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Jerusalem.

Verily I say unto you,

Matt. xxiv. 2.

sage in Luke xxi. 20, 21. The Roman army is the abomination of desolation.
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, chap. ix. and xi. and it is so called, from its
ensigns and images, which were abominations to the Jews; and Josephus in-
forms (d) us, that after the city was taken, the Romans brought these ensigns
into the temple, placed them over against the eastern gate, and there sacrificed
to them.

"Then let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains." This counsel
was remembered, and wisely followed by the Christians afterwards. And we
find it accordingly most providentially ordered, that Jerusalem should be encom-
passed with armies, and yet that the Christians should have favourable oppor-
tunities of making their escape. Josephus (sect. iv. p. 1102. edit. Hudson) tells
us that Cestius Gallus, in the 12th year of Nero, if "he had been inclined to
break through the walls of the city by force, would instantly have taken it, and
put an end to the war;" but, contrary to the expectation of all, and without
any just cause, he departed. Vespasian was deputed in his place, as governor
of Syria, and to carry on the wars against the Jews; and when he had sub-
dued all the country, and was preparing to besiege Jerusalem, the death of
Nero, and soon afterwards that of Galba, compelled him, from the disturbances
and civil wars that ensued in his own country, to defer for some time his plan
of operations against Jerusalem. These apparently incidental delays enabled
the Christians to provide for their safety; and Eusebius and Epiphanius inform
us, that all who believed in Christ left Jerusalem, and fled to Perea, and other
places beyond the river Jordan. Josephus also remarks, after the retreat of
Cestius Gallus, "Many of the illustrious Jews departed from the city, as from
a sinking ship." After this period, when Vespasian was confirmed in the em-
pire, Titus surrounded the city with a wall, thirty-nine furlongs in dimensions,
strengthened with thirteen forts, so that, Josephus says,
"with all means of
escaping, all hope of safety was cut off from the remaining Jews." So marvel-
lously did our blessed Saviour ensure, by his prophecy, deliverance to those
who believed on him, and had faith in his promises: and so always "The Lord
knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations," 2 Pet. ii. 9. Our Saviour
makes use of the expressions in Mark xiii. 15. and Matt. xxiv. 18. to signify
that the departure of the Christians must be as sudden and hasty as Lot's from
the destruction of Sodom.

"For then shall be great tribulation." No history can furnish us with a
parallel to the calamities and miseries of the Jews: rapine, murder, famine,
and pestilence, within; fire and sword, and all the horrors of war without.
Our Lord wept at the foresight of these calamities; and it is almost impossible
for any humane person to read the relation of them in Josephus, without weep-
ing also. St. Luke, chap. xxi. 22. calls these the days of vengeance, that all
things which were written might be fulfilled. These were the days in which
all the calamities predicted by Moses, Joel, Daniel, and other prophets, as well
as those foretold by our Saviour, met in one common centre, and were fulfilled
in the most terrible manner on that generation. These were the days of venge-
ance in another sense, as if God's judgments had certain periods and revolu-

(d) Antiq. lib. xviii, cap. 6. sect. 3. ed Hudson.

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Luke xxi. 6. the days will come, in the which

tions; for it is remarkable, that the temple was burnt by the Romans in the same month, and on the same day of the month, on which it had been burned by the Babylonians. See Josephus, War, b. vi. c. 4. Josephus computes the number of those who perished in the siege at eleven hundred thousand, besides those who were slain in other places, War, b. vi. c. 9; and if the Romans had gone on destroying in this manner, the whole nation of the Jews would in a short time have been utterly extirpated: but, for the sake of the elect (the Jews,) that they might not be entirely destroyed, and, for the sake of the Christians particularly, the days were shortened.

Josephus relates, that the Jews themselves first set fire to the porticos of the temple, and then the Romans; when one of the soldiers, neither waiting for the word of command, nor fearing to perpetrate such an action, but hurried on by a divine impulse, threw a burning brand in at the golden window, and thereby set fire to the buildings of the temple itself. Yet Titus was still for preserving the holy place, but the anger and hatred of his soldiers against the Jews overcame their reverence for their general; a soldier in the dark set fire to the doors, and thus, as Josephus says, "the temple was burnt, contrary to the will of Cæsar." The Romans burnt the most extreme parts of the city, and dug up the foundations of the walls, reserving only three towers, and a part of the wall, as a memorial of their own valour, and for the better encampment of the soldiers. Afterwards, we read in the Jewish Talmud, and in Maimonides, that Terentius Rufus, who was left to command the army, did with a ploughshare tear up the foundation of the temple; thereby signally fulfilling the prophecy of Micah iii. 12. Eusebius too affirms, that it was ploughed up by the Romans, and that he saw it lying in ruins. So literally were our Saviour's words accomplished, in the ruin and desolation of the city and of the temple. Josephus further asserts, that there was no part of Judæa which did not partake of the calamities of the capital city. The Romans pursued, and took, and slew the Jews every where, fulfilling again that prediction, "Wheresoever the carcase is (the Jewish nation, morally and judicially dead,) there will the eagles (the Romaus, whose ensign was an eagle) be gathered together."

Jerusalem also, according to the prediction of our Lord, was to be trodden down by the Gentiles. Accordingly it has never since been in the possession of the Jews. It was first in subjection to the Romans, afterwards to the Saracens, then to the Franks, next to the Mamelukes, and now to the Turks. Thus has the prophecy of Christ been most literally and terribly fulfilled, on a people who are still preserved, as continued monuments of the truth of our Lord's prediction, and of the truth of the Christian religion (e).

