Five Pebbles from the Brook Part 6

Now there is no such pa.s.sage as this throughout the Old Testament: the author of the Gospel called of Mathew must therefore, it seems to me, have forged this supposed prophecy out of his own head, or must have mistaken the sense of some pa.s.sage in the Old Testament: if he was capable of either, he was not the honest and inspired Mathew, the Apostle of Jesus Christ.

There is a pa.s.sage in the Old Testament, which might have led a Gentile, ignorant of the Jewish Scriptures into this mistake, but could not have misled a Jew. In the history of Sampson Judges xiii. 5. it is said, "that he should be a Nazarite unto G.o.d from the womb." But a Nazerite was one thing and a Nazarene another: the first was a man who had a peculiar vow upon him, described Numbers. 7. ch., but a Nazarene was a man belonging the city of Nazereth in Palestine. The quotation is a proof with me, that the author of the Gospel ascribed to Matthew was a Gentile, of course not Matthew who was a Jew, and incapable of making such a blunder.[fn108]

Again, in the Gospel called of Matthew ch. xxvii. a pa.s.sage is quoted as a prophetic proof text from Jeremiah, says the author.

"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying, and they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the Potters field, as the Lord appointed me." There is no such pa.s.sage as this in "Jeremy the prophet," nor in any of the Books of the Old Testament. But Jerom a.s.serts, that it was taken from an Apocryphal Book ascribed to Jeremiah; he says that he saw the apocryphal book from whence this is taken. See Jerom's Commentary upon Matthew tom. iv. p. 1. p. 134, See also Marsh's Michaelis Vol. I. p. 490. as quoted by Mr. Everett.

It appears to me, that an honest man would not quote, as prophetical authority, a forged book ascribed to Jeremiah: and an inspired man as the Christians suppose Matthew to have been, still less.

In short the quotations in the New testament from the Old, adduced as prophecies of Jesus and the Religion of the New Testament, are so very inapplicable to that purpose, that the most celebrated of the Christian. Theologians of the present day, have found themselves obliged to abandon all attempts to support them as prophecies fulfilled in the events to which they are applied.

They maintain, as will appear hereafter in the course of this work, that not one of the pa.s.sages, quoted in the New Testament from the Old, was quoted as a prophecy, but merely by way of accommodation or allusion. If so, it may be replied, that it is very extraordinary, that the authors of the books of the New Testament who are almost continually representing that Jesus was predicted by the prophets, should after all never have adduced one of those predictions, although they are perpetually quoting the Old Testament. But the truth of the matter probably is, that the writers of the New Testament, did firmly believe that the pa.s.sages they have quoted, were really predictions of the events and doctrines to which they refer them. This is clear from the Epistle to the Hebrews for instance, it is a deliberate and formal defence of the Doctrines of Christianity, addressed to the Jews, or Jewish Christians, in which the author attempts to show from the Old Testament, allowed by the Jews as oracular, that the Pre- existence, Divinity, Priesthood, and Atonement of Jesus Christ, as supposed by the Christians, were predicted in the Old Testament, and proved by his citations.[fn109]

Who is so blind as not to see, that this system of Defence is merely one of the last resort, adopted in circ.u.mstances of distress for want of a better?

Sure I am, that the believing part of the Christian Laity will never adopt this System, (though the unbelieving part probably gladly will) but would be extremely shocked on being told by their Clergy, that the pa.s.sages quoted from the Old Testament by the writers of the New, which they and their predecessors from the 2nd century downwards have been accustomed to regard as veritable predictions of Jesus, and introduced too by such solemn prefaces as the following, "all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying" &c, or, "in this was fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet saying" &c--were not after all adduced as prophecies, but merely by way of allusion.[fn110]

Pa.s.sAGES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT REFERRING TO THE MESSIAH AND THE CIRc.u.mSTANCES OF HIS KINGDOM.

"Shiloh shall come, and to him shall the obedience of the peoples be." Ac. to the Hebr. Gen. xlix. 10.

"The adversaries of Jehovah shall be broken in pieces; out of Heaven shall He thunder upon them; Jehovah shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his Messiah." I Sam. ch. il. 10.

"These be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was exalted on high, the Messiah of the G.o.d of Jacob, [See the Hebr.] and the sweet Psalmist of Israel. The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and his word was [fn111] in my tongue.

