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use of to describe Jesus Christ. This language, which is very copious, would have afforded lower terms to express an inferior nature; but it could have afforded none higher to express the nature of the Supreme God. It is worthy of observ tion, too, that these writers addressed their writ

not perceive it; which will happen from falling from the law of God, by neglect of fulfilling the law of God, and by winking at their sins; yet, in the end, God, to justify his law, shall suddenly cut off this society, even by the hand of those who have most succoured them, and made use of them; so that at the end they shall become odiousings, not to philosophers and scholars, but to to all nations. They shall be worse than Jews, having no resting-place upon earth; and then shall a Jew have more favour than a Jesuit." This singular passage seems to be accomplished. The emperor Charles V. saw it expedient to check their progress in his dominions: they were expelled England by proclamation, 2 James I., in 1604: Venice, in 1606; Portugal, in 1759; France, in 1761; Spain and Sicily, in 1767; and totally suppressed and abolished by pope Clement XIV. in 1773. Enc. Brit.; Mosheim's Ece. Hist.; Harleian Misc. vol. v. p. 566; Broughton's Dict.

titles intended to convey an idea of his deity, the description is just and the application safe; but if they intended to describe a mere man, they were surely of all men the most preposterous. They chose a method of recommending Jesus to the Jews the most likely to alarm and enrage

the common people, and consequently used words in their plain, popular significationThe common people, it seems, understood the words in our sense of them; for in the Dioclesian persecution, when the Roman soldiers bursta Phrygian city inhabited by Christians; men, women, and children submitted to their fate, call ing upon Christ, THE GOD OVER ALL.-2. Com pare the style of the New Testament with the state of the Jews at the time of its publication. In the time of Jesus Christ, the Jews were zea ous defenders of the unity of God, and of that JESUS CHRIST, the Lord and Saviour of idea of his perfections which the Scriptures exmankind. He is called Christ (anointed,) be- cited. Jesus Christ and his apostles professed cause he is anointed, furnished, and sent by God the highest regard for the Jewish Scriptures; yet to execute his mediatorial office; and Jesus (Sa- the writers of the New Testament described viour,) because he came to save his people from Jesus Christ by the very names and titles by their sins. For an account of his nativity, offi- which the writers of the Old Testament had de ces, death, resurrection, &c., the reader is referred scribed the Supreme God. Compare Exol, i to those articles in this work. We shall here 14, with John viii. 58; Is. xliv. 6, with Rev. more particularly consider his divinity, humanity, 11, 17; Deut. x. 17, with Rev. xvii. 14; Ps. XXV. and character. The divinity of Jesus Christ 10, with 1 Cor. ii. 8; Hos. i. 7, with Luke ii. 11; secins evident, if we consider, 1. The language Dan. v. 23, with 1 Cor. xv. 47; 1 Chron. xxi. of the New Testament, and compare it with the 11, with Col. ii. 10. If they who described Jesus state of the Pagan world at the time of its pub-Christ to the Jews by these sacred names and lication. 2. If Jesus Christ were not God, the writers of the New Testament discovered great injudiciousness in the choice of their words, and adopted a very incautious and dangerous style. The whole world, except the small kingdom of Judea, worshipped idols at the time of Jesus Christ's appearance. Jesus Christ; the evan-them. Whatever they meant, the Jews undergelists who wrote his history; and the apostles, stood them in our sense, and took Jesus of a who wrote epistles to various classes of men, pro- blasphemer, John x. 33.-3. Compare the pr posed to destroy idolatry, and to establish the fections which are ascribed to Jesus Christ in worship of one only living and true God. To the Scriptures, with those which are ascribed to effect this purpose, it was absolutely necessary God. Jesus Christ declares, "All things that the for these founders of Christianity to avoid confu-Father hath are mine;" John xvi. 15: a very sion and obscurity of language, and to express dangerous proposition, if he were not God. The their ideas in a cool and cautious style. The writers of revelation ascribe to him the same per least expression that would tend to deify a crea- fections which they ascribe to God. Compar ture, or countenance idolatry, would have been a Jer. x. 10, with Is. ix. 6; Exod. xv. 13, with Heb source of the greatest error. Hence Paul and i. 8; Jer. xxxii. 19, with Is. ix. 6; Ps. ci Barnabas rent their clothes at the very idea of with Heb. xiii. 8; Jer. xxiii. 24, with Eph. i. the multitude's confounding the creature with 23; 1 Sam. ii. 5, with John xiv. 30. If Jess the Creator, Acts xiv. The writers of the New Christ be God, the ascription of the perfections Testament knew that, in speaking of Jesus of God to him is proper; if he be not, the apos Christ, extraordinary caution was necessary; yet, tles are chargeable with weakness or wickedness when we take up the New Testament, we find and either would destroy their claim of inspira such expressions as these: "The word was tion.-4. Consider the works that are ascribed to God, John i. 1. God was manifest in the flesh, Jesus Christ, and compare them with the claims 1 Tim. ii. 16. God with us, Matt. i. 23. The of Jehovah. Is creation a work of God! By Jews crucified the Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. ii. 8. Jesus Christ were all things created," Col. i. 16 Jesus Christ is Lord of all, Acts x. 36. Christ Is preservation a work of God? is over all; God blessed for ever, Rom. ix. 5." upholds all things by the word of his power," These are a few of many propositions, which the Heb. i. 3. Is the mission of the prophets a wark New Testament writers lay down relative to of God? Jesus Christ is the Lord God of the Jesus Christ. If the writers intended to affirm holy prophets; and it was the spirit of Christ the divinity of Jesus Christ, these are words which testified to them beforehand the sufferings of truth and soberness; if not, the language is of Christ, and the glory that should follow, Ne incautious and unwarrantable; and to address it ix. 30; Rev. xxii. 6, 16; 1 Pet. i. 11. Is the sa to men prone to idolatry, for the purpose of de-vation of sinners the work of God? Christ is stroying idolatry, is a strong presumption against the Saviour of all that believe, John iv. 42; Heb. their inspiration. It is remarkable, also, that the v. 9. Is the forgiveness of sin a work of Gol? richest words in the Greek language are made The Son of Man hath power to forgive sins,

