appointing of his men some to be spies and some to keep watch and ward about the Temple of the Lord. But Jehochanan who because of the great resort of the people unto him was stronger than Eleazar he took the market place and streets and the lower part of the City Then Schimeon the Jerusolemite took the highest part of the Town wherefore his men annoyed Jehochanans part sore with Slings and Cross-bows Between these three there was also most cru el battel 's in Jerusalem for the space of four daies without ceasing or any breathing and every day were very many slain so that the blood of the Jews that were then slain ran in every place most abundantly through the market-Market-places and streets yea even to the Temple of the Lord like unto a flood that had come of great showres and unto the thresholds of the gates of the Temple the dead bodies overwhelmed one another by heaps for no man buried them Jehochanan having the middle part of the Town had Schimeon on the one side of him and Eleazar on the other But Schimeon had the best place from whence he might annoy both Jehochanan and Eleazar Eleazar did also what he could to endamage Schimeon And Jehochanan that was in the middest encombered them both notwithstanding to little purpose For Schimeons company flung stones and shot at them sore but when as Jehochanans part flung likewise at them the stones rebounded back upon themselves Thus amongst these three the battel was sore and encreased every day that all men were in great terrour and fear thereof Then assembled to the Temple much people of the Priests and Elders beseeching these Intestine and Domesticall enemies not to pollute and defile the Temple with their slaughters and were almost all slain for their labour The same day was slain the Priest Anani Joshua a Priest both of the chiefest Priests Sechariahu also the most faithfull Prophet of the Lord. Then had the continuall Sacrifice ceased 36. daies for ever until that time was there some good men or other of Jerusalem that offered alway sacrifice to the Lord. But now when they would have continued it and the Priests laid the sacrifice upon the Altar the Seditious would run upon them and kill them so that the Priests bodies and their cattel that they would have sacrificed should fall dead to the ground together They that resorted also out of the Country of Ierusalem for devotions sake the Seditious slew and utterly destroyed them that almost no one of them was left alive Moreover the dead bodies of men lay cast in the Temple and that without number troad under feet yea the dead body of the Priest that was offering sacrifice lay upon the earth together with his offering And when any man would offer any sacrifice straight way one or other of the Seditious would step to him and kill him that the blood of the sacâ—…ifice and sacrificer should be mingled together In somuch that the pavement of the Temple being all of marble was made so slippery with the blood and fat of them that were slain that no man could go upon it without falling And the Priest should no sooner lay hands on the sacrifice but he was slain and straight another dead body should fall upon him stranger or other they spared none So thus the dead bodies of the good and bad clean and unclean wicked and vertuous theef and true man lay one upon another and their blood mixt together in the midst of the Temple without respect of any man of what degree or condition soever he were Wherefore the fight and slaughter waxt great both in the Town and in the Temple Nay whomsoever the Seditious overcame they set fire on their houses also whereby the fire took into the great men's houses that were nigh the Temple and into the store-houses whereas against times of necessity and besieging of the Town were laid up in store corn wine and oyl to the number of a thousand and four hundred store-houses all filled full of victuals For the Elders and other godly men what time as Vespasian was in Galilee they made up the doors of those Garner-houses and laid in victuals into them sufficient for two hundred thousand men twenty years and now in this one battel of the Seditious they were burnt every one stick and stone which was a speedy cause of famine and hurger in Ierusalem At the same time also the Seditious pulled down and razed all the fair houses and goodly buildings that there should be no monument of any noble house left to any in the City of Ierusalem So thus you see at that time the Lord visited the Citizens of Ierusalem with four kind of plagues sword pestilence hunger and fire besides this a fift was added the ruine and decay of all beautifull and glorious buildings And wheresoever a man turned him there was nothing but desolation pollution namely of the Temple and all holy things uproars without all rest and refuge no help no succour but every corner of Ierusalem was full of howling and yelling wailing and weeping sobbing and sighing of women and children Here should ye hear the roaring groaning of wounded men not yet thorough-dead there the mourning and lamentation of the Elders younger children crying out for hunger to be short most sorrowfull oppression of them that lived done by the Seditious Such lamentations were made every where that happy and fortunate was he that before this day died and unhappy and in a wofull case were all such as remained alive to see this day All these things when I Joseph heard tydings of I tore my hair with my hands and cast ashes on my beard sitting in great sorrow on the ground bewailing the misery and calamity of Jerusalem And this lamentation made Joseph upon Jerusalem How is the City quoth he laid wast that was wont to be more happy and more renowned than all the Provinces upon the earth How is the City that was heretofore in such highness and dignity now brought under the foot through the sons of the Citizens thereof Whereas sometime was the dwelling place of the faithfull now bear rule there such men as provoke and stir Gods wrath against it and turn it away from their God wasting it as theeves In the which sometime remained the brightness of the Godhead it is now become a by-word and mocking-stock to the enemies replenished with blood of wounded and slain men Instead of mirth gladness rejoycing harps and psalteries is sorrow sighing heart-breaks mourning and pensiveness come in place Even as heretofore the priests executed the service of the Lord in offering sacrifices so likewise now seditious persons murthered godly and faithfull men where was wont to be the dwelling place of most wise and prudent men now it is made a common hostry of wicked murtherers theeves O Lord God of Israel have not Angels in time past come down from heaven to earth to fight thy battels Have not the
