{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_44119/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_44119","id":"gutenberg_44119","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44119","summary":null,"tags":["Bible. Old Testament -- Prophecies","Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Jesus Christ -- Messiahship"],"text":"Transcriber's note:\n\nText enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).\n\nSmall capital text has been replaced with all capitals.\n\n\n * * * * *\n\n\n\n\n JESUS, THE MESSIAH;\n\n OR, THE\n\n OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES\n\n FULFILLED\n\n IN THE\n\n NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.\n\n\n BY A LADY.\n\n\n _The Profits will be devoted to Charitable Purposes._\n\n\n LONDON:\n PUBLISHED BY R. B. SEELEY AND W. BURNSIDE;\n AND SOLD BY\n L. B. SEELEY AND SONS, FLEET-STREET.\n\n MDCCCXXVIII.\n\n\n\n\n MILLS, JOWETT, AND MILLS, PRINTERS,\n BOLT-COURT, FLEET-STREET.\n\n\n\n\nDEDICATION.\n\n\nTO THE\n\nRIGHT REV. CHARLES RICHARD, LORD BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.\n\n\nMY LORD,\n\nI have been induced to solicit the honour of dedicating this little\nwork to your Lordship from the conviction that its contents are not\nonly consonant with the Doctrines and Articles of that Church of\nwhich your Lordship is so bright an ornament, but that they are in\nunison with the truths of Divine Revelation, that perfect standard\nby which all Theology and Morality must be judged. My object in\npresenting it to the Public is a wish to render the Scriptures more\nfamiliar to the young: and while I feel grateful for the honour of\nyour Lordship's sanction, allow me to express my sincere thanks\nfor the favour you have conferred on one who is, with the greatest\nrespect,\n\nMy Lord,\nYour Lordship's very obliged Servant,\nTHE AUTHORESS.\n\n_August 18th, 1828._\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nCustom demands a preface; and though the public is generally\nuninterested in the reasons which influence an author to appear\nbefore its tribunal, yet an introductory notice is usually expected.\n\nThis little work was the employment of many a retired moment. In\nturning over the pages of the sacred volume, the writer was struck\nwith the exact fulfilment in the person of the Messiah, as narrated\nin the New Testament, of the numerous predictions recorded of him in\nthe Old. These were collected for her personal gratification; and as\nthey accumulated, it occurred, that what had been some little source\nof pleasure to her own mind, might, by the blessing of God, prove\nuseful to some young persons, who from circumstances, are debarred\naccess to, or are not inclined to read, works of a more extensive\nkind.\n\nWhile the writer has no disposition to despise that criticism which,\nif impartially administered, is the best safeguard of the press,\nneither would she timidly shrink from investigation; aware that no\npartiality of friends can long buoy up an unworthy production.\n\nThis is not intended as the language of indifference, but arises\nfrom a consciousness of the purity of motive, and the desire to\ndo good, which have actuated her; compared with which, all other\nconsiderations are momentary and unsatisfying.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS.\n\n\n CHAPTER I.\n\n Page\n\n I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between\n thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and\n thou shalt bruise his heel. (Gen. iii. 15.) 1\n\n\n CHAPTER II.\n\n And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be\n blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Gen.\n xxii. 18.) 4\n\n\n CHAPTER III.\n\n The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver\n from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him\n shall the gathering of the people be. (Gen. xlix. 10.) 6\n\n\n CHAPTER IV.\n\n And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,\n and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And in that\n day, there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand\n for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles\n seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Is. xi. 1. 10.) 8\n\n\n CHAPTER V.\n\n Thus saith the Lord God,--remove the diadem, and take\n off the crown, until he come whose right it is; and I\n will give it him. (Ezekiel xxi. 26, 27.)\n\n For the children of Israel shall abide many days without\n a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice,\n and without an image, and without an ephod, and without\n teraphim. Afterwards shall the children of Israel\n return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their\n king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the\n latter days. (Hosea iii. 4, 5.) 10\n\n\n CHAPTER VI.\n\n The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from\n the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto\n him ye shall hearken. (Deut. xviii. 15-19.) 12\n\n\n CHAPTER VII.\n\n The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye\n the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a\n highway for our God. (Isaiah xl. 3.) 18\n\n\n CHAPTER VIII.\n\n Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold\n a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his\n name Immanuel. (Isaiah vii. 14.) 22\n\n\n CHAPTER IX.\n\n But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little\n among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he\n come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose\n goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.\n (Micah v. 2.) 27\n\n\n CHAPTER X.\n\n Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah,\n lamentation and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her\n children, refused to be comforted for her children,\n because they were not. (Jeremiah xxxi. 15.) 31\n\n\n CHAPTER XI.\n\n For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and\n the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his\n name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty\n God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.\n (Isaiah ix. 6, 7.) 33\n\n\n CHAPTER XII.\n\n And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven\n set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and\n the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it\n shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,\n and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel ii. 44.) 45\n\n\n CHAPTER XIII.\n\n When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called\n my son out of Egypt. (Hosea xi. 1.) 49\n\n\n CHAPTER XIV.\n\n Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter\n than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies,\n their polishing was of sapphire: their visage is blacker\n than a coal: they are not known in the streets: their\n skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is\n become like a stick. (Lamentations iv. 7, 8.) 51\n\n\n CHAPTER XV.\n\n The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord\n hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek:\n he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim\n liberty to the captives, and the opening of the\n prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable\n year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our\n God; to comfort all that mourn. (Isaiah lxi. 1, 2, 3.) 53\n\n\n CHAPTER XVI.\n\n For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep\n thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their\n hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Psalm\n xci. 11, 12.) 57\n\n\n CHAPTER XVII.\n\n And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations\n shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith\n the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall\n be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts:\n and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of\n hosts. (Haggai ii. 7. 9.) 58\n\n\n CHAPTER XVIII.\n\n And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his\n temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye\n delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of\n hosts. (Mal. iii. 1.) 64\n\n\n CHAPTER XIX.\n\n Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her\n vexation, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of\n Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did\n more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond\n Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that\n walked in darkness, have seen a great light: they that\n dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them\n hath the light shined. (Isaiah ix. 1, 2.) 66\n\n\n CHAPTER XX.\n\n Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter\n of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he\n is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an\n ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. (Zech. ix. 9.) 67\n\n\n CHAPTER XXI.\n\n Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den\n of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it,\n saith the Lord. (Jeremiah vii. 11.) 69\n\n\n CHAPTER XXII.\n\n Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained\n strength because of thine enemies; that thou\n mightest still the enemy and avenger. (Psalm viii. 2.) 72\n\n\n CHAPTER XXIII.\n\n I have preached righteousness in the great congregation:\n I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest.\n (Psalm xl. 9.) 74\n\n\n CHAPTER XXIV.\n\n I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark\n sayings of old. (Psalm lxxviii. 2.) 76\n\n\n CHAPTER XXV.\n\n He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather\n the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom,\n and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah\n xl. 11.) 78\n\n\n CHAPTER XXVI.\n\n And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of\n the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his\n eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.\n (Isaiah xi. 3.) 80\n\n\n CHAPTER XXVII.\n\n Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears\n of the deaf shall be unstopped. (Isaiah xxxv. 5.) 82\n\n\n CHAPTER XXVIII.\n\n Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue\n of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters\n break out, and streams in the desert. (Is. xxxv. 6.) 88\n\n\n CHAPTER XXIX.\n\n Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it\n is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God:\n yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm xl. 7, 8.) 92\n\n\n CHAPTER XXX.\n\n I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien\n unto my mother's children. (Psalm lxix. 8.) 99\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXI.\n\n They also that seek after my life lay snares for me; and\n they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and\n imagine deceits all the day long. (Psalm xxxviii.) 102\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXII.\n\n For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every\n side: while they took counsel together against me, they\n devised to take away my life. (Psalm xxxi. 13.) 104\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXIII.\n\n Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and\n see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which\n is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me\n in the day of his fierce anger. (Lamentation i. 12.) 107\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXIV.\n\n Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which\n did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against\n me. (Psalm xli. 9.)\n\n And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my\n price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my\n price, thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto\n me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was\n prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of\n silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the\n Lord. (Zechariah xi. 12, 13.) 111\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXV.\n\n When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came\n upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.\n (Psalm xxvii. 2.) 115\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXVI.\n\n Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain\n thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the\n rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and\n against his anointed. (Psalm ii. 1, 2.) 117\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXVII.\n\n False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge\n things that I knew not. (Psalm xxxv. 11.) 121\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXVIII.\n\n But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb\n man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man\n that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.\n (Psalm xxxviii. 13, 14.) 125\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXIX.\n\n My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and\n my kinsmen stand afar off. (Psalm xxxviii. 11.) 127\n\n\n CHAPTER XL.\n\n I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them\n that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from\n shame and spitting. (Isaiah l. 6.) 129\n\n\n CHAPTER XLI.\n\n He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows,\n and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our\n faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed\n him not. (Isaiah liii. 3.)\n\n Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his\n Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom\n the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, kings shall\n see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of\n the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel,\n and he shall choose thee. (Isaiah xlix. 7.) 131\n\n\n CHAPTER XLII.\n\n But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and\n despised of the people. (Psalm xxii. 6.) 134\n\n\n CHAPTER XLIII.\n\n He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not\n his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,\n and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he\n openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah liii. 7.) 137\n\n\n CHAPTER XLIV.\n\n He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who\n shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out\n of the land of the living: for the transgression of my\n people was he stricken. (Isaiah liii. 8.) 139\n\n\n CHAPTER XLV.\n\n For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the\n wicked have enclosed me: they have pierced my hands\n and my feet. (Psalm xxii. 16.) 141\n\n\n CHAPTER XLVI.\n\n My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why are\n thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my\n roaring? (Psalm xxii. 1.) 145\n\n\n CHAPTER XLVII.\n\n Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the\n man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts, smite\n the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I\n will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zechariah\n xiii. 7.) 149\n\n\n CHAPTER XLVIII.\n\n They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon\n my vesture. (Psalm xxii. 18.) 153\n\n\n CHAPTER XLIX.\n\n They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst\n they gave me vinegar to drink. (Psalm lxix. 21.) 155\n\n\n CHAPTER L.\n\n With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon\n me with their teeth. (Psalm xxxv. 16.)\n\n All they that see me, laugh me to scorn; they shoot out\n the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the\n Lord that he would deliver Him: let him deliver him,\n seeing he delighted in him. (Psalm xxii. 7, 8.) 157\n\n\n CHAPTER LI.\n\n Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and\n he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he\n hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered\n with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of\n many, and made intercession for the transgressors.\n (Isaiah liii. 12.) 159\n\n\n CHAPTER LII.\n\n He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken.\n (Psalm xxxiv. 20.) 162\n\n\n CHAPTER LIII.\n\n And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced.\n (Zechariah xii. 10.) 163\n\n\n CHAPTER LIV.\n\n I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth\n their covering. (Isaiah 1. 3.) 165\n\n\n CHAPTER LV.\n\n And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the\n rich in his death; because he hath done no violence,\n neither was any deceit in his mouth. (Isaiah liii. 9.) 168\n\n\n CHAPTER LVI.\n\n The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast\n covered him with shame. (Psalm lxxxix. 45.) 171\n\n\n CHAPTER LVII.\n\n Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,\n yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and\n afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions,\n he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of\n our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are\n healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have\n turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath\n laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah liii. 4, 5,\n 6.) 174\n\n\n CHAPTER LVIII.\n\n For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell, neither wilt\n thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm\n xvi. 9, 10.) 182\n\n\n CHAPTER LIX.\n\n Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity\n captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the\n rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell amongst\n them. (Psalm lxviii. 18.) 190\n\n\n CHAPTER LX.\n\n And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour\n out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your\n daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream\n dreams, your young men shall see visions: and\n also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those\n days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel ii. 28, 29.) 195\n\n\n CHAPTER LXI.\n\n And I will pour upon the House of David, and upon the\n inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of\n supplications: and they shall look upon me whom\n they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one\n mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness\n for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first\n born. (Zech. xii. 10.) 201\n\n\n CHAPTER LXII.\n\n The Lord hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a\n priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.\n (Psalm cx. 4.) 210\n\n\n CHAPTER LXIII.\n\n Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon\n thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make\n an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity,\n and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal\n up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most\n Holy. Know, therefore, and understand, that from the\n going forth of the commandment to restore and to\n build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall\n be seven weeks, and three score and two weeks: the\n street shall be built again, and the wall, even in\n troublous times. (Daniel ix. 24, 25.) 214\n\n\n CHAPTER LXIV.\n\n And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be\n cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the\n prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the\n sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood,\n and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.\n (Daniel ix. 26.) 224\n\n\n CHAPTER LXV.\n\n And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one\n week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the\n sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the\n overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate,\n even until the consummation, and that determined shall\n be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel ix. 27.) 229\n\n\n CHAPTER LXVI.\n\n For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle;\n and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled,\n and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go\n forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall\n not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah xiv. 2.) 235\n\n\n CHAPTER LXVII.\n\n The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from\n the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a\n nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; a\n nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard\n the person of the old, nor show favour to the young.\n (Deut. xxviii. 49, 50.)\n\n And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and\n wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou,\n at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto\n thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For\n the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall\n cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and\n keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even\n with the ground, and thy children within thee; and\n they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another;\n because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.\n (Luke xix. 41-44.) 240\n\n\n CHAPTER LXVIII.\n\n Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field,\n and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain\n of the house as the high places of the forest.\n (Micah iii. 12.) 243\n\n\n CHAPTER LXIX.\n\n And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of\n stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses\n of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants\n of Jerusalem. (Isaiah viii. 14.) 246\n\n\n CHAPTER LXX.\n\n And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be\n my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to\n restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee\n for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my\n salvation unto the end of the earth. (Isaiah xlix. 6.) 256\n\n\n CHAPTER LXXI.\n\n The LORD said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right\n hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.\n (Psalm cx. 1.) 260\n\n\n\n\nJESUS, THE MESSIAH.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy\n seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt\n bruise his heel.--Gen. iii. 15.\n\n\nThis is the first intimation we meet with of the promised Messiah,\nand within this one verse is contained, as in the bud, the embryo\nflower, that goodly plant of renown,[1] which the Lord hath planted,\nand not man; he who is the rose of Sharon and the valley's lily.[2]\nIt is an epitome of the whole plan of Redemption, and contains\ntruths of the first importance; we shall do well to consider them\nin reference to Jesus of Nazareth. The prophecy declares there\nshall be enmity between the seed of the woman and the serpent. The\nincarnation and birth of Jesus have, by the Evangelists Matthew and\nLuke, been so fully stated, that none but a strongly prejudiced\nmind can deny that he was the son of Mary, then a virgin, and\nthat Joseph was only his supposed father, because he married his\nmother.[3] The old serpent, or as he is frequently called, Satan,\ndiscovered his enmity towards Jesus from his birth; he stirred\nup the mind of Herod to destroy the holy child, Jesus, and thus\noriginated the massacre of the infants of Bethlehem. Though\ndisappointed, he personally attempted his destruction, and for forty\ndays and nights did he try the force of his arts to tempt Jesus\nto sin.[4] And, though foiled, he again resumed the attack, and\nsuggested to the minds of the Scribes and Pharisees, priests and\npeople, to persecute the man \"who spake as never man spake.\" It is\nsaid he entered into, _i.e._ took full possession of, the mind of\nJudas,[5] who betrayed Jesus, and also acted as guide to those who\ntook him. Was not Satan the ringleader of those who crucified him,\nin whom his Judges declared, they could find no fault worthy of\ndeath? Let us now behold the opposition displayed by Jesus towards\nthe serpent and his seed. A great part of his life appears to\nhave been spent in casting out and dispossessing devils from the\nminds and bodies of men;[6] and in rebuking and threatening them,\nhe proved that he came to destroy the power and works of darkness.\nHis was an avowed and constant war, and the devils knew him as\ntheir greatest foe, and the destroyer of their power.[7] Although\nthe heel, _i.e._ the human nature of Jesus, was bruised in the\ncontest, yet, by his death, (in which Satan for the moment appeared\ntriumphant,) he gave a mortal blow to his power and authority, by\ndelivering the captives of the mighty, and the prey of the terrible\none.[8] The cross, designed to display their scorn and abhorrence,\nis become the praise and glory of all the children of God, to whom,\nas unto their Lord and Master, the old serpent and his seed continue\nto manifest the same spirit of enmity and persecution.[9] Did devils\nconfess Jesus to be the Son of the most high God, and shall not we\nacknowledge him to be the seed promised at the fall of man, and\nthat he is, at the same time, Mary's son, and the Son of God?[10]\nThe prince of the fallen spirits, the old serpent, or Satan,\ndiscovered his enmity to the human race in the garden of Eden; the\nwoman was the first whom he deceived by his arts; but it was Jesus,\nher seed, who, in the after ages of the world, in the garden of\nGethsemane, bruised the serpent's head, and at his resurrection, led\ncaptivity captive, and will eventually consign to utter darkness and\nperdition, this foe to God and man.[11]\n\n [1] Isaiah liii. 2. Ezek. xxxiv. 29.\n\n [2] Cant. ii. 1.\n\n [3] Matthew i. 18-25. Luke i. 27. 30-35., ii. 5, 6, 7.\n\n [4] Matthew iv. 1-11. Mark i. 12, 13. Luke iv. 2-13.\n\n [5] Luke xxii. 3. John vi. 70., xiii. 2-27.\n\n [6] Matthew iv. 24., viii. 16, 18-23., ix. 32-34., x. 1., xii.\n 24-28., xv. 22-28., xvi. 23., xvii. 14-19. Mark i. 23-27. 33, 34,\n 39., iii. 22-27., v. 2-19., vii. 25-30., viii. 33. Luke iv. 36-41.,\n vi. 18., vii. 21., viii. 27-36., ix. 1, 38-42, 49. John xii. 31.,\n Acts x. 38., 1 John, iii. 8.\n\n [7] Mark iii. 11, 12., v. 6, 7. Luke iv. 33, 34, 41., viii. 28.\n\n [8] Luke xxii. 53. John xiv. 30.\n\n [9] 1 Peter v. 8.\n\n [10] Gal. iv. 4. Col. i. 15., ii. 9.\n\n [11] Matthew xxv. 41. Rom. xvi. 20. Col. ii. 15. Heb. ii. 14. 2\n Peter ii. 4. Jude vi. 9. Rev. xii. 7-17., xx. 1, 2, 3. 10.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;\n because thou hast obeyed my voice.--Gen. xxii. 18.\n\n\nWe now meet with a prophecy of the family from which Christ, after\nthe flesh, should spring. The lineal descent from Abraham to Joseph,\nthe husband of Mary, is given us by Matthew,[12] through forty-two\ngenerations; and Luke[13] gives the genealogy of Jesus back to Adam,\nthrough Abraham, in the whole seventy-four generations, showing at\nonce that the seed promised to Adam and Abraham, is the same, even\nJesus in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.[14] The\nreader will discover a difference between the names in the Old and\nNew Testaments, which arises from the former being translated from\nthe Hebrew, and the latter from the Greek language. It will also be\nobserved, that the genealogies given by Matthew and Luke differ,\nbut Matthew gives the pedigree of Joseph, and Luke that of Mary.\nAlthough the supposed father of Jesus is said by Luke to be the\nson of Heli, yet Matthew informs us Jacob begat Joseph,[15] who is\ncalled the son of Heli, only on account of the contract for marriage\nsubsisting between Joseph and his daughter. This was a custom\nprevalent with the Jews, and these agreements were often made by\nthe parents, before the parties most interested had ever seen each\nother, as was the case with Isaac and Rebecca. Although Abraham's\nposterity have been, as the sand on the sea shore, innumerable, and\nas a nation have enjoyed exceeding great and precious privileges,\nyet all the nations of the earth can never be said to be blessed in\nthem, unless we take the prophecy in its true light, as pointing to\nJesus \"the promised blessing,\" whose day of \"tabernacling\" on earth,\nAbraham by faith saw afar off, \"rejoiced, and was glad.\"\n\n [12] Mat. i. 1-17.\n\n [13] Luke iii. 23-38.\n\n [14] Genesis xii. 3., xviii. 18. Psalm lxxii. 17.\n\n [15] Matthew i. 16. Luke iii. 23.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from\n between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the\n gathering of the people be.--Gen. xlix. 10.\n\n\nThe Holy Ghost, by the mouth of the dying patriarch, Jacob, has\npointed to the epoch when he, of whom Moses and the prophets did\nwrite, should appear. It is worthy our particular attention, that,\nat the period of time when Jesus came, Judea was still governed by a\nJewish king. It is true the power of the royal Asmonean or Maccabean\nrace was destroyed, and Herod the Great had ascended the throne of\nIsrael, yet the sceptre was not departed from Judah. Herod was an\nIdumean, which nation had, for nearly two centuries, been proselytes\nto Judaism, and so incorporated and mingled with the Jews, as to be\nregarded as one people. Judea bowed to the Roman power, yet Herod\nexercised the regal authority, and was universally acknowledged\nas the sovereign of Jewry, when Jesus, the prince of peace, the\nking of Israel, appeared a babe at Bethlehem but no sooner was the\nShiloh come, than the sceptre departed from Judah. On the death\nof Herod, which happened soon after the birth of Christ, Augustus\nC\u00e6sar divided the kingdom of Judea between Archelaus, Herod, and\nPhilip, the three sons of Herod. Archelaus succeeded to the half of\nhis father's dominions by the title of tetrarch, but not of king;\nhis tyranny and oppression were so great, that, in less than ten\nyears, he was deposed and banished to France by the emperor, who\nthen reduced Judea to a Roman province, and ruled it afterwards\nby procurators or governors, who were sent thither and recalled\nat pleasure; the taxes were now paid more directly to the Roman\nempire, and gathered by the publicans; the power of life and death\nwas taken out of the hands of the Jews, and placed in those of the\nRoman governors. The Lord, when he is pleased, can make the wrath\nof man to praise him, and his enemies to minister to his glory.\nThis sentiment we have most strikingly illustrated in the conduct\nof Caiaphas, who, in the moment he was plotting the destruction of\nJesus, and thirsting for his blood, delivered a very remarkable\nprophecy,[16] the exact counterpart of the one we are now\nconsidering, in which he declared Jesus to be the promised Shiloh,\nwho should gather together in one, all the children of God which\nare scattered abroad, not the nations of the Jews only, but the\nGentiles also. Yes, Jesus will seek out and bring his people from\nthe mountains whence they are scattered; in the cloudy and dark day\nhe will bring his sons from afar, and his daughters from the ends of\nthe earth, and there shall be one fold under one shepherd, even the\nglorious Shiloh.\n\n [16] John xi. 49-52.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\n And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and\n a branch shall grow out of his roots. And in that day, there\n shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the\n people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be\n glorious.--Isaiah xi. 1. 10.\n\n\nThe Jews, from these prophecies, expected the Messiah would spring\nfrom the family of David, the son of Jesse; and this led them to\npreserve, with unusual attention, the genealogy of his descendants.\nWe have abundant testimony that Jesus is of \"the house and\nlineage of David.\"[17] By comparing scripture with scripture,[18]\nwe may venture to affirm, Jesus is the \"glorious branch\" Jehovah\nhath made strong for himself. With regard to his human and divine\nnature, he is both \"David's son and David's Lord.\" He is the \"root\nand offspring of David,\" and the \"bright and morning star.\" The\nGentiles shall come to \"his light,\" and kings to the \"brightness\nof his rising.\" He is not only a \"rod out of the stem of Jesse,\"\nbut he is the \"tree of life\" whose \"leaves are for the healing of\nthe nations,\" whose top shall \"reach unto heaven,\" and his branches\n\"cover the earth.\" He is Jehovah's ensign of mercy displayed to a\nrebel world, and both the Jewish and Gentile nations are invited to\nenlist under the banners of the cross. Those who seek an inheritance\nin the kingdom of the true David, if it be agreeable to the charter\nof Immanuel's land, shall find his rest to be glorious.\n\n [17] Since the destruction of Jerusalem, the genealogy of the Jews\n is lost; the tribe or family of David cannot be distinguished from\n that of Benjamin.\n\n [18] Psalm cxxxii. 11. Isaiah ix. 6, 7., lv. 3, 4, 5. Jerem. xxiii.\n 5, 6., xxxiii. 15. Zech. iii. 8., vi. 12, 13.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\n Thus saith the Lord, remove the diadem and take off the\n crown, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it\n him.--Ezekiel xxi. 26, 27.\n\n For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king,\n and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an\n image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim. Afterwards\n shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their\n God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his\n goodness in the latter days.--Hosea iii. 4, 5.\n\n\nThe Jews themselves must confess this prophecy to be in part\nfulfilled. They are wanderers from their beloved Canaan, strangers\nin a strange land, scattered over all parts of the globe, and\ndestitute of all the local privileges which constitute a nation,\nalthough they still retain a distinction of character; but it only\ntends to make them a reproach, and their name a by-word amongst all\nclasses. They dwell alone, and are not now reckoned amongst the\nnations of the earth. The insignia of royal dignity are useless\nto them, having no king or prince on whom to bestow the crown or\ndiadem. They are deprived of their temple and its services, and of\nall the glorious distinctions which marked it from those dedicated\nto false or unknown Gods. The latter clause of this prophecy shall\nas assuredly be fulfilled, for heaven and earth shall pass away,\nsooner than one of the promises of God fail to be accomplished.\nYes, the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their\nGod, and him of whom David was only a type, even King Jesus,[19]\nwho is of David's royal line, \"and the government shall be upon\nhis shoulders,\" for he is the \"wonderful counsellor, the mighty\nGod, the everlasting father, the prince of peace.\" Hasten, Lord! we\nwould say, the time \"when the deliverer shall arise out of Zion,\nand turn away ungodliness from Jacob.\" Assume the sceptre of thy\npower, Jesus, thou king of Zion, thou \"Son of the Highest! for the\nLord God has given unto thee the throne of thy father, David; thou\nshalt reign over the house of Jacob for ever.\" \"Of the increase of\nthy government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of\nDavid, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with\njudgment and with justice, from henceforth even for ever. The zeal\nof the Lord of hosts will perform this.\"\n\n [19] Ezek. xxi. 26, 27.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\n The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the\n midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall\n hearken.--Deut. xviii. 15-19.\n\n\nThis is one of the many precious promises given by God to Israel.\nMoses is a character justly deserving our regard and veneration.\nThe Jewish nation held him in high estimation, and almost idolized\nhis memory. Perhaps our time may not be misemployed in searching\nfor proofs of the fulfilment of this prophecy, and in examining the\ncharacter of one (even Jesus) who declares himself to be not only a\nprophet like unto Moses, but in every respect his superior; which,\nif proved, will clearly warrant their giving unto Jesus far greater\nhonour than was even due to Moses. In drawing a comparison between\nthese illustrious personages, we observe; they both sprang from the\nfamily of Jacob or Israel; Moses, when a child, was, for a time,\nconcealed by his parents from the persecuting Pharoah; the child\nJesus also, was, by command of God the Father, taken into Egypt,\nto avoid the tyranny of Herod: thus both escaped the destruction\nexecuted on all the other male children. Moses was raised up from\nthe midst of the people, from amongst his brethren the children\nof Israel; Jesus having taken on him our nature, is not ashamed to\ncall us brethren. Moses was a prophet, called and taught of God;\nJesus is the sent, the sealed, the anointed of God, at whose call\nhe came forth. Moses saw God face to face; Jesus lay in the bosom\nof the Father. Moses wrought miracles by the command and aid of\nGod; Jesus wrought many miracles in the days of his flesh, but\nall in his own name and by his own power. Moses was an honoured\ninstrument in bringing Israel from the bondage of Egypt; but Jesus\ndelivers his people Israel from worse than Egyptian taskmasters,\neven the bondage of sin and Satan. Moses fasted forty days before he\ngave the law to Israel. Jesus fasted forty days before he entered\non his public ministry. When Moses wrought miracles in Egypt, the\nmagicians were obliged to confess the divine power by which he\nacted. Jesus expelled the evil spirits, and they acknowledged his\nalmighty power. Moses commanded the sea to retire, and it obeyed\nhis voice. Jesus said to the tempestuous winds and sea, \"Peace,\nbe still!\" and instantly there was a great calm. Moses cured one\nleper.[20] Jesus cured many. Moses chose and appointed seventy\nelders over the people, on whom God bestowed the spirit of prophecy.\nJesus chose seventy apostles, whom he endowed with miraculous\npowers, and sent forth to teach in the villages. Moses chose twelve\nmen, whom he sent to spy out the land the Israelites were about\nto conquer. Jesus chose twelve apostles, and commanded them to go\nforth and preach the gospel to all the world, and subject it to\nhis allegiance, by a more glorious power than that of arms. Moses\nwas in danger of being stoned by the rebellious and ungrateful\npeople, whom he had constantly laboured to benefit. The Jews also\ntook up stones to stone Jesus in return for his numerous favours.\nThe relations of Moses were greatly offended with him for marrying\nan Ethiopian woman.[21] Jesus has espoused the Gentile church, to\nthe no small displeasure of the Jews. When Moses was the prophet of\nIsrael, they were fed with manna from heaven. Jesus miraculously\nfed five thousand and seven thousand persons; he could say \"I am\nthe living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of\nthis bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will\ngive is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.\"\nWhen Moses, by God's command, stretched forth his hand, darkness\ncovered the land of Egypt, which was shortly followed by the awful\ndestruction of its first-born; when Jesus was crucified, darkness\ncovered the land, which, not many years after, was the scene of the\nmost dire calamities. Was Moses a prophet? and did he not speak\nof the calamities that would befall the Jews? as such, see Jesus\nteaching the people, and foretelling the time and circumstances of\nhis own decease, and also the siege and destruction of Jerusalem.\nWas Moses as king in Jeshurun? Jesus is not only king in Zion, but\nKing of kings, and Lord of lords; by him kings rule, and princes\ndecree justice. Moses is described as an almost perfect character;\nJesus as wholly free from the least spot or stain of sin. Moses was\nremarkable for meekness; Jesus, when led as a lamb to the slaughter,\nopened not his mouth; when reviled, he reviled not again; when\npersecuted, he blessed. Moses, by command of God, gave laws and\nstatutes, and instituted ordinances in Israel; Jesus instituted the\nordinance of the Lord's Supper, and gave laws and commandments to\nhis people. The law given by Moses tends only to condemnation, but\nJesus \"has brought light and immortality to light by his gospel.\"\nThe law of Moses was designed \"as a schoolmaster to bring us to\nChrist;\" the doctrine of Jesus is, \"I am the way, the truth, and\nthe life.\" Moses acted as a mediator between God and Israel, at\nthe giving of the covenant on Sinai; Jesus is the great day's-man,\nand the almighty mediator of the new covenant. Did Moses plead\nfor the rebellious Israelites? we also hear Jesus interceding for\ntransgressors, saying, \"Father, forgive them, for they know not\nwhat they do.\" Moses read the law in the ears of all Israel; Jesus\nwrites his laws upon the hearts of his people, and his truths in\ntheir inward parts. When Moses descended from Mount Sinai, after\nholding converse with God, his face shone exceeding bright; we are\ntold when Jesus was transfigured on Mount Tabor, his face shone as\nthe sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Did Moses choose\nrather \"to suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy\nthe pleasures of sin for a season?\" Jesus preferred suffering\nmisery and woe for a time, rather than his people should endure\nthe everlasting punishment which their sins deserved. Did Moses\nesteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of\nEgypt? Jesus considers the odium affixed to his cross, as a more\nhonourable distinction than the possession of thousands of gold\nand silver. Moses, as a servant, was faithful in all his house;\nJesus could say \"Father, I have finished the work thou hast given\nme to do,\" \"I have glorified thee on the earth,\" and \"those thou\ngavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost.\" (See John xvii.\n12) Moses was permitted, from the heights of Pisgah, to view the\ngoodly land of promise; which was but a type of the heavenly rest\nJesus has prepared for those who love him. Moses, as a prophet, was\ngreat in Israel; Jesus is the Lord God of the prophets, and unto him\nshall the people hearken; he will give them the hearing ear and the\nunderstanding heart, and make them willing in the day of his power.\n\"Every soul that will not hearken unto this prophet, shall be cut\noff,\" for be it known to all people, \"that there is none other name\nunder heaven given amongst men, whereby we can be saved,\" but that\nof Jesus, who is of a truth \"the prophet that was for to come.\" It\nwas said, by way of reproach, thou art this man's disciple, but we\nare Moses' disciples. Let us not consider it a disgrace to own our\nattachment to him, who is in every point of view far superior to\nMoses, who was but his servant, and the creature of his power. Where\nshall we find a person who so closely resembles Moses, as Christ?\nSurely he was the prophet foretold! Yet the Jews rejected him, and\nby that rejection prove that Jesus was he of whom Moses wrote--for\nthe Lord has executed the punishment he threatened should befall\nthem, if they refused to hearken unto this prophet; thus the Jews\nare living monuments of the truth as it is in Jesus. Oh, may we take\nwarning from their calamities, and receive the sent, the sealed, the\nanointed of the Father, as our prophet, priest, and king; even Jesus\nthe Messiah, the Christ of God!\n\n [20] Numbers xii. 15.\n\n [21] Numbers xii. 1.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\n The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the\n way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our\n God.--Isaiah xl. 3.\n\n\nThe Prophets Isaiah and Malachi[22] were commissioned to inform the\nchurch, that when the period should arrive for the coming of the\nMessiah, a messenger would be sent to announce his near approach.