own the true principal caufe of their calamities, this was proved from H. xlii. in the explication formerly given of the laft part of it.

SECT. IV. Predictions concerning oppofition to the true religion, after the converfion of the Gentiles.

"Of the book of Daniel.

I. The book of Daniel contains various prophecies, fhewing, that after the converfion of the 'Gentile nations; after the fall of the fourth or Roman empire, and its divifion into various kingdoms, the chief of which are reckoned about ten in number; there should arife certain exceeding eminent feducing powers, one or more, enjoying temporal dominion; who would be fingularly remarkable for their oppofition to the kingdom of God and of the Meffiah, being chief ringleaders of apoftafy, delufion, and perfecution; and whofe powerful oppofition to the truth would continue for many centuries of years, to the time frequently called by this prophet the time of the end, and characterised as the time of the univerfal converfion of nations, Jews and Gentiles, to the true religion.

In proving this, it is of ufe to give fummaries of the chief prophecies in this book, which relate to the four monarchies, or any one or two of them, and to fhew that all of them reach down to the end now defcribed.

1. In the first prophecy, in chap. 2. the four monarchies are reprefented by the four parts of a great image: 1. The head of gold; 2. The breaft and arms of filver; 3. The belly and thighs of brafs; 4. The legs of iron; and the feet, part iron and part clay. The kingdom of the Meffiah, as was proved formerly, is reprefented in this prophecy, by a ftone cut out without hands, becoming in procefs of

time a great mountain, and filling the whole earth, The oppofition of the fourth monarchy to the Meffiah's kingdom, efpecially the oppofition made in the lower or latter times of that monarchy *, is evidently fuppofed in what is faid of the ftone fmiting the image on his feet, which are a part of the reprefentation of the fourth or laft monarchy; and the stone's becoming, in confequence of that victory, a great mountain, filling the earth: which things plainly import, that the iron and clay feet of the fourth empire, after the time of its divifion, 41. and the empire of the wonderful stone, would be oppofite powers; the former being an obftacle to the growth of the latter; and the latter grow ing, fo as to fill the earth, by the total defeat of the former.

These things fhew, that this prophecy reaches to the great end formerly defcribed, or the time of the univerfal converfion of the nations: which conver fion is not only foretold in the firft and more obfcure part of the prophecy, containing the vifion about the ftone that was to become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth; but also, in the fecond part of the prophecy, explaining the whole vifion, and particularly explaining what relates to the ftone, y 42. by a kingdom fet up by the God of heaven, that fhould be univerfal and everlafting: and though the time of this end is not defcribed by any number of years, yet it is evident in general, that it fhould be not only after the rife of the fourth empire, but after that divifion and weakening of it exprefsly mentioned y 41. 42. which imply its fall; and after the oppofition made by thefe divided, mixed, and weaker powers, thould be broken: all which things fhew, that Daniel's words, y 28. calling the fubject-matter of this prophecy, what fhould be in the latter days, are of the fame

Bas Empire.

give some account of them here, to fhow that the prophets foretell a difperfion of the Jews, pofterior to what was caufed by the Babylonians, cotemporary with the times of the Meffiah, happening in the time of the fourth or Roman monarchy, (as is evident from Dan, ix. 26. 27.), and continuing many ages after its fall; as in effect that difperfion is known to have lafted now near the third part of the time fince the creation: fo that when it is at an end, there will indeed be an end of one of the greateft wonders in the history of mankind; which is an argument of the juftnefs of the prophetic style on this fubject.

It appears from what has been faid, that the predictions of the defolation and difperfion of the Jews, as well as the other predictions formerly explained, are a confiderable number, and contain a confiderable variety of facts and circumftances, relating to the deftruction of the Jewish city and fanctuary, the time and instruments of it, the difafters of the fiege of Jerufalem, the fubfequent difperfion of that people through all nations, the hardships attending it, its long continuance, and the continuance of the diftinction betwixt that people and all others under it, and their inexcufable blindness as to the chief procuring caufes of it.

