tion of the whole country, by the Nile, during a part of every year, (which the inhabitants are prepared to meet, whilst an invading army never can be,) would surely aid even a weak people to defend themselves. But the Lord said her exaltations were ended, and that her future recovery was prohibited. The Babylonians, then the Persians, next the Macedonians, the Romans, the Saracens, the Mamelukes, and finally the Turks, have protracted her subjugation and her servitude down to the present day! She has often made the attempt, but never succeeded to free herself. She has been under and always under, low and always low. She has been kept the basest of kingdoms; servile, stupid, treacherous, cruel, and base in character! We know of no part of the earth which has not governed itself, or been free some part of the last twenty-four hundred years, except that part, which, from its location, fertility, and internal resources, seemed most likely to continue independent all the time! We do not know the otherwise considerable nation, which has been held to earth for half that time, but the one seemingly of all others most capable of self-defence.

2dly. When Ezekiel lived, had we been there, and about to invent a highly political or historic improbability, could we have thought on a greater one, than to suppose that the idols and images should cease out of Egypt? What, shall we conjecture this of those who were so strangely prone to worship any thing but God? Serpents, unicorns, cattle, reptiles, no matter what it was, they kneeled before it.

It was a strange prediction to speak of causing images or idols to cease in a land where continued baseness is to prevail; because we spontaneously couple together

in our minds ignorance, images, filth, idols, and sen suality.

Images have long ceased there. Their idols have long since been destroyed. The Christian, (in name only,) who lives there, and the Turk who rules there, equally disdain to kneel before wood or stone, living animals, or painted statues!

3dly. It was strikingly probable, from all former history, and from all historic analogy, that Egypt would, at some time, have a native ruler, even should that ruler hold a borrowed or deputed authority. May not one of her own sons sit a prince upon that throne, although he may be a tributary prince? May not her native lords govern there, no matter how exorbitant the tribute?

There has never been a prince of the land of Egypt. Their rulers have been sent to them. Strangers have sent their slaves to be governors of the land of Egypt!

It has not been her own sons, who in the pride of self-exaltation, have drained the treasures of Egypt. It has always been by the hands of strangers that she has been wasted.

Application. If we inquire of the unbelievers who live now, (not merely of the uncultivated, but of the most noted for mental ability and professional eminence,) whether they have not felt suprised when remembering that these things were only said of one nation; and that out of all the nations of earth, of one only they have happened to be true, and that for so many generations; we find that they have never meditated on such points! Of these, and of similar facts, almost countless in extent, they know nothing, and they do not inquire. Yet

either openly or in heart, they are scoffers! Men are slow and backward to inform themselves of any thing on the side of truth, (in matters of religion,) but slight and superficial objections, weak but plausible theories against the Bible, they learn speedily, they understand instantly, and they remember always. It is supposed, on good evidence, that no son of Adam ever was known to forget an ingenious, and seemingly correct argument against Christianity, (once heard,) so long as he retained his mind.

The conclusion is, that men love darkness rather than light.

CHAPTER XII.

WE might here cease to point at Bible facts, hoping that even the few we have noticed might serve as samples from the mass; but we feel inclined to give another instance, to show that these facts abound all through the New Testament, as well as the Old.

The Saviour's Prediction." And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let them which are in the midst of it, depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto; for these be the days of vengeance. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled."

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Observe, first-The time the Redeemer fixed and left on record for his followers and children to depart from that devoted city, was the time when it must seem to

them they could not get out of her. How were they to escape after the invaders had surrounded them? The church in Jerusalem had increased some times as fast as several thousand in a day. How were these families to depart when Jerusalem was compassed with armies? The sign named by the Saviour as the token for their flight was of itself an impassable barrier in the way of their travel. The incident which dictated their hasty journey must necessarily hedge up their way. If the reader wishes a particular recital of many striking incidents let him turn to the cotemporary historian, (Josephus,) who was himself an actor in the military occurrences of the time. This much admired and much respected writer does not seem to have known or to have remembered that the Saviour had said any thing of the Roman Eagle standing where it ought not, or of Jerusalem being compassed with armies. When this besetment did occur he relates the circumstances very truthfully, although it is evident he did not know they were appointed of Hea. ven. The banner which the soldiers worshipped, and which the prophet called the abomination which maketh desolate, fluttered before the temple gates. Josephus relates accurately the movements of the Roman general (Cestius) on that occasion. He informs us, that when he might have taken the city speedily and with comparative ease, thus terminating the war at once, he led his army away. He retired "without any just occasion in the world." Josephus seems to want words to express his surprise at the conduct of this commander. Perhaps Cestius scarcely knew himself why he thus acted so much to the astonishment of beholders; but had we been there, knowing what we now know, we could have told all spectators and historians the reason why he withdrew. God's people were in that city. His little flock

(little in comparison with the multitude of the ungodly,) never noticed by the haughty of this world, unless to deride or to calumniate, are never forgotten by him. They were to seek safety in the mountains; they were to have an opportunity to retire. To afford this, the Roman legions must be taken to a proper distance. They were thus conducted, and the followers of the Saviour with their families did retire. The young reader is here again reminded that we are not giving merely the Christian account of these things. He may gather these facts from the pens of ancient and modern unbelievers, if he prefers their testimony. When those who had vociferated" Crucify him, crucify him, his blood be upon us and our children," were crucified themselves, with their children, around the walls of their blazing city, nailed many on the same cross, until there was no more space on which to plant a cross, and no more wood of which to make one; when famine, gnawing, unparalleled famine, was doing a work along those crowded streets, the bare recital of which would cause the stupid, the callous, or the cruel, to faint with sickening horror; there were no Christians there! They were gone to Pella. They had watched for the Redeemer's token, and obeyed the signal. Those words spoken by the Man of Calvary, unheeded by the world then, unnoticed by after generations, such as scoffers of the present age scarcely know are in the Bible, were the means of their salvation. Let the reader bear these incidents in mind, until we come to the application,

Observation second." And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled."

An inspired apostle, (Paul,) at the command of the Holy Ghost, had given the church to understand (shall we say fortunately or unfortunately) that this fulness of