February, and occasions that year ten tribes, were to be no people, i. being called leap year. By this year have no form of government at all, we still reckon our time; but as it and scarcely any be left in Canaan, includes about 11 minutes too much, extends from the fourth year of this, in 130 years, runs the reckon- Ahaz to the 22d of Manasseh, Isa. ing forward one day, and in our vii. 8. The years of an hireling, dereckoning had run forward the year note exact ones; and it seems, were full 11 days, till this was rectified by three together, Isa. xxi. 16. and xvi. the introduction of the new style 14. In prophetie style, a year sigamong us, as it was in several coun- nifies three hundred and sixty years, tries abroad, by pope Gregory, above and a month 30, a day being put for 200 years ago. The old Persian a year; and so three years and an year began about the beginning of half, and times, time, and half a time, June, and consisted of 365 days, or or 42 months, or 1260 days, denote 12 months. Most of the Mahomet- the twelve hundred and sixty years' ans reckon their year by 12 moons, duration of Antichrist, Rev. xi. 2, or 354 days, 8 hours, 48 minutes, 3. and xii. 6, 14. The five months' 38 seconds, and 12 thirds; and so ravage of the locusts, may denote in about 35 years, the beginning of the period between A. D. 606 and their year runs backward through 756, in which Popery and Mahometall the seasons.—— -Months, in the ism mightily gained ground, Rev. reckoning of all nations, appear to ix. 5, 10. See ANTICHRIst, Gog. have had their rise from the revolu- YEAR also signifies the season or tions of the moon. period in which a thing happens. Ignorance of chronology, and pride The three years of God's patience of antiquity, made the Egyptians, with the barren Jews, may denote Chaldeans, Chinese, Indians, and the time of the ministry of John others, to run up the creation of the Baptist and Christ; and the fourth world, or even the rise of their own may denote the time after Christ's nation, to the distance of a ridicu- resurrection, before the breaking out lous number of years. But the learn- of their ruinous war, Luke xiii. 6— ed now generally acquiesce in, or 10. The year of visitation, is a seanear to, the chronology of bishop son of remarkable calamities, Jer. xi. Usher, according to which, the crea- 23. The year of God's redeemed, tion took place 4004 years before is that season in which he accomour common account from the birth plishes the work of redemption; as, of our Saviour; but it is suspected by the period of our Saviour's debasesome that the common reckoning be- ment, the primitive gospel-period, gins two or three years too late. But and the period of Antichrist's ruin, Dr. Caverhill will have it our Saviour Isa. Ixiii. 4. In allusion to the year was born A. D. 6. The 430 years of of release and jubilee, the time of the Hebrews' sojourning began at sinners' conversion to Christ, or the Abraham's call to leave his native gospel-period, is called the acceptacountry, Gen. xii. 1. Exod. xii. 40, ble year of the Lord, Isa. Ixi. 2. God's 41. The 400 years of the sojourning years are the unbounded duration of of his seed began at the birth of Isaac, his existence, Heb. i. 11. or the peGen. xv. 13. The about 450 years riods of his most noted works, as of mentioned, Acts xiii. 20. may reach bringing Israel out of Egypt, the from the birth of Isaac to the set-incarnation of Christ, &c. Psalm tlement in Canaan; or from that Ixxvii. 10. So man's months are his settlement, reckoning the years of time of life, Job xiv. 5. and he posbondage different from the years of sesseth months of vanity when he is the Judges, to the government of Sa-long under trouble and disappointmuel. The sixty-five years, against ment, Job vii. 3.

