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tered animals, according to the injunctions of the Mosaic ritual.

When, therefore, the Evangelist tells us, that Pilate had mingled the blood of these men with their sacrifices, we may reasonably understand that the Roman governor took them by surprise on such an occasion, and caused them to be put to death for some offence or disturbance of a public or political character. And, by referring to the fifth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we may reasonably infer that the party here alluded to consisted of the followers of some pretender, together with their leader himself, who probably represented himself as the expected Christ or Messiah. Such a character, according to the false notions of the Jews respecting the temporal power of the Messiah,-one under whom, as they supposed, they were to conquer their enemies, and obtain their independence, would have had little difficulty in deluding many, and inducing them to take up arms against the Roman government. That there were pretenders of this description will appear evident if we refer to the passage before mentioned, which contains a portion of the speech addressed to the Jewish people by "Gamaliel, a doctor of the law." "Before these days," said this authority," rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. After this man rose up

Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed."

The Galileans, therefore, who were surprised and slain by Pilate, when engaged in the celebration of one of the rites of their religion, were clearly a party who, under the directions of Theudas, or Judas of Galilee, or some political pretender of similar character, had risen up in arms against the lawful authorities, for the purpose of shaking off the Roman yoke, and obtaining the independence which their forefathers had lost. As we have just seen, Judas of Galilee selected the " days of the taxing" as a suitable opportunity for carrying his purposes into effect, knowing full well that his countrymen would be more easily excited at a moment when the act of paying taxes or tribute into a foreign treasury must have made them peculiarly sensitive under the Roman yoke, which, even on ordinary occasions, they regarded with abomination and disgust. As governor or viceroy, however, of a remote province, under the emperor who resided at Rome, it was the duty of Pontius Pilate to be at all times in readiness to meet any such act of disturbance or sedition, even if it occurred beyond the limits of his own peculiar jurisdiction. But though the party concerned in the revolt in question were Galileans, it does not follow that the scene of their seditious acts was confined to the limits of Galilee. It may reasonably be supposed, indeed, that these persons had passed beyond the limits of Galilee into

some portion of the territory of Pilate, when they were surprised by this leader, and slain on the occasion which has now been presenting itself to our notice.

I conceive that sufficient has been now said to impart to us an adequate notion of the event alluded to in the first verse of our text. Proceed we now, therefore, to the consideration of the four last verses, which contain the reply which our Saviour made in answer to the information which had been conveyed to him. These four verses, as we have already seen, are as follows: "And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

Now it is these four verses, containing the reply of our Divine Lord, to which it behoveth us more

particularly to attend. In this respect they very materially differ from that which precedes them, the consideration of which could have been of little use beyond the fact of its preparing our minds to comprehend, and fully to comprehend, the declarations which have fallen from the lips of the Divine Jesus. In the vast theatre of the world, the history of which, in some shape or other, is continually pre

senting itself to our notice, numberless are the cases, similar to that which we have been contemplating, which arrest the attention of the spectator, but which leave an impression only which is soon effaced, and which, even if it were more deeply engraven on the memory, would be of little avail in imparting to us such a knowledge of, and such an acquaintance with, facts as regards our condition as spiritual and immortal beings. Whether, to reason in the abstract, the conduct of the seditious Galileans were right, or whether it were wrong, is a question which cannot now, at this distance of time, be easily answered; and, even if it were possible to answer it in a satisfactory manner, little benefit would accrue to us in so doing, in respect of our spiritual and immortal condition, and of promoting our chances of everlasting happiness hereafter. If the Galileans were right, then were their persecutors wrong; Ꭵf . wrong, then were these right. In

either case, we must condemn the conduct of a portion of our fellow creatures, and such an act, I repeat, can in no wise improve our spiritual condition, or enlarge our prospects of happiness in heaven. Far different, however, is it with this second portion of our text, which comprehends information which proceeded from the lips of Jesus, the only begotten Son of the eternal God. Such information, independently of the recital of any facts which may either precede or follow it, we may be assured is most essentially useful to all those who, being endowed with a reasonable soul, are naturally anxious

And

that this soul should be rendered everlastingly happy rather than everlastingly miserable. more, I think, need not be said to induce you to give diligent heed to this second division of the text. By so doing, by the blessing of Almighty God, you may do that which may enable you, after this life is ended, to enter on a new life of immortality and bliss in the kingdom of heaven.

In the reply made by our Lord to his informants, he notices another catastrophe which had happened, in all probability a short time before, to certain inhabitants of Jerusalem: "Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem ? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

The tower in Siloam was one of those numerous detached buildings which rose above the ordinary elevation of the city walls, and which was thus designated, in consequence of its proximity to a fountain and pool of the same name. It would appear, from the mention of it made by our Saviour in the text, that this tower, by its unexpected fall, overwhelmed eighteen persons who happened at the moment to be standing by, and who, though in the midst of life, unexpectedly and without warning were sent headlong into eternity.

The foregoing catastrophes, therefore, according to our Saviour's explanation respecting them, prove

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