those things which are spoken about the Tabernacle of God, which was fixed in the midst of them (which the Chaldee Paraphraft rightly expounds concerning the majestic Prefence of God,) therefore they belong to the fame State and Time; and as yet are not fulfilled, but, according to the fame St. John, are to take place after the fubduing of Antichrift.

But to proceed, the two following Chapters (xxxviii, and xxxix) of Ezekiel, are taken up with an Account of Gog and Magog; and of a dreadful War undertaken by them against Ifrael and the People of God in the latter Days. But these Enemies being overthrown by the Vengeance of Heaven, and with an immenfe Slaughter, God renews his Promises to the Ifraelites, and affures them that by the pouring out of his Spirit upon the House of Ifrael, he will for ever preferve them. (v. 23. See Joel ii. 28. and Zech. xii. 10.)

All Interpreters are puzzled in their Expofitions of the War by Gog and Magog; and no wonder if they defcend to Particulars. In general we may obferve from this and other Prophecies, that a great and bloody War will preceed the End of this World, and the fupreme Redemption of the Ifraelites and People of God. This general Redemption of the Pious, and divine Vengeance on wicked Men, which is to be displayed in the latter Days, is variously prefigured in the prophetic Writings. Here, under the Name of a War, or wicked Rebellion, and fighting against God, as in the Song of Mofes, (Deut. xxxii. 41, 42, 43.) other Prophecies are of a like Nature with this Place. (If..xxiv, and Ixiii. Joel iii. 10. Micha iv. 11. Zeph. iii. 8. Zech. xiv. Rev. xvi.) Elsewhere this fame State and Time feem to be represented under the Name of the Cup of the Indignation of God, to be poured out upon all Nations

D 4

Nations and wicked Men. (If. li. 22, 23. Pf. xi. 6. and lxxv. 8. Jer. xxv. 15. Rev. xiv. 10.) Moreover this Judgment or laft Revenge of God upon his Enemies, is fometimes reprefented in the Nature of a Whirlwind or Tempeft, or Fire and Sulphur. (Jer. xxx. 23, 24. P. xi. 6.) And Ezekiel in this Place takes notice that about this fame time there will be a general Perturbation and Confufion of Nature. (v. 18, 19, 20.) Now as yet we have feen no Catastrophes of this kind, either in the Nature of things or human Affairs; therefore these things feem naturally to refer to the End of this prefent World; when the obftinate Enemies of God are to be confumed with Fire and Tempefts at the fecond coming of Chrift. (Compare 2 Thef. i. 7, 8, 9, &c. 2 Pet. iii. 7. Rev. xi. 19.) But when these things are accomplished, what fhall become of Ifrael? They fhall be reftored, fays the Prophet, to their own Country. (v. 28.) And at laft clofes the Prophecy with thefe Words, Neither will I hide my Face any more from them: for I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of faith the Lord.

You fee the Prophet here fpeaks about the last Difperfion or Defolation of Ifrael; fince their final and perpetual Reftitution is to follow; together with the Manifeftation of the Face of God, or his majeftic Prefence; for fo this Place is expounded by the Chaldee Paraphraft.

Thus far as to our Argument; I know not whether we ought here to recal to memory thefe Words of the Prophet, Art thou he (c. xxxviii. 17.) (fpeaking of Gog and Magog) of whom I have spoken in old times by my Servants the Prophets of Ifrael, which prophesied in those days, many Years, that I would bring thee against them.

Now

Now one of the ancient Prophets (as we know of) befides Ezekiel, exprefly fpeak of Gog and Magog's coming against Ifrael. But as to the thing fignified, or the Destruction of God's Enemies by extraordinary Judgments in the latter Days, many Obfervations (as we have before obferved) are to be met with both in the more ancient and later Prophets. And I think this Place of Ezekiel is to be interpreted after this manner. But I pafs by these, and the Prophecies of Ezekiel about the Reftauration of Ifrael. Neither fhall I now take any notice of those things which follow in Ezekiel, they being, alas! very obfcure, but wait till a fuller Light fhall arife.

