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SEVENTH DIVISION.
Shows when the Millennium may be expected. The method pursued in this division, to ascertain the arrival of that
period, will be, 1st, by a compared and concise view of the several kinds of ancient Jewish Sabbaths; and, 3d,
as analogous to the same point, will be presented a view of natural and supernatural periodical recurrences. 3d.
An illustration of the three visions in the book of the prophet Daniel, will be given, so far as it is thought they
refer to the Millennium, or to the time when the sanctuary shall be cleansed.
The sevenfold Sabbaths, kept by Israel's kings,
Had couch'd beneath those numbers, mystic things!
And nature, from her deeps, her latent periods pour.
Her ceaseless powers move on, her oceans roar;
And heaven its wonders, too, sometimes to men disclose,
As once was shown a Daniel, where Ulai's water flows.
Many have been the uninspired prophecyings of the period in which the Millennium is to come. A certain anxiety for its
speedy commencement probably has driven many, who delight in the joyous anticipation, beyond the proper boundaries
assigned for its commencement by the great chart-book, the Holy Scriptures; for the accomplishment of all those things
foretold in the Scriptures, must be realized before its glory can bless the world. The measurement of every thousand
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cubits, which characterized the length of that river which Ezekiel saw measured by an angel, must be realized in its
dispensations before that day shall come. The account of that symbolical river, which is so minutely described by
Ezekiel, and its final envelopment in the sea, is precisely what is meant in other places in the word of God, where
the sanctuary is spoken of prospectively, anticipating a time when it must be cleansed. I suppose there will be no
disagreement with the following opinion: That the sanctuary, as spoken of in the Scriptures, is spoken of as being
the visible church, whether under the patronage of Jews or Christians. This appears to be the meaning in Daniel,
chap. 7, verse 11, By him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place, of his sanctuary was cast down. This
is spoken of the temple at Jerusalem, at which place the church was organized; therefore, the term sanctuary is the
church. But this church, this visible sanctuary, is contemplated as being composed of good and bad, otherwise a
cleansing would not be contemplated, and agrees with the similitude of our Lord, who represents the gospel by a
fishing net, bringing to the shore both the good and the bad; but the good are preserved, while the bad are cast away.
From which it is clear, that the sanctuary may be thus contaminated, and so continue, till the great era of cleansing
it shall come.
The period for cleansing it is the grand point at which all books, written upon this subject, have aimed. Different
periods have been fixed upon for its accomplishment, and some of these periods have already
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passed by, and yet the sanctuary is not cleansed -- the watchmen do not yet see eye to eye, foul members yet stain
its lovely whiteness.
I have now before me the opinion of Edward Irving, that the prophetic time, times and a half time, making 1260 years,
as foretold by Daniel, should be considered as having ended at the era of the French revolution in 1793. But such
cannot be the fact, because the sanctuary is not cleansed. There are three notable Scriptural modes of calculation,
which must have their fulfilling at the same period, namely, when the river, which Ezekiel saw, commenced with
Abraham, flows into the great sea, which is the Millennium -- when the 1260 years of Daniel shall witness the
cleansing of the sanctuary -- when the 2300 days or years of the same prophet, though commencing at an earlier era,
shall also have their ending at the cleansing of the sanctuary. See Ezekiel, 47th chap, from the 1st verse to the
eighth inclusive; Daniel, 7th chap. 25; do. 8, 14. When, therefore, these three are accomplished, the Millennium
will commence.
It appears to me to be the height of folly to fix upon any partial revolution, which has been effected in favour of
religion since the resurrection of Christ, as of sufficient universality to justify the opinion, that the sanctuary
has been cleansed. Perhaps we cannot fix upon any era when the church has not been infested, more or less, with
wicked members, and will unquestionably continue to be thus afflicted, till the time of its universal cleansing shall
come. This, then, we look for, with unvarying confidence, to be accomplished
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when this river of celestial light, and those two periods spoken of by the prophet Daniel, shall be completed at one
and the same time. Till that time, it cannot be said the sanctuary is cleansed -- till that time, the church cannot
be called the HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The following extract from Mr. Carrington's remarks, under the head of Holy Catholic Church in the apostolic creed
at evening prayer, corroborates the above opinion. I am indebted for the extract to a work entitled "Second Advent,"
by an American layman, who states that he extracted it from a Mr. Warner, who, it appears, wrote upon the subject
of the common prayers of the Church of England, who introduced the following remarks from Mr. Carrington, upon the
idea of what constitutes a Holy Catholic Church.
"Considering the general state of the Christian church, from the first hour of its foundation almost to the present,
there doth not appear to have been an interval, when the two affections of Holy and Catholic, have been fairly
compatible; and all attempts to reconcile those jarring qualities of sanctity and universality, have only occasioned
a constrained and unwarrantable interpretation of the terms. It is too evident that the church in general (much less
the holy church) hath, as yet, been far from being universal. From hence, expositors have been obliged to recur to
partial and figurative constructions; to distant and even sometimes to forced interpretations; in order to support
their unnatural solutions with arguments the most
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specious, many of which tend, at best, to prove how the church may, with some show of probability, rather than how
it necessarily must be termed at once both holy and catholic. But as in Scripture we ought not to recede from the
letter, without apparent necessity, so why may not the same rule obtain here? Why should we quit the full and genuine
sense of a word for one partial and emblematical, when it may with safety and consistency be adhered to? Suppose,
then, we can find 9. state or time, when the whole of this article, in the plain and literal meaning of the words
shall be found to be strictly true; when this complicated affection shall belong to the church of Christ by a just
and unquestionable right; when both the holy church shall become catholic, and the catholic church shall become holy?
Ought we not rather to direct our attention to that than to any other period wherein we meet with the least difficulty
or obstruction. In a word, the great mistake seems to lie in referring that to either past or present which belongs
solely and entirely to futurity. For if there be any force in words; if there is any dependence to be had on the
sacred writers, either under the old or new dispensation; we are certainly to expect, even on this side zzzHeaven,
astute, an age, a period in which the church of Christ shall appear in a form, in all respects greatly transcending
any it has hitherto enjoyed, when the holy few shall no longer be hid and obscured amidst a sea of iniquity; no
longer seem an undistinguished handful in the midst of a nicked and idolatrous world; no longer be contracted arrow
a compass, as that even their existence
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shall seem precarious and uncertain, when, in short, the church of Christ shall become at once so absolutely
catholic, that all shall know Him, from the least even to the greatest; and so universally holy, that every one
who is left in Zion, and who remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called HOLY, even every one who is written among the
living. Here then we must seek that church, which is at once the object of our wishes and of our faith; and that
communion of saints, we • long so ardently to be joined to. But it will be well worth our while to take a more
comprehensive view of this glorious and remarkable period.
To trace the declaration of it, indeed, through all its stages, were to go very far back in the Holy Scriptures,
since it is certain that it was not absolutely unknown in the first ages. There are evident footsteps of this
opinion here and there dispersed in the Chaldee paraphrase, and in the Talmud; and with some few particularities,
it is held by the Jews at this day -- And indeed, as the learned Mede observes, the second and, universal resurrection,
with the state of the saints after it, now so clearly revealed in Christianity, seems to have been less known to the
ancient church of the Jews than the first resurrection. There are many passages in the royal Psalmist, which have
an evident tendency this way; and some obscure allusions, some distant hints may be met with, even in the books of
Moses; but zzzflic prophets were principally employed in this great discovery, and it engrosses so large a share in
their writings, as it were almost endless to transcribe, In short, we can scarcely turn our eye upon any part of
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them, but it is struck with something which leads us to the expectation of a state of glory and peace, of righteousness
and salvation. In a word, a state truly and entirely corresponding to the venerable and expressive title of an Holy
Catholic Church.
In what light these several passages of the prophets are to be considered -- not to mention the almost unanimous
interpretation of the primitive fathers -- The Holy Ghost seems himself to have instructed us; for we, saith the
Apostle, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. From whence
it is evident, that those prophecies received not their full completion, in the first promulgation of the Gospel,
and calling in of the Gentiles; for both these circumstances were actually past, and the Gospel dispensation had taken
place when the Apostle wrote. Where then are we to trace this promise, but in the above recited remarkable passages?
And what are we to conceive by an earth inhabited by righteousness, but a church purged from its present gross and
numerous abominations, universally clear, pious, holy. And in a word, composed of a pure and entire communion of faith?
That such a period as this is yet due to the church of Christ, seems too plain to be denied -- But when or where to
take place, is a matter of some dispute even among those, who are nevertheless agreed, with regard to the thing in
general. But that it certainly will, at some time or other, is quite sufficient for our purpose; and when it does,
the church of Christ will be strictly and truly, in the full and genuine sense of the words,
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what it hath never been yet, both holy and catholic. But let us proceed to consider what may give a further light,
both into this, and the remaining part of the article.
St. John, as he was to close the succession of prophets, seems appointed to repeat such of the ancient predictions
as were yet to receive their completion; with such further illustration as the shorter distance of their approaching
periods rendered necessary.-* And this remarkable dispensation so far from being forgotten, is discussed by him with
the greatest particularity and exactness. In a word, what glimmered in the writings of Moses and David; what we saw
as through a glass darkly, in the prophets, this Apostle seems to have shown us openly, without a parable, and face
to face.
After a short but clear description of such remarkable particulars as were successively to take place in order to
usher in that glorious economy, "I saw," says he, "an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless
pit, and a great chain in his hand -- And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and
Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon
him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled. And I saw the souls
of those who were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshipped the beast
-- and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not till the thousand
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years were finished." At the end of this Millennium succeeds the second and general resurrection; and the happy
interim is evidently the new heavens and the new earth of Isaiah; the latter days of the prophets; the times of
restitution; the times of the refreshing of the Gospel; and the golden age of the heathens. The attendant
circumstances are too plainly parallel) the likeness and conformity too strong, for us not to see that they are one
and the same thing -- Behold here then the long promised kingdom of the son of David; behold his universal dominion
in a truly catholic church. Nor can we turn our eyes on the companions of that happy reign, the noble army of those
that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God; and who had not worshipped the beast,
neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, whom the Lamb shall therefore make Kings
and priests, and they shall reign on earth, without exclaiming, here is indeed a communion of saints -- a blessed
unmixed society of the just, enjoying universal harmony, and a free and uninterrupted intercourse with God, their
King and Saviour, the holy angels, and each other. I think it, by no means, either impossible or improbable, that
an opinion which had so long and so universally prevailed in the church; which had borne so large a share in the
hopes, belief, words, and writings of so many of its members; and been patronized by apostles, apostolic men,
confessors, and martyrs, should find a place in some of their confessions of faith -- rather very improbable it
is, that a point by them esteemed of so much
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importance should be wholly neglected -- not impossible that such an one may be this very confession before us; or
at least, that this remarkable and mysterious article (which I think, according to the usual interpretation of it,
hardly carries weight enough to be made a distinct article of faith) may have been transferred from such into this
creed, at a time when its genuine intention was not, perhaps, thoroughly under* stood. Thus far, however, I must
think certain, that by the help of this hypothesis, we have a much less intricate and constrained solution of this
article, than any of those which are usually given us. In which opinion I have the satisfaction of finding myself
supported by the ready concurrence of some persons of distinguished characters for learning and judgment, as well
as zealous attachment to the genuine doctrine of sound and orthodox Christianity."
