the baptist, his forerunner, then began to preach the kingdom of heaven. The law and the prophets were till John; and he began to preach just sixty nine weeks after Ezra's decree, that is, four hundred and eighty three years. John the baptist preached three years and a half, then the Messiah himself preached three years and a half more; and these two put together make seven years; the last week of the prophecy. This is the third period. In this week, or seven years, the covenant was to be confirmed with many and in the midst thereof, as we render it, but it should be translated, in the half part thereof, the latter half, he shall cause the sacrifice to cease. He confirmed the covenant by preaching the gospel; and at the close of the last week, put an end to sacrifices for sin by the sacrifice of himself. Indeed it is said, v. 26. after sixty two weeks shall Messiah be cut off; but the word after must refer to the whole next week, otherwise no time would be left for his ministry. And in v. 24. the events to be brought to pass by his death are placed at the end of the seventy weeks.

Upon the whole then, the first period of forty nine years, refers to restoring the church and state of the Jews; the second, sixty two weeks, reaches from the end of that period to the publication of the gospel; and the last week, from John's preaching to Christ's being cut off, which was one week, or seven years. All these put together, make up the seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety years. And, according to this computation, every particular hath been exactly verified, and the whole number of years answers to a month. Other computations have been made by learned men ; but this appears to me the most exact and satisfactory; and every reasonable objection against it has been fully removed by Dr. PRIDEAUX. There are difficulties attending every computation, arising from the different names, number, and years, of the Persian kings; and the different lengths of years in different nations. But it is by no means necessary that the time in the prediction should be precisely computed; since in all the computations of learned men, the time of the appearance of Jesus, as the Messiah, falls in sufficiently with it. After this pe. riod was accomplished, the Jewish capital, temple, and nation, were to be destroyed.

APPLICATION.

1. Here is a glorious evidence of the truth of this prophecy, and of christianity.

Indeed this is a reflection which might have been mentioned after any of the prophecies; but it deserves particular regard here; as this is the largest and most precise of any, both as to the events and the time. It is so remarkable a prophecy, that some of the enemies of christianity had no other answer to make to it, than that it was forged after the events happened.' But many learned men have proved that notion to be highly absurd and our Lord's quoting the prophecy, is a sufficient proof to us that it is

genuine. To which I may add, what JOSEPHUs, the Jewish historian, who saw the latter part of it fulfilled, says, viz. that Daniel prophesied of that desolation, and fixed a time for it. All the computations of the learned agree within a few years; and there are no events to which this passage can refer but those we have mentioned. False prophets and impostors talk of things in a general strain. Our almanack makers, and such idle, wicked pretenders, speak of war, peace, mortality, commotions, &c. in general terms. But here are various particulars, and great, wonderful, unusual events that a holy, glorious person should be cut off; a whole nation be ruined; their capital destroyed; be long desolate; and the like: and here a precise time is fixed for these events. Could it be by chance, or sagacity, or a lucky conjecture, that Daniel foretold all this, and just hit the time? No : it is impossible. We can ascribe this discovery to that God alone, whose understanding is infinite, and penetrates through all futurity. It is a good remark of Josephus above mentioned, that God revealed these things to Daniel, and he delivered them in writing, that posterity, comparing the events with the prediction, might know that Jehovah is not like the gods of the heathen, but governs all human affairs. Let this confirm our faith in the gos gel and let us diligently study the prophecies, especially this; remembering our Lord's command concerning it, Let him that readeth, understand.

2. How inexcusable are the Jews in their infidelity.

One of their celebrated rabbies, who lived about fifty years before Christ, declared, that the time fixed by Daniel for the coming of the Messiah, could not exceed fifty years from that time.' It plainly appears, that at the time of Christ's coming the whole Jewish nation expected the Messiah, and thought the kingdom of God was immediately to appear; and their expectation was principally grounded on this prophecy. There were many false Christs about that time, and since, but none before. During the whole siege of Jerusalem they hoped for deliverance, upon the authority of this prophecy; mistaking the Messiah for a temporal prince and Josephus thought the Roman emperor Ves. pasian was the Messiah, at least he complimented him with the title. But now the Jews are got quite beyond their reckoning, and are puzzled to account for it, why the Messiah does not ap1 pear. Some of them allow, that these weeks closed before the destruction of Jerusalem, but that the Messiah's coming was de ferred by reason of the sins of the nation: but this is a wretched shift. In the last century there was a public dispute at Venice, between a Jew and a convert from Judaism, concerning the sense of this prophecy. A noted rabbi was chosen moderator, and a great many Jews were present. The christian urged his argu ments against the Jews with so much force, that at length the rabbi said, 'Let us shut up our books, for if we go on examining

this prophecy any farther, we shall all become christians. It can not be denied, added he, that the time of the Messiah's coming is already past; but whether Jesus of Nazareth be the person, I cannot determine.' The consequence of this was, that several Jews were converted; and one of them, a very learned man, who wrote a large book against the Jews, in the preface to which he tells this story, as the means of his conversion. How lamentable is the case of this unhappy nation, who shut their eyes against the clearest evidence, and look for another Messiah, so many hundred years after the time fixed by their own prophets. Let us think of their blindness and obstinacy with pity; and earnestly pray that the Redeemer may come unto Sion, and turn away ungodliness from Jacob; and that all Israel may at length be saved. Once more,

