Its raifing it felf on one fide, is more fully explained in another Vision of Daniel, under a different Figure, where this Medo-Perfian Empire is more particularly Described and Interpreted. "In the third Year of the Reign of King Belshazzar, a Vifion appeared unto me, even vill, 1, "unto me Daniel, after that which appeared ❝ unto me at the first.

"And I faw in a Vifion, and it came to pass when I faw, that I was at Shushan, in the Palace, which is in the Province of Elam, and I faw in a Vision, and I was by the River of * Ulai.

Then I lifted up mine Eyes, and faw, and behold, there ftood before the River a Ram which had two Horns, and the two Horns were high, but one was higher than the other, "and the higher came up laft.

Which higher is plainly Perfia, and the fame with the Side on which the Bear raised it felf, for in the Interpretation the Angel fay's;

"The Ram which thou faweft having two «Horns, are the Kings of Media and Perfia.

Dan.

VIH.

a Horn

28.

Dan.

The Figure of the three Ribs in the Mouth of VII. 5. it, which faid unto it, Arife devour much Flesh, is explained in the Vision of the third of Cyrus, Alfo, I in the firft Year of Tarius, the Mede, "even I ftood to confirm and to strengthen him.

XI. 1.

2.

"And now will I fhew thee the Truth, Behold, "there shall stand up yet Three Kings in Perfia, "and the Fourth fhall be far Richer than they "all, and by his Strength, thro' his Riches, he "fhall ftir up all against the Realm of Grecia.

Thefe Three Kings were Cyrus, Cambyfes, and Darius Hyftafpes, who stood up after Cyaxares, here called Darius the Mede, and were great · Conquerors, and are therefore called Three Ribs, which probably mean Jaw-Bones with rows of Teeth, as it is faid Crocodiles have, one within another; and thefe are very proper to devour much Flesh.

The reason why the Fourth is not reckoned among them, is, because the first three only advanced or aggrandized the Monarchy. But XI 2. Xerxes, tho' Stronger and Richer than they, yet by provoking Greece, laid a Fountation for

the

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the Ruin of what the others had Built up; and as, in fact, he was intirely Unfuccessful and Unfortunate in that Attempt, from him may be dated the Decline of the Perfian Monarchy, and in his Time expired that Remarkable Charactèr of the Ram, which had been maintained during their three first Kings, which is thus expreffed,

1

"I faw the Ram pushing Weftward, and Dan. "Northward, and Southward, fo that no Beafts VIII, 4might ftand before him, neither was there any "that could deliver out of his Hand, but he "did according to his Will, and became great.

Now when Xerxes pushed Weftward he was fmartly Repulsed, and forced to give it over after, many Loffes..

"After this, I beheld, and lo, another like a "Leopard, which had upon the back of it Four

Wings of a Fowl; the Beast had alfo Four
Heads, and Dominion was given to it.

A Leopard is the swifteft of all the Beasts of
Prey, and is by Jeremiah applied to a Powerful
Prince.

A Leopard shall watch over their Cities.

VII. 6.

Jer. V. 6.

Jer.

XV. 3.

12.

A Fowl is likewife a Figure of a Destroying Power, which is employed by Jeremiah, among others, of the fame Force.

And I will appoint over them Four Kinds, faith the Lord, the Sword to Slay, and the "Dogs to Tear, and the Fowls of Heaven, and "the Beafts of the Earth, to devour and destroy.

"And I will caufe them to be removed into *all Kingdoms of the Earth, because of Ma"naffeb, &c.

And Wings are used, as the Image naturally imports, for the Extensiveness of a Country or Dominion, as it is imployed by Ifaiah,

Ifa. XI. And gather together the Difperfed of Judah from the Four Corners (the Original is Wings) of the Earth.

So that what is meant fo far, is that the Grecian · Power fhould begin with a Rapid Conqueft, and then be divided into Four Parts, which should extend towards all the Corners of the Earth.

But here follows another Figure, which ought not to be confounded with what goes before.

The

The Beast had alfo Four Heads...

Dan.
VII.

This Character of Heads, is explained by St. John in the Discription of the Fourth Beaft. "The Seven Heads, are Seven Mountains., Rev. "And there are Seven Kings, Five are faln, XVII. "One is, and Another is not yet come." Which fhould be rendred, And are Seven Kings, for[there] not in the Greek.

Now fince St. John is fo exact an Interpreter of Daniel in the fequel of this Vision, it ought to be allowed, that where-ever Daniel is not particular enough to explain his own Terms, St. John is always to be admitted to explain them.

And therefore as the Seven Heads are generally allowed by the beft Interpreters to mean Seven Forms of Government, which the Fourth Beaft came under fucceffively, fo the Four Heads may well be fuppofed to mean the fame thing of the Third Beaft

But this will feem ftill more likely, when we confider, how this Vision agrees with the Defcription of the fame Empire under the Figure of a He-Goat.

"And

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