will I divide him a Portion with the great, and he ball divide the Spoil with the Strong, for this very Reafon, because he poured out his Soul unto Death.

But poffibly you may object, that this is inconfiftent with many Paffages in the holy Scriptures where the Meffiah seems to be promised under the Character of a temporal and a Triumphant Prince, who fhould restore the Sceptre to Ifrael, and eftablish the Throne of David for ever. Thus for Example the Prophet Jeremiah, fpeaking of the Days of the Meffiah, faith,

At that time they shall call Jerufalem, the Throne of the Lord, and all Nations fhall be gathered unto it: In thofe Days, the House of Judah ball walk with the Houfe of Ifrael, and they shall come together out of the Land of the North to their own Land. And the Prophet* Zechariah faith, Thus fayeth,the Lord of Hofts, in those Days it fhall come to pass, that ten Men, shall take bold, out of all Languages of the Nations, even fhall take hold of the

Skirt

Skirt of him that is a Jew, jaying, we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. And the Prophet Isaiah, faith,* For the ranfomed of the Lord fball return, and come to Zion, with Songs, and everlasting Joy upon their Heads; they shall obtain Joy and Gladness, and Sorrow and Sighing fball fly away. And the Prophet Jeremiah faith, † Behold the Day is come, that He will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King fball reign and profper, and shall execute Judgement and Justice in the Earth. In his Day Judah fhall be faved, and Ifrael fball dwell fafely, and this is his Name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, &c.

And certain it is that there are numberlefs Places in the holy Writings, which describe the Meffiah as a mighty Prince; all which are particularly noted by the Jewish Commentators, for as it is a pleafing Subject they have feldom let any of them pafs unnoticed. But as it is undoubted on

*Ifai. xxxv. 10. ↑ Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. See allo Ifai. iv. 5.

the other Hand, that the Meffiah is also spoken of in a very different Character, as a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief, &c: Therefore thefe different Defcriptions which are given of the Meffiah by the Prophets, have been the Occafion of fome learned Rabbins conjecturing that there were to be two different Meffiahs; The one, the Son of JOSEPH, and of the Family of Ephraim, who is to come in a State of Humiliation and Suffering, and is to be put to Death; The other the Son of DAVID, who is to come in a State of Tri-` umph and Exaltation, and is to bring the former one to Life again. But as this Syftem of two Meffiahs is contradictory to the Sentiments of feveral of the more learned Rabbins, who always fpeak of the Meffiah in the fingular Number; fo, as I before obferved in my former Letter, doth it seem to be entirely overturned by the exprefs Declarations of the Prophet Ezekiel. Who fpeaking in the Name of God faith, * I will fet up ONE Shepherd over them, even

myTM

* Ezek. xxxiv. 23. xxxvii,. 24.

my Servant David; he shall feed them, aud he fhall be their Shepherd. And again he faith, And David my Servant shall be King over them, and they fhall have ONE Shepherd.

So that it seems more confiftent with the Scriptures, and with the Sentiments of the moft learned Rabbins, as well as with Reafon, to fuppofe that there is to be but one Mefsiah; and that it will be the fame Perfon, who is to appear first in a state of Humility and Mortification, in order to bear our Iniquities and obtain the Redemption of Mankind, that shall afterwards appear in a State of Triumph and of Glory.

But then it may be urged how is this heavenly Kingdom of the Messiah confiftent with the Promises of restoring the banished Jews both Judah and Ifrael to their own Land, and of establishing the Throne of David for ever? That there is to be a future Reftoration of the Jews to their own Land under the Messiah their King is the acknowledged Faith both of Jews and of Christians. And the only difference betwixt them upon this Head is this, that the

Jews imagine this Triumphant Appearance of the Messiah to be at the Time of his firft coming upon Earth. But the Christians, as fome of the moft learned Jewish Rabbins already mentioned certainly did, fuppofe this Restoration of the Jews to be at the fecond Appearance of the Messiah; when, after his having been put to Death, he shall, at the appointed Time, that is after the Deftruction of the Roman Empire, and the entire Overthrow of the City of Rome with all its vain Pomp and Pageantry, make a publick Manifeftation of his Glory in the Clouds of Heaven attended with Saints and Angels. At which Time he will for the Conviction of Mankind thence descend upon Earth, and fhew himself to Menat Jerufalem and Mount Zion, though not as an earthly Monarch attended with Guards, but as an Heavenly Prince attended by Angles: The Report whereof being spread to all Corners of the World will excite the Curiofity of all those who expect Salvation in Ifrael, and especially of the Jews, to repair to the Land of Canaan to fee this wonderfull Appearance: and then shall ten Men of all

Nations