they would have bought any other field with it, but especially not that of the potter, which Zechariah there likewise mentions.

And as the enemies of Christ did not know they were fulfilling these prophecies of him, so neither did his disciples at the time when they were so doing. And it is said, John xii. 16. "These things understood not his disciples at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him." This makes the fulfilling these prophecies yet more remarkable.

Where Providence sees that prophecies will not be minded, they are more express and plain: as likewise where the passions and interests of men will hurry them on towards fulfilling them. Thus Alexander the Great is described as plainly almost as if he had been named, Dan. viii. 20, 21, 22. And it is said, that this prophecy, which was showed him by the high priest at Jerusalem, did encourage him in his expedition against the Persians. But it is not so when a man is to do foolish and wicked things, and things hurtful to himself; for if these were told plainly and literally, it would be in his power to do otherwise; unless God should force his will, and then he would not be a free agent.

D. I must have recourse to the Jews in answer to these prophecies of the Messiah which you have brought; for they owning these Scriptures as revelations given them by God, must have some solution or other for them, or else give themselves up as selfcondemned.

C. The answers the Jews give will convince you

the more, and render them indeed self-condemned. Before the coming of Christ, the Jews understood these texts, as we do, to be certainly meant of the Messiah, and of none other. But since that time they have forced themselves to put the most strained and contradictory meanings upon them; for they agree not in their expositions, and the one does manifestly destroy the other. Thus that text I before quoted, Gen. xlix. 10. was understood by the Chaldee and ancient Jewish interpreters to be meant of the Messiah. Yet of their modern Rabbies some say, that it was meant of Moses; but others reject that, first, because it is plain that the gathering of the nations or Gentiles was not to Moses. Secondly, because the sceptre was not given to Judah till long after Moses. The first of it that appears was Judges xx. 18. when Judah was commanded by God to "go up first," and lead the rest of the tribes; and David was the first king of the tribe of Judah. Thirdly, because Moses did prophecy of a greater than himself to come, to whom the people should hearken, Deut. xviii. 15, 18, 19.

For these reasons other Rabbies say it could not be meant of Moses, but they apply it to the tabernacle of Shiloh. This was only for the sake of the word Shiloh, for otherwise it bears no resemblance either to the gathering of the Gentiles, or the sceptre of Judah: and though the house of God was first set up at Shiloh, yet it was removed from thence, and established at Jerusalem; which was the place of which Moses spoke that God would place his name there, as I shall show you presently.

This interpretation therefore being rejected, other

Rabbies say, that this prophecy must be meant of the Messiah, but that by the word sceptre, is not to be understood a sceptre of rule or government, but of correction and punishment, and that this should not depart from Judah till Shiloh came. But the text explaining sceptre by the word lawgiver, that the sceptre should not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh came, overthrows this interpretation, and shows the sceptre here mentioned to be meant of a sceptre of rule and government. Again, Joshua gave them rest from their enemies round about, and the land had rest many years under their judges; and David delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; and under Solomon they were the richest and happiest people upon earth; and frequently after they were in good condition and at ease: so that the seeptre of correction did often depart from them before Shiloh came. This is so evident, that others of them allow this sceptre to be a sceptre of government; but they say the meaning is, that the sceptre shall not finally or for ever depart from Judah, because the Messiah will come and restore it to Judah again. But this is adding to the text, and making a new text of it, and quite different from the former, nay, directly opposite to it; for the text speaks only of the departing of the sceptre, but nothing of the restoring it; and it cannot be restored till once it is departed: therefore this exposition, saying it "shall depart,” and the text saying "shall not depart," are directly contrary.

Lastly, there are others who throw aside all these excuses, and say, that the sceptre or dominion is

not yet departed from Judah, for that some Jew or other may have some sort of rule or government, in some part or other of the world, though we know it not.

D. As if the Jews (who hold the best correspondence with one another of any people) could not tell this place, if there were any such, where they were governed by their own laws, and by governments of their own nation, though in subjection to the government of the country where they lived. These salvos of the Jews are contradictory to each other, they are poor excuses, and show their cause to be perfectly destitute. But I have an objection against this prophecy, which affects both Jews and Christians that the regal sceptre did depart from the tribe of Judah long before your Shiloh came.

C. First, this prophecy does not call the sceptre a regal sceptre, and, therefore, denotes only government in the general.

Secondly, The whole land and the nation took their name from Judah. It was called the land of Judah, and the nation took the name of Jews from Judah, as before that of Hebrews from Heber their progenitor, Gen. x. 25. And this prophecy spoke of those times when Judah should be the father of his country, and the whole nation should be comprehended under the name of Judah; and therefore Judah holds the sceptre wherever a Jew governs.Besides, the words sceptre and throne are used in relation to inferior governors, to tributary kings, and kings in captivity: thus it is said, that thirty-seven years after the captivity of Judah, the king of Babylon set the throne of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, above the thrones of kings that were with him in

Babylon, 2 Kings xxv. 27, 28. This was more than half the time of the captivity; and this was continued to Jehoiachin all the "days of his life," (ver. 29, 30.) which might last till the end, or near the end, of the captivity. But besides the king, the Jews had governors of their own nation allowed them, who were their archonites, or rulers, and they enjoyed their own laws, though in subjection to the king of Babylon. The elders of Judah (which was a name of government) are mentioned in the captivity, Ezek. viii. 1. and the chief of the fathers of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, Ezra i. 5. And after the captivity, they had a Tirshatha, or governor, of their own nation, Ezra ii. 63. Neh. viii. 9. And the throne, or the governor, is named, Neh. iii. 7. So that, here was still the throne or sceptre of Judah.

And from the time of the Maccabees to their conquest by the Romans, the supreme authority was in their High Priests; as it was afterwards, but in subjection to the Romans; and they enjoyed their own laws." Pilate said unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law," John xviii. 31. And though they answered, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death;" the reason is given in the next verse, "That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die." For crucifixion was a Roman death; but stoning, by the law of Moses, was the death for blasphemy, of which they accused him. And they afterwards stoned St. Stephen for the same (alleged) crime, according to their own law. Their High Priests and Council had full liberty to meet when