Daniel 9

IN the first year That is immediately after the overthrow of the Kingdom of Babylon, which was also the year of the Iews deliverance from their 70 years Captivity. Therefore punctually here set down. The Lord has carefully recorded the several periods of time that relate to his Church, and the signal providences both of Mercy or Judgment exercised towards it for hereby God is glorified in the signal displaying of his Attributes, and the Saints graces exercised, especially Faith and Patience by calling to mind what God has done in time past, Psal. 77.5, 6, 7. of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes This Darius was not Darius the Persian, under whom the Temple was built, as Porphyrius would have it, that thereby he might persuade unlearned men that Daniel lived long after the time that he did live in. Therefore this is called Darius the Mede, and by the Greeks called Cya ares., which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans And this is confirmed by Xenophon..

In the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books By sacred Books, both of Ieremy the Prophet, Ier. 25.11, 12. and 29.10. so also the Pentateuch, which he had, as is plain ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, &c. by which we see this great Prophet did not disdain to study the Word of God, and the state of the Church of God, though he had the converse and Revelation of Angels, and though he was in a Heathen Court, and in high office, which required great attendance. the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem Ier. 7. 34. and 22.5. and 25.18..

And I set my face unto the Lord GOD, to seek by prayers and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes Observe two things. 1 That deep revolting, and deep afflictions, calls for deep and solemn Humiliation. 2 Gods decrees and promises do not excuse us from Duty and Prayer, but include it and require it. God will be inquired of for those things which he has purposed and promised to give his People, Ezek. 36.37. And if it be objected by any (as it is by Calovius) that Gods both threats and promises are absolute and not Hypothetical, as they will prove by Ier. 25.11, 12. and 29.10. Its answered that 1 Though it be spoken peremptorily and absolutely, yet not without a tacit condition and secret reserve in God, Ion. 3.4. 2 God often speaks positively to put sinners in the more awe of his judgments, and to drive them to repen ance, Jer. 18.7, 8, 9, 10. 3 If God give a reason of his threatning, viz. because they have despised his Word and abused his Patience, 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. Luk. 19.42, 43, 44. then the Threat is absolute. 4 And if God add upon his threatnings such words as these, I will not hear you, pray not for this people; of which we have many instances, then its peremptory. 5 When the Threat and the judgment threatned is the fruit of Gods decree, then it is irreversable; not else. Mind all these Rules well in this Case..

And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession By this it appeared he prayed in Faith, to the true God, and his God. 2 He made confession of Sin, when he prayed for deliverance, because hereby he justified God in the Captivity of his People. 3. He knew if God vouchsafed pardon of Sin, upon this Confession, that would be a sure foundation of future Mercy. 4 He set down here the words of his Prayer, because it is the Prayer of a righteous man, and one of Gods eminent Saints and Favourites in Scripture, who had great power with God in prayer, Job 42.7, 8, 9. Ezek. 14.14, 20. Jam. 5.16., and said, O LORD, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant He puts God in mind of his Covenant, Deut. 7.. Neh. 1.5. he calls him great and dreadful as to his severe justice and Wrath; now though the Covenant has promises and Mercy, yet it includeth obedience on our part, as here is express'd., and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandements:

We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled As if he had said, we are not only sinners but our sin is wickedness a gravated to the height, thus much the gradation here intimat s, by doing wickedly and rebell ng. In our confessions of sin to God there must be no min ing nor cloking of sin, but a full and naked discovery, with self-judging and self-abhorren e. Note here, all along after, this holy man puts himself in the number of the greatest sinner: So when we are suppliants, and penitents, we must include our selves in the general petition., even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments.

Neither have we hearkned unto thy servants the prophets For God to send his Prophets to his People, was their high priviledge, and the highest act of Favour to them, and of his Authority over them, for they were Gods Ambassadors, and came to them in the Lords Name, and therefore their in and punishment was the greater., which spake in thy Name, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land Gods Embassadors have a large Commission, and general instruction to speak in the name of their Lord with all Authority, and without respect of persons And this shows, 1 Gods Authority over all. 2 Gods Mercy towards all, of all sorts. 3 The aggravation of this sin, because it was of all sorts, as Gen. 6.12, 13. 2 Chron. 36.16. Now the abuse of Gods Embassadors has by the Law of Nations ever been highly resented: 2 Sam. 10. and 12.29, 30, 31..

