close of the year only one Month and a few days wanting are reckoned by the Greek Historians exactly seventy years as I have before observed and so indeed these seventy years are not the seventy years of the Captivity but another seventy taking beginning where they end Obj. But if so why doth the Angel plead Gods having had indignation against his people threescore and ten years he might have pleaded twice threescore and ten years Ans We must consider the Angel here spoken of which is Jesus Christ now speaks by way of complaint How long Lord wilt thou not have mercy and therefore he purposely le ts fall the first seventy years taking no notice of them because as to that time he had no cause to complain they had deserved it highly provoked his Father for which cause Jerusalem was justly made a ruinous heap It was the penalty of that Law or outward Covenant made with this people at the coming out of Aegypt that in case they did rebel they should be carried captive into other Countries out of their own Land Levit. 26. verse 27 28. to the end and observe this was the highest punishment of all inflicted for highest breach of the Law therefore mentioned in the last place Now all the seventy years of the Captivity they were under this very punishment therefore the thing being most righteous and indeed a thing unavoydable if God would be just considering the terms of the Covenant this people stood under Christ who pleadeth righteously will not complain of it lest he should complain of his Father for doing that which was most righteous and which he could not without breach of Justice have omitted But now as to the time that passed afterwards he had cause to complain because all this time was over and above the prefixed time of their punishment and therefore hee complains Lord how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years as to say These seventy years of thy indignation are more then should be and that Christ speaks by way of complaint is clear because God is fain to give him good words to still him and tell him the work should be deferred no longer vers 13 14 16 17. an Argument that he had some cause to complain and that upon this account the work had been deferred and that for so long a time as seventy years So that this Text rightly considered is an Argument for us and holds forth thus much That we are not to begin these seventy years till the seventy of the Captivity were ended for Christ complains of the wrath of his Father to his people all these seventy years but as to the seventy years of the Captivity which was only satisfaction to that outward Covenant they had broken Christ had no cause to complain of one day of that nor would he the punishment being most just and the Covenant broken and no punishment inflicted had been unjust Obj. 2. But if this opinion be true why also are the Fasts of the fourth and the fifth and the seventh and the tenth Month said to be of seventy years continuance Zach. 7.5 with Chap. 8.19 seeing from the time Jerusalem was taken the Temple destroyed c. which things are the grounds of their fasting it was now to this time as we account it one hundred and twenty years viz. fifty in Babylon after Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed and seventy after the coming thence Ans The only foot that this Objection stands upon is a supposition that the aforesaid Fasts were kept in Babylon Now as to that I answer 1 That there is no Scripture proving such a thing That Psal 137.1 2. will not do it for it is one thing to weep occasionally which is the weeping there mentioned Gods people sit down by the Rivers of Babylon one while they call Sion to remembrance another while they are scoffed at by the Babylonians these things draw forth occasional tears but it is another to weep in the solemn Assembly and as a solemn Ordinance which calls upon me to weep and mourn and that at such a time Now such was the weeping of the fourth and fifth and seventh and tenth Months which were times of weeping and mourning instituted and ordained by the publick authority of the Jewish Church to be celebrated yearly though by the way remember that their practice in this is not a binding rule to us in Gospel days National institutions in Spiritual matters ceasing with their National Church 2 As there is no Scripture for it that these solemn Fasts were kept in Babylon so look upon the thing in reason and it seems no way likely or probable for consider the Fasts were Publique and National kept not by some particular persons but by the whole Body of the Congregation of Israel as appears Chap. 7. ver 5 6. Now it may with good reason be queried Whether it be a thing at all probable that the Babylonians would admit of such exercises under their very Noses Obj. If it be said Though the thing were publique as to the Jews that is the whole Body of that Nation in Babylon did Fast yet might they so appoint their meetings as that the thing might well be kept from the knowledge of the Babylonians I answer Consider that as these Fasts were Publique so also they were set Fasts appointed to several times and these celebrated annually year after year and that for a long time seventy years all which things laid together we cannot imagine that the celebration of so many days