Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

This great profperity of the children of Ifrael, with their dominion over fome of the neighbouring nations, and the judgements poured out on their enemies, joined with the presence of the Meffiah their king at Jerufalem, and the glory of the Lord, will invite people, even from the moft diftant countries of the earth to come up to them, to worship the Lord God, 'to pay their homage to the Meffiah, and 'to be eye-witnesses and partakers of these bleffings. Yea, many people and strong • nations fhall come to feek the Lord of Hofts at Jerufalem, and to pray before the Lord, • &c. Zech. viii. 20, 21, 22. Rejoice then, ye Gentiles, with Jerufalem, that ye may be fatisfied with her confolations, and be delighted with the abundance of •her glory.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

And here I would obferve, that Jerufalem is fo fituated as to be fitted for the

capital of the world, and for the chief feat of univerfal empire: for it is placed nearly in the middle of this part of the earth, ' which

* which contains three of the four great 'continents, and is almoft equally distant ⚫ from the moft remote nations of it on every ⚫ fide. And the great fea,' the Mediterranean, washing this country on the weft, and the red fea, and the Perfian gulph, coming up almoft to it on the fouth and eaft, makes it equally advantageous for fhips to come thither from every ma'ritime part of the world, even from Ameerica itself.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

To these things we may add, that God promised Abraham, he would give to hist 'feed the land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates, Gen. xv. 8. This he afterwards confirmed to the Ifraelites thus, I will fet thy bounds from the red fea, even to the fea of the Philistines,' part of the Mediterranean, and from the defert, that is of Syria, unto the river, or the Euphrates.Exodus xxiii. 31.Now though Solomon be faid to have had dominion over 'those countries, from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates, and feems in general to ' have

[ocr errors]

P 4

have extended his power from the red fea to Tadmor in the defert of Syria, 2 Chron. viii, 4, 17. and ix. 26. yet the Tyrians and • Zidonians were never fubject to him, but always continued independent, though God had promised the Ifraelites to drive out the Zidonians before them. Joshua xiii. 6. Hence it appears moft probable, that as this prophecy of the Ifraelites having the poffeffion of all thefe countries, has not been yet fulfilled, fo the time • will come when it fhall be exactly accomplished. And fince at the times we are now fpeaking of, feveral of these parts 'will be in a great measure void of inhabitants, because being fubject to the Turks,

[merged small][ocr errors]

they will, it is likely, come up with them

against the Ifraelites, and confequently be deftroyed, and fince the remainder of the Ifraelites, ftill left among the nations will be restored at this time; this feems to be the proper period for the entire fulfilment of this prophecy.. And to this pur-' pofe. Ifaiah xlix. 19, 20. and liv. 2, 3, tells them, thy wafle and defolate places, &c.

"fall

• Shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that fwallowed thee

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

6, 10. fays, I will bring them into the • land of Gilead and Lebanon, and place shall not be found for them, &c. So that even the mountains of Gilead and Lebanon, added to the former land of Ifrael, shall still be too little, and their poffeffions will

[ocr errors]

be extended quite to the Euphrates and • the red fea.

[ocr errors]

• Thus have we confidered the prophecies relating to the times, when the Meffiah shall be the prince or king of the Ifrael

ites; but we find other prophecies, which 'confider him as the fovereign of the whole

world, and which feem to relate to the laft times of all, to which we now pro• ceed.

'How long will be the interval of time between these two periods is uncertain ;

· but

[ocr errors]

but if that ancient tradition among the Jews be true, that the world should continue 6000 years in this unhappy ftate, • furrounded with evils and afflictions of various kinds, and that the feven thousandth fhould be the fabbath, or universal rest: ⚫ then the reign of the Meffiah, as the king of the whole earth, will be established, when the world fhall be 6000 years old. Juft before this period, another power', probably the papal power of the church of Rome in particular, leagued with the ecclefiaftical power of all civil eftablishments in religion in general, armed by its refpective civil powers, 'will stand up against the Meffiah, the prince of princes, and probably attempt the destruction of the Ifraelites; but God will then appear, the judge'ment will fit, the beast will be flain, his body deftroyed, and given to the burning

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

flame, Dan. vii. 7 to 12, and viii. 23, 24, 25. that is, those people will be destroyed, part of their land will be given to the 'fire, and then the reign of the Meffiah will be established over the whole world,

· or

« AnteriorContinuar »