We have hitherto considered this passage as relating to the destruction of Jerusalem only, which was its primary application; but, like every other prophecy, it had its literal and typical signification. Our Saviour loses sight, as it were, of his former subject, in the contemplation of the end of the world, and the general judgment. "It appears," says Bishop Newton, "next to impossible, that any man should duly consider these prophecies, and their exact com

(e) Bishop Newton on the Prophecies,

Jerusalem.

Jerusalem.

e Luke xix. 44.

* Or, and, The time, Matt. iii. 2. and iv. 17.

⚫ there shall not be left here one stone upon ano- Matt. xxiv. 2. ther that shall not be thrown down.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over Mark xiii.3. against the temple,

the disciples,

Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew,

came unto him privately,

asked him privately,

And they asked him, saying, Master, but

Matt. xxiv. 3.

Mark xiii. 3.

Matt. xxiv. 3.

Mark xiii. 3.

Luke xxi. 7.

Tell us when shall these things be? and what Matt. xxiv. 3.
shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of
the world?

when all these things shall be fulfilled?

you.

Mark xiii. 4.

Mark xiii. 5.

Matt. xxiv. 4.

Matt. xxiv. 5.

And Jesus answering them, began to say unto them, Take heed that no man deceive For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. *and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore Luke xxi. 8. after them.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of Matt. xxiv. 6.

wars:

But when ye shall hear of wars,

and rumours of wars,

and commotions, be not terrified :

see that ye be not troubled, for all these things

must needs

first come to pass,

but the end shall not be yet.

Luke xxi. 9.

Mark xiii. 7.

Luke xxi. 9.

Matt. xxiv. 6.

Mark xiii. 7.

Luke xxi. 9.

Mark xiii. 7.

Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise Luke xxi. 10. against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

And great earthquakes shall be in divers Luke xxi. 11. places;

pletion, and, if he is a believer, not be confirmed in his faith, or if he is an infidel, not be converted." As soon as the Gospel is preached to every creature now under heaven, and the fulness of the Gentiles be accomplished, then shall the Son of Man come in the clouds of heaven, to take vengeance on his enemies; and with great power and glory bring deliverance as in the days of the destruction of Jerusalem, to those who believe in Him, and trust in his promises for salvation and mercy (ƒ).

(f) For a further comparison of this great prophecy, and its primary fulfilment, see Archbishop Newcome's Life of Christ, who endeavours to explain away many of the prodigies related by Josephus.-Jortin's Ecclesiastical History. Mr. Gisborne's work lately published.-Bishop Horsley's Sermons, on the application of the Prophecy to the end of the world. The various Commentators; and Dr. Adam Clarke's notes to the chapters in St. Matthew.-Dr. Hales on the four Hypotheses of the various Interpreters of these Prophecies.— Analysis, vol. ii. part ii. p. 1270.

Matt. xxiv. 7. and there shall be famines, and pestilences,
Mark xiii. 8. and troubles,

Luke xxi. 11. and fearful sights, and great signs shall there be
from heaven.

Matt. xxiv. S.

Mark xiii. 9.

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

But take heed to yourselves: for

Luke xxi. 12. before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up ;

Mark xiii. 9. they shall deliver you up to the councils;

Luke xxi. 12. to the synagogues,

Mark xiii. 9. (and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten :)
Luke xxi. 12. and into prisons,

Matt. xxiv. 9. to be afflicted,

Mark xiii. 9. and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony,

Luke xxi. 12. for my name's sake.

Luke xxi. 13.

And it shall turn to you for a testimony

Mark xiii. 9. against them.

Mark xiii. 10.

Mark xiii. 11.

Luke xxi. 14.

And the Gospel must first be published among all nations.

Jerúsalem.

f But when they shall lead you, and deliver f Matt. x. 19. you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate:

8 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to medi- 8 Matt. x. 19. tate before what ye shall answer :

Mark xiii. 11. but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye:

Luke xxi. 15.

For I will give you a mouth, and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist :

Mark xiii. 11. for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Mark xiii. 12.

Luke xxi. 16.

Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death;

Matt. xxiv. 9. and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

Matt. xxiv. 10.

Luke xxi. 18.

Luke xxi. 19.

Matt. xxiv. 11.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

rish.

But there shall not an hair of your head pe

In your patience possess ye your souls.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

h Matt. x. 30.

Jerusalem.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of Matt. xxiv. many shall wax cold.

12.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the Matt. xxiv. same shall be saved,

13.

14.

And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be Matt. xxiv. preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

But when ye shall see the abomination of de- Mark xiii, 14. solation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not,

in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him under- Matt. xxiv. stand :)

15.

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed Luke xxi. 20. with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Then let them which are in Judæa flee to the Luke xxi. 21. mountains; and let them which are in the midst

of it depart out; and let not them that are in the
countries enter thereinto.

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

Neither let him which is in the field return back Matt. xxiv. to take his clothes.

18.

For these be the days of vengeance, that all Luke xxi. 22. things which are written may be fulfilled.

But woe unto them that are with child, and to Luke xxi. 23. them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, Luke xxi. 24, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled.

But pray ye that your flight be not in the win- Matt. xxiv. ter, neither on the sabbath day:

For in those days

shall be great tribulation,

20.

Mark xiii. 19.

Mat. xxiv. 21.

shall be affliction, such as was not from the be- Mark xiii. 19. ginning of the creation

of the world

Matt. xxiv.21.

which God created unto this time, neither shall Mark xiii. 19. be.

no, nor ever shall be.

Mat. xxiv. 21.

And except that the Lord had shortened those Mark xiii. 20. days,

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