written at feveral Times, and probably made by Ezra; who likewife collected the Pfalms, compofed by feveral Perfons, into one Volume. He fuppofes the Hebrew Points as old as the Talmud, and dates them both after the Roman Captivity.

THE Learned need not be inform'd, that our Author differs in fome of thefe Points from feveral eminent Critics and Commentators, and is even fingular in others. But we thall not prefume to engage in a Difpute, which has employed fo many able Hands both among the Antients

and Moderns.

THE Predictions of things to come, fays our Author, relate to the State of the Church in all Ages; and among the old Prophets, Daniel is moft diftinct in Order of Time, and eafieft to be understood; therefore in what regards the laft Times, he must be made a Key to the reft.

THE first Step toward understanding the Prophecies, is to acquaint ourselves with the figurative Language of the Prophets. This therefore is the Bufinefs of his fecond Chapter. This Language, as he obferves, is taken from the Analogy between the natural World, and an Empire or Kingdom, confider'd as a World polit c. Accordingly, in the Prophetical Stile, Heaven fignifies Thrones and Princes, and the Earth the People, and the loweft Parts of it called Hades, or Hell, the meanest, and most miferable of the Subjects. The Sun and Moon are by Interpreters of Dreams made to reprefent the Perfons of Sovereign Princes; but in Sacred Prophecy the Sun fignifies the whole Species and Race of Kings: the Moon the common People confider'd as the King's Wife: the Stars reprefent fubordinate Princes and great Men, or

H 4

Bishops

Bishops and Rulers of the People of God, when the Sun is Chrift. Light is put for the Glory, Truth, and Knowledge of great and good Men; confequently Darkness for ali that is oppofite to those Attributes. New Moons denote the Return of a difperfed People into a Body. Fire and Meteors refer both to Heaven and Earth. Thus Confumption by Fire fignifies the Havock made by War: a Furnace fpeaks Slavery: the fcorching Heat of the Sun means vexatious Wars, Perfecutions and Troubles: Riding on the Clouds expreffes reigning over much People; the Sun cover'd with a Cloud or Smoke, ftands for Oppreffion of a King by an Army of Enemies: tempeftuous Winds or the Motion of Clouds for Wars: Thunder for the Voice of a Multitude: a Storm for War: moderate Rains, Dews, and living Water for the Graces and DoEtrines of the Spirit.

DRY Land, and Bodies of Water are put for the People of feveral Countries. Great Affliction is reprefented by bitter Waters: the Diffolution of Bodies Politic by things turn'd into Blood. An Invafion of the Earth Politic by the People of the Waters, is expreffed by the Overflowing of Waters; as the drying up of Waters denotes the Conqueft of their Countries by the Earth. Fountains ftand for Cities: Mountains and Iflands for the Cities of the Earth and Sea Politic, and their Territories: Dens and Rocks for Temples: hiding Men in them for fhutting up Idols in their Temples: Houses and Ships for Families, Affemblies and Towns, in the Earth and Sea Politic; and a Navy for an Army of the Kingdom fignified by the Sea.

Animals

Animals and Vegetables alfo are put for People of feveral Regions and Conditions.

Ir the World Politic, as confider'd in Prophecy, confifts of many Kingdoms, they are represented by fo many Parts of the World Natural, in Proportion to their respective Rank and Dignity. The whole Kingdom being the Body Politic of the King, the Sun, or any other thing, which fignifies him, is put for the whole Kingdom; and each Body Politic is represented by fome Animal, according to its respective Qualities. In this Cafe the Heads of them stand for the Number of Capital Parts in a Kingdom, collateral or fucceffive, with respect to civil Government: the Horns for the Number of Kingdoms, with regard to Military Power: the Eyes for Men of Understanding and Policy: the Mouth for a Lawgiver: Loudness of Voice for Power: Eating and Drinking for the Acquifition of what is fignified by the Things caten and drank the Hairs of the Body, and Feathers, for People: Wings for the Number of Kingdoms: the Arms of a Man for his Power: his Feet for the loweft of the People, or the latter End of his Kingdom: the Feet, Nails, and Teeth of Beafts of Prey for Armies and Squadrons: the Bones for ftrength, and fortified Places: the Flesh for Riches; and the Days of their acting for fo many Years. When a Man is taken in a Myftical Senfe, his Qualities are often fignified by his Actions, and the Circumftances of Things about him. Thus a Ruler is expreís'd by his Riding on a Beaft: a Warrior and Conqueror by his having a Sword and Bow, &c. Moral and civil Qualifications by Garments: Honour and Glory by fplendid Apparel: Dishonour, and want of good Works, by Nakedness: Error and

