'•'IB*).; 
 
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OF   THE 
 
 Theological   Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON,    N.  J. 
 
 O  flT"  Division.... Vv^.rrfl^ntt... 
 
 Z Sec...       ..mP... 
 
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 Shelf, 
 Book, 
 
 Divisi( 
 
 Sectir.  ■ 
 
 A      DONATION 
 
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 -/  ^/^Kn^'^ 
 
 ^^T 
 
DEFENCE 
 
 O    F 
 
 CHRISTIANI  TY 
 
 FROM      THE 
 
 PROPHECIES 
 
 O    F        T   H    E 
 
 OLD     TESTAMENT, 
 
 Whercnare  CONSIDER  ED 
 
 All  the  O  B  J  E  C  T I  O  N  S  againft 
 this  KIND   of  P  R  O  O  F, 
 
 Advanced  in   a  Late 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 OF       THE 
 
 GROUNDS  mdRE^SONS 
 of  the  Christian  Religion. 
 
 By  theJBLiefht  Reverend  Father   in  God 
 ET>  f^J RT>J^d.Wi(ho^  oi Coventry  z\-\<i  LichfiehL 
 
 «  'Zu.^^HKu.ta).     Orig.  c.  Ce.r.  1 1 . 
 
 L  O  NT>  O  N: 
 
 Printed  for  J  a  m  e  s  K  n  a  p  t  o  n,  at   the  Cro-^'n  In 
 St.  'Taid's  Church-yard,    m  dcc  xxv. 
 
T  O    T  H  E 
 
 KING. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Df FENCE  of  the  Chriftian 
 Faith,  cannot  be  addrelied  to 
 any  Perfon  fo  properly  as  to 
 your  Majelty,  with  whoie  Crown  the; 
 Title  of  Defender  of  the  Faith  is 
 united  :  Nor  ought  it  to  feek  any 
 other  Patronage  than  youv  Majefty^s, 
 whofe  princely  Care  and  Zeal  have 
 been  often  exprefs^d  in  behalf  of  the 
 Chriltian  Religion,    and  in  Oppofiti- 
 
 A  X  on 
 
T>ET)ICATIOn. 
 
 on  to  the  Profanenefs,    Debauchery, 
 and  Immoralities  of  the  Age. 
 
 Your  Majefty  was  hardly  fettled  in 
 the  Throne^  before  You  put  forth 
 a  Proclamation,  for  the  Encourage- 
 ment of  Piety  and  Virtue,  and  the 
 Punifning  of  Principles  and  Prafliices 
 that  were  deftruftive  of  both.  Being 
 fcnlible  that  the  Bleffing  of  Kings  and 
 Kingdoms  is  from  the  Favour  of  Al- 
 mighty God,  which  is  not  to  be  ob- 
 tained out  of  the  Ways  of  Religion 
 and  Virtue  :  Your  Majefty  provided, 
 in  the  firll  Place,  for  the  Obfer- 
 vance  of  God^s  Laws,  and  the  En- 
 forcement of  Chriftian  Obedience  a- 
 mong  your  Subjeds. 
 
 This  Proclamation  hath  been  fol- 
 lowed fince,  with  repeated  Diredi-. 
 ons  to  your  Archbiihops  and  Billiops, 
 with  Charges  to  your  Judges  and  civil 
 Magiftrates^  to  ftir  them  up,  by  all 
 
 Means 
 
7)  E'D  I  C  A  T  I  0  N. 
 
 Means  and  Endeavours,  fuitable  to 
 their  refpeftive  Stations,  to  control 
 the  Spirit  of  Infidelity  and  Libertinifin 
 that  was  grown  audacious  ;  and  in  a 
 feafonable  Order  of  your  Majcfty  in 
 Council,  for  liipprefling  of  thofc  impi- 
 ous Clubs,  that  then  ufed  to  meet 
 on  purpofe  to  harden  one  another  in 
 Sin,  and  to  feoff  Religion,  if  it  were 
 poffible,  out  of  the  World. 
 
 And  yet  as  if  the  Tarti[a7ts  for 
 Irreligion,  would  be  daunted  by  no- 
 thing, they  go  Oil  to  milreprefent 
 the  Arguments,  and  to  fip  the  Foun- 
 dations of  Chrillianity,  in  Books  pub- 
 lickly  fold  and  difperfed,  for  no  other 
 End  as  can  be  conjectured,  (at  leaft 
 fuch  is  the  neceilliry  cfiefl:  of  Books 
 of  this  Nature)  than  the  unfettling 
 Men  s  Minds  as  to  all  P^eligion,  and 
 the  leaving  them  at  liberty,  by  tak- 
 ing away  the  Reftraints  upon  Con- 
 fcience  from  the   Chriftian  Religion, 
 
 to 
 
T>  E  D  I  C  AT  1  0  K 
 
 to  return  to  the  abominable  Prac- 
 tices of  the  Heathens^  with  Gree- 
 dinefs,  and  without  check. 
 
 Wherever  the  Fault  lies,  that 
 fuch  wicked  Opinions  are  fuffered  to 
 be  maintained  and  propagated  fo 
 openly,  with  more  than  pharafaick 
 Zeal,  we  mull  in  Juftice,  as  well  as 
 Gratitude  to  your  Majefty,  publifli  it 
 to  the  World,  that  it  is  againft  your 
 Majefcy's  Will,  that  they  keep  or 
 gain  Ground  :  We  have  this  Com- 
 fort, while  we  are  difcharging  our 
 Duty  to  God  and  Man,  and  pleading 
 the  Caufe  of  natural,  as  well  as  re- 
 vealed Religion,  that  we  are  at  the 
 fame  Time  purfuing  your  Majefty's 
 pious  Intentions,  and  are  fecure  of 
 your  Royal  Proteftion  and  Counte- 
 nance in  it  ;  as  we  have  often  expe- 
 rienced the  ready  Affiftance  of  fome 
 Perfons,  upon  thefe  Occafions  (  to 
 their  Honor  be  it  faid  ! )    employ  d 
 
 by 
 
T>ET>ICATIOK. 
 
 by    your  Majefty     in    the    Admini- 
 Itration. 
 
 May  God,  in  whofe  Hands  are 
 the  Hearts  of  Princes,  who  fiiggefted 
 to  your  Thoughts  the  Things  that 
 have  proceeded  from  your  Majefty 
 in  Favour  of  Religion,  continue 
 your  Majefty  in  the  like  holy  Senti- 
 ments and  Refolutions,  to  difcounte- 
 nance  and  fupprefs  the  Atheifm  and 
 Loofenefs  of  the  Times  ;  which  are 
 not  more  injurious  to  the  Honour  of 
 God,  than  they  are  dangerous  to 
 your  Majefty's  Government,  and  the 
 Tranquility  of  your  Realms  ;  that 
 fo  your  Kingdoms  may  advance  in 
 the  Knowledge  and  Praftice  of  all 
 Chriftian  Truths,  as  they  do  daily 
 in  Profperity  at  home,  and  Repu- 
 tation abroad  !  Such  are  the  united 
 Wifties,  and  I  truft  will  be  the  un- 
 wearied Endeavours  of  the  Body  of 
 your  Clergy,   who  have  God's  Glorv^. 
 
 •     the 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 the  Happinefs  of  Mankind,  and 
 the  Eftablifliment  of  your  Majefty 
 and  your  Royal  Pofterity  at  heart ; 
 as  they  fliall  be  the  conftant  Pray- 
 er  of. 
 
 May  it  pleafejour  Majejiy^ 
 
 Tour  mojl  Dutiful  Sulje£i- 
 
 And  Servant, 
 
 Edward  Gov.  and  hicu. 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 T 
 
 HE    Introdudion. 
 Chap.  I.     SeSl.  i. 
 
 Page  I. 
 
 There  was  a  general  Expeflation  of  the  Meffias  to 
 come,  about  the  time,  that  our  Lord  Jtfus  Chrift 
 appeared,  which  was  a  Tradition  of-  their  Ancef- 
 
 tors,  from  the  Ages  before  tliat  of  Chnfl:,  up  to 
 
 the  Age  next  to  the  Prophets. 
 
 -  -  -  'SeU  2.  T,"). 
 
 A  Continuation  of  the  Proofs  for  the  foregoing  Pro- 
 pofition. 
 
 More  Proofs  continu'd. 
 
 48. 
 
 Chap.  II.     Sea.  1.  58. 
 
 This  general  Expedation  was  grounded  full,   on  the 
 Prophecies  of  the  Old  Teftamenc. 
 
 a  Chap, 
 
CONTENTS.     . 
 
 Chap,  II.  SeEi,  2.    XII.  Texts  which  literally  and  fingly  pro^ 
 •  phefy  of  the  Coming  of  the  MefliaSj  viz,, 
 
 Md,'\\ui,  P^9  IS* 
 
 iv.  5,  (J.  ■        78. 
 
 Hag,  ii.  6>  7,  8,  p.  8<J. 
 
 Zech.  ix  5?.  102. 
 
 " xii.  10.  107. 
 
 Dan.  ii.  44,  45.  115. 
 
 vii.  15,  14.  128, 
 
 ix.  24,  2  5)  2(?,  27.  152. 
 
 Aiicahv,  2.  150. 
 
 Hob,  ii.  3,4.  ?i£^p. 
 
 \Amos\x.  II>I2.  i<^8. 
 
 £7^7  lii.    f.   lii&c,  178. 
 
 C%.  III.  iSf^.  I.  ip5.' 
 
 This  Expedation  was  grounded  alio  on  typical  Pro- 
 phecies of  the  Mefhas,  which  did  alio  refer  to  him, 
 in  their  intended  literal  Senfe. 
 
 L ScU   2.  ^\6^ 
 
 The  Prophets  themfelves  underflood  fome  of  the  Pro- 
 phecies before  their  Times,  as  typical  of  the  Mef- 
 fias :  and  fometimes  intimated  that  their  own  Pio- 
 phecies  were  fo  to  be  referred. 
 
 i,  -  -  -  SeU.  5.  ^30. 
 
 Proofs  of  Types  in  the  Old  Teftament. 
 
 -  -  -  -  SeEi.  4.  242, 
 
 Types  of  the  Meffias  further  inftanced  in 
 
 .  -  -  -  SeB.  5.  251. 
 
 The  latter  Jews  acknowledge  Types  in  the  Old  Te- 
 
 flamenr,    and  particularly   Types  of  the  Meffias. 
 
 Reafons  for  God's  concealing  many  things  relating 
 
 tp'  Chrift  under  Types. 
 
 Chapa 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 C%.  IV.    SeU.  r.  (age  2(^5. 
 
 Of  the  Texts  in  the  Old  Tcftament,  pretended  by 
 the  jinthor  of  Grounds  and  Reafinst  to  be  mifapplied 
 in  the  New. 
 
 •-  -  -  -  Sect,  1.  5 16, 
 
 The  Objedion  confider'd  againft  the  Truth  of  St. 
 Mattheiv's  Application  of  Ef^  vii.  14.  to  Chrifts 
 Birth  of  a  Virgin. 
 
 fhap.  V.    Sect   i.  340» 
 
 Of  the  Allegorick  or  other  Methods  of  citing  Scrip- 
 ture, ufed  by  the  Writers  of  the  New  Teftamenr. 
 
 • Sect.  2,  ^tf^. 
 
 The  "Gentiles  were  not  to  be  converted  to  Judailm, 
 previoufly  to  their  becoming  .Chriftians. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  Sect.  i.  595; 
 
 The  Senfe  given  by  Chrift  and  his  Apoflles,  to  the 
 Prophecies  of  the  Old  Teftament,  is  certainly  to 
 be  prcferr'd  to  any  other  pollible  Senfe  of  the  Pro- 
 phecies. 
 
 ^  -  -  -  Sect,  2*  ^97. 
 
 This  proved  i.  From  Chrift's  being  acknowledge  by 
 the  Jews,  to  be  a  Prophet. 
 
 Z  -  '  '  Sect,  3.  41  J," 
 
 i.  From  the  Miracles  of  Chrift. 
 
 -  -  -  -  Sect,  4.  45  9» 
 
 An  Anfwer  to  the  Objef^ions  againft  the  Proof  from 
 Chrift's  Miracles,  of  the  Tjuth  of  his  Interpreta- 
 itions. 
 
 Ch^, 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 thap,  VI.  Sect,  5  Tage.  4(Ji7 
 
 3.  Proved  from  the  Accompliftiment,  of 
 many  Prophecies  then  unfulfilled,  in  the  Senfe  where- 
 in Chrift  or  his  Apoftles  interpreted  them,  even  when 
 their  Interpretations  differ 'd ,  from  thofe  of  thd^ 
 |ews  of  that  Time. 
 
 A 
 
THE 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 (^^  F  one  \Vcre  to  judg  of  the 
 
 principles,  and  dciign  of 
 Chriltianity,  from  the  reft- 
 Icis  endeavours,  of  fome 
 men,  to  dilparagc  and  un- 
 dermine it  5  or  of  the  Evi- 
 dence for  the  goipel,  from  the  contempt 
 and  (corn,  wherewith  they  treat  the  firft 
 preachers,  and  firft  behcvers  of  it,  one  muft 
 conclude,  that  furely  Chriftianity,  is  the 
 moft  pernicious  Sect,  that  hath  yet  prevail- 
 ed :  that  it  was  received,  upon  llight  or  no 
 proofs;  fuchas  we  are  told,  the  wife  couU  Grounds 
 fee  no  reafon  for,   till  they  were,  beaten  in-  ^"'^  ^ 
 
 to  the  gofpel. 
 
 Nothing  lefs,  than  its  defcrving,  for  the 
 wickednefs  and  folly,  of  its  dgftrines  and 
 proofs,  to  be  thus  treated,  can  excufe 
 that  bitter  zeal,  thofe  lewd  infinuations, 
 thofc  faiic  mifrcprelcntations  and  conceal- 
 
 B  mentj 
 
 i--  94. 
 
ii  the  INTRO'DVCTION. 
 
 ments  of  the  truth,  ihewed  by  a  late  wri- 
 ter, in  his  labor  to  profelyte  men,  from  the 
 Chriftian,  to  no  religion  at  all. 
 
 But  if  neither  the  one,  nor  the  other,  is 
 juftly  to  be  charged,  on  the  Chriftian  reli- 
 gion, what  fhall  we  think  of  Thofc,  (for  I 
 am  unwilling  to  fay  it,)  who  not  content, 
 themfelves  to  abufe,  the  juft:  liberty  of  pri- 
 vate judgment,  are  importunate,  tomiflead 
 the  young  and  the  unskilful,  and  to  har- 
 den the  vitious  part  of  the  world,  in  infi- 
 delity !  Who  leave  no  ftone  unturned,  to 
 lay  afide  the  befl:  Religion,  without  intend- 
 ing any  Religion  at  all,  in  its  place  ! 
 
 Did  They  declare  their  defign,  which 
 they  now  carry  on  covertly,  it  would  be 
 very  eafy,  for  the  Sober  and  Thinking  part 
 of  the  world,  to  try  who  are  the  T)ecet- 
 ^erSy  '•jjho  the  true  enemies  of  mankind  7 
 They,  who  teach  a  religion  moft  worthy  of 
 God,  moft  friendly  to  fociety,  moft  help- 
 ful to  government  (which  is  the  band  of 
 fociety,)  and  moft  beneficial  to  every  Indi- 
 vidual, upon  as  great  certainty  at  leaft,  as 
 inen  are  wont  to  require,  before  they  en- 
 gage in  any  important  affair  of  life:  or 
 They,  who  on  pretence  of  little  difficul- 
 ties, incident  to  the  nature  of  its  Doctrines, 
 <or  upon  fome  KiiKis  of  Proofs,  which  they 
 
 unreal 
 
The  INTR0T>UCT10N.  iii 
 
 tinrcafonably  aggravate,  deny  truth,  and 
 certainty  in  all  the  Reft,  and  would  artful- 
 jy  condud  their  followers,  into  a  ftatc  of 
 diftruft,  fear,  cor.tufion  and  war,  without 
 leaving  them,  the  comfort  of  God's  wife 
 and  good  providence,  and  the  hope  of  his 
 retribution  hereafter,  to  Ibpport  them  un- 
 der it. 
 
 For  fuch  a  Religion  indeed  is  the  Chrifti- 
 an,  if  it  be  taken  from  its  fourcc,  the  Holy 
 Scriptures  5  and  ftript  of  the  additions,  that 
 Policy,  miifake,  and  the  circumftances  of 
 Times  have  made  to  it.  We  challeni^e  the 
 wit  and  malice  of  its  enemies  to  fay,  whe- 
 ther it  be  not  moft  holy  and  pure  in  its  pre- 
 cepts, and  gives  not  the  moft  exalted  thoughts 
 of  God,  and  the  moft  abafmg  opinion  of 
 our  felves:  Whether  it  places  perfedion  in 
 any  thing  lefs,  than  rcfembling  God,  and  li- 
 ving up  to  the  dignity  of  our  Beings :  Whe- 
 ther its  worlhip,  be  not  a  reafonable  fervice, 
 adapted  to  the  fpirituai  nature  of  God,  and 
 the  mixt  compofition  of  Men  :  Whether 
 the  gofpel-tcrms  of  acceptance  upon  finccf- 
 rity,  and  pardon  upon  repentance,  be  not 
 iiiited,  to  the  prefent  condition  of  humand 
 nature;  and  its  rewards  proportioned,  to 
 men  s  innate  ftrong  defires  of  hiimortality  : 
 Whether  tranquillity  be  to  be  had,  out  of  the 
 B  2.  way 
 
iy  The  1NTR0T>UCTI0N. 
 
 way  it  recommends,  of  reftraining  inordi- 
 nate defircs,  and  ruffling  pailions,  of  follow- 
 ing the  didates  of  confcience,  or  reconci- 
 ling our  felves  to  God  by  amendment,  after 
 having  aded  otherwife  5  and  of  living  in 
 dependance  on  God's  proteftion,  aid  and 
 favor  in  well-doing  :  Whether  in  the  prac- 
 tice of  univerfal  jufticcj  equity,  charity, 
 and  other  focial  and  relative  offices,  (all 
 which  are  enjoyned  or  enforced  by  Chrifti- 
 anity,)  the  earth  would  not  become  a  moft 
 joyful  place,  as  it  hath  proved,  through  ig- 
 norance or  neglect,  of  thefe  dodrines  and 
 motives,  to  be  the  feat  of  contention,  ra- 
 pine and  opprcffion. 
 
 And  if  thefe  great  ends  be  attainable, 
 under  and  by  means  of  the  Chriftian  Dif^ 
 penfation,  it  is  not  hard  to  determine,  on 
 which  fide,  the  true  wifdom  of  mankind, 
 Ihould  determine  them  ^  whether  to  Athe- 
 ifm,  which  muft  infallibly  unfettle  the  hap- 
 pinefs  of  Individuals,  and  overturn  the 
 peace  of  the  world  5  or  to  mecr  Deifm, 
 which  hath  never  yet  been  tryed  in  any 
 Country ;  or  to  the  Chriftian  religion,  which 
 were  it  obeyed,  would  eftablifh  the  happi- 
 nefs  that  is  attainable  in  this  life,  and  to 
 which  (as  little  as  it  is  practifed)  is  however 
 owing  the  quiet^    the  fecurity,   the  order, 
 
 that 
 
The  INTRODUCTION, 
 that  a  great  part  of  the  world,    enjoys  at 
 prefcnt. 
 
 This  alone,  viz.  the  intrinfick  worth  of 
 its  doiflrines,    the  plain  marks  of  wildoni 
 and  goodnefs  vifible,  in  the  ends  and  ten- 
 dencies,    of  every  part  of    the  Chriftian 
 Scheme,    was  enough  to  recommend  it  to 
 the  acceptation,  of  all  wile  and  rcafonablc 
 men.     But  this  was  not  the  only  argument, 
 by  which  it  prevailed.     Dry  reafon,  is  often 
 unfuccefsful,  when  it  combats  with  the  pre- 
 judices, prepoilelllons,  aifecfions  and  intcr- 
 cfts  of  worldly  men.     To  prove  the  divine 
 original,  of  Chriftianity  to  fuch,    external 
 evidence  was  needful,     wherein  an  appeal 
 was  made,  to  their  fenfes  and  experience. 
 Miracles,  prophecies,  and  other  extraordinary 
 operations  of  the  fpirit,  were  arguments,  le- 
 velled to  the  capacities  of  the  meaneft,   at 
 the  fame  time,  th^  they  afFedcd  the  Philo- 
 fophers,    and  were  moft  proper  to  remove 
 the   obftrudions,    that  deny    entrance,    to 
 fimple  truths,  in  All. 
 
 It  is  a  Syllogifm  equally  concluflvc,  to 
 the  learned  and  the  unlearned  :  No  man 
 can  do  the  works  of  God,  except  God  be 
 with  him.  It  is  the  work  of  God,  to  va- 
 ry the  laws  of  Nature  at  pleafure,  to  ad 
 t>cfide,  or  contrary  to  her  cftablifht  rules. 
 
 B  5  This 
 
Vi  The  INTRO'DUCTION. 
 
 This  Chrift  did;,  in  very  many  Inftances : 
 Efpecially,  in  that  aftonifhing  inftance,  of 
 raiPing  himfelf,  from  the  Dead  :  This  the 
 Apoftles  didj  when  they  fpake  divers  kinds 
 of  tongues,  whicii  they  never  learned,  and 
 -interpreted  others,  at  firft  hearing :  Wher^ 
 they  difcovered,  the  thoughts  and  purpofes, 
 of  other  men  s  hearts,  healed  all  kinds  of 
 difeafes  with  a  v/ord,  and  beftowed  like 
 gifts  upon  the  firft  Believers,  This  appeatr 
 ed,  in  Chrift's  clear  circumftantial  prophe-^ 
 cies,  concerning  what  fhould  be  done  to 
 himfelf,  to  his  followers,  to  the  Jews,  and 
 upon  the  Gentiles.  Chrift  was  therefore 
 a  Teacher  fent  from  God,  and  fo  were  they, 
 that  were  commilTioned  by  him.  It  is  fol- 
 Jy,  as  well  as  obftinacy,  not  to  draw  the  in- 
 
 ^■ference,  in  favor  of  that  Religion,  which 
 thefe  works  did  confirm, 
 
 '"     Were  they  weak  and  fmiple  men,   that 
 
 "^kach'd  the  gofpel  and  wrought  thefe 
 works  of  wonder,  there  could  be  the  lefs 
 art,  and  contrivance  in  the  whole,  on  theis; 
 part ;  the  fecret,  had  they  any,  muft  have 
 been  eafUy  found  out,  by  the  Wife.  And 
 no  fuch  difcovcry  being  made,  the  hand 
 of  God  doth  ftill  more  appear,  in  the  pro- 
 ^refs  of  the  Chriftian  dodrinc,  by  fuch  weak 
 inilrumems ;   which,   in  a  few  years^   was 
 
 •'^^  '  (a 
 
The  INTROT>UCTION.  vii 
 
 fo  fuccefsful,  as  to  convert  a  great  part  of 
 the  Roman  Empire,  and  among  them,  fome 
 that  were  thought  'H'lfe,  before  their  con- 
 vcrfion. 
 
 It  was  mccr  evidence  alone,  that  could 
 give  the  fucccfs,  while  all  the  difcouragc- 
 ments  of  the  world,  the  lufts  of  men,  the 
 powers  of  the  empire,  and  the  madncis  of  the 
 multitude,  byalVcd  them  the  other  way. 
 They  were  the  unbelievers,  the  good-na- 
 tured Pacifick  oppofcrs,  of  revealed  religi- 
 on, that  for  fome  centuries,  pcrfecuted  the 
 Chrillian  Profeflbrs :  The  ijiife,  in  this  au- 
 thor's fenfe,  invented  all  weapons  of  cru- 
 elty, to  beat  every  one,  that  was  difpofed 
 to  Chriftianity,  out  of  that  refolution, 
 while  the  innocent  fufferers,  were  fo  far 
 from  being  able,  to  drive  the  "iz'tfe  into  the 
 gofpely  that  they  had  no  power  to  refift 
 their  heathen  Butchers,  Pcrfecution  was 
 not  ufed,  by  any  part  of  the  Chrillian 
 Church,  before  the  declenfion  of  the  4th 
 Century,  when  the  world  was  come  into 
 the  Church,  and  brought  with  them,  the 
 fame  turbulent  Spirit,  that  pufhed  them,  to 
 pcrfecute  ChrilHanity,  and  which  they 
 mortified  not  afterwards.  But  let  that 
 pals 
 
 B  4  Befidcs 
 
viii  The  INTR  O  T>  UC  TION. 
 
 Befidcs  this  evidence  for  Ctinftiamty,  in 
 common  to  Jew  and  Gentile,  Another 
 Proof,  from  the  prophefies  of  the  Old  Tef- 
 tamcnt,  was  infifted  on  with  the  J  ews  in 
 particular,  to  whom  alone,  the  oracles  of 
 God,  had  been  formerly  committed.  And 
 this  way  wasefFedual,  to  bring  the  Jews  over 
 to  Chriftianity.  Thofe  that  fearch'd  the 
 Scriptures  daily y  as  the  noble  ^^r^^w  Jews 
 did,  finding  thofe  things  to  be  fo  in  the  e- 
 vent,  as  they  were  opened  and  alledged  by 
 the  Apoftlcs,  from  the  prophecies;  did  5^ 
 Ijeve.  It  was  from  the  careful  ftudyingof  the 
 -  books,  of  the  Old  Teftament,  that  fo  many 
 Jews,  were  induced  to  embrace  Chriftia- 
 nity, as  R.  Eliezer  in  Trajan^  days  com- 
 
 Allix.  a-        ,   .       ,  -^ 
 
 gainftthe   plamcd. 
 
 y  u6  ^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^  objedlioi),  on  the  part  of 
 
 the  Jews,  in  Chrift's  time,  to  the  Chrifti- 
 an  intetpretation  of  their  prophecies.  And 
 it  is  abfurd  to  fancy,  the  Apoftles  urged 
 fhem,  in  a  diftcrent  fcnfe,  from  what  the 
 Jews  conceived  of  them.  As  weak  men, 
 as  they  arc  reprcfentcd  to  be,  they  muft 
 furely  be  allowed,  cunning  enough  to  fore- 
 fee,  what  would  promote,  or  obftrudl  their 
 main  defign,  who  were  capable,  to  engage 
 in  a  work,  of  changing  the  religion,  of  a 
 pertinacious  people,   that  would  not  hear 
 
 of 
 
The  INTRODUCTION.  ix 
 
 of  alteration  in  the  Icart  rite,  without  run- 
 nini^  the  utmoft  lengtli  of  madncis.  Could 
 they  hope  to  prevail,  on  llich  a  people,  by 
 putting  fenfes  on  Scripture,  entirely  new 
 to  them,  which  contradicted  the  plain  con- 
 ftruction  of  the  words,  and  which  every 
 Jew,  by  turning  his  bible  could  refute  ? 
 
 Chriil  and  his  Apoftles,  were  under  no  nc- 
 cefllty,  of  forging  this  fort  of  argument,  fince 
 they  were  able,  to  otfer  others,  to  which 
 no  objeeiion  lay.  The  ]ev/s  did  not  want, 
 nor  did  the  Chriftian  religion  (land  in  need, 
 of  any  accellion  of  evidence,  from  the  Old 
 Teftament.  Though  the  Prophets  had  not 
 faid,  a  tittle  of  the  Mcfllas,  his  miffion 
 was  capable  of  a  firm  eftabliihmcnt,  from 
 his  miracles  and  predidions,  and  divine 
 gifts.  Why  then,  fhould  they  call  in  the  aid, 
 of  a  difputablc  proof,  without  occafion? 
 Upon  the  reafon  of  the  thing,  I  may  there- 
 fore fay  by  advance,  that  the  Prophecies 
 cited  by  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  in  difputc 
 with  the  Jews,  were  lb  undcrftood,  as  they 
 were  cited. 
 
 Indeed  all  the  prophecies,  alledged  in  the 
 New  Teflament,  are  not  equally  clear  of 
 Chrift  3  nor  were  they  intended,  to  be  e- 
 qually  conclufive.  Some  are  quoted,  after 
 ihcjcwilh  manner,    in  books  written  for 
 
 thcni 
 
^  The  INTRO'DUCTION. 
 
 them  that  ah'cady  bcUeved,  not  to  con- 
 vince, but  to  illuftrate  and  confirm :  and 
 among  thofe,  alkdged  as  proofs,  if  there 
 be  doubt  concerning  fome  few  of  them, 
 that  doth  not  affed,  all  the  prophecies,  that 
 have  been  fo  applied,  in  the  New  Tefta- 
 ment,  thofe  efpecially,  of  which  there  is 
 no  reafon  to  doubt. 
 
 The  Chriftian  religion,  would  neverthe- 
 lefs  (land  firm,  though  we  could  not  explain, 
 how  fome  paOages,  interpreted  of  him  in 
 the  gofpel,  were  applicable  to  him.  If  any 
 one,  much  more,  if  many  prophecies,  from 
 the  Old  Teftament,  are  found  to  relate 
 clearly,  to  the  Mellias,  we  ought  upon  the 
 credit  of  it,  or  them,  to  believe  in  the 
 Lordjefus,  who  fulfilled  them,  as  much,  as 
 if  he  had  been  foretold,  in  every  page. 
 
 It  is  not  ground  enough,  for  rejeding  a 
 Revelation,  that  we  arc  not  able  to  an- 
 fwer,  all  the  difficulties,  that  may  be  raifed, 
 againft  fome  part  of  it,  if  the  whole,  be  o- 
 therwife  well  attefted.  To  form  a  com- 
 pleat  judgment,  all  the  evidence  fhould  be 
 brought,  into  one  view,  and  the  objedions 
 to  any  part,  compared  with  the  Strength, 
 of  the  whole.  To  thofe  that  proceed  this 
 way  with  impartiality,  in  examination  of 
 Chriftianity,  I  am  confident,  that  whatever 
 
 objv^^ion 
 
The  INTROTfUCTlON.  xi 
 
 objcaion,   appears  fmgly   to  have  weight, 
 will  prove  light  in  ballance,  with  the  entire 
 prpofs.     And  any  branch  of  evidence,  re- 
 inainingunmakcn,  the  foundation  ought  to 
 be  fuppofcd  llu-c.     Nor  doth  it  follow,  as 
 to  thofe  texts,    which   we  cannot  explain 
 clearly,   that  the  ]ews  could  not  ;    or  did 
 not  underftand  them,  of  the  Mefl'ias.    Much 
 of  the  evidence  they  had,  and  of  their  rea^ 
 fon  and  manner,  of  interpreting  fcripture,  is 
 loft  to  us:  and  probably,  to  the  Jews  thcm- 
 felves,  fincc  their  difperfion.  Some,  the  Jews 
 induftrioufly  hide  from   us.     Prefs'd   with 
 the  force  of  proofs,  from  their  own  fcrip- 
 tures,   they  renounce  fomc  of  the  fenti- 
 ments,  of  their  Anceftors,  in  open  difpute 
 with   the  Chriftians,    which,  in  private  in- 
 ftrudions  to  one  another,  they  retain. 
 
 In  this  iituation,  it  were  indeed  to  be  won- 
 dred,  if  obfcurity  fliould  not  lye,  upon  fome 
 of  the  prophefies,  the  latcft  whereof  was 
 written,  at  the  diftance  of  above  two  thou- 
 sand >tars  ago.  Difficulties  will  arife,  upon 
 the  conftrudion  of  writings  of  a  much  later 
 date,  when  difputations  or  interclled  men, 
 have  the  management  of  the  Argument. 
 
 Prophetick  writings,  befide  what  is  com- 
 mon to  them,  with  other  writings,  to  grow 
 dark  with  age,  have  fomcthing  peculiar  in 
 
 their 
 
xii  The  INTRO'DUCTION. 
 
 their  nature,  to  render  them  lefs  intelligible. 
 Prophefies,  remote  from  the  time  of  their 
 accomplifhment,  and  whofe  completion  de- 
 pends, on  the  concurrence  of  free  Agents, 
 are  not  wont,  to  be  delivered  very  diftindly, 
 at  firft.  The  fubftance  or  main  delign,  may 
 be  fufficiently  underftood,  beforehand  j  the 
 circumftances  and  fpecial  application,  are 
 left,  to  be  explained,  in  the  event. 
 
 The  fame  obfervation  holds  good,  as  to 
 the  prophefies  of  the  Mcflias,  which  fpeak 
 of  him,  in  the  beginning,  very  generally, 
 and  afterwards,  under  various  charaders  and 
 names,  fuited  to  the  adions  he  was  to  per- 
 form, and  the  charaders  he  was  to  fuftain. 
 To  conned,  thefe  disjointed  paflagcs,  into 
 one  regular  fyftem,  and  to  reconcile  the 
 feemingly  oppofite  ideas,  of  theMellias,  in 
 the  fame  perfon,  was  almoft  impoflible,  be- 
 fore they  faw,  how  exadly  our  Lord  Jefus  an- 
 fwered  to  them  all.  But  feeing  all  thofe 
 different  lines,  center  in  his  perfon,  they  had 
 wherewithal,  to  enlighten  them  ;  they  might 
 difcern  plainly,  that  there  was  but  one  iingle 
 perfon,  under  different  views,  intended  by 
 all  the  Prophets. 
 
 Even  the  Prophets  themfclves,    did  not 
 I  Pet.  i,  fi^  clearly y  to  the  end  of  'what  they  reveal- 
 ed.    They  'who prophefied  of  the  grace  that 
 
 ffoould 
 
 II. 
 
The  INTR  0  T>  UCTIO  N.  xiii 
 
 pjouldcomej  enquired  and  fear ch'd  diligent- 
 ly, "jahat  thing  and  '-juhat  7nanner  of  time, 
 the  fpirit  which  prophcficd,  of  Chrifl,  did 
 fignifj,    "johen  it   teflified  beforehand  the 
 fufferings  of   Chrijl   and  the  glory    that 
 (hottld  follow.     \Vc  that  live  lb  long  after 
 them,  can't  hope  to  undcrftand,  their  Pro- 
 phefies  better,  than  they  did,    wlio  fpokc 
 them,  if  we  fluit  out  that  hght,  which,  the 
 event  of  what  they  foretold,  fpreads  over 
 the  prediction .     And  this  is  it,  which  the 
 Adverfaries  of  Chviftianity,  would  reduce  us 
 to.     They  would  put  us  in  the  place,  of  the 
 ]ews  before  Chriil,  and  then  call  upon  us, 
 to  demonftrate  a  priori,  abftradly  from  the 
 gofpel  hiftory,    which  tallies  with  the  pre- 
 diclons,  and  explains  them,  that  thefe  prc- 
 didions,  mud  relate  to  the  Meflias,  and  no 
 other. 
 
 The  obfeurity  becomes  greater,  from  the 
 language,whcrein  the  prophefies,  are  written. 
 The  Hebrew,  as  other  Eaftern  Languages, 
 is  entirely  different,  from  the  European. 
 Many  things  are  there  left,  to  be  llipplied, 
 by  the  quicknefs,  of  the  reader's  apprchen- 
 fion  :  which  are  with  us  exprefs'd,  by  pro- 
 per words  and  repetitions.  Particles  dif- 
 junftive  and  adverfative,  Significative  marks 
 of  connexion,    and  of  tranfition  from  one 
 
 fubjcd 
 
th  The  INTROT>UCTION. 
 
 fubjcd  to  another,  are  often  omitted  hef^. 
 Dialogues  are  carried  on,  objedions  an- 
 fwcrcd,  comparifons  made,  without  notice 
 in  the  difcourfe  j  and  through  frequent 
 change  of  perfons,  tenfes,  and  numbers, 
 We  are  left  to  guefs,  who  are  the  perfons 
 fpoken  of,  which  gave  no  difficulty  to  them^ 
 whofe  living  language  it  was. 
 
 The  prophetick  ftyle,  is  of  all  other,  the 
 iiioft  copious,  this  way.  It  fcems  to  be,  a 
 fort  of  language,  by  itfelf  It  tics  itfelf,  to 
 iio  order  nor  method,  but  pafles  from  one 
 fubjed,  to  another  infenfibly,  and  fuddenly 
 I'cfumes  it  again,  and  often  fallies  out,  to 
 the  main  thing,  that  was  intended  in  his 
 thoughts.  The  prophets  ufed  to  AB  part, 
 of  what  they  were  to  forctel.  Thofe  adi- 
 ens,  fupplying  the  place  of  words,  and  be- 
 ing not  exprefs'd,  in  the  writing,  a  fort  of 
 chafm,  is  fometimestobe  difcerned  in  themj 
 as,  at  other  times,  different  difcourfes,  or 
 Addreflcs,  diftinguiihable  in  the  fpeaking, 
 by  proper  figns  and  motions,  feem  now  to 
 be  conneded,  though  they  have  no  relati- 
 on to  each  other.  Their  fpeaking  of  fu- 
 ture times,  in  the  language  and  ideas  of  the 
 prefent,  of  the  fpiritual  worfhip  God  intend- 
 ed, by  the  known  terms  of  worfhip,  under 
 Mofes  and  'David-,  and  of  the  enemies  of 
 
 God's 
 
The  INTRCDUCTION,  xr 
 
 God's  people  hereafter,  by  the  names  ofthofe 
 that  were  their  avowed  opprcilbrs  in  their 
 Age  5  gives  alfo  no  fmall  difficulty,  tothofe 
 of  after-times,  and  other  countries,  that  en- 
 quire into  the  meaning  of  their  prophefies. 
 
 What  encrcafcs  the  difficulty,  is,  the  lit- 
 tle or  no  order,  that  the  Collegers ,  have  pla- 
 ced the  prophefies  in  ;  according  to  the  u- 
 fagc  of  the  Antients,  who  joined  together, 
 writings  upon  different  occafions,  of  the  fame 
 Authors,    and  fometimes  of  different  Au- 
 thors, as  if  they  made,  but  one  continued 
 difcourfe.     Prophefies  relating  to  the  Mef- 
 fias,    and  left  without  date,    we  find   fub- 
 joincd,  to  prophefies  with  date,   as  part  of 
 the   predid:ons,    which   they  only  follow. 
 Whence  it  hath  come  to  pafs,  that  hitcr- 
 preters,  guided  by  the  firft  date,  or  preced- 
 ing  hiftorical   narration,    have   expounded 
 prophefies,  of  the  fame  events,  that  were 
 writ  at  different  times,   and  with  different 
 defigns,  and  overlooked  the  Meffias  in  fc- 
 veral  texts,  for  the  fake  of  certain  marks,  in 
 the  prophecy  juft  before,   which  fpokc  ot 
 events,  nearer  the  Age  of  the  Prophets. 
 
 The  miftakc  might  have  been  in  fome 
 meafure  prevented,  had  the  books  written 
 by  the  Jews,    after  their  return   from  the 
 
 Babv- 
 
xvi  rhe  INTRO'DUCriON, 
 
 Babylonian  captivity,  remained  down  to  out 
 days.     For  though  thofe  writers,  could  not 
 have  fuch  clear  notions,  of  the  prophefies,  as 
 we,  that  live  fmce  Chrift  :  yet  fome  light 
 they    had  from    the  Prophets  themfelves, 
 which  gave  rife,  to  a  Traditional  explication, 
 of  tlieir  prophefies.     To  the  Prophets,  that 
 fcarched   into  the  meaning,  of  what  they 
 xPet.i.ii.  foretold,  it  was  revealed,  as  Si.'Peter  tells 
 us,  that  not  unto  themfelves,   their  own 
 times,   but  unto  us,   the  times  of  Chrift's 
 appearance,   they  did  minifier  the  things^ 
 which  were  reported,  by  theApoftles.  From 
 the  labors  of  thofe,    who  ftudied  the  Pro- 
 phefies, and  explained  them,  with  the  hints 
 they  had  received  from  the  prophets  them- 
 felves, many  texts  now  in  obrcurity,might  be 
 cleared,   had  God  thought  fit  to  prefcrve, 
 their  writing  to  pofterity.     But  to  our  re- 
 gret, thcfe  helps  alfo  fail  us. 
 
 Not  one  book,writ  in  the  Hebrew  Tongue, 
 fmce  prophecy  ceafcd,  hath  efcaped  the  ge- 
 neral calamity,  that  hath  befallen  thejewifh 
 writings.  Thofe  that  were  retrieved  by 
 Judas  Maccabeus  [a),  from  the  ravage  of 
 Antiochus,  or  were  writ  afterwards,  which 
 
 were 
 
 («)  zMac,  ii.  15,  14. 
 
The  INTRO'DUCTION.  xvil 
 
 \vere  not  few  {b)y  are  all  perifh'd  under  T/- 
 /axs  difpcrfion,  or  Adrians  perfecution. 
 So  that  now,  from  a  few  fcattcred  remains, 
 in  different  writers,  of  feveral  Ages,  that 
 have  preferved  the  traditions,  of  the  ancient 
 JewSy  concerning  the  fcnfe,  of  their  pro- 
 phecies, we  are  to  colled  out  evidence,  of 
 their  underftanding  them,  of  the  MeJJias. 
 
 And  with  thefe  helps,  under  all  the  dif- 
 advantages  now  recited,  joined  to  the  or- 
 dinary rules,  of  picking  out  the  meaning 
 of  other  Authors,  I  doubt  not  to  fhew,  that 
 as  to  moft  of  the  texts  alledged  in  the  Ne"J) 
 Tejlafnenty  they  wetc  fo  underftood  by  the 
 Jews,  as  they  were,  and  ought  to  be  inter- 
 preted, by  theApoftlcs. 
 
 Their  agreement,  where  we  haVe  tecords, 
 is  a  good  prcfumption  that  in  the  reft,  where 
 records  are  deficient,  they  were  alfo  with  us> 
 in  the  fenfe  of  thofe  fcriptures  j  to  which  the 
 numbers  of  Jews,  converted  to  the  gofpcl> 
 by  virtue  of  fuch  fcripture  teftimonies,  gives 
 an  additionary  ftrength.  For  it  cannot  be 
 C  thought 
 
 {b)  Prol.  in  Etcluf.  Great  things  have  been  delivered  16 
 us,  by  the  law  and  the  Prophets,  and  by  i^r/^grj  that  have  fol- 
 lowed their  fteps. My  grandfather  Jefus  gave  himfelf 
 
 to  the  reading  of  the  \zvf  and  the  prophets,  2nd  other  hooks 
 of  our  Fathers — The  law  itfelf  and  the  prophets  and  the 
 reji  of  the  Books  hA\s  1:10  fmall  excellence  when  read  in  thek 
 own  tongue. 
 
xvHi  the  INTROT>UCTIOR, 
 
 thought  by  Any,  but  Scepticks,  that  fuch 
 numbers,  of  all  degrees  of  Jews,  at  that 
 time,  learned,  Rulers,  Prielb,  Scribes  of 
 all  feds,  m.en  by  their  profefllon  and  fta- 
 tion  obliged,  to  know  the  fcriptures,  fhould 
 forfake  the  religion,  they  were  moft  tenaci- 
 ous of,  upon  the  authority  of  texts,  that 
 made  nothing  for  the  new  religion,  they 
 went  over  to,  or  were  evidently  againft  it  5 
 without  profped  of  worldly  advantage,  to 
 the  certain  hazard  of  their  lives,  yea  and  of 
 God's  favor  too  after  death  (which  they 
 hoped  for)  did  not  they  ad  fuicerely. 
 
 Fancy  as  you  will  a  weaknefs,  or  Enthufi- 
 afni  in  thofe,  that  fet  about  convertins  the 
 and^Rcaf.  J^^'^^y  hi  the  method  of  impertient  c'ttati- 
 t'V"       ons '^  their  weaknefs  could  not  make  their 
 proofs  itrong,  nor  infufe  credulity,  into  men 
 certainly  qualified,  to  judge  of  their  proofs  y 
 as  having  the  old  arid  new  teftament  in 
 2, 3p.    their  hands,  and  who  after  comparing  them 
 •  ~  together,  did  yet  aflent  to  the  truth  of  their 
 Reafoningj  and  became  Difciples. 
 -:  Not  relying  however,  upon  having  more 
 granted  by  the  Adveifaries  of  Chriftianity, 
 than  can  be  proved,  I  pafs  to  my  vindicati- 
 on, of  the  truth  of  Chrift's  holy  religion, 
 from  the  prophecies,  that  went  before  con- 
 cerning it,  under  the  following  heads. 
 
 I,  Thcrs 
 
The  iNTRO'DUCTiON.  xii 
 
 T .  There  was  a  general  expedation  of  a 
 MeJJias  to  come,  at  the  time,  that  our 
 Lordjefus  Chiift  appeared,  which  was  the 
 tradition  of  their  Anceftors,  from  the  ages 
 before  that,  up  to  the  Age,  next  to  the  Prd- 
 phetsthcmfelvcs. 
 
 2.  To  fupport  this  cxpedation,  there  were 
 in  their  fcriptures,  exprefs  literal  prophecies, 
 that  fingly  concerned  the  Mefllas. 
 
 5 .  They  had  alfo  Typical  prophecies,  to 
 the  fame  efFed,  the  literal  meaning  of  whichj 
 was  intended  to  be  applied,  to  the  Meflias. 
 
 4.  The  exceptions  taken  to  fome  texts? 
 cited  from  the  old,  in  the  new  teftament?  are 
 frivolous,  and  ought  to  caft  no  difcrcdit,  on 
 the  gofpel,  wherein  they  are  found. 
 
 5 .  The  Allcgorick  or  other  methods  of'  ci- 
 ting and  explaining  Scripture,  which  the  Jews 
 were  accuftom'd  to,  tho'  different  from  the 
 tnanner  of  arguing  which  the  later  Ages  have 
 confined  themfelves  to,  might  juftly  be  fol- 
 lowed,  as  it  is  fometimes,  by  the  writers  of 
 the  new  teftament,  according  to  the  allowed 
 maxims  of  difputation,  in  reafoning  with 
 Jews  5  or,  in  other  words,  the  Apoftlcs  de- 
 ferve  no  cenfure,  for  ufing  arguments  ad  ho* 
 Viinefn. 
 
 6.  The  fenfe,  fix'd  by  Chrift  and  his  A- 
 poftlcs  on  the  prophecies  of  the  old  Tefta- 
 
 C  a  ment 
 
XX  The  INTR O'DUCT  10 K 
 
 ment,  fuppofmg  many  of  thofe  prophecies^ 
 capable  of  fuiting  other  perfons,  and  times 
 than  thofe  of  the  Mellias,  is  certainly  to  be 
 prefer'd,  to  any  other  fenfe,  they  may  pof- 
 fibly  be  taken  in. 
 
 When  thefe  things  are  made  ouf,  and  the 
 cavils  in  the  difcourfe  of  grounds  and  rea- 
 fonSy  &c.  anfwered,  as  they  fall  in  our  way, 
 I  fhall  hope  for  an  end,  to  all  clamor  for  the 
 future,  againft  the  new  Teftament,  for  what 
 is  cited  there,  from  the  old.  And  fince  no- 
 thing of  moment,  fcems  to  have  efcaped  the 
 diligence  and  inclination,  of  the  Inquifitivc 
 Writer,  of  that  difcourfe,  to  difgrace  Chrifti- 
 anity,  after  having  Ihewed,  how  little  force 
 there  is,  in  his  utmoft  efforts,  I  take  the  li- 
 berty, to  apply  his  words,  contrary  to  his  in- 
 tention, but  with  great  truth,  and  affirm, 
 that  the  proofs  for  Chriftianity  from  the  old 
 teftament-,  being  valid,  Chriftianity  ft  and s 
 m  ajuft  and  unexceptionable  foundation. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
 I 
 
A     DEFENCE    of 
 
 CHKlSTlANirr,  &c. 
 
 CHAP.  I.  SECT.  I. 
 There  was  a  general  cxpeBation  of  a 
 Mc/JIas  to  come,  about  the  time  that  our 
 Lord  J e fits  Chrift  appeared,  ijchtch  was 
 the  tradition  of  their  Anceflors,  from 
 the  Ages  before  That,  up  to  the  Age, 
 next  to  the  Trophets  themfelves. 
 
 H  E  natural  order  of  enquiry,   Chap.  I. 
 
 into  the  fcnfc  of  prophecy,  is 
 to  begin  with  the  Age,  fup- 
 pofed  to  be  moll  concerned, 
 in  the  events  predided.  For 
 Prophecy,  Ukc  other  lumina- 
 ries of  heaven,  yields  a  twinkling  dim  light, 
 when  at  a  jdiftancc,  from  the  object  in  view, 
 but  the  nearer  it  approaches,  to  accomphlT^- 
 ment,  the  brighter  its  dawnings  are,  till  it 
 fettles,  into  a  full  and  ftrong  light.  And 
 this  is  the  meaning,  of  what  St  Teeter  told 
 the  Jews.  2  Pet.  i.  1 9.  JVe  have  alfo,  a 
 tliore  fure  word  of  prophecy,  wheremto  ye 
 
 L/•'^r^s> 
 
~i  j^'Defineeof  Christ  I  At^  IT  r. 
 
 Chap.  I.  d&  well  to  attend^  as  unto  a  light,   that 
 
 W^V%^  ^ines  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day  dawn, 
 and  the  day-fiar  arife  in  your  hearts :  i.  e. 
 untill  the  Ught  becomes  more  vifible,  as  his 
 coming  drew  near,  who  is  foretold,  to  be. 
 the  day-ftar.  * 
 
 A  furer  word  than  what,  is  Jewifh  pro- 
 phecy ?  than  the  fophiftical  contrivances , 
 and  cunningly  devifed  fables,  (v.  1 6)  of 
 falfe  prophets  and  teachers,  who  traffick- 
 ed, in  artificial  ft  or  ies,  to  miftead  unwary 
 fouls,  {li.  I,  3.)  For  in  comparifon,  with 
 this  remote  antecedent,  Jewifh  prophecy  is 
 faid,  to  be  the  furer  word,  and  not  to  the 
 evidence,  ^eter  gave  upon  his  own  know- 
 ledge,  to  the  truth  of  ti^e  gofpel,  as  This 
 
 Grounds  and  hie  author  would  have  it  believed. 
 
 j|eaf./.  yj^^^  which  another  fees,    or  hears  or 
 
 reports,  is  not  Stronger  Evidence,  than  that, 
 which  a  man  himfelf  fees,  and  hears.  Nor 
 doth  St  Teter,  fay  it  is.  He  offers  two  rea- 
 fons,  v/hy  the  gofpel,  is  not  to  be  put,  oa 
 the  fame  foot,  with  cunningly  devifed  fa- 
 bles. And  firft,  God  himfelf,  teftified  the 
 truth  of  the  gofpel,  at  Chrift's  transfigurati- 
 
 *  In  the  title  of  P/  xxii.  MefTias  is  fpoken  of,  as  the 
 firrr^X  moming-flar.  So  Ayelta  is  the  name  of  Venus 
 or  ^ea-<pope<;  among  the  uirabs,  and  Chrift  is  called  the 
 ^figh  and  Mormng^Star.  Rev.  xxii.  16. 
 
A  T>efence  <?/ Christianity. 
 
 on  into  a  gkrious  Majefty  \  and  this,  faith 
 he,  we  faw  with  our  Eyes,  and  with  our 
 Ears  heard  the  'voice  from  the  cloud,  of 
 glory,  (the  fymbol  of  God's  prcfencc)  de- 
 claring Chrijl  to  be  his  beloved  Son,  and  iP«^.i.i7ii8. 
 commanding  ns  to  hear  him,  as  Mofes  did 
 the  prophet,  that  was  to  arife  after  him. 
 This  we  relate,  not  upon  hcar-fay,  but  on 
 the  certain  tcftimony,  of  our  Scnlcs.  And 
 again,  God,  by  his  prophets  of  old,  fpokc 
 of  this  Chrift,  which  is  alfo,  or  another 
 more  fur  e  word,  or  proof,  than  cunningly 
 devifed  fables,  will  admit  of.  This  light, 
 was  indeed,  for  awhile  obfcurc,  as  a  fniall 
 light,  in  the  dark,  till  the  night  being  far 
 fpent,  and  tlie  day  at  hand,  it  brightncd  in- 
 to clearer  rays,  upon  the  perfon  of  Jefus 
 Chrift. 
 
 To  enquire  therefore,  into  the  Senti- 
 ments, of  the  Age,  that  Chrift  Jelus  appear- 
 ed in,  concerning  a  Meftias,  ought  to  be 
 the  firft  ftcp,  towards  difcovering,  the  in- 
 tention of  God,  in  the  anticnt  prophecies, 
 that  have  been  applyed  to  him.  If  at  the 
 time,  the  Lord  Jefu5  came,  they  looked  for 
 no  fuch  perfon,  nor  under  the  characters 
 he  afl'um'd,  it  is  a  prefumption,  the  pro- 
 phecies had  no  regard  to  him.  For  it  is 
 fearcc  credible,  that  He,  who  if  fpokcn  of 
 
 C  4  at 
 
4  A  defence  <?fCHRiSTiANiTY. 
 
 Chap.  I.  at  all,  is  defcribed  as  the  fource,  of  the  greats 
 eft  bleffings,  and  by  certain  marks,  that 
 may  diftinguifli  him,  from  all  other  men, 
 fhould  notwithftanding  be  overlooked,  by 
 every  reader;  and  no  Dodor  of  the  law, 
 no  fmcere  Jew,  that  ftudied  the  prophecies 
 day  and  night,  fhould  find  out,  that  he  was 
 intended  therein  i  even  at  the  time,  when 
 they  were  bound,  to  acknowledge  him  as 
 fuch,  at  their  peril,  from  his  anfwering,  all 
 the  prophetical  defcriptions,  of  his  per- 
 fon. 
 
 On  the  contrary,  if  he  was  then  univer- 
 fally  expeded,  by  the  Jews,  and  a  great  part 
 of  the  Gentiles,  there  muft  have  been,  fome 
 common  origin,  of  fuch  an  expedation  5 
 ^nd  the  event  depending  on  the  will  of  God, 
 their  belief,  muft  have  been  founded,  on 
 fome  revelation  of  his  will,  that  had  alfo 
 given  them,  a  computation  for  the  time  of  i 
 jiis  coming,  which  they  underftood,  was 
 near  expir'd,  when  they  expedcd  him. 
 Nothing  lefs,  than  the  exprefs  promifes  of 
 God,  for  the  coming  of  Chrift,  could  be  a 
 fkfficient  foundation  and  fupport,  for  fo  ge- 
 neral, fo  conftant,  fo  deeply  rooted,  a  per- 
 fuafion. 
 
AT>ef(mceof  Christianity.  5 
 
 For  this  was  not  the  opinion,  of  a  few    Scd.  I. 
 devout  people  only,  who  arc  (aid,  to  wait  '-'^^ 
 for  the  confolathn  of  Ifrael,   and  to  look  L«k-i'.^s.38, 
 for  redemption  in  Jernfalem,  at  the  time  of 
 our  Saviour's  birth :  or  of  the  meaner  fort, 
 who  thought  the  kingdom  of  god,  (aphrafc  Luk.xix.  n. 
 for  the  kingdom  of  the  Mcllias)  ^mt Id  im- 
 mediately  appear.     But  it  was  the   fettled 
 judgment,  of  the  chief  Priefts,  the  Scribes, 
 and  the  learned  in  their  law ;   they,    who 
 made  the  ftudy  of  the  Scriptures,  their  chief 
 bufinefs,    who  were    Depofitarics,   of  the 
 traditionary  explications,    of  the  ProphetS;, 
 were  unanimous  in  this  belief  5  the  expec- 
 tation was  National.     Unto  this  promife,  /^^.  xxvl.?./ 
 the  twelve  tribes,   infiantly  ferving    God 
 day  and  night,  or  with  fervent  prayers  for 
 it,  hoped  to  come,  as  ^aul  told  King  A- 
 grippa,   who   was  well  able,    to   difprovc 
 him,  had  he  fpoke  untruly.  -: 
 
 Whenever  they  faw,  or  heard  of  any 
 quality,  greater  extraordinary,  in  its  kind, 
 they  turned  their  eyes  that  way,  hoping, 
 that  the  polTeffor  of  thofe  qualities,  might 
 be  the  Man  they  looked  for.  ^ 
 
 There  were  of  them,  that  flattcr'd  Herod, 
 with  this  Title,    becaufe  of  his  many  fuc- 
 ceffcs,    great  victories,    and  fudden  rife  to 
 the  crown  5  and  were  on  that  fcorc  cal- 
 led 
 
6  ^  defence  of  Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  I.  led  Herodians  {a).    And  he  feems  wilUng, 
 L^^V"^^  to  have  it  thought  fo.     For  he  deftroyed 
 the  regifters,  of  all  die  Jewifh  Families,  he 
 could  come  at,  that  the  family  of  ^avid, 
 might  not  be  known,   of  which,  the  true 
 Meflias,  was  to  defcend  [b) :  and  he  under- 
 took the  building  of  the  Temple,   a  work 
 foretold,  to  be  done  by  the  Meflias.     But 
 he  was  inwardly,  of  another  mind,  and  fo 
 was  the  body,   of  the  Jewifh  Nation.     No 
 fooncr,  did  the  tidings  of  the  Magi,   reach 
 his  ears,   concerning  the  birth,  of  the  king 
 of  the  Jews,  meaning  the  Meflias  j  but  he 
 was  troubled,  and  all  Jerufalem  with  him, 
 and  calling  together  the  chief  Triefts,  and 
 Scribes  of  the  people,   demanded,    where 
 Chrifi  JJjould  be  born  ?    Neither  he  nor 
 they,   made  it  a  queftion,    whether  a  Mef- 
 fias  was  to  come,   and  when,   or  whether 
 Herod  himfelf  might  not  be  He.     But  paf- 
 fuig  over  all  debates  of  this  fort,   he  de- 
 &'lath.ii.3',4>5-  mands  the  place  of   his  birth,    and   that, 
 they  told  him  dirediy,   without  hefitation 
 or  difagreement,  and  gave  him  the  prophe- 
 cy  for  it. 
 
 Some 
 
 (4^ Herodians Mar.  iii.^.  viii.  if.  xii.  13.  Math.  xvi.  ir. 
 3ixii.'  16.  Epiph.  h.  I.  zo.    Philaftr.   Cat.  in  Hero4iani. 
 C<^)  Afric.  ioEuf.  H.E.  1.7. 
 
'AH^efence  ^t/'Christianity.  7 
 
 Some  years  after,   John  the  Baptift  en-    Se£l.  I. 
 
 trod  upon  his  miniftry,  and  the  government  ^-^'v^J 
 
 being  di(pofed  from  the  fevcrity  of  his  life, 
 
 and  zeal  in  his  preaching,  to  fufped  he  was 
 
 the  Perlon,  t\\Qy  fent  Triejis  and  Levites  Joh.  i.  ip.zo, 
 
 to  ask  him  ii'ho  he  was,   and  whether  he 
 
 was  the  Chrifl  ^  He  did  indeed  deny,  he  was 
 
 the  Chrift,  under  any  of  the  Charadcrs  they 
 
 cxpcded  him :  but  then  he  confirmed  their 
 
 belief  of  Chrifl's  coming,    and  told  them, 
 
 that  Chrift  was  ready  to  appear.     And  when 
 
 they  ftill  perftfted  to  ask,  why  then  did  he 
 
 baptize y  if  he  were  not  the  Chrift  ?   they 
 
 plainly    imply'd,    that    the  notion  of  the 
 
 Meffiasj  had  its  rife  fiom    the  Prophets, 
 
 fome  of  which  did  foretel,  that  he  fhould  „^  ,.. 
 ^    .    , ,        .  ,  ,        .  El.  111.  13. 
 Iprmkle  with  water,  or  baptize.                   Ezek.xxxvi, 
 
 And  thus  they  went  on,  looking  for  am-  ^^' 
 ther :     and  while  Jefus  converfed  among 
 them,    one  while  they  faid  to  him,    how  joh.  x.  24. 
 long  doft  thou  hold  us  in  fufpence  ?  if  thou 
 be  the  Chrift,  tell  us  plainly.     At  another 
 time   concluding  from  his  miracles,    that 
 be  was  of  a  truth  the  prophet,  that  jhould 
 come,  into  the  world,   they  contrived  by 
 force  to  make  him  a  king.  And  when  the  ma-  Joh.  vi.  m,i|; 
 giftracy  was  refolved,  to  put  him  to  death, 
 ;he  high-prieft,  as  fpokcfnian  of  the  coun- 
 cil. 
 
8  J^^efinceof  Christ  IAN  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  I.    cil,  of  Elders,  chief  Pri efts  and  Scribes,  ^^Z- 
 
 L^CXr66.7^^^^'  ^^^  to  tell,   if  he  were  the  Chrift, 
 
 Mat.xxvi.63.  the  Son  of  God.     So  Httle  doubt  had  they 
 
 of  a  Chriji's  coming,  though  they  owned 
 
 not  Jefus  to  be  the  Chrift. 
 
 Herein  the  Samaritans,    divided  in  ma- 
 ny other  points,  from  the   JewSi    agreed 
 with  them.      Their   mutual   hatred,     and 
 want  of  intercourfe  in  civil  matters,  would 
 not  allow  them,  to  borrow  this  notion  in 
 religion,  of  the  Jews.     It  muft  have  been, 
 of  anticnt  date,  in  their  Nation.     Now  the 
 Jok. IV.  15.41-  woman  of  Sichar->  fpoke  the  fenfcof  iicr 
 people,   when  flie  confefled,    /  know  that ' 
 Meffias    Cometh,     who    is  called  Chrijl. 
 Por  they  confirmed  her  faying,  with  their 
 own  mouths  afterwards,   and  laid.  This  is 
 indeed  the  Chrijl-,    the    Saviour  of   the 
 Gen.Klk.  10.  IVorld.     From y^f^^'s  prophecy,  and  again 
 .  cxvin.  ^s.  fj.Qj^-^  David's  pfalms,   one  of  the  titles  of 
 the  Meffias,  was  known  to  be  0  £p;)^o^£;'of. 
 He  that  cometh.     By  this  name  the  Jews 
 J0h.x1.i7.      fpake  of  him,   the  Chrijl  that  flwiild  come 
 Math.xi.  3.    into  the  world:  and  by  the  fame  name  the 
 Samaritan  mentions  him,  the  MeJjJas  that 
 cometh.     Without  fuch  previous  expedati- 
 ons  in  that  people,  it  had  been  a  vain  thing 
 ^^Tr.^iT^fn   ^^^  T>oJitheus,  SifHon  M.  Menander,  and 
 Math,  and  on  other  falfc  Chrift's  among  the  Samaritans 
 
 lohn.  lien. 
 
 J.  zo.  to 
 
A  defence  e?/ Christianity.  9 
 
 to  have  pretended  under  that  title,    to  be    Sed:.  I. 
 their  Dehverer.  K^^\r^ 
 
 But  neither  to  Judaa  nor  Samaria,  was 
 this  hope  of  Ifrael,  confined.  Wherever 
 the  Jews  fpread,  they  fcattered  the  Advent 
 of  their  great  kingy  the  lame  whereof,  and 
 of  the  time  of  his  coming,  reaching  the 
 people  of  the  Eaft,  every  uncommon  phx- 
 nomenon,  in  the  Sky,  wai  thought  to  denote 
 his  birth.  From  the  fight  of  fome  fuch  ap- 
 pearance, in  that  region  of  the  heavens, 
 which  Allrologcrs,  had  appropriated  toju- 
 diSaj  the  Arabian  Magi  inferred,  that  the 
 Jews  Chrift  was  born.  fVe  have  feen  ^/j  Matth.  ii.  7. 
 Jiar  from  the  Eaji,  as  they  told  Herod,  and 
 are  therefore  come  tojerufalem^to  worfliip 
 him.  It  was  then  a  common  opinion,  that 
 the  rife  of  an  unufual  ftar,  or  comet,  por- 
 tended the  birth  of  a  great  perfon,  that 
 Ihould  caufe,  great  revolutions,  in  the  world 
 [c).  Seeing  fome  fuch  ftar,  or  luminous  ap- 
 pearance, pointing  to  Jttdaa,  they  thought 
 it  prefaged  his  birth,  whofc  coming  was  be- 
 lieved to  be  near. 
 
 With 
 
 (c)Orig.c.  Celf.  I.  from  Chxremon  the  ftoick  of  comers. 
 Vulcanius  Harufpex.  in  Serv.  on  Virgil's  Eclog.  ix.  x.  and 
 Georg.  I.  Giot.  from  Varro  in  Serv.  En.  i.  upon  i5ineas 
 leaving  Troy,  the  liar  Venus  fliewed,  bcrfelf  daily  to  him, 
 and  did  not  difappear,  till  he  came  to  a  region,  in  Italy. 
 
id  j^T)efenceof  CnkistiAT^itYl 
 
 Chap.  I.  With  the  fame  tradition,  the  Greeks  and 
 ^'^^^^^'^^^  Romans,  came  to  be  acquainted,  by  means  of 
 the  Jews  in^^ fla  minor,  and  the  Greek  Iflands, 
 who  had  turned  into  Greek  verfes,  the  better 
 to  remember,  what  they  had  learned  from 
 the  prophets,  touching  the  Meflias.  Thefe 
 verfes,  were  called  Sibylline,  that  is,  Prophe= 
 tick,  from  a  Hebrew  or  Chaldee  word  of 
 the  fame  found,  that  fignifies,  to  prophe- 
 cy {d).  It  doth  hot  appear,  there  was  any 
 perfon,  that  had  for  her  proper  name, 
 that  of  Sibyl.  But  thefe  verfes,  being  col- 
 leded  in  different  countries,  a  Sibyl  was 
 fancied,  and  denominated  from  that  country, 
 where  the  verfes  were  coUeded.  The  ge- 
 nuine books  of  the  Sibyls,  purchafed  by 
 
 Tar- 
 
 {d)  "ZiQvXXx  TdfjijeciKYi  At^^  £«•«  iffjti-^tivoiB/jv^  ;r^fl^iiT<?.  Hefych. 
 
 Sibyl  is  a  Roman  word,  which  being  interpreted  figni- 
 fics  a  prophetefs. 
 
 I  fuppofe  he  meant  Etrufcan,  which  was  the  fame,  with  the 
 ancient  Phoenician.  Varro  in  Ladlan.  Inftit.  i.  6.  omnes 
 foeminse  VateSjSibyllae  aVetcribus  appellate.  Euftath.  inHom. 
 MuUeres  tatidicae,  fibyllae  dicebantur,non  quod  fanguine  jun- 
 iftas  fuerint ;  fed  ^«t  r  e(iAe(«»S£o(Pep(W,Theife  interpretations  of 
 Sibyl,  by  the  Antients  (liew,  that  the  word,  *?IlD  ox^2^* 
 from  the  fenfe  of  beMingy  came  to  be  ufed  for  frophefyingj 
 prophets  bearing  as  it  were  the  influence  of  God  within 
 them,  and  thence  were  termed  zrnvfx>ciro<pof(,t  and  6i6<p6^e,i. 
 As,  ^©3  a  word  of  like  fignification^  to  bear  or  carryy  hath 
 the  fenfe  alfo  of,  xoprophccy.  So  Nmn.xxiv.  3.  xxiii.  7,18. 
 he  took  up  his  parable,  is  rendred  by  Jonathan  in  his  Targ. 
 He  fpoke  prophetically  a  parable.    And  2^;^0,  which  we 
 
 render 
 
A  Defence  tf/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  T  V.  1 1 
 
 TarquiUy    were  burnt  with  the  capitol  in    St(X.  I. 
 Sylla'i>  days.     Thcic  had  been  kept  (o  fecrct,  Tac'RifMii' 
 that  only  they  knew  what  was  contained  in  7^. 
 them,  that  had  the  cuftody,  and  a  right  of 
 confultmg  them.      And   the  occafions   of 
 confulting  them,  being  only  extreme  pub-  This  appears 
 lick  calamities,    are  an  evidence,  that  they  Auruaus"^^ 
 were  mere  Ritual  books,  full  of  diredions  '^^^-  ^"-^^ 
 concerning  facrifices  and  expiations.  Where-  ^  '  ^^'  ^' 
 as,  the  Greek  fibyllin  verfes,  were  of  another 
 nature,  andfpokeof  things  to  come,  which 
 were  foretold,  in  the  Jcwifli  prophecies,  and 
 nothing  more,  for  ought  appears,  than  what 
 was  grounded,  on  the  interpretation  of  thofe 
 prophecies,  and  are  therefore  truly  thought, 
 by  very  learned  men,  to  be  a  Jewifh  com- 
 pofition,   defigned  to  propagate  the  belief  Ufher.  A. 
 of  the  Meflias,  and  to  prepare  the  way,  for  Grot^A^offiut 
 his  reception,  by  the  Gentiles. 
 
 From 
 
 rendcr£«r^eK, orin  regimen, the i«r/^f«  ofBahylon,\htBurden 
 ofMoab,  the  burden  of  Damafcus,  &CC.  is  rcndrcd  ihi  BHrden  of 
 Prophecy, hythcTixg. on  E[.\\\\  iS.zndxht word,  viz.. ofthe 
 Lord  by  LXX  and  Arab,  and  the  Vifion  by  theLXX  Ef.xiii, 
 I.  and  fimply  the  Prophecy  byTarg.and  LXX  on  Prov.  yxxi. 
 I.  And  Lam.  ii.  14.  literally,  thy  prophets  have  feen  falfg 
 Burdens,  the  Targ.  and  Syr.  intQTpret.  falfe  prophecies,  and 
 the  Ar.  Vijions.  Mai.  i.  i.  The  burden  of  the  Word  of  the 
 Lord  is  in  the  Syr.  The  -vifionofthe  words  of  the  Lord,  Efpe- 
 ciaily  z  Kings  ix.  15.  nT,"l  Hl^on  DK  V'7y  '^^  HIH^ 
 The  Lord  laid  this  burden  upon  him,  isrendredby  the  Targ- 
 Ihe  Lord  prcphefied  this  prophecy,  and  is  varied  in  theHeV 
 ter.  36.  This  is  the  word  of  the  Lord  which  ht  fpah. 
 
 k 
 
AT>efence  of  Chri s t  i  a  n i  rtl 
 
 From  the  Greeks,  they  pafs'd  to  the  Ro^ 
 mans,  among  whom  for  fome  time,  pre- 
 didions  in  the  greek  and  in  the  latin  tongue^ 
 concerning  a  glorious  king  to  comCy  were  in 
 every  body's  hands,  and  many  of  them  un- 
 der the  name  of  SibyUin.  They  were  vari- 
 oufly  appHed,  as  men  were  difpofed,  to  court 
 great  folks,  or  bend  them  to  political  pur- 
 pofes.  And  from  the  application  of  thefe 
 verfes,  we  have  been  let  into  the  knowledge 
 of  their  fcope  and  tendency.  Julius  C. 
 contrived  a  motion  in  the  fenatc,  for  giving 
 him  the  name  of  King,  when  employed  th 
 gainft  the  ^arthians,  becaufe  it  was  writ  in 
 the  Books  of  Fat  By  or  prophecy,  the  Parthians 
 could  not  be  fubdtiedy  but  by  a  king  {a),  and 
 that  by  a  king  only  we  could  be  faved.  Ci- 
 cero indeed  doubted,  whether  this  was  fo 
 writ,  in  the  true  genuin  Sibyls,  for  thefe 
 good  reafons,  that  the  verfe  was  an  Acroi- 
 ftick,  and  favored  the  abolifning  of  theif' 
 religion  {b)  [the  gentile  idolatry]  which  was 
 confirmed,  by  the  true  Sybil.  But  fuch  ar- 
 tificial verfes,  in  help  to  memory;,  were  no 
 
 objedion 
 
 (a)  Dio  I.  xliv.  Suet,  in  Julio,  c.  79.  Parthos  nonnifi  a 
 rege,  pofle  vinci.  TuU.  de  Div.  ii.  c.  54.  Appellandum 
 quoque  efle  regem,fi  lalviefle  vellemus.  (^)Hocfieftin- 
 libris  valeant  [hilibri]  ad  depone.adas  poiius  quam  fed  fuff 
 cipcndas  religiones,  TuJ,  ib. 
 
A  defence  ^/Christianity. 
 
 objcftipn  to  their  coming  from  the  Jews, 
 whofe  books  fpokc  much  of  a  king  and  a 
 favior,  that  fhould  fubdu*e  all  oppofition, 
 even  from  tiie  race  of  Magog,  whence  the 
 y^rZ-^/^w^defcended  (^). 
 
 Lentulus  applied  this  oracle  to  himfclf, 
 ..as  if  the  new  expeded  empire,  was  to  find 
 it's  accomplifhment  i"n  him  (r).  And  up- 
 on the  conception  of  Augufiiis,  it  was 
 commonly  affirmed,  that  Nature  tvas  then 
 in  labor  to  bring  forth  a  king,  that  fhould 
 rule  the  Romans  {d)  i  which  F/r^/7 explains 
 more  largely  of  prophecies,  conc<frning  one 
 of  the  Yace  of  the  gods,  "  that  fhould  {ct 
 "  up  the  golden  Age  again;  fubdue  all  the 
 "  hitherto'  unconquered  nations,  the  Scy- 
 '^  thians,  Tarthians,  Indians,  and  reduce 
 ^'-  them  all  into  one,  univcrfal  empire  (^), 
 all  w'hich  he  ominatcsof  Angufluss  reign.- 
 
 {b)Jof,  Ant.  i.  7.  Magoges,  q^ii  abjpfis  vocantur  Scy- 
 tiiae.     The  Parthians  came  from  Scythia.     Juft.  Hift  • 
 
 (c)  Cic.  Or.  Cat.  iii.  salujl.  Jpp.  dt  b.  civili, 
 
 (d)  Sue{.  in  O^.    c.  94. 
 
 (e)  Virg.  JEn.  vi.  verf.  791. 
 
 Hie  vir,  hie  eft,  tibi  quern  promitti  fepius  audis 
 Auguftus  Caifar,  Bivum  genus :  aurea  condet 
 Secula,  qui  riufus  Latio,  regnata  per  arva 
 Saturpo  quondam  :  fuper  gc  Garamantas  Sc  Indp? 
 Proferet  imperium,  u-d. 
 Hujus  in  adventu,  jam  nunc  &  Cafpia  regna 
 Refponfis  horrent  Divum,  &  Meotica  tellas; 
 fit  fcptem  geniini  turbant  trepida  oftia  Nili. 
 
 .0  A& 
 
w^rsj 
 
 14  'y^T)^fence  of  Christ  I A"^  if  y1 
 
 Chap.  I.  As  their  hopes  from  Auguftus  dwindled^ 
 ^^rgil  fought  to  revive  it  with  the  hkc  pro- 
 mifes,  of  the  foil,  (as  he  will  needs  have 
 it)  that  Anguftus's  wife  Scribonia,  was  then 
 big  with  (/).  His  4th  eclogue  was  writ  for 
 this"v^€ry  purpofe,  wherein  he  inferts  all  the 
 glorious  things,  that  had  been  faid  in  the 
 fibylline  verfes,  or  elfewhere,  of  the  great 
 king  to  come,  as  if  prophetically  fpoken  of 
 this  child. 
 
 She  was  delivered  of  a  daughter,  to  the 
 difgrace  of  Virgth  skill  in  interpretation. 
 However  Virgil  had  his  end  of  ingratiating 
 himfelf  with  Augtiftus,  and  we  the  benefit 
 of  knowing  the  fubjed,  that  chiefly  em- 
 ployed the  expectations  of  his  Age  ;  which 
 appears  to  be  in  fubftance  and  expreflion, 
 much  the  fame  with  what  ■weJ:'ead  in  the 
 prophets,  and  Jewifh  writers;  of  their  Mef- 
 iias.  How  Virgil  Ihould  get  fuch  a  particu- 
 lar knowledge  of  their  Belief,  though  his 
 whole  argument  had  not  been  found  in  the 
 fibylline  verfes>  is  not  hard  to  guefs.     The 
 
 Jews 
 
 (/)  Mr.  MAfon  hath  learnedly  proved  in  aDiffertation  on 
 this  fubjedt,  that  A.  U.  Cond.  714.  ante  Chr.40.  Pollio  was 
 Conful,  the  fame  year  peace  was  made  with  Anthony  at 
 Brundufium,  and  the  fame  year  Auguftus  married  Scribo- 
 nia Aunt  to  young  Pompey's  wife,  whom  he  divorced 
 the  next  year  U.  C.  715,  the  fame  day  that  (he  brought 
 iiim  a  daughter* 
 
A  l^efente tf/ Christianity.  t$ 
 
 Jews  lived  in  great  numbers,  in  one  quarter    Sed.  I. 
 of  Rom€ :    Herod  aiid  his  followers  were  ' -O^^^ 
 
 jol.  Ant.  xiV 
 
 about  this  time  in  RomCj  and  probably  gucfts  if,  and  xv. 
 to  TolliOy  as  his  two  fons  were  afterwards  n.^'z/"^'^^^' 
 to  him,  to  whom  this  eclogue  is  inferbed. 
 What  he  had  heard  of  them,  he  feems  to 
 havedreft  up,  after  the  gentile  poetick  man- 
 ner, and  to  have  recommended  all  together^ 
 under  the  fplcndid  name  of  Sybil,  or  Pro- 
 phet, which  contained  fomc  things  of  this 
 nature. 
 
 I  crave  the  Reader's  patience,  while  I 
 compare  fomc  pafl'ages  which  hit  fo  patly^ 
 with  the  prophets,  their  matter,  figures  and 
 phrafes,  that,  though  I  am  aware  of  the 
 interpretations  of  fome  Criticks  to  the 
 contrary,  who  fccm  afraid  of  making  their 
 profane  learning  ferviceable  to  divine,  I 
 can't  be  perfwaded,  by  any  thing  they  have 
 faid,  that  the  likenefs  between  both,-  in  fo 
 many  particulars,  fhould  fall  out  by  chance. 
 We  read  in  Both,  of  a  blefled  kingdom,  to 
 be  erected,  and  of  the  glorious  days  men 
 fhould  enjoy  under  that  reign,  and  the  fame 
 things  are  reprefented  in  the  fame  hyper- 
 bolical exprefllons  :  and  we  know  the  pro- 
 phetick  writings  are  too  antient  to  be  fu- 
 fpecled,  of  copying,  after  other  Authors. 
 
 D  z 
 
.  -  -,;.-''>    iTr 
 
 A  defence  of  Chki  s  f' i'X'k  i-t  y. 
 
 As  Virgil^  for  iiiftance  (^),  fpcaks  of  an 
 
 Age  to  comCy   called  by  him  the  laft  Age; 
 
 (and  which  muft  be  the  fifth,  as  fuccccding 
 
 to  the  Iron- Age y    accounted  in  order  the 
 
 fourth  by  the  Poets  i)  when  the  grand  r-e^ 
 
 'Volution  of  former  tmes,  and  a  7iew  birth 
 
 ofxhc  old  \,'oMfljallbeginj  and  Natnre  re- 
 
 fume  its  pri fine  vigor :  when  the  fimplicity 
 
 and  juftice  of  the  paradifiacal  ftate,  fhall  be 
 
 rcllored,  which  was  called ^tf/^<??^,  in  refped 
 
 to  the  following  times ;  and  Manners  fhall 
 
 appear  fo  reformed,  as  if  a  new  race  of  men, 
 
 was   drop'd  down   from  heaven.      So  the 
 
 Prophets  foretell  the  times  of  the  MelTias, 
 
 as  the  Jews  ever  fincc  look  for  therrr,  under 
 
 o?*^  jp^^y  the  name  of  the  Age  to  come:  of  the  fifth 
 
 bath.  kiyigdom^  which  is  to  arife  under,  and  to  fuc- 
 
 ceed  the  fourth,  and  which  fourth  is  compa- 
 
 Dan.  ii.  40,  red  to  iron  for flrength  and  obduratenefs :  of 
 
 Ef!  ixv.  16.    ^  ^^'^  creation-,  of  a  nen^  heaveyi  and  a  new 
 
 ixvi.  12.  li.  earth:  y^hc^zm  the  people  fljall  be  all  righte- 
 
 ifiis,  the  branch  of  gods  planting,  the  work 
 
 %  of 
 
 (e)  Vir.Ed.  iv. 
 Alpice,  venturOi  Litentnr  ut  omnia,  [&do 
 Tjlthna  Cumxi  venir  jam  carminis,  Atas 
 Magnus  ab  integro  feclorum  nafcitur  Ordo 
 Jam  redit  &.  Virgo,  rcdeunt  faturnia  regna 
 Jam  nova  progenies  C3t\o  demittitur  alto 
 Tu  modo  nafceuti  puero,  quo  ferrea  primum 
 Definet,  ac  toto  furgsit  isns  mrta  muQdo. 
 
^  7)efence  of  Christian  iTY.  17 
 
 €f  his  hands  *,  and  the  heavens  jhall  drop    Scd.  I. 
 down  r'ighteoufnefs\.  ^El?ix.  n. 
 
 If  Virgil  promifcs  in  this  new  kingdom,  tPf.lxxxv.u. 
 an  end  of  all  -^ar^  a  tmiverfal peace  through- 
 out the  world :  a  benign  concord  between  the 
 vwft  fierce y  mofl 'voracious  Animals^  and  the 
 weakeft,  andmojt  defencclcfs  creatures:  an 
 extirpation  of  hurtful  qualities  fro?n  the 
 earthy    lb   that  no  poifonous  plant  nor  rep- 
 tile poall  remain y  and  even  the  ferpent  it 
 felfp^all  be  flain  (/).  The  prophets  promifc 
 no  Icfs  under  the  Mefilas.     Nation  foall 
 not  lift  up  fword  againjl  Nation,  neither 
 ^allthcy  learn  war  anymore.     In  his  days     Ef.  ii.4. 
 ^mll  be  abundance  of  peace.     The  wolf  pjall    Ef-  i'^'-  7- 
 dwell  with  the  lamb,    the    calf  and  the  ,,,.  .  .     « 
 
 '  J  hf. .M.n,  7,  S. 
 
 young  lion  p^all  lie  down  together.     The  ix.  is, 
 lion  fliall  eat  ftraw  with  the  bullock  :    the 
 fucking  child  [hall  play  with   the  hole  of 
 the  afpj  and  the  weaned  child,  f\mll  put 
 his  hand  on  the  cockatrice  s  den.     They  fh  all  "cJi.Xw .  xr.  \ 
 not  hurt,   nor  deftroy  in  my   holy  mouii- 
 
 D   3  tain. 
 
 if)  In  tke  big'mn'mg  of  his  reigK, 
 — — — —  Erunt  alteia  bdla. 
 Sut  afterwards, 
 
 Pacatumq;  rcget,  patriisvirtutibusOrhem-. 
 
 Necmagnos  nietuent  armenta  leones.". 
 
 Occidet  8c  ferpens,  Sc  fallax  bcib.«  veneni 
 Occidct 
 
iS  ^  7}efence  of  Christ  1  AH  iTif, 
 
 C^hap.  I.  tain :   {a)  And  dtift  fljall  be  the  Serpenfs 
 
 ^-^~v~""^  meat,  i.  e.  the  moft  noxious  enemy  ta 
 mankind,  fhall  be  fubdued  j  the  abjed  fub- 
 miflion  of  conquered  perfons,  that  bcgfot'. 
 
 Pf  i,.^ji  ^     life,    being  implyed   in  the  expreflion  of 
 
 ]^f.xlix.i3.     licking  the  duft. 
 
 If  Virgil,  to  fhew  the  exceeding  plen- 
 ty and  fecurity  of  that  Age,  faith,  "  the 
 ''  goats  fhall  need  no  Shepherd,  to  watch 
 "  and  bring  them  home,  but  burden  d  with 
 "  milk,  they  fhall  of  their  own  accord  re- 
 "  pair  to  their  owners,  to  be  eafed  of  it : 
 "  that  the  earth  fhall  not  want  the  rake^ 
 *^  nor  the  corn  the  plow,  nor  the  vine 
 ?'  the  pruning-knife,  nor  merchants  foreign 
 "  commodities;  but  every  country  fhall 
 ^*  produce  every  thing  defireable  :  The  Af- 
 ^'-  fyrian  Amamum^:i\\  grow  every  where  5 
 ^^  the  country  Spikenard,  be  as  common  as 
 ^^  Ivy,  and  the  Egyptian  bean,  as  the  thorn  : 
 *'  Ripe  grapes  fhall  hang  on  the  wild  bram- 
 f'  ble,  and  oaks  drop  honey,  in  plenty  like 
 f'  dew  (^).  "^     The  prophets  have  been  be- 
 
 fore- 
 
 {a)  Ef.  Ixv.  25.  And  under  the  figure  of  this  judgment 
 upon  the  Serpent,  God's  vengeance  of  the  perfecuting  Ty- 
 rant of  the  Jews,  is  foretold,  Ef.  xxvii.  i. 
 -  {h)  Ipfse  !a^e  domum  referent  diftenta  capellae 
 Ubera — 
 
 — omnis  fett  omnia  tellus, 
 Won  raflros  patietur  humus,  non  vinea  falcera 
 
 Rabuflis 
 
ADefence <?/  C h r  i s t i  a n i  t  v.  19 
 
 fore-hand  with  him,    in  the  like  promifes     Sc£l.  I. 
 and  exprcfllons.     The  calfy    the  lion  and  ^-^"V""^-^ 
 the  fat  ling  together  ^  and  a  little  child  fliall 
 Uad  them :-—  The  earth   fmll  hear  the  Ef.  xi.  <5, 
 corny     and   the    '■juine   and  the  oyl-—the 
 feed  [hall  be  profperous,  the  vine  jhallgiv£ 
 tljeir  fruit- -t^nd  the  heavens  their  dew: 
 the  plowman ^lall  overtake  tie  reaper^  and  Hof.ii.n.z-. 
 the  treadtr  of  grapes  him  that  foweth  feed. 
 (lowing  and  reaping  and  vintni^e  ihall  fol- 
 low at  the  heels  of  each  other:)    And  the 
 mountains  fiall  drop  fweetnefs,  i.  e.  wine 
 
 D  4  or 
 
 Robudis  quoque  jam  taur's,  juga  folvet  arator. 
 Ccdet  Sc  ipfe  mari  vedus:  nee  np.utica  pinus, 
 Mutabit  mcrces — 
 
 Errantes  hedcras  pafTim  cum  bnccaretellus 
 Mixtaq;  ridenti  colocalla  fundct  acantho. 
 —  Aflyriumq;  vulgo  nafcerur  amuinum 
 Incultifq;  rubens  perdebir,  fentibiis  uva 
 Et  durae  quercus  fudabunt  rofcida  mella. 
 Be  adAu  Deut.xxxii. 
 
 Nee  varies  difcet  mcntiri  lana  colores  !^-  ^"'^"'"'f'' 
 
 T   r     /■  J  •  •        r  1  Jjraeljuck  ho- 
 
 ipie  led  in  pratis  aries,  jam  luave  rubenti  ne^or.rof  the 
 
 Murice,  jam  croceo  mutabit  vellera  luto:  rock. 
 
 Sponte  fua  Sandyx  pafcentes  veftiet  agnos. 
 
 The  purple,  the  faffron  and  the  verraillion  colour  fliaQ 
 nauually  tincture  the  fleeces. 
 
 Much  like  this  is  [aid  hy  Maimon.  in  Sanh.  of  the  timei 
 of  theMeJpas.  '''' 
 
 Et  hoc  ell  quod  diccre  folent,  tunc  terrain  Ifrneliticam, 
 placentas,  •vcjiefq;  feticas  produduram,  fi  quidcm  iM  com- 
 muniter  de  eo,  qui  rem  nliquam  jam  paratam  facile  in- 
 vencrit,  dicere  fQlent,  iiivenir,  bu(cellam  panis piflarr..  'y" 
 cibum  coclum. 
 
20  A  defence  <?fCHRisTiANiTy. 
 
 Chap.  I.  or  honey,    and    the  hills  Jhall  melt  with 
 ^'-'^^^'"'^^  milk  (r).  yldfii 
 
 The  land  of  Canaan  is  every  where  de- 
 
 fcribed,  as  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  ho- 
 
 Deut.viii.8.   ney^   a  land  of  wheat,   vines,   and  milk. 
 
 xxvi.  o.xxxii.  _,,  1  I         r  •  .  ,  ^ 
 
 13,  14.  2K.   The  prophets  therctore  to  give  an  idea  of 
 xv111.32.Ezek.  theii-   new   ftate,    reprefcnt   it  as  another 
 
 XXVII.  17. 
 
 Canaan,   fuch  as   Canaan  was  painted  to 
 
 jer.xxxi.12.   the  yews,  at  their  coming  out  of  E^ypt. 
 2>  J£fdi.  ii.  iQ.  o/y 
 
 And    Virgil    ufmg    the    Uke    exprellions, 
 
 of  the  feUcity  of  his  new  Age,  feems 
 plainly  to  borrow  them,  from  the  wri- 
 ters of  a  country,  whofe  fituation  cauf- 
 ed  thefe  things,    to  be  in  plenty  and  high 
 
 efteem^ 
 
 (c)  Am.  ix.  13.  Joel  iii.  18.  Kxmth'i  on  Hof.  xiv.  8. 
 quoting  Pf.  Ixxii.  16.  There  {hall  be  a,  handful  of  cern  in 
 the  laudf  upon  the  top  of  the  mountains ^  the  fruit  t hereof y 
 fliall  Jlmke  like  Lebanon — obfeives  the  Targ.  and  Jarchi 
 fay,  that  this  plenty  fliall  be  in  the  days  of  the  Mefllas. 
 "  There  are,  as  he  goes  on— That  interpret  it  of  the 
 *'  change  of  nature  in  the  Age  to  come  :  when  corn  (hall 
 "  be  made  to  hve  hke  a  vine.  Becaufe  as  that  is  planted 
 •'  but  once,  fo  corn  fhall  be  fowed  but  once.  And  our 
 '  *•  Rabbies  or  Doftors  do  fpeak  of  fuch  a  change  of  -Na- 
 **  ture,  as  fhall  be  heieafter  in  corn.  "  And'. to  the  like 
 effe6i  Maim,  in  Sanh.  "  Tunccuivis  facile  fuerit,  cuivisho^ 
 •'  minum  habere  unde  vivat:  quippe  exiguo  labore,  mag- 
 *'  num  fibi  paraturus  commodum,  &  hoc  efl  quod  dicerp 
 "*  folent,  terram  Ifraeliiicam  placentas- — produ<fturam,  fiqui- 
 dem  ita  communiter  de  eo,  qui  rem  aliquam  jam  paratam 
 facile  invenerit,  dicere  folent,  invenit  buccellam  panis  pif- 
 tarn  V  cibum  co£lum.  Id  quod  coniirmatur  ex  eo  quoj 
 dicitur  Ef.  \x\.^.  quo  indicatur  fementem  &  meffera,  tur^c 
 ibi  parata  fore. 
 
A  defence  ^/Christianity. 
 
 cftecm,  as  they  were  with  the  Jews,  and 
 not  remarkably  in  Greece,  or  any  other 
 land  about  them. 
 
 i.  The  prophets  go  on,    there  pjall  be  no  zech.  xiv.zi. 
 more  a    Canaanite    a    Merchant,    in  the 
 houfe  of  the  Lord,  as  being  fupplicd  with 
 more  than  enough  for  facritice  and  incenfc 
 at  homc-'-inftead  of  the  thorn  fhall  come  pj-^^  „ 
 up  the  firr-tree,   inftead  of  the  bryar  the  -^''^v.  i.  xli. 
 fnyrtle—the  njo'ildernefs  [hall .  blojfom   like 
 the  rofe-'the  cedar,  /^^Shittah,  the  myrtle, 
 the  oil- tree,  the  fir,  the  pine  and  the  box, 
 and  every  fweet-fmelling  tree,  in  the  defer t  Bar.iv.  8. 
 together.     All  ever- greens,    and   like  Vir- 
 gil'^ plants  for  perfume   and  delight,    moft 
 defireable. 
 
 When  wc  obfervc  the  titles  given  by 
 Virgil  to  this  Prince  id),  of  a  child,  a  Son  to 
 be  born :  the  beloved  fon  of  the  gods  :  the 
 great  offspring  of  Jupiter,  i.  e.  his  chief 
 or  firft-born ;  the  new  feed  that  comes 
 do'Ui'nfrom  heaven:  the  honor  or  glory  of 
 his  Age,  who  Jhall  be  advanced  to  high 
 dignity  and  power.   One  can't  overlook  the 
 
 like 
 
 (i)  Tu  modo  nafcenti  pucro — 
 — fave — 
 
 — Cara  Deilm  foboles:  magnum  Jovis  incrementum, 
 — Jam  nova  progenies  coelo  demittitur  alto 
 >\v>;i„Decus  hoc  aevi — 
 
 y\ggrejJerc  6  inagr»os,  aderitjamtempus,  honorcj. 
 
22  A^efemeof  CnKisriK'ifiTY, 
 
 Chap.  I.   like  titles  of  the  Meflias,  in  the  prophets ; 
 ETixX^jT  ^^^^^  ^^  ^  child  is  given,   unto  us  a  fon  is 
 
 7^^^  P^-      born He  {hall be  great  the  mighty  Hero, 
 
 liv.  5."  ui  the  fon  of  God,  his  firfl  born,  higher  than 
 Luc/i  tz  ^^^  kivgs  oj  the  earth  :  *  the  branch  of  the 
 »T«?  sV^i^sy^?  Lord,  the  Beauty  and  Glory  f ;  in  whom 
 andjoh.iii."    God is  well-pleasd  \.,w\\ojhall  be  exalted, 
 
 that  Cometh  111  a  word,  if  the  end  of  his  coming  be 
 *?L\i.-]^.''^'  according  to  7^/>^/7,  "  to  r^^<?^;;^ /^^^  world 
 Ix'xxix.2.7.      "  f^Qj^  evcrlaftins;    fear— to  do  away  the 
 
 +  El.  IV.  i. 
 
 xxviii.  f,  "  remains  of  fm  -to  rcftore  the  communi- 
 Je?  xhI ^/  "  cation    between    the    gods    and    good 
 
 **  Ef.  lii.  13.  "  men  (e) ;  for  which  reafon  his^  birth  is 
 Jer.  xxiii.  5.    .,  ^    .  ,  ,     , 
 
 "  matter  of   joy,   to  tlie  wliole  creation, 
 
 "  which  in  their  way   exprcfs  their  glad- 
 
 "  nefs    for  it  (/).     All  thcfe  benefits  the 
 
 Jews  expccl  from  their  Mcflias,   upon,  the 
 
 Jcr.xxiii.?.    credit  of  rheir  prophecies.     In  his    days 
 
 Hof  iVii  18  y^^^^  P^^^^    ^^  faved,    and  Ifrael  dwell 
 
 fafelj--and  no  one  fljall  make  them  afraid. 
 
 Ef.iix.  10.     j^ijg  redeemer  fljall  turn  away  tranfgreffion 
 
 Ef.in.5-,6,8,  from 
 
 XI. 
 
 {^e)  V'trg.  Eccl.  iv, 
 
 Te  duce,  fi  qua  m.inent  fceleris  veftigia  noftri 
 Irrita,  perpetua'folvent,  formidine  terras, 
 llle  Deum  vitam  accipiet,  divifq;  videbit 
 Permixtos  Heroas,  &  Ipfe  videbitur  illis. 
 
 (/)  Afpice  venture,  Uttntur  ut  omnia  faeclo 
 — Afpice  convexo  nutantem  pondere  mundum 
 Terrafq;  tradufq;  maTis,  coelumq;  profunduin. 
 
^T>efence  of  Christ  I  A^iTY.  23 
 
 from  '^Jacob—open  a  fountain  for  uncleanefs    Scd.  L 
 and  (in— in    his  days   God  Qimll  apatn  fet    '^-''V*^^ 
 
 11  t  .      .  Joel  i>i-  'I- 
 
 his  tabernacle  among  men-,    aiiii  dwell  a-  jv/.ek.xxxvii. 
 mon^  them,     lie  il'HI  be  their  God,  and  t^',^^* 
 
 «^  •'  Joel  in.  zr. 
 
 they  jhall  be  his  people. 
 
 They  alfo  in  like  manner,  call  to  eve- 
 ry part  of  the  Creation,  to  rcjoycc  for  theie 
 times— Sing  oh  heavens ,  and  rejoice  oh  earth,  Ef.  xlix.  13. 
 break  forth  into  finging  oh  moimtains^  for  ^^^•'^'^•}^-P" 
 the  Lord  hath  comforted  his  people—let  all 
 the  trees  of  the  field  clap  their  bands,  let 
 the  fea  roar,  and  the  fulnefs  thereof,  the 
 lijorld  and  they  that  d\Z'ell  therein. 
 
 To  reduce  what  hath  been  faid  at  large, 
 to  our  preient  purpofe.  The  things  Virgil 
 writ  to  flatter  Aiignftuss  fon,  are  the  fame 
 that  had  been  taught  by  the  Jeiz's  from 
 their  Scriptures,  in  very  near  the  fame 
 terms ;  Virgil  declaring  them  to  be  taken 
 from  a  prophetical  book,  of  a  fybil, 
 fhews  that  the  fubjed  of  the  fybil's  book, 
 was,  the  coming  of  a  great  king  and  favi- 
 or,  luch  as  the  jews  then  expected.  And 
 as  thefc  verfes  were  not  known,  before 
 the  Roman  fybil  books  were  burnt  in  Syl- 
 las  days,  nor  before  ^ompe/s  reduction  of- 
 Jertifalem,  They  may  reafonably  be  thought, 
 to  have  proceeded  from  the  Jews,  who 
 believed  their  redemption  was  at  the  door, 
 
 when 
 
A  T>efence  ^Christianity. 
 
 when  the  Syrian  Kingdom,  one  main 
 branch  of  the  Greek  and  3d  empire  was 
 fallen :  and  fo  are  a  confirmation  of  the 
 Jews  expedation,  for  above  fixty  years  be- 
 fore Chrift's  birth. 
 
 Indeed  it  was  the  fear,  of  what  this  'Vic- 
 torious king,  fhould  do  to  them,  that  made 
 the  Roman  magiftrates,  fo  uneafy  withthefe 
 fybiUine  verfes.  Cicero  {g),  tliinking  the  re- 
 ligion and  Hberties  of  the  commonwealth 
 were  endanger  d  by  them,  raifes  fufpidons 
 of  their  genuinenefs,  and  propofcs  to  remove 
 them  from  publick  knowledge  into  fecret 
 cuftody,  not  to  be  opened,  as  was  for- 
 merly ordain'd,  without  order  of  the  Se 
 nate.  Atiguftus  was  not  fo  much  pieas'd, 
 to  be  thought  to  be  this  king,  as  he  was 
 jealous,  of  the  handle  they  gave,  to  turbu- 
 lent and  ambitious  fpirits.  To  provide  a- 
 gainft  the  worft,  he  called  in  all  the  fi- 
 bylline  verfes,  that  were  in]  private  hands, 
 {h)  and  lodged  them,    after  they  had  been 
 
 purged 
 
 (■^^DeDivin.  m-sa,.  Hoc,  fi  eft,  inlibris  Cbyllinorum— 
 Again  Quamobrem  fibyllam  quidem  fepofitam  &  cojn- 
 <aitam  habeamus,  ut  id,  quod  proditum  eft  a  Majoribus,  in- 
 juffu  fenatus,  ne  legantur quidem  libri — 
 
 (h)  Suet.  0(fl.  31.  Pontificatum  maximum,  quern  nun- 
 <iuam  vivoLepido  auferre,  fuftinuerat,  mortuo  demum  fuf- 
 ,^:epit :  quicquid  fatidicorum  librorum,  GrAc't^  Latiniq;  gt- 
 neris,  Dullis  Ycl  parum  idoneis  autoribus,    vulgo  ferebatur 
 
 fupra 
 
A  T>efenc€  <?/  C  h  r  r  s  t  i  a  n  r  t  v.  2  i 
 
 purged  carefully,  in  Appollos  temple.    Ti-    Sccb.  I. 
 beriits  renewed,  and  perhaps  extended   the  r^^^^^TrTvil 
 prohibition.     For  it  appears  from  Jujiin's  Suet.  Ang.  c. 
 Apology,   that  it  reached  the  Jc-jus,  (who 
 muft  therefore  be  Abettors  of   the  Sybils) 
 and  under  this  general  name  the  Chriftians 
 were   included  (/'),    who  were   forbid  the 
 reading  of  the  books  of  Hydafpes  and  the 
 prophets,  as  well  as  the  Sybils.     They  all 
 were  predidions  of  the  fame  nature,    and 
 the  Jews,  who  were  mod  induftrious,   to 
 propagate   their  belief,    were  reftraincd  by 
 the  laws,  from  dealing  in  Books,  that  were 
 full  of  nothing  eUc. 
 
 But  with  all  their  caution,  the  cxpcdation 
 of  This  great  king,  the  fubjed  of  thefe 
 Books,  could  not  be  rooted  out  of  the  minds 
 of  the  people,  to  Vefpatian's  days,  whofc 
 fuddcn  rife  to  the  empire,  and  conqueft  of 
 the  Jews,  fo  turned  the  heads  of  many,  as 
 to  make  them  imagine,  he  muft  be  the 
 king  that  had  been  fpoken  of  The  ac- 
 count 
 
 fupra  zcoo  contracfla  undiq;  ac  foUs  retinuit  fibyUinos :  Hos 
 qnoq;  dele(5lu  habito. 
 
 (i)  Vopifcus  de  Aurcliauo.  Ego  miror  vns,  Patres 
 fanifti,  tandiii,  de  aperiendis  lihis  libyllinis  dubitafTe,  per- 
 inde  quafiin  Chriftianomm  Ecclefia,  5c  non  in  tempio  om- 
 nium deorum  traftaretis:  tecaufe  they  were  perillous  to  tht 
 Chriftians  to  read  theni,  but  not  fo  to  the  Senate  in  cafes  of 
 Extremity. 
 
^  S  A  defence  <?f  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  ir  i  f  i^i 
 
 Chap.  I.  count  we  have  in  two  Gentile  and  one 
 ^"''^^^'^^^  Jewish  writer,  and  comparing  their  ac- 
 counts, (to  which  end  I  have  placed  therrt 
 in  tliree  columns,  to  befeen  in  one  view) 
 it  comes  out  what  they  meant  by  fibylUn 
 books,  and  that  the  tradition  preferved  in 
 them,  was  deduced,  from  the  Jewijh 
 Scriptures. 
 
 Tacit.  Bifi.  c.  13. 
 Pluribus  perfuafio  ine- 
 S'at,  antiquis  facerdotum 
 tibris,  continerii  eo  ipfo 
 ietnpcre  fore,  ut  valcfce- 
 ret  Oriens,  profecfliq; 
 Judea,  rerum  potirentur. 
 QujE  ambages  Vefpatia- 
 hum  Sc  Titum  predix- 
 runt.  Sed  valgus,  [Jh- 
 d^oruni]  more  huma- 
 ne cupidiniS;  fibi  tatitum, 
 Jatorum  magnitudinem 
 interpretati,  ne  adverftsy 
 qujdem,  ad  'vera  muta- 
 bantur. 
 
 Jofeph.  debet,  vii.  31. 
 
 That  which  chiefly  ex- 
 cited them  Cthe  Jews)  to 
 war,  was  an  ambiguous, 
 prophecy f  which  was  al- 
 fo  found  in  the  facred 
 booksf  that  at  that  time 
 fome  one  within  their 
 country  flmtldarlfe,  that 
 fliould  obtain  the  empire 
 oft  he  whole  world  *.  For 
 this  they  had  received  (by 
 tradition  f)  that  it  was 
 fpoke  of  one  of  theirNati- 
 on^t  and  many  wife  men 
 were  deceived  with  the 
 interpertation.  But  iii 
 truth  Vefpatians  empire 
 was  defignedin  this  pro- 
 phecy who  was  created 
 Emperor  in  7«'^'<'»- 
 
 *  Ui  itiiTX  Toy  xxi^ai   imTtcy-etTt  1^  ;^'f*5>  ""^  eivrut    «^|«  t»j^ 
 
 Suet,  in  Vefp.  c.  4. 
 Vercrebuerat  oriente 
 toto  conjians  opinio 
 efle  in  fat  is  ut  eo 
 tempore,  Judaei  pro" 
 fedli  reruni  potiren- 
 tur. Id  de  imperio 
 Romano,  quantum 
 poilea  eventu  patuit, 
 praedidum,  Judaei  ad 
 fe  habentes,  rebeila- 
 runt. 
 
 mnovi/jifiiv. 
 
 I  iroipd  or  Chachams. 
 
 From 
 
A  defence  of  Christ  IAN  iTY.  27 
 
 From  the  collation  of  thcfe  paflagcs   it     Scft.  I 
 will  be  obfcrvcd.  L^^V^vJ 
 
 1.  That  all  three  Hiilorians  agree,  that 
 there  was  a  general  expe^ation  of  a  neiv 
 kingdom.,  to  appear  about  that  ttme^  which 
 from  Judcca  ihould  extend  it  fclf  over  the 
 whole  earth.  It  "n-as  a  rooted  perfuajion 
 in  nuinyy  faith  one :  It  -lijas  commonly 
 knoui'n  throughout  the  whole  Eajly  faith  a- 
 nother.     It  was  the    principle  that  chiefly 
 
 ftirr'd  up  the  Jeiaipo  Nation,  to  war  with 
 the  RomanSy  and  many  of  their  wife  men, 
 Rabbics  or  learned  in  their  fcriptures  and 
 traditions,  trailing  to  it,  were  deceived, 
 faith  the  third. 
 
 2.  This  pcrfuafion  was  antient  and  con-      stief, 
 flant  or   uninterrupted  :    derived  down  by 
 
 tradition  J    as  the  jenfi  of  the  facred  pro-      j^^ 
 phecies   of   the  Jews,    and  fo   underftood 
 by  their  wife  men. 
 
 3.  This  pcrfuafion  was  contained  in  the 
 (acred  books  of  the  Triefts:  faith  Tacit. 
 In  the  holy  books  of  the  prophets,  faith  Jo- 
 fephus.  In  the  fates,  ^aith  Suet,  meaning  the 
 librt  fat  ales,  or  piophctick  books,  which 
 is  but  another  word  for  the  fibyllin 
 Books  (y^). 
 
 4.  The 
 
 (fe)  Virg.  En.vi.  v.^i^.  ufes  promifeuouily, /^/ctfrf/<»r4  8c 
 teff>ortfa  SihylU  ini  Otherwhere. 
 
28  j^ 'Defence of  Christ  lAiJ IT  tl 
 
 Chap.  I.        4.    The  opinion  that  went  abroad  ac- 
 
 ^^-^^^^^'^^^^  cording  to  Suet,  of  the  Jews  poffejjing  this 
 
 empirey    is  explained  by  Tacit,  that  the 
 
 Eaft  (Idould  pre'vail,  and  by  Jofeph.  that  a 
 
 certain  man  of  their  Nation  jhould  rule 
 
 the  world.     There  is  therefore  ground  to 
 
 think,  that  the  Romans,   poflibly  witiiout 
 
 knowing  the  reafon,  did  call  the  expe6ied 
 
 king,    by  the  name  of  the  Eafi.     So  the 
 
 Zech.vi.  li.  Greek  Jews  called  their  Mellias,    'AvctloA^jy 
 
 Spreffd  by  ^r  Eafi,    from  whence  the  Jews  at  Rome 
 
 thejew.Targ.  mi^ht  fpcak  of  him  as  the  Oriens-,  in  fome 
 
 Suet,  oaav,  ot  the  many  Latin  prophecies,  rclatmgto 
 
 *^-3^-  his  times,  that  were  divulged  there  in  Au- 
 
 gufiuss  days.     We  may  the  rather  fuppofe 
 
 this,   becaufe    the  perfuafion  being   fetcht 
 
 from  the  holy  books,  the  name  as  well  as 
 
 the  thing  might  be  taken  thence. 
 
 5 .  From  the  argument  of  the  three  hiflo- 
 rians,  that  at  that  time  the  king  jhould  ap- 
 pear, it  may  be  colleded,  that  there  were 
 times  marked  in  the  facred  books,  for  his 
 coming,  which  were  then  thought  to  be 
 expired.  Nor  could  Jofephus  have  erred 
 fo  groflly,  in  applying  the  prophecy  to 
 Vefpatian,  but  for  this.  The  period  fix'd 
 was  over.  He  could  find  no  new  reck- 
 oning, to  protradl  the  expcdation.  De- 
 Ipairing  then  of  a  M^Hias  in  his  own  nati- 
 on. 
 
\/l  defence  of  CuRi ST  lAU  IT yI  i^ 
 
 on,    he  pitches  upon  one  in  the    Roman.     Sed.  I. 
 
 That  time  appears  farther,  from  the  Num-    ^*<W^ 
 
 ber  of  Impoftors  (^),  which  were  not  known 
 
 in  any  Age  before  j    from  the  readinefs  of 
 
 the   people  to  joyn  them   at  any  hazard  5 
 
 and  the  vigor  with    which    they    oppofed 
 
 the  Romans  in  the  fiege^   without  and  a- 
 
 gainft   All   hopes  of  fuccefs,    befide  that> 
 
 whidithisczpedation  infpired  them  with  (J?), 
 
 From    this  perfuajion  they  rebelled:    from 
 
 this  perfuajion  the  hearts  of  the  common 
 
 people  were  kept  up.    Under  all  the  mife- 
 
 ries  of  the  fiege  5  and  even  their  difappoint- 
 
 mcnts  did  not  caufe  them  to  forfake  it. 
 
 6.  Though  Jofephus  calls  this  prophecy,  Ta<2* 
 an  ambiguous  or  dark  Oracle,  becaufe  the 
 event  did  not  anfwcr  to  his  fenfe  of  it^ 
 yet  he  owns  it  was  fo  underftood  in  the 
 fenfe  I  am  fpeaking  of,  by  their  wife  men, 
 and  by  thofe  before  them  that  had  delivet- 
 td  down   this  fenfe  of  it.     Very  dark  in- 
 
 (a)  Jof.  Ant.  XX.  6,  7.  d.  b.  vii.  ^i. 
 
 (b)  Jof.  d.  b.  iii.  Z7.  Gr. 
 
 d.  b.  vi.  35.  All  the  time  of  the  fiege  they  were  affurcd  of  Help  ift 
 fome  extraordinary  way. 
 
 vii.  4.  Falfe  prophets  in  '}erufalem  promifed  the  people,  that  the  I>«y 
 #/  Salvation  was  corKe,  even  to  the  laft  hour  of  their  ruin. 
 
 vi.  go.  Even  when  the  Romans  were  mailers  of  the  temple,  one  of 
 them  led  up  6000  men,  to  certain  deftrudion,  in  confidence  of  fome 
 furpriiing  interpofuion,  at  their  lalt  extremity. 
 
^^o  A T)efcnce of  CviK  IS t  ih^ It Y> 
 
 Chap.  I.  deed  it  muft  be,  if  defcribing  one  of  the 
 ^•^^"''^^^^  royal  houfe  of  T>avtd  to  be  their  King^ 
 it  intended  a  Roman  of  an  obfcure  fami- 
 ly :  if  defcribing  him,  as  the  converter  of 
 the  Gentiles  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
 God  5  it  was  to  be  undcrftood  of  one  that 
 lived  and  dyed  an  Idolater :  if  defcribing 
 him,  as  the  perfon  that  fhould  put  an  end 
 to  the  Roman  Empire,  in  belief  whereof 
 the  Jews  took  up  arms  againft  them,  it 
 nieaned,  a  Roman  fhould  deftroy  the  Jew- 
 ifh  nation  and  religion.  Jofephus  therefore, 
 whatever  motives  he  had  for  fo  applying 
 the  prophecy,  upon  fecond  thoughts  in  wri- 
 ting his  antiquities,  returned  to  his  firft  be- 
 
 vid  Ch  ii.    ^^^^'  ^"^^  ^^^^'^y  \\\.\\^^  there,    as  do  the  reft 
 on  Dan.  ix.  of  his  nation,   that  'Daniels   Mellias  was 
 yet  to  come,  and  fubdue  the  Romans, 
 
 7.  The  prophecy  Jofephus  refers  to,  if  it 
 be  not  a  fummary  ot  all  the  prophecies,  is 
 part  of  Baalanis  words  in  Num.  xxiv.  7. 
 according  to  the  tranflation  of  the  Ixx.  A 
 man  fljall  come  forth  of  his  [Jacob's]  feed, 
 and  pjall  rule  many  nations,  and  his  king- 
 dom  jhall  be  exalted  above  Gog  [the  name 
 of  the  powerful  kings  of  Scythick  nati- 
 ons] and  f^mll  be  encreafed—'KnA  this  text 
 was  alfo  underftood  of  the  Mcfllas,  by 
 Thilo^   whofe  Authority  is  the  laft  that  I 
 
 ihall 
 
A  Defence  <>/  C  h  r  i  s  t  1  an  i  t  1\  ft 
 
 ftiall  produce,   in  this  Icdion,  to  fhcw  the    Scd.  IL 
 cxpcdation  of  tliat  Age.     7^/j/7<7,  \vasa]ew   ^^*^*^ 
 of  Egypt y  a  Httlc  ancicntcr  than  Jofephns, 
 and  co-temporary  with  Chrift.     He  was  a 
 man  of  great  credit  and  authority   in  his 
 Nation,  and .  of  high  truft  at   Alexandria^ 
 the  place  of  the  world,    moft  difpofed  to 
 popular    tumults,    and  moft  fet  agaiilft  the 
 Jews  (r).     For  this  rcafon,   we  arc  not  td 
 look  for  fuch  plain  declarations  in  hitli,  of 
 the  hope  of  Ifrael^    concerning   the  pro- 
 mi  fed  king,  as  we  haVe  now  feen^     It  had 
 been  no    lefs    than  rebellion  in   him,    to 
 fpeak  out  the  fentiments  of  his  heart.    Hints 
 however  he  gives,  fufficient  fot  thofe,  that 
 were  acquainted  with  the  belief  of  the  Jews, 
 to  underftand,  that  in  Egypt y  as  well  as  in 
 ^aleftinej  in  the  Weft,  and  throughout  the 
 Eaft,  they  entertained  themfelves,  With  the 
 cxpedation  of  a  Mefllas. 
 
 Hear  his  own  Words  {d).  "  The  wild  Alluding  to 
 ^'  creatures  fhall  be  tamed,  when  the  Jews  '  ^^'  * 
 *■*■  tame  their  paffions,  and  war  fhall  not 
 "  reach  the  country  of  the  godly,  (/.Jews) 
 <^  [no  more  war,  If.  iv.  3.]  or  if  their  c- 
 -"  nemies  be  fo  mad,  as  to  gather  to  battle, 
 E  2  "  their 
 
 (c)  Jof.  de  Bel.  ii.  ii.  Lat.  in  Alexandria,  fcmper  eratlncolis,  ad* 
 Verfus  Judaeos  feditio. 
 \d)  Philodc  pr.-KiTv  J<  pen.  p-9*3'  ^' 
 
A^efence of  CnvLiSTih  NiTt.' 
 "  their  courage  (hall  not  laft,  being  made 
 fcnfible  hqv/  impollibk  it  is   to  fubdue 
 
 Lev.  z6.  8.  cc  xhcm.  For  five  jhall  pit  to  flight  an 
 "  hundred,  and  an  hundred  of  you  fhall  put 
 "  ten  thoufand  to  flight.  And  they  jhall 
 "  fly  many  ways  that  come  one  way.     For 
 
 l^am  xxiv.  7.  «  ^g  the  Oracle  faith,  A  man  jhall  go  forth y 
 "  and  warring  againft  great  and  populous 
 "  nations y  jhall  overcome  them,  God  fend- 
 
 ''  ing  all  fuitable  help  to  the  godly 
 
 "  this  man  fhall  extend  his  conquefts  for 
 ^    "  the  ^ood  of  the  conquered,    fo  as  to  be 
 
 Ki4)«^i)  «vef«- "  theltrengthof  the  empire-— and  the  heaa 
 
 *Jv«  ;)^'«.p.  «  of  all  mankind. 
 
 1?hilo  >uft  touches  upon  the  prophecy  in 
 Numbers,  but  we  fee  the  hope  he  builds  on 
 it  5  For  this  Man  is  the  Meflias,  according 
 to  the  three  JewifhParaphrafts,  upon  thePen* 
 tateuch  and  according  to  Maimonides  {e)* 
 
 In  another  place  (/)  he  cxpeded  the  con- 
 verfion  of  the  Gentiles,  to  Mofes's  laws^ 
 whenever  the  affairs  of  the  Jews  fhould 
 mend.  "  For  many  years,  our  Nation  hath 
 "  not  been  profperous- — but  if  an  oppor- 
 *^^  tunity  jhould  happen,  for  the  better y  how 
 
 "  great 
 
 (^e)  Onk.  Jon.  ScHIer.  Targ.  on  Mum.  14.    Maim.  Saah,  c.  xi.  Las 
 
 TeftaturdeMeffiain  Parafcha  Bilhaip. 
 (f)  Vit.  Mcfisii.  p.  660. 
 
j^  Defence  of  Christ  I AU  IT  Y.  5J 
 
 "  great  an  advantage  will  probably  be  made   Scd.  I. 
 
 "  of  it  ?    the  nations  will  then,   I'm  per-  ^-^"V""^^ 
 
 "  fwadcd,  forfake  their  own  laws  and  cu- 
 
 "  ftoms,  for  ours.  For  our  laws  appearing 
 
 ''  then  in  full  luftre,  ivith  the  felicity  of 
 
 *^  our  nation,  will  eclipfe  the  laws,    of  all 
 
 "  other  countries. 
 
 Again,  rcprcfcnting  the  design  of  the 
 Jewifh'.laws,  to  promote  famenefs  of  mind, 
 communion,  concord,  fimilitudc  of  man- 
 ners, from  whence  proceeds  the  chief  fe- 
 licity of  families,  cities,  nations,  and  pro- 
 vinces, and  indeed  of  the  whole  race  of 
 mankind,  he  adds,  [g]  "  Hitherto  thefc 
 . "  things  have  been  fimple  wifhcs,  but  I 
 "  firmly  beiieve  they  fhall  (hereafter)  be 
 ^'  real  fa£ls,  when  God  (Imll  bring  forth  a 
 "  plentiful  crop  of  virtue— -.Which  being 
 "  not  yet  our  lot,  we  have  a  longing  ^ejire 
 *'  after  them,  almofl  from  our  infancy.'* 
 CWe  fee  how  early  Parents  taught  their 
 Children,  the  belief,  of  the  good  things 
 under  the  Meilias.] 
 
 Again    he  encourages    them    to  hope,  ^^^^^  ^JJ^^'^'  ^ 
 «  that  the  earth  (hall  be  hereafter  like  Pa- 
 E  3  "  radice 
 
 {g)  De  praem.  &  pen.  p.  929-  F-    '^A^f  ^  '"«  s-^po'*'"^  '■'"'^*  "'^" 
 
 cij-Tsj)    iTiTion  KO-pTToK;   ivf>o£j(Xt  fliptT;;?,    at   [J^r,  fuju.c»p>j<r«<^««,   Tnr  t*<5S>«   aurt^t 
 
94-  ^T>efenceofCHRiSTiAtJiTY. 
 
 Chap.  I.  "  radice,  where  fruits  growing  of  their  own 
 ^^i^^'^^^'"^  «  accord,  they  fhall  lead  their  lives  in  plenty 
 ^-  without  labor,  or  forrow. 
 
 And  to  the  like  efFed,  he  interprets,  fomc 
 of  Mofes's  bleffings  upon  the  twelve  Tribes. 
 vit.  Mof.  hi.  ''  MofeSy  faith  he^  being  about  to  dye, 
 5>.  ^96.  <c  foxxtells  what  fhould  bcfal  each  tribe 
 '*  hereafter.  Some  of  thefe  things  are  al- 
 *'  ready  fulfilled  :  others  we  expect.  For 
 ^'  the  completion  of  part  of  what  was  pro- 
 S  mifed,  is  ground  for  our  believing  the 
 ''  reft." 
 
 The  times  would  not  admit  him  to  quot^ 
 the  paflages,  which  by  recourfe  to  their  bible 
 they  might  read  with  more  fecurity,  and 
 had  often  heard  in  private.  They  are  the 
 three  laft  vetfes  of  ^eut.  xxxiii.  Ifrael  then 
 fhall  dwell  in  fafety  alone.  (Which  the  Pro- 
 phets after  him  repeat.)  They  of  the  fotm- 
 f er  xxiil  6.  ^^^'^  ^  Jacob  (/.  e.  his  feed)  upon  a  land  of 
 corn  and  wine :  his  heavens  alfa  fhall  drop 
 dew,  Happy  art  thou,  oh  Ifrael !  who  is 
 like  unto  thee,  oh  people y  faved  by  the  Je- 
 hova-,  thefhield  of  thy  help,  the  fword  of 
 thy  excellency  ?  thy  enemies  fhall  be  fubdu^ 
 edunto  thee,  andthoiifhak  tread  upon  their 
 high  places :  i.  e.  their  kings  and  princes. 
 All  the  Jews  explain  this  bleiling  of  falva- 
 tiQi>  by  the  Melliasj  hefoi^e  whom  no  op- 
 
 poiitiou 
 
A  defence  ^Christ  ianit  v.  J5 
 
 pofition  Hull  ftaiid,  and  under  whom,  the  Sed.  H. 
 earth,  the  land  of  Canaan-,  Ihall  yield  her 
 cncrcafe.  We  may  be  therefore  lure,  ^Thilo 
 had  this  very  pallage  in  his  thoughts,  when 
 he  told  them  of  things  yet  to  be  fuliillcd 
 in  Mofes's  blefling,  and  that  therefore  the 
 Jews  of  his  country  and  age,  had  a  firm  ex- 
 pedation  of  a  Mcllla  to  come,  and  of  hap- 
 py days  under  him. 
 
 Let  us  now  rife  a  ftep  or  two  higher,  and 
 fhcw  that  this  was  then  no  novel  opinion, 
 taken  up  from  the  circumftances  of  their 
 condition  5  but  was  the  belief  of  their  fore- 
 fathers from  the  Age  of  Anttochiis  Epiph. 
 and  earlier,  even  from  their  re-eftablifh- 
 ment,  at  their  return  from  ^^^^w.  And  this 
 1  propofeto  fhew,  in  the  two  next  Sedions, 
 
 C  H  A  P.  I.     S  E  c  T.  II. 
 
