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manner of plausibility, if it is not against some one or two of fo many teftimonies confidered apart from the reft; the invalidity of which objections is confidered more fully in a more proper place. And it is evidently unreafonable to make general confufed objections, as, "That by heaping many things together, people may prove any thing;" feeing it is impoffible, that joining together ever fo many true promises, fhould prove any but a true conclufion.

Whereas all the above-cited fcriptures contain characters of the divinity of the perfon they speak of, it is useful to divide them into different forts, according to the diverfity that appears in the other characters which they join with divinity. 1. Some of them join with characters of divinity, characters of the above-mentioned fubordination of office, fuch as being fent of God, or the like, without fpeaking of incarnation *. 2. Others join with divinity, characters that fuppofe incarnation, without any other mention of diftinétion of perfons, or fubordination of office, than what may be neceffarily implied in incarnation itself t. 3. Others join with divinity both the other characters; fubordination of office, and incarnation. Whence it follows, that the two firft claffes of fcriptures being parallel to the third, must be alfo parallel to one another; and therefore, whatever fcriptures fpeak of a divine perfon as fent of God, must be meant of him, of whom it is foretold in fo many other fcriptures, that he would be fent of God, and would affume human nature. Which reafoning is evidently founded on the fo often mentioned rule of interpretation, That more general and indefinite expreffions fhould be explained by thofe that are more fpecial and particular.

* See Pfal. ii. 7. If. xlviii. 16. Zech. ii. 9. Pfal. xlv. 7. Mal. jii. 1. Hof. i. 7. cited above.

† See above, p. 47. note 2.

According

According to the fame rule, the above-cited paffages fhould be improved in explaining fome others, which, though they do not contain the above-mentioned characters of miffion or incarnation, yet fpeak of a divine perfon, as coming in an extraordinary and peculiar manner, to the world, or to Zion, fo that the cities of Judah fhould be called to behold him, as in If. xl. 9. 10. But various other proofs of the harmony between this and the abovementioned prophecies will come under confideration afterwards.

If it be objected, That the above-mentioned fubordination of office muft include inferiority of nature, and is therefore inconfiftent with divinity; in anfwer to this, How myfterious foever this doctrine be in other refpects, it is evident that that objection is contrary to reafon and experience; feeing in many other cafes perfons of the fame nature and dignity may fend one of their number to act in their name, as well as his own, in a defign of

common concern.

3. In proving that the prophecies which speak of a divine perfon incarnate, are meant of the fame perfon whom the prophecies formerly confidered, defcribe as the light of the Gentiles, it is needful to have in view the principles formerly laid down, concerning the evidence which proves, in other cafes, that different writings, or different parts of one writing, treat of the fame perfon in which proof it is neither fufficient nor neceffary, that the different writings that are compared, defign the perfon they speak of, either by the fame name, or by any proper name at all*; feeing, on the one hand, many different perfons may have the fame name; and, on the other hand, characters that are of a peculiar and fingular nature (as, for instance, when

See Heb. iv, 8.

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one is defcribed as the founder of fuch or fuch a famous empire) are convincing proofs that defcriptions containing fuch characters relate to one and the fame perfon. It is obvious, that it is not neceffary that every one of the paffages compared contain all the characters mentioned in the reft; but that any one character that is abfolutely fingular is a proof of the harmony in view; though no doubt the greater the number of fuch characters is, the greater is the evidence.

Whereas if all the prophecies which speak of a divine perfon incarnate, expressly affirmed his being the light of the Gentiles, the conclufion in view would not need proof; for wife and holy ends, the prophecies are fo contrived as to make it neceffary that men fhould fearch the fcriptures, by comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual, 1 Cor. ii. 13. But there is no ground to complain of the want of abundant evidence, feeing fo many of the fingular characters which the prophecies formerly confidered plainly appropriate to the light of the Gentiles, are afcribed, in the prophecies now under confideration, to a divine perfon incarnate; and even in fome of them that myfterious character is joined with characters which directly imply the enlightening of the Gentiles.

