Reflexions upon the books of the Holy Scriptures to establish the truth of the Christian religion. Volume I in two volumes.

CHAP. IV.

That all the Distinctions necessary for disco∣vering of the Messiah, still continued in the State of the Jews at the time of our Lord.

I Do not know whether any man can deny that Circumcision, which is one of the prin∣cipal Marks of the Jews, was practised at that time; if any one should dare to dispute this Truth, we need only to represent to him, that the main Dispute between the first Disciples of Jesus Christ and the Jews, was about the Obser∣vation of this Ceremony.

Neither were the Jews only obstinate in this Belief, but we find also that those who first em∣braced the Christian Religion, maintained that the Heathens themselves ought to submit to the Yoke of Circumcision, before they could enter into the Divine Covenant, and enjoy the Pri∣viledges of Gods People, whom Circumcision di∣stinguished from the rest of the World.

One see's that tho' God scattered the Ten Tribes, yet some of them still remained in Palestine, and were distinctly known as such. This appears from the Acts of the Apostles, where mention is made of a Widow of the Tribe of Asher, and S. Paul boasts of his being a Benjamite.

They upbraided Herod, notwithstanding he was their King, with his being an Edomite, and not originally a Jew.

One see's that about Tyre and Sidon there re∣mained still a distinct knowledge of the Ca∣naanites.

It is known that Galilee was less esteemed than Judea, because many of the Gentiles were settled there, by which means the Jews of that Province were obliged to some Commerce with them, from which those who lived more distinct, thought that they had a right to undervalue those that were settled in Galilee.

One may also boldly assert, That all places were still distinctly known to what Tribe they did belong. Thus it is observed, that Capernaum was in the Borders of Naphthali and Zebulun, that Bethlehem was in the Tribe of Juda, which is re∣lated as a thing publickly known.

It is known that the Priests still possess the Ci∣ties which Joshua had assigned to them. Zacharias the Father of John the Baptist dwelt at Hebron, a City belonging to the Priests in the Tribe of Juda.

One see's that even the Samaritan Woman had a distinct knowledge of some famous places in the Holy Land, as Jacob's Well, and the Pos∣session which he gave to his Son Joseph, and that those of her Religion, took a Prejudice a∣gainst the Jews, because Jacob had built an Altar at Sichem.

One see's that they kept up the Practise of Re∣deeming their First-born, which at this day is still observed by the Jews.

As also the practise of Polygamy, which was so common amongst them, that S. Paul thought himself obliged to forbid the same to the Pastors

of the Christian Church, that he might abolish it by little and little amongst those that embraced the Doctrine of Jesus Christ.

One see's from the Nineteenth of S. Matthew, that Divorces were publickly practised amongst them, as they are to this day.

If one makes any Reflexion upon the Ob∣jection the Sadduces made to our Saviour con∣cerning the Woman that successively had seven Brothers for her Husbands, we shall perceive that the desire of Posterity being predominant amongst them, was the cause of the continuance of this Custom, which began in the time of the Patri∣arch Judah.

We have elsewhere taken notice of the extream carefulness of the Jews, in preserving the marks of their Daughters Virginity, which has con∣stantly continued down since the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Gospel, which informs us that the Jews were deprived of the power of the Sword, doth notwithstanding sufficiently signifie to us, not only the extream horrour which the Jews had conceived against Adultery; (thus we find Jesus Christ upbraiding the Pharisees, that Adulterers, that is the greatest of sinners, entred into the Kingdom of Heaven before them;) but also that the Laws against Adulterers and Adulteresses were severely executed.

In short, one see's that by a Judgment of Zeal, as they call it, they brought a Woman to our Saviour which was taken in Adultery, before they went about to stone her; for one ought to know that the Law only subjected young Women, who

were defiled after a Contract, to that sort of Pu∣nishment, because after they were once contracted they were reputed the Wives of those to whom they were betrothed; and such an one was she of whom we read in the Eighth Ch. of S. John, and not a person actually married, whose punish∣ment, according to the Law, was to be stran∣gled.

One see's that S. Paul supposeth, That the Law which subjected a Virgin to the Will of her Father, and gave him power to make void her Vows at pleasure, was still in force.

I will not mention here what the Ancients tell us of the distinction which they say was made be∣tween Virgins and married Women, as well in the Temple, as in their Synagogues; I shall only say, that this their Tradition is not without ground.

It is known that the order established by Da∣vid for exercising the Priestly Functions was ex∣actly observed by them: Zacharias was of the Course of Abia, which was the Eighth in order, as is mentioned I Chron. XXIV. 11. and he offer∣ed Incense according to the Law, set down Exod. XXX. vers. 7, 8.

One see's that the Jews would not suffer the dead Bodies to hang upon the Cross after Sun∣set, according to what we find was practis'd at the time of Joshua, in pursuance of that Law which we find Deut. XXI. verse 23.

I only mention these Particulars now, intend∣ing hereafter, that I may avoid tedious Repetiti∣ons, to enlarge more expresly, when I shall come to shew, as to every Article, the exact accom∣plishment

of the ancient Oracles concerning the Messiah, in the person of our Saviour Jesus Christ; together with the use of these distincti∣ons which bar any other, except Jesus Christ, from attributing that Title to himself, and from abusing the credulity of the Jews.

It would be an easie matter for me to make a numerous List of these Characters, according to all the different Oracles which God gave to the Jews on this subject, and to justifie the exact ful∣filling of them in the person of Jesus Christ. And indeed it was not without cause that God fur∣nished his People with so great a number of Pro∣phecies upon this Head, his design being thereby to give us such solid Grounds for our Faith, by granting to it all these supports, that nothing might be able to shake it.

But because all of them may be referred to cer∣tain Heads, and that an explication of the chief of them is sufficient to illustrate the rest, I shall stop there now.

I begin therefore with the Character of the time in which the Messiah was to appear, and in which Jesus Christ did actually come into the World. And it being utterly impossible for any man to choose the time of his Birth, any more than to choose an illustrious Fore-runner, or a certain place where, or a certain Family of which he is to be born, and much less of a Virgin for his Mo∣ther; these Characters may satisfie us, That all those that ever pretended to the Title of the Mes∣siah, could not reasonably do it.

Notes

• Josh. XXI. 10, 11.