connected prediction is frequently broken into apparently unconnected parts by the arbitrary division of chapters. Hence, the general design of the prophecy is greatly obscured; and by cursory readers, who pause at the termination of each chapter as if the subject were there completely finished, can scarcely be understood. In the following work, what I conceive to be parts of one pro. phecy are arranged accordingly; and several chapters are frequently commented upon collectively, as jointly forming only one complete whole. The usual method of treating the subject by selecting detached texts, instead of considering the unbroken predictions of which these texts are mere parts, has always appeared to me extremely defective. I have therefore departed from it, and think myself fully justified in doing so. : At one period it was the humour of the day to spiritualize the prophecies, as it was called: that is to say, those prophecies, which in their plain and obvious acceptation relate to the restoration, the conversion, and the future glories, of the house of Israel, were referred to the original propagation and final universal extension of Christianity. But, according to such a mode of exposition, there is scarcely any thing which the ancient prophecies may not be made to declare. Its extreme licence affords a sufficient confutation of it. I entirely think with the late Bp. Horsley, that the plain literal meaning of the prophecies which respect the future fortunes of the Jews ought to be strenuously maintained by all who study them. They are occasionally indeed written in the language of symbols; and, when this is the case, they must no doubt be interpreted accordingly. But the literal application of them is not thereby affected. The political and spiritual revival of the house of Israel may be exhibited to us under the imagery of the birth of a child or of a resurrection from the dead. But, although the language in this particular be metaphorical, the proper house of Israel, not the Gentile Church of Christ, must be intended, unless we wholly depart from the obvious sense of the prophecy. The literal mode of exposition recommended by Bp. Horsley, in opposition to the licence of spiritualizing, has been adopted by Mr. Bicheno, as well as by myself: and, though I cannot agree with him in all points (if I could, the present work had been superfluous), I certainly think, that in his treatise on the restoration of the Jews he has thrown much light, perhaps more light than any of his predecessors, on the subject. In a work written on the plan of the present one, it was impossible to avoid a certain degree of repetition: but I could not give up the plan, because I am persuaded that it is best calculated to attain to the knowledge of the truth. In my preliminary general statement, I have detailed, in one unbroken narrative, what I conceive may be collected from prophecy relative to the great events which will take place after the expiration of the 1260 years. But this, unless supported by proofs, would be no better than a sort of theological romance. The proofs therefore follow in their order. Each prediction is given at length, and each is separately considered. Now, since all these predictions relate to the same period, though there is a considerable degree of variety in them, there must likewise be much sameness; and of this character of the predictions the several commentaries upon them must unavoidably partake. The subject however is of so much importance, that, by those who really wish to study it, I shall readily be excused for discussing it so largely. CONTENTS. A GENERAL statement of what may be collected from prophecy relative to the restoration of Israel and the overthrow of Antichrist. P. 1. The calamities at the siege of Jerusalem....the various circumstances attend- ing the dispersion of the Jews....their final conversion and restoration. The birth of Christ....his second advent....the blessings of his millennian king- dom....the restoration and conversion of Israel....the exhaustion of the mys- tic Euphrates and Nile....the overthrow of the Antichristian sovereign of the mystic Babylon in the land of Palestine. Isaiah xi. xii. xiii. xiv. 1---27. PROPHECY VE The dispersion of the Jews....the irruption of Antichrist at the time of their restoration....the character of some maritime nation destined to restore the converted Jews....the occupation of mount Zion by Antichrist....his invasion of Egypt....the state of Egypt at this period....the religious connection of The dispersion of the Jews....their restoration from the west....the lamentation of Judah on account of the treachery of Antichrist....his restoration in the midst of great political troubles....the overthrow of Antichrist....the triumph of the restored Jews....the certainty of their restoration and of the over- throw of Antichrist.....the exhaustion of the Euphrates and the Nile. The desolation of the mystic Edom....the miracles of Christ at his first and second advent....the restoration of the Jews. Isaiah xxxiv. xxxv. P. 131. The first advent....the second advent....the overthrow of Antichrist....the con- version and restoration of the spiritually blind Jews.....a denunciation The gathering both of Jews and Gentiles into the millennian church....the greatness of Israel....the fall of Antichrist. Isaiah xlix. 5---26. P. 143. The joy and prosperity of the once desolate church of Judah at the time of the restoration....the vain gathering together of Antichrist. Isaiah liv. P. 147. The spiritual glory of the millennian church....the continental restoration of the ten tribes....the maritime restoration of the converted of Judah. Isaiah The call of the Jews....the mystic birth of the Jewish nation...a description of the Antichristian confederacy....its overthrow....the scattering of such as escape....the restoration of the converted ten tribes....the glories of the mit- The captivity, restoration, conversion, and union, of Israel and Judah....the invasion of Palestine from the north by Antichrist....his destruction. Jer. iii. 1---18. iv. 5-29. i. 13-15. vi. 1, 22, 23. x. 22-25. xii. 10-17. P. 170. The idolatry of the Israelites in the land of their dispersion....their restoration by sea and by land....the punishment of Judah....the general conversion of A denunciation against those who have tyrannized over Israel.... the restora- tion and conversion both of Israel and Judah. Jer. xxiii. 1---8. P. 182. The overthrow of the mystic Tyre and her prince preparatory to the com-* plete restoration and prosperity of Israel. Ezek. xxvi. 7---21. xxvii. xxviii. The dispersion of Israel through the tyranny of their shepherds....God will require his people at their hands....the restoration of Judah partly in a con- verted and partly in an unconverted state....the opposition of the unconvert- ed to the converted, a proof that the unconverted will be restored by An- tichrist....downfal of the mystic Edom....the political revival, restoration, and final union of Israel and Judah....the overthrow of Gog and Magog at the end of the Millennium. Ezek. xxxiv. xxxv. xxxvi. 1-32. xxxvii. Descriptive character of the powers that will compose the Antichristian con- federacy....the progress of Antichrist to Palestine....his overthrow there.... the restoration of Judah during a time of great trouble at the close of the 1260 years. Dan. ii. 40-45,34, 35. vii. 7-27. Rev. xiii. xvii. Dan. xi. PROPHECY XXVII. The restoration of Israel....their instrumentality in converting the Gentiles.... the state of the Jews in the days of their dispersion. Hosea i. 2-11. ii. 21 -23. iii. P. 277. PROPHECY XXVIII. The captivity of Judah and Israel....the application of some of their members to the mystic Assyrian to effect their restoration....their distress....their final political revival. Hosea v. 8-15. vi. P. 281. PROPHECY XXIX. The successive restoration of Judah and Israel. Hosea xi. 8-12. P. 287. PROPHECY XXX. The restoration and conversion of Israel....his rejection of Antichrist. Hosea xiv. P. 289. PROPHECY XXXI. Irruption of Antichrist into Palestine.... his destruction there....general effusion of the Holy Spirit....a description of the overthrow of the confederated nations at the period of the restoration of Judah. Joel i. 1---14. ii. iii. P. 292. PROPHECY XXXII. The dispersion of the Jews, and the occupation of their country by foreign invaders....their restoration and triumph over the mystic Edom. Amos viii. 11, 12. ix. 4---15. P. 311. PROPHECY XXXIII. The certainty of the restoration of Judah and Israel. Micah ii. 12, 13. P. 314. PROPHECY XXXIV. The glories of the millennian church....the mystic birth of the Jewish nation.... the overthrow of the Antichristian confederacy partly by the instrumenta- |