will gather his wheat into the garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire," Matt. iii. 10, 11.

And Simeon, who when he saw the child Jesus at the temple, doubted not but he was the Lord's Christ, and spoke of him as such, and that he was "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of God's people Israel,” Luke ii. 32, said to Mary his mother: "This child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel," ver. 34.

The conversion of the Gentiles then, and the low condition of the Jewish people, are not only agreeable to prophecies of the Lord Jesus, but likewise to many ancient prophecies contained in the books of the Old Testament.b

3. The present state of the Jewish people, particularly their afflictive circumstances, afford good reason to believe, that the Messiah, that great person spoken of in the Old Testament, but still wished for and expected by them, is already come.

For the prophecies concerning him speak of his being of the tribe of Judah, and family of David. He must appear, therefore, whilst the registers of their tribes and families are in being: but now they are lost. If any one should now arise, claiming that great character, it could not be known what tribe he was of, and therefore there could not be any good assurance that his claim was just.

This is an advantage in the argument for the truth of the christian religion: for we know that Jesus was of the tribe of Judah, and family of David. But since the long captivity and numerous dispersions and removals of the Jewish people from one place to another, oftentimes under the greatest difficulties, it is impossible that their registers should be preserved, or the families of particular persons be known.

Another thing clearly intimated by the latter prophets of the Old Testament, is, that the Messiah should come during the time of the temple built after the return from Babylon. God was pleased, by the prophet Haggai, to encourage the people to go on in rearing up the temple after this manner: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth: and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts," Hagg. ii. 4, 5. Again," The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, saith the Lord of hosts," ver. 9.

That temple wanted some things, which were in the temIf any should find this discourse too long for a single reading, here is a proper resting place.

ple built by Solomon; particularly, the symbol of the divine presence, the cloud of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat. By the "greater glory of the latter house" therefore seems to be meant the appearance of the Messiah, who is Emmanuel, or God with us: in whom the Deity dwelt and manifested himself in a peculiar manner: by which means alone, that is, by whose presence alone, this second temple could be rendered more glorious than the former.

The coming of the Messiah to that temple is also promised in Malachi before quoted. "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, in whom ye delight. Behold he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts," Mal. iii. 1.

Since therefore the temple, where the promised messenger of so great eminence and distinction was to appear, is now no more, but has long since been destroyed, and continues to be in ruins; we are assured, that he is already come: for it is impossible for God to fail, or that he should alter the purpose he has so solemnly pronounced and declared.

Have any of the promises or threatenings delivered by the prophets failed of accomplishment? Did not the posterity of Jacob descend into Egypt, a few in number? And were they not brought thence again, a great host, by mighty power and an outstretched arm, at the time before appointed and promised?

Were not the threatenings with regard to Saul, David, Solomon, accomplished? Were not the threatenings concerning the ten tribes, and the tribe of Judah, fulfilled? Were not the former, the ten tribes, sent into captivity, and scattered, so as to return no more?

And when the kingdom of Judah took not warning by the judgments inflicted upon the kingdom of Israel, the threatened captivity was brought upon them: and the promise of their return from Babylon was also wonderfully and punctually accomplished. They settled again in the land of Israel, they were increased and multiplied, and became once more a great people. The temple, which had been laid waste, was raised up, and its worship restored, according as God had before said by his holy prophets.

Why then should it be thought by any, that the promise concerning the coming of the Messiah to that temple should not be performed? It must have been fulfilled. The desire of all nations did come to that temple, and the nations have received him, and believed on him, and have partaken of his fulness. They have received grace for grace. They

have gained through him the knowledge of the one living and true God. He is their God, and they are his people. They worship him in spirit and truth: and the law of Moses, introduced since the Abrahamic covenant, and ordained for a time only, as to all its unnecessary and burdensome appointments, is no longer in force, or of any use unto them.

4. The time and circumstances of the present captivity and dispersion of the Jewish people afford an argument for the truth of the christian religion: for their afflictions appear to have the marks of divine displeasure against them for rejecting and crucifying Jesus, and for persisting to reject him and his apostles.

