PREFACE. Wherein is occafionally fhewn The Unreasonablenefs, and Groundlessness of a Late Writer (a), His calling in Question the Accomplishment of this PROPHECT, In the LITTERAL, and PRIMARY Senfe of it. T HERE having been formerly fet forth a brief Expofition of the Seventy Weeks of the Prophecy of Daniel in the Chronological Tables, (b) by me published under the Direction of the late Bishop LLOYD (c), and there having been also giv❜n to the Publick by the late Dr. Prideaux (d), a very elaborate, but in all refpects a very different Expofition of thefe Weeks, and fince that alfo a third Hypothefis of them by the Reverend Mr. Lancafter (e), It hath been therefore thought by fome incumbent on me to appear in vindication of the late Bishop's Hypothefis of thefe Weeks: Efpecially as to them the fame hath appeared on all accounts to approve it felf infinitely beyond either Mr. Lancaster's, or even Dr. Prideaux's; or indeed any other Hypothefis that ever was yet extant of the faid Seventy Weeks. (a) of a Book entit'l'd, A Difcourfe of the Grounds, and Reasons of the Chriftian Religion. (b) Thefe Tables were Printed at Oxford in the Year 1714. (c) Bishop of Worcester. (d) In Con. Hift. Vol. I. p. 262, &c. his Chron, Effay on the Seventy Weeks. (e) In iii And as in order thereunto I was at the firft thus encouraged, and perfuaded to draw up the following Treatife; fo now by their Approbation of it, I am prevailed with to let it go Abroad into the World. I do fo, however not without fome reluctancy, by reafon of the method which I have here us'd: whereby, while I am paying a juft deference to the confummate Judgment of the deceased Bishop, I may yet be thought to be wanting in refpect, and good manners to the Living (f), or the now deceased (g). But were it really fo with me, I fhould be ftill very unwilling thus to appear in Publick. I do fincerely profefs that I retain a moft juft value for the memory of the learned Dr. Prideaux. And if I did not, I fhould be fingular from all Mankind. His other (b) useful Labours challenge an univerfal Esteem: more particularly do fo his late Books juft now referr'd to; Collections these so valuable, that 'twere almost a Crime, 'tis doubtless a piece of selfinjury, for a Man of Learning to be without them. But this particular () part of it I muft, and do except againft: as I have done equally againft Mr. Lancaster's Effay on these Weeks. I perfuade my felf, that he will however pardon me the liberty that I have taken with his Eflay. 'Tis no more than I have done with Dr. Prideaux's Hypothefis alfo. And I am therefore the more inclin'd to promife my felf that he will take it no otherwise than in good part. I have aimed as much as poffibly I could, at a fair and exact View, or Representation of the feveral Hypothefes under Examination: being no otherwise concerned in favour of the late learned Bishop's, than as zealous of Truth; and therefore zealous of this Hypothefis, its appearing in a much clearer, and confequently fuller Light, than it was poffible for it to appear in, when fet forth only as above in a compendious Chronology. I (f) Mt. Laniafter. (g) Dr. Prideaux. N. B. The Reader will find that the greatest part of this Treatife was printed off before Dr. Prideaux's Death, as he is here often mention'd as Mr. Dean of Norwich. It is therefore defir'd that in fuch mention made of Dr. Prideaux, he will always understand the late Mr. Dean of Norwich. (h) Life of Mahomet; the Marm. Arundeliana published by him; and other useful Tracs writ by him. (i) Vix. from p. 262, &c. fo far as he treats of thefe Weeks. I will not fay but that this might have been done in another Method, and without any the leaft regard had to the other Hypothefes here concern'd. But foralmuch as fuch is the nature of fome things, that they are illuftrated by Comparifon, and fo I think it is very much in the Cafe before us; I could not therefore but fall into this Method; in order to fhew with refpect to Dr. Prideanx's Hypothefis, the manifest Failings, and Imperfections of his figurative Senfe, and Accomplishment of the exprefs Characters of this Prophecy; and with refpect to the late Bishop Lloyd's, to fupport and establish his litteral Senfe