hath built upon the foundations of the infpired writers before him; but what a superstructure hath he raised? He hath acted in this cafe as in every other, like one who came not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them. He hath manifefted himself to be a true prophet, by his exact interpretation and application of other prophets. He is alfo much more particular and circumftantial than either Mofes or Daniel. In feveral inftances his prophecies are entirely new, and properly his own: and befides he ufes greater precifion in fixing and confining the time to that very generation. For the completion of these prophecies the perfons seem to have been wonderfully raised up and preserved by divine providence. Vefpafian was promoted from obfcurity; and tho' feared and hated by Nero, yet was preferred by him, and fingled out as the only general among the Romans who was equal to fuch a war; God perhaps, as (5) Jofephus intimates, fo difpofing and ordering affairs. He had fubdued the greatest part of Judea, when he was advanced to the empire; and he was happy in putting (5) ταχα τι και περί των όλων p. 1118. Edit. Hudfon. ηδη τε Θε8 προοικονομημένο, forfan et Deo aliquid de univerfis præordinante. Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. Lib. 3. Cap. 1. Se&t. 3. an (6) ενθα δη μαλιτα πάρεςι νοεῖν, ὅτι και πολεμων ξόπας και βασιλέων xurduvos pañortas Tw Osw. hinc fane an end to the civil wars, and to the other troubles and calamities of the ftate, or otherwife he would hardly have been at leisure to profecute the war with the Jews. Titus was wonderfully preferved in the most critical articles of danger. While he was taking a view of the city, he was furrounded by the enemy, and nothing lefs was expected than that he should be flain, or made prisoner: but he refolutely broke thro' the midst of them, and though unarmed yet arrived unhurt at his own camp: upon which (6) Jofephus maketh this reflection, that from hence it is obvious to understand, that the turns of war and the dangers of princes áre under the peculiar care of God. Jofephus himself was also no lefs wonderfully preserved than Titus, the one to deftroy the city, and the other to record its deftruction. He marvelously escaped from the fnares which were laid for him (7) by John of Gischala, and (8) by Jesus the chief of the robbers: and when (9) his companions were determined to kill him and themfelves rather than furrender to the Romans, he prevailed with them to draw lots who should be killed, maxime licet intelligere, Deo curæ effe et belli momenta et regum pericula. Ib. Lib. 5. Cap. 2. Sect. 2. p. 1216. (7) Jofephi Vita Se&t. 17, &c. (8) Ibid. Sect. 22. (9) De Bell. Jud. Lib. 3. Cap. 7. (1) Jofephi killed, the one after the other; and at laft he was left with only one other, whom he perfuaded to fubnit with him to the Romans. Thus was he faved from the most imminent deftruction; and he himself efteemed it, as it certainly was, a fingular inftance of divine providence. As Vefpafian and Titus feem to have been raised up and preserved for the completion of these prophecies, fo might Jofephus for the illustration of their completion. For the particular paffages and tranfactions, by which we prove the completion of these prophecies, we derive not fo much from Chriftian writers, who might be fufpected of a defign to parallel the events with the predictions, as from Heathen authors, and chiefly from Jofephus the Jewish hiftorian, who tho' very exact and minute in other relations, yet avoids as much as ever he can the mention of Chrift and the Christian religion. He doth not so much as once mention the name of falfe Chrifts, though he hath frequent occafions to speak largely of false prophets; fo cautious was he of touching upon any thing, that might lead him to the acknowlegement of the true Chrift. His filence here is as remarkable, as his copioufnefs upon other fubjects. It is indeed very providential, that a more particular : detail, a more exact hiftory is preserved of the deftruction of Jerufalem, and of all the circumftances relating to it, than of any other matter whatsoever tranfacted fo long ago: and it is an additional advantage to our caufe, that these accounts are tranfmitted to us by a Jew, and by a Jew who was himself an; eyewitness to moft of the things which he relates. As a general in the wars he must have had an exact knowlege of all tranfactions, and as a Jewish prieft he would not relate them with any favor or partiality to the Chriftian caufe. His history (1) was approved by Vefpafian and Titus (who ordered it to be published) and by king Agrippa and many others, both Jews and Romans, who were prefent in those wars. had likewife many enemies, who would readily have convicted him of any falfification, if he had been guilty of any. He defigned nothing lefs, and yet as if he had defigned nothing more, his hiftory of the Jewish wars may ferve as a larger comment on our Saviour's prophecies of the deftruction of Jerufalem. If any one would compare our Saviour's words with that writer's hiftory of the whole war, as Eufebius He (1) Jofephi Vita. Sect. 65. Contra Apion. Lib. 1. Se&. 9. VOL. II. A a (2) Eufebius very well obferves, he could not but admire and acknowlege our Saviour's prefcience and prediction to be wonderful above nature, and truly divine. The predictions are the cleareft, as the calamities were the greatest which the world ever faw and what hainous fin was it, that could bring down fuch heavy judgments on the Jewish church and nation? Can any other with half fo much probability be affigned, as what the fcripture affigns, their crucifying the Lord of glory? As St. Paul expreffeth it, (t Thef. II. 15, 16.) They both killed the Lord Jefus, and their own prophets, and perfecuted the apostles, and fo filled up their fins, and wrath came upon them to the uttermoft. This is always objected as the most capital fin of the nation: and upon reflection, we fhall find really fome correfpondence between their crime and their punishment. They put Jefus to death, when the nation was affembled to celebrate the paffover; and when the (2) συγκρινας δε τις τας το σωτηρὸς ἡμων λεξεις ταις λοιπαις τε συγγραφέως ίσορίαις ταις περί τ8 παντες πολεμε, πως εκ αν απο θαυμάσειεν, θειαν ὡς αληθώς και ὑπερφυως παραδοξον την προγνωσιν τε και προέξησιν τε σωτηρὸς ἡμων öμoroynoas. Quod fi quis ferva toris noftri verba cum iis com- Eufeb. |