and opened new and celestial prospects to the benighted world.

When the Son of God was born in Judea the greatest part of the habitable earth was subjected to the Romans; and their vast dominions were styled all the world, as in Luke ii. 1. The sceptre of universal power was then swayed by Augustus Cæsar, who, after he had conquered his enemies, gave peace to the nations. This event took place in the year in which our Saviour was born. The Roman empire was then in the zenith of its prosperity and splendor; and the benign influence of letters and philosophy were diffused over countries, which before had been enveloped in darkness and ignorance.

Yet though science and literature flourished in the Augustan age, mankind were still sunk in gross ignorance, both of religion and morals. St. Paul declares, that "The world by wisdom knew not God." The Apostle appears to allude to those Grecian philosophers, who were numerous in Athens; and who, under the name of Sophists, that is, professors of wisdom, undertook to teach every science. They valued themselves on their ability to defend either side of any question, political or moral; and it was often their glory to make the worse appear the better reason.

All the nations of the earth were devoted to polytheism and superstition. A general belief prevailed, that all things were subor

dinate to powerful beings, who were called gods, and whom it was thought incumbent upon all who wished for prosperity, to worship and to conciliate. Among the Greeks and Romans, one of these gods, Jupiter, was supposed to excel the others in dignity, and to possess a supereminent authority, and perhaps, in some degree, to direct and govern the tasks and offices of inferior deities.

Every nation, however, had its own peculiar gods, differing from those of other countries, in their names, natures, and attributes, and in many other respects. But in process of time, the Greeks and Romans became as ambitious in their religious, as in their political claims; and maintained that their gods, though under different appellations, were the objects of religious worship to all nations. Therefore they gave the names of their deities to those of other countries.

The principal objects of adoration, in most nations, were deified human beings; either heroes, or kings, or the founders of empires, or others who had obtained celebrity by remarkable actions, or useful inventions. These illustrious persons were remembered by their posterity, with fear, gratitude, and reverence, which caused them to be exalted to the rank of gods.

Together with these, the sun, moon, and stars, were worshipped by various nations, and this appears to have been a very ancient form of idolatry. But in time, the objects of

worship were multiplied.

The mountains and rivers, the earth and sea, even the diseases of the body, the virtues and vices, (or, rather, the tutelar genii, who were regarded as presiding over these things,) were made the objects of adoration. In Egypt, divine honors were paid to animals, and even to noxious and venomous reptiles.

The most magnificent temples were raised, and dedicated, by the inhabitants of almost every country, to their gods. The statues, and other representations of their deities, were placed in these superb edifices; and it was supposed, that the god for whom they de signed the statue, was really present in it, if the dedication was properly made. The tem ples were furnished with altars, and other requisites for sacrifice.

The care of the temples, and the direction of all religious ordinances, were committed to an order of men, called priests, who were distributed into various classes. They were supposed to possess a high degree of sanctity, and had much influence and power; but they abused their authority to delude an ignorant people. They did not attempt to promote the practice of virtue, either by their precepts or their example; but indulged themselvs in licentiousness; and taught others, that the whole of religion was comprised in observing the rites and ceremonies inculcated by their ancestors.

The heathen worship consisted of various rites, such as sacrifices, with prayer and other observances. Animals were universally offered, and human victims were sometimes immolated. The prayers of the Pagans were not unfrequently addressed to their gods, expressly for the purpose of obtaining the blessing of the heavenly powers upon immoral and infamous undertakings. Even the gods and goddesses whom they adored, as their characters and actions were commonly represented, exhibited to their deluded worshippers, examples rather of scandalous crimes, than of purity and virtue.

None of the various systems of the heathen religion appear to have been adapted to inspire love and respect for virtue, or to promote its practice. There were stately temples, pompous ceremonies, expensive sacrifices, and magnificent festivals; but just notions of God, obedience to his moral laws, purity of heart, and sanctity of life, were not insisted upon as requisites in religious worship.

The doctrines of the immortality of the. soul, and of a future state of rewards and punishments, were very partially received, in a form very vague and unsatisfactory; and the opinions maintained on this subject were more adapted to administer indulgence to vice, than support and encouragement to vir

tue.

The consequence of this wretched theology was, a universal corruption of manners, which exhibited itself in the most atrocious crimes. The sports of the gladiators, the grossest debauchery, the licentiousness of divorce, the custom of exposing infants, and other horrid practices, prove that the colours are not too dark, which the apostle Paul employs in drawing the character of the heathen nations. See Romans i, Ephesians iv. 17, &c.

When mankind had abandoned themselves to the most atrocious crimes, and appeared to have lost almost all sense of moral obligation, God was graciously pleased to send his Son, to reform and save the world. "When

the fulness of time was come," our Lord appeared upon earth, " a light to enlighten the gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel."

LETTER III.

Of the Civil and Religious State of the Jewish Nation at the Time of Christ's Birth.

MY DEAR NIECES,

I will now give you an outline of the civil and religious state of the Hebrew nation, at the time of our Lord's advent.

Jerusalem had been taken by Pompey the Great, about seventy years before the birth of our Saviour. The Jews, at this period,