Concernarig the fofiah.. time of his coming drew nigh, this expeattion was encreafed and heightned, fo that they continually looked out after him, as if he were to enter arnongll them every moment. No fooner did any one, make an appearance of tomething extraordinay, but iuftantly they were ready to fay, is not this theMefffah. This gave advantage un- to fundryfeditiour Zmpálfors, as Tbea les and Judas of Galilee to deceive many of theta unto their mine. yabn the Bapeifelfo thcy enquired about. John r. v. t9í to. .Yea, and thcy had divulged fuck a report of their expectations, with the Predidions and Prophéfier that they were built upon, that the whole world took notice of it ; iaS hath been elfewhere manifeftedout of the belt RomanEliijforians. This was the Rateof the Judaical Churchnot long before the detruflion of the Second Temple. 'And fo fixed were they in their Refolutions, that he was to come about that leafon, that during the laft depilating, Siege of the City, they looked every day when he would come and fave them. But together with this earned} defre and expe Cation, they had utterly loft' the Light and Faith of their Fore- fathers, about the Nature, Work, and Office of the pro- mifrl Megiab. For being grown carnal, and minding only things earthly and prefènt, they utterly overlooked the Spiritual Genealogie of the feed of the Woman from thefirfl Pxotnife> and wrelting all Prophefies and Prediélions to their ambitious, covetous, corrupt inclinations and Interefrs, they fanciedhim unto themfelves, as one that was to deliver them from all outward trouble, and to fatisfie themwith the glory and de- tirable things of this world, without refpeél to fn,and the turf, or deliverance from them. Andhence the Saaducees who denyed the immortality of the foul, and con- fequeutly all Rewards and Punifhments in another world, yet no lefs defired'and ex- peéled the coming of the McJTah, then the Pharifees and their pifciplcs. And the Truth is, they had brought their Prtnciplcs unto a better confp}ency than the others had done. For if the Promifid Mefrab was only to procure them the Good things of this world, and that whiled they liv,ed in it, it was in vain to lookfor another world to come, and the hidings thereof To look for eternal life , and Yet to confine the Promife of the Seed to the things of this life only, there was neither ground nor Reafon. So that the Pharifeslaid down the Principle, which the Saddacees naturally drew their Con- elution from. Some in the mean time among :them, Gods fecret ones, as' Simeon, Anna, Jofiph, Zecbay and Elizabeth, but efpecially the Bhp with many more, retained no doubt the antient Faith of their Fore-fathers. But the Body of the People with their Leaders, being either flag tioufly wicked , or fuperfitiiouffy proud fancied aMt:gah Mired unto their own lulls and defires,_ filch an one as we fhall af- terwards-deleribe. And this prejudicate opinion of a terrene outward glorious King- dom, in and of tisis world, was that which working in them a negleéè of thofe ípi- ritual and eternal purpofes for which he was promifed, hardened them to an utter re- jedion of the TrueMph when he came unto them. That this was the Ground on which they rejected the PromifrdMeffiah, is evident from theStory of theGoJjiel, and we hull farther prove it upon them in our enfping Dilcourfes. How they did that, and what was the End thereof, is well known. But after they had clone tisis, and murdered the Prince of Life, to juflifie themfelves in their wickednefs and 'unbelief, they (till with all earneftnefs looked after ditch a Meffiab as they had framed in their own imagination. And herein they grew more earned and faticar than ever. For they had not only their own fallè pre-conceived Opinion, ftrengthened by their carnal Interells and defires of earthly things to ad and provoke them, but allo their Reputation and pretence unto the Love and favour of God, to heighten them in their Prefumptions; becaufe they could not retain the leaf} fendof them, if it might be fuppofed, that they had rejected the true Meffiah, becaufe in his way and work he answered not their Expectation. For this is the courfe of Pride and carnal Wifdom, topurlue thole mifcarriages with violence wherein they have been wickedly engaged ; and to lay hold on any pretence that they may feem to juftifie them inwhat They have done. And on this account they expofed themfelves as a prey unto every Seducer, whomade the leaft appearance of beingfach a Mefjìab as they thought meet for them to receive. This at laft call them on afecundJhipwrackin the buft- nets of Barchocheba who pretending himfèlf tobe theirMeah.fent to deliver them from the RomanToke, and to Et up a Kingdom amongft them, drew them all the world over, into that Sedition, Outrage and.War, whichended in an áhnoft univerfal extirpation of the whole Nation from the face of the Earth. Now becaufe imthe bulìncfs of this Barebofba theymet with a fore didppoinninent that 4.4' 4 S. 4. 6.
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