ple of unclean lips," is
sufficient to show how far the thoughts of such a vicarious
satisfaction were from the prophets. Such is surely not the ground from
which the delusion of being substitutes for others can grow up. All
those who entertained such a delusion, such as _Gichtel_, _Bourignon_,
_Guyon_, were misled into it by proudly shutting their eyes to their
own sinfulness. It would surely be abasing the prophets without any
cause, if we were to assign to them that delusion. Moreover, the hopes
which here, according to these interpreters, are uttered in reference
to the prophetic order, contradict its idea, and institution. A
prophetic pride would here come out, such as is not equalled by
priestly pride in all history. _Schenkel_, no doubt, is right in
remarking against the interpretation which makes the Jewish people the
subject of the prophecy,--an interpretation of which _Hitzig_ is the
representative: "Is it to believed that the prophets, whose object all
along it was to suppress the moral pride of the people, should wantonly
have awakened it by such a thought?" But _Hitzig_ is equally in the
right when, in opposition to _Schenkel_ and others who refer this
prediction to the prophetic order, he remarks: "It is quite obvious,
how very unsuitable it would be to limit the hitherto wretched
condition and the future glory of the people to the prophets, as if
they alone, as true [Greek: katakurieuontes ton kleron], constituted
the people." According to this hypothesis, the prophets are supposed to
flatter themselves with the hope that they would be the rulers of
the state again flourishing, and would celebrate worldly triumphs.
Altogether apart from the folly of this hope, it was entirely opposed
to the destiny of the prophetic order. By divine institution, the
dominion in the Kingdom of God had for ever been given over to
David [Pg 342] and his family. By usurping it, the prophets would
have rebelled against God, whose lights they were called to
uphold.--_Farther_, As the principal sphere of the ministry of the
Servant of God, the heathen world here appears. But with it, the
prophets have, nowhere else, any thing to do; their mission is
everywhere to Israel only.--The sufferings which the prophets had to
endure during the captivity, were not different from those of the
people. Every proof, yea, even every probability, is wanting that,
during the time of the captivity, the prophets--and history mentions
and knows only