beg leave to dissent from those who assert that these Sacrifices expiated only for lesser Sins and Failings and not for the greater ones of external idolatry Murder Blasphemy and the like It is not to be doubted that all kinds and degrees of Sin were expiated by the legal Sacrifices not only corporal Punishment in the sense which I have explain'd and legal Uncleanness but all moral Impurity and Guilt were taken away by them But this the Mosaick Sacrifices did not do of themselves but by virtue only of the Expiatory Sacrifice of the MESSIAS to come of which they were but Shadows To speak properly and strictly they did not really and formally but typically expiate i. e. as they were Significations and Figures of that great Sacrifice to be offer'd Lastly then the grand and principal End of the Judaical Sacrifices was to typify and represent the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Socinus denies not that the Anniversary Sacrifice on the Day of Expiation was a Type of Christ ' s Death But as for the other common and usual Sacrifices he holds that Christ was not prefigured by them but that the Spiritual Sacrifices of Christians were only typified thereby This is a gross Error for the Burnt-Offerings and Sin-Offerings and Peace-Offerings which were common and frequent were Expiatory Sacrifices as I shew'd before and they were as much Expiatory as that which was but once a Year Now being Expiatory they as such were Types of the great Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Lamb of God they prefigured Christ's Death and the Expiation and Satisfaction which he was to make for Sin It is a strange thing therefore to me that Socinus who denies Christ to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice should grant that the Sacrifice which the High Priest offer'd once a Year entring into the Holy of Holies prefigured the Death of Christ for the same reason he ought to grant that all the Expiatory Sacrifices of the Law were Types of our Saviour And he could not but see that the Holy Ghost in Scripture doth not only speak of that Annual Sacrifice as a prefiguration of Christ's Passion and apply it expresly to him in Heb. 9. 12. By his own Blood â—e entred in once into the Holy Place but the same Infallible Spirit in that Epistle applieth what is said of the other Sacrifices unto Christ Therefore the Apostle saith Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 15. 7. Therefore Iohn the Baptist call'd our Saviour the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World John 1. 29. having respect without doubt to the Expiatory Sacrifices of the Old Testament which prefigured Christ the true Immaculate Lamb the Lamb that was slain as the same inspired Writer speaks from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. Christ's Offering was the Idea and Pattern of all the Levitical and Mosaical Sacrifices To this very end God instituted these that they might shadow out that to us A greater and better Sacrifice and Oblation of a higher nature was to succeed those viz. the Sacrifice of Christ Jesus by which God is appeased and all our Sins are expiated and therefore the Phrase of a sweet-smelling Savour applied to Expiatory Sacrifices under the Law is used and that properly by the Apostle concerning Christ his giving up himself for us and pacifying God's Wrath on our behalf That the Legal Sacrifices were Types and Symbols of spiritual things is acknowledg'd by Philo but we who have an infallible information from the New Testament are taught further viz. that they were Types of Christ the great Sacrifice And we have the greatest reason imaginable to assent to this because the Blood of Bulls and Goats was a poor Expiation of it self That Butchery that bloody Employment could have no real and intrinsick worth in it and therefore it must needs have been in order to something else it was to prefigure the expiatory Death and Sacrifice of the Massias And all the time that these Mosaick Sacrifices lasted they did not pacify God's Anger and satisfy his Justice and take away Sin and justify Persons by their own Force and Virtue or by their own worthiness but they did all this typically and mystically as they represented Christ and his Merit who was the Great Sacrifice they did it by Divine Order and Institution CHAP. VI. The High-Priest's Office His peculiar Attire The Imployment and Apparel of the Priests The Levites Particular Charge Whether they might sacrifice or no. Their Office in the Reigns of King David and King Solomon differ'd in some things from what it was before The ordinary and fixed Place of Worship and particularly of Sacrificing was the Tabernacle A particular Account of the three Divisions or Partitions of it viz. the Outward Court the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies with all things contain'd in them The Mystical and Spiritual meaning