Scriptore. Daniel Character So full an account of Daniel and his writings has been already given under the article DANIEL, that little remains to be faid on that fubject. Daniel flourished during the fucceffive reigns of feveral Babylonith and Median kings to the conqueft of Babylon by Cyrus. The events recorded in the 6th chapter were contemporary with Darius the Mede; but in the 7th and 8th chapters Daniel returns to an earlier period, to relate the vifions which he beheld in the three first years of Belfhazzar's reign; and those which follow in the four last chapters were revealed to him in the reign of Darius. The lait fix chapters are compofed of prophecies delivered at different times; all of which are in fome degree connected as parts of one great fcheme. They extend through many ages, and furnish the moft ftriking defcription of the fall of fucceffive kingdoms, which were to be introductory to the establishment of the Meffiah's reign. They characterrize in defcriptive terms the four great monarchies of the world to be fucceeded by "that kingdom which should not be destroyed." 63 The whole book of Daniel being no more than a cf his pro- plain relation of facts, partly paft and partly future, phe.ies. must be excluded the clafs of poetical prophecy. Much indeed of the parabolic imagery is introduced in that book; but the author introduces it as a prophet only; as vifionary and allegorical fymbols of objects and events, totally untinctured with the true poetical colouring. The Jews, indeed, would refufe to Daniel even the character of a prophet: but the arguments under which they fhelter this opinion are very futile; for those points which they maintain concerning the conditions on which the gift of prophecy is imparted, the different gradations, and the difcrimination between the true prophecy and mere infpiration, are all trifling and abf. d, without any foundation in the nature of things, and totally deititute of fcriptural authority. They add, that Daniel was neither originally educated in the propetic difcipline and precepts, nor afterwards lived conformably to the manner of the prophets. It is not, however, easy to comprehend how this can diminish his claim to a divine miffion and inspiration; it may poffibly enable us, indeed, to affign a reafon for the diffimilarity between the ftyle of Daniel and that of the other prophets, and for its poffeffing fo little of the diction and character of poetry, which the reft seem to have imbibed in common from the fchools and discipline in which they were educated. 64 Ther au The prophecies of Daniel appear fo plain and intelthenticity. ligible after their accomplishment, that Porphyry, who wrote in the 3d century, affims, that they were written after the events to which they refer took place. A little reflection will fhow the abfurdity of this fuppotion. Some of the prophecies of Daniel clearly refer to Antiochus Epiphanes, with whofe oppreffions the Jews were too well acquainted. Had the book of Daniel not made its appearance till after the death of Epiphanes, every Jew who read it must have discovered the forgery. And what motive could induce them to receive it among their facred books? It is impoffible to conceive one. Their character was quite the reverfe: their refpect for the Scripture had degenerated into fuperftition. But we are not left to determine this important point from the character of the Jews; we have access to more decifive evidence; we are fure that the book of Daniel contains prophecies, for fome of them have been accom plifhed fince the time of Porphyry; particularly thofe Scripture. refpecting Antichrift: now, if it contains any prophecies, who will take upon him to affirm that the divine Spirit, which dictated thefe many centuries before they were fulfilled, could not alfo have delivered prophecies concerning Antiochus Epiphanes ? The language in which the book of Daniel is compofed proves that it was written about the time of the Babylonith captivity. Part of it is pure Hebrew: a language in which none of the Jewith books were compofed after the age of Epiphanes. Thefe are arguments to a dei. To a Chriftian the internal marks of the book itfelf will fhow the time in which it was written, and the tellimony of Ezekiel will prove Daniel to be at least his his contemporary*. * Ezek. xiv. 14. xxviii. 3. 65 The twelve minor prophets were fo called, not from Twelve any fuppofed inferiority in their writings, but on ac- minor procount of the final fize of their works. Perhaps it was phets. for this reafon that the Jews joined them together, and confidered them as one volume. Thefe 12 prophets prefented in fcattered hints a lively sketch of many parti culars relative to the hiftory of Judah and of Ifrael, as Gray's Key well as of other kingdoms; they prophefy with hiftori- to the Old cal exactnefs the fate of Babylon, of Nineveh, of Tyre, Teftament: of Sidon, and of Damafcus. The three laft prophets especially illuftrate many circumftances at a period when the hiftorical piges of Scripture are clofed, and when profane writers are entirely wanting. At first the Jewish prophets appeared only as fingle lights, and followed each other in individual fucceffion; but they became more numerous about the time of the captivity. The light of infpiration was collected into one blaze, previous to its fufpenfion; and it ferved to keep alive the expectations of the Jews during the awful interval which prevailed between the expiration of prophecy and its grand completion on the advent of Christ. 