As it is foretold, that the deftruction of their city and fanctuary fhould happen after the death of the Meffiah, in the time of the fourth or Roman monarchy, which monarchy fhould be the chief inftrument of that destruction, to which at the fame time their own inteftine divisions would greatly contribute; fo it is foretold, that their enemies would besiege them with vaft armies, with uncommon eagerness, Dan. ix. vii. Zech. i. xi. If. xlix. 26. xxix. Deut. xxviii. and make them feel the most grievous calamities of war; that after the taking of their chief city, multitudes of them fhould be fent in fhips to Egypt, to be fold for flaves to their ene,

mies; that they should be scattered among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; that they should be caft away because they did not hearken to God, and fhould be wanderers among the nations; that they should be fifted among all nations, as corn is fifted in a fieve, Deut. xxviii. 64. Hofea ix. 17. Amos. ix, 9.; that in this difperfion they should not find a place to reft the fole of their feet; that the difperfion fhould continue to the time called the end of prophetic wonders, being the time of the univerfal converfion of the Gentiles, when all the kingdoms, under the whole heaven would fubmit to God and his Meffiah, and the time of the end of a defolating abomination that was to continue about twelve or thirteen centuries, and was not to begin till after the fall of the Roman empire, Deut. xxviii. 65. Dan. xii.: which two. things prove, that that difperfion was to continue above fixteen or feventeen centuries at leaft, what

ever more.

Their prefervation as a body of people diftinc from all others, notwithstanding fo amazing a difperfion, is foretold in feveral prophecies, which fhew, that though God would make an end of all nations, he would not make an end of them; that they fhould never ceafe from being a people; that tho they should be fifted, like corn, among all nations, yet the least grain fhould not fall upon the earth; that they fhould never be utterly deftroyed, Jer. XXX. 11. xlvi. 28. xxxi. 36. All which is alfo neceffarily fuppofed in the predictions which fhew, that they should be wanderers among the nations, and that they should be "an aftonishment, a proverb, "and a by-word among all nations," Amos ix. 9, also y 8. Deut. xxviii. 37.; implying plainly, that they fhould still be diftinguished from other nations: and it is evident, that the continuance of this distinction of that people is fuppofed in the joyful predictions of their restoration. As to their refusing to

own

import with the expreffions about the end in fubfequent predictions.

2. In the fecond general prophecy in chap. 7. the four monarchies, formerly reprefented by the four parts of an image, are reprefented by four great beafts, faid to be diverfe one from another; and the fourth, which was formerly reprefented by the legs of iron, and feet part iron and part clay, is here reprefented by a beaft of fingular ftrength, having great teeth. of iron, nails of brafs, (the metal emblematical of the Greeks in chap. 2.), and having ten horns, reprefenting ten kings that fhould arife upon the above-mentioned divifion of that empire, chap. ii. 41.; which ten horns evidently correfpond with the ten toes of the feet of the image, faid to be broken by the ftone, or by the kingdom of God, and fo fuppofed to join in oppofition to that kingdom.

The Meffiah's kingdom is here foretold, at the end of the vifion, y 13. & 14. where the prophet joins together, as was proved before, in one comprehenfive view, the Meffiah's afcending to heaven, and his fitting at the right hand of God, till his enemies become his footitool; which is included in his receiving the univerfal everlasting kingdom mentioned 14. and explained y 27. which speaks fo plainly of the univerfal converfion of the nations. to the fervice and obedience of the Moft High.

The oppofition made to that kingdom is defcribed chiefly by the practices of a little horn, fpeaking great words, coming up among the ten horns of this fourth beaft, making war with the faints, prevailing against them, y 21.; fpeaking great words against the Moft High, wearing out the faints of the Moft High; thinking to change times and laws, and getting them into his hands, 25.

The continuance of this oppofition is defcribed by two remarkable characters: the first is y 22. which fhews, that this little horn of the fourth