 THE  general  expedition  which  the  Jew 
 Kh  nation  had  of  a  great  king  and 
 deliverer  to  come,  about  60  years  before, 
 and  at  the  birth  of  our  Lord  jefus,  hath  been 
 proved.  But  this  expectation  was  much 
 anticnter.  We  may  trace  it  to  the  days  next 
 to  Antiochns  Epiphanes.  Nor  did  it  then 
 arife  from  the  political  contrivances  of  their 
 Governors,  for  fupportingthe  drooping  fpi 
 
 £  4  the 
 
S  ^  A  defence  ^Christianity. 
 
 phap.  I.  rits  of  the  people,  under  the  oppreflion  of 
 ^  v"^-'  the  Greeks.     The  Jews  needed  fuch  an  ar- 
 tifice long  before,  if  the  fubjedion  of  their 
 State  made  it  neceflary.     But  befides    that, 
 it  feems  impoffible  to  have  deceived  the 
 people,    with  fuch  vain  hopes,  if  there  had 
 been  no  antecedent  foundation,    or  color 
 in  their  fcriptures,    in   an  Age   efpecially, 
 that  had  free  commerce  with  the  learned 
 nations  about  them,  tlietcftimony  Ifhallnow 
 give,  of  a  far  higher  antiquity  ot  this  belief, 
 muft  filence  all  fuppofitions  of  this  kind. 
 Suetonius,  a  gentile  writer  hath  told  us, 
 it  was  an  ancient  and  conftant  perfwajton : 
 Tacitus  adds,  it  was  as  antient  as  the  old 
 books  of  the  Vriejls,  for  it  was  contained 
 in  them,  and  received  by  tradition  from  their 
 wifemeny  2iSjofephus^itr\zScs,    They  had 
 authorities,  for  what  they  wrote,  which  we 
 want.     The  Chafm  in  the  Jewiih  hiftory, 
 from  tlie  ceafing  of  prophecy,  to  Augujius, 
 through  the  lofs  of  their  books,  which  we 
 lament,  is  to  be  fupplied  only,  from  a  few  re- 
 mains in  t\it,  Apocryphal  books  5  which  were 
 fo  named,  not  from  being  of  no  credit,  but 
 not  of  equal  authority,  with  the  Canonical 
 %  Maccabees,  fcriptures.     Had  we  the  Hebrew  Originals, 
 lobft  were"^'  in  which  tongue  fome  of  them  were  writ, 
 firft  in  the  jer  thcy  might  have  been  of  mqre  fervice  in  the 
 
 ioT^lXlQ.  .'■  i!.'.r^  .-.   ■   pre* 
 
A^efence of  Christ  ianity. 
 prcfcnt  controverfy.  But  take  them,  as  we 
 have  them  in  Greek  ;  in  them  we  fee  plainly, 
 the  hope  which  the  Jews  conceived,  from 
 Age  to  Age,  of  Him  that  was  to  com\ 
 whom  they  fpoke  of,  fometimes  as  a  Pivj- 
 phct,  or  Prieft,  fometimes  as  a  King ;  fome- 
 times under  the  character  of  two  of  thefe 
 offices  joined  together ;  and  of  the  happy 
 days  they  looked  for,  at  his  coming. 
 
 The  writer  of  the  firft  of  Maccabees ,  who 
 is  a  grave  and   credible  Author,    cxprcffes 
 upon  two  occaiions,  their  national  expeda- 
 tion.     Upon  cleanfmg  the  fanduary,    that 
 Anttochus  had  profaned,    it  was  reiblved, 
 faith  he,   to  lay  by  the  ft  ones  of  the  pollu-  i  Mac.iv.  Afi. 
 ted  altar,    in  the  mountain  of  the  temple^  ^^.  ^T'^^i^*^** 
 till  there  fhould  come  a  Trophet^  to  anfwer 
 about  them.     Not   an  Ordinary  Prophet, 
 for  they  knew  that  after  Malachy,  no  fuch 
 was  to  come,   until  the  fending  of  Elias.  Seder.  Olam. 
 But  it  was  the  extraordinary  Prophet,  like  to  paa.'  ^*  ^ 
 MofeSy  they  here  looked  for,  who  was  to 
 anfwer  their  queftions,   as  Mofes  did  the  v.  inpag.8^. 
 Jews  of  his  time,   and  as  the  High-pricft 
 afterwards,  is  faid  to  anfwer  by  Urim,  when  i  snm.  xxiii. 
 enquired  of,  in  matters  of  Reli<j;ion  and  Na-  '*■  ^^^'"J- ^, 
 tional  concernment.     He  muft  be  a  Prophet  Num.  xxvii.. 
 of  the  higheft  charader,  for  whom  they  re- 
 feivcd  the  kingdom  as  his  rights  and  would 
 
 not 
 
 II. 
 
.38  J^  T>efence  <?/*  Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  I.  not  put  him  by,    for  the  greatcft  merit,  in 
 S^i'^'V^^  any  other  family,    or  perfon.     This  alfo  is 
 related  by  the  fame  writer,  i  Mac.  xiv. 
 
 Judas  the  Maccabee  was  God's  great  in- 
 ftrument,  in  reftoring  the  worlhip  and  policy 
 of  the  Jews.  And  his  brother  Simon,  brought 
 the  nation  to  much  glory ^  fubdued  the 
 heathen  round  about,  and  things  pr offered 
 in  his  hands  J  for  he  exalted  the  people  of 
 Ifrael.  What  did  they  thereupon  ?  Why  in 
 gratitude,  for  fuch  perfonal  and  family  be- 
 nefits, They,  the  People  and  Triejtsy  by  a 
 iMac  XIV  National  contract,  appointed  him  tobeTheir 
 35'  4'.  49-  Governor  and  High-Trieft  for  ever  (i.  him 
 and  his  fons)  untill  there ^wuld  arife  afaith- 
 ful  Trophet. 
 
 What  need  of  any  limitation  at  all,  if 
 they  were  not  pcrfwaded,  a  certain  perfon, 
 was  to  come  under  thefe  charaders  ?  If  the 
 Prophet  they  cxpeded,  had  not  an  iiidefea- 
 zible  title,  to  both  Kingdom  and  High- Pried- 
 hood?  In  other  words,  if  they  did  not 
 look  for  a  Me (11  as,  that  fhould  be  both 
 King  and  Prieft  upon  the  throne,  according 
 7^"'-  to 'D^w*^  and  ^^r^^r/'s  prediction  ?  The 
 many  glorious  ads  of  Simon,  did  not  mif- 
 lead  them  to  think  Simon  was  that  prophet. 
 Neither  his  Tribe,  nor  place  of  Nativity, 
 nor  did  the  time  agree  thereto :  they  there- 
 fore 
 
A  defence  ^/Christianity.  39 
 
 fore  covenant,  that  S'inw?i  and  his  fuccef-   v*>C(fV.  II. 
 fors,  fhould  be  both  Kin^  and  High-PrLcfl:,  ^^^^^^^ 
 till  the  reckoning  was  out,  and  that  time 
 fhould  come.     We  can't  have  better  evi- 
 dence of  a  National  expedation,    than  fo 
 pubhck  an  ad  of  the  whole  Nation,  which, 
 was  inlcribed  in  tables  of  hj:ars,  and  fet  up  ^^^  ^g^  ^^^ 
 in  a  confpicuous  place  in  the  compafs  ot  the 
 temple,    and  copies  thereof  laid  up  in  the 
 trcafury. 
 
 Nor  fhould  the  Epithet,  given  the  prophet 
 cxpeded,  be  pafled  over  llightly.     Heisfty- 
 led  Ihe  faithful  Trophet,  to  fhew  he  was  '^*'« '"«  ^"*^«" 
 to  be  another  Mofes,  a  Governor,  and  Law-  x^^cv] 
 giver,  and  Prieft,  of  v/hom  God  gave  this 
 tcflimony,  he  "ji;  as  faithful  in  all  my  hotife. 
 Num.  xii.  7    Such  another  faithful  prophet 
 the  Jews  believed  He  fhould  be,  whom  God  Dcut.  xviii. 
 promifed  to  raife   up    from  among   their  '  '  *'"*'"'''^''* 
 brethren  like  unto  Mofcs.     For  the  Author 
 to  the  Hebrews,  ♦iook  the  notion  from  the 
 Synagogue,  when  he  nppUcd  the  fame  Epi- 
 thet, tothe  Mcflias,  where  he  compares  his 
 miniftrv  with  M<?/2Vs,  Heb.  iii.  2.  He  'u:as  ^"^  =*'''°  "^^- 
 
 .   .         , '  .  11.17.     riirin 
 
 faithful  to  him  that  appointed  him,    as  '^v/.'''-(M,  a 
 Mo  fes  alfo  'luas  faithful  in  all  his  houfe.         p^ricft."    '^  *" 
 
 Sure  we  are,  the  coming  of  a  Royal-pro- 
 phet ^  continued  to  be  the  currant  Belief,  in 
 the  days  of  our  Lord  jcius.     For  no  fooncr 
 
 were 
 
A^efence  ofC  hristianity. 
 
 were  the  people  convinced  by  his  miracles, 
 that  he  was  of  a  truth  that  prophet,  that 
 foould  come  into  the  world,  bu«-  they  went 
 to  take  him  by  force,  an«^  r^.ake  him  a  king. 
 And  in  excufe  for  carrying  him  triumphantly 
 through  the  city  as  a  king,  and  for  proclaim- 
 
 Joh.  yii.  n-  ing  before  him,  Bleffed  be  the  king  that 
 comet h  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  bleffed  be 
 the  kingdom  of  our  father  l^avid,  to  thofe 
 that  were   moved  thereat,    and  demanded 
 
 Math.xxi.n.  ^j^o  js  jj^j3  J  jj^gy  anfwered.  This  is  Je- 
 
 fus,  the  prophet  of  Nazareth  of  Galilee, 
 
 This  adion  of  the  Jews,  is  the  beft  inter- 
 pretation, of  their  fcntiments,  concerning 
 the  faithful  Prophet  in  the  Maccabees,  for 
 whom  they  kept  the  kingdom,  and  high- 
 priefthood.  If  their  Anceftors  would  not 
 have  Simon  for  their  Governor  and  High- 
 priefi  any  longer  than  till  there  jhould  a- 
 rife  j1  faithful  prophet :  the  Jews  in  Jefus 
 time,  being  fatisfied,  that  Prophet  was  come> 
 and  that  Jefus  was  that  prophet,  were  for 
 putting  him  into  the  government  immedi- 
 ately 5  the  coming  of  this  prophet,  was 
 therefore  the  belief  of  the  Age  of  the  Mac- 
 cabees, as  well  as  of  the  Age  of  Jefus  Chrift ; 
 L^c.xxiv.  ip.  and  they  trufied  alike  in  both,  that  that 
 prophet  was  he,  that  Jhould  redeem  IfraeL 
 
 As 
 
A  defence  (?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y.'  41 
 
 As  this  cxpedation  of  the  Jews,  of  the   Scd.  IL 
 fecond  Century,  before  Chrift,  Hands  attcfted  p;^!^^^!^ 
 
 bv  publick  monuments  and  records  :  fo  the  5<^<^J'^J-  ^"^ 
 •   ^  .    Ecclef.  JO, 
 
 book   Ecclefiafticus,   affords  us   more   evi- 
 dence, for  a  Centnry  before  that. 
 
 For  though  Ecclefiafticus,  was  turned  in- 
 to Greek,  under  Ttolemy  Evergetes^  or 
 ^hyjton,  about  the  year  1 3  3  before  Chrift : 
 yet  it  was  writ  long  before,  in  the  Jerufa- 
 km  tongue,  by  Jefus  the  grandfather,  or 
 perhaps  great-grandfather  of  the  Tranflator, 
 who  feems  to  be  co-temporary  with  SintOn 
 fon  of  Onias  the  High-Pricft.  And  this  date 
 brings  up  the  Author,  to  the  times  of  the 
 earlicft  ^Ptolemies. 
 
 Now  in  a  prayer  made,  for  the  Jcwifh 
 Church,  he  gives  a  fummary,  of  things  God 
 had  pfomilcd  them,  and  which  they  waited 
 for  with  fome  impatience,  Eccluf.  xxxvi. 
 Send  thy  fear  upon  all  the  Nations  that 
 feek  not  after  thee,  lift  up  thy  hand  againft 
 
 the  ftrange  nations Let  them  know  thee, 
 
 as  we  have  known  thee,  that  there  is  no 
 God,  but  only  thou. — Renew  miracles,  and  ^^^-T^^f  , 
 make  other  ftrange  wonders- — Make  the  time  ^oU^m  6^}$^ 
 fhort.  Remember  the  oath  or  covenant. 
 Gather  all  the  Tribes  of  Jacob  together,  and 
 inherit  them  from  the  beginning.  Fill  Si- 
 on,  that  it  may  magnify  thy  oracles,  which 
 
 fore- 
 
 <rt«. 
 
\^  A  Defence  <?/ Christianity.' 
 
 Chap.  I.  foretold  thcfe  events  5  and  thy  people  becaufe 
 ^"^^"^^"^"^  ^f  thy  glory.  Give  teftmony  to  thofe  whom 
 thou  haft  pojfeffed  from  the  beginning  :  and 
 raife  up  or  accompliih,  {a)  the  prophecies  that 
 have  been  in  thy  name.  Reward  them  that 
 wait  for  thee  (that  live  in  hope  of  the 
 completion  of  thy  predidions)  and  let,  or 
 to  the  end  that,  as  Vulg.  Lat.  thy  prophets 
 may  be  found  faithful^  true  in  what  they 
 foretold. 
 
 The  things  he  prays  tor,  are  the  very 
 fame  things,  that  the  Jews  expeded  in  our 
 Saviour's  time,  by  and  under  the  Mellias, 
 viz.  The  converfion  of  the  Gentiles,  to  the 
 one  God  :  the  deftrudlon  of  certain  Nations 
 their  enemies  5  the  Rcftoration  of  all  the 
 tribes  5  and  the  working  of  mhacles.  In 
 both  Ages,  they  prayed,  that  God  would 
 haften  the  accompliflimcnt, — make  the  time 
 fhorty  or  as  it  was  in  the  prayer  at  the  tem- 
 ^  .  pie  fervice  under  Simon,  in  our  days y — at 
 his  time :  and  is  ftill  their  form  in  the  Syna- 
 gogue, when  they  pray  for  any  blclling  of 
 theMeffias,  in  our  days,  quickly.     . 
 
 The  ground  of  hope,   was  in  the  Jews 
 of  Ecclefiafticus,   and  of  Chrift's  time  the 
 
 fame 
 
 So  the  wofdD^pn  fignifies,  1  Sam.iii.  11,  12.  to  which  »y«/>w  ^-fe^^^f- 
 Tilsc,^  anfwers.  Syr.  &  Arab,  render  this  verfe  in  Eccluf.  Make  good  the 
 tefiimon'us  of  thy  fervants  that  were  from  the  heginningi  md  ffdjil  fhi 
 fro^hu'iei  which  the  former  prophets  f^okt  in  thy  natns. 
 
A  defence  ^/Christianity*  41 
 
 fame,  to  wit,  God's  oath,  or  covenant,  and  Scd.  IL 
 the  promifcs  of  the  Prophets.     Would  you  ^^^C^^^ 
 be    liirc   what   that   oath  luas,    and  with -^z^^^- 
 whom  ?  fee  it  explained  in  the  fame  author- 
 It  'was  the  blefjing  of  all  men,  and  the  cove-  ^^^^j^] 
 nanty  afjured  h  an  oath  to  Abraham ,  and 
 eflabii^'d  with  Ifaac.—lt  was  the  covenant 
 of  kings  that  he  made  with  T>avid,  to  exalt 
 his  horn  for  ever.— -His  mercy  whereby  he 
 promifed  a  remnant  unto  Jacob,  and  a^ooi  Ecclur.  xh'ii< 
 UNTO  David,  or  a  Mefllas  to  come  out  of 
 his  loins,  as  the  )ews  underiland  the  words 
 oiEfay,  there  alluded  to. 
 
 Would  you  know  the  age  wherein  they 
 looked  for  thcfe  things  ?  It  is  after  the  coming 
 of  Elias,  according  to  this  fon  of  Syrach, 
 who  was  written  of,  that  he  ^otild  turn  i^/" 
 the  heart  of  the  father  to  the  Son,  and 
 reftore  (or  preach  up  the  reftoring  of,) 
 the  Tribes  of  Jacob,  \shofe  gathering  he 
 before  prayed  for. 
 
 Would  you  hear,  who  the  prophets  arc, 
 that  he  prays  may  be  found  faithfd  ?  He 
 names  fome  of  them  in  the  end  of  this  Book. 
 Efay,  faith  he,  faw  by  an  excellent  fpirit,  E:«:c!uf.  \\n\\. 
 what  fhould  come  to  pafs  at  the  lafl  i  and  ^'^'  ^^* 
 he  comforted  them  that  mourn  d  in  Sion. 
 (In  the  latter  days,  the  days  of  the  Mefllas, 
 according  to  thejcwifh  language,  who  was 
 
 fpokcn 
 
 L 
 
4+  ADefence  ofC  h r  i S  t  i  a  n  i  t t. 
 
 Chap^L   fpoken  of,  as  the  comforter,  the  confolatmi 
 sanh.  c.  ix.  rf  Ifrael.)     He  {hewed  what  ftouldcome  to 
 '^l^'  "•  ^^>  pafs,   to  the  end  of  the  Age,   and  fecret 
 t^iOTou  A<5vo5  things  or  ever  they  came.     Again,  of  tht 
 ^_mpae  o  '  XII prophets  Jet  the  memorial  be  bleffed-,— 
 Ecciuf.  xlix.  y^^  fjj^y  comforted  Jacob,   and  delivered 
 them  by  affured  Hope,  i.  e.  They  promifed 
 the  Jews,   That  deliverance   which  they 
 trufted  to,  with  great  affurance,  and  there- 
 fore prayed  daily  for  at  the  temple,  that  God 
 would  perform  his  mercy  with  them,  and 
 I.  z4.      deliver  them  at  his  time.     This  comfort  in 
 the  XII  Prophets  could  be  no  other,    tharl 
 redemption  by  the  Meiliasj  becaufe  three  of 
 the  XII  that  promifed  it,    lived  after  the 
 Return  from  Babylon-^  to  which  fome  would 
 apply  thefe  paflages.     Yet  after  their  return 
 they  foretold  it,   as  a  thing  to  come,    the 
 Jews  cxpeded  it  as  yet  future,  and  earneftly 
 prayed  for  it,  in  the  days  of  Simon  the  High- 
 Prieft,  /.  e.  near  the  days  of  Alexander  the 
 great :  arid  the  writer  of  Ecclefiaflicus,  re- 
 news the  petition,  that  Gdd  would  make  tht 
 timejhort,  for  this  deliverance. 
 .^  But  to  conned  this  expeftation  with  the 
 
 Prophetical' times,   we  have  one  authority 
 ftill  behind ;  and  that  is  of  Nehemiah  him- 
 
 felf, 
 
 'tfjtim^ive-xi  [iit^'  «  Mfwi*  T9  t,\j-«5  nvTit,  vttl.  Lat.  f detent  fmfndo,  mak# 
 good  his  promife. 
 
A  l^efence  ^/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  T  v.  45 
 
 fclf.     Nehemiah  was  2it  Babylon  i\\<i  1 2.iio^  Sccl.  11. 
 
 Artaxcrxes  Longimanus,  the  43  3^i  year  be-  ^-^^-^^^ 
 
 tore  Chrifti  and  Tome  years  after  this,  had 
 
 leave   to  go  to  'Jcrnfalcyriy  and  redily  the 
 
 diforders,  that  had    encreafed  there   in  his 
 
 abfence.     Being  but  a  youth  in  the  20th  of 
 
 that  king,    he  was  probably  ahve  near  the 
 
 beginning  of  the  4th  Century  before  Chrift, 
 
 whieh  was  Uttle  more  than  a  hundred  years, 
 
 before  the  writer  Ecclefiafticus  was  born. 
 
 In   his  old   age,  the  book  Nehein'uih  was  Ncli.  vii.  j. 
 
 writ,  wherein  is  inferted,  a  regilk'r  of  their 
 
 genealogy,  that  went  up,  ho\\\  Babylon,  to 
 
 Jerufalefn,    in    virtue   of    Cyrus's   decree. 
 
 Ezra  hath  preferved  the   fame  regifter,    to 
 
 whieh  he  and  Nehemiahj   have  added  the  lEfdr.  v.  40. 
 
 judgment  of  the  77'r/J;^/^^^,(  who  was  Nehe- 
 
 7mah,)  in  the  cafe  of  the  Priefts,  Vvho  went 
 
 up  then,    but  could  not  afterwards  prove 
 
 themfelves,  to  be  of  the  family  of  the  Priefts. 
 
 They  -ujere,  as  pollntedy  put  from  thcTrie/i-  ^^'^-  ^■"-  ^■*' 
 
 hood  ',    for  the  Tirfliatha  had  faidy    they  E^f-  ii-  ^5. 
 
 ihould  not  eat  of  the  moft  holy  things ,  till 
 
 there  food  np  aTrieft  (an  High-Priefl,    as  lEfdr.  v.  40. 
 
 the  antient  Greek  verfion  has  it)  ''jjithUrhn 
 
 and  Thummin. 
 
 The  Urim  and  Thummim,  as  part  of  the 
 ornaments  of  theHigh-Priclls,  were  furely 
 
 f  imita- 
 
4^  ^  'Defence  of  Christ  lAi^nf. 
 
 Chap.  1.  imitated,    in  his  veftmcnts   {a)    in    Neie- 
 
 ^•^""^^^"^   miah\  time.     But  that  which  was  of  ufC;, 
 
 in  the  Urim  and  Tliummim,  was  wanting 
 
 under  the  fccond  temple.     God  no   more 
 
 Num.  xxvii.   infpircd  the   Hi'^vPrieft,    isjhen    he  asked 
 
 coimfel  for  the  people^  after  the  judgment 
 
 of  Urim  before  the  Lordy  as  formerly. 
 
 It  was  therefore  Nehemiah's  meaning, 
 that  they  Ihould  wait  for  the  coming  of  an 
 High  Pricft,  who  fhould  be  alfo  a  prophet, 
 endued  with  the  giit  of  telling  all  things^ 
 as  the  Samaritan  woman  faid  of  the  Mef- 
 fias  j  of  folving  all  their  doubts  and  quefti- 
 ons.  If  an  ordinary  prophet,  would  have 
 fufficed,  for  this  purpoie,  Haggai  or  Ze- 
 fharyj  might  have  been  confulted ;  orii/^- 
 iachj'j  who  lived  with  Nehemiah,  or  foon 
 after.  But  none  of  thefe  were  High-Priefts. 
 And  it  was  a  High-Prieft,  whofe  coming 
 fhey  were  to  wait  for,  who  fhould  be  the 
 iMac.  xiv.  faithful  prophet :  and  Him,  the  Jews  flill 
 ^^'  expedled  in  the  days  of  the  Maccabees. 
 
 Wc  can't  doubt,  that  this  High-Prieft  is 
 the  Mellias,  becaufe  the  Je'ws  make  it  to 
 be  part  of  the  Meilias's  bu'uiefs,  when  he   •■ 
 
 comes 
 
 U)  So  it  feerasfrom  Zech.  iii.  4.  S-  ^nd  Eoduf.  Hx.  11.   Simon  put  on 
 the  robe  of  honour,  he  was  doathed  with  the  terfeilion  ef  gtory^  xlv.  7, 
 
 8,  10.   The  fame  garments  are  called  the  robe  of  glory' per/e^ glory. 
 
 Alluding  to  the  words  I/^«w;»i?»  and  Urm,  which  ftt^nify  perfe^my  and 
 $hrj,  o:  light. 
 
 'o 
 
A  Tiefence of  QwRisriMiiTS:.  ^f 
 
 comes  "  to  Ibit  their  families,  reftore  their   Sed.  IL 
 "  genealogies,    and   fet    afidc    ftrangers  j  ''  -^"^v^^ 
 and    they   ground  their  opinion,    on  thcfe 
 words  of  the  Tirjhatha   {a).     "  And  'till 
 "  the    Meffta   comes,    no  one  fhall  be  fit^ 
 "   to  confult  the  Lord,  and  to  teach  by  di- 
 *'  njtne  oracles,  "   is  the  Talmudifts  expofi- 
 tion  of  this  place  {b). 
 
 If  this  be  fo,  the  Jews  in  Nehemiah*% 
 time,  cxpeded  the  Meffias,  under  the  cha- 
 racter of  an  High-pried  with  Uri7n  and 
 Thiimm'tm  j  and  that  brings  us  up  to  the 
 fcriptural  times.  After  this,  it  is  needlefs, 
 to  fearch  for  farther  proofs.  But  having 
 met,  with  paflages,  that  fpeak  to  the  like 
 cxpcdation,  as  the  former,  within  the  fama 
 interval,  I  will  not  omit  them  j  though  iot 
 want  of  a  Date,  whereby  the  time  of  wri- 
 ting thefe  Apocryphal  Books  may  be  afcer- 
 taincd,  I  can  place  them  in  no  order  j  and 
 fhall  therefore  throw  them  together,  in 
 the  following  Section. 
 
 F  2  CHAP. 
 
 {a)  Maim.  Aielac.  c.  iz.  When  the  kingdom  of  king  Mefllas  is  efid- 
 blifli'd,  and  all  the  people 'gather'd  to  him  >  there  fliall  be  a  recenfion  df 
 tvery  one  of  them,  by  the  direction  of  the  fpirit  of  Gody  ivhkh  flodd 
 reft  upon  him:  for  he  (liall  fit  as  a  ref.ner  and  purifier,  and  fljall  purge 
 the  font  of  Levi,  firfi,  faying  this  is  a  Priefl,  this  is  a  Levire.  and  repell 
 thofe  that  are  not  of  their  families,  sn'X^"^nn  las'"!  '}\D  according 
 fis  itisfaid,  for  the  Tirfliatha  fatdj  they  ihould  not  eat  of  the  holy  things 
 till  there  flood  up  a  Prieji  xvith  Urim  and  lhummim-"_ 
 
 {b)  Jr.  Sota.  <•.  So. 
 
A  T>efence  cfCURisriANnj. 
 
 C  H  AP.  I.     SECT.  lir. 
 
 TH  E  point  before  m->  is  the  general  belief 
 of  a  Meflias,by  thcJewSjin  the  interval 
 between  the  days  of  Chrift  and  the  lall  pro- 
 phets. This,  I  truft,  hath  been  made  fully 
 evident,  in  the  former  fedions.  More  in-" 
 ftanccs  occur,  in  two,  or  three  books  of 
 the  Apocryphdy  whofe  Age  can  t  be  detei^- 
 mined,  with  any  certainty,  though  we  are 
 fure  they  were  writ,  before  the  Age  of 
 our  Saviour ;  and  as  it  feems,  in  the  coun- 
 try, where  they  had  been  of  old  captives, 
 with  defign,  to  preferve  the  true  fenle  of 
 thofc  prophecies,  which  ought  to  be  theii* 
 ftudy,  and  comfort  in  that  afflicted  condi- 
 tion. 
 
 The  book  Tobit-,  is  fuch  a  Manual,  fox 
 pious  Ifraelites  in  their  difperiion;  and 
 m  him  we  read  his  allured  hope  of  the 
 promifes,  which  was  indeed  the  Hope  of 
 IfraeL 
 
 My  foTiy  fiiith  he,  I ftirely  believe— -our 
 
 too.  m.      brethren   {hall  be  fcattered  in  the  earthy 
 
 from  that  good  land ;   and  Jerufalem  Jhall 
 
 be  defolate,    and  the  hoiife  of  God  in  it 
 
 {hall  be  burnt y   and  {hall  be  defolate  for  a 
 
 time :  And  that  God  again  will  have  mer^ 
 
A  defence  ofQ  hristianitv.  4^ 
 
 cy  on  thcm.j  and  bring  them  again  into  the  Scd.  III. 
 land,  '•juhere  they  p^all  build  a  temple^  but 
 not  like  to  the  jirjl,  until  the  time  of  that 
 Kpi  be  fulfilled  (f).  Vl'ag.  Hcbr.  copy 
 adds,  '■jjhen  they  jhall  go  again  into  the 
 greateft  captivity:'}  But  afterwards  they 
 fjall  return  from  all  places  of  their  capti- 
 I'itY,  and  buildup  yerufalcjngloriou!!)',  and 
 the  honfe  of  C)od  {ball  be  built  in  it  for 
 ever^  '■ji'ith  a  glorious  building,  as  the  Pro- 
 phets have  Ipoken  thereof.  And  all  nati- 
 ons jhall  turn  and  fear  the  Lord  God  tru- 
 ly, and  poall  ^wry  their  idols.  So  fiall  all 
 nations  praife  the  Lor d, -. -''Ji'h o  fh all  exalt 
 [the  horn  of  Fag.'\  his  people. 
 
 Of  thefe  thini^s  Tobit  pretended  not  him- 
 liflf  to  prophecy,  but  to  colled  the  fenfc 
 of  the  Prophets,  before  him.  He  therefore 
 fpeaks  of  fome  things  pad,  in  the  ftyle  of 
 the  Prophets,  who  fpokc  of  them  \\\  thei^ 
 days  as  future  :  and  thelc  he  reminds  his 
 people  o^,  to  excite  their  rruil:  in  God,  and 
 belief  of  his  prophets,  for  the  fulfilling  of 
 thofe  things,  that  were  yet  behind. 
 
 He  mentions  four  great  events  to  come 
 wliich  he  laith,  he  took  from  the  Prophets, 
 
 F   3  viz. 
 
 (c)  w<,  5rA,,p6)};;^(rj  «i  x;J*(»  ?«!iw»©-Ecdiir.  xlviii.  25. 
 'BAg.  donee  impleatur  IHW  ZD'7}]!j'<c:i!i4munum. 
 
50  AT^efence  of  Christ  1  AH  I T-^. 
 
 Scd.  II.  viz.  the  end  of  the  Jewifh  age,  or  ftate^ 
 W^>^^^^  and  a  long  captivity  of  his  Nation,  which 
 he  joins  with  itj  and  this  hapncd  under 
 Titus ;  2.  A  General  return  from  That  Cap- 
 tivity :  3 .  The  rebuilding  the  City  and 
 Temple  of  Jenifalem  glorioufly :  and  laft- 
 ly,  the  Converfion  of  all  the  Gentile  na- 
 tions from  idolatry,  when  the  horn,  the 
 king,  or  kingdom  of  his  people  fhould  be 
 exalted. 
 
 But  what  are  thefe  things,  it  may  be  ask- 
 ed, to  the  Meillas?  Very  much.  Becaufe 
 thefe  events,  in  the  prophets,  Tobit  refers 
 to,  are  conncded,  with  reftoring  of  the 
 fallen  kingdom  of  T)avid,  and  of  a  paradi^ 
 fiacal  State  to  Jud^a,  which  both  were  J 
 charadcrs  of  the  happy  days,  cxpcded  un- 
 der the  Meflias,  even  down  to  the  prefent 
 Jews. 
 f  Amos,  whom  certainly  he  here  intends, 
 
 becaufe  Tobit  ufes  his  words  to  the  fame 
 purpofe,  in  his  prayer,  xiii.  lo.  Traife  the 
 everlafting  king,  that  his  Tabernacle  may 
 be  built  again  iz'ith  joy,  arid  thofe  that 
 are  captives  reftofd,  <5cc.  Amos,  I  fay, 
 who  foretells  in  the  fame  palfage  the  con- 
 verfion  of  the  gentiles,  is  uiidcrftood  by 
 the  Jews,  to  promife  the  manifcftation  of 
 the  kingdom  of  Mellias  the  Ion  oi'T)avid, 
 
 in 
 
AT>efence of  CwKisTYM^ IT \\  51 
 
 in  purluance  of  God's  oath  to  lyavld  of  Chap.  I. 
 a  perpetual  kingdom  5    which  kingdom  ot  ^-<v^^ 
 ^avid  was  not  fallen  before  the  Babylo- 
 nian  captivity,  and  never  yet,  as  they  think, 
 rertored  fmce.     And  Efru  who  is  anotlier 
 of  his  prophets,    for  x.\\c  glorious  building  Ef.liv.  u. 
 i   of  Jernfalcmy  '■Ji'ith  Saphires  and  Emeralds 
 and  precious  Stones,  &c,  xiii.  16,  17.  gives 
 there  a  figurative  deicription  of  the  new  Je- 
 rufalcm,   to  Ihew   its  relemblance,    to  Pa- 
 radicc,  at  its  firft  creation. 
 
 For  by  plenty  of  gems  of  various 
 kinds,  is  the  glory  of  Eden  reprefented 
 {d)  m  Ezeku'l.  From  whom  Tla- 
 to    {e)    feems  to  have    borrowed   the    fi- 
 
 F  4  gures, 
 
 (d)  F,7.ek.  xxviii.  13.  That  haft  been  in  Ehn:  every  precious  ftonezvas 
 /by  ctzering,  the  Sardis,  Tc[>az.,  Diamond,  2<c.  And  where  Job  xxvii.  6. 
 YiXS— As  for  the  earth — the  fiones  of  it  are  the  place  of  Sapphires  and  it 
 hath  gold  Ore.    The  Targum  explains  it  of  Eden. 
 
 {e)  Plato  Ph/id.p.  1 10  ed.  fer.>.i'/iTxi  tt^utoh  fXtiv  «►«»  T'-iuvln  it  -^i'ccvrr,  ihXf, 
 
 fjbxrx  OKT'Tif  oi.'/fAinrci.    ejj  -j  o.'  '/^u.cpu'i  ncciet^^aivTUi. iy.i7  -y  zu.ira.v  t^v  y/»j»  itc 
 
 TWirr*  meet,  Xj  xoXu  iCt  ex  AUix^TrfaTi^ut  x^act  xxju^eoTt^aiv  kthtuv.  rvy  y,  ffi 
 uXn^ti  thxi,  <B  B'uvpitecTi^  TO  y^>>X(^'  -mr  i^t  ^^swrteiiti  tk*  ^i  cTti  MuKriy/Tra-an  x,^o- 
 »(^  A^»e7tf-«»,  x«»  ix.  T  uy.Xccy  '^eu^joiTMi  cvyKiii^vfli  ixrectireei,  nui  iU  TMtova»,  y.oii 
 KKXXtoyoif,    «    'e<rc»    y.fXtiTi     iuext^yjiy.      Again     he    faith  of    ihe  xolXu,  7??  yri 
 
 that   they  did  x.?^!^'^   ■''♦    '•'^<'?   ^^ptx-^ty  9iA«fvT«   ic   7?  t  u>,x»>»    z"^ 
 
 f(^Tti!»  TTOiy.tXM.     a^t    i»  T»  ivT^«   tlS'oc,    ^VH^^i    TTO^ViACI  (pXVTtii^t^.—KCcl  UV    TO    ofi.J 
 
 wrtiMv,  x«i  Tu.  yfuUiUTtt.  kuXPuW  a*  xui  ict  in^uoi  PiiSi^ij^  EiVcet  return  tk  o:-/c(- 
 jiufo^et  fji^cfiM,  (TUf^A  y.oci  MtrTTi^/iC,  xtCi  (rfjt,u^x'/ocv%  nxl  zuvtu,  to  ToTbUnc.  ixji 
 *li  Bua)it,  cu  pt-n  Te.otTwy  tiV«»  xa*  i«  tcltu*  kcc>.>ju. 
 
 T()»  <ffj^>j»  iurwD  *t)i«r^Ii«k^  toJtojj   ti  <»,t«W(,    xetl  \1i  x^vru  tj  KMt  «py,ftf. 
 
52  A  defence  ^p/'Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  I.   gurcs,    when  he  fets  forth  in  a    fine  fa- 
 
 .w^f^.  ^^^'  the  beauty  and  feUcity  of  the  paradifia- 
 
 ib.     '  cal  earth,    by  the  ftones  of  fevcral    colors 
 
 and  brightnefs  it  abounded  with. 
 
 And  what  Efay  fpoke  there  metaphori- 
 cally, he  otherwhere  declared  plainly 
 touching  the  fame  return.  The  Lord 
 Ef.  xli.  3.  jhail  comfort  Sion, — a7id  all  her  'vjaft  pla- 
 ces. He  iji'ill  make  her  ivildernefs  like 
 Eden,  and  her  dejert  like  the  garden  of  the 
 Lord. 
 
 The  building  Jerufalem  glorioufly  with 
 precious  ftones,  and  making  it  like  another 
 garden  of  EdeUy  being  then  different  ex- 
 preflions  for  the  fame  ftate  •■,  and  Eden  or  Pa- 
 radife  being  the  common  Emblem  in  the 
 Je'-ji'iflo  nation,  of  the  earth's  fruitfulnefs 
 and  delightfulnefs,  and  of  the  holy  man- 
 ners of  its  Inhabitants,  (/)  under  the  reign 
 of  the  Meilias.  They  muft  underftand  To- 
 btt,  in  the  encouragement  from  the  pro- 
 phets, which  he  gives  his  Nation,  to  look 
 for  thele  things,  as  if  he  had  faid  to  them,  in 
 a  circumlocution,  that  They  Ihould  not  fail 
 to  cxpcd  the  Mellias. 
 
 The 
 
 (/)  Rev.  xxii.  Gem.  Sanh.  ir.  Se<5t.  37.  where  Coc^.  notes  that  the 
 Jexvs  call  the  Age  to  come,  i.  e.  of  the  Meflias,  rh^U  ^W  3ny  JJ  the 
 garden  of  Eden  that  is  above;  the  terrellrial  Paradice  being  an  Image  or 
 Shadow  of  the  Celeftial,  or  the  Jerufalem  from  above. 
 
A  IDefence  (t/'Christianitv.  55 
 
 The    writer    that     pcrfonatcd   Bariichy   Scd.  HI. 
 wiitcs    ill  the   Tame  ftrain,    and  his  book  ^^•-^'"V"^^-^ 
 is  httle  cUe,  than  an  Kpitomc,  of  what  we 
 have  at  large  in  the  Propiiets,  concerning  a 
 more  nniverfal  return,    tiien  that  was,    of 
 the  Jcji'S,    under  Cyrus,    and  in  virtue  of 
 an  ever  I  a  fling  covenant  y  Ciod  l"hould  make 
 with  them,   to   drive  them  no  more  out  of -very  ii.  i^. 
 the  land.     The  only  ufc  I  make  of  him, 
 is  to   ihcw  i    that  the  Jews  at   Babylon, 
 where  he  wrote,  and  where  probably  Je- 
 remy's Baruch  never  went,    did   not  con- 
 ceive,  that  the  prophecies  were  cxhaufted, 
 in  the  tirft  return   of  the  Jevas  under  the 
 ^erfian  kings :    they   hoped   for    another ; 
 more    perfect  and  more  glorious  reftorati- 
 on,   as   foretold   by   the    prophets,    which 
 fliouldbethc  deliverance  of  God  himfelf  as 
 the  Je-Ji's  are  wont  ftill  to  call  the  Salva- 
 tion of  the  Mefhas. 
 
 Let  us  hear  his  own  words— ^/y  hope  is  Bar. iv.  1^,14- 
 in  the  everlafling-,  that  he  vi'ill  fave  you : 
 Joy  is  come  to  me  from  the  holy  One,  be- 
 caufe  of  the  mercy  vahich  fjall  foo?i  come 
 to  you,  from  the  everlafling  our  favior,- — 
 Like  as  the  neighbours  of  Sion  have  feen 
 your  captivity  j  fo  poall  they  fee  fhortly 
 your  falvation,  from  our  God,  --jjhich  p:all 
 come  i;:ith  great  ^lory,   and  hrightnefs  of 
 
 the 
 
V.  I,  3,  4 
 
 54  ADefence  of  CwKisTiKii  iTY. 
 
 Chap.  I.  ^^^  everlafting—^ut  off,  oh  Jerufalem,  the 
 garment  of  thy  mourning,  ptt  on  the  come- 
 linefs  of  thy  glory ,  that  comet h  from  God 
 for  ever. — God  will Jhew  thy  brightnefs 
 unto  every  country  under  heaven.  Thy 
 name  fhall  be  called  of  god  for  every  the 
 peace  of  right eoufnejsj    and  the  glory   of 
 
 V.  36,  ^7.  G(^d's  "jijorjhip.  Arife,  oh  Jerufalemy  look 
 to  the  Eafi  :  and  behold  thy  children  from 
 the  IVefl  unto  the  Eafl,  by  the  word  of 
 the  holy  one,  rejoycing  in  the  remembrance 
 
 v.s,6, 7,8.  of  God.  For  they  departed  from  thee  on 
 foot,  but  God  brings  them  unto  thee,  ex- 
 alted with  glory,  as  children  of  the  king- 
 dom. For  God  hath  appointed,  that  every 
 high  hill  and  banks  of  long  continuance, 
 fhould  be  cafi  down,  and  the  valleys  filled 
 up,  to  make  even  the  ground,   that  Ifrael 
 
 ^^y  <f  I^fifyj  ^^  ^^^  il^^J  ^f  God:  Even 
 the  woods  and  every  fweet-fmelling  tree, 
 jhall  overshadow,  by  the  co?nfna7idment  of 
 God.     For  God  flail  lead  Ifrael  with  joy, 
 in  the  light  of  his  glory.— Kwd  mention- 
 ing, which  he  doth  often,  this  dcUvcrance, 
 as  eminently  God's,    he  breaks  forth  into 
 admiration  of  this  Emanuel,    or  of  God's 
 Bar.  iii.  :5,     being  with  men,  in  fuch  a  manner.     This 
 3<5, 37-         is  our  God,  and  no  other  is  to  be  acccimt- 
 ed  of  in  comparifon  of  Him.     He  hath 
 
 found 
 
A  T)efence  <?/ Christianity.  55 
 
 found  out  all  the  n'ay  of  knowledge    and  Scft.  III. 
 hath  given  it  to  Jacob  his  fervant  and  to  ^-'^^^^'^^VJ 
 Ifrael  his  beloved:    viz.    by   his  prophets. 
 After  wards   he  vi'as  feen  upon  earth,    and  fx^irx  r^rcc, 
 converfed  vi'ith  men:  Namely,  at  the  time  fj.^^J ^^^Sat 
 that  all  Ifrael  fhali  be  faved,  by  the  Delivc-  iscxplain'dby 
 rer's  coming  to  Stony    and  his  manifefting  da^i%\^.oi 
 the  Jews  to  be  children  of  his  kingdom,  M^ff^^  ^^^^ 
 V.    6. 
 
 The  2d  book  of  Maccabees,  hath  pre- 
 fcrvcd  to  us  an  cpilfle  from  the  people  in 
 Judaa,  the  council  and  Judas  the  gover- 
 nour,  to  Ariflobulus  and  the  '^e-jos  in  R- 
 gypt,  wherein  is  a  fragment  of  their  pray- 
 er at  dedicating  the  altar,  which  Antiochns 
 had  polluted,  for  the  compleat  return  of 
 Ifrael,  to  their  own  land,  and  which  is 
 faid  to  be  the  very  prayer,  ufed  over  the 
 facrifice,  in  Nehemias  days.  l'  aci.io. 
 
 For  this  is  the  fubftance  of  that  Prayer  : 
 Receive  the  facrifice  for  thy  whole  people 
 Ifrael,  and  preferve  thine  ovim  portion  and 
 fanBifie  it.  Gather  thofe  together  that 
 are  jcattered  frotn  us  :  deliver  them  that 
 ferve  among  the  heathen— and  let  the  he  a- 
 then  kno\2),  that  thou  art  our  God.— 
 ^lant  thy  people  again  in  thy  holy  place— 
 
 There 
 
A  T>efence  (^/'Christianity. 
 
 There  remained  therefore,  in  tiie  tinie 
 of  the  MaccabeeSy  a  future  return  to  the 
 people  of  God,  befide  that  from  Babylon^ 
 which  was  over :  and  is  the  fame  return 
 that  Tobit  and  Barach  expeded.  Then,  and 
 not  fooner,  they  flattered  themfelves  with 
 difcovering  the  place,  where  Jeremy  had 
 hid  the  Tabernacle,  the  Ark,  and  the  Al- 
 tar of  hiccnfc,  that  were  in  Solo?nons tem- 
 ple, as  they  write  in  the  fame  cpiftlc.  As 
 for  that  flace,  it  fhall  be  nnkno'ji'n,  untill 
 iMac.ii.7,8.  fjjg  f^^f^g  ffj^f  God  gather  his  people  toge- 
 ther agaiuy  and  receive  them  tmto  mercy. 
 Then  jhall  the  Lord poe-ji'  them  the fe  things, 
 mid  the  glory  of  the  Lord  j]mll  appear y 
 and  the  cloud  alfo  as  it  lijas  poewed  under 
 Mofes. 
 
 And  they  end  with  this  wifh,    and  pro- 
 fcflion  of  faith.     Now  God  that  faved  All 
 x^i2,z.\l  I-,,  his  people y  and  gave  them  All  an  heritage 
 ^^'  and  the  kingdoniy  and  the  Trieflhood  and 
 
 the  faii^iuarfy  as  he  promifed  in  the  lavj 
 (make  good  his  other  promiles:)  For  we 
 hope,  he  will  fioortly  have  mercy  on  us, 
 md  gather  us  together  out  of  every  land 
 under  heaven,  unto  the  holy  place  for  he 
 hath  delivered  ns  out  of  great  troubles- — 
 
 Read 
 
A  T>ef€nCe  ofC  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  r. 
 Read  this  pallagc  to  any   7^"^,  aud  ask 
 him,    whether  hc\hinks  God  hath  )'^r^^- 
 thered  Ifracl  together  out  of  every    land 
 to  their  o-^n,    fuicc  the  Babylonian  Capti- 
 vity? and  he  will  anlVcr,  No.     Ask  him 
 further,   at  what  time  they  look  for  Inch 
 a  Return?    And   he   will  tell  you,    whcii 
 the  kmgdom  of  the  Melllas,   Hiall  be  ma- 
 nlfefted^     We  ouiz;ht  not  therefore,  to  un- 
 derhand thefc  JcjDS,    In  working  to  Jeis:s, 
 otherwlle    than    any   other     je'-jj    would 
 apprehend      them    to    mean.      Efpecially 
 finee    they    declare,    they    were   not    yet 
 in     poaeilion    of  the  great  and    glorious 
 things  that   had    been  promlled   to  them, 
 that^  they    looked  for  ne^JD  difcoveries  of 
 Gods  "juilly    relatuig  to  his  worihlp,  at  the 
 time  God  pmild  bring  together  his  whole 
 people  Ifrael.     For  that  is  all,    that  feems 
 to    be  iirft   intended,    under  the  figures  oi 
 finding  again  the  Tabernacle,  the  Ark  and 
 the  altar  of  Incenfc,  which  the  ye'd;s  after- 
 wards groHly  mlftook,  for  the  material  fur- 
 niture,  of  Solonwji^  temple,    that  w^is  all 
 deftroycd  with  his  temple. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
5S 
 Chap.  II. 
 
 j^  T)  e fence  ofCuRisriAi^itY. 
 
 C  H  A  P.  II.   S  E  c  T.  I. 
 
 That  there  are  prophecies,  that  literally 
 andjingljy  Jpeak  of  the  Coming  of  the 
 M  E  s  s  I  A  s. 
 
 Vn 
 
 44- 
 
 T  is  charged,  upon  the  wri* 
 ters  of  the  New  Teftament, 
 that  they  manifeftly  put  new 
 interpretations  upon  the 
 books  of  the  Old  Teftament ' 
 and  thofe  not  agreeable  to 
 the  obvious  and  literal  meaning,  and  con- 
 trary to  the  fcnfe,  of  the  Jewifh  nation* 
 And  this  the  Objcdor  would  have  it  believ- 
 ed, he  is  fo  certain  of,  that,  as  he  faith, 
 having  particularly  confidered,  all  the  pro- 
 phecies,  cited  by  theApoJiles,  he  pronounces 
 them,  all  to  be  fttlfilled  in  Chrift^  only  in  a 
 fecondary  and  allegorical  fenfe. 
 
 And  yet  never  was  there  a  charge  fo  ground- 
 lefs,  fo  frivolous  in  every  particular,  as  this : 
 Never  was  a  confideration  of  the  Prophe- 
 cies, more  fuperficial  and  impcrfed  than 
 His,  That  all  the  texts  quoted  in  the  New 
 Teftament,   regard  not  the  MciTias,   as  the 
 
 fole 
 
A  T>efence of  Cnv^iSTiKVi It X.  59 
 
 folc  objcd  of  the  prophecy,    is  allowed  5  Scd.  II. 
 
 though,  as  we  Ihall  Ihew,  thofe  of  the  ty-  ^-^^^^/^^J 
 
 pical  kind,    arc  nevcrthclefs  dircd  proofs. 
 
 But  iliat  7wne  of  them,    were  intended  of 
 
 the  Me  Til  as,    nor  underftood  by  the  jews, 
 
 ro  be  io  intended,  is  fo   iurprizingly  new, 
 
 ti\at  one  is  tempted  to   think  this  Author 
 
 atfec^cd  a  reputation,  by  defending  the  ab- 
 
 furdell  paradoxes.     The  com  ing  of  the  Mcf- 
 
 fias,    was  very  antiently   an  article  of  the 
 
 lewifh  creed,  and  not  firfl  made  fo  by  Mai-  j^-,^'"s^',j,,, 
 
 monides^  who   only  colle£led  into  one  fy-  c.  10. 
 
 ftem,    the  fundamentals  of  their  Religion, 
 
 which  were  difpcrfed  before  him,   in  feve- 
 
 ral  books. 
 
 The  famous  Jofeph.  AlbOy  who  is  cited 
 for  the  contrary  opinion,  differs  from  Mai-  Grounds  and 
 w^/^/V^/ only  in  words.  He  contends,  in- ^"^°"^'P5)i' 
 deed,  that  there  arc  but  three  prime  funda- 
 mental articles,  ijiz.  the  being  of  a  God, 
 a  revealed  law,  and  rewards  and  punilh- 
 menrs.  But  then  he  owns,  the  Advent  of 
 the  Meflias  is  a  branch,  though  not  a  root, 
 and  is  deducible,  from  a  fundamental  arti- 
 cle, by  neceflary  confequencc  {a). 
 
 We 
 
 (a)  Jof.  Albo  dc  fiindamentis,  c.  41.  Eum,  qui  credit  Icgi  Mofaicaft 
 ftcceflc  eft  credere  Mciliam  advcntaturum,  Lex  cnim  prxcipit  Prophctis 
 fidcm  adhibere.  Jam  Prophetx-  Chriftum  praedixerunt  venfjium— Ccrtum 
 eft,  effc  in  lege  &  Prophetis  verfus,  qui  monftrant,  oportere  Ifraelcm  ^i- 
 iorefcae  2v  exaltari  qui  ncque  omnes,  neque,  rx  parte  iir.pleti  funt,- 
 
50  A  "Defence  ^/Christianitt.^ 
 
 Chap.  IL  We  cannot  learn,  the  antient  faith,  of 
 ^-^^^^'^^^  the  Jews  better,  than  from  their  antient 
 prayers.  There  they  daily  and  weekly, 
 and  on  their  great  Feftivals  pray,  for  the 
 fpeedy  coming  of  the  Melllas,  and  fome- 
 timcs  in  thofe  words  of  fcripture,  which 
 are  applied  in  the  new  tcftament,  to  the 
 Mefhas.  Thefe  are  fome  of  their  petitions ; 
 Oh  that  Elias  '■juould  come  quickly  with 
 MeJJtas  the  Son  of  'David- — Send  to  its 
 the  B  R  A  N  c  H  (j/'  David  in  our  days— -By 
 ^  the  hand  of  Ben  Ijfai  the  Bethlehemite, 
 
 bring  near  the  Redemption— How  long  will 
 be  tarry  ?— Let  the  memory  of  Meffiasthe 
 fon  of  David  thy  fervant  come  before 
 thee- — 
 
 And  as  they  prayed,  {o  the  ancient  Rab- 
 bins taught,  this  dodrine  to  be  fully  ground- 
 ed on  their  fcriptures,  and  in  as  ample  terms, 
 as  k  is  any  where  aflertcd  in  the  New  Tefla- 
 nicnt.     If  Jcfus  Chrift  faid  to  his  difciples, 
 Luc.xxiv.44-  that  all  things,    muft  be  fulfilled,   which 
 were  written  in  the  law   of  Mofes,   and 
 in  the  Trophets,    and  in  the  ^falms  con 
 cerning  me:   The  Jewifh  Doctors  of  old, 
 fay  no  lefs,  of  their  Mcllias.     All  the  ^ro 
 phets,  prophefied  o'nly  (or  chiefly)  of  the 
 ^Q^\  l^a'    Meffias :    All,   none  excepted,  prophecied 
 37.Ed.Cocli.  only^  of  the  years  of  Redemption  and  the 
 
 days 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
A  'defence  ^f  C  h  r  i  s  t  1  an  i  x  y."  ^t 
 
 dnys  of  the  MeJJias  ■^.  All,  from  Mofes  Sccl.  L 
 our  mafter,  to  Malachy  of  bleffed  memory  f.  ^5'^;;;;^^^^ 
 AIL  in  the  law,  and  theTrophcts  a?id  the  theoidetijew- 
 Hagwgrapha\  of  which  thcrlalmsarc  the  saicm.jarchi* 
 lirft  book.  They  all  7noved  by  the  Holy-  on7^ch.ix.i. 
 Ghojl,  teft'ify  and  foretell  the  coming  oj  sanh.  xi. 
 King  Mejfiasi.  He  charges  the  Scripture  'iSrvcneTde 
 *with  untruths,  who  doubts  of  his  coming,  Capit.fidei.  c. 
 
 *^     14.  bd.  Var- 
 
 and  denies  the  Law  '^^.  dii. 
 
 Could  the  Jcwifh  prayers  run,    as    they  ^♦^^'.'J';  syn. 
 do,  in  the  words  of  the  prophets,   for  the  c  3. 
 coming  of  the  Meflias ;    and  could  their 
 Doctors  fay,  that  all  the  Prophets  fpcak  of 
 him,    and  yet  it   be  true  as   the   objedor 
 pretends,   That  no  particular  text,    in  the 
 prophets,  doth  properly  relate  to  the  Mef- 
 fias,    even  in   the  judgment,  of  the  Jews  ? 
 Or,  Is  that  interpretation  of  the  Apoftles, 
 to  be  called  New,  which  was  as  old,  among 
 the  Jews,  as  the  Apoftles  days?  orbefald  to 
 go  contrary  to  thefenfe  of  the  Jewifh  nation, 
 which  to  interpret  otherwife,  is  declared  In- 
 fidelity, by  the  jewifh  writings 
 
 It  is  a  poor  fubterfuge  to  fay,  thefe  are 
 the  teftimonies  of  ]ews,  after  Chrift's  time. 
 Forbefides  that,  many  of  their  prayers,  are 
 of  an  elder  date  j  the  Talmud,  and  thciir 
 Books  antienter  than  the  Talmud,  are  1 
 collcdionof  authorities,  long  before  their 
 
 G  owa 
 
j^T)efence  of  Christ  I A  nityJ 
 own  Age,  and  give  the  fcnfc  of  their  fa"- 
 thcrs  in  Chrift's  time.  Nothing  lefs,  than 
 a  certain,  general,  uninterrupted  tradition, 
 for  the  propiiets's  fpeaking  of  tlie  MeiTias, 
 could  have  extorted  fo  plain  a  confeflion^ 
 from  the  Jewilh  writers.  To  be  fare,  af- 
 ter the  controverfy  with  the  Chriftians  about 
 the  Meflias,  came  to  be  ftatcd,  the  jews 
 could  not  take  up  the  Chriftian  notions, 
 before  unknown  to  their  Nation,  to  furnifh 
 the  Chriftians  with  weapons,  from  which 
 they  found  it  very  difficult,  to  defend  them- 
 felves. 
 
 But  not  to  reft  in  generals,    let  the  dif- 
 quifition  of  particular  texts,  determine  the 
 truth  of  this  Author's  aflertion.     To  name 
 them  All,  would  carry  me,  into  too  great  a 
 length.     I  fhall  therefore  feled  fome  of  the 
 principal  Prophecies,  which  being  proved> 
 Groamds  and  to  regard  the  MefTias  immediately  andy2>/<?- 
 ^9-      '    *    Ij^  in  the  obvious  and  literal  fenfe,  accord* 
 ing  to  fcholaftick  rules ,  may  ferve  as  a  Spe- 
 cimen, of  what  the  Scriptures  have  predicted, 
 of  a  Meflias  that  was  to  come.    And  I  begin 
 with  the  lateft  prophecies,  becaufe  they  are 
 cleareft,    and  not   liable  to   the  evafions, 
 1,  whereby  many  of  the  predictions,   in  the 
 
 Prophets  under  the  firft  temple,  have  been 
 eluded.     Thefe,  I  hope  to  fhew,  ought  to 
 
 be 
 
A  l^efence  <?/  C  hr  i  s t  i  a  N  i  t  r.  e% 
 
 be  interpreted  fmgly  of  the  Meflias,  from  Sed.  I. 
 internal  charafters,  in  the  prophecy  itfelf,  ^^-^"^v'^^ 
 that  agree  to  him,  and  to  no  other.  With 
 which  I  fliall  join  the  external  teftimony  of 
 Jews,  that  underftood  thefe  prophecies  in 
 the  fame  fenfe,  to  free  the  Chriftian  inter- 
 pretation of  them,from  the  charge  of  novelty 
 and  heterodoxy. 
 
 N''    I. 
 
 Mai.  iii.  i*  Behold,  I  fend  my  meffengery 
 and  he  pmll  prepare  the  '-jcay  before  me  -, 
 and  the  Lord  whom  ye  feekj  poall  fudden- 
 ly  come  to  his  temple^  even  the  Mejfenger 
 of  the  covenant  whom  ye  delight  in  :  behold, 
 he  fhallcomcy  faith  the  Lord  of  hofls. 
 
 Here   is  a  defcription,   of  two  pcrfons, 
 whom  God  promifes,  to  fend  to  the  Tews.  ^^.    .., 
 The  one,  God  calls  my  Angel  or  Mejfenger,  xiiv.  id. 
 whofe  errand  is  faid  to  be,  the  preparing  the  j^aTm.  il."   ' 
 way  before  me.     Meaning,   that  he  fhould  Neb.  ii.  41. 
 be  a  Trophet  *  of  note ;  (for  fo  the  Hebrew  ramvocatlur" 
 word  hath  been  interpreted  in   other  parts  u"^^^' j^'    ^^ 
 of  the  Old  Teftament :)  who  fhould  ufher  in  ftandsthe  An- 
 t\iQ.  Lord,  that  was  to  follow  him,  and  fup-  2  3.'of"th*^* 
 ply  the  place  of  Harbinger  to  a  great  prince,  fndfh^lJJeT, 
 who  was  wont  to  be  fent  before,  to  give  no-  Ex.  xxiii.  20. 
 
 ^1         ,  r      I       r»  •         .  •         is 'interpreted 
 
 tice  at  the  place,    or    the  Frmccs  commg,  of  fomc  Prob- 
 and to  difpofe  matters,    for  his  reception,  P^*^^*  ^^-  "' 
 according  to   his  dignity.     And  he  confc-  Judg.  ii.  r. 
 
 G,      Job.  xxziii' 
 2  quently,  i^. 
 
64  AT>efence  of  C  h  r  i  s  T  1 1  an  ty. 
 
 Chap.  II.    qucntly,  from  the  nature  of  his  employ,  was 
 
 ^'^'''^"^  as  much  inferior,  to  the  Lord  that  was  to 
 come  after  him,  as  fervants  are  to  him, 
 whofe  forerunners  they  are  appointed. 
 The  otlier,  is  reprefented  in  very  high 
 ri«n  charaders,  as,  That  Lordy  whom  they  fought 
 or  expeded  to  come  :  as  the  Angel  or 
 Mejfenger  of  the  covenant:,  whom  they  de- 
 lighted in,  i.  e.  under,  or  by  whom  they  pro- 
 niifed  thcmfeives  all  felicity :  as  the  pro- 
 prietor of  this  temple,  which  for  it's  mean- 
 ncfs  they  undervalued  j  and  polluted  with 
 their  impure  lacrifices :  And  again,  as  a  fe- 
 verejuft Judge,  inthenext  verfe.  For  how- 
 ever they  delighted  themfelves,  with  the 
 hopes  of  his  coming,  it  fhould  eventually 
 prove,   no  matter   of  joy,   to  them.     For 
 
 Gh.  iii.  2.  3-  the  day  of  his  coming,  fhould  be  a  day  of 
 exad  retribution.  H^en  he  appears  hefhall 
 be  like  a  refiners  fire,  and  like  fullers  fopCy 
 He  fhall  feparate  the  metal,  from  the  drofs, 
 and  punifh  the  impenitent,  with  impartiality. 
 And  then,  they  ihould  be  able,  to  anfwer 
 
 Ch.  ii.  17-  their  own  queftion,  mentioned  in  the  former 
 chapter,  JVhere  is  the  God  of  judgment  ? 
 
 It  was  thcAtheiftick  behavior  and  difcourfc 
 of  many  Jews  in  that  age,  which  moved 
 God,  to  give  them  this  prophecy.  "  We 
 ^[  are  not  fo  wicked,  faid  they  to  the  pro- 
 
 ['  phet, 
 
j^  defence  of  Chrjsti  Ai^  IT  Y.  65 
 
 "  phetj  that  reproved  them,  as  you  make  Chap.  II. 
 "  us  :  or  there  are  others,  wiekedcr  than  ^-^^v^"^^-^ 
 **  we,  that  profper,  and  why  may  not  we  ? 
 "  God,  one  would  think,  doth  not  diflike 
 ^-^  then-  ways,  or  he  would  not  bear  with 
 "  them  5  or  where  is  the  God  of  judg^^ 
 i  <*  mcnt?" 
 
 Well  then,  replies  God,  you  Hiall  know 
 experimentally,  where  he  is,  and  find  him, 
 >vherc  you  lead,  look  for  him.  By  him, 
 whom  you  feek,  whom  you  delight  in, 
 will  I  appear  to  be,  a  God  of  judi^ment : 
 And  that  you  may  not  be  furprized,  with 
 his  coming.  Behold,  1  fend  my  medcnger, 
 and  he  fhall  prepare  the  way  before  me  :  and 
 the  Lord,  whom  ye  leek,  fhall  fuddenly 
 come,  to  his  temple,  even  the  meflcnger  of 
 the  covenant,  whom  ye  delight  in,  behold 
 he  fhall  come,  faith  the  Lord  of  hofts.  He 
 is  the  fame  perfon,  who  from  the  dignity 
 of  his  perfoji  is  called  Lord,  and  from  his 
 office.  Angel  of  the  co\enant  :  [a)  and 
 who  mull  therefore  be  dillinguifh'd  from 
 God  that  fpeaks,  whole  Angel  he  is,  and 
 whofc  vengeance  he  executes.  His  office  re- 
 
 G  3  lates 
 
 {a)  So  R.  Aim  T.zjra.  Dominus  ille,  efl:  Angelas  fadris.  Ell  enim  fcn- 
 fas  duplic.uus,  i.  e.  They  me  dilTeieiit  niimes  for  the  fame  perf(-n.  And 
 ib  It  follows  in  the  fingul.u,  KIT,  even  he jlialt  come.  And  fo  Vau  in 
 *1H'^D^  is  expliative,  as  in  Ccu.  .\lii.  zj.  and  in  other  places. 
 
66  ^  T>efenceofC HK IS riA-^ IT  Y, 
 
 Chap.  II.  lates  to  a  covenant  with  this  people,  which, 
 ^^'^^^^^^''^^  as  it  feems  by  the  punifhment  that  next  fol- 
 lowed his  coming,  they  fhould  rejeiH:.  The 
 time  of  his  coming,  is  faid  to  be  fudden- 
 Ij,  viz.  after  the  meffenger,  that  was  to 
 prepare  his  way^  and  is  implied,  to  be  un- 
 der that  temple,  which  they  defpifed,  and 
 profaned,  but  of  which,  he  fhould  be  the 
 Glory. 
 
 The  queftion  now  is,  who  is  intended, 
 by  the  Firft  meffeyiger  -,  and  again,  who  by 
 the  Lord- — the  meffenger  of  the  covenant  ? 
 You  need  but  caftyour  eye,  a  little  lower, 
 to  the  end  of  the  prophecy,  to  be  fure,  that 
 the  firft  meflenger  is  the  fame,  that  is  there 
 Q^Wcd  Elias,  Mai.  iv.  5.6.  Behold,  I  fend 
 ^in;rf  y^^  Elijah,  the  prophet,  before  the  coming 
 T\'y[2n)  Qj^  that  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord, 
 juft  before  fpoken  of  And  he  jhall  {vcvikc 
 it  his  bufmefs  to)  turn  the  heart,  of  the  fa- 
 thers, to  the  children-,  and  the  heart  of  the 
 children,  to  the  fathers,  left  I  come,  and 
 fmite  the  earth,  with  a  cur fe.  In  the  one 
 place,  the  fnejfenger  piall  prepare  the  way 
 before  me  :  in  the  other,  it  is  declared  how 
 he  fhall  prepare  it,  viz.  by  turning  the 
 hearts  of  the  fathers,  &c.  In  the  one  place, 
 the  day  of  his  coming,  is  defcribed,  as  very 
 Cireadful  5   But  who  may  abide  the  day  of 
 
 his 
 
A  'Defence  ^/Christianity. 
 
 his  cornhig  ?  and  ijaho  ^all  ftand  "jjhen  he 
 appear eth  ?  In  the  other  it  is  cxpicfsly 
 named  fo,  and  with  reference,  to  wiiat  went 
 before,  That  great  ayid  dreadful  day  of  the 
 Lord.  In  both,  for  the  fame  reafon,  becauk 
 of  the  wadinii;  judgments,  tliat  enfued. 
 
 The    old    jews,    therefore,    in  Ilicrorns  ^^i"-  "^  ^°*^- 
 time,  interpret  this  firft  meilcnger,  of  E li- 
 as •,  and  fo  didtlie  jews  much  earlier,  who 
 compofcd  their  liturgy  :    In   one  of  thofc 
 prayers,  they  bcfecch  God  in  jhefc  words. 
 Let  Elias,  thy  prophet^  come  in  our  days  {a). 
 He  is  called  Elias  the  prophet y  in  the  con- 
 cluiion  of  Malachy  :    but  no  where  Gods 
 prophet,    but  here,    that  God  faith,    1 117 1 1 
 fend  my  meffenger  or  prophet  to  prepare  the 
 'way  before  me  y  as  it  were,  tOi:xprefs  their 
 fcnfe,    of   the  ^Perfon  intended,    by  God's 
 niefienger. 
 
 And  knowing   the  firft   meflcnger,    wc 
 can't  be  ill  doubt  about    the  fecond  Mcl- 
 
 G  4  fengei', 
 
 (a)  In  the  prayer  at  the  bringing  forth  the  book  of  ilie 
 *■  law*  they  fay, 
 
 V-     "(8^2)  "innx  ijiQ'2  5<2"'  i<a  k,th,  Kd.bvo 
 
 "^  Oh  God,  animate  and  lirengthen  us,  ^^fJ   '•'P-  '^'• 
 
 \  And  fend  to  us  \\\z  Arigcl  (or  Meffenger,)  the  Redeemer. 
 
 Y  Let  E/wf  thy  prophet  furely  come  in  our  days,  , 
 
 .■  WithMeffus  the  Sonof  Z>.;"w;</ thvfervant. 
 
6$  \^T>efence  of  Christ  I  Ai^  IT  Y.         j 
 
 Chap.  II.  fenger,  fmce  the  coming  of  E/ias,  and  of 
 ^^'^'^^^^''^  the  Loud  Mellias,  are  ever  joined  together  by 
 the  Jews  j  the  one  prefuppofcs,  and  infers 
 the  other.  You  read  it,  in  the  prayer,  new- 
 ly cited,  and  with  it,  the  lew's  Ten  fe  at  that 
 time,  of  this  Prophecy.  "  Send  to  us  the 
 "  Angel,  or  Meflenger  the  Redeemer!'  This 
 is  Malach/s  Angel  of  the  Covenant.  "  Let 
 "  Eli  as  thy  prophet  furely  come  in  our  days, 
 ''  --ji'ith  Mejjias  the  fan  of  David  thy  fer^ 
 '^  'vant ;  this  is  the  Lord  in  Malachy,  who 
 fhall  iuddenly  come,  alter  the  mcilenger  his 
 forerunner. 
 
 But  waving  the  advantage  of  that  tradi- 
 tion, there  is  not  a  |ew,  that  I  know  of, 
 antient  or  modern,  that  doth  not  expound, 
 the  Lord  in  this  text,  of  the  Meflias  5  or 
 the  age  of  the  Meillas  ^  except  Jarchi^, 
 who  fo  abfurdly  interprets  the  Angel  here, 
 of  the  Angel  of  death,  at  the  final  con- 
 demnation of  the  wicked,  and  of  God's 
 fitting  in  judgment,  which  certainly  they 
 did  not  defu-e,  that  Abarb'mel is  afhamed  of 
 him  for  it :  How  the  antient  Jews  under, 
 flood  it,    Hierom  is  again  a  witnefs,   who 
 
 ^   ,  .    .^     faith  they  referred  it  to  their y\Mi/j.{A,tvo$, 
 
 the^N^oidin  ^-  ^-  their  Anointed  or  Chrift.  And  thofe 
 Aqmh  and  niodcrns,  ^ho  in  fpite,  to  the  Chriftian  in- 
 veriion  for  tcrprctaticn^  would  not  have,  the  firil  mef^ 
 ^'^^    ^       ■  fenger, 
 
yl  n^efence  <?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y.  ^9 
 
 fcngcr,  to  be  Eltas,  but  cither,  an  Angel  Scd.  1. 
 from  heaven,  as  Kmchi  i  or  MelTias  the  ^-^"^^^^^^ 
 Ion  of  Jofeph,  as  Ahen-Ezra  •-,  are  con- 
 ftrained,  by  the  force  of  the  words,  and  the 
 conllant  tradition,  of  their  fathers,  to  own 
 the  advent,  of  king  Mefllas,  to  be  promi- 
 fcd,  in  the  latter  part  of  thevcrfe  {a). 
 
 Indeed  it  is  not  poilible,  to  find  any  o- 
 ther  pcribn  to  whom,  the  words  will  agree. 
 From  Malachi,    to  the  dellruclion  of  the 
 temple,  no  one  can  be  named,  except  the 
 Lordjefus,  who  is  able,  to  make  any  pre- 
 tention,  to  the  cxprcfs  charaders,    in  this 
 prophecy.     What  man  befide,  was  ever  ex- 
 J)e6fedy  and  fought^    and  delighted  in,    fo 
 long  before  they  knew  him  ?  what  man  elfe, 
 was  ever  called  the  Lordj  and  the  Lord  of     riH- 
 his  temple  J  but  He,  whom  T>avid  in  Ipirit 
 called  Afy  Lord,  becaufe  of  God's  allbciatingjj^-lj^  pr^.^^ 
 him,  into  dominion  with  himiclf,  to  fiton'^- 
 his  right  handy  till  he  made  his  enemies,  his 
 footjiool  ?  What  other  deliverance  was  look- 
 ed for,   by  the  jews,    as  the  deliverance  of 
 God  himfclf,    than  that  by   the   Mefllas  ? 
 
 There 
 
 {a)  R.D.  Kimchi.  The^^oMorLordisMcffias  the  fon  of  David.  And 
 fo  before  him  Saodiah  Gaoft,  lib.  Iman.  c.  8.  R.TanchumA  mVoc.  R.A. 
 Ezra,  The  Lord  of  glory,  in  the  temple  that  is,  to  be  reftored.  at  the 
 ^omingof  Mciliasthefonof  David.  Maim.  Mclac.  c.  xi.  Again.  Epiit.de 
 Auftrali  regione  in  VorlK  not,  on  Gam.  Salom  Ben  Melech  in  Michlol 
 Jophi.    Bic  ejt  rtx  Mejfas. 
 
70  j^T>efenceof  Christ  I  AN  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  II.  There  is  one  certain  deliverance,  promifed 
 ^^y^^"^  them  in  one  prophet,  after  another,  by  the 
 name  of  Salvation  by  the  Lordy    by  the 
 Deut.  xxxiii.  Lord  Godhimfelf,  as  fuperior  and  different, 
 Ef!  xlv.  17.    to  their   former  deliverances,   by  flefh  and 
 Zech.Viii.   ^^^^^  '  and  this  the  Jews  appropriate  to  thc 
 redemption  of  the  Meflias.     Godfaves,  and 
 God  judges,  by  Him.     And  he  is  therefore 
 termed  the  Lord  in  Malachy,  as  being  Ema- 
 nuel, the  God,   the  Savior  with  us.     In  a 
 word,  who,  but  one  of  his  dignity,  had  e- 
 ver  in  fcripture,  a  forerunner  appointed  him, 
 that  was  predided  therein,  to  giue  notice  of, 
 and  prepare  for  his  coming  ?    who  but  the 
 Angel  of  the  covenant,  was  likely,  to  tran{^ 
 Jcr.xxxi.  51,  ad  the  new  covenant,  which  God  affured 
 ^^'  them,  he  would  make  with  them,    in  the 
 
 latter  days,  and  as  they  underftood,  by  the 
 Meflias? 
 
 St.  Mark  therefore,  had  good  reafon,  to 
 introduce  his  gofpel,  with  this  unexception- 
 able 
 
 00  So  R.S.J,  on  Ef.  xly.  17.  Saadia  Gaon  Sephpr.  Emuna,  viii.  8 
 Talm.  Beracath.  c  i.  Ef.  xxxv.  4.  Your  God  will  come  with  vengtancct 
 God  the  recompenfe,  he  himfelf  will  come  and  lave  yoUf  then  the  eyef  of  the 
 blind  fliall  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  unfiopped,  gcC.  which  is  uil' 
 tderltood  of  the  daysof  Meffias,  by  their Targ.  and  Vajikia  R.  on  Levit. 
 xiv.i.  As  weknowitisby  Jo/»w  the  Baptiit,  from  hisqueftion  to  Chrill  in 
 the  words  of  Efay,  ver.  4.  and  Chrift's  anfwer  in  the  following  words  of 
 Efay,  Matth.xi.  3,  4,  5,  6.  Thispromife  is  varied  in  rhe  fame  £/4y, and 
 The  Saviour  Cometh  is  put  for  Gedcometh,  &c.  Ef.  Ixii.  u.  to  Ihcw  that 
 God's  coming  is  ever  to  be  interpreted  of  the  Mefiias. 
 
A  Tie  fence  ^/Christianity. 
 
 able  text,  oi  Malachy^  in  order  to  fhew,  the 
 connexion,  between  the  old  and  New  Tefta- 
 ment,  and  that  one  began,  where  the  o- 
 thcr  ended.  There  was  no  Jcji^  at  that 
 time,  that  did  not  agree,  to  the  applying 
 of  the  propheey  to  the  Meflias,  according 
 to  the  letter.  No  Chriftian  fince,  hath 
 been  fo  wild,  as  to  fancy,  any  other  fenfc 
 of  them.  Even  the  learned  Grotius  fo 
 willing,  and  fo  capable  as  he  appears  to 
 be,  at  other  times,  to  invent  double  mean- 
 ings 5  yields  up  this  prophecy,  to  Chrift,  as 
 concerning  him  only,  and  no  other  per- 
 fon. 
 
 But  I  muft  not  difmifs  this  text,  with- 
 out making  further  ufe  of  it.  Malachy^ 
 was  the  laft  prophet,  that  God  vouchfafed, 
 to  the  Jews,  before  the  coming  of  Ell- 
 as. And  he,  fuppofing  the  belief  of  a 
 Mcfliah  to  come,  to  be  already  received 
 in  their  nation,  and  borrowing  the  expref- 
 fions,  of  the  former  prophets,  where 
 Malachy  fpeaks  clearly,  of  the  Meflias,  he 
 may  be  juftly  thought  to  dired,  how  wc 
 fhould  underftand  thofc  prophecies  before 
 him,  of  the  Meflias. 
 
 For  inftance.     i.  When  Malachy  faith, 
 The  Lord  whom  ye  feek,  and  the  ^^i^^  i^'y,Tars^^^ 
 ff  the  covenant,  whom  ye  delight  in,  {hall 
 
 comCf 
 
A  T>efence  <7/*Christianity. 
 
 eome,  he  plainly  intimates,  that  then  in  his 
 days,  the  Jews  expeded,  and  wifhed  for 
 that  coming  i  even  bjeforc  the  affurance  he 
 now  gave  them,  that  he  fhould  come. 
 They  had  certainly,  fome  grounds,  true  or 
 imagined,  for  fuch  pleafmg  hopes  5  for  no 
 one  deiires,  nor  delights,  in  things  unknown, 
 undefcrib'd,  unpromifed.  And  the  event, 
 depending  merely  on  the  will  of  God, 
 nothing  lefs,  than  God's  revelation,  in  this 
 matter,  was  fufficient  foundation,  for  be- 
 lieving it  j  which  God  was  wont  to  com- 
 municate, to  their  Nation,  by  the  Prophets. 
 The  writings  of  the  Prophets,  were  in  their 
 hands,  and  they  that  fearch'd  their  books, 
 read  therein,  many  gracious  purpofes  of 
 Ood,  for  great  good  to  them,  under  fome 
 king,  of  the  houfe  of  'David,  that  were 
 repeated  again  and  again?  before  and  after 
 the  captivity.  On  thefe  proniifes  they 
 built  their  hopes  j  and  as  their  affairs,  be- 
 came low  or  intricate?  the  more  their 
 longings?  for  thefe  happy  times  encreafed. 
 In  fuch  a  fituation?  hlalachy  found  them,  at 
 the  time,  he  prophefied.  But  did  he  tell 
 them,  they  were  miftaken,  in  their  exped- 
 ations  ?  On  the  contrary,  he  allures  them, 
 that  the  Lord,  whom  they  expeEfed  fhall 
 come,   the  Angel  whom  they  delighted  in 
 
 Jhall 
 
A  Defence  (?/C  h  r  i  s  T  i  A  N  i  t r.  75 
 
 pjall  come.  He  could  not  have  cftabliflit,  Sed.  I- 
 thc  belief  of  the  Meffias  better,  nor  con-  ^^*^*^ 
 firmed  them  more,  in  the  hopeful  fenti- 
 mcnts,  they  then  entertained,  of  his  co- 
 niiug,  if  he  had  cited  the  very  texts,  from 
 which  they  e>;pe(n:ed  him.  Yet  Tome  of 
 tiienij  he  alfo  refers  to,  in  this  prophecy. 
 For 
 
 zdly.  The  words,  fpokcn  of  Chrift's 
 harbinger,  he  fhall  prepare  the  way  before 
 me,  being  taken  from  Efay,  we  have  Ma- 
 lacbfs  tclHmony,  that  Efay  prophefied  of 
 the  fame  times,  that  he  doth.  Efay  be- 
 gins that  prophecy  thus.  Comfort ye^  com- EUlui,^ 
 fort  ye  my  people,  faith  your  God.  Oh 
 ye  prophets,  prophecy  confolations  for  my 
 people,  as  the  Targum  renders  it.  Speak 
 ye  comfortably  unto  Jerufalem,  and  cry 
 to  her,  that  her  warfare,  or  appointed 
 time,  is  accompUp^d,  that  her  iniquity  is 
 pardoned— -^\\zvi\%  that  time  to  be?  when 
 the  voice  of  Him,  crieth  in  thewildernefs,'''-fy  9- 
 prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make 
 ftreight  a  high  way  for  our  God- 
 then  the  glory  of  the  Lord  jhall  be  reveal- 
 ed—(^iy  unto  the  Cities  of  Judah,  behold 
 your  God. 
 
 Some- 
 
AT>efence  ofC  hristianitt. 
 Something  very  extraordinary,    appears 
 to  be  here  promifed.     The  Jewijh  Tar- 
 gum,  tells  us,  what  it  is,  v,  9.  Behold,  the 
 kingdom  of  your  God  is  revealed-,  meaning,^ 
 the  kingdom  of   the  Meflias,  which,    be- 
 caule  thz  God  of  heaven,  fhall  fct  it  up,  is 
 Dan.ii.  44-     called  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  king- 
 do7n  of  heaven.    From  hence,   the  Jews 
 Icarn'd,  to  call  the  days  of  the  Meflias,  the 
 T^xg.m^lvi.^^ys  of  Confolation:   and  waiting  for  the 
 3.inHof.vi.z.  confolation  of  Ifrael,  is  explained  hy  feeing 
 the  Lords  Chrijl.  Luc.  ii.  2  5 ,  2  6,  by  looking 
 for  redemption,   and  waiting  for  the  king- 
 dom of  God.     From  hence,  one  of  the 
 tiic.  ii.  38     names  of  the  Meflias  [anjQ]  is  Menachem, 
 *  sl^.c^xi  *  o^  comforter :  and  his  Sahation,  Ef.  Ixih  i . 
 is  interpreted,  by  the  confolation  of  Ifrael 
 in  the  Chaldee  Paraphrafe  on  that  place. 
 
 Since  therefore ;  Efay,  under  the  figure 
 of  a  voice,  proclaiming  the  approach  of  a 
 greater  perfon,  prophecies,  of  the  coming 
 of  a  certain  melfenger,  to  remove  all  hin- 
 drances, out  of  His  way  that  Ihall  follow 
 him  clofe,  and  who  is  ftyled  the  glory  of  the 
 Lord,  and  their  God-,  and  Malachy  pre- 
 diding,  the  coming,  of  the  fame  meflen- 
 ger,  recites  the  very  words  of  Efay,  that 
 he  jhould  prepare  the  way  before  God,  and 
 then  applies  the  title  of  that  Lord,  to  Him 
 
 whom 
 
A'T)efence  <?/ C h r is  t  i  an  i t  y. 
 whom  they  fought  and  delighted  in,  i.  c. 
 to  the  McfTias,  as  hath  been  proved  j  one 
 can't  avoid  thinking,  that  the  fame  pcrfons, 
 are  intended,  in  both  the  prophecies  ;  that 
 Efay  foretold  there,  the  comu^ij;  of  Ciirifl, 
 and  of  the  MeiVenger,  that  went  before 
 him  in  the  judgment  of  Malachy  5  and  con- 
 fequently,  Efay  was  one  of  the  prophets., 
 from  whom  they  took  their  cxpcdation, 
 and  hope  of  the  Mcflias  [a). 
 
 idly.     It  may   be  coUeded,     from   this 
 text,    in  Malachy,    that  Angel  or  MefTen- 
 ger,  is  one  of  the  titles,   of  the  Meflias : 
 Accordingly,  in  fome  other  places,    where 
 the  Angel  of  God,  is  mentioned,  the  Mef- 
 fias  is  to  be  underftood.     Thus  that  famous 
 paflage  in  Efay^  that  predicts  great  joy,  on 
 the  birth  of  a  child  of  T>avids  race,  'isjhofe 
 name  pjould  be  called  '■juonderful  Cotinfel-  Ef-  i-^-  <5- 
 loTj  mighty  God,  &c.  is  read  by  the  greek  y^tyiMi  /3«>«^a?, 
 interpreters  before  Chrift,  t\\z  Angel  of  the  "^'^•'^''" 
 great  counfel,    the   Meflenger  or  Publifher 
 of    the    counfel  of    God,    for    falvation. 
 They  either  found  it,  in  their  copy,  'or  fo 
 interpreted,    the  prefent  ^^^r^zc;  words,  to 
 make  the  application  of  it,  to  the  Mcfllah, 
 the  furcr.  So  again,  whereas  it  is  faid  in  Ze- 
 
 charyy 
 
 {*)  Maim.MeUc.  joyns  Efay  xl.  3.  with  Mai.  iii.i.aspanl'cl  prophecies. 
 
Zee.  xii.  8. 
 
 Mic.ii.15. 
 
 V.  Pococ. 
 here,  and 
 Capell.  and 
 T.onMic, 
 
 jon.inGcn. 
 iv.  I. 
 
 ' AT)  efence  of  Cnvii  ST  I  K-i^irt  6 
 
 chary,  fpeaking  of  a  future  return  of  th^ 
 Jews,  he  that  is  feeble  among  them,  fhall 
 be  as  David,  and  the  houfe  of  David  (the 
 Princes)  as  Elohim,  as  the  Angel  of  the 
 Lord  before  them:  it  is  thus  varied  in  Mi- 
 cahy  The  breaker  (it  fhould  be  rendred, 
 the  Redeemer,)  is  gone  before  them—their 
 king  is  pafl  before  them,  and  or  eve7i  the 
 Lord  at  the  head  of  them,  to  fignify  in 
 thefe  fynonymous  terms,  that  one,  and  the 
 fame  perfon,  is  intended,  by  them  all  j  e- 
 ven  the  MefTias,  as  the  Jews  fay,  who  is 
 the  Angel  of  the  Lord. 
 
 But  no  where,  is  this  notion  plainer, 
 than  in  Jonathan's  Targum  on  the  Law. 
 For  fuppofing,  (how  truly,  is  not  now  to 
 be  enquired)  that  Eve  expeded,  to  be  the 
 mother,  of  that  feed  of  the  woman,  that 
 God  had  promifed,  fhould  break  the  Ser- 
 pent's head,  where  the  text  hath  it,  and 
 foe  conceived  and  bare  Cain,  and  faid  I 
 have  gotten  a  man  from  the  Lord.  Jona- 
 than paraphrafcs  it  thus,  and  fhe  defired 
 the  Angel  or  MciTenger,  and  bringing  forth 
 Cain  fhe  faid,  /  have  got  a  man  the  Anr 
 gel  of  the  Lord. 
 
 Lafily,  Malachfs  fixing  the  charader, 
 of  Meflcnger  of  the  covenant  in  the  Mef- 
 ^as,  authorizes  us,  'to  look  for  the  accom- 
 
 plifhment, 
 
A  defence  ^/Christianity. 
 plifhmcnt,  ot   thole  prophecies,  that  fpcak 
 of  another  covmanty   in  the  days  of  the 
 Mcflias.     God    ftgnitied,     by   his  prophets 
 (ucceflively,   that  he  would   make   a  new 
 covenant^   with  the  houfe  of  Ifrael^   and  ^^'^*  ^^^''  ^'  ** 
 of  Juddy    unlike  to  that  which  he  made^  fzek.  xxxiv, 
 with  their  fat  hers  J  at  their  coming  out  ofxxxyilzG. 
 Egypt,— ^  covfnant  of'Tcace  j— an  Everlajl- 
 ing  Covenant :  that  he  would  give  his y^r-  Ef.  xlii.  i^^^ 
 vanty  his  Ele^i,   tn  whom  he  was  pleafed^^^^'  ^' 
 to  be  a  Covenant  to   the    ''Teople  and  a 
 hght  to   the  Gentiles.      To  what  time  or 
 perfon,    thcic  promiics  did  relate,    might 
 be   difputed,    before  Malachy  prophefied  5 
 though  they  have  internal  marks,  that  point 
 to  the  Melllas.     Bnt   after  Malachy  hath 
 faid  fo  plainly  that  the  Lord  whom  they 
 fought-,  meaning  the  Melllas,    is  the  Mef- 
 fenger  of  the  Covenant j   whom  they  de- 
 lighted illy   and  that  he  ^:all  furely  comet 
 we  can  no  longer  doubt  it.     It  is  faying  in 
 other  words,   the  Meflias,  fhall  be  the  de- 
 clarer, the  publifher,  the  mediator  of  that 
 better   covenant,    (for   all  thcfe  ideas   are 
 comprehended    in     the    word   MelTenger,) 
 as  Mofes  was,   of  the  old  covenant ;    and  Hence ''^Ihey 
 that  a  Law,  fhould  be  given  by  Him.  arc  joined 
 
 together.Al^y^ 
 fenger  and 
 H  ^o         Orator,oxln. 
 
 terpreter,  job. 
 xxxiii.  1;. 
 
78  j^T>efence of  Cniiisr I Ai^ I TY, 
 
 Chap.  II. 
 
 Mai.  iv.  5,  6.  Beholdy  I  will  fend  you, 
 Elijah  the  prophet-,  before  the  cominf^y  of 
 the  great,  and  dreadful  day,  of  the  Lord. 
 And  he  jhall  turn  the  heart,  of  the  fathers, 
 -v^ahh^Kim-  to  the  children  -,  and  the  hearts  of  the 
 (hizn^notto.  children,  to  the  fathers,  left  I  come,  and 
 fmite  the  earth,  with  a  curfe. 
 
 This  prophecy,  is  a  repetition  of  the  for- 
 mer 5  only  the  name  of  tlie  mejfenger,  ad- 
 ded to  it,  with  the  manner,  of  his  prepa- 
 ring the  way,  which  is  declared,  to  be  fpi- 
 ritual.     He  jhall  turn,   the  hearts  of  the 
 fathers,  with  the  children  and  of  the  chil- 
 dren with  the  fathers j    (as  Kimchi  truly 
 renders  the  particle  [''^y]  Al,  which  is  to  in 
 the  Englifl))  u  e.  he  fhall  do  his  part,  to  caufe 
 a  national  reformation,    to  convert  fathers 
 and  children,   all  together,    from  their  evil 
 pradices,  and  reftore  a  true  fenfc  of  reli- 
 gion,  that  was  then   dwindled  into  form, 
 and  fo  remove  the  curfe,  the  utter  cxcifion, 
 denounced  upon  this  land,   viz.   Judaai 
 yi^{l*^  This   For  in  fcripture,  he  is  faid,  to  do  a  thing, 
 flood  of  7«-    who  doth  every  thmg,   proper,  and  likely 
 d&ahYKimchi.  jq  e^ufe  it,  though  the  effed,  doth  not  an- 
 fwer.     The  true  Elijah  in  Ahab's  days,  did 
 
 no 
 
 i 
 
A  T>efence  <?/  C  i-m  i s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y.  79 
 
 no  more,  nor  were  his  endeavors,  follow-     Sed.  L 
 ed  with  luccefs. 
 
 The  coming  of  the  day  of  the  Lord,  and 
 Jehovas  comings  to  finlfe  the  land  with 
 a  curfe  is,  as  1  obfcrvcd  on  the  former 
 text,  the  coming  of  the  Lord  AleJJiaSy 
 which  fliould  prove  a  terrible  time,  to  the 
 Wicked  Jeivs :  though  to  the  godly,  he 
 foould  artfe  like  the  fun  of  right eotifnefs 
 with  falvation  in  his  rays,  v.  r .  {a)  Such 
 a  ftrid  union  there  is,  between  God,  and 
 his  Chrift  j  God,  is  fo  manifeftcd,  in  the 
 perfon,  and  aftions  of  the  MeiFias,  that 
 many  things,  fpoken  by  God,  of  himfelf, 
 are  defigned,  for  the  Mefllas,  by  whom  he 
 a6ts,  and  are  (o  underftood,  by  the  Jews. 
 And  fo  their  T^r^.  fubftitutes  the  Meffia  ^/^TargonEf. 
 the  Lord,  in  texts  that  have  only  the  Lord,  ^•''^"i-  5- 
 But  no  where  more  fully,  doth  this  notion 
 appear  than  in  two  of  their  Targums  on 
 Gen.  xlix.  i8.  I  wait  for  thy  falvation^ 
 "  oh  God.  Of  which  this  is  their  expofi- 
 "  tion  5  Jacob  forefeeing  the  redemption 
 "  by  Gideon  and  Sampfon,  did  not  look 
 *'  for  their  falvation,  which  is  temporal, 
 **  and  created  or  human,  but  laith,  I  wait  T.jon.and 
 
 H  2  "  for  [.'^J™'""" 
 
 (a)  Sun  of  ri^hteoHfnefs ;undcT^ood  of  the  Meffias  by  K.  TanchumaanA 
 Kimchi,  in  ^llix.  agaJnft  tiie  Unitarians  3,  4.  and  R,  chan'mnf.  I'ap^  w 
 Stre/l).  Ral>.  in  Pug.fiJ.. 
 
86  j^^efence  of  Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  II.  "  for  thy  falvation,  the  falvation  of  Agesy 
 ^-^-^"^   "   that  Salvation,  which  thou  haft  promifed, 
 "  fhall  come  to    Ifrael.  "     And  that  every 
 Jew  will  own  is  Salvation  by  the  Meilias. 
 
 The  Tar  glim  indeed  on  Malachy^  faith 
 not  a  word  of  the  Mefilas.  But  either,  they 
 thought,  the  pailage  clear  without  expli- 
 cation, or  the  JewSj  have  wilfully  erafed 
 it  thence.  For  we  find  it,  out  of  its  place, 
 tipon  T>eut.  xxx.  2,  3,  6.  which  they 
 compare,  with  Malachy.  For  where  Mofes 
 promifes,  The  Lord  ^o all  turn  thy  capti- 
 vity— and  will  circumcife,  thy  heart,  and 
 the  heart  of  thy  feed,  to  lo've  the  Lord^ 
 tar. Jon.  ib.  with  all  thy  heart — The  Targum  intei;^ 
 prets— "  The  Lord  fhall  gather  thee,  by 
 "  the  miniftry  of  Elias, — and  condud  you, 
 "  by  the  hands  of  king  Mcflias— For  the 
 "  Lord  will  take  away  the  folly  of  your 
 "  heart Sy  and  the  folly  of  your  fons 
 "  hearts,  &c.  which  are  indeed  the  words 
 in  Malachy  oi  Elias. 
 
 And  this  is  enough  for  our  purpofe,  that 
 the  Jews  acknowledg  the  Mellias  is  here 
 foretold,  who  is,  to  be  preceded  by  Elias, 
 be  that  Elias,  who  he  will.  Our  difpute 
 at  prefent  is,  whether  the  Mellias,  is  fpoken 
 of  n\  the  prophets.  And  this  is  proved,  by 
 tivs  text.  Even  their  miftake  of  Elias  s  co- 
 ming 
 
ADefenceoj  CwKiST I h^ IT Y.  8i 
 
 ming  in  perlbn,  as  a  previous  fign,  that  ^^^^ 
 theMclfiasisathaiid,  is  an  argument,  that 
 they  cxpeacd  the  Mclllas,  from  this  pro- 
 phecy. In  this  fingle  text  alone,  Elias  is 
 Ipoken  ot:  And  this  is  their  authority,  tor 
 their  bcUef,  that  Elias,  Ihall  ulhcr  in  tiic  ^ ^^^^^^^.^ 
 Meflias  and  anoint  iiim.  luit.  M.dia- 
 
 It   was  the  univcrfal    opinion,    in  Jcfus  ^°^- 
 Chrift's  time,  received  by  the  learned,  and 
 unlearned,   the  governours,    and  the  com- 
 mon people  5    All    expected,    Elias  /7j^///^  Joh.  i.i^- 
 frft  come,  and  reftore  all  things.     And  long  Mit.xxvii.49- 
 before  that,  the  Ton  of  Syrach,  grounded  it, 
 on   the  paflagc  now  before  us.      Thus   he 
 fpeaks  to  the  true  Elijah,  thou  'waft  ordain- 
 ed for  reproof,    (thou  waif  written  of  as  a 
 type,)  /■;;  after  times,    to  pacify  the  "jjrath 
 ef  the  Lord's  judgment,  before  it  brake  in- 
 to furj,   and  to  tarn  the  heart  of  the  fa- 
 ther, unto  the  fon,  and  to  reftore  the  tribes 
 of  Jacob',    which  is  part  of  the   Mellias's 
 Office.     Ef  xlix.   6. 
 
 The  Je-^z'S  have  not  fuice  varied,  from 
 this  notion.  In  the  Talmud  (b),  and  Tar- 
 gum  [c),  and  their  later  comments  y),  the 
 coming  of  Elias,  and  Melnas,  go  ufually 
 together.     And  this  is  the  reafon,  why  the 
 
 H  3  je-o:js 
 
 (b)  Talm.Sanh.xi.?ndGemaraEdayotinNfrn.  B.Ifiael  dc  Rcf.  ii.  5. 
 Cc)TArg.  on  Laniiv.  21.    {dj  Perufchim  on  Mic.  ii.  i ;,  v.  Poc.   Targ.  o:\ 
 Deut.  XXX.  1,  6. 
 
82  'y^  defence  of  Ciinisri Am rr. 
 
 Chap.  II.  Jews  pray   ib  heartily,    for  the  coming  of 
 \_^-s^^--^^  ^//^j,  even  without  mention,  of  the  Mef- 
 fias,    becaufe  the  coming  of  the  one,   ac- 
 cording to  Malachy^  infers  the  other.     In 
 one  of  the  conckiding  prayers  at  their  fo^ 
 lemn  fefcivals,    the   mafter  of  the   houfe, 
 ufcs  this  petition.  May  the  merciful  God, 
 fend  to    us  Elijah  the  prophet,    and  be 
 mindful  of  us  for  gocdy  and  blefs  every  one 
 V. Fag.  on      qJ'  ^j  /^^  ^/\f  Mame. 
 
 "   .  *     *  Elias  the  Levite,    in  his  dictionary,    on 
 
 the  word  Tijhbitej  breaks  out  into  this  ex- 
 clamation, "  Oh  that  it  were  the  will  of 
 "  God,  to  fend  us  Elias  in  his  time,  and 
 "  to  confirm  to  us  this  verficle,  behold  I 
 "  find  to  you  Elias, "  And  fo  Abenezra  in 
 liice  words,  finifhes  his  comment  upon 
 Malachy,  "  may  God  in  his  mercy  haften 
 ^'^  (the  fulfilling  of)  this  prophecy  :  oh 
 <^  that  the  time,  of  his  Advent,  might  be 
 ^f  haflned  !  " 
 
 After  all,  it  is  not  faid,  nor  implied  in 
 the    text,    that  Elijah  the  Tijhbite  fhall    . 
 come  in  perfon.     If  any  one  elfe,  had  come    i 
 in  the  fpirit  and  power  of  Elijah,  Mala- 
 chy's  words,  had  been  fulfilled ;  who  meant 
 no  more,    that  Elijah  fhould  rife  again  5 
 than  Hofea  and  Jeremy  did,   that  ^avid 
 fhpuid  be  reftored  to  life^  in  order  to  reign 
 
 over 
 
A  Defence ofC hristianitv.  8; 
 
 over  Ifrael  and  Juda,  when  they  prophc-  Seft.  L 
 fied,  that  the  tribes  ihould  hereof ter  ferve 
 David  their  king,  k  is  common  with 
 them,  to  delcribc  perlbns,  by  the  names  of 
 others,  wliom  they  rclcmblc,  in  the  moft 
 eminent  quahties. 
 
 And,  as  it  is  not  faid,  lb  it  could  not  be 
 intended  lierc,  that  Elijah  Ihould  come  a- 
 gain  in  perion.  Wholoever  he  was,  he 
 niLilr  precede,  the  final  dcArudion  of  the 
 Je'ji'S,  wiiich  hath  been  over,  near  fevcn- 
 teen  hundred  years  ago,  and  no  real  Elijah 
 come,  to  warn  them  of  it,  as  is  confeft  by 
 them.  But  take  the  words,  as  they  are  in- 
 terpreted, by  the  very  learned  Grot  ins,  and 
 the  ienlc  is  ea!y,  and  the  completion  ma- 
 nitcit.  "  After  me,  you  Ihall  have  no 
 "  Prophet,  for  a  long  time.  The  next, 
 "  fliall  be  the  harbinger,  of  the  Meilias,  in 
 *'  whom,  prophecy  fhall  revive.  He  fhall 
 "  be  another  EliaSy  for  zeal  and  coura2;e, 
 "  aufterity  of  life,  and  labor  for  Reforma- 
 "  tion. 
 
 The  fad   is  allowed  by  the  Jen'Sj    that 
 prophecy  was    fealed  up  with  JMalachy  {e)j 
 
 H  4  and 
 
 (0  Seder  olam  Rahba.  Hue  iifq;  Prophctrc,  p-r  Spiiitum  S.  vaticinati 
 funt.  Mine  deinceps,  inclina  aures  tuas.  8c  verba  fapientiim  audi.  Seder  o- 
 lam  Zuta,  jpeaking  of  Zcch.  and  Malachy.  Eo  tempore  ccflavit  Prophc 
 tiiiab  Ifrael. — Hinc  Sc  ultra  audi  verba  lapientum. 
 
'M  ^T)efenceof  CnvLi  St  lAti  It  r. 
 
 .11.  and  to  be  reftored  in  the  days  of  the  Mef- 
 
 ■i^ejews'"  ^^^^  *•     ^^^  ^^^y  ^^^^  ^'^^^^   ^^  receive  itj 
 uu  joti  ii.     they  v/ould  have  concluded,  that  John  the 
 Baptift,  in  whom  this  gift  did  revive,  muft 
 be  therefore,   the  Elias  of  Malachy.     For 
 Matth.xiv.5.  j^ii  fj^g  people,  held  John,  as  a  prophet. 
 The  Sanhedrin  aftonifht  at  iiis    preaching, 
 and  adions,  thought  he  muft  be  Elias ;  that 
 Jo]a.i.i9,af.  <prophet  in  Mofes,    or  the  Meffias :     and 
 the  Sadducees  and  Tharifees,  as  well  as  the 
 reft  of  the  country ,  went  to  be  baptized  of 
 Mat4ii.s,6,7.  Joim,  conf effing  their  Sins. 
 
 His  preaching,  exadtly  anfwcred,  the  de- 
 fcription  of  it,  by  Malachy.  As  Elias,  was 
 Mat.  iv.  1,5,6.  to  notify,  the  coming  of  the  day,  that  fhall 
 burn,  as  an  oven,  and  all  the  proud,  and 
 all  that  do  wickedly,  {hall  be  as  ftubble — 
 that  great,  and  dreadful  day,  wherein  the 
 Lord  Meffias,  {h2i\\fmite  the  landoi  Jewry, 
 with  a  curfe  :  fo  did  John  the  Baptift,  exhort 
 to  repentance,  from  this  motive  that  the  king- 
 dom of  God,  was  at  hand ;  and  to  flee  from 
 Mat  iii  1 7,  ^^^  'wrath  to  come,  for  there  was  one,  to  come 
 after  him,  mightier  than  he,  whofe  fan  was 
 in  his  hand,  to  purge  the  floor — and  to  burn 
 the  chafwith  unquenchable  fire. 
 
 Jofeph.  the  Jew,  confirms  the  account  of 
 him,  in  the  facrcd  Hiftorians.  "  It  was 
 "  the  opinion  of  the  Jews,  faith  he,  that 
 
 "  HerOij 
 
 10,  II. 
 
XVUl- 
 
 y^T>efenceof  Christ  I  K-^nr.  85 
 
 <'  Herods^rmyj  was  cut  off,  by  the  j^rah,  Scd.  I. 
 tlirough  God's  juft  judgment,  for  the  fake  j\^f^XnC^^ 
 of  jfohi,  who  was  furnamcd,  the  Baptift.  7- 
 *'  For  he  killed,  that  excellent  man,  who 
 **  ftirred  up  the  people,  to  the  exercife  of 
 "  all  vutues,  efpecially  piety  and  jiifticc, 
 "  and  to  receive  his  baptiim,  which  he  af- 
 **  fured  them,  was  grateful  to  God,  if  to 
 "  purity  of  body  they  added  purity  of  life, 
 "  and  ili-ft  cleanfed  their  fouls,  not  from 
 "  one  or  two,  but  every  fin.  But  when 
 "  the  people  reforted  in  numbers  to  him, 
 i(  greedy  of  his  doctrine,  and  ready  to  do 
 "  any  thing,  by  his  council,  fearing,  what 
 <*  might  be  effedled,  from  fo  great  authori- 
 '*  ty  of  the  man,  he  imprifoned,  and  then 
 **  flew  him. 
 
 If  there  were  nothing  elfe  for  it,  the  ful- 
 filling of  his  predictions,  demonfiratcd  'Jo/m, 
 to  be  a  true  prophet.  For,  as  yo/on  had  fore- 
 told 5  ](:(ws fitddenly  after  him,  appeared  in 
 the  temple,  preaching  likewifc  repentance, 
 for  rcmiflion  of  fins,  and  warning  them,  of 
 the  impending  defolation,  of  their  country, 
 which  lie  executed  accordingly,  as  he  thrcat- 
 ned  he  would,  within  a  few  years,  after  they 
 put  him  to  death,  and  rejeded  his  dodlrine. 
 No  fuch  events,  fell  out  at  any  time  before ; 
 and  thcfe,   at  this  tiaic,    came  up,    to  the 
 
 words 
 
A  defence  ^t^Christianity. 
 
 words  of  the  prophecy.  The  Events 
 therefore,  are  another  proof,  of  the  fenfe 
 of  the  prophecy.  The  commg,  of  John 
 the  Baptift  as  a  Prophet,  and  of  Jefus  as 
 the  MefliaSj  and  the  final  deflrudion  of 
 Jtidaa,  following  their  coming,  accord- 
 ing to  their  preaching,  is  a  plain  evidence, 
 that  they  only,  were  intended  here,  in  Ma- 
 lachfs  prophecy. 
 
 Hag.  ii.  6,  7,  8,  9.  For  thus  faith  the 
 Lord  of  ho  lis  J  yet  once,  it  is  a  little  while y 
 and  I  will  jhake  the  Heavens,  and  the  earth, 
 and  thefea,  and  the  dry  land: 
 
 And  I  will  fhake  all  nations,  and  the 
 defire  of  all  nations,  jhall  come,  and  I  will 
 fill  this  houfe,  with  glory,  faith  the  Lord. 
 
 The  filver  is  mine,  and  the  gold  is  mincy 
 faith  the  Lord  of  hofis. 
 
 The  glory  of  this  latter  houfe,  fhall  be 
 greater,  than  of  the  former,  and  in  this 
 place,  will  Igive  Teace,  faith  the  Lord  of 
 hofls. 
 
 Theoccafion,  of  this  prophecy,  was  the 
 dejection,  of  the  Jew$,    at  the  unhopeful 
 
 appear- 
 
A T)efence ofC  hristianity. 
 appearance,  of  their  new  ercding  temple. 
 Who  is  left  atnong  you,  that  faw  this  houfcj  "^"^j^ 
 in  her  jirft  glory  ?  And  how  do  ye  fee  it 
 now  7  Is  it  not  m  your  eyes,  in  comparifon 
 of  it,  as  nothing  ?  The  con'ifort  therefore, 
 in  the  Prophet's  meflage  was  furcly  fuited,  to 
 this  circumftaiice,  and  contains  apromife,  of 
 fome  glory,  to  be  conferred,  on  this  tem- 
 ple, to  make  it  exceed,  the  glory  of  the 
 former. 
 
 W^herein,  the  glory  of   the  fird  temple 
 confided,    is   not  faid  ;    but  it  fufficicntly 
 appears,  from  the  nature  of  their  complanit, 
 and  from  the  8th  verfe,    to  have   lain,    in 
 magnificence  of  ftrud^ure,    and  richnefs  of 
 ornaments.     But  thefe,  God  makes  no  ac- 
 count of.     The  filver  is    mine,   and    the      ^'^''-  ^• 
 gold  is    mine,  faith  the  Lord  of  Hojis, 
 Which  is  a  manner  of  fpeaking,  hke  that, 
 in  the  Pfalmift,  to  fignifyhe  hath  no  plea- 
 furc  in  fuch  things  :    /  will  not  reprove  ^'*     ^  •  ^'^' 
 thee,  for  thy  facrifices,  that  they  were  not 
 always  before  me.     I  will  take  no  bullock 
 out  of  thy  houfe—-for  every  beajl  of  the 
 forejl  is  mine- — the  wild  beafls  of  the  field 
 are  mine—  the  world  is  mine  and  the  fidnefs 
 thereof. 
 
 The 
 
8S  A  T)  efence  of  CvLKisr  I  K-i^  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  II.  The  gl^^ry,  he  intends,  for  this  lattei^ 
 iy>r\J  houfe,  is  of  another  nature.  It  fhall  con- 
 fiO,  in  the  prefence,  of  Him,  who  is  de- 
 fcribed  as,  the  dejire  of  all  Nations,  and 
 Teace.  And  the  dejire  of  all  nations y  ^:all 
 come,  and  I'-jvill  fll  this  houfe,  ^with  glory. 
 — The  glory  of  this  latter  houfe,  fliall  be 
 greater,  than  of  the  former,  and,  or  for, 
 in  this  place  iL'ill  I  give  Teace. 
 
 This  glory  they  were  not  to  expcd 
 immediately.  Great  revolutions,  mud  firft 
 happen  in  the  world.  After  one,  viz.  king- 
 dom, it  is  a  little  ijvhile,  and  (or  after  that) 
 Iisjill  Poake  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and 
 the  fea,  and  the  dry  land,  and  I  will  flsake 
 all  nations,  and  the  defire  of  all  nations 
 fhall  come,  namely,  into  this  houfe  which 
 Ihall  be  the  filling,  the  completion,  of  its 
 glory.  Thus,  1  think,  the  Hebrew,  fhould 
 be  englifh'd  -,  to  which,  in  the  main,  the 
 Talmudifts  do  agree  {a),  though  they  differ 
 in  the  application.     And  thus,    a  Date  of 
 
 time 
 
 Co)  The  Hebrew  is,  ^'^yiQ  1J><1  «M  IJyQ  rT\'A  "liy 
 Lyra  gives  it  as  the  expofition  of  R.  Akiba  in  Sanh.  xi.  Adhuc  ttnum 
 modicum  efi,  Scihbet  rcgni  venturi— —  &  poft  illud  regnum  commovebo 
 cdum.  Van  is alfo  ufed  for,  after  th>tt,  efpecially  when  it  follows  "liy, 
 asiKi.  xii.  5.  Ultyi  uDID^  DtPV  "liy  After  three  days,  r/;f»,  or 
 after  that  return,  ^nd  Jon.  i'li. 4.  r^Jiin2  m^JI  DV  Q^yiJIW  IV 
 uifter  40  days  Nifiiveh  JJ^all  bs  def.royed,  as  Dius  obferves 
 
A  defence  of  Cn  II  1ST  I  \ti  IT  Y.  89 
 
 '   nc  is   fixed  for   the  performance  of  the     Scft.  I. 
 ^  .oinile. 
 
 The  Perfian  Kingdom,  under  which  they 
 lived,  was  now  fubfifting  i  and  after  one 
 other  Kingdom,  which  fhould  fuccccd  that, 
 in  dominion  over  them,  it  fhonld  be  but 
 a  Httle  while,  before  God  fjofi/^  Jhake  the  % 
 
 heavens^  earthy  fea,  and  dry  land,  and  the 
 fiat  ions  tJiat  is,  the  whole  gentile  world, 
 or  empire,  to  make  way,  for  the  coming  in, 
 of  the  defire  of  all  nations. 
 
 Great  changes  in  the  political  world,  are 
 commonly  foretold  in  fcripture,  under  the 
 figure  of  earthquakes,  which  levels  high 
 things,  and  throws  up  the  low.  Such  were 
 the  commotions,  in  the  Roman  empire,  from 
 the  death  ot  'Julius  defar  to  the  birth  of 
 Chrilt :  which  wafted,  all  the  provinces,  of 
 the  nations,  and  ended  in  a  change,  of  the 
 Roman  government  ;  great  enough  to  an- 
 fwcr,  the  defcription  of  it,  in  Haggai. 
 
 For 
 
 C4)See  Joel.iii.  15, 16.  Exek.xxxviii.ip.  Ef.  xiii.io,  15.  xiv.i6.  Maiin, 
 Mor.  Neb.  ii.  19,  p.  265,  Sec.  The  Scripture  fpeaks  of  a  particular  king- 
 dom, as  if  it  was  a  world  of  itfelf,  and  had  its  heaven  and  earth.  And 
 when  the  prophets  foretell  deftrudion  of  any  great  people,  they  fay 
 The  jiArt  fall,  the  heavens  are  JJjahed  :  the  fun  is  darkened,  the  earth 
 fujfers.  So  the  Arabs  fay  of  him,  towhomfomc  misfortune  hathhapnrd, 
 his  heaven  is  changed  into  earth  ;  or  hi?  heaven  is  fallen  upon  bis 
 earth. 
 
90  A  T>efence  ^/Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  11.        For  the  further  clearing,  of  the  prophecy* 
 
 ^-''^^'^^^   it  aiOLild  be  fhcwn, 
 
 Firft:,  That  the  defire  of  all  nations ^   is 
 
 fpoken  of  a  Perfon  defired,  not  of  things 
 
 dciirable.     Secondly^    That  this  Perfon,    is 
 
 the  Meffias.     And,  Thirdly,  That  this  Per- 
 
 I  fon  was  to  come,    under  the  temple,   they 
 
 were  then  building-. 
 
 For,  as  to  the  lirft  head,  fome  of  the  later 
 
 DrvidKim-   Jc^ys  fay.  By  defire,    muft  be  underftood, 
 
 ^^-  the  dcfirable  things   of  all  nations,    their 
 
 riches,  precious  flones,  and  other  goods  of 
 
 price.     But  becaufe  things ,  can't  be  faid  to 
 
 come,  which  is  a  perfonal  adion,  but  to  be 
 
 *It{houldbe  brought*,  they  infcrt  the  particle  i2;/>^,  and 
 
 |ben  in  the     fuppofe  the  nations,  to  be  the  nominative 
 
 Vi<3^    or     cafe,  to  the  verb  come ;  and  then,  this  will 
 
 1**'^'?^^°^"'  be  the  fenfe,   of  the  palfage,    the  nations 
 tow  y^-      f.  r       &  ' 
 
 mail  come  with  their  riches,  and  they  fhall 
 fill  this  houfe,  with  glory  :  the  prefents  that 
 they  fhall  offer,  to  adorn  this  temple,  fhali 
 make  it  exceed,  Solomons,  in  riches. 
 
 And  is  this  a  matter,  worthy  of  lo  folemii 
 a  ratification,  with  a,  thus  faith  the  Lord, 
 ufed  no  lefs  than  five  times  in  tiiis  pro- 
 phecy, to  give  them  greater  alfurance  of 
 it  ?  Was  it  a  work,  of  fuch  difficulty  to  ef- 
 fed,  by  him,  who  was  the  proprietor,  of 
 fiiver  and  gold,  that  he  needed,  to  overturn^ 
 I  the 
 
A  T>efence  ^/Christianity. 
 the  great  monarchies,  of  the  earth,  to  bring 
 it  to  bear  ?  No  certainly.  If  this  was  all, 
 that  he  promifed,  it  was  already  begun,  by  ^^^  ^.^  g.pi 
 the  Pcrllan  kings  and  nobles ;  fuch  prefents,  lo. 
 were  now  offered,  and  were  offered  all  the 
 time  of  the  Greek  Kingdom,  as  appears  by 
 Jofephus.  Nothing  of  this  fort,  was  new, 
 under  the  Romans  :  Nothing,  that  exceed- 
 ed the  Bounty,  of  former  times. 
 
 This  cxpofition  is  therefore  quitted,  by 
 other  later  Jews,  of  equal  name,  as  not 
 defenfible  5  who  underfland  by  glory,  the 
 divine  prefence  or  Schechina,  which  was 
 manifefted  in  Solomon's,  temple,  but  want- 
 ing in  this.  The  fad,  not  agreeing,  with 
 their  opinion,  for  the  Schechina,  was  not 
 reflored  literally,  to  the  fecond  temples 
 they  fancy  a  third  temple,  fhall  hereafter  be 
 built,  wherein  the  promife,  fhall  be  made 
 good.  How  contrary  this  notion  is,  to  thd 
 text,  will  appear  anon  At  prefent,  it  is 
 mentioned  only,  to  fhew,  how  fomc  among 
 thcmfelves,  do  hold,  the  addition  of  future 
 riches,  to  be  too  mean  a  thing,  for  the  fub- 
 jed,  of  this  prophecy :  tho'  at  the  fame  time,, 
 the  Schechina,  wherein  they  place  this  glory, 
 cannot  make  it  fupcrior,  to  Solomons  tenv- 
 pic,  which  alfo  had  it. 
 
 Others 
 
A  defence  ^Christianity. 
 
 Others  again  interpret  it,  of  the  grandeur, 
 and  beauty,  and  riches,  that  this  ftrudure, 
 fhould  excel  in,  after  it  was  repaired  by  He- 
 rod, whicli  they  magnify,  upon  the  credit  of 
 Ben.  Gorton,  an  author  after  the  fixth  Cen- 
 tury, who,  though  he  perfonated  the  true 
 Jofephus,  yet  reports  matters,  contrary  to 
 tlic  true  hiftory.  What  the  truth  was,  we 
 read  in  Jofephus  himfelf ;  and  he  tells  us, 
 all  Herod's  ambition  was,  to  make  this  tem- 
 ple, equal  to  Solomons,  in  height,  and  other 
 |of.  Ant.  XV.  nieafures,  and  to  fupply  thofe  defeds,  which 
 the  captives,  at  their  return  fubjed  to  ano- 
 ther government,  could  not  help.  But 
 neither  was  this  work,  carried  on  with  the 
 offerings  of  the  Nations.  It  was  done,  at 
 Herod's  own  expence,  which  he  fupplied, 
 by  oppreflive  taxes,  oh  the  people  *.  So 
 that  in  two  refpeds,  Herod s  temple  fell 
 ihort,  of  the  words  of  the  prophet  j  it  nei- 
 ther exceeded  the  glory  of  the  former  houfe, 
 nor  was  thdit glory  effeded  with  the  de^re  of 
 all  nations. 
 
 If  none,  of  their  expofitions,  will  hold, 
 let  it  be  tried,  whether  the  appUcation,  of 
 
 thefc 
 
 (4)  Jof.  Ant.  yv.n.  His  old  treafure  wasfpent  on  his  buildings  I.  xv. 
 «3.  The  people  complain  of  his  force  and  rapine         ■■  He  remitted  » 
 
 third  part  of  the  Tributes  on  his  fubjeds.- really  to  pacify  their 
 
 minds  that  were  vexed  with  fuch  exp^nfiy  e  wprks.  — — ^ 
 
A  T>e fence  ^Christianity.  ^ j 
 
 thefe  words,  to  a  Pcrfon,  doth  not  do  bet-    Scdt.  I. 
 tcr.     The  prcicncc  of  one,  of  high  dignity,  V^i^TS^' 
 gives  honour,  and  glory  to  the  meaneft  Cot- 
 tage.    It  was,  the  lymbol  of  God's  prefehcc, 
 in  Solomons  temple,  that  was  truly  its  glory  : 
 and  it  is,  the  reiloring  of  this  glory,  in  the 
 days  of  the  Meilias,   which,    in  the  judg- 
 ment of   many  Jews,    is  to  make  out  the 
 glory,  of  another  temple.     Whofoever  elfe^ 
 God  Ihall  vilibly  manifeft  himfelf  upon,  may 
 at  leaft  be  called,  the  glory  of  God,  foi:  the 
 fame  reafon :  and  Ihould  he  do  it,   in  the 
 perfon  of  the  Mellias,  the  Jews  would  own> 
 that  his  prcfence,  in  the  temple,  would  be 
 the  glory  of  it,   if  you  would  grant  at  the 
 fame  time,  that  he  was  not  yet  come.   But 
 come,  or  not  come,  makes  no  alteration  in 
 the  cafe.     He,  that  would  be,  the  glory  o^ 
 the  third  temple,  by  coming  to  it,  was  {o, 
 to  the  fecond  temple,   if  he  honoured   it^ 
 with  his  prefcnce. 
 
 The  words  then,  do  well  bear,  the  fenfd 
 of  Perfon  {a)  :    which,    moreover   agrees^ 
 
 per- 
 
 I 
 
 {a)  The  Hebrew  in  the  printed  books  hath  a  verb  plural  with  a  houft" 
 Cngular  mOn  1i<lV  Butthatfeems  to  have  been  firftan  error  in  the  tranf- 
 criber,  the  Van,  wliich  makes  the  plural  termination,  flicking  to  the  end 
 6f  the  former  word,  which  belonged  to  the  latter.  For  the  lxx,  Chaldee 
 Twfion,  and  ^^ro^";,  from  the  Hebrew,  read  the  verb  finsula;:ly,  and  fo 
 
 I  think 
 
94  ADefence  of  CnvLiSTlh  KIT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  II.  perfedly  with  the  context.    Be  not  troubled, 
 
 "^-^"^^y^^-^  faith  the  prophet,  that  this  houfe,  is  in  your 
 eyes,  as  nothing,  in  comparilbn,  of  the 
 former.  All  its  dcficieneies,  fhall  be  com- 
 penlated  hereafter,  by  His  coming  to  it, 
 whom  your  fathers,  de  fired  to  fee,  and  did 
 
 «  not  fee,  under  Solomons  temple 5  and  who 
 
 fnall  therefore,  make /^/^/j  temple,  far  more 
 illuftrious  and  famous  to  the  world,  than 
 That. 
 
 And  thus  Haggai  himfelf,  fcems  after- 
 wards, to  interpret  it.  For  repeating  the 
 fame  political  concuillon,  in  the  words, 
 he  had  newly  delivered,  faying,  Iwilipdake 
 the  heavens  and  the  earthy  and  as  the  Greek 
 adds,  the  fea  and  the  dry  land,  and  /  will 
 
 Hag.ii.2o,iz,  ^^^^^^^^^^   ^^^  r/?rtf«^  of  kingdoms,    and 
 
 dejlroy  the  ftrength  of  the  kingdoms  of  the 
 
 heathen^ 
 
 I  tliink,  it  fliould  be  printed  nl^Hl    W11  He  (hall  Come,  even  the  de* 
 iire.    Van  often  fupplies  the  place  of  tie. 
 
