mightily oppressed Israel." It was through the medium of a prophet, that Gideon was appointedto deliver Israel from the oppression of the Midianites; and the interpositions of Providence in his favour were many and striking.

The character, qualifications, and important services performed by the prophet Samuel, who was destined to new model the government, under the divine direction, have been particularly noticed in the preceding epitome of the Jewish history.

The diversities of character and talents, and the consequent diversities of conduct under a monarchical government, frequently demanded directions, admonitions, and restraints. Wherever there is a power merely human, there will be a strong propensity to abuse it; and the abuse of uncontrolled power must be productive of the most pernicious consequences. Even the pious David, required the admonitions and severe reproofs of a prophet. During the early reign of Solomon, and while he conducted himself in a manner correspondent with the superior wisdom with which he was endowed, he was honoured with evidences of the divine favour; but, upon his being seduced into idolatrous practices, Ahijah the prophet was ordered to predict the division of his king

dom, which took place in the succeeding reign, and was the occasion of so much subsequent wickedness and misery.

Thus were the holy men of God empowered to act as legislators, rulers, judges over Israel, and also, upon some occasions, to make important changes in the state. When the government had acquired a due consistency, and was firmly established, they no longer acted as. judges, rulers, and authoritative directors, but they appeared in the important character of inspired monitors. Of this we have already adduced several instances. The total apostasy of the ten tribes, and the successive impieties of their sovereigns, the many dangerous aberrations. of the kings of Judah, would have proved fatal to the cause of Monotheism, had not inspired prophets arisen at different periods, to bear witness to the truth, to admonish, to threaten, to console, and to encourage.

Some of these prophets were raised up for particular purposes. Thus we hear no more of Jonah than that he was appointed to preach repentance to the inhabitants of Ninevah; and we are told that in consequence of obedience, their destruction was deferred for the space of forty years. As far as the prophecies of Joel relate to the period in which he lived," they fore

tel calamities, denounce judgments, and promise future blessings," without the immediatè application of them to any particular people. Hosea chiefly admonishes the ten revolting tribes, and exposes their enormities with all the poignancy of language. The denunciations of Amos are directed against the kingdom of Israel, predicting its total overthrow. They extend also to the Syrians, Tyrians, and inhabitants of Palestine, and other surrounding nations, who had been the principal seducers of Israel. Several of these prophets explicitly foretel the miseries that should befall the house of Judah and the city of Jerusalem, for their repeated rebellions and superficial reformations; and warn them that nothing can prevent their captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, but a speedy repen

tance.

The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, possessed large portions of the prophetic spirit, and in a manner peculiarly adapted to their respective situations. Isaiah began to prophesy in the last years of Uzziah. He lived through the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiahi, to the times of Manasseh. He exerted all the zeal and energy with which he was so eminently -inspired, in pious admonitions, counsels, warnings, and also in the administration of comfort,

during a long series of years, according as the character and conduct of princes and people might demand. Isaiah was the friend and counsellor of the good Hezekiah, and inspired him with courage to resist the boasting Sennacherib, by the assurance that his numerous and proud hosts should be destroyed, by the immediate hand of Providence. His prophecies embraced the history of all the nations that had an intercourse with Judea. They were not only directed against the Moabites, and the countries immediately contiguous, but they extended to Asyria, to Egypt, to Ethiopia. He was empow ed to protract the life of Hezekiah; to predict the captivity of his descendants; the restoration of the Jews from their captive state; their return to Jerusalem, under the patronage of the great Cyrus, king of Persia, and the total destruction of their oppressors. His censures of idolatry were peculiarly severe and poignant: his promises of reconciliation with heaven by repentance, were most encouraging; and he described their future peace and prosperity, in the most glowing colours. His prophecies, which relate to future ages, and to blessings reserved for Gentile nations, were numerous and striking; of which we shall hereafter produce. instances,

Jeremiah lived through the successive reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiakin, and Zedekiah. He also continued to exhort, admonish, and threaten; intermixing consolatory promises, according to the prevalent dispositions of the people. He personally witnessed the calamities which finally overpowered the Jewish state; and strenuously preached repentance in every stage, as the only method to escape more dreadful manifestations of the divine wrath. He incessantly opposed the false prophets who soothingly spake peace, peace, where there was no peace, and were thus inspiring the king and the leaders of the people with presumptive hopes, as from the Lord, while they continued in a state of impenitence. His zeal was calum

niated he was represented as an enemy to the state, by discouraging the government in its resistance to Nebuchadnezzar's arms: he was threatened with death; treated with ignominy, and thrown into a loathsome dungeon. But his integrity was unshaken, and his ardour in the cause of God undiminished. He not only predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, and the captivity of the chiefs, but he distinctly mentioned the term of it, that its duration should be .seventy years. So confident was he of the truth of his own predictions, that he afterwards