xi. 28, 31.) Even the Romans, although the Jews were dispersed abroad, as has already been shewn, long before they were subdued by them; yet even they did not come from far unto them.

Verse 50. "A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour unto the young." Did not Nebuchadnezzar shew favour to the young, when he brought up Daniel and his fellows in his own establishment, and made them rulers over his kingdom? (Dan. 1 and 11.) And many of the people that were dispersed abroad seem to have been in a flourishing condition, or they would all have gladly embraced the offer of King Cyrus to return to their own land. Instead of which, many staid till Ezra came, some till Nehemiah, and many went not at all; as we find that after those days they were still scattered abroad from India to Ethiopia. And those that did return, do not seem to have been hardly done by, when we find them capable of giving such an abundance of gold and silver towards defraying the expences of building a house for their God. (Neh. vii. 71, 72.) And in the days of Ahasuerus, we find that they were not only protected, but suffered to amuse themselves at their old favourite games, namely, the butchering of their neighbours! (Esther ix.) And if the Romans shewed them no mercy, it was what they might have expected, seeing that they themselves never shewed any; being strictly forbidden by their God, who charged them to shew them no mercy; neither should their eye have pity upon them, but consume all the people whom he should deliver into their hands. (Deut. vii. 2. 16.)

Verse 52, 53." And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst-and thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body." In the days of Moses, they had neither walls nor gates; yet admitting that this was spoken by Moses, he knowing that in consequence of their tyranny, injustice, and cruelty to others, they would be held in such abhorence by all nations, (Ezra

iv. 15.) that such must consequently be the result of a siege, before they could be brought to surrender; for not having shewed mercy to others, they could not expect any themselves. But as this was done. three hundred years before the Babylonian Captivity, when Benhadad, King of Syria, was besieging Samaria, (2 Kings vi. 28.) we cannot be assured that this was written before that event took place. Besides, in Jeremiah (xix. 9.) we find the same words made use of as a prophecy against Jerusalem; although he acknowledges himself, that he knew that these things were done! (Lam. iv. 10.) Then what dependance can be placed on these pretended prophecies, when the prophet becomes his own historian?

Verss 60, 61. "Moreover, he shall bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt which thou wast afraid of, and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, until thou be destroyed." When has this been fulfilled? Are they more subject to disease than other people, excepting that which they bring upon themselves, through dirt and filth? Or are they yet destroyed? although they disobeyed the commands of Moses upwards of three thousand years back, within a century of his decease! (Judges iii. 6.) And is it not strange that while they kept the ordinances of their law these things came upon them; and when they did not keep them, these things scarcely ever happened? In the wilderness they were often visited by a plague, the sword, fiery serpents, or some other thing, which were continually destroying them, although under the authority of Moses himself.

While the Judges ruled in Israel the famine was so great, as to cause numbers of them to leave the promised land, and go to sojourn in other countries. (Ruth i. 1.) And although they were so intimately acquainted with their God, as to ask counsel, and receive answers from him, yet did he permit them to slay each other, until one whole tribe was nearly destroyed: having slain among themselves no less than sixty-five thousand one hundred and thirty persons! (Judges xx.)

While

the men of Bethshemesh were rejoicing that the ark of the Lord was come amongst them again, he slew fifty thousand and seventy men. (1 Sam. vi. 13, 19.) Even while that holy man of God, David, reigned over them they were visited with a three years famine; (2 Sam. xxi. 1.) and shortly after seventy thousand men died through a pestilence. And although from David to Zedekiah, there reigned many Kings in Judah, who provoked the Lord to anger by doing that which was evil in his sight, yet no conqueror, nor plague, visited them, until Josiah began to break down the houses of the Sodomites and adhere unto the laws of Moses! (2 Kings xxiii. 7, 25.)

Verse 68, "And the Lord shall bring you again into Egypt with ships-and there ye shall be sold for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you." Did Shalmaneser or Nebuchadnezzar carry them over land, into Chaldea and Assyria with ships? That they have been oppressed and persecuted I will admit. So have the Catholics, the Protestants, and every sect, even the Infidels! when under the dominion of those that were more powerful. But to fulfil the prophecy, we ought to see them bondmen and bondwomen in every nation. Instead of which, they are not only living at their ease, free from plagues and bondage, but are actually the brokers of the nation: aye, and of the whole world too!

