been driven out of the Land of Canaan about 1700 Years ago, and remain as Pilgrims and Strangers over the Face of the whole Earth. And can any Worldly Grandeur that is to happen in the Process of Time, to any of the future Progeny of Abraham, make what hath hither to paffed, a Bleffing to Abraham and his Seed? can it make an Amends to thofe who are in the Grave? Or can the Conqueft of the whole World by one of the Seed of Abraham, and the Subduing of all Nations under the Dominion of Zion, be any great Bleffing to those Nations, if they are to reap no Benefits thereby but being in Subjection to the Jews?

Whereas if we confider that the Reason, why God was pleased to distinguish Abraham, was, because he knew that he would command his Children and his Household after him, to keep the Way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgement; So we may conclude from thence, that the Reformation of Mankind; the teaching of them to do Justice and Judgement; and to do the will of God in this World, as it is done in F 2 Heaven

Heaven, and thereby preparing them for a State of Blifs and Happiness in another World; the setting them an Example in his own Perfon, of the little Value which ought to be put upon the glittering Follies and the pompous Parade of this Life; and laftly, in order to defeat the Designs of Satan, the suffering of Perfecution, and Scourging, and Death, that by his Wounds they may be healed, and that on him may be laid the the Iniquities of us all; is an Employment worthy the Meffiah.

And when this is done, and the Time fhall be fulfilled when the wrath of God is appeafed for the Indignities offered this his faithfull Meffenger of the Covenant; Then for this Meffiah, by a fecond Coming, to manifeft his Conqueft over that old Serpent the Devil which beguiled our first Parents, by opening the Gates of Death, which have hitherto been faft Sealed, fo that no Man cometh again; and after a Triumphant Appearance in the Clouds of Heaven attended by Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Saints, which have died in Expectation of this Redemption; to

defcend

defcend from thence upon Earth, and shew himself to Men, in order to convince all Mankind, whether Jews or Gentiles, of his being their Meffiah, may be Actions worthy that Person, whom God hath been pleafed to dignifiy with the Appellation of * his Son.

And in order to accomplish this, there is no Neceffity that the Perfon who does it, fhould be a Worldly King, and a Conqueror, but rather the Contrary,

The Meffiab therefore, who was not fent upon his own Account, to enjoy the things of this Life, is defcribed as coming, not in fuch a Station or Condition of Life, as should furnish him with the Opportunity of enjoying the Prosperity and Grandeur of this World; for he defpifeth it, and is therefore to be despised of it; but he is to come to bring glad Tidings to Zion, that all the the Ends of the Earth might fee the Salvation of God. And though he fhall be exalted and be very high in the Kingdom appointed for him by his God

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2 Sam vii. 14. Pfal. ii. 7. † Ifai. lii. 7, 10, 13. 1. iii. 2, 4.

and our God; yet here in this World at his firft coming, he hath no Form nor Comelinefs,no Beauty that we should defire him. A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief, Stricken of God and afflicted; and cut off out of the Land of the living for the Tranfgreffion of the People.

Here is an Image of Godlike Virtue, of Meeknefs, and unbounded Benevolence; an Image that might make an Impreffion upon fuch as are like-minded; on fuch as by raising their Thoughts above this World can look down upon it, and all its tranfitory, fhort, furfeiting Enjoyments with Pity and Contempt. While on the contrary they whofe Minds are set upon the Pleafures of this Life, who are intoxicated with Pride, or Luxury, or Ambition, can form to themselves no Notion of any Meffiah, but of one that cometh attended with Conqueft and Triumph, and all the guilded Pageantry of worldly Pomp and Grandeur.

And yet it was this, in all human Probability, which prevented your Ancestors from acknowledging this Meffiah, this humble, this meek, this defpifed and re

rejected

jeaed Meffiah, when he appeared amongst them. Their Minds were fet upon a triumphant Meffiah, their Expectations were raised with the Thoughts of worldly Grandeur; their Eyes were lifted high to look for fome ftately Cedar, while with their Feet they trampled on this humble Plant. Not that he will not Triumph! But it shall not be with worldly Pomp and Parade. Not that he will not be exalted, and extolled, and be very high! For he will be higher than the Kings of the Earth. But his Exaltation will be in Heaven, where Exaltation is worth ftriving for, and where according to the holy * David, because he loved Righteouf nefs, and hated Iniquity, God, even his God, hath ANOINTED him with the Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows. And it was for this very Reason that God hath exalred him, because he was humble, and lowly, and meek, was tormented for our Tranfgreffions, bruited for our Iniquities, and was cut off out of the Land

* Pf. xlv. 7.

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of