IT is to be expected that the great Anointed of God, the works which he is to per­form, and the salvation which he is to bring, will occupy the most distinguished place in prophecy, and be the chief theme of inspiration. This was the idea of the ancient Jews; hence when jealous Herod was informed of the birth of the King of the Jews^*, he gathered together the chief priests and scribes of the people, who might be supposed best skilled in the mysteries of the sacred books, and demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet^†’ &c. And that this was the idea of the ancient Jews appears from the Talmud, which says that all the pro­phecies of the Prophets related to Christ. But, is it not a truth much to be lamented, that since [Page 20]the days of Jesus, those who have been prejudiced against him, exerting all their ingenuity to give to the prophecies such explanations as might least agree with his character and doctrine, have thus well nigh shut him out of the holy scrip­tures? So that those prophecies which most ob­viously refer to him, are made to terminate in the Prophet who speaks, or in Josiah, Zerubba­bel, Joshua the high priest, Cyrus, or any other person, the most unlikely; as Hircanus, whom Herod slew; Agrippa the younger, &c. It much interests you, therefore, to examine the sacred writings with your own understandings, and to consider well, whether many of those prophecies which your writers make to refer to others, do not point to the Messiah. And in many cases, where inferior characters and events may be the ground-work of what the Prophets speak, it is worth while to consider whether the Messiah be not the ultimate object in whom the principal matters terminate. It agreeing not with the design of prophecy that its whole mean­ing should lie unconcealed, we find that many of the prophecies are of a mixed nature, and point to two objects at once, or speak of one as the type of another. Thus predictions, re­lating to the return from Babylon, under the edicts of Cyrus and his successors, are mixed with others which respect your return and glory in the last days, and one is made the type of the other. Thus David often speaks of himself as a type of the Saviour who was to come; and in like manner the Prophets often speak of others. The prophecies are a sort of enigmas, which nothing but the accomplishment can ex­plain; with this key, all the mystery is laid open, and he who runs may read—with these ideas respecting the prophetic writings, let us candidly [Page 21]enquire what your sacred scriptures predict of the Messiah, and see whether they meet with accom­plishment in Jesus or not.

I. They foretel of him that he is to be a person of supereminent character; superior to all preceding prophets, priests or kings; superior to all men, and even to angels. Hence such language as this, ‘Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee^*—"The LORD said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool^†." — Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Won­derful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the ever­lasting Father, the Prince of Peace^†’

Now, do such predictions as these appear to be fulfilled in Jesus? Is there any thing related in the history of his character, works and offices, which bears any likeness to the eminence of the person here pointed out? Take the book and read. ‘The angel said unto Mary, Thou shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever^§."—"Jesus saith unto Phi­lip, He that hath seen me hath seen the Fa­ther. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me^‖?"—"In Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily^**."—"God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by [...] Son, whom [Page 22]he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds^†."—"And he hath on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS^†.’

Do you expect in the Messiah a superemi­nent character? Behold him who was cruci­fied, whom God hath raised from the dead, and made both Lord and Christ.—And hear his lan­guage. Who before Jesus ever spoke in such language of majesty? ‘Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me^§. "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die^‖’ Well might it be said, ‘The people were asto­nished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the Scribes^**!’ Well might the officers who were sent to take him be disarmed of their purpose, and say, "Never man spake like this man^††." All he says and all he does is worthy of the eminence of God's Anointed!

But do you object, ‘Is not too much ascrib­ed to him?’ What means Jesus when he says, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father?" And what Paul, when he asserts, ‘In Christ dwel­leth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily?’ In return (for Christians acknowledge their in­sufficiency) it might be asked, What meant Moses when he said, ‘The LORD (with two angels) appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, in the likeness of a man, and ate of the meat which he set before them. And as [Page 23]soon as he had left communing with Abraham he went his way^*?’ What is meant when it is said, ‘God called unto Moses out of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God Isaac; and the God of Jacob; and Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God^†?’ And what means Hezekiah where he prays, ‘O LORD, God of Israel, that dwellest between the Cherubims^†?’ What, is the Eter­nal Spirit the object of human sight? No. Was he, whom heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain, circumscribed within the limits of a body, a burning bush, or the glory which rested over the mercy-seat? Surely that man must have formed very unworthy ideas of the Divine Nature, and of the eminence of Jeho­vah's perfections, who thus thinks.— ‘^§ Behold God is great, and we know him not! How little a portion is heard of him^‖!’

II. Examine the prophecies, and see whether the Messiah was not to be born of a virgin. Is not this idea suggested in those words of God, which conveyed to our fallen parents and their descendants the first promise of grace? ‘The LORD God said unto the serpent (the devil) I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between her seed and thy seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel^**.’ Consult also Isa. vii. 14. ‘Behold [Page 24]a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.’ Jer. xxxi. 22. ‘The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man.’ To say the least, these difficult passages serve to confirm our faith in the truth of the event, when it comes to pass. And seeing that nothing is too hard for God; seeing that such a mira­culous conception would be to the honour of the Messiah, and worthy of the supereminence of his character; seeing that though conceived out of the ordinary course of nature, he may still be of the feed of Abraham, and the son of Da­vid (his mother being in that line) and as there is nothing in the prophets which obliges us to reject this idea, it is more than probable that these predictions refer to such an event.—In Jesus they are all accomplished, as you may see, if you will read Matt. i. and Luke i.

III. According to the Prophets, a notable messenger is to go before the Messiah to prepare his way. ‘The voice of one that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert an high way for our God^†."—"Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the LORD whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple. Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD^*.’

All this makes it evident, that some eminent prophet is to precede the coming of the Messiah^†. [Page 25]But we are not to suppose this messenger or pro­phet to be Elijah himself coming from heaven, but one who shall come in the spirit of that pro­phet; as the Messiah is often called David, be­cause, as David was a holy man, after God's own heart, and the saviour of Israel, so the Messiah^†.

