ful in all mine house. With him will I Speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark Speeches; and the fimilitude of the Lord fhall be bebold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to Speak against my fervant Mofes? (ver. 6, 7, 8.) We fee here that a great difference was made between Mofes and other prophets, and also wherein that difference lay. God revealed himself unto other prophets in dreams and vifions, but with Mofes he converfed more openly, mouth to mouth, or, as it is faid elsewhere, face to face and Mofes faw the fimilitude of the Lord. These were fingular privileges and prerogatives, which eminently diftinguished Mofes from all the other prophets of the Jewish difpenfation: and yet there was a prophet to be raised up like unto Mofes: but who ever refembled Mofes in these fuperior advantages, but Jefus the Meffiah?

It is likewife no inconfiderable argument, that the letter of the text favors our interpretation. The word is in the fingular number, The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet; and why then fhould we understand it of a fucceffion of prophets? why should we depart from the litteral conftruction without any apparent neceffity for it? Other nations hearkened unto inchanters and diviners, but the Lord VOL. I. would

M

would not suffer them fo to do; he had given them a better guide already, and would raise up unto them another prophet fuperior to all the inchanters and diviners in the world: unto him they should hearken.

The

Moreover it is implied, that this prophet should be a lawgiver. A prophet like unto thee; not fimply a prophet, but a prophet like unto Mofes, that is a fecond lawgiver, as (4) Eufebius explains it. The reafon too that is affigned for fending this prophet, will evince that he was to be vefted with this character. people had requested, that the divine laws might not be delivered to them in fo terrible and awful a manner, as they were in Horeb. God approved their request, and promised therefore, that he would raise up unto them a prophet like unto Mofes, a lawgiver who fhould fpeak unto them his commands in a familiar and gentle way. This prophet there. fore was to be a lawgiver: but none of the Jewish prophets were lawgivers, in all the

(4) Eufebii Demonf. Evangel. Lib. 1. Cap. 3. p. 6. Lib. 9. Cap. 11. p. 443. Edit. Paris. 1628.

(5) See Smith's Difcourfe of Prophecy. Chap. 2. and 11, wherein it is shown from Mai

in

intermediate time between Mofes and Chrift, If we farther appeal unto fact, we shall find that there never was any prophet, and much lefs a fucceffion of prophets,, whom the Jews efteemed, like unto Mofes. The highest degree of infpiration they term, the (5) Mofaical, and enumerate feveral particulars, wherein that hath the preeminence and advantage above all others. There was indeed, in confequence of this prophecy, a general expectation of fome extraordinary prophet to arife, which prevailed particularly about the time of our Saviour. The Jews then, as well as (6) fince, underftood and applied this prophecy to the Meffiah, the only prophet whom they will ever allow to be as great or greater than Mofes. When our Saviour had fed five thousand men, by a miracle like that of Mofes, who fed the Ifraelites in the wilderness, then those men faid This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. (John VI. 14.) St. Peter and St Stephen directly apply the prophecy to him: (Acts

prophefied without the miniftry of an angel. 3. All other prophets were afraid. and troubled, and fainted, but Mofes was not fo, for the fcripture faith that God fpake to him as a man Speaketh to his friend. 4. None of the prophets did prophefy

་

at what time they would, fave Mofes.

(6) See authorities cited in Bishop Chandler's Defence of Chriftianity. Chap. 6. Sect. z. p. 307. Edit. 3d.

M 2

(7) Eufebii

(Acts III. 22, 23. VII. 37.) and they may very well be justified for fo doing; for he fully anfwers all the marks and characters, which are here given of the prophet like unto Moses. He had immediate communication with the deity, and God fpake to him face to face, as he did to Mofes. He performed figns and wonders as great or greater than thofe of Moles. He was a lawgiver as well as Mofes. I will raife them up a prophet, faith God; and the people glorified God, faying, That a great prophet is rifen up among us. (Luke VII. 16.) I will put my words in his mouth, faith God, in Hebrew will give my words; and our Saviour faith, I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me. (John XVII. 8.) He fall Speak unto them all that I fall command him, faith God; and our Saviour faith, I have not spoken of mySelf; but the Father which fent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should fay, and what I Should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I Speak therefore, even as the Father faid unto me, fo I speak. (John XII 49, 50.)

II. We shall be more and more confirmed in this opinion, when we confider the great and ftriking likeness between Mofes and Jefus Chrift, and that the latter refembled the former

in

in more refpects than any other perfon ever did. Notice hath been taken already of fome inftances, wherein they resemble each other, of God fpeaking to both face to face, of both performing figns and wonders, of both being lawgivers: and in these respects none of the ancient prophets were like unto Moses. None of them were lawgivers; they only interpreted and inforced the law of Mofes. None of them performed fo many and fo great wonders." None of them had fuch clear communications with God; they all faw vifions, and dreamed dreams. Mofes and Jefus Chrift are the only two, who perfectly relemble each other in thefe refpects. But a more exact and particular comparison may be drawn between them, and hath been drawn by two eminent hands, by one of the best and ablest of the ancient fathers, and by one of the most learned and ingenious of modern divines and as we cannot pretend to add any thing to them, we must be content to copy from them. i.

Eufebius treating of the prophecies concerning Chrift, (7) produceth first this of Mofes; and then asketh, which of the prophets after Mofes

(7) Eufebii Demonf. Evangel. Lib. 3. Cap. 2. p. 90-94. Edit. Paris, 1628.

M 3

(8) Remarks