cellence. The history, the morality, and the theology of the Bible, contain a fund of knowledge and instruction, bearing evident marks of superior wisdom; but it is the idea of its being written with the finger of God, that puts life into the whole. The broad seal of heaven is stamped on it in such a manner, that the united powers of earth and hell have never been able to deface it. It is this that gives certainty to past facts and to future hopes. This clothes the precepts and counsels here given, with dignity and authority. This raises the doctrines of the Bible infinitely above the speculations and conjectures of the wisest heathen writers, inspires its devotions with holiness and energy, infuses divine sweetness into its promises, and, in a word, casts upon it a sublime and inimitable grandeur. Let the pious reader peruse this holy book with the great God before his eyes, and he cannot fail of being instructed, entertained and edified. At every step he takes, new light will break in upon his mind, and new sources of hope and joy will open to his faith. It is of great importance to be well established in the belief of the divine authority of these sacred records. The deeds by which we hold our estates will be consulted with little pleasure or advantage while we have reason to suspect their authenticity. It ought therefore to be a matter of great joy to us, that he who has settled an eternal inheritance upon us, has taken care that there should be no flaw in the instrument of conveyance. O reader! beware there

his days were prolonged, to the 24th of March, 1813, when he departed out of life in the 64th year of his age, he could be said to have little enjoyment of life during the interval. The winter of 1810 was a trying period to him, and in the ensuing spring, his infirmity seemed rapidly to encrease. A visit to the sea, however, raised him up again and he returned home with recruited strength. In the following year he was seized with a fit of apoplexy, from which it was for some hours doubtful whether he would recover. From the period of this attack he thought of himself, spake of himself, and acted for himself as one half in the grave. His mind was composed but not triumphant. He lingered on till the ensuing spring, preaching occasionally, as his strength permitted. The Assizes were held at Leicester in the month of March, and it was a season which he never allowed to pass without improvement in his public ministry. On the Lord's day, March 21. he preached thrice. On the ensuing day he again preached at the town gaol; but these exertions were far too much for his tottering frame, and the effects soon became apparent. On the following day he was again seized with apoplexy, which terminated in death, about six hours after the attack. The intelligence of his departure occasioned great consternation and sorrow throughout the town and neighbourhood. "All seemed to feel that they had lost a friend;-many that they had lost a father; some that God had taken away their idol." Vide, Mr. Vaughan's Life of Mr. Robin-fore of that cold indifference with son, 1815, p. 289.

ON THE EXCELLENCY OF THE

HOLY SCRIPTURES.

WE can scarcely take this sacred volume into our hands before we are convinced of its intrinsic ex

which this book is treated by too many who are favoured with it. Something more is required of you, than a general regard to it. It will be to little purpose that you cast your eye now and then upon it to gratify curiosity or merely as a matter of course. As God enables

you, read it with the utmost care. If it be the word of the living God, you cannot pay too serious and solemn attention to it. Read it under the settled idea of its containing the words of everlasting life, and you will be anxious to enter into its true meaning and spirit: read it regularly at stated seasons; in such portions, and in such order as may be most conducive to your edification. Consider it in its connexion, apply it to yourself, compare it. with the feelings of your own heart, with the observations you daily make upon mankind, and the events which are continually rising to your view. Read this book not for amusement, but that you may know the things which belong to your peace, and be made wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Read it for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. Read it with the solemnities of death, judgment, and eternity before your eyes, and let your reading of this book be always accompanied with earnest and fervent aspirations after the teaching of the Divine Spirit, beseeching God to take away the veil of pre-ful and illustrious agent. In oppojudice from your eyes, to give you the knowledge of divine truth in its native simplicity and glory, and to bless you with a humble, teachable, and child-like disposition. Read it with a sincere desire and aim, through divine grace, to have your whole temper and walk conformed unto it. The Apostle Paul calls the whole of the inspired writings the word of Christ," Col. iii. 16. thereby asserting the value of the book, and the divinity of its author, and says "let it dwell in you," richly in the largest measure, and with the greatest efficacy, so as to fill the memory, sway the will, and influence all the affections.

ON THE PROGRESSIVE AD

VANCEMENT OF CHRIST'S KING

DOM ON EARTH.

A View of Isaiah, ch. xi.