 Nor  is  it  an  objedion,  that  the  lxx  expound  the  word  deCire  p!urally» 
 as  it  may  be  read  with  the  addition  of  one  point,  and  is  fo  rendred  by 
 them  at  other  times,  where  the  word  is  plainly  fmgular,  as  in  Gen.  xlix- 
 10.  for  Sh'iloy  they  have  rd  0.7:0%^ ^a.^  which  in  better  Greek  fhould  be 
 «  sj-JTa  d-ox-ii^a,  as  Grig.  inCelf.  i.  or  ^^  ^jc«r«t.  For  it  is  an  idiom 
 in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  to  turn  a  fmgular  into  a  plural,  for  the  better 
 exprelling  of  the  high  degree,  or  mtenfenefs  of  any  acfl  or  quality :  which 
 appears  particularly  in  this  very  word:  Daniel  is  faid  to  be  H'ilCn  VJ'^t^ 
 i^vnp  ixiCvfjuiav,  a  man  of  defirssy  Dan.  ix.  23.  x.  11,  19.  to  fignify,  as 
 ^ve  truly  render  it,  amangrearly  beloved.  The  Latin  tongue  admits  the 
 like  ufage.  Valete  defideria  mea,  is  a  concluding  compliment  of  Cicero  to 
 his  wife,  when  he  would  affure  her  of  the  ardency  of  his  affeiSisn 
 Ep.  xiy.  s. 
 
 i 
 
A  defence  /?/  C  hr  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  v.' 
 
 heathen,  &c.  he  tells  them  this  was  in  or- 
 der, to  make  room  for  one,  nndcr  the  name 
 of  Zerohabel,  whom  God  would  take  and 
 7nake  as  afignct,  or  exalt  to  high  dignity, 
 and  power,  and  triift,  of  whieh  xhc  fealy 
 was  the  inftrumcnt  or  the  fign,  in  thofe 
 days.  Where  the  fame  revolution,  is  fpokeii 
 of,  the  fame  perfon,  was  probably  intend- 
 ed. The  one  paflage  is  parallel  to  the 
 other. 
 
 So  again,  fhould  the  word  Teace,  which 
 God  promifcs  to  give  in  this  place,  be  un- 
 derftood,  of  external  peace,  and  felicity,  it 
 will  be  hard  to  fay,  how  this  was  fultilled, 
 or  could  give  the  preference  of  the  latter 
 houfc,  above  the  former*     For  all  the  time,  ^^^  1^^^- 
 under  the  fecond  temple,   was  troublefom  Ifr.  de  refuri 
 and  unquiet  5  far  fhort  of  the  halcyon  days,  "'  ^* 
 they  enjoyed,  under  Solomon. 
 
 But  taking  it  figuratively,  for  a  Perfoii, 
 that  publifhes  glad  tidings  of  peace  and 
 falvation  5  whofe  doftrine  and  example, 
 tended  to  a  univerfal  peace,  throughout  the 
 world ;  and  was  always  followed,  with  in- 
 ternal, and  cverlafting  peace,  to  thofe  that 
 
 I  2  obey- 
 
 So  I  Sam.  h.  29.  ivrm"^  rnon  h2  ^a"?  To  whom  is  aa 
 
 the  defire  of  llrael  ?  Is  it  not  it^on  thee^  is  put  plurally  in  the  lxx  rat 
 
96  AT)efence  <?/  Ch  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  1  t  y. 
 
 Chnp.  II.  obeyed  him  ;  and  there  is  no  comparifoil, 
 ^^^^^^''"^  between  the  two  temples  j  no  more  than 
 between  the  outward  tranquiUity,  of  a  fhort 
 teign,  and  the  peace  of  God,  which  exceeds 
 all  that  we  can  defirc.  Who  this  peri^on 
 fhould  be,  is  the 
 
 2.    Next   confideration.     And   he    may 
 eafdy  be  known,  by  the  application  of  the 
 fame,    or  fynonymous  Epitlicts,    in   other 
 Prophets.     From  Abrahams  days,    a  feed 
 Sen.  xxii.  i8.  ^^^g  promifed,     in     'oohom  all  the  nations 
 sxvi  4         ^f  ^^^  Sii'fth  were  to  be  blejjed.     The  pro- 
 Kxviii.  14.     mife,  was  renewed  to  Ifaac-,  afterwards  to 
 Jacob  J  who  reftrained  it,  to  one  of  Jnda's 
 pofterity,  to  Shiloj  who  was  foretold  to  be 
 ^cn.  xlix.  10,  the  gathering  of  the  people,  or,  as  the  He- 
 brew word  is  rendred,  in  the  antient  ver- 
 fions,    and  Jewifh  commentators,   the  ex- 
 pectation of  the  people  [a) .    When  God  con  • 
 fined  it,  to  one  family,  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
 da,   to  ^aijid's  feed,  IDavid  foretells  of 
 him,  by  the  fpirit  5   that  men,   that  all  the 
 families  of   the  earth,   as  the  Greek  inter- 
 ^ixt-  h  ^"  P^cters  read,  jliall  be  blejfed  in  him  5   all 
 ^^'■''-  nations  fhall  call  him  blejfed.     This  w^s 
 
 not  Solomon  5  for  of  the  fame  rod  of  Jeffcy 
 If  xi  iQ      ^f^y   prophecied,   that  to  him,  fhall  the 
 
 Geu" 
 
 (4)  LXX  &  Syr.  ir^oT^Kk,  expeiihtio,  Vulg,  Lat.  Jareli% 
 
A  T>efence  ^/Christianity.  '97 
 
 gentiles  feek,  or  as  the  LXX,  in  him  fhall    Scd.  I. 
 
 Ef.  xi.  10 
 
 they  hope,  and  his  peace  jl^all  be  glorious.  l-'^'V^*^ 
 
 And  again,   where  our  tranflation  hath  it, 
 
 the  Ides  fhall  '•jv  a  it  for  his  law,  meaning  the         ... 
 
 •^  F.l.   xiii.  4r. 
 
 MeHlas,    it  is  in  tlie  Creek,  in   his    name  Targ.  on 
 
 y/W/  the  gentiles  hope.     And  as  to  Ifrael,  ^'  '* 
 
 it   is    impUed,     he    was    once    their    de- 
 
 fire,    till    he  appeared,    without  the  pomp 
 
 and  rplendor  of  a  Prince,    which  they  ex-  "^'^'7  .^'^f, 
 
 ^  •'  word  in  Hag. 
 
 pedcd  from  him,    and  then    they  faw  no  ii. 
 beauty,   that  they  pjould    defire    him,    EC  '    ' 
 liii.  2. 
 
 Hence  it  appears,  that  the  expe&ation^ 
 the  hope,  the  de/ire  of  all  Nations,  and  of 
 Jfrael  in  particular,  was  a  known  defcrip- 
 tion  of  fome  perfon,  delivered  from  one 
 prophet  to  another,  and  which,  after  the 
 captivity,  was  fix'd  on  the  Aleflias.  Com- 
 pare this  place,  with  that  other  iwMalachy. 
 Here,  The  defire  of  all  nations  ^:all  come, 
 and  the  temple,  foall  be  filled,  '■ji^ith  glory. 
 There,  The  Lord,  whom  ye  feek,  and  the 
 Angel  of  the  covenant,  whom  you  deli(rht 
 in,  (hall  come  to  his  temple.  The  quality, 
 of  the  perfons,  and  place,  do  fo  exactly  ^^'-  "••  '•' 
 agree,  that  one  muft  think,  the  fame  per-  yc  dtfin. 
 fon  is  meant,  by   both  Prophets  [a),   who 
 
 I  3  is 
 
 (/i)  So  R.  Abcn  Ezra  parallels  tbcfe  two  texts  in  his  Cominent 
 
98  j^  T>efence  of  Cur  1ST  lAj^  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  II.  is  no  other,  than  the  Lord  Meflias  5  that  in 
 
 L/'V^^-l  the  days  of  Jefus  Chrift,  was  ufually  termed, 
 
 I  Tim.  i.  I.   f^^  hope,  the  bleffed  hopCy  the  hope  of  If- 
 
 Adisxxviii.     rael,  the  hope  of  the  promifeto  the  twelve 
 
 Adls  xxvi.  ",  ^^^^^^y     the  bklfing  of  Abraham   to    the 
 
 5: ,  ...         Gentiles. 
 
 Gal.  Ill-  14-  A  1.     ,       1     -r  ,         ^,    -n,     . 
 
 Accordmgly,  the  Jews  about  Chnlt  s  time, 
 
 interpret  this  text,  in  H^ai,  of  the  Mef- 
 
 fias.     Akiba,  who  might  be   born,  under 
 
 the  fecond  temple,    and  was  cliief  Rabbi, 
 
 and  Councellorto  Barcochba   in   Trajan's 
 
 reign,  underftands  it  fo  («3:)  :  As  tiieXargum 
 
 of  Efajy  where  one  w^ould  not  look  for  it, 
 
 feems  to  do :  There,  ch.  iv.  2.  having  ren- 
 
 dred,  the  branch  of  the  Lord,  by  the  Mef- 
 
 lias,  when  he  comes  to  thefe  words,  in  ^'. 
 
 4.  above  all  the  glory  fball  be  a  defence^ 
 
 he  thus  paraphrafes  them,  "  For  his  Maje- 
 
 *^  fly  fhall  be  a  protedlion,  with  the  greater 
 
 ^^  glory  which  he  faid,  he  would  bring  un- 
 
 *^  to   it  (the  Sanduary.) What  was  this 
 
 greater  glory,   that  was  expeded,    but  the 
 
 glory  oftheMefllas  {b))  and  where  was  is 
 
 promifed,  but  in  Haggai).     Not  to  fearch 
 
 after  more  authorities,  we  may  acquicfcc,  in 
 
 the  confcflion,  of  Jarchi  5    The  Antients^ 
 
 fay 
 
 (a)  Talm.  Sanh.  c.  x.  SecH:.  50.  Maim.  inSanh. 
 
 (b)  Midp.onPf.  x.and  xvi.  R.  Ahha.  thus  underflands  £/<jy/ that  the 
 Meffias  fhall  be  a  cover,  or  cclipfe  of  all  other  glory. 
 
A  "Defence  tf/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y."  99 
 
 fays  he,  expounded  this  place  of  the  Mejfas ;     Sed.  I. 
 yet  out  of  ill-will,  to  Chriftianity,  he  takes  v./^^n-' 
 leave,  to  differ  from  them. 
 
 So,  for  the  other  word  "P^/zr^,  it  is  a  name 
 of  the  Meflias.     And  as  it  ijicludes,  in  the 
 notion  thereof,    all  kinds  of  happinefs,   it 
 feems  to  be  the  realbn,  why  he  is  the  defirc 
 of  all  nations,  even  becaufe  he  ihall  be  the 
 bleffing,  of  all  Nations.     However  that  be, 
 this  is  one,  among  the  other  lofty  titles,  of 
 the  Mellias  in  Efay,  Trince,  'Peace,  as  the  Ef.  ix.  6. 
 words  may  be   rendred  in   appofition    [a). 
 Of   the    governor    that  fhall    come  forth 
 out  of  Bethlem—  it  is  faid,  that  he ^i all  be  Mic.  v.  i.  f. 
 the  Peace.     It  is  the  Jews  own  Paraphrafe, 
 the  MefjJas  jhall  be  our  Peace.     And  for    Tar-,  ib. 
 Him,  the  jews  pray  by  the  word  Peace  in 
 their  liturgy,   when   they   fay,    '^  caufc  to  ^^^^Jj^f^^" 
 "  come  to  us,  Jjlclllng  and  Peace,  quickly 
 cc  -—Give  Peace,  Good,  Blefjlng,  <S:c.   to 
 "  us  and  thy  people  Ifrael-y  blefs  us  ^sone  0^;^^"^^/^, 
 "  man  v^ith  the  light  of  thy  countenance,  ers. 
 "  Blelled  be  thou,  oh  God,  who  blelVell;  thy 
 "  people  in,  or  with  Peace. 
 
 Add  to  this,  that  the  Mellias  is  Ipoken  of 
 in  other  places  ot  Scripture,  by  the  name  of, 
 
 I  4  the 
 
 [a)  R.Jofe.  Gallitxus  in  EcliaRabcth.  proem. Nomcii  quoq;Me{rix  vo- 
 catvim  eft  Pax,  juxta  lUud  Euiic  Pater,  actcnms,  princeps,  Pax. 
 
10©  ^1)efence  of  Chki  ST  I A  j^  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  II.  the  Glory  of  the  Lord  {a).    And  then  no- 
 
 ^^y"^/^"^  thing  is  wanting  to  prove,  that  the  perfon, 
 
 whofe  coming  fhall  make,  the  latter  houfe 
 
 glorious,    muft  be  the  Mellias.     And  this 
 
 interpretation,  is  further  ftrengthned. 
 
 Thirdly,  From  the  expcdation,  that  the 
 Jews  generally  had,  of  the  Meflias  com- 
 ing, before  the  end,  of  the  fecond  temple, 
 into  which,  the  Perfon  prophcfied  of,  in 
 Ha^aiy  was  to  come.  To  this  purpofe, 
 are  feveral  of  their  traditions,  "  the  fecond 
 ^'  temple  fhall  continue,  to  the  Age  to  come, 
 "  and  days  of  the  Meflias  {b) :  and  on  the 
 day,  the  temple  was  deftroyed,  the  Meflias 
 was  born  [c] ;  and  to  guard  againft  the  ar- 
 gument, that  may  be  formed  againft  them, 
 from  this  concefllon,  they  have  invented  an 
 idle  ftory,  that  the  Meflias  was  indeed  born, 
 under  the  fecond  temple,  but  is  hid  at  Rome, 
 till  God  {hall  permit  him,  to  reveal  him- 
 felf  (r).  Very  remarkable,  is  the  faying  of 
 R.  fofe,  who  lived,  at  the  deftruction  by 
 TituSy  and  grieving  at  the  fight  thereof 
 laidjAlas  !  the  time  of  the  Meflias  is  paft(^). 
 
 They 
 
 (4^  The  revelation  of  the  glory  of  theLord,F/.xl.5.  is  the  manifeftation 
 of  the  kingdom  of  the  Meffias.v.p.  Targ.T\\G.  rifing  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
 £/.  Ix.  I,  2.  is  the  coming  of  the  Meflias,  Sank.  xi.  -^6.  and  Kimchi, 
 (^)  In  Midr.  on  Deut.  xxxiii.  12,.  Ber.  Kctan.  on  GenA.  par. '2.  Ber.  Rab. 
 onGc».  xxvii.  17.  (c)  Talm.  Hier.tr.  Beracoth  in  Lightf.  R.  SaJ.Jarc, 
 (c)  Berac.  ib.  Sanh.  c.  xi.  Ber.  R.  on  Gen.  ^0.  (d)  In  the  book  C^^/^f^rj 
 c[uoted  by  Grot.  deVeritat.  Chr.  R.  Lib.  v. 
 
j^^efenceof  Christ  1  Ml  nr.  lot 
 
 They    then   never  dreamed  of   a   third    Sccl.  I. 
 temple ;  much  Icls  did  they  infer  it,  from  ^-'^^^^^^ 
 Haggai,    who  faith,  dircdly  the  contrary, 
 Hagga'is  temple,  is  plainly  the  fame^  they 
 then  faw,  and  which  '■Ji)as  in  their  eyes  as      ^er.  -. 
 nothing  5    for  he  adds  for  their  comfort,  I 
 will  fill  this  houfe  with  glory— 2.\-\d  the  glo- 
 ry   of    this  latter  houfe  Ihall  be  greater, 
 than  the  former,    I  will  fill  this  place  with 
 Teace.     There  had  been  at  that  time,  but 
 two  houfcs :  Solomons,  which  was  the for- 
 pierj  was  not:    Zerobabeh,   which  is  the 
 latter    {a)j    was  now  building,    unlike  to 
 the  former,  in  magnificence,  and  yet  pro- 
 mi  fed,  to  exceed  it,  in  glory.     Nothing  can 
 be  plainer,  that  into  this  houfe,  the  dcfire  of 
 all  nations,  was  to  come ;   that  (landing  this 
 temple,  he  was  to  appear  in /^/?/>  place  and 
 manifejl  forth  his  glory.     Within  this  com-  Joh.  ii.  n. 
 pafs  of  time.    No  one  clfc  came,    whom 
 thcfe  titles  fitted,    befidcs  Jefus  Chrift,   m 
 whom  the  Aoy©^  or  Word  tabernacledy   or 
 placed  his  Schcchina,  and  who fe  glory  they  Joh.i.  14. 
 beheld  J   as  the  only  begotten  of  the  father.- 
 
 {a)  So  Jcfeph.  de  b.  vii.  i8.  a  pojlerlore  (templo)  quod  Aggcus  fecerat, 
 ;i%  zdexcidinm  Vefpatuno  imperante,  anni.  639 — 
 
 N'^ 
 
J02  'AT>efence  ofC  hristianity. 
 
 Chap.  II. 
 
 Zech.  ix.  9.  Rejoyce  greatly,  oh  daugh- 
 ter of  Sioriy  fliout,  oh  daughter  of  Jerufa- 
 H^n  y^12T  lem ;  Behold  thy  king  cometh '  tmto  thee. 
 The  righteous  one,  and  that  Savior,  lowly 
 and  riding  upon  an  Afs,  and  upon  a  colt, 
 the  fole  of  an  Afs, 
 
 It  is  a  mark,  that  fome  new  fubjed  is  be- 
 gun, fome  extraordinary  event,  is  in  view, 
 when  the  prophet,  alters  liis  ftyle,  and  on 
 a  fudden  tranfported,  with  the  ftrength  of 
 his  ideas,  abruptly  breaks  off,  his  even, 
 hiftorical  manner  of  writing,  for  one  more 
 exalted,  and  Poetical.  This  is  what,  may 
 be  obferved,  here  in  Ze chary.  He  was 
 prophefying,  of  the  enlargement  of  Ju- 
 dds  borders,  as  Mofes  had  antiently  promi- 
 fed  5  and  of  the  turbulent  ftate,  of  their  af- 
 ir.i,6,7,8.  f-jjj^.g^  before  they  fhould  be,  thus  fucccfs- 
 fully  fettled ;  and  of  God's  fpecial  provi- 
 dence, over  his  temple,  the  mean  while. 
 
 But  what  is  all  this,   to  what  God  fhall 
 farther  do !  Rejojce  greatly,  oh  daughter  of 
 Sion,  fhout,  oh  daughter  of  Jerufalem.  Be- 
 hold, thy  king  comes  unto  thee,  the  right e- 
 6US  one  J  and  that  favior,  lowly  and  riding 
 
 upon 
 
A  'Defence  ^/Christianity.  ioj 
 
 upon  an  Afsy  mid  upon  a  colt\  the  fole  of    Scd.  I. 
 an  Afs.  y-ys/^^ 
 
 You  have  yet  no  king,  nor  Ihall  have 
 any,  of  David's  hnc,  till  He  comes,  who 
 was  promifed,  to  be  the  Branch  of  Davids 
 the  Stem  of  Jeffe.  Such  a  oncfl-iall  furely 
 come,  and  be  truly  your  king,  and  have  your 
 good  only,  at  heart;  unlike  to  the  princes, 
 before  him,  whofe  grandeur  confiikd  in  out- 
 ward Pomp,  large  retinues,  and  powerful 
 armies.  Rejoice  greatly,  oh  Sion-,  in  this  ex- 
 pectation. For  he  ihall  fully  anfwer,  the  de- 
 fcription  of  him,  in  the  former  prophets, 
 as  the  righteous  branch,  the  king  that  ^  all  ^(.^^^^^^,,^'f^ 
 execute  judgment  and  juftice  in  the  earthy 
 x\\Q  Lord  our  Right eoufne fs -■,  the  ^z^-^^^- Dan.ix.  24. 
 oufnefs  of  ^^^^j-,— -the  ellablifher  of  the  l^-'  ^^-  '• 
 kingdom  of  David  iL'ith  jujlice :  as  that 
 Savior  {a),  of  v/hom,  all  your  other  deli- 
 verers, were  types,  and  who  hath  been 
 promifed,  from  time  to  time,  to  lave  his 
 people  (^) :  And  as  2.  meek  one  (r),  not  in- 
 iolent,  not    affeding  the  fplendor  and  ap- 
 
 plaufc 
 
 (a)  y^U  (7»'.^*/.  Salvator  pn2  in  Chald.LXX.  VL.  andallthe  verfioiis 
 Palllve  participles  when  ufed  as  nouns,  have  an  aftive  fignification.  v. 
 Boch.  Drus.in  Zech.  (h)  El".  Ixii.  i.  The  rig/jrcoufnefs  and  the  falva- 
 
 tion  for  the  righteous  or  juft  one,  and  the  favior.  v.  1 1.  Say  to  the  daugh- 
 ter of  Sion,  behold  thy  Salvation  cometh,  heboid  his  reward  is  with  him» 
 Ef  xlv.  ir.    The  ju/i  and  pzierful,   tl.e   Savior.  ic)  Ef.  \\\\.  z,  3. 
 
 Pf.  xlv.  4. 
 
ID4  'AT>efenceof  CuKisTiKi^irY, 
 
 Chap.  II.  plaufe  of  the  world :  of  which  this  is  one 
 Ky^''^  inftance,  that  inftead  of  guards,  and  a 
 train  of  chariots,  he  fhall  come  into  the 
 City,  witii  the  fame  primitive  fimpUcity, 
 the  Patriarchs  and  Judges  of  old,  travel- 
 led y),  riding  upon  an  Afs,  her  colt  fol- 
 lowing her.  And  what  need  of  armies, 
 to  him,  that  (hall  be  alfo  a  pacifick  king, 
 like  Solomon-,  and  by  peace  extend  his  do- 
 minion univerfally.  For  I  will  cut  off  the 
 chariot  from  Ephraimy  and  the  horfe^  and 
 the  battle  bow  from  Jerufalem—l  will  de- 
 ftroy,  all  the  inflruments  of  war,  and  I  will 
 fpeak  or  proclaim  peace,  to  the  heathen, 
 fi.  ixxu.  8.  ^^^^  ^^^  dominion  flsall  be  from  fea  to  fea, 
 and  from  the  river,  to  the  ends  of  the 
 earth,  or  fhall  be  enlarged  towards  the 
 four  quarters  of  the  earth. 
 
 The  prophet,  after  giving  them,  fo  great 
 hopes,  returns  to  his  former  fubjed,  and 
 tells  them,  they  muft  firft  be  engaged,  in 
 many  difficult  and  great  conflids,  with 
 the  Greek  powers,  the  Seleucides  and  the 
 ^tolemeys  of  Egypt,  out  of  which,  they 
 fhall  at  length,  come  off  conquerors  v.  1 2, 
 1 3 .  Turnye  to  theflrong  hold, you prifoners 
 of  hope,   even  now  do  I  declare,    as  I  did 
 
 before 
 
 (d)  Ex.  iv.  20.     Gen.  xxii.  3.    Judg.  r.  lorx.  4.    2  Sam.  xvi.  23, 
 :xix.  i6. 
 
AT>efence  ^/Christi anitv. 
 
 before  by  Efay  (e).  I  iji'ill  render  double 
 to  thee,  for  all  that  thou  haft  fuffcrcd. 
 When  I  have  bent  Juda  to  me,  and  filled 
 the  bow  luith  Ephraim,  or  made  Juda. 
 my  bow,  and  Ephraim  my  arrow,  and 
 raifed  up  thy  fons,  oh  Ston,  againft  thy 
 fonSj  oh  Greece  (/),  and  made  thee  as  a 
 fuaord,  in  the  hand  of  a  7nighty  man. 
 
 All  this  was  fulfilled,  in  the  days  of  the 
 Maccabees,  and  after  their  reign,  came  the 
 Meilias,  of  whom,  this  prophecy,  as  we 
 fhewed  from  the  connexion,  may,  and 
 from  the  per  Tonal  charaders  in  it,  ought, 
 to  be,  interpreted.  We  have  little,  or  no 
 controverfy,  with  the  Jaus  on  this  head. 
 
 It  is  twice  explained,  of  the  Mellias,  in 
 the  Talmud  {g)  5  few  of  the  latter  Jews^ 
 disagree  {h),  one  that  is  of  the  greateft 
 authority,    with  them,    (/)  faith,    it  is  im- 
 
 pojfible 
 
 COEf.xl.  z.lxi.7.  (/)  Talm.  Sanh.xi.  Seel.  35.  Sea.  56.  edCoch. 
 (5)  Tn  the  book  of  the  Palchal rites  called  Seder  Hagada  Pefach.  p.  3:.  ed. 
 Rittangel.  At  the  pafcha!  feaft,  to  fix  deeply  the  remembrance  of  his 
 coming :  At  this  time  a  man  perfonates  the  Meffias,  and  burfting  open 
 the  door  fuddenly,  rides  into  the  room  upon  an  Afs,  and  another  like 
 UUa%  goes  after  him  with  a  horn,  to  proclaim  and  anoint  him  ;  and  this 
 to  reprefent  how  that  Meffias  (liall  enter  into  Jerufalem.  And  from  the 
 fame,  that  the  Jews  expefted,  the  Meffias  (hould  come  riding  on  an  Afs, 
 the  Greeks  in  the  days  of  Antloch.  Eplph.  probably  fpread  the  ftory  in 
 derifion  of  that  expc^ation,  how  Ant'mh.  entring  the  holy  place  of  the 
 Jews^  found  there  the  Image  of  a  wan  xcith  a  lonf^  beard  riding  on  an 
 jifs.  Didor.  Excerp.  L.  xxxiv.  {h)  R.  Saadia  onDan.  vii.  i,',  Bcr. 
 R-  on  Gen.  xiv.  18.  Hadaifan  there,  and  on  Gen.  iJix.  u.  Jalkut. 
 Kimh.        (OJarchi. 
 
105  AfDefence  ^Christianity'.' 
 
 Chap.  II.  pojjible  to  expound  this  text,  of  any  othef 
 ^'^^'^^^^^^  than  the  MeJJias  ;  and  they,  that  would  di- 
 vide it,  between  Meffias  the  fon  of  T>avid^ 
 and  Mellias  the  fon  of  Jofeph,  which  is  a 
 late  hypothecs,  to  anfwer  the  two  comings? 
 of  the  fame  Chrift,  at  the  fame  time  ac- 
 knowledg,  that  the  true  Meflias,  is  here 
 prophefied  of. 
 
 Let  them  fancy,  what  they  will,  the 
 Je-ws  in  Jefus  Chrift's  time,  knew  but  of 
 one  Mellias,  and  to  him,  they  applied  this 
 text.  For  Jefus  going  up  to  Jerufaleniy  upon 
 an  Afs,  at  his  laft  palfover,  to  cafe  and  de- 
 fend himfelf,  from  the  croud,  that  follow- 
 ed, upon  the  fight  of  his  works,  and  the 
 fame  of  Lazarus  whom  he  had  newly  raif- 
 ed  from  the  dead,  the  people  were  flruck 
 with  this  circumftancc,  of  his  entry,  which 
 however  accidental  it  was,  made  them 
 ttreight  conclude,  he  muft  be  the  Meflias. 
 Their  aftions  and  exclamations,  are  ample 
 proof,  of  their  fentiments.  For  what  did 
 Mat. xxi. 8, p. they  hereupon?  Great  multitudes,  fpread 
 their  garments,  and  f  aim-branches  in  the 
 way,  as  at  the  reception,  of  fome  great 
 Joh.  xi.  17.  prince  5  before  and  behind  they  cryed  outy 
 Hofanna  to  the  fon  of  T>avid—Bkjfed  be 
 the  king  of  Ifrael—blejfed  be  the  kingdom 
 
 of 
 
A  defence  tf/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y." 
 
 of  our  father  "David—bkjfed  be  he  that 
 comet h  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  M^T^ 
 
 Seeing  him  cquipr,  like  Zecharfs  Mcf- 
 fi as,  they  thought  him  to  be  no  other, 
 than  the  king,  that  Savior,  whom  tliey  ex- 
 pcded  aUb  at  the  time  of  PalVover.  Af- 
 ter what,  had  been  thus  laid,  and  owned 
 by  the  Je'ws,  who  could  with  any  face, 
 qucftion  the  Evangelift,  for  obierving,  up- 
 on this  adion  of  jefus,  that  fo  it  was  ful- 
 filled, which  was  fpoken,  by  the  prophet 
 Zechary  ? 
 
 W  5. 
 
 Zech.  xii.  10.  And  I  ''Ui'i II  pour  upon  the 
 honfe  of  TDa^vid,  and  upon  the  Inhabitants 
 of  Jerufalern,  the  fpirit  of  grace  and  ftp- 
 plications,  and  they  ^oall  look  on  me,  iz'hofn 
 they  have  pierced,  and  they  fhall  mourfifot 
 him,  as  one  mourneth  for  his  only  fon, 
 and  pmll  be  in  bitternefs  for  him,  as  one 
 that  is  in  bitternefs  for   his  firJi-born,\ 
 
 The  Chapter  begins,  with  denouncing, 
 another  deftrudion  of  Jerufalem,  and  a  fu- 
 ture return  of  the  Je-jus,  after  that  de- 
 flrudion,  when  they  fliould  behave  vali- 
 antly, and  he  tliat -x'^^y^/w  ^w^;?^  them,  be 
 
 as 
 
 10 
 
i08  A^efence  of  Christ  I  aU  Iff. 
 
 Chap.  11.  as  'Da'vid^  and  the  houfe  of  "David  d^ 
 i/^^^^  GM  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  before  them. 
 Ef.viii.'i4,i5.  The  JewSy  \\2,di  fumbled  and  fell,  at  the 
 Sl^2  ftone  of  fumbling,  and  rock  of  offence,  the 
 Mcllias  in  his  humble  appearance,  as  Efay 
 foretold.  That  no  one  might  be  lurprized 
 at  this  Hidden  change,  of  their  affairs,  Ze- 
 chary  tells  us,  they  fhould  thcmfelves,  be 
 firft  changed,  and  repent  heartily  of  that 
 fin,  which  had  been  the  caufe,  of  their  fall. 
 For  God  fhould  pour  on  them,  the  fpirit 
 of  grace  and  fupplication,  that  they  may 
 look)  with  compundion  of  heart,  on  him 
 whom  they  had  pierced.  And  He  fhould 
 by  his  Spirit  improve  thofe  good  difpofiti- 
 ons,  which  the  methods  of  his  dealing, 
 with  this  people,  had  begun  in  them,  into 
 a  through  convidion,  of  his  being  the  Mef- 
 fias  whom  they  had  rejefted  t,  for  this  they 
 fhould  weep  bitterly,  and  make  earneft  fup- 
 plications,  till  received  again  into  his  grace 
 and  favor. 
 
 This  done,  it  follows.  In  that  day  there 
 fhall  be  a  fountain  opened,   to  the  houfe  of 
 Hech.  xiii.  2.  ^avid,  and  to  the  hihabitants  of  Jerufa- 
 lem,  for  fin  and  for  uncleannefs. 
 
 Now  who  were  they,  whofe  fui  and  un- 
 cleannefs, were  wafh'd  away,  but  the  houfe 
 V.  10]       of  David,   and  the  idiabitants  of  Jerufa- 
 
 km? 
 
 i 
 
'jf  ^efince of  CuRisri Aii IT Y.  109 
 
 iem?  the  fame  that  had  finned,  and  mourn-  Scd.  I. 
 ed,  and  repented^  and  were  therefore  par-  V-^V^J 
 doned?  What  did  they  mourn  for?  but  for 
 him,  whom  they  had  pierced,  and  whofe 
 death,  they  bewailed,  with  all  the  folemni- 
 tics,  of  true  mourners.  It  was  then  the 
 Ad,  and  the  fin,  of  the  houfe  oiT>avid, 
 and  of  the'  inhabitants  oijenijalemj  xhitthey^ 
 pierced,  and  flew  him,  whom  they  now 
 looked  upon,  for  which,  their  land  was 
 treated,  as  polluted,  and  removed  out  of 
 God's  fight,  into  captivity  {a) :  and  was  not  to 
 be  rcftorcd  to  them,  till  their  fin,  was  remit- 
 ted ;  before  they  acknowledged,  and  re- 
 pented of  their  fin.  Thus  much  is  evi- 
 dent, in  the  context* 
 
 And  who  was  he,  whom  they  pierced  7 
 One  of  high  dignity,  to  be  fure  j  whofe 
 murder  was  attended,  with  grievous  ag- 
 gravations, fince  it  aifeded,  the  princes, 
 the  priefts,  the  people,  even  all  the  Tribes. 
 One,  very  dear  to  God :  fince  his  caufe  is 
 God's  5  and  God  owns  himfelf,  to  have  xi^i-  H 
 been  pierced,  through  his  wounds. 
 
 One  might    challenge  the    unbelieving 
 yew,  or  Gentile,  to   name  any  other,  be- 
 
 K  fide 
 
 {a)  Kjmdi  Rad.  "T^j  iindcrftands  Hl^i^  unckannefs,  Zech.  xiii.  t~. 
 of  Eiongat'ton,  or  going  into  captivity  ;  bccaufe  reparation  was  the  confe- 
 quence  of  legal  undea^inefs. 
 
no  \A^efence  of  Cnviis  XI  h'^  It  Y. 
 
 Chap.  II.  fide  the  ChriftiaiVs  Meflias.  The  Jews 
 ^/^V^  look,  for  the  fulfilUng  of  this  prophecy 
 at  their  reftoration,  from  their  prefent  cap- 
 tivity :  The  later  Jews  own,  it  is  a  pro- 
 phecy, of  the  murder  of  Meflias,  the  foil 
 of  Jofeph  {b),  by  the  Gentile  Army  [c)  at 
 their  return,  from  this  captivity. 
 
 Well  then,  according  to  them,  it  is  a 
 prophecy  of  the  Meflias.  For,  as  there  is 
 no  ground,  nor  antient  tradition,  for  a  two- 
 fold Meflias,  it  is  plain,  that  their  old  tra- 
 ditionary fenie,  which  they  have  thus  cor- 
 rupted, did  apply  it,  to  that  one  Meflias. 
 But,  tliat  it  can  t  be  interpreted,  of  the 
 Gentiles  s  killing  him,  appears  from  hence, 
 that  they  were  the  fame  people  that  killed 
 him,  who  mourned  for  him,  and  to  whom, 
 2l  fountain  isuas  opened^  for  fin.  They 
 fumed  in  killing  him,  for  which  God  re- 
 moved them  out  of  their  land  ;  and  would 
 not  refettle  them  therein,  till  they  had  re- 
 pented of  it. 
 
 This  puzzles  the  fews  exceedingly.  They 
 have  been,  in  their  prefent  difperfion,  a- 
 bove  1600  years.  Their  flns,  have  not 
 been  greater,  in  this  difperfion,  then  be- 
 fore,  and  under  the  Babylonian.      They 
 
 are 
 
 {}')  Jarchi  here.        (c)  Buxt.  Lex.  in  Armittus.  Menaff.  Ben.  Ilr.  dc 
 Mur.  iii.  5.    Orob.  incollat  3.  cum  Umbor. 
 
^9)/?/^«^^  ^/ Christianity.  lit 
 
 arc  Icfs,  by  the  fin  of  idolatry.  Yet  then,  Sed.  I. 
 on  a  repentance  ibpcrticial  enough,  after  ^-*^^^^ 
 70  years,  God  reftored  them,  to  their  land. 
 Now,  though  they  faft  and  mourn,  and 
 Ihew  all  the  external  tokens,  of  auniverfal 
 repentance,  God  will  not  be  propiti;ned. 
 Doth  not  God's  inexorablenefs,  ihew  clear- 
 ly fome  iin  is  ftill  unrepentcd  of?  What 
 can  it  be,  which  is  fo  big  with  evils ;  fo  ex- 
 tenlive  in  its  confequenccs  ?  They  can't  fay. 
 But  Zechary  faith  it  for  them.  It  is  the 
 piercing  to  death  him,  whom  God  favo- 
 red :  And  this  fin,  and  punifhment,  will 
 not  be  removed,  without  an  antecedent,  gc- 
 neral,  and  deep  repentance. 
 
 Zechary  faid,   nothing  new  to  them,   in 
 all  this.     T)avidj  did  before  defcribe,  fuch 
 like  fufFerings,    of  the  Meflias,  under  the 
 figure,    of   his   own    perfon.      They  ^all  „/•    .      ^ 
 fierce-,    my  hands  and  my  feet-,    faith  he. 
 Efay  is  more  dircd,  and  foretells  of  ano- 
 ther,    that  he  pjall  be   wounded  for  our 
 tranfgrej/ionsy   and  bruifed  for  our  iniqui- 
 ties-— Shall  be  brought  as  a   lamb  to  the 
 flaughter-'-cut  off  violently ^  out  of  the  land  Ef.liii.i.<j, 
 of  the  living— :ind  this,  faith  \\c,through  the  7'  8. 
 tranfqrefrwn  of  my  people.     At  laft  'Dani-  ^     .      ^ 
 el  declares    without   any     ambiguity—//'!? 
 Me£i(i  the  Trince  fjall  be  cut  of"— there- 
 
 K  2  fore 
 
112  ^T>efenceof  Chris  T I  Ai^  It  Y^ 
 
 Chap.  II.  fore  they  (the  Jews)  ^all  be  no  more  his 
 ^"^"'"^^'"^  people,  and  the  Trince's  future  people,  [hall 
 deflroy  the  (jews)  city  and  fan^uary ,  and 
 lay  their  land  defolate. 
 
 Can  an  unprejudiced  mind,  deny  after 
 this,  that  Zechary  had,  the  fame  intention, 
 that  we  fee  carried,  tiirough  all  thefe  pro- 
 phets ?  or  that  he  fpoke  not,  of  their  pierc- 
 ing the  fame  perfon,  who  is  foretold,  in 
 ^Daniel,  to  be  Meffiah  the  Trince  ?  The 
 light  hereof,  Ihone  fo  ftrongly,  upon  a 
 Jew  of  note,  in  his  nation,  R.  Mofes 
 Hadarfan  (a),  as  1  find  him  quoted  in 
 Grotius,  that  he  applies,  this  paflage  in 
 Zechary,  to  Mellias  the  Son  of  T^avid-, 
 and  he  had  the  authority,  of  the  Antients 
 for  it,  by  the  confeflion  of  Kimchi. 
 
 It  is  an  expofition,  unworthy  of  the  great 
 Grotius,  who  would  underftand,  the  word 
 piercing  through,  in  a  figurative  fenfe  j  as 
 if  nothing  more  was  intended,  than  that 
 the  Jews,  in  Antiochtis  reign?  grieved 
 God  mightilyj  with  their  idolatry,  for 
 which,  great  were  the  evils,  they  endured, 
 till  upon  a  folemn  humiliation,  God  be- 
 came reconciled,  to  them. 
 
 But 
 
 {a)  Gret.  en  Zech.  from   R.  Mefcs  Had.  on  Gen.  xxviii.    to    which 
 TKaymimi.  Pugio  f,  adds  Btrejlh  R^ib.on.  Gen,  xli.  i. 
 
' AT>efence of  Christianity. 
 
 But  as  hateful  a  crime,  as  idolatry  is  to 
 God,  the  figure  is  too  bold,  and  with- 
 out precedent  {b)  to  fay,  their  idolatry 
 pierced  God  through^  even  to  death.  So  the 
 hebrewyfJO^iX  jR^niliesin  the  next  chapter  {c) ;  (0  ^^^h.  xiii* 
 
 1    r     •  \  r        r      \  t         i      3-  ^gain  El. 
 
 and  lo  It  ought  to  lignihe  here.  For  the  xiii.  15. 
 fubfcqnent  vcrlcs— -manifcdly  imply  real 
 death.  In  confequcnce  whereof,  they  jhall 
 7murn  bitterly^  as  for  an  onely  fon,—and 
 that  a  firft  born— as  at  the  mournhigy  that 
 began  for  Jofia  in  Hadadrimmon,  and 
 which  thenceforward,  became  a  proverb, 
 for  an  extraordinary  lamentation.  And  as 
 in  other  funeral  mournings,  fo  in  this  :  The 
 men  and  women,  in  every  houfe,  (hall  fe- 
 paratc,  for  many  days,  in  proportion,  to 
 the  dignity,  and  merit  of  the  deceafed. 
 
 Where  do  we  find  any  thing,inthe  hiftory, 
 of  Antiochus  reign,  that  comes  up,  to 
 Zecharfs  defcription  ?  Wc  have  no  hint, 
 
 K  3  of 
 
 {b)  That  mentioned  by  Grot.  Lev.'xxiv.  1 1 .  is  little  or  nothingto  the  pur- 
 pofe.  3p2  faith  he  iignilies  to  perforate,  and  here  to  blafpheme,  therefore  it 
 hath  the  lenfeof  blafpheming,  becaufe  God  is  afFedied  with  fuch  language^ 
 as  if  he  had  been  perforated.  Now  the  contrary  is  certain.  This  word 
 never  fignifies  to  blafpheme  in  the  fenfe  of  perforating  theperfon  curfed  -. 
 but  as  one  way  of  defigning  things,  was  by  imprinting  an  exprefs  mark  of 
 tliem,  on  (tone  or  wood  by  a  fit  in(]rument.  So  that  the  effecfl  of  fpeech  being 
 in  like  manner  to  define,  andafcertain  a  thing --hence  N/fC4^  iHpJ  1  camg 
 to  be  ufed  in  an  innocent  fenle,  forto  fpeak  or  pronounce  as  Grw-xxv.  i8, 
 and  whenioyned  with  name,  to  name  the  name  of  a  thing.  F.f.  xii  x 
 Hut  never  fignifies  curfing,  except  when  another  word  of  malcdiftion^ 
 goes  along  with  it.  Then 
 
114  -^  defence  of  Christ  iaj^  irr. 
 
 Chap.  II.   the  idolatry,   or  repentance,   of    the  houfs 
 t/'N^NJ  of  T>avid,   in  particular,  who  had  at  that 
 time,     no  precedency  in    Jerufakrn,    was 
 too  fmall,    or  too  mean,     to    be    taken 
 notice  of?  nor  indeed,  the  lead  iootfteps  of 
 a  national  humiliation,  though  we  have  the 
 hiftory,  of  thofe  times,  in  the  Books  of  Mac- 
 cabees. That  Fall  which  was  held  by  Judas, 
 was  not  fuch  a  one.     It  was  the  aft  of  a 
 few   HaJtdaanSy   in  the  Army,    that  kept 
 clear  of  Idolatry,  not  of  the  Majority^  that 
 had  Apoftatizcd  :  It  lafted,  but  one  day,  and 
 fo  herein  unlike,    to  that  for    Jofia,     to 
 which  Zecharfs  humiliation,   is  compared, 
 (a)]o{.  Ant.   which  laftcd  many  days  {a),    and  was  ac- 
 ^'^'  companied  the  whole  time,    with  the  fu- 
 
 neral rites,  of  true  mourners.  In  a  word, 
 while  thefe  things,  are  joyned  together,  as 
 they  are,  in  the  text,  the  murder  of  an  il- 
 luftrious  perfon,    of  the  Jewifh  nation,   a 
 
 general 
 
 Then  the  general  fignification  is  reftrained,  to  one  kind  of  naming, 
 and  that  in  contempt.  So  in  this  tor  of  Leviticus,  blafpheming  the 
 name  of  the  Lord,  and  cttrfing  go  together.  And  therefore  the  Chaldy 
 and  Ixx.  render  the  firft  word  there  in  its  ordinary  fenfe,  he  /poke  out 
 elearly,  viz.  the  ineffable  name  of  God,  which  then  took  the  form  of 
 blafphemy,  when  followed  with  a  word,  that  denotes  an  intention,  to 
 affront  and  defpife  God.  For  then  the  name  of  God  is  thrown  out, 
 meerly  to  give  ernphafis  to  the  imprecation.  When  HDp  Hands  byitfelf, 
 it  is  not  once  ufedfor  curfmg  God,  but  curfmg  Ifrael;  which  totally  de- 
 flroys  the  notion  of  Grotius;  and  when  ufed.in  that  fenfe  it  is  thought  by  the 
 ablert  Grammarians,  to  derive  from  another  root,  namely  from  22p»  ^^ 
 »\ay  be  feen  in  Goujfefs  i,earned  commentary  of  the  Hebrew  tongue. 
 
A  "Defence  ofC  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t'y.  i  i  $ 
 
 general  fiu,  and  punifhmcnt,  of  the  offcn-    Sed.  I. 
 ders,    and   as  general  a  pardon,    and  reflo-  ^-'^'V*^ 
 ration,  upon  repentance,   of  that  fui,    it  is 
 impofiiblc,  to  find  out  any  thing,  in  hifto- 
 ry,    that  anfwers  this  prophecy,  befide  the 
 crucifixion,  of  the  Meillas. 
 
 N"-   6. 
 
 Dan.  ii.  44,  45.  And  in  the  days  of 
 thefe  kings,  ^all  the  God  of  heaven,  fet  tip  a 
 kingdom,  'ujhich  jhall  never  be  deftroyed, 
 find  the  kingdom,  ^all  not  be  left,  to  0- 
 ther  people,  but  it  fljall  break  in  pieces,  and 
 conftime  all  thefe  kingdoms,  and  it  fhall 
 fi  and  for  ever. 
 
 Forafmuch,  as  thou  fa^m^eft,  that  the 
 fone,  'uvas  cut  out  of  the  mountain,  vi'ith- 
 out  hands,  and  that  it  brake  in  pieces,  the 
 zron,  the  brafs,  the  clay,  the  filver  and 
 the  gold. 
 
 To  underftand  this  prophecy,  the  whole 
 vifion,  fliould  be  confidercd.  Nebuchad- 
 nezzar, the  raifcr  of  the  Babylonian  mo- 
 narchy, to  its  height,  was  niufing  on  his  bed, 
 concerning  the  future  ftatc,  of  this  great 
 empire,  whether  by  any  means,  he  might 
 comiiiVK  it  m  his  family  for  cverj  or  what    v--^* 
 
 K  4  ttcw 
 
116  ^'Defenceof  Christ  I Ai^ IT Y. 
 
 Chap.  11.  new  kingdom,    was  likely,    to  arife  after 
 
 \-^^^^n^  him,  and  take  his  away. 
 
 With  thefe  thoughts,  he  fell  afleep.  And 
 in  a  dream,  God  let  him  fee  a  fhort  sketch, 
 of  the  principal  great  empires,  with  which 
 the  Church  of  God  fliould  be  concerned, 
 that  fhould  fucceilively  break   the   power 
 of  the  former,    to  the  end  of  the  world. 
 Human  figures,  were  in  thofe  days,  as  the 
 remains  in  antient  coins  ftill  fhew,  the  u- 
 fual  fymbols,  whereby  Cities,   and  people 
 were  known.      And  the  metal  they  were 
 made  of,  and  the  colors  that  adorned  them, 
 (of  which  the  Herald's  art,    preferves  yet 
 fome  traces)  were  farther  marks,  to  diftin- 
 guilh  them,    from  each  other.     God,    ac- 
 cordingly exhibits,  to  his  fight,  the  empires, 
 thatfhould  pafs  after  his,  by  the  reprefenta- 
 tion,   of  a  great  terrible    human  Image  ; 
 which  in  general,  was  the  figure,  of  world- 
 ly Power,  but  from  the  nature,  and  various 
 colors  of  the  metals  which  its  feveral  parts, 
 confiftedof,  defcribed  the  diiferent  qualities 
 and  number  of  the  hands,  that  fhould  weild 
 it ;   as  the  order  of  their  fuccellion,   was 
 to  be  colleded,    from  the  gradual  defcent, 
 ot   the  parts  of  a  man  s  body,   beginning 
 at  the  head. 
 
 IjI 
 
A^efenceof  CwvLisriKmxY.  117 
 
 111  this  form,  the  Image  together  appear-  Scd.  I. 
 cd.  His  head  of  fine  gold  :  His  breafirg  VC'(I^f3. 
 and  arms  of  filver  :  his  belly  and  thighs  of 
 brafs  or  copper :  his  legs  of  iron-,  and  his 
 feet  J  part  iron,  part  clay.  So  long,  as  this 
 image,  could  keep  flanding,  the  empire  of 
 the  world,  was  to  fubfill:,  in  one  part,  or 
 other  of  the  image. 
 
 Turning  his  eyes   another  way,    Nebu- 
 chadnezzar faw,    a  fto'fie  cut  out  of  the  ver.  34,  46. 
 mountain.,  'H'ithout  hands.     Stone,    in  the 
 Scripture,   (lands  for  king,   or  kingdom  (/7)"j  (^)Pf.,  18  Ef. 
 as  mountain,  doth  for  a  metropolis,  the  feat  X'"', ' '^^"^* 
 of  a  kingdom,  governed  by  a  royal  race  [b).  (^)Ef.  xiii.  2. 
 And  being  here  a  different  mineral,  from  zech.' iv^7. 
 thofc  in  the  image,    it  implied,   that  this  '^^''S- 
 new  kingdom,  fhould  be  not  only  different 
 in  number,    or   a  diftind   empire,  but   of 
 another  nature,  from   that  of  the   image, 
 which  was  worldly,  and  temporal.     It  was 
 cut  is: it h out  hands.,   \.  e.  was  rough  in  its 
 original  5  formed  to  what  it  was,  without 
 art  orpolifhingi  to  (ignify,  that  the  fuccefs 
 of  this  new  kingdom,  fhall  not  be  owing, 
 to  human  policy,  council,  or  affiftance. 
 
 And  this  ft  one  fmote  the  image  on  his  ^^^'  '•^'  3J- 
 feet,  that  "jjere  of  iron  and  clay,  and  broke 
 them  into  fmall  particles,  like  the  chaff,  of 
 theftmmer  threjbing floors,  'uhich  the  "jL'ind 
 
 carries 
 
1 1 8  A  Defence  ^p/'Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  II.  carries  away^  and  no  place  was  found  for 
 ^-^^"^^^^"^  them.  Then  the  ftone,  that  f mote  the  I- 
 mage->  became  a  great  mount ain,  and  filled 
 the  whole  earth  :  Became  itfelf,  a  univer- 
 fal  empire,  in  the  room,  of  the  whole  I- 
 mage,  or  tiie  Empires,  comprehended  under 
 it.  Thus  far  the  dream.  Next  follows, 
 ^Daniel's  interpretation. 
 
 The  head  of  gold,  is  thy  kingdom,  name- 
 v€r.  38.      ly,  the  Babylonian.     For  to  thee,  oh  king, 
 
 God  hath  given  a  kingdofn,  power, 
 
 ftrength,  and  glory,  and  wherefoever  the 
 children  of  men  dwell,  and  the  beafts  of 
 the  field,  and  the  fowl  of  heaven  (habita- 
 ble and  inhabitable)  hath  he  given  into 
 thy  hand,  and  hath  made  thee  ruler,  over 
 them  all.  Thou  (i.  e.  thy  kingdom,  as  v- 
 3  9)  art  this  head  of  gold. 
 ver.  39.  And  after  thee,  [i.  e.  thy  kingdom,  for 
 
 it  ended  not,  but  mBelfhazzar,  hisgrand- 
 fon)  fball  arife  another  king,  inferior  to 
 thee :  And  another  third  kingdom  of  brafSj 
 which  (hall  bear  rule,  over  all  the  earth. 
 And  the  fourth  kingdom,  jhall  be  ftrong,  as 
 ycr.  40.  iron,  forafmuch,  as  iron  breaks  in  pieces-, 
 andfubdues  all  things.  And  whereas  thou 
 f aw  eft  the  feet,  and  the  toes  part  of  pot- 
 ter's clay,  and  part  of  iron,  (this  is  the  in- 
 terpretation,) this  kingdom  (ball  be  divided, 
 
 viz. 
 
^7)efinceof  Christ  I  Ai^  IT  Y.  119 
 
 viz.  in  its  latter  ftatc,  into  as  many  Icflcr  Scd.  I. 
 kingdoms,  as  tlicrc  arc  toes,  on  both  Icct,  ^-<v>-' 
 ifut  there  jhall  be  in  it,  the  ftrength  of  the 
 iron,  i.  c.  They  Ihall  all,  derive  from,  or 
 partake  of  the  nature,  of  the  original  em- 
 pire, the  iron  feet,  whieh  is  implied,  For- 
 afmuch  as  thou  fwji'efl  the  iron,  mixdisjith 
 mirey  clay. 
 
 And  as  the  toes  of  the  feet,  were  part 
 of  iron,  part  of  clay,  (o  the  khigdom,  p^all 
 be  partly  ftroyig,  and  partly  brittle-— for 
 they  {hall  mingle  themfelves,  with  the  feed 
 of  men  [be  then  a  mixture  or  jumble  of 
 people  of  very  different  nations  and  laws 
 andcuftoms,  2s  Snlpitins'^  truly  explains  it] 
 but,  they  fhall  not  cleave  firmly,  one  to 
 another,  even  as  iron  is  not  mix'd  cc/Y^ 
 clay.  Their  different  interefts,  pallions, 
 and  defigns,  fnall  hinder  them,  from  being 
 one  firm  compacl  body,  as  before. 
 
 Now,  for  the  meaning,  of  the  ftone's 
 being  cut  out,  of  the  mountain  without 
 hands  5  In  the  days  of  thefe  kings  or  king- 
 doms, jhall  the  God  of  heaven,  fet  up  a 
 Kingdom.  Under  one  of  them,  which  muft 
 be  the  fourth  kingdom,  becaufe  each  env 
 pirc,  dcftroyed  that,  which  went  before  it, 
 and  the  fourth  is  to  be  deftroyed,   by  the 
 
 king- 
 
 *SuIp.  Sev.  Hirt.  Sacu  A.  40:: 
 
I20  j^T>efence  of  Christ  I  Ai^  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  II.  kingdom,  of  the  God  of  heaven  :  Under 
 ^^y''^^"'^  this  fourth  kingdom,  the  monarchical  fta- 
 tue,  yet  (landing  on  its  feet,  God,  not  the 
 power  or  skill  of  men,  fhall  carve  out  the 
 ftone  kingdom,  which  fhall  never  be  de- 
 ftroyedy  nor  the  kingdom  left  to  other  peo- 
 ple, but  fhall  break  in  pieces  and  confiime 
 all  thefe  kingdoms,  viz.  all  that  remained 
 of  them,  that  were  fubfifting,  in  the  ten 
 toes,  or  kingdoms  of  the  ftatue,  and  con- 
 fequently  put  an  end,  to  the  empires  of  the 
 earth,  that  had  oppreffed  God's  Church  : 
 and  it  fhall  (land  for  ever,  be  fucceeded, 
 by  no  new  kingdom. 
 
 'Daniel's  own  interpretation,  is  fo  plain, 
 that  no  unbiaffed  perfon,  can  eafily  miftake 
 in  the  empires,  he  prophecies  of.  He  is  ex- 
 prefs  in  the  number.  There  fhall  be  four 
 kingdoms  5  and  he  counts  the  Babylonian, 
 then  in  being,  for  the  firfi.  Hiftory  tells 
 us,  The  Medo-Perfian  broke,  and  fucceeded, 
 the  Babylonian.  The  Greek  empire,  came 
 into  the  place,  of  the  Perfian,  by  conqueft, 
 and  is  therefore  the  third.  No  Hiftorian, 
 ever  confined  the  Greek  empire,  to  Alex- 
 anders perfon,  or  made  a  diftind  empire, 
 of  the  four  kingdoms,  that  arofe  upon  his 
 death.  The  Greek,  was  deftroyed,  in  its  two 
 lateft  branches.  That  of  the  Seleucides   and 
 
 TtolO' 
 
^  defence  of  Christ  I  AH  nr.  121 
 
 ^toloniyeSy  by  the  Romany  which  is  con-  vScft.  L 
 fcqucntly  the  fourth  kinj^dom,  and  anlwcrs  ^^^^^V^^W 
 in  every  refped,  to  its  Iron  character. 
 
 Under  the  Roman  or  laft  of  thefe  king- 
 doms, the  God  of  heavens  kingdom,  is  to  be 
 fet  up,  which  Daniel  delcribes,  in  two  ftatcs 
 or  forms,  as  Mr.  Mede  excccdini;ly  well 
 obfcrves.  The  one,  by  way  of  diftinclion, 
 may  be  called,  the  kingdom  of  the  ftone  -, 
 the  other,  the  kingdom  of  the  mountain. 
 They  make  neverthclefs,  the  lame  kingdom, 
 but  ill  different  periods  and  appearances. 
 The  one,  fmall  and  rough,  and  undefirablc 
 to  moft  in  its  beginning,  did  commence,  at 
 the  firfl:  ercclion  of  this  fourth  kingdom, 
 wdiile  the  ftatuc  continued  on  its  feet,  and 
 they  all  iron  :  The  other.  The  latter,  waste 
 be,  manifcfted,  after  the  ftatuc  was  come,  to 
 its  tip-toes,  partly  iron,  partly  clay,  or  in  its 
 laft,  and  weak  eftate. 
 
 The  only  queftion,  that  remains  is,  con- 
 cerning this  kingdom  of  the  God  of  hea- 
 ven, in  its  feveral  ftages  j  and  if  the  event, 
 had  not  given,  an  anfwer  to  it,  we  might 
 appeal,  to  the  Jews,  for  their  judgment  in 
 the  cafe,  leaving,  what  the  Chriftians  have, 
 in  controvcrfy  with  them,  out  of  the  que- 
 ftion. Ask  them,  what  is  meant  by  the 
 ftone,  and   they  anfwer  as  one  man^  The 
 
122  ^T>efenceof  Chris  TiAt^  IT  \\ 
 
 Chap.  II.  MeJJias  (a).  Go  on  to  the  Image,  that  the 
 ftone  fmote  on  the  toes,  and  they  are  as 
 unanimous,  in  faying,  It  is  the  Roman 
 empire  {b)  i  which  muft  be  therefore,  ftill 
 in  being  (r),  according  to  their  fentiments. 
 Demand  further,  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
 mountain^  and  ftill  they  agree,  that  it  is  the 
 kingdom  of  their  Meffias,  that  fhall  extend 
 itfelf  far  and  near,  fubdue  all  other  king- 
 doms, and  be  itfelf  everlafting  {d).  Nay, 
 they  give  this  reafon,  for  their  opinion,  be- 
 cau(e  T>aniel  declares,  that  he  reveals  fe- 
 cretSj  that  poall  be,  in  the  latter  days,  ver. 
 28.  a  phrafe,   ever  to  be  underftood    as, 
 
 they 
 
 {a)  Ber.  R.  onGfw.xlii,  6.  Saadi.'Gaona,  Abea-Ezray  Jncchiades  notes 
 the  Meffia  is  called  a  Stoncy  in  other  Prophets,  as  heisP/.  cxviii.  22,.  £/. 
 viii.  14.  xxviii.  16.  Zech.  iii.  9.  Tanchuma,  cited  by  the  very 
 learned  Dr.  AlUx,  R.  L.  Gerfon,  in  Grot,  de  verit.  V.  {b)  R.  Elkz. 
 Pirke  Aboth.  xi.  xxx.  xxxiv.  Talm.  Joma,  c.  i.  the  fon  of  David 
 Ihall  not  come  till  the  kingdom  of  wickednefs,  (or  as  others  read  in 
 Yalkiit,  the  fourth  Kingdom)  hath  overfpread  the  world  for  nine  months, 
 v.Fcc.  on  Mic.  V.  3.  Talm.  Sanh.  xi.  34.  non  venieifiiliusDavidis  donee 
 impcritat  regnumEdomi,  r.e. Romas  fup.Ifrael — &c^archi  ib.Coch.ih.)Ben 
 Gorion,  c.  if.  Menaffe  de  termino  viti.  'Till  Edom  prevails  over  the 
 whole  world,  ixom  Joma,  c.  i.  Rowf  called  Domina  Digitorum,  Midr. 
 on  Pj.  18.  tittilo.     Ber.  R.  on  Gen.  zS.  (c)  Grot,  in  Dan.  vii,   74. 
 
 Manet  etiam  nunc  Imperii  Romani,accirialicubi,  fed  audli  in  aliis  partibus 
 &  nomen&.  majeftas.  (d)R.Eliez..  c.xi.  Meffias  imperabit  ab  uno  mundi 
 extremo  ad  aliud,  juxta  illud  Dan.  ii.  4f.  Lapis  erit  mons.  Ber  R.  on 
 Ge».  xxviii.  Saadia  Aben  Ezra,  Jarchi.  in  Grot,  de  verit.  V.  T.onZech4 
 iv.  7 — Emerget  Chriilus— qui  imperio  potietur  omniuift  regnorum. 
 
A  TXejence  ofC  hristianity. 
 
 they    teach,    of    the   days  of   the    Mef- 
 lias  {d). 
 
 The  people,  thus  inftrufted,  by  their 
 Dodors  before  our  Savior's  time,  to  look 
 for  Chrift's  coming,  under  the  phrafc  of  the 
 kingdom  of  God,  or  of  heaven,  were  there- 
 fore not  furpized,  at  the  lUbjed,  of  John 
 tlie  BaptilVs  preaching,  which  was  repent- 
 ance,  for  the  kingdoyn  of  heaven  is  at  hand :  Matth.  iii. 
 Nor  did  they  once  ask,  what  that  kingdom 
 of  God  ihouid  mean,  whenjefus  followed 
 John,  and  preached  in  the  fame  words. 
 The  people,  being  accuftomed,  to  the  lan- 
 guage of  Daniel,  and  hearing  often  from 
 their  Targums,  or  Expofitions,  read  pub- 
 lickly,  in  their  fynagogues,  the  application 
 of  this  phrafc,  to  ether  texts  of  Scripture, 
 that  foretold  the  coming  of  Chrift  (e)j  the 
 Lord  Jcfus  chofe,  by  this  phrafc,  to  fet  forth, 
 in  mort  of  his  parables,  the  ftate  of  the 
 gofpel,  and  the  profcflbrs  thereof.  He  hath  Matth.xiii.24, 
 it  often,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  to  a  ^^■{^'IaIxx)^^* 
 man  that  fo-jued  good  feed— the  kingdom  of  ^^'^^^  i-  ^^v- 
 heaven,  is  like  to  a  grain  of  mujlardfeed,--- 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven-,  is  like  unto  leaven^ 
 
 Sec. 
 
 {d)  MenafTe  derefur.  iii.  :,  j-.  uti  jam  diximus  R.  Mofes  Gemndenfis, 
 8c  alii  omnts  fapientcs  per  finem  dierum  intelligunt  dies  Meflia;  v.  Talm. 
 Sanh.  xi.     Aben-Ezra  and  Kimhi  on  Hof.  iii.  fe^  Targ.  onZech.iv. 
 
 7.  on  Ef.  xl.  5>.  Iii.  7,  13.     Targ  on  E/.  xxiv,  23. 
 
11^  J^  defence  of  Christ  I  Ant  Ttl 
 
 Chap.  II.  &c*  ne  kingdom  of  heaven,  is  like  unto 
 '■^^^^^  ten  Virgins—  -to  leave  them  in  no  doubt, 
 that  he  was  the  very  Meflias,  Daniel  there 
 prophefied  of :  and  whom,  the  world  was 
 given  to  expect,  above  60  years  before^ 
 upon  the  credit,  of  this  prophecy. 
 
 And  this  expedation,  is  another  evidence, 
 how    they   underftood,     Nebuchadnezar's 
 dream.     For,  before  the  reckoning  of  ^a- 
 mel's  weeks  was  quite  out,  they  looked  for 
 his  coming,  and  that,    from  the  interpreta- 
 tion of  this  dream.     No  fooner  was,   the 
 kingdom  of  the  Seleucides,  (one  of  the  two 
 Before  Chrift  remaining  branches  of  Daniel's  third  king- 
 dom,)  extinguifh'd,  by  ^ompey,  in  the  per- 
 fon,  of  Antiochiis  Afiaticus,^  but  the  Jews 
 every  where  'lifted   up   their   heads,    as   if 
 they  faw,  the  fign  of  their  redemption,  in 
 the  dawnings  of    the   fourth    Monarchy. 
 Then  rumors  went  about,  (no  body  knew 
 how,    though   indeed  originally,  from  the 
 Jews)    that  nature  was  in  pangs,   to  bring 
 Befoi'e  ciirifl  forth  a  king  for  the  Roman  people  *  ;    at 
 J--  which?   the   frightned    fenate,   decreed  the 
 
 ^  '  °'  ftrangling  of  every  child  that  fhould  be  born, 
 within  that  year;  but  their  vain  hopes  of  ha- 
 ving that  king,  in  their  own  family,  fpoiled 
 the  execution,  of  the  decree  :  And  fo  Au- 
 gitftiis^  was  fuffcrcd  to  live.     Then  Lenta- 
 
 lus, 
 
A  Defence  of  Christ  ik^  it  y.  i  2  j 
 
 hSy  thinking  this  to  be  the  fatal  year,   of    Sed.  I. 
 the  Roman  Government,  and  that  he  might    <^'^/^^^ 
 be  the  man,    intended  for  the  new  empire, 
 became    principal,    in    Catiline's    confpi- 
 racy  {a). 
 
 When  the  time  approached,  ftill  nearer,  Before  A.  m 
 by  the  fall  of  the  Greek  empire,  with  Egypt's  ^^' 
 redudion,  into  a  Province,  then  a  fibylline 
 verfe  was  found,  importing  that  the  Advent^ 
 of  the  great  king  was  not  far  off,  fmce  the 
 Romans  were  mafters  of  Egypt  {b) :  It  was 
 again  revived,  that  it  would  turn  to  the  great 
 evil  of  the  commonwealth  of  the  Remans^ 
 if  theyentrcd  Egypt,  "^ixh.  an  Army  (r),  be- 
 caufe,  as  Cic.  explain'd  it,  a  great  king  will 
 then  prove  that  great  evil.  No  fuch  pre- 
 didions,  were  heard  of,  in  the  gentile  world, 
 before  the  Jews  perceived,  that  the  Roman; 
 would  prove  the  fourth  Monarchy,  in  Da- 
 niel. And  upon  that  view,  they  publilli'd 
 everywhere,  their  expe£lations,  of  the  king- 
 dom of  heaven,  that  was  to  follow  the  rife, 
 of  the  fourth  monarchy,  confounding,  as 
 they  eafily  might,  the  kingdom  of  the  ilonc, 
 with  the  univcrfal  kingdom  of  the  moun* 
 tain. 
 
 (a)  Tull.  P.p.  (id  Lentul.  in  Catil'm.  Salufi.  hell.  Catil.     (i)  Sibyll.  Ufl 
 ih  L.  ii.  and  Lucan  viii.         (c)  Dio  xxxix. 
 
 L  I  might 
 
126  ^^efence  of  Chki^t  I  AKiTY^ 
 
 Chap.  II.       I  might  leave  the  matter  here  5  but  Jo- 
 ^-^'^V^  fephus^  expoiition,    of  this  text,  is  fo  full 
 ill  point,  that  it  ought  not  to  be  omitted. 
 Jofephus^2ishon-).,  while  Jefus  Chrift  lived,  I 
 debell.iii.  74-  and  was,  as  he  fays,  skilful  in  the  knowledge 
 of  the  facred  books,   of  the  prophets,  be- 
 ing himfelf  a  Pried,  and  the  fon  of  a  Prieft, 
 and  exercifed  this  way.     Hear  then  his  fenfc, 
 of  that  part  of  the  dream,    we  have  been 
 upon    "  'Daniel  foretold,   that  the  fecond  | 
 "  kingdom,    fhould  be  taken  out   of  the 
 "  way  by  one,  that  fhould  come  from  the 
 "  weft,   cloathed  with  brazen  arms  :    and 
 "  alfo,  that  the  ftrength,    of  this  (empire) 
 "  another   fhould    put    an    end   to    that 
 "  fhould  be  like  to  iron,  which  from  the 
 "  nature  of  the  mineral,  isfuperior,  to  gold, 
 ^^  filver,  and  brafs.     Daniel  added,  his  in- 
 "  terpretation  ot   the   ftone,   but  I   don't 
 "  think  fit  to  relate  that  5  my  bufmefs  be- 
 "  ing  only  to  give  a  hiftory  of  p aft,    and 
 "  newly  done  things,   not  to  write  oi  fu- 
 ''  tttre  things.     Yet  if  there  be  any  one, 
 "  that  is  eager  after    truth,    and  will   not 
 "  give  over  enquiring,   in  order  to  learn, 
 "  thefe  obfcure  events,    that  are  to  come, 
 *'  let  him  carefully  read,    the  book  itfelf, 
 
 "  which 
 
 Jof.  Ant.  X.  ii.     'EjU/oj    ««     *^o|j  |t»to     l<^'i^m^    T»    2r» 
 
 i 
 
A  defence  <?/  C  ii  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y. 
 **  which  he  will  find,    among  our  facrcd, 
 "  (or  CanonicaJ)  books." 
 
 Upon  this  pafla!j;c  obfervc,  that  the  fourth 
 empire,  is  the  Roman,  in  his  judgment  5 
 becauie  the  third  kingdom,  which  he  be- 
 gins in  Alexander^  was  dellroyed,  not  by 
 the  Greek  generals ;  but  by  the  Romans. 
 Again,  the  fourth  empire,  he  reckons  to  be 
 pad,  /.  e,  to  be  fet  up,  in  the  room  of  the 
 Greek,  and  therefore  he  gives,  an  hiftori- 
 cal  explication  of  that,  among  the  pad  e- 
 vents.  But  the  kingdom  of  the  Jione,  be- 
 ing future,  he  refufes  to  touch  on  that. 
 But  he  had  a  better  reafon,  than  he  gave : 
 He  feared  to  offend,  the  Power  in  being, 
 whofe  protection  he  needed,  and  which 
 he  forefaw,  muft  be  offended,  if  he  fhould 
 publifh  the  hope,  of  his  captive  nation, 
 one  Jay,  to  fubdue,  their  conquerors.  We 
 fee  however,  in  his  excufe  for  (lopping  fhort, 
 his  fenfe  of  the  prophecy,  that  is  yet  un- 
 fulfilled, 1;/^.  that  the  kingdom  of  the  God 
 of  heaven,  fhould  break  in  pieces,  the  Ro- 
 man, and  which  he  muft  confcquently  fup- 
 pofe,  will  continue,  till  it  gives  place,  to 
 the  everlafting  kingdom,  of  the  Mellias. 
 And  in  this  belief  Chrift-confirmed  the  Jews, 
 at  the  time  he  warned  them,  of  their  own 
 <.  xcifion.     TLe  kingdom  of  God,    faith  he, 
 
 L  2  or 
 
128  ^  'Defence of  Christ  I At^iTYl 
 
 Chap.  II .  or  all  the  advantages  of  the  MefTias's  com- 
 J^-'C^O^  ing,  fhall  be  taken  from  yotij  and  given 
 44.  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  there- 
 
 of    For  whofoever  fhall  fall  againjt  this 
 Ef.  viii.       ft  one,    (as  one  of  your  prophets  predided) 
 pjall  be  broken :   but,    I  add  from  another 
 Dan.  ii.  34,    prophet,  fomcthing  more  grievous,  for  thofe 
 3^  that  lliall  brake  you,  onwhomfoever  it  fhall 
 
 fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder.  The  king- 
 dom of  the  7?^;^^,  fhall  bruife  the  Jews,  that 
 {tumbled  at  Chrift's  firft  coming  -,  but  the 
 kingdom  of  the  mountain,  when  manifeft- 
 ed,  fhall  beat  the  feet,  of  the  monarchical 
 ftatue,  to  duft,  and  leave  no  remains,  of  the 
 fourth  monarchy,  in  its  laft,  and  degenerate 
 ftate, 
 
 Dan.  vii.  13,  14.  I  faw  in  the  night 
 vifions,  and  behold  one,  like  t he  f on  ofman^ 
 came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came 
 to  the  antient  of  days,  and  they  brought 
 him  near  before  him.  And  there  was  gi- 
 *ven  him,  dominion  and  glory,  and  a  king- 
 dom, that  all  people,  nations,  and  lan- 
 guages, fhould  ferve  him :  his  dominion,  is 
 an  ever  laft  ing  dominion,  which  fhall  not  pafs 
 away,  and  his  kingdom,  that  which  fhall 
 not  be  deftroyed. 
 
 It 
 
A  Defence  <?/"  Christianity.  129 
 
 It  occurs  at  firft  reading,  that  this  chap-  Scd.  I. 
 tcr,  is  only  another  Scene,  of  the  fame  Vi^V'^O 
 things,  that  were  before  reprcfented,  by 
 Nebuchadnezzar  s  ftatuc.  The  four  beads, 
 are  the  four  Empires,  there  defcribcd,  in  the 
 parts  and  metals  of  the  Image  5  and  the 
 fourth  Be  aft,  is  here  deftroyed,  after  it's 
 ftate  of  ten  horns,  as  there  the  hiiage  was 
 ftruck,  not  before  the  imperial  power,  was 
 defcended,  to  the  ten  toes. 
 
 There  is  no  doubt  then,  that  the  Stone^ 
 in  the  former  viflon,  fignifies,  the  fame  pcr- 
 fon,  that  is  called  Son  of  man^  in  this,  or 
 that  the  MefTiah,  is  intended,  in  both  places. 
 Here  indeed,    we  have  him  only,    in  one 
 view,  and  that  is,    in  his  judicial  capacity  ; 
 or  in  the  moft  confpicuous  manifeftation  of 
 his  kingdom.  Not,  that  he  began  then  to  be, 
 but  to  appear,  to  be  fo  great.  And  his  Great- 
 uefs,WaS  (exhibited)  only  to  the  one  purpole, 
 explain  d  in  this  vifion.  It  was  newly  explain* 
 ed,  why  the  fourth  Beaft  was  deftroyed,  and  in  Ver.  n,  w. 
 fo  exemplary  a  manner  5    now,  the  Vilion 
 opens,  by  whom,  and  how,    it  was  done  ; 
 even  by  a  man,   veiled  with  royal  dignity, 
 and  power  in  heaven.     The  truth  of  the 
 thing  is  fet  forth,  in  the  folemnity,  where- 
 with earthly  princes,  were  wont  to  aflbciatc, 
 the  prince  royal,    into    fovereignty,    with 
 
 L  3  thcni' 
 
A  defence  <?/ Christianity. 
 
 themfclvcs  j   or  to  delegate,    their  whole 
 
 authority,  for  the  execution  of  their  Juftice. 
 
 e»v.  J  fj^ij^i^^    i^\\\\  he,   till  the  thrones  were 
 
 placed,    (for  that  is  the  true  rcndring)    as 
 
 they  were  on  very  great  occafions,  and  the 
 
 ant  lent  of  days  didjit-—and  behold,  onclike 
 
 the  fon  of  man,  (the  king  s  fon)  came  in  the 
 
 clouds  of  heaven,  with  much  attendance  and 
 
 pomp,  a7id  they  brought  him  near  before  him 
 
 (the  antient  of  days,)  i;/.^;.  totakehiveftiture? 
 
 of  his  new  dignity,  at  iiis  hands,  this  exercife 
 
 of  his  univerfal  and  everlafting  kingdom. 
 
 For  there  was  given  him  dominion,  and 
 glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  na- 
 tions, and  languages,  fhotdd  ferve  him:  that 
 his  empire,  hke  that  of  old  Babylon,  fhould 
 comprehend  in  it,  people  of  different 
 tongues,  and  defcents ;  or  that  the  fubjeds 
 of  the  fourth  empire,  (the  figurative  Baby- 
 lon,) in  whom  earthly  empire  was  extind, 
 fhould  ail  become  His;  His. dominion  is  an 
 everlajfing  dominion,  &c. 
 
 Clouds,  are  a  known  fyrnbol,  of  hea- 
 ven, and  of  divine  power,  and  Majefty  j 
 and  the  afcribing  of  this  fymbol,  to  one  like 
 the  fon  of  man,  is  a  declaration,  "  of  the 
 ^^  fupreme  magnificence,  and  authority,  God 
 "■  fhall  give  that  fon  of  man,  the  Mellias/ 
 faith  that  eminent  Jew,  Saadiah  Gaon.     It 
 
 feems 
 
A  T>efence  ^Christianity. 
 
 fccms  indeed,  farther  to  imply,  that  this 
 ion  of  man,  was  then  in  heaven,  in  hii^h 
 di2;nity,  before  this  new  eommilllon,  was 
 put  into  his  hands. 
 
 Be  that   as   it  will,    the   jews   earneftly 
 contend,  for  iinderllandinp;  the  Mellias,  by 
 'D^w/V/'s   fon  of  Man   (a).     And  from  its 
 being   faid,  they  irought  him,  near  before  Jer.  xxx.  zi: 
 him,  they  (/>)  parallel  this  with  another  text 
 in  'Jeremy.,    their  Noble  one  (the  (ingular  is 
 the  right  reading)   ^:all  be  of  the^nfel-ves,  Targ.and  vul 
 and  their  Governor  ^:all  proceed  from  the  ^^^' 
 rnidft  of  them,    and  I  cc'///  caufe  him  to 
 draiju  near,  and  he  jlmll  approach  unto  me, 
 
 faith  the  Lord  :  which   is  explained  of 
 
 the  Mellias,  in  their  Targum.  Nay,  A- 
 7ianiy  was  made  a  known  name,  tor  the 
 Mefllas,  becaufe  the  hebrew  word  for 
 clouds,  in  'Daniel,  is  Anani  {c).  So  that 
 he  who  aflumed  the  one,  was  fuppofed, 
 to  affed,  the  Charader  of  the  other. 
 
 L  4  All 
 
 (a)  R.^efus  in uihen-Ezr/i  ^n^Janhl.  Grot,  quotes  alfo  Levi  Gerfonid' 
 zx\<\  Saa'tda.     lalhit  on  Zecb.  iv.  \b)  M'ldr.  on  Pf.xxi.  7.   and 
 
 others  in  Fear/on  on  ha  Creed,  Art.vii.  (c)  SanheJr.  c.  xi.  Secfi:.  33« 
 
 and  R.  Sal.  Jarchi,  ib.  Targ.  on  i  Chr.  iii.  24.  Anani,  /.  e.  Meflias  qui 
 revelandus  eft.  Where  B«/./«j  in  his  notes  quotes  the  old  JewiHi  book 
 lAnchuma,  an4  Bcr  R.  on  Gen.  xxviii.  10.  for  the  lame  notion. 
 
A  'Defence  ^Christianity. 
 
 All  this  is  clear,   from  what  palled,   at 
 the  tryal  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift.     The 
 High-Prieft,    adjured  him  to  tell,   whether 
 he  was  Chrift,   the  fon  of  God.     Jefus 
 Matth.  xxvi.  anfwered  him,    in  Daniel's  words,   here- 
 after  you  fhall  fee  the  fon  of  man,  fitting 
 on  the  right  hand  of  power-,   and  coming 
 in  the  clouds  of  heaven.     Every  one  pre- 
 fent   took  this,   for  his  acknowledgment, 
 that  he  was  the  Chrift.     The  High-Prieft 
 rent  his  cloths,    as  if  he  had  fpoken  blaf- 
 phemy  :    the  people  rcproach'd   him,    for 
 Mitt  xx;i.^°'  it,  art  thou  then  the  fon  of  God  ?  pro^ 
 «58.  phecy    to  us,    fhou  Chrtfi,     who  ftruck 
 
 thee  ?  Chrift  only  faid,  that  he  was 
 ^Daniel's  fon  of  man,  [  ^}:y  ]  Anani,  that 
 comes  in  the  clouds  ;  the  reft  was  their 
 own  inference,  for  which  they  could  have 
 no  other  foundation,  than  that  Daniel 
 was  known,  to  prophefy  there  of  the 
 Meflias. 
 
 N^  8. 
 
 Dan.  ix.  24,  25,  26,  27.  Seventy  weeks 
 {tre  determined  upon  thy  people,  and  upon 
 thy  holy  city  5  to  fnijh  the  tranfgreffion, 
 to  feal  up  fins,  to  make  reconciliation  for 
 iniqtiitj,  and  to  bring  in  everlafting  right e- 
 
 qufnefsj, 
 
AT>efenceof  CnvLisxi  K^  IT  Y,  133 
 
 oufnefs,   and  to  feal  up  the  vifion  and  pro.    Scd.  I. 
 phecYy  and  to  anoint  the  moft  holy.  U/'V"\^ 
 
 Know  therefore  and  nnderjtand,  that 
 from  the  going  forth  of  the  commandment 
 to  build  Jerufalem  again  unto  Mefjiah  the 
 prince^  fhall  be  feven  'xreks  and  threefcore 
 and  tisuo  weeks  5  the  flreet  pjall  be  built  a- 
 gain  and  the  'walls,  even  in  troublou^ 
 times  {a). 
 
 And  after  threefcore  and  two  weeks  (hall  p  ^^^^  noh 
 Meffiah  be  cut  off,  and  they  jhallnot  be  his  ^^'^^t^'>H'*i 
 {people)  and  the  people  of  the  Prince,  that 
 fhall  come,  fhall  dejiroy  the  city  and  the 
 fanBuary,  and  the  end  thereof  fhall  be  with 
 a  flood,  and  at  the  end  of  the  war,  defola- 
 tions  are  determined. 
 
 And  he  floall  confirm  the  covenant  with 
 many  for  one  week,  and  in  one  part  of  ^nu^n'Sn 
 that  week,  he  fhall  caufe  the  facrifice  and 
 oblation  to  ceafe ;  and  upon  the  battlement 
 fhall  be  the  idols  of  the  Defolator  ib),  untill 
 the  confummation,i;/,z.  of  God's  wrath  (c), 
 
 and 
 
 (a)  DTiy  p1X2  may  be  rendred  in  the  flrait  or  rmalleft  pittance  of 
 time,  viz  within  the  7  weeks  juft  now  mentioned,  which  feems  to  be 
 the  period,  for  compleatingthe  buildings  of  the  City,  in  the  condition  they 
 were  in  before  the  Babylonian  dcftrucflion .  {b)U^WU  D^i'^pt^  23D  ^yi 
 viz..  on  or,  near  the  battlements  of  the  temple,  fliall  the  sbomination  of  the 
 Defol.nor  be.  (c)  H^D  lyi  the  famephrafe  is  joined  with  Dill  xi.  3<5. 
 Ff.  X.  :j,    xxvi.  10.  till  the  indignation  beaccomtlijled. 
 
1 34  A  'Defence  ^Christianity. 
 
 Chap.   n.  and  that  determmed  fhall  be  poured  upon  the 
 
 folator  xi.  31- 
 
 xii.  II-  Hitherto,     "Daniel  prophefied,    glorious 
 
 things,  to  the  Jews  under  their  Meffias. 
 Now  the  vifion  is  changed.  A  [certain 
 time  is  indeed  fixt,  which  lay  at  large  be- 
 fore, for  his  comings  but  then  the  unwor- 
 thy reception,  he  was  to  meet,  at  his  co- 
 ming, even  from  them,  as  it  fhould  fccm, 
 that  fought  it,  would  make  his  coming,  to 
 be  really,  no  matter  of  joy  to  them,  fmce 
 it  fhould  be  followed,  with  an  utter  de- 
 ilrudion,  of  their  temple,  city,  and  their 
 whole  conftitution,  Ecclefiaftical  and  Po- 
 litical. 
 
 This  is  the  meaning,  of  the  text,  in  fhort. 
 And  though  the  explications,  of  fome  parts 
 of  it,  have  been  very  oppofite,  according 
 to  the  different  views,  and  hypothefes  of 
 interpreters,  yet  the  main,  general  truths, 
 exhibited,  in  the  prophecy,  ftand  neverthe- 
 lefs  unfhakenj  wherein  all  Expofitors  muft 
 agree,  if  they  will  agree  with  the  Text. 
 As 
 
 I.  A  Mcilias  the  Prince,  be  he  who  he 
 will,  is  to  come,  feven  isueeks  andpxty  two 
 weeks,  i.  e.  69  v/eeks,  after  a  Date  given. 
 Whether  he  is  to  be  born  then,   or  to  be 
 
 manifcfted. 
 
j^ 'Defence of  Christ  lA-^iTY.  135 
 
 manitcftcd,  by  his  own  Ads,  or  the  publi-     Scd.  I. 
 cation  of  any  other,  or  to  dye  then,  is  not   V^v>J 
 cxpreflly  faidj  and  ib  room  is  Ictt,  for  va* 
 rictyof  opinions. 
 
 2.  Tiiis  Meillasj  is  to  be  judicially  put 
 to  death,  *  after  62  weeks,  that  follow  the 
 7  weeks,  whether  preciiely,  at  the  end  of 
 them,  or  in  the  70th  week,  is  not  laid. 
 
 3 .  He  was  to  be  put  to  death  by  the  Jews. 
 becaufe  it  is  immediately  fubjoined,  [\?  j^v] 
 En  loj  they  were  thenceforward,  no  more 
 hiSy  but  were  given  up  to  dellruclion. 
 
 4.  That  a  Gentile  army,  foon  after  the 
 death  of  the  Meflias,  fhould  wafte  the  City, 
 and  temple  of  the  Jews^  and  like  a  flood, 
 carry  away  the  old  hihabitants,  of  the  land  : 
 leaving  it,  at  the  end  of  the  war,  m'Defo- 
 lations.     The  fame  word,   is  ufed  here,  as 
 
 at  the  Babylonian  captivity,    when  Jiidaa  ^  ^^IVt^'^^'* 
 lay  defolate,  and  unoccupied,  and  kept  her 
 fabbaths  j  and  it  is  put  plurally,  to  cxprefs 
 the  height  and   continuance  of  her  dcfo- 
 lation. 
 
 5.  In  the  fame  week,  and  before  the fc 
 calamities,  fhould  befall  the  City  and  tem- 
 ple, the  daily  facrifice,  and  oblation  of  the 
 temple   fhould  ceafe,    as  another  inilance, 
 
 that 
 
 *n'^3^  "ondiciturnifideeo,  qui  interficitur  fcntentia  Judicis,  as  Lev. 
 3^'vii.  14.  Saadia  Gaon  in  Emun.  c.  viii. 
 
136  -^  defence  of  CnKisriKtiiTY. 
 
 Chap.  II.  that  they   had  rejected  God,   and  were  no 
 t/'VNi  more  his  people. 
 
 Thefe  things,  are  too  plain  in  the  text, 
 to  be  denied,  and  are  a  great  help,  towards 
 finding  out  the  Mcllias.  But  firft  we  fhould 
 be  fure,  what  kind  of  weeks  they  are,  that 
 Daniel  ufes. 
 
 There  are,    but  two  forts  of  weeks  in 
 
 fcripturei  weeks  of  days,  and  weeks  of  years. 
 
 Daniel,    when  he  fpeaks  of   the   ordinary 
 
 weeks,    calls    them  weeks  of   Days.  x.  3. 
 
 as  if    he  had   a  mind,    it  fhould  be   ob- 
 
 ferved,    where  he  makes  no  fuch  diftinfti- 
 
 on,   in  his  prophecy,  he  is  to  be  underftood, 
 
 of  weeks  of  years.     Such  were  the  fabba- 
 
 tical  weeks,  of  which  Mofes  writes,  thou 
 
 Lev.  XXV.  s.  pjall  number  7  fahbaths  or  weeks  of  years ^ 
 
 and  the  fpace  of  the  7  fabbaths  of  years, 
 
 fhall  be  unto  thee  forty  and  nine  years  {b). 
 
 Thefe  70  weeks,  will  be  eafily  found,  not 
 to  confift  of  weeks  of  days  5  for  all  put  to- 
 gether, make  but  one  year,  4  months,  odd 
 days  5  a  fpace  of  time,  too  fhort,  to  croud, 
 fo  many  various  events  into,  as  are  here 
 ipecifyed  5    nor  can   any  fuch  time  be  af- 
 
 figned, 
 
 (b)  The  way  of  counting  by  weeks  of  years  feems  to  have  been  ufed 
 by  the  Antients.  Varroy  at  the  time  of  writing  his  book  infcribed  Heb- 
 domadesy  faith  he  was  entred  the  nth  week  of  (his^  years,  i.  ^.  his 
 84th  year.    AhI.  Cell.  Noel.  Att.  iii.  10.  Ending. 
 
ATiefenceofCHRisriK^iTY.  njr 
 
 finned,  between  the  2  captivities,  wherein    Sect.  I. 
 iuch  like  events  did  happen.  ^ 
 
 Taking  them  then  for  labbatical  weeks, 
 and  they  amount  in  the  whole,  to  490 
 years.  Or  leave  out  the  70th  week,  and 
 the  69  weeks,  will  equal  483  years,  about 
 which  time,  they  were  to  look,  for  Mef- 
 fia  the  prince,  fuppofing  they  knew,  where 
 truly  to  begin,  the  reckoning.  And  for 
 this  alfo,   T>aniel  gave  them  diredion. 
 
 Count,   laith  he,  from  the  going  forth 
 of  the  decree^    to  build  Jeritfalem  again, 
 unto  MeJJia  the  prince,  [even  li'eeks  and 
 threefcore  and  t'-jvo  "jveeksy  i.  c    483  years, 
 and  after  the  laft  62  '•jL'eeks,    the  Meffias 
 pall  be  cut  off,    and  after  that,    the  City 
 and  temple  [loall  be   razed  5   He  is  one  and 
 the  fame   perfon,  Mefl'iah  the  prince,   that 
 fhall  come,   and  that  fhall  be  cut  off,    and 
 both  (hall  precede,   the  deftrudion  of  that 
 people. 
 
 i>aniel  had  this  prophecy,  in  the  fame 
 year,  that  T>arius  the  Mede,  and  Cyrus 
 took  Babylon,  which  was  the  538th  year 
 before  the  Anno  Domini.  Some  time  af- 
 ter this,  a  Decree  muft  be  found,  for  build- 
 ing Jerufalem,  that  now  lay  in  the  ruins, 
 wherein  Nebuchadnezzar  left  it.  Cyrus's 
 decree,  two  years  after,  was  not  fuch  a  one, 
 
 for 
 
Ezr.vi.  5. 
 
 138  ^^efence  of  Christ  IAN  I  TY. 
 
 Chap.  II.  for  that  appears,    to  be  only,    a  liberty  to 
 
 ^^^^^^Y^i^z  ^^^^^^^y  ^1^^  rebuild  the  temple.  And 
 Counting  from  hence,  483  years,  it  brings 
 us  to  5  3  before  the  Anno  'Dom.  which 
 falls  about  the  time,  the  Jews  expeded 
 their  MelFias  the  fon  of  '\Dav2dy  though 
 we  meet  with  nothing  in  the  hiftory  of 
 that  time,  that  tallies  with  the  words  of 
 the  prophecy. 
 
 The  next  decree,  we  read  of,  was  the 
 fecond  of  IDariuSy  which  was  no  more, 
 than  a  reinforcement,  of  Cyrus's  former 
 decree.  A  few  houfes  were  then  run  up, 
 to  accomodate  the  Builders,  and  the  wor- 
 fhippers.  But  the  people,  were  like  a  rope 
 of  fand,  without  the  bands  of  laws,  and  ci- 
 vil fandions,  to  knit  them,  into  a  Politi- 
 cal Body,  before  the  7th  of  Artaxerxes : 
 there  was  no  face  of  a  City,  the  walls  were 
 broken  down,  and  the  gates  lay,  as  they 
 had  been  burnt  with  fire,  by  the  Chaldees, 
 
 Neh.  i.  z.      to  the  20th  year,  of  the  fame  king. 
 
 We  read  of,  no  other  decrees,  than  the 
 two  laft,  that  had  relation,  to  the  rebuild- 
 ing of  the  City,  either  in  a  Civil,  or  lite- 
 ral fenfe  5  Nor  did  they  need  any  more, 
 for  fome  while  after  the  20th  of  Artax- 
 erxesy  Jerufalem  appeared  to  be  inhabited, 
 
 and 
 
 Ezr-  vii.  n, 
 
A  T>e fence  0/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  r. 
 
 and  fortified   as   amply,    as  before    its  dc- 
 ilrudtion. 
 
 The    commencement    of     the    weeks, 
 therefore,  mull  be  either,  from  the  -jth  of 
 Artaxerxes^    which   falls  upon  the   4>7th 
 year   before  Anno   T>omtni^   or  from    the 
 20th  of  Artaxerxcs.     Add  to  457   years 
 before  Chrift,  26  years  after  Chrift,  (which 
 is  the  number  that  483  years  or  69  weeks 
 exceed  457  years)  and  you  arc  brought  to 
 the  beginning,  of  John  the  Baptift's  preach- 
 ing   up    the  Advent  of  the  Meflias ;    add 
 Other  7  years  (or  one  week,)    to  the  for- 
 mer,   and  you   come   to  the    33d  year  of 
 Anno  'Dominij    which  was  the  year  of  Je- 
 fus   ChriiVs  death :     or   elfe   compute  490 
 years   (the  whole  70  weeks)   from  the  7th 
 of  Artaxerxes  ■■>    by   fubflracliug   457  (the 
 7th  of  Artaxerxes)    from  490  years,  and 
 there     remains    33,     the    year    of  Jcfus's 
 death. 
 
 Let  the  2cth  of  Artaxerxes,  be  the  date 
 of  the  decree,  i.  e.  the  445th  year  before 
 A.  T).  and  reckon  thence  69  weeks  of 
 Chaldee  years,  (70  Chaldee  years  being  c- 
 qual  to  69  Julian,  and  fo  478  ]aiian  years  ^ 
 making  483  Chaldee  years  * ,)  and  they  the  opinion 
 end  in  the  3  3d  after  Chrift,   or  the  panbvcr  il;;;edn;ro- 
 
 followin?.  nologerand 
 
 ^  -         Divine,  the 
 
 Any  hteBp.i/i»}i 
 
140  yiT>efinceof  Christ  I  Aij  iTY, 
 
 Chap.  II.  Any  of  thefe  reckonings  are  fufficient^^ 
 i/'V'^  for  our  purpofe.  We  need  not  be  pofi- 
 tivc,  to  any  one,  for  who  can  fay  which  is 
 the  only  true  one  ?  It  is  rather  to  be  won- 
 dred,  how,  at  fuch  a  diftance  of  time,  from 
 the  rife  of  the  Perfian  monarchy,  learned 
 men  have  been  able,  to  come  to  any  ex- 
 adnefs,  in  thefe  matters  j  feeing  that  pro- 
 phane  hiftory,  doth  not  agree  with  itfelf, 
 neither  in  the  names,  nor  number,  nor 
 years  of  the  reign  of  the  Perfian  kings,  nor 
 in  the  form  nor  beginning  of  their  year, 
 which  caufes  difficulties  in  reducing  theirs, 
 to  our  ftandard  of  time. 
 
 But  computing  from  either  of  thefe  datc5^ 
 from  the  7th  or  from  the  20 di  of  ^r- 
 taxerxes,  by  Julian  or  by  Chaldee  years, 
 thefe  weeks  will  carry  us  to  the  reign  of 
 Tiberius,  the  B.oman  Emperor,  for  the 
 death  of  the  Mellias,  and  confequently,  the 
 deftrudion  of  the  city  and  temple,  follow- 
 ing the  Meflias's  death,  can  be  no  othcr> 
 than  that  by  Titus  Vefpafian.  It  muft  be 
 fo,  in  point  of  time  ;  and  again,  no  other 
 deftrudion,was  attended  with  all  the  circum- 
 ftances,  in  T>aniel,  befide  that  by  the  Ro- 
 mans. 
 
 For  that,   by  Antiochus  Epipb.    was  a  ^ 
 pollution  of  the  temple,  rather  than  a  de- 
 
 (Irudion  i 
 
A^efenceofCHKisriANiTx.  141 
 
 d^ftrudion ;  it  did  not  reach  the  City,  to  Scd.  I. 
 any  great  degree  5  it  did  not  evacuate  the  ^-<^V^^ 
 City,  nor  land  of  its  Inhabitants  5  and  at 
 the  end  of  the  war,  they  were  in  peace ; 
 whereas  then  the  dcfolations  of  the  land, 
 according  to  Daniel,  began,  and  were  to 
 continue  a  long  time  after. 
 
 And  of  all  this?  the  Je'-ji's  were  ^o  certain, 
 that  this  faying,    is  flill  extant,   in  the  Tal-  Cod.MegiUa, 
 
 c    i 
 
 mud:,  as  the  tradition  of  former  times.    In 
 Daniel  is  delivered  to  its,  the  end  of  the 
 MeJ/iaSy  i.  e.  the  term  wherein  he  ought  to 
 come,  as  Jarchi  explains  it.     And  another 
 Jew  of  high  antiquity,    R.  Berachia,  ob- in  Ber.Rab.f^ 
 Icrved,    that  the  end,    or  period  of  the  fu-  ^°^' 
 ture  redemption,  was  revealed  to  two  men, 
 Jacob  and  Daniel.     But  higher  than  both 
 is  the  age  of  R.  Nehtimias-  for  he  lived  56 
 years  before  jefus  Chrift,  yet  then  he  de- 
 clared,   as  he  is  cited  by  Grot  ins,  that  the 
 time  fixt  by  'Daniel,  for  the  MelTias  could  tat.  v. 
 not  go,  beyond  thole  50  years. 
 
 Nor  ought  we  to  pals  over,  the  tedimo- 
 ny  of  Jofephtis,  bccaufe  in  that,  wc  have 
 the  teftimony  of  the  whole  Nation.  Thus 
 he  writes  "  *2)^w/>/ did  not  only  foretell  fu- 
 "  ture  things,  which  was  common  to  him, 
 "  with  other  prophets,    but  alfo  fet  a  time 
 
 <*  for  their  coming  to  pafs He  did  not 
 
 M  "  only 
 
14-2  A  defence  of  Christ  ia-^  it  y^ 
 
 Chap.  II.  "  only  foretell  the  calamity  that  befell  our 
 Wy^'^'O  "  Nation  hom.  Ant iochus,  many  years  be- 
 "  fore  It  hapncd ;   but  he  aUb  wrote,    of 
 "  the  dominioyi  of  the  Romans^  andoi  the 
 *'  great    defolation    they  fkould  hereafter 
 tc  ^r/'/z^  upon  our  Teople.     Thefe  things  re- 
 *'  vcalcd  by  God  he  delivered  in  writing, 
 ^''  to  be  read  by  polfcrity,    that  they  mighty 
 "  by  comparing  the  event  with  the  predi- 
 "  clion,    admire  the  high  honour  (intima- 
 *'  cy)  the  prophet  was  admitted  to  by  God, 
 "  and  alfo  be  able  to  refute  the  Epkuraan 
 ''  error  (he  might  have  added,   and  that  of 
 "  the   blind  Fatalifts)    that  would    exclude 
 "  God,  out  of  the  government  of  humane 
 '■^  affairs— -For  how  is  it  pofTible,  the  event 
 "  Ihouid  corrcfpond  with  the    predidion,^ 
 "  if  things  below  v/ere  moderated  by  chance 
 "  and  not  a  wife  prefcience. "     No  wiierc 
 eife,    but  in  this  prophecy  of  LXX  weeks 
 doth  Daniel  fpeak  of  the  devaftation,  the 
 "Jews  were  to  fuffer   from  the  Romans ; 
 No  where  clQ:,    is  a  term  fixed,   for  thefe 
 events  j   we  may  therefore  be  afTured,  that 
 Jofephus  referred,   to  this  very  prophecy, 
 for  what  he  Writes  5    and  that  Jefus  Chrift, 
 had  the  authority  of  the  Jei;uSy  with  laim, 
 when  he  interpreted,   the  fame  prophecy* 
 
 of 
 
A  T^e fence ofC hristianity. 
 
 of  the  dcftrudion  of  the  Temple,    by  the 
 
 Romans.  M^t.^i^5. 
 
 I  fore  fee,  it  will  be  asked,  why  Jofe- 
 />^aj  faith  nothing,  here,  of  the  iMcllias,  as 
 Well  as  of  the  Romans  ?  To  which,  this  is 
 the  anfwer.  He  believed,  this  fuccefs  of 
 the  Romans,  againft  the  Jews,  did  infer 
 that  the  Mcflias  was  come.  For  he,  as 
 well  as  others,  of  his  country  men  (^),  were 
 led  from  the  progrcfs  of  the  Roman  arms, 
 to  rclinquifh  the  National  notion^  of  the 
 Melllas,  and  beftow  that  title,  owVefpatian. 
 The  text  faid,  from  the  going  forth  of  the 
 decree,— to  Meflia  the  prince,  fhall  be  69 
 weeks— and  again,  the  Trince's  future  people,  "'^J  J  ^^S'^ 
 or  as  it  may  be  rcndred,  the  people  of  the  T^i^^ 
 Prince  that  fhall  be,  or  fball  come,  fhall 
 deftroy  the  city,  and  the  fanduary, — 
 
 From  herice,  baulked  in  their  hope,  of  a 
 Temporal  Deliverer  among  their  own  peo- 
 ple, they  imagined,  on  the  other  extreme, 
 that  he  muft  become  the  Emperour  of  the 
 world,  that  fhould  fubdue  their  nation,  and 
 that  it  was  enough,  to  anfwer  ^^'"  prophe- 
 
 M  2  cy, 
 
 {a)  R.  Jochanan  Ben  Zaccha't,  flying  out  of  the  dry,  when  befieged,  to 
 Titiii,  faluted  Vefpatlan  as  Emperor,  faying,  lie  muft  rule  the  world,  who 
 fliould  deltroy  their  city.    MenajJ'.  d.  term.  Vit&  iii.  Secft. 
 
 In  EchaRahbathi  on  Lam.  i.  f.  fi  non  es  rex,  (tandem  eris)  Nunquam 
 ("alias^  obtinebis  domum  (the  temple)  qucs  non  deflruitur  nifi  per  roanum 
 Jrsgis.  And  r,(?^;  £.«?/».  iv.  17, 
 
144  ^  ^rfence  of  Christ  I  At^iTY, 
 
 Chap.  11/  cy,  that  he  was  falutcd  Emperour  in  their 
 '^-^"'^^^^^^  land.     Grounding  his  opinion,    on  this  in- 
 terpretation,     Jofephus    told     Vejpatian, 
 while  he  was  General  only,    at   the  begiiv 
 ning  of  their  war,   that  he  would  be  Em- 
 Jof.d.b.iii.14.  pc^orj    and  y^r//p/<?;;2  being  deftroyed,    he 
 ^-  ^^-        profefTes,    that  the  oracle   which    foretold 
 one  of  their  country,    fiiould  have  the  em- 
 pire, W13S  fulfilled  in  the  creation  of  Vefpa- 
 d.  b.  vii.  12.   tian  to  be  Emperor  in  Judaa, 
 
 Whereas  this,  was  the  true  meaning,  of 
 the  pafl'agej  the  Romans ,  who  fhould  be 
 taken,  into  covenant  with  Mefliah  the 
 prince,  in  room  of  the  rejeded  Jews, 
 and  tlicy,  made  his  people,  who,  be- 
 fore, were  not  his  people,  fhould  be 
 ftirr'd  up  antecedently  to  their  converfi- 
 on,  to  execute  God's  vengeance,  on  the 
 Jews ;  who  other  wife,  had  no  inclination, 
 to  deftroy  the  people,  their  city  or  tem- 
 ple, but  as  they  were  moved  thereto,  by 
 God,  and  a  fatal  obftinacy  in  the  Jews, 
 which  Titus  more  than  once  acknowledg- 
 ed {a). 
 
 On 
 
 {a)  '^of.  Prol.  ad  libr.  d.  b.  '^ud.  Jcf.  d.  b.  vi.  14.  Titus  with  arms 
 flretch'd  out  called  God  to  witnefs,  their  deltrudion  was  not  his  deed, 
 vii.  4.  Teltor  patrios  deos,  teftor  &;  exercitum  meum  8c  Judaeosqui  apud 
 me  funt  8c  vos  ipfos,  quod  ncn  ego  vos  hsec  violare  compellam ;  quia 
 &  fi  locum  acies  veftra  mutaverir,  nequc  accedet  ad  fandta quifpiam  Roma- 
 norum— fervabo  vobis  etiam  nolentibus  Tcmplum.    vii.  10.  when  it  was 
 
 fet 
 
AT^efenceoj  Christianity.  I45 
 
 On   the  other  hand,   thofc  Jews,  who     Scd.  I. 
 could   not  pcrfindc   thcmfclves,    that  the    ^^•'^^^^^ 
 
 Jylcllias  could  ipring,  from  a  Gentile  fami- 
 mily,  arc  alio  witncflcs,  how  T>antel  ought 
 to  be  undcrftood.  "  Ihat,  which  excited 
 *^  them  to  war  with  the  Romans,  was  a 
 ''  Scripture  prophecy,  that  at  that  time, 
 "  one  of  their  nation,  fhould  obtain  the 
 "  empire  {a) :  Why  at  that  time  ?  but  that 
 T^anich  reckoning,  rsjho  alone  of  all  the 
 prophets,  fet  a  time,  for  thefe  events,  J^^-  ^"^^^  ^• 
 was  near  out.  And  therefore,  tlie  near- 
 er the  dcftruction  approach'd,  which 
 was  the  demonftration  of  the  end  of  his 
 feventieth  week,  the  ftronger  were  their 
 hopes  {b),  even  to  the  laft  minute,  that 
 their  City  was  taken  by  ftorm  {c).  In  this 
 belief,  theyrefufed  quarter,  and  made  their 
 deftrudion  inevitafele. 
 
 M   3  Thus 
 
 fet  on  fire  without  his  knowledge,  he  run  hiinfelf  to  flop  it.  But  as  Jo- 
 fcph.  ohferved,  c.ix.  Id  plane  dei  fcntenrii  jamdudum  igni  damnaverat— 
 As  before,  vii.  4.  Plane  deus  ipfe,  cum  Romanis,  ignem  fibi  luUrationis 
 infcrt.  vi.  15.  Deus,  qui  damnaverat  populum,  omneinviam  falutis  ad  in- 
 terirum  verterat.  And  for  thts\reafony  ui  it  pould  feem,  neither  Vefpatiaa 
 fior  Titus,  though  fainted  Eint>eror  for  this  viilory,  would  ^tf  Cijtled  ju- 
 daicus,"  as  Dio.  Ixvi,  (a)  Jof.  d.b.  \n.  zi.  vi.  8.  iz.  {h)\}of.  A. 
 b.  vii.  ir.  (c)  Quidam  Pleudo-propheta  erat,  (\\\\eodie^  (fcilicet  quo 
 
 civitascapta  eft,")  predicaverat  in  civitate,  quod  eosin  templura  doi  afcen- 
 derc,  figna  falutis  accepturoF,  juberet.  ib. 
 
A  'Defence  <?/ Christianity. 
 
 T\i\x%Me7iaJ]e  Ben  Ifrael  {d),  divides  the 
 Jews  of  thofe  times  into  two  opinions. 
 deternJvks!  They  that  beUeved,  the  City  was  doomed, 
 in.  Sea.  6.  |.Q  7^^;^^;^  veni^eance,  fubmitted  to  theGe* 
 neral,  as  thinking,  he  muft  be  that  Prince 
 (MeHlas,)  who  was  to  come,  before  their 
 final  deftrudion.  And  They  that  thought, 
 the  Mellias  would  come,  before  the  end  of 
 the  LXX  weeks,  comforted  themfelves  that 
 their  City  and  temple  could  not  be  de- 
 ilroyed  before  he  came,  and  therefore  ex- 
 pelled Salvation,  to  the  laft  hour.  Both 
 fides  took  'Daniel  to  be  with  them ;  we 
 need  not  a  fuller  proof,  that  they  undcr- 
 ilood  Daniel,  did  in  this  place,  prophecy 
 of  the  MelFias. 
 
 But  were  they  filent,  the  many  pretend- 
 ers, about  that  time,  fpeak  the  fcnfe,  of 
 the  People.  Before  fixty  nine  of  Daniet% 
 weeks,  by  one  computation  or  other,  were 
 near  expired,  no  Impoftor  fet  up  to  be 
 the  Meffias.  Prophecies,  that  depend  on 
 time,  might  be  thought  to  admit  of  fome 
 latitude  in  the  interpretation  ;  a  few  days  in 
 a  year,  might  be  reckoned  for  a  year,  and 
 the  beginning  of  a  week,  for  the  whole 
 week,  and  thus  the  true  Epoch  be  over- 
 looked. 
 
 But 
 
A  defence  ^Christianity. 
 
 But  from  the  death  of  Herod  the  prcat, 
 when  Judas  of  Galilee  and  Shnon  firft 
 affecled  the  title  of  kings,  and  deliverers  ot 
 the  Jeiz'Sj  to  the  deflruclion  of  the  tem- 
 ple, hillory  is  full  of  the  names,  and  acli- 
 ons  of  falfc  Chrills,  and  falfe  Prophets,  that 
 proved  deceitful  lii'Jits  to  botli  jezz'S  and 
 Samarltdus.  Why  never  before  this  time, 
 and  not  above  one,  for  five  or  fix  Cen- 
 turies after  the  deflruclion  ? 
 
 No  other  reatbn  is  to  be  given,  but  that 
 this  interval,  took  in  all  poflible  computati- 
 ons, oi^ankh  weeks,  and  when  they  could 
 extend  them  no  farther,  the  impoilure  would 
 no  longer  bear  credit. 
 
 But  then  the  Je'-Jis  of  the  following  A- 
 Q,cs,    were  hardly  put  to  it,    to   get  rid  of 
 this  prophecy.     And  all  their  pretended  fo- 
 lutions,    give  evidence,    for  the  true  mean- 
 ing of  the  Prophet.    One  y.  hile  it  is  aflirm- 
 cd,    that  Herod  Agrippa  who  lived  under  Jarchi.  Ab.irb. 
 Nero,  was'Dtf;;/W'sMerrjasthe  Prince,  and  ^^''''''^• 
 that  he  was  cut  off  by  Vefpatian  at  Roync^ 
 3  years  and  a  half,  before  the  delh'udion  of 
 the  Temple.     But  this  is  made  hillory.    A- 
 grippa,    was   not    of    the  tribe  of    Jtfda, 
 whence  the  Nagid  or  Prince  'H'as  to  arife.  i  Chr.  v.  i. 
 He   was  the  creature  and  favourite  of   the 
 Emperors,    fought  as    a  confederate    v;ith  Jof.J.b.v.i. 
 
 M  4  the 
 
148  A'Defence  of  Cni^isr  I  h-^it^) 
 
 Chap.  II.  the  Romans ,  in  this  war  againft  the  Jews^ 
 ^^^^Y^^^^^  was  at  Rome  5   years  after  the  excifion  of 
 the   City,    read   Jofephtis's  books  of  the 
 
 Jofeph.vita.  wars  of  the  Jews,  writ  under  'Domitiafiy 
 confcripTa,  ^^'^^  Confirmed  the  truth  of  them  by  two 
 ^]^'ib  letters  under  his  hand"^,  and  dyed  not  be- 
 t  "Julius  Ti-   fore  the  3d  of  Trajan.  \ 
 
 ber.  Chancel-  »  .     .  r  ,        i  r      i 
 
 \oriQjgrippa.      Anon  It  is  prelumed,   that   not  a  Imgle 
 
 in  Phot.  BB.    perfon,  but  the  whole  order  of  Pricfthood, 
 
 Cod.  xixiii.    ^  ' 
 
 is  intended  by  Memas  the  Prince,   which 
 
 after  62  wxeks  was  cut  off,    and  abolifh'd 
 
 by  Tittis  the  Roman  Prince.     But  the  other 
 
 events,  conneded  in  the  prophecy,  don't  fuit 
 
 this  expofuion.     Tiie  cutting  off  the  Mcfli- 
 
 as,    appears   to  be   tlie  ad   of  the  Jews, 
 
 and  the  crime,    for  which  they   were  deU- 
 
 vered,    to  excifion,     and  the    fubfequent 
 
 long    captivity  •■>    whereas  the   abolifl'^m.ent 
 
 of  their  Pricfthood,    by   another?    againft 
 
 their   wills,     was  not  to   be    imputed   to 
 
 them,  as  a  crime.    Befide,  it  was  the  fame 
 
 Nagid  or  Prince,  that  was  cut  off,  and  that 
 
 (lirred  up  the  Romans^   his  future  people, 
 
 to  thefe  hoftilities,  and  that,  is  in  no  fenfe 
 
 applicable,  to  the  Prieflhood. 
 
 Both  interpretations  do  however  agree, 
 
 ?:hat  at  this  time,  and  not  before,  Daniel's 
 
 Meilias  was  expeded,  and  that  the  69  weeks 
 
 did  expire,    a  little  before  the  Romans  led 
 
 them  into  captivity.  Thp 
 
A^efence  ^/Christianity. 
 
 The  time  being  thus  afccrtaincd,  it  ap- 
 pears, upon  the  whole  matter,  that  as  TDa- 
 nielj  foretold  the  coming  of  Meffias,  the 
 Nagid,  about  this  time,  fo  the  people,  at 
 this  time,  univcrlally  expected  Meflias,  the 
 Ton  of  T>avid,  to  come.  He  was  the  De- 
 liverer, they  hoped  for,  during  the  fiegc, 
 as  we  have  fhewed  from  Jofephtis  5  it  was 
 He,  t\\ix.yofephus  himfelf  cxpcdcd,  till  he 
 forefaw,  the  Romans,  would  be  mafters  of 
 all.  They  might  have  been  allured  of  this, 
 by  the  Book  of  Chronicles,  drawn  up  by 
 Ezra,  or  fome  other,  long  2.ix.ziT>dn'ieL 
 That  writer,  among  the  genealogies  of  the 
 Tribes,  tells  us,  Reuben  i;jas  thefirft  born 
 ^  Jacob,  but  he  loft  his  birth-right  ^  the 
 dominion  'was  given  to  Jiid:Xj  and  the  double 
 fhare  to  Jofcph ;  for  'Juda,  faith  he,  pre- 
 vailed above  his  brethren,  and  of  him,  iChr.v.  j. 
 the  Nagid,  [fupply]  Ihall  come.  He  had  t\TI'' 
 furcly  Daniel's  prophecy  in  his  thoughts,  ^■^g'^^  ^^■^''• 
 where  the  perfon  he  defigns,  is  cdWcdAIef- 
 fiah  the  Nagid ,  and  again  the  Nagid 
 /imply. 
 
 Daniel,  could  mean  no  other,  when  a- 
 
 mong  the  other  great  works,  heafcribedto 
 
 the  Mellias,  he  mention'd  this,  that  hepwuld    ^'^'"'  -^' 
 
 feal  up  vifion  and  prophecy.     Things  that  arc 
 
 iullillcd,    and  pcifetlcd,    arc  wont  to    be 
 
 fealcd 
 
Dan.  ix. 
 
 150  AT>  e fence  ^/'Christianity, 
 
 Chap.  II.    fealed  up,    and  prophecy  and  vifion,    are 
 ^-^"V^^   therefore  faid  here  to  be  fealed,    becaufe 
 
 theyfhali  receive  their  compliment  in  him. 
 
 It  is  thus  the  Jews  commonly  interpret  the 
 
 ^e^fof^T  ^^^^^^'  ^^^  the  prophecies  ^all  be  fulfilled  at 
 ^barb.  on  the  coming  of  the  Meffias.  We  have  then 
 Daniel's  own  word  for  it,  in  his  Prophecy, 
 that  the  prophets  of  old,  fpoke  of  the 
 Mcllias.  And  it  will  not  be  pretended> 
 by  any  Jew,  that  the  Prophets  of  old,  fpoke 
 of  any  other  Mcfllas  than  one,  the  true 
 MelHas  of  the  lineage  of  "David. 
 
 N°   9. 
 
 Mi(j.  V.  2.  But  thou,  Bethlehem  Ephra^ 
 tahj  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thou- 
 fands  of  Juda,  yet  out  of  thee  flmll  he 
 come  forth  unto  me,  that  is  to  be  ruler  in- 
 Ifraely  whofe  goings  forth  have  beeti  of  old, 
 from  everlafiing. 
 
 Under  the  dcfolation  of  their  land,  fore- 
 told to  be  by  the  Chaldees,  Micah  offers 
 to  the  Jews,  two  arguments  of  comfort. 
 The  one  is,  that  the  enemy,  which  is  to 
 effect  their  deflrudion,  {hall  himfelf  foon 
 after  be  deftroyed,  verf  i .  The  other  is, 
 fhat  all  their  depopulated  cities  fhall  again 
 
 hol4 
 
A  Defence  ofC  hristianity. 
 
 hold  up  their  heads,  verf.  z.  Even  Bethle- 
 hem Ephrata,   i.  c.  of  the  tribe  of   Juda  ^ 
 '  [  '  '',  Geruxxxv.  19. 
 
 (to  diftinguifn  it  by  that  appellation  trom 
 Bethlehem  in  Zabulori)  one  of  the  leaft  of]o{[\.  xix.  ij. 
 their  Cities,  too  inconfiderable  to  be  nitm- 
 bred  among  the  thoufands  of  Ifrael,  yet  fhc 
 fhould  be  reftored  to  her  former  condition, 
 and  in  another  refped,  become  more  re- 
 nowned, than  the  greater  Cities. 
 
 Every  Tribe  was  of  old  divided  into  fo 
 many  thoufand  men,  as  Shires  in  England 
 are  into  hundreds,  over  which  prefided  an 
 C  3"l*7X  ]  Aluph  or  Leader  to  command  them 
 in  battel.  Bethlehem  was  too  fmall  in 
 people,  to  be  reckoned  as  one  of  thefe 
 thoufands ;  or  to  be  numbred  Trngly  in  the 
 Army  againft  the  enemy  j  but  is  promifed 
 the  advantage  over  them  all,  in  giving  birth 
 to  the  Ruler  in  Ifrael,  that  is  fuperior  to 
 all  the  princes  of  the  thoufands  j  even  that 
 fon  of  IDavid,  i£j  ho fe  goings  forth  have  been 
 of  old  i  frotn  everlajlmg. 
 
 The 
 
 Verf.  I.  Gather  thy  felf  in  troops,  oh  Haughter  of  troops:  or  thou  fliak 
 be  encompafs'd  with  troops,  oh  daughter  of  troops,  i.  t.  Babylon,  Vid. 
 Lat.  nunc  vaftaberis,  fih'a  latronis.  He  lakth  fiege  againft  us :  They  fliall 
 fmlte  the  judge  of  ifrael  with  a  roil  upon  the  cheek:  or  fliall  treat  him  with 
 the  utmoft  indignity,  Lam.  iii.  30.  P/.  iii.  7.  as  the  Chaldees  afterwards 
 did  Zed?kiah, 
 
152  A  T>efence  <?/'Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  II.       The  Hebrew  word,  rendred,  come  fort h, 
 %/^yr\^  %nifies  properly,    to  be  born  *.     And  fo 
 
 *  ^j,        this  is  a  prophecy,  that  Bethkkem  fhall  be 
 
 E^  XI.  I.       ,-i-^e  pi3^£  q£  jsjativity,  to  the  kins;  or  ruler 
 tren.  X.  14.     .         *  ''  <^ 
 
 xvii.6.  xivi.  in  I/rae/j  after  the  Babylonian  captivity  was 
 ]oh^i^l]^^'  over,  for  which  it  fhall  be  famous.  And 
 Judg.  ix.30.  thus  it  is  impoflible  to  accommodate  this 
 prophecy,  to  any  other  Ruler,  than  the 
 Mellias.  No  one,  bcfide  him,  was  ever 
 thought  of,  for  this  ruler,  befide  ZorobabeL 
 And  they  that  fancy  Zorobabelio  be  here  in- 
 tended, fpeak  it  fo  faintly,  as  if  they 
 did  not  believe  it,  themfclves.  They  own 
 at  the  fame  time,  that  Zorobabel  was  born 
 at  Babylon,  as  his  name  imports,  not  in 
 Bethlehem^  as  the  prophecy  afferts  ot  this 
 N£h"vih^zi5.  I'uler,  and  which  was  not  repeopled,  before 
 Zorobabel's  return  with  the  other  captives. 
 But  being  of  the  line  of  T^avid,  fay  they, 
 who  was  born  at  Bethlehem^  he  is  there- 
 fore faid  to  come  out  of  Bethlehem.  They 
 Ihould  have  faid,  to  be  born  in  Bethlehem, 
 and  then  the  inconfiftency  of  the  expofi- 
 tion  with  the  text,  would  have  appeared. 
 For  furely,  he  can't  be  faid  to  be  born  at 
 Bethlehem  who  was  not  born  at  Beth- 
 lehem^ merely  becaufe  a  remote  anceftor 
 was  born  there.  In  this  way  of  in- 
 terpreting fcripture,  every  fon  of  T>avid^ 
 
 and 
 
A  Defence <?/CHRisTiANiTr.  153 
 
 and  every  dcfccndant  of  Zorobabel,  might    Scd.  I. 
 
 as  well  be  predicted   here,    as  Zorobahcl :  ^^^f^*^^ 
 
 And   fomc  of  them  with  a  better  grace. 
 
 For  Zorobnbel  was  never  ruler  in  Ifrael. 
 
 He  was  indeed   the  head  of  the  captivity 
 
 for  a  few  years,  without  the  name,  the  fhew 
 
 or  the  authority  of  a  Ruler  :    but  he  was 
 
 foon  recalled  to  Babylon^    where  he  died. 
 
 And  from  that  time  neither  he,  nor  any  of 
 
 his  pofterity,   are  mentioned  to  have  been 
 
 in  any  poft  of  power,  among  the  Jews. 
 
 Left  of  all,  doth  what  follows  in  the  text, 
 agree  with  Zorobabely  whofe  goings  forth, 
 *  or  Birth,  haue  been  of  old,  from  e'ver-  *  vnfc^X'Q 
 laftitig.  Let  thofe  words,  fignify  as  they 
 will,  they  are  in  no  fenfe  applicable  to  Zo- 
 robabel.  Underftand  them,  with  the  Jewifh 
 Targum,  v^ho^cname  was  foretold  from  of 
 old,  from  the  days  of  the  world,  and  they 
 are  a  plain  defcription  of  the  Melllas,  who 
 was  prophefied  of,  by  the  anticnt  prophets 
 from  the  beginning,  not  of  Zorobabely  con- 
 cerning whom  they  are  filent. 
 
 But  as  the  words  feem  to  imply  a  higher 
 criminal  of  his  Beins;,  that  he  Ihould  be  al- 
 fo  the  fon  of  Godi^before  the  world  {a),  who 
 
 was 
 
 (4)  David  Kimchi  here,  fliews  the  particle  JiQ  haththe  fenfe  of,  h^or^ 
 The  Tews  coupel  this  phrafe,  and  tliat  in  P/.  Ixxii.  17  IQIi?  \^}^ 
 \UOUJ  ^J£(*7  -W^  name  was  Son,  before  the  funwa^  7r]adt ;  an  J  underftand 
 both  of  the  Mcfllas,  Pirke  Eliez.cr.  c.  iii.  and  ^archi. 
 
