SECT. XV. (With an answer to what is alleged, that his coming was deferred upon the account of the sins of the people.)

THE Jews see themselves put to difficulties by these arguments: that they may elude the force of them, therefore, some say, that their sins were the cause why he did not come at the promised time. Now, not to mention, that, in the fore-cited prophecies,⁶³³⁶³³   This is expressly affirmed by r. Jochanan, in Schemoth Rabba, and r. David Kimchi, on Psalm cviii. 5. Josephus book x. towards the end, says well of Daniel: “That in his prophecies, he not only foretold what was to come, like the other prophets; but he determined the time in which those things should come to pass.” That the decree of the Messiah’s being sent at that time was not suspended upon any conditions, appears also from Mal. iii. 1. Besides, seeing that the Messiah was to be the author of the new covenant, as Malachi in that place and other prophets shew, his coming could not be suspended on the condition of observing that covenant he came to abolish. what is determined by them, has no signs of being suspended upon any conditions; how could his coming be deferred on the account of their sins, when this also was foretold, that for the many and great sins of the people, the city should be destroyed, a little after the time of the Messiah?⁶³⁴⁶³⁴   Dan. ix. 24. Further, the Messiah was to 208come for this very reason, that be might bring a remedy for the most corrupt age;⁶³⁵⁶³⁵   Isaiah liii. 4. and following verses. Jeremiah xxxi. 31. and what follows. Ezekiel xi. 19, 21. and, together with the rules of reforming their lives, assure them of pardon of their sins. Whence it is said in Zechariah, chap. xiii. concerning his time, that a fountain should then be opened to the house of David and to all in Jerusalem, to wash away their sins; and it is a common thing among the Jews, to call the Messiah, ISCH COPHER, that is, the Appeaser.⁶³⁶⁶³⁶   איש בוטר. See the Chaldee paraphrase on Cant. i. 14. R. Judas in Chasidim, and r. Simeon in Βereschith Rabba, say, that the Messiah should bear our sins. It is therefore very repugnant to reason to say, that that was deferred upon the account of the disease, which was directly appointed for that disease.