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find out by this key. That is, it is by the proper application of a given number, that we are to find out the year, in which the beaft predicted in this chapter, particularly in the first verse of it, fhould arife. It is to find out the year, in which the Papal, or last head of Roman government should arife, by being vefted with a temporal dominion. This given number is fix hundred and fixty fix.

We are told that this is the number of a man. It is not the number of a prophet. It is not, therefore, to be used, as prophetic numbers are, to fignify fome other period of time, than that which is actually expreffed, as the prophetic numbers, in chapters xi. and xii. were ufed. But it is to be taken just as these numbers, 666, are used by men. in the common acceptation of them. A man's - pen, in Isaiah viii. 1. fignifies fuch a pen as men write with. The measure of a man, in Rev. xxii. 17. is that measure, with which men measure, particularly, as is evident from the context, the cubit, with which they measure, The number of a man, is the very fame phrafeology to fignify a number taken in the fame acceptation, in which men ordinarily use it.

Though this number had not been exprefsly defined the number of a man, to diftinguish it from a prophetic number; as being a part of a key or explanatory paffage, it ought to have been taken in the ordinary acceptation of the numbers. It

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must therefore fignify 666 years, which when reduced to folar years, are 657 years. But unless we know when thefe years commence, we cannot know when they fhall terminate, nor the time when the beaft fhall rife, which fhall happen at the time of their termination. In all prophetic writings, the commencements of the predicted periods are all either exprefsly fixed to a particular time, or no time at all is mentioned for their Thus the commencement of Daniel's feventy weeks, in Dan. ix. 24, 27. was fixed" from the going forth of the commandment "to reftore and rebuild Jerufalem." The time and times and half a time, during which the woman is to be in the wilderness, Rev. xii. 14, commences with her flight unto the wilderness. The 42 months continuance of the beast, Rev. xiii. 5. commences with his becoming a beast, that is a temporal government. When no time is mentioned for their commencement, the time, which common fenfe dictates, is the right time, that is, the time when the vifion was actually made to the prophet. If any perfon fays, that a certain event fhall take place at the distance of 20 years, without naming any particular time for the commencement of these 20 years, there is not the least doubt that he meant that they commenced at the very time he spoke.

The paffage now under our view is one of thofe in

which no time is exprefsly fixed for the commencement of the 666 years. The time of its commencement muft, therefore, be the time when John faw the vifion of the beast to whom this number refers. Among chronologifts, there are fome fmall variations with refpect to antient dates, which, indeed, is not surprising, when every circumstance is candidly confidered. But, from the best evidence that can be obtained, the vision contained in this chapter, and all the visions contained in this book, were made to the apostle John, in the island of Patmos, in the year 95 of the vulgar Chriftian æra. In chap. i. 9. John tells us that he was banished to the ifle of Patmos, for his adherence to the word of God, and the testimony of Jefus, at the time the vifions contained in this book were made to him. This fact is confirmed by authentic hiftory. All the church hiftorians agree that John was banished to Patmos, by the Roman emperor Domitian, in the perfecution which he raised against Christians. This perfecution began in the end of the year 93, or in the beginning of the 94. It was very violent; but of fhort duration.

Of this perfecution, of the time of it, and of the banishment of the apoftle John to Patmos under it by Domitian, Mofheim thus writes: Hift. Cent. i. Vol. i. page 35. Though immediately "after the death of Nero, the rage of this first

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perfecution against the Chriftians ceased, yet "the flame broke out anew in the year 93 or 94 "under Domitian, a prince little inferior to Nero "in all forts of wickedness. The perfecution re"newed by this unworthy prince was extremely violent, though his untimely death put a stop to "it not long after it commenced. Flavius Clemens, "a man of confular dignity, and Flavia Domitilla "his niece, or, as fome fay, his wife, were the principal martyrs that fuffered in this perfecution, "in which alfo the apostle John was banished to "the ifle of Patmos."

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It is well known, by all acquainted with chronology, that the vulgar Chriftian æra did not commence at the time of the birth of Chrift; but at the fourth year after his birth. It commenced in the year of the world 4004; but Chrift was born in the year of the world 4000, as is agreed upon by the most accurate chronologists, and as shall be fhewn, as we proceed in this book, by certain general leading fixed principles of chronology eftablifhed in facred fcripture. Hence, to find the true year of Chrift, in which this vifion was made to John, we must add four years to the vulgar year of the vision, which will bring it to the year 99, as the true year of Chrift, in which John saw this vifion. Though chronologifts had erred four years, in their calculations; it would be impious to fuppofe, that the unerring fpirit of God would refer to

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a wrong year, in this key. To the year of Chrift 99 we muft, therefore, add 657 years, which will bring us down to the year of Christ 756, as the year in which the beaft with the feven heads and ten horns described in verses 1, 2, and 3, fhould arife; or, in plain language, when the Pope, the laft head of Roman government, should become a temporal prince, and have the city of Rome for the feat of his government.

By this method of calculation, upon the most juft principles of chronology and prophecy, the exact time of the commencement of the temporal power of the Pope, might have been difcovered long before it happened, as it was thus predicted, by John, 657 years before the event. The justnefs of this mode of calculation might be established at great length: But to us, who live in this age of the world, this is unneceffary; for the year 756, is now past 1034 years ago. If we look into the hiftory of the year 756, we shall find that, in that very year, the Pope of Rome was vefted with temporal poffeffions, and a temporal dominion; that the city of Rome was the feat of his government, and that this feventh head of Roman government hath held that temporal dominion in this feat to this day. All hiftorians fo exactly agree that it was in the year 756, that Pepin King of France vefted Pope Stephen II, with the temporal dominion of Rome and of the other cities. VOL. II. included

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