of thy coming? &c. Our Lord then informs them of five signs which shall precede the destruction of Jeru salem. The first sign is false Christs; "for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many." The second, wars and commotions; "nation shall rise against nation." The third, pestilence and famine; "there shall be famines and pestilences." The fourth is " earthquakes in divers places." All of these events took place according to our Lord's prediction, as may be fully seen in the history of the Jews, by Josephus (the Jewish historian), and also by other writers who lived at the time. The fifth sign is, "there shall be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. (Luke chapter xxi. 11.) Josephus, in his preface to the Jewish war, enumerates these-1st. A star hung over the city like a sword; and a comet continued a whole year. 2d. The people being assembled at the feast of unleavened bread, at the ninth hour of the night, a great light shone about the altar and the temple, and this continued for half an hour. 3d. At the same feast, a cow, led to the sacrifice, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple! 4th. The eastern gate of the temple, which was of solid brass, and very heavy, and could hardly be shut by twenty men, and was fastened by strong bars and bolts, was seen, at the sixth hour of the night, to open of its own accord! 5th. Before sun-setting, there was seen, all over the country, chariots and armies fighting in the clouds, and besieging cities. 6th. At the feast of Pentecost, when the priests were going into the inner temple by night, to attend their service, they heard first a motion and noise, and then a voice as of a multitude, saying, LET US DEPART HENCE. 7th. What Josephus reckons one of the most terrible signs of all was, that one Jesus, a country fellow, four years before the war began, and when the city was in peace and plenty, came to the feast of tabernacles, and ran up and down the streets day and night, crying, “A voice from the east! a voice from the west! a voice from the four winds! a voice against Jerusalem and the

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A countryman for several years went about the streets crying Woe, woe to Jerusalem!" and at the last time of uttering this mournful cry, being impelled forward by a powerful impulse he leaped upon the wall; and as he added, "woe, woe to myself!" a stone sent by a Roman engine struck him dead upon the spot!

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temple! a voice against the bridegrooms and brides! and a voice against all the people!" Though the magistrates endeavoured by stripes and tortures to restrain him, yet he still cried with a mournful voice, “Wo, wo to Jerusalem!" and this he continued to do for several years together, going about the walls and crying with a loud voice, "Wo, wo to the city, and to the people, and to the temple;" and as he added, “wo, wo to myself!" a stone, sent by the Romans from some sling or engine, struck him dead upon the spot! It is worthy of remark, that Josephus appeals to the testimony of others, who saw and heard these fearful things. Tacitus, a Roman historian, gives nearly the same account with that of Josephus.-Clarke's Commentary.

6. DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM.

THE siege and destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem, and the subversion of the whole political constitution of the Jews, is one of the most striking incidents of the divine vengeance on a wicked people, that we have recorded in history. Our Lord, who foresaw the desolation and calamities coming upon the city, wept over it, declaring his willingness to gather them under his protection: but they would not accept of his salvation; therefore destruction came upon them, and their "house was left unto them desolate."

About forty years after our Lord had foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, the Roman government sent an army under Cestius Gallius against the Jews, in order to quell their rebellious and factious spirit. Gallius came and invested Jerusalem with a powerful army. Our Lord declared to his disciples, that "when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." And then, in order that his followers might be preserved in safety, he adds, "Then let them that are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of it depart out," &c. This counsel was remembered and

wisely followed by the Christians, and it is mentioned as a remarkable fact by Eusebius and other ancient historians, that not a single Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem, though many of them were there when Gallius invested the city; and had he persevered in the siege, he would have soon rendered himself master of it; but when he unexpectedly and unaccountably raised the siege, all who believed in Christ took that opportunity and fled to Pella, and other places beyond Jordan.

Vespasian was appointed to succeed Gallius in prosecuting the war against the Jews; he accordingly subdued the country, and prepared to besiege Jerusalem, but being appointed emperor, he returned to Rome, and gave the command of his forces to his son Titus. Titus, having made several assaults without success, resolved to surround the city (which was nearly four English miles in circumference) with a wall; which was, with incredible speed, completed in three days! The wall was strengthened with forts at proper distances, so that all hope of safety was cut off; none could make his escape from the city, and no provisions could be brought into it; thus fulfilling our Lord's words, "thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side." Titus now prosecuted the siege with vigour. In addition to this, the Jews were divided into factions among themselves, murdered each other with a blind fury, and burnt their provisions. No history can furnish us with a parallel to the calamities and miseries of the Jews; rapine, murder, famine, and pestilence within, fire and sword, and all the horrors of war without. While the famine prevailed, the house of a Jewish lady named Miriam, was repeatedly plundered of provisions. Her sufferings became so extreme, that she entreated, and sometimes attempted to provoke those who plundered her, to put an end to her miserable life. At length, frantic with despair, she snatched her infant son from her breast, cut its throat, and boiled it; and having satisfied present hunger, concealed the remainder. The