Page

An Edict of Claudius, in which he advises

the Christian Jews not to attack the Pa-

gan Gods

346

348

.349, 350

By their Treatment of Carabas, the Egyp-

tians designed to deride the Jews as Be-

lievers in a crucified Lord

The Conversion of the Women, and their
cruel Treatment .
Philo has recorded Indignities similar to
those which Gibbon represents as the
Fiction of the Monks in the dark Ages

The Sufferings of the Jews unfold the Cir-

cumstances which called forth the Writings

of Philo in behalf of the Followers of Jesus 352

Their Belief in Jesus brought upon the Jews

the Charge that they intended to revolt

from Cæsar-their Houses, searched for

Arms

.

Philo defends the Jews from the Charge of

being Slaves, by representing them as en-

joying spiritual Freedom, under the Son

of God.

A fine Specimen of the Manner in which

Philo calls on his Brethren to endure

Persecution

The Origin of Monastic Institutions

Philo represents the Christian Teachers as

the Reformers and Benefactors of the

World.

Fifty thousand Jews destroyed at Alexandria

under Nero

351

353, 354

2

354-356

..356, 357

357-360

360-364

364-367

An Argument urged by the Pagans against

the Providence of God, drawn from the

Sufferings of his People, repelled by Philo

and Josephus.

CHAPTER XV.

Memoirs of Josephus.

Page

. 368-370

. 371

His great Talents early cultivated-finished

his Education in a Christian School . . 372

He shews his Zeal for Christianity in going

to Rome to rescue some Converts, sent to
Cæsar by Felix : :

The Flames of War begun on his return
from Rome
The Massacre of the Jews at Scythopolis,
and in all the Cities of Syria.

He is appointed Governor of Galilee-his

Endeavours to prevent the War

374

.376

His great Integrity, and the Attachment of
the Galileans to him

The Difficulties he encountered from the

Envy and Malice of his Enemies

. The Siege of Jotapata

376-379

379, 380

. 380, 381

381

382-384

His wonderful Preservation in the Den at

Jotapata, and his noble Speech against

Self-destruction

384-390

His Introduction to Vespasian, and his Pre-..

diction that he would be soon Emperor. 391-393

The Prediction of Daniel fulfilled in Ves-

pasian

395-399

CHAPTER XVI.

The Use made by Tacitus of the Writings

of Josephus

The Writings of Josephus attested by Ves-
pasian, Titus, and Agrippa

The Prediction respecting Vespasian copied
by Tacitus.

Tacitus opposes Basilides to Josephus, and

Serapis to Christ,-Seeks to undermine the

Miracles of Jesus, by ascribing similar

Wonders to Vespasian

400

. 401

His Account of Vestilia and other Women of

·Page

402

405-412

rank, who received the Gospel in Rome. 413-417

The Christians falsely accused and perse-

cuted by Nero

417-420

His Inability to attack the Character of

Christ, a Cause of Triumph to the Friends

of the Gospel

431-434

3

The Gnostic System delineated:

The Gnostics were Atheists-denied the
Creator of the World.
-Denied the Humanity of Jesus, and by
that Means endeavoured to undermine the
Doctrine of a Future State, founded on
his Resurrection.

The Gnostics were not mistaken Friends, but

concealed Enemies of the Gospel

Their System formed soon after the Promul-
gation of the Gospel

The Scribes and Pharisees embrace the

Gnostic System, as the most likely Means

to defeat the Gospel.

The great Success of the Gnostics our

..

472 473

Lord's solemn Caution against them. 473, 474

The Hebrew Believers so degenerated in the

Course of three Centuries, as hardly to

The Pharisees and Sadducees being determind

mined to reject Christ, were forced to

reject the God of their Fathers.

.478 T

They unite with the Disciples of John to

oppose the Claims of Jesus.

Allusions to this Union, in John iii. 25, and

Matt. ix. 10

The Baptist addresses the Pharisees and

Sadducees as Apostates from the God of

Abraham

Our Lord's Discourses with them imply the

same Degeneracy

479

Page

480, 481

482

.483-496

Stephen charges them with the same Crime 496 499

CHAPTER XX.

The Gnostics the false Prophets foretold by

Jesus, and described by Josephus

The Prediction of the Destruction of Jerusa

lem, and the recording of that Prediction

by the Evangelists, dangerous and diffi-

cult

500.

504-506

506

Josephus, in order to shelter Jesus and his

Followers from the Odium which thus

attached to them, refers the Prophecy to

Daniel 1

Modern Critics mistaken in supposing the
Abomination of Desolation standing in the
holy Place, to mean, the Roman Eagle . 507

The Circumstance of the Gnostic Teachers

being the Robbers and false Prophets,

described by Josephus, explains many

Passages in the four Gospels

511