Christ-his character, his work THE testimony concerning Jesus and his kingdom-is the ultimate scope and design of all the prophetic writings; for those holy men, testified before hand, the sufferings of the Messiah and the glory that should follow. It appears to have been a common method with them, and particularly with Isaiah, to take occasion, from the mention of some great temporal deliverance, to launch out into a display of the great salvation, or that spiritual deliverance, which should, in the fulness of time, be effected by the Messiah, for the people of God. Thus, for instance, in the tenth or preceding chapter, the Prophet had described the destruction of the Assyrian army, under the image of a mighty forest, consisting of flourishing trees, growing thick together and of great height; of Lebanon itself crowned with lofty cedars; but cut down, and laid level with the ground, by an axe, wielded by the hand of some power

66

See Dr. Fawcett's Devotional

Bible, apud finem.

sition to this image, he represents the Messiah, who, as we are sure from the express testimony of the apostle Paul, Rom. xv. 12. makes the subject of this eleventh chapter, as a slender twig, shooting out from the trunk of an old tree, cut down, lopped to the very root, and decayed; which tender plant, so weak in appearance, should nevertheless become fruitful and prosper. "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots," ver. 1. This teaches us that the Messiah was to come 66 of the seed of David according to the flesh;" for such is the promise and prediction, contained in the first verse of this remarkable chapter. The prophet next proceeds to describe his qualifications for

obstinate unbelief, might be considered as incredible, Jehovah

pro

Having thus taken a cursory view of the scope and general contents of this remarkable prophecy, it may be useful to consider, how far it has hitherto been fulfilledwhat part of it remains yet unaċcomplished-and the improvement which Christians of the present day ought to make of the subject.

Before entering, however, upon an induction of particulars, it may be proper to remark that there are some prophecies which respect only one single event, and which consequently receive their full accomplishment in that event; but there are others which extend along the whole of the gospel dispensation, and which have a growing successive accomplishment in different events and periods: and each of these kinds of prophecies are to be found in this eleventh chapter of Isaiah. Having premised these things, I remark that,

government: " And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understand.mises to remove every obstruction ing, the spirit of counsel and might, that stands in the way of this grand the spirit of knowledge, and of the event, as he did when he brought fear of the Lord; and shall make them out of Egypt, ver. 15, 16. him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears" ver. 2, 3. Then he mentions the righteousness and faithfulness of his administration in protecting his own subjects and punishing their enemies: "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." ver. 4, 5. From this he proceeds to notice the quiet and peaceable state of his kingdom both external and internal: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den." ver. 6-8. He particularly specifies the productive cause of this happy state of things, namely, "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of THE LORD, as the waters cover the sea," ver. 9. This naturally calls forth from the prophet a description of the Messiah's subjects; for his kingdom was to be made up of the fulness of the Gentiles, the out-cended into heaven-and set up casts of Israel, and the dispersed of Judah, ver. 10-12. And be cause the restoration of God's ancient people after so long a dispersion, attended too with such

1. The promise contained in the first verse, has been long ago fully and completely accomplished, namely, "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." So we are told, that "God hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David," Luke i. 69. "Of this man's seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel, a Saviour, Jesus," Acts xiii. 23. It is the great leading doctrine of the Christian faith, that "Christ hath come in the flesh." 1 John iv. 2. and that he hath finished the work of redemption-that he hath as

his kingdom in the world. And this is the foundation of all the blessings and prosperity which shall attend it in time and eternity.

2. What is predicted respecting

the Messiah's qualifications for must nevertheless be admitted, that government, has also been verified in regard to his outward dispenin him, and will encreasingly ap-sations, during the persecuted pear in the progress of his adminis- state of his church, "clouds and tration, ver. 2, 3. Even in the darkness are round about him,” days of his humiliation, when he and therefore this part of the proappeared only as a root out of a phecy hath not hitherto been so dry ground, without form or come- clearly manifested, as it shall liness" in the eyes of giddy mor- hereafter be, when the saints shall tals, the attributes of Deity could be called to sing the Song of not be wholly concealed by the Moses and of the Lamb, saying, vail of humanity which covered" Great and marvellous are thy them. He spake with a wisdom works Lord God Almighty-all and an energy which constrained nations shall come and worship behis very adversaries to acknow- fore thee, for thy judgments are ledge that never did man so made manifest." Rev. xv. 3, 4. speak before," John vii. 46. His word was with power; and all nature, even the very elements, were obsequious to his will. The secrets of the heart were not concealed from him; and though, "full of grace and truth," divine power and majesty conspicuously appeared in all he did and said. And since his ascension to the throne of his glory, "all authority, both in heaven and earth is committed into his hands." Matt. xxviii. 18. John xvii. 2.

