of the law were called scribes, as Ezra, Ezr. vii. 6; and many at the time of the ministry of CHRIST, Matt. v. 20; vii. 29; these, influenced chiefly by sordid interest, were among the most violent enemies of our SAVIOUR, Xxiii. 2, 13, 23-29. 11. PHARISEES.-These formed the chief section of the Jewish church in the time of CHRIST; they included the principal doctors of the law, and the great body of the people, who were attached to them. The Pharisees held the essential doctrines of divine truth, but they esteemed the traditions of their famous rabbis as giving the meaning of the Scriptures, which were, therefore, practically regarded as of inferior authority to their interpretations. They scornfully despised the ignorant populace, who yet held them in such estimation, that it was a common opinion, if only two persons were admitted to heaven one would be a Pharisee. Generally they were extremely proud of their religious excellences, and entertained the notion of their meriting, by their duties, even the mercy and favor of GOD! Our SAVIOUR, therefore, was peculiarly severe in censuring their pride and hypocrisy, as rendering them less qualified for heaven than publicans and harlots, and as specially deserving the indignation of GOD, Matt. xxiii. 2, 29.

12. SADDUCEES.-These were a sect of the Jews, generally of the more intellectual and speculative class: they derived their name from Sadoc, a doctor of great eminence, who flourished about the year B. c. 280. The Sadducees, at first, disallowed only the traditions of the elders, as having no divine obligation; afterwards, however, having adopted various notions from the heathen philosophy of Epicurus, they rejected all the books of the Old Testament except the writings of Moses. They believed in the existence and perfections of God as the Creator and Governor of all things, but denied the immortality of the soul, the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, of future rewards and punishments, and of the existence of angelic spirits, Matt. xxii. 23; Acts iv. 1; xxiii. 8. "Their number was the fewest of all the sects of the Jews; but they were only those of the best quality and of the greatest riches among them. Whenever they sat in judgment upon criminals, they always were for the severest sentence against them." Such is the testimony of Josephus, the Jewish historian, concerning the Sadducees.

13. ESSENES. These were a branch of the Pharisees, but they are not expressly mentioned in the New Testament; because, as it is supposed, they pursued a more mortified course of life, and were less guilty of hypocrisy and immoral indulgences. They discouraged or disallowed marriage, adopting children from the more indigent to bring up in their principles. Those who sought admission into their fellowship were required to continue on probation for three years, and on being received into full communion, they were bound to worship GOD, to practise righteousness, to communicate none of their mysteries to strangers, even to save their lives, and to conceal none from their brethren. They held riches in contempt, and their property in common: they ate at a common table, and were extremely abstemious. John the Baptist is supposed to have lived among the Essenes. Those of this sect living in Egypt were called THERAPEUTÆ.

14. APOSTLES.-These were the chosen messengers or ambassadors of CHRIST, sent to proclaim his doctrines and redemption to all the nations of the world, for their regeneration and salvation. They were qualified with miraculous endowments by the Holy Spirit, which the SAVIOUR promised to them as a proof of his ascension to heaven; and they could have no successors in office, as it was essential to their qualifications that they should have seen CHRIST after his resurrection: he appeared personally to Paul at his conversion, constituting him, in an extraordinary manner, and especially an apostle to the

Gentiles, Matt. x. 2; Mark iii. 14; Luke vi. 13; John xiv., xv., xvi.; Acts i., ii. 1, 4; ix., xxvi. 15, 18.

15. EVANGELISTS.-These were preachers of the gospel, assistants to the apostles in founding the kingdom of CHRIST in the world: they accompanied the apostles in their missionary labors, and were sent by them to assist and perfect the organization of the infant churches, after converts had been made by the preaching of the apostles, or of themselves. They directed these newly formed congregations in selecting fit persons for their deacons, and for their elders or bishops, whom they ordained to the pastoral office. Apollos, Barnabas, Timothy, and Titus, appear to have rendered great service in this part of their ministerial duty in advancing the kingdom of their LORD, Acts xvi. 1, 3; xviii. 24, 28; 1 Tim. i. 3; iii. 1, 15; 2 Tim. iv. 5, 11; Tit. i. 5; iii. 12, 13. Mark and Luke, being fully instructed in the history of the ministry of CHRIST, were inspired to write two of the Gospels.

16. BISHOPS.-Overseers: these were the ordinary overseers, or pastors of the Christian congregations, as constituted by the apostles, Acts xx. 17, 28; Phil. i. 1; 1 Tim. iii. 1-7.

17. ELDERS.-Presbyters or seniors; these, as indicating Christian minis. ters, were the pastors or bishops of the churches of CHRIST: the words Bishops and Elders are, therefore, used interchangeably for the same persons, as is acknowledged by all the best critics on the New Testament, Acts xx. 17, 28.

18. DEACONS.-Servants or ministers; the officers chosen by Christian churches to manage their temporal affairs, especially to dispense their charities to the poorer members, Acts vi. 1-6; 1 Tim. iii. 8, 13.

