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vated; not being fertilized by the oracles of GoD, in which fenfe the Prophet Ifaiah faith, Ixii. 4. Thou shalt no more be termed forfaken, neither fhall thy land any more be termed defolate, but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah, that is married. So the iniquity of the land, viz. of the church of GOD, was removed in one day; that is, meritoriously removed by the death and fufferings of the great MESSIAH, who appeared, faith the Apoftle, to put away fin by the facrifice of himfelf, Pfalm ciii. 12. As far as the east is from the west, so far bath the Lord removed our tranfgreffions from us. Thus the MESSIAH, by his death, removed the iniquity of his people in one day.

But to proceed to chap. vi. 12, 13. Behold the man whofe name is the Branch; he shall grow up out of his place, and he fhall build the temple of the Lord; even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and fhall fit and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a Prieft upon his throne, and the counfel of peace fhall be between them both.

Friendly. How can this prophecy be applied to the Meffiah's building the temple of the Lord, when it is manifeft, that it was built many hundred years before CHRIST's coming?

Truth. By the temple we are not to understand the material temple, in which CHRIST frequently taught his difciples and followers, but his fpiritual temple, the church, called by the Apoftle a holy temple to the Lord, Eph. ii. 21. which is to offer up fpiritual facrifices acceptable to GOD, by JESUS CHRIST. This temple the MESSIAH builds, Firft, By laying the foundation thereof in the counfels of GOD, which ftands for ever, as they are accomplished in his perfon, blood, and obedience, and therefore he is called the foundation which God hath laid in Zion. Secondly, By framing his faints by the power of his fpirit and grace, and thereby making them fit to be cemented together in union and communion, in the bonds of love, giving themselves up to the LORD, and then one to another, according to the will of God. Thirdly, By laying his faints, thefe living ftones, in his building he thereby adorns it, as a living palace for the great King, as faith the Apoftle, Eph. ii. 20, 21, 22. And are built upon the foundation of the Apoftles and Prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief corner ftone; in whom all the building fitly framed, grow to an holy temple in the Lord; in whom you alfo are builded, for an habitation of God through the fpirit. And it appears, that the MESSIAH bears the glory of this temple, inafmuch as the Saints both in Hea

ven and upon earth, afcribe falvation to his name, being conscious within themselves, that had they been left, as others were, they had been rough rugged ftones in the building of Hell, rather than smooth ones formed of Gop through his fpirit, therefore they fay, not unto us, but unto thy name be all the glory.

Friendly. But wherein doth it appear that the MESSIAH fits and rules upon his throne?

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Truth. This he doth as King in Zion, for the MESSIAH is Lord and Law-giver in his church, he fits and rules there upon his throne, as faid, this is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, because I have defired it, according to Pfal. ii. 6. Yet have I fet my King upon my holy hill of Zion. And no man upon earth, whether he be Pope or King, Prieft or Prelate, hath authority to alter any of his laws, ordinances, or commandments, to introduce any invention, or alter in any wife any of the inftitutions of his houfe; no, the grand edicts of Heaven are not to be changed by a worm. The MESSIAH, as King in Zion, qualifies his miniftering fervants to preach the gospel, to adminifter ordinances in his name, and to build up his people in their most holy faith. Here the Church of England, though a reformed church, ftill labours under a great mistake, for if we ask the clergy who gave them authority to preach the gospel, they tell us the Bishop. If we ask them who created or empowered the Bishops fo to do, they are obliged to tell us the King. Is not this then making the King head of the church? And let me afk them, if this be confonant with the word of GOD, or giving that glory to King JESUS that is due to his name? Did the Apoftle receive his commiffion to preach the gospel from Auguftus Cæfar, who was then King of the Jews? Or did the Apoftles receive their authority to preach in CHRIST's name, by any human power whatever? I anfwer, no; for it is the fole right and prerogative of the King MESSIAH, to fit upon his throne in Zion, and to grant by his fpirit commiffions to his fervants to preach the gospel in his name, Gal. i. 11, 12. But I certify you, brethren, that the gofpel which was preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jefus Chrift.

Friendly. But is it not faid, but he shall be Prieft a upon bis throne; is this applicable to the MESSIAH?

Truth. Yes, for the MESSIAH is both King and Priest; as a Prieft, he rules upon his mediatorial throne, in that he ever liveth to make interceffion for his people; as a Prieft, he rules

by blood; as a King, by power; as a Prieft, he rules in the hearts of his people, by purifying their confciences, purging them from dead works, to ferve the living GOD; as a Prieft, he rules by fealing pardon, peace, and falvation to their fouls by his death, through the operations of his fpirit; likewise, as a Prieft, he rules in that his blood has an authority in Heaven, by the merit of which, as a key in his hands, he unlocks the cabinet of JEHOVAH's love, opens all the treafures of his grace, feals the promises of his word, and commands life for evermore to every foul that trufteth in him, Pfal. ii. 12. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Friendly. But what might I apprehend by the counsel of peace being between them both?

