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Chapter 1
The Destruction of Jerusalem
The land of promise was long a land of wonders. The Hebrew
nation there was for many centuries the cradle of the true
and only church of God on earth. There glorious things were
wrought for her salvation. Patriarchs had there prayed,
sacrificed and praised. There Prophets had prophesied; and
the Almighty had often made bare his holy arm. There his
people had too often apostatized; had been expelled from
their Canaan; and again mercifully restored. There the ten
tribes of Israel had renounced the house of David, and their
God; and were hence banished to some unknown region of the
world, to the present day; while the Jews were still
retained in the covenant of their God. There God, manifest
in the flesh, made his appearance on earth;--performed his
publick ministry;--atoned for the sins of the world;--and
ascended to glory. There the first heralds of the gospel
dispensation commenced their ministry; and thence the
wonderful scheme of grace was propagated through the
nations.
Jerusalem was the capital of this earthly Canaan. Glorious
things were spoken of this city of our God. “Beautiful for
situation, the joy of the whole earth, was this Mount Zion
on the sides of the north, the city of the Great King."
This, for many centuries, might be called God's Capital on
earth. God said, alluding primarily to this city; "For the
Lord hath chosen Zion to be an habitation for
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himself. Here will I dwell, for I have desired it." Here
great things were done in divine faithfulness; which led the
psalmist to say; "God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
For lo, the Kings were assembled; they passed by together.
They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and
so they hasted away." "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God
of Jacob is our refuge." "In Salem stood his tabernacle; and
his dwelling place in Zion. There brake he the arrows of the
bow, the shield and the sword of the battle." This city of
God long answered well to its name. Jeru, they shall see;
Salem, peace. Long did the church, while they walked with
God, there see and enjoy peace.
But alas, we find recorded of this city, temple, and nation
of the Jews, a fatal reverse. They found the sentiment in
their sacred oracles fulfilled; "The Lord is with you while
ye be with him; but if ye forsake him, he will cast you
off."
The Jews became carnal; crucified the Lord of glory; and
they fell under the denunciations and the full execution of
his wrath. Their lawgiver Moses and their prophets had long
thundered against them solemn denunciations, that if ever
they should become of the character which they did impiously
assume, the most signal judgements of God should cut them
off. And the Messiah uttered against them, in consequence of
their rejecting him, a new edition of these fatal
denunciations, which we find in Matt. xxiv. Mark xiii. Luke
xix. 41--44. chap. xxi. and xxiii. 27-30; to which the
reader is referred. These were to have a primary fulfilment
in the desolation of Jerusalem, and of the Jewish
commonwealth. This primary fulfilment Christ assured should
take place on that generation. And the denunciation was
fulfilled.
This fulfilment, inasmuch as it demonstrated the truth and
divinity of our Saviour, exhibited a type of the destruction
of Antichrist, and of the wicked at the end of the world;
and shows the danger of rejecting the Son of God--ought to
be duly noted in the church, and frequently contemplated. It
is a subject too much neglected and forgotten in the present
Christian world. I design then, to give a concise
description of the event, in which Jesus Christ came in
awful judgement upon the infidel Jews, and vindicated his
cause against his persecutors and murderers. But some
preliminary remarks will first be made.
This noted city was built on two mountains; and contained
two parts, called the Upper and Lower City. The former was
built on
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Mount Sion; the latter on Mount Acra. The city is supposed
to have been founded by Melchisedec, and then called Salem,
or Solyma. The warlike Jebusites possessed it when Israel
entered Canaan.
In the higher city they long defended themselves against the
Hebrews. Here they remained, till David subdued them; and
called their city The City of David.
Herod the Great, when he repaired (or rather rebuilded) the
temple, added vast strength and embelishments to this city;
which accounts for its superb state and strength when it was
destroyed.
Most of this city was surrounded with three walls. In some
places, where it was deemed inaccessible, it had only one.