O LORD, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day, to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel that are near, and that are far off, through all the countreys whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass, that they have trespassed against thee.

O LORD, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee Here the Prophet after he had arraigned himself and his people upon their guilt, he passeth judgment; for in this case every true penitent sits in judgment, and proceeds judicially, that is, solemnly and impartially; 1 Cor. 11.31. for he judgeth for God and proceeds according to Gods Law, and Conscience is witness; and this God takes notice of, and takes well, for it prevents his judging of us. See 2 Cor. 7.11. and is a true sign of true Repentance..

To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgivenesses How did God show himself merciful, when he punished them so severely? Answ. 1 Because it was less than their sin deserved, for it was Rebellion. 2. Because their punishment was Gods chastisement which to his People is an act of Love and Mercy, as ye see Heb. 12.6, 7, 8, 9. 3 Because God preserved them in their Captivity, and deliver'd them from it., though we have rebelled against him They therefore that pray to God under their sin, and misery, must eye Gods Mercies as well as his Justice, Psal. 51.1. and 130.4. For as the one does cast them down, so the other bears them up, and gives them hope, or else we might be swallowed up of too much sorrow and despair, 2 Cor. 2.7, 11. wherein Satan would be too hard for us, as well as in dedolency or want of godly Sorrow..

Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets To be large in 1 Confession of Sin, especially in a day of Humiliation, is no vain repetition, for we offend commonly in being slight and perfunctory in our confessions; and God will have all out, and make us own it. 2 It was Gods Mercy not only to give his people a Law, which he did solemnly by Mo es, but set it plainly and powerfully before them, and set it home upon them by the Expositions and Applications of all the Prophets for this was their work..

Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice 1 When sin is Epidemical, its sad and fatal to a Nation; as in Psal. 14.3. Rom. 3.12. so a deluge of Sin, brought a deluge of Judgment, Gen. 6.13, 17. 2 This makes the gap great, and leaves none to stand in it. Then the Curse com s upon a people, i. e. the punishment of the breach of Gods Law, Je. 42.18. and 44.12.; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him This 1 shows the holiness of Gods Law. 2 It shows the sinfulness and hainousness of sin the breach of it. 3. It shows the necessity and excellency of Jesus Christ who was sent of God to bless us, in freeing us from the Curse of the Law by becoming a Curse for us..

And he has confirmed his words which he spake against us By this it appears that Gods Judgments threatned against sin are to be feared, because of the great and terrible God, ver. 4. Deut. 7.9, 10. Nehem. 1.8., and against our judges that judged us Whose place and duty it was to govern the People, to judge their causes, and to appoint others for it, wherein if there be a failure, as there often was, it was a sin, and judgment upon the people, and upon the Rulers and judges themselves also, of which we find many instances and complaints in Scripture, Psal. 2.2, 9, 10. and 58.1, 2., by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven has not been done, as has been done upon Jerusalem A place priviledged many wayes above all others, chiefly by the signal presence of God there, and his promises to it, Psal. 76.1, 2. yet when sin is found there, as it was in Jerusalem, to the height, as in Sodom, it was punisht to the height. Read the book of Lamentations..

As it is written in the law of Moses Lev. 26.14. to ver. 40. The sum of all this, as the Lord threatned and forewarned us long ago, so is it come to pass this day upon us, because we took no warning, we understood not, but sinned and returned not. The Lord is true and just in all that is come upon us: chiefly because we have not made our prayer unto God to prevent our Misery before it came upon us, nor to remove it when it lay heavy on us. See it in Ezekiel, who prophesied in the Captivity, and how they received him: and though they kept a formal Fast, yet what did that signifie? Zech. 7.5, 6, 7., all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

Therefore has the LORD watched This notes, 1 Gods taking notice of all their wayes, even while men sleep in Carnal Security, and dream f no danger. 2 Gods watching here notes the fit wayes that he always takes to punish Sinners. 3 It notes his haste in executing judgment duely and seasonably, when it makes most for the honour of his Justice. 4 That he may, like a careful watch-man, not suffer any to escape his hands. upon the evil and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he does: for we obeyed not his voice.

