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The external appearance of John, his unremitting aufterity of life, his active zeal, his bold rebuke of vice, and his exhortation to the degenerate race of his countrymen, to repent of their fins, that they might avoid impending judgments, were circumftances perfectly fimilar to the hiftory of Elias. It is therefore alfo evident, that the Prophecy of Malachi was fully accomplished in the perfon of John the Baptift, the meffenger, or forerunner of the Meffiah, who, in conformity with the eastern custom of officers being fent to announce the approach of princes and kings, preceded him, and prepared the for his reception 3..

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The testimony of Jofephus to the character of John the Baptift agrees with the prophecy of Ifaiah and Malachi, and the narratives of the Evangelifts." Herod put to death John the Baptift, who was a juft man, and had called upon the Jews to be baptized and to practise virtue, exercifing both juftice towards men, and piety towards God. And many coming to him, for they were wonderfully taken with his difcourfes, Herod was feized with apprehensions, left by his authority they fhould be led into fedition. The Jews were of opinion that the deftruction of Herod's army was a punishment upon him for putting the Baptift to death." Lardner's Jewish Teft. vol. vii. p. 116.

chain of Prophets, which reached from Mofes to Malachi, as one of the many circumstances to prove the gradual preparation made for the Gospel of Jefus Christ.

During the interval of 400 years between this laft Prophecy under the Old Dispensation, and its fulfilment, the fecond Temple was indeed standing, but it could not boast the vifible glory of Jehovah, like that which had diftinguished the firft. There were no appointed means of enquiring the will of God by means of the High Prieft. The people obferved the Law of Mofes, but no Prophet arose among them. They were fufficiently enlightened to look for their predicted Meffiah with a degree of anxiety and impatience, that might have weakened their attachment to the Covenant, which it appeared to be the pleasure of God to alter, if not to abrogate. And the series of the Prophets closed with a direct promife of a "meffenger in the fpirit and power of Elias," (who had been moft distinguished by vifible marks of the Divine favour) to precede the Lord, who should come fuddenly to his Temple-who should be like a refiner's fire to purify his people in his great and dreadful day, when all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall

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be stubble, and shall be burnt up a. to those who fear the name of God, he should arife as the Sun of Righteousness, with healing in his wings, to make his name great among the Gentiles, that in every place incense should be offered to the name of God, and a pure offering i."

h Mal. iii. 2.

i Mal, iv. 2.

CLASS

CLASS I.

CHAPTER THE NINTH.

The Prophetic Defcription of the Birth, Character, Million, Sufferings, Death, Refurrection, and Afcenfion, of the Meffiah, compared with his Hiftory written by the Evangelifts after his Afcenfion into Heaven.

So clear and fo full are the declarations of Isaiah relative to the coming of the Messiah, the nature of his kingdom, and the benefits. refulting to mankind from its establishment, that he has with very great propriety been called the Evangelical Prophet. One of his predictions in particular can never be too frequently brought forward, as an instance of a revelation of the Divine will directed to one uniform courfe of circumftances and events.

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The regularity of its plan is unbroken, it is complete in its various parts, and it stands detached from other subjects. It is a striking picture, of which the outlines are strongly marked, and the colours are natural and lively. The form of expreffion is remarkable, for the Prophet speaks of things to come, as if they were either present or paft. Fully occupied by the importance of his subject, and carried forward to distant times, he flies over the interval between the prediction and its fulfilment, and writes in the manner of an exact and faithful hiftorian.

He is defpifed and rejected of men; a man of forrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was defpifed, and we efteemed him not. Surely be bath borne our griefs, and carried our forrows: yet we did efteem him ftricken, fmitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our tranfgreffions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chaftifement of our peace was upon him; and with his ftripes we are heuled, He was oppreffed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the Slaughter, and as a sheep before her fhearers is dumb, fo he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who

Shall

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