intends, primarily and immediately, the SECT.IV. day, not of the world's, but of Jerufalem's deftruction. For want of adverting to this, an opinion hath prevailed among Christian interpreters, that the whole prophecy relateth principally to the day of judgment, and to the appearance of an Elias, who fhall then precede Chrift. Whether there will be fuch an Elias at that time, and so the fecond advent will fymbolize with the firft in the circumftance of being previously proclaimed by a harbinger, like St. John, fent for that purpose, is a speculation with which we shall not at prefent concern ourselves, refting fatisfied with the application of the prophecy, upon infallible grounds, to the perfon of the Baptift, the undoubted forerunner of our Lord, when he came to vifit us in great humility. GOD punisheth not finners, till he hath firft invited them to repentance. He giveth fair warning before he ftriketh; and a day of grace, in which mercy may be fought, and pardon found, always goeth before a day of vengeance and extermination. Elias was sent "be "fore SECT.IV. "fore the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;" John called his countrymen to turn from their fins, and believe in their Meffiah, e'er yet the defolations of Jerufalem exhibited to the wondering nations a fpecimen of that almighty power and inflexible juftice, which fhall one day lay the world itself in ruins. THE third chapter of Malachi containeth a most evident and clear prediction of Meffiah's advent, with that of his precurfor St. John. "Behold, I "will fend my meffenger, and he shall 66 prepare the way before me; and the "Lord whom ye feek fhall fuddenly "come to his temple, even the meffen ger of the covenant whom ye delight "in behold he fhall come, faith the "Lord of hosts." The prophet goes on to foretell the effects of Chrift's advent in the selection of a peculiar people, and the purification of a new priesthood, to offer new and acceptable offerings. "But who may abide the day "of his coming, and who shall stand, "when he appeareth? For he is like a "refiner's fire, and like fuller's foap. And "And he fhall fit as a refiner and puri- SECT.IV. "fier of filver; and he shall purify the fons of Levi, and purge them as gold "and filver, that they may offer unto "the Lord an offering in righteousness. "Then shall the offering of Judah and "Jerufalem be pleasant unto the Lord, "as in the days of old, and as in for"mer years;" pleasant as in the days when their fathers offered in faith, and the defire of Meffiah's appearance was the ruling paffion of their fouls. The reft of the chapter is employed in reproving the rebellion, facrilege, and infidelity of the Jews; and the fourth chapter opens with a description of the day fatal to Jerufalem ---"Behold the 66 day cometh that shall burn as an oven, " and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day "that cometh fhall burn them up, faith "the Lord of hofts, that it shall leave "them neither root nor branch." For the confolation of the faithful, God by his prophet again foretelleth Meffiah's advent, with the increase, victory, and triumph of the church "But unto 161 SECT.IV." OF RIGHTEOUSNESS arife, with 66 healing in his wings; and ye fhall go "forth, and grow up as the firstlings "of bullocks and ye fhall tread down "the wicked, for they fhall be ashes "under the foles of your feet, in the 66 day that I fhall do this, faith the Lord "of hofts." In the mean time, " Re"member ye the law of Mofes my fer"vant, which I commanded unto him "in Horeb for all Ifrael, with the fta"tutes and judgments." And then, when the law hath done it's office, and prophefied for the appointed time, "Behold I will fend you Elijah the prophet;" not the perfonal Elijah, but, as the angel expoundeth it, one to preach and live after the model of his example, in his "spirit and power." Thus, in the prophecy of Ezekiel, where God foretelleth the union of Ifrael and Judah in the days of Meffiah, he faith, 66 They shall be my people, and I will "be their God, and David my fervant "shall be their prince for ever." Not that Chrift was to be David rifen from the dead, or, when he came, was to a Ezek. xxxvii. 23. bear bear his name, but was to be, in cer- SECT.IV. 66 an oven," the day of Jerufalem's deftruction, mentioned in the firft verfe. "And he fhall turn the heart of the "fathers to the children, and the heart "of the children to the fathers, left I "come and fmite the earth," or "the "land, with a curfe." In the citation of this paffage by the of it is paraphrased 111 angel, one part "To turn the "hearts of the fathers to the children, "and the difobedient to the wisdom of the "just" The meaning of the whole feems to be, either, that men of every age and every disposition should be united in truth and charity; or, as some |