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tion) viz. "And except that the Lord had shortened "those days, no flesh should be saved: none of the "inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea, of whom he is "speaking, should escape destruction: So fierce and

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so obstinate were the quarrels which, during the "siege, raged amongst the Jews, both within the walls "of Jerusalem, and abroad in the country, and the "whole land became a scene of desolation and blood"shed and had the siege continued much longer, "the whole nation had been destroyed, according to "what the Lord here declares! But for the elect's "sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days." (James Macknight, D. D. Author of a Harmony of the Gospels, and of a New Literal Translation from the original Greek, of all the Apostolical Epistles, &c. &c.)

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The latter comments on the above named verse, thus. "Verse 22. Except those days should be "shortened. Josephus computes the number of those "who perished in the siege at eleven hundred thou"sand, besides those who were slain in other places. "And if the Romans had gone on destroying in this

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manner, the whole nation of the Jews would in a "short time have been entirely extirpated: but for "the sake of the elect, the Jews, that they might not "be utterly destroyed, and for the Christians particu

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larly, the days were shortened. These, partly "through the fury of zealots on one hand, and the "hatred of the Romans on the other; and partly "through the difficulty of subsisting in the moun"tains, without houses or provisions, would, in all

"probability, have been all destroyed, either by the "sword or famine, if the days had not been shortened. "The besieged themselves helped to shorten those

days by their divisions and mutual slaughters; and "by fatally deserting their strong holds, where they "never could have been subdued, but by famine "alone; so well fortified was Jerusalem, and so well "provided to stand a siege, that the enemy without, "could not have prevailed, had it not been for the fac"tions and seditions within. When Titus was view❝ing the fortifications after the taking of the city, he "could not help ascribing his success to God. "We "have fought," said he, "with God on our side; "and it is God who pulled the Jews out of these strong holds, for what could machines, or the hands

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of men avail against such towers as these." (Adam Clarke, LL. D. Historiographer General to the British Government; and Author of a Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible.)

I am now to remark on Doctor Campbell's alleged reason for his departure in this instance from the present translation, and which as before stated, is this, viz. "To shorten any thing, means always to make it "shorter than it was; or, at least, to make it shorter "than was intended. Neither of these meanings is "applicable here." But why not applicable? Why not as consistent to shorten the miseries of the predestinated siege for the sake of the elect, as to avert the predestinated approach of the Roman army from winter and from the sabbath day, so as to accommodate the flight of the praying few, from the devoted city?

Instead of throwing the veil of "broader phylacteries and longer tufts" over glaring inconsistency, we will resort for the illustration of important truths, to scriptural parallels, indubitably authoritative.

In the message of the man of God to Eli, as recorded in 1 Samuel, 11, 29, 30, we discover a divine decree aitered, if not reversed, viz. "Wherefore kick

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ye at my sacrifice, and at mine offering, which I "have commanded in my habitation; and honour thy "sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the "chiefest of all the offerings of Israel, my people, "Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said in"deed, that thy house, and the house of thy father, "should walk before me forever. But now the Lord

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saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me, "I will honour, and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed."

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Herein, evidently, divine determinations are in some respects changed. For God had said unto Moses, "Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his "sons with him, from among the children of Israel, "that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, "even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazor and Itha"mar, Aaron's sons." "And the priest's office shall "be theirs, for a perpetual statute." XXVIII, 1, and xxix, 9.)

(Exodus

"The priesthood, it seems, for some reason, not "mentioned in scripture, had been transfered from the "family of Eleazar, Aaron's eldest son, (Nadab and "Abihu, having been slain by the Lord,) to Ithamar "the younger son, from whom Eli was descended,

"but now is translated back again." (Orton.) See more fully in 1 Chronicles, xxiv, 1, 4.

From the whole therefore, of this train of events, comprehensive of divine determinations and providences, and of human conduct; the fixedness, and yet latitude of the divine counsels, is most conclusively inferable. The high priesthood, was irrevocably (during the Levitical institution,) established in the house of Aaron; but in respect to his son's and their posterity, it was conditional. Nadab and Abihu, by their misconduct, lost with their lives, all title thereunto. Eleazar's line of descendants for a season, were excluded, during which time, it devolved to the posterity of Ithamar. Eli and his son's in this line, having grievously abused their high trust, were cut off; and in the person of Abiather, the high priesthood departed forever from the house of Ithamar. This event took place in the days of Solomon, one hundred and twenty seven years after the death of Eli; at which period also, this high office reverted back to the house of Eleazor, in the person of Zadok, (as see 1 Kings, II, 26.) In this instructive view of this interesting subject, we have portrayed before us, most striking evidence of divine sovereignty, and human freedom. An absolute irrevocable decree, evinces the former, a provisional and conditional decree, substantiates the latter. The Almighty reigns in the uncontrouled exercise of all his attributes; whilst man, unnecessitated exercises the unalienable prerogative of genuine freedom, viz. a self determining power over his own will.

But from the case of Eli, the readers attention is invited to Numbers xiv, 30-34. "Doubtless, ye

"shall not come into the land, concerning which, I "sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb, the "son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun. But

your little ones, whom ye said shall be a prey, them "will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcasses

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they shall fall in the wilderness. And your children "shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear "your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in "the wilderness. After the number of the days in "which ye searched the land, even forty days, (eacli

day for a year,) shall ye bear your iniquities, even "forty years, and ye shall know my breach of prom"ise." Had doctor Campbell, in seeking an illustration of his subject, but resorted, not to the enlargement of the Pharasees, phylacteries and tufts, but, to this fall of carcasses, through a judicial breach of divine promise; he then, instead of a mere verbal parallel of illustration, would have obtained a deeply interesting one of doctrinal analogy; but, as he wholly omitted both this, and the no less instructive dispensation to Eli and his house, we will therefore, pay the greater attention to this admonitory narrative of Israel's rebellion, and overthrow in the wilderness.

In the foregoing passage, from the declaration of deity himself, we recognize distinct mention of an oath, and a promise, both made to Abraham, concerning his posterity, by God himself.

*See the Note, at the end of this Note.

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