No. 6.-Page 49.

Our Lord was raised up of God in two respects, viz. in his incarnation, and in his resurrection.

1. In his incarnation, or mission into the world, the promise was, that God would raise him up, Deut. xviii. 15, 18. which was fulfilled, when he came forth as a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and as a branch grew out of his roots, Isa. xi. 1. compare Zech. vi. 12. Acts iii. 22. In this sense, the phrase, raising up, frequently occurs, Gen. xxxviii. 8. Mat. xxii. 24. Isa. xli. 2. xlvi. 13. Hence it is said of Moses, that there arose not a prophet like him, Deut. xxxiv. 10.; that a greater had not risen than John the Baptist, Mat. xi. 11.; and said the multitude concerning Christ, a great prophet is risen up among us, Luke vii. 16. To the same purpose it is said, that God raised up David, Acts xiii. 22.

2. God raised up Christ in his resurrection, Acts ii. 24. xiii. 30, 34, 37. Eph. i. 20, &c.

In which of these senses we must understand Acts xiii. 33. is not easy to say. Our author in his elaborate work on the Creed, p. 98, teaches and defends the same sense which he has given of it in his Animadversions, viz. that it refers to our Lord's exhibition in the flesh. What seems to favour this is the apparent transition which the Apostle makes from the one raising to the other, verse 34. "and as concerning that he raised him from the dead," &c. If verse 33. be understood of our Lord's being raised up in his incarnation, as in verse 23. the word again should not be retained, and so the Dutch interpreters, who read the passage simply thus, "the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath

fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee."

The prophetic passage, adduced, verse 34th, deserves our very particular attention. "And that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David." The place to which the Apostle refers, is Isa. lv. 3. which runs thus: "Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your. soul shall live: For I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the sure mercies, of David." Four things are to be considered, respecting this quotation. Who this David is; what are his sure mercies; how this proves that God raised Christ from the dead; and finally, the import of the promise made to believers, "I will give you the sure mercies of David."

1. That David here is not the typical David, the son of Jesse, is evident from this, that he was not given of God, except in a lower sense, to be a Witness, a Leader and Commander to the people. It is equally obvious, that that David is not simply the Son of God, but his Son made of the seed of David, according to the flesh, Rom. i. 3. He was always the Son, but never David, till incarnate. That he, the incarnate God, is the David intended here, appears from the passage itself, as it stands, Isa. lv. 3. For the Father having mentioned "the sure mercies of David," immediately points out who he is, adding, "Behold I have given him for a witness to the people."--The re

lative him, evidently refers to David, as its antecedent. Arid being given of God to be the people's Commander, he is congratulated, ver. 5. as about to call a nation which he knew not, (compare Matt. xxi. 13.) and that nations which had not known him, should run unto him, when he should be glorified, (compare John vii. 39.) That David, therefore, is the same with him mentioned, Psal. lxxxix. 3, 20, 35. Jer. xxx. 9. Ezek. xxxiv. 24. xxxvii. 24, 25. Hos. iii. 5. He who in these passages is called God's Servant, and the people's Prince, is here mentioned as given of him to be their Leader and Commander.

2. As to what is meant by the sure mercies of David, there can be no doubt but they signify all saving benefits bestowed on believers, whether in this life, at death, or at the resurrection: all the promises made to Christ, though not mercies to him, were surely so to them. It was in mercy to the people that he was given them for a Witness, a Leader and a Commander. He was the foundation-mercy promised to the fathers, Micah vii. 20. Luke i. 72. He himself neither was, nor could be the object of mercy, having a double title to all that was promised him, viz. in virtue of the personal union, and of the righteousness he fulfilled. All that was promised him, in favour of the vessels of mercy, are called his mercies. The Father does not simply say, I will give you sure mercies; but the sure mercies of David: intimating that they were his by promise, before they are given to them '

* Sum of Saving Knowledge.-The first warrant to believe.

my law,

in possession. Hence the scripture phraseology, in case of their transgressing, is very remarkable, Psal. lxxxix. 30.-33. If his children forsake then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my mercy will I not utterly take from him." The word is the same here as in ver. 24, 28. and Isa. lv. 3. One would have thought that this promise should have run, "My mercy will I not utterly take from them, the transgressing children." But all the mercies respecting them, being primarily promised to him, they behoved to be taken from him, before they could from them. These mercies or benefits are his also by purchase: Mat. xx. 28. Rom. iii. 24. 1 Cor. vi. 20. 1 Peter i. 18, 19. At his resurrection they became his in possession, Rom. xiv. 9. being all laid up in him, Col. i. 19. and from his hand we receive them. John i. 15. Eph. iv. 8. Rev. ii. 26, 27.. Hence it is, that once, again, and a third time, he calls them his, John xvi. 14, 15. In the place under consideration, they are called not only his mercies, but his sure mercies, to distinguish them from such as are of a temporary nature. They are so sure, that they shall be given to all for whom they were designed, John vi. 37. Acts xiii. 48. Mat. xx. 23. Sure to all the seed, Rom. iv. 16. So sure, that none of them being once given, shall ever be recalled, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. John v. 24. Rom. ii. 29. Phil. i. 6. For instance, the life infused in regeneration, cannot be lost, for we are born again of incorruptible seed, 1 Pet. i. 23. From the state of justification we cannot fall, for the just, by faith,

shall live, viz. for ever, Hab. ii. 4. Sure as Christ could not return to the grave, these blessings cannot be revoked, John xiv. 9. But,

3. How these mercies prove that God raised Christ from the dead, is a point hard to be understood. This the Apostle expressly asserts, "and that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David." This proof of our Lord's resurrection, reminds me of that which he himself adduced, to prove that the dead shall rise at the last day, Mark xii. 26.-28. In both, there is a reasoning from the scripture; and in both, we see that scripture, is the best interpreter of scripture. Had we not had the Master going before us, in the one instance, and the inspired servant in the other, we could not have discerned the mind of the Spirit in the letter of the word. But now having such authority we may rest assured, that the proof adduced, in the latter instance, is no less in point, than that quoted in the former. All the difficulty lies in following the clue of the Apostle's reasoning. Three things I conceive, may be safely said here, viz. That it was only at his resurrection that Christ was put into the full possession of these sure mercies; that they could not be given without a view to it; and that they are all intimately connected with it.

1. Our first position is, That it was only at his resurrection that Christ was put into the full possession of these sure mercies. They were indeed promised him before the world began, Tit. i. 2. and repeated in effect, in the promises made to Abraham,