farther revelation seems to have been made except by angels,* or Prophets, sent to direct or reprove the people, upon special occasions of local import, (see Josh. v. 13-15; vi. 2-5; Judges ii. 1-5; vi. 11-40; xiii; 1 Sam. ii. 27-36.) until the time of Samuel, a period of more than 300 years. Under this period, we observe the first type, by which Christ was foreshewn to be "the Captain of our Salvation, (Josh. v. 13-15; Heb. ii. 10,) the leader of his people," (Isa. lv. 4.) who should hereafter come "conquering, and to conquer." Rev. vi. 2; Rom. viii. 37; 1 Cor. xv. 57. The first of these was Joshua, (called also Jesus,) Acts. vii. 45; Heb. iv. 8, whose name signified a Saviour; and all that Joshua did for the temporal, CHRIST shall do for the spiritual Israel, "for he shall save his people from their sins." Matt. i. 21. He shall lead his redeemed from the

to ask counsel on public matters; not in the inner sanctuary, which he presumed not to enter, but on the great day of national atonement; but without the vail, with his face towards the ark of the covenant, inside; and behind him, at some distance, without the Sanctuary, stood Joshua, the Judge, or person who wanted the response; which seems to have been given with an audible voice, from within the vail, (Numb. xxvii. 21,) as in the case of the Israelites, during the civil war with Benjamin. Judges xx. 27, 28, &c. &c. This mode of consultation subsisted under the Tabernacle, erected by Moses in the wilderness, and until the building of Solomon's Temple: after which, we find no instances of it. See Hales's Anal. vol. ii. p. 264. Prideaux's Con. vol. i. p. 197. Cruden's Con. cordance on the Word Thummim.

came up

* The word angel, signifies 66 messenger, "“ bringer of tidings," and is applied to those intellectual and immaterial beings, whom God makes use of as his ministers, to execute the orders of Providence; (see Cruden's Concordance, on the word angel); but the angel who appeared to Joshua, (Josh. v. 13-15 ; vi. 2-5,) who “ from Gilgal to Bachim,” (Judges ii. 1-5,); who appeared to Gideon, (Judges xi. 11-40); and to Manoah, (Judges xiii,) was the same who appeared to Moses in the burning bush, (Exod. iii; Acts vii. 30, 34, 38,) and who there announced himself to be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; he was, therefore, CHRIST, the second person of the Holy Trinity.

K K

bondage of sin, through the Jordan of death, by his own power removing the waves which our sins have placed in our way. Rahab, who " perished not with them that believed not," (Heb. xi. 31,) and was received by marriage into the Jewish nation, may be considered as representing the redemption of sinners by Christ, from among the Gentile nations, a doctrine never omitted in any new prophecy or type, by which the Gospel, hereafter to be preached to every creature, (Mark xvi. 15,) was foreshewn. The actions of Gideon, Samson, and other captains of the Jews, furnish a continuation of the type first held out in the person of Joshua.

FIFTH PERIOD.

Hannah, the mother of Samuel, in her rapturous thanksgiving at his birth, predicted the judgments of God upon the enemies of Israel, and the triumph of the MESSIAH, see 1 Sam. ii. 1-10, and the corresponding passage, Luke i. 69, &c. Compare also, 1 Sam. ii. 26, with Luke ii. 52.

M.

The call of Samuel to the prophetic office, took place when he was only twelve years of age, and in this, he was a type of CHRIST, who visited the temple at the same age. Luke ii. 42-49. In the time of Samuel, "the word of the Lord was precious (or scarce), there was no open vision,” as there had formerly been by Angels to Joshua, Gideon, Manoah, &c. &c.) The first revelation of God to him, related to the rejection of Eli from the high-priesthood, in consequence of the impiety of his sons, and his culpable disregard of it. 1 Sam. iii. 1-13. He was afterwards established as a prophet in Israel, and acknowledged as such by all the people, (ver. 19-21) and continued during his life, the medium of enquiry of God; and even after his death, foretold Saul's doom, (1 Sam. xxviii. 1-19; Ecclus. xlvi. 20 ;) “confirming, at the same time, the belief of a future state, by "one who rose from the dead," even under

the Mosaical dispensation, (Luke xvi. 30,) and who was the harbinger of OUR LORD's resurrection, under the Christian; a doctrine, indeed, which was the popular belief of both Jews and heathens; and, was only denied by philosophising infidels, such as the Sadducees and Epicureans. Acts xvii. 18-32; xxiii. 8. Hales's Anal. vol. ii. p. 360. His Divine mission was also manifested by the power of working miracles. 1 Sam. xii. In his time, "schools of the prophets" are first mentioned, and were probably established by him for, he is alluded to as "appointed over them," (1 Sam. xix. 20.;) and from this time, there was a regular succession of prophets amongst the Jews,* who were "teachers" and "enquirers" of God; in the former character, their office was to inculcate the duties of the moral law, and to explain the spiritual meaning of the Levitical ordinances; in the latter, they received and communicated the revelations of God, respecting future events. They were also intercessors with God for the people; (1 Sam. xii. 23.) and Samuel in particular, "has placed the duty of public intercession on its firmest basis, the sin incurred by neglecting it, on the part of the ministers of religion, and of the guardians of the state." Hales's Anal. vol. ii. p. 339.

