verfe, and the whole paffage would run thus; "The burden of the word of JEHOVAH for Ifra"el. JEHOVAH faith, who ftretcheth forth the "heavens, and layeth the foundations of the "earth, and formeth the spirit of man within « him, Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of "trembling unto all the people round about. "(It fhall be also for Judah, in the siege for "Jerufalem)." The laft words intimate, that the prophecy concerns Judah as well as Ifrael, and that it shall be accomplished at Jerufalem, in a fiege for that city. Now, the prophecy represents a fignal interpofition of the Deity for the deftruction of their enemies, which can be no other than the battle of Armageddon; for the time is fixed by the circumftances of the narration. It is in that day when "all the peo

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ple of the earth are gathered together (against) "it," (Zech. xii. 3.) or (for) it. It is the occafion of their gathering; when the Jews are the inftruments in the hand of God, to punish their enemies. "I will make the governors "(leaders) of Judah like a hearth of fire among "the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; "and they fhall devour all the people round "about, on the right hand, and on the left;" Zech. xii. 6. When they fhall be restored to the poffeffion of the land given their fathers, "Jerufalem fhall be inhabited again in her own

"place,

“place, even in Jerufalem;" Zech. xii. 6. In a word, about the time they are converted to the faith of the Saviour whom their fathers crucified; Zech. xii. 10.-14. Thefe circumftances apply fully and only to the battle of Armageddon. If so, the place of the battle is near Jerufalem, the occafion a fiege of that city by the Jews, while it is defended by the combined forces of the kings of the earth, and their armies.

SECTION II.

The Parties are, on the one fide the Papal Power, affifted by the Kings of the Earth and their Armies; on the other Side, the converted Jews.

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THESE are in general the parties. They are stated on the one fide by the Prophet Isaiah, chap. xxiv. 21. "And it fhall come to pass in "that day, that the Lord fhall punish the host "of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth." The "high ones" are Satan and his hoft, "wicked fpirits that dwell in high places;" for, after the battle of Armageddon, Satan is bound 1000 years, Rev. xx.; at the end of that period he is loofed, and stirs up enemies of a fimilar spirit with the kings vanquished at Armageddon; and so it U u is

is faid here, Ifa. xxiv. 22. "They shall be shut 66 up in the prison, and after many days shall "they be vifited" that is "loofed." They are mentioned by Zephaniah, chap. iii. 8. " My de"termination is to gather the nations, that I may "affemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them "mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; "for all the earth fhall be devoured with the "fire of my jealoufy." By Zechariah, chap. xii. 3. "And in that day will I make Jerufalem a "burdensome stone for all people: All that bur"den themselves with it, fhall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." Both parties are stated by Joel, chap. iii. 11. "Affemble yourselves, "and come all ye heathen, and gather your "felves together round about: Thither caufe xc thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord.”

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By the kings of the earth we are to understand the Popish and Pagan powers. And we muft reckon them fewer than the expreffion would at first indicate, when we reflect that the seventh trumpet founded about 70 years before the battle of Armageddon, and that the gospel was mightily prevailing during all that period, in the western regions of the world; and that it is by no means probable the Proteftant churches, who have all along looked and prayed for the converfion of the Jews, fhould, upon their converfion,

verfion, join iffue with their enemies, and refift them.

If we enquire more particularly who these kings and nations are that come to Armageddon, to fupport the beaft, we shall find an exact lift of them, Jer. xxv. 15-23. But in regard the most approved commentators apply that paffage to the conquefts of Nebuchadnezzar, it will be neceffary to remove the prejudice arifing from their interpretation. The prophets are the beft interpreters of the prophets. It is by comparing fcripture with fcripture that we arrive at its genuine meaning." There are fo many circumstances in the narra, tion, correfponding exactly with the defcription of the battle of Armageddon in other paffages, that the concurrence of the whole affords a fufficient proof that the fame battle is here intended. Befides, many of thefe circumftances cannot in their literal meaning apply to the con-quefts of Nebuchadnezzar.

T

cc

The punishment inflicted is called "the winecup of God's fury," ver. 15. The fame expreffions are used, Ifa. li. 22, 23. and Zech. xii. 2., and refer as we have already feen, to Armageddon. In confequence of this punishment, it is faid, that they " fhall fall, and rife "no more" ver. 27. So Armageddon is called "the valley of decifion," Joel iii. 14. becaufe

cause immediately after it the kingdom of Chrift is established in the world. It is represented as a divine interpofition for God's holy habitation. "The Lord fhall roar from on high, and utter "his voice from his holy habitation; he fhall "mightily roar upon (for) his habitation," Jer. xxv. 30. So it is faid of Armageddon, "Like "as the lion and the young lion roaring on his 66 prey, when a multitude of thepherds is call"ed forth against him, he will not be afraid of "their voice, nor abafe himfelf for the noife of "them: fo fhall the Lord of hosts come down "to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill "thereof," Ifa. xxxi. 4. This furely cannot apply to the conquefts of Nebuchadnezzar. It is called a wine-prefs: "He fhall give a fhout, "as they that tread the grapes, against all the "inhabitants of the earth," Jer. xxv. 30. a metaphor used to reprefent Armageddon, Rev. xiv. 20. and xix. 15. "He will plead with all "flesh," Jer. xxv. 31. fo Ifa. lxvi. 16. and Joel iii. He will give them that are wicked to the "fword." Ver. 31. can only apply to Armaged-" don, where all the enemies of religion are cut off: "Evil shall go forth from nation to na❝tion." Ver. 32. fitly represents the emiffaries mentioned Rev. xvi. 13. "The flain of the "Lord fhall be at that day from one end of the "earth (land) even unto the other end of the "earth

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