Lectures on the Millennium online

is made to represent a multitude. If the
-^ast had I'epresented a great number of
beasts, the case^would be similar. There are
however in the Revelation and other parts of
prophecy several cases very nearly or exact-
ly similar. A king, is often made to repre-
sent a kingdom; that is, oii© man is made to



Two-horned Beast, ISt

t'epreseiit a great number of men; the man of
idn represents a succession of men; a day often
stands for a year, and a woman for a church,
w one human being for a great number of
numan beings. Thus every difficulty in the
way of supjjosing the image of the beast to
represent the idols worshipped by the beast
and others, appears to be removed.

Mr. Faber appears to have understanding
to count the number of the beast; which he
has probably done with more clearness and
certainty, than any other man. From this,
he most clearly demonstrates, that the first
^easf must mean the Roman empire. But as
the discussion cannot be conveniently pre-
sented to those, for whom these Lectures are
principally designed, on account of its con-
nexion vvith the Latin and Greek languages,
1 shall not attempt an abridgment.

«»'With regard to the mark of the least f^*
says Mr. Faber, ^<I think with Sir Isaac
Newton, that it is the cross. This symbol
has been abused by the Papists to the pur-
poses both of the most infernal cruelties, and
the most childish superstition. This was the
very symbol, worn by all those, who at the
instigation of the Pope undertook those dia-
bolical expeditions against pretended here-
tics, which were thence denominated dtfL
sades.'' 1 must confess, that I have sorr^
doubt whether Mr. Faber is correct in his
explanation of the ma^^k of the beast, 1 have
eio other to ofier, however, as 1 iiave not yet
bocn able to form ao opinion upon the subject



LECTURE X,

The 'period of 1260 Bays, or Years* — The,
Time of the End^-^The Commencement oj
the Milhnnium*



Having gained some acquaintance with
Daniel's fourth beast, and with the seven
headed, ten-horned Apocalyptic beast, each oi
which represents the Roman empire; and also
with the eleventh horn of Daniel's fourth
beast, and with the second Apocalyptic beast, ;
both representing the Papacy or the ecclesi? ]
astical kingdom of Rome, we"^^ are now in
some measure prepared to attend to the fol-
Jowing inquiry.

When did the period of A TIME AND
TIMES AND TDK DIVIDING OF
TIME commence? It is said of the
eleventh horn in Dan. 7:25, "He shall
speak great words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most ,
High, and think to change times and laws;
and they shall be given into his hand, until
a time and times and the dividing of time,''
This time and times and the dividing of time^
JBthe period, during which tlie saints of the
Utost High were to be in the hand of the
eleventh horn, or, which is the same thing,
in the liand of the second or two-horned
beast| the period, during which this dreadfiitl



The 1260 Batjs. 189

persecuting power should be engaged in
wearing out the saints of the Most High.
This then must be the period, in which the
second beast was to "cause that as many as
would not worship the image of the [first]
beast should be killed;" andtiiis, no doubt is
the period, in which all the enormities and
iiorrors of Papal persecution were to shock
the world. When then did Papal persecu-
tions begin? or rather, when were the saints
of the Most High delivered into the hand of
the Papal hierarchy, that that relentless and
tremendous power might persecute them,
and cause them to be killed, and wear them
3ut from generation to generation?

Bp. Newton supposes that this period
commenced when the Pope was established
as a temporal prince, in the eighth century.
This excellent writer seems to suppose, that
the Pope must be a temporal prince, or have
the power ol a temporal prince, in order to
be capable of receiving the saints into his
band for the purpose mentioned in scripture.
Now it is manifest, that, if the Papal power,
•should persecute and slay the saints directly
and in his own name, he must be a temporal
prince. But this is not the practice of the
Papal power; nor is it written in the scriptures
af truth, that the eleventh horn,orthe man of
^in,or the two-horned beast,or the false proph-
et, should thus directly persecute and slay
the saints of the Most High But the eleventh
lorn was to have the saints delivered into