avoid his displeasure and danger of death for the contrary but if they refused to do it he would not spare any man whatsoever he were that should transgress his commandment but put him to death and give his body to be eaten of the fowls of the air They answered with one voice We are content with these conditions and will do whatsoever thou shalt command us After this Titus considering how earnestly the Jerusolemites were set one against another how they were become such cruel enemies that each of them conspired others death he caused the pits cisterns and trenches that were about Jerusalem to be damn'd up and stopt with earth that the wayes might be levelled for his Army This done he encampt himself nearer the walls Against which attempt the Jews issued not out of the City after their accustomed manner to put them back from the walls For Schimeon was otherwise busied he had entertained ten thousand men of the best of the Seditious Jews and joyned himself to Jacob the Edomite Captain of nine thousand Edomites with whom he had made a conspiracy utterly to destroy Captain Jehochanan And setting upon him they compelled him to flee into the court of the Temple where he remained in the gate of the entrance of the Temple with eight thousand and four hundred good men of war all well appointed in jacks Eleazar also was against him and joyned with Schimeon becoming an enemy to him that before had saved his life and so they both together assailed Jehochanan neglecting the defence of the Town By this means the Romans encamped themselves about the walls at their pleasure raising Towers and casting Trenches to plant their battering-Rams to beat down the walls The common people of the Jews â—…hat were under the rule and Government of the three Seditious Captains namely Schimeon Eleazar and Jehochanan which although they were ill enough all yet the tyranny of Jehochanan far passed Schimeon and Schimeon was far worse than Eleazar though Eleazar was the head Authour and first beginner of sedition in all Israel were amongst them as sheep ready to be killed For the foresaid seditious Captains â—…lew the people at their pleasure and divided them into bands casting lots upon them Who should have which so that one had anothers men and another man his And this did they not only with their own men but also with all the rest of the people in such wise that when the Romans made any assault then joyned they together as one man to resist the Romans to whom when they had given a repulse then would they return to their civil wars and fall together by the ears among themselves Extreme and dreadful was the civil conflict at that season between the foresaid Captains and so sore that the blood streamed down the channel out of the gates of Jerusalem like as a brook that runneth out of a fountain and welspring The Romans seeing it were moved with much pity so that they wept bitterly But Joseph that was among them was stricken with so great heavinesse that he burst out into a sorrowful lamentation lifting up his woeful voice in this wise Alas alas Jerusalem the city of the great King How shall I now call thee at this day or what name shall I give thee Sometimes thou waâ—… calâ—…ed Jebus of Jebusaeus that builded thee first in all this Land After that thy name was Zedek that is Justice whereupon King Jehoram was called Melchizedek for he was a righteous King and because he reigned in thee with justice therefore was thy name Zedek Then righteousnesse had abiding in thee and thy bright star that shined in thee was Zedek Moreover in his time wast thou called Schalem as the Scripture witnesseth and Melchizedek King of Schalem and that because the equitie of the people that dwelt in thee was then fulfilled For at that time Abraham our father of worthie memorie fell to worship God in thee and to take thee to his inheritance to plant in thee the root of good works Whereupon the Tabernacle of God remaineth in thee to this day as it was revealed unto the same our father Abraham In thee say I is the Sanctuarie of the Lord. For in that place did Abraham bind his onlie son upon the top of one of the hills that is called Mount Moriah holie and hallowed and therefore art thou called Jerusalem because our father Abraham of famous memory called the place of the Sanctuarie Adonajureth The Lord shall see then thy late name being Schalem this joyned to it made it Jiereshalem For the Lord God shall behold the place of thy Sanctuarie at what time it shall be Schalem that is pure uncorrupt without black or spot but whensoever it is polluted or defiled as it is at this day then will he turn away his face from it Furthermore thou art called Jerushalem therefore because that whoso understands the dignitie and worthiness of the place wherein thy Sanctuarie is shall bid the Angels of heaven to teach in it the doctrines of the holy Ghost and the spirit of wisdom and understanding wherewith little children and the unlearned in thy Land may be made wise He also that ministereth in the Temple had â—…n a garment of four colours Scarlet Violet Bâ—…sse and Purple Scarlet in respect of the heavens that be above the firmament Violet and Bysse colours which he made of flax because of the earth of which they came Finally Purple in respect of the sea where Purple is gotten Therefore when as the Priest came into the Temple to minister apparelled in these four colours he said before the Almighty God I am come to present my self here in thy sight O Lord of the world in four kinds of colours that represent the parts of thy world and in such wise do I appear before thee as though I should bring all the whole world into thy sight Moreover the aforesaid apparel was garnished with pure gold and precious stones after the likenesse of the Tribes of the sons of Jacob who was called Israel that in that garment he might have the soveraignty before the Angels that be above and by them prevail to bring the vertue of the holy Ghost by the which they should obtain wisdom that dwell in thee and prosper in their study and faith that they might have wisdom and understanding together His loyns also were girded with linnen flops wherewith he covered his secret parts for it becometh Priests most of all other persons to be shamefac'd and bashful especially when he should minister in the two Sanctuaries the outer and the inner which is the Sanctum Sanctorum or holiest of all In the outer the Priests minister as the High Priest commandeth them but in the inner that is the Sanctum Sanctorum entreth no man save the High Priest only and that but once a year For in it was the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord in which were laid up the two Tables of the Covenant that God made
Levi. The fruits of this Land were these in special Balm Hony Spices Myrrhe Nuts Almonds nor is their Wheat to be forgotten nor their Oyl with which they traded in the market of Tyrus besides the forenamed commodities Ezech. 27.17 That it did excel in Palm-trees Strabo tels us and the Roman coyns which in their reverse represent a woman sitting in the gesture of a mourner under a Palm-tree signifying Judaea captivated But the Almighty as he drove out and destroyed the Nations which dwelt in this land before so did he afterwards his own people because of the greatness of their sins so that the Land as he tels us by his Prophet spued them out and turned part of this countrey whereabout Sodom and Gomorrah stood into slime pits or the dead or salt sea when as before it was for pleasantness like to the garden of God even so did God deal with his own unthankfull and rebellious people first he carried the ten Tribes into bondage by Salmanazer who at this day are not to be found the other two Tribes were carried away into Babylon where they indured 70. years Captivity and last of all for rejecting and crucifying his own son the Lord of glory they have been destroyed driven out of their own Country and continue as vagabonds thorow the whole world And the fruitfulness of this goodly Country doth scarce appear at this day according to that of the Psalmist Psal. 07.33 34. He turneth rivers into a wilderness and the water-springs into dry ground a fruitfull land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein No man hath observed the great increase of their seed which Isaac fonnd who sowed in that Land and reapt a hundred fold at this day the balm which Justin the Historian writes of brought