the King Others say that there was some kinde of government though much shattered and broken till the time when the City was destroyed but granting this it is evident as I shewed before that the City was utterly destroyed and the people reduced into a Roman Colony and the very face of a Common-wealth utterly abolished amongst them well nigh 1600 years ago And therefore we may firmly conclude that the Messiah is long since come Fourthly 4 Argument I argue from the breaking and decay of the fourth Monarchy spoken of by Daniel the Prophet Nebuchadnezzar in his dream saw an Image whose Head was of gold the breast and arms of silver Dan. 2. the belly and thighs of brass the legs of iron the feet part of iron and part of clay In this Image were represented to the King the Governments that should be in the World The Head of gold did signifie the Babylonian or Assyrian Monarchy vers 38. which was a very glorious Kingdom after which succeeded the Kingdom of the Medes Persians when Cyrus the Persian overcame and slew Belshazzar the last of the Assyrian Kings this was also a great Kingdom but came as far short of the glory of the Assyrian Kingdom as silver comes short of the worth of Gold and it is compared to two Arms Ver. 39. because there were two Nations joyned the Medes and Persians After this arose a third Monarchy viz. of the Grecians when Alexander the great conquered Darius Ver. 39. the last King of the Persians this was the thigh of Brass After this it is said that a fourth Kingdom should arise Ver. 40. which should be a very strong Kingdom and therefore is compared to legs of Iron Now whereas the King saw that a Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands Ver. 44. should break to pieces all this Image and afterward grow to a great Mountain he saith that in the dayes of these Kings that is the Kings which should be of the fourth Monarchy The God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which never shall be destroyed and it shall break in pieces all those Kingdoms and consume them and it self shall stand up for ever This is understood of the Kingdom of the Messiah who is compared to a Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands Isa 28.16 Christ is called by the Prophet a Stone and he is said to be cut out without hands that is say some he was conceived in the womb of the blessed Virgin without the help of a man But others and perhaps more probably think this to belong to the Kingdom of the Messiah which should be set up or propagated not by the power and policy of man as other Kingdoms were but by the Almighty power of God alone This Kingdom of the Stone we see was to begin in the time of the fourth Monarchy Now what this fourth Monarchy was is variously interpreted but which interpretation soever we imbrace this Argument will be sufficiently cogent When Alexander the Great was dead Josephus Antiq. Sir Walt. Rawley his Dominions and Kingdoms fell into divers mens hands Antigonus was Lord of Asia Seleucus of Babylon and the bordering Nations Lysimachus had Hellespont Cassander Macedon and Ptolemy the son of Lagus held Egypt After a while these five Kingdoms were reduced into two viz. The Syrian Kingdom which was called the Kingdom of the Seleucidae and the Fgyptian Kingdom called the Kingdom of the Ptolemies and these some take to be the legs of Iron and the feet part of Iron part of Clay But according to this computation the fourth Monarchy was gone somewhat before the birth of Christ for Cleopatra who was the last Queen of Egypt was overcome by Octavius Caesar divers years before Christ was born Others say that this fourth Kingdom was the Roman Monarchy which had ten Toes that is so many Forms of Government Now in the time of this Monarchy Christ was born viz. in the days of Augustus Caesar It is an Observation of a Learned man that M. Legh ver 35. there is a two-fold Kingdom of the Messiah described first the Kingdom of the Stone and then the Kingdom of the Mountain The Stone shall first break in pieces the Gold the Silver the Brass the Iron and Clay and then grow up into a Mountain That is Jesus Christ when he shall come shall break in pieces all those 4 Monarchies and afterward his Kingdom shall fill all the Earth And so we know that while the Roman Kingdom stood in its strength the Kingdom of Christ was but small it was then the Kingdom of the Stone but afterward it became a Mountain the Doctrine of the Gospel then spread into all the world while the Roman Emperors flourished the most of them persecuted the servants of Christ and endeavoured to hinder the Promulgation of the Gospel but afterward when their power was cut short the Kingdom of Christ flourished The sum of the Argument is this There were four Monarchies to be erected by the God of Heaven in the world In the dayes of the fourth Monarchy Christ was to be born and his Kingdom set up Now whether we take this fourth Monarchy for the Successors of Alexander the Great or for the Romans both these are long since decayed and therefore surely the Messiah is come in the flesh Fifthly 5 Argu. I argue from the exspiring of the seventy weeks Dan. 9.24 to the end spoken of in Dan. 9.24 to the end of the Chapter which you may read at your leasure It is generally agreed upon that this is a Prophecy concerning the time of the birth of the Messiah and concerning his death and the end for which he was to die and the Text speaks plainly that these weeks were determined to finish transgression and to make an end of Sin and to maze reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness now this can be done by no other but by him that was the Saviour of the world Yea the name Messiah is twice mentioned so that undoubtedly this is a Prophesie concerning the coming of the Messiah Now as to what is meant by the Seventy weeks it is thus agreed upon that every day â—â—es for a year so that seventy weeks are â—eventy times seven years that is 400 and 90 years and it is said Vers 25. that the beginning of these seventy weeks should be from the going forth of the Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem Now here lyes the great difficulty when this time was for the Jews had four several times Commandment to build the City and the Temple Ezra 1.1 2. The first was from Cyrus in the first year of his reign The second from Darius the son of Hystaspis after it had been some time hindred by Cambyses Ezra 6. The third was given to Ezra by Artaxerxes Longimanus Ezra 7.12 Neh. 2. The fourth last was given to Nehemiah who was Butler to
