By theſe great Adts of Divine Providence, that which was ſpo- ken and propheſied of by Jſaiah, ch. 7. 14. ſpeaking by [nfpiration trom Gcd, was fulfilled : Tho' things are ſ2id in the Evanzeliſts, ro be fulfilled when che Types have had their Accompliſhmenc in the Antitype, and when ſomerhing cometh co pats much like, or bearing tome proportion to ſcmerhing which before happened in che World (as I ſhall ſhew hereatrer) yer I rake the Ser.te of 62- ing fulfilled, here to be, literally fulfilled ; believing fo much cf thar Prophecy, as is here quoted, d14 licerally concern Chriit, and none bur him. Bur we muſt cake heed of interpreting the Particle That, as ſignifying the End of God's Aim in this great Work of Provi- dence; for the End for which God ſent his Son into the World, was before expreſled; to ſave his Pe'ple from their Sins, not to tul- fil a Prophecy. That here only ſtznifics che Conſequence cf thasr ARof Divine Providence ; and che Senſe is but only chis : By :21{ this which was done, was fulfilled that which was jpohen «f the Lord by the Prophet, &c. But the Jews 1o much clamouring a-ainſt rhe Aps plication of char Texr, Paiah 7. 14. to Chriſt; and teme learned Interpreters thinking the fulfilling menticned ro be no mere thin the fulfilling of a Type in the Antitype, jc will be neceilary that we make ir appear that ir was literally fulfilled. To which I know of but rwo Prejudices: 1. That it could be no relief to Ahaz, nur to the Jews againſt their Senſe and Fear of their preſent D.mger, to tell chem that Chriſt ſhould be born of a Virgia eight hundred - years «fter. 2, That whereas, v. 16. 1t 1s added, Before the Child ſh.:l know to refuſe the Evil, and chuſe the Go9d, the Land that thy alhorreſt ſhall be forſaken of both her Kings. Suppoſing rhoſe two Kings to be Pe- hah King of Iſrael, and Rezin King of Syria, who were ar that time Joined in a Siege againſt 7eruſalem, or ar leaſt preparins fer ir; and che Child mentioned, v.16. robe the Sinof a Virgin promiſed. v.14 It could be no relief ro Ahaz, nor any great News for the Prophet to have told 4haz thar they ſhould borh leave the Country betore eight hundred years were Elapſed. Let us therefore firſt contider the Hiſtory ro which thar Prophecy related, Iaizh 7. 1. We are rold thar in the time of Ahaz, Rezin the King of Syria, and Pebab the Son of Remaliah the King of Iſrael went up towards Feruſalem to War againſt it, v. 2. And when it was told the Hiufe of David, (that is, Ahaz) ſaying, Syria is Confederate with Ephraim; and his Heart was moved, and the Heart of his People, as the Trees of the Wood are m9- ved with theWind, The Expedient which Ahaz thought upon in this diſtreſs, was ro get Tizlath Peleſer, the King of Aſſjria,to join with, and help him (which he afcerward did) hiring him wich the S1/- ver and Gold found in the Houſe of the Lord, and in the Treaſures of the King's Houſe, as we find 2 Kings 1.6, 7. This Conjun@ion wittt Iavlaters, was what the Lord had forbxdden, and had often declared his Abhorrence of. Toprevent it, v. 3. he ſends his Prophet 1/ai-
| ah to him, Ja. 7. 3. Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-ja-
ſhub thy Son at the end of the upter Pool in the High-way of the Fuller's Field; And ſay unto him, Fear not, neither be f-tint-hearted, &c. In ſhorc, he afſurech him ia the Name of the Lord, That the Counſel of theſe two Rings ſhould not ſtand, nor come to paſs, v. 7. That within threeſcore and five years 1/rae! ſhnuld not be a People, &c. Ahaz knew not how to believe this. J21ah voffererh him trom God ro ask a Sizn for the Confirmation of his word, cirher in the heighth, or in the depth. Ahaz retuſeth ir under pretence that he would nor Tempt the Lord, as if it had becn a cempring Gcd to have acked a Sign at his Command : Ar this the Lord was artzry, as appearerh by the Propher's reply, v. 13. And he faid, Hear you now you Houſe of David, Is it a ſmall thing for you to weary Men, but will you weary my God alſo ? Then he goerh on, Therefore the Lira himſelf ſhall give you a Sien. Behold aVirgin, &c. There was nothing more ordi- nary inthe Prophets, than to comferr the People of God amongſt the 7ews in their Diſtrefies, with the Promiſe of the Meſſias : This we find they often did with reference to rhe Captivity of Babylon, and in other Cauſes of Diſtreſs and Trouble. And certainly that is the defign of the Propher here, in theſe words: Behold r Virgin ſhall conceive, and bear a Son, and ſhall call his name Emanuel. Ahaz had refuſed to believe the Promiſe God gave him, to detear the Coun- ſel cf theſe two Kingsz he had retufed to aska Sign for rhe Confirma- tion of God's Word. Well, ſaith the Prophet) Gcd ihall give you that fear him a Sign, he ſhall in his own time ſend you rhe eſtas, whoſe name ſhall be called Emanuel, and he ſhall te b»rn of a Virgin, Nor yer doth he leave 4haz and his People comferclets, as ro their preſent Diſtreſs: For, faith he, v. 16. Befye the Child fall know to refuſe the Evil, and to chuſe the Good, the Land that thou ab- horreft ſhall be forſaken of both her Kings. The Hebrew -5s "117 Hamnagnar, which I think were berter cranſlated, This Child, chan the Child; tor 5q ſeems not to be a Relative (reterring to the Child