Thus far we have the opinion of Mr. Carrington, that till the sanctuary is cleansed, or till the Millennium foretold
by the Revelator commences, the church cannot be considered strictly a Holy Catholic Church. Though I disagree with
his opinion, that the Millennium is the new heaven and the new earth, promised in the Scriptures, because this idea
embraces an era which lies beyond the time in which the sanctuary is to be cleansed. We are not told by the Revelator
to expect the creation of a new church at that time, but that the Lamb shall have the victory over his enemies, which
is the cleansing of the sanctuary, promised by Daniel the prophet. This glorious time will be the period when that
which St. John saw shall be fulfilled. See Rev. 21,
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2, 3, 1. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men.
This, then, is the Millennium; but the period for the new creation is yet future, because it is stated in the verse
following, And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new. And the reason why, I conclude, this
new heaven and new earth is to be a real creation, and does not mean the glory of the church, is because, in verse
1st of the 21st chap. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed
away, and there was no more sea. The last clause of this verse qualifies the whole, as not belonging to the church
in the Millennium, because the Revelator says, there was no more sea; therefore it is spoken only of the new creation,
which is to be created after the Millennium is passed, and also after the general judgment day.
I introduced the remarks of Mr. Carrington to show that I am not alone in the opinion, that all individuals who
then compose the visible church, will absolutely be holy, else the sanctuary will not be cleansed at all; and also
to show that others have held the opinion, that there will be two distinct resurrections, one of the righteous at
the beginning of the Millennium, and the other of the wicked at its end, or soon after. But I trust 1 shall not be
charged with egotism when I state, that this opinion was already penned in the manuscript of my book, before I saw
this opinion of Mr. Carrington,
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who, I apprehend, speaks the sentiment of the English church upon that subject, and states that he had the
satisfaction to find himself supported by the ready concurrence of persons of distinguished characters for learning
and judgment, as well as zealous attachment to the genuine doctrines of sound and orthodox Christianity. And further,
lest any might suppose that I have, in the composition of this work, followed only the beaten track of ages, will
state, that when I had finished the leading positions of it, I had never seen a work upon the subject, nor conversed
with any but such as generally contradicted my views.
But I proceed, and by the aid of Scripture and analogy, hope to demonstrate the true time when the Millennium, so
long the subject of the highest hopes of the church militant, shall arrive.
That time has been rightly measured, or reckoned, from the beginning of the world, there are none who can successfully
dispute; because the Scriptures are not only the most ancient record of chronology, but they are the most true. It
is said by Adam Clark, (see his advertisement before Matthew) that Archbishop Usher has calculated, that Christ was
born exactly in the year of the world 4000, to which his own account nearly agrees. See his comment on St. Matthew,
3d chapter, where he states that John the Baptist was horn A. M. 3999, and that Christ was born about six months
afterwards, which very probably might bring his birth in the year 4000, especially so, if the Baptist was born at
any period of that year subsequent to the sixth month. Therefore, I do not hesitate to publish
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my faith, founded on such evidence as is perfectly satisfactory to me, that the Millennium will commence the moment
six thousand years are accomplished from the creation of the earth; and that the period spoken of is not far hence,
is certain, if we trust the chronology of Scripture, which none should doubt: From which it appears, following the
Usherian plan of calculation, which is allowed to be the most correct, if not perfectly such, that Christ was born
A. M. 4000. Since that era, 1827 years have gone by, or if we add the four years, which, it is said, the common
reckoning falls short, then it is 1831 from the era of the present year since Christ. Add, therefore, 4000 years
B. C. to 1831, A. D. and it gives the product of 5831 years since the creation; then add 169 years to 5831, and it
gives the product of 6000 years.
One hundred and sixty-nine years from the end of this year, accordingly, the expected Christian Millennium will
commence. There are many things, connected with this view, which corroborate the opinion; which things I shall make
to pass before the reader for his inspection and belief.
First, I shall give a concise and compared view of the various kinds of ancient Jewish Sabbaths, which I think
typical of the Millennium.
The appointment of the first Sabbath by the order of heaven, which occurred the seventh day from the beginning of
creation, was intended as a day of rest for man, and also for a day of peculiar expressions of love and worship to
the Creator, as well as to aid the creature in his recollection, that God created the heavens
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and the earth in six days, but rested on the seventh; and He ordained the first seventh day, with all its succeeding
ones, to be observed by all the inhabitants of the earth as the grand data of their existence, being commenced the
day before the ordination of that day in the natural, moral and political image of God.
The Creator greatly demonstrated
his benevolent purposes towards our race, when he commanded the solemn observance of every seventh day. The nations,
who, out of regard, to God's authority, have reverenced that day, have been more or less blessed of heaven on that
account, above other nations who observe it not. But in the process of ages, God raised up from among the nations a
people, viz. the Jews, to whom he chose to reveal many things, to whom was committed the oracles of God, the first
Testament. Among the records of God's good pleasure committed to this people, are found their obligation to observe
three distinct kinds of Sabbaths, beside the original one. The first was a Sabbath of weeks, wherein the} were to
number seven Sabbaths, making forty-nine days; and the fiftieth they were to observe, by offering a new meat offering
to the Lord in the most solemn manner. Levit. 23, 15, 16.
The second was a Sabbath of years, wherein they were commanded to number six years from their first possession of the
country, and to keep the seventh for a Sabbath, in which they were forbidden to labour. Levit. 25, 4.
The third was a Sabbath of years also, though of much longer continuation, consisting of seven times
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seven years, making forty-nine, and the fiftieth to be a Sabbath hallowed in a solemn manner -- a Sabbath in which
a general obliteration of all grievances took place. It was a jubilee, a year of restoration to all those that were
in bonds, or involved in their estates. Levit. 25, 8.
Here, then, we find the appointment of three kinds of Sabbaths, for the use of the Jews, which are embodied in the
law of Moses, and all that appertained to that law, its sacrifices and Sabbaths were, besides their intrinsic worth
to the Jews, shadows also of some good things to come in future ages. For the law, having a shadow of good things
to come, are not the very image of the things. Heb. 10, 1. Therefore the things they symbolize, are the very image
or reality pointed at. From which it is extremely easy to perceive, that the law of sacrifices, with all its
accompanying ceremonies, were but the shadows of the great sacrifice of Christ for the sins of the whole world; and
that He, and the gospel which He preached, and its healing effects, were the good things which it shadowed forth.
But what good things, distinctly considered, do those three kinds of Sabbaths shadow forth? for they must be
considered as shadowing forth some good thing, as well as the law of sacrifices. We consider, that though there are
three kinds of Sabbaths, yet they are one in their nature, and had their uses among the Jews, and were ordained
wholly for times of offerings to God, and for feasts to his honour, and for rest to the land, and for times of release
to the oppressed, and restoration of involved estates, and to keep in
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remembrance the wonderful things God had done for them as a nation, lest they should forget his name, and say who is
the Lord, and mingle with the surrounding heathen nations. We, therefore, conclude them as typically blended together,
and pointing to one event only, which event is no where to be found in the Christian economy, except it be the
expected Millennium. That great Sabbath of rest, the jubilee of heaven, wherein the earth shall rest from a weight
of wickedness, which has oppressed it six thousand years, when that time shall have arrived, but then shall rest a
thousand years, which is one seventh part of the time, and in this respect most strikingly resembles all the former
kinds of Sabbaths, which were its forerunners.
The resemblance that all these kinds of Sabbaths bear to each other in one respect, we will now endeavour to present
to the reader, with the desire of impressing upon his mind, that they, on that one account, point to the Millennium,
which particular is, that they are all governed by the number seven. The first Sabbath consisted of one perfect and
whole day, which is the seventh part of seven days, or a week of days, but the seventh a Sabbath.
The second kind of Sabbath was observed at the end of seven weeks, or when they had numbered seven Sabbaths from the
day when the sheaf for a wave offering had been presented to the priest. From that day, therefore, they were to
number seven weeks, making forty-nine days, but the fiftieth must be a holy day -- this was a week of weeks.
The third kind consisted of seven years, and the seventh
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year was a Sabbath -- this is a week of years. The fourth kind consisted of seven times seven years. and the
fiftieth a Sabbath -- this was the great week of years, which embraced in it seven weeks of years, or seven Sabbaths
of years.
The first Sabbath, or every seventh day, which was given to Adam, was a sanctification of one seventh part of the
time, in reference to rest, and the worship of God. The three other kinds of Sabbaths which were given to the Jews,
was a sanctification of certain periods of time, which, after a septennial manner, referred to rest for the land,
to offerings to God, to release of the oppressed, and restoration of involved estates, every fiftieth year after
seven Sabbaths of years were accomplished.
So also shall the Millennium, consisting of a thousand years, be the sanctification of one seventh part of the age
of the earth, in reference to the absence of all moral and natural evil, as those other kinds were for the purposes
for which they were ordained. This view of the subject exceedingly exalts the propriety of the expectation of a
thousand years' Sabbath, and will effect its design with equal certainty.
Now if these resemble each other in the manner of their constitutions, observing the order of sevens, will it not be
in exact coincidence with these, if we say that seven thousand years is a week, but the seventh a Sabbath, which
will be the great week of time.
I believe that each day in the first week of time stood each the representative of a thousand years; for it is
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said of God, that with him a day is as a thousand years, or a thousand years a day. With this view, in reference to
his saying a thousand years is as a day, I have concluded, that seven thousand years are but seven days, and that
the seventh is the Sabbath, which is the Millennium.
From the beginning, and through all the sacred book, the number seven appears to be a perfect number, and is used to
denote a perfection belonging to whatever it illustrates, or which it symbolizes.
In the beginning, seven days was
a perfect week. God added seven days to his promised patience toward the old world. Clean beasts were taken into the
ark by sevens. The years of plenty and famine in Egypt, and their emblems, were marked by sevens. The days of
feasting, or feast of tabernacles, of unleavened bread, was observed by sevens. The number of beasts, in sundry
of their oblations, were offered by sevens. The golden candlesticks had seven branches. Seven priests, with seven
trumpets, went round the wall of Jericho seven days, and seven times, on the seventh day. Wisdom had her seven
pillars.
In Revelations, there were seven churches, seven candlesticks, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven
trumpets, seven thunders, seven vials, seven plagues. and seven angels to pour them out on the seven headed monster.