\nThis promise was most strictly fulfilled: Jesus, the Son of the Most\nHigh God, did not visit this our world, without first directing an\nherald to proclaim his coming; even John, who was sent to prepare\nthe way before him.[23] This harbinger deserves our attention;\nhe was no ordinary character. An angel, even Gabriel, posted from\nheaven to speak of his birth, and declare he should be filled with\nthe Holy Ghost from the first dawn of life. If such distinguishing\nhonour was paid to the messenger, how great that due to the master!\nJohn demands our respect, on account of the sanctity of his life,\nthe simplicity of his manners, and the active zeal and ardent love\nhe manifested in the cause, and towards the person, of his Lord,\nand for the integrity and faithfulness exhibited in every part of\nhis conduct towards man. He feared not to reprove sin in whatever\nclass of persons he beheld it, from the common soldier even to the\nmonarch on the throne. To a character so exemplary as John's, the\nhighest respect and veneration are due; and the testimony of such a\nman deserves not to be lightly regarded. John's birth was six months\nprior to his Lord's,[24] and being the first who used water-baptism\nas a divine ordinance, he was surnamed the Baptist. He abode \"in\nthe deserts\" of Judea \"until the day of his showing unto Israel,\"\nand had never seen his Lord (who resided at Nazareth, in Galilee),\nuntil he came to Jordan for baptism. The testimony he then gave to\nthe person of Jesus merits observation. He publicly acknowledged him\nto be the person whose way he was sent to prepare, and spoke of him\nas one whose shoe's latchet he was not worthy to unloose. We see\nJohn, when surrounded by his own disciples, point to Jesus, and say\n\"Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,\" and\n\"this is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred\nbefore me; for he was before me.\" John gave the most decided\ntestimony to the Godhead of Jesus, for he said he would \"baptise\nwith the Holy Ghost,\" which is the prerogative only of God. What\nman can, by any means, redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom\nfor his soul? but John spake of his Lord as \"the Lamb of God, which\ntaketh away the sin of the world.\" Yes, he is the \"Lamb slain from\nthe foundation of the world.\" Under the Mosaic dispensation, the\nlamb slain, as a morning and evening sacrifice, and on the great day\nof atonement, was only a type of this Lamb of God's own providing,\nwho offered himself up as a sacrifice for the sins of many. When\nthe disciples of John appeared displeased at the growing popularity\nof Jesus, their master instantly checked them by saying \"he must\nincrease, but I must decrease; he that cometh from heaven is above\nall.\" After John was cast into prison, we find him sending two of\nhis disciples to Jesus, to inquire if he were the Christ or not.[25]\nHaving heard the testimony John had before given to the person of\nJesus, we cannot suppose he had any doubts in his own mind as to his\nbeing the Messiah, but rather that he was fully convinced of the\nfact himself; and wishing his disciples to be firmly established\nin the same faith, he, as the most effectual method, sent them to\nJesus for satisfactory proofs of a truth which he (John) had been\ncontinually teaching through the whole course of his ministry. John\nwas a faithful witness in his master's cause, and to him we are much\nindebted. But let us not bestow on him the honours due to Jesus, who\nis deservedly preferred before him; for, as John justly observed, he\nwas before him. This is strictly true, for although Jesus did not\ntake on him our nature until six months after the birth of John,\nyet, being God as well as man, his existence is from everlasting to\neverlasting.\n\n [22] Mal. iii. 1., iv. 5.\n\n [23] Matt. iii. 3., xi. 2-15. Mark i. 2-8. Luke i. 5-26.\n\n [24] Luke i. 39-44.\n\n [25] Luke vii. 18-28.\n\nJosephus, in his history of the Jews, speaks of John the Baptist\nin the highest terms of respect and veneration: he says he had\nacquired such credit and authority amongst the people by the\nholiness of his life, and his disciples were so numerous, that\nHerod, dreading a revolt, confined John in the castle of Macharas,\nand afterwards beheaded him, for no other crime than his honest\nfaithfulness.[26] Herod's army was soon after totally routed by the\ntroops of Aretas, and the Jews considered it as a mark of Divine\nvengeance for his cruel treatment of the Holy Baptist.\n\n [26] Matt. xiv. 3-10.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\n Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign, behold a\n virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name\n Immanuel.--Isaiah vii. 14.\n\n\nThe portion of scripture now before us is highly interesting, and\ndemands serious attention. About seven hundred and eight years\nbefore the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah was commissioned\nto tell the church, a virgin should conceive and bear a son, and\nshould call his name Immanuel. For proofs of the fulfilment of\nthis prophecy, we would refer to Matthew and Luke,[27] and request\ntheir testimony may be read with the serious attention the\nsubject demands. The unblushing infidel may treat it with scorn\nand ridicule; but let not one bearing the name of Christ, venture\nto speak with lightness, on this so highly momentous an article of\nthe christian faith. We cannot suppose the Lord, after giving this\npromise, would be unmindful of its accomplishment: if the birth\nof Christ had been the result of natural causes, there would have\nbeen nothing to excite surprise, nor would it have been a sign, as\nthe Lord himself declared it should be. If he had been born after\nthe manner of the children of men, no doubt he must have partaken\nof their evil nature. Or if his body had been formed of the dust,\nas was Adam's, how could the promise given at the fall of man,\nhave been fulfilled? And what relationship would there then have\nexisted between Christ and his church? But now he is \"bone of our\nbone, and flesh of our flesh.\" For in the fulness of time, \"God\nsent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he\nmight redeem them which are under the law.\" \"Lo! in the volume of\nthe book, it is written of him,\" \"sacrifice and offerings for sin,\nthou wouldest not; but a body hast thou prepared for him.\" A body\nsubject to all the infirmities of our nature, yet wholly free from\nthe sinful principles, and evil propensities of the human race. His\nname shall be called \"Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is, God\nwith us,\" God in our nature.[28] Yes, the uncreated word was \"made\nflesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory, the glory as\nof the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.\" \"In\nhim dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.\" The Socinian may\nsmile with contempt when the Deity of Jesus is attested, but is it\nnot written? \"Behold ye despisers, and wonder and perish!\" Shall\nnot \"he that sitteth upon the circle of the heavens, laugh?--the\nLord shall have them in utter derision.\" We would candidly confess,\nthere are mysteries in this doctrine above the powers of a finite\nmind fully to comprehend. But are we, for that cause, to refuse\nour belief of its truth? We should indeed be reduced to a most\ndistressing dilemma, if we were to disbelieve every thing we cannot\nfully comprehend. Who can discover or fully explain the nature,\norder, and beauteous economy, displayed in the animate and inanimate\ncreation? They are so many problems unsolvable by man, although\nby the dint of study, many of the causes and effects by which we\nare encircled, have been traced up to their mighty Author, and\neagle-eyed genius has let in a world of wonders to our view; yet\nmuch, very much, both in the heavens, the earth, and mighty deep,\nremains enwrapt in clouds, or thick darkness. Even in the formation\nof a blade of grass, there are operations which man cannot define.\nWe enjoy the genial rays of heaven's bright luminary, but who can\nprove to demonstration, the sources from whence he has derived such\na constant supply of matter, as to furnish our system of worlds,\nwith light and heat for nearly six thousand years? In short who\ncan discover or fully explain the mysterious link which unites\nmind to matter? But surely we do not allow ourselves to disbelieve\nthe reality of their existence, because we cannot enter into the\nminuti\u00e6 of their nature. If there was nothing revealed, in the New\nTestament, of the nature and person of Christ, but what we could\nfully comprehend, we should then have some cause to refuse our\nassent to its truth, and might confess it to be a cunningly devised\nfable. But while great is the mystery of godliness, remember it is\nGod manifest in the flesh; not God putting off his Deity to take the\nhuman nature, but it is the second person in the revealed order\nof the triune Jehovah, who takes our nature into union with his\ndivine person, and veils his Godhead beneath the human flesh. Thus\nis God and man united in the person of our glorious Immanuel; and\nas if no proof should be wanting of his Deity, the angel Gabriel\nwhen directing Mary to call his name Jesus, added: \"for he shall\nsave his people from their sins.\" Thus did he give the most decided\ntestimony to his Godhead, for who but God, strictly speaking, can\nclaim a people as his own? and none but God can save them from their\nsins. In regard to the Virgin Mary, we would cheerfully join in\nGabriel's salutation, \"Hail! thou highly favoured of the Lord;\" but,\nat the same time, we would beg to observe a nice distinction with\nreference to Mary, who was only one of Eve's daughters, and, though\nhighly honoured of the Lord in this particular instance, an honour\nwhich never was or can be conferred on another; yet Mary's salvation\ndepended on the same foundation as the rest of God's children,\nand it is plain Mary viewed it in the same light, for we hear her\nsaying, \"My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit doth rejoice\nin God my Saviour.\" Mary was only a creature, and consequently it\nis sinful to offer her adoration, for it is written \"thou shalt\nworship the Lord thy God, and none other.\" As to her having any\nparticular interest at the court of heaven, Jesus has determined\nthat point, by saying, \"Woman what have I to do with thee, mine hour\nis not yet come.\" It is worthy observation, that whenever Jesus\nspoke of Mary, he invariably called her \"woman,\" as if at once to\nsilence all who he knew would in after ages bestow improper honours\non the virgin. When one said \"Behold thy mother and thy brethren\nstand without desiring to speak with thee,\" Jesus pointed to his\ndisciples, and said, \"behold my mother and my brethren;\" and added,\n\"whosoever shall do the will of my father who is in heaven, the\nsame is my mother, and sister, and brother.\" Whether Mary had, or\nhad not children, after the birth of Jesus, is to us a matter of no\nimportance; all it concerns us is to know she had none before.\n\n [27] Matt. i. 18-25. Luke i. 26-38.\n\n [28] Col. ii. 9. 1 Cor. xv. 47. Rom. ix. 5. 1 Tim. iii. 16. John i.\n 1., i. 14.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\n But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the\n thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me,\n that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from\n of old, from everlasting.--Micah v. 2.\n\n\nWe find Boaz (the husband of Ruth) was of Bethlehem, a small city\nbelonging to the tribe of Judah, situate about five or six miles\nfrom Jerusalem, and his posterity continued to possess it for some\ntime, for it was the birth-place of David, the son of Jesse the\nBethlehemite, great grandson to Boaz. This was the city from which,\naccording to prophecy, the Messiah should come. If we examine the\nrecords left by the Evangelists, we shall find a decree was issued\nby Augustus C\u00e6sar, to tax all the people of the Jews, and every\nfamily was ordered to repair to the cities belonging to their\nrespective tribes. This it was, which brought the Virgin Mary from\nNazareth to Bethlehem, she being of the house and lineage of David.\nIt is probable the whole family of David were cited to assemble for\nthe purpose of being taxed; it might be with a design to humble and\nmortify them, for they had a rightful claim to the throne of Judah.\nIf this had not been the case, it is more than probable Mary, from\nher situation, would have been permitted to remain at Nazareth.\nWhatever were the motives of the civil authorities, we have cause\nto bless our God for thus overruling events, which distinctively\nconsidered were oppressive, but now tend to establish the truth as\nit is in Jesus. What else, humanly speaking, could have brought\nMary, a female in the humblest walk of life, to Bethlehem?--If it\nwere not for this circumstance, we should have wanted this proof\nof Jesus being the Messiah; for we are told, he should be born at\nBethlehem, a city little among the thousands of Judah.[29] Although\na manger was the best accommodation offered for the royal babe, yet\nhis birth was not altogether unnoticed, or passed by, as an event\nof little importance; for lo! amidst the stillness of the night,\nan angelic messenger is sent to announce to Jewish shepherds, the\narrival of the chief Shepherd. No sooner are the glad tidings of\ngreat joy communicated, but a multitude of the heavenly hosts, who\nhad followed with joyful haste, make the air re-echo with sounds,\nsweet as the music of heaven. While charmed with the delightful\nmelody, and breathless to catch the strain, we distinctly hear,\n\"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards\nmen.\" The next object which arrests our attention, is a company of\nEastern philosophers, who are come to pay their adorations to the\nsovereign stranger, and to welcome his arrival. But who could have\ndirected them to this obscure retreat, to find the infant King?\nThey were led thither, by a star of peculiar motion, appointed\nto direct these eastern sages (probably Chaldeans), to Israel's\nKing. But how ill did his appearance accord with the dignity of\nhis character; yet notwithstanding the poverty with which he\nwas surrounded, they worshipped him. For he who was a babe at\nBethlehem, by the mysterious union of the human nature with the\ndivine person, is the same \"whose goings forth have been from of\nold, from everlasting.\" We are told that when he went forth in the\nacts of creation, \"the morning stars sang together, and all the\nsons of God shouted for joy.\" What wonder then if they tuned their\ngolden harps afresh, when he went forth to accomplish redemption's\nwork, which mystery the angels are represented as desiring to look\ninto. He is also described as a Ruler not only in the armies of\nheaven, and amongst the inhabitants of earth; but, in a more near\nand interesting sense, does he reign and rule in the hearts of his\nredeemed. The symbol of his authority is not an iron rod; no, he\nrules them with the sceptre of his love. We would say \"Gird on thy\nsword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty; and go forth, conquering\nand to conquer; until every land shall own thy power, and all the\nnations of the earth shall call the Redeemer blessed.\" May we\nimitate these eastern sages, and not feel ashamed to confess our\nattachment to him, who once appeared as an infant at Bethlehem; for\nit became him, in taking our nature, to assume it from its earliest\nstate, and in all things to be made like unto his brethren, sin only\nexcepted.\n\n [29] It will be observed the chief priests and scribes, in quoting\n this passage (see Matt. ii. 6.) have not given it correctly, but\n have made it bend as much as possible to their ideas of a temporal\n prince.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\n Thus saith the Lord, a voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation\n and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to\n be comforted for her children, because they were not.--Jeremiah\n xxxi. 15.\n\n\nIt will not be difficult to discover the mourning prophet referred\nto the murder of the infants of Bethlehem, when it is remembered\nthat Rachel the beloved wife of Jacob, was the mother of Benjamin,\nwhich tribe, with that of Judah and the family of Levi, after the\nrevolt of the ten tribes, formed the kingdom of Judah. We are told\nthe wise men came to Jerusalem, to inquire from the Jews themselves,\nat what place their long promised King should be born; and when told\nBethlehem was the honoured spot, they departed with a charge from\nHerod, then king of Judah, to return and bring him tidings, that he\nalso might go and worship the infant King. But his hypocrisy was\nsoon discovered. Under pretence, that the wise men had offered him\nan insult in not returning to Jerusalem, he issued an order, to\ndestroy all the children in Bethlehem, from two years old and under.\nAn order in every point of view, most cruel, unjust, and cowardly,\nand which the most hardened wretch must have shuddered to execute.\nThe mind cannot conceive an act of greater barbarity, than the\nmurder of so many innocent babes, in order to be sure of one, even\nthe holy child Jesus. It does not appear that any of their parents\nhad offended the cowardly tyrant, whose heart was harder than the\nnether mill-stone. What wonder if the voice of lamentation and wo\nwas heard, when the murderer's sword was (to use the prophet's\nlanguage) made drunk with blood, with the blood of helpless infants,\nwho were torn from the arms of those who would gladly have shed\ntheir own blood in the rescue of their babes; but the armed ruffian\nband, like their master, were insensible to pity, and deaf to the\ncry of mercy. Well might Rachel, a mother in Israel, have wept, had\nshe witnessed this cruel order executed on the infants of her race!\nHow enviable the lot of those youthful martyrs for the cause of\nChrist, compared to his, who, though seated on a throne, trembled at\nthe name of Jesus, even when an infant at Bethlehem.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\n For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the\n government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be\n called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting\n Father, The Prince of Peace.--Isaiah ix. 6, 7.\n\n\nThese words, like numerous other passages in the word of God, are\nfar too sublime to be attached to a mere creature; at the same time,\nthey certainly express ideas which cannot be attributed to Deity.\n\"Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,\" is language\nimproper to be applied to Godhead, while the Mighty God, the\nEverlasting Father, are titles too Godlike to belong to humanity. In\nwhat light are we to view them, if not as descriptive of the person\nof the God-man, Christ Jesus? To whom but the Messiah, are we to\napply this, and the many expressions of a similar kind, which we\nfind so profusely scattered through the sacred volume? It is to the\nwonderful person of the Messiah, God united to the man Christ Jesus,\nthat we direct our thoughts, as the glorious object presented to the\nfaith of the patriarchs and ancient Israel of God. To him give all\nthe prophets witness. All the types prefigure him. All the shadows\nare designed to represent him, the substance. He is exhibited to\nour view in a variety of characters, relations, and offices; and is\nnot God and man, united in one complex person, clearly revealed in\nthis prophecy? Let us apply it to Jesus:--Unto us a child is born,\nunto us a son is given. Behold him! a babe at Bethlehem, subject\nto all the wants, weakness and helplessness connected with a state\nof infancy and childhood; such was the holy child Jesus. Unto us\na son is given, who is acknowledged to be of David's royal line;\nyet this son of humanity, is also declared to be the only begotten\nSon of God, a Son who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and\nthe express image of his person. But this Son is not given as a\nSaviour to fallen angels, they are passed by, although possessed of\nfaculties and powers, far superior to the sons of earth; \"God so\nloved the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever\nbelieveth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.\"\nYes, Christ is the gift of God, and the richest, God could bestow;\nhe parted with the choicest jewel in the treasury of heaven; and\nGod has not such another son to give, even if the redemption of ten\nthousand worlds required it. How amazing the love that could prompt\neven God, to deliver up such a son; a son, in whom he declared\nhimself always well pleased; a son whom all the angels of God\nare commanded to worship; yet he was given up to shame, reproach,\nand sufferings; yea, his Father became the chief executioner. \"It\npleased the Father to bruise him, and put him to shame.\" Well might\nthe prophet exclaim, \"Wonder O heaven and be astonished O earth!\"\nJesus declared that, as the son of man, all power in heaven and\nearth was given to him; and surely the government ought to be on\nhis shoulders, for who so fit to manage all, as he who is the\nWonderful Counsellor; he who, from all eternity, knew the plans and\ncounsels of Jehovah, and with whom he concerted and contrived the\ncreation and redemption of man; and was it not between the Father\nand this Son, that the council of peace was settled and established,\nand is it not \"a covenant well ordered in all things[30] and\nsure,\" and does not that part of it published to us in the written\nword, proclaim it the work of a Wonderful Counsellor? He indeed\nis wonderful, both in his person and work: the wonders of his\nlove are here past finding out; the wonders of his grace are now\nunsearchable, and it is reserved for an eternity to discover all\nthe mysteries in the Wonderful Person of the God-man, Christ Jesus,\nwhich are here incomprehensible.\n\n [30] Zech. vi. 13\n\nAre we not told that the child born, the son given, is the mighty\nGod? which must surely mean, that the same divine essence dwells in\nthe Father and the Son; that it is one true and essential Godhead,\ndwelling in the person of the Father, Son, and Spirit; not that\nthey are three Gods, but three distinct persons, constituting one\nGodhead?--(Does not the body and spirit form one man?) Is not the\nSon declared equal to the Father as touching his Godhead? Are not\ntheir names more descriptive of the relations they sustain in\nthe scheme of Redemption, than indicative of any superiority or\ninferiority in their essence, or Godhead? Is it not the second\nperson in the glorious Trinity, who has taken the human nature\ninto union with his divine person? And are not God and man united\nin the complex person of Jesus of Nazareth, Israel's long promised\nand expected Messiah? His humanity is fully proved by his birth,\nlife, and death; and his Deity is fully attested in the strongest\nlanguage, for to whom the names, titles, attributes, works and\nprerogatives of God are ascribed, and declared to belong, surely,\nHe must be the true God; and we have only to search the record of\ntruth, and we shall find ascribed to him, all the distinguishing\nnames and titles of God, as:--\n\n Jehovah, or the Lord,--Isaiah vi. 1. 9, 10. John xii. 37-41.\n Isaiah xlv. 24, 25. Rom. v. 18. 2 Cor. v. 21. Psalm lxxxiii. 18.\n Isaiah xlii. 8., xlv. 5, 6. Jeremiah xxiii. 6. 1 Cor. i. 30.\n Zech. xi. 12, 13. Math. xxvii. 9, 10.\n\n The true God,--John i. 2., xvii. 3. 1 John v. 20, 21.\n\n The Great and Mighty God,--Deut. x. 17. Jer. xxxii. 18, 19.\n Isaiah ix. 6. Titus ii. 13.\n\n The only God,--Rom. xiv. 9, 10, 11, 12. Deut. iv. 35. 39. Isaiah\n xlv. 5. 15. 18. 21-25.\n\n The only wise God,--Eph. iii. 25, 26, 27. Jude 24, 25. Rom. xvi.\n 27. 1 Tim i. 17.\n\n God blessed for ever,--Rom. i. 25. 2 Cor. xi. 31. Rom. ix. 5.\n\n King of Kings, and Lord of Lords,--1 Tim. vi. 14, 15, 16. Rev.\n xvii. 14., xix. 13. 16. Deut. x. 17.\n\n The Lord of Hosts,--2 Sam. vi. 2., vii. 26. Psalm xxiv. 10.\n Isaiah i. 24., vi. 3., viii. 13, 14., xliv. 6. Hosea xii. 4, 5.\n Isaiah viii. 13, 14., xxviii. 16. Psalm cxviii. 22. Matt. xxi.\n 42. 44. Luke xx. 17, 18. 1 Peter ii. 6, 7, 8. Hosea xii. 4, 5.\n Isaiah liv. 5. Rom. ix. 33., x. 11.\n\n The First and the Last,--Isaiah xli. 4., xliv. 6., xlviii. 11,\n 12. Rev. i. 8. 11. 17, 18., ii. 8.\n\n_All the attributes of God ascribed to Christ._\n\n Omniscience,--1 Kings viii. 39. Isaiah xli. 21, 22, 23. Jer.\n xvii. 9, 10. Matt. xii. 25. John ii. 24, 25., xxi. 17. Rev. ii.\n 23.\n\n Omnipresence,--Psalm xxiii. 4., cxxxix. 7-10. Isaiah xli. 10.,\n xliii. 5. Jer. xxiii. 24. Matt. xviii. 20., xxviii. 20. Eph. i.\n 23.\n\n Omnipotence,--Gen. xvii. 1., xxxv. 11., xlviii. 3. Phil. iii.\n 21. Rev. i. 8.\n\n Eternity,--Psalm xlv. 6., xc. 2. Isaiah xliv. 6. Heb. i. 8.,\n vii. 3. Rev. i. 18., ii. 8.\n\n Immutability,--Mal. iii. 6. Heb. i. 12., xiii. 8., i. 8.\n\n_Divine works ascribed to Christ._\n\n Creation of the world,--Gen. i. 1. Psalm cii. 25, 26, 27. Isaiah\n xliv. 24. John i. 1, 2, 3. 10. Col. i. 16, 17. Heb. i. 3. 10.,\n iii. 4.\n\n Final Judgment of the world,--Psalm 1. 6. Matt. xxv. 31-46. John\n v. 21, 22. 25. 27. Rom. iii. 6., xiv. 10. 2 Tim. iv. 1. 2 Cor.\n v. 10.\n\n_The Prerogatives of God ascribed to Christ._\n\n To forgive sin,--Isaiah xliii. 25. Matt. ii. 5. 10. Acts vii.\n 59, 60. Col. iii. 13.\n\n To Baptise with the Holy Ghost,--Joel ii. 28, 29. Neh. ix. 20.\n Zech. xii. 10. Matt. iii. 11. Acts i. 5., ii. 33. John vii. 39.,\n xvi. 7. Eph. iv. 8.\n\n_The Kingdom and Honours of God ascribed to Christ_.\n\n An everlasting Kingdom--Psalm xxix. 10., xlv. 6, 7. Heb. i. 8.\n\n An universal Kingdom,--Psalm ciii. 19. John xvii. 10. Acts x.\n 36. Rom. x. 12.\n\n Divine Worship,--Deut. vi. 13, 14, 15., x. 20. Exod. xxxiv. 14.\n Psalm xlv. 11. Matt. iv. 10. John v. 23., xiv. 1., xx. 28. Acts\n vii. 59. Rom x. 13., xiv. 11., xv. 12. Rev. v. 13.\n\nIs not God represented in his word, as highly jealous of his honour,\nand has he not solemnly declared, that he will not give his glory\nto another? Then, if Christ is not equal to the Lord of Hosts,\nwhence is it, that the great God does allow, and sanction, his\ndistinguishing names, titles, attributes and works, to be ascribed\nto Jesus? Can we imagine God to be unmindful of his own honour, or\nso unkind to his creatures, as to permit those names so descriptive\nof Deity, to be applied to any mere creature, however superior,\nor exalted? Has he not pronounced an awful curse on those who\nworship any but the true God? Can we suppose the blessed God so\ninattentive to the happiness of his creatures, as to suffer in his\nrevealed word, language so strikingly calculated to lead men into\na belief of the Deity of Jesus, if in fact he was not God? No, the\nGod of Truth does not trifle thus with the children of men. He has\nset all the great and fundamental doctrines of the gospel in the\nfore-ground; all truths that are essential to be known in order\nto salvation, are written as with a sunbeam; the Deity of Jesus,\nforemost of the whole, is so plain, \"that he who runs may read,\"\nand the \"wayfaring man, though a fool, cannot err therein.\" It does\nnot require superior intellectual powers or attainments, to learn\nthat Jesus is the Christ of God; but it does require art and skill\nin criticism, to give any other sense to the word of God. There are\npersons, who deny the Godhead of Jesus, and yet acknowledge him\na being of exalted virtue, and a model of perfection, worthy of\nimitation. But do they not, in robbing him of Deity, destroy all his\nclaim to our attention? in fact do they not make him an impostor and\ndeceiver? Do they not, with the Jews, raise the cry of blasphemy\nagainst him? and bring him under the curse and punishment pronounced\nby the eternal and unchangeable Jehovah, against every blasphemer?\nDo we not hear Jesus saying--I and my Father are one, the Father\ndwelleth in me, and I in him, he that hath seen me, hath seen the\nFather also? And did he not demand all men, to honour the Son, even\nas they honour the Father? Did he not declare himself equal to the\nFather, and did not the Jews so understand him, when they took up\nstones to stone him, because he being man, made himself equal with\nGod? Yes, Jesus proclaimed his Godhead; he allowed and encouraged\nreligious worship to be paid him; in truth, he claimed all the\nbelief and honours due to Deity. Surely then, if he is not God, he\nhas forfeited all claim to our regard and veneration, and appears\nas a false prophet and teacher; but the mind shudders at imputing\ndeception there. Blessed Jesus! may I, with Thomas, acknowledge\nthee, from a full conviction of thy Divinity, to be my Lord and my\nGod. Thou hast declared thyself to be the Son of God with power, by\nthy resurrection from the dead. Hail! thou Wonderful Counsellor,\nthou Mighty God, thou Everlasting Father; thou who didst from\neternity engage to be the Father and head of thy Church; thou who\nart the second Adam, the Lord from heaven; thou who watchest over\nthy Church with more than fatherly care; who suppliest all their\nwants, healest all their diseases, and who, in love, dost \"chasten\nevery son whom thou receivest,\" and wilt at the last great day,\npresent thyself with them to the Father, saying, \"Behold I and the\nchildren whom thou hast given me.\" Yes, thou art the everlasting\nFather, the Prince of Peace; and who so calculated to make peace\nbetween God and man, as he in whose person they are both united? He\nhas peace to make between heaven and earth. He can know and satisfy\nthe honour of God, for he is God; he can feel the wants and sorrows\nof man, for he is \"bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh.\" When\nhe entered our world, was there not a proclamation of peace on\nearth, and good will to man? Yes, for the Prince of Peace was come,\nto make peace and reconciliation, by the blood of his cross. He is\na successful Peace-maker; he is, in fact, the only Mediator between\nGod and man; nor is he yet weary of his office, but ever liveth to\nmake intercession for us. Hail! thou Prince of Peace. Did not this\nglorious Mediator love to manifest himself in that character to the\nChurch, from the earliest ages of the world? Did he not honour many\nof the patriarchs and prophets with a display of his person? Was it\nnot the Messiah, who appeared to the Old Testament saints? Has he\nnot ever been the only visible image of the invisible God? Are we\nnot told that no man hath seen the Father, save the only begotten\nof the Father, who came down from heaven? Do we not find an opinion\ngenerally prevalent amongst the ancient Jews, that no man could see\nthe face of God, and live? Moses, and the assembled multitude at\nmount Sinai, were of this opinion. Isaiah exclaimed, \"Wo is me, I\nam undone, for I have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.\" Manoah,\nEzekiel, Daniel, Amos, and the other ancient worthies to whom God\nappeared, were filled with the same awful apprehensions. Is it not\nmore than probable, that God, in the person of the Father, has ever\nbeen invisible to the inhabitants of earth? Would not the true\nmajesty, and splendour of Godhead be more than man in his present\nstate could bear? Might not the sight of unclouded Deity destroy a\nbody of flesh? Are not all those passages where the great God is\nsaid to appear and converse with his creatures, more applicable to\nthe God-man, Christ Jesus, than to the first person of the sacred\nTrinity? Is it not more becoming him, who, in after ages, was to\ntake on him a body of flesh and blood, to appear as man, than that\nGod the Father, should do so? Were not the three men who appeared\nto Abraham in the plains of Mamre, as he sat at his tent door, in\nthe heat of the day, this Messiah God-man, attended by two angels;\nand were not the two angels sent forward to destroy Sodom, while\nthe Lord tarried behind to hear the intercession of Abraham, for\nthat devoted city? Was not the same glorious personage the man with\nwhom Jacob wrestled, when he is said to have had power with God\nand to have prevailed? Was he not _that_ Angel of God's presence,\nwho led the children of Israel into Canaan, of whom God said,\n\"beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not, for he will\nnot pardon your transgressions; for my name is in him?\" Did he not\nalso appear to Joshua, as Captain of the Lord's hosts? Did he not\nin vision appear in the same form to Ezekiel and Daniel, as he\nafterwards did to John, in the Isle of Patmos? And are not all the\nother passages, of a similar kind, equally applicable to the Christ\nof God? Can we not enter into the prophet's meaning, and set our\nseal to the glorious truth, that \"unto us a Child is born, unto us\na Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and\nhis name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the\nEverlasting Father, the Prince of Peace?\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\n And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a\n kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall\n not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and\n consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.--Daniel\n ii. 44.\n\n\nThe book of Daniel contains some very striking prophecies. The\nchapter from which this is selected, is not amongst the least\ninteresting. The interpretation given by him to the king of\nBabylon's dream, demands our particular attention. He speaks of\nfour kingdoms, as represented by the image.[31] The first, or\nhead of gold, is the Chaldean monarchy; which gives way to that\nfigured by the arms of silver, the kingdoms of Media and Persia.\nThis is succeeded by the Grecian, represented by the brass. Then\nfollows the fourth or iron, which is the Roman power, \"in the days\nof whose kings, shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which\nshall never be destroyed,\" &c. &c. We will search for proofs of its\naccomplishment. Daniel was an Israelitish captive at Babylon, and\nwhen he wrote the first part of his prophetical book, the kingdom\nof Chaldea was first in the scale of nations. In earthly pomp and\ngrandeur it surpassed all other states. The land of Judea was then\nin its possession, and her people, its captives. Its capital, the\nmighty Babylon, was, from the solidity of its walls, the strength of\nits fortifications, and its gates of brass, considered impregnable;\nbut, agreeably to scripture prophecy,[32] the city was taken by\nCyrus: he entered it by the channel of the river Euphrates, whose\nwaters he had directed into another course; and during a night of\nriotous festivity, in which the Babylonians had forgotten to shut\ntheir brasen gates, the city was taken by Cyrus, whom the Lord, at\nleast one hundred and seventy years before, named as his servant\nto destroy the kingdom of Chaldea for their cruel treatment of\nhis captive Israel. Cyrus, the conqueror of Babylon (who issued\na proclamation for the Jews to return to their beloved Jerusalem\nafter seventy years captivity) was heir to the throne of Persia;\nand succeeded to that of Media, by virtue of his marriage with the\ndaughter of Cyaxares (otherwise Darius) his uncle. The kingdoms of\nMedia and Persia thus united under Cyrus (after the overthrow of\nBabylon) obtained the supremacy of the world, and preserved that\npre-eminence two hundred and six years, when it was subdued by\nAlexander, styled the great, whose dissatisfaction amidst the shouts\nof victory, and the dazzling accompaniments of power, strikingly\nshow the fallacy of seeking true happiness from sublunary objects.\nAlexander founded the Grecian empire, which continued one hundred\nand seventy seven years, when it was compelled to submit to Rome's\nconquering legions, to whom all nations bowed, and, by tribute,\nacknowledged as their superior. In the days of these kings, did the\nGod of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: yes,\nin the reign of Augustus, did the mighty King Jesus first openly\ndeclare and set up his great spiritual kingdom. Its beginning,\nto human appearance, was small and unpromising. Yet, this stone\nwhich was cut out without hands, (i. e.) without human power or\nworldly policy, shall become a great mountain, and fill the whole\nearth. It is true, the Jewish nation expected the Messiah to come,\nsurrounded by all the splendours of eastern magnificence; that he\nwould deliver them from the Roman power, and, after a reign more\nglorious than Solomon's, establish a kingdom which should remain\nunshaken till time shall be no more. But, shall the unchangeable\nJehovah alter his purposes or mould his plans, to meet the idle\nfancies or short-sighted schemes of the children of men? No, the\nMessiah has appeared, not in the style they had anticipated, but\nin the manner most agreeable to the mind of infinite Wisdom. Yet,\nbecause he did not assume the gaudy trappings of earthly state,\nthe Jews reject him, and vainly look for another, although he\nappeared at the time predicted. The Roman power is now laid low,\nand according to all their prophecies, the period is passed when\nhe, of whom Moses and the prophets did write, should appear. Jesus\nfar exceeds in real excellence, even their own highly coloured\nportrait, for the blessings of his reign extend to ages yet unborn.\nThey expected a temporal king, but no; the land of Canaan, although\nthe glory of all lands, was far too insignificant for him to accept\nas the sphere of his government. He shall sway his kingly sceptre,\nnot only over Judea's fruitful land; but his dominions extend from\nsea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. The\nmightiest monarchies are often swept away, as by the besom of\ndestruction, and all are compelled to submit to the iron hand of\ntime; yet his, is an everlasting kingdom, which cannot be moved by\nthe revolutions of nations, but shall continue firm and unshaken\neven amidst the crash of worlds. It was expected the Messiah would\ndeliver them from the Roman power; but mark, it was said, his name\n_shall_ be called Jesus, for he shall _save_ his people (not from\ntheir temporal oppressor but) from their sins.[33] Surely it must\nbe confessed, that earth's greatest conqueror, is far below him who\ndelivers from the bondage of sin and satan, which is the worst of\nslavery. Yes, Jesus saves his people, the true Israel of God, from\nthe consequences and power of sin; from the former, by bearing the\npunishment himself, and from the latter, by his Spirit implanted in\ntheir hearts. The kingdom shall not be left to other people, but he\nwill constantly direct and order all its affairs, and he shall reign\nand rule for ever.\n\n [31] Dan. ii. 31-45., vii. 1-27.\n\n [32] Isaiah xlv. 1-4.\n\n [33] Matt. i. 21.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\n When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out\n of Egypt.--Hosea xi. 1.\n\n\nWe cannot entertain a doubt that this verse alludes to the call\nof the children of Israel from Egypt, yet we are not to suppose\nit refers exclusively to that event, but we are to behold it\npointing to Israel's Lord. Christ is said to be the husband of his\nChurch, and they are both called by the name of Israel;[34] and\nthis verse is only one amongst the many instances which occur in\nthe Old Testament. The patriarch Jacob, or (as he was surnamed by\nGod) Israel, went with his descendants into Egypt, for shelter and\nsustenance in the days of famine, but they were afterwards cruelly\nentreated four hundred years; from which state of oppression and\nbondage, the Lord called and delivered them. In after ages Jesus,\nGod's beloved son, our Israel, was taken into Egypt, to avoid the\npersecution of Herod; and when that tyrant was dead, God called the\nholy child Jesus from that land of heathens, by the ministration\nof an angel. In Egypt, Israel was first formed into a church; and\nthither did the great head of the Church also go; and the Holy\nGhost, by the evangelist Matthew, has stated, that it was on purpose\nto fulfil this prediction. That Jesus was as much the beloved of\nthe Father, when tabernacling here below, as when he lay in the\nFather's bosom, cannot be doubted;[35] indeed, all the honours of\nhis mediatorial kingdom, are the fruits of his humiliation and\nsuffering. We hear him saying, \"for this cause doth my Father love\nme, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.\"\n\n [34] Isaiah xliv. 21., xlix. 3.\n\n [35] Matt. iii. 17. xvii. 5. Mark i. 11., ix. 7.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIV.\n\n Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk,\n they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was\n of sapphire: Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not\n known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is\n withered, it is become like a stick.--Lamentations iv. 7, 8.\n\n\nIn the Old Testament we find a description of the order of the\nNazarites and their laws; we discover a Nazarite to be one set\napart or separated for the Lord, either for a given time, as in the\ncase of a vow, or for life, as Sampson, who was a Nazarite from his\nbirth.[36] The order was one of Israel's glories; for the Lord when\nenumerating some of the many honours conferred by him on the nation,\nadds; \"and I raised up of your young men to be Nazarites.\" They were\nall so many types, pointing to the one great Nazarite, even Jesus;\nwhom it will not be difficult to recognise, under this description.\nJesus is the true Nazarite unto God, in the eternal council of\npeace; he was set apart to accomplish the Lord's great work of\nredemption.[37] Of him it can truly be said, he is purer than snow,\nand whiter than milk: he, and he alone, is free from the least spot\nor stain of sin: being \"holy, harmless, undefiled, and _separate_\nfrom sinners. The Church describes her Lord, \"as white and ruddy;\"\nas the \"altogether lovely and the chiefest among ten thousand.\" Yet\nwhen tabernacling here below \"his visage was so marred more than\nany man's,\" and his \"form more than the sons of men:\" when seen in\nour streets he had \"no form, comeliness, nor beauty, that those who\nsaw him should desire him.\" This lamentation of the prophet was\ncalled forth, by the state of misery and wretchedness, to which the\nChaldeans had reduced the nation; yet it had a peculiar reference to\nhim, who in after ages was known by the name of Jesus of Nazareth.\nNo doubt his having resided in a town of that name, was _one_ cause\nof his having so universally obtained the appellation. We find it\nused by the band of armed men when they came to apprehend him, and\nby the maid-servant in the hall; Pilate affixed it to the cross;\nthe devils used it. It was also used by blind Bartimeus; by the\napostles, both before, and after their Lord's resurrection; by the\nangels at the tomb, and by Jesus himself. And by the power of the\nname of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, was one lame from his birth made\nto leap, arise, and walk.[38] We are told the word is derived from\nNatzar, which signifies a branch; and is not Jesus described as the\nman whose name is \"the Branch?\" yes, he is the branch out of Jesse's\nroot, whom the Lord has made strong for himself.\n\n [36] Numbers vi. 2, 3. 13. 18-21. Judges xiii. 5 7., xvi. 17.\n\n [37] Hebrews ix. 14. 2 Tim. i. 9.\n\n [38] The first who appears to have called our Lord, Jesus of\n Nazareth, was the Devil in the person of the poor maniac, and is\n it not probable that Satan influenced the minds of men to give him\n that distinction with a view to deceive them as to the place of his\n birth; which was not at Nazareth, but at Bethlehem?\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XV.\n\n The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath\n anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: he hath sent\n me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the\n captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;\n to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of\n vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.--Isaiah lxi. 1,\n 2, 3.\n\n\nThis is one of the many descriptions we meet with of the Messiah,\nwho is represented as being especially anointed to his office.