Our blessed Saviour, therefore, was careful to convince them of their mistake, by telling them that he was not come to rule a secular empire, as they supposed, but to punish the Jews for their perfidy and rebellion, by destroying both their temple and nation. "Take heed," said he, "that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many."

This caution was far from being unnecessary, because, though the disciples were to see their Master ascend into heaven, they might take occasion from the prophecy to think that he would appear again on earth, and therefore be in danger of seduction by the false Christs that should arise. "And when ye shall hear of wars, and rumours of wars, see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." Before this nation and temple are destroyed, terrible wars will happen in the land: "for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there. shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."-Matt. xxiv. 6, 7.

These are the preludes of the important event, forerunners of the evils which shall befal this nation and people. At the same time, you shall meet with hot persecutions; walk, therefore, circumspectly, and arm yourselves both with patience and fortitude, that ye may be able to perform your duty, through the whole course of these persecutions; for you shall be brought before the great men of the earth for my sake. "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate; but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost."-Mark xiii. 11.

During this time of trouble and confusion, he told them the perfidy of mankind should be so great towards

one another, that "brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son: and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death." The unbelieving Jews and apostate Christians shall commit the most enormous and inhuman crimes. It is therefore no wonder that the perfidy and wickedness of such pretended Christians should discourage many disciples and greatly hinder the propagation of the gospel. But he who lives by faith during these persecutions, and is not led astray by the seduction of false Christians, shall escape that terrible destruction, which, like a deluge, will overflow the land.

And when Jerusalem shall be surrounded with armies, Pagan armies, bearing in their standards the images of their gods, the "abomination of desolation" mentioned by the prophet Daniel, then let him who readeth the predictions of that prophet understand that the end of the city and sanctuary, together with the ceasing of sacrifices and oblation there predicted, is come, and consequently the final period of the Jewish polity.

Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out."-Luke xxi. 21 "Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes."--Matt. xxiv. 17, 18. Then shall be fulfilled the awful predictions of the prophet Daniel, and the dreadful judgments denounced against the impenitent and unbelieving.

In those days of vengeance the women who are with child, and those who have infants hanging at their breasts, shall be particularly unhappy, because they cannot flee from the impending destruction. "But pray ve that your flight be not in the winter," when the badness of the roads and the rigour of the season will render speedy travelling very troublesome, if not impos

sible; "neither on the sabbath-day," when you shall think it unlawful. "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."-Matt. xxiv. 21. This is confirmed by what Josephus tells us, that no less than eleven hundred thousand perished in the siege.

The heavenly prophet added, that except the days of tribulation should be shortened, none of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea, of whom he was speaking, should escape destruction. In confirmation of which Josephus tells us that the quarrels which raged during the siege were so fierce and obstinate, that both within the walls of Jerusalem and without, in the neighbouring country, the whole land was one continued scene of horror and desolation: and had the siege continued much longer, the whole nation of the Jews had been totally destroyed, according to our Lord's prediction. "But," added our blessed Saviour, "for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days." By the elect are meant such of the Jews as had embraced the doctrines of the gospel, and particularly those who were brought in with the believing Gentiles.

As it is natural in time of trouble to look with eager expectation for a deliverer, our blessed Saviour cautioned his disciples not to listen to any pretences of that kind, as many false Christs would arise and deceive great numbers of the people; a prediction that was fully accomplished during the terrible siege of Jerusalem by the Romans: so Josephus tells us, that many arose pretending to be the Messiah, boasting that they would deliver the nation from all its enemies. And the multitude, always too prone to listen to deceivers, who promise temporal advantages, giving credit to those deceivers, became more obstinate in their opposition to the Romans, and thereby rendered their destruction more severe and inevitable.

And what still increased the infatuation of the people was their performing wonderful things during the war; and accordingly Josephus calls them magicians and sorcerers. Hence we see the propriety of the caution given by the Son of God, who foretold that "they should show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible they would deceive the very elect. But take heed; behold, I have foretold you all things."

And as the partisans of the false Christs might pretend that the Messiah was concealed awhile for fear of the Romans, and the weaker sort of Christians, without this warning, have imagined that Christ was actually returned to deliver the nation in its extremity, and to punish their enemies, who now so cruelly oppressed them, and that he would show himself as soon as it was proper, the blessed Jesus thought proper to caution them against this particular. "Wherefore, if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be."Matt. xxiv, 26, &c.

The coming of the Son of Man shall be like lightning, swift and destructive. But he will come not personally; his servants only shall come, the Roman armies, who, by his command, shall destroy this nation as eagles devour their prey.

Having thus given them a particular account of the various circumstances which should precede the destruction of Jerusalem, he next described the catastrophe itself, in all the pomp of language and imagery made use of by the ancient prophets, when they foretold the destruction of cities and kingdoms. "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light; and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be

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