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him, and his work is before him: He fhall feed his flock like a Shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his befom, and gently lead them that are with young.

Friendly. In the laft prophecy, he was defcribed as a Man, but in this as the LORD GOD; are both reconcileable in the perfon of the MESSIAH?

Truth. Yes, Friendly, perfectly reconcileable, 1 Tim. ii. 16. Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifeft in the flesh. The Prophet's defcribing the MESSIAH as man, denoted him as taking upon him our nature, being made fieth of our flefb, and bone of our bone, John i. 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us. But by his being defcribed here as the LORD GOD, is meant the glory of his divine perfon, the dignity of his divine nature, his equality with the FATHER, being of the fame effence, poffeffing the fame perfections, not by way of communication or derivation, but effentially and naturally of and from himself, being the LORD GOD in his divine and original nature.

Friendly. But is he not faid, as the LORD GOD to come; can local motion be ascribed to the LORD GOD?

Truth. As the LORD GOD he is Omniprefent, poffeffeth all places, time and duration; but then, as incarnate, cloathed in our nature, being made under the law, local motion may be afcribed to him.

Friendly. But in what refpect may his arm be faid to rule

for him?

Truth. As the arm of GOD fignifieth his ftrength and power, it may be faid to rule for him, inafmuch as it brought falvation to his people, triumphed over fin and Satan, and obtained a compleat conqueft over all his and our enemies, Ephef. ii, 16.

Friendly. In what refpect was his reward with him, and his work before him?

Truth. The reward of his fufferings was threefold, First, His people may be faid to be his reward, as they are the pur chafe of his blood, his feed, and the travail of his foul. Secondly, His fecuring falvation for his people, by his death and fufferings, may be called his reward, as it is what he obtained for them thereby. Thirdly, The exaltation of his human nature to the right hand of GoD, may be faid to be his reward, as it is what he received as the fruit of his fufferings, Phil. ii. 8, 9. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a

name which is above every name. And by his work being before bim, we may underfta id the work of our redemption, of which the MESSIAH faith, John iv. 34. My meat is to do the will of bim that fent me, and to finish his work. And again, he faith, I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea thy law is within my heart.

Friendly. But in what refpect does the MESSIAH feed his fick like a fhepherd?

Truth. That the character of a fhepherd is applied to the MESSIAH is evident from his own lips, John x. 11. I am the good Shepherd; and Peter ftiles him, the shepherd and bishop of fouls; and Paul, the great shepherd of the sheep. And that he feeds his flock like a fhepherd, appears by the charge and care that he takes of the flock, therefore he faid unto Peter, feed my fheep. I give unto my fheep, faith he, eternal life, and they fball never perih, neither fhall any be able to pluck them out of my hands. Likewite a inepherd moves his flock from pafture to pasture, that they may grow and thrive; fo CHRIST, as the MESSIAH, and Shepherd in Ifrael, moves (by the difpenfation of his providence) his fpiritual flock from paiture to pafture; I mean from promife to promife, from bleffing to bleffing, and from one field of divine grace to another. Here I could enlarge, but the opening of the metaphors, are referved for their proper place. I fhall only obferve the Prophet's pathetic language, the Lord is my fhepherd, I shall not want; he maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside the still waters, he reftareth my foul, he leadeth me into paths of righteousness for his name's fake.

Friendly. What might I apprehend by the MESSIAH taking the lambs in his arms, and carrying them in his bofom?

Truth. As lambs are the weak and feeble part of the flock, that are not able to go with the ftronger sheep, it is usual with a tender fhepherd to take them in his arms, and carry them in his bofom; fo the MESSIAH, the Chief Shepherd of the sheep, hath lambs in his flock, of which he is moft peculiarly tender. I mean weak believers in his name, who may be fitly compared to lambs, for the weaknefs and feeblenefs of their faith, hope, and love; for as lambs cannot bear thofe difficulties which ftronger fheep can, neither can weak believers bear the heat and burthen of the day, therefore the MESSIAH, that feedeth his flock like a fhepherd, takes them up into the arms of his power, and lays, or carries them in the bofom of his love, where the weak believer refteth with peace, ferenity and

joy. Thus by CHRIST's care, as the good fhepherd, not a fingle weak lamb of the flock of Ifrael is loft, in their paffage from Egypt, through the deferts of Arabia, to the land of Canaan. I mean, not a fingle foul, whofe faith is weak and infantine (like a tender lamb) is loft in its paffage from the bondage of fin, through the wilderness of this world, until it comes to its heavenly Canaan; for when feeble, and it cannot move forward in the heavenly path, then the dear fhepherd in Ifrael takes it in his arms, and carries it in his bofom; that where he is they may be alfo, to behold him in his glory.

We will now proceed to Ifa. xlii. 1, 2, 3, 4. Behold my fervant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my foul delighteth; I have put my fpirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles, he shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets; a bruifed reed fhall he not break; and smoking flax fhall be not quench; he shall bring forth jugment to truth, he fhall not fail nor be difcouraged, until he hath fet judgment in the earth, and the ifles fhall wait for his law.

