IV. "Because six of the trumpets, and the things which

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they bring, by necessity of contemporation, are in"cluded in the compass of the Antichristian time. "Two whereof, by the express times mentioned in "them, (in the fifth of five months, ch. ix. 5, and in "the sixth of thirteen, ch. ix. 15,) take up a year and'

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an half, that is near half the time; which, though "far too little (if literally taken) for the great things "prophecied in them, yet what time will they leave "for the four other trumpets, and for the seven vials "which also are poured out upon the beast, and afore "his times are finished? What time alone will the "sixth vial require for preparing the way of the Kings "of the East, for the frogs to go forth unto the Kings "of the Earth, and of the whole world, to gather them "to the battle of that great day of God Almighty, &c."

It is obvious that the strength of this objection lies in the assumption, that Mede is right in his interpretation of other parts of the prophecy; and it happens unfortunately, that the very point on which he insists is opposed by many (I believe I may say most) other commentators. This "necessity of contemporation" is denied by the systems of Bishop Newton, Mr. Faber, Dr. Hales, Messrs. Lowman, Cunninghame, and I believe many others. Perhaps, therefore, I need say little about it. The case is the same with the sixth trumpet, which Mede states must occupy thirteen months, by the

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express times mentioned" in it. This is denied by Mr. Faber, who states that the time referred to was the first hour of the 29th day of

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May, A.D. 1453, and adds in a note, "There "is a question respecting the day, the hour, "the month and the year, whether they denote a certain season of continuance, or an appointed epoch of action. Mr. Mede, Mr. Brightman, Sir Isaac Newton, Bishop Newton, Mr. Fleming, and other expositors, adopt the former opinion; Archdeacon Woodhouse, on the contrary, asserts that the original language will "not admit of this construction,' and therefore "rejects it altogether. (Apoc. Tran. p. 260,

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262, 273.) Whether his assertion be perfectly "well founded, or not, I think him right in re'jecting the idea that a season of continuance is "intended."i

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But even supposing that Archdeacon Woodhouse is wrong, and Mede is right, (for my present business is to answer what he has said respecting the 1260 days, and therefore, for the sake of argument, I would admit as much as possible of his interpretation,) I do not see why

i Vol. II. P. 41.

This was written before the publication of Mr. Faber's Sacred Calendar of Prophecy. In that work, Mr. Faber reverts to what I believe was his original opinion, that a season of continuance is intended. He now makes it begin 9th of June, 1301, and end the 9th Sept. 1697. This is done by virtue of a sort of prophetic year, different from those of which the period of 1260 years is supposed to consist. They are supposed to contain 360 days each, but these 3654.Sac. Cal. of Proph. II. 430.

it is more absurd to suppose that any given trumpet should occupy thirteen months, or 391 days, out of 1260 days; than to suppose, as he does, that it occupies 396 years out of 1260 years. The proportion is much the same.

The whole argument, however, amounts but to this: If Mede has rightly interpreted the trumpets, they will take up more than three years and a half-but what if his interpretation should be wrong? That he is mistaken in some material points, the commentators whom I have mentioned, agree; and I must freely say, that his explanation of the trumpets, and every other which I have seen, is so entirely unsatisfactory to my own mind, that I know not how to argue upon the length of time required for their duration.

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When it is asked, "What time alone will the "sixth vial require for preparing the way of the Kings of the East, &c." I must needs say, that if the enquirer expects a rational answer to this question, he ought to be able to give, or should have some reason to expect from those whom he asks, some better information respecting the Kings of the East, the length of the way, the nature of the preparation, the means and instruments to be used in that preparation, than any man living pretends to possess. How, too, can any man pretend to specify the length of time which it must take the frogs to execute

their commission, when he is expressly told that "they are spirits of devils, working miracles?" Surely such speculations as these ought not to weigh one atom, against the plain letter of Scripture.

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V. "Lastly, from the event. If Antichrist's times last no longer than is supposed, then, either they are passed long ago, or that sixth Roman Head, which "in St. John's time was, is still in being. But that "cannot be, when neither Greek nor Latin Cæsar are

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now remaining. If any say the Latin Cæsar still "remains in the German Empire, as that which "succeeded unto it, I demand what succession can "that be, where was near 350 years interruption, a "longer time than some famous monarchies have had "for their whole continuance. If the Cæsarean state may revive and continue the same after so many

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years interregnum, how shall we ever know when it "is dead for adoe, and the time come that Antichrist "should be looked for? Besides, if the times of Anti"christ be so short, and therefore yet to come (as they "must be unless they be longer), then are we yet "under the times of the Red Dragon, and all the "Trumpets yet to come. Let it be shewn how this "can be, if it appear we are not under these times of "the Dragon, then none of the Revelation is yet " fulfilled."

This is another instance in which the whole force of the argument lies in the assumption, that the author is right in other parts of his system. Whether the sixth head had or had not fallen in his time, I am sure I cannot tell—

but Mr. Faber absolutely contradicts the supposition; and matter in dispute between such writers forms but a bad foundation for an argument. Mr. Faber says, "From the commence"ment of the reign of Augustus, down to the "memorable year 1806, a period which comprises a longer term than even eighteen centuries, the world has never been without an Emperor of the Romans; but in that year, "for the first time, this ancient title disappear❝ed from off the face of the earth, and we may 66 now say, in the language of prophecy, SIX

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"Roman Heads are fallen.” k

It is really curious (especially considering Mr. Faber's strong language respecting the concurrence of expositors) to see two such writers, as himself and Mr. Mede, disputing whether, during whole centuries, there were any such things as Roman Emperors in exist

ence.

With regard to the second part of this objection, in which Mr. Mede argues, that if the 1260 days are taken literally, the period of Antichrist must be future, and therefore we must be “ "yet

k Vol. III. p. 21. In this new work Mr. Faber has altered his scheme of the heads, and making the first head go to sleep at the expulsion of Tarquin, supposes it to have revived in Augustus, and to have continued alive and awake until the year 1806. This of course makes no difference as to the point for which his opinion is here quoted.