Page images
PDF
EPUB

I think there are other Places befides, which bear witness to the fame Truth in a secondary manner, as Types, Preludes, &c. For I verily believe that in the prophetic Style we often meet with a double meaning, which we may call direct and reflex. Now we have already confidered the Force of the primary Significations of the Prophecies; leaving the others to be weighed by every Reader, according to his own Judgment. For we defire not to have the Minds of any prejudiced as to either by the Opinions or Arguments of others. What you would not have done to your self, never do to another. This is the Golden Rule, which we Christians are upon every Occafion obliged to follow.

H

SECTION. III.

Itherto we have taken

a View of the prophe

tic Writings, as they lie in order, and observed those particular Promises and Prophecies, which concern the future Restauration of the Jews. And this has been the method of our first Argument. But it will be proper to gather these difpersed Discourses together, and bind them as it were in Sheaves, or range them under their proper Heads or Classes, putting those of a like Nature together; that so those Places of the Prophets which are of the same kind and Virtue being collected in one Place, may display their Strength to more Advan tage.

Some Places of the Prophets (to begin here) speak of the future Restauration of the Jews under Mesfiab the King. Others do not so precisely express the Time, but. join it in the same Discourse with the Prediction of the Meffiah; and lastly, other Places and Prophecies give us such famous Marks and Characteristics of that Restauration, as cannot be adapted to any Restauration that is yet past; and therefore fince the Prophets neither could deceive, nor be deceived, they must be referred to some future time.

Those Prophecies belong to the first Head which place this Restauration under David the King. Such are the following ones in Jeremiah, (c. xxx. 9. and xxxiii. 15, 16. compared with c. xxiii. 5, 6.) Ezekiel, (c. xxxiv. 23, 24, 25, &c. and c. xxxvii. 24, 25, to the End) Hofea, (c. iii. 5.) and Pfalms (Pf. lxxx. 20, &c.)

As to the second Order, there are abundance of Passages in the Prophets which jointly foretel the Peace and Restauration of the Jews in the fame Discourse with those Oracles that declare the coming of the Meffiah. These often meet together in Ifaiah, (Chapters ii. iv. xi. xxxii. xxxiv. xlix. lx. and lxiii.) and Jeremiah; (c. xxiii. 5, 6, &c.) as also in Hofea, (c. iii. 11.) Amos, (c. ix. II.) Micha, (c. iv.) Zachariah. (c. ii. 10.) In a Word all those Scriptures which fall under the first Head prove fortiori, that the Restauration of Ifrael and the times of the Meffiah are not to be disjoined.

It is evident that the Jews understood these Prophecies concerning their future Profperity, to refer to the Days of the Meffiah; and therefore they did not receive Jesus of Nazareth for the Meffiah, because he brought neither Peace nor Dominion to the Jews, nor other good things internal or external, which they expected at the coming of the Meffiah. Nor should I have blamed their Conduct in this, had they not confounded the first and second coming of the Meffiah. For Ifaiah styles the the Meffiah, Prince of Peace (c. ix. 6, 7.) and his Kingdom is every where by the Prophets foretold to be pacific. But they too much neglected the Words of St. Peter, who promised Times of Refresbment and Restitution to the Jews and other pious Persons, but not till Christ should rerurn from Heaven, (Acts iii. 19, 20, 21.)

We proceed to the third Class, and those Prophecies which make the Restauration of Ifrael famous by such Characters as will agree with no other Times but those of the Meffiah. Now these Marks are of a threefold Order, Moral, Political, and Natural. Sometimes all these are joined in the fame Prophecy, and at other times are proposed separately; I call those Moral or Divine, which relate to Justice and Holiness, Repentance and Conversion to God, and the Effusion of the Holy Ghost, and other spiritual Gifts, about which you may consult the following Places in Ifaiah, (c. xxxii. 16, 17. lx. 17. lxi. 10, 11.) Hofea, (c. ii 19.) Foel, (c. iii. 17.) Ezekiel, (c. xxxix. 29.) Zachariah, (c. xii. 10.)

