VII SERMON racter, who fhould form the world to happiness; teaching them all things that it was expedient to know, and performing all that was neceffary to be done, in order to promote univerfal blifs, and effectuate the profperity of mankind. It And as this general expectation of the Jews, declared by a series of prophecy, supported the truth of that Meffiah's appearance, when Chrift came, and in that character profeffed himself; no exertions have been fpared, to invalidate the force of fuch expectations. hath been afferted, that it was very na tural for people under oppreffion to look forward, and flatter themselves with the hopes of fome great character ; who fhould rife up among them, and break their fervile yoke: that the Jewish priefts by their enigmatical oracular declarations cherifhed thofe expectations in the people, in order to quicken their exertions; and that the Jews were a credulous, enthufiaftic people, always open open to the deceptions of the crafty SERMON priesthood. In my prefent difcourfe, therefore, I propofe, ift, to confider the general expectation of a Meffiah, that prevailed amongst the Jews; and in this difcuffion to examine diftinctly the objections to it, as already ftated. And to enquire, 2dly, whether their prophets represent him to have been a temporal prince and conqueror, or something greater. I. The first of these points, it is obvious, regards thofe, who deny the truth of revelation; and who, to invalidate the doctrine of a promised Meffiah, a docStrine on which the Chriftian religion refts, defcribe the Jews as a credulous, enthusiastic people, oppreffed by their conquerors, impatient under their fufferings, and taught by former deliverances, often great and unexpected, fo much be yond VII. VII. SERMON yond all that they hoped for, to look forward to fome future Mofes, Joshua, or Zerubbabel; the deliverer a fictitious character, and the doctrine a delufion of prieftcraft and imposture. op If only when fmarting under the preffive arm of conqueft, in their forlorn migrations, or in their various fcenes of captivity, those prophetic declarations of a future deliverer had been pronounced; there might have been fome degree of pertinency in the reflection, that attributes them to delufive expectations, derived from defperation and distress. But in the most flourishing and profperous ftate of the nation, during their most brilliant periods of conqueft and fuccefs, regularly and uniformly did their pro phets predict the advent of an illuftrious perfon of their own nation; destined to eftablish a kingdom that should endure for ever. Even the most fuccessful and powerful princes themselves, in the fpirit of prophecy, declared the time would come; VII. come; when under a powerful prince, SERMON whom the Lord would fend to vifit Ifrael, all nations fhould be gathered under God: that he would then fet up a kingdom, which should never be deftroyed; and all that should fee them, when the kingdom of their Meffiah should be established, shall acknowledge them, that they are a feed bleffed of the Lord. In fhort, the whole tenour of the Old Teftament points out, and the great scope of it seems particuIarly directed to, that firft and great purpofe, the establishment of a belief in one particular perfon, deftined to reign and profper; and execute judgment and juftice on the earth: whofe title, importing his high office, was to be, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS: who was to poffefs dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, fo univerfal; that all people, nation's, and languages fhould ferve him. His do minion is described as an everlasting dominion, which should not pass away; and his kingdom that, which should not be deftroyed. Nor SERMON Nor was this notion entirely confined to the Jews: Tacitus, in his account of that people, speaks of it as an expectation entertained by many; but refers the foundation of it to certain doctrines contained in the scriptures of their priests. "Pluribus perfuafio inerat, antiquis fa❝cerdotum litteris contineri, eo ipfo 66 tempore fore, ut valefceret Oriens, "profectique Judæa rerum potirentur : quæ ambages Vefpafianum et Titum prædixerant.” * * j 66 66 Jofephus has the fame obfervation: and imputes to the influence of fuch prediction the vigorous exertions of the Jews, in the courfe of that fatal war, which ended in the defolation of their city. « Το δε επάραν αυτές μαλιςτα προς τον Tacitus Hift. lib. v. A general perfuafion prevailed, that in the antient fcriptures of their priests it was declared; the power of the Eaft fhould be established, and from Judæa hofe should proceed, who would obtain the fovereignty of the world which myfterious prediction was fulfilled in Vele pafian and Titus. σε πολεμον, |