for so many years together should or could be a thing so private as to be hid from the Babylonians if it were known then I say must they be kept with their allowance Now considering Babylon the place Satans busie rage to stir up his Instruments against any Spiritual work the Babylonians themselves being Idolaters and Worshippers of a false god withall the occasions of these solemn meetings whereof that of the fourth Month was in memorial of Nebuchadnezzars taking Jerusalem which fell out in this Month 2 King 25.3 4. Jer. 39.2 3. That of the fifth for the burning of the Temple which was done the tenth day of this Month 2 King 25.8 9. Jer. 52.12 13. That of the seventh Month for the death of Gedaliah which hapned in this Month and was the cause of the total dispersing of the remnant left in Judea Ier. 41.1 c. That of the tenth for Nebuchadnezzars siege which was laid against Jerusalem in the tenth day of this Month 2 King 25.1 Jer. 52.4 All which occasions of these solemn Assemblies that of the seventh Month excepted was such as might suggest to the Babylonians that this people assembled together yearly to lament their good successe and prosperity Let us lay all together and where we want a determinate rule conjecture whether the premises considered it be a thing likely that the
Roman Monarchy 1 As a Civil state onely in which state it subdues Nations to it self and particularly the Land of Canaan it waxed exceeding great towards the South and towards the East and towards the pleasant land 2 As a Mixt state or a Civil and Ecclesiastical state both in which period the great thing it doth is to make war with the Saints and tread underfoot the Holy City vers 10. And it waxed great even to the host of Heaven and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground and stamped upon them To this twofold waxing great doth most excellently agree that double title given afterwards to this fourth King vers 23. 1 A King of fierce countenance such is the fourth Kingdome Dan. 2.40 and the fourth Beast Dan. 7.7 2 Understanding dark sentences such is the Roman Monarchy at least pretending to abundance of wisdome learning and high speculations in its second state under Antichrist This twofold waxing great and this double title will agree to no opinion neither to that of Antiochus nor that of Mahomet nor that of the Romish Antichrist nor that of Charles Stuart or the Norman Race in general as it doth to this I conclude therefore that the little Horn here mentioned is the whole body of the fourth Monarchy and not the same in its second state only Now the Roman Monarchy is here called the little Horn the name before given to Antichrist Chap. 7. for one or both these Reasons 1 Because there is a likelihood in their rise The Roman Monarchy as I have said when it first began to creep up was but little and therefore Daniel Chap. 7.7 beholds the fourth Beast creeping up in the night visions i.e. this Beast was obscure and in a manner unseen at first none dreamed he would grow so terrible a Beast such was Antichrist and for this reason called the little Horn Chap. 7. Or 2 Because Antichrist in the last dayes was to weild the Scepter in this Monarchy and the sequel of the Prophesie was to go on chiefly upon him And hence observe we have in the Vision and explication both onely a word as it were to bring on the other of the Civil state of the fourth Monarchy the main of the Prophesie looking to its Antichristian state Now as this is I suppose the very cause and ground of their mistake who interpret all this of Antichrists Kingdome onely so may it be the reason why the name proper to Antichrist should here be given to the whole Monarchy because his Kingdome being a part of that Monarchy was the thing chiefly in the following Discourse to be insisted on What I have said confirms our former opinion that this Prophesie belongs not to Antiochus Epiphanes but another thing and consequently the two thousand and three hundred dayes are not to be understood of Natural dayes but Prophetical SECT 3. Having already proved that the two thousand three hundred dayes cannot be natural dayes but must be Prophetical In the next place a Question will arise whether by the two thousand three hundred dayes we are to understand so many dayes or years compleat A very worthy and learned Author reading according to the Hebrew two thousand and three hundred mornings and evenings which make but half so many compleat dayes will have but half so many dayes at most viz. one thousand one hundred and fifty to he here accounted upon But to this opinion I must give my dissent 1 Because this way of computing by morning and evening a part is no where else found in all the Prophets 2 Because its the ordinary Scripture-phrase to put morning and evening for one day Gen. 1.5 the evening and the morning were the first day vers 8. the evening and the morning were the second day vers 13.19.23.31 And therefore it s more consonant to Scripture-phrase to conceive that the Holy Ghost by two thousand and three hundred mornings and evenings doth intend so many compleat dayes then that he should mean onely so many mornings and evenings which make but half the number of dayes 3 Because by this Computation the very Prophesie it self becomes useless to