those of Moses. He was a Law-giver also, as well as Moses. None of the ancient prophets were like unto Moses in these respects, in which Moses and Jesus Christ are the only two that perfectly resemble each other.

There are many minuter features of similarity, which might be, and indeed have been, traced' between the two, in their lives and characters; but the above are the most important; clearly shewing that Jesus Christ is that prophet that should come into the world" (John. vi. 14); and abundantly justifying St. Peter and Stephen in their applying the prophecy to Him (Acts iii. 22, 23; and vii. 37), "Unto Him shall ye hearken ;-and whosoever will not hearken unto my words which He shall speak in my name, I will require it of him ;" that is, I will severely punish him; or, as St. Peter explains it, "he shall be destroyed from among the people."

1 Amongst many other points of resemblance may be mentioned the following: Both Moses and Christ were wonderfully preserved in infancy from destruction: Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction: Christ refused to be made a king, choosing rather to suffer affliction. Moses contended with magicians, who were forced to yield to his superior power: Christ ejected evil spirits, and received the same acknowledgment from them. Moses interceded with God for transgressors, and arrested the wrath of God; so did Christ. Moses ratified the covenant between God and His people, by sprinkling them with blood: Christ ratified the New Covenant with his own blood. Moses, a little before his death, promised another Prophet, so Christ promised another Comforter, &c. &c.

And has not this terrible denunciation been fully executed upon the Jewish people? Was not their complete excision, (soon after Jesus had finished his ministry, and his Apostles had preached in vain,) the fulfilling of the threat, for not hearkening to Him? The Saviour himself also predicted that it should be so; and foretold the particulars of that destruction, with an amazing minuteness. The main body of the nation either perished in their infidelity, or were carried captive into other nations. And whereas their former captivity for their wickedness, lasted only seventy years; in their present dispersion, they have been a vagabond miserable people, upon the face of the earth for nearly 1800 years! Never was the hand of God more visible in any of His dispensations! Long have they been monuments of His justice; we believe, upon their repentance and faith, they will become again objects of His mercy and in the mean time, with St. Paul, "our heart's desire and prayer for Israel is, that they may be saved." (Rom. x. 1.)

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DISSERTATION VII.

Prophecies of MOSES, concerning the Jews.

THE prophecies of Moses abound most in the latter part of his writings. As he drew nearer his end, God enabled him to exhibit unto the Jews clearer views of their future condition 1. Out of the great number we shall confine ourselves to those in the xxviiith chapter of Deuteronomy,-(the greater part of which are being accomplished at this very day),-taking them in the order of time, rather than as they stand recorded.

"The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth,-as swift as the eagle

1 It may be observed that, in his general exhortations, Moses enlarges more in denunciations of punishment for transgressions, than in promises of blessing; as if he had a prescience of their future stubborn ingratitude and disobedience.

flieth; whose tongue thou shalt not understand; of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young; and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down." (verses 49, 50. & 52.). The Romans1 under Vespasian and under Adrian (the two great destroyers of the Jews) both came "from far, from the ends of the earth,"-even from commanding here in Britain; the rapidity of their conquests might be compared to the eagle's flight; and perhaps there may be an allusion to their military standard, which was an eagle. In their victories, "they showed mercy to no age, (says Josephus,) out of hatred to the nation; not sparing young children, but casting them down from the citadels." Jerusalem, strong, and wonderfully fortified by nature and art, was frequently besieged and taken; and finally destroyed utterly by the Romans under Titus.

In these sieges, they were to suffer much, particularly from famine, "in the straitness wherewith their enemies should distress them; so that a man's eye should be evil towards his brother, and the wife of his bosom, and his children; and the woman's eye evil

'Some suppose a double accomplishment of this prophecy; the first referring to the calamities the Jews suffered under the Chaldeans; and the second to those under the Romans: the particulars of the prophecy may be applicable to both: but they have been more especially and fully accomplished under the latter.

towards her husband, and her son and her daughter; and they should eat the fruit of their own body, the flesh of their sons and their daughters: and the tender and delicate woman who would not venture to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness, she should eat her children, for want of all things, secretly, in the siege and in the straitness." (verses 53 et seqq.) Now all this was terribly and punctually fulfilled. In the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, under Titus, (Josephus hath left it on record,) that

women snatched food out of the very mouths of their husbands, sons of their fathers, and (still more strange) mothers of their infants; and in every house, where any semblance of food appeared, dearest relations even fought about the miserable provisions." And moreover, "that a noble woman illustrious for her family and riches (the tender and delicate woman) actually killed and ate her own sucking child;" doing it secretly, as Moses predicted, (ver. 57); for "when she had eaten half, (Josephus relates that) she covered and kept it for another time."

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They were also to be "left few in number;" to be sold into Egypt for slaves at a low price, because "no man would buy:" and to be "plucked out from the land;" and "scattered among all people." (verses lxii. et seqq.) Immense numbers perished by famine;

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