[39]\nWe cannot be at a loss for a satisfactory proof of the fulfilment of\nthis prophecy, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He did not come\nforth unsent or unanointed. When he publicly entered on the great\nwork of his mission, he was anointed to the office by the visible\noutpouring of the Spirit. We are told, that immediately after his\nbaptism in the waters of Jordan, the heavens were opened, and the\nSpirit of God, as a dove, descended and lighted upon him; and a\nvoice was heard from heaven, saying, \"this is my beloved Son, in\nwhom I am well pleased.\" Thus we hear the Father bearing testimony\nto the person of the Son, and we see the Holy Spirit descending\nand resting on Jesus. Thus, did the three persons of the glorious\nTrinity, at one time, distinctly manifest themselves, and that at\nthe entrance of Jesus on his great work. It may be proper to observe\nthat, as God, he needed not the anointing of the Spirit, for in\nhim dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. It was the human\nnature of the God-man, Christ Jesus, that was anointed to the great\noffice of mediator, which work he had before, by covenant, engaged\nto perform. To him, the Spirit was not given in a limited measure;\nhe is the \"Wonderful Counsellor;\" in \"him are hid all the treasures\nof wisdom and knowledge.\" It would be a recapitulation of a great\npart of the New Testament, to shew the exact method in which this\nprophecy was fulfilled. When the disciples of John came to Jesus,\nto inquire if he really was the Messiah, he, as one confirmation\nof the fact, told them that to the poor he preached the gospel.\nYes, we find Jesus, when on earth, spending a great part of the\nthree years and a half of his public ministry in journeying to the\ntowns and villages, publishing the \"glad tidings of great joy,\" of\nwhich angels were once the honoured messengers, namely, \"Glory to\nGod in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.\"\nThe common people, we are told, heard him gladly. Jesus can, with\nmuch propriety and justice, proclaim \"liberty to the captive, and\nthe opening of the prison to them that are bound;\" he can say, with\nauthority, \"deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a\nransom.\" Jesus is also King in Zion, whose mourners he will never\nfail to comfort; they can celebrate their Lord's mercies in the\nlanguage of the Church of old, \"Sing, O heavens, and be joyful,\nO earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains; for the Lord\nhath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.\"\nWe cannot find an instance on record of any persons who in their\ntrouble fled to Jesus when on earth, but whatever was the nature of\ntheir distress, he always removed it. We also hear him proclaiming\nthe \"acceptable year of the Lord,\" saying, Come now; even to-day,\nif ye will hear my voice; \"now is the accepted time, now is the\nday of salvation.\" While he proclaims \"the year of his redeemed,\"\nhe does not neglect to publish \"the day of vengeance of our God.\"\nThough he delight in words of mercy and of comfort, he does not\nshun to declare the whole counsel of God. As a faithful monitor, we\nrepeatedly hear him urging sinners to flee from the wrath to come,\nand solemnly warning them of the fearful punishment awaiting those,\nwho reject the counsel of God against their own souls.[40] Nor did\nhe fail to speak in the strongest language of the miseries which\nwill be the portion of those, in another world, who, in this, reject\nand disobey him. When Jesus read aloud this prophecy in the Jewish\nsynagogue, and declared it was that day fulfilled; we are told \"all\nthe people bear him witness, and wondered at the gracious words that\nproceeded out of his mouth.\" Every one who reads the history of\nJesus with a candid mind, must be constrained to acknowledge that\nthrough every part of his active and eventful life, his conduct\nmanifested, that the \"Spirit of the Lord rested upon him;\" that his\nwas \"the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel\nand of might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.\"\n\n [39] Psalm xlv. 7.\n\n [40] Hebrews x. 28.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVI.\n\n For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in\n all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou\n dash thy foot against a stone.--Psalm xci. 11, 12.\n\n\nThe psalm from which this is taken, describes, in glowing language,\nthe blessed state of those who have God for their refuge; but we\nare not to limit the entire application of these verses to the sons\nof men. We find they have a reference to the God-Man, Christ Jesus.\nAt his first entrance on the great work of his mission, he was for\nforty days and nights tempted by Satan, during which time the devil\nmade use of every artifice to tempt and destroy him. Amongst other\nschemes, he set Jesus on a pinnacle of the temple, and desired him\nto prove his Godhead, by casting himself down from the height; for\nhe said, it was written that the angels of God had charge concerning\nhim, and in their hands they were to bear him up, lest at any time\nhe dash his foot against a stone. Jesus gave other proof of his\nDeity than Satan desired: he told him he should not tempt the\nLord his God, and he also added \"Get thee hence Satan, for it is\nwritten, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt\nthou serve.\" It is an undeniable fact that when Jesus was on earth,\nthe devils knew his person and publicly acknowledged his Godhead.\nYes, angels and devils own his power; and shall the sons of earth\nwhom he formed from the dust, be the last to confess a truth which\nis acknowledged by all in heaven and hell--by the wisest and best\ncreated intelligences, and by the fallen angels, who were expelled\nthe heavenly mansions, and consigned to the lake of fire and\nbrimstone, for rebelling against the authority of the great Mediator\nbetween God and man,[41] who was, in after ages, known by the name\nof Jesus of Nazareth.\n\n [41] Daniel xii. 1. Revelations xii. 7.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVII.\n\n And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations\n shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the\n Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater\n than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place\n will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts.--Haggai ii. 7, 9.\n\n\nHaggai prophesied at that period of the Church's history, when,\nafter the return from the Babylonish captivity, the Jews built the\nsecond temple: on which occasion, we are told the young men shouted\nfor joy; but the old men wept,[42] for they had seen the glory of\nthe former house, in comparison with which, the second was nothing.\nBut the Lord commissioned Haggai to inform them, for their comfort,\nthat the glory of the latter house should be greater than of the\nformer. It appears by the descriptions given us of the temple\nbuilt by Solomon, that it surpassed in grandeur and magnificence\nall other buildings, which in any age have appeared to astonish\nand delight the world. It has never been equalled, either as it\nrespects the grandeur of the design, or the richness of its internal\ndecorations; a great part was overlaid with pure gold. But these\nwere not the most glorious distinctions of the former house. It\ncontained the Ark, with the mercy seat and cherubim;[43] the Urim\nand Thummim,[44] the spirit of prophecy,[45] the holy fire,[46] and\nthe Shechinah, or Divine Presence.[47] The Jews themselves must\nconfess that the second temple was destitute of these five signs,\nwhich so eminently distinguished the first house. We hear nothing\nof them after the Babylonish captivity. Well might the old men weep,\nfor Ichabod (the glory is departed) might with much propriety, have\nbeen written on the walls of their newly erected temple. It was\nafterwards considerably injured during the wars, but was repaired\nand beautified by Herod; yet none, when speaking of the splendour of\nthe temple, can allow it to bear any comparison with the one built\nby Solomon: yet the Lord hath said, \"the glory of the latter house\nshould be greater than of the former;\" and God is not unmindful of\nhis promises, nor has he ever neglected to fulfil them. We will\ntherefore endeavour to discover if this has not been accomplished.\nWe observe, that the Lord would first \"shake all nations; and the\ndesire of all nations should come;\" and then \"would he fill the\nhouse with glory.\" This promise was made shortly after the return of\nthe Jews from Babylon; which kingdom had been shaken to its centre,\nas were also in succession the kingdoms of Persia and Greece. The\nthrones and power of their kings had been subverted, the nations\nalmost annihilated; and Rome was the mistress of the world, when\nJesus, the \"desire of all nations,\" appeared. Perhaps it may be\nsaid, that few nations had even heard of the promised Messiah,\nand still fewer desired his coming. But do not the guilty sigh for\npardon, the captives for liberty, the oppressed for a deliverer?\ndoes not the debtor need a surety; the weary and heavy laden rest;\nthe diseased a physician; the young a guide; the aged a support;\nthe distressed a comforter; the hungry food; the thirsty water; the\nignorant an instructor; and the wanderer shelter? That these things\nare desired by all people and nations, none can deny; but it is in\nChrist alone we can find a supply for all our spiritual wants, and\na remedy for these, and a long list of unmentioned ills. In Jesus\nthere is a fulness to supply all our need. He has pardon for the\nguilty, \"liberty for the captive;\" he is the \"surety\" of the debtor,\nand the \"physician\" of the sin-sick soul; he will be a guide to\nyouth, and \"even to hoar hairs he will be with them;\" he is the\n\"water of life,\" and the \"bread that cometh down from heaven;\" his\n\"flesh is meat indeed,\" and his \"blood drink indeed:\" he will teach\nthe ignorant wisdom, and \"deliver the oppressed;\" he calls to him\nthe \"weary and heavy laden,\" promising to \"give them rest;\" he bids\nthe mourner be of good comfort, for he will give \"the oil of joy for\nmourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;\"\nand truly he is the refuge of the destitute. In short, it is only\nin him, and from him, we can find supplies for all our spiritual\nwants; with him is \"life,\" \"light,\" \"liberty,\" and \"joy.\" Surely if\nall nations did but know him, all nations would love him too; for\nhe is justly described by the Church as \"the altogether lovely, and\nthe chiefest amongst ten thousand.\" The fulfilment of the latter\nclause of the prophecy, was literally accomplished when Jesus (the\nsecond person in the revealed order of the Trinity), in our nature,\nentered the temple. Surely that must be acknowledged a far more\nglorious distinction, than the ten thousands of gold and silver\nwhich ornamented the former house. Yea, it was a greater honour\nto have the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, personally teaching\nin the temple, than the five signs which constituted the greatest\nglory of the former house. They were only intended to exhibit to our\nview a God in Christ. The temple and its contents were but figures\nof the things signified, even the Messiah. The second temple was\nhonoured not with types, but the person; not with the shadows of the\ngood things to come, but the substance, even Jesus, the Son of the\nmost High. At twelve years of age, Jesus was found in the temple,\nin the midst of the Doctors of the Law, both hearing and asking\nthem questions. Often, in the days of his flesh, did he visit the\ntemple, and from within its walls, did he instruct the people, and\ndeclare his divine mission. To those who deny that Jesus was the\nMessiah, this promise must for ever remain unfulfilled; for the\nsecond temple never did, either in its buildings, or decorations,\nsurpass, or even equal the glory of the former. It is now seventeen\nhundred years since the second temple was destroyed, and all its\nstones laid level with the dust. Thus are they reduced to the\nalternative of representing God as failing to fulfil his promises; a\nsentiment, it might be supposed, any man would shudder to advance,\nand much less maintain. To those who receive \"the truth as it is in\nJesus,\" there appears a beautiful harmony between the promise, and\nthe accomplishment; they can exclaim, truly did \"the glory of the\nlatter house exceed that of the former,\" for it was honoured with\nthe personal presence of Jesus, the \"Christ of God,\" \"the Lord of\nlife and glory,\" \"the prince of peace.\" Of whom, it may be justly\nobserved, that he is the only source from which true and lasting\npeace can be expected without the fear of a disappointment; and this\n\"peace is made through the blood of his cross.\"\n\n [42] Ezra iii. 12.\n\n [43] Exod. xxv. 19. 20. 21.\n\n [44] Exod. xxviii. 30. Deut. xxxiii. 8.\n\n [45] 2 Kings xix. 14-37.\n\n [46] 2 Chron. vii. 1. 3.\n\n [47] 2 Chron. vii. 2.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVIII.\n\n And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,\n even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold,\n he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts.--Mal. iii. 1.\n\n\nThe coming of the Messiah was anticipated with much impatience\nand pleasure by the Jewish nation, and particularly about the\ntime Augustus C\u00e6sar was Emperor of Rome, in whose reign, it will\nbe remembered, Jesus was born. The period according to Daniel's\nProphecy being arrived, the attention of all classes of the people\nwas so excited by his expected advent, that when John came, \"all\nmen mused in their hearts, if he were the Christ or not.\" But he\ndisclaimed all pretensions to being the Messiah, and pointed to\nJesus as the illustrious person, whose coming had been so long\nforetold. We find many instances recorded, which prove the Jews\nto have been on the look out for their long promised deliverer.\nAged \"Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel:\" it had been\nrevealed to him, by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death,\nbefore he had \"seen the Lord's Christ:\" when the child Jesus was\nbrought into the temple, the aged prophet took him up in his arms,\nand exclaimed, with holy joy, \"Lord, now let thy servant depart in\npeace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation &c., &c.\" Anna the\nprophetess, also, \"spake of him to all that looked for redemption in\nIsrael.\" Frequently during the life of Jesus do we hear the people\nexclaim,--surely this is \"the prophet that was for to come.\" We\nfind the Priests and Levites, persons, it must be supposed, best\nacquainted with the writings of the Old Testament, requesting Jesus\nto tell them plainly, if \"he were the Christ or not.\" The Lord whom\nthey \"sought, suddenly came to his temple;\" yet when \"he came to his\nown\" nation, \"they received him not,\" for their minds were darkened\nby their false notions of a temporal king. This prophecy loudly\nproclaims the Godhead of Jesus, for to ascribe a temple to any but\nGod is idolatry; a sin most strictly forbidden throughout every part\nof the word of God. Jesus is also the Messenger of the covenant.\nHe publicly proclaimed the nature of the covenant ratified in the\nCourt of Heaven, between the persons of the glorious Trinity, even\nthe covenant of redemption, which is \"well ordered in all things and\nsure,\" and was concluded ere the hills were made, or the mountains\nbrought forth; when this \"earth was without form, and void, and\ndarkness was upon the face of the deep.\"[48]\n\n [48] Prov. viii. 22-31.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIX.\n\n Nevertheless, the dimness shall not be such as was in her\n vexation, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of\n Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more\n grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in\n Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness, have\n seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of\n death, upon them hath the light shined.--Isaiah ix. 1. 2.\n\n\nFrom the days of Malachi, the last of the prophets, until the\ncoming of John the Baptist, a period of four hundred and thirty-six\nyears, the Church was in a state of great darkness and apparent\ndesertion. This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus resided, or\npersonally preached in the towns of Galilee; then, \"the land of\nZabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond\nJordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness\nsaw a great light; and of them which sat in the region and shadow of\ndeath light sprung up.\" Jesus is \"the true light, that lighteneth\nevery man that cometh into the world.\" He is given to be \"a light to\nlighten the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel.\" To whom we\nwould say, \"Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of\nthe Lord is risen upon thee.\" For through the tender mercy of our\nGod, Jesus, the day-spring from on high, hath visited us, to give\nlight to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and\nto guide our feet in the way of peace. \"Light and immortality are\nbrought to light by the gospel\" of Jesus, who is himself the divine\nfountain, or source from whence must emanate all spiritual light. He\nis the light and the life of man; he came a light into this world,\nthat whosoever believeth in him should not abide in \"darkness.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XX.\n\n Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of\n Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and\n having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt\n the foal of an ass.--Zechariah ix. 9.\n\n\nWe have so striking an accomplishment of this prophecy, that it is\nscarcely possible to imagine one can be found, who is unwilling to\npoint to Jesus and exclaim, Zion behold your King.\n\nWas it ever known that any other king, except Jesus, made such an\nhumble entry into the city of Jerusalem, or indeed any city. No,\nhis was altogether the reverse of such processions. Here was no\nherald to proclaim his approach, no charger highly caparisoned\nto convey the Monarch, no royal purple or glittering attire to\ndistinguish him from the throng, or dazzle the unthinking crowds.\nIn himself and attendants, all was, to outward appearance, mean and\ncontemptible. Yet the minds of this vast multitude, were for the\nmoment so struck with the truth of his Messiah-ship, that with one\nsimultaneous shout, they make the air resound with Hosannas to the\nSon of David; \"blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord;\nHosanna in the highest.\" This is not the only instance of their\nwishing to make him their king.[49] His disciples were impressed\nwith the common error, that he would establish a temporal kingdom.\nAfter his resurrection we hear them saying, \"Lord wilt thou at this\ntime restore the kingdom to Israel?\" But no, his kingdom is not of\nthis world, else would his servants have been called on to fight for\nit. The weapons of their warfare, are \"not carnal but spiritual,\nand mighty, through God, to pulling down the strong holds of sin\nand satan.\" We do not hear that Jesus made one visit to the court\nof monarchy, but many to the temple. The Roman authorities viewed\nhim with a jealous eye, and passed sentence on him for avouching his\nkingly authority. It is worthy of remark, that the superscription\naffixed to his cross, instead of declaring him an usurper, did,\nin four languages, proclaim his innocence, and acknowledge his\nauthority--\"Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.\" Yes, the meek\nand lowly Jesus--Jehovah has set as king upon his holy hill of Zion;\nhe is \"King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.\" He is just, for \"behold a\nKing shall reign in righteousness.\" He not only has salvation, but\nhe is Jehovah's salvation, to the ends of the earth. To him \"every\nknee shall bow, and every tongue confess,\" that \"he is Lord, to the\nglory of God the Father.\" It was a striking display of his Godhead,\nin directing his disciples where to find the colt, and in overruling\nthe mind of the owner, to let the animal go only on their saying,\n\"the Lord hath need of him.\" Yes, he is the Lord of the whole earth;\n\"the beasts of the forests are his, and so are the cattle on a\nthousand hills.\"\n\n [49] John vi. 15.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXI.\n\n Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of\n robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the\n Lord.--Jeremiah vii. 11.\n\n\nAn attentive reader of the New Testament, will easily discover\nthe correspondence between these words, and the circumstance of\nJesus driving the buyers and sellers from the temple; which action\ndeserves to be carefully considered. It may appear extraordinary,\nthat persons should have dared to make the temple of God the seat\nof commerce, for it was still used as the high place for offering\nthe daily sacrifice. But it is probable that, at the first, persons\nwere allowed to bring for sale, into some of the outer courts or\ninclosures of the temple, doves, and those animals the Jews used for\nsacrifices; that persons who resided at a distance, and could not,\nwithout considerable inconvenience, bring their sacrifices with them\nto Jerusalem, might always be able to purchase such animals as they\nwished to offer.[50] In after years, this privilege was abused, and\ninstead of a sale of animals exclusively for sacrifice, it became\nthe busy scene of commerce; and buyers and sellers, merchants and\nmoney-changers, used it as the great mart for business. Thus a place\nset apart for the worship of the Most High God, was made the general\nrendezvous of men, whose only aim, was to get money, even though\nit were at the expense of their religion. Such was the disgraceful\nscene exhibited at the temple in the days of Jesus, who, indignant\nat the sight, would not suffer it to pass unreproved. Having made a\nscourge of small cords, he went into the temple, and drove before\nhim, not only, the herds of cattle, but the buyers and sellers\nthemselves; and even overthrew the tables of the money-changers,\nand poured out their money. One would imagine the Man who was able\nto drive so numerous an assemblage of persons from their long\naccustomed (and to many of them lucrative) seat of trade, must have\nbeen supported by the weight of the civil and military authorities\nof the state; but it was quite the contrary: yea, even the Priests\nwho ought to have been most anxious to preserve the sanctity of\nthe place, were the first to oppose this cleansing of the temple.\nSurely it must be matter of wonder, how this Man of Nazareth could,\nunaided by human power, so easily accomplish a change fraught with\ndanger and difficulty: but such was the fact, and there appears\nbut one way to account for the prompt submission of those buyers\nand sellers; which is, that, Jesus being both God and Man in one\nperson, his Deity was not on this occasion so much concealed beneath\nthe manhood, but shone forth with such majestic dignity, that none\ndared to resist or dispute his authority. All were awed into quiet\nsubmission to the command of the God-man Christ Jesus; when he said,\n\"take these things hence, and make not my Father's house, an house\nof merchandise;\" it is written, \"my house, shall be called the house\nof prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.\" Not only his acts,\nbut his words, proclaim his Deity. Jesus can with propriety call\nGod, Father, for he is his first begotten, well beloved Son, and,\nas such, he has rule over his Father's house.[51] The disciples who\nwere observers of the event, struck at the display of his Godhead,\napplied to him the words of the psalmist; \"The zeal of thine house\nhath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached thee,\nare fallen upon me.\" If we except the miracle recorded by John, of\nthe armed men falling to the ground on the reply of Jesus, this\ncertainly is one of the greatest miracles he performed in the days\nof his flesh.\n\n [50] Deut. xiv. 23-26.\n\n [51] John v. 22, 23.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXII.\n\n Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained\n strength, because of thine enemies; that thou mightest still the\n enemy and avenger.--Psalm viii. 2.\n\n\nThe manner in which this prophecy was fulfilled is very\ninteresting. When Jesus drave out the buyers and sellers from the\ntemple, we are told the children shouted hosannas to the Son of\nDavid. The Chief Priests and Scribes were filled with indignation\nto hear even children confess a truth they wished buried in eternal\nsilence; and, coming to Jesus, they said, dost thou not hear what\nthese say? But he mildly answered, \"Yea, have ye never read, Out of\nthe mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?\" It is\nmore than probable that amongst the persons he had just expelled\nfrom the temple, were the parents of some of these children; it\nwould not therefore have excited our astonishment so much, to have\nfound them mocking and reviling the man of Nazareth, as it does to\nhear them shouting hosannas to the Son of David. There were none\nof those gay distinctions in the person of Jesus, which so usually\nplease and delight children; all was as to outward appearance mean\nand unattractive; yet their youthful hearts were filled with love\nand admiration for the person of the Man, so generally treated with\ncontempt; and they as with one voice shout the praises of this Son\nof David. Ought it not for ever to have put to silence the Priests\nand Scribes, and all those bitter enemies of Jesus, when he gave\nsuch clear proofs of his being the Messiah, that even these Jewish\nchildren, could discover him to be the very person their parents,\nfrom the first dawn of reason, had taught them to expect, as the\nlong promised deliverer of Israel, who should spring from David's\nroyal line.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIII.\n\n I have preached righteousness in the great congregation; I have\n not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest.--Psalm xl. 9.\n\n\nIt is said, to the immortal honour of Noah, that he was a preacher\nof righteousness to the Old World:[52] but as the glory of the\nlatter dispensation far exceeds that of the former,[53] so is its\nfounder greatly distinguished from all the prophets and teachers\nunder the Jewish economy. We find Jesus actively engaged in\npreaching his own gospel, whenever opportunity offered, free from\nthe trammels of form, and the circumscribed rules of human order.\nWe see him in the temple, and the field; in the synagogue, and on\na mountain; in the crowded street, and the wilderness; in the\nhouse, and by the sea shore: at one time to the crowded throng, and\nthen to the little troop of disciples; now to learned rabbies and\nrulers, and then to a few fishermen of Galilee; but in every place\nand company he was a preacher of righteousness. He did not refrain\nhis lips from fear of man. He did not hesitate to publish doctrines\nnecessary to be known, because they were of a kind likely to be\nungraciously received. He shunned not to proclaim the whole truth;\nwhether men would hear, or whether they would forbear. Again, look\nat him as a preacher of righteousness. All he taught was pure and\nundefiled as the light of heaven. He did not flatter one vice, or\ncountenance one folly. He described sin as hateful to God, whether\nin the priest or people, the ruler or the ruled. He taught the Jews,\nwho rested in the mere letter of the law, that it is of a spiritual\nnature, \"extending not only to the outward actions,\" but to the\n\"thoughts and intents of the heart.\" He inculcated obedience, not on\nthe narrow principle of self love, or to gain the praise of man; but\nhe insisted, that it can only be acceptable to God when springing\nfrom a principle of love to God and man. He did not instruct his\nhearers to keep a fair exterior only, but he went at once to the\nseat of iniquity, the human heart; and declared that the fountain\nmust be first cleansed before the streams can be made pure. Again,\nwe behold him as a preacher of righteousness, declaring that \"except\nour righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, we\ncannot enter the kingdom of heaven.\" He taught that we must be\nclothed with a better righteousness than our tattered rags, ere we\ncan be allowed to sit down at the \"marriage supper of the Lamb,\"\nwhere all the guests are arrayed in \"fine linen, clean and white,\"\nwhich fine linen is the \"righteousness of the saints.\" This wedding\ngarment is provided by the Lord of the feast, and is the spotless\nrobe of Jesus's perfect and complete righteousness.\n\n [52] 2 Peter ii. 5.\n\n [53] Heb. xii. 18-24.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIV.\n\n I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of\n old.--Psalm lxxviii. 2.\n\n\nWe hear Balaam, the son of Beor, from the heights of Moab, attended\nby an idolatrous king and prince, taking up his parable on the\nmultitudes of Israel. We also find many of the prophets of the Lord\nin the different ages of the Church, presenting their Master's\nmessage in the dress of parable. The sweet singer of Israel is here\nsaid to open his mouth in a parable, and utter dark sayings, which\nhave been kept secret since the foundation of the world. But we are\ncompelled to pass by this son of Jesse, to direct our attention to\none who may not unaptly be styled 'the man of parables.' Jesus so\nfrequently used them in his discourse to the multitude, that it is\nsaid \"that without a parable spake he not unto them;\" and who can\nread his parables without exclaiming, \"surely never man spake like\nthis man.\" His discourses are adorned with the striking force and\nluxuriant imagery of the East. He made use of the most beautiful\nlanguage and elegant ideas, to impress on the mind a knowledge of\nthings which are not seen and spiritual, by similies drawn from\nthings which are seen and temporal. Who can read the affecting\nrepresentation of the pity and forgiveness God manifests towards\nthe ungrateful, rebellious, but afterwards penitent sinner, so\nforcibly displayed in the parable of the Prodigal Son, without being\ncharmed at the happy simplicity that pervades the whole. Unlike the\nproductions of men, the words of Jesus, like the works of creation,\ndisplay new beauties on every attentive examination. They lose\nnothing by a minute inspection--they are not mere empty words: at\nevery perusal they are increasingly attractive, and we discover that\nthe most sublime truths are taught, where, perhaps, at the first\nreading, we beheld nothing particularly instructive or engaging.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXV.\n\n He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the\n lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall\n gently lead those that are with young.--Isaiah xl. 11.\n\n\nThe Messiah is here, and in several other parts of the old\nTestament, held forth to our view under the character of a shepherd.\nHe is called, \"Jehovah's shepherd,\" and to his care is committed\nthe safeguard of God's flock. He is described as \"seeking out and\ndelivering his sheep from all places where they have been scattered,\nin the cloudy and dark day.\" He is said to \"seek that which was\nlost,\" and to \"bring again that which was driven away;\" \"to bind up\nthat which was broken; to strengthen that which was sick; to gather\nthe lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom;\" \"to make them\nlie down in green pastures, and lead them forth beside the still\nwaters;\" in short, to him are attributed all the kind offices of a\n\"good shepherd.\" It will not be difficult to recognise Jesus under\nthis description. On examining the New Testament, we find in it an\nexact counterpart of this character. We hear Jesus describe himself\nas \"the true shepherd,\" who \"calleth his sheep by name, and leadeth\nthem out, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice; but\na stranger will they not follow, for they know not the voice of\nstrangers;\" \"he knoweth his sheep, and is known of them, and they go\nin and out, and find pasture.\" His watchfulness and power are such,\nthat he will not suffer any, either by surprise or force, to pluck\nthem out of his hands;[54] nor will he forsake them in the hour of\ndanger; \"he fleeth not, because he is not an hireling;\" and he will\neventually collect both the Gentile and Jewish flocks together, that\nthere may \"be one fold,[55] under one shepherd.\" Nor shall one of\nthe least of the flock be missing; all \"his sheep must pass again\nunder the hands of him that telleth them;\" even the \"good shepherd\nwho has laid down his life for the sheep;\" and now liveth to watch\nover, defend, guide, and supply the wants of his flock, from whom he\nwill withhold no \"manner of thing that is good.\"\n\n [54] John x. 28, 29.\n\n [55] John x. 16.\n\nCertain it is, this \"Chief Shepherd\" will punish[56] the unfaithful\nhirelings \"who feed themselves, but not their flocks;\" \"who have not\nstrengthened the diseased, healed the sick, neither have bound up\nthat which was broken, neither brought again that which was driven\naway, nor sought that which was lost; but with force and cruelty\nhave ruled them.\" Therefore, O ye shepherds! hear the word of the\nLord; thus saith the Lord God, \"Behold I am against the shepherds,\nand will require my flock at their hands, and cause them to cease\nfrom feeding the flock; neither shall they feed themselves any more.\"\n\n [56] Ezek. xxxiv. 10.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVI.\n\n And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the\n Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes,\n neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.--Isaiah xi. 3.\n\n\nThe deceptions practised by the human race are many and various.\nWith no other clue to discover the real character of individuals\nthan their professions and conduct, men are often led to form the\nmost unjust opinions; and frequent and lamentable are the mistakes\nthat arise. Falsehood often lurks beneath the warmest professions;\nthe guise of friendship is made to conceal the perfidious spirit,\nthe mask of sincerity is worn by the consummate deceiver, and man\nbecomes the dread and fear of man. Who can look at Jesus, without\nbeing struck at the nice discrimination of character he discovered\nin his opinions of the men by whom he was surrounded. He could\nespy in Nathaniel \"an Israelite in whom there was no guile.\" He\ndiscovered that the ardent zeal and warmth of Peter's attachment\nwould induce him boldly to suffer death in his Master's cause,\nalthough the denial of that Master loudly proclaimed him a faithless\ncoward. He could point out the perfidious Judas, fostered by the\neleven disciples as a bosom friend. He could detect the hypocrisy\nand deceit that lay hid beneath the fair profession of the Scribes\nand Pharisees; he knew their public conduct was not in unison with\nthe hidden man of the heart. He was not blinded by the semblance\nof virtue; nothing false passed with him for genuine; he instantly\ndiscovered the counterfeit, however well executed. Nor did the\nsterling pass by unknown to him, though its exterior was defaced and\nunattractive. He could look into the inmost recesses of the human\nheart, and discover there the seat of iniquity, he could behold the\nmonster in his den, however ingeniously its exterior was adorned\nby art, and bring to light the hidden things of darkness. In his\nopinions there was no error; in his censures, no unjust severity--he\nalways judged righteous judgment; \"for he judged not after the sight\nof his eyes, neither reproved after the hearing of his ears.\" With\nrighteousness did he \"judge the poor, and reprove with equity for\nthe meek of the earth; righteousness was the girdle of his loins,\nand faithfulness the girdle of his reins;\" and why? \"Because my\nthoughts are not as your thoughts, neither are my ways as your ways,\nsaith the Lord of Hosts.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVII.\n\n Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the\n deaf shall be unstopped.--Isaiah xxxv. 5.\n\n\nIs it not highly proper, that those who profess to be intrusted with\noffices of authority, should be able to exhibit the credentials of\ntheir appointment, in order to be accredited? The prophet Isaiah was\ncommissioned to proclaim many of the marks by which the Messiah\nshould be distinguished. Amongst other signs \"the eyes of the blind\nwere to be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped.\" Jesus of\nNazareth not only declared himself to be that long-promised Messiah,\nbut constantly exhibited, in the most public and open manner, the\ncredentials of his high official character, and confirmed his\nclaim to our belief by his numerous miracles. Could we inquire of\nBartimeus, who, of old, sat by Israel's way-side begging, who was\nthe skilful oculist that restored to his long sightless eyeballs the\npower of vision; joyfully would he point to Jesus the Son of David,\nas the gracious benefactor whose almighty word had again caused him\nto behold the gladsome light of day. Might we hold converse with\nhim who had never beheld the cheerful face of man, whose eyes had\nrolled in gloom and darkness, deprived of the sight of nature's\nbeauteous works; no doubt he would, with the same undaunted courage\nhe displayed before the Jewish Pharisees, declare that Jesus of\nNazareth had opened the eyes of one born blind. Nor were these the\nonly recipients of his Divine bounty. By his almighty voice the\ndeaf were made to hear: the 'ephphatha' of Jesus could \"clear the\nobstructed paths of sound, and bid new music charm the unfolded\near,\" for it was the voice of one whose biddings were enablings.\nWhen the disciples of John came to inquire of Jesus if he were the\nillustrious personage so long promised, or if they were to look for\nanother, we are told, \"in the same hour Jesus cured many of their\ninfirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits, and unto many that\nwere blind he gave sight,\" and requested the disciples of John \"to\nreturn, and tell the things which they had seen and heard;\" how\nthat \"the blind saw, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the\ndeaf heard, the dead were raised, and to the poor the gospel was\npreached.\" To one so well instructed, as we may presume John to have\nbeen in the writings of the Old Testament, he could not wish for\nmore satisfactory evidence to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. John\nbore witness unto the truth, but Jesus \"had greater witness than\nthat of John, the works which the Father had given him to finish,\nthe same works which he did, bore witness of him that the Father had\nsent him.\"\n\nThat Jesus wrought miracles his enemies could not deny; but how\nabsurd they should attribute them to satanic influence. The Devil\nis not wont to be a benefactor to our race; we should not expect\nto find him lending his power to destroy his own kingdom, or to\nbenefit the children of men. The miracles of Jesus were not an\nuseless display of power, wrought to gratify idle curiosity, or\nfor sordid or ambitious motives; they were all designed to promote\nsome honourable or useful purpose, and were of the most benevolent\ncharacter, not unworthy the incarnate Deity whose pity for his\ncreatures is commensurate with his power. His miracles were numerous\nand diversified; they were wrought openly, and proclaimed publicly;\nnot confined to one place: Jesus went about healing all manner of\nsickness and disease among the people. The disciples were not the\nonly witnesses to these extraordinary events. Jesus was surrounded\nby great multitudes when he healed the leper. Jairus's daughter was\nraised to life in the presence of her friends and the mourners.\nThe Pharisees beheld the devil cast out of the dumb man--the whole\ncongregation in the synagogue witnessed the instantaneous cure of\nthe withered hand--four thousand, and five thousand men not only\nbeheld the miraculous increase of twelve loaves and a few small\nfishes, but their bodies were refreshed by the plentiful repast. All\nthe people of Gennesaret sent to collect the diseased, so convinced\nwere they of the wondrous cures effected by a touch of the hem of\nhis garment. When in Galilee, great multitudes came unto Jesus,\nbringing the lame, blind, dumb, and maimed, and he healed them all.\nWhen the poor father's lunatic son was cured, multitudes witnessed\nthe fact. Jesus was surrounded by crowds when he gave sight to the\ntwo blind men. The Chief Priest and Scribes saw the wonderful things\nhe did in the temple--driving out the merchants, and healing the\nlame and blind. In the synagogue he cast out an unclean spirit. When\nthe widow of Nain's son was raised from the dead, much people of the\ncity were with her. The lawyers and Pharisees watched Jesus when he\ncured the man of the dropsy. Many Jews were present when he called\nLazarus from the grave. Jesus was surrounded by his persecutors\nwhen he healed the ear of Malchus. The enemies of Jesus witnessed\nhis miracles; they possessed every opportunity that incredulity\nitself could desire, of examining the several objects on whom he had\ndisplayed his omnipotent power: this circumstance, together with the\ndiversity of time and place, precluded all possibility of deception.\nPeter boldly declared to the \"men of Judah, and the inhabitants of\nJerusalem,\" that \"Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God among\nthem, by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him, in the\nmidst of them, as they themselves also knew.\" The intrepid disciple\nfeared no contradiction, it was a fact too clearly established for\nany of that age to deny; and what madness is it for any in a later\nperiod to cavil against a truth they possess not a single fact to\ndisprove. The more minutely the New Testament of our Lord Jesus\nChrist is examined, the clearer do its marks of divine authenticity\nappear. The exalted character of the Man of Nazareth requires only\nto be known to ensure admiration. Who, that attentively considers\nthe sketch given of that model of all perfection, can imagine the\nhistory of the Evangelist to be only a cunningly devised fable? The\nschools of philosophy, with all their boasted learning and virtue,\ncould not conceive any thing half so refined, or so far exalted\nabove the most elevated of the human race. From whence, then, did\nthe beloved physician, the tax-gatherer, and the two fishermen,\nobtain that beautiful model of holiness, presented to us in their\nwritings? They must have copied from life--they must have witnessed\nthe living character--those unlearned Jews could not have invented\nso correct a likeness of incarnate Deity. Even if they had taken\nthe united virtues of the most eminent saints in the Old Testament\nfor their pattern, it would not bear a comparison with the artless\ngrandeur and majestic simplicity discoverable in this history of\nthe life of Jesus of Nazareth; which, it should be remembered, was\nwritten at a time when the religion of the Jews was little more\nthan superstition; for the law of God was made void by the absurd\ntradition of the fathers.[57] Yet no trait of false Judaism is\ndiscoverable in the character of Christ. In short, the history of\nthe four evangelists is the very reverse of what might reasonably be\nexpected from ignorant men, who had strongly imbibed their nation's\nbigotry and superstition. The gospels carry their own evidence,\nand prove the men who wrote them not only had the example of Jesus\nfor their guide, but that they were divinely inspired.[58] They\nhave mixed up none of their own corrupt notions or false ideas, but\npresented us with a book which is not unfitting the God of Truth to\nacknowledge as his own.\n\n [57] Mark vii. 9. 13.\n\n [58] 2 Tim. iii. 16.