God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb; and bring forth a fon; and shalt call his name Jefus. He shall be great; and shall be called the fon of the Higheft: and the Lord God fhall give unto him the throne of David his father. And he shall reign over the house of facob for ever: and of his kingdom there fhall be no end. Luke i. 30, &c.

It has been obferved, that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem Judah; as the prophet above-mentioned declared. But not only the place of his birth, but also of his chief refidence is pointed out. Ifaiah had been fpeaking of the diftreffes which were to be undergone by the people of Ifrael in the extreme parts of that kingdom, when they should be invaded by the Affyrian. This is in the beginning of the eighth chapter; which concludes with this melancholy profpect-Lo! diftrefs, and darkness; gloom, tribulation, and accumulated darkness. The prophet then by a noble apoftrophe betakes himself to future times, and defcribes the change, that will be experienced in a different era. In my quotation I fhall follow for the most part the version of the G learned

learned bishop Lowth, as corrected from the best manuscripts. But there shall not hereafter be darkness in the land, which was diftreffed. In the former time he debafed the land of Zebulon, and the land Naphtali. But in the latter time be made it glorious: even the way of the fea, beyond Jordan; Galilee of the nations. The people, who walked in darkness, have seen a great light: they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death, unto them hath the light shined. Thou haft multiplied the nation: thou haft increased their joy: they rejoice before thee, as with the joy of harvest as they rejoice, who divide the Spoil. For the yoke of his burthen, the faff laid on his fhoulder, the rod of his oppressor, haft thou broken, as in the day of Midian. He then mentions, that war was to ceafe, and the implements of war to be abolished: as an era of peace was to enfue, when the Meffiah was to be born. For the greaves of the armed warrior in the battle, and the garments rolled in blood, fhall be for a burning, even fuel for the fire. He then gives a reafon for it; and defcribes the Prince of Peace, who was to come.For unto us a

child is born: unto us a fon is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name fhall be called-Wonderful, CounJellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace*. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to fix it and to establish it, with judgment and with justice, henceforth and for ever. The zeal of Jehovah, God of Hofts will do this. Isaiah viii. 22. and ix. 1, &c.At the time of our Saviour's coming there was an era of peace, fuch as the world had not been witness to for ages. The temple of Janus at Rome was fhut: the implements of battle were laid afide: and all warlike habiliments for a time out of use: fo that the prophecy in this acceptation was wonderfully compleated.

The Certainty of thefe Prophecies afferted.

Other prophecies might be produced to the fame purpose: but thefe, I belieye, will be fufficient. They were afforded, as

• See Lowth's Comment upon Ifaiah, p. 22. and notes P. 74.

we have feen, at different periods, from the moft early times: and by them the miraculous birth of Chrift, the place of his birth, and the time of peace, in which he was born, together with his family, and defcent, are plainly pointed out. The purport alfo of his miffion, his office as mediator, his expiation for fin, his divine nature, and exalted character, are foretold. The introduction likewife of a new law, the rejection of the Jewith nation, and the calling of the Gentiles, are repeatedly mentioned: all which we know to have been precifely fulfilled. A perfon must be not only flow of heart, but hardened to the last degree, who can refift fuch evidence. The only way, for an infidel to evade it, is to atlert, that the whole was a forgery, and an interpolation. But who could forget thefe pallages? Or introduce them, where they are now found? The only perfons, who had a true knowledge of the facred writings, were the Chriftians, and the Jews. Now at the time, when the apoftles lived, the fcriptures were in the hands of the latter, who had fynagogues in every city, and

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town of confequence; where the law, and the prophets, were every fabbath read and expounded. The Jews are faid in these times to have been particularly fcrupulous about the conservation of the facred books; fo that they would not fuffer an iöta to be added, or omitted. How then could any Christian have introduced a fingle word without immediate detection? Befides the evangelifts quote from the Greek verfion, which was in the hands of all the Hellenistick Jews; for whose use the version had been made near four hundred years before the promulgation of the gospel. If then there be a charge of falfifying, it must fall upon the Jews, who had the original scriptures in their poffeffion. But how could they in any antecedent age, without divine inspiration, foresee these great events, which were to come? If thefe fcriptures were inspired, as we know them to have been, all, that we contend for, is allowed and they are of divine original. Befides it is contrary to reafon to imagine, that the Jews at any time would invent articles to their own infamy; and which afforded such

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