I Begin with this Famous Prophesie concerning the Time of our Blessed Saviour's coming into the World : And my Design is , briefly to represent the general Glosses of the Learned upon this Verse , with short Reflection's on some of them ; but more especially to choose out such an Interpretation of the word Shiloh , the celebrated Title of the Messias , as I conceive to be most genuine and proper ; which I will somewhat largely insist upon by shewing the great Agreeableness and Reasonableness of it ; and consequently the Preference of it to all other Interpretations . This noble Prediction is no other than the remarkable words of the Patriarch Iacob Blessing his Children ; and among the rest his Son Iudah a little before his Death . He intimates that the Primogeniture , and with it the Ruling Power was taken from Reuben , when he saith of him , He shall not excel , v. 4. And from Reuben this Dominion is transferred to Iudah ; for it is said , His Fathers Children ( of whom Reuben was the chief of them ) shall bow down before him , v. 8. i. e. The Kingdom and Government shall commence here , and so remain among the Jews many Generations , even until a certain Period appointed by God , viz. The Arrival of the Messias , who is here called Shiloh . Till that time the Jewish Government and Polity shall be kept up , The Scepter shall not depart : But upon the coming of the Messias , who is Christ , their Ruling Power shall cease , their State and Government shall be abolished , and in a little time after there shall be no Footsteps left of their Kingdom and Dominion . Let us take this Prophesie asunder , and Comment on the several words , and then set them together again , and shew you how signal a Proof they are of Christ's being come .

First , The Hebrew word which we translate the Scepter , hath different significations , and accordingly is sometimes rendred a * * Lev. 27. 32. Ps. 2. 9. Rod or Staff , sometimes a † † Ps. 31. 13. Stroke , Plague or Punishment , and at other times a * * Iudges 5. 14. Quill or Pen to write with . I meet with no Exposito●s that think any of these to be the Acception of the word in this place . But there are two other Acceptions which bid fair for it : The word sometimes signifies a Tribe , and that in this Chapter v. 28. and the reason why the same word signifies a Rod and a Tribe , may be because the Tribes of Israel were distinguished by Rods or Wands , Num. 17. 2 , 3. Accordingly Iulius and Tremellius render this place thus , The Tribe shall not depart from Judah : And they make the Sense of the whole Text to be this , Iudah shall not cease to be a Tribe till the coming of Christ , but then it shall . And so indeed it did ; for when Christ came , and was rejected by the Jews , the Romans by Gods just Judgment scattered them abroad , and the Tribe of Iudah could not be distinguished from the other Tribes . This Interpretation confirms the Truth of this Prophesie , and sufficiently baffles and confounds the Jews . But there is yet behind another more eminent Acception of the word , for you will find that it often signifies a Scepter . And that the same word which before signified a Rod , should also denote a Scepter , is not to be wondred at , because a Rod or Staff was the Ancient Ensign of Royalty and Dominion , Amos 1. 5. This was born by Kings , as a Badge of their Power and Authority . By the Scepter then is meant here Kingly Power and Authority , or the Supreme Government of what Name or Form soever . This signification of the word in this place , is owned and approved of by the Iewish Doctors and Rabbins themselves , and the three Targums agree in it , and it is acknowledged and allowed of by the Ancient Greek Versions of the Seventy , who render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the Prince or Governor . This Prince or Governor , this Government or Scepter , shall not depart ( which are the next words ) i. e. There shall be a continual Succession of Kings and Rulers , the Civil Power and Polity shall constantly remain , these shall not be removed , shall not wholly be destroyed ; they may for a time be clouded and eclipsed , they may be interrupted for a while , but there shall not be a Final and Total Cessation of them . The Scepter shall not quite depart , it shall * * Non auferetur . Vulg. Lat. not be taken away from Iudah .

