N. B. That these four Chapters belong to these laft Times, and to the Restoration of the Jews, and their Resettlement in Jerufalem, and on Mount Sion, upon which Mountain they are to build their laft and moft glorious Temple, is evident by Chap. xxvii. 6.-9. and by the Conclufion of the xxiv. and xxvii Chapters; which I defire the Reader to perufe diftinctly. Nor is there any Reason to doubt as to the Parallels here added. But the Principal Events foretold, as generally prior to that Restoration, are these twelve following. Ifa. xxiv. V. I, 2, 3, 6, 12, 13, 17, 18. (1.) That in general a Curse shall then come upon the Earth, with an univerfal Diffolution of its former State; with the utmoft Impartiality, and without all Refpect of Perfons; but that as the Great are generally the most wicked, and the grand Occafion of the Wickedness of others, they shall be particularly brought down. And as the meaner Sort of People are ufually the beft, but greatly op, prefs'd and tyranniz'd over by the Great, thefe meaner but better People fhall be advanced, and delivered from the Oppreffion and Tyranny of the other, for the Time to come. (2.) That the Cause of this Curfe, v. 5. xxvi. 21. and of the terrible Judgments included in it, is no other than the horrible Pollutions of Mankind, in not only tranfgreffing other Laws and Ordinancies, but the Everlasting Covenant, the Ten Commandments themselves; and particularly in the shedding of Men's Blood, which will now be directly expofed pofed without any Covering to the Divine Venge ance. 3. That thefe amazing Judgments fhall destroy the greatest Part of finful Men; so that but a few fhall be left to furvive these Judgments. v. 6. 4. That in a particular Manner, the Mirth and Follity of the Age fhall be utterly diffolved, and turned into Mourning and Lamentation. v. 7, 8. 5. That a very few good Men, both Jews and Chriftians, like the gleaning of Grapes when the Vintage is done, fhall be providentially `preferved from these terrible Calamities; and the good Jews in particular, fhall fing Hymns of Praife to God for their Deliverance and Salvation. v. 14, 15. XXV. I-12. Xxvi. 1. 18. xxvii 2. Who are also advised to lie ftill and quiet, during this Indignation of God toward the Wicked. v. 20. 21. 6. That fome of the eminent Signals of these Judgments themselves, fhall be frightful Meteors in the Heavens, to come upon Mankind from the Air. v. 18. 7. That many and terrible Earthquakes are to come now upon Mankind, either from the Air above, or the Ground below, or both together. v. 18, 19, 20. 4 Esd. ix. 3. 8. That the Iles of the Sea fhall be especially concerned in the Thanksgivings to God for the Deliverance and Salvation of the Righteous; who now at laft are made fenfible of these grand Mysteries of Divine Providence, in the Restoration of good Jews, and the Salvation of good Chriftians; which Mysteries yet are concealed from the Disobedient. xxiv. 15. 9. That the principal Parts of the Divine Vengeance will now fall upon the principal Authors of the World's Wickedness, the ungodly Kings, and Princes, with their ungodly Ministers of State; whowill be first imprisoned in Hades, and long afterwards punished there, or in Gehenna. xxiv. 4, 21, 22. See No. 1. and Ezek. xxvi. 20. 10. That Death shall be so far conquered at this Restoration of the Jews, that there fhall be then a firft Refurrection for the Martyrs, both Jews and Chriftians; and that in the literal Senfe also: xxv. 8. xxvi. 19. Conftitut. v. 7. And all Tears and Reproach fhall be taken away from them. Ezek. xxxvii. N. B. I interpret the first Refurrection both of the Jewish and Chriftian Martyrs, Dan. xii. 2. and them only; because for the Christian's first Resurrection, it is exprefsly fo in the Revelation. Apoc. XX. 4, 5. And for the Jewish Refurrection of dry Bones, it belongs to those that had been slain only: Ezek. xxxvii. 9. Which feems to me to imply Martyrdom also; when, as the Pfalmift speaks, Pfal. lxxix. 2, 3, 4. The Heathen had given the dead Bodies of God's Servants to be Meat unto the Fowls of the Heaven, and the Flesh of his Saints unto the Beafts of the Earth; and when they had fed their Blood like Water round about Jerufalem, and there were none to bury them: When alfo the Jews were become a Reproach to their Neighbours, a Scorn and Derifion to them that were round about them, 11. That the Sun and Moon fhall be particularly concerned at this Time, upon the Exaltation of the Kingdom of the Jews on Mount Sion; where the new Temple is to be built; and in Jerufalem the City of God, which is to be built close by it. IS. xxiv. 23. xxx. 26. 12: That the Veil of that grofs Ignorance, which God had winked at hitherto, shall now be taken away from all Nations; If. xxv. 7. Als xvii. 30. and they fhall perceive the direct Interpofition of Providence in these eminent Events, and own them to be derived from a Divine Power. I proceed to other Predictions, continuing the former Numbers. 13. If. lx. 9. Surely the Isles fhall wait for me, and the Ships of Tarshish first; to bring thy Sons from far, their Silver and their Gold with them, unto the Name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Ifrael; because he hath glorified thee. 14. Is. lxvi. 7, 8. Before fhe travailed she brought forth; before her Pain came, fhe was delivered of a Man-child. Who hath heard fuch a Thing? Who hath feen fuch Things? Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one Day? Or fhall a Nation be born at once? For as foon as Sion travailed, the brought forth her Children. N. B. This Prediction quite takes away that Objection against what I affert of the fudden Reftoration of the Jews, from the small Appearances hitherto of any vifible Preparation making in the World for fo vaft and important an Event, and de monftrates monftrates that it will be executed in fome very fudden, unexpected and providential, or miraculous Way; to the great Surprize of all Mankind. I proceed to other Prophecies of Joel, and Daniel, and Haggai, Joel ii. 30, 31. 30. I will fhew Wonders in the Heavens, and on Earth; Blood, and Fire, and Pillars of Smoke. 31. The Sun fhall be turned into Darkness, and the Moon into Blood, before the great and terrible Day of the Lord come. N. B. By this great and terrible Day of the Lord, I understand that Time of Trouble in Daniel, fuch as never was fince there was a Nation, even to that fame Time, Dan. xii. 1. By thofe Pillars of Smoke, in Joel I understand the Tails of thofe numerous Comets which have been seen of late: of which this is no improper Defcription; and by turning the Sun into Darkness, and the Moon into Blood, I understand such total Eclipfes of the Sun and Moon as we have had of late. And by that Blood, and Fire, which are here fet down at first, as diftinct from thofe Eclipfes, I understand thofe bloody, or fiery Meteors which have been of late fo remarkable, and of which more hereafter. (See my Aftronom. Year, per tot.) Dan. xi. 40,-45. At the Time of the End [of the Roman Empire] fhall the King of the South, [the Saracens] push at him; [at that Empire :] And the King of the North, [the Turk] fhall come against him, like a Whirlwind, with Chariots, and with Horfemen, and with many Ships; and he fhall enter C into |