privately, and asked him, faying; When fhall thefe Defolations, and all thefe ftrange things, which you have told us of, be accomplished? And by what Signs fhall we know, when the Confummation of the prefent ftate of Things in the World fhall be? and when, and by what Revolutions, the Kingdom of the Meffias fhall be eftablifhed?

4. To this general Queftion, which the Difciples (who had not yet any clear Notion what the State and Duration of the Chriftian Difpenfation was to be) were not capable of propofing more diftinctly; fefus accordingly returned fuch an Anfwer, as, being immediately and properly a Defcription of the final Destruction of Jerufalem and of the Jewish Nation, which was to be the firft eftablishment of the Kingdom of Chrift; might alfo at the fame time contain an obfcure Prophecy of the end of the World. And his Anfwer was this: Ye are defirous to know the time and manner of my Second appearing, to destroy my Enemies, and to eftablish the Kingdom of the Meffias: But take heed that no Man deceive you, and impofe upon you.

5. For many Impoftors fhall appear, who will pretend to be the Meffiah, fent of God to deliver fuch as will follow them; and they fhall fhew many wonderful Signs, and fhall deceive many.

6. Ye fhall alfo hear of Wars and Tumults, Commotions, Revolutions, Terrors, and Panick Fears. But let not your Minds be difturbed at these things; For many fuch Calamities as these muft happen, before the final and utter

ciples came unto him privately, faying, Tell us when fhall these shall be the fign of things be? and what thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many fhall come in my name, faying, I am Chrift: and fhall deceive

many.

6 And ye fhall hear of wars, and

rumours of wars: fee that ye be not troubled: for all these things must

come

Deftruction of the Jewish Nation ; (and in like manner, before the end of the World.)

7. For one Country fhall take up Arms against another; and there must be Broils and Commotions, and Civil Wars through the World: And there fhall be Famines, and Plagues, and Earthquakes in feveral parts of the Earth.

8. All these things are but the beginnings of that last and total Deftrution, which fhall come upon the Nation of the Jews: (And in like manner fuch Calamities as thefe, will precede the last Judgment, and the end of the World.)

;

9. In the mean time ye fhall be afflicted, and perfecuted even to Death and both Jews and Gentiles fhall hate you for the fake of your profeffing Chriftianity.

10. And many Chriftians, difcouraged by thefe Sufferings and Calamities, fhall turn Apoftates; and, to ingratiate themfelves with Unbelievers, fhall betray and perfecute their Brethren.

11. Many falfe Teachers alfo, and Deceivers fhall arife; who under pretence of preaching the Gofpel, fhall feduce many to follow vain and vicious Doctrines; and shall pervert weak Men, in hopes of escaping Perfecution, to diffemble or forfake the Truth of Religion.

12. And because the Perfecutions moved by Unbelievers on the one hand; and the Apoftafies, Contentions, and Diffimulation of fome Believers on the other hand, will mightily perplex things, and caufe great confufion; therefore the Zeal which many others hitherto retained for true Religion VOL. I. M will

will at length cool, and they also will become luke-warm and fearful.

13. But he that under all these Trials and Afflictions, fhall continue ftedfaft and unmoved to the end, in the Profeffion and Practice of true Religion; fhall, by the peculiar Providence of God, be preferved here from the extremity of that final Calamity whereby the Jewish Kingdom shall be utterly deftroyed; and he shall hereafter inherit eternal Life.

And as

14. Now during thefe Calamities and Confufions, the Chriftians fcattered abroad by the Perfecution, fhall preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. foon as the Gofpel has been preached, and Churches established by them through the Roman Empire, the Jewish Nation and Polity fhall be utterly deftroyed with their City and Temple: (And in like manner, when the Chriftian Religion has made its progrefs through all the Nations of the Earth, the End of the World fhall come.)

15. When therefore ye fhall fee the Holy City compaffed about with Heathen Armies, the Abomination of Defolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, (which, let him that readeth, confider and underftand ;) that is, when ye fhall fee Jerufalem, besieged by the

Romans;

16. Then let them which are in Judea, knowing that the final Deftruction of that Nation is coming, flee for their Lives.

17 & 18. And because this vengeance that fhall fall upon the Jews, will. be fudden and terrible; therefore let every one that hopes to efcape, make fuch fpeed in his flight, as not to return home to take any of his Goods with

14 And this gofpel of the kingdom fhall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all na

tions, and then fhall

the end come.

