recognize the propriety of all these being specified as only "the beginning of sorrows."

PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS.

Ver. 9. 11-13.

But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.--But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate; but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

For an account of the fulfilment of all this part of the prophetic description, we need not go further than the inspired history itself. The Acts of the Apostles contains an illustration of all the various kinds of persecution here enumerated; and from an allusion in St. Paul's second Epistle to the Corinthians to his own, it appears how small a part must have been reb Chap. xi. 23, 24, 25.

corded by the inspired historian. It is impossible to consider these predictions, in any point of view, without being at the same time struck with their most remarkable feature-their utter inconsistency with the character of an impostor.

The command that when delivered up to their persecutors, the accused should not think beforehand what they were to say, may be considered as a warning that their faith would be especially put to the test on these occasions; and that the evidence of it would be their abandonment of all human arts of eloquence in pleading their cause. Thus each man was provided with a miracle in the use of inspired language, on the occasion when he most needed it; and this miraculous assistance was the appointed reward of his faith in the present prediction.

At the same time, the fact that many should prove too weak for the trial, was foretold; in order that their failure might not be imputed to the weakness of their cause; and that others might be the less likely to yield to the dismay and forlorn feeling, which would be naturally inspired, by finding friends, and kindred, and all men their enemies.

THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS.

Ver. 10.

And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

This we know has never been literally fulfilled. How far the wide circulation of the Gospel amongst the various people of the world, before the destruction of Jerusalem, may be considered as an adequate fulfilment, is a point to be considered.

There are two remarks which may be offered in favour of this view. One is, that in the language of Scripture, and not of Scripture alone, the imperfect action is not unfrequently put for the perfect-the beginning for the accomplishment. It is thus that we are sometimes said to be "saved" by having our salvation begun. So too we are sometimes called "just" and "justified," when no more is intended by the expressions than that we are put into a way to become just and justified.

The other remark connected with this is, that, at this period, all nations were under the Roman dominion-all, at least, who were objects of any consideration with the persons addressed.

The preaching of the Gospel at Rome therefore may be considered in the light of preaching to all the Gentile nations, inasmuch as Rome was the head and representative of the Gentile world. Taking this view, in connection with the preceding, the circumstance that Rome had received the Gospel, may be considered as the fulfilment of the prophecy-as the work of universal conversion commenced, although not perfected. And this, by the way, will account for St. Luke's closing his history of the Acts precisely at the period when St. Paul arrives at the seat of empire, and opens his commission there; all the preceding narrative having been a display of the progressive course of the Gospel scheme, directed from the Jews to the devout Gentiles, from the devout Gentiles to the heathen converts, and traced up to this eventful period, when the whole heathen world was preached to in Rome its capital and representative.

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.

Ver. 14-20.

But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in

Judæa flee to the mountains: and let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: and let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

Of all the clauses of the prophecy, this is perhaps the most striking. In another Evangelist the meaning is more expressly more expressly given thus, "When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies"." In other words, the Christians were to wait, until they had seen the Roman standard pollute the holy city, and found themselves encompassed by armies, and their escape to all appearance precluded, before escape was to be attempted. Here was a trial worthy of the faith of the primitive Church, and it was worthily obeyed. Jerusalem was encompassed by the troops of Cestus Gallius. Finding himself too

b Luke xxi. 20.

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