claring the terms of acceptance (as in ch. xviii.) to be without respect of persons; so that the ruin of obstinate and impenitent sinners must be attributed to themselves. (xxxiii. 10-20.) While Ezekiel was thus under the prophetic impulse, tidings being brought to him of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (21, 22.), he takes occasion to predict the utter desolation of Judæa, to check the vain confidence of those who still remained there, and he also reproves the hypocrisy of those Jews who were of the captivity. (23—33.)

SECT. 2. In this section God reproves the conduct of the governors of the Jewish people (xxxiv. 1-10.), and promises to take care of them himself, and bring them back from their dispersion to their own land, under the Messiah. The happiness of the people of God under his reign is described in the most beautiful terms. (11-31.) The latter part of this prophecy is yet unfulfilled. SECT. 3. contains a renewal of the prophet's former denunciations against the Edomites (see xxv. 12.) as a just punishment for their insults to the Jews during their calamities. (xxxv.)1 SECT. 4. announces the general restoration of the Jews, and their consequent felicity (xxxvi.), which is described in the most energetic and beautiful terms. The same subject is further illustrated under the vision of a resurrection of dry bones (xxxvii. 1 -14.), which some critics and commentators consider as remotely alluding to the general resurrection: and under the emblem of the union of two sticks, is foretold the union of Israel and Judah into one state and church under the Messiah. (1528.) SECT. 5. contains a remarkable prophecy against Gog and all his allies, and the victory of Israel over them (xxxviii. xxxix. 1—22.), together with a promise of deliverance from captivity, and of the final restoration and conversion of the Jews to the Gospel, under the Messiah. (23-29.) This prophecy relates to the latter ages of the world, and will be best understood by its accomplishment. SECT. 6. contains a representation, partly literal and partly mystical, of Solomon's temple; also a mystical representation of the city of Jerusalem, and mystical directions concerning the division of the Holy Land; - all which were designed to give the Jews a greater assurance of their returning into their own country from the Babylonish captivity; and, more remotely, of their return after their general conversion to Christianity, and of the lasting and firmly settled and prosperous state they shall then enjoy in their own country. It seems that no model of Solomon's temple had remained. To direct the Jews therefore, in the dimensions, parts, order, and regulations of the new temple, on their return from the Babylonish captivity, is one reason why Ezekiel is so particular in his description of the old temple; to

1 This prophecy was accomplished in the conquest of the Edomites, first by the Nabatheans, and secondly by John Hyrcanus, who compelled them to embrace the Jewish religion; in consequence of which they at length became incorporated with that nation. Dr. Prideaux's Connection, part ii. book v. sub anno 129. (vol. ii. pp. 307, 303.)

which the new was conformable in figure and parts, though inferior in magnificence on account of the poverty of the nation at that time. Whatever was august or illustrious in the prophetic figures, and not literally fulfilled in or near their own times, the antient Jews justly considered as belonging to the times of the Messiah. Accordingly when they found that the second temple fell short, at least in their opinion, of the model of the temple described by Ezekiel, they supposed the prophecy to refer, at least in part, to the period now mentioned; and, doubtless, the temple and temple worship were a figure of Christ's church, frequently represented in the New Testament under the metaphor of a temple, in allusion to the beauty, symmetry, and firmness of that erected by Solomon, to its orderly worship, and to the manifestations of the divine presence there vouchsafed.2 This section comprises the last nine chapters of Ezekiel's prophecy. Ch. xl. contains a description of the two outer courts, and of the chambers belonging to them (1-47.), together with the porch of the temple. (48.)) Ch. xli. describes the measures, parts, and ornaments of the temple itself. Ch. xlii. describes the priest's chambers and their use, and the dimensions of the holy mount on which the temple stood.

Ch. xliii. represents the glory of the Lord as returning to the temple, where God promises to fix his residence, if his people repent and forsake those sins which caused him to depart from them. (1-11.) The measures of the altar and the ordinances relating to it are set down. (12—27.)

Ch. xliv. describes the glory of God as actually returned to the temple, and reproves the Jews for suffering idolatrous priests to profane the temple with their ministrations. (1-14.) Ordinances are then given for the deportment of God's true priests, and the maintenance due to them. (15-31.)

Ch. xlv. appoints the several portions of land for the sanctuary and its ministers (15.), for the city (6.), and for the prince (7, 8.); and institutes various ordinances concerning the provisions for the ordinary and extraordinary sacrifices. (9-25. xlvi. 1-15.)

Ch. xlvi. (16-24.) gives directions concerning the inheriting of any part of the prince's portion, and also concerning the boiling and baking any part of the holy oblations.

