and the hypothesis limits the accomplishment of the revolutions to those 30 years, in order that they may all be brought within the compass of THAT generation: hence, if the revolutions do NOT commence at the end of the 1260 years, but if on the contrary they cominence at an earlier point of time, it is manifest, that a SINGLE generation will not be a chronological space within which they will all be fulfilled.

Now the assumption in question, so far from being well founded, is altogether erroneous. The present writer quite overlooks our Lord's most accurate DOUBLE notation of time. From harmonizing the two Gospels of Matthew and Mark we learn, that the signs in the heavenly bodies are to occur, both IN the days of the Jewish tribulation, and IMMEDI, ATELY AFTER that tribulation. But the tribulation of the Jews, as we are specially informed by our Lord according to St. Luke, ends synchronically with the times of the Gentiles: and the times of the Gentiles, as the present writer truly remarks, end synchronically with the 1260 years. Hence it is plain, that, as the signs in the heavenly bodies are to occur partly IN the days of the Jewish tribulation and partly IMMEDIATELY AFTER that tribulation, they are to commence BEFORE the Jewish tribulation shall have terminated. But, if they are to commence BEFORE the end of the Jewish tribulation, they must also commence BEFORE the end of the times of the Gentiles: because the Jewish tribulation and the times of the Gentiles expire synchronically. And,

if they commence BEFORE the end of the times of the Gentiles, they must likewise, for the same reason, Commence BEFORE the end of the 1260 years. It is absolutely necessary however for the present hypothesis, that they should commence SYNCHRONICALLY with the end of that period.

Thus does the assumption, which supports the whole fabric, föll at once to the ground.

(2.) So again: the present writer contends, that the predicted revolutions have already commenced; whence, agreeably to his assumption, he argues, that the times of the Gentiles or the 1260 years have already expired.

The position necessarily flows from the last but it has been effectually disproved even by absolute matter of fact. The tribulation of the Jews ends synchronically with the times of the Gentiles: and the times of the Gentiles end synchronically with the 1260 years. But we have not yet beheld the

end of the Jewish tribulation. Therefore the 1260 years cannot as yet have expired. I most readily allow indeed, that the predicted revolutions have already commenced: but I by no means allow, that on that account we have reached the end of the 1260 years. Quite the contrary: for, as the predicted revolutions are to occur partly IN the days of the Jewish tribulation, and as the Jewish tribulation expires SYNCHRONICALLY with the times of the Gentiles; it is plain, that the predicted revolutions must commence BEFORE the end of the times of the

Gentiles,

Gentiles, with which end the end of the 1260 days undoubtedly synchronizes.

With this conclusion the event exactly tallies. The predicted revolutions have commenced, but the tribulation of the Jews has not yet terminated. We have therefore hitherto beheld only the signs, which Occur IN the days of the Jewish tribulation: we have yet to witness those, which occur MMEDIATELY AFTER that tribulation.

(3.) Should this writer deny the DOUBLE notation of time, and should he maintain that the two phrases immediately after the tribulation of those days and in those days after that tribulation mean like the period immediately consecutive to that tribulation; he would, in that case, find his hypothesis even still more unmanageable. For then, according to that arrangement, the predicted revolutions cannot at all have commenced: because, by such an arrangement, they are all made successive to the Jewish tribulation; and the Jewish tribulation has certainly not yet expired, because the Jews are still dispersed and their city is still trodden down by the Gentiles.

Neither would the matter be in any wise mended, if, still denying the DOUBLE notation, he should contend that the two phrases immediately after the tribulation of those days and in those days after that tribulation mean alike the period immediately before the end of that tribulation. For then he would both positively contradict the assertion, that the signs should oceur IMMEDIATELY AFTER the Jewish tribulation:

bulation: and he would likewise contradict his own position, that the times of the Gentiles must have expired because the predicted revolutions have commenced; inasmuch as the Jewish tribulation and the times of the Gentiles are declared by St. Luke to end

SYNCHRONICALLY.

Thus untenable in every point of view is the hypothesis now before us, however plausible it may be at the first sight and however marked by ingenuity.

4. Dissatisfied as yet in our pursuit, we must now inquire whether some fourth less objectionable mode of solving the difficulty may not be devised.

(1.) It is obvious, however they may differ in other points, that the three commentators, who have passed in review before us, all understood the word YENT in the sense of absolute accomplishment: for, agreeably to the turn of our common translation, they suppose our Lord to have said, until all these things shall be FULFILLED. Hence upon this idea of absolute accomplishment their expositions are invariably founded.

But the question is, whether any such idea be necessarily involved in the original expression. Now this I apprehend to be by no means the case. The Greek aorists, particularly in the subjunctive mood, bear, as it is well known to grammarians, a present sense; which however they bear, with an ascription of the event spoken of to a time not yet arrived. Hence the original Greek may indeed be translated, until all these things shall be FULFILLED: but then it may just as properly be translated, until all these

6

things

things shall be A FULFILLING, or until all these things shall be PUT INTO A COURSE OF FULFILMENT*. Let the passage be thus rendered, and the grand difficulty will immediately vanish. For, in that case, our Lord will not say, This generation shall not pass away until all these things shall be FULFILLED: but he will say, This generation shall not pass away until all these things shall be a fulFILLING; in other words, This generation shall not pass away until all these things shall be PUT INTO A COURSE OF FULFILMENT or shall BEGIN TO BE FULFILLED. Christ therefore does nothing more than declare, that the series of events which he had been foretelling, a series which extends from the first appearance of the false Messiahs down to his own judicial coming, should cOMMENCE before the then existing generation should have passed away. Accordingly, as we have already seen, 'impostors, who claimed to be the promised Saviour, began to spring up within a very short time after the crucifixion and thus the earliest predicted event in the chronological series took place almost immediately after the delivering of the prophecy.

(2.) Here however an objection may be made, on account of the force which the word ALL may be supposed to bear. For it may be argued, that, if ALL the predicted matters were to be put into a

Exactly in the same manner, as Mr. Mede has justly remarked, the original Greek of Rev. xi. 7. may be translated, either When they shall have FINISHED their testimony, or When they shall be a FINISHING their testimony.

course