his crime, and whose office should be filled by another: that his enemies should use him contumeliously, buffet him, and spit upon him, whilst he should be led like a lamb to the slaughter, not opening his mouth, and uttering nothing, except intercession for the transgressors; that his enemies should strip him of his raiment, divide it among themselves, and cast lots upon it; surround him, pierce his hands and his feet, mock him, and shake their heads at him; give him gall to eat, and vinegar to drink; that he should be reduced to so weak and languishing a condition that his bones might all be counted; his heart should melt within him, and his tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth: that he should be brought to the dust of death; that he should be pierced, and not one of his bones be broken; and that he should be laid in the sepulchre of a rich and honourable man, none of his enemies hindering of it: that he should rise again before he had seen corruption, and subdue his enemies, and ascend into heaven, and sit at God's right hand; be crowned with honour and glory, and see his seed prosper, and justify many, and be adored ed and flow into the Church. These things were said concerning some person, and they are all applicable to Christ." -Jortin. "None of the apostles and companions of Christ could have composed a more faithful compendious abridgement of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the subsequent promulgations of his Gospel, than what is contained in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. No sooner did Philip give the true explication of this very prophecy to the Eunuch who was reading it, and show its exact and sole accomplishment in the life and character of Jesus Christ, but he was convinced of the truth of Christianity, and was baptized into the profession of it. "And the predictions of Daniel are so far free from the ambiguity of prophecy, that they seem to be plain historical narratives; and Porphyry asserted they were written after the events. "All these various prophecies, delivered in various revolving periods, concentred in Jesus Christ; and the increasing light of them from age to age was like the path of the just man, shining with greater and greater lustre, until the perfect day of the Christian dispensation at exalted character of Jesus Christ, and acknowledge him even as a prophet, will find it difficult to make their opinion agree with an idea which some have formed, that "Moses was not a divine legislator;" seeing that Christ often refers to him as such; and that in reference to the want of faith and belief in the law of Moses, and acting conformably thereto, he speaks in strong terms: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Luke xvi. 31. And as a confirmation of his own divine character, and of the necessity there was for a belief of a connexion in their united evidence, he appeals to the authority of Moses: "For had you believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me; but if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" John v. 46, 47. Many are the authorities which have been produced as evidence to prove Moses the character he professed to be the simple, correct, and interesting mode of his describing the events he has handed down to us, is a criterion to judge by. "In the course of his history Moses describes cruelty of Levi, (from whom the historian was descended,) as also the curses denounced against him, are related without disguise. One circumstance must, however, be remembered by those who would understand the scope and design of the sacred writer in furnishing us with particular relations contained in this book, which is, that he always kept in mind the promise of the Messiah; and was desirous of showing that the expectation of the great object of the Jewish hopes was predominant in all times, and influenced the opinions and manners of every generation. The recollection of this will furnish the reason of many particulars mentioned by him, which might otherwise appear extraordinary and exceptionable."-Gray's Key. We may observe the peculiar wisdom that from the beginning was apparent in developing this extraordinary circumstance. It was not all at once fully opened to the understandings of mankind, but from age to age kept alive; and succeeding and corresponding testimonies by degrees unfolded the full intention of Omnipotence: and as the event drew nearer its completion, so the circumstances were more particularly bruise the serpent's head," yet it was sufficient to convey a hope that the breach which man had made by his fall, through disobeying the command of God, would, in mercy, be repaired by the coming of the Messiah. Nay, it is somewhat evident that it did produce this hope in the woman, and that it would immediately come to pass, by her emphatic language on the birth of Cain; "I have gotten a man from the Lord." As we proceed, the mystery is gradually opened. The promise is made three times to Abraham. It is also confirmed to Jacob, who on his death-bed proceeds somewhat further, by mentioning Judah as the tribe from which he was to descend. Moses himself, in the eighteenth of Deuteronomy, describes the prophetic character of Christ; and to David, the very family from whence he was to proceed was made known. As we go on nearer to the time of the completion of this great event, the prophets descend to a variety of particulars. |