terms of this prophecy, that such a general and anxious expectation of the Messiah obtained among the Jews, about the time of his advent? Art thou he that should come or look we for another ? The divine declaration, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, certified the event, the incarnation of the redeemer. The promise to Abraham defined the nation of which he should be, of his posterity, or the Jews. The prophecy of Jacob, The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, prescribed the tribe. The promise to David, the family; and the prophecy of Micah, Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, the town or city. But however accurately these prophecies might define those particular subjects, yet the Jews could never determine from them the time when the Messiah should appear. But this prophecy of Daniel, making the time a principal subject, defined it in the most explicit terms. It should be seventy weeks, or 490 years from the going forth of the commandment. byses, or Ahasuerus; and by the decree of Smerdis, or Artaxerxes, was entirely suspended. Ezra, ch. iv. The work was resumed by the Jews by the address of Haggai and Zecha. (ch. v.) and thro' the favorable decree of Darius (ch. vi.) the temple was finished in the sixth year of his reign, about twenty three years after the return from the captivity of Babylon. Tho' the temple was built and the worship of God attended in it, yet this was but a partial restoration; the decree of Cyrus was but partially executed. Many profanations also had insinuated themselves; Jerusalem was yet waste and the gates were consumed with fire. Neh. ii. To correct abuses and effect a complete restoration, Artaxerxes, in the seventh year of his reign, gave that liberal decree to Ezra, recorded Ezra ch. vii. From the going forth of this commandment are the 70 weeks, or 490 years, to be computed. These weeks by the angel are divided into three parts, 7, weeks, 62, weeks and one week. In the 7 weeks the work of restoration was to be completed, in which the street and wall should be built in troublous times. How exactly this part of the prophecy was fulfilled, is very obvious from the history of Nehemiah.-From these 7 weeks or 49 years are the 62 weeks, or 434 years, to be computed. These introduce the third part, the one week, when the Messiah should appear, first by his messenger, who shoulded he appeared to the inexpresprepare his way, and then in his sible joy of those who were waitown glorious person, to finishing for the consolation of Israel. transgression, make an end of Let us now consider, sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness for the salvation of his people. Was it not from the definite -As this prefixed a period from which the Jews could calculate, it premonished them precisely of the time when the word should be made flesh and dwell among them. Computing from this period and perceiving that the time was about to expire, their minds were filled with ardent expectation, that the Lord would suddenly come into his temple; and at the time prefix II. The works to be effected in this conclusion, or last part, of this period. These are expres the Ro Bed in the following terms. And the prince that shall come, he shall confirm the covenant with mans, shall destroy the city and many for one week, which was ef- the sanctuary and to the end of the fected by the preaching of John war desolations are determined, the Baptist, of his disciples, and and for the overspreading of abom, his own public ministry. He inations he (God, by his instrushall finish transgression and make ments, the Roman princes) shall reconciliation for iniquity, scal up make it, the city of Jerusalem, the vision and prophecy, or fulfil or the region of Judea, desolate all the prophecies concerning even to the consummation and that himself and anoint the most holy. which is determined shall be poured And after sixty and two weeks en the desolate: or, until God hath from the seven, or in the seven- completed that series of terrible tieth week shall Messiah be cut | judgments with which he is deteroff, and he shall make the offering mined to punish the aggravated and oblation to cease. As these wickedness of that guilty nation. are particular parts of one gen- See Mat. xxiv. chap.-As the eral and very obvious subject, conquest of the Jews and the permit them to be expressed in desolation of Jerusalem by the one general observation, that Romans, are generally known they relate to the accomplish- from the most authentic histoment of the wonderful and glo- ries, and the present state of that rious work of redemption by Je- miserable people, let it suffice to sus Christ; importing, that by remark upon this part of the his obedience he should bring in prophecy, that God hath illuseverlasting righteousness, and intrated, by events, every part of the midst (last half, say critics) it most minutely. The calamiof the week be cut off, making reconciliation for iniquity by his own most precious blood, and cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, by perfecting forever them that are sanctified, by the one offering of himself. This completed the seventy weeks and determined, or concluded, the Jewish church state, abrogated their peculiar