trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. We now proceed to fhow the fulfilment of the moft ftriking parts of this Prophecy. Many fhall come in my name, faying, I am Chrift; and the time draweth near. Many indeed were the impoftors, who either impiously affumed the name of Christ, or the character of infpired Prophets. Jofephus relates, that in the reign of Claudius "the land was overrun with magicians, impoftors, and feducers, who drew the people after them in multitudes into folitudes and deferts, to see the figns and miracles they promised to show by the power of God." Felix, and afterwards Feftus, governors of Judea, judging thefe proceedings to be the commencement of rebellion against the Romans, continually fent out detachments of foldiers, and destroyed great numbers of the deluded populace. Among thefe impoftors were Dofitheus the Samaritan, who affirmed that he was the Chrift foretold by Mofes; ↑ Luke xxi. Antiq. Jud. lib. xx. c. 8. Simon Magus, who faid that he appeared among the Jews as the Son of God: and Theudash, who pretending to be a Prophet, perfuaded many of the people to take their goods and follow him to the river Jordan, declaring that he was divinely commiffioned, and that at his command the waters would be divided, and give them a fafe paffage to the oppofite fide. Many other examples might be adduced; but these are fufficient to eftablish the truth of this prediction. But when ye shall bear of wars and commotions (or rumours of wars), be not terrified; for thefe things must first come to pass; but the end is not yet. Thefe wars and commotions were as the distant thunder, that forebodes approaching ftorms. Previous to the deftruction of Jerufalem the greateft agitation prevailed in the Roman Empire, and the struggle for fucceffion to the imperial throne was attended by fevere and bloody conflicts. Four Emperors, Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, fuffered violent deaths within the short space of eighteen months. The Emperor Caligula Antiq. Jud. lib. xx. c.4. com commanded the Jews to place his statue in their Temple; and, in confequence of a pofi tive refufal to comply with fo impious a requeft, he threatened them with an invafion, which was prevented by his death. The end is not yet; for these events, alarming as they feemed, were only the preludes to the dreadful and tumultuous scenes that followed. For nation fball rife against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. As these denunciations of our Lord were particularly referable to the Jews, we look of course to Judea, and the places where the Jews were refident, for their accomplishment. Not to mention other infurrections and acts of national hoftility, it may be remarked, that at the time of the Paffover in the year 49, when Cumanus was Procurator of Judea, there happened a violent tumult in Jerufalem, in which many thousands of its inhabitants were flain, In Cefarea, Scythopolis, Afcalon, Alexandria, and Damafcus, there were the greatest popular diforders, and multitudes of the Jews were flain by the Tyrians and Syrians, Jofephus, when fpeaking of this time, fays, Every city was divided into And And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and peftilences, and fearful fights, and figns from heaven. The history of this period is replete with inftances of terrible prefages of Divine vengeance. In the fourth year of the reign of Claudius, a dreadful famine began, that extended throughout the Roman empire, and was most severely felt in Judea for several years. The Christian Gentile converts, moved by the exhortations of St. Paul, fent liberal contributions for the relief of their Jewish brethren. And Helena, Queen of Egypt, fent a large fupply of corn from that country, to alleviate the general diftrefs. A particular account of this calamity is given by Jofephus, who affirms, that many of his countrymen perifhed for want of food; and alfo by Eufebius, Orofius, and Suetonius. Several hiftorians mention the ravages of peftilence; but the terror occafioned by the uncommon earthquakes in divers places, leads them to a more detailed account of the fulfilment of this prediction. Philoftratus, in his Life of Apollonius, mentions the violent Ant. Jud. lib. xx. c. 2. * Lib. iv. c. 34. earth m earthquakes which happened in the reign of Claudius at Crete, Smyrna, Miletus, Chios, Samos, and other places, in all of which Jews were fettled, Tacitus mentions one at Rome in the fame reign, and fays, that in the reign of Nero, the cities of Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Coloffe, were overthrown. Another earthquake is mentioned by Sueto nius, which happened, at Rome in the reign of Galba. Jofephus relates, that in Judea at the beginning of the war, but before Jeru falem was befieged by Titus, there was such an uncommonly tremendous ftorm of wind, and thunder, and lightning, with "a fearful noife of the agitated earth, as portended, in the opinion of many, the greatest evils." Many prodigies are recorded by the hiftorians of those times, of a much more strange and extraordinary nature", which, whether they actually happened or not, fully prove that the Ann. lib. xiv. c. 27. lib. xv. c. 22. n' So wonderful were thefe prodigies, that Jofephus not only mentions them particularly in the beginning of his account of the wars of the Jews, but in the course of his narrative affigns a whole chapter to them, lib. vii. c. 12. Lardner examines them, and weighs their probability with his ufual caution and accuracy, vol. vii. p. 89, &c.— I have selected those only, in which Jofephus and Tacitus agree. A |