hundred and fifty thousand hands employed, and fourteen years in the building. Likewife it was adorned with maffy gold in abundance, for filver in King Solomon's days was nothing accounted of, and add to this, its folemn dedication to the LORD for his immediate fervice, by all the Elders and Princes of the tribe of Ifrael, together with Solomon their King, the Priests and Levites, with all Ifrael; and what made it more glorious than all this was the glory of the Lord filling the house of God, 2 Chron. v. 14. And yet the glory of this latter house was to exceed it, which was not poffible to be accomplished by any other means, than by the perfonal presence of JEHOVAH the MESSIAH in this house, viz. in this fecond temple, therefore he fays, Mark xiv. 49. I was daily with you in the temple; and a remarkable inftance we have of his glory, power, and authority therein, Matt. xxi. 12, 13. And Jefus went into the temple of God, and caft out all them that fold and bought in the temple; and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the feats of them that fold doves, faying unto them, it is written, my boufe fhall be called the boufe of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves; and the Evangelift Mark adds, and would not fuffer that any man should carry any veffel through the temple. The Scribes and Pharifees feared him, for all the people were aftonished at his doctrine; and the children cried in the temple, Hofanna to the Son of David. Now it was the perfonal appearance of this Prince MESSIAH, in the temple, that made the glory of this latter house greater than that of the former; for in the former houfe, there was only a fhadow of JEHOVAH'S glory from off the mercy-feat; but in this there was the perfonal prefence of him that is by nature the GoD of glory, the LORD of glory, the glory of his people Ifrael.

And what ftill aggrandizes the glory of the latter temple, by the presence of the MESSIAH, who is the King of glory, is that the Jews acknowledge that what principally conftituted the glory of the former, was wanting in the latter, viz. the Ark, the Urim and Thummim, the Fire from Heaven, the divine Shekinah, and the Holy Ghoft; yet this latter houfe, in its glory, was to exceed the former, by the coming of the defire of all nations, which could be accomplished in no other, but in the perfon and prefence of the MESSIAH, in whom the completion of the types, and all the glory of heaven and earth in full perfection refide.

Friendly. But the LORD faith, that he would shake all netions, when the defire of all nations came; was this fulfilled in the time of the MESSIAH's coming?

Truth. Yes, as Dr. Gill obferves, this may intend those mutations and revolutions, that were made in the feveral kingdoms and nations of the world, between this prophecy and the coming of JESUS, which the hiftory of thofe times gives an account of: and indeed it was but a little while ere this shaking began, for the Perfian monarchy which was then flourishing, was quickly after fubdued by the Grecian, and that in a little time, underwent the fame fate from the Roman. Or else it may intend thofe prodigies which were wrought in the heavens, earth, and feas at the birth, in the life, and at the death of JESUS; at his birth an unusual ftar appeared in the heavens, in his life-time miracles of various forts were wrought, both by land and fea; and at his death the fun was darkened, the earth quaked, and the rocks rent afunder; never was there fuch a fhaking among the nations, as at the time of CHRIST's coming. Herod and all Jerufalem were moved, and shaken at the tidings of his birth; Angels defcended from Heaven to celebrate it; wife men came from the east to enquire after it; and in a little time all nations under the Heavens were shaken, moved, or ftirred up, to embrace, or oppose him; as faith the HOLY GHOST, Rom. X. 18. Their found went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Friendly, But it is faid by the LORD of hosts, in this place, (that is, in the temple,) will I give peace?

of

Truth. Which was both literally and spiritually accomplifhed in the gift of the MESSIAH in the temple, to the heart good old Simeon, who upon fight of the MESSIAH, embraced him with holy tranfport, in his arms, and in a rapture cried, now letteth thou thy fervant depart in peace, &c. and doubtless it filled Anna the Prophetefs's heart with peace, for it is faid, that it may intend the MESSIAH, who was to be our peace, the Prince of Peace, who is the author, procurer, and giver of peace, who hath made peace by the blood of his cross, and hath commanded his miniftering fervants to preach peace to nigh, and to them that are afar off; who, accord

them that are

ingly preach peace by Jefus Chrift, who is Lord of all. Thus it appears, Friendly, from this prophecy, that the MESSIAH was to appear before the deftruction of the fecond temple, and to appear therein, and that he came whilft this temple ftood, and that he taught therein is too notorious to need mentioning, and his having all the titles and characters in him that the Prophets had foretold, proves him indifputably to be the true MESSIAH; and as the people faid, John x. 41.

All things that John fpake of this man were true; fo may I fay of the prophets, that all they fay of JESUS, as the MESSIAH, is true, whether it relates to the glory of his perfon, the riches of his grace, the time of his birth, the place where he should be born, the bleffings he fhould beftow, the triumphs he should obtain, or the exaltations that he should receive at the right hand of God. And indeed, this fingle argument of CHRIST'S appearing in the fecond temple, as the glory of the latter houfe, exceeding that of the former, which was the particular additional glory that the Jews expected from this prophecy, appears from R. Jofe, who feeing the deftruction of the fecond temple by Titus, faid, "the time of the MESSIAH is come." But they in their writings, ridiculously fhew their obftinacy, blindnefs and ignorance, when they tell us that he lies hid either at Rome, or in the Sea, or in Paradife; which makes it evident, that the prophecies bear a conviction with them of the truth of CHRIST, being the true MESSIAH; but their confufed understanding of them, makes it manifest, that blindness is in part happened to Ifrael.

