ing, in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory," is a plain allufion to Dan. vii. 13, 14. which bishop Chandler judicioufly applies to our Saviour's receiving the inveftiture in his new dignity at the hands of God, or the entering upon the exercife of his univerfal and everlasting kingdom. Clouds are a known <fymbol of heaven, and of divine power and majefty. And the afcribing this fymbol to one like the fon of man is a declaration of "the fupreme magnificence, and authority, which God fhall give that fon of man, the Meffiah:" faith that eminent Jew, Saadiah Gaon.' [See Bifhop Chandler's Defence of Chriftianity, p. 128, &c. Pearfon on the Creed, Art. 7. p. 293. Mr. Lowman on Rev. i. 7.]. Sir Ifaac Newton likewife [in his Chapter of the Prophetic Language] fays, The heavens, and the things therein, fignify thrones and dignities.-And riding on the clouds is put < for reigning over much people.' Our Saviour, therefore, in prophetic language, foretells that all power fhould be given unto him, both in heaven and upon earth; and, when deftruction was coming upon his enemies and murtherers, then fhould all the tribes of the land mourn, and fee evident figns of Jefus's being invefted with great power and glory; which he would make use of, to take vengeance on his enemies, and to deliver his own people out of their diftreffes.

It may be further obferved, that at the laft judgement the stars shall not literally fall from heaven, nor the general conflagration reach beyond this globe and its atmosphere. Dr. Clarke has very well paraphrafed ver. 29. "For, immediately after thefe fatal wars, and

the deftruction of Jerufalem by the Romans, the whole Jewish "polity, government, laws, and religion, fhall be utterly destroyed." And Sir Ifaac Newton, in his chapter of the prophetic language, confirms Dr. Clarke's interpretation. For he fays, that, in facred prophecy, the darkening, fmiting, or fetting of the fun, moon, and ftars, is put for the ceafing of a kingdom, or for the defolation thereof, proportional to the darknefs. Darkening the fun, turning the moon into blood, and falling of the stars, for the fame.'

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Ver. 30, 31. "And then it will become evident, that Jefus was "the true and only Meffiah. And then fhall all the tribes of the "land [of Ifrael] lament and mourn, and be forced to acknow"ledge the power, and glory, and majefty, of Chrift, who will fend "forth his apoftles into the world, who (as it were with the found "of a trumpet) fhall gather into one body all those that believe and "obey his gofpel from all the nations of the earth."

If Dr. Clake had ftopped here, I apprehend that his interpretation would have been juft. But he then proceeds to apply the fame paffages to the day of judgement, notwithstanding our Saviour's exprefs declaration, "Verily I fay unto you, This generation fhall not pafs away, till all thefe things are fulfilled." As if he had faid, "All "that goes before relates to the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the "defolation, which is coming upon the nation of the Jews. I have

"no regard, in all that I have hitherto faid, to the general judge"ment of mankind at the last day; but to events which fhall all «come to pafs before this generation fhall pass away."

To take away the force of this argument, fome have supposed that yeveà fignifies not an age, but a nation. [See Mr. Jofeph Mede's Works, p. 752. Brennii amica difputat. cum Jud. p. 90.]. And that, here, it denotes "the Jewish nation, which should not perish "till all these things were fulfilled." But yà fignifies an age, in very many places of the Septuagint. So "one generation" fignifies one age." Pfal. cix. 13. Ecclef. i. 4. Ifai. xxxiv. 17. " Another "generation" fignifies "another age," or "the children that should rife up after them." Deut. xxix. 22. Jud. ii. 10. Pfal. xlviii. 13. and lxxviii. 4. 6. and cii. 18. and cxlv. 4. "From generation to "generation" fignifies "from age to age." Ifa. li. 8. Lam. v. 19. Dan. iv. 34. Joel iii. 20. "All the generation" fignifies "all the «Ε men of that age." Numb. xxxii. 13. Deut. ii. 14. "The fourth "generation" fignifies "the fourth race, or fucceffion of men, from

the time then prefent." Gen. xv. 16. Job xlii. 16. «The tenth "generation" fignifies "the tenth age, or race of men, from the "time then spoken of." Deut. xxiii. 3. "A thoufand generations" fignifies "one thoufand ages." Pfal. cv. 8. "Many generations" fignifies many ages," Pfal. lxi. 6. Ifa. lviii. 12. and Ix. 15. Joel ii. 2. "All generations" fignifies" every age." Pfal. xlv. 17. and xlix. 11. and lxxxv. 5. and lxxxix. 1. and xc. 1. and c. 5. and cii. 12. 24. and cvi. 31. and cxix. 90. and cxxxv. 13. and cxlvi. 10. And this generation" fignifies "this age," or "this present "race of men." Gen. vii. 5.-More fuch authorities might be collected from the Seventy.

