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"water with thy blood the land wherein thou "fwimmeft, even to the mountains," ver. 6. is a metaphor fimilar to that used, Rev. xiv. 20. in defcribing the wine-prefs; "And blood came out of "the wine-prefs even unto the horse bridles."-"And when I fhall put thee out, I will cover "the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; "I will cover the fun with a cloud, and the "moon shall not give her light. All the bright "lights of heaven will I make dark over thee,” ver. 7, 8. Darkening or extinguishing the lights of heaven, a metaphor fignifying the downfall of ftates and kingdoms, is more frequently ap plied to the overturn of the kingdom of Satan by the battle of Armageddon, than to any other event. It is the fole event in view, Ifa. xiii. 10. chap. xxxiv. 4. chap. xxiv. 23. Joel iii. 15. "I will alfo vex the hearts of many people, "when I fhall bring thy deftruction among the "nations," Ezek. xxxii. 9. The vexation of his followers in Europe, occafioned by the deftruction of Rome, Rev. xviii. 10. 15. fhall be given to his adherents in Afia and Africa, by the battle of Armageddon. "I will make many people a"mazed at thee, and their kings fhall be hor

ribly afraid for thee, when I fhall brandish my "fword before them; and they shall tremble at 66 every moment; every man for his own life, in "the day of thy fall," Ezek. xxxii. 10. As the de

ftruction

ftruction of Pharaoh in the Red Sea, ftruck with terror the inhabitants of Canaan; fo the fall of Antichrift at Armageddon, fhall difpirit the fupporters of the kingdom of darkness, throughout the earth." I will destroy all the beasts there"of, from befides the great waters; neither "fhall the foot of man trouble them any more, (6 nor the hoofs of beafts trouble them," ver. 13.

The ordinances of divine appointment, conveying grace like a copious ftream, shall be fet free from the machinations of Antichriftianifm, by which they were fouled and troubled. "Then will I make their waters deep, and "cause their rivers to run like oil, " ver. 14. That fulness of grace, accompanied by outward peace and profperity, which God will beftow at the Millennium, is fitly compared to a copious ftream, gliding smoothly along like oil; fo, Joel iii, 18. These circumftances fix the time of the prophecy to that immediately preceding the Millennium; confequently, the battle of Armageddon is intended. The addrefs to Pharaoh, ver. 21. is the very fame with the addrefs to the king of Babylon, Isaiah xiv. 9. where the king of mystical Babylon is intended. His allies are all along faid to be uncircumcised, to intimate, that irreligion is the cause of their deftruction'.

(1) Ifa. xiv. 31. Natham pro Nahmam, fhall be inflamed, that is, with the defire to gather them. See Ifa. Ivii. 5.

It is worthy of remark, that the countries from which forces are led to Armageddon, to affift the beast, are thofe over which he has a spiritual jurisdiction'; with the addition of Perfia, Affyria, Mefhech, and Tubal, or the country betwixt the Euxine and Cafpian feas. These last, are either Mahometan or Pagan, and moft probably will contin ue fo until the battle of Armageddon. By joining their forces to the Popish powers, the dragon appears in his prop colours, giving aid to the beast in his laft effort.

The parties on the other fide in the battle of Armageddon, are the Jews. "Fear not, thou "worm Jacob, and ye men of Ifrael :-Behold, "I will make thee a new fharp threshing in"ftrument having teeth: Thou shalt thresh "the mountains, and beat them fmall, and "fhall make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan "them, and the wind fhall carry them away, "and the whirlwind fhall scatter them: and "thou fhalt rejoice in the Lord, and shall glory in the holy One of Ifrael" Ifa. xli. 14, 15, 16. "Thou art my battle-ax, and 66 weapons of war for with thee will I break "in pieces the nations, and with thee will I "deftroy kingdoms: and with thee will I "break in pieces the horse and his rider; and

with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider :—And with thee, will I break

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(1) See page 341.

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"in pieces captains and rulers. And I will "render unto Babylon, and to all the inhabi"tants of Chaldea, all their evil that they have "done in Zion, in your fight, faith the Lord;' Jer. li. 20.-24. "And the house of Jacob "fhall be a fire, and the houfe of Jofeph a "flame, and the house of Efau for ftubble, and "they fhall kindle in them, and devour them; and "there shall not be any remaining of the house " of Efau ; for the Lord hath spoken it ;" Obadiah, ver. 18. “I will furely affemble, O Jacob, "all of thee: I will furely gather the remnant " of Ifrael, I will put them together as the "fheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midft of "their fold: They fhall make great noise by "reafon of the multitude of men. The break"er is come up before them: They have bro"ken up, and have paffed through the gate, "and are gone out by it, and their king fhall pass before them, and the Lord on the head "of them;" Micah ii. 12, 13. "Now alfo 66 many nations are gathered against thee, that fay, Let her be defiled, and let our eye "look upon Zion. But they know not the 86 thoughts of the Lord, neither understand "they his counsel: for he fhall gather them as "the fheaves into the floor. Arife and thresh, "O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine "horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brafs,

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66

" and

"and thou fhall beat in pieces many people : " and I will confecrate their gain unto the Lord, "and their fubftance unto the Lord of the "whole earth," Micah iv. 11, 12, 13. "And "the remnant of Jacob fhall be among the "Gentiles in the midft of many people, as a "lion among the beafts of the foreft, as a young "lion among the flocks of fheep: who, if he go st through, both treadeth down, and teareth in "pieces, and none can deliver. Thine hand "shall be lift up upon thine adversaries, and "all thine enemies fhall be cut off," Micah v. 8, 9. "Mine anger was kindled against the fhepherds, and I punished the goats: for the "Lord of hoft hath visited his flock in the house “of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly "horfe in the battle," Zech. x. 3. "In that

day will I make the governors of Judah like "a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a " torch of fire in a fheaf; and they fhall de"vour all the people round about, on the right "hand and on the left: and Jerufalem fhall be "inhabited again, in her own place, even in Je"rufalem; chap. xii. 6. " And Judah alfo "fhall fight at Jerufalem; and the wealth of "all the heathen round about shall be gathered "together, gold, and filver, and apparel in great abundance;" chap. xiv. 14.

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SECT.