hearts of God's people for his reception, whofe voice. cried in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the defart a high way for our God. Every valley fhall be exalted; and every mountain and hill fhall be made low; and the crooked shall 'be made ftraight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord fhall be revealed; and all flesh fhall fee it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath fpo• ken it.' Ifa. xl. 3, 4, 5. Thus God fent one to his people in the fpirit of Elijah the prophet, before the

coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children; and the • heart of the children to the fathers. He fent his Mef⚫fenger to prepare his way before him; and then the Lord whom they fought, came fuddenly to his temple,' Mal. iv. 5, 6.

When he entered upon his publick ministry, God gavė him the tongue of the learned, that he bould know how to fpeak a word in feafon to him that is weary and he was most painful and diligent in his work, he was a waken'd morning by morning, his ear was awaken'd to hear, and vigorously to attend to the great bufinefs before him. Ifa. 1.4. He began his miniftry in the mountainous parts of Judea; and how beautiful then upon the mountains were the feet of him who brought good tidings, who published peace, who brought good tidings of good, who published falvation, who faid unto Zion, Thy God reigneth, Ifa. lii. 7. As he refided in Galilee (as was before obferv'd) fo his miniftry early and peculiarly enlighten'd thofe dark corners, the land of Zebulon, and the land of Napthali; though they had dwelt in the land of the fhadow of death, this light fbined upon them. Ifa. ix. 2. But then, his miniftry was not limited to them. This Star which came out of Jacob, Numb. xxiv. 17. enlightened the whole land of Ifrael, in that time of grofs igno rance, and thick darkness. They might all be called upon to arife and fhine, for their light was come: and the glory of the Lord was rifen upon them; though darknefs had covered the earth, and grofs darkness the people, yet the Lord arofe upon them, and his glory was feen upon them, Ifa. lx. 1, 2. He preached righteousness in the

great congregation, Pfal. xl. 9. He came into the temple, Mal. iii. 1. and by his preaching there, made the glory of that latter houfe, much greater than the glory of the former, which was built by Solomon, Hag. ii. 9. In what manner he fulfilled his miniftry, has been already con

fidered.

In confirmation of his divine miffion, he wrought many wonderful miracles among the people, whereever he went. The Lord their God came among them, he came to save them: then the eyes of the blind were opened; and the ears of the deaf unftopped; the lame man leaped as an hart; and the tongue of the dumb fung, Ifa. xxxv. 5, 6. In that day the deaf heard the words of the book; and the eyes of the blind saw out of obfcurity and out of darkness, the meek alfo increafed their joy in the Lord; and the poor among men rejoiced in the holy One of Ifrael, Ifa. xxix. 18, 19.

When the stretching out of Immanuel's wings had thus filled the land of Judah, it might have been expected, that he would have met with a moft joyful entertainment amongst the people: but the cafe was otherwife. Though he was for a fanctuary to fome; yet be was for a ftone of ftumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the boules of Ifrael, for a gin and a fnare tothe inhabitants of Jerufalem; and many among them stumbled and fell, were broken, and fnared, and taken. For the teftimony was bound up; and the law fealed among his difciples, Ifa. viii. 8. 14, 15, 16. known indeed and understood by them; but kept hid as a fecret from the body of the Jewish nation. Notwithstanding the indefatigable labours of our bleffed Lord, in inftructing this people, though God made his mouth like a fharp fword; and made him a polish'd shaft in his quiver: Yet did he find caufe to complain, that he labour'd in vain; and spent his ftrength for nought, and in vain. Ifa. xlix. 2. 4. Who among all the Jewish nation were there, that believed his report? and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed? He was rejected and defpifed of them; and they bid their faces from him. Ifa. liii. 1. 3. It is true, he had a confiderable number of temporary followers, there appeared fome numbers of the children of Zion, who re

joiced greatly; and of the children of Jerufalem who houted, when they beheld their king come to them, just and having falvation, lowly and riding upon an afs, and upon a colt the foal of an afs, Zech. ix. 9. But we shall quickly fee, that this joy was all turned into hatred, and rage, and malice.

