to himself, from the fatal effects of Adam's transgression b. He, at a period far distant from that, announces the Saviour as a descendant of Abraham ; and as one " in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed0. Afterwards, he comes more fully to declare both the time of his advent, and the character he should sustain. He informs us that this Almighty Shiloh should come into the world before the power vested in the tribe of Judah should have departed from it. All the other scribes should long since have been reduced to a dependence on foreigners : but Judah's dominion should remain, and not be utterly destroyed, till the Messiah should have appeared in the world d. Moreover, he should come as a prophet; as " a prophet like unto Mosese;" uniting in himself the offices of a Legislator, an Instructor, a Mediator, a Governor, a Saviour. Thus fully did Moses speak of him, independently of all the types which most accurately and minutely delineated the whole of his work and office.]
2. More particularly, in the writings of the pro- phets—
[Nothing can be conceived more ample or minute than the descriptions given of the Messiah in the prophetic writings. The family from which he should spring was restricted to that of David f. Yet he should not be bom in a way of natural generation, but of a pure Virgin g. The place of his birth was distinctly foretold : it should be Bethlehem : and not the Beth- lehem in the land of Naphtali, but Bethlehem Ephratah in the land of Judah h. The time also was fixed; for he must come whilst the second temple was yet standing1. In his ap~ pearance, however, he should be so mean, that it should raise many doubts amongst his followers, and prove a stumbling- block to many: he should be " as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground : he should have no form nor comeliness in the eyes of those who beheld him, nor any beauty for which he should be desired k." In consequence of his having none of the attractions of carnal men, he should be despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: men should hide their faces from him, as one despised and held in no esteem1." The end of his coming was also very fully declared : he should come to "bear the sins of many," "to be wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities ; the chastise- ment of our peace was to be upon him ; and by his stripes we were to be healed m." The mode in which he should conduct
b Gen. iii. 15. c Gen. xii. 3. and xxii. 18.
d Gen. xlix. 10. « Dent, xviii. 18.
f Ps. cxxxii. 11. Acts ii. 30. Isai. xi. 1. « Isai. vii. 14.
11 Mic. v. 2. i Mai. iii. 1. k Isai. liii. '2.
1 Isai. liii. 3. m Isai. liii. .r>, f>.