The wall first built was adorned and strengthened with sixty
towers. Fourteen towers rested on the middle wall. The
outside one, (most remarkable for its workmanship) was
secured with ninety towers.
The tower Psephinos was most celebrated. It was seventy
cubits high; had eight angles; and commanded a most
beautiful prospect. Here the visitor might (in a clear
atmosphere) delight himself with a view of the
Mediterranean, forty miles to the west; and of most of the
Jewish dominions. Some of these towers were nearly ninety
cubits in height; and famous for their beauty, elegance and
curiosities. They were built of white marble; and had the
appearance of vast marble blocks. These huge piles gave to
the city, in the view of the adjacent country, a most
majestick appearance.
Near the highest of these towers stood the royal palace, of
the most commanding elegance. Incredible cost had furnished
its pillars, porticoes, galleries, and apartments. Its
gardens, groves, fountains, aqueducts, and walks, presented
the richest and most delightful scenery. This was the beauty
and elegance of the north side of Jerusalem.
On the east side stood the temple, and the fort of Antonio,
over against Mount Olivet. This fort was built on a rock of
fifty feet in height, and of inaccessible steepness,
overlaid with slabs of marble. The castle of Antonio stood
in the centre of this fortress. The workmanship of this
castle made it more resemble a palace than a castle. A tower
adorned each square of this fortress; one of which was
seventy cubits high, and commanded a full view of the
temple.
The temple was, in many respects, the most astonishing
fabrick ever beheld. Its site was partly on a solid rock,
originally steep on every side. The lower temple had a
foundation of vast dimensions, said to be three hundred
cubits from its lowest base. This foundation
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was composed of stones sixty feet in length; and the lower
part of the superstructure was composed of stones of solid
white marble, more than sixty feet long; and seven by nine
feet in bigness. Four furlongs compassed the whole pile of
building; which was one hundred cubits high; with one
hundred and sixty pillars, to afford both support and
ornament.
In the front were spacious and lofty galleries, with cedar
wainscot, resting on uniform rows of white marble columns.
Josephus asserts that nothing could exceed the exterior part
of this house of God, for exquisite workmanship and
elegance. Its solid plates of gold seemed to strive to
out-dazzle the rising sun. The parts of the building not
covered with gold, had, at a distance, the appearance of
pillars of snow, or white marble mountains. And the grandeur
of the internal workmanship of this magnificent dome did not
fail of being fully equal to its external maginifience.
Nothing superb, costly, or elegant, was spared. The
different parts of the world had seemed to vie with each
other, to pour their most costly treasures into this
wonderful treasury of Heaven. The lower story was decorated
with the sacred furniture, the table of shew bread, altar of
incense, and the candlestick of pure beaten gold. The altar
and table were overlaid with pure gold. Several doors of the
sanctuary were fifty-five cubits in height, and sixteen in
breadth, overlaid also with gold. The richest Babylonian
tapestry, of purple, blue and scarlet, and of exquisite
workmanship, waved within these doors. Golden vines, with
leaves and clusters of grapes of gold, were suspended from
the ceiling five or six feet, of curious workmanship. The
temple had a huge eastern gate of pure Corinthian brass,--a
metal in the highest esteem. It would be a task to enumerate
all the foldings of golden doors in the chambers;--carved
works, paintings and gildings;--vessels of gold; scarlet,
violet, and purple sacerdotal vestments; and all the
incalculable piles of riches in this temple of Jehovah. The
most precious stones, spices, and perfumes; every thing that
nature, art, or riches could furnish, were stored within
these stupendous and hallowed walls.
Here were the city and temple to be destroyed, for the
infidelity, malice, hypocrisy, and persecution of the Lord
of glory, (in himself, and his followers,) which
characterized its rulers and people. Here a measure of
unprecedented atrociousness was just filled up, which should
bring down wrath upon them to the uttermost. This tremendous
ruin our Lord foretold and fulfilled.
