ons being the true and proper sense of the original word either in it felf, or as it lyes before us in this Prophecy. This quotation proves not in the least that the faid word ought to be rendred here Hedge, or Ditch more fignificantly than WALL: much less doth it prove any thing towards the fenfe in which Mr. Dean renders it, viz. Good Conftitutions.

If then after all, there be not any authority from the holy Scriptures, nor elsewhere for fuch figurative, fuch forced figurative tranflation of the words before us, if the natural fignification of the words do in no wife juftifie fuch figurative interpretation, but evidently point out to us a litteral meaning, then moft certainly fuch figurative Interpretation is in no wife the true Scripture fense of

them.

And thus we might have done with the Hebrew word 31 and our English Tranflation thereof the word WALL, (Having here fhewn it to be originally in the Prophecy, in the true litteral fenfe thereof, (as Our English Tranflators have taken it) however Mr. Dean hath afferted the contrary;) had not He, juft before his cafting out the faid English word in p. 287, one other argument there for its being taken in a figurative fenfe, which though really of no force in it felf, yet in good manners to Mr. Dean we ought not to pass over unobferved. It is this, namely that the faid English word WALL happens to be us'd in Ezra [ch: ix. v. 9.] in a figurative fense: And therefore Mr. Dean puts the queftion (lin. 36. of that page) why may not the word WALL in the Prophecy (viz. in the Prophecy before us) be taken figuratively also?----

To which I beg leave to reply, that there is not any the least reafon for it. For where is the confequence of this arguing?---- It is fo in Ezra faith Mr. Dean. And I will add alfo, It is fo in many other places of Scripture. But doth it therefore neceffarily follow that because it is fo in fome, therefore it is fo in ALL, Or that therefore it is fo in this ?----Because it is so in Ezra, muft it therefore be fo in the Prophecy before us?-----Yes, faith Mr. Dean in what follows (there in that page) viz. there being as much reason for it in the one place, as in the other.

----But with all due fubmiffion, furely there is not as much reafon: there is indeed none at all. For the Context which in such cafes always must be confider'd, plainly fhews the contrary. As will be presently, and more immediately fhewn under my fecond Confideration. However here we may not improperly note the following particulars: viz.

First, That in the Prophecy before us the word STREET is join'd with the word WALL: which is an evident confirmation and ftrengthning of the litteral fenfe, as Ferufalem was to be rebuilt Wall and Street.

2dly, According to the very exprefs Text here, a Royal Com mandinent was to go forth for fuch very purpofe, even for fuch re

building

building Jerufalem, Wall and Street. But no fuch Commandment went forth in Ezra's time: As will be hereafter fhewn. Nor when

he fpake of a 77 (in our Tranflation a Wall) was there any fuch Wall built by him: but afterwards when the Commandment went forth according to this Prophecy for fuch as is there exprefly fpoken of, fuch WALL as in our Tranflation, there was a Wall accordingly rebuilt, or repair'd by the Tirfhatha, or Governour Nebemiah, as will be hereafter fhewn.

But farther with immediate refpect to our English word Wall, our Tranflator's word as well for the 31 in this Prophecy, as the 77 in Ezra, the difference of fenfe in the two original words makes a difference alfo of fenfe in the one Word whereby they are tranflated. The word " indeed signifies a Wall, or a Hedge." But yet it is far from coming up to the fignification of the word " in the Prophecy. Even fuppofing the faid 817 to fignifie a DITCH, as in Mr. Dean of Norwich's tranflation of the word, yet in fuch translation thereof the word comes not up to the fignification of the word. For we have already fhewn what kind of Ditch fuch Translation of the word here must neceffarily denote, viz. a Ditch, on which is built a wall. And however the word 77 in Ezra be in our Tranflation render'd wall, yet it might have been as properly tranflated Hedge, and in one and the fame fenfe. For God was both alike to his people at that time, as He was their Defence against their Adverfaries, when they were as yet without their Wall in the litteral fenfe of the word, of which it was here however in the Prophecy predicted that they fhould in due time have it fet up again. So that tho' the English word be the fame in both places, viz. in Ezra, and in the Prophecy before us One and the fame Word wall, yet the original word in those two places is not the fame, nor is the fignification, and importance of the two words in the two different places the fame; there is as we have seen a manifeft difference in the fenfe of the one, and of the other; And therefore with Mr. Dean of Norwich's leave, there is not as much reason for it (for a figurative sense) in the one place (viz. in the Prophecy before us) as there is in the other: (viz. in Ezra.)

