H SECTION IV. Itherto we have been pleading the Cause of the Jews, but without being injurious to the Christians. For we have not faid any thing (far be it from. us) with any Design to transfer the Reward from our selves to them; but that we might not envy the ancient People their Portion whatever it is at length to be. We believe that the Jews will be restored, having been drawn to that Hope and Expectation by the repeated Oracles of the Prophets. But as to the Circumstances of that future Restauration, I must profess my felf ignorant, nor do I pretend to know by what means it will be brought about. These things God seems in a great measure hitherto to have concealed from us; but we learn from the same Prophecies, that it will be very illustrious, and not brought about without Miracles, or an extraordinary Ministry. Then as to the time, we suppose that their compleat Redemption is not to be expected but at the fecond coming of the Meffiah, and renewal of the World; which I believe we have fufficiently demonftrated already from the Writings of the Prophets. Having laid down these Conclufions we are obliged to answer all those Questions, which those who study much about this matter may possibly raise. But as for those (as I suppose there are many) who deny our general Conclufion, and reject all those Arguments, which we have brought from the Prophets, their Reasons, or Objections must be confidered. First, some affirm that nothing Certain and Con clusive can be drawn from Prophecies before the Event; G : Event; because the prophetic Stile is so lax, ard their Words so doubtful, that they may easily be drawn to favour any preconceived Opinion, according to the Inclination of the Reader. The Prophets feldom use a plain and direct Method of speaking, but wrap up their Oracles for the most Part, in Figures and Allegories, so that there is a large Scope for Conjectures, but little room for the certain understanding of their meaning. Nor are we (say they) only puzzled to find out the certain Signification of their Words, but also of Things, Perfons, Places and Times. Doubts will arife in the Expofition of all these. As to Things themselves, the Prophets often pass indistinctly and abruptly from one Subject to another. Some are referred to the Type, others to the Ante-Type, and this Order is alternately reversed; nor are there proper Diftinctions by which we may know what properly belongs to the one or the other. There is no lefs Ambiguity as to the Perfons, speaking, and answering. God, the Prophet, and the People are often Interlocutors: Friends and Enemies intervene and mix together; nor is it easy to assign every one his proper Turn. Moreover Places and Kingdoms have changed their Names, and the ancient Inhabitants are well nigh perished; being mingled and confounded with other Nations. And lastly, there yet remains a Dispute about the Times, and whether fome Prophecies are to be referred to the paft, present, or future Times. What is more frequent among the Prophets than prepofterous Narrations, and inordinate, with respect to the time? All these Circumstances being weighed they say, that nothing clear and certain can be determined from these Writings, till the Event has confirmed the Prophecy. Since most Places in the Prophets will only admit of a conjectural Interpretation, and and but very few of a certain and demonstrative one. I must confess they do well in exhorting us to act with Modesty and Caution in our Interpretations of the Prophecies, since there are so many Doubts and Obstacles, which render it difficult for us to come at their true meaning. But what must we do in the mean time? Is there no use of Prophecies before the Event? I must own that those Expofitors who defcend too minutely to the par ticular Circumstances of Times and Things, may eafily fall into Error. But that we might avoid this Danger, we have in the first Place taken Care only to infist on Generals, and farther we have not relied on one fingle Place of the Prophets, but produced multitudes; moreover we have compared the Prophets of the Old Testament, with those of the New, that so by their Agreement the Doctrine might appear more evident. We may also add, that we have no where departed from the literal Sense, where the Nature of the Subject would permit us to adhere to it. Now I ask what Rules of Interpretation can we more safely adhere to? Nor can I eafily perfuade my self that the meaning of the Prophets in these Places, according to these Rules, is uncertain and inexplicable. Indeed the Issues and Events of Things more fully explain the Prophecies; but God is often pleased to give us as it were a Compendium of these Things before they come to pass, that thereby we may be the more chearful in the Expectation of future good Things, and more Cautious to avoid impending Evils. By which methods it more evidently and beautifully appears, that the World and human Affairs are governed by Providence, and are not driven about by the uncertain Motions of Chance. Ga The The Prophecies have a Reference to good or evil things which are future: Now unless they are believed (in order to which it is necessary that in some measure they be understood) in the Progress of Things before the Event, they will be for the most Part unprofitable. Certainly Feremiah was willing that the Jews should understand his Prophecies about the Babylonish Captivity, before it actually began: In like manner Daniel, and the rest of the Prophets, designed that their Predictions of the coming of the Meffiah should be understood before his Appearance. The Apostles foretold the coming of Antichrist, together with his Destruction : And they have alfo forewarned us of the Resurrection of the Dead, and the future Judgment. All these we must believe before the Event; and fome Knowledge must necessarily go before our Faith, by way of Foundation. Now this is not to be obtained by any Light of Nature, but is only to be learned from the facred Scriptures. To conclude this Article, we confess that some of the Prophecies are more obscure than others, and they are so much the more difficult to be explained, as we attempt to give a particular Definition of Times and Places. Farther, that which is but once or feldom faid, or related only by one Prophet, is not so easy to be explained, or put beyond all doubt. But as to that which is signified by many Prophets, and oftentimes by the very fame Prophet, we need not be in so much doubt as to the meaning of it. They mutually afford Light to each other, and the Truth of the Argument is confirmed by many Witnesses. The general Conclufion which we have premised is this, That the Jews shall at last be restored. And we have shewn that this Conclufion has been oftentimes predicted by most of the Prophets, and for that Reason I can can never look upon it as an uncertain and dubious Point. It is in the second Place objected, that those future good things which are literally predicted by the Prophets to the Jews, are indeed allegorical, and to be transferred to the Christian Church. I answer, that we envy the Christian Church no Happiness, nor defire to detract from her Felicity; yet we would not exclude others, when they shall acknowledge the same Meffiah; let us rejoice at our Chriftian Privileges, and magnify the extensive Grace of God; but it seems very unreasonable that we should snatch at all those good things which the Prophets have promised, and attribute all the evil Predictions to the Jews. Which is too frequent a Practice among Interpreters. But by what right are the Jews excluded from partaking with us in those Promises which we have received from the Mouth of Jewish Prophets, who were directing their Difcourses to the Jews? Certainly it behoved the Prophets to look after their Affairs in the first Place; and to premonish them of future Events, whether profperous or afflictive. And sometimes their very Words and Phraseology shew some particular Matter, as when they mention the Children of Ifrael by Name, or speak of the Land of Canaan, or their native Country, concerning Jerusalem, or the ten Tribes, about the House of David, or the like. These are not to be wrested to a contrary Sense against the genuine Signification of the Words, and without any just Authority. It is indeed sometimes proper and decent to transfer Words from a common Sense to a mystical one; as often as a literal Interpretation would be attended with some Absurdity, and offer Violence to the Nature of Things. But this is not to be done rashly, and at the Pleasure of the Interpreter to serve |