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. 1764 edition. Excerpt: ...light and love. That Sun is climbing to the zenith, and when the meridian splendor shines, it will warm the universal heart of mankind until it bursts into the flowery glory of paradise restored--the millennial era of a triumphant Church. Just prior to the advent of Jesus, Providence arranged for the dispersion of his trained people. They, in turn, were to be school-masters of the nations of the earth. They were scattered wide through the Roman Empire, then almost cosmopolitan in extent, made so by the triumphs of Julius Caesar's arms; and in every land they traversed they spread the knowledge of the one living and true God. The temple-worship, still retained at Jerusalem, unified their faith, and kept its ardor alive. Thither the tribes went annually to offer their sacrifices. The apostles were commanded to "begin at Jerusalem" the preaching of the gospel. There, were a people made ready for the higher training. After a sufficient number of representative minds had been inoculated with the doctrines of Christ, the temple was finally destroyed, the state religion of the Jews was abolished at its capital, and fierce persecution drove them far abroad to spread the contagion of the new faith which they had received. The day of Pentecost, in multiplying converts from all nations, increased the centers of influence, and "Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in, Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes," went forth from this baptism of the Holy Ghost--this unifying of the nationalities in the common kingdom of Jesus Christ--to spread afar, among their respective...