the Jews; for he did not build any city there, but appropriated their country to himself, leaving there only eight hundred soldiers, and giving them a place to dwell in called Emmaus, thirty stadiums from Jerusalem; and he imposed a tribute upon all the Jews, wheresoever they lived, commanding every one of them to bring two drachms into the capital, according as, in former times, they were wont to pay unto the temple of Jerusalem, and this was the state of the Jews at this time. Thus was Jerusalem in particular with its territory possessed by the Gentiles, becoming Vespasian's property, who sold it to such Gentiles as chose to settle there. That Jerusalem continued in this desolate state we learn also from a Roman Historian, who says, 'The Emperor Adrian rebuilt it, and sent a colony thither to inhabit it, and called it Elia. But he altered its situation, leaving out Zion and Bethesda; and Eusebius tells us, that this same Adrian made a law that no Jew should come into the

region round about Jerusalem: so that the Jews being banished, such a number of aliens came into Jerusalem, that it became a city and colony of the Romans. When the Emperor Julian apostatized to heathenism, being sensible that the evident accomplishment of our Lord's prophecies concerning the Jewish nation made a strong impression on the Gentiles in converting them to the faith of Christ, he resolved to deprive Christianity of this support, by bringing the Jews to occupy their own land, and by allowing them the exercise of their religion, and their form of civil government. For this purpose he resolved to rebuild Jerusalem, to people it with Jews, and to rear the temple on its ancient foundations, because he knew they would there alone offer prayers and sacrifices. In the prosecution of this design, he wrote a letter to the community of the Jews, which is still extant, among his other works, inviting them to return to their native country; and for their encouragement he says to them, among other things, The holy city. of Jerusalem, which of many years ye have desired to see inhabited, I will rebuild by mine own labour, and will inhabit it.' And now the Emperor, having made great preparations, began the execution of his schemes with rebuilding the temple; but his workmen were soon obliged to desist, by an immediate and evident interposition of God. This fact is attested both by Jewish and heathen historians. One says, he resolved to build a lofty temple at Jerusalem, and gave the eharge of the work to one Alypius who had formerly governed in Britain. When therefore Alypius, with great earnestness, applied himself to the execution of his business, and the Governor of the province assisted

him in it, terrible balls of fire burst forth near the foundation, which burnt the workmen, and rendered the place inaccessible. Thus the fire continually driving them away, the work ceased. St. Chrysostom speaking of the same event, says, ' And now if you go to Jerusalem, the scene of the miracle, you will hear no other than that which I have mentioned, and of this all we Christians are witnesses, the thing being done long since and in our own time.' Thus while Jews and Heathen, under the direction of a Roman Emperor, united their whole force to baffle our Lord's prediction, they did but more conspicuously accomplish his saying, "Jerusalem should be trodden down of the Gentiles, till the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled."

In the twelfth century there is undoubted authority for saying that there were not more than 200 Jews in the region about Jerusalem; yet even these inherited not any part of the land, but in their own country lived as aliens. It was chiefly inhabited by Moors and Arabs. Since that time Turks and a few Greeks have gone there to reside. The divine truth of our Lord's prediction concerning the future fate of this devoted city will appear still more clearly, if, to the above we add the fact known throughout all Europe and Asia at this day; namely, that the Jews are still exiles from their own country, and have continued to be so ever since Titus dispersed them. In former times the Jews after having been in captivity were restored and re-established in their own land. Why then should their present captivity have lasted so long? God, doubtless, has decreed that it shall be

"Jerusalem is to be trodden down of the Gen

tiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled;" and no power in the universe can frustrate God's decree. For this reason likewise, though the Jews are at present, and have been through the whole period of their dispersion, vastly more numerous than they ever were in the most happy times of their commonwealth, none of the many efforts which they have made to recover their own country have proved successful. Moreover while every dispersed people, mentioned in history, has been swallowed up of the nations among whom they were dispersed, without leaving the smallest trace of their having ever existed, the Jews continued after so many ages a distinct people in their dispersion. The universal contempt into which they are fallen, one should think, ought to have made them conceal whatever served to distinguish them, and prompted them to mix with the rest of mankind. But, in fact, it has not done so. The Jews in all countries by openly separating from the nations who rule them, subject themselves to hatred and derision; nay, in several places they have exposed themselves to death, by bearing about with them the marks of their descent. Of this unexampled constancy can any better account be given than that it is the means by which God verifies the prediction of his Son? He has declared that when the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled the Jews shall be converted; and therefore, through the whole course of their dispersion, they must continue a distinct people. If the hand of God is not visible in the present dispersed state of the Jewish nation, the contempt and derision to which they are subject by an adherence to the peculiarities of their law, I know not where we are to look for it. W. G. H.

VERSE SYSTEM.

Verse 19. (August 13.) "For though I be free from all men," &c. ; though I am under no compulsion to forbear marrying, (verse 5,) or to preach the Gospel without living by it, (verse 14,) yet for the sake of the cause and your souls I have denied myself this liberty, as well as conformed myself, in indifferent matters, both to the case of Jew and Gentiles, that I might gain the souls of both to Christ.

Verse 24. "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all," &c.; the Apostle draws down a general exhortation, in which, by comparing the Christian life to a race, he reminds them that whatever their station, or whatever their Christian liberty, there was a great work lying before them which called for all their selfdenial.

In the foot-races which were practised at Corinth, whilst all the candidates started together, the one only that reached first the goal received the prize; so as to getting to heaven, men may think it a light matter that a little idle profession, a few lazy wishes will serve the turn-but let them be assured that they who would have that Crown must run for it, and so run (not as the many that shall seek to enter in and not be able,) that they may obtain the prize of their high calling.

Verse 25. "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things;" those that intended to contend for the prize in any of the heathen games, (wrestling, running, &c.,) were used to mortify themselves, denying themselves the use of all meats, drinks, and pleasures, which by clogging their spirits,