character of Judas Maccabeus, since it has appeared so conspicuously in his conduct. Patriotism and valour, founded in pious zeal and confidence, mark every event: recorded of him; except in that solitary instance to which I have adverted. It is gratifying to behold the revival of his faith under circumstances of peculiar. discouragement, from the desertion of many who forsook him, and the backwardness of those who remained with him as we may enjoy the comfortable reflection that he was removed in mercy, and made a partaker of the blessings reserved for those who "obtained a good report through faith."

There is one part of his conduct however on which I am desirous of fixing your attention for a while, because the remarks I wish to offer may help to form your judgment on similar occurrences related in scripture. In the battles Judas fought, and in the cities he took and destroyed, we are constantly told that he put all the. men to death. In the present age, such a mode of warfare would be deemed sanguinary, and could not, certainly consist with Christian principles of benevolence and mercy. But we must learn to discriminate between the vengeful retaliation of man towards man, and the retributive justice of God. The idolatrous nations, as such, were under a sentence of condemnation; and the captains of the Lord's inheritance were the instruments by whom that sentence was executed against them, when the measure of their iniquity was full. Saul was commanded to go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites. We know who gave the command, and what were the effects of Saul's setting up his own judgment in the execution of it. Let us then beware of incurring the same guilt by setting up our reason to

account for the dealings of the Almighty. Let us rather consider how dreadful the nature of sin must be, since it requires such visitations. Let us adore that gracious Saviour by whom we may be delivered: ever humbly remembering that "it is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed" also.

LETTER XXXVII.

THE death of Judas was soon found to be a serious calamity to the people of Israel; for the apostates and other evil-minded persons availed themselves of the confusion that ensued to create disturbances in all parts of the country. The nation was visited by a famine also, at this time; and the party of Alcimus, getting the disposal of the provisions, brought the people under their power. When the supreme authority was in such hands, it is not surprising that wicked men were exalted to offices of trust and power. These every where sought for the friends and adherents of the Maccabeans to put them to death, under the sanction of Bacchides: so that the affliction of the people was greater than it had been since their return from Babylon. In this distress of the nation all who adhered to the cause of God, and sought the welfare of their brethren, repaired to Jonathan, and appointed him their captain, to lead them forth as Judas had done. Bacchides hearing that Jonathan was collecting forces, endeavoured to get him into his power; but the latter with Simon his brother, and a band of valiant followers escaped to the wilderness of Tekoa, and there encamped near the Jordan in

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a place which was scarcely accessible to the enemy. For the better securing of their moveable property they sent it under the care of their younger brother John, to their friends the Nabathean Arabs; but a party of Jambrians, another tribe of Arabs, falling in with the convoy, killed the guards, and seized the carriages. Jonathan and Simon not long after found means to avenge the death of their brother, by attacking a party of Jambrians during a nuptial procession; and indemnified themselves for the loss of their goods, by the rich spoils they took on this occasion. Bacchides having discovered Jonathan's camp, and made himself master of the pass which led to it, assaulted the Jews on the sabbath; expecting to overcome them without difficulty, as he understood they would not defend themselves on that day. Jonathan, however, reminded his men of the provisional decree made by his father Mattathias; and exhorted them to seek the assistance of God by prayer, and to fight in their own defence. This they did so valiantly, that a thousand of their enemies were slain; but as they feared to be at last overpowered by numbers, they cast themselves into the river and swam over to the opposite bank, whither the assailants did not think proper to follow them. Bacchides, on his return to Jeru salem, gave orders for repairing all the fortresses of Judea; in which he placed strong garrisons. He also rebuilt the fort of Acra at Jerusalem; and not only furnished it with men, arms, and provisions, but placed in it some of the children belonging to the nobles of Judea, as hostages for the fidelity of their fathers. In the meantime Alcimus, being fully established in the office of high priest by the assistance of Bacchides, began to introduce many innovations in favour of the

heathens; in order to bring the Jewish rites to a nearer conformity with theirs. But his impious attempts were effectually checked by the fiat of Omnipotence; for as he was giving orders for pulling down the wall of separation, beyond which it was not lawful for the Gentiles to pass, he was seized with a palsy, which deprived him of utterance immediately, and soon after put an end to his life. On the death of Alcimus, for whose sake Bacchides had been sent to Judea, the latter withdrew his forces and returned to the king. It is probable that Demetrius had by this time received such intimations from the Roman Senate respecting the Jews, as induced him to recal his forces, and leave them unmolested.

After the departure of the Syrians Jonathan, being left two years in peace, began to restore the decayed state of his country. This excited the envy of the factious opponents, who concerted a plan for cutting him off, with all his adherents, while they lived in unsuspecting security among them. Not daring however to attempt this by themselves, they invited Bacchides to come and support them in it. But before he arrived the conspiracy was discovered by Jonathan, who having put fifty of the ringleaders to death, retired to Bethbasi, a fortress in the wilderness; as he did not think himself strong enough to encounter Bacchides in the field. The Syrian army in the meantime entered Judea, and their leader, calling upon the factious Jews to join him, proceeded to besiege Bethbasi. On his approach, Jonathan with part of his forces quitted the fortress; leaving Simon to defend it with the rest. When the Syrians sat down before the place, Jonathan harassed them from without, cutting off their supplies, falling upon

their foraging parties, and frequently attacking the be siegers themselves. In the meantime Simon defended the place as nobly from within, seizing the opportunities of Jonathan's approach, to sally out, and burn the engines of war. This system of defence was so vexatious to Bacchides, that he not only became weary of the war, but so angry with those who had brought him into it, that he put several of them to death; and determined to raise the siege. Jonathan being informed of this sent to him proposals of accommodation, which he gladly accepted; declaring he would not seek to injure the Jews any more. After this the prisoners on both sides were liberated; and the Syrians returned home. Peace. being thus restored, and the authority of Jonathan fully established, he settled at Micmash, and laboured to secure the welfare of the people by a steady enforcement of the law of God. In the eighth year of Jonathan's government Demetrius, being threatened, with the loss of his kingdom, by the claims of Alexander Balas, was desirous of making the Jews his friends; and accordingly sent a letter to Jonathan appointing him his general in the land of Judea; with power to raise forces, and arm them for his assistance. The king also commanded that the hostages detained in the fortress of Acra should be given up. Jonathan, on the receipt of this letter, went up to Jerusalem; and by virtue of it, demanded the hostages, whom he restored to their parents. This restraint being removed, many declared for him; and he was enabled to raise such a force that the garrisons left by Bacchides, being afraid of him, abandoned their posts; with the exception of those at Jerusalem and Bethsura: which, being chiefly composed of apostate Jews, had no resource but a desperate resist