germ. CLXXX. of the ariß`ian `Religion. 2,9 that the City of Hierufalem andSanctuary íhould be de(lroyed, andmade dcfolare, furl. 9. 24, 25, 26, 27. So that you fee the Prophecies of the Old Teftament do fix and afar-min the time of the Mcás his coming, both by infallible Marks and Signs, concomitant and confequent, and by an exaél computation of Years. 2, That the time fix'd by thofe Prophecies for the coming of the Mcas is already pals. And this appears, in that all thofe Marks and Signs, which it was foretold íhould accompany and follow the comingof the Mafia, are come to pats, and the time limited for the coming of the Meal is long fince expired. For, (r.) The Scepter is long fince departed from fudah. The yews are now difperfed among all Nations, their Government loft, their Families confounded, in fo much that they do not at this day know thofe of the Tribe of Judah from others. At the Captivity, the Government was not utterly loft, for they had a Prince of the Captivity 5 or at leaft it was interrupted but for Seventy Years, and then it was reftored to them again : but now the Scepter hath been departed, and the Government loft for ftxtecn hundred Years. (a.) The fecond Temple is deftroyed, to which it was foretold, that the Defre of all Nations fbould come. (3.) The City is deilroved and made defolate, which was foretold íhouldbe after. the carting off of the Moofas. (4.) The Seventy weeks of years are accompli/h'd and expired long f ncc, which were to begin from the going forth of the commandment to reflore and build Hieru. filem, and ro end at the coming of the MMeJie the Prince. And whether we fix the beginning of thefe Weeks in the firft or fccond Year of Cyrus, or in the fi.eign of one of the D.lrius's or Artaxerxes's (for by univerfal confnt it muff begin in tome of them,) it matters not to my prefent purpofe : for where ever it be fix'd, thefe Weeks are long fince expired. 3. And confequently the M.Jfras is already come, For if the Prcdi&ionsof the Old Teflament be true, which limit his coming to a certain time, which is fix'd both by infallible Marks, and by an account of Years, I fay, if thefePredie`lions be true, that ho íhould come at fuch a time, and that time is pall, then he is al- ready come. The Jews leek to evade the force of this Argument by this pitiful fhift, that the Promues and Predi&ions of the M.fias were not Abfolute, but Conditional ; that is, he íhould come at fuch a time, if the Sins and Impenitency of Mea did not hinder. To this I anfwer, (t.) This grants that the time for the coming of the Meas is pail. (2.) The Reafon that they give why God hash deferr'd the accomplifhmedt of thofe Prophecies and Promifes, is, becaufe of the Impenitency and Wickednefs of the People of the Jews at that time 5 whichwill agree very well with the Hillory of the Gofpel, and give us a very good account how they came to rejelt the IKcfias ; becaufe they were fo Wicked, and their Unbelief and Impenitency was fo great at that time. (3.) There is no fuch Condition any where expreft in any of thofe Prophecies. (4) It is unreafonab':e that there íhould be fuch a Condition; that the Impeni- tency of Men íhould hinder the coming of him, who was to bring the World re Repentance, that is to do that on his part which was fuffieient to that end. (53 Nothing could bring the Veracity of God into Queftion more, than to make filch Prediftions conditional, as by the concurrent Teflimony of fo many Prophets have the time of their accomplifhment fo punflually defin'd, and have not either a Condition exprefly fix'd to them, or in the Nature of the thing ne- cellhrüy iinply'd : and if this were not fo, any one might pretend to be a true Prophet, tho the Event proved never fo contrary to his Prediilion. (6 ) It app:;ars out of the Books of the Jews to have been a conftant Tradi- tion among them, that the Melia; íhould come when the fiate of the People was moll degéncrate, and there was the greateft Corruption and Diffolution of Man- nets among them. And if this be fo, then their Wickednefs and Impenitency could be no Obltacic and Impediment to the fulfilling of the Promifes wad Predi&ions concerning the Met J, Y y y
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