18$ Computdtaon.of Daniel's UReeks. unto the defuse ion ofJeriff lem, Petavius and our Mountanee reckon from the Eli of Cyrus, unto the eighteenth ofTiberius, wherein our LordChris fudn.ed five hundred ninety four years, which differs very little from the account we have finned on : For take from them twenty (even years of the reign of Cyrus, before the firlt of his Empire, and add unto them thirty fever for the continuance of the City and rem_ plc after the death of Chrift,and the fitmín remaining will exceed our account only four years, or five at the molt. . But the computation we have fixed on, being every way confiltent with it [eelf, and theRated iFras of the Nations, and abridging the 'time to the thortelt fine that will endure the tryall, we thall abide by it. Now the number of five hundred ninety nine years, exceeds the time limited in this Prophecy of four hundred and ninety, the whole (pace of one hundred and nineyears. 0, p, Hence it evidently appears, that the "evenly Weeks of Gabriel, or the four hundred and ninety years, are notcomment-Mate to the whole fpace Of time between the tint Decree of Cyrus in the firft year of his general Empire , and the final defolation of City and Temple by Titus. One hundred and nine years mull be taken from it, ei- ther at the beginning , or at the ending , or partly at the ,one , partly at the other. Q. in. We Qlall fell confider the End of them, which being clear in the Prophecy will regulate, fix, and flare the beginning.. Two things in general are infiffed on in this Prophecy. ( r. ) Thecoming of Meab the Prince, his annointiug unto the work which he had todo,, and his cutting,off, as we before declared. ( z. ) The Ceafing of the daily Sacrifice, with the deltruólion of the City and Temple by War and a flood of defolations. Now there things happened not at the fame time; for theCity and Saudkuary were dellroyed thirty (even years after the cutting off, or death of the PAJ/izh. We are to enquire therefore, "which of ehefe it was that the time menti- oned was determined for, and was to expire withal!. Now it is the coming, an_ noin ting And cutting off of the Meaah, that is the thingchiefly intended in this Pro- phecy. This we have proved undeniably before ; manifelling that the //filmwas granted untoDaniel, and given out by him for the confolation of himfelf and the Church, as was the way of the Holy Ghofl: in all his dealings with the Fathers of old : Hereunto the defolation and defruáion of theCity and Temple was only a confèquent, a thing that thould follow and enfue on what was principally foretold and promifed. And it is doubtlefs unreafonableto extend the duration of the time, beyond the principal fubjee`k matter treated of, and on the account whereof alb= the computation is granted, unto that which is only oesafionally mentioned as the con- fequent of the accomplifhment of the Prophecy it felf. Betides the computation it felf is pointed diredly by theAngel unto the Meiliab, and hiscuttingoff. Seventyweeks are determined upon tby people, Know therefore, thatfrom the going forth f the Command- ment , unto 1Vieffiab the Prince fhall be, &c. And after Puy two weeks than Me//bah be cut of But there is no guidance or direáion of the time limited unto the defolati- on of the Cityand Sanituary, which is only Paid to anise thereon. Thirdly, It is exprefly laid, that the time limited extends it fclf only unto the death of the Meah, or a very few years farther. For he was to come after (even weeks and fixty two weeks, which are the whole time limited withinone week or (even ofyears. Nowhis coming here intended, is not hisIncarnation, but the time of his Vnetion inhis Baptifm, which fell out atthe end of fixty nine weeks. After thefe fixty nine weeks, or leven, and fixty two, he is to be.cut off; that is in the middle or towards the endof the lull week ; whenhe had confirmed the Covenant by preach- ing three years and an half of that (even years which remained. And if we thall fay that his unáion being to beafterthe leven weeks, and fixty two, we mull grant it tobe in the tïrlt or fecond year of thelaft week, whereunto add the, three years and art half of his Preaching, and the remnant Frat`fion of one year or two can no waydifurb the account, therebeing nothing more frequent, then the calling in of fuch parcels of time to compleat and fill up an entire and round number. Here thenmutt we fix the end of four hundred and ninety years, in the death of the Meßpab, and fp wholly lay afide the account of them,who would extend the time de- termined unto thedefolationof theCity and Temple. f, r t. We mull therefore in the firft place ; abate from the whole accountof five hundred ninety nineyears before fluted, the fumm of thirty fevenyears, which enfued after the death of our Saviour, untifl the deldruélion of,?erufalem ; and the reninaste is five hundred
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