that of devils. The prophecies having been delivered, through a series of ages, by men who never saw each other, quite of different talents and rank in life, in the opinion of every man of judgment and reflection absolutely exclude all possibility of any combination or forgery in them; and the resurrection of our Saviour is attended with the most undeniable and irrefragable marks of truth, since we have not a shadow of reason to doubt or question the veracity of those grave and holy assertors of this truth, or to imagine they could mistake the person of our blessed Redeemer after his resurrection. St. Matthew declares, that, after his resurrection, he appeared to his Disciples, who worshipped him. St. Mark, that "he appeared "to the eleven as they sat at meat, and said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the "Gospel to every creature." St. Luke remarks, that Jesus appeared unto the eleven after his resurrection; that he ate with them, and afterwards opened their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures. St. John observes, that, after his resurrection, "where the Disciples were assembled "for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and "stood in the midst, and saith unto them,

"Peace be unto you: and when he had so "said, he shewed unto them his hands and his “side." Eight days after this appearance, to convince Thomas, who was not present at his first appearance, and who, in the interim, had declared, "Except I shall see in his "hands the print of the nails, and put my

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finger into the print of the nails, and "thrust my hand into his side, I will not "believe; then saith he to Thomas, Reach

hither thy finger, and behold my hands; "and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it "into my side: and be not faithless, but be"lieving. And Thomas answered, My Lord "and my God." Further, St. Paul affirms, that after his resurrection "he was seen of

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Cephas; then of the twelve; and after that "he was seen of above five hundred brethren " at once, of whom the greater part remain at "present." If we attentively consider the whole character of our Saviour, as embracing all his words and actions, we shall not only observe that perfect consistency between them, which is so very convincing an indication and test of truth, but we cannot fail remarking, at the same time, that he fulfilled all the prophecies and predictions respecting himself.

When a person reads the Old Testament with a view to these prophecies, and to observe whether they were or were not accomplished in the person of Jesus Christ, he remarks a plain declaration from the mouth of God Almighty, that at some time or other" the seed of the woman should bruise "the serpent's head;" in other words, that some person in the form of the human species should hereafter be appointed by God, possessed with a capacity of destroying the power of that evil being, who had seduced our first parents from their duty. The precise time of the appearance of this personage, or the Messiah, (sent from God,) on earth, is fixed, by a subsequent prophecy, to a period when the sceptre shall be departed from Judah and another plain and unequivocal prophecy states, that "in the Messiah "all nations of the earth shall be blessed.” Another, equally unequivocal, asserts, that "a virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a son, who shall be called Immanuel, (or "God,) the mighty God, the everlasting Fa

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ther, the Prince of Peace." In various other prophecies, both general and particular marks are affixed to this personage; such as that "he shall be a prophet like unto

"Moses: that he shall be preceded by the "voice of a prophet crying in the wilder

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ness: that he shall be born in the city of Bethlehem, of the tribe of Judah, and of "the house of David; and that he shall be "born in a time of peace: that he shall "perform various miracles, such as curing "the lame and blind; and that the poor "shall have the Gospel preached to them: “that he shall be despised; be a man of sor

row, and acquainted with grief: that he "shall be put to death: that his side shall "be pierced: and that he shall rise again: "for his soul is not to be left in hell, neither "is this holy One to see corruption." A variety of other prophecies might be introduced; but these are sufficient to prove not only that such a person as the Messiah was to come on earth, but such and so many peculiar marks and signs are given, as to identify him, whenever he did come, in a manner so particular, so clear, so singular, and incontrovertible, that in whomsoever these marks all met, that person must necessarily be the Messiah.

The Old Testament having been examined with reference to those prophecies which predict the advent of the Messiah, and to

those marks which were in a particular and peculiar manner to identify him whenever he did come; the New Testament is then read, to observe whether or not these distinguishing marks meet in the person of Jesus Christ.

From this perusal it is found, that it is there recorded, in a succinct manner, "that

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an angel is sent from heaven to a virgin, "espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the

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virgin's name was Mary. And the angel "came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou "that art highly favoured: thou shalt con"ceive in thy womb, and bring forth a

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son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He "shall be great, and shall be called the Son "of the Highest: and the Lord shall give "unto him the throne of his father David: "and he shall reign over the house of Jacob "for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be "no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a "man? And the angel answered and said "unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon "thee, and the power of the Highest shall "overshadow thee: therefore also that holy "thing which shall be born of thee shall be "called the Son of God."