the Gentiles be fulfilled. —_— | x Fyephus teils us, that in the Wars, which ended in the-taking of Feruſalem, by the Famine, and the Swprd-- there, perithed 1100000 Jews, and 95000 were carryed into; Captivity. Jeruſalem evcr fince that time, hath b:cn troden down by-the Gentiles, the Romans, Saracens, Franks, and is at this day troden of. the Turks [«ntz the time of the Gen:1les be fulfilled.) Some, from this Text think, that there ſhall be a time, when the Jews. ſhall repollels the City of Feru- ſatem. Whether any ſuch thing can be from, hence gathered, I doutt. Some here by the time of the Gentiles underſtand all that _ betwixt the Deſtruction of Feruſjxlem, and the end of the m_—_ Others, the time when the Goſpel ſhould be carried over all the World. But their Opinion ſeemeth to me molt probable, vho wal terpret it of the time of Gods patience with the Gentiles. As the Jews have filled up their nieaſure, and now the Wrath of God 15 come upon them to the uttermoſt ; ſo the Gentiles ſhall have their time al- fo. The Romans have had their time. The Turks now have their time z but their Glaſs is alſo running ont, there will bc a fulfilling of their time too, and whether then another ſort of Barbartans ſhall polleſs it, or the Zews or Chriſtians ſhall recover 1t, time muſt 1n- rerpret, ; 25 And there ſhall be ſigns * in the ſun, and in the moon, and in the ſtars ; and upon the earth diſtreſs of nations, with perplexity, the fea and the waves roar- ing ; 26 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. |
We may eaſily imagine, that this was eminently Siege of Jeruſalem, that Mens Hearts failed them for fear ; Prodigies, we are told of enough, both by Joſephus and Tacitus, l. 5. the latter tells us, that Armics were ſeen fighting in the Air, with gliſtring Armour ; and the Temple ſeemed all as on Fire with Light- ning; he alſo tells vs of the Voice heard,and throwing open of the doors of the Temple before mentioned ; but telleth us few were affetted, but built Hopes upon a Tradition they had, That now was the time ut valeſceret Orjens z which was true enough, but not in their Senſe. But what is ſpoken here, certainly relates to the Day of Fudgment, be- _ which prodigious things will be ſeen, 2 Pet. 3- 10, 12. and 1t
ollowt,
27 And then ſhall they ſee the Son of man * coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Sce the Notes on Matth. 24. 30. Maik 13: 26.
28 And when theſe things begin to come to paſs, then look up, and lift up your heads; for * your redemption draweth nigh.
Matthew ſcereth to expound this, ch. 24. 31. ſo doth Mark, . 13. 27. both ſpeak to the ſame ſenſe. And he ſhall ſend his Angels, with 4 great ſound of a Trumpet, and they ſhall gather together bis Ele& from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. This is certainly to be underſtood of the Day of Judgment, when the Saints fhall be glorified as the Sons of God by Adoption, and obtain the Re- ademption of the Body, Rom. 8. 23- |
29 And he ſpake to them a parable, Behold the fig- tree, and al] the trees; |
30 When they now ſhoot forth, ye fee and know of your own ſelves, that ſummer is now nigh art hand.
31 So likewiſe ye, when ye ſee theſe things come to pals, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily ] ſay unto you, This generation ſhall not pals away, till all be fulfilled,
33 * Heaven and earth ſhall paſs away : but my words ſhall not paſs away.
We had this ſame Parable both in Matthew and Mar, See the Notes on Matth. 24. 32. and Mark 13. 2
fulfilled in the and for
34 And * take heed to your ſelves, leſt at any time your hearts be overcharged with ſurfeiting and drunken- nels, and cares of this life, and ſo that day come upon you unawares,
35 For* as a ſnare ſhall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and * pray always that you may be accounted worthy to eſcape all theſe things thar ſhall come ro pais, and to ſtand before the Son of man.
I take the thirty fourth Verſe to be a good Expoſition of the term Watch, v. 39. Avoid Sin induftriouſly 1n a-profpett of my coming to Judgment : for Sin is compared to Sleep, Rom. 13. 1. and Eph, 5. 14. and as he that watcheth doth not only wake, but ſetteth him- felf detignedly to forbear S'ecp, in order to ſome end ; ſo he who &cepeth the Spirirual Watch, mult ſet himſelf deiignedly to avoid Sin, upcn a proſpect ot Chriſt's coming, and the uncertainty of it. Par- ticularly he cautioneth his Diſciples againſt Luxuiy, and Worldly- mindedneſs. The firſt he expreſſcth under the notions of Gluttony and Drunkennefs, which arc two eminent ſpecies of it. The latter under the notion of the cares of this Life ; not neceſſary and provident Cares, but ſupertuous and diftratting Cares, Theſe things he pret- ſeth them to avoid, !cft they ſhould be ſurprized by Crit $ coming,
_ OT a 9__
Chap. XXl
hap