• 63. MESSIAH was to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies by the treachery of an intimate friend.CHRIST was betrayed by one of the disciples whom he had chosen. 64. Messiah was to be sold for thirty pieces of silver, -JESUS CHRIST was sold for the sum predicted t.

65. MESSIAH'S price, the thirty pieces of silver, was to be cast to the potter in the house of the LOR d. —All this was done when JUDAS betrayed his MASTER.

66. MESSIAH was to be condemned in judgement, and suffer death under the colour of public justice.-JESUS CHRIST underwent a mock trial, was declared innocent by his very judge, and yet delivered over to be crucified §.

67. The followers of MESSIAH were all to forsake him in the time of his greatest need.When JESUS CHRIST was apprehended, and put upon his trial, all his disciples forsook him and fled ||.

68. MESSIAH was to finish his public employment, in confirming the covenant, in about three years and a half. JESUS CHRIST began his public office at thirty years of age, and was put to death at thirty-three and a half**. 69. MESSIAH was to be ignominiously scourged by his persecutors.-JESUS CHRIST was treated in this mannertt.

70. MESSIAH was to be smitten on the face in the day of his humiliation. ---JESUS CHRIST was basely buffeted by the hands of vile slaves ‡‡.

71. MESSIAH was to have his face befouled with spittle-JESUS CHRIST condescended for our sakes even to this indignity without complaining §§.

72. MEST

Compare Psalm xli. 9; Iv. 12, 13; Mat. xxvi. 47---50. + Compare Zechariah xi. 12; Matthew xxvi. 14---16. Compare Zechariah xi. 13; Matthew xxvii. 3---10. Compare Isaiah lix. 8, 9; Matthew xxvii.

Compare Zechariah xiii. 7; Isaiah Ixiii. 5; Matthew xxvi. 56.

Compare Daniel ix. 27, with the period of our LORD's ministry in the four Gospels. On this remarkable prediction of DANIEL, consult MACLAURIN'S Essay on the Prophecies, p. 103, and Sir ISAAC NEW. TON'S Observations on DANIEL, ch. x. 11.

++ Compare Isaiah 1. 6, with Matthew xxvii. 26.

Compare Isaiah 1..6; lii. 14; Micah v. 1; and Matthew xxvi. 67. §§ Compare Isaiah 1. 6; Matthew xxv. 67.

72. MESSIAH was to be wounded in his hands, even by his own friends.-JESUS CHRIST had his hands nailed to the cursed tree by his own countrymen *.

73. MESSIAH was to be so marred and disfigured in his visage by the ill treatment he should receive, that his friends would scarce know him.-And was not JESUS CHRIST SO disfigured and dispoiled †?

74. MESSIAH was to be oppressed and afflicted, and yet not open his mouth in complaint. He was to be brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he was not to open his mouth.JESUS CHRIST, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, before PILATE held his peace. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing ‡.

75. MESSIAH was to be taken up with wicked men in his death.-CHRIST was suspended on a cross between two thieves §.

* Compare Zechariah xiii. 6. with John xx. 27.

76. MES

+ Compare Isaiah lii. 14, with Matthew xxvii. 29, 30.-If it should be objected that several of these circumstances are trifling and unworthy of the Spirit of prophecy to reveal, it may be very justly answered, that "The more minute some of these circumstances are in themselves, the greater and more convincing is the evidence of divine fore-knowledge "in the prediction of them; because the conformity between the predic❝tion and the history is so much the more circumstantial."

See MACLAURIN on the Prophecies, p. 63. Compare Isaiah liii. 7, with Matthew xxvi. 63, and xxvii, 12—14, Compare Isaiah liii. 9, with Matthew xxvii. 38, 60.

See on this whole chapter APTHORP's seventh discourse on prophecy, and Dr. GREGORY SHARP's Second Argument in defence of Christianity, pages 222-274. A comparison of this 53d chapter of ISAIAH, with the account given in the four Evangelists of the sufferings of CHRIST, was made the instrument of convincing the witty and wicked Earl of RoCHESTER. The narrative given of this remarkable transaction by bishop BURNET is worth insertion in this place:-ROCHESTER said to bishop BURNET," Mr. PARSONS, in order to his conviction, read to him the 53d chapter of ISAIAH, and compared that with our SAVIOUR's passion, that he might there see a prophecy concerning it, written many ages before it was done; which the Jews that blasphemed JESUS CHRIST, Still kept in their hands as a book divinely inspired. He said to me-that, as he heard it read, he felt an inward force upon him, which did so enlighten his mind, and convince him, that he could resist it no longer for the words

I 4

76. MESSIAH was to be buried in the sepulchre of a rich man. CHRIST was buried in the tomb of a rich counsellor *.

77. MESSIAH was to be put to death at the end of 490 years from the time a commandment should go forth to restore and to build Jerusalem.-Now it is remarkable, that from the seventh year of ARTAXERXES LONGIMANUS, king of Persia, from whom EZRA received his commission, ch. vii. 8, to the death of JESUS CHRIST, there are just 490 years †.

78. MESSIAH was to be presented by his enemies with vinegar and gall during his sufferings. In this manner was JESUS CHRIST treated as he hung upon the cross‡.

79. The persecutors of MESSIAH were to pierce his hands and his feet.—So did the bloody Jews and Romans treat the REDEEMER of mankind §.