154  ^  T)efence  of  Christ  lAU IT Y^ 
 
 Chap.  II.  was  to  be  born  in  Bethlehemy  they  carl 
 ^'"f'^'^f^  never  be  verified  in  Zorobabel.  And  to 
 fignify  the  perfedion,  and  exeeliency  of  that 
 generation,  the  word  for  Birth  is  exprefs'd 
 plurally.  It  is  a  common  Hebraifm,  to  de- 
 note the  eminency  or  continuation  of  a 
 tiling  or  Adion,  bytlie  plural  number  {b). 
 God  fhall  judge  the  world  in  right eoufneffes 
 and  equity  J  Pf.  xcviii.  9.  or  moft  righte- 
 oufly  and  equitably.  The  Angers  of  the 
 Lord,  Lam.  iv.  1 6.  The  Wifdoms  of  God, 
 Prov.  i.  20.— -for  the  high  degree  of  both* 
 And  Urim  and  Thummim,  which  are  plural 
 in  the  hcbrew,  Ex.  xxviii.  30.  are  rendred  in 
 the  im^ul^YjVerj great  illumination  andper- 
 fe^ion,  by  Vatablus,  who  was  an  able  mafter 
 of  the  Hebrew  tongue. 
 
 trom  thefe  circumftanccs  in  the  text,  the 
 Chaldee  Paraphrafe  of  the  Jews,  infcrts  the 
 name  of  the  Mejffas,  before  Rtder  in  Ifraely 
 to  fhew  of  whom  the  Prophet,  is  to  be 
 luiderftood ,  and  to  fhew  that  what  follows 
 relates  alfo  to  the  MelliaSj  he  borrows  the 
 words  in  his  paraphrafe  on  Mich.  iii.  2. 
 whofe  name  is  fpoken  of  from  Ages,  and 
 afcribes  them  to  the  MefTias   by  name,   on 
 
 Zech. 
 
 '((Z-)  Ef.  xii.  x.  fountains  0}  Salvation^  for  chief  and  moft  excellent 
 fountain.  So  Ef.  liii.  9.  Deaths,  for  death,  becaufe  of  the  many  calami' 
 tons  circumftances  attending  it.  SoMu)/.  onPf.  xl.?-  Ears  for  Ear.  Ek. 
 xxi.  6.  ut  numero  miiltitudinis  majorem  e.vprimeretferviiutem. 
 
Zech.  iv.  7   (e).  TheParaphraft  was  fo  lull     Scd.  L 
 of  this  notion,  th^tBet/::ic/jcm  (Mom  comes  ^-^^^ 
 in  his  way,    but  he  hath  fome  obfervation 
 upon  it,   concerning  the  Meilias. 
 
 In   the  former   Chapter,     when   Micah 
 fpcaks  of  this  feed  of  David,  by  the  figu- 
 iativc  title   of  [  my  '71J'J  J   Migdal  Eder,  ^^^^  -^   ^ 
 the  to'juer  of  the  flock,  which  was  the  name 
 of  a  plain   near  Bethlehem^    the  Targum 
 renders    it,    by  the  MeJJlas  of  Ifraely   in 
 'Ujhom  the  ancient  kingdom  fhali  be  revived. 
 And  in  Genejis,   upon   the  pure  hiftorical 
 narration,    that  Ifrael  fprcad  his  tent  be- 
 yond the  tower  of  Eder  by  Bethlehem,  he  ^^^ 
 exprefles  his  fcnfc  of  the  paflage  before  us  n,  19-. 
 in  Micah  J   in  thefc  words,   here,    or  from      ^'^^' 
 hence  king  MeJjlas  fball  manifeji  himfelf 
 in  the  latter  days. 
 
 His  fcnfc  was  the  fame  with  the  whole 
 Jcwifh  Nation.     When   Herod  demanded 
 of  the  chief  Triejis  a?id  Scribes,    or  the 
 learned  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  where 
 Chrift  fhould  be  born  ?  They  anfwered  with 
 one  voice,    without  helitation,    In  Bethle- 
 hem of  Jud^ea,  and  they  quote  Micah  for 
 .  cheir  opinion,  for  thus  it  is  written  by  the 
 Prophet,  And  thou  Bethlehem,  &c.  Could  Mait.  li.  i. 
 i/^r^/!/ be  in  luch  confuHon,  and  all  y^r///2?- ^- 3" 
 
 km 
 
 (l>)  Targ.on  Zech.  iv.  7.  and  the  Mejfuii  Jhall  U  rivealcd,  vjhofe  naw€ 
 ii  f^okin,  or,  f»retoldfrcm  Agts  be/on. 
 
15^  '^  defence  of  Christ  lAt^iTYs 
 
 Chap.  II.  km  with  him  upon  an  alarm  from  the  Magi^ 
 t/'VNJ  that  the  king  of  the  Jews  was  born  in  Ju- 
 daay  and  neither //<?r(?^,  nor  the  people  of 
 Jenifalemy  be  in  expedation  of  fuch  a  king 
 before  this  ?  Would  the  chief  Priefts  and 
 Scribes,  have  dealt  fo  plainly  with  Herod  at 
 the  peril  of  their  lives,  to  be  fure,  of  all 
 favor  from  him,  as  to  name  the  place  of 
 this  future  king's  nativity,  unlefs  they  did 
 firmly  believe  Bethlehem  was  declared  to  be 
 that  place  by  God  ?  They  might  have  dif- 
 fembled  their  knowledge  of  the  place,  or 
 fpoke  dubioufly  of  the  Meflias,  if  the  force 
 of  truth  had  not  been  ftronger,  than  all  other 
 confiderations. 
 
 But  had  they  been  fo  wicked,  as  to  go 
 about  to  conceal  the  truth,  the  people,  who 
 had  imbibed  the  fame  notion,  from  the 
 fcripture,  would  have  proclaimed  it.  They 
 believed  the  Meflias  was  to  be  not  only  of 
 the  feed  of  'Dwuid,  but  alfo  of  the  town  of 
 Bethlehem  ;  and  fuppofmg  that  Jefus  was 
 born  in  Galilee,  where  he  lived,  they  argued 
 thence,  that  he  could  not  be  the  Chrift, 
 Joh.  vii.  41.  they  faid,  fiall  Chrift  come 
 out  of  Galilee  ?  Hath  not  the  fcripture 
 faid,  that  Chrift  cometh  of  the  feed  of 
 David,  and  out  of  the  town  of  Bethlehem, 
 "^hcre  David  ijoas  born  ?  The  fcripture  faith 
 
 this 
 
A  ©^/^ff  ^/Christianity.  157 
 
 this  only  in  Micah,  and  there  they  under-     Sed.  L 
 flood  the  place  ot  his  birth  to  be  notified,  ^-/V'^vJ 
 dillindly  from  the  (lock,  of  which  he  was  to 
 defcend. 
 
 It  is  not  therefore  ro  be  wond'red,  that 
 their  old  prayers  have  a  tindure  of  the  lame 
 notion.  \\\  one  of  them,  they  pray  for  the 
 advent  of  theMellias,  by  the  name,  of  the 
 Son  of  Jeffey  the  Bethlehemite.  They  fay 
 it  weekly,  on  the  approach  of  the  fabbath, 
 *^  Shake  thy  felf  from  the  dull:,  Arile,  put  Seder.  Kabjr" 
 *■'■  on  thy  beautiful  garments,  oh  my  people  j  jol.  i^S-^  *' 
 "  by  the  hand  of  Ben  Jeffe^  the  Bethlehe- 
 "  mite  J  bring  redemption  near  to  my  foul." 
 
 But  the  defolation  of  that  town,  making 
 his  birth  there,  to  be  fince  impradicable, 
 the  Talmudifts  have  feigned  a  ftory,  which 
 yet  witnellcs  clearly  to  their  fenfe  of  the 
 text,  that  the  Mefhas  was  indeed  born  in 
 Bethlehem,  before  that  town  and  the  temple 
 were  deflroyed;  but  is  hid  for  the  fms  of  the 
 people  [a). 
 
 Our  trandation,  caiifes  fome  difficulty  in 
 connedling  this,  as  it  hath  been  interpreted; 
 with  the  next  verfes,  which  is  removed  by 
 mending  the  verfion  of  one  word.  Inllead 
 of  therefore  'ouill  he  give  them  upy    read, 
 
 {d)  Talm.  Hier.  in  Beracoth.   quoted  by  Lightf.    i.  in   Matt.  ii.    C 
 Schtbet  Jchuda  Ed[.Genui.  p.  2.51. 
 
 N  riot" 
 
I5B  ^T>efence  of  Chki  ST  1 A  Kir^. 
 
 Chap.  II.   not'-joithftanding  he  will  give  them  /^/,  (which 
 ^"-'''V^  is  one  fenfe  of  that  hebrew  particle  {a),  and 
 the  whole  will  run  eafily.     Although,  (God 
 fhall  fend  this  ruler  in  IJrael)  he  will  /^/-Ifrael 
 remain  in  captivity ,  to  the  time  that  Sion 
 hath  gone  the  full  time  of  her  travail,  and 
 then  her  forrows  fhall  have  a  joyful  ifTuc, 
 then  the  remnant  of  his  brethren,  fhall  re- 
 turn with  the  children  of  Ifraelj  and  he, 
 Ver.  3,  4, 5,  (^^^^  xMeffias)  jhall  Jla7id  and  feed  in  the 
 ^'  ftrength  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  Majefty 
 
 of  the  name  of  the  Lord  his  God,  for  they 
 fliall  he  converted,  *  and  then  he,  (the  Chrift) 
 p)all  be  great  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
 And  he  jhall  be  the  Teace.     But  if  the 
 ihsW  bri'      AJfyrian  jloallcome  into  our  land,  and  fhall 
 rhren  lxx     trcad  in  our  palaces,  then  jhall  we  raife  a- 
 '7y  for  oy  gai^/i  him  feven  fhepherds,  &c.  thus  fhall 
 ^^^^■^\-^'  ^j  ^^  (the  Meflias)  deliver  us  when  he  comes  in- 
 Ex.  XXXV.  21.  to  our  land,  and  treads  within  our  border. 
 Vtti.  L/.  or  They  that  are  of  Mr.  Medes  opinion,  that 
 Jcrom,  and    many  prophecies  are  yet  to  be  fulfilled,  at 
 the  convcrfion  of  the  Jews,    find  no  diffi- 
 culty, in  the  expofition  of  this  whole  paf- 
 fage.     For  furely  it  is  none,  that  the  future 
 adverfaries  of  the  Jews,  after  their  return, 
 
 fhould 
 
 (^)  p*?  fignifies.  But  y«/,  notwithjlandmg,  Kof.  jii.  i4-  as  K.Tanchu-' 
 tna;  and  fo  it  commonly  doth  in  Arabic,  as  Dr.  Pocock  on  Mitah  hath 
 obferved. 
 
A  T>e fence  <?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y.  159 
 
 iliould  be  dcfcribcd  under  the  name  of  the    Sccl.  I. 
 yljfvrian  zwd  Babylonia?iy  their  known  cruel   U^^/^NJ 
 Adverfaries  in  MicaLh  days.     Thole  that 
 know  any  rhin'j;  ot  the  ftyle  of  (criptuuc, 
 muft  ha^c  obfervc.i  it  to  be  ufual  with  the 
 prophi^ts,  to  take  thvir  fii^urcs  of  things  in 
 the  age  to  come,  from  the  temple-fervice, 
 or  civil  conftitution  in  their  own  age  5  when 
 according  to  the  letter,  the  fame  things  were 
 to  be  out  of  ufe,  or  unlawful  to  be  ufed,  in 
 the  manner  there  foretold.     The  convcrfion 
 of  the  gentiles,  is  foretold  by  their  coming  El"-  Jxvi.  \%\ 
 from  neiv  moon  to  new  moon-,  and  from  fab- 
 bath  to  fabbath,  to  worfhij)  before  Gody  viz. 
 at  Jerufalem,  and  their  going  tip  thither  to  Zech.xiv.  i5, 
 keep  the  feajt  of  Tabernacles  ,•  and  by  offer-  j^i'i  '^'  , 
 ing  up  incenfcy  and  a  -pure  offering  in  every 
 place  5  though  the  abolijhmefit  of  facrifices 
 at  Jerufalem  in  thofe  days,  "^iththeark  of 
 the  covenant,  on  which  they  depended,  is 
 ilifficiently  declared  in  another  prophet  *,  *Ier.iu.  i5. 
 and  to  offer  incenfe  out  of  Jerufalemy  was  "my  itjiiaiHi 
 prophane.    Egypt's  converfion  in  particular,  {Z''rfrhte"or 
 is  exprcfled  by  their  building  an  Altar  to  the  ^f^'r-^ardi 
 Lor  din  the  midft  of  Egypt,  andaTillar  to 
 Jehovah  (and  no  more  to  the  fun)  at  the 
 entrance  thereof.     Whereas  the  law  parti-       ^^^'  ^^' 
 cularly  forbids  the  ercclion  of  any  altar  out 
 of  Jerufalem^  or  pillar  there  or  any  where  J^^ut.  xii.  14. 
 N  2  eJil\ 
 
i6o  y4  defence  of  Christ  I  Am  TY. 
 
 Chap.  II.  clfe.     And  thus  E^om  and  the  Idumaari^ 
 
 ^^''''"v"^  are  fomctimes  interpreted  by  the  Jews,  of 
 the  Romans,  though  they  were  not  ignorant 
 there  was  another  people,  to  whom  the 
 name  properly  belonged.  The  Prophets 
 call  Jerufalem  by  the  name  of  Sodom  and 
 Ezek.xvi.46.  ^^^^^^^^'  for  refcmbling  thofe  cities  in 
 wickednefs :  Jiidea  is  intended  under  the 
 appellation  of  Canaan,  whofe  mother  'was 
 
 le  •XT1.45.  ^^  Hittite,  and  father  an  Amor  it  e,  for 
 doing  after  their  works,  who  were  the  ait- 
 tient  principal  Inhabitants  of  that  land. 
 
 N°-  10. 
 
 Hab.  ii.  3,  4.  Forthevijionisyetforan 
 appointed  time,  but  at  the  end,  it  (or  he) 
 jhallfjjeak,  and  not  lye.  Though  he  tarry y 
 wait  for  him. 
 
 The  fuccefsful  cruelty  of  Nebuchadnezr 
 zar,  and  the  Chaldaans,  to  the  Jewifh  peo- 
 ple, being  made  known  to //^^^to^  by  the 
 fpirit  of  prophecy,  he  falls  into  a  holy  ex- 
 poftulation  with  God,  upon  thefe  events; 
 moved  thereunto,  as  it  feems,  by  the  impa- 
 tience and  reproach  of  the  Jews,  who  jufti- 
 fied  themfelvcs  in  ccmparifon  of  their  con- 
 querors, and  fcoffcd  at  the  promife  of  his 
 
 eomingy 
 
A  Defence  of  Christ  I  A'ii  IT  Y.  i6i 
 
 coming,    whom  the  Prophets  before  him    Seft.  I. 
 fpoke  of,  as  their  deliverer,  and  under  the  'L/V\^ 
 name  ot  Him  that  comet h,  Ef.  xxxv.  5. 
 
 The  expoflulation  we  read,  ch.  i.  12.  to 
 the  end,  where  he  hkens  the  (iate  of  men 
 on  earth,  to  that  of  the  fijhes  in  thefea,  the 
 (pig  fji'alloiv  the  lejfer,  for  want  of  a  ruler 
 to  proted  them,  and  at  Uft,  the  fifherman 
 comes,  and  with  all  kind  of  tackle,  angles, 
 nets,  drags,  (ports  himfelf  with  the  mife- 
 rics,  of  the  ftrong  and  the  voracious,  and 
 gives  his  skill  and  prowefs,  the  credit  of  it. 
 
 To  this  the  prophet  expects  God's  anfwer, 
 and  he  prepares  himfelf  to  receive  it ;  and  as 
 a  watchman,  betakes  himfjf  to  his  flation, 
 when  he  would  fpy  what  is  coming.     Be- 
 fore he  knows  what  the  anfwer  will  be,  he  is 
 bid  by  the  Lord,  to  ijurite  the  vifion,  upon 
 durable  matter  in  the  mofi  legible  chara^ers. 
 V.  z.And  theLordfaidy  Write  the  vifion,  and 
 ?nake  it  plain  upon  tables,   that  one  may 
 run  and  read  it  i  for  the  vi/Ion  is  yet  for 
 an  appointed  time,    a  far  off  *.     Thus  far  ^ui.  Lar  ad- 
 the  Apparatus,  or  preparation,  to  the  vifion  5  J^^'^"  yiius^ra. 
 wherem  is  intmiated,   the  diftance  ot  the  ^.«x^^»-  foinc 
 thing  predicted  ;  the  certainty  and  import- ^''^'^'^'■"°^"^^' 
 ance  thereof,  to  all  of  the  prefent  and  fol- 
 lowing Ages,   and  the  fliortnefs  of  the  In- 
 fcriptioii. 
 
 N  1  Things 
 
A  Defence tPyTCHRisxiANiTY, 
 Thinij,s  were  writ  on  tables  ofwood,ftone, 
 or  brafs,  on  purpofe  to  prefcrve  the  know* 
 ledge  of  them,  to  pofterity,  that  was  intereft- 
 ed  m  them  :  Thefe  Tables  were  hung  up  in 
 publick  places,  tor  the  cognizance  of  every 
 perfon,    that   frequented   thofe  places  5   as 
 laws   and    treaties    were  wont  to  be  poll- 
 ed   up    in    temples    and    market  -  houfes, 
 where  was  the  greateft  concourfe  of  peo- 
 ple :  And  the  legiblenefs  of  the   writing, 
 (though  the  characlers  were  large,)  with  one 
 caft  of  his  eye,  that  palled  by  in  hafte,  fhcws, 
 there  were  but  a  few  words,in  the  infcription. 
 So  it  appears  by  the  vifion  itfelf,  which 
 follovv^s  5  and  \auch,  I  think,  oudit  to  be 
 thus  rendred  into  Ensiini.     And  at  the  end, 
 he  fhall  break  forth  [d),   and  not  deceive, 
 though  he  tarry  longer  than  your  wifhes  {b)y 
 expe£f  hinh   becaiife  he  that  cometh  ''^iH 
 come  (r),  he  iz'ill  not  go  beyond,  God's  peri- 
 od or  appointed  time.     Behold,  if  any  man 
 
 draws 
 
 {*)  2D^  )^\  ^p*?  nS^TLXXSc  Aquila  ««.  i,xriX{:  u^  zr:'f««.  *f^i**ii 
 «£y«.Thc  latter  part  is  render 'd  by  Aq.  and  5y  m .  x«< » <^«,4'£t/VjT««,  So  H'S  figni- 
 iies  to  break  out,  as  the  day.  Cant,  ii.i  7.  iv.  6.  Vul.  Lat.  ^^pparebit  in  fincm 
 &  non  mcntietur.  Sy.  Adveniet.  (^);There  are  two  different  words  in  the 
 hebrew,  which  owengliflicxpreffes  by  th«  one  word  tarry,  XV^r^UTs"^  D« 
 if  he  defers  coining,  or  puts  it  it  far  of.  IH^.^  S^*?  he  [Imll  not  go  pafi 
 the  lyia  the  time  determined.  (c)  H'2'^  81  O  In  the  Sept.^quil. 
 Sym.  i  ori  lf;ii//^(^  Ji^«,  VuJ.  Lat.  Veniens  Teniet.  Qui  venturus  efl 
 veniet  Ar.  SoBaxt.  Thtfaur.  Gram.  i.  36.  reads  H3  as  a  participle  put 
 for  a  npujft. 
 
A  IDefence  e?/ Christianity. 
 
 draws  back,    through  fear  or  unbcUcf    or 
 impatience,  or  if  there  be  any  drawing  back, 
 (for  the  Agent  is  not  exprefs'd)    the  foul  of 
 him  (God)  jhall  have  no  pleafnre  hi  him, 
 but  the  jufl  ^mll  live  by  faith  {a). 
 
 In  the  hebrew,  the  verbs  all  (land  im- 
 perfonally,  which  gives  occafion  to  fomc, 
 to  put  It,  before  the  verbs,  in  fie  ad  of  he. 
 But  fince  it  is  not  unuiual  in  other  places, 
 that  intend  a  per'bn  of  diflin6lion,  to  in- 
 clude the  perfon  in  the  verb  (b),  as  if  every 
 Body  knew  who  was  meant  :  Since  the 
 adions  denoted  by  the  verbs,  do  properly 
 belong  to  perfons ;  and  all  the  antient  ver- 
 fions  render  the  words  by  he,  and  not  if 
 (c),  there  is  no  doubt,  but  the  prophecy 
 regards  the  coming  of  fome  known  per- 
 fon. 
 
 And  we  can't  miftake  him,  if  it  be  con- 
 fidered,  that  his  coming  is  propofed,  as  a 
 comfort  to  the  jufl  that  live  by  faith,  as 
 worthy  their  waiting  for  and  expcding,  be- 
 caufe  he   ihould   remove   the  feeming  ob- 
 
 N  4  jedions 
 
 (rt)  LXX  i^*  ■cao^iiXviTin  8UK.  yj^axJH  m  '\''j'x^^  jW'S  cV  cIvt^.  Tliis  vcrflon  is 
 juftifiedby^tfD««,  from  the  common^r^i^.fignification  of'7iy  and  from 
 the  He^r.  ufe  of  it,  Num.^\y.  44.  where  alfo  the  LXX  hath  v23-«5-«a«7-o. 
 But  more  fully  by  Poc.  not.  Mifc.  in  Maim.  Port.  Mof.  c.  4.  (^a)  Ef. 
 xvi.  5*.  In  Mercy  fl^all  the  throne  be  cjlubl':(l:edj  and  He  fjall  fit  upon  it 
 irt  the  Tabernacle   of  David,  judging  and  feeking  judgment.  (f)   The 
 
 JvXX,  VhI.  Lat.  Aquil.  Sym.  \37?'^iv«v  »tn-«»  ot»  i'p;i;o^^  »i^«. 
 
t64  AT>efence  of  CnKisTiK'i^iTY. 
 
 Chap.   IT.  jedions  againfl  providence,    from  the  little 
 L/'**'vr%J  Qj.  ^-jQ  diftindion  between  the  righteous  and 
 tiie  wicked,  in  tlie  prophet's  days,  i.  4,  13. 
 
 This  furely  could  not  be  faid  of  Nebu- 
 chadnezzar, whom  he  had  newly  painted, 
 in  all  the  colours  of  hatred  and  deteflation  : 
 but  was  moft  properly  fpoken  of  the  Mef- 
 fias,  defcribed  by  other  Prophets,  as  an  ob- 
 jed  of  their  defue,  hope,  and  cxpedation, 
 and  under  the  peculiar  title,  of  ^^  that  comes y 
 or  that  ^all  come. 
 
 As  there  is  an  Age  to  come,  foretold  by 
 
 the  Prophets,   fo  a  Terfon   is   foretold  to 
 
 come,  who  fhall  begin  that  future  age,  and 
 
 is  therefore   called  iy  a«  Ab  Ed^  the  fa- 
 
 ther  of  the  Age  to  come,  as  the  LXX  well 
 
 renders  it,  EfAx.  6.  {a).  Sometimes  a  fub- 
 
 ftantive  is  joined  with  this  Epithet,  denoting 
 
 (^)Zecli.ix.  Ills  dignity  or  employment,    as  thj  king 
 
 u)  Ef,  Ixii.    cometh  {b),  thy  favior  comet h  {c),  the  redeem- 
 
 '/•,-  er  cometh  id),  the  Me  fit  ah  the  Trince  thai 
 
 idl   llX.   2,0.  T        T  1  1        r 
 
 ^e)  I  Dan.  'vn.j^allcome  {e)y  the  Lord  cometh  (/ ),  the  Angel 
 \f)  Mai.  iii.  of  the  covenant  he  jhall  come  [g),  he  himfelf 
 ^    ^.         Coallcomeih),  bleffed  be  he  that  cometh  inthc 
 
 (g)  Ef. XXXV. "^  . 
 
 4.  n^me  of  the  Lord  (/),  unto  thee,  oh  tower  of 
 
 ( A ) Pf.  cxviii.  ^u^ 
 
 a6.  '■"^ 
 
 (a)  Either  tliey  hud  HlH  to  cotne,  in  their  cop7,  or  thought  it  was 
 implied  in  rht  word  "ly,  pretty  confident  I  am  the  word  doth  imply  that  fenfe 
 in -another  placeof  £/rty,c.lKv.i8.Bf  you  glad  and  rejoice  l]f  ny^  for  '^« 
 ^^e  to  come,  that  I  create.  And  fo  this  agrees  with  the  former  verfe^ 
 'Behold  1  create,  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth,  the  former  (liall  mt  h  t%- 
 tntvibred. 
 
\/47)efenceof  Christ  I AU  IT  Y.  165 
 
 the  flock,    fhall  he  come,    and  the  anticnt    Scd.  I. 
 dominion  and  kingdom  fhall  come  to  the  j^J^^'f^ 
 daughter  of  Jertifalem  till  he  come  ijijhofe  E/^ek.  xxi.  27. 
 right  it  (the  crown)  is.  "^^«  «^"'^ 
 
 In  all  thefc  places,  the  y^^'j  underftood  ^tmltluT 
 the   MefTias,   by  Him  that  cometh,    and  ventums  eiL 
 therefore   often  fpoke  of   the  Meflias,    in 
 our  Saviors  days,    by  this  circumlocution. 
 When  John  the  Baptift,  had  a  mind,  to  fa- 
 tisfy  his  difciplcs,  from  Jefus'sown  mouth, 
 that  he  was  the  Chrift,    he   fent   them  to 
 him,    with  this  queftion,   art  thou  he  that  ^^^^y^  ^- 
 ^all  come,  or  do  we  look  for  another  ?  and 
 he  accordingly   preach'd  up,   rov  l^x^y^im^  p^^  ^i^  ^ 
 Him,  that  Ihould  come  after.     It  was  part  Joh.  i.  3°- 
 of  Martha's  creed,  that  the  Chrift  the  Son  .  ^^  ^. 
 of  Gody   isjas  he  that  iz>as  to  come  into 
 the  '■ji'orld,  which  was  received  alfo  by  the 
 Samaritans,   where  a  fimple  woman,   was 
 ready  in  faying,    /  kno'UJ  that  Meffiah  co-     j^  .^^  ^. 
 tneth. 
 
 How  could  it  be  other  wife,  when  the 
 Jews  then,  as  to  this  day,  on  their  great 
 feftivals,  prayed  for  the  coming  of  the 
 Meflias,  in  the  aufpicious  form,  of  Bleffed 
 be  he  that  cometh  in  the  Name  of  the 
 Lord  ? 
 
 M 
 
166 
 
 Chap.  11. 
 
 Taim.Sanh. 
 xi.  Sed.  30. 
 
 VP^ 
 
 AT^efence  <?/C  h  r  i  s  T  i  a  n  i  t  y. 
 
 As  to  the  Text  of  Habakkuk  in  particu- 
 lar, the  Talmudifts  apply  it,  as  the  ground 
 of  their  comfort,  under  the  difappointment 
 of  Chrift's  coming,  at  tiie  feveral  periods, 
 they  had  themfelves  unwarrantably  fix'd 
 for  it.  This  Text,  as  was  the  tradition 
 from  R.  Nathan,  before  the  times  of  the 
 Talmud,  penetrates  unto  the  Abyfs,  or  the 
 term  it  refers  to  for  the  Meflia's  coming  is  un- 
 fathomable, indefinite.  But  yet,  as  Raf 
 AJhe  is  quoted  for  it,  in  the  former  Sedi- 
 on,  expert  htm.  Abarbinel  adds,  that  the 
 ancient  Rabbins  generally  took  it,  for  a  pro- 
 phecy of  the  Meflias. 
 
 On  their  authority,  Maimonides  proves 
 hence  the  12th  Article  of  their  faith,  to 
 be  this,  "  that  the  Meflias  fhall  certainly 
 "  come,  tho'  it  is  not  known  when;  and 
 *'  that  his  delay  ought  not  to  weary  out  their 
 *'  patience,  (becaufe  it  is  faid)  if  he  tarry^ 
 "  expedi  him.  " 
 
 But  I  think,  Habakkuk  hath  fixt  a  term 
 for  his  coming.  At  the  end  he  (the  Mef. 
 fias)  fhall  break  forth  as  the  morning.  He 
 firft  fays,  the  vifton  is  C"tyiQ*7  lembed,~\  for 
 a  determinate  time  at  a  diftance,  and  then 
 adds,  at  the  End  he  fhall  appear.  At  the 
 End  of  what  ?  of  the  Jewilh  [CD^iy  olam 
 or]  prefent  Age,  no  doubt,     as  the  Jews 
 
 were 
 
'j^  defence  of  Christ  I  ^^  IT  Y.  167 
 
 were  wont,  to  diftinguifh  their  State  under      Seft.  I. 
 the  law,  from  the  Period  of  time  after  the  co-  V-^^^s^NJ 
 
 mingoftheMeflias,  which  they  called  the 
 Agetocome[a).  Th\isT>aniei,  Icals his  pro- 
 phecy to  the  time  of  the  Z:,'«^or  conllimmati-  Vp  ny  nil 
 on  as  the  Greek  renders  it?  not  the  End  of  fj;o"hit  ^* 
 ail  time,  but  of  thcJeiJi'tO}  oeconomy,  that  fenie  may 
 
 •    .  ,  ,       T^  r     I       x4    /r        Dan.vm.  17. 
 
 was  to  yield,   to  the  Days  of  the  Mellias.  ,9.  xi.  27. be 
 
 Agreeably  to  what  we  read  in    Tobit,  that  'f^:^^^^^^ 
 
 the  fecond  temple    was   to  continue,     r/7/cndofihc 
 
 the   time  of  that  Age,  fliould  be  fulfilled  ^'''''■^' 
 
 or  ended  \b). 
 
 Here    ends  the    Vifion   of    the  Tables. 
 
 What  is  added  afterwards,    to  the  conclu- 
 
 fion  of    the    Chapter,     is  Ipecially  fuitcd 
 
 to    the    prophet's   Expoftulation,     for    the 
 
 fuccefs  of  the  king  of    Babylon  :    the  firft  ^3  ^xi  ,-.  e. 
 
 words  whereof  fhould  be  thus  TranQated,  ';;^g'^'^[  .g^ 
 
 moreover y  he  that  tranfgrejfes,  (5cc.  he  alfo  Ezek.xiy.n. 
 
 fhall  come  to  be  an  objed  of  contempt. 
 
 N*^.   II. 
 
 {a)  Targ.  on  Pf.  Ixxorix.  55.  In  that  Age,  and  in  tho  /ge  to  come. 
 on  I  Ki.  iv.  3^.  Solomon  prophcficd  of  the  kings  of  the  houfe  of  David 
 in  the  prefent  world,  and  of  the  Meflias  in  the  "world  to  come.  Age  to 
 tome,  is  the  age  of  the  Mejfia.  T.  Hier.  on  Ex.  xvii.  47.  T.  Jon.  on 
 Deut.  XXX.  20.  xxxii.  i.  xxxi.  29.  iv.  50.  on  Num.  xxiii.  10.  T.  Jo- 
 fephi  caeci  on  Pf.  ex.  4.— In  the  old  book  Tanchuma  and  in  Pirke  Ehc- 
 zer.  The  Age  of  the  Meffias  is  the  Age  of  the  world  to  come,  and 
 fo  in  Talm.  Beracoth.   c.  xi.  and  fanh.  c.  xi,   Scdt.  {h)  Fa?,    hebr. 
 
 copy.    Tab.  xiv.  4.  thus  renders  the  Cre:k,   IHN  D^iy  TXif^U  'B"?  till 
 the  firft  Age  was  ov\t. 
 
I6S  'y^T>efenceof  CnRisTiAtJiTY, 
 
 Chap.  II. 
 
 Amos  IX.  II,  12.  Inthatday  Iwillraife 
 up  the  Tabernacle  of  'David,  that  is  fain, 
 ayidclofe  up  the  breaches  thereof,  and  Iwill 
 raife  tip  his  mines,  and  I  will  build  it, 
 as  in  the  days  of  old. 
 
 That  they  may  pojfefs  the  remnant  of 
 Edam,  and  of  all  the  heathen  which  are 
 called  by  my  name,  faith  the  Lord  that 
 doth  this. 
 
 ThePhrafc,  inthatday  {a),  znd  in  thofe 
 days  (b),  is  often  ufcd  in  the  Prophets, 
 when  they  pafs  from  one  Subjcd,  to  ano- 
 ther, without  any  refped,  to  what  went 
 before.  It  is  the  common  beginning  of  a 
 new  Prophecy,  and  fignifies,  as  do  the 
 words,  Afterwards  [c].  After  that  {d), 
 Inthe  lap;  days  (e),  or  End  of  days,  which 
 are  always  underftood  by  the  Jews,  of  the 
 Age  to  come,  or  times  of  the  Mcflias  (/). 
 
 One 
 
 C^^Ef. xi.  lo.  lo.  xii.  1,4.  iv.  i,  z.  xxviii.  5.  lii.  6,  7.  Hof. 
 ii,  16,21.  Joel  iii.  18.  Mic.  iv.  6.  vii.  12.  Zech.  xiii.  i.  Mai.  iii.  17. 
 (^b)  Jer.  xxxi.  29.  xxxiii.  15,  16.  Joel  ii.  29.  iii.  i.  CO  Joel  ii.  28, 
 Kof.  iii.  5.    Ef.  i.  26.    Tob.  xiv.  5.        {d)  Djjn.  ii.  45"-  (0  Gen. 
 
 ilix.  I,  ID.  Ef.  ii.  2.  Mic.  iv.  i.  Hof.  iii.  5.  Dan.  ii.  x8.  at  the 
 lafl  Eccluf.  xlviii.  2f.  (f)  Afterwards.  Dan.  ii.  45.  is  in  v.  28.  the  latter 
 days,  and  fo  in  Hof.  iii.  j.  they  are  joined  and  interpreted  by  the  Targ. 
 
 9f 
 
Ai^efence  ^/Christian  i  tK  169 
 
 One  certain  day,  or  time,  had  been  pre-    ^eO^ 
 fix'd  by  God,    for  reiloring  the  Affairs  ot  \J^^^^ 
 the  "Je'ws,  and  beftowing  great  blefllngson 
 the  world.     This  was  known  to  all  in  the 
 age  of  the  Prophets.      And  therefore  the 
 Prophets,  when  they  fpeak  of  things,  to  be 
 done  then,    call   it  by   way   of  eminence. 
 That  day,  as  if  they  had  faid,  that  aufpicious 
 day,  you  all  wot,  and  defire.     In  the  fame 
 manner,  the  Apoftlcs,  after  that  Chrift  was 
 come  in  the  fleni,  fpeak  of  another  coming 
 of  his,   by  the  name  of  That  day.      Left 
 that  day  overtake  you  as  a  thief— -He  "^'^'^^  ^  ^''[  ,^^/;s. 
 keep  that  '■^h'lch  I  have  committed  to  him,  iv.  s. 
 againft  that  day—'-^^^^y  he  find  mercy  of 
 the  Lord  in  that  day  ;    as  did  Chrift  him- 
 felf,    in  fpeaking  of  the  day  of  judgment. 
 What  they  had  often  infifted  on,    in  their  Luk.  xxi.  •4- 
 difcourfcs  with  the  people,  and  was  of  fuch  Mai.xm.31., 
 importance  to  be  lemembrcd  by  the  hear- 
 ers,  they  fuppofcd  would  cafily  occur  to 
 their  thoughts,  as  often  as  they  mentioned 
 only  That  day. 
 
 With 
 
 of  the  Meffias.  In  that  day,  is  rendred  /*lx«  tmtx.  Adt.  xv.  i6.  f^^r* 
 T»<^x  or  afterwards,  is  again  rendred ;»  the  latter  daysh^  Kimch't  !oel  n. 
 18.  and  by  St.  Luke  Aa.  ii.  17.  So  latter  days,  are  the  days  of  the  Meflias. 
 Targ.  Hier.  on  Gen.  lii.  fj-    T.  Jon.  Ef.  xl.  9. 
 
A^efenceofCuTLisT  i  ani  tt. 
 
 With  this  plirafe,  In  that  day^  which  is 
 equivalent,  to,  in  the  latter  days,  Amos 
 introduces  his  prophecy  j  where  under  the 
 figure  of  rebuilding  a  Tabernacle,  that  was 
 partly  demolifht  by  force,  partly  decayed 
 with  Age,  he  foretells,  the  reftoring  the 
 kingdom  oiT>avtd,  to  one  of  his  feed  after  it 
 fhould  be  fain  into  a  very  low  condition,  and 
 the  enlargement  of  his  fubjeds,  in  the  room 
 of  thofe,  that  had  fhook  off  their  obedi- 
 ence. 
 
 For  the  Tabernacle  of  T^avid,  is  a  Si- 
 militude, whereby  is  fignified,  the  kingdom 
 of  T)avid,  as  the  Chaldee  paraphrafe  in- 
 terprets the  word.  Herein  they  both  agree, 
 that  Neither  of  them  can  fubfift  without 
 a  regular  union  of  all  the  parts,  and  that 
 they  comprehend  within  them,  many  peo- 
 ple. Efay  had  long  before,  ufed  tabernacle 
 in  this  fenfe,  Ch.  xvi.  5  •  ^^  mercy  jhall 
 the  throne  be  eftablijlod,  and  he  jhall  Jit 
 upon  it  in  truth,  in  the  Tabernacle,  (i.  e. 
 in  the  kingdom)  of  T>avid.  And  forefee- 
 ing  the  defolation  of  their  Country,  their 
 kingdom  and  polity,  he  compares  the 
 £j-  J  g  daughter  of  Sion,  to  a  Tabernacle  or  cottage, 
 in  a  vineyard,  after  the  vintage  feafon,— - 
 to  a  bejieged,    (it  fhould  be  a  defolated,) 
 
 City, 
 
A  "Defence  <?/ Christianity. 
 City,  when  the  ficgc  was  over,   whole  walls 
 and  fides,  were  broken  down. 
 
 In  fiich  a  defolate  forfakcn  condition, 
 David's  kingdom  is  Hippofed  by  Amos  to 
 lie  a  while.  The  tabernacle  is  fain,  here 
 arc  breaches,  there  are  mines.  But  at  a 
 certain  future  time,  faith  he,  keeping  to  the 
 metaphor  of  a  tabernacle  or  building,  God 
 will  raife  up  \k{\%  fallen  tabernacle,  z.wAclofe 
 tip  the  breaches,  the  void  places  in  the  build- 
 ing, with  proper  materials :  and  work  up 
 the  old  ruined  ftuff  in  carrying  the  fides  to 
 their  proportion  d  height,  for  God  will  build 
 or  eftablifh  this  kingdom,  as  /";/  the  days  of 
 old,  under  David  and  Solomon. 
 
 Now  as  in  repairs  of  ruined  walls,  the 
 old  materials  go  but  a  little  way  j  there 
 muft  be  an  addition  of  new,  to  the  old, 
 to  Hop  the  breaches  fufficiently  :  So  in  this 
 kingdom  to  be  ereded,  a  fupplement  ot 
 fubjeds  elfewhcre,  is  needful,  to  fill  up  the 
 place  of  the  ten  tribes,  that  fell  off  firft 
 from  David's  kingdom,  and  of  many  of 
 the  two  tribes,  that  never  returned  from 
 their  difperfion,  or  would  not  be  gathered 
 to  the  Mcffias  at  his  coming. 
 
 And  this  is  fignifyed  in  the  following 
 verfc :  where  leaving  the  figure,  Amos  ex- 
 preffcs  the  meaning  thereof  plainly,    that 
 
 they 
 
i^2  ^T)efenceofCHKisriAi^iTf^, 
 
 thap.  II.  f^ey  may  pojfefs  the  remnant  of  Edom^ 
 t/^sOJ  and  of  all  the  heathen-,  which  are  called  by 
 my    name,    faith    the    Lord   that    doth 
 this. 
 
 The  prcfent  Hebrew  will  admit  of  a 
 twofold  tranflation.  The  one  is  preferred  by 
 the  very  leaned  de  T>eiu  and  the  LXX, 
 and  puts  all  that  follows  the  verb  in  the 
 nominative  cafe,  to  read  thus,  that  the 
 remnant  of  Edam  and  of  all  the  heathen  that 
 are  (/.  e.  Ihall  be)  called  by  my  name,  may  pof- 
 fefs  me,  the  Lord,  or  be  part  of  the  refto- 
 red  kingdom  of  T>avid,  The  other  verfion^ 
 is  that  of  our  tranflationj  and  of  moft  in- 
 terpreters, which  read  the  words  in  the  ac- 
 cufative  5  that  they  (the  kingdom  of 
 "David)  [a)  may  pojfefs,  acquire,  or  enclofe, 
 within  their  pale,  the  remnant  of  Edom, 
 and  of  all  the  heathen  that  are  called  by 
 my  name. 
 
 In  both,  by  the  remant  of  Edom,  is  un- 
 derftood,  fome  of  thofe  that  were  near 
 neighbours  and  fierce  enemies  to  the  JewSy 
 as  was  Edom ;  and  by  the  heathen,  the  o- 
 ther  Gentiles  that  were  far  off,  who  are  to 
 be  brought  into  this  kingdom,  in  lieu  of 
 the  Jews,  that  fhould  fall  from  it.  Render 
 
 the 
 
 (a)  So  ObadA.  17.19.  the  houfe  of  Jacob  and  the  Soiithf  is  joyned  viri^ 
 a  yerb  plural. 
 
A  Defenceof  Ghristianitv. 
 the  Words  either  v/ays,  the  Senfe  is  the 
 fame,  viz.  that  God  fhali  call  the  Gentiles 
 into  covenant  with  him,  and  make  thofe 
 of  them,  th^tjha/l  be  called  by  his  name,  or 
 have  his  name  called  upon  them,  ot  yield 
 to  be  his  people,  his  peculiar  poflefTiorl,  as 
 is  conftantly  fignified  by  that  exprelfion  [a), 
 to  be  portions  of  the  wall  of  his  newly  e- 
 Jreded  kingdom,  and  to  fupply  the  many  fa- 
 milies  that  were  loft  from  his  heritage. 
 
 In  this  fenfc  the  Greek  interpreters  be- 
 fore Chrift  underftood  the  prophet,  whether 
 their  reading  was  different  from  ours^  ot 
 that  the  alteration  of  the  words  was  defign- 
 ed  by  them,  fot  a  clearer  cxplica»:ion  of 
 the  text.  However  it  was,  their  meaning 
 fully  appears  from  their  veriion,  which 
 is  this  {b),  that  the  refidue  of  men  may 
 feek  after  me  and  all  the  Gentiles  upon 
 whom  my  name  is  called,  faith  the 
 Lord- — 
 
 For  thus  they  imply,  that  in  order  to 
 build  again  the  kingdom  of  T^avid,  while 
 the  tabernacle  is  fallen  and  in  ruines,  the 
 ^efidue  of  men,  in  contradiftindion  to  thd 
 
 (4)  Ef.  Ixiii.  \i).    Dan-  ix.  18,  rp.    Bar.  i.  15.    Ecduf.  xxxvi.  xx}   ' 
 
 {b)  The  Hebr.  is  DIS  VTStMi  n«  11^1"  X)&i 
 
 The  LXX  verfion  fuppofes  that  thcv  read  with  a  fmall  alteratioo  <ti 
 
 letters  D-i«  nnno  "ni^  yirr\>  lyo*? 
 
1  ^4  -^ defence  of  C  h  R  i  s  t  i  Ai^  i  t  V." 
 
 Chap.  II.    Jews,  and  even  the  Gentiles,  fhall  become 
 ^-'"^^'^'^  his  iubjeds,  all  of  them  that  are  fit  to  be  cal- 
 led by  his  name. 
 
 When  this  great  event  i;vas  to  be  effeded, 
 the  prophet  is  exprefs,   in  faying,  it  Ihall  be 
 in  that  day,  the  bleffed  day  of  the  appear- 
 ance of  the  Meflias.     So  Abarbinel,  at  the. 
 time  determind  by  God,  for  the  redemption, 
 ^iz.  of  Ifrael  hyxhc  Melllas.     It  was  then 
 that  the  other  prophets  declared,  the  throne 
 of  ^avid  fhoLild  be  rcftorcd  [a) :   It  was 
 then,   and   at  no  other  time  before,    that 
 the  Gentiles  are  promifed,  to  be  converted, 
 to  leave   their   idolatry    and  to  fubmit  to 
 God's  law    {b).     And   therefore  the  Jews 
 are  pretty  unanimous  in  faying,  this  is  a  pro- 
 phecy of  the  Meflias. 
 T?Siria  The    Talmud ifts  give  him  the  name  of 
 
 Bar-Niphli,  films  cadivusj  grounding  it 
 on  this  place,  where  Amos  faith,  he  fhall 
 raife  up  the  tabernacle  of  "David  that  is, 
 in'7213]  Nepheleth,  is  fain  [c).  And  in  a 
 prayer  for  his  coming,  they  ufe  Amos's 
 words,  to  raife  up  the  tabernacle  of  Da- 
 ix.  iCetufcoth.  vid,  &c.  In 
 
 ia)  Ef.  ix.  6,    xvi.  j-.    Pf.  Ixxxix  29.  [b)  Ef.  liv.  3,  4.     xlix.  5, 
 
 6.  xi.  10,  II.  lii.  15.  xlii.  I,  4.  8c  paffirrt.  Vj.'n.  7,  8. 
 {c)  Sanh.  c.  xi.  Se5i.  z6.  R.  Rachman  to  Raf,  have  you  heard,  when 
 the  fon  of  the  fallen  will  come  ?  who  do  you  mean,  faith  Raf.  The  Mef- 
 lias, replies  the  other,  for  fo  it  is  written,  I  will  build  again  the  Taber- 
 ■Ti-icle  of  David  that  is  fain.  K.Jochanan  added,  at  what  time  the  Meffia 
 fi)5il}  comej  there  fiiall  be  biu  %  fiiiall  number  of  Difciples. 
 
A  "DefenceofC  h  r  is  t  i  a  n  i  t  y. 
 
 in  this  application,  the  Judaizing  Chnfti- 
 ans  acquiefced,  whew  James  quoted  yimos, 
 to  prove  the  Gentiles  ought  to  be  admitted 
 Chriftians,  without  conformity  to  the  legal 
 rites.  There  was  an  atlcmbly  held  on  pur- 
 pofe  to  debate  this  qucftion,  and  they  of 
 Jud^a  that  had  taught  othcrwifc,  were 
 prefent  at  it  5  yet  none  of  them  gainiayed, 
 James's  nitcrpretation  of  that  prophet,  t6 
 the  days  of  the  Mellias,  though  that  was 
 the  fmgle  text,  upon  which  judgment  was 
 given  againft  them. 
 
 Indeed  before  our  Savior,   the  writer  of 
 Tolfit  did  undcrftand  this  paflage,   ot   the 
 fame  times.     At  the  end  of  his  hiftory,  he 
 excites  Sim,  to  praife  the  everlafting  king) 
 that  his  tabernacle    (that  he  promifcd  to 
 ^a-vid)  may  be  built  again  in  thee,  to  make 
 joyful  in  thee  thofe  that  are  captives,  and 
 love  in  thee  thofe  that  are  miferable.     Ma-  Tob.xiii.iJj 
 ny  nations  fijall  come  from  far,    to    the  ii- 
 name  of  the  Lord  God  with  gifts  in  their 
 hands:    (joining  to  Amos  the  very  words 
 of  'P/^  Ixxii.    10.     v/hich    are     added    at 
 length  in  Fag,  Hcbr.  copy  of  Tobit.)  all  ge- 
 nerations ^all  praije  thee,  with  great  joy. 
 In  the  words  of  Amos^  Tobit  prays  for 
 the  days  ot  the  Mellias,  when  the  time  of 
 that  Age,   they  were  then  under,  pjonld 
 
 O  %  ki 
 
lye  j^  defence  of  Christ  lAi^trr. 
 
 Chap.  II.    be  fulfilled':,  for  then  faith  he,  the  m'tferahle, 
 S>rV"^  the  captive  lew,  which  anfwers  to  the  rui- 
 
 Tob.  xiv.  ^» 
 
 ned  materials  in  AmoSy  and  many  nations 
 from  far,    fignified    in  the  text  by  Edom 
 and  the  he  at  hen  j  to  be  called  by  his  name 
 fhould  have  reaion  to  rcjoyce. 
 
 In  a  word,  we  have  here  a  prophecy, 
 that  the  ruin  of  the  hotife  and  kingdom 
 of  l^avid-,  fhould  precede  the  coming  of 
 the  Mcllias  :  who  fhould  at  his  coming  re. 
 pair  the  breaches  thereof,  and  build  it  a. 
 gain.  The  captivity  of  Zedekia  by  the 
 Chaldees,  perfeded  the  fall  of  'David's 
 kingdom,  which  could  not  rife  before  the 
 return  from  that  captivity,  and  was  to  rife, 
 as  feems  to  be  imply ed,  before  a  new  cap- 
 tivity began.  After  the  Babylonian  cap- 
 tivity was  over,  none  of  IJavid's  race  was 
 in  any  account.  Edom  was  not  pojfefl  by 
 any  of  Zerobabeh  defcendants,  nor  were 
 the  heal  hen  called  by  Gods  name,  through 
 their  "means  5  till  God  gave  unto  Jcfus, 
 the  throne  of  his  father  Davidy  and  for 
 the  fuffering  of  death  exalted  him  to  his 
 right  hand  to  be  a  Saviour  and  a  Prince. 
 His  coming  was  for  the  rife,  and  fall,  of 
 many  in  Ifrael,  and  by  the  preaching  of 
 his  Apoftles,  the  Gentiles  were  converted, 
 and  im^e  part  of    his  kingdom,   out  of 
 
 which 
 
ADefence  ^Christianity. 
 
 which  the  Jews  had  excluded  themfclvcs. 
 But  the  days  fhal/  come,  as  Amos  goes  on 
 to  foretell,  when  this  fhall  appear  to  be 
 more  vifibiy,  the  kingdom  of  ^avid,  by 
 the  coming  of  the  Body  of  the  Jews,  in- 
 to it,  and  i^y  his  plant mg  them  again  in 
 their  land,  as  his  principal  fubjccls,  from 
 whence  they  fhall  be  no  more  cjcded. 
 
 17/ 
 
 Sea.  I. 
 
 o  1 
 
 N^   12. 
 
lf% 
 
 A  T>efence  <?fCHRiSTiANiTY. 
 
 N«.     12. 
 
 Efay  LII.   1  J.    vVhcre  the  Jews  be^in 
 this  prophcc y^  to  the  end  of  Ch,  OIL 
 
 TEXT. 
 
 1 3  "DEhold    my  fervant 
 ^  fhallprofperyhefhall 
 be  exalted,   and  extolled, 
 md  be  very  high. 
 
 I J  As  many  wer-e  as 
 ^ftonijhedat  thee  5  {his  vif- 
 age  'uoas'  fo  marred  more 
 than  any  man,  and  his 
 form  more  than  the  fons 
 ff  men.) 
 
 1$  So 
 
 Paraphrase. 
 
 Ehold,  the  MeJJiah  *, 
 my  fervant  f,  who 
 comes  to  do  my  *Targ. 
 will,  and  there-  fEl^xlii.i. 
 fore  appears  in  the  form 
 of  a  fervant,  he  fhall  at  laft 
 go  on  profperoufly  {a),  he 
 fhall  be  exalted  in  his  king- 
 dom, and  appear  in  majefty 
 and  honour  and  power,  far 
 above  the  greateit  earthly 
 Potentate. 
 
 14  This  exaltation  is  a 
 juft  reward  of  his  Abafc- 
 ment,  which  was  lower 
 than  that  of  the  loweft 
 man. 
 
 As  many  ^oall  be  ftruck 
 with        wonder 
 and    defponden- 
 cy  {b)  j  at  his  mean  inglo- 
 rious 
 
 LXX. 
 
 (it)  Thehebrew'^Ott'^  is  thus  iendred  in  our  englifli,  and  fpoke  of 
 the  Meffias,  Jer.  xxiii.  5.  and  the  Chald.  word  n7X^  which  the  Targ. 
 on  E[ay  ufes  iaftetd  of  it,  is  taken  from  F/.  xlv.  4.  which  is  alfo  fpoken 
 ©f  tl^e  Msffizs.    (^}  Targ.  As  the  houfe  of  Ifrael  have  ho^i^^  m  htn  mm'i  da^is. 
 
j4  defence  of  Christ  J M^  n  Y,  179 
 
 rioLis  appearance,  whom 
 they  cxpeded,  to  find,  in 
 the  form  of  the  kings  of 
 the  earth. 
 
 1 5   So  he,  in  his  turn, 
 fhali  fprinkle  many  nations 
 with  allonifhment,    at  his 
 advancement,  and  the  fur- 
 prizing   indances   he  fliall 
 1 5   So  fhall  he  fprinkle   give  of  liis  authority  and 
 many  nations :    the  kings    power,  wlio  Ihail  thereup- 
 foall  fbut  their  friouths  at    on  become   his   difciples, 
 him  :  for  that  '•juhich  was    by  baptifm  (r). 
 not  told  them  Poall  thej        Out  of  relpecl:  or  fear  of 
 fee^  and  that  ^-johich  they    him.    Gentile  kings    fhall 
 had  not  heard  fhall  they    keep  filence  •-,  and  they,  to 
 fonjider.  whom  no  prophets  were 
 
 fent,  nor  promife  made  ot 
 
 a  Savior,  fhall  confidcr  and 
 
 receive  his  doctrine,  when 
 
 it  fhall  be  preach'd  to  them, 
 
 and  confirmed  by  miracles, 
 
 and    other    extraordinary 
 
 demonftrations  of  divine 
 
 Power. 
 
 Llll.    I.  T   But  who  of  the  fews, 
 
 IFIjo  hath  believed  our    when  he  comcs,will  believe 
 
 report  ?    and  to  vshorN  is    this  our  report  ?  even  they 
 
 the  O  4  before 
 
 (c)  nr  fignifies  to  fprinkle.  /.ex/.xiv.  i6.  51.  Kum.  viii,  7.  and  fo  the 
 Meflias  is  piomifcd  to  fpiinkle  with  clean  water, crf.zric/r.xxxvi.  15.  from 
 lienceitis  uled  to  [urpr'i:.e  and  ajlonijl},  as  people  are,  that  have  much 
 water  thrown  upon  them.    And  this  fcnfc  is  followed  bytheLXX. 
 
180  ^^1>efence  of  CHRi$r  I  AT^irr^. 
 
 the  arm  of  the  Lord  re-   before  whom  the  arm  of 
 njealed  ?  the  Lord,   the  virtue  and 
 
 power  of  God  is  witnelTeci 
 in  his  miracles  {d). 
 
 2  For  he  jhaUgrow  up  2  Would  you  hear  the 
 ^jf  d  lender  plants  before  caufe  of  fo  great  unbelief? 
 him,  and  as  a  root  out  of  Itisthis.Tho'hefhallcome 
 u  dry  ground:  he  hath  no  before  Ifrael,  asthepromif- 
 form  nor  eomelinefs :  and  cd  tender  fhoot,  as  the  root 
 when  we  fhall  fee  him,  and  branch  of  J^^^'sftock, 
 there  is  no  beauty  that  we  [E/  xi.  i , i  o.  Jer.  xxiii.  5 .1 
 ^otild  dejire  him.  yet  not  appearing  in  the 
 
 form  of  a  tall  leafy  flou- 
 rifhing  tree,  but  withered 
 and  fhriveled,  asfhrubsthat 
 grow  up  without  w ater,  dif- 
 claiming  all  prctenfions  to 
 worldly  greatnefs  and  rich- 
 es, and  power,  which  was 
 the  form  and  comlinefs, 
 the  Jews  feek  after,  he  fhall 
 not  be  received  by  his  own. 
 He,  who  was  once  the  ob- 
 jed  of  their  dejire ^  their 
 Hope,  their  delight,  fhall 
 be  no  more  dejiredby  them, 
 but  rejeded,  for  want  of 
 that  external  beauty,  they 
 thought  to  find  in  him. 
 
 3  He  is  defpifed  and  3  In  plain  words,  this  is 
 'tteje^ied  of  men,  a  man  of  the  true  reafon  of  their  dif- 
 
 for-  like, 
 
 {d)  Targ.  on  yer.  8.  Who  can  declare  th  Mir aclest  thiUpall  bt  done  i 
 liis  days.    Joh.  xii.  37,  38.  underjiands  miracles^  hy  the  arm  of  the  Lord. 
 
A T^e fence  of  Chri 
 
 fbrrows  and  aequainted 
 with  grief:  as  a  hiding  of 
 faces  from  us,  he  was  de- 
 fpifedandwe  ejieemed  him 
 not. 
 
 STIANITY. 
 
 18 
 
 4  Surely  he  hath  born 
 our  griefs  and  carried  our 
 forrows,  when  we  did  e- 
 fieem  him  ftricken,  fmitten 
 of  God,  and  affli^ed. 
 
 S  But 
 
 like.  Hefhall  be  dcfpil 
 and  rejedcd  of  men,  (^)  ^ 
 he  fhall  be  a  man  of  for- 
 rows and  acquainted  wiLh 
 grief  j  that  comes  in  a  poor 
 lufFering  condition  :  Be- 
 caufe  he  fhall  be  a  hiding  of 
 faces  from  us,  (a  phr afe  for 
 one  in  grief,  a  mourner,  or 
 a  leper,  that  was  wont  to 
 cover  his  lip,  or  all  under 
 the  nofe  (f)  Ezek,  xxiv.  1 7. 
 18.  Z/^fi;.  xiii.  45)  he  fnall 
 be  defpifed,  and  wc  fliail 
 make  no  account  of  him. 
 
 4  And  yet  his  forrows 
 are  none  of  them,  the  pu- 
 nifhment  of  his  faults,  but 
 ours.  They  are  truly  our 
 griefs  and  our  lbrrows,they 
 are  our  due,though  he  bares 
 them  like  a  facrificc  in  our 
 (lead  j  and  for  this  caufc  is 
 thought  by  us,  to  be,  as 
 one  ftricken  with  a  leprofy 
 ^g)  or  to  be  mark'd  out  for 
 an  example  of  God's  dif^ 
 pleafure. 
 
 5  Cut 
 
 CO  Chal.  reads  in  the  future.  (f)  Onl;el.  on  Lev.  xiii.  4,-.  co- 
 
 •uering  his  beardy  or  faccy  as  a  mourner  covers  him/elf.  R.  D.  K.  on  2  Sam. 
 XV.  10.  fitch  -was  the  cujlom  of  mourner Sy  to  cover  themf elves.  (g)  The 
 Lebrew  yUJ  or  firkktny  is  rendred  quaft  le^rofus,  by  Vul,  Lat.  Ac[uiJ^ 
 Sym.  and  the;  hter  Jewifl^Cgmmcntators, 
 
iS2  ADefenceof  CnKisriKiiiTY 
 
 5  But  he  was  wounded 
 
 for  our  tranfgrejjionsy  he 
 was  bruifed  for  our  iniqui- 
 ties  i  the  chaftifement  of 
 our  peace  was  upon  him, 
 and  with  his  Jiripes  we  are 
 healed. 
 
 6  Allwe  likefheep  ha've 
 gone  aftray :  we  have  turn- 
 ed back  every  one  to  his 
 own  way  :  and  the  Lord 
 hath  laid  on  hiniy  the  ini- 
 quity of  us  all. 
 
 7  He  was  opprejfed  (or 
 rather,   the  debt  was  de- 
 manded) (/■)  and  he  was  af 
 fiiEiedy 
 
 5  But  in  reality  it  is  not 
 fo.  He  fhall  be  wounded 
 to  death  *  for  our 
 tranfgrcffionsihe  '^l'-"^"^' 
 fhall  be  bruifed  to  death  (/5>) 
 ver.  10.  for  our  iniquities  J 
 the  punifhment  that  we  de- 
 fer ve,  fliall  be  laid  on  him, 
 for  our  peace,  and  benefit, 
 and  by  his  ftripes  we  Ihall  be 
 healed. 
 
 6  In  this  fenfc  he  is  the 
 Savior.  For  othcrwife, 
 none  of  us,  without  him, 
 could  be  faved.  We  are  all 
 finncrs,  and  gone  out  of 
 the  way  of  God's  laws  5  and 
 as  fuch,  are  unable  by  any 
 deed  or  fuffering  of  ours,  to 
 claim  or  deferve  God's  par- 
 don. And  therefore  God 
 lays  on  him  the  Punifhment 
 of  the  fms  of  the  whole 
 world,  who  having  never 
 offended,  is  the  fitter  to 
 propitiate  his  wrath. 
 
 7  God  inftfted  on  fome 
 punifhment  for  maintain- 
 ing the  honor  of  his  laws, 
 
 that 
 
 (h)  «D1  to  deflroy.  Job.  v.  4.  and  fo  the  noun,  Pf.  xc.  3.  Chrift's 
 body  is  faid  to  be  broken,  iCor.3;i.z4.  or  to  be  delivered  to  death.  (ijThua 
 the  learned  LEm^ereur  renders  the  word  "Vi^y  as  we  render  it  alfo^, 
 Ef.  Iviii.  3. 
 
A  defence  ofCuKi 
 
 fiBed,  yet  he  opened  not 
 his  mouth :  he  is  brought 
 as  a  lamb  to  the  (laughter, 
 and  as  a  p^eep  before  her 
 Jhearers  is  dumb,  fo  he  o- 
 penednot  his  tnouth- 
 
 8  He  "ivas  taken  off  by 
 authority  {k)  and  by  judg- 
 ment {and  ''jjho  p^all  declare 
 his  generation  or  lineage  ?) 
 '■juhen  he^allbe  cut  off  the 
 land  of  the  living  ,•  and 
 for  the  tranfgreffion  of  my 
 people  Jlricken. 
 
 9  And 
 
 STiANiry.  i8j 
 
 that  was  impaired  by  {o 
 general  a  dcfcdion,  and 
 this  perfon  of  whom  I  have 
 been  fpeaking,  is  made  the 
 facrifice.  And  in  all  his 
 llifFerings,  he  was  not  more 
 a  lamb  tbriacrifice,  than  he 
 was  a  lamb  for  innocence, 
 mceknefs,  patience,  and 
 refignation,  while  he  was 
 treated  as  a  lacritice. 
 
 8  And  yet  the  indigni- 
 ties of  his  fuffering  were  c- 
 nough  to  fhock  his  pati- 
 ence, elpecially  their  taking 
 away  his  life  under  colour 
 of  law  and  jufticc,  and  a 
 fair  tryal.  Who  that  faw 
 him  in  thefe  fad  circum- 
 ftances  fo  evil  treated  by 
 them,  would  have  fuppofcd 
 him,  to  be  the  promifcd 
 Mcllias,  whom  the  Jews 
 had  fo  impatiently  expcd- 
 cd,  oiDavids  line  ?  W^icn 
 they  law  him  cut  off  out 
 of  the  land  of  the  living, 
 by  them  he  came  to  favc  : 
 for  1  can't  too  often  repeat 
 it,  it  was  for  the  fins  of  my 
 
 pco- 
 
 (*)  "^Jfy  fignifies  any  convention  or  aflembly  of  men,  ^er.  ix.  z. 
 I)tut.  XVI.  3,  Lev.  xxiii.  14.  and  ihcnce  is  applied  to  any  legal  fcllioo 
 of  magiljrates,  or fingle  Authority,  Judg.  18.  7.     i  Sam.  ix.  17. 
 
1$^  'Al)efence  of  Chkisx  I  h-^  It  y\ 
 
 people,  not  his  own,  that 
 he  was  ftricken. 
 
 9  And  he  (the  people)  9  His  fepulchre  fhall  be 
 Tfiade  his  grave  with  the  a  proof  of  his  innocence, 
 wicked }  hut  it  jhall  be  as  well  as  his  death.  The 
 with  the  rich  after  his  people,  to  carry  their  con^ 
 death ;  becaufe  he  had  done  tempt  of  him  even  to  the 
 no  violence,  neither  was  grave,  defigned  to  bury  him 
 deceit  in  his  mouth,  with  common  malefadors, 
 
 ver,  12.  But  God  difpofed 
 it  otherwifc.  So  that  he 
 who  was  too  poor  to  pro- 
 vide a  fepulchre  for  him- 
 felf,  was  honourably  inter- 
 red at  the  expence  of  the 
 rich  j  moved  thereto  from 
 an  opinion,  of  the  fuffer- 
 cr  5  and  that  he  had  done 
 no  wrong  in  deed  or  word. 
 
 10  Tet  it pleafedGod  to  10  However  it  pleafed 
 bruife  him,  he  hath  put  God,  he  fhould  fuffer,  tho' 
 him  to  grief:  if  he  fhall  God  had  another  view  in 
 make  his  foul  an  offering  it  than  his  murderers.  On 
 forfn,  he  fhall  fee  his  feed,  this  condition,  his  fufFer- 
 that  fhall  prolong  their  ing  was  agreed  on  between 
 days  (/) ;  and  the  pleafure  them,  viz.  That  for  his 
 of  the  Lord,  fhall  profper  voluntary  oblation  of  him- 
 in  his  hands,  felf,  as  a  fin  offering,   he 
 
 fhould  obtain  a  long  race  of 
 II  Be^  Dif- 
 
 (/)  SoVul.  Lat.  videbit  femenlongjevum,  and  LXX,  andChald.  The 
 Targ.  hath  another  interpretation,  and  fuppofes  5^ei  to  be  the  nominative 
 to  the  verb  fee  ;  his  Seed  fhall  fee  the  kingdom  of  the  Mtffias.  They  (hall 
 multiply  and  prolong  their  days. 
 
j^  T)efence  of  Christ  I  aUHy.  ixi 
 
 DilciplesCwJ,and  fubje£ls ; 
 and  the  whole  fchemc  of 
 providence,  forthefalvati- 
 on  of  mankind,  Ihould  be 
 entirely  committed  to  his 
 
 management. 
 
 ti  Becaufe  of  the  tra-        ii  In   confideration  of 
 
 vcl  of  his  fou/y  he   what  he  fuffered,  he  fhall 
 
 ^^^    fijal/  fee   {his  de-    afterwards  fee  all  his  enc- 
 
 fire  {n)  and  be  fat  is  fed :    mies  put  under  his  feet :  and 
 
 by  his  know  ledge  y  fhall  my    by  his  law  (o)  he  fliall  re* 
 
 righteous  fervant  juftify    form  the  world,  and  pre- 
 
 many,  whok  iniquities  he   pare  them,  that  fhall  be  en- 
 
 jhall  bear.  titulcd  to  the  benefits  of  his 
 
 death,  for  a  total  abfolu- 
 
 tion  and   difchargc,    from 
 
 the    punifhment  of  their 
 
 iins. 
 
 12  Therefore  will  I  di-        12  Therefore  I  fay,  he 
 
 vide  him  a  portion  of  the   fhall  become  victorious  o- 
 
 greaty  and  he  fhall  divide   ver  his  moft  potent  Adver- 
 
 the  fpoil    of   the  firong  5    faries  ;  becaufe,  by  choice 
 
 becaufe  he  hath  pojired out   he  fliall   offer  up  his  life, 
 
 his  foul  unto  deaths   and  and  fubmit  to  be  account- 
 
 was  numbred  with    the    cd  and  treated  as  a  tranl- 
 
 tranf-  greflbr ; 
 
 (wO  R.  Al/ljek  interprets  Seed  here,  byDifciples.fuch  asaddidlthemfclvc3 
 to  his  religion,  that  converted  them  ;  and  fo  it  is  ufedin  the  Jewilh  writ- 
 ings, for  thofe  that  imitate  the  manners  of  their  Teacher..  Grof.  de  Ver.V, 
 znd L'Empereur  in  Al(h.  Com.  on  Efay,  (»)  Targ.  he  fliall  fee  his  re- 
 venge on  his  enemies.  And  thus  the  word /«  fignifies,  P/.  hv.  7.  lix.  ro 
 xcii.  II.    cxii.  8.    cxviii.  7.  (0)  Knowledge  may  betaken  hereob* 
 
 jedtively,  as  the  knowledge  which  he  Hull  teach.    The  Tar^.  feems  to  ie- 
 lerpret  it,  of  his  law. 
 
ii6  ^A  defence  of  CnvLisr  I  hill  trl 
 
 tranJgrefforSy  and  bare  the   greflbr;  whereas  his  death 
 Jtn  of  manyy  and  made  in-   was  intended  as  a  facrifice 
 terceffion   for  the  tranf-    for  the  fins  of  others,  in 
 greffors.  virtue    whereof,     like    a 
 
 Prieft,  he  fhall  intercede* 
 even  for  the  fins  of  Ifrael, 
 that  (lew  him. 
 
 Many  things  ought  to  be  remarked  in 
 this  Prophecy.     As 
 
 1 .  That  one  and  the  fame  Perfon  is  fpo- 
 ken  of,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end 
 thereof  5  of  whom  a  continued  feries  of 
 events  is  predicted,  without  pafTmg  to,  or 
 intermixing  the  affairs  of  any  other. 
 
 2.  This  perfon  is  called  the  fervant  of 
 God,  his  righteous  fervant ;  and  is  defcri- 
 bed,  as  a  moft  innocent,  blamelefs,  holy 
 perfon;  of  unparallellcd  patience,  piety, 
 charity ;  fo  as  never  to  have  gone  aftray 
 like  other  men,  and  to  have  deferved  no 
 punifhment  on  his  account :  but  ready  to 
 fuffer  any  evil,  on  ours. 
 
 5.  He  is  imply ed,  to  have  beefi  once 
 the  dejire  of  the  Jews,  and  that  his^^»^- 
 ration  or  birth  was  formerly  declared  tO 
 them,  though  at  his  coming  they  Ihould 
 not  know,   nor  defire  him  becaufe  of  the 
 
 mean 
 
A  ^Defence  ^/Christianitv. 
 
 moan  abjcd,   humble,    afHided   condition, 
 he  appeared  in. 
 
 4.  Very  oppofitc  Ideas  are  joyncd  toge- 
 ther in  his  charadcr,  which  not  being  con- 
 iillent  at  the  iame  time,  mud:  belong  to 
 him  at  different  times,  and  in  different 
 views.  Thus  he  is  reprefented,  as  a  man 
 of  forro'UJS,  acquainted  '-jvith  grief,  as 
 '-juounded  and  briiifed  to  death,  7i&  judicial- 
 ly condemned  and  cut  off'  out  of  the  land 
 of  the  living,  as  pouring  out  his  foul  to 
 death y  and  put  in  his  grave.  Again  he  is 
 fa  id  to  profper,  to  be  exalted,  extolled  and 
 be  very  high  \  to  fee  his  difciples  longfoti. 
 rifhy  to  aftonijh  and  fpr inkle  Gentile  nati- 
 ons, and  like  a  conqueror,  to  divide  the 
 portion  of  the  great,  and  the  fpoil  of  the 
 ftrong. 
 
 5.  Such  is  the  merit  of  his  voluntary" 
 oblation  of  himfelf  as  to  be  expiatory  of 
 fin,  of  the  fin  of  us  all?  and  to  be  reward- 
 ed by  God,  with  the  convcrfion  of  gentile 
 ?iations,  and  with  an  ey~alted,  extolled, 
 high  dignity,  far  above  that  of  any  other 
 perfon.  From  whence  it  muft  be  inferred, 
 that  his  fuffering  ftate,  is  to  precede  his 
 triumphant  ftatc. 
 
 LaftlYy 
 
A  defence  of  CuvLisr  i  k'^  iTti 
 
 Laftly,  it  is  fuggefted,  that  he  fhould  ht 
 a  prophet ;  by  his  knowledg  or  Law,  to 
 juflify  many ;  a  Prieft,  bearing  iniquities, 
 making  his  life  an  offering  for  fin-,  and 
 interceeding  for  tranfgrejfors :  and  a  king'j 
 as  exaltedy  extolled,  being  very  high,  and 
 dividing  the  fpoil  of  the  ftrong. 
 
 All  thefc  marks  are  found  in  the  Ghri- 
 flians  Meffias,  to  a  tittle.  It  is  impoflible 
 to  fet  up  any  other  king,'^or  Prophet,  to 
 whom  but  two  or  three  of  thefe  chara- 
 derifticks  may  be  applied,  even  in  a  tole- 
 rable, figurative  fenfe. 
 
 It  is  admitted  by  the  Jews,  Efay  faid 
 not  thefe  things  of  himfelf,  but  of  fpme 
 othei*.  Who  fhould  this  other  be  >  Not 
 the  dilperfed  ftricken  Nation  of  the  Jews, 
 Ong.  c.  Cdf.  y^ho  are  fuppofed  by  Celfus's  Jew,  to  fuf- 
 fer  thus,  that  many  gentile  Profelytes,  may 
 be  made,  on  occafion  of  their  difperfion. 
 For  their  fufferings,  are  the  juft  punifh- 
 ment,  of  their  own  fins*  So  great  they 
 were,  at  the  time  of  excifion,  that,  as  their 
 own  Hiftorian  records,  "  if  the  Romans  had 
 "  delayed,  to  come  againft  them,  the  earth 
 "  niuft  have  opened,  and  fwallowed  them 
 ^'  up,  or  fire  been  rained  upon  them^,  as  on 
 Jof.deb.vi.    u  Sg^Qj^  .  {Qit\iQjews  were  then  a  much 
 
 "  wickeder 
 
A  defence  of  Christianity.  189 
 
 wickeder  generation,    thin  thofe  that   had  Sed.  II. 
 fuffered,  thefe  extraordinary  punifhments.    (^[f^^b^ 
 Canaan)  was  the  promife,  God  annex'd,  16.  andxi.30, 
 
 1     •       I      I-  A  \c-  I  Elcazar  ac- 
 
 to  their  obedience :    As   cxpullion   thence,  knowledges 
 
 the  exprefs  punifhment  of  their  dilbbcdi-  ^\  ^''^*^» 
 
 ^  ^  when  he  ex- 
 
 ence.  The  JewSj  at  other  times,  acknow-  horts  the 
 ledge  God's  righteoufnefs,  in  this  Severe  ^^g^^j-el°es, 
 difpenfation.  Tliey  have  been,  they  are 
 ftill,  frequent  in  fallings,  in  confcfilons,  in 
 deprecations  5  and  cxpcd  to  return  home, 
 as  foon  as  they  repent  of  thofe  iliis,  that 
 have  drawn  this  vengeance,  on  their  Nati- 
 on. How  then,  are  they  faid,  to  bear  the 
 griefs,  to  carry  the  forroiz:Sj  to  make  their 
 lives  freely  an  offering  for  the  Jin  of  others, 
 or  even  for  themfclyes,  who  are  Jiricken 
 for  their  own  iins,  and  bniifed  for  their 
 own  iniquities,  (though  not  to  death)  and 
 do  not  yet  repent  of  them  ?  For  the  tranf 
 greffion  of  my  people y  (and  fuch  the  Jews 
 will  not  admit  any  nation  befide  their  own 
 to  be  called)  was  he  Jiricken.  Or  how 
 fhall  the  Gentiles,  be  the  better  for  the 
 Jews  dilpcrfion,  whofe  evil  manners,  are 
 an  offence  to  them  ?  or  be  healed  by  their 
 ftripes,  who,  the  Jews  believe,  fhall  utter- 
 ly perifh,  for  holding  them  in  captivity  > 
 
 He 
 
190  Al^cfenceof  CntLisTiARiTt, 
 
 Chap.  II.       He,   of    whom  Efay  prophefied,    is  vc^- 
 t/"  V^  hintartly  to  offer  up  his  life  {a)  for  the  par- 
 don of  others,   to  have  done  no  violence 7 
 to  have  fpoken  no  deceit,   not  to  open  his 
 mouth  impatiently  under  his  afflidions,  but 
 to  make  intercejjion  for  the  tranfgreffors 
 for  '■jvhom  he  fuffered.     Very  different   in 
 every  relped  is  the  beiiaviour  of  the  Jews, 
 in  their  prefent  difperfion.     Their  violence 
 and  deceit  toward  their  brethren,  and  their 
 turbulent  rebellious  carriage  to  their  gover- 
 nors, iirft  brought  the  Romans  upon  them, 
 whom  they  rcfifted,  to  the  laft  extremity  > 
 ib  little  choice  had  they  in  their  fufferings  • 
 And  ever  fuice;;  the  fame  crimes,  have  ex- 
 pofed  them,  one  time  or  other,  to  the  like 
 refentment  of  every  government  they  have 
 lived  under.     Inftead  of  interceding  for  the 
 nations,   they  daily   pray  for  their  fubver- 
 fion,  in  very  opprobrious  terms  [b).     They 
 
 are 
 
 (a)  Berac.  Pirke  /.both,  and  R.  Alfcbek.  affeft  that  the  phrafe,  tf  his 
 fmlfi} all  make  htmfelf  a  trefpafs  offering,  fignifies,  a  voluntary  oblation, 
 ib)  The  nth  of  the  i8  Prayers  faid  to  be  writ  by  R.  Gamahel.  Maim, 
 xi.  I.  Let  there  be  no  hope  for  Jpofiates  to  our  Religion,  and  may  the 
 menJn  the  H?reticks,  all  perijh  in  a  moment,  may  the  kingdom  of  pride 
 he  fuddenly  rooted  up.  Agen,  Or.  vii.  Regard  our  affiiBion:  take  up  our 
 faufe;  and  deliver  us  fopn.  Ot.  xii.  in  T\'\'^^W  Let  all  the  proud  (mean- 
 ing the  Chriiliansj  periflj  fuddenly  :  All  thine  enemies,  and  all  that  hate 
 i^;  let  them  be  cut  of  quickly,  and  broke  in  peices  in  our  days.  Bleffed 
 le  thou,  oh  God,  vcho  dcjiroye/i  the  vncked,  and  humblefi  the  proud. 
 Humble  them  quickly  in  our  days.  See  more  in  Buxt.  Lex.  Talm.  Rad. 
 r\Ui3  and  {'O 
 
A  i^efence  <?/ Christianity. 
 
 arc  perfuaded,  their  redemption  cannot 
 commence,  but  with  the  fall,  and  fub- 
 jedion  of  the  Chriftian  Powers,  whofe  peo- 
 ple they  hope  one  daj^  to  rule,  with  a 
 rod  of  iron.  Let  any  one  reconcile  thefe 
 things,  with  the  cxprcflions  in  the  Prophe- 
 cy. As  little  pretence  hath  'Jeremy,  Jojia, 
 or  any  other,  in  that  or  this  Age,  to  be 
 the  objeds  of  E/ay's  preditlion.  Jeremy 
 dyed  not  for  the  tranfgrellions,  or  pardon 
 of  the  Jews,  who  were  gone  into  Bahyloriy 
 before  he  went,  to  dye  in  Egypt,  and  re- 
 turned not  one  day  fooner,  for  all  the  fuf- 
 ferings,  they  heaped  upon  Jeremy.  Jojia^ 
 loft  his  life,  to  Tharaoh,  by  his  folly,  againft 
 the  warning  he  had  from  God,  not  to  ha- 
 zard it.  How  then,  did  the  Lord  lay  on  thefe 
 pcrfons,  the  iniquity  of  Ifrael  ?  How  did 
 they  by  choice  offer  thcmfclvcs  ?  or  were 
 the  people,  healed  by  their  ftripes,  which 
 truly  haftened  on  the  general  deftrudlion  ? 
 Jeremy  relates  of  himlclf,  that  he  bore 
 the  Tews  pcrfecution  of  him,  very  ill.  He  , 
 citrfed  the  day  of  his  birth :  he  expofttda-  xii.  1—4. 
 ted  '•Ji'ith  God,  for  giving  way  to  their 
 treachery  h  he  prayed,  that  he  might  pee 
 God's  vengeance  on  them  5  and  very  un- 
 willing to  dye,  at  laft  capitulated  for  his 
 life.     U  this  a   carriage,    that    fuits  with 
 
 P  2  the 
 
 XX.    II. 
 
 57.  and  3S. 
 
192  A  '''Defence  of  Ch  n  i  s  t  i  a  N  1  t  i'* 
 
 Chap.  II.    the  meeknefs  of  the  lamb^  and  tHe  filence 
 Ky^'T'^  of  the  pjeep  before  her  [hearers?  Doth  it 
 come  up,   to  interceding  for  the  tranfgref- 
 forSy   or  the  making  himfelf  freely,   an  of- 
 fering for  fin  ? 
 
 The  fufFcriiigs,  of  neither  the  one,  nor 
 the  other,  were  meritorious.  They  did 
 not  procure  them  zfeed,  a  long  fucceflion 
 of  difciples:  nor  were  They  the  means,  of 
 converting  gentile  kingdoms ;  nor  were  the 
 llifFerers,  at  any  time  afterwards,  exalted, 
 extolled,  and  made  'very  high,  for  their 
 fuiFerings. 
 
 Of  whom  then  doth  Efay  write  ?  "  It 
 "  is  a  hard  leflbn,  "  faith  Abenezra.  But 
 it  would  not  be  fo  hard,  would  they  heark- 
 en to  the  antient  Jews,  who  were  nearer 
 the  pure  fountains  of  the  traditionary  fenfe 
 of  fcripture,  and  who  all  expound  it  of 
 the  Meflias. 
 
 Their  Targttm  is  exprefs,  in  the  begin- 
 ning of  the  Sedion,  and  reads.  Behold  my 
 fervant  the  Mef/ias,  &c.  And  again  ch. 
 Jiii.  ID,  the  feed  is  referred  to  the  king- 
 donf\  of  the  Me  (pas.  The  charatter  of  Mef- 
 fias  prefixt,  to  the  lirft  verfe  by  the  Targum^ 
 •  muft  ncceflariiy  be  carried  throughout  the 
 
 whole  liiid  Chapter,  for  there  is  plainly  no 
 Variation  of  perlons. 
 
 And 
 
y^  defence  of  Christ  I  Ai^n  Y.  195 
 
 And  not  only  their  Targum->  but  their  Sc€t.  L 
 ^o^ors  'With  one  mouth  aj[erty  as  they  U^■^/^^^J 
 received  it  by  t  r  adit  ion ,  from  their  an- 
 ceftorSy  that  the  Mejjias  muft  be  under  ft  ood^ 
 by  Gods  fernjant  that  fijail  profper  and  be 
 exalted  [a).  They  who  allow  that,  do  in 
 efFcd  grant,  the  Mcfllas  muO:  be  the  llib- 
 jcd,  of.  all  that  follows.  There  is  no  ap- 
 plying one  part,  to  one  man,  and  another 
 part  to  another,  without  mangling,  and 
 confounding  the  order  of  the  whole  pro- 
 phecy. 
 
 This  the  ancient  Jews  did  not  do.  In 
 their  ancient  books  moftof  the  verfes  in  the 
 liiid  Chapter,  arc  occafionally  expounded, 
 of  the  Melllas.  Thus  they  call  Mellia  the 
 fon  of  l^avidy  by  the  name  of  Cholia^  a 
 man  of  grief  {b)j  becaufe  he  fits  at  Rome 
 among  the  poor,  burdened  "juith  grief  as  liii.  3,  4»  i®. 
 it  is  faid  in  Efay,  he  is  acquainted  with 
 grief  he  hath  born  our  griefs,  the  Lord 
 hath  put  him  to  Grief  At  other  times 
 R.  Juda  muft  be  the  Mefiias,  becaufe  he 
 was  Choli,  a  man  of  grief  (r),  or  R.  Simeon, 
 for  the   fame  reafon  {d).    Somerimcs   they 
 
 P  3  made 
 
 ia)  They  are  the  words  of  jilfchs!;  in  L'  Empereur,  and  the  like  is 
 owned  by7<i»-c^i  on  this  text,  and  on  Sanh.c.  xi.andbythe  old  hookTanch. 
 in  Jalhur,  and  Maim,  de  Re^ib.  c.  i2.  {b)3<tnh.  c.  xi.  Sed.  33.  S^"7in 
 (c)  Tahii.  Hier.  tr.  Kilaim,  in  Light,  ii.    p    167.  {d)  Ber.  R.  quoted 
 
 by  Grot,  dc  verit.  v. 
 
194  j^  T>efence  of  Chris  riAiJ  IT  rl 
 
 Chap.  II.  made  Nagua  or   leprous,    to  be  the  name 
 ^'^'^'^/^'^^  of  the  Melfia  (^),becaufe  it  is  faid  in  Efay, 
 
 ver.  4.  we  /^id  ejleem  him  ftricken  of  God  yUJ  or 
 leprous.  The  chajlifements  of  our  peace 
 in  ver.  5.  are  interpreted,  of  the  fufferings 
 of  the  MeJJias  {b),  which  they  make  to  be 
 one  third  of  all  the  afflidions  in  the  world, 
 and  to  be  laid  on  the  Meflias,  on  the  au- 
 thority of  this  text  {c),  and  readily  fubmit- 
 ted  to,    by  him,    in  love  to  men,   and  on 
 
 ver.  10.  condition,  that  the  dead  fhould  rife,  all 
 that  fhall  defcend  from  Adam .  {d). 
 
 It  would  be  tedious  to  cite  more  paiTa* 
 gcs.  Let  the  later  Jews,  or  the  unbelievers 
 that  perfonate  them,  anfwer,  thefe  traditi- 
 onary expofitions  of  their  Anceftors  firft. 
 Which  if  they  could,  the  text  will  remain, 
 as  it  was,  impoflible,  to  be  applied,  to  any 
 befide  the  Meflias,  who  in  his  two  differ- 
 ent ftates  of  humiliation  and  exaltation, 
 fully  anfwers  the  different  ideas,  whereby 
 the  prophet  defcribes  him. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 {»  Sanh.  xj.  Se6i.  3*^.  and  the  old  book  Vefikta  in  Huh.  c.Jud.  p.  316, 
 (})  Rabhoth  in  Ruth  ii.  14.  and  the  book  Siphre  from  Jofe  GaUleus  in 
 Tng.fidei.  iii.  3.  16.  38.  (c)  Jgadath  Samuel  in  Jalkut,    apud  L 
 
 Empenur.        {d)  Ber.  R.  Mofes  Hadarfan  on  Gen.  i.  from  R.  Abba. 
 
\/^T>efince  of  Christ  I  AijnY. 
 
 CHAP.    III.     Sect.  I. 
 
 E  arc  now  come,  to  enquire 
 into  another  way  of  prophc- 
 fying,  ufed  very  early  among 
 the  ]c\vs,  which  we  call  To- 
 pical. And  this  I  diftinguifh, 
 from  the  ftridly  Allegorical 
 method,  that  prevailed  in  and  before  our 
 Savior's  days ;  the  fenfe  whereof  oft-times, 
 was  not  fo  much  the  mind  of  the  prophet, 
 as  of  him  that  formed  the  HDMOl  Midras 
 from  thence  5  of  him  that  applied,  or 
 tho  c  that  formerly  lb  underflood,  the 
 words  of  the  Prophet. 
 
 Whereas  typical  prophecies,  I  take  to 
 be  thofc,  which  are  interpreted,  of  the 
 Mellias  for  inftance,  according  to  the  pri- 
 mitive, and  dired  intention  of  the  writer, 
 .or  the  fpirit  of  God  in  him,  though  they 
 be  fpokcn  in  the  Propiiet's  name  or 
 in  the  Name  of  fomc  other  man,  who  is 
 made  to  perfonatc  the  Mcilias;  and  the 
 prediction    be   intermingled    with    matters 
 
 P  4  that 
 
196  j^T>efence  of  Cur  I  ST  1 A  ij  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  II.  that  alfo  concern  other  Pcrfons.  Thefe,' 
 lyV^  where  they  regard  the  Meflias  at  all,  be- 
 long to  him  direftly  and  principally,  and  to 
 others  indiredly,  and  fecondarily;  and 
 where  they  pafs,  from  the  Meflias  to  the 
 perfon  reprefenting,  they  concern  him  pro- 
 perly, and  the  Meilias  improperly.  On 
 the  contrary, Allcgorick  predidions,  through- 
 out  regard  other  things,  in  their  obvious  and 
 literal  lenfe,  and  the  Meflias  only,  by  ac- 
 <;ommodation  and  allufion. 
 
 To  explain  my  felf  as  clearly  as  I  c^n. 
 A  man  hath  two  ways  of  communicating 
 his  thoughts  to  others,    by   words  and  by 
 Hgns.     The  one,  is  fitted  to  the  organs  of 
 hearing  :    the  other  of  feeing.     Words  arc 
 of    two  forts,     fimple  and  metaphorical. 
 Simple  words,    yield  a  plain  literal  fenfe, 
 which  arifes  from  the  firfl,  the  natural  and 
 grammatical    conflrudion.       Metaphorical 
 words,   give  a  fecondary,   figurative,   bor- 
 rowed fenfe,  being  tranflated  from  the  things 
 which  they  originally  exprefs'd,   to  others, 
 with  which,  they  have  fome  refemblance. 
 And  ufe  having  cflablifk'd  the  meaning  of 
 Thefe,   they  are  as  readily  underftood,   as 
 iimple   words,    and  give  the  true    literal 
 fenfe,   of  hirn  that  fpeaks   or  writes,   be- 
 
 caufe 
 
'j4T>efenceof  Christ  I  AmrYl  197 
 
 caufe  they  convey   his  thoughts,    in    that   Se£t.  I, 
 fulnefs,  with  which  he  conceived  them.      -^'"Vx^ 
 
 As  there  are  metaphorical  words  and  fen- 
 tcnces,  fo  there  werc>  in  the  early  times, 
 metaphorical  difcourfes,  which  they  called 
 parables  (a),  that  the  Syrians^  and  people  of 
 *Paleftine,  had  made  very  familiar  to  them 
 (b).  Thefe  were  narrations  of  fome  fuppo- 
 fed  event,  taken  moftly  from  what  occurs 
 in  humane  life,  and  carrying  under  their 
 literal  meaning,  a  reference  to  other  things, 
 which  they  fignificd  and  implied.  They 
 were  comparifons  of  two  things,  agreeing 
 in  one  or  more  refpefts  5  where  the  one 
 was  exhibited,  and  the  other  covertly,  yet  Mar.  iv.  zq. 
 intelligibly  to  the  attentive,  defcribed  there- 
 by {c). 
 
 Hence  parables  are  treated  of  by  the 
 Greeks,  as  confiding  of  two  parts  5  a  Para- 
 thefis,  and  an  Apodofis.  A  Propofition, 
 or  Story,    and  a  reddition,   or  moral  that 
 
 Ihews 
 
 (a)  Sen.  Ip.  '.  Apud  antiques  nondum  captabatur  plaufibilis  Ora- 
 
 tio.  Illi,  qui  fimpliciter  8c  probanda^  rei  causa  loquebantur,  Parabolis 
 referti  erant,  quas  exiftimo  neceffarias,  non  ex  eadcm  causa  qua  PoetiSj 
 fed  ut  imbecillitatis  noftrse  adminicula  fint,  Sc  differentem  8c  audien'^em, 
 in  rem  prefentem  deducant. 
 
 (,h)  Hier.  ad  Matt,  xviii.  13. 
 
 (f)  Hier.  ad  Algas,  q.  6.  Parabola,  h.  cfl  firailitudo,  quoe  ab  eo  voca- 
 tur,  quod  alteri  TrK^ct^ti^Xtlui,  i.  *.  aflimilatyr,  &  quafi  umbra,  prxviuitt' 
 vcritaris  eft. 
 
198  A  defence ^/  C  h  r  i  st  i  a  n  i  t  y. 
 
 Chap.  III.  fhews  the  tendency  of  the  ftory  5  though  the 
 ^"^'"V*^^  moral  was  frequently  omitted  and  left  to 
 be  colleded  by  the  hearers ;  and  was  com- 
 monly fo  interwoven  together  with  the  fto- 
 ry, as  not  eafily  to  be  miftaken,  in  the  Ap- 
 plication. 
 
 Of  this  fort  was  Nathan's  Parable  to  T>a~ 
 *vidj  where  under  the  relation  of  a  rich 
 man's  fparing,  to  take  of  his  own  flock, 
 which  was  great,  for  the  entertainment  of 
 
 *  Sam.  xu.  I,  i^jg  gueft,  and  forcing  away  the  darling  only 
 ewe  lamb  of  his  poor  neighbour,  he  ag- 
 gravates David's  fui  to  himfelf,  and  draws 
 him  in  to  condemn  it,  before  he  rcfleded, 
 that  himfelf  was  the  man  principally  in- 
 tended, in  the  ftory.  Such  was  the  widow 
 of  Tekods  parable,  contrived  to  encline 
 ^avid,  to  bring  Abfalom  from  banifhment^ 
 2  Sam.  xiv.  6,  7.  and  Ezekiel's  prophetick 
 Parable  of  two  eagles  and  a  vine,  by  which 
 he  reprefentcd  God's  judgments  on  y^r/^- 
 
 Ezck.xvif.  iem,  for  revolting,  from  the  eagle  of  Ba- 
 bylouy  to  that  of  Egypt. 
 
 Signs  alfo,  being  made  the  means,  of  ex- 
 prefting  mens  fentiments,  they  foon  came 
 to  be  diftinguiih'd  likewife  into  two  kinds. 
 For  as  it  hath  been  obferved  of  words,  that 
 they  are  fimple  and  figurative,  fo  it  is  true  of 
 %ns.     They  are  either  Natural,  /.  e,  fuch 
 
 as 
 
A  T>efence  ^Christianity.  199 
 
 as  arc  appropriated  by  nature,  for  the  mani-  ScO:.  I. 
 feftingof  certain  thoughts  and  palllons,  the  ^-^"'^V^J 
 mind  not  attending  to,  at  Icaft:  not  com- 
 manding thoie  motions  5  and  thclb  arc  the 
 fame  in  all  men,  as  they  happen  to  be  alike 
 aifeded :  or  ellc  they  are  infiituted,  and 
 depend  on  the  choice  of  the  Doer,  and 
 confequently  are  different  in  different  places, 
 fuitablc  to  tlic  genius  and  capacity,  and  cir- 
 cumftanccs  ot  a  people,  and  the  modes  of 
 the  times, 
 
 With  a  number  of  both  kind  of  figns, 
 continued  difcourfes  may  be  carried  on  ;  and 
 with  them  men  rcprefcnt  in  themfelves,  or 
 in  the  perfons  of  others,  things  that  Ihall  be 
 done  to,  or  by  a  third  perfon,  in  fuch  a 
 manner,  as  that  there  fhall  be  no  doubt  in 
 the  beholders,  that  thrXe  adions  have  a 
 further  view,  and  ought  not  to  be  reftrain'd 
 to  the  Doer. 
 
 What  may  be  thus  rcprefcntcd,  in  exter- 
 nal actions,  fignilicativc  of  correfpondent 
 events,  to  other  people,  may  be  defcribed  in 
 words  or  writing,  as  done,  or  to  be  done, 
 by  thofe  very  fIgns,  which  prefented  to  the 
 fight,  are  proper  to  ftrike  fpcelators,  with 
 fuitablc  ideas. 
 
 And  this  i2;ave  the  firft  rife  or  occafion,  to  Nature  of 
 
 Types* 
 
 typical  Prophcfies,  which  anfwer  to  Parabo- 
 lical 
 
2o:i  A^efenceofCnKisriKmr-'i, 
 
 Chap.  III.  naturally.     Becaufe  of  their  agreement  in 
 >-'^''>^^^^  the  main  features,    there  is  a  frequent  in- 
 fcnfiblc    tranfition,  from  the  type  to  the 
 thing  typified  j  and  now  and  then  there  feems 
 to  be  a  confufion  of  names  and  qualities, 
 but  a  careful  obfcrvcr  of  the  defign  of  the 
 type,    will   be  able  to  feparate  the  things 
 that  befit  the  charader  of  each  perfon  5  and 
 fo  diftinguilh  what  is  merely  perfonal,  and 
 what   is  neceflary  to   a  perfon  as  a   type, 
 from  what  can  t  belong  to  him  properly,  but 
 doth  to  the  perfon  rcprefented.     And  what 
 was  immedatcly  intended  for  the  typified 
 perfon,  will  be  underftood  of  him,  accord- 
 ing to  the  letter,  and  of  the  type  in  a  re- 
 mote, figurative  fenfe :  what  was  fulfilled  in, 
 or  peculiar  to  the  type,  will,  be  found  to 
 belong  to  the  anti-type,  but  imperfedly. 
 They  therefore  both  go  under  one  com- 
 Ezck.  XXIV.3.  mon  name.     Parable  is  a  word  often  ufed 
 for  a  type.     Utter  a  Tar  able,  faith  God, 
 to  the  rebellious  houfe,  when  he  employ- 
 ed Ezekiel,  to  fignify,   by  a  type,  the  de- 
 Nuni.xxiii.     ftrudion  of  Jerufalem.     And  Balaam  is 
 3!  15.        *  faid,    to  take  ftp  his  parable,  i.  e.  to  pro- 
 phecy in  a  typical  manner ;  for  fo  a  great 
 part  of  his  predidionsj    concern  the  latter 
 times,  under  the  names  of  people,  then  well 
 known  to  lirael 
 
 The 
 
A  defence  ^/Christianity. 
 The  writer  to  the  Hebrews  calls  the  Jcwifh 
 Tabernacle,  ;iTarable,  i.  c.  2iXy\>c,  for  the 
 time  prefent,  whereby  the  Holy  Ghoft  figni'  "*'''•  '''•  9- 
 fied  a  greater  and  more  ferfeB  tabernacle^ 
 under  the  Mcfllas.  And  Abraham,  who  Heb.  xi.  i^. 
 had  intentionally  offered  up  his  fon  Ifaact 
 tho'  prevented  in  the  execution,  is  faid  to 
 have  received  him  from  the  dead,  in  a  para- 
 ble :  Deliverance  from  certain  death,  being 
 a  type  of  that  power,  that  is  manitefted  in 
 raifing  the  dead. 
 
 From  hence  it  may  be  conceived,    how 
 fome  prophcfics,  arc  laid,  to  have  a  double 
 fenfc;  and  yet  only  fome  part  of  the  pro- 
 phecy, not  the  whole,  is  applicable,  to  the 
 perfon  reprefcnted,  viz.  in  conformity  to 
 the  nature  and   ftrudure  of  Parables,  with 
 which  typical  prophcfics,  bear  a  near  affi- 
 nity.    Neither  there,  nor  here,  hath  every 
 word  a  twofold  meaning,    nor  every  inci- 
 dent a  double  figniticancy.     The  chief  re- 
 femblanccs,    whereby  one  thing  or  perfoii 
 is  exhibited  for    an   example  of  another, 
 muft  agree  in  both :  but  the  perfonal  attri- 
 butes,   intcrfpcrfed  with  the  general  Cha- 
 racters,   will  have  a  fingle  completion,    in 
 him  alone^  for  whom  they  were  intended. 
 
 Having 
 
204  j^T)efenceof  Christ  IAN  itr^ 
 
 Chap.  III.      Having  thus  explained  my  felf,  in  gene- 
 
 '^■^'^^^'^^^  ral,  concerning  die  nature  of  Types,  I  pro- 
 
 S^hcTfr  ^^^^  ^o  fhewthe  ufe  of  them,  by  the  Pro= 
 
 phets.  phets,  with  refped  to  other  pcrfons  and  e- 
 
 vents,  before  1  prove  the  application  of  them 
 
 to  the  Meflias.     For  the  common  uiage  of 
 
 types,  upon  other  occafions,  will  take  away 
 
 our  wonder,  now  this  way  of  fpeaking  is 
 
 forgot,  why  in  fpeaking  of  the  Meflias,  they 
 
 are  fo  frequent. 
 
 Ef.  XX.  2,  3.      To  begin  with  .E/^ ;  God  bid  him,  /oofe 
 
 the  fackcloth  from  his  loyns,  and  put  ojf  his 
 
 fjoes,   and  he  did  fo,  walking  naked  and 
 
 barefootj  probably  for  three  days  together, 
 
 the  more  truly  to  rcprefent,  what  was  figni- 
 
 fied  in  this  adion,    and  to  make  it  univer- 
 
 fally  known  throughout  Jerufalem.     For 
 
 though  .E/^  was  the  perfon  that  went  naked, 
 
 his  nakednefs  did  not  principally  regard  him- 
 
 felf,  but  other  perfons,  whofe  captivity  was 
 
 prefigured  therein  5    it  being  the  cuftom  to 
 
 expofe  (laves  for  fale,   that  were  taken  in 
 
 war,   with  little  or   no  covering  on  their 
 
 bodies.     In  this  reference  God  explains  the 
 
 -  adion,  when  it  was  over.     And  the  Lord 
 
 ■)  faid,  Like  as  Efay  hath  walked  naked  and 
 
 barefoot  three  years  (a  day  for  a  year  in 
 
 the  prophetick  fenfc)  forafign  and  wonder y 
 
 the  Hebrev/  words  (hould  be  rcndred  for  a 
 
 Type 
 
A  TDefenceof  CkKiSTiA^mtY.  ibj 
 
 Type   and  an  exernplar,   concerning  Egypt     Seft.  I. 
 and  Ethiopia  :  fo  jhall  the  king  of  Allyria,  t/'V^J 
 lead  away  the  Egyptians    and  Ethiopians 
 captive,  naked  and  barefoot ^   &c. 
 
 The  defign  of  this  action,  was  to  foretell 
 the  captive  (late  thefe  nations  fliould  be 
 in,  for  three  years  together :  and  therefore 
 we  fuppofc  the  time  of  the  prophet's  naked- 
 Hefs  (or  three  days)  was  typical,  as  well  as 
 the  adtion.  In  all  this,  the  prophet  was^ 
 as  he  tells  them,  a  fign^  and  a  wonder ^ 
 touching  the  fate  of  thefe  people  j  not  a 
 miraculous  fign,  to  aflure  them  of  the  fu- 
 ture event  ,•  for  there  was  nothing  extraordi- 
 nary, or  fuper-natural  in  his  action ;  but  a 
 iign  of  reprefentation,  or  exemphfication, 
 which  is  the  true  notion  of  a  Type.  So 
 that  we  have  here,  as  well  the  word 
 type,  as  the  thing  itfclf,  a  typical  prophecy, 
 and  both  according  to  the  interpretation> 
 of  the  holy  Scripture  itfelf. 
 
 Ezekiel  gives  us  more  inftances.  One 
 while  he  takes  to  him  an  iron  pot,  or 
 veflel ;  (fuch  as  fire  was  wont  to  be  carried  in, 
 before  the  Chaldxan,  and  Perfian  Generals, 
 when  they  went  to  battle)  znd  puts  it  for  a 
 wall  of  iron  between  hitn  and  the  city,  to 
 fignify  the  ftrcngth  and  force  of  that  army, 
 
 Q^  whofc 
 
204  AT>efence  o/*  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  fy. 
 
 Chap.  III.  Having  thus  explained  my  felf,  in  gene- 
 ^^'^'^^■^'"^"^  ral,  concerning  the  nature  of  Types,  I  pro- 
 S^hcl^rr  ^^^^  ^o  Ihewthe  ufe  of  them,  by  the  Pro= 
 phets.  phets,  with  refped  to  other  perfons  and  e- 
 
 vents,  before  1  prove  the  application  of  them 
 to  the  Mellias.  For  the  common  uiage  of 
 types,  upon  other  occafions,  will  take  away 
 our  wonder,  now  this  way  of  fpeaking  is 
 forgot,  why  in  fpeaking  of  the  Mellias,  they 
 are  fo  frequent. 
 Ef.  XX.  2,  3.  To  begin  with  .E/^ :  God  bid  him,  loofe 
 the  fackcloth  from  his  loyns,  and  put  off  his 
 fboes,  and  he  did  fo,  walking  naked  and 
 barefootj  probably  for  three  days  together, 
 the  more  truly  to  rcprefent,  what  was  figni- 
 fied  in  this  adion,  and  to  make  it  univer- 
 fally  known  throughout  Jerufalem.  For 
 though  .E/^  was  the  perfon  that  went  naked, 
 his  nakednefs  did  not  principally  regard  him- 
 felf,  but  other  perfons,  whofe  captivity  was 
 prefigured  therein  ;  it  being  the  cuftom  to 
 cxpofe  fiaves  for  fale,  that  were  taken  in 
 war,  with  little  or  no  covering  on  their 
 bodies.  In  this  reference  God  explains  the 
 -  adion,  when  it  was  over.     And  the  Lord 
 
 ]  faid.  Like  as  Efay  hath  walked  naked  and 
 
 barefoot  three  years  (a  day  for  a  year  in 
 the  prophetick  fenfc)  for  a  (ign  and  wonder y 
 the  Hebrew  words  Ihould  be  rcndred  for  a 
 
 Ty^e 
 
L/^VNJ 
 
 A  defence  of  CiiKiST  I  AH  IT  Y.  idj 
 
 Type   and  an  exemplar^  concerning  Egypt     Se(ft^I. 
 and  Ethiopia  :  fo  fhall  the  king  of  Aflyria, 
 lead  away  the  Egyptians    and  Ethiopians 
 captive  J  naked  and  barefoot  j   &c. 
 
 The  defign  of  this  adion,  was  to  foretell 
 the  captive  (late  thefe  nations  fliould  be 
 in,  for  three  years  together :  and  therefore 
 we  fuppofc  the  time  of  the  prophet's  naked- 
 nefs  (or  three  days)  was  typical,  as  well  as 
 the  adlion.  In  all  this,  the  prophet  was^ 
 as  he  tells  them,  a  fign,  and  a  wonder y 
 touching  the  fate  of  thefe  people  j  not  a 
 miraculous  fign,  to  aflure  them  of  the  fu- 
 ture event  -,  for  there  was  nothing  extraordi- 
 nary, or  fuper-natural  in  his  adion  5  but  a 
 fign  of  reprefentation,  or  exemphfication, 
 which  is  the  true  notion  of  a  Type.  So 
 that  we  have  here,  as  well  the  word 
 type,  as  the  thing  itfclf,  a  typical  prophecy, 
 and  both  according  to  the  interpretation, 
 of  the  holy  Scripture  itfelf. 
 
 Ezekiel  gives  us  more  inftances.  One 
 while  he  takes  to  him  an  iron  pot^  or 
 veflel ;  (fuch  as  fire  was  wont  to  be  carried  in, 
 before  the  Chaldaean,  and  Perflan  Generals, 
 when  they  went  to  battle)  zwd  puts  it  for  a 
 wall  of  iron  between  Imn  and  the  city,  to 
 fignify  the  ftrcngth  and  force  of  that  army, 
 
 Q^  whofc 
 
266  A  defence  of  C  h  r  i  s  x  i  a  n  i  t  Yo 
 
 Chap.  III.  whofe  fymbol  was  fire.     Then  he  hardens 
 
 K^^''^  his  own  face,    againfi  the   city,    as  men 
 
 look  fiercely,    that   are  inflexibly  bent  on 
 
 the  ruin  of  another,   and  he  lays  fiege  to 
 
 it,  or  declares  the  city  fhould  be  befieged^ 
 
 by  furrounding  it.     In  all  this  fhow,   the 
 
 E2ck.  jv.  3.   text  faith,  Ezekiel  was  afign  to  the  houfe 
 
 of  Ifraeh  in  other  words,  a  type  of  what 
 
 the  Chalda;an  king,   aiui  his  army,   fhould 
 
 ad  agaihft  Jernfalem. 
 
 Anon,  he  turns  himfclf  into  a  type  Qt 
 fign  of  the  houfe  of  Ifrael,  and  thus  pro- 
 Erek.  iv.  5--  phefics  in  adions  againtl  them.  Hcfhackks 
 his  legSy  he  lies  unmoveabk  oit  his  left 
 fide,  190  days,  for  the  iniquity  of  the 
 houfe  of  Ifrael,  and  again  40  days  on  his 
 right  fide,  for  the  iniquity  of  the  houfe  of 
 Juda  3  eating  fparingly,  and  of  ijile  things 
 the  mean  while  5  with  his  right  arm  un- 
 covered, and  extended  toward  Jenfalem) 
 as  in  coins,  the  right  hands  of  conquering 
 princes  are  to  be  fccn.  What  did  he  mean 
 by  all  this  ?  God  explains  it  to  him.  I  have 
 appointed  thee,  faith  God,  a  day  for  a  year : 
 —and  thou  fhalt  prophecy  againfi  it  (Jeru- 
 falem.)  Implying  that  thefc  adions  of  the 
 prophet,  did  prefigure,  fo  many  days  fiege 
 as  Ifrae/ li^id  been  falling  away  years,  from 
 
 fhc- 
 
A  defence 6} C  fi r is  1 1  a  N  i f  r.  i^i 
 
 the  date  of  Jerobcams  Apoftacy.  And  a-  Sc£l.  L 
 gain,  'io  many  days  Ihoiild  yerufalem  be  ^i/'V^ 
 dcrtroying,  to  its  final  eonllimption  by  fire, 
 as  Juda  had  exceeded  Ifrael  ycusm  idola- 
 try, under  Menaffes,  from  which  time  their 
 dcftrudion  had  been  decreed  irreverfiblyj 
 J.  Kings  xxi.   II,   12,  13. 
 
 At  another  time,  the  prophet  brings  fort/j  Eiek.  ^it. 
 his  travelling  baggage ^  by  day  out  of  his 
 hcufe^  or  polllbly  went  about  with  it, 
 through  the  city,  for  feveral  day«,  and  at 
 the  evening  of  one  of  them,  he  digs 
 through  the  wall  of  the  city  in  their  fight, 
 and  goes  out  by  the  breach,  with  his  goods 
 upon  his pjoulder,  (as  men  do,  that  hope  to 
 fly  undilcovered  in  imminent  danger)  and 
 covers  his  face,  that  he  could  not  fee  the 
 ground,  like  a  blind  man,  or  a  mourner. 
 
 Herein  God  appointed  him  lor  a  fign,  to 
 the  houfc  of  Ifrael  ;  but  the  meaning  there- 
 of, neither  he,  nor  they,  did  yet  know. 
 The  next  morning,  God  interpreted  the 
 fign,  and  commands  him  to  fay,  to  them 
 who  asked,  '•ji'hat  dofl  thou  ?  Thus  faith 
 the  Lord.  This  burden  or  propliecy,  con- 
 cerneth  the  prince  in  Jerufalem  (in  the  Ezel?.  xii.  loj 
 firft  place)  and  all  the  hoiife  of  Ifrael:  fay  ''• 
 /  am  your  fgn  ',  that  is,  a  pattern  of  what 
 
 q,  a  Ihali 
 
2.08  AD^fenceofCnKistiK-i^irt, 
 
 Chap.  III.  fliall  befall  him,  and  you  5    for  fo  he  goes 
 
 ^"-^^^^"""^^  on,  and  explains  it.  Like  as  I  have  done, 
 
 fo  fhall  it  be  done    unto    them.    How   fo  ? 
 
 They  jhall  remove y    and  go  into  captivity, 
 
 and  the  prince  that  is  among  them  *  jhall 
 
 bear  (his   knapfack)    on  his  fooulder  in  the 
 
 twilight y    and  go  forth  through  the  wall 
 
 that  was  dug  through y  and  he  (the  enemy) 
 
 2  Kings  XXV.  flmll  cover  the  prince's  face,    that  he  fee 
 
 not  the  ground  with  his  eyes.     This  was 
 
 literally  accomplifh'd  in  Zedekia,  as  perfo- 
 
 nated  by  Ezekiel,  who  was,  for  that  rea- 
 
 fon,  called  his  and  Ifrael's  fgn,   or  type,^ 
 
 and  to  prophecy  by  thefe  typical  adions. 
 
 Once  more,  under  the  figure  of  not 
 mourning,  for  his  wife  newly  deceafed,  the 
 fame  prophet  foretold,  the  approaching  ca- 
 lamity, of  his  people,  and  that  it  fhould  be 
 too  great  to  be  lamented,  and  therefore  go 
 unpitied.  The  Jews,  who  ever  efteemed  it 
 a  piece  of  religion,  to  mourn  for  the  dead, 
 which  they  were  wont  to  perform  with 
 much  publick  ceremony,  were  earneftwith 
 Ezekiel  to  tell  themy  what  thefe  things 
 were  to  themy  that  he  did  fo  ?  To  them 
 he  anfwered,  Ton  fiall  doy  as  I  have  done^ 
 I  will  prophayie  my  fanMuaryy  the  dejire 
 fif  your  eyeSy  faith  the  Lord,  &c.  and  you 
 
 jhal4 
 
 Jof.  de  b.  ii. 
 
[/^Defence of  Christ  1  Mi iTY.  209 
 
 fhal/  not  cover    your  lips   (your   faces,  as    Scd.  I. 
 mourners  do)    nor  eat  the  bread  of  men  ^^-^^^f^ 
 (the  funeral   fcafi:  prepared   for  them  that  etcIc.  xxiv. 
 accompanied  the  corpfe.)   T/ms  E;^i^kie/  is  '^'•'•s 
 to  you  afign  -y  (a  type)  ace  or  ding  to  all  that 
 he  ha$h  done->  Jliall  you  do. 
 
 Thefc  inftances  are  fo  exprefs,  that  it  is 
 needlefs  to  add  to  them.  Yet,  that  it  may 
 appear,  how  common  it  was  in  thofe 
 days,  to  prophecy  by  types,  I  refer  to  ma- 
 ny more  palfages  of  this  fort  in  the  mar- 
 gent  [a).  In  all  of  them,  the  prophets  put 
 on  various  fornix,  and  perfonate  fmgkper-. 
 fons,  and  nations,  the  people  of  Ifrael, 
 and  the  advcrfaries  and  friends  of  Ifracl,  on 
 purpofe  to  foretell,  what  fhall  be  done  by, 
 or  to  thole  people  hereafter ;  which  comes 
 up  to  the  full  import,  of  a  type  or  fign. 
 
 But  further,  they  were  not  only  them- 
 fcives,  typical  perfons  •■,  but  they  fpeak  to, 
 or  of,  different  perfons  from  themfelves, 
 as  types  of  other  perfons,  and  people.  Be- 
 hold /,  and  the  children  God  hath  given  ^^-  '^'^"-  '^' 
 mey  are  for  figns  and  wonders  in  Ifrael, 
 from  the  Lord  of  //^j-— arc  the  words  of 
 
 a  3  Efay, 
 
 (4)  Eiek.iii.  i6.    xxiv.  2,  crc  17.     Jer.     xviii.  i 7.        xivi.i---^, 
 
 xix.  II.  xxvii.  1,3,  II.    xxviii.  10,  u.    xliii.  9,  10.    H&f.  i.  »..     i\.x. 
 Zech.  xi.  7,  c^-f.  xiii.  7,  8. 
 
s I o  A Tiefence tf/ Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  III.  Efay.     They   are  the  fame  words   m  tha 
 ^/^^^'^  hebrew,  as  in  Ezek.  xxiv.  24.  whereT^wi" 
 and  wonders,  ought  certainly  to  be  rendred 
 typs  and  examples.     And  lb  his  children 
 were   appointed  as  types,  of  events  to  be 
 accomplifh'd  to,  and  in  Ifrael.     Their  names 
 implied    as  much.      The  one  was   called 
 Shearjajhtib,    or  the  remnant  Ihall  return, 
 to  foretell  from  the  impofition  of  his  name, 
 that  the  remnant  of  the  captives  of  Juda, 
 (taken  by  the  kings  of  Syria  and  Ifrael,) 
 ihould  return  to  their  brethren  :  the  other 
 Maharflialal  haz  haz,   was  fo  named,   to 
 fignify  the  fpeedy  fall  of  "Damafms,   and 
 the  plunder  of  Samaria.     And  this  is  Efay\ 
 own  explication. 
 
 The  fame  thing  is  declared  by  Zechary, 
 when  fpeaking  to  Jefliiia  the  High-Prieft, 
 and  his  AflTefTors,  of  whom  Zerobabel  was 
 one,  he  tells  them,  they  were  men  of 
 wonder,  as  it  is  englifh'd  in  the  margin. 
 It  would  be  better  rendred,  by  typical 
 5.cch.  iii.  9;  tfien  {a),  who  were  fmglcd  out,  to  por- 
 tend future  things.  This  is  one  %nificati- 
 on  of  the  original  word :  and  fo,  as  I  fhall 
 
 prove 
 
 {^   VS^\rr  ^^3H  viri  portendentes,    Vnl  Lat.  and  fo  PSia  figni- 
 £e3  in  Eiekie!. 
 
A  Defence  (j/'  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  v.  211 
 
 prove  by  and  by,  fcvcral  promifcs  addrcfs'd    Scd.  I. 
 10  them  in  pcifoiv,    had   a  remoter  view  ;   ^yVNJ 
 and  were  designed  only,  to  fiiew  in  them, 
 what  fhoLiId  come  to  pals,  by  another,  in 
 after-times. 
 
 In  a  word,  that  tliis  was  one  of  the  or- 
 dinary ways  of  prophecying,  and  rightly 
 accommodated  to  the  underftanding  and 
 memory  of  that  people,  i.saiTirmcd  by  God 
 himielf  to  the  Uraelites.  Hof.  xii.  10.  1 
 have  jpoken  by  the  prophets  :  and  I  have 
 multiplied  vifions :  and U S ET)  S I M J- 
 LITUT>  E  S  by  the  mini  fir  y  of  the  pro- 
 phets. In  other  words,  I  have  employed 
 types  or  parables  (di),  to  convey,  in  a  fenfible 
 manner,  to  their  thoughts,  my  purpofes 
 -towards  them. 
 
 Take  the  expofition  of  the  text,  from 
 ^,^^hc  Jews  thcmfelves.  "  What  could  I  have 
 '^  done  more  for  you,  that  1  have  not 
 "  done,  to  hinder  you  from  forgetting 
 "  me  ?  I  fpokc  daily  to  you  by  the  pro- 
 ?'  phets ;  I  multiplied  vifions.  for  many  days : 
 *'  and  I  propofcd  to  you  fimilitudes   and 
 
 (^  4  ''  pa- 
 
 {a)  Hof,  xii.  lo.  nOlS  both  verb  and  nor.n  hatli  the  fenCc,  ot 
 imaging,  comparing  likening,  and  thence  of  fignifying  one  thing  by 
 another,  Jcr.  vi.  2.  Gen.  i.  26,  Job  iv,  ic.  Pf.  xhx.  13.  Ef. 
 slvi.  5. 
 
212.  y^T>efinceof  Chris  T I  At^  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  III.  "  parables  {a)  by  the  prophets,"  is  Kimchi's 
 ^^f^^^^^^'*^  paraphrafe.       "  I  aflimilated    my    words 
 "  into  the  form  of  Parables,  to  fuit  them 
 "  to  the  hearers  thereof,"  is  Jar chi's  com- 
 ment. 
 
 I  know  not  wiiat  better  proof  can  be 
 required,  to  fhew  that  typical  adions,  and 
 typical  difcourfes,  make  part  of  the  pro- 
 phetick  language,  and  were  undcrftood  by 
 the  people,  to  carry  a  reference  to  fome- 
 thing  future,  and  to  fome  other  perfon,  than 
 he  who  was  the  reputed  fign.  Often, 
 when  the  event  fignified  was  near,  the 
 prophet  explained  the  import  of  the  type  ; 
 whenever  he  did  not  (^),  the  people  were 
 neverthelefs  aware,  that  it  was  intended  for 
 another  j  from  fome  impropriety  in  the 
 adlion,  inconfiftent  with  the  charader  of  the 
 Doer,  or  of  him  to  whom  it  was  immediately 
 
 afcribcd. 
 
 (a)  '^WQproverh  {etmstohciliegenns  for  all  comparifons  and  examples 
 that  appear  one  thing,  and  intend  another ;  and  when  diflinguifhed  from 
 nX^'7Q  (a  meer  /w-wfl®-,  from  whence  fabuta  Milefia,)  and  from  m^Fl 
 a  problem,  or  enigma,  (as  it  is  Prov.  i.  6.  and  Hab.  ii.  6.)  lUnds  pro- 
 perly, for  a  type  or  example. 
 
 (b)  Malm.  Mor,  Neb.  ii.  43.  Prophets  quandoque  per  Parabolas 
 prophetare  folent— • — V^ident  faepe  aliquod  per  parabolam,  cujus  fenfu? 
 quandoque  in  eadem  vilione  explicstur  :  quandoque  fenfus  non  percip.i- 
 ^ur,  yd  fignificarur,  nifi  pol^uam  expergefa<fliis  eft,  h'c. 
 
A  defence  <?/ Christianity.  213 
 
 afcribed,  they  were  led  to  think,  it  look.    Scd.  I. 
 cd  farther,    and  were   inqiiifitive   to   dive  ^"^^'^^^ 
 into  the   meaning   of  it.     IVilt  thou  not 
 tell  us,  what  thefi  things  are  to  us,  that     xx.  49- 
 thou  doft  fo  ?    was  their  form  of  expoftu- 
 lation   with   Ezekiel.      Who  remarks    of 
 them  in  another  place,    that  they  ufed  to 
 fay  of  him,    Ah,  Lord,  doth  he  not  fpeak 
 "Parables  ? 
 
 It  ought  not  therefore  to  be  denied,  that 
 the  prophets  might,  as  they  did,  Ipcak  of 
 the  Mefllas,  in  their  own  perfons  j  or  treat 
 other  perfons  as  types  of  the  Meflias. 
 Where  is  the  incongruity  in  this  one  cafe, 
 more  than  in  any  other  ?  Why  might  they 
 not,  in  themfelves,  or  others,  foretell  the 
 adlions,  the  fufferings,  the  offices,  the 
 Speeches  of  the  Meffias,  as  well  as  the 
 things  that  fhould  be  done  by,  or  to, 
 certain  princes  of  Juda,  the  body  of 
 the  Jews  or  gentile  nations,  long  af- 
 ter their  own  Age  ?  And  why  might  not 
 fuch  adlions  and  difcourfes  be  .apprehended 
 by  the  people  to  be  typical,  in  one  cafe, 
 as  well  as  the  other  ?  * 
 
 It  is  plain  they  were  fo,  from  the   Eu- 
 nuch's qucftion   to  Thilip,    upon    reading 
 
 the 
 
214  ^  defence  of  Christ  I  AN  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  III.  the  fufferings  of  Chrift  in  Efay,  Of  ^juham 
 ^JgQJ^  did  the  prophet  fay  thefe  things,  of  him- 
 felfy  or  offome  other?  What  fhould  move 
 him  to  fiifped,  that  another  was  here  in- 
 tended j  but  that  he  had  learn  d,  from  at- 
 tending on  the  fynagogue  wprfhip,  that 
 pcrfonating  other  people  was  familiar  with 
 |:he  prophets ;  and  that  he  was,  at  a  lofs  to 
 know,  whether  this  was  one  of  the  paf- 
 fages,  that  was  to  be  thus  interpreted  ? 
 
