fhould be preferved for ever, and it may be preserved though that book were lost.

(21.) DE. When Prophecies are fulfilled, and the events come to pafs, they are plain to every body; but why might they not have been as plain from the beginning? And then there could have been no difpute about them, as if it had been said, that such a one by name, at fuch a time, and in fuch a place, fhould do fuch things, &c.

CHR. Because God having given man free will, he does not force men to do any wicked thing: and it would be in the power of wicked men to defeat a Prophecy against themselves, as to the circumftance of time, place, or the manner of doing the thing.

For example, if the Jews had known that Chrift had told his Apostles he was to be crucified, they would not have done it ; they would have ftoned him as they did St. Stephen; for that was the death appointed by the law for blafphemy: and they several times attempted to have ftoned Chrift for this, because he faid I am the Son of God. John viii. 59. x. 31, 32, 33. But crucifixion was a death by the Roman law. Therefore the Jews, to fulfil this Prophecy (but not knowing it) delivered Chrift to the Romans to be put to death. Yet he told them fo much of it, that after he was crucified they might know it, as he faid to them, John viii. 28. "When ye have lift up the Son of Man, then fhall ye "know that I am he." And chap. x. 32, 33. "And I, if I "be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This " he said, fignifying what death he should die." But they underftood it not till they had done it; then they knew what the lifting up meant. And chap. xviii. 31, 32. When Pilate would have had them judge him according to their law, which was stoning, they were cautious at this time only, and faid, "It is not lawful "for us to put any man to death." Because they were then under the government of the Romans. But the next words fhew the defign of Providence in it," that the faying of Jefus might "be fulfilled, which he fpake, fignifying what death he should "die." They had no such caution upon them when they stoned St. Stephen after this, nor the many times before when they took up ftones to have ftoned the fame Jefus.

Then again, the piercing his fide with the fpear was no part of the Roman fentence of execution, but happened feemingly by mere accident; for the fentence of the law was to hang upon the

crofs till they were dead: but that being the day of preparation for the Sabbath, which began that evening foon after Christ and the thieves were faftened to the crofs, before it could be fuppofed they were dead, therefore, "that the bodies might not remain "upon the cross on the fabbath-day," the Jews befought Pilate that their legs might be broken (which was no part of the fentence neither, but done) left they should efcape when taken down. Accordingly the legs of the thieves were broken, for they were yet alive, and the reafon why they brake not the legs of Chrift was, because they faw that he was dead already;" but to make fure, one of the foldiers pierced his fide with a fpear: little knowing that they were then fulfilling Prophecies, as that "a bone of him. fhould not be broken." And again, (c They fhall look on him "whom they pierced." As little did the foldiers think of it when they were cafting lots upon his vefture: and the chief Priests (if they had known it or reflected upon it) would not have upbraided him in the very words that were foretold in xxii. Pfalm, which I have before quoted. And they would have contrived the money they gave to Judas to have been one piece more or less than just thirty: they would not have come fo punctually in the way of that Prophecy, Zech. xi. 12, 13. "They weighed "for my price thirty pieces of filver." And they would have bought any other field with it, but efpecially not that of the Potter, which Zechariah there likewife mentions.

And as the enemies of Chrift did not know they were fulfilling thefe Prophecies of him, fo neither did his difciples at the time when they were fo doing. As it is faid, John xii. 16. "Thefe

things understood not his difciples at the firft; but when Jefus "was glorified, then remembered they that these things were "written of him, and that they had done thefe things unto "him." This makes the fulfilling thefe Prophecies yet more remarkable.

Where Providence fees that Prophecies will not be minded, they are more express and plain: as likewife where the paffions and interefts of men will hurry them on towards fulfilling them. Thus Alexander the great is defcribed as plainly almost as if he had been named, Dan. viii. 20, 21, 22. And it is faid, that this Prophecy, which was fhewed him by the High-Prieft at Jerufalem, did encourage him in his expedition against the Persians. But it is not fo when a man is to do foolish and wicked things, and things hurtful to himfelf; for if thefe were told plainly and

literally, it would be in his power to do otherwife; unless God fhould force his will, and then he would not be a free agent.

(22.) DE. I muft have recourse to the Jews in anfwer to these Prophecies of the Meffiah which you have brought; for they owning these Scriptures as Revelations given them by God, must have fome folution or other for them, or elfe give themselves up as felf-condemned.

CHR. The answers the Jews give will convince you the more, and render them indeed felf-condemned.

Before the coming of Chrift the Jews understood these texts as we do, to be certainly meant of the Meffiah, and of none other. But fince that time they have forced themselves to put the most ftrained and contradictory meanings upon them; for they agree not in their expofitions, and the one does manifeftly destroy the other.

Thus that text I before quoted, Gen. xlix. 10. was understood by the Chaldee and ancient Jewish interpreters to be meant of the Meffiah.

