An Exposition of the Prophecies Supposed by William Miller to Predict the Second Coming of Christ in 1843 (1840)
DOWLING'S REPLY TO MILLER AN
EXPOSITION
OF THE
PROPHECIES,
SUPPOSE BY WILLIAM MILLER TO PREDICT THE
SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, IN 1843.
WITH A SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER UPON THE TRUE SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE OF A
MILLENNIUM PRIOR TO THE JUDGMENT.
By JOHN DOWLING, A. M. Pastor of the Pine-street Baptist Church, Providence, R.I.
It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power.—Jesus Christ.
Prove all things, hold fast that which is good.—Paul.
PROVIDENCE:
PROVIDENCE:
PUBLISHED BY GEO. P. DANIELS.
CROCKER & BREWSTER : BOSTON. M. W. DODD: NEW-YORK. BENNETT, BACKUS & HAWLEY: UTICA.
1840.
C 8608.40.10
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1840. BY JOHN DOWLING. In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Rhode-Island.
PROVIDENCE, R. I.
PRINTED BY
B. CRANSTON & CO.
At a church meeting of the Pine-street Baptist church, Providence, R. I., holden March 27th, 1840,
It was unanimously resolved, That our pastor, Rev. John Dowling, be requested to publish the discourses he preached on last Lord's day, upon the Prophecies supposed to predict the time of Christ's second coming, with such enlargements and additions as he may consider necessary to render the work complete; and that brethren John S. Eddy, Oliver Shaw, and William H. Hudson, be a committee to communicate this request.
DEAR PASTOR—We have much pleasure in communicating to you the above vote, and soliciting your compliance, believing, as we do, that the publication will greatly subserve the cause of religion and truth.
We have the honor to remain,
Yours most affectionately,
JOHN S. EDDY,
OLIVER SHAW,
WILLIAM H. HUDSON.
Providence, R. I. March 28th, 1840.
DEAR BRETHREN-I have received your communication of the 28th instant, and feel happy in consenting to the request of the church communicated by you.
My reasons for addressing you from the pulpit on the subject of the discourses solicited for publication, were a conviction of the folly and mischief of presuming definitely to fix "the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power," and the tendency which such attempts have, unless shown to have no foundation in the Bible, to promote the spread of infidelity; and especially the importance of a correct understanding of those prophecies, from the misinterpretation of which, it has recently been boldly proclaimed that the end of the world will arrive in 1843. The same reasons induce me to comply with your request to publish the substance of the discourses referred to. For the sake of convenience in arrangement, I have thrown them, together with such additional matter as I thought would add to their value, into the form of a treatise, in reply to Mr. Miller, with a supplementary chapter on the Millennium. Hoping that the work may contribute, in some humble degree, to the edification of the church, and to the advancement of the cause of truth,
I remain, dear brethren,
Your devoted and attached pastor, JOHN DOWLING.
COL. JOHN S. EDDY,
OLIVER SHAW, Esq.
MR. WILLIAM H. HUDSON.
March 30th,1840.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.
True design of prophecy.—Not to gratify curiosity. Generally obscure, while unfulfilled.—Examples. Commencement of prophetic times uncertain.—Sir Isaac Newton quoted.—Dangerous tendency of Mr. Miller's doctrine.—Promotes infidelity.—Truth of the bible not dependant upon Mr. Miller's theory.—Reasons for this work.—Importance of the subject. Method. Page 11
CHAPTER II.
MR. MILLER'S DOCTRINE STATED.
SECTION 1.—General view.—1. That the coming of Christ will be before a millennium.—2. That it will take place about the year 1843. 29
SECTION 2.—Principal grounds of Mr. Miller's belief.1. Comparison of the prophecy of the 70 weeks, and the prophecy of the 2300 days.—2. The punishment of seven times.—3. The three prophetical periods.—4. A* CONTENTS.
The number of the beast.—5. The seven epistles and the parable of the ten virgins. 32
CHAPTER III.
EXAMINATION OF MR. MILLER'S PROOF OF HIS DOCTRINE DE- RIVED FROM THE COMPARISON OF THE PROPHECIES OF THE 70 WEEKS, AND THE 2300 DAYS.
SECTION 1.—The seventy weeks.—" Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins. Dan. 9:24. 40
SECTION 2.—The vision of the ram and he-goat.—Dan. chap. 8.—Exposition of the vision.—The ram is the kingdom of the Medes and Persians.—The he-goat is the kingdom of Greece.—The four notable horns, the four kingdoms into which Alexander's was divided. 53
SECTION 3.—The little horn. Dan. 8:9-12,23-25. "And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great."—v. 9.—"And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences shall stand up."—v. 23. Opinions of different writers about the little horn. 57
SECTION 4.—Proofs that Antiochus Epiphanes was the little horn.—Narrative of the cruelties of Antiochus Epiphanes.—Deposes the Jewish high-priests.—A false report of his death, at which the Jews rejoice.—He takes Jerusalem, and butchers 80,000 men.—Horrible massacre of the Jews, profanation of the temple, and taking away of the daily sacrifice, B.
C. 168.—Dreadful agonies and death of Antiochus. 61
SECTION 5.—Meaning of the 2300 days.—Dan. 8: 13, 14.—"How long shall be the vision, concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot: and he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days: then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."—Shown not to be prophetical days or years. 70
SECTION 6.—This time fulfilled in the duration of the persecutions of Antiochus Epiphanes, at Jerusalem. 75
SECTION 7.—Examination of Mr. Miller's date for the commencement of the 2300 days, or as he understands them, 2300 years.—Chronological table.—If Mr. Miller is right in reckoning years, he is wrong in the date of their commencement.—Dates the persecutions of this horn of the goat, B. C. 457, that is, more than a century before the he-goat (Alexander's Grecian empire) was in existence.—Here is Mr. Miller's grand error.—If the 2300 means years, the date of their commencement must be B. C. 168.—If the little horn is the Roman power, still it must commence in the year B. C. 168.—Singular coincidence.—The Romans conquered the Macedo-Grecian kingdom under Perseus, and thus might be regarded as a horn of the he-goat, and Antiochus Epiphanes took away the daily sacrifice at Jerusalem, both in the same year. 83
viii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IV.
