13.

That the Messiah should RISE FROM THE DEAD and ASCEND INTO

HEAVEN.

PROPHECY. Psal. xvi. 9, 10. My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the separate state of departed spirits), neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption. Isa. liii. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall prolong his days. rection; see Mark viii. 31. x. 34.; Luke ix. 22.; John ii. 19. 21. x. 17.- Psal. lxviii. 18. Thou hast ascended up on high; thou hast

Jesus Christ also foretold his own resur

led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts for men, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

FULFILMENT. Acts ii. 31. David spake before of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell (Hades, or the separate state); neither did his flesh see corruption. See also Acts xiii. 35. Matt. xxviii. 5, 6. The angels said unto the women, 'He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. ' See Luke xxiv. 5, 6. — 1 Cor. xv. 4. He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. Acts i. 3. He shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs. Mark xvi. 19.; Luke xxiv. 51.; Acts i. 9. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, while he was blessing them, and while they beheld him, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God. Compare also 1 Pet. iii. 22. ; 1 Tim. iii. 16.; Heb. vi. 20.

14. That the Messiah should send the HOLY SPIRIT, the Comforter. PROPHECY. Joel ii. 28. I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Jesus Christ promised and foretold the gift of the Holy Spirit, in John vii. 38, 39.; xiv. 16, 17. 26.; xv. 26.; xvi. 7. 13.; Acts i. 4, 5. 8.

FULFILMENT.

See all these promises and predictions fulfilled in Acts ii. 1-4.; iv. 31.; viii. 17.; x. 44.; xi. 15.

15. The ABOLITION OF THE JEWISH COVENANT by the Introduction of the Gospel.

PPOPHECY.-Jer. xxxi. 31-34. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, though I was an husband to them, saith the LORD. But this shall be the covenant, that I will make with the house of Israel : :- After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD:' for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. The

FULFILMENT of this prediction is shown at length by St. Paul, in the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, verses 7-13.

The old covenant is abolished, and its observance rendered impossible by the expulsion of the Jews from Judæa and Jerusalem, and by the utter destruction of that temple and altar, on which the whole of the Jewish worship depended. It is therefore as impossible to doubt that the Mediator of the new covenant is come, as to question

those external facts which prove that the antient covenant subsists no longer.

16. That there is Salvation ONLY through Christ.

PROPHECY.-Zech. xiii. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. Mal. iv. 2. Unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing in his wings. Isa. liii. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many. Isa. lix. 20. The Redeemer shall come to Sion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob. See Rom. ix. 26. - Ps. cxviii. 22. The stone which the builders refused, the same is become the head-stone of the corner. Isa. xxviii. 16.; Matt. xii. 10. FULFILMENT.-John iii. 16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Compare also 1 Thess. v. 9.; John xvii. 3.- Luke xxiv. 47. That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name. See also Acts x. 43. - Acts xiii. 38, 39. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified. · - Acts iv. 11, 12. This is the stone, which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

17. Of the Necessity of believing in Christ, and the Danger of rejecting him.

Deut. xviii. 15. 19. The Lord-will raise up unto thee a Prophet- Unto him shall ye hearken-Whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. [In Acts iii. 23. this prediction is cited and applied to Jesus Christ.] - Numb. xv. 30, 31. The soul that doth aught presumptuously-reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people, because he hath despised the word of the Lord. Ps. ii. 12. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the right way.

John iii. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Heb. ii. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? - Heb. x. 26. 29. If we sin wilfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation? which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy, under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?— The Lord shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Christ. 2 Thess. i. 7, 8.

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy' (Rev. xix. 10.): and of that testimony, it were easy to have offered hundreds of instances, equally striking with those above given. Copious as the preceding table of prophecies is, the selection has necessarily been restricted to the principal, in order that this article might not be extended to an undue length. A more copious table is given in the appendix to the first volume of the author's Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. To conclude, it is worthy of remark, that most of the prophecies concerning the Messiah were revealed nearly, and some of them more than three thousand years ago, and yet scarcely one of them can be applied to any man that ever lived upon earth except to Him, who is Immanuel, God with us, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom give all the prophets witness.' (Acts x. 43.) The more we contemplate these astonishing FACTS, - the more deeply we investigate the wonderful display of divine power, wisdom, and goodness, the more we shall be disposed to exclaim, with the amazed centurion, — Truly this was THE SON OF GOD.'

6

INDEXES.

I. A CONCISE GEOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF

THE PRINCIPAL PLACES MENTIONED IN THE SCRIPTures,

ESPECIALLY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

II. INDEX OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME.