CHAP.torians say all this, and much more to the same 'purpose. According to Josephus-they trampled upon all human laws, derided divine things, and Bel. lib. made a jest of the oracles of the prophets, as of so many dreams and fables."

Jose. de

iv. cap.6.

Johni.11.

20. &c.

Acts i. 6.

60. "In a fourth division we put the devout Jews. Matt. xx. These were few, and they had very imperfect no'tions of that kind of kingdom, which their ancient 'prophets had foretold God intended to erect; and of 'that sort of Messiah, by whom the great event was 'to be effected. Hence it was, that, when he came 'to his own, his own received him not."

Eccl.His

61. To this may be added the following extracts from tory, vol. Mosheim. And first, concerning the Pagans. "The i, p.26,28,rites used in their worship were absurd and ridicu

29.

ibid p. 38,

and 40.

lous, and frequently cruel and obscene. For the 'gods and goddesses, to whom public homage was 'paid, exhibited to their worshippers rather exam'ples of egregious crimes, than of useful and illus'trious virtues. The consequences of this wretched 'theology were a universal corruption of manners which discovered itself in the impunity of the most 'flagitious crimes.”

*

62. "It is also well known, that no public law 'prohibited the sports of the gladiators, the ex'ercise of unnatural lusts, the licentiousness of divorce, the custom of exposing infants [to wild beasts,] and of procuring abortions, nor the frontless atrocity of consecrating publicly stews and 'brothels [i. e. bawdy houses] to certain divinities.”

63. "The state of the Jews was not much better 'than that of other nations at the time of Christ's appearance in the world. They were governed by 'Herod-his government was a yoke of the most vexatious and oppressive kind. The priests, and 'those who possessed any shadow of authority, were 'become dissolute and abandoned to the highest 'degree; while the multitude, set on by these cor

The gladestors were persons appointed to fight each other with the sword, for the entertainment of the nobility and people. The fighters generally con sisted of slaves, prisoners of war, &c. who were stripped naked to the waist and rent into the amphitheatre or place appointed, to fight till death. In this way vast numbers were slain, while thousands of spectators looked on to see the sport!

'rupt examples, ran headlong into every sort of in- CHAP. 'iquity."

64. Such then, as hath been stated, was the real situation of all mankind, from Adam to Moses, and from Moses to Christ. Not all of them at all times alike, in name or appearance, nor equally corrupt in practice. But all of them, patriarchs and families, kings and prophets, priests and people, from Adam to Christ, were destitute of the real internal power of salvation from all sin. It is testified by the law and the prophets, and confirined by the most undeniable facts.

65. And hence, the conclusion of the holy scriptures, before the appearing of Christ; "Remember Mal. iv.4, ye the law of Moses my servant, saith God, which 4,6. I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.”

66. "Behold I send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the father's to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a CURSE.

THE TESTIMONY OF

CHRIST's SECOND APPEARING.

PART II. ·

THE FIRST APPEARING OF CHRIST—THE
BEGINNING AND WORK OF A NEW

CREATION.

MA

CHAPTER I.

Christ introduced by John the Baptist.

1.

ANKIND being universally sunk in depravity, CHAP. and the Jews themselves, who in the times of their obedience and prosperity, had figuratively stood as God's chosen people, being totally ignorant of that kind of Messiah and his kingdom, which their ancient prophets had foretold; it was highly necessary, that the way for the coming of Christ should be prepared, before he could be received by any.

2. The angel Gabriel had informed Zachariah of Luke i. the birth and designation of John, that he should 15, 16, 17 drink neither wine nor strong drink, but should be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, Matt. iii. and turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord 3 their God-That he should go before him, in the spir- Marki. 1, it and power of Elias-and make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

3. It was in the last days of the Jewish commonwealth, and in their worst state of depravity, that John the Baptist appeared. His parents were both aged, like Abraham and Sarah. And John, like Isaac, was born according to promise.

4. It is every where observable in the sacred history of God's dealings with mankind, that his ways are

2, 3.

CHAP. not man's ways. John did not make his appearance I. to the world, from among the learned doctors, nor the great Sanhedrim of the Jews; but abode in the deserts until the day of his testimony unto Israel.

Luke i, 80.

2,5-9.

5. And when the fulness of time was come, John received his mission from Almighty God, and went Matt. ii. forth with the solemn cry, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Then went out to him multitudes from Jerusalem, and from other parts of Judea, particularly from the region round about the river Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Luke vii. 30.

6. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, generation of vipers! who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.

7. The Jews had been long accustomed to confess their sins, one by one, to the priests appointed for that purpose; and, in times of calamity, they had acquired an old trick of feigning repentance, and claiming their right to the promises made to faithful Abraham; while they themselves continued to bring forth the fruits of sin, and perpetual rebellion against God, and were abominable, and to every good work reprobate.

8. But this feigned repentance, and confessing sins without forsaking them, and this pretended submission to what John taught, by being baptized, while they had no sincere intention of reforming, was too thin a mask to conceal the hypocrisy of those blind guides from that burning and shining light which penetrated their secret motives.

9. It was not the rulers who believed, or wished to believe the testimony of John; on their parts they rejected him. It was the common people that were the most disposed to receive his testimony. And while they came to him from every quarter, and were baptized, confessing their sins, such an affair could not escape the notice of the rulers, without their taMark xi. king cognizance of it; but fearing the multitude, who all held John as a prophet, they conducted them

32.