we see that we have no disputed authority to rely on, no indefinite language to trust to. We have his own words, his own prophecies on which to meditate. In no measured terms has he told us that he will come again, in no obscure sentences has he declared that it will be to judge mankind. As surely then as we believe him to be our Lord, and have confidence that what he has said will come to pass, so surely must we endeavour to prepare ourselves for that awful period, when all, whoever have lived, "must appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that they may receive the things done in the body according to that they have done, whether it be good or bad 1"

And we have, in this respect, a foundation for our faith, because that, the prophecy" that he will come again” is not the only one which we possess of our blessed Lord. It is, indeed, the most important, and as it remains yet to be

1 2 Cor. v. 10.

fulfilled, the most interesting to us. But if we look into the Scriptures of the New Testament, we shall find there many prophecies of Jesus Christ, some of which were immediately fulfilled, some subsequently, some after his death, besides this which yet remains to be accomplished. He came, indeed, into the world to be no less a prophet than a priest and a king. And if we can prove him to have fulfilled his office in his discharge of one of these characters, we shall the more readily believe him to have sustained the others also. And if we can shew that some of those things which he foretold have been accomplished, it will assist us in believing that what yet remains to be fulfilled will be brought about; and it will incite us to prepare for that awful period which he has pointed out, "when the dead, both small and great, shall stand before the throne of God 1."

In considering our Saviour's prophetical character, which we are now about to

1 Rev. xx. 12.

do, we will take occasion to view it in all its branches, that we may shew him to have had that quick apprehension of immediate approaching events, as well as that insight into futurity, which is a distinguishing mark of the prophets and servants of God. Not only had he the Spirit of God abiding with him in his view of great events, but he knew the smallest circumstance which happened near him; and comprehended the minutest event of the things which passed around him. He knew the thoughts of his disciples' hearts, when they disputed who among them should be the greatest1; he knew the inward murmurings of the pharisees when they dared not openly accuse him of blasphemy, and when they only muttered threats against him, for, as they hypocritically expressed it, breaking the sabbath. He could also direct his disciples in their conduct, and could regulate their behaviour in the employment in which he made use of them, by telling

1 Mark ix. 33.

2 Luke vi. 8. 11.

them what would occur.

When he in

tended to ride in triumph into Jerusalem', thereby to fulfil one of the prophecies of the Old Testament which had been spoken of him, he could direct his followers where to find the colt of an ass tied, he could tell them what would be the behaviour of the owner of it, and how he would finally comply with his wishes. When he was desirous of celebrating the feast of the passover with the twelve 2, he could tell Peter and John where to make ready for him by directing them to follow a man, whom they would meet, bearing a pitcher of water, whose master he knew would permit them the use of his guest-chamber. The particular circumstances here foreseen by our blessed Saviour are obviously in themselves indifferent, except as they point out his unlimited foreknowledge; but it was the same miraculous apprehension of coming events with that which made him speak of the sickness of Lazarus, "that it was not unto

1 Luke xix. 30.

2 Luke xxii. 8.

death;" which could enable him to tell his affectionate but fearful disciples that all of them would forsake him in his distressful situation 2; which could give him power to tell the traitor that his thoughts were known to him, while he dipped his hand with him in the dish, and when he hypocritically kissed him; and which could cause him to repress the zeal and forwardness of Peter by the caution, "I say unto thee that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice *."

The foreknowledge of our Saviour, to which your attention has hitherto been drawn, is rather of a prophetic character than the spirit of direct prophecy; the next will be of a more explicit nature. Throughout the whole of his public life we observe him openly declaring what was to be the termination of it, and through whom. He seems never to have hesitated to tell the pharisees that he knew

1 John xi. 4.

2 Matt. xxvi. 31.

3 Matt. xxvi. 23. and Luke xxii. 48. 4 Matt. xxvi. 34.