Let us now attend to the history of Jesus, and see whether there be any prophet preceding his appearance, bearing any likeness to the predic­tion. ‘An Angel appeared to Zacharias while he executed the priest's office in the temple, and said unto him, Thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. He shall be great in the sight of the Lord; and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go be­fore him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared of the Lord^*."—"Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, the word of the Lord came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were the [Page 26]Christ or not, John answered saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to un­loose^†’

Contemplate his history, work and doctrine. An angel announced him; a man of a holy life; he baptized in water, as the emblem of regenera­tion, the emblem of dying to sin, and rising to newness of life: he preached repentance, and gave notice of the sudden appearance of him who had been the burthen of prophecy. All the people held John to be a prophet^†; and hence they supposed (according to Josephus^§ who speaks highly of his character, as do other Jewish writers) that Herod's army on a certain occa­sion miscarried in judgment upon him for put­ting John to death. On account of his piety and doctrine he obtained the character of "One of the wise men of Israel." It was from this high estimation in which he was held, that a so­lemn deputation was sent to him to enquire who he was^‖? He confessed that he was not the Christ, nor Elias (not literally, according to the then pre­vailing idea of the Elias who was to come) not that prophet (of whom Moses spoke) but the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the pro­phet Esaias^‖.’ Does not this messenger well agree with the predictions which pointed out that prophet to the notice of Israel, who was to go before the face of the Lord, and prepare the way for the appearance of his Anointed?

IV. As the Messiah was to be a Prophet of the highest rank (and more than a Prophet) may it not be expected, that in proof of his mission he [Page 27]should perform miracles, and prophecy of things to come? It is evident that the ancient Jews expected that their Messiah would do many wonderful works; hence some said unto Jesus, ‘What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things^*?" and others said, When Christ cometh, will he do more mira­cles than these^†?’ Perhaps it was in refer­ence to these prophetic gifts that it was said, ‘Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy Power^§’ And again, the ‘Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wis­dom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledg and of the fear of the LORD^‖’ &c. But whether the Prophets have directly spoken of this or not, it is surely perfectly consistent with his character thus to be invested with power from on high, (and in some sense necessary) to demonstrate that he is of God. It may be justly expected that he who is represented as the most eminent Prophet, the great burthen of prophecy, of whom inspira­tion hath spoken and sung from the depths of antiquity, should be distinguished with gifts su­perior to others^**.

An impostor might shew juggling signs and wonders, which might deceive the ignorant; or, perhaps, by the agency of evil spirits (who may be able to look farther into causes and ef­fects than men) he might be able to discover [Page 28]events which lay hid from common eyes, and by those signs might lead the people after strange gods, as Moses forewarned^†. God might per­mit these things as the trial of obedience. But, did ever any impostor raise the dead, or give sight to one who was born blind? Such won­ders as these require the agency of the Creator, and which was never granted to a deceiver. If miracles, which nothing but the power of God can perform, be any proof of a true Prophet, here proof abounds. By a touch, by a word, by the efficiency of his will, he healed all man­ner of diseases, cast out devils, controled the elements, and raised the dead.

None pretend to deny that Jesus wrought many wonderful works, far transcending hu­man power. So irresistible is the proof of it, that your nation have been obliged to allow it. Many who saw them, indeed, said ‘He casteth out devils, through the prince of the devils^†,’ and others, to get rid of the argument, which is drawn from hence in favour of his being from God, have pretended that he did them by means of some ineffable name of Jehovah. But surely, it is too irrational (not to say too impious) to suppose, that the great Eternal would permit his name to be turned into a talisman to favour the tricks of a juggling impostor; or that a few letters, however arranged, or however pro­nounced, should have in them the power of healing diseases, and raising the dead. This might do in the very darkest ages of superstition; but have not all men, where revelation, reason and philosophy, have carried their light, learnt more wisdom? Surely that poor man who was born blind reasoned better than this, when they of the Sanhedrim said unto him, ‘We know [Page 29]that God spake unto Moses; as for this fellow, we know not whence he is^*’ The man answered and said unto them, ‘Why herein is a marvellous thing that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind; if this man were not of God, he could do nothing." q. d. "It is marvellous indeed that you, great and learned men, should not know from whence this man is, who hath wrought such a miracle; when we unletter­ed and blind beggars know, that the holy and Almighty God is not the accomplice of deceivers; we know that such power, as in this case is manifested, is communicated only to them who are the true servants of God.’ Ah! man, thou knowest not the power of pre­judice, or thou wouldst marvel at nothing. Pre­judice makes light darkness, and darkness light; good evil, and evil good.

And is the gift of foretelling future events a criterion of a true Prophet, and what may be expected to dwell in the Messiah in an eminent manner? In Jesus we find the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding. He perceived the thoughts of mens hearts. He knew beforehand who would betray him. His eye penetrated into the depths of futurity, and saw through the future fortunes of the Jewish nation. What meant he to teach the Jews by his parable of the husbandmen who first refused to render unto the householder the fruit of his vineyard, and afterward murdered his only [Page 30]son^*? What meant he when he faid, ‘There shall not be left here (in the temple) one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. —Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time^†?’ But

V. However great and numerous the proofs of the Messiah's mission, yet they are not to be attended with that terror which prevailed at Sinai. Hear Moses. ‘The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken. According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not^†,’ &c. This is clearly a promise of the Messiah, and a prophetic descrip­tion of his character. And how perfectly does the [...]story of the doctrines, and works of Jesus, agree with this prediction! Here are no thun­ders, nor lightnings, nor the voice of trum­pets, to make even a Moses fear and quake, and the people exclaim, ‘Let not God speak with us, lest we die.’ The lowest may approach to learn of Jesus, for he is meek and lowly in heart; and what he hath heard of his Father, that he speaketh in language which does not terrify, but invites attention. His doctrine is at once full of grace, and full of truth. Though it astonish, it does not affright; and if to confirm his mission he display the power of God, yet it is in a way which accords with the promise. His wonders are wonders of compassion and kind­ness; [Page 31]and even where there may be some mix­ture of terror, mercy predominates. ‘All they that had any sick with divers diseases, brought them unto him, and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, say­ing, Thou art Christ the Son of God^*.’—He raised the dead; but he never called for sire to come down from heaven to destroy mens lives. He stilled, but he never raised a tempest. He is in all things according to the desire of Israel in Horeb. ‘And whosoever will not hearken unto my words, saith the Lord, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him^†.’ God foresaw that some would not hearken to this Prophet, whom he promises. Search the scriptures, and see whether they do not testify of Jesus, and prove him to be the pro­mised Prophet.

