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In some few prophetic periods there is found a lesser degree of perfection, as in the "5 months," or the 150 years of the Saracenic Woe, which appears to be formed by the dividing of a month, multiplied by 10, in like manner as the "time, times, and an half" is formed by the dividing of a time, multiplied by 7.-So also in the "45 years" of Daniel which is composed of a month, and the dividing of a month; and in the 390 years of Ezekiel, which is a year, and a month. The square, the cube, or the number 8, are thus found in every prophetic, or sacred number; exeept in the period of the 391 years and one month of the Turkish woe, the perfection of which is shewn in its being the sum of another form of progression, viz. of unity expressed in all the various measures of time, or (as it is stated in Rev. ix. 15) of " an hour and a day and a month and a "year."

The principal subjects of prophetic history will also be found to have certain perfect periods of years belonging to them, though they are not mentioned in its text. Thus the sacred times of the four Gentile monarchies, described in the vision of the great image, commence in the year A.C. 603, when that vision was seen, and end A.D. 1798 when, as it was formerly shewn, the apocalyptic vial of wrath was pour

ed out upon Rome the metropolis of the fourth or last; and consist exactly of a period of 49 times 49 or 2401 years. The addition of a fiftieth or jubilee period of another 49 years being made to this grand and sacred period of 49 times 49, it will extend to the year 1847, when it was formerly shewn from the only consistent interpretation that can be given of the vision of the ram and the he-goat, that Jerusalem will be re-established, in more than its original purity and splendour, to be thenceforward the metropolis of the world.

The times of the Gentile Church commencing from the great judgment upon the Jewish apostasy in the destruction of Jerusalem A.D. 70, and consisting of a sacred period of 12 times 12 times 12 or 1728 years (being the measure of the new Jerusalem), will also be found to have expired in the same year as the 49 times 49 of the vision of the great Image, that is in the year 1798, when the first judgment took place upon the chief seat of the apostasy of the Gentile Church.

The Mahometan period also consists like the papal of a sacred number, though it is nowhere specified; for from its authorized commencement at the Hegira, A.D. 622, to the year 1847, when we have otherwise found that the sanctuary of Jerusalem is at length to be

cleansed from its pollution, is a sacred period of 35 times 35, or 1225 years. The root of this square (as in the former more obvious instances) is itself a sacred number being formed by the multiplication of the 3 times by 10, or which is equivalent to it, by the dividing of 70.

It is also to be observed, that this period of 1225 years, is the dividing of the entire period of the 2450 years of the vision of the great image.

Thus the year 1847. is pointed out as the epoch of the restoration of Jerusalem, by the coincidence of no less than four sacred periods derived from squares or cubes, viz., those of the vision relating to the four Gentile Monarchiesof the Gentile Church-of the vision relating to Mahometanism-and of the actual duration of Mahometanism, every period commencing from the only authorized date from whence such a period could be legitimately calculated.

So also from the great reformation effected by Hezekiah AC. 726 to the commencement of the Papal period AD. 533, were three times and an half; and from thence to its expiration in the year 1792 was a like period.

No one accustomed to look for such characteristics of perfection in the numbers which occur in the prophetic periods and other parts of Scripture, could fail to remark the entire ab

sence of any such indication in the number 23. which is so entirely devoid of them (not being even divisible by 3) that its existence in Scripture would be a perfect anomaly; whereas for a period concluding with so great an event as the ceasing of the divine indignation against the Jewish people, and their full and final reestablishment in their own land, we should expect indications of the greatest perfection; and such are found in the number 2,400, which is a cube (the most perfect form of number) multiplied by 3, and that again multiplied by 100. If we consider farther that with the shorter and anomalous period, no legitimate interpretation can be given of the vision itself,*

*The least objectionable view of this prophecy, considered as containing a period of 2300 years, is that of the Rev. Mr. Mason, and others who suppose the period to commence A.C. 457, with the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, and to expire A.D. 1843, that is within four years of the termination of the vision as stated in this work. I should conceive indeed that a period given in answer to the question, Until when shall be the vision? (for that is the true rendering, as in the Latin versions "Usque quo visio?)" must commence from the time present, unless some other epoch from whence to begin to reckon had been specified; or if the period may be legitimately supposed, without any such specification, to commence with the principal subject of the vision, it then ought to include only the treading of the sanctuary under foot, or its desolation by the Mahometan power, and not the whole time of the standing of the second temple. The interpretation is, however, so far satisfactory, that it makes the 2300 years

but that the sacred and longer period commencing in the year when it was seen, will expire at that exact time, when the complete re-establishment of the Jews in their own land, the ceasing of the indignation against them, and the cleansing of the sanctuary of Jerusalem, which are its great objects, must agreeably to the general tenor of prophecy take place, I cannot but suspect that the difficulties which arise out of the authorized reading, have been produced by a corruption of the text, and that the true period, as may perhaps be found hereafter, is 2,400.

commence from an important and precise date, and end with the ceasing of the divine indignation agaiust the Jewish people. It also removes all necessity for commencing the action of the vision in the reign of Darius Hystaspes, A.C. 508 (agreeably to the interpretation of Mr. Cuninghame), which had no ground whatever, but its supposed expiration in the year 1792.

Mr. Cuninghame in admitting this to be probably correct has much improved upon his former interpretation, and the different views of Commentators, with respect to the conclusion of the vision, being therefore now so nearly assimilated, the student may choose indifferently without its materially affecting his views relative to the future, between two difficulties, and either on the one hand suppose, the answer given relative to the period to refer to a commencement, so far arbitrarily assumed as to have no direct reference to the question asked; or else on the other hand admit an amendment of the text, which, has no external evidence, but which is supported by the whole tenor of the prophecy, and by a simple, and firmly established, theory of sacred numbers.