and all important events that were to happen during this period of 70 weeks or 490 years were ascertainad, viz. the coming of the Messiah,-his crucifixion -and the destruction of the temple and city of Jeru salem.

This very remarkable prophecy contains evidence sufficient to convict the most obstinate infidel, if evidence alone could accomplish so arduous a task.

Here is a plain, express and positive declaration of what was to happen at the period of sixty-two weeks, or four hundred and thirty-four years, reckoning a day for a year according to prophetic language, and again, at that of seventy weeks or four hundred and ninety years, and enters into the particular events, that were to happen in the last seven years of that period-and further, that this destruction or desolation should last till the end of the 4th monarchy, when that Gentile nation would be come to an end. -The prophet declares that he had this revelation from heaven, and that therefore it was not his own.. He puts the truth of this prophecy on the event, and if this should answer the prophetic declaration, who will dare to be so hardy as "not to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end."-Now the events that have already come to pass precisely fulfil the prophecy, though so many years before, and give full support to that which is to come.

Learned men differ as to the commencement and ending of this period. The general calculation is from the 7th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, in the year of Julian period 4256, when Ezra is said (chap. xii. 7. 13.) to have received a command to restore and build Jerusalem. Some think it should be from Nehemiah's commission for the like purpose, from the same king in the year 4269. Mr Mede supposes it should be reckoned from the 3d of Darius Nothus in the year 4298, or from the commission to Nehemiah under the same king in the year 4329. Others think it should be from the 7th of Artaxerxes Mnemon, in the year 4316.-Somet suppose it should be reckoned in solar, others in lunar years. The ending of this period has also been the subject of various opinions. The general one is, that it ends with the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem, and others with the crucifixion.These different opinions all tend to shew, as well the infinite wisdom of him who sent this message to his beloved prophet Daniel, to instruct him, and through him, his church in that which was to come pass-as also his wonderful condescension to the finite understandings of his people-In either of these constructions, the truth of this astonishing prediction appears. It was made upwards of 600 years before the accomplishment, thus fully evincing the Omniscience of him, who instructed his servant in things that must come to pass.

If you reckon from Artaxerxes Longimanus or the year 4256 of the Julian period or Anno. Olmp. 379, and add 70 weeks or 490 solar years, it brings you to the year 4746, or Anno. Olympiadico 869, or the very year of the crucifixion.-If you take it from the command of Nehemiah in the 20th year of the same king, 13 years afterwards, or the year 1269, and reckon by lunar years, it brings you exactly to the same year 4716. If you take it according to Mr Mede from the 7th of Artaxerxes Mnemon, or the year 4317, and reckon it to the baptism of our Lord by John, which was in the Julian year 4743, it makes exactly 427 solar years, or from Nehemiah's commission 427 lunar years (as is asserted by the eminent chronologer, Mr Mede, on whom I depend) which completed Daniel's sixty-one weeks of years. -If you make the account from the 3d of Darius Nothus, or the Julian year 4293, and add the 490 solar years, it brings you to the very year of the de struction of the temple at Jerusalem,

This surprizing coincidence of circumstances to fulfil so explicit a prophecy, cannot by any reasonable man, be referred to any other, than a divine Omniscient cause; and the 427 years will bring us to the last of the sixty two weeks, in which according to this prediction, Christ our Lord was anointed-In the beginning whereof, exactly between the first and second passover after his baptism (when his harbinger John, had now finished his mission, and was cast into prison) he first began to preach in Galilee

the gospel of his kingdom, ordained his disciples, and proclaimed himself to be the Messiah-Mark, chap. i. 14, 15. "Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying the time is fulfilled (i. e. the last of the sixty-two weeks, spoken of by Daniel is come) and the kingdom of God is at hand."-This was the day on which Christ at Nazareth said, "that scripture was fulfilled, the spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted; to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke, chap. iv. 18. 19.-St. Paul also observes the same event, when he says" that word, ye know which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." Acts, chap. x. 37, 38.

In the midst of this week of years, viz. two years and an half after Jesus began to preach, and three years and an half after his baptism, he offered himself on the cross for our sins, died, was buried, rose again and ascended into heaven-But this cutting off the Messiah is coupled with the next sentence, which instead of but "not for himself," should be," and they none of his"-that is, he shall be cut off, from being their king and priest, as well as from his own life, this is said to be agreeable to the Hebrew.

idiom; but as I do not understand that language, 1 am indebted to Mr Mede for these observations, which he justifies by many convincing examples.Then, the last week of years was fully completed, when St. Peter was sent to Cornelius the centurion and taught by a vision, that the gospel of the kingdom should be preached to the Gentiles, which was Anno Domini thirty-eight, and Anno Olympiadico eight hundred and thirteen-And here begins the epocha of the rejection of Israel, and the calling of the Gentiles, which St. Paul speaks so much of in the 11th chap. of Romans-This was exactly seven years from Christ's baptism, and completed the sixtytwo weeks or 434 years-so Christ one whole week of years, tendered himself unto his own people, who refused him and rendered themselves unworthy of everlasting life; and during this week, though the body of the nation was thus cast off, yet Christ and his disciples gathered many into the covenant of the gospel. St. Peter at one sermon having converted three thousand souls.

The next period is that of sevens of weeks, or many seven weeks, that is, even seventy weeks, or 490 years.

If you conclude with some great men that these weeks or years are predictive of the time the temple of God, with its legal services, should continue after its restoration from the captivity of Babylon, and are reckoned from the time of building the temple, or holy city, for it was the temple that gave this denomination