of the several Particulars The Travels and Removes of the Tabernacle and Ark. A distinct Account of the Parts of the Temple shewing wherein it differ'd from the Tabernacle Of the Fabrick it self and its Dimensions Houses and Chambers belonging to it The Sacraments appointed by the Ceremonial Law HAving spoken of Sacrifices we will now in the second place speak of the Sacrificers the Persons that officiated in the Ceremonial Worship under the Law There were three Orders of these the first whereof was the High-Priest For tho there were Priests before the Law who were Fathers and Heads and the First-born of Families yet we read of 〈◊〉 High-Priest This Office is now added and Aaron had it first of all to whose House it was tied by Divine Institution But it continued not long there only Eleazer succeeded his Father Aaron and upon Eleazer's Death three Priests of his Family successively were High-Priests Then the Office went out of the House of Aaron and came to Eli of the Family of Ithamar But generally afterwards the High Priesthood was by succession of Blood and lineally descended from the Father to the Son or if there were no Son to the next of the Kindred This High Priest was the great and supreme Ecclesiastical Minister among the Iews And even according to Philo and some other Iews was a Type of the Messias His Office was in common with that of the Priests of whom afterwards to pray for instruct and bless the People but his peculiar Province was to preside over the Priests and other inferior Officers of the Church to take care that they discharg'd their Function aright Whereas these administred daily he was obliged to officiate only on the solemn Day of Expiation He differ'd from them in the manner of his Consecration and was peculiar in some other things He had the singular honour to be the Metropolitan of the Jewish Church and the President of the Great Council or Sanhedrim To make him more pompous and venerable the Law took care of his very Attire I will only shew you this Sacred Wardrobe and
assuming our Nature and thereby redressing the Evils which came by the Fall and by his meritorious Death making Atonement for the Sins of Men and reconciling them to the incens'd Majesty of Heaven And it is here included that even before he was incarnate the Merit of his future Suffeâ—ings and Death should in all Ages be imputed to those who believe in him and look for his Coming For he is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World he was appointed from Eternity to redeem and save lost Mankind by the effusion of his precious Blood This is the purport of this gracious Promisâ— made to Adam in Paradise this was the fiâ—st dawning of the Gospel-Light here were the first Tidings of a Mâ—ssiaâ— Some of the Church of Româ— understand this Promise concerning the Virgin Mary the Vulgar Latin have render'd it ipsâ— she shall bruisâ— thy Head and hence it is inferr'd by Tiriâ—us and others on the place that that Pronoun refers to a Woman and that Woman is the Virgin Mary who bringing forth Christ bruised the Serpent's Head But these Men must be reminded that the Hâ—brâ—w word which we translate It is not hi but 〈◊〉 not she but 〈◊〉 However being of the Masculine Gender it must needs reâ—er to the word before which is of the same Genderâ— and that is Zâ—rang the Sâ—â—d viz. the Seed of the Woman which is Christ. The Lawâ— of Grammar forbid us to render it she and the Laws of the Christian Religion forbid us to apply it to the Virgin Mary seeing it is the proper Work of the Mâ—ssiaâ— to bruise and break the Serpent's Head i. e. to destroy Satan This Interpretation then we quit not only as it is ungrammatical but as it is profane and blasphemously derogates from the Office and Undertakings of Christ. Of him alone we ought to understand these words to him only we can with good reason apply them Thus without doubt they were understood by our First Parents and administred unspeakable Solace and Comfort to them Hence the Messiaâ— was daily expected by them and when Eve was deliver'd of her first-born Son she thought verily she had brought forth the Mâ—ssiaâ— who should bruise the Serpent's Head I have gotten â—aith she a Man from the Lord or according to the Hebrew the Man the Lord. Not only the Iewish especially the Cabalistick Doctors but some worthy Persons of the Christian Perswasion read the words thus and interpret them concerning the Blessed Seed Helvicus hath shew'd that Eth is an Article of the Accusative Casâ— and he doth it in so many Instances in Scripture that it seems to be the Hebrâ—w Idiom And besides it is a demonstrative or â—mphatick Particle and points at some Thing or Person in a signal manner So here it emphatically refers to the Mâ—ssiaâ— who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both Man and God Our Grandmother Evâ— was in hopes that she had born this God-man that Person who was to bruise Saâ—an's Head according to the Promise made to them It is not wholly improbable that 〈◊〉 also perswaded himself that his Son Noah should be the Messias and take away the Curse of the Fall and bring a Blessing with him and comfort the distressed World and give it Rest and Ease and therefore he named him Noah which signifies both Rest and Consolation There was without question a continual expectation of the Coming of this Person and of the fulâ—illing of that Promise concerning his destroying of Satan The seventy Interpreters understood that Text of the Messias which occasion'd their making the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Neuâ—er Gender as the Apostle also doth Gal. 3. 