Seven often signifies many, as sevenfold, and is complete in whatever it refers to. And as the first week of time
was not complete nor perfect, without its seventh day" of rest, which was, and is now, emphatically the glory
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of the week, so neither shall the great week of seven thousand years be perfect without its seventh day of Millennial
rest, which will be the glory of the great week of time.
Seven days for a week, and the seventh a Sabbath; seven weeks for a week, and the seventh a Sabbath; seven years for
a week, and the seventh for a Sabbath; seven times seven years for a week, containing seven Sabbatic years, and the
fiftieth for a Sabbath; seven thousand years for a week, and the seventh a Sabbath, appear to be analogous to each
other, and bear the marks of design, in reference to the Millennium, or the great Sabbath of rest to a weary world.
Having presented the evidence of sacred chronology to prove that time has been rightly measured, and having made a
comparison of Sabbaths, I now, in the third place, proceed to notice the recurrences of remarkable events, as
promised in the Seventh Division of this book, and will, in a certain sense, corroborate the two former statements,
viz. of chronology, and a comparison of Sabbaths -- as follows:
When the recurrence of the same thing is observed to transpire, from age to age, in a periodical way, it is natural
to expect a return of the same thing, unless nature be changed in her laws.
The recurrences which I shall notice, and are obvious to all, are, first, The ebb and flow of the tide waters every
twelve hours -- the revolution of the earth on her axis every twenty-four hours -- the change of the moon from full
to full every lunar month -- -the blowing of the trade winds six months from north to south, and
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six months from south to north -- the annual revolution of the earth round the sun, producing all the varieties of
the seasons within the compass of twelve months -- - and the migration of fowls and fishes from one clime to another
at certain periods of the year. From a knowledge, therefore, that these things recur periodically, it is safely
calculated that they will continue to transpire in their order, till the order of nature which produces them is changed.
If we view the planets, we shall find them exact hi their periods of return: Mercury travels round the sun in some
time less than three months -- Mars in some time less than two years -- Saturn in nearly thirty years, and Herschel
in eighty-three years. And on the account of their faithful return to the same point in the heavens in exact periods,
have, therefore, become way- marks to the astronomer.
Now as these things in the natural world are certain to return at definite periods, and never disappoint expectation,
so neither will the periods that have produced some supernatural event, disappoint the expectation of a return; or the
return of such a period will be expected to produce some great and supernatural event, but not of the same kind,
though originated by the same cause, which is God.
The events to which I allude, are, first; that series of events, which took place from the era of the great deluge,
till the remarkable appearance of the everlasting God to Abraham, to whom the important promise was made, that of
his seed the Messiah should come, and on that account all the families of the earth were in him
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to be blessed. The flood, the destruction of all mankind except eight, the repeopling of the earth from Noah's
family, the confusion of language at the building of Babel, the calling of Abraham from his father's house to go to
an unknown land, and the revelation God made to him there concerning his seed and posterity are the grand events
which transpired about the year of the world 2000, and are considered altogether supernatural.
A second series of events, which were also supernatural, was the advent of Christ, the incarnation of the Word -- He
who was and is the Mighty Counselor, the Everlasting Father, the Ancient of days, Creator and Upholder of universal
nature, who then revealed Himself in a stable at Jerusalem, to become a sacrifice for the redemption of men.
Thirty-three years of sorrows, which marked the humble life of God incarnate, and his final crucifixion on Mount
Calvary, his resurrection from the dead on the third day after his death, and glorious ascension from earth to
heaven forty days after, in full view of above five hundred witnesses, all of which were accomplished about the year
of the world 4000.
A third series of supernatural events may be expected to be unfolded, when the third great period of time shall be
accomplished, which is now within one hundred and seventy-three years of that time. The events which will then take
place are, a destruction ot all sinners from among the living righteous -- a resurrection of all the righteous dead
at the sound of the archangel's voice, "for the trump shall sound, and
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the dead in Christ shall rise first" -- the real appearance of the Son of Man in his own glory, and that of his Father
and the holy angels, will then take place. A restoration of all living saints, who have not tasted death, to the
paradistical state, may then be expected -- all natural and moral evil banished from the earth, and Satan shut up
in the bottomless pit for a thousand years.
There have been two thousand years from the creation, without any written law from God -- this is called the patriarchal
dispensation till Abraham. 2. There have been two thousand years under the law, where there has been a written
revelation, a succession of prophets, and a divine ecclesiastical establishment. This was the dispensation of the
law, given to Moses and the Jews at Horeb, which includes from Abraham till Christ.
3. Nearly two thousand years have now elapsed since the era of the nativity of our Lord, when the Christian dispensation
commenced, and will, at the close of the next century, arrive at the zenith of its splendour and victories on the
earth.
Thus far having presented the recurrences of nature as analagous to the main point, which, as it relates to the
unfolding of supernatural events at almost given periods since the world began, amount to a moral certainty, in
connexion with the typical Sabbaths, that at the end of the next century the Christian Millennium will commence.
We shall next, and fourthly, attempt, from a view of the prophet Daniel's prophecy, to show when the Millennium
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will come. The prophecies respecting that time, are contained in the second, seventh and eighth chapters of this
book. I shall examine them in their order, in reference to this subject; but shall omit, for the sake of brevity,
the very interesting history of the incapacity of the wise men of Babylon to interpret the extraordinary dream of
their monarch, Nebuchadnezzar; but shall commence with the dream as unfolded to the king by Daniel. See book of
Daniel, chap. 2, verse 31 to 35 inclusive. Thou, O king, sawest and behold a great image. This great image, whose
brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold,
his breast and arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part
of clay. Thou sawest till a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron
and clay, and brake them in pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to
pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away that no
place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
But before we treat upon the subject of the stone becoming a great mountain and filling the whole earth, we shall
attend to the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream as given by Daniel.
It appears this great image, seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his dream, signified four great monarchies, of which the
Babylonish empire was the first and greatest. This
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was the first monarchy imposed on man after the flood, and was commenced by Nimrod, he who once became a mighty
hunter before the Lord -- (See Gen. 10, 8,) -- of whom we have the following account from the ancient Jewish
writings, given by Dr. Clark. We learn from verse 10 of chap. 10, that this Nimrod founded several cities in his
time, which were called Babel, Erech, Achad, and Calen, in the land of Shinar. He was thought a bad man, which
his very name seems to signify. Nimrod comes from the word marad, which signifies, he rebelled; and the Targum on
I Chron. 1, 10, say Nimrod began to be a mighty man in sin, a, murderer of innocent men, and a rebel before the
Lord. He was mighty in hunting, or in prey, and in sin before God, for he was a hunter of the children of men, and
said to them, depart from the religion of Shem, and cleave to the institutes of Nimrod. The Targum of Jonathan ben
Uzziel says, "From the foundation of the world, none was ever found like Nimrod, powerful in hunting, (wild beasts
of the age, which then unquestionably abounded) and in rebellions against the Lord." The Septuagint calls him a
surly giant before the Lord; upon which Dr. Clark remarks, "that Nimrod having acquired power, used it in tyranny
and oppression; and by rapine and violence, founded that domination, which was the first distinguished by the name
of kingdom on the face of the earth." This kingdom, commenced by Nimrod in the year of the world 1771, was ended
with the death of Belshazzar, in the year of the world 3466; and in the "time of Nebttcliadnemr it extended over
Chaldea, Assyria,
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Arabia, Syria, and Palestine. He was the head of gold."
The second great monarchy, represented by a breast and arms of silver, "was the Medo Persian empire, which properly
began under Darius the Mede, allowing him to be the same with Cyaxares, son of Astyages, and uncle to Cyrus the
great, son of Cambyses. He first fought under his uncle Cyaxares, defeated Neriglissar king of the Assyrians, and
Croesus king of the Lydians; and by the capture of Babylon, B. C. 538, he terminated the Chaldean empire." "On the
death of his father Cambyses, and his uncle Cyaxares, B. C. 536, he became sole governor of the Medes and Persians,
and thus established a potent empire on the ruins of that of the Chaldeans."
The third great empire, represented by a belly and thighs of brass, was "the Macedonian or Greek empire, founded by
Alexander the Great. He subdued Greece, penetrated into Asia, took Tyre, reduced Egypt, overthrew Darius Codomanus
at Arabela, Oct. 2, in the year of the world 3673, and thus terminated the Persian monarchy. He crossed the Caucasus,
subdued Hyrcania, and penetrated India as far as the Ganges; and having conquered all the countries that lay between
the Adriatic sea and this river, the Ganges, he died A M. 3681, and after his death, his empire became divided among
his generals, Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus. Cassander had Macedon and Greece; Lysimachus had Thrace,
and those parts of Asia which lay on the Hellespont and Bosphorus; Ptolemy had Egypt, Lybia, Arabia, Palestine,
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Persia, Assyria, Bactria, Hyrcania, and all other provinces, even to the Ganges. Thus this empire, founded on the
ruin of that of the Persian, had rule over all the earth."
"The fourth great empire, represented by legs of iron, and feet part iron and part clay, was the Roman government,
the same mixed with the barbaric nations, and divided into ten kingdoms." "I think (says Dr. Clark) this means, in
the first place, the kingdom of Lagidae, in Egypt, and the kingdom of the Seleucidae, in Syria. And secondly, the
Roman empire, which was properly composed of them.
"First -- Ptolemy Lagus, one of Alexander's generals, began the new kingdom of Egypt A. M. 3692, which was continued
through a long race of sovereigns till A. M. 3974, when Octavius Caesar took Alexandria, having in the preceding
year defeated Anthony and Cleopatra at the battle of Actium, and so Egypt became a Roman province. Thus ended the
kingdom of the Lagidae, after it had lasted two hundred and eighty years.
"Second -- Seleucus Nicator, another of Alexander's generals, began the new kingdom of Syria A. M. 3692, which
continued through a long race of sovereigns till A. M. 3939, when Pompey dethroned Antiochus Asiaticus; and Syria
become a Roman province after it had lasted two hundred and forty-seven years.
"That the two legs of iron meant the kingdom of Lagidae and that of the Seleucidae, seems strongly intimated by the
character given in the text. And the
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fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron. Forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron
that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. Verse 40. "First, the iron here not only marks the
strength of these kingdoms, but also their violence and cruelty towards the people of God. History is full of the
miseries which the kings of Egypt and Syria inflicted on the Jews. Second -- it is said that these legs should break
in pieces and bruise. How many generals and princes were destroyed by Seleucus Nicator, and by Ptolemy, son of Lagus?
