or the truth of the Letter, is also indicated chiefly by the same spiritual direction that indicates its meaning. But subject to this, our proper means for ascertaining the truth of the sacred text will be criticism and tradition with good living or discipline; as for ascertaining the truth of other literary productions. That spiritual direction is considered of the first necessity for discovering the truth of the letter as well as of the meaning for this reason, namely, because there can be no return, even in that quarter, of the letter, to wit, without the same power which gives the beginning. One might as reasonably expect the transmission of light through a solid mountain, as the light of the Gospel through one who is not himself enlightened, and does not also live, by it. Any light therefore that is thus thrown upon the Subject should be considered only as the original reflected, a sort of circuitous and indirect evidence accruing from the same authority as the direct. "For other foundation can no man lay than that laid, which is Jesus Christ" (Cor. I. iii. 11).

At the same time it may be thought, that the credit of the reporter with his indirect evidence, as being employed by that high authority, might deserve some consideration, and should be precious, if not as, yet for the sake of the word of the Lord in these days when there is "no open vision" (Sam. I. iii. 1). For when God speaks in Holy Writ, the part of the sacred writer is like the witnessing of a secretary to the proclamations and orders of his sovereign and as the title of the secretary would require attestation in this case, so would that of the sacred writer; were it not, that the Word proves itself by the accomplishment of its own predictions: so that here the writing must give authority to the writer before he can give, or rather, return, it to the writing, as most usual. And therefore it would be nugatory, and like building wood, hay, stubble on the foundation so laid, if one should either quote any extraneous matter as a part of the Word, or the Word itself in a foreign sense.

It may happen to a preacher or expounder of the Word in adducing predictions, or in bringing forward seemingly opposite statements and comparing them, not always to satisfy others, if he can satisfy himself with his inference: but be that as it may, we should give our argument a free scope, and apply our honest judgment always as far as it may avail, in discovering what predictions are really applicable to the Subject, neither torturing nor concealing any expressions to serve a preconception of our own, nor following implicitly the constructions of others, to cry diversely as they point, some to one text and some to another, "Lo here is Christ, or there" (Matt. xxiv. 23), and either impute predictions to the Subject merely because they have been, or else omitting them because they have not been, so imputed. For even the prophets themselves were not always aware of their own predictions; but prophesied sometimes very unconsciously, and sometimes also thought perhaps that they were prophesying, when they were not. Of the first of which cases we have a remarkable instance in the official prediction of Caiaphas (John xi. 50); if not also in Abraham's inspired reply to Isaac's inspired question (Gen. xxii. 7, 8); and of the last, instances enough like those to which a real prophet alludes in his writing (Ezek. xiii. 1-3). Indeed it is likely enough, that the same may be asked of inspired men generally, and of the most favoured of them too sometimes, as God asks "Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf as my messenger that I sent*. Who is blind as he that is per

of one,

* If blindness to performance, as here intimated, be compatible with perfection in every line, and even necessary to the same in some respects,—it will not follow, that ignorance itself is a virtue; as some who are not over perfect appear to think. Blindness is compatible with the perfection of prophecy, as instanced above, and essential to the perfection of holiness, as shown before (Vol. 1. p. 325): but most of us, as well prophets as others, being far enough from perfection, shall do well to cultivate this, instead of presuming upon it, by a skilful or enlightened practice both in our temporal and spiritual vocation; that our success may be beyond our knowledge, if not beyond our hopes and expectations.

fect, and blind as the Lord's servant? seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not" (Isai. xlii. 19, 20). Alas, that ever the prophet should be more insensible than his hearers!