19. HERODIANS.-These were in reality not a religious sect, but a political party of religionists among the Jews, Matt. xxii. 16.

20. GALILEANS.-These were not so much a religious class, as a turbulent political faction of the Jews: their chief was Judas the Galilean, Luke xiii. 1, 2; Acts v. 37.

21. LIBERTINES.-These were Jewish proselytes having a synagogue at Jerusalem, but distinguished by the privilege of being free citizens of Rome, Acts vi. 9.

22. STOICS.-These were a class or sect of heathen philosophers, whose founder was Zeno, a teacher of great fame at Athens: his chief doctrine was, that all things are held and governed by an irreversible fate, Acts xvii. 18.

23. EPICUREANS.-These were a class or sect of heathen philosophers, founded by Epicurus, whose fame, as a teacher, was great at Athens: his distinguishing tenet was that of pleasure being the chief end of man, Acts xvi.; 18.

24. NICOLAITANES.-These were a class or sect of professing Christians, who denied the real humanity of CHRIST: they participated in the idolatrous sacrifices of the heathens, joining in their abominable practices, Rev. ii. 6, 15. Some have thought that they were so called from Nicolas, one of the seven Deacons of the Jewish-Christian church at Jerusalem, Acts vi. 5.

DISSERTATION XXIX.

FULFILLED PROPHECIES.

Futurity known only to GOD-Prophecy a miracle of knowledge-Evidence of Divine RevelationScripture prophecies form a grand series-Delivered at first verbally-Recorded in the Old Testament and in the New-Select prophecies here noticed-I NOAH AND HIS SONS, JAPHETH, SHEM, AND HAM. II. THE ISHMAELITES AND ARABS. III. THE ISRAELITES AND JEWS. IV. JUDEA. V. IDUMEA. VI. EGYPT. VII. NINEVEH. VIII. BABYLON.

FUTURITY is known to Omniscience; and it is Gon's sole prerogative to "declare the things that shall come to pass." Prophecy is therefore a miracle of knowledge-and the declaration of future events is so far beyond the power of human discernment or sagacity, that it is justly regarded as the highest evidence that can be produced of supernatural intercourse with the Deity, and of the truth of divine revelation.

Prophecy abounds in the Holy Scriptures, in such a series, and of a kind so magnificent, that the evidences of its fulfilment may be examined, in numerous instances, by those of the present age, with increasing light and more powerful demonstration of its divinity. Every reader of the Bible perceives that prophecy continues through both the Old and New Testaments, embracing a vast extent; that it commenced from the fall of man, and that it reaches to the consummation of all things; that for many ages it was delivered with some obscurity to few persons, and with large intervals between one prediction and another, but that, at length, it became more clear, more frequent, and was uniformly carried on in the line of one people, the seed of Abraham, who were separated from the rest of mankind, to be especially the witnesses of the true God, and the repository of the Divine oracles; that, with some intermission, the spirit of prophecy continued among that people until the manifestation of the predicted Messiah; that JESUS CHRIST and some of his apostles exercised the same power in the most conspicuous manner, and that they left behind them various prophecies of the most sublime and glorious character, recorded for our instruction in the New Testament.

Divine prophecy, so extensive and various as contained in the Scriptures, cannot be fully surveyed within the brief limits assigned to this Dissertation. Those predictions which relate to the advent, character, ministry, and kingdom of JESUS CHRIST, which indeed are, in many respects, by far the most important, demand a large volume. The design of this essay is to notice only a few of those relating to the several people and countries, the fulfilment of which is peculiarly remarkable, and the proofs of which are manifest to every traveller or intelligent reader, and some even to the most common observers in our own land, demonstrating the truth and divinity of the Holy Scriptures.

CHAPTER I.

NOAH'S SONS, JAPHETH, SHEM, AND HAM.

Noah inspired to utter an oracle-Japheth's posterity people Europe-Shem's descendants occupy Asia-The prophecy of the Messiah-Ham's posterity dwell in Africa and Canaan-Their de graded condition.

NOAH on a memorable occasion was inspired to declare the future condition of his sons and of their posterity. Moved by the Spirit of Gop to utter his holy ora

cle, Noah said, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the LORD GOD of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. GOD shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." Gen. ix. 25, 27.

JAPHETH was the eldest son of Noah; his name signifies enlargement; and his posterity have been surprisingly extended. For they have peopled Europe, Asia Minor, part of Armenia, the whole of the regions north of mount Taurus; and probably of America, Gen. x. 2, 5.

SHEM signifies renown; and his fame has been truly great both temporally and spiritually. His descendants occupied the finest regions of Upper and Central Asia, particularly Armenia, Media, Persia, Syria, &c. Shem's chief renown, however, consisted in his being the ancestor of Abraham, and the nation of Israel, and especially of the Messiah, the seed of the woman, to which it is thought that Noah might allude, when he exclaimed, "Blessed be the LORD GOD of Shem!"