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The last noted entrance into Jerusalem of Him, who was God
manifest in the flesh, took place on the Monday before the
scene of his sufferings. Amidst the acclamention of
multitudes he was hailed King of Zion, with every token of
joy and praise. The air rang again with their praises,
uttered for all the mighty works they had seen. They sang,
Hosanna! Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the
Lord! Peace in heaven; and glory in the highest. Our Lord
(superior to all their adulation, and knowing how soon the
hosannas of some of them would turn to, "Crucify him;"--and
being touched with sympathy and pity for a devoted city, now
going to fill up their guilty measure of iniquity) “beheld
the city, and wept over it." He said; "If thou hadst known,
even thou, in this thy day, the things which belong to thy
peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes! For the days
shall come when thine enemies shall cast a trench about
thee, and compass thee round; and keep thee in on every
side; and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy
children within thee. And they shall not leave thee one
stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy
visitation."
The day but one after, Christ went into the temple for the
last time, to instruct the people. While he was thus
employed, the high priest, elders, Herodians, Sadducees, and
Pharisees, gathered in turn around him, with a malicious
view to entangle him in his talk. Christ returned such
answers, spake such parables, and set home such reproof and
conviction to their souls, as not only to astonish and
silence them; but to give them some awful prelibation of the
final judgement, which awaited them at his bar. He thus, in
a free and pungent address to the disciples, administered
the most dignified and keen reproofs for the cruelty,
hypocrisy, and pride, of the Scribes and Pharisees. He
foretold the malicious treatment the disciples would meet
with at their hands; and then denounced the vengeance on
that falling city, which for ages their crimes had been
accumulating. He forewarned that this cup of divine
indignation should be poured on that generation. His tender
feelings of soul then melted in a most moving apostrophe: "O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest the prophets, and
stoned them that are sent unto thee! How often would I have
gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings; and ye would not! Behold, your
house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, ye
shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, "Blessed is
he that cometh in the name
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of the Lord." Upon this our Saviour left the temple. The
disciples took an occasion to speak to Christ of the
magnificence of the sacred edifice; how it was adorned with
goodly stones and gifts. "Master, (said they,) see what
manner of stones and buildings are here." "Jesus said unto
them; See ye not all these things? Verily, I say unto you,
there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that
shall not be thrown down." How very unlikely must such an
event have seemed! But it was indeed fulfilled upon that
generation.
Jesus and his disciples retired to the mount of Olives. Here
the temple rose before them in all its majestick elegance.
The surrounding scenery naturally suggested the conversation
which followed. The disciples petitioned;--"Tell us, when
shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all
these things shall be fulfilled?" Their minds seem to have
been impressed with the preceeding discourse; and they fell
most readily upon the same subject, and wished to know when
such awful events should come; and what warnings should
announce their approach. Our Lord replied; "Take heed that
no man deceive you; for many shall come in my name, saying,
I am Christ; and shall deceive many." As though he had said;
This shall be one signal token of the event, both as my
denunciations relate to a primary accomplishment in the
destruction of Jerusalem; and to a more general and dreadful
fulfilment in the destruction of Antichrist in the last
days. Imposters shall abound. False religionsts shall
deceive and ruin many. Let us trace the fulfilment of this
and several succeeding predictions.
This was fulfilled in relation to Jerusalem. Not long after
Christ's ascension, the Samaritan Dositheus appeared and
declared himself the Messiah predicted by Moses. Simon Magus
also declared himself "The Great power of God." Soon after,
another imposter appeared from the mongrel Samaritans. The
church has ever been annoyed by such kind of Samaritans, who
have ever been fruitful in vile imposters, crying "Lo, here;
and lo there." This imposter promised to exhibit to the
people sacred utensils said to be deposited by Moses in
Mount Gerazim. Here a new decision must be given from
heaven, to the question between the Jews and Samaritans, as
to the place of worship; a thing of which schismaticks have
ever been exceedingly fond; to derive some new light upon
their party question directly from above; as though
decisions already given were insufficient.