in their treasure was a plant not as some have thought proper or common to Arabia but as Pliny notes peculiar to the Lanâ—… of Judaea or Syria as others call it and of that high price that it was valued at an equall rate and somtimes double to silver is now no where to be found Nevertheless lest men should think in their foolish imaginations that this Land had never been such as it is by the Word of God himself commended to be in some places there are certain marks and signs of the ancient fertility thereof for in a certain Plain divers miles long and broad there is found such fruitfull pastures that in so hot a Country the grasâ—… is seen to grow in some places as high as a mans middle in other places as high as to the brest But though the Lord for a time hath cut off this his people and turned their fruitfull Land into barrenness yet he hath abundantly shewed as in his word that the fulness of the Gentiles being come in God will have mercy upon and take into his favour this his Ancient people re-establish them in their own Land in security and without all doubt restore the Land to its former fruitfulness All which let us humbly pray to God the Father that for his infinite mercies in Jesus Christ he will speedily accomplish and turn the wilderness into a standing water and dry ground into water-springs Amen The first Book of the WARRES OF THE JEWES The Proeme IN the great Volum of Josephus there were Historicall Narrations made of things â—…s they had reference in chief to the Romans and other Nations This lesser Piece or Epitome rather declares matters as they relate principally to the Jews themselves and the State of their Common-wealth from the Macchabees unto their final subversion and ruine of the second House therefore according unto those things that we have found in the Book of Joseph the Priest son of Gorion and in other books written according to most certain truth we will draw forth and rehearse some things for the comfort that may thence arise especially seeing all the Prophets have bent and directed their Prophesies and predictions to this point that the Kingdom of the house of David should be restored and and flourish in time to come Therefore if there had been any Kings of the house of David during the time of the second Temple then should we have been in suspence yea even now already our hope had been dasht But there was no Kingdom of the house of David in that Age save only a certain Dominion that Zerrubbabel and Nehemiah had Yea rather the Kingdom remaine at that time in the House of the Machabees and in such that were toward Them and their Servants But now to the purpose CHAP. I. VVHen Alexander the first King of the Greeks had established his Kingdom he died being yet but a young man and his Kingdom was divided among four of his Captains as it is written Whiles He is yet alive His Kingdom shall be broken and delivered into four coasts of the Heavens Dan. 8. He left behind him a son of tender years called Archelaus whose Tutor or Governour perceiving him to be toward gave him impoysoned drink and made him away These Captains made war one upon another of whom one that was named Ptolomy procured Mâ—…ses Law to be Translated into Greek to the intent he might find some occasion to pick a quarrell against Israel For by their Law he sought means to withdraw them from their Religion accordâ—…ng to Psal. 129. Many a time have they affâ—…cted me from my youth up may Israel now say There were Seventy ancient men that Translated the Law whom Pâ—…olomy the King separateâ—… one from another putting every man a part in a house by himself But they all agreed in one sence albeit they changed 13. places which was not done without miracle that they all agreed together in the meaning and writing as though one alone had writ it These 13 places be these First God created in the beginning Here no word or thing is put before Name of God and also for that in the Greek Tongue the thing that doth is put before and that that is made is placed after least this word Berâ—…shith should be taken for a â—…reator and Eâ—…him for a creature The second I will make man according to the image and likeness Gen. 1. I for we that it should not be thought as though he were one that consulted with other therein The third And God finished the sixth day and rested the seventh Gen. 2. 〈◊〉 for seventh least it should seem as though He had made any thing in the seventh day and in it ended his working The fourth Go to I will go down and â—…here will confound their Laâ—…guage Gen. 2. I for we least by speaking in the pâ—…all number He should have been thought to be 〈◊〉 The fifth And Sarah laughed speaking to them that stood by her Gen. 18. With them that stood by her for to her self because Ptolomy the King should not mock them and say Who shewed you what she said to her self The sixth Because in their fury they killed an Oxe
head and fled to the hill Then blowing their horns and making a shout together they rushed down upon the Grecians camp But when the Grecians saw that their grand Captain was slain they fled Chasmoname and his sons with all Israel followed the chase overthrew them and made great slaughter This done Mattathias the Priest went to Jerusalem puâ—…ified the Temple restored the worshipping of God and commanded all that were born during the time of Polipus to be circumcised for by the means of his inhibition they were uncircumâ—…sed Thus being established he sate upon the Throne of the Kiugdom and drove the Greeks out of the Land of Israel His kingdom endured one year which was the 212. year from the building of the second House After this he fell sick and like to die charged his sons to keep the observations of the Lord and to walk in his wayes also to play the men against the Grecians for the Religion of the Lord. Then brought he forth Judas a tall man a hardy and placing him in the Sanctuary took a horn of oyl and poured it upon his head whereat the Israelits clapped their hands and gave a great shout saying God save the King God save the King Soon after Judas gathered an Army of Israel and made an expedition against the Remnant of the Greeks that were left in the Holds of Israel and whatsoever he took in hand God gave it good successe Notwithstanding Antiochus sent against him a Puissant Army under the leading of one Captain Pelonius against whom Judas so warred that the Grecians went to wrack for he espied his time when they were destitute of victuals and speedily set upon them beat them down handsmooth and approached to Captain Pelonius slew the valiantest about him yea and him also When Antiochus heard this he was in a great rage wherefore he chose out a most valiant Captain called Lysias and sent him against Jerusalem with 1000. Horsemen and Footmen without number Judas having knowledge thereof commanded a Fast throughout all Israel for three dayes and afterwards took Muster of all his Army and made over them Captains of thousands hundreds fifties and tens These said to their souldiers Whosoever is afraid c. Whereupon many of the people returned home yet there remained 7500. of such courage all that one would not have run away for a hundred Lysias divided his Hoast into three parts committing them unto three Captains Nicanor Bagris and Ptolomy But after the Israelits had once given a great shout the Lord beat down the Greeks so that the Israelits destroyed nine thousand of their enemies and spoiled the whole Hoast and they that remained alive took themselves to flight The next day King Judas kept his Sabbath together with all Israel in the Temple