heart, and so widely had it spread throughout the entire race, that at the time of Christ’s advent every human agent who showed friendship to God and advocated the law, was accounted as a traitor to the common cause. A wakeful impiety was exercised by the enemies of God, and those who departed from evil made themselves a prey, and were treated as enemies to the welfare of men. The principles of injustice and fraud were widespread, and a masterly power was constantly at work, seeking to bring into