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Armed multitudes sallied forth to follow this Messiah,
confident their Great Deliverer had at last made his
appearance. But Pilate, the Roman governor, checked their
fanaticism with the sword, and put their fancied Messiah to
death.
Another imposter, Theudas, arose. He had the address to
persuade multitudes to follow him into the wilderness, under
his promise that he would cause the river Jordan to divide.
The Roman procurator, Fadus, with a troop of horse, pursued
them; slew the imposter, and many others; and dispersed the
faction. Deceivers, under the government of Felix, were
multiplied, leading off people into the wilderness under the
promise and fanatical expectation that they should there see
signs and wonders. The old Serpent often leads fanatical
people into wildernesses of error and delusion, under
similar expectations. The viligant eye of the Romas governor
rested on these imposters, and was sure to frustate their
designs, as oft as they appeared.
In the year 55, arose a notable Egyptian impostor, named
Felix. Thirty thousand followed him, under the persuasion
that from mount Olivet they should see the walls of
Jerusalem fall to the ground at his command, for their easy
capture of the Roman garrison there; and their taking
possession of Jerusalem. They were attacked by the Roman
governor; four hundred were slain; and the rest dispersed.
The Egyptian imposter escaped for his life. In the year 60,
another pretended Messiah appeared, engaging to break
theRoman yoke, if they would follow him into the wilderness;
but the deceiver and his followers soon fell a sacrifice to
the vigilance of Festus, the governor. It would be too
unwieldy to mention all the vile imposters of this period.
They were a just retribution of righteous Heaven upon the
Jews, for having rejected and put to death the true Messiah;
and they fulfilled the warning given by our Lord, of a host
of deceivers at that period. How prone are men to court
deception. Christ had said to the Jews, 'I am come in my
Father's name, and ye receive me not. If another should come
in his own name, him will ye receive.' This was fulfilled;
and not only then, but in every age to this day. Those who
give the best evangelical evidence of their being
ambassadors of Christ, many will reject; while the confident
and noisy claims of egotists are by them fully allowed. "As
in water face answers to face; so the heart of man to man."
Our Lord proceeds; "And ye shall hear of wars, and rumours
of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things
shall come to
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pass; but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against
nation; and kingdom against kingdom; and great earthquakes
shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; all
these are the beginning of sorrows."
The portentous thunders of wars and rumours of wars may be
said to have occupied most of the time from the death of our
Saviour, to the destruction of Jerusalem. The historick
pages, which treat of these times, are stained with blood. A
war between Herod and Aretas, king of Arabia, opened the
bloody scene, after a short season of peace. In Selucia, the
Greeks and Syrians rose against the Jews, who fled thither
from the pestilence in Babylon, and slew fifty thousand of
them. Five years after, the Jews in Perea and people of
Philadelphia contended about the limits of a city, when many
of the Jews were slain. Four years after this, an insult
being offered to the Jews within the precincts of the
temple, by a Roman soldier; and being violently resented; a
Roman force rushed upon them, which so terrified the Jews,
that they fled in vast disorder, and ten thousand of them
lost their lives in the streets. After another four years,
the Jews ravaged the country of the Samaritans, in
consequence of their having murdered a Galilean, who was
going to keep the passover. Many were slain. Soon after, a
contention arose between the Jews in Caesarea and the
Syrians, relative to the government of Caesarea. In the
first encounter more than twenty thousand Jews were slain.
