chus made captives forty thousand of the Jews, but Nebuchadnezzar carried the whole nation into captivity. Antiochus took Antiochus took away the daily facrifice for three years and a half, but Nebuchadnezzar abolished all the temple fervice for feventy years. Why then should Daniel, who had feen and felt thefe greater calamities, be fo much grieved at those leffer disasters of the nation? Present and fenfible evils ufually affect us moft and therefore that Daniel was fo much more affected with the future than with the prefent, was aftonished, and fainted, and was fick certain days, can be afcribed to nothing but to his foreseeing, that the future distress and mifery of the nation would greatly exceed all that they fuftained at present. But the calamities under Antiochus were much lefs, and much fhorter. Those only which they suffered from the Romans, were greater and worfe than the evils brought on them by Nebuchadnezzar. And the tranfgreffion of defolation hath now continued these 1700 years. They expect, and we expect, that at length the fanctuary will be cleanfed, and that in God's determined time his promise will be fully accomplished; (Amos IX. 11, 12. Acts XV. 16, 17.) I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof,

thereof, and I will fet it up; That the refidue of men might feek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, faith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

This concern of Daniel, and affection for his religion and country, fhow him in a very amiable light, and give an additional lustre and glory to his character. But not only in this inftance, but in every other, he manifefts the fame public fpirit, and appears no lefs eminently a patriot than a prophet. Tho' he was torn early from his country and enjoyed all the advantages that he could enjoy in foreign fervice, yet nothing could make him forget his native home: And in the next chapter we see him pouring out his foul in prayer, and fupplicating moft earnestly and devoutly for the pardon and restoration of his captive nation. It is a grofs mistake therefore to think, that religion will ever extinguish or abate our love for our country. The fcriptures will rather incite and inflame it, exhibit feveral illuftrious examples of it, and recommend and inforce this, as well as all other moral and focial virtues; and efpecially when the interefts of true religion and of our country are fo blended and interwoven, that they cannot well be separated the one from the other. This is a double incentive to the love of our country; VOL. II. G and

and with the fame zeal that every pious Jew might say formerly, every honest Briton may fay now, with the good Pfalmift, (Pfal. CXXII. 6, &c.) O pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they Shall profper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions fake I will wish thee profperity: Yea because of the house of the Lord our God I will feek to do thee good.

XVI.

DANIEL'S Prophecy of the things noted in the fcripture of truth.

In TWO PARTS.

PART I.

Tis the ufual method of the holy Spirit to make the latter prophecies explanatory of the former; and revelation is (Prov. IV. 18.) as the fhining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The four great empires of the world, which were shown to Nebuchadnezzar in the form of a great image, were again more particularly represented to Daniel in the shape of four great wild beafts. In like manner, the memorable events, which were revealed to Daniel in the vifion of the ram and he-goat, are here again more clearly and explicitly revealed in his laft vifion by an angel; fo that this latter prophecy may not improperly be faid to be a comment and explanation of the former. This revelation was made (X. 1.) in the third year

of Cyrus king of Perfia, when Daniel was very far advanced in years. For the third year of Cyrus was the seventy third of Daniel's captivity; and being a youth when he was carried captive, he cannot be supposed now to have been lefs than ninety and not long after this, it is reasonable to believe that he died. Old as he was, he fet his heart to understand the former revelations which had been made to him, and particularly the vifion of the ram and he-goat, as I think we may collect from the sequel: and for this purpose he prayed, and fafted three weeks. His fafting and prayers had the defired effect; for an angel was fent, and faid unto him, (ver. 12.) Fear not Daniel; for from the first day that thou didft fet thine heart to understand, and to chaften thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. And whoever would attain the fame ends, and excel in divine knowlege, must pursue the fame means, and habituate himself to study, temperance, and devotion. The angel declares the defign of his coming, (ver. 14.) Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for yet the vision is for many days. This prophecy therefore contains the fate and fortune of the people of God for many years. As it was faid before, (ver. 1.) the thing was true, but the time appointed

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