eagles be gathered together. | Luke hath much the ſame, Luk, 17. 24, 37» The Diſagree- ment of Incerpreters, about the Coming of the Son of Man here fpoken of , makes a Variety in their Interpretation of theſe Verſes. Some think the Coming of the Son of Man here ſpoken of, was his coming to deſtroy Feruſalem, which he ſaich, will be ſudden like the Lightning; for tho' che Thunder be expetted aforeaand, as following the Lightning, yer norhing goes betore ro pive notice of the Lightning, but ir comes ſuddenly. Theſe Interpreters make the Carca/s mentioned ver. 28. to be the Body of the Fewiſh Nation, deſigned ro be deſtroyed , and the Eagles to be the Roman Armies. 7ob faith of the Eagle, chap.39. v.30. Where the ſlain are, there 3s ſhe ;, Habbakkuk , chap. 1. 8. laith the {ime of the Chaldean Eagles ; They ſhall fly as the Eagle that haſteth zo eat. Some underſtand by the Coming of Chris? here, his coming in his Spiricual Kingdom. The Preaching of the Goſpel ſhall be, like the Lizhtning z you need nor liſten after rhoſe char ſay, Lo here 3s Chri , or Ls he 4 there, for my Goſpel ſhall be Preached every where; and where the Carcaſs is, where my Death , and Reſur- reftion fhall be Preached, all the Ele&#, My Sheep that hear my Voice and follyw me, ſhall be garhered cogether. Others under- ſtand ir of Chriſt's Coming ro Fudgment, which is compared to Lightning for the ſuddenneſs and univerſality of ict. There faith Chriſt I ſhall be , and all my Saints ſhall be gathered togerher. Lube ſeemeth to ſpeak of this , Luk. 17. 24, 37- Thar Phraſe { Whereſoever the Carcaſs is , there will the Eagles be gathered toge- ther,} 1s a Proverbial Speech ſignifying, That ie will need no grear Labour to brinz things, which are naturally joined by an innate Deſire, cither of them co the other ; ſo thar ic 15 applicable in more Caſes than onez and whether that Diſcourſe in Luke were at the ſame time when this was, I cannor ſay; our Saviour's Diſ- courſe on this Argument, Luk. 21. hath nor theſe Verſes, and is part of a Diſcourſe which Luk. 17. v. 20. 1s faid to have been begun at leaſt ro the Phariſees. Bur I ſhall further conſider what Lube faith, when I ſhall come to that Chapter in him,
29 Immediately after the tribulation of thoſe days, * {hall the ſun be darkened, and the moon ſhall nor give her light, and the ſtars ſhall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens ſhall be ſhaken.
Mark faith, chap. 13. 24. In thoſe days after that Tribulation, the Sun ſhall be darkened, and the Moon ſhall not give her light, and the Stars of Heaven ſhall fall, and the Powers that are in Heven ſhall be ſhaken. Lube faith, chap. 21. 25. Ard there ſhall be Signs in the Sun, and in the Mom, and in the Stars, and upon Earth diſtreſs of Nations with perplexity, the Sea and the Waves roaring « Mens Hearts failing them for Fear, and for looking after thoſe things which are coming on the Earth, for the Powers of Heaven ſhall be ſhaken, Interpreters are much divided in the Senfe of thefe Wurd:, wherher they ſhould be interpreted of Chris's Coming to the Last Fudement, and the Signs of that : Or, 2. Concerning the Deſtruction of Feruſalem. Thoſe who interprer ic of the Deſtruttion of Zeru- fſalem , have the Context to guide them, as alſo the Reports of Hiſtorians, of ſtrange Prodigies ſeen 1n che Air, and Earth,betore the Taking of ir; likewiſe the word Immediately after, 8c. But | am more inclinable to interpret them of the La$f Fudgment ; and ro think that our Saviour is now paſled to farisfie the Diſciples abour their other Qxe/tion, concerning the End of the World; for altho' Chriſt's Coming may ſometimes f1gnifie, that remarka- ble At of his Providence in the Deſtrution of his Enemies ; yer the next Verſes, ſpeaking of his Coming with great Power and Glory, and of his Coming with hu Angels, and with the found of a Trumpet, and Gathering his Ele from the four Winds ; che Piirafes are 10 like the Phraſes by which ne Scripcure expreſ- ferh Chriſt's Coming to the Laſt Judgment, 1 Corinth. 15. 52. 1 Tye. 4.15. end Chriſt ſpeaking to his Diſciples asking of him, as well abour that, as the Deſtruction of Feruſalem; I ſhould rather interpret this Verſe, with reference to the Laſt Judgment, chan the Deitru&tion of Feruſalem before ſpoken of; or ar leaſt, tharcheſe Signs ſhould be underſtood common borh to the one, and the other; as divers of the other Signs mentioned 1n this Chapter are.Some do think;rhat the darkning of the Sun and the Mom here, the falling of the Stars, and the ſhabing of the Powers of Herven, are to be taken Metaphoric:lly, as fignitying the great Change ſhould be in the Eccleſiaſtical and Civil State of the Fews ; and it is true, that ſuch kind of Expreffions do often in Scripture ſo fiznifie, If:r. 13. 10. and. 24. 23. Exeh. 32. 7. Foel 2, 31, © Bur without doubt the lireral Senſe is nor to be excluded,
THEW. Chap. XX1
great Prodigies ſcen before the former, fo the Apoſtle us thar there will be ſuch things ſeen before th ns ment, 2 Pet. 3. Io, 12, © Day of Judg:
30 ind then ſhall appear the Sign of t man in heaven : and r 4 {hall all . ow gh carth mourn, and * they ſhall ſee the Son of _ x coming in the clouds of heaven with power and 0 great glory.
31 * And he 1hall ſend his angels with
great * Chap
|| found of a trumper,and they ſhall gather togerher 4: 4 his elect from the four winds, and from one end of | 2": | heaven to the other. >" | a Mark, faith, chap. 13. 26, 27. And then ſhall they ſee the 59 .c Fi i f Man coming in the Clouds with great Power and Glory. And ther I 7 f he ſend his Angels , and ſhall gather together hw Ele from the 's | ſ Winds, from the uttermo$t part of the Earth, to the utter — | a Heaven, Luke laith, chap. 21. 27. And then they ſhall ſe: the 5 | - of Man coming.in a Cloud with great Power and Gloyy, 4nd rg | M theſe things begin to come to paſs, then look up, and lifr up your 11: ” tl
for your Redemption draweth nigh. Interpreters are alſo divided | about theſe Words, as about the former, ſome underſtundins 721.7 M al t
them concerning the Deſtru&ion of Feruſalem, arid judeins 7 by the Sign of the Coming of the Son of Man : is probabſy ons | Fo ſome Prodigy, or ſome Comet ſeen hetore thar Deſtru&ion, Which [