، SURENHUSIUS, and will give lefs. But the prefervation of the houfe of DAVID, to the times of the MESSIAS, and bringing him into the world at a fix'd time, is a greater and more ex⚫cellent good than the prefervation of AHAZ and his people: if therefore God would fulfil that promife, much more would he fulfil this. Befides, it was (a) customary for the prophets to confirm the C truth of all other matters by alledging the promise of the MESSIAS, which ، was the basis and foundation of them. Lastly, the promife of the MESSIAS comprehended in it, that the land should be forfaken by the two kings; C and therefore both a MESSIAS to be born of a virgin, and prefent deliverance, were promised to the Jews by the prophet. II, The C C C C (a) Ifaiah 9. Jer. 23. II. The fecond prophefy mentioned by me was, Out of Egypt have I called my fon; which MATTHEW applies (b) to Jesus's Coming out of Egypt, and introduces with the fame form of quoting ufed in the preceeding prophefy, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, Saying. 1. Firft, Mr. S. (c) fays, that it appears by the form of quoting ufed, that the words of HOSEAH, which relate primarily to the children of Ifrael's being called out of Egypt, are confirm'd by JESUS's coming out of Egypt; that is, the coming of the children of Ifrael out of Egypt was a type or figure of Jesus's coming out of Egypt; and fo the latter confirm'd the former. 2. Secondly, he fays, the jewish doctors are used to detach paffages from their connection, and put a fenfe upon them, which has no relation to what goes before or follows after, as he shows in Thefts 9. 1. 1. 3. Thirdly, the words of the prophet are, (d) when Ifrael was a child, then I loved him, and called my fon out of Egypt. By which my author thinks, that the prophet marks out the time of the coming of CHRIST, and may be thus understood. "When the people of Ifrael were in their infancy as F 4 (b) Surenbufius, p. 182, 183.. (c) lb. & l. 1. Thef. 21 (d) Ib. 183, 184. to * "to light (which happen'd in the time of our Lord, when religion was wholly corrupted by falfe traditions) God called "his fon out of Egypt to preach the gof"pel in Judea." And this anfwer, he thinks ought to fatisfy the Jews, being fuited to the manner of explaining fcripture ufed by the old jewish doctors, whom MATTHEW followed. But if this last be not deem'd fatisfactory, Mr. S. has another way of drawing out the allegorical fenfe, which he wants for his purpose, or would find out: and thus he interprets MATTHEW citing the prophet. "You Jews know, that the prophet HOSEA fays, when Ifrael was a "child, then I loved him, and called my fon out of Egypt; which words feem, ac CC cording to their letter, to relate to the "children of Ifrael: but I will explain "them to you in a more useful manner, " which is by you call'd allegory. I grant indeed, that the children of Ifrael (e) may "in a fenfe be call'd the fon of God or of "the Lord: but if you can believe it, that CC very JESUS CHRIST, who was born among you at Bethlehem, he, I fay, is "properly the fon of God, who almost in "the fame manner as the children of Ifrael ૬૯ were oblig'd to go into Egypt on account "of (e) Exod. 4. 22. Jer. 31.9. $6. c of the famine, was oblig'd to go thither to avoid the tyranny of HEROD. So that you may fee, for the confirmation of your faith, that this did not befal the MESSIAS by chance, but by divine appointment, as it happen'd formerly to your fathers. Where"fore the prophet faid, that the Lord call'd " his fon out of Egypt, and that at a time " when you in refpect of true religion were in a ftate of infancy. Befides the form of quoting used on this occafion, that it might be "fulfill'd which was spoken of the Lord by "the prophet, always (f) refers to a mysti"cal fenfe hid under the literal one. "fay all in a word, the people of Ifrael were "the first born adopted fon of God, and JEСС sus was the natural fon of God. cu But to III. The third prophefy mentioned by me, as not literally fulfill'd, is contain'd in thefe words, (g) And he came and dwelt in a city call'd Nazareth, that it might be fulfill'd which was spoken by the prophet, "He fhall "be call'd a Nazarene.' Which prophefy is found by SUREN HUSIUS in three places of the Old Teftament, and very ingeniously explain'd by him; tho' it seems not to occur any where. [1.] Firft, he observes, (b) that the prophets not only foretold things by types and allegories, but by enigmas. They foretold things (g) Matt. 2. 23. (f) L. 3. Thef. 14. things by the former, when the things them felves were imply'd without any change of words; and they foretold by enigmas when the things were to be found out by a change of words: and when a prophefy of one or the other fort was accomplish'd, the jewish doctors used to say, that it might be fulfill'd which was spoken. This being fo; ISAIAH (i) having foretold, that the MESSIAS should dwell in Galilee, it was almoft the fame thing as if he had faid, the MESSIAS fhould dwell at Nazareth, which was a city of Galilee. It being thus foretold that the MESSIAS was to dwell at Nazareth, it is thereby imply'd that he should be intituled to, or call'd by the name Nazarene: for, tho' he was never call'd a Nazarene, yet being intituled to that name by dwelling at Nazareth, it was prophefy'd, He shall be call'd a Nazarene'; to be call'd by a name being all one as to be intituled to a name. This enigmatical prophefy therefore of the MESSIAS's being to dwell in Galilee, rightly understood, was as much as to fay, He shall be call'd (or be intituled to the name) Nazarene; which was fulfill'd by JESUS's dwelling at Nazareth. [2] Secondly, he conceives MATTHEW alluded alfo to this paffage of ISAIAH, (k) And there fhall come forth a rod out of the ftem (i) Ifaiah, c. 9. (k) Ifaiah 11. I. See Lightfoot's works, Vol. 1. p. 498. |