let him who is taught communicate with him that teacheth in all good things), for with such SACRIFICES God is well pleased." I have thus again refuted the Bishop's reply to "Verus," and shewn that his interpretation is as unfounded as it is unscriptural. Four editions of my "Verus," of one thousand copies each, are now nearly out of print. It was highly recommended by Drs Cunningham, Alexander, and Guthrie, by Gilfillan and Professor J. S. More, &c., and I will send a copy of the above to the Bishop and to Maynooth, as a clencher to the whole argument.

PHILO JUDÆUS.

The Jews under Tiberius were highly privileged. In Jerusalem it was the same. Hence the bodies of the crucified were taken down from their crosses, that the Sabbath might be hallowed. Crucifixion was not a common punishment. Herod beheaded John, and James was also slain by the sword. Philo, therefore, must have had the crucifixion of our Lord in his view when he said, "I have known instances before now of (three?) men who had been crucified when this festival (the Passover ?) and holiday was at hand being taken down, and given up to their relations, in order to receive the honours of sepulchre, and to enjoy such observances as are due to the dead; for it used to be considered that even the dead ought to derive some enjoyment from the natal festival of a good emperor, and also that the sacred character of the festival (Passover) ought to be regarded." Weep not for me, said Jesus to the women who followed him, but weep for yourselves and for your children, &c.

How soon was this prophecy fulfilled! The infamous successor of Tiberius banished the Jews from Rome, and commanded that his image should be set up in the temple at Jerusalem, and that incense should be offered to it, for he thought himself a god. Hence Flaccus, the governor of Alexandria, the second city in the empire, and in and around which were a million of Jews, in order to please the new emperor, commenced a violent persecution of them. He demolished their synagogues, and compelled them to eat swine's flesh. He next allowed a lawless mob to break into and rifle their shops, and refused to interfere when the mob dragged numbers of the Jews to the market place, where they were cruelly scourged, cut in pieces, or dragged by the ancles along the streets, and trampled to death. The women were also treated in the most barbarous manner; even their children were not spared. The residue fled to the wilderness, where many died from starvation.

But what is of special importance is the following inci

dent, which proves that the crucifixion of our Lord, and the circumstances which attended it, were well known at that time in Alexandria. The Jews had been suspected of disaffection to the government, hence the spoiling of their goods, under the pretence of searching for hidden arms, and when these were not found, Flaccus sent spies, who employed poets to compose farces, and managers of puppet shows, to excite the people to persist in their cruelties; and not only so, the populace, in derision and mockery of what had been transacted in Jerusalem in the case of Jesus, whom the Jews had at one time hailed as King of Israel, now proceeded as Philo has minutely narrated: "There was,' said Philo, "a certain madman, named Carabbas, afflicted, not with wild, savage, and dangerous madness (for that comes on in fits, without being expected by the patient or by bystanders), but by an intermittent and more gentle kind. This man spent all his days and nights naked in the roads, minding neither cold nor heat, the sport of idle children and wanton youths; and they, driving the poor wretch as far as the Gymnasium, and setting him up there on high, that he might be seen by everybody, flattened out a leaf of papyrus, and put it on his head instead of a diadem, and clothed the rest of his body with a common door-mat instead of a (purple ?) cloak, and instead of a sceptre, they put into his hand a small stick of the nature of papyrus (hence a reed), which they found lying by the wayside, and gave it to him; and when, like actors in theatrical spectacles, he had received all the insignia of royal anthority, and had been dressed and adorned like a king, the young men, bearing sticks on their shoulders, stood on each side of him, instead of spear-bearers, in imitation of the body guards of the king, and then others came up, some as if to salute him (Jesus was thus saluted, mocked, and insulted), and others mocking as though they wished to plead their causes before him, and others pretending to wish to consult him about the affairs of the state. Then from the multitude who were standing around there arose a wonderful shout of men calling out Maris (we have no king but Cæsar); and this is the name by which it is said that they call the kings among the Syrians; for they knew that Agrippa was by birth a Syrian, and also that he was possessed of a great district of Syria, of which he was the Sovereign." How truly did Paul say to Felix of the crucfixion, "that it was not done in a corner!" What Philo's purpose was in drawing this picture with so much laboured ingenuity, and with so much exact similitude to the mockery displayed in the case of Jesus, is not easily seen. The passage itself has been generally overlooked. But one thing is clear, viz., that the crucifixion of our Lord, and all the mockery, cruel and unjust circumstances which had attended it, coupled with the

prophecy alluded to, was thus brought to the recollection of every Jew, and it is possible that the cruelties they now suffered may have led many of them to recognise, as the Egyptian priests did of old, the "finger of God" in those just judgments which, as a nation, they were doomed to endure. The wrath of God has no doubt come upon them to the uttermost, and yet they still exist as a peculiar people, for they must necessarily exist as a nation "while sun and moon endure." Is it not a marvel that a people so universally hated and despised, so generally "scattered and peeled," should, after all, number among them all the millionaires of the world? Were they so disposed, they could purchase and regain their promised land. But no. Abraham's "seed" has already paid its price in blood! Abraham refused even to accept a burial place for nought. He rests in that solemn spot, and although he never in his lifetime received so much of the land as to set his foot on, yet, said Stephen, God promised (to give) it to him for a possession, for an "everlasting possession," said God's holy covenant. How little is known, admitted, and understood concerning God's ultimate purposes in his government of the world! God has not, after all, cast away his people, whom he foreknew. They are beloved for the fathers' sakes, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Hence all Israel shall yet be saved, for there "shall come to Zion the Deliverer (second advent), who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, for this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins." They are now enemies for your sakes, said Paul, and generally will be so until the times of the Gentiles shall have been fulfilled. The Jews are now much more respected, and ancient prejudices are giving way. Through your mercy, said Paul, they are to obtain mercy, and along with mercy, supremacy. Zion and Jerusalem shall yet be restored, and made a praise, yea, even the metropolis of the whole earth. "I am that I AM (viz., the God of Abraham, &c.). This is my name for ever, and my memorial unto all generations." What would the Bible be without "Genesis?" What would the world be without the Logos? "It would," said Philo, "be like an animal without a head."