But what is meant by Iudah here ? First , It is not to be taken in a Restrained Sense for the Patriarch Iudah , but for the Tribe of Iudah . As the Priesthood was consigned to Levi , i. e. not his Person , but his Tribe and Posterity ; so Iudah had the Scepter , the Government conferred on him , not his Person ( for he had no Rule ) but his Tribe , as distinct from the other Tribes . The meaning then is , that there shall be some of that Tribe who shall Reign till Christ cometh , and no longer : For as the Kingdom and Government shall begin in this Tribe ( as it did in David ) and be continued in it , so it shall end with it . When that Tribe affords no more Kings , then Kingship shall cease among the Jews ; though Foreigners may be set up , yet they shall have no more Kings of their own ; which shall be a certain Indication of the Coming of the Messias . Secondly , Iudah must be taken comprehensively for the Twelve Tribes , for the State , Government and Polity of the whole Nation called Iews , from the Patriarch Iudah . Some shrink this Prophesie into a narrow compass ; but I think it ought to be taken largely , and to be applied to Iudah , not only as it signifies a particular Tribe of that name , but as it takes in all the Jewish People , the whole Body of the Jews . For these Prophetical Blessings which Iacob here uttereth , are of a large Extent ; and this especially relating to a higher matter than any of the rest , is not to be confined and restrained to a Person or Tribe ; but it is most reasonable to believe , that it reacheth to the whole Nation and Polity of the Jews , who are here called Iudah , as they are 〈…〉 innumerable places of Scrip●●● . 〈◊〉

〈…〉 [ nor a Law-giver from be●●●● 〈◊〉 is feet , ] this Mechokek is the same with Shebet , the Law-giver is of the same Importance with the Scepter or Kingly Power ; for this and making Laws went together , the Regal and Judicial or Legislative Authority did reside in the Jewish Kings . And this Prince or Law-giver is said to be from between Judah ' s feet ; which some learned Men have thought is an Allusion to the Custom of Courts , where the Scribe or Lawyer used to sit at the Feet of the Judge or Governor , and there take his Opinion . But this is a Mistake , and ariseth from the want of considering the difference between those two Expressions at the feet and from between the feet . These have no Affinity with one another : As to the latter then , from between his feet , i. e. the Feet of Iudah ; it is as much as , of the Seed or Race of Judah ( as you will find those words signifie in Deut. 28. 57. ) and brought up by him ( as Children are said to be brought up upon their Parents Knees , Gen. 50. 23. ) This is the plain and unforced meaning of this Hebrew Phrase or Expression ; when it is said then , that a Law-giver from between his feet , shall not depart from him ; the meaning is , that there shall always be some who shall be born of the Posterity and Race of Judah , and brought up and educated by them that shall sway the Scepter , and give Laws in Israel . This shall last till Shiloh come , which is the next and main thing to be explain'd . There are various Interpretations of this word given by Expositors , but they all agree in this , that it refers to the Messias .

I. Some think that the Seventy Interpreters did read it not Shilo but Shello , as if it were an Abbreviature of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille cujus or cui , like the Arabick Allah , from the Article Al , ● , and the Pronoun lah , ei or cui , for God is He of whom , and through whom , and to whom , and for whom are all things , Rom. 11. 36. Heb. 2. 10. So here the Messi●s , of whom Iacob Prophesies , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille cujus , which is rendred by the Sept●agint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he for whom is laid up , namely the Kingdom : Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the things that are laid up for him : Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for whom they are laid up : For there is this Variety of Readings in different Copies . And a * * Simon . Critic . Hist. l ▪ 2. learned Critick hath lately attempted to give us the reason why Shello comes to be read Shiloh , because ( saith he ) before Points were used in the Hebrew Text , the Letter Iod served instead of the Vowels I and E , but after the finding out of the Points , the Transcribers of the Bible still kept in the letter Iod in the Text , which hath made the Sense of this place difficult , saith he . But this account ( as ingenious as it is , and like its Author ) falls to the ground , and is of no value at all , if the Hebrew Points were co-existent with the Letters , which will appear to be the most probable opinion to those who impartially weigh the Arguments brought for it , but especially that of the Truth and Certainty of the Scriptures of the Old Testament which depend upon it . And as for the Version of the Seventy , which seems to favour those who think Shelo to be the true Original word ; I wonder that wise Men will rely upon this Greek Translation , which it is evident is in innumerable places false and ●orrupted , that is , it was either so at first , by reason of the Mistakes which the Seventy Interpreters committed , or else it was depraved afterwards , whether willfully ( to disguise the Truth ) or through negligence , or by the fault of the Copies they then had , I will not stand to dispute . This corrupting of Scripture , and particularly the altering of this Text in the Greek , was long ago objected to Trypho against his Brethren the Jews by Iustin Martyr . But that the Seventy Elders read the Hebrew amiss in this place , and that this was the cause of their mistake , is very likely , it being ( as I have suggested , and as all impartial Men will acknowledge ) their common practice , and therefore not to be wondred at here .