And now, O LORD our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand Daniel mentions this deliverance now, that God would please to put forth the same power in this deliverance out of Babylon, according to his promise, Psal. 80.8. Jer. 16.14. and 23.7. this he grounds his Faith upon Jer. 32.13. read thence to the end. 1 How the Lord assured them they should return out of Captivity, by the prophets making a purchase and sealing evidences, and laying them up safe. 2 How the Lord would certainly plague them notwithstanding, for their wickedness. 3 How he would deliver them as once out of Egypt., and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

O LORD, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger, and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain As if he had said, Lord according to thy righteousness thou hast punished thy people, as they justly deserved; now also according to thy Mercies, which is the other part of thy Righteousness, save thy people though they deserve it not. See Psal. 143.1, 2. For God has promised, and therefore he will do it, yet in Mercy, and this is Faithfulness and Righteousness. See 1 Joh. 1.9.: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach, to all that are about us Now though sin is the reproach of any People and Nation, yet much more of the People of God, which should be a Holy People, because their God is a holy God and his Laws are holy Laws, by which they excel all other people. Yet Lord says he, if Jerusalem be a reproach, this is a reproach to thee, because of their relation to thee, therefore I pray thee take away this double reproach; it is grievous unto us to bear it for thy Names sake, O let it be grievous unto thee, and therefore wipe it away..

Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lords sake 1 Here the Prophet is most concerned for the Sanctuary, and place of Worship, a Type not only of the Church, and the Worship of God, but also of Christ; because in all these the Lord is greatly concerned in Honour, especially considering 2 His Argument; for the Lords sake: for Christs sake the Messiah: who is meant here, I prove, 1 because the concurrent Testimony of the best Interpreters is for this Interpretation; and the Synod of Sardi. 2 Because this construction is most agreeable to the Text and the Hebrew: the contrary, is against it; forced and figurative, when there is no need of it. 3 The plurality of persons is express'd thus. 4 The word Lord is often attributed in Old Testament to Christ, Psal. 110.1. and New Testament, Luk. 1.43. and 2.11. Ioh. 20.28. Rev. 17.14. 5 Because the Iewes had none else to trust to for Salvation; Ioh. 14.13. Act. 15.11. Eph. 3.12 1 Tim. 2.5. Thus in the Old Testament, Psal. 80.15, 16, 17. for the Sons sake, whom he calls the Son of Man, ver. 17. for so the Chald. Paraphrase, for the King Messiah. So upon that place, Psal. 72.1. Give the King thy judgments, and thy righteousness to the Kings son; i. e. the King the Messiah. 2 Sam. 7.21. for thy words sake, i. e. Christ, Ioh. 1.1. 2 Sam. 12.25. he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord of whom Solomon was a Type..

O my God, incline thine ear, and hear, open thine eyes and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy Name Observe here, 1 How he intitles God to the City for his Name. It was the City of God, Psal. 48.1, 2, 8, 9, lt. Jer. 25.29. It is a good Argument in Prayer to entitle our selves to God; yea to interest God to our selves, and to our cause. Observe 2 How careful and cautious the Prophet is to flee to Mercy, and to renounce Merit. Thus all the Saints.: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

O Lord hear, O Lord forgive, O Lord hearken and do: defer not for thine own sake, O my God Here 1 We have the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man prevailing: he never gave over till he got it. 2 The Lord allows, and loves importunity in Prayer. 3 He and the People of God were under a sore Trial, for the 70 years Captivity were expired. Therefore he says, defer not now Lord its high time for thee to have Mercy upon Sion, yea the set time is come, Lord hear for thine own sake, though not for ours. What hast thou forgotten? O Lord remember.: for thy city and thy people are called by thy Name.