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVIII.\n\n Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the\n dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and\n streams in the desert.--Isaiah xxxv. 6.\n\n\nBlessed Jesus, we behold thee surrounded by the diseased and\nwretched. We see thee attend that seat of misery, the pool of\nBethesda, whose cloisters oft resounded the plaintive voice of\nsorrow; for within its porches were assembled many of the sons\nand daughters of affliction. Amidst the group was one, who, for\nthirty-eight long years, had sighed over his poor enfeebled limbs,\nand who oft had heard the joyful sound of Bethesda's agitated\nwaters. But, alas! this Angel of Mercy brought no healing balm for\nhis diseased limbs. Oft had he seen a companion in misery hastily\nrush into the troubled pool; and beheld their diseased bodies\nhealed by one plunge into those sacred waters. Yet his slow, though\nanxious steps, never reached its brink, until some happier object\nhad possessed its healing properties. His case attracted the kind\nattention of Jesus, to whom, when questioned, he tells his tale of\nwo. But hark! a voice is heard, \"Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.\"\nThe astonished cripple no longer needs the friendly crutch, but\ntreads with ease and joy his gladsome path. Yes, beneath the porches\nof Bethesda's pool, the Godhead of Jesus darts forth its clear\nand splendid rays. Well might the fame of this wondrous Physician\nspread, and multitudes of the afflicted press to share his favours.\nBehold, amidst the numbers who throng his door, a poor paralytic\ncripple, borne by four. Every effort to force a passage through\nthe dense crowd is fruitless. Faith does not easily relinquish its\nsubject, and the roof is even bared to admit this subject of misery\ninto the immediate presence of the Healer of diseases. Nor were\ntheir efforts unsuccessful. One word from him does more than the\nunited skill of all earth's physicians; and he, who, a few moments\nbefore, required a couch to support his palsied frame, is now seen\nforcing his passage through the astonished multitude, triumphantly\ncarrying his own bed. Surely \"it was never so seen before,\" even \"in\nIsrael,\" that land so famed for miracles. Jesus not only wrought\nmiracles himself, but when he sent forth his disciples to preach\nthe everlasting Gospel, he gave them authority to work miracles,\nin order to prove their commission to be from Heaven. We behold\nthese fishermen of Galilee, in the name[59] of their divine Lord\nand Master, Jesus of Nazareth, healing all manner of sicknesses,\ndiseases, and infirmities; testifying both to the friends and\nenemies of the crucified Jesus, that God was with them, indeed\nand of a truth, so mightily did the word of the Lord prosper. The\nblessings of the Messiah's reign are frequently exhibited to our\nview under the simile of water. Jehovah promises, \"when the poor\nand needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth\nfor thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not\nforsake them; but will open rivers in high places, and fountains\nin the midst of the valleys.\" He will make the wilderness a pool\nof water, and the dry land springs of water. Rivers of water in a\nthirsty wild, are not more acceptable to the fainting traveller,\nthan the salvation of Jesus is welcome to the convinced sinner; to\nsuch who believe he is precious. The conditions of obtaining it are\ninscribed by the finger of God; we behold them written in legible\ncharacters: \"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,\nand he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy\nwine and milk without money and without price.\" Ezekiel, in vision,\nbeheld this holy water issuing from the temple of God. Its sovereign\nefficacy was such, that whithersoever it flowed, healing and life\nattended its course. John in the Apocalypse, describes it as the\n\"pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of\nthe throne of God and of the Lamb;\" its banks adorned with continual\nfruitfulness, and never-fading verdure. The salvation of Jesus is\nalso described as a \"fountain which is opened to the house of\nDavid, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and uncleanness.\"\nMay _we_ know its purifying and refreshing qualities: may _we_ drink\ndeep of the living waters, which are \"a well of water springing up\nunto everlasting life.\" Jesus himself personally invites \"all that\nare athirst, to come unto him and drink.\"\n\n [59] Acts iii. 6.\n\nThis fountain of life, is not of recent discovery; the antedeluvian\nworld beheld it as a small rivulet, which continued to increase\nas it flowed down the patriarchal age, widened under the Mosaic\ndispensation, and became broader and clearer, as it warbled along\nthe prophetic course, and now displays itself as the grand and\nmajestic fountain of living waters, whose streams make glad the city\nof our God.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIX.\n\n Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written\n of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is\n within my heart.--Psalm xl. 7, 8.\n\n\nThe psalm from which these words are selected, was written by David,\nking of Israel, but never can they with justice be applied to him.\nWe dare not venture to imagine he acted agreeably to the will\nof his God, in the matter of Uriah the Hittite; nor was the law\nof his God ruling in his heart, when his pride led him to number\nthe children of Israel. But let us no longer dwell on the crimes\nand failings of this (in one sense of the word) great man; let us\nendeavour to discover some other, to whom it can, with more justice,\nbe applied. But, alas! if we search to earth's remotest bounds,\nwe cannot find, on this our globe, one to whom it may be applied\nwithout deserving the charge of flattery. If permitted to extend\nour search to the upper and brighter world, and allowed to inquire\nof the inhabitants of those realms of bliss, if they had ever known\none of Adam's race, when sojourning here below, of whom it could\nwith truth be said, his delight was to do the will of his God, yea\nthat the law of his God was the constant ruling principle of his\nheart;[60] struck at our want of discernment, they would exclaim\nwith holy indignation, was He so long an inhabitant of your world,\nand do ye not know him? Have ye not read of his life, of his acts,\nof his words, and ways; but above all, have ye not heard the oft\ntold tale of his death? Do ye now need to be reminded that the\nwords are a true description of the man ye call Jesus of Nazareth?\nYes, angels know him, and glory in their knowledge; with joy would\nthey tell us, that, with all their opportunities of observing his\nconduct, they could never discover in him the least imperfection\nor tendency to sin.[61] Yes, it is Jesus the son of David, and not\nDavid the son of Jesse; who is here speaking, as other parts of the\npsalm clearly prove. He alone could say, without presumption, \"I\ndelight to do thy will, O my God: yea thy law is within my heart.\"\nJesus came from heaven to earth, to do the will of his Father who\nsent him; even to accomplish the work of redemption, which is as\nmuch the will and pleasure of the Father, as it is the delight of\nthe Son. His zeal was discoverable at twelve years of age, when\nhe was found in the temple, and, to the gentle reproof of Mary,\nanswered, \"Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business;\"\nwhich he preferred before the refreshments of the body; yea, his\nmeat was to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish the\nwork. What devotedness marked his life! days of toil in travelling\nand preaching were often succeeded by whole nights spent in prayer:\nthe returning sun found him again employed with the same unwearied\ndiligence in the work he had undertaken. We should do well to bear\nin mind, that all Jesus did was voluntary. There was nothing, but\nhis love to God and man, which led him to engage in the work. There\nwas no compulsion, no obligation, it was entirely an act of his\nown free will; nor did he enter on the covenant, ignorant of the\ndifficulties and sufferings connected with the work. He was well\nacquainted with their nature, and extent; he had counted the cost\nand weighed the price; and with a clear view of the immense load\nof sufferings before him, did he, with cheerful promptitude, go\nforth to the work. We cannot have a more striking exhibition of his\nzeal, than in the reply he made to Peter; Jesus had been warning\nhis disciples of the circumstances of the death which awaited him;\nbut Peter could not bear the idea of his beloved Master's exposing\nhimself to so much suffering, and in the warmth of his attachment,\nhe exclaimed, \"Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto\nthee:\" But Jesus said unto Peter, \"Get thee behind me, Satan: thou\nart an offence unto me; for thou savourest not the things that be of\nGod, but those that be of men.\" Is this the language of the man,\nwho, when he was reviled, reviled not again, and when persecuted,\nhe blessed? Can this be the answer of the meek and lowly Jesus to a\nbeloved follower, who only spoke with an intention to prevent his\nLord from suffering? Yes, it is; but Peter was little aware of the\nmomentous consequences connected with that death. The advice he\ngave would, if followed, have been a more dire calamity than the\nworld had ever known, yea, even worse than the ruin brought upon\nour race, when our first parents followed the counsel of that false\nreasoner Satan. Jesus, well aware of the immense benefits resulting\nfrom his expiatory death,[62] would not allow even a beloved\ndisciple to use one argument against his voluntary sufferings. How\ndifferent the conduct of Jesus, when Peter denied him! there was no\nreproof, no upbraidings; but all was love and pity for the weeping\nservant, to whom, after his resurrection, he gave many kind tokens\nof his forgiveness. We are told, when the time approached that\nJesus should be offered up, he steadfastly set his face to go up\nto Jerusalem, well known as the destined place of his sorrows. We\nhear him saying, \"I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I\nstraitened until it be accomplished.\" When Judas was about to betray\nhim, Jesus said, \"what thou doest do quickly.\" His delight to do the\nwill of his God, was most conspicuous when the band of armed men\ncame to apprehend him, in the garden. He did not attempt to flee, or\nendeavour to conceal himself from their pursuit. He did not shrink\nfrom the danger even when so near; for it is said, Jesus knowing\nall things that should come upon him, went forth to meet them; and\nsaid, \"whom seek ye,\" and when told Jesus of Nazareth, he said, \"I\nam _he_.\" There was no evasion, no reluctance, but he cheerfully and\nfreely delivered himself into their hands, and met with promptitude\nthe adversaries he had to encounter. When Peter, indignant at the\ninsults offered his Master, and anxious for his rescue, drew his\nsword in the garden, and wounded the High Priest's servant, Jesus\nmildly reproved him, adding, \"the cup which my Father hath given me,\nshall I not drink it?\" Jesus could have commanded twelve legions of\nangels to his rescue, yet he allowed himself to be bound, scourged,\nand crucified as a malefactor. Not all the powers of earth and hell\ncombined, could have destroyed the body of Jesus, had he not given\nhimself up a voluntary sacrifice.[63] He had power to lay down his\nlife, but no man had power to take it from him. The human nature\nof Jesus, when united to his divine person, became in a manner\nomnipotent: unless he had freely consented, he could not have been\nmade the subject of their cruelty, but for that \"cause came he into\nthis world.\" The active and passive obedience of Jesus has reflected\nmore honour upon God, than the unsinning obedience of men and angels\ncould have done to all eternity. The free and voluntary nature of\nthat obedience adds a beauty and lustre to the whole. \"Then said I,\nlo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.\" Moses\nwrote of Christ: the whole of the Old Testament (if we except some\nof the prophetical parts which relate to the then kingdoms of the\nearth,) have a reference to the person, work, or church of Christ.\nThe ceremonies, institutions, and many of the characters, of the Old\nTestament, are shadows, types, and figures of Jesus the Messiah.\nEven the preceptive parts are not exempt. The great apostle of\nthe Gentiles speaking of the law, says it is a \"schoolmaster, to\nbring us to Christ.\" When from comparing our heart and conduct by\nthe perfect standard of God's law, we discover our short comings,\nthe law thus becomes a teacher, and shows us the necessity of an\ninterest in the salvation of Jesus. He could truly say, \"I delight\nto do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart: How I\nlove thy law, it is my meditation all the day;\" in fact, the law,\nwhich is holy, just, and true, is merely a transcript of his divine\nmind.\n\n [60] Psalm xiv. 1. Eccles. vii. 20. Rom. iii. 12.\n\n [61] John xiv. 30.\n\n [62] John xiv. 5.\n\n [63] John x. 18.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXX.\n\n I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my\n mother's children.--Psalm lxix. 8.\n\n\nAh, my Lord, I know this to be thy voice of lamentation, at the\nunfeeling conduct of those, from whom thou oughtest to have received\nthe kindest attentions. Thou wast as \"a stranger unto thy brethren,\nand as an alien unto thy mother's children;\" \"for even thy brethren,\nand the house of thy father, even they dealt treacherously with\nthee.\" They cried \"depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy\ndisciples also may see the works that thou doest, for there is no\nman that doest any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be\nknown openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world.\"\n\"For neither did his brethren believe in him.\" No sooner did he\nshow himself unto the world, and multitudes thronged to behold his\nmiracles, but they cry, thou art beside thyself. From his chosen\nfriends, the disciples, he also experienced much unkindness and\ningratitude. During his unparalleled agony in the Garden, instead\nof endeavouring to mitigate, and sooth his sorrows, they slept, as\nif careless of his woes. He marked their conduct, and exclaimed,\n\"What! could ye not watch with me one hour?\" In the time of danger,\n\"all the disciples forsook him and fled.\" When in Pilate's hall,\nand surrounded by men who thirsted for his blood, Peter, with oaths\nand curses, thrice denied his Lord and Master, who heard, and\ncast a look of reproof, mingled with love, towards his faithless\ndisciple. Blessed Jesus, how few of the tender charities of life\nwere exercised towards thee, though thy heart, cast in nature's\npurest mould, was not insensible to the kindlier feelings of that\nnature. Jesus particularly testified his affection towards John,\nthat beloved disciple, who laid in his bosom. He also discovered the\ntenderness of his regard towards the three highly favoured subjects\nof his friendship at Bethany. The sight of the sorrowing sisters\nat the tomb of their only and dearly beloved brother, his friend\nLazarus, excited the tenderest sympathies of his soul, and drew\ntears from the eyes, and groans from the heart of Jesus. \"Behold\nhow he loved him,\" exclaimed the by-standers. Let us not think it\nbeneath the dignity of the eternal Son of God, to have shared in the\nsorrows of such a scene; rather let us rejoice, that we have an High\nPriest, \"who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and\nthat in all our afflictions he was afflicted.\" Was not this event\nrecorded to encourage us to present all our cares and trials before\nhim. The cry, \"Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick;\" will not, cannot,\nbe unnoticed by him who wept at the grave of Lazarus; for, though\nhe has changed his place, he has not changed his nature. As Man,\nhe can still sympathise with his people in all their sorrows and\nafflictions. As God, he is ever able to extend his all-powerful arm,\nand give the wished-for aid.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXI.\n\n They also that seek after my life lay snares for me; and they\n that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits\n all the day long.--Psalm xxxviii. 12.\n\n\nWhere shall we find the person to whom these words are so\napplicable, as to Jesus. From the manger to the cross, he was\nconstantly encircled by men who were plotting his destruction. If we\ntrace the line from Herod, the Tetrarch of Galilee, to Pilate, the\nGovernor of Judea, we find that the enemies of Jesus were neither\nfew nor weak. We see marshalled against him, kings, priests, and\ngovernors; Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees; the learned and the\nwealthy; the noble and the peasant; the Jewish nation and the Roman\nsoldiery. No scheme that malice, iniquity, or falsehood could devise\nor suggest, was suffered to escape; all were pressed into their\nservice, and made to bear against him. Every stratagem was resorted\nto, that they might entangle him in his discourse, to form an excuse\nfor seizing his person. At one time, the Herodians are sent with\nthe question, \"Is it lawful to give tribute to C\u00e6sar, or not?\" and\nthough they preface their inquiry with \"Master, we know that thou\nart true, and carest for no man, for thou regardest not the person\nof men, but teachest the way of God in truth,\" yet he discovered\ntheir hypocrisy; and who but must admire the Godlike wisdom that\nsparkles in his bold reply? We next behold the Pharisees approach\nwith cautious step and flattering tongue, to ask his opinion of\nthe laws enacted by Moses for divorcement. On the other side, the\nSadducees appear to present their queries touching the resurrection\nof the dead. However artfully their plans were laid, they could\nnot surprise or deceive Infinite Wisdom. Their next scheme is to\npresent before him a woman guilty of adultery, hoping, from the\nknown kindness of his character, that he would pronounce her pardon,\nand then they could accuse him as a violator of the commands of\ntheir great lawgiver, Moses, who ordered all persons guilty of\nsuch offences to be stoned to death; but he, who knew what was in\nman, could foil his adversaries, whilst he pardoned the trembling\npenitent. \"Let him that is without sin, first cast a stone at her,\"\nsent home to their conscience, proved the wisdom and Almighty power\nof him with whom they were contending. Yet still his enemies spake\nagainst him, and they that laid wait for his soul, took counsel\ntogether.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXII.\n\n For I have heard the slander of many; fear was on every side;\n while they took counsel together against me, they devised to\n take away my life.--Psalm xxxi. 13.\n\n\nIt is not infrequent that the envious and the profligate are found\nspeaking in terms of reproach of characters whose public and\ndomestic conduct are a beautiful portrait of all that is honourable,\namiable, and truly worthy of commendation. Yet persons will never be\nwanting who can truly appreciate and highly esteem the fair edifice\nof moral excellence, and bestow the just tribute of respect it\ndeserves. It is possible for men to be so far deceived by personal\nprejudice, or swayed by the false opinions of others, that they\nnot only view with indifference, but even treat with contempt and\nscorn, persons, to whom the Searcher of hearts will one day say,\n\"Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy\nof thy Lord.\" Examples of these facts are not wanting, but we no\nwhere behold so striking an illustration of this truth as in the\nreception the Holy Jesus met with from the men amongst whom he\ntabernacled. It must be confessed, that in the most perfect of the\nhuman race there are defects and blemishes, to which even the eye\nof friendship cannot be blind, yet in Jesus there was a freedom\nfrom all evil either in principle or practice. He could be weighed\n\"in the balance of the sanctuary,\" and not found wanting either\nto God or man. His actions, when measured by the just standard of\nGod's law, are pronounced perfect. Yet he, who was purity itself,\nwas not exempt from slander, but was called a gluttonous man, and\na wine bibber; a friend of publicans and sinners, an hypocrite, a\nman of sedition and strife, a Sabbath breaker, and a violator of\nall the laws of Moses. In scorn, they say, this fellow, and that\ndeceiver, thou art a Samaritan; a race of men held by the Jews in\nthe most sovereign contempt and hatred. By some, he is accused of\ndisloyal and traitorous conduct toward the rulers of Jewry; others\npronounced him guilty of blasphemy; and, to crown the whole, they\ndeclare him to be a devil; yea, Belzebub, the chief of devils.\nBlessed Jesus, thou didst, indeed, hear the slander of many. Every\naction was viewed through a false medium. Thy acts of mercy became\nan occasion of offence, and called forth the hatred of these\nself-deceived men, and thy whole conduct was vilified and spoken of\nin the harshest terms of disapprobation and scorn. Yet those ancient\nslanderers and persecutors of Jesus, were not without their fears.\nAt one time, lest, from his growing popularity, the Romans should\ntake away their place and nation; at another time, the purity of\nhis doctrine becomes the source of disquietude. They all secretly\ndreaded his power. Fear was on every side, while they took counsel\nand devised to take away the life of Jesus. Pilate's wife could not\nforbear expressing her fears; and Pilate himself illy concealed the\nperturbation of his troubled conscience. How insufficient was water\nto cleanse the polluted hands of that wretched governor, so deeply\nstained with the blood of an innocent victim, sacrificed to his tame\ncompliance; and, to seal his awful doom, he soon after impiously\ndared imbrue his hands in his own blood, and rush uncalled into the\npresence of his offended Judge. How tremendous the situation of\nPilate when standing before the Judge of all the earth, even _that_\nJesus, he had unjustly condemned and crucified. How different the\nscene from that when Jesus appeared as the despised Nazarene in\nPilate's hall. The mind shudders at contemplating the awful fate of\nthose who dare to lift their puny arms in rebellion against Zion's\nKing, and the language of whose hearts till death is, \"we will not\nhave this man to reign over us.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXIII.\n\n Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if\n there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me,\n wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the days of his fierce\n anger.--Lamentation i. 12.\n\n\nThese words are in some degree applicable to the mournful prophet\nJeremiah, but it will do no violence to consider them as referring\nto Jesus, and to him they apply with tenfold force. Let us not\npass him by unnoticed, but let us \"behold, and see if there be\nany sorrow like unto his sorrow,\" who, by way of distinction, is\ncalled \"the Man of Sorrows.\" We see Jesus, attended by three of his\ndisciples, enter the garden of Gethsemane; we behold him withdraw\nfrom them about a stone's-throw, and, kneeling down, pour out his\nsoul in prayer to God. Let us draw nigh to witness the scene, but\nlet us approach with awe and reverence, for methinks we are about\nto tread on hallowed ground. Let the frame of our minds be solemn\nand attentive, whilst we view a scene so mysterious and sublime. We\nobserve Jesus on his knees, begin to be sore amazed and very heavy:\nyea, his soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; and in the\nbitterness of his spirit, we hear him cry out, \"Father, if thou be\nwilling, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but\nthine, be done.\" Being in an agony, he prays the more earnestly.\nThrice we hear him present the same petition. His agony becomes so\nextreme, that he sweats great drops of blood, and so profusely,\nthat it even falls upon the ground. Struck at a sight so mysterious\nand solemn, we turn towards the disciples for an explanation; but\nlo, they are fallen into a deep sleep, although requested by their\nMaster to watch and pray. Desirous to ascertain the cause, we survey\nthe wondrous scene, but find no external marks of punishment. True,\nthe sufferings of the cross he viewed as near, but they were not\nyet commenced; nor can we discover any one afflicting him. The\nonly visible object we perceive is an angel from heaven; but his\nwas an errand of love, for he strengthened him. It is therefore\nquite clear, that it was from sorrow of soul, and not pains of\nbody, Jesus then suffered. We eagerly inquire what powers could\nhave had such influence over him, as to occasion so great anguish\nof spirit? We are told, the powers of heaven and hell;[64] and we\nimmediately request to be informed, why the holy, harmless, and\nundefiled Jesus, is thus the object of God's displeasure, and the\nsport of Satan. We are directed to consult the records of truth for\nan explanation of the scene. We examine, and find that Jesus had\nvoluntarily come forth, and offered himself as the surety of his\npeople, having placed himself in their room, and the curses of the\nlaw taken hold upon him, his soul endured all the horrors of the\ntremendous load of our guilt imputed to him. Would you behold the\nawful consequences of sin; then go, visit Gethsemane, and see Jesus\nprostrate in the garden. Mark the extreme anguish of his spirit.\nWhat language is sufficiently strong to express the agonies of\nhis soul in that awful hour, when the conflict of his mind forced\nthrough all the pores of his sacred body a bloody sweat; not merely\na drop or two, but so copiously as to fall upon the ground, and\nthat in the open air, in a night of such extreme cold, that, in the\ncrowded hall of the High Priest's palace, the servants found it\nnecessary to make a fire to warm themselves. We may well tremble and\nstand amazed at a sight so awful and mysterious as the soul-agonies\nof the God-Man Christ Jesus. \"Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass\nby? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto his sorrow,\nwhich was done unto him, wherewith the Lord afflicted him in the\nday of his fierce anger.\" Yes, the hand of Jehovah was in it, he\nthen stood up to punish the sins of his people, in the person of\ntheir surety. It was also the hour and power of darkness, and\nSatan then poured forth all his malice, and exerted all his fury,\nto worry and destroy this Lamb of God; although Jesus declared,\nthe prince of this world had nothing in him, (_i. e._) no corrupt\nprinciples or evil passions as materials on which to work; yet was\nthe soul of Jesus assaulted by all the malicious artifices of hell.\nIt is more than probable, that the great adversary overpowered the\nthree disciples with drowsiness, and caused them to fall into a\ndeep sleep, in order to keep every source of creature-comfort from\nJesus during this season of conflict and sorrow. In the garden of\nEden, did Satan gain his first triumph over apostate man; but in\nGethsemane's garden, did Jesus, as the representative and surety of\nman, give that decisive overthrow to the power of sin and Satan,\nwhich shook to its centre the throne of that arch-fiend.\n\n [64] Luke xxii. 53.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXIV.\n\n Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat\n of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.--Psalm xli. 9.\n\n And I said unto them, if ye think good, give me my price; and\n if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price, thirty pieces of\n silver. And the Lord said unto me, cast it unto the potter: a\n goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty\n pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the House of\n the Lord.--Zechariah xi. 12, 13.\n\n\nSurely every one acquainted with the history of Jesus, as connected\nwith that of Judas, must acknowledge these remarkable verses to be\nprophetical of the traitorous conduct of that betrayer of Christ.\nThey describe the base deeds of one of his followers. It was his own\nfamiliar friend, which did eat of his bread, that lifted up his heel\nagainst him. It was not an open enemy that did him this dishonour;\nit was one with whom, for near three years and a half, he had daily\nintercourse; during which period he had constant opportunities of\nwitnessing the miracles of Jesus. He heard his divine discourses, he\nsaw him display his power, and, in common with the other disciples,\ndid he receive the kindest treatment from his Master, to whose\nperson Judas publicly professed himself faithfully attached: yea,\n\"he was numbered with the apostles, and obtained a part in their\nministry;\" but such was his hypocrisy, that the disciples were not\nconscious of his real character. To his care they intrusted the\nslender stock of money--Judas kept the bag. Though under the mask\nof friendship he artfully concealed his perfidious spirit from the\neye of man, yet he could not deceive his Lord and Master. Jesus well\nknew, amongst the twelve whom he had chosen to be his apostles, one\nwas a devil.[65] He knew this serpent, fostered in his bosom, would\nbetray him. Yet we behold the meek and lowly Jesus condescending to\nwash those feet which were so shortly to run on an errand of the\nbasest ingratitude. Judas was unmoved by this act of unparalleled\nhumility; no kindness could soften his heart, by sin made hard as\nadamant; for it appears he instantly arose and, though night (a\ntime best suited for such deeds of darkness), went to the Chief\nPriests, and said unto them, if ye think good, give me my price;\nso they weighed him thirty pieces of silver. For that paltry sum\ndid this perfidious monster sell his Lord and Master, and engage\nto deliver him into the hands of his bitterest enemies; and then,\nto conceal his base and treacherous conduct, he mingled with his\nMaster's family, and even dared to partake with them, not only of\nthe paschal feast, but of the Lord's Supper, which was instituted\nimmediately after the celebration of the feast of the passover. So\ncallous was the wretch to every feeling of remorse and pity, that\nhe could, unmoved and unrelentingly, even receive from the hands\nof the innocent victim of his treachery, the symbols of the Lord's\nbruised body, and blood-shedding. When Jesus mildly declared that\none of them would betray him, the faithful disciples, filled with\nastonishment and grief at the bare intimation of such an act of\nperfidy, each eagerly exclaimed, \"Lord, is it I? is it I?\" The\nhardened Judas could join in the cry, and with all the effrontery\nof a child of satan, appeal for a confirmation of his innocence;\nbut Jesus knew his treachery, though hid beneath the garb of\nfriendship. Alas, wretched Judas! how little didst thou enjoy thy\nill-gotten wealth! Thou hadst scarcely grasped the price of blood,\nere thou didst cast it from thee; before even the victim of thy\ntreachery was crucified, thou didst cut short thy race on earth, and\nmadly rush on the thick bosses of Jehovah's buckler; thou didst\nterminate thy wretched course of sin here, to enter on thine awful\nstate of everlasting wo. Matthew the Evangelist informs us that\nJudas hung himself, but in the Acts of the Apostles we read, that\nhe fell head-long, and all his bowels gushed out. These seeming\ncontradictions are easily reconciled, if we suppose, which is not\nimprobable, that he fell from the place whence he hung himself;\nand thus a double mark of infamy was affixed to his body. What a\nremarkable fulfilment of prophecy, in the purchase of Aceldama, that\npotter's field of blood. Indeed, these verses of Zechariah look more\nlike the descriptions of a contemporary, than the predictions of one\nwho lived at least five hundred and eighty years before the events\nnarrated actually took place.\n\n [65] John vi. 70.\n\nBy the Mosaic law, if a servant was goaded by an ox, the owner\nof the ox was to pay the master of that servant thirty pieces of\nsilver:[66] and for that trifling sum it was the blessed Jesus was\nbasely sold; he, whose price is far above rubies, and to whom all\nthe good things thou canst desire are not to be compared. But,\nwhile we detest the treachery of Judas, let us be careful that\nwe do not commit the like act. Let us not salute Jesus with the\nkiss of profession, while we are secretly in league with his worst\nenemy, sin: which, of old, nailed Jesus to the cross. No wounds are\nconsidered by him so severe, as those wherewith he is wounded in the\nhouse of his friends.[67]\n\n [66] Exodus xxi. 34.\n\n [67] Psalm lv. 12.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXV.\n\n When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to\n eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.--Psalm xxvii. 2.\n\n\nThe Psalm from which this verse is selected, was written by David\nking of Israel, when under the teachings of the Holy Spirit.\nDavid unquestionably proved himself a mighty man of valour; and\nby the help of his God did he overcome troops of foes; indeed, as\na warrior, he is surpassed by none. But still these words are not\nstrictly applicable to David; though he slew many by the sword; yet\nwe never hear that any of his unwounded enemies fell before him:\nand we find but one solitary instance on record, of a body of armed\nmen falling to the ground, only on a single word spoken by their\nadversary. The instance to which we allude, was an event which\noccurred in the garden of Gethsemane, when a company of men went\nto apprehend Jesus. We find a band of Roman soldiers, armed as for\nwar, (sent by the Chief Priest,) attended by their officers, and a\nlarge concourse of persons, who were also provided with weapons,\nlanterns, and torches, that they might secure Jesus, whom we see\ncoming forth to meet them, unarmed, and accompanied only by the\ndisciples. With all the dignity of conscious innocence, we hear\nhim inquiring whom they seek; when told, Jesus of Nazareth, he\nmildly answered, _I am_;[68] but instead of instantly seizing their\nprey, they go backwards, and fall prostrate on the ground. Is this\nthe conduct of Roman warriors? What was it which so soon relaxed\nthe nerves, and damped the bravery of a soldiery, famed for their\ndiscipline and valour? It was not threats nor menaces; it was not\npromises nor bribes; nor was it the sight of a company more numerous\nthan themselves. It was none of those causes which usually paralyze\nthe exertions of soldiers. Surely then there was an almighty power\naccompanying the word spoken, for we find all this dismay and\nconsternation was occasioned only at the simple word of Jesus. Then\nwas that prophecy of Isaiah accomplished, who, when speaking of the\nBranch out of Jesse's Root, said, \"He should smite the earth with\nthe Rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips should he\nslay the wicked.\" Truly they had cause for dismay; for they were\ncontending with none other than the glorious personage, the Great\nI AM, who appeared to Moses at the bush; and the same power which\nsmote them to the earth, could, if he had pleased, deprive them of\nlife. Surely this must be acknowledged to be one of the greatest\nmiracles performed by Jesus in the days of his flesh, as it was\nproduced by apparently the slightest exertion of his power.\n\n [68] _I am._ The reader will observe the word _He_ is written in\n italics, to denote that it was not in the original, but added by the\n translators.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXVI.\n\n Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain\n thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers\n take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his\n anointed.--Psalm ii. 1, 2.\n\n\nThe whole of this Psalm is descriptive of the Messiah, and we are\nnot destitute of strong proofs to warrant our applying it to Jesus.\nWe find persons of different denominations and rank in society,\neven kings, priests, scribes and pharisees, Jews and Gentiles, in\nleague to persecute and destroy an innocent individual. Of the Jews\nwe see Caiaphas the High Priest, at the head of the Sanhedrim, from\nday to day in consultation on the best and most effectual methods\nto secure and destroy the victim of their displeasure. Of the\nGentile party are Herod and Pilate, deputy kings or governors under\nC\u00e6sar, assisted by the Roman soldiers, seconding and consenting to\nthe plans of the Jewish rulers and people. We see these men forget\ntheir national and personal animosities, to join in the scheme.\nYea Herod and Pilate, although at enmity before, on this occasion\nlay aside their resentments, become friends, and act in unison.\nBut why \"do these heathens rage, and against whom do these kings\nof the earth set themselves,\" and wherefore all this consultation\nand contrivance? Is it to secure a powerful tyrant, the scourge of\nan oppressed nation? Is it to subdue an usurper who has arisen to\ntrample on and overthrow the existing authorities of the state;\nor is it to bring to justice a wretch who has violated her laws,\nand by his crimes and enormities become the dread and fear of his\nrace? No--but it is against the meek and lowly Jesus, who had never\nrefused to pay tribute to whom tribute was due, who had never\nattempted to establish a kingdom amongst the princes of the earth;\nbut when solicited to do so, had ever checked the proposition, as\nhis kingdom was not of this world; he could challenge his bitterest\nenemies to prove against him any violation of the laws, either of\nMoses or C\u00e6sar; nor did Jesus attempt to escape from them, but\nwas daily to be found either in the temple, or about the city or\nits suburbs, attended by a handful of unarmed followers. There is\none circumstance which deserves particular attention, as it tends\nto show the extreme warmth and rage of his persecutors. The night\nJesus was apprehended, was the very night the Jews celebrated the\npassover: after which ordinance, the whole of the people were\nforbidden to go abroad, or leave their houses until the morning.[69]\nBut so eager were these infuriated people to accomplish their plans,\nthat in opposition to this Jewish command, they go out to seize\nJesus, whom they take to the palace of the High Priest, where the\nscribes and the elders of the people also assemble, to contrive\nmeasures to get Jesus crucified. It appears more than probable that\nthey sat in council the whole night, as we leave them late in the\nevening thus employed, and very early in the morning we find them\nstill engaged on the same subject. So soon as it is day, they lead\nJesus to the hall of Pilate. \"But why do the heathen rage, and the\npeople imagine a vain thing? Against whom do the kings of the earth\nset themselves, and the rulers take counsel together?\" How sad their\nmistake, if they imagined they were only planning the destruction\nof a poor Jewish carpenter's son, when, in fact, their schemes were\nagainst the Lord, and against his anointed. It was not from any\nlack of evidence, that they denied Jesus to be the Christ of God.\nThe language he used on another occasion, is strictly applicable\nto them, and to all those who do not acknowledge Jesus as the God\nMessiah. \"Many good works have I showed you from the Father; for\nwhich of those works do you stone me? if I do not the works of my\nFather, believe me not; but if I do, though ye believe not me,\nbelieve the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is\nin me, and I in him.\" The plea of ignorance when the means of better\ninformation are in our power, will only increase our condemnation.\nWe may all peruse the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us\nwise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus, for\n\"all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable\nfor doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in\nrighteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly\nfurnished unto all good works.\"\n\n [69] Exodus xii. 22.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXVII.\n\n False witnesses did rise up: they laid to my charge things that\n I knew not.--Psalm xxxv. 11.\n\n\nWhere shall we find one more unjustly accused, than Jesus. They\nfalsely declare him to be a blasphemer and seducer of the people.\nHis enemies, in order to give an appearance of justice to their\nproceedings, (for they were determined to destroy him) proceeded\nto call witnesses against him; a mock trial ensues before Caiaphas\nthe High Priest; but, though the witnesses are perjured, their\ntestimony agrees not together. They indeed _accuse_ him of having\nthreatened to destroy their temple and build it again in three\ndays; but they can _prove_ nothing. It is true, that Jesus, when\nspeaking of his death and resurrection, said, destroy _this_ temple,\nand after three days I will raise it up again. But this he spake\nof his body, of which their temple was a type.[70] It was the\nhonoured spot, in which the Lord met with and blessed his people,\nand the body of Jesus was honoured as the dwelling place or temple\nof the Lord of Glory. God did indeed dwell in an house of clay\nwhich, agreeably to his own prediction, was laid low, even to the\nground, and, after three days, he raised it up again, without human\naid or art. These words are made the subject of their accusation;\nbut, the charge is so childish and ridiculous, that it deserves to\nbe treated with contempt. It is a little extraordinary, that they\ndid not bring against him the prophecy he had delivered of the\nutter ruin which, before that generation should have passed away,\nhe had declared the Romans would bring upon their devoted city and\ntemple. But they cautiously refrain from speaking on that subject,\nand proceed to accuse him of blasphemy, but here again they can\nprove nothing. Caiaphas artfully enough, adjures the condemned, by\nthe living God, to tell him plainly, if he were the Christ, the Son\nof God. To which question Jesus replies, by boldly declaring his\nGodhead,[71] and saying, that hereafter they should see him coming\nin the clouds of Heaven, as their Judge. The High Priest then rent\nhis mantle, and they pronounced him worthy of death. By the law of\nMoses, persons guilty of blasphemy, were to be stoned to death.\nThe Jews being a conquered people, had not the power to inflict so\nsevere a punishment, they, therefore, take Jesus before the Roman\nGovernor, and vehemently accuse him of perverting the nation,\nforbidding to give tribute to C\u00e6sar, saying, that, he himself was\nChrist a King, and that he stirred up the people, beginning from\nGalilee to Jerusalem. But how false and unjust the accusation.\nC\u00e6sar, throughout his vast dominions, had not a more honourable or\nobedient subject, nor one who by example or precept, better taught\nthe true interest of the king and nation. He, indeed, preached from\nGalilee to Jerusalem, but not with words of sedition and strife,\nfor he stirred up the people to practise such a refined and exalted\nsystem of ethics, that those of the far-famed heathen moralists\nsink into insignificance and contempt, when their sentiments are\ncompared with the doctrines of morality as taught by Jesus and his\nApostles.--\"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good\nto them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you\nand persecute you, and whatsoever ye would that men should do unto\nyou, do ye even so to them.\" He taught the people throughout all\nJewry, to \"render unto C\u00e6sar the things that are C\u00e6sar's, and unto\nGod the things that are God's.\" He even wrought a miracle to furnish\nthe means of paying his own and disciples' tribute money. But we\ncannot find an instance of his working a miracle to supply his own\nnecessities, although so poor that he had not where to lay his head.