190 The 1260 Days.

liis hand; he was to have great influence ant
power over them, of some kind, so that h<
could wear them out; and the two horneij
beast was to CAUSE them to be killed
But this does not imply, that he must hav«
any degree of civil power, or authority. |
must be incorrect, therefore, to conclu
that the saints were given into the hand 6'^
the Papacy in the eighth century, merel;
from the circumstance, that in that centur
the Pope, the head of the Papacy, became i
temporal prince. As far as that circumstanc
is concerned, it might have been a thousam
years before, or a thousand years after. Bu
still it is manifest, that the Papacy must hav
great power of some kind in order to cans
that the saints should be killed^ and thi
wear*them out from age to age. And thi
power the Papacy had. The second beas
exercised all the power of the first. Thi
power he could direct and use, as he please( "
While the mystic Babylonian woman wa
riding triumphantly upon the beast, she coul
turn and direct him whithersoever shewouh
and cause him to trample in the dust whomsc
ever she pleased.. Now the question is, no
When did the mother of harlots take the swort
for she is not represented as having a swore
but. When did she mount the tremendous an
all-conquering beast? When did sheprepar
to ride forth in vengeance and fury, agains,
those who refused to taste the poison of he]
golden cup, that she might tread them dowr



The 1260 Baijs, 191

LS the mire of the streets, by the iron hoofs
if her faithful beast? Speaking of this event,
^r. Faber observes with great modesty, and

think with much probability, "It seems
nost probably to be the year, in which the
5ishop of Rome was constituted supreme
lead of the church, with the proud title of
Universal Bishop; for by such an act, the
vhole church, comprehending both good and
»ad, both the saints of the Most High, and
hose who were tainted with the Gentilism
if the apostacy, considered individually ,was
ormally given by tlie chief secular power,
he head of the Roman empire, into the hand
>f the encroaching little (or eleventh) horn.
This year was the year 606,when tlie reign-
ing emperor Phocas, the representative of the
lixth head of the beast, declared Pope Boni-
ace to be Universal Bishop, And the Ro-
nan church has ever since shown itself to b©
hat little (or eleventh) horn, into whos©
lands the saints were tlien delivered, by
tyling itself with equal absurdity and pre-
luniption the Catholic, or universal church.

And now let us inquire, how long a period
s denoted, by "a time and times and the di-
ndiiig of time J^ There is no doubt, that
>rimarily a time denotes a year; times, two
''ears, and the dividing of time^ half a year,
naking in the whole three years and a half.
3ut the question is, whether this period is
iter ally three years and a half, or a longer
ime? Altho the saints might be delivered in -



192 The 1£60 Days.

to the h;aiid of the eleventh horn in a short-
er time than that, yet surely so short a
time would not be sufficient for the horn
to wear out the saints. It is manifest, that
the eleventh horn, tho denominated little^
from its being so small at first — yet it is
manifest, that this horn was designed to rep-
resent a great, extensive and mighty king-
dom; and there is abundant reason from
scripture to believe, that this kingdom was
to wear out the saints during a great part
of its existence. Surely then the period un-
der consideration must be more than three
years and a half. Now it is worthy of par-
ticular notice, that in the symbolical repre-
sentations of the prophecies, the symbols are
generally made to represent objects vastly
greater than themselves. Thus Daniel's four
beasts are made to represent four great em-
pires; the ten horns of the last, to represent i
ten kings, or kingdoms; and the eleventh
horn , to represent a kingdom vastly greater,
and more important, than either of the ten.
A great number of other similar cases might
be mentioned. Is it not reasonable to con-
clude then, that the period, we are consider- I
ing, must be very much longer, than three
years and a half? — ^nay, that it must be sev-
eral hundred years? And we may be assured
that it must be several hundred years from
a consideration of the time, during which the
saints have been persecuted, and worn out,
by the Papal power. There are certainly
some instances, mentioned in the biWe,where



The U60 Days. 193

a day is made to represent a year. Num.
14:34. «^ After the number of the days in
which ye searched the land, even forty days
each day for a year, shall ye bear your ini-
quities, even forty years." Ezek. 4:4 — S^
''Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the
iniquity of the house of Israel upon it; ac
cording' to the number of the days, that thou
shalt lie upon it, thou shalt bear their ini-
quity. For I have laid upon thee the years
of their iniquity, according to the number of
the days, three liundred and ninety days; so
shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of
Israel. And when thou hast accomplished
them, lie again on thy right side, and thou
shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah
forty days. I have appointed thee each day
for a year." '<Yfe find that Daniel's famous
propliecy of 70 weeks has been proved by
the event of our Lord's advent to mean 70
weeks of years, or 490 years." When it was
said to Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 4.25. "They
shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and
seven times shall pass over thee," these sev-
en times no doubt mean seven literal years.
But it is remarkable, that in this dream the
tree was even greater than the person, whom
it represented. We are not to think it
strange, therefore, that the seven times
should mean no more than seven years. From
these considcratioijs, it appears very evident,
that tlie })eriod under consideration consists
of as many years as there are days in three
17



