but through every age overlooked, or miftaken, by the Jews. They never could be perfuaded, that these prophecies related to themselves.

Of the Meffiah promifed, and the Rejection of the Jewish Nation.

The first of these two prophecies was given to the children of Ifrael in the wilderness by Moses; at the time, when he was declaring the other ordinances of God. The Lord thy God will raife up unto thee a Prophet, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me: unto him ye shall hearken. Deut. xviii. 15. Now the great characteriftic of Mofes was that of a lawgiver, fent by God with a miraculous power to make known his ftatutes to Ifrael. He was to conduct them from a state of bondage to a promised land, a land of peace and liberty; which upon their good behaviour they were to enjoy. But no one of the race of Ifrael ever attained to this character, or was to be compared to Mofes, except Chrift, the Meffiah Prince. He was like him, but far

his fuperior. The likeness confifted in his being a lawgiver, who declared a new law from heaven, which he certified by a miraculous process. He likewife was the great conductor of God's people through a wilderness in a state of pilgrimage; and difplayed to their view a better habitation, which they were to enjoy for ever. He therefore, and he only, was the perfon, who at any time could be faid to be like to Mofes. The Jews themselves confess, that no one antecedent to Chrift could claim the character of Meffiah; and we are certain, that nobody fince had any pretenfions to it. We may therefore be affured, that he was the prophet pointed out of old, to whom they were commanded to hearken. In confequence of this, our bleffed Saviour, when the Jews had endeavoured to kill him for raifing a man to life upon the fabbathday, accuses them of their hardness of heart; and bids them, as they would not believe his works, apply to the prophecies concerning him. Search the Scriptures; for in them Je think have eternal life: and they are they, which teftify of me.Do not think,

ye

that

v. 39,

ye

that I will accufe you to the Father. There is one that accufeth you, even Mofes, in whom ye truft. For bad believed Mofes, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. John and 45, 46. Then comes the following part of the prophecy, which, if we duly attend to it, will be found of great confequence. Mofes had faid, The Lord fhall raife thee up a prophet of thy brethren-and he proceeds to tell them, that he fhould be introduced as they had requested.—According to all that thou defiredft of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the affembly, faying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me fee the great fire any more. At the affembly here mentioned, when the law was given at Horeh, it is faid, that Mount Sinai was altogether in a Smoke, because the Lord defcended upon it in fire: and the Smoke of it afcended like the Smoke of a furnace: and the whole mount quaked greatly. And there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount. Exodus xix. 16, 18. And all the people faw the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noife of the trumpet, and the mountain Smoking:

D

Smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and flood afar off. And they faid unto Mofes, Speak thou with us, and we will bear; but let not God Speak with us, left we die. Chap. xx. 18, 19.--And the Lord faid, They have well spoken. Accordingly they were to have upon the coming of the fecond lawgiver, the prophet, whom God was to raise up to them like unto Mofes, all that they desired in Horeb. He therefore came without those terrors, with which the law was given, and with a milder and more gentle difplay of miracles: which however were more fignificant, and fuperior in their operation to the former. Mofes then repeats the promise of God, which he had before mentioned, and comes to the conclufion, which is of great importance. I will raife them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee; and will put my words in his mouth: and he shall speak to them, all that I fhall command him. And it fhall come to pass, that whofbever will not hearken to my words, which he shall fpeak in my name, I will require it of him or as the Greek has it-I will

avenge myself upon him. Deut. xviii. 18,

19.

It is well known, that the land of Judea was conquered by the Babylonians, the city Jerufalem burnt, and ruined, and the people, for their idolatry, led into captivity. After a term of feventy years they were wonderfully brought back; and their city and polity restored. As they had smarted fo feverely for their apoftacy, they never more returned to the worship of idols. On the contrary they adhered ftrictly to the law of Mofes; and additionally to this they obferved numberlefs rites, and cuftoms according to the traditions of their elders: fuch was their zeal, and fenfe of ceremonial duty. But at the fame time they offended greatly by their neglect of morality, and true religion. For this our Saviour with proper severity continually upbraids them. But ftill there were other nations as bad. This therefore was not the principal reason for the severity, which they experienced, when thofe evils came upon them. Our Saviour foretold, and defcribed what was to happen-as-great tribulation, fuch