"rather drove them who were already difpofed to it, and wanted no "incitement to rebel against the Romans." I would now take farther notice of the paffage above cited, wherein our Jewish hiftorian says, "what principally encouraged them to the "war was an ambiguous oracle, found in their facred writings, "that about that time fome one from their country should obtain "the empire of the world." FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE CHRISTIANS IN JUDEA, AS OUR LORD HAD FORETOLD. The truth and importance of that observation, as I apprehend, may be confirmed and illuftrated by the accounts which Jofephus has given of numerous impoftors, or falfe-prophets, which arose among them about this time, agreeably to our Lord's predictions, as I fhall now fhew. "Whilft * Fadus was Procurator of Judea, a certain impoftor, "called + Theudas, perfuaded a very great multitude, taking their "effects with them, to follow him to the river Jordan: affuring "them, that he was a Prophet, and that caufing the river to divide "at his command, he would give them an eafy paffage over: by "fuch fpeeches he deceived many. But Fadus was far from fuffer"ing them to go on in their madness. For he fent out a troop of "horfe, who, coming upon them unexpectedly, flew many, and "took many prifoners. Theudas himself was among the laft "mentioned. They cut off his head, and brought it to Jerufalem. "These things happened in Judea, whilft Cufpius Fadus was Pro"curator." Fadus was fent into Judea by the Emperor Claudius, after the death of Herod Agrippa. This affair of Theudas therefore must be rightly placed in the year of Chrift 45, or 46. That is tranfcribed from the 20th and last book of the Antiquities. In the fame book, afterwards, in another chapter, in the hiftory of tranfactions in the time of Nero, Jofephus fays: "But ‡ affairs in "Judea went on continually growing worfe and worfe. The country "was again filled with robbers and impoftors, who deceived the peo"ple. But Felix time after time apprehended, and put to death many "of them." A little lower: "And indeed, by means of the crimes "committed by the robbers, the city was filled with all forts of impiety. And impoftors and deceivers perfuaded the people to follow "them into the wildernefs: where, as they faid, they fhould fee manifeft wonders and figns performed by the providence of God. "And many hearkening unto them at length fuffered the punishment "or their folly. For Felix fetched them back, and punished them. "About the fame time there came a man out of Egypt to Jerufalem, 66 Ant. 1. 20. cap. v. I. That Theudas is different from him, mentioned by Gamaliel, Acts v. 36. as was thewn formerly. Cied b. p. i. B. 2. ch. vii. p. 921, &c. Art q. 1. 20. cap. viii. 5. § lb. § 6. "who "who faid, he was a Prophet: and having perfuaded a good number "of the meaner fort of people to follow him to the mount of Olives, " he told them, that thence they should fee the walls of Jerufalem "fall down at his command, and promised through them to give "them entrance into the city. But Felix, being informed of these "things, ordered his foldiers to their arms. And marching out of "Jerufalem with a large body of horfe and foot, he fell upon the Egyptian, and killed four hundred of them, and took two hun"dred prifoners. But the Egyptian getting out of the fight efcaped.' This fame ftory is alfo in the War, with fome differences in the numbers, which were confidered * formerly. There the account concludes in this manner. "When they "came to engage, the Egyptian fled, followed by a few only. Á large part of those who were with him were either flain, or taken "prifoners. The reft of the multitude being scattered, fhifted for "themfelves as they could." 66 This is fuppofed to have happened in the year of Chrift 55. In the War, in the paragraph preceding his account of the Egyp tian impoftor, having juft before related, how Judea then abounded with robbers, called Sicarii, he favs: " Befide them, there was "another body of wicked men, whofe hands indeed were cleaner, "but their intentions were as impious, who difturbed the happy "ftate of the city no lefs than thofe murderers. For deceivers and "impoftors, under a pretence of divine infpiration, aiming at changes "and innovations, made the people mad, and induced them to "follow them into the wilderness, pretending, that God would "there give them figns and wonders. Felix, judging thefe proceed"ings to be no lefs than the beginning of a revolt, fent out his fol"diers, both horfe and foot, and deftroyed great numbers of them." In the forecited chapter of the 20th book of the Antiquities, fpeaking of the robbers in the time of Porcius Feftus, about the year of Chrift 60, he fays, "that he alfo fent out both horfe and foot "to fall upon thofe who had been feduced by a certain impoftor, "who had promifed them deliverance, and freedom from the mi"feries