and his heirs for ever, which heirs are his feed, the travail of his foul, who are called heirs with God, and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. Thus men are bleffed in him.

All nations fhall call him bleffed. As the Lord had promised by the prophet, that the LORD JESUS fhould be his falvation to the ends of the earth, fo we find the gospel had a very extenfive spread in the Apostle's days, for he faith, Rom. x. 18. And their found went into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world. Now in whatfoever nation the gofpel comes, it will prove its miffion by its power; and whoever finds the gofpel to be the power of God unto their falvation, will certainly blefs the author of it, adore his name, and glorify him from whom they enjoy all their confolations; thus all nations fhall call him bleffed, tee Rev. v. 9.

And now feeing that thefe predictions are all fulfilled in JESUS, as the true MESSIAH, you will my dear Friendly, join with the prophet's rapture of love, ver. 19. Bleffed be his glorious name for ever; let the whole earth be filled with his glory, Amen, and Amen.

Friendly, Yes, had I a thousand thousand hearts and tongues, they should all join their univerfal Amen to the glory of our dear IMMANUEL. And indeed nothing can more compleat my joy on earth, than the extenfive glory of Jesus, my LORD, my GOD, and my KING.

Truth. Here lies a diftinguifhing mark between a real christian and a hypocrite; a hypocrite cares not at heart how it goes with the glory of CHRIST, fo he has but a good name. Now the real chriftian cares not how it goes with his name and character fo that CHRIST is glorified, "Let him, fays the "chriftian, fit me, and frame me, mould me, and change me, "fo that he makes his glory to fhine out of me:" And he joins with the Pfalmift Pfal. cxxxvii. 6. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerufalem, above my chiefeft joy.

We will now proceed to the next prediction, which we find in Pfal. lxxxix. 19, 20. Then thou spakeft in vifion to thy Holy One, and faidit, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chofen out of the people; I have found David my fervant ; with my holy oil have I anointed him.

Friendly. Wherein doth this appear to be a prediction of CHRIST as the MESSIAH?

Truth. As to the title and character there given him, the Holy One, it is an appellation which the MESSIAH frequently bears in the Old Teftament, and we find that is alfo applied

to him in the New, Acts iii. 14. But ye denied the Holy One, &c. Friendly. What might I apprehend by GoD's speaking to

him?

Truth. The communications of his mind and will to him as MEDIATOR, in which office or capacity he hearkened to his FATHER, and obeyed his will and command, which made CHRIST fay, John xii. 49, 50. But I have not spoken of myJelf, but the Father which fent me, he gave me a commandment what I fuld fay, and what I should speak; and I know that his commandment is life everlasting; whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father faid unto me, fo I fpeak.

Friendly. But how could there be help laid upon CHRIST?' If his human nature subsisted in union with his divine, what could ftrengthen it?

Truth. The effence of FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, is one undivided nature; fo by laying help upon CHRIST, we are to apprehend the perfections of the Godhead, engaging to fave the elect by the death and obedience of the human nature of CHRIST; or laying all the falvation help (that the elect should stand in need of) upon the human nature of CHRIST, as it subsisted in union with the divine; which prediction appears to be accomplished in JESUS, in that he fays, John viii. 28, 29. Then hall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myfelf; but as my Father hath taught me, Ifpeak these things, and be that fent me is with me, the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always thofe things that pleafe him.

Friendly. Wherein doth CHRIST appear to be mighty? Truth. In that his human nature always exifted in union to his divine, conftituting one perfon for ever, therefore he might, as MEDIATOR, be faid to be mighty in his promife, power, and love, which appears in that he could fay to his Father, John xvii. 4. I have glorified thee on earth'; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

Friendly. But wherein doth it appear that the MESSIAHI was exalted, for it is faid, that he was defpifed and rejected of men, &c.

Truth. Though CHRIST in the days of his flesh, was defpifed and rejected of men, a man of forrows, and acquainted with grief, yet he was highly exalted by his FATHER, Phil. ii. 9. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, &c.

Friendly. But does it appear that the MESSIAH was chofen from among the people of GOD, or is this choice applicable to CHRIST?

Truth. Yes, CHRIST as to his human nature, was the object of electing love, as faith the LORD, Behold my fervant whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my foul delighteth; and Peter calls him Ela, Precious. For as head and members are conceived together in the womb of nature, fo CHRIST as the head, and his church as members, were conceived together in the womb of election. It likewife appears, that CHRIST is one of the family of Heaven, as he is filed the First Born among many brethren; and as he was the elder fon, and heir of all things; he was chofen to be their head, 1 Pet. ii. 4. To whom coming as to a living ftone, difallowed indeed of men, chefen of God and precious.

but

Fiendly. But in what refpect can the LORD's faying, I have found David my fervant; with my holy oil, have I anointed him, be applied to CHRIST, as the MESSIAH?

Truth. By David we are to apprehend CHRIST, which is a character that he frequently bears in fcripture, fee fer xxx. 9. Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24. Hof. iii. 5. and indeed what is faid of his teed, ver 29. cannot with any truth be applied to King David, viz. that his feed should endure for ever, and his throne as the days of Heaven; but may juftly be applied to CHRIST'S fpiritual feed. Likewife CHRIST might be called David, not only on account of his being David's antitype, but from his fpringing of his loins according to the flesh, therefore called his fon, the root and offspring of David. By GoD's faying, I have found him, we are to apprehend his appointing him, as in Job xxxiii. 24. where Gon is reprefented as faying, deliver bin from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom, that is, I have appointed a ranfom for him; which prediction CHRIST applies to himself, Matt. xx. 28. to give his life a ransom for many.

