should thus be human, in order to fulfil the divine designs and prophecies respecting the shedding of his blood for our salvation, which could not have been done had he not possessed a real body. It is also as evident that he assumed our whole nature, soul as well as body. If he had not, he could not have been capable of that sore amazement and sorrow unto death, and all those other acts of grieving, feeling, rejoicing, &c. asscribed to him. It was not, however, our sinful nature he assumed, but the likeness of it, Rom. viii. 2. for he was without sin, and did no iniquity. His human nature must not be confounded with his divine; for though there be an union of natures in Christ, yet there is not a mixture or confusion of them or their properties. His humanity is not changed into his deity, nor his deity into humanity; but the two natures are distinct in one person. How this union exists is above our comprehension; and, indeed, if we cannot explain how our own bodies and souls are united, it is not to be supposed we can explain this astonishing mystery of God manifest in the flesh. Sée MEDIATOR.

Christians for their non-conformity to the established religion of the empire. In a letter to the emperor, giving an account of his conduct, he declares, "they affirmed the whole of their guilt, or their error, was, that they met on a certain stated day, before it was light, and addressed themselves in a form of prayer to Christ as to some God." Thus Pliny meant to inform the emperor that Christians worshipped Christ. Justin Martyr, who lived about 150 years after Christ, asserts, that the Christians worshipped the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Besides his testimony, there are numberless passages in the fathers that attest the truth in question; especially in Tertullian, Hippolytus, Felix, &c. Mahomet, who lived in the sixth century, considers Christians in the light of infidels and idolaters throughout the Koran; and indeed, had not Christians worshipped Christ, he could have had no shadow of a pretence to reform their religion, and to bring them back to the worship of one God. That the far greater part of Christians have continued to worship Jesus, will not be doubted; now, if Christ be not God, then the Christians have been guilty of idolatry; and if they have been guilty of idolatry, then it must appear remarkable that the apostles, who foretold the corruptions of Christianity, 2 Tim. iii. should never have foreseen nor warned us against worshipping Christ. In no part of the Scripture is there, the least intimation of Christians falling into idolatry in this respect. Surely if this had been an error which was so universally to prevail, those Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation, would have left us warning on so important a topic. Lastly, consider what numberlesstablished ceremonies of his countrymen, passages of Scripture have no sense, or a very absurd one, if Jesus Christ be a mere man. See Rom. i. 3. 1 Tim. iii. 16. John xiv. 9. xvii. 5. Phil. ii. 6. Ps. cx. 1, 4. 1 Tim. i. 2. Acts xxii. 12. and ix. 17.

But though Jesus Christ be God, yet for our sakes, and for our salvation, he took upon him human nature; this is therefore called his humanity. Marcion, Apelles, Valentinus, and many other heretics, denied Christ's humanity, as some have done since. But that Christ had a true human body, and not a mere human shape, or a body that was not real flesh, is very evident from the sacred Scriptures, Is. vii. 12. Luke xxiv. 39. Heb. ii. 14. Luke i. 42. Phil. ii. 7, 8. John i. 14. Besides, he ate, drank, slept, walked, worked, and was weary. He groaned, bled, and died, upon the cross. It was necessary that he

We now proceed to the character of Jesus Christ, which, while it affords us the most pleasing subject for meditation, exhibits to us an example of the most perfect and delightful kind.

"Here," as an elegant writer observes "every grace that can recommend religion, and every virtue that can adorn humanity, are so blended, as to excite our admiration, and engage our love. In abstaining from licentious pleasures, he was equally free from ostentatious singularity and churlish sullenness. When he complied with the es

that compliance was not accompanied by any marks of bigotry or superstition: when he opposed their rooted prepossessions, his opposition was perfectly exempt from the captious petulance of a controversialist, and the undistinguishing zeal of an innovator. His courage was active in encountering the dangers to which he was exposed, and passive under the aggravated calamities which the malice of his foes heaped upon him: his fortitude was remote from every appearance of rashness, and his patience was equally exempt from abject pusillanimity: he was firm without obstinacy, and humble without meanness.--Though possessed of the most unbounded power, we behold him living continually in a state of voluntary humiliation and poverty; we see him daily exposed to almost every species of want and dis

