it must be incontestably acknowledged, that the prophecy applies solely and entirely to the city of Jerusalem, and is utterly unconnected with any prophecy respecting our Redeemer. We are perfectly aware, in the sacred volume, that dif ferent prophecies are often interwoven in one and the same chapter. But this is not in the slightest degree the case in the chapter now before us: the latter part of which as singly and distinctly treats upon the affliction of Jerusalem, as does the former part which we have just transcribed. We perfectly agree with Dr. Doddridge, and also with Dr. Porteus, (see his Lectures,) that there never were sorrows like unto the sorrows sustained by the blessed Son of God; but these were of a description peculiar to himself, and never could have been sustained by any other being that ever was, is, or can be (as already explained.) But then these sorrows were not inflicted on him by his benignant Father in the fierceness of his anger. The passage is wholly inapplicable unto our adored Saviour. Though it pleased his Father to bruise him, when He made his righteous soul an offering for sin, (on the accounts already stated,) He did it not in anger. He was not satiating his vengeance by inflicting tortures on a just and innocent person, nor does Scripture in any one single instance, we humbly conceive, warrant such a conclusion. The chapter now under contemplation is an evident parallel to the prophecies respecting the city of Jerusalem pronounced by our blessed Lord himself: "And when he was come near

unto Jerusalem, he beheld the wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round,* and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." And again, "And Jesus went out from the temple; and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple." (Matt. xxiv. 1.) "And as some spake how it

he beheld the city, and

* Josephus says expressly, that though it was thought a great, and almost impracticable work, to compass the city with a wall, yet Titus animating his soldiers to attempt it, they in three days surrounded it with a wall of thirty-nine furlongs in circumference, with thirteen castles in its circuit; and by this means all hope was cut off that any of the Jews within the city, should escape. He also tells us, that when Titus had taken the city, and contrary to his will the temple was consumed with fire, he caused the foundation work of the temple and the city. to be dug up and levelled with the ground, leaving only three towers and part of the wall, to be a specimen of its former strength and grandeur; and afterward the whole was so entirely destroyed that not one stone was left upon another, as Socrates relates. In short, the accomplishment of every part of this prediction is recorded by Josephus in a very affecting and particular manner; especially in the sixth book of his Jewish War.

+ (Beautiful stones of a prodigious size.) Josephus says, that some of them were forty-five cubits long, five high, and sixbroad. See his large and beautiful description of the whole emple, which is a most entertaining account.

VOL. III.

I

was adorned with goodly stones, and gifts,"* (Luke xxi. 5.) which many persons, in accomplishment of their vows for deliverances received, had hung upon the walls and pillars of it; and "what " and buildings are here;" (Mark xiii. 1;) Jesus answering, said unto them, As for these things which ye behold, see ye not all these great buildings, verily I say unto you, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down." (Luke xxi. 6, 7.) "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked

* "(Costly gifts, &c.) Hanging up such ava@nuara, or consecrated gifts, was common in most of the ancient temples. Tacitus speaks of the immense opulence of the temple at Jerusalem. Amongst others of its treasures, there was a golden table given by Pompey, and several golden vines, of exquisite workmanship, as well as immense size; (for Josephus tells us that they had clusters as tall as a man ;) which some have thought referred to God's representing the Jewish nation under the emblem of a vine. And Josephus likewise asserts, that the marble of the temple was so white, that it appeared to one at a distance like a mountain of snow; and the gilding of several of its external parts, which he there mentions, must, especially when the sun shone upon it, render it a most splendid and beautiful spectacle."

+ "(There shall not be left one stone upon another here, &c.) It seemed exceedingly improbable that this should happen in that age, considering the peace of the Jews with the Romans, and the strength of their citadel, which forced Titus himself to acknowledge that it was the singular hand of God which compelled them to relinquish fortifications which no human power could have conquered.-(Josephus.) Bishop Chandler justly. observes, that no impostor would have foretold an event so unlikely and so disagreeable."

him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?" (Mark xiii. 3, 4.)

It is probably owing to these questions involving two inquiries, that the answers returned by our condescending Lord involves two subjects; namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the destruction of our world. The one has already happened, and to mortal computation appears to have taken place long previous to the last and great event that will terminate all prophecies. But when prophecies are uttered by him to whom a thousand years are but as yesterday, the intervention of two or three thousand years is a distinction not worthy to be mentioned. And Jesus answering them, began to say, When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, and the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not in the holy place, whoso readeth let him understand, 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; and let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein to take anything out of his house; and let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment; for these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days. And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,

neither on the Sabbath-day; for in those days there shall be great tribulation and distress in the land, and wrath upon this people, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created, unto this time, no, nor ever shall be.* And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations ;t and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, and the days come when God shall remember his ancient people in mercy. (Mark xiii. 20.) And except that the Lord had shortened those days,

*" (Such as there was not, or ever shall be.) This Josephus expressly asserts to have been the fact; and whoever reads his account, or even that judicious abstract from him which Eusebius has given us, will see a sad illustration of all this; and, criminal and detestable as the Jewish nation now was, will hardly be able to forbear weeping over these complicated miseries brought upon them by plagues, and famines, and fires occasioned by the siege, and by the carnage made, not only by the Romans, but by the yet greater cruelties of the seditious and zealots within the city, who really acted the part of so many incarnate fiends, rather than of men."- Dodd. Ex.

"(They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be carried away captives, &c.) It appears from Josephus, that eleven hundred thousand Jews were destroyed in this war, and near an hundred thousand taken prisoners, and (according to Deut. xxviii. 68,) sold for slaves at the vilest prices."

I "(Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles.) Their land was sold, and no Jew was allowed to inhabit there a rigour never used, that I know of, towards any other people conquered by the Romans; nay, they might not come within sight of Jerusalem, or rather of Elia, the name given to the new city, which was built without the circuit of the former, when the foundations of the old were ploughed up A heathen temple was afterwards built where that of God had stood, and a Turkish mosque pollutes it to this day: so