16. And all the antiâ—nt Iews understood this Promise of the blessed Seed Christ tho the Moderns do not You will find it thus applied by both the Targums And the New Testament approves of this by bearing witness that Christ is the Person who â—ruisâ—s the Serpent's Head He took Flesh and Blood that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Dâ—vil Heb. 2. 14. To this purpose the Son of God was manifestâ—d that he might destroy the Works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. and Luke 10. 18. Iohn 12. 31. and 14. 30. with many other places declare that this was he who was to bruise Satan under our feet This is the Scope of the whole Gospel and this is that Gospel which was preached by God in Paradisâ— When Adam and in him all Mankind apostaâ—ized from God and could expect nothing but the Reward of their Rebellion and therefore might have abandon'd themselves to utter Despair God reviv'd them with this Promise of the Mâ—ssias The Seed of the Woman shall bruisâ— the Sâ—rpâ—nt's Head God the Father so loved the World that he resolved to give to his Only Son to be their Redeemer who being the Eternal Wisdom and Word of God and so truly God and one in Essence with the Father was in due time to assume our Nature and become Man thereby to transact the Redemption of lost Mankind and accomplish the Designs of Grace and Mercy to undone Sinners Which tho it be not expresly on this occasion set down in the Mâ—saick History yet other passages of Sacred Scripture assure us that it was so and that the Second Persâ—n in the Sâ—cred Triniâ—y undertook to pacify the Wrath of the Deiâ—y and to reconcile Man unto God and to accomplish the New Covenant made with Adam and his Posterity even a Covenant of Grace and Mercy through his Blood Having thus shew'd the main thing in this Dispensation I must in the next place acquaint you what other considerable things made up this particular Oeconomy and Administration of the Almighty Aâ—ter this grand Revelation and Discovery made to Adam and Eve concerning the Messias to come there were several positive Precepts and Laws given to them and their Children Some reckon that as one that the Woman should be subject to the Man He shall rule over thee Gen. 3. 16. For these words they say may contain not only a Threatning but a Command Here is not only signified the Punishment consequent on the Fall that the Husband should imperiously rule over the Woman which we mention'd before but here is enjoyn'd the subjection of the latter to the former this being now become requisite in the state that Men and Women are in And tho it was a Curse to be tyrannically ruled tho a servile subjection was the Consequent of the Fall yet now it is a Duty to be freely submissive and with it goes a Blessing That also may be look'd upon as another positivâ— Law that Men should labour For tho those words In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat Bread Gen. 3. 19. carry the nature of a Commination and Curse so far as Man's Labour is with uneasiness trouble and pain yet they may likewise be understood in the way of a
cogent Reasons to perswade us that they truly and faithfully delivered down to us those things This I will make good from the Consideration 1. Of the Persons that transmitted these things 2. Of the Evidence of the Cause First as to the Persons I will consider both their Lives and their Deaths Their Lives are sufficient proofs of their Integrity in delivering the Scriptures of the New Testament to us and of their confident belief of the Truth of all that is contain'd in them The Primitive Christians lived after another rate than we do now They did not wrangle and quarrel as we do they did not â—ight and devour one another as the manner of too many is of latter times but they were remarkable for their mutual Love and Concord for their Humility Meekness and Condescension to one another and they were admired for their Gravity Sobriety Self-denial and Patience they were eminent for their Piety towards God and their Innocent and Righteous dealing with all Men. The Ministers practised what they preached and the People were ambitious to imitate their Preachers