but one righteous, Christ alone without sin. While, considering,

-4, The nationality of the people, from which their prophets were not altogether exempt, the universality of the deliverance which these foretold as well as Job would seem to be some evidence of their sincerity. For the promise to Abraham as reported by the chief of prophetic writers was, "In thy Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. xxii. 18): whereas the more probable form of a fond, national or insincere prediction would have been this, By "thy Seed shall all the nations of the earth be "-subjugated; and if it had not stopped short at the preceding verse," Thy Seed shall possess the gate of HIS enemies" (Ib. 17); and said not one word about Him as a blessing to all nations.

As we follow the course of Revelation there may be some difficulty in discriminating nicely between expressions applying particularly to the Subject and to others with whom he is particularly related, as between him and Solomon, each being the son of David, and also between him and David-each being the son of God; in the language of those heavenly effusions, the Psalms of David, especially: as may be seen in the eighty-ninth Psalm for example, of which one part evidently refers to David, another as evidently to Messiah,- but without any apparent transition, as if both were included in one image. Whence it would appear for another evidence

-5, As if the Jews, and others likewise, had no alternative between David especially and this son of David, as their Christ or Messiah. For where shall we find another more like the first prophet of Israel, Moses the forecited model, either in fortune or constitution than David; who was also ordained to the Messiahship by the hands of no less a prophet than Samuel; as he says, "Thou spakest sometimes in visions to thy saints, (to Samuel, for one) and saidst, I have laid help upon ONE THAT IS MIGHTY; I

have exalted ONE CHOSEN OUT OF THE PEOPLE; (not a mighty sphere or station) I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him" (Ps. lxxxix. 20, 21)? Who was so likely to be Christ, or the anointed of the Lord, as he who for years after his anointing by the prophet, like a young Cæsar, bore no other title? And if his personal dominion had not been wholly national or peculiar, whereas the dominion of Messiah was to be universal likewise, we should say hereupon, Behold the man! -none so likely as David himself for the Christ or Messiah, with all his glory, divinity and dominion! But David, though next nearest perhaps to such a character, will not suit either with history or prophecy as they suit with Jesus and each other. Not this man therefore, but Jesus: not David himself, but Jesus the Son of David must be owned beyond dispute.

-6, That is a very striking revelation, and decidedly affirmative of the divinity of Messiah, where the prophet, after shewing how "blindness in part is happened to Israel" as shewn also by an apostle in a chapter lately cited, and therewithal the reason, lest, as God says, his wonderful operation should be ascribed to some false or inferior cause (Isai. xlviii. 5, &c.)-represents Him as positively declaring with respect to their redemption," I will not give my glory unto another. Hearken unto

me, O Jacob, and Israel, my called; 1 AM HE; I AM THE FIRST; I AM ALSO THE LAST. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens" (Ib. 11, 12, 13). We may know very well therefore, who He was, and who the Word which "was in the beginning with God", and in the end with Christ when he said, "It is finished ",-namely God. "And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no INTERCESSOR: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him, and his Righteousness it sustained him" (Ib. lix. 16, 17), namely, the honest man who is played on by every one (Ib. 15). Which seems to be nearly repeated

in a subsequent passage (Ib. Ixiii. 5, 6), and in others, or rather in several others likewise.