THE PUNISHMENT OF SEVEN TIMES.
"And if you will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me, then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will'punish you yet seven times for your sins."—Lev. 26:23,24.Absurd idea, that these seven times mean 2520 years!—Mr.M.fixes the commencement B.C.677,so as to bring the end to 1843.—Applies a prediction of Jeremiah to the captivity of Manasseh,when Jeremiah did not begin to prophecy till 15 years after Manasseh was dead!True meaning of "seven times." 97
CHAPTER V.
THE THREE PROPHETICAL PERIODS, 1260, 1290, 1335.
SECTION 1.—The three periods compared with each other.—Mr. Miller's explanation.—Reckoning backward. Mr. Scott's opinion.—Proof that these periods point to the millennium, and not to Christ's coming to judgment. 108
SECTION 2.—The 1260 days." And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand, two hundred and threescore days."Rev.12:6.-Mr.Miller dates the commencement of this period,A.D.538.Shown to be incorrect.-Orthodox and Arian controversy.-Date of the Pope's ecclesiastical dominion,A. D.606.-Mr.Miller's inaccuracies.-Opinion of Scott.
Milman.—Bishop Newton.—Account of the origin of the Pope's temporal dominion, A. D. 755. 114
CHAPTER VI.
THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST.
"Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred, threescore and six."—Rev. 13:18. Mr. Miller considers the number to express the continuance of Pagan Rome.—Shown to be incorrect.—Beginning of Pagan Rome dated by Mr. Miller B.C.158. Inconsistent with historical truth.—Mr. Faber's explanation of the number of the beast. 137
CHAPTER VII.
THE SEVEN EPISTLES, AND THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS.
SECTION 1.—The seven epistles.—Rev. chap. 2, 3.—Mr. Miller thinks these epistles prophetical.—Shown to be incorrect.—Mr. Miller fixes the duration of the Laodicean state from 1798 to 1843.—Errors exposed. 146
SECTION 2.—The parable of the ten virgins.—Mr. Miller thinks this parable to be a prophecy.—Shown to be erroneous.—Concluding remarks. . 149
SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER,
ON THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF THE MILLENIUM.
Definition of the term.—Ancient tradition of an expected millennium.—Confirmed by quotations from Barnabas, Iræneus, Cyprian, Lactantius, and Johnston.—This tradition of no authority unless confirmed by the bible.
I. The scriptures unquestionably predict a time of the universal prevalence of true religion in the earth. Proofs.—Conversion of the Jews foretold.—Proofs. Not yet fulfilled. 172
II. Events by which the millennium is to be introduced. Spread of the gospel among all nations.—Downfall of all false religions. 181
III. Probable time of its commencement.—Suppositions of different authors.—Will probably commence about A.D.2000.The spread of the gospel must be vastly more rapid than heretofore, to introduce the millennium by that time,i.e.in 160 years.Extract from Dr. Bogue. 186
IV. Nature and duration of the millennium.—Resurrection of the saints not a literal resurrection.—Reign of Christ not personal but spiritual.—Duration probably 1000 years.—Will be a time of universal holiness, peace, joy, light, and knowledge. 204
V. Events which are to succeed the millennium.—Exposition of Rev. 20:7-15.—Satan to be loosed, and wickedness again to prevail for a short season.—Christ coming on his great white throne to Judgment. 216 EXPOSITION.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.
The two great ends to be accomplished by prophecy, are first, to excite before the event, an expectation of its fulfilment, and thus to encourage a delightful hope, or promote a salutary fear, according as the prediction may foretell either prosperous or adverse events, and be calculated to awaken either one or the other of these emotions: and secondly, to confirm, after the event, the truth of the prediction by its complete fulfilment, and thus to convince all, that the prophets were inspired by God; and to illustrate the omniscience of Him to whom past, present, and future, are all one.
The design of God in foretelling future events, was not to encourage an impertinent curiosity, or to furnish a minute history of the world previous to the events.
Hence there is always a degree of obscurity resting upon prophecy before its fulfilment, however plainly its meaning may be understood after the events have come to pass. Some of the prophecies may even appear to involve a contradiction while unfulfilled, and yet the fulfilment itself will show that the apparent contradiction resulted not from the prophecy itself, but from the obscurity which was, probably by design, thrown around it, in order to render its fulfilment a more striking evidence of the prescience of its divine author, and the inspiration of the prophet selected as the messenger of God to man. An illustration of this remark may be found in the prophecy of Jeremiah, compared with that of Ezekiel, in relation to the captivity in Babylon of Zedekiah, king of Judah.
Jeremiah was commissioned to say to the king, (chap. 34 : 3,) "Thou shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon."
Ezekiel had proclaimed the purpose of God concerning the king in the following words. (chap. 12:13.) "My net also will I spread upon him and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it though he shall die there."
The reader who is acquainted with the solution of these apparently enigmatical predictions, furnished by Jeremiah after the fulfilment in chapter 52, verse 11, sees at once that there is no contradiction. He there learns that Zedekiah's eyes did behold the king of Babylon, though he never saw Babylon itself—and that he was carried a captive in Babylon and died there, though he never saw the place. The explanation of the whole is, that when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, "he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death."
Now indeed, the prophecy is plain enough to us; not so to those who lived before its fulfilment. Josephus tells us that Zedekiah did not believe the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, for the reasons following:—"It happened," says he, "that the two prophecies agreed with each other in what they said as to all other things, that the city should be taken, and Zedekiah himself should be taken captive, but Ezekiel disagreed with Jeremiah, and said that Zedekiah should not see Babylon, while Jeremiah said that the king of Babylon should carry him away thither in bonds; although," says Josephus just after, "all the things foretold him did come to pass according to their prophecies."
