t30 S H I L O FL concerning his Son 'udab ; from whom he forefaw, that the Redeemer, as concerning the Flefh, would lineally defcend. The Sceptrefholl not departfrom Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his Feet, ùntill SHILOH carne ; and unto him (hall the Gathering of the People be.* This celebrated Prophecy was literally fulfilled in Chrift; and fo fulfilled in him, that it cannot, now or hereafter, be true of any other. The Scepter (or Enfgn of Authority) did not depart from Junatt, nor the Law- giverfrom between his Feet, till yefus was made manifeft in the Flelh : But they both departed then. The Stare and Affairs of the 7ews were indeed very perplexed and unfettled, from the Babylonifh Captivity to the Appear- ance of Chrift ; but there was always, during the for- mer Part of that Period, force Form of civil Govern- ment among them, under Vicegerents of their own Nation, appointed by the Kings of Perfia, but faid to be the Defcendents of David. Thefe were ftyled, Heads of the Captivity; For fo Zerubbabel, and his four Succeffors were named, as appears from Zech. iv. 6. This Conftitution alto fubfifted, in the remaining Part Of the fame Period, after their Acknowledgement of the Grecian Power in the Time of Alexander, under ten fucceflive Governors of one Family, to the Time of Antiochus Epiphanes, about 175 Years before Cbriß. t The fupreme Authority, loon after the Commence- ment of his Reign, which was condufted with Violence And Sacrilege, paired over to Mattatbias of the Tribe of Levi, and to his Defcendents the tVlaccabees, t with whom it continued till the Reign of Herod (who was himfelf either a Defcendent of a Jewifh Family, or of a Family long profelyted to the Jews), focne littleTime Gen. xlix. to. t t Macehab. i. so. t The Derivation of the Word Maccabæi marks the Genius of the yews in the Abbreviationof their Appellatives. It was given to Judas Maccabeus (i Mac. iii. i.) as a Surname, from the initial Letters, which compofed the Motto of his Banner. po >o rum, O>SNa Who among the mighty Ones it like unto Thee, 7ehovah ! The firll Letters making >. 2. D.13, or M, C, B, I. So Rambam ftands for Rabbi MJes Ben Mgimon { And the like of many others. before
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