We left the great maritime power, preparing to bring by sea its allies, the converted Jews, as a present to the Lord of hosts, tó mount Zion. Now, in whatever part of the world this power may be situated, whether far beyond the eastern or the western Cushèan streams, it is plain that its navy can only approach Palestine by the way of the Mediterranean sea. Such then will indisputably be its course. The maritime expedition at length reaches Palestine: but the converted Jews, and their naval protectors, find themselves opposed by the unconverted Jews, and the troops which Antichrist had left behind him to garrison Jerusalem and other strong-holds. Apparently after no trifling bloodshed, and (if I judge rightly from some prophecies) when the concerted Jews had suffered very considerably, the eyes of their unconverted brethren will unexpectedly be opened; they will look upon him whom they had pierced, and, throwing off the base yoke of Antichrist, they will cordially join such of their nation as had embraced Christianity, and had allied themselves to the faithful maritime power.

At the period when these events happen (and that they will happen is revealed with sufficient clearness), we must necessarily suppose Antichrist. to be in Egypt and Libya: both because there is no other tinie, in the course of his whole expedition, to which we can with equal propriety ascribe them; and because Daniel specially teaches us,

that

that he shall return out of those countries to destroy many, and to plant the curtains of his pavilions between the seas in the glorious holy mountain. Thus situated, he would receive the intelligence from the east. For he would learn, by means of his own fugitive troops which had been stationed in Judea, that the maritime power had completely succeeded in its first attempt, that it had brought back a large body of converted Jews, and that those who had been restored by Antichrist in an unconverted state had suddenly embraced the faith of protestant Christianity, and had revolted from him to their already believing brethren. Unless we admit, that either this, or something like it, will be the case; we shall find it no easy inatter to account for the fury with which Antichrist is represented, as returning into Judea which he had already subdued, and as besieging Jerusalem which he had already given to his allies the unconverted Jews. For, that certain unbelieving Jews will be converted in Jcrusalem, is plainly asserted by Zechariah: and, that the city will afterwards be besieged and taken, is asserted both by Zechariah and Daniel. But all those Jews, who are restored by the maritime power, will return in a converted state; as is manifest from the language used by Isaiah and Zephaniah. By whom then can the unconverted Jews have been restored, except by Antichrist, who will make himself master of the whole land of Palestine? And why should he afterwards besiege them in Jerusalem, except on account of their conversion

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mentioned by Zechariah, and their revolt from his cause? For, if they had not revolted from him after their conversion, no reason can be assigned why he should so bitterly attack them.

(2.) With respect to the tidings from the north, I am much inclined to think that they relate to some great invasion of the Roman empire by the mighty king of the North, after he has been baffled in his attempt to arrest the progress of Antichrist. Some such invasion as this seems to be predicted by St. John, under the imagery of a violent storm of hail, as taking place during the effusion of the seventh vial, and consequently as synchronizing with the Antichristian expedition and the restoration of the Jews*.

6. Troubled with such unpleasant tidings from the east and from the north, Antichrist hastily quits Egypt and Libya, and retraces his steps to Judèa. Going forth in the height of his fury, he threatens to destroy all such as should oppose him: and, calling in the aid of Popish bigotry, he sanctifies, his expedition by representing it as a holy crusade against heretics: and, with banners blessed by the false prophet who (as we have reason to believe from the Apocalypse †) will be his attendant, he devotes

- * Vide infra Comment. on Prophecy XXVI. and my Dissert. on the 1260 years. Chap. xi. Sect. 3.

+ See Rev. xix. 19, 20.

Mr. Whitaker conjectures, that the seat of the Papacy will be finally removed to Jerusalem. (Comment. on Rev. p.

devotes many to utter extermination under the blasphemous pretext of religion. His wonted success at first attends him. He besieges Jerusalem now occupied by his enemies, and takes it. Here

he exercises his usual barbarity; a barbarity, increased ten-fold by the defection of his late allies. The houses are rifled, and the women are ravished, by his licentious soldiery. Half of the inhabitants are made captive: but the other half are permitted still to remain in the city, under the controul most probably of a strong garrison. Thus, ere he comes to his end, none being able to help him, does he plant the curtains of his tents between the seas in the glorious holy mountain.

7. During these disasters, the troops of the maritime power appear to have retreated towards the. sea-shore, in order that they may be able to regain their ships, if all further resistance should prove fruitless. Here they would doubtless be joined by the great body of their allies, the first converted Jews, and by such of those that were afterwards converted, as were able to effect their escape from the

rage of Antichrist. To this devoted host the

443). I think his conjecture by no means improbable. The remarkable passage, contained in Rev. xix. 19, 20, seems at least to favour the belief, that the power of the Papacy, no less than that of Antichrist, will be broken in Palestine.

It is not unworthy of notice, that Mr. Fraser agrees with Mr. Whitaker in this conjecture respecting the removal of the Papacy to Jerusalem. Key to the Prophecies. P. 226.

tyrant now directs his attention. Anticipating an easy victory over his last enemies, either by suddenly cutting them off from their ships, or by compelling them to re-embark, and with proud exultation looking forward to the uncontrouled empire of the civilized world, he leaves Jerusalem, and advances with his whole army to Megiddo. Between this town and the sea we may suppose the troops of the maritime power and the Jews to have taken their position, hopeless probably of victory from their vast disparity in numbers to the huge hosts of their enemy. But the battle is not always to the strong, nor the race to the swift. At this anxious moment, the glory of the Lord is suddenly manifested in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jehovah himself becometh a wall of fire around her. The Almighty word of God goeth forth, like a man of war, in the greatness of his strength; and all his saints, the innumerable armies of heaven, are with him. His awful commission is from the Most High. For, after the manifestation of the glory, the Lord of hosts sendeth him unto the nations that have spoiled his ancient people; that he may shake his hand over them, that they may become a spoil unto those whom they had made their servants, that they may know that the Lord of hosts hath sent him, that they may learn that he who toucheth Judah toucheth the apple of his eye. The tremendous vision halts for a moment on the mount of Olives; which, like Sinai of old, acknowledges a

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