Religion of Chrift was not to make advantage of any Troubles and Confufions in the Empire, as that of Mahomet afterwards did, but to recommend it felf by its own worth and efficacy to the most serious and impartial Minds; and under all these disadvantages it foon made its way into the Emperor's Court, where Craft and Luxury, and every thing that is most contrary to the purity and fimplicity of the Gospel reigned. St. Paul had his Profelytes in Cæfar's Houfhold, and his Bonds in Christ were manifeft in all the Palace, and in all other places at Rome, Phil. i. 13. iv. 22. The truth of the Gospel approved itself to the most prejudiced Judgments, it ftood all the Trials, and Conquer'd all Oppofition, that Wit and Learning, and Vice it felf could make. For by the leave of the Atheists and Deifts of our own Age, the Chriftian Religion found the fubtileft and most dangerous Adversaries at its first propagation. The Epicureans and the Stoicks encountred St. Paul at Athens, and these laft especially were inferiour to no other Sect of Philofophers; either for their obstinacy in adhering to their own Opinions, or for their Art and Skill in Difputation. And it appears from the feveral Apologies made afterwards in vindication of our Religion, that all was at the very first alledged against it, which can with any pretence or colour be objected.

.

Thus was Chrift Born in the fulness of time, when all the Prophecies concerning his coming

were

were fulfilled, and when the World was in expectation of him, and had fuch general notice of his coming; in a time the most unlikely for an Imposture to pass undiscover'd, and therefore the most seasonable for Truth to manifeft it felf; fince that muft needs be true, which neither Learning, nor Prejudice; nor Vice, nor Intereft could prove to be falfe. The accomplishment of Prophecies, and the Converfion and Martyrdom of fuch numbers of Men in fuch an Age, recommends the Gospel to us with all the advantage which any Juncture of Time could give.

CHA P. XXII.

Of the laft Days; and of the laft Day, or the Day of Judgment.

Y the last Days in the Scriptures must

BY

be meant either the laft Days of the World, or the laft Days of the Jewish State and Government, or the Days of the Gospel Difpenfation; which are the last Days in refpect of the Means and Opportunities of Salvation vouchsafed to Mankind.

I. The last Days of the World are seldom mention'd directly, and in exprefs terms, but under fuch Refemblances as were fit to represent them in the description of other Events

For it was a known thing among the Jews, that their whole Difpenfation being Typical, whatever happened to them under their Law and Government, muft afterwards be fulfilled in a more eminent manner under the Oeconomy and Dispensation of the Meffias; and therefore the last Days of Jerufalem must be Typical of the last Days of the World. For the Destruction of Jerufalem at the Conclufion of the Jewish Difpenfation was only a Type of the final Deftruction of the World at the confummation of all things, when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, 1 Cor. xv. 24. For which Reafon our Saviour makes ufe of fuch words, Matt. xxiv. as are applicable to both of these events, and oftentimes more fitly to the laft Judgment, that after the Destruction of Jerufalem it might appear, that the rest remains still to be accomplished at the Day of Judgment. But there are likewife fuch Expreffions used, as evidently fhew that the Destruction of Jerufalem is the thing immediately defigned in the Prophecy. This will appear, if we confider several Verfes of that Chapter. Then let them which be in Judea, flee into the Mountains, ver. 16. and that with the greatest haft; for let him which is on the house top not come down to take any thing out of his houfe, v. 17. Neither let him which is in the field, return back to take his Cloaths, v. 18. But the Condition of fuch would be very miferable, who should be unfit for flight. And woe Cc

unte

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unto them that are with Child, and to them that give fuck in those days, v. 19. But pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter, neither on the Sabbath Day, V. 20. There will be no flying from the general destruction of the World, but the Disciples are here warned to fly from the destruction of Jerufalem, and escape into the Mountains, and they are commanded to pray that their flight might be hindred neither by the season of the year, nor by the Sabbath, on which the Jews were permitted to travel but a very little way. Which fupposes that the World was to laft after the Tribulation there spoken of; and that therefore the final deftruction of this material World is not the thing there immediately meant. And except thofe days fhould be fhortned, there should no Flesh be faved: but for the Elects fake thofe days fhall be fhortned, v. 22. If this Deftruction fhould have raged long in that manner, no Man of the Jews could have survived it, but it was to be fo abated and fo foon over, that the converted Jews might be preserved from it; which Promife, was very remarkably and wonderfully fullfilled to the Christians at the Siege of Jerufalem, who made their escape into the Mountains, and retir'd to Pella. For wherefoever the Carcass is, there will the Eagles be gathered together, ver. 28. which is a plain allufion to the Roman Eagles, or the Standards. of their Armies. Immediately after the tribu

lation of those days fhall the Sun be darkned, and the Moon fhall not give her light, and the Stars shall fall from Heaven, and the Powers of the Heavens fhall be fhaken, ver. 29. This was in fome respect litterally fulfilled at the DeIftruction of Jerufalem. But it is usual with the Prophets by these Figures to defcribe the Destruction of Nations, and the falfe Teachers are ftyl'd by St. Jude, ver. 13. wandring A Stars, because the true were as the Sun and fix'd Stars. Balaam Prophefy'd that a Star -fhould come out of Jacob, and a Scepter fhould rife out of Ifrael, Numb. xxiv. 17. and that Impoftor in the time of Adrian, who pretended to be the Messias called himself Barchochebas, or the Son of a Star. So that by the (a) Quando enim darkning of the Sun and Moon, and the falling of the Stars from Heaven, by an usual Me- tur (Ifaitaphor, was meant the failing of the Jewish as) de State and Government. This is agreeable to Gentis what (a) Maimonides relates of the form of alicujus destructiSpeech usual with the Arabians, when they one,vel de would express any great Calamity, into which Populi any Man was fallen. Verily I say unto you, alicujus this generation fhall not pass 'till all these things teritu ait magni inbe fulfilled; that is, 'till they be accomplish'd Stellas cecidiffe,

vaticina

cælos interiiffe, & contremifcere, folem obtenebratum, terram vaftatam & commotam efle, aliifq; multis fimilibus locutionibus Parabolicis utitur; ficut apud Arabes de eo, cui fingulare aliquod infortunium accidit, dicitur, quod cœlum ipfius in terram converfum fit, vel fuper terram ejus ceciderit, Maimon. More Ne-* voch, Part. 2. c. 29. Confuevit enim de regno aliquo loqui ac fi effet mundus peculiaris, hoc eft, cælum & terra, Ib.