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deur, the magnificence, and the striking fituation of which, as circumftantially defcribed by Jofephus, must have rendered this spot

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For the facts which show the completion of this Prophecy, we are not confined to the statement of Chriftian writers alone, who by unbelievers might be fufpected, however uncandidly, of a difpofition to bend the events to the predictions. We are happily in poffeffion of the most curious and valuable fource of information. So far from rejecting the teftimony of Jewish writers upon this fubject, which they might naturally be difpofed to reprefent in a manner honourable to their own nation, and disadvantageous to the character of Chrift, we appeal to the evidence of the Hiftorian Jofephus, who was remarkably distinguished by his attachment to his country, and his veneration for the Laws of Mofes. He was defcended from the family who bore the facred office of High Prieft, he was a distinguished General in the early part of the laft Jewish war; and after he was taken prisoner, was admitted to share the confidence of the Emperor Vefpafian and his fon Titus, with whofe approbation, as well as that of Kings Agrippa and Herod, and other eminent and intelligent perfons, he published the Hiftory of the Wars of the Jews. His evidence is moft full, particular, and exact, and goes to the confirmation of every point in this Prophecy. With fingular care he has omitted to mention the name of Chrift, and yet with fingular precifion he has illuftrated his predictions. From his fituation as a General in the former part of the war, and a prisoner in the latter, when he was conftantly with the Roman commander, nothing efcaped his obfervation. No person who poffeffes the leaft degree of candour, whatever may be his religious opinions, can have any fair objection

peculiarly fuited to the fubject of this Prophecy. And in this fublime and interesting fcene

to his teftimony. None can plead, that he has given a falfe colouring to his narrative, for the purpose of favouring Jefus Chrift and his Difciples. The important fervice he has rendered to Christianity is wholly unintentional. Confidering his various escapes from the most imminent danger, and the particular crifis at which he lived, he seems to have been raised up and preferved by Providence, to show the exact accomplishment of the Prophecy of Chrift. If he was ignorant of Chriftianity, he could not poffibly write with a view to promote its interests. If he was not ignorant of it, we may be certain from his ftrong attachment to the Laws of Mofes, and from his filence, that he was not faɣourable to it so that what he relates, is drawn from him by the power of irresistible truth; and is a testimony far more strong, and more unexceptionable, than the most explicit mention of the name of Christ, and the most laboured encomium on his words and actions. For a full account of Jofephus and his works, fee Lardner, vol. vii. p. 30, 259, &c.

The curious details of Jofephus are confirmed in many important circumftances, by Tacitus the eminent Historian, who flourished about thirty years after the destruction of Jerufalem. He speaks of the ftrength of the fortifications of that city, the immenfe riches and strength of the Temple, the factions that raged during the fiege, the prodigies that preceded it, and the report prevalent at that time, that a ruler of the world should come from the East. He particularly mentions the large army brought by Vefpafian to fubdue Judea, and take Jerufalem, a fact which fhows the magnitude and the importance of the expe

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fcene did our Lord fully reveal to his felect Difciples thofe decrees of Divine juftice, which he had frequently before, in general terms, pronounced in the prefence of furrounding multitudes. The divine character

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Other Heathen authors may be mentioned, whofe account of these transactions is very much to the purpose. The moft remarkable are Philoftratus and Dion Caffius, who lived in the third century. By the former it is exprefsly related, that Titus declared after the capture of Jerufalem, that he was not worthy of the crown of victory, as he only had lent his hand to the execution of a work, in which God was pleased to manifeft his anger. It does not appear that Philoftratus copied Jofephus, as he relates fome things in a different manner. The account of Dion Caffius, when compared with that of the great Jewish hiftorian, is concife and defective. Nevertheless, he relates all the principal tranfactions of the war the conqueft of Judea by Titus and Vefpafian, the obftinate and bloody refistance of the Jews during the fiege of Jerufalem, and what is of most importance, the deftruction of the Temple by fire.

In these particulars he agrees with Jofephus, in others he differs from him fo much, that it is very probable he never confulted his works In Dion Caffius and Philoftratus we have two witnesses unacquainted with Jofephus, who ftrongly confirm his teftimony, and unite to illustrate the Prophecy now under our confideration. See Lardner's Teft. vol. vii. p. 112. vol. viii. p. 131.

Lardner has well remarked, that this Prophecy, although delivered in private to the Disciples, plainly referred to many of our Lord's public fpeeches, Matt. xxiii. 29-39. Luke xix. 41-44. There are likewife fre

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of the person who uttered this prediction, the clear language in which it was expreffed, the folemn manner in which it was confirmed, the people who were the immediate subjects of it, the unparalleled calamities denounced against them, and its ultimate reference to the confummation of the ftupendous Christian fcheme, which was laid "before the foundations of the world"-has been "witneffed by all the Prophets from the beginning". and fhall extend beyond this world's duration -render the whole tranfaction inexpreffibly interesting and awful.

I fhall quote the whole Prophecy as ftated by the three evangelifts, and only first observe, that whoever carefully reads this Prophecy, not only reads an exact recital of fub fequent events, but finds them arranged nearly in the fame order of time in which they hap pened.

His Difciples came to him for to fhew Kim the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I

quent références to the calamities that were coming upon the Jews in feveral parables, Matt. viii. 11, 12. xxi. 184. 19, &c. xxii. 1-7. Luke xiii. 6-9, xiv. 17-2.4

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fay unto you, There shall not be left here one ftone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he fat upon the mount of Olives, the Difciples came unto him privately, faying, Tell us, when fhall these things be? and what fhall be the fign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jefus answered and faid unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you : for many fhall come in my name, faying, I am Chrift; and fhall deceive many. And ye fhall hear of wars, and rumours of wars: fee that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation fhall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there fhall be famines, and peftilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. "All thefe are the beginning of forrows. Then! fball they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye fhall be hated of all nations for my name's fake. And then shall many be offended, and ball betray one another, and fhall bate one another. And many falfe prophets shall rife, and fhall deceive many. And becaufe iniquity fhall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that fhall endure unto the end, the fame fhall be faved. And this Gospel of the kingdom fhall be preached in all the world, for a witnefs unto all nations; and then fball the end come. When ye therefore fhall fee

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