DISC. burnt Tyre, destroyed Gaza, and, in imiV. tation of his favourite hero, dragged the

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vernor thereof at his chariot wheels. "The "burden of the word of the Lord in the "land of Hadrach, and Damafcus shall be "the reft thereof-And Hamath also shall "border thereby, Tyrus and Sidon, though "it be very wife. And Tyrus did build

herself a strong hold, and heaped up fil"ver as the duft, and fine gold as the mire "of the streets. Behold, the Lord will "caft her out, and he will fimite her power "in the sea, and she shall be devoured with "fire. Afkelon fhall fee it and fear; Gaza "alfo fhall fee it, and shall be very forrow

ful; and Ekron, for her expectation shall "be ashamed, and the king fhall perish "from Gaza, and Askelon shall not be in"habited." The prophet next foretelleth the mixture and incorporation of the Philiftines, when thus humbled by Alexander, with their old enemies the Jews. "And a

baftard," or, an alien generation (aλλoyɛveis, fay the LXX.) "fhall dwell in Afhdod; "and I will cut off the pride of the Phi

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"liftines; and I will take away his blood DISC. "out of his mouth, and his abominations "from between his teeth; but he that re"maineth,, even he fhall be for our God, “and he shall be as a governor in Judah "and Ekron as a Jebufite." Amidst these revolutions and alterations of affairs in the world, God promifeth, in the next verse, to preserve his temple, while fo many caftles and strong holds about Jerufalem were overturned, fo many cities fwept of their inhabitants by the befom of deftruction. "And I will encamp about mine house, "because of the army, because of him that

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paffeth by, and because of him that re"turneth and no oppreffor shall pafs "through them any more; for now have I "feen with mine eyes." Then followeth the prophecy in my text-" Rejoice greatly, "O daughter of Sion; fhout, O daughter "of Jerufalem: behold, thy King cometh "unto thee; he is juft, and having falva"tion, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an afs. And I will "cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the*

DISC. "horfe from Jerufalem, and the battle bow

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"fhall be cut off; and he fhall speak peace "unto the heathen: and his dominion "fhall be from fea even to fea, and from "the river to the ends of the earth." As if the prophet had spoken in more words to Jerufalem thus" Thine eyes, in the "generations following, fhall behold the

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flourishing pride of fundry nations, each "endeavouring to overtop others in height "of glory and temporal state; each striv

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ing to keep others under, by human policy, or ftrength of war. And whilft "the fight of their mutual conquests shall

poffefs thy thoughts, thou wilt be ready, "in the pride of thine heart, to fay, Jeru"falem and Judah one day fhall have their “turn, and in that day fhall the fons of Jacob, the feed of Abraham and David, "be like the monarchs of Greece and Perfia, far exalted above the kings of other "nations; every one, able to bear arms, gliftering with his golden fhield, and leading the princes of the heathen, as prifoners, bound in chains, and their no"bles

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«bles in fetters of iron. The beauty and "riches of their coftly temples fhall deck "the chariots of my children, which their

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captives fhall draw in triumph. But "thou shouldest remember, that the pro"mifed prince of peace, of benignity, and 'justice, should not be fought among the "tumultuous hofts of war: nor canft thou

hope that He, who is the Defire of all "nations, should be thy Leader or Gene"ral, to destroy thofe nations. It is glory " and honour enough for thee, glory and "honour greater than the greatest con

queror on earth could ever compass, that "the King of kings and Lord of lords "shall be anointed and proclaimed King 66 upon the hill of Sion: that the inviola"ble decrees of everlasting peace shall be

given to all the nations under heaven "from thy courts. And therefore while "horfes and chariots, and other glorious "preparations of war, fhall present them"felves to thy view, fuffer them to pass as they come; and reft affured, that thy

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King, of whose coming thou haft often

"been

DISC.

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DISC. " been admonished by the prophets, is not

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among them. The manner of his coming to thee, fo thou wilt mark it, bodes "far better tidings to thee and all the na "tions befides, than can accompany the profperous fuccefs of wars, or any victory "stained with blood. What king of Judah " or Ifrael did ever levy an army, though in juft defence of their country and people, "on fo fair terms, that no poor amongst "them were pinched with taxes for the

fupply? What victory did they ever ob"tain fo cheap, that many of their chil"dren were not forced to fit down with

lofs, many wounded, others maimed, and "fome always flain? But, lo, now I bring "thee unusual matter of exultation and

'joy. For behold thy King cometh unto

thee, when foever he cometh, attended "with justice for his guide, and salvation "for his train. He shall execute judgment "without oppreffion: he shall fave thee, "fo thou wilt be faved, without destroying

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any, being able to make thy lame to go, "to give life to thy dead, without hazard

" either