prospect, which they could not have beheld, without shewing a deep concern on the occasion.

But our Blessed Lord soon convinced them of their mistake, by telling them that he was not come to rule a secular empire, as they supposed, but to punish the Jews for their perfidy and rebellion; after which he proceeded to inform them of the signs that would precede the destruction both of their temple and nation, in doing of which he began with giving them the following caution relative to their future conduct. "Take heed (said he) "that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my “name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." This caution was, no doubt, exceeding necessary, because, though the apostles were to see their Master ascend into heaven, yet they might take occasion, from the prophecy, to think that he would appear again on earth; and therefore they might be in danger of seduction by the false prophets that should arise.

And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled, for all these things must come to pass; but the end is not yet. Before this nation and temple are destroyed, terrible wars will happen in the land: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. These are the preludes of the important event, forerunners of the evils which shall befal this people and nation. At the same time you shall meet with hot persecutions: walk, therefore, circumspectly, and arm yourselves both with patience and fortitude, that ye may be able to perform your duty through the whole course of these persecutions; for you shall be brought before the great men of the earth for my sake. "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you

up, take no thought before-hand what ye shall speak, "neither do ye premeditate; but whatsoever shall be "given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye "that speak, but the Holy Ghost." Mark xiii. 14.

Our Blessed Lord then told them that, during this time of trouble and confusion, the perfidy of mankind should be so great towards one another, that, brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and

children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. The unbelieving Jews, and apostate Christians, shall commit the most enormous crimes. It is, therefore, no wonder that the perfidy and wickedness of such pretended Christians should discourage many disciples, and greatly hinder the propagation of the gospel. But he who supports his faith during these persecutions, and is not led away by the seduction of false Christians, shall escape that terrible judgment which will fall upon them for their baseness and perfidy.

And when Jerusalem shall be surrounded with armies, Pagan armies, bearing in their standards the images of their idols, the abomination of desolation, mentioned by the prophet Daniel; then let him who has read the predictions of that prophet understand, that the end of the city and sanctuary, together with the ceasing of the sacrifice and oblation there predicted, is near at hand, and consequently the final period of the Jewish nation. "Then "let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and "let them which are in the midst of it depart out." Luke xxi. 21. "Let him which is on the house-top not "come down to take any thing out of his house. Neither ❝ let him which is in the field return back to take his "clothes, Matth. xxiv. 17, 18." Then shall be fulfilled the awful predictions of the prophet Daniel, and the dreadful judgments denounced against the impenitent and unbelieving. In those days of vengeance the women who are with child, and those who give suck, shall be particularly unhappy, because they cannot flee from the impending destruction. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, when the badness of the roads, and the rigor of the season, will render speedy travelling troublesome, if not impossible; neither on the sabbath-day, when you shall think it unlawful. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.* He farther

That this part of the prophecy was most amply fulfilled appears from the relation given us by Josephus, who says that when the Roman army invested Jerusalem, no less than 1,100,000 persons perished in the siege.

VOL. iii.

3 S

said, that except the days of tribulation should be shortened, none of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea, of whom he was then speaking, should escape destruction.* But, added he, for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened those days. By the elect are signified, such of the Jews as had embraced the doctrines of the Gospel, and particularly those who were brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles.

As it is natural, in times of trouble, to look with eager expectation for a deliverer, our Blessed Lord cautioned his disciples not to listen to any pretences of that kind, as many false prophets would arise, and deceive great numbers of the people.† "If any man shall say to you, "Lo, here is Christ; or lo, he is there; believe him not: "For false christs and false prophets shall rise, and "shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were "possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I "have foretold you all things. Mark xiii. 21, &c.

