1

foever you take, a moft perfect Peace must go along with it, and a Plenty of all good things. (v. 3, 4.) There also appears fome peculiar Dominion to be promifed to Ifrael at that Time. (v. 8, and 13.) And in the laft Chapter after the Triumph of Ifrael over his Enemies (his Sins being forgiven) we meet with this Conclufion, Thou wilt perform the Truth, and the Mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our Father from the Days of old. Now it is well known what thofe Promises were, which were given to the Fathers: But they can never be performed, neither can Ifrael be delivered, if the Sons of Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, muft fuffer a perpetual Banishment, and be for ever driven from the Land of Promife.

Nor could thefe Prophecies of Micah be accomplished by the Redemption and Return from Babylon. The Prophet fpeaks in the abovementioned Places, concerning the Nation's being fubdued, and Dominion obtained, and that then this happy State of the Jews fhould immediately follow. Now they neither enjoyed fuch Bleffings at the time when the Prophecy was written, nor at any time fince, nor at this prefent Day; this Peace and Restauration therefore await that People in God's appointed time.

It is generally agreed on by Jewish and Christian Expofitors, that the Prophet Micah in his fifth Chapter difcourfes about the Meshah, and it is faid that he shall be a Ruler in Ifrael, (v. 2, and 4.) and fball feed (that is shall reign) in the Strength of the Lord, and in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God, for he shall be great unto the Ends of the Earth.

Thefe Expreffions denote Royal Authority, and fuch fupreme Dominion, as Chrift did not exercise at his firft Appearance, which was mean, and hum

ble:

ble: But he will difplay it at his fecond glorious. and powerful Advent. Then the Prophet proceeds to discourse about the future Profperity of the Jews and Gentiles, all forts of Enemies being trampled down, (v. 7, and 8.) And the Remnant of Jacob fball be in the midst of many People, as a Dew from the Lord, and as the Showers upon the Grass.---- As a Lyon among the Beasts of the Forest, as a young Lion among the Flocks of Sheep: who if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in Pieces, and none can deliver.

Some would have these Prophecies to concern the times of the Maccabees; but they cannot be fairly brought to do this. According to this prophetic Defcription, this Dominion over the Nations, which is to extend thro' the Earth, must take Place after the Birth of the Meffiah. And how And how great foever the Succefs of the Maccabees was over the Syrians, there followed afterwards a greater Oppreffion under the Romans; neither is the Yoke as yet caft off, much less have they obtained that Dominion over the Nations which is here predicted.

After the Prophet Nahum, whom we have al ready taken a brief View of, Habakkuk follows, who denounces many Judgments against the Jews and Chaldeans: And in the third Chapter, which is called a Hymn or Prayer of the Prophet, he foretels future Salvation to Ifrael, and Deftruction to the Nations. (v. 12, 13.) But it is principally taken up in the Defcription of the glorious and terrible coming of the Lord; of which we fhall find an Account also in Zachariah.

Zephaniah in his two firft Chapters foretels the fevere and heavy Judgments of God upon Offenders, as well among the Jews as Gentiles; and he pursues the fame Subject to the middle of the third Chapter, where he begins a Difcourfe about the Kingdom and Days of the Meffiah, and purfues it to the End of the third Chapter.

He

He (after the Manner of the Prophets) difcourfes of forrowful Events before he mentions the joyful ones, and declares that the Wrath of God will be poured out upon the Nations and Kingdoms that were tumultuoufly gathered together, (Chap. iii. 8.) his Words are thefe, Therefore wait ye upon me, faith the Lord, until the Day that I rife up to the Prey: for my Determination is to gather the Nations, that I may affemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine Indignation, even all my fierce Anger, for all the Earth fhall be devoured with the Fire of my Jealousie, The Jewish Interpreters expound this concerning the famous War with Gog and Magog: It is indeed fome notable Congregation and Slaughter of the Heathens, from whence arifes a brighter Fate to Ifrael. For then (fays he in the following Verfe) Will I turn to the People a pure Language, that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, to ferve him with one Confent. And then he goes on, (v. 11.) In that Day thou shalt not be ashamed for all thy Doings, &c. And a little after there follows the Triumph of Ifrael, (v. 14, and 15.) Sing, O Daughter of Zion, shout, O Ifrael, be glad and rejoice, &c. after the Manner of the Forty feventh Pfalm, (See alfo Ifaiah c. xii. and c. liv.) And laftly, having added divers other Things which concern this Subject, he concludes the Prophecy with thefe Words, At that Time will I bring you again, even in the Time that I gather you, for I will make you a Name, and a Praife among all People of the Earth, when I turn back your Captivity before your Eyes, faith the Lord.

