Unless they did this, the land enjoyed not her Sabbaths, Lev. xxvi. 34, 35. In It is remarkable that in the fiftieth year, the tenth day of the seventh month, (which was the great day of atonement in ordinary years), the Jubilee trumpet should sound. This Jubilee trumpet has been fitly compared to the proclamation of the gospel, by which the debtor to divine justice is discharged; the slave regains a glorious liberty, and the mortgaged sinner is begotten again to the lively hope of the incorruptible and undefiled inheritance. But we must look forward to a completer explication of this figure, which will be displayed in the morning of the resurrection from the dead, when the voice of the Son of God shall be heard by all that are in their graves, and the dead in Christ shall arise; then, and not till then, will the children of God enjoy complete liberty. The bondage of corruption will then cease; and all the Israel of God will be restored to an inheritance which fadeth not away. The Hebrew word jobel is translated in the Septuagint the year of remission; the Chaldee calls it the year of liberty, Ezek. xlvi. 17. although the original strictly speaking does not support either. The probable root is jubal a stream, that which carries every thing along with it; and our word jubilee, is derived from the Latin jubilo, which is to make a joyful shout. all their dealings they were to have respect to the Jubilee; the recollection of this period would keep them from oppressing their brethren; and they were commanded to obey all God's statutes, however apparently interfering with their worldly interests, trusting in God that their land should yield its increase, &c. The attentive reader will observe the striking similarity between the promises of the year of Jubilee and the millennium in the prophets. Alluding to the liberty which this year of blessings brought to the miserable slaves and prisoners, we read in the New Testament of the GLORIOUS LIBERTY of the • children of God,' Rom. viii. 21. and this when the bondage of cor6 ruption ceases,' which can only be at the resurrection. • Ye shall return (ver. 10.) every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family,' with reference to which Paul speaks of the time of the redemption of the purchased possession.' At the sounding of the trump of God, the elect of God will be restored to the true paradise of God from which our first parents were expelled, and allowed to eat freely of the tree of life; and those who had been carried captive by Satan at his will, will be set at liberty, and the whole family in heaven and earth will be happily united under their elder brother. It is now the year of acceptance, because our great High Priest has passed into the heavens; but the full extent of the blessings of the year of God's redeemed' will only be enjoyed at the times of the restitution of all things.' The language of verse 23. demands particular attention. The land shall not be sold for ever, (viz. completely alienated), for the "land is mine, for ye are strangers and pilgrims with me.' The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, but he claims Canaan as his, in a very particular manner. It is called THE LORD'S LAND, Hos. ix. 3.; IMMANUEL'S LAND, Isa. viii. 8.; and it is generally designed the holy land. Although, as a figure of the heavenly inheritance, these terms are figuratively applicable, yet it is manifest there is a farther. object. That land will be taken possession of by IMMANUEL as his, when he shall establish the throne of his father David on Mount Zion, and all the true Israel of God shall reign with him as kings and priests a thousand years on the earth. The Israelites of old possessed that land as strangers and pilgrims with God; but there is a day coming when it shall be made sure to Abraham and his seed for an everlasting possession. Verse 25. introduces a word which is afterwards frequently used, GOEL, the kinsman redeemer. The nature of his office is beautifully depicted in the history of Boaz and Ruth, see Numb. v. 8. Ruth iii. 9. and completely executed by our kinsman and redeemer, Jesus, the Redeemer, who shall ere long come again to Zion, to restore the inheritance to all his brethren. The distinction between walled towns and villages, confirms the view of this subject as pointing to the millennium. The state of God's Israel during that blessed period is remarkably described in Ezek. xxxvii. xxxviii. and xxxix. with the last attempt of the heathen to annoy them; and they encourage themselves in the attempt, by saying, ' I will go up • to the land of unwalled villages, I will go to them that are in their • Sabbatism, dwelling safely,' ch. xxxviii. 