'Jesus Christ

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Jesus, which is idolatry, if he be not God, Is. ii. iii. and iv.; Zeph. ii. 11; Zech. xiv. 9. The primitive Christians certainly worshipped Him as God. Pliny, who was appointed governor of the province of Bithynia by the emperor Trajan in the year 103, examined and punished several 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, &e Mahomet, who lived in the sixth century, considers Christians in the light of infidels and idola ters throughout the Koran; and, indeed, had not Christians worshipped Christ, he could have had no shadow of a pretence to reform their religion, and 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 he 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 a warning on so important a topic. Lastly, consider what numberless passages of Scripture have no sense, or a very absurd one, if Jesus Christ be a mere man. See Rom. i. 3; I 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

Matt. ix. 6. The same might be said of the illumination of the mind; the sanctification of the heart; the resurrection of the dead; the judging of the world; the glorification of the righteous; the eternal punishment of the wicked; all which works, in one part of Scripture, are ascribed to God, and all which in another part of Scripture are ascribed to Jesus Christ. Now, if Jesus Christ be not God, into what contradictions these writers must fall! They contradict one another: they contradict themselves. Either Jesus Christ is God, or their conduct is unaccountable.-5. Consider that divine worship which the Scriptures claim for Jesus Christ. It is a command of God, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve," Matt. iv. 20. Yet the Scriptures command "all the angels of God to worship Christ," Heb. i. 6. Twenty times, in the New Testament, grace, mercy, and peace, are implored of Christ, together with the Father. Baptism is an act of worship performed in his name, Matt. xxviii. 19. Swearing is an act of worship; a solemn appeal in important cases to the omniscient God; and this appeal is made to Christ, Rom. ix. 1. The committing of the soul to God at death is a sacred act of worship; in the performance of this act Stephen died, saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, Acts vii. 59. The whole host of heaven worship him that sitteth upon the throne, and the Lamb for ever and ever, Rev. v. 14, 15.-6. Observe the application of Old Testament passages which belong to Jehovah, to Jesus in the New Testament, and try whether you can acquit the writers of the New Testament of misrepresentation, on supposition that Jesus is not God. St. Paul says, "We shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ." That we shall all be judged, we allow; but how do you prove that Christ shall be our judge? Because, adds the apostle, it is written," As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God," Rom. xiv. 10, 11, with Is. xlv. 20, &c. What sort of reasoning is this? How does this apply to Christ, if Christ be not God? And how dare a man quote one of the most guarded passages in the Old Testament for such a purpose? John the Baptist is But though Jesus Christ be God, yet for our he who was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, sakes, and for our salvation, he took upon him saying, Prepare ye the way, Matt. iii. 1, 3. Isaiah human nature; this is therefore called his saith, Prepare ye the way of THE LORD; make humanity. Marcion, Apelles, Valentinus, and straight a highway for OUR GOD, Is. xl. 3, &c. many other heretics, denied Christ's humanity, as But what has John the Baptist to do with all some have done since. But that Christ had a this description, if Jesus Christ be only a messen- true human body, and not a mere human shape, ger of Jehovah, and not Jehovah himself? for or a body that was not real flesh, is very evident Isaiah saith, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah. from the sacred Scriptures, Is. vii. 12; Luke Compare also Zech. xii. 10, with John xix. 34, xxiv. 39; Heb. ii. 14; Luke i. 42; Phil. ii. 7, 8; 37; Is. vi. with John xii. 39; Is. viii. 13, 14, with John i. 14. Besides he ate, drank, slept, walked 1 Pet. ii. 8. Allow Jesus Christ to be God, and all worked, and was weary. He groaned, bled, and these applications are proper. If we deny it, the died upon the cross. It was necessary that he New Testament, we must own, is one of the should thus be human, in order to fulfil the divine most unaccountable compositions in the world, designs and prophecies respecting the shedding calculated to make easy things hard to be under- of his blood for our salvation, which could not stood.