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to pay much attention to it; but fince fuch uncom→ mon trefs is laid upon it, I hope the reader will excufe a little prolixity. Let the following remarks be well confidered.

1. By Jerufalem and her daughters, is meant the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin; and by Samaria and her daughters, the other ten tribes. After the revolt of the ten tribes, the King of Judah refided at Jerufalem, and the King of Ifrael at Samaria; hence the two houfes of Ifrael, as well as their countries, are fometimes called by the names of these two cities. See Ifa. vii. 9. Jer. xxxi. 5. Ezek. xxiii.

2. The return of the captivity of Jerufalem and ́ Samaria, or the two houfes of Ifrael, will precede the day of judgment, and cannot be a return from hell. Their return and union are predicted by Ifaiah, chap. xi. 11-16, "The outcafts of Ifrael and disperfed of Judah," can intend no lefs than the two houfes of Ifrael. The prophet fpeaks of their reconciliation with each other, and of their restoration to their own country. These events have never yet taken place: the prophecy, therefore, remains to be fulfilled. They will not be gathered together" out of hell, but from the four corners of the earth. This event, and fome others mentioned by the prophet, cannot take place after the day of judgment.

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The whole of Jeremiah xxxi, is a prediction of the return of the two houfes of Ifrael from their long captivity. Here God exprefsly declares, “I will "make a new covenant with the house of Ifrael and "with the house of Judah." Ezekiel cannot allude to a covenant fabfequent to this, because this new covenant shall not be broken, nor fhall the Jews ceafe from being a nation before God for ever, ver. 31-36. There cannot, therefore, be a return from the captivity after this time. This reftoration will not be out of hell, but "from the north country, and from the coafts of the earth," ver. 8. And when it

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takes place," there fhall dwell in Judah, and in the "cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that 66x go forth with flocks," ver. 24. Jerufalem also will "be rebuilt: The city fhall be built to the Lord from "the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner," &c. ver. 38, 39. No one supposes, however, that men will be employed in tilling lands, feeding flocks, and building cities, after the day of judgment.

In Ezek. xxxvii. 15—28, we have an account of the gathering of the two houses of Ifrael from among the heathen into their own land, to poffefs it for ever,

of their being united, and having one king over them, of their increase of population,-of God entering into everlasting covenant with them, &c. It is certain that this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, and it is certain that the events which are here predicted cannot take place after the general judgment. This covenant, like that in chap. xvi, is said to be everlasting, and is, undoubtedly, the fame. The return from captivity mentioned in chap. xvi, cannot refer to a period fubfequent to this, because their apoftafy after this time is fpoken of as impoffible,

ver. 23-26.

3. The return of the captivity of Sodom and her daughters will take place at the time when Jerufalem' and Samaria, or the two houses of Ifrael, return from their captivity: "When I shall bring again their cap❝tivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, "and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, "then will I bring again the captivity of thy (Jeru"falem's) captives in the midft of them. When thy "fifters, Sodom and her daughters, fhall return to "their former eftate, then thou (Jerufalem) and thy “ daughters, shall return to your former estate.” ver. 53-55.

It follows from the above that Jerufalem, Samaria, and Sodom will all return from their long captivity in their defcendants. But Mr. W. fays, "There are "none of their [Sodom's] defcendants remaining

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6. on earth. All were deftroyed by fire and brim"ftone; none of the inhabitants efcaped, Lot and "his daughters excepted, who were only fojourners." And I afk, Is not every man a fojourner only, in whatever country he be fituated? It is very probable that Lot intended to make Sodom his refidence for life. He could not remove his cattle to a more fertile fpot: Gen. xiii. 10. He had refided several years in the city, and fome of his daughters were married and fettled in it. By the deftruction of the country, he loft all his property, and fome of his children; but the captivity of Sodom will be turned in the reftoration of his defcendants. The Moabites and the · Ammonites defcended from the children that Lot had by his daughters: "Thus were the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the first born bare 66 a fon and called his name Moab; the fame is the 6 father of the Moabites. And the younger she also "bare a fon, and called his name Ben-ammi; the fame is the father of the children of Ammon,” Gen. xix. 37, 38. We read of their reftoration in Jer. xlviii. 47.-xlix. 6, "Yet will I bring again "the captivity of Moab in the latter days, faith the "Lord. I will bring again the captivity of the "children of Ammon, faith the Lord."

