DISC. kings and conquerors, their Nebuchadnez

v.

zars and Cyrus's, their Alexanders and Cæ-
fars; these appeared, in their turns, upon
the ftage, contending for the empire of the
world. Each performed the part affigned
him by an all-directing Providence, and
then vanished
away. Sion beheld all these
changes, and still survived the commotions
occafioned by them. The prophets had
promised her a King, who should overcome
her enemies, and triumph gloriously; who
fhould erect, in the time of the fourth
great monarchy, an univerfal and everlast-
ing kingdom, and give laws to the world;
who fhould govern all things in heaven
and earth. At the time predicted, not only
Jerufalem looked for a completion of the
prophecies, but the whole earth fate still,
expecting that Judea fhould give her a
King. And, lo, the promised King of the
Jews is born of the royal house and li-
neage of David. All the circumstances of
his birth, the words of his mouth, and
the actions of his life, demonftrate him to
be the Meffias, foretold by the prophets

nay,

from

V.

from the beginning of the world. He DISC. cometh to his own, and Jerufalem is commanded to rejoice and fhout; but his own receive him not, and Jerufalem turns a deaf ear to the voices of all her prophets, not fuffering herself to believe that any thing faid by them could refer to Jefus of Nazareth. Her heart was depraved and hardened the demanded to be put in poffeffion of the empire of this world; she despised the appearance of her King, with the acclamations of an ignoble multitude, and foon nailed a SPIRITUAL monarch to the cross.

With how different fenfations are the members of the church Chriftian affected, when they hear the words of Zechariah, "Behold, thy King cometh unto thee," and read the history of their accomplishment in the Gofpel for this day! With inexpreffible delight we carry back our thoughts to that happy æra, when the King of the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, made his appearance in the flesh. We join his

DISC. train, we attend him in his progrefs to

V.

wards Jerufalem, and feem to enter with him into the holy city, while the mul❝titude of those who go before, and those "who follow after, cry, Hofanna to the "Son of David; bleffed is he that cometh "in the name of the Lord." When we behold this fcene, as prefented to cur view at this season, we are taught to conceive by it a noble idea of Meffiah, at his first advent, ushered into the church, as her Lord and King, the prophets going before, and the apoftles following after him, all proclaiming and bearing teftimony to Jefus, all finging Hofannah to the Son of David, all pronouncing the bleffedness of him who thus cometh in the name of Jehovah. We know that this is He to whom all the prophets give witness, and that he hath fulfilled thofe things which were written of him. We know, that he hath overcome our enemies, and triumphed gloriously; that he hath erected an univerfal and everlafting kingdom, and given laws to the world; nay, that he doth govern all things

in heaven and earth. Of the manner in DISC. which he achieved his victories, and of the nature and extent of his kingdom, we shall have occafion to fpeak, as we proceed to confider the character which our prophet hath drawn of this King of Ifrael. "is juft, and having falvation, lowly, and "riding on an ass."

"He

"He

Righteousness, Salvation, and Humility, diftinguish the perfon and reign of Meffiah. Righteousness leads the way. "is just, or righteous." St. Stephen, in his apology to the Jews, affirmeth the prophets to have forefhewn the coming of Jefus under the title of the Juft One. "Which of the prophets have not your "fathers perfecuted? And they have slain "them which shewed before of the coming "of the Juft One; of whom ye have been

now the betrayers and murderers." David in fpirit thus addreffeth King Meffiah, as we are affured by St. Paul's application of the paffage in the first chapter of

VOL. I.

b Acts vii. 52.

K

the

V.

66

DIS C. the epiftle to the Hebrews. " Thy throne, "O God, is for ever and ever; a fceptre "of righteousness is the fceptre of thy kingdom. Thou haft loved righteouf"nefs, and hated iniquity; therefore God, "even thy God, hath anointed thee with "the oil of gladness above thy fellows "." Jeremiah defcribeth him as righteous himfelf, and as making others fo. "The days "come, faith Jehovah, that I will raise "unto David a Righteous Branch and a

King fhall reign, and profper, and shall "execute Judgment and Juftice in the "earth. And this is his name whereby he "fhall be called, JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTE

66

OUSNESS"." And indeed, we seldom find the kingdom of Christ mentioned, but Righteousness is immediately mentioned, as the first fruits of it. Righteousness, the Aftræa of the antients, left the earth at the fall of Adam, and returned again to visit and to bless it, at the birth of Chrift. was conceived without stain, lived without fin, and died without guilt. He converfed

He