II. The use which we should make of that evidence — " We should take heed to it," and consider it well ; 1 . To satisfy our minds respecting the Messiah- ship of Jesus —
[In the world at large we have nothing to guide us in relation to this point : and even from Judaism we gain but little light. The whole Mosaic dispensation was dark and shadowy : and the very predictions which were handed down to us by successive prophets were so dark, that they were not understood by the very persons who uttered them**. But these prophecies serve us for a light, which, duly improved, will infallibly lead us to the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. We may illustrate this by the star which appeared to the Magi in the East, which first of all directed them to Judaea, then to Jerusalem, the Capital of Judaea. There, they made inquiries respecthig *' the person who was born King of the Jews." There, they learned that Bethlehem was to be the place of the Messiah's nativity : and Herod was the person who directed them to go to Bethlehem. But, when they were going thither, the star which they had before seen in the East went before them, and stood over the very house in which the infant was. So will prophecy guide us. At first we are informed, that " the seed of the woman shall bruise the ser- pent's head :" but where or when to find him we know not. Next we find, that he shall be of the seed of Abraham ; and in the particular line of Isaac, and of Jacob. Proceeding further, we are directed to the family of David ; and are told that he shall come whilst the second temple is yet standing, and be born at Bethlehem. Then we come to all the minute particulars respecting him. He must have such a forerunner as Elijah: He must have the Holy Ghost descend upon him : He must work umiumbered miracles in confirmation of his word : He must be scourged, and yet crucified ; (though his scourging was inflicted by Pilate in order to pre- vent his crucifixion). A thousand minute circumstances must attend his death : and on the third day he must rise again ; and ascend to heaven, and send down the Holy Ghost upon his disciples, and enable them to speak all manner of lan- guages, and work all manner of miracles : and, by their instrumentality, he must so establish his kingdom in the world, that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it. Now, where shall I find the person in whom all these, and ten thou- sand other predictions, meet ? I go to one and to another ; but I am stopped in a moment : I do not find in them any two requisites. I then come to Jesus ; and I find, He answers
the
' 1 Pet. i. 10—12.