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frica, for Lud is commonly tranflated Lybians; Tubal and Javan lie to the north, the former being commonly reckoned the Scythians or Tartars, the latter the Grecians; the Ifles afar off, usually denote the western regions of the world'. The excellent spirit and great fuccess of the Jewish miffionaries, in propagating the gospel, is represented by a fignificant metaphor, Micah v. 7. "And the remnant of Jacob fhall be in "the midst of many people, as a dew from the "Lord, as the showers upon the grafs, that tar"rieth not for man, nor waiteth for the fons of

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men." As the dew defcends in abundancewithout noise-in its feafon, not regarding the defires or averfions of men-to make the earth fruitful in those productions that are neceffary for

(1) When we compare this verfe, with that immedi ately following, "And they (the Gentiles) fhall bring "your brethren for an offering unto the Lord," &c. we fee that the two events laft mentioned, are accomplishing at the fame time. The Jews fend miffionaries to all the nations from Judea, and the nations fend back to Judea fuch of the Jews as are difperfed among them, and have not yet joined their brethren: The providence of God. feems to have appointed this twofold communication, betwixt the Jews and Gentiles, in the latter days, that the great arguments for revealed religion arifing from the completion of prophecy, may be more extenfively known, and more deeply impreffed on the hearts of mankind, for their eternal falvation.

for the life and happiness of man; fo the Jews directed by the Spirit of God, fhall liberally and extenfively diffufe a knowledge of the truth; in all humility, without pride or babbling; independent of the approbation or disapprobation of man; to make those whom they inftruct, fruitful in holiness, in order to their eternal happiness'.

CHAP.

(1). By comparing this verse with that immediately fol lowing, "and the remnant of Jacob fhall be as a lion," &c. we learn the concurrence of this event, with the third mentioned, as a confequent of the battle of Armageddon.

THE

CHAPTER VII.

Of the Millennium.

HE united influence of these several events produces a great revolution, a univerfal change in the religion and morals of mankind. Any revolution is in prophetic phrase an earthquake; foras an earthquake alters the appearance of the natural world, a revolution changes the face of the political or moral world. But this is called "a great earthquake, fuch as was not fince men "were upon the earth, fo mighty an earthquake, " and fo great," Rev. xvi. 18. The strongest bulwarks of the kingdom of Satan are overturned by it. "Every island fled away, and the "mountains were not found," ver. zo. The renovation of mankind is so great and extensive that it is called "new heavens and a new earth," Ifa. lxv. 17.; chap. lxvi. 22.; 2 Peter iii. 13.; Rev. xxi. I.

This revolution, on account of its continuing a thousand years, is commonly termed by the writers on the Apocalypfe, The Millennium.

E

SEC

SECTION I.

The Confinement of Satan.

An uncontroverted character of this period is, the confinement of Satan. "And I faw an "angel come down from heaven, having the "key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain "in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, "that old ferpent, which is the Devil and Sa "tan, and bound him a thousand years; and "caft him into the bottomlefs pit, and fhut him

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up, and fet a feal upon him, that he should "deceive the nations no more, till the thousand 66 years fhould be fulfilled; and after that he "must be loofed a little feafon;" Rey. xx. 1,

2, 3.

It is customary among men to confine great offenders, particularly fuch as contrive plots against the ftate, to the ftrongest prifons, to load them with irons, and, among the ancients, the door, when locked, was fealed for further fecurity. So, when Daniel was put into the lions den, the ftone that covered it was fealed "with "the king's fignet, and those of his lords;" Dan. vi. 17. In allufion to these cuftoms, Satan is reprefented as feized, bound and imprisoned,

the

the door as locked and fealed, to intimate, that an effectual restraint fhall be laid on him during this period. Perhaps this reftraint may be an actual confinement in the abyss which the Devil and his angels dread, as appears from their befeeching our Lord that he would not command them to go to the deep, Luke viii. 31. But whatever restraint is laid on in the invifible world, it can only appear to the eye of sense in the effects refulting from it.

The great advantage arifing from the restraint laid on Satan is, that he cannot deceive the nations during the Millennium. This implies the removal of those obstacles which lie in the way of propagating the gospel. At prefent, the dif ficulties are infurmountable. In Popish countries, the Scriptures are carefully taken out of the hands of the people, left they should judge for themselves; and others are prevented from giving them inftruction, by the terrors of fire and faggot. In moft Mahometan, and in some Pagan nations, an attempt to convert the fubjects to the Chriftian faith, is punishable with death. Now, fo much violence, in oppofition to a religion which breathes nothing but peace and love, can only proceed from the delufions of Satan. When he is reftrained, thefe are removed, and the gofpel fhall have free courfe and be glorified.

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