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capacity of doubting the doctrine, except on the supposition, that the scriptures are not the word of God.

P. 135. 1. 17. "A father is above the son,' &c. -Not in nature certainly; but merely as the senior and superior relation; the same nature being common to both.

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P. 136. 1. 12. The gentiles to know that his name is not three, but ONE.'-Every zealot for a sect, or a sentiment, is ready to say, ' Ere long all will be of my opinion:' but, I do not read in the prophets, that God will cause the gentiles to 'know, that his name is not three but ONE.' Christians, however, have no objection to the position: Baptize them in the name" (not names) "of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy "Ghost." Certainly three names do not imply three persons. Marcus Tullius Cicero, Caius Julius Cæsar; each three names of the same man: but we have no objection to three persons. Our doctrine is, Three persons and one God

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Here Mr. C. closes: but, before I close, I must take some notice of his OMISSIONS. He has never, as it has before been observed, brought forward the question, Whether it was predicted that the Messiah should be a Priest, or not? He has not stated whether the predicted Messiah was to die, or not; probably he thinks that he will not. But, supposing him to die, whether he would die a natural or a violent death: if a violent death, in

what manner, and by whom, and what the event would be; whether as a sacrifice for sin, or not. Mr. C. must know that Christians lay very great stress on each of these particulars; and they consider certain parts of the Old Testament as most explicitly and undeniably predicting them, even to minuteness; in short, that all the prophets "testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and "the glory which should follow."

It has indeed been publicly asserted, and it remains, I believe, uncontradicted, that the Jews are forbidden by their Rabbies to read the fiftythird chapter of Isaiah. If this be not true, it should be publicly contradicted.

Whatever were the motives of these, and other similar omissions, by Mr. C.; I must not conclude my answer without bringing forward, in a compendious manner, the substance of the prophecies of the Old Testament, on the following points.

I. Concerning the reception, with which the Messiah would meet from the nation of Israel.

II. Concerning his violent death, and that kind of death by which he would be cut off; with the special end and design of his crucifixion. And,

III. Concerning his resurrection, and subsequent glory; and the kingdom which he, as risen and ascended, would establish, preserve, and extend through the whole earth; to endure till the end of the world.

I. Concerning the reception, with which the Messiah would meet from the nation of Israel.

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Thus we read in Isaiah: "Listen, O isles unto me, and hearken, ye people from far: The Lord "hath called me from the womb: from the bowels "of my mother hath he made mention of my "name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he "hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; and said unto me, Thou "art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be "glorified." It is plain, that the Messiah is intended in this prophecy; for the particulars specified in it never met, nor can meet, in any other person: and he may be called ISRAEL, in the same way as he is called "the seed of Abra“ham,” being “the GLORY of his people Israel; the Head of that bod which, with the Head, is "the Israel of God:" and as having, like Jacob, when he received the name of Israel, wrestled with God, and prevailed for the blessing. But an individual, and not the nation, must be intended; or the whole which follows in the context will be destitute of meaning." Then I said, I "have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength "for nought, and in vain; yet surely my judg"ment is with the Lord, and my work with my "God. And now, saith the Lord that formed "thee from the womb to be his servant, to bring "Jacob again to him; Though Israel be not

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gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of "the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. "And he said, It is a light thing, that thou "shouldest be my servant, to raise up the tribes

'Comp. Hos. xii. 3,4. Heb. v. 7.

" of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: "I will also give thee for a light to the gentiles, "that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end "of the earth." The Messiah here complains of having" laboured in vain," evidently among his countrymen; and supposes that "Israel would "not be gathered;" that is, as a nation, at the first, or for a long time, but only a remnant of them; called " the preserved of Israel." In order to compensate this, and as something far beyond the "gathering of Israel;" JEHOVAH promises that he, the Messiah, "shall be the light of the "gentiles, and his salvation to the end of the "earth."-It then follows, "Thus saith the Lord, "the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to "him whom man despiseth, to him whom the "nation abhorreth," (2 singular, not a plural,) "to a servant of rulers; Kings shall see and arise,

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princes also shall worship, because of the Lord "that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and " he shall choose thee." Surely this prophecy leads us to expect that, when the true Messiah should appear, the nation of Israel, and the rulers of that nation, would reject, despise, and hate him; as they had generally done the prophets who went before him.

Again, in the same prophet, "Behold, my Ser"vant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted "and extolled, and be very high. As many were " astonished at thee; (his visage was so marred "more than any man, and his form more than "the sons of men ;) so shall he sprinkle many

'Is. xlix. 1-7.

"nations: the kings shall shut their mouths at "him: for that which hath not been told them shall "they see, and that which they have not heard "shall they consider."1 This is the King Mes

siah, who shall be exalted above Abraham, and ' extolled above Moses, and be high above the 'angels of the ministry.' (Misrach Tenctuma, an ancient Jewish writing.) Indeed, none but the Messiah can be meant. The same prophecy is evidently continued in the next chapter: "Who "hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? for he" (the Servant before mentioned) "shall grow up before him" (JEHOVAH)" as a tender plant, and as a root out "of a dry ground: he hath no form nor come"liness; and when we shall see him there is no

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beauty that we should desire him. He is de

spised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, "and acquainted with grief: and we hid, as it

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were, our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."2 The very person, who "should be exalted, and extolled, and be very high," would be "despised and rejected by "men," nay, by Israelites! Does not this prophecy, when carefully considered, tend to prepare the mind for the history of Jesus contained in the four evangelists? and for the Acts of the apostles? If the Messiah were not meant, let it be shewn in whom the prophecy has been, or ever can be, fulfilled.-The rest of the chapter will come under our consideration in another part of this inquiry.

1 Is. lii. 13-15.

2 Is. liii. 1-3.

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