PART the FIRST,

CONTAINING

An ACCOUNT of the Firft Seven Weeks of this Prophecy: both in the Beginning, and also in the Ending of them.

CHA P. I.

In general concerning the Beginning of the Se ven Weeks.

Aving in the premises confider'd the nature, and divifion of thefe Weeks; I am now to treat of the first VII Weeks of this Prophecy: And I am in the first place concern'd to set forth the true Scripture Beginning of them.

Now that the faid VII Weeks muft of neceffity take their Beginning from the Commandment which went forth to restore, and to build Jerufalem, (or to rebuild Jerufalem, for this is the true meaning of the Hebraifm (a) here thus tranflated, and therefore I fhall thus once, and always exprefs my felf on this occafion) even to rebuild Jerufalem WALL and STREETS, The EXPRESS CHARACTER in the Text makes it evident beyond dispute.

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(4) Mida?! 'un, to restore, and to build according to `our Translation: bus it might have been much more properly tranflated, to rebuild, or to build again. And that this latter is the much truer verfion is evident from the use of the very fame word afterwards in the same verse, viz. where it is said concerning the Street of Jerufalem, MAIN DIN, It shall return and be built. So verbally. And yet our Tranflators here have rendred it truly and properly, it fhall be built again. It should have been therefore fo rendred in the former ufe of the word. There are many inftances of fuch use of the word in Scripture: particularly in Pfalm vi. 10. Let them return and be afhamed The like alfo may be seen in Pfal, Ixxi, 29, and Ixxviii, 41. See also Gen. xxvi. 18.

We are in ver. 25 immediately pinned down to fuch Beginning. For fo we there read exprefly, viz. That from the going forth of the Commandment to rebuild Jerufalem. hall be VII Weeks, &c.

But whereas there were four COMMANDMENTS, or DECREES which at four different times went forth from the Kings of Perfia in favour of Jerufalem, it hath therefore been a point difputed among learned men, And it is indeed the grand queftion now before us, which of the four it was that is here intended in this Prophecy.

That there were but four fuch Commandments is evident from the account we have of them, and of thofe only in holy writ. Of these we learn either from Ezra or Nehemiah, thofe holy men who themfelves were immediately concern'd in two of them, that they were as in order they here follow, viz.

First, That COMMANDMENT which went forth in the first year of Cyrus.

Secondly, That which went forth from Darius, in his fecond according to fome, in his third as fome have reckon'd, in his fourth according to others.

Thirdly, That which went forth in the 7th of Artaxerxes Longi manus. And

Fourthly, That which went forth in the 20th of the faid Artaxerxes. One of thefe four COMMANDMENTS was certainly referr'd to, or spoken of, in this Prophecy by the Angel, in what he told Daniel expreffly here, ver. 25 concerning a Commandment that was to go forth to rebuild Jerufalem.

Here then lies the Queftion: namely Which of all others is the moft likely to be that very COMMANDMENT here men, tion'd in this Prophecy.

The Anfwer is very easy in general, that it must be that, no doubt of it, which moft nearly and exactly anfwers to the EXPRESS CHARACTER in the Text, namely that of REBUILDING JERUSALEM.

But whereas there are two different fenfes in which this EXPRESS CHARACTER of rebuilding Ferufalem hath been taken by learned men in their various Expofitions of this Prophecy, fome (particularly the late learned Bishop Lloyd for one) having taken the fame in a litteral fenfe, as denoting the rebuilding of the City of Ferufalem, others, (the reverend and learned Dr. Prideaux in particular) in a figurative fenfe, as denoting the Reftoration of the Jewish Church, And whereas confequently there is much depending upon the true meaning of these words of the Commandment, (viz. to rebuild Ferufalem,) in order to afcertain which of the four general Commandments It was here in the Prophecy before us particularly intended, or referr'd to, the former of these two great men beginning his Expofition of this Prophecy from the 20th of Artaxerxes Longimanus upon his litteral acceptance of the words thereof, the latter beginning his from the 7th of the faid Artaxerxes, upon his figurative interpretation of them, It is therefore become neceffary for us,

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before we proceed any farther, to enquire into the true nature of this EXPRESS CHARACTER as contain'd in these words of the Prophecy of REBUILDING JERUSALEM.