Difficulty is felt by some in rightly interpreting the words, "GOD shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem." But whether they are understood of GoD or of Japheth dwelling in the tents of Shem, the prophecy has been literally fulfilled, as God dwelt in a singularly glorious manner, by his word, ordinances, and visible glory among his posterity, the Israelites; and the numerous descendants of Japheth, in Europe and America, have been made equal participators in the blessings of the gospel by JESUS CHRIST.

HAM signifies black or burnt, perhaps indicating the sultry regions which his descendants should occupy. Cush and his posterity peopled the hot southern regions of Asia, Susiana, and the shores of the Persian Gulf. Canaan and his sons occupied Syria, Canaan, and Palestine; and the sons of Mizraim peopled Egypt, Libya, and Africa, Gen. x. 6, 20.

Ham and his son had dishonored their venerable father; and upon them he pronounced the prophetical malediction: "Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." In accordance with this denunciation, the devoted nations, which God destroyed before the Israelites, were descended from Canaan: so were the Phenicians and the Carthaginians, who were subjugated with the most terrible destruction by the Greeks and Romans. And the African nations, whose miseries have become proverbial through the world for the last three centuries, and even to our times, by the operations of the horrible slave-trade, are also descended from Ham, the son of Noah. But such a series of events, continued through more than four thousand years, could have been foreseen and foretold only by one inspired of God!

CHAPTER II.

THE ISHMAELITES AND ARABS.

Abraham assured of a numerous posterity-Ishmael his eldest son-GOD's prophetic assurance to his mother-Ishmaelites in Arabia-Character of the Arabs-their unaltered manners-Modern Arabs-Description of an Arab camp.

ABRAHAM was divinely assured, "when as yet he had no child," and greatly advanced in years, that his posterity should be exceedingly multiplied; and he was also assured that they should become "as the stars of heaven,” and “as the sand upon the sea-shore," Gen. xii. 2; xv. 5; xvii. 5; xxii. 17; and in less than five hundred years it constituted several numerous nations, besides the Israelites.

Ishmael was the eldest son of Abraham: concerning him an angel of the LORD declared to his mother Hagar, before he was born-"I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.-Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him: and he shall dwell in the presence of his brethren." xvi. 10–12. GOD also declared to Abraham, in answer to his prayer, "As for Ishmael, I have heard thee; Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly: twelve princes shall he beget; and I will make him a great nation." xvii. 20.

These divine predictions concerning Ishmael have been verified in all particulars, in a manner most wonderful. About one hundred and fifty years afterwards, the family of Ishmael was so increased, that we read of Ishmaelites as Midianitish merchantmen trading into Egypt. Gen. xxxvii. 26, 36. Ishmael's posterity was multiplied exceedingly" in various tribes; some are called Hagarenes, Psalm lxxxiii. 6; and Hagarites, 1 Chron. v. 10, 20; from his mother, Hagar; Nabatheans, from his son Nebaioth, Isa. lx. 7; Gen. xxv. 13; and Itureans, from his son Itur or Jetur, ver. 17.

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Ishmael himself subsisted by hunting and by rapine in the wilderness; and his posterity have, in every succeeding age, infested Arabia and the adjacent countries by their predatory incursions. Every petty chief among the Arabians considers himself a sovereign prince in his own district; and though they appear divided and separated as to their individual interests, they are all united in a sort of league against others. The Arabs have lived in a state of continual warfare with the rest of the world, robbers on land and pirates by sea: and, as they have been such enemies to all other nations, all mankind have appeared in hostility against them. Travellers in their country have been obliged to proceed in caravans, or large companies, armed for their own defence against the assaults of those free-booters, marching with their sentinels, to keep watch like as in an army;-so literally has the Divine prediction been fulfilled in himself and his posterity, "His hand shall be against every man."

"He shall dwell in the presence of his brethren," has also been surprisingly fulfilled. Ishmael's country is situated near to that part of the globe in which society originated, and where the first kingdoms were formed. The greatest empires of the world arose, flourished, and fell around them. But they were not secluded from intercourse with foreign nations, so as through ignorance to remain attached to their simple and primitive manners. They were united, in the early period of their history, as allies, with the most powerful monarchs of the East; and under Mohammed they carried their arms over the most considerable kingdoms of the earth. The Ishmaelites might emphatically be called a great nation;" as the Arabians, in the middle ages, possessed themselves of large provinces in Spain and the south of Europe; and, by their rapid and extensive conquests, erected one of the largest empires that ever existed in the world.

Complete revolutions have taken place in most other nations, totally changing their manners and customs: but the Arabs continue the same in their own country; and travellers through successive generations have traversed it in caravans of merchants and large companies of Mohammedan pilgrims, as in former ages: even their system of religion has undergone several total changes. These circumstances might be supposed to have annihilated the most rooted prejudices and changed the most inveterate habits: but they have produced scarcely any effect upon the manners of the Arabs; they still preserve, unim