whereby they should be justified before God; and accepted of him. God raised up this righteous branch unto David, in whofe day Judah is faved, and Ifrael dwells fafely; and this is the name whereby he is called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. He is one who speaks in righteousness, mighty to fave, Ifa. lxiii. 1. For he has brought in everlasting rightecufnefs, Dan. ix. 24. As a Prieft likewife, he brings us into a covenant-relation to God. He is the Meffenger or Angel of the covenant, Mal. iii. 1. The Lord in an accepted time heard him; and in a day of falvation ' has helped him, has preferved him, and given him for ་ a covenant of the people, to establish the earth,' Ifa. xlix. 8. By the blood of his covenant, God has fent 'forth his prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water;' and God has promifed that he will keep his mercy 'for him for evermore; and that his covenant shall 'ftand faft with him,' Pfal. Ixxxix. 28. Thus the counfel of peace was between God the Father and him. In a word, as our Priest, he is our Advocate with the Father; and makes interceffion for tranfgreffors, Ifa. liii. 2. Thus we fee, that according to God's, oath concerning him, he remainetha Priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedec, Pfal. cx. 4.

This bleffed Saviour fuftained likewife the office of a King. God hath fet this his King upon his holy hill of Zion, Pfal. ii. 6. The throne of God (our Saviour) is for ever and ever; and the fcepter of his kingdom ' is a right scepter,' Pfal. xlv. 6. As a King, he reigns in the hearts of his people, brings them into fubjection to himfelf; and makes them willing in the day of his power, Pfal. cx. 3. As a King he fits at God's right ' hand; and rules in the midst of his enemies,' Pfal cx. 1, 2. In his majefty he rides forth profperously; and 'his arrows are fharp in the heart of the King's ene'mies.' Pfal. xlv. 4, 5. His legal office was not limited to the time of his bodily refidence among us; for ' of the increase of his government and peace there is no ' end. He fits upon the throne of David, and in his kingdom, to order it and to establish it, with judg nent, and with justice, from henceforth even for ever,' Ifa.

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ix. 7. Such cause had Zion to rejoice greatly, and the daughter of Jerufalem co shout; for behold, her King came to her, juft and having falvation,' Zech ix. 9.

Having thus fhewn from the prophetick account of our bleffed Saviour, the time of his manifeftation, his defcent, the place of his birth, and the place of his principal refidence, with the circumftances of his appearing in the world, and the characters in which he appeared; I proceed to obferve fome of his diftinguishing qualities, and the more remarkable incidents of his life and death.

As to his perfonal properties, he was perfectly innocent, and moft exemplarily holy both in heart and life; and in that respect, fairer than the children of men. Grace was poured into his lips, therefore God hath blessed him for ever, Pfal. xlv. 2. He was God's righteous fervant, and there was no deceit found in his mouth, Ifa. liii. 9, 11. He was the fun of righteousness, which arose upon his people, with healing under his wings, or in his rays,

Mal. iv. 2.

He was of a meek and lowly difpofition. This King of Zion came to her, not only juft and having falvation; but thewed himself lowly, by moft aftonishing condefcenfions, Zech. ix. 9. He gave his back to the fmit. ters; and his cheeks to them who plucked off the hair; ⚫ he did not hide his face from fhame and spitting,' Ifa. 1. 6. Though he was oppreffed and afflicted; yet he opened not his mouth,' Ifa. liii. 7. He did not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the ftreets.' Ifa. xlii. 2.

He was endowed with aftonishing wifdom and capa city. The Spirit of the Lord refted upon him, the fpirit of wifdom and understanding, the fpirit of counfel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord,' Ifa. xi. 2, 3. Thus did the fervant of the Lord deal prudently, he was exalted and extolled, and was very high,' Ifa. lii. 13. He, and only he, of all the human race, could fay, counfel is mine, and found wisdom, I am understanding, I have ftrength.' Prov. viii. 14.

Previous to his entering upon his publick ministry, there was a Meffenger fent before him, to prepare the

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hearts of God's people for his reception, whofe voice cried in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the • Lord, make straight in the defart a high way for our • God. Every valley fhall be exalted; and every moun• tain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made ftraight, and the rough places plain; and the 'glory of the Lord fhall be revealed; and all flesh shall fee it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath ipo'ken it.' Ifa. xl. 3, 4, 5. Thus God fent one to his people in the fpirit of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, to turn the heart of the fathers to the children; and the 'heart of the children to the fathers. He fent his Metfenger to prepare his way before him; and then the 'Lord whom they fought, came fuddenly to his tem' ple,' Mal. iv. 5, 6.

