Our Lord delivers these predictions, of which he had the foresight, with marks of great and undissembled compassion and tenderness. If all these desolations and calamities had been now present, and before his eyes, and if they had been the calamities of his best friends, he could not have been more affected. He is particularly touched with the foresight of the difficulties of such as are most helpless, the distresses of women with child, or who have infants at their breasts. This is true compassion, the effect of the sensibility of the human nature; which he is not ashamed of, and does not dissemble. And that the apprehension of these calamities, impending on the Jewish people, lay much upon his mind, is manifest from his so often speaking of them.

And there are references likewise to the calamities coming upon the Jewish people in divers parables. Luke xiii. 6-9: Matt. xxii. 1-7; Luke xiv. 17-24; Matt. xxi. 6–9; 33-46; Mark xii. 1-12; Luke xx. 9-19;-Luke xix. 11-27. Compare Matt. xxv. 14-30, and also in the miracle of the barren fig-tree. Matt. xxi. 18, 19; Mark xi. 12, 13, and 20, 21.

In what has been just transcribed from the evangelists, are observable these several things:

1. Our Lord foretells the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem.

2. He speaks of great and extraordinary afflictions and distresses, which the Jewish people would suffer at that time.

3. He says, that the doctrine of the gospel should be preached in all the world, or all over the Roman empire, before the final ruin and overthrow of the Jewish nation.

4. He foretells, that his disciples and followers would be brought before kings and governors for his name's sake, and would suffer many hardships; and that some of them would be put to death.

5. He intimates, that among his followers there would be great declensions, and that they would betray each other.

6. He foretells, that there would be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

7. He speaks of wars and tumults in many places, preceding the final ruin of the Jewish nation, and as preludes of it.

8. He likewise says, that at that time, and before it, would appear many false prophets, and impostors, by whom many would be deceived; and he warns men against hearkening to them.

9. He declares that all these things would come to pass before the end of that age or generation of men.

10. He forewarns and advises those who regarded their own welfare, to flee out of Judea and Jerusalem, when they perceived the near approach of the calamities which had been spoken of by him, which they might know when they should see the Roman armies, with their idolatrous ensigns, standing were they ought not; that is, near Jerusalem, or in the land of Judea.

Of all these several things I propose to show the fulfilment: though not exactly in the order in which they have been just now mentioned.

IV. Before I enter upon the history of the fulfilment of these predictions, it may be of use to observe, in general, the dates of some events.

S

The war began, as Josephus says, in the second year of the government of Gessius Florus, who succeeded Albinus, successor of Porcius Festus, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, in the month of May, in the twelfth year of the emperor Nero and the seventeenth year of Agrippa, mentioned, Acts xxv. and xxvi. that is, in the month of May, in the year of our Lord 66.

t

'The temple was burnt on the tenth day of the month of August, [in the year of Christ 70,] the same day and month on which it had been burnt by the king of Babylon.' Which Josephus repeats again afterwards.

V

"

The city was taken on the eighth day of September, in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, or the year of Christ 70.

That was the end of the siege of Jerusalem, which began, as the same author" observes several times, about the fourteenth day of the month Nisan, or our April.

The war therefore lasted four years and four months, computing from May 66, to September in the year 70: and the siege lasted about five months, computing from the fourteenth day of April to the eighth of September, in the year 70. If we carry on our computation to the taking of the

Και δη την αρχην ελαβεν ὁ πολεμος δευτερῳ μεν ετει της επιτροπης Φλωρέ, δωδεκατῳ δε της Νέρωνος αρχης. Antiq. 1. 20. xi. 1.

Και προσελάμβανε την αρχην ὁ πολεμος δωδεκατῳ μεν ετει της Νέρωνος ἡγεμονιας, ἑπτακαιδεκατῳ δε της Αγριππα βασιλειας, Αρτεμισι μηνος. De B. J. 1. 2. cap. xiv. 4.

t

Παρην δ' ἡ ειμαρμένη χρονων περιοδος, ἡμερα δεκατη έως μηνος, καθ ̓ ἡν και το πρότερον υπο τε των Βαβυλωνιων βασιλεως ενεπρήσθη. De B. J. 1. 6. iv. 5. Θαυμασαι δ' αν τις εν αυτή της περιοδε την ακρίβειαν και μηνα γεν, ὡς ἔφην, και ήμεραν επετηρησε την αυτην, εν ᾗ προτερον ὑπο Βαβυλωνιων ὁ ναος ενεπρησθη ἡ γεγονεν έτει δευτερῳ της Ουεσπασιαν nyεμoviac. Ib. sect. 8. * 'Εαλω μεν οὗτος Ιεροσολυμα ετει δευτερο της Ουεσπασιανε ἡγεμονιας, Γορπιαις μηνος ογδοη. Ib. 1. 6. cap. x. in. De B. J. 1. 5. cap. iii. 1. cap. xiii. 7. 1. 6. cap. ix. 3.

castle of Massada, which happened in the year 73, (as we shall see hereafter,) the war lasted seven years.

V. I think it proper here also to take notice of our Lord's expressions concerning the sign whereby the approach of these calamities might be discerned, Matt. xxiv. 15, 16, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, -stand in the holy place; then let them which be in Judea, flee to the mountains.' Mark xiii. 14, "When ye shall see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not- then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains." Luke xxi. 20, "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh."

