teous within the city, and he could do nothing till they were escaped to their Zoar. The Roman therefore, having experienced no lofs, met with no disappointment, at the moment when victory feemed to beckon him on, felt a fudden panic he knew not why, and founded a retreat. That night he lodged unmolested in the camp; but in his march through the country, the following days, the greater part of his army was cut off by his purfuers; that They, by this fuccefs, might be led on to their ruin, and that the Chriftians might retire with more fecurity.

After this defeat of Ceftius, Jofephus fays, "many of the noble Jews fwam away from the city, as from a fhip that was finking "." If this description does not include the Chriftians, most of whom, it is probable, were of the lower ranks in life; yet at least their retreat, being at a time when many others fled, would be lefs obfervable, and more fafe.

In the dealings of GOD with his peculiar people in various ages there is often a remarkable fimilarity of circumstances. The day, once made memorable by fome public bleffing, is again celebrated with fongs of

a B. J. L. II. c. xx. §. I.

joy

joy for a fresh deliverance; and the day, that has brought on distress and misery, increases the calamities, and heightens the forrows, of a fucceeding generation. Jofephus has obferved, that Jerufalem was taken on the fame day by Herod and by Pompey°; and that event, which we now are confidering, seems to have had its parrallel in a former period of the Jewish history.

In the ninth year of Zedekiah, the king of Babylon came up, he and all his hoft, and pitched against Jerufalem'. Forts were built against it, and the fiege was made ftrong; when tidings were brought, that Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was advancing with an army to affist his ally, the king of Judah. The Chaldeans therefore, with a view to encounter their enemies feparately, raised the fiege, and departed from Jerusalem.

We have here an event with the ufual concomitants of human operations, probable motives and correfponding measures. But the providence of GOD by the free and uncontrouled actions of men is wont to execute his purposes of wrath and of mercy; and A. J. L. XIV. c. xvi. §. 4. See 2 Kings xxv. 1. Jer. xxxvii. 5.

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thofe

those purposes, though commonly unknown to the immediate inftruments employed to effect them, the facred records for the most part declare. In the prefent instance, the prophet Jeremiah, who beheld the event, points out the deliverance, which it was intended to accomplish.

By the exprefs command of Jehovah, before the Chaldeans broke up the fiege, if not before its commencement, he fet before the people "the way of life and the way of death. He that abideth in this city shall die by the fword, and by the famine, and by the peftilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that befiege you, he fhall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey 9."

When the enemy was gone, he again exhorted both the prince and the people not to be deceived by this temporary refpite'. He affured them, that the war fhould foon be renewed, and the city inevitably burnt with fire. To encourage them by example, as well as by words, to fave themselves from impending deftruction, he then "went forth

⚫ Jer. xxi. 8, 9.

Ibid. xxxvii. 6. &c.

out

out of Jerufalem-to separate himself thence in the midst of the people."

The prophet indeed, whom the Lord had made as "an iron pillar and brafen walls"," to sustain immoveably the fierceft shock of perfecution, was on this occafion feised by the guard, and detained in the city; for the mercy of heaven had other meffages ftill to deliver by his hands to the stiff-necked people. But it is probable, that others, perfons perhaps of lefs note and eminence, were permitted to escape, or might retire unobferved, at this favourable moment; and were in the number of thofe, whom Nebuchadrezzar suffered to dwell quietly in the land, or carried away in peace to Babylon.

Thus in the beginning of the Chaldean war, as well as the Roman, the fiege of the city was for a while intermitted, in a manner equally fudden and surprising. Both events hardened alike the rebellious and the obftinate; and both were defigned by a gracious providence for the preservation of those, whether many or few, that feared GoD and obeyed his word.

But in the retreat of the Chriftians there are other particulars which demand our attention.

We are informed by Eufebius", that the difciples in Jerufalem, in confequence of a revelation made to the faithful there before the war, removed to Pella, a city of Perea. This paffage feems in its obvious sense, as well as from the correfponding but more explicit teftimony of Epiphanius*, not to allude to the written monitions in the Gospels, but to a subsequent warning from heaven; and I fee no ground to question the credibility of the fact, or condemn it as a fuperfluous expence of miracles.

Our bleffed Saviour prophefied of famines to happen in that age; yet, for the benefit of the church, Agabus was afterwards moved by the Holy Ghost to refume the subject, and foretel a famine which was then nigh at

u H. E. L. III. c. v. It is not certain whether the words "before the war" belong to the warning or to the retreat. I have here given what feemed the more probable meaning of the paffage; but below, that I might not interpret what was doubtful in favour of my hypothefis, I have taken the other construction.

* De Menfur. et Ponder, c. xiv. Confer Hær. XXIX. c. vii. XXX. c. ii.

handy.