economy, and dissolved all distinctions of nations, times and places. The seed of Abraham then ceased to be God's peculiar people, Jerusalem was no more his holy city, nor the temple his holy habitation. Let us next consider III. The scene which should succeed this period. And the end of the Jewish state shall be with a food of calamities coming on the nation like a mighty torrent, and the people of ties of the Jews in the war made upon them by the Romans, are without a parallel. War and the sword without, and famine, pestilence, factions, massacres and assassinations within the city, destroyed 1100,000 during the siege. They were finally overcome, their city destroyed and their temple burnt, they were captivated and dispersed, and continue a reproach, an hissing, an astonishment and a terror, throughout all nations to this day; a continued miracle in support of the truth of divine declarations, a visible illustration of the fulfilment of the several parts of this prophecy, and will so continue until the whole of that which is determined shall be poured on the desolate. The work proposed hath now been attempted, the typical representation been considered, the events signified by them prodused, and a review of them suggests the following reflections, I. The book of Daniel contains a variety of wonderful visions, or typical representations. When the inquisitive mind of king Nebuchadnezzar, in his slumbering moments, would penetrate into the destinies of futurity, instantly a splendid and terrific image rears up itself before him, which was of a very singular composition. The head of gold, the breasts and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet and toes part of iron and part of potter's clay. What a wonderful spectacle was this, and how must the mind of king Nebuchadnezzar have been affected by it? Did any such object ever address itself to the astonished eyes of mortal men. Similar to this was the vision of the Prophet Daniel when deep sleep falleth upon men. Behold a majestic lion, having the wings of an eagle on his back, comes in his view; then a bear having three ribs in his mouth; then a leopard having four heads and upon his back four wings of a fowl; and last of all, a beast dreadful and terrible, having great iron teeth and ten horns on his head. Then the vision of the ram with two horns coming up out of the river, and of an he goat with a notable horn between his eyes, coming from the west, skimming through the air, and not touching the ground. What strange sights were these, such as the world had never seen, nor had imagination ever painted the like on the mind of man. II. These visions typified a series of important subjects and interesting events. This may be illustrated by observing, 1. This series of events was in connection and succession.The several metals which composed the image were connected with each other and constituted one entire object. The beasts appeared before the Prophet in succession, first the lion, then the bear, &c. denoting a succession of kingdoms and e vents. 2. These visions or types had their peculiar and appropriate signification. Hieroglyphics, and describing subjects by figurative representations were in great and general use among the ancients, both in writing and conversation. Of this nature were even all the religious rites and sacrifices among the Jews, and all the allegories and parables in the sacred writings. Such in their kind were all the visions of the Prophets. Such was the image, and such were the four beasts. These represented particular subjects and events.Thus were they designed by the authors, and so were they understood by the subjects of them. This is the dream and we will shew the king the interpretation. Thou, O king, art a king of kings. Thou art this head of Gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom, &c. Then I went near to one that stood by and asked him the truth, the signification, of all this. he told me and made me understand the interpretation of the things; vii. 16. When I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision and sought for the meaning, then I heard a man's voice which said, Gabriel make this man to understand the vision. So he came near and said, Understand, O son So of man. The four different metals which composed the image, and the four beasts of the visions are difinitely interpreted to signify four kings or kingdoms, which should arise out of the earth. Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast and of the ten horns which came up-Thus he said, The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom which shall arise. The ram with two horns are the kings of Media and Persia, and the rough he goat is the king of Greece. How explicit is this interpretation of these visions? A certain writer has observed, "If there were men (Prophets) to whom the Almighty communicated some event that would take place in future, it is consistent to suppose that the event would be told in terms that would be understood, and not related in such a loose and obscure manner as to fit almost any circumstance that might happen afterward." And is not the interpretation of these visions in terms very perspicuous? Can he invent terms more explicit and intelligible?