dren of Ifrael. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Sion, my holy Mountain: then Jball Jerufalem be boly, and there shall no Strangers pass thro' her any more.

That we may understand this Prophecy, we must firft of all enquire about what War, the Prophet here fpeaks; Whether of one paft or future? And afterwards we must confider what Place and People are here referred to. And lastly, what State of things he points out after the War is finished: As to the firft of thefe, which is the time of this War, it is without Difpute, that it was not past when this Prophecy was written, for otherwile it must have an Hiftory, and not a Prophecy. Can we understand it concerning the Affyrian or Chaldean Wars, for the Jews were conquered and led into Captivity by thofe Enemies; but here we fee the Jews will be Victorious, and all their Enemies confounded, nor fhall Jerufalem be any more trodden down by the Gentiles, nor thall Strangers pafs thro' her any more. Hence we may eafily find an Anfwer to the fecond Enquiry; Judea will be the Seat and Theatre of this War; the Lord (fays the Prophet) will roar out of Sion, and utter his Voice from Ferufalem, (v. 16.) Befides this Battel is faid to be in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (v. 2, 12.) a King of the Jews; by which no doubt fome certain Place in the Land of Judea is denoted. The Prophet indeed feems to allude to that Valley, where God formerly confounded and deftroyed (for the Prefervation of Jehoshaphat) the Heathens who were gathered together against Ifrael, (2 Chron. xx.) viz. the Children of Ammon, Moab, and the Inhabitants of Mount Seir. In like manner (tho' more dreadful) a prodigious Multitude of diverse Nations are here gathered together againft, and to deftroy, Ifrael.

Accord

According as Jehoshaphat faid, (v. 11.) They come to caft us out of thy Poffeffion, which thou hast given us to inherit.

Thus thefe Places and Transactions answer to each other, as the Type to the Ante-Type. Therefore the Land of Canaan is the principal Scene of thefe Occurrences, as is manifeft from the whole Series of the Narration. In thefe Fields, or the Confines of them, will the fatal Battel be decided. In which by the Care and Guardianship of the fupreme Being (as in that of Jehoshaphat) the Seed of Abraham will gain the Victory.

But fo great and difmal (if I mistake not) is this laft Tragedy of the World, that it is worth our while to enquire whether there be any other Account of this fame Battel, in the prophetic Writings. Now I think this War is the fame with that of Gog, and Magog, mentioned by Ezekiel; (c. xxxviii. and xxxix.) for both of them happen in the Land of Ifrael, and against the Jews after their Return from Captivity. The Troops of both Hofts are very numerous, gathered together from diverfe Parts of the World, and various People; fo mighty that they were not to be vanquished by human but divine Power. Moreover, after this Slaughter and Victory, there is to be no future Captivity, Difperfion, Defolation, or Oppreffion of the Jews, but joyful and quiet times, as both the Prophets juft now mentioned do foretel. Confult the Place of Ezekiel with our fhort Remarks upon it.

I am also inclined to interpret that Prophecy of Daniel (c. xii. 1.) concerning this War, where he foretells what fevere Straits, and imminent Dangers fhould attend the Jews. But fays he, they fhall be delivered by Michael the great Prince (under which Name I understand Jehovah the Meffiah) who shall stand for the Children of thy People, as the Angel

E 4

informs

informs Daniel. And it feems the more probable, that this Calamity of the Jews is the fame with that formidable Incurfion defcribed by Joel, (Dan. xii. 2. Joel iii. 13, 14.) becaule in both Places we have a Reprefentation of the laft Affliction of the Jews; for the Refurrection of the Dead follows the one, and the Harveft of the World the other, at the Approach of the Day of the Lord.

