and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST and his APOSTLES, &c. figns of his coming, and of the end of the world : And as he fat upon the Mount of Olives, the difciples canoe unto himprivately, flying, Tell us, when fhall'thefe things be? and what'hall be thefign of thy canting, and ofthe end of the world? Matt. xxiv. 8, It is probable the difciples meant what figns fhould precede the ereiaion of that extenfive empire, over which they fup- pofed the Meffiah was to reign ; for they ílill expected he would govern a fecular kingdom. They, therefore, conneaed the demolition of the temple with their Matter's coming, though they had not the leaft notion that he was to deftroy the nation, and change the form of religious worfhip. They, therefore, meant by the end of the world, or, as the words fhould have been tranflated, the end of the age, the period of the political government then executed by Heathen procurators, and confidered their Mailer's coming to defiroy the conflitutidn then fubfifling, as a very deferable event: they alfo thought the demolition of the temple proper, as they expected a larger andmore fuperb building would be ere9ed in it's Read, in proportion to the number of the Meffiah's fubjeas. It will fuficiently appear, that this is the real fenfe of the difciples queflion, if we confider, that they were delighted with the profpea ; whereas, if they had meant by the end of the world, the final period of all things, the deflruélion of the temple would have exhibited to them a melancholy profpea, which they could not have be- held, without a deep concern, in their pre - fent temper of mind. Therefore, our bleffed Lord was careful to convince them oftheir miftake, by tell- ing them, that he was not come to rule a fecular empire, as they fuppofed, but to punilh the Jews for their perfidy and re- bellion, by deflroying both their temple and nation : Takeheed, faid he, that no man deceive you. For many (hall come in my name,faying, lain Chr f, and flail deceive many. This caution. was far from being unneceffary, becaufe, though the difciples No.a8. ao9 . were to fee their Mailer afcend into hea- ven, they might take occafion from the prophecy, to think that he would appear again on earth, and, therefore, be in dan- ger offeduftion by the falfe Chrifls that fhould arife : And when ye fhall hear of wars and rumours of wars, fee that ye be not troubled : for all thefe things mull cone to pats; but the end is not yet. Before this natiáfi and temple are deflroyed, "terrible wars will happen in the land : For nation fhall rife again' nation, and kingdom again' kingdom: and there flail befamines, and pilences, and earthquakes, in diversplaces. Thefe things are but the beginning ofa long feries of calamities, which fhall fall upon this nation : at the fame time you fhall meet with hot perfecutions; walk, therefore, cireumfpeélly, and arm your- (elves both. with patience and fortitude, that ye may be able to perform your duty, through the whole courfe of thefe perfe- cutions; for you (hall be brought before the great men of the earth for my fake : But when they (hall lead you and deliver you up, take no thought before hand whatye fhall leak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatfoeverfhall be given you in that hour, that fpeak ye; for it is not ye that fpeak, but the Holy Gho/t, Mark xiii. t e. Our Lord told them, during this time of trouble and confufion, the perfidy of mankind fhall be fo great towards one ano ther, that brother fhall betray the brother to death, and the father thefon; and children full rife up again' their parents, and/hall caufe them to be put to death. The unbe- lieving Jews and apoftate Chriftians, thall commit fuch crimes, that the very idea of which, íhall excite horror in the molt bar- barous nations. It is, therefore, no won- der that the perfidy and wickednefs offuch pretended Chriftians, fhall difcourage many difciples, and greatly hinder the propaga- tion of the gofpel : but he who fupparts his faith during thefe perfecutions, and is not ledaffray by the feductionof falfe Chrif. tians, fhall efcape that terrible deflruaion, which will overflow the land like a deluge. 3 E M,
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