Seleucus particularly, could not consider himself secure on his throne till he had destroyed Antigonus, Nicanor, and
Demedrius; and Ptolemy endeavoured to secure himself by the ruin of Perdiccos. and the rest of his enemies. Thirdly
-- the dividing of the kingdom, the iron and clayey mixture, of the feet, point out the continual divisions which
prevailed in those empires, and the mixture of the good and evil qualities which appeared in the successors of
Seleucus and Ptolemy: none of them possessing the good qualities of the founders of those monarchies; neither their
valour, wisdom, nor prudence. Fourth -- the efforts which these princes made to strengthen their respective
governments by alliances, which all proved not only useless but injurious, are here pointed out by their mingling
themselves with the seed of men. But they shall not cleave one to another. Verse 43. Antiochus Theos, king of Syria,
married both Laodice and Bernice, daughters of Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt. Antiochus Magnus, king of Syria,
gave his daughter Cleopatra to
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Ptolemy Epiphanes, king of Egypt; but these marriages, instead of being the means of consolidating!]]*1 union between
those kingdoms, contributed more than any thing else to divide them, and excite the most bloody and destructive wars.
In chap. 7, 7, the prophet, having the same subject in view, says, I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth
beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and broke in pieces,
and stamped the residue with the feet of it. And in chap. 8, 22, Now that being broken (the horn of the rough goat,
the Grecian monarchy) whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his
power. These, and other declarations, point out those peculiar circumstances that distinctly mark the kingdom of the
Seleucidae, and that of the Lagidae, both of which rose out of the Macedonian or Grecian empire, and both terminated
in that of the Romans.
"Second. Those two legs of iron became absorbed in the Roman government, which also partook of the iron nature; strong,
military, and extensive in its victories; and, by its conquests, united to and amalgamated with itself various nations,
some strong and some weak -- so as to be fitly represented in the symbolical image by feet and toes, partly of iron
and partly of clay. Thus, as the Lagidae and Seleucidae arose out of the wreck of the Grecian empire, so the Roman
empire arose out of their ruin. But the empire became weakened by its conquests; and although by mingling themselves
with the seed of men, that is, by
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Strong leagues and matrimonial alliances, as mentioned above, they endeavoured to secure a perpetual sovereignty,
yet they did not cleave to each.other; and tbey also were finally swallowed up by the barbarous northern nations;
and thus terminated those four most powerful monarchies."
Thus far we have attended the interpretation Daniel gave of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, and comprehends a lapse of
time from Nimrod's founding his kingdom A. M. 1771, till the Romans, the last of the four great empires, were
swallowed up by the barbarous nations about the year after Christ 478 -- amounting in all, from Nimrod till then,
to 2707 years. But the stone which Nebuchadnezzar saw smite the feet of the great image, commenced its operations
478 years before the end of the fourth empire was accomplished. If this interpretation, given by Daniel, is correct,
in relation to the four great empires, as above stated, we look therefore for a fifth kingdom, which he as clearly
foretold should arise in the days of the Icings of the fourth empire, which was the Roman, and at the time when it
was in its greatest strength and glory, did the predicted kingdom begin to make its appearance. This stone which
Nebuchadnezzar saw smite the feet of the great image, was Jesus Christ, who was the king of the fifth kingdom which
he came to establish on the earth, and is the very one intended by Daniel, when be says in chap. 2, verse 44, And
in the days of thest king*, shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.
Dr. Clark remarks, first, "That Jesus Christ has
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been represented by a stone" and "refers chiefly to His church, which is represented as a spiritual building, which
He supports as a foundation stone, connects-and strengthens as a corner stone, and finishes and adorns as a top stone.
He is called a stone also, in reference to the prejudice conceived against him by his country men. Because He did not
come in worldly pomp, they therefore refused to receive him; and to them he is represented as a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offence.
"Secondly. He is represented under another notion, viz. that of a stone projected from a catapult, or some military
engine, which smote the image on its feet; that is, it smote the then existing government at its foundation, or
principles of support; and, by destroying these, brought the whole into ruin.
"Thirdly -- By this stroke, the clay, the iron, the brass, the silver, and the gold, were broken to pieces and became
like chaff which the wind carried away. Now we have already seen that the Roman empire which had absorbed the kingdoms
of the Lagidae and Seleucidae, was represented by the legs of iron, and feet and toes of iron and clay; but as we find
that not only the iron and clay, but also the brass, silver and gold were confounded and destroyed by that stroke, it
follows that there was then remaining in, and compacted with the Roman government, something of the distinguishing
marks and principles of all the preceding empires, not only as to their territorial possessions, but also as to their
distinctive characteristics. There were at the time here referred to, in the Roman empire, the
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splendour of the Chaldeans, the riches of the Persians, the discipline of the Greeks, and the strength of the
Egyptian and Syrian governments, mingled with the incoherence and imbecility of those empires, kingdoms and states,
which the Romans had subdued. In short, with its political excellencies, it contained the principles of its own
destruction, and its persecution of the church of Christ accelerated its ruin.
"Fourthly. The stone represents Christ and his governing influence. It is here said to be a kingdom, that is, a
state of prevailing rule and government, and was to arise in the days of those kings or kingdoms. See verse 44,
chap. 2. And this is literally true; for its rise was when the Roman government partook of all the characteristics
of the preceding empires, was at its zenith of imperial splendour, military glory, legislative authority, and
literary eminence.
"Fifthly. This stone, or government, was cut out of the mountain; arose in and under the Roman government --
Judea being, at the time of the birth of Christ, a Roman province. It was cut out without hands; probably alluding
to the miraculous birth of our Lord; but particularly to the spiritual nature of his kingdom and government, in
which no worldly policy, human maxims, or military force, were employed; for it was not by might nor power, but
by the spirit of the Lord of hosts."
Thus we have ascertained the commencement, continuance and present existence of the fifth kingdom which was to
arise, according to the view of Daniel when he interpreted the dream of Nebuchadnezzar.
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But there is one qualification foretold of this fifth king dom, which no kingdom preceding it was ever endowed
with, which was, that it should stand forever, and never be destroyed, and was destined to become a greal mountain,
and to fill the whole earth. But this having not yet been accomplished, we naturally look for that period in
futurity, which shall now claim our further attention.
Perhaps it is not possible, in order to arrive at zzztlit desired period, to follow a better guide than Dr. Clark's
explanation of the prophet Daniel's visions, which is thought he had about forty years after the time of
Nebuchadnezzar's extraordinary dream. The same paramount empires of the habitable globe that should succeed
each other, are set forth in the vision of Daniel, which were shown to Nebuchadnezzar, though by a different
kind of symbol, viz. an image composed of a variety of metallic substances. But the prophet Daniel had a prospective
view of those four great empires, under the likeness of several monstrous wild beasts, such as a lion with the
wings of an eagle, a bear having three ribs of an animal in its teeth, a leopard with four wings like a fowl, and
a fourth beast dreadful and terrible, and exceeding strong, having great iron teeth, devouring and breaking in
pieces, and stamping the residue with his feet, being diverse from all other beasts before it, having ten horns
upon its head. The first was a lion, with eagle's: This was "the kingdom of the Babylonians, the king of Babylon
is compared to a lion by Jeremiah
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5, 6, and by Isa. 5, 29, and is said to fly as an eagle. Jeremiah 48, 40, and by Ezekiel 17, 3, 7. "The lion is
considered the king of the beasts, and the eagle the king of the birds; and therefore the kingdom of Babylon,
which was signified by the golden head of the great image, was the first and noblest of all the kingdoms, and
was the greatest then in being. The wings of the eagle denote the rapidity with which the lion, Nebuchadnezzar,
made his conquests; for in a few years, by his own arms, he brought his empire to such an extent, and raised it
to such a degree of eminence, as was truly surprising; and all tended to show with what propriety this eagle-winged
lion is here made his emblem."
This Babylonish kingdom is the same with that spoken of in Daniel, chap. 2, 38, and was commenced by Nimrod
A. M. 1771, and ended with the death of Belshazzar A. M. 3466, and was succeeded by the Medes and Persians.
The second "beast like unto a bear. This was the Medo Persian empire, represented here under the symbol of the
bear, as the largest species of these animals was found in Media, a mountainous, cold and rough country, covered
with woods. The Medes and Persians are compared to a bear on account of their cruelty and thirst after blood; a
bear being a most voracious and cruel animal. The bear is termed by Aristotle an all-devouring animal; and the
Medo Persians are known to have been great robbers and spoilers." This Medo Persian empire, represented in Daniel,
chap. 7, under the emblem of a bear, is the same represented
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in chap. 2, by a breast and arms of silver, but is succeeded by the Macedonian or Greek empire. The third beast
like a leopard, having four wings of a fowl, and four heads. "This was the Macedonian or Greek empire, and Alexander
the Great its king. Alexander and his subjects are fitly compared to a leopard. First, the leopard is remarkable
for its swiftness. Alexander and the Macedonians were very rapid in their conquests. Second -- the leopard is a
spotted animal; a proper emblem of the various nations, with their various customs and languages, which constituted
the Macedonian empire. It may refer to the character of Alexander himself, sometimes mild, at others cruel; sober,
and drunken; continent, and lecherous; having a great power of self-government, and at other times a slave to
his passions. Third -- the leopard, though small, is not afraid to attack the lion.
"Four wings of a fowl. The Babylonish empire was represented with two wings, and they sufficiently marked the
rapidity of Nebuchadnezzar's conquests; but the Macedonians have here four wings; for nothing, iti the history
of the world, was equal to the conquests of Alexander, who ran through all the countries from Illyricum and the
Adriatic sea to the Indian Ocean and the river Ganges, and in twelve years subdued part of Europe, and all Asia.
"The beast had also four heads: Signifying the empire after the death of Alexander, divided between his four
generals. Cassander reigning over Macedon and Greece: Lysimachus over Thrace and Bethynia
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Ptolemy over Egypt; and Seleucus over Syria." These were the four notable horns which sprung up out of the empire
of Alexander after his death, and out of one of these there arose a little horn by itself, which became exceeding
great. This was Antiochus Epiphanes, who persecuted the Jews, and polluted their temple and sanctuary, of whom we
shall speak hereafter. He reigned about the year B. C: 300.
But after this, Daniel saw, in vision, a fourth beast arise, diverse from any that had preceded it. See chap. 7, 7.
After this, I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly;
and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it
was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. This beast, seen by Daniel in his vision,
is the same seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his dream, under the symbol of legs of iron, and feet part iron, and part clay,
and is the same fourth kingdom, according to Daniel's interpretation of that dream. See chap. 2, 40. And the fourth
kingdom shall be strong as iron, &c.