for the battel was upon the sixth day The morrow after the Israelits returned to the spoil of those that were killed and after to pursue other that were not able to resist but they found none for they were fled into Astaroth Karnaum During the time of these Wars Antiochus invaded the Land of Persia for they had moved War against him and done injury wherefore he fought against him but having the overthrow at their hands he returned to Antiochia with great shame where also he found his Armies with another dishonour and foil Wherewith he was in such rage that he gathered together all the valiantest and best Warriours in all Grecia yea all that were able to bear weapons swearing he would bring with him such an Army that all the ground about Jerusalem should not suffice them to stand upon whom he would have with him even for his footmen only And he set forward his Horsemen with horses and wagons laden with all manner of munition for the Wars as Bows Shields Targets Swords and Spears Brestplates and Morions besides a great number of Elephants and such that twelve valiant men might fight upon one Elephant the Elephants being to them as a fortresse But King Judas taking heart to him put his trust in his God and joyned battel with him At length when he with the power of Israel approached to the Elephants they â—…lew them down right so that the Elephants roared the Horses and all the beasts that drew the baggage and furniture were very sore afraid King Antiochus also being mounted upon his Mare and not able to sit her in her flight was thrown down His servants therefore finding him took him up and bare him a while upon their shoulders and being a corpulent and grosse man they were not able to carry him further but cast him down in the way The Lord had plagued him also and his whole Host before with a dry scab or rotten mattier and with other most horrible diseases therefore as he saw all these things he confessed it to be the hand of God Whereupon he made a vow that if he escaped he would circumcise himself with all his souldiers and would convert them to the worshipping of the God of Israel but God heard him not He â—…ed therefore a foot as well as he might and died by the way through his grievous and sore diseases and Opiter his soâ—… reigned in his stead King Judas with all Israel returned with great joy to the house of the Lord offered sacrifice and as they had laid wood upon the Altar and the sacrifice upon that they called unto the Lord lovingly to accept their sacrifice and in the mean space fire came forth of the Altar by its own accord consuming the sacrifice and the wood the like never chanced unto them to this day This miracle was wrought the 25. day of the moneth Elul or August The King made an expedition also into Arabia to war upon the people thereof and made of them a great slaughter brought them into subjection and made them tributaries In his return he set upon a great City of the Greeks wan it and razed it After that he made a road into Greece ten dayes journey where came against him with a mighty Army the chief man in King Opiters Realm next his person but Judas discomfited him and all his people From whence he went to the City Sypolis that was under the Romans where came forth to meet him Godolias with a royal Present informing him that they had ever born the Israelits good will were their neighbours and shewed them pleasures The King examined the matter and found their words true so receiving their Presents departed thence After this Gorgorius a Captain of the Romans moved War with Judas but Judas struck a battel with him and destroyed his whole Army so that none escaped Opiter son of Antiochus hearing what acts Iudas â—…d in all Countries round about he mustred all his people levyed a puissant Army wherewith he came and besieged Bethar Then cryed Iudas and all Israel to their God with fasting and sacrifices The night after Iudas divided his men into certain bands commanding them to give the Grecians a Camisado
time he had poison given that he died thereof Besides this also his son which came with him Ptolomee cast in prison These things justly chanced unto Simeon for that he had transgressed the word of the Lord that forbad all alliance with the Gentiles The time that he reignover Israel was eighteen years Then John his son reigned in his stead who was called Hircanus in the Greek Tongue The same-Ptolomy king of Egypt invaded Israel with all the power that he could make But John the son of Simeon met him and the Lord overthrew Ptolomy with his whole Host that they were slain of the Israelites and pursued to the City Dagon about which time the Israelites made trenches and besieged it Now within the Town they had the mother of king Hircanus whom Ptolomy caused to be set upon the walls and to be scourged with whips in the sight of her son When Hircanus saw the great affliction of his mother he would have raised his siege and departed from Ptolomy But his mother called unto him and said My dear son John regard not my trouble for all chastenings come from God Proceed manfully with thy siege against this City for it is in great distresse and revenge me thy father and brother murthered by Ptolomy The king followed her advise and manfully raised a Mount from the which he battered the walls with Engines of Iron like Chariots till they began to shake Wherefore many of the souldiers of the Town fled and their companies began to shatter Ptolomy seeing this commanded to afflict his mother yet more and to increase her scourgings until the entrails of Hircanus was moved that he could not abide longer to see his mother so cruelly handled but leave the siege and let Ptolomy escape who neverthelesse killed his mother and fled into Egypt In the fourth year of king Hircanus reign Pius king of Greece came and besieged Jerusalem with a great power and strength whom Hircanus was not able to meet and encounter withal in the field but suffered himself to be closed up in the City The king of the Grecians therefore raised great towers against the City apart from the wall digged a trench and cast up a mount Then planted they their Engins named Pâ—…ams against the gates so that the City was hard besieged for they beat down one of the Turrets that stood upon the wall whereat all Israel was afraid and agreed together to issue out and skirmish with them whatsoever should come thereon life or death Which although Hircanus liked not yet they did so and slew many of their enemies and put them also to flight that they were constrained to encamp themselves further off from Jerusalem Then the Israelites came to the towers that the Greeks had builded and razed them to the ground Thus they issued out daily skirmishing with Pius until the Feast of the Tabernacles Then sent Hircanus to Pius desiring him that he would grant them Truce and let them be at peace while the Feast lasted His request Pius granted and sent a fat Oxe to be offered to the God of Israel covering his horns with beaten gold and dressing him with fillets of christal other precious stones clad also in a garment of Purple and divers other precious cloaths He sent moreover plate both of silver and gold full of divers kinds of spices all to be offered unto the Lord. When Hircanus saw this he went out unto Pius and after he had made peace with him he made him and his chief men of War a great Feast and gave him a Present of Iâ—…I C. pound weight of Gold He went also with Pius to aid him against the King of Persia that at that time rebelled against him But he tarried there not long because the time of Pentecost