 But  to  put  this  matter,  beyond  reafona- 
 bl.e  doubt,  I  will  endeavour  to  fhew, 
 
 Firfij  That  the  Prophets  thcmfelves  un- 
 derftood  and  explained,  fome  of  the  pro- 
 phecies, before  them,  as  typical  of  the 
 Mellias,  or  at  the  time  of  delivering  their 
 own  prophecies,  gave  intimations,  that  they 
 were  thus  to  be  referred. 
 
 Secondly,  That  the  latter  Jews  acknow- 
 ledge the  word  and  thing,  or  that  in  ge- 
 neral there  are  types  in  the  old  Tcfta- 
 ment,  and^  in  particular,  types  of  the  Mef- 
 fias.  » 
 
 Thirdly,  That  the  antient  and  modern 
 Jews,   underftand  many  texts  of  the  Mel- 
 
 fias, 
 
u^\r\J 
 
 A  ^Defence  ofC  hristianity.  215 
 
 fias,  as  the  chriftians  do,  which  arc  plainly    Sccl.  I. 
 typical. 
 
 Lafifyy  That  there  arc  wife  rcafons,  for 
 not  explaining  clearly  all  the  events  con- 
 cerning the  Mcllias,  which  were  delivered 
 under  the  veil  of  types,  and  then  were  at 
 a  G;rcat  diftance  from  their  completion. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
A  Defence  <?^Christianity- 
 
 T 
 
 C  H  A  P.  III.     Sect.   II. 
 
 HE  firft  propofition  advanced  is  this. 
 The  Prophets  themfelves  underftood 
 and  explained  fome  of  the  prophecies,  be- 
 fore them,  as  typical  of  the  MefTias :  or  at 
 the  time  of  delivering  their  own  prophecies, 
 intimated,  that  they  were  to  be  referred 
 to  him. 
 
 I .  In  proof  hereof,  we  bring  the  promife, 
 made  by  Nathan  to  T)avtd,  under  the 
 name  and  perfon  of  Solomon.  There  was 
 no  notion,  more  deeply  and  univerfally 
 rooted  in  the  Jews,  than  this,  that  the 
 Meflias  fhould  be  of  the  feed  of  David. 
 The  Scribes  affirmed  it,  without  hxfitati- 
 on  in  anfwer  to  Jefus's  qucftion.  What 
 Mat,  xxfi.  think  you  of  Chrtfl,  whofe  fon  is  he  ? 
 The  common  people,  believing  Jefus,  to 
 be  the  Chrift,  invoke  him  often  by  the 
 name  of  the  fon  of  David.  It  occurs  no 
 Ipfs,  than  feven  times  in  one  fedion  of 
 the  Talmiidical  book,  Sanhedrin :  Mef- 
 fiah  the  fon  of  David,  or  fimply  the  fon 
 of  David.  And  yet  tracing  this  notion, 
 tp  its  original  authority,   it  will  be  found 
 
 to 
 
y^  ^Defence  of  Christ  I  Ai^iTY.  217 
 
 be  grounded,  on  a  promifc,  made  of  So/o-    Sed.  II. 
 mon,    as  the  type,    and  interpreted  of  the  ^-^'V'NJ 
 
 Mcllias,   by    the  prophets  that   Hved  after 
 
 him. 
 
 The  pvomife  runs  in  thefe  words,  When 
 
 thy  days  ^all  be  fulfilled— -I  will  fet  np 
 
 thy  feed   after  thee^    which  ^mll  proceed 
 
 out   of  thy  bowels  J    and  I  will  eftablijh  iz,  8cc. 
 
 his  kingdom.  He  fljall  build  a  houfe 
 for    my    name,    and  I  will  efiablijh  the 
 
 throne  of  his  kingdo?n  for  ever.     I  will  be 
 
 to  him  a  father,  and  he  (hall  be  to  me  a 
 fin.     If  he  commit  iniquity,  I  will  chafien 
 
 him  with  the  rod  of  men- — but  my  mercy 
 {hall  not  depart  from  hifn,  as  I  took  it  from 
 
 Saul,  whom  I  put  away  before  thee.  Thy 
 houfe  and  thy  kingdom  fhall  be  efiablijh t 
 for  ever — 
 
 That  the  words  were  fpokcn  of  Solomon 
 in  the  firft  place  is  plain  from^^i;/V/'s  applica- 
 tion of  them  to  him,  and  efpecially  from  'Chr.xxviil. 
 God's    repetition    of    them,      to   Solomon  ''    '  ^" 
 himfelf     And  that  under  Solomon,  another  z  Chr.vii.  rS. 
 king  was  intended,  a  greater  than  Solomon,  !^'^'^  i*^iiii. 
 that   fhould  live  after  him,    is  alio  certain 
 from  the  fame  Solomon ;  when  at  brini^iuii 
 up  the  ark  into  the  temple,     he  put  God 
 in   mind,   of  this  very  promifc  to  T^avid, 
 
 and 
 
218  A  l^efence  ^  C  h  r  i  s  1 1 A  n  1 1 1.' 
 
 Chap.  III.  and    prays    earneftly    for     the     fulfillii^ 
 s-'-V'^  of  it. 
 
 The  1 3  zd  Pfalm,  is  afcribed  to  Solo- 
 mon:, and  is  evidently  made,  upon  remo- 
 %tx.  8.  ving  the  Ark.  David's  intention  to  build 
 an  habitation  for  the  God  of  Jacob,  occa= 
 iioned  this  promife  by  Nathan:  and  the 
 finiihing  of  the  temple,  gives  Solomon  oc- 
 cafion,  to  reflect  on  that  promife,  with 
 thankfiilnefs.  Part  was  already  fulfilled^ 
 which  he  takes  for  an  earned:,  that  what 
 was  ftiil  behind,  Ihould  alfo  be  accomplifh- 
 ed  J  and  therefore  prays  the  time  for  it^ 
 may  not  be  far  off. 
 
 Ver.  10.  For  thy  fer-vdnt  T)avids  fake^ 
 turn  not  away  the  face  of  thy  Meffias  i 
 i.  e,  forget  not  thy  promiie  to  ^avid  con- 
 ^  I  Ki.  ii.  2.0.  cerning  him :    Say  him  not  nay  *,  nor  put 
 *  Pf.  152.     ofi^  the  coming  of  the  Meffias.     The  Lord 
 Ver.  II,  12.   hath  [worn  in  truth  unto  T)avidj  he  will 
 not  turn  from  it,   of  the  fruit  of  thy  body 
 will  I  fet  upon  thy  throne.     If  thy  chil- 
 dren will  keep  my  covenant  and  my  tefli- 
 mony  that  I  fhall  teach  the?n  :    their  chil- 
 dren alfo  pjall  Jit  upon  thy  throne  for  e- 
 vermore,     For  the  Lord  hath  chofen  Si^ 
 on-  -This  fhall  be  my  reft  for  ever.   Thus  far, 
 Solomon  applied  the  promife,   to  himfelf. 
 
 He 
 
A^efenceofCHKiSTiAHiTY,  219 
 
 He  was  in  poflcilion  of  the  kingdom,  up-    Scd.  II. 
 on  the  condition  of  obedience,  and  he  had  ^-'^^^^ 
 built  a  houle,   to   God's  name  5   but  there 
 Was  Ibmething  iuithcr  imply cd,    which  by 
 prophetic  impuUe,    he  encourages  them  to 
 expccl,    and   engages  for   in    God's    name? 
 Here  -juill  1  d'Jijell-'- -There  (or  then,  for  fo 
 that  particle  often  fignifies)  [a)  will  I  'make  ^^^^  ,^  ly, 
 the  horn  of  'David  to  bud,  I  have  ordain- 
 ed a  Lamp  for  mine  anointed.  , 
 
 Horn  is  an  Half  ern  figure  for  a  king  :   aS 
 Lamp    is    for   kingdom^    in   the  judgment 
 of    the    Chaldee    Paraphraft     on    another  Tnrg.on 
 place,     And  joming  this  idea,  to  the  word  '^^^'^'^^'''  7* 
 lamp  in  the  Pfalmift,  the  fenfe  of  the  Pa- 
 raphrafc  on  both   parts  of  the  Pfalm?    will 
 be  this.   "  /  ijuill  make  a  glorious  king  to 
 "■  bud  like  a  brajich  in  the  hottfe  of  David: 
 **  I  have  decreed  a  kirigdom  for  my  Mef- 
 *'  fias.  "      He  is  called  the  Mefjias  in  the 
 latter  part  of  the  verfe,  who  is  termed  the 
 Horn  of  David,   and  the  Branch,  in  the 
 former  part.     And  the  future  budding  forth, 
 and  future  kingdom  of  this  Meflias,    is  the 
 interpretation  of  the  oath,  made  to  David 
 by   Nathan y    ver.   11.    which  Solomon  ob- 
 
 fervcd, 
 
 {a)  D'^  is  rcndred  hyKolilui  Concord.byl  Af»,which  aafwers  to  in  tliat  da/; 
 ?•  i  licfliewsit  isufedfoEccl.JH.  i?.  rrov.viii.  z/.  Ef.xlviii.  16.  Jud.v.  ri- 
 
220  A  "Defence  of  Christianity, 
 
 Chap.  III.  feivcd,  was  in  fome  refpeifls  performed 
 ^-•^^"^^^"^  to  him.  We  can  account  no  other  wife 
 for  this,  but  by  fuppofmg  Solomon^  to  be 
 a  reprefentative  of  the  Meflias,  and  as  fuch 
 to  appropriate,  fome  of  the  characters,  in 
 this  prediction,  to  himfelf,  and  leave  the 
 reft  to  the  Meflias,  for  whom  they  were 
 defigned ;  though  by  the  connexion,  one 
 and  the  fame  perfon  feems  to  be  fpoken 
 of,  throughout  the  promife. 
 
 For  that  Solomon  could  not  mean  him- 
 felf,   by  the  horn  and  branchy  doth  farther 
 appear,  from   the  following  prophets.     E- 
 fay  and  Jeremy  long  after  Solomons  death, 
 promife  his  coming,  to  whom  thefe  titles 
 
 Ef.  iv.  2.  belong  by  the  name  of  the  Branch ;  where 
 the  Jews  Targtim  fails  not,  to  inform  us, 
 that  he  is  the  Meflias.     And  after  the  Cap- 
 
 jer.  x^iii-  ?•  tivity,  when  the  kingdom  of  David  failed, 
 and  was  not  r-eflored,  Zechary,  taught  them 
 however,   to  look   for  the  appearance,   of 
 
 Zech.  iii.  4-    God'sfervant  the  Branch — the  manwhofe 
 
 vi.  \x-         name  was  the  Branch,  who  (hotild  build* 
 the  temple  of  the   Lord,  and  be  a   kingy 
 and  Triefi  on  the  thro72e'— where  the  Tar^ 
 gum  is   alfo   conftant,    in    explaining   the 
 word  of  the  Meflias. 
 
 In 
 
A  T>efence  0/  C  H  r  i  s  t  i  an  i  T  y.'  221 
 
 In  virtue  of  which  piomiies,  the  people  Sedl.  IL 
 ftili  cxpedcd  the  coming  of  the  Meflias>  ^-'^^^^^ 
 to  fulfill  the  oath  given  to  T>avidj  till  a- 
 nother  Zecharjj  the  father  of  John  the 
 Baptift,  and  a  prophet  alfo,  declared,  that 
 they  were  completed,  in  the  conception 
 of  Jefus  Chrift:  when  God  raifed  up  the 
 horn  of  Salvation  in  the  houfe  of  his  fer- 
 'vant  ^avid—-and  through  the  tender 
 mercies  of  God,  the  day  fpring  from  on 
 high,  or  the  Branch,  vijited  them  [a),  Luc, 
 i.  69.  78. 
 
 And  thole  Jews,  who  would  not  be- 
 lieve Jefus  was  the  Meflias,  continued  to 
 pray  for  his  coming,  as  they  do  to  this 
 day,  in  the  words  of  Solomon,  taken  front 
 the  Pfalm  above  quoted  :  for  thy  fervant 
 Davids  fake  J  turn  not  away  the  face  of 
 thine  anointed  (b').  Make  the  branch  of 
 'David  thy  fervant  to  bud  forth  quickly  ; 
 exalt  his  horn,  in  thy  falvation,  for  on 
 thee  do  we  hope  all  the  day  long ;  blejfed 
 be  thou,  oh  Lord,  that  makes  the  horn  of 
 
 R.  Salva- 
 
 {a)  Pf.  cxxxii.  17.  nT?  \^p  T\Q'}L^  is  rendred  by  the  LXX  ilccfif. 
 TiXi  and  in  the  piophcts,  wherever  nOlS  ^"^  branch  is  ufed  for  the  Mef- 
 fias,  there  the  greek  turn  it  by  'A/«S>J),  which  fignifies  both  a  branch  and 
 the  day  rifing, 
 
 (b)  Hofan,  Rabba.  f.  !3p.  b.  and  the  \6th  of  the xviii  prayers. 
 
222  'j^T>efence of  CuKi ST lAi^i  IT tl 
 
 Chap.  in.  Salvation  to  bud  forth  [a).    Again,   they 
 
 xy^^/'^    invoke  God,   as  He  that  makes  the  born 
 
 of  ^avid  his  fervant  to  btid,  and  ordains 
 
 a  lantern  to  the  fon  of  Jelfe,   his  Mef- 
 
 JiaSy   quickly  J  in  our  days  [b).     May  his 
 
 kingdom  rule :   his  Redemption  bud  forth y 
 
 and  his    Mejjias  be   canfed  to  draw  near 
 
 In  Uke  manner,   God's  promife  to  T^a- 
 *vidy    is  underftood  of  the  Mellias,   in  the 
 Ixxxixth  Pfalm.     Whoever  was  the  writer, 
 it  was  compofed,    at  a  time,    that  the  af- 
 fairs of  the  Jews,  were  at  a  low  ebb,  and 
 the  people's  expedation  of    the   Meflias, 
 was   almoft   worn  out.     Moved  by   their 
 impatience,  the  Pfalmift  thus  expoftulates ; 
 Lord  I  where  are  thy  former  loving-kind- 
 nejfes,  which  thou  fw are jl  to  ^avid,   in 
 pf.lxxxix.  49,  thy  truth  ^  Remember y  Lord,  the  reproach 
 50.  of 
 
 (a)  Prayers  the  igth  of  the  xviii  prayers. 
 
 ■•-inyiou  Dnn  "laipv 
 =  Dvn^Di^^Pinyi:D'S  ^3 
 -nyiu;^  r\i^  n^o^o  r\\TV  nn«  inn 
 
 (b)\n^'\'S3  DVa  1123  iTT^yj  the  concluding  prayet  on  the  fafl 
 of  the  day  of  Expiation. 
 
 -"n:iy  in^  pp  nn^ox 
 
 {c)  Inter  HITQI  one  is  for  the  coming  of  the  Meffias 
 iTHO^Q  3-ipn 
 
A  ^Defence  <?/"Christianitv.  223 
 
 of  ihy  fervant  s  i    ho-jo  I  bear  in  my  bo  jam    Sed.  II. 
 the    reproach    of   all  the   mighty  people^  L/"VNJi 
 iLhoerfwith    thy  enemies   ha've  reproached 
 the  fcotjleps  of  thy  Anointedy  or  McfTias. 
 
 The  thing  tiic  ]cw's  were  reproached  with, 
 by  their  Adverlaries,  was  their  vain  reh- 
 ance,  on  Cod's  oath  to  'David j  which  is 
 prcicntly  explained,  of  the  delay  of  the 
 promifcd  Meilias,  who  was  to  favc  them, 
 out  of  their  diitrcires.  Why  then,  the 
 Mefiias  was  included  in  that  oath,  or 
 thought  to  be  fo,  by  the  Jews  of  that  age, 
 or  the  Gentiles,  could  have  no  ground  to 
 reproach  them,  with  his  tardincls. 
 
 It  is  certain,  the  Jews  have  conftantly  in- 
 terpreted, the  Pfalmift,  to  this  fcnfe.  The 
 Targum  renders  the  words,  by.  They  re- 
 proach the  dtlay  {a)  of  the  Me£ias's  co- 
 ?mng  :  the  latter  Jews  tell  us,  this  was  their 
 Sarcafm,  "  the  Mefllas  hath  loft  his  feet, 
 *'  and  will  never  come  (b). "  And  the 
 Talr/tudi/ls,  quoting  this  text,  obferve  up- 
 on it,  ti^at  from  the  footfieps  of  the  Mejji- 
 aSy  (the  deferring  of  his  coming,)  impudence 
 ihall  cncrcafc  {c). 
 
 R  2  Surely 
 
 {a)  So  Jarchl.  Thus  Dipy  footftcps  fignifics  delay,  Job  xxxvii.  4." 
 
 {b)  Aben  Ezra  and  Kmchi.y 
 
 (c)  Sola  tr.  ult.  and  Beth  Ifrael,    in  Coch.  on  Sanh.  and  Sanh.  xi. 
 
224  A  "Defence  of  CuKisrih'iiii'tr. 
 
 Chap.  III.  Sarely  the  prophet  Efay,  or  rstheu  God 
 ^^^"■^'^"^  by  him,  went  before  them  in  this  inter- 
 pretation i  for  he  encourages  the  ]e\vs,  to 
 hope  ftill  for  one  fingle  perfon  of  David's 
 kcd,,  and  not  a  fucceflion  of  Princes,  and 
 that  in  virtue  of  this  promifc  to  'David, 
 I  will  make  an  everlafling  covenant  with 
 J  Oily  faith  he,  even  the  fur  e  mercies  of  Da- 
 
 Ef.lv.  3, 4. 5-  vid.  Behold,  I  have  given  him  for  a  wit- 
 nefs  unto  the  people,  a  leader,  sind  a  law- 
 giver to  the  gefttiles,  as  the  Hebrew  word 
 
 niXOn^;:  may  be  rendred,  behold  thou   (halt  call  a 
 
 Gentium       fuition  whom  thou  knoweft  not,  &c. 
 '  Who  is  here  intended  in  Efay  ?  a  fin- 
 
 gle perfon,  it  is  plain,  that  fhould  be  a 
 king  and  teacher  of  the  gentiks.  And  who 
 fhould  he  be,  but  the  Meilias,  of  whom  a- 
 lone  it  is  faid,  that  he  fhould  be  a  lawgi- 
 ver to  the  Gentiles  -,  and  therefore  no  o- 
 thcr  befide  him,  is  thought  of,  by  the  Jews 
 on  this  place  {a).  But  why  is  the  Meflias 
 termed  the  fure  mercies  of  David?  be- 
 caufe  defigned  in  God's  promife,  to  Davidy 
 hy. Nathan,  which  promife  is  there  called, 
 God's  mercy  that  fIjoM  not  depart  from 
 
 htm: 
 
 {a)  AhmEx.rA.  Y.lmch'i^  Laniada,  Melt.  ^r4w<i  &  Abarb.  all  quoted  in 
 Dr.  AUixhis  defence  of  the  holy  Trinity,  p.  5J.  to  which  R,  Kachmon  in 
 Btr.  R.  on  Gen.  xlix.  lo.  may  be  added. 
 
A  T^efence  ^/Christianitv.  225 
 
 him:     and    which  the    penman    of     the    Scd.  II. 
 Ixxxixth  Plahn,    going  to  celebrate  for  the  '-^"^^'^^ 
 certainty  of   its  performance,    becaufe  God  PfJxxAix.3,4, 
 had  fiz'om  by  kis   bolincfs  that  he  ^jjonld 
 not  lye  imto  David,  begins  it  thus,  /  isjiU 
 fmg  of  the  mercies  of   the  Lord  for  ever-     ^ei.  i. 
 The  ftire    mercies  of  the  Lardy    and   the 
 mercies  of  the  Meffias,   are  iv.  tlic  Plahiiill 
 and  in  Efa-y,  the  lame  thing  j  and  {o  they 
 are  expreilly  interpreted  of  the  Meluas,  by 
 R.  'David  Kimchi,    in   his    cxpolition  of 
 £fay.     Upon   fuch    authorities,     the  holy 
 writers  of  the  New  Teftament  had  rca'.bn  Aa.xiii.  34. 
 to  fay,   the  fure  mercies   of  Da-vid,    ^^'erc 
 fulfilled  in  Chrift's  kingdom  after  his  refur- 
 redion  :   That  Chri/l  iJi'as  the  fruit  of  his  Aa.  ii.  ;o. 
 loins,  ijuhom  God  fivare  to  David  v:ith  an 
 oath,  he  vjonld  raife  up,  to  fit  on  his  throne  : 
 and  that  Ciod  meant  it  of   Chrift,   and  not 
 of  Solomon,    when  he  engaged,     to  be   r^iieb.  i.  6. 
 him  a  father,  and  that  he  pjonld  be  to  him 
 a  fon. 
 
 But  to  carry  this  argument,  as  far 
 as  it  will  go  5  with  a  view  to  the  ori- 
 ginal covenant  with  'David,  Efay  pro- 
 phcfics  of  the  Meffias  in  another  place^  p-j^^j  j_j^ 
 as  the  rod  that  fha/l  come  forth 
 out   of   the  flem   of    Jejfe    (David's    h- 
 
 R  3  thcr) 
 
226  ^  T)efenceof  Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  III.  thcr)  and  the  branch,     that  fljall  grow  out 
 
 ^^""^^^^^^  of  his    roots.     And  again ;  as  the    root   of 
 
 Jciie  (it  fhoLild  be  the  firft-born  or  princi- 
 
 V.  Ef.xiv.30.  p^[  ft  em)  which  jhall  ft  and  for  a7i  enftgn  to 
 gather  the  people,  to  whom  the  Gentiles 
 fhall  feek,  and  his  reft  (or  the  peace  of  his 
 reign,  ver,  6,  7,  8,  9.)  he  glorious,  i.  e. 
 according  to  the  jewifh  Paraphrafe,  "  a 
 "  king  fhall  go  forth  of  the  fon  of  yeftl?, 
 ^'-  and  the  Meflias  of  his  Ton's  fon's  fhall 
 "  be  anointed  :  O'C.  "  Ail  the  Jews  af- 
 ter him,  give  into  the  fame  expUcation  {a) ; 
 but  Abarbinei  (b)  in  particular,  proves 
 that  the  Meflias  muft  be  meant  in  this 
 place,  "  becaufe  he  is  faid  to  defcend 
 "  from  David,  according  to  the  promife 
 "  God  made  to  him,  by  Nathan  5  "  as 
 indeed  the  prophet  refers  to  Solomons  in- 
 terpretation of  that  promife,  1  will  make 
 the  hor7i  of  David  to  branch  forth,  in  the 
 titles  of  rod,  and  branch,  and  root,  or  prin- 
 cipal 
 
 {a)  Taltn.  'Jeruf.  Bcracot.  and  Bahyl.  Sanh.  and  Malm,  de  reglb.  c.  12. 
 In  their  prayers  for  the  coming  of  the  Meffias,  they  beg  that  God  would 
 ordain  a  lantern  for  the  [on  of  Jeffe^  his  Mejftas- — The  prayer  in  Neilah 
 Cippur,  and  the  prayer  before  the  Sabbath.  Nay,  Philo  de  proem,  and 
 pscn.  p.  9Z4,  5.  applies  this  text  to  the  Meflias.  (i>)  Abarb.  on  Ef.xi. 
 «'  He  (God)  chofe  David  of  all  the  famihes  of  ^udj,  according  to  his 
 '■•'  promife  that  bis  throne  (hould  be  for  ever.  It  is  therefore  neceffaryj 
 Shat  the  Saviour  fhould  derive  from  David's  feed,  and  no  other. 
 
AT^efence  of  Christ  I K^  IT  \,  117 
 
 cipal  ftcm,    whereby  he  here  defcribes  the    Sed.  II. 
 M  c  111  as .  v/^^^Nj 
 
 The  promiic  to  T)avid  therefore,    was 
 not  cxhaufted  in  Soloynon\   no,  nor  in  any 
 of  the  kings  his  fucceflbrs:    for  as  it  was 
 renewed  by  Jercfny  and  Zechary,  that  God 
 ij:jould    raife   unto    'Danjid^      a   righteous 
 branchy    a  king  that  jhould  reign  and  prof- 
 ^^r-- -another  Solomon^  under  rji-hom  Ifrael 
 (hould  d-jjell  fafely—yny  fcrvant  the  branch  ypr^rxx 
 that  fljould  gro'jj  up  from  under  hm^    or 
 from  liis  root  the  root  of  David,  that  fliould 
 build  the  temple   of  the  Lord—  and  bear 
 the  glory  J  and  fit  and  rule  upon  his  (David's) 
 throne^   and  be    moreover    a  ^riefi   upon 
 his  throne— -So  the  completion,    was   dill 
 looked  for,    by  the  ion   of  Syrach^  in  the 
 beginning  of  the  Greek  monarchy. 
 
 It  is  reckoned  in  Ecclefiafticusy    as  the  Ecck-f.  xlvii. 
 chief  glory  of  'T)avids  reign,  that  God  ex-  "• 
 alted  (/.  e.  promifed  to  exalt)  his  horn  for 
 ever  :  and  gave  him  a  covenant  of  a  king- 
 dom, and  a  throne  of  glory  in  Ifrael.     Kw<\  vuig  andSyr. 
 though   for    Solomons  idolatry,   the   king-  ^'C''^^^^- 
 dom  was  divided-,  and  out  of  Ephraim  ru-  xivii.ii,  2,;. 
 led  a  rebellious  kingy    yet  God's   covenant 
 with  David  ftill    comforts  him  5    But  the 
 Lord  will  'never  leave  off  his  mercy-,  (the 
 
 i\  4  iure 
 
A  Tie  fence  ^Christianity. 
 fure  mercies  of  David i)  wherefore  he  fhall 
 give  a  remnant  unto  Jacobs  and  a  root  or 
 chief  ftem  unto  David  out  of  his  loyns.  I 
 read  the  laft  claufe  in  the  future,  as  did  the 
 Syriac  and  Arabic  verfion,  becaufe  it  refers 
 to  the  completion  of  E fay's  prophecy")  and 
 the  words  before  it  arc  future  in  the  Greek. 
 And  very  remarkable  is  the  glofs  of  thofc  two 
 verfions  upon  that  claufe,  which  probably  was 
 the  expolition  of  the  Jews,  among  whom 
 thofe  tranflators  dwelt.  Hejhallgive  Salvati- 
 on to  Jacoby  and  a  great  kingdom  to  David. 
 For  thus  they  imply,  that  the  covenant  of 
 the  kingdom,  related  not  fo  much  to  Solomon 
 and  his  race,  as  to  the  Savior  of  Jacob:,  whofe 
 kingdom  fhould  far  exceed  Solomons  or  Da- 
 vids, who  fhould,  as  Efay  foretold,  derive 
 from  David,  as  the  branch  or  ftem  from  his 
 root.  Branch  muft  be  of  the  fame  fpecies  with 
 the  root  from  whence  it  proceeds,  and  there- 
 fore when  the  word  Root  confefledly  fignifies 
 a  king,  it  is  no  fuch  hard  figure  that  the  word 
 Branch  fhould  have  the  like  fignification. 
 
 To  the  lame  promife,  Tobit,  another  wri- 
 ter before  our  favior  alludes.    Thus  he  con- 
 cludes his  prayer,  for  the  rebuilding  Jeriifa- 
 lem  in  that  magnificence  it  enjoyed  under 
 ix.       Soloman,  xh&viaUher  ftreets  (hall fay,  Hal. 
 
 'm 
 
y^  'Defence  of  Christ  I  \t-iirY.  229 
 
 lelujah  7cc\(\praife  himfaying^  Bleffedbe  Gody  Sc£l.  II. 
 ijuho  hath  exalted  the  horn  of  his  kingdom  '^^^^"^^^"^ 
 for  every  as  it  is  in  Fagius's  Hebr.  copy  ;  in 
 other  words,  the  horn  of  TD avid  to  bud  forth. 
 And  fo  the  ftrccts  did  found,  when  Jcfus, 
 for  railing  Z/^;2;<?r?/i- from  the  dead,  was  con-  Joh.  xii.  i8. 
 dufted  as  tiic  Mcllias,  triumphantly  into  y^- 
 rufalem.  For  then  the  multitude  cryed  a- 
 londj  bleffed  be  the  kingdom  of  our  father  Mar.xi.io. 
 David,  that  cometh  iyi  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
 Hofanna  in  the  highefl.  His  kingdom  is 
 called  T^avid'iy  bccaufe  the  promite  of  it, 
 was  firft  made  to  T)avid-j  and  it  is  faid  to 
 come  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  bccaufe  cred- 
 cd  by  God,  according  to  his  covenant,  to  be 
 held  under  God,  and  adminiftred  in  God's 
 name.  It  muft  certainly  have  been,  a  com- 
 mon Dodtrine  of  the  fynairocruc,  that  the 
 people  were  fo  ready  at  it  :  and  as  fuch  is  a 
 great  confirmation,  that  they  thought  Chrift 
 was  typified,  under  Solomon,  in  Nathans 
 promifc  to  David,  of  an  cverlafting  king- 
 dom :  and  that  the  things  fpoken  of  Solo- 
 mon, were  chiefly  and  literally  true,  of  the 
 Mcflias, 
 
 CHAP 
 
2 30  A  T>efence  <?f  C  h  r  i  sx  i  a  n  i  t  y. 
 
 Chap.  III. 
 
 C  H  A  P.    III.     Sect.  III. 
 
 M 
 
 Y  next  inftancc,  to  prove,  the  Mcfllas 
 was    aiiticntly   typified,   by   perfons 
 in  the  holy  fcripture,  fliall  be  T>avid.  And 
 this  alfo  may  be  colleded  from  the  89th 
 Pfalm.     The  calamity  of  God's  people,  was 
 the  occafion  of  this  Pfalm  :  and  to  difpofe 
 God,    to  help  them  fpeedily,  the  Pfalmift 
 claims  God's  promife,  by  the  prophets,    of 
 a  perpetual  kingdom  to  ^avid,  which  was 
 afterwards    renewed,    to   T>a'vid   himfelf. 
 That,  to  ^avid  ver.  49,  &c.   hath  been 
 confidered  in  the  former  fedlion.   This  of,  or 
 concerning ^^w'^begins  at  the  1 9th  verfe. 
 .^  Then,    or  of  old,  thou  fpakeft  in  'vijiony 
 
 to  thy  holy  one,  [to  Samuel,  or  plurally  to 
 the  prophets,  as  the  Targum  Syr.  Jarchi 
 and  Aben-Ezra  read]  and  faidfi,  I  have 
 laid  help  upon  a  mighty  one,  I  have  exalted 
 one  chofen  out  of  the  people :  I  have  found 
 ^ avid  7ny  ferv ant,  my  arm  fl)all Jlrengthen 
 him,  &c.  and  in  my  name  fhall  his  horn  be 
 exalted.  I  will  fet  his  hand  (empire)  in 
 the  fea,  and  his  right  hand  in  the  rivers. 
 He  fhall  erf  to  me,    thou  art  my  father. 
 
■ji'DefenceofCHKisTiM^irx,  231 
 
 ,„r  God,  and  the  rock  of  my  fahatwn    /Scft^- 
 
 ^Hlm.ke  hm  my  firft  f"^''      £^  J^'"" 
 the  kings  of  the  earth.  MT  MERCT 
 will  1  keep  for  him  for  evermore,  and  rny 
 covenant  jhaU  fland  fajl  wtth  htm,  h,s 
 feed  will  I  make  to  endure  for  ever. --If 
 his  children  forfake  my  law-then  jdll 
 -vifit  their  tranfgreffwn  with  the  rod,  5Cc 
 Here  God  fpcaks  of  Tiavtd,  as  a  type  ot 
 ChrUt     He  calls  him,  the  mighty  one,  that 
 ftall  bring  falvation ;   his  chofen,   his  fon, 
 his  firfl  bornfon,  (i.  c.  a  fon  in  a  peculiar 
 fcufc    that  others  did  not  communicate  with 
 him  in )  he  foretells  the  exaltation  of  his 
 horn,  and  that  his  kingdom  (hould  be  um- 
 •verfal  and  without  end.    Not  any  one  of 
 thcfe  things  were  verified  in  the  perfon  of 
 q)av,d,  or  his  fticccflbrs,  or  but  in  alow 
 and  flat  Icnfe.     And  they  are  all  fpoken 
 of,  and  promifcd,  to  the  Meilias. 
 
 He  is  dcfcribcd,  as  the  mighty  one  (a), 
 the  chofen  {b),  the  fervant  of  God{c),  the 
 fon,  the  only  begotten  of  God(d) :  tiis  ao- 
 minion  is  predmed  to  befromfea  tofea,  and 
 from  the  flood  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  W^ 
 
 f^)  TOJ,  Ef.  ix.  6         W  Mat.  viii.zj.    Eccu.., 
 
 Ki)  Pf.  "■  7.  '»■    J™-  '•  ♦'■  ' 
 
 U.  10.        («)  ^eck.  ix.  \r: 
 
232  [^^efence  of  Christian  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  III.  Al/  people,  nations^  and  languages,  Jhall 
 H^-'v'x^  ftrve  him:  his  kingdom Jhall be everlafting, 
 fljall  not  pafs  away,  nor  be  deftroyed  ( f). 
 From  refledions  of  this  kmd,  the  ]ews 
 antient,  and  modern,  have  interpreted,  the 
 whole  paflage  in  this  Pfalm,  of  the  MeiTi- 
 as  (^ ) ;  which  it  is  not  poilible  they  fhould, 
 without  pre-fuppofmg  the  doctrine  of  types, 
 and  the  deliverances  wrought  by  ^avid, 
 to  have  been  a  sketch,  of  a  more  perfed 
 and  general  falvation,  by  the  Meflias. 
 
 In  the  Prophets,  T)avid  is  one  of  the 
 names  of  the  Meiiias.  Thus  Hof.  iii.  5. 
 In  the  latter  days  Ifrael  fljall  return,  and 
 feek  David  their  king.  Jer.  xxx.  9.  They 
 fhall  ferve  the  Lord,  and  David  their  king> 
 whom  I  will  raife  up  unto  them:  Ezek. 
 xxxiv.  23,  24,    /  will  fet  one  fluepherd  0- 
 
 ver  them,  even  my  fervant  David- and 
 
 David  fljall  be  a  prince  over  them.  All 
 thefe  prophets  lived  long  after  David,  and 
 yet  they  prophefyof  a  future  king,  who  is 
 indeed  the  Meflias,  in  the  judgment  of  all 
 
 the 
 
 O)  Dan.  vii.  14.  ii.  44.  {£)  Ver.  13,  to  ver.  z8.  is  underflood 
 of  the  Mefiias  by  R.  jibbain  Ber.  R.  on  Gen.  iv,  7.  xv.  17.  by  R. 
 Nathan  on  Ex.  xv.  hy  Ber.  Ketan  on  Gen.  xlix.  8.  and  after  them  by 
 Jar c hi  and  Ahen  Ex.ra. 
 
'y^T>efenceof  Christ  I AU  IT  r,  235 
 
 the  Jews  of  note  (/>),  but  called  by  the  ScQ:.  Ill, 
 name  of  ^avidy  bccaufe  rcprcfcntcd  in  ^-^~V^"^ 
 and  by  T)avid. 
 
 For  the  name  of  David  Was  not  com- 
 municated to  the  Mcffias,  ns  being  the  foa 
 of  David.  For  then  Solomon^  or  fomc 
 otiicr  of  David's  race,  would  have  been 
 called  alfo,  by  his  name :  but  none  of  his 
 children,  being  ever  called  lb,  except  the 
 Mellias,  it  Ihould  be  concluded,  the  name 
 was  not  appropriated  to  him,  in  rcfped:  of 
 his  dcfccnt  from  David,  but  for  being 
 typified  in  David.  And  fo,  as  is  ufual,  to 
 make  the  refcmblance  more  plain,  between 
 type  and  anti-type,  the  Mcilias  is  defcribed 
 by  them,  under  the  name  of  the  pcrlbn  re- 
 prcfcnting  him  5  as  David  is  on  the  other 
 hand,  termed  the  Ton  of  God,  the  firfi:  born, 
 in  the  Pfalmift,  from  bearing  the  perlon  of 
 the  Mcilias,  who  was  truly  fo. 
 
 The  MeiTias,  therefore,  where  he  is  called 
 David,  and  the  Son  of  Jeffe,  it  is  with  re- 
 gard, to  his  being  typified  in  David:  When 
 he  is  fpoken  of  as  the  Son  of  David,  or  un- 
 der the  name  and  dcicription  of  Solomon-, 
 
 it 
 
 Qj)  Targ.  on  Hof.  iii.  j.  and  ^er.  xxx.  9.  puts  MeJ/Ias  in  the  place  of 
 Diivtd.  ku^laltn.  Sanh.  xi.  Sc(5t.  3(5.  proves  from  Ezekiel,  t\ui  OaviJ 
 is  the  name  of  theMeffia,  wherein  Kimchi  follows  thcn>. 
 
154  ^ Defence  <?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y. 
 
 Chap.  III.  is  upon  the  prefumption,   that  Chrift  was 
 ^^^"^^rSJ  Signified  in  that  fon  of  David,  fo  fokmnly 
 promifed  to  him,  by  Nathan. 
 
 And  here  it  is  worth  remarking,  that  the 
 Meflias  is  never  called  the  fon  of  SolomoUy 
 in  fcripture,  nor  by  the  Jews,  but  always 
 the  fon  of  Davids  without  regard  to  any 
 intermediate  defcent,  through  Solomon, 
 The  reafon  is  this :  In  Nathans  promifc, 
 the  Meflias  and  Solomon,  ftand  equal  in  the 
 fame  relation,  to  David,  becaufe  the  one 
 is  confidered,  only  as  the  type  of  the  o- 
 ther. 
 
 It  fhould  alfo  be  farther  remarked,  that 
 of  thele  two  kings  alone,  it  is  faid  in  fcrip- 
 ture,  /  will  be  to  him  a  father ^  and  he 
 fhall  be  to  me  a  fon :  for  which,  this  good 
 reafon  may  be  afligned,  that  thefe  two 
 kings  only  were  made  eminent  types  of  the 
 Meflias,  and  as  fuch,  were  dignified  with 
 the  peculiar  title  of  the  Meflias.  Certain 
 it  is,  in  the  days  of  our  Lord  Jefus  ;  Son  of 
 God,  and  the  Chrift,  were  convertible  terms, 
 and  known  to  denote  the  fame  perfon  -,  and 
 yet  the  Jews  had  no  other  authority,  for 
 this  appellation  of  Son,  than  fuch  texts,  as 
 we  have  quoted,  where  David  and  Solo- 
 mon, are  foretold  to  be  the  ions  of  God,  as 
 prefiguring  the  Meflias.  If 
 
A T>efence of  C hr'i s  T i  a n i  T y.'  13  5 
 
 If  all  this  be  not  fiifficicnt,  to  prove  the  Scd  III. 
 dciign  and  extent,  of  what  God  [poke  of  '^>'*V"^ 
 oldy  to  his  holy  ones,  the  prophets^  con- 
 cerning ^avid\  let  'D^t;/Whimlclfbc  heard, 
 who,  I  think,  owns  as  much,  when  his 
 words,  arc  truly  interpreted,  from  the  Ori- 
 ginal. 
 
 They  are  the  I  aft  words  of  D.wiJ,  "■  the 
 "  words  which  he  predided  concerning  the 
 "  end  of  the  Age,  and  the  Days  of  conlo- 
 "  lation  to  come,"  as  theTargum:\.ci^\s,  for 
 
 their  illuftrntion  :  but  are  the  kev  to  all  his 
 
 '        ,  2  Sam.  xxui» 
 
 Pfalms,  and  would  ftand  well,  at  the  bcgui-  ,^  <^f. 
 
 ning  of  the  book  of  Pfalms,    as  the  main 
 
 argument,  of  thePfaltcr. 
 
 {a)T>avidthe  fon  of  Jejfe  faid-,  hefaidy 
 
 'who  was  exaltedy  as   the  mighty  one^    to 
 
 be  inftead  of  the  Meffias  of  the  God  of  Ja- 
 
 coby   in   the  melodious  Tfalms  of  Ifrael. 
 
 Vcr.  2.  ThefpiritoftheLordfpokeinme, 
 
 and 
 
 (a)  ver.  i.  ^py^  ^•^*?«  mtya  ^y  npn  nnjn  dhji  lxx 
 
 wSj  z^ir^  [_o  Mf.  A.n  ci>y.f  Of  «»tr»nri  xv^i®^  i7n  x.i^'rot  6ili  lunai^.  Vul.  Lat- 
 Dixit  vir  cui  conjlitutum  eji  de  Chrifio  dei  Jacob,  i.  t.  with  whom  it  was 
 covenanted  or  revealed,  concerning  Chrift.  The  difference  of  interpre- 
 tatioa  proceeds  from  the  word  DpH  (which  hath  the  fignification  both 
 ot  raifing,  and  confirming^)  and  the  particle  •7y  which  fignifies  often, 
 fice,  propter y  V.  Nold.  Concord  704,  $ .  but  is  rendred  by  Altijftmus  from 
 
 Targ.  In  Indo  fuavitatis.  H  is  often  underftood. 
 
236  ADefenceofCviikisriK^iTr] 
 
 Chap.  III.  and  his  word  was  on  my  tongue.     Ver.  i] 
 The  God  of  Ifrael  faidy  the  rock  of  Ifrael 
 •f^        [immutable  in  his  promifesl  fpoke  to,  or 
 of  me  :  The  ruler  over  mankind  {hall  be  the 
 JMjl  one,  ruling  in  the  fear  of  God  (a).  Ven 
 4.  As  the  morning  light,  {hall  (this)  fun  a- 
 rife,  a  morning  that  fljines  bright,  without 
 clouds   (as)  rain    that  waters  the  tender 
 plants  of  the  earth,  to  a  iiusbandman  that 
 longs   for  the    fhowcrs   in    a   dry   fcafon. 
 Targ.     Vcr.  5.   Truly  my  houfe  is  not  of 
 that  worth  {b)  or  merit,  with  God,  that  he 
 {hould  give  me  an   everlafting  covenant, 
 firm  in  all  times  {c),  and  furc.  But  he  (or  it, 
 the  free  covenant j  is  all  (only)  my  falva- 
 tion,  and  all  my  defire,  even  though  he,  or 
 
 it. 
 
 {a)  Ver.  3.  Targ.  ver  ax  judex  dixit,  quod  conllitueret  mihi  regem, 
 ipfe  eft  Meffias,  qui  futurus  eft  ut  -furgat  8c  dominetur  in  timore  dei. 
 [And  fo  it  is  foretold  of  the  Meffias,  Ef.  xi.  2,  3.]    Beati  vos  jufti^— 
 
 quia,  futuri  eftis  ut  luccatis  ut  lux  gloria  ejus- ficut  fol ■  ficut 
 
 lux  7  ftellarum  7  diebus,  CT'f .  alluding  to  E[.  xxx.  i6. 
 ih)  Ver.  5.  ^XVI  p  K7  O.  Vul.  Lar.  Nee  tanta  eftdomus  mea~- 
 Cc;  *733  JlDny  LXX  iTCi'ijijluj  ci  ':■«»'•«  xaipw.  Vulg.  Lat.  firmam  in 
 omnibus.  The  hebrew  word  is  the  fame  that  is ufed,  Pf-cxxxii.  i-j^he 
 hath  prepared  a  lantern,  or  kingdom,  for  my  anointed:  it  might  be  en- 
 glifh'd  there,  made  firm,  for  fo  are  things  that  are  deliberately  finidied  by 
 a  plan.  Targ.  Juramentum  aeternum  juravitmihi  dominus,  quodregnum 
 meumelTet  firmum  ficut  ordines  creationis,  &  cuftoditumin  feculum  fu- 
 tufum. 
 
A  Defence  of  Christ  I  KHiiY.  237 
 
 it,  doth  not  jhoot  forth  fpeedily{c).     Vcr.  C.SzCt,  IIL 
 But  the  fins  of  Belial,  Jhall  be  all  as  neg-  ^^-^'V^^- 
 letled  thorns  "♦=,  which  are  not  to  be  taken    ,  -,jq 
 away  isotth  (naked)  hands  :  But   the  man  «?«<r^'')LXX 
 that  jhall  touch  them  mufi  be  fenced  with  sy.'l^-^duraT 
 iron,  andtheftajf  of  a  [pear,  or  they  ^ml I  be  ut-  ^^-  "^j'/^  ^'* 
 terly  buriit  with  fire  where  they  \Jla7id  [d) .    ti'oms,  nigh 
 From  this  whole  paflagc,  'let  it  be   ob-  Tn^'t^T 
 ferved, 
 
 1.  That  D^i/vV  was  a  prophet,    and  fpakc 
 liis  PJ'alms  by  the  fpirit  of  God. 
 
 2.  That  he  fpoke  in  his  Pfalms  con- 
 cerning the  Mcffias,  under  his  own  pcrfon  : 
 who  was  exalted'— -infie ad  of  the  Meffiasy 
 in  the  melodious  Tfalms  of  Ifrael,  or  who 
 had  the  honor  to  rcprcfent  him  in  the 
 Pfalms.  Confequently,  when  he  fings  of 
 his  fufFcrings,  his  enemies,  his  fucccfs,  his 
 exaltation,  and  the  like,  he  meant  thefc 
 things  not  fo  much  of  himfelf,  as  of  the 
 Melllas.  He  takes  occafions  from  events 
 that  had  befallen  himfelf  to   foretell  fomc 
 
 CO  Ver.  5. The  elliptical  fpecch  TVUT  »7  O,  is  tobefuppliedbyfome 
 fiich  words  as  are  here  inferred,  to  make  fcnfe  oi:  it.  It  is  alluded  to  in 
 />/.  cxxxii.  17.  "nT7  pp  n^C!{S  I  'lViU  make  the  horn  of  David  to 
 bud,  and  is  here  parallel  to  the  text  in  Hab.  ii.  Though  he  tarry,  yet  zv.iig 
 for  him. 
 
 {d)  Ver.  6.  Targ.  No  wicked  kingdom  fhall  (land  any  longer  before 
 him.  The  wicked  (liall  be  like  thorns,  eafily  pluck'd  up  in  their  firll 
 growth,  but  being  fufferedto  grow  to  a  head,  are  too  ftrongfor  thchand, 
 and  mud  be  cut  down  with  w/sapons,  or  confumed  with  fire  in  their  place. 
 
 S  fuch 
 
2  g^  A  Defence  of  Christ  laj^it  f. 
 
 Ghap.  HI.  fuch  future  things,  to  the  Mclllas.  Tof 
 ^^""^^"'"-^  nioft  of  his  Pfalms,  defcribc  his  pad  adi- 
 ons,  for  which  he  needed  not  the  fpirit  of 
 God  :  yet  at  the  fame  time  they  are  mingled 
 with  predictions,  of  things  to  befal  him 
 hereafter,  which,  as  to  Da^id^  were  over 
 with  him  already,  and  therefore  miift  be 
 intended,  for  fome  other,  and  that  other 
 hath  been  ever  reputed  to  be  the  MelTias. 
 
 hi  confirmation  hereof,  David  declares  iii- 
 one  of  his  Pfalms,  that  the  things  concern- 
 ing him,  were  prophefied  of,  in  the  fcrip- 
 tures,  before  him,  which  I'm  fure  can't  be 
 Ff:xl'6,  7.  pretended  literally  of '2>^i;/W.  Sacrifice  and 
 offering,  faith  he  to  God,  thou  didft  not  de- 
 firCy  but  mine  ears  haft  thou  opened :  burnt 
 offering,  and  fin  offering  hafi  thou  not  re^ 
 qtiiredy  then  faid  L  lo  I  cojne,  in  the  vo- 
 lume of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me.  Thas 
 
 ^x.  xjfi. 
 
 •^  '   '  '     here  is  an  allufion,   to  the  Jewifh   cuftom, 
 
 of  boring  the   man's   cars,    that  confcnted' 
 
 to  be  a  fervant  for  ever,    is  agreed  on  all 
 
 hands :  as  alfo  that  the  Pfalmift  implies  herein,. 
 
 his  deliberate  refolurion  of  whom  he  writes, 
 
 to  take  on  him  the  form  of  God's  conftant 
 
 lervant.     But  how  is  this  to  be  connected 
 
 with  what  follows.  In  the  volume  of  the  booky 
 
 itiswrittenofmeythatljhouldfulfilthjwilh 
 
 9h  my  God,  viz.  in  the  place  of  the  leveral 
 
 .ipecics 
 
j4  ^efince  of  Chris  TiAifirY.  239 
 
 fpccicsoffacriliccs?  It  can't  furcly  relate  to  Scd:.  HI- 
 Indentures  of  perpetual  fervitude,  as  fome  V/VxJ 
 imagine,  for  there  appears  to  be  none  fuch 
 in  thofe  days  5  theadionof  boring  the  ear 
 through  with  an  aul,  was  inftcad  of  all  legal 
 inftruments,  to  prove  his  confent,  that  was 
 fo  ufcd.  But  the  holy  fcripturcs  we  know, 
 were  called  the  'volume  of  the  hook,  from 
 the  manner  of  rolling  up  their  books.  Irt 
 them,  we  have  fuch  prophecies  of  the 
 Mcflias,  but  none  of  David. 
 
 3.  That  the  everlafting  covenant,  or  the 
 oath  touching  an  cvcrlafting  kingdom,  made 
 with,  or  in  David^  and  fpoken  of,  to  Sa- 
 muel, or  other  holy  prophets,  related  chief- 
 ly to  the  kingdom  of  the  Mcflias.  The 
 fubjed  of  David's  prophecy,  here,  and  in 
 his  Pfalms,  was  the  coming  of  a  Ruler  ovet 
 mankitidy  that  fkould  be  a  jufl  one,  ruling 
 in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  like  to  a  glo- 
 rious fun-rifing,  i\\6.feafonable  raiUy  Ihould 
 bcnetit  and  rcfrefh,  all  that  wanted  and 
 looked  for  redemption.  And  this,  he  ex- 
 plains in  the  next  vcrlc,  as  the  fum  of  the 
 everlaftmg  covenant,  fiire  in  all  times,  and 
 firm,  meaning  the  covenr.nt,  God  had  made 
 with  him,  concerning  an  ever  lading  Jcing- 
 dom,  as  the  Targuni  truly  underftood  it. 
 And  as  the  Targum  interprets  this  future 
 S  2  king. 
 
A  defence  of  CuKiSTiA-i^fn. 
 
 king,  of  the  Mcflias;  fo  is  the  MefTias 
 defcribed  otherwhere  in  the  charaders,  and 
 in  the  Uke  fimilitudes,  of  David's  laft 
 words. 
 Pf.lxxii.  1,2,  ji^  one  of  tiic  laft  of  T>avid's  Pfalmshe 
 prays,  Give  the  king  thy  judgments,  oh 
 Gody  and  thy  right eoufnefs  unto  the  kings 
 fon.  He  ^all  judge  the  people  vuith  right e- 
 oiifnefs-,  and  the  poor  with  judgment— and 
 break  in  pieces  the  opjjrejfor :  They  (the  LXX 
 read  He)  [hall  fear  thee  as  long  as  the  fun 
 and  moon  endureth.  He  [hall  come  down 
 like  rain  npo?i  the  mow  en  grafs,  as  fhowers 
 that  voater  the  earth.  He  faid  this,  neither 
 of  himfelf  nor  of  Solomon  $  for  this  rod  of 
 
 Ef.  xi.  I,  5,  ^^^  ft^^  ^f  J^ff^"  ^^^  ^^^^   ^^    come  in 
 
 4.  J.  E fay's,  time,  who  [hotdd  be  of  quick  under - 
 
 flanding  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord— -with 
 
 right  eoufnefs  judge  the  poor,  &c.     The  per - 
 
 ]tt.\Tiim,ij,,formance  of  that  good  thing promifed,  was 
 
 ^s-  yet  unfuitilled  in  Jeremy  s  time,   when  the 
 
 branch  of  right eoufnefs,   to  grow  up  unto 
 
 David,  [hould  execute  judgment  and  righte- 
 
 oufnefs  in   the  land.     And  at  the  conclu- 
 
 fion  of  prophecy,  Malachy  fupports   them 
 
 with  the  fame  iiope,  that  the  fun  of  right  e- 
 
 oufnefs   [hall  arife  to  them  that  fear  his 
 
 name,  with  healmg  m  hts  wings,   or  lal- 
 
 vation  in  his  rays. 
 
 Foe 
 
AT>efe7iceof  CwKiSTiM^iTY.  241 
 
 For  tlicfc  rcafons  it  fccnis  to  mc,  that  ^a-  Scd.  III. 
 I'id  thought  himlclf  to  be  a  type  of  the 
 Aleflias  }  and  the  Jew  ifh  Church,  obfcrving 
 how  the  prophets  following  T^avtd,  ufcd 
 his  phrafes,  and  referred  to  the  covenant 
 made  to^  or  -xvY^,  him,  to  foretell  the  fu- 
 ture completion  of  them,  in  the  McOias, 
 niufl:  have  apprehended,  that  he  was  fo. 
 They  would  not  other  wife,  have  made  his 
 Pfalms,  part  of  their  daily  worfhip,  nor 
 would  'David  have  delivered  them  to  the 
 church,  to  be  fo  employed,  were  it  not  to 
 inftrnd,  and  fupport  them  in  the  knowledge 
 and  bcHef,  of  this  fundamental  Article.  Was 
 the  Mefllas  not  concerned  in  the  Pfalms,  it 
 were  abfurd,  to  celebrate,  twice  a  day,  in 
 their  publick  devotions,  the  events,  of  one 
 man's  life,  that  was  deceafcd  fo  long  ago, 
 as  to  have  no  relation  now,  to  the  Jews, 
 and  the  circumftances  of  their  affairs  j  or 
 to  tranfcribc,  whole  paflages  from  them, 
 into  their  prayers,  for  the  coming  of  ri\c 
 Meflias. 
 
 CHAP 
 
242  ^T>efence  of  Christ  lAi^  I  TY. 
 
 Ch??!:,  HI. 
 
 t  V     '    *J  CHAP.  III.     Sect.  IV. 
 
 A^ 
 
 Nothcr  type  of  the  Mcflias,  we  find  in 
 jfeJlMa  the  High-Prieft,  whole  name 
 being  interpreted  into  Greek,  is  Jefus.  And 
 the  typical  refped,  is  here  the  more  difcern- 
 able,  in  that  fuch  tilings,  are  afcribed  to  him, 
 that  was  of  another  Tribe,  as  are  appropria- 
 ted, to  one  ot  the  houfe  of  T)avi^,  and 
 Tribe  of  Jtiday  (whom  we  have  proved  to 
 be  the  MeiPias )  And  again,  other  things, 
 are  aicribed  to  him,  which  were  fo  proper, 
 to  the  High-Prieft,  of  the  Tribe  of  Levi, 
 that  no  king  oi^avid's  houfe,  might  ufurp^ 
 by  the  tenor  of  thejewifhlaw. 
 
 The  paflage,  as  we  read  it  in  Ze chary,  is 
 Zech.  vi.  9,  this  :  The  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  mefay- 
 ^^'  ^'^K — Takefilver  and  gold,  and  make  [twd^^ 
 
 crowns,  andfet  them  upon  the  headofjojhua 
 the  [on  of  Jofedek  the  htgh-priefi,  andfpeak 
 nox  linto  him,  faying.  Behold  the  man,  whofe 
 2amach.  name  is  the  branchy  and  h e ^mU grow  up  out 
 of  his  place,  and  he  ^oall  build  the  temple  of 
 the  Lord,  even  he  jhallfurely  build  the  tem- 
 ple of  the  Lord,  and  he  jhall  bear  the  glory 
 
 (the 
 
 *  So  Kimchizndi  the  Jews  in  Jerom.  The  LXX  in  ^erom,  Theodor, 
 findCyri/,  read  the  word  plurally.  The  Tar^umznd  Syr.  read  fioguhrly^ 
 One  "real  Croivn. 
 
A  T>efencc  of  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a n  i  t  y.  ^zj-i 
 
 '{the  crown  or  kingdom)  and  he  ^:  all  fit  and  Scd.  IV. 
 rule  upon  his  throne,  and  he  fhall  be  aprieft  L/^'NJ 
 upon  his  throne,  and  the  counccl  of  peace 
 fhall  be  between  them  bot'h.—Andthe  cro'UJns 
 (hall be-- for  a  memorial  in  the  temple  of  the 
 Lord.  And  they  that  are  far  off  fhall  come 
 and  build  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord- 
 
 Thc  Prophet's  Ipccch,  is  directed  tojvfkujr 
 -only:  the  two  crowns  arc  put,  only  on  the 
 head  of  yofl}ua  j  to  him  only,  it  is  laid.  Be- 
 hold the  man  ijvhofe  name  is  the  branch.  A s 
 •mucli  as  to  lay,  Behold  the  Sign  of  the 
 branch,  whom  I  promifed  to  T)a-vid  in  So- 
 Jlomon,  and  by  tlie  Prophets  after  "David,  to 
 the  ]cws,  by  the  name  of  ^^^'^r^wr/6.  He 
 P?all gro'ju  up  from  under  htm,  out  of  Da- 
 *vid's  root,  his  tribe,  and  tamily,  and  [hall 
 .build the  temp/e  which  the  Lord  delights  ia, 
 and  act  therein,  both  as  Kmg  and  High- 
 \Priefi,  that  there  be  no  moreclaihingof  jk- 
 i'ifdi^tions,  between  the  two  di'^nities.  Not 
 a  word  oi Zerobabel,  in  all  this.  The  whole 
 action,  and  difcourle,  centers  in  y^?/]-?/^. 
 
 Zerobabel  was  then,  the  head  of  the  cap- 
 tivity :  and,  in  right,  their  king.  Put  he 
 enjoyed,  neither  the  name,  nor  enllgns  of 
 majelty  :  nor  had  the  authority  of  the  kings 
 of  Terfiay  though  their  llibflitute,  to 
 enforce  obedience  to  the  J e with  laws. 
 S  4.  Such 
 
244  j^T>efence  of  Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  III.  Such  authority  was  not  granted,  to  the  Jews 
 ^r'^^'^^O-*  before  the  reign  oi  Artaxerxes  Longimanus. 
 The  jurifdidion  being  then  voluntary,  it 
 feems  to  liave  lain  moftly,  in  the  High-Prieft, 
 as  being  beft  able  to  carry  it  on,  without  civil 
 fanftions  5  and  in  his  ailiftants  in  council,  of 
 which  Zerobabel  was  principal.  At  leaft 
 there  is  nothing  faid  of  Zerobabel,  in  this 
 Book,  but  what  is  minifterial  :  and  the  tem- 
 ple being  finiih'd,  his  commiffion,  proba- 
 bly was  recalled,  and  he  remanded  to  Baby- 
 lon^ where,  as  the  Jews  fay,  he  died  [a). 
 
 For  this  caufe,  Zechary  might  pafs  by 
 Zerobabel-,  and  prefer  Jojhua,  for  the  repre- 
 fentative  of  the  Branch  to  come  5  But  efpe- 
 cially,  left  in  crowning  one  of  the  houfe  of 
 ^avid,  the  people  fhould  miftake  him,  for 
 theMeflias,  and  raife  a  jealoufyof  him,  in 
 the  ^erjtans.  To  provide  againft  thefe  con- 
 fequences,  he  puts  the  crowns,  on  a  High- 
 Pricft,  from  whofe  tribe,  the  Mellias  was 
 known  not  to  defcend .  Thus  he  was  fecurc, 
 they  would  fuppofe  Jofliua,  to  be  nothing 
 more,  than  a  type  of  the  Meftias  5  and  that 
 he  was  crowned,  not  for  his  own  fake,  but 
 in  figure  of  another,  that  fhould  in  truth  be 
 king! 
 
 They 
 
 i^)  Seder  Ohm  Zma.  8c  Genebr.  ChronoL  363S. 
 
j4T>efence  of  Christ  1  ATA  iTY.  245 
 
 They  muft  be  led,   to  llich  a  judc^mcnt,   Scd.  IV. 
 the  rather  from  the  prophet's  addrefs  to  the    -''^/^^^ 
 fame  Jofhuaj  and  his  Alleflbrs,    a  httle  be- 
 fore by  the  name,  of  men  of  '■Ji'onder  or  Hgn. 
 Hear  now-,  oh  Jofhita  the  high  Trieji,  thou  n2^*3"'^3K 
 and  thy  fello'-jus  that  fit  before  thee  \  («^^«  zech  iii.8. 
 of  vjonder    they  are  j)     for  behold  I  will 
 bring  forth  my  fervaut  the  Branch— -Men 
 of  wonder,    is   an  hcbraifm   for  fignifying 
 or   Typical  men  j    men  portending  future 
 things  {a)  i  like  as  men  of  bloody  and  men  of 
 mercy  J    are   put,    for  bloody   and  merciful 
 men.     Jojhua  being  diftinguifhed,    as  one 
 of  thefe  typical  perfons,  when  the  prophet, 
 directing  God's  words  to  him,  who  was  in 
 no  fenle  the  Branch  they  cxpeded,  adds,  Be- 
 hold my  fervant  the  branchy   it  was  hardly 
 pofllblc,  they  fliould  mifconftrue  his  words, 
 or  fancy  Jojhuaj  was  principally  intended, 
 in  the  prophecy. 
 
 It 
 
 ('4)  JerornonEzek.  iv.  13.  piophetas  juxta  Zechariam,  viros  eflfepor- 
 tcntofos,  qui  fuis  operibus  futura  portendant — 
 
 The  Chaidee  expofition  will  not  hold,  viz..  men  deftrving  to  have 
 miracles  wrought  for  them :  For  the  prophet  had  newly  taken  notice  of 
 Jojliua's  filthy  garments,  in  token  of  the  iniquity  he  was  involved  in, 
 'uer,  4.  more  preferable  is  that  of  the  Lxx — ti^xtotiis^ci,  which  fignifijs 
 according  to  Theodoret^  men  ftudious  of  the  Signs  publiflied  by  the  Pro- 
 phets. But  remove  the  accent  to  the  fyllablc  but  one  before  the  lad,  and 
 ^TjpesTiVxeTei  yicIds  the  true  fcr.fe  of  the  hcbre\y,  for  men  propoftd  t» 
 a: her:  for  Signs  and  l)pts. 
 
246  ji  defence  of  Christ  I  Ai^  IT  Y, 
 
 Chap.  III.       It  appears  they  did  not  ;    for  their  Tarr 
 ^^'^'V^^  ^um,  on  both  the  texts  of  Zechary,  reads. 
 Behold  the  man  izhofe  name  is  the  MeJJias  • 
 ^nd  the  branchy    is  numbrcd  among  the  fe- 
 vcral  names  of  the  Melllas  by  the  antieiu 
 Jews  {b).     'AvccroA^,   which  anfwers  in  the 
 Lxx,    to  the  hcbrew  word.    Branchy    wa$ 
 known  to  mean  the  Mellias,  by  the  Greek 
 Jews,  before  our  Savior's  time.     From  them 
 the  Latin  Jews,  called  him  OrienSj  of  whom 
 the  Gentiles  at  Komey    learned   the  name,, 
 witliout  knowing  the  reafon  of  it. 
 
 Zerobabel  was  probably,  one  of  Jojhuds 
 AjfefforSy  whom  Zechary  called  men  of 
 wonder y  or  typical  men.  However,  in  the 
 following  Chapter,  he  is  propofed,  as  a 
 type  of  the  Mefllas,  and  is  the  laft  inftance 
 that  I  fhall  give  of  types,  in  fcripture.  & 
 feems  as  if  Zerobabel,  had  been  mifreprc- 
 fented,  at  the  Terfian  court,  and  hoping 
 that  he,  or  his  fon,  might  prove  the  De. 
 liverer,  of  whom  the  prophets  wrote,  the 
 apprehenfion  of  being  recalled,  before  he 
 had  finifh'd  the  temple,  filled  him  with 
 much   uneafmefs.      '  n 
 
 k 
 
 {h)  Tanchutna  on  Num.  i.  from  R.  Rachtnon  quoting  Zechary  for  it. 
 Ecf7a.  Rah.  on  Lamen.  and  others  in  Galatm  and  Raim.  Pug.  f.  iii.  8. 
 15,  1 6,  ^l.  Jarchi  acknowledges  that  feveral  Jews  fo  explained  the 
 name  in  Zech.  and  Abarbiu.  confutes  ^archt'i  reafons  for  differing  from 
 them. 
 
A  T>efence  ofC  hristianity. 
 
 At  this  time  Zechary,  faw  in  vifion,  the 
 golden  candleftick  of  the  Temple,  which 
 noble  piece  of  workmanfhip,  hgiired  the 
 temple-fervicc,  and  the  whole  polity  of  the 
 Jcwifh  conftitution  that  depended  on  the  re- 
 ftoration  of  the  Temple.  For  fo  Titus,  to 
 cxprefs  the  perfect  fubjedion  of  Jud£a, 
 carried  this  candleftick  afterwards,  in  tri- 
 umph, as  the  proper  emblem  thereof. 
 
 The  vifion,  is  explained  to  him  by  an 
 Angel,  who  having  fhewn  him,  the  contri- 
 vance of  this  hicroglyphick,  and  how  the 
 Lamps  were  fed,  by  pipes  from  the  bowl, 
 in  the  bottom,  with  a  fecret  gentle  influ- 
 ence, thus  applies  it.  This  is  the  word  ^/ xech.iv.  5,7. 
 the  Lord  to,  or  of  Zerobabel,  Not  by 
 migbty  nor  by  po-jjer,  but  by  my  Spirit, 
 faith  the  Lord  of  hofls.  Thefe  defigns 
 are  to  be  accomplifht  not  by  human  force 
 and  prudence,  but  by  the  contrivance,  and 
 leifurcly  operation  of  God.  Who  art  thou 
 oh  great  mountain  ?  before  Zerobabelthou, 
 pjalt  become  a  plain.  (The  ftrongeft  oppofi- 
 tion  fhall  be  levelled,  before  him,  whom 
 God  makes  his  inftrument.)  For,  or  fo, 
 ^all  he  bring  forth  the  headflone  thereof 
 '-ji'ith  jhoutings,  Grace,  Grace  unto  it. 
 
 Here  the  Angel  mixes  things,    common 
 to  Zerobabel  aiid  to  the  Mcillas  whom  he 
 
 rcprcfcnts : 
 
24^  A  defence  <?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y. 
 
 Chap.  III.  reprcfents :  or  fpcaking  ot  Zerobabeh  fi, 
 t/^i^'^w>  nifhing  the  temple,  he  paffes  thence,  to  a- 
 nother  Zerobabel,  who  fhould  be  indeed, 
 the  head  or  top  ftone,  the  laft  ornament, 
 beauty  and  perfedion  of  this  building  :  v.'ho 
 (hould  be  the  grace,  grace,  the  chief  grace 
 thereof  as  the  Hebrews  are  wont  to  exprcfs 
 it,  in  the  redupUcation  of  the  word. 
 
 The  Jewifli  Targum  therefore  under- 
 ftands,  the  laft  part  of  the  verfe,  of  the  Mef- 
 ila,  and  paraphrafes  it  thus,  "  His  Mcffias 
 ''■  fhall  emerge,  who  was  named  before  the 
 "  world,  and  fhall  obtain  the  empire  of  all 
 "  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth.  "  Jerom  tells 
 us,  the  old  Jews  explained  it  fo :  and  the 
 Tanch.  ed  ancient  book  Tanchumay  and  other  of  their 
 Mant.f.i4.c.  writings    ftill   extant,     bear   him    witnefs. 
 
 4.inEdzard.     »      i  i  i  i     •  i      i    t 
 
 onjer.xxiii.  ^^^d  perhaps  the  greek  mterpreters  had  the 
 fame  perfon  in  view,    when  they  rendered 
 
 jv^w  ;tAjf^e.»-    thc  Top-ftouc,   hj  tJoc  fioue  of  inheritance^ 
 
 F^'*«.  to  intend  him,  to  whom  of  right  the  king- 
 
 dom of  thejews  belonged,  and  the  heritage  of 
 
 Pf.  ii.  8.  the  earth  by  promife :  and  who  was  fignified 
 in  the  former  Prophets,  by  the  corner  ftone^ 
 th^  foundation  ft  one,  eleB  and  precious. 
 
 For  confirmation  of  this  application,  let 
 
 this  text  be  compared  with  another  mHaggai, 
 
 ^where   Zerobabel  doth    certainly  ftand  for 
 
 me  Meffiasy   though  he  be  defcribed,   in 
 
 thp 
 
j4  T)efence  of  Christ  lAiiiTr.  249 
 
 the  proper  marks,  of  the  literal  Zerobabcl.  Scd.  IV. 
 Ha^.  ii.  2  1,  22,  23.     Speak  to  Zcrobabel  ^y^"^"^^ 
 governor  of  Jnda,  fay ntg,  Iw/Il  fijake  the 
 heavens  and  the  earth.     (A  political  hea- 
 ven and   earth,    implies  a  great  Monarchy 
 in  the  prophecies,  as  ver.  6,  7.  and  fo  it  is 
 explained  in  the  following  i;^r.)  and  I 'will 
 everthro-ju  the  throne  of  kingdoms,   and  1 
 will  deftroy  thejlrength  of  the  kingdoms  of 
 the  heathen^   &:c.     In  that  day,  faith  the 
 Lord  of  hofts,  I  will  take  thee,  oh  Zeroba- 
 bcl my  fcrvant,   the  fon  of  Shealtiel—and 
 will  make  thee  as  a  fignet,  for  I  have  chofen  P^-  ^'>-       ■ ' 
 theey  faith  the  Lord  of  hofts. 
 
 No  lefs  than  the  deftruclion,  of  the  Ter- 
 fian  monarchy  at  lead,  which  was  the  em- 
 pire then  in  being,  is  here  threatned  5    and 
 this  to  make  wav,  for  the  advancement  ofP^-^'^'^^^i-ra 
 
 '  take,  1.  e.  ad- 
 
 Zerobabelj  who  by  courle  of  nature  could -•'^«cf. 
 not  live  much  above  20  years,  from  the  fi- 
 nifhingof  the  temple,  whereas  the  ^erfian 
 monarchy  laftcd  near  two  hundred  years  af- 
 ter. The  promife  therefore,  muftrefpe£l  the 
 times  after  Zerobabel's  death,  and  another 
 perfonthat  is  called  Zcrobabel,  becaufc  typifi- 
 ed in  this  Zcrobabel.  Of  him  God  declares, 
 he  will  make  him  asafgnet,  i.  e.  he  will 
 exalt  him  to  the  chief  power  and  authority, 
 of  v^'hrch  the  putting  on  the  Teal,  was  thej?^n.xli.4i. 
 
2$o  'A  defence  of  CnvusTiKJUirY* 
 
 Chap.  III.  fign  and  the  inveftiture.     Or  elk  the  phrafc 
 
 i./'V'"^*  maybe  taken  as  a  proverbial  fpeech,  tofig- 
 
 .   .  imc  1  ^^^  ^j_^^  particular  providence,   wherewith 
 
 God  will  watch  over  all  things,  that  belong 
 to  him,  and  his  being  always  in  his  view, 
 as  if  he  was  the  impreflion  of  his  feal, 
 though  men's  impatience  may  tempt  them 
 to  think,  God  had  forgotten  him. 
 
 And   who   fhould  this  man  be  >    He  is 
 the  Meflias,  faith  Abarbinels    with  whom 
 agrees  a  much  ancienter  writer,  the  author 
 onGcn-xxviii.  ^f  Berejhith  Rabba :  The  Meflias  according 
 -to  them  is  here  called  Zerobabelj  as  other- 
 where 'David,    for  being  reprefented   in 
 both.  He  it  is,  to  whom  God  gives  the  tender 
 Xech.  iii.  8.  appellations,  of  my  fervant,  my  chofetiy  af- 
 ^J***'*  ^"''cribed  to  the  Meflias,    in  other  prophets. 
 And  confequently  this  fhaking  of  the  hea- 
 vens and  the  earth,  is  parallel  to  the  fa- 
 king of  all  nations y  ver.  6,  7.  to  introduce 
 him,  who  is  the  defire  of  all  nations   and 
 the  glory  of  the  latter  houfe,  ver.  8.  or  the 
 head  Jione,    and  the  grace  thereof   in  the 
 language  of  the  prophet  Zechary, 
 
 CHAI*. 
 
jiDefence of  Qhkisii  h^ixx.  2 si 
 
 Scd.  V. 
 
 L/^\^\J 
 
 CHAP.  III.     Sect.  V. 
 
 WE  now  pafs  to  the  fecond  propofi- 
 tion,  'viz.  that  the  latter  Jews  ac- 
 knowledge both  word  and  thing,  or  that  in 
 tlie  general  types  were  ufed  in  the  Old 
 Teftament :  and  in  particular  of  the  Meflias, 
 Whatever  wc  have  been  lately  told, 
 "^  that  there  appears  not  the  leaft  trace  of 
 ^'  a  typical  intention  in  the  writers  of  the 
 "  Old  Teftamcnf,  or  any  other  )cw  of 
 "  their  times,  "  the  contrary  to  it  hath  I 
 think  been  fhewn  from  the  Old  Teftament 
 ft  felf,  and  I  am  now  to  prove  the  Jews 
 did  fo  underftand,  their  Scriptures.  For 
 though  wc  can  produce,  no  contemporary 
 wri-rers,  with  the  prophets,  which  the  ob- 
 jector well  knew,  there  being  no  book  in 
 the  world,  much  lefs  any  hebrew  book  left^ 
 that  comes  near  the  antiquity  of  their  times  5 
 yet  the  fcnfc  of  former  Ages,  may  be  judg- 
 ed, from  writers  of  that  nation  in  later 
 generations.  The  Jews  are  wont  to  tread 
 the  fame  track,  as  far  as  they  may,  for 
 their  controverfy  with  the  Chriftrans :  They 
 ftudicd  the  books,  and  preferved  the  tradi- 
 tions,   and  feldom  vary  from  the  notions, 
 
 of 
 
252  'A  Defence  of  Cntitsri  K-i^irrl 
 
 Chap.  III.  of  their  forefathers.  If  therefore  they  ac-» 
 knowledge,  the  dodrine  of  Types,  to  be 
 founded  on  Scripture,  we  may  prefume,  they 
 fpoke  the  fenfe  of  their  Anceftors ;  or  elfe 
 the  typical  intention,  appeared  plain  to  them, 
 from  the  letter  of  the  fcripture ;  for  it  will 
 not  be  imagined,  they  complimented  the 
 Chriftians,  with  a  concellion,  fo  difadvan- 
 tageous  to  themfelves. 
 
 To  be  fure,  the  writer  of  Ecclefiafticu^, 
 is  out  of  the  reach  of  all  fufpicion,  for  he 
 lived  long  before  Chriftianity  was  preach'd. 
 Yet  he,  in  the  praife  of  Elias,  faith  of  him^ 
 Ecduf.xlviii.  he  was  defcribed  to  be  (written  of  namely 
 in  Malachfs  prophecy)  a  type  for  times  to 
 come,  to  pacify  the  wrath  of  the  Lord's 
 judgment y  before  it  break  forth  into  fury, 
 and  to  turn  the  heart  of  the  father  unto 
 the  fin— -As  Mr.  Mede  hath  well  tranflated 
 the  Greek  (a).  As  much  as  to  fay,  Chrift's 
 harbinger  is  foretold  under  the  name  and 
 pcrlbn  of  Eliasy  becaufe  in  many  particu- 
 lars, Eiias  was  a  type,  or  exemplar  of 
 what,  the  forerunner  of  the  Meflias,  Ihould 
 be,  and  do. 
 
 The 
 
 {a)  Mede  Dif.  c.  x^.  i  )Mrxy^»<pi\i  u  sAiy/^eii  [or  i?<^(A<^  MS.  A.]  tie 
 ntci^tvi  ixiyfj^®^  as  tM-Zx,^  fignifies,  an  argument,  pattern,  deraonftration. 
 
 10 
 
A  "Defence  <?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a n  i  t  ?;  253 
 
 The  enmity  of  the  Jews,   iincc  Chiiftia-     Scd.  V„ 
 
 nity,  is  well  known,  and  that  gives  weight,  \-<v>J 
 
 to  their  tcftimony  in  this  calc. 
 
 Maimomdes  obfervcs,   that  the  Prophets  Maim.M/ 
 
 ,   .      Neb.  11.  43. 
 propheJied  lomctimcs  by   Parables,    and  \\\ 
 
 proof  thereof  refers  to  a  greater  work  of  his, 
 called  y^z^.  '■'  A  while  after  he  addS)  a  great  c  xlvii.  '. 
 "  part  of  the  prophecies  are  made  up  of  pa- 
 '■^  rabies.  "  And  that  you  may  know  what 
 he  means  by  parables,  he  inftances  in  Zcch,  c.  xliii. 
 xi.  7.  where  the  prophet  fuftains  the  very  dif- 
 ferent characters  of  a  gentle,  a  cruel  and  a  foo- 
 lifh  Shepherd,  to  repiefent  God's  dealings 
 with  the  Jews  and  their  carriage  towards  him  * 
 and  tells  you,  "  that  the  fcope  of  a  parable, 
 "  is,  to  figure  in  things  that  are  feen,  other 
 "  things  that  are  implyed— - 
 
 /.After  him,  the  Je-juijlj  commentators  fpeak 
 home,  to  the  point.  T)avid  Kimchi  explains, 
 Hofeds  adultrefs  wife,  oilfrael,  that  went  a  Hof.  1.  iy  ^4 
 whoring  after  idols.     She  "juaSy  faith  he,  the 
 type  of  the  people  of  Ifrael  {a) :  for  which  o- 
 pinion,  he  quotes  thcantient  Dodlors,  of  his 
 nation.  Again,  Hofeds  ^on  J e^zreelj  was  fo  •j^j^j 
 named,  in  type  of  king  Jeroboam,  and  the 
 ten  Tribes :   as  his  daughter  Lo  ruhnyna,  was 
 a  type  of  the  weak  eftate,  of  king  Zccharias  Kimchi  \\.ii 
 T  U  and  on  Hof.  i.  4. 
 
 {a)  ^JsTwy  '7*?iy,'!3ni  Mafchal  fignifies,  a  proverb,  parable,  metaphor 
 figh  or  type. 
 
254  y^T>efence  of  Christ  lARirr'. 
 
 Chap.  III.  and  his  kingdom,  that  God  had  decreed  to 
 
 ^-^''V"^  go  into  captivity  5  and  his  other  ion  lo  Am- 
 mij  was  a  typeoi  I/rael's  adding  to  their  fins 
 in  their  captivity,  and  of  God's  rejeding  them, 
 from  being  his  people. 
 
 God  explains  thefc  figurative  perfons,  in 
 the  like  manner,  when  he  calls  to  the  pro- 
 phet, fay  unto  your  brethren  y  Amm't-,  and  to 
 yottrffters,  Ruhamahy  plead  with  your  mo- 
 ther, for  flje  is  not  my  wife Hof.  ii.  i ,  z. 
 
 upon  which  Saadiah  Gaon,  makes  this  re- 
 
 Saad.Gaon.in  mark,  "  They  are  now  called  his  brethren 
 
 Kimchion  ,  1     r        /-  •  1        ,       , 
 
 Hof.ii.  I.  "  and  liltcrs,  (who  were  before  laid  to  be  the 
 prophet's  fons  and  daughters)  "  *70D  "|"\1  ^1> 
 "  after  the  manner  of  typical  prophecies^" 
 i.  e.  which  often  fpeak  of  the  figns,  by  the 
 name  of  the  things  fignify'd. 
 
 Once  more,  when  under  the  fign  of  an 
 adultrcfs  wife,  fcparated  from  her  husband, 
 but  beloved  too  well  by  him,  to  be  divorced 
 for  ever,  God's  unwillingnefs,  toforfakei/^ 
 rael  entirely,  though  he  ftiffers  her,  to  re- 
 main long  in  captivity,  is  intended,  accord- 
 ing to  the  Targum  :  Abenezra  and  Kimchi\ 
 note  upon  the  place,  is,  that  this  is  the  fe- 
 cond  Mafhalj  or  another  Tyj?e  like  to  the 
 former, 
 
 But  that  it  may  not  be  thought,  the  Jews 
 allowed  of  Types  of  other  perfons,  but  not 
 
 of 
 
A  'Defence  (?/  C  li  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  v.  255 
 
 of  the  Mcflias,  Ice  how  the  lame  writers  Sed.  I. 
 explain  thcmielvcs  on  this  head  with  lei^ard  ^^^^^^"^^ 
 to  him. 
 
 The  abovcmentioned  Kimchij  citing  the 
 ythverfeof  y/  xlv.  God  hath  anointed  me 
 with  the  oil  of  gladnefs  above  my  fello'Ji's, 
 aflferts,  the  Tfalmijlfpoke  thefe  '■jjords in  the  veTb'n^^o' 
 ferfon  of  the  Mef/ias.    And  again  of  Ef.  Ixi. 
 I .  the  fpirit  of  the  Lord  is  'upon  me^  becaiije 
 he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  1  he  gofpcl j&iz.  SoinBemid- 
 "  They  are,  laith  he,  the  words  of  the  Pro-  voiSi'^oIf 
 *'  phct  under  the  perlbn  of  the  Mefiias.  i^wg.  f.  p.  i?-i. 
 
 A        I  1        /-  Try  J   H(".\U.14.  li 
 
 And  on  the  lame  account  hj.  xhi.  i.  and  undcrftoodof 
 xliii.  10.  which  the  prophet  ^pcaks  of  hinv  »';^'^';^^^^^^^^^ 
 fclf,  are  interpreted  in  the  Jewilh  Targum  of 
 the  MelTias.  Now  this  is  to  fay,  in  other 
 ^^'ords,  that  the  Tfalmift  and  Efay  were  types 
 of  Chrift  5  for  that  is  all  we  mean  by  types, 
 that  they  pcrfonated  other  things,  and  peo- 
 ple ;  that  what  is  faid  by,  or  of  them,  is  in- 
 tended for  another,  and  is  not  altogether 
 and  ftridly  true  of  themfeives. 
 
 And  this  is  the  notion  of  the  word  in  Me. 
 
 naffe  Ben  Ifrael,    who  fpeaks  of  types,    as 
 
 things  known  and  famihar  to  his  nation.     In 
 
 his  book  [a)  fpes  Ifraelis^  that  hath  been  of- 
 
 T  U  2  ten 
 
 (a)  M.  B.  Ifrael  fpes  Ifraelis,  Sc<fl.  25.  non  fine  ratione  vocant  (fajjicnres) 
 *pfum(Mefriam)filiumJolephi.  Ipfe  enim  crat  verus  Typus  domi  Ifrachs,  prop- 
 er incarcerationem  fuam,  acfubfeq^uentemfelicitaicin.  Adde  (juodtamdiu 
 
 fiatret 
 
2  5-6  A   T)e fence  of  Christian  i  r  Vr 
 
 Chap.  III.  ten  printed  in  feveral  lan^ua^^cs,  defendinET 
 *^  ^  >^  the  ridiculous  notion  of  two  Meflias, 
 faith,  the  one  is  called  the  fon  of  Jofeph^ 
 and  not  'ujithotit  reafon,  for  Jofeph  was  a 
 a  true  type  of  the  houfe  of  Ifiael  in  His 
 imprifotiment,  and fubfequent  advancement. 
 Hath  any  Chriftian  fpoke  more  plainly  ?  Jo. 
 fef)h  was  a  type  of  the  houfe  of  Ifrael'SxA  fo 
 of  this  Mcflias,  who  defcended  thence,  and 
 therefore  he  the  Melllas  is  called  by  the 
 name  of  Jofcfh.  If  types  be  admitted  by 
 the  Jews  in  the  Old  tcftamcnt  of  Ifraeloz 
 of  Meilia  fon  oi  Jofeph,  whynotof  Mef- 
 fit  the  fon  of  "David?  And  that  they  are 
 fo,  will  appear  under  the  third  head.  For 
 both  anticnt  and  modern  Jews,  undcrftand 
 many  texts,  as  the  Chriftians  do,  of  the 
 Melllas,  which  at  the  lame  time,  they  in- 
 terpret alfo,  of  fome  other  perfon,  as  re- 
 prefenting  him. 
 
 To  inftance  in  fome  few.  The  fecond 
 Pfalm  was  writ  by  David,  upon  the  op- 
 pofition,  given  to  his  fett lenient,  in  the 
 kingdom.  Hence  he  is  led  by  the  fpirit,  tO' 
 ipeak  of  his  reign,  as  an  exemplar  of  the 
 reign  of  the  Meflias  j  which  alfo  iliould  have 
 
 many 
 
 ft-atresfuos  latuerat,  ut plane  eis  ignoraretur,  prorfus  ut  liodie  decern  Tri- 
 bus,  qus  'utut  captivas  fe  dicant,  poftmodum  tamen,  adfuramum  feliep- 
 titis  faltigium  afcendent,  codcm,  ac  Jofeph,  modo> 
 
A  T^efence  ^^/'Christianity.  257 
 
 many  enemies,  that  fliould  at  length  be  all  SctH:.  V- 
 lubdued,  and  then  he  ^lould  hwce  the  hea-  U/N^^^ 
 then  for  his  inherit  ance,  and  the  11 1  term  off 
 part  of  the  earth  jor  his  pojjcjlfon  :  then 
 the  decree  Ihould  be  manifclled,  wherein 
 the  Lord  faidy  thou  art  fny  Son,  this  day 
 have  I  begotten  thee.  This,  is  the  Chrifti- 
 an  interpretation. 
 
 And  do  the  Jews  differ?  No.  Abcnez,- 
 ra  and  Kimchi  explain  the  whole  p(alm  of 
 \Davidy  and  of  the  MelTias  his  Ion.  The 
 latter  adds,  our  Mafters  anciently  under- 
 ftood  it  of  the  Mefllas,  and  this  explicati- 
 on is  a  natural  one. 
 
 Jarchi  affirms,  that  their  antient  Doc- 
 tors interpreted  the  Pfalm  typically  [a)  of 
 king  Mcflias,  and  then  gives  his  advice, 
 that  it  is  more  expedient  to  e^cplain  the 
 Pfalm  of  "David  only,  for  the  fake  of  the 
 Minnim  [fo  he  calls  the  Chriftians]  who 
 will  thus  be  put  to  filence  {b). 
 
 He   hath  the    fame  words   on   Tf.  xxi. 
 
 '*  Our  mafters  underftand  it  of   king  Mef- 
 
 TU  3  "fias, 
 
 C'*)  ^On  now  ^n  incUiies  all  the  way«  of  interpreting  Scripture, 
 that  are  not  meerly  grammatical  and  hiftorical,  and  among  the  rcR,  that 
 by  types. 
 
 (b)  Thefc  words,  to  fiUnct  the  M'lnnhn,  are  omitted  in  Bomberg's 
 and  Buxtorf's  Rabbinical  bible,  but  are  rcQorcd  by  Dr.  Vocoik  in  not. 
 Mifc.  on  Port.  Mof.  c.  8.  from  the  old  editions  of  Jarchi. 
 
2  5  8  A  Defence <?/'Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  in.  '^  fias,  but  for  replying  to  the  hereticks,   it 
 
 ^^^^^"^^^^^  '^  is  better  to  underftand  it  of  king  Da- 
 *■'■  wV/— wiio,  as  fome  fay,  in  Kimchi, 
 made  it  for  the  Meflias,  and  wiiich  opini- 
 an  Kimchi  on  Tj.  civ.  prefers. 
 
 The  xlv  Pfahii  is  plainly  Typical.  It 
 was  fpoken  in  the  perfon  of  David  or  So- 
 lomon,  (but  indeed  of  the  power  and  Au- 
 thority of  the  Meflias,  and  his  tender  af- 
 fedion,  for  the  Church  his  Spoufe.)  Jar- 
 chi  therefore,  and  Abenezra^  fay  the  Pfalm 
 is  to  be  underftood  of  David  or  theMef- 
 fias  his  Son.      Jarchi  acknowledges,    that 
 
 y.  Targ.  ^^  Rabbins  before  him,  applyed  it  to  the 
 Meffias,  from  whom  he  diflcnts  here  : 
 yet   in    his  notes   on   two   other  texts  of 
 
 jarchion        Scripture,  and  on  t\\cTalmtidy  he  explains 
 
 Num.  XXIV.  ^  .  ^ 
 
 17,  Zech.k.  fome  vcrfes  ot    this  Pfalm  of  the  Meffias. 
 
 sanh.  c.xi.  ^-  J^fi}^  J  abet  z,  will  not  bear  with 
 thofe  that  undcrftand  it  only  of  David  {a). 
 But  Kimchi  is  clear,  that  it  was  compofed 
 for  the  MelTias  5  which  he  thinks  is  im- 
 plyed  in  the  title  nnn^  'VV  a  fong  of  Je- 
 didoth  or  loves :  Jedidia  or  Beloved  being 
 a  name  of  the  MefTias,  as  it  was  of  Solo- 
 mon. 2  Sam-  xii.  25. 
 
 The 
 
 ■(fi'\  In  L'  Einf  erenr  prcf.  ad  Halicoth.  Olam,  ^ 
 
\/^T)efenceof  Chri  ST  I  AtJ  IT  Y.  259 
 
 The  title  of  the  Ixxii.  Plahn  is  7\n^m^'   Sod.  V. 
 
 in  the  Ixx  eiV  ^Aa^tav,  that  is,  writ  by  "Da-  ^^f^''^^ 
 
 -  n   /  11  Abcnc/.ra  Jar- 
 
 vid,  to,  or  cojiarnhig  Solomon  :is  the  jews  chiandkabu- 
 commonly  lay.     But  did  they    undcrftand  ""^^^^^^^^l 
 it  lini;ly  of  Soiomo?i?   Kimchiy  anfwci-s  in  ixxii.fothe 
 the  name  ot  icvcral  others,  No.   "  tor  there  diai.with 
 "  were   that  explained   this   plalm  of  the  Tiypho. 
 *'  Meflias,     (their    authorized   Targnm    is 
 among    them)    "  who     is   otherwhere    in 
 "  Seripture,     ealled  Solomon.  "      And    he 
 fubjoins  that  i!cr.  5,  and  8.    are  great  hy- 
 perboles,   if  they  be  applied  to    Solomon. 
 Jarchi  confeiVes,   for  the  ancient  Rabbins^ 
 that  they  interpreted  the   16  "ver.   of    the 
 times  of  the  Mellias,  as  they  did  the  whole 
 Pialmof  him.     He  explains  the  17th  verfe 
 fo    himielf,     on    Mic.    v.    2.    where    he 
 thought   he  fhould   not  be  followed.     His 
 name    was  fon,      before    the    Sun    was 
 made    [a).     From   whence  the   Talmiidifts 
 took  iKy    and   fay  that  Jinnon  or  Son,    is 
 one  of   the   names,    whereby   the   Mellias 
 IS  known  in  Scripture  {b)  \    and  again    the 
 
 T  l^  4  name 
 
 U)yU^  pr  tZ;Dti;  ^JS*?  R.A.  F.^ra  Ante  folcm  fiiit  proles.  Kin  a 
 Son,Kimch.  Rati.  Hence  N;»«n.c.^tlie/(?«of  Kimrcd.  The  Egyptians  pro- 
 nounccd  it  Nun  or  Non,  Hence  Nonni  and  Nona,  applyed  to  cloiftcred 
 men  and  women  living  under  rule,  i.  e.  fons  and  dauijhters,  in,  con- 
 tradiftindion  to  Abbas,  which  fignifies,  fither. 
 
 (^;Tr.  Sanh.  xi.  Seft.  36. 
 
n6o  A  ^Defence  of  CuRisriAt^  it  y, 
 
 jChap.  in.  name  of  the  Meffias,  is,  one  of  the  feven 
 •V^'V'^  things  that  preceded  the  creation  of   the 
 world  {a). 
 
 More  quotations  of  this  fort,  muft  wea- 
 ry the  EngUih  reader.  I  therefore  haften 
 to  the 
 
 4?^  Head,  That  there  were  wife  rea- 
 fons,  for  not  re%'eahng  clearly  all  the  e- 
 vents  concerning  the  Meilias,  which  were 
 delivered  under  the  vail  of  types,  and 
 were  then  at  a  great  diftance,  from  their 
 completion.  God,  defigning  the  Mefllas, 
 to  fpring  from  a  Jewifh  ftock,  feparated 
 the  Jews,  by  certain  rites,  as  a  diftind 
 people,  from  the  reft  of  the  world,  that 
 fo  it  might  be  certainly  known,  where 
 and  of  whom  he  fhould  be  born. 
 
 Chrift  being  then  the  end,  and  aim  of, 
 their  feparation,  many  things  in  their  re- 
 ligious and  civil  conftitution,  many  per- 
 fons  eminent  for  office,  and  deeds  in  both, 
 were  pre-ordered,  to  look  towards  him, 
 that  fo  having  a  pattern  of  his  blefTed  times, 
 often  exhibited,  before  their  eyes,  they 
 might  be  raifed,  to  a  longing  expectation 
 for  themo 
 
 At 
 
 (i?)  Jalkut  on  vev.  17.    and  T.   jonath.   in  Galaiin.     ante  mundpm 
 ijidum  eft  nomen  ejus  sex  dominus. 
 
A  defence  tf/ Christianity. 
 
 At  firft  it  was  ncccflary,  that  thcfc  things 
 fhould  be  rcprcfcntcd,  in  a  rough  sketch, 
 gradually  to  be  filled  up,  with  fhadcs  andco- 
 lorSjto  a  pcrfcder  likencfsjthc  nearer  the  time 
 approached,  for  comparing  it  with  the  ori- 
 ginal. For  thus  they  were  weaned  by  de- 
 grees, of  too  great  a  fondnefs,  for  their  ri- 
 tual ordinances,  and  let  in  to  the  fpiritual 
 meaning,  without  receiving  too  early  a  dif- 
 like,  or  falling  into  a  ncgled,  of  thcfelnfti- 
 tutions,  before  the  time  of  their  repeal. 
 
 Had  God  fpoke  out  at  once,  that  circum- 
 cifion  availed  nothing :  that  oblations  and 
 faciifices,and  feftivals,could  not  make  perfed, 
 as  pertaining  to  the  confcicnce,  and  were  oc- 
 cafionally  impofed,  and  fhould  be  aboliOied, 
 by  the  Meflias  :  that  the  gentiles  fliould  be 
 taken  into  covenant,withoutthem  :  whatjew 
 was  there,  that  would  not  have  become  in- 
 different to  the  ufe  of  fo  burdcnfome  a  yoke, 
 the  mean  while  ?  And  thefe  fences  of  parti- 
 tion being  removed,  the  Jews  muft  have 
 ceafed,  to  be  a  feparate  people,  contrary  to 
 God's  intention,  long  before  Chriffs  coming. 
 
 Or,  had  it  been  certainly  known,  under 
 the  firft  temple,  that  it  would  be  feven  or 
 eight  hundred  years,  before  the  promifed 
 Meillas  fhould  come,  the  hope  of  fuch  a  Sa- 
 \  ior^  would  have  been  a  flendcr  fupport,  un- 
 der 
 
262  A  defence  <?/ChristianitYo 
 
 Chap.  III.  der  their  prefcnt  diftreffes  :  They  would  not 
 i^V\J  have  exerted  themfelves,  with  that  courage 
 and  perfeverancc  which  they  often  fhewed, 
 to  preferve  the  kingdom  for  the  Mcfllas, 
 who,  as  they  flattered  themfelves,  under  a 
 general  indeterminate  promifc,  was  not  far 
 '  off.  In  a  word,  they  would  have  been 
 tempted,  to  leave  all  to  God,  and  do  nothing 
 for  themfelves. 
 
 Nor  v/ould  the  Princes,  to  whom  the  Jews 
 were  afterwards  in  fubjedion,  have  fat  down 
 quietly,  under  predictions  that  pointed  a- 
 gainfl:  them  5  but  be  rather  ftirred  up  thence, 
 to  feek  occafions  to  confume,  and  root  out 
 the  whole  nation.  Governors  watch  with  jea- 
 lous eyes  on  every  perfon  and  report,  that  is 
 likely  to  difturb  their  peace.  Thus  Herod^  and 
 the  Roman  Powers,  muft  have  confpired,  to 
 ftifle  the  infant  in  his  birth,  or  deftroy  his  line 
 before  his  birth,  had  they  known  diftindly 
 the  meaning,  of  many  things,  that  were 
 darkly  revealed,  in  the  fcriptures  concerning 
 him. 
 
 And  as  through  God's  juft  judgment,  the 
 part  afligned  to  the  Jews,  at  the  coming  of 
 Chrift,  was  the  flaying  of  him,  whom  they 
 had  earneftly  defired  5  had  the  whole  council 
 of  God  been  laid  clearly  open  to  them  before 
 hand;,  the  events  themfelves,  muft  have  been 
 
 prevented^, 
 
j^^efence of  Christianity.  263 
 
 prcvcntcdjWithout  a  miraculous  blindncfs,  01  Scd.  V. 
 forcible  compulfion  to  do  the  tad,  which  iii  L/'>^^^VJ 
 not  God's  way  ot  sovcrnino;  rational  Asicnts. 
 Plain  prccife  predictions,  dired  men,  to 
 fhun,  alter,  or  di (appoint  what  hath  been 
 foretold.  Jofep/j's  brethren,  had  never 
 fold  him  into  Egypt,  had  his  advancement, 
 by  means  of  their  villany,  been  as  clearly 
 declared  to  them,  as  was  his  dominion  over 
 them.  And  St.  jP^«/ tells  us,  had  the  Jcji'S 
 certainly  ktwji'n  him  to  be  fo,  they  '•jjould 
 not  have  crucified  the  Lord  of  life. 
 
 For  this  caufe,  in  predictions,  a  certain 
 mean  is  to  be  preferved  5  the  general  mat- 
 ter, is  to  be  plain  :  but  other  circumftanccs 
 arc  to  be  fo  fignified,  as  to  hinder  men,  from 
 naufeating  their  prefent  eftate,  and  yet  not 
 prevent  their  bearing  a  fhare  in  future  events, 
 that  are  to  be  executed,by  human  inltruments. 
 Men  ought  not  to  fee,  with  that  evidence, 
 as  to  be  conftraincd  to  believe;  and  yet  to 
 have  fo  much  light,  as  to  be  left  without  cx- 
 cufe,  for  not  believing. 
 
 Upon  fuch  grounds,  the  Prophets  may 
 have  been  moved,  to  conceal  much,  of  what 
 was  intended,  for  the  Mefllas  in  types,  and 
 allufions,  and  xnigms :  to  pre-fignity  fpiritu- 
 al  things,  in  earthly  and  temporal  expreifions, 
 and  under  the  terms  of  fcvcral  parts  of  wor- 
 
 Ihip, 
 
^64-  y^^efince of  CiiRisriAtJ IT Y, 
 
 Chap.  in.  fliip,  in  the  Jewifn  religion,  denote  other 
 things,  analogous  to  them,  in  the  Chriftian. 
 And  thefe  prophecies,  were  to  remain  in  that 
 obfcurity,  till  the  day;s  of  their  accomplifh- 
 ment  began  to  dawn,  and  by  attention  to 
 the  ftyle  of  fcripture,  and  comparing  the  lefs 
 clear  and  typical,  with  other  oracles  more 
 ,cxprefs  and  dired,  men  were  enabled,  to 
 unfold  and  explain  the  fcope  and  drift  of 
 them. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
16% 
 
 C  H  A  P.   IV.     S  E  c  T.  I. 
 
 Of  the  texts  in  the  old  Tefl  amenta  pretended 
 by  the  Author  of  Grounds  and  Rcafonsy 
 to  be  mifapplicd  hi  the  neiv, 
 
 Aving  already  produced  iria-  Cliap.  IV. 
 ny  prophecies,  that  diredly, 
 and  Iblcly  forctcl  things,  re- 
 lating to  the  Mcflias,  the 
 truth  of  Chriftianity,  ought 
 not  to  be  impeaclied,  tho'  a 
 clear  and  full  folution  of  the  difficulties, 
 charged  upon  fome  few  texts,  quoted  in  the 
 new  tcflamcnt,  cannot  be  given.  For  if  the 
 material  charatflers,  that  diftinguiih  Chrift's 
 perfon,  offices?  mcffage,  time,  and  effed  of 
 his  coming,  his  birth,  family,  and  death,  be 
 evidently  found  in  the  Jewifh  fcriptures,  to  the 
 fame  intent  for  which  they  are  cited,  byChrift 
 and  his  Apoftles  :  it  is  not  reafonable  to  quit  a 
 certain  truth,  bccaufe  every  individual  cu*- 
 cumftance,  is  not  equally  clear  j  and  it  doth 
 not  appear,  how  one  or  two  authorities  are  to 
 be  undcrftood  of  the  Meffias,  at  this  diftancc 
 of  time,  and  after  a  general  fhipwreck,  of  the 
 antient Jewifh  writings;  which  furelywere 
 foundcrftood,  as  applied  by  the  Apoftles,  if 
 
 for 
 
266  j^^efenceof  Christ  IAN  ityI 
 
 Chap.  rV-  for  no  other  reafon,  yet  for  this,  that  it  had 
 ^^^i^Sr\J  been  otherwile  extreme  folly  fo  to  apply 
 them  needlefly. 
 
 Not  that  I  think  a  fufficient  anfwer,  can- 
 not be  returned  to  the  texts,  objeded  to  ; 
 but  I  would  prepare  the  Reader,  to  accept 
 fuch  a  one,  as  ought  to  fatisfy,  an  impartial 
 enquirer.  If  but  a  probable  vindication,  of 
 thele  texts,  to  the  MefTias,  were  offered,  it 
 defer  ved  to  be  admitted,  for  the  fake  of  other 
 ftronger  evidence,  and  the  divine  atteftation 
 of  their  milTion,  that  fo  appUed  them.  De- 
 monftration  in  this  cafe,  or  an  interpretation? 
 to  which  no  cavil  lies,  is  not  to  beexpeded. 
 
 The  texts,  faid  to  be  foreign,  to  the  mat- 
 ter, for  which  they  are  alledged,  are  five. 
 The  firft,  that  is  applied  to  Chrift's  birth  of  a 
 Virgin,  fhall  be  confidered  apart  by  itfelf. 
 The  others,  I  will  begin  with,  and  take  them 
 in  order,  as  they  lye. 
 
 But  before  I  come  to  thcm,I  (hould  prcmifc, 
 
 I .  That  the  two  chapters  of  St.  Matthew^ 
 wherein  moft  of  thefe  texts  complained  of, 
 are  found,  are  truly  part  of  his  gofpel. 
 Some  ot  great  learning  and  judgment,  have 
 been  of  opinion,  that  the  two  firft  chapters 
 of  St.  Matthew,  were  not  in  the  Nazarene 
 gofpel,  to  which  St.  Matthew'^  hebrew  copy 
 is  fuppofcd  to  have  been  conformable  5  and 
 
 that 
 
A  defence  of  Christianity.  'i-^7 
 
 that  if  this  could  be  made  out,  it  would  dc-    SeO:.  I. 
 liver  us  at  once,  of  the  chief  diiliculties  laid   ^-^'"V"^-^ 
 in  the  way  of  Chrillianity,  by  the  Adverlary. 
 Eut  fince  it  is  a  qucllion,  whether  St.  i^/^rz/'- 
 thcji},  ever  writ  his  i^ofpel  iu  hebrcw  :  fincc 
 it  is  much  to  be  doubted,  that  all  the  copies 
 of  the  Nazarene-gofpel  did  bei!.in  \^\\\\JoPjn% 
 preaching,  as  'n\  Matthe-j:;'s  3d  chapter,  bc- 
 caufe  the  Cerinthians,  who  ufed  the  fame  go» 
 fpel  with  theNazarencs,  had  the  genealogy  of 
 )efus  in  their  copy(^),as  it  is  read  \\\Matthe''jifs 
 lirrt  chapter  :  fince  it  appears  that  citations  of 
 this  fort  were  uled  in  other  parts  of  the  Na- 
 zarcnc-goi'pcl  (/^),  and  were  more  proper  for  a 
 gofpel  writ  toj  cwilh  and  Pharifec-converts,to 
 
 whom 
 
 («)  Ctrtnthiu  and  Carpocmtes,  ufing  the  fame  Hebrew  copy  with  the 
 Ebionites,  and  receiving  only  .^f-r/r^ft'-'j  gofpel,  produced  the  genealogy  of 
 Chrirt  ixomjofeph  and  iV/<iry .which  we  find  in  the  firft  chapter  of  Af4///;*iv,  in 
 proof  that  Chrift  was  a  mere  man,  Epiph.  h.xxx.  §.  14.  andher.  xxviii.  5. 
 Now  the  Eb'tonitei  received  only  the  gofpel  according  to  the hebrews,£w/". 
 H.  Eccl.  iii.  27.  \v\\\q\\  '^erom  Proem 'm\[.\\\\\.  Efaix,  faith  was  the  fame 
 with  the  Nazarene.  ulfricanus  (in  £«/.  H.  E.  I.  7.)  relates  that  the 
 /i£c-?roVv/o(,  or  kindred  of  our  Lord,  who  lived  in  Nazara,  and  Ccchaba, 
 Cities  ot  Jud&a,  gloried  of  their  anticnt  nobility,  as  having  preferred 
 from  Hercd's  fury  the  genealogy  of  their  family,  whence  it  may  be  col- 
 Jecftcd,  that  the  gofpd  in  Nazara  had,  in  their  time,  Chriirs  genealogy, 
 as  in  Alatt.  1.  {h)  Jer.  Com.  in  Lf.  xi.  1.  In  evangelio  cujusfupra 
 
 mentioncm  fecimus  (i.Naxarcnorum;  hxcfcriprareperimus,  "Fadum  cit 
 ••  cum  adfcend.'fiTet  dominus  deaquis  dcfcendit  fons  omnis  fpiritus  fandb', 
 "  &  requievit  fiipcr  eiim  &  dixit  illi,  fill  mi,  in  omnibus  prophetis  ex- 
 "  peiHabam  tent  venires,  S: rcquicfcerem  in  te.  Tuenim  rcquiesmea,  tu 
 *'  es  filiusmeusprimogenitus  (from  Pf.  Ixxxix.)  qui  rtgnas  infempfernum. 
 
2S2  j^7)efence of  Chris  TiAii  ityI 
 
 Chap.  IV*  whom  fach  citations  were  familiar  and  pleaf 
 C/*^^f^  ing  *,   than  for  a  gofpel  diredcd  to  Greek 
 
 *  V.  ch.  V,  .  «^     -t 
 
 Gentile  believers :  fince  Jerom  faith,  of  one 
 of  thefe  texts,  namely,  Matt.  ii.  21.  that 
 eruditi  hebraonmi  de  hoc  loco  (Ef.  xi.  i  •)  ^ 
 jeromm  ^^- ji^j^pf^^  put  ant  y  meaning  the  Nazarene 
 Chriftians,  who  were  Hebrews  by  nation : 
 fuice  the  cutting  the  knot  in  thefe  chapters? 
 will  leave  many  others  of  like  nature,  in  the 
 Epiftles^j  untied,  I  chufe  to  mention  this  opi- 
 nion, as  an  ingenious,  rather  than  the  true 
 folution. 
 
 2.  That  Matthew,  writ  his  gofpel  to  Jews, 
 that  were  now  believers.  In  writing  to  them, 
 he  might  the  more  freely  give  into  a  method 
 of  citing,  the  Jews  had  been  accuftomed  to, 
 and  allude  to  palTages  in  their  fcriptures, 
 which  were  not  to  be  taken,  for  exprefs 
 proofs.  As  much  as  to  fay,  thus  it  falls  out 
 in  the  gofpel  oeconomy,  as  formerly  in  the 
 Jewifh.  The  antient  predidion,  or  Taying, 
 is  exemplified  more  perfedly,  in  the  event, 
 it  is  now  applied  to,  than  in  that,  of  which 
 ■it  was  firft  fpoken.  Nothing  coniiderable  is 
 built  on  thefe  quotations :  no  confequences 
 of  importance,  are  drawn  from  them.  Had  t>~ 
 they  been  all  omitted,  Chriftianity  would 
 ftand,  as  firm  upon  it's  bottom,  as  with 
 them, 
 
 3.  That 
 
A  Defence  of  Christianity.  zss 
 
 3.  That  as  to  the  phrafc,  t^at  it  may  be  Sz^.  I. 
 fulfilled^  it  doth  not  always  imply,  that  the 
 event  to  which  it  is  referred,  was  the  inten- 
 tion of  the  prophcfy,  with  which  it  is  com- 
 pared. The  old  Je-Ji'ifi  writers,  in  quoting 
 fcripture,  often  fay,  that  it  may  be  fulfilled^ 
 when  the  text  is  only  accomodated  to  their 
 purpofe;  or  the  event  darkly  intimated,  is 
 now  plainly  illuftrated  j  or  a  fad  as  truly 
 anfwers  the  citation,  as  if  the  citation  had 
 been  aprophefy  of  it  (r). 
 
 In  any  of  thefe  cafes,  to  fulfill^  fignifics 
 no  more  than  to  be  trtie^  or  to  vcrfyy 
 which  is  indeed  the  fenfe,  of  the  Hebreuj 
 word.  SoD^p  Kaiim  is  rendered  by  firm,  or 
 true,  fohn  viii.  17.  It  is  '-written  in  your  laiji\ 
 that  the  teftimony  of  t'^'owitm-jfts  is  true. 
 In  the  text  referred  to,  the  Hebrew  has  it, 
 at  the   mouth  of  two  or  three  witncflcs, 
 
 (c)  Grot,  in  Math.  i.  ubi  fa£lum  aliquod  vcteri  fimile  oc, 
 currit,  dicunt  Hebrcci  D'^pPQ  ixXr.fbi^/i,  implctus  cfl  hie 
 vel  illc  fcripturjc  locus. 
 
 Coch  'mhislearned  Notes  on  E.vcerpt.Gcm.  Sinh.  c.  xi.  Se^- 
 a6.  renders  r^e Hebrew  terbally  by  ^-xi.inrcii.anJ  faith,  hactor- 
 mula docetur,  verba  fcripturx,  licet  de  aliire,  pcrfona,  tempore 
 pronuntiata,  ad  inflitutum  commode  applicari  pofle.  Habes  fu- 
 pra fimile  Exc.  1.  c.i.  Aliiscxcmplis  contrahcndis,  nccnosncc 
 leftorem  fatigavimus,  [tint  enim  cbvia.  Ita  &  in  novo  Tcft. 
 >licubi dicitur,  cumnon  hiftorica,  aut  typical mplcto eft,  fcdcti. 
 am  quum  Analogica.  He  that  voitU  fee  more  proofs  from  the  Tal- 
 fnud  may  find  them  colUBed  ^^  Surcnh.  Condi,  in  loca  apud  V.T. 
 p.  197.  Scdc  formulisAUcg.Th.  z. 
 
 X  ths 
 
28<5  j^^efence  of  Cur  I  ST  I  A-iJ  IT  Y. 
 
 Chap.  IV.  the  matter  [Dp^3  fhall  be  verified,  or  ful- 
 ndnr^"^^  filled.      And  fo  the  word  is  interpreted  by 
 Jefus,  John  iv.   3  7-  under  the  figure  of '  a 
 field  ripe  for  harveft  5  he  tells  his  difciples, 
 the  preparation  the  people  were  in,  to  be- 
 lieve in  him,  whenever  they  fhould  under- 
 take the  work  of  converting  them.     And 
 herein^  faith  he,    is  that  faying  true,  one 
 fows  and  another    reaps.      Whether  this 
 faying,    was     cited    from    fome    prophet, 
 (as  perhaps  it  is  an  allufion  to  Mic.  vi.  15.) 
 or  not,  the  being  faid  by  a  prophet,  and  ap- 
 plied afterwards  by  Chrift,  could  make  no 
 difference  in  the  fenfe  of  the  faying,  or  the 
 apprehenfion  of   his  hearers.     Not  one  of 
 them  did,    or  could  conclude,   that  Chrift 
 produced  this  faying,  as  a  predidion,  of  his 
 Apojiles  entring  on  other  men's  Labours,  v. 
 38.  but  only  that  it  was  as  applicable    to 
 this  latter  event ,  as  to  the  former,  of  which 
 it  was  originally  fpoken. 
 M.«,th.  ii,  17,        Such  another  quotation  is  found  in  this 
 fecond    Chapter  of   St.  Mat  hew,    where, 
 what  was  foretold    by  Jeremy,  of  the  la- 
 mentation  of  the  Jew'ifi  mothers,  for  the 
 murder  of    their  infants,    by  the  Ajfyrian 
 army,  is  faid  to  be  fulfilled,  upon  Herod's 
 (laying  the  little  children  about  Bethlehem. 
 The  evangelift  had  it  not  in  his  thoughts, 
 
 that 
 
 »8. 
 
^DefcTweof  Christ  lANiTY^  287 
 
 that  Jeremy  propheficd  there  of  Herod\  Scd.  I. 
 llaughrcr,  but  that  the  mourning  of  the 
 Bethlehem'tte  mothers,  under  that  lofs,  was 
 as  memorable,  as  that  foretold  by  Jeremy, 
 which  therefore  became  a  pattern  or  em- 
 blem of  future  great  lamentations.  Then 
 a  tender  mother,  as  in  Jeremy's  defcription, 
 perfonated  under  the  name  of  Rachel^  of 
 whom  it  is  recorded,  that  Ihe  faid,  give  me 
 children  or  Idye^  appeared  inconfolable  for 
 her  loft  children  :  Then  her  'voice  'ivas  heard 
 /wRama  i.e.  upon  the  high  hills j  {d)  which 
 is  another  figure,  for  a  very  great  weeping, 
 mourners  afcended  the  hills,  to  proclaim 
 their  grief,  or  their  cries  below  were  fo 
 loud,  as  to  reach  the  hills,  and  pierce  the 
 clouds,  as  we  fay.  So  that  all  that  Mathew 
 meant  was,  that  it  was  now  juft  fuch  ano- 
 ther forrowful  time  as  then.  Thus  that  fay- 
 ing in  Jeremy-,  was  again  fulfilled,  and  might 
 be  faid  a  hundred  times,  before  and  fince, 
 to  be  fulfilled. 
 
 Thefe  things  being  prcmifed,  we  may 
 proceed  to  a  particular  confidcration  of  the 
 texts  in  difpute. 
 
 («/)  The  fime  word  Rama,  is  engUpid  by  a  h'gh  place,  Jer. 
 iii.  II. 
 
 Jerom  here  and  Camius  in  Rad.  Rama,  i.  e.  an  high  hill, 
 from  rehtnu  a,  voice  csuld  be  heard  afar  off. 
 
 X   2  And 
 
A  T>eftnce  ^/Christianity. 
 
 And  I .  As  to  the  text,  thought  to  be  ci- 
 ted from  Hofea,  and  impertinently  applied, 
 of  Egypt  have  to  the  Calling  of  Chrift  omoi  Egypt :  If  it  can 
 1  caii'd  my  fbn.  j^^  probably  made  out,  that  the  words,  /  have 
 called  my  fin  out  of  Egypt,  were  antieritly 
 grown  into  a  proverbial  fpecch,  and  fb 
 capable  of  being  applied,  as  other  proverbs 
 are,  to  many  others,  befide  the  original 
 occafion,  then  St.  Mat  hew  had  as  good  a 
 right,  to  iliew  how  exadly  it  fuited  Chrift's 
 cafe,  as  any  Jew  had  to  alledge  it,  on  any 
 other  parallel  event. 
 
 The  ftate  of  the  Jews  in  Egypt ^  was  a- 
 cruel  bondage,  that  threatened  the  extirpa- 
 tion, of  the  people  j  and  Tharao's  decree, 
 for  dedroying  all  the  new  born  males,  was 
 cutting  the  nation  off  at  one  blow,  had 
 not  God  feafonably  interpofed  between 
 the  decree  and  the  execution. 
 
 Hence  Egypt  became  the  figure,  for  ex- 
 treme danger  and  imminent  death.  Ef.  x. 
 24,  26.  Be  not  af raid  of  the  Allyrian,  that 
 he  Jloallfmite  thee  with  a  rod  and  lift  up 
 his  faff  againft  thee,  after  the  manner  of ' 
 Egypt.  /".  e.  Lead  them  into  fuch  a  confu- 
 ming  Captivity.  And  God  threatening  to 
 call:  them  out  of  Canaan  by  another  difpef- 
 V  "  fion,  meaning  among  the  ChaldeeSy  or  Ro- 
 
 mansy 
 
y^  ^tfi7ice  of  Christ  I  A^  IT  Y.  289 
 
 7//ans,  if  they  di4  i')Ot  obey  hjs  laws,  hath  Scd.  I. 
 this  cxprcfTion  for  ir,  /  -X'///  ipr/ng  you  into 
 £gypt  again,  Dcut.  xxviii.  C'i.    Egypt  be- 
 ing   the    true  emblem  of  certain    dcniu- 
 dion  to  that  nation. 
 
 And  hence  deliverance  out  of  Eg'0t  ji^ 
 the  extraordinary  manner,  Ifracl  was  deli- 
 vered thence,  came  to  be  applied  to  every 
 gjrcat  and  furprizing  acl  of  prelbrvation, 
 where  there  Teemed  to  be  no  way  of  cfcape. 
 Whenever  a  remarkable  inftance,  of  fucli 
 favourable  and  powerful  protcdion,  hap- 
 pened, it  was  common  to  anfwcr,  in  the 
 words  of  fcripture,  out  of  Egypt  have  I  call- 
 ed my  fin  ;  or  he  called  him  Qitt  Qf  Egypt; 
 implying  this,  to  be  fuch  another  wondcffql 
 deliverance,  as  that  of  Ifrael  o\x\.  o^  Egypt. 
 God's  attributes  fliine  forth  in  both  alike, 
 
 Twas  part  of  the  wifdom  of  the  Je-Ji's 
 of  old,  as  now,  to  apply  fentenccs  taken 
 out  of  fcripture,  in  the  way  of  common 
 fayings,  tq  occurrences  of  their  tipics.  Thus 
 from  Abrahams  calling  the  name  of  the 
 place,  (where  a  ram  feafonably  offered  it  fclf 
 for  a  facrifice.infteadof  7/^^r,)  Jehova  jireh^ 
 or  the  Lord  'UJ  ill  provide  j  Mofis  obfcrvcs 
 ihat  it  was  commonly  faid  by  the  people, 
 Jehova  jirehy  of,  or  to  one,  under  great 
 
290  'AT>efence  ^/C  h  r  i s  t  i  an  i  t  y.' 
 
 Chap.  IV.  perplexities,  to  excite  a  truft  in  God  for  a 
 
 ^^^jJ^VT^  happy  ifTue,  or  thankfulnefs  afterwards.  As 
 
 it  is  faid  to  this  day^  in  the  mount  of  the 
 
 Lord  it  jh all  be  feen.     And  fo  it  was  faid 
 
 proverbially  in  Spain j  the  laft  century ;  no 
 
 Ludov.  vives   doubt  from  the  Jews,  who  brought  it  among 
 
 in  Aug.  CD.     ^ 
 
 XVI.   3a.  LllCllJ. 
 
 So  the  fcriptural  relation,  Baalam  cume 
 from  Shittim  unto  Gilgal,  was  turned  into 
 a  proverb,  for  a  fudden  change  of  an  ene- 
 my's wicked  pafTions  and  defigns,  by  God's 
 influence^  Mic.  vi.  5.  And  ^tthom  and 
 Hier.  on  Mic.  Ramejfes,  being  the  cities,  the  Jews  were 
 always  working  upon,  but  never  fufFered 
 to  fini/h,  they  were  ufed  in  vulgar  fpeech, 
 to  the  fame  fenfe,  as  we  fay,  church  work, 
 Fagius  in  Onkel.  on  Exodus. 
 
 Certain  it  is,  that  Ifraefs  coming  out  of 
 Mic.vi.4.jer.  Egypt y  Js  oftcn  mentioned  in  the  prophets, 
 
 >i.  6.  ihrice  in      ^'^  i 
 
 Hofca,  and  in  and  always  as  the  high  inftance  of  God's  al- 
 
 ^ac«offcrip-"^^S^^y   interpofition,    for  their    falvation. 
 
 ture.  They  alfo  foretell  other  future  deliverances* 
 
 like  that  of  Egypt j  with  a  mighty  hand  and 
 
 flretched  out  arm^  in  the  words  of  return^ 
 
 ing  out  of  Egypt,  bccaufe  that  was  known 
 
 to  be  a  pattern,  of  all  miraculous  efcapes 
 
 for  weighty  ends  of   divine  providence.    / 
 
 wtll  bring  them  again  out  of  the  land  of 
 
 Esypf> 
 
jIT^efence  of  Christ  1  AN  iTY.  291 
 
 Egypt,  faith  God  by  the  prophet   Zechary^  Scd.  1. 
 which   could  not   be   meant,    of  the  rem-  ,^'0^'"^^ 
 
 .  Zecn  X.  10. 
 
 nant    after    N eouchaanezzars    dcfohtion,  jcr.xiiv.  i^. 
 
 that  fled  into  Egypt ^  who  were  all  to  perifli 
 
 there,  by    '^Jeremy  %   prophefy  ;    but  of  the 
 
 whole   body   of   the  Je'Ji'S,  who  were  to 
 
 return  from  a  captivity,  like  that  of  Egypt,  Zcch.x.  6,8. 
 
 and  in  as  wonderful  a  manner.     And  there- *^' 
 
 fore  Zechary,  keeping  the  ^^wucoi  Egypt, 
 
 in  view,  fpcaks  as  if  the  Red-Sea,  were  to  lxx.&v.  l. 
 
 be  a^ain  dried  up  for  their  paflasi^e.  vers.  1 1.  "''«^«°^''«-'% 
 
 '^  »  r         c  the  neck  or 
 
 j^nci  he  [Ifrael)    (loall  pafs    ihrciigh  f^^  ftra'tor  the 
 fa  \2jitJd  affliction  and  [God)  ihall  fmite'^''^'*' 
 the  ''joaves  in  the fea,  and  all  the  deeps  of 
 the  river  (of  Egypt)  foall  be  dried  up. 
 
