Serm. I,XIII. Proving lefïls to be the .Meífias. 451 then fball the lame man leap a an Hart, and the tongue of the dumb Ping ; this you lee was fulfilled here in the Text. 'Tis true indeed, the Text mentions another Mirace which is not in the Prophet, that he raiféd the dead ; but if God did more than he promifed and foretold, this is no prejudice to the argument, if all that he foretold was accomplifh'd in him. Betides, the yews have a Proverb, that God is not content to perform barely what he promifeth, bet he tsfually doth fomething over and above his promife. That the Methas fhould heal the blind, and the deaf, and the lame, Ifaiah Prophefied ; and God makes good this Promi(e and Predi&ion to the full ; the Meffias did not only do thefe, but which is more and greater than anyof thefe, he raifed the dead to life. Secondly, It was likewife foretold of the Meflias, that he fhould preach the Go- fßel to the Poor, Ifa. 61. t. the grit of the LordGod k upon me, becaufe he bath anointed me to preach goodrtiding.r unto the meek; ?uzyyaTi9e 9z. it'lte tç topreach the GofJel or good tidings to the Poor ; fo the LXX. render the words; and they are the very words ufed by ourSaviour here in the Text. 'Tis true indeed, this was no Miracle, but it was the punctual accompli(hment of a Prophecy concerning the Meffias, and confequently an evidence that he was the Meffias. But betides, it had fomething in it which was very Itrange to the Jews, and very different from the way of their Doctors and Teachers : For the Rabbies among the Yews would fcarce inftru& any but for great Reward; they would meddle with none but thofe that were able to requite their pains : The ordinary and poorer fort of People they had in great contempt, as appears by that fighting exprefiton of them, John 7. 48, 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharifees believed on him ? but this People who knoweth not the Lam are curled. And C,'rotius upon this Text tells us, that the Jewith Matters had this fooli(h and info',ent Proverb among them, that the Spirit of God cloth not ref but upon a rich man; to which this Prediction concerning the Meffias was a dire& contradiction: The Spirit of the LordGod is upon me, becaufe he bath anointed me to preach the Gojßel to the Poor. In old time the Prophets were efpecially fent to the Kings and Princes of the People: but this great Prophet conies to preach the Geißel to the Poor. None have fo little reafon to be proud as the Sons of Men, but never was any fo humble as the Son of God, our Saviour's whole Life and Do&rine was a contradiction to the falfe Opinions of the world; they thought the rich and great men of the World theonly happy perlons, but he came to preach glad tidings to the Poor, to bring good news to them whom the great Do&ors of the Law defpifed, and fet at nought; and therefore to confound their pride and folly, and to confute their falte Opinions of things, he begins that excellent Ser- mon of his with this Saying, Bleffed are the Poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. Thirdly, It was foretold of the Meffias, that the World fhould be offended at him, Ifa. 8. t4. He (hall be for a font of fumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the houfes of ¡frael. And Ifa. 53. r, 2, 3. Whobath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? he bath no form nor comelinefe, and when we fee him, there is no beauty that we fhould deflre him; he is defßifed and rejebled of men, andwe hid as it were our faces from him; he was defßifed, and we effeemed hint not; and this likewife is intimated in the laft words of theText, and bleb ed is he whofoever (hall not be offended in me. Intimating, that notwith(tanding the great works that he did among them, which teftified of him that he came fromGod, notwithflanding the Predi&ions of their Prophets concerning the Meffias, were fo clearly and pun&ually accomplifh'd in him; yet notwithulanding all this, they would take offence at him upon one account or other, and reje& him and his Do- étrine; but even this, that they reje&ed him, and would not own him for their Mef&as, was another Sign or Evidence that he was the true Meffias foretold by the Prophets; for among other things this was exprefly Predi&ed concerninghim, that he fhould be defpifed and reje&ed of men. And thus I have done with the Firft thing I propounded to fpeak to; namely . theEvidence which our Saviour here gives of his being the true Meffias. M m m : Fief,
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