the end of which Ephratm or the Whether the Millennium or the

THOUSAND YEARS of Satan's confine- point, but may denote the saints' ment and the saints' reigning with spiritual privileges here, or their eterChrist, denote precisely so many nal glory hereafter; or may relate years, or only a very long time, we to the last judgment, or even could dare not affirm. When this period will quadrate with a happy state of the begin, is not agreed. The opinion of church on earth, without supposing its beginning at Christ's resurrection, the human presence of Christ, the or at the fall of Heathenism in the Ro-death of all the wicked, or the resurman empire, about 4. D. 323, is rection of the martyrs in their bodies. scarcely worth while to notice; nor This resurrection of the saints does can we think, with others, that it be- not necessarily import the revival gan at the reformation from Popery, of the deceased, but the noted renear 200 years ago. The condition formation, deliverance, and comfort, of the church too plainly testifies, of the church, in the successors of that Satan is not yet bound, but goes the martyrs, Rom. xi. 15. Ezek. about seeking whom he may devour, xxxvii. 1-14. Psa. lxxxv. 6. Hos. Rev. xi. 2, 3. Dan. vii. 25-27. and vi. 2, 3. Zech. x. 9. And the death xi. 7, 11, 12. Some think, that dur- of the wicked during the Millennium ing the Millennium, the wicked shall must, in like manner, signify a diall be cut off from the earth, and the minution of their power and authodeceased saints, or at least the mar-rity; and their revival at the end, tyrs, arise from the dead, and reign import a recovery of their power with Christ, who shall descend from and influence. We may add, How heaven, and in his manhood reside can this doctrine of the Millennium, as among them; and that at the end of above hinted, accord with other pasthe thousand years, the wicked besages of scripture? How can it coning raised from their graves, shall sist with the saints' setting their affecattack the saints in war, and think tions on things above, and not on to destroy them. An opinion of this things on the earth; or looking at nature, with some variations, ob- things eternal, not at things temtained not long after the age of the poral? Col. iii. 1. 2 Cor. iv. 18.— apostles, and has been espoused by How could it consist with the saints' a variety of very learned Protestants. happiness, to leave the celestial state, They plead that the martyrs are and return to our earth, not in bosaid to rise from the dead, in the same dies fashioned like unto Christ's glosense that the rest of the dead rise at rious body, but in bodies needing the end of the Millennium; that the meat and drink? Phil. i. 23. and iii. saints shall enjoy new heavens and a 21. If their bodies are raised spinew earth, wherein dwelleth righ-ritual and incorruptible, as it is said, teousness; that God shall bring his 1 Cor. xv. 42, 49. what comfort only begotten Son into the world, and could even these receive from the put all things under his feet; that meat, drink, or clothing, on earth? the meek shall inherit the earth, shall or what folly would it be for Satan sit upon thrones, and receive an hun to gather his troops to cut off incordred fold in this life, and the irra-ruptible and spiritual bodies? Nay, tional creatures be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, and the time of the restitution of all things happen, Rev. xx. 4, 5, 6. 2 Pet. iii. 5-13. Heb. i. 6. and ii. 5. Matt. v. 5. and xix. 27-29. Rom. viii. 18, 20. Acts iii. 20, 21. But it may be replied, That sundry of these texts do not in the least come up to the

who can imagine that the wicked, when raised up to everlasting damnation, shall have leisure to attack the saints? Moreover, the dead in Christ are represented as all rising together; and such as are alive on the earth, will have their hodies changed in a moment, 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. On these, and the like accounts, we cannot believe that the

happiness of the Millennium will and to his law as their rule, 2 Chron. amount to any thing more than a xxx. 8. glorious state of the church, wherein YOKE, an instrument put on the great multitudes of Jews and Gentiles neck of cattle, for drawing ploughs, shall be converted to Christ, and en- waggons, and the like; and the cattle joy much blessed and delightful fel-yoked together in one plough, are lowship with him, and with one ano-called a yoke, 1 Kings xix. 19. The ther. One day is with the Lord as a law of God is a yoke, which galls thousand years, and a thousand years the carnal man, as it binds him to as one day; in proportion to his infi- his duty; but as received in Christ, nite duration, the one is no longer it is an casy yoke, receiving excitethan the other, 2 Pet. iii. 8. ment and strength from Jesus; men

To YELL, to cry as a young lion. with pleasure and comfort obey it; The Assyrians and Chaldeans yelled and it is abundantly easier than the against the Jews; with terrible noise, service of sin, or the bondage of the and avaricious avidity, they ravaged ceremonial law, which is called a the country, and murdered the inha-yoke, or yoke of bondage, as the serbitants, Jer. ii. 15. The Medes and vice required by it was burthensome, Persians, and even the Chaldeans, Matt. xi. 29, 30. Gal. v. i. Bondage made a terrible yelling, and outcry or slavery is called a yoke; in it men of joy or grief, when Babylon was are obliged to suffer and labour in a taken, Jer. li. 38. most debased manner, Lev. xxvi. 13. YEARNING of bowels, imports Isa. ix. 4. and x. 27. and a yoke of the stirring of the most tender pity iron, to express its hard and painful and affection, Gen. xliii. 30. 1 Kings influence, 1 Kings viii. 51. Deut. xxviii. iii. 26. 48. Affliction, whether penal or eorYESTERDAY, (1.) The day be-rective, is called a yoke: it distresses fore, 1 Sam. xx. 27. (2.) Any time men in their persons, circumstances, lately past, Job viii. 7. (3.) All and spirit: and it is the yoke of transtime past. Christ is the same yes-gressions, because inflicted on their terday, to-day, and for ever; he is account, Lam. iii. 27. and i. 14.the same under the old testament, Marriage is called a yoke, as persons and during the gospel and eternal pe- therein joined are bound to serve riod, Heb. xiii. 8. He is the same in God, and assist each other; and the dignity of his person, Micah v. 2. they are unequally yoked, when they Heb. i. 11. Rev. i. 8. in the extent are different as to their religion, or of his power, Heb. i. 10. in the vir- are much so in their tempers and cirtue of his sacrifice, Heb. vii. 27. 1 cumstances, 2 Cor. vi. 14. Paul calls John i. 7. in the tenderness of his his fellow-preachers his truc yoke-felcompassion, Isa. Ixiii. 9. Heb. iv. 25. lows, as they laboured in the same serand in his fidelity to his promise, vice of Christ as he did, Phil. iv. 3. Josh. xxiii. 14. A thousand years YOUNG, that which has lived but are in God's sight as yesterday: he ex- a short time, John xii. 14. The Jews actly knows all past things, and thousands of years hear no proportion to his infinite duration, Psa. xc. 4.

