-to imitate his example—to have hope in his death a place in his kingdom-a love for his glorious appearing. 1. PROPHECIES OF HIS INCARNATION. Prophecy. [ Fulfilled. 1 That the seed of the woman should 1 John iii. 8. bruise the serpent's head: Gen. iii. Heb. ii. 14. 15. Math. i. 1825. Luke i. 2 Born of a virgin: Isa. vii. 14. Un-18, 35. Gal. to us a child is born, a son given. iv. 4. John i. Isa. ix. 6. 14. Heb. xii. 14-17. Phil· ii. 7-8. CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS BIRTH. Prpohecy. Fulfilled. Heb. ii. 16. 1 Of the seed of Abraham: Gen. xxii. Gal. iii. 16,17. 18. 2 Of the tribe of Judah: Gen. xlix. 6. Heb. vii. 14. 3 Of the family of David: 2Sam. vii. 10 Luke i. 32,69 4 Born at Bethlehem: Mic. v. 2. Math.ii.1,5,6. 5 That a star should indicate his Ad- Math. ii. 2, 7, vent. 6 Called out of Egypt: Hosea xi. 1. 19. Math. ii. 13, 14. 7 His way prepared by another: Isa. Math. iii. 1,4: xl. 3, 4. Mal. iii. 1, 4, 5. 8 A general expectation of the ah: Hag. ii. 7, 9. xvii. 10, 14. Messi-Math. ii. 1, 10. This prophecy seems to point to the period of the Messiah's birth, when the second temple existed, which was erected after the Jews' return from captivity, and after the temple of Solomon was laid waste. "I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with my glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts." The glory of the first temple was superior to that of the latter: Ezra iii. 12. But it was afterwards embelished by Herod the Great; yet the visible glory of God, the Shechinah, did not fill the second temple. But Christ, who was greater than the temple itself, and the desire of all nations, made the latter temple more glorious than the former. This fixes the coming of Christ under the Roman Empire, while the temple was standing. Hence another prophecy was fulfilled, respecting the time of Christ's first advent. Gen. xlix. 10-"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between his feet till Shiloh come." The sceptre, or Jewish tribunal, did not depart from Judah till the predicted era. Nor the lawgiver (expounder of law) a body of men, who continued as long as the Jewish polity, until SHILOH came, i. e. the Messiah. The prophecy was fulfilled to the letter; for Joseph and Ma ry, with others, went to be taxed by the authority of a heathen Emperor: Luke ii. 3. The prophecy of Daniel fixes the same time during the period of Pagan Rome. See Dan. ix. 26. REPROACHES, SUFFERINGS AND DEATH OF CHRIST. Prophecy. Fulfilled. 1 Entered Jerusalem riding upon Math. xxi 2-12. a colt: Zech. ix. 9. 2 Despised and rejected by his Math. xxi 42, 45. countrymen: Isa. viii. 14, 15; Luke xix, 14. Isa. liii. 2, 3. 3 Betrayed by one of his profess-John xiii. 18. ed disciples: Ps. xli. 9. 4 Reproached by men: Ps. xxii.6. Math. xiii. 55. 5 Betrayed for a specific sum: Math. xxvi. 14,15. Zech. xiv. 12. 6 Ill treatment he should receive: Isa. xlix. 7. Math. ii. 67, 68. 7 His hands and feet pierced: Isa. Luke xxiii. 33. liii. 8 Numbered among transgressors: Isa. liii. 12. 9 Persecuted by the Jews: Ps. Ixix. 26. 10 Mocked on the Cross: Ps. xxii. 7, 8. John xix. 17. John v. 16. Math. xvii. 34. 11 Gall and vinegar given him to Math. xxvii. 34,48. drink: Ps. Ixix. 21. 12 His garments parted--lots cast: Math. xxvii. 35. Ps. xxii. 15. John xix. 23, 24. 13 Cut off by a violent death; Isa. John xix. 30. liii. 8. 14 Not a bone broken: Zech. xii. Acts ii. 23. John xix. 33, 38. 10. 15 Poured out his soul unto death: Mark xv. 37, 39. Isa. lin. 12. 16 Cut off, not for himself, but 1 Cor. v. 7. for others: Dan. ix. 26. These prophecies bring us down to the crucifixion of our Lord. Leaving the seventy weeks, noted in Daniel's prophecy, for explanation in the "visions harmonized and explained," we shall notice, briefly, the circumstances of the Savior's crucifixion. He was "delivered to be crucified." This mode of putting persons to death was customary among the Romans, the result of combined cruelty. It was their intention to render the sufferings of Christ as painful as possible. The cross was set up in the ground, and the suffering Savior suspended on nails, or thongs, driven through his hands and feet, by which every motion of the body must have rendered the pain extremely exquisite. These sufferings of Jesus soon terminated; and his death an. swered to the type of the brazen serpent on the pole in the wilderness. Types, as well as prophecies, have their fulfillment. Let the reader trace out the fulfilment of these types, and he will see how perfectly God fulfills all his Word. The Savior, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, was cut off by the hands of wicked men, and therefore fulfilled the prophecy in Isa. liii. 8, and by his death sealed up the vision, and prophecy, and laid the foundation of all our hopes of acceptance with God. The closing scenes of Christ's sufferings, as recorded by Matthew, (xxvii. 45—50) are prophecied by Isa. liii. 4, 5. He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him; by his stripes we are healed. The event accords with the first promise, viz, that the seed of the woman, i. e. Christ, should bruise his (the serpents) head. By the sufferings of Christ, and the power with which he was invested, he might, through death, destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. This promise is fulfilled, inasmuch as Christ, by his death, destroys the power of death over all those who believe, and become heirs of that eternal life which was forfeited by sin, and which they will enjoy in a far more glorious paradise than that which was lost. As a testimony to this event, there was darkness, from the sixth hour, over all the land, unto the ninth hour. It was not an eclipse of the sun, for the passover was celebrated at the time |