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trines which they affert; yet they may be faid to contain uncontefted facts, in fo far as they contain facts relating to the faith and worship of the gospelchurch, or of the worshippers of God among the Gentile nations: and if thefe facts have the properties that exclude human forefight, and are abfolutely fingular, they coincide with those mentioned in the former article.

When doctrinal characters that are abfolutely fingular, are found the fame in different prophecies, it is a proof that thefe prophecies are parallel, or that they treat of the fame perfon or events. This can be proved the fame way that we prove, in any other cafe, that the fame thing is treated of in different writings, or different parts of one writing. Nor can any pretend, that fuch conclufions are incapable of convincing proofs; for that would infer, that we cannot be fure that any two pages of one history treat of the fame perfon. Where any proof, on fuch fubjects, appears weak, it is because the characters that are fuppofed to be parallel are too general and indefinite; it is otherwife where they are abfolutely fingular.

IV. Characters which, of themselves, are of a common, general, or indefinite nature, and are applicable to many; when joined to a character that is abfolutely fingular, increafe the evidence of divine. forefight in a prediction, and of the true interpretation of it, by making the defcription more particular and circumftantial. Thus, for inftance, many others were born at the fame place with Jefus Christ, viz. at Bethlehem, in the fame age, and of the fame family, and died the fame kind of death; yet any one of thefe common characters, joined with that one abfolutely fingular character, The Light of the Gentiles, greatly increases the evidence of a prediction's proceeding from infpiration, and of its being meant of Chrift: becaufe, fuppofing it poffible to foretell, by human fagacity, or by chance,

that

that the Gentile nations fhould be enlightened, and that this fhould be chiefly and peculiarly owing to one particular perfon; yet it would be impoffible to foretell, at what time, or place, or of what family, that perfon fhould be born, or what death he should die.

V. When a character that is of itself common to many, is applied to one perfon by way of eminence, on purpofe to diftinguifh and characterize him, it is the fame thing in effect as to fay, that that character agrees to that perfon in an eminent degree, or in a diftinguishing and peculiar manner; by which means a character otherwife common and indefinite, becomes fingular of which there are numberless instances in other writings and difcourfes, as well as thofe of the prophets. Thus fuppofing messenger of the covenant to fignify of itself the fame thing with teacher of it; yet when that character is appropriated to one perfon to diftinguish and to point him out, it implies, that that character belongs to him in a fingular manner, and that the bringing of God's covenant to the world would be owing to him in a peculiar manner. Thus alfo it is well known, when fome have appropriated to one perfon the titles of the Philofopher, or the Poet, it implied, that, in the opinion of the fpeakers, that perfon was the chief philofopher, &c.

VI. A complication of characters that are of themfelves conimon and indefinite, may make a fingular defcription; as a complication of features, each of which, taken feparately, may be common to many, is that which diftinguishes one face from all others. Thus many others, befides Jefus Chrift, were born at Bethlehem, defcended of David, appeared in the world during the ftanding of the fecond Jewish temple, feventy weeks of years after the edict mentioned Dan. ix.; feveral others have profeffed themselves to be the Meffiah, and have been acknowledged by fome as fuch; many have

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suffered a violent death. None of these characters, taken feparately, are abfolutely fingular; yet, taken conjunctly, they make a fingular defcription abfolutely peculiar to Jefus Chrift. Though it may not be eafy to determine precifely, by general rules, what must be the number and nature of indefinite characters, a complication of which makes a fingular defcription; yet, in particular inftances, ocular infpection oft-times easily determines the matter; and it is evident in general, that as some characters are far lefs common and indefinite than others, and come much nearer to fingularity, the greater the number of fuch characters are, the more fingular and distinguishing a description muft be. Thus, to be born at Bethlehem, and defcended of David, are characters that come nearer to fingularity, than to be born in Judea, and defcended of the patriarchs; and therefore tend more to reftrict the defcription of the Meffiah to Jefus Chrift.

VII. Coincidence in ftyle, or a complication of coinciding expreffions, phrafes, metaphors, and figures, especially when it extends to a good many particulars, or when the expreffions are in themfelves of a more fingular nature, affords at least an adminicular proof or confirmation, that different prophecies are parallel to one another, or treat of the fame things; as it is certain, in other cafes, that fuch coincidence in different authors, when to a certain degree, will prove, that either the one has borrowed from the other, or both from a third; or that a third has dictated to both. Where fuch coincidence is almoft without any variation, as in feveral of the first verses of If. ii. and Micah iv. it is evident at first view, without reasoning, that the paffages compared are parallel, and from one fource; but where the thing requires more laborious proof, it may notwithstanding be abundantly convincing.

VIII. Prophecies are proved to be parallel to one another, if they are parallel to a third prophecy, or

clafs

clafs of prophets. Thus prophecies that are parallel to either of the two claffes compared in the preceding chapters, viz. thofe concerning the light of the Gentiles, and thofe concerning a divine perfon incarnate, must be parallel to both of them and in the prefent, as well as in all other cafes, contested truths, when once proved, may juftly be made ufe of as principles on which fubfequent reafonings may be founded,

CHA P. IV.

The predictions concerning the Meffiah confidered according to the order of time in which the events happened.

Sect. I. Of the Meffiah's life, death, and exaltation.

TH

Hough fome of the prophecies about the Mesfiah's forerunner were confidered already, in fpeaking of the Meffiah's perfon, it is needful here to confider the prophecies about that forerunner jointly, in order to apply to them the characters mentioned in the preceding fection.

The 40th of Ifaiah contains the following characters of the times of the Meffiah. The enlightening of the Gentiles, or the revealing of the glory of the Lord, fo as all flefh fhould fee it together; the coming of the Lord in a fingular manner, to the world and to Zion, fo as the cities of Judah fhould be called to behold him; his ftanding and feeding his flock like a thepherd; Zion's receiving the greatest confolation and joy, and publishing fingular glad tidings; the Lord's producing fingular revolutions, and removing powerful obitacles, expreffed by levelling

velling mountains. It will be proved afterwards, that from the 40th of Ifaiah, to the end of that prophecy, we have almost one continued feries of predictions relating to the times of the Meffiah, fetting afide a very few chapters concerning that deliverance from Babylon, which alfo was fubfervient to the great events relating to the Meffiah.

The extraordinary perfon mentioned in the 3d of Malachy, 1. is defcribed as a divine perfon, feeing he is called the Lord, and the proprietor of the divine temple, which is called his temple. He is alfo defcribed as condefcending to a fubordinate office, feeing he is called a Meffenger; and his coming to the temple fuppofes his coming to the world in a fingular manner. His being called by way of eminence, The Meffenger of the Covenant, implies his being in a fingular manner the author of the bleffings of God's covenant; a character formerly proved to be appropriated to the light of the Gentiles. He is mentioned as one formerly made known to God's people, by characters fit to make him the object of their fingular delight: and when this prophecy is compared with that laft cited in If. xl. there appears a fingular harmony and coincidence as to matter and ftyle, about the coming of the Lord, and of one that was to prepare the way before the Lord.

The 4th of Malachi fpeaks of a fingularly awful or terrible day of the Lord against incorrigible adverfaries of his kingdom; and of a day of fingular light, joy, healing, and growth, to God's people, or to them who fear God's name. The fingular character, of the Sun of righteoufnefs arifing with healing in his wings, caufing them that fear God to go forth and grow up as calves of the ftall, denotes a benefactor of univerfal, or incomparably extensive benign influence, at once the fource of light, the fource of righteousness, and of healing and growth. Though in this prophecy the name of Elijah, who had left N

the

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