But to proceed, Zech. iii. 8. For behold I will bring forth my Servant the Branch, which the Targum thus interpreteth, Behold I will bring my fervant the Meffiah; this is alfo frequently explained of the MESSIAH by the Jews, and is indeed a character which many of the Prophets give him; Ifaiah calls him, the Branch of the Lord, Ifa. iv. 2. and Jeremiah ftiled him, the righteous Branch; and these prophecies were remarkably fulfilled in him, as is evident by comparing Ifa. xi. 1. where the Prophet ftiles the MESSIAH, a Branch growing out of the root of felle, with Rev. xxii. 16. where JESUS fays, that he was the offspring of David. Now David was the Son of Jeffe, and CHRIST, being of the feed of David, according to the flesh, proves him to be the Branch that was to grow out of the roots of Feffe.

"Friendly. But wherein doth it appear that the MESSIAH was the Father's fervant?

Truth. It appears that he was the Father's fervant, by the choice that he made of his human nature, in union with the divine, to go through the work of our redemption, to accomplifh all his counfels, purposes, and promifes concerning his people, and as fuch he speaks of him by the Prophet Isaiah, as the object of his choice, delight, and divine complacency, Ifa. xlii. 1. Behold, my fervant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my foul delighteth, &c. Befides we find that the peculiar properties of a fervant, were eminently in the MESSIAH, as First,

Readiness to do his Father's work.-Second, Delight therein. 113 Third, Faithfulness through the whole.-Fourth, A defire to honour his GOD. These properties fhone with infinite luftre in the person of the MESSIAH; with regard to readiness he faith, lo I come; and with regard to delight in the work the FATHER had appointed him he faith, I delight to do thy will, O my God! yea, thy law is within my heart. With regard to faithfulness, we find that it was the girdle of his reins, therefore. he faid unto his FATHER, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do; and with regard to honouring his FATHER, he fays, I have glorified thee on the earth. Thus it appears that the MESSIAH was the FATHER'S fervant, to whom he fays, Ifa. xlix. 6. Is it a light thing that thou shouldeft be my fervant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, to restore the preferved of Ifrael? I also will give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayeft be my salvation to the ends of the earth.

Friendly. What might I apprehend by the Meffiah the Branch, being brought forth?

Truth. As all the types under the law were adumbrations of him, and the prophecies had foretold him, this was a repewed prediction to the returned captives from Babylon, to infpire them with life and zeal in building the temple, that GOD according to his word and promife, would bring forth the MESSIAH among them.

But to proceed, ver. 8. Upon one stone shall be feven eyes, behold I will engrave the engravings thereof faith the Lord of hofts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Friendly. But wherein doth it appear that this is spoken of the MESSIAH?

Truth. With regard to the MESSIAH being called a stone, it is a metaphor the ancient patriarch in Ifrael made ufe of, to fet him forth prophetically by, Gen. xlix. 24. fpeaking of the bleffing of the GOD he fays, from thence is the fhepherd the ftone of Ifrael. And David calls him, The ftone which the builders refufed; and Daniel calls him, the ftone cut out of the mountain without hands; and Peter faith, to whom coming as to a living fone, difallowed indeed of men, but chefen of God and precious. Friendly. But wherein doth it appear that upon this stone were seven eyes?

Truth. First, The eye of the law was upon the MESSIAH, it looked to him, and expected from him, as the finner's furety and fubftitute, that perfection of obedience, that its nature required, therefore it is faid of him, Mal. ii. 6. The law of truth

VOL. II.

I

was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips; well then might the Prophet fay, he is the end of the law for righteoufnels.

Second, The eye of juftice was upon him, as the appointed victim and facrifice for fin, therefore faith JEHOVAH, awake, O fwword, against my shepherd, against the man that is my fellow; fmite the shepherd; that is, Justice must have that pacification, atonement and fatisfaction, that the fins of his people called for, and that a broken law required.

Third, The eye of mercy was upon him, as her appointed channel, in which all the filver ftreams of love, and waters of life thould flow to the elect of God.

Fourth, The eye of the grand enemy of our fouls was upon him, which is evident from the threefold temptation wherewith Satan accofted him in the wilderness, and particularly in his dolours and fufferings, to whom the MESSIAH faith, This is your hour, and power of darkness.

Fifth, The eye of his enemies was upon him, which was manifeft daily in the Scribes and Pharifees feeking to take him, and particularly at his condemnation and death they had their eye upon him, as the MESSIAH faith, Pfal. xxii. 17. They look and flare upon me.

Sixth, The eye of Angels was upon him, in his incarnation, birth, life, death, fufferings and exaltations, 1 Pet. i. 12. Which things the Angels defire to look into.

Seventh, The eye of faith, or the eye of his people is upon him, as he himself faith, Zech. xii. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced; and faith Paul, Run the race that is fet before you, looking unto Jefus: and faith David, Pfal. xxxiv. 5. They looked unto him, and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed. Thus you fee upon one ftone were seven eyes. Friendly. But what might I apprehend by God's faying, I will engrave the engravings thereof?

Truth. Thus much, that by these seven eyes, being fixed upon the MESSIAH, and being accomplished in him, that thereby GoD wrote, or engraved in the life, death, and exaltation of the MESSIAH, all the confummate defigns of his love to his people.

Friendly. But wherein doth it appear, that the iniquity of the land was removed in one day?

Truth. By the iniquity of the land, we are to apprehend the fins of God's people; or by the land we might understand, the Gentile church, who had been as land barren and unculti