the (1) beginning of the Latter HALF Part of this Week,viz. as abɔut this (God had indeed permitted the Roman Army under Ceftins to attack Jerufalem in the year before, viz. in Chrifti 66; when that General enter'd the lower City with his Forces, and then advanced to the higher City, and fat down before the Palace. At which time according to Jofephus [bel. Fud. ii. 20.] if he had but made an affault, he might have prefently carried the Place, and fo put an END to the War. But instead of doing fo, he defifted from any farther enterprize at that time.a And yet about fix Days after, he made an affault upon the Temple, and that fo fucceffively, as that he was going to let fire to the Gates: but after all, inftead of proceeding to do fo, he gave over his enterprize all on the fudden, without any apparent Reafon.---- Jofephus partly accounts for it from the intereft of the General, and the Bribery, and Corruption of the Officers for the protracting of the War. But however these might Influence, as fecond Caufes, yet doubtless that Hiftorian hath affign'd the much more certain caufe here; he hath alfo told us, that God being angry with the Jews, would not permit it, but reServ'd them for a greater, and fadder Deftruction. And well might fofephus reflect thus, Firft, because had Jerufalem now fo eafily fal'n into the hands of the Romans in the compafs only of a few Days (for it was upon the fourth day after Ceftins his appearing before Jerufalem, that he made the firft attempt, and about fix days after the fecond) the Jews had not in that cafe fuffer'd thofe direful Calamities which our Lord had predicted concerning Jerufalem in the Day of her Vifitation, as recorded by the several Evangelifts, and which had been alfo foretold, fo long fince as even by Mofes, Deut. xxviii. 49----57.] as The Jews themfelves have acknowledg'd that the fulfilling of this Prophecy was to be at the deftruction of their City by Titus. [See Menaffeh ben Ifrael, de term. Vit. iii. 3.] And on this Prophecy our bleffed Saviour doubtless reflected, when as we read [Luke xxiii. 28.] be faid to the Daughters of Jerufalem, Weep not for me, but Weep for your-→ felves, and for your Children: for behold the Days are coming in which they shall fay, Bieffed are the Barren and the Wombs that never bare, and the Paps that never gave Suck Thele Words are no other than the foremention'd Verfes of tha: Prophecy of Mofes, which speaks of the tender, and delicate Woman's eating her own young Child for hang cr Secretly in the Siege. Which Fact Jofephus tells us was most remarkably fulfilled in that Siege in which he was prefent. [bel. Jud. vii. 8.] And there alfo [ch. 17.] he tells us of above 2000 Men, among whom, were two of the moft bloody Zealots of all the Jewish Nation, that had hid themfelves in the bottom of feveral Jakes to escape the hands of the Romans. Thefe, no doubt, were intended in thofe Words of our Saviour [Luke xxiii. 30.] foretelling of those who should cry to the Mountains, and to the Hills to fail on them, and cover them from the dreadful Judgment of God. And Secondly, Another Caufe affignable here, viz. why God would not permit the City and Temple to be taken by the Romans at that time; is this, vix. Because though Ceftius his Attempts upon Jerufalem were now indeed within the ONE WEEK determined upon Her, yet they were in a time preceding, and therefore exclufive of the diftinguished latter HALF Part of the Week, more immediately in the Prophecy before us fet apart for her utter Destruction: As Ceftius's Expedition and Affault hapned in the Year 66, and fome Months before the February in which the HALF Part of this Week began. That Jerufalem could not be deftroyed before the SINGLE, or feventieth Week of this Prophecy was come, it is certain, because there was firft neceflarily to precedo an Univerfal Publication of the GOSPEL Mat. xxiv. 14. This Gafpel of the Kingdom Shall be preached in all the World. But this was not accomplished 'till the Year 62, the Year preceding that in which began the laft Week of this Prophecy. Then the Gospel was published all over the Roman Empire: and this is what is meant by the WORLD in the fame Senfe that Auguftus is faid by St. Luke to have taxed