"their conquerors, but be fcattered among all "the nations of the world, and hated by all "nations for many ages, and yet continue a

people? Or could any defcription of the "Jews, written at this day poffibly be a more "exact and lively picture of the state they have

now been in for many ages; than this prophetic defcription given by Mofes, more than 3000 years ago?

3

R

"The very fame thing is in like manner con"tinually predicted through all the following prophets; that God would fcatter them among the Heathen that he would cause them "to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth; "that he would scatter them into all the winds, " and difperfe them through the countries of the "Heathen; that he would fift them among all "nations, like as corn is fifted in a fieve; that "in all the kingdoms of the earth, whither they "fhould be driven, they fhould be a reproach " and a proverb, a taunt and a curfe, and an afto"nishment and a biffing; and that they should "abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a facrifice, and without an "image, and without an ephod, and without

teraphim. And here concerning the predic"tions of Ezekiel 'tis remarkable in particular, "that they being spoken in the very time of

"the

**the Babylonian captivity, 'tis therefore evident

age,

from the time of his prophefying, as well as "from the nature and description of the thing "itself, that he muft needs be underftood of "that latter captivity into all places, which was "to happen after the fulfilling the time of that wherein God was first to bring them again (out of the Babylonian captivity) into the "land where they should build a temple, but not " like to that which afterwards (after their final return) should be built for ever with a glorious building. The forecited prophecies (I fay) "muft of neceffity be understood of that wide and long dispersion, which in the New Tef"tament alfo is exprefly mentioned by our "Saviour and by St. Paul.

'Tis alfo farther, both largely and diftinctly predicted, as well by Mofes himself, as by all "the following prophets, that notwithstanding "this unexampled difperfion of God's people,

yet for all that, when they be in the land of "their enemies, God will not deftroy them utterly; but when they shall call to mind àmong all the "nations, whither God has driven them, and fhall return unto the Lord, he will turn their

66

captivity, and gather them from all nations, from the outmoft parts of heaven, even in the "latter days: That though he makes a full end "" of

66

of all other nations, yet he will not make a full "end of them; but a remnant of them fhall be preferved, and return out of all countries whit ber "God has driven them: That he will fift the

66

boufe of Ifrael among all nations, like as corn is

fifted in a fieve; yet fhall not the leaft grain પર્ક fall upon the earth: That the Lord fhall fet "his hand again the fecond time, to recover the "remnant of his people, and shall fet up an enfign "for the nations, and shall assemble the out-cafts

of Ifrael, and gather together the difperfed of "Judah, from the four corners of the earth: "For I will bring thy feed from the east, faith "the Lord, and gather thee from the weft; I will fay to the north, Give up ; and to the South,

Keep not back; Bring my fons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth: Bebold, I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and fet up my ftandard to the people, and they shall * bring thy fons in their arms, and thy daughters "fhall be carried upon their shoulders: For a

fmall moment have I forfaken thee, but with great હું mercy will I gather thee: In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment; but with

everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee. "And that these prophecies might not be applied to the return from the 70 years captivity in Babylon, (which moreover was not

66

66 a dif

"a difperfion into all nations) they are exprefly "referred to the latter days, not only by Mofes, "but by Hofea, who lived long after, (For the "children of Ifrael fhall abide MANY DAYS "without a king, and without a prince, and without

a facrifice; AFTERWARD they shall return, "and feek the Lord their God, and David their king, and fhall fear the Lord and his goodness " in the LATTER DAYS) and by Ezekiel, who "lived in the captivity itself; After MANY

DAYS [fpeaking of those who should oppose "the return of the Ifraelites] thou shalt be visited, " in the LATTER YEARS thou shalt come into "the land;-upon the people that are gathered out

of the nations;—In that day, when my people of "Ifrael dwelleth fafely,--thou shalt come up against " them,-it shall be in the LATTER DAYS. "These predictions therefore neceffarily belong " to that age, when the times of the Gentiles fhall "be fulfilled, and the fulness of the Gentiles be "come in. And that, through all the changes "which have happened in the kingdoms of "the earth, from the days of Mofes to the present time, which is more than 3000

66

years; nothing fhould have happened, to prevent the poffibility of the accomplishment "of these prophecies; but on the contrary, the "ftate of the Jewish and Christian nations at

"this day, should be fuch as renders them

eafily capable, not only of a figurative, but " even of a litteral completion in every parti "cular, if the will of God be fo; this (I say) is a miracle, which hath nothing parallel to "it in the phænomena of nature.

66

66

the

"Another inftance, no lefs extraordinary, is 66 as follows. Daniel foretels a kingdom upon earth, which shall be divers from all kingdoms, divers from all that were before it, exceeding dreadful, and fhall devour the whole earth: That, 66 among the powers into which this kingdom "shall be divided, there fhall arise one power "divers from the rest, who shall subdue unto "himself three of the firft powers, and he fhall "have a mouth Speaking very great things, and "a look more flout than his fellows. He fhall make "war with the faints, and prevail against them. " And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the faints of the

moft High, and think to change times and laws; "and they fhall be given into his hand, for a

long season; even till the judgment shall fit, " and the kingdom under the whole heaven shall "be given to the people of the faints of the most

High.

(7) "Gods-protectors, as 'tis