66 of Hofea. Hofea has been fuppofed the moft ancient of the 12 Prophecies minor prophets. He flourished in the reign of Jeroboam II. king of Ifrael, and during the fucceffive reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. He was therefore nearly contemporary with Ifaiah, Amos, and Jonah. The prophecies of Hofea being fcattered through the book without date or connection, cannot with any certainty be chronologically arranged. 67 Hofea is the first in order of the minor prophets, and Character is perhaps, Jonah excepted, the most ancient of them of their style. all. His flyle exhibits the appearance of very remote antiquity; it is pointed, energetic, and concife. It bears a diftinguished mark of poetical compofition, in that priftine brevity and condenfation which is obfervable in the fentences, and which later writers have in fome measure neglected. This peculiarity has not efcaped the obfervation of Jerome: "He is altogether (fays he, fpeaking of this prophet) laconic and fententious." But this very circumftance, which anciently was fuppofed no doubt to impart uncommon force and elegance, in the prefent ruinous ftate of the Hebrew literature is productive of fo much obfcurity, that although the general fubject of this writer be fufficiently obvious, he is the moft difficult and perplexed of all the prophets. There is, however, another reafon for the obfcurity of his ftyle: Hofea prophefied during the reigns of the four kings of Judah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekial. The duration of his miniftry, therefore, in whatA 2 ever Sculpture ever manner we calculate, must include a very confiderable space of time. We have now only a fmall volume of his remaining, which feems to contain his principal prophecies; and thefe are extant in a continued feries, with no marks of diftinétion as to the times in which they were published, or the fubjects of which they treat. There is, therefore, no caufe to wonder if, in perufing the prophecies of Hofea, we fometimes find ourfelves in a fimilar predicament with thofe who confulted the fcattered leaves of the Sibyl. 63 Prophecies of Juel. As a fpecimen of Hofea's ftyle, we felect the following beautiful pathetic paffage : How fhall I refign thee, O Ephraim ! I am warmed alfo with repentance towards thee. For I am God, and not man; Holy in the midft of thee, though I inhabit not thy cities. Concerning the date of the prophecy of Joel there are various conjectures. The book itself affords nothing by which we can discover when the author lived, or upon what occafion it was written. Joel fpeaks of a great famine, and of mifchiefs that happened in confequence of an inundation of locufts; but nothing can be gathered from fuch general obfervations to enable us to fix the period of his prophecy. St Jerome thinks (and it is the general opinion) that Jael was contemporary with Hofea. This is poffibly true; but the foundation on which the opinion refts is very precarious, viz. That when there is no proof of the time in which a prophet lived, we are to be guided in our conjectures refpecting it by that of the preceding prophet whose epoch is better known. As this rule is not infallible, it therefore ought not to hinder us from adopting any other opinion that comes recommended by good reafons. Father Calmet places him under the reign of Jofiah, at the fame time with Jeremiah, and thinks it probable that the famine to which Joel alludes, is the fame with that which Jeremiah predicted, ch. viii. 13. The style of Joel is effentially different from that of Hofea; but the general character of his diction, though of a different kind, is not lefs poetical. He is elegant, perfpicuous, copious, and fluent; he is alfo fublime, animated, and energetic. In the first and fecond chapters he difplays the full force of the prophetic poetry, and on Hebrew shows how naturally it inclines to the ufe of metaphors allegories, and comparifons. Nor is the connection of the matter lefs clear and evident than the complexion of the ftyle: this is exemplified in the difplay of the impending evils which gave rife to the prophecy, the exhortation to repentance; the promises of happiness and fuccefs both terreftrial and eternal to those who become truly penitent; the restoration of the Ifraelites; and the vengeance to be taken of their adverfaries. But while we allow this just commendation to his perspicuity both in language and arrangement, we must not deny that there is fometimes great obfcurity obfervable in his fubject, and particularly in the latter part of the prophecy. 