 The  like  expreilion  occurs  in  a  Pfalm  of 
 ^avid.  The  Lord f aid,  I'lziU  bring  again 
 from  Bafan  (the  country  oiOg)  I "jv ill  bring  my  p^-  !xviii.  ii. 
 people  again  from  the  d.pths  of  the  (red)  fa. 
 Their  (econd  rcftoration  fliall  be  like  the  firft, 
 from  'Pharao,  with  figns  and  wonders,  and 
 like  their  former  entrance  into  C^naan^  with 
 the  conqucft  of  men  and  cities,  that  were  to 
 appearance  infuperablc. 
 
 And  this  feems  to  be  the  meaning  of  that 
 part  of  Balaam's  prophefy,  that  regards  If 
 rael's  deliverance  out  of  Egypt,  Num.  xxiii. 
 22,  23.  God  brought  himcut  of  ^'zy^t,'--aC' 
 
 X  4  cording 
 
igi  A  T>efence  <?/ Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  IV.  cording  to  this  time  it  fhall  be  faid  of 
 ^^^^^'^'"^/""'^^  Jacob  and  Ifrael,  what  hath  God  wrought! 
 other  deliverances  hereafter  of  this  people, 
 fhall  be  fpoken  of,  in  comparifon  with  the 
 deliverance  of  this  time.  When  people  are 
 in  admiration  of  what  God  hath  wrought, 
 they  Ihall  take  this  of  Egypt,  for  their 
 example. 
 
 The  ufual  introdudion  of  proverbial 
 fpeeches  in  fcripturc,  is,  with  the  form,  of. 
 They  fay.  It  is  faid.  *  The  like  form  is 
 ufcd,  in  fpeaking  of  God's  calling  them  out 
 of  Egypt,  Jer.  xxiii.  7.  Behold  the  days 
 come,  that  they  fiall  no  more  fay,  the  Lord 
 liveth,  who  brought  tip  the  children  of  If- 
 rael out  of  the  land  of  E%y^t,  but  the  Lord 
 liveth  who  brought  up  Ifrael  from  the  North 
 country^  i,  e.  one  proverb  fhall  give  way 
 to  another,  when  the  greater  deliverance 
 Iliall  put  the  lefsout  of  remembrance.  Till 
 then,  their  deliverance  out  of  Egypt,  is 
 acknowledged,  to  be  a  phrafe  in  common 
 pie,  apt  to  be  cited,  upon  occafion,  of  any 
 ^  iimilar  event. 
 
 *  V.  Gen.x.  9.  Jer.  iii.  1,  i  Sam.  xix.  5.  It  is  faid,  explain- 
 ed by,  it  became  a  Lnverb,  i  Sam.  x.  ii.  i  Sam.  xxiv.  13, 
 Gen.xxii.  14. 
 
 In 
 
AT^cfcnce  <?/  C  h r  is  t i  an  i  t  y. 
 In  this  fcnfc,  as  a  proverb,  I  take  the  words, 
 out  of  Egypt  have  1  called  my  fori,  to  have 
 been  apphed  by  St.  MattheiL\  to  the  fin- 
 gular  prclcrvation  ot  Chrift,  from  the  fu- 
 ry of  Htrod,  that  dcltroyed  all  the  infants 
 of  his  age  and  neighbourhood  bcfidc.  The 
 meer  going  to,  or  from  Egypt,  upon  which 
 nothing  of  moment  depended,  feems  to 
 be  too  minute  a  circumftance,  to  deferve 
 a  place  in  prophefy,  or  hiftory.  But  as  his 
 going  thither  proved  afanftuary,  and  the 
 means  of  his  providential  efcape,  Chrift's 
 might  well  be  compared  to  Ifrael's  deli- 
 verance from  Tharao,  and  in  the  very 
 words  of  God's  calling  them  put  of  Egypt. 
 It  was  Chrift's  efcape  from  Herod,  and 
 not  his  flight  into  Egypt-,  that  the  evangelift 
 had  ii;  view,  at  quoting  this  proverb.  V^zd 
 Chrift  fled  into  any  other  country,  and 
 been  fafe  there,  it  might  have  been  as  truly 
 faid  of  his  return  thence,  out  of  ^^y^x.  have 
 I  called  my  fan.  For  not  to  the  country  of 
 Egjpt^  but  to  redemption  from  certain 
 death,  like  to  that  Ifrael  expelled,  and  was 
 delivered  from  in  Egypt ^  is  this  proverbial 
 quotation  referred. 
 
 The 
 
294  ^  ^(fence  of  Christian  TY, 
 
 Chap,  IV.      The  entire  narration  in  the  gofpel   ex- 
 plains it  fo.     They  (the  wife  men)  l^emg 
 departed^  behold  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ap- 
 peared to  Jofeph  in  a  dream^  7^/^^^.  arife-t 
 take  the  young  child  and  his  mother y  and 
 flee  into  Egypt,    and  be  there  till  I  bring 
 thee  word,  for  Herod  will  Jeek  the  young 
 child  to  deftroy  him.      And  when  he  a- 
 rofe,  he  took  the  young  child  and  his  mo- 
 ther  by   night,  and  departed  into  Egypt, 
 and  was  there,  tint  ill  the  death  of  Herod. 
 That  it  might  be  fidfilled,  (or  thus  it  was 
 fulfilled  or  verified,  as  learned  men  know, 
 the  particle  that  fignifies)  which  was  fpo- 
 ken  of  by  the  prophet,  out  of  Egypt  have 
 I   called  my  fon.      Thus  that    common 
 fpeech,  in  Hofea^  Mica  or  fome  other  pro- 
 phet, wherein  God*s  power  and  goodness, 
 towards  his  fervants,  hath  been  celebrated, 
 is  again  true,   in  the  diftinguifhing  prefer- 
 vation  of  Jefus,   from  Herod  s  cruelty,   by 
 means  of  his  retreat,   and  ftay    in  Egypt 
 till  the  danger  was  over.     Out  oi Egypt,  i.  e. 
 from  manifeft  deftruBion,    have   I   called 
 my  fon. 
 
 This,  in  my  opinion,    is  a   full  uncon- 
 
 ftrained  vindication,    of   this  quotation    in 
 
 Matthew^   which  may  the  rather  be  pre* 
 
 5  ferred. 
 
A  T>e fence  <?/*Christianity.  295 
 
 fciTcd,  bccaufc  in  the  next  vcrfc,  a  text  is  Sed.  I. 
 cited  from  Jeremy,  in  the  way  of  proverb  ^-^^v^^^ 
 alfo,  not  as  prophecy.     But  this   anfwci  is 
 propofed,    without   prejudicing  theirs,  that 
 think    Jefus,    who    is   calLd  God's    /fr//- Exod.  iv.  19. 
 born,   was  a  type  of   the  Meflias,    and  fb 
 what  was    faid  of  one,    miglit   be  appHed 
 to  the  other,  as  a  predidlion,  when   it  was 
 true  of  both, 
 
 2.  Another  quotation  occurs  in  the  fame  !l''^"' ";,-Vl 
 
 T  And  he  (la)  be 
 
 chapter  of  St.  Matthcju-,   u^herethe  Evangc-  called  a  Noza- 
 
 lift  relating,  that  Chrift  came  and  d'jodt  in 
 
 a  city,  called  Nazareth^  fubjoins,  that  it 
 
 might  be  fulflLd  which  was  fpoken  by  the 
 
 Prophets,  he  Jh  all  be  called  a^';n.2.\.zv\z.  To 
 
 which  it  is  objeded,'   "  That  that  can't  be 
 
 "  fulfilled  which  was  never  predicted  ;  there 
 
 *'  is  no  fuch  text  in  the  old  tcftament,  and 
 
 '*  therefore  the  writer  was  deceived  himfelF, 
 
 "  or  hoped  to  deceive  his  readers  with  a 
 
 *'  falfe  citation  ".  chryfoft. 
 
 Now  if  I  fhould  reply,  with  many  learn-  J^°"',;  ^^-^^ 
 cd  men,  as  well  antient  as  modern,  that  hoc.neruitpro- 
 fuch  a  text  was  formerly  in  the  prophetical  quaq'uan^fcru- 
 writings,  but  fmce  St.  Matthew's  days,  isflipt  terii--muira  ex 
 
 ■-^  ■>    '  ^     propheticis  pj- 
 
 out  of  the  copy,  that  hath  been  fol  lowed  by  the  ricrc  monu- 
 weftern  Jews,  it  would  not  be  reafonable  to  xheoph.  ^c  ■ 
 deny  it  5  fince  fome  books,  that  we  fee  quoted 
 
 in 
 
296  A  T^efeme  (TfCHRiSTi^NiTY. 
 
 Chap.  IV.  in  fcripmre,  and  fomc  paCfages,  quoted  out  of 
 ^^^St""^^  books  (till  extant,  are  not  now  to  be  found : 
 and  it  is  moreover  highly  improbable,  that  a 
 grave  hiftorian,  writing  the  adions  of  Chrift's 
 life,  aad  the  defign  of  his  iioly  religion,  for 
 publick  cognizance,  fliould  in  the  entrance 
 wpon  his  hiftory,  aflcrt  a  falfity,  which  an 
 adverfary  could  as  eafily,  as  he  was  watch- 
 ful, difprove  i  the  event  to  be  fupportcd  by 
 the  predidtion,  being  not  of  that  confequence 
 as  that  the  EvangeHft  fhould  venture  his  owrt 
 credit,  and  the  honour  of  his  rehgion,  upon 
 the  difcovery  ;  Efpecially,  fince  in  his  other 
 quotations,  from  the  old  teftan^ent^  which 
 are  many,  he  is  found  faithful. 
 
 But  out  of  regard  to  truth,  I  will  not 
 diflemble  the  difficulty,  that  hinders  me,  from 
 refting  on  this  anfwer.  Had  this  quotation 
 been  in  fo  many  words  in  the  prophets,  a- 
 bout  our  Saviour's  age,  it  muft  have  been 
 vulgarly  known  to  the  Jews,  and  interpret., 
 ed  of  the  Melfias,  as  other  remarkable  pre- 
 4i<^ions,  concerning  him,  were.  But  fo  fat 
 from  that,  neither  the  Jewilh  dodors,  nor 
 ^    ,.  ^       the  people,  with  whom  the  true  traditions 
 
 See  alio  Targon  r      r    *  rn      r 
 
 Ef.xiv.8  which  often  remained,  did  expedl  theMeliias  froni 
 Jighloufnefs?'^  thence.  Can  my  good  (which  feems  to  be  a 
 orthejuftone.  ^gfcription  of  thc  Chtift  from  Jer.  xxxiii. 
 
 Joh.  1. 46.  f  <^  •■ 
 
J  «Df/fwr^^/ Christianity.  297 
 
 14,  15.)   come  out   of  Nazareth)   Was  Sea.  T. 
 Nathaniel's  qucftion  to  Thilip,  who  told  ^-'-n^^ 
 him ,    they  had  found  the  MelTias  there. 
 Search  and  fee,  faid  the  Pharifecs  at  another 
 time  when  the  people  thronged  after  Chrift,       ^  ^^ 
 for  out  of  Galilee,  artfes  not  the  prophet y^ 
 viz.  expefted  to  come.      They  would  not 
 have  faid  thus,  had  the  fcripture  plainly  de- 
 clared, that  he  fiould  be  called^  i.  c.  be,  a 
 
 ^*^azarcnc 
 But  what  was  notplainlydedar'dthere,misht 
 
 be  obfcurely  intimated,  or  hid  in  an  equivo- 
 cal woid  or  exprcffion.  till  cxplain'd  by  the 
 went,  and  then  appear  to  be  fo  naturally  and 
 certainly  the  fenfe  of  the  place,  as  to  leave 
 little  doubt,  that  this  event  was  intended 
 by  the  Spirit  of  prophecy.  ,  ,   , .  .  ' 
 
 This  is  the  common  anfwer,  and  I  thinfc 
 the  true  one,  though  it  hath  not  been  fo 
 fufficiently  maintain'd  out  of  the  fcripture, 
 as  it  might.    And  I  the  rather  incline  to  it 
 bccaufe  of  Jeromt  remark,  t^^^tthe learned 
 of  the  Hebrews,  i.  e.  thofe  of  the  fed  of 
 the  Nazarenes,  according  to  fatlier  Smon, 
 that  read  the  old  and  new  tcftamcnt  in  rt^- oit.  hii).  of 
 bre-^,  concehed  St.  Matthew'.  quotation,^-^^r,  ,c.t  of 
 was  taken  from  the  frofhet  Efay. 
 
 c.5>, 
 
 Bv 
 
Ef.  xi. 
 
 A  jy? fence  of  Christianity. 
 
 By  their  account,  St.  Matthew  had  the 
 word  Netzar  in  his  thoughts,  whereby  Efay, 
 prophefying  of,  defcribes  the  Mefllas.  And 
 there  jhall  come  a  rod  out  of  Jejfe,  faith  E- 
 fay,  and  a  Branch  [T^i  Netfar  or  Nezar  Jhall 
 grow  out  of  his  roots,  and  the  Spirit  of  the 
 Lord  fhall  refi  upon  him,  «Scc.  Were  any 
 learned  Jew  asked,  of  whom  did  the  Pro- 
 phet here  fpeak,  he  would  reply,  without 
 ballancing,  of  the  Mefllas,  who  is  the  fub- 
 jed  of  this  whole  chapter.  Their  Targum 
 fo  explains  it,  as  doth  Jonathan's  Targum 
 on  ^eut.  xxiv.  i.  Their  Talmud  ^  5  their 
 ancient  homilifts,  and  moft  of  their  mo- 
 dern commentators  agree  with  them,  that 
 the  Neifar,  or  Branch  in  Efay,  ftands  for  the 
 Mefllas. 
 
 Names,  we  know,  were  given,  to  imply 
 the  country,  the  defcent,  the  qualities,  or 
 adions  of  thofe,  on  whom  they  were  im- 
 pos'd.  They  frequently  Signify,  that  a  per- 
 fon  fliall  be,  or  do,  what  is  imported  in  his 
 name. 
 
 What  then  doth  the  word  Netfar  fignify, 
 
 in  the  Hebrew  Tongue  ?  it  flgnifies  firft  ap- 
 
 pellatively,  a  branch,  flower  or  bud  ^ :  and 
 
 *Talrn.  Hier.  tr   Schabbat. and  Bab.  tr.  Sanh.  xi.  Seft.  ij*. 
 *  LXX.  here  and  Dan.  xi.  7.  renders  it  by  «v5(^,  a  Flower. 
 
 from 
 
A  Defence  (^/'Christianity.  299 
 
 from  thence  it  palled  by  tranflation  into  the  Scd,  I. 
 proper  name  of  a  place,  whicii  was  (b  deno 
 minated,  from  its  huitfulncfs,   as  much  as 
 to  fay,  the  garden,  the  flower  of  Galilee  S 
 
 In  Hebrew  the  town  was  called  Netiar  i 
 ^  in  Syria,  Nazareth  5  the  Syrians  common- 
 ly augmenting  the  Hebrew  termination  and 
 foftening  the  letters  ts.  into  z.  ^  in  the  pro- 
 nunciation, though  they  write  both  ways, 
 and  particularly  Nazareth  j  with  a  ts.  And 
 a  corrupt  Syriack,  was  the  language  fpokcn 
 by  the  Jews,  in  St.  Matthe'ufsiimQ. 
 
 The  ufual  word  in  the  prophets  for  the 
 Meflias,  and  almoft  appropriated  to  him, 
 was  Ury^  Zemach,  which  fignifics  a  branch  i 
 and  was  ufed  by  them,  as  Nezar  here,  both 
 appellatively  and  properly.    But  Efay  in  this 
 
 c  Hier.  ad  Marcel,  and  cllewhere  calls  Nazareth  flos  GalilcK. 
 Jofeph.d.Bell.iii.  i8.  AdGenefarlacum  [i.  «.v?iNetfar  or  Naza- 
 reth] ejufdem  nominis  terra  pretenditur,  natura  fimu]  &  pul- 
 chritudinc  admirabilis  nullum  enim  Ipfa  pro  ubertate  fui  negat 
 (trbnfium,  totamque  planus  confevere  cul tores. 
 
 ^  Elias  Levit.  8c  David,  dc  Pomis  in  Lex.  Of  which  the 
 Greeks  made  Na^«f«Eus.  Dem.  vii.  and  plurally  N«^«^«  Plan- 
 tations. H.Eccl.i.7.  From  thence  they  fcrmed  Ncc'^a^are;  for 
 an  inhabitant  of  Nazara.  But  they  that  pronounced  it  NnVJ 
 Nazaraia  as  is  read  in  Syr.  and  VL.  called  a  townfman  N«^«f  ?!'<^, 
 afid  that  is  the  pronunciation  followed  by  St.  Mark,  xiv.  67. 
 
 *  So  the  Targ.  has  htiD  for  the  Hebr.  nviD  ^f.  i.  4. 
 y.  Drus.  paralcla. 
 
 place. 
 
500  ADefence of  CnTLisTih'i^  iTY. 
 
 Chap.  IV.  place,  puts  the  word  Zemach  for  Netfar^ 
 guided  as  it  feems,  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
 foretell  therein,  the  country  where  this  bud 
 of  T>avid  fhould  be  nourifh'd  :  to  infmuate 
 that  the  Meflias  fhould  be  a  Net  far,  on  a 
 twofold  account,  as  he  fhould  grow  out  of 
 the  ftock  of  T>avid,  and  be  educated  in  the 
 flower  of  J  tide  a,  in  Nazareth. 
 
 Among  the  Jews^  fuch  a  way  of  writing 
 did  prevail.  They  wrapp'd  up  their  meaning 
 in  riddles;  or  hinted  it  by  words  of  like 
 found,  but  different  fignification ;  and  Ibmc- 
 times  implied  two  or  three  events,  in  the 
 change  of  a  fingle  letter  of  the  fame  organ, 
 or  tranfpofition  of  one,  or  more  letters. 
 
 This  may  feeni  ftrange  to  us,  and  will 
 give  modern  wits,  a  contemptible  idea  of 
 former  times.  But  it  is  ncverthelefs  antient, 
 and  hath  been  thought  by  other  nations,  a 
 beautiful  and  skilful  way  of  writing.  The 
 modes  of  exprefling  one's  thoughts,  have 
 not  been  the  fame  in  all  countries  p)  nor  in 
 all  ages  of  the  fame  country.     What  mode 
 
 *  Senec.  Ep.  Apud  antiques  nondum  captabatur  plaufibilis  ora- 
 tio.  Illi,  qui  fimpliciter  8c  probandsereicaufa  loquebantur,  pa- 
 rabolis  refcrti  erant,  quas  exiftimo  neceflarias.non  eadem  caufaut 
 Poetis,  fed  ut  imbecillitatis  noftrx  adminicula  iint,  8c  difTerentem, 
 Si  audientem  in  rem  preientem  deducant-^ 
 
 foeve§ 
 
A  defence  of  Chuist i  a izirr.  Tot 
 
 foevcr  anfwer'd  bcfl  the  end  of  fpcaking  and  Scd.  I. 
 writing  at  the  time,  reading  and  writing  were  ^-^'"V""^-^ 
 known  to  few,  was  certainly  the  bed  to 
 them.  However,  being  received  into  fafhion, 
 in  the  age  of  the  prophets,  they  arc  not  to  be 
 flighted  for  conforming  to  it.  God  himfelf 
 ispleas'd  to  accomodate  himfelf,  to  the  con- 
 ception and  language  of  men.  And  if  this 
 was  the  language  of  other  prophets,  why 
 not  of  Efiy  in  this  place,  to  which  the  no- 
 tion of  a  Nazarene  is  well  fuited,  that  St. 
 Matthew  grounds  upon  the  word  Nezar, 
 in  the  text. 
 
 The  teftimony  of  Malmonides  is  exprefs, 
 for  fuch  a  ufage  of  wotds  commonly  by  the 
 the  prophets ;  and  few  have  been  more  ca- 
 pable, to  judge  of  the  facred  ftyle  than  him- 
 felf. '*  The  prophets,  faith  he,  frequently  Maim,  r/lor. 
 "  employ  cquivocat  and  metaphorical  jj^°^ 
 *'  words,  with  intent,  not  to  /Ignify  the 
 "  thing  which  is  obvious  in  the  firft  fcnfe 
 **  of  the  words,  but  what  is  to  be  col- 
 "  kcted,   from  another  etymology  and  de- 
 
 **  rivation  thereof. Sometimes,   they  fee      »ii43. 
 
 '*  things,  which  reprefent  very  different 
 "  matters  from  thofe  they  fee,  and  which 
 "  are  implied  in  another  fignification  of  the 
 ^;  word,  that  {lands  for  tlic  things  feen.  An 
 Y  **  almond 
 
3CS  i^T)efinceof  CnR  1ST lA^ IT Y^, 
 
 Chap.  IV. "  almond  tree  is  prefentcd  before  Jeremy] 
 
 tVTXT"^  "  ^^^^  y^^  "^  rcfped  is  had  to  that  tree, 
 
 npy;o"'ip^^"  which  was  only   an  artificial  memorial, 
 
 fiiakej  an  ai-   «  that  God  will  hoften  or  watch  over  the 
 
 /;o/tc./i  haVit  :"  performance  of  his  words,   which  is  the 
 
 "  other  Icnfc  of  the  Hebrew  word  for  an 
 
 Am.8.  T,  ?.    ''  almond    tree,     Amos  fees    a  basket  of 
 
 zuS^J^ox'n^c^'  fi'^^'^  fi^^^^y  but  that  had  no  connexi- 
 
 fiuit.  x^/Vs:.    "  on,    but  in  found,   with  the  predidion 
 
 theenuiscome. "  that  is  implied  in   that  iign ;  then  faid 
 
 ''  the  Lord,  The  end  is  come  upon  my  feo- 
 
 "  pie  Ifrael. Sometimes  a  double  refe- 
 
 t'  rcnce  to  different  perfons,  is  included  in 
 
 *^  the  fame  word ;    again  the  letters  of  a 
 
 "  word  are    tranfpofed  to    form   a  word, 
 
 "  that  hath  no  affinity  in  etymology,    or. 
 
 Zech.  11.7,8.  "  fenfc,  with  the  former,      l^hxxs  Zechary 
 
 "  calls  one  of  his  fhepherd's  ftaves  Noam, 
 
 *'  or  delight^  to  fignify,    the  pleafure  God 
 
 "  had  in  his  people,   and  the  delight  the 
 
 *'  people  took  in  God's  worfhip.     He  calls 
 
 ,       "  his  other  ftaff  Ckebalim  bands,  in  token 
 
 bytranfpoh-    "  that  the    pcoplc  wctc  choUeltm  become 
 
 "  corrupters  of  God's  law,    and  their  ibul 
 
 "  did  mutually  bachala  abhor  each  other  '*. 
 
 nrrin  So  far  Maimonldes. 
 
 He  might  have  inflanced  in  many  more 
 texts  of  this  fort.     To  fnpply  this  omiUTz 
 
Z/^  defence  of  Christ  I AU  IT  yI  305 
 
 on,  I  will  take  leave  to  offer  two,  bccaufc  Scd.  I. 
 they  come  up  to  the  point  very  fully ;  ^-^"V""^-^ 
 wherein  different  events  are  preftgnificd,  in 
 one  word  of  the  fame  found,  but  pregnant 
 of  different  fenfes,  and  this  by  the  pro- 
 phet's own  interpretation.  From  whence 
 a  rule  may  be  eftablifh'd ,  for  fLippofing 
 the  like  allufions  in  other  prophecies,  where 
 fufficient  ground  appears  for  it,  that  are 
 left  to  be  found  cut,  by  the  reader's  dili- 
 gence,  and  frequent  reflexions  on  the  fcrip- 
 ture  language. 
 
 The  firft  is  in  Hofea,    who  predids  dif-  Hof.  i. 
 fercnt  events  to  Ifrael,    and  to  the  royal 
 court  of  their  kings;  and  all  are  included, 
 in  the  different  fignifications,   of  the  name 
 of   his  cldeft  fon,    fo  called    on   purpofe 
 Izrael,  i.  4.  And  the  Lord  [aid unto  me^  call         "^^^^y-w 
 his  name  Jezrael,  for  yet  a  little  while  and  ^^^^^' 
 1  will  avenge  the  blood  of  Izrael  upon  the 
 houfe  of  Jehu,  a7td   (or,  moreover)  I  will 
 caufe  to  ceafe  the  kingdom  of  the  houfe  of 
 Izrael,  and  at  that  day  I  will  break  the  bo'jj 
 of  Ifrael  in  the  'valley  of  Izrael.     Here  are 
 no  lefs  than  three  allufions  declared,  in  the 
 impofition  of  one  name.     The  royal  palace  iK.  i<;.  ici, 
 was  called  Izrael :  and  here  fi  hu  made  great 
 flaughtcr  of  king  Aha'j\  family.     Izrael 
 
 Y  a.  was 
 
 [^ 
 
5  04  ^  defence  <3/*CHRisTiANiTr. 
 
 Chap,  IV.  was  alfo  the  name  of  a  valley  near  the  d- 
 '^^^'^^   ty,  where  the  Aff'jrian  army  routed  Ifrael, 
 this  city  wason  before  their  captivity.     To  fignify  therefore 
 NcpXirjof.  the  puniGnment  of  Jehis  pofterity,  for  the 
 xvii.  1 6.         blood  fhed  at  Izrael-^  and  the  punifhment 
 >i4-iT^  izraei.   Qf  Israel  f  which  differs  from  IfraeL  but 
 in  a  letter  Icarccly  QUlinguitnable  m  pronun- 
 ciation) in  the  field  of  Izraei^  Hofeas  fon 
 was  named  IzraeL     This  fingle  name  was 
 a  fign  and  a  memorial  to  them  of  all  thefe 
 things. 
 
 But  there  was  a  further  predidion,  com- 
 prehended in  that  name,  which  regarded 
 the  remote  future  ftate  of  IfraeL  The 
 two  Hebrew  words  [m?  j  Zerah  to  dif- 
 ^erfe,  and  ^"^^  Zerah  to  fow,  in  order  to 
 multiply  and  gather,  are  in  found  very  near 
 the  fame  j  and  either  of  them  may  com- 
 pound the  word  Izreel.  As  therefore  the 
 prophet  declared,  the  difperfion  of  Ifraely 
 when  their  bo^s;  (or  ftrength)  'was  broken  in 
 the  valley  of  [czreel,  to  be  fignified  in  his 
 ion's  name :  So  anon,  he  comforts  them 
 with  a  promifc  implied  in  another  fenfe  of 
 rhe  fame  name,  of  their  being  gathered, 
 from  their  captivity,  and  encreafing  like  the 
 feed  of  God  Then  foall  the  children  of 
 Hof-  i.  1 1,     juda  and  Ifrael  be  gathered  under  one  head^ 
 
 and 
 
A  Defence  ^  C h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t r.  305 
 
 and  they  Jhall  come  out  of  the  land  (of  their  Sc£i:.  I. 
 difpcrfion)  for  great    is  the  day  of  Izrccl*  ^-^"V"--^ 
 or  as  the  Targ.  of  \\\z  gathering  ^Ifrael. 
 
 Jarchij  to  make  the  allufion  plainer,  ren- 
 ders it  by,  ''  great  is  the  day  of  xhcgather- 
 *'  ingof  the  feed  of  Unci  }  which  R.TDa- 
 *vid  Kimchi  well  explains,  "  for  Ifrael  was 
 "  typified  in  the  child  Izrecl^  bccaufe  God 
 *'  fcattcrcd  them  in  his  anger  as  (Zerah) 
 *'  feed  among  the  Gentiles  ;  and  again,  he 
 "  called  them  Izreel,  or  the  feed  of  God, 
 '^  becaufe  in  the  time  of  falvation  they  fhall 
 *•  hzfovjn  in  their  own  land."  For  it  is  in- 
 deed the  prophets's  own  explication,  ii.  22, 
 2  3 .  The  cart hf  jail  hear  the  corn  andisuine  the 
 andthe  oyL  and  they  (hall  hear  IzvqcL  or  If-  ^^"^^^  izraej. 
 rael  gathered  together  at  their  return :  ror  tiah. 
 I '-juill  fo-ju  her,  (the  houfe  of  Ifracl^  unto 
 7ne  in  the  land,  and  I  isi:ill  have  mercy  tip- 
 on  her  that  had  not  obtained  mercy. 
 
 Of  thcfe  feveral  events  Hofas  Ton  was. 
 made  the  type,  and  they  were  all  contained 
 in  one  fuigle  word,  the  name/;3r^^/.  And 
 if  Hofea  had  not  himfelf  explained  it  fo,  but 
 another  prophet,  a  century  or  two  after  him, 
 did  ;  it  could  not  be  denied,  but  Hofea. 
 might  intend  all  thcfe  fenfes,  in  the  name 
 of  his  fon  i  not  only  becaufe  of  the  autho- 
 
 Y  3  m 
 
3  o6  A  defence  ^^/'Christianity.' 
 
 Chap.  IV,   rity  of  the   interpreter,  but  alfo  from   the 
 
 ^^-'^'^'^"^^  fuitablenefs  of  fuch  allufions  to  the  prophe- 
 tical way  of  writing,  and  the  tafte  of  that 
 age. 
 
 Dan,  V.  i8.  My  fecond  inftance  I  take  from  T^anieU 
 
 During  Belfiazzafs  impious  feaft,  a  hand 
 writing  was  fecn  upon  the  wall,  in  thefe 
 words,  mene,  Tekel,  iipharfin.  ^Daniel  was 
 called  to  tell  the  meaning  j  and  this  is  his 
 interpretation  of  the  laft  word,  upharfin^  thy 
 kingdom  is  divided^  and  given  to  the  ^er- 
 (lans.  The  hebrew  word  [D*ld]  Teres,  as 
 an  Appellative  fignifies,  to  divide  or  break, 
 and  it  is  alfo  the  proper  name  of  the  people 
 or  country  of  Terjia.  And  a  word,  of 
 this  double  iignification,  is  here  ufed,  to  fore- 
 tcl,  the  breaking  or  divifion,  of  the  Babylo- 
 nian empire,  and  that  the  Terfians  fhould 
 be  principal  inftruments,  in  the  doing  of  it. 
 
 Now  where  is  the  difference  between  ©^- 
 fiiel's  interpretation  of  the  hand  writing,  and 
 St.  Matthew's  interpretation  of  this  paflagc 
 in  Efay  ?  E/ay  fpeaks  of  the  Mellias,  by 
 the  name  of  Netfar,  which  fignifies  a  branch 
 O]:  flower,  and  alfo  a  town,  or  an  inhabi- 
 tant of  a  town,  of  the  fame  name.  Why 
 might  he  not  intend  the  Meflias  fhould  be 
 a  Netfar  in  both  fenfes,  as  well  as  up>har'. 
 
yi 'Defence  of  CuKiSTiht^nri  307 
 
 777/,  be  interpreted  of  a  divifion,  and  of  the  Sc(^.  I. 
 ^Ferfian  nation,  that  Ihould  effect  it  ?  Efaiah 
 doth  not  interpret  it  fo  himfelf!  Nor  doth 
 he  fay  the  contrary  :  he  doth  not  tell  us,  in 
 what  icnfc  he  ufed  the  word  Netfcr.  If  the 
 word  be  capable  of  the  fenfe,  St.  Matthew 
 put  upon  it,  Efay  might  intend  that  fenfe,  for 
 ought  any  one  can  fay  to  the  contrary. 
 
 For  it  is  of  no  weight,  what  the  Je'-Ji's 
 have  faid,  that  were  a  iV^^^r^T^^  intended,  it 
 fliould  be  writ  Netfri  or  Notfri,  They 
 well  know,  that  the  fcripture  is  not  always 
 accurate  in  the  names  of  nations,  tribes  and 
 people :  And  left  of  all,  where  an  allufion 
 would  befpoiled,  by  a  grammatical  exadnefs. 
 Proper  names  are  often  put  in  the  Hebrew:;, 
 for  Fatronymicks  5  and  the  name  of  the  father, 
 for  the  whole  race  defccndcd  from  him. 
 Derivatives  and  primitives  ate  expreflcd  by  the 
 fame  word.  The  ten  tribes  are  called  Jacob 
 or  Ifraely  not  Jacobi  or  Ifraeli :  And  the 
 two  tribes  Judaj  not  Jekttd':*  Ephram 
 is  the  name  of  the  tribe,  as  well  as  the  an- 
 ceftor :  So  Moaby  Arnmorij  Edom,  Efau, 
 Amaleky  comprize  all  the  families  end  people 
 that  fprung  from  men  of  that  name. 
 
 Of  what  hath  been  faid,  this  is  the  funW 
 Bfay^  prophcfying  of  the  Mcflias,  dcfcribc* 
 
 Y  4  tUDi 
 
A  Defence  <?/ Chri  sti  anity^ 
 
 him  in  the  word  Netfar.     That  word  de- 
 notes the  town  Nazareth ^  or  one  that  dwelt 
 therein,  as  well  as  a  branch.     St.  Matthew 
 faith,  it  was  foretold  in  that  text,  that  Chrift 
 fhould  be  a  Nazarene,  as  it  was  fulfilled  in 
 the  Lord  Jefus.     It  is  allowed,  the  word  wil^ 
 bear  fuch  an  interpretation  :    and  that  the 
 like  allufions^  in  the  prophets,  render  this  in- 
 terpretation of  the  place  very  probable.   The 
 Jewifi  doctors,  when  they  interpret  things 
 darkly  hinted  at  in  a  prophecy,  are  wont  to 
 fay,  that  it  may  be  fulfilled.  St.  Matthew  ufes 
 the  like  form  of  fpeaking,  in  quoting  a  pro- 
 phet, for  faying  Chrift  fnould  be  a  Naza- 
 rene.    It  lies  on  them  that  contradid  it,  to 
 prove,  (which  is  proving  a  negative,)  that 
 Efay  did  not,  and  could  not  mean  any  fuch 
 thing,  as  the  evangelift  affixes  to  his  words, 
 
 If  this  explication  doth  not  fatisfy  men 
 that  judge  of  paft  ages  and  nations  by  their 
 own,  they  have  wherewithal  to  content 
 them  in  another,  that  hath  the  countenance 
 of  great  names.  Nazarene  was  a  title  given 
 to  Jefus  in  reproach.  St.  Matthew  takes 
 the  occafion  to  improve,  even  that  con- 
 temptible name,  into  an  argument,  in  fa- 
 vour of  Jefui's  being  the  Meflias.  Naza-. 
 reth  was  a  mean  town;,  inhabited  by  fifher- 
 
 jiien^ 
 
''ATiefence  ^f  Christ iak it y^  3051 
 
 men,  and  mcchanicks  of  the  lowcft  form,  Sefl:.  I. 
 made  up  of  ignorant  J^^'J",  and  a  mixture  of  ' 
 Gentiles. 
 
 In  this  place  Jcfus  fpent  a  great  part  of 
 his  hfe,  and,  on  that  fcorc,  might  fairly  be 
 called  a  Nazarene.     But  the  Jews,  in  cal- 
 ling him,  Jcfiis  of  Nazareth,  the  prophet  of 
 Nazareth,  the  Nazarene,  added,  to  that  of 
 his  country,  the  idea  of  fcorn    and   con- 
 tempt. What  that  poor  dcfpicable  fellow,  that 
 man  of  nothing,  he  our  Mefllas  !  Can  any 
 goody   any   great   and  enterprizing  pcrfon, 
 any  thing  fL:itable  to  the  charadcr  of  Chrift, 
 come  out  of  Nazareth  ?  Pilate  wrote  his  in- 
 fcription,  Jefiis  of  Nazareth,  the  king  of  the 
 Je'Ji's,  with  dcfign  to  have  it  read  in  this 
 light.     He  joins  together  two  contradidory 
 titles,  in  his  opinion,  ^te  ^  Nazareth,  and 
 that  of  a  king,  in  order  to  expofe  ihxJeiL'iJb 
 hope,  and  the  Chriftian  belief. 
 
 But  the  evangelift  prepares  his  readers 
 againft  prejudices,  from  this  appellation. 
 Though  the  Jews  call  him  Nazarene  ia 
 derifion,  we  are  not  afhamed  of  that  name. 
 What  do  they  mean  by  that,  but  an  alHid- 
 €d,  fufFering,  defpifed  man  ?  And  fo  the  Mef- 
 fias  is  foretold  to  be,  not  in  one,  but  all  the 
 prophets.     Let  not  this  name  then  be   3 
 
 tumbling- 
 
"fio  ^A  defence  ^/Chr  Jstiani  ty? 
 
 Chap.  IV.   ftumbling-block  in  your  way.     While  they 
 '^-''^^'^n^^  reproach  him,  as  a  Nazarene,  they  adually 
 fulfil  the  prophecies,   that  defcribe  him,  as 
 fuch,  and  are  proving  Jefus  to  be  the  Mef- 
 iias.     Thus  be  (Jefus)  came  and  dwelt  in  a 
 city  called  Nazareth,   by  the  difpofition  of 
 providence,  that  he  might  be  reproached  by 
 his  adverfaries,  as  a  Nazarene^  and  fb  the 
 things  in  the  fcripture  concerning  his  fhame, 
 and  fcorn,  and  contradiction  from  fmners, 
 might  find  a  completion. 
 Math.xi.  14.        3^  Matth,  xi.  14.  is  a  third  text,  to  whofe 
 pertinency,  exception  is  taken.     The  quo- 
 tation is  made,  by  our  Saviour  himfelf,  in 
 thefe  words  to  his  difciples,  Andif  jouwill 
 receive  it^  this  (John  the  Baptift)  is  Elias 
 which   was    to   come.      And    it  is  taken 
 i\:om  Mal.iv.  5.  Behold  I  fend  you  Elijah 
 the  prophet  y  before  the  coming  of  the  great 
 and  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord.     "  Mala- 
 <*  chy,  faith  theobjedor,  fpokeof  a  bodily 
 *'  coming  of  Elijah  :  Jefus  applied  it  to 
 "  another  man,  that  was  not  Elijah.    He 
 «'  therefore  prevaricated  in  his  application, 
 "  and  no  one,  after  that,  ought  to  believe 
 «  a  word  he  faid  ".     This  is  one  doughty  ar- 
 gument, why  men   fhould  disbelieve  the 
 golpel  i 
 
 Bat 
 
A  ^Defence  <?/ Christianity.  311 
 
 But  what  evidence  in  the  text,  for  Elias's  Seft.  I. 
 coming  in  pcrfon,  rather  than  a  prophet,  in  l^^Ow 
 the fpirit and po'Ui'er of'EW^.^'i  None.  Some 
 Je'-ji's  fancied,  the  TijJobite  himlclf  was  to 
 come  5  but  it  was,  for  want  of  acquaintance 
 with  the  fcripture  flyle,  or  through  credi- 
 ting too  much  fomc  philofophick  notions 
 concerning  transmigration  of  fouls,  or  a  re- 
 furredlion  of  all  the  prophets,   at  Chrift's  Mfth.  xvi.  14, 
 
 *       ^  John  ix.  8. 
 
 coming. 
 
 With  a  little  reflexion  they  might  have 
 obferved,  that  perfons  refembling  others  in 
 qualities,  office  or  anions,  are  dcfcribed  in 
 the  prophets,  by  the  names  of  thofe  whom 
 they  refemble.      The  Mellias  is  promifed 
 to  come,  by  the  name  of  T^avid,  and  yet  Hof.iii.  5-, 
 no  Jevj  ever  expeded,  that  'David  (hould  E^ekJxx'xfv. 
 return  to  the  earth  bodily,  or  the  Meflias  *3'  xxvii,34. 
 be  the  Perfon  of  David.     Zadok  the  hiiih 
 prieft,  andhisfons,  in  jD^i;/<^'s  time,  i  Chr, 
 vi.  ji.  are  recorded  in  the  Chronicles  by 
 the  name  of  Aaron  and  his  fons.  vers.  49. 
 Bccaufe  they  fucceeded  into  Aaron's  office, 
 and  performed  the  fundions,  of  the  high 
 priefthood.     Nay,  Elijah  himfclf,  is  called 
 'Chinees  by  the  Jeijos,  bccaufe  they  both 
 had  the  fpirit  of  zeal  alike. 
 
A  .'Defence  <?/*  Christi  anity^ 
 
 Nor  were  the  Jews  unanimous  in  the 
 opinion,  of  Elias's  coming  in  peifon.  The 
 Talmudijfs,  many  of  them,  taught  other- 
 wife  :  and  faid  he  fhould  be  only  in  deeds, 
 fuch  a  one  as  Elias.  (^)  And  Maimonides, 
 (i)  a  Jew  of  account  next  to  the  Talmud^ 
 fpeaking  of  Elias's  perfonal  appearance, 
 faith,  "  Thefe  and  the  like  things  no  man 
 *'  knows  diftindly,  before  the  event  fhall 
 *'  reveal  them.  They  are  obfcurely  deli- 
 "  vered  in  the  prophets:  there  is  no  cer- 
 "  tain  tradition  concerning  them,  among 
 ^'  the  chachams  or  wife-men.  What  is  cer- 
 "  tain,  is  only  by  nccelTary  illation  from 
 
 fcripture. And  in  another  place.     This 
 
 "  is  certain,  that  a  prophet  Ihall  arife,  be- 
 "  fore  the  coming  of  the  Meffias^  which, 
 **  fome  of  the  'wife-men,  conceive  fhall  be 
 <'  Elias  himfelf 
 
 The  thing  certain  then  in  Malachy,  accor- 
 ding to  him,  was,  that  a  prophet  fhould  come 
 before  Chrifl :  The  thing  grafted  upon  the 
 prophecy  was,  that  this  prophet  fliould  be 
 Elias  himfelf;,  which  was  uncertain. 
 
 {h)  Gem  Beracoth.  f.  6i.  c.  2.  in  SurenhuJT  Conciliat.  p. 
 230.  Kiddufchim,  f.  70.    ib.  p.  94.  Eruvin,  f.  43.  ib.  p.  jS* 
 (i)  Maim.tr.  Melachim,  c.xi. 
 
 For 
 
 <e 
 
A  defence  <?/ Chris  tiANiTv:  3ij 
 
 For  this  judgment,  Maimonides  is  men-  Sea.  I. 
 tloncd  with  praife,  by  another  of  his  nation  ^;^':^^^^^^ 
 and  a  judicious  commentator,  R.  Tanchu-  mucc,  .  Per- 
 ma.    "  Doubtlcrs,>ir/7  /j^taz  /^/^  notes  on  ,,j,. 
 «*  Malacbyy  here  is  a  promife,  of  the  ma- 
 "  nifeftation,  of  a  prophet  in  Ifrael,  a  lit- 
 «  tie  before  the  appearance  of  the  Meflias, 
 «  whom,  fomeof  the  learned  would  have, 
 •'  to  be  Elias  the  Ttjhbite.    But  others, 
 «  and  among  them,  the  great  dodor  Mai- 
 «  monides,  think  this  prophet,  Ihall  be  of 
 "  equal  degree  with  Eltas,  for  the  know- 
 ''  ledge  of  God,  and  reverence  of  his  holy 
 «  name,  and  is  therefore  called  Elias. " 
 
 Thcfc   interpretations,   of  fuch  eminent 
 Jews,  proceeded  from  the  force  of  truth : 
 and  thev  are  not  the  Icfs  true,  for  coming 
 alfo,  from  the  mouth  of  Chrift  Jcfus,  and 
 his  apoftles.     Jokn  the  Baptiji  was  ano- 
 ther Elias,  for    fevcrity  of  life,  zeal  for 
 God's  glory,  boldly  rebuking  vice,  and  fuf- 
 fering  perfecution  for  it,  and  doing  all  he 
 could  toreftore  the  true fpirit  of  loftreligi-  M^kix.n- 
 on:  and  on  all  thcfe  accounts,  was    enti- 
 .       tied  to  the  name  of  Elias.    But  whoever 
 *       was  intended  by  Malachy ;  his  office  was 
 to  reform  the  corrupt  manners  of  the  JewSy 
 and  his  coming  to  precede,  the  i''^^JJt^^ 
 
'314  ^  'Defence  e^f  C  ri  r  i  s  t  i  a  N 1 1  r^ 
 
 Chap.  IV.  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord,  (which  hath 
 IV'SrVi^  been  fhewed,  to  be  a  phrafe,  for  the  de- 
 {Irudion  of  Jerufalem,)   left   God  Jhould 
 fmite  the  land  (of  Judea)  with  a  curfe,  or 
 utter  defolation.     Let  any  Jew  or  infidel 
 tell  us,    whether  their  land  be  not  at  pre- 
 fent,  and  hath  not  been,  for  fome  hundreds 
 of  years    paft,   under  the    efFeds  of  that 
 curfe !  and  then  let  him  fay,  whether  Elias 
 came  in  perfon,  or  any  prophet  like  EliaSy 
 befide  John  the  Baptiji,  to  forewarn  the 
 nation,  before  the    coming  of  that  dread- 
 ful day,  or  that  curfe  began  to  be  inflided. 
 4.  It  is  once  more  urged,  as  aflur  upon  our 
 Matth.xni.      Saviour's   interpretations,    that  what  Efay 
 13.14.  J^      fpoke,  of  the  obftinacy  of  the  Jews  in  his 
 own  time,  Jeftis  referred  to  the  judicially 
 blindnefs,  of  the  fame  people,  leven  hun- 
 dred years  after.      Compare  Chrift's  words 
 in  the  gofpel,    with  the  whole  paffage  in 
 the  prophet,  from  whom  he  cites  them, 
 and  it  will  appear,  who  is  miftaken. 
 
 Chrift  tells  his  difciples.  Therefore  fpake 
 I  to  them  in  parables y  becaiife  they  feeing 
 fee  not,  and  hearing  hear  not^  neither  do 
 they  underftand.  i^nd  in  them  is  fulfilled 
 the  prophecy  of  Efaias,  which  faith,  by  hear- 
 ing joufiall  hear  andfiall  not  underftand, 
 
 and 
 
'A  T)efence  ^CHRiSTiXi^itY.'  315 
 
 and  feeing  jou  Jhall  fee  and  fjall  not  per-  Se£l:.  I. 
 ceivej  for    this  people's  heart  is    iz'axed  l^>^^ 
 grofi,   &c.    Now   hear  the   prophet.     Go  p^^  ^j     ^^^ 
 and  tell  this  people,   hear  ye  indeed  and 
 imderftand  not,   and  fee  ye    indeed  and 
 perceive  not,  make  the  heart  of  this  people 
 fat,  and  make  their  ears  heavy,  <5cc.    (Ac- 
 cording to  the  idiom  of  his  tongue,  the 
 prophet  is  bid  to  do  that,  which  he  fimply 
 declares.)     But  flop  not  here,  but  go  on  to 
 the  1 1  th  verie.     Then  faid  I  Lord  how 
 long  ?  viz.  Ihall  this  bUndnefs  laft.    And  he 
 anfwered  until  the  cities  be  'wafled  isuith- 
 out  inhabitants^    and  the   hoitfes  ijuithout 
 man,  and  the  land  be  utterly  de folate,  and 
 the  Lord  have  removed  men  far  a'juay, 
 and  there  be  a  great  for  faking  in  the  mtdfi 
 of  the  land,   i.  e.  until  fome  fweeping  de- 
 flrudion,  and  captivity  fhall  come  upon  you. 
 And  who  will  affirm  this  captivity,  was 
 not  that  after  Chrift's  time,  by  Titus  ?  In 
 this  light,  Chrift  applies  Efafs  words,  with 
 great  propriety,   to  tlie  Jews  of  his  days. 
 They  were  then  fuch  a  perverfe,  hypocriti- 
 cal people,  as  they  were  in   Efafs  time. 
 Efay  foretells  they  lliould  continue  fo,  till 
 <jod's  final  judgment  Ihould  overtake  them. 
 
 Chrift 
 
3i6  j^  defence  of  Christ  I  AtJiTtl 
 
 Chap.  IV,  Chrift  charges  his  generation,  no  further  thati 
 sy\/^>y  ^j-^y  jjij^  ^Jay  gave  the  commencement, 
 and  duration  of  their  fpirititual  blindnefs. 
 Chrift  notes  it,  of  the  age  he  lived  in. 
 And  within  any  part,  of  that  period,  as  well 
 as  in  the  beginning  thereof,  it  might  be 
 truly  pronounced  of  them,  Thts  people's 
 heart  is  waxed  grofs.  &c.  t^nd  therein 
 is  the  prophecy  ^Efaias,  concerning  them^ 
 fulfilled. 
 
 CHAP.  IV»  SECT.  II. 
 
 i^ath.;.ai,is-  J,  X  Am  now  come,  to  the  laftof  the  five 
 dratt^n^r  *  JL  t^^ts,  that  is  charged  with  unfaithfuU" 
 £/2iy  in  proof  nefs in tlic  application;  which  is  indeed  fiift 
 
 that  Chrilt  ^  r 
 
 (Vouid  be  bom  in  otdcr,  and  principal  in  weight,  and  ought 
 o  avirgm.      therefore  to  have  been  firft  cleared,  had  I  not 
 referved  it,  to  a  feparate  confideration.     Su 
 Mathew,  having  related  the  extraordinary 
 birth  of  Chrift,  tells  thofe,  for  whom  his 
 gofpel  was  defigned,  that  God  of  old  pre- 
 pared their  fathers  for  this  event,     jdll  this 
 was  done  that  it  might  be  fulfilled,  which 
 wasfpoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  fay - 
 hig,  behold  a  ^virgin   (hall  conceive  and 
 bring  forth  a  fon,  and  they  fhall  call  his 
 name  Emanuel,  which  being  interacted  is^ 
 God  with  us. 
 
'A  T^efence  ^'Christianitv. 
 
 Efay  is  the  prophet  referred  to;  but  Efay^ 
 as  the  objedor  prciUmcs,  fpoke  the  words 
 *'  not  of  the  Meillas,  but  of  one  of  his  own 
 "  children,  whofe  birth  of  a  young  woman, 
 '■  was  given  a^a  fign ^  tiut  Jerufalem  fliould 
 '•*  be  delivered,  before  the  child  was  able  to 
 ^'  fpeak  plain.  The  prophecy  being  then 
 "  literally  fulfilled  in  the  prophet's  days,  it 
 "  is  forced  and  unnatural  to  fix  a  figurative, 
 *'  which  is  another,  interpretation  upon  tlic 
 "  text. 
 
 Now  admitting  that  the  word  fulfilled  is 
 ufed  by  St.  Mathew,  in  the  fame  fenfe  the 
 objeiflor  would  have  it  ;  though  it  often, 
 means  no  more,  than  that  two  events,  com- 
 pared together,  do  remarkably  agree,  in, 
 fome  particulars  :  we  will  venture  to  afiirni 
 notwithftanding,  that  Efay's  prophecy  is 
 truly  fpoken  of  the  birth  of  Chrift,  either  as 
 a  typical  J  or  a  literal fingle  predi6iion  of  his 
 birth,  and  either  way  the  cvangclift  is  jufti- 
 fied,  in  fo  applying  it. 
 
 I.  Suppofmg  this  prophecy,  was  of  the 
 typical  kind,  which  foretells  events  to  one 
 perfon,  in  the  perfon  of  another,  there  is 
 nothing  incongruous,  unnatural  or  uncer- 
 tain, in  the  application  of  ic,  to  Chrift.  For 
 the  literal  fenfc  of  fuch  piophccies,  is  that; 
 7*  \yhiGl>. 
 
3 1 8  'AT>efence  ^Christianity.' 
 
 Chap.  IV.  which  is  fulfilled,  in  the  thing  or  perfon  fig- 
 ^^-^'^^^^^^  nified,  according  to  the  literal  meaning  of 
 the  words,  and  amplitude  oftheexprellions. 
 Tkat  ought  not  to  be  faid,  is  literally  fulfilled 
 in  the  type,  which  was  not  fulfilled  in  him 
 at  all,    or  only  in  a  figurative  incomplete 
 •   fcnfe.     It  was,   therefore,   the  manner  of 
 the  prophets,  in  all  typical  rcprefentations, 
 to  afcribe  fuch  things  to  the  type,  as  can  t 
 properly  belong  to  it,  that  the  people  might 
 from  thence  be  led,  to  look  beyond  the  type, 
 Ch.  V.  §.  I.     £qj^.  2  farther  accomplifhment.     This  hath 
 been  fhewed  at  large  from  the  prophets  them- 
 fclves  in  a  former  chapter.     And  it  fhould 
 now  be  remembered,  what  was  there  proved, 
 that  though,  bccaufe  of  the  parabolical  iden- 
 tity, of  the  fign  and  the  thing  fignified,  the 
 fame  names,  and  a<Jions  and  attributes,  are 
 ufed  indifcriminately  of  both,  yet  in  truth^^ 
 there  are  things  fpoken  peculiarly  of  each, 
 which  mufi  not  be  confounded,  in  the  in- 
 terpretation,  jufl  as  in  parables,  fome  things 
 are  laid  in  the   propofition,  fome  things  in 
 the  reddition  or  moral,  to  which  there  was 
 nothing  de%ncd  in  either,   to  be  anfwered 
 in  both. 
 
 Carrying  this  obfcrvation  along  with  us, 
 it  will  be  caiVy  to  explain  Efaj\  prophecy, 
 
 partly 
 
\/^1)efince  of  Christ  1  At;  IT  Y.  ?i9 
 
 partly  of  the  Mcfllas,    partly   of  the  child,  SccV.  II. 
 
 that  was  made  a  type  of  him,    who  proba.  ^-^'^^'^-^ 
 
 bly  was  E/ay's  fon,  by  the  prophctcfi,  his 
 
 wife,  and  mother  of  his  former  chiJd.     For 
 
 he  tells  thcje'ijs  in  the  next  Chapter,  That  ^^-  ^iii-  '-8. 
 
 he  and  his  fins  '•jDere  given  for  figns    and 
 
 'bonders  in  Ifrael.  /.  e.  for  types  and  images 
 
 of  things  that  fhould  happen,  as  the  words 
 
 in  Hcbrei;:j  often  fignify.  * 
 
 Aha::::, 
 
 «Ef.  viii.iS.  D^nSID^inimvi^LeothothuImophthim.niv^ 
 oth  ot  in  Chaldee  P^i  ach  frimartly  ftgnifies,  nake.i  Jigns,  ex, 
 frejjions  or  types.     And 
 
 {y)  li  the  word  for  Utters,  (which  are  the  external  chara. 
 Bers  of  thought i  and  founds,)  m  the  Hebrew  grammar lAns, 
 Hence  it  is  ttfed. 
 
 (i)Of*  perfoncr  aBion  employed  to  be  art  image  or  emMemi 
 cf  other  perfons  and  ailions,  Ef.  xx.  5.  Ezck.  iv.  3.  F/'.  Ixxiv. 
 10.  and  in  other  places,  And  in  this  fenfeECiy,  calls  his  fon s,. 
 othoth  /?g-»j.  lor  Shearjalhub,  Efay'i  tliefi  fon,  vii.  3.  was 
 a  fign  only,  as  Ifrael's  return,  vi.  13.  vas  tyjijifd  in  the  im. 
 fofition  of  his  name.  His  birth  vas  no  miraculous  confirmation 
 of  any  future  event;  no  more  vas  the  birth  of  his  other  fon  Maher- 
 fhakl-ha(h-bai.  viii.  i.  hut  a  fniple  pre.lict.cn  of  the  defrucfion 
 cf  the  kingdoms  of  Ifrael,  and  Syria,  implied  in  calling  him, 
 by  the  compound  name  of  making  halic  to  the  fpoiJ.  The  Grsck 
 v/if/jim  had  the  like  fignif cation,  which  ft  ems  tocomefrcin  the 
 Hebrew  ^OD  Siman  Ef.  xxviii.  i-;.  and  again  to  be  turned  by 
 the  Talmudifts  out  of  Greek  into  the  Hebrew  word  miQ  fiman/t> 
 a  technical  memorial  cf  any  thing  pafl  or  come. 
 
 (3)  ]t  thince  was  tranfiated  to  figmfy  any  mark  of  diflir.clion. 
 Thus  the  Sabb.ith,  and  abflaimngfrom,  blood,  are  called  figns,  Ezek . 
 XX.  11.  Ex.  xii.  13, 
 
 z »  (4;  /* 
 
A  T>efence  ^  C  h  r  i  s  T  i  a  n  i  T  rl 
 iylhaz  was  then  in  the  utmoft  diflra- 
 dion,  at  the  boafted  invafion  of  his  capital 
 city,  from  the  kings  of  Syria  and  Ifrael. 
 To  comfort  him  at  this  jandure,  Efay  is 
 fent  from  God  with  the  meffage,  that  their 
 councils  and  attempt,  fhould  prove  inef- 
 fedual ;  and  in  affurance  that  he  fpoke  in 
 God's  name,,  he  offers  i^haz  his  clioiceof 
 any  other  fign  in  the  depths  or  in  the  height 
 Zi  vu.  10.  above.  It  appears  from  his  anfwer,  that 
 t^haz  was  (ulleii,  that  he,  and  his  coun- 
 felloLs,  defpiicd  the  prophet  and  diftrufted 
 God. 
 
 Since  then  Ahaz,  rcfufed  to  ask  any  fign, 
 which  God  had  offered  to  him,  the  prophet 
 tells  him,  God  would  give  the  houfe  oiT^avid 
 
 (4.)  Itjignifiedajign  of  reme^nhrmce  of  things  pajl.  Numb,  xvi- 
 38,  with  vers.  4o.xvii.  10.  Ex.  xiii.  y,  6.  Jofii.iy.6.  Deut.  vi. 
 8.  xi.  iS. 
 
 (5-)  A  fign  that  preceeded  the  thing  fpoken  of,  andfo  was  afeal 
 er  confirmation  of  the  certainty  of  the  thing  to  be  done.  Gen.  ix.  12. 
 Ex.  iii.  12.  iv.  8.  i  Kin, xiii.  3. 
 
 And  becAufe  miraculous  works  were  the  proper  affurance  of 
 a,  thing  promifed,  oth  cr  fiign  came  laftly,  tofignify  a  miracle  or 
 wonder.  Jer.xxxii.  20,  21. 
 
 The  like  mavy be  obferved of  ^^'^^  mophet,  which' we  render 
 wonder,  and  is  thought  to  come  frefnTlB'^  ja^hn,  in  the  fenfe  of 
 n33  phana,  and  in  its  fiirfifiignfication,  tofimdfer  an  afpeft,  a, 
 vifibie  fign  or  portent,  admoni filing  of,  or  forefioewing,  fcmething 
 future  refembling  this  fign,  and  given  to  mc-ve  belief  thereof,  as 
 Cevallus  from  D.  Kimchi.  So  fz-ek.  xii.   1 1.  xxiv,  24. 
 
 a  fign. 
 
A  ^Defence  ^Christianity.  321 
 
 a  fign  of  his  own,  without  their  asking  jScd.  II. 
 but  it  fhould  neither  be  upon  the  heavens, 
 nor  the  grave,  but  a  fign  or  type  of  his 
 birth,  in  whom  all  God's  mercies  were 
 fumm'd  up,  and  which,  in  the  execution, 
 fhould  be  miraculous.  And  fo  the  pro- 
 phet varies  here  the  fenfc  of  the  word  y^;?, 
 from  his  ufagc  of  it  in  the  1 1  th  vcrfe  :  (than 
 which  nothing  is  more  common  in  fcrip- 
 ture,  nor  no  figure  more  beautiful  in  other 
 writers.)  And,  in  this  way,  removes  at  once, 
 the  prefent  and  the  future  fears,  of  the  houfe 
 
 And  he  faid,  hear  ye  no^'JUy  ye  hottfe  of  Da- 
 vid,  is  it  afmall  thing  for  you  to  'dueary  men, 
 kit  will  you  iveary  my  God  alfo  ?  Behold 
 a  virgin  pall  conceive  and  bear  afon^  and 
 thoujhalt  call  his  name  Immanuel.  Butter 
 and  honey  jhall  he  eat,  until  he  knows  to 
 refufe  evil  and  chufe  good,  and  before 
 the  child  jhall  know  to  refufe  the  evil  and 
 chufe  the  good,  the  land  which  thou  art  in 
 concern  for , jhall  be  for  faken  of  both  her  kings. 
 
 As  if  he  had  faid,  Hear  you  of  the  houfe 
 of  'Davidj  that  give  up  Jerufalem  as  lofl, 
 and  the  line  of  'David  as  cxtinguiflicd  ; 
 from  which  the  Saviour  was  promilcd  to  dc- 
 fcend.    I  give  you  afvgn,  in  my  Ton,  which 
 
 Z  5       '  {l-i:iri 
 
0s  A  T>efence 6?/ C h r i s  1 1  aisti  t y. 
 
 Chap.  IV.  fhall  be  born  of  my  wife,  and  be  called  Int- 
 manuel^  a  fign  that  none  of  thefa  evils  fhall 
 happen.  The  impofition  of  fo  aufpicious, 
 fo  auguil  a  name,  (liews  that  this  fon,  is 
 not  your  expeded  Saviour,  but  a  type  of  him, 
 who  Ihall  be  born  of  a  pure  virgin,  and  ful- 
 ly anfwcr,  the  import  of  the  name  Jmmaniiel, 
 Herein  only,  is  my  child  an  hnmamieli  as 
 portending  deliverance  from  your  prefent 
 dangers :  in  like  manner,  as  Shear-jajhttby 
 the  child  in  my  hand,  predi^ed  in  his 
 name,  the  return  of  your  captive  brethren. 
 For  this  typical  Emfintiel,  in  the  ftate  of 
 his  infancy,  fhall  partake  of  the  plenty  of  the 
 land,  and  plenty  implies,  that  the  land  fhall 
 be  exempt  from  rapine  and  famine,  the 
 conflant  attendants,  of  hoflile  invafions, 
 and  fiegcs.  Butter  and  honey  Jhall  he  eat,  all 
 the  time  from  his  birth :  and  before  he  ar- 
 rives to  be  two  or  three  years  old,  (the 
 age  that  children  come  to  diftinguifh  be- 
 tween natural  good  and  evil,)  the  land  of 
 "J-i'Jca  fliall  be  rid  of  thcfe  two  kings. 
 
 Thus  Efayy  fpeaking  of  the  Mellias,  in 
 the  perfon  of  his  fon,  afcribes  fuch  things 
 to  his  fon,  as  the  Je'Ji'S  knew,  could  not 
 poflibly  be  true  of  him,  viz.  That  he  flrould 
 be  be  born  of  an  wide  filed  virgin^  that  he 
 
 fhould 
 
A  defence  <?/"  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a n  i  t  v.  323 
 
 fhould  be  Emann^lj  or  God  with  us ;  and  Sed.  II. 
 again  in  the  next  Chapter,   that  he  fhould  ^^-^"^v^"^^^ 
 be  the  rigktful  king  of  Jndea  and  conle- 
 qucntJy  the  eldcfl:  branch  of  the  houfe  of 
 ^avidy    and   that  for  his   fake,  ^^^^^///T-' ^/^^J^'^^^;^'^; 
 Emanuely  the  land,  and  the  kingdom,  could  manud.— it 
 not  be  deltroyed  utterly  5  and  no  doubt,  it  or  fuccecd,  /<«>■ 
 is  to  the  fame  perfon,  that  he  afcribcs  up-  j^'J^'^^^j'i',/'^' 
 on  his  birth  the  illuflrious  titles,  in  the  ixth 
 chapter.  Wonderful  (in  his  birth,)  counfel- 
 lor^  (as  knowing    the  mind  of  the  Lord)  ^^  ^,.^^^.  ^^^ 
 mighty  God,   i.  e.  Emanuel,  father  of  the  other 7«wi 
 age,  prince  of  peace,  isuho  fhould  fit  on  the  ^  °"^  ^' 
 throne  of  David  for  ever  -,  wlio,  according 
 to  the  Je^-jus^    is  the   MefTias.     And  the 
 Jews,  accuftomed  to  the  typical  way  of  pro- 
 phefying,  readily  apprehended,  a  further  in- 
 tention in    the  lign,    fmce  the  things,  at^ 
 tributed  to  it,  tranfcendcd  the  nature  of  the 
 type. 
 
 On  the  other  hand,  Efafs  following 
 reftridion,  that  the  child  Ihould  eat  butter 
 or  honey,  for  a  year  or  two,  to  the  deli- 
 verance from  the  confederate  kings,  if  they 
 were  all  undciftood  of  the  fame  child, 
 muft  draw  tlicir  attention  alfo,  upon  what 
 was  pcrfonal  in  his  fon,  and  lead  them  to 
 conclude,   that  he  fuflamcd  a  double  ca- 
 
 l  ^  pacityi 
 
§24  A  Defence  of  CvLvusrihrnr^l 
 
 Chap.  IV.  pacity  5  and  in  both  was  an  example,  and 
 ima2;e  of  the  mercies,  God  had  ftill  in  re- 
 ferve  for  them. 
 
 As  this  rule  is  fuggefted  in  the  prophets,  for 
 the  interpretation  of  other  fcriptural  types, 
 the  Jeivs  have  no  reafon  to  deny  it  in  this 
 place  5  without  iirft  proving  the  difference 
 of  this,  from  other  types.  All,  or  the  chief 
 charaders  of  the  child,  prophefied  of  in 
 Efajy  fliould  be  found  hterally,  in  fome 
 child  of  Kyiha£%  days,  which  hitherto, 
 has  been  vainly  attempted.  For  Hezekia, 
 fct  up  by  the  latter  Jews^  he  was  then  at 
 the  delivery  of  this  prophecy,  about  nine 
 years  old,  and  fo  was  not  then  to  be  con- 
 ceived and  born.  And  for  a  true  fon  of 
 the  body  of  Efay^  he  was  neither  enti- 
 tled nor  did  fucceed,  to  the  throne  ofDavidy 
 he  could  not  be  born  of  a  virgin,  that  had 
 an  elder  brother  by  the  fame  mother,  nor 
 could  it  be  faid  of  him,  that  he  was  God 
 with  us,  except  in  type  Till  then  another 
 pcrfon  can  be  produced,  befide  the  Mellias, 
 whom  thefe  charaftcrs  will  fit,  we  have 
 no  reafon,  to  quit  the  defence  of  St.  Ma- 
 the-ji\  from  atypical  interpretation  of  £"7^/5 
 there  are  juft  caufcs  arifing  from  the  text  it 
 Iclf,  for  fuch  an  application. 
 
 But 
 
j^  ^^fcftce  of  Christianity.,  325 
 
 But2dly,  the  words,  as  they  lyem  Efay,  Sect.  II. 
 are  capable  of  being  interpreted  y^/^/y  ot  ^'^^'^^^ 
 the  Meflias,  and  abftraded  from  any  typi- 
 cal conjundion,  with  Efa/s  Ion.  And 
 if  they  may  be  fairly  conftrued  to  this  fenfe, 
 they  ought  to  be  fo,  fhould  the  typical  ex- 
 plication^ fail. 
 
 To  make  way  to  this  fenfe,  the  time  and 
 occafion  of  the  prophecy,  fliould  be  afccrtain- 
 cd.  For  the  time  ;  it  was  in  the  end  of  the 
 fecond,  or  beginning  of  the  third  year  of 
 i^haz, ;  the  year  after  the  kings  of  Syria 
 2ind  Ifrae/j  had  feparately  invaded,  thecoun-  -  chron. 
 
 try  of  Judea^  and  carried  great  multitudes 
 
 into  captivity.  In  the  end  of  Jothatris 
 reign,  (who  was  father  to  \ylba':z)  thefe 
 kings  prepared  for  this  invafion,  2  Kin.  xv. 
 
 and  he  being  dead,  they  took  advantage  of 
 his  fucceflbr's  youth,  then  twenty  years  old 
 at  mod,  and  fpoiled  his  country. 
 
 At  this  juncture,  Efaj  called  the  fon,  that 
 was  then  born  to  him,  by  the  name  of 
 Shear-jajhuby  or  the  remnant  ihall  return, 
 in  token  that  the  captives  iliould  be  fpeedily 
 lent  back,  as  they  were,  to  their  own  home. 
 Twas  policy,  not  companion,  that  was 
 the  motive,  to  their  return.  For  thus  the 
 king  of  Ifrael^  made  fo   many  advocates 
 
 of 
 
326  \^  T>efence  of  Christ lAiJ  I  tr^^     ' 
 
 Chap.  IV.  of  his  clemency,  with  their  brethren  the 
 EfWiii'Tr^  y^'^'^'  And,  therefore,  hoping  for  greater 
 fuccefs  the  next  year,  the  two  kings  refolved 
 to  joyn  their  forces,  and  raze  the  walls  of 
 Jerufaleniy  and  itt  up  a  new  king,  a  ftran- 
 ger  to  the  houfe  of  David  and  the  tribe 
 of  Jtida,  as  their  deputy.  Thi§  wicked 
 confpiracy,  could  not  fall  later,  than  the 
 ^th  of  tylkaz.  There  could  not  be  above 
 two  years,  between  the  two  invafions.  For 
 in  the  loth  o^  Jotham^  the  king  of  Ifrael^ 
 is  noted  to  be  flain.  2  King,  xv.  50.  and 
 that  zoth,  was  coincident  with  the  ^th  of 
 Ahaz,  ;  Jothaffi  having  refigned  the  king- 
 dom in  his  1 6th  year,  and  is  therefore  re- 
 corded to  dye,  or  to  ceafc  to  be  king,  in 
 that  year. 
 
 It  is  from  hence  plain,  that  Efay  fpoke 
 this  prophecy,  in  the  2<^  or  3<^  of  Ahazi 
 Shear-jaJJmb  being  then  in  arms,  or  newly 
 on  his  feet,  whom  the  prophet  took  with 
 him,  to  be  a  pledge  of  more  things  to  come, 
 as  having  been  a  fign  of  things  already  per- 
 formed. Thus  accompanied,  he  found  A- 
 haz,  and  his  nobles,  viewing  the  walls  of 
 Ef.  ui.  2.  ihc  city,  under  the  utmoft  dcjcclion  -,  his 
 kejrt,  and  the  heart  of  his  people,  being 
 moved  at  the  rumor  of  the  confederacy^  as  the 
 
 trees 
 
A  defence  ^/Christianity.  ?2/ 
 
 trees  of  the  ''jcood  are  moved  ijuith  the  ''juind.  Seft.  II. 
 
 And  not  without  caufc.  %ylhaz>'%  Ton  ^-^^^^^^^^ 
 was  flain,  in  the  tirft  invafion.  Perhaps  no 
 other  Ton  was  left :  for  Hezekia  feems  not 
 to  be  his  ion,  but  his  fucceflbr.  The  next 
 to  the  kin^g,  and  many  of  the  blood  royal,  ^  ^^'■-  ^^^  "• 
 were  (lain  at  the  fame  time  :  and  now  the 
 few  that  furvivcd,  were  threatened  to  be  ex- 
 tirpated, and  all  the  hopes  of  the  houfe  of 
 T)  avid  J  were  vaniflied. 
 
 Efay*s  mcflage,  ought  to  have  raifed  their 
 fpirits.  He  compares  the  enemy  kings,  to 
 two  fmoaking  fire-brands,  that  fhould  fmoak 
 and  never  burn  ;  he  foretells  the  fate  of  their 
 kingdoms  5  and  perceiving  no  credit  to  his 
 words,  \\Qo^crsAhaz  any  miracle,  in  proof 
 that  they  were  God's  words,not  his  invention. 
 But  all  was  to  no  purpofe.The  king  would  have 
 no  dgn,  and  his  nobles  concurred  with  him. 
 Well  then,  faith  he,  firfl:  addrefllng  to  the 
 nobles  of  the  royal  blood,  God  will  do 
 what  is  worthy  of  himfelf,  without  regard 
 to  you,  oh  degenerate  offspring  of  T^avid, 
 Hear  ye  no'ju  oh  houfe  of  David,  the  Lord 
 himfelf  flo all  give  yon  a  fign.  -  -  Behold  a 
 virgin  fhall  conceive  and  bear  a  fon^  and 
 fhall  call  his  name  Emanuel.  You  are  in 
 pain,  \c^iyihaz:%  line  fliould  fail,  and  with 
 
 that 
 
3  28  j^T)efence  of  Christ  IAN  itYi 
 
 Chap.  IV.  that  Gods  promife  to  ^avid,  of  an  ever- 
 Jafting  kingdom.  But  God's  ways,  are  not 
 like  man's  ways.  Though  the  male  line  of 
 'David  were  extind,  yet  by  a  female  of  that 
 houfe,  by  a  pure  virgin  he  is  able  to  raife 
 up  the  promifed  feed  to  David.  And  he 
 will  do  it.  He  will  give  you  the  Sa- 
 viour, the  Emamtel,  from  an  unfpotted 
 virgin  ,•  that  you  having  fuch  an  in- 
 ftance,  of  almighty  power  in  expedationj 
 may  not  diftruft,  the  interpofition of  his  pro- 
 vidence, at  prefent. 
 
 Whether  the  birth  of  Emanuel  was  near,- 
 or  far  off,  the  prophet  doth  not  fay,  nor 
 could  they  gueis ;  the  determinate  time  of 
 his  coming,  being  not  fix'd,  before  Daniel. 
 But  upon  this  promife,  they  were  to  reft  fa- 
 tisfy'd,  that  neither  Syrtaj  nor  Ifrael,  nor 
 any  other  ftrangcr,  fhould  be  able  to  deftroy 
 the  kingdom  of  Juda^  and  houfe  of 
 David  totally,  before  He  came  to  aflume 
 the  kingdom,  whofe  right  it  was,  and  to 
 whom  the  land  belonged,  viii.  lo,  12. 
 Thus  far  the  words  are  a  dired  promife,  of 
 the  miraculous  birth  of  the  Mellias,  by  a 
 virgin,  and  are  addrcfs'd  in  i\\c plural,  to  the 
 houfe  of  David. 
 
 Wha£ 
 
A ^efmce <?/  C  h r  i  s  t  i  a n  i t  y.'  5  2(? 
 
 What  follows,  is  fpoke  to  Aha::^  in  the  Scd.  II. 
 /ingular,  with  paiticular  relation,  to  his  prc- 
 fcnt  danger.  Butter  and  homy  fljall  he 
 eat  J  pointing,  as  may  well  be  conceived,  to 
 the  child  Shear-jajloub  in  his  hand.  Until 
 he  kno'ju  to  refufe  the  evil  and  chtife  the 
 goody  this  child  fliall  partake  of  the  undif- 
 turbed  plenty  of  the  land.  Surely^  before 
 this  child  {a)  fhallkjiOuU  to  refufe  the  evil 
 and  chtife  the  good,  the  land  thoti  (oh  Ahaz) 
 art  concerned  for  fJoall  be  forfaken  of  both 
 her  kings.  In  other  words,  a  year  or  two5 
 time  fhall  deliver  you  of  your  fears. 
 
 So  then,  we  have  here  two  different  pro- 
 mifes,  which  were  diftinguifhed,  by  the  Ac- 
 tion of  the  prophet,  at  the  time  of  fpeak- 
 ing  them.  (^)  The  one  was  made  to  the 
 houfe  of  T>avidy  of  the  wonderful  birth, 
 of  that  extraordinary  perfon,  who,  accord- 
 ing to  God's  covenant  with  ^avid,  had 
 been  expeded  as  their  Saviour,  but  was  now 
 
 (a)  -lyan  yv  aiton  O,  with  a  Ht  demonftrativc,  This 
 child. 
 
 (b)  Since  I  writ  this,  1  find  the  moft  learned  A.  Bifliop  ITper 
 in  his  Annals  A.M.  3262.  to  beinthefame  opinion,  that  the 
 prophet  rpoke  of  two  children,  and  v/hen  he  paHld  from  £- 
 manttel  to  Sljear-j:iJIiHb,  he  demonltrated  him  with  his  finger. 
 Mahenda  alfo,  an  interpreter  of  the  hrft  rank,  applies  wha^ 
 JJay  laid;  in  v.  iz,  13.  to  Shtur-jstjlub. 
 
 \  defp  aired 
 
5 30  A  Defence  of  Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  IV.  clefpaired  of.  The  other,  to  ^Ahaz,  con- 
 cerning the  defeat  of  the  confederate  kings, 
 and  the  time  of  the  defeat,  defigned  in  the 
 age,  of  Efay\  child  Shear-jafhub^  then 
 prefent  •,  to  whom,  the  things  faid  of  the 
 child  Emamtelj  hereafter  to  be  born,  could 
 not  well  be  adapted. 
 
 Por  the  original  word  Alma,  as  learned 
 men  have  proved,  iignifies  conftantly  a  vir- 
 gin untainted  by  man  5  the  Greek  tranfla- 
 tors  before  Chrift,  who  were  not  interefted 
 in  his  controverfy,  and  who  knew  better 
 the  fignification  of  Hebrew  words,  than  any 
 Jew  fmce  their  laft  difperfion,  render  Alma 
 lo  in  this  place  :  and  the  prophet,  mud 
 difappoint  his  hearers  exceedingly,  after  fo 
 pompous  an  introduftion,  and  fo  important 
 a  name,  to  mean  no  more  at  laft,  by  a 
 virgin's  conceiving,  than  that  a  young  wo- 
 man fhould  be  with  child. 
 
 What !  doth  Efay  offer  Ahaz,  a  mira- 
 cle in  the  heaven,  or  on  the  grave,  and 
 when  he  fcems  to  tell  them,  God,  of  his 
 own  motion,  would  do  a  greater  work? 
 than  they  could  ask.  Does  he  fink  to  a  fign> 
 that  nature  produces  every  day  ?  Is  that  to 
 be  called  a  wonder  (that  implies  an  uncom- 
 mon furprizing  fupernatural  event)  which 
 
 happens 
 
A  'Defence  (?/*Christianity.  i%\ 
 
 happens  conftantly  by  the  oidinaiy  laws  of  Sccl.  IL 
 generation  ?  How  little  doth  Tuch  a  birth, 
 come  up  to  the  fblcmn  preparation  Efay 
 ufcs,  to  raife  their  cxpedation  of  fome  great 
 matter  ?  Hear  ye  oh  houfe  of  David  -  -  - 
 Behold  the  Lord  himfelf  fhall  give  you  a 
 fign^  worthy  of  himfelf.  Well,  what  is 
 it  ?  Why  a  young  married  woman  fliall 
 be  with  child  !  Their  patience  would  not 
 have  lafted  to  hear  him  out.  They  muff 
 have  thought,  he  came  to  infult  their  mi- 
 fery,  rather  than  to  comfort  them  under 
 it. 
 
 From  confidering,  therefore,  the  occafion, 
 and  the  importance  of  the  meflage,  the 
 weight,  and  the  force  of  the  words,  it  was 
 delivered  in,  they,  and  we,  ought  to  undcr- 
 ftand  the  birth,  here  foretold,  did  not  relate 
 to  an  ordinary  child.  St.  Alattheiz\  after 
 Jefus  was  fo  born  of  a  virgin,  had  good  realbn, 
 for  writing,  that  then  this  prophecy  oiEfay 
 was  fulfilled. 
 
 I  forefee,  but  one  objcclion,  to  the  in- 
 terpreting of  the  whole  prophecy  typically, 
 or  the  former  part  of  it  fmgly,  of  the  Mel- 
 fias ;  and  it  is  this.  As  to  other  prcdiciions, 
 quoted  in  the  New  Teftament  of  C  hrid, 
 >ve  have  the  concurrent  teltuuonics  of  the 
 
 Je-^'S, 
 
'332  '^'Z)^/^«r<?tf/ Christian  I  TrJ     ^ 
 
 Chap.  IV,  Jews^  in  one,  or  other  of  their  writings  i 
 but  as  for  this,  neither  the  Targum,  nor 
 Talmiidy  nor  Rabboth  have  applied  it  fo. 
 And  it  is  not  eafy  to  account,  how  fo  no- 
 torious a  circumftance,  touching  his  birth, 
 fhould  altogether  efcape  them,  that  were  fo 
 much  interefled  in  the  promife. 
 
 In  anfwer  thereto,  i .  Many  things  were 
 faid  in  their  antient  Targums,  that  don't 
 appear  in  the  prefcnt  copies.  And  it  is  true 
 of  other  Jewijb  books.  Thefe  writings 
 were  entirely  in  the  Jeivs  own  poffeflion, 
 a  few  centuries  ago.  And  as  the  Jews, 
 came  acquainted,  with  theftateof  their  con- 
 trover  fy  with  the  Chriftians,  it  was  a  temp- 
 tation to  expunge,  fuch  glaring  paflages,  as 
 would  give  the  advantage  to  the  Chriftians 
 and  were  of  no  ufe  to  themfelves,  when 
 they  were  fure,  not  to  be  found  out.  In- 
 ftances  have  been  given  before,  of  the  un- 
 fair practices  of  modern  Jeijvs^  in  their 
 comments  on  the  Tfalms.  And  if  ever 
 they  put  this  fraud  in  pradice,  they  were 
 moft  Ukely  to  do  it,  where  favourable  ex- 
 plications were  found,  of  a  text,  that  gave 
 an  unanfwerablc  proof,  of  Jefus  being  the 
 Chrill.  No  other  man,  could  make  out 
 his  title  to  the  MeiUas-lIiip,  by  proving  his 
 
 births 
 
A  T^e fence  ^  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  v.'  '335 
 
 birth,  in  this  manner.  And  who  could  Scd.  II. 
 doubt  of  them,  that  rcjcdcd  his  perfon,  and 
 reviled  his  memory,  that  they  would  let  any 
 thing  remarkable  ftand  in  their  booLs  in 
 teftimony  of  him,  which  they  could  erafc 
 undifcovcred  ! 
 
 2.  From  Ibmc  impcrfcd  traditions,  re- 
 maining of  the  Meflias,  it  may  be  inferred, 
 that  the  antient  Jcjus,  nearer  Jefus's  time, 
 were  not  Grangers,  to  the  birth  of  the  Me(^ 
 fias,  out  of  the  ordinary  way.  The  Jo'J^'S 
 of  Jeriifalem-,  hint  at  fomc  fuch  notion,  and 
 urge  in  prejudice  to  yefus's  pretentions. 
 John  vii.  26,  27.  ^0  the  rulers  know  that 
 this  is  the  very  Chrift  ?  How  he  it  'we  know 
 this  many  "whence  he  is,  but  'when  Chrijl 
 comeSy  no  man  knows  whence  he  is.  The 
 Greek  phrafe,  whence  he  is,  fignifics  in  the 
 Helleniltical  Greek  (c)  who  is  his  father, 
 2  Sam.  L  1 3.  And  David  faid  to  the  young 
 man  -  -  -  IVhence  art  thou  ?   and  he  an^ 
 
 (c)  ]oh.  vii.  16,  17.  zro6a—hn,  h^ui  ynurtcH  xoStt  tV. 
 1  Sam.  XXX.  13.  Da-vid  faid  to  him,  rtvoi  triin  y^  ziko  h  i 
 who  do  you  belong  to,  and  of  what  ftock  or  family, 
 or  nation  art  thou  ?  and  he  anfwered  ("the  lafc  article  firft, 
 faying)  a  young  man  of  Egypt,  fervant  of  an  Afna'.:kite.  So 
 Toh.  xix.  7,  9.  F:late  hearing  the  accufation  that  Jcfus  made 
 himfclf  the  Son  of  God.  He  asks  Jcius.  z.-ih>  u  cvj  who  is 
 your  father,  or  whcnc:  art  thou  dcfccnded  ? 
 
 A  a  fweredy 
 
334  A  defence  <?/ Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  IV.  fwered,  I  am  thefonof  aftranger,  an  A- 
 ^-^'^^'T^^  malekite.  Judging  of  the  queftion  by  the 
 anfwer ;  to  ask,  whence  art  thou  ?  is  ^s 
 much  as  to  ask,  of  what  father,  ftock,  fa- 
 mily do  you  come  ?  Of  whom  art  tliou 
 born  } 
 
 Take  the  Jews  queftion  to  Jefus  in  this 
 fenfe,  and  their  confellion  is  in  point.   Wc 
 know  of  this  man,  whence  he  is,  or  who 
 is  his  father,   as  they  had  faid  before,  vi- 
 42.  Is  not  this  Jefus,  the  fon  ^  Jofeph 
 whofe  father  and  mother  we  know.    But 
 when  Chrift  comes,  no  man  knows,  whence 
 he  is,   or  who  is  his  father  ?   How  could 
 they  fay  this  of  Chrift,  whom  they  called 
 the  Ton  of  l^avid,   for  being  of  his  feed  ? 
 ^avid  was  his  remote  anceftor,  and  they 
 knew,  by  father  or  mother,   Chrift    muft 
 delccnd  from  him.     But  who  was  his  im- 
 mediate father,  if  he  was  born  of  a  virgin, 
 they  muft  own  they  were  ignorant. 
 
 But  whatever  they  pretended,  Jefus 
 would  not  allow,  they  knew  his  father, 
 or  whence  he  came,  thereby  intimating, 
 that  they  wanted  not  this  charader  of  the 
 Ts:k^;.i  ii^i:\;  jj;  Meflias,  in  him.  John  vii.  28.  Then  cried 
 ''^^^''''''''^''''^'  Jefus inthe  temple,-— faying,  do  you  indeed 
 know  me,  andwhencelam?  No,  you  don't,  as 
 
 Ter- 
 
Jl  IDefince  ^Christianity.  3  3  S 
 
 TtrtuUian  rcCoWcs  the  qucftion,  negatively.  Sc6l.  II. 
 And  then  diflemblin^  his  true  orij^inal,  ashis  ^-^""YT^^ 
 manner  was,  that  they  might  not  ground  an  ac- 
 cufation,  on  what  he  faid  before  the  time,  he 
 paflesto  his  works,  which  were  the  proof  of 
 his  divine  miflion,  yet  fo  as  to  leave  room, 
 for  their  collecting  from  his  difcourfc,  that 
 he  was  the  fon  of  God,  and  not  of  Jofeph, 
 And  I  am  not  come  of  my  felfj  but  he  that 
 fent  me  is  true^  vjhom  you  know  not^  but  I 
 know  him,  for  lam  from  him,  and  he  hath 
 fent  me.  i.  e.  God  is  my  true  father,  whom 
 ye  know  not,  though  you  fay  you  know 
 whence  I  am,  and  who  is  my  father :  and 
 this  you  may  be  afllired  of,  from  my  doing 
 the  works  of  God.  Then  they  fought  to 
 take  him. 
 
 It  might  be  with  refped,  to  his  extraordi- 
 nary birth,  of  a  virgin,  that  the  Jews.,  at 
 firft,  came  to  fpeak  of  the  Meflias,  as  the 
 fon  of  God.  For  the  Uke  reafon,  the  an- 
 gel tells  Jefus's  mother,  becaufe  fje  knew  j^^  i.54.,3;. 
 not  a  man,  the  holy  thing  that  fiould  be 
 born  of  her,  by  the  power  of  the  high  eft, 
 fhoidd  be  called  the  fon  of  God.  And  John 
 the  Baptijl,  perhaps  meant  the  fame  thing, 
 where  he  gave  the  Meflias  To  much  the 
 A  a  2  preference 
 
336  'j^  T>efence  of  Cur  IS  r  I  AtJ  IT  Y^, 
 
 Chap.  IV".  preference  to  himfelf.  He  that  cometh 
 ^-"^'y^'^^  from  above-,  faith  he,  as  doth  the  Meflias, 
 i  uwhyi^yjix^i  is  above  all:  He  that  is  from  the  earth  (as 
 %n-.£"r^  I  3^'^)  ^^  earthly,  and  fpeaketh  from  the 
 bcrn.hWc.v.z.  earth :     He  that  cometh  from  heaven j  is 
 
 El.  xi.  I .  xlviii-      »  //  - 
 
 1.  lix  10.  Gen.  aijove  all, 
 
 XV  4.  Num.         As  to  their  mifHon,  they  both  were  from 
 
 x"^!^-  19.  Jon.  ^ 
 
 vii.  4i.  above,  from  God  j    but  as  to  their  original 
 
 and  extraftion,  there  was  a  wide  difference. 
 John  -JO as  of  the  earth,  i.  e.  born  oi  Adam, 
 (who  was  made  out  of  the  earth)  in  the 
 common  way  of  nature,  and  therefore  he 
 pretended  not  to  fpeak  other  wife,  than  an 
 ordinary  prophet  :  Chrifi  was  from  above, 
 God  was  his  father,  and  not  man,  and  there- 
 fore above  all  men  at  leaft  of  the  higheft 
 rank  of  prophets,  tefiifying  what  he  had 
 feen  and  heard,  vers.  52. 
 
 Whether  the  tradition,  concerning  Chrift, 
 that  no  man  knows  whence  he  /J,  or  wiio  is 
 his  father,  was  not  derived  from  the  fame 
 fountain  with  this  other,  that  Chrift  is 
 from  above,  he  cometh  from  heaven,,  I 
 will  not  determine.  But  I  ought  not  to 
 omit  the  remark,  that  the  fubftance  of  both 
 traditions,  is  found  at  this  day,  in  fome  of 
 tlie  antienteft  of  the  Jewifi  writings. 
 
 And 
 
t^T>efence  of  Christ  I  Ai^  IT  Y.  357 
 
 And  thus  it  is  cxprcfTed,  The  Meffias  Sc£l.  II. 
 is  the  fee  dy  that  foall  come  from  another  ^^^^'V^-^ 
 place,  [a)  by  which  they  mean,  that  he 
 fhall  have  another  principle  of  generation 
 as  appears  by  the  different  ways  of  their 
 varying  the  phrafe  in  other  plaees,  The  birth 
 of  the  Meffias  alone,  fhall  be  izithout  any 
 defe^.  [b)  (And  that  could  not  be,  if  he 
 were  born,  as  other  men  are)  His  birth, 
 fhall  not  be  like  to  that,  of  other  creatures , 
 into  the  iL'orld.  None  jhall  kno\ju  his  fa- 
 ther before  he  tells  it :  (f)  The  Redeem- 
 er that  foall  come,  fjall  be  "juithotit  a  fa- 
 ther, {c) 
 
 The  birth  of  the  Meffias,  Jhall  be  like 
 the  de'ju  from  the  Lordj—as  drops  upon 
 the  grafs^  expeEis  720t  the  labour  (or  adtion) 
 of  men.  (d^ 
 
 (a)  ^^^^iA  a^pnapu;  seres.  Rtb.  onGen.xxxni.  z.  or  that  of  M')fes  lUhr- 
 fan  printed  by  it  fclf.  Ber.  Krtan.  on  Gen.  xix.  34.  from  R.  Tanchu7n.i  in  the  name 
 oi R  Samuel onGe«.iv.  zj-.  Mid.  on  Ruth,  iv.19. 
 
 (h)  Fag  on  Gen.  ii.  4,.  from  R.Berachia  in  Ber.  Rab.  and  other  Rabbins. 
 
 (f)  Bir.  Rab.  onCen.  xxxvii.  21.  cited  hy  Jar  clot  onGen.  xxxv.  8.  Rcdemp" 
 tor  qucm  fufcitaboe  vobis,  non  habebitpatrem  idcovocarur  germenScros — 8c 
 egohodiegcnui  te,  tothefameeffcdt  MofHadarfon  Gen.  xxviii.  ii.  R.^ofesin 
 Mofes  H.^darf.  on  Tf.  Ixxxv.  i  z.  The  generation  of  the  Mcfiias  fl-.all  be  lin- 
 gular, and  not  like  that  of  creatures  generating  in  the  worlJ.  None  fhall 
 know  the  name  of  his  father,  till  he  come  and  declare  it.  v.  Jllvic.  Elench.  p. 
 49.  Ed.  Crenij. 
 
 {d)  Talm.  Hier.  Bcrac.  c.  f,  in  Voif.  proem  in  pug.  fid.  p.  1 15-  alluding  to  Mic. 
 y,7.«7;./Pf.  ex.  3. 
 
 A  a  3  Indeed 
 
A  defence  ^Christianity, 
 
 Indeed,  had  no  fuch  tradition,  been  known 
 of  old  among  the  Jews^  it  muft  be  mat- 
 ter of  wonder,  why  thofe,  that  fet  up 
 to  be  the  Mellias,  fhould  pretend  to  be 
 born  of  a  virgin,  or  to  have  God  for  their  | 
 Clem.  Recogn.  father,  as  a  charader  of  the  MefTias.     Si- 
 
 \x.  c.  7.  §.4. 
 
 mon  Magus  was  one  of  thole,  and  he  gave 
 
 out  that  his  mother  Rachel^  while  fhe  was 
 
 a  virgin,  before  fhe  and  her  husband  An-   ^ 
 
 tony,  were  come  together,  conceived  him. 
 
 It  is  faid  of  Domitian-i   that  as  his   father 
 
 Vefpafian  had  been  flattered  by  the  captive 
 
 Euf.H.Eccli.  jey^s^  with  the  title  of  Mellias,  fohe  him- 
 
 felf  afFeded  the  fame  title,  and  fought  to 
 
 deftroy,  thofe  that   were  left  of  T)avid\ 
 
 race ,    that    no    competitor   might    arife 
 
 fhiioftr.vit.     from  thence.      And  the   better  to  main- 
 
 Apoi.  viL  14.  ^^.^^  ^j^j^  j.j^j^^  j^^  j^  thought  to  have  given 
 
 it  out,  that  he  was  the  fon  of  Minerva  (a 
 virgin)  and  to  require,  that  he  fliould  be 
 prayed  for,  as  fuch,  throughout  the  Roman  j 
 empire.  And  fo  VirgU,  intending  a  com-  * 
 pliment  to  the  child,  of  which  Augujius's 
 wife  was  then  pregnant;  he  afcribes  to 
 him  all  the  great  things  that  had  been  faid 
 of  the  expeded  Mefllas,  in  the  Sibylline^ 
 i.  e.  the  Jewijh  traditions  5  and  among  the 
 reft,  that  the  child  to  be  born,  fhould  come 
 
 ftom 
 
A T^e fence  of  Christiahity.  339 
 
 from  heaven,  i^e  the  beloved  Ton,  the  Sed.  II. 
 great  offspring  of  Jupiter,  (e)  He  knew 
 Scribonia  had  conceived  the  infant  i  but  as 
 to  his  father,  the  child  was  to  come  from 
 another  place,  which  was  to  imply,  that  his 
 mother  was  a  virgin. 
 
 Comparing  thefe  fcattcred  remains,    of 
 a  tradition  concerning  the  birth  of  the  Mef- 
 fias,  it  appears,  that  the   Jews   believed, 
 there  fliould  be  fomething  fingular  in  his 
 birth,  that  he  fhould  not  derive  from  mcer 
 flefh  and  blood,  but  that  God  or  heaven, 
 fhould  be  his  father  j  and    fincc  all   this 
 feems  to  be  deduction,  from  Efays  fore- 
 telling, that  the  Emanuel^  or  God  with  us, 
 fhould  be  born  of  a  virgin ,  as  to  be  furc 
 the  pretenfions  to  a  virgin-birth,  of  thofe 
 that  would  be  thought  to  be  the  Meflias, 
 muft  tal^e  their  rife  from  hence  ;  we  may 
 be  bold    to  fay,   the  Jewifh    doftors,   in 
 Chrift's  time,  underftood  this   prophecy  of 
 Efay^  as  St.  Mat  hew  did,  of  the  Mejftas, 
 
 (e)  Virg.  Eel.  |nm  nova  progenies  coelodimittituralto 
 — i        ■jCaraDcum  fobolcs,  magnum  Jovis  incrementum. 
 
 Aa4  CHAP. 
 
ZA  'Defence  (TfCHRisTiANiTY^ 
 
 /  CHAP.  V.    Sect.  I. 
 
 Tke  allegorkk  or  other  7neihods,  of  citing 
 and  explammg  fcripure,  which  the  ^q'^s 
 'were  acciiflomed  to,  though  different  from 
 the  m.i72ner  of  arguing,  which  later  ages 
 ha've  confined  thcmfelves  to,  might  juft- 
 ly  be  followed  as  it  is  fometimes  by  the 
 writers  of  the  New  Teflament,  accor- 
 ding to  the  allowed  maxims  of  difputa- 
 t'lon,  in  reafoning  with  Jews ;  or  in  other 
 words,  the  tylpofiUs  deferve  no  cenfure 
 for  ifing  arguments  ad  hominem. 
 
 ^^^p||,ESIDE  the  ordinary  way, 
 ^F^v^^  of  cirinf^  fcripturc,  in  the  plain 
 ^.__^-.^;;*  meaning,  oi'  the  writer,  other 
 '^^M0-'"^  ways  obtained  among  the  Jews, 
 from  a  tafte  and  mode  of  the  times,  which 
 were  heard  and  received  with  pleafure,  by 
 the  gcncrahty.  Maxims,  adapted  to  one 
 hiuorical  event,  were  often  urged,  in  favour 
 of  others,  of  later  times  j  thofe  later  adions, 
 being  included  hi  the  fame  rcafon,  though 
 not  within  the  intention,   of  the  Ipcaken 
 
 Laws 
 
A  Defence  of  Christianity. 
 Laws  and  fads,  rccoi-dcd by  Mofes,  were  com- 
 monly  interpreted,  to  natural,  moral,  the- 
 ological or  even  anagogick  fcnfes,  which  no 
 one'ruppofcd,  to  have  been  ever,  in  Mofess 
 thoughts  i  or  to  be  other,  than  the  cxercifc 
 of  a  fubtlc  wit,  for  the  inftrudion,  and  en- 
 tertainment, of  the  hearers. 
 
 Proverbial  fpeeches,  taken  from  the  hifto- 
 lies,  and  conceived  in  the  words,  of  fcrip- 
 turc,  have  been  applied  fmce,  to  many  other 
 occafions,  than  thofc,  that  gave  them  a  be- 
 ginning.    In  a  word,  arguments  are  framed, 
 and  reafonings  deduced,  upon  the  authority, 
 and  in  the  words,  of  the  prophetic  writers, 
 as  if  they  had  regard  to  the  very  points  for 
 which  they  are  quoted  5   when  truly,  they 
 have  no  other  relation  to  that  fubjed,   but 
 what  arlfes  from  analogy,  comparifon,  ac- 
 comodation and  illuftration. 
 
 In  quotations  of  this  kind,  the  text,  hifto- 
 
 ry,  faying,   or  prophetic  paflage,  fo  turned 
 
 and  allegorized,  isuQiercdin,  with  the  form 
 
 of  jufter  quotations.     Generally,  the  cxprcf- 
 
 fions,  ^s  tt  isfatd.  Thus  it  is  written.  He,  ^^^^.^^l^^^y- 
 
 or  the  fcripture  faith,   That  it  may  be  fid-  §  penult. 
 
 filled,  &c.  were  dcligned,    and  underflood, 
 
 to  mean  no  more,  than  that  fomcthing  an- 
 
 fwcred  alike,   in  both  cafes  j  there  was  a 
 
 I  patncfs 
 
 eaei 
 
$42  A  T)efence  fif  CnRiSTiK^^iTY. 
 
 Chap.  V.    patnels  or  fuitablenefs,    in  the  caufe,   the 
 
 ^^^""^^/^^^-^   parrs,  or  circumftanccs  of  one  event,  to  the 
 other.     Even  to  this  day,  ih^Jews  in  their 
 
 •>rD>53ur  and     comments,  lay,  That  is  it  which  was  Cpo^ 
 '  ken,  and  to  fulfill,   upon  relating  a  fimilar 
 
 fa£t,  and  not  the  fame,  referred  to,  in  the 
 prophet  they  cite. 
 
 And  yet  far  are  they,  and  were,  fromim- 
 pofing  their  allegoric  expofitions,  for  de- 
 monftrations  j  and  from  building  articles  of 
 faith,  upon  no  better  proofs.  They  are  trite 
 fayings,  of  the  Rabbins,  *  "  A  point  of 
 "  law  is  not  to  be  determined,  upon  my- 
 "  ilicai  interpretations :  "  And  again,  *'  They 
 "  don't  reafon  folidly,  that  argue  from  fym- 
 "  bolical  applications ;  and  diipute  from 
 *'  hiftorical  narrations. 
 
 MaimonideSy  a  learned  Jew,  hath  a  re- 
 
 ^jaIm.  Mor.     niarkable  paffa^e,  to  this  purpofe.     "  Our 
 
 NeUm.43.  r        D  '  i.      i 
 
 "  Rabbins  are  wont,  as  they  know  who  are 
 *'  acquainted  with  their  cuftom,  to  be  ex- 
 *'  cecdingly  delighted  with  allegories,  and 
 *'  to  ufe  them  frequently.  Not  that  they 
 *«  thought,  the  allegoric  fenfe,  was  the 
 *^  mind  and  fenfe,  of  the  fcripture,  but  a 
 
 nn>^4^  -jinn  nDbn  jn's^  T^^  * 
 
 '«  kind 
 
"    j^  Defence  of  Christ  I  AmTY.  J43 
 
 ♦'  kind  of  pleafant  enigm  r^fcd  on   the  vSec^.  I. 
 
 "  text,  for  the  entertainment  of  the  hearer 
 
 **  —  the  meaning  whereof,  is  not  difficult, 
 
 *^  to  the  intelligent.     This  method  of  tcach- 
 
 "  ing,  was  very  familiar,  and  much  ufed  in 
 
 "  thofe  times  (of  the  anticnts)  efpecially  in 
 
 "  poetic  pieces.     They  were  allufions,  and 
 
 "  elegant  cnigms,  which  contained  bcauti- 
 
 *'  ful  in{l:ru(ftions  of  do6trine. 
 
 We  have  this  learned  man's  teftimony, 
 (than  whom,  no  one  was  better  skilled  in 
 the  writings  of  his  forefathers)  for  the  an- 
 tiquity and  authority  of  myftical  interpreta- 
 tions. Their  rabboth,  or  homilies  to  the 
 people,  which  were  long  before  the  Talmudy 
 prove  it.  And  Thilo  of  the  fame  age  with 
 the  apoftles,  tells  us,  "  That  the  practical 
 Ejfem,  have  received  from  the  antientSy 
 this  manner  of  expounding  fcripture  figura- 
 tively j  in  their  JJfemblies, "  * 
 
 So  did  the  Therapeut£yOi:  Egyptian  Ejfens 
 f  teach  the  philofophy  of  their  nation,  by 
 
 •  Philo  quod  oranis  probus  fit  liber.    *0  f^y  tx<;  fitoXm  xvcc- 
 yuuTKii.  £Tf(/(^  ^  X  ijjj'^it^uTxruvTX  ■xXiirct,  !i^  T  wfAQaXuv. 
 
 f  De  vit.  Contempl.  p.  89J.  B.'Ei-l  -^ocvTetii  >^  avy'^ccfAfJuccTct 
 r«»  («j;);jtT{/Tot4  Xf^l***'^'   iJiJifiiisn»i  r  ^^eea^tviwi  T  r^oxov. 
 
 all^: 
 
'A  defence  ^t/'Christianity.' 
 
 "  allegonzing  many  parts  of  Tcnpture,  as 
 fuppofing  the  fecrets  of  nature,  were  la- 
 *'  tent  in  the  letter ,  and  to  be  deduced 
 "  thence  by  allegory.  And  of  this  fort  of 
 "  writing,  they  kept  among  them,  feveral 
 "  books  of  the  old  men,  the  heads  of  their 
 "  fed,  as  a  precedent  to  imitate,  in  their 
 "  allegoric  expofitions. ''  And  left  it  fliould 
 be  thought,  to  be  peculiar,  to  this  fed  on- 
 ly, he  adds  in  another  Book,  that  it  was  the 
 accuilomed  way,  iioui  Mofes's  time,  of  the  d 
 whole  nation.  * 
 
 The  Hebrews  called  thefc  expofitions,  by 
 the  name  of  \\T^'\  T)erds,  and  [^^t^l^t:] 
 Midras,  and  the  expofitor  [j;:?'1'1]i  T>ar- 
 Jhan  i  to  which  the  Greek  words  Zr\rAi^. 
 ^rny\(Tic^  uv'^nTYi'rJ);,  feem  to  anfwer  in  the 
 New  Tcftament.  They  termed  them  alfo, 
 (hSn.lN*]  Jgada  in  the  Chald^e^  oi  ITTsTSl 
 Hagada  in  the  Hebrew  form,  which  are  « 
 rendered  in  Thilo,  by  the  Greek  'AM«^e/a,  '  * 
 
 CUIJlQqACV,   and   \!ZSDVQtcL, 
 
 ■*  Vit.Mof. and  De  vit.Cont.  p.poi.Ki'ij  ihy^a-mT  Umv/^ccfA- 
 yjccruv/'tvarrct  ^t  vTravoiZvy  h/ A>h-/i'-/o^ia,ic,  Otherwhere  he  f peaks 
 of  the  ya/Ac*  w^^j^'/f^/ss?  Defbmn  p.  sSr.DeAbr.  559.  thex-as- 
 ■jcvst^  «;^?.;jyo«(«?  De  Ibmn.  '576.  de  Vidim.  offerend.  8fi.  zrx- 
 j«7.  jAm^^tc*  «t,'*.);y!!^f(»«  dc  fonia. 
 
 All 
 
A  defence  of  Christ  I  Am  TY.  345 
 
 All    thcfe  words  comprized,  the  fecrets  Sed.  I. 
 of  natural  and  cclcftiai    things,    as  well  as  ^^'^ 
 moral  precepts,    and   dodrines   concerning 
 the  age  of  the  Mcllias,  that  were  handled 
 at  large,  upon  this  text,  or  that  hiftory,  as 
 if  they  had  been  fuggcftcd  therein.     "  And  ^^^^  j^^^^  ^^^ 
 *'  they   lerved,     as  another   Je-ji)    tells   us,  Lam.  i.  ia 
 
 '  ^  .  ,     Buxt.Lex. 
 
 "  partly  to  refrefli  the  mind,  wearied  with  Rab.  p.  <j84. 
 
 "  profounder  fpeculations,  partly  to  ftreng- 
 
 ''  then  thofe  that  ftaggercd,  and  to  fill  the 
 
 "  empty;''    meaning,     as  I  think,    thofe, 
 
 that  hungred  after  the  knowledge  of  other 
 
 things,    from  fcripture,    befidcs   thofe  that 
 
 the  law  meerly  imported. 
 
 I  am  not  concerned,  to  vindicate  the  an- 
 tiquity, afcribed  by  jP^//^  to  the  allegoric 
 way  of  writing;  much  lefs  the  abule,  it  was 
 carried  to,  by  after  ages ;  no,  nor  to  defend 
 at  all,  this  manner  of  writing,  which 
 as  affirmcdj  in  Grounds  and  Reafons^  pre- 
 vailed in  fevcral  other,  and  thofe  polite 
 nations,  as  well  as  among  the  Je-ji's.  This 
 only  may  be  offered  in  palling,  on  their 
 behalf,  that  valued  it,  and  ufed  it  foberly; 
 that  the  ufage  of  the  rational,  clofc  way 
 of  rcafoning,  begun  firft  by  i^riftotle^ 
 among  the  Greeks^  was  not  known,  to 
 all  people  and  ages :   nor  did  thofe,  that 
 
 excelled 
 
A  T>efence  (?f  Christianity. 
 excelled  in  it  at  laft,  come  into  it  all  at  once, 
 before  that,  parables,  proverbs,  pithy  fentences 
 emblems,  numerical  allufions, playing  with  the 
 equivocal  fenfe  of  words,  fupplied  the  place 
 of  dry  argumentation  and  fimple  truths,  for 
 a  long  time,  with  the  people  of  the  Eaft ; 
 and  are  ftill  ufed  by  them,  becaufe  they  are 
 cafily  taught  and  remembered  by  thofe  that 
 cannot  read. 
 
 The  common  people  were  never  capable 
 of  much  attention  to  premifTes  and  conclu- 
 ilons  5  nor  had  they  leifure  to  improve  in 
 that  art.  Logical  inferences,  and  metaphy- 
 iical  do6lrines,  were  either  above  their  reach, 
 or  tired  them  too  foon.  But  problems 
 ftruck  out  of  a  text,  where  they  did  not  ex- 
 ped  it,  and  difcoveries,  till  then  hid  in  a  hi- 
 ftory  or  prophecy,  furprifed  with  their  no- 
 velty, and  therefore  pleafed,  and  were  re- 
 member'd.  So  it  was,  this  method  of  in- 
 Itruclion  and  probation  was  moftly  ufed  by 
 the  Je-Ji's  of  Chrift's  time,  with  one  ano- 
 tlier.  They  thought  it  to  be  the  grace  of 
 their  difcourfes,  and  when  the  application 
 hit,  in  many  refpeds,  to  be  a  valid  proof. 
 They  defpifed  thofe  that  negleded  this^/r/- 
 tual  way,  or  w'tfdom^  as  they  termed  the 
 allegorick, 
 
 St. 
 
y^  T>efence  of  Christianity.  34.7 
 
 St.  Taul  himic\{y  fuffcrcd  in  the  cftcemof  Sefl.  I. 
 the  Je^juijh  chriftians,  for  fuch  a  neglect ;  and    ^-^"^r"^-" 
 fcems  ta  be  brought  into  the  ufe  of  allego- 
 ries againfl:  his  own  good  liking.     At   firft 
 preaching  to  the  Jews  in  Corinth^  (for  Jeous 
 they  were  by  his  defcription  of  them  in  his 
 fecond  and  third  chapter)  *^^  reafonedwith  jS^'/JJ^:!^-'. 
 them  in  the  fynagogue,  znd  perfuaded  themy  -^i^^i  oiccu^ct^v- 
 out  of  the  fcripturcs,  and  by  miracles  tejii-  ^X^'uriu   '" 
 fied  to  them,  that  Jefus  iz'as  theChrift, 
 
 He  reminds  them  of  his  practice,  in  his 
 firft  epiftle.  And  /,  brethren^  when  I  came 
 unto  youy  came  not  with  excellency  of  fpeech^ 
 or  of  wifdomy  declaring  unto  yon  the  tejii- 
 mony  of  God  j  for  1  determined  to  know  no-  *^<*'""-  '•-'■^• 
 thing  among  you,  fave  Jefus  Chrifi^  and 
 him  crucified^  i.  e.  I  ufed  neither  eloqvjencc 
 nor  the  fpiritual  way  of  your  [CD^DHDJ  cha- 
 chams  or  wifemen,  when  I  firft  preached 
 the  gofpel  at  Corinth ;  for  I  refoh'cd  to 
 fhew  skill  in  nothing  elfe,  but  in  my  know-  ,v  ^,.g,r?  A^fe^ 
 ledge  of  the  plain  truths  of  Chriftianity.  My 
 fpeech  and  my  preaching  was  not  inperfua- 
 fible  words  of  humane  wifdom  i  not  with 
 luch  arguments  and  figures,  as  are  accounted 
 by  you  wifdom  5  But  in  demonflration  of 
 the  fpirit  and  in  power  ;  that  your  faith 
 
 ^  I  Cor.  iii.  i,  2»  3.  and  u.6.  8. 
 
 fhouU 
 
348  'A  defence  ^Christiani  xr^ 
 
 Chap.  V.   Jhould  not  be  thought  to  Jland  in  the  wif- 
 
 ^^C^Ycd^^i  ^^^  ^f  ^^^y  ^^^  ^^  the  power  of  God,  i.  e. 
 as  Or'igen  explains  it,  proving  the  fenfe  of 
 what  was  foretold  by  the  Spirit  in  the  pro- 
 phets, from  the  works  and  powers  of  the 
 fame  Spirit. 
 
 Now  to  thofe  who  had  believed  on  fuch 
 proofs,  and  began  to  think  meanly  of  our 
 apoftle,  for  want  of  thofe  ornaments  and 
 that  myftical  skill  wherein  their  judaizing 
 teachers,  feemcd  to  have  the  advantage  of 
 him,  he  fubjoins,  Howbeit,  we  fpeak  wif- 
 dom  among  thofe  that  are  perfe5i.  It  is  not 
 want  of  ability  in  me,  but  of  ripenefs  in  you. 
 Such  reafoning  is  properly  for  thofe  that 
 are  already  convinced  of  the  truth,  and  fub- 
 dued  to  the  obedience  of  tlie  golpel  ;  for, 
 as  he  tells  them  in  the  next  chapter,  in  apolo- 
 gy for  difufing  myftical  interpretations,  which 
 
 iCor.m.1,2,3.  they  were  fond  of;  And  ly  brethren,  could 
 not  f peak  to  pit  as  to  fpiritual perfonSy  but 
 as  unto  carnaly  as  to  babes  in  Chrift.  I 
 have  fed  you  with  milk,  and  not  with  meaty 
 for  hitherto  ye  were  not  able  to  bear  it  > 
 7jeither  yet  now  are  ye  (fully  able)  for  ye  are 
 yet  carnal, 
 
 T\\^  fpiritual  in  this,  and  the  perfe6l  in 
 the  former  chapter,  denote  the  fame  per- 
 
 fons> 
 
[/lT)efi7ice  of  C  UK  IS  T I  h^  IT  y\  349 
 
 Ibns  5  and  both  being  oppolcd  to  the  ani-  Scd.  I. 
 mal  OL-  natural  man,  to  babes  in  Chri[l,  and  "^-^^V^^^ 
 /^^  carnal  in  the  faid  chapter,  fignify,  that 
 the  Corinthians ,  were     too   Tmall  profici- 
 ents, in    the  knowledge   and   obedience  of 
 Chrift,    to  be  treated  alike,  with  thofe    of 
 full  age.   Strong  meat,  faith  he  otherwhere, 
 belongs /^^  the  perfect ,  to  grown  men  5  and 
 fuch,  he  reckoned  his  reafonings  to  be,  from 
 the  Alelchizedechian  pricfthood,   to  that  of 
 Chrift.     But  milky  is  to  be  it  fed  to  babes,  by 
 which  he  intends,  the  firjl  principles^  the  Heb-v.  n,  1/ 
 veccjfary  fundamentals  of  the  doctrine   of 
 Chrifl^    which    he   delivered    fimpiy,    and 
 without  art,   becaufe  of  their  imbecillity. 
 
 His  skill  that    way,    he  fhewed    in  the 
 epiftle  to  the  Hebreujs  j  which  is  an  expla- 
 nation, of  what  he  told  the  CorinthiariSy  as 
 above,      Hoiijbeit  ive  [peak  '-Ji'ifdojn  among 
 them,  that  are  perfe6t ;  where  he  goes  on, 
 jet' not  the  -^ifdom  of  this  -^^orld  or  age,  ^^^;^^  ^^^^^^ 
 nor  of  the  rulers  of  this  age, -j^hich  JJjall  come  '^  '"»';»• 
 to  nought:    (not  the  'UJifdom  of  the  '-juife, 
 the  fcrite,   the   difputcr,  or  midras-man,)  iCor.i.zo. 
 But  is: e  f peak  the  -juifdom  of  God  m  a  7ny- 
 ftery^  ccen  the  hidden  izifdom,  iz'hich  God 
 ordained  from  the  beginning  of  oges,  to  our  n/o  t  i^Zfuf. 
 glorj.     Our  mydical  interpretations  to  adult 
 B  b  Chridians, 
 
A T>efence  ^ChristianityJ 
 
 Chriftians,  unlike  to  thole,  of  the  Jewijh 
 doiftors,  meddle  not  with  philofophick  no- 
 tions, nor  the  carnal  expedations  of  the 
 Jewss  but  are  employed,  in  illuftrating 
 the  fuffcrings  of  Chrift,  the  rejeftion  of  the 
 Je-'jiSj  the  abolifliment  of  the  ritual  law, 
 and  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  by  faith  > 
 which  were  hinted  from  the  beginning,  in 
 the  fcripturcs ;  but  not  fully  difcovered, 
 but  by  us  apoftles  :  nor  could  they,  becaufe 
 they  are  fp^ritually  dtfcerned^  by  thofe  only, 
 to  whom  God  vouchfafed  this  revelation 
 of  his  councils  by  his  holy  Spirit. 
 
 In  all  this,  he  faith  no  more,  than  that 
 ih^  fubje^  of  his  myftical  reafonings,  as 
 they  relate  to  Chrift,  was  taught  them  by 
 the  Spirit  :  the  dodrines  were  divine ; 
 yet  the  means  and  topicksy  from  whence 
 they  were  fometimes  urged,  and  confirmed 
 might  be  human. 
 
 And  if  this  be  fo  5  if  this  wifdom  or  my- 
 flical  application,  be  not  always  part,  of 
 the  holy  Spirit's  revelation  to  the  apoftles, 
 all  that  banter  and  mirth,  that  fills  a  whole 
 Grounds  and  P^gc,  in  GrouTids  and  ReafonSy  will  prove  to 
 Kc„i.  p.  j>+.  be  out  of  feafon.  "  The  apoftle  ^^^/feems 
 *'  to  difclaim  all  other  methods  of  arguing, 
 ^'  befides  the  allegorical,  when  he  fays,  the 
 
[^IDefinceof  Christ  I AtJiTYl  l5» 
 
 *'  wifdom  he  fpokcy  'oL'as  iz'tfdom  among  Se£t.  I. 
 **  them  that  were  perfe^^  i.  e.  among 
 *'  them  that  undcrftood  the  fecret,  myfti- 
 "  cal  and  Ipirimal  fenlc  oi  Judaijm^-—  and 
 •*  the  natural  man  underjlands  not  the 
 "  fpiritual  fenfe  of  things,  for  they  are 
 "  foolijlonefs  unto  him,  and  can't  be  known 
 *^  by  him,  bccaulc  they  are  not  to  be  6\C- 
 "  cerned,  by  the  common  rules  of  wifdom, 
 
 "  or  philofophy,    or    difputing, -  but 
 
 <'  only  by  a  man,  who  hath  the  fecret, 
 *'  fpiritual  or  myftical  meaning  of  things,  or 
 "  the  rules,  by  which  to  find  it  out,  imparted 
 
 *'  to  him  by  God. And  the  event  of 
 
 "  preaching  the  gofpel,  hath  been  fuited  to 
 *'  matters  confidercd  in  this  lightj  for  we  know 
 *'  the  wife  did  not  receive  the  golpel  at  firfl, 
 "  which  plainly  arofe  from  their  ufing  maxims 
 •'  of  reafoning  and  difputing,  wholly  oppofire 
 [[  to  thofe  of  Chriftians. 
 
 Good  God!  how  little  truth  and  fince-' 
 tity,  is  to  be  found  in  him  who  makes 
 the  greateft  profeilions  of  both  !  How  dan- 
 gerous is  it,  for  his  readers  to  truft  him,  in 
 matters  where  they  can  t  follow  him,  who 
 would  impofe  fo  grofsly,  on  their  under- 
 Handings,  where  it  is  fo  eafy,  to  difprove 
 him!  He  tells  us,  "  TauU\{Q\2i:\ms  all  other 
 
 Bb  a  methods^ 
 
r 
 
 1 
 
 A  T)efiizce  ^Christianity* 
 
 ''  methods  of  arguing,  befides  the  allego- 
 rical i "  and  this  he  tells  us,  from  a  paffiige, 
 in  a  chapter  to  the  Corinthians^  where 
 St.  Taul  exprefsly  affirms,  this  was  not  his 
 way  with  the  Corinthians  -^  for  he  ufed 
 neither  excellency  of  fpeech,  nor  of  vjifdom 
 with  them  in  preaching  the  goipel  j  nor 
 i!jas  his  fpeech  in  ^laiifhle  words  of  hu 
 man  wifdom. 
 
 And  yet  this  is  the  very  paffage,  upon  which' 
 he  triumphs,  and  Icrioufly  afierts,  in  othet 
 words,  that  the  weak  and  the  fools,  were 
 the  perfeB  in  Vaul's  fenfe,  that  believed 
 the  gofpel :  And  the  isi^ife^  that  ufed  their 
 realbn,  faw  no  reafon,  to  receive  Chri-I 
 ^  ftianity. 
 
 But  whatever,  this  Author's  own  fenti 
 nients  be,  let  not  St.  Taid  be  wrefted,  to; 
 countenance  his  impiety  !  ferfeB  and  fpi 
 ritual  in  St  haul's  fenfe,  are  not  thofethat' 
 became  Chriflians,  upon  allegorical  reafons  ;^ 
 but  plainly  thofe,  who  being  already  con- 
 I  Cor.u.  4.  Yjp^ccd  by  the  deiiwnftration  of  the  Spirit ^ 
 and  the  po'-jver  of  God's  miracles,  had  attain- 
 ed to  fuch  ripenefs  in  Chrifl's  religion,  as 
 to  be  able  to  difcern  between  good  and  evil y 
 and  to  judge  whether  the  allegories  of  theiiJ 
 teachers  proceeded,  according  to  the  analogy; 
 
 of 
 
 1 
 
j4  ^efaice  <7/*Christianitv.  553 
 
 of  faith  :  Thofe  who  were  difpofcd  to  obey  Sccl.  I. 
 God's  will,  as  far  as  they  knew  it,  \\'ithoiit  ^-^~v"^^ 
 refcrvc  5    and  to  renounce  what  was  moft 
 dear  to  flefh  and  blood,  for  Chrift's  fake. 
 
 Very  oppofite  was  the  charadcr  of  the 
 judaizing  Chriftians  St.  ^^///had  to  do  with. 
 They  were,  as  he  defcribes  them,  but   half 
 inflrudled,  though  they   were  '-JLifc  in  their 
 own  opinions,  and   fond  of  thofe  that  en- 
 deavoured to  pleafe  them  with  a  Ihew  of 
 maris  '-jjifdom.      They  were  yet  babes   in  i  Cor.  iii. r.i, 
 Chrift,  and  carnal  -^   men  that  fought  the  ^  ''^'~°' 
 praifc,  and  the  advantages  of  the  world  ,  full 
 of  envy,  ftrife,  fadion,  which  arc  the  genuine 
 fruits  of  pride  and  covetoufncfs ;  and  fo  con- 
 ceited of  their  fcantling  of  wifdom,   as  to 
 nieafure  God's  by   their  own  j  and  to  re- 
 fufe  being  faved  at  all,  unlcfs  God  would 
 lave  them  their  own  way.      Of  fuch  vjtfe 
 wen  it  will  be  true  in  all  times,  what  is  ob- 
 fcrvcd  by  this  author,  of  his  wife  men,   in 
 the  beginning  of  Chriftianity,  "  They  iz'ill 
 be  the  I  at  eft  to  receive  the  go  [pel. "    And,! 
 will  add,  will  not  ccafe  to  be  a  difgrace  to 
 it,  though  they  'u:ere  at  length  beaten   in-^ 
 to  it. 
 