And yet I am not so positive here , as I find some Writers are , for there is a way of salving this Greek Translation , without charging them with mistaking the Hebrew ; for I conceive the Seventy might read it Shiloh , as we have it now ; but they took it to be as much as asher lo , ille cujus or cui , He for whom the Scepter , mentioned just before , was laid up , or to whom it belonged , and thence they rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . So that although the Jewish Interpreters mistake the Hebrew words in other places ( as it is certain they do ) yet there is no necessity of asserting that they do so here . Perhaps they did read it right , though they mistook the true meaning of the word ( of which I shall give you an account afterwards ) and instead of understanding it to be the Name of the Messias , thought the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●o be a Pronoun , and so they concluded that Shilo was of the same signification with Shelo . But this is a sorry Interpretation of the word , and the very Iews themselves ( excepting * * R. Solomon . one single Rabby ) are ashamed of it ; for it unnecessarily confounds and jumbles two words together , and at the same time mangles one of them , and substitutes a Van in the place of a He , and strikes out a Iod , and after all this leaves the sense of the Prophesie lame and imperfect , uncertain and arbitrary , for these words [ he to whom ] assert and determine nothing at all .

II. The Vulgar Latin Version furnisheth us with another Interpretation of this word , rendring it qui mittendus est ; for it seems these Translators read it not Shiloh but Shiloah or Shilluach , i. e. missus , which here is as much as mittendus , the Praeterit being put for the Future , after the manner of the Prophetick Writers . Some think that this is one of the Messias's Names in Isa. 8. 6. and that this Text which we are now treating of , was , among several others , corrupted by the Jews , they changing Shiloah into Shiloh : But there is not the least shew of reason to assert either of these , for in that place in Isaiah , Shiloah barely signifies a Fountain or Spring of that name , which rose at the foot of Mount Sion : And it is a mistake that the Jews corrupted this Text by turning Shiloah into Shiloh , for it was to no purpose to do it , the word Shiloh ( as you shall hear anon ) being as expressive , yea much more , of the Messi●s , than that other could be . Without all Controversie , the Text is entire and uncorrupted ; and as for these Surmises , they arise only from attending to the Vulgar Latin Version . The short is , the Authors of this Interpretation mistook a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which they might easily do , by reason of the likeness of these L●tters : And besides , in the Hebrew Copy which they ●sed , the Pathah under the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was omitted , and so they thought the word was Shiloach , and not Shiloh . There ne●ds no more to be said than this , for the Refutation of this Exposition of the word .

III. Others tell us that Shiloh is derived from Shil , which signifies the Secundine , the Membrane which the Infant is wrapt in when it comes into the World . And because this accompanieth the Child , it is taken for it , as in Deut. 28. 57. and by a Metonymy signifies as much as foetus , filius ; and consequently ( say they ) Shiloh is the same with Beno , filius ejus , his Son or Off-spring , viz. Iudah's . But though this be the Interpretation of some of the noted * * ● . D. Ki●chi , Aben Ezra , R. ●●chai . Iewish Rabbies , and though these he followed by several ‖ ‖ Gala●i●●s , Calvin , ●●nius & Tre●elli●● , 〈◊〉 . Writers of the Christian Persuasion , yet there is good reason to question , yea to reject this opinion , for there is no such Hebrew word as Shil in the Bible , nor any where else . These Writers have deceived themselves one after another , by trusting to what a circumcised Doctor had told them . They read in R. Kimchi , that Shil is secundina or fo●tus in the forementioned place in Deuteronomy ; but if we consult it , we shall find that it is Shiljah , not Shil . However , they made Shil out of Shiljah , and then fancied that Shil was comprehended in the word Shiloh , and that this hath the like signification with that . B●t we must remember that there is no such word as Shil ; and as for the word Shiljah , it is once taken in a strained sense for proles or filius ; but who can thence gather , that this is the Acception of the word Shiloh ? No Man certainly that knows how to make rational Deductions from things . Moreover , they add a Vau to Shil to make it Shilo , which is extravagantly done to no purpose , for it is Shiloh , not Shilo in the Original . They throw away the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as superfluous and redundant , as a useless Affix to the word ; but we must remind them that the He is not of that nature , but that it is a substantial and radical Letter belonging to the word , for the word is the proper Name of the Messias , as I shall now proceed to shew .