VI. Both the life and doctrine of the Messiah are to be eminently holy; both agreeing with that law which was written with the finger of God, and given to Moses in Mount Sinai. He is to be like unto Moses, in that he is to speak the pure word of God. All he teaches must be agreeable to his holy law, and in the name of no other God. Of whom does the Psalmist speak, but of the promised Saviour, where, as Prophet, he says, ‘Thou lovest righteous­ness, and hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia^‖?’—Of whom speaks Isaiah? ‘There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithful­ness the girdle of his reins. The Lord is well [Page 32]pleased for his righteousness sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable^†’

View the life of Jesus. Who can convict him of sin? Though his enemies charged him with blasphemy and sedition, where is the proof? He said, he was the Son of God. And what saith the scripture? ‘Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee^§.’ He said he was a King. And of whom spoke David? ‘Why do the hea­then rage and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his Anointed.—Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion.— Kiss the Son, lest he be angry^†.’ Does not David here speak of some one superior to him­self; but of whom he (as a persecuted prince) was a type? Of one, who, like Jesus, was per­secuted by Herod, and Pontius Pilate, and the rulers of the Jews? But though agreeable to the prophecy he said, "I am a King;" yet he said also, "My kingdom is not of this world;" and when the populace would have taken him by force, and made him King, he departed into a mountain himself alone; for he was God's, and not man's Anointed. He was superior to re­ceiving honours from men.—They charged him with violating the holiness of the sabbath. But why? Only because he did good, healed the sick, and taught the difference between unneces­sary works, and those of necessity and mercy; between superstitions scrupulosity about triles, and real sanctity.

Examine his doctrine. Did he not teach the fear and worship of the one true God? Did he not enforce that moral law which God gave [...]t Sinai? Yes, he magnified the law, and made [Page 33]it honourable. Not so his enemies; they put out­ward rites in the place of inward sanctity, and made void the law by their traditions; they turn­ed [...]he holy religion of God into ostentation; and instead of obeying his precepts from the heart, did all they did to be seen of men. But what part does Jesus act? Does he, like the false prophets of former days, shape himself and his doctrine according to the times; and hoist him­self into credit by arts of flattery, and words of peace? No. See the zeal which animates his bosom, for the glory of God, the honour of his law, and the conversion of men.—See, he lays the axe to the root of the trees; denounces the woes of God against hypocrisy; shews the fallacy of all religion, but that of the heart; teacher men to worship him, who is a Spirit, in spirit and in truth; and to cleanse themselves, not only with the outward washing of water, but their hearts, and their lives, with the waters of repent­ance. Read his sermon on the mount^*. Read all he taught. He who believes not, must ac­knowledge, that the morality of his doctrine is worthy of the character he assumes.

VII. The Messiah, according to the Prophets, is to be eminent for mercy, gentleness and good­ness; ‘He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and car­ry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young^†. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break; and the smoking flax shall be not quench^†.’

And did not all these kind affections shine bright, both in the doctrine and actions of Je­sus? He taught men to love one another, and do good, even against evil. ‘Ye have heard that [Page 34]it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven^§. This is my commandment, that ye love one another^‖.’

And observe, he does not say and do not; he practises his own precept. The history of his actions is the history of goodness, mercy and gentleness. When his misguided disciples asked leave to call for fire, as Elias did, to come down from heaven, to destroy those Samaritans, who, (because they were Jews) denied them the rights of hospitality, he turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives, but to save them^*.’ He went about doing good. Did the blind cry to him, ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David? He had compassion on them, and touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight^†.’ Did he behold an afflicted widow, following her only son to the grave? ‘He had compassion on her, and said unto her, weep not; and he touched the bier, and said, Young man, I say unto thee arise.—And he delivered him to his mother^†.’ And when he beheld the tears of repenting sinners, who wept for their transgressions, and sought the mer­cy he came to display, with as much compassion as majesty, he said, ‘Thy sins are forgiven: Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace^¶.’ [Page 35]When he contemplated the miseries which, like a destructive tempest, were hastening to fall upon his people, ‘He beheld the city and wept over it^‖.’ Even when his countrymen (with the Roman soldiers) at the instigation of revengeful priests, and corrupt rulers, were shedding his blood; in the midst of his pains, compassion over­flowed his heart, and he prayed, ‘Father, for­give them, for they know not what they do^**.’ Yes, and his prayer shall be answered; for though the Lord hath stricken his people for their sins, yet he hath not cast them off forever. When they shall acknowledge their transgressions, he will forgive the iniquity of their sin. Is not this the Christ?

VIII. The doctrine of the Messiah is to be full of grace. For thus spake the prophets, ‘Thou art fairer than the children of men, grace is poured into thy lips^*." "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because he hath anoint­ed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, &c.^†" "And he shall speak peace unto the heathen^†.’

Hear the doctrine of Jesus.— ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not pe­rish, but have everlasting life^§. —There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over a sin­ner that repenteth^¶.—And he said, A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me—and he took his jour­ney into a far country, and there wasted his sub­stance i [...]otous living. And when he had [Page 36]spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee.—And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him, &c.^¶’ Merciful Creator! As a father pities his repenting children, and forgives their follies, dost thou so pity and forgive repent­ing sinners, who turn to thee? We adore thy mercy, which hath given us such assurances of grace; we receive him as thy Prophet, who thus makes known thy compassions; we repent that our sins have grieved his Spirit!—And ye who are weary with the burthens of this present evil world, hear the consoling doctrine of Jesus which is sent to you; ‘Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven^*.—Let not your heart be troubled. In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Ye now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you^†.’

Well did Isaiah prophecy, ‘The Lord God hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted.’ Well did Jesus say to the men of Nazareth, when, in their synagogue, he read [Page 37]these words of the prophet, ‘This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears^†.’ We with them bear witness, and wonder at the gracious words which proceed out of his mouth. His doc­trine droppeth as the rain, and his speech dis­tilleth as the dew; as the small rain upon the ten­der herb, and as the showers upon the grass.

Who, unless his heart be corrupted by vice, or his mind darkened by prejudice, can hear, or read, the doctrine of Jesus, which is at once so replete with sublimity. and mercy, and not dis­cover upon the face of it the stamp of heaven? Is not this he who was to come, or, do we look for another?

