zoo r Traditions about the coming of the Mefsiah. he replyes, that this exception is of no force. Nam liberatio e Babilone nihil aliud fait, quamexploratie, qua Deus experiri voluiti, an cum refiitutione Regni & Templi pop - frnt abbreviaci, t'a expiari enormia iffa, quecommiferant, adulterii, homicidii, & Idolatria peccata fdpro antecedentittm debitorum folutione, quam preJiare debuerunt, nova infuper de- bita accumulaverunt. For the deliverance from Babylon war nothing but a trya , whereby .Godwould make an experiment, whether with the reflitution of their Kingdom andTemple, theft enormousfins ofAdultery, Murder andIdolatry which they had committed,. might have been cut off and expiated, but inf#ead of a difchnrge oftheir former. arrears, which- they were obliged unto, they heapedup new debts 'by their fns. Thus he. At their deliverance out ofBabylon thepeople had no discharge of their former fins by the Fardoin ofthem , but were only tryed how they would afrelh acquit themfelves; with a relolution in God, that if they made not fatisfaétion , then for thofe fins ; to charge the guilt of them again upon themfelves and. all their .pofterity , for all the generations that are palfed, untill this day.. But Firft, This is plainly a fdion ófthis mans own devising. Let him produce any one word, fròm the Scripture where it treats 'of theft things, in the leant giving countenance thereunto; or let him thew, how this procedure is luitable unto the"Jüftice of God, either unto the general .notion that we have of it, or as unto any, other inftance recorded of it ;n the Scripture. But if there menmay fain what they pleafe, there is nodoubt but they will juflifie themfelves andmaintain their own cainfe. Second/y, Why did hone of the latter Prophets whom God granted unto the people , alter their return from Captivity ; as Haggai, Zechariah , and Malachi let the people know, that this was the condition of their return into their Land, but only require of them to walk anfwerable unto the mercies they had then received. Thirdly, As the very nature of the difpenfation did declare, that God having purged out the Rebels ofthe people, and destroyedthem with his [ore judgements, had for - given their fins, and was returned unto them, in a wayof mercy and grace never to call over their forepaft iniquities any more, fo the Prophets" that treated concerning that difpenfation ofGod, do in places innumerable assert the fame,, and plainly contra- dict this imagination. Fourrhly, God punifheth not ahe fins of.theFathers upon theirchildren, unlefs the Children continue inthe fins of their Fathers. This he declareth at large, Ezek.18. Now what were the fins of this people under thetìrft Temple before their captivity ? our Author reckons Adultery, blunder and Idolatry : It is no doubt but many of them were Adulterers, and that fin among. others was charged on them by the Prophets; but it is evident that their principal ruining fins were their Idolatry, and perfecutionor killing of the Prophets. And God by Ezekiel declares, that in and by their Captivi- ty, hewould punilh and takeaway all their Idolatry, and Adulterics,even from the Land ofÆgypr, or their beginning to be his people, Chap. 23, 11, 27. Now were the Jews, That is, the body of the people guilty of theft fins. under the fecond Houle ? it is known that from all Idolatry they preferved themfelves, which was that fin, that in an efpecial manner was their ruine before ; and for killing thePophèts, they acknowledge that after Malaebi they had none, fothat none couldbe perfecuted by them, but those whom they will not own tobeProphets; Bur, Ffehly, Suppofe that all thofe under the fecond Houle continued in the fins of their fore-fathers, which yet is faith, and denyed by themfelves as occation requires, yet what have the Jews-done,for flatten hundred years lime the deftruétionof that House? they plead themfelves to be holy, and in application of the Prophecy, Xt.. 53. unto them- {elves; proclaim themfelves innocent and righteous ; at leaft they would not have us to think that the generalityof them, are Adulterers, Murderersand Idolaters : whence is it then that the punithment of theirFathers fins lyes fo long on them ? What Rule of Juf{ice is óbferved herein ? What inflame of the like difenfation can theyproduce? for our parts weaffirm, that theycontinue unto this day inthe-Gmc -fit; for which their forefathers under the fecondHouse were rejeCred and deftroyed, and fo know the righteoufnefs of God in their prefent captivities andmiferiest 'Betides, Sixthly, They fay they abhor the fins of their fore -fathers, repent of them, and do obtain Remililon of fins through them obfervation of the Law ofMrfs } Wherein then is the faithfulnefs of God in his spromifes unto them ? Why are they not delivered outofcaptivity? Why notreflored to their Land according to exprefs Teftitnoniesof theCovenant made with them unto that pitrpofe i There is no colour oftruth. nor reason
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