under which they laboured, if they would but follow him "into the wildernefs. The forces deftroved both him that had de"ceived them, and thofe that followed him." Jofephus fpeaks of fix thoufand, who perifhed in the outer courts of the temple, after it had been fet on fire. "The foldiers, "fays he, fet fire to the portico. Whereupon fome threw them"felves headlong down the precipice, others perifhed in the flames. "And not one out of fo great a number efcaped. A falfe Prophet "was the occafion of the ruin of thofe people, who on that very day had made proclamation in the city, affuring them, that God "commanded them to go up to the temple, where they would re"ceive figns of deliverance. And indeed there were then many 66 prophets, fuborned by the tyrants, to impofe upon the people, and "telling them, that they ought to wait for help from God." And, prefently after, proceeding to relate the omens and prodigies forefignifying the calamities coming upon the Jewish people, and the city of Jerufalem, which fhall be recited by and by, he fays: "Impoftors*, who fpake lies in the name of God, deceived this miferable people. They neither attended to, nor believed "the manifeft figns, forefignifying the coming defolation. But, like “infatuated men, who have neither eyes to fee, nor minds to per"ceive, they neglected the divine denunciations." So truly did our Lord fay: "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not. If another fhall come in his own name, him ye will receive." John v, 43. Our bleffed Lord fays, Matt. xxiv. 24. "For there will arife falfe "Chrifts, and falfe prophets, and will fhew great figns and wonders, "infomuch that (if it were poffible) they will deceive the very "elect." But our Lord does not intend to fay, that any of those false prophets would exhibit or perform great wonders. The orignal word is" durs, they will give :" the fame word that is in the Septuagint verfion of Deut. xiii. 1. "If there arife among you a prophet, or a "dreamer of dreams, and he giveth thee a fign, or a wonder. xxi dw σo onμčiov régas, that is, fhall propofe, or promise fome fign or wonder, as the fequel fhews. Parallel with the text juft cited from St. Matthew is Mark xiii. 22. "For falfe Chrifts, and falfe prophets "will arife, and will fhew figns and wonders," the fame word again, xal dwoso onμčla xaì répara, in order to feduce, if it were poffible, even the elect. και The accounts, which Jofephus has given of the impoftors in his time, fhew the exact accomplishment of these predictions of our Lord."They perfuaded the people to follow them into the wilder"nefs, where, as they faid, they would fee manifeft figns and wonders 'performed by the power of God:" or, affuring them, "that God "would there give them figns and wonders:" or, that "they "fhould there receive figns of deliverance, and the like." 66 The paffages of Jofephus bear witnefs to the fulfilment of our Lord's prediction, "that many falfe prophets would arife, and de"ceive many." Matt. xxiv. II. 166 Our Lord does alfo fay there, at ver. 5. "And many will come in my name, faying, I am Chrift, and will deceive many." And it is eafy to believe, that + fome of the many falie-prophets did exprefsly take to themfelves that title, though Jofephus does not fay it. But whether they did, or not, our Saviour's predictions are verified in the appearance of thofe falfe-prophets." Jofephus, fays t "Abp. Tillotfon, mentions feveral of thefe: of whom, though he "does not exprefsly fay, that they called themfelves the Meffias; Ibid. § 3. + Sce Tillemont, "Ruine des Juifs, art. 36. A. D. 52. Vol. III. p. 552. 2 t yet t yet he fays that which is equivalent, that they undertook to rescue "the people from the Roman yoke. Which was the thing which "the Jews expected the Meffias would do for them. And therefore we find, that the disciples who were going to Emmaus, and knew "not that Chrift was rifen, and were doubtful what to think of him, "fay: We hoped, this had been he that thould have redeemed "Ifrael:' that is, they hoped, this had been the Meffias, that being, "it seems, a common periphrafis of the Meffias, that he was he that "was to deliver Ifrael." Which is agreeable to a note of Grotius upon the place. All they, therefore, who pretended that they were infpired, and fent by God to deliver the Jewish people, were indeed falfe-chrifts. They took upon themfelves the character of the Mef fiah. * We may now readily admit the truth of what Jofephus fays in the paffage tranfcribed not long ago: "That what principally ex"cited the Jewish people, the wife men, as he calls them, as well "as others, to the war with the Romans, was the expectation of a great deliverer to arife among them, who fhould obtain the em"pire of the world." This great deliverer was the Mefliah. The numerous falfe-prophets and falfe-chrifts, of whom Jofephus fpeaks fo frequently, and fo