IX. If we examine prophecy, we shall find the period marked out for the Messiah's appearance. ‘The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be^*.’ This is allowed to be a prophe­cy of the Messiah, and shews that before the ar­rival of this period, when Judah, as well as Ephraim, should cease to be a kingdom, he must appear. Again. ‘Seventy weeks (490 years) are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish transgressions, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteous­ness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jeru­salem, unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not [Page 38]for himself, and the people of the prince that shall come, &c.^†’

And when the Lord would encourage Zerubba­bel and his people, in building the second temple, was it not by promising, that that house which they were then building (and which Herod after­wards repaired) should be blessed with the presence of the Desire of all nations? ‘Who is left among you, that saw this house in her first glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not in your cyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be strong.—I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.— The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, saith the Lord of hosts, and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts^*.’

You have doubtless been taught to give such explanations to these passages, as may least favour the Christian cause. But for a moment, as lovers of truth, lay aside as much of the prejudice of education as you can, and consider whether the appearance of Jesus does not exactly answer to these predictions, and afford the easiest solution. Judah hath shared the same fate with Ephraim, and the sceptre is departed; but before their po­lity was utterly broken, and they scattered over the face of the whole earth, Jesus appeared to gather together in himself all people, Jews and Gentiles. And, exactly at the time foretold by Daniel, he made his appearance, and was cut off, but not for himself.

To get rid of the argument which this pas­sage offers, in favour of Jesus being the Christ, your writers have explained it as not referring to the promised BRANCH of David; though [Page 39]they are not agreed among themselves of whom the Prophet speaks. Some by the Messiah, in the 25th verse, understand Zerubbabel, others Joshua the high priest, and a third class interpret it of Cyrus. By Messiah, in the 26th verse, who was to be out off, some understand Hircanus the high priest, whom Herod ordered to be put to death; and others, king Agrippa, who, they say, was out off by Vespasian. But is not this contra­ry to the plain meaning of the text, and offering it the greatest violence? It is evident, to every unbiassed reader, that one person is spoken of through the prophecy. The number of weeks that were to pass, before the appearance of Mes­siah the Prince, prove that neither Zerubbabel, Joshua nor Cyrus, could be the person referred to. From the order to restore and build Jerusa­lem, unto the Messiah the Prince, were to be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks, i. e. sixty­nine weeks: but which is thus broken into two periods, to mark out the important event of Je­rusalem's restoration, and the time it should take to perfect that work, viz. seven weeks (forty­nine years.) But, even supposing the Prophet to say, ‘It is seven weeks to the Messiah the Prince;’ this does not agree with either of these persons. Read. ‘From the going forth of the commandment (either that recorded in Ez­ra i. vi. or vii.) to restore and build Jerusa­lem, shall be seven weeks." It is not "From the destruction of Jerusalem to the Messiah the Prince," but, "From the going forth of the commandment to restore and build it, to the Messiah’ &c. Who (under God) sent forth the commandment? Cyrus, Darius, or Artax­erxes. And to whom was it given as the heads of the Jewish nation? Was it not to Zerubbabel, Joshua, or Ezra? To make Cyrus, Zerubbabel, [Page 40]or Joshua, therefore, the Messiah the Prince, will involve us in the greatest absurdities. The plain meaning (without any breaks to mark out intervening events) is, ‘From the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Je­rusalem, to the Messiah the Prince, shall be sixty-nine weeks.’ Count them, and your finger will rest upon ‘JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.^*’

The Messiah, mentioned in the 26th verse, which some interpret of Hircanus, and others of Agrippa, is surely no other than the person spoken of in the preceding verse. Nothing can be plainer. But is not the person here pointed out of more eminence than either of these? Was Hircanus the most holy? or did his cutting off make reconciliation for iniquities, and bring in everlasting righteousness? Did he confirm the covenant with many for one week? Criticism and prejudice may make the text applicable to any body, or speak any thing which may answer a purpose; but look on the face of it, and say whose likeness it bears. As to Agrippa, he does not appear to be of eminence enough to be thus spoken of; and of his cutting off there is not sufficient proof, and none at all for the ends and consequences of it mentioned in the prophecy. When expositors are reduced to such contradic­tions and glaring absurdities, is it not a reason, at least, to examine candidly, whether Jesus, in whose history and pretensions the prophecy meets with the easiest solution, be not the person pointed out? The Messiah was to appear after sixty-nine weeks; then did Jesus appear.—He was to be cut off, but not for himself, so was it with Jesus.— He was to finish transgression, to make an end of sin, to make reconciliation, and to bring in ever­lasting [Page 41]righteousness; and this, the Christian doc­trine teaches us, Jesus did.—He was to confirm the covenant with many for one week; this Jesus did, by the ministry of his forerunner and of him­self. —And then was the people of the prince to come and destroy the city and sanctuary, as did the Romans in less than forty years after the cut­ting off of Jesus. If this be not a prophecy of the Messiah, the BRANCH of David, the Prince of princes, where shall we find a promise of him which may not be quibbled away?

And if Jesus be not the person, where shall we find in the records of history that Desire of all nations, whose presence was to fill the second temple with glory? This temple has been long since destroyed, and not one stone left upon another to denominate it the same. And where do we find the fulfilment of the promise of re­markable peace, if not in that doctrine of peace which was preached by and through Jesus? that doctrine whose gentle stream blesses the souls of the righteous with peace, amidst all the agitating tumults and troubles of the world. Surely this is that Desire of all nations who was to come and speak peace to them who are near, and to them who are afar off.

Having advanced thus far in your enquiries after the characteristics of the Messiah, and the pretensions of Jesus, stop, and consider well the weight of evidence for and against. And let it be remembered, that it is nothing to the pur­pose, that in some instances you may suppose the prophecies misapplied; or, at least, that they will bear a different interpretation; or that you may think you discover some things in the history of Jesus which accord not with the prophecies, or which lay the gospel open to objections. The matter to be considered is, the great mass of [Page 42]evidence. And remember the truth of the doctrine of Christianity does not depend for its proof, any more than the law of Moses, upon the etymology of a word, or upon some detached circumstance. A very little wit sharpened by prejudice may cut, and pare, and trim a word to suit any purpose, and give to detached cir­cumstances any appearance. But here is a great body of prophecy and a vast body of facts, which are superior to the arts of criticism. They form a long extended range of mountains, which no assault of man can shake or separate, and which no length of time can impair.