One of the most remarkable prophecies of this kind is that in the 2d pfalm. It is obvious at first view, that the high titles and honours afcribed in that pfalm, to the extraordinary perfon who is the chief fubject of it, far tranfcend any thing that is afcribed in fcripture to any mere creature: but if the pfalm be inquired into more narrowly, and compared with parallel prophecies; if it be duly confidered, that not only is the extraordinary perfon here fpoken of called the Son of God, but that title is fo afcribed to him as to imply, that it belongs to him in a manner that is abfolutely fingular, and peculiar to himself, seeing he is faid to be begotten of God,

7. and is called, by way of eminence, the Son, 12.; that the danger of provoking him to anger is spoken of in fo very different a manner from what the fcripture uses in fpeaking of the anger of any mere creature," Kifs the Son, left he be angry, " and ye perifh from the way, when his wrath is "kindled but a little :" that when the kings and judges of the earth are commanded to ferve God with fear, they are at the fame time commanded to kifs the Son, which in those times and places was frequently an expreffion of adoration; and particularly, that whereas other fcriptures contain awful and just threatenings against those who truft in any mere man, the pfalmift exprefsly calls them bleffed who truft in the Son here fpoken of; all these things taken complexly, and compared with the above-cited prophecies, make up a character of divinity: as, on the other hand, when it is faid, that God would fet this his Son as his King on his holy hill of Zion, y 6.; these, and various other expreffions in this pfalm, contain characters of the abovementioned fubordination which was proved to be appropriated to that divine perfon who was to be

incarnate.

As to characters importing the enlightening of the Gentiles, there is a remarkable harmony between the fingular characters that are given here of the kingdom of the Son of God, and the characters, in prophecies formerly confidered, of the kingdom of him who was to be the light of the Gentiles, who is called, in Daniel vii. the Son of Man: and that both as to the nature and extent of that kingdom, and alfo as to the oppofition that would be made to it, and the final victory that would be obtained over all oppofition. As to the nature of this kingdom; they who refufe to fubmit to it are reprefented as refusing fubmiffion to God, and as endeavouring to calt off his yoke: "Let us break their bands afun"der, and caft away their cords from us," y 3.; where

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where the relative particle relatęs both to God, and to his anointed, or his Meffiah: and, on the other hand, they who are the fubjects of this kingdom, are fuppofed to be inftructed to ferve God with fear; which implies, that they would be enlightened in the knowledge of God; and that this kingdom is that kingdom of the faints or fervants of the Moft High, fpoken of by Daniel. This is confirmed by the account given of the extent of this kingdom, 8. & 10. where God is reprefented as faying to his Son, I will "give thee the Heathen for thine "inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth "for thy poffeffion :" and it is added, y 10. "Be "wife now therefore, O ye kings; be inftructed, 66 ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with "fear." Thefe paffages fhow, that the pfalmift is prophefying of the time when the nations of the Gentiles, or of the Heathen, and even the kings of thefe nations, fhould be enlightened in the knowledge of God; and that he speaks of the fame perfon fent by God, of whom Ifaiah fays, that he would be God's falvation, and the leader and commander of God's people, in all nations, even to the ends of the earth; and that he would make kings to arife and worship, and that kings would listen to him with attention and reverence *: and of whom Daniel fays, that he would receive honour and glory; that all nations and languages fhould ferve him, and in ferving him, fhould ferve God. The harmony between David and Daniel, in the account they give of the oppofition that would be made to the univerfal kingdom which they defcribe, and of the total defeat of that oppofition, will be evident to any who compares the above-explained paffages in Daniel ii. & vii. with the 2d and 9th verfes of this 2d pfalm, and particularly Dan. ii. 34. with Pfal. ii. 9.

See above, on If. xlix. lii. Iv.

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