dividually; they have only become more fixed in the error of their ways, and the harder to be converted. They have, with the same obstinacy as at the first,* repelled all the evidences which christianity has to offer them; by the fulfilment of the prophecies, both of the jewish and christian scriptures; by the success of the gospel; by the persecutions it should overcome, and the state of true religion in every age; and lastly, by the long abandonment of their own nation, the disappointment of their vain hope, and the perpetual miracle of their preservation unto this day.

There certainly seems to be some signal purpose of God intended to be answered, by his perpetuating the preservation of the jews, for 1700 years, as a distinct nation; and delivering so many wonderful prophecies concerning them, during their state of abandonment; and particularly at the time when it draws towards its termination; which purpose can scarcely be answered by an obscure and unnoti ced disappearance of that people: their conver

Acts xiii. xlvi.

sion will undoubtedly be the immediate act of God, and will draw as much attention to it from the world, as their dispersion did. For the ten tribes were not so preserved, but were soon lost, and blended with the nations where they were scattered. The prophecies speak of a great and sudden augmentation of glory to God, from the fact of the conversion, and restoration of Israel to their own land; which latter part of God's fully and repeatedly declared purpose, can scarcely be made good, if the jewish nation shall have been impercepti bly absorbed, and lost amongst the christians, St Paul perfectly coincides with the idea general amongst the prophets, that it is a MYSTERY, which shall not be cleared up until the fullness of the gentiles is come in, and then ALL ISRAEL shall be saved;-and that as the unhappy casting away of them proved the reconciliation of the gentile world, the receiving of them again will be as great and unexpected a joy, as life suddenly restored to the dead. (Rom. xi.)

It seems to be intimated in the prophecies, that God will take them by the hand, as in the

days of their coming out of Egypt;* and make bare the arm of his power, by judgments upon their enemies and oppressors, operating in favour of their emancipation; in which circumstance especially the resemblance will probably consist, between the first or ancient Exodus, out of the real Egypt, and the second, out of the mystical Egypt, or captivity by the Romans. For it is clear, from many prophecies which I shall have occasion to consider in another place, that the representatives of the ancient Roman empire, perpetuated in a changed form, are still considered in prophecy as the captors and destroyers of Israel, and are spoken of as such, under the prophetic attributes appropriate to the power of ancient Rome, as being terrible, and strong as iron.

"The

multitude of THE TERRIBLE ONES shall become as chaff, that passeth away: yea it shall be at an instant suddenly. Thou shalt be VISITED OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise; with storm and tempest, and the flame of de youring fire." (Isa. xxix. 5.)† "When he

Isaiah x. 24; xi. 11.

+ Psalm xxxv. 5, 6.

shall have scattered the people that delight in war, then shall the PRINCEST come out of Egypt." (Psalm lxviii. 30.) These are the common prophetic indications of political revolutions. The prophet proceeds to speak of the opposition that shall be raised up against the mighty PURPOSE OF GOD, for the emancipation of his people, and in a fine figure shews the vanity of the attempt.

In this prophecy of Ezekiel to the dry bones, I conceive it was intended by way of comfort to the jews, at that time depressed by the Babylonian captivity; to assure them of the great and miraculous mercies that God had in reserve for his people, his elect, even in the lowest state of despondency to which any people could be reduced; by a re-settlement in their own land, which should be exempt from mis

†The converted jews, called kings and priests unto God, in common with other saints in the millenium, (Rev. i. 5,) and called the kings of the east, (Rev. xvi. 12.) See their joyful return, (Isa. xxxv. 10.—li. 9.)

The mystical name of Rome, that great city, or ecclesiastical hierarchy and confederacy against Christ, "which spiritually is called SoDOM-and-EGYPT." (Rev, xi. S.)

fortune or affliction any more.

And farther,

I also suppose it was intended hereby to foretell, to the generation which shall be alive, when the time of its accomplishment is at hand, the manner and circumstances with which this visitation, or great and glorious day of the Lord shall open upon them. That their blinded eyes shall be opened, and their long closed ears be unstopped, and their graves, in which for many centuries they have been lying politically dead and buried, shall be thrown open, and they shall come forth regenerated and re-animated by grace, and strengthened by the co-operation of favourable contingencies, or providential interposition, to the successful vindication of their religious and civil rights, and the recovery of the land of their inheritance. In such circumstances, this prophecy will have a great influence upon that awaked people, for the confirmation of their faith, that the call at that time sent to them is no delusion, but the voice of God" speaking comfortably to Jerusalem, and crying to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of

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