and cheating, which they considered allowable towards Christians, and often even as praiseworthy.

Only in later times, when the barbarism of Christian nations gave way, and as these became more enlightened and Christian-like, the long-harassed followers of Moses obtained a more tolerable lot— especially when they advanced with the rest of mankind, in the intelligence and enlightenment of the age; and cast off the folly, the superstition, the hateful and bigoted spirit of their Rabbins. Wise magistrates at length perceived that the religious rage of Christians, and the perpetual slavery in which the Israelites were held, had not less contributed to the corruption of the people, than the law of Moses disfigured by their Rabbins. Property was also given to them,-the rights and freedom of citizens: they were benevolently withdrawn from thievish usury to more worthy occupations; and virtuous men were found even among the Jews, who effected the better instruction of their fellow-believers. And thus Israel, after nearly two thousand years' distress, may hope again to be extricated from her state of degradation, and again to enjoy the rights of humanity with other men.

Never will it look again on the throne of David -never on its Zion, " until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled;" but as a very ancient religious sect, it will find toleration, peace, and country.

A fearfully great and wonderful example, O Eternal God, my Father, the Father of all nations, the Father of all worlds, hast Thou given in the history of the race of men, in the posterity of Abraham-how the curse follows on the heels of the sins of the heart, and how the corruption of a people is the forerunner of inevitable destruction! Terrible art Thou in thy judgments, O God! But Thou dost not punish ;-men punish themselves. Transgression of Thy holy ordinances is selfdestruction, and vice a self-infliction. Whoever departs from virtue, flees from happiness and condemns himself.

Thou dost not condemn the guiltless!-Therefore I will not venture to condemn this unhappy people whom, dispersed over the whole earth, Thou dost appear to have pointed out as a warning example to other nations. I will not condemn them-I will not hate them, but love them, and endeavour to alleviate their sufferings. Thou regardest not persons, but in all nations he is accepted who feareth Thee, and worketh righteousness. And thus, be he Jew or Christian, whoever loves virtue, whoever bears an honest and pious heart in his breast, he is my friend. Do not many of the Jews, moreover, in the present day, esteem-the more they advance in wisdom and in godliness-the wisdom and the godly character of

that Jesus so long mistaken by them? We will now go on in concord, in the perfecting of the spirit, and improvement of the mind, until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the SON OF God.

XXXVIII.

THE PERSECUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY.

PHILIPPIANS iv. 13.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

In the days in which the Temple of Jehovah and the City of Zion were reduced to ashes, and the walls of Jerusalem fell in ruins to the ground, the kingdom of God sprung up and flourished, not only in the whole Roman Empire, but also among nations which were not yet subjected to the sceptre of the Cæsars. This was the event, then future, which Jesus had predicted with regard to Himself and His disciples. In His earthly nature, He departed from the world-spiritually, He returned again to it, that is, to all nations-with the power of His Word and in the glory of His Gospel. " And then shall they see," He had said in the sublime language of the Prophets," the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. So likewise ye, when ye see these things" (namely, the destruction of Jerusalem) "come to pass, know

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ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and Earth" (the Temple and the kingdom of Judah)“ shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." (LUKE xxi. 27. 30—33.)

How could it be otherwise? What unprejudiced person could see the fulfilment of the prediction of Jesus without astonishment? Who could have refused to revere Him, and to adore the Majesty of God exhibited in Him? The Jews might refuse to accept the new doctrine, and to abandon the Mosaic law the Heathen might decline to renounce the gods of their fathers;-no one, however, on investigation of the newly promulgated faith, could resist its excellence. From it alone were to be derived higher knowledge, eternal truth, enduring happiness. The Jews as well as the Heathen could not but allow, that this religion alone was in perfect unison with the purest convictions of reason-with the ordinances of naturewith the perpetual aspirations of the human mind after higher things;-they could not but acknowledge, that through this religion the great riddle of human existence on earth, and of its connexion with God and futurity, was first solved;-they could not, in fact, but admit, that not only each individual, not only one family or a people, but the

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