diftinctly, are full proofs of it. 46 The expectation of the coming of the Meffiah, about the time of the appearance of Jefus, was univerfal, and had been fo for fome while t. But with the idea of a prophet, or extraordinary teacher of religion, they had joined also that of a worldly king and conqueror, who should deliver the Jewish people from the burdens under which they laboured, raife them to a ftate of independence, and bring the nations of the earth into fubjection to them, to be ruled and tyrannifed over by them. And because our Lord did not perform, nor attempt this, they rejected and crucified him. If he would but have affumed the ftate and character of an earthly prince, Scribes and Pharifces, Priests and People, would all have joined themselves to him, and have put themfelves under his banner. Of this we fee many proofs in the Goffels. This difpofition prevailed to the laft. The people, therefore, though they had already met with many difappointments, when our Lord entered into Jerufalem, in no greater ftate than riding upon an afs, accompanied him with loud acclamations, and other tokens of refpect, faying: "Hofanna to the "Son of David. Bletfed is the King, that cometh in the name of the "Lord." And Jefus, our Lord, not affuming then the character of án earthly prince, was a fresh difappointment, and left deep refentments. Which rendered them fufceptible of the worft impreffions from the chief priefts, and their other rulers. And at their inftigation they defired Pilate, the Roman governor, to fet Barabbas at liberty, "Chrifi nomine populus Judaicus intelligebat vindicem libertatis. Nam illud, là • Eksilaum, vai durés için å puénkav bezpšotal cdi lapak, defcriptio est nominis Chrifti. Quare quicumque fe miffos divinitus liberatores populi Judaici dicebant, eo ipfo Chriftos le pro"filebaylor, et erant dvilyası, &c.". Grot, in Matt. xxivulgu + Proofs of this, together with divers remarks, may be teen in Credib. Part i. B. i. ch. v. p. 239, &c. VOL. V. K and and crucify Jefus. With which clamorous, and importunate demand, he at length complied, ftill bearing teftimony to the innocence of him whom he unwillingly condemned. The account of St. Matthew alone, without any other, will fuffice for fhewing this amazing tranfaction. "Pilate faith unto thein: What fhall I do then with "Jefus, who is called Chrift? They all fay unto him: Let him be "crucified. The Governor faid: Why! what evil has he done? "But they cried out the more, faying: Let him be crucified. When Pilate faw, that he prevailed nothing, and that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, faying: I am innocent from the blood of this juft perfon. "See ve to it. Then anfwered all the people: His blood be upon us. and upon our children. Then releafed he Barabbas unto them. And when he had fcourged Jefus, he delivered him to be crucified.” Matt. xxvi. 22. 26. The continued expectation of the Meffiah, as a worldly King and Conqueror, as we have juft feen in Jofephus, and their uneafiness under the Roman yoke, were the immediate occafions of their rebelling against the authority to which they were then fubject. And the fame principles, that induced them to reject and crucify Jefus, brought upon them their utter and final ruin. was * As the fin of the Jewish People in rejecting and crucifying Jefus, after a life of perfect innocence and confummate virtue, after speaking as no man had done before, and doing works which no other man had done, at Jerufalem, and in every part of the land of Ifrael, after fuch preparations as had been made for his reception by the Prophets, and by the teftimony of John the Baptift, his forerunner, very great and aggravated and as they rejected the renewed offers of mercy, and repeated and earnett calls to repentance, made by Chrift's Apostles, and went on increafing in wickedness : God at length fuffered the Romans to come upon them with an armed force, demolished their temple, and made defolate their city, and their whole country, with many circumstances of uncommon and even unparalleled diftrefs. All which having been foreseen, and often foretold, by the Lord Jefus, in his public difcourfes; the accomplishment of thefe predictions, in the event, is an argument of great force in favour of his divine miffion, and of his being indeed the Meffiah, additional to the excellent doctrine, and wonderful works of his miniftry. VIII. THE HISTORY OF THE JEWISH WAR, AND OF THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM, FROM JOSEPHUS. Having fhewn the occafion and caufes of the war, and having alfo obferved the feveral things foretold by the Lord Jefus, as *If ye were blind, ye fhould have no fin. remaineth. John ix. 41. If I had not come But now they have no cloak for their fin. which no other man did, they had not had fin. both me and my Father. John Y. 21–24. But now you fay, we fee: therefore your fin preceding |