A Scripture Line of Time, Treatise · Part 1 · Section 5
SECT. V.
Of the Seventy Weeks themſelves in brief. On Dan. 9. 20.
THis Line of the ſeventy Weeks is not only ſo generally allowed and agreed by all Chriſtian Interpreters, but alſo inſiſted upon, as a moſt fundamental, demonſtrative, and undeniable Proof of Jeſus Christ the true Meſſiah, come in the Fleſh, againſt the perverſe Obſtinacy of the Jews, that I ſhall not levy any Argument for the proof of it; nor ſay more for the Definitiveneſs of it to 490 Years, than that the diſtribution of it into ſeven weeks, ſixty two weeks, one week, and that one week into a half week, and a half week cannot poſſibly ſtand, but in a moſt certain Determination of Time to greateſt exactneſs.
Nor is it poſſible to be diſputed, when thoſe Years end, or what Situation they have in Time, ſince they run ſo undoubtedly in the firſt half of the last Week to Meſſiah being cut off, and to the cauſing Sacrifice to ceaſe by the Sacrifice of himſelf, and in the last half Week to the confirming the Goſpel Covenant with many; at the end of which, the Jewiſh Nation was rejected, and their former Deſolations in Babylon reflow upon them, and cover them with the Ten Tribes in a general Ceſſation of being God's People or a Holy City any longer.
The ſeventy Weeks then are divided into the ſeven Weeks of building the Wall after the Temple reſtor'd; *And viz. from Building the Wall Times with Straightneſs or in Trouble. v. 25.ſixty two Weeks of Troubles allowing fome lucid Intervals; of which Antiochus's Tyranny muſt be allowed a principal Inſtance: on which, as a Type, is founded the prophetical Symbol of Antichriſtianiſm. Then comes the half week of Meſſiah, of finiſhing Tranſgreſſion, making an end of Sin, making Reconciliation for Iniquity, bringing in everlaſting Righteouſneſs: All which Expreſſions, I look upon as an exuberant ſetting forth the Abſoluteneſs, Perfection, and higheſt Effect of that one Sacrifice which Chriſt offer'd once for All, by which he hath for ever perfected them who are ſanctified; by which, Jewiſh Sacrifice and Oblation was made to ceaſe, even by the offering of himſelf by the Eternal Spirit, as a Lamb without ſpot, effectively purging the Conſcience from Guilt of dead Works, to ſerve the Living God; which Sacrifice, in the Revelation is tranſlated into that Propriety and Peculiarity of Expreſſion, The Lamb, ſlain from the Foundation of the World, Rev. 13. 8. and the corrupting and annulling that Supreme Point of Chriſtian Religion, and the Service founded on it, and regulated by it, according to its own Purity, Simplicity, and Tranſcendency, free from idolatrous Defilements, is a Cardinal Point of Antichriſtianiſm, and a moſt proper Senſe of taking away the daily Sacrifice; of which I am often to make mention, and deſire that from hence it may be carried all along with the Notion of the daily Sacrifice, (though mentioned but this once.) even this Sacrifice of Daily or Eternal Vertue.
The ſealing Prophecy, and Viſion, is not only the Ratification and confirming all Prophecy by finiſhing of it, as Chriſt Joh. 19. 30.declar'd, It is finiſh'd, ſo far as was requiſite to that coming of Christ into his Mediatory and Redemptory Kingdom; but ſignifies alſo the ſealing of Prophecy at that preſent Time, ſo, as thta the ſecond Coming of Christ into his glorious Kingdom Rev. 6. 1. & c. Rev. 7. 1. &c. Rev. 10. 4. &c.ſhould not at that Time be, but run through that courſe of ſealing firſt, during the Time of the ſeven Seals, then during the Time of 144000 ſealed, then during the ſeven Thunders ſealed, under which Sealing we yet muſt remain theſe next following Ten Years: Then all Things ſhall be finiſh'd ſpoken of in that yet ſealed Prophecy for the Glorious Kingdom of Rev. 16. 17. ch. 21. 6.Christ, till thoſe two words of Finiture are pronounced, It is done, It is done.
Yet notwithſtanding This, The moſt Holy is Anointed in his Reſurrection, made Lord and Christ, the true Meſſiah, Acts 2. 36. Act. 13. 3….even by Him who ſaid, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
The Covenant of Grace in his Blood, and the Sacrifice of himſelf, He Confirms for one Week. viz. the Firſt half week by himſelf, For ſo it begun to be ſpoken by the Lord, and then it was confirmed by them that heard him. Heb. 2. 1. &c.
To which the Body of the Jewiſh Nation, being ſo heinouſly Enemies, firſt in cutting off Meſſiah, then in reſiſting all the Miniſtry of his Apostles, and perſecuting them to the Death. The Flood of Deſolations returned upon them, by that very Roman, Power, People, and Wing of Idolatrous Abomination, and Deſolation, that they invocated for the Death of Meſſiah, and ſo they remain, and ſhall remain deſolated till the End of that Indignation, during the Times of the Gentiles, till that City, ſpiritual Sodom and Egypt, in which our Lord was Crucified, ſhall be burnt with Everlaſting Burnings, and the Captivity never be returned, till the Captivity of the Old Jeruſalem, the bloody, and filthy City be returned, which ſhall never be; for the New Jeruſalem ſhall come down from Heaven, and conſtitute a Holy City below. Ezek. 16. 54.
This Richeſt Line of Time, laden with the Redemption of Remark.our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, invites us to it ſelf, with admiring, and adoring Thoughts, and commands the World to Kiſs the Son with a Kiſs of Homage and Obedience: Great Occaſions derive agreeable Names, Daniel is therefore ſuitable to the Viſion call'd a Man of deſires, or belov'd, expreſſing the infinite Love, from which Redemption, flows, and which it begets in us back to God and Chriſt with vehement Paſſions of Deſire. And he is not only call'd ſo in this Viſion, but ever after it, to ſhew the Honour put upon him by it. Dan. 10. 11. 19. And as this Viſion ſtands in this Prophetick Line of Time, it enſures it to us; For as at the fulneſs of Time, treaſur'd up in it, Chriſt came againſt all contrary Appearances, againſt all the Indiſpoſition of the World to receive him, and the Indeſert of ſo Divine a Condeſcention; He came according to the ſure word of this Prophecy, Determining him as to the very ſelf ſame day, in compariſon of which the Transfiguration before the Apoſtles, as Eye-witneſſes was leſs ſure, according to this he came, and did not tarry; and though his Transfiguration remonſtrated his Right, yet it was in private; His Deceaſe as a Cloud receiv'd it, and though vindicated by his Reſurrection, yet the ſitting down on the Right Hand of the Majeſty on High was on the Throne of his Father, He ſhall ſit on his own Throne, The Father will ſhew him whom the Heavens yet contain and Hide, the Transfiguration was an earneſt of it, and does aſſure it; yet we have a more ſure Word of Prophecy, unto which if we take heed and purſue its Conduct, as a Light in the dark, and obſcure, the fuliginous and dusky State of the Apoſtacy, it will bring us to that bright Morning Star, as the Wiſe Men were by a leſſer Star led to this Morning Star, even to him, who Matt. 2.as the King of his whole Church is to be acknowledged with thoſe Preſents of Gold, Myrrh, and Frankincenſe. Whatever moſt ſpeaks Royalty, Dignity on his part, Love, and Obedience on ours; and he will return it a Thouſand Fold by ſhewing himſelf, and exalting us to the Mountain of Spices.Cantic. 8. ult.