was at hand Wherefore Hircanus and the Host of Israel returned but Pius and his Army of the Grecians proceeded Whom the king of the Persians met in the field slew Pius himself and vanquished the residue that almost none remained VVhereof when tydings came to Hircanus he was very glad and returned to Jerusalem with peace and joy After this Hircanus made many great Battels with the Nations about him and had ever victory He also came to the Mount of Corizim where he won a fort of the Sectaries and Samaritans and razed the Temple that the Sectaries had there as their house of Sanctuary which they builded by the licence of Alexander the first king of the Greeks He that built it was Manasse the Priest brother to Simeon the just But Hircanus the high Priest pulled it down two hundred years after that it was builded From thence he went to the Gity of Samaria and besieged it This was the mâ—…ther City of the Samaritans and Sectaries which was brought to such distresse by the long siege of Hircanus that they within were fain to eat the carcases of Dogs The feast of Propitiation then at hand Hircanus made speed to Jerusalem to execute his office at that feast for he was high Priest appointed for Generals of his Army Aristobulus his eldest son and his second Antigonus In the mean season they within the Town writ to the king of Greece to come to succour them which he did with a great power But these two young men the kings sons went to meet them with the strength of the Israelites and gave them the overthrow killing them up almost every one to the number of twenty one thousand fighting men and the rest fled That done the young men returned to the siege of Samaria King Hircanus their father had tidings of the coming of the Grecians against his sons so that he perceived they should have the Grecians of the one side of them and the Samaritans and Sectaries of the other but he knew nothing what was hapned for that victory chanced the ninth day of Tisre or September His heart therefore was careful for his sons and for Israel notwithstanding he proceeded in his office according as the feast required as he entred into the house of Sanctum Sanctorum or the Most Holiest to offer incense and to call for mercy for his children and for his Army he heard a voice speaking unto him Never trouble thy mind with thy children and with the Host of Israel for yesterday the Lord of mercy heard them and according to the greatnesse of his goodness for thy Fathers sakes Let thy heart therefore be right and thy hands pure So the King going out of the Sanctuary declared it to the people Whereupon the next day he sent post to Samaria and was assure dry certified again that this was true VVherefore King Hircanus was magnified greatly of all Israel for they knew that the blessed Lord accepted his doings inspiring him with the holy Ghost and increasing his kingdom and Priesthood After this he took journey to Samaria besieged it a whole year and at length wan it slew all also that bare life within He razed the walls the palace and
done to you which displeaseth me out of measure wherefore I assure unto you a faithful league by the consent and counsel of the Senate of Rome that hereafter there shall never any Roman Captain stir hand or foot against you but rather your Chieftains Rulers and Judges shall be all Jews and of Jerusalem Yea Agrippa your King shall be Lord of all your Rulers and what he commandeth you shall do it the Romans shall only be called your Lords and have no more to do with you So when these Legates came to Jerusalem they went and spake with Anani the Priest informing him of Nero's mind and shewed him his Present placing it afore him The Present was this A Bull for a burnt-offering with a Crown of Gold upon his head his hornes also were covered with Gold upon him was a cloth of purple powdred with precious stones there went certain before him that carried ten talents of Gold behind followed very many Sheep for peace-offerings When Eleazar Ananies Son heard thereof he came and cast out of the Temple of the Lord Nero Caesars Presents saying We will not profane and unhallaw the Sanctuary of our Lord with the offerings of strangers for God will accept neither their burnt offerings nor their peace-offerings When he had so said he sounded a Trumpet set his men in array against the Host of the Romans that kept watch and ward in the City of Jerusalem and slew many of them that day with one of their Captains also and another they took alive He being a valiant man and seeing the routs of the Jews to urge him grievously said unto them Save my life and I will yield unto whom Eleazar the Rebell sware that he would not slay him but spare him for his manhood for he had slain very many of the Jews before whereupon he yielded himself Then Eleazar said unto him Like as thy sword hath made many Women childless so shall thy mother be made childlesse of thee above all other and therewith contrary to his oath he commanded his servants to kill him King Agrippa seeing this was wonderfully sorry Therefore as he stood in one of the streets he cryed O thou Rebel Eleazar I pray God that this mischief whereof thou art cause and thy acts may light upon thee and thy fathers Houseâ—… which when it cometh to passe we shall never be dismayed at It appeareth they shall have somewhat to do that study to make peace and tranquility in thy dayes for they are sure to be destroyed with thee How long wilt thou continue to bring us into the Bryars Thou enemy and hater of the Lord Why doest thou destroy and waste the Vineyard of the Lord GOD of Hosts Eleazar answered him What takest thou upon thee the name of a King if thou be a King why commandest thou not us to be punished Where be thy valiant souldiers Let 's see Come thou and they together and chasten me that it may be tried whether thou be a King indeed or no Thou slandest aloof off and when thou speakest thy feet are ready to run away as though a dog should set himself against an armed man and bark at him bleating out his tongue With this he winked upon the Rebels his complices to run upon Agrippa and take him whiles he held him in talk but that was perceived of one of Agrippa's servants whom he had appointed for the same purpose to stand over against him as nigh as he might to mark and spy if the Rebels could make any stir toward him and to let him have knowledge He therefore laying his hand upon his head gave a sign to the king to flee saying Away away for if thou tarry any longer the seditious will slay thee and us together Agrippa perceiving that he gat from thence with all speed and the Rebels pursued him but in vain for they could not overtake him So he got to Japho a Town under the Romans where he was in safeguard From thence he fled to Rome and declared to the Emperour Nero the mischief that besel at Jerusalem and all that seditious Eleazar had done to his offering also how his commandment took no place Wherefore Nero joyned unto him again Castius with a huge Army wherewith they both entred Judea and wan many walled Towns amongst which they razed Japho For the Romans perceiving the power of the Rebels to encrease were afraid lest they should get it into their hands whereby it might be an anoyance in time to come to the Romans chiefely seeing it was a notable Haven for their ships to arive in Judea After this both Agrippa and Castius led their Army towards Jerusalem to war upon the Rebels and utterly to destroy them Eleazar and other Priests with much people hearing that they issued out against them and found them encamped in the way between