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claims thee for his successor. Thou, O Vespasian, art Cæsar, thou and thy son confine me now in still closer chains, and preserve me for thyself: for thou, O Cæsar, art lord, not only over me, but over land and sea, and all mankind: and I deserve still greater punishment, if I falsely affirm any thing of God.' Then one of Vespasian's at tendant's asked him, If this be not an artifice to avert the terror which await him, how came he not to foresee the capture of Jotapata and his own captivity.' To this Josephus answered, “I did foretel the people of Jotapata that the city would be captured on the forty-seventh day, and that I should be taken alive by the Romans.' Vespasian privately interrogated the captives about these predictions, and found them to be true."

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Here Josephus declares in the most solemn manner, that God had authorized him to assure Vespasian, that he would be soon emperor; and the assurance was fulfilled by means in which he could have no concern. He professes also to have already given a very exact prediction of the fall of Jotapata, attested by some captives, who were examined without the knowledge of Josephus. Candour requires, that declarations so solemn, so specific, and made by so respectable a writer, should not be disbelieved. The illustrious historian of the Jews was not a juggler, or

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a vain pretender. His love of truth appears almost in every page of his voluminous writings; nor can a single instance be found, in which he seems to arrogate qualities that did not belong to him. The arduous scenes through which he passed shew, that he possessed in an eminent degree the virtues of the gospel-patience under trials, forbearance towards his enemies, compas sion for the unfortunate, generosity towards the vanquished, and though a general, an earnest desire to prevent the effusion of human blood. Every step of his public career led through snares and dangers which menaced his life. With true christian fortitude he committed himself, on every trying occasion, to the hands of God: and if we reflect on the innumerable perils which assailed him from friends and foes, from the war in Galilee, at the siege of Jerusalem, within the den of Jotapata, and even in the court of Cæsar, we must be convinced, that the shield of providence was in an especial manner spread to protect him.

The great end to be answered by his preservation was worthy the interposition of heaven. The blessed Jesus had foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, as the ultimate proof of his divine mission, and the final pledge of his second coming. If the wisdom of God thought fit to foretel that event, it could not have been unworthy the

power of God to preserve à competent person to be a witness of its completion, and to transmit with incontrovertible evidence the knowledge of it to remote countries, and to all future ages. The apostles of Christ, in preaching the gospel, were largely endowed with assistance from above. To Josephus the greater part of them must have been personally known: he had been brought up in their school: he heard their doctrines, witnessed their conduct, imbibed their spirit, and though destined to act a very different part, he powerfully co-operated in the same sacred cause. Is it then incredible, that God should have vouchsafed to preserve Josephus by a portion of that supernatural wisdom, which confessedly illumined those good men who were engaged in the same arduous enterprize. We are therefore free to believe on rational evidence, that the assurance Josephus in the name of God gave Vespasian, and which was immediately realized, actually proceeded from the inspiration of the Almighty*.

* When Josephus was on one hand assailed by the Romans, and on the other sinking under the envy and per fidy of his rivals, he professes to have been animated by a divine communication. His words are to this effect: "When on my bed, grieved and distressed, one stood before me, and said, Cease to afflict thy soul, and banish thy fear. Thy

The other passage is as follows. "Whoever reflects on these things will find, that God has tender regard for men, and admonishes them in various ways of the means of safety; but that they perish by those evils, which they madly, and of their own accord, bring upon themselves. For the Jews, by demolishing the palace of Antonio, rendered the temple a square, though they knew it to be written in their oracles, that the holy city would be taken, when the temple

sorrows will prove thy greatest joy, and thou shalt prosper in all things. Be not, therefore, weary. Remember thou hast to fight with the Romans." Life of Josephus, 42. This vision is very like those which St. Paul professes to have often received. "The Lord, in a vision of night, said to Paul, Do not fear, but speak and be not silent: for I am with thee, and no one shall lay hands on thee to afflict thee." Acts xviii. 9. "I would not," says Jortin, in his Remarks, vol. i. p. 36. "willingly be imposed upon, or impose upon the reader; but I leave it to be considered, whether in all this there might not be something extraordinary, as both Vespasian and Josephus were designed and reserved for extraordinary purposes, to assist in fulfilling and justifying the prophecies of Daniel and of our Lord. The same providence, which raised up and conducted Cyrus, and preserved the rash Macedonian conqueror from perishing, till he had overthrown the Persian empire, that the prophecies might be accomplished, might take the Roman emperor and the Jewish writer under a singular protection, for reasons of no less importance."

should assume that form. But what chiefly instigated them to engage in this war was, an ambiguous prophecy found in their sacred writings, that some one of that country would govern the world. The Jews applied this prediction to themselves, and many of their wise men were hence deceived in their judgment. But the oracle then denoted the government of Vespasian, who was appointed emperor in Judea. But it is impossible for men to escape the punishment that is pre-ordained, though they see it beforehand. For the Jews wantonly perverted some, and derided others, of the warnings given them, until the capture of the city, and their own ruin, evinced their madness*."

* Ταυτα τις εννοων ευρήσει, τον μεν θεον ανθρωπων κηδόμενον, και παντοίως προσημαίνοντα τῷ σφετέρω γενει τα σωτηρία, τους δε υπ' ανοίας και κακων αυθαίρετων απολλυμενους όπουγε Ιουδαίοι και το ίερον κατα την και θαίρεσιν της Αντωνίας τετραγωνον εποιησαντο, αναγεγραμμενον εν λογίοις έχοντες, αλώσεσθαι και την πολιν και τον ναον, επειδαν το ίερον γενηται τετραγωνον· το δε επαραν αυτούς μαλιςα προς τον πόλεμον, ην χρησμος αμ φιβολος εν τοις ἱεροις ευρημένος γραμμασιν, ὡς κατά τον καιρον εκείνον, απο της χώρας τις αυτων αρξει της οικου μενης. τουτο οι μεν ὡς οικείον εξελαβον, και πολλοι των σοφων επλανήθησαν περι την κρισιν. εδήλου δ' ΑΡΑ περι

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