SECT. pointed out. As he is called a Prophet III. like unto Mofes, he must of course be a - legiflator; otherwise he would vary from

him in the most essential part of his character: nor would there be any fufficient reason, why his ministry should be predicted, rather than that of any other inspired teacher. But if he be a lawgiver, he must, as the name implies, promulge a law, in fome respects new; and not merely cause the ancient statutes of his predeceffor to remain upon the fame footing, on which they had originally been established. For, if no alteration whatsoever took place under his ministry, he would be no more entitled to the name of lawgiver, than any of the other prophets.

Now, if the new law thus promulged was not to be embraced, the promulgation of it would be useless. But if it was to be embraced, it must necessarily supersede the other. It appears then, that Mofes predicted the coming of a prophet, who, by the circumstance of his being also a

lawgiver, was confequently to be the found- CHAP.
er of a new law, not indeed fubverting, 1II.
but superseding the former; not making
it void, but confirming it. It only remains,
therefore, to be shewn that Jesus Christ is
this lawgiver.

If the perfon, generally received as the Meffiah, be not this lawgiver, then the lawgiver spoken of by Mofes is not yet come, because none of the prophets ever pretended to such a commiffion. But, if Christ, who assumed the character of a lawgiver, and who appeared at the very time specified by Daniel for the manifeftation of the Messiah, if he answer to the teft, which God himself appointed to dif-tinguish true prophets from false ones, and consequently the true legislator (who was to be a prophet) from an impoftor; then must Christ be really the legislator in queftion, because the fame teft cannot answer both to truth and falsehood, for in that cafe it would be no teft.

Let us now apply this test to our Saviour. "When a prophet speaketh in the "name of the Lord, if the thing follow " not, nor come to pass, that is the thing, " which

1

SECT. " which the Lord hath not spoken." This 111. proposition being true, the converse must also be true; "When a prophet speaketh " in the name of the Lord, if the thing " do follow, and come to pass, that is the

thing which the Lord hath spoken;" and fuch a prophet must be acknowledged as a messenger from God, and no impostor. At the celebration of the last supper, Christ declares to his disciples, that one of them should betray him; and being pressed to point out the person, he fixes upon Judas Iscariot, refting at the same time the truth of his miffion upon the completion of his prophecy. “ Now I tell you before it come, “ that when it is come to pass, ye may be"lieve that I am be." His prediction was exactly fulfilled, as appears from all the Evangelists, and also from the Acts; and Judas was guilty of the horrible wickedness of betraying the Lord of Life, as Chrift had foretold that he would. Another instance of his prophetic powers is the affurance made by him to Peter, who was very unwilling to believe it, that, ere the crowing of the cock, he should thrice deny his masterd. Peter, however, did deny him precisely three times before he heard cHAP. the cock crow, which immediately brought to his recollection the declaration of his Lord. A look from the fuffering Redeemer, a look, in which were mingled love, forrow, gentle reproach, and speedy forgiveness, pierced the Apostle to the heart: "he " went out, and wept bitterly." The last example, which shall be brought, is the language held by Christ the evening preceding his crucifixion. After promifing the gift of the Holy Ghost, and predicting that he should foon leave his disciples, he folemnly adds, "Now I have told you before "it come to pass, that when it is come to “ pass, ye might believe'."

111.

Thus we fee, that Christ, in perfect harmony with the test which God appointed through Mofes, demands from his disciples, that they should believe him to be the Meffiah, because his prophecies were fulfilled. Were it necessary, several other instances might be produced, such as his foretelling the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the perfecutions of the church for his name's fake, all of which had an exact

SECT. completion; but sufficient has already been 111. said, to prove that Christ answers to the test proposed, and confequently that he must be the lawgiver spoken of by Moses.

2.

Prophecies

in the Pfalms.

2. In many of the Pfalms, the leading contained idea is the absolute neceffity of spiritual worship, as opposed to legal ceremonies and ordinances. "Sacrifice and offering "thou didst not require; mine ears hast "thou opened; burnt-offering and fin-of"fering haft thou not required. Then faid

1

“

I, Lo! I come: in the volume of the " book it is written of me; I delight to "do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law " is within my heart *." Christ here declares the inefficacy of the facrifices under the law, and, although they were typical of his death, yet how little acceptable they were to God on their own account; that law alone, which is written upon the heart, being well-pleasing to the Almighty.

" I will not reprove thee for thy facri" fices or thy burnt-offerings, to have been *" continually before me. I will take no " bullock out of thy house, nor he-goat " out of thy folds-Will I eat the flesh

& Pfalm xl. 6.

"of