Jerusalem and Japho But after they had joyned battel many of the Jews were slain by the Romans the residue Castius and Agrippa put to flight and pursued the chase unto the gates of Jerusalem besieged also the City for the space of three dayes The fourth day the Priests and the people issued out suddenly unawares upon the Romans set upon their Camp and slew five thousand Footmen and one thousand Horsemen Castius seeing that he nor his could escape he chose out forty thousand of his best souldiers and placed them betwixt his Camp and the Priests commanding them to stand all the night sounding their Trumpets and making of fire that he and Agrippa might escape and that they should not remove out of their place till the morrow The Jews hearkning to the sound of the Trumpets and musing what they should mean pursued not the Romans but perceiving in the morning they were gone toward Caesarea three dayes journey off Eleazar with the people followed and in the way found their baggage strayed that the Romans had caft from them to run the lighter and escape easilier which they let alone and pursued them to the gates of Caesarea But Castius and Agrippa got fast within the town and from thence went both together to Rome where they declared unto Nero the Emperor how they sped at Jerusalem and as they were making relation of this unto the Emperor there came also a Post out of Persia with tidings that the king of Persia was revolted from the Roman Empire These things troubled the Emperour â—…ore to see almost all fall from him that heretofore had obeyed the Empire of the Romans At the same time returned Vespasianus Captain of the Host whom Nero had sent into the West parts of the World as Germany Brittain and Spain which lands he had brought under the subjection of Nero. To him Nero declared what mischief the Priests had wrought to the Roman Host in Judea how they had slain the Romans and so forth as he had heard of Agrippa and Castius which displeased Vespasian greatly After this Nero sent Vespasian and his son Titus to revenge the
Cities that stood on hills then they did divide it in parts and bring it up to the siege by piece-meal and there it was set together again Now when the Romans had battered the walls of Jorpata and Joseph perceived them to shake he took great sacks filled them full of chaff and hanged them down by the walls that the horns of the Ram could not come nigh the stones of the wall but light upon the sacks which by reason of the softnesse of the chaff hindred and brake the stroke that the walls were lesse hurt For the nature of soft things is to give back to the hard and to weaken their force But Vespasian seeing the subtilty of Joseph used also policy for policy for he sent into the Town secretly Jews spies which when the batteries should be might cut asunder the cords that the sacks were tyed to and with them slip down the walls where the Romans were ready to receive them that they should not hurt them in the fall and immediately they struck the wall with the Ram. There was at that present in the City a certain valiant man named Eleazer of the house of Anani the high Priest that then dwelt at Jerusalem This Eleazer perceiving the Romans to go about to batter down the wall as they did before plucked out of the wall a mighty stone so that he made a great hole or gap whereat he slid down the wall and stradling did light on the Engine made fast an iron chain to the horns thereof and got again up nimbly and quickly from the beam into the Town with the chain in his hand for the wall was not very high above his head as he stood upon the Ram then the other tall fellows took hold upon the chain fastened it to the pillars and walls in the Town that the Romans might rather be constrained to break their Ram than take it away from thence The Priest Eleazer yet once again boldly went down and sat upon the beam slew fifty men that laboured about the Ram and the rest he put to flight then returned into the Town being drawn up again from the beam to them that were within the Town greatly rejoycing in his manhood After that he went up upon a high Tower from whence he tumbled down with a mighty force a great stone and a hard on the head of the Ram and brake it that both a great part of the head and the hornes fell on the ground For the iron that it was covered withal was old and rusty so that it was much wasted and eaten therewith the ropes were also old After that Eleazar went down again took part of the head that was broken and hurled it into the Town the Romans that remained either he slew or put to flight The Archers shot at him and wounded him with five Arrows wherefore by the help of his fellows upon the wals he climbed up otherwise he had not been able for the grief of his wouuds The people then gave a shout for joy of the victory of the worthy Priest Eleazar that had slain the Romans and broke their Ram wherein they put their confidence and brought part of it into the Town and fastened it with an iron chain that the Romans could not pull it back again to them nor have the use of it afterward wherefore divers of the best Cities of Jorpata armed themselves that day being stir'd with the great courage that they had seen in Eleazar and went down hewed the beam to pieces brought the poyses with the Rings and two masts with them into the town and the same day died Eleazar with great renown as one that had fought for the Sanctuary of the Lord and for his people and Country of Israel like a faithful servant and souldier of the Lord whom all the people mourned for burying him in the Town honouring him for his death worthiness and faithfulnesse appointing him a worthy memory also for that he had waged battel with the enemies of the Lord. The young men of the Jews seeing this and especially two of them the one called Nitra the other Polipas men of great wisdom and understanding and therewith expert in the Wars being moved with zeal of the God of Israel opened the gates and issued against the Romans skirmished with them and slew many of them But at length they were slain themselves in the skirmish for the Sanctuary of their God for Israel their country When Joseph saw the Wars to encrease more and more he issued out and made a great slaughter in the Roman tents burnt the mount and Engines of War that the Romans had left by which means the Wars waxed yet hotter insomuch that Joseph repulsed the Romans For when they saw the Jews so desperately give their lives for their God and Land they would not abide their force Vespasian seeing his men shrink he stood up and encouraged them exhorting them with fair words and promises as well Gold and Silver as meat and drink wherewith the Romans allured fought with Joseph that day unto the Sun-setting and as the battel waxed hot the Jews wounded Vespasian with an arrow in his right leg which sore dismayed the Romans when they saw the blood run down his leg and that day was a sore fight betwen the Jews and the Romans Titus seeing his father wounded being sore abashed ran to him to help him to whom his father said How is it my son that thou art thus astonied Take heart to thee and with a courage revenge thy father of these Jews that have now the better hand of us So both Titus and Vespasian with all their whole host fought that day a sore fight and many were slain on both parts yea very few were left on Josephs part with whom he returned into the Town The next day the Romans raised a new mount instead of that which Joseph burned and planted another iron-Ram thereupon between two posts accordingly for Vespasian had brought four of this sort with him from Rome but other battering pieces upon wheels had he with him thirty what more what lesse the bigger sort were 30. cubits long the lesser ten He brought also ten Engines to hurle great stones withal which he had placed about the walls The Romans therefore renewed the assaults against the Town as they were wont before But the Town was now desolate and naked of the stoutest warlike men for they were all slain in the fights Albeit Joseph remained and a few with him who went every one and the women also to defend the walls for there was almost no men left fit for the War Then the Romans flung with the Engines that stood on the mount stones into the Town on every side It chanced that a great stone hit a woman with child with such violence that it passed through her body and carried the child with it by the space of half a mile They cast up and raised yet other Mounts also from whence they flung
