coming near to God, mentioned Daniel vii. 13. The last words of this chapter contain a remarkable hint, that the fubject of the preceding prediction would be beft confidered or understood in the latter days, which in the prophetic ftyle are the days of the Meffiah.

The 31ft chapter, as was proved formerly, gives fuch an account of the new covenant, as implies the future abolishing of the ceremonial law. It contains alfo an intimation, that the Meffiah fhould be born of a virgin. And the laft words of the chapter fhew, that the predictions it contains, not only extend to the time of the Meffiah's coming, but to the more remote ages of his kingdom, even the times of the fecond and final restoration of the Jews, when Jerufalem fhould be rebuilt, fo as "not to "be plucked up or thrown down any more for "ever."

SECT. VI. Of Ezekiel's prophecies.

Though the prophecy in the 17th of Ezekiel is exprefsly called a riddle, y 2.; yet the explication of it, which begins at y 12. makes the feveral parts of it abundantly intelligible, and fhews, that the end of the chapter contains a prediction of the Meffiah as the feed of David, who thould rife from a low condition to incomparable exaltation, as King in Zion, and univerfal ruler of God's people in all

nations.

In the first part of the chapter, whereas the kings of Babylon and Egypt are compared to two eagles, the houfe of David, or royal family of Judah, is compared to a cedar; and a chief defign of the parable is, to rebuke the king of Judah and his people for violating their oath to the king of Babylon, and for their finful confederacy with the king of Egypt.

Το

To fhew, that the last part of the chapter, from ý 22. to the clofe, is meant of the Meffiah, it is fufficient to confider the following things. Seeing the cedar here spoken of is the house of David, the tender branch of that cedar mentioned y 22. must be a branch of that houfe. "Planting this branch in the mountain of the height of Ifrael" muft, according to the prophetic ftyle, imply the planting of it in Mount Zion. When it is faid, that "un"der it fhall dwell all fowl of every wing, in the "fhadow of the branches thereof fhall they dwell," it muft fignify, that all nations fhall ferve him, according to the prophetic explication of the like allegorical expreffions, Daniel iv. xii. & xxvi. The character of univerfal dominion enjoyed by a King of the house of David, is a decifive proof, that it is the Meffiah that is here meant. And this might be farther confirmed, by comparing this paffage with others, where the Meffiah is called the Branch. The branch raifed to David, who was "to grow

up as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry "ground," and who was "to be cut off out of the "land of the living t."

The 34th chapter contains a prediction concerning the Meffiah, as the myftical David. And whereas that name is given to the Meffiah, fometimes without calling him either a prince or fhepherd; both thefe titles are given him here, y 23. 24. "And "I will fet up one fhepherd over them, and he fhall "feed them, even my fervant David; he fhall feed "them, and he fhall be their fhepherd: And I the "Lord will be their God, and my fervant David a "Prince among them; I the Lord have fpoken it." As to the fubjects with which this prediction is mix

"I will crop off," &c. Ezek. xvii. 22. compared with If. liii. and Dan. ix.

+ See also the expreffion, If. xxvii. 6. “Ifrael fhall bloffom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit."

ed,

ed, it refembles other remarkable predictions of the Meffiah, particularly thofe contained in Jer. xvi. & xxiii. in being mixed with threatenings against unfaithful fhepherds; which may relate, not only to men of that character in the days of Ezekiel, but to others like them in the days of the Meffiah, who are defcribed in If. lvi. 11. as ignorant and covetous. But befides this, the context in view contains characters of the times of the Meffiah, relating to the fuperior degrees of fpiritual bleffings, which in those times God would pour down on his church: "I "will make them and the places round about my "hill a bleffing, and I will caufe the fhower to "come down in his feafon; there fhall be showers "of bleffing." The whole chapter may justly be confidered as an incomparable paftoral. The character of fuperior measures of fpiritual bleffings affords an argument for applying to the times of the Meffiah, the chief predictions in the 36th chapter, particularly from y 25. to 33. fhewing, that the prophet fpeaks of the time of pouring down the fpirit of God more plentifully than in former ages.

