to it. This work, according to Josephus, was done with such expedition, that three days only elapsed before it was completed, though it was near five miles in circumference. Thus were our Saviour's words literally accomplished: "For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side" (Luke xix. 43). What an argument this for the literal accomplishment of prophecies yet unfulfilled!

Some noblemen that had fled to Titus gave him the following relation of the state of the city: That famine raged in all parts, and even the soldiers could not get food, but began to eat girdles, shoes, skins, and hay. A bushel of corn was sold for six hundred crowns. Sinks and holes were continually raked to find corn in old dung of oxen to satisfy their hunger. Wives took the meat out of their husbands' mouths, children from their parents, and mothers from their infants. A certain lady, descended of noble and rich parentage, had boiled her own child, made one meal, and reserved the rest for another time, when the soldiers broke in, and commanded her to bring what food she had; upon which she produced her mangled child. So horrid a sight shocked even these wretches! Yet all this did not prevail upon them to yield. Titus was filled with such horror at the relation of this enormity, that, having called upon God to witness he was not the author of these calamities, seeing he had repeatedly offered the Jews peace if they would have accepted of it, he declared that he would bury this abominable crime in the ruins of their country, and not suffer the sun to shine upon that city where mothers ate their own children, and where fathers, no less culpable, reduced them

to that extremity, by their obstinately refusing to surrender.

These terrible calamities were foretold by Moses in Deut. xxviii. 53-57: "And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege and straitness wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: so that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave : so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat; because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates."

This dreadful famine was soon followed by a pestilence, which raged so violently, that from the 14th of April to the 1st of July, 115,880 persons were buried at the public expense; and 600,000 were cast dead out of the gates, dying so fast, that at last they were unable to bury them. Titus, going about the wall, and beholding the ditch filled with dead bodies, wept, and lifting up his hands to heaven, again called God to witness that it was not his fault, he having given them frequent offers of pardon and peace.

JOSEPH MADE KNOWN TO HIS
BRETHREN.

WHEN Joseph his brethren beheld,
Afflicted and trembling with fear,
His heart with compassion was filled,
From weeping he could not forbear.

Awhile his behaviour was rough,

To bring their past sins to their mind; But, when they were humbled enough, He hasted to show himself kind.

How little they thought it was he Whom they had ill-treated and sold!

How great their confusion must be As soon as his name he had told! "I am Joseph, your brother," he said, "And still to my heart you are dear; You sold me and thought I was dead, But God, for your sakes, sent me here." Though greatly distressed before,

When charged with purloining the cup,
They now were confounded much more:
Not one of them dared to look up.
"Can Joseph, whom we would have slain,
Forgive us the evil we did!

And will he our households maintain ?
Oh, this is a brother indeed!"

Thus dragg'd by my conscience I came,
All laden with guilt to the Lord,
Surrounded with terror and shame,
Unable to utter a word.

At first he look'd stern and severe,
What anguish then pierced my heart!
Expecting each moment to hear

The sentence, "Thou cursed, depart!"

But, oh, what surprise when He spoke,
While tenderness beamed on his face;
My heart then to pieces was broke,
O'erwhelmed and confounded by grace.
"Poor sinner, I knew thee full well,
By thee I was sold and was slain;
But I died to redeem thee from hell,
And raise thee in glory to reign.

"I am Jesus whom thou hast blasphem'd, And crucified often afresh;

But let me henceforth be esteem'd

Thy brother, thy bone, and thy flesh :

My pardon I freely bestow,
Thy wants I will fully supply,
I'll guide thee and guard thee below,
And soon will receive thee on high."
Go, publish to sinners around,
That they may be willing to come,
The mercy which now you have found,
And tell them that yet there is room.
Lord, lead them thy word to obey,
The word that thy mercy doth send;
O draw them to Jesus I pray,

To Jesus, my Brother and Friend.

J. NEWTON.

BIBLE SUBJECTS FOR EACH
SUNDAY IN FEBRUARY.

43. Feb. 6. Find texts to show that Jesus is a

Prophet.

44. Feb. 13. Find texts to show that Jesus is a

Priest.

45. Feb. 20. Find texts to show that Jesus is a

King.

46. Feb. 27. Find texts to show that Jesus is a foundation.

THE DYING CHILD'S REQUEST. "MAMMA!" a little maiden said,

Almost with her expiring sigh,

"Put no sweet roses round my head, When in my coffin-dress I lie.'

66

Why not, my dear?" the mother cried;
"What flower so well a corpse adorns ?

“Mamma!” the innocent replied,

"They crown'd our Saviour's head with thorns.”

MONTGOMERY.