ation or increase of the Jewish state, it should denote likewise at once, and as it were in one sentence, or in one breath, the perpetual authority of Messiah, and the restoration by his means of all mankind to their primitive relations in righteousness and peace, as when the Lord God was their King. While on the other hand there are also common denunciations, as well as common promises, relating to mankind generally in common with the children of Israel, so deeply is the general interest interwoven with the interest of this conspicuous branch or family.

For whereas there are generally two parts to be considered in every prediction, the word and its fulfilment, in this case there are three, which by their natural coherence lend a mutual attestation to each other, and all together challenge our belief in plain terms; being 1, a minor prediction relating to, 2, a major, which leads to, 3, a conclusion inferring the truth of the second from the accomplishment of the first: the first and second resting on two predicaments, namely of time and place; as for example 1, of an impending event on one more remote; 2, of a particular kingdom or state on the whole or a very considerable portion of the earth; predictions of either sort, though sometimes neutral, being generally attended with promises or threatenings, if not with both; which may be regarded as a character or colouring of the conclusion or consequence. To show, that this inferential kind of evidence is not here assumed without reason, it will only be necessary to consider a few examples out of many that could be given of predictions which have been verified on either or both of the two forementioned predicaments, of time and placeindifferently as they may happen to come, and also with promises and threatenings, or without.

-1, God's promise to Abraham of the inconsiderable land of Canaan (Gen. xv.), as an earnest of the greater promise, that his Seed should possess the gate of his (the Seed's) enemies: and in that Seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed (Ib. xxii. 17, 18).

-2, That severe threatening from the Deity to his people in the wilderness, that if they would not hearken to his words by the other prophet whom Moses foretold that God would raise up like unto him, thereafter, no particular time being named, then He would require it of them (Deut. xviii. 19).

-3, The threat also of that other prophet, when the sentence was incurred by their not hearkening to him in that remarkable tissue of prophecy beginning at Matt. xxi. 33, and continuing occasionally to xxiv. 36: as for example, 1, respecting his own unjust execution (Matt. xxi. 38, &c.); 2, the taking of the Kingdom of God, or the precedence therein from his murderers and bestowing it on others more worthy (Ib. 43); also 3, the general calling of the gentiles without respect to merit (Ib. xxii. 9, &c.); with 4, the destruction of Jerusalem (Ib. xxiii. 37, &c.); and of the temple (Ib. xxiv. 2): followed by 5, the ruin of Judea first (Ib. 16, &c.); then 6, by the social; and 7, the physical dissolution abovementioned (Ib. 22, pr. &c.-Ib. 29); preparatory to 8, the great judgment (Ib. 30). For seeing 1, the smaller blessing fulfilled in Abraham's posterity, the nations of the earth might confidently infer therefrom a fulfilment of the greater blessing by the Chosen Seed. And 2, Abraham's posterity finding themselves excluded from the promised land for rejecting THE OTHER PROPHET like Moses, may be thereby assured, that their punishment will not end either with such exclusion however severe, but grow on to an exclusion from the realms of bliss, if they still continue to harden their hearts" as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness " (Ps. xcv. 8). So likewise under the new dispensation.

-4, Old Simeon's prediction upon the coming of that prophet in an infant guise, which relates to both King and Kingdom most precisely is very superior, "Behold this child is set for (1) the fall and (2) rising again, of many in Israel: and for (3) a sign that shall be spoken against. Yea (4) a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also"

(Luke ii. 34, 35). Where we have four several events predicted; and knowing that three, namely the first, third and fourth have happened as predicted, may thence confidently infer the fulfilment of the second.

-5, But beyond all other inferential predictions our Saviour's parable of the householder who had planted a vineyard and let it out (Matt. xxi. 33, &c.) ought to be mentioned. For here the offence is carried to its height in the murder of the heir of life; of which there was never any doubt, any more than there can be of the inference. For they did kill the son and heir as he himself predicted; the vineyard has been let out to other husbandmen as he predicted; who, it may still be hoped, will render him the fruits in their seasons; and so fill up or complete the inference.