69 Character of their ftyle. Lowth Poetry, Sect. 21. * Joel i. 6. 7, 10, &c. 70 Amos was contemporary with Hofea. They both Prophecies began to prophecy during the reigns of Uzziah over of Amos Judah, and of Jeroboam II. over Ifrael. Amos faw his firft vifion two years before the earthquake, which Zechariah informs us happened in the days of Uzziah. See AMOS. Amos was a herdíman of Tekoa, a fmall town in the territory of Judah, and a gatherer of fycamore fruit. In the fimplicity of former times, and in the happy climates of the Eaft, thefe were not confidered as difhonourable occupations. He was no prophet (as he informed Amaziah +), neither was he a prophet's fon. + Amos vï.. that is, he had no regular education in the schools of 14. the prophets. The prophecies of Amos confift of feveral diftinct difcourfes, which chiefly refpect the kingdom of Ifrael; yet fometimes the propket inveighs againft Judah, and threatens the adjacent nations, the Syrians, Philistines, Tyrians, Edomites, Ammonites, and Moabites. 66 7፤ Their ftyle. 6. Jerome calls Amos "rude in fpeech, but not in knowledge ;" applying to him what St Paul modeftly Proem. profeffes of himself §. Many (fays Dr Lowth) have Comment. followed the authority of Jerome in fpeaking of this in Amos. prophet, as if he were indeed quite rude, ineloquent, § 2 Cor. xi. and deftitute of all the embellishments of compofition. The matter is, however, far otherwise. Let any perfon who has candour and perfpicacity enough to judge, not from the man but from his writings, open the volume of his predictions, and he will, I think, agree with me, that our fhepherd is not a whit behind the very chief of the prophets .' He will agree, that as in fublimity || 2 Cor. xi. and magnificence he is almoft equal to the greateft, fo in fplendour of diction and elegance of expreffion he is fcarcely inferior to any. The fame celeftial Spirit indeed actuated Ifaiah and Daniel in the court and Amos in the sheep-folds; constantly selecting fuch interpreters of the divine will as were beft adapted to the occafion, and fometimes from the mouth of babes and fucklings perfecting praise :' occafionally employing the natural eloquence of fome, and occafionally making others eloquent." Mr Locke has obferved, that the comparisons of this prophet are chiefly drawn from lions and other animals with which he was moft accustomed; but the finest images and allufions are drawn from scenes of nature. There are many beautiful paffages in the writings of Amos, of which we shall present one specimen : Wo to them that are at ease in Zion, And truft in the mountains of Samaria; Who are named chief of the nations, To whom the house of Ifrael came : Pafs ye unto Calneh and fee, And from thence go to Hamath the Great ; Then Scripture. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines; And caufe the feat of violence to come near; And ftretch yourfelves upon couches; And the calves out of the midst of the ftall; And like David devise instruments of mufic 73 Of Jonah. The writings of Obadiah, which confift of one chapter, are compofed with much beauty, and unfold a very interesting scene of prophecy. Of this prophet little can be faid, as the fpecimen of his genius is fo fhort, and the greater part of it included in one of the phecies of Jeremiah. Compare Ob. 1-9. with Jer. xlix. 14, 15, 16. See OBADIAH. pro Though Jonah be placed the fixth in the order of the minor prophets both in the Hebrew and Septuagint, he is generally confidered as the most ancient of all the prophets, not excepting Hofea. He lived in the kingdom of Ifrael, and prophefied to the ten tribes under the reign of Joafh and Jeroboam. The book of Jonah is chiefly hiftorical, and contains nothing of poetry but the prayer of the prophet. The facred writers, and our Lord himfelf, fpeak of Jonah as a prophet 2 Kings of confiderable eminence *. See JONAH. xiv. 25. 39. 41. xvi. Micah began to prophefy foon after Ifaiah, Hofea, Matth. xii. Joel, and Amos; and he prophefied between A. M. 3246, when Jotham began to reign, and A. M. 3305, Luke xi. 29. when Hezekiah died. One of his predictions is laid 74 to have faved the life of Jeremiah, who under the reign Of Micab. of Jehoiakim would have been put to death for prophefying the deftruction of the temple, had it not appeared that Micah had foretold the fame thing under Hezekiah above 100 years before . Micah is mentioned as a prophet in the book of Jeremiah and in the New Teftament. He is imitated by fucceeding prophets (N), as he himself had borrowed expreffions from his predeceffors (0). Our Saviour himself spoke in the language of this prophet (P). + Jer. xxv. 15-24‡ of. Ant. 1b.& c. 7. Micah iii. 12. M.tt. ii. c. John vii. 42 75 His style. The ftyle of Micah is for the most part clofe, forcible, pointed, and concife; fometimes approaching the obfcurity of Hofea; in many parts animated and fublime; and in general truly poetical. In his prophecies there is an elegant poem, which Dr Lowth thinks is a citation from the anfwer of Balaam to the king of the Moabites: Wherewith fhall I come before Jehovah ? Wherewith fhall I bow myself unto the High God? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams? 76 Jofephus afferts, that Nahum lived in the time of Jo- Of Nahum tham king of Judah; in which cafe he may be fuppofed to have prophefied against Nineveh when Tiglath-Pilefer king of Affyria carried captive the natives of Galilee and other parts about A. M. 3264. It is, however, probable, that his prophecies were delivered in the reign of Hezekiah; for he appears to speak of the taking of No-Ammon a city of Egypt, and of the infolent meffengers of Sennacherib, as of things paft; and he likewife describes the people of Judah as ftill in their own country, and defirous of celebrating their fefti vals. While Jerufalem was threatened by Sennacherib, Nahum promifed deliverance to Hezekiah, and predicted that Judah would foon celebrate her folemn feasts secure from invafion, as her enemy would no more disturb her peace. In the fecond and third chapters Nahum foretels the downfal of the Affyrian empire and the final deftruction of Nineveh, which was probably accomplishforces overpowered the Affyrians by surprise "while ed by the Medes and Babylonians, whofe combined they were folden together as thorns, and while they were drunken as drunkards," when the gates of the river were opened, the palace demolished, and an "overtion; who took an endless ftore of spoil of gold and running flood" affifted the conquerors in their devaftafilver, making an utter end of the place of Nineveh, of high, and fo broad that three chariots could pass abreast. that valt and populous city, whofe walls were 100 feet Yet fo completely was this celebrated city destroyed, that even in the 2d century the spot on which it flood could not be afcertained, every veftige of it being gone. It is impoffible to read of the exact accomplishment the Jews, without reflecting on the aftonishing proofs of the prophetic denunciations against the enemies of which that nation enjoyed of the divine origin of their religion. From the Babylonifh captivity to the time of Chrift they had numberless inftances of the fulfilment of their prophecies. The character of Nahum as a writer is thus defcribed by Dr Lowth: "None of the minor prophets feem to equal Nahum in boldness, ardour, and fublimity. His prophecy, too, forms a regular and perfect poem; the exordium is not merely magnificent, it is truly majeftic; the preparation for the deftruction of Nineveh, and ther defcription of its downfal and defolation, are expressed in the most vivid colours, and are bold and luminous in the highest degree." 77 As the prophet Habakkuk makes no mention of the Of HabakAffyrians, and speaks of the Chaldean invasions as near kuk. at hand, he probably lived after the deftruction of the Affyrian (N) Compare Zephan. iii. 19. with Micah. iv. 7. and (0) Compare Micah. iv. 1-3. and Isaiah ii. 2-4. (P) Compare Micah viii. 6. with Matt. x. 35, 36. Ezek. xxii. 27. with Micah iii. 11. Micah iv. 13. with Isaiah xli. 15. Heb. x. 37, 38. Rom. i. 17. Gal. i. 2. 44. con with God came from Teman, And the Holy One from Mount Paran : His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of his praife. His brightnefs was as the light; And burning coals went forth at his feet. He beheld and drove afunder the nations; The prophet illuftrates this fubject throughout with equal fublimity; felecting from fuch an affemblage of miraculous incidents the most noble and important, dif playing them in the moft fplendid colours, and embellishing them with the fublimeft imagery, figures, and diction; the dignity of which is fo heightened and recommended by the fuperior elegance of the conclufion, that were it not for a few fhades which the hand of time has apparently caft over it in two or three paffages, no compofition of the kind would appear more elegant or more perfect than this poem. Habakkuk is imitated by fucceeding prophets, and his words are borrowed by the evangelical writers | Zephaniah, who was contemporary with Jeremiah, Actii. prophefied in the reign of Jofiah king of Judah; and from the idolatry which he defcribes as prevailing at that time, it is probable that his prophecies were delivered before the laft reformation made by that pious Prophecies prince A. M. 3381. of Zepha pare Hab. i. 5. 