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I think that the restoration of the land of Canaan and Sodom to their former ftate of fertility, is likewife included in this promife. The fine plain of Sodom was turned into a lake, now called the Dead Sea, when the inhabitants of Sodom were deftroyed. the land of Canaan, which was fo noted for its fruitfulness, is now, by the unanimous teftimony of tra vellers, a mere defert. When God fhall bring again the captivity of Palestine, its fertility will be very great. Amos ix. 13. The land of Sodom was promifed to Abraham for his pofterity. See Gen. xiii. Before Lot feparated from Abraham," he lifted up "his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan that it 66 was well watered every where, before the Lord deftroyed

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deftroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the gar"den of the Lord. And the Lord faid unto Abra"ham, after that Lot was feparated from him, Lift 66 up now thine eyes and look from the place where "thou art, northward, and fouthward, and eastward, "For all the land which thou feeft, to thee will I (6 give it and to thy feed for ever. Arife, walk thro' "the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of "it: for I will give it unto thee." Here we see that the plain of Sodom lay full in view; and fince we cannot doubt of Abraham's obedience to the Divine command, we are warranted in faying, that he took poffeffion of it, by walking over it. But it is certain

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that neither he nor his pofterity have yet enjoyed it : the promise, therefore, remains to be fulfilled.

The promise made to Jerufalem in ver. 61, cannot well be applied to the perfons only; but if we suppofe that the land of Ifrael, with the ten tribes, and the land of Sodom, with the Moabites and Ammonites, will then be united with the land and tribes of Judah and Benjamin, under one government, the capital of which fhall be Jerufalem, the difficulties will vanish. We can easily fee how Jerufalem can receive Sodom and Samaria, and how thefe fifters will then become her daughters. But if it be ftill infifted on, that the promife will only be fulfilled in the reftoration of the ancient inhabitants of these cities to heaven, I hope we fhall be told, how Jerufalem can be faid to receive Sodom and Samaria,-how these fifters can be given to her for daughters,—and how they can all return to their former estate.

Mr. Winchester oppofes the vifion of Ezekiel, ch、 xlvii, to the promise made to Abraham; because it is there faid, that the deadly waters fhall be healed, and that the lake shall produce an abundance of excellent fish. It would be a very eafy talk to shew that the vifion in queftion cannot be literally realized; but it is unneceffary. Mr. W. grants, that many people will be employed in the fishery, and that the M

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fish will be more useful for food to the inhabitants, than all the vegetables that would grow there.* Suppofing this to be the cafe, the captivity of that present ufelefs lake will then be turned: But people will not be employed in fishing upon the lake, and in drying their nets upon its fhores, after the day of judgment. I dare fay that, by this time, the reader will conclude with me, that if the whole cause cannot be built upon a better foundation than this prophecy, it must lie in ruins for ever.

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SECTION XVII.

On the Strength of the Terms which are applied to Future Punishment.

FROM

ROM obferving that the very fame terms are ufually applied to future happiness, which are applied to future mifery, Mr. Whifton gave up eternal falva, tion with eternal punishment. The modern Univerfalifts infift" that there are many ftronger expreffions

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(even in our tranflation) to set forth the well-being "of the righteous, than any that are used as con"nected with the mifery of the wicked."+ This is abfolutely impoffible. The English Language does not contain ftronger expreffions, relative to duration, than eternal, everlasting, for ever and ever; and all these are used to exprefs the duration of the wrath to come. Since, however, it has been repeatedly urged, that the promises are much stronger than the threatenings, I have put down, in the left hand column below, the texts which Mr. Winchester thinks, will fhew us that the felicity of the righteous is pro"mifed in much stronger language than the mifery " of

* Dialogues, p. 181. Vidler's God's Love, p. 35.

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+ Winchester's Dialogues, p. 29. Wright's Examination, p. 9, 10.

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