And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God, for the holy mountain of my God:

Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to flie swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation 1 By this we see Daniel used vocal Prayer, pouring out his soul. 2 That the Saints in prayer do parley with God; its an humble and holy and fervent unbosoming our soul to God. 3 That holy men in confessing the sins of the Nation, confess their own sins too, and that impartially, begging pardon for all. 4 That when a Child of God sets himself in earnest to seek God by prayer the Lord hears him. Compare ver. 20. with 23. 5 As the Angels are all ministring Spirits, so the chiefest Angels are sent in the chiefest messages relating to the Church of God. Thus Gabriel before chap. 8.16. Thus here. Also to Zachary, and Mary, Luk. 1.11, 19, 26. about the incarnation of Christ, and our Salvation by him. 6. God herein gives a great incouragement to prayer, and fulfills his promises made of old to his people in this behalf, Lev. 26.40, 41, 42. Deut. 30.1, 2, 3. Isa. 30.19. and chap. 65.24. it shall come to pass before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear. 7 The Lord is quick in hearing, and helping his people. The Angel was made to fly swiftly, even unto weariness as some translate it. Or to fly with flight, Hab. 1.8. The time of the evening sacrifice, was a Solemn and set time of Devotion. Then God heard Eli and did wonders, 1 Kin. 18.36, 37, 38. and Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World was sacrificed for us at that time, about the ninth hour, Math. 27.46. Mar. 15.34. Luk. 23.44, &c. all these three Evangelists mention Christs giving up the ghost at the ninth hour, which was the time of the evening Sacrifice. At this time Gabriel is sent to Daniel to tell him the time of the Messiahs death, and the consequents of it. See ver. 24. &c..

And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding That is to make thee know great, and secret things concerning the City and Sanctuary of Ierusalem, of the Rebuilding of it and of the Messiah, &c.:

At the beginning of thy supplications, the commandment came forth This thing was decreed before in Gods counsel: but not divulged, or ordered to be proclaimed till Daniel petitioned., and I am come to show thee: for thou art greatly beloved Heb. A man of desires, i. e. dear to God, Luk. 1.28., therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

Seventy weeks These weeks are weeks of days, and these days are so many years: though neither days nor months, nor years are expressed, (which makes it somewhat the more obscure) but weeks only. It is yet plain and obvious that the Angel useth the number seventy to show the favour of God towards them, that they might have so much liberty and joy as their seventy years bondage, and sufferings amounted to. Yet was this but a Type of the time of Grace which was to follow after by the coming of Christ. are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city Why does he call them Daniels People. 1. Because they were his by Nation, Blood, Laws and Profession. 2. Thine because thou dost own them, and art so tender of them, and so zealous for them., to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity Note, The Angel discovers first the disease in three several words, which contain all sorts of sin, which the Messiah should free us from by his full Redemption. See Exod. 34.6, 7. Matth. 1.21. viz. original, actual, of ignorance, presumption, &c. also fault and punishment, which we may prove by Scripture. 2. The Angel shows us also the cure of this disease in three words, le callee, chatem, le capper. 1. To finish Transgression. 2. To make an end of Sin. 3. To make Reconciliation. All which words are very significant in the original, and signifie to pardon, to blot out, mortifie, exp ate., and to bring in everlasting righteousness i. e. To bring in justification by the free Grace of God in Jesus Christ the Lord our Righteousness, Isa. 53.6. Ier. 23.6. and 33.16. 1 Cor. 1.30. Called everlasting because Christ is eternal, and he and his Righteousness is Everlasting. Christ brings this in 1. By his Merit. 2. By his Gospel declaring it. 3. By Faith applying, and sealing it by the Holy Ghost., and to seal up the vision and Heb. prophet. prophesie To abrogate the former dispensation of the Laws and to fulfil it, and the Prophesies relating to Christ, and to confirm, and ratifie the New Testament or Gospel Covenant of Grace. The Talmud says, all the Prophesies of the Prophets related to Christ., and to anoint the most holy By which alluding to the Holy of Holies which was anointed, Exod. 30.25. to verse 31. and 40. from ver. 9. to verse 16. This Typified the Church, which is called anointed, 2 Cor. 1.21. and Heaven into which Christ is entered, Heb. 8.1. and 9.24 and 10.19. but chiefly Christ himself, who is the Holy One, Act. 3.14. He received the Spirit without measure, Iohn 3.34. His humane nature is therefore called the Temple, Iohn 2.19. and Tabernacle, Heb. 8.2. and 9.11. moreover Christ is he that held the Law, by which the Will of God is revealed, the Propitiatory, appeasing God. The Table that nourisheth us, the Candlestick that enlightens, the Altar that sanctifies, the Gift and Offering. All these were anointed and Holy; by this word Anointing he alludes to his name Messiah and Christ, both which signifie anointed. Christ was anointed at his first Conception, and personal Union, Luke 1.35. In his Baptism, Matth. 3.17. to his three Offices by the Holy Ghost. 1. King, Matth. 2.2. 2. Prophet, Isa. 61.1. 3. Priest, Psal. 110.4..