In the New Teftament, "a generation" fignifies "one age." Matth. i. 17. Luke i. 48. 50. Acts xiii. 36. and xiv. 16. and xv. 21. Eph. iii. 5. Col. i. 26. And "this generation" fignifies "this

age." Matth. xi. 16. and xii. 41, 42. 45. and xxiii. 36. Mark viii. 12. 38. Luke vii. 31. and xi. 29, 30, 31, 32. 50, 51. and xvii. 25.-More fuch authorities might be collected from the New Testament. Now, why fhould not yenà [a generation] be taken in its ufual fignification in this place; especially as, in that sense, it contains a plain answer to the queftion of the difciples? But, if it be interpreted of the Jewish nation, it is no anfwer at all.

Our Lord had juft been talking with fome of his difciples concerning the demolishing of the buildings of the temple, which were ftrong and magnificent. And they asked him, " When shall these "things be? and what fhall be the fign of thy coming, and of the "end of the world?"

It is poffible that the difciples might think that thefe events would come to pafs at or near the fame period of time. But, though they might be confufed in their notions concerning the time, and imagine that these events would happen together, or very foon after one another, our Lord appears to me to have confidered them as

two

two queftions, and to have answered them separately and diftinctly. Ver. 4-35. he answers the first question, viz. « When shall thefe "things be? i. e. When fhall the temple be deftroyed, so that one ftone fhall not be left upon another? When fhall fuch a "defolation come?" To that our Lord answers, by fetting before them several of the figns and tokens of its approach; and by defcribing the defolation itself. And then adds, "This generation "fhall not pafs away, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven' "and earth fhall fooner pafs away, than any of my words fail of "being accomplished." But what answer to that question would it be to fay, "The Jews fhall continue a diftinct people down to "the day of judgement, or to the end of the world?" Or, according to Mr. Mede, "The nation of the Jews fhall not perish "till all these things be fulfilled?" What answer (I fay) would that be to the question put by the difciples? or how would fuch a declaration connect with the preceding or following context?

Ver. 32, &c. Our Saviour intimates, that fome of his difciples fhould live to fee the figns and forerunners of that defolation, which was coming upon the Jews. And accordingly he fays, "Now learn a parable from the fig-tree. When its branch is yet "tender, and it putteth forth leaves, then you know that fummer "is near. So alfo ye, when ye fhall fee all these things, know ye "that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I fay unto you, This "generation fhall not pafs away, till all these things be fulfilled. "Heaven and earth fhall pafs away; but my words fhall not pafs away."

Now, what connection has the Jews continuing a diftinct people throughout all ages with the figns and forerunners of that amazing defolation? or with the reft of our Saviour's difcourfe in that place?

Ver. 36, &c. Our Saviour proceeds to answer their other queftion, viz. "What fhall be the fign of thy coming, and of the end of the "world?" And his anfwer, with refpect to the time of his fecond coming, and of the world, is, " But of that day, and hour, know"eth no perfon, no not the angels, but my father only." Dr. Clarke's note upon this 36th verfe is, "It is an extraordinary " ingenious conjecture of Grotius, to make [uépa ixím, that day] "here opposed to [raura aárra, all these things], ver. 34. So that "the fenfe may be, rauta wárra, the deftruction of Jerufalem fhall "be presently. But nuépa ixsím, the last day of judgement, is known

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to none.

Indeed, I would propose it as a much more just divifion, that the 25th chapter of St. Matthew's gofpel fhould begin at what is now the 36th verfe of the 24th chapter. For that would preferve a proper connection with what is at prefent the beginning of the 25th chapter; in which it is faid, TOTE, "Then fhall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, &c." And yet no period of time is affigned when that fhall be. Whereas, if, from Matth. xxiv. 36, &c. our Lord is fpeaking of the day of judgement, and of

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the end of the world, it may very properly be faid, "Then fhall the "kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, &c."

Upon the whole: our Saviour's discourse [Matth. xxiv. 1—35-] relates to what was to come to pafs, " during that generation." And, therefore, muft relate to "the deftruction of Jerufalem" only, and cannot relate to "the day of judgement, and to the end of the "world." In the former fenfe, it was fully accomplished; and does not now remain to be accomplished.

