but when they heard that he had escaped, and was with the Romans, and was well used by them, they loaded him with all manner of reproaches, not excepting treachery itself. Nor do we find that the Jewish people ever had any great respect for his writings; though they have been much esteemed, and often quoted, by Christian and other writers, in early and latter

times.

a

d

The first is The History of the Jewish War, and the taking of Jerusalem, in seven books. In which work he goes back to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes and the Maccabees. In the preface he says, that he first wrote it in the language of his own country, for the sake of such as lived in Parthia, Babylonia, Arabia, and other parts: and afterwards published it in Greek for the benefit of others, which is what we have: it is generally supposed to have been published by him in the seventy-fifth year of Christ, and the thirty-eighth year of his own age. He professeth to have written with great fidelity; and for the truth of his history appeals to Vespasian and Titus, and King Agrippa, then living. He presented it to Vespasian and Titus; which last not only desired the publication of it, but with his own hand signed the book, that should be reckoned authentic.

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e

2. The Jewish Antiquities, in twenty books, or the history of the Jews from the creation of the world, to the twelfth year of Nero, in which the war began. This work was finished by him in the fifty-sixth year of his own life, in the third year of the reign of Domitian, and the year of Christ 93.

3. To this work is subjoined, as a part of it, or an appendix to it, His Life, written by himself some time afterwards.

4. After the several above-mentioned works, he published another work in two books, entitled Of the Antiquity of the Jews, against Apion; being a vindication of the Jewish people against the calumnies of that Egyptian author.

5. To Josephus likewise is generally ascribed a book entitled, A Discourse of the Maccabees; but, as Cave says, there is good reason to doubt of its genuineness: and Mr. Whiston, who made an English translation of all the above-named works of this writer, declined to translate this, and would not publish it among the rest.

The works of Josephus, notwithstanding many things in them liable to exception, which may be observed by careful and impartial readers, are very valuable. In his larger work, The Jewish Antiquities, he confirms the truth of the history of the Old Testament: and, as in several of the last books of that work he has brought down the Jewish history from the ceasing of prophecy among them to the twelfth of Nero, he has let us know the state of affairs in Judea during the time of the evangelical history. And he had before done the like in the first two books of The Jewish War. What he has therein said of Herod and his sons, of the Roman governors in Judea, the Jewish sects and their principles, the manner of the Jewish people, and likewise concerning the Samaritans, greatly confirms and illustrates the history of our evangelists; as was formerly shewn in the first part of this work, The Credibility of the Gospel History; the design of which was to confirm the facts occasionally mentioned in the New Testament by passages of ancient authors.

m

We are now to consider, whether there is any thing in the works of this Jewish author more directly confirming the principal facts of the New Testament: particularly, whether he affords any evidences of the fulfilment of our Lord's predictions concerning the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem, and the great calamities coming upon the Jewish people; and

• Quamvis enim ejus scripta apud Judæos in nullo pretio fuerint-Gentiles tamen pariter et Christiani Josephum, licet Judæum, ejusque opera, magni æstimârunt. Ittig. Proleg. pag. 88. ap. Havercamp.

Josephus is quoted by Porphyry, not in his books against the Christians, but elsewhere. See the testimonies prefixed to the works of Josephus.

Particular accounts of them are to be seen in Cav. Hist. Lit. Fabric. Gr. 1. 4. cap. 6. tom. 3. p. 228, &c. Tillemont La Ruine des Juifs. art. 79. &c. Hist. des Emp. tom. i.

d De B. J. 1. i. in Pro. sect. 2.

In Proleg. sect. 5, &c. et 1. 7. cap. ult. fin. f In Vit. cap. 65. Adv. ap. 1. i. c. 9.

whether he has said any thing of John the Baptist, our Lord's forerunner, or of our Lord himself, or of any of his apostles.

I shall begin with the first article; for it is very likely, that in his History of the Jewish War we should find many things giving credit to the fulfilment of our Lord's predictions concerning the Jewish people.

