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fuch power is given to one little horn, by a number of other greater horns, notwithstanding their natu ral jealoufy and tenacioufnefs of power, this fhews, that that furrender of power would be voluntary, through falfe perfuafion, that he who claimed it, with the voice of very great words, had a right to it; and that these other horns, fuffered the horn that had eyes, to put out theirs. It is the dominion of the little horn that is reprefented y 26. 27. as the great obftacle to the univerfal dominion of the Meffiah, which must be raised on the ruins of that evil power. The taking away of the dominion of that little horn, mentioned y 26. which belongs to the interpretation of the vifion, anfwers to the deftroying of the body of the fourth beaft itfelf, mentioned in y 11. which belongs to the vision: which is a farther proof, that the fpiritual dominion of that one horn fhould be of much the fame extent with the temporal dominions of the other horns of that beaft. And whereas, when the fourth beast is flain and confumed, the lives of the other beasts are faid to be prolonged for a feafon and time, tho' their dominion be taken away, this fhews, that the fourth beaft is confidered here as confifting of western kingdoms, that never belonged to any of the firft three eaftern empires; and which not only were the whole of the Roman empire, at its firft greatnefs, but were reckoned more properly and strialy Roman after that empire was divided between the weft and the east.

Though in y 19. the fourth beaft is faid to have nails of brafs; which, as was obferved before, is the metal emblematical of the Greek empire; yet it is not the nails, but the ten horns, that reprefent the different parts of the divided Roman empire in this chapter, at y 24. And whereas the vifion reprefents that empire in different parts of its duration, its fingular greatnefs, its iron teeth, and brazen nails, being in the firft part of the defcription, are justly

justly referred, on that and other accounts, to the firit part of its duration, and the after-mentioned ten horns to the latter part of it; at which time it is that the fourth beaft is here faid to be flain, and is at the fame time exprefsly diftinguished from the eastern kingdoms, whofe lives are faid to be prolonged for a feafon. But of this diftinétion more afterwards. It is fufficient at prefent to obferve, that the fourth beaft being thus diftinguished from the eastern kingdoms, y 11. 12. and the destruction of that fourth beast, y 11. being explained by the deftruction of the dominion of the little horn,

26. this proves, that the fpiritual dominion of that horn fhould extend to the other weftern, horns of that fourth beaft, but not to the eastern kingdoms that had been formerly parts of the three first beafts. And it is exceedingly remarkable, that the deftruction of this dominion is reprefented, both in the vision and interpretation, as an effect of extraordinary divine interpofition, defcribed in words refembling the New-Teftament defcriptions of the general judgement; fhewing, that though thefe two great events would be really different, yet the one would be a kind of emblem of the other.

If, to what is faid, we add, that the long duration of the little horn's dominion, (to be explained under the following article), proves its vaft extent, and that it behoved to be fupported by greater temporal horns, or powers, than the little horn itfelf; all these things put together, fhew, that almost every part of the defcription of this horn contradicts the fuppofition that would confine his fpiritual power, or power of changing religious laws and times, to his own little temporalities. And what has been proved concerning the fingular fpi, ritual nature of his power, the vast extent of it, the cunning needful to acquire it, the enormous ambition of afpiring to it, is a key to the above-mentioned more general expreffions, about his being

diverfe

diverfe from the other ten horns, his not being reckoned of their number, though faid to come up among them, his being a horn that had eyes like the eyes of a man, a mouth fpeaking great things, and looks more ftout than his fellows.

7. The duration of this little horn's dominion is here defcribed by two characters: one is, that it fhould laft to the univerfal converfion of the nations; the other is, that it fhould laft time, times, and the dividing of time; which is fo like the words in Dan. xii. 7. time, times, and an half, that they cannot reasonably be fuppofed to have different meanings; and which may be proved to be the fame with the 1290 prophetic days, or natural years, mentioned in the context, by the two following reafonings joined together.