This fourth beast, says Dr. Clark, "is allowed, on all hands, to be the Roman empire. It was dreadful, terrible, and
exceeding strong; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue, that is, the remains of the former
kingdoms, with its feet. It reduced Macedon into a Roman province about one hundred and, sixty-eight years before
Christ; the kingdom of Pergamos about one hundred and thirty-three years; Syria about sixty-five; and Egypt about
thirty years before
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fore Christ. And besides the remains of the Macedonian empire, it subdued many other provinces and kingdoms, so
that it might, by a very usual figure, be said to devour the whole earth, to tread it down and break it to pieces;
and became, in effect, what the Roman writers delight to call it, the empire of the whole world. This beast "was
diverse from all the beasts that were before it, not only in its republican form of government, but also in power
and greatness, extent of dominion, and length of duration. The ten horns were ten kingdoms, into which the Roman
empire was afterwards divided," and "are reckoned thus: 1. The Roman senate. 2. The Greeks in Ravenna. 3. The Lombards,
in Lombardy. 4. The Huns, in Hungary. 5. The Alemans, in Germany. 6. The Franks, in France. 7. The Burgundians, in
Burgundy. 8. The Saracens, in Africa, and a part of Spain. 9. The Goths, in other parts of Spain. 10. And the Saxons,
in Britain." These are the ten kingdoms represented by the ten toes of the great metallic image, and by the ten
horns of the fourth beast. The symbols are dissimilar, but the kingdoms signified are the same. But while Daniel
was considering the horns of the fourth beast, his attention was arrested by another, which he calls a little horn,
which arose among the other ten horns.
But here let us pause, while we ascend with Daniel to the top of the Mount of Vision, from whence the distant
empires, kingdoms, and revolutions of future ages were clearly seen. This vision was shown to Daniel about A. M. 3444,
while he was a captive with
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the whole of his nation at Babylon, about 566 years B. C.
From the glorious height of mental elevation to which Daniel was exalted in that vision of God. there were shown
to him, as above recounted, fourteen distinct kingdoms which were to come into being, (except the one by which he
was then a captive.) The first, therefore, which he notices as being important, with respect to the welfare of his
nation, the Jews, and of the church and cause of his God in the earth, was the appearance of a little horn, which
arose about the year B. C. 300; but of this horn we shall speak hereafter, as before remarked. From thence descending
down the course of time, till after the advent of the Messiah, about the year A. D. 740, he saw arising from among
the ten horns of the fourth great empire, which was the Roman, * another little horn, of which the first horn he saw
B. C. 300 years, may be considered only as a precursor of this last horn, though the first arose 1040 years sooner.
It is evident that those two horns occupy two distinct periods of time, because they were engaged in effecting two
distinct objects, though actuated by the same spirit of wickedness. The first horn gloried in the destruction which
he poured upon the Jews and their temple, as it is stated of him, that he waxed great even to the host of heaven;
and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and relates wholly to what he did to the Jews
before the time of
__________
* Though now divided and absorbed by the overflowing of the northern nations, yet retaining the name of Roman.
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Christ. But the second horn, instead of rising out of one of the four horns, arose from the midst often, and aimed
at the empire of the whole world, affecting to be the vicegerent of Christ on earth. This did not tlie first horn.
By the first horn, the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary cast down. This was Antiochus
Epiphanes. But of the last born it is said by Daniel, that he plucked up three of the ten horns which were round
about him; neither was this done by the first horn: From which it is clear they are distinct powers, and occupy
distinct periods, though moved by the same spirit of wickedness to monopolize the empire of the whole globe, by
which they are known as brethren of the same father, who is the devil.
This last horn, who had eyes like the eyes of a man, and a month speaking great things, is "among Protestant writers
considered the popedom." The eyes in this horn are the symbols of oversight, "intimating cunning and superintendence;
for the Pope calls himself Episcopus episcoporum, or the Overseer of Overseers."
The mouth speaking great things, consists in his "pretending to unlimited jurisdiction, binding and loosing at
pleasure. Promising to absolve from ail sins, present, past and future; and threatening to send to everlasting
destruction all kings, kingdoms and individuals, who dare to dispute his authority. To none can this apply so
well, and so fully, as to the Popes of Rome. They have assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They
profess to forgive sins,
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which belongs only to God. They profess to open and shut heaven, which belongs only to God. They profess to be
higher than all the kings of the earth, which belongs only to God. And they go beyond God, in pretending to loose
whole nations from their oath of allegiance to their kings, when such kings do not please them; and they go against
God, when they give indulgences for sin." This they have done, and is the worst of all blasphemies. The dreaded
councils at Rome, under the sole direction of the numerous Popes since they became antichristian, have endeavoured
to wear out the saints, "by wars, crusades, massacres, inquisitions and persecutions of all kinds. What, in this
way, have they not done against all those who have protested against their innovations, and refused to submit to
their idolatrous worship. Witness the exterminating crusades published against the Waldenses and Abbigenses. Witness
John Huys, and Jerom of Prague. Witness the Smithfield fires in England. Witness God and man against this bloody,
persecuting, ruthless and impure church." They have also thought" to change times and laws, by appointing fasts
and feasts; canonizing persons whom they choose to call saints; granting pardons and indulgences for sins;
instituting new modes of worship utterly unknown to the Christian church; new articles of faith; new rules of
practice; and reversing, at pleasure, the laws both of God and man." -- Dodd.
This, then, is the beast foreseen by Daniel the prophet, into whose hands the saints were to be given a "time,
times and a half time, which term is, by all commentators,
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allowed to signify 1260 years, reckoning 360 days to the year. A time is computed at one year, or 360 days --
times at two years, or 720 days -- a half time at a half a year, or 180 days. These day? added, give 1260, which
are each a symbol of one year. 1260 years is, consequently, the time the saints were to be given into the hand
of this beast, or little horn, which arose from among the ten other horns; but at what period of time is it
judicious to fix upon as the time when the saints were given to this horn? This appears to be the grand difficulty,
and as many periods as waiters upon this subject have been hit upon, and claim to be the true time. But to me
it appears perfectly in vain to expect the saints shall be released from the grasp of this papal monster, a day
sooner than the time when the sanctuary, which is the visible church on the earth, is to be cleansed, perfectly
cleansed, from all things that can offend. This sentiment is drawn from Dan. 7, 26. But the judgment shall sit,
and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. Unto what end? I answer, to
the end of the 1260 years from the time they were given into his hand. But it is also clear, from the same verse,
that the consumption of this saint-holding power shall be somewhat gradual, and from time to time shall be shaken.
This, in one instance, has already been done. "In 1798, the French republican army, under General Berthier, took
possession of the city of Rome, and entirely superseded the whole papal power. This was a deadly wound, though at
present
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it appears to be healed: but it is but merely skimmed over, and a dreadful cicatrice remains."
But there will surely come a time, probably several years this side the Millennium, when this beast must be not
only shaken, but utterly destroyed at the place where he now has his seat and throne in Italy. See Daniel 7, 11.
I beheld because of the voice of the great words' which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain,
and his body given to the burning • flame. This statement of Daniel is wonderfully corroborated by St. John. See
Rev. 18, 8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly
burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her, i. e. the little horn, seen by Daniel among the
ten, or the woman sitting on many waters, seen by St. John; for it is both one -- the papal power. But when Italy,
the seat of this beast, shall come to be thus destroyed, and suddenly sunk into the sea, other Catholic countries
will not so much lay it to heart, as immediately to repent, but will consider it only one of those convulsions
in nature, to which the earth is always subject, and consequently will remain in their ignorance and bigotry,
mourning over the sad fate of the seat of the Least; for who but its friends will mourn over the destruction of
the great engine of the devil to persecute the saints. St. John, by the spirit of prophecy, has minutely pointed
out this circumstance, where be represents those who survive the destruction of Italy, as saying, Alas, alas, that
great city, that was clothed in • fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with
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gold, and precious stones, and pearls: for in one hour so great riches is come to nought. Chap. 18, 16,17.
From these circumstances, it appears that the church of God will continue under the power of this same papal horn,
in some sense more or less, till the final destruction of all kinds of sinners takes place, as before argued, just
before the resurrection of the righteous dead, which circumstance shall be the great door of entrance into the
Millennial state. To this view agrees the fact of history, concerning the time when the saints were first given
into the hands of that mighty horn, the papal power. It is well known, that all along from the martyrdom of Stephen,
whom Saul of Tarsus, afterwards St. Paul, aided in putting to death, there was, till the time of Constantine, a
continued persecution of the Christians, except a little space after the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, the
Roman emperor. This persecution was carried on by Jews, mostly, till they were disabled to do so by the Romans;
but thereafter by the Roman pagan powers, which at that time involved the world nearly in their sway. The blood
of Christians flowed freely, beginning with Stephen the first martyr, which, like a small spring commencing a river,
but in its progress enlarges as it passes through various regions of country, receiving tributary streams and
springs till it becomes immense: so the blood of Christian martyrs accumulated in depth and in width, as the course
of time carried them along succeeding ages, till great and horrible was the river of blood shed in support of the
sacred cause. But when, by the immediate and supernatural
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interposition of a wise providence, Constantine became changed from a supporter of the old heathen dragon worship
to a supporter of the Christian, a stop to the effusion of Christian blood was immediately effected. It is well
known that the emperor Constantine was changed in his views of the Christian cause, by the appearance of a bright
and luminous cross in the sky, a little after noon day, with an inscription on it in the Greek language, BY THIS
CONQUER. See Clark on Dan. who has quoted this fact from Euseb. De Vit. Const, lib. 1, chap. 28, and states that
it was done while that emperor was in Gaul, A. D. 312, and that the prediction of the cross in the skies was
fulfilled A. D. 331, when he terminated the reign of idolatry by an edict ordering the destruction of all heathen
temples, when Christianity became the religion of his whole empire.