The G.o.d of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me. He that ruleth over mankind [or the human race. See the Hebr.] shall be just, ruling in the fear of G.o.d, And he shall be as the light of the morning when the sun ariseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender gra.s.s springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.--But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands; but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place." 2. Sam. ch. xxiii, 1.--7.

" I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion, I will declare the decree, Jehovah hath said unto me. Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee; ask of me, and I shall give thee the nations for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron: thou shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Ps. 2. See also Ps. 21.

"He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills by righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon the mown gra.s.s: as showers that water the earth, [compare 2. Sam. ch. xxi. [fn112] 3. 4.] In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace as long as the moon endureth.

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. [" his dominions shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the earth." Zech.

ix: 10.] they that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust, The kings of Tarshish and of the isles [i. e. of Europe and the west,] shall bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. All kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba; prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised--His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

Blessed be Jehovah G.o.d, the G.o.d of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen.[fn113] Ps. 72.

"Thou speakest in vision of thy holy [or pious] one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty: I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: with whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him: nor the sin of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand In the rivers. He shall cry unto me thou art my father, my G.o.d, and the rock of my salvation. Also I will make him my first born, higher than the kings of the earth, My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. ["although my house be not so with G.o.d: yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure."

2. Sam. ch. xxiii. 5.] His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.--My covenant will I not break,-nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and HIS THRONE AS THE SUN BEFORE ME. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in the heaven." Ps. 89.

"Jehovah said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool. Jehovah shall send the rod of thy power out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.-- Jehovah at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the nations; he shall fill the places with the dead bodies: he shall wound the heads over many countries." Ps. 110.

"It shall come to pa.s.s in the last days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established in the tops of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all the nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the G.o.d of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many peoples: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Is. ch. ii.

" Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the Princ.i.p.ality shall be upon his shoulder; and the Wonderful Counsellor, The Mighty G.o.d, The everlasting Father shall call his name the Prince of Peace.[fn114] [See. the Heb.] Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will perform this."' Is. ix: 6, 7.

"There shall come forth a rod out of the stem (or stump, i. e. the roots of a tree cut down) of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots, and the spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah, and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of Jehovah; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid: and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed: their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. [fn115] And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the c.o.c.katrices den.

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the peoples; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his seat shall be glory." [See the Hebr.] Is. ch.

xi. "And it shall come to pa.s.s in that day, that Jehovah shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left, from a.s.syria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall a.s.semble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." Is. ch. xi.

"And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast aver all the peoples, (i. e. their ignorance of G.o.d's dispensations) and the vail that is spread over all the nations. He will swallow up death in victory, (or to eternity), and Jehovah G.o.d will wipe away tears from off all faces: and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for Jehovah hath spoken it, and it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our G.o.d; we have waited for him, and he will save us; thus saith [fn116] Jehovah; we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoice in his salvation." Is. xxv. 7--9.

"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of Jehovah, and the excellency of our G.o.d. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, Say to them that are of a fearful heart. Be strong, fear not, behold your G.o.d will come with vengeance, even G.o.d with a recompense, he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams, in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons where each lay, shall be gra.s.s, with reeds and rushes. And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Is. x.x.xv.

"Comfort ye, comfort, ye my people, saith your G.o.d. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of Jehovah's hand, double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the desert a highway for our G.o.d. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is gra.s.s, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The gra.s.s withereth, the flower fadeth; because the spirit of Jehovah bloweth upon it: surely the people is gra.s.s. The gra.s.s withereth, the flower fadeth; BUT THE WORD OF OUR G.o.d SHALL STAND FOR, EVER." Is. xl.

"My people shall know my name: therefore shall they know in that day, that I am He that doth speak; behold it is I. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy G.o.d reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice, with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Jehovah shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for Jehovah hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem, Jehovah hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our G.o.d." Is. lii.

G. G.

The good Christians of the United States, I do nut use the term in sarcasm, for they are good, speak in their books and sermons of the Christian religion as if it were every where the same as in the grand, free, and liberal republic. But the Fact is not so. An American who reads the poems of Homer, or Ovid's Metamorphoses, laughs at the religion of the ancient Greeks and Romans as a ridiculous folly; but when he visits those countries in Christendom which are not Protestant, he will be inclined to regard their religion as a blasphemy against the Most High. Go where you will in those countries, if you look into their churches, you invariably nod "a molten image, or picture, and a teacher of lies."