Whilst the prophecies remain, and the history of Jesus is known, neither Jew nor Gentile need be at any loss for grounds of enquiry into the truth or imposture of the pretensions of the Son of Mary. If Christianity be an imposture, sure­ly it is the most extraordinary one that was ever heard of! Is it not strange, that so many prophe­cies should unite their testimonies in its favour? Is it not singular, that to get rid of the accumu­lated testimony to the truth of the pretension of Jesus, we must put the most forced and unnatural construction upon many of the sacred predic­tions? What ought a wise man, who fears God, to do? Should he resist such evidence, because some things turn up in the Messiah's character the reverse of what he has been used to think of it? the reverse of what fallible men have taught him to believe? Should he resist such evidence, because in some instances he discovers what he cannot explain, or the propriety of which he can­not see? Surely not. Go, O man, if thou fearest God, and wouldst lay hold on his cove­nant, go into thy closet, and shut thy door upon thee; pray to him who seeth in secret, and whose cars are open to the prayers of the right­eous; pray that he would pour his spirit upon [Page 43]thee, to teach thee wherefore it is that he con­tendeth with your nation, what the sin of Israel is, and where the way of truth; for he hath not forgotten his covenant. He waiteth that he may be gracious.

X. Enquire whether the prophets have not predicted, that the Jewish people are to reject the Messiah, and for that reason be scattered over all nations, till they repent? Moses sup­poses the possibility of some refusing to hear that Prophet which God would raise up, as you may see Deut. xviii. 19. There are many prophe­cies which clearly speak of this. I shall men­tion but two or three. The former part of the 32d chap. of Isaiah is evidently a prophecy of the Messiah: ‘Behold a king shall reign in righteousness,’ &c. Here the Prophet speaks of the excellence of the Messiah's government, ver. 4. ‘The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge,’ &c. But remark his different language, ver. 9th and on, ‘Rise up ye careless women that are at ease, hear my voice ye care­less daughters; give ear unto my speech. Many days and years shall ye be trouble.— Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briars.—The palaces shall be for­saken, the multitude of the city shall be left, the forts and towers shall be for dens forever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks.’ And how long shall these days and years of trouble continue? ver. 15. ‘Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high,’ &c. How perfectly does this accord with the Christian faith! What a clear delineation of facts subsequent to the re­jection of Jesus! Was he the promised King, the man who was to be a hiding place from the wind? Did his doctrine tend to make the heart of the rash understand knowledge? But the [Page 44]chief priests and elders, with the rulers of the people, procured his death: and since this for many days and years hath Israel been in trouble; the land of God's people is thorns and briars; the palaces are forsaken, and their days and years of trouble will not end till the Spirit be poured upon them from on high, and they repent. Then this ‘work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and assurance forever.’ ver. 17.—See also Isa. xlii. After the Prophet hath surveyed with rapture the glory and grace of the Re­deemer's character and government, he turns his eyes towards a darker scene. ver. 22. ‘But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and are hid in pri­son houses; they are for a prey, and none deli­vereth; for a spoil, and none saith restore.’ ver. 23. ‘Who among you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time to come? ver. 24. Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not I the Lord, against whom they have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. ver. 25. There­fore he hath poured upon them the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle, and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew it not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.’

Are you enquiring after truth? Attend then to this remarkable and affecting description. If Jesus be the Christ, and your sufferings the con­sequence of rejecting him, what elucidation does this prophecy receive? This Elect of God hath brought forth judgment to the Gentiles, he hath brought the blind by a way which they know not, he hath taught them the knowledge [Page 45]of the one true God, and the way to eternal life. Happy would it be if all who have seen this light walked in it! And are God's people after all this robbed and spoiled? Hath the Lord given Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers, be­cause they would not walk in his ways, nor be obedient to his laws? Surely it is because they have done as Jesus said, ‘A certain householder planted a vineyard, and let it out to husband­men. And he had a son, one only son, and he sent him that he might receive the fruit of his vineyard, saying, They will reverence my son. But they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him^*.’ Yes, for this he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, it hath set him on fire round about, but he knows it not, he lays it not to heart.—Many more prophecies might be produced in proof that Israel was to reject the Messiah, as chapters xlix. l. liii. &c. But this may suffice.

XI. The Messiah is to endure sufferings and death. Proofs of this abound in the Prophets; and though, as in the case of all the other pro­phecies, this should not be without obscurity, till the event throw light upon the prediction, yet its clearness is more than sufficient to induce a candid lover of truth seriously to enquire whe­ther that same Jesus who was crucified, and is said to have risen again from the dead the third day, be not the Christ. What is the meaning of those words of the Lord to the serpent in Gen. iii. 15. ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel?’ Doubtless there is much obscurity in the text, as there is in the whole relation which Moses gives of the fall of man. [Page 46]But undoubtedly, it means something more than that mankind and serpents were to be averse to each other. In this sentence was conveyed a promise of grace and restoration to fallen man. The seed of the woman is to destroy the works of the devil. Nor does this enigmatical man­ner of expression at all operate against the text being a promise of life, a promise that some one distinguished seed of the woman should remedy the mischief which the devil brought on the hu­man race. The promise of salvation, from the evils of the fa [...] is as the light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. It dawn­ed on Adam; it shone on Abraham; and grew brighter and brighter through the successive stages of prophecy. The Messiah's appearance is perfect day, which dissipates the shadow that obscured the prospect of the ancient church. Is this then a promise of him, of whom the after Prophets foretold, that he should assemble the outcasts of Israel, and stand for an ensign of the people, to whom the Gentiles should seek^*? He is to be a suffering Saviour. This perfectly agrees with innumerable other predictions. What a picture of crucifixion does David draw in the 22d Psalm! And of whom does Isaiah speak when he says, ‘Many were astonished at thee, his visage was so marred more than any man's, and his form more than the sons of men^†?’ Your ancient interpreters, before the days of Jesus, expounded the verse preceding this, as a prophecy of the Messiah, and say, ‘This is the King Messiah, who is extolled above Abraham, above Moses, above angels^†.’ If the 13th verse belong to the Messiah, why not the 14th?

But let us compare the prophecies with the history of Jesus, and see how they agree.

[Page 47] Gen. iii. 15. ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy bead, and thou shalt bruise his heel.’

Ps. ii. 2. ‘The kings of the earth set them­selves, and the rulers take counsel against the Lord and his Anointed.’

Ps. xxii. ‘All they that see me laugh me to scorn, they shoot out the lip,’ &c.

[Page 48] Ps. xxii. 16. ‘They pierced my hands and my feet.’

