the days of a tree, fhall be the days of my
people." The prophet's idea here feems to
be, that they shall then live to the age of the
Antediluvians; which appears to be very
properly expreffed by the days of a tree, accor-
ding to our ideas for it is commonly fup-
pofed that the oak, one of the longest lived
of trees, lafts about a thousand years; being
five hundred years growing to its full per-
fection, and as many decaying: which seems
to be a moderate and probable computation.
See Evelyn Sylva, Book 3d. ch. iii. Con-
cerning the fecond, he fays.
"And my

chofen fhall wear out the work of their own
hands. They shall not labour in vain; nei-
ther shall they generate a short lived race;
for they (fhall) be a feed blessed of the
LORD; and their offspring with them."

The Prophet then informs us, that although while they were finners in captivity, God would not hear their prayer: as the Prophet Jeremiah said, ( Lament. iii. 44.) "Thou haft covered thy felf with a cloud, that (our) prayer should not pass through." yet, at their restoration, it would be far otherwise; verse 24th. "And it, shall be, that before they call, I will anfwer "; But

as this expreffion, might seem incongruo as it is not proper to fay that, he will anf them before they call; the Prophet imm diately fhows what he meant by it; "A while they fhall be yet fpeaking, I w hear." While they are speaking to each oth faying, Let us call on God in prayer; G will inftantly hear them; fo that befo they begin to pray, God will already ha

noticed them.

In verse 25th. the Prophet fhews the un verfal peace * that is to take place at the restoration; "The wolf and the lamb fha feed together; and the lion fhall eat ftrav like the ox but duft (shall be) the foo of the ferpent. They fhall not hurt t

neithe

See this largely explained, vol ift. page 91. &c.

The learned Abarbanal is of opinion that the wolf, lam lion, and ferpent, denote the four great monarchies, tha fubdued and oppreffed the nation; three of whom, after having received their due punishment; will enjoy peace and plenty but that Edom. i. e. the Roman Empire, which is typified by the ferpent; and who oppreffed and perfecuted the nation with fuch defpite and rancour, far beyond, what any of the other monarchies did; will not then attain to the happiness which the others will enjoy for which reason, the Prophet faid, duft fhall be the food of the ferpent: for that monarchy only, will remain in a miferable degraded

neither fhall they deftroy, in all my holy mountain, faith the LORD.

According to the explanation here given of this prophecy, the following important truths, of the facts to be accomplished at the restoration of the Jews, are evidently deducible. First, that the great number of unbelievers in the nation, will by no means prevent the redemption of the true believers; for that the finners, will all be numbered to the sword and the flaughter. Second, that the ten tribes will be reftored as well as Judah. Third, that the land of promise will be changed from its present barren state, to that of a most fruitful one. Fourth, the refidence of the divine presence will again be among them, with the return of the spirit of prophecy, as aforetime. Fifth, that they shall no more go into captivity; neither are they to experience any more trouble or affliction, &c. Sixth, that they fhall live to a great age; and thus enjoy and wear out the labour of their hands, &c. Seventh, univerfal peace, will then take place. But as it is well known from all history, that none of those great promifes, were accomplished at their return from Babylon; it is clear, that the Prophet did not fpeak of that cap

tivity. And, as it is equally evident fr history, that they were not fulfilled in t perfon of Jefus, it is manifeft that he cou not be the Meffiah; and that these glorio promises, remain to be fulfilled in the latt days, at the coming of the true Meffiah.

The fourteenth Prophecy, commenc Chapter lxvith. and is continued to the en of the fame.

Before we proceed to the explanation this prophecy, it will be neceffary to ob ferve, that several Commentators have ima gined, that the Prophet meant to reprov the nation, for its hypocrify, in offering facrifices, while their hands were polluted with their evil deeds. But nothing can be farther from truth, than this hypotheses: for the purport of this prophecy, is the future redemption of the nation; and partly connected with the foregoing, in the following order. The prophet having in the preceding prophecy, announced the glorious and happy state, which the nation is to enjoy, both temporal and spiritual, with the return of the divine presence to Jerufalem; he thought it very probable, that fome, might imagine, that it was to be understood, as if God meant to redeem the na

tion,

tion, merely on his own account; that they
might build him a temple to abide in: and
would thus afcribe locality* to the most High:
the Prophet therefore, in order to remove from
their minds the most distant idea of such a per-
nicious opinion, affures them, that the most
High, has no neceffity for a dwelling, or place
of reft; because he cannot be circumscribed:
as he fays, verse ift.
"Thus faith the

LORD:

* The true believer, may perhaps think that this is not likely to happen; and that no one could be so stupid, as to ap ply locality, to the Creator of heaven and earth: but I can testify the truth of it; and that nothing is more common among Deifts, when they wish to deny Revelation, and to shew that the God of Mofes, was an Egyptian god; than fay ing that Mofes ascribed locality to his God; as what else say they, did he mean by faying, Exod. 25. 8. "And let them make me a fanctuary, that I may dwell amongst them." This objection, I have frequently heard from the mouths of Deifts; aud fuch, as are accounted men of fenfe and learning: and who ought to have known that Scripture generally fpeaks in figurative language; and that therefore, dwelling among them, fignified nothing more than the appearance of the symbol of his divine prefence in the tabernacle. But, alas! this is the woeful confequence of the fraility and pre. fumption of mankind, when they prefume to think themfelves wifer than the rest of the world; whom they look upon either as knaves, fools, or fanaticks: and having once embraced this notion, the falfe fear of fhame, prevents their acknowledgingtheir error: and thus fhutting their eyes against the conviction of truth, they remain wilfully blind for ever.