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the End thereof shall be with a Flood, and unto the End of the War, Defolations are determined: And all thefe Circumftances, as they regarded, fo did they meet with their Accomplishment in the Holy Jefus.

THE Glory of the latter Temple is declared by the Prophet Haggai to be greater than that of the former; And how greater? fince the Divine Shekinah or Vififible Glory was then removed, unless by Christ's appearing therein, in whom dwelt all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily; who was enrich'd with Glory, the Glory of the only-begotten Son of God.

BUT if we take this Matter in a general View; it is remarkable that the Meffiah is defcribed in the Old Teftament under the moft different Circumstances of Grandeur and Meannefs; and never did any of the Sons of Men bear fo compounded a Character of fpiritul Dignity and worldly Diftrefs as the Son of Joseph. Some of the Jews have thought what is declared of the Meffiab to be fo inconfiftent, that they imagined Scripture no otherwise reconcileable with Scripture, than by supposing two different Meffiabs,

the

the one to fuffer for the People, the other to reign over them: But in the Holy Jefus we fee both Parts of the Meffiah's Character literally compleated: What never concurred in any other Perfon, we fee in Him, the greatest of Princes, and the meaneft of Servants; fitting upon the Throne of his Holinefs, and numbered among Tranfgreffors: The moft powerful of Conquerors, and the moft afflicted of Men; the Defire of Nations, and the Out-caft of the People.

LET us then in Scripture-Language describe a Perfon, mean and contemptible, defpifed and rejected, without Beauty or Comeliness; a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with Grief; let his Enemies encompass Him like Dogs; let them lead Him like a Lamb to the Slaughter; let them pierce his Hands and his Feet; let them part his Garments among them, and caft Lots upon his Vefture; let them give Him Gall to eat, and Vinegar to drink, and let them pour out his Soul unto Death: Again, let us defcribe Him in other Circumstances; tho' He was dead, yet alive; not left in Hell, nor fuffer'd

to

to fee Corruption; afcending up on High, leading Captivity Captive, and receiving Gifts for Men; paffing through the Everlafting Doors of Heaven, into the Fulness of Glory, and fitting down on the RightHand of Majefty on High: Do we here read the Prophecies of the Old Teftament, or the History of the New? We do both? We at the fame time declare what the Meffiah ought to be, and what the Holy Jefus really was; i. e, we prove Him to be the true Meffiah.

THESE are a few of the Prophecies relating to the true Meffiah, which were literally fulfill'd in the Perfon of Chrift Jefus; but from what hath been already quoted we cannot but infer, that that Religion must have God for its Author, which receives its Testimony from infinite Wisdom and Knowledge. When Matters of Fact are foretold at a great diftance of Time before they are transacted; when many particular Circumftances are declared, and thofe very contingent ones, which Human Forefight could not have any reason to conjecture, and Human Policy could not poffibly contrive to take Effect,

Effect, when a continued Succeffion of fuch Predictions is made by different Perfons, all perhaps declaring different Circumstances, but all agreeing in the main Points: And when all thofe meet with their entire Completion according to the Substance, the Manner, the Times predicted, what is this other than the Wif dom and Knowledge of Him, who seeth the most distant Events, and ordereth all Things according to his Almighty Will?

TRUE indeed it is that Prophecies confidered in themselves are generally obscure, and that it requires fomething of close Attention to perceive the Evidence they give to our moft Holy Religion; but whosoever doth impartially and serioufly examine the Prophecies of the Old Teftament and the Hiftory of the New, will find the most bright and strong Conclufions of Divine Truth, will with devout Joy declare the Words of thofe Prophecies to be fure Words, and the Spirit of these Prophecies to be the Teftimony of the Blessed Jefus. From hence we inuft infer the impious Hardinefs of our prefent Times, in endeavouring to pull

VOL. II.

B

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down that Church which is built upon the Foundation of the Prophets, Christ himfelf being the head Corner-Stone.

THE Church of Chrift was four thoufand Years in creating, contrived by Infinite Wisdom, fupported by Almighty Power; and fhall every Wave of False Doctrine, every Blaft of Profane Scoffing be thought able to overthrow it? Shall the Sun of Righteousness arife in the Brightnefs of his Glory, and be put out again by the Breath of Impiety? Yet these are the boafted Deligns of our Times ; thefe are the Publick Attempts of those, who are called by the Name of Chrift.

THAT Liberty of publishing our Opinion freely, which is fo generally claim'd among us, is no other than Licentioufnefs, a Power of doing Mischief; those comprehensive Principles of Modern Cómplaifance, we cannot call it Chriftian Charity, which difregard Mens Notions in Religion, are the indulging them in their Errors, the countenancing them in their Prophanenefs; Zeal may be fhewn without Perfecution; Indignation without breach of Charity. Let a Man endeavour

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