H h

tress; afflicted without a comforter, || persecuted without a protector; and wandering about, according to his own pathetic complaint, because he had not where to lay his head. Though regardless of the pleasures, and sometimes destitute of the comforts of life, he never provokes our disgust by the sourness of the misanthrope, or our contempt by the inactivity of the recluse. His attention to the welfare of mankind was evidenced not only by his salutary injunctions, but by his readiness to embrace every opportunity of relieving their distress and administering to their wants. In every period and circumstance of his life, we behold dignity and elevation blended with love and pity; something, which, though it awakens our admiration, yet attracts our confidence. We see power; but it is power which is rather our security than our dread; a power softened with tenderness, and soothing while it awes. With all the gentleness of a meek and lowly mind, we behold an heroic firmness, which no terrors could restrain. In the private scenes of life, and in the public occupations of his ministry; whether the object of admiration or ridicule, of love or of persecution; whether welcomed with hosannas, or insulted with anathemas, we still see him pursuing with unwearied constancy the same end, and preserving the same integrity of life and manners." White's Sermons, ser. 5.

Considering him as a Moral Teacher, we must be struck with the greatest admiration. As Dr. Paley observes, "he preferred solid to popular virtues, a character which is commonly despised, to a character universally extolled, he placed, in our licentious víces, the check in the right place, viz. upon the thoughts; he collected human duty into two welldevised rules; he repeated these rules, and laid great stress upon them, and thereby fixed the sentiments of his followers; he excluded all regard to reputation in our devotion and alms, and, by parity of reason, in our other virtues; his instructions were delivered in a form calculated for impression; they were illustrated by parables, the choice and structure of which would have been admired in any composition whatever: he was free from the usual symptoms of enthusiasm, heat, and vehemence in devotion, austerity in institutions, and a wild particularity in the description of a future state; he was free also from the depravities of his age and country; without superstition among the most superstitious of men, yet not decrying positive distinctions or external observ

ances, but soberly recalling them to the principle of their establishment, and to their place in the scale of human duties; there was nothing of sophistry or trifling, though amidst teachers remarkable for nothing so much as frivolous subtilties and quibbling expositions: he was candid and fiberal in his judgment of the rest of mankind, although belonging to a people who affected a separate claim to divine favour, and, in consequence of that opinion, prone to uncharitableness, partiality, and restriction; in his religion there was no scheme of building up a hierarchy, or of ministering to the views of human governments; in a word, there was every thing so grand in doctrine, and so delightful in manner, that the people might well exclaim-Surely, never man spake like this man!"

As to his example, bishop Newcome observes, "it was of the most perfect piety to God, and of the most extensive benevolence and the most tender compassion to men. He does not merely exhibit a life of strict justice, but of overflowing benignity. His temperance has not the dark shades of austerity; his meekness does not degenerate into apathy; his humility is signal, amidst a splendour of qualities more than human; his fortitude is eminent and exemplary in enduring the most formidable external evils, and the sharpest actual sufferings. His patience is invincible; his resignation entire and absolute. Truth and sincerity shine throughout his whole conduct. Though of hea venly descent, he shows obedience and affection to his earthly parents; he approves, loves, and attaches himself to amiable qualities in the human race; he respects authority, religious and civil; and he evidences regard for his country, by promoting its most essential good in a painful ministry dedicated to its service, by deploring its calamities, and by laying down his life for its benefit. Every one of his eminent virtues is regulated by consummate prudence: and he both wins the love of his friends, and extorts the approbation and wonder of his enemies. Never was a character at the same time so commanding and natural, so resplendent and pleasing, so amiable and venerable. There is a peculiar contrast in it between an awful greatness, dignity, and majesty, and the most conciliating loveliness, tenderness, and softness. He now converses with prophets, lawgivers, and angels; and the next instant he meekly endures the dulness of his disciples, and the blasphemies and rage of the multitude. He now calls himself greater than Solomon;