But very soon thereafter, the grand though fatal design of fixing Christianity on a more permanent basis was
conceived, which was to have its support recognized in the constitution of the laws of the empire, instead of
its being supported by the simple yet best of means, the conversion of sinners to God from the error of their
ways. But this seed of ecclesiastical power having thus been planted, it soon vegetated beneath the hot beams
of the rising sun of riches, power, and earthly glory in prospect, which soon began to appear quite above the
horizon, and to glitter gloriously in the view of the church in those days. Hence the holy zeal which formerly,
like a robe, covered the ecclesiastics of the Christian church, became paralyzed by the
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strong desire of clerical empire and jurisdiction; the genius of which easily invented the imposing title of
Universal Bishop. Hence the age of strife, to climb up to this seat, commenced, and it was not long ere it grew
to a throne; from whence the appalling thunders of those pigmy gods rolled to distant nations their supreme
commands, as from the throne of the Highest. As early as the year A. D. 606, we find an account of a third
universal bishop, viz. Boniface, This, then, is the apostacy spoken of by St. Paul, the man of sin which he
foretold. This is the beast which St. John saw rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns, and upon
his horns ten crowns, and upon his head the name of blasphemy. Is not this the beast to whom the dragon gave his
power, and his seat, and great authority? Is not this the horn which Daniel saw arise, who had a look more stout
that his fellows? This look of his, which was more stout than his-fellows, signified that he would not only lay
hold on the secular concerns of empires, but also extend his pretended power even to the invisible world, and
controul the destinies of departed spirits. This no mortal power before him pretended to do. Into the hands of
this monster, was the saints delivered for a time, times and a half time, or 1260 natural years. The prediction
of Daniel states, that he was to arise from among ten other horns. These horns were formed out of the old Roman
empire, by the incursions of the northern nations. "The first of those kingdoms (says Mr. Faber) which was the
Huns, arose A. D. 356, and the last of them, that of the Lombards, in the north of Germany
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A. D. 483, and about the year 526 in Hungary." This little horn, therefore, came up as it were by stealth among
these ten kingdoms, but it consisted entirely of a spiritual nature, or at least professedly such, though secretly
aiming at what he finally accomplished, viz. the supreme control of all those ten kingdoms, in both secular and
spiritual affairs. Here, then, was accomplished in this fact, the prophecy of the Revelator, that the dragon
should give to this beast his seat, and great authority. The dragon signifies the old pagan worship of idols, his
seat, and great authority, his universal sway, and claim of adoration: So this last beast came at length to be
adored as a god among the nations, and is the same who is to continue forty and two months -- (See Rev. 13, 5) --
which forty and two months amount, in the prophetic calculation, to 1260 years; from which it is clear, that the
saints are not to be wholly freed from his power till he is destroyed, for he is to continue but the forty and
two months, therefore his power over them shall cease when he ceases to exist, and not before. The time, therefore,
when the saints were given into his hands, was also the time when he began to exist in that peculiar character,
in which Daniel and the Revelator contemplated him. Those times in which he was foreseen as a little horn, was
while he exercised only in the spiritual concerns of the church, after he began his antichristian practices, by
substituting, for the truths of the Scriptures, the wild fancies of mercenary men.
But such as he was foreseen to be, when he began to open his mouth in horrible blasphemies against God,
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and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven, was such as he was when he finally seized the secular power,
and controlled the councils of empires, and stood upon them as a vulture on the highest points of the mountains
of the globe, tearing the prey and none to deliver. The true token of his becoming such, was when he should be
engaged in tearing up by the roots three of the ten horns, which were round about him. These three stood in his
way, or opposed his designs of aggrandizement and extravagant demands. He, therefore, plucked them up by the roots.
See Dan. 7, 8. This work he commenced before the year A. D. 740, and finished it some little time after that date.
I have, therefore, chosen to fix upon the year of our Lord 740, as the true time when this beast had come to the
full stature of what he was apprehended to be by Daniel and the Revelator, when the saints were given to his power.
This power he exercised, by giving such direction to the secular arm as pleased him. Having then secured this
engine, he thenceforward practised according to his will, deposing kings and dissolving subjects from their
allegiance, and persecuting the saints even beyond his own papal dominions. I am compelled to this conclusion,
because I perceive the length of time which this beast occupies in his peculiar secular character, (distinguished
from the spiritual) is exactly coeval with the length of time he was to have dominion over the saints, both
consisting of 1260 years. If, therefore, it is proper to fix upon the year 740, when he, by means of the sword in
the hand of kings and emperors, destroyed from age to age millions of the
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saints of the Most High. The time, then, when he shall come to his end, and the saints in all the earth be
delivered from his power, both of the sword and his false doctrine, will be the year of our Lord 2000. The three
horns which he plucked up by the roots, were, according to Dr. Clark, "first, the exarchate of Ravenna; second,
the kingdom of the Lombards; third, the state of Rome."
Having now ascertained the time when the 1260 years began, and consequently when they shall end, we proceed to
enquire the meaning of another vision Daniel the prophet had, concerning when the sanctuary shall be cleansed,
which will be found exactly to corroborate, in point of completion, with the 1260 years and forty-two months,
which I have contended will be in the year A. D. 2000. And at the same period of time will be finished the one
thousand two hundred and threescore days. See Rev. 12,6, which is also 1260 years, and is that space of time in
which the woman, who are the saints, is to be fed in the wilderness, and commenced at the time when the saints
began to bleed and to suffer by the papal secular power, A. D. 740.
Although I admit, as is contended by Mr. Faber, that "upon the death of Sabinianus, Boniface the third ascended
the papal throne, in the beginning of the year A. D. 606," and that one of his first acts that same year was to
procure from the emperor Phocus a grant of the title of Universal Bishop, and supreme head of the church; yet,
says Mr. Faber, "I mean not indeed to say, that he immediately began to exercise this un-christian
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authority." This idea of that admired author, is one upon which I seize as agreeing with ray view, who contends
that the famous 1260 years had their commencement A. D. 606, and are to end A. D. 1866. But the reason why I lay
hold of his acknowledgment, that Boniface, who, by the emperor Phocus, was titled universal bishop, did not
immediately commence a persecution against the saints, is to show that an immediate persecution of the saints was
not then an object with him, nor yet of his predecessors; but a more definite object was to be finally and firmly
seated on the very pinnacle of earthly power, which was truly effected in the year of our Lord 606. But I apprehend
this period was not so much noticed by Daniel, as the time when the blood of saints began to be poured out, because
of their open opposition to the wickedness of the pope. There is not a doubt but this horn, the papal power, came
up by slow degrees, and gradually initiated the multitude of those ten kingdoms round about him into his doctrines
and ceremonies; for as early as the fourth century, "the forbidding to marry, the abstaining from meats, the
excessive veneration of supposed mediators, saints and angels, began to creep into the church: "By which practices
the church was amused, and more and more brought on to consent to the imposing titles and usages assumed by the
then corrupted ecclesiastics of the church of Rome, its members feeling themselves proportionably exalted with
their leaders; but while they were lifted up in view of their church, they were sinking in ignorance, superstition
and bigotry, till the title,
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with the power, was conferred, which created and perfected this idol of papal Rome.
But when thus exalted, when thus endowed, with the supreme government of that sacerdotal empire, "the ancient
Pantheon, formerly the general sink of all the abominations of paganism was restored, though under a different
name, to its original destination" of idolatry. The mediatory images of imagined saints, the product of corrupted
Christianity, occupied the vacant places of the mediatory demons of the old dragon Gentiles, which were destroyed
by Constantine; and beside these, instead of Jupiter and the kindred deities, the virgin mother of Christ, and all
his martyred saints, received the blind adoration of the ten horned beast. Now when all this was finished in 606,
it became apparent to all considerate men, that riches, honour, glory, power and dominion, was the only object of
this now totally corrupted papal church; therefore opposition to his schemes and plans of coercion, began not
many years thereafter to be manifested, which led to a series of wars and bloodshed. Consequently, we find him
about the year 740, plucking up by the roots three of the kingdoms, which were numbered among the ten, into which
the old Roman empire was divided by the incursions of the northern barbaric nations. To this period, therefore,
I am inclined to think the prophecy of Daniel referred, when he saw the blood of saints began its pouring out, in
testimony of their faith, and in opposition to that idolatrous church. But if we receive the arguments of Mr. Faber,
who states that the 1260 years had their commencement A. D. 606;
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then their end will come, as he has stated, in A. D. 1866, leaving but 39 years from 1827 to accomplish the
destruction of the Mahometan religion, to accomplish ihe subversion of the papal errors, and to bring to a final
close the time, times and a half time of Daniel, and the 2300 prophetic days of the same prophet when the sanctuary
is to be cleansed, to finish the forty- two months, wherein the Gentiles and the corrupted Roman church, shall
tread the holy city, i. e. the Saints, under foot, to release the woman, i. e. the saints, from her wilderness state
of a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Now if all this is to be accomplished in A. D. 1866, we shall have the Millennium one hundred and fourteen years
too soon. I cannot conceive, therefore, if all those antichristian powers are to come to their end 114 years sooner
than the year of our Lord 2000, when or how those bloody wars are yet to take place, which, by many writers and
most people, is contended will be the fact, in the land of Palestine, after the Jews are all returned to that
country, where the last great war is to take place, called armageddon; because if those anti-Christian powers are
to come to their end in 39 years from the present, who then will be left on the earth to wage this war with the
Jews, unless we suppose a return of die Jews to that country, and those horrid wars are all to transpire within
the short spare of 39 years, which is not at all probable. But that the Jews are ever to return from the countries,
where they are now dwelling, to Palestine, is altogether an unaccountable fancy, and unfounded in the Scriptures,
as I conceive;
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but that they shall be brought, in all countries, to believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the true Christ, is not to
be doubted. (See introduction upon this subject.) But if we fix on the year A. D. 740, and from thence count
downward the vision of 1260 years, when all these wonders shall be finished, it will bring the time to A, D. 2000,
at which time it is proper to look for the commencement of the Millennial years: For the destruction of all
opposition belongs to God, and he can as easily effect it in the last year of the next century as in a thousand;
for it will be finally the effect of supernatural power.
But let us not forget, that we have ascended with Daniel the Mount of Vision, and have, in the preceding pages,
recounted his view of the little horn, that came up among ten others in the year of our Lord 740, which I have
endeavoured to show was when the spiritual and secular power had formed a junction in the person of Pope Boniface
the Third, i. e. when he was found putting that power into execution against the three horns, or governments,
which he plucked up by the roots, which work he commenced before, and finished soon after the year A. D. 740.
Our object, therefore, is next to attend to his description of a horn which he saw rise out of one of the four
horns or kingdoms that came up and occupied part of the dominions of Alexander the Great. This horn arose one
thousand and forty years sooner than the one we have seen which came up among the ten, as early B. C. as 300 years.
And in order to prove that it signifies Antiochas Epiphanes, I shall give an account of his predecessors as
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foreseen by Daniel, following the opinion of Dr. Clark, and others quoted by him, in order to come at the identity
of both time and person. While Daniel was a captive at Babylon, B. C. 550 years, (and it is thought he died there)
he in a vision was informed by an angel of God, what should befall his countrymen soon after their restoration to
Jerusalem, and the rebuilding of the temple by the order of Cyrus, which was accomplished by the Jews under the
conduct of the prophets Nehemiah and Ezra; and also what should befall the sanctuary of the Jewish temple through
the wickedness of Antiochus Epiphanes, who would pollute it. And from a view of the pollution of that sanctuary,
which was a type and figure of the great sanctuary, the Christian cause, he descends, therefore, in his view down
the course of ages, to the times of the pollution of the Christian sanctuary by the papal powers, {as we have
already described) till it should finally be cleansed at the end of 2300 years, from the times of the pollution of
the temple. In the vision which passed before him, there was presented to his view a rain, whose head was adorned
with two lofty horns, but one of them was much higher than the other, and the highest came up last. These two horns
were the kings of Media and Persia. See Dan. 8, 20, where it is said, The ran which thou sawest having two horns,
are the kings of Media and Persia. But the ram itself was Cyrus, who was the founder of that empire. "Cyrus was
the son of Cambyses, king of Persia, and grandson of Astyages, king of Media, by his daughter Mandane, who had
been given in marriage to Cambyses. Cyrus
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marrying Roxana, the daughter and only child of his uncle Cyaxares, called in the Scripture Ahaseurus, succeeded
to both crowns, and thus united Media and Persia." Respecting this ram with his two horns, Daniel says, chap. 8,
verse 4, I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward, so that n9 beast might stand before him,
neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; he did according to his will, and became great. "The
principal theatre of their wars was against the Scythians, northward; against the Greeks, westward; and against
the Egyptians, southward." There was no nation at that time that could stay the progress of the Persian arms.
