covenant, by placing you in a condition to keep it? "to make you a godly seed" by the residue, or rather (see the margin) the "excellency of the spirit." "Therefore,"-again a warning as to the wrong they were doing.

Ver. 16. No wish on the part of the God of Israel "to put away." He would rather put the thought of violence out of the way, covering it with " a garment," even with the spotless "robe of a Redeemer's righteousness;" only beware of " dealing treacherously."

Ver. 17. God's patience with their unreasonable words; and their unconsciousness of it. Even when altogether confounding right and wrong in their perverseness, as if saying, "Where is the God of judg

ment?"

CHAP. III.

Ver. 1. The " Messenger" here may allude to the mention in the fifth verse of the following chapter; but whoever it may prove to be, "the coming" here spoken of cannot possibly have had its accomplishment at the first Advent of our Lord; for Christ came then to be "rejected," and in deepest humiliation, while here He is invested in the robes of visible Deity, and to be "delighted in."

Ver. 2. "But who shall stand when He appeareth?

-no longer at the bar of Pilate, but "like a refiner's fire and fuller's soap," for vengeance as well as purification.

Ver. 3. He who was tried, now sitting Himself a refiner that He may offer a restored and ransomed earth to the Lord as an offering of righteousness; and "purifying the

Ver. 4-Sons of Levi," who will again, with the other tribes, possessing the land, "offer to the Lord in righteousness," and that offering shall be pleasant as in the days of old, and as in former years.

Ver. 5. At the same time, as shown by the synchronism of the whole passage, will be the indignation which is to sweep away Antichrist and his bands-" the sorcerers-the adulterers-the false swearers-the oppressors of the hireling and widow," not fearing me, saith the Lord."

Ver. 6. God's unchangeableness here distinctly stated to be the cause why" the sons of Jacob are not consumed," His chosen and elect people (then made in its largest form to embrace both Jew and Gentile) whom He brings through, in triumph, amidst all their own murmuring and halting by the way.

Ver. 7. Again exhortation, and again warning against a perverseness, of the extent of which we are now able to judge something, from the consequences which have risen out of it to Israel itself; for had the warning been listened to, their weary 1800 years of dispersion and banishment would not have still been dragging out its weary length, and the blood of their Saviour and ours been on them and their children; the invitation to return, and their misunderstanding it still.

Ver. 8. Asking how any man could rob God, when they were doing so continually, of their service to which He was entitled.

66 even this whole nation."

Ver. 9. All of them, Ver. 10. God telling them if they would only honestly serve Him and forsake their own ways, He would prove to them that the blessing would be so great, visibly and tangibly, that "there should not be room to receive it ;" and that blessing is still to be, though delayed through the national and individual guilt of the Jew, to whom it was originally promised. (Isa. lxv. 8-10.)

Ver. 11. "The devourer"-Antichrist, will then be rebuked "for your sakes," and blessing and fertility follow his overthrow.

Ver. 12. Jerusalem yet to be the joy of the whole earth,- a blessing in the midst of the lands," and acknowledged to be so.

Ver. 13. Again a call and remonstrance, after showing them what obedience would bring in its train; whilst still there is held up to us too true an exhibition of what the heart of man appears before God, ever justifying itself, and "charging God foolishly.'

Ver. 14. " Walking mournfully" in His ways, and asking what profit there is in them.

Ver. 15. " Calling the proud happy,"-they who set up for themselves in independence of Him, and speaking as if they who despised His ways were delivered from all the sorrow with which God's people were afflicted.

These

Ver. 16. But it is not so with all (blessed be God!), for here mention is made of "them who feared the Lord" in every age as now. "spake often one to another,"-doubtless much of their promised deliverance, and, like the apostles, of the " coming of Christ, and their gathering together in Him;" and the Lord hearkened, and a book of remembrance was written with their names before Him.

Ver. 17. God's care and watchfulness over them as over His own Son who serveth Him. Their life "hid with Christ,"-that Son in whom He is well pleased."

Ver. 18. And "in that day" all will see the difference "between him who serveth God, and him who serveth him not."

