is faid to catch with much art and flynefs, hiding himfelf among the branches of trees, that from thence he may fuddenly spring out and lay hold upon it. He, therefore, affords a ftriking emblem of those who, affuming the appearance of regard to religion, conceal their real defigns; who, whilft they profess much, discover evident marks of hypocrify, ftill retaining the moft barbarous cruelty of difpofition against the harmless followers of Jefus Chrift.

The bear is a very ftrong and fierce animal, which is ready to feize upon, and deftroy any tame beafts that come within its reach; and fo emphatically reprefents those inhuman powerful enemies of the church, who rage with violence against her, and endeavour to tear in pieces thofe of whom fhe is compofed.The lion, and young lion, which are reckoned chief among the beafts, are remarkable for their ftrength and boldnefs; and, therefore, are proper emblems of the powerful enemies of the church, who are often spoken of in fcripture by this name. Like lions, they are terrible in their approach: they are greedy of prey, vigilant, bloody, and ravenous. -Such are the perfons who feem intended by this latter clafs of wild animals; who are emblematical of the enemies of the kingdom of Chrift, to whom, in feveral respects, they bear a ftriking refemblance.

Befide thefe particular inftances of likeness at which I have now hinted, there are fome general properties which are common to all the creatures of this laft defcription, wherein they bear a remarkable fimilitude to those whom they here reprefent. Ferocity and favage cruelty is their leading characteristic, in oppofition to the mildnefs and gentlenefs of the other clafs; and, in this refpect, they exhibit a juft picture of the rapacious and barbarous enemies of the meek difciples of Jefus Chrift, and of those who are at enmity with his law, having never been fubdued unto his love and obedience. Implacable hatred, and a strong averfion to mankind, with a natural defire to injure and deftroy

them,

1

them, form another line of resemblance between the creatures here mentioned, and thofe fignified by them, who are filled with malice and envy, and are poffeffed of inclination and ability to injure and annoy the people of God. Once more: The animals of this clafs were reckoned among the unclean beafts, which, under the Mofaic œconomy, were forbidden to be used by the children of lfrael. In this view, they afford a lively reprefentation of the character and condition of the enemies of the Meffiah's kingdom, who are often spoken of in fcripture in fuch language as plainly intimates their great impurity and corruption. They are exhibited under a variety of emblems, which ferve to fhew their extreme pollution; which renders them improper objects for the church of God to be converfant with, or to form intimate connection with them.

To perceive the true meaning and scope of this prophecy, let us turn our attention to the intimate intercourfe, and harmonious agreement, which is here foretold fhould fubfift among thofe who are thus figuratively described. This defirable concord cannot be otherwife enjoyed than by a thorough change having been made, by means of the word and gofpel of God, on the laft-mentioned clafs of people, who, by faith in Jefus Christ, the blessed influence of the Holy Spirit, the fear and love of God, are divested of their natural ferocity, and rendered mild and peaceable in their temper and conduct, fo as no longer to act in hoftility against the fervants of God.—The firft expreffion employed to denote the tranquillity and harmony of the very different characters of mankind, of whom the prophet fpeaks, is, The wolf fhall dwell with the lamb. The word intimates, familiar domestic intercourfe, fuch as fubfifts among those who belong to the fame houfe and family. Divested, by divine grace, of their malignant difpofitions, and the powerful inclination by which they were once led to injure the flock of Chrift, they are admitted to enjoy

friendly

friendly correfpondence with the young and feeble in the household of God; and, becoming fellow-citizens with the faints, they fhall feed with them upon the fame fpiritual provifion, and drink from the fame wells of falvation. -The next expreffion used by our prophet, is, The leopard fhall lie down with the kid. Those who were the moit virulent and cruel enemies of the church, and most inimical to their fafety, fhall repose themselves with the least of their brethren in the kingdom of God, in thofe green paftures, and quiet refting-places, where they fhall enjoy the molt agreeable tranquillity, with abundance of fpiritual bleffings, communicated by the great Shepherd of Ifrael.It is farther foretold, And the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together. Thofe who are growing up toward the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift, being plentifully fed with fpiritual provifion fuited to their tender years, fhall form habits of friendship and intimacy with thofe whom they were taught, by the precept and example of their fa thers, to confider as a prey which they ought to annoy and devour.And a little child fhall lead them. However various the natural difpofitions of those who are here described, they should all unite in fubjecting themselves to the good conduct of minifters of the gofpel, who, on account of the humility and fimplicity of their minds, and the inoffenfivenefs of their behaviour, may be intended by the figurative defcription of a little child. Their employment, like that of little children, confifts in leading the flock to proper pafturage, and in gently taking care of them: out of the mouth of thefe little children, God perfecteth praise; and with respect to fuch, our Lord gives this neceffary caution, Take heed that ye deipife not one of these little ones *.. And the cow and the bear fhall feed, their young ones fhall lie down together. Perfons of every age, remarkable for their natural ferocity and barbarity, being converted to the faith and obedience of the