us who cannot from it make up any account For untill some Head is found out where we are to begin there can be no supputation of years Now I ask if the two thousand and three hundred years are to be understood of but half so many years viz. one thousand one hundred and fifty Where are we to begin them If we begin from the time Daniel had his Vision how will one thousand one hundred and fifty years bring us thence to the time of the end when as two thousand and two hundred years and upwards are passed already since that time and yet the end is not If we shall begin lower as we must by above a thousand years let the head of our account be shewed in the Text. Daniel in all his other mystical Numbers hath still some clear head of account laid down His seventy weeks have for their Head the going forth of the Commandement to restore and build Jerusalem Dan. 9.25 His one thousand two hundred and ninety and his one thousand three hundred thirty and five have for their Head the taking away of the daily sacrifice and setting up of the abomination that maketh desolate Dan. 12.11 12. Now let a Head of account be shewed in the Text for this If it be said It is implied though not expressed vers 13. to be the taking away of the daily sacrifice trampling the Sanctuary and Host underfoot Ans If this be the Head of account then must the Head of this account and the Head of the one thousand three hundred thirty and five dayes Chap. 12. be one and the same for that is the taking away of the daily sacrifice And if so then let a sufficient reason be given to reconcile these places why the account there which begins with this should have one hundred eighty and five dayes or years more in it then this here for who reckons shall find the one thousand three hundred thirty five to have in it so many years more then one thousand one hundred and fifty especially considering too that the one thousand two hundred and thirty dayes and the one thousand three hundred thirty five dayes do both end in the full restauration of the Church and through-cleansing of the Sanctuary as is clear from the scope of either Prophesie If it be said some other taking away of the daily sacrifice is here to be sought for as Head to this Number then that which was in Julians dayes Ans Grant it yet must the time when this was done be so stated as that the one thousand one hundred and fifty years may concur in their end with the one thousand three hundred thirty and five years For the Prophesie Chap. 8. and that Chap. 12. bring us both to one and the same point viz. the last most full and glorious restitution
malice which now lying upon them made all charges ineffectual but also find a fair opportunity to draw up a new charge But God who knows the rage of his enemies and takes care of his people had provided otherwise and turns this their crafty rage against the work even to a promoting of it as appears from the issue Chap. 6. As for the third foot of the Objection taken from Hananies report My Answer is That the breaking down of the wall of Jerusalem and burning the Gates relates to the ruines of Jerusalem in the dayes of Nebuchadnezzar My Reasons are 1 Because no Scripture mentions any building of the walls of Jerusalem betwixt the time of Cyrus and Nehemiah the forementioned Texts I have proved too weak therefore we have no ground for faith that ever such a thing was 2 Because its likely if the walls had been rebuilt by the Jews that came up in the dayes of Cyrus and afterwards broken down again by enemies and gates burnt they would also as well have broken down the Temple and burnt that for their malice was as great against the one as the other yea if more against any it was the Temple which being the place of the Jews worship was most abhorred by the Adversaries who hated them only for Religion sake but this was not done for Nehemiah coming to Jerusalem found a Temple there Neh. 6.10 3 Because should I grant which yet I cannot there being not one tittle of Scripture for it that City and Wall was built before yet must we confesse withall that this work was an obscure thing and no way to be compared with the after famous building of Nehemiah memorized by a whole Book written particularly upon that subject and therefore not fit in comparison of the other to be made head of Daniels Seventy weeks As for the ground of this part of the Objection That it could have been no news to Nehemiah to have heard of the ancient ruines by Nebuchadnezzar Ans Neither indeed was it nor is the businesse between Nehemiah and Hanani a hearing and telling of news as we commonly understand the word they were more spiritual and better employed then so Hanani was a faithful man one that feared God above many Neh. 7.2 This holy man coming to Nehemiah another choice Spirit two choice spirited men being now met together having both of them great hearts for the cause of God they as 't is comely for Saints at all times when they have the like opportunity to do presently fall into discourse about things that concern the people of God and Gods cause at that day and all the news that passeth between is indeed matter of so spiritual a concernment that it is too low a term to call it news Saith Nehemiah to Hanani brother Hanani how fares it with our brethren at