Their present afflictions began soon after, and have continued ever since. It was not more than forty years after our Lord's crucifixion, that the people of the Jews underwent the dreadful calamities of the siege of their city: when also it was taken, and their temple consumed, and they slain, or scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

Nor can we avoid observing the estate and condition of this people, the posterity of Abraham, the friend of God; the children of Jacob, whom God preferred to the children of Esau; whom God had chosen to be his people above all the people of the earth: as Moses reminds them in that solemn and pathetic address at the end of the book of Deuteronomy: "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance," Deut. xxxiii. 8, 9.

It is not reasonable to think, that God would carry it unkindly toward them, or stand at a distance from them, without some just ground of offence and provocation.

Moreover, we know, that he promised to bless them abundantly if they hearkened to his prophets, and walked in the ways he prescribed them: declaring at the same time, that if they were disobedient, he would not leave them unpunished," If ye will walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them," Lev. xxvi. 3. "I will set my tabernacle among you, and soul shall not abhor you: and I will walk with you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people," ver. 11. But if ye will walk contrary unto me, then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you," ver. 23, 24. "And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; then I will

my

walk contrary unto you in fury, and will chastise you yet seven times for your sins," ver. 27. And his treatment of this people in all ages has been agreeable to these, and other like declarations.

Since, therefore, this favourite people, so long called by the name of the Lord, and so distinguished by him, are under tokens of divine displeasure: since they are no longer in the land of Canaan, which had been given to them, and lie under many disadvantages in the places where they live, there must be some ground and reason of it. And a very likely reason offers, when we consider, as before hinted, the time when the present affliction commenced, even soon after the appearing of Jesus in this world.

And we shall be confirmed in the supposition, that this dispersion is owing to their sin in rejecting the Lord Jesus, if we consider farther, when he appeared, and who he was. He came at the time appointed for the Messiah, when the temple, built after the Babylonish captivity, was in its glory, when the registers of their families were in being, and when the Jews themselves and all nations around them were in expectation of such an eminent person.

And must we not think, that since Jesus answered the character of the promised Messiah, or the Lord's anointed, it must be a great and heinous sin to reject and crucify him? If there be any truth in the evangelical history, (as certainly it is all matter of fact, and but a part only of the great things done by Jesus are there related,) he was a most excellent person, and a most eminent prophet. Must not any people, the Jews especially, be accountable for such a privilege? Must not their guilt in rejecting Jesus appear aggravated, when we consider that they crucified him, and repented not: though he rose from the dead, and his apostles continued a good while afterwards preaching among them?

It is also remarkable, that when Jesus was condemned as an impostor and malefactor, they imprecated the guilt of his death upon themselves and their children, Matt. xxvii. 25.

:

And the long continuance of this affliction is very striking, so far beyond any thing they had before undergone and yet they are not guilty of idolatry, as in times past: but all false gods, and all images in worship, are an abomination to them.

When Solomon consecrated the temple he had built, he prayed: "If thy people sin against thee, and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them captive into the land of the enemy, far or near: if they

shall bethink themselves, in the land whither they are carried captives, saying, we have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; and so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them captive, and pray unto thee:" -then "hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee," 1 Kings viii. 46-50.

And long after this Nehemiah, mindful of the measures which God had openly declared he would observe with this people, prays after the same manner: "O Lord God of heaven, that keepest covenant and mercy with them that love thee;-remember, I beseech thee, the word which thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: but if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of heaven, yet I will gather them from thence, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there," Neh. i. 5-9.

Since then they still continue, under many disadvantages, in the dispersion, which began so long ago, it leads us to conclude, that there is some sin they have committed, which they have not repented of, the guilt of which therefore still lies heavy upon them.

St. Chrysostom in one of his homilies to his hearers, the people of Antioch, discoursing upon this very topic, the long duration of the Jews' dispersion and captivity, has this thought: If Jesus had been a malefactor and a deceiver, as the Jews pretended, it might have been honourable, and accounted for righteousness to them, that they put him to death. On the contrary, since the crucifixion of Jesus, they have been chastised more severely than when they were guilty of idolatry, and sacrificed their children to Moloch.

In this long dispersion, of so many ages, it is not unlikely that divers attempts have been made by them to return into Canaan, and rebuild their temple; and it is well known that they have formed conspiracies, and made violent attempts to restore their government in the land of Canaan: but they have been always defeated and overthrown.

Designs of another kind may have been entered into. One thing is often mentioned by ancient historians. The Vid. Chrysost. T. I. p. 652, 653. Ed. Bened.