Who does not perceive that this very obscurity resting upon these two prophecies, before their fulfilment, added new lustre to them when they were accomplished?
Apply this idea to the various prophetic periods mentioned in the scriptures, and we see one reason why a degree of obscurity generally appears to rest upon the time when these definite periods commence. The seventy weeks, or 490 years of Daniel, predicting the coming and death. of the Messiah, is one of the most remarkable prophetic periods mentioned in the scriptures. Yet even in this, before its fulfilment, there was an uncertainty about the date of its commencement. The prophecy, it is true, fixes an event from which to date, (Dan. 9:25,) viz.: "the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem." But there are two other decrees mentioned by Ezra, besides the one which time has shown to be the right. The first, in the first year of Cyrus, B.C. 536.—[Ezra, chap. 1.] The second, in the reign of Darius, about the year B.C. 518.—[Ezra, chap. 6.] The third, (which is the date of the prophecy,) in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, in the year B.
C. 457.—[Ezra, chap. 7.] Before the advent of the Messiah, there was enough in these prophecies to encourage expectation, and to show about the time that the Messiah might be expected, but not to indulge that irreverent curiosity which inquires into the day or the hour.
It was revealed unto Simeon by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death till he had beheld the promised Messiah. Yet even he probably knew not the precise year of his coming, unless indeed by special revelation. He would, doubtless, meditate with intense interest upon this prophecy; and since more than 490 years had elapsed from either of the former decrees, he had probably arrived at the conclusion that the last named decree was "the going forth of the commandment" intended. Still, had he known the very year of the commencement of the 490, he could not have decided upon that of the Messiah's appearance; as the prophecy pointed not to his birth, but to his death—not to the precise time of his coming, but to the time when he should be "cut off, but not for himself;" and at the same time did not reveal the number of years that should intervene between his coming and his death.
The same uncertainty prevailed among the Jews while in Babylon, in relation to the termination of the seventy years' captivity before the completion of that appointed time.
There were three captivities by Nebuchadnezzar; the first, in the reign of Jehoiakim, B. C. 606; the second, eight years after, when Jehoiachin was carried to Babylon, B.C.598; and the third, ten years after this, when Jerusalem was destroyed, and Zedekiah taken captive, B. C.588.
The actual termination of the seventy years captivity could alone show which of these three was to be considered as the commencement.
Instances such as the above, have satisfied the most judicious expounders of prophecy, that it becomes them to exercise the profoundest modesty, and the greatest caution, in endeavoring to fix the commencement, and consequently the termination of prophetical periods. Sir Isaac Newton wisely remarks in his work on Daniel and the Apocalypse, (page 251,) "The folly of interpreters has been to foretell times and things by this prophecy, as if God designed to make them prophets. By this rashness, they have not only exposed themselves, but brought the prophecy also into contempt. The design of God was much otherwise. He gave this, (i.e. the Revelations,) and the prophecies of the Old Testament, not to gratify men's curiosities by enabling them to foreknow things, but that after they were fulfilled, they might be interpreted by the event, and God's own providence, (or foresight,) not the interpreter's, be then manifested to the world."
A moment's reflection will convince us, that it is, at least, probable, that the same uncertainty which existed in reference to the commencement of the prophetic periods of the "seventy years" and the "490 years," will also exist in relation to the commencement of the prophetic-periods, which in my view are to usher in the Millenium, but in Mr. Miller's, the second coming of Christ.
Accordingly we find, in point of fact, that there is at least an equal uncertainty about the commencement of the "1260 years," the completion of which, it is acknowledged by most protestant commentators, will be coincident with the overthrow of the various false systems of religion which exist in the world; and introduce, perhaps at the same time, but if not, with but a short interval, the universal establishment of the kingdom of Christ upon earth. The opinions of several writers are given in the following pages, not any one of which, I would venture, with any thing like certainty, to pronounce the correct one. "It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power."
The event must determine mine.
"Prophecy," says an able and elegant writer, not unknown to the American public,* "is intended to guide us along the bright outline of the future, but not to make us historians by anticipation; to impart so much as may serve for the needful instruction and encouragement of the people of God amidst the tribulations of those latter days, which will precede the ultimate triumphs and glory of the church, but not to acquaint them with the secret intentions of God with regard to the minuter character of those events, which are written in the book of his decrees. To steer between the Scylla and Charybdis of a desponding and neglectful indifference to prophecy, and a dogmatic interpretation, is an important attainment, and is precisely that course which tends to tranquillize the spirit amidst surprising changes, and sustain it by pleasing hopes."
Mr Miller is not the first expounder of prophecy that has lost sight of these evident first principles in the interpretation of the prophetical parts of scripture, and attempted dogmatically to decide
upon the very year of the coming of Christ.
Every person of information knows that several in the past century, and some in the present, both in America and in Europe, have undertaken to fix "the day and hour," of which no man knoweth, and which "the father hath put in his own power."
I will not occupy these pages by relating the individual histories of the wise and positive interpreters of prophetic times, who have preceded, Mr. Miller in fixing the year of the Judgment. Their histories were all alike. They succeeded as Mr. M. has, in awakening a degree of alarm in the bosoms of some simple people, who forgot that Christ has said "of that day and hour knoweth no man"—the time drew on—the year passed by, and the prophet and his doctrine were forgotten.
One great evil, however, resulted from these presumptuous speculations. Many would identify the correctness and veracity of these prophets with the truth of the scriptures themselves; because, like Mr. M., they professed to build their calculations upon the bible. Hence, when the appointed year passed by, and no unusual event occurred, many would reject at once the pretensions of the man who had deceived them, and the claims of the bible upon which he professed to base his calculations, and thus a new impulse was given to the cause of infidelity.