Jerusalem O saith Hanani their condition is sad they are still in the old posture a reproach to the Heathen and the wall of Jerusalem lyes broken down the gates burnt with fire This thing this good man reports not so much as a matter of news though in part of it news there was as indeed a thing which was the present burden grief and affliction of his own soul and the souls of the remnant at Jerusalem how that Jerusalem the building of which they had long expected continued still a heap and withall how that now as it is Gods ordinary way to affect the hearts of his people and heighten his enemies against a work when the time thereof is come the thing lay more heavy upon the spirits of all the remnant then ever and also the enemies did more reproach them with their unbuilt City then ever In this last lay all the news if we may so call it Nehemiah upon hearing this and through that heart-warming discourse that had passed between them goes home from this meeting wondrously affected with the condition of Gods people and cause and betakes himself to his Closet and there spreads the whole before the Lord the issue whereof is favour in the sight of the King and authority from him to go to Jerusalem and build it Thus much by way of answer to the Texts in which the force of the Objection lyes Secondly I now come to adde two or three Considerations from Scripture which may be an answer to the whole of the Objection 1 Consideration Whether it be not a very strange thing to suppose that the Jews having been charged with such a thing as building Jerusalem and the work they were about stopped upon it that yet afterwards the original Copy of Cyrus Decree being found out among the Court-Rolls in the second yer of Darius and transcribed by Ezra Chap. 6.1 2 3 4 5. not one word should be mentioned of that about which had been so much noise and stir by the enemy but as the Command Chap. 1. So here the Decree should run altogether upon building the Temple and not a tittle in it of Jerusalem which who can think otherwise but that had there been but the least clause in Cyrus Decree empowring the Jews to the building Jerusalem upon which the Jews had undertook it Ezra though it were to vindicate the actings of his Nation and to shew that what they did which was so ctyed out against and they suffered so much though unjustly through forged accusations for was not without Law and Authority would not doubtlesse had the Jews been really guilty of the act or the Decree allowed them any such thing in transcribing the Decree have left it out 2 Consideration Whether the very words and manner of expression used by the Angel do not import an Effective command such a command as upon the going of it forth did cause a restoring and building Jorusalem vers 25. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the Commandement to restore and to build Jerusalem Observe the Command is a Command expresly to restore and to build which it is not proper to call that Command which by vertue of it self alone doth never produce any such effect considering too that Gods Commands as we are to look upon this though he use man as an instrument are every of them alwayes effective Now let it be considered whether the naked Decree of Cyrus ever had any such effect nay is not the contrary evident viz. That for many years after the going forth of that Decree even untill the twentieth of Artaxerxes Jerusalem lay waste as a ruined heap Neh. 1.3 and when the time of building it came the work had for its basis not that Decree but a new one of Artaxerxes by which only Nehemiah acts and not at all by the Decree of Cyras as is manifest from the whole of his Book 3 Consideration Whether the Angels giving Daniel so many serious hints to pry well into this thing and to take heed of a too hasty concluding any thing lest he should mistake vers 25. Know therefore and understand vers 23.
Babylonians would permit such constant yearly Exercises in Babylon or no I am therefore inclined to think That the appointment and celebration of these Publique solemn Fasts was not in Babylon but upon their coming thence after the people of Israel had liberty given them by Cyrus to return from Babylon and were come up to Jerusalem with their hearts greatly raised through the present sense of their deliverance and also with expectations of something more then ordinary that God would now do for them and having no sooner set hand to the work but are stopped contrary to expectation they are now put upon looking backwards to see what might be the cause God should deal thus with them And to this their hearts being now melted and affected under the present sense of their deliverance they are in a frame and posture much better then while they remained in Babylon under a Cloud and a sense of wrath which we know ever unfits and makes a Soul uncapable of looking back upon former ways and walkings Now looking backwards they finde That they had received such and such heavy stroaks from God formerly which stroaks fell upon the whole Body of the Nation yet had they never as yet in any solemn way humbled themselves before God for those their sins and provocations which brought these stroaks upon them Hereupon they appoint several days of Humiliation to bee kept yearly till the