Magog; a Northern Power coming with horses and horfemen. He is to come up against Ifrael in the latter days, and he is to fall upon the Mountains of Ifrael; there the Judgments of God are predicted to overtake him. These are to be the laft enemies of the Jewish Church, and is a Prophefy of Ezekiel's, which yet remains to be fulfilled. The Mogul Tartars are ftill called by the name of Gog; and the Turks, originally Natives of Tartary, are supposed to be here meant. The Land of Canaan has long been in the poffeffion of the Turks, and the Power and Strength of Europe has been as yet employed in vain to rescue it out of their hands. In what manner this Glorious Prophefy is to receive its completion, time only can explain; as after these promised Victories, the Prophet foretells a distant and final return of the Jews (in thefe latter days) from their wide difperfion, and a diffipation of the fad gloom overfhadowing them. God has referved that work for himself, when that once happy Country shall be again the Scene of some future display of the Majesty, the Power, and the Providence of God. The lively genius of Ezekiel, fprightly and fertile, abounding with numerous and very fanciful images, exhibits much wife Instruction, very awful awful Threats, and the keenest Reproof, under the varying Types and Emblems of a Seige, a Hair, a Chain, Coals of Fire, the Eagle and Vine, Lions Whelps, a boiling Pot, and dry Bones. The Prophet feems to have executed his high Commiffion with great fidelity, and has merited a very juft Encomium from an Apocryphal Writer, by his earnest endeavours to inftruct and amend his Countrymen. The encouragement he offers them is fo wifely adapted to a State of Punishment, and always ambitioufly aiming to keep alive a watchful and fubmiffive Reliance on God. The Prophet's Stile is unequalled in Force, Impetuofity, Weight and Grandeur. Such tremendous and very ftriking Addreffes to his Brethren, now Captives in Babylon, could not fail to excite their attention, awake and roufe them from their lethargy, dejection, and defpair. The Language is bold, vehement, lofty and magnificent, a Stile of Majefty peculiar to the Eaft; and Ezekiel, for his great freedom, his boldness, and the liberties he took with his Countrymen, was by them privately put to death. The Prophet's Remains were placed in a Sepulchre, in the Land of Maur, between the two Rivers Euphrates and Chabar, X x 2 Chabar. The Prophet's Tomb was frequented and noticed with a fuperftitious Devotion; and fome pious Jews are faid to have kept a lamp always burning in it. Near this famous Sepulchre, a Synagogue and Library were erected; and in the latter was faid to have been depofited the original manufcript Writing of his Prophefies; and it was always ceremoniously brought out and publicly read before all the People on the Day of Expiation. To fupprefs the murmurs and ingratitude of his fellow-captives, the Prophet encourages them to refignation, by promifes of Deliverance; and towards the clofe of his Book, reveals to them many Prophefies, affuring them of the certainty of their Return, and of the re-eftablishment of their City and Temple. Ezekiel's Defcription of this new Building. is a Myftical and Emblematical Reprefentation, and its fervice altogether Jewish. The Hebrews confidered their Temple as the high Honour, Glory, and Safeguard of their Nation, the Defire of their Eyes, and Dwellingplace of their Strength. When the Prophet foretold, and fo magnificently difplayed this new Temple, his Countrymen ftood in great need of Comfort, Information, and Promifes: They would not probably have been defirous of returning home, where the former Temple lay in ruins, had had they not been spirited up and encouraged by the promises of a New One, as well as a Reftoration of the Common Wealth. The Temple of their God, they looked upon as a Pledge of his Prefence, his Dwelling among his People; and the last Words and Conclufion of the Prophet's Book, is a very apt and glorious A FTER a clofe, long-protracted, and harraffing fiege, which had at length occafioned a Famine and a Peftilence, the Walls of Jerufalem and its ftrong Holds were forced, a breach was made by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, and an entrance wide enough for his chariots and his army. The Conqueror levelled with the ground, and burnt to afhes, its Royal Palaces, the Temple itself, the moft magnificent Edi fice |