Friendly. But wherein doth it appear that the MESSIAH was a fervant, or that this prediction is applicable to CHRIST? Truth. In. that he took upon him, as the MESSIAH and MEDIATOR, the office and employment of a fervant, and said, it is my meat to do the will of him that fent me, and to finish his work. And this is farther evidenced, Phil. ii. 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likeness of men.

Friendly. But in what refpect might the FATHER be faid, to uphold him?

Truth. As the MESSIAH in his office capacity, as Mediator, was under the authority and direction of the FATHER; fo he was, as fuch, fupported by his power and prefence through the whole of his miffion.

Friendly. But in what refpect was the MESSIAH God's elect, in whom his foul delighted?

Truth. As his human nature was chosen and fixed upon by GOD, in union to the divine, for the accomplishment of the great work of redemption, it may with propriety be filed, the elect of God; on which account the Apoftle thus expeffes himfelf, chofen of God and precious: And as to his foul delighting in him, here we are not to apprehend that ineffable delight that there is in the divine nature, between each divine perfon in the Godhead, but the delight that JEHOVAH, the FATHER, took in the human nature of the MESSIAH, as every way capable, in union with the divine, to accomplish the honour

of his name, the glory of his perfections, the fatisfaction of his juftice, the magnification of his law, and thereby fecure the falvation of his people, in which refpect CHRIST faith, Prev. viii. 30. I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before

him.

And by his putting his fpirit upon him, we are to apprehend the divine qualification of the human nature of the MESSIAH, with all the gifts and graces of the HOLY GHOST, to accomplish the incomprehenfible work of our falvation, John iii. 34. For the Father giveth not the fpirit by meafure to him.

Friendly. Wherein doth it appear that the MESSIAH brought forth judgment to the Gentiles?

Truth. By the MESSIAH bringing forth judgment to the Gentiles, we are to underftand, his opening and revealing the mind and will of GOD in the falvation of the Gentiles, which is what all the prophecies are full of, and what he has accomplifhed in all ages fince his incarnation, by the miniftration of his fervants, Acts xiii. 46, 47, 48. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and faid, it was necessary that the word of God fhould be firft spoken to you, (meaning the Jews) but feeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo! we turn to the Gentiles; for fo hath the Lord commanded us, faying, I have fet thee to be a light unto the Gentiles, that thou mayet be my falvation to the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.

And by the MESSIAH not caufing his voice to be heard, we might apprehend his humility, and abftaining from popular applaufe for when he did any noted miracle, we find that he prohibited the publication of it, Mark i. 43, 44. And he ftraitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; and faid unto bim, fee thou fay nothing to any man.

Friendly. But wherein doth it appear, that the MESSIAH is fo tender, that a bruifed reed he will not break?

Truth. A reed is a tender plant, growing in watery places, and we find that Egypt, in 2 Kings xviii. 21. is called a reed, in allufion to the reeds that were fo numerous on the banks of the Nile. And this being an allufive expreffion, denotes a foul bruised for fin, or a confcience made flexible and tender by the operations of the HOLY GHOST, who are like bruised reeds, their hearts being made foft and tender by divine grace. But fuch tender hearts the SAVIOUR will not break; for faith the Pfalmift, Pfal. cxlvii. 3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up all their wounds. To break fuch tender hearts as

thefe, would be acting contrary to all the defigns of his love, and the promises of his grace, but to fhew that the contrary work was the employment of his heart, and of his hands, he faith, Luke iv. 18. He bath fent me to heal the broken-hearted. Friendly. What may I understand by smoking flax he will not quench?

Truth. This is an expreffion alluding to the lamps that ufed to burn in the Temple under the law, for when the Prieft, whofe office it was to trim the lamps, Exod. xxx. 7, 8. came and found any of them burn but dimly, though ready to go out, yet they did not put them out, but poured in more oil, and thereby they revived with fresh light and life. Now thele wicks, that burned in the lamps under the law, were made of fax, though at times they feemed to give more fmoke than light, yet they were not to put them out, but to renew them with oil; fo there be many of God's own children, whofe wick of faith feems to give more fmoke than flame in the things of God, whofe defires come up before the throne rather like pillars of fmoke than flames of love; yet fuch is the tenderness. of the dear MESSIAH, that he will not quench this fmoking flax, but renew the oil of his bleeding, dying love to the wick of faith, and thereby revive the foul with fresh light, life, and love, that the defires that were but like fmoking flax, he will raife to flames of love, adoration and praise to his name.

By his bringing forth judgment to truth, we might apprehend his leading his people into farther difcoveries of his love, thereby cftablishing their judgment in fpiritual and divine things, according to the truth of his word, Col. ii. 2. That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full affurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Chrift.

Friendly. What might I apprehend by the MESSIAH not failing, or being difcouraged, and the ifles waiting for his law? Truth. By the MESSIAH not failing, we might apprehend, his compleating the work the FATHER gave him to do, not one jot or tittle failed of the whole he undertook, therefore he could fay to his FATHER, John xvii. 4. I have glorified thee an the earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do.

By the ifles waiting for his law, we are to apprehend, the diftant lands and iflands around waiting for the glad tidings of falvation, but not fo much in expectation of it, as the accomplifhment of that time when the prophecies concerning them Thould be fulfilled; and that the whole of this prophecy hath had its completion in CHRIST, as the true MESSIAH, appears

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