thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the bills as chaff, thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them."* Here is the same idea of the reduction of the obnoxious and obstructing powers in the way of the kingdom of the STONE, or Christ, and of the restoration of Israel, which Daniel has. They are broken up by the resistless impetuosity of an instrument of God's providing for the occasion, "and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them."-This is also the same whirlwind that is to fall grievously upon the head of the WICKED, and have such prodigious effects "in the latter days," as shall draw the attention of God's believing people.

The same is signified by that rod of iron in the hand of Christ, with which he will rule, and bring into subjection, the enemies of his

*Isai, xli, 15.

Jer. xxiii. 19, 20; xxv. 32; Dan. xi. 40; Isai. xl. 24

kingdom. "He shall bruise them with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings, be instructed, ye that are judges of the earth."* Take deep reflection upon the judgments which pursue your devoted thrones, and see the hand of God, and acknowledge his justice, in all that has befallen you. In the same sense it is said, “he shall bind their kings in chains, and their nobles with links of iron,"t-by subjecting them to the capricious will of " a cruel lord,”‡ or exposing them to the torturing rays of "a scorching sun.”§

This is that ferocious angel standing in the sun, by which they have been previously scorched, or in that part of the political heaven, which shall be most conspicuous, and most attract the observation of mankind at that time and making proclamation to the subjected world, of the approaching crisis of its fate, and the bloody termination of the

*Psalm ii. 9, 10,

+ Psalm cxlix. 7, 8.

Isaiah xix. 4.

Rev. xvi, 9.

controversy of Sion; which turns out, however, contrary to his vaunting promise,* and confident expectation. These avengers themselves are not exempt from the weight of the calamities they infliet: they mutually torment, and are tormented. So it is said by the prophet, that God "will feed them with their own flesh, and they shall drink their own blood."-But that these manifold miseries of the human race, by which the world is desolated, through the ambitious projects of one man, have for their object the ultimate vindication of the ways of Providence, and the introduction of happier times, by the deliverance of God's peculiar people, is the general sense of the prophecies. "I will surely assemble, Q Jacob, all of thee: I will surely gather the REMNANT OF ISRAEL. The BREAKER is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it, and THEIR KINGS shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head them."+ "And at that time shall MICHAEL

*Rev. xix. 17.

+ Micah ii. 12, 13.

stand up, (the great prince, which standeth for the children of thy people,) and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book,"*

In the reflections upon the death of the witnessest I have shewn the probability of a time of great affliction to the true church of Christ,

*This can hardly be applied to the troubles at the fall of Jerusalem, though described by our Saviour in similiar terms, because the jews (thy people) were not all delivered, but the great majority of them destroyed, being the objects of the pursuing vengeance. But if it be said the converted jews and christians in general are meant by "thy people," this is not the remnant of Israel, neither does this agree well with facts, as the christians still continued the objects of persecution and hatred to the romans, not less cruel, and far more powerful enemies than the jews had been MICHAEL the representative of Christ. will stand forth for the jews far more eminently as a saviour in the troubles of the last times, and the approaching SECOND LXODUS for the REMNANT OF ISRAEL, or them that shall be found written in the registers of the redemption of Jacob It most probably alludes to a very late period, because the general resurrection is the next thing the prophet mentions.

+ Section xxiv. p. 122.

previous to the total annihilation of popery and its supporters; and that the calamities intended for the faithful, will be turned upon the triumphant persecutors themselves. This idea, which seems to be the general sense of many prophecies, is strongly confirmed by Daniel in that historical prophecy (chap. xi.) where the prophet having prosecuted the thread of his story to the full establishment of popery, or the system of the worshippers of MAHUZZIM, proceeds immediately to relate the manner of its destruction. (ver. 40.) "And at the TIME OF THE END shall the king of the south push at at him,"―(the politico ecclesiastical tyrant)— "And the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots and with horsemen, and with many ships, and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over." This seems to be the overflowing scourge of Isaiah (xxviii. 2, 18,)—and the whirlwind of Jeremiah (xxiii. 19).— "He shall enter also into the glorious land," (or Judea, frequently so called,) " And many countries shall be overthrown. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries,