“7. The rise of the Papacy—the Little Horn of Dan. 7.—Mr. Miller claimed that the one thousand two hundred and sixty years of the papacy were to be reckoned from A. D. 538, by virtue of the decree of Justinian. This decree, though issued A. D. 533, did not go into full effect until 538, when the enemies of the Catholics in Rome were subjugated by Belisarius, a general of Justinian. In this view, as to the rise of papacy, he was sustained by Croly (see his work on Apoc., pp. 113-117); G. T. Noel (see Prospects of Ch., p. 100); Wm. Cunninghame, Esq. (Pol. Destiny of the earth, p. 28); Keith, vol. 1, p. 93; Encyclopedia of Rel. Knowl., art. Antichrist; Edward King, Esq., and others.
“Prof. Stuart and Prof. Chase, in applying this little horn to Antiochus, and the beast of the Apocalypse to Nero, explained these numbers in days, satisfactorily to themselves.
“Dr. Jarvis, who admitted that they symbolize years, denied Mr. Miller’s commencement, without assigning any other. He said: ‘I would rather imitate the caution of the learned Mr. Mede, with regard to the time of the great apostasy, “and curiously inquire not, but leave it unto him who is the Lord of times and seasons.”’
“And of the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days, Mr. Dowling said, ‘If I am asked the question, As you reject the interpretation Mr. Miller gives of these prophetic times, can you furnish a better? I reply, I do not feel myself bound to furnish any’!—Reply to M., p. 25.
“Dr. Hamilton rather agreed with Faber and Scott, in dating from the decree of Phocus, A. D. 606.
“Mr. Shimeal sustained Mr. Miller in dating from the decree of Justinian, but reckoned from the date of its issue, instead of from its going into effect.—p. 45.
“8. The Coming of Christ.—Mr. Miller contended that this was to be literal and personal. This was the view which had been entertained by the church in all ages, and is recognized in the formulas of faith adopted by all evangelical churches. Whether his coming is to be pre or post millennial, is another question; but that Christians, in all ages, have believed that Christ will come again in person to judge the world, will not be questioned.
“That Christ will ever thus return was denied by Prof. Stuart and Prof. Bush. The former said that he had ‘a deeper conviction than ever of the difficulties which attend the supposition of a personal, actual, and visible descent of Christ and the glorified saints to the earth.’—Hints, 2d ed., p. 153. Again: ‘All the prophecies respecting the Messiah are invested with the costume of figurative language.’—Ib., p. 183. And again: ‘Christ himself assumed a visible appearance,’ at his first advent, ‘only that he might take on him our nature and die for sin. When he appears a second time, there is no necessity for assuming such a nature.’—Ib., p. 185.
“Prof. Bush gave as his opinion, that ‘the second advent of the Saviour is not affirmed to be personal, but spiritual and providential; and that the event so denominated is to be considered as having entered upon its incipient fulfillment at a very early period of the Christian dispensation.’—Anastasis, p. 9.
“Mr. Dowling and others, who admitted the personal coming of Christ at the close of the millennium, claimed that the predicted reign of Christ on earth during that period is to be spiritual.