 To  return.    It  feems  to  have  been  in  com^ 
 
 pliance  with    the  demand  of  the  Jcjijijb 
 
 ^  b  3.  Chriflians^ 
 
554  '^  "Defence  of  CuKiSTi  AN  IT  yI 
 
 Chap.  V.  Chriftians,  who  were  afFeded  with  allegoric 
 ^^'-''S*^''*"^^  interpretations,  that  St.  Taul,  above  all  the 
 other  apoftles,  ufed  that  way.  To  the  Jew, 
 he  became  a  Jew^  even  in  their  method  of 
 difcourfmg  and  writing,  to  confirm  them  in 
 the  truth. 
 
 He  intimates,  I  think,  as  much,  when,  up- 
 on the  allegory  of  Abrahams  two  fons, he 
 argues  to  a  difchargc  of  the  believing  Gen- 
 tiles  J  from  the  legal  rites.     He  had,  in  his 
 former  chapter,   offered  them  feveral  good 
 reafons,  in  proof  of  their  liberty,  before  he 
 comes  to  this,  which  he  pafles  to  with  this 
 preface.     My  I'tttle  children^  of  whom  I  tra- 
 'vail  in  birth  again,  until  Chriji  be  formed 
 YCccl^kkihi^r  in  you  i  I  defire  to  be  prefent  with  you  noWy 
 (pmi^vjx.'s-  cT,  ^^^^  1  may  change  my  "voice,  for  I  (land  in 
 ^ryj  doubt  concerning  you.    That  is,  as  I  once  be- 
 
 got you  to  Chrift ;  fo  again,  I  am  in  a  fort 
 of  travail,  till  the  true  dodrine  of  Chrift, 
 inftead  of  that  of  Mofes,  be  formed  in  you. 
 Would  to  God  I  was  prefent  in  perfon,  that 
 I  might  leayn  how  to  accommodate  beft  my 
 arguments  to  your  capacity  and  liking,  as 
 nurfes  do  their  language  to  froward  chil- 
 dren 5  fori  am  in  doubt  what  words  or  rea- 
 sons will  fuit  you,  gr  how  I  ftall  addrcis,  to 
 y^duce  you, 
 
 He 
 
A  defence  /?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y."         ""      355 
 He  goes  on.  I  will  try  what  an  allegory  will  do.  Secb.    I. 
 Tellmeyou^  who  de fire  to  be  under  the  law,  VO^"""""^ 
 
 Oii  iv,  zi  &.C 
 
 do  not  you  hear  the  law  ?  As  this  hiflory 
 in  Genejis  hath  been,  or  may  be  applied,  in 
 the  myftical  fenfe;  For  it  ts  written  Abra- 
 ham had  two  fins,  the  one  by  a  bond  woman  ^ 
 the  other  by  a  free  womayi.  But  as  he  who 
 was  by  the  bond  woman  was  born  after  the 
 flefli  j  fi  he  of  the  free  woman  by  promt fe.  «riy«fV:»«A,)- 
 JVhich  things  beings  allegorized,  flgnify  the  "'^'s^^''^- 
 two  covenants.     The  one  from  Mount  Sinai, 
 
 which  gendreth  to  bondage,  and  an- 
 
 fwers  to  Jcrufalem  that  7iow  is,  and  is  in 
 hondage  with  her  children.  But  the  Jeru- 
 salem, which  is  above,  is  free,  which  is 
 the  mother  of  us  all,  ( Jews  and  Gentiles,) 
 and  that  was  figur'd  in  Sarah,  as  her  chil- 
 dren were  by  Ifaac. 
 
 Here  the  ^iuthoi  of  Grounds,  &c.  infults,  Grounds  and 
 and  with  a  rapturous  fneer  exclaims,  ^'^/^.^^pj^.''^* 
 divine  argument  this,  to  prove  Chrijlianity 
 to  the  Jews  from  the  Old  Teftament !  And 
 again,  There  is  not  the  leaft  ground  from 
 the  literal  fenfe  /^Genefis,  to  fuppofe  Abra> 
 ham'j  two  fins  did  fignify  the  two  cove- 
 nants.  Can  fitch  a  fecret,fpiritual  meaning 
 of  fi  plain  a  piece  of  hiflory,  have  any  other 
 foundation  than  divine  difcernment. 
 
 B  b  4.  Ko'ii? 
 
A  T>efence  ^t/'Christianity.' 
 Now  admit,  Mofes  had  no  fuch  mean- 
 ing  in  GcheljSj  this  author  gains  no  advan- 
 tage by  tile  conccflion,  unlels  he  did  mif- 
 rcprefent  alfo  tlie  cafe  of  the  Galatians,  to 
 whom  the  epiftlc  is  directed,  as  indeed  he 
 lliamcfully  doth.  For  St.  Taul  had  no  in. 
 tention  to  prove  by  this  allegory,  the  truth 
 of  Chriftianity,  to  the  unbcHcving  Je'-Ji's  , 
 but  to  fhew  the  Chriftian  exemption  from 
 Je'uvifi  rites,  to  Je'-jus  that  profeffed  them- 
 felves  Chriftians  j  as  is  evident  to  any  one 
 that  but  dips  into  this  cpiftle. 
 
 To  fuch  perfons,  his  argument  raifedupon 
 that  paOfage  in  Mofes,  might  be  very  proper 
 and  convincing  j  becaufe  they,  againft  whom 
 he  difpuied,  approved  of  this  fort  of  rca- 
 foning  upon  fcripture  hiftory  ;  and  admitted 
 the  general  principles  upon  which  this  and 
 other  allegories  were  built.  They  had  learn- 
 ed, that  all  things  happen'd  to  their  fathers 
 in  figure  5  and  that  things  in  the  law  inclu- 
 ded a  myftery  relating  to  the  future  times. 
 And  when  an  exad  coincidency  of  all  the 
 circumftances  in  the  hiflory,  and  fome  after 
 event  was  made  out,  it  was  to  them  a  good 
 argument,  becaufe  it  fuited  their  genius,  and 
 was  in  the  way  of  proof,  which  they  had  been 
 accuftomed  to. 
 
 Whether 
 
A  Defence  ^t/'Christianity.  357 
 
 Whether  the  application  of  Abrahams^  Sed,  J. 
 two  fons,  to  the  two  covenants,  was  wholly 
 St.  haul's  own  ;  or  whether  he  took  it  from 
 fome  received  midras  among  the  JenjSj  as 
 Mr.  Le  Here  is  of  opinion,  can't  certain- 
 ly   be   known  under    our   lofs   of  Je'juijh 
 
 writings. 
 
 In  Thiio  wc  fee  this  hiftory  allegorized  to 
 a  moral  Icnfc ,  and  who  can  fay,  it  was  not 
 allegorized  by  others,  to  St.  'haul's  fenfc  ? 
 efpecially  fince  there  is  an  obvious  analogy 
 between  the  family  of  Abraham^  (the  father 
 of  the  faithful)  and  the  church  of  the  faith- 
 ful ;  which  St.  Taul  might  improve,  in 
 comparing  all  the  parts  of  that  hiftory,  with 
 the  ftatc  of  the  preicnt  Chriftian  and  Jcjijifh 
 church,  to  accommodate  the  whole  to  the 
 fubjed  of  their  controveily. 
 
 However  it  was,  the  Galatians  could  not 
 miftake  him,  as  if  he  was  about  to  impofe  a 
 falfe  fenfe  of  the  law  upon  them,  after  he 
 had  forewarned  them  in  what  fenfe  he  in- 
 terpreted that  hiftory.  Doth  he  give  the 
 Icaft  intimation,  that  the  words  in  GeneJiSy  li- 
 ter ally  figni  fie  d  the  tuo  covena?Jts  !  On  the 
 contrary,  doth  he  not  tell  them,  tkefe  things 
 keing  allegorized  have  this  fenfe  ?  And  if 
 allegorized,  then  they  were  tranflatcd  from 
 
 thcii; 
 
A  T)efence  of  C hr  t s  t  i  a n  i  i  r. 
 
 their  genuine  fignification  to  other  things 
 illuftrated  in  figure  :  The  hiftory  did  not  pre- 
 did,  but  imaged  the  other,  by  unforced 
 accommodation. 
 
 But  this  is  to  deftroy   the  force  of  St, 
 PaulV  reafoning.     If  it  be  not  the  law  that 
 he  cites,  but  a  figurative  expofition  of  it,  it 
 is  no  argument  at  all.    Yes,  it  is  an  argu- 
 ment from  fimilitude  and  proportion,  which 
 hath  a  real  weight  in  all  times  5  and  was 
 more  ufual  in  thofe  times  among  the  Jews^ 
 who  were  wont  to  introduce  fuch  applica- 
 tions with  a  Thus  faith  the  fcripture.  Thus 
 faith  the  law.     Elfe  St.  ^aul,  who  appears 
 to  be  no  fool,  committed  the  grofTeft  abfur- 
 dity  in  reafoning,  where  he  meant  a  mafter- 
 piece  of  addrefs.    He  muft  have  told  them, 
 in  efFcd,  "after  folid   reafons  given,  and 
 "  much  earncftnefs  exprefled,  for  their  right- 
 *^  er  apprehenfions  in  Chriftianity,  that  he 
 "  had   one  argument  in  referve,  and  that 
 "  was  an  allegoric  argument,  i.  e.  in  this 
 *'  author  s  finfe,  foreign  to  the  matter  in 
 "  hand,  did  not  prove  the  point  it  was  alledg- 
 «'  ed  for  j  nor  could  be  underftood  without 
 «'  divine  difcernment,  or  facrificing  of  com- 
 *'  mon  fenfe.     However,  he  would  ufe  it, 
 [[  and  they  could  not  but  bq  convinced  by  it. 
 
 This. 
 
A  T)e fence  <?/*Christianity.  i59 
 
 This  conftrudion  is  ncccflarily  to  be  put  oa  ^'^^'  ^• 
 St.  haul's  argimicnt,  fincc  he  told  them  be- 
 fore-hand it  proceeded  upon  the  allegory, 
 Xiot  the  letter  of  the  hiftory  ;  or  it  niuft  be 
 granted,  his  allegorick  expofition  was  of 
 real  ufe  in  clearing  his  argument  to  thofe  to 
 whom  he  wrote. 
 
 The  Author  asks,   '^  how  this  could  be 
 ^  an  argument  ad  hominem  to  the  Jews, 
 "  who,  as  Dr.  Whitby  on  the  Galatians 
 "  obferves,    maintained   their    law  to   be 
 "  eternal,   and   had  not  the  lead  imagina- 
 "  tion  of  two  covenants?  I  anfwer,  with 
 another  queftion,  how  could  they  believe, 
 the  covenant  of  the  law,  to  be  eternal^  who 
 looked  for  a  new  covenant  by  the  Meflias? 
 How  could  they  doubt  of  zjecond  cove-  jcr.yxxi.31, 
 nant,  to  whom  a  new  covenant  was  plain-  5*'  •^3- 
 ly  promifed  in  Jeremy^  different  from  that 
 made  with  their  fathers,   at  coming  out  of 
 Egypt  ?  In  that  he  J  aid  a  new  covenant^ 
 he  made  thefirfl  old. 
 
 Their  antient  Targnnij  and  their  later 
 j-Q„M,^^-j  Tertifchim^  or  literal  expofiti- 
 ons,  refer  the  fulfilling,  of  this  promife,  in 
 Jeremy  J  to  the  days  of  the  Melllas  5  and 
 their  old  traditions  to  be  read  flill  in  the 
 Talmud  J  and  books  of  Midras,   are   the 
 
 bed 
 
A  'Defence  of  Christian  i  tyI 
 bcft  comment  upon  it.  Such  are  thefe; 
 "  The  law  of  Mofes,  fliall  laft  no  longer, 
 "  than  the  coming  of  the  MeiTias.  (^)  The 
 "  week  the  fon  of  'David  comes,  the 
 *'  law  fhall  be  made  new.  {h)  God  fhall 
 '*  give  a  new  law  by  the  Meffias.  {c)  The 
 **^  law  of  Alofes,  was  given  only  (for 
 "  a  ligament)  to  bind  the  people,  into 
 *'  one  fociety,  for  otherwife  what  doth 
 "  God  care,  whether  the  facrifice  bekil- 
 <'  led,  in  the  throat,  or  the  neck  ?  (d)  The 
 "  intention  of  the  law  was  fecondary,  or 
 "  for  a  hedge,  to  greater  matters. ''  (e)  And 
 they  declare  therefore,  "  that  moft  of  their 
 *'•  feftivals,  oblations,  and  diftindions  of 
 "  meats,  do  oblige,  but  for  a  time,  and 
 *'  fliall ceafe  under  the  Meilias.  (/)" 
 
 If 
 
 (a)  Tr.  Nidda  F.  6  r,  in  Helv.  Elench.  6.  T,  iv. 
 
 (l>)  R.  Jochanan  in  Midr.  Schir.  hafchirim  II.  15.  for  which  hequotes  Jer, 
 21.31,33.  in  Vorfl.  ad  Abrav.  de  Cap.  fidei  c.  1 5.  who  defends  the  fenfc  of 
 the  word  \y-jn  to  give  a  new  covenant  againft  Kimchi.  R.  Joftiua  ben  Levi 
 in  Deut.  vii. 
 
 (c)  Targ.  on  Pf.  ii.  7.  Embrace  the  law  of  the  MfJJins.  Jaljcut  ib.  §c  in  ^  ii. 
 5.  Vorft.  ad  Abarb.  ib. 
 
 {cl)  R.  Jochanan.  in  Midr.  Schir.  hafch. 
 
 (e)  Maim.  M. Neb.  iii.  ^^, 
 
 (/)  Talm.  Hier.  tr.  Beracoth.  c.  Si.  Rab.  on  Levit.  in  Vorft.  ib.  All  the 
 feafts,  even  the  fabbath  and  paflbver,  (Purim  and  the  day  of  expiation  only 
 excepted)  fhall  ceafe  under  the  MefTias.  tr.  Schebahot  c.  i.  8c  Jalkut  ad  fin. 
 Ezrw.  in.  Vorft.  ib.   AD  oblations,  befide  tl^e  euchariflical,  ihall  be  abolifti'A 
 
A  Defence  ^  C h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  V.  ^6i 
 
 If  the  Je''Ji's  in  Galatla^  did  not  attend  Sect.  T. 
 to  thefc  traditions,  it  was  rightly  judged  "^-^^j  ^^^ 
 of  St.  ''Paul,  to  prefs  them  with  a  [wHIt:] 
 MtdraSj  to  the  fame  effcd,  from  Mofes's 
 own  writings ;  whieh,  whether  in  its  ori- 
 ginal it  was  Je'-juifi,  or  raifed  firft  by  St. 
 ^anl,  was  an  argument  ad  horn  mem  to 
 them,  as  conformable  to  their  method  of 
 thinking,  of  the  hiftory  of  Mofes  j  and  pro- 
 ceeding, by  their  rules  of  interpretation. 
 
 That,  which  further  evinces,  St.  Paul's 
 reafoning  in  this  place,  to  have  a  particular 
 regard  to  the  Jezz'S,  is,  that  he  never  reafons, 
 in  the  fame  manner,  with  the  Q entiles^ 
 before  or  after  their  converfion ;  which  he 
 furely  would  have  done,  had  fuch  rea- 
 fons  their  force,  from  Mofess  or  the  Apo-  Rom.  s. 
 files  authority.  They  that  examine,  his 
 difcourfes  in  the  lylBs^  and  what  he  writes 
 in  his  cpiftles,  which  chiefly  concern  the 
 Gentiles  J  will  acknowledge  this  obfeivation, 
 to  be  true. 
 
 Luke  alfo,  who  was  a  Gentile  by  birth, 
 drew  up  his  gofpel  for  Gentile  believers. 
 
 Mid.  Till,  on  Pf.  J-6.R.  Mofcs  Hadarf.  on  Gen.  41.  All  diftincfhicn  of  meaty, 
 even  of  fwine's  flefh,  ftiall  be  taken  away.  The  Jew  Jof.  Albo  Lib.  Ikkarini 
 Tr.  3.C.  I  J.  it^y'rs-  pvovQS  flrcnuoufly  againft  Maimon.  that  the  ccrcmonis; 
 law  is  not  perpetual, 
 
 under 
 
A  'Offence  of  C  n  r  1  s  1 1  a  H  i  !•  ir. 
 
 under  St.  jP<2?^/'s  direction ;  and  Marki 
 who  likewife  attended  Barnabas  and  ^auly 
 in  their  miniftry,  to  the  Gentiles^  feldom 
 or  never  ufe  allegorick  quotations.  Where- 
 as Mathew  and  John,  who  writ  to  the 
 Hebrew  chriftians,  and  as  fome  conceive 
 of  St.  Mathew^  in  the  Hebrew  tongue, 
 abound  with  applications  of  this  kind ,  as 
 doth  Taul,  who  was  bred  up,  in  the  He- 
 brew learning,  when  he  hath  to  do,  only 
 yfjixhjews.  One  can  afcribe  thefe  difFe-- 
 rent  ways  of  writing,  to  no  other  caufe  ib 
 well,  as  to  the  genius  of  the  people  to 
 whom  they  wrote.  Such  arguments  and 
 citations,  were  not  to  be  thrown  out  pro- 
 mifcuoufly  5  but  only  to  be  infifted  on^ 
 where  they  were  known  to  have  their 
 weight. 
 
 And  there  they  might  be  urged,  altho' 
 they  had  not  been  in  themfelves  conclufive, 
 without  blcmifli  of  the  holy  charad:er,  the 
 apoftlcs  and  cvangelifls  fuftained.  Theit 
 being  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  truth,  did  not 
 deprive  them  of  the  privilege,  of  all  other 
 difputants,  to  oppofe  their  adverfaries,  with 
 their  own  weapons  j  to  turn  their  concef- 
 fions  upon  them ;  and  to  perfuade  them, 
 in  the  way,  they  were  mofl  apt  to  be  per- 
 
 fuade4 
 
A  Defence  <?^  C  h r i  s T  i  A  n  i  ty^  3<53 
 
 fuadcd.     God  himfclf,  as  hath  been  before  Sccl.  I. 
 obferved,  were  he  to  fpeak  with  men,  muft 
 fpeak  m  the  language  of  men,  and  in  the 
 very  language,  and  according  to  the  con- 
 ceptions of  thofc  men,  he  fpokc  to.     To 
 rectify  their  fentiments,  in  natural,  hiftori- 
 cal  or  chronological  matters  j  to  mend  their 
 logic  or  rhetorick,  where  it  was  defective, 
 but  had  no  ill  influence  on  piety,  was  not 
 at  all  the  bufinefs  of  revelation  ;  and  would 
 require     m6re    undcrftanding,     ftudy    and 
 leifurc,    than   generally   falls  to  the   iharc 
 of  mankind.     Needlefsly  to  contradicl  in- 
 nocent vulgar  notions  and  maxims,  is  the 
 fure  way  to  lofe  the  people's  affedions,  and 
 to  forego  a  prudential  method  of  gaining 
 them. 
 
 Hence  Chrifl:  and  his  apoftles  cite  fcrip- 
 turc,  without  intending  to  authorize  every 
 reading,  which  they  don't  animadvert  upon ; 
 and  fcruple  not  to  argue,  from  any  verlion, 
 in  credit  with  the  Jews,   the  Greek  or  the 
 Chaldee  Targum,  even  where  they  differed 
 from    the    Hebrew  j    which  to  have  que- 
 ftioned  in  thofe  days,  would  have  fhocked 
 the    people,  and  prejudiced  them,  againft 
 his  dodiinc. 
 
 Hence 
 
ACt.  xvii.  2' 
 
 A  "Defince  <?/  Ch r  is  t  i  a N 1  tT,' 
 
 Hence  St.  'Tdui  argues  with    erroneous 
 
 chriftians,  and   even  heathens,    from  their 
 
 own  fuperftitious   rites,   in  order  to  bring 
 
 them  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth. 
 
 Elfe  what  Jh ail  they  do,  that  are  baptized 
 
 for  the  dead^  if  the  dead  rife  not  at  all  ?  Is 
 
 one  of  his  arguments  for  the  refurredion, 
 
 1  Cor.  XV.  29.   againft  thofe   that  practifcd    vicarious  bap- 
 
 ^^%'  ^'        tifm,    for     thofe    that    died     unbaptized , 
 
 Spanh.  in  Ice.   as    fome    think  5     or    that    ufed    cUnick 
 
 baptifm,   when  they  were  dying,  as  others. 
 
 And    from    a  faperftitious   infcription,    to 
 
 the  unknown  God,  he    goes  on    to  prove 
 
 to  them,  that  they  worfjtpfd  the  true  God, 
 
 thoup-h  imorantly.     He  had  the  fame  right 
 
 to  argue  with  the  Jews,  from  their  mid- 
 
 raftoeSy  however  they   were  grounded:    He 
 
 had  as  good  authority  to  raiie  a  chriftian 
 
 dodrine,    from  the  hiftory  of  the  Old  Te- 
 
 if  amcnt,  as  any  Jewijh  dodior  before  him, 
 
 to  build   thereupon;,  a  purely   Jewijh  dO' 
 
 drinc. 
 
 It  is,  however,  to  be  remembered,  that 
 thcfe  proofs  were  ufed  only  withthQ  Jews s 
 and  not  with  them,  before  they  were 
 chiidians.  When  their  converfion  was 
 laboured,  other  arguments  were  offered 
 from  miracles,  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  chri- 
 
 ftiam 
 
A  Tiefence  of  Chxlisti  ^  kit x.  ? 55 
 
 ftian  prcdi(ftions,  and  literal  prophecies  of  Sc(5l.  II. 
 the  Old  Tcftamcnt  ;  and  upon  ihefc  argu-  ^^■>/^""^^ 
 xnents  alone,  the  Chriftianity  of  the  Jews, 
 was  truly  grounded.  All  befidcs,  were^.v 
 abunda'nti  <&  ad  hominem^  more  than  was 
 needful,  and  for  their  fakes  alone,  that  re- 
 liflied  fuch  reafonings. 
 
 But  how  then  will  Chriftianity  be  made 
 out,  to  be  an  allegory  ?  Let  him  look  to 
 it,  who  hath  allerted  it,  with  much  alTu- 
 rance.  The  author  of  Grcunds  and  Rea-  Grounds  and 
 fons  is  fond  of  the  notion  :  And  rather  ^j^^^'i';  ^''•J'* 
 than  part  from  it,  he  hath  fpent  one  whole 
 chapter,  and  part  of  another  to  maintain, 
 that  Chriftianity  is  nothing  elfe  than  myftical 
 judafmy  and  that  the  allegorical  reafon- 
 ings of  the  apoftles  were  defigned  as  abfo- 
 lute proofs  of  Chriftianity,  and  not  ad  to- 
 minem  to  the  Jews.  I  will  follow  him  iii 
 his  proofs,  to  fliew  how  ill  he  fuccceds  with 
 them. 
 
 C  H  A  P.    V.     S  E  C  T    II. 
 
 '"  I  ^O  prove  that  the  authors  of  the  New 
 JL  Tcftament  always  argue  abfdntely 
 from  their  quotations  from  the  Old,  it  is  in 
 the  firft  place  aflcrted  by  Grounds  and  Rca- 
 fonSj  that  Moks  and  the  proplets  are  eve- 
 
 Cc  ry 
 
^66  i^T)efenceof  Cnmsti K-ti IT ^^, 
 
 Chap.  V.    ry  ijuhere  repreftnted  there  to  be  ajuJifoun\ 
 
 ^^-y^^r^"^  dationfor  Chrtftianity . 
 
 And  To,  I  think,  they  are  truly  reprefent- 
 ed  to  be  j  but  to  whom  \  To  the  Je\L's,  not 
 to  the  Gentiles^  which  he  ought  to  have 
 lliewn,  to  turn  this  obfervation  to  his  pur- 
 pofe.  Many  paiTages  in  Mofes  and  the  pro- 
 phets are  cited  as  prophecies  of  the  chriftian 
 times.  But  every  text,  every  rite,  every  hir 
 llorical  narration,  doth  not  regard  Chrift. 
 There  is  room  for  fingling  out  fome  of  thefe 
 by  the  writers  of  the  New  Teftament,  and 
 adapting  them  to  Chriftian  events,  without 
 arguing  from  them  at  all,  at  lead  not  abfo- 
 Ikitely. 
 
 For  inftance,  fome  texts  and  hiftorical  paf- 
 fages,  cited  in  the  New  Teftament,  are  not 
 allcdged  as  predictions  or  proofs  of  any  part 
 of  Chriftianity,  but  are  brought  as  ilmple 
 allufions  j  or  as  agreeable  to  fayings  and  e- 
 vcnts  in  the  Old  Teftament.  Chrift  filenced 
 the  fcribes  that  were  offended  at  the  chil- 
 drens  crying  Hofannas  to  him,  with  a  quo- 
 
 Watth.xxi.  i6.  ^"^^^on  from  one  of  the  pfalms.  Out  of  the 
 
 ?nouth  of  babes  and  fiicklings  haft  thou  per ^ 
 
 feBed  praife.     Yet  neither  he, '  nor  they, 
 
 took  that  verfc  to  be  a  predidion  of  what 
 
 tlicfe  children  did  j  but  an  accommodation 
 
 I  to 
 
ZA  "De fence  ^/Christianity.'  3  <J7, 
 
 to  his  cafe  of  that  general  truth,  in  the  pfal-  Sed.  IL^ 
 mift,  that  God,  by  improper  means  and  in-  "^-^"^ 
 ftruments  that  dcfign  no  fuch  thing,    brings 
 about  matters  to  his  glory. 
 
 At  other  times  he  cxcufed  his  difciplcs  for  Grounds  and 
 plucking  cars  of  corn,  when  they  were  hun-  "'P'^'  * 
 gry,  on  the  fabbath  day  ^  and  again,  his  own 
 eating  with  publicans  and  (inncrs,  from  the 
 words  in  the  prophet,  I^jlHI  have  mercy,  and 
 not  facrijice :  which  had  no  view  to  either 
 of  thcfe  anions,  at  God's  fpeaking  them. 
 
 Thus  Taul  in  proof  of  the  Chriftian  mi- 
 nifter's  title,  to  maintenance,  alledges  the 
 precept  in  the  law,  Thoujhalt  not  muzzle 
 the  month  of  the  ox^  that  treads  out  the 
 corn.  No  Jeis)  could  miftake  this  precept 
 for  an  abfolute  proof  His  argument  was 
 formed  upon  a  parity  of  reafon,  in  both  ca(esi 
 and  proved  the  labourer  was  worthy  of  his 
 hire,  to  thofc  that  were  under  the  obliga- 
 tion of  that  legal  precept,  not  to  thole 
 that  were  not. 
 
 So  another  tropological  argument  is  rai- 
 fed  by  the  fame  apollle,  from  the  equal  pro- 
 portion of  Manna  in  the  wildernefs,  to  Ibme 
 fuch  equality  in  fpiritual  and  temporal  goods, 
 to  be  adjulkd  by  the  owners  thcmfelvcs,  in 
 the  primitive  afHiclcd  ftate  of  the  church ; 
 
 C  c  i  that 
 
3  6S  A  Defence  ^/Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  V.  that  now  at  this  time,  as  he  writes,  your 
 ^xT^^v^  ^^^/w^<^wr^  (that  are  rich)  may  be  afupply 
 15-  for  their  (the  poor's)  want,  that  their  abun- 
 
 dance alfo  (the  poor  in  temporals,  but  rich 
 hi  fpiiitual  goods)  may  be  a  fii^ply  for  your 
 wants,  that  there  may  be  equality.  As  it 
 is  written,  he  that  gathered  much^  had  no- 
 thing over  y  and  he  that  had  gathered  lit- 
 tle, had  no  lack. 
 
 There  is  no  necefllty  of  proving  Chrift's 
 re  furred  ion  from  the  grave,  the  third  day, 
 from  Jonas's  emerging  from  the  belly  of  a 
 fifli,  after  as  many  days  continuance  there  ; 
 though  Chrift  compares  the  two  events  to- 
 gether, and  calls  his  rcfurredion  the  fgn  of 
 Ecc.  xi.29.  the  prophet  ]onzs ;  the  meaning  of  which, 
 I  think,  is  as  follows  : 
 
 The  Jews,  not  content  with  the  miracle 
 ^  '^"         he  then  did  before  them,  demanded  a 7^» 
 from  heaven,  of  their  own  naming  5  think- 
 ing with  themfelves,  that  if  he  refufed  this, 
 they  might  colourably  charge  him  with  de- 
 fect of  power,  and  leffen  the  force  of  his 
 other  miracles.     Chrifl,  provoked  with  their 
 ftubbornefs,  refufes  to  gratify  them,  and  af- 
 figns  the  pravity  of  their  hearts  as  his  reafon 
 fr.  ^9. 50-  for  it.     This  is  an  evil  generation  5  they 
 feek  afign^  and  there  fh all  be  no  fign  given 
 
A  T)efcnce  of  Christ lAtjnrl  369 
 
 />,  te  the  Jign  of  the  prophet  ^on^s--,  for  as  ScCt.  II. 
 fonas  was  a  fign  to  the  Ninivitcs,  1.7;:;.  ^s 
 Jic  was  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the 
 whale's  belly,  and  came  out  afterwards  alive; 
 So  fhall  alfo  the  fon  of  man  be  to  this  ge- 
 7ieration,  viz.  in  being  three  days  and  three 
 nights  in  the  belly  of  the  earth,  as  St. 
 Matthew  adds,  and  then  rifing  again. 
 
 T\\(ifgn  of  thepropjhet'^oms  is  therefore 
 fuch  a  fign  as  that  Jonas  gave  the  Nini- 
 njiteSj  for  the  truth  of  his  million  ;   which 
 Ihould  be  now  to  the  Jews,  as  that  was  to 
 Niniveh,  the  laft  proof  afforded  them,  be- 
 fore God's  final  decree,  for  their  excifion. 
 Jonas  appealed  to  his  miraculous  deliverance 
 the  third  day,  from  death  by  the  fifh,  as  the 
 fign^  that  he  was  a  prophet  fent  from  God, 
 and  that  Niniveh  fhould  be  dcftroycd  in 
 three  days  (for  fo  the  Greek  tranflation  read) 
 unlefs  they   alfo  rofe  from  fin.     Chrift  re- 
 fers the  Jews    to  his  own  future  rifing 
 from  the  grave  on  the  third  day,    as  the 
 laft  proof  of  his  coming  from  God,  and  as 
 the  utmoft  term  of  God's  patience.     No- 
 thing is  more  common,  in  fuch  comparifons, 
 than  to  call  the  thing  fignificd  by  the  name 
 of  the  thing,  that  is  made  to  iignify  it. 
 
 Cc  3  But 
 
Grounds  and 
 
 ^A  T^efence  of  C  utl is riK'^iT r. 
 
 But  how  then  will  St.  PaulV  arguing] 
 that  Jejus  Jhould  rife  the    third  day,  be 
 
 Rearpl'pT    maintained  from  the  Old  Tejtament,  if  the 
 
 I  Cor.  XV.  4.  allegory  be  dejiro^edof]onzs's  hijiory  ?  From 
 a  correfpondency  of  his  refurredion  to  the 
 the  oblation  of  the  firft-fruits,  on  the  third 
 
 s  Cor.xv.  to:  ^^y  q£  j.j^^  pafchal  week,  to  which  St.  Taul 
 compares  it,  in  this  very  epiftle  to  the  Co- 
 rinthians. 
 
 Or  perhaps  Chrill's  refurre£tion  only,  and 
 not  the  time  of  it,  was  the  thing  affirmed 
 by  the  apoftle  in  this  place.     Admitting  a 
 
 t  Cor.  xvo  4.  trajedion  of  thofe  words,  according  to  the 
 fcriptures,  which  is  ufed  above  a  hundred 
 times  elfe where  in  the  Old  and  New  Tefta- 
 ment ;  efpecially,  where  the  fenfe  would  be 
 interrupted  by  inferting  the  words  in  their 
 proper  place,  as  here  ;  there  is  no  need  of 
 feeking  text  or  type  in  the  Old  Teftament, 
 for  Chrift's  refurredion  the  third  day.  / 
 delivered  to  you,  faith  St.  ^aul,  that  which 
 I  received,  how  that  Chriji  died  for  our 
 fins^  according  to  the  fcriptures  :  and  that 
 he  was  buried,  and  that  he  rofe  again  the 
 third  day,  according  to  the  fcriptures,  and 
 that  he  was  feen  of  Cephas,  6cc.  Things 
 are  intermixed,  partly  prefignified  in  the 
 fcriptures,  and  partly  not  ;  that  he  diedy 
 '  was 
 
'A  'Defence  of  Christ  I K^  IT  Y.  371 
 
 was  bnriedi  rofe  agam,  was  indeed,  accor-  Sccl.  IF, 
 
 ding  to  the  fcripturcs  ;  and  though  the  time  ^-^'^/^^"^ 
 
 of  his  rifing  had  not  been  there  pointed  our, 
 
 yet  to  place  tiiofe  words  immediately  after 
 
 rijivg  again,  and  before  the  fjntencc  was  fi- 
 
 nifh'd,  would  have  dilluibed  the  connexion 
 
 of   his  thoughts  ;    and  therefore,  from  the 
 
 ftyle  of  the  holy  writers,    it  may  well  be 
 
 queftion'd,  whether  the  words,  according  to 
 
 the fcriptures,  fliould   go  before//.'^  third 
 
 day,  or  follow  after  ir. 
 
 The  author  continues  to  objed,    "  that  Grounds,  2cc. 
 *'  V2iM\  ex  pre  fly  faith,  the  oofpel  which  was  p- 80. 
 "  kept  jeer  ety fine  e  the  world  began^was  now  26, 
 *^  made  manifeft  by  the  fcriptures,  of  the 
 "  prophets  (wherein  the  gofpel  was  fecrctly 
 "  contained)  to  all  nations,  by  means  of 
 "  the  preachers  of  the  gofpel,  who  gave  the 
 "  fecret  or   fpiritual    fenfe  of  thofe  fcrip- 
 <«  Hires. 
 
 But  what,  if  the  myjiery  here  faid  to  be 
 revealed,  be  not  the  whole  gofpel,  but  the 
 calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  Chriil,  by  the 
 obedience  of  faith,  without  the  works  of  the 
 law  ?  What  ?  if  being  kept  fecret,  fine e  the 
 world  began,  fignifies  no  more  than  not  being 
 fully,  or  particularly  revealed,  in  all  its  cir- 
 ^umftances,  before  the  gofpel  times  ?  Or  not 
 Cq  ^  (Jifcovc3:c4 
 
 \ 
 
372  Al^cfence  <?/ Christianity!! 
 
 Chap.  V.  difcovered  to  be  the  fenfe  of  the  prophets," 
 ''^■^^'^y^^^  though  it  might  have  been  known  to  ht 
 their  fenfe  by  diligent  attention  to  their  pro- 
 phecies ?  Wiiy  then,  his  inference  from  this 
 text,  to  tlie  whole  gofpcl's  being  contained 
 in  the  fpiritual  fenle  of  the  prophecies,  hath 
 no  foundation  in  the  premifes. 
 
 And   that  this  is  the  true  fenfe  of  this 
 
 text,  may  be  fhewed  from  St.  TauVs  giving 
 
 *Epb.t.9.  TO.  the  title  of  myftery  *  in  other  epifties,  to  the 
 
 vi.^19.'  '^      callingof  the  G^mWQs:  Andof»2^,  and^ar 
 
 Phil. i.  1 7. 11.2.^^, >/^  j-Q  j^jj  preaching  up  the  Gentiles  ex- 
 
 fRom.ii.  16.  emption,  from  the  legal  rites  :  f  and  from 
 S.i.'8,9.  II.  ^^^s  explaining,  in  a  parallel  place,  the  words 
 ii.  2, 7, 16.  jfc^c  l^gji^iT  f^gpf  fecrety  by  being  not  made  known 
 Eph.iii.6,7.  in  as  ample  a  manner ^  in  the  prophets,  as 
 :Th;;i-.%.     finceChrift. 
 
 Compare  £/y^.  iii.  5,6.  with  this  paflage 
 .    to  the  Romans,  and  the  one  will  be  found 
 to  be  a  comment  on  the  other.     By  reve- 
 lation he  made  known  to  me  the  myftery  of 
 
 Ckrijl,  which  in  other  ages  was  not 
 
 7nade  known  to  thefons  of  men,  as  it  is  novo 
 revealed  to  his  koly  apoflles  and  prophets. 
 Well,  what  is  that  myftery  ?  that  the  Qqw^ 
 t\\t^  JJooidd  be  fellow  heirs,  and  of  the  fame 
 body,  and  partakers  of  his  promife  in  Chriji 
 by  the  gofpel,  of  which  1  was  made  a  mini- 
 
 pr. 
 
"AT^efence  ^f  Christianity.'  ill 
 
 Jlety  or  according  to  the  terms  of  mygofpel.  Sed.  11. 
 Por  that  the  thing  it  fclf,  the  calling  of  the  "^^^ 
 Gentiles,  as  to  the  fubftance  of  it,  was  plain- 
 ly prom  ifed  in  theOldTeftament,  St.  'Faul^^'^''''^-' 
 proves,  from  many  texts  of  fcripture,  to  the 
 fame  Romans  ;  but  whether  by  admiflion  in-  Rom.ii.  n. 
 lojudaifm,   or  exclufive  of  it,   was   rather  ^^^^^^^^.^^ 
 darkly  intimated,  than  plainly  faid,  in  the  j;'J']"/J^^^l 
 facred  writings;  nor  did  the  apoftlcs  them- />/?.'</ (by 
 felves  coUea  fo  much  from  thence,  before  ^:,,„^^,/  „if„ 
 they  were  commiaioned  to  go  preach  t^-'^^'ly'^j^Zu'^ 
 gofpel  to  all  nations,  —  -  He  that  believethy 
 &c.  and  endued  with  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
 Ghoft.    And  to  this  commifllon  the  follow- 
 ing words  of  St.  Taiil,  Rom.  xvi.  26.  fccm 
 to  refer.  According  to  the  commandment  of 
 the  everlafting  God,  made  known  to  all  na^ 
 tions,  for  the  obedience  of  the  faith. 
 
 Indeed  the  antient  and  true  fituation  oF 
 this  text,  direds  us  to  underhand  it,  as  it  is 
 now  explained.  In  the  oldcft  Greek  copies, 
 the  Greek  fathers  *  and  the  Syriac  verfion, 
 we  find  thefe  two  verfes,  of  the  xvith  chap- 
 ter, in  the  end  of  the  xivth  chapter,  where 
 he  is  contending    for  the  Gent  tie  liberty. 
 
 *  V.  Mills  various  reidings,  the  Qrt^k  leilionaries. 
 Chryft.  Theodoret.  cecum. 
 
 It 
 
374  'AT^efence  ^Christianity." 
 
 Chap.  V.    It  was  there  natural,   to  pray,    that  God 
 ^-'^^^/'^^   would  confirm  them,   in  the  doftrine  of 
 Chriftian  liberty,  which  is  indeed  Chrift's, 
 and  was    taught  in  the  Jewi/h  Scriptures, 
 though  obfcurely.     The  conclufion  of  his 
 prayer,  perfe<5tly  agrees  with  this  interpre- 
 tation, as  follows.   To  him,  the  only  wife 
 God-i    who  alone  beft  knows  the  proper 
 method  of  faving  men,  and  calls  the  Gen- 
 tiles, not  according  to  the  wifdom  of  tke 
 T  Cor.  1. 19.    fcribes  'sxi^Jewifh  do(^ors,   but  the  coun- 
 Epki.ii,      cilofhisown  will,  bQ glory  through  J efus 
 Chrift-^. 
 
 This  author  hath  not  done,  but  thus  he 
 farther  infifts.  "  The  books  of  the  New 
 "  Teftament,  were  defigned  for  the  ufe 
 "  of  all  men,  for  Gentiles,  as  well  as  Jews : 
 ''  And  in  them  we  read,  that  the  apoftles 
 "  reafoned  allegorically,  to  the  Gentiles,  as 
 *'  well  z^Jews,  and  with  greater  fuccefs.  Su 
 **  !P^^^/ apologizing,  for  himfelf,  before  Fe- 
 "  lix  and  iylgrippa,  faid,  he  took  his  he- 
 *^'  ^^fy^  (i-  c.  Chriftianity)yr^;;^  the  law  and 
 '^  the  prophets,  as  particular  apoftles  did, 
 "^Mn  their  fermons.  It  fhould  therefore 
 *^  feeni  ftrange,   that  books  written  to  all 
 
 *  Moft  M.  S.  and  that  of  Chryft.  in  MilUs  N.  T. 
 
 *^  th? 
 
^y^  T)efence  of  Christ lAiJ IT Y.  375 
 
 ^'  the  world,  by  men  equally  concerned,  Scd,  II. 
 "  to  convert  the  Gentiles j  as  well  as  JewSy 
 '  fhould  be  dcfigned  to  be  pertinent  only 
 ^  to  Jews,  and  they  a  very  few  Jews, 
 "  For  the  Sadducees  {a  very  numerous 
 "■  Sed)  oppofed  the  new  explications  j  and 
 ^'  though  the  T  hart  fees  ufed  the  allegorick 
 "  method,  in  Chrift's  and  the  apoftlcs  time  ; 
 ^'  yet  they  in  a  great  meafure,  quitted  that 
 "  method,  when  Chriftianity  prevailed, 
 "  which  was  built  on  that  method,  and  ar- 
 "  gucd  againft  the  New  Teftament,  for  al- 
 "  legorizing  the  law  and  the  prophets. 
 
 To  all  which  I  reply,  that  every  thing, 
 here  advanced  as  true,  cither  is  not  fo;  or 
 makes  not  for  him ;  or  is  dircdly  againft 
 him. 
 
 The  books  of  the  New  Teftament,  were 
 indeed  dcfigned,  for  the  ufe  of  all  mcn« 
 But  then  moft  of  them,  were  written  at 
 firft,  upon  particular  occafions,  and  emer- 
 gencies, of  particular  churches ;  or  are  nar- 
 rations of  Chrift's  condud,  and  of  his  apo- 
 ftles,  at  the  planting  of  Chriftianity.  Hifto- 
 ries  of  this  Tort,  were  not  to  be  accounted 
 faithful,  unlefs  they  did  report,  truly,  the 
 firft  preachers  whole  manner  of  dealing 
 with  the  Jews  J  their  firft  converts. 
 
 If 
 
A  Defence  <?/ CHRisTiANiTYr 
 
 It"  it  were  expedient  for  the  apoftles  and 
 cvangelifts,  to  employ  aliegorick  reafons, 
 at  all  with  the  Jews,  it  became  the  fide- 
 lity of  their  hiftorians,  to  reprefent  how 
 Chriftianity  was  taught,  or  maintained  to 
 them,  though  the  proofs  were  not  fo  pro- 
 per, for  the  G entiles y  as  for  the  Jews,  It 
 Wvis  not  God's  will,  to  give  us  an  orderly 
 fyftem  of  the  Chriftian  religion,  no  more 
 than  of  the  Jewijh  ;  with  all  its  parts  and 
 proofs,  in  one  view. 
 
 Its  precepts,  and  rules  of  life  ;  its  articles 
 of  faith,  and  motives  to  obedience,  arefcat- 
 tercd  here  and  there,  in  the  New  Teftament ; 
 are  mingled  with  fads,  and  delivered  at  fe- 
 veral  times,  and  upon  different  occafions, 
 and  upon  different  evidence  and  topics  of 
 proof.  The  controverfies,  and  divifions  of 
 the  age,  were  the  occafions  miniftred  by 
 providence,  to  lead  the  apoftles  into  farther 
 explications  of  Chriftianity. 
 
 Thefe  explications,  as  is  obvious,  having 
 relation  to  the  enquiries  and  circumftances 
 of  the  refpedive  contenders,  muft  take  atin- 
 £lure  from  the  notions,  exprefilons  and  con- 
 ccffions  of  thofe  with  whom  the  apoftles 
 were  concerned.  And  fince  they  were  Jews^ 
 that  were  the  caufe,  or  abettors,  of  thefe  dif-. 
 
 putes  i 
 
A  Defence  (^/'Christianity.  177 
 
 putcs ,  it  ought  no  more  to  be  wondered  Scd.  IL 
 that  books,  fuitcd  to  their  occafions,  fhould 
 lometimes  give  into  their  accuftomcd  ways  of 
 writing,  which,  bcfide  the  dircd  proofs, 
 were  ufually  made  up  of  fimiHtudcs  and  illu- 
 flrations  of  different  kinds,  though  the  hke 
 manner  of  arguing  was  not  cuftomary  in 
 after  ages,  to  whom  they  were  to  be  tranf- 
 mitted :  than  that  books,  employed  on  con- 
 troverfics,  pertinent  to  particular  people  of 
 that  age,  fhould  be  intended  for  the  ufe  of 
 the  univerfal  church,  of  all  ages,  which,  it 
 was  forefcen,  would  be  divided  on  other 
 points  than  thefe.  It  could  not  be  ordered 
 otherwife,  unlefs  the  then  prefent  age  had 
 been  in  great  meafurc  left  out  of  the  apo- 
 ftle's  confideration. 
 
 It  would  be  really  a  wonder,  that  books 
 writ  to  all  the  world,  by  men  equally  con- 
 cern'd,  to  convince  all  the  world,  fliould  be 
 pertinent  only  to  Jews.  But  the  fuppofiti- 
 on  is  the  t^uthor*s  own.  The  fallacy  of 
 iiis  argument  lies,  in  taking  it  for  granted, 
 that  there  is  nothing  in  the  gofpels,  or  epi- 
 ftles  pertinent  to  the  GentileSy  except  they 
 did  firft  turn  Jews  -,  that  all  the  applications 
 in  the  New  Teftament,  from  the  Old,  arc 
 allegorical  i  that  no  text,  in  the  Old  doth 
 
 literally 
 
3  78  A  defence  of  Christ  IAN  IT  yI 
 
 Chap.V.  literally  regard  the  Chriftian  times  5  and 
 tliat  even  the  miracles,  the  gifts,  the  pro- 
 phecies, of  the  firft  pubUfliers  of  the  gofpel, 
 were  not  evidence  to  the  Gentiles^  abftrac- 
 ting  from  tlie  Old  Teftament  predictions. 
 For  fhould  the  contrary  prove  true,  in  any 
 one,  much  more  in  all  thefe  articles  ;  and 
 many  divine  miracles,  wrought  in  confir- 
 mation of  the  gofpel,  be  found  therein  ful- 
 ly attefted,  and  literal  predidions  of  the 
 prophets,  fulfilled  to  a  tittle,  he  may  then 
 ceafe  his  (^ufelefs  wonder.  There  is  then 
 ample  evidence,  in  the  books  written  to  all  1 
 the  world,for  the  converfation  of  all  thcworld;> 
 though  that  evidence  be  interfperfed,  for  good 
 caufe,  with  other  kind  of  reafoning,  that  was 
 peculiarly  adapted,  to  the  Jewi[h  nation. 
 
 His  inftances,  from  the  apoftles  fermons 
 and  apologies,  for  their  reafoning  allegori- 
 cally  'X7//6  the  Gentiles,  and  with  greater 
 fiiccefs,  prove  manifeftly  the  contrary.  It 
 Ihall  be  in  pait  fhewcd  in  the  laft  chapter, 
 and  I  fliall  now  fhew  it  more  fully  here. 
 
 The  firft,  is  from  A£f.  xiii.  1 5  —  48,  &c* 
 where  Luke  gives  the  heads  of  St.  Taul's 
 fcrmon  in  the  Jcwijh  fynagogue,  at  Anti- 
 och  mTiJiclJa.  There  ^^^Z  proves  Jefus, 
 to  be  the  Saviour,  that  was  to  come  of  the 
 
 feed 
 
A  "Defence  of  Christianity;  579 
 
 feed  of  David,  of  whom  they  read  in  the  Se£t.  II. 
 prophets,  f  to  whom  John  the  Baptift  gave  +  verf.  ^3,  ^^^ 
 tcftimony,  *  and  who  was  manifcftcd  to  be  ^9^3^  h- 
 the  Chrift  of  God,  by  his  rcfurrcdion  from 
 the  dead.  *  *  ^i^  3";  ^°' 
 
 The  citations,  where  he  was  foretold,  are 
 taken  from  the  ?falms  and  from  EJaiah, 
 And  they  are,  I  think,  dired,  not  allegori- 
 cal proofs  of  the  Mcllias.  Be  they  one, 
 or  the  other,  the  fermon  was  prcach'd  to 
 JeiL's,  in  a  Jewijh  fynagogue,  and  begins 
 with  an  addrefs,  to  the  men  of  Ifrael.  How 
 then  can  this  author^  call  \x.  preaching  of 
 allegories  to  the  Gentiles  ?  Why  ?  it  is  faid,  the 
 Gentiles  be  fought,  that  the fe'iz)  or  ds  might  be 
 preach'd  to  them,  the  iiext  fabbath,  v.  42. 
 
 But  the  antient  reading  of  the  text,  hath 
 not  the  word  Gentiles  in  that  vcrfc.  Some 
 Greek  MSS.  want  it,  fo  did  Chryfoflhom\ 
 copy  i  To  do  the  Syriac  and  Vtilg.  Latin 
 tranflations,  and  alfo  the  Arabick,  as  is  no- 
 ted by  Beza,  And,  indeed,  the  fcnfe,  is 
 more  perfect,  without  it,  thus:  And  lu  hen 
 the  Jews,  ''Ji^ere  gone  out  of  the  fynagogue. 
 They  befought,  that  the  izords  might  be 
 fpoken  to  them,  the  next  fabbath.  This 
 reading  knocks  his  argument,  in  the  head, 
 at   once  ,     which    he    grounds    on    the 
 
 word 
 
jSo  ^  T>efince  of  Christ lANiTY^ 
 
 Chap.  V.  word  Gentries,   that  fhould  not  be  in  the 
 text. 
 
 However,  we  are  content  to  take  it,  as 
 it  ftands  in  our  Englijh  copies,  and  let  him 
 make  the  beft  of  it.  Who  fhould  thefe 
 Gentiles  be,  at  laft  ?  Not  meer  heathens  5 
 for  what  had  they  to  do,  to  frequent  the 
 fynagogue  worfhip,  of  a  nation,  and  religi- 
 on, they  dcfpifcd  ?  Pafs  to  the  next  verfe, 
 ^^'  and  that  tells  us,  who  elfe  they  be.  The 
 congregation  being  broken  tip,  many  of  the 
 Jews  and  religious  profelytcs,  followed V^mX 
 ayid  Barnabas,  who  fpeaking  to  them,  per- 
 fiiaded  them,  to  continue  in  the  grace  of 
 God.  Now  the  wor (hipping  profelytcs, 
 were  Greeks  or  Gentiles,  that,  renouncing 
 their  idols,  acknowledged  the  Maker  of 
 heaven  and  earth  j  and  upon  thefe  terms, 
 without  obfcrving  circumcifion,  or  any  other 
 Jewiflj  rite;  befides  the  fabbath,  were  ad- 
 mitted to  worlliip  the  God  of  Ifrael,  in 
 Aa.xvi.4.  the  Jcwifh  fynagogues.  They  are,  there- 
 fore, called  funply,  a'SoijS^oi,  devout  wor- 
 iliippers;  foinctimes  cMflva?,  Greeks,  fome- 
 times  '^Or/j,  Gentiles,  and  ufually  with  the 
 epithet,  of  religious  Greeks  or  Gentiles, 
 Could  this  knowing  author,  be  really  ^o  ig- 
 norant ^  as  to  think  thefe  Gentiles  were  true 
 
 Pagans l 
 
 XIV.  I.  XVU.4 
 xviii.  4. 
 
Al^efence  <?/Christianity.' 
 Pagans?  Or  is  he  {o  unfair,  as  to  impofc  it 
 on  his  readers  kno'Ji:ingly  ?  If  his  own  con- 
 Icicncc  can  acquit  him  :  I  doubt  he  has  gi- 
 ven too  much  occafion  to  the  world,  not 
 to  clear  him. 
 
 In  an  afTcmbly,  fo  mix'd  of  Je'H's  and 
 frofelytes^  where  both  attended,  to  the  read- 
 ing  of  the  law  and  the  prophets,  proofs 
 from  thofc  books,  which  the  wordiipping 
 Greeks  had  fo  often  heard,  were  very  perti- 
 nent, had  they  been  directed,  to  them  only. 
 But  St.  P^a/s  proofs,  are  not  only,  of  that 
 nature.  To  the  Jews,  that  look'd  for  a  Sa- 
 viour, he  faith.  This  Jefus  is  he,  as  anfwer- 
 ing  the  grand  charaders,  of  that  Saviour, 
 in  fuch  and  fuch  a  prophet.  To  both,  he 
 urges  the  convincing  argument,  of  Chrift's 
 refurredion  ;  which  was  a  good  argument, 
 to  them,  that  never  heard  of  the  law,  and 
 the  prophets 
 
 The  fubjecl  of  St.  Tmd^s  preaching,  thus 
 going  abroad,  almoji  the  whole  city,  came  vcrf.  44,  49* 
 the  next  fabbathy  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 
 Among  thefe,  there  mi^ht,  perhaps,  be  fome 
 heathens,  whom  curiofity,  or  love  of  truth, 
 might  draw  together,  upon  the  fame  of  this 
 new  dodrine.  But  the  Jews,  would  not 
 permit  him,    to  preach  to  thefe.      For  as 
 
 D  d  the 
 
382  ADefence  of  CnvLiST I h^iniTY, 
 
 Chap,  V.  the  text  faith,  the  Jews  moved  with  envjy 
 ^■^"v^^-^  at  the  fight  of  the  multitudes,  fpake  againft 
 thofe  things^  which  were  fpoken  by  Paul, 
 contradiBingy  and  blafpheming.  Confe- 
 quently  Tauly  had  no  opportunity,  to  re- 
 peat to  thefe,  the  fame  words,  he  had  fpo- 
 ken the  former  fabbath  j  being  forced  from 
 their  fynagogue,  to  hold  a  feparate  aflem- 
 bly  with  the  Gentiles  :  where,  as  he  had 
 better  fuccefs  than  with  the  Jews  ;  fo  no- 
 thing is  faid,  of  the  arguments,  by  which 
 he  was  fuccefsful.  They  can't  be  proved, 
 to  be  Jewijh  arguments,  unlefs  the  text  had 
 faid,  he  preached  the  fame  words,  to  the 
 GentileSy  as  he  did  before,  to  the  Jews. 
 And  if  the  text  had  faid  fo,  as  it  doth  nor, 
 none  of  his  reafbnings  were  allegorical  5  and 
 the  refurredion  of  Jefus,  made  a  great  part 
 of  them. 
 
 His  next  inftance  is  not  more,  but  left  (if 
 
 Aa.  xxiv.  14.  poflible)  to  the  purpofe.  St.  Taul  declares 
 before  Felix,  as  he  did  alfo  to  Agrippa, 
 that  he  took  hisherefyQ.  e.  Chri{lianity)/r^«; 
 the  law  and  the  prophets. 
 
 sxvi.  i?.  What  then  ?   Agrippa   was  a  Jew,  that 
 
 beleived  the  law  and  the  prophets,  as  Taul 
 tells  him  to  his  face,  he  knew  he  did  i 
 and  in  that  refped,  was  to  be  dealt  with,  as 
 
 other 
 
 \\ 
 
ADefence  ^Christianitv. 
 other  Jeisjs.  But  for  Feltx,  he  was  a  Ro- 
 wan governor,  and  a  Gentile  j  Why  did 
 Paul  fpcak,  of  the  law  and  the  prophets^ 
 to  him  ?  Not  to  convert  him,  by  thofe 
 books,  you  may  be  fure.  For  he  believed 
 neither  law,  nor  prophets  5  he  regarded  not 
 the  literal,  or  any  other  fenfe,  put  on  them. 
 But  it  was  to  defend  himfelf,  from  a  crimi- 
 nal charge,  grounded,  in  part,  on  the  law 
 and  prophets,  and  laid  before  Telix,  as  judge, 
 by  the  Jews. 
 
 The  charge  was,  that  he  was  a  mover  of  xxiv.  4, 5* 
 fedit  ion  among  all  the  ^Q.y}fs  :  A  ring- leader 
 of  the  fe6i  of  the  Nazarenes  :  and  would 
 have  profaned  their  temple ;  for  all  which, 
 he  was  punifhable,  by  their  law.  To  each  ar- 
 ticle, he  anfwered  negatively, except  to  one, 
 which  he  owns,  that  he  was  of  the  feB  of 
 the  Nazarenes.  But  this,  faith  he,  is  no 
 crime  againft  the  Roman  ftate,  no  nor  a- 
 gainft  the  Jewifh  law.  If  what  they  call 
 herefy,  be  a  fault  in  me  j  it  is  imputable 
 to  the  whole  nation  ;  even  to  thefe  my  accu- 
 fers:  who  do,  or  ought  to  believe,  thofe 
 fcriptures,  they  charge  me  for  tranfgre fling. 
 i^fttr  the  way^  which  they  call  herefy,  fo 
 worjhip  I  the  God  of  my  fathers,  believing 
 D  d  a  all 
 
3  84^  AT)efinceof  Christ  1A7J I  tyI 
 
 Chap.  v.   all  things^  that  are  ''jvritteny  in  the  law, 
 and  tke  prophets. 
 
 So  much  was  neccffary,  for  him  to  fay, 
 in  his  defence,  before  any  judge,  for  the 
 confufion  of  liis  adverfaries.  And  none  of 
 of  it,  was  improper  to  fay  before  Felix, 
 who,  though  a  Gentile,  had  perfeB  know^ 
 kdge  of  that  way,  as  having  been,  ma- 
 ny years,  a  judge  unto  that  nation. 
 
 If  the  Jews  believed  Chrift,  was  lite- 
 rally foretold,  in  the  law  and  the  prophets, 
 Faul's  apology  from  thence,  was  in  it  felf 
 good.  If  their  belief  of  a  Meflias,  was 
 founded  on  the  allegorical  interpretations, 
 of  thofe  books,  yet  was  his  defence  jufV,  a- 
 gainft  them.  He  might  legally  vindicate 
 himfcif,  upon  any  conceflion,  of  his  pro- 
 fecutors. 
 
 This  writer^  fcruples  not  to  contend, 
 for  an  hiftorical  completion,  of  the  Jews 
 prophecies,  whenever  he  hopes,  to  under- 
 mine the  Chriftian  caufe  thereby  5  yet  I  am 
 perfuaded,  he  would  account  it  an  injury, 
 to  have  it  thought,  that  he  believed  thofe 
 prophecies  to  be  true  -,  or  to  have  been 
 fulfilled,  in  any  feofe. 
 
 Indeed,, 
 
A  'Defence  ^Christianitv.  3S5 
 
 Indeed,  afterwards,  Vaid  was  in  carncfl,  Sc(fl.  II. 
 to  convert  Felix  :  but  it  ^as  with  argu-  ^-^~\^"""-^ 
 nicnts,  proper  for  a  Gentile  ;  by  reafoning 
 on  right eonfnefs  and  temperance,  juliicc 
 and  challity,  virtues  that  Felix  wanted,  and 
 of  a  judgment  to  come^  which  made  Fe- 
 .  lix  tremble,  and  not  by  proofs,  froyn  the 
 law  and  the  prophets.  And  tlius  the  icr/- 
 ter's  fecond  injtance,  is  a  proof  on  our  fide, 
 that  the  apoftles  argued,  from  different  to- 
 picks,  according  as  they  applied,  to  Je'Ji'y 
 or  Gentile. 
 
 '  The  writer  fcems,  to  have  doubted  him- 
 fclf,  of  thefc  inftanccs,  by  laying  in  another 
 fort  of  argument,  to  prove  allegories  were 
 never  ad  hominem^  to  the  Jews,  if  the  for- 
 mer Ihould  fail. 
 
 They  could  be  pertinent y  to  a  I'ery  few  Grounds  and 
 Jews,  faith  he,  pr  the  Sadduces,  averynu-  '^"^^"^'P-^^- 
 merous  feEi,  oppofed  the  new  explications, 
 and  thofe  feWjthemfelveSj  renounced  them, 
 when  Chrifltanitj  prevailed^  which  was 
 built  on  that  method  -,  and  argued  with  the 
 great efl  co7itempt^  of  the  Chnftian  writers, 
 for  their  allegorical  interpretations  of  the 
 Old  T eft  anient. 
 
 How  forgetful,    doth  zeal  for  infidelity, 
 
 make  this  writer  !  in  the  fame  page,  he  writes 
 
 D  4  i  thusj 
 
3  86  A  T>efence of  Cukisti  KtntY. 
 
 Chap.  V,  thus,  he  tells  us,  that  the  Pharifees,  who 
 ^"^^^^^^^  made  up  the  body  of  the  Jews  (as  well  as 
 the  Eflens)  ufd  the  allegorical  met  hod y  in 
 the  days  ^"Jefus  and  his  apojiles.  Did  the 
 *PharifeeSj  alone,  make  up  the  body  of  the 
 Jews  i  and  can  the  body  be  faid  to  be,  a 
 'very  few )  With  the  addition  of  the  Ejfens, 
 they  were  ftill  a  more  confiderable  number : 
 and  from  the  major  part,  denominations 
 are  taken  j  to  which,  the  numerous  ft£i  of 
 the  Sadducees,  as  he  calls  them,  bore  no 
 more  proportion,  than  that  of  monftrous 
 births  to  perfe<5t  produdions. 
 ^ntic.  xviii.  z.  Let  Jofephus  the  Jew,  who  writ  in  that 
 age,  decide  the  point.  *'  The  Pharifees,  as 
 "  he  relates,  lead  a  fimple  auftere  life,  and 
 "  are  not  given  to  foftnefs  and  luxury  j  but 
 "  what  reafon  dilates,  they  ftick  to  very 
 "  pertinacioufly :  they  honour  their  elders 
 *y  —  believe  the  fouls  of  men  are  immor- 
 **  tal,  and  fhall  be  rewarded  or  puniflied,  as 
 *^  they  have  behaved  in  this  life.  For  this 
 ''  caufe  they  are  in  great  efieem  and  autho- 
 rity ^with  the  people  y  and  all  things  relating 
 to  folemn  prayers,  and publick  worfhip^are 
 ordered  as  they  interpret  and  diredi  :  Co 
 great  a  tejiimony  do  the  cities  give,  to 
 "  their  wifdom,  temperance  and  fober  life— - 
 
 "  But 
 
 << 
 
 (C 
 
A  defence  of  Christian  IT Y,  387 
 
 "  But  the  Saddiicees  believe  that  the  foul  Sed.  II. 
 "  dies  with  the  body  :  they  obfetve  no  o- 
 "  ther,  but  the  law  of  Mofes.  For  they 
 "  hold  it  a  piece  of  virtue  to  difpute  with 
 "  their  Rabbms  about  iDtfdom.  *  They  are 
 «  but  few  of  this  fed  ;  thofe  chiefly  men 
 "  of  quality,  and  they  have  little  intereft  in 
 "  the  manaf^cment  of  affairs.  For  when- 
 *«  ever  they  are  promoted  to  the  magiftracy, 
 "  although  it  be  againft  their  wills,  they  ad 
 *'  with  the  Tharifees,  or  the  people  would 
 **  not  bear  with  them.  ^ 
 
 This  writer  faith,  the  Sadducees  were  a 
 mmerous  fe[i;  Jofephus  ^Mi,  they  are  but 
 few.  Jofephus  knew  beft.  And  after  his  de- 
 termination, and  his  account  of  that  fed,  it 
 will  not  be  hard  to  fay,  with  the  method  of 
 which  of  thele  feds,  the  apoftles  ought  to 
 comply.  With  that,  of  the  main  body  oi  xhc 
 JewSy  that  (wayed  in  the  adminiftration  of 
 religious  and  civil  affairs,  and  were  men  of 
 probity  and  men  of  principles  :  or  that  of  a 
 few  libertines,  turbulent,  difputatious,  fccp- 
 tical,  men  of  710 principles,  and  much  hypo- 
 crify,  and  of  little  intereft  in  their  country  ? 
 
 *  !:»«>.*  fignifiosthe  doarineand  interpretation  of  the  Jew, 
 ifli  fchools  and  fynagogucs ;  from  whence  their  Rabbins  were 
 ♦rrrr.cd  (rc<p'n  or  ChachKms. 
 
 z  n  d  4  ^<^ 
 
388  A  "Defence  <?/Cmr  isx  ian  i  t  r,' 
 
 Chap.  V.  No  doubt,  with  the  method  of  them,  th^t 
 were  in  reputation  for  virtue  and  probity, 
 and  that  beheved  the  prophets,  and  a  future 
 ftate,  as  the  apoftles  did.  Of  fuch  only, 
 they  had  hopes :  and  gaining  them,  they  ful- 
 filled their  minillry,  and  were  in  the  way  of 
 bringing  over  the  whole  nation. 
 
 If  tlie  Vhartfees  have  quitted  that  me- 
 thod Tmce  J  it  was  neverthelefs  rightly  judg- 
 ed by  the  apoftles,  to  ufe  it,  while  they  did 
 admit  it.  It  was  pertinent  to  the  Jews  of 
 their  days,  however  it  be  now,  as  the  event 
 did  fhew. 
 
 For,  why  did  they  quit  it  ?  They  are 
 the  words  of  this  writer,  that  "  they  quit- 
 "  ted  that  method,  when  Chriftianity  pre- 
 *^  vailed,  which  was  built  on  that  method.  *! 
 It  appears  then,  this  argument,  ad  hominem, 
 was  a  powerful  one,  to  the  Tharifees  of 
 thofe  times,  from  the  fuccefs  that  followc4 
 it.  Either  fuch  arguments  were  valid  to 
 them  i  or  the  apoftles,  by  accommodating 
 their  reafonings  to  the  way  the  Jews  were 
 accuftomed  to,  gained  an  unprejudiced  cor;- 
 fideration,  of  their  better  arguments. 
 
 That  the  Vhariftes  have  quitted  it  fince, 
 this  author  doth  not  affirm  abfolutely,  bup 
 qualifies  his  alTertion;,  with,  a  great  meafure  \ 
 
 but 
 
'A  T>efence  <?/*Christianity.  389 
 
 but  owns,  that  they  that  have  quitted  it,  Seft.  II. 
 did  fo  becaufe  they  found  it  turned  upon 
 them  by  die  Chriftians.  No  wonder  then, 
 that  defpairing  to  ftand  their  ground,  while 
 they  adhered  to  the  fentiments  of  their 
 anceftors  in  this  method,  like  men  in  a 
 rage,  they  have  run  from  one  extreme  to 
 another  ;  and  fometimes  deny  all  typical 
 and  literal  interpretations  of  their  fcrip- 
 tures,  as  well  as  allegorical.  Though  here- 
 in they  aft  a  moft  inconfiftent  part,  as  is  well 
 remarked  by  this  author,  "  and  deprive 
 "  themfelves  of  all  proof  of  a  fundamental 
 "  article  of  their  faith,  the  coming  of  the 
 J'  Meflias. 
 
 But  this  is  the  folly  and  madncfs  of  fomc 
 late  Jews,  and  of  them  in  their  difputes 
 with  the  Chriflians  only.  For  the  lame 
 men,  among  themfelves,  ground  the  co- 
 ming of  the  Meillas,  upon  moft  of  thofe 
 fcriptures,  their  fathers,  in  Chrift's  time,  did, 
 and  which  are  the  fame,  we  infift  on  in  our 
 controverfies  with  them. 
 
 And  for  their  continuing  ftill,  in  the  al- 
 legorical method,  one  need  only  confult 
 the  comments  of  the  literal  cxpofitors,  as 
 fhey  are  ftilcd  from  the  1 2th  century,  to  be 
 
 ft- 
 
390  A  T>efence  of  CmYLisT I K'^iTY, 
 
 Chap.  V.  fatisfied,  they  have  not  yet  given  over,  ths 
 
 '^-'^^^'^'^^  myftical  fenfcs  of  fcriptnre.  * 
 
 There  remains  one  proof  more,  if  it  may 
 be  called  a  proof,  that  the  apoftles,  when 
 they  expounded  allegorically,  did  not  argue 
 ad  hominem  to  the  Jews ;    and  it  is  this. 
 
 Grounds,  (Q'c.  '*  Alkgotics  Were  in  ufe  among  the  Pagans; 
 
 p-  3>  9.  «  \jQx^  cultivated  by  the  philofophers,  as 
 *'  well  as  theologers,  who  interpreted  ma- 
 **  ny  of  their  fables  and  hiftories  of  their 
 *'  gods,  to  obfervations  in  the  natural  and 
 "  heavenly  bodies  :  wherefore  the  argu- 
 *'  ments  of   the  apoftles,    which    for  the 
 
 p.  44.  «  yj^QJi  p^Yt  were  allegorick    [a  few  pages 
 
 *'  before,  all  the  prophecies ^  cited  by  thenty 
 <'  were  fir^  were  then  proper  topicks  for 
 "  the  Pagans,  and  were  equally  conclu- 
 "  five,  to  great  numbers,  among  the  Gen- 
 "  tiles  ". 
 
 It  is  impofUble,  fuch  an  abfurd  argument, 
 fliould  drop  from  this  author,  but  for  the 
 fake  of  his  profane  jeft,  Tot  a  eft  fabula  cae- 
 lum.    Let    him    reconcile  this,    if  he  can, 
 
 p.  84,  with  what  he  faith  in  another  page,   '*  The 
 
 [[  wife  men  did  not  receive  the  golpel  at 
 
 *  Simon  Crit.  Hift.  of  the  Old  Teft.  Hi.  5,  6. 
 
 "  firfl. 
 
[/[  defence  of  Christ  I Ai^ IT Y.  391 
 
 *'  firft,  which  plainly  arofe,  from  their  uf-  Sc^.  II. 
 <*  ing    maxims  of  reafon  and  difputing,  '^^'V"*^^ 
 "  wholly  oppofitCy  to  thole  of  the  Chriftt- 
 «  ansy  i.  e.  according  to  him,  allegortck 
 *^  reafons  '\ 
 
 Could  the  fame  arguments  be  conclujive^ 
 "with  the  Pagan  philofophers  and    thcolo- 
 gcrs,    (who  were,    if  they  had  any,  their 
 wife  men)   and  yet  be  oppofte,   to  their 
 maxims    of   reafoning^     and  difputing  ? 
 Could  they  promote,  andobftrudt,  the  con- 
 verfion  of  the   Pagans,  at  the  fame  time  - 
 This  is  truly  to  fpcak  perplexedly ^  which  is  si  quh  noverit 
 charged,  as  a   maxim  on  the  Jews,  only  i^{i7«r'X 
 through  the  ignorance,    or  malice  of  the  *"'"'*'  ''*"'"• 
 tranflator. 
 
 Allegories,  it  is  acknowledged,  were  an- 
 tiently  ufed,  by  the  heathens ;  partly  as  an 
 ingenious  way  of  inftruftion  j  partly,  as  a 
 device,  to  conceal  the  folly  and  lewdneii 
 of  their  myfteries,  and  the  fabulous  original 
 and  actions  of  their  gods.  But  in  the  way 
 of  argument,  no  Gentile,  nor  Jew,  was 
 ever  profclyted  at  firft,  by  pure  allego- 
 ries. And,  therefore,  whatever  eifect 
 fuch  kind  of  reafoning  might  have,  up- 
 on yews,  accuftomcd  to  it,  from  the  ex- 
 
 pofitions 
 
392  'A  defence  of  C  UK  I  sr  I  K-i^  It  Y. 
 
 Chap.  V.  pofitions  of  their  fynagogues  in  confirma- 
 tion of  fads,  or  truths,  they  were  cer- 
 tain of,  otherwife  :  they  could  have  no 
 force  upon,  and  ought  not  to  be  em- 
 ployed, with  unbelieving  Gentiles^  out 
 of  fcriptures  or  hiftories,  they  did  not 
 know,  or  credit,  to  convert  them,  to  a 
 religion  entirely  new  ;  and  oppofcd  e- 
 qually  to  their  vices,  and  the  worfliip  of 
 their  fathers. 
 
 CHAR 
 
A  T>efence  ^/Christiani  tyI  jpi 
 
 Sea.  I. 
 
 CHAP.  VI.    Sect.  I. 
 
 Tl.e  fenfcj  given  by  Chrift  and  his  apojlles^ 
 to  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Tejiament^ 
 (^fuppojing  many  J  of  thofe prophecies,  were 
 capable  of  being  applied^  to  other  per Jons^ 
 and  tttnes^  than  thofe  of  the  Meffias) 
 is  certainly  to  be  preferred^  to  any  o- 
 thcr  poffible  fenfe  of  the  prophecies, 
 
 Y  defign,  under  this  head,  is  to 
 fhew  the  collateral  evidence  of 
 Jefus's  divine  mifllon,  and  to 
 add  ftrcngth  from  thence,  to 
 his,  and  his  apoftlcs,  interpre- 
 tations, of  fcripture.  For,  however  caly  it 
 was,  for  the  JeiJUSj  to  miftakc  the  fenfe, 
 of  many  prophecies,  before  the  event  hap- 
 pened, which  they  foretold  5  it  was  impofli- 
 ble,  Chrift  and  his  apoftles  fhould  err,  in 
 the  true  meaning,  of  any  one,  if  they  real- 
 ly were  endued,  with  fupcrnatural  powers, 
 as  is  recorded  of  them. 
 
 Suppofc 
 
*X.T 
 
 594  A  Defence  of  CuvLiSTih'^iXY. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  Suppofe  then,  the  Jews  were  in  doubt, 
 concerning  the  fcope  of  feveral  predidions, 
 and  either  from  the  generality  of  the  expref- 
 fions,  which  admit  a  latitude  in  the  inter- 
 pretation i  or  from  the  unity,  that  goes 
 through  typical  prophecies,  they  had  applied 
 them,  and  confiftently  with  the  context, 
 to  other  times,  than  the  Chriftian :  in  fuch 
 cafes,  Chrift's  interpretation,  fupported  as 
 it  was,  ought  to  be  acquiefced  in,  as  the 
 true  one,  whenever  we  are  fure  Chrift  in- 
 tended, to  give  his,  as  the  fenfe  of  the  pro- 
 phet, and  no  contradiction,  nor  impoflibi- 
 '  lity  is  imply'd  in  that  fenfe.  The  fame  di- 
 vine atteftation,  to  the  truth  of  his  doc- 
 trine, extends  to  his  interpretations,  of  the 
 prophecies,  which  make  a  part  of  his  doc- 
 trine. 
 
 The  author  of  grounds,  &c.  was  aware 
 of  the  weight,  of  this  argument,  and  to  e- 
 lude  the  force  thereof,  he  premifes,  "  Nor 
 *'  can  miracles,  faid  to  be  wrought,  by  Je- 
 "  fus  and  his  apoftles,  in  behalf  of  Chrifti- 
 "  anity,  avail  any  thing,  in  the  cafe.  For 
 *'  miracles,  can  never  render  a  foundation 
 *'  valid,  which  is,  in  it  felf,  invalid :  can 
 *'  never  make,  a  falfe  inference,  true ;  can 
 {[  never  make  a  prophecy  fulfilled,  which 
 
 "  is 
 
A  defence  <?/'Christianity.^  395 
 
 "  is  not  fulfilled  5  and  can  never  mark  out  Se£t.  I. 
 ''  a  Mcflias,  or  Jcfus,   for   the  Mcflias,  if 
 ''  both  are  not  marked  out  in  the  Old  Tef- 
 ''  tament  ". 
 
 Granting  h:im  all  he  asks,  Chriftianity  is 
 not  afFcdcd  b-y  his  propofition,  unlefs  he 
 had,  or  could  evidently  prove,  what  he 
 hath  not  hitlnerto  attempted,  and  we  are 
 fure,  he  is  not  able  to  make  out,  that  Chri- 
 ftianity hath  no  foundation  in  the  Old  Te(- 
 tament,  and  that  it  is  impofllble  Chrift 
 Ihould  be  mark'd  out  in  the  prophe- 
 cies. 
 
 For  if  it  be  fofllble,  and  is  only  doubt- 
 ful to  him,  or  c»thers  of  his  mind,  whether 
 the  Mcflias  be  '.the  objed  of  any  prophecy, 
 the  authority  o£  the  interpreter,  ought  to 
 turn  the  fcale.  It  cant  be  denied,  but  that 
 God  might,  at  d  ivcrs  times,  and  in  various 
 degrees,  commuriicate  his  pleafure,  relating 
 to  the  MeflTias  :  .that  he  might,  for  a  while, 
 fpeak  darkly,  in  figures  and  types  ;  and 
 generally  and  incliflinftly,  of  the  affairs  of 
 Chrift*s  kingdom  ;  and  leave  a  clearer  ex- 
 plication thereof,  and  the  forting  of  events, 
 under  the  fcveral  periods  of  Chrift's  reign., 
 to  a  divine  interpDCter,  in  the  age,  wherein 
 they  ihould  begin    to  be  fulfilled.     And  if 
 
 all 
 
?95  ^^efenceof  Christ  I  AiJ  IT  t6 
 
 Chap.  Vli  all  this  be  poflible,  then  the  miracles  of 
 Chrift,  muft  be  allowed,  to  have  been  of 
 fufficient  force  to  (Tiew,  that  he  was  fuch 
 a  divine  interpreter  i  and  that  the  Mcffias 
 was  truly  mark'd  out,  in  the  prophecies  :  nor 
 can  there  be  any  reafon  to  doubt,  whether 
 the  prophecies  were  fulfilled  in  him.  But 
 to  fct  this  whole  argument,  in  a  true  light, 
 and  give  it  full  force,  I  will  confider,  more 
 largely,  the  evidence  for  Chrift's  coming 
 from  God,  in  its  feveral  branches,  which 
 may  be  applied  alfo  to  his  apoftles ;  and  fhew, 
 
 1.  That  Chrift  was  fuch  a  prophet,  as 
 dcfcrved  credit,  for  his  word's  fake. 
 
 2.  That  his  miracles  were  fuch,  as  de- 
 manded credit  of  his  interpretations  for  his 
 works  fake. 
 
 3.  That  the  accompli{hment  of  many 
 prophecies,  in  the  fenfe  in  which  he  inter- 
 preted them,  with  regard  to  the  age  of  the 
 MefTias,  where  his  interpretations  differed 
 mofl  from  the  Jewijh  interpretations,  of 
 thefc  fcriptures,  is  a  prefumption,  that  he 
 was  right  in  all  the  reft,  as  he  appeared  to 
 have  been  infallible  in  thefe. 
 
 Each 
 
yi  T>efence  of  Christ  lAiJirr.  3  97 
 
 Each  of  tlicfc  heads,    requires  a  Icdion,  ScC\:.  II. 
 to  it  felf.  v.-^'^r^-^ 
 
 CHAP.   VL     SECT.  ir. 
 
 CHrift  and  his  aponics,  in  explaining  the  ZlHLg 
 prophecies  of  the  Old  Tcftament,  a  prophet. 
 had  a  privilege,  above  the  Scribes  and  Doc- 
 tors, of  their  times,  in  this  rcfped,  that 
 their  judgment,  whenever  it  paflcd  upon  any 
 text,  ought  to  be  decifive.  For  Chrift, 
 \vho(e  commiflion  the  apoftles  had,  was 
 allowed,  and  proved  to  be  a  prophet.  And 
 no  prophet  can  be  fuppofed,  to  miftake  the 
 will  of  his  principal,  while  he  is  purfuing 
 his  inftrudions  :  no  man  Ipeaking  by  the 
 spirit  of  truth,  can,  in  the  fame  breath,  im- 
 pait  a  falfity. 
 
 And  who  fliould  know,  the  mind  of  a 
 prophet,  better  than  a  prophet  ?  Who  is  fo 
 able,  to  difcover  the  intention,  of  the  ho- 
 ly Spirit,  as  he  who  interprets  by  the  fame 
 Spirit,  that  the  prophets  fpoke  and  wrote 
 by  ?  TropJjecy  came  not  tn  old  ttmCy  by  zpct.  i.  zu 
 the  will  of  man  :  but  holy  m?n  of  God 
 Jpake,  as  they  were  moved,  by  the  Holy 
 Ghoft.  That  interpretation,  therefore,  muit 
 be  (^crtainj-  which  is  not  by  ptivatc  gucfs  ; 
 E  e  but 
 
39^  i^T>efenceof  CiiK  IS riKniTY, 
 
 Chap.  VI.  but  is  direacd,  by  the  firft  mover,  of  the 
 '^■^^^^'"'^  prophecy  it  felf.  No  fmgle  man,  is  better 
 able,  to  explain  the  meaning  of  his  own 
 thoughts  and  words  j  nor  any  prophet  that 
 of  his  own  prophecy ,  than  the  holy 
 Spirit  is,  to  interpret  his  own  infpiration. 
 Though  the  firft  Ipeaker,  and  the  interpret 
 tcr,  be  different  pcrfons,  of  different  times, 
 it  is  one  and  the  felf  fame  Spirit,  working 
 in  both,  and  communicating,  by  feparate 
 canals,  the  fame  purpofes  of  God,  to  man- 
 kind. 
 
 This    is  a   principle    felf-evident.     And 
 tlie  JcJuSj  of  all  men,    have  leaft  reafon^ 
 to  except  to  it.     It  was  a  maxim,  then  re- 
 ceived among  them,  and  is  ftill  a  tradition, 
 Taiir.  Sanh.  c.  j^^    ^j^^jj.   j'^ij^^^  .    ^f  ffj^  Command  of  a 
 
 prophet  doing  figns J  any  precept j  may  be  law- 
 fully ^violated:  (Meaning  any  ordinary  and 
 pofitive  precept.)  Shall  an  exprefs  law  be 
 tranfgrcfs'd  without  guilt,  becaufe  a  prophet 
 enjoins  it  :  and  fhall  not  the  interpreta- 
 tion, of  an  obfcure,  or  a  doubtful  oracle, 
 be  credited,  upon  the  like  authority  ?  Yes 
 it  (hall  :  as  their  tradition  goes  on  —  - 
 Inir ib'&^far"  ^'^'^U  p'^opkct  "jvorkiug  figus  (hall  be  be^ 
 chi  in  Dcut.  Hevcdy  in  whatever  he  teaches,  whether  by 
 explication,    addition,   enlargement,  or  re^ 
 
kA T^efence  ^^/^CHRisTiANitY.  399 
 
 pealy   of  any  part  of  the  law^  except  in  Scd.  H. 
 the  one  cafe  of  idolatry,  <.>^^/"^-' 
 
 ^Againft  the  light  of  this  tradition,  what 
 as  to  be  faid,  for  rejecting  Chrift's  inter- 
 pretation, of  fcripture  ?  Did  Chrift  lead 
 them  to  idolatry,  with  his  interpretations  ? 
 That  is  not  pretended.  It  ftands  upon  re- 
 cord in  his  goljpel,  as  the  fum  thereof,  that 
 he  taught,  the  worfhip  of  the  Lord  God  Mat.  w.  lo. 
 (of  heaven  and  earth)  and  of  him  ordy  -  - 
 ^nd  that  to  know  him  the  only  true  God^  and  Joh.  xvii.  5. 
 Jefm  Chrifi  iJihom  he  fent^  zn'as  eternal 
 l,fe. 
 
 The  fingle  queftion  then,  is.  Whether 
 they  owned  him  to  be  a  prophet  ?  And 
 that  is  to  be  anfwered,  by  the  tcftimony 
 of  thofe,  of  Chiift's  own  age.  Ask  them, 
 with  whom  he  lived  and  converfed  :  ask 
 them,  who  were  eye  and  ear  witncfles,  of 
 his  prophetick  gifts  5  and  who  arc  inftances. 
 and  monuments,  of  the  truth  of  his  pre- 
 didions,   againft  their  wills. 
 
 If  all,  that  Chrifi:  clearly  and  exprefsly 
 foretold,  did  pundually  come  to  pals  *  ; 
 though  they  were  things  beyond  the  reach 
 
 *  Phleg.  Trail.  1.  13,  or  14.  Chron.  miftakjng  Pp/er  for 
 Jefus,  faith,  whatever  ^e  foretold,  came  to  pafs,  Orig.  c. 
 Cfis.  l!>  p.  $^^ 
 
 E  C  2  of 
 
400  ^  defence  of  Christ lAmr^l 
 
 Chap.  VI.  of   any  human   forefight  5    -to  be  accom- 
 ^-^~^^^^^  plifli'd  at  a    diftance  from  the  predidlion, 
 and  generally  through  the  concurrence,  of 
 many  perfons,  free  in  their  adings,  oppofite 
 in  their  defigns,    but  united  in   their  inte- 
 refts,  to  crols  the  truth  of  the  predidions ; 
 What  doubt  could  remain  after   this,  that 
 he  was  the   true  prophet  ?    The  fulfilling, 
 of  a  future  contingent   event,  appealed  to, 
 in  token  of  a  million,  from  God,  was  the 
 ruky  whereby  the  Je-jvs  tried,    the  preten- 
 Miim.  de  ftin-  fjons  of  their  prophets   of  old.     He  is  a 
 ^"oTa'^^^'  true  prophet,  who  is  not  deceive d,  in  for e^ 
 D;ur.xviii.a2.  telling  things,   to  come  to  pafs,  is  a  princi* 
 jcxxviii.  9.    ^^^  j^.^  down  by  MaimomdeSy  and  deduced 
 
 from  the  fcripture. 
 
 Upon  experience,  of  Chrift's  skill,  thi* 
 way,  they  did  not  deny  him,  to  be  equal, 
 at  leaft,  to  their  former  prophets  :  upon 
 lefs  evidence,   they  would  not  have  giveit 
 
 joh.iv.  i9>4'>  him,  at  all,  the  title  of  prophet.  But  Sama- 
 ritans  and  Jevjs,  both  treated  him  as  fuch. 
 In  their  guefles,  concerning  the  prophet  he 
 perfonated,  they  were,  indeed,  a  little  di- 
 vided :  fome  thinking  him  to  be,  one  of 
 the  old  prophets  rifen  from  the  dead  i  o- 
 
 Luc.  ix.  19.  jiT^ers^  fij^f  fje  rj^as  the  new  prophet  Elias  i 
 and  others,  John  the  Bapttft,  reftored  to 
 
 life. 
 
j^T>efence  of  Christ  1 A  KIT  Y.  401 
 
 /i/e.     But   all  agreed,    that  he  was  a  pro-  Scifl.  II. 
 phet^  -  -  mie-hty  in  isijord  and  deed,  before  ,^'^'Y~'^-^ 
 
 ^  '  *=*      '  -*  Luc  XXIV.  19. 
 
 Cod  and  all  the  people  :     and  for  this  rca- 
 
 fon,  the  chief  pricQs  feared  to  lay  hands  on 
 
 him,  becaufe  the  multitude  took  him  to  be  Mat.  xxi  4  c. 
 
 a  prophet. 
 
 But,  two  circumftanccs  arc  ftill  behind, 
 that  give  more  weight  to  Chrift's  interpre- 
 tations with  the  Je-juSj  if  more  can  be 
 given  to  him,  who  hath  once  approved  hini- 
 felf,  to  be  a  prophet.  The  one  is,  that 
 the  Jews  then  looked,  for  the  coming  of 
 a  prophet,  greater  than  any  prophet  fince 
 MofeSy  and  equal  to  Mofes  ;  and  were, 
 many  of  them,  perfuadcd  Jefus  was  he. 
 The  other,  that  the  obfcurity,  wherein  the 
 prophecies  were  veiled,  was  to  remain  till 
 taken  away,  by  that  prophet,  or  by  the 
 MefTias. 
 
 I .  The  Jews  looked,  for  the  coming  of 
 a  prophet,  greater  than  any  fince  Alofes, 
 and  equal  to  him  j  and  were,  many  of 
 them,  perfuaded  that  Jefus  was  he.  AIo- 
 feSy  very  antiently,  had  encouraged  them, 
 to  hope  for  fuch  a  one.  'Dent,  xviii.  15, 
 19.  The  Lord  thy  God  v:ill  ratfe  up  unto 
 thee  a  prophet,  from  the  midji  of  thee,  of 
 ^  E  c  3  th^f 
 
402  A  liefence  of  Christ  i  an  I  t  y.^ 
 
 Chap.  VL  thy  brethren^  like  unto  me,  unto  him  ye  Jhall 
 
 '^■^^^'^""^^  hearken  --,    and  whofoever  will  not  hearken 
 
 to  my  words y  which  he  Jhall  /peak  in  my 
 
 name,    I  will  require  it  of  him,  faith  the 
 
 Lord. 
 
 Jo(hua  could  not  be  this  prophet ;  for  he 
 was  no  prophet  at  all.  God  qualified  him 
 to  be  a  leader.  But  we  read  not  of  any  re- 
 velation given  to,  or  by  him.  And,  as  it 
 were,  to  guard  againft  fuch  a  miftake,  the 
 Jewip  church,  after  fofhiia,  affixed  their 
 teftimony  to  the  contrary,  at  the  end  of  the 
 book  of  Deuteronomy.     So  Mofes,  the  fer- 
 
 'vant  of  the  Lordy  died. And  Jofhuz, 
 
 the  fon  of  Nun,  was  full  of  the  fpint  of 
 Dcut- -Yxxiv.  5,  wifdom  I  for  Mofes  had  laid  his  hands  on 
 *' '°°  kirn,  and  the  children  of  Ifrael  hearkened 
 
 unto  him,  and  did  as  the  Lord  commanded 
 Alofcs.  But  there  arofe  not  a  prophet, fince 
 in  Ifrael,  like  unto  Mofes,  whom  the  Lord 
 knew  face  to  face ;  in  all  the  figns  andwon-* 
 ders  which  the  Lord  ftnt  him  to  do. 
 
 As  much  as  to  fay,  Jofiua  was  not  that 
 
 prophet,  whom  Mofes  foretold  fhould  re- 
 
 fcmble  Mofes  in  a  nearer  communication 
 
 with  Qo^  himfelf,  than  vifions  and  dreams , 
 
 Kvm.xi;.  (>,  8.  fhe  ordinary  ways  of  fpeaking  to  other  ^lo- 
 
 ley.  jixiji,  2.8.    ■  ■  *'  ■  ^      ■  ,      ;  . 
 
 •^      -  phetsi 
 
'A  n)ef(nce  <?/  C  h r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  v.  403 
 
 phcts  5  and  in Jigns  nnd  'ujonders,  equal  to  SciCV.II. 
 tliofe  of  him,  their  firft  law-giver.  ^^^"^^r^ 
 
 And  for  this  rcafon,  Mofis  did  not  here 
 prcHgnify  a  fucccfllon   of  prophets,   in  the 
 Je'-juijh    nation,   as  later  Jcvjs,  and  fome 
 learned  men,  milled  by  their  authority,  have 
 allcrted.     Few  of  the  prophets,  after  Mofts, 
 worked  any  miracle.  Not  one  equalled  thole 
 of  Alofcs.     All  of  them  received  their  re- 
 velation in  dark  fpeeches,  and  by  the  mini'  oan.vii  16. 
 fin  of  angels  5  and,  which  is  highly  mate-  ^ech.l'/^H, 
 rial,  for  afcertaining  the  true  fenfe  of  the 
 text,  one  Jingle  per fon  is  here  promifed,  as  a 
 mediator  between  God  and  his  people,  and 
 a  law-giver,  of  whom  the  prophets  *  fuccef- 
 lively  fpeak  as  yet  to  come,  after  their  times ; 
 whom   the  Je-juSy   in  the  days  of  the  Mac- 
 cabees,  looked  for,  f  ^nd  whom  the  whole 
 nation,    in  Chrift's  time,  expcded  then  to 
 come. 
 
 For   they  were  not  the  lo'wcr  people,  that 
 kne'uu  not  the  law,  but  pricfis  and  Levites 
 /^■tfw  Terufalcm,  that  were  lent  to  ask  John  Joh  Un. 
 the  Baptift,  art  thou  that  prophet  ?  The  ex- 
 
 :^  Ei'.xi.  1,1,  ;,  9.  liii.i.  >lii.  1,4.6.7.  Ixii.i.  Jer.xxx\  31.  5f,  5^. 
 XXV.  76.  Joel.  ii.  15.  a  teacher  of  rigbttoulnejs;  as  aJl  the  ancient  vcrfions  rcn. 
 der  the  Hebrew  Morch. 
 
 I  I  Mac.  iv.    xiv.  41. 
 
 5  Q  ^  prcflloa 
 
A  defence  ^Christianitt. 
 
 prellion  of  that  prophet,  implies  fome  re- 
 markable defcription  of  a  prophet  to  comCy 
 upon  which  their  expedation  was  grounded  j 
 and  which  is  to  be  read  no  where,  fo  fully 
 as  in  Mofes. 
 It(^  h0  uM-      And  when  many  of  the  people  faid  of  Je- 
 S25  0  ^fo<p,-    ^^^^  27//>  h  of  a  truth  that  prophet :  The 
 John  vii4o,j-i.  chief  priefts  and  Pharifees,  while  they  dif- 
 agreed  in    the  application,    acknowledged 
 the  truth  of  the  people's  cxpcdation,  as  they 
 fignify  in  their  anfwer,  'V^z.  Search  and  fee, 
 for  out  of  Galilee  artfes  no  prophet.   Where 
 fhould  they  fcarch,    but  in  the  fcriptures  ? 
 What  fhould  they  fea rch  for,  but  for  a  pro- 
 mife  of  a  fingle  perfon,   foretold  as  a  pro- 
 phet to  come  ?  The  rulers  and  the  people 
 muft  be  underftood  to  mean  the  fame  prophet 
 which  the  people  are  bid  to  fearch  for,  and 
 to  compare  the  defcription  of  that  prophet, 
 with  his  charader,  whom  they  thought  to  be 
 that  prophet. 
 
 It  had  not  other  wife  entered  into  the  head 
 of  deceivers ;  nor  would  they  have  been 
 able  to  gather  fuch  a  number  of  followers 
 as  they  did,  between  Chriit's  death  and  the 
 deflruclion  of  Jenifalem,  unJefs  the  people 
 were  prepared  before- hand  with  the  notion 
 of  fuch  a  pi-ophct. 
 
 Jofephtis^ 
 
A  defence  e^/CHRisTiANixy.  405 
 
 Jofephus  tells  us,   "  That  while  Fadus  Sect.  II. 
 5'  was  the  Roman  governor  of  Judedy  Theu-  Vj^^^T^ 
 "  das  fct  up  to  be  a  prophet ,  and  bonded,  ending. 
 *'  that  (like  another  Mofes)  he  would  di- 
 .<'  vide  the  river  with  a  word,  fo  that  thejr 
 *'  might  go  through  the  midfl  thereof  fafe- 
 *'  ly  *\  And  under  helix,  another  governor, 
 *'  z\\  Egyptian  J e-Ji)  ^^wxfi  many  followers, 
 V  profelling  himfelf  to  be  a  prophet y  and 
 "  promifing   to  let  them  fee  from  Mount 
 **  Olivet,     that    the    walls   of  Jerufalem  d.btii.ii.  u. 
 *'  fhould    fall  down  at  his  command,   and^"^-^^-^- 
 "  they  be  able  to  go  through  the  ruins  in- 
 "  to  the  city,  and  taking  the  garrifon  pri- 
 *'  foners,  put  an  end  to  the  dominion  of  the 
 f  Romans. " 
 
 Thefe  were  found  to  be  impoftors,  and 
 therefore  their  counfel came  to  nought.  But 
 the  acknowledgment  that  Jefus  extorted,  fe, 
 veral  times,  from  the  Jews,  was  the  refult 
 of  many  figns,  and  wonderful  works,  done 
 in  the  prefcnce  of  them  all.  Upon  raifing 
 the  dead  fon  of  a  widow  in  Nairn,  as  he  ac- 
 cidentally pafled  by  his  bier,  with  much 
 people,  They  all  glorified  God,  faying,  that  Lukc\ii.id. 
 a  great  prophet  is  rifen  tip  among  us.  They 
 meant  the  great  prophet,  becaufc  they  ad- 
 ded, and  hath  vijited  his  people  j  which  is 
 
 I  fpoken 
 
406  A  defence  ^CHRiSTiANixy. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  fpoken  of  redemption  by  the  Meffias,  Luke 
 ^•-^■^r'^^'  i.  68. 
 
 And  when  he  fed  five  thoufand  men, 
 by  a  miracle  like  to  that  of  Mofes,  who 
 fed  Ifrael  in  the  defart,  thofe  men  faid, 
 "toh.  vii.  14.  This  is  of  a  truth  that  prophet^  that 
 jhoitld  come  into  the  world.  Being  acknow- 
 ledged, to  be  that  prophet,  by  the  tenor  of 
 Mofesh  prediction,  concerning  him,  they 
 were  (Iriclly  bound,  to  hear  htm.  The 
 Lord  will  ra'ife  thee  tip  a  prophet  like  unto 
 me  -  -  unto  htm  Jh all  ye  hearken  -  -  -  * 
 faith  MofeSy  And  whofoevev  will  not  hear- 
 ken to  my  words ^  which  he  JJoall  /peak  in 
 my  name  J  I  will  require  it  of  him,  faith 
 God.  No  one  before  Jefus,  or  iince,  hath 
 xvet  merited  that  character,  befides  himfelf. 
 And  every  one  may  judge,  whether  the 
 complete  excifion,  of  that  incredulous  nati- 
 tion,  loon  after  Chrift  had  finifli'd  his  mi- 
 niftry,  among  them,  was  not  the  fulfilling, 
 
 *  Mahn.de  fund.  c.  8.  §.8.  fi  venerit  propheta,  ut  te  a'ofxvahit  ab  uno  ex 
 cmnibus  preccptis  .  ci  non  obtemperare  debcas,  niii  fit  :fte  prophera  juftus 
 lit  Elias  in  C~armelo  —  idep  dicitur,  ei  aufcukabitis.  The  Jews  in  Ssnh.  c.  xj. 
 §.56.  call  the  Mcfnas,  HUD^  12-\  Rabbi ScDoftor  R.  Jofes  &  R.  Akiba(who 
 ].:ved  tn  AJ.riari's  t'lnt*}  arc  cited  with  many  others,  in  Fnul  Burgen's  Scrulin. 
 ^'cripturaium  viii.  4.  a?  applving  this^ro/i/^ef  in  Moios,  to  the  Mcflla^.  And 
 AboLibr.  Ikkarim  (in  Voilin.)  iii.  20.  Fieri  non  poteft,  quin  furgat  ai.qaando 
 iimi-is  f  vophc'.a  iNlQiij  vd  major  ei.  Rex  enim  Mcfiiascritliiniliseij  aut  major. 
 
ji  defence  of  Christ  I  AH  IT  Y,  4Q7 
 
 of  the  threat,    for   not  hearing  that    pro-  SccV.  II. 
 phet.  ^-/-^^--'^ 
 
 2.  One  parr,  of  this  great  prophet's  of- 
 fice, was  to  explain  thp  fcnfc,  of  the  Je^^jjlj 
 fcripturcs,  and  to  remove  the  obfcurity, 
 that  was  to  remain,  on  many  prophecies, 
 'till  his  coming.  The  old  prophets,  fre- 
 quently declared,  concerning  fevcrai  of  their 
 prophetical  difcourfcs,  and  adions,  that  they 
 were  dark,  as  yet  unintelligible,  and  fliould 
 be  more  clearly  undcrftood,  about  the  lat- 
 ter times,  wherein  they  were  to  find  their 
 completion.  Some  of  them  add,  that  God 
 purpofely  concealed  his  meaning,  in  am- 
 biguous and  figurative  cxpreflions,  for  a 
 a  judgment  on  them,  that  fhouid  tread  in 
 the  flcps  of  their  fathers,  and  fhut  their 
 eyes  againft  the  light,  that  had  beqn  pf- 
 fered  them. 
 
 Tiiey,  therefore,    tell  the    Je^vi's^    their 
 -jiords  are  clofed  up,    arJ  fialcd  'till  the  °'"'  ^'"-  '^'  ^• 
 time  of  the  end.     They  are  bid,  to  bind  up  ^^-  ,''*'i:L,l5' 
 the  teftimony,  and  feal  the  U^Ji',  that  it  be  pofiibiy  ^tor 
 not  underfloody    as  the  Scptuagint  render 
 the   Hebre'JD  word,    which  is  in  our  En- 
 glijhy    among  my  difciples.     And  one  of 
 them  faith  further,  The  i^ifion  of  all  (the 
 
 whole 
 
4oS  y^2)^«r^  ^  Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  whole  vifion)   is  become  (fhali  be  to  you) 
 
 ^--^""^^^"^^-^  as  the  'words  of  a  book  that  is  fealed,  which 
 
 men  deliver  to  one  that  is    learned,  fay- 
 
 ingy  read  this,  I  pray  thee^  and  he  faith,  I 
 
 1  cannot,  for  it  is  fealed :   and  the  book 
 
 is  delivered    to  one,     that  is  unlearned, 
 
 II.  XXV. ii.  \o,  frying,  read  this  -  -  and  he  faith,  I  am 
 
 I  J,  ff  pgf  learned. 
 
 The  Rabbins,  of  great  antiquity  and  au- 
 thority, have  obfcrved,  from  this  text? 
 *'  That  the  knowledge  of  their  prophecies, 
 "  Ihall  be  taken  from  them,  and  be  loft 
 "  with  the  Hebrew,  their  native  tongue. 
 **  ^  But  the  Meilias,  fhall  reftore  to  them, 
 "  the  underftanding  of  both,  and  open  the 
 "  fealed  book". 
 
 And  fo  Efay  himfelf  goes  on,  that  tho* 
 
 I'-eriTjs,  the  Lotd,  for  their  hypocrify,  fi all  pour 
 cut,  tipon  them,  the  fpirit  of  deep  Jleep,  and 
 clofe  their  eyes,  and  cover  the  prophets 
 and  their  rtikrs,  the  feers  :  yet  a  time 
 fhall  be,  when  the  deaf  pall  hear  the 
 words  of  the  book,  and  the  eyes  of  the 
 blind,    fhall  fee  out    of  obfcurity.      The 
 
 ir  xi-xii.  1.3-  fame  thing  he  foretold  in  a  former  chapter, 
 and  joined  with  the  reign^  of  the  right e- 
 
 *  Voir,  de  Oizc,  5ibjIL  c.  14. 
 
A  T>efence  f?fCHRisTiANlTV.  4^9 
 
 ous  king  to  come,    who  is  the  Mefjias  in  Sc£l.  II. 
 the    Targum.     At    which  time^  faith  he,  ^^-^v^"-^ 
 the  eyes    of   them  that  fee^   Jhall  not  be 
 dim^   and  the   ears  of  them    that   hear, 
 Jhall  hearken,  i,   e.  The  curfe  (hall  be  re-  E^- vi.  9»  '^. 
 moved  from  them,  that  heard,  indeed,  but 
 underftood  not^  and  faWj  indeed,  but  per- 
 ceived not. 
 
 This  is  the  time  of  the  end,  unto  which  jcr.  Ti\\\u  -o. 
 the  book   is  fealed :     the  latter   days,  of  ^^^'  ^^' 
 which  Jeremy  f peaks,    when  they  JJjould  ihb.  ii.  ?, 
 confider  the  'vifion  perfe&ly  :     the  end  of 
 the   appointed  time,    when  he  Jhall  fpeak 
 and  not  lye. 
 
 From  thefe  and  fuch  like  fcripturcs,  have 
 the  y^ic.'i/Z' traditions  been  derived,  touch- 
 ing the  better  explication,  and  underftand- 
 ing  of  the  fcripturcs,  in  the  days  of  the 
 Meflias,  than  before.  "  The  deep  and  hid- 
 "  den  things  (of  the  law  and  tlic  prophets) 
 *'  will  be  made  plain  to  all,  by  the  Mcf- 
 ^'  fias  ";  faith  Maimonides.  {a)  "  The  my- 
 ^'  ftical  fenfe  of  many  of  our  rites  and 
 <*  judgments,  of  which  no  account,  at  pre- 
 "  fent,    is  to  be  given,  (hall  be    known, 
 
 («)  Miim.de  reg.  c  ult.  tunc  (in  dicbus  McfTise)  Ifraclita:  faplcatiflimi duent. 
 <jutbus  profundiflima  myftcria  omnino  apericntur. 
 
 la 
 
^ATiBfence  of  CUKisTiANitF. 
 
 in  the  days  of  the  Meflias,  faith'  R^ 
 *'  Mofes  Germdcufis.  (^)  Some  of  them^ 
 went  fo  fo  far,  as  to  affert  ;  «'  That  fe- 
 '^  veral  texts,  hard  to  be  undcrftood,  fhall 
 "be  tranfpofed,  for  the  more  eafy  un- 
 *'  derftanding  them  in  the  days  of  the  Me(^ 
 ''  fias ;  that  all  the  anomalies,  of  the  bibUck 
 *'  words,  fhall  be  then  corrected,  the  order 
 *'  of  the  legal  fedions  reformed,  which, 
 **  for  fome  fecret  alluftons,  was  hitherto 
 ^'  retained,  and  then  thofe  allufions  Oiall 
 "  be  revealed,     {t) 
 
 Thefe  fayings  amount,  to  a  plain  con- 
 feflion,  that  the  Meflias  fhould  give  them 
 a  truer  knowledge  of  fcripture,  than  they 
 had  before.  And  this  belief  was  as  anti- 
 cnr,  among  the  Jews;  as  the  days  of  Jefus 
 Chrift.  It  was  their  ufual  anfwer^  to  every 
 difficulty,  that  was  too  hard  for  them,  E- 
 Has  {hall  come  and  reveal  all  things ,  in- 
 tending, that  obfcurities  Ihould  be  removed^ 
 under  the  Meflias,  whole  forerunner,  and 
 €0- temporary,  Eli  as  was  expeded  to  be. 
 And  tlic  anfwcr,  of  the  Samaritan  woman, 
 
 (b)  Mof.  Gerund,  in  Num.  -six.  i- 
 
 {c)  Gem.  tit.  Schabbat,  f.  i  iCin.Surenhus.Conciliatjp.  4J'Sc  176.  &  Ralhi 
 ib.  R.  Nathan  in  capit.  Patrum,  c.  314. 
 
^A  T>efence  of  CwKl  ST  I  K'i^  IT  "{l  ^ii 
 
 to  Jefus,  was  the  fenfcdf  the  Jews^  as  well  Se£t.  11. 
 as  Samaritans.   I  kno'-JiJ  that  Mejjlas  com-  j^iTX^ 
 eth  -  -  "^'hen  he  is  come,  he  "jiill  teach  us 
 all  things, 
 
 A  people,    polTefs'd  with    fuch  notions, 
 could  not  rejed,  with  confilkncy  to  them- 
 felves,  Chrift's  interpretations  of  their  pro- 
 phecies,  for  being  new,    if  they  had  been 
 entirely  new,  to  thefti.    Chrift,  at  his  com- 
 ing, had  nothing  to  do,  but  to  prove  him- 
 felf  that  /Prophet,  and  they  were  bound,  to 
 hear  him.     His  predidions,    and  his  other 
 figus,    were  proofs,   undeniable  proofs,  of 
 that.     To  thofc,    who  had  reafon,  to  be 
 convinced  of  that  truth,  Chrift's  clearer  ex- 
 plications, of  fcripture,  and  fometimes  dif- 
 fering from  thofe,  of  their  fcribes,  was  nd 
 objection,   to   his  character.     He  was  not 
 the  perfon,    he  pretended  to  be,  unlefs  he 
 had  a  better  knowledge,    of  the  fcripture, 
 than  they.      Their   pofliblc,  or  even  pro- 
 bable conjedures,    were  not  to  be  itt  up, 
 againft  his  unerring  interpretations,  who  a- 
 lone   had  the  promife,    to  guide  unto  all 
 truth. 
 
 His  demonftration  then  of  the  Spirit.^  and 
 of  power  ^  vindicated  his  fcnfe,  of  the  promi- 
 fts,  and  were  inftead  of  operofe  rcafonings, 
 
 on 
 
412  A  defence  of  Christian i tyI 
 
 Chap.  VI.  on  the  context,  and  criticifms  upon  words- 
 ^■^'"^'^''^^  This  was  an  argument,  adapted  to  the  ca- 
 pacity, and  the  fenfe  of  every  hearer. 
 His  own  word,  his  dvTo^  epa,,  or  I  fay  un^ 
 to  jou,  who  is  Gonfcfs'd  td  come  from 
 Godf  is  fuperior  to  all  arguments.  And 
 they,  who  will  not  fubmit,  to  his  fenfe 
 of  thofe  texts,  which  he  plainly  applied 
 to  himfelf,  as  predidions  of  him  in  the 
 Old  Teftament,  or,  when  miniftred  by  his 
 iPej.  i.  li.  apoftles,  that  preach' d  the  gofpel;  with 
 the  Holy  Ghoji,  fent  down  from  hea^ 
 *ven  :  might,  with  equal  pretentions,  re- 
 jed  the  prophets,  whofe  words  they  in- 
 terpreted ;  or  even  Mofes,  from  being 
 their  law-giver.  The  validity,  of  both  theiif 
 millions,  (land  upon  the  fame  footing,  o£ 
 prophecy  and  miracles  ;  and  Mofes  had 
 no  particular,  antecedent  revelation,  to  ap- 
 peal to,  for  the  eftablifhment  of  his  legif- 
 latorfhip. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
A^efenceof  Qhkisti  K^iTY.  411 
 
 Sea.  iir. 
 C  H  A  P.  VI.     SECT.  III.  ^^^v^-' 
 
 TH  E  fcCOnd  propofition,  which  I  Second  proof, 
 here  advance  is  this,  that  the  mi- IX.^'' ""'"' • 
 racks,  of  Chrift,  were  fuch,  as  demanded 
 credit,  of  his  interpretations,  for  his  works 
 fake.  If  it  were  qucftioncd,  whether  a  pro- 
 phecy belongs  to  the  Mcilias,  by  reafon  of 
 the  general  terms,  it  is  delivered  in  ;  or  of 
 feme  exprefllons  in  the  context,  that  fcem 
 to  reftrain  the  event,  to  perfons  or  facls, 
 nearer  the  prophet's  days,  the  ambiguity 
 ought  to  ceafe,  after  it  hath  been  determi- 
 ned, to  one  fenfe,  by  the  authority  of  a 
 perfbn,  that  worketh  miracles.  Thus  Chrift 's 
 difciples,  who  at  firft  believed,  the  Meflias 
 fhould  be  a  temporal  deliverer,  and  were 
 confequently  flow,  to  underftand  the  pro- 
 phecies, which  fpoke  of  his  fufFerings  and 
 death,  were  at  laft  convinced  of  the  truth, 
 of  Chrift's  fenfe,  of  thofe  prophecies,  from 
 his  refurreftion.  Then  they  rememberedy  he 
 had  fdid  this  unto  them,  concerning  his 
 death  and  refurredion  ;  and  the'j  believed 
 the  fcripttirCy  which  foretold  all  this,  and 
 his  word  (his  explication  thereof)  "oL'hich 
 Jefm  hadfaidf  Joh.  ii.  22. 
 
 f  f  An4 
 
A  defence  of  CuKi  ST  I  hJ^iTY, 
 
 And  no  one,  that  knows  what  a  mi- 
 racle means,  can  doubt  of  the  force,  of 
 fuch  proofs.  They  that  obferve,  how  the 
 world  is  prcfcrved  and  governed,  by  cer- 
 tain uniform  (landing  laws  of  nature,  ap- 
 pointed from  the  beginning,  by  the  wife 
 maker  thereof,  can  never  be  perfuaded, 
 that  God  himfclf,  would  lightly  break  his 
 own  order  j  or  lufFer  it  to  be  difturbed, 
 by  another  agent,  but  for  fome  great  pur- 
 pofcs,  of  his  providence  :  they  are  fure, 
 from  his  neccllary  attributes,  of  holinefs, 
 goodncfs,  and  r-ith,  that,  leaft  of  all,  would 
 he  admit  efFcds,  to  be  produced,  above 
 and  contrary  to  the  powers  of  nature, 
 mccrly  to  confound  his  creatures,  and  lead 
 them  into  error,  that  intend  fmccrely  his 
 honour. 
 
 Yet  this  is  the  neceflary  confequence, 
 of  calling  Chrifl's  interpretations  of  fcrip- 
 ture,  in  qucflion.  They  deftroy  our  na- 
 tural notions  of  God,  who  charge  Jefus, 
 and  his  apoftles,  with  impofmg  falfe  fen- 
 fes,  on  the  prophecies,  whofe  miracles,  they 
 are  not  able  to  falfify. 
 
 Chrift  and  his  apoflles,  did  fuch  mighty 
 works,  as  no  one  could  do^  except  God 
 was  with  them,     Chrifl,  in  particular,  ex- 
 
 crcifcd 
 
'^Defence  of  Christianity]  415 
 
 crcifcd  a  power,  nothing  inferior  to  God's,  Se^t.  III. 
 on  mofl  parts  of  the  vifiblc  creation.  The 
 elements,    and   their    inhabitants,     Ihewed 
 themfclvcs,    all,    Ihbjccl    to  his  dominion. 
 At  his  command,    the  winds  and   the   fca 
 grew  ftill.     He  walked  upon  the  waves,  in 
 a  ftorm,  and  lunk  not.     Fiflics  fliolcd,  in- 
 to the   nets  of   the   filhers,     when    he  di- 
 icded  them.      By    the   fame   power,   that 
 things  began  at  firfl:  to  be,  he  multiplied  a 
 few  loaves,    and  two  fillies,     into  a  fulHci- 
 cncy  to  feed  five  thoufand  ;    and  yet  they 
 left  more  fragments,  than  they  had  eaten. 
 The  hearts  of  men,  were  not  better  known 
 to   themfelves   than    to    him.      He   knez:; 
 'vjhat  was  in  man  :    their  fecrct   reafon- 
 I  ings,  and  future   latent  defigns.     With  au- 
 I  thority,   he  commanded  the  unclean  fpirits, 
 and  they    obeyed.      No   ficknefs,    difeafe, 
 nor  weaknefs,was  too  hard  for  him.  Whcrc- 
 cver  he  went,    he  healed  all  that  came  to 
 him,     without   diftindion,     the  impotent, 
 halt,  withered.    Acute  difeafes,  and  chroni- 
 cal  griefs,     of   many   years  continuance, 
 were  equally  cured,  with  a  word,  a  touch, 
 a  touch  of  his  garment,  and  even  at  a  great 
 diftance.     Thofe,  at  the  point  of  death,  re- 
 covered, when  he   Ipoke  the  word   :     as 
 F  f  2  did 
 
4t6  'j^^efinceof  Christianity, 
 
 Chap.  VI.  did  thofe  that  were  carried  forth  to  be  bu- 
 ^^■^^"■^^  ricd,  and  thofe  that  had  lain  fome  days, 
 in  their  graves.  At  length  being  (lain  by 
 the  Jew.^j  and  his  dead  body  under  the  guard 
 of  the  Romans  J  he  rofe  from  the  dead,  and 
 fhewed  himfelf  openly,  to  many,  for  forty 
 days  together. 
 
 What  fhould  well  meaning,  impartial 
 people  fay,  to  thefe  things  ?  If  they  were 
 deceived,  God  (pardon  the  exprellion)  did 
 deceive  them.  Either  he  that  fpoke  in  his 
 name,  and  aded  by  his  power,  did  truly  ex- 
 plain the  prophecies  to  them  ;  or  the  gra- 
 cious God,  equally  a  lover  of  truth,  and 
 of  his  creatures,  lent  his  power  to  an  im- 
 poftor,  to  lay  honeft  people,  under  an  in^ 
 vincible  neceflity,  to  believe  his  impofture. 
 They  had  as  good  evidence,  of  the  hand 
 of  God,  in  thofe  works  of  wonder,  that 
 he  wrought  j  as  they  had,  for  his  eternal 
 power  and  god-head,  in  the  vifible  works, 
 of  the   creation. 
 
 Thcautbor  of  grounds,  &c.  attempts,  to 
 turn  this  argument  another  way,  and  would 
 have  us  infer,  on  the  contrary,  from  the 
 falfe  citations  of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles, 
 (which  you  arc  to  take  alfo  upon  his  word) 
 that,  therefore,   they  did  not   truly  work, 
 
 I.  2n}r 
 
^y^  T>efer2ce  of  Christ  lAU  IT  Y.  4^7 
 
 any  miracle.     Thcfc  arc   his  words.  "xMi-Sc61.  III. 
 
 "  raclcs,  /aid  to  be  iLroughty  may  be  often 
 
 '^  juftly    deemed  falfe  reports,  when  attri- 
 
 "  butcd  to  pcrfons,  who   claim  an  autho- 
 
 **  rity    from   the  Old    Tcrtamcnt,    which 
 
 "  they    impertinently   alledge,    to   rapport 
 
 *'  their  pretences.     God  can  never  be  fup- 
 
 *'  pofcd,    often  to  permit,    miracles,  to  be 
 
 '^  done  in   confirmation,  of  a  falfe  or  pre- 
 
 "  tended  million  :     and  if  at  any  time,  he 
 
 "  doth  permit  miracles  to  be  wrought,  in 
 
 *^  confirmation  of  a  pretended  miffion,  wc 
 
 "  have  diredions  from  the  Old  Teftament, 
 
 *'  not  to  regard  fuch  miracles,    but  are  to 
 
 *'  continue  firm   to  the  antecedent  revela- 
 
 ''  tion,  confirmed  by  miracles  -   -  -    not- 
 
 "  withftanding  any    miracles,  which 
 
 "  under  the  circumftancc,ofattefting  fome- 
 <^  fomething  contrary  to  an  antecedent  re- 
 '<  velation,  confirmed  by  miracles,  are  cer- 
 J'  tainly  no  proofs  of  the  truth  ". 
 
 But  what  if  thefe  miracles  were  really 
 wrought,  as  well  as  faid  to  be  fo  ?  What 
 if  the  relations,  concerning  thefe  miracles, 
 were  not  diftant,  doubtful  reports  ;  but 
 written  by  thofe,  that  were  eye  or  ear  wit* 
 neflcs,  and  to  thofe  very  perfons,  before 
 whom,  and  upon  many  of  whom,  thefe 
 F  f  3  vvorks. 
 
418  ^  T>efence of  Chkist  I  km  tt^. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  works  were  done  ;  and  publifhed  in  the 
 country,  that  was  the  fcene  of  thofe  ani- 
 ons, and  in  thofe  times,  when  many  were 
 living  to  canvafs,  and  contradid  their  re- 
 lations, but  did  not  ?  What  if  the  hifto- 
 rians,  themfelves,  confirmed  the  truth,  of 
 what  they  writ,  by  the  like  works  5  or 
 had  their  atteftation,  for  the  truth  thereof, 
 who  wrought  as  great  miracles,  in  the 
 name  of  the  fame  Lord  Jefus  ?  Such  ac- 
 counts, may  not  be  deem'd  falfe  reports, 
 without  difclaiming  all  means  of  difcern- 
 ing  true,  from  falfe  reports  5  and  all  cer- 
 tainty of  fads  before,  or  in  our  days,  to 
 which  we  were  not  prefent. 
 
 In  this  cafe,  furely,  the  miracles,  being 
 as  really  wrought,  as  they  are  truly  record- 
 ed, they  muft  be  cfteemed  of  more  weight, 
 to  incline,  to  Chrift's  interpretation  of  a- 
 ny  doubtful  texts,  than  our  doubts,  touch- 
 ing the  meaning  of  thofe  texts,  to  queftion 
 the  truth  of  his  miracles.  Doubtful  inter- 
 pretations, may  be  put  in  the  fcale,  againft 
 doubtful  reports,  of  miracles ;  but  a  cer- 
 tain miracle,  of  one  that  expounds  a  pro- 
 phecy, is  reafon,  why  men  fhould  rather 
 fufped  their  own  judgments  upon  it,  than 
 his.     Por  wc  may  eafily  err,  in  the  fenfe 
 
 of 
 
II       A  "Defence  of  Christian  ny.  419 
 
 J  of  a  writing,  in  a  different  language  from  SciH:.  ill. 
 ours  J  whofcftylc  is  no  more  pcrtcaiy  un- 
 dcrftood,  and  whofc  falhion,  of  fitiurin?  and 
 cxprefling,  is  anticntcr,  than  what  is  read 
 in  any  other  book,  and  very  different 
 from  the  genius,  and  taftc  of  our  age  and 
 country. 
 
 We  have  the  more  rcafon,  to  dirtruft  our 
 fenfe,  of  thefe  matters,  when  they  differ 
 from  Chrifl's,  becaufc  other,  of  Chrift's  in- 
 terpretations, are  not  liable  to  cavil.  Af- 
 ter all  the  cry  of  impertinent  allegations^ 
 only  five  or  fix  have  been  produced,  to  fup- 
 port  the  charge  j  and  fomc  of  thofc,  pro- 
 bably not  cited,  as  prophecies.  Cut  were 
 it  fo,  that  wc  could  not  fully  account,  for 
 five  or  fix,  out  of  near  fifty  citations,  in  the 
 gofpcls  and  Ads  only  ;  let  any  unprejudiced 
 perfon  fay,  if  that  be  a  ilifficient  caufc,  for 
 disbelieving  a  train  of  miracles,  which  there 
 is  no  other  colour  for  difputing.  In  all  o- 
 ther  cafes,  leficr  fcruples  are  yielded,  to 
 greater  evidence. 
 
