66 " I will raise up a prophet: -to him shall ye hearken: - I will put my words in his mouth : - he " shall speak to them," &c. 2. To shew that the chief character contained in this prediction, Aprophet like Mofes, is not so indefinite as fome imagine, but that it contains considerable proofs that the Meffiah is meant, it will be proper to prove these two things: first, That that character must relate to the things that diftinguished Mofes from other prophets; secondly, That these things coincide with diftinguishing characters given of the Meffiah in other prophecies. As to the first, it is obvious, that in all other cases, when one person is faid to be like another, who has several very diftinguishing and extraordinary things in his character, it is natural to understand the resemblance as relating to those things that are diftinguishing and extraordinary, and not to the things that are common to all, or many other perfons. Thus if it were faid of any perfon, not only that he is a king, but that he is a king like Solomon, it would be naturally understood as relating to that extraordinary wisdom or profperity that diftinguished Solomon from other kings; and not merely as implying, that such a person was as really a king as Solomon was; for by that way of explaining words, a king might be faid to be a king like Solomon, tho' he were the weakest and most unhappy prince that ever was. There is the fame reason against fuppofing, that the expression, A prophet like Mofes, fignifies only one who should be really an inspired prophet as Mofes was. This is fufficiently implied in the foregoing words, shewing, that the perfon fpoken of thould be a prophet raised up of God. This imports, that he should be really inspired of God as Mofes was. If this were all that were intended, the expreffion like to Mofes would be fuperfluous. It is therefore a just objection against the misinterpretation we are refuting, That it makes the Nn2 the most remarkable expreffions in the prediction fuperfluous, and in a manner infignificant. The pre-eminence of Mofes above the bulk even of true prophets, is asserted in two very remarkable pailages, in fuch a manner, as makes it very evident, that to be a prophet like Mofes, implies a great deal more than merely to be a true prophet. The infpired writer who wrote the close of the book of Deuteronomy, fays, Deut. xxxiv. 10. that "there arose not a prophet since in Israel like "unto Mofes, whom the Lord knew face to face; " in all the figns and the wonders which the Lord " fent him to do," &c. And in Numb. xii. 6. 7. &c. God fays, "If there be a prophet among you, "I the Lord will make myself known to him in a "vifion. - My fervant Mofes is not fo, who is "faithful in all my house. With him will I speak -"mouth to mouth," and not in dark speeches," &c. These passages not only affert the pre-eminence and fuperiority of Mofes above other prophets, but give fuch an account of that fuperiority, as proves the fecond remark above mentioned, viz. That the characters which diftinguished Mofes from other prophets, resemble the distinguishing characters of the Meffiah, as defcribed in other prophecies. To have a right view of the things that diftinguished Mofes, it is needful to observe, that, as is men tioned in the last-cited passages, he was honoured with nearer access to God, and more immediate converse with him, than other prophets were admitted to; that he was honoured with a more extensive trust *, as to all the concerns of the house or church of God, being employed in establishing a new frame of religious institutions, and in raising the church to a higher degree of spiritual perfection, by a new and more abundant revelation of the will * Numb. xii. 7. "Who is faithful in all my house." of of God; that he was the chief inftrument employed in a most wonderful deliverance which God wrought for his church; that he was in a fingular manner a kind of mediator, or internuncius, between God and his church; that he wrought a far greater number of miracles than other prophets, at least that they were of a more wonderful nature; and that as he was all along invested with a kingly power, so, before the confecration of Aaron, he officiated as a priest. As these things have an obvious conformity with the characters of the Meffiah contained in the many prophecies formerly explained, so when this prediction affirms, in general expreffions, that the future prophet whom it speaks of, should be a prophet like to Mofes, seeing nothing is added to reItrict that likeness to any one of the characters that diftinguished Mofes, it follows, that it may be very naturally extended to them all; which will make this a very comprehenfive prediction. And it is evident, that nothing could make a future prophet more like Mofes, in the chief things that diftinguished him, than the establishment of a new frame of religious institutions, founded on a new revelation of the will of God. When it is foretold, that the prophet in view should be like Moses, it is abundantly confiftent with this, that while he really resembled Mofes in the chief things that diftinguished him, he should at the fame time greatly excel him: and it is obfervable, that the manner in which this prediction is expressed, had a particular fitness to correct the foreseen prejudices of many Jews, who have been apt to imagine, that never any prophet could arise who should be comparable to Moses. 3. The Christian interpretation of this prediction may be farther confirmed by two native inferences from what we have in y 16. 17. 18. relating to the time and occasion of God's promising this eminent future prophet: 1st, From 16. it seems evident, that this prophet was promised at the time of giving the law at Sinai; 2dly, From that verse, and what follows, it appears, that God's fending that prophet should be, in a special manner, answerable to the declaration then made by the people of Ifrael, viz. that they were not able to bear God's fpeaking to them, otherwise than by a meditor, or internuncius. When the prediction is applied to the Meffiah, its fuitableness to such circumstances and occafions can be well accounted for, but not otherwife. To all which we may add, that whereas it was the business of other prophets, to inforce obedience to the law of Mofes, the awful threatenings against disobedience to this new prophet like to Mofes, feem to hint, that he was to promulgate a new revelation. SECT II. Of the prophetical passages in the book of Pfalms. I. Many predictions in the book of Pfalms, and other prophetic books, receive light from the prediction delivered by Nathan to David; which speaks plainly of one particular king, and not of a fucceffion of kings, of the feed of David, who was to be the builder of God's house, and whose kingdom was to be of everlasting continuance; which is afferted in a very strong manner, the promise of perpetuity being thrice repeated, 2 Sam. vii. 13. &c. 1 Chron. xvii. 12. &c. What seems most obfcure in this prediction is confidered elsewhere. As everlasting dominion is a character of a very fingular nature, it is frequently mentioned in the prophetic descriptions of the Meffiah, and particularly in the prophetic psalms, fuch as Pf. xxi. xlv. lxxii. Ixxxix. If fome Jews might be apt to understand this prediction, : diction, as meant of a worldly monarchy in the house of David, the providences of God towards that house had a plain tendency to correct such miftakes; feeing, in Rehoboam's time, that family lost the ten tribes; at the Babylonish captivity they loft their whole kingdom; and after the return from that captivity, there was never any temporal king of that family, never any that was acknowledged as a king in any respect until Jesus Christ: befides that to interpret Nathan's prediction as meant of a perpetual worldly monarchy among the Jews, was inconsistent with the many forecited predictions, particularly those in the books of Mofes, concerning the dispersion of that people, and the diffolution of their polity, Deut. xxviii. xxxii. Whereas it was the Babylonish captivity that in a manner annihilated the worldly grandeur of the house of David, which might tempt many to doubt of the truth of the predictions concerning it, it is remarkable, that when God sent prophets to foretell that difaster, he at the same time armed his people against the temptations that might arise from it, not only by affuring them of a return from that captivity, but also by renewing the promise of the everlasting kingdom to be established in the house of David, If. ix. Amos viii. Jer. xxiii. Pf. lxxxix. Among the various pfalms which treat most directly of the Meffiah's kingly office, and of his glory and dignity, the second is one of the most remarkable; feeing, as was proved before, it contains the characters of divinity in the titles and honours afcribed to him, and also the characters of fubordination so oft mentioned formerly, as not otherwise explicable than by the doctrine of the Meffiah's incarnation, and mediatory offices, y 6.8. Together with all this, it contains the fingular characters of the Messiah's benefits, representing him as the caufe of blessedness to all who trust in him; and |