if Judah had not always a king of the Davidic line, there was LEGISLATURE in the tribe to which it belonged. This pre-eminence commenced when the fceptre was transferred from the family of Saul to that of David. Some have given the fceptre to Judah as early, indeed, as the commencement of the tribe *; but they seem rather to have anticipated God's conveyance: For the oracle itfelf exprefsly declares, that it refers to the LATTER DAYS. Others have with-held the fceptre till the revolt of the ten tribes from Rehoboam †. But the Jewish fceptre was far more glorious in the hands of David and Solomon, than in those of Rehoboam: It is certainly abfurd to fuppofe, that the enjoyment of the fceptre commenced

tribe: That staff being the badge of diftinction for the Prince. And, in this, they are followed by J. ALTINGIUS, Bishops SHERLOCK and NEWTON. CALVIN and MEDE understand it of the majesty of government, under whatever form. Nor is Waginfeil much otherways minded. He reckons the before mechokek may as well be understood disjunctively as a copulative: In which cafe the fceptre may denote the royal government, and the lawgiver that form which obtained under Zerubbabel. Thefe two forms nearly divide the whole time of Judah's government into two equal parts: There being near five centuries in each of them. This fenfe, which approves itfelf to me, is defended by Heidegger, Owen, Patrick, &c.

* Eufebius and his followers, above mentioned.

+ CUNEUS de Republica Heb. ABRAH. SCULTET. EXercit. Evangel. These are refuted by LEIDEKKER de Repub. Heb. Lib. VII. cap. vi.

at

at a time when the fplendor of it was greatly tarnished in the hands of a weak prince. The fceptre and the throne were certainly both given to David, and fecured, by this covenant, to his Seed. As this Seed was two-fold, as we have already feen, fo there was a two-fold ROYALTY in like manner. The ordinary feed was fecured of fucceffion to the earthly throne, and the extraordinary Seed in the enjoyment of that glorious authority which was prefigured by it: The throne being put for all the enfigns of royalty and majefty, comprehending all the glory of the Hebrew monarchy, in the type; and all the exaltation of the Meffiah, in the fubftance.Finally, We -Finally, We may notice the duration of this HONOUR. This perpetuity is often mentioned in the text: Not fewer than three times, to denote the importance of it *. There is a two-fold perpetuity mentioned in Scripture, and meant in this promife: The duration intended is fuited to the kingdom to which it is afcribed. The worldly kingdom continued under monarchy until the Babyloniflı captivity and preferved its civil polity (tho' fometimes tributary), and alfo its facred rites, until the fulness of time. As to the antitypical kingdom, abfolute eternity, in the fulleft emphafis of the word, is intended. In other kingdoms, their fceptres have been frequently unrighteously managed, and the thrones

* 2 Sam. vii. 13. and 16.

rufhed

rushed down into ruin: But, as the glory of this fceptre can never be tarnished by iniquity, fo the throne can never be fhaken: " Of the increase of his government and peace there fhall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to eftablish it, with judgment and with justice, from hence forth even for ever *." This promife

connected

* If. ix. 7. "St Paul's remarkable comparifon, by way of antithefis, between Adam and Christ (Rom. v. 12. I Cor. xv. 21.), whom he calls the fecond Adam, or Man, is well known. But I do not know that the commentators fend us to the Old Teftament for any thing that may ferve to justify the great Apoftle in this comparifon. And yet, I think, there is a paffage in the prayer of David (2 Sam. vii. 19. and I Chron. xvii. 17.) which fhews, that the Meffiah was expected under this very character.-Upon David's pious refolution to build a house for God; which, as appears from his way of expreffing himself, he intended fhould be very magnificent: The prophet Nathan was fo pleafed with it, that he concluded God would be pleafed with it too; and "faid to the king, go and do all that is in thine heart: for the Lord is with thee." Sam. vii. 3. He was in the right to think that God would be pleafed with the thing: But it feems the time for it was not yet come: And, therefore, Nathan is fent the next day, with a meflage from God, forbidding it; but, at the fame time, with a very gracious promife to David, the chief part whereof we have from verfe 12 to verfe 16, in thefe words: "And when thy days fhall be fulfilled, and thou shalt fleep with thy fathers, I will fet up thy feed after thee, which fhall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He fhall build an houfe for my name, and I will eftablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he fhall be my fon: If he commit iniquity I will chaflife him with the rod of men, and with the Stripes

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connected the external prefervation of the family of David, and his kingdom, with their eternal falvation; as the coming of the Meffiah depended upon it..

2. GOD promifed to make his kingdom of Large Extent, as well as of long duration: "I will fet his hand in the fea; and his right hand in the river." Thefe words refer unto the Mefsiah, at first instance; but they contain also an allufion unto the worldly kingdom: For, as the facred hiftorian remarks, in it the prediction

was

ftripes of the children of men. But my mercy fhall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine houfe and thy kingdom fhall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever." Here are plainly fome things that relate to Solomon; and fome things of a higher nature, relating to a throne and a kingdom that fhould be established FOR EVER.-The repetition of this laft particular is very obfervable: "I will establish the throne of his kingdom FOR EVER." Again, "And thine house and thy kingdom fhall be established FOR EVER before thee thy throne shall be established FOR EVER."

It was this that ftruck king David, as may be feen from the prayer he offers upon this occafion: For, as foon as Nathan had delivered his meffage, verse 17. "According to all thefe words, and according to all this vifion, fo did Nathan speak unto David." We are told immediately, verfe 18. " Then went king David in, and fat before the Lord, and he faid, who am I, O Lord God, and what is my houfe, that thou haft brought me hitherto?" Verfe 19. "And this was yet a fmall thing in thy fight, O Lord God; but thou haft fpoken alfo of thy fervant's houfe for a great while to come: AND IS THIS THE MANNER OF MAN, O LORD GOD?"—It is this

laft

was alfo verified: "And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms, from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt *.” The kingdom of the Meffiah is far more extenfive, however, than that of Solo, "All nations, people, and languages, fhall ferve himt." The fpiritual monarchy of Jefus Chrift is the only univerfal monarchy that ever was, or will be in the world.

mon:

3. GOD promifed to fet his Kingdom fecure from enemics. The first part of David's reign

* 1 Kings iv. 21. † Dan. vii. 14.

was

laft clause I must dwell upon a little, "Is this the manner of man?" &c. There is no interrogation in the Hebrew, but a direct affertion; ve-zoth torath ha-Adam, Adonai Jehovah-literally, et ifta lex Adami, Domine Jehovah This is the law of the Adam; or the Man, (for the is demonftrative and emphatical) O Lord Jehovah. David could not but obferve, from the whole turn of the meflage, that it was prophetical. It related to his feed after him, that should proceed out of his bowels, whofe kingdom fhould be established: "He fhall build an houfe for my name," (fays God) this Solmon did," and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for, ever." Not in Solomon's hand furely; this could never be the meaning-nor could David apprehend it fo.In the next verfe, Solomon's defection is foretold; but with a gracious promife, however, that God's mercy fhould not depart from him, as "he took it from Saul :' but that the kingdom fhould be ftill continued to his poiterity.And, laftly, It was foretold in the strongest terms, "Thine houfe and thy kingdom fhall be efablished for ever before thee: thy throne fhall be esta blifhed for ever."-If the Jews, either of former or of