Here then, at the disclosing of the contents of the little open book, it is manifest that John goes back from the sixth trumpet in the seventeenth century, when the Eastern section of the Roman empire was subverted, by the Othmans, and gives us another view of society in Christendom cotemporaneously with the trumpets.  It follows necessarily that the little book does not rank, as some imagine, under any one trumpet; much less does it comprehend all the remaining chapters of the Apocalypse, as others vainly suppose.  This matter will receive increasing confirmation as we advance.

Those who worship within the temple and those who worship without, are evidently distinguished from each other.  They differ in character tested by the word of God, in fellowship, as authoritatively separated according to the rule of the same word:  for whereas the gentile worshippers are so numerous as to crowd both the outer court and the city, the measured worshippers are all included within the confines of the temple, (Song iv. 12.) Measuring is equivalent to the sealing of the servants of God in the seventh chapter; and imports that they are secured from the sins and plagues of their time.  The period of the apostacy from God is fixed to “forty and two months.”  According to Jewish mode of reckoning, a day for a year, (Num. xiv. 34; Dan. ix. 24,) the whole period is 1260 years.  Each month has thirty days.  Multiply forty-two by thirty, and we have 1260.  The same period of time,—­not merely an equal period, is otherwise expressed by the prophet Daniel thus:  “time, times, and a half.” (ch. xii. 7.) That is, 360, the number of days in the Jewish year:  times, or 720, the days in two years; and half a time, or 180, the days in half a year.  Now, add these three numbers, 360, 720, 180; and the sum is 1260.  Now see Daniel iv. 25, where the word “times” means years, and then a child may calculate these mystical numbers.

3.  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

V. 3.—­While the nominal church, “the outer court and the holy city,” would be “trodden under foot,” and the most eminent places would be filled with idolaters, infidels, hypocrites, and mercenary spirits, and true Christians grievously oppressed, the Lord would preserve a faithful few from defiling themselves with the prevailing abominations.  These he claims and owns as his “peculiar treasure,”—­“my witnesses.”  These have found that it was “good for them to draw near to God,” when the multitude treacherously departed from him.  The Lord Christ promises to sustain them in the midst of all their tribulations.  The duration of their special work is the very same as that of the treading of the holy city, “a thousand two hundred and three score days,”—­1260 years.  In attempting to fix the beginning of this period, Daniel and John must be compared; both treat of the