4Z Time when are fo palpably fake', that no colour of probabilitycan be given unto them , and molt ofthe yell fcem altogether incredible. That in general this Holy Apoffleof Jefus Chrift, his kinfinan accordingto the flefh, was floned by Ana-mu,. during the Anarchie between the Governments ofFefturand Albinus, Jofephus whothen lived teftifies, and allEcckfi- aftical Hiflorians agree. 4, y. The Churches.atthis time injerufalem andyudea were. very numerous. The Op. preffors, Robbers, andSeditious of all forts,being wholly intent uponthe purfuit oftheir own ends, filling the Qovernmentof the Nation with tumults and diforders, the Difci- plet ofÇhrill, who knew that the time of their preaching the Goffel unto theirConn- treymen was but fhort, andeven now expiring, followed their work withdiligence and fuccefs, being not greatlyregarded inthe duct of thatconfusion which was railed by theNation's rufhing in to its fatal ruine. sf. g. All thefeChurches, and the multitudes that belonged unto them , were altogether with the Profeflion tithe Go/be, addicted zealouflyunto the Obfèrvation of the Lam of Mofes. The Synod indeed at Jeeufalem had determined that the yoke of theLaw, Mould- not be put upon the necks of the Gentile Converts; Ails 15. But eight or nine years after that, when Paul came up unto3erufalem again, Chap. z1. v. 20, 21,22. Jamesinforms him, that themany thonfands of the Jews wto believed, did all zealoufly obfèrve the Law ofMofees s and moreover judged that allthofe who were Pews by birth, ought to do fo alfo, andon that account were like enough to affemble in a diforderly . multitude, to enquire into thepractice of Friel himfelf, who had been ill repotted of amongf them. On this account theykept their Affembligs diftindk from thole of the Gentiles all the world over; as amonglt others Ifierom informs us inhis Notes on the firft Chapter of the Galatians. All thofe Hebrews then to v}fhom Paid wrote this Ellie, continued in the 'nfe and pra&ice of *Priced Worship, as celebrated in the Temple, andheir Synagogues , with all other Legal Inftitutions whatever.. Whether they did this out of anunacquaintednefs 'with their liberty inChriff, or out of apert,- . nacious adherence unto their own prejudicate Opinions, I (hallnot determine. $. 9. From this time forward the Body of the people of theJews Caw not a dayof peace or Quietnefs : Tumults, Seditions, Outrages, Robberies, Murders, increaled all the Na- tionover. And theft things by various-degrees made way for that fatal War , which beginning about fix or (even years after the Deathof amet, ended" in the utter de- folation of thePeople, City, Temple, andWorship, foretold fo long beforeby Daniel the Prophet, and intimatedbyour Saviour to lye at the door. This was that day of the Lord, whofe fuddain approachtheApofile declares unto them, -Chap. 10. 36, 57. For ye have need ofPatience that, after ye have done the W. ill ofGod, ye may receive the Promife ; For yet a littlewhile; and hethatfhall come willcome, and will not tarry. iaixttV ;tae luir A very littlewhile, lefs than you think of, or imagine; the manner whereof he declares Chap. 12. 26, 27, 28. And by thismeans.he effefhually diverted them from a pertina- cious adherence unto thofethingswhole diffolutionfrom God himfelf, was fo nigh at hand ; which Argumentwasallo afterwards preffed by.Peter, 2 Epiff. Chap. 3. ß. so. Our bleffedSaviour had longbefore warned his Difciples ofall theft things ; parti- cularlyof the defolation that was to comeupon the whole people of the Jews, with the Tumults, Difirefles,Perfecutions and Wars which fhould'precede it, diredfing them to the exercife of patience in the difcharge oftheir ditty, untill the approach of the final Calamity, out of whichhe advifed them to free themfelves byflight, or a timely depar- ture out ofJerufalem and all Judea, Match.chap. 24. V. 15, t6, 17, 1S, 19, 20, 21. This, and no other was the Oracle mentionedby Eufebius,whereby the Chriftians were warned ' to depart out of Jerufalem. It was given as he fayes, oio hi:Lois, to approved men amongft them. For although theProphefe its felf waswritten by the Evangeliffs, yet the efpecial meaning of it, was notknown and divulged amongft all. The Leaders ofthem kept this feret for a feafon, leafs an exafperation ofthepeople being occafioned thereby, they fhould havebeen obftruftcd in the workwhich theyhad to do before its :accom- plifhment. And this was the Way of the Apofiles alto asto other future events, which being foretold by them, might provokeeither Jews or Gentiles, if publickly divulged. z Thef: z. 5, 6. But now when theWork of the Church' among the Jews for that feafon wa.* come to it's dote, the Elect being gatheredout of them, andthe final Defolatioü of the City andPeople appearing tobe at hand, by a concurrence ofall the firs foretold by our Saviour, thofe entrufted withthe fenfe of that Oracle warned their Brethren to provide for thatflight whereunto they were diredhed. That this flight and departure, probablywith the lofs of all their Poffeffions was grievous unto themmay eafilyBbe conceived.
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