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SERMON I.

ISAIAH ix. 6.

For unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given: and the government fball be upon his boulder: and his name Shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

THE fubject, that I propose for this year's

course of Lectures, is the Miffion and Character of our bleffed Lord, as prophetically delineated in the Old Teftament, as hiftorically recorded in the New. This theme, it must be admitted, is not calculated fo much to vindicate the doctrines of our religion against the Infidel and Heretic, as to elucidate thofe doctrines for the Orthodox Believer. I trust however that it falls fufficiently within the compafs of our Founder's views; inafmuch as it embraces the more effential Articles of the Chriftian Faith; and as far as it tends to fhew the unity and harmony of Revealed Religion through the feveral Covenants that were made with man, it contributes one fpecies of evidence to the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures.

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And the virtual facrifice of his only Son, which at the command of God he fcrupled not to offer, he most probably understood for a prophetic emblem of a real facrifice in time to come, the precious only Son of God, to be offered a fufficient ranfom, a full fatisfaction for the fins of the world.

The whole economy of the Law of Mofes, whether moral, ceremonial, or political, may be regarded, as indeed it was designed, for a fhadow or emblem of the Christian Dispensation. And Mofes himself exprefsly taught. the children of Ifrael to expect another Lawgiver fent immediately from God, to whom they were to pay obedience; "The Lord your God will raife up unto you a Prophet from among you, of your brethren, like unto me; unto him shall ye hearkend."

The fame intimations were repeated by the Pfalmift, who was called from the sheepfold to rule his people Ifrael. Illumined by the Spirit of divine truth he frequently made allufion to fome exalted perfonage in time to come, who fhould be the Shepherd of the spiritual Ifrael, and should hold a divine dominion over the fons of men.

This promife was more clearly and more.

d Deut. xviii. 15. Acts iii. 22.

copiously

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copiously delivered by the series of Prophets, who rofe to comfort Ifrael; of these more especially by Ifaiah, who for the ftriking delineations, which he gives of the Meffiah and his kingdom, is styled by way of eminence the Prophet of the Gofpel. And therefore, not attempting any wider range through the spacious field of prophecy, to this copious fource of evangelical truth I shall principally resort for fuch illuftrations as my fubject may require.

Among the facred band of Prophets the firft in excellence, as the firft in order, is Ifaiah. In the beauty and fublimity of his language, in the weight and dignity of his argument, he stands above his brethren unrivalled and alone. Through the whole of his writings he engages the common interest of men under both difpenfations of the Law and of the Gofpel. Invested with authority from heaven he impartially admonishes or reproves his people; and according to the state of religion and piety among them he declares to them the mercies or the judgments of God. Yet in this minifter of Heaven the true and loyal Ifraelite is continually feen. Even while he supports the high character of the Prophet, he never fuppreffes the affections of the Patriot. Addreffing himself more imme

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immediately to his countrymen, he rejoices in their virtues, he laments over their apoftafies; he looks on their profperity with complacence, on their calamities with condolence. Though called in his prophetic office to unfold the deftinies of Tyre and Egypt, Syria and Babylon, and all the more distinguished nations of the ancient Eastern world, yet the fortunes of Ifrael still engross his principal regard. Though enabled to contemplate the long series of ages yet unborn, yet he continually views them as they bear a reference to the house of Abraham. Their various viciffitudes of fortune, their elevations and depreffions, their difperfions and restorations are the chofen themes of his prophetic fong. It may therefore be reasonably fuppofed, that every pious and loyal foul in Ifrael would be encouraged by his admonitions, and warned by his reproofs, would be moved in profperity to love and gratitude, in adverfity to refignation and repentance.

But interesting as he must have been to his own people, he engages a ftill deeper intereft among the whole family of Chriftians. For while in the literal fense his prophecies apply to the temporal house of Ifrael, in their spiritual and more important sense they finally point at the Kingdom or Church of Chrift, the genuine.

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