SERM. juftified by the atoning Merits of the ReVIII. deemer! the only method of Salvation con ftituted under the chriftian Covenant: for we are faved through fanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the Blood of Chrift (S). () 1 Pet. i. 2. SER SERMON IX. The Refurrection of Chrift confidered as the Beginning of his Exaltation. He was taken from Prifon and from Judgment; and who shall declare bis Generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the Tranfgreffion of my people was he fricken. T HIS famous Prophecy of the the preceding Chapter: where of it, viz. the Humiliation, and Exaltation VOL. IV. P of SERM. of Chrift; both which he propofed distinctly to defcribe (a). IX. Accordingly this Chapter (after a short introduction ver. 1.) begins with a prophetic defcription of the Meffiah's Humiliation; from verfe the fecond to verfe the feventh, where he shews us (1). What his Afflictions and Sufferings fhould be, ver. 2, 3. (2). For whom he fhould bear them; not for himself, but for others, ver. 4, 5, 6. (3). In what manner, viz. with the most exemplary and Lamb-like Meekness and Refignation, ver. 7; He was oppreffed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and as a Sheep before her Shearers is dumb, fo he openeth not his mouth. And having thus finished his Account of the Meffiah's Humiliation, the Prophet proceeds in the next place to defcribe his State of Exaltation, as the Reward of it. This he begins at ver. 8. (where the Text is) and continues to the End of the Chapter. He was taken from Prifon and from Judgment, and who shall declare his Generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living, for (a) Ifai. lii. 14, I§. the the tranfgreffion of my People was be SERM. ftricken. For the better understanding the fenfe of thefe Words it will be proper to observe, 1. According to the nature of prophe tic Stile, the past Tenfe is here put for the future. Inftances of which in the prophetic Writings are innumerable, and in the fame manner you may obferve, the whole prophecy in this chapter is delivered. The fense therefore is, He fhall be taken from Prifon and from Judgment, he shall be cut off out of the land of the living, for the tranf greffion of my people shall he be fricken. 2. By Prison we are to understand the Grave; where his Body was for a while retained, and bound with the Chains of Death (b). 3. By Judgment we are to understand the unrighteous Judgment of Men; or the Sentence paffed upon him in the Courts of human Judicature; by which he was condemned to die, as a Malefactor. 4. The future Tenfe, who shall declare, is put potentially for who can declare, or who shall be able to declare his Generation? P 2 which (b) Tiy retentio, vel locus quo retinetur Corpus. Pol, in loc. IX. SERM. which is very frequent in the original 5. The Word which we render Generation (c), is often put in other places to fignify Pofterity or Offspring; which feems most probable to be the meaning of it here. And I need not observe, that to be cut off out of the land of the living, fignifies to die a violent and untimely death. By the Help of thefe few critical Remarks the fenfe of the Words will appear to be fully comprehended in the following Paraphrafe. Though He (the Meffiah) "fhall fuffer as a Malefactor, and die an ig"nominious and untimely Death, yet it fhall be for the Sins of others, not his own; and, as a reward of all his Suffer ings, he fhall be miraculously raised up "from the Grave, and fhall fee his fpiri"tual Offspring and the Converts to his Religion to be innumerable." This, according to the jufteft rules of construction, appears to be the true fenfe of the Prophecy in the Text, wherein there are two things that demand our particular atttention. I. A. (c) The Word is used in this Senfe, Gen. xv. 16 ̧ Exod. xx. 5. Deut. xxiii. 2, 3, 8, &c. |