IV. * * Vatablus , Fagius , Castalio , Shindler , Avenarius , Hotger , Mede . Others of great Learning and Judgment ▪ derive Shiloh from the Verb Shalah : And this I take to be the most genuine Derivation of the word , the three radical Letters of the Verb Shala● being in it . What can be said or desired more ? Some hundreds of Derivative words have but two , and yet none questions their Production from the Root . Much less then can we do●bt of the Extraction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it hath the full number of Letters belonging to the Radix . And as for the Iod in the Derivative , it is common and frequent to insert that between the Radical Letters , as the Learned very well know . So that in short , Shiloh from Shalah is d●duced without the least strain upon the word . But I do not find that any of those learned Persons , whose Names you see in the Margin , have taken notice of , and represented to us the Wonderful Suitableness of this Appellation . I never met with any Writer that hath shewed the peculiar Contrivance of this word , and how 't is particularly framed , to express the Glorious Nature and Attributes of the Son of God , the Redeemer of the World . That therefore is the thing which I will now undertake , and consequently I shall demonstrate , that there is no Name imaginable that can be more properly and fitly applied to him than this . We must take notice then , that there are three Significations of the word Shalah whence Shiloh comes . First , Shalah is * * Th●nce Merce● 〈◊〉 A●e●arius , ●nd other E●●●ologists , d●rive this L●tin word Salvare fr●m the H●brew Verb Sh●la● , or the Noun Shal●ah . salvavit , salvus fuit , as is clear from Job 3. 26. where this word is used in this sense . It imports Safety or Salvavation , and so Shiloh , ‖ ‖ Lo Shala●●i , I was 〈◊〉 Sa●ety . which is derived from this Verb , is as much as Saviour . Secondly , Shalah is of the same signification with Shalam quievit , pacificavit ; qui●●us , pacifi●us fuit , Psalm 122. 6. * * I●shlaiu , ●●ieti er●nt Mon●an . which is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently by the Septuagint . It denotes Peace , and consequently Shiloh is the same with Peaceable . The third and next Denotation of the word Shalah ( which also follows naturally from the two former significations ) is * * Psal. 30. 6. Ier. 1● . 1. Lam. 1. 5. felicem , fortunatum , prosperum esse , and accordingly is rendred by the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , prospero successu uti . Therefore Shiloh is as much as the Happy , the Fortunate , the Prosperer .

Here then you cannot but see already the great Mystery contained , and also discovered in this Remarkable Word . It hath its undoubted and immediate Original from a Verb which signifies to save , and also to be at Peace , and ( because these are the Blessings which conduce to the Felicity of Man ) to be Happy . Whence we cannot but acknowledge that this Title Shiloh is most s●itably applied here to the Messias , who is Iesus , i. e. a Saviour and Deliverer , who is also our great Peace-maker , and who is the Author of all our Happiness both in this World and in another . This admirable and singular Make of the Wo●d , is little less than an Assurance and Demonstration to me , that I have pitch'd upon the right and only true Derivation of it . Therefore this invites me to stay here a while , and to ponder the Vertue and Weight of this Marvelous Name given to the Messias . Indeed these great things comprehended in this glorious Title , are worthy to be insisted upon , that we may thereby be throughly convinced , how fit an Epithet this is for our Blessed Lord : And I shall do this the rather , because ( as I have intimated already ) I have not found the Extensive Meaning of this Glorious Name display'd by those who have purposely undertaken to explain and comment upon this antient Prophesie concerning the Coming of Christ .

