purposes, his "kingdom was to be exalted," and "his kings to be higher than Agag." "A sceptre was to rise out of Israel," and " a star to come out of Jacob." (Numb. xxiv. 7, 17.)

Then was this prediction accomplished, when " a star was seen in the east," and " they that saw it, rejoiced with great joy," and thus "a sceptre of righteousness was the sceptre of that kingdom." (Heb. i. 8.)

The true kingdom of the patriarchs was to be that prophetic kingdom of "the stone cut out without hands," which" became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." (Dan. ii. 34, 35, 44.)

That stone which was "built up, a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ: "Of this spiritual house," the chief corner-stone " has been laid, "elect and precious, and he that believeth on him. shall not be confounded." (1 Pet. ii. 5, 6.) But alas! this very stone, the head of the corner, has been disallowed by its own builders, and to them it has proved "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence." (Rom. ix. 33.)

Bishop Newton seems to contemplate the accomplishment of these prophecies, as literally realized, in the vast population of the Jewish nation. But the true fulfilment is that which St. Paul points out to the Galatians (c. iii. 29.) namely, that all people throughout the world, "whether Jews or Greeks,

whether bond or free," "if they be Christ's, are Abraham's seed-and heirs according to the promise."

He, therefore, that would "count the dust of Jacob," or "number the fourth part of Israel," must search the record of that vision, which revealed to St. John the number of those, who will be sealed in their foreheads as the servants of God. Of the literal tribes of the children of Israel, according to their earthly descent, there will be found but twelve thousand of each tribe. But "After that" "Lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands," and "with a loud voice crying" "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." (Rev. vii. 9, 10.)

In considering the prophetic parts of Holy Scripture, we are far from intending to let loose the reins of our own fancy, or to claim an unreasonable license for analogy. Our wish is simply, to compare spiritual things with spiritual, and to point out the fulfilment of scripture prophecy by an appeal to the authority of scripture itself. Nevertheless, the very elements of sacred prophecy are emblematical; and without presuming to pronounce on their intended application, where they are not so noticed in holy writ, we may perhaps venture to remark on any striking analogies, which occur to us. In considering the promises an

nounced by God to the three Patriarchs, there are circumstances which have strongly impressed us, as being typical of that full revelation of a Trinity in the unity of the Godhead, which has been declared by the gospel.

The promised seed was appointed by God to Abraham, explicitly, sufficiently and repeatedly. The same promise was with equal fulness made to Isaac; the same promise was also made to Jacob. Each one of the three, was specially and personally selected: Abraham in the first instance; Isaac in preference to Ishmael; Jacob in preference to Esau. The two latter were chosen, not solely because they were the son and grandson of Abraham. They were chosen individually, as Abraham himself had been chosen.

The privilege was, and the blessing was, to each of the three, coequal; the privilege was, and the blessing was, to each of the three independent, though not irrespective of the other two. The promise to Abraham was, "in THEE shall all families of the earth be blessed." The promise to Isaac was, "in THY seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," The promise to Jacob was, "in THEE; and in THY SEED shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Had Abraham been omitted, the promise would have been complete in Isaac, and in Jacob. Had any two of the three been omitted, the promise would have been complete in the remaining one.

Thus the promise was one; but it was threefold in its personal application.

Such as the promise was to Abraham; so was it to Isaac; and so was it to Jacob.

As the object of this glorious promise, "None was before or after the other; none was greater or less than the other, but all the three persons were coequal." Each was appointed by God to be primarily, not by descent, but individually, in himself, the STOCK, from whence the promised seed was to come. Isaac was as much the original stock by promise, though not after the flesh, as Abraham: and Jacob, equally so with Isaac. The Jews are referred in holy writ not more to one, than to the others of the three, as their progenitor. They are called "children of the stock of Abraham," by St. Paul, (Acts xiii. 26.) and "the house of Isaac" by Amos. (vii. 16.) They are styled "the seed of Jacob" by Jeremiah (xxxiii. 26.) and "the children of Israel" by Ezekiel (xliv. 15.)

Each of the three patriarchs then, was an original and primary stock, according to promise, from whence the destined "seed" was to spring. Was each of these stocks then to produce its own seed of promise? Were there to be three seeds of promise from these three appointed stocks? By no means. "He saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one; and to thy seed, which is Christ." (Gal. iii. 16.)

One seed can proceed only from one stock. There

is therefore but one stock of the promised seed, but constituting this one stock, there are three distinct and coequal persons. Thus, though the three patriarchs were one, as it were, as the stock of the promised seed; they were three in person, and also in the peculiar functions to which they were personally appointed. Abraham was "the Father of the faithful. "Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad." (John viii. 56.) "They which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Gal. iii. 9.) In distinction of persons, Abraham has always the precedence. God announced himself to Moses at Horeb, as the God of his Father, not of his Fathers. Yet this Father was three in persons. "I am the God of thy Father: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (Ex. iii. 6.) These, though three in person, were one as the Father of the Israelites. Abraham's name is nevertheless first, whenever the three are

named together in the Bible. When the persons of the Trinity in Unity are distinguished in the New Testament, this distinction is always expressed as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; so when the persons of the Father of Israel are named together, it is always as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Isaac was Abraham's "only-begotten son of the promise. "Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, in blessing I will bless thee." (Gen. xxii. 16, 17.)