and both were singularly Good and Virtuous This was it which gain'd so many Proselytes to Christianity in those first times this brought them to a perswasion of the Truth and Reality of Christ's Doctrine Therefore when Origen had excellently proved the Truth of Christianity to Alexander Severus that noble Emperor ingenuously confessed that he was more convinced of the Truth of that Religion by the humble and loving carriage of Christians than by all Origen's Arguments The exemplary and blameless Conversation of those Primitive Professors argued that the Doctrine and Principles of their Religion were real and certain For how can it enter into any sober Mans thoughts that such holy and upright Men true followers of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ would have constantly confessed and owned the Christian way unless they had been throughly convinced of the Truth of it and that it was the very same which was confess'd and acknowledg'd by the Apostles themselves These Holy and Godly Men made Conscience of a Lie and counted it a heinous Crime to falsify yea they esteem'd it no less than a damnable Sin to disbelieve or misreport those things concerning Christ and the Christian Doctrines They were really perswaded in their Minds that their Salvation lay at stake that their Eternal Welfare or Everlasting Ruin were concern'd in these things And can you imagin then that they would report them falsly and impose upon the World by delivering things which were counterfeit Again as the Lives so the Suffering and Death of the Saints in the Primitive Days and in the succeeding Ages are an undeniable Argument of the Truth of what was deliver'd to them and of what they conveyed to us They underwent the most exquisite Pains and Torments with ineffable Courage and Constancy and nothing could prevail with them to renounce the Christian Religion insomuch that when the Pagan Adversaries in those days would express any thing to be impossible they did it thus Ye may sooner make the Professors of Christ quit their Mastersâ— Doctrine This was a thing not to be effected for those Persons first of all forsook their worldly Goods and then parted with their Lives to hold fast their Religion This patient Suffering and undaunted Dying of so many thousands is an unquestionable Proof of the Truth of Christianity For those enlightned and sanctified Men would never lay down their Lives to maintain a Falshood and to perpetuate a Lie No they knew whom they believed in and for whom they suffer'd and that made them so couragious We may conclude then that the Christian Doctrine is confirm'd by the Blood of those Worthy Men those expiring Saints did testify the Truth of Christianity and therefore they are stiled Martyrs Secondly The Evidence of the Cause is an impregnable Argument of the Reality and Truth of these things which I am speaking of There is this following heap of Evidences 1. A great Presumption arising from just Causes and Circumstances yea and from a multiplicity of them which in all Courts of Judicature is of considerable weight and value with understanding Judges This first but lowest sort of Evidence the Christian Church since our Saviour hath not been destitute of for there were never higher Presumptions in any Cause under Heaven than there were in this But we need not mention this when we have 2. The Notoriety of the Facts i. e. when the things in trial are openly and commonly known when they are avouched by publick Fame and the universal Vogue of Men. And that this was the case of Christianity ever since Christ left the Earth cannot be denied by any Man of Modesty and Truth 3. The Succession of Christians and Churches in the World is a plain Proof that they verily believed those things which made them Christians and Churches Hereupon they deliver'd to us those Writings which they receiv'd from the Hands of the Evangelists and Apostles by their transmitting them to Posterity they shew that they believe them to be sacred and certain Verities 4. The Succession of Bishops and Pastors is an other Evidence for it was their Office to read publickly the Scriptures of the New Testament and to preach the Doctrines contain'd in them and consequently to own them to be Truth which is a good Motive to us to do the same 5. The frequent Disputes which Christians in all Ages have held with those who opposed the Scripture and Christianity are no mean Testimony in this Cause 6. To these may be added the famous Writings of the Christians in the several Centuries their Apologies Dialogues Sermons Homilies Orations Commentaries Histories All which proclaim their serious and firm Belief of what they have convey'd down to us 7. All Christian Churches have deliver'd to us certain Symbols or Articles of Belief which they reckon'd to be the Standards of Evangelical Faith and Truth 8. The Constant Communion of the Church