of either the Jewish or Christian churches.-It ap. pears from ancient writings that the pious Jews, before the coming of Christ, believed in, and expected the coming of the Messiah in glory, at the end of the Roman monarchy as related by Daniel-This is mentioned by many Jewish writers, and particularly by Jonathan Ben Uzziel, the Chaldee Paraphrast.*

In the 2d book of Esdrass,† 2d chap. he calls to the heathen to hear and understand; to look for their shepherd who would give them everlasting rest, for that he was nigh at hand and should come in the end of the world, (by which was generally meant the Roman world or government.)

* Rabbi Abarbinel's testimony is sufficient for the consent of all the Jewish writers, as it is known that he was one of the most learned of his nation-He says, " Our masters are right in their tradition, that the fourth beast does signify the Roman emperors," by this it appears to have been the common tradition of the learned Jews.

Demon. of the prophetic application of the Apoc. 5th of appendix.

Mr Mede says, that the Roman empire was the 4th kingdom of Daniel, was believed by the church of Israel, both before and in our Saviour's time: received by the disciples of the apostles and the whole christian church for the first 400 years without any known contradiction-and I confess having so good grounds in scripture, it is with me, "tantum non articulus fidei," little less than an article of faith. Mede's works, 736.

This is the 1st of the 70 books of the Cabala of the Jews.

Mede.

He openly and plainly testifies of the Saviour, and bids them to rejoice that they are called to the heavenly kingdom.

He says, "that he saw on mount Zion a great people, who he could not number, praising the Lord with songs, and among them a young man, taller than the rest, setting crowns on each of their heads. -The angel told him, that the young man was the son of God, whom those who were crowned had confessed in the world" and afterwards chap. 9" and when there shall be seen earthquakes and uproars of the people in the world, then shalt thou well understand, that the most High spake of those things even from the beginning; and every one who shall be saved and be able to escape by his works, and by his faith whereby ye have believed, shall be preserved from the perils, and shall see my salvation in my land and within my borders, for I have sanctified them for me, from the beginning."-In chap. 13th the angel explains the vision, and in the 29th verse says, "behold the days come when the most High shall begin to deliver them that are upon the earth. And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell upon the earth. And the time shall be, when these things come to pass, and the signs shall happen, which I showed thee before, then shall my son be declared, whom thou sawest as a man ascendingand he shall stand on the top of mount Zion; and Zion shall come, and shall be showed to all men,

being prepared and builded like as thou sawest the hill graven without hands:" Vid also the 14th and 15th chapters.

But the language of Daniel, and his conduct, puts the belief of the Jews wholly out of doubt; and ought to settle and confirm the faith of christians: He has clearly distinguished between the first and second coming of the Messiah; and since all he has predicted of the first coming, has been critically and exactly fulfilled, convincing and adequate proof is thereby given to all his declarations, relative to the second coming of the Messiah, beyond controversy.

The time of the first coming of this glorious Messiah, (though in a state of humiliation) lest it should be confounded with his second coming, in a victorious and triumphant state, is expressly mentioned and reduced to a mathematical certainty-In the 9th chap. of Daniel, the angel informs him, that seventy weeks were determined upon his people, and upon the holy city to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring an everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.

This was the general declaration of the great object of the prophecy, and the full extent of the period including all its parts; but the prophet is commanded in the 25th verse to know and understand this period also in its detail, and therefore particularizes its commencement," that from the going

forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the Prince shall be" (two remarkable periods)" seven weeks" (or many sevens of weeks even seventy weeks before mentioned, according to the Hebrew idiom and manner of counting, and has been the construction of the ancient Jews from the captivity) and also " three score and two weeks" This last seems to be a new period that was to take place within the former or seventy weeks, and to be predictive of an extraordinary event, of consequence in the whole drama, which is afterwards more particularly mentioned.

Thus the first coming of Christ was ascertained clearly, so as to be sufficient for the conviction of the most obstinate; but his second coming, from this time, was to be sealed up and not known, till towards the times of the end, when the fulfilment of the previous steps to this great event should so instruct the wise, that they shall then understand, while the wicked shall still go on in their unbelief, and perverse opposition to the gospel, and yet do foolishly, notwithstanding the increasing light and alarming signs of the times.-That this might not be mistaken, the second period is again mentioned with the particular event that was then to take place, to put it out of all doubts, to wit, " that after three score and two weeks,* the Messiah was to be cut off, but not for

* This epoch has a commencement different from the sevens of weeks or seventy weeks, for it is expressly said to be from the going forth of the commandment to cause to return and to

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himself, that is, from being king and priest of the Jews, for his death is mentioned before; and the people of the prince that was to come (and under whose government he was to be cut off) should destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof should be with a flood; and until the end of the war, desolation was determined and he (that is the Messiah) was to confirm the covenant with many for one week, or seven years—that is, that although the nation should be cast off, yet for the space of seven years, he should offer himself to them, and gather many individuals into the covenant of the gospel.

But notwithstanding, in the midst of this week, which was the last of the sixty-two, he should cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations, he should make it desolate, even until the consummation, (or last times spoken of) when that which is determined on, shall continue upon the desolate, that is, the desolation of the Jews should continue from the destruction of Jerusalem, till the times of the Gentiles, or the mon archies and governments under the Gentiles, should come to an end, being the last period of the 4th kingdom mentioned in chap. xii. 7. when the angel swears to Daniel," that God should accomplish to scatter the power of the holy people."-Thus these great build Jerusalem-not the temple, for that was done before; this then was after the commencement of the seventy weeks, and to end before they ended. Vide Mr Mede's, Daniel's weeks.

Mede, 700.