15 When ye therefore fhall fee the abo

mination ofdefolation fpoken of by Daniel the prophet, ftand in the holy place, (whofo readeth, let him understand.)

16 Then let them

which be in Judea, flee into the mountains.

17 Let him which is on the house-top,

not come down to take any thing out of his houfe:

18 Neither let him

which is in the field,

return

return back to take his cloaths.

19 And wo unto them that are with child, and to them that give fuck in those days.

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,

neither on the fabbath-day:

21 For then shall

be great tribulation,

fuch as was not fince the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22 And except thofe days fhould be fhortned, there should no flesh be faved: but for the elects fake thofe days fhall be

fhortned.

him; but let him flee, as Lot did out of
Sodom, without fo much as looking back.

19. But wo be to them, who through
any impediment fhall not be in a con-
dition to make a speedy flight, as Wo-
men that are with Child, or give Suck.

forced to flee in the Winter, or on the
20. Pray ye also that ye may not be

*This

Sabbath; when either the Season, or the Holiness of the time, may retard feems poand prevent your escape.

ken in con

defcenfion to the Jew

21. For the Hardships and Calamities of that time, when the Romans fhall ih Preju over-run the Country, and Jerufalem dices. fhall be befieged by them; will be greater than ever befel any People before, or fhall ever happen after.

22. So that if that Tribulation were to be as lafting, as it will be fharp and fevere, no one could poffibly escape: But for the fake of those Chriftians who fhall at that time be scattered through Judæa, God will fo order things, that the extremity of the Calamity fhall be fhort,and the City fhall quickly be taken.

23. At that time, † if any Man fhall report that Christ appears in this or that place, to deftroy his Enemies, and to deliver his Servants, believe it not.

24. For there fhall arife Impoftors and Deceivers, who fhall each pretend to be the Meffiah, and fhall work ftrange Wonders and Delufions; fo as to deceive, not only the unbelieving Jews, but, if it were poffible, even fincere Chriftians alfo.

25. Take heed now, and be not deceived: Behold, I have exprefsly cautioned and forewarned you.

+(And in like manner in all other calamitous Times preceding the

End of the World.)

26. If therefore it fhall be reported that Chrift appears vifibly in the Defart, and is preparing to come and deliver his Servants; regard it not. And if they fay, he is fecretly in any private place, ready to fhew himself and appear publickly, give no Credit to it at all.

27 & 28. For as Lightning fhineth through all Places in an inftant, and as Eagles gather themselves with incredible fwiftness to all parts where the Prey is to be found; fo the Power of Chrift in deftroying his Enemies, fhall demonftrate it felf evidently through all the Land at once; and his Kingdom shall be eftablifhed, not with Obfervation in + See Luk. + this or that particular place, but by the xvii.v.20, wonderful Efficacy of the Divine Power 21,22,23, it fhall appear and prevail through the

& 24.

World, as it were in a Moment.

29. For immediately after thefe fatal Wars, and the Deftruction of Jerufalem by the Romans; the whole Jewish Polity, Government, Laws, and Religion, fhall be utterly diffolved.

نوع

30 & 31. And then it will become evident, that Jefus was the true and only Meffias, and the Jews fhall lament and mourn, and be forced to acknowledge the Power, and Glory, and Majefty of Chrift; who will then fend forth his Minifters among the Gentiles, and will gather into one Body those who believe and obey his Gofpel, from among all the Nations of the Earth. (In like manner at the end of the World, after long Perfecutions and Afflictions of the Church, and after great Disturbances and Revolutions in all the Nations of the World, Chrift will at last appear in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory; and he will fend

29

Immediate

ly after the tribulation of thofe days,

fhail the fun be darkned, and the moon fhall not give her light, and the ftars fhall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens fhall be fhaken.

30 And then shall appear the fign of the

Son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth

mourn, and

they fhall fee the Son of man coming in the clouds of hea

ven, with

and

power

great glory. 31 And he fhall fend his angels with a. great