Know therefore and understand i. e. By deep consideration, upon a due search of Reason, and comparing of things, and minding what the Angel says., that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the prince, shall be seven weeks From the publication of the Edict, whether of Cyrus or Darius to restore and to build, we shall see anon.; and threescore and two weeks the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times Noting the Enemy should create them much trouble in the building, and reparations of the Wall, City, and Temple which they did many wayes, as we read in Nehemiah, which the Spirit of God does premonish them of, least they should think this their chief Deliverance and Redemption. These seven weeks are therefore mentioned by themselves, and repeated no more, because they contained the time of building the Wall, City and Temple of Ierusalem, at the end of which seem to begin the sixty two weeks..

And after the threescore and two weeks i. e. After the seven before, and after the sixty two that followed them which all make up sixty nine, referring the Angels seventy weeks, which is nothing though no week more be described, because it makes up the number a round number, after the Iewish manner of Calculation, and there might be some fragments in the particular reckoning, to make up the summe, or it might be finished in the 70th. week, and that was enough to call it 70 weeks, ver. 24., shall Messiah be cut off Which word signifies cutting off, or cutting down as a Tree, Isa. 44.14. Ier. 10.3. Secondly 'tis used for cutting off by capital punishment, Exod. 12.15. and 30.33, 38. Whether this be by the signal hand of God, or by the Magistrate, for some hainous offence, Lev. 18.29. and 20.17. Psal. 37.34. This foreshews that the death, of Christ should be as of a condemned Malefactor sentenced to death, and that justly. So did the Iews Christs executioners proclaim, that he died for blasphemy, and that he was a divelish Impostor, &c. Yea God himself charged sin, upon him and the curse, Isa. 53.4. 2 Cor. 5. ult. Gal. 3.13. but not for himself Which being abrupt is variously rendred, and read. Some referring it to Christ and some to the people and others to both, and all with very probable conjectures, Psal. 22.6, 7. Isai. 53.3. i. e. not to him: There was none to succour him; or that they would none of him for their Messiah; they set him at nought and would not have him live, and therefore he would not own them for his people, but cast them off, for thus dying is expressed in short not to be. Thus Enoch, Gen. 5.24. Ioseph, Gen. 42.36. and Rachels Children, Ier. 31.15. Matth. 2.17, 18. But our English Translation seems to hit the truest sense, i. e. not for himself. He was innocent and guiltless, he dyed for others not for himself, but for our sakes and for our Salvation., and the people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary The Romans under the conduct of Titus Vespatianus. Some will include Christ his people here, whom he should chiefly gather out of the Roman Empire, should ruine that Church, and Polity and Worship., and the end thereof shall be with a flood; and unto the end of the war desolations are determined God has decreed to destroy that place and people, by the miseries and desolations of War, i. e. Sword, Famine, Sickness, Scattering. All this is signified by Shomemoth: also the prophaning of the Temple by Idols, which are called abominations that make desolate, this was done by the Greeks and Jews before, and the Romans at their siege, and after. Q est. But some will query, why the Angel who was sent to comfort Daniel, should insert here this Tragical business of destruction and desolation, being beyond the space of seventy weeks? Answ. 1. That Daniel might be informed of the judgments of God upon that place and people, and the reasons of it viz. their rejecting and killing Christ. 2. That the spirit of Gods people should not fail, when these Tragedies were acted being foretold, thereby they were prepared and fortified against it, and to expect it, and not to be surprized by it when it came.

