Do you, then, now afk, how hiftory evinces, that this prediction was fulfilled I am as ready to admit the authority of the Septuagint, as Mr. Blany can be. For, without fuppofing, that the mannufcript, from which that verfion was made, was more correct than any later one, no perfon, I apprehend, will deem it an unjustifiable affumption, to suppose, that those translators might understand their own language better, than any learned modern. But in this case, I must confefs, that though I join iffue with the learned writer in admitting the authority of the SEVENTY, I can not fee, how it fupports his hypothefis. Becaufe, the particle aλa, is not only an adverfative particle, as he calls it, but is likewife ufed to introduce any thing, which is additional to what was before faid, and may be tranflated, therefore, by the English particles, MOREOVER, or YEA, as well as BUT. And as either of the two former would deftroy his hypothefis, this Greek particle can never be admitted, as the great pillar, or even prop of it. fulfilled in the event?-Attend to it's records, and, when you have properly confidered them, you will find, that there is no prophecy, The various revolutions in the Jewish ftate, the frequent captivities and conquefts, to which they were at different times fubject, might indeed have afforded fome colourable pretences, for a difpute upon the completion of this prediction; had not many of them, been long fince effectually removed, in order to clear the way, for the interpretation of another another prophecy : :-"The Sceptre fhall not depart from Judah, 'till "Shiloh come." Take then, an answer to thefe objections, fo far as it goes, in the words of that moft fagacious, and therefore, moft original interpreter of the facred Scriptures,-JOSEPH MEDE. A writer, whom I fhall always be glad to quote when I can, and to whom, whenever I do quote him, I can not forbear to pay fome encomium. I give no additions to his name, becaufe, the highest titles could have made no addition to his real honour. He He fays, in the thirty-fourth page of his invaluable works. "We and the antient Jews agree "about the aim and purport of this Scripture. But, we Chriftians be"lieve further, that it is long fince "fulfilled; howfoever, for the VERY POINT of TIME, when this fceptre departed from Judah, we VARY " in our opinions.-Some will have "it to have been, when Pompey "firft brought the Jewish ftate un"der the Roman fubjection. Others, "a little after, when Herod, an "Idumæan ftranger, yet formerly incorporated into the Jewish ftate "and blood, was by the Romans, Hh "invefted cr а " "invefted to be their king, and the Hafmonæan, or Maccabean race, (which 'till then had borne the "chief rule) was by him extinguifhed. Others, not 'till the de ftruction and final diffolution of "the Jewish ftate by Titus. "These are principal moments of "time to be pitched upon. But against the first, the subjecting of "the Jewish ftate to the Romans, "is objected. First, that it antici pates the time of Chrift's birth "too much, being fixty years before "it. Secondly, that it might as well "be affirmed, that the fceptre de parted from Judah, when Nebu"chadnezzar |