194 The 1260 Bays.

years and a hall; allowing according to th^
ancient reckoning 360 days to a year. Ac-
cording to this calculation the whole period
is 1260 years. And this, I helieve, is almost
universally the opinion of those, who are
qualified to judge upon the subject. Those,
who are well acquainted with the prophecies
often speak of the period of 1260 years, as
tho it were a matter fully established, and
generally know n. Mr. Faber entitles one
of his books "A Dissertation, &c. relative to
the GREAT PERIOD OP 1260 TEARS;'' as tho it
were generally known, what period is there-
by designated. On the whole, the evidence
appears so clear, as in my mind to preclude
the shadow of a doubt.

Having ascertained the commencement
and length of the time and times and dividing-
of time^ it is easy to calculate its termination.
Beginning at the year 606, and reckoning
downwards, 1260 years will give the year
1866, as the termination of the period— the
year of sweet release to the saints of the
Most High, after a cruel bondage to the Pa-
pal and imperial beast, of more than a thous-
and years.

The termination of this long and gloomy
period, will be a grand jubilee to the Chris-
tian world; an era more gloriously distin-
guished than any other, from the ascension
of Christ to the commencement of the Mil-
lenial day. This era will be distinguished
by other glorious events, besides the entire



The 1260 Days. 195

deliverance of tlie saints from the iron grasp
of Romish tyranny.

It is very remarkable, and to some it may
appear wonderful, that a period of three
years and a half is mentioned no less than
seven times in the bible.* There is indeed
some variety in the manner of expressing it,
but in each place the period amounts to just
1260 days, allowing 360 days to a year, or
time, and 30 days to a month. And there
is not the least reason to doubt that in each
instance they are symbolical or prophetic
days, representing 1260 years; and not only
so, but that they are all designed to express
one and the same period, commencing most
probably in the year 606, and ending in the
year 1 866. The very circumstance of this
period's being expressed in different words,
and in several places, appears to be some
evidence in favor of the conclusion, that in
each case the same period is represented.
Very great additional evidence might be de-
rived from the circumstances in most or all
the cases, where the period is mentioned.
Some of this evidence, I hope to be able to
bring to view, and also to show what are
some of |he great events, that are to take
place at the conclusion of this period.

The termination of the 1260 years will be
distinguished not only by the deliverance of
th** saints from the Papal and imperial beasts

* See Hm. 7:25 and 12:7. Rev. 11:2,3. and 12:6,14. and

S3;5.



196 The 1260 Bmjs,

but also by the destruction of both those
beasts. In Rev. 13:3 — 5. it is said of the
imperial beast. '*ATid 1 saw one of his heads
as it were wounded to death, and his deadly
wouud was healed; and all the world won-
dered after the heast. And they worshipped
the dragon which gave power unto the beast,
saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able
to make war with him? And there was given
unto him a mouth, speaking great things
and blasphemies; and power was given unto
him to continue forty and two months.'^

Tho the apostle saw the Roman beast with
his seven heads standing to.e:ether, yet it is
manifest from the explanation of the angel
in Rev. 17:10. that these heads should be
successive. «^And there are seven kings;
five are fallen, one is, and the other is not
yet come."

The question now arises, Under what head
was the beast existing, when brought upoa
the stage, as related in Rev, IS? It seems very-
manifest, from what is said of him, that he
was existing under the head, that had been
as it were wounded to death, and his deadly
wound was healed; and he seems to be
brought to view immediately after his deadly
wound was healed, when the dragon in the
profusion of his liberality had given him
«his power and his seat and great authority.^'
It appears then, that it was from the time
tisat the deadly v*^ound of one of his heads
was healed, that the beast was to continue
forty and two months, that is 1260 prophet-



