An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in…

It was certainly thus with Regard to the Prophecies of the Destruction of old Babylon, and the Church's Deliverance from Captivity and Oppression by that City and Kingdom; which is abundantly alluded to in these Prophecies of the Revelation, as a noted Type of the Oppression of the Church of Christ by the Church of ⟨p. 147⟩Rome, calling the Latter so often by the Name of Babylon, and the Church of Christ Jerusalem. The Captivity of the Jews by the Babylonians was not perfected at once, but was brought on by several notable Steps. So neither was the Restoration of the Jewish Church, after the Captivity, perfected at once. It was several Times foretold, that the Duration of the Captivity should be 70 Years; and also, that after 70 Years were accomplished, God would destroy Babylon; Jer. xxv.11, 12, &c—. But this Period had manifestly several different Beginnings, and several Endings. Thus from Jehoikim's Captivity to Cyrus's Decree, for the Return of the Jews, and the Re-building of Jerusalem, was 70 Years. And from Zedekiah's Captivity to Darius's Decree (Ezra vi.) 70 Years. And from the last carrying away of all, Jer. lii.30. to the finishing and dedication of the Temple, was also 70 Years. So also the Prophecies of Babylon's Destruction were fulfilled by several Steps. These Prophecies seem to have a principal Respect to that Destruction that was accomplished by Cyrus, at the End of the first 70 Years forementioned: But there were other Things in the very same Prophecies, that were not fulfilled 'till the 4th Year of Darius; when what remained of Babylon was subject to another dreadful Destruction; which in a great Measure completed it's Desolation; which was at the End of the second 70 Years, and at the same Time that the Restoration of the Jews was perfected by the Decree of Darius. ^*But yet, there were many other Things contained ⟨p. 148⟩in the same Prophecies of Babylon's Destruction, rendering it thenceforward perfectly and perpetually desolate, and the Haunt of Serpents and wild Beasts, that were not fulfilled 'till more than 200 Years after, in the Time of Seleucus King of Syria.