II. The Disciples asking CHRIST when these Things Should come to pass, and what should be the Sign of his Coming, and of the End of the World; be foretels the Wars, Pestilence, and Famine that Should be in the World, and the great Perfecutions that the Apostles and his Subjects should undergo, both from Jews and Gentiles. [Mr.] ND as he fat upon the Mount of Olives, over Peter, and James, and John and Andrew [M.] came unto him, [Mr.] and asked him privately, [M.] faying, [L.] Master, [M.] tell us, when shall these Things be? [Mr.] And what shall be the SIGN when all these Things [L.] shall come to pass, and (Mr.) shall be fulfilled ? [M.] And what shall be the SIGN of thy COMING, and of the End of the World? [M.) And he said unto them, [L.] When ye shall hear of Wars and Commotions, [M.] and Rumours of Wars, see that ye be not troubled, [Z.] be not terrified, [M.] for all [Z.] these Things must first come to pass: [M.] but the End is not yet; [LZ.] by and by. Then faid he unto them, NATION shall rife againft NATION, and KINGDOM against KINGDOM, and great Earthquakes shall be in divers Places; (M.] and there shall be Famines, and Pestilences, [Mr.] and Troubles, [Z.] and fearful Sights, and great Signs shall there be from Heaven. [M.) All these are the BEGINNING of SORROW. But take heed to your selves: for [L.] before all these, they shall lay their Hands on you, and (a) PERSECUTE you, delivering you up to [Mr.] COUNCILS, and [L.] to the SYNAGOGUES, and into Prifons; being brought before Kings and Rulers for my Name's fake: and [Mr.] ye shall be beat en, and ye shall be brought before Rulers and Kings for my fake. [L.] And it shall turn to you for a TESTIMO (a) Phil. i. 29. For unto you it is given in the Behalf of Chr.A, not only to BELIEVE on him, but also to SUFFER for his fake. 1 Theff. iii. 3. That no Man should be moved by these AFFLICTIONS: for your selves know that we are APPOINTED thereunto. 4. For verily when we were with you, we told you before, that even as it came to pass, and ye know. NY, we should SUFFER TRIBULATION: 2 Tim. iii. 12. Yea, and all that will live GODLY in Chrift Fefns, mall fuffer PERSECUTION. Heb. NY, and [Mr.] against them. Heb. x. 32. But call to remem [M.] Then shall they deliver you up to be AFFLICTED, and shall KILL you, and ye shall be HATED of all Nations for my Name's fake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many FALSE Prophets shall arife, and shall DECEIVE many. And because INIQUITY shall abound, the Love of many shall wax cold. (Mr.) And the Gospel must first be published among all Nations. [M.] And this GOSPEL of the KINGDOM shall be preached in all the World, for a Witness unto all Nations; and then shall the End come. [Mr.] But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no Thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatfoever shall be given you in that Hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the HOLY GHOST. [L.] Settle it therefore in your Hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer. For I will give you a Mouth and Wisdom, which all your Adverfaries shall not be able to gainsay or refift. And ye shall be betrayed both by brance the former Days, in which after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great Fight of AFFLICTIONS: 33. Partly whilft ye were made a gazing Stock, both by REPROACHEs and AFFLICTIONS, and partly whilft ye became COMPANIONS OF them that were so used. 34. For ye had Compaffion of me in my BONDS, and took joyfully the spoiling of your Goods, knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance. 1 Pet. ii. 19. For this is thank worthy, if a Man for Confcience toward God, endure GRIEF, fuffering WRONG FULLY. 20. For what Glory isit, if when ye be buffeted for your Faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if when ye do well, and SUFFER for it, ye take it patiently; this is acceptable with Gop. Chap. iii. 14. But and if ye fuffer for Righteoufness fake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their Terror, neither be troubled; 15. But SANCTIFY the Lord God in your Hearts: and be ready always to give an Answer to every Man that asketh you a REASON OF the Hore that is in you, with Meeknefs and Fear. 16. Having a good Confcience; that whereas they speak EVIL of you, as of evil Doers, they may be good Conversation in Christ. afhamed that FALSLY ACCUSE your Chap. iv. 12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the FIERY TRIAL which is to try you, as though fome strange Thing happened unto you: 13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are Partakers of Christ's SUFFERINGS; that when his GLORY fhall be revealed, ye may be glad alfo with exceeding Joy. 14. If ye be reproached for the Parents, and Brethren, and Name of Chrift, happy are ye; for Kinsfolk, and Friends, and the SPIRIT OF GLORY, and of fome of you shall they cause God refteth upon you: on their to be put to Death. [Mr.] part he is evil spoken of, but on Now the Brother shall betray your part he is GLORIFIED. the Nn2 16. Yer 16. Yet if any Man SUFFER as a CHRISTIAN, let him not be a shamed; but let him GLORIFY God on this behalf. 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 hated of all Men for my Name's fake. [L.) But there shall not an Hair of your Head perish. In your PATIENCE poffess ye your Souls: [M] But he that shall ENDURE to the End, the fame shall be SAVED. Matt. x. 17. But beware of. Men, for they will deliver you up to the COUNCILS, and they will SCOURGE you in their SYNAGOGUES. 