I proceed next to fhew the manner of our Saviour's sufferings, from the hands of this people, when their rulers took counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed, Pfal. ii. 2. He was betrayed into their hands, by one of his familiar friends, in whom he trufted, Pfal. xli. 9. They wounded and bruised him, the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, that by his ftripes we might be healed, Ifa. liii. 5. He gave his back to the fmiters; and though they buffeted and fpit upon him, yet fuch was his aftonishing meekness and patience, that he gave his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; and hid not his face from thame and spitting, Ifa. 1. 6. They pierced his hands and his feet. Pial. xxii. 16. And when they had nailed him to the crofs, they gave him gall for his meat; and in his thirft gave him vinegar to drink, Pfal. Ixix. 21. They mocked and upbraided, and even laughed him to fcorn, they fhot out their lips, they shook their heads, faying, he trusted in the Lord, that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, feeing he delighted in him, Pfal. xxii. 7, 8. In time they cut him off from the land of the living. Ifa. liii. 8. Thus was the Meffiah cut off, but not for himself, Dan. ix. 26. For the tranfgreffion of God's people, was he ftricken. He made his foul an offering for fin, and he poured out his foul unto death, that he might bear the fin of many, and made interceffion for tranfgreffors, Ifa. liii. 8. 10. 12. After his death, his murderers parted his garments among them; and caft lots upon his vesture,' Pfal. xxii. 18. And being dead, he made his grave with the rich, Ifa. liii. 9. that is, he was buried in a rich man's tomb.

Thus I have followed our bleffed Saviour to the grave. But could the grave detain him? Could it keep him its prifoner? No! I know that my Redeemer liveth: and that he fhall ftand at the latter day, upon the earth, Job

xix. 25. His flesh might go to the grave, and reft in hope; for God would not leave his foul in hell; nor fuffer his holy One to be fo long under the power of death, as to fee corruption, Pfal. xvi. 9, 10. After his foul was made an offering for fin, he faw his feed; and prolonged his days, Ifa. liii.ro. He afcended to the right hand of God; and the Lord faid to him, Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footftool, Pfal. cx. 1. He afcended on high, that he might lead captivity captive; and give gifts unto men, Pfal. Ixviii. 16.

Having thus given you fome account from the anci ent prophecies, of the life, death, and refurrection of our Lord Jefus Chrift, I fhall now proceed to fhew you fome of the confequences of this great event.

And it may be proper in the firft place to take notice, what were the effects of the Jews thus rejecting and murdering the Prince of Life; and to fhew you that the people of Titus the Roman prince came upon them, deftroyed the city and the fanctuary, caufed the facrifice and the oblation to ceafe; and the abominations (or abominable armies) with their eagles (and fuperftitious rites) to overfpread and to make them defolate, Dan. ix. 27. When God had laid in Zion for a foundation, a ftone, a tried ftone, a precious corner-ftone, and a fure foundation for all that would believe on him, he then took notice of the fcornful men that ruled in Jerufalem. He laid judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, the hail fwept away the refuge of lies; and the waters overflowed the hiding place. Their covenant with death was difannulled, and their agreement with hell could not ftand; when the overflowing fcourge paffed through them; and they were trodden down by it, from the time it went forth it took them, for morning by morning it passed over them, by day and by night, until it was a vexation only to understand the report. For the Lord rose up as in mount Perazim, he was wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; and a confumption was determin'd upon the whole earth, or upon their whole land, Ifa. xxviii. 14. -22. The Lord numbered them to the fword; and they all bowed down to the flaughter; because when he called they did not

anfwer, when he spake they did not hear: but did evil before his eyes, and chofe that wherein he delighted not; therefore the Lord faid unto them, Behold, my fervants (the Christians) shall eat: but ye shall be hun gry. Behold, my fervants fhall drink: but ye fhall be thirfly. Behold, my fervants shall rejoice: but ye shall be ashamed. Behold, my fervants fhall fing for joy of heart: but ye'fhall cry for forrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of fpirit. And ye fhall leave your name for a curfe upon my chofen, for the Lord God fhall flay thee, and call his fervants by another name; Christians and not Jews, Isa. lxv. 12.— 16.

Another confequence of the excifion of the Meffiah, and his pouring out his foul unto death, was the calling the Gentiles into a church state. Behold God's fervant whom he upholds, his fervant in whom his foul delighteth, he has put his spirit upon him; and he hath brought forth judgment unto the Gentiles. He has not failed nor been difcouraged, till he has fet judgment upon the earth; and the isles have waited for his law, Ifa. xlii. 1, 4. Then did the barren fing that did not bear; fhe broke forth into finging and cry'd aloud, that had not travailed with child; and more were the children of the defolate, than of the married wife. For the brake forth on the right hand and on the left; and her feed inherited the Gentiles; and made the defolate cities to be inhabited, Ifa. liv. 1, 3. Thus was our Lord Jefus given for a light to the Gentiles, that he might be for falvation unto the ends of the earth, Ifa. lix. 6. And the Gentiles came to his light, and Kings to the brightnefs of his rifing, Ifa. lx. 3.

Thus you have had a general view of our bleffed Saviour's life, death, refurrection, afcenfion, and kingdom, out of the Jewish prophets. I have not given you all (nor indeed a tenth part) of the predictions of the Mefhah, that are to be found in the Old Testament; and yet I have, by these brief hints, given you the advantage to confider, whether thefe prophecies did not in all circumstances exactly agree to the Lord Jesus Christ, and whether they did or poffibly could agree to any other perfon in the world.