S H I L 'O H. 23t before our Lord's Nativity. The High Priefthood, however, or fpiritual fupreme Authority among the Jews (which it is not impofilble may be implied by the Lawgiver, confdering the fpiritual Defignation of their whole (Economy), did not ceafe till after the Advent of Chri/t ; * when Jerufalem itfeif, as was prophefied of it, foon became Heaps, and the Mountain of GOP's temple as the high Places of theForeft.t It was very remarkable, that the Jews, in general, had a ftrong Expectation of the Me 'iah's Advent about this Period. Many of the Heathens likewife had obtained the fame Expectation ; and Suetonius, the Roman Hif- torian, in particular lays, `c That there had prevailed over all the Eaft an antient and conftant Opinion, that, about this Time [i. e. of Chrift's Appearance], thofe fhould' arife out of Judea, who fhould govern the World." $ A Tradition, or Prophecy, delivered by a " The Word Into fignifies, both a Rod or Emblem ofAuthority, and a Tribe or branch from fome general Stock or Nation. In this Place it may denote the fpiritual Authority of the High-Prieft, and the fpiritual (Economy of the Jewifh Difpenfation, which were to, gether removed, foon after the Coming of the Megah. This feems the more probable, as the Word ppnn, rendered Lawgiver, doth pot fo much imply one whoframer Laws from his own Will and Pleafure, as one who expounds and executes Laws already framed and eftablifhed, and is, therefore, very fuitable to the Functions and Office of the High-prieft. Some, again, take this Scepter to mean regal Power; others, any Formor Conflitution of Government, and, in particular, the Sanbarim, or grand Council of the Nation. If it be taken in the former Senfe, the Departure of the Scepterwas the Forerunner or Token of the Mejiab's Advent; but, if in the latter, then the Me/I/ah's Ad- vent was the immediate Forerunner of the Scepter's Departure. Either way, the Prophecy was duly fulfilled in yefus Chrifl : And, if it could be admitted not to have been fulfilled in him, it never can be fulfilled at all; for Judah, or the Jews, neither have now, nor have had fnce the Time of go,, on Earth, fo much as the Shadow of a Scepter to depart ; and, instead of a Lawgiver to pats from between their Feet, their Feet have had no felting Place in the World. t Micah iii. i z. SUE.TON. in Yefp. c. 4. See alto PRIDEAUX'S Connect. Vol. iii. p. 633. andECHARD'S Introd. to Eeclef. H1Jt. p. 36.° very
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