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trines which they assert; yet they may be faid to contain uncontested facts, in fo far as they contain facts relating to the faith and worship of the gofpelchurch, or of the worshippers of God among the Gentile nations: and if these facts have the properties that exclude human forefight, and are abfolutely fingular, they coincide with those mentioned in the former article.

This

When doctrinal characters that are absolutely fingular, are found the fame in different prophecies, it is a proof that these prophecies are parallel, or that they treat of the fame person or events. can be proved the fame way that we prove, in any other cafe, that the fame thing is treated of in different writings, or different parts of one writing. Nor can any pretend, that fuch conclufions are incapable of convincing proofs; for that would infer, that we cannot be fure that any two pages of one history treat of the fame person. Where any proof, on fuch subjects, appears weak, it is because the characters that are supposed to be parallel are too general and indefinite; it is otherwise where they are abfolutely fingular.

IV. Characters which, of themselves, are of a common, general, or indefinite nature, and are applicable to many; when joined to a character that is abfolutely fingular, increase the evidence of divine forefight in a prediction, and of the true interpretation of it, by making the description more particular and circumstantial. Thus, for instance, many others were born at the fame place with Jefus Chrift, viz. at Bethlehem, in the fame age, and of the fame family, and died the fame kind of death; yet any one of these common characters, joined with that one abfolutely fingular character, The Light of the Gentiles, greatly increases the evidence of a prediction's proceeding from inspiration, and of its being meant of Christ: because, supposing it poffible to foretell, by human fagacity, or by chance,

that the Gentile nations should be enlightened, and that this should be chiefly and peculiarly owing to one particular person; yet it would be impoffible to foretell, at what time, or place, or of what family, that person should be born, or what death he should

die.

V. When a character that is of itself common to many, is applied to one perfon by way of eminence, on purpose to diftinguish and characterize him, it is the fame thing in effect as to say, that that character agrees to that person in an eminent degree, or in a diftinguishing and peculiar manner; by which means a character otherwise common and indefinite, becomes fingular: of which there are numberless instances in other writings and discourses, as well as those of the prophets. Thus supposing messenger of the covenant to fignify of itself the fame thing with teacher of it; yet when that character is appropriated to one perfon to diftinguish and to point him out, it implies, that that character belongs to him in a fingular manner, and that the bringing of God's covenant to the world would be owing to him in a peculiar manner. Thus also it is well known, when fome have appropriated to one perfon the titles of the Philosopher, or the Poet, it implied, that, in the opinion of the speakers, that person was the chief philofopher, &c.

VI. A complication of characters that are of themselves conimon and indefinite, may make a fingular defcription; as a complication of features, each of which, taken separately, may be common to many, is that which diftinguishes one face from all others. Thus many others, besides Jesus Chrift, were born at Bethlehem, descended of David, appeared in the world during the standing of the second Jewish temple, seventy weeks of years after the edict mentioned Dan. ix.; several others have profeffed themselves to be the Meffiah, and have been acknowledged by fome as fuch; many have fuffered

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fuffered a violent death. None of these characters, taken separately, are absolutely fingular; yet, taken conjunctly, they make a fingular description abfolutely peculiar to Jesus Christ. Though it may not be easy to determine precisely, by general rules, what must be the number and nature of indefinite characters, a complication of which makes a fingular description; yet, in particular instances, ocular inspection oft-times easily determines the matter; and it is evident in general, that as some characters are far less common and indefinite than others, and come much nearer to fingularity, the greater the number of fuch characters are, the more fingular and diftinguishing a description must be. Thus, to be born at Bethlehem, and defcended of David, are characters that come nearer to fingularity, than to be born in Judea, and defcended of the patriarchs; and therefore tend more to restrict the defcription of the Meffiah to Jesus Chrift.

VII. Coincidence in style, or a complication of coinciding expressions, phrafes, metaphors, and figures, especially when it extends to a good many particulars, or when the expreffions are in themselves of a more fingular nature, affords at least an adminicular proof or confirmation, that different prophecies are parallel to one another, or treat of the fame things; as it is certain, in other cafes, that fuch coincidence in different authors, when to a certain degree, will prove, that either the one has borrowed from the other, or both from a third; or that a third has dictated to both. Where such coincidence is almost without any variation, as in several of the first verses of If. ii. and Micah iv. it is evident at first view, without reasoning, that the paffages compared are parallel, and from one fource; but where the thing requires more laborious proof, it may notwithstanding be abundantly convincing.

VIII. Prophecies are proved to be parallel to one another, if they are parallel to a third prophecy, or class of prophets. Thus prophecies that are parallel to either of the two classes compared in the preceding chapters, viz. those concerning the light of the Gentiles, and those concerning a divine perfon incarnate, must be parallel to both of them: and in the present, as well as in all other cafes, contefted truths, when once proved, may justly be made use of as principles on which subsequent reasonings may be founded.

The predictions concerning the Meffiah confidered according to the order of time in which the events happened.

Sect. I. Of the Messiah's life, death, and exaltation.

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Hough fome

of the prophecies about the Meffiah's forerunner were confidered already, in speaking of the Meffiah's perfon, it is needful here to confider the prophecies about that forerunner jointly, in order to apply to them the characters mentioned in the preceding section.

The 40th of Ifaiah contains the following characters of the times of the Meffiah. The enlightening of the Gentiles, or the revealing of the glory of the Lord, fo as all flesh should fee it together; the coming of the Lord in a fingular manner, to the world and to Zion, fo as the cities of Judah should be called to behold him; his standing and feeding his flock like a thepherd; Zion's receiving the greatest confolation and joy, and publishing fingular glad tidings; the Lord's producing fingular revolutions, and removing powerful obitacles, expressed by levelling

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velling mountains. It will be proved afterwards, that from the 40th of Ifaiah, to the end of that prophecy, we have almost one continued series of predictions relating to the times of the Meffiah, setting afide a very few chapters concerning that deliverance from Babylon, which also was subservient to the great events relating to the Meffiah.

The extraordinary perfon mentioned in the 3d of Malachy, 1. is described as a divine person, seeing he is called the Lord, and the proprietor of the divine temple, which is called his temple. He is also described as condescending to a fubordinate office, seeing he is called a Messenger; and his coming to the temple supposes his coming to the world in a fingular manner. His being called by way of eminence, The Messenger of the Covenant, implies his being in a fingular manner the author of the bleffings of God's covenant; a character formerly proved to be appropriated to the light of the Gentiles. He is mentioned as one formerly made known to God's people, by characters fit to make him the object of their fingular delight: and when this prophecy is compared with that last cited in If. xl. there appears a fingular harmony and coincidence as to matter and style, about the coming of the Lord, and of one that was to prepare the way before the Lord.

The 4th of Malachi speaks of a fingularly awful or terrible day of the Lord against incorrigible adverfaries of his kingdom; and of a day of fingular light, joy, healing, and growth, to God's people, or to them who fear God's name. The fingular character, of the Sun of righteousness arifing with healing in his wings, causing them that fear God to go forth and grow up as calves of the stall, denotes a benefactor of universal, or incomparably extensive benign influence, at once the fource of light, the fource of righteousness, and of healing and growth. Though in this prophecy the name of Elijah, who had left the

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