Truth. The ftipulation or covenant agreement that there was between the FATHER and the MESSIAH, concerning the redemption of loft finners; the FATHER'S preliminaries of peace (if we may fo exprefs it) were, that the honour of his name must be maintained, the glory of all his perfections eftablifhed, the magnification of his law fecured, and full compenfation to divine juftice paid, together with a fpiritual meetnefs, and purification in the hearts of his people, fo as to render them fit and meet, not only to adorn the church militant, but to be received into his beatific prefence, and to poffefs that luminous and ineffable glory which he has prepared for them at his own right hand. And the MESSIAH, in the profound depths of his love, in the unfearchable riches of his grace, id, Lo, I come! he engaged his heart to perform all this work, to maintain the honour of his name, the glory, the confuminate glory of all his perfections, magnify his law, fatisfy his juftice, and that the very nature that had finned fhould fuffer, that he would yield that obedience to the law which it required, and by his death give that fatisfaction which justice demanded, that thereby law and justice should, in their native luftre, brightness, and glory, appear confpicuous in the falvation of his people, in that he would clothe them with his righte oufnefs, wash them in his precious blood, adorn them by his fpirit, embellish them by his grace, and thereby present them before the throne of GoD with exceeding joy, compleat in that glory the FATHER had prepared for them before the foundation of the world. Thus the counfel of peace was between them both.

Some understand, by the counfel of peace being between them both, the Jews and Gentiles being gathered together inta

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one church, &c. but this is putting the counfel and accomplishment of peace into the hands of the creature, which is a work that all the angelic creation could never perform, therefore I rather think that it is meant of the covenant of peace be. tween the FATHER and the SON, which is fo confonant with their characters, JEHOVAH, the FATHER, being filed, the God of peace, and JEHOVAH, the MESSIAH, being ftiled, the Prince of peace, though I acknowledge that it concerned both Jew and Gentile.

Friendly. But is it not faid, ver. 15. They that are afar off fhall come and build in the temple of the Lord; yet in ver. 13. it is faid, even he fhall build the temple of the Lord, &c.

Truth. By thofe that were afar off, coming to build in the temple of the LORD of hosts, we might understand the Minifters of the gospel in all ages, who are ftiled, labourers together with God; and as fuch may be ftiled under-builders in the temple of the LORD. Though the MESSIAH, as the great Architect and Builder, drew the plan in his infinite mind, laid the foundation in his perfon, carried on the building, by engagement, oath and promife, cemented it together by his precious blood and love, and brings forth the top-ftone with fhoutings of grace! grace! yet the minifters of the gofpel may be faid to build in this temple, inafmuch as they are fent by the King MESSIAH, the great Mafter-builder, to the quarry of nature, to hew ftones-I mean finners therefrom, whose weapons are not carnal, but mighty through GOD, to the pulling down Sa tan's ftrong holds; fome of thefe are fons of thunder, they come with the mattock of the law to hew down those finners that are ftout-hearted and afar from righteousness; whilst others are fons of confolation, who come with the wine and oil of the gospel to smooth the rugged strokes of the law, that they may be fit to cement together in the bonds of love, thereby it is that God of thefe ftones raifeth up children to Abraham, 1 Pet. ii. 5. Ye alfo as lively ftones, are built up a spiritual house, an hely Priesthood, to offer up spiritual facrifices acceptable to God by Jesur Chrift.

But to proceed, Zech. ix. 9. Rejaice greatly, O daughter of Zion; fhout, O daughter of Jerufalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee. He is juft, and having falvation; lowly, and riding upon an afs, and upon a colt, the foal of an afs. That this was a prophecy of the MESSIAH, and had its exact and punctual completion in JESUS, is manifeft, Matt. xxi. 2, 3, 4, and 5. where CHRIST tells his difciples, faying unto them, ga ints the village over against you, and ftraitway ye fhall find an afs tied,

and a colt with her, loofe them and bring them unto me; and if any man fay ought unto you, fay, the Lord hath need of them; and fraitway he will fend them, All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was fpoke by the Prophet, faying, tell ye the daughters of Zion, behold the King cometh unto thee, meek, and fitting upon an afs, the colt, the foal of an afs.

Friendly. As you have just been fhewing in what refpect the MESSIAH was a King, I fhould be glad if you would inform me wherein he may be termed juft, &c.

Truth. That he is juft is manifeft in that he ftiles himfelt the faithful and true witnefs; and fhall not the judge of all the earth do right? The FATHER judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the SoN; he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteoufnefs by that man whom he hath ordained.

That the daughters of Jerufalem rejoiced and shouted when he came, (according to the exhortation in the prophecy) is evident, Matt. xxi. 9. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, faying, Hofanna to the Son of David! blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! That he hath salvation, is not only manifeft from his name JESUS, which fignifies a SAVIOUR, but from the characters he bears in the word of GOD, as he is ftiled, the author of falvation, the Captain of our falvation, and he is emphatically the falvation of Ifrael, Pfal. xiv. 7. O that the falvation of Ifrael were come out of Zion, &c. That he hath falvation, is irrefutable, from the thousands of thousands, and millions of millions, which he hath faved with an everlasting falvation, and fhall never be confounded world without end, therefore faith the LORD to him as the MESSIAH in Ifrael, Ifa. xlix. 6. I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayeft be my falvation to the ends of the earth. That JESUS, our dear MESSIAH, was meek and lowly, fhines with a proof from his own lips, Matt. xi. 29. Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find reft for your fouls. And here we have the brighteft difplay of humility, that ever the world was favoured with, the King of glory, the fum of blifs, the object of adoration, rides upon an afs, a colt, the foal of an afs! Oh! unparelleled humility! at one view we fee the grandeur of the Sovereign, the love of a SAVIOUR, and the meekness of the man, in our adorable MESSIAH.

Firft, Is CHRIST a King? then how loyal and zealous fhould we be for his glory, maintain the honour of his name, the dignity of his perfon, and fhew a warlike spirit against the

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