11. The Levites were laid under particular restrictions as to selling their lands, probably to point out the confirmation of the possession to God's true priesthood; and it is remarkable, that when the first converts to the gospel among the Jews sold their possessions, Barnabas is particularly mentioned, because he was a Levite. From the 35th to the 47th verse, we have the line of conduct enjoined on the Israelites towards their brethren; it forms a particular branch of the law of love. The word usury does not mean illegal interest as with us, but simply an addition or increase, see verse 36. This subject deserves consideration from those who profess to be under a stricter law of love than old Israel. The continued bondage of strangers may probably respect what shall also take place at the millennium: in what manner these things will be fulfilled, the day will declare; it is enough for us to remember, that though heaven and earth shall pass away, these words will not, until all be fulfilled. The reader may consult on this subject, Psalm ii. 9. Isa. xiv. 1, 2. Rev. ii. 26, 27. and many similar texts. The concluding regulations of the Jubilee are of the same nature with the preceding, and point to the same spiritual object. Those who are blessed with the knowledge of the joyful sound of the gospel Jubilee, being made free from the law of sin and death, will be found walking in newness of life, and rejoicing in hope of complete deliverance at that blessed period, when the kingdom, and greatness of dominion under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, and they shall reign. CHAP. XXVI. By a singular division, the two first verses of this chapter complete the 32d section of the law. They contain a repetition of the law against idolatry, and for reverencing the Sabbath. The word translated idols means here, as in similar texts, vanities or things of nought. Rearing up a standing image, literally reads erecting a pillar, as Jacob did at Bethel: indeed, this practice among the heathens appears to have taken its rise from that transaction ; the nature of it may be collected from such passages as Isaiah xix. 19. Jer. xliii. 13. We have instances of Israel transgressing this law, 1 Kings xiv. 23. and 2 Kings xvii. 10. What are called images of stone, the margin reads a figured stone or stone of picture; and this word is frequently translated simply pictures, see Num. xxxiii. 52. and Isa. ii. 16. 6 The 33d section is introduced with various promises, connected with walking in God's statutes, and keeping his commandments.' This is one of the texts generally adduced to prove that the law of Moses was a covenant of works. We shall not detain the reader to repeat what has been already hinted on this subject: it appears to us undeniable, that walking in God's statutes then, exactly corresponded with observing all things which Christ hath commanded now. Enoch walked with God, and Paul says this was by faith. Abraham walked before God, and found perfection to his conscience; this he did, by believing God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness. Zacharias and Elizabeth walked in all the commandments and ordinances of < the Lord blameless,' Luke i. 6. Strict adherence to the ceremonies and ordinances of the law, was an evidence or fruit of the faith; when obedience proceeded from another source, viz. seeking justification as it were by the works of the law, then, as Paul says, that which was good in itself was made death to him. The nature of the promises and threatenings of the law, have been grossly misrepresented; they were as much shadows of good or bad things to come, as the ceremonies of the law itself were. In verse 4. they are promised rain in its season; as in the parched countries of Syria and Judea, the greatest of all temporal blessings, and the source of all others, was rain in its season, it is here the leading promise of God to his church. In Moses's song, Deut. xxxii. 2. he says, that his doctrine (viz. concerning the Messiah) should drop as the rain.' Thus the Psalmist says, He (the true Solomon) shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth,' Psalm lxxii. 6. ; and Paul establishes the connection between this and walking in God's statutes,' when he exhorts the Hebrews to give all diligence in the work of faith, and uses the following remarkable language, For the earth which drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by • whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing of God; but that which beareth thorns and briars is nigh unto cursing,' &c. Heb. vi. 7, 8. It is this connection between the natural and spiritual rain, that renders many passages, particularly in the Psalms and Prophets, essential for : us to attend to: we conceive it is impossible to exhibit the nature and design of these temporal promises in a clearer light, than by transcribing the following passage from the lxvth Psalm, 9th-13th verses, Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it thou greatly en⚫ richest it with the RIVER OF COD, which is full of water: thou pre'parest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly; thou settlest the furrows thereof; 'thou makest it soft with showers; thou blessest the springing 'thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy 'paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed 'with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; and they shout for joy, they also sing.' The effect of this rain is that the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field their fruit. We recommend the lxxxvth Psalm as the best commentary on these promises, Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness ⚫ shall look down from heaven, (viz. when Emmanuel appeared in the manger at Bethlehem): yea the Lord shall give THE GOOD, and our ' land shall yield her increase; righteousness shall go before him.' We cannot avoid remarking, however, that all the fertility which has yet appeared in Canaan, will not fully complete this promise; but there is a period at no great distance, when I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them, and they • shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods; and I ⚫ will make them, and the places round about my hill, a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase,' &c. Ezek. xxxiv. 