N.

Nathan seems to have been appointed as a prophet in the time of David, as Samuel had been during that of Saul. By him, David was prohibited from executing the design he had piously formed of building a temple for God; he at the same time communicated that signal prophecy which contained the last limitation of the blessed seed of the woman, or CHRIST, to the house and lineage of David, who should shortly build a spiritual Temple to THE LORD, and whose kingdom should be established for ever." 2 Sam. vii. 1-16.

* St. Peter, (Acts iii. 24,) dates the commencement of the prophetic evidences of the coming of CHRIST from Samuel.

Hales's Anal. vol. i. p. 366. It was to this temple, our LORD referred, (John ii. 19,) and of which, that built by Solomon, was a type. David received, " by the spirit," the pattern of this temple, (1 Chron. xxviii.) as Moses had received that of the Tabernacle. Heb. viii. 5.

"The prophecies of David, are interspersed through the Book of Psalms, which is expressly ranked by our LORD himself, among the prophetic books, testifying of him, (Luke xxiv. 44) describing his lineage, his sufferings, and his ensuing glory; (Matt. xxii. 42; Luke xxiv. 25-27 ;) such as Psalm cxxxii. his excellent commentary on Nathan's Prophecy, styling the promised son of David, the MESSIAH; which St. Peter applied to OUR LORD. Acts. ii. 30-31.

Psalm xxii. His sufferings and crucifixion, which the chief priests unwittingly quoted against him on the cross, "He trusted in GoD, let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him," ver. 8; Matt. xxvii. 43; and OUR LORD applied to himself, "MY GOD! MY GOD! why hast thou forsaken me?" (ver. 1; Matt. xxvii. 46;) and St. John, to the partition of his garments among the Roman soldiers, ver. 18; John xix. 24.

Psalm xvi. His death and resurrection; applied to our LORD by St. Peter, (Acts ii. 25-31,) and by St. Paul, Acts xiii. 35, 36.

Psalm lxviii. His ascension, and spiritual gifts to his disciples; applied by St. Paul. Ephes. iv. 7, 8.

Psalm cx. His exaltation, kingdom, and priesthood; applied by OUR LORD to himself, as that spiritual son of David, whom David called LORD, (Matt. xxii. 44 ;) by St. Peter, Acts ii. 32-36; and by St. Paul, who explains from hence, the nature of his kingdom, (1 Cor. xv. 25-28,) and of his priesthood. Heb. vii, viii.

Psalm cxviii. His rejection by the Jews, and adoption of the Gentiles, and establishment of his Church, cited by OUR LORD, Matt. xxi. 42; expounded by St. Peter, Acts

iv. 11; 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5; by St. Paul, Rom. ix. 32, 33; Ephes. ii. 20, 21; and by St. John, Rev. xxi. 10-14., &c.

Psalm xlv. His divinity and exaltation above the angels; expounded, Heb. i. 8, 9; 1. Pet. iii. 22; Ephes. i. 22; Phil. ii. 9-11; and his spiritual union with his Church, and the happy fruits of it, Rev. xxi. 2, &c.

Psalm lxxii. This Psalm forms a concluding supplement to the preceding: it describes, in the most beautiful imagery, and the most lively colours, the peaceful glories of the MESSIAH's future reign; his righteousness, or impartial administration of justice; the universal homage and worship to be paid to him; the perpetuity of his dominion, "whose name shall endure for ever, in whom mankind shall be blessed, and whom all nations shall call blessed. Magnificent predictions, utterly inapplicable to Solomon, but truly characteristic of CHRIST." Hales's Anal. vol. ii. p. 372.

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"It is obvious, that every part of the Psalter, when explicated according to the Scriptural method, is rendered universally "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; and the propriety immediately appears of its having always been used, in the devotional way, both by the Jewish and the Christian church. With regard to the Jews, Bishop Chandler very pertinently remarks, that "they must have understood David their Prince, to have been a figure of MESSIAH. They would not, otherwise, have made his Psalms part of their daily worship, nor would David have delivered them to the church, to be so employed, were it not to instruct and support them in the knowledge and belief of this fundamental article. Was the MESSIAS not concerned in the Psalms, it were absurd to celebrate, twice a day, in their public devotions, the events of one man's life, who was deceased so long ago, as to have no relation now to the Jews, and the circumstances of their affairs; or to transcribe whole passages from them, into their prayers, for the coming of the MESSIAH. Upon the same principle, it is

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