spire, in fact, to cast out of the world ALL RELIGION, except that idol worship, THAT WORSHIP OF THE BEAST HIMSELF, which he will set up "in the temple of God," where he will show himself that "he is God." And finally, having fulfilled his day, like those who preceded him, he shall "GO INTO PERDITION" together with the "FALSE PROPHET" who will work miracles before him; to be followed in God's own good time by the remaining person of the Antichristian trinity,—THE DRAGON (that is SATAN,) who must be reserved a little while, though bound and by a lengthy bondage kept from carrying on his work of evil. Apart then from the help we might derive from the prophetic dates, we can perceive, without much room for doubt, if any, from WHAT QUARTER we must look for the LAST KING; the Great Opponent of the Lord; the "Idol Shepherd;" the Great Deceiver; "the Antichrist." It is evident that he pertains to the EIGHTH DYNASTY OF THE ROMAN HEADSHIP; THE VERY DYNASTY UNDER WHICH AS IT APPEARS-WE LIVE. Therefore we may safely think we are not very far from THAT

GREAT DAY, WHEN EVERY BELIEVER SHALL BEHOLD HIS LORD.

But now there is another point which we must notice, before we quit this subject of the reign of Antichrist. I mean, HIS DEALINGS WITH THE JEWISH PEOPLE, of whose restoration we were led to speak particularly in the earlier part of this chapter.

Let us refer once more to DANIEL's prophecy.

Much difference has arisen among prophetical

interpreters, concerning the SEVENTY WEEKS spoken of in the ninth chapter. It is said "SEVENTY WEEKS are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy." Let us dwell for a moment on this passage, before we proceed. "Seventy weeks" (taken, as the necessity of the case obliges, a day for a year;equal therefore to four hundred and ninety years) "are determined ( cut off, divided) upon thy people" (Daniel's people, the Jews) "And upon thy holy city" (Jerusalem) "To finish" ( shut up, restrain) "The transgression" (i. e. of thy people and city) "And to make an end of (nn to seal up "sins, and to make reconciliation for (5 to cover) iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy" (pp. Whether this expression refers to "the Holy of Holies" in the Temple, or to "the Messiah Himself, does not appear certain; but it is only right to state that if it have reference to the Messiah, it is the only case in which this expression, which is used in nearly thirty places in the Old Testament, is applied to a person.

The

Now we know well that scarcely any of these points can yet be looked upon as fulfilled. transgression of the Jews, is not by any means restrained, shut up, or finished: for they reject the Lord as firmly as they ever did, and as truly do they glory in denying Him. Their sins are not sealed up,

nor made an end of, but they are as patent to all the world as are the sins of the Gentiles. Reconciliation truly is offered, because the atonement is complete through the sacrifice of Christ, but it is not made. There is not reconciliation yet between the Lord and Israel: their iniquity is not covered, though the covering is all in readiness. Everlasting righteousness is not brought in amongst the tribes of Israel, for hitherto they have made choice of sin. The vision and prophecy are not yet fulfilled, nor sealed,— but open, as of old, to the expectation of God's waiting people. The Holy of Holies is not yet anointed, for their temple is not yet erected; nor is the Most Holy One,-the great Messiah,—yet anointed King, for (as our daily prayer bears constant witness) Messiah's kingdom has not come." So I CANNOT THINK with some interpreters, that the SEVENTY WEEKS HAVE YET EXPIRED. But let us follow onward with the subject. "Know therefore and understand," said the angel, "that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and re-build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks and three-score and two weeks, (that is four hundred and eighty-three years, taking, as before, a day to represent a year). . . And after three-score and two weeks SHALL MESSIAH BE CUT OFF, BUT NOT FOR HIMSELF. This brings us to a definite period:-The cutting off of Messiah:-the crucifixion of our Lord. What then was to follow? The word continues, "And the people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." Now we know that the people who destroyed

Jerusalem and its Temple, were ROMANS.

THE

ASSUREDLY.

PRINCE REFERRED TO, WAS THEREFORE TO BE A ROMAN ALSO. But further it is said "And the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined." And it was so But here the matter has been resting ever since. The war ended in the dispersion of the sons of Judah till the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled. But with the Gentiles, nay with Christians (as such) this prophecy has nothing whatever to do. The seventy weeks were determined upon Daniel's people,-the Jews,—and no other. In looking therefore for the remaining week,-THE LAST WEEK OF THE SEVENTY,—we must keep our eyes upon the day, yet future, when "the times of the Gentiles" shall have been accomplished. Then shall "THE PRINCE" of that people which beforetime destroyed the city and the Temple, come forward on behalf of Israel. "And he shall confirm the (a) covenant with many for one week, that is of course-for seven years. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate even until the consummation. The Prince, then, who will make the covenant must be A DEceiver. One who will not keep his word. He will make a covenant with all appearance of strength and security for seven years, and break it in the midst of the time, that he may overspread the land with abominations, and until the end appointed, make it desolate. Who now shall this Roman Prince or leader be, who shall act thus toward Israel? Who indeed but that DREAD

BEING, that "MAN OF SIN" of whom we have been speaking.

Surely then we have a hint as to the meaning of our Saviour's word,-"IF ANOTHER SHALL COME IN HIS OWN NAME, HIM YE WILL RECEIVE."* This last head of the Roman Empire will probably be THE FALSE MESSIAH OF THE JEWS, and thus, in very perfect sense, "THE ANTICHRIST." But now, the Covenant made, the Jews brought to their land under his protection, the Temple and the sacrificial rites restored: and now again, the covenant broken, and the sacrifice and oblation caused to cease, in the midst of the seven years: THREE YEARS AND A HALF, ("a time, times, and the dividing of time," will remain, as Daniel predicted) being left for the full display of all the horrors of the Antichrist's dominion: his gross unparalleled idolatry, his bitter cruelty, his craft, his thirst for blood. But he shall come to his end; for MICHAEL the great Prince shall stand up for Israel's remnant. Yea, the Lord shall come and all His Saints attending him, and this "Man of Sin" shall be consumed. But the destruction of Antichrist and the reception of Israel's remnant by the Lord Jesus, must be reserved for the next chapter. To enter upon them would oblige us to bring forward matter which has properly to do with the subjects next in order, viz., THE ADVENT, and the Judgment of the

NATIONS.

Let it suffice for the present, that Israel will be indeed restored, at least in part, and that in UNBELIEF, under the auspices of ANTICHRIST; that they will