Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

But granting Herod to have been an Idumaean, as he was undoubtedly by Extract, and that Nation not to have been incorporated into Judah upon the Conquest made of it by Hircanus, only that he was in his own person a Proselyte, why the Sceptre should any more depart from Judah, because of his reign, then it did in the days of the Hasmoneans ⟨p. 147⟩before him, who were of the Tribe of Levi, I see no reason. The Government and Polity of the Nation was that of the Jews, who ever Usurped and enjoyed the place of Supreme Rule. As in the Roman Empire the Rule and Government was that of the Romans, though Philip an Arabian, Maximinus a Thracian, and sundry others Foreigners, were Emperors amongst them. One would salve the difficulty of the Hasmoneans and Herodians by affirming that the supreme power of the Nation in their days was in the Sanhedrin; the greatest number of the persons whereof it was constituted, being always of the Tribe of Judah, as the Talmudists constantly affirm. But neither are we concerned herein. The Government as hath been manifested was still in and of the Tribe of Judah, with the fore-mentioned accessions denominated from it, until the destruction of the Country, City and Temple by Vespasian and Titus, which is all that in the prediction is intended. And that was the precise season aimed at, especially if we suppose as rationally we may, that [Greek or Hebrew], is to be repeated, [Greek or Hebrew], and to respect the last clause of the prediction, and to him the gathering of the Nations; which was accomplished signally before the final ruin of the Church and State of the Jews according as Christ himself foretold, Mat. 24.14.

But granting Herod to have been an Idumaean, as he was undoubtedly by Extract, and that Nation not to have been incorporated into Judah upon the Conquest made of it by Hircanus, only that he was in his own person a Proselyte, why the Scepter should any more depart from Judah, because of his reign, then it did in the dayes of the Hasmonaeans ⟨p. 147⟩before him, who were of the Tribe of Levi, I see no reason. The Government and Polity of the Nation was that of the Jews, who ever Usurped and enjoyed the place of Supream Rule. As in the Roman Empire the Rule and Government was that of the Romans, though Philip an Arabian, Maximinus a Thracian, and sundry others Forreigners, were Emperours amongst them. One would salve the difficulty of the Hasmonaeans and Herodians by affirming that the supream power of the Nation in their dayes was in the Sanhedrim; the greatest number of the persons whereof it was constituted, being alwayes of the Tribe of Judah, as the Talmudists constantly affirm. But neither are we concerned herein. The Government as hath been manifested was still in and of the Tribe of Judah, with the fore-mentioned accessions denominated from it, until the destruction of the Country, City and Temple by Vespasian and Titus, which is all that in the prediction is intended. And that was the precise season aimed at, especially if we suppose as rationally we may, that , is to be repeated, , and to respect the last clause of the prediction, and to him the gathering of the Nations; which was accomplished signally before the final ruine of the Church and State of the Jews according as Christ himself foretold,