It is impossible to calculate how widely Mr. M.'s lectures may contribute to the spread of infidelity, (though undesigned on his part,) unless their inconsistency with the bible is exposed. This is the chief reason why I felt it my duty to show that Mr. M. is not sustained by the bible in his calculations, and that he has entirely mistaken or perverted the meaning of the prophecies, upon which he builds his theory. Let not any think; therefore, that the truth of the sacred volume depends upon the fulfilment of Mr. Miller's predictions concerning the year 1843. Let none "burn their bibles," as I lately heard of a young man, after hearing Mr. M.'s lectures, declaring he should do, if the world did not come to an end in 1848. Nor let the advocates of infidelity triumph, though time should speedily expose, (as it undoubtedly will,) the absurdity of Mr. Miller's waking dreams; and that year pass by without any unusual occurrence.
Some readers of the following pages, after being informed of the gross inconsistencies and egregious blunders, to be found in Mr. M.'s lectures, may be disposed to question the necessity of replying to a book, which it is plain, to every person acquainted with history, confutes itself by its own absurdity. Though it would be sufficient to reply to this objection that all persons are not acquainted with history, I would remind such of the anecdote of Christopher Columbus challenging his friends to make an egg stand on its end; the moral of which is, that it is very easy to do any thing when another has shown us how.
At the same time, I must confess, that the same query has sometimes arisen in my own mind, while pursuing my examination of Mr. M.'s book.
If all into whose hands his book may fall, or who may hear from his own lips the statement of the doctrines contained in it, possessed that comprehensive knowledge of ancient and modern history and chronology, which is, doubtless, possessed by many, and which alone can enable them to compare one historical exposition of prophecy with another, and to decide upon their respective merits, then this work would have been wholly uncalled for, as there would have been but little danger that any person, so qualified, would be deceived by such a production. It is hardly necessary to add, that the fact that many have been deceived into at least a serious apprehension that the world is coming to an end in 1843, if not into an implicit belief in Mr M.'s theory, is a sufficient proof that all are not thus qualified. Many, deceived by the boldness with which Mr. M. challenges a reply, and says he has done so for seventeen years, (page 297,) declare the work to be unanswerable, and I heard of one student for the ministry declaring he should leave his studies at once and go to preaching, or else the world would be at an end before he could begin his work.
Mr. M. enters into an explanation of various prophetical periods which in his view point to the end of the world, all of which he makes to fall in with his doctrine of the coming of Christ in 1843. The reader but partially acquainted with the history of the world, (which is nothing but a commentary upon scripture prophecy,) and not aware of the manner (which is pointed out in the present work) in which Mr. M. continues to make his calculations all meet in the year 1843, thinks upon perusing the book, that there are, to say the least, some very striking coincidences, and feels considerably staggered, if he is not convinced. The writer of these pages is not unwilling to allow that such an effect might as probably have been produced upon his own mind, as upon those of others, had he not been prepared to see, at once, the absurdity of Mr. M.'s starting point, (viz. the argument drawn from a comparison of the eighth and ninth chapters of Daniel,) by having twice in the course of his ministry, (once in Newport, R. I.
and once in the city of New-York,) delivered a course of lectures upon the prophecies of Daniel, and consequently been compelled to bestow a somewhat minute attention both upon the prophecies themselves, and upon the history and chronology of the great events which they so remarkably foretell.
In reference to the prophecy of the 2300 days, or years, as Mr. M. understands them, which is the foundation of his whole system, I have presented rather a full and minute exposition of my own views of the prophecy. I have, at the same time, stated the opinions of respectable writers differing from my own, in order that the reader, after being possessed of the historical facts detailed in the following pages, may be able to form his own opinion, and judge for himself. It has been my aim, to present, not merely a confutation of Mr. M.'s theory, but a correct exposition of the principal prophecies examined in the work, to the best of my ability, and to render this exposition as instructive and interesting to the general reader, as the nature of the subject will admit, so that the present work might retain its value even when time shall have shown the falsehood of Mr. M.'s doctrine.
With this view, I have embodied a considerable amount of historical information, bearing upon the fulfilment of Daniel's prophecies; compiled and inserted two short chronological tables; and in the closing chapter presented an exposition of my own views in relation to the millenium, its nature and the probable date of its commencement, to be followed, (not preceded, as Mr. M.
supposes,) by the second coming of Christ to Judgment.
On the subject of the millenium, and the downfall of Antichrist by which it is to be ushered in, I have no new theories to present; I do not pretend to be wiser than those who have gone before me. On these subjects my views coincide with those of the great body of Protestant divines.
I cannot concur with those who seem to think that the lash of satire, or the sting of ridicule, is the best weapon with which to assail the doctrine advocated by Mr. M. This will not relieve the mind of the honest inquirer after truth, who has felt perplexed by what appeared to him the plausible statements and singular coincidences in Mr.M.'s book. It is necessary to use argument and fact to knock down the foundation upon which his theory is based, and nothing else will satisfy a candid and inquisitive mind. Besides, the doctrine of Mr. M., that in less than four years "every eye shall see" the Judge seated on his "great white throne," (however weakly supported,) is too solemn a subject to be trifled with; hence it becomes us to approach it with feelings of seriousness and solemnity.
The truth or falsity of this doctrine is a consideration in which the enjoyments, the hopes, the fears, and the prospects of the whole human family are most deeply involved. An intelligent and pious member of my church lately remarked to me, "Sir, if this doctrine is true, we certainly ought to know it; and to whom are the Christian community to look for instruction on this subject, but to those who are appointed as watchmen upon the walls of Zion, to sound the note of alarm when the day of evil approaches, and to blow the blast of triumph when the glorious Jubilee dawns. Were the doctrine of Mr. M. established upon evidence satisfactory to my own mind, I would not rest till I had published in the streets and proclaimed in the ears of my fellow townsmen and especially of my beloved flock, 'THE DAY OF THE LORD IS AT HAND!' Build no more houses! plant no more fields and gardens! forsake your shops, and farms, and all secular pursuits, and give every moment to preparation for this great event! for in three short years this earth shall be burned up, and Christ shall come in the clouds, awake the sleeping dead, and call all the living before his dread tribunal."
