extraordinary character, and gathered the people to himself, at this feafon, befides Jefus Chrift? after whose refurrection, the fcepter did foon depart entirely from Judah; and who gathered both Jews and Gentiles into one church, under himself, their proper head and governour? Daniel's prophecy about the weeks is alfo fhewn by Dr. Prideaux to accord exactly to the time of Chrift. And as for Haggai and Malachy; they do exprefly declare, that the defire of all nations, the messenger of the covenant should come, during the ftanding of the second temple; prophecies which have not had the fhadow of an accomplishment, but in Jefus Chrift. And the Jews them felves are fo fenfible of the ftrength of this argument, that they are forced to alledge the fins of the people, as a reason, why God hath deferred the coming of the Meffiah beyond the time expressly fixed by the prophets. Accordingly the Chaldee paraphraft on Micah, v. 8. thus comments. Oh thou the Meffiah of Ifrael

-who art bid be דטמר מו קרם הובי כנשתא רציו

caufe of the fins of the congregation of Zi

U

on;

on; to thee shall come the kingdom: hereby charging God, and their own prophets, with falfehood, rather than own the accomplishment of the prophecies in Jefus Chrift, and fubmit to his authority and government.

7

CHAP.

CHAP. XI.

Of the

Corruption of

SCRIPTUR E.

HE

argument drawn from the several paffages cited in the foregoing chapter when put together, and giving light to each o

ther, is this: that the

facred books of the Jews, tho' penned

different persons, and at distances of time very remote from each other, yet contain plain predictions of things which were not to come to pass till after ages; that they all unanimously agree in describing a certain perfon, who was to come from Judah's tribe, and from David's family; who, tho' he was, for a while, to be fubject to great difgrace and grie U 2

Vous

vous sufferings, yet was to reign in righteousness, to overcome all his enemies, to bring redemption to his people, to be a light to the Gentiles, and God's falvation to the end of the earth; that he was to come before, tho' but a little before, the defolation of the Jewish government and polity, and during the standing of the fecond temple; that about this time the Jews were in great expectation of fuch a faviour; and that at this very feason there did actually arife a perfon, who, by the fanctity of his life, the excellency of his doctrines, and the greatness of his miracles, did prove himfelf to be fent of God; that he did declare himself alfo to be the perfon intended in these prophetick defcriptions; that these descriptions, tho' in fome thing feemingly repugnant to each other, yet were exactly accomplished in him, as far as they related to his perfon, and the particular time of his appearance; or as far as they then could be, or were intended to be accomplished, and which therefore appear plainly reconcileable to cach other; that there is not one fingle circumftance

which renders the accomplishment of more diftant prophecies, in him, impoflible or unlikely; and that thefe prophetick defcriptions, were interfperfed and mixed with other plain predictions, which were actually verified and accomplished in their proper feafons. This I fay is the argument. And what is the thing to be proved by it? Not the divine miffion of Jefus Chrift, which doth not stand on the foundation of prophecy; but the Messiahfhip of Jefus, or that he was this particu lar perfon spoken of in the Jewish writings; which must be proved by prophecy, and which cannot be fo well proved by any other arguments whatsoever. And I think the argument in this light is so strong and conclufive, as that it cannot be evaded but by fuppofing, as our author frankly confeffes he doth, that the writings of the Old Testament have been corrupted; and that there have been fo many interpolations, as that one can scarce know any thing of the original books, by what we have remaining now. Suppofing it then for true, that there are fome very great corruptions in the Old Teftament writings;

U 3