THE holy prophets, whose writings are contained in the sacred scripture, are sixteen. Of these Isaiah, is first in place, and, as may seem probable, in time also. But undoubtedly he was cotemporary with Hosea. Compare Isaiah i, 1, with Hosea i, 1. The Jews tell us that he was of the blood royal of Judah. But undoubtedly he was the prince of all the prophets, whether we consider the great extent and variety of his prophecies, the excellency and sublimity of those mysteries which were revealed to him and by him, the majesty and elegancy of his style, or the incomparable liveliness and power of his sermons. He so evidently and fully describes the person, and offices, and sufferings, and kingdom of Christ, that some of the ancients called him the fifth Evangelist. And it is observed, that there are more quotations in the New Testament taken out of Isaiah, than out of all the other prophets.