Yet of their modern Rabbies fome fay, that it was meant of Moses; but others reject that, First, Because it is plain that the gathering of the nations or Gentiles was not to Moses. Secondly, Because the scepter was not given to Judah till long after Mofes. The first of it that appears was Judg. xx. 18. when Judah was commanded by God to "go up firft," and lead the rest of the tribes; and David was the first King of the tribe of Judah. Thirdly, Because Mofes did prophecy of a greater than himself to come, to whom the people should hearken. Deut. xviii. 15, 18, 19.

For these reasons, other Rabbies fay it could not be meant of Mofes, but they apply it to the tabernacle at Shiloh. This was only for the fake of the word Shiloh, for otherwise it bears no refemblance either to the gathering of the Gentiles, or the scepter of Judah and though the house of God was firft fet up at Shiloh, yet it was removed from thence and established at Jerusalem; which was the place of which Mofes spoke that God would place his name there, as I fhall fhew you presently.

This interpretation therefore being rejected, other Rabbies fay, that this Prophecy must be meant of the Meffiah, but that by the word scepter is not to be understood a scepter of rule or government, but of correction and punishment, and that this should not

But the text explaining

depart from Judah till Shiloh came. fcepter by the word law-giver, that the scepter should not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh came, overthrows this interpretation, and fhews the scepter here mentioned to be meant of a scepter of rule and government. Again, Jofhua gave them reft from their enemies round about and the land had reft many years under their Judges; and David delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; and under Solomon they were the richest and happiest people upon earth; and frequently after they were in good condition and at eafe: fo that the scepter of correction did often depart from them before Shiloh came.

This is fo evident, that others of them allow this scepter to be a fcepter of government, but they fay the meaning is, that the Scepter fhall not finally or for ever depart from Judah, because the Meffiah will come and restore it to Judah again. But this is adding to the text, and making a new text of it, and quite different from the former, nay directly oppofite to it; for the text fpeaks only of the departing of the scepter, but nothing of the restoring it; and it cannot be restored till once it is departed: therefore this expofition faying it "fhall depart," and the text faying it "fhall not depart," are directly contrary.

Lastly, there are others who throw afide all thefe excufes, and fay, that the fcepter or dominion is not yet departed from Judah, for that fome Jew or other may have fome fort of rule or government, in fome part or other of the world, though we know it not.

DE. As if the Jews (who hold the beft correfpondence with one another of any people) could not tell this place, if there were any fuch where they were governed by their own laws, and by governments of their own nation, though in fubjection to the government of the country where they lived.

These falvos of the Jews are contradictory to each other, they are poor excuses, and fhew their cause to be perfectly destitute. But I have an objection against this Prophecy, which affects both Jews and Chriftians: that the regal fcepter did depart from the tribe of Judah long before your Shiloh came.

CHR. First, This Prophecy does not call the scepter a regal fcepter, and therefore denotes only government in the general. Secondly, The whole land and the nation took their name from Judah. It was called the land of Judah, and the nation took the

name of Jews from Judah, as before that of Hebrews from Heber their progenitor, Gen. x. 25. And this Prophecy spoke of those times when Judah fhould be the father of his country, and the whole nation fhould be comprehended under the name of Judah: and therefore Judah holds the fcepter wherever a Jew governs. Besides, the words scepter and throne are used in relation to inferior governors, to tributary kings, and kings in captivity; thus it is faid that thirty-feven years after the captivity of Judah, the king of Babylon fet the throne of Jehoiachin king of Judah above the thrones of the kings that were with him in Babylon. 2 Kings xxv. 27, 28. This was more than half the time of the captivity; and this was continued to Jehoiachin all the "days of his life," (ver. 29, 30.) which might last till the end or near the end of the captivity. But befides the king, the Jews had governors of their own nation allowed them, who were their archontes or rulers; and they enjoyed their own laws, though in subjection to the king of Babylon. The elders of Judah (which was a name of government) are mentioned in the captivity. Ezek. viii. 1. And the chief of the Fathers of Judah, and the Priests and the Levites. Ezra i. 5. And after the captivity, they had a trifhatha or governor of their own nation. Ezra ii. 63. Neh. viii. 9. And the throne or the governor is named, Neh. iii. 7. So that here was ftill the throne or fcepter of Judah.

And from the time of the Maccabees to their conqueft by the Romans, the fupreme authority was in their High Priests. As it was afterwards, but in subjection to the Romans; and they enjoyed their own laws. "Pilate faid unto them, take ye him, and "judge him according to your law." John xviii. 31. And though they answered," it is not lawful for us to put any man to death;" the reafon is given in the next verfe, "That the faying of Jefus "might be fulfilled which he fpake, fignifying what death he "fhould die." For crucifixion was a Roman death, but ftoning by the Law of Mofes was the death for blafphemy, of which they accused him. And they afterwards ftoned St. Stephen for the fame (alledged) crime, according to their own law. Their High-Priests and Council had full liberty to meet when they pleased, and to act according to their law. And Chrift himself owns they "fat in "Mofes's feat." Matth. xxiii. 2. The High-Prieft fat to judge St. Paul, who applied to him that text, Exod. xxii. 28. “Thou "fhalt not revile the gods, nor curfe the ruler of thy people, or "speak ill of him," as the Apostle renders it, Acts xxiii. 5. So