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faid? These are the defcendants of Efau and Ishmael; for they are the brethren of the nation for Ishmael was the brother of Ifaac, and Efau was the brother of Jacob. He therefore very juftly calls them the brethren of the nation: but, although they are your brethren; yet, do they hate you, and thrust you out and all this they fay, is done for my name's fake, that I the LORD may be glorified: for as both the Chrif tians, and Mahometans, affert, that they, and they only, profefs the truth, they each hate, and perfecute the Jews, for not embracing their doctrine: this is clear from all hiftory. They alfo fay, we shall see your joy the joy that you expect, is defigned for us. This, is particularly applicable to the Chriftians; for they have invariably applied to themselves, all thofe glorious promifes, which predict our future happiness in the latter days: the futility of which, I have already expofed*: the Prophet therefore, juftly obferves, but they fhall be confounded; for what they expect will not be; on the contrary, all is recorded in writing before

See Vol. ft. page 143. &c.

78

DISSERTATIONS

before me; all that they have done, bot the destruction of Jerufalem, and the burn of the temple, &c. For, (verfe 6th.) voice of tumult from the city! A vo from the temple! The voice of LORD, rendering recompence to his e mies!" The voice from both city and tel ple, crieth aloud for vengeance. But, the Prophet mentions the noun voice the times, one of which is attributed to God; is clear, as the learned Abarbanal obferve that the most High will take vengeance his enemies, for three different crim which they have committed: first, for th voice of the flain at the destruction of th city of Jerufalem; fecond, for the voice the burnt temple; and third, for the void of blafphemy towards the Supreme, by th manner, in which they have spoken his Divinity: and thus fays the Prophe Daniel; "I beheld then, becaufe of th great words which the horn fpake held (even) till the beaft was flain, and his body deftroyed, and given to the bu

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deftruction of the fourth beaft, will be in confequence of the erroneous doctrine promulgated by it, concerning the Divinity.

The Prophet having thus fpoken of the vengeance which God will take of his enemies, for the fins they had committed, proceeds to speak in figurative language, of the refurrection, which is to take place, about nearly the fame time: verse 7th. & 8th. "Before he was in travail, fhe brought forth; before her pangs came, fhe was delivered of a male (child.") Before the city above mentioned, (i e. Jerufalem) shall travail, she will have brought forth: that is, fhe will bring forth, without the pains of child birth which image, the Prophet made use of, to fhew the manner of the refurrection; that it will not be as is the natural birth, which he calls the pains of travail, that always precede it; but that the bodies of those that shall rise at the refurrection, will, in a fupernatural manner, appear all at once fuddenly; and which he calls her being delivered before her pangs came. And, as this will be a moft aftonishing, and ftupendous act, the Prophet says, verse, 8th. "Who hath heard fuch a thing?

and who hath seen the like of these thi Shall the earth be made to bring for one day? Is a nation born in an inst For no fooner was Zion in travail, than brought forth her children." By a na being born in an inftant, the Prophet f that, they will be exceeding numero that they will all arise inftantaneously; that they will be the children of Zion.

But, as it is extremely difficult for mind of man, to form an idea of the refur tion, fo as to be able to comprehend and which, may therefore be the cause his doubting the truth of the predictio the most High argues in fupport of it; v 9th. "Shall I bring to the birth, and cause to bring forth? faith the Lord, sh İ, who beget, restrain the birth? faith t God." Shall I who was able to create ma and every thing else at the beginning, fro nothing; not be able to raise him again the refurrection? This, no one can doub but as I have been able to effect the or I fhall certainly be able to effect the ther.

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10th. "Rejoice with Jerufalem, and exult on her account, all ye that love her; be exceedingly joyful with her, all ye that mourn over her :" The Prophet here shews, as I have already obferved*, one great end of the Resurrection : viz, that those who have been perfecuted, flain, and massacred, during this long and dreadful captivity, for their adherence to the true faith; and who died mourning, and lamenting for Jerufalem; may then rejoice, and exult with her, in her falvation: for as they were fatiated with trouble, forrow, and affliction, on account of her destruction; it is but juftice, that they fhould partake of her happiness; as the Prophet fays, "That ye may fuck, and be fatiffied, from the breast of her confolations; that ye may squeeze out, and be delighted with the fplendour of her glory." The first of these members, denotes their temporal happiness ; and the second, denotes their spiritual happinefs; and which is the true glory; and both these they will enjoy in their greatest latitude; verse 12th. "For thus faith the LORD; Behold, I will fpread profperity over her, VOL, II.

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* See Vol. ft. page, 193, &c.

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