\nHe ever taught the Jewish nation and his Apostles, and through them\nthe world, to render unto all men their due, whether of tribute,\ncustom, or honour. He enjoined them to submit themselves to the\nPowers that be, and, to obey the laws of their Sovereigns and civil\nMagistrates so far as they might be in unison with the commands\nof God. Although he spoke so freely of the duties of the subject,\nhe treated the great ones of the earth as men accountable to God,\nfor the talents entrusted to their charge. His Apostles, taught\nby their divine Lord and Master, neither flattered the vices, nor\ncourted the favours of kings or nobles, for they were no sycophants.\nAlthough the doctrine of Jesus was so pure and Godlike, and his life\ndisplayed every virtue, (for in his spirit there was no guile) and,\nis the only one amongst Adam's race, who was free from sin, yet\nagainst him was the tongue of the slanderer busy, and calumny dared\nto raise her voice. Yea \"false witnesses did rise up and lay to his\ncharge things that he knew not.\"\n\n [70] John ii. 19-21.\n\n [71] Col. ii. 9.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXVIII.\n\n But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that\n openeth not his mouth. Thus, I was as a man that heareth not,\n and in whose mouth are no reproofs. Psalm xxxviii. 13, 14.\n\n\nDoes not the perusal of these words lead the mind back to the palace\nof Caiaphas, and the hall of Pilate, when Jesus appeared there,\nsurrounded by his blood-thirsty persecutors, who, in the bitterness\nof their malice, vehemently and unjustly accuse him of crimes his\nsoul abhorred. But, the meek and lowly Jesus heard their falsehoods\nwith silent composure. Their calumnies aroused no angry passions\nin his spotless soul. Though conscious of the injustice of their\nproceedings, he made no remonstrance. Even Pilate marvelled at his\nsilence, and exclaimed, hearest thou not how many things these\nwitness against thee? But Jesus answered not a word. He was \"as a\ndeaf man who heard not, or as one that is dumb so he opened not his\nmouth.\" Yet his silence was not the effect of sullenness, and,\nthough innocent of crimes alleged against him, he deigned not to\nvindicate his character, nor did his noble spirit stoop to load with\nreproach even his bitterest enemies. \"Though reviled, he reviled not\nagain; in his mouth there were no reproofs.\" Jesus, aware of the\nsituation in which he stood as the sinner's surety, looked beyond\nthe bar of Pilate, to the Tribunal of God's Justice: for though no\nsin was _in_ him, yet, by imputation, he was loaded _with_ sin.[72]\nThough he was unjustly condemned to death by the Roman Governor, he\nviewed the sentence gone forth against him in the Court of Heaven,\nand, seeing the hand of the Lord in this matter, he was dumb, and\nopened not his mouth, \"because thou, O God, didst it.\" This is\ndiscovered in the reply he made to Pilate's imperious question,\n\"Knowest thou not, that I have power to crucify thee, and have power\nto release thee?\" Jesus answered, \"thou couldest have no power at\nall against me, except it were given thee from above.\" Although\ninnocent of the crimes preferred against him, at Pilate's bar, yet,\nJesus knew that he stood charged before God, with the imputed mass\nof his people's sins for which he had made himself responsible.\nIs it not to this, we must attribute the otherwise extraordinary\nsilence Jesus manifested at the injustice of Pilate's sentence?\n\n [72] Isaiah liii. 6.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXIX.\n\n My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore, and my\n kinsmen stand afar off.--Psalm xxxviii. 11.\n\n\nHow forcible and just the remark of the wisest of men, \"that every\nman is a friend to him that giveth gifts.\" But, in the day of\nadversity, how few are treated with kindness and attention by their\nformer acquaintance and professed friends. At one time we see five\nthousand, and at another four thousand persons, partaking of the\nbounty of Jesus. Afterwards we behold a multitude following him;\nbut, he who knew their motives declared it was \"for the sake of the\nloaves and fishes.\" When he was so actively engaged in healing the\nsick and diseased, from all parts they crowd around, and call him\nLord and Master; but, no sooner does the black cloud of adversity\nlower over the head of this Benefactor of our race, than the\ncringing throng depart; even his immediate disciples, who had shared\nhis friendship, forsook him, and fled at the very first appearance\nof danger. So precipitate were they that they stayed not to inquire\nor consider if mischief was likely to befal them, by their adherence\nto their Master. Only anxious for their own safety, they leave him\nalone and unprotected, to struggle with dangers and difficulties.\nBut one disciple is found in the hall of Judgment, and even he, with\noaths and curses, denies any knowledge of the despised Nazarene.\nBut, were none found to espouse his cause? Did not the recipients\nof his bounty appear for his rescue? Were not those tongues whose\npowers of articulation Jesus had restored, heard to plead for mercy?\nDid not those eyes he had blessed with vision, with tears supplicate\ncompassion for their benefactor? Were not those withered arms he had\nhealed, upraised to shield from insult the giver of their strength?\nDid not those he had delivered from the power of the grave, boldly\nshed their hearts' blood to rescue, from the arm of cruelty and\noppression, the restorer of their life? No! Silent as the grave was\nevery tongue in his defence; no advocate was heard to plead his\ncause; no friendly arm was outstretched to succour or support the\noppressed Saviour; \"Lover and friends stood aloof from his sore, and\nhis kinsmen stood afar off.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XL.\n\n I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that\n plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and\n spitting.--Isaiah l. 6.\n\n\nFor the fulfilment of this prophecy, we have only to go back to\nthe hall Pr\u00e6torium, where we behold the blessed Jesus surrounded\nby a band of Roman soldiers, who treat him with every species of\nindignity. Not content with having scourged him, (a punishment\nconsidered too ignoble to be inflicted on a free born Roman)[73]\nthey proceed to insult his Kingly Office. The purple robe, the reedy\nsceptre, the crown of thorns, the bended knee, and the salutation,\n\"Hail, King of the Jews,\" are all used in mockery. What cruelty,\nmixed with insult, was here; had sport only been intended, a crown\nof reeds had sufficed. But no, it must be a crown of thorns, and\nthat not gently placed on his head, but its sharp points were\nforcibly struck in. His Prophetical Office is next profaned, by\nblindfolding and smiting him on the face, crying, prophesy who it\nwas that smote thee. They even dare to spit in his face, which by\nevery people is considered the greatest indignity that can be\noffered, but especially so by the Jewish nation, amongst whom, if\na father did but spit in his daughter's face, she was treated as\nunclean seven days.[74] The Romans were accustomed to present a\ncivic crown, composed of oak leaves, to him who had saved the life\nof a fellow citizen, but when Jesus literally laid down his life to\nsave from everlasting death a countless multitude, whom no man can\nnumber, of the citizens of earth, no such civic honours were awarded\nhim. When our first parents apostatized from God, the earth was\ncursed for their sake, and made to bring forth briars and thorns,\nbut Jesus only, of Adam's race, was ever crowned with thorns. What\na spectacle for the angels of light to witness! The God of glory\ninsulted and mocked by worms of the earth! To behold that sacred\nface, before which they were wont to bow with adoration and love,\ncovered with shame and spitting. But the season of sorrow and of\nsuffering is now past, and Jesus, the Son of the Most High, is\nreceiving the just reward of his sufferings and humiliation.[75]\nThat head, torn and lacerated by the rugged thorn, is now adorned\nwith many crowns, and that face, once obscured by shame and\nspitting, now shines with refulgent brightness.\n\n [73] Romans xvi. 37.\n\n [74] Numbers xii. 14.\n\n [75] Isaiah xl. 10.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLI.\n\n He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and\n acquainted with grief; and we hid, as it were, our faces from\n him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.--Isaiah liii. 3.\n\n Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One,\n to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to\n a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also\n shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the\n Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.--Isaiah xlix. 7.\n\n\nHere again, we are called upon, to behold Jesus, exposed to shame,\nreproach, and sorrow. \"He was in the world, and the world was made\nby him, yet the world knew him not.\" \"He came unto his own, and his\nown received him not.\" Though his visit was an errand of mercy, yet\nhe was treated as the offscouring of all things. \"He was despised\nand rejected of men, himself a man of sorrows, and acquainted with\ngrief; and we hid, as it were, our faces from him; he was despised,\nand we esteemed him not.\" \"Away with him; crucify him,\" was the\npublic cry. And to Pilate's question, whether of the twain will ye\nthat I release unto you, Barabbas or Jesus? they all, as with one\nvoice, instantly exclaim, \"not this man, but Barabbas.\" Thus, he who\nhad been cast into prison for sedition and murder, was released,\nand Jesus rejected. Yet it was \"Jehovah's Holy One, the Redeemer\nof Israel, the Mighty God of Jacob, whom man despised, whom the\nnation abhorred, who was as a servant to Rulers.\" We may shudder at\nthe indignities offered to the Son of God when he tabernacled on\nearth, and the thought may cross the mind, had I been present, I\nwould not have joined in opposing and insulting the meek and lowly\nJesus. Good, my friend, but allow me affectionately to remind you,\nthat if you are still at enmity to God by wicked works; if you have\nnot submitted your heart unreservedly to the Lord, nor accepted his\nfree offers of pardon and reconciliation, through the blood and\nrighteousness of Jesus; if you are not simply resting by faith on\nthe vicarious sacrifice of Christ, as the only propitiation for sin,\nand trusting solely to his perfect, yet imputed, righteousness, as\nthe ground of your acceptance with God, you are, to all intents and\npurposes, acting the like part, or even worse, than did the ancient\nrejecters of Jesus, for you despise and reject the Redeemer of\nIsrael, amidst the full blaze of gospel light. \"If he that despised\nMoses' law, died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment,\nsuppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under\nfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,\nwherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite\nunto the Spirit of grace?\" We know him that hath said, \"Vengeance\nbelongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.\"[76]\n\n [76] Heb. x. 28-30.\n\nBut let us not forsake our own mercies, nor longer despise and\nreject the Christ of God, nor lightly esteem that salvation, to\npurchase which, he was content to suffer ignominy and sorrow. Let us\nbow with humility and reverence \"before the Redeemer of Israel.\" Let\nus bend the willing knee in adoration and gratitude before Jehovah's\nHoly One, of whom thus saith the Lord, \"Kings shall see and arise;\nPrinces also shall worship before him; the Gentiles shall come to\nhis light, and Kings to the brightness of his rising.\" \"Nations, the\nlearned and the rude,\" shall bow before the Mighty One of Jacob,\nfall prostrate to his all conquering grace, and call the Redeemer\nblessed.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLII.\n\n But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of\n the people.--Psalm xxii. 6.\n\n\nDo we not here instantly recognise the language of the despised\nNazarene? And is not the whole Psalm a striking description of\nhis unparalleled sufferings, of his unprecedented degradation\nand humility? He whose will formed the universal law of nature;\nhe who marshalled the stars, and called them all by name; who\nbid the planets roll, and the sun to shine; who gave the orb of\nday his splendid rays, and lent the moon her silvery light; he\nwhose word the congregated waters of the ocean felt and owned,\nwhen he said, \"hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here\nshall thy proud waves be stayed\"--he who shared the throne of\nDeity,[77] and received the adorations of glorified saints, of\nCherubim and Seraphim, and before whose footstool even Gabriel\nbowed and worshipped.[78] He whose right it was to reign in Heaven,\ncondescended to visit this, his distant kingdom, and tabernacle\nhere for a season in the garb of humanity. Surely, if the Lord of\nHeaven and Earth deigned, for great and wise purposes, to enter this\nlower world, it was undoubtedly his just right to have appeared in\nall the majesty and splendour becoming his rank, and thus to have\ndisplayed himself as the glorious God. Was it not a condescension in\nthe second person of the glorious Trinity to assume the character\nand office of Mediator? But, how unspeakably great his condescension\nin taking our nature into union with his Divine Person, even if it\nhad always retained the splendours exhibited to the three disciples\non the mount of transfiguration. Is there not just reason to believe\nthe human nature to which Deity was united, as far exceeded in its\nnative powers and faculties the rest of mankind[79]; as that the\nintellectual powers of the justly celebrated Newton exceeded the\nmental capacities of an idiot? We behold the God-man, Christ Jesus,\nvoluntarily waiving his just claim to glory, and appearing, as the\nProphet described, \"without form or comeliness;\" for in the eyes\nof those who saw him \"there was no beauty that they should desire\nhim.\" He was exposed to every species of scorn and contempt, his\nname a reproach, himself an outcast, the sport and ridicule of the\nJewish nation. We discover Jesus, as the surety of man, cheerfully\nlay aside for a season all his visible and personal glory[80], to\nrecompense the injury God's manifested glory had sustained by the\ncreature's sin. And as Adam the creature, sinned in aspiring to\nbe as God[81], so Christ, the Son of God, in making restitution,\ncondescended to assume the creature. The satisfaction of Jesus did\nnot consist merely in his obedience and sufferings, but also in his\nabasement and humiliation. He emptied himself, as it were, of all\npersonal glory[82] to honour God, who, in the person of God the\nFather, covenanted to maintain and demand the honour and dignity due\nto Godhead.[83] The apostasy and disobedience of man had reflected\ndishonour on God, therefore Jesus submitted to shame and reproach,\nand to have his personal glory debased to make reparation. The lower\nhe humbled himself, the greater honour did he reflect upon God, and\nthe greater was the display of his love to man. When we consider the\ncharacter of him with whom it is no \"robbery to be equal with God,\"\nand contrast the true dignity of his person, with his appearance\nand reception on earth, we are overwhelmed at the extent of his\nzeal for his Father's honour, and his love for the fallen race of\nAdam, which prompted him to descend from the heights of glory and\nblessedness to take the lowest rank, and most humbled situation[84],\nin society, to raise and exalt his enemies to a participation and\nshare in the glories of his Heavenly Kingdom. Surely \"this was\ncompassion like a God.\"\n\n [77] Psalm cx. 1. Zech. xiii. 7.\n\n [78] Heb. i. 6.\n\n [79] John vii. 46.\n\n [80] John xvii. 5.\n\n [81] Gen. iii. 5.\n\n [82] Phil. ii. 7.\n\n [83] Matt. v. 18.\n\n [84] Luke xxii. 27.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLIII.\n\n He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his\n mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep\n before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.--Isaiah\n liii. 7.\n\n\nIt is scarcely possible not to see that it is Jesus who is here\nheld forth to our view. Who so oppressed and afflicted as he? Who\nso patient under insult and tyrannical cruelty? Who so silent\nunder the voice of calumny? What lamb so patient under the hand of\nthe destroyer? He did not resist, he did not oppose; yea, he did\nnot even attempt to vindicate his conduct; but, with meekness,\ngentleness, and cheerfulness did he hear, bear, and suffer, all\nthat malice could devise, or cruelty inflict. Although he bore\ntheir unjust treatment without murmuring, yet his was not the\ntame submission of one insensible of wrong, or incapable of\nresistance.[85]\n\n [85] Matthew xxvi. 53.\n\nUnder the law, the lamb intended as a sacrifice was first taken\nto the door of the tabernacle, that the priest might have any\nopportunity to discover if it was free from blemish;[86] and Jesus\nthe Lamb of God was not offered as a sacrifice without being first\nbrought bound before the High Priest. But he, blinded by prejudice\nand passion, neglected to perform this part of his office. Yet this\nspotless lamb was not led forth for slaughter, before his purity\nhad been attested; and, though the Priest refused to do it, Herod\nand Pilate gave their testimony to the fact, that in him they could\nfind no fault. He was perfectly free from spot or blemish. He alone\nis the Lamb whose sacrifice can benefit either Jew or Gentile. It\nwould be easy to shew, that all other sacrifices were but typical of\nthis Lamb, viewed as slain from the foundation of the world; but, as\nit is more connected with type than prophecy, it would be improper\nhere.\n\n [86] Leviticus ix. 3. 5.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLIV.\n\n He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall\n declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land\n of the living, for the transgression of my people was he\n stricken.--Isaiah liii. 8.\n\n\nHere the Prophet presents us with another sketch, which so exactly\ncorresponds with many features in the sufferings of Jesus, that we\ncannot well mistake, if we consider him as the person intended.\nWhat supinness do we behold in the cause of truth, how faint are\nthe exertions to promote the Glory of God, to whom are we indebted\nfor all spiritual and temporal blessings. Surely, the disciples of\nChrist, in every age, must blush to compare their want of zeal for\ntheir Master's Glory, with the ardour and unwearied perseverance\ndisplayed by the adversaries of the Lord. What exertion and\ndetermination of purpose, is discoverable in the persecutors of\nJesus. If they cannot accomplish their object in one way, they\nattempt it in another. If Annas or Caiaphas have not the power\n(Judea being under the Roman yoke) to execute Jesus, his enemies,\nnothing daunted, try Pilate and Herod, from whose tribunal, the\ninnocent sufferer is again conveyed back to the Judgment Hall of\nPilate, and eventually to Calvary. Thus was the blessed Jesus\nled bound by his insulting persecutors, from place to place, and\ncompelled to walk many a wearisome mile, surrounded by an incensed\nrabble, who thirsted for his blood. He was, indeed, taken from\nprison and from judgment, but, who shall declare his generation.\nWe may trace his journeys and count the number of his years on\nearth; but, we cannot name the period of time, when he first\nbegan his existence; for he existed as God, from everlasting to\neverlasting.[87] We hear the Jews saying \"As for this fellow, we\nknow not whence he is.\" As man, we see him cut off out of the land\nof the living. And the Prophets and Apostles, all join in stating,\nthat it was \"for the transgressions of his people, he was stricken.\"\nThey again and again repeat the same sentiment. We are not left\nwith a solitary proof or two, on a subject of so much importance;\nbut it is written as with a sunbeam, throughout the whole canon\nof scripture. We should never view the sufferings of Jesus,\nbut in connexion with the precious truth, that it was \"for the\ntransgression of his people he was stricken.\"\n\n [87] Romans xix. 5. Hebrews xiii. 8.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLV.\n\n For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have\n enclosed me; they have pierced my hands and my feet.--Psalm\n xxii. 16.\n\n\nWe cannot with any degree of consistency, apply these words to\nDavid. It is true he was often surrounded by foes, and encompassed\nby adversaries; but, never were his sorrows and sufferings of the\nkind here described. By the spirit of Prophecy, he spoke of the\nsufferings of Jesus, and to him alone can we with truth apply these\nwords, or indeed, the whole Psalm.\n\nWe see Jesus surrounded by men, who, for their ungovernable rage,\nare not unaptly compared to dogs; and the assemblies before whom he\nwas brought, proved by their conduct towards him, that they were\nunjust Rulers. What they called the Hall of Judgment, was, in this\ncase, the seat of injustice and oppression. On every side, did the\nassemblies of the wicked enclose him; yea, they crucified him, by\nwhich act they pierced his hands and his feet. Crucifixion was not a\nJewish punishment, but one used by the Romans, and they considered\nit so disgraceful that it was not allowed to be executed on a\nRoman, however heinous his crimes. It was only slaves, and persons\nbelonging to the conquered territories of the Roman Government,\nwho were sentenced to a death alike ignominious,[88] painful, and\nlingering. It was shameful, as the condemned always suffered naked;\nit was extremely painful, for they placed the sufferer on the cross\nwhen on the ground, the feet and outstretched arms, were then nailed\nto the wood, which being upraised, and one end fixed in a hole in\nthe ground, the sudden jirk occasioned the most excruciating pains\nto the whole body. And when we consider that the nails were driven\nthrough the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet, the most\nnervous parts of the body, the mind sickens at the thought, and is\nunwilling to dwell longer on so distressing an object; humanity\nsends forth a wish that death may speedily relieve the sufferer.\nBut, as no wound is inflicted on any part of the body absolutely\nnecessary to existence, the unfortunate sufferer often lingers many\nan hour in this extreme agony, before the powers of nature are\nexhausted and death closes the scene.\n\n [88] Hebrews xii. 2.\n\nThis is but a faint outline of the sufferings of crucifixion, to\nwhich the Priests and Rulers sentenced the blessed Jesus, whom we\nsee going forth to the place of execution, carrying his own cross,\nand fainting beneath the load. His unfeeling persecutors, fearing,\nlest he should expire by the road, and thus disappoint them in their\ncruel design, lay hold of a Cyrenian, named Simon, whom they compel\nto bear the cross to Calvary, a spot, rendered sacred to memory by\nthe sufferings of Jesus, who humbled himself unto death, even the\ndeath of the cross. Yes, he who could command a legion of angels to\nhis rescue, here submitted to a painful and ignominious death. Do we\nhear the Prophet inquire \"Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel,\nand thy garments like him that treadeth the wine-vat?\" Jesus\nreplies, I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people\nthere was none with me; and \"I looked and there was none to help;\nand I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore, mine own\narm brought salvation.\" Whenever we look to the cross of Jesus, we\nshould eye him as \"the surety of his people,\" as the \"just suffering\nfor the unjust, to bring sinners unto God.\" It was for them he\nwept, bled, groaned, agonized, and died. But while Christ crucified\nis to the \"Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness,\nit is unto them that are called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ the\npower of God, and the wisdom of God.\" Jesus, that he might sanctify\nthe people with his own blood, \"suffered without the gate.\" \"Let us\ntherefore go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.\"\nJesus suffered a painful, shameful, and ignominious death, to\ndeliver his people from the bitter pains of eternal death. His\ncrucifixion is the procuring cause of their salvation; for he died\nthat they might live. Ought we not to admire and adore the wisdom of\nour God, who could cause such invaluable good to spring out of what,\ndistinctly considered, was an act of such injustice and cruelty. We\nsee the persecutors of Jesus full of fury and indignation, executing\ntheir cruelties on the innocent object of their abhorrence. But,\nat the same time, we discover, that by their instrumentality, the\ndesigns of God are accomplished. Not that their crime is in the\nleast degree lessened. No, the hatred, malice, envy, injustice,\nrage, and cruelty, was all their own act and deed, and the sin and\nguilt, consequent on the foul transgression, is with justice laid\nto their charge. The moral evil of the act, is in nowise diminished\nby the Lord's overruling it to accomplish his purposes and making it\nminister to his glory. He can make \"the wrath of man praise him, but\nthe remainder of that wrath he will restrain.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLVI.\n\n My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far\n from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?--Psalm xxii.\n 1.\n\n\nIf we would know whose language this is, we must by faith ascend the\nhill of Calvary; there, taking our stand at the foot of the cross\nof Jesus, we hear him utter the dolorous cry, \"My God, my God, why\nhast thou forsaken me.\" We do not find a word of complaint of the\npains and sufferings of his mangled body escape his lips. They are\nborne in patient silence, the cruelties inflicted by the puny arm\nof flesh, cannot extort a groan or a murmur from the holy sufferer.\nThis mournful exclamation, was not occasioned by the agonies of his\nbody. He was not incapable of feeling them in their highest extent,\n(for his human nature was left to its infirmities, that he might\nfully suffer) but he was so entirely swallowed up with the weight of\nhis Father's wrath; that it overwhelmed the sense of bodily pain.\nHere again we are constrained to eye Jesus in the character of a\nsurety. He had become a surety for rebel man, and he truly smarted\nfor it. He felt the awful extent of the tremendous debt he had\nengaged to cancel, he found the wrath of God \"as an overwhelming\nflood,\" as \"deep waters in which there was no standing.\" At that\nsoul-appalling season, the phials of divine vengeance were poured\nout, and he drank of the cup of trembling from the hand of the\nLord; not a sip merely, but he drank of it to the very dregs. He\nfelt by bitter experience that God's wrath is a consuming fire; for\nby it, his \"heart was melted like wax, in the midst of his body.\"\nThe sorrows of his soul, were occasioned by the sins of the world\nimputed to, and charged upon, him, and for which he then endured\nthe wrath of God. Yes, in the six hours Jesus hung upon the cross,\nhe had to struggle with the sorrows of death and with the fierce\nanger of God; he was forsaken by his Father, and suffered his\ndivine wrath, which indeed constitutes the tremendous curse. If the\nthought should arise in the mind, how that Infinite Being who is\nemphatically described as a God of Love, could find in his heart\nto use such severity toward him, whom he styles \"his only-begotten,\nwell-beloved Son, he in whom the Father is always well pleased,\"\nit should be remembered, that God sustains two relations towards\nChrist; the love of a Father to him as a Son, and the claim of a\nJudge toward him as a surety. Although God never expressed so much\nanger toward Christ,[89] as when he hung upon the cross, yet in\nfact, he was never so well pleased with him as then.[90] Yea, he\nwas more pleased with him, than he had been displeased by all the\nsins that creatures have committed or can commit. It is true, mercy\nis God's delight, but justice is his sceptre, whereby he rules,\ngoverns, and judges the world. His attribute of wisdom, gives to\nboth their fullest demonstration and accomplishment. The plan\nof reconciliation, the scheme of redemption, by Jesus; is God's\nmasterpiece: in which all his attributes meet, and harmonise.[91]\nIf we would know the abhorrence God bears toward sin, then we must\nlook at the cross of Jesus. There it is God has exhibited the\ngreatest manifestation of his hatred toward it, by his treatment of\nhim who became the sinner's surety. The drowning of the old world,\nthe destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, together with the eternal\npunishment of the miserable inhabitants of the bottomless pit; never\ncan display God's detestation of sin so forcibly, as the astonishing\nevents which once transpired at Gethsemane and Calvary. If Jesus\ncould not endure to be deprived of the light of God's countenance\nfor a few short hours; then how wretched the state of those who are\nbanished his presence for ever! Jesus well knew the blessedness of\nGod's favour; he could bear with composure, the utmost torments that\nwanton cruelty could inflict; but he could not behold in silence,\nthe angry countenance of his Father, or endure to be deprived of the\nrefreshing presence of the Lord. Does not this display the love and\ncompassion of our Jesus, in a most endearing point of view, when we\nbehold him voluntarily submitting, not only to corporeal punishment,\nbut also to the curse and wrath of God for us, and for our salvation?\n\n [89] Zechariah xiii. 7.\n\n [90] John x. 17.\n\n [91] Psalm lxxxv. 10.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLVII.\n\n Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that\n is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and\n the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn mine hand upon the\n little ones.--Zechariah xiii. 7.\n\n\nThis verse, at the first reading, may appear involved in difficulty,\nbut a little attention will enable us to discover to whom it refers.\nWe hear a solemn call for a sword to awake. What sword? Surely it\ncan be none other than the sword of divine justice, which had so\nlong delayed to execute the punishment due to the violators of God's\nrighteous law. But against whom is it directed? Against fallen and\nrebellious man? No, but against \"my shepherd, and against the man\nthat is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts.\" The next interesting\nquestion which arises, is, Who is this Shepherd? We answer, Jesus.\nIn the Old Testament, the Messiah is often discovered to us, in the\ncharacter of a shepherd, and in the New, we find every description\nfully realised in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, who is the true\nShepherd of Israel. But why is the sword called upon to awake\nagainst him? This may require a little history, but is easily\nanswered from the records of divine truth. Mankind in the person of\nAdam their federal head, and since, each individual, distinctively,\nhas broken God's righteous law, not only the decalogue delivered\nto Moses, but the law of nature; man owing all to his bountiful\nCreator and Preserver, was, in point of common justice, bound to\nrender to his Lord the tribute of his love and gratitude. But who,\namongst the human race, can venture to stand forth, and appealing\nto Omniscience itself, affirm, that he has \"loved the Lord his God,\nwith all his mind, with all his soul, and with all his strength;\nand his neighbour as himself?\" No, it is in vain to endeavour to\nconceal a truth God has declared so publicly; that by \"the deeds of\nthe law, no flesh living shall be justified.\" Man having rendered\nhimself amenable to God's holy law, stands exposed to all its\nawful consequences. But \"be astonished, O heavens, and wonder, O\nearth,\" to behold this great, this good shepherd, stand forth as the\nvoluntary surety of his flock, engaging to take all their guilt,\nand its punishment, upon himself. Thus becoming responsible, for\nall their mighty debt, having placed himself in their law room, the\nsword of divine justice was called upon to execute its tremendous\npunishment, (the punishment due to the whole flock) on the person of\ntheir surety shepherd.\n\nWe would next direct our attention to the words, \"The man that is\nmy fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts:\" and trace their application\nto Jesus. For proofs of his humanity, see him a babe at Bethlehem;\nview him labouring in the occupation of a carpenter; trace the\ninnumerable instances given in the records of the Evangelists, of\nhis humanity; behold him exposed to all the infirmities of our\nnature; see him enduring hunger, thirst, weariness, reproach,\nprivations, pain, sorrow, and suffering; yes, as man he wept,\ngroaned, bled, agonised, and died. As God, behold him giving sight\nto the blind, making the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, and the\nlame to walk; cleansing the lepers, healing the sick, and all by\na word or touch; yea, at his command, the dead again sprang into\nlife, and devils themselves fled, or cried out for mercy at his\napproach. When he issued his mandate, be it observed, there was no\nexertion of physical power; and if he ever used outward means, they\nwere such as carried conviction to the mind of every beholder, that\nthe cure was not the effect of their application, but an exercise\nof his power, who is truly \"fellow to the Lord of Hosts.\" All the\nessential attributes of God belong to Jesus: mark his omniscience in\nthe instance of Nathaniel,[92] \"when thou wast under the fig-tree,\nI saw thee.\" See him exercise his omnipotence at the lakes of\nTiberias and Gennesaret, in the two miraculous draughts of fish;\nthe one before, the other after his resurrection. In directing the\nfish to bring the piece of money; in walking on the sea: and the\ninstances also, of his feeding five thousand persons from five\nloaves, and seven thousand from four loaves and a few small fishes,\nand it would appear that the fragments left, exceeded the slender\nstock at the commencement of the repast. Behold his omnipresence\nin the case of Lazarus, whom he declared to be dead although none\nbrought the tidings. Indeed the instances are numberless, in which\nthe unprejudiced mind may discover the deity of Jesus. It was\noften manifested in his declaring the thoughts and motives, not\nonly of his immediate disciples, but of many who, under the guise\nof friendship, were secretly endeavouring to draw from his lips\nsomething which might give them a plea for seizing his person.\nYes, Jesus discovered himself to be the omniscient, omnipotent,\nomnipresent, heart-searching God. Although his humanity and deity\nare so closely united, yet they are easily to be discovered. See\nthe humanity sleeping, but behold the God arising and rebuking\nthe tempestuous winds and sea, which knew his voice and instantly\nobeyed. Above all, behold his body carried from the cross to the\nsepulchre, after having paid a debt, which the whole human race,\nthrough the countless ages of eternity, were unable to discharge:\nbut it was fully cancelled by the man who is \"fellow to the Lord of\nHosts,\" and as such see him bursting the bars of death asunder, and\narising, the triumphant Conqueror of death, hell, and the grave.\n\n [92] John i. 47-50.\n\nThe latter clause of this prophecy was fulfilled, when Jesus was\nseized and hurried before his unjust judges; then the shepherd was\nsmitten, and the sheep scattered, as those who have no keeper; for\nall his disciples forsook him, and fled.\n\nThe mighty conflict is now past; for the sword of divine justice,\nwhich had long slumbered, awoke; and, guided by the arm of\nOmnipotence, was dipped in the heart's blood of Israel's chief\nShepherd: the man who is \"fellow to the Lord of Hosts.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLVIII.\n\n They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my\n vesture.--Psalm xxii. 18.\n\n\nThe circumstances attending the disposal of the garments of the\ncrucified Jesus, are in themselves trifling and insignificant,\nbut when viewed in connexion with this prophecy, it is no longer\na matter of little importance. It is equally necessary that the\nsmall, as well as the great and conspicuous parts of prophecy\nshould be fulfilled; and it is highly satisfactory to trace, amid\nthe more minute events connected with the life and death of Jesus,\nso striking a correspondence with the Old Testament prophecies\nof the Messiah. In fact, if these were wanting, the whole, as an\nevidence, would be incomplete. How satisfactory is it to find, in\nthis instance, the very raiment of Jesus become a witness for the\ntruth that he is the Messiah. It was not the disciples, or friends\nof Jesus, who parted his garments among them, and cast lots upon his\nvesture: but it was the Roman soldiers, who, ignorant of the Jewish\nprophecies, could not be supposed to have divided the garments among\nthem in that particular way, for the express purpose of fulfilling\nthis prophecy; which might have been imagined, had it been the\ndisciples instead of the soldiers. These men, alike ignorant and\nunconcerned about the fulfilment of prophecy, could not even be\nanxious to possess the garments of Jesus from their intrinsic worth;\nno, it was only the humble dress of a poor jew: nor were they led\nto attach any particular value to the clothes, from love to its\nlate wearer, for whom they felt neither affection or respect. It is\nprobable they were severally desirous to possess some part of the\napparel, that they might exhibit it as a trophy that they shared in\nthe destruction of the King of the Jews.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XLIX.\n\n They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave\n me vinegar to drink.--Psalm lxix. 21.\n\n\nIt was not unfrequent that cordials or opiates were given the\nunhappy objects sentenced to crucifixion, to blunt the severity of\ntheir agonies, and shorten the period of their sufferings. But, at\nthe crucifixion of Jesus, no friendly hand presented the soothing\ndraught. When faint from loss of blood, and parched by burning\nfever occasioned by excessive pain, the dying sufferer exclaimed \"I\nthirst;\" a sponge is conveyed on a reed to his parched lips; but,\nalas! it is absorbed in a liquid too nauseous, even for one in his\nfamished state, to drink. Unfeeling wretches! thus to sport with\nthe sufferings of such a distressed object; thus to mock the wishes\nof one in the last agonies of death!\n\nWhen the son of Jesse, in the cave of Adullam, longed, and said,\n\"O that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of\nBethlehem, that is by the gate,\" three of the mightiest heroes in\nhis valiant little band broke through the opposing ranks of the\nPhilistine's army, to fetch the wished-for draught; but when the\nSon of God required the refreshment of a little water; when his\ntongue, from very thirst, clave to the roof of his mouth, and his\nstrength was dried up as a potsherd, he was insulted with a mixture\nof vinegar and gall. But little did the thoughtless multitudes who\nsurrounded the cross of Jesus imagine, that he was then drinking\nto the very dregs, the wormwood, and the gall, of Jehovah's wrath,\nwhich was far more bitter to his soul, than their offensive present\nto his taste. He was then redeeming his church from hell, that black\nabode of wo, whose wretched inhabitants are deprived of a drop of\nwater, to assuage their tormenting thirst: and the horrors of the\ncrucifixion were greatly augmented by the darkness that shrouded the\nscene, when the meridian sun was enveloped in the gloom of night.\nBlessed Jesus, though Lord of all, thou wast treated worse than\nearth's meanest slave.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER L.\n\n With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with\n their teeth.--Psalm xxxv. 16.\n\n All they that see me, laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip,\n they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he\n would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in\n him.--Psalm xxii. 7, 8.\n\n\nThis prophecy is so exactly in accordance with the event, that one\ncould readily believe the royal psalmist had stood on Calvary's\nmount, and literally recorded the insulting taunts and ironical\nreproaches used by the despisers of the suffering Jesus. The men,\ntheir actions, and the time, are exactly described, and even their\ninsulting language noticed, with a minuteness that precludes a\npossibility of mistake. This disgraceful scene occurred at the\npassover; at that feast, when Israel was commanded to remember\nher Lord's mercies, in delivering her from Egyptian bondage; when\nhe slew the strength of Egypt's land, even from the first-born of\nPharoah that sat on the throne, to the first-born of the captive\nin the dungeon. At that solemn festival, did those merciless\nhypocrites discover (beneath the cloak of pharisaical sanctity)\nthe rancorous enmity they cherished in their hearts towards virtue\nin its purest, loveliest form. But how void of every spark of\nmagnanimity must be the wretch who can sport with the feelings\nof one writhing in all the agonies of death. How lost to all the\nkindlier feelings of our nature, thus to exult over suffering\nhumanity. Surely the Chief Priests and scribes strangely forgot\ntheir station and their pride, when they could stoop to join the\nrailing throng, and mingle their voice of mockery and insult with\nthe Jewish rabble. How little did they intend to honour Jesus when\nthey insultingly exclaimed, \"he saved others, himself he cannot\nsave.\" But we admit the fact, and glory in the truth. He indeed had\nthen cured many a dire disease, and released some from the very\njaws of death: and in those very hours of sorrow, he was saving \"a\ncountless multitude, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people,\nand nation,\" who must inevitably have perished for ever, had he not\nbeen content to suffer for them. But though he saved others, himself\nhe would not, yea, he could not, save. His honour was pledged in\nthe council of peace; he must fulfil the covenants he had engaged\nto perform. God is not \"a man, that he should lie; neither the son\nof man, that he should repent:\" \"hath he said, and shall he not do\nit?\" or \"hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?\" \"Sing, O\nye Heavens, for the Lord hath done it; and shout, ye lower parts of\nthe earth, for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified himself in\nIsrael.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LI.\n\n Therefore, will I divide him a portion with the great, and\n he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath\n poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with\n the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made\n intercession for the transgressors.--Isaiah liii. 12.\n\n\nTo whom but Jesus can we apply this. Do we not find him reckoned\nwith Barabbas, a traitor and murderer, and were not two thieves\ncrucified with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst?\nThus we behold him numbered with the transgressors, and bearing the\nsin of many. All the Prophets, Evangelists, Apostles, Martyrs, with\nthe Church Militant, and the Church Triumphant, proclaim, as with\none voice, his death as the expiatory sacrifice, his blood as the\npropitiation for the sins of his Church, and that he suffered, the\njust for the unjust, to bring sinners unto God. He died to redeem\na countless multitude of the children of earth, who, freed from\nsin and sorrow, will for ever shout victory, through the blood of\nthe Lamb. This is the great leading doctrine of the everlasting\nGospel. This is the sum and substance of the Old and New Testaments.\nThanks be unto God, for having given us line upon line, and precept\nupon precept, on this momentous article of the Christian Faith. We\nhear the blessed Jesus interceding for transgressors. Even when on\nthe cross he was not unmindful of his priestly office, but amid\nall his personal sorrows and agonies, he did, as with his dying\nbreath, send in a petition to the Heavenly Court, for the pardon\nof his murderers: \"Father, forgive them; for they know not what\nthey do.