But

Verse 37. "And thon shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a bye-word among all nations." Their hard-heartedness, their avarice, their cruelties, and national ferocity, were tokens quite sufficient to convince Moses, that they would soon become proverbial among all nations, whether in subjection or not. these same expressions were likewise used by Jeremiah, (xlii. 18. and xliv. 12) nine hundred years after the time of Moses. And the only bye-word, or proverb, of which I know, concerning a Jew, is, the common saying, that such an one is as rich as a Jew! I cannot think that this can be any great curse upon them.

In Leviticus xxvi, 43, we read that the land also

shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbath while she lieth desolate without them. Which clearly proves that these predictions did not extend beyond the Babylonian Captivity, as it evidently alluded to the land enjoying her sabbaths during the seventy years captivity, spoken of by Jeremiah. (See 2 Chron. xxxvi. 21.) Then how can this prophecy be said to be fulfilled in every particular, when we cannot find its accomplishment in one? Do they now, or have they ever since their captivity, acknowledged any other God besides the God of Moses? And yet this was to be, it is expressly stated, the consequence of their captivity: even Gods of wood and stone. 54 No sect, not even Christians, have suffered more through persecution, for adhering to their religion, than the Jews have ; neither are there any that are more tenacious of the laws and institutions of Moses, than they are even in the present day. And instead of their being few in number, as was predicted, through wild beasts, plagues, &c. (Lev. xxvi. 22.) they are now more numerous than ever: especially, when these words were spoken they did not then exceed seven hundred thousand persons, (Numb. xxvi.) while now, they are supposed to exceed uine millions, scattered throughout the world.

As to their being a separate people from all others, it is not possible for them to be otherwise, without their breaking the law of their legislator; who has forbidden them to marry with any other sect; and to which, we find they have in general strictly adhered: considering themselves the chosen people of God, and ever looking for a deliverer, who shall rise up from among them. These, with laws amd customs peculiar to themselves, like the gypsies, have preserved them separate in all ages amidst the various revolutions which have happened in their day. All which, being considered, I can see nothing wonderful in them excepting their pertinacity. This is the prophecy upon which Christians would rest the genuineness and authenticity of the Bible; and which I have now found to be a sandy foundation.

Again: is it not reasonable for us to expect, that whenever a prophecy is delivered, it would be so plain and

explicit, as to show at once the intended purpose? For why should that be dark and mysterious, which is most necessary to be clearly understood? What admonition, or what instruction can we receive from inexplicable prophecies, which may be construed and applied to many very different cases? Do you think that an all-wise and benevolent God would take delight in puzzling and distracting the brains of his creatures, if he wished that all should arrive at a knowledge of the truth? Then why should the words of this God be more incomprehensible than the words of men? One man can make himself understood by another; but no man can say that he understands what God means; else why should there be such diversities of opinion concerning these writings? And if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who can prepare himself for the battle ?55

Peter says that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. 56 Then why are they not clearly and universally understood? Jesus himself was obliged to expound the Scriptures to them57 who we might have expected were most acquainted with them. But no: we find the Scribes and Pharisees, whose business it was to expound these Scriptures, did not know them.58 And if they did not understand their own prophets, how should we, who are both strangers and foreigners? Though we have strong reason to suspect that Jesus himself did not understand them, or why did he imagine that his days were to be the last? For verily, he says, "this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." And what were those things? Why, that after the destruction of Jerusalem, the sun should be darkened, and the moon should not give her light; the stars also should fall from heaven, and the sign of the son of man should appear in heaven; whence he would with all his angels; who would by the sound of a great trumpet, gather together all his elect from the four winds !60 I suppose by this account, that they have musical instrument makers in heaven, as well as sword cutlers! And although he could not tell them the exact day nor hour when these things would happen, yet it would be before they had

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