And he This (He) is not Titus making truce with the Iews which he did not, though indeavoured to persuade them that he might spare them. I say then with Graser, Mede, and others, that this (He) is the Messiah, and the Covenant he confirms is the New Testament or Covenant, called therefore the Covenant of the People, Isai. 42.6. and 49.8. and the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. and the surety of the Covenant, Hebrews 7.22. and the ancient Rabbins called the Messias a middle man, or middle man between two. Quest. How did Christ confirm the Covenant? Answ. By Testimony. 1. Of Angels, Luk. 2.10. Mat. 28.2. Iohn Baptist. 3. Of the Wisemen. 4. By the Saints then living, Luk. 1.2. 5. Moses and Elias, Matth. 17.3. 6. Pharisees as Nicodemus, Ioh. 3.2. 7. The Devils that confest him. 2. By his Preaching. 3. By Signs and Wonders. 4. By his Holy Life. 5. By his Resurrection and Ascension. 6. By his Death and Blood shed. shall confirm the covenant He shall corroborate it, as if it began before his coming to fail and be invalid. with many Noting hereby the paucity of the Jewish Church and Nation, compared with the great increase and inlargement by believing Gentiles throughout all Nations and Ages of the World, Isa. 11.9. and 49.6. and 53.11, 12. and 54.2, 3. Mark 16.15. Act. 13.46. q. d. With many Jews first and last, and with many more of the Nations, yea with the many whom the Rabbins and Pharisees despise as the rabble, the common people, Isa. 4.3. Matth. 21.31. Ioh. 7.48, 49. 1 Cor. 1.26, 27. for one week By a figure, take the greater part of the whole, he shall, though rejected by the chief and bulk of the Jewish Nation, yet make the New Testament prevail with many in that time, i. e. at the latter end of the 70 weeks.: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease Ze ach and Min a bloody and unbloody to cease, i. e. All the Jewish Rites, and Levitical Ceremonious Worship, i. e. by the burning of the Temple before the City was taken, for they were only to offer Sacrifice in the Temple, nor had they where withal in the Siege. Yet is there more in it then this, viz. That the Lord Jesus by his death, and by the execution of his wrath did abrogate and put an end to this laborious service, and made it to cease for ever., and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate Desolate for the wing, for the manifold and great abominations stretching, and our Text has it well overspreading. This abomination was the R man Army with their Eagles, and with their superstitious Rites in pproaching to besiege, and subdue any place, and this is executed by Christ upon them, Matth. 22.7. when he is called a King sending orth his Armies, and destroying the Murderers that destroyed him, and burning their City, and their coming is Christs coming, Mal. 3.1, 2. Ioh. 21.22. Ia. 5.7. therefore its said here, he shall make it desolate., even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate Here all this is made the effect of Gods Decree, and therefore irrevocable. This word Shomen notes that this people were bewitched, sottishly superstitious, wanderers, banished, the astonishment and scorn of the World, all which did justly, and dreadfully befall them, and they verifie it to this day. They that will curiously search further into the seventy weeks and other numbers in Daniel, and have leisure and skil let them read Grase us, L'Empereur, Wasm th, Mede, Willet, Wichmannus, Sanctius, Rainold s Pererius, Derodon, Broughton, Live eius, Helvicus, Calovius, G ierus, &c. Lege Ioseph Med. pag. 861. &c. and Bail. p. 180. &c. This Scripture shows the coming of the Messiah, so clearly his sufferings, and the wrath of God so severely upon the Iews, for it, that it thorowly confutes their unbelief, and fully confirms our Faith in Jesus Christ..