18. And ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my fake, for a TESTIMONY against them and the Gentiles. 19. But when they deliver you up, take no Thought how, or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that fame Hour what ye shall speak. 20. For it is not ye that fpeak, but the Spirit of your Father, which speaketh in you. 22. And ye shall be hated of all Men for my Name's fake: but he that ENDURETH to the End, shall be faved. 23. But when they perfecute you in this City, flee into another: for verily I fay unto you, ye shall not have gone over the Cities of Ifrael, till the Son of Man be come. Chap. xxiii. 34. Wherefore behold I fend unto you PROPHETS, and WISE Men, and Scribes; and some of them ye shall KILL and CRUCIFY, and some of them shall ye SCOURGE in your Synagogues, and PERSECUTE them from City to City. John xv. 18. If the World HATE you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19. If ye were of the World, the World would LOVE his own: but because ye are not of the World, but I have CHOSEN you out of the World, therefore the World hateth you. 20. Remember the Word that I said unto you, The Servant is not greater than the Lord. If they have perfecuted me, they will also perfecute you: If they have kept my Saying, they will keep yours alfo. 21. But all these Things will they do unto you for my Name's fake, because they know not him that fent me. John xvi. 1. These Things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2. They 2. They shall put you out of the Synagogues: yea, the Time cometh, that whosoever KILLETH you, will think that he doth God service. 3. And these Things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 20. Verily, verily I say unto you, that ye shall wEEP and LAMENT, but the World shall REJOICE: and ye shall be SORROWFUL, but your SORROW shall be turned into JOY. 22. And ye now therefore have Sorrow: but I will see you again, and your Heart shall REJOICE, and your Joy no Man taketh from you. 33. These Things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have PEACE. In the WORLD ye shall have TRIBULATION: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the World. See in the Acts of the APOSTLES, the Martyrdom of St. Stephen, the Imprisonment of Peter and John, the Persecutions of St. Paul. ****(****** * ******* III. CHRIST foretels the Rise of false Christs and false Prophets, and the great Apoftacy that should be in the Church. [M.] A no ND Jefus faid unto them, Take heed that Man DECEIVE you. For many shall come in my Name, saying, I am CHRIST, ([L.] and the Time draweth near) and shall deceive many; [L.] go ye not therefore after them. (Mr.) And then if any Man shall fay unto you, Lo, here is CHRIST, or lo, he is there: believe him not. For FALSE CHRISTS and (4) FALSE PROPHETS shall rife, [M.] and shall shew great SIGNS and Wonders, (Mr.) to feduce, [M.] (that if it were poffible) they shall deceive the very Elect. [Mr.) But take ye heed; behold, I have (a) 1 Cor. xi. 18. For first of all, Church, I hear that there be Drwhen ye come together in the VISIONS among you; and I partly believe it. 19. For there must be also HERESIES among you, that they which are approved, may be made manifeft among you. 2 Cor. ii. 17. For we are not as fore- many which corrupt the Word of God: God: but as of Sincerity, but as of in the Sight of God speak we God, Chap. xi. 13. Forsuch are FALSE ArPOSTLES, DECEITFUL Workers, transforming themselves into the Apoftles Chrift. foretold you all Things. [M.] Gal. ii. 4. And that because of FALSE Brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our Liberty which we have in Chrift Jesus, that they might bring us into Bondage. Ephef. iv. 14. That we henceforth be no more Children, toffed to and fro, and carried about with every Wind of Doctrine, by the SLIGHT of Men, and CUNNING CRAFTINESS, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. 1 Tim. vi. 3. If any Man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholefome Words, even the Words of our Lord Jesum Christ, and to the Doctrine which is according to GODLINESS; 4. He is PROUD, knowing nothing, but doting about Questions and Strifes of Words, whereof cometh Envy, Strife, Railings, evil Surmifings, 5. Perverse Difputings of Men of corrupt Minds, and destitute of the Truth, supposing that GAIN is GODLINESS: from such withdraw thy felf. 2 Tim. ii. 14. Of these Things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about Words to No PROFIT, but to the fubverting ting of the Hearers. 16. Shun profane and vain Babblings; for they will increase unto more UNGODLINESS. Chap. iii. 1. This know also, that in the last Days PERILOus Times shall come. 2. For Men shall be LOVERS of their own selves, Covetous, Boafters, Proud, Blafphemers, Disobedient to Parents, Unthankful, Unholy, 3. Without natural Affection, Truce-breakers, false Accufers, incontinent, fierce, Despisers of those that are good, 4. Traiterous, heady, high-minded, Lovers of PLEASURE more than Lovers of God; 5. Having a FORM OF GODLINESS, but denying the POWER thereof: from such turn away. 13. But EVIL MEN and SEDUCERS shall wax worse and worse; deceiving, and being deceived. Jude 17. But beloved, remember ye the Words which were spoken before of the APOSTLES of our Lord Jesus Chrift: 18. How that they told you, there should be MOCKERS in the laft Time, who should walk after their own UNGODLY LUSTS. See pag. 87. Of false Prophets and false Teachers, against Matt. vii. 15. *** ** Propbe |