-7. Examine whether events have justi- have been done, had he not possessed a real body. fed that notion of Christianity which the pro-It is also as evident that he assumed our whole phets gave their countrymen of it, if Jesus Christ be not God. The calling of the Gentiles from the worship of idols to the worship of the one living and true God, is one event, which, the prophets said, the coming of the Messiah should bring to pass. If Jesus Christ be God, the event answers the prophecy; if not, the event is not come to pass, for Christians in general worship

nature, soul as well as body. If he had not, he could not have been capable of that sore amaze ment and sorrow unto death, and all those other acts of grieving, feeling, rejoicing, &c. ascribed 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

JESUS

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. See MEDIATOR.

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JESUS

lar virtues; a character which is commonly de spised, to a character universally extolled he placed, in our licentious vices, the check in the right place, viz. upon the thoughts: he collected human duty into two well-devised rules; he re peated 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 strue

We now proceed to the character of Jesus Christ, which, while it affords us the most pleas-ture of which would have been admired in any ing 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 qually free from ostentatious singularity and churlish sullenness. When he complied with the established ceremonies of his countrymen, 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.-ful 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 distress; 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 evinced 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, serm. 5.

Considering him as a Moral Teacher, we must be struck with the greatest admiration. As Dr. Paley observes, "he preferred solid to popu

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 pos tive distinctions or external observances, but so berly recalling them to the principle of their est blishment, and to their place in the scale of human duties: there was nothing of sophistry or trifing though amidst teachers remarkable for nothing so much as frivolous subtilties and quibbling expo sitions; he was candid and liberal in his ju ment 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 restric tion: in his religion there was no scheme of beid ing 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 deligt 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 ten der compassion to men. He does not merely er hibit a life of strict justice, but of overflowing be nignity. 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 for titude is eminent and exemplary in enduring the most formidable external evils, and the sharpest actual sufferings. His patience is invincible; has resignation entire and absolute. Truth and sin cerity shine throughout his whole conduc Though of heavenly descent, he shows obedience and affection to his earthly parents; be approves loves, and attaches himself to amiable qual tiesi the human race; he respects authority, religious and civil; and he evidences regard for his coun try, by promoting its most essential good in a painful ministry dedicated to its service, by de ploring its calamities, and by laying down be life for its benefit. Every one of his eminent vi tues is regulated by consummate prudence; and he both wins the love of his friends, and exterta the approbation and wonder of his enemies Never was a character at the same time so co manding and natural, so resplendent and plea ing, so amiable and venerable. There is a pect liar contrast in it between an awful greatness dignity, and majesty, and the most concinating 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

