35. Thirdly, Some, acknowledging the kingdom of the Messiah to be heavenly and spiritual, and the promises generally to intend spiritual and heavenly glory and riches,—that is, grace and peace in Christ Jesus,—do yet suppose, moreover, that there is in many of them an intimation given of a blessed, quiet, peaceable, flourishing estate of the church, through the power of the Messiah, to be in this world. But this they do with these limitations:—(1.) That these promises were not made unto the Jews as they were the seed of Abraham according unto the flesh primarily and absolutely, but unto the church,—that is, the children of Abraham according unto the promise, heirs of his faith and blessing; that is, they are made unto all them who receive and believe in the promised Messiah, Jews and Gentiles, with whom, as we have proved, the privilege of the church and interest in the promises was to remain. (2.) That the accomplishment of these promises is reserved unto an appointed time,—when God shall have accomplished his work of severity on the apostate Jews, and of trial and patience towards the called Gentiles.
262 THE PROMISED MESSIAH [EXERC. XII.
(3.) That upon the coming of that season, the Lord will, by one means or other, take off the veil from the eyes of the remnant of the Jews, and turn them from ungodliness unto the grace of the Messiah; after which, the Jews and Gentiles, being made one fold under the great Shepherd of our souls, shall enjoy rest and peace in this world. This they think to be intimated in many of the promises of the Old Testament which are brought over unto the use of the church, as yet unaccomplished, in the Book of the Revelation. And herein lies all the glory which the Jews can or may expect, and that only on such terms as yet they will not admit of. But these things must all of them be spoken unto at large, when we come to answer the objections which they take from them unto our faith in Jesus Christ.
36. That which, above all things, manifests the folly and irreligion of the imagination of the Jews about the person and work of the Messiah is the event. The true Messiah is long since come, hath ac- complished the work assigned unto him, and made known the nature of the first and consequent promises, with the salvation that he was to effect ;—no way answering the expectation of the Jews, but only in his genealogy according unto the flesh. And this is that which is the second supposition on which all the discourses and reasonings of the apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews are founded, and which, being absolutely destructive of Judaical infidelity, shall be fully con- firmed in our ensuing dissertation.
EXERCITATION XII.
[SECOND DISSERTATION | — THE PROMISED MESSIAH LONG SINCE COME.
1. Second principle supposed by the apostle Paul in his discourses with the He- brews: The promised Messiah was then come, and had done his work. 2. The first promise recorded “£2 ">3°3__Promise with the limitation of time for his coming necessary. 3. First determination hereof made by Jacob, Gen. xlix. 8-10—The promise confined to Judah, afterwards to David; no more restrained. 4. Jews’ self-contradicting exceptions to the words of Jacob’s prophecy. 5. Interpretation of Rashi; 6, 7. Of Aben Ezra examined. 8, 9. Who meant by “ Judah”—The tribe, not his person, proved. 10. “ Sceptre” and “ scribe,” how continued in Judah—The same polity under various forms of government—How long they continued. 11. Did not depart on the con- quest of Pompey, nor reign of Herod. 12. Continuance of the sanhedrim— The name 739, whence—2vvédps0y, the place and court of judges—Jews’ etymology of the word. 13. Institution of that court, Num. xi. 16. 14. The orders of the court. 15. Place of their meeting—Adcorparos, S024, John xix. 13. 16. Qualifications of the persons—Who excluded. 17. Their power. 18. Punishments inflicted by them. 19, 20. The lesser courts— Mistake of Hilary. 21.“ Shiloh,” who, and what the word signifies. 22, Ju- daical interpretation of "> 7 refuted. 23. Argument from the words. 24.
eg SECT. 2, :2:] LONG SINCE COME. 263
Rule granted unto Judah, proved by the context. 25. Consent of Targumists. 26. Use of the words. 27. Judaieal evasions removed. 28. Rise and significa- tion of the word “Shiloh.” 29. Messiah intended thereby. 30. 5%2 MOP? 4> opened and vindicated. 31. Consent of Targums, 32. Talmuds, and most learned rabbins. 33. Sceptre long since departed. 34. Story of Benjamin Tudelensis examined—Messiah long since come.
1. THE second great principle supposed by the apostle in all his discourses with the Hebrews, in his Epistle to them, and which he lays as the foundation of all his arguments, is, that the Messiah, whom we have proved to have been promised from the foundation of the world, was actually come, and had finished the work appointed for him, then when he wrote that Epistle. This the Jews pertina- ciously deny unto this very day, and this denial is the centre wherein all the lies of their unbelief do meet; and hereupon, in a miserable, deplorable condition, do they continue crying for and expecting his coming who came long since, and was rejected by them. Now, this being the great difference between them and Christians, and that such a one as hath a certain influence into their eternal condition, as they have endeavoured to invent evasions from the force of the testimonies and arguments whereby our faith and profession are con- firmed, so are we to use diligence in their vindication and establish- ment; which we hope to do unto the satisfaction of the sober and godly wise in our ensuing discourse.