in Christ by the Gospel."-The argument from prophecy is, therefore, one, which appeals alike to Jew and Gentile. To the Jew-because he, for other and independent reasons, receives, venerates, and preserves the Scriptures as the word of God; and because he, therefore, has a deep interest in the promises of the Messiah therein contained, and is bound to inquire into the reality of their accomplishment. To the Gentile-because the prior existence of such a volume of predictions, does, if they have been fulfilled, bespeak his assent also to the revelation made by that God, who has in these last days spoken by his Son," and has employed the wonders of his providence to assure us of the wonders of his grace. In order to enable the Jews to verify the claims of the Messiah when he appeared among them, one prophecy had been added to another, beginning from the first general promise of the efforts and triumphs of the seed of the woman, proceeding to limit the line of his descent within continually narrower bounds, and then, in succession, specifying a great variety of features in his character, and of circumstances in his life and proceedings, so unprecedented, so remarkable, and apparently so inconsistent, as to defy the most ingenious fiction to be so constructed before the event, as to unite them in one character, with a semblance of fulfilment.-When we contemplate the ap

pearance of Jesus, we see at once that some remarkable personage has been manifested, assuredly of the house and lineage specified in earlier prophecy; and answering, both in the place and the circumstances of his birth, to the predictions of the later prophets. He appears as a prophet sent from God; and having discerned, in the first instance, the approach of some Great One, we proceed, on a nearer view, to the discovery of one feature after another, until we recognize in him the personage previously described, and anxiously expected, though not appearing at first in that character and dignity, in which the Jews most frequently and most fondly expected the Messiah. But circumstance is added to circumstance, till we find him to be the Messiah, to whom all the prophets gave witness; and that he has accomplished, or is setting forward the accomplishment of all that the prophets had predicted; so that not one word has failed of all that they had spoken, and that the Evangelists have narrated "no other things than those, which the prophets and Moses did say should come.”

It is manifest, from what we have already observed, that the prophetic argument is one of great extent, comprehension, and force. When we consider its extent, we immediately perceive that the materials for its developement began to be provided from the very beginning of the world,

and that they were continually accumulating through a series of more than four thousand years. We shall find also, that many of the earlier predictions receive much illustration from considering the time at which they were delivered, and the circumstances of the persons to whom, or by whom, they were spoken. They are, in fact, arranged in such an order, that each succeeding one, till, at least, the time of David, would lose much of its force and propriety, if delivered at an earlier period, and if the order were even disarranged at all. We gather from hence, that they are means used in order to further one uniform, momentous, and continually advancing scheme; we see how suited they were to the immediate purpose of inspiring, cherishing, and elevating, the faith and hope of primeval times; and we pass on to watch, with calm and increasing confidence, for their full and evident accomplishment. And whether we thus advance from the consideration of them in their order and variety, to contemplate the events of the age in which they were fulfilled; or whether we begin from those events, and refer back to the prophecies; we cannot but observe, with wonder, that they not only furnish a distinct evidence in themselves, but that they had speci

a See this strikingly illustrated in Rotherham's "Argument drawn from a collective View of Prophecy," p. 10, &c.

fied beforehand every other evidence, and that every other evidence is illustrated by them. For the prophecies are found to have their fulfilment not only in that particular series of ordinary events which occurred during the life of Jesus, but also in such facts, and instructions, and proceedings, as themselves are independent evidences of a divine mission. Almost every circumstance which has been considered in our former Lectures, was a fulfilment of prophecy; we may almost say that the very arguments themselves are pointed out by the prophets; but at least we have found that each of our Lord's reasonings could be very satisfactorily illustrated by a reference to the Old Testament predictions. This remark, which points out the comprehensiveness of the argument from prophecy, also very obviously suggests the great force which it possesses. And prophecy will still more constantly and prominently connect itself with the subjects of our future inquiry. Well therefore might our Lord observe in language so significant, "The Scriptures are they which testify of me." As if he had said, "They are the special, comprehensive, and sufficient testimony respecting me. My coming, my character, my proceedings, my instructions, and the object at which I aim, are all attested by them. My future sufferings and ex

ἡ ἐκεῖναι εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ. ν. 39.

altation will be in conformity to their predictions. Every argument which I can offer, will be found justified by their intimations, if you will but search them, as well as by the facts which are familiar to you, and upon which I have been reasoning.'

It should also be remembered, that these prophecies were delivered, not only at a great diversity of times, ages, and countries, but in a great variety of methods. Sometimes God himself communicated the promise in words. Sometimes he revealed it in a dream or in a vision, and provided that a prophet or an angel should give an interpretation of these, which itself became a prophecy, to be explained only by the event. Sometimes he immediately inspired the prophet himself to deliver it in his own words. "Thus, at sundry times, and in divers manners, God spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets." And they, who were either the recipients, interpreters, or promulgators of these diversified communications, were men of all ranks, ages, conditions, and circumstances; severally according to their own necessities, or the situation and circumstances of others, or of their country, or of the world, receiving intimations of those things which should come to pass. The events which were to precede, and to prepare the way for the fulness of the time in which the Promised One was to appear, were those transactions and revolutions of the four