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The CONTENT S.

Effay on the prophecies relating to the Meffiah.

INTRODUCTION.

Of three general principles on which the following reason-
ings are founded, relating to three properties of the
prophecies concerning Chrift, neceffary to make them
proofs of Chriftianity, viz. 1. That they are appli-
cable to Chrift truly; 2. Peculiarly; 3. That the things
contained in them could not be foretold by chance,
The prophecies in view relate, either to Chrift's person,
his church, or his enemies,

Some prophecies not yet fulfilled, no objection,.
The contents of the prophecies are, either, 1. Doctrines;
or, 2. Miraculous and contefted facts; or 3. Uncon-
tefted facts,

Doctrinal prophecies contain uncontefted facts about the
profeffed faith and worship of Chrift's church
Of the fecond general principle,

Some characters are peculiar and fingular taken feparate-
ly,

Pag.

Common characters joined with these add to the evidence,
A combination and series of characters that are of them-
felves common, if taken feparately, may yet make a
fingular and peculiar description of one perfon,
Of the third general principle,

There are innumerable things which cannot be foretold
by human fagacity, or by chance,

CHA P. I.

Of the contents of prophecies concerning one extraordinary perfon, defcribed as the Light of the Gentiles.

The enlightening of the Gentile nations by Christ uncontested,

Some prophecies about the enlightening of the Gentiles, expressly afcribe that work to one eminent person; others not.-Some of thefe prophecies more general, fhort, and obfcure; others more full, clear, and particular,

Of this laft kind are Isaiah xlii. xlix. lii. 13. to liv. lv. 11.

I

2

ib.

ib.

5

ib.

6

ib.

7

ib.

9

ib.

10

Two

Pag.

Two things needful to be confidered in treating on these
paffages: 1. Proofs that they are parallel; 2. That they
are not applicable to any fuch converfion of particular
perfons as happened under the Old Teftament, but
only to the converfion of nations under the New,
Of the contents of the 49th of Isaiah,

Of the enlightening of the Gentiles by one eminent per-
fon,

Of his being rejected by the Jews, and the consequences

of this,

Abfurdity of fuppofing, that the prophet here speaks of

the Jewish nation under the notion of an individual

perfon,

Of the perfonal hiftory of that light of the Gentiles,

Of doctrinal characters of that perfon, as God's covenant

and falvation,

Whatever prophecy fpeaks of one fent of God, who was
to be in a peculiar manner the author of our falva-
tion, must be parallel to Isaiah xlix.

The figures expreffing the above facts and doctrines,

Two remarkable practical inftructions mixed with these

things, here and in other prophecies,

Ifaiah xlii. Proofs of its being parallel with Ifaiah xlix.
Of the fingular magnificence of ftyle with which the pro-
phets, and particularly Ifaiah xlii. defcribe the con-
verfion of the Gentiles,

Objection about the loftinefs of the eastern style answer-

ed,

This prophecy parallel to Ifaiah xlix, in fix articles,

Ifaiah lii. liii. liv. parallel in the above articles to If. xlii.

and xlix.

Ifaiah liii. explains other prophecies about God's covenant
and falvation, about the blood of the covenant, and
the Meffiah's priesthood,

Ifaiah lv. Ivi. parallel to the other prophecies already ex-

plained,

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In facts relating to his life and death, and time of his co-
ming, a remarkable harmony,

fanctification, and other bleffings of God's covenant,

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