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SER M. must therefore be understood as fo many Marks of the Meffiah, because they cannot poffibly be applied to any temporal King whatsoever.

But not to run into thofe Prophecies that relate principally to the internal Powers and Characters of the Meffiah, which were not to be fulfilled, nor claimed indeed by himself, till after his Inthronement into his regal Authority;. I fhall return to the Confideration of fuch Prophecies as relate to his first Appearance, and muft directly point him out as foon as born. They being the Prophecies St. Philip must be supposed to mean in the Text, fince Jefus of Nazareth, whom he there speaks of, had not then fulfilled any others. Of this fort is the Prophecy of Micah, delivered about 260 Years after the Promife made to David. Micah v. 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the Thousands of Judah; yet out of thee fhall be come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Ifrael; whofe goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. That this is spoken of the Chrift is plain from the last Words, whofe goings forth have been from of old, even from everlasting; and that the Jews therefore gathered from hence that the Christ was to be born in the Town of Bethlehem,

St.

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St. Matthew and St. John both testify, Matt. SER M. ii. 5, 6. John vii. 42. 1 Sam. xvi. 1, 4.

Having here therefore gained the Place of his Birth, let us next enquire into the Circumftance and Manner of it; and here Ifaiah, that prophefied foon after Micah, will give us wonderful Light. Behold, faith he, a Virgin fhall conceive and bear a Son, and fhall call his Name Immanuel, Ifa. vii. 14. The original Word here was tranflated Virgin by the Jews themselves fome 100 Years before our Saviour's Birth. And did not the Signification of the Word, and the Ufe of it in other Places of Scripture import it, the Wonder of the Sign given by the Lord himself would evince as much. As to that Conceit of the Jews that this Prophecy was fulfilled in Hezekiah, it is fo manifeftly falfe, that nothing can make more against them. For the Sign was plainly given, and the Promife made at fome Time in the Reign of Ahaz. Now Abaz reigned but 16 Years in Jerufalem, and his Son He zekiah, who fucceeded him, was 25 Years old when he began to reign, and confequently not to be born when the Sign was given. This Confideration has obliged several ancient Rabbins to confefs that the Prophecy related to the Meffiah, as indeed is plain from the VOL. II. Name

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SER M. Name of Immanuel, here given him, which

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is, being interpreted, faith St. Matthew, God with us.

From hence then, it is evident that the Birth of the Meffiah was to be miraculous and divine, that he was to be conceived and born of a pure Virgin. And this Jeremiah fome Time after again confirms in those Words, The Lord hath created a new Thing upon the Earth, a Woman shall compass a Man, Jer. xxxi. 22. The creating a Woman from Man only had been before, but the bringing a Man from Woman, was what God had never before done; and therefore it is here called a new Thing; and this new Thing is therefore called a Creation, because it was wrought in a Woman only.

And now though one would think here were Marks fufficient to diftinguish the Christ, whenever he should appear; yet at last to complete and close the whole, God is graciously pleased to foretel almoft the very Year he should be born in, that so none but those who were wilfully blind should help obferving it. Seventy Weeks from the building of the City is determined by Daniel, c. ix. 24, &c. to end the Jewish Policy, which according to the Jewish Custom of reckoning seven Years to a Week,

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Week, amount to 490 Years, within which SERM, Time it was so evidently and peremptorily determined, that Meffiab fhould be cut off, but not for himself, that Nehemiah*, a Hebrew Teacher who lived about the End of that Time, openly declared that the Appearance of the Meffiah, fignified by Daniel, could not be deferred above 50 Years. And, as if this Revelation was not fufficiently clear; Haggai ch. ii. 6, 7, 9. joins his Teftimony about 12 Years afterwards, by affuring them that the Appearance of the Meffiab fhould be during the Time that the fecond Temple stood, the Glory of which fhould for that Reafon be greater than the Glory of the former. For thus faith the Lord of Hofts, yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the Heavens, and the Earth, and the Sea, and the dry Land; and I will Shake all Nations, and the Defire of all Nations fhall come, and I will fill this House with Glory, faith the Lord of Hofts.-The Glory of this latter Houfe fhall be greater than of the former, faith the Lords of Hofts. Now it is certain that the outward Pomp and Magnificence of the fecond Temple was nothing equal to that of the firft: For we are told that the old Men who faw the firft Temple, - Grot. de Veritat. 1. 5. §. 14.. C 2

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wept

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wept to fee this fo much inferior, Ezra ii. 12, 13. And the Prophet Haggai in this Chapter infers as much, by afking that Queftion in the third Verfe, Who is left among you that far this Houfe in her firft Glory? and how do you fee it now? is it not in your Eyes in Comparifon as nothing? And befides the Difference in the Grandeur, the learned Jews observe that five Things of great Importance, which added much to the Dignity of the former Temple, were wanted in the latter *, as viz. The holy Fire fent down from Heaven to confume the Burnt Offering; The Shechinab, or Glory that appeared between the Cherubim; The Spirit of Prophecy with which those that were called to that Office were endued; The Prefence of the Ark, from whence God gave his Answers by an audible Voice, and wherein were contained the two Tables of the Covenant, the Pot of Manna, and Aaron's rod that budded; and the Urim and Thummim, by which the High Priest was miraculously inftructed in the Will of God: To which may be added the Want alfo and Lofs of the Holy Oil, which was made by Mofes for the anointing and confecrating of the King, the High Priest and the Sacred

Confule Frideaux, Vol. I. p. 145. and p. 159. ad 161.8.

Veffels