CHAP. IV.

Ver. 1. "For" the day cometh that shall consume the ungodly root and branch ;-destroyed with "the brightness of His coming," as the stubble after harvest.

Ver. 2. Whilst they who fear Thy name will be safe;-healed of their diseases, and feeding in His presence.

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Ver. 3. All enemies subdued, and they taking part, as prophesied, My God shall come, and His saints with Him.

Ver. 4.

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The law of Moses" still the exposition of God's will, until that day come when His servants shall serve Him,"-(Rev. xxii. 3);-the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, who, by keeping it, magnified the law and made it honourable ;"not coming to destroy, but to fulfil.

Ver. 5. Before the great and dreadful day" Elijah the prophet is here promised to be sent; even as John the forerunner, "in the spirit and power of Elias, appeared at the first "coming." How this will

be, the event alone must declare, the promise here being distinct and plain, with much recorded in Elijah's own personal history on earth before his being taken up into heaven, to point it with greater emphasis and meaning.

Ver. 6. He shall turn the hearts, &c., has a strange coincidence of expression with that prayer of Elijah himself, before the fire of God fell on the sacrifice (1 Kings xviii. 37); and we see by what he did then "in the name of the Lord," that the heart of the people was “turned back again" before Baal and his worshippers were destroyed. It is said elsewhere, that for the elect's sake the days of the last unequalled tribulation, which will immediately precede the coming of the Lord, will be shortened, else "there should no flesh living be saved " (Matt. xxiv. 21, 22); and so here, the "turning the heart" of Elijah, seems connected with the preservation of the earth from the curse which otherwise would have "smitten" it.

It is well to keep in mind whilst reading these prophets, that elsewhere we are distinctly told, that "no Scripture is of any private interpretation, but that holy men of old" wrote by inspiration. And so although these books of the Old Testament were intended primarily for "the chosen people," and bear distinct reference to their trials and deliverances; yet we are to remember, that when "the middle wall of partition was broken down," God's elect people, Gentile no less than Jew, became alike interested in their teaching—in their promises -and in all the great accomplishments of future blessing, which are so manifestly yet to be expected.

The whole history of the Jews up to Malachi is a practical comment and warning to give emphasis to what is written for our instruction, on "whom the ends of the world have come; " whilst our advantages, as well as hopes, are higher far than theirs ever were.

There is even thankfulness to us, instead of jealousy, in God's having chosen Israel as He did, for no merit of their own, for we in theirs can read our own history, and believe to our comfort that, as Christ's people, we shall likewise be carried safely through. "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore are ye not consumed," though said to the sons of Jacob," is also said to us, by express permission for us to think so, as already shown ;- -as wilful as they were and rebellious too, but God's unchangeableness still pledged to us as to them, and "none shall pluck us out of His hand."

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With regard to the Jew, we should also remember that the peculiar promises to him are earthly; whilst Christ's covenant people, Gentile as well as Jew, are to be "heirs of God, and joint-heirs of Jesus Christ, of an inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away." "Where I am there shall ye be also," is His own promise; and all expressive of the highest dignity reserved through eternity for those who “ are Christ's 's at His coming."

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Well, then, may he who hath this hope in him purify himself even as Christ is pure;"-an expression surely meaning, that this glorious condition will one day be fully realized, however dazzling and incom

prehensible it may seem to the dwellers on earth, now amidst present imperfection and sorrow.

The prophetic writings, if read in this view and in the light which is breaking on the dark passages as the " day approacheth," will be found wells of holy comfort and instruction, at which we may refresh ourselves, imbibing there new vigour to "press on, and reach forth to the things that are before." (Phil. iii. 13.)

THE DOUBLE FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY.

No. V. THE SPRINGING UP OF LIGHT.

Matt. iv. 14-16, compared with Isa. ix. 1, 2.

