the Christ? Now when the Samaritans were come unto him—and had heard him, they said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying; for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is the Christ the Saviour of the world," John iv. 25, 26, 29, 42.

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This supposition is confirmed by an account which Josephus has given of an affair which happened in the latter end of Pilate's government, A. D. 35, or 36. Nor were the Samaritans,' says he, free from disturbance. For there was among them a man who made no scruple of a lie, and contrived all he said so as might best please the people. He published orders that they should meet together and go with him up to mount Garizim, which is ' esteemed by them the most holy of all mountains. He 'assured them that when they were got to the top of it, he 'would shew them the sacred vessels which had been laid 6 up there underground by Moses. They, taking what he 'said for truth, armed themselves, and posting themselves in a certain village called Tirathaba, there received all 'that flocked to them, intending to ascend the mountain in a large body. But a detachment of Pilate's soldiers, horse and foot, having first intercepted their passage, fell upon 'them in the village, and at the first attack slew some, dis'persed others, and took a good number prisoners, the chief ' of whom Pilate put to death.'

This affair is a proof that the Samaritans were now in expectation of some extraordinary events. This deceiver accommodated his speeches to the humour and sentiments of the people, and they credited readily what he said. But this is not all the substance of his promises is a proof they were now in expectation of some discoveries and regulations concerning matters of religion. For certainly if they found these sacred vessels, they supposed they should have some instructions also what to do with them. Nor could they think him an ordinary prophet that should be honoured with such a commission."

η Ουκ απηλλακτο δε θορυβε και το Σαμαρέων εθνος" συςρέφει γαρ αυτός ανηρ εν ολιγω το ψεύδος τιθεμενος, και εφ' ήδονη της πληθυος τεχνάζων τα παντα, κελεύων επι το Γαρίζειν ορος αυτῳ συνέλθειν, ὁ αγνότατον τε αυτοίς ορων ὑπειληπται, ισχυρίζετο τε παραγενομενοις δείξειν τα ιερα σκευη τηδε κατορω ρυγμενα, Μωυσεως τῇδε αυτών ποιησαμενο καταθεσιν οι δε εν όπλοις τε ησαν, πιθανον ἡγεμενοι τον λογον και καθισαντες εν τινι κωμη, Τιραθαβα λέγεται, παρελάμβανον τις επισυλλεγόμενες, ὡς μεγαλῳ πληθεί την αναβασιν εις το όρος ποιησομενοι φθανει δε Πιλατος την ανοδον αυτών προκαταλαβόμενος ιππέωντε πομπη και όπλιτων, οι συμβαλοντες τοις εν τη κωμη προσυνηθροισ μένοις, παραταξεως γενομένης, της μεν εκτειναν, τες δε εις φυγήν τρέπονται, ζωγρια τε πολλες ηγον, ὧν τις κορυφαιοτατες εκτεινε Πιλατος. Antiq. lib. xviii. cap. 5. sect. 1. • See Bishop Chandler's Defence of Christianity,

I must inform the reader, that in all our present copies of Josephus, the hiding these sacred vessels is ascribed to Moses. And his name was read in this place by Epiphanius and Zonaras. But Reland suspected that for Moses we ought to read Ozes. One of his reasons is, that in an ancient Samaritan chronicle, the manuscript of which he had in his possession, there is an account of the laying up of sacred vessels by the divine appointment in a cave on Mount Garizim, during the high priesthood of Ozes, or Ozi: but that, when afterwards he came to look for them, he could not find them. Reland is inclined to think, that the high priest here intended is Uzzi, mentioned, 1 Chron. vi. 6, who was the fifth from Aaron. The story related in his Chronicle is almost the very same which is told in the second book of Maccabees, ch. ii. with scarce any other difference but that of Jeremy for Ozi, and Nebo for Garizim.q I shall therefore set down here the account in the Maccabees. It is, I think, an argument that according to traditions which they then had among them, the discovery of the sacred vessels would be immediately followed by very glorious times; and consequently that this passage from Josephus is to the purpose for which I have alleged it. 2 Macc. ii. 4-8, "It was also contained in the same writing, that the prophet being warned of God, commanded the tabernacle and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the mountain, where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God. And when Jeremy came thither, he found an hollow cave wherein he laid the tabernacle and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door. And some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it. Which when Jeremy perceived, he blamed them, saying: As for that place it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy. Then shall the Lord shew them these things, and the glory of the Lord shall appear, and the cloud also as it was shewed under Moses, and as when Solomon desired that the place might be honourably sanctified."

IV. It has been shown that the Jews had now expectations of the coming of the Messiah, and that they hoped for a temporal salvation from him. But it is not to be thought they looked for nothing else. After the miracle of the five loaves, St. John says, chap. vi. 14, 15, "Then these men,

chap. 1. sect. 3. at the end.

P Vid. Hudson. Notas in Joseph. loc. Substitue pro Jeremiâ Ozin, pro monte Nebo Garizim; cætera conveniunt, Reland. Dissert. de Monte Garizim, sect. 14.

when they had seen the miracle which Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet which should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." These two characters therefore of a prophet, and a king, were joined together in the thoughts of these men.