II. Judea was first brought into subjection to the Romans by Pompey; who after a siege of three months, took Jerusalem in the year 63, before the Christian era, about the time of our Midsummer. Josephus always dates the loss of their liberty at that time. The same is said by Tacitus.

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But though the Jewish people then became subject to the Romans; and it may be said, that from that time forward the rod of heaven hung over them, they enjoyed many privileges, and the freedom of their worship, under the mild government of those masters; as appears both from Josephus, and from the historical books of the New Testament..

d

When Pompey became master of Jerusalem, he and some of his officers entered into the temple, and the most holy places of it; but he took nothing away. There were then in it the table, the candlestick, with its lamps, the pouring vessels, and the censers, all of gold, and great quantities of spices, and two thousand talents in money; all which he left untouched: and the day after he gave orders that they who had the charge of the temple should cleanse it, and perform the accustomed sacrifices. And he restored the priesthood to Hyrcanus.

And that after this the Jewish people were, sometimes at least, in a flourishing condition, appears from many considerations. It was during this period that Herod repaired the temple. Excepting the cloud of glory with which the first temple had been favoured, that erected by Herod may be reckoned to have been equal to it in the splendour and magnificence of the building, and in rich and costly presents, and other ornaments.

When the Jewish people, after their return from the Babylonish captivity, laid the foundation of the new house, many of the priests and Levites, and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, wept with a loud voice." Ezr. iii. 12. But God encouraged them by the prophet Haggai, in this manner, ch. ii. 3. "Who is left among you that saw this house in its first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes, in comparison of it, as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord-and be strong, all ye people of the land, and work; for I am with you, saith the Lord of hostsFor thus saith the Lord of hosts-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. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, saith the Lord of hosts. And in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Here is, undoubtedly, a renewal of the great promise concerning the coming of the Messiah, the true Shechinah, whose presence would make this second temple more glorious than the first. But here is also a gracious assurance of external grandeur and splendour. Silver and gold, and all the riches of the world, says God, are mine, to bestow on whom I please. And not⚫ withstanding the present mean and despicable appearance of the building before your eyes, I 'will fill it with glory, and will cause it to equal, or even surpass, the former in splendour and. magnificence-For in this place will I give peace." My purpose is to bless you abundantly, and to give you great prosperity.' Which gracious declaration was fulfilled.

That they ere in flourishing circumstances at the time of our Lord's preaching among them, is a rent; though they were uneasy under subjection to the Romans. Josephus continually speaks of the temple, as very grand and magnificent; and it appears to be so from his large and particular description of it, in the fifth chapter of the fifth book of his Jewish War, just before its final ruin. And when Titus, upon the fire having seized the temple, entered it, with some of his officers, he says, that' Titus saw it to be far superior to the report

a See Prideaux, in the year before Christ 63, p. 439. And Joseph. Antiq. 1. 14. c. iv. 4. De B. J. I. i. c. vii. sect. 6.

• Τετε το παίες τοις Ἱεροσολύμοις αιτιοι κατέςησαν Ὑρκανας και Αρισοβολος προς άλληλος σασιάζοντες. Την τε γαρ ελευθερίαν απεβαλομεν, και υπήκοοι Ρωμαίων κατεστημεν. Antiq. I. 14. iv. 5. And compare what Agrippa says to the Jews at Jerusalem. De B. J. 1. 2. c. xvi. 4. p. 187.

Romanorum primus Cn. Pompeius Judæos domuit, templumque jure victoria ingressus est. Tacit. H. 1. 5. c. 9.

a

of strangers, and not inferior to our boastings concerning it.' And having related how it was burnt, he says, it might be justly lamented, since it was the most admirable of all the works 'which we have seen or heard of, for its curious structure and magnitude, and for all the wealth bestowed upon it, as well as for the reputation of its sanctity.' And he expressly calls it the temple that was built, or begun to be built in the second year of Cyrus, under the direction of the prophet Haggai. And our Lord's disciples bear witness to the same in some passages, that will come before us in reciting his predictions, of which we are now to take notice, and then observe the fulfilment of them.