own hand Such ye know the law thus punisheth Their right hand is cut off wherewith they forced themselves to die then they are left unburied as men that have destroyed their own souls By what reason then shall we kill our selves I would wish that we might be slain of our enemies rather than we should so shamefully murder ourselves whereby ever after we should be taken for man-slayers If any man kill himself as Saul whom he commended without doubt he committeth a haynous crime and such a one as no satisfaction can be made for Besides that he shall be reckoned faint-hearted and as one that despaireth of his recovery wherefore our fore-fathers have taught us A man ought not to despair of his safegard and deliverance which cometh of God no not when the knife is put to his throat to cut it For King Hezekiah of famous memory when he heard these words of Esaias that worthy Prophet Make thy Will and set thy things in order for thou shalt die and not escape Neverthelesse he fainted not nor ceased not to pray to God for the prolonging of his life in theworld that he might amend his life and send a better soul unto God Then the Lord God of Israel seeing his unwearied and strong hope with his repentance suffered him to live fifteen years longer But as for Saul he was not appointed King over Israel after the Lords mind but only by the people that craved of Samuel Give us a King to rule over us whereupon afterward God departed from Saul for he was not obedient to Gods will but went about by force to establish his kingdom The Lord then seeing the wickednesse of his heart gave him over and chose him another to be King over his people anointing David his servant whiles Saul was yet living which Saul perceiving persecuted David and laboured with all his endeavour to destroy him because he knew God was with him and prospered all that he did whereas contrarily all went backward with himself For these causes I say he chose rather to die than live he also would not live after the people of Israel were overthrown in the Mountains of Gilboa And in mine opinion he slew himself for nothing but because he was a faint-hearted coward and utterly despaired of his safegard For although he said Lest these uncircumcised come and run me through Yet if he had been of aâ—…valiant courage he would have stood to his defence to the death Peradventure God would have delivered him But he contrarily all in despair procured both himself and his son a shameful death But ye shall consider this he was an unmerciful King and therefore did God rid him out of the World For as he did not spare his own life nor his son's so did he not spare others And whereas ye alledge Aaron unto me I would know of you why he put himself between the living and the dead Was it not because he would turn away the plague from Israel If he had known that he himself should have been stricken therewith doubtlesse he would not have striven against the striker but trusting in the holinesse of his righteousnesse he stood before the Angel to deliver Israel from that misery Therefore I am not to be compared with Aaron albeit I am one of his children and never yet in all my life did I shrink to venture my life in the Wars of the Lord And now I am not determined to kill my self lest I should sin against God and spoil my soul of hope of salvation I know it well and it were more expedient for me to be slain of mine enemies then that I should kill my self And if ye say the word Let us go forth and suddenly set upon our enemies to kill or to be killed in this battel of the Lord and so shall we do well peradventure God will give them into our hands For God is able to save as well by a small Army as by a great Then if ye see me to be afraid of mine enemies sword ye shall thereby know me to be a coward and one that fawneth upon his enemies and hunteth for their favour But ye shall see me go before you as a valiant man nor once to turn my face from death What did ye ever see in me that you should judge me fearful Did ye ever know me refuse to fight within the Town of Jorpata I have ever kept my quarter and ward and every day have I fought with mine enemies whom I have not spared but impaired and that not a little whiles I defended that little City forty eight daves against them For I thought with my self peradventure I may drive away the enemies of the Lord out of our Land and divert them from Jerusalem that they go not thither And so have I fought with them till all my valiant souldiers be spent and none left but you I could no longer withstand their force yet I would not yeild my self as a prisoner unto them therefore I fled hither with you into this Cave Now therefore Brethren ye shall understand that death is commodious and good indeed which comes in time But it is neither good nor godly for a man to kill himself and his brother to go afterward for that deed into hell and perdition And what other thing can more clearly set forth a mans proud and haughty mind with his hope in God than for a man to suffer patiently whatsoever chanceth unto him until his end come Behold the Lions and other Beasts how they are wont to withstand their enemies that lie in wait for them to the intent they may save their lives whose armour is in their teeth and claws wherewith neverthelesse they hurt not themselves but use them against other that assault them till they either overcâ—…me or be overcome We although we have no warlike Weapons yet have Nature armed us as well as them For albeit we be not of such strength as they yet hath we such armour that we may defend our selves therewith both from man and beast But how can we break the band of love one to another that proceedeth from God who hath chosen us his people and inheritance to sanctifie him How then may we be enemies one against another and kill one another If that be true as ye cannot deny it that although we be many thousands yet we are counted as one soul and members of one body Then how can any man ever find in his heart to strike his own eyes or feet or any other of his members to destroy it except he be mad and besides himself Moreover dear Brethren and Friends consider to what end the Master of a ship doth abide the tempest of the Seas and striveth day and night with the floods thereof Doth he not do it to save the Ship and his life from death If so it be he shâ—…uld willingly for the same purpose put himself in jeopardy of Tempest or run on Rocks Would not the Merchant-men