24-31. In like manner, the promise in verse 5. that the threshing should ✦ reach unto the vintage,' &c. is most expressly used as a promise of the gospel. In Amos ix. 11. we have the promise of building again the tabernacle of David that is fallen; this is quoted by the apostle James in Acts xv. 16, 17. as applicable to the restoring of the worship and ordinances of Christ; now, it is immediately added by the prophet, as a consequence of this, Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountain shall drop sweet wine,' &c. But when we attend to the verse following, • And 1 will plant them upon their own land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land,' &c. we are still called to look forward to a more distant period, even the reign of the saints on earth ; and then shall all these promises given to the church by Moses, and renewed by the prophets, receive a complete and undeniable fulfilBut we must here add, that nothing can more plainly shew the unwarranted language which has been applied to the promises of the law, that they were temporal blessings connected with outward obedience; if so, outward obedience will also entitle to the blessings of the resurrection. The expression in the 5th verse, 'cating to the ment. full,' is often applied to that complete satisfaction, peace, or as we may call it satiety, which the gospel yields to the conscience. Thus, God fed them with manna to the full,' Exod. xvi. 8.; and blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled,' Matt. v. 6. The wise man saith, The righteous eateth to • the satisfying of his soul,' Prov. xiii. 25.; and the Psalmist, The meek shall eat, and shall be satisfied, and praise the Lord,' Psalm xxii. 26. It is farther promised, that they should dwell in their land safely.' The word betach here translated safely, is the same used to express the confident hope of Christ, My soul shall rest (dwell confidently) in hope,' Acts ii. 16. In the days of Solomon all Israel dwelt safely under their vine and fig tree;' but this safety was soon broken, yet the prophets abound with expressions of renewal of this promise of safe dwelling in their own land; for the fulfilment of which we must also look forward to a period not now very distant. In verse 1. peace and riddance of evil beasts are promised. We know how short-lived any peace was which old Israel enjoyed; but when the true Solomon comes again to his Israel, in his days ⚫ there shall be abundance of peace,' Psalm lxxii. 7.; then, and not till then, will the sword be beat into a ploughshare,' for he is first king of righteousness,' which he brought in by the death of the cross, and then king of Salem, which is king of peace.' It is the hope of all the Israel of God to see Jerusalem a quiet habitation,' where violence shall no more be heard in her walls, nor destruction in her borders.' Men are now vainly dreaming about a false peace, a golden age, which is to take place, as they idly suppose, in the present state of things; but until the evil beasts are out of the land,' until the ungodly lusts which reign in our members are completely subdued, (which will never be while that which is born of the flesh is flesh), no perfect peace can be enjoyed. Sin first marred man's peace; and while sin remains, pride, ambition, avarice, and those other lusts which proceed out of the heart of man, will continue to interrupt it. The present outcry about times of peace and safety, however, is a pretty strong proof that the peaceable reign of the Son of David is drawing near; but we should keep in mind, that this will not take place till he comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.' Previous to that, Paul forewarns us, men will be saying, • Peace and safety, while lo, sudden destruction as travail on a woman with child, I Thess. v. 2, 3. In place of dreaming about any system of worldly politics having a tendency to introduce worldly quiet and peace, we have reason to remember, that before the end, ⚫ distress of nations and perplexities' are to be expected; there is ' an hour of temptation to be expected to try them that dwell on the • face of the earth.' At that same period when the one Shepherd is to be set up over the flock of God, it is promised, And I will • make with them a covenant of peace, and I will cause the wild beasts to cease out of the land, and they shall dwell safely,' &c. Ezek. xxxv. 25. Their powerful and victorious situation as to their |