 Chrifl's  miflion,  doth  not  fingly,  nor 
 chiefly  depend,  on  the  predidions,  of  the 
 Old  Teflament.  Had  the  Jews  fcripturcs 
 never  mentioned  him  :  had  Chrift  claim- 
 ed no  authority  from  them,  his  works 
 I  f  4  never- 
 
420  A  "Defence  <?/  C  h  r  i  s  T  i  a  N  i  T  r.' 
 
 Chap.  VI.  nevcrthelcfs,  would  render  his  million  ere- 
 '^-^""'^^^^"^    dible.      So  he  told  the  Je*ws^  that  asked 
 joh.  X.  25.      him,  whether  he  was  the  Chrift  ?     The 
 works  that  I  do  in  my  father's  name^  they 
 bear  witnefs  of  me.     And  at  another  time, 
 alledging    the    teftimony    of  Mofes,   who 
 wrote  of  him,   and   the  witnefs  of  John 
 the  Baptijlj    another  great  prophet,  he  de- 
 clares,  but   I  have  greater  witnefs-,  than 
 Job.  V.  36.     ^John    :     the  works   which  the  father 
 hath  given  me  to  finijh,  the  fame  works 
 that  I  do,  bear  witnefs  of  me,  that  the  fa^^ 
 ther  hath  fent  me. 
 
 Still  he  refers  all  his  works^  as  all  his 
 words,    to  the  honour  of  the  father.     He 
 did  not  preach  another  God,  than  he  who 
 had   been  taught   in  the  Old  Teftament. 
 And  it  is  in  that  lingle  cafe,   that  the  Old 
 Teftament  dircfls,    not  to  regard  a  miracle, 
 when  it  is  indeed  contrary,    to  the  founda- 
 tion, of  all  revelations.  But  leaving,  thatfirft 
 principle  unlliaken,  miracles  have  the  fame 
 force,  to  autliorize  additions  to,  or  changes 
 of  a  former  revelation,   in  whole,   or  in 
 part,  as  they  had  at  firft,  to  eftablifh  that  re- 
 velation.    Their  attefting  fomething   con- 
 trary,    to  an  antecedent   revelation,   that 
 was  never  pronounced  to  bcj  nor  is,  in  its 
 
 own 
 
'A  Defence  of  Christ  i  mji  ty.' 
 own  nature,   immutable,   is  no  argumcnti 
 that  they  ate  falfc  miracles. 
 
 Not  that  I  think,  any  idolatrous  prophet 
 did  ever  work  a  miracle,  in  proof  of  ido- 
 latry, fince  that  caution  in  Alofes  :  at 
 Jeaft,  we  don't  read  of  any,  from  the  giv- 
 ing of  the  law,  that  was  wrought,  under 
 thole  circumftances.  Such  a  warning,  as 
 that  of  Mofes^  not  to  hearken  to  any  pro-  ^^^^  ^;^.  ^  ^ 
 phet^  that  fhould  give  ajign^  for  follo'-jj- 
 ing  other  gods.  Teems  to  be  only  a  form, 
 of  vehement  dchortation,  from  being  fur- 
 prized,  by  any  means,  into  a  compliance 
 with  idol  worfhip.  It  doth  not,  fo  much 
 imply  a  poflibility,  of  their  working  figns, 
 as  it  carneftly  forbids  the  being  led  away 
 by  them,  upon  the  faircft  pretences.  It  is 
 like,  to  St.  Tauls  manner  of  fpcech  to  the 
 GalatianSy  Though  -xr,  or  an  angel  from  Ca'.  i.  s. 
 heaven,  preach  any  other  gofpel  to  you, 
 than  that  which  we  have  preached,  let  him 
 be  accnrfed.  He  puts  the  mofl  extraordina- 
 ry cafe,  which  could  fcarcely  happen,  nor 
 well  be  fuppofed,  that  the  holy  apofllcs,  or 
 holy  angels,  Ihould  preach  a  doOrinc,contra- 
 dictory  of  that,  which  the  apoftlcs  had  new- 
 ly confirmed  by  miracles,  to  flicw  that  in 
 
 no 
 
422  A  defence  of  Christianity^ 
 
 Chap.  VL  no  poiTible  cafe,  they  were  to  recede,  from 
 the  truth  of  the  gofpel. 
 
 Be  that  as  it  will,  this  author  and  we  a  J 
 gree  in  the  main,  where  he  faith,  *'  God 
 "  can  never  be  fuppofed,  often  to  permit 
 "  miracles  to  be  done,  in  confirmation  of  a 
 «'  falfe  million  ".  For  fince  Chrift's  mira- 
 cles, and  thofe  of  his  apoftles,  were  for 
 number  paft  count  j  and  fome  of  the  apof- 
 tles, one  of  them,  at  leaft,  continued  be- 
 yond the  end  of  the  firft  century,  it  cannot 
 be  denied,  that  God  permitted  miracles,  to 
 be  done  oftcUy  in  Chrift's  name,  and  con- 
 fequently  he  hath  left  us  no  room  to  fuf^ 
 ped,  that  Chrift's  miflion  was  falfe  or  pre- 
 tended. 
 
 The  argument  then,  for  the  truth  of 
 Chrift's  interpretations,  taken  from  his  mi- 
 racles, ftanding  good  5  all  we  have  to  do, 
 for  eftablifliing  his  miracles,  is  to  place  the 
 evidence  for  them,  in  one  light  :  and 
 llnce  this  is  a  point,  triable  only  by  tefti- 
 mony,  to  prove  from  thence  : 
 
 I.  That  Jefus Chrift  did  indeed  work  ma- 
 ny miracles  :    And, 
 
 2.  That 
 
^A  "Defence  of  CnKisriMii-v^,  423 
 
 Scd.  III. 
 
 2.  That  he  wrought  thofc  very  miracles 
 for  kind,  that  the  Je^-ji'S  apprehended,  were 
 foretold  in  their  fcriptures,  to  be  wrought, 
 by  the  deliverer  that  lijas  to  come, 
 
 Firfl,  That  Jcfus  Chrift,  did  indeed  work 
 miracles,  is  mod  undeniable,  from  the  ads 
 of  his  hfe,  writ  by  honeft  plain  men,  that 
 were  witncflcs,  to  his  works  j  men,  not 
 capable  of  artifice,  had  they  been  inclined 
 to  it  ;  that  could  have  no  worldly  motive, 
 to  contrive  fuch  ftories  j  and  whofe  fandi- 
 ty,  was  too  well  known,  to  their  neigh- 
 bours, to  imagine,  they  would  do  fo,  if  they 
 might,  without  difproof  j  which  yet  was 
 impofllble,  fince  they  name  places,  perfons, 
 fads,  and  circumftanccs,  while  they  were 
 frefli  in  every  man's  memory,  and  when 
 it  was  every  man's  intereft,  to  expofe  the 
 falfity. 
 
 But  it  may  be  faid,  they  were  Chrift's 
 difciples,  that  writ  thcfe  ads,  who  may  be 
 the  better  fuppofed,  to  combine  in  the  de- 
 ceit. They  were  fo.  And  who  fo  proper 
 judges,  of  the  fads  they  record,  as  difciples  ? 
 as  they  that  converfed  mod  with  him,  ar  .ill 
 hours}  and,  by  that  means, had  opportunities 
 
 of 
 
424  A  defence  ^^/'Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  of  difcovering  his  flight,  or  collufion,  if  he 
 had   any  ? 
 
 Who  that  had  feen  all  his  works,  could 
 refufe  being  his  difciple  ?  we  muft  reje£t  all 
 evidence,  if  the  teflimony  of  his  difciples, 
 be  not  admitted  for  evidence.  'T would 
 be  an  objedion,  to  their  teftimony,  that 
 fhould  fay,  they  faw  thefe  miracles,  and  did 
 yet  continue  unbelievers  of  his  dodrine. 
 
 They  that  were  difciples,  when  they  writ 
 of  him,  were  at  firfl  ftrangers  to  him ;  were 
 poflefs'd  in  the  beginning,  with  the  fame  pre- 
 judices to  what  he  taught,  and  the  like  car- 
 nal conceits,  about  the  kingdom  of  God, 
 that  the  other  Jews  entertained  j  only  they 
 had  not  their  vices  and  pallions,  to  ftifle  the 
 evidence  of  his  works,  which  the  prejudi- 
 ces, of  other  Jews,  got  the  better  of.  Chrift's 
 followers,  were  brought  over  to  be  his  dif- 
 ciples, by  the  very  miracles  which  they  relate. 
 
 And  come  the  relation,  from  whom  it 
 will,  fo  long  as  every  man  was  at  liberty 
 to  examine  into  particulars;  and  no  man, 
 out  of  zeal  to  truth,  or  envy,  or  any  fuch 
 aclive  principle,  did  difcover  falfity,  in  any 
 one  relation,  there  is  no  ground  to  fufped 
 the  relators,  of  fraud,  meerly  becaufe  they 
 were  difciples.  Men,  that  writ  fuch  a  num- 
 ber 
 
j^  T>efence  of  Christ  I  AiJ  I  TY.  425 
 
 bcr  of  fads,  attended  with  Co  many  circum-  Sed.  III. 
 ftances,  and  give   Co  great  advantages,   for  ^■^'"^'■^^^^ 
 a  difcovery,  not  to  be  flipp'd  by  a  watchful 
 enemy,  fhcw  they  were  pad  fear  of  being 
 found  in  an  untruth. 
 
 From  writings  fo  quaHficd  and  circum- 
 ftantiated,  we  are  allured,  that  Chrift's  mi- 
 racles were  not  confined,  to  a  corner  or 
 chamber,  to  one  or  two  villages,  or  to  a 
 few  objcds,  or  friends  in  thofc  villages, 
 and  to  chofen  witnellcs?  No,  he  \^zx\t  about  Mat.jv.ij. 
 <z// Galilee,  Judca,  Idumea,  Samaria  ^Wjc- 
 rufalem,  healing  all  manner  of  ficknefs,  and 
 all  maimer  of  dfeafes  among  the  people. 
 
 His  miracles  were  done  in  the  moft  pub- 
 lick  manner,  and  places  j  in  the  temple,  in 
 the  fynagogues  5  on  the  great  feftivals,  when 
 the  concourfe  of  people  was  greateft  ;  and 
 at  other  times,  followed  as  he  was,  by  mul- 
 titudes from  Galilee,    ^ecapolis,  the   fea- Mat.  iv.i-;. 
 coafts  of  Tyre  and  Stdon,  and  from  beyond  ^l^^-  '^g 
 Jordan,  who  ijijcre  all  healed:    the  Phari-  Lukeviii.17. 
 fees  and  tiic  Dodors  of  the  law,  fitting  by, 
 and  beholding  what  he  did,   which  were 
 come  out  of  every  town,    on  purpofe  to 
 cnfnare  him. 
 
 The   perfons,    on   whom    the  miracles 
 Yv^erc  wrought,  were  ftrangers  to  him,  and 
 
 to 
 
426  A  'Defence  of  Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  to  one  another.  They  were  in  religion 
 jj;^^'7n(7^^  mod  oppofite ;  divided  in  opinion,  affe- 
 Lukevii..',.  dion,  and  nation,  and  offers  moft  jea- 
 lous of  each  other.  They  were  Roman 
 foldiers,  Syrian  Gentiles,  and  worfhippers 
 ztjcrufakniy  Jews  and  Samaritans^  unbe- 
 lieving Sadducees,  and  ftubborn  Pharifees; 
 rulers  of  the  fynagogues,  Herod's  courti- 
 ers, and  officers  of  the  Sanhedrim  ;  all  by 
 profellion,  or  dependance,  great  enemies  of 
 Chrift  and  his  dodrine,  yet  fome,  of  all, 
 partook  of  the  benefit  of  his  miracles. 
 
 Could  To  many  fufferers,  fo  many  fpeda- 
 tors,  be  impofed  on,  with  mock  cures,  and 
 mock  miracles  ?  Could  they  be  miftaken, 
 either  in  their  difeafes,  that  laboured  under 
 them  ?  or  in  their  recovery,  that  found 
 themfelves  whole?  or  were  not  by-flanders 
 Inquifitive,  into  the  truth  of  their  diC- 
 eafe,  and  of  their  cure  ?  We  read  that  they 
 were. 
 
 The  blindnefs  of  the  Man  at  Jerufalemy 
 whom  Chrift  made  fee,  was  narrowly  fifted 
 into.  Though  his:  neighbours,  that  had  feea 
 him  before  he  was  cured,  knew  that  he  was 
 the  blind  J  that  fat  and  begged y  their  faying 
 it,  did  not  content  the  rulers,  who  took 
 the  matter  in  hand:  The  rulers  convened 
 
 his 
 
A  'Defence  ^Christianity!  427 
 
 Iiis  parents,  who  owned  it.   They  interro-  Sc£l.  III. 
 gated,   they    cajoled,    they   threatened   the  ^-'^^^^^^^ 
 fon  hinifelf,  but  he  was  ftill  in  the  fame 
 ftory.     So  that    a  divifion   arofe    among 
 them,  not  upon  the  miracle^   for  that  was 
 too  manifefl;  to  be  controverted  j  but  upon 
 the  doer  of  it ,  how  a  man  that  is  afinneVy  johnix.  16. 
 (an  impoftor,  as  they  would  have  it  thought, 
 in  fpite  of  God's  teftimony  to  the    con- 
 trary,) could  dofuch  miracles  ! 
 
 Of  the  fa(fls,  they  were  convinced,  and 
 therefore  in  publick,   and  in  private,  they 
 fometimes   confeflcd   the   truth    of  them. 
 What  do  we  ?   For  this  man  doth   many 
 miracles,  was  the    judgment  of  the   chief 
 pricfts  and  Pharifees  in  council,  zHtci  fome 
 that  had  been  "jvith  him,  when  he  raifed 
 Lazarus  from  the  grave,  bare  record,  and 
 told   the    Pharifees,    what  things  he  had  ]ohnx\.^T. 
 done.      Perceive  ye  not,   faid  they  again, 
 how  ye  prevail  nothing;    behold  all  the  ]ohn\\.^6. 
 *world     is    gone     after     him   :     becaufe^"'^* 
 the   multitude  met  him,  and  carried  him 
 with    Hofannahs    into  Jerufalem,  for  this  ]o\ivi'^x\.iT,i^. 
 caufe,   that  they  heard  he  had  done  this 
 miracle  ow  Lazarus. 
 
 St.  Teter,  therefore,  in  full  alTembly,  ap- 
 peals to  their  own  knowledge,  of  Chrift 's 
 
 miracles. 
 
42  8  A  defence  <?/  C h  r  i s  t  i  a  n  i  x  y. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  miracles.     Ye  men  of  Ifrael,    hear   thefe 
 
 ^^y^^^  words^  Jeftis  ^^/^Nazareth,  a  man  approved 
 
 Afts  11. 11.  ^  ^^^  among  yoUy  by  miracles ,  uionders 
 
 andjlgns,  - —  as  you  your  felves^lfo  know. 
 
 And  upon  no  lefs  tcftimony,  do  the  mi- 
 racles of  the  apoftles,  ftand  confirmed  j  what 
 jhall  we  do  to  thefe  men  ?  for  that  indeed 
 A£ts  iv.  1 6.  a  notable  miracle  hath  been  done  by  them,  is 
 manifeft  to  allthat  ^Dy^///»  Jerufalemjand  we 
 cannot  deny  it,  was  Taid  in  a  conference  of 
 the  rulers,  elders,  fcribes  and  high-priefts, 
 and  they  moft  of  them  Sadducees. 
 
 Thus,  the  whole  nation,  as  it  were  of 
 the  Jews^  confirm  the  truth  of  the  Chrifti- 
 an  miracles;  friends  and  foes;  the  people 
 and  the  fcribes  ;  the  rulers  of  the  Pharifees 
 and  Sadducees,  upon  the  fight  of  the  works 
 themfelves,  or  examination  of  the  fa6ts  after- 
 ward, they  all  acknowledge  the  aftonifhing 
 power  of  the  name  of  Jefus. 
 
 But  left  any  one,  out  of  inclination  to  in- 
 fidelity, fiiould  refufe  thefe  teftimonies,  as 
 conveyed  by  them  that  were  Chrift's  dif- 
 ciples;  who  indeed,  for  that  reafon,  deferve 
 moft  credit :  a  few  others  fiiould  be  added, 
 that  report  the  fame  things,  and  have  more 
 pf  their  attachments, 
 
 ^^hlegon 
 
f^ Defence  ^^/'Christianitv.'  429 
 
 Thlegon  Tralliamts  was  a  Greek  Gentile  Scd.  HI. 
 Qi  AJia  MinoTj  who  writ  chronicles  in  A-    ^-^^^"^^-^ 
 dria?is  reign    of   reynarkable  things,     and  Orig.c.air. 
 might  be  a  young  man  in  the  days  of  the  phk'g^i  3^'°"* 
 apoflles.     The  Chiirtian  miracles  were  then  ^^<^°- 
 too  remarkable^  to  be  paflcd  over  in  filcncc  -, 
 he  therefore  takes  notice,  of  the  great  mi- 
 racles that  Chr'tjl  had  '•jo r ought.      Celfus, 
 about  the  fame  time,   admits  the  fads,  but  Ceir  inOng. 
 afcribes  the  power  of  doing  them,  to  Egyp-  ^^^"^ 
 tian  magick. 
 
 Julian  zwd  Volufian,  both  deeply  engaged  juLapudCyr. 
 in  the  caufc  of  Gentilifm,  and  as  fuch,  inte-  Id Ang  "24!^' 
 rcfted  to  difparage  or  falfify  the  works  of 
 Chrift,  had  not  yet  the  hardincfs  to  queftion 
 the  truth  of  them  :  which  the  infidels  of 
 latter  times  do  abfolutely  deny,  without  any 
 new  ground  againfl:  the  evidence,  in  which 
 the  bittercft  enemies  of  Chriftianity,  after 
 enquiry,  thought  thcmfclvcs  obliged  to  ac- 
 quiefce. 
 
 And  for  the  Jews,  fo  general,  fo  uncon- 
 tefted  was  the  tradition  of  their  fathers,  for 
 the  miracles  of   Chrift  (a)  and   his    apq- 
 
 (/»)Talm.Tncr.Tr.  Sch.  in  Pug.  fid.  ii.  i.8>6.  He  healed  the  lame  and  the 
 •eprous,  aad  raiiai  a  dead  man,  and  in  Galilee  walked  on  the  kii. 
 
 G  s  ftlcs. 
 
430  ^ 'Defence  of  Christ lAijrr, 
 
 Chap.  Vl.  ftles,  (^)  that  they  could  not  forbear  perpetuat- 
 ^^^"V'"'^   ing  the  memory  thereof,  among  other  traditi- 
 ons of  former  times,  in  their  Talmud'-^  nay,  they 
 give  the  names  of  ibme  of  the  perfons,  on 
 whom,  and  by  whom  they  were  wrought  (^). 
 They  pretend  indeed,  with  their  fathers  in 
 Chrift's  time,  that  they  were  done  by  a  ma- 
 gical correfpondency  with  fome  T)£mGn  -,  or 
 clfe  by  the  name  of  Jehova^  wliole  true  pro- 
 nunciation  Chrift  ftoleoutof  the  temple,  [d) 
 But  the  vainnefs  of  their  attempt,  to  account 
 for  the  doing  of  thofe  works,  gives  more 
 credit  to  their  tellimony  that    they   were 
 done. 
 SoHier.ren-        I   m.ight  alfo    mention    what   Jofephus 
 dersthewor  s.  ^^^.^  ^^  ^^.^^  ^^^^  ^^^  called  Chrift,   how  he 
 
 was  a  doer  of  wonderful  works ^  &c.  But  mo- 
 dern criticks,  fufpeding  the  paflage,  I  will 
 wave  every  thing  that  is  doubtful,  and  pafs 
 to  the 
 
 {h)  Coch.  inSanh.xi.  56.0.  9.  IiiTalmude  nominatimcitatifunt,  qui  adifcr 
 pulo  Ch  rifti,  Jacobo,  a  derperatiflimis  morbis,  invocato  nomine  Chrifti,  momento 
 fanati  funt,  vd  fanari  fe  polTe  non  dubitaverint. 
 
 (c)  Talm.  Jeruf.  Tr.  Schab.  c.  ii.  a  child  of  R.  Jofe,  fon  of  Levi,  that  had 
 fwallowed  deadly  poy  fon,  was  cured  in  the  name  of  jefus  Pantherinus;  to  which 
 bis  father  anfwered,  he  would  rather  his  fon  had  died.  Sec.  Aboda  zara,  c.  z« 
 R.EIeazcr  v/as  healed  of  the  bireof  aferpent,  by  James,  [the  difciplc  of  Jefus, 
 
 aithjarchi  ib.]  and  Midr.  on  Ecc).  1.8,  hath  the  lame  relation. 
 
 (d)  Talm.  Hicr.Tr.  Schab.  16. 
 
 2.  Next 
 
A  T>efence  ^Christianity.  4ji 
 
 2.  Next  head,  njtz.  that  Jcfus  wrought  thofc  Scd.  III. 
 very  miracles  for  kind,   that  the  Je^dis  ap-  ^-^V*^-' 
 prehcnded  were  foretold  in  their  fcripturcs, 
 to  be  wrought  by  the  Meflias.     All  the  Jews 
 in  Chrift's  time  expected  miracles.  Twas  the 
 ufual  artifice  of  the 'P/^^rz/d'^j  and  Sadducees,  Mat.xvi.  r: 
 for  leflcning  his  credit  with  the  people,  to  ^^^'^^^■'"•^'' 
 ask  him  to  fliew  ^Jignfrom  heaven  5  fomc 
 fuch  fign  as  Alofes  did  at  coming  out  of  E- 
 gypty  or  giving  of  the  law.    And  the  people, 
 more  rcalonable  than  their  rulers,  confidcr- 
 ing  what  he  had  already  wrought,   faid  a- 
 mong  themfelves,  WhenChrtfi  cornet hy  t^/Z/johnvii. 31: 
 he  do  more  miracles  than  this  man  ?  It  was 
 abfurd  for  the  Scribes  to  demand  figns,  or  the 
 people  to  make  fuch  a  reflexion,  unlefs  it 
 was  believed  that  the  Mcllias  Ihould  work 
 miracles  at  his  coming. 
 
 No  pretender  to  that  chara(fi:er  would 
 have  promifcd  to  do  wonders,  (to  his 
 certain  confufion  if  he  did  not,)  unlcis  he 
 had  found  a  fix'd  cxpcdancy  in  the  people, 
 of  the  Meflias's  miracles,  to  which  it  was 
 necedary  to  accommodate  himfelf.  "  But 
 "  all  the  deceivers  and  magicians  of  thofe 
 *'  days,  with  which  Jtid^ci  fwarmcd  under 
 "  Felix,  gathered  followers  by  this  very 
 \^  pretence,  oi  Jhe'Jiing  them    mo  ft  evident 
 
 G  S  2.  [igyis 
 
c/f  Tiefence  <?/'Christianity^ 
 
 Jigns  and  prodigies  from  God  in  their  fa- 
 *'  vour,  as  Jofephus  writes.  "  * 
 
 Yea,  fuch  a  received  mark  was  this,  of 
 the  Meffias,  that  no  fooner  was  Vefpafian 
 complimented  with  the  title,  but  they  afcri- 
 bed  miracles  to  him,  to  make  him  more 
 cafily  refemble  the  Jews  Meillas :  and 
 in  particular  one  fpecies  of  miracles,  (the 
 curing  a  blind  man)  which  the  fcrip- 
 ture  foretels  the  Mefllas  fliould  do,  among 
 others. 
 
 In  Efay  we  have  a  prophecy  dired  to  this 
 purpofe.  His  xxxvth  Chapter 'is  a  defcrip- 
 tion  of  the  future  ftate  of  Chrift's  kingdom, 
 which  (hould  be  matter  of  joy  to  the  place* 
 where  the  gofpcl  fhould  be  firll  preached, 
 and  ought  to  be  connefted  with  his  xlth 
 Chapter. 
 
 Verf.  I,  2,  e^c.  Let  the  wildernefs  and  the- 
 folitary  place  be  glad  :  let  the  defart  rejoyce^ 
 and  bloffom  as  the  rofe.  The  people  and 
 places  kaft  inibuified,  fhall  be  in  as  good  a 
 condition  for  knowledge,  as  places  and  per- 
 fons  moft  cultivated. 
 
 *  Jof.  Ant.  XX.  6.  deb.  ii.  12.  and  he  notes  the  like  pretences  in  Theudas,  Anf. 
 Kx.  2.  The  Egyptian  forcerer,  XX.  6.  The  great  impoftorunderFeftus,xx.  7.d.  b. 
 .  12.  The  falfe  prophet,  while  the  temple  was  burning,  debell.  vii.  n.  Lat.  asf 
 4iid  Jonathas  [deb.  vii.  31,]  and  Barchochba  afterward, Gacz.  Chron. 
 
'A  T^e fence  ^TfCHRisTiANirr.  433 
 
 Let  it  blojfoyn  abundantly  and  rejoyce  Sc^fl.  III. 
 loithjoy  and  fiughig  j  thi  glory  ^/Lebanon  ^-^"v'^"^-^ 
 Jhall  be  given  to  itj  the  excellency  of  Carmcl 
 ^«^ Sharon:  [i,  e.  The  advantages  and  pri- 
 vileges of  Jernptlern,  and  other  cities,  bcft 
 fItLiated  for  fruithilncls  in  dodrine  and  reli- 
 gion, fliall  be  offered  to  them  in  the  dcfart) 
 They  alfo  Jhall  fee  the  glory  of  the  Lord  and 
 the  excellency  of  our  God. 
 
 Say  to  them  of  fearful  hearty  be  flron'^^ 
 fear  not  :   behold  your  God  '-juill  come  '■Jiith 
 'vengeaticCj  your  God  '■ji'ith  recomptnce  (to 
 punifh  the  wicked,    and  favc  the  believers) 
 he  'ojill  come  and  fave you.     Then  the  eyes 
 of  the  blind  jhall  be  opened^  and  the  ears  of 
 the  deaf  (loall  be  unjlopp'd  5    then  the  lame 
 man  fljall  leap  as  a  hart,  and  the  tongue  of 
 the  dumb  Jing  j  for  in  the  "juildernefs  (loall 
 waters   break  outj  and  ftreams  in  the  de- 
 fart  ;  and  the  parched  grounds  fhall  become 
 a  pool,  &c. 
 
 The  gifts  and  powers  of  the  holy  Spirit, 
 are  foretold  in  the  prophets,  by  the  figures  7/ xhv.  ?.* 
 oi  isjaters ',     and    thefe,   arc    promifed  to  ^'-^^•^^*^'• 
 break  forth,  in  the  dry  grounds,  becaufe  lov  juh.  vii.  39- 
 many  years,  the  (pirit   of  prophecy,  and  of 
 miracles,  had  ccafed,  in  that  nation. 
 
 P  S  3  Vcrfe 
 
I 
 
 A  T>efence  <?/ Christ  i  an  it  yI 
 Verfc  8.  c/^«  high  way  Jhall  he  there ^ 
 even  a  -joay  that  jhall  be  calledy  the  way  of 
 holinefs :  The  unclean  Jhall  not  pafs  over 
 it,  but  it  fiall  be  for  thofe  (the  holy)  the 
 way 'faring  men,  tho'  fools  ^  fhall  not  err 
 therein.     No  lion  fhall  be  there,  nor  ra- 
 venous wolf,  &c.  In  the  defart,  the  way  of 
 this  king,  (hall  be  prepared,  by  the  preach- 
 ing of  John  the  Baptifi,  who  is  the  voice  of 
 him  that  crieth  in  the  wildernefs,  prepare 
 ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  fir  ait,  in  the  de- 
 fart, a  high  way  to  our  God,  xl.  3 .  Mat.  iii.  i. 
 He  fliall  preach  up  repentance,  and  holi- 
 nefs,  inftead  of  uncleannefs ;  and  men  of 
 brutifh   appetites,    of   cruel  and  voracious 
 tempers,  fhall  defpife  his  preaching.      The 
 godly  alone   fhall  receive    the  dodrine  of 
 Chriil's  kingdom,  which  Ihall  not  be  diffi- 
 cult to  underftand  and  learn  5  for  the  poor 
 \  and  fimple,    the  honeft   and  fincere,  fhall 
 Slot  miftake  their  way. 
 
 The  cxpreflions  are  all  very  poetical,  but 
 they  are  otherwhere  in  Efay,  ufed  in  the 
 ienfe,  I  have  now  explained  them;  in  which 
 fcnfe  alfo,  the  antient  Jews  did  here  un- 
 derftand him,  *  as  prophefying  of  the  Sa- 
 
 *  The  Jeves  in  Jercm's  Corr.t.  and  Jarchi  and  jihnezra  on  this  place- 
 
 vioux 
 
A  T^e fence  ^/'Christianity'.  43S 
 
 vloiir  to  come.  And  therefore  their  Tarj^mn  Sec>.  III. 
 on  a  parallel  place,  diredly  interprets  ir,  of  ^-''""V"^-^ 
 the  MeJJias^  '■juhe  jloall  open  the  eyes  of 
 the  blind,  be  a  covenant  of  the  people,  and 
 a  light  of  the  GentilcF.  *  And  the  old  au- 
 thor, ot  Fajikra  Rabb.  grounds  ir,  upon 
 thefc  words  of  Efay,  then  ffjall  the  lame 
 leap,  that  all  forts  of  leprof)  pall  be  he  a  ltd 
 in  the  future  age^  meaning  that  of  the  Mcf- 
 flas.  **  It  Teems  they  thought,  lamencfs 
 from  a  leprofy,  was  included  in  the  gene- 
 ral word  of  Efay ;  or  elfc  that  the  four 
 kinds  of  difeafes,  inftanced  in  by  Efay^ 
 were  given  as  a  fpecimen  of  all  other  dif- 
 eafes, incurable  to  human  skill,  but  cura- 
 ble by  the  Mefllas. 
 
 It  is  plain,  how  the  Je-jvs,  in  Chrift's 
 time,  applied  this  prophecy  5  from  their  for- 
 wardnefs,  to  own  him  then  for  the  Meflias, 
 after  he  had  worked  fome,  or  all  of  Efay's 
 four  cures  in  their  fight.  It  was  then,  '-^'hen  j^^^  ^j^j  .^ 
 he  made  the  blind  and  the  dumb  to  fee  and  -5« 
 fpeak,  that   all  the  people  iz'ere  amazed^ 
 
 *  Targ.  on  Ef.  xlii.  i,  6,  7-  Bcr.  Rab.  on  Gen-  xli.  t.  icfers  the  \vorcis  oi 
 Plal.  (14.6.  S}  the  Lord  opens  the  eyes  ot  the  blinda  &c.  to  the  times  of"  th« 
 MefTias. 
 
 **  Vajik.Rab.onLev.  xiv,  :.  Sanh.  xi\  §  \%.  looks  for  th*  curing  of  the 
 Ijproiy  by  the  Weil'iis, 
 
 and 
 
436  ^^ 'Defence  of  Cur  IS  r  IAN  IT  Y^, 
 
 Chap.  VI.  an/^  fix^faid,  is  not  this  the  fon  of  David? 
 xVpf^"^    7/^  'i^as  upon  this  his  healing  the  lame^  the 
 blind,  the  dumb,  the  maimed^  {and  the  deaf 
 Mar.  vii.  5  2,  3  7.)  that  they  glorified  the 
 ■^  GodofKnQl.     They  were  the  fame  multi- 
 
 tude, that  faw  his  miracles  on  the  difeafed, 
 John.  vi.  i,  14.  that  faid,  this  is  of  a  truth  that  prophet,  that 
 fhould  come  into  the  world. 
 
 Upon  report  of    fuch  works,   to  John 
 the  Baptifi:  in  prifon,  he  fent  two  of  his 
 difciples,   to  know  whether    he  was    the 
 Qris,  ^c.  p.  Chrift.     Not  that  John  expeded  to  be  de- 
 3^-  livered  by  him,  from  his  prifon  i  or  that  he 
 
 doubted,  he  was  the  Mellias,  to  whom  he 
 had  many  times  given  an  ample  teftimony, 
 but  to   give   his  difciples  the    opportunity, 
 to  fatisfy  themfelves  from  his  own  mouth 
 and    adions.      Their  queftion  was  in  the 
 words  of  Efajj  art  thou  he  that  fhall  come  ? 
 (xxxv.  3 .)  or  do  iL'e  look  for  another  Saviour  ? 
 Chrift   anfwers    them,    in    the    following 
 words  of  ^fay,  which  give  the  charader  of 
 that  Saviour,     Go,  faith  he,  and  fhew  John 
 again  thofe  things  iL'hich  yoti  fee  and  hear  j 
 the  blind  receive  their  (ight,  the  lame  walk, 
 the  lepers  are  cleanfed,  and  the  deaf  hear  \ 
 and,    moreover,    the  dead  are  raifed  up^ 
 find  i  he  poor,  (thok  of  the  uncultivated  defart 
 
 the 
 
.A  defence  ^/Christianity.  437 
 
 i^z  ^ww'^Xz)  have  the  gofpel preached  to  them.  Sc6l,  III. 
 In  other  words,  behold  from  my  works,  him  ^-^'^^"^-^ 
 whom  yc  feck,  in  my  pcrfon.  You  look 
 for  Efay\  Chrift ;  I  work  the  very  cures, 
 Efay  foretold  his  Chrill  fliould  do.  Their 
 qucflion,  and  his  anfwcr,  both  turn  upon 
 the  conccilion,  that  Efay  did  herein,  pro- 
 phcfy  of  the  Mcfllas. 
 
 And   indeed,   upon  this  fuppoHtion,  the 
 falfe  prophets,  and  falfc  Chrifts,  led  the  peo- 
 ple firft  intQ  the  defarts^  before  they  would 
 flicw  them    the  miracles  which  they  pro- 
 mifed.    One   or  two  doing  fo,  might  be  ac- 
 cidental, but  that  all  the  impoftors  fliould 
 do  fo,  as   Jofephus    remarks,    \   fcems  to 
 be  the  cfFed,  of  their    undcrftanding  this 
 prophecy,   alike  of    the  Me  (lias,    wherein 
 the  place    and  the   ivorks  arc  joined  toge- 
 ther.     The  ''Jiildernefsj   the  folitary  place^ 
 the  defart  Jhall   rejoice^  ivhen   God  that 
 floall  come  to  fave.^  —Jhall  open  the  eyes  of 
 the  blind,  &c.  For  in  the  'wUdcrncfs  fhall 
 waters   break  out  (the   effluxes  of   divine 
 power)  and  fir  earns  in  the  defart.     Here 
 
 f  Antiq  XX.  6,  ?•  d-  bel.  ir.  iii  vii.  51.  The  impodors  and  ma^'c  :ns^ 
 drew  the  people  after  them  into  the  -aildernefs,  proiuiiing  there,  to  flicw  them 
 cxprcfs  figns  and  prodigies. 
 
 then 
 
43  8  AT>efence  <7f  Christianity^ 
 
 Chap.  VI.  then,  the  Meflias  was  to  fpend  much  of 
 ^-"^^"^yr"^^ •  his  time,  and  fhew  many  miracles,  to  his 
 followers.      And    all  this    the   Lord  Jcfus 
 did.  Taking,  'wtldernefs  in  Efay  literally, 
 for  the  place  of  his  converfe  j  or   figura- 
 tively,  for  the  foor  and  illiteratey  he  was 
 Tofi.iii.zi.is.  to    converfe   withi   Jefus    fully  anfwered 
 with  Mac.  iii.    ^j^^  prophct's  dcfcription,  in  doinj^  his  won* 
 
 Mat.xiv.    15,  ^      ^  ^  r  y 
 
 i>-.;  dcrful  cures,  both  in  the  defart,  and  upon 
 
 S.Tv.'so!  the  difeafcd  of  the  poor  ;  and  manifeft* 
 ing  himfelf  fo  remarkably,  to  be  the  Mef- 
 fias,  in  his  works  ;  his  interpretations 
 ought,  therefore,  to  be  admitted,  for  his 
 works  fake. 
 
 1  fhould  leave  the  argument  here,  but 
 for  fome  objections,  to  this  way  of  proof, 
 fuggefted  in  Grounds,  &c.  that  have  not 
 been  yet  obviated.  And  being  unwilling, 
 to  leave  any  thing  unanfwered,  that  looks 
 like  an  objedion,  I  fhall  refer  the  confide^ 
 ration  of  them,  to  another  fedion. 
 
 3J5    ?3' 
 
 C  H  A  K 
 
AT>efence  (?f  Christianity.'  439 
 
 Sccl.  IV. 
 
 CHAP.  VI.  Sect.  IV. 
 
 The  obje5iions,  to  Chrift's  miracles  being 
 a  proofy  of  his  divine  mtjjiony  anf- 
 "juered. 
 
 NOtwithftanding  the  conccfTion  of  this 
 author,    "  That  God  can  never  be  Grounds,  ^f. 
 "  fuppofcd,  often  to  permit  miracles  to  be  P-  5-- 
 *'  done,  for  the  confirmation,  of  a  falfe  or 
 "  pretended  miflion  "  ;  yet  a  few  pages  af- 
 ter, when  Chrift's  miracles,  are  pleaded  a- 
 gainft  the  incredulous,    he  denies,   "  That  P.  37- 
 *'  they  are  proofs,    at  leaft,  abfolute  proofs, 
 «  of  his  miflion,  and  the  divine  authority 
 <<  of  the  gofpel  ". 
 
 Thefe  are  his  words,    "  The  numerous, 
 
 "  and  wonderful  works,  wrought  byjefus, 
 
 <*  though  equal  to  what,  the  Jews  exped- 
 
 "  cd  of  the   Meflias,    were   no  proofs  to 
 
 "  them,   that  he  was  the   Meflias.     They 
 
 "  were  not  the  leafl:  difpofed,  to  take  him 
 
 ^'  for  the  Meflias,  on  account,  of  them  ; 
 
 "  but  on  the  contrary  procured  him  to  be 
 
 *'  aucified,  for  pretending  to  be  the  Mcfll- 
 
 f*  as,  not  knowing  the  Lord  of  glory,  from 
 
 *'  his 
 
440  A  ^Defence  ^jfCHRiSTiANTY. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  ''  his  miracles.     Nor  had  his  miracles  any 
 "  effect  on  his  brethren,    kindred  and  fa- 
 "  mily,  who  feem  to  have  been,  more  in- 
 *'  credulous  in  him,  than  other  Jews  -  -  - 
 **  nor  among  his  immediate  followers  and 
 "  difciples ;    fome  of  whom  did  not  believe 
 "  in  him,  but  deferred  him,  when  he  fpake 
 ''  of  his  fufFerings,   and  thought  he  could 
 '^  not  be  the  Mellias,  when  they  faw  him 
 *'  fufFer,  notwithftanding  his  miracles,  and 
 ^'  frequent  declarations  to  them,   that  he 
 "  was    the  Mellias.     Again,    The  Jews^ 
 "  who  miftook  the  meaning  of  their  own 
 "  books    (as  to  the  notion  of  a  temporal 
 *'  deliverer,  a  meer  fpiritual  deliverance,  or 
 "  any  alteration  of  their   law)  might,  'till 
 *'  they  were  fet  right,    in  their  interpretati- 
 *'  ans,    of   the  Old  Teftament,    and  were 
 *'  convinced  from  thence,     that  Jefus  was 
 *'  the  Meffias,  z^juftly  rejeCi  Jefus,  affert- 
 '^  ing  his  mijjlon  and  do6irme,  with  miracles 
 *'  as  any  other  perfon,   who,   in  virtue  of 
 "  miracles,  would  lead  them  into  idolatry, 
 <^  or  into  any  other  breach,  of  the  Mofaick 
 "  law.     And  the  Gentiles,  who  ought,  re- 
 **  gularly,  to  be  converted  to  Judaifm,  bc- 
 "  fore  they  could    become  Chriftians,  and 
 '^  to  ground  their  Chriftianity  on  the  OJd 
 
 *^  Teftaqient, 
 
A  T^e fence  ^t/'  C  h  r  i  s  t  t  a  n  i  t  v.'  44 1 
 
 "  Tcftament,  liad  a  right  to  the  fame  fa-  Se£l.  IV. 
 
 '^  tisfafHoriy   and   might  want  it  no  Icfs, 
 
 "  than  the  JeiL'Sy  wliom  they  might  allow 
 
 **  perhaps,  to  undcrftand  their  own  books 
 
 "  better,  than  the  apoftles,  who  manifcft- 
 
 *'  ly  pit  tie-jj  1711  er^ret  at  ions  upon  thcni 
 
 '«  -  .  -  And  for  this,  both  y^i^j,  and  Gen- 
 
 "  tilcSy  might  plead  the  example  of  the  a- 
 
 "  portlcs,    who,    at  firfl:,  did  like  other  un- 
 
 "  believing  JeizSj  expcdl  a  temporal  prince, 
 
 *'  and  did  disbelieve  Jefus  to  be  theMelfias, 
 
 "  on   account  of   his  fuffcrings,  notwith- 
 
 "  ftanding  his  miracles^  'till  they  came  to 
 
 "  underftand     the     ipiritual    fcnfc  of  the 
 
 "  fcriptures  ". 
 
 Never  were  there  fo  many  words,  with 
 a  double  meaning,  put  together  in  a  para- 
 graph, on  pirrpofe  to  miflead  and  confound 
 the  reader  !  One  while,  no  proof  fignifies, 
 no  ejfe6iual proof  X.O  fome  j  but  is  intended 
 to  infinuate  no  evidence  in  it  felf.  Anon, 
 they  arc  faid,  to  rejeB  Chrifty  who  did  not 
 affent  to  every  thing  he  faid,  at  firft  hearing, 
 though  they  were  fo  fully  convinced  after- 
 wards, as  to  die  for  him.  Again,  The 
 Jews  might  jujily  reje^  Chrift's  miracles, 
 while  his  interpretations  were  different  from 
 theirs,  intimating,  that  no  man  fs  to  believe 
 
 againft 
 
442-  A  defence  ^  Christ  ianity^ 
 
 Chap.  VI.  againft  judgment,  which  is  true  5  but  paf- 
 iing  upon  us  notions  taken  up  any  how, 
 and  prejudices,  for  judgment  :  and  con- 
 founding together  obftinacy  and  convic- 
 tion. 
 
 And  the  confequencc,  of  what  he  hath 
 advanced,  if  it  were  true,  is  this,  that  mi- 
 racles are  of  no  ufe  at  all,  to  convert  the 
 erroneous.  For  though  a  teacher  from  God, 
 fhould  work  miracles,  the  people  are  not 
 bound  to  believe  his  miracles,  if  their  an- 
 tecedent notions  in  religion  (fuppofe  in  fome 
 point  oi  Mofes's  law)  differed  from  his; 
 he  muft  firft  convince  their  reafon,  to  which 
 miracles,  according  to  him,  are  of  no  ufe  5 
 and  their  underftandings  being  fatisfied,  there 
 is  then  no  occafion  of  miracles  5  and  fo 
 no  ufe  of  miracles,  at  all. 
 
 I  have  too  good  an  opinion,  of  the  au- 
 thor\  fenfe,  to  think  him  fermis  in  this. 
 But  whatever  he  is,  the  fubjeB  is  too  feri- 
 cm,  to  be  thus  trifled  with.  I  fhall  there- 
 fore take  what  he  faith,  into  a  diftind:  con- 
 fideration,  to  rcprefent  the  fallacy  thereof, 
 more  fully. 
 
 Now  admitting,  the  miracles  of  Chrift, 
 to  have  been  in  event,  no  proof,  to  the 
 body  of  the  JevLS-,   fo  as  to  convert  them 
 
 to 
 
A  Defence  <?/ Christianity.'  445 
 
 to  his  dodrinc  ;  his  miracles,  ncvcrthelcfs,  Seft.  IV. 
 might  be  very  fujjicient  proofs  in  them- 
 ft'l'ves^  and  excellently  fitted,  to  produce  a 
 contrary  effed.  Do  we  not  fee  daily,  men 
 that  are  convinced,  and  will  not  own  their 
 convidion  :  many  that  believe,  yet  aft 
 contrary  to  their  belief  :  and  more,  that 
 turn  away  from  plain  evidence,  left  they 
 fhould  be  forced  to  believe  ? 
 
 When  mens  interefts  and  pafllons  min- 
 gle, in  a  religious  debate,  a  very  little  co- 
 lour, will  corrupt  the  judgment,  orprepon- 
 derate  againft  judgment.  A  few  infignifi- 
 cant  reflexions,  upon  the  managers  of  one 
 fide,  their  parentage,  country,  mean  condi- 
 tion :  a  feeming  incongruity  in  the  cir- 
 cumftances  of  the  adion,  as  to  time,  or 
 place  :  even  the  incredulity  of  others 
 thought  to  be  better,  or  wifer  than  thcm- 
 felves,  (^Have  any  of  the  rulers  ?  Have 
 the  Vharifees  believed  on  him  ?)  have  pro- 
 ved hindrances,  to  the  force,  of  mofl  un- 
 deniable evidence. 
 
 Take  Chrift's  cure,  of  a  man  born  blind, 
 for  an  example.  The  faft  was  incontefta- 
 ble.  And  the  people  argued  truly  from 
 it.  Since  the  vjorld  began,  vuas  it  not 
 beard  before ^  that  any  ??ifn  opened  the  eyes 
 
 of 
 
444  -^  T>efence  ^pfCHRisTiANixv.^ 
 
 Chap.  VI.  of  the  blind.     Can  a  devil  open  the  eyes 
 K^,^-^^  gj  ^j^g  blind  ?     Or  how  can  a  man  that 
 
 J 0X1.  IX.  33«         -^ 
 
 is  a  /inner  (an  impoftor)  dofuch  miracles  ? 
 [ince  we  knoWy  God  hears  not  /inner s.  The 
 neccflary  inference,  from  the  fad,  was  the 
 fame,  the  blind  man  made,  if  this  man 
 were  not  of  God^  he  could  do  nothing. 
 
 But  the  majority  denied  the  conclufion, 
 upon  this  empty  pretence  of  the  ^harifees^ 
 that  this  cure  was  done  on  the  fabbath  day. 
 This  man  cant  be  of  God,  becaufe  he  keeps 
 not  the  fabbath  day,  w^as  fufficient  with 
 many,  to  deaden  the  efFed,  of  the  plaineft 
 miracle. 
 
 Shall  we  fay  then,  that  this  miracle  of 
 Chrift,  upon  the  blind  man,  was  no  proof 
 to  the  Jews,  becaufe  they  cavilled  away 
 the  force  of  it  ?  What  will  then  become 
 of  Mofes's  miracles,  upon  whofe  authority, 
 the  Jews  receive  their  law  ?  The  mira- 
 cles of  Mofes  in  Egypt,  were  2l  good  proof 
 to  Tkaraoh  and  his  fervants,  of  his  milli- 
 on :  and  yet  they  were  no  proofs  to  them. 
 Their  hearts  were  rather  hardened  by  them, 
 and  they  refufed  to  let  Ifrael  go.  The 
 miracles  of  Mofes  in  Egypt,  and  the  de- 
 fart,  were  a  proof  to  Ifrael,  That  God 
 would  by  his  hand  deliver  them,  though 
 
 they 
 
ADefence  ^/  C  h r  i  s  t  i  a n  i  t  v.'  445 
 
 they   underftood  it  7iot,    and   "jaonld  have  SciH:.  IV. 
 made  themjehes  another  captainy  to  return  ^^^"v^^^ 
 
 r      I    ■         ^  _,,.,,.  Num.  xir.  4, 
 
 tack  into  tgypt.  The  lame  lun  ones  and 
 condenfcs  fbme  things,  and  melts  and  dif- 
 Jfblves  others.  The  power  is  not  changed  : 
 but  the  cffed  is  diverfified,  from  the  tem- 
 per, and  difpofition,  of  the  receiver.  And 
 this  is  the  cafe  of  miracles  :  they  arc  to  all 
 men  alike,  a  powerful  motive  for  believing ; 
 but  the  obftrui^ion  is  greater  in  fome,  than 
 in  others. 
 
 If  therefore  it  were  true,  that  in  hC(^ 
 Chrift's  miracles  were  proofs,  to  few  or 
 none  ;  and  as  this  author  affirms,  not  to 
 his  brethren  and  kindred^  not  to  his  im- 
 mediate difcipleSy  no  not  to  his  apojlles, 
 'till  after  his  refurredion  •,  all  that  can  be 
 drawn  from  hence  is,  that  the  power  of 
 of  prejudice,  and  the  love  of  the  world  and 
 one's  fclf,  is  almoft  infuperable  :  and  that 
 truth,  however  attcfted,  hardly  gams  ad- 
 mittance, into  minds  fortitied  with  pre- 
 poilcflions. 
 
 This,  however,  fhould  be  obfcrved,  from 
 the  flownefsof  his  dilciplcs,  to  believe  in 
 Chrift,  that  their  belief  afterwards  carries 
 the  more  weight  with  it.  For  it  removes 
 all  fufpicion,  of  coUufion,  between  Chrill 
 H  h  and 
 
446  A  T>efence <?/* Christianity,^ 
 
 Chap.  VL  and  them,  in  his  life  time  j    it  implies  an 
 '^^^^^/"^^  impartial  examination  before  a  change,  and 
 the   power  of  fome  miracles  at  laft,  to  a 
 full  convidion. 
 
 But  the  fad,  that  Chrift's  miracles,  were 
 proofs,  to  none  about  him,  and  by  realbn 
 that  they  thought,  Chrift's  fufFerings,  were 
 contrary,  to  their  fcriptures,  is  not  fo  cer- 
 tain, as  it  is  reprefented,  by  this  writer.  The 
 texts  at  lead  that  he  alledgesfor  it,  do  not  make 
 it  out,  as  to  tiie  unbeliet  of  fo  many,  as 
 had  fo  near  relation,  to  Chrift. 
 
 Chrid's  miracles,  laith  he,  were  no  proof 
 to  his  brethren  and  kindred:,  for  which  he 
 quotes  Chrid's  faying,  in  the  fynagogue,  at 
 Mar.  vi.  4.  Nazareth^  A  prophet  is  not  without  ho- 
 nour, but  in  his  o'-jon  country,  among  his 
 own  kin,  and  his  o-jun  hotife. 
 
 But  Chrift  fpokc  thus,  without  any  re- 
 flexion, on  the  unbehef  of  his  kindred.  They 
 were  other  people  of  the  neighbourhood^ 
 and  not  of  his  own  houfe,  who,  though 
 aJloniJh''d  at  his  wifdom^and  mighty  works ^ 
 refifted  the  efficacy  of  both,  becaufe  of  the 
 meanefs  of  his  birth,  and  calling  and  kin- 
 dred. Is  not  this,  fay  they,  the  carpenter^ 
 the  fon  of  Mary,  the  brother  <?/*  James  and 
 Jofcs,  ^Juda  and  Simon?    And  are  not 
 
 his 
 
'A  Defence  of  Christi  an  ity.  447 
 
 te  f,^ers  here  "juith  us  ?     And  they  'ujere  ^z(\,  IV. 
 offended  at  him.     Chrirt's  kindred,    could-  ^^^r^-^ 
 not    lay  this  of   themiclvcs,     but  lUaugcrs 
 niigiit.     Hereupon  Clirill   tells  the   Naz,a. 
 tens,   that  in  the  country  where  one  hvcs, 
 where  prejudices  arc  lb  eafily  taken  up,  and 
 fo  difficultly  laid  afidc,  a  prophet  is  Teldom 
 \  honoured,    as  he  ougiu    to  be,    by  realbn, 
 that  there  his  kindred  is  known,    and  his 
 ,  extraction  is  turned,  to  his  difadvantage. 
 I       The  other  text  in  St.  "fohn^    would  be 
 !  more  to  the   purpofc,    could  it  be  proved, 
 that  Chrift's  brethren  were  witnclles,  to  his  Joh.  vii.^; 
 miracles,  and  yet  did  not  believe.     But  the 
 contrary  feems  to  be  implied,  in  the  fore- 
 going verlc  :     There  is  no  man,  that  doth  Mar.  vi.  9. 
 any  thing  in  fecret,    and  he  himfdf  feeks 
 to  be    kno'jun   openly.      If  thou   do  thefe 
 things,  Jhew  thy  felf  to  the  "juorld. 
 
 It  is  obfcrved  in  another  evangelift,  that  Luc.iv.  14: 
 Chriji  did  no  mighty  'u.ork  at  Nazareth  be- 
 caufe  of  their  unbelief  And  they  therefore 
 called  upon  him,  in  the  way  ot  reproach, 
 to  do  alfo  here  in  his  own  country,  '■j.^hatfoever 
 they  had  heard  done  by  him  in  Caperna- 
 um. Foreleeing  then  the  envy  of  his  kin- 
 dred, or  their  impatience  to  have  him  take 
 the  kingdom  and  give  them  otBces  under 
 H  h  2  hip?  ' 
 
448  ^T>efenceof  Christ  I  A-mTY, 
 
 Chap.  VI.  him  ;  or  the  advantage,  his  enemies  might 
 ""--^^^^^^  make,  from  his  kindred's  being  the  chief 
 of  his  followers,  as  if  their  report,  of  his 
 v/orks,  were  a  meer  confederacy,  it  is  very 
 probable,  Chiifl:  dedined  doing  miracles, 
 before  them.  And  then  no  argument  can 
 be  built  on  their  temporary  unbelief,  td 
 the  disparagement  of  his  miracles. 
 , ,    -  ^  Some,  indeed,  that  were  his  occafional 
 
 hearers,  and  on  that  fcore  are  termed  his 
 difcipleSy  arc  faid  not  to  believe.  And 
 what  wonder,  if  many  that  followed  him 
 for  the  loaves,  and  other  advantages  of 
 his  miracles,  did  afterwards  fall  off  ?  There 
 were  other  caufes  for  it,  than  his  fufferings, 
 or  a  doubt  of  his  miracles,  or  a  deficiency  of 
 proof  in  them. 
 
 Nor  did  his  fufferings  drive  his  apoftles, 
 from  believing  on  him,  as,  I  know  not 
 why,  is  afferted  by  this  author.  Once, 
 ^Peter  interrupted  Chrift,  while  he  was 
 difcourfing,  on  hi«  future  fufferings,  with 
 Mar.  xvi.  2i.  ^  Go<i  forbidy  may  this  be  far  from  thee  I 
 But  in  the  fame  breathy  being  convinced 
 by  his  miracles^  he  acknowledges  him,  to 
 I£tt.viu.2  2,i9.  be  the  Chriji,  the  fon  of  the  living  God  : 
 and  he  never  receded  from  this  confcffion, 
 except  denying  that  he  knew  him,  may  be 
 
 in- 
 
y^  T)efence  of  Christian  IT  Y.  449 
 
 interpreted  fo  ;     which  denial  was   indeed  Scd".  iV. 
 the  cftcd:   of  weaknefs,    procecdinj;  from  ^^"V~^^-^ 
 fear  of  his  own  prcfent  death,  and  not  thro' 
 oftencc  at  ChrilVs. 
 
 The  dilHJencc  of  thofc,  whether  apof- 
 tics,  or  dilciplcs,  between  Chriit's  death, 
 and  his  refurrcction,  was  rational  and  better 
 i^roundcd.  Their  words  declare,  they  had 
 believed  in  him,  to  thclaft, X7;3.  fl^e  truff-  Luc.  xxiv. n.. 
 ed  tt  had  been  he^  that  Jijould  have  redeem- 
 ed I  frael  !  Why  ?  Becaufe  he  appeared  to 
 be  a  prophet  J  migiity  in  deed,  and  word, 
 before  God  and  all  the  people^  vcrf.  19. 
 Why  did  they  now  diftruft  it  ?  Becaufe 
 they  knew  he  was  put  to  death,  but  were 
 not  yet  fatisfied  of  the  truth,  of  his  being 
 rifcn  from  the  dead  ;  bcfides  all  this,  it  was 
 the  third  day,  fince  thefe  things  'mere  done^ 
 viii.  21. 
 
 A  dead  man  was  not  likely  to  favc  o- 
 thers,  while  he  was  out  of  the  condition 
 of  faving  himfelf.  Upon  fuppofition,  of 
 his  continuing  dead,  and  not  riluig  the 
 third  day,  as  he  promifed  to  do,  they  muft 
 needs  fuppofc  all  their  hopes,  to  be  at  an 
 end.  But  ballancing  his  miracles,  with 
 thefe  unpromifing  appearances,  a  prophet 
 mighty  in  deed  -  -  -  and  yet  to  day  is  the 
 H  h  5  ;h4r4 
 
450  A  defence  of  CuKi  ST  I  K^ti  IT  "^l 
 
 Chap.  VI.  third  day,  and  he  not  rifen they  knew 
 
 ^'^^^/^^'^  not  what  to  think,  'till  his  refurrci^ion  from 
 the  dead  removed  all  their  doubts.  Be- 
 caufe  they  faw  him  (rifen)  they  believed, 
 Joh.  XX.  19. 
 
 While  they  were  poflefs'd,  with  the  notions, 
 of  a  temporal  Saviour,  when  he  talked  to 
 them,  of  his  dying  and  riling  again,  they 
 Mar.ix.  32.  underftood  not  the  faying^  and  were  afraid 
 to  ask  him.  They  did  not,  however,  quef- 
 tion  his  million,  or  defert  his  perfon.  But 
 the  miracle  of  his  refurredlion  took  off  their 
 prejudices  entirely  and  redified  their  conceitf, 
 about  the  nature  of  his  kingdom :  that,  made 
 Luc.  ixiv.  ^4.  them  remember  what  he  had  faid,  touching 
 thefe  matters,  and  fubmit  to  his  underftand- 
 ing  of  the  fcriptures.  So  then,  miracles 
 were  proofs,  to  his  apoftles,  that  Jefus  was 
 the  Chrift.  They  firft  induced  them,  to 
 become  Chrift's  difciples  :  and  at  lafl: 
 they  determin'd  them,  fo  unmoveably  to 
 his  fervice,  that  they  laid  down  their  lives, 
 in  teftimony  of  his  Mcflias-fliip. 
 
 And  fuch  proofs  miracles  might,  and 
 ought  to  have  been,  to  all  others.  The 
 Jews  unbelief,  is  not  excufable  ;  from 
 their  oppofite  fentiments  to  his,  about  the 
 nature  of  their  deliverance,  and  of  his  king- 
 
 donia 
 
\/!T>efenceofCHRisr  lAtJjTY'.  451 
 
 dom,  even  fuppofing  them,  to  be  deduced  Scd.  IV. 
 from  their  rcriptures,  in  their  opinion.  For  '-^'^■^'"^^ 
 what  was  it,  wherewith  Chrifl:  enforced  his 
 doctrine,  and  explications  ?  "  Miracles  nu-  Grounds,  c^r. 
 *'  mcrous  and  wonderful,  equal  to  what  ^'  ^'^' 
 *'  the  J^^iz'j' cxpeded,  from  their  Mefiias''. 
 What  made  them  rejed  his  doctrine,  when 
 it  was  Co  well  attcfted  ?  Their  fenfe  of  their 
 fcriptures,  which  had  been  confirmed  alio 
 by  miracles.  Ought  not  then,  miracles  done 
 before  their  eyes,  to  have  as  much  weight, 
 as  miracles  credibly  reported,  to  them  ? 
 Ought  not  Chrift's  interpretations  fo  atteft- 
 cd,  toliave  given  them  a  fufpicion,  of  their 
 own,  which  was  in  its  nature  fallible  > 
 Or  might  not  the  feeming  oppofition,  be- 
 tween Chrift's  fenfe  of  the  prophecies,  and 
 the  Jens  fenfe  (which  is  no  lefs,  between 
 the  prophecies  themfelves)  have  been  recon- 
 ciled 5  and  both  be  allowed  true,  indifferent 
 periods  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Meflias  ? 
 Any  poftible  middle  way,  ought  to  be  pre- 
 ferr'd  by  a  lover  of  truth,  rather  than  re- 
 jeft  an  atteftation,  not  capable  of  being  de- 
 nied, on  either  fide. 
 
 No.  This  ^//^/^<?r  continues,  *'  Though 
 "  the  Jews  were  miftaken,  in  the  mean- 
 J^  ing    of  their  books,;  they  mi^^Jty   'tiii 
 
452  A  Defence  of  CnvLisrih-ai IT  y] 
 
 Chap.  VI.  "  they  Were  fet  right  in  their  intcrpretatl- 
 "  ons  of  the  Old  Teftament,  as  juftly  re- 
 "  jed  Jefus's  dodrine,  though  afferted  by 
 "  miracles,  as  any  other  perfon,  who,  in 
 *'  virtue  of  miracles,  would  lead  them  into 
 *'  idolatry,  or  any  other  real  breach,  of  the 
 *'  Mofaick  law  ". 
 
 And  what  fhould  fet  them  right,  under 
 their  diftempers  of  underftanding,  but  the 
 authority,  of  the  interpreter  ?  What  could 
 raife  the  authority  of  the  interpreter,  like 
 his  working  of  miracles^  Though  no  man  can 
 be  obliged,  to  believe  againft  judgment :  yet 
 that  is  not  judgment,  which  men  commonly 
 deem  fo.  Many  opinions  pafs  for  judg- 
 ment, that  arc  the  pure  refult  of  humour, 
 inclination,  pafllon,  intereft,  education,  or 
 a  hafty  choice.  And  a  judgment,  formed 
 from  the  light,  then  prefcnt  to  the  mind, 
 may  be  changed  afterwards,  with  reafbn, 
 upon  cxtrinfick,  as  well  as  intrinfick  evidence. 
 When  fuch  evidence,  hath  been  exhibited, 
 and  men  are  not  ftirred  up  by  it,  to  exa- 
 mine their  former  tenents,  not  to  recede  from 
 what  they  did  once  imbibe,  they  have  juft  caufe, 
 to  doubt  the  Sincerity  of  their  hearts,  and  to 
 fufpeO:  that  worldly  confiderations  have  a 
 part  in  their  pcrfuafions. 
 
 So 
 
AT>cftnce  of  Chk  1ST  I  h^\  tyI  45  j 
 
 So  it  came  out,  in  the  cafe  of  the  Je^jiS.  ScCt.  IV. 
 Chrift's  dodrinc  thwarted  thofe  thciu  Icii- 
 timcnts,  concerning   the   kingdom   of   the 
 Mcilias,  that  had  been   chcrilhcd  by  ambi- 
 tion, covctoufnefs  and   third  after  revenge. 
 Thofe  that  were  freed,    from  thefe  carnal 
 principles,  found  lead  rcfidance,    in  admit- 
 ting of  the  interpretations   of  Jefus  Chrid  -, 
 whilfl  they,    inho    received  honour  one  of 
 another,  and  fought   not  the    honour  that 
 Cometh fromGod only xhcy  did  not,-  nay,  hou 
 could  they  believe^  as  Chrid  put  the  que- 
 ftion  to  them  ?  John  v.  44. 
 
 **  That  the  Jews  might  as  judly  rejed 
 "  the  dodrine  of  Chrid,  tho'  attcded 
 "  with  miracles,  as  of  any  other  perfon, 
 "  who,  in  virtue  of  miracles,  would  lead 
 "  them  into  idolatry,  or  any  other  real 
 *'  breach  of  the  Mofaick  law,  *'  is  certainly 
 not  true.  For  neither  is  Chrid's  dodrine 
 chargeable,  with  idolatry ;  nor  doth  a  real 
 breach,  of  any  other  part  of  Alofes's 
 law,  dand  on  the  fame  foot  with  idolatry  ; 
 or  is  included  in  the  fame  prohibition,  with 
 it;  as  the  Jews  themfelves  acknowledge. 
 The  worfhip,  of  the  only  God,  is  an  eter- 
 nal law  of  reafon,  that  can  never  ceafe,  to 
 be  obligatory.  And  therefore,  Alofes  pro- 
 I  hibits 
 
454  A  Defence  of  Christ  i  a  ni  xr. 
 
 Chsp.  VI.  hibits  idolatry,  in  the  ftrongcft  fuppofable 
 '"^-^""^^/''^'^^  cafe,  to  warn  them,  not  to  hearken  to 
 idolatrous  teachers,  in  any  polllble  cafe, 
 that  may  happen.  For  othetvvife,  no  ido- 
 latrous prophet  did  work  true  miracles.  Di- 
 vine miracles,  and  an  idolatrous  doftrine 
 fccm  to  be  a  contradidion  in  terms :  God 
 cannot  deny  himfelf. 
 
 The  like,  cannot  be  faid,  of  pofitive  laws, 
 which,  in  their  nature,  are  fubjed  to  change. 
 Of  fuch  laws,  every  law-giver  is  the  matter, 
 and  much  more  is  God  j  whofe  wifdom  it 
 is,  to  accomodate  his  laws,  to  the  circum- 
 ftances  of  perfons,  times,  and  places.  And 
 there,  the  miracles  of  the  prophet,  are  his 
 authority  for  repealing,  difpenling  or  tranf- 
 grelling,  any  eftablifhed  law,  and  the  peo- 
 ple's warrant  for  obeying  him,  even  in  the 
 general  opinion  of  the  Jewijh  dodors,  as 
 hath  been  fhewn.  They  admit  Elias  to 
 /  have  done  To,   and  to  have  been  blamelefs 
 
 and  fo  were  they,  who  joined  with  him,  at 
 his  command,  becaufe  of  his  miracles. 
 
 What  is  the  difference,  between  Chrifts 
 authority  and  Elias's  ;  that  the  one  fhall  be 
 at  liberty,  to  fuperfede  any  precept  of  the 
 law,  and  the  other  have  no  right,  to  redi- 
 fy  cycn  their  miftaken  interpretations    of 
 
 the 
 
A  'Defence  <?/'  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  y.  4  >  5 
 
 the  fcripturc?    Their  imagination,    though    ^^^'   ^^' 
 founded  on   (bme  cxprcllions  of  Icriptuic, 
 concerning   the  eternity  of  the   iaii^    nor 
 even  their  traditions^    to  the  fame  clff^ct, 
 makes  no  difference. 
 
 Thefc  things  might  have  been  urged, 
 againft  Elias\  pradice,  and  were  known 
 to  the  Jeu:ifi  Rabbins^  who  yet  granted, 
 to  a  prophet  working  miracles,  power  over 
 their  law.  They  can  be  of  weight  no  where, 
 unlefs  it  be  firft  proved,  that  the  Jei^js  did 
 not,  nor  could  not  miftake  the  Icnfe  of 
 their  books,  nor  the  confcquences  which 
 they  drew  from  them  ;  or  that  all  their  tra- 
 ditions in  Chrift's  time,  were  of  the  fame 
 credit  and  original.  But  as  this  is  impof- 
 fible  to  be  proved,  Chrift  and  his  apofllcs, 
 it  muft  be  allowed,  had  a  right  to  diltin- 
 guifh,  between  traditions  derived  from  fcrip- 
 turc, or  the  interpretations  of  prophets  and 
 prophetick  men,  and  thofe  of  a  bafer  and 
 later  metal,  and  purely  human  ftamp,  and 
 to  urge  the  former,  and  rcjcd  the  latter. 
 For  which  work,  they  mufi:  be  thought 
 abler,  as  they  were  teachers  fcnt  from  God, 
 than  the  ordinary  Je'-juifi  expofitors ;  who, 
 bcfides  tha,  they  pretended  not  to  luch 
 alllftances,  were  not  in  Chrift's  age,  by  y^ 
 
 fephus's 
 
4s5  -^  "Defence  ^Christiani  ty." 
 
 Chap.  VI.  fephus's  account  of  them,  othcrwife  quali- 
 ,  .   .  fied  for  skill  that  way.     I  conclude,  there- 
 
 ]oi.  Vlt.  .     , 
 
 fore,  that  the  Jeins  might  not  juftly  rcfufe 
 Chrift's  miflion,  that  was  fo  well  atteftcd 
 by  miracles,  for  any  of  the  reafons  mention- 
 ed, by  this  author,  in  defence  of  theii:  un- 
 belief. 
 
 Much  lefs  had  the  Gentiles  to  objed 
 againft  his  miracles,  who  were  ftrangers 
 to  any  prior  revelation  that  might  rc- 
 ftrain  or  regulate  their  fubfcquent  belief,  as 
 is  pretended  for  the  Jews  -,  or  whofe  Chri- 
 ilianity  was  entirely  independent  of  Judaifm, 
 Had  a  Gentile  never  heard  of  the  Jews,  or 
 the  Jewijb  religion,  he  would  have  been 
 obliged,  upon  the  credit  of  Chrift's  miracles, 
 to  embrace  the  Chriftian  religion.  It  is  a 
 new  fchcme,  and  adopted  by  this  author, 
 mcerly  to  fupport  the  caufe  of  infidelity, 
 that  the  Gentiles  v/zrc  to  be  regularly  con- 
 verted to  Judaifm,  in  order  to  become  Chri- 
 flians  5  and  to  receive  the  proofs  of  their 
 Chriftianity  from  the  Old  Teftament.  Sure- 
 ly the  apoftles,  who  fhould  beft  know  the 
 bounds  of  their  commiflion,  followed  a  dif- 
 ferent method. 
 
 Teter  argued  with  Corfielius  the  Gentile, 
 upon  the  foot  of  Chrift's  miracles  only.    He 
 
A  T>efence  e/ Christianity."  457 
 
 urges  upon  him  the  belief  of  Chriftianity,  Scd.  IV. 
 from  this  topick,  that  Cjod  anointed  Jefus  ^jQCJ^ 
 of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghojl,  and  with 
 (a  miraculous)  power — to  healy  all  that  were 
 opprcfs'd  of  the  dei]il,  for  God  was  with 
 him. 
 
 Yet  fo  it  is,  this  very  difcourfe  of  Fetery 
 with  Cornelius  J  is  this  author's  fiipport,  for  Grounds,  c?»f. 
 a  contrary  opinion,  and  which,  he  {i\t\\,piits  ^•^^* 
 the  matter  paft  difpute.     How  fo  ?    "  why 
 "  Teter  begins  his  difcourfe,  with  declaring, 
 "  that   word    which    had  been   ptibliJJoed  ^*  ^^• 
 **  throughout  all  Judca,  i.e.  faith  he,  "  the 
 ^'  gofpel,  astounded  on  the  Old  Teftamcnt, 
 '•  and  as  preach'd  to  the  Jews. '' 
 
 That  expofition  is  his  own,  not  St.  'Pe- 
 ter's intention,  in  that  place.  It  was  a  ne- 
 ceflary  preliminary  to  believing,  that  they 
 fhould  know  who  Jefus  was,  and  where  and 
 when  he  lived,  and  what  he  preached.  For 
 this  caufe  Peter  tells  him,  not  only  of  the 
 publication  of  the  gofpel  in  Judea,  but  alfo 
 of  the  time  of  its  commencement ;  that  it 
 began  in  Gahlec,  after  the  baptifm  which 
 John  had  preached. 
 
 But  this  is  no  defcription  of  the  gofpel, 
 as  founded  on  Judafm  :  which  when  he 
 comes   to  charadcrizc,   he  treats  it  not,  as 
 
 myfti- 
 
45^  ^  defence  of  GhristianI  rr. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  myftically  taught  in  the  Old  Teftamcnt,  but 
 in  plain  words,  as  the  gofpel  of  peace,  of  rc- 
 concihation  with  God,  upon  the  terms  of 
 new  obedience ;  and  as  propofed  to  the 
 Gentiles  zs  well  ^sJeivSy  without  ainy  ex- 
 ception, or  other  condition. 
 
 Tliis   will    appear    to   be  the    Icope  of 
 the    whole    pafiage,    to   them    that  confi- 
 der  it   together.      The  word,  which  God 
 fnt   to    the  children  of  Ifrael,  preaching 
 ^eace  by  Jefits  Chriji,  who  is  Lord  of  all 
 (and  fo  no  refpe£ler  of  one  nation,  or  per- 
 ion,    more  than    another)  that  word  you 
 know,  that  began  in  Galilee,   and  fpread 
 throughout  ]\idt2L,  ^<z.  preach  I  now  unto  you. 
 But  he  refts  not  here.      He  pafles  to  the 
 proof,  that  this  word  was  God's,  from  the 
 miracles  of  Jefus,  of  which  he  was  a  wit* 
 nefs,  verf.  39,  42.  Andw^  are  witnejfes  of 
 all  things  that  he  did,  both  in  the  land  of 
 Judcaj^w^/wjerufalem,  (here  the  mention  of 
 xhQplace  can't  poflibly  be  for  the  fake  of  my- 
 ftical  Judaijm,  but  to  give  Cornelius  opportu- 
 nity to  contradict  his  teftimony  if  he  could) 
 and  of  his  being  raifed  the  third  day,  and 
 (hewn  openly,  and  by  his  command,  we  preach 
 obedience  to  his  gofpel,  becaufe  he  is  or- 
 dained of  God,  to  be  thejud^e  of  quick  and 
 
 dead 
 
A  Dtfence  t?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  A N  i  t  y.  459 
 
 iiead.  Hitherto  his  argument  for  Chrifti-  Sect.  IV. 
 anity  proceeds  upon  the  miraculous  works 
 of  Chrid,  and  the  certainty  of  a  future 
 judgment.  But  knowing  that  Corvelius  \Wd 
 among  Jens,  and  heard  of  their  books, 
 and  their  hopes  of  a  Mcfiias,  and,  perhaps,  was 
 a  Je^ji'ifi  profclyte,  he  throws  in  a  paren- 
 thelis  by  the  bye,  To  him  give  all  the  pro^ 
 phas  witnejs  alfoj  without  laying  ftrefs  up- 
 on that  point,  or  proving  to  him  the  au- 
 thority of  the  prophets,  as  he  ought  firlf  to 
 have  done,  if  he  had  intended  to  convince 
 hiru,  by  their  tcflimony,  or  that  he  was  an 
 utter  ftrangcr  till  then  to  their  religion.  And 
 that  he  did  not,  is  farther  plain  from  what 
 follows  immediately,  concerning  the  terms 
 of  this  word,  v.  43.  that  through  his  name 
 iJihofoexer  believeth  in  him  (to  which  a 
 previous  knowledge  of  Judaifm  was  not  nc- 
 ceflary)  fhall  receive  remillion  of  fins. 
 
 And  therefore,  where  the  hearers  lived 
 far  from  Judea,  and  had  little  knowledge 
 of  the  JrJi'ifi  affairs,  as  at  \_Athens  \  St. 
 Vaid  is  wholly  filent,  as  to  Judaifr/ij  and 
 their  prophets :  and  infifts  fmgly  on  ajudg-  ^^^  ^'•'''  >'> 
 ment  to  come^  by  that  JefuSjivhom  Godmi^  ^^ 
 raculoiijly  rat  fid  from  the  dead*     And  we 
 
 fee 
 
460  A  IDeftnce  <?/  Ch r  i s  t  i  a  n  i  x t^J 
 
 Chap.  VI.'  fee  that  one  argument  was  fufEcient  tocon^ 
 vert  many  from  Gentile  idolatry  to  Chrift. 
 
 That  was  a  plain  argument  levelled  to 
 the  capacity  of  every  man.  He  fpeaks  the 
 word  of  God,  who  doth  the  works  of  God  i 
 that  work  efpccially,  which  is  the  higheft, 
 man  can  require,  or  God  give,  that  he  is 
 with  any  per f on-,  I  mean  the  rifing  from 
 the  dead.  God  gave  affurance  to  all  men^ 
 of  the  truth  of  what  Chrift  taught,  and  in 
 "^^moxxX^x  oi  his  judging  the  world  by  him, 
 in  that  he  ratfed  him  from  the  dead. 
 
 After  this,  what  need  had  the  Gentiles 
 to  concern  themfelves  with  enquiries,  into 
 xhcjewifi  prophecies  ?  arguments  from  them, 
 jnight  be  fubfidiary,  or  concurring  proofs, 
 to  thole  that  were  converfant,  in  the  pro- 
 phets. But  to  thofc,  that  were  not,  the  fin-' 
 gle  evidence  of  miracles,  was  the  principal, 
 and  proper  ground  of  their  conviction. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
t^  T)efence  (t/*  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  N  i  ty. 
 
 CHAP.    VL     SECT.  V. 
 
 ONE  way   of    knowincr,  whether  the '^^'^^P''°°^- 
 intcrprctation  of  a  prophecy  be  true,  picnonotmany 
 
 ,  ,  .  II-  prophecies,  as 
 
 IS  to  learn  the  time,  when  that  interprcta-  \^Yn\i\  inar- 
 tion  was  made.      For  if  it  particularly,  and  P'f'^'^  \^.^"1' 
 
 ^  ■'  where   his  dir- 
 
 cxprclsly,  declared  the  event,  that  was  fup-  fcrcd  moit, 
 pofed  to  be  imported  in  the  prophecy,  be-  ,^°[;jrcrpmaTi- 
 fore  the  event  happened,  or  could  pofllbly  be  o"'°^  ^^'^  '^"^^ 
 
 ,        ^  '  *  •'  Icripturcs. 
 
 forefeen,  by  human  lagacity  and  penetrati- 
 on, the  truth  of  the  interpretation  is  jufti- 
 ficd  by  the  fuccefs.  One  and  the  fame 
 fpirir,  muft  be  thought,  to  infpire  the  pro- 
 phet and  the  interpreter.  His  skill,  where  he 
 applies  other  prophecies,  to  prefcnt  occur- 
 rences, which  they  fuir,  may  be  trufted 
 to. 
 
 And  this  is  the  very  (late,  of  many  of 
 Chrift's  interpretations.  He  pointed  out  fe- 
 veral  prophecies,  to  his  difciples,  and  even 
 to  the  Jeiz's,  He  told  them,  thus  the  pro- 
 phet writes  :  and  thus  it  fhall  be  fulfill- 
 ed j  and  it  was  fulfilled  accordingly  ; 
 though  the  fulfilling  of  molf  of  them,  was 
 1  i  out 
 
^61  y^  Defence  of  Christianty*. 
 
 Chap.  VI   out  of  his  own   power,   and  depended  on 
 
 ^^-'''v^"^-^'  the  free  choice  ot  others,  with  whom  he 
 could  not  combine  :  the  Jews  and  the 
 Romans,  were  the  inflruments,  to  accom- 
 pUfh  them. 
 
 His  end  in  all  this,  was  to  convince  them, 
 of  the  truth  of  his  interpretations.  For  o- 
 therwife  he  might  forctel  the  fame  events, 
 without  regard  or  reference,  to  their  pro- 
 phecies. Bu^  noWj  as  he  faid  to  his  difci- 
 ples,    /  tc/i  you  before  it  comes  to  pafs, 
 
 joh.i:ni.  19.  that  iL'ken  it  is  come  to  pafs,  you  may  be- 
 iieve  that  I  am  he,  -viz.  of  whom  the 
 prophets  wrote.     Chrift  had  told  them  juft 
 
 verf.  17,  18.  before,  Tou  are  clean  but  not  all,  becaufe 
 he  knew  who  Jloould  betray  him.  I  fpeak 
 not  of  you  ali^  1  know  whom  I  have  cho- 
 fen^  but  that  the  fcripture  may  be  fulfilled , 
 he  that  eateth  with  me  hath  lift  up  his 
 hi  el  againft  me.  The  text  he  cites  is 
 jP/?  xli.  9.  which  he  appHes  to  Judas,  as 
 a  predidion  of  his  treachery.  And  this, 
 faith  he,  I  take  notice  of  before-hand,  as 
 the  fenfe  of  that  fcripture,  that  when  you 
 fee  it  happen,  you  may  believe  that  I  am 
 that  Meflias,  againft  whom  the  ^falmifl 
 prophefied,  fuch  falfencfs  fhould  be  com- 
 mitted. 
 
 Whether 
 
A  Defence  of  Christianity,  46  j 
 
 Whether  this  pfalm  was  fpokc  o^  Judas,  Sc^l.  V. 
 in  a  literal  or  typical  Tcnfc,  it  matters  not: 
 Chrift  interprets  it  oi  Judas,  and  the  event 
 nnfwcring  thereto,  judifics  his  interpreta- 
 tion. Willie  as  yet,  no  outward  tokens,  of 
 Judas\  villany,  did  appear ;  and  the  defiga 
 was  begun,  to  be  formed  only,  in  his 
 mind  ;  even  then  he  warned  them,  that 
 t\vz  fcripture  muft  be  fulfilltd,  concerning 
 the  apoftacy,  of  this  fun  of  perdition. 
 
 What  Chrift  fore-declared,  of  his  evil 
 treatment  from  the  JeiL's,  upon  the  autho- 
 rity of  their  fcriptures  5  How  it  is  '•jcrit- 
 ten  of  the  fun  of  man,  that  he  muft  fuf 
 fer  many  things  and  be  fet  at  naught  ; 
 and  that  the  word  fi all  be  fidflled,  'isohich 
 is  'Written  in  their  law,  they  hated  me 
 without  a  caufe :  may  polTibly  be  thought, 
 to  be  a  reafonablc  conjeciurc,  from  their 
 part  ufage  of  him. 
 
 But  whp  could  have  imagined,  before 
 Chrift  fignified  it,  from  a  fcripturc  prophe- 
 cy, that  his  own  difciples,  fhould  prove  lb 
 ungrateful,  or  lb  weak,  as  to  forfake  him, 
 at  the  time  Chrift  allured  them,  they  would  -, 
 no  conipiracy  againft  their  maftcr  being 
 known,  to  be  then  carried  on  5  and  that 
 njery  nighty  \hdv.  proteftations  to  the  con- 
 I  i  2  tiary 
 
4^4  \^T>efenceof  CwKtsTtKiiirS:] 
 
 Chap.  VI    travy  being  very  ftrong,  and  fcarce  ofFthetf 
 
 '^■^^^''^"     tongues  ?     Yet  then,   Chrift  (poke  it  very 
 
 iwat.  xxvi.  31.  pi^^iniy,  JU  ofyoujijallbe  offended,  becaufe 
 
 from  Zte.M/i.   ^  ^  ,  p        .       .  -^ 
 
 7.  of  me   this  night  5   for  tt  is  written,  I 
 
 will  fmite  the  fiepherdj    and  the  jheep  of 
 the  fock  fiall  he  fcattered  abroad  ?  When 
 it  fell  out    accordingly,     could  any    man 
 lufpccl  the  truth  of  his  interpretations  ) 
 
 And  yet  behold  ftill,  a  greater  inftance 
 ©f  his  skill  !  Not  only  his  death,  but  his 
 vci7  kind  of  death,  namely  the  crofs,  and 
 the  people  who  iliould  inflid  it^  were  de- 
 clared by  him,  fome  time  before  they  came 
 to  pais,  and  that  from  the  types,  in  the 
 Old  Teflament.  Thus  he  told  a  ruler  of 
 the  'fews,  at  his  entrance  on  his  miniftry  5 
 
 joh.  iii.14, 15,  js  Moles  If  ted  up  the  fer pent  in  the  wil^ 
 dernefs,  enjen  fo  mvft  the  fon  of  man  be 
 lifted  up,  that  whofoever  bdieveth  in  him, 
 fhould  not  p-rifi,  but  have  eternal  life. 
 Alluding  to  the  fame  hiftory,   he  tells  the 
 
 Joh.  XII.  31,53.  Jews,  at  another  time,  and  if  (or 
 when)  1  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  1  will 
 draw  all  men  unto  me.  And  more  fully* 
 to  his  difciples.^  Behold  we  go  up  to  Jeiufa- 
 lem,  and  all  things  that  are  written  by 
 the  prophets,  concerning  the  fon  of  man^ 
 Jhall  be  accomplijh'dj  for  he  fhall  be  de- 
 
 livered 
 
A  T>efcnce  o/'Christianitv.  4^5 
 
 ^ivercd  to  the  GcntilcF,  /.  c.  the  Romans,  -c£l.  V. 
 and  they  Jhall  put  him  to  death.  Uc^'^uiL^ 
 
 It  was   beyond  the   reach,  of  any  mor- 
 tal, to  forefec,  that  Chrirt  flionld  be  cruci- 
 fied  :     or  the   Romans   put  him  to  death. 
 The  crols  was  a  Roman  punidimcnr,    for 
 the   word   of   criminals.      Of  all  men  in 
 the    world,    the  holy   the  harmlefs    lefus, 
 whofc  life  was  (pent  in  doing  good  to  all 
 the  world,    lay  farthcfl  from  the  fufpicion 
 of  a  malefactor  :     and  his  doftrine,  which 
 was  ever  on  the  llde  of  obedience  to  go, 
 vernors,     as  well  as  his   private  mean  liv- 
 ing,   fhould  have  skrecned  him,  from  the 
 charge,  of  treafon.     The  Jezn's,  furious  in 
 their  zeal,  were  not  wont,  to  be  deliberate 
 in  puniHiing,  whomfocver  they  took  to  be 
 ill  affc6led,  to  Mofes,  and  their  holy  place. 
 They  floned  Stephen  :  they  floncd  St.  Paul  -^ 
 and  they  attempted  to  ftone  ChrifV,  and  to 
 throw  him  off  the  brow  of    a  hill.    Who 
 could  think  that  fuch  a  people,  left  at  li- 
 berty, to  judge  Chrift  after  their  law,  fhould 
 refufe  to   take  their   revenge,   and  forget- 
 ting  Chrift's   expofition  of  the  type  of  the 
 brazen   ferpent,    fhould  fulfill  it,    in  deli- 
 vering Chrift,     to  the    Romans  ?     Who 
 coLiid  think,  before  it  happchcd,  thai  a  Ro^ 
 1  i  3  f/ta/i 
 
yl 'Defence  <?/ Christianity.' 
 
 man  governor,     fhould  proceed  to  blood, 
 upon  queftions  about  their  law  ?     Or,  upon 
 a  wild  accufation,    condemn  an  innocent 
 perfon,  in  whom,    he  could  find  no  fault 
 at  all  ?  The  improbability  of  thefc  things, 
 made  it  too  incredible  to  affirm  them,  un- 
 lefs  the  word  of  truth,  had  firft  faid  them :  i 
 and  his  delivery  afterwards,  by  the  Jews  to 
 *Pilate,    only  that   he  might  be  crucified, 
 gives  great   authority    to  Chrifl's   previous 
 expofition  of  that  word. 
 
 The  refurredion  of  Chrift,  was  ftill  more 
 out  of  his  power  ;    and  not  to  be  promi- 
 fed,  by  any  man  in  his  wits,  upon  fcripture 
 grounds,  that  was  not  fure  the  fcripture  war- 
 ranted it.     This  alfo  Chtift  foretold  out  of 
 the  Jewifh  fcriptures.  Thefe  were  his  words, 
 Luc.  xviii,  32,  pyfjilg  ijg  was  yet  with  them^  that  thus  it 
 was  wtitten  -  -  that  Chrijl  fhould  rife  a- 
 gain  tipe  third  day,  .  Whether  it  was  writ- 
 ten thus  in  type,  or  in  the  letter,  we  can't 
 be  certain,  becaufe  he  refers  not  to  any  par- 
 ticular text.      But  his   rifing  again  fo  pre- 
 cifely  on  the    third  day,   as  he  did,  leaves 
 no  room  to  doubt  of  the  truth  of  his  inter- 
 pretation. 
 
 As  he  was  to  rife,  fo  he  was  to  receive 
 ^  kingdom,  a  univerfal  empire,  and  to  fub« 
 
 (iue^ 
 
A  defence  <?/Chrtsttanitv.  a^j 
 
 due,  all  his  enemies      And  for  this  he  quo-  Se6l.  V. 
 ted  two  fcripturcs.    He  told  the  high-pricft,  '-^'~^^'""^ 
 while  he  was  a  prifoner,    before  him,    in 
 the  words  of   T^aniel,    Hereafter  (hall  ye 
 fee  the  [on    of  mart,  fitting  on  the  right  f^^^J^  ^^^n  f jf 
 hand  of  poizer^    and  coming  in  the  clouds  13,1+. 
 of  heaven  5    meaning,    that  in  fpite  of  all, 
 they  could  do   to  him,  what  was  promifed 
 to  the  Mefllas,    fliould  have  irs  completion 
 in  his  perfon,   and  to  him  fiould  be  givcn^ 
 as  it  follows,  dominion,  glory,  and  a  king- 
 dom, that  all  kingdoms,    nations,  and  lan- 
 guages, fiould  ferve  him  -    -  - 
 
 And    he  told  the  Tharifees  at  another 
 time,  from  the  woth  pfalm,  that  \\z'-juas 
 the  Lord,    to  "juhom  the  Lord  (God)  faid,  Mat.xxii.  44. 
 therein,  ft  thou  on  my  right  hand,   'till  I 
 make  thy  enetnies,  thy  footftooL 
 
 His  diftributing  the  gifts,  of  the  Holy 
 Ghoft,  from  heaven,  is  a  proof,  that  he 
 was  entered  into  tliat  kingdom  :  and 
 thefe  gifts,  were  given,  in  completion  of 
 prophecies,  that,  in  Chrifl's  judgment,  went 
 before,  concerning  them.  Behold,  faid 
 Chrift,  in  his  farewell  to  the  apoflies,/yc'«^ 
 npon  you.  the  promife  of  my  Father,  i.  c. 
 of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  as  it  is  explained  prc- 
 fcmly.  Where  did  the  Father  promife 
 I  i  ^  the 
 
468  '^ 'Defenee  of  Christ lAit^ XT Y^. 
 
 Chap.  VI.   the    Holy   Ghoft,    but  in    the    fcriptures, 
 
 ^-^^^'^^•^  of  the  Old  Teftament  ?     And    fincc  it  is 
 
 found  in  Joelj  that  God  faid,  /  ii'iil  pour 
 
 joelii.iS.      out  my  spirit  upon  all  flefh,   &c.    -  -  And 
 
 Ef.  xHv.4.  iv^  Efay,  I  iz: ill  pour  out  wy  Spirit  upon 
 thy  feed  -  -  Chrift  might  well  have  thofe 
 texts,  in  his  thoughts,  when  he  calls  the 
 gifts  of  the  Spirit,  the  promife  of  his  Fa- 
 tker.  But  he  goes  on.  Tarry  ye  in  the 
 r/// <^  Jctufaiem,  ^ till  ye  be  endued  with 
 power  from  on  high.  That  alfo  is  another 
 phrafe,  for  the  holy  Spirit  in -E/^jr  j  whofe 
 v/ords,  as  fpoken  of  the  times  of  the  Mef- 
 fias,  Chrift  here  applies,  to  fignify,  that  he 
 would  certainly  fulfill  them.  And  fo  he 
 did.  For  within  ten  days  after  his  afcenfi- 
 on,  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  came  up- 
 on them,  from  on   high,  in  a  vifible  man- 
 
 A£l.i.8.ii.  16.  "^^'j  "^"^^  ^^^^  Jews^  out  ofall nutioHS,  heard 
 thefi  illiterate  mci-\j  [peak  every  one,  in  their 
 own  tongue^  wherein  they  were  born. 
 
 Thefe  are  events,  which,  though  relat- 
 ing to  Chrift  himfelf,  could  not  be  fore- 
 told, out  of  thofe  prophecies,  unlefs  they 
 had  been  the  true  fenfe  of  thofe  pro- 
 phecies, bccaufe  they  were  out  of  the 
 compafs  of  human  conjedure  ,  and 
 aimoft    the   heart    of    man   to    invent  5 
 
 many 
 
j^  T>efince  of  Christianity,  '459 
 
 mnny    of   them,    out  of  any  one's  pow-  Sedl.  V. 
 cr,  but  God  s  5  and  all  of  them,  out  of  his  ^-^^^^^"^^ 
 pwn  power,  to  fulfill. 
 
 But  there  are  more  behind  ;  events, 
 wherein  different  nations  and  people  were 
 concerned  ;  which  were  publifhed,  in  the 
 life  time,  of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  as  the 
 fenfc  of  this  or  that  prophet,  and  all  to  come 
 to  pafs,  at  diftant  periods,  after  their  death. 
 
 Of  this  fort,  are,  the  rejedion  of  the 
 JewSy  the  dcftruiftion  of  their  city  and 
 temple  :  the  long  duration  of  their  defo- 
 lation  :  the  converfion  of  the  Gc?iti/es, 
 of  the  Roman  empire,  to  Chriftianity  : 
 the  calling  of  the  Jews  again  to  the  Chrif- 
 tian  covenant,  and  a  greater  fulncfs  of  the 
 Gentiles,  which  fhall  cnfue  the  Jews  con- 
 verfion. And  the  gradual  completion,  of 
 the  prophecies,  upon  which  Chrift  and  his 
 apoftles,  founded  thefc  great  revolutions, 
 are  an  ample  teftimony,  they  were  not 
 niiftaken  in  the  meaning  of  them. 
 
 To  begin  with  the  rejedlion  of  the  Jews. 
 Chrift  afcribed  it  to  their  rejefting  of  him,  ^ -at-  Jf^i-  4^ 
 and  to  juftify  a  dired  parable,  which  he 
 fpoke,  of  this  matter,  to  the  chief  priefts 
 and  elders,  fubjoin'd  the  authority  of  the 
 pfalmift,  Tf.    cxviii.  20.    T)id  you  never 
 
 read 
 
A  T>efence  ^/Christianitv.' 
 read  in  the  fcr'tptures,  the  flone^  which  the 
 builders  reje5iedy  is  become  the  head  of  the 
 corner  ?  This  is  the  Lords  doinz-,  and 
 it  is  nidrvellous  in  our  eyes.  Therefore, 
 I  fay  unto  you,  the  kingdom  of  God  foall 
 he  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation, 
 bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof 
 
 And  this  he  confirms  to  them  by  two  texts 
 
 Ef.  viii.  14.  niorc.  And  "uuhofoever  [hall  fall  on  this 
 Jlone,  fhall  be  broken,  viz.  as  Efay  foretold 
 there,  many  of  the  Jen)S  fhould.  But  on 
 '■jihomfoe'ver  it  foall  fall,  it  fhall  grind  him 
 to  powder  :  as  faith  ^an.  ii.  35.  In  all 
 thefe  places,  the  Meflias  is  fuppofed  to  be 
 flgnified,  by  the  ftone  :  and  upon  that  ex- 
 pofition,  Chrift  deduces  the  judgments,  that 
 were  to  be  executed  hereafter,  on  the  un- 
 believing Jews, 
 
 He  is  more  particular  in  the  manner,  of 
 thofe  judgments,  from  the  prophet  Daniel, 
 
 Dan.  ix.  17.  Mat.  xxiv.  ij",  &c.  When  you  fhall  fee 
 the  abomination  of  defolation  Jpoken  of  by 
 Daniel  the  prophet,'  ft  and  in,  (or  about) 
 the  holy  place,  then  let  them  in  Judea  j7(?^ 
 itnto  the  mountains^  dec.  As  much  as  to 
 fay,  when  you  fee  the  city  befieged,  and 
 the  ftandards,  of  the  Roman  army,  painted 
 with  abominat?ie  idols,  that  are  to  make 
 
 this 
 
'^  T>effnce  of  Christ  I  AH  IT  vi,  471 
 
 this  place  dcfolatc,    planted  near  the  tern-  Scd.  V. 
 pic,  then  make  haftc,  to  ionic  place  of  re- 
 fuge, for  your    lives  :     all  is   lofl-,     there 
 fhall  not  be   left  one  ftone   upon  another, 
 that  fhall  not  be  thrown  down. 
 
 Was  it  poflible,  to  put  another  fenfe,  on 
 this  paragraph  of 'D/^w/r/,  as  fome,  without 
 any  countenance,  from  the  text,  would  re- 
 fer it,  to  the  times  of  AntiocPjus  ;  who 
 ought  to  be  believed,  they  or  Chrifl:,  who 
 put  the  credit  of  his  interpretation,  upon 
 the  iflue,  thirty  five  years  after  he  faid 
 it  ? 
 
 At  the  time  he  faid  it,  there  was  not: 
 the  leafl:  appearance,  of  fuch  a  revcrfe  of 
 their  affairs.  The  Je-jos  had  a  notion,  that 
 their  temple,  like  the  earth,  fliould  abide 
 for  ever  (/«),  and  that  their  facrificcs,  in  rc- 
 lpe6t  of  their  duration,  fhould  be  alfo  per- 
 petual burnt- offerings.  Chrifl 's  difciplcs 
 were  tindured,  with  the  like  fentiments. 
 Their  admiration,  of  the  flrcngth,  of  that 
 building,  as  if  it  had  been  fecure,  againft  all 
 events,  was  the  motive  to  Chrift's  (hew- 
 ing them   their  error,    out   of  their  own 
 
 (»)  Pbiio  dc  Monarch,  p.  81 1,  Vit.  Mof.  ii.  p.fij*?. 
 
 fcrjpturcs. 
 
472  ATiefence  of  Chris  riAt^  tri 
 
 Chap.  Vr.  fcriptures.     Mafier,  faid  one  of  them,  fee^ 
 
 '-^''"^^"^^^  w^af  manner  of  fioneSy   and  what  build- 
 Mar.  xm.  1,2.  j^g^  ^^^  ^^^^  /     ^^^^  ^]^^^   Q\\n{i  replied, 
 
 that  notwithftanding  thep  great  buildings^ 
 one  ft  one  of  thejUy  Jhould  not  be  left  upon 
 another,  they  ftraight  concluded,  the  time 
 for  this,  was  at  a  great  diftance,  and  it  was 
 not  to  happen,  but  with  the  end  of  the 
 world  it  felf.  Mat,  xxiv.  3. 
 
 The  Roman  general,  who  deftroyed  it, 
 had  little  hope  at  firft,  and  lefs  defire,  to  de- 
 ftroy  fo  impregnable  a  citadel  [h).  He  la- 
 boured all  he  could  with  the  befieged,  not 
 to  lay  him,  under  a  neceflity,  of  attempt- 
 ing it  :  (c)  and  when  he  could  not  per- 
 fuade  them,  he  ftridly  commanded  his  own 
 foldiers  to  fpare  the  building,  (d)  But  nei- 
 ther the  feverity  of  the  Roman  difcipline* 
 nor  the  natural  love  of  plunder,  hindered  a 
 common  foldier,  pufhcd  as  it  were  by  di- 
 vine infpiration,  {e)  from  fetting  it  on 
 fire.  Yet  even  then,  Titus  would  have  ex- 
 tinguilh'd  the  flame,  but  it  was  too  late. 
 \f)  And  fedng  fo  many  accidents^  bring^ 
 
 (b)  Jof  d.  b.  V.  1 4.  faith,  the  temple  was  one  of  the  moft 
 impregnable  citadels  in  the  world.  (c)  Jof.  d.  b.  vii.  4. 
 
 (d)  d.  b.  vii  4, 5>,  10.  (*)  d.  b,  vii.  9,  10,  (f)  ib.  8c 
 id.  b.  vii,  16, 
 
A  T^efence  ^CkristianitW  47$ 
 
 about  a  ruin,  that  his  pDwcr  of  it  fclf  could  Scd.  V. 
 not  cfFcdt,  and  his  councils  were  employed 
 to  hinder,  he  declared  them  to  be  fo  many 
 marks  of  divine  vengeance  :  upon  a  llir- 
 vcy  of  the  works,  after  he  was  maftcr  of 
 them,  he  owned  it  to  be  the  hand  of  God^ 
 that  (uffcred  them  to  I'eHnquifli  caftles, 
 from  which  no  human  force  could  have 
 driven  them,  and  that  no  military  machines 
 were  capable  to  batter.  (/6) 
 
 Now  had  Chrift  been  an  impoflor,  he 
 would  have  accommodated  his  predictions 
 to  the  tafte  and  .expectations  of  the  people 
 he  was  to  gain  ;  as  did  the  falfc  prophets, 
 within  the  city,during  the  fiegc.  (/')  But  hcpro- 
 pheficd  evil  things  to  them,  which  they  little 
 dreamt  of  :  evil  things,  very  unlikely  to  be 
 imagined,  in  the  then  flouriOiing  fituation  of 
 their  affairs,  and  fcarccly  credible,  at  the 
 opening  of  the  ficge,  only  bccaufc  it  wzsfa 
 written.  From  whence,  and  the  comple- 
 tion of  all  that  he  faid,  to  a  tittle,  maugrc 
 the  fairefl:  concurrence  of  circumftances  td 
 the  contrary,  there  is  the  higheft  reafon  to 
 conclude,  that  he  gave  the  true  interpretati- 
 on oi  what  was  written. 
 
 (/?)  d.  b.  vi.  43. 
 («J  d.  b.  vii.  ^. 
 
 i  Be- 
 
4/^4  A  defence  <?^CHRisTiANiftr 
 
 Chap.  VI.  Befidcs  the  utter  deftruclion  of  Jenifalem] 
 ^-^^^^'"^  'Daniel  foretold,  in  the  fame  paragraph, the 
 defolation  of  all  the  land  of  Judea,  and 
 its  long  continuance  in  that  condition.  At 
 kail  this  is  Chrift's  interpretation  of  Daniel^ 
 in  Ltike  xxi.  20,25.  When  ye  fiallfee  Jeru- 
 
 falem  compaffedwith  armies : then  let 
 
 them  in  Judca  flee  into  the  mountains^  (for 
 fafety)  let  them  'which  are  in  the  midfi  of 
 it  (the  city)  depart  out,  ht  not  them  that 
 are  in  the  countries^  enter  thereinto.  For 
 theje  be  the  days  of  ^vengeance,  that  all 
 things  that  are  written,  may  be  fulfilled. 
 I' or  there  foall  be  great  diftrefs  in  the  land, and 
 izrath  upon  this  people.  And  they  Jhall fall  by 
 the  edge  ofthefiz-ord,  and  be  led  captive  in- 
 to all  nations  :  and  Jcrui^^lcmfiall  be  trod- 
 den down  of  the  Gentiles  (the  Romans  *)  un- 
 til the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled. 
 
 Where  were  thefe  things  written,  but  iii 
 T>anid,  whom  Chrift  cites  by  name,  in  the 
 beginning  of  this  difcourfe,  for  foretelling 
 Mat,  xsir.  I j-.  thefe  things,  according  to  Matthew's  gofl 
 fpel  ?  And  if  fo  ;  then,  what  is  in  Daniel^ 
 Kylnd  the  end  thereof  \o^]<zx]xMcm)  Jhall  be 
 with  a  food,  is  underflood  by  C\\nik,of  their 
 falling  partly  by  the  edge  ofthefword,  and 
 
 *  Luc.  xviii.  32.  A(fl.  xxi.  II.  withxxviii,  27. 
 
 the 
 
A  Defence  <?/  C  h  r  i  s  t  i  a  n  i  t  v.  47  $ 
 
 the  captivity  of  the  rejt,  into  all  nations  :  Se£l.  V. 
 What  is  in  Daniel  ?  at  the  end  of  the  '•jiar,  ^-^~^^"''■■^^ 
 difo'ations  are  dt  t ermine d\  — even  until 
 the  confiimption,  and  that  determined y  fJjall 
 be  poured  upon  the  defolator  ;  is  interpreted 
 by  Chrift,  Jerufalern  \s  trodden  down  of  the 
 Gentiles^  until  the  times  of  the  GentiUs  be 
 fulfilled^  and  then  fliall  be  the  confirmma. 
 tiou;  i  e.  the  end  of  wrath  upon  this  people. 
 The  Gentiles,  in  St.  Luke,  tire  the  dtfolators 
 in  Daniel  \  and  in  both,  the  Roman  empire 
 is  intended,  by  whofe  army  this  great  dc- 
 Iblation  was  efteclcd. 
 
 The  Je'-jjs  therefore  are^  by  Chrid's  inter- 
 pretation oiDaniely  to  remain  in  a  long  cap- 
 tivity, till  the  comingof  the  period,  that  God 
 hath  fix'd,  for  pouring  out  his  wrath,  on  the 
 Roman  empire.  And  that  empire,  being  flill 
 fubfifting,  as  the  Jews  affirm,  in  one  of  its  vil";," 
 forms,  according  to  the  vifion  of  Kebu- 
 chadnezzar\  image ;  fo  it  hath  happen'd, 
 that  all  the  efforts  of  xXizJews,  though  ma- 
 ny and  vigorous,  for  rebuilding  their  city 
 and  temple,  have  been  vain.  They  attempt- 
 ed it  in  Adrian^  days,  about  50  years  af- 
 ter Titus\  deftruL^ion  ;  bui  the  attempt  coft 
 them  dear,  for  it  proved  the  caufc  of  their 
 
 utter 
 
47^  A  defence  <?fCHRisTiANiTt.' 
 
 Ghap.VI.  utter  extirpation,  from  the  Roman  empire; 
 They  were  encouraged  to  it,  by  the  favour 
 and  afliftancc  of  Julian^  the  Roman  empe- 
 ror; but  then  God  would  not  fuffcr  it.  Fire 
 broke  out,as  they  opened  the  foundations,and 
 confumed  the  aititicers,  with  their  materials : 
 {ft)  fo  impoflible  it  was,  for  Chrift's  inter- 
 pretation of  Daniel's  prophecy  to  fall  to  the 
 ground ! 
 
 The  converfion  of  the  idolatrous  Gen- 
 tiles, and  their  becoming  God's  people,  was 
 another  event,  unconceivable  to  the  JewSy 
 and  to  human  reafonings  impoflible.  Na- 
 turally, every  man  is  zealous,  for  the  feligL 
 gion  of  his  fathers  5  and  though  it  may  have 
 many  abfurdities  in  it,  he  doth  not  eafily 
 perceive  them,  by  reafon  he  imbibed  them 
 with  his  nurfe's  milk.  Idolatry  had  this 
 farther  advantage,  that  all  the  pleafures  of 
 the  flefli,  were  confiftent  with  this  religion  - 
 its  worfhip  required  no  attention  of  mind  5 
 every  part  of  it  was  external  and  pompous, 
 fit  to  captivate  and  entertain  the  fenfes.  Be- 
 fides,  all  degrees  of  men  were  engaged  to 
 defend  it.    The   civil  powers,    from  max- 
 
 {k)  Amm.  Marc,  xxiii.  Julian  cp.  ad  Commun.  Judeorum 
 Kaz.  Crl.  Chryft.  in  Math.  hom.  i7.  and  adv.  Jud  ii. 
 
 ims 
 
A  T>efence  <?/Christianitv.  477 
 
 ims  of  policy,  every  great  change  in  rcli- Scd.  V. 
 gion  portending  danger,  to  the  ftatc.  The 
 artifts,  bccaufe  of  their  gain  :  the  pricfts, 
 toprefcrve  their  authority  and  emoluments; 
 the  people,  out  of  fuperftition,  and  mif- 
 guidcd  devotion. 
 
 This  was  the  unpromifing  profpe^l,  Chrift 
 had,  when  he  foretold  the  letting  up  of 
 his  religion,  in  the  room  of  idolatry  :  his 
 religion,  which  taught  the  denial  of  the 
 dearcft  part  of  a  man's  felf,  his  irregular 
 appetites  and  paflions  ;  which  prefcribcd  an 
 invifible  God,  for  the  objcd  of  worfliip, 
 and  a  fpiritual  worfhip  and  purity  of  heart, 
 fuitable  to  the  nature  of  that  objcd  :  and 
 promifed  nothing  dcfirabic  in  this  world, 
 neither  riches,  nor  dignities,  nor  grandure, 
 (but  often  the  lofs  of  all  thcfe)  as  their  pot- 
 ion,   that  Hiould  go  over  to  it. 
 
 And  what  were  the  means,  that  he  pro- 
 pofed,  for  'io  vaft  an  undertaking  ?  As  dif- 
 proportionatc  to  the  work,  as  the  two  re- 
 ligious, were  oppofite.  A  few  men,  of  mean 
 cxtradion,  of  no  education,  nor  experience; 
 without  the  arts  of  rhetorick  and  perfuafion; 
 without  languages,  without  armies,  without 
 force  or  policy;  of  a  nation,  hated  by  the 
 Gentiles f  and  hating  of  them,  from  a  bi- 
 K  k  gottry 
 
A  T^eftnce  ^/Christianity.' 
 gottry    to     their     own    rites    and     cuf- 
 toms. 
 
 What  an  extravagancy  was  it,  to  think, 
 by  fuch  means,  to  extirpate  a  religion  deep- 
 ly rooted  in  human  nature,  fupported  by 
 prejudices,  vices,  interefts,  and  authority  ; 
 wherein  fo  many  wife  men  and  philofo- 
 phers  formerly  mifcarried,  and  to  plant 
 Chriftianity  upon  its  ruines,  which  to  the 
 Greeks  was  foolijhnefsj  unlefs  God  had  de- 
 clared the  luccefs,  before  hand  ! 
 
 Nothing  lefs  than  certain  afllirance,  of 
 the  event,  could  have  tempted  Chrift,  to 
 fay  it  from  the  prophecies,  as  he  did  in  his 
 life  time,  to  his  difciples  j  or  moved  his 
 difciples,  to  fet  about  fuch  a  reformation. 
 St.  Luke  tells  us,  that  Chrift  had  fuch  dif- 
 courfes,  with  his  difciples,  and  did  remind 
 his  apoflles,  after  his  relurredion,  of  what 
 he  had  laid,  on  that  fubjecl,  Luc.  xxiv.  44. 
 Thefe  are  the  words  that  I  fpeakunto  you, 
 while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  aU  things 
 miift  be  fulfilled,  which  were  written  in 
 the  law  of  Mofes,  and  in  the  prophets,  and 
 in  the  pfalms,  concerning  me.  Well  ! 
 What  are  they  ?  That  Chrift  Jhould  fuf- 
 fer  i  and  rife  from  the  dead  the  third  day, 
 md  that  repentance  and  rcmifflm  of  fins, 
 
 Jhould 
 
A  defence  tf/ Christianity.  479 
 
 Jhotild  be  preach' d  m  his  iiame^    among  all  Sc(fl.  V. 
 nations  -  -  Thcfc  rcfpcdivc  events  are  writ-  '^-^"^/''■^^ 
 ten  in  fc  vera  I  piophets.  But  \\\:iX.oi  preach- 
 ing among  all  nations^  feems  to  be  taken* 
 from  Ef.  xlix.  6.     from  whence  St.  ^aid 
 alio    proves   to    the  Je-jiSy    that  falvation 
 ought  to  be  offered,    to  the  Gentiles^  and 
 tliat  they  would  hear  it^  Ads  xiii.  47.  lor 
 fo  hath  the   Lord  commandtd  its  faying^ 
 I  have  fet  thee  (Chrift)  to  be  a  light  of 
 the  Gentiles,  that  thou  fioit'.djl  bd  for  ful- 
 vatioUi    to  the  ends  of  the  earth  ;   which 
 are  the  words  in  Efay. 
 
 St.  Matthe-ju  applies  another  text,  of  the 
 fame  prophet,  which  is  dired  to  his  pur- 
 pofe.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled^  'ujhichiz'os 
 fpoken  by  Efaias  the  prophet,  faying.  Be-  Maf.xn.iy-ia. 
 hold  my  firvant  li'hom  I  have  chofn  (the  ^""""^  ^^"  *'"• 
 Meilias)  my  beloved  in  vuhom  my  foul  is 
 "well  pleafedy  I  will  put  my  Spirit  upon 
 him,  and  he  (hall  fiew  judgme7it  to  the 
 Gentiles  -  -  -  and  in  his  name  foall  the 
 Gentiles  truft. 
 
 In  thefe,     and  the  like  paCIigcs   in  the  so  ^fts  x.  4^ 
 New  Teftament,  there  is  good  ground  to  ^^^'-  ^*'  *3* 
 affirm,  that  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  did  de- 
 clare,   the  convcrfion  of  the  Gentiles  to 
 Chriftianity,   as   impofliblc    as  it   fecmcd 
 K  k  z  to 
 
480  A  defence  <?/ Christianity. 
 
 Chap.  VI.  to  be,  upon  the  authority  of  the  fcripturc 
 
 ^^^'"^^^^^  prophecies  j  and  the  prefent,  and  pad  face  of 
 the  world,  demonftrates,  that  they  were  not 
 miftakcn. 
 
 Once  more,  the  national  converfion  of 
 the  Jews^  is  foretold  by  Chrift,  as  the 
 fenfe  of  Mantel  and  Zecharfs  prophecies, 
 Luc.  xxi.  24.  Jerufakm  (after  the  Roman 
 defolation)  Ihall  be  troden  down  of  the 
 Gentiles,  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles 
 be  fulfilled.  This  is  his  interpretation,  of 
 ^an.  ix.  27. 
 
 And  what  Ihall  the  Jews  do  at  that  time? 
 
 yii.  I?,  14.  l^he^  fh  all  fee  the  fon  of  man  coming-in  a 
 cloud,  with  power  and  great  glory  y  verfe  27. 
 as  jD^w/^/ again  prophecied.  They  fliall  fee 
 him  with  compundion  for  having  rejefted 
 him  fo  long  ;    as  Chrift  proceedes,    in  the 
 
 Mat.  xxiv.  30.  -vvords  oiZechary,  and  then  fo  all  the  tribes  of 
 the  Jews  mourn,  or  repent  :  and  fee  him 
 with  joy,  and  all  cxprcflions  of  welcome, 
 looking  up,  and  lifting  up  their  heads,  be^ 
 caufe  their  redemption  draws  nigh^  verfe 
 28. 
 
 St.  Taul  is  flill  clearer,  and  quotes  Efafs 
 very  words,  for  his  z&nion,  Rom.  xi.  25, 
 26.  Blindnefs  in  part  is  happened  unto  IC 
 rael,    Vi//  the  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles,  be 
 
 comS 
 
y^ 'Defence  of  Christ  I  Am  TY.  481 
 
 come  in-i   and  fo  all  Ifracl  Jhall  be  favcd,  Scd,  V. 
 as  it  is  written,     "  There  (hall  come  out  "^xAix^ 
 *'  ^Sion  the  ddiverer^  and  jhall  turn  a- 
 **  isjay  ungodlmefs from  Jacob". 
 
 St.  'P^^w/ might  have  fpokc  of  this  event, 
 as  a  myftery  revealed  to  him  by  God>  or  as 
 a  fccret  that  had  been  intimated  by  Chrift 
 while  he  was  upon  earth  ;  but  he  deduces  it 
 from  the  prophet  Efay^  as  read  in  the  vcrfion 
 of  the  Se-ptuaginty  to  let  them  fee,  that 
 Chrift  was  the  end  of  their  fcriptureSy  whole 
 prophecies,  looked  chicfiy,  to  his  times. 
 
 This  prophecy,  we  own  to  be  yet  unful- 
 filled. And  all  we  know,  of  the  time  of 
 the  Je'H's  converfion,  is,  that  it  (liall  follow 
 xkiz  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles,  as  in  St.  Taul-^ 
 or  the  fulfilling  the  times  of  the  Gentiles, 
 as  Chrift  laid,  from  Tianiel.  But  when 
 thofc  times  (hall  be  fulfilled,  is  one  of  the 
 councils  of  God,  which  is  not  to  be  pene- 
 trated into,  by  us.  The  mean  while,  we 
 fee  this  people  alone,  by  a  fingular  miracle 
 of  providence,  preferved  alive  to  this  day, 
 under  pcrfccutions  and  opprcfTions,  more 
 than  enow,  to  have  extinguifh'd  their  race : 
 preferved  entire,  and  unmix'd,  with  the 
 nations  of  the  world,  among  .whom  they 
 are  fcattcrcd.     All  the   remains  of  other 
 
 anticnt 
 
482  A  defence  <?f  C  h r  i s  t i  a  m  :  t  y.' 
 
 Chap.  Vr.  antient  nations  are  fwillowed  up,  or  pe- 
 ri (h'd.  The  i_Ammonites^  the  MoabiteSy 
 the  Ed^mites  their  neighbours  ;  not  one 
 of  them,  are  to  be  diftinguifh'd  at  home, 
 from  the  new  comers  into  their  land  :  not 
 one  caft  or  tribe  are  to  be  found  diftin6t, 
 in  any  other  country.  The  Jeisus  only, 
 of  all  nations  of  the  world,  remain  a  fe- 
 parate  people  in  their  laws  and  religion,  as 
 from  Mofes  j  retaining  the  fame  hope,  of 
 the  bleflings  of  the  Meflias,  as  in  the  pro- 
 phet's days,  notwithftanding  the  difappoint- 
 nient  of  that  hope,  as  they  (uppofe,  by  their 
 utter  excifion,  and  the  delay  thereof,  du- 
 ring their  difperfion,  for  above  fixteen  hun- 
 dred years  :  as  if  they  were  referved  and 
 fupported  by  God,  for  this  very  purpoie,  to 
 be  an  inftance  of  his  goodnefs  to  them, 
 and  of  the  truth  of  his  prophets,  at  their 
 return. 
 
 And  fince  other,  more  improbable  c- 
 vents,  foretold,  from  the  fame  fcriptures, 
 have  all  come  to  pafs,  we  doubt  nor, 
 but  God  in  his  time,  will  accompiifh 
 this.  And  whenever  he  doth,  though 
 fuch  an  acceflion  of  ftrength  be  not  need- 
 ed, it  will  be  fo  great  a  demonftration, 
 of  the  certain  relation,   of    the  fcripture 
 
 pro- 
 
A  defence  <?/'Christiantty.  48} 
 
 prophecies,    to  the  Mefllas,  as  will  put  to  Scd.  V. 
 iilence,  all  infidelity. 
 
 To  conclude.  Chrift  and  his  apofiles, 
 declared  the  events,  we  have  fince  leen 
 fulfilled,  cither,  by  the  help  of  the  pro- 
 phecies they  quoted  for  that  purpoie  ; 
 or  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  independently 
 of  thoic  prophecies.  If  the  firfl,  then 
 the  event,  hath  made  it  undeniable,  that 
 their  interpretations  were  true  ;  and  the 
 prophecies  did  regard  the  Melllas.  If  the 
 latter  j  it  follows,  that  true  prophets, 
 while  they  arc  under  the  infpiration  of 
 the  Spirit,  may  impofc  lenfes  on  the  Old 
 Teflament,  as  the  intention  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  which  arc  contrary  to  his  n,ind, 
 or  arc  not  contained  in  thole  fcriptures.  But 
 this  being  impoiliblc,  and  a  contradicVi- 
 on  in  terms,  for  the  Spirit  of  truth, 
 to  aver  what  is  fa  He  j  it  remains,  t!^,ac 
 the  Chriftian  prophets,  have  given  us, 
 the  true  meaning,  of  the  JeiJi'iJJj  pro- 
 phecies, when  they  diredly  applyed  them, 
 %o  the  days,  and  adions,  of  the  Mellias. 
 
 F    I    N    I    S. 
 
-^E    R    R    ^   T    A. 
 
 INTRODUCTION)  page ii. line ult. dele «;'e»yo»»f.  ibid".  read»fc/cA  yet.  p.vi.l.  9.r.  thtUke* 
 p,  xi.  1-  2-5-  r.  dlfpnt.Jtions.  p.  xviii.  1.  3.  alter  Scribes,  put  a  Comma. 
 D  E  F  E  Kc  E.  p.  I  f.  1.  f.  r.  infcribed.  p.  16.  margin,  r.  0  /aw  Habba.  p.  18. 1. 2.r.  o». 
 p.i9.marg.deleD<«r.  xxxii.  13.  Cod  made  I/rael,8cc.—\.zi.  de\e  Comma,  iher  invenit.  p.2f. 
 t.^polto.  p.  48.rm.  pen.  r.  Aof^i^^«.  p.49.  not.  pen.  r.  j.f.^nwww.  p.6j:.  nod.  i-r./oe- 
 «fer/*.  p.  7o.not.  l.z.  r.Sfir^c.  p.  97.  marg.r.E/xlii.  4.  p.  98.].  a3.r.if,  for /y.  p.  99. 
 jsot.l.  I.  r-  R'Jofi.  GaliUus  in  Ec.  Rabbathi,  p,  loy.  1.  pen.  r.  Hadarfan.  p.  108.  marg.  r. 
 Zech.i'i.x.  Y>.  no.  not.  T.  ^rmillMs.  p.  1 1 3.  not.  I.7.  deler^^r.  p.  i22.'not.  1. 9.  r.  i.  <?. 
 i?(>»»«,inaparenthefis.  p.  126. 1.  ij.  put  a  Comma  after  fo.  p.i35-.marg.r.C3)3\i;.  p.143. 
 1. 17.  de\ejhall be  or-  p/xlzA.  li.-uhim.  'f.xi^.not..\.l.r.tothephraje,inthat day.  p.2y6. 
 1.  i.'r.  he  faith,  — l.ulc.  r.  who  for  nhich.  p.  25'9. 1.  2.  r.  IsCf-ofxcova..  p.  288.  marg.ad  !•  ulr. 
 T.  Dent. z^.  64^.  i>.  ^0^.1.14.  r. had  explained,  for  did. — \.  i6.T.did,ioi  had.  p.3i8.mar. 
 th,ip.ii\.  p.-^ici^noul.'/.T.  Ewbieme.  f.  ^zo.  noi.\.  ult.T.Ccvullerins.  p. 332. 1. 1  3.1. ////<» 
 fetv.  p.  333-1'  li.r.Jf  in,  p.  3f8.  I.3.  r.  unforced,  p.  368.  marg.  r.  Luc.  xi.29.  p.  373. 
 L  ir.  r.  »«>■«  endued,  p.  378.  1.  14.  r.  Converfion.  p.  42S.  l.pen.  x. none, ior more-  p.  430. 
 delein  mzxg.fo  H!er.  renders  the  Words.  p.445-.l.  i9.deleo/.  p.4f  i.l.'20.  r.in  dijferent.  p. 
 46i.  1.  I^'dele  with.     p.  465".  I- 1 3.  r,  w^iy  of  living,     p.  466. 1.  2.;^«  Jewijh  land. 
 
 BOOKS  printed  for  James  Knaptoriy 
 at  the  Crown  in  St.  TauH  Church-yard. 
 
 I.     \     Sermon  prcach'd  at  the  Cathedral  Church 
 
 l\     of  JVoYcejle)\    on   the  'jth  of  June  1716. 
 
 Being  the  Day  of  Thankfgiving  for  the  Bleflingof 
 
 God,  &c.  in  fupprefung  the  late  unnatural  Rebellion. 
 
 II.  A  Sermon  preach'd  before  the  King,  at  the 
 Royal  Chapel  at  St.  James'' s,  on  Chrifimas  Day 
 17 17.  Publilli'd  by  his  Majefty's  fpecial  Command. 
 
 III.  A  Sermon  preach'd  before  the  Lords  Spiri- 
 tual and  Temporal  in  Parliament  ailembled,  in  the 
 j^bbej-Chnrch  at  Wejijmnfter.,  on  the  7,0th  of  Ja- 
 nuary,  17 17-18.  Being  the  Day  of  the  Martyrdom 
 of  King  Charles  I.  Thefe  by  the  Right  Reverend 
 Father  in  God,  Edward.^  Lord  Bifliop  of  Coventry 
 and  Lichfield^ 
 
§»?■ 
 
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