T

And yet tho' Our Tranflators have rendred the word in Exra by our English word wall, I am by no means for finding fault with this their Tranflation, tho' they have done no more by the word in the Prophecy before us, and Mr. Dean of Norwich hath found fault with them for that their Tranflation. Tho' the sense be different in both places, yet the Tranflation in the respective sense of each place is juft, and accurate in both. And su the figurative fenfe in Ezra which is the true fenfe there may ferve to enforce the litteral fenfe in the Prophecy before us, as be

ing

ing the true fenfe thereof. And fo the fenfe will run thus in those two places: viz. that God was himself immediately a WALL (a) in Ezra's time to his People, when at that time Jerufalem being without a wall they were a people naked, and defenceless; but yet they were not fo to continue long, for the fame God in his good time would give unto them a WALL in the litteral fense of the word, as here predicted, and promis'd to Daniel in this Prophecy.

And fo I pafs on to a fecond argument fhewing the litteral fenfe of this, and the other words now before us in this Prophecy, and that is

2dly. That the very Intention of the Angel in thefe words of rebuilding Jerufalem Wall and Street, as therein containing an answer from God to Daniel, the faid answer being founded doubtless upon Daniel's prayer which immediately respected the litteral Defolation of Ferufalem, as it can therefore properly have no other than a litteral meaning, is a convincing argument that these words must not be taken in a figurative, but in a litteral fenfe. For here is plainly intended the building of a City, which was formerly destroyed, as It is evident as well from the immediate words of the Commandment, as from the whole Scope of the Prophetic Text.

For full fatisfaction in this matter, Let us here lay before us fo much of this holy Prophet's prayer, as is neceffary on this occafion. We have it in this (c) Chapter from the third to the 19th verfe inclufive.

It is in general a Prayer for the Restoration of Jerufalem. The greateft part of it is taken up by Daniel in a general confeffion of the fins of his People: Those their manifold Sins which therein he confeffeth were the caufe of God's juft judgement upon Jerufalem. These are the Contents of it from verfe 3 to verfe 16. Then in that verfe Daniel more immediately begins to call upon God in behalf of Jerufalem in the following words, ver. 16, I befeech thee let thine Anger, and thy fury be turned away from thy City Jerufalem: thy HOLY Mountain (b), because for our Sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerufalem, and thy people are become a REPROACH to all that are about us. ver. 17. Caufe thy face to Shine upon THY SANCTUARY that is DESÓLATE. ver. 18, Behold our DESOLATIONS, and the CITY which is call'd by thy name.

Ver. 19by thy name.

THY CITY and THY PEOPLE are called

Whoever reads what I have here tranfcrib'd, cannot but fee the then defolate ftate of Jerufalem in the very express letter of

it.

The fame is in what followeth immediately made the fubject of Prayer to God by Daniel, that he would regard, and raise her

(a) So Zech, üp ş. (7) So again, per, 20. (s) Dan. i

CUE

ouit of this her Defolation; that is, that he would give Commandment for her Rebuilding. For in all this he was prefenting his Supplication before the Lord his God for the HOLY MOUNTAIN of his God, as we read ver. 20, that as it was now in ruins, it might be rebuilt. God accordingly heard his Supplications. He heard them, and withal gave fignal teftimony that he did hear them. He fent the Angel Gabriel, (the man Gabriel as he is call'd ver. 21. probably fo call'd from his having put on a human appearance) to inform him, and to talk with him, as it is faid ver. 22; and as it is faid there also, to fhew him; to fhew him that his prayer was heard: God by him fending a vifion, which he was now to reveal unto Daniel by way of answer to the matter of it.

