me to be their first accuser, but enjoins me to receive them, under that notion, in which they have been brought down to me through so many generations, without any interruption whatsoever. For this general reception on all hands, is a sufficient ground for me to build my faith upon, as to the truth of the relation, though not a sufficient ground to believe every thing contained in the book to be the word of God himself; for, in this particular, it is not the testimony of others that I am to build upon, but its own; I may read its verity in man's testimony, but its divinity only in its own doctrines. This book, therefore, I have also diligently perused, and find it expressly asserts, that Jesus Christ, whose life and death it records, was indeed that person, who was long promised by God, and expected by the Jews; and, that all the prophecies under the old law, concerning that Messiah, Godman, were actually fulfilled in this person: which if, upon diligent search, I can find to be true, I shall presently subscribe, both with hand and heart, to this religion. It is a comfort to me that it acknowledgeth the Jewish law to be sent from God; for, truly, if it did not, my conscience would scarcely permit me to give any credit to it, being so fully convinced that that book is ndeed of a higher extract than human invention, and of greater authority than human institution. And therefore it is that I cannot, I dare not believe, but that every particular prophecy contained in it, either is, or shall be, certainly fulfilled, according to every circumstance of time and place mentioned therein; and by consequence, that this prophecy, in particular, concerning the Messiah's coming, is already past; the time wherein it was foretold he should come, being so long ago expired. So that I do not now doubt whether the Messiah be come or no, but whether this Jesus Christ, whom this book of the gospel speaks of, was indeed the person. And this I shall best find out by comparing the Christian's gospel with the Jewish law; or the histories of Christ under the one, with the prophecies of the Messiah under the other; still concluding, that if whatsoever was foretold concerning the Messiah, was fulfilled in this Jesus Christ, then he was indeed the Messiah that was to come into the world. And, to make this comparison the more exact, I shall run through the several circumstances that attended his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, and show how punctually the prophecies were fulfilled in every particular. And first, for the birth of the Messiah, the law saith, he was to be born of the seed of Abraham, Gen. xxii. 18. and David, 2 Sam. vii. 17. and of the stem of Jesse, Isa. xi. 1. from whence he is frequently called by the Jews, Bar-David, the son of David. The gospel saith, Jesus Christ was the son of David, the son of Abraham, Matt. i. 1. The law, that he was to be born of a virgin, Isa. vii. 14. The gospel, that Mary, a virgin, brought forth this Jesus, Matt. i. 18. Luke i. 17, 31, 35. chap. ii. 5, 6, 7. The law, that he was to be born at Bethlehem Ephratah, Mic. v. 2. The gospel, that this Jesus was born there, Matt. ii. 1. Luke iv. 5, 6. The law says, that he was to be brought out of Egypt, Hos. xi. 1. The gospel, that Jesus was called thence, Matt. ii. 19, 20. The law saith, that one should go before the Messiah, Mal. iii. 5. and should cry in the wilderness, Isa. xl. 3. The gospel, that John Baptist did so before Christ, Matt. iii. 1, 2. Mark i. 2, 3. The law, that the Messiah should preach the doctrine of salvation in Galilee, who sitting before in darkness should see great light, Isa. ix. 1, 2. The gospel, that Jesus did so, Matt. iv. 12, 23. The law, that, in the Messiah's days, the eyes of the blind should be opened, and the ears of the deaf should be unstopped, and the lame leap, and the tongue of the dumb sing, Isa. xxxv. 5, 6. The gospel, that it was so in the days of Jesus Christ, Matt. iv. 23. chap. xi. 5. But for all these wonders and miracles, the law saith, they should hear but not understand, and see, yet not perceive, Isa. vi. 9. And the gospel, that seeing they did not see, and hearing they did not hear, neither did they understand, Matt. xiii. 13. Mark iv. 12. The law, that he should be despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, Isa. liii. 3. The gospel, that Jesus Christ had no where to lay his head, Matt. viii. 20. His soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death, Matt. xxvi. 38. and his sweat was as drops yea, he was in an agony, of blood, Luke xxii. 24. so well was he acquainted with grief. The law says, that he should ride into Jerusalem upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass, Zech. ix. 9. And the gospel, that Jesus Christ, as he was going to Jerusalem, having found an ass, sat thereon, John xii. 14. Matt. xxi. 6. At which time, the law saith, the people should cry, Hosannah, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Psal. cxviii. 26. The gospel, that the multitude did so to Christ, Matt. xxi. 9. The law, that one of his own familiar friends, in whom he trusted, which did eat of his bread, should lift up his heel against him, Psal. xli. 9. The gospel, that Judas, who was one of Christ's disciples, and so ate of his bread, did betray him into the hands of the Jews, Matt. xxvi. 47. Luke xxii. 46. The law, that he should be prized at, and sold for thirty pieces of silver, with which should be bought the potter's field, Zech. xi. 12, 13. The gospel, that they covenanted with Judas to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, Matt. xxvi. 15. with which they afterwards bought the potter's field, chap. xxvii. 7. The law, that he should be numbered amongst transgressors, Isa. liii. 12. The gospel, that Jesus was crucified betwixt two thieves, Mark xv. 27. Matt. xxvii. 38. The law, that he should be wounded and bruised, Isa. liii. 5. The gospel, that they scourged Jesus, Matt. xxvii. 20. and smote him, Mark xv. 19. The law saith, they should pierce his hands and feet, Psal. xxii. 16. Zech. xii. 10. The gospel, that they crucified Jesus, Matt. xxvii. 35. Luke xxiii. which was a death, wherein they used to pierce the hands and feet of those that were put to death, and nailed them to the cross. But though they should pierce his flesh, yet the law saith, that they should not break his bones, no not one of them, Exod. xii. 46. Numb. xi. 12. Psal. xxxiv. 20. The gospel, that they brake not the legs of Christ, John xix. 33, 36. The law, that they who should see him, should laugh him to scorn, shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying, He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him, Psal. xxii. 8. The gospel, that the scribes and elders did so to Christ, Matt. xxvii. 42, 43. The law saith, they should give him gall for meat, and vinegar to drink, Psal. Ixix. 31. And the gospel, that they gave Christ vinegar to drink mingled with gall, Matt. xxvii. 34, 48. The law, that they should part his garments amongst them, and cast lots upon his vesture, Psal. xxii. 19. The gospel, that they parted Jesus' garments, casting lots, Matt. xxvii. 34. John xix. 23. Mark xv. 24. And as for the time of this Jesus' coming into the world, it is certain, that this Jesus came before the second temple was demolished; for it is said, that he went into it, Luke xix. 45. yea, himself taught daily in it, ver. 47. by which means the glory of the second temple was greater than the glory of the first, according to the prophecy, Hag. ii. 9. And as for Jacob's prophecy, that the sceptre should not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver, till Shiloh, or the Messiah, came, Gen. xlix. 10. it is certain that it did not depart from Judah, till Herod, by the senate of Rome, was made king of Judea, in whose days this Jesus was born, Matt. ii. 1. Luke i. 5. And so did Daniel's 70 weeks, or 490 years, exactly reach unto, and were determined in, the days of this Jesus, as might easily be demonstrated. So that all the old prophecies, concerning the time of the Messiah's coming, are perfectly fulfilled in this Jesus of Nazareth. But farther, the law saith that though the Messiah should be crucified, yet God will not leave his |