fephus himself faw. And they were entering into a long captivity, of which they have not yet feen the end, after a period of almost seventeen hundred years, though they are still wonderfully preferved.

Jofephus was ftill a prifoner. But, when Vefpafian had been proclaimed emperor, he ordered his iron chain to be cut * afunder. When Vefpafian went to Rome, Jofephus continued to be with Ti-' tus, and was present at the siege of Jerufalem, and faw the ruin of his city and country.

After the war was over, when Titus went to Rome, he went with him. And Vefpafian allotted him an apartment in the fame house in which himself had lived before he came to the empire. He also made him a citizen of Rome, and gave him an annual penfion, and continued to fhew him great refpect, fo long as he lived. His fon Titus, who fucceeded him, fhewed him the like regard. And afterwards Domitian, and his wife Domitia, did him many kind f offices.

Jofephus, however, does not deny, that he had many enemies. But the emperors, in whofe time he lived, protected him. Indeed, it is very likely, that the Jews fhould have little regard for a man, who was with the Romans in their camp during the fiege of their city. He particularly fays, that § upon the first tidings of the taking of Jotapata, the people of Jerufalem made great and public lamentations for him, fuppofing, that he had been killed in the fiege.' But when they heard, that he had efcaped, and was with the Romans, and was well ufed by them, they loaded him with all manner of reproaches, not excepting treachery itfelf. Nor do we find, that the Jewish people ever had any great refpect for his writings: though they have been much efteemed, and often quoted by Chriftian and ** other writers in early and later times.

Of them ++ we are now to take fome notice.

The firft is the Hiftory of the Jewish war," and the taking of Jerufalem, in feven books. In which work he goes back to the times of Antiocus Epiphanes, and the Maccabees. In the preface he fays, that he first wrote it in the language of his own country, for the fake of fuch as lived in Parthia, Babylonia, Arabia, and other parts, and afterwards published it in Greek for the benefit of others: which is what we have. It is generally fuppofed to have been published by him in the 75th year of Chrift, and the 38th year of his own age. He profeffeth to have writ with great §§ fidelity. And for the truth of his De B. J. 1. 4. cap. x.. De B. J. 1. 3. cap. ix. 8 7. Quamvis enim ejus fcripta apud Judæos in nullo pretio fuerint... Gentiles tamen pariter et Chriftiani Jofephum, licet Judæum, ejusque opera, magni æftimarunt. Ittig. Proleg. pag. 88. ap. Havercamp.

$7.

+ Vit. cap. 76.

+ Ibid.

**Jofephus is quoted by Prophyry, not in his books against the Chriftians, but elsewhere. See the teftimonies prefixed to the works of Jofephus.

++ Particular accounts of them are to be seen in Cave, Hift. Lit. Fabric. Bib Gr. 1. 4. cap. 6. Tom. 3. p. 228. &c. Tillemont, La Ruine des Juifs, art. 79. &c. Hift. des Emp. Tom. i. De B. J. L. i. in Pro. § 2. §§ In Pr. § 5. &cvet 1. 7. cap. ult. fin.

history

history appeals to Vefpafian, and Titus, and king Agrippa *, then living. He prefented it to Vefpafian and Titus. Which laft t not only defired the publication of it, but with his own hand figned the book that fhould be reckoned authentic.

2." The Jewish antiquities," in twenty books, or the history of the Jews from the creation of the world to the twelfth year of Nero, in which the war began. This work was finished by him § in the 56th year of his own life, in the third year of the reign of Domitian, and the year of Chrift 93.

3. To this work is fubjoined, as a part of it, or an appendix to it, "His Life," written by himself fome while afterwards.

4. After the feveral above-mentioned works, he published another work, in two books, entituled " of the antiquity of the Jews, against Apion:" being a vindication of the Jewish people against the calumnies of that Egyptian author.

5. To Jofephus likewife is generally afcribed a book, intituled, “ A "difcourfe of the Maccabees." But, as Cave fays, there is good reafon to doubt of it's genuinenefs. And ** Mr. Whitton, who made an English tranflation of all the above named works of this writer, declined to tranflate this, and would not publifh it among

the rest.

The works of Jofephus, notwithstanding many things in them liable to exception, which may be obferved by careful and impartial readers, are very valuable. In his larger work, the "Jewish anti"quities," he confirms the truth of the hiftory of the Old Teftament. And, as in feveral of the laft books of that work he has brought down the Jewish hiftory from the ceafing of prophecy among them to the twelfth of Nero, he has let us know the state of affairs in Judea, during the time of the evangelical hiftory. And he had before done the like in the firrft two books of the "Jewith war." What he has therein faid of Herod, and his fons, of the Roman governors in Judea, the Jewish fects, and their principles, the manners of the Jewish people, and likewife concerning the Samaritans, greatly confirms and illuftrates the hiftory of our Evangelifts. As was formerly thewn in the firft part of this work, the Credibility of the "Gospel-history:" the defign of which was to confirm the facts occafionally mentioned in the New Teftament by paffages of ancient ++ authors.