The 1260 Bays. 197*

ic days. Which then of the heads of the
beast wiis wounded unto death? and when,
and how, was it healed of the deadly wound?
There seems to be no doubt among commen-
tators with regard to the head. It was un-
doubtedly the sixth, or imperial head. How
it was wounded and healed, is a point, upon
which they are not so well agreed. 1 am
decidedly of opinion with Mr. Faber, that
the deadly wound was given about the time
of Constantine's conversion to Chrij-jtianity;
and tliat the wound was given by the sword"^'
of tlje Spirit whicli is the word of God —
the ^*sha!p two edged sword," which John
saw proceeding out of the mouth of Christ,
when he first appeared to* John in Patmos;
and that the wound was healed, when the
Roman power again relapsed into idolatry
and persecution. The sixth head commenc-
ed in the person of Cesar Augustus, about
thirty years before the birth of Christ. The
Roman empire was then sunk in idolatry.
About the middle of the first century, when
Cliristianity had spread to a very considera-
ble extent, the Romans commenced the
dreadful work of persecuting (Christians,
From that time persecution continued to rage
for a considerable part of the time for 250
years. But in attempting to extirpate Christi-
an!ty,the Romans were fighting against God,
and could not prevail. Christians became
more and more numerous, and wcredi^persed

♦Rev. 13jl4,

*17



198 The 1260 Baijs.

througliout the Roman empire. At length
the emperor Constaotitie became a profess-
ed disciple of Jesus, and persecution and
idolatry ceased. Then the old, idolatrous,
persecuting Roman beast appeared to re- I
ceive a deadly wound in its sixth or imperial j|
head. * ^ !l

<«A beast" says Mr. Faber, speaking o£ ij
symbolical beasts, which prophecy exhibits,
"A beast is a tyrannical, idolatrous empire.
The life of a beast, therefore, or the vital
principle whereby he is a beast, must ne-
cessarily mean his tyranny and idolatry.
Consequently the death of a beast, musfe
be the very reverse of his life; that is to
say, a beast is sitdn, not when a temporal
eotpire is subverted, but when I*e ceases to
be a beast, by abjuring his idolatry and ty-
ranny. So again, as the death of a beast is
bis abjuration of tyranny and idolatry, the
revival of a beast is his relapsing a second
time into tyranny and idolatry. This being
the case, the ten-horned beast received his
deadly wound, aiu! ceased to be, at the pe-
riod, wlien (^onstantine embraced Christian-
ity, and became the protector of the church;
and his deadly wound was healed, and he
began again to be, when Phocas set up a
spiritual tyrant, to wear out the saints; and
w hen the empire relap'icd into idolatry — -The
five preceding heads simply fell, tficy died
as it vsere. natural deaths*^ and contirutcd
Fif.gau from their first rise to their fall. Bnt
the sixili head was to be slain. Like its fiv®'



The 1260 Baijs. 199

predecessors, it was to be Pagan at first, but
fiot to continue so. It was to cease to exist
as the head of a beast. — Not that all tempo-
ral authority was to be annihilated through-
out its dominions; but simply its life, or the
principle whereby it was the head of a ty-
rannical, idolatrous empire, was to be taken
away. Yet notwithstanding its being thus
slain, it was after a certain period to revive;
its deadly wound was to be healed; the vital
principle of beastiality, which was for a time
extinct, was again to be infused into it; it was
once more to become the living head of a
beast, or an empire in direct opposition to
the gospel; and all the world was to go a
wondering after the new idolatry of the re-
Tived beast, as i\wy had formerly wondered
after his old Pagan idolatry c Accordingly
we learn from history, that the Roman beast
was slain, or ceased to be, under his sixth
Head; that the empire continued, as a Chris-
tian state,under tije same sixth head; and that
under the same sixth head likewise it revived,
and once more came into existence, as a
beast. In the year 313 then, wlien Constan-
tine published his famous edict for the ad-
vancement of Christianity, tlie beast was
wounded to death in his sixth head; and in
the year 606, when he delivered tlie saints
into the hand of an idolatrous, spiritual ty-
rant, his deadly wound was healed; he be-
came a living anti-evangelical power, and
he completely resumed ad his functions in
bis foraier Pagan character/^



