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irrecoverably destroyed and shattered to pieces. "Almost all things were by the law purged with "blood, and without shedding of blood, there was

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no remission." From the entrance of sin, till the death of Christ, this principle pervaded every dispensation: but a short time after that event, this was entirely superseded. Christians offer no sacrifices with shedding of blood; and for seventeen hundred years Jews have offered none. This extraordinary change, this sudden cessation of the whole system of blood-shedding, which had continued from the fall of Adam, as connected with acceptable worship of the true God, must surely require some explanation; and that, however it took place, whether by express divine appointment, as Christians suppose, or by the dispensations of providence, as the Jews must allow : for chance and fortune are out of the question; in one way or other, "it is the Lord's doing, and it is mar"vellous in our eyes.'

And here, I shall introduce a few remarks on a subject, wholly omitted by Mr. C. namely, the PRIESTHOOD of the promised Messiah. He indeed. admits, that priests, as well as kings and prophets, were anointed under the law: (p. 15 :) and, if so, they were typically MESSIAHS; but he waves all further notice of this part of prophecy. Had we no other evidence of Messiah's priesthood than that to be derived from types, analogy, and intimation of a sacrifice for sin to be offered by the Messiah; the proof might perhaps be rejected as inconclusive. But it is most explicitly predicted of the Messiah, and in a Psalm, which Mr. C. does not deny to belong to him: "The Lord hath

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sworn and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek." 1 It is also foretold by Zechariah, "Behold the Man, "whose name is the BRANCH: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of the Lord. Even he shall build the "temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory; and he shall sit and rule upon his "throne; and he shall be a Priest upon his "throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."2 It is in vain to attempt explaining this either of Zerubbabel or of Joshua. Zerubbabel, even if his authority might be considered as that of "a king upon his throne," (which was far from the case,) was not, and could not be A PRIEST. Joshua, the priest, did not sit and "rule on his throne:" but the two persons, exercising separately the ruling and the sacerdotal office, formed a type and shadow of "the "BRANCH," in whom the two characters of King and Priest would be combined; and, from this union, “the counsel of peace" and reconciliation between God and man would be accomplished.

The Messiah was, as all acknowledge, to be the descendent of Judah, and of king David; and these prophecies therefore, of his being a Priest, are in fact express predictions of the abolition of the whole Mosaic ceremonial: according to which, no one, except of the tribe of Levi, and the family of Aaron, might on any account act as priests. Whatever objections Jews may have to the authority of St. Paul, it behoves them to inquire whether his argu

1 Ps. cx. 4.

2

* Zech. vi. 12, 13.

3 Is. xi. 1, 2.

ments can be answered on this subject. "If there"fore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood;

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(for under it the people received the law;) what "further need was there that another Priest should "arise after the order of Melchisedek, and not be "called after the order of Aaron? For, the "priesthood being changed, there is made of ne"cessity a change also of the law: for he, of whom "these things are spoken, pertaineth to another " tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the "altar." How could the ritual law of Moses continue in force, under a priest of the tribe of Judah, of the family of David, and "after the order "of Melchisedek? The Messiah's priesthood, as being" after the order of Melchisedek," a King and a priest at the same time, a priesthood in which, like Melchisedek, he had no predecessor and would have no successor; that of one "who abideth a

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priest continually," and for ever; of one whose priesthood was confirmed by an oath, the irrevocable oath of JEHOVAH : all these things, and several other circumstances might be enlarged on: but it suffices for our purpose, that the Messiah was predicted as "a Priest for ever," as well as a King, though he was not to arise from the family or tribe, to which by the law of Moses the priesthood. was absolutely restricted.

It is remarkable that Melchisedek, after the brief and indeed obscure account of him by Moses,2 is never once mentioned in the Old Testament, except in this remarkable prophecy of the Messiah: nor in the New, except in this argument of the

'Heb. vii.

2 Gen. xiv. 18-20.

is nothing to them, whether gentile conquerors and oppressors exercise dominion over Jews, and treat them as abject slaves; or Jews exercise similar dominion over gentiles. The oppressed they compassionate, and condemn the oppressors: yet they at least equally pity them also. The fact is clearly as here stated; 'the gentiles are the lords of the 'world and Israel are their servants even until

this day' (1. 26.) the right or grant is another thing, as is the future superiority or dominion. These things however seldom occur to the thoughts of real Christians: and they severely condemn themselves, if conscious of any rising desire of rule and dominion, of this kind, over any human being. They know it to be wholly inconsistent with their principles, to rule with rigour over the meanest servant: all men are their brethren, if not in Christ, yet in Adam: and their neighbours, to be "loved as themselves." Even nominal Christians in general think little on the subject; nay, the pagan nations do not think of grasping in this sense at the kingdom of this world.' The idea seems peculiar to the Jews, and almost exclusively their own. I cannot conceive that it ever enters into the politics, either of the potentates on the continent, or the Grand Turk, or the Emperor of China; much less is it any part of the object of the London Society. The event will prove, whether the vain expectations of the Jews, from age to age, of temporal dominion over all nations, will ever be realized or not. I say vain: for what advantage could this be to all preceding generations, who have here lived in a state of vassalage, and have, previously to the expected period, en

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tered the eternal world? and what real advantage will the gratification of rapacity, ambition, love of domination, and vindictive passions, prove even to those who live at the expected time? An honourable precedency we allow will be given to converted and restored Israel; even that of cordial. love and gratitude, for their and our Redeemer's sake. We know that, taught and influenced by Christian principles, they will bear these honours meekly and lovingly and if God shall see good to invest them with any other authority; we know that they will exercise it in righteousness, truth and goodness; and that their fellow-Christians will cordially submit themselves in the fear of God. We feel, therefore, no concern on the subject. But we are fully convinced, that so long as their present ambition of dominion prevails, they never can be the subjects of the true Messiah. Till this be humbled and mortified, they never can receive the blessings of his kingdom. "The "loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of man shall be made low; and the "Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." As far as this is their expectation from their Messiah, they should enjoy it unmolested; did I not believe, yea certainly know, that they want a Messiah for far other and more important purposes, and are dying in their sins, because they believe not that Jesus is He.2

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The statement in the rest of the passage might in many things be shewn to be doubtful or erroneous: but there seems nothing peculiarly

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1 Is. ii. 11. 17.

2 John viii. 34.

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