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termine its import. For instance, in the prediction and history of the banishment of Nebuchadnezzar from among men until "seven times" passed over him, the nature of the prediction shows that it must be understood literally. But when it occurs in the seventh and twelfth chapters of Daniel, it is so used as to show it must mean something beside literal time.

The length of a time is three hundred and sixty days, or twelve months of thirty days each; times, is seven hundred and twenty days, or twenty-four months of thirty days each; and a dividing of time, half a time, or six months of thirty days each.

This time is not, as most expositors say, Jewish time. The Jews reckoned their time by moons; 29 days to a month, and twelve months or 355 -days to a year. Two years of 355 days and the third year of thirteen months or 383 days. Once in nineteen years, one year of 355 days and two of 383 days. So that nineteen Jewish were equal to nineteen solar years. I have been utterly unable to find any evidence except bare assertion, that the Jews ever reckoned 360 days to a year.

But we are asked, "how do you know how long a time is, and how much is meant by times?" I answer, the Holy Ghost has defined it. In Rev. 13th chapter, the same power predicted under the emblem of the little horn in Dan. 7th, is brought to view under the emblem of a beast. Daniel has given the time of his power, "a time, times, and dividing of a time." John has given it, forty-two months. In forty-two months there are three and a half years. The

forty-two months are reduced, Rev. 11th and 12th chapters, to days; 1260 days. We are not, therefore, left to vague conjecture as to the import of the time, for the Holy Ghost has defined it. The seven times of Nebuchadnezzar's banishment would be 2520 literal days. The reign of the pope was fulfilled, as already proved, in 1260 full solar years. I call the time, then, neither Jewish time nor Chaldee time, but divine time; each day being the representative either of a day of twentyfour hours, or, if used figuratively, 'of a full solar year.

IV.

A SECOND ARGUMENT ON THE FULFILMENT OF THE 1260 YEARS OF PAPAL AUTHORITY—OR EXPOSITION OF REV. TWELFTH AND THIRTEENTH CHAPTERS.

The Apocalypse, although of a highly figurative character, yet is a part of the revelation of God to man, and as such is worthy of our careful and prayerful study.

And the study of it is greatly facilitated by the great similarity existing between the prophetic characters of Daniel and this book. The two chapters before us, especially, receive great light from the visions of Daniel. The Roman government being one of the principal subjects of prophecy with him, it is very fully described in all its various changes and phases. The same characteristics again occur in Revelation, and must apply to the same powers.

THE DRAGON OF THE TWELFTH CHAPTER.

There are some traits in the chronology and

history of the dragon which cannot fail to fix his identity.

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1. He was the government which existed or had jurisdiction at the time of the birth of “ man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron," and who "was caught up to God and his throne." Who this power is, there is no room for doubting. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the person who is to rule or break all nations with a rod of iron, even as he has received of his Father. See Ps. ii. 9; Rev. ii. 27. The Roman empire was the then reigning power, and under it Christ was crucified; and from its face was caught up to God's throne, until his foes be made his footstool.

2. Before the imperial Roman government the church in the east fled into her wilderness state, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent. At the same time the papal government in the west persecuted and made war on the saints, the eastern church was plunged into a state of darkness by the old imperial government, which still remained in the east, first in the Greek and afterward in the Turkish empire. The final casting out of the old dragon from the holy land, the inheritance of Christ, will be when Christ and his kingdom come; and the wrath of the dragon and his war on the seed of the woman, will be the battle of that great day of God Almighty, in the place called Armageddon.

The dragon was located in the west until the days of Constantine. He removed the seat of empire from Rome to Constantinople in A. D. 329. After his death the empire was divided

among his three sons; but in a very few years was again united under the eastern emperor, A. D. 353. In 356 commenced the conquest of the empire by the Huns. The imperial power, however, was variously disposed of; sometimes being entirely in the east, and at other times enjoyed by both the east and west. In 476, imperial power expired in the west by the conquest of Rome by Odoacer, the king of the Heruli; and by a vote of the Roman senate, imperial power was removed to the east. So that the eastern emperor was properly and legally the emperor of Rome, by vote of the Roman senate; and whatever shape or phase the empire assumed, it was properly a part of the dragon. Hence it is said the dragon had seven heads and ten horns, in allusion to the seven forms of government which Rome was to assume; and ten horns, in allusion to the ten kingdoms of the barbarians within the empire. These ten horns have already been given. The seven heads, or forms of government, are as follows, viz. -1. Regal or kingly power of the Latins.--2. The dictatorship.-3. The prætors.-4. The consulate.-5. The triumvirate.-6. The imperial. 7. The papal government. These forms. of government have existed in the Latin kingdom, or masters of Rome.-[See Clarke on Rev. xvii. 10.]

THE BEAST OF REVELATION THIRTEENTH CHAPTER.

The beast is represented as coming up "out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns." This beast is clearly a perpetuation of the dragonic government. The government of Rome had long been in the

hands of the imperial power; but at length that power was removed to the east, and another power came up amid the troubled elements of party strife which aspired to the supremacy of Rome, and ultimately obtained it. That power was popery. To this beast the dragon gave his power, his seat, and great authority-and of course the beast assumed all the characters and attributes of the dragon, when he received not his power only, but also his seat and great authority. He was a beast of seven heads and ten horns. The dragon giving his power and seat to the beast, the papal form of government thus created, became an appendage of the dragon, the seventh head; and the beast receiving the power and seat of the dragon, partook of all his characteristics: he became the offspring and image of the dragon.

THIS BEAST IS. IDENTICAL WITH THE LITTLE HORN OF DANIEL SEVENTH.

The similarity between the two emblems of Daniel and John is most striking.

1. The little horn (Dan. vii. 25) was to be a blasphemous power. "He shall speak great words against the Most High." So also was the beast of Rev. xiii. 6, to do the same. "He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God."

2. The little horn (Dan. vii. 21) "made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.” Thus the beast of Rev. xiii. 7, was also "to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.” 3. The little horn (Dan. vii. 8, 20) "had a mouth which spake very great things." So like