Ch. xlvii. contains the vision of the holy waters issuing out of the temple, and their virtue (1-12.); a most beautiful emblem of the gradual progress of the Gospel, and of the power of divine grace under it, which is capable of healing all but the incorrigibly impenitent and hypocrites; who, in verse 11., are compared to marshy ground, which, after all the care or culture that can be bestowed upon it, continues barren and unprofitable. The extent and division of the Holy Land are then described, which is to be indiscriminately shared between the Israelites and proselytes sojourning among them (1323.); mystically denoting the incorporation of the Gentiles into the same church with the Jews. (compare Eph. iii. 6.)

Ch. xlviii. comprises a description of the several portions of land belonging to each tribe. (1-7. 23-29.); together with the portions allotted to the sanctuary (8-14.), the city (15-19), and the prince (20-22.): and also the measures and names of the gates of the new city. (30-35.)

V. Most biblical critics concur in opinion as to the excellency and

1 See particularly 1 Cor. iii. 16. 2 Cor. vi. 16. Eph. ii. 20-22. 1 Tim. iii. 15. The same metaphor is also pursued in 2 Thess. ii. 4. and occurs repeatedly in the Revelation of St. John, who not only describes the heavenly sanctuary by representations taken from the Jewish temple (See Rev. xi. 19. xiv. 17. xv. 5. 8.), but also transcribes several of Ezekiel's expressions (Rev. iv. 2, 3. 6. xi. 1,2. xxi. 12, &c. xxii. 1, 2.), and borrows his allusions from the state of the first temple, not of the second temple which existed in our Saviour's time; as if the former had a more immediate reference to the times of the Gospel. Compare Rev. iv. 1. &c. with Ezek. i. 6. et seq. - Lowth on Ezek. xl. 2 Reeves and Lowth on Ezek. xl.

sublimity of Ezekiel's style. Grotius' observes, that he possessed great erudition and genius; so that, setting aside his gift of prophecy which is incomparable, he may deserve to be compared with Homer, on account of his beautiful conceptions, his illustrious comparisons, and his extensive knowledge of various subjects, particularly of architecture. Bishop Lowth, in his twenty-first lecture on the sacred poetry of the Hebrews, gives us the following description of the peculiar and discriminating characteristics of this prophet. "Ezekiel," says he, "is much inferior to Jeremiah in elegance; in sublimity he is not even excelled by Isaiah: but his sublimity is of a totally different kind. He is deep, vehement, tragical; the only sensation he affects to excite is the terrible; his sentiments are elevated, fervid, full of fire, indignant; his imagery is crowded, magnificent, terrific, sometimes almost to disgust; his language is pompous, solemn, austere, rough, and at times unpolished: he employs frequent repetitions, not for the sake of grace or elegance, but from the vehemence of passion and indignation. Whatever subject he treats of, that he sedulously pursues, from that he rarely departs, but cleaves as it were to it; whence the connection is in general evident and well preserved. In many respects he is perhaps excelled by the other prophets; but in that species of composition to which he seems by nature adapted, the forcible, the impetuous, the great and solemn, not one of the sacred writers is superior to him. His diction is sufficiently perspicuous, all his obscurity consists in the nature of the subject. Visions (as for instance among others, those of Hosea, Amos, and Jeremiah) are necessarily dark and confused. The greater part of Ezekiel, towards the middle of the book especially, is poetical, whether we regard the matter or the diction." His periods, however, are frequently so rude, that Bishop Lowth expresses himself as being often at a loss how to pronounce concerning his performance in this respect. In another place the same learned prelate remarks, that Ezekiel should be oftener classed among the orators than the poets; and he is of opinion that, with respect to style, we may justly assign to Ezekiel the same rank among the Hebrews, as Homer, Simonides, and Eschylus hold among the Greeks.

From this high praise of Bishop Lowth's, his learned annotator, Michaelis, dissents; and is so far from esteeming Ezekiel as equal to Isaiah in sublimity, that he is disposed to think the prophet displays more art and luxuriance in amplifying and decorating his subject, than is consistent with poetical fervour, or indeed with true sublimity. Michaelis further pronounces Ezekiel to be in general an imitator, who possesses the art of giving an air of novelty and ingenuity, but not of grandeur and sublimity, to all his compositions; and is of opinion that, as the prophet lived at a period when the Hebrew language was visibly on the decline; and also that, if we compare him with the Latin poets who succeeded the Augustan age, we may find some resemblance in the style, something that indicates the old age of poetry. In these sentiments the English translator of Bishop Lowth's lectures

