520 A SIIORT VIEW OF SCRIPTURE HISTORY. eions and fears : but Salome his sister prevailed so far by her craft against his two sons, that after many accusations and acquit- ments of them, she at last procured their condemnation and exe- cution by Herod's order and the consent of Augustus Cæsar. This was about a year or two before the birth of Christ. 26. Q. What was the general state of the heathen world about this time ? A. All the known parts of the world were sub- dued to the Romans, and the nations were in peace ; on which account the temple of Janus was shut up at Rome, which had never been shut but five times since the first building of that city, and then Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace came into the world, and was born at Bethlehem. 27. Q. Wherein does it appear that the world was thus all at quiet under the government or dominion of the Romans ? A. Augustus Cæsar the emperor of Rome issued out a decree that year for a general register of his whole empire, which St. Luke calls a taxing or enrolling of all the world ; Luke ii. 1. This brought Mary the mother of Christ to Bethlehem the city of David, to which family she belonged ; and while she was there, she brought forth her son Jesus, as it was written ; Luke ii. 1--11. Note, This year in which Christ was born, according to Bishop Usher's exact computation, is the four thousandth year from the creation, which falls with an old tradition of the Jews, that the world was to last six thousand years, viz. two thousand years before the law, or before Abraham, who was the father of circumcision and the Jews, and two thousand under the law, that is, from Abraham to the Messiah, and two thousand under the Messiah. And here I might conclude this chapter, having brought the Jewish atlitirs down to the birth of Christ. But it may give some light to the New Testament, to carry it on a little further. 28. Q. What piece of cruelty was I3erod guilty of, when heheard that a child was born who was to be king of the Jews ?' A. IIe slew all the young children in Bethlehem, that he might be sure to destroy Christ, and that his own posterity might be kings of Judea. 29. Q. Who didHerod design then for the successor to his kingdom ? A. Antipater, his eldest son by Doris, a wife which Ilerod had before Mariamne his father had raisedhim to some post of honour upon his displeasure with his other sous, and he hadbeen also active and busy himselftowards procuring the death of those two brothers. 30. Q. Did Antipater succeed his father in the kingdom, according to Herod's present design ? A. Antipater longing for the crown, and, for his father's death did really conspire to poison him, and being convicted thereof, had a sentence of con- demwation passed upon him ; and it being confirmed by Augus-
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