*Matth. xviii. 10.

Son

Son of God, fhall be admitted to feed with the church, in the green paftures of the word and ordinances, wherein they fhall enjoy intimate pleasing intercourse with the difciples of Jefus Chrift, and the most agreeable tranquillity and repofe.And the lion fhall cat Araw like the ox. This prediction may especially feem furprising, that a wild voracious animal, which commonly lives upon flesh, fhould act fo contrary to his nature and practice, as to feed upon ftraw, the food of tame and useful creatures, as the cow. Such, however, is the astonishing change here foretold, that those who were fierce, favage, and powerful as the lion, rejecting the provifion which they formerly made, to fulfil the lufts of the fiefh, fhould live upon the fimple doctrines of the gofpel, whereby the flock of Jefus Chrift is nourished and fupported, as most agreeable to them, though not suited to gratify corrupt human nature.

And the fucking child fhall play upon the hole of the afp, &c. This article of the prediction feems ftill more wonderful than any thing above mentioned. The afp and the cockatrice are a kind of poisonous ferpents, whofe bite or fting are extremely dangerous and deadly. They are faid to be fo venomous as to infect the air to fuch a degree that no creature can live near them: their poifon is reported to be fo ftrong that there is no cure for it; and they have been known to kill not only by the touch, but by their hiffing. Thefe creatures afford a fignificant reprefentation of wicked men, whofe poifon is affirmed to be like the poifon of a ferpent*; and under whofe lips (the apoftle of the Gentiles afferts) is the poifon of afps +. Perfons of this description, by diffeminating their dangerous tenets, overturn the faith of fome; and, by reproaches and cenfures, for which they are well furnished, they give deadly wounds to those with whom they are converfant. The hole of the afp, and the cockatrice-den, are the places * Pfal. lviii. 4. † Rom. iii. 13.

where

where thefe creatures commonly refort, and in which they take up their refidence. In a figurative fenfe, they may denote the fchools and fe minaries in which the inveterate adverfaries of the gofpel and disciples of Jefus Chrift propagated the vain philofophy, and foolish fuperftition, that are highly dangerous to the facred interefts of the church of God; and in which they threw out their venomous afperfions upon the falutary doctrines of the Son of God, and attacked with their malicious calumnies the devout worshippers of God our Saviour. Nigh to places of this fort, which were once the haunts of a generation of vipers, where no body durft approach without imminent danger, even young converts to Jefus Chrift, who were but lately admitted into his church, fhould be often employed, without receiving any material injury. The leaft and weakeft of the children - of God fhall be preferved in fafety amid the affaults of their implacable enemies, or their adverfaries fhall be divested of their poisonous nature; in confequence of which, they fhall enjoy with one another the moft agreeable intercourfe, and friendly correfpondence.Such feems to be the import of the figurative predictions which we have now been confidering. Such are the astonishing bleffed effects of the gospel of peace, when firmly believed, and cordially embraced. Accompanied with divine power, it divests men of their fierce and favage difpofitions; it renders them mild and gentle; it converts their natural hatred to each other into tender affection, expreffed by mutual good offices. Former animofities and quarrels are happily laid afide: harmony and good agreement are fubftituted in their room: they live in peace, and the God of love and peace is ever with them. How highly then ought we to value, and how diligently to improve the glorious gofpel with which we are favour ed, folicitous that it may produce, in our hearts and lives, these bleffed effects with which it is here foretold it fhall be accompanied!