Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

III.

SERM. Shepherd of his People, expressly ordained to release his captives, and to restore the people of Judah to freedom and their country.

During the subsistence of the Persian Kings, the Jews were under their protection and made a part of their dominion. When that kingdom was overthrown by Alexander, they were transferred to the Macedonian empire; and on the division of that empire they were consigned to the Kings of Syria. But enduring from them an intolerable weight of tyranny and oppression they asserted their independance under the family of the Maccabees, and gratefully accepted their Deliverers for their Rulers. When the Romans overrun the East, they attempted no resistance to that victorious power. The dissension between two brothers, who were rivals for the throne of Judea, invited, Pompey to determine the succession; and this decision gave the Romans a pretext for assuming an authority over the Jews. The Prince, whom they had placed on the throne, being taken captive by the Parthians on a sudden invasion of Jerusalem, his chief Minister Herod went Isa. xliv. 28. xlv. 1, &c.

to

to Rome to solicit the cause of this SERM. Prince's family: but what he affected III. to solicit for another he obtained for himself; and though by birth an Idumean, he returned under Roman patronage the King of the Jews. After a long reign of tyranny and cruelty, he transmitted his sceptre to his son Archelaus; who having reigned a few years was for some default dethroned by the authority of Rome. Hereupon the kingdom of Judea was committed to a Roman Governor. And though some portion of this country was afterwards consigned to Princes and Tetrarchs of the house of Herod, yet it was now to all intents reduced to the condition of a Roman province. Yet according to the customary policy of that people, the Jews were suffered to retain their ancient form of worship and a great portion of their civil go

vernment.

AT this time it was, when the sceptre was departing from Judah, that Shiloh came, that long-expected Prophet who was sent into the world. To shew the reception which he found

• Gen. xlix. 10.

among

[ocr errors]

SERM. among the Jews, I proceed to give some III. outline of the several orders, professions, or sects under which they fell.

Their constitution may be considered under these three branches of Ritual, Moral, and Civil Economy.

1. The Ritual Ordinances were committed to the direction and ministry of the Levites, a Tribe of Israel, originally set apart for the peculiar service of God, and distinguished from their Brethren in this respect, that they had no inheritance in the promised land, but had the tithe of all increase appointed for their maintenance. Out of this Tribe the House of Aaron was selected for the superior functions of the Priesthood to offer sacrifice of every kind in the Tabernacle and over these was the High Priest; whose peculiar office it was once every year to enter alone into the Holy of Holies with the blood of a victim, and to make an atonement for the sins of the people.

This establishment continued when the service of the Tabernacle was transferred to the Temple; on the building of which the seat of divine worship was fixed at Jerusalem; so that a large portion of the Levites became from their functions

functions established in the Metropolis; SERM. by which they would escape the idola- I. trous defection and consequent dispersion of the ten Tribes of Israel. And though their functions were suspended, when the Temple was laid in ashes by the Babylonians, yet on the restoration of the People and the rebuilding of the Temple under Cyrus their ministerial character revived. In the Princes of the House of Maccabees the office of High Priest became united with the sovereign authority. But on the ac

cession of Herod, who was not of the stock of Aaron, nor even of the race of Israel, it was again separated from it. And when the country was converted into a Roman Province, it was usual for the Governor to change the High Priest every year.

2. For the preaching or dispensing of the Moral Law no special Order was expressly appointed by the Mosaic Institution. Yet in early times a School of Prophets was established, whose office it seems to have been to offer prayer and praise to God, and to inculcate on the people obedience to his laws. Afterwards there arose a superior Order of Prophets, immediately visited

by

SERM. by the Spirit of God, who by the priviIII. lege of working miracles and foretelling things to come gave infallible evidence that they were the Embassadors of Heaven, and in that high character declared the will of God, announcing to the people either mercies or judgements, according as they had merited his favour or incurred his displeasure. The declarations of these Prophets in carlier times were confined to oral delivery; but during the government of Kings they were committed to record in the Old Testament. Thus constituting a great portion of the Holy Scriptures, they are standing testimonies of the providential care of God in governing the world: and while they designate the decrees of heaven toward the chosen people, they also announce the last Dispensation of a Prophet in every respect superior to themselves, who should come in later times for the redemption and consolation, not of Israel only, but of all the world.

When this divine influence was withdrawn, or but sparingly communicated after the Babylonian bondage, the prophetic office was in some degree supplied by a Profession of men, who are

« EdellinenJatka »