Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1838 edition. Excerpt: ... obtain an explanation of the ancient prophecies, demonstrate, that he was acquainted with the writings of the inspired instructors of the Jewish nation, and acknowledged their authority. If, from that source, he had ever received any religious impressions, they were so completely defaced by the lust of political power, --which has degraded and wrecked so many other minds, --that, for obtaining and securing its object, he could coolly devise and adopt measures, for interrupting the religious services of a whole nation.--The pious priests, who preceded him in the government of Judea, had built a tower near the temple, to form a convenient depository for the priests' garments, and so to facilitate the administration of the religious ordinances. He converted the tower into a strong hold, with a garrison of his soldiers, in which the garments remained, not under the charge of the priests, but in his own custody; by which arrangement he could, at any time, prevent the celebration of these ordinances, by denying the priests access to their garments; and at the same time, having all the precincts Matthew ii. 4. of the temple fully exposed to the attacks of a military force, he could drive away, from the prescribed place of their religious rites, both the priests and the people. To fill up the picture of impiety, foreshewn by the Prophet, --while he could thus look at the service of the true God in his own temple, with the view only of making it subservient to the purposes of his own worldly ambition, --in direct opposition to the plainest, and frequently renewed, commandments of that God, he introduced and established the rites of heathen superstition, in its worst and meanest form. He built many fortified cities in honour of Augustus Caesar