all the World. It is the Phrafe which the Romans conftantly used, calling the Roman Empire, Imperium Orbis Terrarum. And that the Gofpel was by this time thus published, we have the Teftimony of St. Paul, [Col. i. 6, 23.] when he writ that Epiftle, viz. in Chrifti 62. [Pearson Op. pofth. p. 20.] It was by this time preached, for a Witness unto All Nations, of the unreasonable Obftinacy of the Jews and then, and therefore not before, fhould the END come, viz. the ONE WEEK fpoken of by Daniel the Prophet for the Destruction of ferufalem, and the Jewish Commonwealth. But ftill the immediate Accomplishment hereof could not be but in, and with the Latter HALF Part of this Week, because the particular Events, or EXPRESS CHARACTERS thereof concomitant of, or conjoined with that Deftruction, are immediately in the Prophecy appropriated to the HALF Part of that Week.----- No wonder therefore that Cestius did no more than as we have T feen feen above, at the time of his appearing before Jerufalem.----- As yet the Days were not come upon her, when according to our Saviour's Prophecy [Luke xix. 43.] Her Enemies fhould caft a Trench about her, and compass her round, and keep her in on every fide. Therefore we find nothing more than an advancement of the Roman Army under Ceftius before Jerufalem, and a fudden Aflault, or two, as above; but under Titus in Christi 70 there was a formal, and indeed a furprizingly quick Opening of the Trenches, [See fof. bel. Jud. 1 6. c. 13. and Gret. on Mat. xxiv. 15.] even in the space of three Days: and then was moft truly, and properly fulfilled that of our Lord, as recorded by St. Luke, [xxi. 20.] viz. Jerufalem its being COMPASSED with Armies. So that it Seems as if the efpecial Providence of God permitted the coming of Cestius before JerzeJalem merely by way of Anticipation, as all the Chriftians then at Jerufalem, even to a Man, are faid to have been gone away before Titus's coming, and fitting down before the City. [See Euseb. Hist. Eccl. lib.iii. c. 5. and Epiph. de Pond. & Menf. c. 15. and Dr. Hammond, Annot. p. 123.] They might now think of what our Lord had dif courfed with them concerning the Deftruction of Jerufalem, and conclude that the time was then come for it, applying the accomplishment of our Lord's Sign [Luke xxi. 20.] to the appearing of that Army, and confining our Lord's Warning for Flight to themfelves only at Jerufalem. But this Flight of theirs could be only by Anticipation of our Lord's Sign, unlefs it could be certainly made out, that the Sign mention'd by St. Luke did refer to the fitting down of Ceftius before Jerufalem. But that the learned Grotius [in loc. Sup. cit.] hath moft properly referr'd to Titus, as having its full accomplishment ONLY by him. However evidently the Coming of Ceftius could not be the Interpretation, nor the Accomplishment of the Sign which Chrift quotes from Daniel the Prophet, as recorded by St. Matthew, and St. Mark: of which I fhall have occafion to speak more anon, [viz. in the next Note b ] -- And there is One thing more which feems plainly to determine here, vix. the Extenfion of our Lord's Warning to flee upon the accomplishment of the Sign giv'n, as in all the forecited Evangelifts, the fame is not particular, or confin'd to ferufalem, as we fhall fee alfo anon [viz. ib.] but in general, and relates to all the Chriftians throughout JUDEA, and yet remaining in it, as doubtless there were numbers of them at the time of the taking, and burning of the Temple by the Romans for whofe GENERAL Prefervation our Lord was concern'd, [even as being his ELECT, Mat. xxiv. 22.] by giving them Warning forthwith to quit that whole Coun ́try, which was then furely giv'n up to the Roman Fire and Sword, as they might then of a certainty know and understand that it was fo giv'n up, when they faw THAT actually fulfilled in the FINAL Destruction of the TEMPLE, which he had quoted to them from the Prophet Daniel. this this time Vefpafian enter'd into War with the Jews, being fent by Nero for that purpose. It was between Winter and Spring, according to Jofephus. (m) And this War, as it was of three years, and a half continuance, it did therein fufficiently diftinguish the HALF Part of this Week, as