I call those Political which have a regard to Peace and an established Condition; without the Noise or Tumults of War. Also such Blessings as perfect Liberty without being subject to any foreign Dominion, or fuffering Captivity, Exiles, or any other Yoke of the Heathen; and lastly, a perfect Security at home and abroad, their Swords being beaten into Plough-sheers, and their Spears into Pruning-hooks.

This is the most noted and common Character of the Restauration which we meet with in Ifaiah. See also Ezekiel, (c. xxxiv. 25, 26, &c.) Hosea, (c. ii. 18.) Zachariah. (c. ix. 10.)

Lastly, among those Characters, which I call Natural, I reckon the new Heavens, and the new Earth. The long Lives of the Inhabitants, the Luxury, or spontaneous Fruitfulness of the Earth, the Harmlefsness of all Beasts, &c. we have taken Notice of these Places already in our Survey of the fixty fifth Chapter of Ifaiah, which the Reader may confult if he pleases.

These are the Characters and diftinguishing Ornaments of the restored State of Ifrael, and they are often connected with the times of the Meffiah. If you say they were past before those Days, tell in what Reign or Age this joyful State of Ifrael took place. Confult Histories, as well facred as prophane, you will find nothing like this, excepting the primitive Times of Paradise. And then it is evident that the Jews have been in a very melancholy Condition from the first coming of the Meffiah unto this Day; so far have they been from obtaining this flourishing Fortune. So that all our Hope depends on the second coming of Christ, thither we flee, to this we are driven, that so the truth of the Prophecies may be maintained, and the Honour of the Redeemer established.

Altho' I think it sufficiently appears by these Characters, that these Promises about the Reftitution of the Jews, are not as yet fulfilled, there yet remains onenoble Character, which is usually joined by the Prophets with the same Promises; I mean that manifest glorious and majestic Presence of God, which the Chaldeans and Hebrews stile the Schechinah. We have often made this Observation from the Chaldee Paraphraft, in our Survey of the Prophets; who wrote his Exposition before the Birth of Christ, and therefore we esteem him the more, as being free from Prejudices. But the thing speaks for itself, and the very Words of the Prophet make it evident enough; for since God says that he will dwell in the midst of them, and place his Tabernacle theres

there; that he will be a Cloud to them by Day, and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night. These and such like Expressions, are evident Tokens and Descriptions of the Schechinah, fuch as was in the Defart, in the Tabernacle, or Temple. (See Isaiah iv. 5. xii. 6. and lx. 2,---13. Ezek. xxvii. 27, 28. and Rev. xxi. 2, 3.) Thus much with reference to the Characters that belong to this Class. Let us pass to Promises of another kind; fuch are those which promise a Union of all the Tribes of Judah and of Ifrael, in the great Day of Restitution. This Ezekiel exprefly foretold, and as the manner of the Jews was, represented it by an external Sign. (c. xxxvii. 15, &c. to the End of the Chapter) Also other Prophets join the Union of the Tribes with this Restauration. (See Ifaiah xi. 13. Jer. xxxiii. 7. Hofea i. 11. Zach. x. 6, 7.) These Prophecies, as you will fee, comprehend the twelve Tribes; but yet not all the People promifcuously, but a felect Body; the wicked being excluded, (Rev. 7.) the Promise is restrained to the true Ifraelites. Now we have in our Confideration of the abovementioned Places, shewed that this general Restauration and Redemption has not as yet happened to the Jews, either in their Deliverance from the Babylonish Captivity, or any other following. If any doubt it they may revise what we have there written.

Thus much as to the Note of Universality. The Perpetuity of the fame Restauration follows, namely a lasting and endless Freedom, so that the Children of Ifrael shall no more be obnoxious to public Banishments, or Slaughters, but enjoy quiet Habitations in the promised Land, and their ancient Coun

try. The Prophets

foretel this again, and again,

(See Ifaiah Ix. 15.

lxvi. 22. Jer. xxx. 8, 9.

xxxi. 3, 25, 40.

Ezek. xxxix. 27, 28, 29.

Hofea

« PreviousContinue »