This atrocious act was foon divulged in the Roman camp; and in fome excited pity, but in more abhorrence; and now at laft the commander, though ftill folicitous to fave the temple, refolved however not to leave the city, wherein fuch things were perpetrated, in the fight of the fun.

To enumerate all the diftreffes, or all the crimes, of the Jews in this age, were both an impoffible and fuperfluous task. We may conclude the matter with the teftimony of Jofephus, "That no city ever suffered fuch things, nor did there ever exift, fince the world began, a generation of men more fruitful in wickednefs". So that, continues he, had the Romans delayed to chastise the finners, I think the earth would have fwallowed them up, the city would have been swept away by another flood, or elfe confumed, like a fecond Sodom, by fire from heaven 2.

a "

For the predictions refpecting it, See Deut. xxviii. 53. Lev. xxvi. 29. Jer. xix. 7-9. Lam. ii. 20. iv. 10. A fimilar inftance is recorded in the account of the fiege of Samaria, 2 Kings vi. 28, 29. and perhaps the fame happened alfo in the former fiege of Jerufalem. Compare Ez. v. 10. with Baruch

ii. 3.

2 B. J. L. V. c. x. §. 5. Conf. Procem. §. 4.

a Ibid, c. xiii. §. 6.

O

But

But it pleased GOD to employ, in this cafe, human agents, and not the elements, as the immediate instruments of his just vengeance; and the destined period was now at hand. On the tenth of August, the same day that the former temple was burnt by the Chaldeans, the temple was fet on fire, without the knowledge of Titus, and against his will; and his utmost efforts to extinguish the flames were of no avail. The enthusiastic rage of the foldiers, though at other times they were checked in a moment, could not now be controuled by words or figns. The prevailing flames feemed as if they would confume not only the temple, but the very foundations of the mount whereon it ftood; and the shouts of victory and wailings of forrow, echoed back from the diftant mountains, increased the horror and confufion of the scene'.

The upper city ftill remained; but it did not long furvive the temple. On the fab

b B. J. L. VI. c. iv. §. 5. &c.

• The words are remarkable: τον μεν γε τε ίερα λόφον εκ ριζων αν τις έδοξε βραττεποι, παντοθεν τις πυρος καταγέμοντα. Compare Deut. xxxii. 22. Lam. iv, 11.

d B. J. L. VI. c. v. §. I.

bath

bath day, the eighth of September, it was defolated in its turn with fire and fword". Of the almost infinite multitude of Jews not one in ten escaped deftruction. The number of captives during the war was ninety seven thousand; but there perished in the fiege alone eleven hundred thousand'!

Who then art thou, among the kingdoms of the earth, that putteft thy confidence in the multitude of an hoft, in the strength of thy fortreffes, or the abundance of thy treafures? Caft thine eyes upon the defolation of Judah, and learn humility and the fear of GOD. Where is now the vine of the Lord's planting, the branch which he made fo ftrong for himself? It is burnt with fire, the hedge is broken down, the vineyard laid wafte".

The hill of Sion was a fair place, the joy of the whole earth". Jerufalem was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces'; she was a crown of glory in the

↑ B. J. L. VI. c. viii. §. 5. Dion Caffius fays Jerusalem was taken three times on the fabbath, by Pompey, by Safius, and by Titus. Vide L. XXXVI. p. 37. XLIX. p. 405. LXVI. p. 748. ed. Leunclav.

B. J. L. VI. c. ix. §. 3. h Pf. xlviii. 2.

hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of her GoD*. But when she exalted herself, the fell; the fell, and there was none to help her. For she said, "I dwell on high, my habitation is among the rocks'; who fhall bring me down, or make me afraid? The GoD of Ifrael is my strength and my fafeguard; he will give me a king, who shall subdue my foes, and establish my walls in peace. My right hand shall wield a glorious fceptre, my dominion fhall be wide as the earth, and its duration as the days of heaven."

This was her folly, and fhe perifhed; for fhe was blind in the day of her vifitation. She knew not the Prince of peace; the Meffenger of the covenant fhe flew, and would not receive his ambaffadors. Therefore there was no falvation; among all her fons, none could deliver her. Her men of war are faint, her virgins cry out for food; for the corn and the wine is confumed; the famine devoureth the widow and the orphan, the young and the old together. The heathen poffefs her ftrong holds, they enter into her fanctuary; her children are led captive into - all lands, and she is overwhelmed with bitternefs and mourning.

1 Obad. 3.

* If, lxii. 3.

Yet

Yet rejoice not, O Rome, at the ruin of Jerufalem, nor infult her in her fall; left trouble fhould come upon thee alfo, and thou grieve for thine own defolation. If thy fins do not equal the fins of Judah, thy punishment, though less than her's, may be greater than thou canft bear. If the Lord fpared not his own people, take heed left he alfo fpare not thee.

For who art thou, that thou shouldft be delivered? Doft thou inherit a better kingdom? or doft thou possess a stronger border"? Let not the pride of thy heart deceive thee. Though thou exalt thyfelf as the eagle, and though thou fet thy neft among the stars, there is one that even thence can bring thee down. Think of Him, and be at peace, left a nation come against thee from far, a great and a mighty nation; left the north fend forth her fons, who fhall deluge thy plains with blood; who fhall overthrow thy walls, and demolish thy palaces, thy magnificent temples and triumphal arches, and make immortal Rome a name in the earth. Happy are the people, that fear the Lord; yea bleffed are the people, who have the LORD for their GOD P!