The leader of this expedition appears to be chiefly under the influence of covetousness. "Thou shalt fay, I will go to them that are at

66

reft,-to take a spoil, and to take a prey; to “turn thine hand upon the people,—which "have gotten cattle and goods.-The mer"chants of Tarshish shall say unto thee, Art "thou come to take a spoil? haft thou gathered "thy company to take a prey? to carry away "filver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, "to take a great spoil," Ezek. xxxviii. 11, 12, 13. The multitudes who join his ftandard from all corners, befides the expectation of booty, feem to be actuated by refentment against the difcipline of the church. It would appear, they confider themselves oppreffed by the restraints of religion, and have recourse to him for protection. This is implied in the Prophet's ironical address to the leader, "Be thou "a guard unto them," ver. 7. The holiness and happiness of the Millennial state, cannot permit any species of oppreffion; if therefore the followers of Gog claim his protection to deliver them from the dominion of the church, it must be a defire to be set free from the reftraints of religion. No oppreffion is so grievous to an unfanctified heart, as that which arises from the purity of Chriftianity. A defire to shake off this yoke, is the true caufe of that op

pofition

par

pofition Christianity has met with from the world in every period, and will, it is most likely, be the chief motive to influence the followers of Gog in his time. It would appear, that all ties joining in this expedition are encouraged, by the hope of obtaining an eafy conqueft; a fentiment they would readily adopt from the ftate of the church a thousand years before: "Swords were beaten to plowfhares, and fpears "to pruning hooks, nation did not lift up fword "against nation, neither did they learn war." As they felt no injury, and feared no danger, they were ignorant of the art of war, and neglectful of those means of defence, which the jealoufy and fear of mankind provided in more perilous times.

The Prophet introduces Gog meditating on this circumftance in his own mind, and then communicating it to his followers, "At the "fame time fhall things come into thy mind, "and thou shalt think an evil thought. And “thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of un"walled villages, I will go to them that are at "reft, that dwell fafely, all of them dwelling "without walls, and having neither bars nor "gates," Ezek. xxxviii. 10, 11.

The terror and dismay occafioned by Gog and his formidable army in Judea, is described by the prophet Isaiah: "Behold, their valiant

"ones fhall cry without; the ambaffadors of 66 peace fhall weep bitterly. The highways lie "wafte, the way-faring man ceaseth: He hath "broken the covenant, he hath defpifed the "cities, he regardeth no man. The earth (land) "mourneth and languifheth; Lebanon is a "fhamed and hewn down; Sharon is like a "wilderness; and Bafhan and Carmel shake off "their fruits." chap. xxxiii. 7, 8, 9. At length he and his army are reprefented as arriving at Jerufalem;" and the city thall be taken, and

the houses rifled, and the women ravifhed; "and half of the city fhall go forth into cap"tivity, and the refidue of the people shall not ❝be cut off from the city," Zech. xiv. 2. For "in this alarming fituation the church is defcribed as having recourfe to the protection of the Deity. "O Lord, be gracious unto us; "we have waited for thee: Be thou their arm

every morning, our falvation alfo in the time "of trouble," Ifa. xxxiii. 2. While they are engaged in prayer, a conviction of God's interposition in the destruction of their enemies, is impreffed on their heart; fo that their fupplication is changed to thanksgiving." At the "noife of the tumult the people fled; at the "lifting up of thyfelf the nations were fcattered. "And your spoil shall be gathered like the "thering of the caterpillar: As the running to "and fro of locufts, fhall he run upon them.

ga.

"The

"The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: "He hath filled Zion with judgment and righ"teousness," Ifa. xxxiii. 3, 4, 5. As a farther anfwer to their prayers, the Deity is introduced addreffing Gog and his army, in folemn threatenings. "Now will I rife, faith the Lord; "now will I be exalted, now will I lift up "myself. Ye fhall conceive chaff, ye fhall

bring forth ftubble: your breath as fire fhall devour you. And the people shall be as the "burnings of lime: as thorns cut up, fhall they "be burned in the fire," Ifa. xxxiii. 10, 11, 12.

These threatenings are inftantly executed. The multitudes that compofe the vaft army of Gog are destroyed, partly by the fwords of each other, partly by the fire of the elements, as God formerly deftroyed his enemies of Armageddon. "And it shall come to pass at the fame time, "when Gog fhall come against the land of If ❝rael, faith the Lord God, that my fury shall "come up in my face. For in my jealousy, and " in the fire of my wrath, have I spoken, Surely "in that day there fhall be great shaking in "the land of Ifrael.—And I will call for a fword "against him throughout all my mountains, "faith the Lord God: Every man's fword fhall. "be against his brother. And I will plead a

gainst him with peftilence, and with blood; " and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, "and

"and upon the many people that are with him, "and overflowing rain, and great hailftones, fire "and brimftone," Ezek. xxxviii, 18, 19. 21, 22. "And fire came down from God out of heaven, " and devoured them," Rev. xx. 9.

SECTION II.

A Decline of the Gentile Churches.

No remarkable event occurs during the period that elapfes betwixt the deftruction of Gog and the laft day; only it would appear, from various paffages already quoted, that the Jewish church continues faithful until Chrift's appearance. It is particularly afferted after the deftruction of Gog, Ifa. xxxiii. 20. "Thine eye fhall fee Je"rufalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that "fhall not be taken down, not one of the stakes "thereof shall ever be removed, neither fhall

any of the cords thereof be broken."-" So the "houfe of lfrael fhall know that I am the Lord "their God, from that day and forward," Ezek. xxxix. 22. Their endeavours to maintain purity and fidelity, are increased in confequence of Gog's invafion. Being fully fenfible of the great evils arifing from a spirit of oppofition to the discipline of the church, which animated