reckoned persons young till married or marriageable, Deut. xxviii. 57. Nay, Joshua is called young at 56 YET, (1.) At that or this time, years of age, as it seems he was then John ii. 4. (2.) Notwithstanding, in the prime of his strength. RehoJames ii. 10. boam is called young and tender at To YIELD, (1.) To produce, Gen. 41, 2 Chr. xiii. 7. Sodom is called the iv. 12. and xlix. 20. (2.) To sur-Jews' younger sister, because the powrender, submit, Prov. vii. 21. Rom. er thereof was far inferior to that of vi. 19. Men yield themselves to the the Jews, Ezek. xvi. 46, 61. YOUTH, Lord, when they receive his unspeak-(1.) Early age, or what is done in it, able gift, submit to his righteousness, Eccl. xi. 9, 10. And hence the first beVOL. II.

4 F

ginnings of nations, as of Israel in the Young persons, Job xxx. 12. Isa. xl. wilderness, and at their entrance into 30. Christ's youth, is either the early Canaan, is called their youth, Jer. ii. period of the Christian church, or of 2. Ezek. xvi. 22. Hos. ii. 15. (2.) his new converts, Psa. cx. 3.

ZAC

Ꮓ

AANAIM, movings, one sleep-temple.

ZAC

In his dying moments, he

ing, a city of the tribe of Naph- told them that the Lord would speedtali, Josh. xix. 33. called Zaanan, ily avenge his death, 2 Chr. xxiv. 20, Mic. i. 11. near Cadesh; and hard by 25. (3.) The son of Jeberechiah, or was a valley of the same name, where Barachiah, who had understanding in Heber the Kenite dwelt, Judg. iv. 11. the visions of God, and encouraged ZACCHEUS, pure, clean, just, Uzziah in his piety, and perhaps withjustified, Whether he was a Gentile, or stood him when he attempted to offer rather a Jew, is not so certain as that incense, 2 Chron. xxvi. 5. He was he was a chief publican. As Jesus one of the faithful witnesses that atpassed through Jericho, going to suf- tested Isaiah's writing concerning fer at Jerusalem, Zaccheus had a Maher-shalal-hash-baz, Isaiah viii. 2. great curiosity to see him; but, being (4.) The son of Barachiah, grandlow of stature, he could not, till he son of iddo, and 11th of the lesser climbed up into a sycamore-tree. prophets. He returned from BabyWhen Jesus came to the spot, he bade lon with Zerubbabel; and while yet him come down hastily, as he intended young, began to prophesy in the to stop at his house. With great joy second year of Darius Hystaspes, Zaccheus came down, and conducted A. M. 3484, about two months after our Saviour to his house. While the Haggai. These two men of God Jews murmured that Jesus was gone mightily encouraged the Jews in their to be the guest of a publican, Zac building of the second temple, Ezra cheus convinced of his sin, express-vi. After Zerubbabel had exhorted ed a firm resolution to give the half the people to repentance, the Lord of his goods to the poor, and, ac-appeared to him as a man on horsecording to the Jewish law, to restore back, in the middle of a plot of myrfour-fold to every body he might tle-trees, in a low place, thereby intihave wronged by false accusation. mating the presence of God with, and Jesus assured him, that salvation was care for his people in their distress; come to his house, Luke xix. 1-10. and hinted to him, that Jerusalem

