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All that ever came before me are thieves.
OUR Saviour speaks agreeably with the Scripture, where when there is any menti∣on of the coming of this great Shepherd to undertake the charge of the flock, the evil Shepherds that do not feed but destroy the flock are accused, Jer. XXIII. 1, &c. Ezek. XXXIV. 2, &c. Zach. XI. 16. And our Saviour strikes at those three Shepherds before
mention'd, that hated him, and were hated by him, the Sadduces, and Essenes, under whose conduct the Nation had been so erroneously led for some ages.
I should have believed, that those words, All that ever came before me are Thieves and Robbers; might be understood of those, who having arrogated to themselves the name of the Messiah, obtruded themselves upon the people; but that we shall hardly or not at all, find an instance of any that ever did so before the true Messiah came. After his coming (it is true) there were very many that assumed the name and title, but before it, hardly one. Judas the Galilean did not arrive to that impudence, as you have his story in Josephus. Nor yet Theudas, by any thing may be gathered from the words of Gamaliel, Acts V.
An Argument of no mean force which we may use against the Jews, that the time when our Jesus did appear, was the very time wherein the Nation looked for the coming of Messiah: For why did no one arrogate that name to himself, before the coming of our Jesus? Because they knew the fore appointed and the expected time of the Messiah was not yet come. And why after Jesus had come, did so many give themselves out for Mes∣siah, according to what our Saviour foretold, Matth. XXIV? because the agreeableness of the time, and the expectation of the people might serve and assist their pretences.