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this, we find them in a dry and barren desert, without any provision for their journey, but God supplied them with water from a rock, and manna and quails from heaven. A little after they routed the Amalekites, who fell on their rear. In the wilderness God delivered them the law, and confirmed the authority of Moses. Three thousand of them were cut off for worshipping the golden calf; and for loathing the manna, they were punished with a month's eating of flesh, till a plague broke out among them; and for their rash belief of the ten wicked spies, and the con tempt of the promised land, God had entirely de

rage of the multitude. He now calls himself greater than Solomon; one who can command legions of angels; and giver of life to whomsoever he pleaseth; the Son of God, and who shall sit on his glorious throne to judge the world: at other times we find him embracing young childreu; not lifting up his voice in the streets, no quenching the smoking flax; calling his disclples net servants, but friends and brethren, and comforting them with an exuberant and parental affection. Let us pause an instant, and fill our minds with the idea of one who knew all things, heavenly and earthly; searched and laid open the inmost recesses of the heart; rectified every pre-stroyed thein, had not Moses's prayers prevented. judice, and removed every mistake of a moral and religious kind; by a word exercised a sovereignty over all nature, penetrated the hidden events of faturity, gave promises of admission into a happy immortality, had the keys of life and death, claimed an union with the Father; and yet was pious, mild, gentle, humble, affable, social, benevolent, friendly, and affectionate. Such a character is fairer than the morning star. Each separate virtue is made stronger by opposition and contrast; and the union of so many virtues forms a brightness which fitly represents the glory of that God who inhabiteth light inaccessible."" See Robinson's Plea for the Divinity of Christ, from which many of the above remarks are taken; Bp. Bull's Judgment of the Catholic Church; Abbadie, Waterland, Hawker, and Hey, on the Divinity of Christ; Reader, Stackhouse, and Doyley's Lives of Christ; Dr. Jamieson's View of the Doctrine of Scripture, and the Primitive Faith concerning the Deity of Christ; Owen on the Glory of Christ's Person; Hurrion's Christ Crucified; Bishop Newcombe's Observations on our Lord's Conduct; and Paley's Evidences of Christianity.

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 ingular people as we can.

I. Jews, History of the.-The Almighty promised Abraham that he would render his seed extremely numerous: this promise began to be fulfilled 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 condemned to slavery; but the more they were oppressed, the more they grew. The midwives, and others, were therefore ordered to murder every male infant at the time of its birth; but they shifting the horrible task, every body was, then ordered to destroy the male children wherever they found them. After they had been thus oppressed for about one hundred years, and on the very day that finished the four hundred and thirtieth year from God's first promise of a seed to Abraham, and about four hundred years after the birth of Isaac, God, by terrible plagues on the Egyptians, obliged them to liberate the Hebrews under the direction of Moses and Aaron. Pharaoh pursued them with a mighty army; but the Lord opened a passage for them through the Red Sea; and the Egyptians, in at tempting to follow them, were drowned. After

They were condemned, however, to wander in the desert till the end of forty years, till that whole generation, except Caleb and Joshua, should be cut off by death. Here they were often punished 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 of 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 numbers of them, who enticed them to 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 and Ashtaroth. Micah and the Danites introduced it not long after Joshua's death.. About this time the lewdness of the men of Gibeah occa sioned 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 Ben jamites were slain, except six hundred. Vexed for the loss of a tribe, the other Hebrews provided wives for these six hundred, at the expence 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 sovereign, under whose reign they had perpetual struggles with the Ammonites, Moabites, and Philistines. 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 subdued their neighbours, the Philistines, Edomites, and others; and took possession of the whole dominion which has been promised them, from the border of Egypt to the banks of the Euphrates. Solomon they had little war: when he died, ten of the Hebrew tribes formed a kingdom of Israel, or Ephraim, for themselves, under Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, in opposition to the kingdom of Judah and Benjamin, ruled by the family of David. The kingdom of Israel, Ephraim, or the ten tribes, had never so much as one pious king: idolatry was always their established religion. The kingdom of Judah had pious and wicked sovereigns by turns, though they often relapsed into idolatry, which brought great distress upon them. See books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Not