80. The enemies of MESSIAH were to laugh him to scorn, and to taunt and reproach him with satirical lan

$

guage.

words had an authority, which did shoot like rays or beams in his mind, so that he was not only convinced by the reasonings he had about it, which satisfied his understanding, but by a power, which did so effectually constrain him, that he did ever after as firmly believe in his SAVIOUR as if he had seen him in the clouds. He had made it to be read so often to him, that he had got it by heart; and went through a great part of it in discourse with me, with a sort of heavenly pleasure, giving me his reflections upon it. Some few I remember: Who hath believed our report? Here, he said, was foretold the opposition the gospel was to meet with from such wretches as he was. He hath no form or comeliness; and when we shall see him, there was no beauty, that we should desire him. On this he said, the meanness of his appearance and person has made vain and foolish people disparage him, because he came not in such a fool's coat as they delight in. What he said on the other parts, I do not, says the Bishop, well remember." SHARPE's Second Argument, p. 238-240.

* Ibid.

+ Daniel ii. 24. See SYKES's Essay on the Truth of the Christian Religion, p. 20. And for the times of the birth and passion of CHRIST, consult the 11th chapter of Sir ISAAC NEWTON'S Observations upon the Prophecies of DANIEL.

Compare Psalm lxix. 21, with Matthew xxvii. 34, and John xix.

28-30.

Compare Psalm ii. 16, with Matthew xxvii. 35.-Crucifixion was a thing not known among the Jews in the time of DAVID, nor for many ages afterwards,

guage. So did the Jews conduct themselves towards CHRIST in the day of his distress *.

81. When MESSIAH was put to death, his enemies were to part his garments among them, and for his vesture they were to cast lots.-When CHRIST was crucified these transactions took place t.

82. When the MESSIAH should suffer death, not a bone of his body was to be broken.-When CHRIST was crucified, not a bone of him was injured

83. When MESSIAH should be put to death, his side was, by some means not declared, to be pierced. When JESUS CHRIST was crucified, his side was pierced with a spear §,

84. It was prophesied of MESSIAH, that he should make intercession for transgressors.-JESUS CHRIST interceded with GOD for his very murderers, and now ever liveth at his FATHER's right hand to plead the cause of the sinful children of men .

85. MESSIAH was to be cut off, but not for himself. JESUS CHRIST, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, was cut off by the hands of wicked men, to reconcile Gop to his rebellious creatures **.

86. When MESSIAH should come, there was to be a fountain opened to the house of DAVID, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin, and for uncleanness.--When CHRIST came, he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and by the shedding of his blood once for all tt. 87. MESSIAH was to make atonement for the iniquities, transgressions, and sins oftheworld.-JESUS CHRIST was a propitiation for the sins of the whole world ‡‡.

88. MES

Compare Psalm xxii. 7, 8, with Matthew xxvii. 39-44.

+ Compare Psalm xxii. 18, with Matthew xxvii. 35.

Compare Exodus xii. 45, and Numbers ix. 12, with John xvi. 31-36.

§ Compare Zechariah xii. 10, with John xix. 34, 37.

Compare Isaiah liii. 12; Hebrews vii. 25.

** Compare Daniel ix. 26; Isaiah liii. 8; Matthew xxvi. and xxvii. chapters.

++ Compare Zechariah xiii. 1; and Hebrews ix. and x. chapters. Compare Isaiah liii, 5; Daniel ix. 24; 1 John ii. 1, 2.

88. MESSIAH was to make this atonement in the last of DANIEL'S seventy weeks.-JESUS CHRIST was crucified in that very week *.

89. MESSIAH was to abolish the old, and introduce a new dispensation.-JESUS CHRIST abolished the cere monies of the Law of Moses, and brought in a more perfect and rational economy †.

90. The blood of MESSIAH was to be the blood of the covenant, which should bring prisoners out of the pit where there is no water.-The blood of JESUS CHRIST was the blood of the new covenant-dispensation, which, whosoever disregards, shall bear the blame for ever ‡.

91. MESSIAH was not to lie in the grave and be turned to corruption like other men.-JESUS CHRIST did not continue in the grave, nor did he see corruption like the rest of mankind §.

92. MESSIAH was to be raised from the grave on the third day after his interment.-JESUS CHRIST was bu ried on the Friday, and rose from the dead on the Sunday morning following .

93. When MESSIAH should arise from the dead, he was to bring some tokens with him of his victory over the infernal powers.When JESUS CHRIST entered the state of the dead, he led captivity captive, unloosed the bands of

death,

*Daniel ix. 27. See this remarkable prophecy of DANIEL illustrated at large in PRIDEAUX, p. 1. b. 5. Consult also the fourth and fifth of APTHORP'S Discourses, and CHANDLER's Defence, p. 132-150.-"The "doctrine of atonement," says bishop SHERLOCK," is that which, toge"ther with the principles on which it is founded, and the consequences "naturally flowing from it, distinguishes the Christian religion from all "other religions whatever."

Sermons, vol. 4. dis. 3. P: 88.

The present excellent bishop of LONDON also tells us, "It is, without dispute, the great distinguishing character of the Christian dispensation, the wall of partition between natural and revealed religion, the main foundation of all our hopes of pardon and acceptance hereafter."

+ Compare Jeremiah xxxi. 31—34, with Hebrews viii. 6—13. Compare Zechariah ix. 11, with Hebrews x. 29; xiii. 20. Compare Psalm xvi. 10, with Matthew xxviii. 6.

Compare Hosca vi, 2; Matthew xx. 19; Matthew xxviii. 1-74 1 Corinthians xv. 4.