Messiah was to teach mankind the doctrines of salvation, without ostentation and noise.-Jesus Christ was quiet and unambitious in his public, as well as private deportment.(4)

Messiah was to be endowed with a peculiar degree of wisdom and understanding.-Jesus Christ, his enemies being judges, spake as never man spake, and taught a more pure and excellent doctrine, than ever had been received among mankind before. (5)

The doctrine of Messiah was to be of the most healing, encouraging and consolatory kind.-The doctrine of Jesus Christ was singularly adapted to the healing of wounded minds.(6)

The doctrine which Messiah should preach, was to have a powerfully transforming influence upon the minds of men.-The gospel of Christ had all this effect upon the dispositions and conduct of every one of his genuine disciples.(7)

Messiah was to be peculiarly kind and affectionate to young, distressed, and tender-spirited persons.Jesus Christ was singularly attentive to all such characters.(8)

In confirmation of his divine mission, Messiah was to display many wonderful works among the people.Jesus Christ wrought abundance of miracles in confirmation of his pretensions, and the dotrines which he taught.(9)

(4) Compare Isaiah xlii. 1-4; Matthew xii. 14-21.

(5) Compare Isaiah xi. 1-5; John vii. 46; Matthew xiii. 54$8; Matthew v. vi. and vii, ch.

(6) Compare Isaiah Ixi. 1-3; Matthew xi. 28-30, John xiv. 1-3.

(7) Compare Isaiah xi. 6–8; with Acts ii. 41-47.

(8) Compare Isaiah xl. 11; v. 1-3; Ixi. 1—3; Matthew xii. 20; and Mark x. 13-16.

(9) Compare Isaiah xxxv. 5, 6; with Matthew viii. and ix. chapters, and John xxi. 25.

Messiah was to have but little success in preaching the gospel among his countrymen the Jews.-Jesus Christ was almost universally rejected by them.(10)

The minds of the Jews were to be so veiled that they should not know their Messiah when he came among them.-The minds of the Jews were so sealed up, and enveloped in prejudice against Jesus Christ when he appeared, that he was treated by them as an impostor and deceiver.(1)

Messiah was to be the chief corner stone in the building of his church, elect, precious.-Jesus Christ was the chief corner stone, elect, and precious. (2)

Messiah was to be rejected by the builders, but yet made the head stone in the corner.-Jesus Christ was almost universally rejected by the great men of his nation; but yet he was made both Lord and Christ. (3)

Messiah was to preach the gospel to the poor, and to be embraced by a considerable number of that description.-Jesus Christ preached the gospel to the poor, and various of that rank believed in his name.(4)

Messiah was to be despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.-Jesus Christ was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.(5)

Messiah was to be seen riding into Jerusalem, sitting upon a young ass, as a token of the humility of his mind.-Jesus Christ answered this prediction, as

(10) Compare Isaiah liii. 1; xlix. 4; Rom. x. 1-3, 21. (1) Compare Isaiah vi. 9-13; xxix. 9-14; 2 Cor. iii. 5-18. (2) Compare Isaiah xxviii. 16; Acts iv. 11, 12; 1 Peter ii. 6-8. (3) Compare Psalm cxviii. 22; Isaiah viii. 13, 14; John vii. 48; Matthew xi. 25, 26: 1 Corinthians i. 26-31; 1 Peter ii. 7, 8. (4) Isaiah lxi. 1; Luke iv. 18; Matthew xi. 5; James ii. 5. (5) Compare Isaiah liii. with Matthew xxvi, and xxvii. ch, and Phil. ii. 8, 9,

well as every other that went before concerning him in the most minute circumstance.(6)

When the Messiah should enter Jerusalem in this meek and humble manner, great crouds of the common people should welcome him with shouts and rejoicings. When Jesus Christ rode into that proud metropolis in low disguise, the general cry of the mob was, Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: hosanna in the highest.

Messiah was to be actuated with such a burning zeal for the house of God, as even to be endangered by it. Jesus Christ displayed that zeal upon various occasions.(7)

Messiah was to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies by the treachery of an intimate friend.— Christ was betrayed by one of the disciples whom he had chosen.(8)

Messiah was to be sold for thirty pieces of silver.— Jesus Christ was sold for the sum predicted. (9)

Messiah's price, the thirty pieces of silver, was to be cast to the potter in the house of the Lord.All this was done when Judas betrayed his master.(20)

Messiah was to be condemned in judgment, and suffer death under the colour of public justice.-Jésus Christ underwent a mock trial, was declared innocent by his very judge, and yet delivered over to be crucified.(1)

The followers of Messiah were all to forsake him in the time of his greatest need.-When Jesus Christ

(6) Compare Zechariah ix 9, with Matthew xxi. 1-11.
(7) Compare Psalm Ixix. 9; John ii. 17.