I fhall accordingly in the first place confider this exprefs Character in this twofold fenfe of it, in order to the fhewing in the next place which of the four Commandments is that, between which, and the Prophecy before us there is the greatest Agreement. And this fhall be the Contents of the following Chapter.

СНАР. II.

Concerning the true fenfe, or meaning of those words of the Commandment, the REBUILDING Jerufalem.

Am now to treat concerning the exprefs Character of the Beginning of the VII Weeks, viz. of the COMMANDMENT which went forth to rebuild Jerusalem: And I am to set forth the fame in the twofold fenfe of it before-mention'd, viz. in the figurative, and the litteral sense of it.

The late learned Bishop Lloyd in his Expofition of this Prophecy taking every thing in the Prophecy as it lay before him in the plain fenfe of the words of it according to the exprefs Letter, took these words of it also of rebuilding Jerufalem in the fame litteral sense, viz.

That whereas Jerufalem the royal and boly City had been destroyed, and made defolate, being laid even with the ground by the Babylonians, fhe fhould however in procefs of time be built up again, as in the former days, the days of her Profperity. That the who in the language of David, (Pf. xlviii. 1.) and of Daniel alfo (ch. ix. 16.) was the holy Mountain of God, called fo even by God himself (Zech. viii. 3.) And yet at the time of the giving of the Prophecy before us, was as it were only a mountain of Rubbish without either STREETS, or WALLS, fhe fhould however have them rebuilt as at the beginning. For to this purpose there was to go forth a Commandment (from a King of Perfia) even to REBUILD Jerusalem. So that however the now lay naked, and defenceless, and open to all her enemies round about her, for want of her WALLS, which now lay in ruins as left by the Babylonians upon their dismantling her, and was therefore become, and as yet continued a Reproach, the time however thould come when that her REPROACH fhould be taken away. For by virtue of the COMMANDMENT which was to go forth for that very purpose, Her WALL was to be again fet up, Her STREETS were to be rebuilt, fhe fhould be yet replenished, and adorned with Houses; Her Inhabitants fhould again flock in unto Her; and fo the fhould be re-peopled, and inhabited,

habited, as in ancient times. In this fenfe did the late Bishop Lloyd take thefe Words, as the true litteral meaning of them, as they lie before us in the Prophecy.

And what should hinder why thefe Words fhould not be taken in this fame litteral fenfe, as the real and very fenfe here intended in them by the Angel? Wherefore should the Letter be rejected here, or in any other part of this moft folemn Prophecy, this important, this very important Prophecy, as Dr. Prideaux (a) truly calls it?

It is truly fo. It is indeed of the greatest importance: as being the only Prophecy in Scripture which directly points out Chrift the Meffiah; and what is more than that which (as we shall particularly fee hereafrer) fetteth forth the precife time of a suffering Meffiah; and therein demonftrates him to be the true Meffiah, the ANOINTED of the Lord, to be our great Sacrifice, and Expiation for Sin in dying for us, and in our ftead. And therefore fo important a Prophecy as this is in the letter of it ought by no means to be explain'd away in a figure; no, not in any one part of it: Efpecially confidering that every part of it, in the letter thereof had its most exact completion, as will be hereafter particularly fhewn. And therefore in the explanation of it to run it, or any part of it into a figure, is not a little derogating from the folemnity, and very great importance of it.

And yet this notwithstanding, fome Expofitors of this weighty Prophecy rejecting the litteral fenfe of the words of the Commandment to rebuild Jerufalem, have been very fond of the figurative fenfe of these words. In particular the learned Dr. Prideaux hath declar'd against the former, and for the latter. And to this purpose he hath expreffly told us (b), that the Words in the Text to restore and to build Ferufalem, are not to be understood litterally, but figuratively, for the refioring of the state of the Jews, as well the Political, as the Ecclef aftical, &c. And to like purpofe elsewhere (c).

