended to be the common and universal standard of belief to his subjects. The severest penalties were enacted by it against all who refused implicit submission.

A second Edict of the same nature was issued by Justinian in the month of March 533; and on this occasion he formally wrote to the Pope, as the acknowledged head of all the holy churches, and all the holy priests of God, for his approbation of what

arguments of the learned writer, in my Critical Examination of his Sacred Calendar. See that Work, chap. ii.

he had done. The epistle which was addressed to the Pope, and another to the Patriarch of Constantinople, were inserted in the volume of the Civil Law; thus the sentiments contained in them obtained the sanction of the supreme legislative authority of the Empire; and in both epistles, the above titles were given to the Pope.

The answer of the Pope to the imperial epistle was also published with the other documents; and it is equally important, inasmuch as it shows that he understood the reference that had been made to him, as being a formal recognition of the supremacy of the See of Rome.

From the date of the imperial epistle of Justinian to Pope John, in March, 533, the saints, and times, and laws of the Church, may therefore be considered to have been formally delivered into the hand of the Papacy, and this is consequently the true era of the twelve hundred and sixty years.

There is no other recorded act of the secular government of the Roman empire, which confers a greater authority on the Pope than the one abovementioned. It has indeed generally been supposed

* When the former editions of this Work, were published, I was not acquainted with the valuable Work of Sir Isaac Newton on Daniel, and the Apocalypse, wherein he brings forward two Imperial Edicts in favour of the Popes, prior in time to that of Justinian, the former passed by Gratian, and Valentinian, in the year 378, or 79; and the second in 445, by Theodosius the Second, and Valentinian the Third. The first of these decrees, was chiefly for the purpose of regulating appeals to the Roman pontiff, giving him jurisdiction over the whole Western empire. The second Edict confers on the Pope the most extensive authority, declaring, that it shall

that in the year 606, the Emperor Phocas bestowed on the Pope the new title of Universal Bishop; but this seems to have been taken for granted by historians and commentators on prophecy without neither be lawful for the Gallic Bishops, nor those of the other Provinces, to do any thing without the Pope, and that whatsoever the authority of the Roman See shall enact, shall be for a law to all. Sed illis omnibusque pro lege sit quicquid sanxit vel sanxerit apostolicæ sedis auctoritas. Sir Isaac Newton on Daniel, p. 111.

In my Critical Examination of Mr. Faber's Sacred Calendar of Prophecy, I have fully discussed the subject of the different Edicts, and have conceded to Mr. Faber the principle, that if I had, reasoning a priori, selected the special act from which to date the commencement of the 1260 years, I should have laid my finger upon that of Theodosius II., in the year 445.—I contend, however, that it would have been impossible by an argument a priori to decide, on any certain principles, which of the Edicts was the distinguishing mark of the epoch we are in search of. But, as we know from history, that no events occurred at the close of three prophetic times and a half, from the year 445, which were of a nature to mark the termination of that period, we are assured that it did not then commence. See the above Work, chap. iii. pp. 50, 51, and chap. iv. pp. 83, 84. The last of these chapters is a Summary of the argument for the conclusion that the 1260 years are to be computed from the Edict of Justinian, and it will be found to contain many powerful additional arguments, to those offered in this Work.

I shall, however, before closing this note, add one observation not to be found in my Critical Examination of Mr. Faber, and it is, that the Edict of Justinian, is the first one in which the title of Head of all the Churches, is expressly given to the Pope, and this is the title which (being the incommunicable one of our Lord,) constitutes the Pope the Antichrist. I conceive, therefore, that we have in this fact, a powerful reason, even a priori, for fixing upon that Edict, as the one whereby the saints, were delivered into the hand of the Papal power.