ZACHARIAH, ZACHARIAS, ZE- should be rebuilt. By the vision of CHARIAH, mindful of the Lord, or four horns frayed away by four carman of the Lord, (1.) The son of penters, was intimated, that, God Jeroboam II. and the 4th descendant would raise up Jewish governors, of Jehu. Probably his father left him that should resist and harass the Aman infant. It was about 23, or as some monites, Moabites, Samaritans, and think, no more than 11 years after, Philistines, the enemies of Judah, that he ascended the throne, and hav Zech. i. By thė visionary measuring ing reigned 6 months, was murdered of Jerusalem, it was hinted, that it by Shallum, the son of Jabesh, A. M. should be rebuilt; and the prophet 3232, 2 Kings xv. 8-11. (2.) The son was informed, that its inhabitants. of Jehoiada, the chief priest, who is should be very numerous, and the probably also called Azariah. Hav- Lord should marvellously protect ing reproved king JoASH, his cousin, them, chap ii. By the vision of Jofor his idolatry and wickedness, that shua the high priest's preservation ungrateful wretch ordered him to be from Satan, and the change of his filstoned to death in the court of the thy robes for fine apparel, and he and

his fellow-priests being crowned with state; and the conversion of the Gengold, was hinted, the safety and glo- tiles to Christ in the apostolic and ry of the priests under the second millennial periods, chap. ix-xiv. (5.) temple. By the vision of the stone ZECHARIAS; an ordinary priest of the with seven eyes on it, was hinted, that course of Abia. He and his wife Elizathe temple should, under the care of beth were eminently righteous and divine providence, be finished, and blameless; but she had been long barChrist come in his season, chap. iii. ren. About 15 months before our SaBy the vision of a candlestick with se- viour's birth,as Zecharias was burning ven branches, placed between two olive- incense in the temple, the angel Ga trees, that issued oil out of themselves, briel appeared to him, and assured him might be signified the comfort of the that his wife should bear him a son, Jews by means of Zerubbabel and Jo- who should be called John, and be the shua, and the comfort of the church successful harbinger of the Messiah. by Christ and his Spirit, ch. iv. By a As the priest refused to credit the meslarge flying roll, written all over with sage, the angel told him that his being curses, was intimated the speedy and smitten dumb till the event should veextensive vengeance of God against rify the prediction. When he came false swearers and thieves. The vi- out of the temple, he could not speak, sionary ephah, filled with a woman but made signs to the people, who called Wickedness, and shut in with a were praying in the court, that he had heavy covering of lead, and carried seen a vision. When his turn of miby two winged women into the land nistration was finished,he went home: of Shinar, imported the speedy and his wife, after about nine months, was terrible vengeance taken on Babylon happily delivered of a son. Contrary about four years after, by the Medes to the remonstrances of their friends, and Persians, or the terrible ruin and Elizabeth insisted the child should be dispersion of the Jews about 40 years named John: Zecharias being conafter our Saviour's ascension, ch. v. sulted by signs, wrote that he should By four chariots proceeding from be- be so called. Hereupon he recovered tween brazen mountains, and travers- the use of his speech, and uttered a ing the earth, was signified the fate of hymn of praise to God, for the donathe Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, and tion of the Messiah, whose birth was Roman empires, and the fate of mi-at hand; and, turning himself to his nisters in the various periods of the child, foretold that he should, by his gospel-church. By an order to make instructions, prepare the nation to crowns of silver and gold for Joshua, receive the Messiah, Luke i. and for Heldai or Helem, Tobijah, Je- Who that ZECHARIAS, the son of daiah, and Hen, was hinted the glory Barachias, who was slain between of the Jewish priesthood, and that of the porch of the temple and the alChrist as the builder of his church, tar; whether he was the son of Jechap. vi. After directing the Jews hoiada, whose name has much the concerning fasting, and inculcating same signification as Barachias, i. e. a variety of moral duties, he foretels the knowledge of the Lord, or who their happiness, and the vast number blesses the Lord; or the son of Jebeof their proselytes and favourites, rechiah, whom perhaps Ahaz murchap. vii. viii. He then predicts the dered between the porch and the aldestructive wars of Syria, Phenicia, tar, for opposing his idolatrous worand the country of the Philistines; ship; or the prophet above-mentionthe preservation of the Jews under ed, who it is thought, was murdered their Egypto-Grecian and Syro-Gre-in that place; or the father of the cian oppressors; the birth and inju- Baptist, who might have shared the rious abuse of the Messiah; the pub- same fate, about the time when his lication and success of the gospel; son was a public preacher; or if it the ruin of the Jewish church and was one Zecharias the son of Baruch,