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Show a ee me eaeSee OF PESTRUCTION the feast of the passover, JERUSALEM, YESTRUCTION convened which so many but that it should be consumed their city and nation; on the same month, on the same day of the month, on which the Babylonians had before destroyed it by ses fire. cent piles were reduced toashes. Josephus records another striking event, which seem- (addressing the who survived Jews (executioners He Says; eda sign of the destruction of Jerusalem. this ruin) For before he came, you know “ The that both Siloam and all the springs without the city failed ; so ag <a a Ke_ E} )— that water was brought by the amphora, (a vessel. to as es, enemi your to But now they are so abundant ‘This wonder fice for themselves and their cattle. you also formerly experienced, when the king of Ba. bylon laid siege to your city.” meh t slaad " The priests of the temple, after the destruction of their sacred edifice, betook themselves (those who had thus far escaped the general slaughter) to the top of one of its broken walls, where they sat mourning and famishing. On the fifth day necessity compelled them to descend, and humbly to ask pardon of the Ro- man general. But Titus at th's late period rejected their petition, saying ; ‘“‘ As the temple, for the sake of -which | would have spared you, is destroyed; it 1s a but fit the priests should perish also.’’? All were put to death. The obstinate leaders of the great Jewish factions, beholding now the desperateness of their cause, deOne would imagme sired a conference with Titus. they would at least now lay down their arms. Their desiring an interview with the triumphant Romangeneral, appeared as though they would be glad to do this. But righteous Heaven designed their still greater des- truction, Titus, after all their mad rebellions, kindly comply. The noble general then, as must have been offered to spare the residue of the Jews, if they would But strange to relate, they ectused to now submit. expected, was highly exasperated ; and issued his general order that he would grant no further pardon 39 of divine The furious legions, vengeance, lizek. ix. 5, 6,) then flew through the lower city, of which fountains flow copiously for Titus, which to you were dried up. JERUSALEM. the insurgents. His legions now were ordered to “ravage and destroy.”” With the light of the next morning, arose the tremendous flame of the castle of Antonio, the council chamber, register’s office, and the noble palace of the queen Helena. ‘These magnifi- to Jerusalem to meet the ruins of thousands of Jews OF t¢ they soon became masters, slaughtering and burning in every street. The Jews themselves aided the slaughter.— In the royal palace, containing vast treasures, eight thousand four hundred Jews were murdered by their seditious brethren. Great numbers of deserters from the furious leaders of faction, flocked to the Romans ; but it was too late. ‘The general order was given, all should be slain. Such therefore fell. The Roman soldiers however, being at length weary with butchery, and more than satisfied with blood, for a short time sheathed their swords, and betook them- market; They seives to plunder. ‘They collected multitudes of Jews, —husbands, wives, children, and servants; formed a and set them up at venduce for slaves. sold them for any trifle; while purchasers were but few. Their law-giver, Moses, had forewarned them of. this; Deut. xxviil. 68: “ And ye shall be sold for bond men, and bond women; and no man shall bu you.” ‘Lremendous indeed must the lot of those be who reject the Messiah, and are found fighting against the Son of God. Often’ had these Jews heard read (but little it seems did they understand the sense of the tremendous passage) relative to the Jewish rejectors of Christ, ‘‘ He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them mm his sore _ miargame: Yet have Lsetmy king upon my holy s m witha rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’ vessel.” * ‘Thus saith the Lord, say, A sword i rd is sharpened, and also furbished: it is shart Bars ee a sore slaughter; itis furbished that’ it Faby giitter; (said God by the prophet, Ezek. xxi. alluding |