18. ‘They parted my garments among them, and cast lotsupon my vesture.’

Isa. lii. 14. ‘Many were astonished at the [...], his visage was so marred more than any man's, and his form more than the sons of men.’

Isa. liii. 1. ‘Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord re­vealed?’

Isa. lii. 3. ‘He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and ac­quainted with griefs, and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.’

[Page 49] Isa. liii. 10. ‘It pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief.’

Micah v. 1. ‘They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.’

And when the Lord promises [...]od to Judah [Page 50]in the latter day, and above all, his Spirit to awaken them to repent­ance, he says,

Zech. xii. 10. ‘And they shall look upon me whom they pier­ced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his on­ly son.’

[Page 47] John xvi. 33. ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’

1 John iii. 8. ‘He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning; for this purpose was the Son of God ma­nifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.’

Matt. ii. ‘Herod sought the young child's life.’

xxvi. 3, 4. ‘Then assembled together the chief priests and the scribes, and the elders of the people, and consulted that they might take Je­sus by subtilty, and kill him.’

xxvii. 26. ‘When Pilate had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.’

Matt. xxvii. 39—43. ‘They that passed by reviled him.—Like­wise also the chief priests mocking him,’ &c.

[Page 48] Matt. xxvii. 35. ‘They crucified him, and parted his gar­ments, casting lots: that it might be fulfil­led which was spoken by the Prophet,’ &c.

Matt. xxvii. 29, 30. ‘And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, king of the Jews! and they spit upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head.’

John xii. 37 and 38. ‘But though he had done so many mira­cles before them, yet they believe not on him, that the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled,’ &c.

Matt. xiii. 55. ‘Is not this the carpen­ter's son?’

John i. 11. ‘He came unto his own, and his own received him not.’

xii. 42. ‘Many a­mong the chief rulers believed on him, but [Page 49]because of the Phari­sees they did not con­fess him, for they lov­ed the praise of men more than the praise of God.’

Luke xxii. 42—44. ‘Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: never­theless, not my will, but thine be done. And there appear­ed an angel unto him from heaven strengthening him, and being in an agony he prayed more ear­nestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood fall­ing down to the ground.’

Matt. xxvii. 46. ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’

Matt. xxvi. 67. ‘They spit in his face and buffeted him, and others smote him with the palms of their hands.’

xxvii. 30. ‘They took a reed and smote him on the head.’

[Page 50] John xix. 34. ‘One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water—that the scripture should be fulfilled, They shall look on him whom they pierced^*.’

XII. According to the prophets, the Messiah is to sustain the dignity of the priesthood; and hence it is written, ‘The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedeck^†.’ Whom can David call his Lord, to whom Jeho­vah spake, but that righteous Branch, who was to spring from him? He is to be a priest; but not after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchifedeck, who united in his person both the kingly and priestly dignities. Hear also Ze­chariah, [Page 51] ‘Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH, and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a priest upon his throne^*.’ The branch here is undoubtedly the same with him of whom the an­gel spake to Joshua; (chap. iii. 8) God's anoint­ed. Your Rabbins reckon among the names of the Messiah that of The BRANCH. Who else can this be? It was no unusual practice with the prophets to predict and shew things to come, not only by words, but by accompanying actions, that thus what they delivered might make the deeper impression.

Hence this Prophet was commanded to put a crown upon the head of Joshua the high priest, while he delivered this prophecy respecting the promised Branch, as [...] significant emblem (agree­able to the manners of those days) of the union of the priestly and kingly dignities in the person of the Messiah. And was not his priesthood pre­figured by the temple service? Was there not some meaning and instruction hid under the cha­racter of the high priest, and the service on which he waited? Certainly there was. The office it­self, the sacrifices which he offered upon God's altar, and the mediation which he made for the people, were all full of spiritual meaning; they were the pictures of things to come, that when those things appeared they might be known. Your Rabbins^† have acknowledged their ignorance concerning these mysteries untill the spirit from above shall be poured out upon them; yet sup­pose that they signify the sacrifices which Mi­chael [Page 52]offereth of the souls of the just. Christians are taught, that this Michael is Christ, who hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of him­self.^*.

As every high priest under your law was or­dained to offer gifts and sacrifices, it was neces­sary that this Priest, thus promised and typified, should have somewhat to offer agreeable to his office, or he is not a priest.—He offered himself a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling favour; and thus was fulfilled what Isaiah had predicted, ‘When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall pros­per in his hand^†.’

But this Priest, though slain, must rise from the dead, and ascend to heaven, the most holy place made without hands, there to appear before God, and make intercession for us. For David, who long ago saw corruption, and now dwells among the dead, said, ‘My flesh shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, (in the state of the dead) neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life^†.’ And again, ‘The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thou­sands of angels: the Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for men: yea, for the re­bellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them^§.’

In Jesus, by his rising from the dead, and as­cending to heaven, we see the full accomplish­ment of these predictions. And it is written in our sacred scriptures, ‘If any man sin, we have [Page 53]an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world^*.’

And thus is brought to pass what the Prophets looked forward to with the rapture of inspiration. ‘Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire.—Then said I, [...]o, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me: I delight to do thy will, O my God: Yea, thy law is within my heart^†."—"Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified. and shall glory. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong: because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and m [...]de intercession for the trans­gressors^‡.’

XIII. As the Messiah is to sit a Priest upon his throne, so also a King. ‘Behold a King shall reign in righteousness—he shall be as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great [Page 54]rock in a weary land^§."—"He shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious—he shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather to­gether the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth^†.’ Over Jew and Gen­tile shall he reign a glorious Prince. The pro­phecies abound with testimonies respecting these gracious designs of God, in subjecting both the Jewish and Gentile nations to his Anointed.

1. The Gentiles are to be the subjects of the Messiah's kingdom. To effect this, he is to de­liver them from the darkness of error, vice and idolatry. And what can we conceive more wor­thy of the Maker of all, more worthy of the Mes­senger of his covenant, or more glorious to his truth?