\" This Great High Priest is now sitting at the right hand\nof the throne of the Majesty in the Heavens, where \"He is able to\nsave them to the uttermost who come unto God by him; seeing he ever\nliveth to make intercession for them.\" The God-man Christ Jesus, is\nnow exalted to high and distinguished honours, on account of his\nhumiliation and sufferings, and his voluntarily pouring out his\nsoul unto death.[93] He had power to lay down his life, and power\nto take it again, but no man had power to take it from him. He laid\nit down of himself. Therefore, God will \"Divide him a portion with\nthe great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong.\" The Man\nJesus, now sits on the throne of Deity, and humanity participates in\nall the honours paid to the second Person in the Glorious Trinity.\nAs he was openly put to shame on earth, is it not right that he\nshould here also be publicly rewarded? Satan, who so long had\nreigned prince of this world, is now a conquered tyrant, his empire\nis weakened, for Jesus has spoiled the principalities and powers of\ndarkness; and he will for one thousand years confine this destroyer\nof our race, a captive in the bottomless pit.[94] In that bright day\nof millennial glory, all shall know the Lord, and every tongue shall\ncall our Emmanuel blessed; and he shall reign a triumphant King over\nearth's remotest bounds.\n\n [93] Ephesians i. 20-22.\n\n [94] Revelations xx. 2, 3.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LII.\n\n He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken.--Psalm\n xxxiv. 20.\n\n\nThe soldiers (at the request of the Jews, and the command of Pilate)\ngo forth to execute their last act of cruelty on Jesus and his\ncompanions, having broken the legs of the two malefactors, they\napproach the body of Jesus, but here they pause, hesitate, retire,\nand leave his bones unbroken. Whence this mark of respect, toward\nthe object of their scorn and abhorrence? Why did not those voices,\nwhich a few hours before rent the air with cries of \"Crucify him,\ncrucify him,\" now urge the soldiers to commit the same act of\nviolence on the body of the dead, though despised Nazarene. To\nwhat cause must we attribute this act of forbearance, on the part\nof the by-standers as well as soldiers? Surely, to none other than\nthe over-ruling Providence of God. He who has the hearts of all men\nat his disposal, watched over the body of Jesus, and preserved it\nfrom that act of violence, \"He kept all his bones, not one of them\nwas broken.\" How exactly was the prophecy fulfilled! How striking\na resemblance does the original bear to the portrait! The Lamb\nslain at the Passover, was intended to exhibit to ancient Israel\na crucified Saviour. Of that typical Lamb, Jehovah expressly\ncommanded, \"A bone should not be broken.\" Though the whole of the\nflesh was to be consumed, yet not a bone was to be injured.[95] Does\nnot that solemn Jewish sacrifice, point us to Jesus, the \"Lamb of\nGod, whose blood is able to cleanse from all sin;\"[96] and applied\nby the Spirit, will \"purge the conscience from dead works, to serve\nthe living and true God.\"\n\n [95] Exodus xii. 46.\n\n [96] John i. 29.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LIII.\n\n And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced.--Zechariah\n xii. 10.\n\n\nOne of the soldiers, with a spear, pierced the side of Jesus, and\nforthwith came thereout blood and water. \"He that saw it bare\nrecord, and his record is true\".[97] And we know that he saith\ntrue, that ye might believe, that it is Jesus of whom the scripture\nsaith, they \"Shall look on him whom they have pierced.\" There is\nanother and higher use to be made of this circumstance. Simple as\nthe fact at first sight may appear, yet it is the strongest proof\nof the death of Jesus. If only blood had issued from the wound,\nit would prove comparatively little. But, water was also seen to\nflow from the side; which was either the small quantity of water\ninclosed in the pericardium, in which the heart swims, or else\nthe cruor was almost coagulated and separated from the serum. If\nit is to be attributed to the latter cause, it confirms what the\nevangelist relates; that Jesus had been some time dead. But, if we\nplace it to the former, it is utterly impossible Jesus could have\nsurvived the wound, even if given in perfect health. In either\ncase, it effectually proves his death. Not a reasonable doubt can\nremain to suppose he was taken alive from the cross. May the act\nof the soldier, (wanton and cruel as it certainly was,) convince\nthe infidel, that Jesus was not taken from the cross before life\nwas quite extinct; and may he be led to look on him \"whom he has\npierced, and mourn.\" Blessed Jesus, may we often meditate on those\nawful scenes, when the rugged thorn pierced thy sacred temples,\nthe nails thy hands and feet, the spear thy side, and the wrath of\nGod thy soul. And, while we eye thee as the just suffering for the\nunjust, may we learn to abhor sin, which is so hateful in the sight\nof a pure and Holy God, that the blood of his own well-beloved Son\nwas shed ere it could be pardoned. Is not the view of a suffering\nRedeemer calculated to raise the Christian's confidence, even in\nseasons of the deepest affliction?[98] May he not fearlessly resign\nhis spiritual and temporal concerns, his fondest hopes and most\nanxious cares, to the guidance and wisdom of him, who so loved him\nas to die for him? For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled\nto God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we\nshall be saved by his life.\"\n\n [97] John xix. 34, 35. 1 John v. 8.\n\n [98] Romans viii. 32.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LIV.\n\n I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their\n covering.--Isaiah l. 3.\n\n\nIsaiah, or, as he is generally called, the Evangelical Prophet,\n(from his writings referring more frequently to the person and\noffices of Christ, than those of the other prophets,) when speaking\nof his sufferings declares, that \"The heavens shall become black\nas sackcloth of hair.\" This figurative description was realised at\nthe crucifixion of Jesus. The sun at mid-day was eclipsed, darkness\ncovered the land, from the sixth to the ninth hour, which, by our\nmode of computing time, was from twelve to three o'clock in the\nafternoon. The Jews begin their day at six o'clock in the morning.\nPerhaps it may be thought superstitious weakness, to imagine an\neclipse portended some great event? We reply, _this_ was not the\nresult of natural causes. It took place on the day the Jews killed\nthe Passover, which festival they were commanded, and always did\nobserve at the full of the moon;[99] therefore, it is evident, the\nmoon's shadow could not _then_ fall on the sun, for then they were\nin opposition, or one hundred and eighty degrees apart; besides, a\ntotal eclipse of the sun never lasts ten minutes, yet, this was a\ntotal eclipse from the sixth to the ninth hour, so that darkness\ncovered, at least the whole land of Judea, for three hours, which\nis contrary to the laws given by heaven's great architect, to these\nhis works. This extraordinary eclipse is noticed in profane history;\nDionysius, at Heliopolis, in Egypt, said of this darkness, \"Aut\nDeus natur\u00e6 patitur, aut mundi machina dissolvitur.\"--Either the\nGod of nature is suffering, or the machine of the world tumbling\ninto ruin. It was a supernatural event, and designed to show, that\nwhen Jesus stood forth as the surety of his people, he felt all the\ndread punishment due to them. Man, by his rebellion, has not only\nforfeited all spiritual blessings; but to temporal mercies also\nhe has no claim. When Jesus, as our Head and Representative, bore\nthe curse due to our sins, he was deprived of the cheering rays of\nheaven's great luminary, which was but a faint resemblance of the\nwithdrawing of the light of God's countenance.[100] Behold the awful\neffects of sin, although it was only _sin imputed_ to the Son of\nGod. Yet, the lamp of day withdraws his shining, as if sickening\nat the sight. Unable to behold the astonishing event, he hides his\nhead, and shrinks back, as if unwilling to shed his beams over a\nscene so tremendously awful. The event might also be designed to\nshow the darkness of the Mosaic dispensation, which was then for\never to be done away. It was but a shadow of good things to come;\nbut light and immortality are brought to light by the gospel. Jesus,\nthe Son of Righteousness is arisen, with healing in his wings; and\ndarkness, and its attendant superstition, shall flee away as the\nshadows upon the mountain's brow, on the appearance of the majesty\nof day in the rosy east. As the sun in the natural world is the\nsource of light and heat, such is Jesus to the spiritual world; he\nis the Light of Life, and there is not a ray of hope or light to\ncheer the rugged path of sorrow, but what must emanate from this\nFountain of Light; even amidst seasons of health and prosperity, all\nis darkness and gloom within, unless the soul is enlightened by his\nall-gladdening beams.\n\n [99] Exodus xii. 2. 6. 18.\n\n [100] Mark xv. 34.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LV.\n\n And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his\n death; because he hath done no violence, neither was any deceit\n in his mouth.--Isaiah liii. 9.\n\n\nIt is usual, amongst many nations, for the bodies of those who\nfall by the hand of the public executioner, not only to be denied\nthe rites of burial, but to be exposed to marked contempt. Though\nJesus made his grave with the wicked, yet it was also with the rich\nin his death. Crucified at Golgotha amidst two thieves, he shall\nreceive an honourable burial. All the Evangelists have recorded the\ncircumstances of his interment, and nobly distinguished the name of\nJoseph of Arimathea, for the marked respect with which he treated\nthe body of the despised Nazarene. Timidity kept him from before\npublicly acknowledging his attachment to Jesus; yet it is remarked,\nthough a member of the Sanhedrim he consented[101] not to the deed\nand counsel of those who condemned the Lord of life and glory.\nFully aware of the contempt and scorn affixed to the followers of\nthe crucified Jesus, his noble, disinterested spirit now led him\nresolutely to face it all; to rescue, if possible, the body from\nfurther abuse and dishonour. He went boldly unto Pilate, and begged\nthe body. His request is granted, Pilate having ascertained from the\ncenturion, that Jesus had been some time dead. Joseph is now joined\nby Nicodemus, (who at first came to Jesus by night,) and these two,\nhigh in rank and office, the one an honourable counsellor, the other\na ruler of the Jews, are busily engaged in paying the last sad\ntribute of respect to the remains of their dear departed Lord. One\nhaving provided an hundred pounds weight of spices to embalm the\nbody after the custom of the Jews, and the other supplying the fine\nlinen, they proceed to deposit the body in the sacred chamber of the\ntomb. The receptacle of this mighty dead was not the royal mausoleum\nof Judah's kings, but a new sepulchre, hewn out of a rock, in Joseph\nof Arimathea's garden. There laid they Jesus, where never man before\nwas laid. No funeral pomp or pageantry of state, that solemn mockery\nof wo, adorned his funeral procession. Though its attendants were\nfew, yet the tears of affection and love bedewed his mangled body,\nand the voice of lamentation and sorrow reverberate through this\nsolemn vault of death. How was the mighty fallen! That arm, then\nmotionless in death, ne'er did a deed of violence; that tongue,\nwhose universal law was kindness, was then silent as the grave;\nand that mouth, in which deceit ne'er found a place, was closed by\nthe iron hand of death. Behold here \"an Israelite indeed, in whose\nspirit was no guile.\" Surely the grave never before contained such\na prisoner. Its triumphs were complete, when Jesus was brought into\nthe dust of death.\n\n [101] Luke xxiii. 50, 51.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LVI.\n\n The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him\n with shame. Selah.--Psalm lxxxix. 45.\n\n\nBlessed Jesus! we behold thee cut off in the prime of thy days, in\nthe meridian of thy strength, and in the vigour of manhood. Thy\nbody was not worn by disease, nor decrepit by age; but thy bones\nwere full of marrow, and thy bow abode in strength, when, little\nmore than thirty-three years old, thou didst cheerfully resign thy\nbody to the cold arms of death! The periods of the incarnation and\ncrucifixion of Jesus, are very particularly marked by the sacred\nhistorians. His birth was in the year that Augustus C\u00e6sar, Emperor\nof Rome, issued his decree for taxing the Jewish people; after\nwhich event, he reigned nearly fifteen years, and was succeeded\nby Tiberius, his adopted son. It was in the fifteenth year of his\nreign, that Jesus, who was then about thirty years of age, entered\non his public ministry. By the Mosaic law, none were allowed to\nminister in the priest's office, until thirty, nor after fifty\nyears old.[102] Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi, but Judah; yet,\nas the priesthood centred in him, it became him, when fulfilling\nall righteousness, to submit to this Jewish command. From the\nwritings of the Apostle John, we can pretty clearly determine the\npublic ministry of Jesus to have been three years and a half, that\nEvangelist having marked in the period four Passovers (annual Jewish\nfestivals); one was celebrated not long after the baptism of Jesus,\nand two others are also recorded before the one at which Jesus was\ncrucified; that memorable one when \"the days of his youth were\nshortened, and he was covered with shame.\" A noble mind is far more\nsensible of shame, and feels it more acutely, than the body can any\ncorporeal punishment, however severe. Yet Jesus, who possessed true\nnobility of spirit, was exposed to shame in all its varied forms.\nHis companions were unlearned fishermen, publicans, and sinners;\nhis character was vilified--he was accused of vices and crimes of\nthe most odious nature, and his very name was a stigma of reproach.\nAt his trial, he endured shameful indignities. The Jewish nation\neven preferred having a traitor and murderer restored to liberty,\nrather than Jesus. He was publicly scourged, spit upon, buffeted,\nand crucified as a malefactor. The only type of his crucifixion was\nthe brazen serpent, and amidst all the irrational creation of God,\nthe serpent only is pronounced accursed.[103] The circumstances\nattending the crucifixion, were of the most degrading and\nhumiliating nature. Jesus suffered naked--his companions were two\nthieves. The spot was Golgotha, a place strewed with the unburied\nsculls of criminals. Nor were these things done in a corner, but at\nJerusalem, the chief city of Jewry. The time chosen was the feast\nof the Passover, when all the Israelitish males[104] were wont to\nrepair to the royal city, and thus became spectators of the shame\nand dishonour cast upon this despised man of Nazareth, \"who for the\njoy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame,\nand is for ever set down at the right hand of the Majesty on High.\"\n\n [102] Numbers iv. 3.\n\n [103] Gen. iii. 14. John iii. 14.\n\n [104] Exod. xxiii. 17. Deut. xvi. 16.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LVII.\n\n Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet\n we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But\n he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our\n iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with\n his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray;\n we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid\n on him the iniquity of us all.--Isaiah liii. 4, 5, 6.\n\n\n\"I pray thee, of whom did the Prophet speak these words?\" was the\ninquiry of an Eunuch of great authority under Candace, Queen of the\nEthiopians, when reading this chapter. Philip replied by beginning\nat the same scripture, and preaching unto him Jesus. To him alone\ncan we apply the whole chapter. In every part it bears so striking\na resemblance, that it appears more like a history written by a\ncontemporary, than the prediction of a Prophet who lived at least\nseven hundred years before the character described. These verses are\nmore valuable than fine gold--they are the key of knowledge--they\nopen to our view a work of immense wisdom and benefit--they make\nus acquainted with the counsel and plans of Jehovah.--By them, a\ncircumstance in the moral government of God, which was before dark\nand mysterious, is now bright and attractive.--They shed a glorious\nlight on the person of Jesus.--By them we understand why he who was\n\"holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners,\" was treated\nwith such contempt and cruelty. We no longer see this part of God's\nmoral government, as \"through a glass darkly.\" The veil which is\ncast around his designs is withdrawn, and the glorious scheme of\nredemption bursts forth to our astonished senses, sparkling with\nwisdom, justice, mercy, and love. By them, we are taught that\nJesus suffered, not for any sin of his own, but for the sins of\nhis people. The prophet is particular on this point. The life and\nconduct of Jesus proved him exempt from all the corrupt principles\nand evil passions of the children of men. He alone is free from\nimperfection, and his character forms the most perfect model of all\nthat is lovely, amiable, and exalted. In him was no sin, and even\nthe unjust judge who delivered him for crucifixion, was compelled\nto declare he could find nothing worthy of death against him; no,\nnor yet Herod, for he had sent Jesus to him. No doubt both Herod\nand Pilate examined his conduct with eagle-eyes, and gladly would\nhave discovered, if possible, something which might give them a plea\nfor condemning a man who so publicly declared himself the Messiah.\nThe Jews had looked forward to his coming with much pleasure, for\nthey considered he would deliver them from the Roman yoke, under\nwhich they then groaned. The slightest shadow of guilt would have\nbeen sufficient for the purpose of these partial Governors, and\nit deserves observation, that Jesus was brought before them on a\ncharge of perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to\nC\u00e6sar, saying that he was Christ, a King. But they can prove nothing\nagainst him, for the more his character is examined, the brighter it\nshines; and they are compelled to confess, \"they can find nothing\nworthy of death against him.\" Pilate, from a clear conviction that\nJesus was innocent, proposes to release him; but finding that he\nwould draw on himself the malice and hatred of the priests, like\na time-serving judge, he gave sentence as they desired, and in\nthe same moment in which he declared he could find no fault in\nJesus, did he deliver him over for crucifixion. Yet Pilate could\nnot conceal the horrors of an accusing conscience; sensible of the\nblack injustice of his conduct he took water and washed his hands\nbefore the multitude, saying, \"I am innocent of the blood of this\njust person, see ye to it.\" The people said, \"his blood be on us,\nand on our children.\" In what court of judicature shall we find such\nanother instance? We believe, in none. Never did any one suffer\nmore unjustly than Jesus, if viewed as a private person; but these\nverses teach us to look upon him as the sinner's surety. Man, from\nhis original corruption and actual transgression, is justly exposed\nto the condemnation of the law he has so much dishonoured. \"All we\nlike sheep have gone astray, we have forsaken the Lord's ways, and\nturned every one to his own ways.\" \"We have all done that which we\nought not to have done, and have left undone that which we ought\nto have done, and there is no health in us.\" We have no just plea\nwhy the sentence, \"let the wicked be turned into hell, and all the\nnations who forget God,\" be not executed on us. We must lay our\nhand upon our mouth before the tribunal of God, who is an impartial\nand righteous Judge, for we justly deserve the curses of the broken\nlaw to fall on us. The Divine Being (be it spoken with reverence)\ncannot, without injustice to himself, and dishonour to his law,\n(which is holy, just, and good,) allow the guilty to go free. Man\nmust suffer the punishment consequent on his offences, or God must\nlay aside his justice, which is impossible, for it is an attribute\nessential to his existence. The debtor must suffer, unless some one\nbe found to discharge the debt for him.\n\n Die he, or justice must; unless for him\n Some other able, and as willing, pay\n The rigid satisfaction, death for death.\n\n PARADISE LOST, b. iii.\n\nBut where shall we find the man who can, by any means, \"redeem\nhis brother, or give to God a ransom for his soul?\" Nowhere; it\nis quite impossible for any mere man to deliver his own soul, and\nmuch more the soul of another. An angel, or all the mighty hosts of\nangels, cannot do it; they are the creatures of God's power, and\nconsequently finite; and therefore cannot satisfy the justice of\nGod, which is infinite. The mind of man could never have discovered\na proper person. Human intellect is utterly unable to the task; it\nis incapable of soaring to such a height. But though man cannot find\na surety, God has pointed one out, even Jesus, his own well-beloved\nson, who is the second person in the revealed order of the trinity;\nwith him it is \"no robbery to be equal with God;\" for he is one with\nthe Father, as touching his Godhead. Yet this great and glorious\nPersonage voluntarily engaged to become the surety of his people;\nto expiate their guilt by suffering all the punishment due to\nthem for sin.[105] In the fulness of time, this great head of his\nchurch left the joys of Heaven, and the praises of adoring saints\nand angels, to tabernacle on earth. Having veiled his glory beneath\nthe human nature, which he took into union with his divine person,\nhe came forth to accomplish the work he had, from the foundation of\nthe world, covenanted to perform. As the surety, representative, and\nhead of his people, he submitted to endure all the curses of the\nmoral law they had broken. The Lord having accepted him in their\nplace, and laid (by imputation) their iniquities on him, he also on\nhim laid their punishment. Nor was it a mitigated punishment; he\nbore the whole weight of wo due to them. It is true, he did not go\ninto hell, which was a part of the sentence denounced on guilty man;\nbut he was not exempt from the buffeting of Satan. He was exposed to\nhis malice in the garden; and when on the cross, he might be said\nto be in Satan's territories; for he is declared to be \"the Prince\nof the power of the air,\" and having shot forth his most fiery\ndarts, he appears to leave the scene of conflict like a triumphant\nconqueror, for his adversary is beheld breathless on the field of\nbattle. Jesus needed not to descend into those abodes of wo to feel\ntheir sorrows, for he is heard to exclaim, that the pains of hell\nhad got hold upon him. It is not the place, but the extent, and the\nkind of suffering, which constitutes misery; and Jesus felt it in\na much greater degree, than even the miserable inhabitants of that\nwretched place, where hope never enters. They suffer for themselves\nas individuals, but he endured the weight of wo for a multitude so\ngreat, that no man can number them. Theirs are the sufferings of\ncreatures, his was the sufferings of the infinite Creator; and this\nit is which gives such value, efficacy, and dignity, to all he did\nand suffered. His were the actions of one of Adam's race, for it was\nthe children of earth who had rebelled, and whom he came to redeem;\nbut what renders it beneficial to man, is that he is both God and\nman in one person. This union stamps a value upon his work: Jesus,\nby the dignity of his person, has made full satisfaction; yea, his\nsufferings have more than compensated for the indignity offered to\nGod by sin. It has given a greater honour to God's holy law, than\ncould have been done by the unsinning obedience of men and angels\nthrough time and eternity, for Jesus perfectly fulfilled all the\ncommands of the moral law, and by that obedience he exalted, and\nmade it honourable, and then suffered the penalty it denounced on\nthe violators of its precepts. All his active and passive obedience\nwas performed as the head of his people, and for their benefit.\n\"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we\ndid esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was\nwounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities:\nthe chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes\nwe are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned\nevery one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity\nof us all.\" We must look beyond the Roman governors, soldiers, and\nthe Jewish priests and people, to behold sin, as the great cause of\nall the buffetings, wounds, bruises, pains, and sorrows, of Jesus.\nThis was the fruitful source of all his wo. Would you behold the\njustice of God? then look at the suffering Jesus, and remember that\nit was not _his own_, but _imputed_, guilt. Would you know the mercy\nof God, and see a display of his love to man? then look at Jesus.\nLet it sink deep into your heart, and may your soul be influenced\nby the truth, that \"God so loved the world, that he gave his only\nbegotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,\nbut have everlasting life.\" \"For God can be just, and yet the\njustifier of him that believeth in Jesus.\" \"He that believeth in him\nis not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already;\nbecause he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son\nof God.\" \"For there is none other name under heaven given amongst\nmen, whereby we must be saved.\" \"He that believeth on the Son,\nhath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son, shall\nnot see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.\" In the work\nof redemption by Jesus, we behold \"mercy and truth meet together;\nrighteousness and peace kiss each other.\"\n\n [105] John x. 18.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LVIII.\n\n For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell, neither wilt thou\n suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.--Psalm xvi. 9, 10.\n\n\nThese words are not applicable to David, for after he had served\nhis generation, he fell asleep, and his body, interred in the royal\nsepulchre of the kings of Judah, which was in the city of David,\nsaw corruption. The sentence \"dust thou art, and unto dust shalt\nthou return,\" has, for many a generation, been accomplished on\nJesse's Royal Son. The remains of this mighty monarch cannot now be\ndistinguished from those of earth's meanest slave. They are alike\nmingled in the dust of death, and must remain hid from the eye of\nman until the archangel's trump shall sound, and the command be\ngiven, Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment. The hell (in Hebrew,\nscheol) here alluded to, cannot be that place of torment, prepared\nfor the devil and his angels, from which a soul never did or\nwill escape. When once consigned to that abode of wo, there is a\ngreat gulf fixed, even the unchangeable decree of Omnipotence; a\nbarrier stronger than walls of brass, and cannot be surmounted, or\ndestroyed.[106] The word here rendered hell, (in the Greek, hades,)\nis the same as the Jews, before the Babylonish captivity, used for\nthe grave, and is the sense in which it must be here understood.\nThis verse is prophetic of the resurrection of the Messiah; which\ndoctrine is taught in many parts of the Old Testament, by type,\nfigure, and prophecy; in the New, we behold it clearly confirmed\nby the resurrection of Jesus. The circumstances attending this\ngreat event are repeatedly described, and the evidence clear and\nconclusive. The witnesses to this important fact are not few; both\nenemies and friends unite in giving their testimony to his death\nand resurrection. The soldiers having taken the dead body of Jesus\nfrom the cross, his friends deposit it in the tomb. We cannot but\nstop here, and admire the overruling hand of Providence in the more\nminute circumstances connected with the interment of the body of the\nRedeemer. The sepulchre was hewn out of the solid rock. No access\ncould be gained to it but by one opening, on which a ponderous stone\nwas placed, a seal set thereon, and the entrance strictly guarded\nby Roman soldiers. But wherefore all this care and attention over\nthe dead body of one crucified at Golgotha? It is by order of the\nHigh Priest and Pharisees, who had requested Pilate to allow them to\nmake the grave sure, as Jesus had declared he would rise again after\nthree days. They, fully convinced of his death, and disbelieving\nhis divinity, fear that the disciples should steal the dead body of\ntheir Master, and declare that he had risen; and thus the last error\nwould be worse than the first. But we have cause to rejoice that\nthey used so much caution, for it tends to establish the truth, and\nconfirm the testimony, of the disciples. It fully proves the death\nand burial of Jesus, and that the body did not remain in the grave.\nOn the first day of the week, certain women of the company hasted\nearly to the sepulchre, to embalm, after the custom of the east,\nthe body of their beloved Master; but lo, to their astonishment and\ngrief, it is gone! They indeed see the place where the Lord had\nlain; for an angel, by an earthquake, had rolled away the stone; at\nwhose appearance the keepers became as dead men; but to the women,\nfilled with sorrow and surprise on not finding the body of their\nLord, this heavenly messenger proclaimed the resurrection of that\nJesus whom they sought. And as they run to tell the disciples, Jesus\nhimself met them, saying, All hail! and they held him by the feet,\nand worshipped him. Some of the watch, also, went into the city,\nand told the Chief Priests all that was done; who, having assembled\na council, give large sums of money to the soldiers to say, that\nthe disciples came by night, and stole him away, whilst they slept.\nThis report, though commonly believed amongst the Jews until this\nday, will not bear examination. The more we consider this tale,\nthe clearer will the fact of the resurrection of Jesus appear. If\nthe body was _indeed_ stolen, why are the soldiers allowed to go\nunpunished for their neglect, as they say it was stolen whilst they\nslept. We should not expect to find a Roman sentinel asleep at his\npost of duty, for their military discipline was the most severe in\nthe world. Even if the soldiers had fallen asleep whilst watching\nthe entrance of the sepulchre, it appears impossible for a number\nof persons to remove so ponderous a stone without considerable\nnoise and bustle, or to pass among the guards without awaking some\nof them. But even allowing the body to have been gone whilst they\nslept, how could they possibly know, that it was the disciples who\nhad taken it? But is it at all probable, that a few timid disciples,\nwho had fled from their Master on his first apprehension, should now\ndare to go, in the face of a guard of Roman soldiers, justly famed\nfor their courage, and attempt to steal, and much more to carry off,\nthe body! Let it be observed, that though the disciples had hoped\nJesus \"had been he who would have redeemed Israel;\" yet, when they\nsaw him laid in the grave, all their hopes that he was the Messiah\nfled, for the minds of the disciples were strongly tainted by the\nJewish prejudice, that the Messiah's would be a temporal kingdom.\nTheir dreams of earthly splendour now vanished, and they were about\nto return to their occupations in common life; in fact, some had\ndone so. Is it reasonable to imagine that the others would engage\nin a plan fraught with danger, for the sake of obtaining the body\nof one, in whom they began to imagine themselves deceived? Besides,\nwhat advantage could they hope to gain by such a scheme? What end\nwas it designed to answer? They could not expect to keep the act\nconcealed; and if discovered, they were fully convinced it would\nbring upon them the severest punishment. But if, as the soldiers\nproclaimed, the disciples did steal him away, why are these handful\nof fishermen allowed to retain possession? Why did not the Chief\nPriest, at the head of the Jewish Sanhedrim, supported by the Roman\nauthority, instantly compel them to surrender the body? Why are\nnot these men of Galilee brought to a judicial tribunal, examined,\nand openly punished, that the truth of the soldiers' tale may\nbear even the _appearance of_ fact? Surely this neglect is most\nextraordinary in men who had shown such vigilant care over the body\nwhen in the tomb. The more we examine the conduct of the parties,\nthe more inconsistent does the Jewish tale appear. It is evident,\nthe disciples were as ignorant as the rest of the nation, as to what\nthe resurrection from the dead should mean. Jesus had again and\nagain preached the doctrine, yet they were at the first as backward\nas his enemies to believe the fact, and discovered much unbelief\non the first tidings of the great event. The incredulity of all of\nthem is a strong presumption, that as they did not expect Jesus to\nrise from the grave, so neither did they steal the body, and falsely\nproclaim their Master risen. We have a still further confirmation\nof the fact from the events that followed. In the interval of forty\ndays, between his resurrection and ascension, Jesus appeared to\nmany of his disciples, and showed himself alive by many infallible\nproofs; the women who went early to their Lord's sepulchre, were\nfirst honoured with the sight of the risen Redeemer. He afterwards\nappeared to the two sorrowing disciples as they walked to Emmaus,\nthen to the eleven as they sat at meat with the doors closed, and,\neight days after, he again appeared to them, when the incredulous\nThomas exclaimed, \"My Lord and my God!\" He also showed himself to\nthe seven disciples who were fishing at the sea of Tiberius; after\nthat, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; and,\nthough some had fallen asleep, yet, when the Apostle wrote, the\ngreater part were then alive, and could testify to the truth of\nthese things. How \"vain the watch, the stone, the seal!\" the grave\ncould not contain the prisoner. Jesus burst the bands of death,\nand arose the triumphant victor. It was necessary that he, as the\nHead and Representative of his church, should conquer death and the\ngrave for them. He died \"that through death he might destroy him\nthat had the power of death, that is, the devil.\" He laid in the\ngrave that he might subdue the power of the grave. He, as a surety,\nbecame subject unto death as a part of the curse; but, having paid\nthe full ransom, justice demanded his release. Having satisfied\nthe demands of the law, it was right that he should be honourably\nacquitted. Though \"delivered for our offences, he must be raised\nagain for our justification.\" The resurrection proves his atonement\nwas accepted by God as fully adequate to all the requirements of\njustice, and declares him to be the Son of God with power. It is\nby reason of the incapacity of the damned in hell, to take in the\nfull measure of God's wrath due to them for their sins, that their\npunishment, though it be eternal, yet never satisfies; because they\ncan never endure all as Christ could, and did; theirs is truly less\nthan what Christ underwent; and, therefore, his punishment ought\nnot in justice to be eternal, as theirs, because he could more\nfully satisfy God's wrath in a few hours than they could to all\neternity. By his complete satisfaction, the costly, inestimable\nprice of redemption is paid, and the sinner's surety released from\nall the claims of the Law and justice. \"Christ is risen from the\ndead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.\" Do we not\nhear him exclaim, \"Thy dead men shall live together; with my dead\nbody shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust.\"\n\"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them\nfrom death. O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy\ndestruction.\" May we not join in happy chorus, \"O death, where is\nthy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin;\nand the strength of sin is the law. But, thanks be to God, which\ngiveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.\"\n\n [106] Luke xvi. 26.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LIX.\n\n Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive;\n thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also,\n that the Lord God might dwell amongst them.--Psalm lxviii. 18.\n\n\nWe find amid the records of the Old Testament, very distinguished\nhonour was conferred by God on two illustrious personages, whom\nhe was pleased to exempt from the common lot of humanity, and\nadmit into the Celestial City, by a new, and, till then, untrodden\npath. Their way led not across the dark valley of the shadow of\ndeath; they entered Canaan without passing the banks of Jordan's\nstormy waters. God was pleased to translate the bodies of Enoch and\nElijah to heaven, without an execution of the sentence \"dust thou\nart, and unto dust shalt thou return.\" This was assuredly a high\nmark of favour; but we are in this verse presented with an event,\nin comparison with which, the cases of Enoch and Elijah sink into\ninsignificance. It is a description of the return of a great and\nmighty conqueror, who, surrounded by the trophies of his victories,\nappears at court to receive the thanks and rewards his services so\nwell deserve. And who is this mighty conqueror? It is Jesus! See\nhim surrounded by the little band of faithful followers, on whom he\nbestows his parting blessing; having bidden them an affectionate\nfarewell, he, with conscious majesty, mounts the air, and soars\nbeyond the eagle's path, through the vast extent of space. Though he\ngoes forth unattended, it is not long a secret that the victorious\nSaviour is on his way to the heavenly kingdom; for the myriads\nof spirits, who are anxiously watching his motions, no sooner\nobserve that he bends his course toward the Celestial City, but they\ninstantly proclaim the joyful news to its inhabitants; who, with\nholy impatience, are all anxious to fly on the wings of love and\nadoration to meet and welcome this illustrious Conqueror back to\nthe realms of bliss. Wide are thrown the golden gates, and as they\nopen, ten thousand voices are heard chaunting in chorus; \"Lift up\nyour heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors;\nand the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory?\nThe Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up\nyour heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors;\nand the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory?\nThe Lord of Hosts, he is the King of glory.\" Forth from heaven's\nportals there issued a goodly band, singing as they advance to meet\nand welcome their victorious King, whom they convey in celestial\ntriumph to the presence of the eternal Father; seated on his throne\nof glory, he receives, with ineffable delight and joy, this, his\nonly-begotten, always well-beloved, but now still more endeared Son,\nthe Glorious Deliverer of the children of men. Great was the joy of\nthat illustrious day, when the eternal Son of God, entered the city\nof the new Jerusalem, as the victorious Conqueror of sin, death, and\nhell, whom he led as captives to adorn his triumph, for, \"having\nspoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly,\ntriumphing over them, and ascended on high, leading captivity\ncaptive.\" Then the eternal hills resounded to the melodious sound of\nten thousand times ten thousand voices, who sing aloud, \"Worthy is\nthe Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom,\nand strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.\" Then all in\nheaven said, \"Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto\nhim that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever,\nand ever.\" The spirits of the redeemed vie with elect angels, in\ntestifying their love, reverence, and gratitude to the God of their\nsalvation. They knew, if the eternal Son of God had not become their\nsurety, not one of Adam's race could ever have entered the realms of\nbliss.[107] But in the eternal council of peace, he did covenant and\npromise, in the fulness of time, to become a sacrifice, and God who\nknew him to be faithful, did, on the credit of that promise, save\nall the Old Testament saints.[108] Jesus had now fulfilled that\nengagement; paid the full price of their redemption; \"blotted out\nthe hand-writing of ordinances that was against them, taking it away\nby nailing it to his cross.\" What wonder, if his return was hailed\nwith rapturous delight; his presence could not fail of adding fresh\njoy to the happy spirits of the redeemed in glory. Yes! Jesus has\n\"ascended on high, he has led captivity captive, and received gifts\nfor men.\" It is as the God-Man, it is in his human nature, that he\nis said to receive gifts; for, as God, all is his in common with\nthe Father. It is in the office of Mediator, that he has \"all power\ngiven him in heaven and on earth.\" It is as God-Man, that the Father\nset him \"at his right hand, in the heavenly places; far above all\nprincipality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name\nthat is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to\ncome; and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the\nhead over all things to the church.\" He is made the great Almoner of\nheaven, and he disposes of his gifts to the children of earth. He\nhas received freely, and he gives freely,--witness the showers of\nascension gifts, on the day of Pentecost. He then, as the apostle\nquotes the words, \"gave gifts to men, yea, to the rebellious also,\nthat the Lord God might dwell among them.\" But while we view Christ\nas glorified, let us not fail to connect the scenes of Gethsemane\nand Calvary. The new song in heaven, to which their golden harps are\never tuned, is to the praise of him \"who was slain, and has redeemed\nus to God by his blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and\npeople, and nation; and has made us unto our God kings and priests\nfor ever.\"\n\n [107] John xiv. 6.\n\n [108] Psalm xl. 7, 8.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LX.\n\n And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my\n spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall\n prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men\n shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the\n handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.--Joel ii. 28,\n 29.\n\n\nThat part of the prophet Joel from which this verse is selected,\nis highly interesting; and although not strictly prophetical of\nthe person of the Messiah, yet it is so closely connected that it\ncannot be severed without injury to the whole. In fact, it serves\nas a test, whereby we may prove if Jesus be in truth that Messiah,\nof whom \"Moses and the prophets did write.\" The \"afterward\" here\nnoticed, alludes to the coming of the Messiah, after which great\nday of the Lord, the promise here made, of a glorious outpouring\nof the spirit, was to be fulfilled. It will be alike easy and\ndelightful, to trace its accomplishment. The Holy Spirit, from the\nearliest ages of the world, has shed his sacred influences over the\nchurch; but no visible or open display of that divine person, God\nthe Holy Ghost, had ever been made. That great event was reserved\nuntil after the Messiah's appearance; and, when that illustrious\nperson had publicly manifested himself to the world, then was this\npromise to be fulfilled. Jesus declared himself to be the second\nperson, in the revealed order of the Holy Trinity--the eternal Son\nof God--Christ the Messiah; and in such character he promised, when\nreturned to glory, to send down the Holy Spirit. Again and again\ndid Jesus direct his disciples to expect that event. On the last\ngreat day of the feast, he publicly proclaimed in the temple its\nnear approach, and promised its fulfilment; \"for the Holy Ghost\nwas not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.