We are now to confider, whether there is any thing in the works of this Jewish author more directly confirming the principal facts of the New Teftament: particularly, whether he affords any evidences

In Vit, cap, 65. Adv. Ap. I. i. c. 9.

* Αλλ' αυλοίς απέδωκα τοῖς αυτοκράτορσι τὰ βιβλία, Vit. § 65. Conf. Adv. Ap. ut fupr.

ὥσε χαραξας τῇ ἑαυτὰ χωρὶ τὰ βιβλία δημοσιεύσεσθαι προσέταξεν. Vit. § 65,

6 Ant. 1. 20. cap. ult. fin.

"Nihilominus an genuinum fit Josephi opus, justa est dubitandi ratio," Cav. H. L. de Jolepho, p. 35.

**See his note at the end of his translation of Josephus.

++"Quam in multis capitibus Evangeliftarum narrationi fuffragetur Jofephus, erudire "nuper demonftravit Nathanael Lardnerus in opese Anglice edito, de Fide Hiftoriæ Evangelice." Lond. 1727, 8vo. 4 vols, J. A. Fabric. Lux Evangelii, p. 16. not. (a).

of

of the fulfilment of our Lord's predictions concerning the deftruction of the temple and city of Jerufalem, and the great calamities coming upon the Jewish people: and whether he has faid any thing of John the Baptift, our Lord's foie-runner, or of our Lord himself, or of any of his Apostles.

I fhall begin with the firft article. For it is very likely, that in hishiftory of the Jewish war," we should find many things giving credit to the fulfilment of our Lords predictions concerning the Jewish people.

II. STATE OF JUDEA, IN OUR SAVIOUR'S TIME AND BEFORE. Judea was first brought into fubjection to the Romans by Pompey, who, after a fiege of three months, took Jerufalem in the year 63 before the Chriftian aera, about the time of our Midfummer. Jofephus always dates + the lofs of their liberty at that time. The fame is faid by Tacitus.

*

But though the Jewish people then became fubject to the Romans; and it may be faid, that from that time forward the rod of heaven hung over them; they enjoyed many privileges, and the freedom of their worship, under the mild government of thofe mafters: as appears both from Jofephus, and from the hiftorical books of the New Teftament.

When Pompey became mafter of Jerufalem, he § and fome of his officers entered into the temple, and the moft holy places of it. But he took nothing away. There were then in it the table, the candlestick, with its lamps, the pouring veffels, and the cenfers, all of gold, and great quantities of fpices, and two thousand talents in money. All which he left untouched. And the day after he gave orders, that they who had the charge of the temple thould cleanfe it, and perform the accustomed facrifices. And he restored the priesthood to Hyrcanus.

And that after this the Jewish people were, fometimes at least, in a flourishing condition, appears from many confiderations. It was during this period, that Herod repaired the temple. Excepting the cloud of glory with which the firft temple had been favoured, that erected by Herod may be reckoned to have been equal to it in the splendour and magnificence of the building, and in rich and costly prefents, and other ornaments.

When the Jewish people, after their return from the Babylonish captivity, laid the foundation of the new houfe, "many of the Priests, the Levites, and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, wept with a loud voice." Ezr. iii. 12. But God encouraged them

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* See Prideaux, in the year before Christ, 63, p. 439. iv. 4. De B. J. 1. i. cap. vii. § 6.

And Jofeph. Antiq. 1. 14. cap.

Αριτοβόλος προς αλλήλες τασιάζοντες. Αntig. 1. 14. iv. 5. and com 1. 2. cap. xvi. 4. p. 187.

† Τότε το πάθος τοῖς Ιεροσολύμοις αἴτιοι καλέσεσαν Υρκανός και Τήν τε γὰρ ἐλευθερίαν ἀπεβάλομεν, καὶ ὑπήκοοι Ρωμαίων καλίς μεν. pare what Agrippa fays to the Jews at Jerufalem. D. B. J. "Romanorum primus Cn. Pompeius Judæos domuit, templumque jure victoriæ in"greffus eft." Tacit. H. E. 5. c. 9.

De B. J. 1. 1. cap. vii. 6. Conf. Antiq. I, 14. cap. iv.

Vid, Antiq. 1. 15. cap. xi. De B. J. 1. 1. cap. xxi. et 1. 5. cap. v.

by

by the prophet Haggai, in this manner; chr. ii. 3. "Who is left among you, that faw this house in it's first glory? and how do ye fee it now? is it not in your eyes, in comparison of it, as nothing? yet now be ftrong, O Zerubbabel, faith the Lord.... and be ftrong all ye people of the land, and work: for I am with you, "faith the Lord of hofts.... For thus faith the Lord of hosts, . . L "will shake all nations. And the defire of all nations fhall come. "And I will fill this houfe with glory, faith the Lord of hofts.. "The filver is mine, and the gold is mine, faith the Lord of "hofts. The glory of this latter houfe fhall be greater than that of "the former, faith the Lord of hofts. And in this place will I give peace, faith the Lord of hofts.

