Daniel's Prophecy hindieated. 17i much le(i ,fi-hrit}. For Zerubbabel was fit up in the Beginning, and Cbrift long after the Fad of all. N Other Governour can be meant after the frfi; becaufe the fitting up of ene, pointer) at thefr ¡I. therefore if the fevenTPeekr end not in thefitting upofZerubbabel, or.Chïi!i, as theycannot,aben they cannot be verified in the mgteeial flareof Jerufalem after she Captivity of Babylon. . Anfirer. This exception fixeth on one of the greateft ifñcultìes hithe Text, which y(t is norfitchas tobear the weight of the Inference that is here made from ir. For the Argument from the Divifion of thetime in the Text, is Seca* this importance : eca it is fain, That from the going forth pf the Decree to build jerufalem unto Mph the Prince. /hall be J:wenreeks, and therefore and two Weeks the Street fhall be built again, and the - Wall in troublons times ; Therefore if the feven Weeksend not in the fitting up of Zerubbobel, or Chriff, they cannot be verified in the material Stateof 3erufakmafter the Captivity. Now I fee not the force of this Argument. For the words may have another Interpretation, and the feparating of the feven Weeks from the LXII, as all ofthem from the LXX.before mentioned, excluding One out of the Diftribution, may he to anotherend; thento denote, either the fittingup of Zerubbabel, whichalfuredly they didnot, or the-coming of Christ, which theyextend not unto. In brief, theydo not precifely affert, that at the End.of the Seven Weeks Mefliah the Prince fhouldbe ; for although they are diftinguifhed from the other for fume certain Purpofe not expreG fed, as to the Determination 6f the time ofthe comingof the Mfiah, they are to be joyned with theftxty two Weeks, as is exptelly affirmed in the followingwords. Now not to preventmy Of in what is more largely afterwards to be infitted on , the Expofitionof the feveral paffages of this Prophecy, after a full coufideration of what fundry learned men have offered for the folving of this Difficulty, I (hall here briefly propofe my appiehenfionsconcerningit, which I hope the Candid and .7ndicieur Reader will rind to-anfwer the Conduét ofthe Context, and Defign ofthe place. Firft, I fix it here as unqueftionable, that the whole fpace of Seventy Weeks doth Q. e. precifely contain the time, between the going forth of the Decree, and the V/nïfion of the Aloft Holy, with his Palion that enfued, fume few years of the lait Week remaining, not reckoned on to keep the Computation entireby 'weeks of years. This is fo ex- prefly affirmed, v. 24. that the Interpretation of all that enfues is to be regulated thereby. And this, as we fhall afterwardsprove, fo here we take it for granted, as the Hypotbefis on which the prefent difficulty is to be falved. There is then a Diftri- bution of thefe LXX. Weeks into VII, LXII. and One ; upon the account of force remarkable events, happeningat the diftinEk expiration of thofe feveral parcels of the whole feafon, v. y5. Wehave two portions of this timeexpreffed ; namely VII. Weeks, and LXII Weeks, and two Events attending them, Mefliah thePrince, and the building of the Street and Wall. From thegoing forth of the Decree to reffore and to buildJerufa lem, unto Meftah the Prince fhall,be feven Weeks, and threefcore and two Weeks the Street (hapbe built again, and the Wall in troublons times. The two Eventshere mentioned did entire the two diftinc`tparcels oftime lïmited, but not in the Orderwhich the words at Milt view item to reprefent, as is evident from the.Context. For is thé Mefab did not come at the Expiration of theVII. Weeks, fo the LXIL Weeks were not expired before the buildingofthe City ; nor is that mentioned as theÈverit defigned by the whole fpace of LXIX. Weeks; but as that which fhould fall out in force interval of it ; for the Pro- phecy bluesnot in the Rellauration, but Defolation of theCity. The Angel therefore expreffeth the diftind divifions of time, and theprincipal di- ftinEt events of them, but not the Order of their accomplilhment. For the natural Or- der of thefe things," is, that in VII. Week's, the building of the City,. Wall andStreet, fhould be finifhed, and inLXII. Weeksafterthe Melliah fhouldbe cut off. And this is evidentfrom the Text ; foras the building y the City can no way be laid to beafter the LXILWeeks, but in and after the feven, which was the feafon wherein the Decreewas executed; lb the cuttingoff the Mellish, is exprefly fail in the next verfe, to beafter thofe LXII. Weeks, which fucceeded unto the VILWeeks wherein the Reftaurationof the City was finifhed. And to fuppofe'the Mellish inv:15: not tobe the fame with theMefab v. 26. and theMoll Holy, V. 24. is toconfound thewhole orderof the Words; and to leave no certain fenfe in them. For the tingle remaining Wee , theufe ofit fhall be afterwards declared. This diftint`.tion therefore ofthe feveral portions Of the whole time limited, doth rather - confirmour Applicationof this Próphecy, then any way im- peach theTruth'or Evidence of ir. It is added Fourthly, That the cutting offthe Mefah here Jpoken of, it expref joyned 4. Se Z z with
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