78 niah. The account which Zephaniah and Jeremiah give of the idolatries of their age is fo fimilar, that St Ifiodore afferts, that Zephaniah abridged the defcriptions of Jeremiah. But it is more probable that the prophecies of Zephaniah were written fome years before thofe of his contemporary; for Jeremiah feems to reprefent the abufes as partly removed which Zephaniah defcribes as flagrant and exceffive (2). In the first chapter Zephaniah denounces the wrath of God against the idolaters who worshipped Baal and the host of heaven, and against the violent and deceitful. In the fecond chapter the prophet threatens deftruction to the Philistines, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and Ethiopians; and defcribes the fate of Nineveh in emphatic terms: "Flocks fhall lie down in the midft of her; all the beafts of the nations, both the cormorant and bitern, fhall lodge in her; their voice thall fing in the windows; defolation fhall be in the thresh olds." In the third chapter the prophet inveighs Scripture. against the pollutions and oppreffions of the Jews; and concludes with the promise, 66 That a remnant would be faved, and that multiplied bleffings would be bestowed upon the penitent." The ftyle of Zephaniah is poetical, but is not diftinguished by any peculiar elegance or beauty, though generally animated and impreffive. 79 Haggai, the tenth of the minor prophets, was the of Haggai first who flourished among the Jews after the Babylonish captivity. He began to prophefy in the fecond year of Darius Hyftafpes, about 520 years before Chrift. The intention of the prophecy of Haggai was to encourage the difpirited Jews to proceed with the building of the temple. The only prediction mentioned refers to the Meffiah, whom the prophet affures his countrymen would fill the new temple with glory. So well was this prediction understood by the Jews, that they looked with earneft expectation for the Meffiah's appearing in this temple till it was deftroyed by the Romans. But as the victorious Meffiah, whom they expected, did not then appear, they have fince applied the prophecy to a third temple, which they hope to fee reared in fome future period. The flyle of Haggai, in the opinion of Dr Lowth, is profaic. Dr Newcome, on the contrary, thinks that a great part of it is poetical. So Zechariah was undoubtedly a contemporary of Hag-o Zecha gai, and began to prophely two months after him, in tiah., the eighth month of the fecond year of Darius Hyftapes, A. M. 3484, being commiffioned as well as Haggai to exhort the Jews to proceed in the building of the temple after the inter uption which the work had fuffered. We are informed by Ezra (vi. 14.), that the Jews profpered through the prophefying of Zechariah and Haggai. Zechariah begins with general exhortations to his countrymen, exciting them to repent from the evil ways of their fathers, whom the prophets had admonished in vain. He defcribes angels of the Lord interceding for mercy on Jerufalem and the defolate cities of Judah, which had experienced the indignation of the Moft High for 70 years, while the neighbouring nations were at peace. He declares, that the houfe of the Lord fhould be built in Jerufalem, and that Zion should be comforted. The prophet then reprefents the increafe and profperity of the Jews under feveral typical figures. He defcribes the establishment of the Jewish government and the coming of the Meffiah. He admonishes thofe who obferved folemn fafts without due contrition, to execute juftice, mercy, and compaffion, every man to his brother; not to opprefs the widow nor the fatherless, the franger nor the poor. He promifes, that God would again fhow favour to Jerufalem; that their mournful fafts fhould be turned into cheerful feafts; and that the church of the Lord fhould be enlarged by the acceffion of many nations. The 12th verfe of the 11th chapter of this book, which exhibits a prophetic defcription of fome circumflances afterwards fulfilled in our Saviour, appears to be (2) Compare Zephaniah i. 4, 5, 9. with Jeremiah ii. 5, 20, 32. Sripture. be cited by St Matthew (xxvii. 9, 10.) as fpoken by Jeremiah; and as the 11th, 12th, and 13th chapters have been thought to contain fome particulars more fuitable to the age of Jeremiah than to that of Zechariah, fome learned writers are of opinion that they were written by the former prophet, and have been from fimilarity of fubject joined by mistake to thofe of Zechariah. But others are of opinion, that St Matthew might allude to fome traditional prophecy of Jeremiah, or, what is more probable, that the name of Jeremiah was fubftituted by mistake in place of Zechariah. 31 Malachi. The 12th, 13th, and 14th chapters contain prophecies which refer entirely to the Chriftian difpenfation; the circumstances attending which he defcribes with a clearness which indicated their near approach. The style of Zechariah is fo fimilar to that of Jeremiah, that the Jews were accustomed to remark that the fpirit of Jeremiah had paffed into him. He is generally profaic till towards the conclufion of his work, when he becomes more elevated and poetical. The whole is beautifully connected by eafy tranfitions, and prefent and future fcenes are blended with the greatest delicacy. Malachi was the laft prophet that flourished under the Jewish difpenfation; but neither the time in which he lived, nor any particulars of his hiftory, can now be afcertained. It is even uncertain whether the word Malachi be a proper name, or denote, as the Septuagint have rendered it, his angel (R), that