mparatively the
fewest defenders. We have already seen, that, besides the explanation
which makes the Jewish people the subject, _Abarbanel_ advances still
another, which refers it to king Josiah. _Rabbi Saadias Haggaon_
explained the whole section of Jeremiah.

Notwithstanding all these efforts, however, the Rabbins have not
succeeded in entirely supplanting the right explanation, and in thus
divesting the passage of all that is dangerous to their system. Among
the Cabbalistical Jews, it is even still the prevailing one. In
numerous cases, it was just this chapter which formed, to proselytes
from Judaism, the first foundation of their conviction of the truth of
Christianity.

B. HISTORY OF THE INTERPRETATION WITH THE CHRISTIANS.

Among Christians, the interpretation has taken nearly the same course
as among the Jews. Similar causes have produced [Pg 320] similar
effects in both cases. By both, the true explanation was relinquished,
when the prevailing tendencies had become opposed to its results. And
if we descend to particulars, we shall find a great resemblance even
between the modes of interpretation proposed by both.

1. Even, _a priori_, we could not but suppose otherwise than that the
Christian Church, as long as she possessed Christ, found Him here also,
where He is so clearly and distinctly set before our eyes,--that as
long as she in general still acknowledged the authority of Christ, and
of the Apostles, she could not but, here too, follow their distinct,
often-repeated testimony. And so, indeed, do we find it to be. With the
exception of a certain Silesian, called _Seidel_--who, given up to
total unbelief, asserted that the Messiah had never yet come, nor would
ever come, (comp. _Jac. Martini l._ 3, _de tribus Elohim_, p. 592)--and
of _Grotius_, both of whom supposed Jeremiah to be the subject, no one
in the Christian Church has, for seventeen centuries, ventured to call
in question the Messianic interpretation. On the contrary, this passage
was always considered to be the most distinct and glorious of all the
Messianic prophecies. Out of the great mass of testimonies, we shall
quote a few. _Augustine_, _De Civitate Dei_, i. 18, c. 29, says:
"Isaiah has not only reproved the people for their iniquity, and
instructed them in righteousness, and foretold to the people calamities
impending over them in the Future; but he has also a greater number of
predictions, than the other prophets, concernin