anger of the Lord should be removed and the better to stir up their hearts through a putting them in remembrance by the stroak they appoint their days upon such and such times as the stroaks which did prove most fatal to them fel upon them which is all the reason can be given of the appointment of the Fasts in such and such Months as is before specified And therefore observe in the fourth of Darius in the ninth Month when now the people of God perceiving the storm to be well blown over the Temple-work being now on foot again and brought to some perfection do send men as Sherezer Regemmelech c. to enquire whether they should any longer it seeming that God was now pacified go on with that fasting which they had continued for seventy years the answer is given by the Prophet to the Congregation there present and the People that were in the Land ver 4.5 6 7 8 9 10. and not to those in Babylon of whom not one syllable is spoken A clear Argument that Sherezer Regemmelech c. were not sent by the people in Babylon as saith the generall opinion but were indeed employed being two Honourable persons by the whole Body of the People now in the Land to go up to the House of the Lord and enquire for them concerning this practice they had so long continued among them Whether Gods wrath seeming now to be pacified they should continue it any longer Answer hereupon by the Prophet is given to the people of the Land proving clearly that this Fast was not a Fast in Babylon but a Fast that had been kept up and continued by the people of the Land which as I have said began upon their coming thither and the cause till this day remaining had been continued by them ever since through which long continuance of time it was even now grown into a form therefore God by the Prophet seems at first to disown it Chap. 7.5 6. and yet afterwards as being a thing lawfull and good in its first institution though through continuance of time abused by them he ownes it Chap. 8.19 So that this text rightly understood is so farre from hurting us that contrariwise it brings with it a second testimony to prove the truth of our Assertion that it was seventy years betwixt Cyrus and the Darius that forwarded the Temple-work If any should yet think our measure to be misapplied and that surely it could not be so long as seventy years from the return of the Captivity to the end of Darius second I shall adde one consideration more viz. That Iddo who was Grandfather to the Prophet Zechary as appears Zech. 1.1 was one of them that came up with Zerubbabel as we shall finde Nehem. 12.4 which Iddo Nehemiah speaks of that it was the same person and not another of the same name appears in that we finde Zechariah and that in the daies of Jojakim sonne of Jeshua which well agrees to the latter times of Zechariahs Prophecy mentioned by name as succeeding in the line of Iddo ver 16. and though Zechariah is there recorded amongst the chief of the Priests yet doth not that hinder but it should be this very Zechariah seeing most ordinarily Prophets were taken from amongst the Priests Jeremiah was of the Priests of Anathoth and yet a Prophet Jer. 1.1 Ezekiel was a Priest Ezek. 1.3 and yet a Prophet All therefore that can be gathered thence is That Zechariah as hee was a Prophet so also he was one of the chief of the Priests Now Zechariah who mentions these seventy years being Grand-childe to one that came up with Zerubbabel it may very well bee thought that betwixt these two as much time as seventy years may be allowed and yet no monstrous Conclusion From the whole it appears That to fix the advance of the Temple-work upon the second year of Darius Longimanus doth not at all jarre but rather hath an admirable concurrency so as no opinion besides it with what seems to be most clear in Scripture as touching the time betwixt Cyrus first year and Darius second Withall though I would not be over-curious for I hate over-much niceness and curiosity in Notions as well as in Words yet let mee say hereby we gain this to run the time betwixt the beginning of the Babylonish Captivity and Christs Passion all along upon seventies the Number so famous for setting forth this time First We have Seventy years Captivity in Babylon Secondly Seventy years of mourning in the Land after their return thence before the Work of the Temple can go on Thirdly After that we have Seventy years and seven odde observe though we have some odde yet they run still upon the Number seven before the Jews can have liberty to build their City and form themselves into a Common-wealth for so many years passed betwixt Darius second and the time of Nehemiahs Commission Lastly We have Seventy Weeks which makes seven seventies from the building Jerusalem to the Passion of Christ In a word from the beginning of the Captivity untill Christs Passion we have ten Seventies and three odde years for though I mentioned even now seven odde years yet it must bee remembred that four years out of that seven are to be deducted to supply the want of those four years which I have before proved are to be cut off from the seventeeth and last of Daniels weeks these deducted there then remains three odde only Now allowing these three to the time Christ Preached which was three years we may then say That from the