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the Meffiah, and the Manner of its Establishment.

6. For there fhall arife feveral Impoftors, who will each profefs himfelf to be the Meffiah, and pretend to be fent of God to deliver the Jews from the Power of the Romans, and to fet up an Earthly Kingdom in Judea; and these Deceivers fhall feduce many, to the Deftruction both of themselves and their Followers. But be not ye deceived by them, neither give any heed at all to any Reports of Chrift's appearing here or there to deliver his People the Jews: For fo far will Chrift be from coming to fet up a Temporal Dominion amongst them, that on the contrary the real Eftablishment of his Kingdom will begin with the Destruction of their City and Nation.

7. When therefore ye fhall hear Reports of Wars and Tumults, of Seditions and Infurrections, and great Confufion; be not furprized or terri

fied at the News of thefe Calamities:

For these things muft of Neceffity happen, before the Deftruction of Ferufalem, and in order to it. [And in like manner before the End of the World, whereof this Defolation of the Jews will be a fit Type.]

8. For there fhall be Divifions and Civil Wars, and great Commotions in feveral Parts of the Land: And these Calamities fhall be accompanied with Scarcity and Famine, with ftrange Fears and Terrours: All which Things fhall be the Fore-runners and the Beginning of that great Destruction, which fhall end in the Diffolution of the Jewish

State and Government.

6 For many fhall come in my name, faying, I am Chrift,

and fhall deceive

many.

7 And when ye fhall hear of wars, and rumours of wars,

be ye not troubled: for fuch things muft needs be; but the

end fhall not be yet.

8 For nation fhall rise against nation, kingdom: and there and kingdom against fhall be earthquakes in divers places, and there fhall be famines and troubles: thefe are the beginnings of forrows.

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ye

careful

9. In the meen time, be in the midst of these Calamities to preferve your Integrity, and not to be moved by any Difcouragements from maintaining the Profeffion of the Truth. For Men will hate and perfecute you for the fake of my Religion: And ye fhall not only be examined before the Jewish Councils, and beaten unjustly in their publick Affemblies; but ye fhall moreover be brought into Judgment even before Heathen Princes and Governours, that the Doctrine of true Religion may have an Opportunity of being declared and vindicated before Them alfo.

10. And by this Means the Gospel fhall be published, not only through all Judæa, but it shall begin to be established even among the Gentiles alfo, before the final Diflolution of the Jewish Government and Religion.

II. Now when ye be accufed (as I have foretold you) and profecuted before Rulers and Magiftrates for the Sake of my Religion, be not follicitous how to make your Defence, neither ftudy beforehand how to plead your own Cause with any advantagious Reprefentations of Humane Eloquence: For your Doctrine fhall be a fufficient. Vindication of it felf, and your Works fhall be an abundant Evidence of your Commiffion; fo that not fo much you your felves, as God himfelf fhall plead for you.

12. Only ye muft expect that the Perfecution raifed against you upon my Account, will be barbarous very and unnatural. For to fuch a Height will the Malice of incorrigibly vicious. Men arife, and fo irreconcileably will VOL. I. Y they

they hate that Doctrine which cannot be confiftent with their Superftitions and their Lufts, that they will break through all the Obligations even of natural Affection, to oppose it; And not only Strangers, but even the very neareft Relations fhall upon this account perfecute one another, and betray one another to Death.

13. And indeed ye will find the Generality of Men fet themselves obftinately against you, to oppose and difcourage you. But be not terrified at this; much less driven to Defpair. For whofoever, notwithstanding all the Perfecutions and Difcouragements he may meet with, fhall continue ftedfast in the Profeffion and Practice of the Truth; fhall for his prefent Reward be directed by the special Providence of God to escape that Temporal DeftruЄtion which is coming upon the Jews, and in the End fhall inherit eternal Life.

