hofts; and he himself will gather the difperfed of Ifrael: as is faid, "And I will bring you forth from the people*, and will gather you from the countries:" and which agrees with the third principle of Isaiah.

Third, that at the future redemption, in their return to Palestine, during their journey thither, all the rebels and tranfgreffors, that continue in their wickedness, and do not return to God, will all be cut off: and which agrees with the fixth principle of Ifaiah.

Fourth, that the future redemption, will resemble that of Egypt: as is faid, "Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the defert of the land of Egypt; fo will I plead with you" and which agrees with the fifth principle of Ifaiah.

Now, it is manifeft, that none of these principles, have ever been accomplished: not at their return from Babylon: nor yet during the life and miniftry of Jefus. And it is demonftrable, that they cannot in any fense whatsoever be applied to the spiritualizing scheme of the Chriftians. Whence it

İs

is manifeft, that they remain to be fulfilled at the future restoration of the nation, in the latter days, at the coming of the true Meffiah.

The third prophecy commences verfe 11th. of chapter xxxivth, and is continued to the end of verfe 15th. of chapter xxxvith.

The purport of this prophecy, is as follows. The Prophet having mentioned above, chap. xxxiii. 21. "And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth (month,) on the fifth (day) of the month, (that) one who had escaped out of Jerufalem came unto me, faying, the city is fmitten." He then received a vifion*, con cerning the tranfgreffors of Ifrael, who had been the cause of the deftruction of Jerufalem and also, concerning the kings of Judah, who had caufed the captivity of Ifrael; as in Chap. xxxiv. ver. 1. "The word of the LORD came also unto me, saying, Son of man, prophefy against the fhepherds of Ifrael, prophefy, and fay unto them, (even) to the fhepherds, Thus faith the LORD God: Woe

Chap. xxxiii. 23.

(un

(unto) the fhepherds of Ifrael that feed themfelves"! He then fpeaks of their wickedness, and their criminal behaviour: and for which reafon, God tells them, that they shall be deprived of the kingdom: ver. 10th. “Thus faith the LORD God; Behold, I (am) against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hand, and will cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither fhall the thepherds feed themselves any more: for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, and they shall not be meat for them." By which he fhewed that, they fhould not reign over them any longer: not while they were in captivity in Babylon: nor yet, at their return from thence, during the continuance of the second temple. He however, informed them, that there would yet come a time, when all the tribes fhould be redeemed, and return to their own country; and then a king of the house of David, fhould reign over them: ver. II. -12. "For thus faith the LORD God; Behold, I, (even) I, will search after my flock, and will diligently feek them: as a shepherd diligently* feeketh his flock, in

Heb. According to the diligent fecking.

the

the day when he is among his heep (that are) fpread abroad; fo will I feek my sheep, and will deliver them out of all the places where they have been fcattered, in the day of clouds*, and of thick darkness." That is, in the day that Jerufalem was burnt and destroyed; when its smoke went up as the pillar of a cloud. Darkness, alfo denotes calamity in general,

In verfe 13th. the Prophet proceeds to fhew, what he meant by the figurative language that he made use of, concerning the fheep. “And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Ifrael, by the streams, and in all the dwelling places of the land. I will feed them in a good pafture, and upon the high mountains of Ifrael fhall their fold be: there shall they lie down in a good fold; and (in) a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Ifrael. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down. I will feek (that which was) loft," This denotes the tribes of Reu

Heb. Cloud.

4 Heb. Peoples.

ben,

ben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manaffeh, which were carried captive from the other fide Jordan and who being the first of the nation that were carried captive, they were confidered as if loft from among the congregation. "And I will bring again

(that which was) driven away," This denotes Zebulun, and Naphtali, that were carried captive afterwards. "And I will bind up (that which was) broken," This denotes the captivity of Samaria; which was a great breach of the nation. "And I will ftrengthen the fick;" This denotes the captivity of Judah and Benjamin to Babylon. "But I will deftroy the fat and the strong," This denotes the prefent captivity, and wherein the wicked who are fat and strong, will be destroyed at the time, that the others will all be fought for: i. c. at the reftoration. And of the whole nation, he says, "I will feed them with Judgment." That is, according to the punishment due to their iniquity. And therefore, he says, verse 17th. "And (as for) you, O my flock, thus faith the LORD God; Behold, I (will) judge between sheep and fheep, (between) the rams

and