the (3) nation was affembled too to celebrate the paffover, Titus fhut them up within the walls of Jerufalem. The rejection of the true Meffiah was their crime; and the following of false Meffiahs to their deftruction was their punishment. They fold and bought Jefus as a flave; and they themselves were afterwards fold and bought as flaves at the lowest prices. They preferred a robber and murderer to Jefus, whom they crucified between two thieves; and they themselves (4) were afterwards infefted with bands of thieves and robbers. They put Jefus to death, left the Romans fhould come and take away their place and nation; and the Romans did come and take away their place and nation. They crucified Jefus before the walls of Jerufalem; and before the walls of Jerufalem they themselves were crucified in fuch numbers, that it is (5) faid room was wanting for the croffes, and croffes for the bodies. I fhould think it hardly poffible for any man to 1 бое lay 4. Cap. 3. Lib. 7. Cap. 8. &c. A a 2 lay these things together, and not conclude the Jews own imprecation to be remarkably fulfilled upon them, (Mat. XXVII. 25.) His blood be on us and on our children. We Christians cannot indeed be guilty of the very fame offenfe in crucifying the Lord of glory but it behoves us to confider, whether we may not be guilty in the fame kind, and by our fins and iniquities (Hebr. VI. 6.) crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open Shame; and therefore whether being like them in their crime, we may not alfo resemble them in their punishment. They rejected the Meffiah, and we indeed have received him: but have our lives been at all agreeable to our holy profeffion, or rather as we have had opportunities of knowing Chrift more, have we not obeyed him lefs than other Chriftians, and (Hebr. X. 29.) troden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith we are fanctified an unholy thing, and done deSpite unto the Spirit of grace? The flagrant crimes of the Jews, and the principal fources of their calamities, in the opinion of (6) Jofephus, were their trampling upon all human laws, de (6) κατεπάτειτο μεν εν πας αυτοίς, θεσμος ανθρωπων, εγελατο δε τα θεία, και τες των προφητων riding θεσμος [Α1. χρησμός] ώσπες αγιςτικας λογοποιίας εχλεύαζεν. et ab illis quidem omne jus humanum con. riding divine things, and making a jeft of the oracles of the prophets as fo many dreams and fables: and how hath the fame fpirit of licentioufnefs and infidelity prevailed likewife among us? How have the laws and lawful authority been infulted with equal infolence and impunity? How have the holy fcriptures, thofe treasures of divine wifdom, not only been neglected, but defpifed, derided, and abused to the worst purposes? How have the principal articles of our faith been denied, the prophecies and miracles of Mofes and the prophets of Chrift and his apostles been ridiculed, and impiety and blafphemy not only been whispered in the ear, but proclamed from the prefs? How hath all public worship and religion, and the administration of the facraments been flighted and contemned, and the fabbath profaned by those chiefly who ought to fet a better example, to whom much is given, and of whom therefore much will be required? And if for their fins and provocations (Rom. XI. 21, 20.) God fpared not the natural branches, take heed left he alfo fpare not thee. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou ftandeft by faith. Be not highminded, conculcabatur, divina autem quæque deridebantur, et prophetarum oracula ut præftigia A torum commenta fubfannabant, Ibid. Lib. 4. Cap. 6. Sect, 3. p. 1188, Edit. Hudfon. a 3 (1) So minded, but fear. God bore long with the Jews; and hath he not bore long with us too! But he cut them off, when the measure of their iniquities was full; and let us beware left our measure be not alfo well-nigh full, and we be not growing ripe for excifion. What was faid to the church of Ephesus, is very applicable to us and our own cafe, (Rev. II. 5.) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of bis place, except thou repent. 1 A S our bleffed Saviour hath cited and appealed to the book of Daniel, fo likewise have his apostles drawn from the fame fountain. St. Paul's and St. John's predictions are in a manner the copies of Daniel's originals with some improvements and additions. The fame times, the fame perfons, and the fame events. are described by St. Paul and St. John as well as by Daniel; and it might therefore with reafon be expected, that there fhould be fome fimilitude and resemblance in the principal features and characters. St. Paul hath left in writing, befides others, two most memorable prophecies, both relating to the fame fubject, the one concerning the man of fin, the other concerning the apoftafy of the latter times, the former contained in the fecond Epiftle to the Theffalonians, and the latter in the first Epistle to Timothy. The prophecy concerning the man of fin, having been delivered A a 4 first |