The 37th chapter contains a prediction, refembling that in the 34th, concerning the Meffiah as the mystical David, y 23. 24. "I will be their God, "and David my fervant fhall be King over them; "and they all fhall have one fhepherd: they shall "alfo walk in my judgements, and obferve my statutes, and do them." Whereas it is foretold in the laft verfe of this chapter, that "the Heathen or "the Gentiles fhould know, that God fanctified "Ifrael, when his fanctuary fhould be in the midft "of them evermore ;" thefe words both contain a hint at the enlightening of the Heathens or Gentiles, and an argument, that it is the fecond and final restoration of the Jews that is foretold.

In the three laft veries of the first chapter of Ezekiel, the prophet fays, that in a vifion of a glorious throne, he faw the appearance of a man on

the

the throne; that the brightnefs about the throne refembled that of the rainbow; and that this was the appearance of the glory of the Lord. Whereas

feveral interpreters are of opinion, that this relates to the Meffiah, who was one day to affume the nature of man, the following things fhew, in fome measure, what good ground there is for that opinion. The glory of the Lord, which is here faid to appear to the prophet, is the name given anciently to the Shechinah, or cloud of glory that covered the mercy-feat. As the rainbow was confidered as a token of the covenant of peace made with Noah, the covenant of grace is compared to that covenant, If. liv. The Meffiah is called God's covenant and falvation, and the Messenger of the covenant. The whole ftrain of prophetic doctrine concerning him fhews, that he was the Mediator of the new covenant; and in other prophecies, he is faid to be a King and Priest on his throne, and his throne to continue for ever and ever, Pfal. xlv. Zech. vi.

SECT. VII. Of Zephaniah's prophecies.

In the prophecy of Zephaniah, it is foretold, that. God would famifh all the gods of the earth," Zeph. ii. 11. 12.; plainly implying the abolithing of the idolatry of the Heathens, and confequently the converfion of the Heathen or Gentiles themselves; which is more directly afferted in the words immediately following: "And men fhall

worship him," every one" from his place, even "all the ifles of the Heathen." It was obferved formerly, that fometimes the fame context contains threatenings of awful judgements to be inflicted, either on particular Gentile nations, or on many, or all the nations in general, and, together with these threatenings, gracious promifes of the converfion of thofe nations. The context where the prediction

in

in view is found is an inftance of fuch a complication of promifes and threatenings: for both the foregoing and following predictions relate to judgements to be inflicted on various nations, the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Affyrians; yea, the very introduction to the promise of converfion is a threatening, that God would be terrible to the nations the prophet fpeaks of; and then it is added, that all their falfe gods fhould be famifhed, and themselves made to call on the true God. We have the like complication of promifes and threatenings in the third chapter, where it is faid, y 8. "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 "jealoufy." And immediately after this threatening, it is added, "For then will I turn (or restore)

to the people a pure language, that they may all "call upon the name of the Lord, to ferve him "with one confent. From beyond the rivers of "Ethiopia, my fuppliants, even the daughter of "my difperfed, fhall bring mine offering." When God's punishing the nations, whom he was alfo to convert, is afcribed to the "fire of his jealoufy," that expreffion feems naturally applicable to God's regard to his glory, and the interefts of true religion, fo highly injured by the idolatry that had overfpread the nations. Other things which ferve to illuftrate this mixing of promifes of converfion with threatenings against the Heathen nations, were obferved formerly. It is a farther proof that this paffage relates to the times of the Meffiah, that the verfe immediately following contains an intimation of the abolishing of the ceremonial law: "Thou "fhalt no more be haughty because of my holy "mountain." And the clofe of the chapter, from 13. contains the characters of the times of the Mefah, relating to the fuperior happiness and purity

of