demption; and as it were, without toil or labour.

;

The prophet then proceeds to inform us of the entire reftoration of the nation the happy ftate they are then to enjov; and that they shall never go into captivity more: as in ver. 14-15. "And I will bring again the captivity of my people Ifriel; and they shall build the defolate cities, and fhall inhabit (them); and they fhall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they alfo shall make gardens, and eat their fruit. And I will plant* them upon their land; and they thall no more be rooted up from the land which I have given them, iaith the LORD thy God.

From the explanation here given of this prophecy; the following fundamental principles, are deducible.-First, the destruction and defolation of the nations; particularly Edom; as mentioned ver. 12 "That they may poffefs the remnant of Edom, and of all the nations." And which agrees with the

This image, is most beautifully taken up from

the preceding verle.

firft,

firft, and fecond principles of the prophecies of Ifaiah.

Second, the falvation and redemption of Ifrael, as in ver. 14. "And I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel;" And which agrees with the third principle of the prophecies of Isaiah.

Third, that a king of the house of David is to reign over them: as in ver. II. "In that day I will raife up the fallen ta bernacle of David, And which agrees with the tenth principle of the prophecies of Ifaiah.

Fourth, that they fhall not go into captivity more; as in ver. 15. "And I will plant them upon their own land, and they fhall no more be rooted up," &c. And which agrees with the eleventh principle of the prophecies of Ifaiah,

Now, it is clear from all hiftory, that these promifes have never yet been fulfilled; not at their return from Babylon; nor during the ministry of Jefus: more especially, the two latter for in the first place, it is well known, that at their return from Babylon,

and

and during the continuance of the fecond temple, there was no king of the house of David, (as above fhewn, fee p. 167, 168.) Secondly, they were fo far from being planted in fo firm a manner, as no more to be rooted up, that four hundred and ninety years after their return*, from Babylon, being a few years after the death of Jefus, they were indeed rooted up most dreadfully: for at the fiege of Jerufalem by Titus, Jofephus fays, that by famine, and the fword, eleven hundred thousand of them were destroyed; Jerufalem was also taken, and destroyed by the Romans; the nation carried into this long and woful captivity; an end put to their government and policy; and which they have never recovered to this hour. From all which, it is demonftrable, that thofe great and glorious promifes, have never yet been fulfilled; but that they remain to be accomplished, at the future reitora

• According to the prophecy of Daniel; as I have fhewn in my Letters to Dr. Priestley, part II. page 80. &c. &c. Bell. Juda. Lib. VI. Cap. iii. Sect. 3. See alfo Vol. I. Introd. p. 20.

tion

tion of the nation*, by the hands of the true

Merah.

DISSERTATION IX.

The Prophecy of Obadiah.

THE ninth who prophecied concerning the future redemption, happiness, and falvation of the nation, and the punishment of their enemies, was, the prophet Obadiah: and, because his prophecy was entirely concerning Edom; it is (as Abarbanal obferves) very proper here, to inquire, whether those prophecies, which the different prophets prophefied concerning the deftruction of Edom, were all accomplished at the firit deftruction by Nebuchadnezzar; who, after he had taken Jerufalem, laid fiege to Tyre, which lafted

And thus much hath the Archbishop of Armagh acknowledged in his Note on v. 15. his wor's are, --no more] This part of the prophecy will receive its completion on the future restoration of the Jews to their own land."

thirteen years; and during which interval, he conquered, and fubdued the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, and the neighbouring nations,

We also find that, during the existence of the fecond temple, Hyrcanus the son of Simon, of the Afmonean race, made war on the Edomites, and having conquered them, obliged them to forfake their idolatry, fubmit to be circumcifed, and obferve the law of Mofes; fo that from thenceforward, they were all circumcifed, and obferved the law of Ifrael, till the time of the deftruction of Jerufalem by Titus: wherefore, we ought to enquire whether it was concerning those events, that the prophets prophefied. It alfo is of the utmoft confequence, that we enquire, whether, although it fhould be acknowledged, that thefe prophecies are to be fulfilled hereafter; yet, if they were spoken of, and to be accomplished in the land of Edom, near the land of Ifrael; and which was fubdued by * David, who put garrifons in all parts thereof; and which was after

*See 2 Sam. viii. 13, 14. & 1 Chron. xviii. 12, 13.

I

wards