200 The 1260 Baijs.

Agreeably to this view of the subject, it
seems, that the beast revived in his sixth
head in the very year, and at tlie very mo-
ment, when the saints of the Most High,
were given into the hand of the eleventh
horn, or Papal beast; and that the VQvy act
which thus delivered the saints, revived the
beast. Hence it is obvious, that as the
forty and two months, which the beast was to
continue, began at the same moment, as the
time and times and dividing of time^ during
which the saints were to be delivered into
the hand of the eleventh horn, and as they are
periods of the same length, they must end
together; and they are really one and the
same period. When therefore the saints are
delivered, the beast will cease to continue^
or it may seem more proper to say, that
when the beast shall cease, the deliverance
of the saints will be completed. It seems
natural to conclude, therefore, that the saints
will be delivered by the destruction of their
dreadful enemy, the beast. And is not this
agreeable to what is noted in the scriptures
of truth? Does it not appear, that the beast is
to be taken in the very act of warring
against the saints? Nor shall he fall alone.
His old friend, and partner in wickedness,
with whom he had been so firmly leagued,
and so zealously engaged in working abomi-
nation, for so many ages, shall fall with him.
Partakers in the same enormities, they shall
drink together of the same cup of indignation



The 1260 BmjS. 201

and wrath. Behold then their awful doom,
Jesus appears as a glorious conqueror. And
he hath on his vesture and on l»is thigh, a
name written, KING OF KINGS, AND
LORD OF LORDS. The angel standing
in the sun, cries with a loud voice, saying to
ail the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven,
"Come and gather yourselves together unto
the supper of the great God| that ye may
eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of cap-
tains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the
flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them
and the flesh of all men hoth free and bond,
both small and great. And I saw the beast
and the kings of the earth and their armies
gathered together against him that sat on the
horse, and against his army. And the beast
was taken, and with him the fake pri-p'iet,
that wrought miracles before him, and with
which he deceived them that had the mark of
the beast and them tf^at vvs>rshipped his
imag^'. These both were cast alive into a lake
of fix burning Yvith brimstmieJ^^^^

At the end of the l2#feJ years, the holy
city shall cease to be trodden under foot by
the Gentiles; the cnystic witness's will cease
to prophesy in sarkrh.th; and the. mystic
woman will come up froni tl»e wilderness I
place tliese together for tlie sake of brevity,
and because ^hey appe3r to be ititi-natply
connected. We read of tliem in Rev. 11:1 — 3,

*Ker. 19*.



202 The l£60 Days.

and 12:644. "And there was givcrt me a
reed, like uiito a rod; and the angel stood
saying, Rise and measure the temple of God,
and tlie altar, and them that worship therein,.
But the court, which is without the temple,
leave out and measure it not; for it is given
unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall
they tread under foot forty and two months,]
And I will give power unto my two witnes-
ses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two
hundred and threescore days, clothed in sack-
cloth. And the woman fled into the wilder-
ness, where she hath a place prepared of
God, that they should feed her there a thou-
sand two hundred and threescore days — And
to the woman were given two wings of a
great eagle, that she might fly into the wil-
derness, into her place; wfiere she is nour-
ished for a time and times and half a time
from tlie face of the serpent."

There seems not tne least reason to doubt,
that the holy city will be trodden down, the
witnesses will prophesy in sackcloth, and the
woman will be nourished in the wilderness
during one and the same period — a period of ,
1260 prophetic days, or years. Even if we
could not ascertain the meaning of these
symbols, as it must be taken for granted,
that they refer to important events, they
might be sufficient to characterize the ter-
mination of the 1260 days, or years, as an
era peculiarly important. But it is confi-
dently believed, that the meaning of these



The 1260 Days. 205

! lymbols is not entirely sealed from Chris-
;ians of the present generation. If some cir-
cumstances relating to these symbols, have
lot yet been correctly explained, yet I can-
not bat think, that most of them have been
explained with such a degree of clearness
ind force of evidence, as is suited to give
^reat satisfaction to humble, candid inquir-
ers, who delight to take fast hold of prophe-
tic instruction. Particularly to discuss
:hem here, however, would protract this part
i)f these Lectures to too great a length. A
few observations must suffice.

There seems no reason to doubt that the
lioly city in this passage means the visible
:hurch; that by its being trodden under foot
of the Gentiles means, that it is infested and
ioverwhelmed by false professors, who have a
name that they live, while they are dead in
trespasses and sins — who say they are Jews
and are not, but do lye — who pretend that
they are Israelites indeed, while they are in
heart Gentiles and of the synagogue of
^Satan. We have only to look to Rome to
^ee, that tlie holy city has long been trodden