This contention raged in many cities where the Jews and
Syrians dwelt; and mutual slaughter prevailed. And in five
other cities the carnage among the Jews was dreadful. At
Damascus ten thousand Jews were slain in one hour. And at
Scythopolis thirteen thousand were slain in one night. In
Alexandria the Jews rose upon the Romans; and had fifty
thousand of their people slain, without any regard to
infancy or age. Soon after, in a contention at Totapata,
forty thousand Jews perished. These contentions rose and
increased till the whole Jewish nation took up arms against
the Romans, and brought on themselves their final
destruction. Thus the prediction of our Saviour quoted,
received in those days a striking primary fulfilment.
Our Saviour added; "And great earthquakes shall be in divers
places." These significant warnings too were accomplished in
those days. Two are recorded by Tacitus; one at Rome in the
reign of Claudius; another at Apamea, in Syria, where were
many Jews. So destructive was the one at the latter place,
that the tribute due to the Romans was for five years
remitted. One also was terrifick
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at Crete; one at Smyrna; one at Miletus; one at Chios, and
one at Samos; in all which places Jews dwelt. These are
noted by Philastratus. Soon after, in the reign of Nero,
both Tacitus and Eusebius inform, that Hierapolis and
Colosse, as well as Laodicea, were overthrown by
earthquakes. Another is noted at Rome; one at Campania; and
others tremendous are mentioned as taking place at Jerusalem
in the night; just before the commencement of the last siege
of that city. Of these, Josephus gives the following
account: "A heavy storm burst on them, during the night,
violent winds arose, with most excessive rains, with
constant lightning, most tremendous thunders, and dreadful
roarings of earthquakes. It seemed as if the system of the
world had been confounded for the destruction of mankind.
And one might well conjecture that these were signs of no
common event."
The famines predicted by Christ were likewise fulfilled. The
one foretold by Agabus, noted in the Acts of the Apostles,
was dreadful, and of long continuance. It extended through
Greece and Italy; but was most severely felt at Judea, and
especially at Jerusalem. The contributions noted as brought
by Paul from abroad, to relieve the poor brethren there,
were sent during this sore famine. Authors of that time
mention two other famines in the empire, previous to the one
occasioned by the siege of Jerusalem.
"Pestilences" too, the Saviour adds. Two instances of this
signal judgement took place before the last Jewish war. The
one took place at Babylon, where many Jews resided; the
other at Rome, which swept off vast multitudes. Other
lighter instances of this calamity occurred, in various
parts of the empire; as both Tacitus and Suetonius record.
Our Lord also adds, "And fearful sights and great signs
shall there be from heaven," Josephus (who can never be
suspected of wishing to favour any prediction of Christ; and
who probably knew not of any such prediction, when he
wrote,) gives accounts of events, which strikingly answer to
this premonition. Speaking of the infatuation of his
countrymen, in running after imposters, while they neglected
the plainest admonitions from heaven, he gives account of
the seven following events;
1. He says; "On the 8th of the month Zanthicus, (before the
feast of unleavened bread.) at the ninth hour of the night,
there shone round about the altar and the circumjacent
buildings of the temple, a
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light equal to the brightness of the day; which continued
for the space of half an hour."
2. "About the sixth hour of the night, (says Josephus,) the
eastern gate of the temple was found to open without human
assistance." This gate was of solid brass; and so large and
heavy, as to require twenty men to close it. And Josephus
says, "it was secured by iron bolts, and bars, that were let
down into a large threshold consisting of one entire stone."
The Jews themselves concluded, from the miraculous nature of
this event, that the security of their temple had fled. When
the procurator was informed of it, he sent a band of men to
close the door; who with great difficulty executed their
orders.
3. Again, the same celebrated Jewish author says: "At a
subsequent feast of pentecost, while the priests were going
by night into the inner temple, to perform their customary
ministrations, they first felt (as they said,) a shaking
accompanied by an indistinct murmuring; and afterwards
voices as of a multitude saying in a distinct and earnest
manner: "Let us depart hence." How striking was this
miraculus premonition. It commenced with a shaking, to call
and fix the attention of these Jewish priests. Then was
heard an indistinct murmur. This would make them listen with
all possible heed. Then they heard the distinct voices, as
of a multitude in great earnestness and haste;--"Let us
depart hence!" And their last fatal war with the Romans
commenced before the next season for celebrating this feast.
