Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

§ 2 Of what importance this Testimony is in our present Cause and Context, as Christians generally acknowledge, so the Jews themselves are in a great measure sensible; as we shall see in the consideration of those manifold evasions which they have invented to avoid the efficacy and conviction of it. But before we engage into its management and improvement, an attempt against our Apprehension, the whole design, intendment, and subject matter of the Prophecy it self, must be removed out of our way. ⟨p. 169⟩A Reverend and Learned Person in a late Exposition of the Visions and Prophecies of Daniel, endeavouring to refer them all unto the state of the Churches of Christ in these later days of the world, with their sufferings under, and deliverance from the power of Antichrist, amongst the rest contends expressly, that this Prophecy, Prediction, and Computation doth not relate unto the coming and suffering of the Messiah, but only unto the state of the Churches before mentioned. Hence he who published those Discourses, declareth in the Title of the Book, that a New way is propounded in it, for the finding out of the determinate time signified unto Daniel in his seventy Weeks, when it did begin, and when we are to expect the end thereof. And a NEW WAY it is indeed, not only diverse from, but upon the matter, contrary unto the Catholic Faith of the Church of God, both Judaical and Christian, ever since the first giving out of the Prophecy. And such a way it is, as is not only groundless, as we shall discover in the examination and trial of it, but also dangerous unto the Christian Faith if received. Yet because the Author of it, (if he be yet alive) is a Person Holy, Modest and Learned, and proposeth his conjectures with submission unto the Judgement of others, not peremptorily determining what he says, pag. 51. His discourse deserves our Consideration, and a Return unto it, with a sobriety answerable unto that wherewith it is proposed. And herein we shall attend unto the Method chosen by himself, which is first to give Reasons and Arguments to prove, that this Prophecy cannot be applied unto the coming of the Messiah, and then those which countenance, as he supposeth, the application of it, unto these latter days, both which shall be examined in their Order.

§ 2 Of what importance this Testimony is in our present Cause and Context, as Christians generally acknowledge, so the Jews themselves are in a great measure sensible; as we shall see in the consideration of those manifold evasions which they have invented to avoid the efficacy and conviction of it. But before we engage into its management and improvement, an attempt against our Apprehension, the whole design, intendment, and subject matter of the Prophecy it self, must be removed out of our way.