and the publick Worship of God in the solemn Assemblies of Christians ever since the days of the Apostles the setting apart a Day for that Worship the reading of the Scriptures at such times the instructing the People out of them the celebrating the Lord's Supper the constant custom of openly rehearsing and proâ—essing the Christian Belief the Prayers and Praises offer'd to God in the name of Christ the yearly Commemoration of the Birth Death and Resurrection of our Saviour the Sacrament of Baptism which acknowledgeth the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 9. The sundry Decrees and Canons of Synods and Councils held in the Christian Churches Lastly the many Laws and Edicts of Christian Emperours and Princes in defence and confirmation of our most holy Religion These and all the rest before-named are clear Proofs and Evidences that the Evangelical Writings which contain the Doctrine and Actions of our blessed Lord were rightly and truly convey'd to us and that we are in possession of the same Faith and
are ready to imbrace any bold Impostor who will lay claim to the Title of Messiah And thus it will be as long as they mistake the Prophesies in the Old Testament concerning his coming and will not be perswaded that the time of it is past But shall we take the meaning of Scripture from Them from whom God hath taken away for so many Ages all Understanding and Knowledg Shall we give credit to them who are blinded and besotted and have abandoned their Reason who are most palpably erroneous in Chronology and History as the Learned Isaac Vossius hath shew'd and who in giving the Sense of Scripture are most apparently deluded No surely nor are we to mind what they say when they tell us that no Man ought to be so bold as to compute the time of the coming of the Messias We know the reason of this the Iews cannot indure now to have the Prophesies look'd into and the times of the Messias's arrival reckon'd up Since Christ is come they see that the Times spoken of by the Prophets concerning him are past and therefore they anatbematize all that undertake to compute them They wish that those who curiously enquire into them may perish But the Curse will rather light upon themselves because they wilfully discern not the Times We may then notwithstanding all the Objections Cavils Evasions and perverse Interpretations of the Iews hold fast our Proposition that all the Prophesies in the Old Testament concerning the Messias are really fulfilled Yea the Prophesy concerning the Iews not believing these Prophesies is accomplis'd for it was prophetically set down as one Mark of the Messias his coming that the Jewish Nation should refuse and reject him So that you see the Jews Incredulity and Obstinacy are one great Argument that Christ is the true Messias We have abundant reason then to acquiesce in the Spirit of Prophesy which is the Testimony of Iesus Rev. 19. 10. This bears witness to him and to the Truth and Certainty of Christianity This Spirit of Prophesy witnessed concerning Christ four Thousand Years before he came for so long it was from the first Promise in Gen. 3. 15. Many other things were foretold concerning him three Thousand Years before some two Thousand and some a Thousand before he was manifested in the Flesh. Now our Argument runs thus he that was so many Years before foretold to come as the Messias or Saviour is certainly the true Messias and Saviour But Iesus was so foretold therefore he was certainly the true Messias and Saviour The first Proposition is built on the Truth and Faithfulness of God and is granted us by the Iews themselves The second is that which we have been indeavouring to prove and I hope I have effectually done it for I have plainly demonstrated that it was Christ our Lord who was foretold so many Years before in the Old Testament and that it can be no other than him Therefore it cannot be question'd by any rational Person whether he was the true Messias who was to bring Salvation to Mankind Thus you see Christianity is founded on the Old Testament here it is prophesied that Christ should come in such a manner and the very manner we find particularly recorded in the New Testament Malachi and Matthew join hand in hand and so do the rest of the Prophets and Evangelists Therefore we imbrace Christianity The truth of it is proved from the Prophesies concerning the Messias If we believe these as we cannot but do because they are divine and from Heaven we must believe Christ is come for they are an absolute Demonstration of this grand Point that Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary whom the Jews put to death at Ierusalem was the Son of God and the true Messias Whereupon it will irrefragably follow that the Faith and Doctrine which he introduced are from Heaven and that the Christian Oeconomy wants not divine Attestation CHAP. XVI The Miracles wrought by Christ. What those Baskets were which were fill'd with Fragments Christ not only fed but healed the Bodies of Men. He did other Miraculous Works The Apostles as well as our Saviour exerted many Miracles An Objection from 1 Tim. 5. 