in the State of the Dead, neither wilt thou fuffer thine Holy One to fee Corruption; that is, to lie long enough in the Grave to be fubject to Rottennefs: Thou wilt fhew me the Path of Life. Now this was evidently fulfilled in Chrift, at his rifing from the Dead to Life again, before he had lain three complete Days, Acts ii. 31. and chap. xiii. 33-38. 1 Cor. xv. 4.

7. His Afcenfion to Heaven, attended with Angels, his Triumph over the Devils, his receiving Gifts from the Father, and his Diftribution of them to Men, are foretold in Pfalm lxviii. 17, 18. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thou fands of Angels; the Lord is among them. Thou hast afcended on high, thou hast led Captivity captive, thou haft received Gifts for Men; yea, for the Rebellious alfo, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Which Words are applied to our Saviour, being afcended to Heaven, and having led the Devils captive, and beftowed Gifts on Men, namely, Prophets, Apoftles, &c. for the Ministry of the Gofpel, that God might dwell among them, who before were rebellious against him, Eph. iv. 8. See alfo Col. ii 15. He spoiled Principalities and Powers, and triumphed over them.

8. His Exaltation to the Kingdom at God's right Hand, and to the Priesthood of Interceffion,. is defcribed particularly, Pfalm cx. 1, 4. The Lord faid unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right Hand till I make thy Enemies thy Footflool: And, Thou art a Prieft for ever after the Order of Melchifedek; which Expreffions are applied to Chrift, Matt. xxii. 42, 44. Acts ii. 33, &c. Heb. v.. 6. and chap.. vii. 2, 3, 17. where Chrift is exalted to be a King and a Prieft, as Melchifedek was, and that too, a Prieft of conftant Interceffion or Pleading with

God

God for Men, and bleffing them, as Melchifedek bleffed Abraham.

9. The Character of this King is described in feveral Pfalms; as in Pfalm xlv. 6, 7. Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter: Thou loveft Righteoufnefs, and hateft Wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy Fellows: Which is a plain Defcription of Jefus Chrift, Heb. i. 8, 9. whom God anointed with the Holy Ghoft and with Power, Acts x. 38. and who had the Holy Spirit without Measure, John iii. 34. And yet further, in Pfalm lxxii. is a large Character of Chrift under the Emblem of Solomon: And Pfalm Ixxxix defcribes Christ under the Character of David himself.

10. In the fecond Pfalm, his Refurrection and Exaltation are defcribed under the diftinct and peculiar Character of the Son of God: ver. 6, 7. 1 have fet my King upon my holy Hill of Sion: and, I will declare the Decree, Thou art my Son, this Day. have I begotten thee: Which is cited to prove the Refurrection and Advancement of Chrift to the Throne by the Power of the Father, and as the Image of the Father. He was first the King of Zion or Ifrael, as God is King of his Church, Als xiii. 33. Heb. v. 5. and he is now also Lord of the Heathen, and King of all Nations, as God is King or Ruler of all the World. The 8th Verfe particularly declares the Submiffion of the Heathens to Chrift, after he begun his Work of Interceffion in Heaven: Afk of me, and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the utmoft Parts of the Earth for thy Poffeffion. The next Words also, namely, Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron, and dab them in Pieces like a

Potter's

Potter's Veffel, are applied to Christ, Rev. ii. 27. and foretel his Power, and Vengeance against his Enemies.

Note 1, In fome of these Pfalms we should not have knownChrift or theMeffiah was intended if Chrift himself or the Apostles had not cited them for this Purpofe; yet fome of them are fo evident, that the ancient Jews applied them to the Meffiah; and we cannot but apply them to him, because they couldnot be applied to David, or to any other Person. Note 2, There might be also many other Texts cited out of the Book of Pfalms, which are interpretedconcerning Jefus Chrift in the New Testament, which we should not otherwise have known to be-long to him; as Pfalm xcvii. 7. Worship him all ye Gods; which is applied to him in Heb. i. 6. Let all the Angels of God worship him, who in Scripture are fometimes called Gods So Pfalm cii.-25-27. are: applied in the fame Chapter to Chrift, and fhew us> that the World was created by him; Thou, Lord, in the Beginning haft laid the Foundations of the Earth, and the Heavens are the Work of thy Hands, &c. In both which Texts, as well as in feveral others, the very fame Names, Characters, and Actions, which are attributed to JEHOVAH, the God of the Jews, the only true God, in the Old Teftament, are applied to JESUS CHRIST in the New: Which plainly advances his Character so high, as to affure us, that he is one with the Father; that he is God manifefted in the Flefh; whofe Name is EMMANUEL, or God with us; as we shall learn immediately from Ifaiah the Prophet.