ON first reading these verses in St. Matthew, it may appear strange that I should class it with those prophecies that seem yet to bear a future accomplishment. The words of Isaiah so literally came to pass at the first Coming of our Lord, when, on his leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt at Capernaum, the principal city of Galilee: for then, indeed, upon the inhabitants of that region "the Light shined;" there it was the Lord wrought the chief of his miracles; there He cleansed the leper; there He restored health to the centurion's servant; there He quenched the fever of Peter's wife's mother; there He restored to life the deceased daughter of Jairus; there He calmed the waves of the sea; there He multiplied the loaves; there He changed the water into wine. In Galilee, also, our Saviour was transfigured; there, too, was He beheld of more than five hundred followers, after He had risen from the dead; so that of this region it might well be said, "The people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up." But notwithstanding, this accomplishment does not seem to me to realize the fulness of the prophecy, for from the context in which it stands, I think one would be led to conclude that darkness and war were not again to fall upon that territory; and yet we know that this presence among the dwellers of Galilee of Him who was the light of the world did, from their rejection of him, but add to their darkness and condemnation; for He himself says, "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee." From this consideration I would turn to Isaiah, and take a brief view of the prophecy as it is there written. On recurring to it we find that it forms part of the prediction Isaiah was commanded to deliver to the houses of Judah and Israel in the days of Ahaz, when Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to make war against it, and confederated themselves against the house of David; the prophet tells of the discomfiture of both these kings and their kingdoms. (Chaps. vii. 3-9,

and viii. 1-4.) In chap. vii. 10-15, he gives the unbelieving Ahaz a sign in order to confirm his faith, even the sign that a virgin should conceive and bear a son, thus by this prophecy assuring him of the establishment of the house of David in the person of Imanuel. He then predicts the evil that is to come upon the house of Judah, from their present ally, the King of Assyria. (Chap. vii. 15-25.) This subject is continued, chap. viii. 6-9; then have we the breaking up of every confederacy against the Lord of hosts (vers. 9-14), and the Lord Jesus represented as a sanctuary to believers and as a stumblingblock to both the houses of Judah and Israel, which He still is, and will be as long as He is rejected of them. (Vers. 14, 15.) During that time He is said to be waiting on the Lord of hosts, who hideth his face from the house of Jacob. (Vers. 17, 18.) The utter darkness and desolation of those who reject the counsel of the Lord, and sink to idolatry and divination, is there portrayed (vers. 19-22); and then the prophecy now immediately under our consideration occurs, light is prophesied as breaking in upon the darkness. (Chap. iv. 14—16.) There has been much diversity of opinion among the learned as to this first verse; some thinking, from the difference between it and Matthew's quotation, which agrees with the Septuagint, that it has been corrupted by the Jews; some, with many ancient MSS., connecting the "dimness" with the last verse of chap. viii., and making the first verse of chap. ix. the last of chap. viii. Thus, Bishop Lowth reads it," But there shall not hereafter be darkness in the land which was distressed in the former times he debased the land of Zebulon, and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time he hath made it glorious, even the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations: the people that walked in darkness," &c., &c. Thus does also Mede, along with the Vulgate,-" And they shall look upon the earth, and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness, and to cleaving darkness, and from these straits they shall not be able to escape: in the first time the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali were undervalued; but in the last time shall the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations, be honoured: the people that walked in darkness," &c. Thus we see that this springing up of light follows in close connexion on the darkness of Israel and Judah, the darkness caused by their rejection of their Messiah, so that from this alone we might look for an accomplishment yet to take place of this prophecy. Much of chapters vii. and viii. are prophetic, not alone of what has come to pass, but of what yet will; for surely the name of the Assyrian is a typical one, and the prophecies concerning him embrace also the last Antichrist, as we see from comparing Isa. xxx. 27-33 with 2 Thess. ii. 1-13 and Rev. xix. 20. Then again, does not the confederacy of Isa. viii. embrace, not alone the confederacy against the house of David in the days of Ahaz, but also the last final confederacy spoken of in Psa. ii., and Rev. xvi. and xix? so that, surely if one or more parts of these chapters point to a double fulfilment, why may not the passage quoted by St. Matthew? But we think the prophet's language (chap. lx.)