23. answer'd Five Properties of a true Miracle Counterfeit and lying Wonders The Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were accompanied with seven peculiar Circumstances which prove them to be from God What were the Ends and Designs they propounded to themselves in working of Miracles An Objection from Mark 11. 14. answer'd Several Interpretations of those Words the time of Figs was not yet Why Christ cursed the â—arren Fig-tree Another Objection from Mat. 8. 30. answer'd Two other Objections answer'd The Personal Qualities of the Apostles argue the Miracles which they wrought to be true and real A Reply to the several Cavils against the Miracles of our Saviour An account of the wonderful things done by some Pagans especially Vespasian and Apollonius Tyanaeus The Miracles which the Church of Rome pretends to are proved to be Counterfeit It is shew'd from Scripture the Confession of Jews and Pagans and thâ— nature of the thing it self that Miracles are a Testimony of the Truth of Christianity Miracles were necessary for confirming of the Gospel on several Accounts Thirdly MIracles are another Divine Testimony of the Truth of Christianity Here I will first set before you the particular Miracles of Christ and his Apostles Secondly I will prove that these were true Miracles Thirdly I will shew that these are an infallible Testimony of the Truth of Christianity 1. I will set before you the particular Miracles of Christ and his Apostles recorded in the New Testament Here I might mention his Conception which was by the Holy Ghost and by himself as he was God and his Birth which was of a Virgin both which are Miraculous and I might recount how he was usher'd into the World by a Miraculous Star But I will confine my self to those Miracles which he personally did in his Life at his Death and afterwards One of the first he exerted was at Galilee when he turned Water into Wine Iohn 2. 11. He that could fast forty Days and forty Nights in the Wilderness Mat. 4. 2. which is to be reckon'd as a Miracle also thought good to demonstrate his Divine Power at a Feast and to chear and refresh the Guests with no less than a Miracle Then but I shall not observe the exact Order of his Miracles we read that about Meat as well as Drink he exercised his Omnipotent Virtue for when the multitude which followed him wanted food he had compassion on them and satisfied four Thousand Men with seven Loaves and a few Fishes at which time seven Baskets of Fragments were left Mat. 15. 34. At another time he fed five Thousand besides Women and Children with five Loaves and two Fishes and after all twelve Baskets full remained of Fragments Mat. 14. 19 20. This was a most acceptable Miracle to those
was ulcer'dâ— in his Bowels and pester'd with Worms which crawl'd out of his rotted flesh and in the midst of Conâ—ulsions and exquisite Torments over his whole Body ended his miserable Life to begin one more miserable Iudas who had been a seeming Friend but proved at last a real Adversary to the Christian Cause and perfidiously betray'd the Lord of Life â—as by Divine Vengeance punish'd with a triple Death as I have shew'd in the Exposition of Mat. 27. 5. The Sacred Records acquaint us that Elymas a Sorcerer who opposed the Christian Faith was struck blind by St. Paul Acts 13. 11. Clement the Roman Arnobius Epiphanius and others relate how Simon the Magician an Apostate from Christianity and one who openly defied that Religion afterwards was defeated in his bold Attempt of flying in the Air and was struck down to the ground by St. Peter Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee who beheaded Iohn Baptist and under whom Christ suffer'd Death was afterwards condemned by Caligula to perpetual Banishment where he died miserably Caiaphas was the same time disgracefully removed from the High Priest's Office and Ionathan was set in his Place Pilate who condemned our Saviour was accused at Rome put out of his Place and then banish'd to the Town of Lions and at length slew himself Herod Agrippa Nephew of Herod the Great who stretch'd forth his hands to vex certain of the Christian Church and particularly kill'd Iames the Brothâ—r of Iohn with the Sword and proceeded further to take Peter also and put him in Prison intending after Easter to bring him forth to the People to be executed as Iames was this execrable Man who thus thirsted after the Blood of the Christians and designed a plentifâ—l effusion of it was on a sudden cut off by the just hand of God and that in the midst of those prophane Apâ—plauses which he receiv'd from the People the Text saith he was eaten of Worms Acts 12. 