The Gofpel of the FeVI of Tabernacles. 429` Tdwhich might be added; as a fourth groundlefs and uncertain Pre- fumption, that if it were certainly known to a Day what time Eliza- beth conceived, yea and what day the Angel fpake to Mary ; yet the fame uncertainty !tillremains, how long after the Angel Gabriel's fpeak. ing fo to the Virgin Mary it was before the Power of the moll: High came upon her, and the conceived of the Holy Ghoft : It might be force Days or Weeks after, for ought can be proved to the contrary. And laftly ( to add yet a fifth uncertain groundlefs fuppofal that is prefumed and proceeded upon in this vulgar Computation ) if all thefe fore - mentioned Particulars were precifely declared in the Scripture ; yet. what Affurance have we that the Virgin Mary went neither more . nor lefs then two hundred and feventy Days, or nine folar Months of thirty days a month, after her Conception before the Birth of Chrift ? For though he was in all things except Sin, made like untous ;; yet it is well known, that according to the Experience of Women, and the judgment of Phyficians, there is a confiderable Variation and La-, titude in the Time of Womens going with Child; it being fometimes more, fometimes lefs, differing ( at leaft in different Perlons ) not on ly fundry days, but fometimes force weeks, yea months. But then the fecond of the firft mentioned uncertain fuppofals (which I caft into this Place, becaufe I would fpeak a little more largely to it) namely, that Zacharias's Miniftration ended that Year, precife- ly on the feven and twentieth of September, is as undemonftrabte and uncertain as any of the other. For firft, though there were four and twenty Courfes of Prielts be-. fore the Captivity of Babylon ; yet how will it be proved that there . continued jolt the fame Number ever after through all the Calamities, Concuflìons, and Confafions that the Jewifh State and Worfhipunder- went ? How can it be proved that none. of thefe four and twenty was .. utterly extin& before that day byDeath, or Apoftacy, or Exclufion, or force other way ? And fecondly, if that could be proved; yet how will it ever be made out that they continued in an uninterrupted order of Succef lion, as they were diftributed and ranged in David's Days ? r Cbron. 24,. why might not one Lot, fuppofe that of Abija:h, through force Occurence or other fall into the Week of the Lot of Hakker, or of-.yefhua ? There is no Prohibition of it by God but-that 'it might lawfully be done in foam. Cafes : And though it might not ; yet we find there was introduced as great and a greater variation and fwerving from the firft Inftitution. and Ordinance ofGod concerning the continuanceof the High"Prieft hood, For it appears in the E?angelift tobe Anniverf ry, at leaft muta= hie.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=