FOR

ADVENT.

HAGGAI 2. 7.

And I will shake all Nations, and the Defire of all Nations fhall come, and I will fill this House with Glory, faith the Lord of Hofts.

W®

HEN the Foundation of the fecond Temple was laid, after Cyrus had released the Jews

from Captivity, Ezra tells us, there was a strange Medley of Joy and Sorrow, Shouting and Lamentation, among the People upon that Occafion. The young People who had been born in the Captivity, were transported with Pleasure, to see the

Beginnings

Beginnings of a very pompous Structure for the Worship of God; but the antient Men, who well remembred the Magnificence and Glory of the former Temple, built by Solomon, and deftroyed by Nebuchadnezar, could not but weep to fee the Poorness of this Building in Comparison of the other. Hereupon God fends the Prophet Haggai to affure them for their Comfort, that this new Temple, as meanly as they thought of it, should receive a very fingular Honour, that would fet it far before Solomon's; for the Meffiah, the Glory of Ifrael fhould make his perfonal Appearance within it. The Defire of all Nations fhall come, and I will fill this Houfe with Glory, faith the Lord of Hofts.

The Jews reckoned five feveral Glories that gave the first Temple the Preheminence over the fecond; thefe were the Urim and Thummim by which the High Prieft was in a miraculous Manner inftructed in the Mind and Will of God, upon all great Emergencies. The Ark of the Covenant, over which was the Mercy Seat, from whence God gave Answers in an audible Voice. The Fire upon the Altar, which came down immediately from Heaven, like Lightning,

and

and confumed the Sacrifice. The Shecinab, which was a fhining Light or Glory that fhewed God's immediate Prefence. And lastly, The Spirit of Prophefy. But in these very Refpects the fecond Temple was rendred more glorious by the perfonal Appearance of the Meffiah within it: For he was the true Urim and Thummim, the great Oracle who revealed the Will of God to Mankind. He the true Ark of a new and more gracious Covenant, which God hath revealed by him, and ratified thorough his Blood, which was a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, and opened us a Way to the Seat of God's Mercy. He the true Fire, that came down from Heaven, for he baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire. He the Divine Prefence among Men, in whom dwelt the Fulness of the Godhead bodily, even God manifefted in the Flesh, the Brightness of his Father's Glory, whofe Glory we beheld, fays St. John, the Glory as of the only Begotten of the Father. And laftly, He the great Prophet, who received Hebr. 1. 2. the Spirit without Meafure, God having in thefe laft Days fpoken to us by his Son.

Those former Signs of the divine Glory, were but Types and Shadows of him who poffeffed them in a fuper-eminent Degree, H.

and

and therefore the Meffiah, by his perfonal Appearance in this fecond Temple, would render it much more glorious than the first Temple, in those very Respects.

For this Reason, thofe good old Men had no Caufe to be troubled at the Meanness and Poverty of this new Building, in Comparison of Solomon's, fince it was to have the great Honour of receiving the MefLuke 2.32.fiah, who was to be both a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of his People

Ifrael.

I fhall lay before you my Thoughts on this Subject, under the four following Heads.

1st, I fhall fhew you the Preparations, which the divine Providence made in the World for the coming of Chrift.

2dly, I fhall fhew you the Effect of these Preparations, in rendring it a happy Juncture for that Purpose.

3dly, I fhall prove that this was the specifick Period of Time prefixed for the perfonal Appearance of Chrift.

4thly, I fhall confider that general Character or Description of Christ, in those Words, The Defire of all Nations. Concluding with fome Improvement.

I begin, ift, With the Preparations which the divine Providence made in the State of the World for the coming of Chrift, these are expreffed in thofe Words, and I will. fake all Nations. The foregoing Verfe is. ftill more particular. Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth, the Sea and the dry Land.

The Prophet seems to point at two Events, which should happen at different Periods of Time. One is, the Deftruction of the Jewish Religion, Temple-Worship, and political Government, in Confequence of the coming of the Meffiah; and the Eftablishment of a new Law, and fpiritual Kingdom by his Death and Refurrection, that should never be deftroyed: And that as the Delivery of the Mofaical Law at Mount Sinai, was accompanied with mighty Signs and Prodigies in the Heavens and the Earth, fo fhould the Law of Chrift be introduced with Prodigies, which accordingly happened. This Senfe of the Prophefy is confirm