(6.) By raising Lazarus fo publicly from the dead, Jefus increased the number of his difciples [John xi. 46, &c.]. This alarmed the chief priests and Pharifees, who thereupon held a council, and deliberated what they fhould do." For (faid they) if we let him go. "on thus, all the nation will believe on him; and, taking him for "the Meffiah, they will fet him up for their king. Upon which "the Romans will come and take from us our country; and that "fhare of power and government which ftill remains among us." And yet, on the other hand, if they had rafhly apprehended Jefus, and put him to death; and it had, after all, appeared that he was an innocent perfon, that alfo might have proved of dangerous confequence.

Upon hearing them debate thus, and observing that they seemed at a loss to know what to refolve upon, Caiaphas, who was one of the council, and also high priest that year, ftanding up, said, “You "know nothing at all; nor confider, that it is expedient for us, "that one man fhould die for the people; and that the whole na¬ ❝tion perish not."

Concerning which fpeech of Caiaphas, the evangelist adds, "This fpake he, not of himself; but, being high pricft that year, "he prophefied that Jefus fhould die for that nation. And not "for that nation only; but that he should also gather together into << one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Then, from "that day forward, they took counsel together to put him to "death."

Now this fpeech is alledged as a paffage which contains a double fenfe, and requires a twofold interpretation. But in whose defign were the words intended to convey a double meaning? If we regard the intention of Caiaphas, it is plain he defigned to fay," that << one man had better fuffer death, whether he was innocent or no, "than that the whole nation of the Jews fhould perish."-The Holy Spirit prophefied by the mouth of wicked Balaain; and by the mouth of the falfe prophet, who deceived Jadon, and led him to tranfgrefs the divine command, which occafioned his being flain by a lion. And the fame fpirit of truth and power could easily caufe Caiaphas to pronounce a prophecy in words whofe juft meaning and propriety, and full extent and comprehenfion, he did not understand. Accordingly, the Spirit of God had but one fingle meaning to the words, viz. " that Jefus fhould die as a facrifice for "the people; i. e. for the nation of the Jews; and not for that "nation only, but for all mankind. And that he might gather together,

together, out of all the nations of the earth, the dispersed servants "of God, into one holy church, united under one head, which is "Chrift Jefus; and joined together in one holy communion and

fellowship; in the profeffion and practice of one faith and wor"fhip."-So that, in Caiaphas's intention, the words had but one fignification. And, in the intention of the Holy Spirit, they had but one fignification. And the intention of the Spirit is mentioned by the evangelift; otherwife we should not have known that that meaning was to be affixed to the words.

(7.) I will mention another paffage; which, though not a prophecy, yet has been thought to contain a double fenfe. The paffage is, Deut. xxv. 4. "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox, when he "treadeth out the corn." Which St. Paul applies thus [1 Cor. ix. 8, &c.] to prove that minifters ought to be fupported by thofe to whom they preach the gospel. "Say I these things as a man? "[Do I argue thus, from the principles of mere natural reason "only] Doth not the law, fay these things alfo? [Yes, it doth, "in effect, fay fo]. For, in the law of Mofes, it is written, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox, that treadeth out "the corn. Now, doth it not fay this chiefly for our fakes? For "our fakes it was certainly written, that he, who plougheth, "fhould plough in hope; and that he, who threfheth in hope, "fhould be partaker of his hope." From hence it has been infered that this, which the apoftle hath mentioned, was the allegorical fenfe of what Mofes had faid. And that, befides giving a law about oxen, Mofes intended thereby to intimate" that they, who "preach the gofpel, fhould live by the gofpel." But what occafion is there for that, when the apoftle's argument is good without it? "If the ox, which treadeth out the corn, is ordered to be unmuzzled, "that he may eat of that, about which he labours; a fortiore, the "minifters of the gofpel of Chrift fhould not be denied a support "from that about which they labour." Thus the law of Mofes afforded St. Paul an argument to his present purpose. And it is a very good one. But it does not appear, that Mofes, in that law, had any regard to the fecuring a maintenance for those who preach the gospel of Christ.

(8.) Gal, iv. 21, &c. St. Paul, having related the history of Abraham's having Ifhmael, by Hagar; and Ifaac, by Sarah; adds, as in our tranflation, ver. 24. [" Which things are an allegory"]. Mr. Locke's paraphrase of these words, is, "These things have an "allegorical meaning." Whereby it is intimated, that, befides the literal fenfe, the Mofaic hiftory of Abraham and his family had also a spiritual, myftical, or allegorical meaning; or that, ' in the intention of Mofes, or of the Spirit of God which infpired Mofes, the fame paffage in that hiftory had two meanings; the a plain, obvious, and literal meaning; the other, an hidden, obfcure, myftical, or allegorical meaning: that God originally intended, that, by these two women, Sarah and Hagar, fhould be prefigured the two covenants; viz. that of the law of Mofes, and

one,

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that