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I.

tain, that a verb, which in the active CHAP. "voice fignifies to commit iniquity, may in "the paffive fignify to fuffer for iniquity: " and hence it is, that nouns from fuch "verbs fometimes fignify iniquity, fome"times punishment. The grammatical fig"nification being thus made clear, we are "prepared for abolishing our translation,

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if he commit iniquity, and also for adopting the true one-even in his fuffering for iniquity. The Meffiah, who is thus "the perfon poffibly here spoken of, will "be ftill more manifeft, from the whole "verse thus tranflated. I will be his fa"ther, and he shall be my fon: even in his fuffering for iniquity, I shall chaften him "with the rod of men, (with the rod due to

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men) and with the ftripes of (due to) the "children of Adam. And this construction "is well fupported by Ifaiah liii. 4, 5. "He hath carried our forrows (i. e. the for"rows due to us, and which we must otherwife have fuffered) he was wounded for

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our tranfgreffions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace "was upon him, and with his ftripes we are

"bealed."

There are no further limitations of the

P 3

pro

SECT. promifed feed, after the time of David; nor was it known from what particular member of his family the Meffiah was destined to spring, till the event itself took place.

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

PROPHECIES RELATING TO THE OFFICE
AND CHARACTER OF THE MESSIAH, THE
CALL OF THE GENTILES, AND THE RE-
JECTION OF THE JEWS. I. CONTAINED
IN THE PSALMS. 2. ISAIAH. 3. JERE-
6. AMOS.
MIAH. 4. EZEKIEL. 5. DANIEL.
7. MICAH. 8. HAGGAI. 9. ZECHARIAH.

IO. MALACHI.

THE prophecies, which have hitherto been Prophecies

relating to

and cha

the Meffiah; the

call of the

Gentiles; and the re

on of

confidered, are rather declarative of the the office birth of the Meffiah in fome particular fa- racter of mily, than descriptive of his office and cha- that racter. The last indeed does briefly touch upon his fufferings; but the others merely mention his manifeftation, and the con- the Jews. verfion of the Gentiles to his religion. At the era of David a new fpecies of prophecy commences; a greater degree of precifion is adopted; and the picture of the promised Redeemer glows in the writings of the Hebrew bards, with as vivid colours, as if it had been painted by an eye-witness. His death and sufferings are diftinctly pointed out; his burial and glorification

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SECT. rification are each minutely defcribed; and the conversion of the Gentiles is exprefsly foretold.

Contained in the Pfalms.

As the prophecies, which connect the Law and the Gospel, are fcattered through the whole of the latter part of the facred Volume, they do not strike upon the mind fo forcibly, as when furveyed in the short compass of a few pages. Hence, it will be neceffary to bring them together into one point of view. Separated, they are like ftars, bright indeed, yet capable of being easily overlooked; united, they form a radiant constellation, which the eyes cannot avoid beholding, unless wilfully closed against the light of truth.

1. Few of the Prophets are more copious and accurate in their predictions than David, the illuftrious type and progenitor of the Meffiah. He fometimes breaks out into rapturous effufions of joy, at foreseeing the triumph of Chrift; and again melts us into tears of gratitude, when he weeps over his agonizing pains, and the blind cruelty of his countrymen.

In the fecond Pfalm we meet with an

II.

exact description of the conqueft of Chrift, CHAP. over all the oppofition, which the incenfed rulers of the world could make to his religion. Though imperial Rome raged to fee its progrefs, and though the chief priests and Pharisees took counsel together, ftill did the word of God prevail against both. The Heathen are now become the inheritance of Chrift, and the uttermoft parts of the earth his poffeffion. This victory indeed was not atchieved without a violent struggle; but both the Romans and the Jews paid dearly for their resistance and perfecuting fpirit. Divine vengeance "broke them with a rod of iron, and "dashed them in pieces like a potter's "veffel." The deftruction of Jerufalem, and the difperfion of the Jews, foon followed their rejection of Chrift: and as for the Romans, through whose power the Meffiah had been put to an ignominious death, and who were ftained with the blood of the martyrs fhed in ten dreadful perfecutions, where is now their mighty empire? The moft brittle earthen-ware could not be more completely dashed in pieces by the blow of a rod of iron, than the widely diffused powers of the Romans.

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