Luftre, and complete Beauty. The Grace and the Privileges, which dawned under other Dispensations, are brought even to meridian Light by the Gospel. -This I mention, just to intimate, what You may expect from a following Letter. In the mean Time, let Us attend to the Prophet Daniel. He records a Message from Heaven, which is more clearly descriptive of this great evangelical Bleffing, than all the foregoing Texts.-He had been under much Distress, and in great Perplexity: afflicted for his own, and his Countrymens Sins; anxious for the Welfare of the chosen Nation, and the Profperity of true Religion. When an Angel was dispatched to the holy Mourner, with this most chearing News; which, received by Faith, is the richest Balm to a wounded Confcience, and the only Remedy for a guilty World. Seventy Weeks are determined upon thy People, and upon thy holy City; to finish the Transgression, and make an End of Sin; to make Reconciliation for Iniquity; and to bring in everlafting Righteousness *. -This Prophecy, without all Contradiction, relates to the MESSIAH. It foretels, that, in the Fulness of Time, He should finish the Transgression †; restrain and suppress the Power of Corruption, by purifying to Himself a peculiar People. - Should make an End of Sin ; by sealing up or fecreting its Guilt, and totally abolishing its condemning Power-Should make Reconciliation for Iniquity; by sustaining the Vengeance due to Sinners, and fully fatisfying the divine Justice for all their Offences. But, as to fuffer Punishment, is one Thing; and to obey the Precept, is another: as Pardon of Sin, • Dan. ix. 24. Bb2 כלא + התם : does does by no Means complete the Privilege of Justification: it is added, that the MESSIAH should also bring in an everlasting Righteousness-A Righteousness, or an adequate and perfect Conformity to all the Dictates of the Law. Which consists, in an habitual Holiness of Nature, and an actual Obedience of Life-This He should not barely publish, but accomplish and bring in *. That it may be presented both to GOD and Man; to GOD, for the Reparation of his violated Law; to Man, for the Justification of his obnoxious Person-That this Righteousness should be everlasting; not, such as may be compared to the Morning Cloud, which foon passeth away; or to the early Dew, which is foon dried up; but such as will out-last the Hills, on which the latter shines; and out-last the Skies, through which the former fails. A Righteousness, whose Merits extend to every Period and every Action of our Lives; and when once made ours by Imputation, remains and will remain our unalienable Property. To this all the Saints, who, in antient Generations, pleased GOD, owe their Acceрtance; on this, all the Children of Men, who, in future Ages, hope for his Favour, must rely; by this the whole Assembly of the Blessed, will be invariably and eternally precious in his Sight.-Exalted Character! Can it be applicable to any Thing lefs, * להביא I think, must signify more than to publish ar preach. Had this been all that the Angel was commiffioned to declare, לבשר or להגיד would probably have been used. The Word implies such a bringing in (the Original is the fame) as when Abel brought his Sacrifice to the Altar, for the divine Acceptance; and Efau brought his Venison into the Chamber, for his Father's Ufe. Gen. iv. 4. xxvii. 31. less, than the Righteousness of the incarnate GOD? Surely, None can imagine, that Daniel would speak in such a magnificent Strain of any human Righteoufness; fince, in this very Chapter, he professedly depreciates Himself, his Fellow-faints, and all human Performances whatever *. I forgot, in the proper Place, to confult the Prophet Jeremiah. Let Us now refer Ourselves to his Determination. Celebrating the SAVIOUR of Judah and Ifrael, He says; This is his Name, whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. A Determination, so clear and satisfactory, as not to leave, One would almost conclude, any Room for Appeal. Should the Sense of the Passage be questioned, I think, there cannot be a more authentic Explication, than the preceding Extracts from Ifaiah and Daniel. Having the unanimous Attestation of two inspired Penmen, We may venture to abide by such Authority, even in Oppofition to some respectable Names. - In the Verse immediately foregoing, the effential Holiness of the REDEEMER is displayed, under the Character of the RIGHTEOUS BRANCH. - The Sanctity, which He will impart to his Subjects, is intimated by his executing Judgment and Justice in the Earth. In the Clause, We have quoted, his imputed Righteousness is foretold and promised.Thus, the several Sentences are diftinct; the Description of the SAVIOUR is complete; and He appears perfectly suited to the Exigencies of a wretched World. A World, in its worst Estate, enslaved to Satan; and in its best, falling short of the Bb3... * O LORD, Righteousness belongeth unto Thee, but una to Us Confusion of Faces. Ver. 7. the Glory of GOD. - This, therefore, I take to be the grand and extensive Meaning of the Prophet; not barely, The righteous LORD; not barely, The LORD who infuses Righteousness into finful Souls; but the incarnate JEHOVAH*, whose mediatorial Righteousness is, by an Act of gracious Imputation, ours-to all the Intents of Justification and Salvation, ours-as much ours for these blessed Purposes, as if We had wrought it out, each in his own Person t. Foreseeing and contemplating these Blessings, the enraptured Zechariah cries out; Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Sion; shout, O Daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto Thee: He is just, and having Salvation, lowly and riding upon an Ass, and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass I. - He addresses himself to Sion and ferufalem, to the ecclefiaftical and civil Community. People of all Ranks and of every Character, are exhorted to rejoice; to rejoice * Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. In these golden, infinitely better than golden Verses, are characterized the divine and the human Natures of CHRIST, together with his mediatorial Office. The divine Nature; in that He enjoys the Honours of the GODHEAD, and possesses the incommunicable Name JEHOVAH. -The human Nature; in that He was to be raised up unto David, and spring as a Branch from his Root. The mediatorial Office; in that He is the Righteousness of his People, and the Salvation of Sinners. + WITSIUS, speaking of the mediatorial Righteoufness, has written in Latin, what Afpafio expresses in Englist; Per illam Obedientiam tota Multitudo illorum, qui ad Ipsum pertinent, justi conftituuntur; id eft, cenfentur Jus babere ad æternam Vitam, non minus quam fi quilibet corum in propria Perfona illam Obedientiam præftitiffet. Lib. II. cap. v. ‡ Zech. ix. g. rejoice greatly; nay, to express the Joy of their Heart, by loud Hallelujahs, and triumphant Exclamations. What is the Cause of this general Delight? What can fill both Church and State with such high Satisfaction? Thy King cometh unto Thee; even that glorious KING, who rules in Heaven, and rules in the Heart; whose Service is Freedom, and whose Laws are Love. He comes, to be made Flesh, and to dwell in thy Nature. He is just; divinely righteous in his Person; confummately righteous in his Life; and fulfils all Righteousness in thy Stead.Having Salvation; not setting Thee to procure it, but procuring it for Thee. Bringing with Him a great, a complete, an eternal Salvation; fully prepared, in all Points finished, and free for thy Асceptance. That none may be discouraged, and none deterred, from applying to this PRINCE of Peace, He is, amidst all the Honours of his Sovereignty, lowly: does not abhor the Basest, will not despise the Meanest: to the Poor and Worthless his Gospel is preached, for the Guilty and Abominable his Benefits are intended. - As an Emblem, as a Proof, of this most amiable and condescending Goodness, He will ride; not like the Conquerors of the Nations, in a splendid triumphal Chariot, or on a richly caparisoned Steed; but upon the most mean and defpicable of all Animals, an Afs: nay, what is still more despicable, on a rude undisciplined Colt, the wayward Foal of an Ass *. And * Because some profane Scoffers have prefumed to ridicule this very remarkable Incident of our LORD's Life, some Interpreters of Note have endeavoured to refcue it from their abusive Attempts, by observing-"That Bb4 "the |