prophecy, "Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, but even a whole month." Num. xi. 19. 20. What man in his senses will say these days are years, because they are found in a prophecy? And if in this, and most other prophecies, days must be understood literally, why not in all except the sacred writer intimates to the contrary? It was foretold by Isaiah that "Tyre should be forgotten seventy years— after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot," Isa. xxiii. 15. I believe all are agreed that these are literal years. The Babylonish captivity continued seventy literal years, "For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return unto this place." Jer. xxix. 10. Dan. ix. 2. The word "times" in some places evidently denotes literal years. The prophetic threatening denounced against Nebuchadnezzar is thus recorded, "Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him: and let seven times pass over him." These times were literal years, and when they had passed over him, even "at the end of the days," his understanding returned to him, and he "blessed the most High, and praised and honoured him that liveth for ever." Dan. iv. 16. 23. 25. 34.

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Prideaux gives the dates of his derangement B. C. 569, and of his restoration B. C. 563. When Daniel received his prophecy concerning the ten kings; and another that should arise after them, he was informed respecting the latter, that "the saints should be given into his hand until a time, times, and the dividing of time." On another occasion when one enquired, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" he received the following answer, "It shall be for time, times, and an half." Dan. vii. 25. xii. 7. In the three former instances, the word rendered times is by Parkhurst translated years, and consistency requires us to interpret the two latter, as we do the three former. The Apostle John uses the same language, and applies it to the time during which the woman abode in the wilderness, "where (it is said) she is nourished for a time, times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." Rev xii. 14. The word months also must be interpreted literally. "Seven months shall the house of Israel be burying Gog and all his multitude." Ezek. xxxix. 12. This seems a long time for such an employment; but if each day is reckoned for a year, the time of burying would be 210 years!! The Apostle John, predicting the marvellous blessings of the New Jerusalem, says, "The tree of life yielded her fruit every month;" but if this

be interpreted according to the rule generally adopted, it would yield its fruit only once in thirty years! so that there would be twentynine years barrenness, instead of perpetual fruitfulness.

There are three other prophetic numbers mentioned by the prophet Daniel: the first 2300 days, which is equal to six years, four months, and twenty days. This is the period of "desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot." Dan. viii. 13, 14. Many commentators expound this prophecy as being fulfilled by Antiochus in 2300 literal days. It is possible it might have a typical or inchoate fulfilment in the time of this cruel persecutor; yet I expect its literal and plenary accomplishment “in the last end of the indignation, for the time appointed is the end," "when the transgressors are come to the full,-when the king of fierce countenance shall practise and prosper, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people." Dan. viii. 19-24. The second number is 1290 days: this is the period from the time of the daily sacrifice being taken away, to the great deliverance and cleansing of the sanctuary. Dan. xii. 2, 11. I think the passage may be thus interpreted. When the Jews are restored, they will re-establish the daily sacrifice in Jerusalem. After some years the great confederacy under Prince

Gog, together with the kings of the earth, as described by Ezek. xxxviii. xxxix. Joel iii. 2, 9-11, Zech. xiv. 2, 3, and other prophets; and by the Apostle John, Rev. xvi. 14-16, will come up against Jerusalem, and cause the daily sacrifice to cease for 1290 days, or three years and seven months; then the armies will be destroyed, Zech. xiv. 1—3, and the sanctuary cleansed. The third number is 1335, which if reckoned from the same period, ends 45 days later at the era of blessedness. Prophetic days are always to be understood literally, unless there is some intimation to the contrary. "I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days." Gen. vii. 4. To call prophetic days natural years is an unwarrantable misnomer; and such an interpretation of sacred writ ought to be abandoned by all sober commentators.

The time, times, and half a time, the forty two months, and 1260 days, are generally, and with great propriety, considered to be the same period, which is equal to three years and an half-all of which I believe are to be understood literally. The method of reckoning days for years has been tried, and in every case where time has afforded an opportunity of deciding, it has proved the calculations erroneous. See Tables II. and III. All the prophecies of the Old Testament which relate to the ministry, miracles,

sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, were fulfilled literally in about three years and a half, and the fulfilment of such prophecies relating to events which precede the second Advent, are definitely limited to the same period.

There are other prophetic periods also which appear intimately connected with the former, such as the "latter day," the "latter days," the "last time," "last times," &c. The Hebrew word nn, Haacharon, frequently rendered latter, might with more propriety be translated last, as it is in Isa. xliv. 6, xlviii. 12: "I am the first, and I am the last." See page 16. The passages of this kind may be divided into two classes; those which refer to the judgments upon the nations during the three years and a half; and those which relate to the blessings to be enjoyed by the church in the Millennium. The following may be reckoned among the former class: Balaam said to Balak, "Come, I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter or last days." Numb. xxiv. 14. Moses said to Israel, "When all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy Godhe will not forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto thee." Deut. iv. 30. "The anger of the Lord shall not return until he have executed, and till he have performed