oufnefs, to which these ceremonies referred.

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Hence it was, that their prophets were directed by the Moft High, to express, in the strongest terms, his disapprobation of those very ordinances, which he himself had originally inftituted for their good; and to tell them, that "he had no pleasure in their burnt-offerings and facrifices, that their oblations were vain, and that incense was an abomina"tion in his fight." His displeasure was not with the ordinances themselves; for, if confidered and obferved with proper views and difpofitions, they would have been fubfervient to the most glorious purposes: but he was offended with the grofs and flagrant abuses of them, which the people were daily committing.

Hence alfo it was, that the fame inspired prophets, when the hand of the HIGHEST drew aside the curtain of fu

turity,

turity, and exhibited to their astonished view the fucceffive difplays of Gospel Light and Truth, with all that variety of heavenly scenery, which his INCARNATE SON was to open upon our benighted world; hence it was, I fay, that the fame infpired prophets were particularly careful to distinguish the new difpenfation, by every figure and mode of expreffion, that might lead the most dark and ignorant Jew to confider it as internal and fpiritual.

The righteousness of the new covenant is widely different from what the carnal Ifraelite apprehended to be the righteoufnefs of the old. With respect to their effence, their foundation, their motives and ends, both covenants are the fame, differing only in the external mode of revelation; the old one being "the fhadow," the new, "the image of good things to come;" the old, pointing to CHRIST;

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the

the new, revealing him in all his fulness to the faithful.

be,

CHRIST JESUS, therefore, is and must

"the end of the law to those that "believe," that is, he is and must be, in himself, that very Righteousness to which the law pointed, but which it could not attain. "As a school-mafter," it ferved to inftruct its ignorant, dark, and fallen pupils, in the outward rudiments of Divine Truth; but could never communicate to them the Light, Life, and Spirit of that real Evangelical Righteousness, which is only to be found in the INCARNATE WORD OF GOD.

It is for this reafon, that the prophet, speaking of the approaching kingdom of the MESSIAH, in whom all the law and the prophets were to center, represents him as "a righteous branch springing "forth from the root of David; as a

king, reigning, profpering, and exe

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cuting judgment and juftice on the "earth;" in confequence of whose mild and equitable administration, Judah "fhould be faved, and Ifrael fhould dwell

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fafely:" and as the moft characteristical defignation of his nature and office, tells us, that "This is his NAME, whereby he shall be called, THE LORD "OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'

"

Let us then enquire, in the first place, why our BLESSED REDEEMER has the name of RIGHTEOUSNESS afcribed to him by the prophet; and fecondly, what we are to understand by his being called "OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'

I. A name in Scripture is generally put to express the intrinfic nature and qualities of the object named. When, therefore, the name of the MESSIAH is here faid to be "Righteousness," we must neceffarily conclude, that Righteousness is his very nature, his effence, the subftance

ftance of all his attributes and perfections. He is not called righteous, but RIGHTEOUSNESS itfelf; the fource and fountain, from whence all that is really and truly righteous, throughout the univerfe, perpetually proceeds.

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JESUS CHRIST is "the Brightness of "the Father's Glory, and the Express Image of his Perfon." All the beauties, excellencies, powers, and virtues, which are effentially hidden in the invisible GODHEAD, are fubftantially, vitally, inwardly, as well as outwardly, opened, revealed, and illuftrioufly difplayed, in the perfon of the INCARNATE JESUS. "All things were made by him, and without him was not any

'thing made, that was made:" all the 'thrones, dominions, principalities and

powers," poffeffed by angels, archangels, cherubim and feraphim, are derived from him; for, "in, and through him, did the Father create all things."

The