I. This Title contains in it the welcome notice of that most Ravishing Name JESUS , the Name given him by the particular direction of an Angel from Heaven , Matt. 1. 21. and which being interpreted , is no other than a Saviour . Wherefore you find both joyned together by St. Paul , Acts 13. 23 , a Saviour , Iesus , the one being expressive of the other . The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which the Apostle here useth , is of mighty sense and import , and accordingly Tully tells us , that * * Hoc quantum est ? ita magnum ut Latino un● verbo ex primi non possit , l. 4. contra Verrem . this word cannot be expressed by any single one in Latin . It is certain that Servator ( which was a word then in use ) came short of it ; therefore Salvator hath been used by the Latin Fathers as a suller word , and this hath generally obtained in the Church . * * De Resurrect. carn. c. 47. Adv. Mar●ion . l. ● Tertullian is pleased to render it Salu●ificator , thinking this to be a more significant word . But * * In Matt. 1. 21. Grotius comes and produceth another word , and makes bold to correct Tully ( as good a judge of Latin as he was ) and averreth that the single word Sospitator is of the same import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and is as full . I think truly this great Man hath outdone the Orator in his own Tongue : For from Tully's own account of the word * * Is est nimirum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui salutem dedit . ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we may gather that this Latin word fully answers to that Greek one , which implies not only a Saving or Preserving from being destroyed but a Restoring to that Safety which was lost : So that it is a conferring of some positive Benefit on a Person . This is the very import of Sospitator , it properly relates to those things or Persons that were lost and undone . It respects the Condition of Men in Mis●ry , and it signifies a restoring them to their former ha●py State , and so is exactly applicable to the Redemption wrought for us by Jesus Christ . Thus the Ti●le of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saviour , is very expressive and emphatical . But to come to p●rticulars beho●d how our Shiloh , our Saviour , merits that name by all the ways imaginable . He was a Bodily Saviour , miraculously rescuing distressed People from their Diseases and Pains which they laboured under , compassionately preserving many Thousands from perishing by Hunger , powerfully ejecting the evil Spirit out of those that were possessed and tormented by him . Yea , he was infinitely beneficial and advantagious to the whole Race of Mankind , by conferring on them all Temporal , and offering all Spiritual Mercies to them , so that he is most truly called * * 1 Tim. 4. 10. the Saviour of all Men. But especially of those that believe in him , and conform their Lives to his Holy Laws , He is a Saviour , and that in a more eminent manner , viz. * * Mat. 1. 21. To save them from their sins , which is the grand reason assigned why this Name was given him . * * Acts 5. 31. Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour , to give Repentance and Forgiveness of sins , to save us from the Prince of Darkness , and to bruise Satan under our feet : For this Shiloh is the Seed of the Woman foretold in Gen. 3. 15. that was to break the Serpents head . This Blessed Shiloh * * 1 Thess. 1. 10. delivers us from the Wrath to come , and frees us fom eternal Death , which is the just Wages of sin . And lastly , he actually confers all Good upon us both here and hereafter . He freely purchaseth for us the Favour of God , he bestoweth Life and Happiness , and is * * Heb. 5. 9. the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him .