4. Another sign was the following. The same author says; "A
meteor, resembling a sword, hung over Jerusalem, during one
whole year." This could not have been a comet, for it was
stationary a whole year, and seems, from the words of
Josephus, to have been much nearer than a comet, and
appeared to be appropriated to that city. This reminds one
of the sword of the destroying angel, stretched out over
Jerusalem, I Chro. xxi. 16. This stationary position of the
sword for a year, was a lively indication that the impending
ruin was fatal.
5. Josephus says again: "As the high priests were leading a
heifer to the altar to be sacrificed, she brought forth a
lamb in the midst of the temple."--Most striking rebuke to
those infidel priests, who had rejected the Lamb of God who
had shed his blood once for all, and abrogated the Levitical
sacrifices; which yet they were impiously continuing. This
wonder was exhibited in the
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temple, the type of the body of Christ, and at the passover,
when at a preceeding passover Jesus was arrested and
sacrificed; and it took place before the high priests and
their attendants; so that they could never complain for want
of evidence of the fact.
6. This author says: "Soon after the feast of the passover,
in various parts of the country, before the setting of the
sun, chariots and armed men were seen in the air passing
round about Jerusalem." This strange sight occurring before
sunset, and being seen in various parts of the country, must
have been a miraculous portent; a sign from heaven. The Jews
had said, "What sign showest thou, that we may see and
believe." Now they had their signs in abundance; yet they
would not believe.
7. The last and most fearful sign Josephus relates; that one
Jesus, son of Ananus, a rustic of the lower class, appeared
in the temple at the feast of tabernacles, and suddenly
exclaimed, "A voice from the east--a voice from the west--a
voice from the four winds--a voice against Jerusalem and the
temple--a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides--a
voice against the whole people!" These words he continued to
exclaim through the streets of Jerusalem by day and by
night, with no cessation (unless what was needed for the
support of nature) for seven years! He commenced in the year
63, while the city was in peace and prosperity, and
terminated his exclamations only in his death, amidst the
horrors of the seige, in the year 70. This strange thing,
when it commenced, soon excited great attention; and this
Jesus was brought before Albinus, the Roman governor, who
interrogated him, but could obtain no answer except the
continuation of his woes. He commanded him to be scourged,
but to no effect. During times of festivals, this cry of his
was peculiarly loud and urgent. After the commencement of
the siege, he ascended the walls, and in a voice still more
tremendous than ever, he exclaimed, "Wo, wo to this city,
this temple, and this people!" And he then added, (for the
first time for the seven years,) "Wo, wo to myself!" The
words were no sooner uttered, than a stone from a Roman
machine without the walls, struck him dead on the spot!
Such were the signs in the heavens and in the earth, which
just preceded the destruction of Jerusalem. Several of them
are recorded by Tacitus as well as by Josephus. The veracity
of Josephus as a historian is probably allowed by all.
Scaliger affirms that he deserves more credit as a writer
than all the Greek and Roman historians put together.
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From the conquest of Jerusalem by Pompey, sixty years before
Christ, the Jews repeatedly had exhibited a most rebellious
spirit against the Romans. The Jews had basely said to
Pilate concerning Christ, "If thou let this man go, thou art
not a friend of Caesar." But the fact was, they persecuted
Christ because he would not erect a temporal throne in
opposition to Caesar. Any imposter who seemed prepared to do
this, they were ready to follow; and were ready to improve
every apparent occasion to evince their decided hostility to
the Romans. And they barely needed a prophet's eye to
discern that this spirit and conduct (manifested on all
occasions) would soon draw against them the Roman sword.
