Note, This Annas is supposed to be the same person with that Ananias, whom Paul did not seem to acknowledge for God's High-priest, when he reproved him, and called him, Thou whited wall, Acts xxiii. 3-5.

40 Q. Who was governor of Judea at that time? A. Pontius Pilate; for Tiberius Cæsar (who had reigned two or three years together with Augustus at Rome, and had after his death succeeded him now nineteen years in the empire) had a few years before made this Pilate governor; he was a man thoroughly prepared for all manner of iniquity, which he executed through his whole government; and gave further proof of it in that unjust sentence, which he passed even against his own conscience, for the crucifixion of our blessed Lord, at the request of the wicked Jews.

41 Q. What became of Pontius Pilate at last? A. He was in a very short time recalled by the Roman emperor for misdemeanors in his government, and banished to Vienne, in France, where he is reported to have put an end to his own life by the sword. 42 Q. Did the Jews grow wiser and better afterwards?

A. They went on by persecution and rage against the Gospel of Christ, and the professors of it, and by many other crimes to fill up the measure of their iniquities, till at last, upon their insurrection against the Romans, they were exposed to the fury of a conquering army, their city and temple were utterly destroyed, according to the prophecy of Christ; eleven hundred thousand of the people perished, and the remains of the nation have been scattered abroad through the earth unto this day.

43 Q. What general remark may be drawn from the whole history of the Jews since their return from the captivity of Babylon?

A. That the affairs of their church and of their state have been for the most part so unhappy, they have been so much disquieted by the invasions and

persecutions of the kings of the earth, so wretchedly corrupted with the introduction of human traditions, pharisaical superstitions, and heathenish rites among them; and so frequently and grievously oppressed by their own priests and princes, as well as strangers, that they never did enjoy so peaceful, so pious, and so flourishing a state, as to give a full accomplishment of all those glorious prophecies which relate to their happiness after their return from captivity.

44 Q. What follows from this remark?

A. That there must be, in the decrees and providence of God, a further reserve of peace, holiness, and happiness for the seed of Israel, which shall be conferred upon them in the latter days; and therefore we cannot but expect a more large and general conversion of the Jews to the faith of Jesus the true Messiah, than hath ever yet appeared, with greater blessings upon that people, who were once so dear to God, and are beloved for their fathers' sakes. St. Paul in his eleventh chapter to the Romans, abundantly confirms what the prophets encourage us to hope for.

CHAPTER XX.

Of the Prophecies which relate to Jesus Christ our Saviour, and their Accomplishment: or, a Prophetical Connection between the Old and New Testament.

INTRODUCTION..

As I have given an Historical Continuation of the affairs of the Jews from the time of Nehemiah, where the Old Testament ends, to the time of Jesus Christ our Lord; so I have here inserted a chapter of some of the plainest predictions or prophecies which are

found in the Old Testament, that relate to the per son, offices, and glories of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, and are fulfilled in the Gospel: and it may be called A Prophetical Connection between the Old Testament and the New.

And because I would not give offence by introducing such prophecies as are either much doubted or denied by any Christians; therefore I shall scarce mention any but what some of the writers of the New Testa ment either directly cite, or to which they have a plain reference in some of their expressions.

1 Q. Since the great subject of the New Testament is our Lord Jesus Christ and his Gospel, tell me now what are the chief discoveries or representations made of him in the Old Testament?

A. Besides the types or emblems of Christ and his Gospel, which are found in the Jewish worship, there are also several plain expressions in the books of the Old Testament, which are predictions or prophecies concerning him, long before he came into the world. See some of the types in Chap. V. Qu. 116.

2 Q. What is the first and earliest prophecy of Christ?

A. Gen. iii. 15. Where God said to the first woman, that is, to Eve, that her seed should bruise the head of the serpent.

3 Q. Wherein is this prophecy fulfilled?

A. Gal. iv. 4. God sent forth his Son made of a woman, 1 John iii. 8. The Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil; that is, he should destroy the mischievous designs and deeds of the devil, who lay hid in the serpent, when he tempted Adam and Eve to sin; and this, in the language of prophecy, is called bruising the serpent's head.

4 Q. What is the next plain prophecy of Christ? A. Gen. xviii. 18, and xxii. 18. Where God tells Abraham, that in him and in his seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

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5 Q. How does this appear to have a reference Christ?

A. Gal. iii. 8. The Scripture preacheth the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed, ver. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made: he saith, to thy seed, which is Christ; who was to be derived in a long course of generations from Abraham, and therefore Christ may be called the Son of Abraham, Matt. i. 1.

6 Q. To whom was this promise given besides Abraham?

A. It was given to Isaac the son of Abraham, Gen. xxvi. 4, and to Jacob his grandson, Gen. xxviii. 14. In thee and in thy seed shall all nations be blessed. 7 Q. Did Jacob prophesy concerning Christ?

A. Yes, in his dying speech to his son Judah, Gen. xlix. 10. The Sceptre (or Tribe, as the word signifies) shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and till the gathering of the people be unto him.

8Q. How can you prove that this prophecy relates to Christ?

A. Shiloh signifies, one that is sent, which is the frequent character of Christ, that he was sent by the Father, John x. 36, &c. and xvii. 18. 21. 23. (And indeed the Jews themselves own that it signifies the Messiah :) now Judah did continue to be a tribe, and to have some sort of government amongst them till Christ came. He was about ten or twelve years old when Archelaus was deposed, and Judea reduced to the form of a Roman province, and then the power of life and death was taken from them. See Chap. XIX. Qu.36. And when the people, that is, the Jews and Gentiles, were gathered in great numbers unto Christ, then the tribe of Judah, or the Jewish nation, was broken to pieces and scattered, Jerusalem was destroyed, and all appearance of government among them was lost, which is an effectual argument against the Jews that their Messiah is already come.

9 Q. Who was the next person that prophesied concerning Christ?

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Note, This year, in which Christ was born, according to Bishop Usher's exact computation, is the four thousandth year from the creation; which falls in with an old tradition of the Jews, that the world was to last six thousand years; namely, two thousand years before the law, (or before Abraham, who was the father of circumcision and the Jews;) and two thousand under the law; that is from Abraham to the Messiah; and two thousand under the Messiah.

And here I might conclude this chapter, having brought the Jewish affairs down to the birth of Christ. But it may give some light to the New Testament to carry it on a little farther.

28 Q. What piece of cruelty was Herod guilty of when he heard that a child was born who was to be king of the Jews?

A. He slew all the young children in Bethlehem, that he might be sure to destroy Christ, and that his own posterity might be kings of Judea.

29 Q. Whom did Herod design then for the suc cessor to his kingdom?

A. Antipater, his eldest son by Doris, a wife which Herod had before Mariamne; his father had raised him to some post of honour upon his displeasure with his other sons, and he had been also active and busy himself towards procuring the death of those two brothers.

30 Q. Did Antipater succeed his father in the kingdom, according to Herod's present design?

A. Antipater, longing for the crown and for his father's death, did really conspire to poison him, and being convicted thereof, had a sentence of condemnation passed upon him; and being confirmed by Au» gustus Cæsar, was executed by his father's approbation. This was the third son whom Herod put to death.

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31 Q. When, and in what manner, did Herod die? A. In the seventieth year of his age, and five days after the execution of his son Antipater, Herod him

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