the parting of his garments, foretold almost a thoufand before their literal completion in Pfal

years

Ixix. 31. Pfal. xxii. 18. cannot be more clearly applied, than this prophecy to his visible and glorious afcenfion. The predictions of fuch uncommon events for the Meffiah to fulfill, were laid fo long before, and read conftantly, and even applied by the ancient Hebrews to this one person: made a part of their public worship in the temple, and in the fynagogues, where the Pfalms were particularly used: these things, that they fhould be accomplished at all, and by the hands of Jews too, form fuch an evidence of a divine hand, that no unbelief can be well greater than that of the Jews, except that of our day, which, without any of that people's prejudices, infults and mocks their Saviour. The chariot here mentioned appears to te the fame throne, which Daniel fees in fuch overwhelming grandeur and majefty in chap. vii. 9-14. Surrounded by myriads of fpirits, whom David ftyles the great congregation of Gods, (Elohim) standing before the ANCIENT of DAYS; that is, the creator of all days, or ages, as Mofes has given us the evolution of a new creation by evenings and mornings in Gen. i. 1-27. Nor is this chariot put for many, but for one throne fupplying all other thrones, cherubical chariots, and cœleftial funs, drinking their glory and light from this immenfe fountain of life and happiness. To this throne, the son of

!

man

man was brought ages paft, and fat in the glory before the cons, or times appointed for the redemption of his father and mother, and brethren born under fin and curfe. He was then the branch, Channah with the great Caph, to denote the magnificence, as the Jewish writers obferve on Pfal lxxx. 16. who was in another figure, the foundation-ftone, upon which the whole new world fhould be rebuilt, and never fall by difobedience: this is the fon, even the Son of man whom the Lord ftrengthened for himself, and his own council of redeeming grace. To this truth attefted by the ancient Jews, Pfal. ii. 112, and Pfal. 110. Rev. xii, 5. Dan, vii. 13. and Isa. Ixvi. 7. bear their concurrent testimony; which I have more fully explained in the first dialogue, lately addreffed to the Jews. The form of all chariots of the Lord God, that is cherubical thrones for those eminent spirits, called Elohim and Malkim, Gods and kings, is after his own magnificent throne. Kings are funs of living light in their heavenly kingdoms, in whom God has his tabernacle inward; for all funs of the true light have a globular circumference, high and lifted up. like the wheels of the cherubim: their fubjects are blessed in their orbs, thofe portions of the fea like. chryftal, according to their kingdoms and inheritances divided to them. Confider in this place these paffages, they that love him, shall be as the fun in his might. Judg. v. 31. The righteous fhall

fhine, as the fun. Mark iv. 6. Rev. i. 16. and as John is fhewn 144000 kings and priests, so many thrones of light are appointed unto them to fit in judgment of fire, to purify and bless all nations in the end. Rev. vii. 9. The word Shinan, * importing to reiterate, or to double, is only found in this place. The spiritual sense is the fame, as thummim perfections, and taumim, to produce twins; because all perfection confifts in that form, male and female made he him. Gen. i. 26. on this ground, the firft holy place of the temple rebuilt in the figure was called Bathsheba, the daughter bearing feven lights in a golden veffel, who is then in

*The learned archdeacon Sharp acknowledges Shinan to fignify thousands of double ones; but he knew not the reason of the word, in Hutchinson's cherubim examined. p. 397. what Ainf worth fays, as cited also by Lydius in Syntagm. Sac. de re militari. c. 10. that Shanan to fharpen, may fignify chariots armed with fcythes and sharp hooks, will fuit a Calvinift's idea of the Lord of bofts. For out of Auftin's fyftem, comes up the beast with two horns like a lamb, but he speaks like a dragon. Rev. xiii, 11, God and Christ are not generals of armies to destroy, in the wrath of man, but of hosts for falvation and peace: it is this false prophet with his lying tongues in teachers, that has filled the chriftian world with blood and flaughter, both in civil and religious wars. And it has now the impudence to make God a party in all quarrels, and to fing te deum for the deftruction of those, for whom Christ tafted death; and whom he must redeem according to the testimony. What great guilt will be to priests and minifters who teach men to break the leaft of Chrift's laws, and are trumpeters of war, not peace-makers?

this ftate of renovation fit to compass the man, and become one divine body and fpirit, Zachar, a male and a memorial of the Lord. In this perfect ftate exifts the moft joyful life, and a generation of their children which never divide from the root or womb of their fpiritual birth: and here the woman barren by the divifion and breach, becomes in the eminent fense a joyful mother of children never to die, for they are not flesh under death, but Spirit incapable of diffolution. Pfal. cxiii. 9. "The "Lord is among them, in Sinai, his fanctuary, or "in his holy tabernacle." The angels were in the midst of the great fire, out of which God spake at Sinai, juft as they were before the throne of the ANCIENT of DAYS, and the river of fire flowing from him. Deut. iv. 11, 36. Dan. vii. 9. Sinai, the wrath changes into Zion in the spiritual sense: and at Pentecofte, they who were fanctified with the blood, fire and vapor of heaven, saw their father's face, and put on his white rayment: therefore God was in his fanctuary, in his holy fplendor and marvellous light, to which no man by nature can now approach. Nor could thofe elders have done fo, but by the mediation of the powers on high, given by grace to them; through which they were one with Chrift, as he is one with the father. We fee then Sinai pafs over into Zion, wrath against flesh into fpirit of life, and darkness unto light. Lud. de dieu fays, Sinai is emphatically declared to be in

the

the fanctuary, which is true, as the difpenfation is changed from the trembling, terrified flesh of the Ifrael of the letter, and of Mofes, the law of deftruetion against our nakedness, by fhewing the fon coming in new flesh and blood, and proclaiming Bafar, good news in his fpiritual advent. It is not neces fary with Genebrard to fuppofe the Caph, as, at Sinai, is wanted here to complete the fenfe. The truth is fulfilled in the fpirit, as the apoftle interprets the glorious change in Heb. xii, 18. 27. Gal. jv. 22-31.

In verfe 19. The triumphant ascension meets qur view; for what is spoken, regards God and his Chrift, meaning the ANCIENT of DAYS, and the fon of man united to him, and fitting on the throne, called the GLORY, both under the law and the gospel. He afcended, where he was, before he defcended to work out falvation in the flesh, as the fin-offering for the whole world. What if ye fhall fee the fon of man afcend up, where he was before. John iii. 13.—3. 13. "Thou haft "afcended on high, from mount Olivet, the moun"tain of unction and peace. As i. 12. Zech. xiv.

4. Thou haft lead captivity captive, and receiv"ed gifts for man, or it may be in the man, of

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forrow and fuffering: yea, even for the rebellious "that the Lord God might dwell among them." To this prophecy, the apoftle fpeaks, he that defcended, is the fume that afcended far above all hea