But, notwithstanding these overwhelming proofs, the stubborn Jews refuse to be confounded! on the contrary, they in fact laugh at Christians for being so easily imposed upon.

The prophecy concerning Shiloh, the Jews acknowledge, refers to their Messiah.  But they do not allow that it defines or limits the time of his coming.

And that it in fact does not, will be perfectly, evident to all who will look at the place in the Hebrew bible, which they will find pointed to read not—­“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, and a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come,” &c.; but thus—­“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, for ever; for Shiloh shall come, and to him shall the gathering of the people be.”  So that the prophecy does not intimate that the Messiah should come before the sceptre be departed from Judah; but that it should not depart for ever, but shall be restored when Shiloh comes.  This is the plain and obvious sense of the prophecy; and, moreover, is the only one that is consistent with historical fact.  For, in truth, the sceptre had departed from Judah several hundred years before Jesus of Nazareth was born.  For from the time of the Babylonish captivity “Judah” has never been free, but in subjection to the Persians, the Syrians, the Romans, and all the world.

If my readers desire further satisfaction with regard to this interpretation of this famous prophecy, I refer them to the dispute upon this subject between the celebrated Rittangelius, and a learned Jew, (preserved in Wagenseils’ “Tela Ignea,”) where he will find Rittangelius first amicably inviting the Hebrew to discuss the point, who does so most ably and respectfully toward his Christian antagonist, and unanswerably establishes the interpretation above stated, by the laws of the Hebrew language, by the ancient interpretation of the Targum, by venerable tradition, and by appealing to history.  Rittangelius begins his defence by shuffling, an ends by getting into a passion, and calling names; which his opponent, who is cool, because confident of being able to establish his argument, answers by notifying to Rittangelius his compassion and contempt.

The next prophecy proposed to be considered, is the celebrated prophecy of Isaiah, consisting of part of the 52nd, and the whole of the 53rd, chapter.  It is the only prophecy which Paley thinks worth bringing forward in his elaborate defence; and it must be confessed, that if this prophecy relates to the Messiah, it is by far the most plausible of any that are brought forward in favour of Jesus Christ.  It merits, therefore, a thorough discussion, and I shall endeavour that it shall be a candid one.  This prophecy is quoted by Jesus himself in Luke xxii. 39, and by Philip, when he converted the Eunuch, (Acts 8,) for “beginning at this prophecy, he preached unto him Jesus.”