Daniel comes after Ezekiel, in whofe Prophecy we meet with fome things, tho' not fo many which concern our Argument. He often speaks about the Kingdom of God, which is to be erected in the latter Days, and to be delivered into the Hand of the Son of Man, and his holy People. At length he mentions a mighty Conflict (c. xi.) between the Kings of the South and the North, by whom the Ifraelites would be reduced to great Distress, and at laft delivered by Michael their Prince. (c. xii. 1.) Then there follows the Refurrection of many, which, agrecably to other Prophecies I understand to have a Refpect to the firft Refurrection. The other Matters here treated of, are about the Computations of Times till the fixed End, which is foreign to our prefent Defign. But God clearly fhews that the Difperfion of the Jews fhall at length have an End, nor can the Difperfion be otherwife finished than by a Recollection of the People difperfed. Therefore the Ifraelites will be recollected after a Time, Times, and an half, wherefoever this Mystical Period is to begin or terminate. Laftly, God affures Daniel, that he fhould ftand in his Lot at the End of

the

the Days. Which Confummation I willingly underftand (with diverfe of the Jews) concerning the future World, or any, when all things hall be reftored.

Prophets.

Let us now proceed to the minor

I

SECTION II.

N the prophetic Hiftory of future times (as we have before obferved) we often meet with two general Heads, which are alternately repeated, a State of War, and a State of Peace; or to speak more fully, a calamitous Condition, whether it be Cap<tivity or Exile, and thofe Evils which accompany them; or an open and bloody War. And then fol lows a bleffed Peace; which Name comprehends not only an Immunity from War, but also all manner of Delight and Profperity, as well Temporal as Spiritual. Contrary and extreme Estates are frequently drawn by the Prophets in the moft lively Colours, and moft pathetic Difcourfes. But we must enquire how far thefe Prophecies concern the Jews or other Nations; and what times, whether past or future, the Prophets refer to.

We will begin with Hofea, in whofe Prophecy the following Places are to be taken notice of. In his firft Chapter (v. 7.) we find these Words. But I will have Mercy upon the House of Judah, and will fave them by the Lord their God. The Prophet here feems particularly to refer to Judah; but in the tenth and eleventh Verfes, it follows; Yet the Number of the Children of Ifrael shall be as the Sand of the Sea, which cannot be measured nor numbred; and it Ball

fball come to pass, that in the Place where it was faid unto them, je are not my People, there it shall be faid unto them, ye are Sons of the living God. Then ball the Children of Judah, and the Children of Ifrael be gathered together, and appoint themselves one Head, and they shall come up out of the Land; for great shall be the Day of Jezreel.

Here the Redemption of Judah and Ifrael is joined together, and the Bleffing equally promised to both. But this did not take Place at the time of the Deliverance from the Babylonish Captivity, nor has it yet happened fince that time, It therefore remains to be fulfilled in the Kingdom of the Meffiah.

We obferved, that this Promife was not fulfilled by the Deliverance from Babylon; whether we confider the Nations which returned at that time, or their Number, or their Head, and Captain. The ten Tribes, whom the Prophet here diftinguishes by the Name of Ifrael, did not return into their own Country at the End of the Captivity. Ezra mentions only the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin. (c. i. 5.) Perhaps you will fay, that indeed they did not go up by Hundreds, or in Troops, like the two Tribes beforementioned, but that there were more of these mingled with others, who efcaped from the Affyrian Captivity, and joined themfelves to the Jews. But facred Hiftory mentions only those whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away, (Ezra ii. 1. Nehem, vii. 6.) Now this would not have been proper, if we must add to them any. Remains of the ten Tribes.

You fee that the Number of the whole Jewish Nation, which returned from Babylon, did not amount to fifty thousand, according to the Compu tation of Ezra, (c. ii. 64, 65.) and Nehemiah. (c. ii. 66, 67.) Now how inconfiderable a Number