\" When\nthe faithful disciples were overwhelmed with grief, on learning\nfrom their beloved Master that he was shortly to leave them,\nJesus cheered their drooping spirits with the promise of another\nComforter, even the Spirit of truth; whom he would send from the\nFather. To reconcile them still more to his departure, he told them\n\"it was expedient for them that he should go away,\" for, \"if he went\nnot away the Comforter would not come; but if he departed, he would\nsend him unto them.\" After his resurrection, Jesus again taught the\ndisciples to expect this great event, and on the morning of his\nascension he repeated his promise, adding, as it would not be many\ndays hence, they should tarry at Jerusalem until its accomplishment.\nAfter the ascension of Jesus, the disciples were so fully persuaded\nthat he was the Christ of God, that they continued daily assembled\ntogether, waiting for the fulfilment of the great promise made to\nthem by their risen Lord.\n\nIt will be remembered, that all the Israelitish males were commanded\nto appear, three times in the year, before the Lord at Jerusalem,\nat the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The feast of\nPentecost or weeks, was celebrated fifty days after the Passover.\nIt was at the first great Jewish festival, the Passover, that Jesus\nwas crucified. He arose from the dead on the third day, and as\nforty days intervened between his resurrection and return to glory,\nthere could be only seven days from his ascension until the feast\nof Pentecost. It was on the morning of the ever-memorable day of\nPentecost, the disciples being all of one accord, in one place; that\n\"suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty\nwind, and filled all the house, where they were assembled; and\nthere appeared cloven tongues, like as of fire, and sat upon each\nof them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to\nspeak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.\" Such\na miraculous event was soon noised abroad, and multitudes crowd to\nlearn the fact. As the Holy Spirit was graciously pleased to make\nthis open display of his person and godhead, at one of the great\nJewish festivals, the number of strangers who usually resorted to\nJerusalem at that season, either for the purposes of worship or\ntrade, became witnesses of the miraculous gifts bestowed on those\nhitherto unlearned, and many of them unlettered, Galilean fishermen.\nThe inhabitants of Galilee were proverbial for their dulness and\nstupidity;[109] yet these men were taught, in an instant of time,\nto speak, with ease and fluency, languages whose very names, it is\nmore than probable, they were an hour before unable to pronounce\ncorrectly. An opportunity was instantly offered for the apostles\nopenly to display their extraordinary gifts. Amidst the assembled\nthrong were men of sixteen different nations, to whom these poor\nfishermen publicly proclaimed, in their several languages, or\ndialects, the wonderful works of God. They needed no interpreter,\nin addressing this motley crowd. How preposterous to accuse the\napostles of drunkenness! Truly, we should not imagine a state of\ninebriety the best calculated for acquiring a knowledge of any of\nthe learned languages. We seldom know men, (however well their\nheads are furnished,) in a state of intoxication, speak any thing\nexcept it be the language of foolishness. Beside, it was only the\nthird hour of the day, (nine o'clock) the time of offering the\ndaily morning sacrifice in the temple, before which hour the Jews\nwere forbidden to take any refreshment; and, as this was a solemn\nfestival, no doubt the command was then more strictly observed. How\nmild, yet energetic, the reply of Peter, who declared the event to\nbe a fulfilment of the prophecy of Joel, accomplished on the return\nof Jesus to glory; \"when being by the right hand of God exalted,\nand having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he\nhad shed forth that which they then saw and heard.\" The appearance\nof the Holy Spirit was sufficient to prove his personality. Might\nnot the sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, be designed\nto show that the operations of God the Holy Spirit, are like the\nunknown and unexplored sources of the air. \"The wind bloweth where\nit listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell\nwhence it cometh, or whither it goeth: so is every one that is born\nof the Spirit.\" This was a lesson taught Nicodemus by Jesus, the\nwisdom and word of God.\n\n [109] John vii. 52. Acts ii. 7.\n\nOn Shinar's plains, the Lord, to testify his divine displeasure,\nconfounded the language of mankind. It was a curse pronounced on\nBabel's tower; but at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was pleased to\nuse the diversity of language as a witness of his almighty power\nand Godhead; when he publicly and solemnly ordained the apostles\nministers of the everlasting Gospel, and endowed them with\nextraordinary gifts, as the first ambassadors of Christ, sent forth\nto publish unto all nations the glad tidings of great joy.\n\nMight we not be tempted, when viewing the immoral and profane\namusements of Whitsuntide, to imagine it an annual feast holden\nto Venus or Bacchus; instead of (as at first designed) a solemn\nfestival, intended to commemorate the visible descent of the\nSpirit of Purity? Certainly the general character of the public\nassemblies, at that season, bears a much nearer resemblance to the\nsports holden in honour of the deified heroes in heathen mythology,\nthan to the pure and spiritual nature of the Divine Person, whose\nfirst public appearance in our world it was wished annually to\ncelebrate. What would the early disciples of Christ feel, could they\nbehold the sad perversion of this sacred festival!\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXI.\n\n And I will pour upon the House of David, and upon the\n inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of\n supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have\n pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his\n only son, and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in\n bitterness for his first born.--Zech. xii. 10.\n\n\nThe Prophet Zechariah here presents to our view one of the richest\njewels in the treasury of God's promises. It sparkles clear and\nbright amid the records of divine truth. All earth's richest\ntreasures cannot offer an adequate remuneration for the withdrawment\nof this precious promise. The words deserve our most careful\nexamination. We will therefore consider the person here promising;\nthe persons to whom the promise is made; the thing promised; and\nsearch for proofs of its fulfilment.\n\nThe person here promising is the God-Man, Christ Jesus, for the\nwords are, \"I will pour, &c. &c., and they shall look upon me, whom\nthey have pierced, and mourn.\" We never find God the Father using\nsuch language as this when speaking of his disobedient creatures.\nGod is justly displeased at man's apostasy. His law is dishonoured,\nhis works defaced and injured by sin. Yet God, as God, cannot be\nthe subject of pain and sorrow, he is beyond their reach. But if we\nlook at the God-Man, Christ Jesus, we behold his sacred head pierced\nwith a thorny crown, his hands and feet with nails of iron, his side\nwith the soldier's spear, and his soul with the wrath of God. He who\nsuffered thus on earth, did, as God, make this gracious promise.\n\nThe persons to whom this promise literally applies, are the Jews,\nwhose restoration as a nation to the divine favour, will form a\nprominent feature in the latter-day glories of the Church. The Lord\nhas promised to gather together the dispersed in Judah, and the\noutcasts of Israel. \"The deliverer shall arise out of Zion, and\nturn away ungodliness from Jacob.\" This nation, who once refused\nand crucified the Messiah, shall, when partakers of this promised\nblessing, \"look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn.\" This\npromise is not confined to the Jews, but extends to the fallen race\nof Adam, whom our spiritual David will make inhabitants of the new\nJerusalem, which is above, without regard to their being of Jewish\nor Gentile extraction.[110] He will not consider the trifling\ndistinctions of colour, language, or nation, a barrier of such\nimportance as to preclude their participating in his blessings.\n\n [110] Matt. xxviii. 19. Acts xi. 18., xiii. 46, 47., xv. 3.\n\nThe thing promised is an abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit.\nAdam, by his apostasy, lost the image of God stamped upon his soul\nat his creation. The sentence, \"in the day thou eatest thereof\nthou shalt surely die,\" was not suffered to go unexecuted. From\nthat hapless hour, his soul, the most noble part, was dead to all\nspiritual life, and became the abode of corroding passions and\ndepraved principles. He immediately shrank from holding intercourse\nwith God, and tried to hide himself from the presence of his\nbenefactor. As Adam begat a son in his own fallen likeness, all\nhis race partake of the same corrupt nature. We are ignorant of\nGod and his ways. We need divine teaching; we cannot naturally\nunderstand the things of God, which are spiritual, the eye of our\nunderstanding being darkened; God is not in all our thoughts; we\nare averse to communion with the Father of Spirits. We despise\nhis offers of free grace--we prefer to be saved by our own rather\nthan God's method--we see no beauty in Jesus that we should desire\nhim--we dislike to renounce our own, and trust in his complete\nrighteousness--we consider his commands grievous, and the language\nof our soul is, \"we will not have this man to reign over us.\" But we\nare here told of a sovereign antidote for these deep-seated moral\ndisorders of the soul. Here is a gracious promise of an abundant\noutpouring of the Holy Spirit, whose office it is to \"convince of\nsin, of righteousness, and of judgment.\" He convinces the soul,\ninto which he enters, of the exceeding sinfulness of sin--that it\nis the evil thing which God hates; and shows the divine law is\nspiritual, extending to the thoughts and intents of the heart.[111]\nHe puts a cry for mercy into the soul, destroys the natural enmity\nof the mind against God's plan of salvation, and makes the object of\nhis divine teaching willing and anxious to partake of the Lord's\nbounty, and be a debtor to mercy alone. The Holy Spirit teaches of\nrighteousness by convincing that a better righteousness than our\nown tattered rags is absolutely necessary, ere we can see the face\nof God with peace. He makes the soul willing to be clothed with the\nwedding garment of Jesus' righteousness, which is the fine linen\nof the saints. It is indispensable that we be clothed with this\nlivery of the court of Heaven, or we shall be denied admission into\nthe mansions of the King of Glory. Would we behold the fulfilment\nof this prophetic promise, then let us direct our minds back to a\nsurvey of the glorious scenes exhibited on the ever memorable day\nof Pentecost, when the Spirit was, in so free and copious a manner,\npoured out from on high. Attend to the sermon Peter preached on the\nday of his ordination; mark its effects on the three thousand of the\nHouse of David, inhabitants of Jerusalem's much-famed city. Listen\nto their cry, \"Men and brethren, what must we do?\" Surely these were\nnone of the stout hearts who dared even to crucify the Lord of life\nand glory? The same! yet how different their tone--how altered their\nconduct! To what cause can we attribute this astonishing change in\nthe minds of three thousand persons in the same instant of time?\nSurely it was none other than the almighty work of God the Holy\nGhost. It was his influence on the minds of these men which produced\nthe Spirit of grace and supplication, and taught them to direct the\nanxious cry and supplicating look unto him whom they had pierced.\nWas not the anguish of their souls, under a sense of their sins,\nequal to the exquisite sorrow of those who bitterly bewail the death\nof their first-born? However skilfully Peter might wield the sword\nof the Spirit, (the word of God,) it was none other than the God of\nall grace, who directed and sent it home with saving power to the\nhearts and consciences of these Jerusalem sinners. Are not the other\ntriumphs of the Spirit worthy of regard, when five thousand are made\nwilling cordially to embrace Christ crucified? May we not, by the\nway, observe, that the reception of the Gospel by such numbers so\nimmediately after the ascension of Jesus, proved the truth of the\nfacts recorded by the apostles, of the life, death, resurrection,\nand ascension of Christ? Many, no doubt, of these early converts\nof Christianity, had been eye-witnesses of several of the events,\nand _all_ had an opportunity of discovering the deception, if there\nhad existed any, in the apostles' narrative. But no sooner are\nthey persuaded to compare the Old Testament prophecies concerning\nthe Messiah, with all the circumstances in the history of Jesus\nof Nazareth, than they anxiously desire to be enlisted under the\nbanners of the cross. Unable to resist the force of truth, they join\nthe persecuted adherents of the crucified Jesus, and cast in their\nlot with his despised followers, although \"a sect every where spoken\nagainst.\" When were converts to Christianity most numerous? Was it\nnot when there existed the best possible opportunity of detecting\nthe least imposition or falsehood, on the part of the writers\nof the New Testament? Let it not be forgotten that those early\nconverts were neither won by the arm of worldly power, nor bribed\nby proffered gold. On the contrary, no sooner did they embrace\nthe Gospel, but they were met at the very threshold by ignominy\nand persecution in every varied and frightful form, sufficiently\nterrific to deter all but men really convinced of the truth, and\nswayed by its sacred influence.\n\n [111] John xvi. 7-14.\n\nBut we must not confine the accomplishment of this promise entirely\nto the days of Pentecost, although it then assumed a more splendid\nand attractive appearance, than it has done in these latter times.\nYet through each succeeding age, the Lord the Spirit has not been\nunmindful of his covenant engagements. Could we draw aside the\nveil that separates between us and the holy of holies--could we\nobtain a glimpse of the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem which is\nabove, and inquire of the goodly number that surround the throne\nof God and the Lamb, Who was the faithful instructor and guide,\nthat taught them to walk in the way that led to everlasting life?\nthey would direct us to the Lord the Spirit, as the almighty\nguide who pointed out the road, and taught their wandering feet\nto tread the strait, the narrow way, the only path, that leads\nto Zion's hill. In the Bible, that chart of life, the road is\nshown with clearness, and described with accuracy. It is called\nfaith in the finished salvation of Christ, and obedience to his\ncommands. The hand which drew this path to glory, is the very same\nthat painted the splendid canopy of heaven. By this good old way,\nall the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, and reformers,\nentered the city of the Lord of Hosts. Their guide and comforter,\nthrough this waste howling wilderness, was the third person of the\nTriune-Jehovah. What countless myriads has this almighty guide led\nto the mount of God, from the antediluvian worthies, down to the\nhappy spirit just entered into the joy of its Lord! Like them, led\nby the same unerring teacher, we shall not fail of arriving safely\nat the mansion of everlasting joy, for he is the only faithful\nconductor[112]to the heavenly Jerusalem; untaught by him, none\ncan find the path of life, but will assuredly stumble on the dark\nmountains of sin and error, and run the downward road that leads to\nhell.\n\n [112] Psalm cxliii. 10.\n\nEternal life is the gift of God. Christ is \"the way, the truth,\nand the life: none can come unto God, but by him.\" The office of\nthe Holy Spirit is to instruct the ignorant, comfort the mourners\nin Zion, and make us meet to be \"partakers of the inheritance of\nthe saints in light.\" \"If ye, being evil, know how to give good\ngifts unto your children, how much more will your heavenly Father\ngive the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.\" May we be partakers\nof that inestimable blessing, for without _his_ influence on our\nhearts, vain will be even the electing love of God the Father--vain\nthe vicarious sacrifice and imputed righteousness of Christ the\nSon--vain to us the plan of salvation; and vain, all the promises\nof the Gospel. As well for us, if those glad tidings of great joy,\n\"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward\nmen,\" had not reached our ears. Unapplied, the most sovereign remedy\nis useless, for then not even Gilead's balm, can heal the dire\ndisease.[113] Christ will prove no Saviour to us, unless applied to\nour individual case. It is the office of the Holy Spirit, to take\nof the things of Christ and show them unto us. Faith is the hand\nby which we grasp Christ crucified. That saving faith, by which we\napprehend the finished salvation of Jesus, and make it our own,\nis a grace wrought in the heart by the operation of the Spirit of\nGod. Far better would it be for the children of men, if the sun\nwere turned into darkness, the moon into blood, and all the stars\nof heaven withdraw their shining; than that this glorious promise\nof the outpouring of the Spirit, should be blotted from the book of\nGod's remembrance!\n\n [113] Jeremiah viii. 22.\n\nMay that blessed morning shortly dawn, \"when all shall know the\nLord!\" Hasten, glorious Immanuel, that bright day, when \"the whole\nearth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters\ncover the sea.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXII.\n\n The Lord hath sworn and will not repent, thou art a priest for\n ever, after the order of Melchizedek.--Psalm cx. 4.\n\n\nIn the Old Testament, we find but little recorded of Melchizedek,\nthat venerable priest of the most High God, who met and blessed\nthe patriarch Abraham as he returned victorious from the slaughter\nof Chedorlaomer and the confederate kings. But from that little, we\nare led to regard him as a person of distinction. To him, the great\nfather of the faithful and friend of God presented the tithes or\ntenths of the spoil. It is from the prophetical word of the royal\nPsalmist, \"the Lord hath sworn and will not repent, thou art a\nPriest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek,\" that we are taught\nto view this ancient priest of God as a type: and of whom, if not\nof Christ? Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews,[114] speaks largely\non the subject; he proves the fulfilment of the prophecy, and\ndeclares, that Christ's priestly office was prefigured in the person\nof Melchizedek, to Abraham the father of the Israelitish race. In\nthe same epistle, we find blended the priesthood of Aaron, in order\nto show the vast superiority of that of Christ over the other two,\nthough both instituted by God himself. But as we find no prophecy\nrespecting the Aaronic priesthood, we make no further reference to\nthat subject, in order to attend more immediately to the words, \"The\nLord hath sworn, and will not repent, thou art a priest for ever,\nafter the order of Melchizedek.\" Was this priest of the most High\nGod honoured with the title of King of Salem--by interpretation,\nKing of Righteousness, and King of Peace? Is not Jesus proclaimed\nKing of Zion; the Lord our Righteousness, and the Prince of Peace?\nNor are these mere empty titles, but real characters, and offices,\nsustained by Him, who \"abideth a priest upon his throne for ever.\"\nWe have no historical account of the parentage or descendants of\nMelchizedek; he is presented to us as \"without father, without\nmother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor\nend of life;\" but being made like unto the Son of God, abideth a\npriest continually.[115] And Christ's priesthood was not derived\nby genealogy, or succession, he had neither father or mother of\nthe family of Aaron, from whom his priesthood could descend. It is\nevident our Lord sprang \"out of Judah, of which tribe no man gave\nattendance at the altar;\"[116] neither did Christ die and leave it\nto others, by way of descent, but was constituted a single priest,\nwithout predecessor or successor. \"He abideth a priest for ever,\nafter the order of Melchizedek.\" It is impossible for a finite mind\nto comprehend the eternal sonship of the Son of God, whom the\nFather, before the foundation of the world, constituted a priest for\never; and therefore, the priesthood of Melchizedek was instituted to\nprefigure to us the nature of Christ's eternal priesthood. \"The Lord\nhath sworn and will not repent, thou art a priest for ever, after\nthe order of Melchizedek.\" These words deserve particular attention.\nIt is God the Father who swears to Christ; no oath of allegiance is\nrequired from him who is constituted our Priest. Jehovah, whose eye\npierces through futurity, knew he would be faithful in his office,\nand he freely and unreservedly trusted him to maintain his divine\nhonour and justice, and accomplish the salvation of sinners. The\nhigh-priestly office, though honourable, could not add to Christ's\ndignity; but his glorious person did confer honour and dignity\nupon the sacred office, for he who is constituted our High Priest,\n\"is fellow to the Lord of Hosts.\" \"Every high priest is ordained,\nto offer both gifts and sacrifices,\" and great was the sacrifice\noffered by Christ: he offered up himself; he would borrow nothing,\nbut was both priest, sacrifice, altar, and temple: and \"by that\noffering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.\" \"And\nbecause he continueth ever, he hath an unchangeable priesthood;\"\n\"wherefore he _is_ able to save them to the uttermost, that come\nunto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for\nthem.\" Blessed Jesus! thou priest of Melchizedek's order, while\nwe would not withhold from thee a portion of all that thou givest\nus, let us not rest satisfied, till we are enabled to present \"our\nbodies and souls a reasonable sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto\nGod.\"\n\n [114] Hebrews v. 5-11., vii. 1-28.\n\n [115] Hebrews vii. 3.\n\n [116] Hebrews vi. 20.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXIII.\n\n Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy\n holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of\n sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring\n in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and\n prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know, therefore, and\n understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to\n restore and to build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah, the Prince,\n shall be seven weeks, and three score and two weeks: the\n street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous\n times.--Daniel ix. 24, 25.\n\n\nThe harps of Judah were silent--the disconsolate Israelites hung\nthem on the willows of Babylon--no songs of Zion were heard in that\nland of captivity, where, for seventy long years, they wore the\ngalling yoke of bondage, bereft of home and all its blessings--the\nland of their forefathers in the possession of strangers--Jerusalem\nin ruins--her palaces consumed--the Temple destroyed--the spot\ntrodden down by the Heathen--themselves exposed to the taunts of\ntheir conquerors, and compelled to bow before the idolatrous image\nof Chaldean superstition.[117] Well might Judah's sons weep by the\nwaters of Babylon, whose murmurings recalled to their recollection\nthe stream which gushed from Horeb's mount.[118] The remembrance of\npast blessings increases the weight of present misery. How changed\ntheir state, and changed to punish their awful rebellions against\nthe Lord of Sabaoth! Yet the God of Israel was not unmindful of\nhis promise--he cheered their drooping spirits with the assurance\nof speedy deliverance from their captive state. The prayer of\nDaniel entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts--the command was\ngiven--swiftly the angel, even Gabriel, flew to reveal his Lord's\ndecrees unto the mourning prophet--that \"man greatly beloved\" of\nhis God. Daniel was commissioned to foretel the deliverance of\nthe Jews from Babylon--the building of Jerusalem and its walls in\ntroublous times; and to him, Jehovah was graciously pleased to\nrenew the promise of the Prince, Messiah, whose appearance all\nthe patriarchs and prophets had foretold. The nearer that glorious\nepoch approached, the more minutely was it described. The Lord\ngave Daniel to \"know and understand, that from the going forth of\nthe commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah,\nthe Prince, should be seven weeks, and three score and two weeks.\"\nThe period here styled weeks, is generally allowed to be sabbaths\nof years. This appears to be the sense of the passage, for the\nJews were accustomed to reckon their time and feasts by weeks or\nsabbaths. The week of days was from one seventh or sabbath day to\nanother. The week of years was from one seventh or sabbatical year\nto another; in the seventh, or sabbatical year, they neither sowed\ntheir fields nor pruned their vineyards; it was a sabbath of rest\nunto the land.[119] In the regulation of the year of Jubilee, they\nwere commanded to number \"seven sabbaths of years, seven times seven\nyears, and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to thee\nforty and nine years.\"[120] We therefore only follow the Mosaic\nrule, (to which Moses' disciples cannot object,) if we consider\nthese seven weeks, and three score and two weeks, as seven times\nsixty-nine, or four hundred and eighty-three years, which should be\nbetween \"the going forth of the commandment to restore and build\nJerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince.\" There were four distinct\ndecrees or commandments granted by the kings of Persia, in favour of\nthe Jews, who came under the dominion of that empire by its conquest\nof Babylon. This was the epoch of Daniel's vision. No sooner had\nCyrus obtained possession of Chaldea, than he issued a decree\nallowing the Jews to quit the land of their captivity, and repair to\nJudea to build the temple of the Lord. He also restored to them the\nvessels and treasures which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple\nbuilt by Solomon. On the grant of this decree,[121] five hundred\nand thirty-six years before Christ, many of the Jews returned to\ntheir own land, and laid the foundation of the temple; but they\nwere hindered in the building of it by their several enemies, who\nwere supported in their opposition by Artaxerxes, the successor of\nCyrus. But when Darius Hystaspes ascended the throne of Persia, he\nissued a decree[122] five hundred and nineteen years before Christ,\nforbidding the enemies of the Jews to interrupt the building of\nthe temple, and further commanded that materials requisite for the\nwork, and the animals, oil, and wine for the sacrifices, should be\nsupplied at his (the king's) cost. The third decree was granted\nto Ezra, the scribe, four hundred and sixty-seven years before\nChrist, by Artaxerxes Longimanus, in the seventh year of his reign,\nby which he bestowed great favours upon the Jews,[123] appointing\nEzra Governor of Judea. He permitted all the Jews to return to\nJerusalem, and commanded his treasurers beyond the river, to supply\nEzra with such things as he needed for the house of his God, even\nto an hundred talents of silver, an hundred measures of wheat, an\nhundred baths of wine, and an hundred baths of oil. The king and\nhis princes presented much silver and gold, and many vessels, and\nordered that what else might be required for the house of God,\nshould be supplied from the king's treasury. This is not the same\nArtaxerxes who listened to the slanderous reports of the enemies of\nthe Jews, and stopped the building of their temple; but Artaxerxes,\nsurnamed Longimanus, supposed to be the person styled Ahasuerus, in\nthe book of Esther, whose attachment to his Israelitish consort\nmay account for the distinguished favours he conferred on the\npeople of her nation. We find the queen was present when Nehemiah\npresented his petition, which was the second decree granted by this\nmonarch, and was the fourth and last decree, being granted in the\ntwentieth year of his reign, and four hundred and fifty-four years\nbefore Christ.[124] This was the most efficient decree, for by it\nJerusalem and its walls were built. The high resolves of the court\nof Heaven were revealed; Daniel was made \"to know and understand\nthat from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build\nJerusalem, _unto_ the Messiah, the prince, shall be seven weeks, and\nthree score and two weeks, being sixty nine weeks, or four hundred\nand eighty-three years. From the last, or fourth, decree to the\nbirth of Christ, (vide Rollin, volume 8, page 265,) is four hundred\nand fifty-four years, to which we add twenty-nine years (the age\nat about which Christ entered on his public ministry);[125] these\nunited, make the exact period of sixty-nine weeks, or four hundred\nand eighty-three years. Daniel also declares that \"seventy weeks (or\nfour hundred and ninety years) are determined upon thy people and\nupon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end\nof sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in\neverlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy,\nand to anoint the most Holy.\" We find between the seventy weeks, or\nfour hundred and ninety years, and the sixty-nine weeks, or four\nhundred and eighty-three years, a difference of one week, or seven\nyears, which is the week evidently alluded to in the twenty-seventh\nverse of this chapter, in which \"he shall confirm the covenant\nwith many for one week, &c.\" From the period of Christ's first\nentry into the ministry, and the calling of his apostles, until his\ncrucifixion, were three and a half years, and, for three and a half\nyears after that event, his apostles continued to minister amongst\nthe Jews. This makes a period of seven years, (or one prophetic\nweek,) in the midst of which the Messiah was cut off, and \"the\nsacrifice and oblation\" virtually ceased. The correspondence is\nexact: Jesus, the Messiah, not only entered on his public ministry\nat the very period pointed out ages before, but was actually cut\noff in the midst of the week, as was expressly foretold. These\npredictions of the Prince Messiah are peculiarly striking. The\ntime for his appearance is marked, and the particular objects he\nshould effect on his coming, are described with such minuteness,\nas scarcely to admit of the possibility of mistaking his person.\nThe grand features of his mission were so strongly exhibited, that\nit was morally impossible the Messiah should appear and not be\nrecognised. Prejudice must have blinded the eye of that mind which\ndoes not, on comparing the whole of the New Testament with this\nprophecy, acknowledge Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah. It bears\nthe stamp of divine prescience: none but the omniscient God could\nhave given his features with such clearness so many ages before.\nThis portrait of the Messiah, which bears so exact a resemblance\nto Jesus, was in the possession of the Jews, at least five hundred\nyears before that glorious person was exhibited to the world, a God\nincarnate.\n\n [117] Dan. iii. 4-15.\n\n [118] Numbers xx. 11.\n\n [119] Lev. xxiii. 3., xxv. 3, 4.\n\n [120] Lev. xxv. 8. 10.\n\n [121] 2 Chron. xxxvi. 22, 23.\n\n [122] Ezra vi. 7-12.\n\n [123] Ezra vii. 11-23.\n\n [124] Neh. ii. 1-8.\n\n [125] Luke iii. 23.\n\nJesus declares himself to be the long promised Messiah--his claim\nrests on no slight or doubtful evidence--he came at the very precise\ntime it was foretold the Messiah should appear to the people and the\nholy city. Christ's ministry was among the people of the Jews--Judea\nwas the land of his nativity--the scene of his labours--the witness\nof his miracles--he was born at Bethlehem, near Jerusalem, and\ncrucified just \"without the gate\" of the holy city. On Calvary\n\"he finished the transgressions, and made an end of sin, and make\nreconciliation for iniquity.\" There the God-man, Christ Jesus,\noffered up his life a ransom for the guilty--there the surety of\nthe Church paid the full price for her redemption, and made peace\nby the blood of his cross--there \"he suffered the just for the\nunjust to bring sinners unto God.\" He took away \"the hand-writing\nof ordinances that was against us, taking them out of the way by\nnailing them to the cross\"--there he removed the iniquity of the\nland in one day, and so completely \"finished the transgression,\"\nby suffering the punishment due for his people's sins, that when\nthey are \"sought for they shall not be found\"--there he paid the\nfull price of their redemption, he cancelled the bond, and made\npeace and reconciliation with offended justice. He \"brought in an\neverlasting righteousness, and not only suffered the penalty due for\ntheir transgressions of God's law, 'which is holy, just, and good,'\nbut, as the head of the Church, he obeyed all the precepts of the\nmoral law; which he exalted and made honourable. Perfect was the\nobedience wrought out--complete was the righteousness brought in\nby the incarnate Deity, the Lord our righteousness, which is from\neverlasting to everlasting \"unto all and upon all that believe,\nfor there is no difference.\" Amidst the awful gloom on Calvary's\nmount, was heard the cry \"it is finished!\" It was the conqueror's\nshout--victory was achieved--Satan was vanquished--the sting of\ndeath was taken away--the power of the grave destroyed--the conflict\nwas over--the ransom paid--the captives of the mighty delivered--the\nlaw was honoured--justice satisfied--God glorified--Heaven\nopened--man redeemed--and hell vanquished. That was the glorious\nevent which types were intended to exhibit, and prophets were\ncommissioned to proclaim. The appointed time of the vision was\narrived--it had long tarried, but it was accomplished. The chain\nof prophecy was complete--the vision was sealed[126]--and the most\nholy anointed. The God-man, Christ Jesus, anointed by his Father\nking and priest of Zion, then exchanged his thorny crown for the\nroyal diadem--then left the sorrows of earth for the glories of his\nmediatorial throne, which no enemy can touch--their opposition is\nvain--he that sitteth upon the circle of the heavens, will laugh\nthem to scorn. Happy are they who have for their king and priest,\n_him_ whose kingdom is eternal, and priesthood unchangeable--who\nlook to the Redeemer of Israel as the rock of their salvation, and\ncrown the most holy, Lord of all. \"Happy are the people that are in\nsuch a case, yea, blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.\"\n\n [126] Rev. xxii. 18, 19.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXIV.\n\n And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off,\n but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall\n come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end\n thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war\n desolations are determined.--Daniel ix. 26.\n\n\nThis vision of Daniel appears involved in considerable obscurity,\nby the diversity of time alluded to in the several parts of\nthe prophecy, and renders it difficult to prove its exact\naccomplishment. But we hope we have shown in the preceding part,\nthat it does not militate against \"the truth as it is in Jesus,\"\nit rather tends to strengthen the testimony, by affording an\nadditional opportunity of proving, from sacred and profane history,\nthe fulfilment of the great event. The proof of its accomplishment\ndoes not rest on the insulated fact, but is established by a chain\nof evidence, derived from the annals of nations. For, whichever of\nthe decrees we take, it is clear from ancient chronology, that the\nperiod alluded to is passed, and the Messiah did appear not far\nfrom the time named by any decree. As we have attempted to prove the\nfulfilment of the first part of the prophetic vision, it may not be\nimproper if we now endeavour to show that the remaining part of this\ninteresting prophecy has also been accomplished.\n\n\"After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not\nfor himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall\ndestroy the city and the sanctuary.\" \"Secret things belong unto God;\nbut things that are revealed, to you and your children.\" We cannot\nascertain to a certainty when the seventy-two weeks commence, but\nit is evident they terminate at the cutting off of the Messiah.\nFrom the words \"And the end thereof shall be with a flood, and\nunto the end of the war desolations are determined,\" it appears,\nalso, to allude to the destruction of the city, previous to which\nevent the Messiah should be cut off. We hope we shall not offer\nany violence to the words, if we give them this interpretation.\nThe destruction of Jerusalem is not the only event alluded to in\nthis interesting prophecy; there is one of paramount importance\nto the ruin of Salem's palaces, though that involved the fate\nof Judah's sons. On the other momentous fact hang the highest\ninterests of Jew and Gentile, bond and free, past, present, and\nfuture generations; not only the happiness of earth, but much of\nthe glory of heaven, depends on its accomplishment. Without it no\nsweet song of \"Salvation to God and the Lamb,\" would have echoed\namidst the heavenly hills, none of the race of Adam would be seen\nworshipping before the presence of Jehovah with the angels of light;\nthose melodious hymns of redemption, now chaunted by ten thousand\ntimes ten thousand glorified Saints, had not been heard but for the\nvicarious sacrifice of the Son of God,[127] who not only covenanted,\nbut did actually lay down his life a ransom for sinners. When\nJesus, the Christ of God, the Prince Messiah, appeared on earth,\nit was not simply to set the children of men an example of piety\nand virtue; we ardently admire his glorious example, and consider\nhis followers bound to imitate the bright pattern he has left them;\nyet we dare not believe that _that_ was the only object he designed\nto accomplish when he visited our world.[128] No, he came as the\nfederal Head, the Representative and Surety of his people.[129] He\nwas \"cut off from the land of the living,\" by a violent and cruel\ndeath; yet not for himself, not for any sin of his own,[130] nor\npurposely to set us a pattern of patience and resignation; but to\ndischarge the debt of sin, he had covenanted to cancel on man's\naccount. Jehovah executed towards him the severest justice, and\npermitted his crucifiers to exercise the blackest ingratitude, and\nmost inhuman cruelty. \"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou who killest\nthe prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often\nwould the Lord have gathered thee under his protecting care as a\nhen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not.\" Thy\nawful doom was sealed when thou didst reject the authority, and\npersecute unto death Jesus the Messiah, thy prophet and benefactor,\nthy God and King. The thought of thy approaching misery drew tears\nfrom the eyes, and groans from the heart, of Incarnate Deity; yet\nthy children beheld, with feelings of triumphant scorn, the sorrows\nand sufferings their wanton cruelty inflicted on the Holy Jesus.\nBut heaven marked the impious deed.[131] The blood of Jesus, of\nprophets, of apostles, and of martyrs, called for vengeance on\nthy guilty land; the cry was heard, justice remembered thy black\ncatalogue of crimes, the King of heaven beheld the insult offered\nto his beloved Son, and Jehovah arose to punish thy rejection of\nJesus the Messiah, whom \"ye would not have to reign over you.\" The\ncrimes of Jerusalem were of the blackest and most awful character,\nand her punishment was tremendously dreadful.[132] The Israelites,\nonce the peculiar favourites of Heaven[133]--nursed in the lap of\nplenty, instructed in the oracles of God--blessed with the temple\nof Jehovah--taught to adore the God of truth whom their forefathers\nworshipped; this people, who once had the Lord for their Law-giver\nand King,[134] were compelled to bow beneath the oppressive power of\narbitrary despots--the law of truth was exchanged for the tyrant's\nmandate--equity and justice were banished the walls of Salem, and\ndespotism, oppression, blasphemy, and pride, reigned within that\ndevoted, miserable, city. Anarchy and confusion ruled that senate\nand sanctuary, once as gloriously \"distinguished from the rest of\nthe world by the purity of its government, as by the richness and\nelegance of its buildings. Jerusalem was devoted to destruction,\nand she sunk beneath the accumulated horrors of war, famine, fire,\nand pestilence. Internal faction and a foreign foe reduced that\nbeauteous city and magnificent sanctuary, to a heap of ruins. The\ntemple fell--not all the commands, promises, or threats of Titus,\ncould save that splendid edifice from destruction; the people of the\nprince, regardless of their general's orders, helped to complete\nthe work of desolation;--but prophecy was fulfilled, Jerusalem was\noverwhelmed with the flood of divine vengeance, and desolation\nprevailed even unto the end of the war.\n\n [127] John xiv. 6.\n\n [128] John xii, 27.\n\n [129] 1 Corinthians xv. 22. Romans v. 17-19.\n\n [130] Luke xxiii. 4. Isaiah liii. 5, 10.\n\n [131] Matthew xxiii. 35-37.\n\n [132] Matthew xxiv. 21.\n\n [133] Deuteronomy iv. 7.\n\n [134] Deuteronomy iv. 5, 8.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXV.\n\n And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and\n in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the\n oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he\n shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that\n determined shall be poured upon the desolate.--Daniel ix. 27.\n\n\nSome writers consider this verse prophetical of the desolate state\nof Jerusalem under Antiochus Epiphanes, that sacrilegious monarch\nwho impiously profaned the sanctuary of the God of Israel. By him\nthe temple was ransacked and despoiled of its holy vessels; its\ngolden ornaments pulled off; its hidden treasures seized; and\nan unclean animal offered on the altar of burnt-offerings. Thus\ndid this impious Syrian king dare profane the altar and temple\ndedicated to Jehovah. Neither was this all; Jerusalem again felt\nthe force of his horrid cruelty and profaneness; men, women, and\nchildren, were either slain or taken captive; and the houses and\ncity walls were destroyed. The Jews were not allowed to offer burnt\nofferings or sacrifices to the God of Israel--circumcision was\nforbidden--they were required to profane the Sabbath, and eat the\nflesh of swine, and other beasts forbidden by their law[135]--the\nsanctuary dedicated to Jehovah was called the temple of Jupiter\nOlympius, and his image set up on the altar--idol temples and altars\nwere erected throughout all their cities--and the Holy Scriptures\ndestroyed whenever they were met with--and death was the fate of\nthose who read the word of the Lord. The most horrid and brutal\ncruelties were inflicted on such as chose to obey God, rather than\nthis Syrian monster. Jerusalem was overspread by his abominations;\ndesolation was indeed poured out \"upon the desolate\" when Antiochus\nEpiphanes held the blood stained sceptre, emblem of satanic power.