214 FAITH IN ITS LOWEST DEGREES. 1fISC. VII. Israel is ascribed, and who is called a Saviour so often in the context, ver. 15, 17, 21. which is the very meaning of the name Jesus, and the frequent appellation of Christ in the new Testament, and his particular office is to be a Saviour, and. to bring salvation.' (2.) It is he who is appointed to be the righteousness and strength of his people, Per. 24, 25. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified. Now this is the very name of the Messiah ; .Ier. xxiii, 6. The. Lord our righteousness : And it is .Christ who is made righteousness unto us; 1 Cor. i. 30. And by and in whom all the saints are to bejustified in the language of the gospel. It.is fromhim also that his people derive strength. St. Paul bids Timothy be strong in the grace which is in Christ; 2 Tim. ii. 1. The Ephesian con- verts must be strong in the Lord ; Eph. vi. 10. And the apostle himself could do all things through Christ, who strengthened him ; Phil. iv. 13. Now the New Testa- ment (to which times the words of my text chiefly refer) does not usually represent God, under the idea of the Fa- ther as the strength ofbelievers, nor is he ever described there as their righteousness. Again, (3.) This is the person that brings salvation to the ends of the earth, which is the very character of the Messiah in-the writings of the same prophet. Is. xlix. 6. Iwill alsogive theefora light to the gentiles, (says God the Father) that thou mayest be my salvation unta the end of the earth. . (4.) I add further, that part of this context, even the very next words, are applied' to our Lord Jesus Christ by St. Paul. The prophet saith, 'Iam the Lord, and there is none, else; ver. 18. Unto me every knee shall.bow,every tongue shall swear; ver. 23. The apostle, citing the words of the prophet, speaks thus.; Rom. xiv. 9, 10, 11. Christ died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead.and living: All must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ : For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Where_ the words Christ, Lord, and God, seemed to be used promiscuously for the same person. Nor would the apostle's argument seem strong and cogent in that place, if the word God were
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