The prophet Daniel says, verses 5 and 6, And as I was considering, behold a he-goat came from the west on the
face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground; and the he-goat had a notable horn between his eyes. And
he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury
of his power." This he-goat was the emperor Alexander the Great, who invaded Asia B. C. 334 years. It may be
pleasing to the reader to learn why in the Scriptures he is called a he-goat. Bishop Newton states that two
hundred years before the time of Daniel, they were called the Aegeadae, the goat's people; the origin of which
name is said to be as follows: Caranus, their first king, going with a multitude of Greeks to seek a new habitation
in Macedonia, was advised by an oracle to take the goats for jus guides; and afterwards, seeing a herd of goats
flying from a violent storm, he followed them to Edessa,
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and there fixed the seat of his empire, and made the goats his ensign or standard, and called the place zzzJEge,
the goat's town, and the people JEgeadae, the goat's people. The city zzz/Ege, or jEgea, was the usual burying place
of the Macedonian kings; and in reference to this origin, Alexander called his son by Roxana, Alexander zzz5£gus,
(or, as it is in English, Alexander the Goat.) All of which goes to establish the propriety of Alexander's being
in Scripture called, in reference to this origin, a he-goat. This he-goat came with his forces from the west of
Asia. Europe lies west of that quarter of the globe, and by the time Alexander was thirty years of age, he had
conquered all Asia; and because of the rapidity of his conquests, lie is represented as a leopard with four wings,
in the preceding vision. This he-goat, it is said by Daniel, come to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen
standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. Chap. 8, 6. The conflicts between the Greeks
and the Persians were excessively severe. Alexander first vanquished the generals of Darius at the river Granicus,
in Phrygia; he next attacked and totally routed Darius at the straits of Issus, in Silicia; and afterwards at the
plains of Arbela, in Assyria. "One can hardly read these words," says Bishop Newton, "the ram -- which I had seen
standing by the river -- ran unto him in the fury of his power, without having the image of Darius's army standing
and guarding the river Granicus; and of Alexander on the other side, with his forces plunging in, swimming across
the stream and rushing on the enemy, with all the fire and
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fury that can be conceived." He broke the two horns of the ram when he had subdued Persia and Media, and had burnt
the royal city of Persepolis, the capital of the Persian empire; and, even in its ruins, one of the wonders of the
world to the present day. Alexander's victories over the Persians were as easy as they were rapid and decisive. He
cast down (the ram) to the ground, and stamped on him, totally destroyed the family, and overturned the whole
monarchy. But this he-goat, when he had conquered nearly the then known world, died B. C. 323, in the height of
his conquests, at the age of about thirty-three years. After his death, his natural brother, Philip Aridaeus, and
his two sons, Alexander zzz5£gus and Hercules, kept up the show and name of the Macedonian kingdom for a time,
but they were all murdered within fifteen years after the death of Alexander; and thus the great horn, the
Macedonian kingdom, was broken, the whole family being now cut off. But as soon as this was accomplished, the
regions subdued by Alexander were divided among four of his generals, as before stated in this division. These
four generals, who had become governors of provinces, during the fifteen years in which Alexander's brothers and
two sons held the rule, were the four-notable horns which came up after Alexander, the great Macedonian horn was
broken. But "out of one of them came a little horn which waxed exceeding great toward the south, and toward the
east, and toward the pleasant land. And it waxed great even to. the host of heaven., and it cast clown some of the
host, and of the stars, U>zzz the ground, and stamped upon them, which was the
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Jewish priesthood. And by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
And a host was given him against the daily sacrifice, by reason of transgressions, and it cast down the truth to
the ground, and it practiced and prospered." See Dan. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
Now when Daniel saw in the vision the havoc and desolation this little horn would make at Jerusalem, by destroying
the Jews and profaning the temple, by putting the abominations of the heathen in the most holy place, then I heard,
said Daniel, one saint speaking to another saint, (or, as Dr. Clark says, one angel speaking to another angel) how
long shall be the, vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the
sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? To which an answer was immediately given, saying, Unto two thousand
three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
Now arises the question to be answered: Who is this little horn, and when are we to commence the numbering of those
2300 days or years, as they are by all allowed to mean; so that we may know when the sanctuary, i. e. the church of
God, to which Daniel must have referred, as well as to the sacred altar at Jerusalem, evidently connecting them
in his view of desolations, shall be cleansed. For he very well knew, as a prophet, that the sanctuary at Jerusalem
was te give place to the greater one to be set up by the Messiah; therefore, in his propecying respecting when the
sanctuary is to be cleansed, hp lias adverted from the former to the latter, and foretold when, or, in other
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words, when the Millennium is to commence. Some have strenuously contended, that this little horn signifies the
Romans as a nation; but this cannot be, because Daniel saw this horn arise at a period future to the time when he
saw the vision, which was while he was at Babylon, a captive, B. C. 550 years. But the Romans had their commencement
long before Daniel was born, as early as the year B. C. 753; consequently, it is morally impossible to allow this
horn to be the Roman government. The vision put the whole tragedy in the ages to come from the time of the vision.
Those who have supposed that this little horn signifies the Roman government, have accordingly supposed that
Daniel's view of what was done to the sanctuary and temple by way of polluting it, by setting up the abomination
which maketh desolate, was accomplished by the Romans under Titus, when it was totally destroyed by that emperor,
A. D. 70. But it should be recollected, that nothing is more unlikely than that God would put it into the heart of
Daniel to mourn for the desolation of the temple, after it was of no further use to his cause and church in the
earth, when Christ had once suffered, and the temple thereby rendered useless as a place to exhibit types of a
coming Messiah, which was the only design had in view in building it at first.
But Daniel certainly foretold the destruction of Jerusalem in the ninth and eleventh chapters of his book, and
speaks of the Romans as being the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. See Mattii. 24, 15; but by
no means conveying the idea, that the
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Romans, at that time and place, was the little horn: because we find, after Daniel had finished his account of the
exploits of the little horn, he states concerning him in chap. 11,31, that arms should stand on his part, i. e.
the Romans, of whom the little horn had been always in awe, and had paid taxes to them, and became finally supplanted
by them; but as the Romans pursued the same policy and severity towards the Jews that the little horn had, it is
said, in reference to this point, by Daniel, that arms stood on his pnrt. The standing of the Roman arms on the part
of the little horn, did not aid any of his views of glory and ambition relative to himself, but only accomplished
his hatred, though after his death, against the Jews, by finally destroying them and their whole nation by Titus,
A. D. 70. But he, (the little horn) came finally to his end, there being none to help him. This was accomplished
upon him when he planted the power of his arms in the land of Judea, to destroy it; but his armies were then defeated
by the Jews, under the conduct of Maccabeus. * See Daniel 11, 45. And he shall plant the tabernacle of his palaces
between the seas (of the Mediterranean and Asphaltides, north lat. 31 1-2 east, long. 35 from Lond.) in the glorious
holy mountain, (Jerusalem) yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
I feel, therefore, assured, that the period of the ruin of the temple after Christ is not the period to which Daniel
alludes, when he in vision described what the little horn would do before he should come to his end. Nor yet that
it was the Romans who represented this
__________
* And his successors after the death of Antiochus.
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little horn, because they arose 453 years sooner than the acts prophecied of the little horn took place. But if we
say ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES is the terrible king, or horn, he saw arise, then we find in him a character which at once
realizes all the acts foreseen of him in the eighth chapter of Daniel. The time also that he arose to power, (which
was 250 years after the prophecy) will agree with the time set to cleanse the sanctuary, which was from his rising
up, till it should be cleansed, 2300 years. For it appears from the account the writer of the book of Maccabees
has given of him, that he existed, and did all the things foretold of him by Daniel, about the year B. C. 300. A
more particular account of what he did than is stated by Daniel, I now proceed to extract from the first book of
Maccabees, which is allowed, for its historical correctness, to be of great worth, and is found to agree with Daniel,
respecting out of whom this horn should arise. Daniel states that he arose out of one of the four horns who succeeded
Alexander. These were his generals; and the countries they ruled over have been already mentioned.
It appears from Maccabees, chap. 1, 7, that Alexander reigned twelve years, and then died; consequently he succeeded
his father Philip at the age of twenty- one, for he was thirty-three years old when he died, 13. C. 323. After his
death, his brother and two sons, as before stated, kept up the appearance of the Macedonian empire for 15 years,
which brings the date of their, murder, and the assumption of government by Alexander's generals, over the nations
conquered by
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him, to the year B. C. 308. Now out of one of these four horns which sprung up after the death of Alexander,
arose Antiochus Epiphanes, who, it is supposed, supplanted Cassander, one of the four generals of Alexander, who
had for his part of the conquests of his royal master, Macedon and Greece. Antiochus Epiphanes is the one,
therefore, who, according to Daniel, arose at that time. See chap. 8, verse 9. And out oj one of them, (the four
generals of Alexander) came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great. This is the one also described in
the first chapter of Maccabees. See Apocrypha. "And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus surnamed
Epiphanes. Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt, that he might
have dominion of two realms. Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants,
and horsemen, and a great navy. Ptolemy was afraid of him, and fled. Thus they got the strong cities in the land
of Egypt, and he took the spoils thereof." That this same Antiochus Epiphanes, spoken of in the Apocrypha, in the
first book of Maccabees and first chapter, was the little horn prophecied of by Daniel, we have the comment of
Adam Clark upon chap. 11, verse 25, of that prophecy, as corroborative proof. See the verse. And he shall stir up
his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army. "Antiochus marched against Ptolemy,
the king of the south (Egypt) with a great army; and the Egyptian generals had raised mighty forces. The two
armies met between Pelusium and Mount Casius; but he (the
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king of the south) could not stand; the Egyptian army was defeated."
