Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and JERUSALEM shall dwell safely; and this is the name wherewith SHE shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.* For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the the throne of the house of Israel:+

Jer. xxxiii. 14-17.

* In page 44. a prophecy very similar to this has been quoted from Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. that would appear as strictly to refer to the Messiah, as this does to Jerusalem: in Jer. xxiii. King Messiah is called The Lord our Righteousness: but in Jer. xxxiii. Jerusalem is called by the same name, "The Lord our Righteousness:" In the former we learn that in consequence of the promise of Messiah, Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely, but here it is divinely promised that Jerusalem shall dwell safely : and, as a wife takes the name of her husband, and a bride is called after her bridegroom, even so shall Jerusalem be called after her King Messiah" The Lord our Righteousness." In that day shall be fulfilled the remarkable prophecy of Hosea, ii. 16. And it shall be at that day saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi, i.e. my husband, and also this of Isaiah liv. 5. Thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called.

+ The meaning is that, David shall never fail of having an heir to occupy his throne, seeing that David's Son, Messiah, who liveth for ever, shall reign on it at the end of days.

Therefore, behold the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt: But, the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Jer. xvi. 14, 15.*

And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and and they shall be fruitful and increase.

Jer. xxiii. 3.

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. Jer. iii. 17, 18

Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah, and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity, "The Lord

* See also Jer. xxiii. 7, 8, where this promise is likewise given, as it has been already quoted in page 44.

bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness." And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks. For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. Jer. xxxi. 23-25-see also 31-34.

ever.

Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night.... If these ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for Thus saith the Lord, if heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord* from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it, upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath. And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook Kidron, unto the corner of the horsegate toward the east, shall be holy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for Jer. xxxi 35-40

ever.

That the fulfilment of these events belongs to the time of the Messiah, sublime and important as they are, proved to us abundantly and with satisfaction, from the 40th verse.

I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night. Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence; And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah lxii. 6, 7.

Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee; and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride so shall thy God rejoice over thee. Isaiah lxii. 4, 5. And they shall call them, The holy people, The Redeemed of the Lord; and thou shalt be called, Sought out, a city not forsaken.

Is. lxii. 12. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.* Isaiah lix. 20.

Be strong and fear not; behold, your God will come with vengance, even God with a recompence; he will come and Save you...And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with Songs, and Everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee Isaiah xxxv. 4, 10

away

* See Saint Paul's interpretation of this text as given at The commencement of the present section-page 47.

The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. Isaiah x. 21.

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Isaiah lv. 3, 4, 5,

O Zion that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God; Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him; behold his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd:

Isaiah xl. 9, 10, 11.

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Isaiah xi. 10, 11 12.