Thus he merits the Name of Shiloh or Saviour , and therefore most justly ought we to value and reverence this Name . The Iews indeed call our Lord by the Name Iesus , but with some Diminution of it ; for ( as we are informed by * * Elias Le●i●a Thi●b . one that was well acquainted with the Jewi●h Writers ) instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they stile him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by which curtailing of the word , they let us understand that they do not own him ( as the Christians do ) for a Saviour . But let us be sensible that this is the True Iesus , the Saviour , and that there is none else ; let us adore him as a Compleat and Perfect Saviour . It is true , we read in the ‖ ‖ In Pinda ro , Sophocle , Aeschilo . Greek Poets and * * Iul. Poll. Onom●st . l. 6 c. 16. Atbenae . l. 45. c. 20. others , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was Iupiter's Epithet : And the Temple of Iupiter Servator is mentioned by ‖ ‖ Nat. Hist. ● . 34. Pliny . Bacchus likewise had this Title , for Pausanias mentions an Altar to him with this Inscription . And the Dioscuri were particularly called † † Aelian . var. Hist. l. 1. c. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because they were thought to deliver and save Men in Tempests at Sea . And not only the Gods , but great Men and Benefactors were honoured with this Appellation . Thus ‖ ‖ Ioseph . Antiq. Iud. l. 11. c. 6. Ahashuerus ( whom Iosephus names Artaxerxes ) caused Mordecai the Iew , who had detected the Conspiracy of the Eunuchs against him , to be proclaimed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his Saviour and Deliverer . So Antiochus Epiphanes had this Title given him in Flattery by the Samaritans , saith the * * Ioseph . Antiq. Iud. l. 12. c. 7. same Author . And this very Name was bestowed upon Demetrius one of the Grecian Monarchs . But to go back to the times long before , † † Gen. 41. 49 Zaphnath Paaneah , Saviour of the World , ( as St. Ierom interprets it , who had been in Egypt , and had , it is likely , learnt the Interpretation of that Egyptian Name ) was the Title conferred on Ioseph by Pharaoh , because he had saved not only Egypt , but other Countries from perishing by Famine . But it is our Iesus , our Shiloh alone that i● worthy of that Name in the full extent of it , and accordingly he is stiled the Saviour of the World , 1 Iohn 4. 14. And you may observe , that this Appellative is given him by the Samaritans that came to him , Iohn 4. 42 , We know , say they , that this is indeed the Christ , the Saviour of the World : Which Title they had learnt , I conceive , from this very Prophesie concerning the Messias , where he is called Shiloh . For the Samaritans owned the Pentateuch , in which this Prediction of the Holy Patriarch Iacob was very eminent , and much observed by them : Wherefore they could not but enquire into the true meaning of this Name , and they found it to signifie a Saviour , and thence knew and were assured that Christ was the Saviour of the World . Thus you see the reason why this good Patriarch gave the N●me Shiloh to the Messias , viz. Because it is of the same import with JESUS or Saviour . But ,

II. This Title of the Messias signifies not only Salvation , but Peace . And indeed these two are nearly allied to one another , and accordingly are joyned together by the Apostle , Rom. 5. 8 , &c. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us : Much more being now justified by his blood , we shall be saved from wrath through him . For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son : Much more being reconciled , we shall be saved by his Life . These two , Salvation and Reconciliation , are inseparable , and they are both purchased by the Blood of Iesus , who is our Shiloh , i. e. both our Saviour and our Peace-maker . Hear how the meaning of this Blessed Name was proclaimed by the Inspi●ed Writers of Old . ‖ ‖ Dan. 9. 24 He shall make Reconciliation for Iniquity , saith the Prophet Daniel : And others foretell , that * * Mic. 5. 5. This Man shall be the Peace , and that ‖ ‖ Zech. 6. 13 The Council of Peace shall be between them both , viz. Between the Lord and the Branch spoken of in the foregoing Verse : For an Eternal Council was held between the Father and the Son , concerning the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind , and this was a Council of Peace , i. e. of Reconciliation towards lost ▪ Sinners . This was the Effect of that Blessed Consult from Eternity : The Son of God was to be an Expiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of the World , and thereby to pacifie the Divine Justice , and so to become our Shiloh . But this was more especially the Glorious Theme of the New Testament , where we are abundantly assured , that ‖ ‖ Col. 1. 20. he made Peace through the Blood of his C●oss , and that the great Design and End of his being Incarnate , was to make Peace between God and Man , to reconcile Heaven and Earth . † † Eph. 2. 14. He is ou● Peace , who hath made both one , and hath broken down the mid●le wall of Partition between us , having abolished in his fl●sh the Enmity , so making Peace ; and that he might reco●cile both unto God in one Body by the Cross , having slain the Enmity thereby : An● came and preached Peace to you which were afar off , and to them that were nigh , i. e. both to Gentiles and Iews . This ‖ ‖ 1 Ti● . 2 5. is the Mediator between God and Man , the Man Christ Iesus , that Middle Person who interposed between us and the Offended Majesty , and by his powerful Mediation reconciled us unto God . Therefore even the Hebrew Masters and Cabalists called the Messias * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man between , one who undertakes to appease the difference between God and Man . Iacob's Shiloh is the same with this Mediator , this Reconciler , this Peace-maker . This was his Office , and his Name is suitable to it .

