Galilee, where his fame was spread abroad by his discourses and miracles. It was not, therefore, like a stranger, recommending himself in parts remote from the scene of his operations, and to men who were ignorant of his early life; but it was addressing townsmen and neighbours, friends and acquaintance, persons who could refute him at once if he spoke falsely. This is a particular which ought not to escape our attention. If the outlines of this great prophecy were not fulfilled in him; if he did not maintain those extraordinary characteristics of the Messiah which are described in this sublime passage; would not the very persons present, whom he challenged, as it were, to bear testimony to the truth of his words, have contradicted him at once? But they did no such thing. On the contrary, they indirectly admitted the justness of his remarks by the very means which they took to prejudice the world against them. "Is not this," said they, "Joseph's Son? whence then hath this man this wisdom and these mighty works?" Now, what was the object of this speech but to insinuate, that the greatness of his pretensions was irreconcileable with the obscurity of his origin, and, therefore, that he was not to be believed, though the facts themselves were clear and indisputable. But if he went about doing good; if he spake "as one having authority and not as the Scribes" if he was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame in all the senses in which the words can be considered, his public appropriation of the prophecy to himself, was a full proof that its completion was

manifest, and the declaration which he made in the opening of his address when he said, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears," was an appeal to the world for the truth of his assertion.

III. A Third prophecy which falls under the view we are taking of this subject, and which, in its application to Jesus, is too striking to be disputed, is that memorable one of the prophet Zechariah which describes the Dignity of the expected Messiah. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and (rather, even) upon a colt the foal of an ass."

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Now, the Evangelists inform us, that Jesus, on his last journey to Jerusalem, as he approached the Mount of Olives, sent forward two of his disciples into the village of Bethphage, to bring an ass's colt which they should find there, and having mounted it, he rode in triumph into the city, a large procession of disciples having come forth to meet him, with palm branches and other ensigns of homage and respect. His choosing this mode of entering the city, was in evident conformity with the prophecy of Zechariah, and his suffering the multitude to pay him kingly honours, and to salute him with the titles of royalty, was a direct application of the prophecy to himself. And so it was understood by the Rulers and Pharisees at Jerusalem, for when he was brought before the Roman Governor a few days after, the

charge preferred against him was, that he had made The circumstances of this public

himself a king.

triumph were too singular and minute to be the effect of accident. His career was soon to close, and he chose to terminate it by throwing off that disguise which he had hitherto assumed, and appearing in the natural dignity to which he had an hereditary claim. Would any one have attempted this who acted from motives of popularity or deceit? or from any motives whatever but those of truth and uprightness? Our blessed Lord could not but know, that in taking the part which he now did, his enemies would have a fair handle against him, and even, if it were possible to escape with his life, his ministerial usefulness must be terminated. Why should he needlessly put himself into the way of danger, and jeopardy his own life and the lives of his followers, unless he felt that his time was come, when, as the Anointed of God, he must lay down his life for the world? All his actions upon this occasion are wild and unaccountable, and at variance with his natural modesty and prudence, on any other supposition than this. When he was desired to rebuke his disciples in the midst of their triumphant exultation, a hint sufficient to have put him on his guard, his answer was a bold vindication of their conduct, "I tell you, that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." His great object on this occasion seems to have been notoriety and distinction,-a public proclamation of himself as the King mentioned by Zechariah, and an utter dis

regard of all the consequences attaching to such an avowal. Nor was this all. Having entered the city in this august and triumphal manner, he went direct to the Temple,-that holy edifice raised to the living God, and there, driving out the traders from its sacred precincts, with an authority which none dared to resist, he claimed it for his own, saying, "It is written, my house is the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves."

It appears, then, from the three prophecies we have considered, all of which had their fulfilment in Jesus of Nazareth, and which, from the manner of their applicableness to him, may be called personal evidences of his Messiahship, that he was indeed that PROPHET that should come into the world. Taken connectedly, they form a singular chain of testimony to the truth of his pretensions, and could not, with any approach to probability, have been united in any other than the true Messiah. If Jesus were not that PROPHET, the coincidence of his life and fortunes, his character and death with the types of the Law, the declarations of the Prophets, and the expectations of the Jews at the time when he appeared, is so marvellous and unaccountable, as to render the Sacred Writings wholly unintelligible. That a man should be born at the time when the promised Messiah was generally expected, and at the very village which was to be the scene of his nativity;that his character should be remarkable for its mildness and forbearance, its gentleness and love;-that

his office should be one of great notoriety and great utility, comprehending in it an entire devotion of self to the wants and services of others, to their temporal and spiritual necessities;-that his dignity, though concealed and kept back for a time, should at last burst forth in all its splendour, like the setting sun on the eve of a stormy day;-that he should thus realise at once all the fond hopes and expectations of his followers, and even the literal declarations of the Prophets, is altogether so wonderful, and exhibits such a combination of facts, as one would think it impossible to doubt.

The infidelity, therefore, of the Jews, and of all others, who, like the Jews, reject the truth of Christianity, may be construed into a judicial blindness, which God has inflicted upon them for their obstinacy. Seeing they would not perceive, and hearing they would not understand."

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Let us take warning by their example, and if at any time doubts arise in our hearts, let us pray to God to open our understanding, that the light that is in us be not darkness. Let us study the Holy Scriptures with humility and devotion; with an earnest desire to find out the truth, and a ready disposition to be guided by it. And having, through the tender mercy of our God, been shown the way pursue it with unde

that leadeth unto life, let us

viating sincerity till every one of us "in Zion appeareth before God."