If, as before signified, we have the advantage of our forefathers generally in prophetic evidence, so likewise of the prophets themselves in perceiving by the extraordinary fulfilment of many heedless expressions, how uniformly they spake by inspiration. Looking to every period, the past, present and future as aforesaid, and observing their proper criterions, we may also be able to make some useful distinctions among their sayings; as for example by their application, into proper and common,-some of these sayings or predictions only relating either to the King or the Kingdom, to Christ or his Church, to Messiah or his people severally, and some relating to both in conjunction ; this last case being by God's providence most frequent, and for the reason hereafter assigned. But it may be of more consequence perhaps to distinguish the sayings that are taken for predictions, as far as we may be able, by the correctness of their imputation into real and imaginary; some being real predictions and applying to some object or other; others, no predictions, and applying to no object whatever, except it be to the conceit of the interpreter. And often among the predictions that are understood, and it may be justly understood of Messiah, all may not apply at the same time to Jesus; or not so exactly to him perhaps as to some inferior deputy. The importance of these distinctions is to be seen in the method of proof here adopted; which is, to compare the record of the Subject with his prediction in a few eminent instances only, and as it were for a specimen; it not being either necessary or convenient to notice the same at length, and selecting for a specimen -1, Some of those prophetic or indirect evidences which apply more generally, or to the Subject and his Kingdom, people or church in common-common predic

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tions, as they may therefore be called; 2, Prophecies more particularly applying to the person of the Subject.

1, But to apprehend the first part of our argument, these common predictions, satisfactorily, we should remember the circumstances that gave occasion to the same: and for this purpose it may be sufficient merely to refer to facts so well known as the creation of mankind, and their admission to the honour of a divine allegiance; which is soon forfeited by wantonness and rebellion, as the same afflicting forfeiture is met in its turn by that all-wise and gracious dispensation, never to be sufficiently adored, of our Almighty Father for the recovery of his lost creatures and their restoration to his auspicious sway, also the very prominent and advantageous part allotted to the house of Israel in this blessed dispensation; that house itself not being preserved immaculate however in the general corruption, but much like the rest of mankind though descended from Abraham, if we except a few individuals appearing now and then among his progeny like landmarks widely scattered, or but just thickly enough, to shew that it was Abraham's progeny, and the line of promise. So that the atonement to be made for the sin of the world and its general restoration through such progeny might have seemed desperate, but that "God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb. vi, 17, 18).

And if the Gentiles with their prophets who were aware of the spiritual captivity of mankind consequent upon their defection from God as aforesaid, and also initiated by the Spirit into the blessed doctrine of redemption by God himself, the Sovereign from whom they had revolted to their bitter tyrant; whether they were acquainted or not

with the divine promise to Eve (Gen. iii. 15) and the covenant with Noah (Ib. ix. 8),-could not be expected to know much of that with Abraham soon after its ratification; or at least not of the peculiar blessing intended for Israel, as it was not altogether their concern;—were still not left in utter darkness. On the contrary a clearer recognition, or more specific declaration of the general blessing was never made by any prophet in Israel than by a Gentile who prophesied before either of them, which was Job. And from him we learn that a Redeemer was to appear in the latter days, not shining upon the earth according to the Persian superstition, but literally treading its surface; nor that either as a new thing, like one of the rest of us springing up and lasting for a moment; but as a Redeemer of old, then living, and ever to live; even God himself. "I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVETH; AND THAT HE SHALL STAND AT THE LATTER DAY upon the earth (said he). And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see GOD" (Job. xix. 25, 26). But with the particular prophets of the Kingdom a different order was to be established: there was clearly a reason in this case as well for connecting these two parties, the King and people of Israel, and this peculiar and "all people" frequently in one prediction, as for a continual reference to the promise and the oath, or covenant, by which it was assured; being, not only to satisfy the minds of "all people" who should inquire on the subject with candour, judgment and humility; but also, to meet the narrow views and continual opposition of that expatriated race, the cause in some measure as well as consequence of their public calamity: so that they might not flatter themselves with the application of any prophecy that seemed to favour the commonwealth of Israel, that is themselves, in a political relation, and did not apply at the same time also, and in the same manner to the perpetual Ruler of that commonwealth and to the rest of his earthly dominions but whether any prophecy denoted the restor