doubt that the one thousand two hundred and sixty days concluded in the year 1792, and the thirty additional days in the year 1823, we are already entered upon the last days, and the ordinary life of a man will carry many of us to the end of them. If this be so, it gives to the subject with which we have introduced this year's ministry, a very great importance indeed. Further, if you will look to the opening of this vision (x.14), you will see a great confirmation of this our conclusion; for it is there said, that this vision was expressly given to shew him "what should befal his people in the latter days." Now in all the vision the Jewish people are not once mentioned till xii. 1, when they are delivered immediately upon the fall of Antichrist; which is not yet happened, and is, as we believe, just about to arrive.

Before leaving the book of Daniel, I would direct your attention to another passage (ii. 28), where Daniel declareth unto Nebuchadnezzar, that God had sent that vision of the great image to make known to him. what should happen in the latter days. Now of that vision, though the four successive monarchies be a part, yet the destruction of them by the fifth monarchy of Messiah is the chief part, and is no doubt the great end of the vision, in order to instruct Nebuchadnezzar, and all kings that should come after him, concerning the end of these four monarchies, into which God had divided the tract of time, until he should set his own King

upon his holy hill of Zion. The great image is only presented before him, that the stone cut out without hands, which destroyeth it, might be represented. And the interpretation satisfies no curiosity as to the three kingdoms which were to succeed him; but as to the fifth kingdom, gives him full and clear revelation that it was to belong to the saints of the Most High. Therefore "the latter days," concerning which the vision was sent to teach Nebuchadnezzar are the times of the destruction of the four monarchies, and the setting up of the fifth in a time which is yet to come, but which we believe to be close at hand. I consider it, therefore to be clear, from the book of Daniel, that the latter days do signify the time at which the Jewish people shall enter to the long promised and long delayed kingdom, after the four Gentile monarchies shall have been brought to an end by the Stone of Israel, which is to come out of Joseph; at which time the characteristic predictions of Jacob shall begin to have their accomplishment.

Besides these, dear brethren, there are several other passages, which I would run over hastily, beginning with Numbers xxiv. 14; which is the parable spoken by Balaam the son of Beor, when Balak king of Moab would have had him prophesy evil of the children of Israel: "Come, therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days." Now, what are these events? Ver. 17 contains the prophecy of Messiah's coming as a star out of

Jacob, and a sceptre out of Israel, smiting the corners of Moab and destroying all the children of Seth, when Edom shall be his possession, and Seir likewise, and Israel shall do valiantly: out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. These are future events which the Messiah will accomplish by means of his people, when he shall gather them again and use them as his battle-axe to beat down his enemies. The prophetical Edom, here signified, continues in the mystical Babylon; and of Moab whom a sceptre out of Israel shall smite, though it be not apparent to us who or where the children of Moab are, yet we know that some people under that name shall return at the latter day. "I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the Lord." And that the sceptre which smiteth them is the universal sceptre of Messiah is manifest from its being added, that it shall destroy all the children of Seth; that is, all the children of men. In the book of Deuteronomy there are two other references to the latter days: the first, chap. iv. 30; after having described the judgments which the Lord would bring upon the people of Israel, after they had been reduced to the state in which we find them at this day, ver. 27: "The Lord shall scatter you among the nations; and ye shall be left few in number amongst the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you;" then, referring to the time of their mercy, he adds, ver. 30, "When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come

upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn unto the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice, he will not forsake thee." In like manner, when Moses prepares himself to sing his song, setting forth God's dealings with the people, he referreth to the latter days. (Deut. xxxi. 29.) And Hosea, after having described the condition of the children of Israel abiding many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim, addeth, "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their King: and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days."

There is only one other passage to which I will refer you, namely, the burden of Gog. (Ezekiel xxxviii.) Of which it is said (ver. 16), that" it shall be in the latter days." So also, in ver. 8, "After many days thou shalt be visited in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them." From this it is clear that the invasion of Gog doth not take place till the children of Israel are some time established in their own land. For the purpose of spoiling them, they are represented as coming up (ver. 12.) "to take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are not inhabited, and upon the

people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land." Thus Gog consisteth of a confederacy of all the nations of the East, which are left from the destruction of the Roman apostasy, which precedeth this great congregation of nations against Jerusalem spoken of in all the prophets. Ver. 17: "Thus saith the Lord God, Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?" And the end is their utter destruction as I take it, by the immediate interference of the Lord. Ver. 18: " And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face: for in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel." From which act of God this great result cometh to the whole earth," Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord."

Having thus ascertained what time is signified by the last days, I proceed to shew, from various parts of Scripture, that they are evil, and not good. Of this, next to what hath been drawn from the very context, I take my proof from the conclusion of the xviith and the beginning of the xviiith chapters of Luke's Gospel, where the Lord (ver. 26.) compareth the state of the church