appan 1-22-1933

Prest, Assor

R

nec

Everendo admodum in Chrifto Patri, ac Domino, Domino SYMONI permiffione Divina Epifcopo Elienfi; Præfuli tùm moribus fanctiffimis, tum eruditione fummâ longe colendiffimo; minùs pietati veræ & minimè fucatæ, quàm bonis literis, facris præfertim & divinis promovendis Nato: Eccle fiæ Anglicana, Reformata, Catholice, Decori egregio atque Ornamento: Sacratiffimo fuo in Republicâ Chriftianâ Ordini quà concionando, quà fcribendo, quà gubernando, eximio femper, & jam longavo Exemplari: Qui Sacrarum Scripturarum amore à teneris impensè captus, cognitione à pueris penitùs imbutus, eafdem optimis Commentariis illuftrare ad fupremam ufque

pergit fenectutem: Neque facrofaneta illa Dei O. M. Oracula nifi cum ipfis mortalitatis exuviis jure ponenda cenfet: Brevia hæcce Vaticiniorum Apocalypticorum, omni Thefauro chariorum, Specimina, juxta methodum Cl. Medi r8 μaxacírs demonftrativam, pro modulo noftro adornata, in animi perquam grati, fumméque devoti tefferam perennem, atque umμáovvov, Quà par eft Reverentiâ, Lubens Meritóque Dat, Dicat, Confecrat, Gulielmus Whiston

AN

ESSAY

ON THE

Revelation of Saint John.

PART I.

HYPOTHESES OF OBSERVATIONS.

HOSE Prophecies of the Scripture which relate to the Jewish Church are open and explicit, and make use of a Tear for that known space of time fo call'd, without any covert or myftical Signification. Thus the 400 years of the Sojourning and Affliction of Gen. xv. 13. Abraham's Seed: the 70 years of the Captivity of Jer. xxv.11.12. Babylon: the 390 years of the forbearance of Ezek. IV. 4, 5, God to Ifrael: and the 40 years of his forbear- 6. ance to Judah: and very many the like durations, are unanimously and certainly expounded of the fame real numbers of years by all Commentators: and the exact completion of them, at the time every where specify'd, in that moft obvious acceptation, puts the matter beyond dispute with all

men.

I.

'T

I

II. Those Prophecies of the Scripture which relate to Christianity, the Times of the Meffias, and the Church

A

Dan. IX. 24. &c.

Church of the Gentiles upon the rejection of
the Jews, are cover'd and enigmatical; and make
ufe of a Day for a Tear. Thus the Jews them-
felves confefs it is in the most famous of all Pro-
phecies, that of Daniel's 70 weeks: which they
expound of fo many years as thofe weeks include
days; and the Chriftian Church not only allows,
but earnestly contends for the fame Interpretati-
on, as being a main foundation of her Faith.
And this being the primary and moft undisputed
Prophecy of this kind ought certainly to be al-
low'd as the best Rule and Guide for the reft, and
fo this Hypothefis might be taken for granted. But
to prevent all exception it fhall be particularly
prov'd under the first Propofition hereafter.
III. The number of Days included in Prophetick
Tears is to be the fame that the Computation of
the Age and Nation of each Prophet does re-
quire. Thus Daniel living in Chaldea and Per-
fia ufes their year, of 360 days: and St. John
living in the Roman Empire, in thofe places
where he does not follow and explain Daniel's
Numbers, uses that Empires Computation of 365,
or 365 days.

IV. The particular fort of Tear alfo refer'd to by
a Day in feveral Prophecies, is partly to be inter-
preted from the fame Foundation, and to be ac-
counted by the Computation and Stile then in
ufe, when the faid Prophecies and their Periods
began. Thus all thofe Prophecies of Daniel,
which are dated from his own Times, or began
while the Chaldean or Perfian Stile was in use,
must be fuppos'd by a Day to intend a
Chal

i

Tim 1.
Pet. i. 20.

iij.

1

2 Pet.iij. 3.

Chaldean or Perfian Tear of 360 days. But fuch as were dated long afterward, from the Roman Times, and refer intirely to them; may justly be expounded of the Roman or Julian Tears. Thus alfo every one of the Prophecies of St. John being dated in, and wholly belonging to the Roman Times, ought to be expounded of the Roman or Julian Tears upon all occafions. V. Where any Prophecies of the Old Teftament, or at least towards the conclufion of it are exprefly faid to belong to the Time of the End; to the latter Days; to the last Days, or the like: They relate, if not to the very end of the World, yet at leaft to its last great Age the Days of the Meffias. This is fo exprefly the Explication of the Writers of the New Teftament, and is, I Heb. i. 2. think, fo generally allow'd by the fews themfelves, Tim. iv. 1,2. that I fhall not ftand to prove it more particularly. See Furieu VI. Intire Numbers of years, or months, or days in see Chronol part2. chap. 3. the Prophecies of Scripture, as well as in its p. 8. Chronology are us'd with great exactnefs; and comprehend no more than fix months, or fifteen days, or twelve hours on either fide: that is, they imply the space mention'd to be nearer to that number than the next, either over or under, according to the most natural and strict fignification of the words themselves. Thus 1260 days may Apoc. xi. 3. be any space between 1259% and 1260 days. Thus 42 months may denote any space be- ver. 2. tween 41 and 42 months; and 37 months any Dan. vij. 25. Ipace between 36 and 37; and 5 months any Apoc. ix. 5, 10. interval between 4 and 5 months. Thus three years and an half, or a time, times, and an half, may

I

A 2

fignify

Act.ij. 17.