"he did esteem him ftricken, smitten of God and afflicted; but he was wounded for our tranfgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed." Again, the defcription in the seventh verse, was oppreffed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the flaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth," quadrates with no part of the Jewish history with which we are acquainted. The mention of the "grave," and the " tomb," in the ninth verse, is not very applicable to the fortunes of a nation; and still less so is the conclusion of the prophecy in the twelfth verse, which exprefsly represents the sufferings as voluntary, and the fufferer as interceding for the offenders, " because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the tranfgreffors, and he bare the fin of many, and made intercession for the tranfgreffors." There are other prophecies of the Old Teftament, interpreted by Christians to relate to the gospel history, which are deferving both of great regard, and of a very attentive confideration: but I content myself with stating the above, as well because I think it the clearest and the strongest of all, as because most of the rest, in order that their value be represented with any tolerable degree of fidelity, require a discussion unfuitable to the limits and nature of this work. The reader will find them disposed in order, and distinctly explained, in Bishop Chandler's treatise upon the subject: and he will bear in mind, what has been often, and, I think, truly, urged by the advocates of Chriftianity, that there is no other eminent perfon, to the history of whose life so many circumftances can be made to apply. They who object, that much has been done by the power of chance, the ingenuity of accommodation, and the industry of research, ought to try whether the fame, or any thing like it, could be done, if Mahomet, or any other person, were proposed as the fubject of Jewish prophecy. : II. A fecond head of argument from prophecy, is founded upon our Lord's predictions concerning the destruction of Jerufalem, recorded by three out of the four evangelifts. Luke xxi. 5-25. "And as fome spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And they asked him, saying, Mafter, but when shall these things be? and what sign shall there be when these things shall come to pass? And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near. Go ye not therefore after them. But, when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified; for these things must first come to pass, but the end is not by and by. Then faid he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and great 6 earth 1 earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines and pestilences: and fearful fights, and great figns shall there be from heaven. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and perfecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's fake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents and brethren, and kinsfolk and friends; and fome of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's fake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your fouls. And when ye shall fee Jerufalem compaffed with armies, then know that the defolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains: and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are 1 ! 1 in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give fuck, in those days; for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerufalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled." In terms nearly fimilar, this discourse is related in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, and the thirteenth of Mark. The profpect of the same evils drew from our Saviour, upon another occafion, the following affecting expreffions of concern, which are preferved by St. Luke (xix. 41): "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes, for the 1 |