4. This prophecy has hitherto had but a very partial accomplishment, as it relates to the peace and tranquility of this kingdom. So far, indeed, as the gospel hath prevailed in the hearts of men, it has produced unity and peace among real Christians; but this has often been interrupted by the power and influence of their corrupt propensities. They have enjoyed intervals of external peace; yet the true followers of the Lamb, have in general been in a persecuted and depressed state. This part of the prophecy, therefore, has hitherto been but very partially accomplished.

5. The same thing may be remarked respecting the calling of the Jews and Gentiles into the kingdom or church of Christ, ver. 10-13. At the first setting up of his kingdom, the Lord called a remnant of the Jews, but the great body of that nation were "broken

3. The righteousness and faithfulness of his administration, have also been clearly manifested, not only in the purity of his laws and institutions; but also in the protection of his own people, and in the punishment of the wicked, ver. 4. He executed vengeance on the unbelieving Jews, who rejected him and persecuted his people; as he also did upon the Heathen Roman Empire who succeeded the Jews in that sanguinary undertak-off through unbelief," and coning; while he either delivered his tinue so unto this day. He also people from their rage, or afforded visited the nations to take out of them adequate support under their them a people for his name: and severest trials, and gave them a in the apostolic age, the word of crown of life. Rev. ii. 10. He is the Lord had free course and was at present fast consuming Anti-glorified-the gospel was preached christ, by the breath of his mouth, far and wide, and it was crowned and by various means in his provi- with wonderful success. But "the dence; and he has hitherto sup-mystery of iniquity" soon began to ported his suffering cause in the work under the Christian profesworld, thus preventing it from sion; and what is usually denobeing utterly extinguished. It minated "the history of the

prophecy. How inimitably beautiful and expressive is the imagery

church," since that time, is little else than the history of Antichrist, while the real church of God of Isaiah on this part of the subamong the nations hath been com-ject. The most savage beasts of paratively a small, obscure, and prey are described as tamed of persecuted party. So that this their ferocity-the wolf and the part of the prophecy has also had leopard forbear to destroy the only a partial accomplishment even lamb, and the kid. The calf, and in Christendom, and in other parts the young lion, and the fatling, not of the world far less. But let us only come together, but are led now proceed to notice, what re- quietly in the same band, and that mains of this prophecy yet to be by a little child. The heifer and perfected and on this we remark, the she-bear not only feed together, that, but even lodge their young ones, for whom they used to be most jealously fearful, in the same place. All the serpent kind is so perfectly harmless, that the sucking infant and the newly weaned child, puts his hand on the den of the basilisk, and plays upon the hole of the asp. The lion not only abstains from preying on the weaker animals, but becomes tame and domestic, and feeds on straw like the ox. Nothing can exceed the beauty of this imagery, and its application to the state of society in this sinful world is calculated to inspire the most animating prospects. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain". and the reason assigned for it is, that "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of THE LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” ver. 9. What an encouragement for Christians to be constantly praying "Thy kingdom come."

6. It affords us just ground to expect a more demonstrable and striking manifestation of Christ's righteousness and faithfulness in the administration of his government, by the prevalence of his own cause and interest in the world, the prosperity of his subjects, and the destruction of his enemies. ver. 4, 5. Some professors have wholly discarded all such hopes and expectations in this world, and strangely imagine that as Christ's kingdom began in a low and suffering state it will continue so unto the end, and that it will set in this world, as it were, under a cloud! But the scriptures are abundantly explicit in declaring that upon the theatre of this world, Christ will take unto him his great power, and reign to the joy of his people and to the confusion of his adversaries, when his truth and faithfulness shall shine forth as the sun at noon day, and be celebrated in songs of praise, Rev. xv. 3, 4. Then shall the grain of mustard seed become a tree shooting forth its branches on every side, as a shelter for the fowls of heaven, Matt. xiii. 31. And the stone, cut out of the mountain without hands, become itself a mountain and fill the whole earth, Dan. ii. 35, 45.

7. The peaceable and quiet state of Christ's kingdom, has not yet been realized in the world, to the degree which we are authorised to expect from the language of this

8. The outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah are not yet gathered in from the four corners of the earth; neither is the fulness of the Gentiles yet come in; though both these events are the subjects of many prophecies. See, for example Deut. xxx. 3-5. and xxxii. 43. Is. xxviii. 12, 13. ch. xlix. 6. ch. liv. and lix. 20. chs. Ix. lxi. lxii. lxv. lxvi. Jer. xxviii. 8. ch. xxx. 8-10. and xxxi. 36—40. 1. 4. Ezek. vi. 17, &c. ch. xx. 34. ch. xxxiv. 13. xxxvi. 24, &c. xxxvii. 21. Hos. i. ii. and iii. 5. Joel iii. 1, &c. Amos ix. 14, 15.