It is not, therefore, in a captious spirit that the following pages are sent into the world, but in order to vindicate myself, as a minister of the gospel, from what would be a most criminal neglect in not sounding such an ALARM, were this doctrine true; to counteract the tendency which Mr. M.'s book possesses (in the way I have named) to promote the cause of infidelity, by showing that the truth of the bible is not identified with the truth of his theory; and because I believe that the tendency of all error, especially upon a subject of such vast importance, is to destroy the happiness, paralyze the moral strength, and abridge the usefulness of such as imbibe it. I do not believe this doctrine! it is based upon shadows! and therefore duty commands me to show its absurdity.
I shall not undertake to follow Mr. Miller, step by step, through the mass of matter (two-thirds or three-fourths of which is entirely irrelevant to the argument) contained in his book. Besides, there is much that I do not dispute, and there are many warm exhortations to unfaithful professors and impenitent sinners, which seem to betoken genuine piety, and in which I cordially concur; but which, notwithstanding, would come home to the conscience with much greater force, were they based upon truth and not upon error.
Mr. Miller complains (page 250) of the manner in which his statements have been received. He says, near the commencement of his 17th Lecture, "Let me use what passage I please in the scriptures, whether in the Old or New Testament, these lustful flatterers of mankind are ready, with a host of learned commentators, to show that it was applied to the Jews, and to them only; and then taunt me with this witty saying:—'What! you, an unlearned man, think to teach us contrary to our great and learned commentators?' This, my friends, is the only argument that has ever been produced against my warnings and proofs of God's near approach to judge the world in righteousness."
I can assure Mr. Miller that I shall not add one to the number of those who have opposed him with taunts instead of arguments. I will, however, take the liberty of remarking, that I do not think, (as he sometimes appears to do, from the manner in which he speaks of learned commentators,) that a certain share of learning, even though it be a pretty large share, as in the case of Bishop Newton, Mede, Scott, Doddridge, and Henry, renders a man, to say the least, any the less qualified to expound the Bible, especially the prophetical parts of it; provided, as in the above named individuals, hu-
man science and divine teaching, learning and piety go hand in hand.
At the same time I love the independence of mind which "calls no man master," and resolves to grant assent only upon conclusive and satisfactory evidence.
Whether Mr. Miller's positions are confirmed by such evidence, or whether they are built upon a foundation of sand, the reader will, I hope, be able to decide, after accompanying the writer through the following pages.
The method I shall adopt in this discussion, will be to point out, from different parts of the book, the positions upon which the author appears mostly to rely in support of his theory, which I will briefly state, in what appears to me the most natural order; after which I will examine, with as much minuteness as may seem desirable; each of the said positions in the same order.
CHAPTER II.
MR. MILLER'S DOCTRINE STATED.
SECTION 1.—General View.
The two chief peculiarities by which Mr. Miller's book is distinguished, are,
I. That the coming of Christ spoken of in the following and kindred passages in the Old and New Testament, is not to follow, but to precede the Millenium, or latter day glory, (by whatever name it may be called,) when "the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth," and "the saints shall live and reign with Christ a thousand years," viz.:
"When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory : And before him shall be gathered all nations."—Matthew, 25:31, 32.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air : and so shall we ever be with the Lord."—I.
Thes. 4:16,17.
"Behold he cometh with clouds: and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him."—Rev. 1:7.
II. That the solemn event described in the above passages is at hand, even at the door, and that "about the year 1843," as expressed in the title page of Mr. M.'s book, we are to expect "THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST."
In both of these articles Mr. M. has adopted a belief entirely different from that which is held by the great body of evangelical christians. It is not, however, my intention to follow him through the various statements (arguments I cannot call them) scattered throughout the book, by which he endeavors to establish the first of these positions, viz. his doctrine of the priority of the second coming of Christ to the Millenium.
My principal design in this little work is rather to examine the arguments or suppositions in favor of the second of the above articles, viz. that the momentous events of the coming of Christ, and the conflagration of the earth, will take place about the year 1843.
Before laying aside my pen, I intend, notwithstanding, to present a brief statement of what I consider the scriptural doctrine on the important topics discussed in Mr. M.'s book, viz.
the destruction of mystical Babylon, the overthrow of all false systems, the Millenial reign of Christ, and his coming "the second time without sin unto salvation," and the order of time in which these solemn events will take place.
Whoever will calmly peruse the three last chapters of Revelations, unfettered by any preconceived system which they wish to establish, it appears to me must be satisfied that the unnatural order in which Mr. M. has placed these events, is entirely antiscriptural. In proceeding, therefore, to prove that our author has erred in his explanation of prophetical times, and in fixing the precise date for Christ's second coming, I do not admit that the acknowledged prophetical periods of 1260, 1290, and 1335 days, will, when completed, usher in the final conflagration, but will be fulfilled antecedent to the Millenium, that glorious spiritual reign of Christ upon earth when "the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established upon the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and ALL NATIONS shall flow unto it," and "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." What Mr. Miller regards as introductory to the coming of Christ upon his "great white throne," I regard as introductory to the Millenium.
I wish, therefore, to be distinctly understood, that whenever in the following pages, I attempt to correct the time of the fulfilment of prophetic periods which he applies to the former-named event, I apply the dates, so corrected, to the latter. In arguing with Mr. M. I do so upon his own principles, and endeavor to prove that supposing his doctrine of the priority of Christ's coming to the Millenium to be true, still he egregiously errs, if he does not boldly presume, in fixing that momentous event to the year 1843.
SECTION 2. The principal grounds of Mr. Miller's belief that the second coming of Christ and the conflagration of the earth will be in the year 1843. Mr.M.'s first proof.A comparison of the prophecy of 70 weeks, and the prophecy of 2300 days.
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off." Daniel, 9:24, 25, 26.
"Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.—Daniel, 8:13, 14.
The former of these passages declares that seventy weeks of years, or 490 years, reckoning a day for a year, shall elapse from the time of the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, which was then in ruins, in consequence of its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, till the cutting off of the expected Messiah, which, says Mr. Miller, was exactly fulfilled; that command having been issued B.C.457, and Christ having been crucified at the age of 33, which numbers added together, make 490.
The latter passage declares that 2300 days, that is, as Mr. M. supposes, 2300 years, should elapse between the commencement of certain calamities expressed by giving "the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot," and the termination of those calamities, promised in the words, "then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."
Mr. Miller believes that both of these prophetic periods begin at the same time, that is, that the commencement of the 490 years is identical with the commencement of the 2300 years. He has consequently, upon this supposition, (which is shown in the following work to be entirely erroneous,) nothing to do but to subtract 490 from 2300 to know the date of the completion of the 2300 years.
Thus, 2300, whole duration of the prophecy, 490, before the crucifixion of Christ,
leaving 1810, after that event;
to which add 33, the age of Christ when crucified.
Making 1843, the year when Mr. Miller thinks the prophecy is completed, and which he consequently believes will be the year in which Christ will come to judgment.
The above appears to be the foundation stone upon which Mr. M.'s doctrine is based; how firm that foundation is, will be seen when we come to examine the passages from the prophet Daniel, above quoted.
As my design, for the present, is merely to state the grounds of Mr. M.'s belief, I shall proceed to mention Mr. Miller's second proof.—The punishment of seven times.
"And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins."—Leviticus, 26:23, 24.
In giving this as Mr. Miller's second proof, I would remark, that I follow what appears to me to be the most natural order. In his book it is the text of the seventeenth lecture, but as, in his opinion, it supplies another key to the time of the end, it seems most properly to deserve the second place in the enumeration of the grounds of his calculations. His argument is as follows:
The "seven times," mentioned in the above text, are to be understood as seven prophetic years. Alluding to Nebuchadnezzar's being driven among the beasts of the field, Mr. M. says, (page 261,) "That being a matter of history and of sample only, was fulfilled in seven years; but this, being a prophecy, will be only fulfilled in seven prophetic times, which will be seven times 360 years, which will make 2520 years."
Fixing the commencement of this punishment of seven times in the year B.C.677,when Manasseh, one of the kings of Judah, was taken captive, he proceeds as before, and subtracting 677 from the whole number,2520,brings us again to the year 1843.
Seven prophetical times, 2520 years. Manasseh's captivity, 677 B.C.
Leaving, as in the former case, 1843, as the date of the accomplishment of this prophecy. Mr. M. believes that when these seven times are accomplished, Christ will come to judgment. His own words are, (page 262,) "Take 677, which were before Christ, from 2520 years, which includes the whole 'seven times,' or 'seven years' prophetic, and the remainder will be 1843 after Christ, showing that the people of God will be gathered from all nations, and the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom will be given to the saints of the Most High; mystical Babylon will be destroyed by the brightness of his coming; and sin, and suffering for sin will be finished to those who look for his coming."
Mr. Miller's third proof.-The three prophetical periods-1260, 1290, and 1335.
"And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and aware by him that liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
"And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days."—Daniel, 12:6,7,11,12.
Mr. Miller concludes from verse seven, above, that the "time, times, and half a time," denote the 1260 years of the continuance of the Papal power, which so far is the opinion of most of the commentators. He supposes the 1290 days or years, in the eleventh verse, to end at the same time as the 1260 years, by beginning 30 years sooner; that this time was completed in the year 1798, when the Pope was conquered by Napoleon Bonaparte, and by reckoning back 1260 years before 1798, he concludes that "the little horn," or Popery, "began his reign in the year A.D.538,and that the 1290 years commenced in 508.From the 12th verse," Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand, three hundred and thirtyfive days," he concludes that the second coming of Christ, will take place 45 years (the difference between 1335 and 1290) after the fall of Antichrist, in 1798,
add the difference of the two numbers, 45,
which brings us to the same date as before, 1843.
Mr. Miller's fourth proof.
"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast : for it is the number of a man ; and his number is six hundred threescore and six." Rev. 13:18.
If Mr. Miller can establish one of his dates above mentioned, he of course confirms the others. Hence from this text, he attempts to establish the above date, 508, as the time when Paganism ceased, which is what he understands by the commencement of the 1290 years in Daniel, 12:11, "The time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up."
This he attempts to accomplish by the following singular process :
The "beast" he concludes to be the Roman government; the year 508, one of the dates in the last calculation, the time of its dissolution; and by reckoning back, the year 158 B. C. as the year of its commencement. If this date is established, he has only to add to 508
The difference between the two numbers, 30
The time, times and half a time, 1260
The 45 years to follow the fall of Babylon, 45
As before, 1843
The above are Mr. M.'s principal reasons for fixing the end of the world in the year 1843. It is the intention of the writer to devote one chapter of the following work, to an examination of each of the above supposed proofs of Mr. M.'s theory.
Mr. M. imagines, indeed, that he can discover a confirmation of his doctrine, in the epistles to the seven Churches in Asia, which he considers prophetical of the state of the church in seven different periods; and also in the parable of the ten virgins, which he also regards as a prophecy of the state of the world and the church in the last days.
He fixes the commencement of what he terms the Laodicean state of the church, in 1798, and says it will continue 45 years, till 1843. But inasmuch as he does not pretend that either the seven epistles, or the parable of the Virgins, furnish him with any dates in confirmation of his theory, though he himself supplies them, these two particulars will be but briefly noticed.
CHAPTER III.
Examination of the First Proof, viz : the Comparison of the Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks and the 2300 days.