Of whom did David speak when he said, ‘All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the LORD; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee: for the kingdom is the LORD's, and he is governor among the nations^*?’ And to what glorious even did the prophet Isaiah point the hopes of Israel, when he said of God's Elect, ‘He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not fail, nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law^†?’ Doubtless the hopes of God's people were directed, by these predic­tions, to the conversion of the idolatrous na­tions. And though that day is not arrived, when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters do the sea^‖, for the doctrine of the kingdom of God is as a grain of mustard-seed, yet has not the light of God spread far, [Page 55]and done much, towards the destruction of ido­latry^§, the reign of that wicked one who se­duced our first parents! And is there not a firm foundation laid for the kingdom of peace and righteousness? Our scriptures have foretold a declension of the Christian church; and warned us of Antichrist, whose sorceries should prevail one thousand two hundred and sixty years, to the hindrance of the peaceful and righteous kingdom of God. When this period terminates, then we hope to see fulfilled, the glorious things which are spoken of the city of God.—We hope it is at hand. Then shall he sprinkle many na­tions, and sanctify them for his own inheritance, as he did Israel of old in Horeb, when Moses with the blood of the covenant sprinkled the people; and then, as at Sinai, to the ends of the earth shall it be heard, ‘All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.’ Our eyes are fixed on your nation, praying for your conversion, that by this the Gentiles may be awakened to a more attentive consideration of the doctrine which they profess; and, from your rising, receive that increase of light, which shall chase away this darkness which now obscures us. ‘Awake, awake then by repentance, and put on thy strength, O Zion. How beautiful up­on the mountains shall the feet of him be, who bringeth good tidings, who publisheth peace! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice, with the voice together shall they sing. The Lord will make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God^*.’

For, 2dly, with the Gentiles, he is to gather together the dispersed of Israel and Judah: to bring them back to God, from whom they have [Page 56]departed; and to restore them to their own land. Of this speak the Prophets. ‘And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of Israel, and gather together the dis­persed of Judah from the four corners of the earth^†."—"Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH.—In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is the name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS^*."—"He shall sit as a refiner; then shall the offering of Ju­dah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years^††.’

Thus the salvation of Israel, their conversion from sin, and restoration to their own land, are clearly the works of the Messiah^‡; nor can it reasonably be doubted, but that these prophecies refer our hopes to a period not yet arrived. They were not accomplished by the restoration under Cyrus and his successors; for since that you have been awfully^§ defiled with your trans­gressions, and are so now; you have been a prey to your enemies, and the beasts of the land have devoured you; from which evils the pro­phets promise deliverance^‖ when the Messiah [Page 57]shall rise to save you. But length of time does not make void the promise; nor do your present circumstances at all tend to weaken the proof of Jesus being that Saviour whom God promised; on the contrary, considered in connexion with the other prophecies, your present dispersion serves much to confirm it. We have shewn, from your prophets, that Israel was to reject the Messiah, and for it to experience days and years of trouble, till they should repent. Our scriptures teach, that God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, by turning you from your inquities;—that had you obeyed his voice, he would have gathered you together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings; he would have saved you, but ye would not; therefore your house was left unto you desolate; —that for unbelief ye were broken off, though not cast away; but that when ye shall believe, ye shall be grafted in again, and all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, ‘There shall come out on Sion a Deliverer, and shall turn away un­godliness from Jacob.’

Allowing, for a moment (prejudice aside) that Jesus is the promised Saviour, your na­tion treating him as they did, was it not just in God (for surely it must be a crime the most ag­gravated) to chastise them for it, til [...] they repent? And though his chastisements extend through more than seventeen hundred years (they con­tinuing still in unbelief) does this at all render void the promise, if on their repentance his Sa­viour rise up for their deliverance, and perform for them all the good which the prophets have promised?

But in the Messiah you expect a temporal Sa­viour only, and are prejudiced against Jesus, because he is held forth principally as spiritual [Page 58]one, and that for all people. But surely the ac­count which the Christian Scriptures give us of the character of Christ, and of the nature of his work and kingdom, is by no means contradic­tory to the ancient prophecies; or at all deroga­tory either to the perfections of God, or the glory of his Anointed. If you search the pro­phecies, ur biassed by prejudice and a worldly heart, you may soon learn, that the Saviour who is promised, is to be not only a temporal one to you, but also a spiritual one to all people. Hence that feast of fat things and victory over death, of which Isaiah speaks^*. Hence he stiles him "The light of the Gentiles^†." And Ma­lachi says, ‘He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righte­ousness^†.’ Surely the prophets speak of something more than temporal blessings! It is a feast suited to the wants of the soul; it is light which informs the mind, and purification from moral pollution. And is not this a more glo­rious work, thus to save all people, than merely to bring back the scattered tribes of Israel to the land of Canaan, whilst the rest of mankind, to whom their numbers bear no proportion, are lest, without receiving any benefit from him, in darkness, idolatry, and death? Yes, he is the Saviour of all people, the King of all nations! He brings spiritual as well as temporal salvation. His feast is for all people; and he will destroy the face of the covering, and the veil, that is spread over all nations.

LET us now consider the testimo­nies which are borne in favour of Jesus being the CHRIST. There are testimonies which might be collected from profane authors; but let us con­fine ourselves to what the historians of Jesus and the writers of the Acts of the Apostles have written. As relators of plain facts, what they affirm is as credible as what any other historian may have affirmed; especially as they could have no interest in deceiving, but the contrary; and as, if what they related were not true, they might easily have been detected, and thus they would have destroyed the cause they meant to establish; for these things were not done or spoken in a corner. It is certain then, that mul­titudes of all conditions did entertain a high opinion of the character, works, and doctrine of Jesus; and even his enemies have given testi­mony in his favour.

[Page 60] All men took John for a prophet; even they who have not believed in Jesus have testified that he was of God. It is a criterion of your own, that ‘A prophet unto whom another prophet beareth witness, he is a prophet out of doubt, and needeth no farther trial^*’ Did not John bear witness and testify, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode on him? And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God^†.’ And what said the multitude when they saw and heard him? ‘All things which John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him^†.’ Some said of his miracles, ‘It was never so seen in Israel^§." "He hath done all things well (without trick or collusion.) He maketh both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak^‖.’ And of his doctrine the officers who were sent to take him testified, "Never man spake like this man^**." And what was the argument which the chief priests and Pharisees opposed to the excellence of his doctrine? An argument worthy of that gene­ration! ‘Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed on him^††?’ Even Judas the traitor was con­strained by the terrors of his conscience to hear witness to his innocence, ‘I have finned in that I have betrayed innocent blood^‡‡.’ His judge, time-server as he was, said to his accusers, ‘I find no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him. No, nor He­rod; for I sent you to him. I will therefore chastise him and release him. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, [Page 61]and release unto us Barabbas. Pilate willing to release Jesus, spake again to them, but they cried, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time. "Why, what evil hath he done^*?’ —But, he gave sentence as they required! What a mock of justice is the whole of his trial! ‘A way with this man, crucify him, crucify him,’ is here both law and testi­mony! But, does such a prophet perish in Jeru­salem without a tear? Is innocence led to cru­cifixion unlamented? No. ‘There followed him a great company of people, and of wo­men, which bewailed and lamented him. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done,’ (the injustice of his condemnation, the kindness of his heart in the midst of his sufferings, the darkness and earthquake which proclaimed his character) ‘they smote their breasts, and re­turned^†." "And when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly, this was the Son of God^†.’