* THE JEWS.—The Jews in the time of Christ did (as they still do) in their prayers plead for pardon of sins on the ground of the excess of merit of their fathers, saying, "Oh view the merit of him that walked perfectly, in whose flesh circumcision was impressed. For his righteousness's sake cleanse all our sins at this time." "And though we are not possessed of good works, nor is there any to offer sacrifice for us, yet remember the merit of the lowly and humble (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), and remove wrath from their posterity." Nothing can be more affecting than their written lamentations over the ruin of their city, and loss of the temple service. Yet, under all their grievous sufferings which they describe-and they were awfully severe-they still look and pray

THE GOSPEL,

It was impossible that the blood of beasts could take away sin. Hence "sacrifice and offerings thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me." He was put to death in the flesh, conform to the law of sacrifice, "blood for blood," Lev. xvii. 11, that his perfect soul might be a perfect offering through the eternal Spirit unto God. "Hence his body was quickened again by the Spirit," 1 Pet. iii. 18. "Then said I, Lo I come (in the volume of the book, it is written of me) to do thy will, O God." "Yea, thy law is within my heart." He thus abolished the symbolical law that He might establish the truth so signified therein, for by the declared will of God we are saved through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for ALL. He tasted death for every man, "for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Hence it is written, "There is no more sacrifice for sin, Christ dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over Him.” There is therefore none other name given among men whereby men can possibly be saved, for God hath made him who knew no sin to be a sin offering for us, that we should be made the righteousness of God in Him." Hence to them that look for Him, He shall come the second time, not as a sin offering, but as a conqueror, mighty to save even to the uttermost, Isaiah lxiii., Rev. xix. Now is the accepted time. It precedes "the day of vengeance," which has been postponed by reason of "longsuffering" on the part of God. Yet it will come as a thief in the night, and shall take the world by surprise. "But ye are not in darkness, that that day should come upon you as a thief." The simplicity of the gospel was taught by Christ by an Old Testament similitude, for as "Moses lifted

for the Messiah, as their king, to reign in Zion. They-mistakenly-ascribe the predicted sufferings of Christ as applicable to their righteously anointed Josiah King of Judah, "who is departed from us." "Horror hath seized us, and we have none to justify us. He hath borne the yoke of our iniquities, and is wounded because of our transgressions, Is. liii. He beareth our sins on his shoulder, that he may find pardon for our iniquities; we shall be healed by his wound at the time that the Eternal will create him as a new creature. Oh bring him up from the circle of the earth, raise him up from Seir to assemble us the second time on Mount Lebanon, by the hand of Jehovah." (See Prayers by David Levi, 3 vols., very scarce.)

They not only trust in the perfect merit of their patriarchs, they also trust in the merit of Moses and all their saints who were buried in Hebron, and in their own good works, which will save them at the resurrection. Angels are also their intercessors in heaven. They also trust in the length of their prayers: "Deliver those that extend the time of prayer." So also of "penitence, prayer, and charity," they can avert the evil decree! These errors are still found in the Papal Church. It is strange that modern Jews sacrifice a cock for a male, a hen for a Jewess, and a cock and a hen for a married woman with child. Socrates sacrificed a cock to Esculapius!

G

up the brazen serpent in the wilderness of Sin, so must the Son of man be lifted up. And I, if I be (so) lifted up, will draw all men unto me. Look unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth.”

THE SERPENT.

The brazen serpent was a prophetical type of victory. It represented the devil as dead and powerless. Hence it gave an assurance that the first great promise should be ultimately fulfilled. It was a molten image. It was thus prophetical of the devil's final perdition in eternal fire, Rev. xx. 10. The brazen serpent was long preserved. It was destroyed after it had become an object of superstition. Hence the devil worshippers in Persia and among the Druids, as Typhon, Swithan, Sathan, Satan, Baal. All ancient superstitions have their root in Revelation, and may be traced to corrupted traditions. The wood of the "true cross" is as vile a superstition! It is seen in every church! It is also seen on every throne! The "Victoria necklace" has in its centre a rotten piece of wood set in purest gold. It has at its sides two precious gems! "Sell what thou hast." Those two precious gems would well endow a national Infants' Ragged School! It is better to have treasure in heaven than within a lockfast drawer.

THE TWO COVENANTS.

The Sinaitic Covenant was done away in Christ. The Israelites got possession of Canaan under the codicil appended to the Abrahamic Covenant. The principal covenant promised "an everlasting possession," hence it is implied an endless life. The codicil inferred only a temporal possession to men in the flesh. Even it was to be apprehended by faith. Those that perished could not enter in because of unbelief. But if (for Jesus, read) Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another "day." There remaineth, therefore, a millennial sabbatism, or rest, for all the people of God. Strive, therefore, to enter into that (still future) rest; for many shall strive and shall not be able. Why so? Because they seek it by their own works, or by those of more meritorious saints.* Hence they seek it not by faith in Christ as the true heir of the everlasting covenant, for to him, as the woman's promised seed, the promise of "everlasting possession" was made, Gal. iii. 16. Therefore, if "they who are of the Sinaitic law be heirs (by legal right), the promise (of inheritance) is made of none effect.' Hence "if ye be Christ's by faith, then are ye

"

*See note p. 97.