of them." Nor was this Method lefs neceffary with refpe&t to Mr. Lancaster's Hypothefis alfo : As his coming forth after the other two, and especially as being exceedingly different from them in every refpect, ought alfo to have exceeded them in Truth, and Perfection. Both of them came forth after the late Bishop's. And yet how fhort of his they are both of them, I leave with the unprejudiced Reader. I will however here be bold to say it, for 'tis what will furely be made out in the enfuing Treatife, that both Mr. Lancafter's, and alfo Dr. Prideaux's Hypothefis of the e Weeks are demonftrably inconfiftent both with the Exprefs Letter of this Prophecy in point of Expofition, and alfo with Ptolemy's Canon in point of Time, or of their refpectively and exprefly affigned Accomplishments of the feveral parts of it. On the other hand, as to the Hypothefis here established, which in a small Point only excepted (k) entirely owes it's Original to the late Bishop Lloyd, it will be found to have this twofold Harmony peculiarly recommending it, which never had any Hypothefis of thefe Weeks yet extant and without which no Hypothefis of them can rationally, and unexceptionably recommend it felf: and that is it's entire Agreement both with Scripture, and with this Canon. I have, I hope, fully made good this Affertion in the following Treatile, in every Part, or Period, of this folemn A 3 Pro (k) Viz. the late Bishop his Ending the Seven Weeks in the Prophet Malachi's writing his Book at the distance of Seven Weeks, or forty nine Years trom the going forth of the Commandment to rebuild Jerufalem in the twentieth Year of Artaxeraes (Longimanus) King of Perfia: As to which fee p. 167, in the enfuing Treatife. Prophecy taking every therein predicted Event in its plain, natural, and eafy Senfe, and evident Series of Order, as there lying before us. And if this be not a rational way of proceeding here, and indeed the only way for us to know, and understand, as in the Prophecy (1) we are exprefly directed, no doubt both for our greater Attention, and Encouragernent in order to attain unto the Knowledge, and Understanding of it, I am truly at a lofs to fay, or even to conceive what is fo. But if this be allowed, and upon rational Principles it cannot be difallowed, then I am not without hopes that I have made good the Affertion: As especially In that momentous (m) part of it, which relates immédiately to our bleffed Redeemer, and to the precife time of his Sufferings, in the Prophecy (n) fignified to us by the cutting off of the Meffiah after the feven Weeks, and threefcore and two Weeks therein appointed for it, fo alfo cy: In the two different Fates of the Holy City, after the. Babylonifh Captivity, the predicted Restoration of her Buildings to the condition they were in before her Destruction by the Babylonians (0), and again her final Subverfion long after by the Romans (p), as alfo predicted in the Prophethe former within the first Period of it, or the first Seven Weeks thereof (q); the latter in the feparate one Week (r), or laft of the Seventy Weeks of this Prophecy. And this latter Event, viz. the final Destruction of Jerufalem in the faid Week had its general Accomplishment, and the feveral Express Characters of it had their particular Completion alfo moft truly, and exactly; as thefe things may be feen at large in their proper Places hereafter; and in their OBVIOUS, and LITTERAL Senfe, and queftionlefs alfo in their PRIMARY Senfe: However this be doubted, if not infidiously denied by a late Writer (s) in confequence of his daring, but groundlefs Affertion of there being (1) Dan. ix. 25. (m) It is of great Moment for the Conviction of Jews and other Infidels, who reject the Faith of Chrift, to have this Prophecy well clear'd, and made out for the Converfion of the Jews efpecially, as this Prophecy doth relate_primarily, and especially to them. [Prid. Con. Hift. Vol. I. p. 262.] ix. 26. (o) When they destroyed the City, and Temple in the 11th of Zedekiah, and in the Year before Chrift, 588. (p) Under Titus in the Year of Chrift 70. tife. (n) Dan. (q) Dan. ix. 25. See Note (d) in p. 3. in the enfuing Trea(5) Of a Book already mention'd." (r) Dan, ix. 27. |