666

To the Reader.

THE editor of THE SACRED CABINET, in introducing his little charge to his fellow christians, would say a few words explanatory of his views.

This work will be chiefly, and indeed almost entirely composed of select literature; the only dependance for originality resting on the gratuitous contributions of friends, with an occasional article issuing from the spontaneous exercise of his own thoughts upon important subjects suggested by experience and observation. This statement, while it involves, as the editor would desire, the renunciation of all save the humblest literary pretensions on his own part, yet seems to admit of the highest merit in the work itself.

It is his belief, that many of the most sterling religious works are still either generally inaccessible, or almost entirely hid in obscurity. It will therefore be his agreeable and solicitous endeavor to make the most valuable selections, containing the choicest fruits of the greatest minds that have ever been employed in the cause of Revealed Truth: nothing but what is in accordance with that truth being on any account allowedly admitted. With these views he hopes to present a work, which, though humble, will be acceptable to ALL Christians, and be found a source of spiritual edification and worthy enjoyment.

The Dignity and Glory of Christ.

DR DWIGHT.

THIS divine person was from everlasting, underived, independent, all-sufficient, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom,

goodness, and power. All things were the work of his hand, and lay beneath his feet. At the head of a kingdom, filling immensity and eternity, "he was ;" and, in comparison with him, "there was none else." " All nations before him were as nothing, and were counted unto him as less than nothing and vanity." Angels in his presence veiled their faces, and archangels durst not attempt to penetrate the unapproachable light with which he clothed himself as with a garment. obey him was their highest honor; to please him was their greatest happiness. In his service they employed all their powers, and found all their transports. Suns lighted up their fires at his bidding; systems rolled to fulfil his pleasures; and, to accomplish his designs, immensity was stored with worlds and their inhabitants.

To

If

"All things were" not only "made by him," but "for him." They were his property; they were destined to fulfil his pleasure. When he looked on all the beauty, greatness, and glory, conspicuous in the beings which compose, and which inhabit, the universe, he beheld nothing but the works of his own hands, reflecting the boundless beauty, greatness, and glory, which, in forms and varieties infinite, were treasured up from everlasting in his own incomprehensible mind. he chose to bring into existence any additional number of creatures, to display new forms and varieties of power, wisdom, and goodness, pre-existent in his own perfect intellect, his choice would instantaneously give them being. To the universe which he had made, he could, with infinite ease, add another, and another; and fill with worlds, and suns, and systems, those desolate wilds of immensity, where the wing of angels never ventured to rove, and whither no created mind ever sent out a solitary thought. His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Jerusalem ;*

ITS HISTORY FROM THE TIME OF CHRIST,

AND ITS PRESENT CONDITION.

THE war which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem and the subversion of the Jewish nation, first broke out in the year 66 A.D., and terminated in 71 A.D. Its origin may be distinctly traced to the oppressive and insulting measures of Gessius Florus, the procurator of Judea, who was unquestionably the worst Roman governor the Jews ever had. He received his appointment from the emperor Nero in the year 65. This man was not the first tyrannical, cruel, or avaricious governor which the Jews had received from Rome; but none were so tyrannical and cruel in principle, nor any so insatiably avaricious as Florus. There were no means whatever at which he scrupled in order to fill his coffers. As one instance, we may mention, that the robbers which for some years greatly abounded in Judea, well understood that they might carry on their depredations with perfect impunity, provided they gave the governor a share of their plunder. The consequence was, that they rapidly increased in numbers and daring. From this and other causes, the condition of the people became so miserable, and life and property so insecure, that great numbers emigrated to foreign countries, being no longer able to endure the miseries they suffered at home. When Florus saw that he had made himself thoroughly detested, and that the Jews were likely to complain against him to his superiors, he adopted the deep and atrocious policy of driving them to revolt, that their cries for justice might be drowned in the clash of arms-that in their greater crimes his own might be forgotten. In this he but too well succeeded. But to lay the entire blame of the war on the procurator, would be to take a very superficial view of the transactions of this eventful time. The cause lay far deeper-it lay in the condition and state of feeling of the Jewish nation, which afforded the governor suitable materials on which to operate: and if these had not existed, his attempt probably would not have been made, or, if made, would have proved abortive.

Even in the time of Christ, the Jews were highly dissatisfied with their condition under the Romans; so that they even doubted whether their submission were not in itself unlawful, and whether the assertion of their independence were not a duty, the neglect of which involved a want of due reliance upon Him who had been their Strong Deliverer of old; but

PICTORIAL BIBLE; Charles Knight and Co., London.-A work abounding with information valuable to all Christians.

With our next will be presented a very beautiful view of Jerusalem, taken from Light's Travels.

upon the whole, they were disposed for the present to wait a little, not more from expediency, than because they doubted that the time for exertion was fully come until the ardently expected Messiah should appear, to lead them on to victory and independence. They did not however wait very patiently. Their expectations were well known to the Romans; and their eagerness made them but too ready to listen to the dreamers, false prophets and pretended Messiahs, who promised them great things. This and other causes led to partial disturbances and insurrections from time to time; so that upon the whole the Jews were looked upon as bad and turbulent subjects by the Romans, who fully returned upon them the dislike with which they were themselves regarded. The measures of Florus did but kindle into a general blaze the fire which had smouldered long, and which had thrown forth a brief and partial flame more than once before.

In whatever point of view the condition of the Jews be at this time regarded, it is exceedingly difficult to see any thing that is not painful and distressing. The nation was divided into parties which regarded one another with implacable hatred and bitterness, that often broke forth into acts of murderous violence. Perhaps the history of no country offers a parallel to the party violence which at this time raged in Judea. It was the duty of the procurator to have kept this party spirit under, or at least to have prevented its more violent excesses; but in the contentions of the people he found a ready means of enriching himself, by levying contributions on, and accepting bribes from, the adverse parties in turn. He therefore rather sought to foment than to allay their differences—particularly when it became his policy to drive the nation into open revolt. He looked on with pleasure to see the Jews themselves working the destruction which he desired to bring upon them. The people generally were fretful and turbulent, ready to give heed to any delusion, and to act upon it. There was no order, no peace. Even the chief priests formed themselves into a faction, opposed, on the one hand, to the inferior priests, and on the other to the principal laymen. The former found adherents among the people; and from words the two factions often proceeded to blows and the throwing of stones; while the inferior clergy, finding the tithes on which they lived taken violently away by the servants of their superiors, were compelled to resist, in order to preserve the means of subsistence. The land was also overrun by robbers and murderers. The former, often acting in powerful bands, devastated the country with fire and sword; while the latter, who arose in the time of Felix (58-60 A.D.), and were never after extirpated, were regular assassins. They were called Sicarii, from the short dagger (sica) which