is, "the angel of the Lord." Origen fuppofed, that Malachi was an angel incarnate, and not a man. The ancient Hebrews, the Chaldee paraphraft, and St Jerome, are of opinion he was the fame perfon with Ezra : but if this was the cafe, they ought to have affigned fome reafon for giving two different names to the fame perfon. As it appears from the concurring teftimony of all the ancient Jewish and Christian writers, that the light of prophecy expired in Malachi, we may fuppofe that the termination of his miniftry coincided with the accomplishment of the first feven weeks of Daniel's prophecy, which was the period appointed for fealing the vifion and prophecy. This, according to Prideaux's account, took place in A. M. 3595; but, according to the calculations of Bishop Lloyd, to A. M. 3607, twelve years later. Whatever reckoning we prefer, it must be allowed that Malachi completed the canon of the Old Teftament about 400 years before the birth of Christ. It appears certain that Malachi prophefied under Nehemiah, and after Haggai and Zechariah, at a time when great diforders reigned among the priests and people of Judah, which are reproved by Malachi. He inveighs against the priests (i. 6, &c. ii. 1, 2, &c.); he reproaches the people with having taken ftrange wives (ii. 11.); he reproves them for their inhumanity towards their brethren (ii. 10. iii. 5.); their too frequently divorcing their wives; their neglect of paying their tithes and first-fruits (Mal. iii. 13.). He feems to allude to the covenant that Nehemiah renewed with the Lord (iii. 10. and ii. 4, 5, &c.), affitted by the priests and the chief of the nation. He speaks of the facrifice of the new law, and of the abolition of thofe of the old, Scripture. in these words (i. 10, 11, 12, 13.): "I have no pleafure in you, faith the Lord of hofts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rifing of the fun, even unto the going down of the fame, my name fhall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incenfe fhall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name thall be great among the Heathen, faith the Lord of hofts." He declares that the Lord was weary with the impiety of Ifrael; and affures them, that the Lord whom they fought fhould fuddenly come to his temple preceded by the meffenger of the covenant, who was to prepare his way; that the Lord when he appeared fhould purify the fons of Levi from their unrighteoufnefs, and refine them as metal from the drofs; and that then the offering of Judah, the fpiritual facrifice of the heart, fhould be pleafant to the Lord. The prophet, like one who was delivering a last mesfage, denounces deftruction against the impenitent in emphatic and alarming words. He encourages thofe who feared the name of the Lord with the animating promife, that the "Sun of righteoufnefs fhould arife with falvation in his rays," and render them triumphant over the wicked. And now that prophecy was to cease, and miracles were no more to be performed till the coming of the Meffiah; now that the Jews were to be left to the guidance of their own reason, and the written inftructions of their prophets-Malachi exhorts them to remember the law of Mofes, which the Lord had revealed from Horeb for the fake of all Ifrael. At length he feals up the prophecies of the Old Teftament, by predicting the commencement of the new difpenfation, which thould be ufhered in by John the Baptift with the power and fpirit of Elijah; who fhould turn the hearts of fathers and children to repentance; but if his admonitions fhould be rejected, that the Lord would fmite the land with a curfe. 82 THE collection of writings compofed after the afcen- NEW TES. fion of Chrift, and acknowledged by his followers to be TAMENT. divine, is known in general by the name of καινη διαθηκη. 83 This title, though neither given by divine command, Title. nor applied to thefe writings by the apoftles, was adopted in a very early age, though the precife time of its introduction is uncertain, it being juftified by feveral paffages in Scripture +, and warranted by the authority of + Matth. St Paul in particular, who calls the facred books before xxvi. 28. the time of Chrift zarara diafnen ‡. Even long before Gal. . 177 that period, either the whole of the Old Teftament, or the five books of Mofes, were entitled Boy diabnens, 10. or book of the covenant §. Heb. vii. 5. 18. 15 1 2 Cor. iii. As the word diabnen admits of a two-fold interpreta- §1 Mac. i. tion, we may tranflate this title either the New Cove 57• nant or New Teftament. The former tranflation must be adopted, if refpect be had to the texts of Scripture, from which the name is borrowed, fince thofe paffages evidently convey the idea of a covenant; and, befides, a being incapable of death can neither have made an old nor make a new teftament. It is likewife probable, that he earliest Greek difciples, who made ufe of this expreffion, had no other notion in view than that of co venant (R) 20 Malachi fignifies properly my angel. |