III. We find our Lord's disciples speaking of the magnificence of the temple with admiration. So in Mark xiii. 10. " And, as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him; Master, see what manner of stones, and what buildings are here! And Jesus, answering, said unto him; Seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, asked him privately: Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign, when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them, began to say: Take heed, lest any man deceive you; for many will come in my name, and say; I am Christ. And will deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars, and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled; for such things must needs be: but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be earthquakes in divers places; and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows And the gospel must first be published among all nations." And ver. 1-1-20. "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand) then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains. And let him that is on the house-top not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house. And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days. And pray ye, that your flight be not in the winter, for in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation, which God created, unto this time, neither shall be.'

The like things are in St. Matthew xxiv. 1-35. " And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple; and his disciples came to him, for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them; See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And, as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying; Tell us when these things shall be, and what will be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered, and said unto them: Take heed that no man deceive you; for many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and will deccive many. And ye will hear of wars, and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass: but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there will be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye will be hated of all nations for my name sake. And then will many be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another. And many false prophets will arise, and will deceive many. And, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will wax cold; but he that shall endure to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations. And then shall the end come. When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth let him understand) then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him which is on the house-top not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him that is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them which are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days. But pray ye, that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath-day. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. But, for the elects' sake, those days shall be shortened. Then, if any say unto you; Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not: for there will arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insoa L. 6. iv. 8. Conf. 1. 6. x. fin. • Απο δε της ύσερον, ήν ετει δευτερῳ Κυρο βασιλεύοντος εποιησατο Αγγαίος, L. 6. c. iv. 8.

much that (if it were possible) they should deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore, if they shall say unto you, Behold he is in the desert, go not forth; Behold, he is in the secret chambers, believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be; for wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled: Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away."

Those inquiries of the disciples, and our Lord's answers to them, are made in private; but they plainly refer to things said by our Lord publicly in the courts of the temple; we may do well therefore to look back to what precedes, as related in St. Matthew's Gospel especially; where are recorded the many woes pronounced by our Lord upon the Scribes and Pharisees, and the people in general, who were under their influence and direction; Matt. xxiii. 29—39. "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous: and ye say, If we had been in the days of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets: wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them that killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell! Wherefore, behold I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and Scribes: and some of them ye will kill and crucify; and some of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. OʻJerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings! and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: for I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Compare Luke xi. 47–51.

The like things are recorded by St. Luke, ch. xxi. 5-28, a part of which I shall also transcribe here. 66 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones, and gifts, he said; As for these things, which ye behold, the days will come, in the which shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And they asked him, saying; Master, but when shali these things be? and what signs will there be when these things shall come to pass? And he said; Take heed that ye be not deceived; for many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and the time draws near: go ye not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified; for these things must first come to pass: but the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them; Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences, and fearful sights, and great signs shall there be from heaven: but before all these things they shall 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 sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony-And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends. And some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh: then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out. And let not them that are in the country enter thereinto: for these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days. For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people: and they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles

be fulfilled."

And before this, when he was making his public entrance into Jerusalem, says St. Luke, xix. 41-44. "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying; If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! But now they are hid from thy eyes! For the days will come upon thee, that thy enemies shall cast

a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and will lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee: and they will not leave in thee one stone upon another, because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."

And afterwards, when they were leading him away to be crucified, Luke xxiii. 27-31. "And there followed him a great company of people, and of women; which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus, turning unto them, said; Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children; for behold the days are coming, in the which they will say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do such things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry!"

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. 33-48. Mark xii. 1-13. 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 foretels 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 foretels, 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 foretels, 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 where they ought not; that is, near Jerusalem, or in the land of Judea.

Of all these several things I propose to shew 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.

a

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