In confirmation of which figurative fenfe of thefe words, and by way of objection to the litteral fenfe of them, Mr. Dean there gives his reafons and fupports the fame with other figurative Interpretations elsewhere (d). But of what force and efficacy those reasons are, will appear by giving them a particular confideration, either as we find them here (e), or as we fhall have more proper Opportunities of fpeaking of them, as they lie elsewhere, and as they come in under other confiderations.

First, faith Mr. Dean here (f), What is more ufual in Prophecies than to be giv'n out in figurative Expreffions? But with all due fubmiffion, Doth it hence follow that because Some Prophecies are fo giv'n out, that therefore All are, or that this in particular is so giv❜n;

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(a) Con. Hift. p. 106, 1. 29 and 47. (b) p. 266.1. 3. (c) Particularly p. 289, 1. 28. Mr. Dean makes the Church, and State of Jerufalem to be figuratively expreffed by the Streets of the City, and good Conftitutions, and Eftablishments, to be figuratively exprefled by the Ditch: Of which the Reader will hear in its proper place. (d) P. 287. (e) p. 266.

(f) ib. 1. 7.

or if fo giv❜n that It must however neceffarily be giv'n in Mr. Dean's figurative fenfe of it?

But addeth Mr. Dean there (a), What is more common in Scripture than by Jerufalem to mean the whole political, and ecclefiaftical ftate of that people, viz. the Jews?

Now with like deference to the learned Mr Dean's judgement, Doth it hence follow that the word Jerufalem tho' in fome places of Scripture fo taken, muft therefore be fo taken in this ?

Where is the confequence here? It is, faith Mr. Dean, common in Scripture, for Jerufalem to be taken in this figurative fenfe. I do allow it. But I beg leave to add alfo that it is most common in Scripture likewise for Jerufalem to be taken in a litteral fenfe. Were we to be at the trouble of reckoning up the places in Scripture where the word Ferufalem is found, we fhould certainly find it in many more places in the fenfe of the letter, than in that of a figure. Where then is the confequence of thus arguing? Mr. Dean doth not say that it is al ways fo: but commonly fo. And yet upon examination it would be found most commonly otherwife. And therefore fince it is not fo in all places of Scripture, it is poffible furely that it may not be fo in this. Therefore in truth this argument of Mr. Dean proveth no more than the former. The fame in favour of the litteral sense turn'd upon Mr. Dean would prove equally against his figurative acceptance of the words. But fuch an argument as this proves to very little or no purpose of either fide. Therefore we may dif mifs it without any farther trouble to the Reader about it. But

Thirdly, Mr. Dean gives one other reason in favour of his figu rative interpretation of the words of the Commandment for to rebuild Jerufalem, by telling us (b) that this figurative Interpretation of the words, and NONE OTHER must be the true meaning of them, as appearing from hence, viz. That they CANNOT be understood in a LITTERAL SENSE. And this is a decifive argument indeed, if this Affertion could be made out. But fure I am that this can never be made out from the reason on which Mr. Dean founds it, viz. a very forced, and groundless confequence which he hath hence urged, in the following words, (c) that if they (the words of the Commandment) are fo to be understood, (viz. in a litteral fenfe) they can be applicable to no other restoring, and rebuilding of Jerufalem than that which was decreed, and commanded by Cyrus. Ifhall hereafter give this a particular confideration, and I fhall then fhew that there is not any fufficient ground for fuch inference: and that it makes not in the least against thefe words being taken in a litteral fenfe: for that tho' so taken, there is not any the leaft neceffity for their being fo applied. In the mean time I fhall eftablish the litteral fenfe of thefe words by fuch Arguments, as will, I hope, prove fufficient for that purpose: even to the proving the very reverfe of Mr. Dean's

affertion

(4) L. 8.

(b) p. 257. 1. 9.

(6) 1.1.0.