[fn117]

The prophets of the Old Testament reproached the idolatrous Jews, that "according to the number of their cities were their G.o.ds." But in the countries I speak of, the number of G.o.ds is according to the number of churches, and even houses; for every house contains an image or picture of some saint or other, who is considered as the tutelary guardian of the family.

H

Mr. Everett observes upon this prophecy of Jeremiah p. 75. of his work, "as it is near two thousand years since David has failed of a temporal prince up on his throne, and a temporal successor of Levites, and since it is declared that it shall NEVER fail of these, we must suppose that a spiritual secession and a spiritual service were intended: or else the solemn promise.-of G.o.d has been for two thousand years, without fulfillment."

"Ut semper!"------

Sternhold and Hopklns had great qualms, When they did quaver David's Psalms; "Which made their hearts full glad. But had the prophet back been sent, To hear them SING,--and you COMMENT, They surely had run mad."

I

Pa.s.sAGES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT PREDICTING THE RESTORATION OF THE DISPERSION.

"Behold the former things are come to pa.s.s, and new things do I DECLARE: BEFORE THEY SPRING FORTH I TELL you them."

"I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west: I will say to the north, give up; and to the south keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea I have made him. Is. xliii: 3, 6, 7.

"Thus saith the Lord G.o.d, behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and shall lick up the dust of thy feet: and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah, for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered. But thus saith Jehovah.

Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee; and I will save thy children. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh: and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I Jehovah am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." Is. xlix.

" Jehovah shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places: and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; joy and gladness shall be found therein; thanksgiving and the voice of melody. Hearken unto me my people, and give ear unto me O, my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for alight of the peoples. My righteousness, is near, my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the peoples: the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they lean."

[See the Heb.] Is. li.

"Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded: for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, [i. e. thy ancient Idolatry] and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhoods [i. e. thy two dispersions] any more. For thy Maker is thy Husband, Jehovah of hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel; the G.o.d of the whole earth shall he be called. For Jehovah hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou hadst been refused saith thy G.o.d. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee, saith Jehovah thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed: but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith Jehovah that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted: behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires, and I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones, and thy children shall be taught of Jehovah, and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression: for thou shalt not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near thee." Is. liv.

"Behold thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy G.o.d: and for the Holy one of Israel; for he hath glorified thee," Is.

lv. 5.

"Behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about and see; all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see and flow together, and thine heart shall fear and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces [or wealth] of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The mult.i.tude of camels shall cover thee; the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah: all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense: and they shall show forth the praises of Jehovah. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth [i. e. the chiefs of the Arabs Nebaioth was the eldest son of Ishmael] shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance to mine altar, [doubtless, because they have been worshippers of one sole G.o.d of Abraham and the prophets since, the days of Mohammed] and I will beautify the house of my glory. "Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver, and their gold with them; unto the name of Jehovah thy G.o.d, and to the Holy One of Israel because He hath glorified thee. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee, for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night: that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea those nations shall be utterly wasted. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box-tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary: and I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee: and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee the city of Jehovah, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken, and hated, that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of endless [ac. to the Heb.] generations.

Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I Jehovah am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. For bra.s.s I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver; and for wood bra.s.s, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders: but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day: neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy G.o.d thy Glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah shall be thy everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified."' Is ch. Ix.

"Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy G.o.d. Thou shalt be no more termed forsaken: neither shall thy laud any more be termed desolate--For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and, as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride so shall thy G.o.d rejoice over thee." Is. ch. Ixii.

"Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her all ye that mourn for her: that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of her consolations: that ye may milk and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith Jehovah. Behold I will extend Peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like an overflowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforted so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem." Is. Ixvi.

"Thus saith Jehovah, keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold of it, that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger who hath joined himself unto Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah hath utterly separated me from his people--the sons of the stranger that join themselves to Jehovah, to serve him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant: even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on mine altar; for mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Jehovah G.o.d which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, yet will I gather others to him beside those that are gathered to him." Is. ch. Ivi.

"Tell ye and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time: Have not I Jehovah? and there is no G.o.d else beside me; a just G.o.d and a Saviour, there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the Earth: for I am G.o.d and, there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me: every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in Jehovah have I righteousness and strength: even to Him, shall men come: and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed. In Jehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory." [fn119] Is. xlv. 21. &c.