the King This commandment was given out in the dayes of Artaxerxes whether the same that gave the commandment to Ezra or another of the same name I cannot find determined Now being it is not specified in Daniel from which of these times the seventy weeks should begin therefore there is some difference amongst Interpreters and Chronologers concerning it Some make it to begin from that commandment given to Ezra from Artaxerxes after which the work went on without Lett for we do not read that ever this Decree was revoked And in my opinion this seems most probable Chrono For both Bucholtzer and whosoever wrote the Chronology in the Margin of Josephus Antiquities say that from the time of this commandment to Ezra to the death of Christ are near about four hundred ninty years And so this computation answers to that expression in Daniel Dan. 9.25 that after seventy weeks the Messiah should be cut off Now say we Christ was born in the second year of the sixty sixt week and the thirty four year inchoat which he lived upon Earth make up just the number of seventy weeks and so the Prophesie was exactly fulfilled beginning from the third commandment which was issued out for the building of the City Others there are that begin these weeks thirty seven years later viz. in the second year of Darius Nothus and so make them to end just at the time when Jerusalem was taken and destroyed by Titus led I suppose by these words Ver. 36. And the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with a flood and to the end of the war desolations are determined But if we grant this yet the seventy weeks are at an end many hundred of years ago the City being destroyed as I said before about the seventy one year of Christ The sum of the Argument is this These seventy weeks denote the number of 490 years within which time the Messiah must be born and cut off But these seventy weeks or 490 years are ended many hundred of years ago and therefore the Messiah is long since come Sixthly 6 Argument I argue from the ceasing of the Sacrifices which were appointed by the ceremonial Law and extinguishing of that Priest-hood That those Sacrifices were to continue and consequently the Priest-hood that was to offer them until the coming of the Messiah and then to cease may be evident from that Text Psal 40.6 7. Sacrifice and offering thou did not desire mine ear hast thou boared in burnt-offerings and sin offerings thou hast no delight Then said I Loe I come When Christ should come in the flesh then God declares that he would no more take delight in burnt-offerings and other oblations and expiations which were used under the Law And that this Prophesie is to be applyed to our Saviours coming in the flesh is evident by the Apostles exposition of it Wherefore when he Heb. 10.5 6. that is Christ cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not c. And a little further vers 9. He take away the first that he may establish the second Christ by the once Offering up of himself as an expiatory Sacrifice for our sins was to put an end to all those legal oblations which were Types of this great Oblation Beside the Prophet Daniel saith that when the Messiah should come Dan. 9.27 He should cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease Indeed the very end and signification of all those Sacrifices did shew that they were to be abolished at the coming of the Messiah who was the true Sacrifice for sin God did not set them up that men might rest in them or expect pardon of sin by them Heb. 10.1 The Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year make the comers thereto perfect vers 4. for then should they not have ceased to be offered And further It was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin All these Sacrifices did serve to shew them that Without shedding of blood Heb. 9.22 there was no remission of sin and did thereby teach them to look unto that Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 for justification and Salvation and therefore when Christ the true Sacrifice was offered and not before these Sacrifices were to cease Now it is evident that these Sacrifices are long since quite ceased the City of Jerusalem and the Temple being long since destroyed and this was the place where alone he had appointed them to offer Sacrifice Deut. 12.5 and therefore seeing he hath suffered this Place to be utterly destroyed it argues that it was his pleasure that these Sacrifices should cease to be offered Heb. 10.14 For this man that is Jesus Christ by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified The continual offering of Sacrifices under the Law did shew the imperfection of them that they could not perfectly justifie those for whom they were offered Now what these Sacrifices through their weakness were not able to do God sending forth his own Son made under the Law and made a Sacrifice for sin hath perfected So that from the ceasing of these Sacrifices which were appointed as Types of Christ we may conclude that the Messiah the substance of all these shadows is already offered up for us Seventhly 7 Argument I argue from the abolishing of the power of the Heathen Idols and its silencing of their Oracles It was foretold that when the Messiah should come he should destroy the Idols of the Gentiles which before had been of so great power and credit Isa 2.18 19. The idols he shall utterly abolish saith Isaiah and they shall go into the holes of the Rocks and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth In that day shall a man cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they have made to the Moles and to the Bats And the Prophet Zechariah speaking of the time of Christ's coming Zech. 13.1 2. when the Fountain should be set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in for sin for uncleanness he adds It shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord of hosts that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred And also I will cause the Prophets and the unclean spirit to issue out of the land You see then that it was prophesied that at the time of Christs coming in the flesh the power of the idols should decay and the Oracles of the Heathen-gods be struck dumb Now this is long since come to pass That
