JefusofNazareth theonly tlrue andProm[edMefriah. 210 that for whofe Cake they were a people, mull creeds be the reafon and cauG. of all good things;, that as a people were beftowed upon them. Thus God often promiCeth them to do this or that unto them, for Abrahams'fake, and Davids fake, that is upon the account of the promife of the' MMäh fignally made unto Abraham and David, when his bringing forth into the world was refirained unto their families and polterity And hence allo in times of fireights and difficulties, when the people were;preffed on every fide, and laboured for deliverance, God oftentimes renewed unto them the promife of the IVIeffiah,' partly to fupport their fpirits with expectation of his coming, and the falvation that, it fhould be accompanied withall, and partly togive than alfurance, that they fhould not be confumed or utterly perifh under their calamity , becaufe the great work of God by them in bringing forth the Melliah, was not yet accomplifhed. So ro this purpofe the 4. chap:er of this Pro- phecy. And on t}hisaccount it was, namely , of the temporal concernment ofthat people in the comingof the Meffiab, that the promife of him was oftentimes mixed and interwoven with the mention of other things, that were of prefent tile andad- vantage unto them; forthat it was not eafre fometimes to diftinguifh the things that are properly fpoken with reference unto him, from thofe other things which refpected what was prefent; feting both forts of them are together fpokeu of, and that to the fame end and purpofe. Upon theft principles we may eatily difcpver the true fenCe and importance of this prophetical predic±on. Upon the infidelity ofAbaz, and thegenerality of the houle of Davidwith him, refuting a tigeof deliverance tendred unto them, God tells them by his Prophet, that they hadnot only wearied his Mfngers by their unbeliefand hy- pocrifie, but that they were ready to weary himfelf alto, v. 13. He was even almofi wearied.with their manifold provocations, during that Typical Rate and condition, wherein he kept them. However, forthe prefent hehad promifed themdeliverance,and although they had refuted to asIr;a fign of him according unto his Command, yet he would preferve them from their prefent fears, andutter ruin, and in hisdue time ac- complith his great and wonderful intendment, and that in a miraculous manner by cuffing a Virgin to conceive and bring forth that Son; on whole account they fhóuldbe preferved. This is the ground of the promife of the Mefab in this place ; even to givethem affurance that they Mouldbe preferved from utter deftruétion, becaufe they were to continue their Church and Stare until his coming ; as allo to comfort and fupport them during their difirelfes with the hopes and expeétation of him ; for with the thoughts of his coming, do the Jews to this day relieve their fpirits under their calamities; though they have had no renewed promifeof him fornear two thoufand years. But how may it appear that it was the Meffiab who should be thus born of a Virgin 2 This ehtPtophtt allures them, by telling them, in his.Name, what he (hall be, and be cared accordingly, He (hall be called Immanuel, or God with us ; he (hall be lo both in refpeétof hisPerfon and Office ; for he (hall be God and Man, and he (hall reconcile God and Man, taking away-the enmity and diftance that was caufed by fin. And this was fuel, a defcription of theMffiah, as by which he was fufficiently known under the Old Teftamcnt, yea from the foundation ofthe world, as hath been before de- clared. And thefrophet further allures them, that this Immanuel (hall be born, truly a man, and dwell among({ them, beingbrought up with the common foodof the Country, until ht came as other men, unto theyears ofdifcretion. Butter and Honey (hall he car, until he know to chufe the good, and refufethe evil. And this was enough for the confolation of Believers, as allo for the fecurity of the people from the defolation feared. But yet becaufe all this difcourfe was occalioned by the war railed againit Judahbythe Kings of Ifrael and Damafcus, unto the promife of their deliverance, God is pleafed to add a threatning of judgement and defcruEition unto their adverfa- ties; arid becauf he would limit a certain feafon for the execution of his Judgement upon them, as he had declared-the fafety and prefervation ofJudah, to depend on the birth of Immanuelof a Virgin in the appointed feafon, fo as to their enemies tharthey fhould becut offand deftroyed, before the time that any child not yet born could come to the years of difcretion, to chufe the good, or to refufe the evil, v. 16. Now tharthis is the true importance and meaning of the Prophecy, will evidently appear in our vindication of it from the exceptionofthe Jews (before laid down) againit its appli- cation by Matthew unto the Nativity ofJefus Chrif{. Fief}, They except that it is nota Virgin that is here intended by neip which they fay Lignifies anyyoung Woman, and fometimes an Adultereff This being the £ouncla- F f a tion Ø. 2 4. a6. .
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