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coveries in the Atlantic ocean: fo that the famous verfes concerning fuch future difcoveries, cannot be faid to contain a prophecy, in the strict and most proper fenfe of the word *.

Though human fagacity may forefee some things at a diftance as probable, yet innumerable things are beyond its reach; nor is there any true history in the world, but whoever reads it, and knows the truth of it, is fully perfuaded, that it was impoffible to have written it, after the events happened, without fufficient information, or before the events happened, without infpiration, which is the only way of fufficient information of things to come.

See Verulam's Effays, effay 35.

CHAR

CHAPTER I.

Of prophecies which speak exprefsly of one particular person who was to be, in a peculiar manner, the Light of the Gentiles; and of the doctrines and events contained in those prophecies.

I

T was observed in the Introduction, that fome of the most remarkable uncontested facts belonging to the history of Chrift, are thofe which relate to that enlightening of the Gentile nations. which is owned to have been the effect of Chrift's doctrine. Though unbelievers deny the peculiar doctrines of the gofpel, they own, that the gospel was the means of abolishing the Heathen polytheifm and idolatry, and of enlightening the Gentile nations in the knowledge of the great principles of natural religion, concerning the unity of God, his infinite perfections, his providence, and his law. It is ufeful, therefore, to begin with the prophecies which treat of this great revolution, which must be owned to be the most remarkable that ever happened in the world, and to relate to its most important concerns, if the concerns of religion be owned to be fuch.

The prophecies on this fubject may be usefully divided into different forts. Some of them fpeak exprefsly of one particular perfon fent of God, to whom the enlightening of the Gentiles would be chiefly owing; while others treat of the fame great event, without fpeaking of that particular perfon. Some of the prophecies concerning that event, or that perfon, are more general and fhort; others are more full and particular, as containing a greater B number

number of facts, and other characters, contiguous to one another. It is reafonáble to begin with these last, because they serve to give light to the reft; it being one of the most useful rules in interpreting any writings, that paffages that are more obfcure or general, fhould be explained by those that are more clear and particular.

Among the prophecies which speak most clearly and fully of one particular perfon who was to be the Light of the Gentiles, are the following paffages in Ifaiah, viz. the 42d and 49th chapters throughout, the prediction that begins at the 13th verfe of the 52d chapter, and is continued through the whole of the 53d, together with the 55th and the 11th chapters. In confidering the things contained in these chapters, it will be useful to obferve, that they can be proved to treat of one and the fame fubject, by the arguments which convince us in any other cafe, that one and the fame fubject is treated of in different writings, or different parts of any one writing; as, for inftance, the arguments which fatisfy us that certain paffages, in the different Evangelifts, are parallel to one another. And whereas the moft plaufible objection against the evidence of the prophecies which speak of him who was to be the Light of the Gentiles, is the pretence made by fome, that thefe prophecies are applicable to fome ancient kings or prophets among the Jews, who made profelytes of fome particular perfons among the Gentiles; it will therefore be needful to ,obferve, with due attention, how clearly the expreffions of the prophets defcribe a converfion, not merely of fome particular perfons, but of nations; and how the characters they give, of that converfion of the Gentiles which they foretell, are applicable only to what is known in fact to have been the effect of the gofpel of Jefus Chrift.

The 49th chapter of Ifaiah contains a very confiderable number of uncontefted facts, relating to

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the three heads formerly mentioned, viz. the histoof the life of that eminent perfon who was to be the Light of the Gentiles; the hiftory of his church, and of his enemies; and feveral remarkable doctrinal characters mixed with these facts: all which things are set forth partly, by metaphors, partly by more clear expreffions, which give fufficient explication of those metaphors, as to their true meaning, not only in this prophecy, but also in other prophecies where they occur. It is ufeful to diftinguish the chief contents of this remarkable prophecy into feveral articles, to render fubfequent references more easy, in comparing parallel prophecies together.

1. As to the enlightening of the Gentiles, the eminent person who is fpoken of all along, almost through the first half of the chapter, is faid (in

6. & 8.) to be given by God for a Light to the Gentiles, that he might be God's falvation to the ends of the earth, and to be given for a covenant to the people, to eftablish the earth, and to cause to inherit the defolate heritages. He is brought in at the beginning of the chapter, as calling, in a folemn manner, to the Ifles, and to people that were far off, to listen to him; which, according to the prophetic style, as will be proved afterwards, implies, that these people actually would liften to him, as is more fully expreffed in the following parts of the chapter. It is faid, in y 7. that though this extraordinary perfon would be defpifed by men, and abhorred by the nation, (that is, the Jewish nation, as will be proved afterwards), kings would fee and arife, and princes would worship, because of the Holy One of Ifrael, who had chofen him, viz. him who was to be a light to the Gentiles. It is foretold, in y 23. that kings would become nurfing fathers, and queens nurfing mothers, to Zion, or to the fociety of the worshippers of the true God: and they are reprefented, not only as affording protection, but as fhewing fuch special regard to that

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fociety, as implies, that they would join themselves to it; and confequently would no more patronize Heathenifin, but give the countenance of authority to the true religion. In the 12th, 18th, and following verfes, people of remote countries are reprefented as gathering themselves to Zion, as beautifying and adorning her, as becoming her children, as crouding and thronging to her, and faying, "The place is too ftrait for me: give place to me that "I may dwell *." As figurative expreffions may be as clear and intelligible, in many cafes, as any other whatever; fo the obvious meaning of thefe expreffions of the prophet is, that great multitudes of diftant nations would join themselves to the church of God at the time the prophet has in view. And as, in y 20. & 21. Zion is represented as furprised at the numbers of her new children, after the lofs of other children which he had formerly, this is very naturally applicable to the acceffion of the Gentiles, compenfating the lofs of fo many of the Jews; nor can it be reasonably applied to any other thing

II. As to the enemies of him who was to be the Light of the Gentiles, it is very remarkable, that in this prophecy, as well as in feveral others, the treatment which that eminent perfon would meet with from the Gentiles, is reprefented as the reverse of what he would meet with from the Jews; whereas in the verfes formerly cited, it is faid, that the Gentiles would be gathered to him; (for when it is faid, that they would gather to Zion, it neceffarily implies, that they would gather to him who is called God's covenant and falvation.) It is faid plainly enough in y 5. that Ifrael would not be gathered to hin. When he is faid, in 7. to be one whom man defpileth, and whom the nation abhorreth; though it is not faid exprefsly the Jewish

Compare Genefis xlix. 10.

nation,

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