Every ready of Mr. Miller's book, has doubtless noticed the stress which he lays upon his interpretation and comparison of the visions of the seventy weeks, and of the two thousand, three hundred days. This is the key to all his other dates; from the strange supposition, that these are two prophetic periods which begin at one and the same date, he fixes upon the year 1843 as the end of the world. Having obtained this date, nothing is easier than to fix the time of his other prophetic periods, by simple subtraction or addition.
This is the foundation of the whole system; and Mr. M. himself seems so to regard it. Accordingly, in his closing lecture, (page 297,) referring to his exposition of these two visions in former lectures, he says, " Then I inquired, if 490 years of the 2300, was fulfilled when our Saviour was crucified, how much of the vision remained after his death?
I answered, 1810 years. I then inquired what year after his birth that would be; and the answer was in the year 1843. I then begged the privilege, and do now, for any person to show me any failure of proof on this point, or where, possibly, according to Scripture, there may be a failure in the calculation I have made on this vision. I have not yet, by seventeen years' study, been able to discover where I might fail."
I shall endeavor to comply with this request of Mr. M., and to show his "failure of proof" on this point. And as it is only necessary to expose the weakness of a foundation, in order to prove that of the superstructure raised upon it, I shall enter into the examination of this principal prop of Mr. Miller's theory, much more minutely and at length, than any one of his other positions. I shall divide this chapter into seven sections.
First, the vision of the seventy weeks.—Dan. 9:24.
Second, the vision of the ram and he-goat. Dan.chap.8.
Third, the little horn.—Dan. 8:9, &c.
Fourth, proofs that the little horn referred to Antiochus Epiphanes; with a narrative of the cruelties and death of that violent persecutor of the Jews.
Fifth, meaning of the 2300 days, or evenings and mornings.—Dan. 8:14.
Sixth, this time shown to have been literally fulfilled, in the duration of the taking away the daily sacrifices by Antiochus Epiphanes.
Seventh, examination of Mr. Miller's date for the commencement of the 2300 days, or, as he understands them, 2300 years.
SECTION 1. The Vision of the Seventy Weeks.
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy."—Daniel, 9:24.
The above prophecy has ever been regarded by christian expositors as one of the most remarkable predictions in the sacred scriptures. It is expressed in language so sweetly evangelical, that we might suppose it to have proceeded from the pen of a John or a Paul who had seen Christ, rather than that of a prophet who lived five centuries before his incarnation. It not only declares the object for which Jehovah Jesus, the Lord our righteousness, became incarnate, and obeyed, suffered, and died; but designates the time, in which the glorious victory over the powers of darkness should be achieved by the Messiah, and when he should put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
I feel a pleasure in according most heartily with the following sentiments expressed by Mr. M. at the commencement of his lecture upon this precious passage of scripture.
"This text (says Mr. M.) is one of the many found in the word of God, which prove the authenticity of the Scriptures, gives us a powerful weapon against Judaizing teachers, and meets the infidel on his own ground—the history of the world.
"It sets a seal to prophecy that it is true, and shows that the prophets were inspired.
"It gives incontestible evidence against the Jew, and proves that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah.
"It brings to view the great blessings of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, reveals the exact time of its accomplishment, and shows the source of the gospel, proclaiming good news to lost men, even in anticipation of that important era when the Gentiles should be fellow heirs with the Jews in faith.
"It establishes the wavering, and gives hope and confidence to the tried and afflicted child of God, that he will fulfil all his promises, according to the letter and spirit of his word.
44 EXAMINATION OF THE FIRST PROOF.
"This text furnished Simeon, Anna, Nathaniel and others with strong faith that they should see the consolation of Israel."
To understand this prophecy, it is necessary to remember that at the time the angel Gabriel spake these words to the prophet Daniel, the children of Israel were in captivity. The city of Jerusalem was in ruins, and had continued so ever since its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, in the year B.C. 588. Jeremiah had informed the Jews that this captivity should continue seventy years. (See Jer. 25:11, 12.) This protracted period of captivity and bondage had now nearly arrived at a close.
When the venerable prophet Daniel (see chap. 9:2) "understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem, he set his face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes." The prayer which he offered, (verse 3 to 20,) is a most sublime and beautiful specimen of penitential devotion. At the beginning of Daniel's supplications, (see verse 23,) the angel Gabriel received a command from Jehovah to comfort and instruct the pious prophet, and "whilst he was speaking," the celestial messenger, being caused to fly swiftly, touched him about the time of the evening oblation.
So true is the promise of God, "It shall come to pass that before they call I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isaiah, 66:24.
There is a beautiful correspondence between the prayer of Daniel, and the delightful prophecy which was communicated in answer thereto. Had the prophet confessed in verse 5th, "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly." In the 24th verse, a Saviour is promised, who should "finish transgression, make an end of sins, and bring in an everlasting righteousness." Had Daniel prayed in verses 16, 17, "O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain; shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake." He is informed, verse 25th, that a commandment shall go forth to restore and to build Jerusalem, and that "the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times."
He is not only encouraged to expect these glorious events, but is even informed of the time of their occurrence, and more particularly of the far more glorious event of the two—the coming of the Messiah and his obedience unto death.
"Seventy weeks are determined," &c.
With the general explanation given by Mr. M. of the fulfilment of this remarkable prediction, I have no fault to find. It is the common exposition given by Christian commentators generally, and I suppose no believer in the Old Testament, except a Jew, would be inclined to dispute its correctness in the main, though they might question the accuracy of some minute particulars.
By the seventy weeks, it is universally admitted, we are to understand weeks of years, or as many years as there are days in seventy weeks, viz. 490 years.
The decree of Artaxerxes, called in the 25th verse, "the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem," is unquestionably to be regarded as the commencement of the 490 years.
In the seventh chapter of Ezra we have an account of this decree, and of the return of Ezra to Jerusalem under the countenance and protection of king Artaxerxes. The chapter tells us (Ezra, 7:8) that this was in the seventh year of the reign of this monarch.