(8) Compare Psalm xli. 9; lv. 12, 13; Mat. xxvi. 47–50.
(9) Compare Zechariah xi. 12; Matthew xxvi. 14–16.
(20) Compare Zechariah xi. 13; Matthew xxvii. 3-10.
(1) Compare Isaiah lix. 8, 9; Matthew xxvii. chapter.

was apprehended, and put upon his trial, all his disciples forsook him and fled.(2)

Messiah was to finish his public employment, in confirming the covenant, in about three years and a half,-Jesus Christ began his public office at thirty years of age, and was put to death at thirty three and a half.(3)

Messiah was to be ignominiously scourged by his persecutors.-Jesus Christ was treated in this manner.(4)

Messiah was to be smitten on the face in the day of his humiliation.-Jesus Christ was basely buffeted by the hands of vile slaves.(5)

Messiah was to have his face befouled with spittle. -Jesus Christ condescended for our sakes, even to this indignity, without complaining.(6)

Messiah was to be wounded in his hands, even by his own friends.-Jesus Christ had his hands nailed to the cursed tree by his own countrymen.(7)

Messiah was to be so marred and disfigured in his visage by the ill treatment he should receive, that his friends would scarce know him.-And was not Jesus Christ so disfigured and despoiled? (8)

(2) Compare Zechariah xiii. 7; Isaiah Ixiii.. 5; Matthew xxvi. 56. (3) Compare Daniel ix. 27, with the period of our Lord's ministry in the four gospels.

(4) Compare Isaiah 1. 6, with Matthew xxvii. 26.

(5) Compare Isaiah 1. 6; lii. 14; Micah v. 1; and Matthew xxvi. 67.

(6) Compare Isaiah l. 6; Matthew xxv. 67.

(7) Compare Zechariah xiii. 6, with John xx. 27.

(8) Compare Isaiah lii. 14, with Matthew xxvii. 29, 30.-If it should be objected that several of these circumstances are trifling and unworthy of the spirit of prophecy to reveal, it may be answered, that "The more minute some of these circumstances are in themselves, the greater and more convincing is the evidence of

Messiah was to be oppressed and afflicted, and yet not open his mouth in complaint. He was to be brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he was not to open his mouth. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, before Pilate held his peace. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.(9)

Messiah was to be taken up with wicked men in his death.-Christ was suspended on a cross between two thieves.(30)

divine fore-knowledge in the prediction of them; because the conformity between the prediction and the history is so much the more circumstantial."

(9) Compare Isaiah liii. 7, with Matthew xxvi. 63, and xxvii. 12-14.

(30) Compare Isaiah liii. 9, with Matthew xxvii. 38,-60.

A comparison of the 53d chapter of Isaiah, with the account given in the four Evangelists of the sufferings of Christ, was the instrument of convincing the witty and wicked Rochester. The narrative by Burnet is worth inserting in this place:-Rochester said to Burnet," Mr. Parsons, in order to his conviction, read to him the 53d chapter of Isaiah, and compared that with our Saviour's passion, that he might there see a prophecy concerning it, written many ages before it was done; which the Jews that blasphemed Jesus Christ, still kept in their hands as a book divinely inspired. He said to me-That, as he heard it read, he felt an inward force upon him, which so enlightened his mind, and convinced him, that he could resist it no longer; for the words had an authority, which did shoot like rays or beams in his mind, so that he was not only convinced by the reasonings he had about it, which satisfied his understanding, but by a power, which did so effectually constrain him, that he did ever after as firmly believe in his Saviour, as if he had seen him in the clouds. He had made it to be read so often to him, that he had got it by heart; and went through a great part of it in discourse with me, with a sort of heavenly pleasure, giving me his reflections upon it. Some few I remember: Who hath believed our report? Here, be said, was foretold the opposition the gospel was to meet with from such wretches as he was. He hath no form or comeliness; and when we shall see him, there was no beauty, that we should desire him.-On this he said, the meanness of his appearance and person has made vain and foolish people disparage him, be cause he came not in such a fool's coat as they delight in."