being what was therein inceffantly more, or lefs caufing from the beginning of it, and in the end thereof actually did caufe thofe two remarkable EXPRESS CHARACTERS of it to be accomplished together with the final deftruction of the Temple, and City of Jerusalem, 67 Aug. 26. Ended this Prophetick Year. Aug. 27. Began the fifth year of this Week. In this year Vefpafian went on with the War, and fubdued all Galilee. (n) 13th of NER O. b.68 Aug. 20. Ended this Prophetick Year. (m) Bel. Fud. iii. 4. or in Edit. Hadf. p. 1122. T 2 Aug Years of the Galba Emp. T. Vinius Rufinus. Coff. Imp. Serv. Sulp. Gaba, Jan. 15 Galba was kill'd. him the Eaftern Armies fet up Vefpafian, who dated his Reign trom than 100 Days. And then Vitellius was fet up in Italy. But against ------- Otho fucceeded Galba. But He killed himself within lefs the firft of July this Year. 68 Aug. 21 Began the Sixth Year of this Week. In this Year the Change in the Empire [See the outer Column] caus'd a flackning of the War with the Jews (0). And yet in this Year, Vefpafian reduced all the rest of Palefime, except Jerufalem, and three or four ftrong Holds in Perea (p). VII. 69 Aug. 15 Ended this Prophetick Year. 70 Aug. 16 Began the Seventh and Last Year of Daniel's fingle Week. In this Year, Vefpafian purfuing the hopes of the Empire, left the War in Paleftine to his Son Titus, who profecuted it vi gorously. (9) A little before the PASSOVER, which this Year was on April 13, Titus began the Siege of Ferufalem: according to Jofephuss (r) who was prefent at it. He therein fhut up an innumerable Company of People that were come thither to the Feaft. There were reckoned 1100000 of them to have died in (0) Bel. Jud. v. 6. Or in Edit. Hads. p. 1196. VI. . Or in Edit. Huds. p. 1215. the Years of the Y carson the V.A.of Chrift the Siege, and in the taking of the Temple, and of the City; and 97000 taken Captive (s). 70 July 17th (t) The DAILY SACRIFICE and OBLATION ceafed: wherein was accomplished the former of the two Express Characters of the diftinguished HALF Part of this Week: And thereby an End was put to the Worthip of God in his Temple. Aug. 1oth, The Temple was fet on fire («). And then at the very juncture of its Dilfolution, even while it was in Flames, the Ro man Soldiers (w) fet up on the Battlements of the outer Wall thereof, the ABOMINA TION of DESOLATION Spoken of by Dani el the Prophet (x), viz. the Standards of their Legions under which they now made Defolation, and therefore faid to be the Abomination of Deflation, as every Standard had painted on it the IMAGE of the Tutelar God of that Legion (y): to which the Romans facrificed (z) after their idolatrous manner, as they stood erected upon the HOLY PLACE()Wherein was (s) Jef. bel. Fud. vii. 17. or in Edit. Hudf p. 1291. vil.4. or in Edit. Huds. p. 1266. Taves sala καιδεκάτη τὸν ἐνδελεχισμὸν καλούμθμον ἀνδρῶν ἀπορία διαλελοιπέναι τῶν θεῶ καὶ τὸν δῆμον ἐπὶ τούτω Avg D. The Divifions and Distractions of the Jews were now fo great, and fuch their imminent danger from the Romans, as would not give them liberty to attend to their accuftomed Sacrifices. And probably they might be alfo ftreightned for want of Victims. (*) vii. 13. Orin Edit. Hudf.p. 1283. It was fet on fire by a private Soldier, contrary to the inclination and command of Titus, who ufed great endeavours to have faved it, bazarding his own Perfon to have quenched the Flames; but all in vain; and no wonder, as a greater than Tits,bad now irreverfibly doom'd it to Afhes.. It is fofephus his Obfervation that the Soldiers fet it on fire, divino quodam, moti impetu. (1) καιομένου 5 αυτοῦ τε τ' ναοῦ καὶ τῶν περιξ απάντων κομίσαντες της ΣΗΜΑΙΑΣ εἰς τὸ ἹΕΡΟΝ καὶ θέμενοι τῆς ἀνατολικῆς πόλης αντικρὺς ΕΘΥ. ZAN TI άurak dvródi, [Bel. Jud. vii. 13. or in Edit. Huds. p. 1283.] (x) As our Lord's Words are, Mat. xxiv, 15. Jofephus [Antiq.xviii. 7.] tells us that when Vitellius Governour of Syria, was going to pass through fudea with a Roman Army against the Arabians, fome of the principal Jews met him, and begg'd him earneftly to lead his Army another way, because they could not bear the Sight of thofe IMAGES, which the Ro mans had painted on their ENSIGNS. Note. (a) Mat, xxiv. 15+ (Sea |