Mifery by drinking a Cup of his or her Wine, who caufeth it: the Diffolution of a Body Politic, or Ecclefiaftic, by Death; and the Revival of such a Body by the Refurrection of the Dead.

IN the third Chapter it is obferved, that the Foundation of all Daniel's Prophecies is laid in the Vifion of the Image compofed of four different Metals, recorded in the fecond Chapter of that Book: that it reprefents a Body of four great Nations, which should reign over the Earth fucceffively, viz. the Babylonians, the Perfians, the Greeks, and the Romans; and that the Stone, cut out without Hands, which fell on the Feet of the Image, broke it to pieces, became a great Mountain, and fill'd the whole Earth, fignifies a fifth Kingdom, which fhould conquer all thofe Nations, and endure to the End of the World.

IN the viith Chapter of Daniel we have a Repetition of the fame Prophecy, under different and diftinct Figures, with feveral Additions. The Confideration of the four Beafts here defcribed by the Prophet is the Subject of our learned Author's fourth Chapter. The firft, which was like a Lion, or, as the Septuagint and Vulgate read it, a Lioness, is reprefented with Eagles Wings, to denote the Kingdoms of Babylon and Media, which overthrew and divided the Affyrian Empire. The fecond was like a Bear, and reprefents the Perfian Monarchy. The three Ribs in its Mouth, between the Teeth, fignify, according to Sir Ifaac, the Kingdoms of Sardies Babylon, and Egypt, and the Flesh, which it devour'd, expreffes the Riches of thofe three Kingdoms. The third, like a Leopard, reprefents the Grecian Empire. Its four Heads, and

as

as many Wings, fignify its Divifion into four Kingdoms, by Caffander, Lyfimachus, Ptolomy and Seleucus. The fourth reprefents the Roman Empire; its iron Teeth its fuperior Strength, and the great Havock it made in the Extent of its Conquefts. The ten Horns fignify its Divifion into ten Kingdoms after the Reign of Theodofius the Great; in which ftate it continued till the Ancient of Days appeared in his Glory, this Beast was flain, and one like the Son of Man received Dominion over all Nations, and Judgment was given to the Saints of the most high. The Prolongation of the Lives of the four Beafts, when divefted of their Power, fignifies that the Nations of Chaldea and Affyria are still the first Beaft: Media and Perfia the fecond: Macedon, Greece, Thrace, Afia minor, Syria and Egypt the third; and the Nations of Europe on this fide of Greece the fourth.

THE Image, which Nebuchadnezzar saw, as defcribed in the fecond Chapter of this Prophecy, had Feet compofed of Iron and Clay. The Confideration of this particular is the Subject of our Author's fifth Chapter; in which the Kingdoms reprefented by thefe Feet are fpecified. This is perform'd by a Narration of the Troubles in the Roman Empire down to the Reign of Honorius, when the barbarous Nations were fettled in feveral diftinct Kingdoms, not only by Conqueft, but alfo by the Grants of that Prince. And thefe, fays he, were reprefented by the Iron and Clay, which did not flick one to another, and were of dif ferent Strength.

FROM this Account it is concluded in Chap. vi. that the ten Horns of the fourth Beaft Signify the ten following Kingdoms. viz. 1. That

of