one who can command legions of angels; demned to slavery; but the more they and giver of life to whomsoever he were oppressed, the more they grew. pleaseth; the Son of God, who shall sit The midwives, and others, were thereon his glorious throne to judge the fore ordered to murder every male inworld: at other times we find him em- fant at the time of its birth; but they, bracing young children; not lifting up shifting the horrible task, every body his voice in the streets, nor quenching was then ordered to destroy the male the smoking flax; calling his disciples children wherever they found them. not servants, but friends and brethren, After they had been thus oppressed for and comforting them with an exuberant about one hundred years, and on the and parental affection. Let us pause an very day that finished the four hundred instant, and fill our minds with the idea and thirtieth year from God's first proof one who knew all things, heavenly mise of a seed to Abraham, and about and earthly; searched and laid open the four hundred years after the birth of inmost recesses of the heart; rectified Isaac, God, by terrible plagues on the every prejudice, and removed every Egyptians, obliged them to liberate the mistake of a moral and religious kind; Hebrews under the direction of Moses by a word exercised a sovereignty over and Aaron. Pharaoh pursued them all nature, penetrated the hidden events with a mighty army; but the Lord of futurity, gave promises of admission opened a passage for them through the into a happy immortality, had the keys Red Sea, and the Egyptians, in atof life and death, claimed an union with tempting to follow them, were drownthe Father; and yet was pious, mild, ed. After this, we find them in a dry gentle, humble, affable, social, benevo- and barren desert, without any provílent, friendly, and affectionate. Such a sion for their journey; but God supcharacter is fairer than the morning plied them with water from a rock, and star. Each separate virtue is made manna and quails from heaven. A little stronger by opposition and contrast: after, they routed the Amalekites, who and the union of so many virtues forms fell on their rear. In the wilderness a brightness which fitly represents the God delivered them the law, and conglory of that God who inhabiteth light|| firmed the authority of Moses. Three inaccessible.'" See Robinson's Plea thousand of them were cut off for worfor the Divinity of Christ, from which shipping the golden calf; and for loath many of the above remarks are taken; ing the manna, they were punished Bishop Bull's Judgment of the Catho- with a month's eating of flesh, till a lic Church; Abbadie, Waterland, Haw-plague brake out among them; and for ker, and Hey, on the Diary of Christ; their rash belief of the ten wicked spies, Reader, Stackhouse, and Doyley's Lives and their contempt of the promised of Christ; Dr. Jamieson's View of the land, God had entirely destroyed them, Doctrine of Scripture, and the Primitive had not Moses's prayers prevented. Faith concerning the Deity of Christ; They were condemned, however, to Owen on the Glory of Christ's Person; wander in the desert till the end of forty Hurrion's Christ Crucified; Bishop years, till that whole generation, except Newcome's Observations on our Lord's Caleb and Joshua, should be cut off by Conduct; and Paley's Evidences of death. Here they were often punished Christianity. for their rebellion, idolatry, whoredom, &c. God's marvellous favours, however, were still continued in conducting and supplying them with meat; and the streams issuing from the rock Meribah, followed their camp about thirty-nine years, and their clothes never waxed old. On their entrance into Canaan, God ordered them to cut off every idolatrous Canaanite; but they spared vast

many

JEWS, a name derived from the patriarch Judah, and given to the descendants of Abraham by his eldest son Isaac. We shall here present the reader with as comprehensive a view of this singular people as we can.

1. Jews, history of the.-The Almighty promised Abraham that he would render his seed extremely numerous: this promise began to be ful-numbers of them, who enticed them to filled in Jacob's twelve sons. In about two hundred and fifteen years they increased in Egypt from seventeen to between two and three millions, men, women, and children. While Joseph lived, they were kindly used by the Egyptian monarchs; but soon after, from a suspicion that they would become too strong for the natives, they were con

wickedness, and were sometimes God's rod to punish them. For many ages they had enjoyed little prosperity, and often relapsed into awful idolatry, worshipping Baalim, Ashtaroth. Micah and the Danites introduced it not long after Joshua's death. About this time the lewdness of the men of Gibeah occasioned a war of the eleven tribes against