present we do worship the true God so the Histories of our Nation do report that we have been turned from Idols near 1600 years ago which argues the Messiah to be long since come Secondly 2 Argument we argue from the destruction of the second Temple built at Jerusalem The Messiah was promised to come into that Temple and therefore that Temple being long since destroyed it argues him to be long since come We read that when the Foundation of this later house was laid Many of the ancient men Ezr. 3.12 who had seen the former house went to see how far this came short of the first and this did discourage the people from going on with the Work Upon this God sends the Prophet Haggai to encourage them to go on and he speaks thus Hag. 2.3 Who is left among you that saw this house in its first glory Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel c. And how doth he incourage them I will shake all Nations vers 7. and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts And the glory of the latter house shall be greater then the former vers 9. You see then that the latter Temple was promised to excel the former And how should that be Not for famous structure for as to this it came so far short of it that it seemed in their eyes in comparison of it as nothing nor was it so glorious as to the Vessels of the Temple for there were five things wanting in this latter Temple which were in the former The Ark the Mercy-seat Godwins Antiq the Tables of Stone wherein God with his own hand wrote the Ten Commandments the Vrim and Thummim and the holy anointing Oyl Now sure it must be some great thing that could make up all these wants and render the Glory of the latter Temple greater than that of the former Now as to this the Prophet tells us that the desire of all Nations that is Christ who was desirable to all Nations as he in whom all the Families of the earth should be blessed He should come into this Temple to teach and work Miracles there and this should make it more glorious The former Temple had Solomon to pray and offer Sacrifice in it but a greater than Solomon was in this latter Temple So also Malachi tells them Mal. 3.1 Behold I will send my Messenger and he shall prepare my way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple even the messenger of the Covenant in whom ye delight This Angel or Messenger of the Covenant is the Lord Jesus Christ and he is promised to come into this Temple and therefore we must conclude that his coming must be before the utter destruction of this Temple Now it is sufficiently evident that this Temple together with the City of Jerusalem hath been utterly destroyed near 1600 years ago Buchol Chronol for it was in the 71 year of Christ that Titus took the City and set fire upon the Temple and ever since it hath lain desolate yea when Julian the Apostate in despight to the Christian Religion gave the Jews liberty and encouragement to rebuild the Temple there was an earthquake which so shook the foundation that they had laid that it left not one stone upon another â— Sozomen and when for all this they obstinately persisted in attempting to build the Temple God sent a fire from Heaven which consumed divers of the Builders And therefore seeing that Temple is long since destroyed the Messiah is undoubtedly long since come Thirdly I argue from the Scepter 's being departed from Judah the government 3 Argument even all face of a government being departed from that Nation Jacob in blessing his Sons Gen. 49.10 tells Judah that The Scepter should not depart from him nor the law giver from between his feet till Shiloh should come This place is frequently urged for the conviction of the present Jews and to which indeed they can oppose nothing but a resolute and stiff-necked obstinacy That by Shiloh is understood the Messiah I have shewed already and the Jews themselves confess it And for the precise time when the Scepter departed we need not to be very nice in enquiring Judah was governed by Kings Joseph Antig. by the space of 514 years in all At the end whereof they were carried away Captives into Babylon by the space of 70 years After this they had Governours for divers years then the Maccabees held both the Government and High-Priest-hood for four successions Then Aristobulus the first made himself King and so the Posterity of the Maccabees held both the Kingdom and Priest-hood till the days of Herod the Son of Antipater He slew Hircanus and Aristobulus the last of the Asmonean Family and also many of the Jewish Sanhedrim and enjoyed the sole Government and Kingdom of Judea And now many thought that the Scepter was departed from Judah for Herod was a stranger born who had the Government and therefore many did now begin to look for the Messiah Some were such flatterers of Herod that they perswaded him that he was the Messiah and thence say some came that Sect of Herodians mentioned in the Evangelists There was also one Theudas not long before Christ who boasted himself to be the Messiah and drew a company of people after him Acts 5.36 but was destroyed with those that followed him And after him arose Judas of Galilee in the days of taxing vers 37. Josephus saith this man arose in the time of the gathering of that Tax which was levyed by Augustus when Christ was born and some conceive those Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices Luke 13.2 3. to have been followers of him And divers others have arisen since who have boasted themselves to be the Messiah So that though the generality of the Jews rejected Christ yet many of them did follow false christs Joh. 5.43 as himself told them I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another man come in his own name him ye will receive Thus you see how many of the worse sort of the Jews believing the Scepter to be already departed did follow false christs but if we look further we shall find that many of the devout sort amongst them did begin now to expect the coming of the Messiah Luke 1.25 So we read of Simeon that he waited for the consolation of Israel and Anna spake of Christ to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem vers 38. and Joseph of Arimathea is said to have waited for the Kingdom of God that is the coming of the Messiah Luk. 2.51 So that it is evident that many of the Jews did now think the Scepter to be departed in the days of Herod