informs us when he afferts, "that it is evident our Lord fprang out of Judah.” Ifaiah declares that he fhall be defcended from David, and be born of a pure virgin. A virgin fhall conceive and bear a fon, and they fhall call his name Immanuel-There fhall come a rod out of the ftem of Jesse, and the Spirit of the Lord shall reft upon him, and the Spirit of wisdom and understanding. The de-. fcent of Jofeph the reputed father, and of Mary the Mother of our Lord, is regularly traced from David the fon of Jeffe, by the Evangelifts. Mary was found with child. by the Holy Ghost. When Jefus was baptized by John in the river Jordan, the Spirit of God defcended like a dove, and lighted upon him." His life and doctrine fully showed that the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wifdom and understanding, did indeed rest or remain with him always, "for it was not given unto him by measure." .66 Rifing to a loftier ftrain of defcription, Ifaiah represents the dignity of his nature and attributes, and among other appropriate epi Ifaiah vii. 14. Matt. i. 20. Luke iii. 23. Matt. iii. 16. N 3 thets, thets, gives him one that peculiarly marks the mild and heavenly purpose of his Gofpel, Unto us a child is born, unto us a fon is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name fhall be called Wonderful, Counfellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Thus our Saviour himself instructs Nicodemus, "that God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," and St. Paul declares what is indeed proved by the whole tenor of Evangelical History, "that God hath in these last times spoken unto us by his Son.” He declares likewise, "that Chrift is the wisdom of God and the power of God-that he is our peace, and the Lord of peace himselfthe image of the invifible God-that he is before all things, and by him all things confift the brightnefs of his Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon." The Evangelifts affert, that the voice heard from heaven, when our Lord was baptized in the river Jordan, declared, This is my beloved Son." The government was given to him, i h Isaiah ix. 6. John iii. 16. Heb. i. 2. Ephef. ii. 14. 1 Cor. i. 24. Col. i. 15. 17. 20. 2 Theff. iii. 16. Heb. i. 3. Matt. iii. 17. Isaiah xix. 6. Matt. xxviii. 18. Luke ii. 14. for he caft out evil fpirits, he overruled the Laws of nature by his miraculous power and " he had all power given unto him both in heaven and earth." At his birth the angels, in their fong of triumph, déclared peace on earth and good will towards men, thus celebrating his high and gracious office, as Redeemer of a finful world, and marking the characteristics of the mild and benevolent religion he came to establish. Ifaiah likewife fpecifies the particular kinds of miracles by which the divine origin of the Christian Revelation fhould be proved. Then the eyes of the blind fhall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unftopped. Then fhall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb fing. The following words of Chrift, when speaking particularly of his miracles to the difciples of John, and which plainly refer to the Prophecies, are confirmed by the Gofpels, in the fullest manner: "The blind receive their fight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleanfed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up.” * Ifaiah xxxv. 5, 6. Matt. xi. 5. N 4 The The reward given by the High Priests to Judas the betrayer, is exactly fpecified by Zechariah. They weighed for my price thirty pieces of filver. Thus the Evangelists relate, that "Judas Iscariot went unto the chief Priests, and faid unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of filver." The cruel and moft undeferved treatment, which he fuffered previous to his death, is thus mentioned by Isaiah". I gave my back to the fmiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from Shame and Spitting. It is particularly recorded, 66 that they did fpit in his face, and buffet him, and that others fmote him with the palms of their hands." His particular kind of death, by being nailed to a crofs, is defcribed by David", They pierced my hands and my feet. And the Evangelifts fay exprefsly, that "the Jews crucified him." 1 Zech. xi. 12. Matt. xxvi. 15. And. And the particular kind of drink that was offered him is mentioned likewife by David. They gave me alfo gall for my meat, and in my thirft they gave me vinegar to drink. The Evangelists relate, that “ they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall." And the manner likewife, in which his garments were adjudged to the foldiers who attended his execution, is exactly stated in the Pfalms. They part my garments among them, and caft lots upon my vesture. Thus in the Gospel it is particularly mentioned," that they parted his raiment and caft lots for his coat, as it was without feam, and woven from the top throughout." The manner of his interment is foretold by Ifaiah . That he should make his grave with the rich. Thus" a rich man of Arimathea, named Jofeph, took the body of Jefus, and laid it in his own new tomb. That he should rise again, without being fubject to decay, is the glorious declaration . Pfalm Ixix. 21. Pfalm xxii, 18. 9 Ifaiah liii. 9. Matt. xxvii. 34. John xix. 23. of |