than we have hitherto experienced, and be the means of our being compelled to embrace the Christian religion, as we were formerly; and thus our latter troubles might be worse than the former. For these reasons we command you, that if you publish any new edition of those books, let the places relating to Jesus the Nazarene be left in blank, and fill up the space with a circle like this O. But the Rabbins and teachers of children well know how to instruct the youth by word of mouth. Then Christians will no longer have any thing to show against us upon this subject, and we may expect deliverance from the afflictions we have formerly labored under, and reasonably hope to live in peace."

14. I have now shown that the prophecies concerning the nation, the tribe, and the family from whom the Messiah was to descend, have been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth; but I cannot proceed without observing, and admiring the wonderful provision which was made for this purpose in the law of Moses. Our nation was not only divided into several tribes, but each tribe into its several families; and as every tribe had a distinct inheritance, which obliged them to keep genealogies of their several families, so, to make them more exact and punctual in this, no alienation of inheritance was allowed for longer than the year of ju bilee, which returned every fifty years; and then every one that could clear his pedigree, and make out his right of the inheritance of his ancestors, was to be reinstated in the possession of it: this made it every one's interest to preserve his genealogy but that which still further contributed to this, and made them still more careful in this matter, was the law of lineal retreats; i. e. upon failure of an heir in any family, the next of kin was to be heir at law; which obliged every tribe not only to take care of their own gonealogy, but those also of the several families of their kindred; that, by knowing the several degrees of proximity of blood, they might be able at any time, upon failure of an heir, to make out their title to the inheritance of their fathers

This was the method to be taken throughout their generations; so that when the fullness of time should come for the promised Messiah to appear, he might by this means easily and certainly prove his lineal descent from the seed of Abraham; from the tribe of Judah and the family of David.

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§ 15. I shall now point out the individual of whom he was to be born. Not a few of the most ancient and most learned of our Rabbins have acknowledged that the Messiah was to be without having an earthly father, and to be born of a virgin. Some express it in one way, and some in another. The birth of the Messiah alone shall be without any defect." His birth shall not be like that of other creatures, into the world." "None shall know his father before he tells it." The birth of the Messiah shall be like the dew from the Lord; as drops upon the grass expects not the labor (action) of men." See Yarchi, Gen. 358. Moshe Haddarshan, on Gen. 28: 22. Ps. 85: 12. Helvic. Elench. p. 40. Tal. Jerusalem Rerash. c. 5. Rabbi Moshe Haddarshan declares his sentiment in these words: "The Redeemer whom I will raise up from among you shall not have a father, according to Zechariah, 6: 12. 'Behold the man whose name is the Branch, and he shall grow up out of his place,' i. e. he shall have another principle of generation. So also Isa. 53: 2. And he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground.' So also David saith of him, Ps. 110: 3. In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning; thou hast the dew of thy youth.' Again it is written, Ps. 27. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.' "See Martini Fid. Pug. page 125.

In Bereshith Ketannah the words, Gen. 19: 32, are thus explained: Rab. Tanchuma has said it is not written a son, but seed, that seed, viz. who shall come from another place, and that is Messiah. In Ber. Rab. ch. 4, 25, on the words "another seed," the same author saith, in the name of R.

