which you find continued unto the twentieth SER M. verse of the chapter. From thence, unto the XVIII. end of it, is,

THE answer to this prayer by the Angel Gabriel, fent while Daniel was yet a praying. In which he acquaints the Prophet with the measure. and compass of that time, wherein the great things were to be done; which he now not only immediately prayed for, but which he further had a commiffion to acquaint him with; namely, that feventy weeks were determined for the bringing these things to pass (manifeftly weeks of years, as is the Scripture way of computation fometimes) all which amount to four hundred and ninety years. Within the first seven of those weeks, that is, forty-nine years, the Angel gives him to understand, that Jerufalem fhould be rebuilt: namely, the street, that is, all the inward part, or the houfes of the city; and the wallthat should encompass it about. That after the expiration of fixty-two weeks, added to thofe feven, the Meffiah fhould come t; and that in the laft week, even in the middle of it, he fhould VOL. II.

Y

be

eighth book of the Cyropædia of Xenophon. The City being taken, the whole Babylonian Empire fell into the hands of Cyrus; who, as long as his Uncle Darius, otherwife Cyaxares, lived, allowed him a joint title with himself in the Empire; and out of deference to him, made him not merely a Viceroy, but yielded him the firft place of honour in it. Nine years are generally allotted by chronologers to the reign of Cyrus; the two firft of which he reigned in conjunction with his uncle, and the feven following (Darius being dead) he reigned as the fovereign, and fupreme head of the whole Empire.

The Author undoubtedly means, in his publick character.

II.

VOL. be cut off. A prophecy to which afterwards the event did fo very punctually correfpond, that a very noted Philofopher speaking of it was wont. to say; that surely that prophecy (as it was called) must have been written after the things. were done.

BUT the words that we are to confider concern what was done within the first seven weeks, or forty-nine Years; for at the beginning of that, time did the command go forth for the rebuilding of the temple and Jerufalem, as it was faid it foon fhould. But the work was very foon after intermitted, as is reckoned for about three years; and then dispatched in the forty-fix years that followed. Unto which the Jews have reference, more particularly speaking of the temple, Forty and fix years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? As it was not a total deftruction which it suffered afterwards; fo it was not a rebuilding from the ground, but a reftoration, which it had by Herod.

b

THIS is that which is, in fhort, foretold to Daniel here, in reference to Jerusalem: that tho' it would be a troublous time, in which fuch a work fhould be attempted and carried on ; yet the work should be carried on, and compleated notwithstanding. And therefore what the words do more obviously prefent us with and offer to our observation, is;

THAT GOD takes care for the rebuilding of his Jerufalem, fo as to effect it notwithstanding the troubles of the times.

John 11. 20.

BUT

BUT that we may confider this matter with SERM. the more use and profit to ourselves, it is requi- XVIII. fite that we understand, that Jerufalem was capable of being confidered under a twofold notion ; either as fpiritual, or as civil. In, the former fense, by the name of Jerufalem is ufually in Scripture fignified the Church of GOD; and we are not to think that this fenfe was unintended in this colloquy, as I may call it, or interlocution about Jerufalem between Daniel, and the greatGOD by his Angel. Neither had Daniel a reference to it in his prayer, nor God in his answer by the Angel, only confidered upon a civil account; that is, as it had been a great, and an opulent, and a famous city, of much account in the world. It was not, I fay, upon this civil confideration, merely, that either Daniel was fo concerned; or that the great God did feem fo directly, and with fo fpecial a care and providence, to concern himself about it: but as it was the feat of the divine prefence, and worship; and had been the throne of his glory, though he had fuffered it to be difgraced to a very great degree. And therefore both Daniel in his prayer, and the Angel in his answer, speak of it under the name of the HOLY CITY, as you may fee in the fixteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-fourth verfes of this chapter; in which they do, as it were, mutually and certatim intereft one another. And fo the thing we have to obferve and confider is this;

VOL.

II.

THAT the great GoD doth mercifully provide and take care, that the building of his Church fhould go on, even in troublous times.

IT will be worth out while to confider this point a little. The people of GOD are by the Apostle Paul called his building. Ye are God's bufbandry, ye are kis building. The converfion of Souls is the building of the Church. The growth and improvement of the converted, is the building up or edification of particular fouls. Such building work as this the Bleffed GoD takes care fhould go on; fhould not be laid afide altogether, even in times of difficulty and trouble, but should go on notwithstanding, For the power is greater by which GoD doth manage. fuch work, than that by which he can be refifted in it; and the mercy is greater with which he is intent upon it, than to be diverted from it. If he have fuch work to do, who fhall let it? If he will work, who fhall hinder him? And if his merciful inclination hath once made him intent upon it, he will never suffer any thing to divert it. His power, I fay, is too great to be refifted; and fo is his goodness, to be diverted from fuch a work.

YEA, and he not only takes care that it fhould be carried on, notwithstanding the troubles of the times; but alfo that it shall be carried on in fome meafure by them, or that they fhall be in fome fort fubfervient thereunto. For he so orders it, as that even by the troubles of the times,

£ 1 Cor. 111. 9.

1. HIS

1. His under-agents, his inftruments or build- SER M. ers whom he employs, have their diligence fo XVIII. much the more quickened. Those that were employed in the building of Jerufalem, appeared fo much the more eager and intent upon the work; by how much the more Tobias, Sanballat, and fome others, did bend and fet themselves against them in it. Yea, and

2. By the means of fuch troubles too are particular fouls, many times, stirred up, and made more serious and impreffible; more apt to prize, and more ready to improve all good feasons, which tend to fpiritual edification, as they do occur. When the word of the Lord is more precious, when it is enjoyed upon very uncertain terms, it ought to be always fo; and fometimes it is fo, by God's gracious difpofition. Then it is usually most favoury! then it is most operative, and doth most good! And fo this work of building the Church of GOD is carried on, not only notwithstanding, but even in fome measure by the troubles of the times, Some brief use we fhall make of this, and fo pafs on,

I. WE fhould learn from it not to account and reckon, that in times of trouble and difficulty there is nothing to be done, but to fit ftill; no farther endeavours to be used, for the carrying on of God's fpiritual building. Far be it from us to think fo! For our own parts we have reafon thankfully to acknowledge, that it is fomewhat