He is crucified. And will no friend own him, and give him a burial worthy of so divine a Messenger? ‘Behold there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor, and he was a good man, and a just, and had not consented to the coun­sel and deed of them (of the Sanhedrim). This man went unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And he took it down^§." And there came also Nicodemus (a ruler of the Jews) and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes, with the spices, [Page 62]as the manner of the Jews is to bury; and laid it in a sepulchre hewn in stone^†’—Thus was Messiah cut off, but not for himself; and rich and poor bore testimony that he had done no violence, neither was [...]y deceit in his mouth^†.—But shall he remain among the dead to see corruption [...] No. He cannot be held a pri­soner, who h [...] [...]ower to lay down his life, and power to take it [...]gain; and who only descended into the regions of the dead, that he might destroy him who had the power of death, and obtain eternal redemption for us. On the third day he rose from the dead, in the presence of them who watched his grave, and was seen of above five hundred brethren at once^§. ‘And after forty days he led his disciples out as far Bethany; and he lifted up his hand, and blessed them: and it came to pass while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven^‖.’

After his ascension, when his disciples (inspired with the gift of tongues) announced, ‘That their Lord was risen from the dead, and ex­alted to sit on the right hand of God, to be both Lord and Christ,’ the multitude, when they heard this, were pricked in their hearts, and said, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do? and the same day there were added unto the disciples about three thousand souls^*.’ What, in the eye of reason, but the power of truth, and the energy of God's spirit, could bring over such a multitude at once, to own one for the Christ, who had been crucified but a few days be­fore; when such an acknowledgement would ex­pose them to the insult of the rabble, and the per­secuting power of the great?

[Page 63] Furnished with wisdom and power from above, the unlettered apostles went forth preaching Jesus, and proving that he was the Christ; con­firming the truth of their doctrine by healing divers diseases, insomuch that the rulers who persecuted them, though they had gone so far as to put Jesus to death, knew not how to pro­ceed; ‘and they conferred among themselves, saying "What shall we do to these men? for that, indeed, a notable miracle hath been done by them, is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name^*.’ And a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor in great reputation, advised his fellow magistrates, on a like occasion, to let these men alone. ‘Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves, what ye intend to do as touching these men.—Let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest, haply, ye be found to fight against God. And to him they agreed^†.’

It is not brought to nought. God was with his servants, and unarmed and unskilled as they were in the wisdom of the world, not only did multitudes of the Jews receive the doctrine of the cross, but nations and people, embracing the gospel, have turned from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come. Before the power of his doctrine, their oracles are struck dumb, their images are beaten to pieces, and their idols laid desolate. It hath [Page 64]been spreading and growing for more than one thousand seven hundred years; and though, as was foretold, antichrist hath for ages deceived the nations, and retarded the progress of the kingdom of God, yet truth is breaking forth as the light, and it shall shine to the ends of the earth: it shall make the wilderness and the soli­tary place glad: the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose^*. The doctrine of the king­dom of God (purified from the corruptions of man) shall fill the earth with the knowledge of the Lord^†. ‘And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and walk in the light of the Lord^†."—"No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon^§.’ No, princes shall then be nursing fathers, and no more beasts of prey: and for persecuting priests, the Lord will set up shepherds over his flock, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more; ‘And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs, and ever­lasting joy upon their heads; they shall ob­tain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’

Has the gracious God held forth such hopes to the children of men? Do both your and our scriptures unite in assurances of grace, and peace, in the latter day? Surely then, no exer­tions of diligence, no sacrifices of prejudice, can be thought too much; if, by any means, you may be enlightened into the cause, as far as you are concerned, of that displeasure which with­holds [Page 65]the accomplishment of these promises of mercy. Behold your nation, when the light of God's countenance shone upon his people. He gave you a land of milk and honey. Jerusalem was a quiet dwelling place. God was known in her palaces for a refuge. Thither the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testi­mony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord; for there were set the thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

But how are ye fallen from your former feli­city! Without a country, without a temple, without any certain dwelling place, ye are cast out and left desolate! How hath the Lord cover­ed the daughter of Zion with a cloud, and cast down from heaven unto earth the beauty of Israel! Yes, it is the hand of God which is stretched out to scatter you, and make your plagues won­derful, till ye are become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word, among all the nations whither the Lord hath led you. And wherefore doth he thus afflict the children of Abraham, to whom he promised to be a God forever? Doth his promise fail? No. ‘Jerusalem hath griev­ously sinned, therefore she is removed^*.’ Search, then, and try your ways, that ye may turn again to the Lord; who taketh not pleasure in the death of a sinner, but that he would return from his way and live^†. Search the scriptures, and see what they testify of the promised Messiah. Seeing that the sceptre is [...]eparted from Judah—that the seventy weeks of Daniel have been so long ago expired—that that temple hath been so long since destroyed, in which the Desire of all nations was to appear, and your expectations so repeatedly disappointed—seeing that the law and the prophets are so clearly illustrated in the pre­tensions [Page 66]of Jesus—examine whether he be not the Christ.

Yes, Adam, who received the first promise of salvation—Abraham, with whom God established his covenant—Moses and Aaron, and all the pro­phets, lift up their voice, and testify that this is the seed of the woman, that prophet who was to come and enlighten all nations with his doctrine; him in whom all the seed of Israel shall be justified and glory: the righteous branch, who shall sit and rule upon his throne, and be a priest upon his throne, after the order of Melchizedeck. They all cry, ‘O that ye had hearkened to God's com­mandments! then had your peace been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea.—Be wise now, therefore, serve the Lord with fear—Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way: blessed are all they that put their trust in him^*’