The long Lives of the Inhabitants, the Luxury, or fpontaneous Fruitfulness of the Earth, the Harmleffness of all Beafts, &c. we have taken Notice of thefe Places already in our Survey of the fixty fifth Chapter of Ifaiah, which the Reader may confult if he pleases.

These are the Characters and diftinguishing Ornaments of the restored State of Ifrael, and they are often connected with the times of the Meffiah. If you fay they were paft before thofe Days, tell in what Reign or Age this joyful State of Ifrael took place. Confult Hiftories, as well facred as prophane, you will find nothing like this, excepting the primitive Times of Paradife. And then it is evident that the Jews have been in a very melancholy Condition from the firft coming of the Meffiah unto this Day; fo far have they been from obtaining this flourishing Fortune. So that all our Hope depends on the fecond coming of Chrift, thither we flee, to this we are driven, that fo the truth of the Prophecies may be maintained, and the Honour of the Redeemer established.

Altho' I think it fufficiently appears by thefe Characters, that these Promises about the Reftitution of the Jews, are not as yet fulfilled, there yet remains one noble Character, which is ufually joined by the Prophets with the fame Promifes; I mean that manifeft glorious and majestic Prefence of God, which the Chaldeans and Hebrews ftile the Schechinah. We have often made this Obfervation from the Chaldee Paraphraft, in our Survey of the Prophets; who wrote his Expofition before the Birth of Chrift, and therefore we efteem him the more, as being free from Prejudices. But the thing fpeaks for itself, and the very Words of the Prophet make it evident enough; for fince God fays that he will dwell in the midst of them, and place his Tabernacle

there;

there; that he will be a Cloud to them by Day, and the fhining of a flaming Fire by Night. Thefe and fuch like Expreffions, are evident Tokens and Defcriptions of the Schechinah, fuch as was in the Defart, in the Tabernacle, or Temple. (See Isaiah iv. 5. xii. 6. and Ix. 2,---13. Ezek. xxvii. 27, 28. and Rev. xxi. 2, 3.) Thus much with reference to the Characters that belong to this Clafs. Let us pafs to Promises of another kind; fuch are those which promife a Union of all the Tribes of Judah and of Ifrael, in the great Day of Reftitution. This Ezekiel exprefly foretold, and as the manner of the Jews was, reprefented it by an external Sign. (c. xxxvii. 15, &c. to the End of the Chapter) Alfo other Prophets join the Union of the Tribes with this Reftauration. (See Ifaiah xi. 13. Jer. xxxiii. 7. Hofea i. 11. Zach. x. 6, 7.) Thefe Prophecies, as you will fee, comprehend the twelve Tribes; but yet not all the People promifcuously, but a felect Body; the wicked being excluded, (Rev. 7.) the Promise is reftrained to the true Ifraelites. Now we have in our Confideration of the abovementioned Places, fhewed that this general Reftauration and Redemption has not as yet happened to the Jews, either in their Deliverance from the Babylonifh Captivity, or any other following. If any doubt it they may revife what we have there

written.

Thus much as to the Note of Univerfality. The Perpetuity of the fame Reftauration follows, namely lafting and endless Freedom, fo that the Children of Ifrael fhall no more be obnoxious to public Banishments, or Slaughters, but enjoy quiet Habitations in the promised Land, and their ancient Country. The Prophets foretel this again, and again, (See Ifaiah Ix. 15. lxvi. 22. Jer. xxx. 8, 9.* xxxi. 3, 25, 40. Ezek. xxxix. 27, 28, 29.

Hofea

Hofea i. 19, 20. Joel ii. 26, 27, and c. iii. 20Amos ix. 15. Zeph. iii. 15.) as if they ftrove who fhould fet it forth the most.

