1. To tell Kings, Priests, Princes, yea and a whole Kingdom of their sins and rebellions against God: Micaiah told Ahab the truth, when all besides flattered him, 1 King. 22. 13, 14. Elijah told Ahab of his bloody sin, and denounced Gods judgement against him (1 King. 21. 20, &c.) when all the people conspired to shed innocent blood with him. Jeremiah told King, Priests, Princes and all the people of their apostasy, Jer. 1. 18.
2. To restore Religion, it being turned into idolatry. So did Samuel, 1 Sam. 7. 3. and Elijah, 1 King. 18. 21, &c.
3. To foretell Gods Judgements beforehand, that believers might be prepared the better to bare them: that impenitent might be made the more inexcusable; and that the severity of Gods judgements might be the more justified, Jer. 5. 13. Eze. 5. 8.
4. To make known Gods mercies in the middest of judgements, and Gods mind of doing good to them, after they have been scourged for their sins; thereby to provoke them to return to the Lord, Isa. 4. 2. Hos. 6. 1, 2.
5. To give evidences of the Messiah, thereby to establish the hope of such, as should live and die before that fullness of time, and to direct them how to build their faith on him: and that by setting out his eternal deity, his true humanity, his conception, birth, growth, doctrine, miracles, passion, resurrection, ascension, intercession; his first and second coming; his spiritual and eternal Kingdom, Acts 10. 43. Thus such as should live when and after the Messiah was exhibited, might be assured that he was indeed the Christ.
6. To assure the Jews of a recalling after their rejection; and to reveal the calling of the Gentiles, Ezek. 37. 19. Isa. 2. 2, 3. and 54. 1, 2, &c.
1. To tell Kings, Priests, Princes, yea and a whole Kingdom of their sinnes and rebellions against God: Micaiah told Ahab the truth, when all besides flattered him, 1 King. 22. 13, 14. Elijah told Ahab of his bloody sinne, and denounced Gods judgement against him (1 King. 21. 20, &c.) when all the people conspired to shed innocent blood with him. Ieremiah told King, Priests, Princes and all the people of their apostasie, Ier. 1. 18.
2. To restore Religion, it being turned into idolatry. So did Samuel, 1 Sam. 7. 3. and Eliah, 1 King. 18. 21, &c.
3. To foretell Gods Iudgements beforehand, that beleevers might be prepared the better to bare them: that impenitent might be made the more inexcusable; and that the severity of Gods judgements might be the more justified, Ier. 5. 13. Eze. 5. 8.
4. To make known Gods mercies in the middest of judgements, and Gods minde of doing good to them, after they have been scourged for their sinnes; thereby to provoke them to return to the Lord, Isa. 4. 2. Hos. 6. 1, 2.
5. To give evidences of the Messiah, thereby to establish the hope of such, as should live and die before that fullness of time, and to direct them how to build their faith on him: and that by setting out his eternall deity, his true humanity, his conception, birth, growth, doctrine, miracles, passion, resurrection, ascension, intercession; his first and second coming; his spirituall and eternall Kingdom, Acts 10. 43. Thus such as should live when and after the Messiah was exhibited, might be assured that he was indeed the Christ.
6. To assure the Jews of a recalling after their rejection; and to reveal the calling of the Gentiles, Ezek. 37. 19. Isa. 2. 2, 3. and 54. 1, 2