14. And now as to the Signs which fhall immediately precede this total Defolation of Judaa: When ye fhall fee Jerufalem befieged by the Roman Army, (according to Daniel's Prophecy, which let him that readeth, confider and underftand;) then know that the final Deftruction of the Jewish Nation is juft at hand. And accordingly, whoever is in the open Country, let him flee immediately to the Mountains.

rise up against their parents, and fhall caufe them to be put

to death.

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14 But when ye fhall fee the abomination of defolation, fpoken of by Daniel the prophet, ftanding where it ought not, (let him that readeth, understand) then let them that be in Judea, flee to the mountains:

15 And let him that is on the housetop, not go down into the houfe, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his

15 & 16. And because the Ruin of the Country will be very fuddain, therefore let your Flight be as fpeedy as poffible. Let no Man tarry in hopes of faving his Goods, but leave all Things behind him, and flee every 16 And let him ene for his Life, as Lot did out of that is in the field

house.

not

not turn back again
for to take up his
garment.
17 But wo to them
that are with child,
and to them that

give fuck in thofe
days.

18 And pray ye that your flight be

not in the winter.

19 For in those days fhall be affliction, fuch as was not from the beginning of the crea tion which God created, unto this time, neither fhall

be.

20 And except that the Lord had fhortned those days, faved: but for the elects fake, whom he hath chofen, he hath fhortned the days.

no flefh fhould be

21 And then, if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Chrift, or lo, be is

there believe him not.

Sodom,
back.

without fo much as looking

17. Miferable at that Time will be the Cafe of thofe, who through Sicknefs or any other natural or accidental Impediment, fhall be hindred from flee ing immediately and swiftly.

18. Pray therefore that God would be pleafed in his good Providence so to difpofe and order the Circumstances of Things, that neither want of Health, nor the Unfeasonableness of the Time, nor any other Accident may prevent or retard your Flight.

19. For verily the Afflictions and Calamities, the Fears and Terrours, the Confufion and Anguifh that shall fall upon Men at that Time, when Plagues and miferable Famine, when Diftrefs from the Enemy abroad, and Mifunderstandings and Quarrels, Tu-. mults and horrid Cruelties from feditious Perfons at home, fhall all meet together; will be greater than ever happened to any Nation before, or shall ever happen after.

20. So that if thefe Calamities were to be as lafting, as they will be sharp and fevere, no Man could poffibly ef cape: But for the Sake of good and fincere Men, whom God defigns to deliver and make eminent Members of his Church, the Time of this Affliction shall be shortned.

21. Now in the Time of these Diftreffes, if there be any Reports spread abroad by weak and defigning Men,that Chrift appears in this or the other Place, in order to deliver the Jews, and to rescue them from the Power of the Romans; regard it not.

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22. For, to compleat the juft Punifhment of the unbelieving Jews, there shall arise great Impoftors and Deceivers; fome of which fhall pretend to be Prophets and holy Men, feducing ignorant Perfons to follow them to their own Deftruction : And others fhall pretend to be the Meffiah, fent of God to deliver his People; and they fhall work ftrange Cheats and lying Wonders, fo as to delude not only the unbelieving Jews, but, if it were poffible, even fincere Chriftians alfo.

23. Take heed therefore, and be not led away by any of thefe Deceivers ; Remember, that I have given you Warning of them before-hand.

The

24 & 25. Thus have I given you
an Account of the State of Things,
and of the Signs which fhall precede
the Deftruction of Jerufalem.
End of all which Calamities fhall be,
that the whole Nation, Government,
Polity and Religion of the Jews fhall
be totally diffolved.

26 & 27. And then it shall appear
plainly, that Jefus was indeed the Mef-
fiah, by this wonderful Destruction of
thofe who rejected his Gofpel. After
which he fhall fend forth his Mini-
fters through all Parts of the World,
and they fhall preach with great and
glorious Succefs, converting Men by
the Excellency of their Doctrine and

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† òà oxorio dostal, &c. "Tis well known how usual these lofty Figures are in all the Eaftern Languages; and Dr. Lightfoot well obferves out of the Talmud, that the Jews ufed these very Phrases in defcribing the Ruin even of a fingle Family.

gether

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