WRIT, in order to shake its credibility. But vain and idle is all this manufacturing of external evidence, while the internal is

66

founded on a rock," which will brave the assaults of its open or disguised foes, and the more ruinous accommodations or concessions of rash and indiscreet friends, though of great name. To elucidate the internal evidence, by CORRECTER TRANSLATION and COMPARATIVE CRITICISM, has been the leading object of the author's researches; being fully convinced himself, and wishing to impart that conviction to others, that

"THE TESTIFYING OF JESUS IS THE DRIFT OF "PROPHECY."

"To HIM, GIVE ALL THE PROPHETS WITNESS:"

both of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT.

I shall close this Dissertation with an EPILOGUE to the PROPHETIC PSALMS, furnished by

THE LAST WORDS OF DAVID. 2 Sam. xxiii. 1-7.

"David, the Son of Jesse, saith,

"Even the Person highly exalted, saith, "The anointed of the GOD OF JACOB, "And the sweet Psalmist of ISRAEL;

"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD speaketh in Me, "And his word is on my tongue;

"The GOD OF ISRAEL hath said,

"The ROCK OF ISRAEL hath spoken touching Me. "[Of thy seed] THE JUST, shall be Ruler among Men,

Ruling in the fear of GOD.

"As the morning light shall A SUN arise,
"A morning, unclouded in brightness;
"[As] the tender herb, after a shower,
"[Springeth up] from the ground:

-For [shall] not my House [be] so, with God?— "Because He made with me, an everlasting covenant, "Ordered, and established in every [age]:

"Because [HE] is all my salvation, and all my desire. "For [Sons of] Belial shall not blossom,

"All they [shall be consumed] like prickly thorns: "For they shall not be taken in hand,

"But the Man who shall touch them,

"Shall be armed with iron, and the staff of a spear-; "At [the appointed season of] rest.”

DISSERTATION X,

ON THE PROPHECY OF MICAH, v. 2-4.

THIS is perhaps the most important single prophecy in the whole range of the Old Testament, respecting the personal character of CHRIST, and the grand design of his several manifestations to the world. It is the most comprehensive in its plan, winding up the whole chain of prophetic evidence respecting the blessed" seed of the woman," both in his human and in his divine nature, and the benevolent design of his several dispensations, to promote the peace and salvation of mankind. The successive limitations of his human descent to the line of Shem, the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the tribe of Judah, and the royal house of David, which were pointed out in former prophecies, here terminate in his birth at Bethlehem," the city of David ;" His miraculous conception is here obscurely intimated, which

is more fully explained by the contemporary prophet Isaiah, and his successors, Jeremiah and Zechariah; his eternal generation is incidentally noticed; the rejection of the Israelites and Jews for a season is foretold; -and their final restoration, and the universal peace that shall prevail throughout the earth, at his second coming in glory.

This prophecy is also "the most fully au"thenticated:" Its application to CHRIST, and to JESUS as THE CHRIST, is proved by the concurrent testimony of the primitive Jewish and Christian Churches: Its application to the MESSIAH, or CHRIST, was formally acknowledged by the fullest and most respectable Jewish Synod that ever met, convened by Herod to decide the question, "Where THE CHRIST was to be born?" Matt, ii. 1-6. And accordingly, the first branch of it, (which only was noticed by the Jewish Synod) forms the groundwork of the Introductions of Matthew's and Luke's Gospels, explaining the human nature of JESUS as the CHRIST; and his prophetic descent from David, Abraham, and Eve; which was chiefly insisted upon at the first preaching of

the

the Gospel, according as the Jewish world was able to bear it. Afterwards, at a more advanced period of Christianity, the second branch of it, intimating his divine nature and eternal generation, was unfolded in the sublime Introduction of John's Gospel, written near the close of the first century, when the whole world was better prepared to receive these mysterious doctrines: while the third branch of the prophecy, foretelling the rejection of the Jews for a season, and the calling of the Gentiles; and the final union. of both in the Church of GoD and of CHRIST, Contained that mysterious dispensation of the Gospel, which is the leading object of the New Testament in general, especially of the Epistles, to unfold and explain.

The whole of the prophecy may thus be more correctly rendered:

1. And art thou Bethlehem Ephrata,
"Little to be esteemed among the
"thousands of Judah?

From thee shall issue forth [a
LEADER]

Who