3. Let us rejoice in the design of the Messiah's coming, and heartily fall in with it.

While he is to the Jews a stumbling block, let him be precious to our souls. We have here another proof of the importance of the christian scheme, in that it was introduced by such a particular and circumstantial prophecy as this. May I not add, we see also the importance of the peculiar doctrines of the gospel, especially the atonement of Christ, and justification by his righteousness; for they are the ends of his coming particularly specified in this prediction. He is here represented as something more than a teacher, and an example of righteousness; more than a martyr for truth; he is described as making reconciliation for iniquity, and bringing in everlasting righteousness. If we therefore desire the pardon of our iniquities, and acceptance with God, we must seek it in this way; believing and trusting in Christ, and depending upon his merits and righteousness. Think of the calamities which came upon the Jews for rejecting Christ, and the curse under which they continue to this day and from thence judge, how dreadful their case must be who reject Christ now, after they have this, and so many additional evidences, that he is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world. While we condemn the Jews, let us take care that we do not condemn ourselves. We indeed profess his name ; but if we will not come to him for life, if we will not consent to be saved by him in his own way, we are the despisers of Christ. Every wicked christian crucifies him afresh, and puts him to open shame; and the desolation that is determined against all the wicked, shall be poured out with double fury upon his head. On the other hand, every true be liever has reason to rejoice in this Saviour; to triumph in the effectual reconciliation which he has made for iniquity, and the everlasting righteousness which he has brought in. For, as the apostle argues, Rom. v. 10. if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life,

The Book of the PROPHET

HOSEA.

INTRODUCTION.

HOSEA is the first in order of the twelve minor prophets; so called, not because they are of less authority or use, but of smaller bulk, than the others. He exercised his office in the kingdom of Israel much about the same time in which Isaiah exercised his in the kingdom of Judah; that is, about seven hundred and eighty five years before Christ to seven hundred and twenty five. His prophecies are chiefly directed to the ten tribes before their captivity: whom, as a body, he reproves and threatens ; and then comforts the pious among them with the promise of the Messiah, and the happy state of the church in the latter days. His style is very short, and therefore often obscure.

CHAP. I.

Hosea, to shew God's judgment for spiritual whoredom, taketh Go mer, and hath by her Jezreel, &c.

2

HE word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of

Teri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and]

Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. He prophesied a long time concerning the destruction of Israel, or the ten tribes, and he lived to see it.

The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, [departing] from the LORD: a visionary representation, or a kind of parable, to impress it more strongly on the minds of the people. A woman proving false to her husband, was a lively representation of the infidelity and idolatry 3 of Israel, and God's resentment of it. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare 4 him a son. And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; which signifies, the arm of the Lord, or, his seed ; to intimate, that the arm of the Lord was stretched out to punish this people: for yet a little [while,] and I will avenge, or visit, the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, the blood of Ahab's family, which Jehu slew in Jezreel, (2 Kings x.) and will VOL. VI. Dd

5 cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow, or strength, of Israel in the valley of Jezreel, by the Assyrians who shall overcome them there..

6

And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And [God] said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah, that is, not having obtained mercy: for I wiH no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away; referring to the invasion of Tiglath Pilezer, who carried many of them 7 captive. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen; salvation shall be wrought out for Judah by the immediate hand of God; probably referring to the deliverance of Hezekiah king of Judah, and the destruction of the vast Assyrian 8 army in one night. Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, 9 she conceived, and bare a son. Then said (God,] Call his name Loammi, that is, not my people: for ye [are] not my people, and I will not be your [God ;] referring to the rejection of the ten tribes, who were all carried captive by Shalmanezer king of Assyria, when the covenant relation between God and them was dissolved.

10

Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not my people, [there] it shall be said unto them, [Ye are] the sons of the living God; they shall not be swallowed up and lost, but continue distinct and 11 numerous, and shall again become the people of God.* Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, that is, the Messiah, and they shall come up out of the land, or countries where they were dispersed: for great [shall be] the day of Jezreel; the arm of God shall be remarkably revealed to accomplish the great event of their conversion by the gospel.

1.

SEE

REFLECTIONS.

EE here the necessity of having right views and intentions in any service we undertake for God. The case of Jehu leads to this important remark. God commanded him to destroy the house of Ahab, and he did it; yet here the blood of that house is threatened to be avenged upon Jehu's house; because he did it not in obedience to God, but to gratify his own ambition and cruelty; and still retained the idolatry of the house of Ahab; for which idolatry it was that God had commanded them

This is applied by St. Paul (Rom. ix, 26.) to the conversion of the Gentiles, but net te the exclusion of the Israelites.