As to the fpiritualizing scheme of Christians, who pretend that in a fpiri fense the kingdom of Chrift, the fon of vid, has been for fome time established d those whom the Apostle calls "the Ifrac God," (Gal. vi. 16.) and the "childre Abraham," (Gal. iii. 7.) meaning ther what Chriftians call true believers, whet of the Jews or Gentiles. And alfo, that the Church of Chrift there hath been a co stant and uninterrupted fucceffion of perfo appointed to perform the public offices religion, although not taken out of the fa mily of the priests and Levites. And th perpetuity of this kingdom and this priest hood, is, in the opinion of many learne Christian expofitors, looked upon as a ful and authentic completion of the intention of this prophecy. But this, (as a learned Christian commentator* obferves) "feems to be fpiritualizing too far." Too far indeed, when there is not even the leaft fhadow of reason, to fupport this false and abfurd hypothesis; for the Ifrael, of which the Prophet speaks, are those that have been

* Dr. Blaney. See his Note on this place.

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scattered in captivity, and whom God will
never reject, or caft off as a nation: as shewn
in the preceding prophecy; and other parts
of this work. Befides, the Prophet does
not say a fyllable about a spiritual kingdom;
but his whole difcourfe is concerning a tem-
poral one; where the Meffiah, the lineal
defcendant of David, and his fucceffors, are
to fit on the throne of Ifrael.When Ju-
dah is to be faved, and Jerufalem is to dwell
in fecurity. Their flocks are to increase
in all their poffeffions.- -The priefts are to
offer burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and
facrifices for ever. And which priests are to
be of the Levites, the defcendants of Jacob;
with whom God's covenant is never to be
made void; (as mentioned ver. 20. &c.) and
which is alfo a demonftration of the vanity.
and falfity of Paul's reafoning, concerning
the change of the priesthood, as mentioned
in his epistle to the Hebrews *; and on
which, I fuppofe this pofition of the Chris-
tians concerning their priesthood, is founded.
But nothing can be more fallacious, than the
reafoning of Paul; (as will be shewn at large,

in the fecond part of this work; when come to confider thofe prophecies wh Chriftians only apply to the Messiah, which will be fhewn not to be applicabl the Meffiah) for I am confident that ther not any authority in the Old Teftament, warrant fuch reafoning: nor is there foundation for the fcheme of a fpirit kingdom of the Meffiah, contained the in.

The seventh prophecy is contained in t two last verses of Chapter ivth. of the L mentations of Jeremiah.

Verse 21.-22. 66 Rejoice and be gla O daughter of Edom, that dwelleft in th land of Uz; unto thee alfo fhall the cup pa over; thou shalt be intoxicated, and fha expofe thy nakednefs. The punishment thine iniquity is at an end, O daughter o Zion, he will not cause thee any more to g into captivity: he hath visited thine iniquity O daughter of Edom; he hath discovered thy fins." The Prophet thus comforts the daughter of Zion, by affuring her, that sh had fuffered the whole of her punishment and confequently had nothing more to apprehend of any future captivity: and also

that

that the punishment of thofe that had perfecuted her, was now to begin; and which denotes the time of the future redemption: when God will not only redeem the nation; but will alfo in an exemplary manner, punish all thofe that perfecuted them during this long and dreadful captivity; (as already fhewn in the course of this work; and will be farther feen in the explanation of the remaining prophecies) for the words of the Prophet can by no means apply to their return from Babylon: for then, it could not be faid, that, "the punishment of their iniquity was at an end." And with much less propriety could the Prophet say, "he will not cause thee to go into captivity any more." For in the first place, it is well known that, when they came out from Babylon, they were not free; and after their return, during the continuance of the fecond temple, they were in almost continual fubjection, to the Perfians, Greeks, and Romans; the last of whom, four hundred and ninety years after their return, destroyed their city and temple, and carried them into captivity, where they have remained to this day. Neither did the cup pafs unto the daughter of Edom, at their return from Babylon :

bylon for the Edom here mentioned, denotes the Romans; who were defcended from the Dukes of Efau, or Edom, as I have fhewn, Vol. Ift. page 217. &c. and as will be fhewn more largely in the explanation of the Prophecy of Obadiah, which treats folely concerning Edom. Whence it is manifeft that, this prophecy, delivered for the comfort of the daughter of Zion, has not yet been accomplished: not at their return to Babylon; nor yet in the time of Jefus and it would be only wafting of time, to fhew that it can by no means be applied in any sense whatever, to the fpiritualizing scheme of the Chriftians: confequently, it remains to be fulfilled at the future redemption of the nation, by the hands of the true Meffiah.

Thefe great and important prophecies of Jeremiah, which he prophefied concerning the future restoration of the nation, contain fix of the thirteen fundamental principles contained in the prophecies of Isaiah. viz. First, the vengeance which God will take. on the nations at the time of the future redemption, and the deftruction that he will bring upon them; for all the evil which

they