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For this awful purpose, the final destruction of "the father of lies," is deferred for a season, and instead of being cast into the "lake that burneth with fire and brimstone," at the same time that the antichristian deceivers among mankind are cast there alive, he is only represented as seized and confined as a prisoner in the great abyss till the destined period is accomplished; "after many days shall they be taken account of." Then, when the thousand years-be they literal years, or be they symbolical years-are expired,

"Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters or 'corners' of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

The situation of these nations, who are the last that are permitted to believe the lie of Satan, is described as being "in the four corners of the earth,” that is, in its remotest regions, in reference to a central position: which central spot can be no other than Mount Zion and Jerusalem, and implying, as I think, a very extensive portion of the habitable earth around the centre, where these deluded nations are not found. Certainly not in Israel, Jehovah's everlasting inheritance; and I should think, not in Egypt, whom he calls "my people;" nor in

Assyria, whom he names "the work of my hands;" and not in other great nations perhaps beside, who have been united unto restored Israel.

These nations, whom Satan leads by his delusion, to attack the beloved city, though described as being found in all the corners of the earth, are designated as "Gog and Magog." This application is affixed to these last rebels, either because the attack of the restored Jerusalem, under the guidance of the European apostates, which takes place before the millennium, is to be considered as the type of their rebellion; or because they will actually be of Scythian origin, and so the descendants of Magog. God having still gone on so to " enlarge Japheth," that the children of his son Magog are an innumerable host, some great leader also is raised up among them, who is again named Gog, from Agag, probably the first great potentate that made an attack upon ancient Israel at the first Exodus. Whether this be some earthly potentate-or, as many of the ancient fathers conceived of the last enemy of Christ, Satan himself their unseen instigator-the rebellious multitude "come up upon the breadth of the earth," or "the land,"-fill with their numbers, I conceive, the whole breadth of the Holy Land, in order to compass about "the beloved city," "the camp or station of the saints."

That country is not now as it was, when the former Gog and Magog made their attack, "a land of unwalled villages;" they find not Jerusalem inhabited "in village fashion." On the former occasion the enemy made a deep impression, one "half of the

city went into captivity." But it had been since said of Jerusalem, "never more shall a stake be moved or a cord unloosed."

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It does not appear, moreover, arm is lifted up in her defence: God doth not on this occasion, "bend Judah for his bow, and fill his bow with Ephraim." He does not, as against the former Gog, "call for a sword against him on all the mountains of Israel." This second Gog has come against nations, that "have beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks," and have long since, under the dominion of the prince of peace, "ceased to learn war any more."

We read on this occasion of no conflicts of the jarring elements, the melting mountains, or upheaving earthquake. Fire from God out of heaven, that is the lightning, consumes the rebellious crew; but without disturbing the quietude and peace of Jerusalem, or staining the beauties of that new creation which God had spread abroad for his restored people-"Mount Zion cannot be moved, but standeth fast for ever." "God is well known in her palaces for a sure refuge."

How different were the circumstances attending the destruction of the first Gog and Magog! That was, indeed, "the time of Jacob's trouble," because God had brought the enemy as his chastening rod, sparing only a remnant of his people. That season, among living men was "a time of trouble such as never was in the creation which God created unto that time, and never should be again.' Of this last and fruitless attack of Satan, when brought with the

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last victims of his delusions to his final destruction, restored Jerusalem had, however, received intimation:

Isaiah liv. 13, &c. "And all thy children shall be taught of God, and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, He shall stir up war,' or shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall 'stir up war,' or "gather together against thee, shall fall for thy sake," &c.

SECTION THE FOURTEENTH.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THAT HOLY CITY, WHICH SATAN, ON HIS RELEASE, FINDS ON THE EARTH.

As a city that may be compassed about by mortals, it must be situate on the earth-So Ezekiel describes it on the holy hills, but St. John was shewn it under the symbol of a "Cube"-a "house of many mansions”—The holy and the heavenly Jerusalem comes down from God at the commencement of the millenium-How connected and identified with Jerusalem restored on earth-How the tabernacle of God is with men-St. John's description of the Holy City, compared with its description by the Jewish Prophets-John sees the heavenly mansions-The prophets, the restored city, and the new creation below-The Holy Land in the new earth, the counterpart to the heavenly country, the residence of the glorified saints.

It is unquestionable, that Satan on the occasion of his release, finds "the beloved city," with “the camp," or "station of the saints," in such sort connected with the earth, that it can be an object of attack by men in the flesh; they, at his instigation, compass it about.

According to my notion of this habitation of manifested Deity, so perpetually held forth in scripture, as an everlasting occupation of Zion and Jerusalem, it is a "house of many mansions:" some in the world of spirits and glorified saints, some extending into the abodes of restored man upon the new earth; and, that the point of communication is the present site of Jerusalem and her holy hill.

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