Farther to pass on to the Chriftian Oracles, the Battel in Armageddon, mentioned in the Revelations, (c. xvi. 12, 13, 14.) feems to me to be the fame with thofe of Ezekiel and Joel. It is to happen under the fixth Vial, and then there follows (if I mistake not) in the feventh, the Deftruction of the World. That Expreffion, It is done, has a Reference to the Drama of the World, the Mystery of God is finished. In this Battel at Armageddon, the Troops of the Dragon, the Beast, and falfe Prophet are gathered together. We doubt this Battel, whatever it be, is not as yet paft; no more than those defcribed by the Prophets. Nor is there any thing as I know of, which can hinder us from fuppofing that this Battel spoken of in the Revelation is the fame with thofe foretold by the ancient Prophets. They agree as to the time; nor can they ever happen from more numerous Troops, or more enraged and avowed Enemies. Armageddon is a Hebrew Word, and feems to denote fome Place in Judea; and it is faid to be the Battel of that great Day of God Almighty. If Places, Times, and the Apparatus and Denomination of the War agree among themselves, nothing that yet appears can hinder, but that it is one and the fame future Battle, which is foretold by the Prophets both of the Old and the New Teftament. Befides the fixth and seventh Vials feem to be Contemporary with the feventh Trumpet. (Rev. xi.) Now after the Sounding of

that

that Trumpet the times were twofold, forrowful and joyful; a third Woe is pronounced, which denotes Calamity; and then as if a Victory had been gained, all Heaven refounded with triumphant Voices. (v. 15.) The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chrift, and be shall reign for ever and ever. But fays the Prophet (v. 18.) The Nations were angry because the Wrath of God was come, and the time of the Dead that they should be judged, &c. And lastly he informs us, (laft Verfe) that the Temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Teftament. By which Words (that feveral times occur in this Prophecy) the Remembrance of that ancient Covenant which was with the Jews is renewed. But to return to Joel.

All the Circumftances of this War are fo dreadful and melancholy, that many refer this tragical Scene to the Day of Judgment and Diffolution of the World. Neither am I much averfe to fuch an Interpretation, for thefe Catastrophes are joined together, or contiguous; and are frequently involved by the Prophets in the fame Prediction. Here alfo are the manifeft Signs and Tokens of both, namely of a Preparation for War, and alfo of the Day of Judgment; now each of thefe is ftyled, by the Prophets, the Day of the Lord, or the great Day of the Lord.

There now remains only the third Enquiry, that we confider thofe things which follow in Joel a❤ bout the happy State of the Jews after their Restau ration. Now he gives us the following Account, (Foel iii, 18, 19, 20, 21. And it shall come to pass in that Day, that the Mountains shall drop down new Wine, and the Hills fhall flow with Milk, and all the Rivers of Judah fhall flow with Waters, and a Fountain fhall come forth of the House of the Lord, and

2

shall

Shall water the Valley of Shittim. Egypt shall be a Defolation, and Edom fhall be a defolate Wilderness, for the Violence against the Children of Judah, because they have fhed innocent Blood in their Land. But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerufalem from Generation to Generation. For I will cleanse their Blood that I have not cleansed, for the Lord dwelleth in Sion.

Here (as in many other Places) the Jews are promised, upon their Reftauration, abundance of outward good things, Remiffion of their Sins, and the peculiar Prefence of God. To these we may add the famous Prophecy of Balaam. (Numb. ii. 5----9. The Prophets

Thus much concerning Joel. which immediately follow, may be ftyled intermediate, for feveral of them treat on fome particular Subject. Thus Jonah gives us the Hiftory of his Embaffy to the Ninevites. And Nahum alfo begins with the Burden of Nineveh. Obadiah foretels the forrowful Fate of Edom (under which Name the Jewish Interpreters understand the Romans) for his Perfecution of Jacob, and there mentions the Reftauration of Jacob, and the dreadful Destruction of Efau. (v. 17, 18.) And lastly Efau being judged and condemned, the Kingdom (fays he) fhall

be the Lord's.

The other intermediate Prophets are Micah, Habakkuk and Zephaniah. Micah fharply reproves the Jews for their Sins and Prevarications, yet he promifes a Collection and Reftauration of Jacob and Ifrael, (c. ii. 12, 13.) and afterwards pronounces that famous Oracle (c. iv.) concerning the Lord's Mountain being established and exalted above the Hills in the laft Days. And all People (fays he) fhall flow unto it. All underftand this Prophecy to refer to the Reign of the Meffiah, or his coming, either the first or the fecond time. Which of them

foever