\nYet, closely as these circumstances resemble the description given\nby the prophet's vision, we cannot think it is the event alluded to\nin this prophecy. Daniel, in the three preceding verses, speaks of\nthe Messiah, and the final destruction of the city and sanctuary: by\nAntiochus the temple certainly was _not_ destroyed. In the eleventh\nchapter there appears a striking prophecy of the events which\nhappened in Jerusalem during the dominion of the Syrian tyrant, but\nwe cannot think he is alluded to in any part of the ninth chapter.\nThe first clause of this verse, \"He shall confirm the covenant with\nmany,\" cannot refer to Antiochus, but alludes to the same glorious\nperson mentioned in the preceding verses. The latter part of this\nverse may with propriety be considered as a continuance of the\nprophecy of Jerusalem's final destruction, as it occurred under\nTitus. To Jesus the Messiah we direct our eyes. The one week, or the\nmidst of the week, (seven years half expired,) alludes to the time\nof his Public Ministry, which was three years and a half; during\nwhich period he declared, the design of his mission was to confirm\nthe well-ordered covenant of redemption and peace, which was drawn\nup in the counsels of eternity--sealed on earth with the blood of\nthe Incarnate God--signed in the presence of Jehovah, angels,\nmen, and devils--registered in the court of Heaven--and proclaimed\ngood and valid by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and the\noutpouring of the Holy Spirit.[136] It is true, the sacrifices and\noblations of the temple service did not cease immediately on the\ndeath of Christ, they were continued some little time after that\nevent; but they became unnecessary, they had lost their value,\nand were but idle ceremonies and useless rights, when the thing\nsignified was accomplished. At best, they were only types of the\nLamb of God, the blood of that one great sacrifice, which alone\n\"cleanseth from all sin.\" \"It is not possible for the blood of\nbulls or goats to take away sin.\" No, the sacrifices and ceremonies\nof the Mosaic economy were only efficacious so far as Christ, the\nsubstance, was viewed through the shadow.[137] In less than forty\nyears after the death of Christ, the sacrifices and oblations\nceased, for the temple was demolished. A spot so deeply stained\nwith crime, needed the fire of divine vengeance to consume it from\nthe face of the earth: it was erected for the worship of the God of\nIsrael, but was turned into the seat of iniquity and profaneness.\nThe horrid enormities observed in the temple of Juggernaut scarcely\nsurpassed the impious practices exercised within the Jewish\nsanctuary. When Titus, the Roman general, approached the walls of\nthe city, it more resembled the court of Mars and Bacchus, than the\ntemple of Jehovah; the drunkard's voice--the clash of arms--the\nshouts of the victor--the cries of the vanquished--and the groans of\nthe dying, echoed through that magnificent pile; human blood flowed\nin its courts, and sprinkled its altars and its walls. Jerusalem was\na scene of slaughter; but it was not a war to support the glorious\ncause of freedom; nor were they fighting to repel the foreign foe,\nor shedding their blood to defend their beloved homes, and the still\ndearer objects of affection, around which the warm heart clings with\nfondest thought amidst the scene of danger and of death, and for\nwhose preservation the weakest arm grows desperate, and the feeblest\nmind resolves to conquer or to die. But theirs was no such glorious\ncontest; no--civil war had reared her hydra head; the horrid yell\nof intestine discord rang through Salem's courts, and echoed round\nher walls; that infernal power bursts the bands of brotherhood,\nsevers the closest ties, dissolves the strongest link of union, and\nmakes the man a monster. The sword of her own sons deluged Jerusalem\nwith Jewish blood; the fire which destroyed her houses was kindled\nby her own children; death and destruction reigned through all her\npalaces; the city groaned beneath a three-fold faction, when the\nRoman legions approached her walls to complete the horrid scene\nof slaughter. The temple was the head-quarters of Eleazar and the\nZealots; they had in their possession the stores of first fruits\nand offerings, and were frequently in a state of intoxication; but\nwhen not drunken with wine, they thirsted for the blood of their\ncountrymen, and issued from their strong hold, to assault John and\nhis party, who lay intrenched in the out-works of the temple. The\nruin of Jerusalem is attributed to the horrid enormities of the\nZealot faction: surely that was the summit of wickedness, when the\npriests sold themselves to work iniquity, and the temple of the\nLord was the seat of their crimes. That was \"the overspreading of\nabomination,\" and it continued until the sanctuary was consumed,\nand \"ruin was poured upon the desolators.\" It was the iniquitous\npractices of the Jews, rather than the Roman eagle, which profaned\nthe courts of the Lord's House: the conquerors did not plant their\nstandard to insult, but with a wish to preserve, the temple from\ntotal ruin and destruction.\n\n [135] Leviticus xi. 2, 7, 8.\n\n [136] 1 Timothy iii. 16. Acts ii. 24, 33.\n\n [137] Hebrews iv. 2. x. 1-10, 20.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXVI.\n\n For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and\n the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women\n ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity,\n and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the\n city.--Zechariah xiv. 2.\n\n\nImperial Rome, to whom the world once bowed, and whose power\ncould command armies from \"all nations,\" had conquered Judea, and\nreceived from her the yearly tribute of her subjection:[138] but,\nthrough the oppression of the Roman governors, and the madness\nof the people, the standard of revolt was planted, and the Jews\nattempted to break their yoke of bondage. The Roman legions, inured\nto war, and accustomed to the shout of victory, hastened to subdue\nthe rebellious Israelites: they passed from city to city, and from\nprovince to province; slaughter and death marked their course; the\nstrife was desperate; the conflict bloody; the Jews fought like\nmen determined to conquer or to die: two hundred and forty-seven\nthousand seven hundred were slain before their provinces were\nsubjugated, and an immense number made prisoners: amongst whom was\nJosephus, the historian of the war, who was governor of the two\nGalilees, and who defended them with skill and bravery. The Romans,\nhaving conquered the provinces, approached to assault Jerusalem,\nwhich was then a dreadful scene. The sound of war was heard through\nall her gates; regardless of the approaching foe, the Jews had\nturned their arms against each other; three several factions were\nbusily engaged in the work of slaughter and destruction. Eleazar and\nthe Zealots seized the temple; John of Gischala and his followers\noccupied its out-works; and Simon, the son of Gorias, possessed the\nwhole of the lower, and a great part of the upper, town. Jerusalem\nwas built on two hills; the highest, on which stood the temple, was\ncalled the upper town, and the other the lower: between these lay a\nvalley covered with houses; the suburbs of the city were extensive,\nand encircled by a wall; two other walls also surrounded Jerusalem,\nthe interior one of remarkable strength. Neither of the three\nfactious parties had any just claim to supremacy or power, though\nall contended for dominion, and fought for plunder. The Zealots\nwere the smallest party, but, from their situation, possessed the\nadvantage: they sallied from their strong holds to attack John, who\nseized every opportunity of assaulting Simon; thus John maintained\na double war, and was often obliged to divide his forces, being\nattacked by Eleazar and Simon at the same time. In these furious\ncontests, no age or sex was spared; the slaughter was dreadful.\nWhen either party was repelled, the other set fire to the building,\nwithout any distinction. Regardless of their contents, they consumed\ngranaries and store-houses, which contained a stock of corn and\nother necessaries of life, sufficient to maintain the inhabitants\nduring a siege of many years; but nearly the whole was burnt, and\nthis circumstance made way for a calamity more horrid than even war\nitself. Famine soon showed her meagre form, and all classes felt\nthe dreadful effects of a scarcity of food. Such was the miserable\nstate of Jerusalem when the Roman general Titus (son of the reigning\nemperor, Vespasian,) prepared to attack the city. The sight of a\npowerful foreign foe at their gates, with all the artillery of\nwar, could not quell the factions within; it is true, when closely\npressed by the Romans, the three parties joined to repel the common\nenemy, but no sooner had they breathing time, than the spirit of\ncontention arose, and they resumed the slaughter of each other:\nthus they maintained a fierce contest with the besiegers, and, at\nthe same time, seized every opportunity of destroying each other.\nThe misery of the city was soon beyond precedent, from the dreadful\neffects of famine, the price of provisions became exorbitant,\nand, when no longer offered for sale, the houses were entered and\nsearched, and the wretched owners tortured till they confessed where\nthe slender pittance was concealed; at length the distress became\nso great, that persons parted with the whole of their property\nto obtain a bushel of wheat, which they eat before it could be\nbaked, or even ground; and happy was he who could catch a morsel\nof meat, half roasted, half raw, from the fire. No kind of cruelty\nwas omitted in search of food: at length their sufferings were so\nsevere, that the wretched inhabitants were necessitated to search\nthe vaults and sinks for sustenance, and even fed on articles\ntoo offensive to be named. The ties of nature and humanity were\nforgotten, the wife seized the food from her husband, the child\nfrom the parent, and even the mother from her infant.[139] The\nexcruciating pain of famine so far overpowered the tenderest and\nfinest affections in nature, that a woman, descended from a rich and\nrespectable family, even killed, boiled, and ate, her own child, a\nson in all the artless and endearing simplicity of infancy! Well\nmay the British mother tremble at the horrid sound, and pity the\nwretched Israelitish female, thus sunk below the brute. Pestilence\nnow stalked abroad, for the air was tainted by the dead: though\nno less than six hundred thousand dead bodies were carried out\nof the city during the time Titus encamped before the walls, yet\nthere was an incredible number who had no friends to bury them, and\ntheir bodies were enclosed in large buildings, or laid in heaps in\nthe open air. \"O Jerusalem, thou didst drink at the hand of the\nLord the cup of his fury, thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup\nof trembling, and wrung them out\" even desolation, destruction,\nfamine and sword, \"thy houses rifled, thy women ravished\" by Jewish\nruffians, and the city at length taken by the Roman general.\nTitus had again and again offered the Jews honourable terms of\ncapitulation; but they rejected all his overtures with proud\ndisdain, and when his soldiers took the city, exasperated at the\nhardships they had endured, they spared neither sex, age, or rank.\nSword and fire destroyed Jerusalem and her children, and closed\nthis horrid war, in which one million one hundred thousand Jews were\nslain, and ninety-seven thousand made prisoners.\n\n [138] Luke ii. 1. Matthew xxii. 17.\n\n [139] Deut. xxviii. 48-59.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXVII.\n\n The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from\n the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation\n whose tongue thou shalt not understand; a nation of fierce\n countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor\n show favour to the young.--Deut. xxviii. 49, 50.\n\n And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,\n saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy\n day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are\n hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that\n thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee\n round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even\n with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall\n not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest\n not the time of thy visitation.--Luke xix. 41-44.\n\n\nJudea was not conquered by the neighbouring Asiatic states, but by\nthe Roman, Europeans of a \"fierce and warlike countenance,\" who knew\nnot the Jewish language, and regarded not \"the persons of the old,\nnor showed favour to the young.\" It will not be difficult to trace\nthe Roman soldiers in this eloquently descriptive character. No\nnation excelled them in their military prowess, or in the rapidity\nof their conquests. In comparatively a very short period of time,\nthey extended their empire over all the then civilised part of the\nglobe. The insignia of their legions was not more descriptive of\ntheir valour, than of the unexampled rapidity of their movements.\nThe celebrated motto of C\u00e6sar, \"I came, I saw, I conquered,\" was\nneither of a doubtful, or boasting, character. Their career was\nindeed \"as swift as the eagle flieth.\" No nation or people did\nlong withstand the fierceness of their attacks, or the persevering\nenergy of their generals. In their triumphs over their enemies, they\nfrequently displayed a ferocity happily unknown in modern warfare.\nThe most distinguished of their captives, without regard to age or\nsex, were dragged in triumph, amidst the shouts of the conquerors,\nand the insults of the rabble. Often, when exasperated by the\nprotracted defence of a brave people struggling for their existence,\ninstead of respecting such patriotic efforts, they inflicted the\nmost horrid barbarities upon the unresisting and unhappy objects of\ntheir vengeance; and a slaughter, indiscriminating in its fury, and\ndreadful in its results, marked the blood-stained progress of the\nlicentious soldiery, who \"regarded not the person of the old, nor\nshowed favour to the young.\" History informs us, that the Romans,\nunder Titus and Vespasian, after a protracted siege, unparalleled\nin horror, and sanguinary beyond example, at length became masters\nof this once-favoured spot; and if we compare the predictions of\nChrist with the events which occurred, and followed at the taking of\nthis devoted city, we shall be struck with the coincidence of the\ndeclaration, and its awful fulfilment.\n\nHis foreknowledge of the dreadful calamities which should precede\nand accompany the destruction of Jerusalem, caused our blessed\nSaviour, when he beheld the city, to weep over it: and, surely, if\nthis once-favoured race had then known the day of its visitation,\nthe Lord would have turned from his fierce anger: but these things\n\"were hid from their eyes.\" Having rejected the Lord of Glory, they\nwere given over to judicial blindness, and the Lord brought upon\nthem \"a nation from afar\" to execute his vengeance. Jerusalem was\n\"trodden down by the Gentiles,\" and there was \"great distress upon\nthe land, and wrath upon the people.\" The sword and the spear from\nwithout, and famine and pestilence and civil discord within, were\nindeed unto them \"the beginning of sorrows.\" The predicted day\nwas now come, when their \"enemies should cast a trench about them,\nand compass them round, and keep them in on every side.\" Their\nwalls of strength, their beautiful palaces, and their magnificent\ntemple, were laid \"even with the ground.\" Not \"one stone was left\nupon another\" that was not thrown down; and all the princes and the\nnobles, the ruler and the ruled, the priest and the people, and\n\"the children within thee,\" either \"fell by the edge of the sword,\"\nor were \"led away captive into all nations,\" for there was \"great\ndistress in the land, and wrath upon the people.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXVIII.\n\n Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and\n Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as\n the high places of the forest.--Micah iii. 12.\n\n\n\"Walk about Zion, and go round about her, tell the towers thereof,\nmark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces,\" are they still\n\"beautiful for situation?\" Is Jerusalem yet the \"joy of the whole\nearth?\" Within \"her walls peace once reigned, and prosperity within\nher palaces.\" But how changed the spot! desolation and dismay reign\nin undisturbed possession, where elegance and art displayed their\nrichest and most curious productions. Jerusalem is fallen--war\ndestroyed her palaces, and levelled her temple--the fire which\nconsumed that magnificent city was kindled by the hand of civil\ndiscord--the desolating element that blazed with awful glare,\namidst the splendid sanctuary, was first lit by Jewish hands--and\nthe enfuriated Roman soldiers applied the torch, which ultimately\ndestroyed the temple of Jehovah. The Jews having burnt the greater\npart of the galleries around the temple, and the Roman soldiers set\nfire to the remainder, Titus commanded his troops to extinguish\nthe flames; but no sooner were his orders executed than a Roman\nsoldier threw a fire-brand into the temple, and the interior was\ninstantly in a blaze; the flames spread with rapidity, and not all\nthe commands, threatenings, or entreaties, of the Roman general,\nand his officers, were effectual to preserve the building. Whilst\nsome were endeavouring to check the furious element, others set\nfire to several of the door-posts; the scene was dreadful; the Jews\nwere filled with astonishment and horror, and their conquerors with\nfury. Amidst the crackling of the fire were heard the shouts of\nthe victors, and the cries of the vanquished; the shrieks of the\nwounded, and the groans of the dying. The ground on every side was\nstrewed with dead; while the courts flowed with Jewish blood, the\nfire raged above; the conflagration was awful, and the massacre\ndreadful.[140] Jerusalem and its walls were destroyed, the temple\nlevelled, and the Jews conquered, in the second year of the reign\nof Vespasian, on the same month and day as Nebuchadnezzar destroyed\nthe former city and temple. The last temple, once celebrated for its\nmagnificence, is now no more. That building which, by the solidity\nof its construction, seemed to defy the mouldering hand of time,\nsoon became a heap of ruins, and \"the mountain of the house as the\nhigh places of the forest.\"[141] Titus, before he withdrew his\ntroops, commanded them to reduce the city and temple to a level\nwith the ground, and they left not \"one stone upon another,\" to\nmark the spot where the temple stood. So strictly was this order\nexecuted, that the demolished city scarcely appeared to have\nbeen the residence of human creatures. Only three strong towers\nremained of the once magnificent Jerusalem, and they were left to\nexhibit to future times the skill and power of the Roman troops, in\nbecoming possessed of a place so strongly fortified by nature and\nart. Josephus and other Jews attribute the unparalleled calamities\nof their country-men, and the destruction of the temple, to the\nsignal vengeance of heaven, inflicted to punish that deluded people\nfor their cruelty and injustice to James the just, the brother of\nJesus, who is called Christ: but a believer of the New Testament\n_must_ consider that _they_ were punished for their rejection and\ncrucifixion of Jesus Christ himself, the Messiah of Israel, and\nSon of God; it was for _that_ cause \"Zion was plowed as a field;\nJerusalem became a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house as\nthe high places of the forest.\"\n\n [140] Matt. xxiv. 21, 22.\n\n [141] The walls were composed of the most durable kind of white\n stone, of massive size, each stone being twelve feet high, eighteen\n broad, and thirty-seven and a half in length.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXIX.\n\n And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling\n and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a\n gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.--Isaiah\n viii. 14.\n\n\nThese words are not prophetical of the person of the Messiah, yet\nthey describe, in striking language, the effects that would follow\nhis appearance and ministry upon earth. They foretel the opposition\nand enmity that would arise, in the minds of the Jewish nation,\nto the Christ of God. If the whole Israelitish race had gladly\nhailed Jesus as their Messiah, and if all, to whom the Gospel has\nbeen proclaimed, from its first promulgation down to the present\nhour; if all these countless multitudes, had cordially embraced\nthe faith of Christ, it could not have proved a more decisive\nevidence of \"the truth as it is in Jesus,\" than is afforded by\nthe Jews in their rejection of Christ as the Messiah. Thereby the\nprophecies of God are fulfilled concerning _him_, who, though set\nfor a sanctuary, became \"a stumbling block, and rock of offence,\"\nto the house of Israel, \"and a gin and a snare to the inhabitants\nof Jerusalem.\" The Jews were not a little vain of the glorious\npre-eminence their nation once sustained amidst the kingdoms of\nthe world, on account of the wondrous works, which the Lord of\nHosts had wrought for them, by \"his mighty hand, and outstretched\narm.\" Their religious distinctions and ceremonies had also tended\nto feed their pride, and nourish their haughty contempt, for the\nother nations of the earth. Their long promised Messiah was not\nforgotten by them. In his reign, their lively imaginations had\nblended all the splendid conquests and dazzling magnificence of\nregal power. Theirs was a tone of mind but ill-suited to bow before\nthe despised Man of Nazareth; to embrace the commands, and follow\nas a master, one so poor, that \"he had not where to lay his head.\"\nWhen we consider the natural pride of the human heart, as joined\nwith the national pride of the Jewish people, we may cease to wonder\nat their rejection of Jesus. They could not stoop to acknowledge\neven the Son of God as their ruler, when offered to them void of\nthe purple robe and golden sceptre. They could not swear allegiance\nto Zion's King, when they saw neither his royal pavilion, nor\nmarshalled troops. They could not bow before one born in a stable,\nthough Angels had descended to proclaim his glorious advent. What\nwonder, if the eye by gazing so long and frequently on the dazzling\nsplendour they were wont to attach to the Messiah's reign, could\nnot perceive the fainter rays of glory that glimmered around the\nretired path of the Man of Nazareth; they were offended at the\nabsence of all temporal splendour in his person; the Cross of Christ\nproved a stumbling block and rock of offence. The Jews rejected,\nas unfit for their-building, \"the precious corner stone, which\nthe Lord God had lain in Zion, as a sure foundation.\" They could\nnot admit the Carpenter's Son to be the head of God's Church, nor\nacknowledge the Man, untaught in the schools of worldly science,\nto be the prophet of God's people. Neither \"has the offence of\nthe cross yet ceased;\" multitudes still despise and reject the\nChrist of God; they are ashamed to own allegiance to Jesus of\nNazareth; they blush to acknowledge, as their Lord and Master, him\nwho died upon the accursed tree; they dislike to be thought one\nof his real followers, and hate the humiliating and self-denying\ncommands he enjoins on his disciples. They prefer building their\nhopes for eternity on the sandy foundation of human merit, rather\nthan on the blood and righteousness of Jesus. But if we refuse to\nrest on Christ, that \"sure foundation God has laid in Zion,\" all\nother grounds of hope will prove a treacherous rest, from which\nthe floods of divine justice will sweep us to the dark abyss of\nwo. God has declared that \"other foundation can no man lay, than\nis laid, which is Christ Jesus.\" Yet how little anxiety is evinced\non a subject of such immense importance! How few are concerned to\nbuild their hopes for eternity, on Christ, the Rock of Ages, that\nprecious corner stone; that tried stone; tried by countless myriads\nof happy saints, now in glory, who found him faithful to save from\nthe overwhelming surge. Must not he, who paid the full price of a\nsoul, know its worth? and has he not declared, that it will profit\nus little \"to gain the whole world and lose our own soul?\" One soul\nis of more real value than this world, with all its boasted riches\nand glories. The day is coming when \"the heavens shall depart as a\nscroll, the elements melt with fervent heat,\" and this world, so\nloved and caressed by its votaries will be utterly consumed by the\nfire of divine vengeance. But the soul of every individual must\nexist for ever, either in eternal happiness or misery. Yet how is\nthe method of man's reconciliation with God slighted? How is that\nglorious scheme of redemption, by the death of Christ, despised by\nthe great majority of those to whom it is published. Do angels turn\nfrom the lofty pursuits and glories of the heavenly world, to pry\ninto the mysteries of the cross; and shall man, for whose benefit\nit was contrived and accomplished, remain stupidly insensible to\nits excellence and glory, carelessly indifferent whether or not he\npartake of the blessing?\n\nAre we not taught in the case of our first parents, the absolute\nnecessity there is for our knowing and receiving Christ? Was it\nnot on the evening of the same day, in which they brake through the\nfence of God's command, that he was graciously pleased to discover\nto them his plan of reconciliation in the promised seed? And why so\nsoon after their transgression? but that the knowledge of it was\nnecessary to their salvation. Shall that scheme of Redemption, which\nrequired the depths of divine wisdom to contrive, and the extent of\ndivine love to execute, be despised and rejected by man, as unworthy\nhis acceptance? By man, that worm of the earth, that creature of a\nday, so insignificant amidst the stupendous works of God, that if\nhe were annihilated, he would scarcely be missed amid the boundless\nimmensity of space. Awful is the state of the Gentile or the Jew who\n\"hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of\nthe covenant an unholy thing.\"\n\nThe Jews, where are they? or rather, where are they not? To what\npart of the world can we turn, without beholding some of the tribe\nof Israel. They dwell in every land, but have none they can call\ntheir own? They have lost their power, but preserved their national\nfeatures and manners. Wanderers on the face of the globe for nearly\neighteen hundred years, they are not assimilated with any people.\nWhat other nation has so long preserved a distinction? Where are\nthe Britons, Romans, Saxons, Normans, ancient inhabitants of our\nIsle? They are all blended in the English. The Jews, though dwelling\nin every country, are still an unmixed people, yet that very\ndistinction exposes them to persecution and scorn. The dispersion of\nthe Jews is but a small part of their calamities. The Hebrews are a\ndespised and persecuted race, compelled to endure, without the hope\nof redress, indignities the most revolting--barbarities the most\ncruel--insults the most degrading--losses the most severe. And this\nnot merely from one nation, but nearly the whole world has wreaked\nits vengeance on this unhappy people. Even the most civilised and\npolished nations have stooped to load the Jews with obloquy and\nscorn; many and grievous are the disabilities to which they are\nsubject. Yes, Jehovah has executed his threatened punishment upon\nthis unhappy people, for their rejection of the Messiah. \"He has\nscattered them among all people from one end of the earth even unto\nthe other.\" \"Their plagues have been wonderful, even great plagues,\nand of long continuance.\" They are become \"an astonishment, a\nproverb, and by-word among all nations.\"\n\nAll the prophecies of the Messiah which we possess, were handed\ndown to us from the Jews. The Hebrew and Greek versions of the Old\nTestament were in their possession long before the gospel era. Its\nlatest prophecy was at least four hundred and thirty years before\nthe angel's shout was heard, \"Glory to God in the highest, and on\nearth peace, good will toward men.\" Nor do the Jews attempt to\ndeny that Jesus of Nazareth appeared at the time related by the\nEvangelists. Josephus, the Jewish historian, in his antiquities\nof that nation, (book the 18th,) relates:--\"About this period,\n(referring to the reign of Tiberius C\u00e6sar,) there arose to notice\none Jesus, a man of consummate wisdom, _if, indeed, he may be\ndeemed a man_. He was eminently celebrated for his power of working\nmiracles; and they who were curious and desirous to learn the truth,\nflocked to him in abundance. He was followed by immense numbers of\npeople, as well Jews as Gentiles. This was that Christ, whom the\nprinces and great men of our nation accused. He was delivered up\nto the cross by Pontius Pilate; notwithstanding which, those who\noriginally adhered to him, never forsook him. On the third day after\nhis crucifixion he was seen alive, agreeably to the predictions of\nseveral prophets: he wrought a great number of marvellous acts;\nand there remain, even to this day, a sect of people who bear the\nname of Christians, who acknowledge this Christ for their head.\"\nThis honourable testimony is from an enemy--a Jew, whose writings\nwere held in high estimation by his nation. Christ \"came into his\nown nation, but they received him not.\" No evidence, however bright\nor clear, was sufficient to convince men so blinded by prejudice.\nWarned, invited, and threatened, still they persisted in rejecting\nthe Messiah, because he did not assume the warrior's sword, or\nmount the throne of Judah. Should we not feel more disposed to\npity and reclaim, that insult and oppress, this deluded people?\nHave they no claim to our gratitude? To \"them were committed the\nOracles of God,\" which we now enjoy. The prophets and apostles were\nall Jews; and from them, \"according to the flesh, Christ came,\nwho is over all, God blessed for evermore.\" It is recorded, by\necclesiastical writers, that several of Christ's own disciples and\napostles--Simon Peter, Simon Zelotes, James the son of Zebedee,\nJoseph of Arimathea, Aristobulus, and St. Paul himself, preached the\ngospel to this nation. If this, indeed, be correct, their nation has\npeculiar claims to our regard, for the services of their ancestors.\nCertainly, the Romans were instructed in Christianity by Paul and\nother Jews; and, in the first century, the Roman legions, and the\nstandard of the gospel of Christ, were planted on Albion's coast.\n\nThe Jews, though scattered and persecuted, are not destroyed; they\nare preserved monuments of the divine veracity. O, may we take\nwarning from their awful fate! \"Because of unbelief _they_ were\nbroken off, and _we_ stand by faith.\" \"Let us not be highminded,\nbut fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed,\nlest he spare not us. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity\nof God; on them which fell, severity; but, towards us, goodness, if\nwe continue in his goodness: otherwise, we also shall be cut off.\"\nIt will avail us little to confess Jesus as the Messiah, if we are\nunconcerned to know and practise the doctrines he has taught. But\nmay we \"serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.\"\n\"Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when\nhis wrath is kindled but a little.\" \"Blessed are all they that put\ntheir trust in him,\" for his word is fate; immutability seals, and\neternity executes, whatever he decrees.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXX.\n\n And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my\n servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the\n preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the\n Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the\n earth.--Isaiah xlix. 6.\n\n\nThe descendants of Abraham, the friend of God, were treated as\nthe Lord's peculiar people; singled out from other nations as the\nfavourites of heaven, the Lord was their lawgiver and king. No other\nnation had God \"so nigh unto them in all things that they called\nupon him for,\" as the people of Israel. To benefit them, the laws\nof nature were reversed, and nations destroyed. They were employed\nby Jehovah to punish the idolatrous people for their crimes.[142]\nThey were selected to maintain the knowledge and worship of the\ntrue God,[143] and to convey his pure and holy law to remote\ngenerations. Thus favoured and blessed, the Jews were accustomed\ncontemptuously to regard all other nations, as common and unclean;\nthey could not endure to have one stone thrown down of the partition\nwall, which had so long separated them from the Gentiles.[144]\nThey proudly enough appropriated to themselves all the blessings\nconnected with the appearance of the Messiah. But it would be a\nlight thing that Christ should become Jehovah's servant, endure pain\nand scorn, merely to \"raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore\nthe preserved of Israel;\" that nation which he knew would so long\ndespise and reject him. But Messiah was given for \"a light to the\nGentiles,\" and Jehovah's \"salvation unto the ends of the earth.\" He\nhas asked, and received \"the heathen for his inheritance, and the\nuttermost parts of the earth for his possession.\" \"Yea, all nations\nshall be blessed in him;\" for the root of Jesse shall stand for \"an\nensign of the people, and to him shall the Gentiles seek:\" to his\nglorious rest shall all nations flow. He shall have \"dominion from\nsea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.\" \"They\nthat dwell in the wilderness, shall bow before him; and his enemies\nlick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring\npresents; the kings of Sheba and Seba, shall offer gifts: yea, all\nkings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him. For\nhe shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him\nthat hath no helper. He shall redeem their soul from violence:\nand precious shall their blood be in his sight. He shall live,\nand to him shall be given of the gold of Seba: prayer also shall\nbe made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. His\nname shall endure for ever, his name shall be continued as long as\nthe sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call\nhim blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only\ndoeth wondrous things.\" Yes, Christ is Jehovah's servant, in whom\nhis soul delights; he has \"put his spirit upon him, he shall bring\nforth judgment to the Gentiles;\" \"he has given him for a covenant\nof the people, for a light of the Gentiles.\" Numerous are the\nprophecies which refer to the call of the heathen world, and Jesus\nwho declares himself the Messiah, is described in the New Testament\nas \"a light to lighten the Gentiles,\" as well as \"the glory of his\npeople Israel.\" He preached himself in the borders of Zabulon and\nNephthalim,[145] and Samaria:[146] the parting command he gave his\ndisciples was, that they should \"go forth into all the world, and\npreach the gospel to every creature.\" He endowed them with the\ngift of tongues, to enable them to preach the unsearchable riches\nof Christ to the Gentiles. And they went forth and preached every\nwhere, \"the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with\nsigns following.\" \"The word of the Lord went forth from Jerusalem;\"\nit rapidly spread through Jewry, Samaria, and Galilee. Distant\ncities soon heard the glad tidings. Within thirty years after their\nLord's ascension, the faithful disciples had preached the doctrines\nof the gospel at C\u00e6sarea, Damascus, Joppa, Antioch, Phrygia,\nGalatia, Derbe, Corinth, Iconium, Ephesus, Macedonia, Cyprus, Syria,\nCilicia, Athens, Alexandria, at Rome, and numerous other places.\n\n [142] Deuteronomy xviii. 9, 12.\n\n [143] Isaiah xliii. 20, 21.\n\n [144] John iv. 9.\n\n [145] Matthew iv. 12, 13, 15, 16.\n\n [146] John iv. 4.\n\nThe Christian faith was contrary to all existing opinions,\nreligions, and habits; and decidedly opposed to the natural\npropensities of the human heart. Its teachers were Jewish fishermen,\ntent-makers, and tax-gatherers, poor and illiterate men,[147]\nunskilled in artifice. They preached not merely amongst men as\nsimple as themselves, they taught at Athens and Rome, the very\nseats of learning and philosophy; they had to contend with men\nskilled in science, and were opposed by long-established customs\nand habits. The disciples had no eloquence to convince, no power to\nawe, no wealth to bribe; they were opposed by Jewish pride, Grecian\nphilosophy, and worldly power; yet the gospel flourished rapidly\nover all opposition and persecution: ancient prejudice fell before\nthe religion of Jesus; though it offered no worldly recompense to\nits followers, yet it spread, notwithstanding the kings and nobles\nof the earth set themselves in array against it. \"The stone cut out\nwithout hands is become a great mountain, and shall fill the whole\nearth.\" The standard of the cross has been planted on every land.\nNations, barbarous and learned, have bowed before it; may it go on\n\"conquering and to conquer,\" till all nations and people call our\nImmanuel blessed.\n\n [147] Acts iv, 13.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER LXXI.\n\n The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I\n make thine enemies thy footstool.--Psalm cx. 1.\n\n\nWe here find Jehovah, _the_ LORD, in the person of God the Father,\naddressing the Adonai, my Lord, in the person of God the Son, Christ\nJesus _our_ Lord.[148] It is he, and he only, who shares the throne\nof Deity.[149] He who tabernacled on earth, \"a man of sorrows and\nacquainted with griefs,\" is now seated \"on the right hand of the\nMajesty on high. Far above all principality, and power, and might,\nand dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world,\nbut in that which is to come.\" \"To which of the angels said he at\nany time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy\nfootstool?\" \"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for\never and ever; a sceptre of righteousness, is the sceptre of thy\nkingdom.\" \"This is he that liveth, and was dead, and behold he is\nalive for evermore; and hath the keys of hell and of death. He is\nAlpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,\nwhich is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty;\"\n\"whom the heaven must receive, until the times of restitution of\nall things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy\nprophets since the world began.\" \"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit\nthou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.\"\n\"For he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world\nin righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he\nhath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from\nthe dead.\" \"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all\njudgment unto the Son; that all men should honour the Son, even as\nthey honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth\nnot the Father which hath sent him.\" \"But who may abide the day\nof his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?\" Wo unto\nthem who now dare to raise their puny arm in rebellion against the\nMajesty of heaven; who madly rush on the \"thick bosses of Jehovah's\nbuckler;\" \"trample under foot the blood of the Son of God;\" and\n\"heap unto themselves wrath, against the day of wrath.\" Christ\nwill not always extend the golden sceptre of mercy, that sinners\n\"may touch and live.\" The day is coming, when he will grasp the\nsword of justice, and arise to \"judge the world in righteousness.\"\n\"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and\nthey also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall\nwail because of him.\" O that men \"did but know in this their day,\nthe things that belong unto their peace, before they are for ever\nhid from their eyes;\" for \"some shall awake to everlasting life,\nand some to shame and everlasting contempt, but they that be wise\nshall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that\nturn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever.\" Ye\nwatchmen on Zion's walls, ye ministers of the everlasting gospel,\nO \"heal not the wound of the daughter of God's people slightly;\"\nsay not, \"Peace, peace, when there is no peace.\" \"Cry aloud, spare\nnot; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show the people their\ntransgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins.\" Shrink not back,\nlike Jonah of old, from delivering your Master's awful message.\nBe ye faithful to your God, to your conscience, and to souls. Let\nthe sweet accents of mercy be heard, while ye boldly unfurl the\nblood-stained banners of the cross. Tell of the love and pity of\nhim, who died that we might live: \"Who suffered, the just for the\nunjust; to bring sinners unto God.\" \"Pray them, in Christ's stead,\nto be reconciled unto God;\" and accept of mercy while it may be\nfound. Invite, exhort, entreat them to flee from the wrath to come,\nto lay down the weapons of their rebellion, and join your royal\nMaster's cause; to quit the enemy's camp, those strong holds of sin\nand Satan, and rally round our Immanuel's standard. \"Proclaim the\nunsearchable riches of Christ,\" tell them \"his yoke is easy, and\nhis burden light,\" that \"his ways are ways of pleasantness, and that\nall his paths are peace?\" Tell them \"he now waits to be gracious,\nbut that, ere long, the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven,\nwith his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them\nthat know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus\nChrist, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the\npresence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall\ncome to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them\nthat believe.\" \"He will swallow up death in victory; the Lord God\nwill wipe away tears from of all faces; and the rebuke of his people\nshall be taken away from off all the earth,\" for the Lord hath\nspoken it. \"It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we\nhave waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have\nwaited for him; we will be glad, and rejoice in his salvation.\"\n\n [148] In whatever part of the Bible the name of the LORD is\n written in capital letters, it means Jehovah; and the name of the\n Lord in small letters, signifies Adonai. The translators intended\n to show, by this method, that in the original there is a very\n material difference in the word. By the glorious incommunicable\n name of Jehovah (translated LORD in capital letters,) is meant the\n Self-existent, Independent, and Eternal Being, the promising and\n performing God. The word Adonai (translated Lord in small letters)\n conveys the idea of Lord or Ruler, an Almighty Helper or Supporter,\n and is particularly descriptive of the Mediatorial character of the\n Lord Jesus.\n\n [149] Zechariah xiii. 7.\n\n\nFINIS.\n\n\nMills, Jowett, and Mills, Bolt-court, Fleet-street.\n\n\n * * * * *\n\n\nTranscriber's note:\n\nPage 125: The transcriber has inserted a missing anchor for footnote\n71: Col. ii. 9.\n\nMinor typographical errors have been corrected without note.\nIrregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as\nprinted.\n\nMismatched quotes are not fixed if it's not sufficiently clear where\nthe missing quote should be placed.\n\nThe cover for the eBook version of this book was created by the\ntranscriber and is placed in the public domain.","title":"Jesus, The Messiah; or, the Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in the New Testament Scriptures, by a Lady","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":60844}