III. THE prophets fometimes stop short in defcribing the progrefs of events, and introduce matter which, at firft view, appears foreign to the subject. Upon investigation, it will be found that they pause to answer objections which naturally occur from their fubject, and are tacitly understood, though not expreffed.

The defign of prophecy, as well as of every other part of Scripture, is to convince men of the truth of what God has revealed, and thereby to rectify the heart, and reform the life. In order to work a thorough conviction, it is neceffary not only to state facts, but to remove objections. When the Spirit of prophecy forefaw objections which would have weight, he proceeds instantly to folve them, without formally stating them.

Thus Ifaiah (chap. xxviii. 7.--22.) fhews the rejection of the Meffiah by the Jewish nation, and the confequent defolation brought on them by the Romans. In order to vindicate the juf tice of God in this dispensation of his providence, the prophet answers (from verfe 23. to the close) the great objection of the Jews to the Chriftian difpenfation, and their apology for rejecting it, namely, the removal of the Mofaic Economy. He forefaw that they would confider it as inconfiftent with the wisdom of God, first, to have appointed it, and afterwards to have abolished

abolished it. The objection is anfwered by an allufion to the practice of the husbandman. He firft plows, then fows; fo the Mofaic Economy was a préparation for the Gofpel. He fuits the feed to the foil, the threshing inftrument to the feed; he uses one inftrument to thresh, another to grind: Changing the inftrument in the progrefs of his work, is the effect not of folly, but wifdom. It was from the beginning the plan of Infinite Wisdom, to adapt the mode of instruction, in the several ages of the Church, to the capacities of mankind, and to change the Mofaic for the Chriftian Dispensation. -The prophet Ifaiah (xI. 9.-11.) describes the ministry of the Apostles; he removes (ver. 12.— 17.) the objections of the Jews to the Meffiah. As, the meannefs of his outward appearance, anfwered, (verfe 12.) by turning round to the works of creation, and alking, Who made them? The folly of his crofs answered, (verfe 13, 14.) the by afferting the fuperior wifdom of God, in the fcheme of redemption, and the folly of fetting

up

human wifdom in oppofition to it. The fear of the Romans answered (verfe 15.) by declaring the infignificance of all nations, in comparifon of Him whom they rejected. A conceit that facrifices were fufficient to attone for fin, and that the death of the Meffiah was therefore ? Guovo cama od unneceffary,

unnecessary, answered, (verse 16.) by afferting that the facrifices of brute animals, enjoined by the law, were in themselves absolutely infufficient to attone for fin.

Ifaiah (chap. xlix. 1.-23.) gives a view of events in their order, from the promulgation of the gospel to the restoration of the Jews. At the 24th verse he stops short, and answers objections which would naturally occur against the restoration he had promised. He continues to answer several objections in the whole of the Ift chapter, and in chap. li. from the beginning to verfe 9.

At other times the prophets interrupt the detail of events, in order to make a practical application of fome important fact foretold; showing the influence it ought to have on those who hear it, but especially on thofe who fee it accomplished, according to their feveral fituations, Thus, the prophet having fhewed the converfion and restoration of the Jewish nation, (Ifaiah xli. 1.-20.) he breaks off (verse 21.) by an animated address to the adherents of every falfe religion, fummoning them to produce any fuch evidences of divinity in the deities they worfhip, as the true God has given in the prediction and accomplishment of thofe important facts, refpecting the Jewish nation. We find a fimilar address on the fame event, chap. xliv.

9.-20.

9.-20. The fame prophet having fhewed the progrefs of the gofpel among the Gentiles, on its first promulgation, (xlii. 10.-16.) he breaks off the detail of events, to denounce the judgments of God against the heathen nations, who retained their idolatry; then turning round to the Jews, in a pathetic addrefs, he represents their inexcufeablenefs in rejecting the Gospel, and the juftice of the calamities which were in confequence entailed upon their nation', (ver. 18.-23.)

IV. THERE are fudden tranfitions in the prophets; that is, they rapidly pass from one event to another, very remote as to the time of its accomplishment, from that mentioned immediately before. However, a minute attention to the paffage, and the comparing it with other paffages, in the fame prophet, will enable us to

trace

(1) Many inftances of this kind could be produced, out of all the prophets; and in them we ought to admire the wisdom of the Spirit, who dictated the word of God. The future events foretold relate only to one period; but the practical remarks with which they are interspersed are equally profitable in all periods. The literal meaning of the events predicted, and a knowledge of their coincidence with the prophecy, may be acquired only by a few; but the practical remarks are level to the capacity of all; fo that the word of God,' eyen in the darkest paffages, 'maketh wife the fimple.'

trace the connection of the writer's ideas, and prevent our misapprehending the narration, fo far as to imagine, that the last event fhall quickly fucceed the preceding in the accomplish

ment.

"

Thus (Ifa. Ixi. 1.-3.) the prophet defcribes the perfonal miniftry of the Meffiah, for fo our Lord applies it, (Luke iv. 17.-21.) At the 4th verfe, the prophet fuddenly paffes on to the reftoration of the Jewish nation, which takes place at the Millennium. Betwixt the perfonal miniftry of the Meffiah and the Millennium, no lefs than two thoufand years elapfe. Is any apt to fuppofe, that the latter event quickly fucceeds the former? Let him carefully perufe the prophet, from the 40th chapter, and he will find, in the feveral parallel views of the fame time, that the rejection of the Jews, the admiffion of the Gentiles into the church, the promulgation of the gospel among all nations, conftantly intervene betwixt the perfonal miniftry of the Meffiah and the Millennium. In the paffage where the transition is made, he fays, "They (that is the restored Jews) fhall build "the old waftes,-repair the defolations of

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many generations." Thefe expreffions im

ply, that many generations fhould intervene betwixt the perfonal miniftry of the Meffiah and the restoration promised, during which time the

land