CHAP. V.

Concerning the Sense and Reference of the Old Testament Prophecies.

N

OTHING I think is more THIN evident, than that many passages of the Old Testament writings have a farther reference, than to the times wherein they were first penned, and the perfons to whom, in part, they might more immediately belong. I am not now to enquire to what diftant times, or perfons they were intend ed to refer ; but to fhew from the certain, literal, natural fenfe of the words, that they did not wholly relate to, and were not fully accomplished at the time when

they

:

Out of many

they were firft delivered. paffages, which have this view, I fhall select some few of the principal. And here 'twill be difficult to account, in any tolerable manner, for that paffage, Gen. iii. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed; It shall bruife thy head, and thou shalt bruife his heel; unless it refers to some future perfon, who was to gain a compleat victory over him, by whose temptation our first parents fell, The feed of the woman here spoken of, the antipathy that was to reign between them, and the different issues of this antipathy, make it evident, that he who spake these words had fome very remote season and event in view; Eve, as yet, having no children, and it being therefore impoffible that the words could be then accomplished. The whole story indeed would be incredible, if we suppose the ferpent, literally understood, to be the tempter. But 'tis not at all improbable, that an evil fpirit, in the form of this once beautiful creature, fhould perfwade them to a revolt. In his own

proper

C

it

proper character he durft not appear: must be in some shape familiar to Eve, that he might the better infinuate himself into her good opinion, and fo the more cafily deceive her. And if so, 'twas very improbable that the ferpent, literally understood, fhould be punished, whilst the great feducer himself should be fuffered to escape without it. His punishment was to be the bruising of his head, or the destruction of his power by the coman's feed an infignificant curfe, if it refpected only the ferpent, the beaft of the field; but worthy the fupreme governour, if denoting his punishment, by whose craft the woman was perfwaded into the first tranfgreffion. And this expofition is fomewhat confirmed by God's promife to Abraham, Gen. xii. 3. In thee hall all the families of the earth be bleffed which promife, that Abraham might not understand it of his own time or perfon, is afterwards more clearly explained,

Gen. xxii. 18, In

thy feed shall all

the nations of the

earth be blessed.

Could Abraham un

derstand this of any prefent blefling

which the world was to receive from him? Or rather, was it not an encouragement to him to look forward, and to expect fome one or other of his pofterity, who fhould prove a common bleffing to mankind? And is there not manifeftly the like view to futurity, in that prophetick bleffing of Jacob to his fon Judah? Gen. xlix. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the law-giver from between his feet, until Shilo come; and unto him fhall the gathering of the people be. Here is manifeftly a diftant event foretold that the fcepter should be given to Judah that Shilo fhould come that the Scepter should not depart from Judah 'till Shilo's appearance : and that then to him should be the gathering of the people. I cannot help here taking notice alfo of the words of Mofes, mentioned by the author of the Grounds, &c. p. 28, Deut xviii. 15. A prophet will the Lord your God raife up unto thee, like unto me: To him Shall ye bearken. The glofs he puts on the paffage is; that God would eftablish an order and fucceffion of prophets amongst them, in analogy to the Q2

heathen

heathen diviners, who, for victuals, and prefents, and money, were to shew their divine infpiration, by discovering loft goods, and telling of fortunes. And for this he cites feveral paflages of the Old Teftament, which, not one of them, carry fo low and ludicrous a meaning as he infinuates; nor mention any thing below the character and dignity of a prophet of God to difcover and foretel. I will not deny, but that this may be part of the meaning of this paffage, that God would, from time to time, raise them up prophets, to inftruct them in his will, to support them in time of danger, to direct them in cafes doubtful and uncertain, to en. courage them to obedience, to recall them from idolatry, to help the diftreffed, and to predict fome special great events, as there fhould be occafion for fuch an extraordinary interpofition. But, this I affirm, is not the first, the natural and literal meaning of thefe words, which evidently refer to some one particular prophet, who in process of time, was to be raised up, who was to be like unto Mofes, and who therefore was to be highly in God's favour, and to bring a new reve'ation in

to