His faying, with my boy nil have I anointed him, is quite apt to the MESSIAH, which fignifies anointed, and may denote that extraordinary fupply of the fpirit which refted upon him, Jobn iii. 24. For God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him.

Friendly. What might I apprehend by GoD's faying, v. 35. Once have Ifwarn by my bolinefs that I will not lie unto David? Truth. We might apprehend God engaging himself, by all the perfections of his nature, to fulfil every promise that he had made concerning the MESSIAH, and the falvation of his people by him, Heb. vi. 17, 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to fhew unto the heirs of promife the immutability of bis counfel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impoffible for God to lie, we might have strong con

folation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope fet before

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But to proceed to the next prediction, which we find Pjal. cx. i. The Lord faid unto my Lord, fit thou at my right hand, Sc. Now that this appears to be a prediction of the MESSIAH IS manifeft, and that the Jews in CHRIST's time, understood it as fuch, appears likewile from our LORD's difcourfe with them concerning the MESSIAH, in Mati. xxii. 45. Saying to them, what think ye of Chrst? Whole Son is he? Without the leaft hefitation, they fay the Son of David. To which CHRIST replies, how then doth David in fpirit call him Lord, faying, the Lord faid unto my Lord, &c. And then he argues with them, If then David call him Lord, how is he his Son? Though the Jews acknowledged this to be a prediction of CHRIST, they feemed confounded at CHRIST's reafoning with them; for it is faid, no man was able to answer him a word; which fhews, that it was the general opinion among the Jews, that this prediction was poke of the MESSIAH, or they would foon have made a reply to CHRIST, and not fuffered themselves to be fo confounded, that they durft not more afk him any question. The Chaldee renders it, the LORD faid unto his word, the divine Logos, the word that was with God, and the word that was God, fit thou at my right hand; which was fully accomplished in JESUS, Eph. i. 20, 21. And fet him at his own right hand in heavenly places; far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come.

It is likewife faid, ver. 4. The Lord hath fworn, and will not repent; thou art a Prieft for ever after the order of Melchifedec; which prediction hath its accomplishment in JESUS. As to the MESSIAH being a Prieft, it is manifeft from Heb. iv. 14. Seeing then we have an High Priest, that is passed into the Heaven, Jefus the Son of God: and his being a Prieft for ever, is likewife evident, Heb. vii. 24. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood; which fecures our peace and pardon; for as his Priesthood knows no change, confequently it proves the perfection of his atonement, and thereby fecures our peace for ever. His being a Prieft appears, in that he had fomewhat to offer to GOD for his people, which was nothing less than himself; and what could he give more? Eph. v. 2. As Chrift hath also loved us, and given himself for us, an offering and a facrifice to God for a sweet smelling favour.

Friendly. But wherein doth it appear, that CHRIST was made a Prieft, by an oath, as the prediction faith?

Truth. In Heb. vii. 20, 21. And inafmuch as not without an oath, was he made a Prieft; for thofe Priests (meaning those under the law) were made without an oath, but this with an eath, by him which faid unto him, the Lord fware and will not repent, thou art a Prieft for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Friendly. Who was this Melchizedek, that was a pattern for CHRIST's Priesthood?

Truth. The Apostle defcribes him at large in Heb. vii. 2, 3. First being by interpretation King of Righteousness; and after that aito King of Salem, which is, King of Peace; without father, without mother, without defcent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of GoD, abideth a Prieft continually, &c. But how these characters can be applicable to any created being, is what I cannot take in: what all the authors and commentators fay of it, does not afford the fatisfaction could wifh, and indeed to attempt to appear more wife than our forefathers would look pompous and oftentatious, as well as be too large a digreffion from our fubject, therefore we will refer it to a more fuitable feafon, and proceed to the next prediction, which we find Pfal. cxi. 3. His work is honourable and glorious, and bis righteousness endureth for ever; which I apprehend to be a prophecy of the MESSIAH'S mediatorial work, which appears to be honourable, in that his obedience was fo honourable to the law of GOD, that it was thereby more abundantly magnified than all the obedience of either men or angels; his fingle life of obedience was more excellent and tranfcendent, than all the obedience of men and angeis, they being only creatures, but He in union to the human nature, the great Creator, and therefore his obedience excels theirs, infinitely more than the ocean the drop upon the bucket, or the ponderous mountains the duft upon the balance. His work was likewife honourable to GOD, as it magnified all the perfections of his nature, and thereby brought glory to God in the higheft; which made the MESSIAH fay to his Father, John xvii. 4. I have glorified thee on the earth. And indeed his death was glorious in its nature and effects; glorious in its nature, as he died, and suffered in union with all the glories of the Deity; glorious in its effects, as it thereby fecured the glory both of GoD and man, and fpreads a brilliancy and luftre, throughout the heavenly empire ; makes man happy upon earth, and more glorious in heaven than angels around the throne.

And his righteousness endureth for ever; from the nature of it, which is perfection itself, for he did no fin, neither was guile