— Is not this reflection upon prophecy very unreasonable? 3. There is a wonderful and pleasing aptitude in these types to represent the various subjects and events signified by them.--How aptly did the head of Gold in the image, and the lion among the beasts represent the opulence and splendor, the strengh and majesty of the empire of Babylon? How aptly did the breast and arms typify the empire of Media and Persia, united in Cyrus, by the marriage of the Persian king with the Median princess. from a union of hearts in the most tender and endearing affections? How fitly did the bear with three ribs in his mouth represent the voracity and cruelty of that conquering empire? As for crowns the kings of Persia wore the heads of rams adorned with precicus stones, when Daniel saw the ram with two horns come up out of the river, and push westward and northward and southward, how expressively did this represent the conquests of the united kingdoms of Media and Persia. Do not the belly and thighs of the image, the leopard with four wings upon his back, among the beasts, and the rough he goat as admirably represent the courage of the Macedonians,the rapidity of their conquests, the luxury of their kings, the division of their empire into four kingdoms and the final descent of it into the kingdoms of Syria and Egypt? Did, in water, face ever answer to face with greater exactness, than these visions describe the genius, character, conquests and final issue of the extraordinary empire of the Greeks? What think we of the iron legs of the image, and the feet and toes part of iron and part miry clay, to denote first the strength, and then the weakness of the mighty empire of Rome, the unnatural commixture of the native citizens with the ignoble barbarians, and the division of it into ten kingdoms? What shall we think of the monstrous, nameless beast having great iron teeth and ten horns on his head, to denote the destructive cruelty of that empire, and the kingdoms into which it was divided?Could any type represent them with greater aptness? What do we think of the little horn springing up among the ten, and prostrating three before it, hav-nity of this publication to recite ing the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great words against the most High with a look more stout than his fellows? Does it not with admirable accuracy describe the rise, establishment, subtilty, arrogance, blasphemy and persecution of Antichrist? And yet it hath been said, with an affrontery almost provoking, "that a blunder will serve for a type."If we pass from types to prophecy, how correct, how precise the predictions concerning the emulations, strategems and conflicts of the kings of Syria and Egypt, particularising even the dissimulation and hypocrisy they practised at the table? Can it justly be said, that these are so equivocal as to fit almost any circumstance which might happen afterward ? Do not the seventy weeks with great perspicuity and exactness define the continuation and conclusion of the Jewish economy, and the advent of the Messiah, with the destruction of Jerusalem, the calamities, captivity and dispersion of the Jews? Must it not then be very falsely asserted, that the prophecies "are a bow of a thousand years, which comes only within a thousand miles of a mark ?" 4. These visions or types are applicable to no other subjects than those ascribed to them in this prophecy. However, with a kind of pleasurable ease, the aptitude of these types to signify their peculiar subjects may be displayed, yet it exceeds the efforts of the most consummate genius to make them represent any other subjects or kingdoms with aptness and propriety.Although it is beneath the dig the vulgar language of the author who has asserted, "that a blunder will serve for a prophecy," yet the learned world will be infinitely obliged to him if he will produce other kingdoms and events which have existed in the world, to which these visions will apply with as great aptness and beauty, as to the empires of Babylon and Persia, Greece and Rome. Or if he will invert the order of the subjects or events, and make it manifest, that the types as fitly represent them, as they do in the order in which they are placed. If, for instance he will take the golden head of the image and apply it to the Romans, and shew that it represents their empire, from its rise to its final dissolution, its primary strength, its division into ten kingdoms and the coalition of the native Romans with the northern nations, with as great aptness, as it is represented by the legs of iron, and the feet and toes, part of iron and part of miry clay; or if he will make the legs, feet and toes represent the unity, opulence and splendor of the Babylonian empire, as fitly as they are represented by the head of gold; or if he will make the breast and arms of silver, represent the kingdom of the Greeks, as aptly as it is represented by the belly and thighs of brass; or if he will take the brazen belly and thighs and make them represent the kingdom of Media and Persia, as fitly as it is represented by the breast and arms of silver; or if he will make the nameless monstrous beast with great iron teeth in his mouth and ten horns on his head, describe the strength and grandeur of the Babylonish |