But as the partizans of the false prophets might pretend that the Messiah was, for a time, concealed for fear of the Romans, and the weaker sort of Christians might imagine that Christ was actually returned to deliver the nation in its extremity, and to punish their enemies who so cruelly oppressed them, our Lord thought proper to caution them against this particular." Wherefore (said "he) if they shall say unto you Behold, he is in the desert, 66 go not forth behold, he is in the secret chambers, be"lieve it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the

* We are told, by the same historian, that the quarrels which raged during the siege were so fierce and obstinate, that both within the walls of Jerusalem, and without in the neighboring country, the whole land was one continued scene of horror and desolation; and that had the siege continued much longer, the whole nation of the Jews must have been totally extirpated.

This part of the prediction was likewise fully accomplished during the terrible siege of Jerusalem by the Romans. Josephus tells us, that many arose pretending to be the Messiah, boasting that they wonld deliver the nation from all its enemies; and the multitude, always too prone to listen to deceivers, who promise temporal advantages, giving credit to those deceivers, became more obstinate in their opposition to the Romans, and thereby rendered their destruction more severe and inevitable.

"east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the "coming of the Son of man be. Matth. xxiv. 26, &c. The. coming of the Son of man shall be like lightning, swift and destructive. But he will not come personally; his servants only shall come, the Roman armies, who, by his command, shall destroy the Jewish nation.

Our Blessed Lord, having thus given them a particular account of the various circumstances which should pre-. cede the destruction of Jerusalem, next described that catastrophe itself, in all the beauties of language and imagery made use of by the ancient prophets, when they foretold the destruction of cities and kingdoms. "But in "those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be "darkened, and the moon shall not give her light; and "the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are ❝in heaven shall be shaken." Mark xiii. 24. And "upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the "sea and the waves roaring: men's hearts failing them "for fear, and for looking after those things which are "coming on the earth." Luke xxi. 25. By these lofty and figurative expressions, the decaying of all the glory, excellency and prosperity of the nation, and the introduction of universal sadness, misery and confusion, are beautifully described. The roaring of the sea and the waves may justly be considered as metaphorical, as the signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars are plainly so; and by the powers are meant the whole Jewish policy, government, laws and religion, which were the works of heaven: these our Lord tells us should be shaken, or rather totally dissolved.

Having thus beautifully, but awfully described this important and striking event, the Blessed Jesus assured his disciples that it would be very unexpected, and thence urged the necessity of a watchful vigilance, lest they should be surprized, and have a share in these calamities. From hence he took occasion to put them in mind of the destruction of the world, and to exhort them to a faithful discharge of their duty, from the consideration of the suddenness of his coming, to call every individual to account after death. "Therefore (said he) be ye also ready; for in such an hour, as ye think not, the

66

"Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise "servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his "household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed "is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh, shall "find so doing. Verily, I say unto you, That he shall "make him ruler over all his goods." Matth. xxiv. 44, &c. As if he had said, "You, who are ministers of religion, ought to be particularly attentive in discharging the important trust committed to your care; you are the stewards in whom are entrusted the whole household of the church; and you would do well to remember, that your example will have a great effect upon the minds of those employed under you. It is your duty to be well ac, quainted with the stores of the Divine truths, and to understand how they may be applied to the best advantage. You should also be careful to know the characters of the different persons under your directions, that you may be able to give each his portion of meat in due season; and if I find you thus employed, I will reward you with the joy of my kingdom, even as an earthly master bestows particular marks of respect on such servants as have been remarkably faithful in any important trust. But, on the other hand, if you are not true to the trust reposed in you; if you pervert your office, and watch not over the souls committed to your care, I will come unto you unexpectedly and make you dreadful examples of mine anger, by the severe punishments which I will inflict upon you. "But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my Lord "delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his "fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken: "the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he "looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not "aware off; and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him "his portion, with the hypocrites: there shall be weep"ing and gnashing of teeth." Matth. xxiv, 48, &c.

After our Blessed Lord had thus pointed out to his disciples the future state of retribution, he proceeded to the consideration of the general judgment, when those rewards and punishments should be distributed in their utmost extent." Then (said he) shall the kingdom of "heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their