---6, With the same purpose; namely, that of establishing the evidence of a future and greater dispensation on the accomplishment of a smaller by which it is preceded; and with the same common reference, the perpetual separation of Israel from the other nations of the earth, has been predicted (Num. xxiii. 9) and hitherto punctually kept up, which is a moral phenomenon of great interest and importance in itself: and though it may be considered a minor dispensation compared with some others, as for example with the revolutionary effect of discontent and starvation in the northern hordes of Europe on the fortunes of the South; yet taken with the prophecy of another and incomparably greater dispensation, it will present a degree of importance beyond what is natural in human affairs. So the gentile prophet rises with his predictions after the forecited as follows," From the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him" (Ibid). "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh. There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth " (Ib. xxiv. 17, &c.).

-7, But a still more remarkable evidence in the same

line-namely of common prediction, is found in Micah, a prophet inferior to none for precision and circumstance. Indeed he must be blind who can read this prophet from chap. iii. 8 to v. 3 without yielding to his evidence, and acknowledging the justice of his pretensions, to wit, "Truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might" (Mic. iii. 8). For here are no less than six consecutive predictions, the nearest of them seven hundred years before the event it predicts, namely, =1, the corruption of the Jewish government (Ib. 9, 10, 11).

=2, the overthrow of the state, ploughing up of Zion, and making an heap of Jerusalem in consequence (Ib. 12). =3, The submission of the gentiles to the God of Jacob (Ib. iv. 1, &c.)

=4, And during this submission of the gentiles to God, a temporal submission of Israel to the gentiles (Ib. 10, &c.).

5, The ultimate recovery of Israel from the midst of the nations, and a final precedence of the same among them (Ib. 12, 13): concluding with

=6, The means; namely, gathering under a Leader, who was to come forth of Bethlehem Ephrata, little as she was among the thousands of Judah: "whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting" (Ib. v. 1, 2): and all these predictions, except the fifth, having been fulfilled to the letter, afford good room for an inference of the fulfilment of that likewise; especially considering, how one of the fulfilled, which is the third, foreshews an event of far greater improbability as well as importance, than the one alluded to. For the restoration of the Jewish republic under its "Judges, as at the first; and Counsellors, as at the beginning" (Isai. i. 26)—will not be near so great a wonder, whenever it happens, as the conversion WHICH HAS REALLY HAPPENED of so many and so great nations as those of Christendom only to the God of Jacob by means of the Leader foreshewn in the sixth clause or prediction-being God himself by the

Eternal Word which was incarnate in Christ, and by which, or under whose auspices, the gathering still goes on in troops-namely, under their Judge who was smitten with a rod on the cheek* (Mic. v. 1). And though the Leader himself be now invisible as in his goings forth of old, yet he will be visible again, as in "the last days": so that one might still say with the heathen prophet, "I shall see him, but not now" (Num. xxiv. 17), confiding in his promise, "I will see you again" (John xvi. 22). " And he shall stand, and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God: and that shall abide. FOR NOW SHALL HE BE GREAT UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH" (Mic. v. 4). "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land" (Jer. xxiii. 7, 8).†

-Therefore," rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me", &c. (Mic. vii. 8, infin.). “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree, boast not against the branches: but if thou boast, THOU BEAREST NOT THE ROOT, BUT THE ROOT THEE" (Rom. xi. 15-19) ‡.

St. Matthew says 66 a reed" (Matt. xxvii. 29, 30).

+ That is not in Judea merely, but wherever their property lies.

In quoting from this part of St. Paul's epistle to the people of Rome, or second Babylon, one hardly knows where to stop : but what has been quoted may be enough to induce some, who are no great admirers of the New Testament, to read what remains of the chapter. For whether our apostle had the forecited prophecy in view or not--as from v. 14 it is most likely he had