easily called into that palace. Thus, the prophet's separating the account of the building of the palaces, from that of the building of the walled fortresses, is not without significance, but fills up the prediction of the circumstances related by Matthew.

"And he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." This part of the prediction obviously implies, that, in his last hours, the king would apply for deliverance, or remedy, from some affliction or disease, but would receive none; and how literally fulfilled was it in the end of Herod the Great? History has preserved to us few such circumstantial accounts of the last days of remarkable men, as that which Josephus has transmitted to us of his ; but we deem it too long for insertion here. It exhibits the most fearful picture, to be found almost any where, of the end of an impenitent sinner, who, having thrown out of his heart all fear of God, and feeling of responsibility to him, had equally lost all sense of duty to man; and after committing innumerable crimes and cruelties,-in which he spared not those connected with him by the dearest and tenderest ties, any more than others,-was at last seized, in his old age, with a painful and loathsome disease; and suffering alike from that, and from the pangs of guilty fear, yet continued in a course of extreme wickedness to the last hour;-seeking no remedy for his evil passions, but exhausting all the resources of the physician's skill to mitigate his bodily distemper, and lengthen out his wretched life. We refer to Josephus for the account of the remedies and expedients he had recourse to, by the advice of his physicians; all of which failed to relieve or

impede the progress of the disease, which cut him off, while he was meditating new crimes of matchless cruelty.* Thus he came to his end, and none helped him.

The succeeding twelfth chapter presents predictions of events, of a kind so different from those we have now considered, that we assign a distinct section to its illustration.

*Antiq. xvii. 6--8; and Wars, i. 33.

SECTION V.

CONTENTS.-Illustrations of the xii. chapter.-Michael proved by Bishop Horsley to be a name of the Saviour.-The same proved by another train of argument.-Meaning of the name, He who is like unto God.—It would seem to be repeatedly translated by the Apostle Paul, when declaring the Divinity of the Saviour. The predictions, in the 1st verse, fulfilled-in Jesus being born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king, and afterwards entering on his public ministry-in his addressing himself first to the Jews-in the calamities sent upon the unbelieving Jews-and in the deliverance, both eternal and temporal, granted to the believing. The predictions, in the 2d verse, fulfilled-in the preaching of Christ, awakening men from the death of sin-in some believing on him to everlasting life—and in others knowing him to be the Messiah, yet refusing to acknowledge him, from motives of worldly ambition, or for fear of the Jewish Rulers. The predictions, in the 3d verse, fulfilled-in the preaching and writings of the Apostles and Evangelists, and in the effect of them, -the conversion of men to righteousness. The predictions, in the 4th verse, fulfilled-in the concluding part of this prophecy of Daniel not being understood, till it was explained by Christ, in his own prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem—and in the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles. The 5th verse, a description of the outward appearances of the vision. The predictions, in the 6th, 7th, 11th, and 12th verses, fulfilled—in the length of time, consisting of two unequal predicted periods, during which the great Jewish war lasted in the issue of that war, which was the complete dispersion of the Jewish nation-and in the blessedness,-secured to them by their Saviour's promise,-of the Christians who endured to the end, amidst the sufferings and trials of the time of trouble.-The 9th verse, a repetition of part of the 4th verse.-' -The predictions, in the 10th verse, fulfilled-in the sanctification of the Christian Converts -in their understanding this prophecy, which was explained to them

by the Saviour in the obstinate impenitence, and increasing wickedness, of the unbelieving Jews-and in their not understanding this prophecy.--Nature and terms of the promise made to Daniel, in the 13th verse.-It does not lead us to consider the general resurrection as a part of the fulfilment of this prophecy.-Brief notices of other predictions, in the scripture of truth, corresponding with this latter part of Daniel's last prophecy, as now interpreted.

We have now come to a part of the prophecy, in the twelfth chapter, which, from the view we have presented of the latter part of the eleventh chapter, will be felt of the deepest interest by every Christian; for its opening terms form a prediction of the precise time of the first Advent of the Saviour.

CHAPTER XII. V. 1st. "And at that time Michael shall stand, the great prince that standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, to that time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, all found written in the book."

To illustrate this prediction, it is necessary, that we inquire who Michael, the great Prince, is; and here we take leave to introduce the clear and powerful reasoning of Bishop Horsley upon the question. In his sermon on Daniel iv. 17, he says,-" We read of another personage superior to Gabriel, who is named Michael. This personage is superior to Gabriel, for he comes to help him in the greatest difficulties; and Gabriel, the servant of the Most High God, declares that this Michael is the only supporter he has. This is well to be noted: Gabriel, one of God's ministering spirits, sent forth, as such spirits are