13 Q. We have heard various and exprefs Prophecies which David gave concerning the Meffiah; and did not Solomon also prophefy of Chrift?

A. Many Chriftians, in elder and later Times, have supposed that the eighth Chapter of Solomon's Proverbs fpeaks of Chrift in his divine Na❤ ture, under the Character of Wisdom.

Note, Some of the ancient Fathers fuppofe Wifdom in

this Chapter to denote JESUS CHRIST; fome think it means the HOLY SPIRIT: But other Writers queftion whether there be any such full and fufficient Proof of either of these Opinions in the New Teftament,as to write them down with Affurance. Athanafius fometimes explains it of Chrift's human Nature. And on thefe Accounts Dr Patrick himself doubts, whether this be a Prophecy of Chrift, or no; or whether it only relates to divine and human Wisdom.

14 Q. But did not Solomon write the Song of Songs? and is not Chrift there foretold as the Bridegroom and Hufband of the Church?

A. The Metaphors and Similitudes of the fame Kind which are used in the xlvth Pfalm, and in fome of the Epiftles, and the Book of the Revelation, have generally perfuaded our Chriftian Expofitors to apply this Song to the spiritual Characters and Tranfactions of Chrift and his Church : But the Expreffions are fo much borrowed from. the Affairs of a human Love, that they hardly afford fuch fufficient Argument for the Proof of the Meffiah as more evident and direct Prophecies, which is my prefent chief Bufinefs: nor indeed do 1 know that the New Teftament cites any of Solomon's Writings as Prophecies of Chrift..

15 Q. Which is the next of the Prophets which fpeak of Chrift, as they ftand in Order in our Bible?

A. Ifaiah, who was called the Evangelical, or Gofpel Prophet, because he foretels the greatest Variety of Events that relate to CHRIST: namely,

1. That he fhall be born of a Virgin, Isa. vii. 14 A Virgin fhall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call bis Name EMMANUEL; which was explained and accomplished when the Virgin Mary brought forth her Son Jefus, Matt. i. 20-23. The Name: Emmanuel fignifies, God with us.

2. That he shall be of the Family of Jeffe, or David, who fhall be King of Ifrael; that his Name fhall be, The mighty God, and his Kingdom shall stand for ever, Ifa. xi. 10. In that Day there fhall be a Root of Feffe, which shall ftand for an Enfign of the People; to it shall the Gentiles feek, Ifa. ix. 6, 7. Unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given; the Government shall be upon his Shoulders; and his Name fhall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlafling Fa ther, The Prince of Peace. Of the Increase of his Government and Peace there fhall be no End: Upon the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdom, to order it and to establish it with Judgment and Justice, from henceforth even for ever.

3. And yet that he should be rejected by many of the Jews, and fhould be received by the Gentiles, Ifa. viii. 14. He shall be for a Sanctuary; that is, a Refuge for Mankind: But for a Stone of Stumb ling, and Rock of Offence to both the Houses of Ifrael; that is, both to Judah and Benjamin, who made up the Jewish Nation; or to the two Kingdoms both of Judah and Ifrael, as they were diftinguished in former Times. Now this Text is applied to Chrift, Rom. ix. 33. 1 Pet. ii. 8. His Rejection by the Jews is foretold alfo in Ifa. liii. 1, 2, 3. Who hath believed, &c. But that the Gentiles fhall receive him for a Saviour and a King, Ifaiah foretels in many Places; as Chap. xlix. 6, 7. He fall be a Light to the Gentiles, and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth. To him whom Man deSpifeth, to him whom the Nation abhorreth, that is, the Nation of the Jews, Kings hall look and arife Princes alfo fhall worship, Which must refer to the Kings of the Heathens, for the Jews had then no Kings who worshipped him, Ïsa. xlii. 1, 6. Behold my Servant, whom I have chofen, mine