And further, as corroborative proof that this
Antiochus who then invaded Egypt, was Antiochus Epiphanes, the horn alluded to by Daniel, I shall give Dr. Clark's
remarks on verse 21, of the llth'chap. And in his estate (i. e. a former king -- Cassander probably) shall stand
up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom; but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain
the kingdom by flatteries. This was Antiochus, surnamed Epiphanes, or the Illustrious, by the Syrian court. "They
did not give him the honour of the kingdom. He was at Athens, on his way to Rome, when his predecessor died, and
Heliodorus had declared himself king; so had several others But Antiochus came in peaceably, for he obtained the
kingdom by flatteries. He flattered Eumenes, king of Pergamus, and Attains his brother, and got their assistance.
He flattered the Romans, and sent ambassadors to court their favour, and pay them the arrears of tribute. He
flattered the Syrians, and gained their concurrence; and as he flattered the Syrians, so they flattered him, giving
him the epithet of Epiphanes, the Illustrious. But that he was what the prophet calls him, a vile person, is fully
evident, from what Polybius says of him, from Athenaeas, lib. v. "He was every man's companion: he resorted to the
common shops, and prattled with the workmen: he frequented die common taverns, and ate and drank with the meanest
fellows, singing debauched songs," &c. From which It is evident^zzz this person is the same to whom both Daniel
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and the Apocrypha alludes. By the one he is called Antiochus Epiphanes, plainly; and by the other, a vile person,
who, by Clark, is said to be the same; and, I add, is the little horn foreseen of Daniel.
But I resume the account
given of him in Maceabees. See Apocrypha. "And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned and went up
against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude; and entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the
golden altar, and all the vessels thereof. He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he
took the hidden treasures which he found. And when he had taken all away, he went unto his own land, having made
a great massacre, and spoke very proudly." But two years after, it appears that Antiochus returned again to Jerusalem,
and burnt down a part of the city, carried many captives away, and possessed their cattle. And at the same time he
built a strong wall round the city of David, with immense lowers on it, and thereby made it a strong hold for
himself. "And put therein a sinful nation, and fortified themselves therein." It appears that from this fort which
they built, that they harassed and afflicted the people, who daily came to the temple to sacrifice. "Thus they
shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it." At that time Antiochus wrote letters to his
whole kingdom, that in their worship they should be one people, and also to the Jews, many of whom consented to
the worship of idols. "He set up groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrificed fine's flesh and unclean beasts."
He also set up an
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idol upon the very altar of God in the temple, and sacrificed to the idol there, and sprinkled the whole temple and
altar with the broth of swine's flesh. See Clark on Daniel, chap. 11, 28.
From what I have advanced, it appears evident (at least to me) that the horn which arose nearest to Daniel's time,
B. C. 550, was Antiochus Epiphanes, who commenced his reign about the year B. C. 300; but soon after his end, the
kingdom was lost in that of the Romans, who commenced their national existence B. C. 758, but at that time had
become exceeding powerful. If, therefore, the prophet alluded to the rime of Antiochus, who horribly polluted the
Jewish sanctuary, we see clearly that the time to cleanse it, i. e. the Christian sanctuary, of which that at
Jerusalem was the type, will be at the end of 2300 natural years, and will be completed at the end of the next
century, in the year A. D. 2000. At that time also will be finished the 1260 years of the captive state of the
Christian polluted sanctuary, who went into captivity about the year A. D. 740. At that period will the woman, who
is the Christian church, now under the power of the beast, come forth from her hiding place, where she has been,
is now, and will continue to be fed and preserved, till the end of 1260 years, from the face of the serpent, which
is the old heathen worship of idols, from which she was rescued by the conversion of Constantine, and preserved in
the wilderness state of the Roman Catholic church from heathen idolatry, though nothing more, since that time,
than nominally Christian,
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EXPECTED CHRISTIAN MILLENNIUM.
which, however, preserves her from the more horrid face of the serpent, paganism.
At that time shall end the
prophecyiug of the two witnesses. See Rev. 11, 3. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they shall prophecy
a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. During which time the Gentiles are to tread
under foot the holy city, i. e. the whole community of saints in those Catholic countries, who would gladly embrace
the opportunity of listening to the voice of those witnesses, if they were not now shrouded in the smoke of the
bottomless pit. But at the end of the forty-two months, at the end of the three days and a half, at the end of the
twelve hundred and sixty years, at the end of a thousand two hundred and threescore days, at the end of a time,
times and a half time, at the end of Daniel's two thousand three hundred days -- shall the smoke of the bottomless
pit be blown quite from the mental region of man's mind in all the globe, in the last year of the next century.
But long before that period, the gospel will have been received among all heathen nations.
Having now presented my reasons for believing the Millennium will commence at the end of six thousand years from
the beginning of creation, I will sum them up in brief, and then pass to some remarks on the kingdom of the
mountain, then close this division with a few reflections. My reasons for expecting it at that period, have
consisted, I st, in showing the sanctity and propriety of a Millennium. 2d. By exhibiting proofs that the ancient
Jews, Rabbins, and prophets, as we'll
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as the Christian churches in all ages have expected it.
3d. By a compared view of the various kinds of Sabbaths, which I have shown as typifying a Millennium at a certain
period. 4. By ascertaining the rise and fall of the papal horn. 5. By showing when and who it was that polluted
the Jewish sanctuary, and when the time to cleanse it shall come, i. e. the Christian sanctuary, as I suppose the
prophet meant, else he would not have set the time so distant as 2300 years.
6. That the four grand dispensations from Abraham, consisting of a thousand years each, shall also end with the
next century; exactly corroborating their sublime symbol, which was a river, shown to Ezekiel by an angel, consisting
of four equal measurements of a thousand cubits each, which is descriptive of the increase of a knowledge of God in
his church in the earth, since the birth of Abraham till the Millennium. 7. By showing that at the end of the next
century, the noted 1260 years, in which the saints were given into the
power of the secular Roman church, shall end; and 8. That then the two witnesses shall finish their prophecying in
sackcloth, and be caught up to heaven in the midst of a cloud. These are my reasons for believing the Millennium
will commence at that period. There J see a termination of all those grand symbols upon which the expectation has
been built, by both the ancient and modern church. But I will here remark, that the exaltation of the two
witnesses, the Old and the New Testament, to heaven, may be understood to signify, that- as the Holy Scriptures,
the grand medium through which God has conversed with man, have been
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despised, ridiculed and rejected by a majority of the nations, so they shall finally come to be had in universal
honour, and their precepts to be the Alpha and Omega of all the nations of the earth during a thou sand years,
even on the earth where they have been despised. This glory which shall be bestowed upon them, their enemies shall
see; but in that same hour, when thus exalted, there shall be a great earthquake, terrible commotions among men;
the wicked falling by the supernatural power which shall then destroy them. And the seventh angel sounded; (for
six had preceded him) and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And as if to confirm the faith of the saints, that the vision shall end, and the saints take the kingdom at the
termination of 1260 years, from the precise time the Christian sanctuary was absolutely and totally polluted by
the papists, and the abomination set up, (i. e. the Popes, as idols) which maketh desolate, of whom Antiochus
Epiphanes, and his pollutions of the Jewish sanctuary, was a lively type. It is asked, How long shall it be to
the end of these wonders? See Dan. chap. 12, 6. The reply was, that it shall be for a lime, times, and a half time;
and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy peoflc,nil these things shall be finished.
Thus I understand it: the time allowed to this desolating monster, this abominable idol, which has made desolate
the saints, is 1260 tears, in which time he
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shall have fully accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, the children of God in his dominions,
who receive hot the mark of this beast in their foreheads, or their hands. The end, or last years of the next
century, shall finish the visions of Daniel and St. John, in reference to the kingdom of the stone, and close
the grand drama of sufferings with the saints, and shall usher in, like the breaking forth of the waters of
Paradise in the first Eden, the undescribed glories of the Millennial state, and kingdom of the mountain, which
is Christ in his second coming, filling the whole earth.
REFLECTIONS.>/b>
And are we, indeed, so near the time which has been the subject of hope and prophecy in all ages, of both the
Jewish and Christian churches; so near that period when the depravity of the heart shall be no more, when the
effects of sin shall cease, and zzzhs injuries be repaired by the spirit of the Lord of Host in all the earth,
both of natural and moral evil? Are we indeed, so near that time, when the holy dead shall rise at the sound of
the voice of the archangel in all the earth? So near that time, when the sweet fellowship that existed in Eden
between man and the angels of God, shall be renewed; the lost image of perfect holiness be restored? Yes, O my
soul! the time is near. Blessed be God, who so loved the world as to give his only Son for a ransom, upon whom,
as a foundation, is built, zzznptly the expectation of the joys of the Millennial state,
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EXPECTED CHRISTIAN MILLENNIUM.
but when that shall end, the more triumphant bliss of an eternal weight of glory in the heavens. With these
views let us be comforted, and possess our souls in patience, for behold it hasteneth. Soon the rush of years
will unfold to the astonished sight the joys that have been bought with a Saviour's blood. The lives ol three
persons in succession, from the present year, 1827, of sixty years of age, are more than sufficient to reach
the promised land; the third, if holy, will plunge in that sea of joy, will be one of those who shall feel the
mighty change from mortal to immortality, such as the sinless pair possessed before their fall, and shall become
a recipient of the immunities of the Millennial state.
Having passed through the various periods which relate to the cleansing of the sanctuary on the earth, though
commencing at different eras, but all manifestly ending at one and the same time, viz. at the end of the next
century, or in the year of our Lord 2000, I will just observe that Daniel the prophet has spoken of an additional
number of years, which seem to reach beyond the completion of the time, times and a half time, or the 1260 years
allotted for the cleansing of the sanctuary. See Dan. 12, 11, 12. This addition consists of seventy-five years,
and evidently extends into the Millennial state, and relates to some events involved in the blessedness of that
time, which it seems was not God's good pleasure so clearly to reveal to Daniel. But it is added, verse 12,
Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But here conjecture
is lost, for
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I Consider the signification covered in obscurity, because those seventy-five days reach beyond the period of
cleansing the sanctuary, which will be effected by the binding of Satan, by the destruction of all sinners, by
the removal of all natural and moral evil, by the exaltation of the two witnesses, the Old and New Testament,
up to the heaven of universal acceptance in all the earth; by the junction of Ezekiel's river of life with the
ocean, the Millennium; by the resurrection of all die righteous dead, and by the restoration of every privilege
which can possibly be consistent with that new order of things, and will doubtless be fully equal with the glories
that would have crowned the race of Adam, if he had not sinned. However, it is not probable that the same mode of
happiness in every respect, will then succeed, because the constituent qualification of their happiness, will differ
from what it would have been in an unfallen state. For in the first order of things, men were to live by obedience
to the law of God, without faith in a Redeemer: but in the Millennium, they will live by keeping the law of God
through faith in Christ; for that state will be his reign -- his government -- his kingdom, and glorious triumph
over all his foes. But as it respects happiness, arising from a local or natural situation while subsisting on the
earth, it may be expected that the globe will again be adorned with all its ancient beauty, and paradisical luxuriance.
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