Judas, a Gaulonite, and Saddue, a Pharisee, had rallied the
Jews with the idea that their paying tribute to the Romans
would not fail to confirm them in the most abject slavery;
in consequence of which, their enmity often burst forth with
malignant violence,--Tumults and riots increased; and Florus,
the Roman governor of Judea, by his cruel exactions,
increased this spirit among the Jews. Eleazer, son of the
high priest, persuaded the officers of the temple to reject
the offerings of foreigners, and to withhold publick prayers
for them. The Roman government felt the insult; and a basis
was soon found to be laid for a Roman war! Feuds and
contentions increased in Judea, till Cestius Gallus marched
an army thither from Syria to restore order. His march was
marked with blood and desolation. The city of Zebulon,
Joppa, and other villages in his way, he plundered and
burned. Eight thousand four hundred of the inhabitants of
the former place he slew. The district of Narbatene he laid
waste, and slew two thousand of the Jews in Galilee; reduced
the city of Lydda to ashes, and drove the Jews, (who made
desperate sallies upon him) till he encamped within a
hundred miles of the capital. Soon after, he entered
Jerusalem, and burned some part of the city. But through the
treachery of his own officers, he made an unexpected flight.
The enraged Jews pursued him, and slew about sixty thousand
of his men. Many of the rich Jews, alarmed at the Roman
invasion, fled from Jerusalem, as from a foundering ship.
Some suppose many of the Christians now fled to a place
called Pella in the mountains of Judea. Matt. xxiv. 15-17.
Nero being informed of the defeat of Cestius, gave the
command to Vespasian to press the war against the rebellious
Jews. He and his son Titus soon collected an army of sixty
thousand men. In A.D. 67, he marched from Ptolemais to
Judea, marking his steps with ravages and desolation.
Infancy and age fell before the furious
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soldiery. All the strong towns of Galilee and many of those
of Judea fell before the victorious arms of Vespasian, who
slew not less than one hundred and fifty thousand
inhabitants. Signal vengeance was taken on Joppa, which had
in part been rebuilt, after it had been by Cestius reduced
to ashes. Vespasian was enraged at the frequent piracies of
this people. The Jews of this place fleeing before him,
betook themselves to their shipping. But a furious tempest
overtook those who stood out to sea, and they were lost. The
others were dashed vessel against vessel, or against the
rocks. Some in their distress laid violent hands on
themselves. Such as reached the shore were slain by the
enraged Romans. The sea for some distance was stained with
their blood. Forty thousand are said to have been swallowed
up in the waves; and not one escaped to relate their
catastrophe. Truly this was "distress of their nation, with
the sea and waves thereof roaring!"
Vespasian returned from Jericho to Caesarea, to prepare for
a grand siege of Jerusalem. Here he received intelligence of
the death of the emperor Nero. This led him to suspend for
the present the execution of his plan against the Jews. This
respite to that devoted people continued about two years,
and but encouraged them to deeds of greater enormity.
A spirit of faction now appeared in Jerusalem.--Two parties
first, and afterwards three, raged there; each contending
with deadly animosity for the precedence. A part of one of
these factions having been excluded from the city, entered
it by force during the night; and to such madness were they
abandoned, that they butchered on that fatal night not less
than eight thousand five hundred of men, women and children,
whose mangled bodies appeared the next morning strewed in
the streets of Jerusalem. These abandoned murderers
plundered in the city; murdered the high priests Ananus and
Jesus, and insulted their dead bodies. They slew their
brethren of Jerusalem, as though they had been wild animals.
They scourged and imprisoned the nobles, in hopes to terrify
them to become of their party; and many who could not be
thus won, they slew. In this reign of terror, twelve
thousand of thehigher orders of the people thus perished;
and no relative dared to shed a mourning tear, lest this
should bring on him a similar fate. Accusation and death
became the most common events.--Many fled but were
intercepted and slain. Piles of their carcasses lay on
publick roads; and all pity, as well as regard for human or
divine authority, seemed extinguished.
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