The woman of Samaria likewise plainly supposes the Messiah was to be a great prophet. She knew that when he who is called Christ was come, he would "tell them all things." Upon Jesus" telling her all things that ever she did," she concluded he was "the Christ." And she supposed this would be an argument with the men whom she went to, to believe the same thing: and we find it had great weight with them, though they were farther confirmed by what they afterwards heard from Jesus themselves. The expectation of great discoveries in matters of religion appears also in the passage just transcribed from Josephus. V. I choose to conclude this chapter with some reflections.

1. We may now perceive one reason why our Blessed Lord often forbad men to publish the cures he had wrought upon them; why he so often moved from one place to another; why he so rarely affirmed in express terms, in the hearing of the people, that he was the Christ. Whilst they had so strong a persuasion that the Messiah would be a temporal deliverer, there was a necessity for this conduct. It was impossible otherwise to avoid giving umbrage to the Roman government, and to hinder the people from actually making attempts that would have exposed them to justice. He therefore contented himself with declaring that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, that the Father had sent him, that he was he of whom Moses and the prophets had written, that he was blessed who should not be offended in him; (all which they knew to be characters of the Messiah ;) wrought miracles, preached righteousness, and endeavoured to correct their false sentiments and corrupt affections. In a word, it was necessary he should do just as he did, according to the divine character he sustains throughout the gospels.

2. We see here the ground of the different respect which seems to have been shown to John the Baptist and Jesus. "Many of the pharisees and sadducees came to his baptism," Matt. iii. 7. And of others there seems to have been a general resort. And for some time afterwards it was dangerous to deny the validity or authority of his baptism: "for all held John to be a prophet," Matt. xxi. 26. The

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general expectation of the Messiah raised their attention to John: but their particular idea of the Messiah disgusted them against Jesus. "He" (says our Lord to them) was a burning and shining light, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light," John v. 35. They had no doubt but that a very great person was coming among them; and they were pleased to hear John say that he was his forerunner but when Jesus came, he was not such a person as they wished for.

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2. We see here the reason of the different reception given to Jesus by the pharisees and the people. The same notions seem to have been common to all, and the passion of the people for liberty was as warm as that of the pharisees for power and grandeur. But the people could not see very far; and they hoped, even contrary to present appearances, that Jesus might some time undertake the deliverance they wanted. But the pharisees, who had more penetration, saw from the beginning that he was a man void of all worldly ambition, and that no such principle would be gratified under him. His peculiar blessings were all bestowed on the poor in spirit, the meek, and those that were persecuted for righteousness sake:" he exhorted "men to pray, fast, give alms in secret," to entertain "the poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind," in hopes of being "recompensed at the resurrection of the just:" and he openly neglected "the traditions of the elders." They could be sure from hence, that Jesus did not intend to enrich his followers by worldly conquests; that this doctrine was no prelude to an universal temporal empire; and that according to these measures their darling principles, instead of prevailing, would be for ever disgraced. Therefore these men pursued him, almost universally, from first to last, with an uninterrupted course of secret or open malice.

4. This notion of theirs gives us the reason why many owned Jesus" for a time," and then forsook him. They came in to him upon the supposition of his being a temporal deliverer of the Jewish nation: but by his conduct, or some things they heard from him, they were convinced they had gone upon a wrong foundation.

5. It does also account for that sudden change in the people at the conclusion of our Saviour's ministry. They attend him with great state into Jerusalem; and a few days after they cry out," not this man, but Barabbas." The reason seems to be this: his not assuming then the character of a temporal prince, or at least not giving them some sign of liberty, had been a vast disappointment, and left a

deep resentment, which rendered them susceptible afterwards of the worst impressions from the chief priests and pharisees.

6. The particulars above mentioned may help us to conceive the truth of what is related, Acts v. 26. "Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned." Strange! that they should now have such a zeal and affection for the disciples of Jesus, whom they had so lately desired with loud voices to be crucified, as to be ready to do violence to the officers of the council for their security. But however strange this may seem, there is no manner of reason to doubt the truth of it. What has been alleged from Josephus and Tacitus assures us, that though often disappointed, they were not disheartened. Though Jesus had been crucified, a surprising power appeared in his disciples, and wonderful works were wrought by them in the name of Jesus, which were infallible proofs of his resurrection and ascension. Hereupon undoubtedly the hopes of the salvation they wished for revived in these

men.

7. The Jews' expectation of a temporal deliverance for their nation, nourished and strengthened by sensual passions, together with their prodigious wickedness, which they in their fond imaginations had reconciled with the peculiar friendship and favour of God, does fully account for this people's so generally rejecting and despising Jesus, though there was the fullest proof given that he was he who was to come. John v. 43. "I am come," says our Lord, "in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." They were ready to join any one who made them promises of a temporal salvation; but they would not receive, or at least not hold to any one that did not. If they would have received any one without this condition, they would have received Jesus.

CHAP. VI.

OF THE GREAT CORRUPTION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

THE evangelists have represented the Jewish nation as very corrupt and wicked about the time our Saviour conversed and taught in this world. When John the Baptist "saw