When he entered upon his publick miniftry, God gave him the tongue of the learned, that he should know how to fpeak a word in feafon to him that is weary and he was most painful and diligent in his work, he was awaken'd morning by morning, his ear was awaken'd to hear, and vigorously to attend to the great business before him. Ifa. 1.4. He began his miniftry in the mountainous parts of Judea; and how beautiful then upon the mountains were the feet of him who brought good tidings, who published peace, who brought good tidings of good, who published falvation, who said unto Zion, Thy God reigneth, Ifa. lii. 7. As he refided in Galilee (as was before obferv'd) fo his ministry early and peculiarly enlighten'd those dark corners, the land of Zebulon, and the land of Napthali; though they had dwelt in the land of the fhadow of death, this light fbined upon them. Ifa. ix. 2. But then, his miniftry was not limited to them. This Star which came out of Jacob, Numb. xxiv. 17. enlightened the whole land of lfrael, in that time of grofs ignorance, and thick darkness. They might all be called upon to arise and shine, for their light was come : and the glory of the Lord was rifen upon them; though darknefs had covered the earth, and grofs darkness the people, yet the Lord arofe upon them, and his glory was feen upon them, Ifa. lx. 1, 2. He preached righteousness in the

great congregation, Pfal. xl. 9. He came into the temple, Mal. iii. 1. and by his preaching there, made the glory of that latter house, much greater than the glory of the former, which was built by Solomon, Hag. ii. 9. In what manner he fulfilled his miniftry, has been already confidered.

In confirmation of his divine miffion, he wrought many wonderful miracles among the people, whereever he went. The Lord their God came among them, he came to fave them: then the eyes of the blind were opened; and the ears of the deaf unftopped; the lame man leaped as an hart; and the tongue of the dumb fung, Ifa. xxxv. 5, 6. In that day the deaf heard the words of the book; and the eyes of the blind faw out. of obfcurity and out of darknefs, the meek alfo increafed their joy in the Lord; and the poor among men rejoiced in the holy One of Ifrael, Ifa. xxix. 18, 19.

When the ftretching out of Immanuel's wings had thus filled the land of Judah, it might have been expected, that he would have met with a moft joyful entertainment amongst the people: but the cafe was otherwife. Though he was for a fanctuary to fome; yet he was for a ftone of ftumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the boules of Ifrael, for a gin and a fnare tothe inhabitants of Jerufalem; and many among them stumbled and fell, were broken, and fnared, and taken. For the teftimony was bound up; and the law fealed among his disciples, Ifa. viii. 8. 14, 15, 16. known indeed and understood by them; but kept hid as a fecret from the body of the Jewish nation. Notwithstanding the indefatigable labours-of our bleffed Lord, in inftructing this people, though God made his mouth like a fharp fword; and made him a polish'd shaft in his quiver: Yet did he find caufe to complain, that he labour'd in vain; and Spent his ftrength for nought, and in vain. Ifa. xlix. 2. 4. Who among all the Jewish nation were there, that believed his report? and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed? He was rejected and defpifed of them; and they hid their faces from him. Ifa. liii. 1. 3. It is true, he had a confiderable number of temporary followers, there appeared fome numbers of the children of Zion, who re

joiced greatly; and of the children of Jerufalem who bouted, when they bebeld their king come to them, just and having falvation, lowly and riding upon an afs, and upon a colt the foal of an afs, Zech. ix. 9. But we fhall quickly fee, that this joy was all turned into hatred, and rage, and malice.

I proceed next to fhew the manner of our Saviour's fufferings, from the hands of this people, when their rulers took counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed, Pfal. ii. 2. He was betrayed into their hands, by one of his familiar friends, in whom he trufted, Pfal. xli. 9. They wounded and bruifed him, the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, that by his firipes we might be healed, Ifa. liii. 5. He gave his back to the fmiters; and though they buffeted and fpit upon him, yet fuch was his aftonishing meeknefs and patience, that he gave his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; and hid not his face from thame and fpitting, Ifa. 1. 6. They pierced his hands and his feet. Pfal. xxii. 16. And when they had nailed him to the cross, they gave him gall for his,meat; and in his thirst gave him vinegar to drink, Pfal, lxix. 21. They mocked and upbraided, and even laughed him to fcorn, they fhot out their lips, they fhook their heads, faying, he trufted in the Lord, that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, feeing he delighted in him, Pfal. xxii. 7, 8. In time they cut him off from the land of the living. Ifa. liii. 8. Thus was the Meffiah cut off, but not for himself, Dan.. ix. 26. For the tranfgreffion of God's people, was he ftricken, He made his foul an offering for fin, and he poured out his foul unto death, that he might bear the fin of many, and made interceffion for tranfgreffors, Ifa. liii. 8. 10. 12. After his death, his murderers parted his garments among them; and caft lots upon his vefture, Pfal. xxii. 18. And being dead, he made his grave with the rich, Ifa. liii. 9. that is, he was buried in a rich man's tomb.

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Thus I have followed our bleffed Saviour to the grave.. But could the grave detain him? Could it keep him its prifoner? No! I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he thall ftand at the latter day, upon the earth, Job