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salem under the last judgments of God upon that city.

The prophet Ezekiel was carried prisoner to Babylon, with the rest of his countrymen, by Nebuchadnezzar, 598 years before Christ, and delivered his prophecies during his captivity. The holy visions described in his writings represent the high calling to which he was chosen by the Almighty, and many of the misfortunes which were to happen to the Jews, whose crimes he severely rebukes. He also prophesied the destruction of many other nations, Egypt in particular; and, in the 37th chapter, delivers a very clear prediction of Christ's coming.

The Book of Daniel begins with an account of his being also carried away to Babylon 606 years before Christ, when Nebuchadnezzar plundered the city and temple of Jerusalem, and directed him and other young men of the royal household to be instructed in the learning and language of Chaldæa, whose idolatrous practices they were also commanded to imitate; but they continued faithful to the true God; and being miraculously preserved by Divine

favour, Daniel was raised to high dignity and honour, which he continued to enjoy during the reigns of several successive monarchs and conquerors of Babylon. By the help of heavenly inspiration he interpreted many remarkable dreams; and many wonderful visions were shown him, which are recounted in the writings before us, containing the most astonishing prophecies relative to the revolutions of nations, which were long afterwards most exactly fulfilled; others which are now accomplishing; and some which are yet to come to pass, even to the very end of the world. In the 7th chapter he foretels the coming of Christ; in the 9th he fixes the exact time of his appearance, his death, and resurrection; the weeks of which he there speaks being understood, agreeable to the language of prophecy, to mean weeks of years. Thus the 70 weeks mean 490 years, the exact time which elapsed between the command to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem to the coming of our blessed Lord. Daniel, in the last place, predicted the future kingdom of Christ on earth, the restoration of the Jews, the universal spreading of Christianity throughout the

"With the sacred volume in my hands, which contained the accounts of the devoted goodness of this fairest daughter of Israel, I could not look on her tomb without feeling awe and admiration that made my heart bow to the memory of such perfect virtue, in such perfect beauty."-Sir R. K. Porter's Travels in Georgia, Persia, &c. vol. 2, p. 113, 4to.

The Book of JOB delivers to us an account of a person eminent for piety, whom GOD permitted the Evil Spirit to attempt to seduce from his obedience. The struggles between his sense of duty and the infirmities of nature are beautifully exemplified, and the history concludes with his being restored to the highest prosperity, as a temporal reward for his distinguished virtue. This very ancient book is supposed to have been written at least as early as the time of Moses. In the 19th chapter we find a remarkable prophecy of Christ's coming to judgment; which has been judiciously inserted in our funeral service. The sublimity of thought and language in which the whole story is conveyed, has excited universal admiration; and it moreover

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world, and the general resurrection to judgment at

the last day.

Hosea, 800 years before Christ, prophesied to the Israelites the heavy punishment of their crimes; showing, in the 3rd chapter, their future ruin and dispersion; and, in the 4th, the destruction of their government, and the abolition of their religious rites. At the same time he promises them a Redeemer, whose resurrection on the third day is exactly mentioned in the 2nd verse of the 6th chapter; and finally, he predicts their restoration to God's favour, and that they shall be received into the kingdom of Christ.

Joel prophesied about the same period. He reproaches the people in severe terms; he exhorts them to escape the punishment of their sins by repentance; he pronounces the dreadful judgments that awaited them; but shows the salvation of Christ, which should spring out of Jerusalem; and concludes with a declaration that the Jews would at length be restored.

The Prophet Amos, who lived about the same time, predicts the destruction of the kingdoms of

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