The Faithof the Antient Church of the 'ems ExercitatioX1. Mefdiahpromifid ofOld. Faith of the ancient Church of the Jews concerning him. State of the Jews at his coming. Expe£lations of it. Expofed to the feducements of Impoilors. Faith oftheir Forefathers loft among them. Sadducees expelled a Mefiah. On what Grounds. Confjlency of their Principles. True Mflub reiehled by them. General 'Rea- fin thereof. Story ofBarcosba : and Rabbi Akiba. Miracles to be wrought by the Mefliah. State of the Jews after the dayec of Barcosba. Faith of their Forefathers ut- terly renounced. Opinion of Hillel, denying any Meffiah to come. Octafion of it. Their Judgement of him. The things concerning the Meffiah mferious, Seeming inconfifencies in the Prophefies and Defcriptions of him : Reconciled in the Golfe!: That rejelied by the Jews. Their imagination of two Mefah's : Mefliah Ben Jofc h, andMelliah Ben Da- vid. Story of Mefsiah Ben Jofeph. Of Annillas ; Rif and occafion of the Fable con- cerning him.' Jews sequined with the Revelation. Their flog of the building ofRome. j1ui7 N11`t what. Death of Ben Jofeph. The Fable concerning him diffroved. 'The fame with that of the Romanills concerningAnti-chriff. Of Mefsiah Ben David. The faith' aid expeilation of the Sews concerning him. The Opinion of Maimonides. Swum of theJudaicall Creed. GroundandReaffn of their preterit 'Unbelief Ignorance of theirmiferable condition by Nature. Ignorance ofAcceptable ltighteoufiuefl. Andof the Judgement of-God concerning Sin. Alfò of the Nature andEnd of. the Law. Corrupt Affertions: Envyagainji the Gentiles. Becaufe of' thePriviledges claimedby them; And their Opprefna. JudaicalFaithconcerning the Mffiah. The Folly of it. Of the Pro- mites of' the OldTeffament. Threefold Interpretation of thems ivE E have proved the Promife of a Perlin to be born, and annointed unto f' 1' Tthe Work of relievingmankind from fin and mifcry, and to bringthemback unto God. And what bind of Perfoni he was to be we have alto (hewed. It remains that we confider what was theFaith of the Ancient Church of the Jews concerning him, as allo what are, and have been for many Generations the Ap- prehenlions-and Expedfations of the faste People, about the fàme objedof faith, with the Occafions and reapns of their prefent Infidelity and obflinacy. f, 2. For the faith of the Ancient Church it hath been already i tliciently difcourfd. What God revealed, that they believed. They faw not indeed of old clearly and fully into the fence ©f the Promifes, as to the way and manner whereby . God would work out and aceomplith the Mercy and Grace which they lived and dyed in the Faith and loupe 'OE But this they knew, that God would in his appointed time, is and by the nature of man in one to be born of the feed ofAbraham and houfa of David, catifd Attonemeut to be made for fin, bring in Everlajfing Righteooefhef, and work out the Sal- vation of his Elcft. This was abundantly revealed , this they fiedfàfsiy believed, and in tile faith thereof obtained a good report, or Teftimoùy from God himfelf, that they pleafd him, inherited the Promifs, and were made partakers of Life eternal t and farther at iprefent, we neednot enquire into their Light and Appreheutions, Peeing they muff be contidered in our Expotition of the EpiJfle it (elf, which now way is making unto. f. 3. For the Jews, as diveffed of the Priviledges of their Fore -fathers, we may confider them with reference unto twoPrincipal Seáfons, Fielf, From the time of the abtual exhibition of thepromifed feed, or the coming of the M:ffiah, to the time of the com- pofition of their Nliflme, and Talmuds, that enfued thereon. Secondly, from thence, unto this prefent day ; and in both thefe fèafons we may confider the prevailing Opinions amongtf them concerningthe promifid Mfah, his coming, and the work that he hath todo. That towards the dole of Prophefle in the Church of old, the hearts and Spirits of men were intently fixed ou a defire and expectation of the coming of the Mefft'ah, the hail of the Prophets clearly teffifies , Mal. 3. v. 1. The Lord whom ye are, feelting , the Angel of the Covenant wham you are elfiring , Jhail como fuddenlly. As the time
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