A. He had nine wives, and such of his posterity as are named in Scripture are these that follow; namely, Archelaus his son, who succeeded him in the kingdom of Judea and Samaria, Matt. ii. 22. Herod Antipas, tetrarch or governor of Galilee, who cut off John the Baptist's head, Matt. xiv. 1-10. Philip, governor of Iturea and Trachonitis, Luke iii. 1. and Herod Philip, who married his own niece, Herodias, and had a daughter by her, called Salome, who danced well : but Herodias afterwards left him, to marry Herod Antipas his brother, for which John the Baptist reproved him, Luke iii. 19.

Note, This Herodias was daughter of Herod's son Aristobulus, whom he put to death, and sister of Herod Agrippa, who slew the apostle James, Acts xii. 1. 2, and was afterwards smitten of God at Cæsarea, ver. 20-23. Of this Herod Agrippa was born that king Agrippa the second, before whom Paul pleaded his cause, Acts xxv. and xxvi. and his two sisters were, Drusilla, wife to Felix the governor, Acts xxiv. 24. and Bernice, who attended her brother Agrippa to hear Paul plead. This genealogy is borrowed from Dr. Prideaux.

35 Q. Did Archelaus continue long in his government?

A. He was guilty of many and great instances of tyranny, for which he was deposed, and banished to a town in France by the Roman emperor, when he had reigned in Judea between nine and ten years. 36 Q. How was Judea governed afterwards?

A. The Romans were so much displeased with the evil practices of Archelaus, that they reduced Judea to the form of a Roman province, and ruled it afterwards by procurators, or governors, who were sent thither and recalled at their pleasure; the power of life and death was taken out of the hands of the Jews, and placed in the Roman governor, and their taxes were paid more directly to the Roman emperor, and gathered by the publicans.

37 Q. How did the Jews resent this?

A. The Pharisees, and the people under their influence, thought it unlawful to acknowledge a king who was not a Jew, Deut. xvii. 15, "From among thy brethren shalt thou set a king over thee?" and therefore, though they were constrained to pay tribute to Cæsar, yet they scarce allowed it to be lawful; upon this account they looked upon these publicans with greater detestation than any of the tax-gatherers in former ages, while their governor was of the Jewish nation or religion.

Note, Though Herod was an Idumean by nation, yet all the Idumeans having received the Jewish religion, Herod was so far counted a lawful governor, as that they did not scruple paying taxes to him.

38 Q. How was the high-priesthood carried on at this time?

A. As Herod had done before, so the Roman governors continued to make high-priests, and to depose them as often as they pleased, to answer their own purposes.

39 Q. Who was high-priest when our blessed Saviour was put to death?

A. Caiaphas, who was son-in law to Ananias, who had been himself high-priest for fifteen years, and was deposed by one of their

governors.

Note, Caiaphas was not the immediate successor of Annas, for there were three high-priests came between them who had been instituted in that office, and deposed by the Romans; hence it comes to pass that, in the history of the gospels, we frequently read of several chief priests at the same time, and of Annas and Caiaphas being high-priests at the beginning of John the Baptist's ministry, Luke iii. 2. For whether they had any concurring power given them by the Romans or no, yet being still alive after they had been in that office, they might have their title given them by the people, and some of them had probably considerable influence in the Jewish affairs. In the case of Annas and Caiaphas, some

suppose one to have been head of the Sanhedrim, and to have chiefly managed in civil affairs, the other in sacred. Others fancy one to have been the high-priest, and the other the deputy high-priest, or Sagan, who was always ready to perform the office, if the high-priest was indisposed or hindered; and some think they might rule alternately, or together, by permission or appointment of the Romans. It is evident the sacred laws of Moses were not strictly observed at that time among them, nor long before.

Note, This Annas is supposed to be the same person with that Ananias, whom Paul did not seem to acknowledge for God's high-priest, when he reproved him and called him, "Thou whited wall," Acts xxiii. 3-5.

40 Q. Who was governor of Judea at that time?

A. Pontius Pilate, for Tiberius Cæsar (who had reigned two or three years together with Augustus at Rome, and had after his death succeeded him now nineteen years in the empire) had a few years before ⚫ made this Pilate governor; he was a man thoroughly prepared for all manner of iniquity, which he executed through his whole government; and gave further proof of it in that unjust sentence, which he passed even against his own conscience, for the crucifixion of our blessed Lord, at the request of the wicked Jews. 41 Q. What became of Pontius Pilate at last?

A. He was in a very short time recalled by the Roman emperor for misdemeanors in his government, and banished to Vienne, in France, where he is reported to have put an end to his own life by the sword. 42 Q. Did the Jews grow wiser and better afterwards?

A. They went on, by persecution and rage against the Gospel of Christ and the professors of it, and by many other crimes, to fill up the measure of their inquities, till at last, upon their insurrection against the Romans, they were exposed to the fury of a conquering army; their city and temple were utterly destroyed, according to the prophecy of Christ; eleven hundred thousand of the people perished, and

the remains of the nation have been scattered abroad through the earth unto this day.

43 Q. What general remark may be drawn from the whole history of the Jews since their return from the captivity of Babylon?

A. That the affairs of their church and of their state have been for the most part so unhappy, they have been so much disquieted by the invasions and persecutions of the kings of the earth, so wretchedly corrupted with the introduction of human traditions, pharisaical superstitions, and heathenish rites among them; and so frequently and grievously oppressed by their own priests and princes, as well as strangers, that they never did enjoy so peaceful, so pious, and so flourishing a state, as to give a full accomplishment to all those glorious prophecies which relate to their happiness after their return from captivity.

44 Q. What follows from this remark?

A. That there must be in the decrees and providence of God a further reserve of peace, holiness, and happiness for the seed of Israel, which shall be conferred upon them in the latter days; and therefore we cannot but expect a more large and general conversion of the Jews to the faith of Jesus the true Messiah, than hath ever yet appeared, with greater blessings upon that people, who were once so dear to God, and are "beloved for their fathers' sakes." St Paul, in his eleventh chapter to the Romans, abundantly confirms what the prophets encourage us to hope for.

CHAPTER XX.

OF THE PROPHECIES WHICH RELATE TO JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR, AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENT: Or, A PROPHETICAL CONNEXION BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT.

INTRODUCTION.

As I have given an Historical Continuation of the affairs of the Jews from the time of Nehemiah, where the Old Testament ends, to the time of Jesus Christ our Lord; so I have here inserted a chapter concerning some of the plainest predictions or prophecies which are found in the Old Testament, that relate to the person, offices, and glories of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, and are fulfilled in the Gospel and it may be called, A Prophetical Connexion between the Old Testament and the New.

And, because I would not give offence by introducing such prophecies as are either much doubted or denied by any Christians, therefore I shall scarce mention any but what some of the writers of the New Testament either directly cite, or to which they have a plain reference in some of their expressions.

1 Q. Since the great subject of the New Testament is our Lord Jesus Christ and his Gospel, tell me now what are the chief discoveries or representations made of him in the Old Testament?

A. Beside the types or emblems of Christ and his Gospel which are found in the Jewish worship, there are also several plain expressions in the books of the Old Testament, which are predictions or prophecies concerning him, long before he came into the world. See some of the types in chap. v. qu. 116.

2 Q. What is the first and earliest prophecy of Christ?

A. Gen. iii. 15. where God said to the first woman, that is, to Eve, that "her seed should bruise the head of the serpent."