their brethren of Benjamin: they were twice routed by the Benjamites, and forty thousand of them were slain. In the third, however, all the Benjamites were slain, except six hundred. Vexed for the loss of a tribe, the other Hebrews provided wives for these six hundred, at the expense of slaying most of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead. Their relapses into idolatry also brought on them repeated turns of slavery from the heathen among or around them. See books of Judges and Samuel. Having been governed by judges for about three hundred and forty years, after the death of Joshua they took a fancy to have a king. Saul was their first sove- || reign, under whose reign they had perpetual struggles with the Ammonites, Moabites, and Philistines. After about seven years' struggling between the eleven tribes that clave to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and the tribe of Judah, which erected themselves into a kingdom under David, David became sole monarch. Under him they sub-empire of Chaldea, returned to their dued their neighbours, the Philistines, own country. See Nehemiah, Ezra. Edomites, and others; and took pos- Vast numbers of them, who had agreesession of the whole dominion which able settlements, remained in Babylon. had been promised them, from the bor- After their return they rebuilt the temder of Egypt to the banks of the Eu-ple and city of Jerusalem, put away their phrates. Under Solomon they had lit- strange wives, and renewed their covetle war: when he died, ten of the He- nant with God. brew tribes formed a kingdom of Israel, About 3490, or 3546, they escaped the or Ephraim, for themselves, under Jero- ruin designed them by Haman. About boam, the son of Nebat, in opposition to 3653, Darius Ochus, king of Persia, rathe kingdom of Judah and Benjamin, vaged part of Judea, and carried off a ruled by the family of David. The great many prisoners. When Alexankingdom of Israel, Ephraim, or the ten der was in Canaan, about 3670, he contribes, had never so much as one pious firmed to them all their privileges; and, king: idolatry was always their esta- having built Alexandria, he settled vast blished religion. The kingdom of Ju- numbers of them there. About fourteen dah had pious and wicked sovereigns by years after, Ptolemy Lagus, the Greek turns, though they often relapsed into king of Egypt, ravaged Judea, and caridolatry, which brought great distress ried one hundred thousand prisoners to upon them. See books of Samuel, Egypt, but used them kindly, and asKings, and Chronicles. Not only the signed them many places of trust. kingdom of Israel, but that of Judah, About eight years after, he transported was brought to the very brink of ruin another multitude of Jews to Egypt, after the death of Jehoshaphat. After and gave them considerable privileges. various changes, sometimes for the bet- About the same time, Seleucus Nicator, ter, and sometimes for the worse, the having built about thirty new cities in kingdom of Israel was ruined, two hun- Asia, settled in them as many Jews as dred and fifty-four years after its erec- he could; and Ptolemy Philadelphus, tion, by So, king of Egypt, and Hal- of Egypt, about 3720, bought the freemanaser, king of Assyria, who invaded dom of all the Jew slaves in Egypt. it, and destroyed most of the people. Antiochus Epiphanes, about 3834, enJudah was invaded by Sennacherib; raged with them for rejoicing at the rebut Hezekiah's picty, and Isaiah's pray-port of his death, and for the peculiar er, were the means of their preservation: but under Manassch, the Jews abandoned themselves to horrid impiety for which they were punished by Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who invaded and reduced the kingdom, and

carried Manasseh prisoner to Babylon. Manasseh repented, and the Lord brought him back to his kingdom, where he promoted the reformation; but his son Amon defaced all. Josiah, however, again promoted it, and carried it to a higher pitch than in the reigns of David and Solomon. After Josiah was slain by Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, the people returned to idolatry, and God gave them up to servitude to the Egyptians and the Chaldeans. The fate of their kings Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, was unhappy. Provoked by Zedekiah's treachery, Nebuchadnezzar invaded the kingdom, murdered vast numbers, and reduced them to captivity. Thus the kingdom of Judah was ruined, A. M. 3416, about three hundred and eightyeight years after its division from that of the ten tribes. In the seventieth year from the begun captivity, the Jews, according to the edict of Cyrus, king of Persia, who had overturned the

form of their worship, in his return from Egypt, forced his way into Jerusalem, and murdered forty thousand of them; and about two years after he or dered his troops to pillage the cities of Judea, and murder the men, and sell