Archbishop Usher places this event in the year B. C. 457. Mr. Miller, who adopts this date, seems to be ignorant of the fact, that the real date of the birth of Christ, is four years before the common era, and that Christ was crucified A.
D. 29, and not A. D. 33. So that the year 1843 will be in reality 1847 years from the birth of Christ, and the present year (1840) is 1844 years from that event. The year B. C. 457 will therefore be 453 years before the birth of Christ. Reckoning from the year 453 before Christ was born, and adding 33 years, the age of Jesus Christ at his crucifixion, it would be 486 years from the decree of Artaxerxes to the cutting off of the Messiah. Those who adopt this chronology, suppose, that by the expression in the 27th verse, "In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease," we are to understand that after the completion of 69 of the weeks of years amounting to 483 years, denoted in the 25th verse by the two periods of "seven weeks, and three-score and two weeks," that in the midst of the seventieth week, Christ should be crucified; and consequently, the Jewish sacrifices and oblations, which pointed to the sacrifice of Christ, should virtually cease from that moment, when HE, "by one offering should perfect for ever them that are sanctified."
Of course, the year 486 would correspond to this expression, and would be "in the midst of the week," that is, the last of the 70 weeks of years, extending from 483 to 490, dating from the decree of Artáxerxes.
I suppose Mr. M. alludes to such as adopt this chronology, when he remarks, (page 72,) "I should not have been thus particular, and have trespassed so much upon your time to prove a given point in Christendom, had I not recently met with more than one christian professor, and even teachers in Zion, who deny that the seventy weeks ended with the death of Christ." Mr. M. did not probably know when he wrote this, that the conclusion he deprecates springs from the very date he has chosen.
Mr. Miller adopts this date, B.C.457, from the chronology of the pious and learned John Usher, D.D. It will be perceived, therefore, that notwithstanding he occasionally speaks rather sneeringly of "learned D.D.'s," he is indebted to those very men for the dates upon which he grounds his calculations.
Taking the year B. C. 457 as the commencement, he accordingly places the completion of the 70 weeks or 490 years, at the crucifixion of Christ, by adding 33, the age of Christ at his crucifixion, to 457, the sum of these two numbers, making exactly 490.
Mr. M. says the 490 years begin B.C. 457, which is correct. He says they end A.D.33, which is also correct. But Christ was born four years before the common era, as is now universally admitted. Consequently he was crucified A.D.29, and this is so stated in Archbishop Usher's chronology. So that only 486 years intervened between the year B.C.457 and the crucifixion. A.D. 29
Mr. Miller might have learnt this fact, which of itself is fatal to his whole theory, by simply subtracting the year of the world 3547, corresponding with B.C. 457, the date of Artaxerxes decree, from the year of the world 4033, the date according to Usher, of the crucifixion.
486.
But whether the seventy weeks ended exactly at the crucifixion, or 4 years after, is a matter of no importance whatever to my argument in conflutation of Mr. M.'s theory, as I shall prove that if he is right in supposing 2300 days in chap. 8th
E to mean 2300 years, still he makes a mistake, not of 3 or 4 years, in dating the commencement of these years, but of nearly three hundred; that is, he dates from B.
C. 457, instead of 168, the true date. On the contrary, a miscalculation of 4 years on Mr. M.'s part, is fatal to his whole system, because it is evident that this completion of the 490 years, precisely, at the death of Christ, is the starting point of all his calculations, and every date which is afterwards assumed as the commencement or the completion of any prophetic period, depends upon the correctness of this one, and is fixed upon by reckoning from the beginning or ending of the 70 weeks, and calculating, sometimes forward, and sometimes backward, just as suits his purpose. Hence the importance he attaches in the above extract to the completion of the 70 weeks precisely with the death of Christ, and the manner in which he speaks of those "teachers in Zion," who in this respect differ from himself; not knowing that he himself differs from himself by selecting a date for the commencement of the 70 weeks, which brings the termination 4 years after the crucifixion.
I confess myself to be one of those who question whether the 70 weeks ended precisely with the
death of Christ, but suppose rather that that event took place about 4 years before the completion of the 490 years; that is, according to the prophecy, "in the midst of the week," the last of the 70 weeks of years.
It is evident that the prophecy, especially the former part of the last verse, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease," is capable of a more consistent explanation, by understanding the last week of the seventy, in which he should "confirm the covenant with many," to refer to the 7 years included in the time of Christ's public ministry, and the first three or four years of the apostles, during which, on the day of Pentecost, when 3000 were added to the church, and at other times, he did truly confirm the covenant with many, and "in the midst," or half part of which week, (as it is in the Hebrew,) the Saviour was crucified, and thus a virtual end was put to the Jewish system of sacrifices, and he caused "the sacrifice and oblation to cease."
There is one consequence resulting from Mr. M.'s fixing so positively the death of Christ as the completion of the 490 years, of which I suppose he little dreamed, and that is, that the end of the world is past already, and that this event took place in the year 1839!
His prophecy of 2300 years, he says must be fulfilled 1810 years after the death of Christ, by taking 490 from 2300. Now any one may see, by looking at Usher's chronology, given in Bagster's Comprehensive Bible, and also in the Supplement to the Comprehensive Commentary, that the crucifixion took place A. D. 29, the common era having commenced in the fourth year after the birth of Christ, and he being at his crucifixion about 33 years of age. Now if the end of the world is to come 1810 years after the crucifixion in A. D. 29, this will bring us, of course, to A. D. 1839.
For the sake of the argument, however, I shall not insist upon this error in Mr. M.'s starting point, but let it be supposed that the crucifixion occurred A.D.33,and thus let us meet Mr.M.upon his own ground, while we proceed to examine his explanation of the prophetic period of 2300 days. Let it, however, be understood, that whenever A.D.33 is named in this work as the year of the crucifixion, it is only because Mr.M. assumes this, not because the present author admits its correctness.
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