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the proud city of Tyre, for exulting in the calamities of his fallen people, not less than for their own luxury and pride, and foretold the same destruction to them, from the same unrelenting hand.

About this time, another triumph of Nebuchadnezzar was revealed to Ezekiel―the entire conquest and desolation of Egypt. Egypt, one of the most ancient and celebrated of nations; the cradle of learning, yet the nursery of superstition and idolatry, the most monstrous that ever humiliated the known world, or exhibited the weakness of the human intellect.

CATHERINE. Prophecy is a most curious and interesting subject: whenever you speak of a prediction, I wait with impatience to hear of its accomplishment.

MRS. M. Prophecy is an unquestionable evidence of divine inspiration, but I speak to you as to those who have been taught to believe-though not without being able to give some reasons "for the hope that is in you." The satisfaction of perfecting your knowledge in this august branch of theology, is yet in reserve for you. At present, let us pursue the history of Israel, in which we must occasionally mingle such notices of the accomplishment of prophecies, as tend to illustrate the leading fact of the continual and visible interposition of providence, in the affairs of this most remarkable of all nations.

We left Zedekiah, the last descendant of David that ever wore a crown, in trembling apprehensions of his impending fate. Deaf to the entreaties of Jeremiah, to throw himself on the mercy of the conqueror, he persisted in defending Jerusalem, about a year from the beginning of the siege. Their provisions being then exhausted, and the enemy in possession of one gate of the city, the despairing king col

lected his family, and chief warriors, and attempted to escape towards Jordan by night, by a private way through his gardens. He was overtaken in the plains of Jericho, seized, and carried immediately to Riblah, where the king of Babylon then held his court.

His rebellion and perseverance had exasperated the tyrant, and his obstinate contempt of the prophet's gracious messages, left him nothing to hope. His sons and his officers were slain in his presence; his own eyes afterwards being put out, he was sent to Babylon in chains, and ended his life in a prison; circumstantially fulfilling the prediction of Ezekiel, that he should die in Babylon, though he should not see the place! (B. C. 588.)

The rage of the Chaldeans now fell on the holy city. The houses, the palaces, and walls, were either burned, or levelled with the earth. Nor did their magnificent temple obtain more consideration. The silver, the brass, and the gold, that had been lavished in decoration, with every thing valuable that could be found, was carried away, and the sacred edifice itself was left a heap of ruins!

But these barbarians, who did not venerate the temple of Jehovah, paid much respect to his prophet Jeremiah, whilst they were either slaying, or sending into captivity, the inhabitants of both town and country. Either mistaking his advice to the fallen king, as an intended service to their master, or subdued by the majesty of his inflexible virtue, they obeyed the command of the heathen monarch, to take him out of his prison-furnish him with necessaries, and leave him at liberty to choose his own dwelling. If he would go into Babylon, he was promised sustenance and protection or if he chose to remain in his own country, he might select the place of his residence at will. His

country, though in ruins, being preferred, he was sent to Gedaliah, who had been appointed governor of the vanquished land, with a charge to make the venerable sage the object of his particular care.

FANNY. Of what use was a governer in a land stripped of its inhabitants ?

MRS. M. The fertile fields of the "delightful land” were yet covered with grain: the famine, which contributed to the ruin of the rebellious city, was occasioned by the straightness of the siege-and not by the poverty of the country, although it had suffered by the ravages of a hostile army. The vine and the olive tree yet yielded their fruit; and to gather these in their season, as many as were necessary, of the meanest of the people, from whom Nebuchadnezzar apprehended no ambitious projects, were suffered to remain under the government of Gedaliah, who generously assured them of protection. But ambition, it would seem, will never want a place to imagine her mischievous schemes. Whilst the late war had more or less agitated the whole country, many of its inhabitants, together with small bands of the broken army of Zedekiah, had fled into the neighbouring states. Many of these, when they heard that the Chaldean troops had retired, and that a man of probity was appointed governor, returned to their homes, and promised allegiance to the king of Babylon. But, unfortunately for them, a prince of the royal blood, named Ishmael, who had taken refuge with the king of Ammon, a tributary likewise of Babylon, was encouraged by that prince, to obtain the supremacy of Judah, by the murder of Gedaliah. With this design, he came with a number of the refuge officers, to visit the vice-roy, at Mizpah, where he had fixed his residence, affecting

submission to their lords, and whilst they were courteously received, and entertained at his table, the unsuspecting governor fell a victim to their treachery! The chief number of the people who had returned into Judah, being absent from Mizpah, gathering the vintage, all who remained about the person of Gedaliah, both Jews and Chaldeans, were also put to death. Instead, however, of prosecuting his claim to the crown, the fears of Ishmael now prompted him to take all the women and children, amongst whom were the daughters of Zedekiah, who, in the confusion of his flight, had been separated from their father-and fly with his party into Egypt. Here again the aged Jeremiah was taken prisoner, and carried off by the assassins-but before they had proceeded far on their march, they besought him to supplicate heaven in their behalf, solemnly declaring they would obey his directions. Nothing, however, was less their intention, for when they received in answer, a command to remain in their native country, and a promise of mercy and favour if they did so they contemptuously replied, that this was not the voice of Jehovah, for they had prospered when they burnt incense to "the queen of heaven," and therefore they would resort to her altars in Egypt. To Egypt therefore they went, taking the prophet along with them-but not without being told, that the impious idolatry they still cherished in their hearts, had brought upon them all the evils they lamented -and that famine and the sword should not cease to visit them in Egypt, until they were humbled-and that Pharoah himself should be given into the hands of his enemies.

From this descent into Egypt, Jeremiah is no more spoken of. That he died in Egypt seems certain; for he was far advanced in years at this time. Profane authors

assert, that he was stoned to death by his countrymen, for troubling them with his preaching against their heathenish practices; others impute his death to Pharoah, because he foretold the downfall of his kingdom.

Thus the government of the Israelites was completely dissolved, about nine hundred years after they were collected into a nation by Moses; and had possessed the "promised land" eight hundred and sixty years.

The two tribes again became a nation, as we shall presently see-and were governed by their own laws, but they were never more an independent people.

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