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who were called Maccabees, bravely fought for their religion and liberties. Judas, who succeeded his father about 3840, gave Nicanor and the king's troops a terrible defeat, regained the tem ple, and dedicated it anew, restored the daily worship, and repaired Jerusalem, which was almost in a ruinous heap. After his death, Jonthan and Simon, his brethren, successively suc ceeded him; and both wisely and bravely pro moted 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 Jannets, who reduced the Philistines, the country of Moth, Ammon, Gilead, and part of Arabia. Under these three reigns alone the Jewish nation was

only the kingdom of Israel, but that of Judah, [his sons, chiefly Judas, Jonathan, and Simon, was brought to the very brink of ruin after the death of Jehoshaphat. After various changes, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse, the kingdom of Israel was ruined, two hundred and fifty-four years after its erection, by So, king of Egypt, and Halmanaser, king of Assyria, who invaded it, and destroyed most of the people. Judah was invaded by Sennacherib; but Hezekiah's piety, and Isaiah's prayer, were the means of their preservation: but under Manasseh, 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, Manassel repented and the Lord brought him back to his kingdom, where he promoted the reformation; but his son Amon de-independent after the captivity. After the death of faced 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 Chaldeans. The fate of their kings Jehoas, 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 eighty-eight 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 empire of Chaldea, returned to their own country. See Nehemiah, Ezra. Vast numbers of them, who had agreeable settlements, remained in Babylon. After their return they rebuilt the temple and city of Jerusalem, put away their strange wives, and renewed their covenant with

God.

About 3490, or 3546, they escaped the ruin designed them by Haman. About 3653, Darius Ochus, king of Persia, ravaged part of Judea, and carried off a great many prisoners. When Alexander was in Canaan, about 3670, he confirmed to them all their privileges; and having built Alexandria, he settled vast numbers of them there. About fourteen years after, Ptolemy Lagus, the Greek king of Egypt, ravaged Judea, and carried one hundred thousand prisoners to Egypt, but used them kindly, and assigned them many places of trust. About eight years after, he transported another multitude of Jews to Egypt, and gave them considerable privileges. About the same time, Seleucus Nicator, having built about thirty new cities in Asia, settled in them as many Jews as he could; and Ptolemy Philadelphus, of Egypt, about 3720, bought the freedom of all the Jew slaves in Egypt. Antiochus Epiphanes, about 3834, enraged with them for rejoicing at the report of his death, and for the peculiar 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 ordered his troops to pillage the cities of Judea, and murder the men, and sell the women and children for slaves. Multitudes were killed, and ten thousand prisoners carried off: the temple was dedicated to Olympius, an idol of Greece, and the Jews exposed to the basest treatment. Mattathias, the priest, with

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 brother. The coun try 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 Judes 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 lita to death. The sceptre was now wholly departed from Judah; and Judea, about twenty-seven years before, reduced to a province, The Jews, sinc 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.

2. Jews, sentiments of-The Jews commonly reckon but fourteen articles of their faith. Maimouides, a famous Jewish rabbi, reduced them ta this number when he drew up their confession about the end of the eleventh century, and it was generally received. All the Jews are obliged to live and die in the profession of these thirteen articles, which are as follow;-1. That God the creator of all things that he guides and sup ports all creatures: that he has done every thing; and that he still acts, and shall act during the whole eternity.-2. That God is one: there is unity like his. He alone hath been, is, and shad be eternally our God.-3. That God is incorpo real, and cannot have any material properties; and no corporeal essence can be compared 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 beet taught by the prophets is true.-7. That Moses is the head and father of all contemporary des tors, 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

with

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