I think this evidently relates to fome glorious Restauration of Ifrael, and Slaughter of their Enemies, to the moft exalted and permanent Joy of Sion, and the extraordinary Presence and Protection of God. Where, I pray, thall we find these excel

lent

T

lent Gifts in Times that are paft? The Jews did not experience thefe upon their Deliverance from Babylon, much lefs at the coming of Chrift; and from that Time they have been toffed hither and thither, like Waves driven by the Wind. But there yet remains a fecond coming of the Meffiah, the Hope of Ifrael and future Completion of all Prophecies.

Thus much for Zephaniah. The three laft Prophets (with whom the prophetic Gift ceafed among the Jews) are Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi. Haggai encourages the Jews to raife up the fecond Temple. In which (or in the Third, that is Ezekiel's according to the Opinion of the latter Jews) he afferts there would be a greater Glory than was in the firft; which feems rightly to be understood concerning the coming of the Meffiah under the fecond Temple, fince otherwife (befides its wanting equal Magnificence as to the outward Structure) there were wanting in the latter many noble Symbols of the divine Glory which adorned and as it were made proud the Temple of Solomon.

About the End of this Prophecy (c. ii. 20.) he foretels a great Slaughter that was to fall on the Heathens, and worldly Kingdoms, and promifes Health and Glory to Zerubbabel, as being a Type of the Meffiah, who was to fpring from his Lineage. Nor were thefe things fulfilled in the Perfon, or Time of Zerubbabel, I mean that Shaking with respect to the Jews, or that Overthrow of the Heathen which are here predicted. I readily refer them to that grand Slaughter of the Nations which the Prophets frequently place before the last Reftauration of the Jews.

Zachariah, who follows, abounds in Vifions, and thofe very obfcure; yet in fome of them the Promifes of the Meffiah are reprefented clearly. But

we shall at present only take notice of those which regard the future Reftauration of the Jews, (c. ii. 10.) Sing and rejoice, O Daughter of Sion, &c. When God in the preceding Verfes had declared his tender Affection towards Ifrael, and his Refentment against thofe Nations who were their Enemies, he fubjoins by way of Triumph, Sing and rejoice, O Daughter of Sion; for lo I come, and I will dwell in the midft, faith the Lord.

Two things are here obfervable, which we frequently meet with in other Places of the prophetic Writings, the Triumph of Ifrael for their happy Condition, and having God to dwell in the midst of them. We took Notice of this Rejoicing before, while we were viewing the third Chapter of Zephaniah (v. 14.) and other parallel Places there cited. The Chaldee Paraphraft, by the Habitation of God in the midst of Ifrael, understands here, as well as in other Places, the Schechinah, or majestic Prefence of God. The Words of the Paraphraft may be tranflated thus. Rejoice and be glad, O Congregation of Sion; for behold I will reveal and place my Majefty (n) my majestic Prefence, in the midft of thee, faith the Lord.

The following Verfe feems alfo to require the fame Interpretation; and fo does the fifth, together with the fifteenth Verse of the third Chapter of Zephaniah. The fame thing feems here to be promised which was before declared by Ezekiel, (c. xxxvii. 27, 28.) and likewife by the Apostle St. John, (c. xxi. 3.) Now fince the Schechinah did not appear in the fecond Temple, and is promifed by St. John in the new Heavens, and the new Earth, I think this Prophecy yet remains to be fulfilled, together with the joyful Reftauration of the Jews at the fecond coming of Chrift.

The