Here is, undoubtedly, a renewal of the great promife concerning the coming of the Meffiah, the true Shechinah, whofe prefence would make this fecond temple more glorious than the firft. But here is also a gracious affurance of external grandeur and fplendour, "Sil

ver and gold, and all the riches of the world, fays God, are mine, "to beftow on whom I pleafe. And notwithstanding the prefent "mean and defpicable appearance of the building before your eyes;

I will fill it with glory, and will caufe it to equal, or even fur"pafs, the former in fplendour and magnificence... For in this place "will I give peace.' My purpofe is to blefs you abundantly, and to give you great profperity." Which gracious declaration was fulfilled.

That they were in flourishing circumftances at the time of our Lord's preaching among them, is apparent though they were uneafy under subjection to the Romans. Jofephus continually speaks of the temple, as very grand and magnificent. And it appears to be fo from his large and particular defcription of it in the fifth chapter of the fifth book of the Jewish War, juft before it's final ruin. And when Titus, upon the fire having feized the temple, entered it, with fome of his officers, he fays, "that Titus faw it to be far fupe"rior to the report of ftrangers, and not inferior to our boastings "concerning it." And, having related how it was burnt, he fays, it might be juftly lamented: "fince it was the most admirable

of all the works, which we have feen, or heard of, for it's curi"ous ftructure, and magnitude, and for all the wealth bestowed up"on it, as well as for the reputation of it's fanctity," And he exprefsly calls it the temple, that was built, or begun to be built, in the fecond year of Cyrus, under the direction of the prophet Haggai. And our Lord's difciples bear witnefs to the fame in fome paffages that will come before us in reciting his predictions, of which we are now to take notice, and then obferve the fulfillment of

them.

παρελθὼν μετὰ τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἔνδεν ἐθεάσατε το νας τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ τὰ ἐν αυτῷ πολὺ μὲν τῆς παρα τοῖς αλλοφύλοις φήμης αμείνω, τὸ δὲ κόμπο ἢ τῆς παρὰ οἰκείοις δόξεις εκ ἐλάττω. De B. J. 1. 6. cap. iv. 7. + L. 6. iv. 8. Conf. 1. 6. x. fin.

ἢ ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ὕσερον, ἣν ἔτει δευτέρῳ Κύρω βασιλεύοντος ἐποιήσατο Αἰγαῖος. Κ. 6. c. iv. 8.

III. OUR

III. OUR LORD'S PREDICTIONS CONCERNING THE CALAMITIES, COMING UPON THE JEWISH NATION.

We find our Lord's difciples fpeaking of the magnificence of the temple with admiration. So in Mark xiii. 1-10. "And as he went out of the temple, one of his difciples faith unto him: Mafter, "fee what manner of ftones, and what buildings are here! And Jefus anfwering faid unto him: feeft thou thefe great buildings? "There fhall not be left one ftone upon another, that fhall not be "thrown down. And as he fat upon the Mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, "afked him privately: Tell us, when thall these things be; and what "fhall be the fign, when all these things fhall be fulfilled? And Jefus "anfwering them began to fay: Take heed, left any man deceive you. "For many will come in my name, and fay: I am Chrift. And will deceive many. And when ye fhall hear of wars, and rumours "of wars, be ye not troubled. For fuch things must needs be. But "the end fhall not be yet. For nation fhall rife against nation, and kingdom againft kingdom. And there fhall be earthquakes in divers places. And there fhall be famines and troubles. Thefe are "the beginnings of forrows... And the Gospel must first be published among all nations." And ver. 14-20. "But when ye fhall fee the abomination of defolation fpoken of by Daniel the Prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand:) "then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains. And let "him that is on the houfe-top, not go down into the houfe, neither "enter therein, or take any thing out of his house. And let him "that is in the field, not turn back again for to take up his garment. "But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give fuck "in those days. And pray ye, that your flight be not in the winter. "For in thofe days fhall be affliction, fuch as was not from the begining of the creation, which God created, unto this time. Nei"ther fhall be."

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The like things are in St. Matthew xxiv. 1-35. "And Jefus "went out, and departed from the temple. And his difciples came "to him, for to fhew him the buildings of the temple. And Jefus "faid unto them: See ye not all thefe things? Verily I fay unto you, there fhall not be left here one ftone upon another, that fhall not "be thrown down. And as he fat upon the Mount of Olives, the difciples came unto him privately, faying: Tell us, when thefe "things fhall be, and what fhall be the fign of thy coming, and of "the end of the world? And Jefus anfwered, and faid unto them: "Take heed, that no man deceive you. For many will come in my name, faying, I am Chrift. And will deceive many. And ye will 66 hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that ye be not troubled. "For all these things muft come to pafs. But the end is not yet. "For nation will rife againft nation, and kingdom against kingdom. "And there will be famines, and peftilences, and earthquakes in "divers places. All these are the beginings of forrows. Then fhall

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"they