And this, as well as the other part of the scheme under the dispensation of Moses, is in no degree peculiar, nor furnishes any just ground of objection, or peculiar reason for commendation. It differs in nothing from what we see continually taking place in the common course of events. It belongs as much to the Christian as the Mosaic dispensation, and as much to the religion of nature as to either.

But under these we have no apprehension, for we are clearly taught the contrary, of its impairing at all each man's personal responsibility for his actions of his being, or affecting the conditions of his acceptance in the final account.

We see indeed the whole of each man's worldly condition and temporal prospects, together with his intellectual, moral, and religious opportunities affected, and taking almost their entire shape, from the character and the care or neglect of his ancestors. We see his condition attended with favorable circumstances or otherwise, his opportunities great or small, and the trials of his virtue light or severe, according to provisions made by those who preceded him, and in which he had no choice. But we know that for these things, over which he had no control, he is not accountable. He may be said in a certain sense to be visited with the iniquities of his fathers, or to have by inheritance the reward of their virtues. But so far are these, in our apprehension, from being evidences of the acceptance or rejection of God, the approbation or the displeasure of heaven, that we view them merely as parts of that divine discipline and human

trial, which are to be the means of our probation; to furnish scope for that virtuous obedience and wise self-government, or criminal unfaithfulness and folly of self-indulgence, which will be the grounds of final acceptance or rejection. For we are assured, that not he who enjoys the greatest advantages of virtue, but he who makes the best use of them, not he who has the most talents, but he who employs them to the best purpose, not he who enjoys the highest privileges, but he who is most faithful in their use,-is accepted and approved.

CHAPTER X.

A PROPHET LIKE MOSES PROMISED.

IN passing now from the Jewish to the Christian Dispensation, we naturally recur to the connexion between them, which we have had occasion to notice. As in various ways the former anticipated and referred to the latter, so did it especially in its early promise of another Prophet; "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken."*

There are several allusions to this promise in the writings of the Evangelists, in which it is expressed, or clearly implied, to be the general opinion of the Jews of that time, that this promise had not then been fulfilled, and that it related to the coming of a great prophet, who was yet to appear, and was expected under the title of the Messiah. With respect to this last point, however, the identity of that prophet and the Messiah, there seems to have been some uncertainty in the minds of the Jews of that age. Thus when John the Baptist in the beginning of his ministry produced a great excitement by his preaching, the Scribes and Pharisees sent from Jerusalem to inquire of him, whether he were the Christ, whether he were

* Deuteronomy, xviii. 15.

Elias, whether he were the Prophet; that is, the prophet that was promised, the prophet that was expected.*

When Jesus fed by a miracle, the great multitude, that followed him to an uninhabited place, the people said, "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world;"† led probably to the conclusion by the resemblance of this act with that of the great Jewish Lawgiver, who fed the people of Israel with manna in the wilderness; and being reminded by it of the promise, which it is very evident they did not consider as having been yet fulfilled; and the fulfilment of which, it also appears, they were anxiously expecting.

Again, when at the Feast of Tabernacles, at Jerusalem, Jesus made a striking allusion to some of the ancient prophecies in application to himself, "many of the people said, of a truth this is the Prophet; others said, this is the Christ." In this, as in the other cases, we can have no doubt, they had in their minds, the prophet by way of eminence, promised, and so long expected; who was to resemble in those points, by which he was distinguished from all the other prophets, Moses, their great Lawgiver.

The same thing appears in the report of Philip to Nathaniel, when he first called his attention to Jesus in Galilee. "We have found," said he, "him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write." A manner of expression, which shows, that at that time

* John, i. 21. † John, vi. 14.

‡ John, i. 45.

it was generally understood, that he of whom Moses spoke had not yet appeared, and also, that there was an expectation of his appearance, by which the attention of men was readily drawn to one, in whom some of the marks were seen by which his appearance was to be distinguished.

Peter and Stephen, also, in their addresses to the people, quote this promise of their great Lawgiver, not only in such a manner as to imply the general consent, that it did not relate to his immediate successor; but also so as to express the opinion, universally prevalent then, that the prophecy related to their expected Messiah, and that it had found its accomplishment in Jesus Christ.

With these facts before us to show, what was the popular interpretation of this celebrated promise of the great Jewish Lawgiver and Prophet through the whole period of the history of the nation, let us now consider the application of it to Jesus Christ, and with what propriety it has been considered as being accomplished in him.

The first point of resemblance to Moses, by which the future prophet was to be distinguished, related to the degree of intimacy with the will and purposes of God. This is strongly expressed by the phrase, "whom the Lord knew face to face." This intimacy with the counsels of heaven, and directness of communicating with God implied in it, was peculiar to Moses. It was granted to no other prophet of that, or of any succeeding age. The authority and influence, which it gave to Moses, excited the envy of his