Old Testament recounts, sanctioned a preparatory code of discipline, miraculously separated and preserved a nation, and favoured them with a succession of inspired teachers, and all to prepare the way for "a temporal prince, a conquering pacificator, and a [political] deliverer." One might ask, if the science of politicks or the art of war be so difficult, so noble, or so salutary, that God must raise up and prosper a proficient in them, as his last and greatest messenger to men? Does a character like this recommend itself to the reason or feelings, any more than it coincides with the passages we have adduced, as that which the Deity would be likely to select as the head of a miraculous dispensation for the welfare of men? A temporal prince! and what has he to do with improving the hearts of men, and realizing the lofty visions of the prophets. A conquering pacificator! and what sort of peace is that which the conqueror makes, and how long does the olive branch flourish "which is watered with tears, whose leaves grow green in an atmosphere filled with cries and groans, and whose roots have been moistened and fattened with blood ?""* How unworthy of man to imagine, and of God to ordain! Is this the dignity of a spiritual nature, the destiny of an immortal soul, that it is to be guided through a probationary to an eternal state, by temporal princes and conquering pacificators? This is certainly an errour which refutes itself. But * Grounds of Christianty examined, preface, p. xviii. ́ ̧ how distinctly does our Saviour's character and doctrine correspond with these predicted characters of the Messiah. A spiritual not a temporal prince, a gentle, forbearing, persua sive, and moral, not a conquering pacificator. Not a life can be pointed out in the annals of man, in which was exemplified a principle of such uniform and universal benevolence, dispassionate justice, collected prudence, propriety, and dignity: and the doctrine he taught Mr. English has made it a matter of reproachis a doctrine of perfect peace. "What sweetness, what purity," says Rousseau, "in our Saviour's manners, what affecting grace in his instructions, what elevation in his maxims, what profound wisdom in his discourses, what presence of mind, what delicacy, what justice in his replies."* But as Mr. English has adduced passages in support of a different character of the predicted Messiah, it is necessary to examine them. As I propose at present to direct my remarks to the general character predicted, and not to particular prophecies, I quote such only as may be a fair and sufficient spe-cimen of the rest. Many of the passages, which are quoted by Mr. English in his third chapter as illustrating "the characteristicks of the Messiah as they are given by the Hebrew prophets ;" and by which he would confirm the notion of a temporal conqueror, are such * Rousseau's Emile ii. 303. See also lettre a l'archeveque de Paris. as I have already adduced in proof of the opposite interpretation. It is for the reader to compare and decide. The following are the most remarkable of the remaining ones which Mr. English has collected. "There shall arise a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy the children of Seth."* "Of the increase of his government there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it, with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."+ "And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me that shall be ruler in Israel." "Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey, and I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd, and I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them." From these, and passages like these, Mr. English has thought to authorize the Jewish expectation of a temporal prince; and I proceed to show that such language in the mouths of the Hebrew writers will not justify the conclusion. Is the Messiah spoken of as a conqueror, as one who will smite the corners of Moab, and destroy the children of Seth? Numbers xxiv. 17, 19. † Isaiah ix. 7. + Micah v. 2. The supreme God himself is spoken of under the same character. "The Lord of hosts mustereth the hosts of battle: they come from a far country, from the ends of heaven, even the Lord and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the land."* "The Lord of hosts shall come down, to fight for mount Zion and for the hill thereof."+ "In that day, the Lord, with his sore, and great, and terrible sword, shall slay he dragon that is in the sea." "Behold the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots-for by fire and sword will the Lord plead with all flesh."§ "God came from Teman, and the holy one from mount Paran.-Was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thy horses and chariots of salvation? Thy bow was made quite naked. Thou didst march though the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in thine anger; thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses. When he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops."|| Now we all understand that passages like these are either a bold representation of God's spiritual judgments, or else an ascription to him, (as the immediate author,) of inflictions made in the course of his providence. So when the kingdom of the Messiah is represented, in similar language, we are to under Isaiah xiii. 4, 5. g' ib. lxvi. 15, 16. † ib. xxxi. 4. + ib. xxvii 1. stand a reference to be made to those judgments, which Christ has exercised ог will exercise against the enemies of his religion, especially at the final day--or else perhaps to the successful warfare which Christian princes have waged against heathenism. At least the analogy of scripture demands that we should no more infer from the literal interpretation of one class of the passages, that the Messiah was to be a human conqueror, than we should infer the same of God from the other. Is the Messiah spoken of as a king, and seated on a throne, so is the supreme Being: "The Lord most high is terrible, he is a great King over all the earth, he shall subdue the people under us, and all nations under our feet. God is gone up with a shout-sing praises to God, sing praises unto our King, sing praises; God reigneth over the heathen, God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness." "The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King, he will save us. The Most High ruleth in the kingdom OF MEN." "Sing praises to the Lord WHO DWELLETH IN ZION." "In Judah is God known, his name is great in Israel, in Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion." "For the Lord dwelleth in Zion." "Is not the Lord IN ZION, IS not her King IN HER." "I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion." "The sun shall be ashamed when |