-7, And to derive the doctrine of the Subject's divine nature, as of his human, from the beginning,-if the prediction of his birth in this line do not always accompany that of his human birth, it is however sufficiently interwoven, both by assertion and by implication therewith, to make it evident, that as the recovery of mankind was predicted to happen, or be effected by one of human extraction, so likewise by one of divine, being at the same time one subject only of both, one Subject of a two-fold or two natured birth, the Son both of God and man according to his name. It is not necessary, as before observed, to receive every prediction in the way in which it may be imputed by every one to its object or record, but what predictions are imputed in this case will generally seem correct, and at any rate sufficient for their purpose. One of St. Paul's, or of the author of the epistle to the Hebrews' quotations in this view (Heb. i. 5) is a happy parallel : "For unto which of the angels, said he at any time, Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?" the authority here referred to being still happier from the effect of combination before noticed; as here the Subject's peculiar dignity is included in the same prediction with his birth (Ps. ii. 6, 7). And we find another prediction also very remarkable, not only for its correctness, but also for the "If Subject's, and we may say author's own application; David then call him Lord, how is he his son?" (Ps. cx.; Matt. xxii. 45);-it is remarkable likewise for the aforesaid effect of combination; the dignity of a King-priest, King-ruler, Judge among the heathen, &c. being here expressly mentioned, and the divinity of the Subject directly implied. Similar to which is another prediction just alluded to--one by the greatest prophet, and most extraordinary person altogether that Israel, or perhaps any other nation ever produced before the Subject himself, that God

would raise up after him another prophet like himself unto that nation, also of that nation, also of a particular rank or class; not of the higher, nor yet of the lower,but of the middling; nor yet of any casual or common description, but like the speaker in* many human respects (Deut. xviii. 15, &c.): and, the best of all--A PROPHET UNTO WHOM THEY SHALL HEARKEN (Ibid). In this manner did Moses prophecy of the Subject once, as himself observes (John v. 46). And we are informed by a note at the end of his writings, added most likely by their collector, Ezra, that there arose not a prophet since (that is up to his time) in Israel like unto Moses: so far, that isto Ezra's time, confirming the Subject's appropriation of the prophecy.

—8, Were one to indicate however-one superior line of evidence, not relating to the Subject more particularly than in common with other objects, it would be found perhaps in the numerous predictions of the calling of the Gentiles in Christ, of which two or three are referred to for a sample (Isai. xlix. 6; lx; xlii; lvi; Luke ii. 32; Matt. viii. 11; xxi. 43; xxii. 9): and many more might have been added, besides what belong to the Subject's annunciation being a continuation of his prediction, and his recognition being a confirmation of the renunciation; which should not neither have been forgotten: and there is evidence enough here to satisfy every sober scruple, if it be duly weighed.

-9, But, the predictions now alleged being frequently detached in their original positions, and scattered through many different Scriptures of Moses and his followers, should it therefore be objected, that in so large a field, and from such disjointed materials a tissue of prophecies might be woven to almost every purpose, with sentences as it were with an alphabet; one might easily show that such a supposition is not necessary. For should these detached

* Partly enumerated in a parallel-Sermon 12. VOL. III.

prophecies be given up; which they need not be, as the authority of prophecies or predictions is never estimated by their bulk or position, but by their harmony and verisimilitude; but should these be given up, whole chapters and psalms might be found for the purpose, and those filled with very different characters answering to the two opposite conditions or predicaments, namely high and low, of the Subject before mentioned, or probationary and triumphant, as they might otherwise be called. Thus, to begin with the Psalms; in one of them we find him mournfully calling upon the Head of his existence for support in the height of his trials, "My God, my God; look upon me. Why hast thou forsaken me; and art so far from my health and from the words of my complaint?" (Ps. xxii. 1), --and continuing the same strain throughout; uttering by David in Spirit through twenty verses consecutively before he was personified or incarnate what literally occurred to himself, it may be, a thousand years after, " All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out their lips and shake their heads, saying, He trusted in God, that he would deliver him: let him deliver him now, if he will have him. But thou art he that took me out of my mother's womb: thou wast my hope when I hanged yet upon my mother's breasts: I have been left unto thee ever since I was born: thou art my God, even from my mother's womb. O, go not from me; for trouble is hard at hand, and there is none to help me. Many oxen are come about me; fat bulls of Basan close me in on every side .... and thou shalt bring me into the dust of death. For many dogs are come about me; and the council of the wicked layeth siege against me. They pierced my hands and my feet; I may tell all my bones; they stand staring and looking upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O Lord: thou art my succour; haste thee to help me!" (Ib. 7, &c.) And here the Spirit takes another turn, foreshewing the triumphant result of this arduous conflict