The Vifion followeth in ver. 24, &c.

Therein God was pleas'd to let Daniel know in general that He had confider'd bis People, and his holy City; and that LXX Weeks were determined on them for many grand Events relating to them, which are mention'd in that verse.

And ver. 25. more particularly God was pleas'd to let Daniel know by way of immediate comfort, and fatisfaction to him under thofe his great concerns fignified as before in his prayer in his afflicting view of Jerufalem's litteral Defolation, and therefore poured forth unto God for her recovery out of that her defolate State, that fhe fhould not long continue fo a Defolation: For the fhould be again REBUILT. A COMMANDMENT should go forth for that very purpose. A royal Commiffion fhould be grant ed to God's people from a King of Perfia giving them full licence, and authority to rebuild the now defolate Jerufalem. By virtue of this Commandment her STREET fhould be built again, and her WALL. And with immediate refpect to the time when, that also follows, viz. that It should be built even, in the leffer of the two periods of time there mention'd: as the words have been above explain'd.

This is the Anfwer which God was pleased to give unto Daniel by his Angel in this Prophecy. And the words of the Angel as they are founded upon, and giv'n immediately by way of anfwer to the fubject matter of his prayer, they muft doubtless be taken in the same sense with that. But it is as plain as any thing of this nature can be from the places above quoted out of Daniel's prayer, that as to the Subject matter thereof, viz. the then defolate state of Jerufalem, he fpake of her not in a figure, but in the letter, even in the letter of her Defolation, her litterally lying wafte. And he prayed to God for her in this immediate view, viz. that God would look on her, and bring her out of those her ruins; that is, that he would cause her to be rebuilt. So particularly, ver. 18, Behold our Defolations, and the City: that is, our Defolate City. God, as we have feen, did behold her: And in teftimony thereof he sent his Angel to Daniel with a Revelation of this Prophecy.

Therefore as this was Daniel's fenfe in his prayer; As he fpake litterally of the Defolations of Jerufalem, fo doubtless the Anfwer giv'n him from God by the Angel was return'd in the fame fenfe.

Indeed had the fenfe of Daniel's prayer lamenting the defolate ftate of Jerufalem been figurative, then the words of the Prophecy before us ought alfo doubtlefs to be taken in fuch figurative fenfe; for both ought to be taken in one and the fame fenfe because the one is founded upon, and occafion'd by the other; the words of the Angel in the Prophecy, as I have here noted, immediately anfwering the drift, and purpofe of Daniel's prayer. But the meaning thereof with respect to Jerufalem was, as we have feen, not figurative, but litteral. Therefore this Prophecy which thereupon followed as touching Jerufalem, and which was giv'n to Daniel, by way of immediate anfwer from God to him for his comfort, and fatisfaction under his then great trouble and affliction for her ought, and must therefore neceffarily be interpreted in the fame fenfe, viz. not in the figurative, but in the litteral. It were indeed prepofterous, and abfurd to imagin otherwise.

I hope therefore that Mr. Dean will not take it amifs, if I give my felf the liberty to return his words upon him, that whereas he hath affirm'd (as above) that the figurative interpretation of the words, and none other, fo on the other hand I affirm that this litteral Jenfe and none other can be the true meaning of them.

And fo upon the whole, I conclude that the here predicted Commandment for the rebuilding of Jerufalem, even the Wall and the Streets thereof can be no other than a Commandment for her rebuilding in a litteral fense.

And withal I beg pardon of the Reader for having fo long dwelt upon the sense of these words: Which I hope that he will be the more ready to grant me, when he fhall confider that our farther proceeding abfolutely requir'd this the true state of the meaning of these words in order to our true explication of the Weeks of this Prophecy: As this Explication, and every other likewife is in the first place depending upon the true previous fenfe of them.

But the litteral fenfe being thus established as the true fenfe, I am now to fix the Beginning of the first 7 Weeks of this Prophecy. And in order to that I must in the next place confider when the Commandment to rebuild Jerufalem the wall and the streets there of taken in fuch true litteral fenfe did actually go forth. And this I fhall do in the following Chapter.

CHAPM