Samuel, "this is that seed which shall arise from another place; and what is that? it is the king Messiah." The same language is ascribed in Medrash, Ruth, 4: 19, to R. Nechoniah and to R. Jacob, the son of Abin. In Bereshith Rabbah there is a remarkable passage to the same purpose: "R. Joshuah, the son of Levi, has said, come and see that the way of the blessed God is not like that of flesh and blood, i. e. man; for flesh and blood wounds with a knife and heals with a plaster; but the way of the blessed God is not of this nature, for he heals by the very means by which he wounds. It is this that is written, Jer. 30: 17, 'For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds.' And this shalt thou find in Joseph and in Israel, when he shall heal them by the very means by which he hath wounded them. Did not Israel sin in a virgin? as it is written, Ezek, 23: 3, "There they bruised the teats of their virginity. And they are punished in a virgin; as it is written, Lam. 5: 11, "They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.' But he will return and give comfort by a virgin, as it is declared, Jer. 31: 21, 22, Turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities. How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man.' .” R. Hunnah, in the name of Rabbi Idi, and R. Joshuah, the son of Levi, have said, "This is the King Messiah, of whom it is written, Ps. 2: 7, 'Thou art my Son, &c. And concerning this, Isaiah saith, 'For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.' And it is this that the holy Scripture hath said, Judges, 5: 8." See also R. Berachia, in Ber. Rab. Gen. 2: 4.

The Jews, in our Lord's time, had the same notion respecting the generation of the Messiah, viz. that his father should not be known; and on this account they objected to Jesus being the Messiah, supposing that Joseph was his

real father. Thus, when Jesus told them that he was the bread of life, they murmured and said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know ?" John, 6:42. Again: "Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit, we know this man, whence he is; but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is."

§ 16. That the Messiah was to be born of a virgin was promised in Isaiah, ch. 7: 14: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Messiah is the sum and substance of the Scriptures; still, like the natural sun, so the light of the Sun of Righteousness arose gradually upon the sons of men, and shone brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. Some ages had but a very faint and glimmering view; others enjoyed a clearer and more perfect revelation of his person, offices, &c. The manner in which the first promise was expressed, "the seed of the woman," no doubt contained this mystery, that he was to be without an earthly father, and to be born of a virgin; yet probably few understood the truth thus taught, but the prophecy under consideration is clear and distinct.

I shall endeavor to prove that by the child promised is meant the Messiah, and that his mother was to be a virgin. 1..Consider the scope and design of this prophecy. This was evidently to comfort the dejected house of David, who were in the utmost confusion at the tidings of the conspiracy formed against them by the kings of Syria and Israel; upon which Isaiah was sent with a message to Ahaz; and upon meeting him with his nobles, he bids him ask a sign of the Lord his God, either in the height above or in the depth; but the king, in a haughty, irreverent, and irreligious manner, rejected it, under a specious pretence of not tempting God; upon which the prophet turned himself from him to the distressed house of David, and comforts them with the news of a Messiah's birth, who was to spring from them.

Surely nothing could be more supporting to them under their present fears than this; for hereby they were assured that they should never be destroyed or cut off before the Messiah was born. This was a confirmation of the patriarch's prediction concerning Judah, lately considered, from which it appears that the tribe of Judah must remain until Shiloh, the Messiah, should appear.

2. Consider the manner in which the prophecy was delivered. The birth of this Son is represented as something stupendous and extraordinary, as a sign, prodigy, wonder, or miracle, and therefore introduced by the word Behold.

3. Consider, further, the description given of the mother. The Hebrew word Almah, signifies a virgin, and no other. This appears to be the constant and universal meaning of the word, in all places of the Old Testament. See Gen. 24: 43. Exod. 28. Ps. 68: 21. Cant. 1: 3, 6, 8. Nor can Prov. 30: 19. be made a just objection; for it does not appear that the maid and the adulterous woman are one and the same person. But, even supposing they were one and the same person, yet, as it has been justly observed, (See Gill on the Messiah,) she might, though vitiated, be called a maid or virgin, according to her own profession of herself, or as she appeared to others, who knew her not, or in reference to what she was before she became defiled. Thus we read, Deut. 22: 28, if a man lying with a virgin," i. e. one who was a virgin before her defilement. Thus we say the house is burned to ashes, i. e. that which was a house is now changed to ashes.

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§ 17. Now this prophecy had its literal accomplishment in Jesus of Nazareth, our blessed Savior. The evangelist Matt. 1: 19, 22, 23, gives us the following account: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise; whereas his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came to gether she was found with child by the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.