This Note and Title of Perpetuity, takes away all thofe Anfwers and Pretences which fome are wont to make, that this Reftitution has already been made in paft Times; for certainly past things upon that very Account can never be perpetual. Whatever happy Days, or lucid Intervals the Ifraelites have had, they are now expired. We may properly ftile them lucid Intervals; fince they were tranfitory and uncertain: And that they are now expired the prefent forrowful and laborious State of the Jews (who are like a defolate People, only not entirely deferted) fufficiently demonftrates. Nor is it only now, or of late Years, that the Jews fuffer thefe Afflictions, but they have endured thefe Tribulations and Calamities for many Ages, almoft ever, fince the Days of our Saviour, and are yet encompaffed by them. No Deliverance of the Jews has hitherto been perpetual; after their Return from Babylon they fuffered the moft difmal Calamities under Antiochus Epiphanes, and the Kings of Syria who fucceeded him. They were then spoiled of their Poffeffions as well facred as temporal, and haraffed by daily Wars. Afterwards they were reduced by the Romans to the laft Degree of Mifery, and from the time that their Temple and Government were pulled in Pieces they have been difperfed, and wander about the World like forlorn Exiles. The Hiftory of the Ifraelites is like a Picture diverfified with various Figures, fome are of a joyful and others of a forrowful Nature. But hitherto the forrowful ones have taken up the greater Part. Now if a future perpetual Reft was ever promised them, there yet remains, as the Apoftle fpeaks, a Reft for the People of God.

These

Thefe Tokens and Characters feem to me fufficient to delineate the Time of this Redemption of Ifrael, fo as to diftinguish from all thofe which are paft. I fhall make no particular Calculations as to future Times, nor am I defirous of knowing the Seasons which the Father hath put in his own Power; but as far as I can perceive, this bright Day has not yet rifen on Ifrael, nor do I fuppofe it is very near at hand. Alas! the Jews have not as yet fufficiently fuffered for their Crime in killing the Meffiah; they have not as yet atoned for that Offence. tho' they have fuffered many Calamities they have not yet fuffered fuch great Evils as Mofes their Prophet and ours foretold they fhould. Perufe the twenty eighth Chapter of Deuteronomy, where he denounces all forts of Calamities against the degenerate and rebellious Jews; and fome of them, which he defcribes (from the forty fecond Verfe) seem to be fuch dreadful Difafters as did not befal the Jews. till after our Saviour's time.

And

He mentions a Nation which was to come from far, even from the Ends of the Earth, of an unknown Tongue, and who should be fierce and rapacious as an Eagle, and lay all things wafte. And then he foretels a clofe and bloody Siege, in which the befieged fhould feed on human Flesh, and eat their infant Sons and Daughters. And afterwards he mentions many and wonderful Plagues to be inflicted on them and their Seed: And that their Number would be diminished by many Accidents: And that when they were difperfed thro' other Countries they should be compelled to worship new Gods, fuch as were entirely unknown to themselves and their Fathers, And lastly, he foretels that their Lives would be disturbed, dubious and un

certain.

We

We have before observed, that the Jews fuffered many Evils before the time of Chrift, but these Calamities which we just now recited, and are fo peculiarly distinguished, did not I believe take Place before the Destruction of Jerufalem, and thofe forrowful times of the Jews which followed it. First by the Romans who raged against them with Slaughters, Devastations, and the utmost Barbarity: And afterwards by the Christians who were indeed justly exafperated by reafon of the Murder of the Meffiah, and repeated Calumnies and Provocations; yet they often treated them hardly, not fo much for the Sake of Piety, as Gain, that they might feize upon their Poffeffions. Many Authors, as well Jews as Chriftians, have given us a melancholy Hiftory of the Jewish Affairs, ever fince the time of Chrift, which it will be very proper for those to perufe who are defirous to know more of these Affairs, and how they went on in every Age; they will then be fenfible that thefe Calamities exceeded all which happened before the times of Chrift, and exactly answer to the Defcriptions of Mofes.

I cannot eafily perfuade my felf that thefe Tribulations were omitted by the Prophets who foretold many that were much lefs. Nor were they filent as to the laft Fate of the Jews, which is yet to come in the War with Gog and Magog, in the last Tragedy of this prefent World.

We have already given our Opinion about this War while we were treating on fome Places in Exekiel (c. xxxviii, and xxxix.) and Joel. (c. iii.) I fhall only here repeat, that after this War is over, and the Victory obtained, Happiness is promised to the Jews. (Ezek. xxxix. 23, to the End of the Chapter. Joel iii. 18, &c. Zeph. iii. 8. Zach. xiv.) So that they muft both be referred to future Times, fince neither of them have yet happened.

Thus