1 Pref. ad Ezechiel. in Crit. Sacr. tom. iv. p. 8.

partially acquiesces, observing that Ezekiel's fault is a want of neither novelty nor sublimity, but of grace and uniformity; while Eichhorn minutely discusses his claims to originality. Archbishop Newcome, however, has completely vindicated the prophet's style. He observes, with equal truth and judgment, that Ezekiel is not to be considered as the framer of those august and astonishing visions, and of those admirable poetical representations which he committed to writing; but as an instrument in the hands of God, who vouchsafed to reveal himself, through a long succession of ages, not only in divers parts constituting a magnificent and uniform whole, but also in different manners, as by voice, by dreams, by inspiration, and by plain or enigmatical vision. If he is circumstantial in describing the wonderful scenes which were presented to him in the visions of God, he should be regarded as a faithful representer of the divine revelations, for the purpose of information and instruction, and not as exhausting an exuberant fancy in minutely filling up an ideal picture. The learned prelate thinks it probable that Buzi, the prophet's father, had preserved his own family from the taint of idolatry, and had educated his son for the priestly office in all the learning of the Hebrews, and particularly in the study of their sacred books. Being a youth at the time of his captivity, a season of life when the fervour of imagination is natural in men of superior endowments, his genius led him to amplification, like that of some of the Roman poets; though he occasionally shows himself capable of the austere and concise style of which the seventh chapter is a remarkable instance. But the Divine Spirit did not overrule the natural bent of his mind. Variety is thus produced in the sacred writings. Nahum sounds the trumpet of war; Hosea is sententious, Isaiah sublime, Jeremiah pathetic, Ezekiel copious. This diffuseness of manner in mild and affectionate exhortation, this vehement enlarging on the guilt and consequent sufferings of his countrymen, seems wisely adapted to their capacities and circumstances, and must have had a forcible tendency to awaken them from their lethargy.1

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1 Archbishop Newcome's Preface to his Translation of Ezekiel, pp. xxvii. xxviii. To justify the character above given, the learned prelate descends to particulars (which we have not room to specify,) and gives apposite examples, not only of the clear, the flowing, and the nervous, but also of the sublime. He concludes his observations on the style of Ezekiel by stating it to be his deliberate opinion, that, if the prophets' "style is the old age of the Hebrew language and composition, it is a firm and vigorous one, and should induce us to trace its youth and manhood with the most assiduous attention." (Ibid. pp. xxviii.-lxii.)

CHAPTER VII.

OF THE PROPHETS WHO FLOURISHED AFTER THE RETURN OF THE JEWS FROM BABYLON.

SECTION I.

ON THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET HAGGAI.

1. Author and date. II. Argument and scope.-III. Analysis of its contents. — IV. Observations on its style.

before chriST, 520-518.

I. NOTHING is certainly known concerning the tribe or birth-place of Haggai, the tenth in order of the minor prophets, but the first of the three who were commissioned to make known the divine will to the Jews after their return from captivity. The general opinion, founded on the assertion of the Pseudo-Epiphanius, is, that he was born at Babylon, and was one of the Jews who returned with Zerubbabel, in consequence of the edict of Cyrus. The same author affirms that he was buried at Jerusalem among the priests, whence some have conjectured that he was of the family of Aaron. The times of his predictions, however, are so distinctly marked by himself, that we have as much certainty on this point as we have with respect to any of the prophets.

II. The Jews, who were released from captivity in the first year of the reign of Cyrus (Ezra i. 1. et seq.), having returned to Jerusalem and commenced the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra ii. 1—4.), were interrupted in their undertakings by the neighbouring satraps, who contrived to prejudice the Persian monarch (the Pseudo-Smerdis) against them (Ezra iv. 1. with 24.) until the second year of Darius. Discouraged by these impediments, the people ceased, for fourteen years, to prosecute the erection of the second temple, as if the time were not yet come, and applied themselves to the building of their own houses: but God, disposing that sovereign to renew the decree of Cyrus, raised up the prophet Haggai about the year 520 before Christ; and, in consequence of his exhortations, they resumed the work, which was completed in a few years.

Further, in order to encourage them to proceed in this undertaking, the prophet assured them from God, that the glory of this latter house should far exceed the glory of the former.

III. The book of the prophet Haggai comprises three distinct prophecies or discourses, viz.

DISCOURSE 1. contains a severe reproof of the people, especially of their governor and high-priest, for their delay in rebuilding the temple, which neglect was the cause of the unfruitful seasons, and other marks of the divine displeasure, with which they had been