Book 4 - Chapter 5: Of the Doctrine of the Prophets - by Herman Witsius

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Herman Witsius (1636-1708)

Arguably known for the best work on Covenant Theology in print (at least in the top 5).

Herman Witsius (1636-1708) was Professor of Divinity in the Universities of Franeker, Utrecht, and Leyden. A brilliant and devout student, he was fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew by the age of fifteen, when he entered the University of Utrecht. He was ordained at twenty-one and served in several pastorates, filling both the pulpit and the academic chair over the course of his life.

This, his magnum opus, is a reflection of some of the most fruitful and mature thinking on federal theology during the seventeenth century, and still holds a preeminent place in our own day.

Chapter V: Of the Doctrine of the Prophets

I. THE plan we formerly laid down should now require us to speak a little of those things from Moses himself and the succeeding prophets, which they have published concerning the person, natures, states, offices, and blessings of the Messiah. And it would be easy to show, that nothing remarkable did befall our Jesus, nothing great was either said or done by him, which the prophets did not foretell was to come to pass. The prophets, I say, who “prophesied of the grace that should come unto us; searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow,” 1 Peter. 1:10, 11; and who all, with one consent, “give witness to Jesus, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:43. The apostle Paul, who protested “he had not shunned to declare all the counsel of God,” Acts 20:27; at the same time protests, “he says none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come,” Acts 26:22. And certainly, the body itself should exactly agree with the picture, that was long before presented to the view of the ancient church, since it became the wisdom and goodness of God, to give such an exact description of the Messiah, with all his marks or characters, that he might be known by any thoughtful and attentive mind, and distinguished from all manner of impostors, who should impiously pretend to or counterfeit his name. But this subject has been, both formerly and lately, considered by the learned, and treated with such accuracy, that I have nothing to add. If any would have a compendious view of these things, he may consult the preface to the New Testament, drawn up with great judgment by our divines.