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P. 37. I. 15. Why did they not believe in him? Answer, "Because they had not the love "of God in them:" "Because they received "honour one of another, and sought not the "honour which cometh from God only:" and "Because they loved the praise of men, more than "the praise of God." Because of the ambition, avarice, enmity against God, and wickedness of their hearts and lives.

P. 37. 1. 17. Whose word will stand,' &c.— I know not how Mr. C. means to apply this: but certainly the unbelief of the Jews, when the Messiah came, fulfilled and established "the words of "God," as spoken by the ancient prophets.2 This will be shewn more fully hereafter: at present let it be noticed, that Zechariah distinguishes between the "poor of the flock, that waited" on the Messiah; or "the lost sheep of the house of Israel;" and all the rest of Israel, especially the pastors of the flock.

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P. 37. 1. 91. When Moses,' &c. Did the Israelites so unreservedly welcome Moses, when God sent him to them, as to give Mr. C. a ground of glorying on that account? The narrative given us by Moses himself, and the language of all the prophets, exhibit a widely different view of the subject. The mission of Moses was expressly for the purpose of bringing Israel, as a nation, out of Egypt; their conduct therefore was not permitted wholly to defeat this design. "But," says God by Ezekiel," they rebelled against me, and would

John v. 42-44. vii. 38. 42-44. xii. 43. 2 Is. xlix. 4, 5, 7. liii. 1, 2. Zech. xi. 7-11. Mal. ii. 1, 2. Rom. iii. 3, 4.

"not hearken unto me: then I said, I will pour "out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger "against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. "But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should "not be polluted before the heathen." And Moses, having numbered up many of the rebellions of Israel, concludes by saying, "Ye "have been rebellious against the Lord from "the day that I knew you.' "92 Nothing but the terrific displays of the divine glory, and dreadful miracles, by which thousands at a time were destroyed, proved sufficient to curb their revolting and rebellious spirit; and to deter them from stoning Moses, and returning to Egypt: so that the event was, that the generation which God brought out of Egypt fell in the wilderness, by the awful judgments of God, notwithstanding the persevering intercessions of Moses and Aaron for them.3 This was also expressly the punishment of their unbelief: "Yea, they despised the pleasant "land, they believed not his word."4 Even a candid Jew, who has well studied the books of Moses and the prophets, must allow that Stephen had scriptural ground for saying to the rulers of Israel, "Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in "heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy "Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which "of the prophets have not your fathers perse"cuted: "5 except as he concluded by applying it to their conduct towards Jesus of Nazareth. This

1 Ez. xx. 8, 9.

2 Ex. v. xxxii.

2 Deut. ix. 24.

Num. xi. xiii. xiv. xvi. xxv.

'Deut. i. 32. ix. 23. Ps. cvi. 24-27. Heb. iv. 18, 19.

Acts vii. 51, 52.

might be urged much further,' but I forbear. The argument, if it prove any thing, proves that the mission of any one who professed to be the Messiah must be tried, whether it were of God or not, by the national reception with which he met; and not by the credentials which he produced that he was indeed sent by God: or, that no demonstration could have been sufficient, had the Jewish rulers and people persisted in unbelief. By the fulfilment of ancient prophecies; by stupendous miracles of mercy; by the coincidence of his instructions with those of Moses and the prophets; by the most perfect example of holiness; and by the subsequent most astonishing and beneficial effects even to this day; God has said, 'This is the "Messiah ;'"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him."

P. 37. 1. 24. But Israel said, No.' And Israel's word is, according to Mr. C. to prevail against the word of God.

P. 37. 1. 26. To what purpose,' &c? "But "what if some did not believe, shall their unbelief "make the word of God of none effect? God "forbid." To what purpose was Moses sent to Pharaoh, to demand the liberation of Israel, when God had said, "I am sure that the king of Egypt "will not let you go; no, not by a mighty "hand?"? To what purpose did God commission Isaiah to "go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, "but understand not; and see ye indeed, but "perceive not; make the heart of this people

'Is. liii. 1,2. Rom. iii. 3.

Exod. iii. 19.-Comp. ix, 16, 17.

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fat," "&c.?" When Mr. C. has answered these questions, he will have answered his own. Many and important ends were answered, even respecting the unbelieving Jews, and the glory of God in his dealings with them, as an instruction to the whole world, by the coming of the Messiah to them; though God foreknew, and foretold, that the bulk of the nation would not believe in him. But objections of this kind are not started by Jews alone for multitudes of nominal Christians seem to be the dupes of them; though in fact they are absurd and impious in the extreme. Upon the supposition that God foreknew the perverse and ruinous use which men would make of his gifts, of whatever kind; they, in language as remote as possible from reverence of his holy name, either expressly, or by consequence, charge him with having done wrong in conferring them. Thus, for instance, we frequently hear an objection started against thanking God for our 'creation,' because he foreknew that to multitudes creation would, through their own wickedness, become a curse. "It had been good for "that man, if he had never been born." Thus they transfer the guilt from those who pervert the goodness of God by their crimes to their own destruction, unto God who foresaw that they would do this! How deeply this kind of reasoning infects the speculations of men, in controversies concerning the distinguishing and undeserved mercies of God to some of our fallen

Is. vi. 9, 10.-Comp. Matt. xiii. 14, 15. John xii. 38-40. Acts xxviii. 25-27.

race above others, must here be only hinted. In many cases it forms the grand hinge on which the controversy turns. But how could these things be otherwise, unless God were not omniscient, or not the moral and providential Governor of the universe?

"He

P. 37. 1. 27. 'Did God intend?' &c. "shall be for a sanctuary: but for a stone of "stumbling, and a rock of offence to both the "houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the "inhabitants of Jerusalem; and many among "them shall stumble, and fall, and be snared, " and taken." 1 The answer, contained in these words, does not depend on our interpretation of them. 2 However explained, they prove that God did appoint events in his providence, which he foreknew, and foretold, would be " a stone of "stumbling, and rock of offence to both the "houses of Israel." 3

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P. 37. 1. 30. The word of God came to nothing,' &c. It has already been shewn, that the 'word of 'God,' as it related to the Messiah, and as fulfilled in Jesus, did not come to nothing;' but produced effects of most prodigious amplitude, and most beneficial and enduring 'consequences to the human race at large. But the second and third clauses of this passage are certainly true; the 'Messiah' (even the true Messiah) was despised ' and rejected, and lost his life.' It would too much interrupt our argument to take up the subject in this place: but I shall hereafter illus

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2 Is. viii. 13-15. Rom. ix. 32, 33. xi. 8-11. 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8.

Comp. Ps. cxviii. 22, 23. Matt. xxi. 42-45. Acts iv. 11.

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