Again , Aben Ezra and other Rabbies grant , that this Name Shiloh is given to the Messias , because he is Peaceable , and the Author of Peace to Mankind . This is the very Character of our JESUS , our Saviour ; and this ( viz. Peaceableness ) is the very Genius and proper Nature of that Holy Religion which he founded and established in the World . The Principles of Christianity do most effectually conduce to the promoting of Peace among Men , it strictly commanding them to forgive them that trespass against them , to put away all Bitterness , and Wrath , and Anger , to choose in some cases to take wrong without looking for Redress , to study to be quiet , and to follow peace with all Men. And to commend and encourage this excellent Temper our Lord hath pronounced the Peace-makers Blessed . If there be Quarrels and Dissentions , Animosities and Persecutions amongst Christians ( and who sees not that these too frequently abound ? ) they are not the fault of Christianity , but of the Evil Dispositions , Lusts and Corruptions of Men. Christ is not the Author of these , neither is Christianity it self to be blamed , that any such thing happens in the World ; for the design of Christ's Kingdom was Peace , as the Prophet sets forth the times of the Gospel , ‖ ‖ Isa. 2. 4 , 5. They shall beat their Swords into Plow-shares , and their Spears into Pruning-hooks . Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation , neither shall they learn War any more . It is one grand end of the Evangelical Institution , to remove all quarrelsome Distinctions and Antipathies between the different People of the Earth , that in Christ Iesus there may be neither Iew nor Gentile ▪ neither Greek nor Barbarian , neither Bond nor Free , but that all may become one in Christ Iesus ; and that a ●eriod being put to all their former Grudges and Dissentions , they may be perfectly joyned together in brotherly Affection , that universal Peace and Amity may take place , and that the Royal Law of Love may prevail in the World . This is the design and work of our Shiloh , our Peaceable Messias ; he hath purchased the means conducing to it , and we may be in possession of it if we will . Farther , to evince the Truth and Efficacy of this Name , let us reflect on the remarkable time of our Saviour's visiting the World , which was a Time of Universal Peace . I grant this is a common Observation , and generally known ; but here in our present Subject it is very considerable , and more than ordinarily to be taken notice of and applied , because it will let us into the true Notion of this great and comprehensive Name Shiloh . The noise of Wars and Battles was ceased , all was calm and hush'd , a Catholick Peace possessed the World at Christ's appearing in it ; for he was born in the Reign of a Mild and Peaceable Prince , who after five Civil Wars , and after infinite Slaughter and Bloodshed accompanying them all , reigned peaceably many Years . At this time it was , that the Parthians , and several Nations which before had continually infested the Roman Empire with their Arms , came and humbly besought its Friendship , and tamely restored those Banners and other Ensigns of War which they had formerly taken from the Romans in Battle , and laid them down at Augustus's Feet . When thus this Emperor had vanquish'd the World , and settled the Nations , and all Kingdoms were brought under his Dominion , when he as well as the whole Earth was at Peace ( of which the shutting of the Gates of Ianus's Temple , as it were shutting up Peace there , was a visible Token , and whereof there was very rarely an Example , as ‖ ‖ In vit. Nu●ae . Plutarch observes , till this time ) then , and not till then , our Saviour chose to bless the World with his presence , to make it appear , that he was indeed the Shiloh , the Prince of Peace , ( as the ‖ ‖ Isa , 9. 6. Evangelical Prophet had stiled him ) the True Solomon , the Pacifick King , who brought Peace with him into the World , and brought a Religion with him which is the greatest Friend and Advancer of Peace .