By "the abomination of desolation," or the abomination that maketh desolate, therefore, is intended the Roman armies with their ensigns. As the Roman ensigns, especially the eagle, which was carried at the head of every legion, were objects of worship, they are, according to the usual style of scripture, called "an abomination.'

6

By "standing in the holy place," or "where it ought not," needs not to be understood the temple only, but Jerusalem also, and any part of the land of Israel.

There are several things in Josephus, which will confirm this interpretation. Pilate," says he, the prefect of Ju'dea, sending his army from Cæsarea, and putting them into winter quarters at Jerusalem, brought the carved 'images of Cæsar, which are in the ensigns, into the city, ' in violation of the Jewish laws; since our law forbids the 'making of images. For which reason the former governors were wont to come into the city with ensigns destitute of these ornaments. Pilate was the first who set up images in Jerusalem: and he did it privately, the army making their entrance in the night time: but, as soon as the people knew it, they went in a large body to Cæsarea, making earnest supplications that the images might 'be removed- -And at length Pilate gave orders for bringing back the images from Jerusalem to Cæ'sarea.'

And not long after that, Vitellius, president of Syria, received orders from Tiberius, to attack Aretas, king of Petra; whereupon he was going to march through Judea: 'Buty some of their chief men waited on him, and entreated 'him not to lead his army through their country, because it was contrary to their laws that any images should be brought into it, whereas there were a great many in his Antiq. 1. 18. c. iii. sect. 1. y Antiq. I. 18. cap. vi. 3.

'army. And he hearkened to them, altered his intention, ' and marched his troops another way.'

Our Lord's disciples and followers therefore might well be alarmed as soon as they saw Roman armies, with their idolatrous ensigns, appear in an hostile manner in any part of the land of Israel; but as they approached to Jerusalem, the danger would be more imminent and pressing.

And as men unwillingly leave their native country, and their accustomed habitations, and removals are always attended with dangers and difficulties, our Lord recommends flight in very urgent terms, lest any of those who loved him, and respected his doctrine, should partake in the dreadful calamities of the siege.

VI. We now observe some events spoken of by our Lord, which would precede the great calamity coming upon the Jewish nation.

1. One is, that "the doctrine of the gospel" should be preached throughout the Roman empire, and in other places adjoining to it.

"And this gospel of the kingdom," says he," shall be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come:" Matt. xxiv. 14. "And the gospel must first be published among all nations,” Mark xiii. 10.

And however unlikely that might seem when those words. were spoken by our Lord, they were verified. The epistles of the New Testament, still extant, and written to christians in divers cities and countries, are a standing monument of it for they are sent to believers at Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica, and the Hebrews; all written by St. Paul. And the epistles of the apostle Peter are directed to christians, residing in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. And the four gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles, afford evidence, that there were numerous converts to the faith of Jesus; for they were written for the use of such. St. Paul says, Rom. xv. 19, that," from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, he had fully preached the gospel of Christ." He reminds the Romans, i. 18, "that their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world." To the Colossians he observes, "that the gospel had been preached to every creature under heaven;" ch. i. 23, and see ver. 6. The prediction therefore of that great event had been accomplished within the limits of the time assigned for it.

And Tacitus bears witness that the christian religion, * Ann. 1. 15. cap. 44.

which had its rise in Judea, had spread into many parts, and had reached Rome itself, where the professors of it were numerous, and many of them underwent grievous torments in the reign of Nero, about the year of our Lord 64, and afterwards.

2. Our Lord also says to his disciples, in his prophetical discourses concerning the coming calamities upon Judea ; "Before all these things they will lay their hands upon you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sakeAnd some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye will be hated of all men for my name's sake," Luke xxi. 12, and 16, 17. And to the like purpose in the other evangelists.

The full accomplishment of these things is well known to christians, from the book of the Acts, and the epistles of the New Testament. The apostles of Jesus met with great difficulties in preaching the gospel: and the converts made by them were exposed to many sufferings. Peter and John, and all the apostles, were brought before the Jewish council, and were imprisoned, and beaten, and further threatened: Acts iv. Stephen, an eminent disciple and evangelist, suffered death by stoning; vi. vii. James, the brother of John, was beheaded by King Agrippa; who also shut up Peter in prison, with intention to put him to death also: but he was miraculously delivered; ch. xii. Paul was kept in prison two years in Judea, and afterwards as long at Rome. He pleaded before Felix and Festus, Roman governors in Judea, and King Agrippa the younger, as well as before the Jewish council at Jerusalem; xxi. -xxviii. And there is good reason to believe that he was brought before Nero himself. Many of his sufferings and dangers are enumerated in 2 Cor xi. 23-33.

They who received the doctrine taught by the apostles, had also their share of afflictions and trials. Paul, whilst he was their enemy, " made havoc of the church, entering into every house; and, haling men and women, committed them to prison: and when they were put to death he gave his voice against them:He punished them in every synagogue, and persecuted them even into strange cities:" Acts viii. 3, and xxvi. 10, 11. And in his epistle to the Hebrews, he observes to them, that "they had endured a great fight of afflictions: partly whilst they were made a gazingstock, both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly whilst

a See that fully proved in The Supplement to the Credibility, &c. in this Vol. ch. xii. sect. 10.