to take place almost forty years after he was crucified.

The people who treated the Jews so severely, and ruined them so utterly, were called Romans. They had conquered the country some time before, and held it in subjection. They used to send governors to command it. Pontius Pilate was one of these governors. But the Jews rebelled so often, and obeyed so badly, that the king or emperor of the Romans was obliged to make war on them, and ruin them entirely. He sent a general, called Titus, with a large army, who complied with his orders in destroying thousands of these unhappy people. I have read to you from the desk this evening the whole of the chapter, which gives us this melancholy account: and I tell you, (and the account was given by one who was present) that every thing happened just as our Saviour said it would be. In the place, where the temple was built, the Roman general caused that

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the ground should be ploughed, and so one stone of the foundations was not left upon another. Before this sad event took place, there were many false Christs, that is, cheats who pretended to be Christ and to deliver the Jews. They, poor creatures, were very apt to believe the false Christs, though they would not believe the true one, and by so doing rebelled against the Romans, and provoked their vengeance. There were many earthquakes at that time. Famine often happened, and with it came a raging sickness and pestilence. All these were the beginnings of sorrows. For after these, the city was closely besieged, and surrounded by the enemy. No provisions were suffered to be sent into it. The people were in so starving a condition, that a Jew, who was present, (as I said before) and gives an account of every thing, says that some women even ate their own infant children. Hunger forced them to so barbarous an act. At last the city was taken, the temple (as I

said before) uprooted from the very foundations, the Jews carried away prisoners, their government destroyed, their laws trampled under, and all their great men and priests for ever deprived of their riches and power. Our Saviour means to tell his disciples of this, when he speaks of the sun being darkened, and the stars falling from heaven. He means, that their great men, who shone like stars, and all their power, which was glorious as the sun, would be darkened and fall to the ground.

It is a very wonderful thing (but it is very true) that the Christians, who lived in Jerusalem at the time, were saved from all this ruin. This was, because they believed what our Saviour said, and acted as he bade them. He had told them, that when they saw the abomination of desolation, that is, the Roman colours flying in the holy city, they must flee into the mountains: they must make the greatest haste

to escape. He who was on the housetop, which in that country was always flat, was not to come down to take any thing out of his house: nor was he, that was in the field, to return to his house to get his clothes. The Christians followed his directions, and accordingly escaped, as we read, from the ruin of the wicked and unhappy country. And indeed, my friends, at all times and in all places, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of distress, and to reserve the wicked unto the day of judgment to be punished.

And now from all that you have heard, you see what misery the Jews brought on themselves by crucifying the Lord Jesus. And all who are guilty of the same thing, must be severely punished, either in this life, or at any rate in the life to come. You will ask me, perhaps, if any one in these days can crucify the Lord Jesus. Yes! my friends, every wicked Christian crucifies him afresh, and puts him to open

shame. When we disgrace the sacred name of Christian by wickedness of any sort, we in a manner drive again the nails into his hands and feet, and hang him on the cross. Why did he die? Was it not that man might have his sins forgiven, and sin no more? If we do sin, we must wish him to be crucified again. His first crucifixion is lost upon us. It has no We are determined to live

effect on us.

in our sins. We call out by doing so, as the Jews did, "Crucify him, crucify him." We will not have him to reign over us. Does not every wicked Christian act as if he thought so?-as if he were an enemy to Christ? as if he joined with the Jews in despising and rejecting him? Away then with all your sins. Put them from you. Crucify them and not your Saviour. Let the body of sin be destroyed by his death. Serve it no longer in your members.

Our Saviour concludes his discourse with commanding his disciples to watch