23. It may be observed that most of the Roman Emperors and Tyrants who imbrued their hands in the Blood of Christiâ—ans died violent Deaths some of them laid hands on themselves and the rest in some other manner miserably closed their days Of the twelve first Roman Emperors there were but three that died natural Deaths and of the forty Pagan Emperors of Rome for so many were from Iulius Caesar to Constantine the Great there were few that died in their Beds See Lactantius de Mâ—rt Persecut who undertakes to shew that all the Eâ—mperors and Tyrants that persecuted the Christians â—had tragical ends by the visible hand of God upon them and he particularly recounts the Signal Iudgments which they were deservedly visited with And as for Iulian who was a Flatterer of the Christians and â—â—sed a way quite contrary to what the foregoing Caesarâ—s had done for by Bribes and Preferments he endeavour'd to pervert the Christians and at other times he attempted to jeer them out of their Religion this Man in the very beginning of his Reign was taken off in a very strange and surprizing manner He who vowed to sacrifice to his Gods the Blood of the Christians when he return'd in Triumph from his Persian Expedition as St. Ierom Theodoret and Orosius relate met with a bloody Stroke which defeated his purposes Whence the Truth of what a Christian told â—â—banius was manifest viz. that the Carpenter's Soâ—â— was making a Coffin for Iâ—lian Who gave him his wound is not known to any to this day said the Ecclesiastical Historian but as he adds whether it was a Man or an Angel that inflicted it it is certain he was the Minister of the Divine Wilâ— And the desperate Behaviour of the perishing Emperor is mention'd by the same Writer viz. that he fiâ—l'd his hand with the Blood that issâ—ed from the Woâ—nd and threw it up into the Air with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Author tells us moreover that his Emâ—press a Pious and Religious Lady seeing him thus punish'd seasonably reminded him of his Guilt and plainly told him that he would not have known who it was he had so fiercely opposed unless this Stroks from God had been inflicted on him I might have observ'd before out of the Life of Constantine the Great that as soon as Maximian persecuted the Christâ—ians the Divine Vengeance seized him and his secâ—et Parts and his Bowels were ulcerated And there likewise we find the Emperor declaring that he had himself taken notice of the strange Exits of some that had troubl'd the People of God i. e. the Christians with their wicked Edicts l. 4. c. 12. I could go bacâ— and observe that Tertullian propounds to Scapula the African President several particular Exaâ—ples of the Mischiefs and Plagues that befel certain of his Predecessors and others that vex'd and disturb'd the Christians But among all the Iudgments of Gâ—od on the Enemies and Persecutors of Christianitâ— I may reckon his Vengeance on the Iewish People and Nation as the most observable and notorious According to our Saviour's Prediction they heard of Wâ—ars and rumours of Wars and soon felt them there was great distress in the Land and wrath upon this People they fell by the edg of the Sword c. Nero sent Vespasian to reduce these Rebels who for six Years together miserably destroy'd them and their Country with Sword and Fire Then upon Nero's Death Vesâ—asian who succeeded him sent his Son Titus thither who bent all the Force of the War against their Capital City and closely besieged it Yet as the Historian himself acknowledges this merciful Prince acted this Tragical Part unwillingly he all the while pitied the Iews and testifi'd it by his Tears he deferred from time to time the Destruction of Ierusalem and kept up the Siege the longer that the Iews might repent of their Doings and submit themselves to his Arms. But when he saw they were obstinate and would by no means make good use of his Forbearance he resolv'd to punish their Incorrigibleness and accordingly he fell upon them with an unusual severity and wofully sack'd and destroy'd the City and burnt both it and the Temple to the ground No less than eleven hundred thousand were kill'd by Fire Sword Famin and civil Discord in the time of the Siege and ninety seven thousand were taken Captives at the sacking of it there being then a vast confluence of Iews from all parts to celebrate the Passover for as this was the time when our Saviour was crucifi'd so at this very Season the Iews were remarkably punish'd for crucifying him An innumerable company of that miscreant Nation which sold Christ for thirty pieces of Silver were exposed to sale at a far cheaper Rate for as this Author affirms the Market ran so low that twenty Iews were sold for a penny The whole City and Temple were utterly demolish'd to the ground And this was done by him who was stiled the Darling and Delight of Mankind as if the Iews were