material properties; and no corporeal essence can be compared with him.-4. That God is the beginning and end of all things, and shall eternally subsist.— 5. That God alone ought to be worshipped, and none beside him is to be adored-6. That whatever has been taught by the prophets is true.-7. That Moses is the head and father of all contemporary doctors, of those who lived before or shall live after him.-8. That the law was given by Moses.-9. That the law shall never be altered, and that God will give no other.-10. That God knows all the thoughts and actions of

the women and children for slaves. || commonly reckon but thirteen articles Multitudes were killed, and ten thou- of their faith. Maimonides, a famous sand prisoners carried off; the temple Jewish rabbi, reduced them to this numwas dedicated to Olympius, an idol of ber when he drew up their confession Greece, and the Jews exposed to the about the end of the eleventh century, basest treatment. Mattathias, the priest, and it was generally received. All the with his sons, chiefly Judas, Jonathan, Jews are obliged to live and die in the and Simon, who were called Maccabees, profession of these thirteen articles, bravely fought for their religion and li- which are as follow:-1. That God is berties. Judas, who succeeded his fa- the creator of all things; that he guides ther about 3840 gave Nicanor and the and supports all creatures: that he has king's troops a terrible defeat, regained done every thing; and that he still acts, the temple, and dedicated it anew, re- and shall act during the whole eternity. stored the daily worship, and repaired-2. That God is one: there is no unity Jerusalem, which was almost in a ruin-like his. He alone hath been, is, and ous heap. After his death, Jonathan shall be eternally our God.-3. That and Simon, his brethren, successively || God is incorporeal, and cannot have any succeeded him; and both wisely and bravely promoted the welfare of the church and state. Simon was succeeded by his son Hircanus, who subdued Idumea, and reduced the Samaritans. In 3899 he was succeeded by his son Janneus, who reduced the Philistines, the country of Moab, Ammon, Gilead, and part of Arabia. Under these three reigns alone the Jewish nation was independent after the captivity. After the death of the widow of Janneus, who governed nine years, the nation was almost ruined with civil broils. In 3939, Aristobulus invited the Romans to assist him against Hircanus, his elder bro-men.-11. That God will regard the ther. The country was quickly reduced, and Jerusalem took by force; and Pompey, and a number of his officers, pushed their way into the sanctuary, if not into the Holy of Holies, to view the furniture thereof. Nine years after, Crassus the Roman general, pillaged the temple of its valuables. After Judea had for more than thirty years been a scene of ravage and blood, and twenty-four of which had been oppressed by Herod the Great, Herod got himself installed in the kingdom. About twenty years before our Saviour's birth, he, with the Jews' consent, began to build the temple. About this time the Jews had hopes of the Messiah; and about A. M. 4000, Christ actually came, whom Herod (instigated by the fear of losing his throne) sought to murder. The Jews, however, a few excepted, rejected the Messiah, and put him to death. The sceptre was now wholly departed from Judah; and Judea, about twenty-seven years before, reduced to a province. The Jews since that time, have been scattered, contemned, persecuted, and enslaved among all nations, not mixed with any in the common manner, but have remained as a body distinct by themselves.

works of all those who have performed what he commands, and punish those who have transgressed his laws.-12. That the Messiah is to come, though he tarry a long time.-13. That there shall be a resurrection of the dead when God shall think fit.

The modern Jews adhere still as closely to the Mosaic dispensation, as their dispersed and despised condition will permit them. Their service consists chiefly in reading the law in their synagogues, together with a variety of prayers. They use no sacrifices since the destruction of the temple. They repeat blessings and particular praises to God, not only in their prayers, but on all accidental occasions, and in almost all their actions. They go to prayers three times a day in their synagogues. Their sermons are not made in Hebrew, which few of them now perfectly understand, but in the language of the country where they reside. They are forbidden all vain swearing, and pronouncing any of the names of God without necessity. They abstain from meats prohibited by the Levitical law; for which reason, whatever they eat must be dressed by Jews, and after a manner peculiar to themselves. As soon as a child can 2. Jews, sentiments of. The Jews | speak, they teach him to read and trans