(1) Though the prophecy in Daniel vii. does not ufe thefe particular words, the defolating abomination, yet it defcribes the fetting up of the little horn as a thing to which that character would really belong in a fingular manner; and at the fame time fhows, y 25. 26. 27. that from the fetting up of that defolating abomination to its fall, and to the cotemporary univerfal converfion, there would be time, times, and the dividing (or the half) of time *.- On the other hand,

The prediction, Dan. xii. 11. though it does not exprefsly mention the time of fetting up of the little horn of the fourth beaft, yet it begins a calculation from what Dan. vii. proves to be fingularly applicable to that time, namely, the time of fetting up what is, by way of eminence, the defolating and aftonishing defolation; and fhews, that from that time to the time of the end, or, which has been proved to be the fame, the time of the univerfal converfion, there would be 1290 prophetic days or natural years.

See Dan. iv. 16. & 25. Seven times fignifies feven years.

This fhews, that time, times, and an half, are: the fame with 1290 years; because they have the fame beginning and the fame end.

(2) Another confirmation of the explication given of time, times, and an half, may be drawn from the prophetic ftyle in calculations, and from the moft natural meaning of time, when applied for fignifying a determined duration. Seeing the most remarkable divifions of duration, are the divifions by days, weeks, months, or years, it is reasonable to fuppofe, that the word time, in the paffages in view, muft denote fome one or other of thefe divifions; and that time, times, and an half, must fignify fuch a divifion, thrice repeated, and one half fuperadded; fuch as, three days, weeks, months, or years, and an half; whence it follows, that if any other of thefe divifions lefs than a year, though repeated as the prediction directs, is too fhort for this calculation in view, which reaches downward fo far as to the time of the end, and comprehends fo great revolutions; it must be fuitable to the best rules of interpretation to fuppofe, that time, times, and an half, fignifies three prophetic years and an half, or three times 360, or 365 natural years, and about 180, or 184 fuch years added.

This coming fo near to 1290 years, that it is no wonder the difference is overlooked in a calculation fo

great of itself, defigned for wife ends to be expreffed in fo mysterious a way, and in fo large numbers, as thofe fignified by prophetic years; it follows, that the explication given of the three times and an half may be proved by a kind of reafoning, which, in many other cafes, is convincing, namely, that the key which in fact deciphers a dark. writing, is the true one.

If it be objected, That though y 11. gives fome account of the beginning of the 1290 days, it does not particularife the end of them; it is fufficient to anfwer, That that and the fubfequent calculation

are

are parts of the answer to the general queftion, y6. "How long fhall it be to the end of thefe won"ders?" which fhews, that the three numbers mentioned, viz. three and an half prophetic years, the 1290, and 1330 prophetic days mentioned 11. 12. are calculated from the fetting up of the defolating abomination to the end of the three particular prophetic wonders, namely, the end of the defolating horn and the end of the difperfion of the holy people *; all which particular wonders are ne米; ceffarily prefuppofed in that more general and comprehenfive one, the univerfal converfion of the nations. And though it is not determined whether these three numbers refpect the end of the three particular wonders, the little inequalities betwixt them may be accounted for by the diftances betwixt the beginnings, the most remarkable intermediate fteps, and the full accomplishment of extraordinary revolutions.

In diftinguishing what appears yet more obfcure from what is certain and evident in the calculations. in view, it is proper to observe, that though the precife beginning of them is obfcure, yet it is evident as to the extent of them, that it includes not merely 1200 or 1300 natural days, but fo many prophetic days or years.

The caufe of obfcurity, as to the beginning of the calculations, is, that though the characters determining it, namely, fetting up the defolating abomination, and giving the power of changing laws into the hands of the little horn, are characters not applicable to very many events; yet they do not appear fo abfolutely fingular, and peculiar to one, but they may fome way be applied to feveral events; which makes it difficult to fix on that precite ftep of the horn's gradual rife to which these characters may be chiefly, and moft ftrictly, applied.

See verfe 7. and also verse 1.

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