in a strange Land Certain evil disposed persons of the Roman souldiers went to Vespasian and said Sir you shall do well to command this man to be slain without mercy that hath been the destruction of so many of the people of the Romans This is the very same that shot the arrow and stuck you in the leg Put him to death and then shall ye be sure he shall never move war more amongst you If ye do not ye shall see him one day again raise an Army against us and destroy us But Joseph did find friendship at Titus Vespasian son's hands which came of the Lord. Therefore when he heard those wicked mens words that desired Vespasian to put Joseph to death he disapproved their advice and partly in mockage he taunted them saying Will you tell my Father what he hath to do will you give him so wicked counsel to kill that man that yieldeth himself to us upon the trust of our league and band of friendship which you now go about to break and frustrate Did not Captain Nicanor in my fathers name and Caesars with all the Roman host make a Covenant with him Take heed what you say Is it reason to break the Caesarean fidelity Moreover who can tell whether it may so happen that some of us be taken by the Jews like as Joseph is prisoner herc with us VVhen Vespasian heard his sons words it pleased him and he spared Joseph not suffering him to be slain but committed him to a certain Captain of his and carried him about with him through the Cities together with King Agrippa After this Vespasian removed his Camp to Thalmida which also is called Acho and from thence he went to Caesarea a great City When they of the City saw Joseph they cryed unto Vespasian Kill him kill him or else he will one day be an occasion to stir great wars against thee But Vespasian gave no ear to them Whiles he was at Caesarea tidings came to him that the Citizens of Papho invaded and spoiled the Isles that were subject under his Dominions with a Navy Vespasian hearing thereof commanded to lay wait for them that they might be met withal So there was an ambush laid witâ—…out the Town and it came to passe that when the Pyrates were gone out a roving Vespasian entred the Town and took it without great resistance because their souldiers were absent When the Rovers therefore returned with their Navy and saw the Romans in the City they laboured to set a land but suddenly a huge tempest and a mighty storm drove all their ships against the rocks that were in the sea shore for there was no haven for ships and there they were lost many of them and those that swam to land the Romans slew they that were drowned in the Sea and slain by the Romans were in number four thousand good men of War besides them that were slain in the Town 40000. all Jews This done Vespasian set forth Valericus and Taribus two Roman Colonels with his son Titus who went besieged and wan the Towns of defence that were in Galilee And thus did Titus use them They that yielded unto him he saved their lives and whosoever withstood him he slew Moreover all the Cities that belonged to Agrippa in Galilee he restored them unto him again only Tiarva excepted which he utterly rased and slew all the Males especially such as were apt to the Wars sold also their wives and children And this was the only City in all Galilee that Titus shewed such a rigour and extremity unto CHAP. VII VEspasian departing thence took his journey to Gamala which is a Citie upon the top of a Mountain the name thereof is called Gamala of an Hebrew word Gamal that signifieth to Requite or to do a good turn because it is the best City that belongeth to Agrippa and the inhabitants thereof were all very rich The City also called Seleucia was not far distant from it a Countrey replenished with good Towns Gardens Brookes and all kinde of fruitfull Trees Agrippa besought Vespasian that he would not destroy this City Let me go first saith he and offer them peace peradventure they will take it that they may save their lives from destruction Vespasian was entreated saying unto him Go and do as thou wilt for thine honour's sake I will do so much for thee So Agrippa went to them and spake friendlily and peaceably unto them and they received him in like manner but they meant deceit saying Thou art our Lord and King to whom therefore doth all that is of any price or to be desired in all Israel belong but unto thee Therefore come near unto us and debate the matter with thy Servants Agrippa crediting these Words came close up to the City and as he listned to them that talked with him one cast a great stone from the Wall which lighted just between his shoulders with such a violence that it struck him prostrate to the ground and brake his back with one of his arms also But his Servants stept to him took him up and carried him to Vespasian who seeing him so sore hurt sware he would never go from thence till he had taken the City and ordered them in like manner as he did at Tiarva to leave not a man therein The Roman Physicians did bestow such diligence about Agrippa that they cured him Vespasian in his rage against the Seleucians because they had wounded their King besieged and assaulted them The Jews within the Town encouraged one another saying Let us stick to it now and play the men for we have no other hope to save our lives seeing we have thus used the King Certain stout men of them therefore issued out and encountring with the Romans made a great slaughter amongst them After that the Romans made ready their Engins planted their battering Rams playing with them against the Walls and by that time night came beat so great a part thereof down to the earth that Vespasian and much people with him might enter at their pleasure But Vespasian gave commandment to his Army that they should not enter that night into the Town but stand and compasse the walls until the morrow that they might the better see how to win it Notwithstanding they would not be ruled by him but entred Then the Jews came upon them drew the chains crosse their streets and closing the wayes of the City intrapped them in such sort that they could go neither one way nor other After that settâ—…ng upon them beat them down even there so that they were all slain save ten men that fled with Vespasian and a Captain named Butius one of the best men of War in all the Roman Army yet him the Jews pursued and slew But Vespasian and his fled to the Mountains that he might be there in safegard and from thence he sent to Titus his son that was in Syria for the Roman Army that he had sent with him to Persia which
Anani the high Priest seeing the wicked to be fled to the Temple wiâ—…ed the people to cease their fighting with them in the Temple of the Lord left they should pollute it with the blood and dead caâ—…kasses of those wicked persons The people therefore left off the fight Then Anani beset the Temple round about with 6000. of the choisest and ablest men of the people well armed all of them with jackes and sallets and as well weapon'd with every man a sword a target and a spear or pike to keep the Temple that they should not come forth Moreover Anani cast in his mind that besides the invading them in the Temple which were nowaies seemly it should also be as great a damage if the people of the Lord should assault one another in that place For these causes he sent Embassadors to Jehochanan the Galilean chief Captain of the seditious and thieves offering him peace but Jehochanan refused it For the seditious had sent for the Edomites to come and aid them The Edomites had been ever from their first beginning very valiant and warlike-men yet they were subject to the Jews For Hircanus King of Juda had conquered them and caused them to be circumcised binding such of them as were the best Warriours to this service to stand in arms and keep watch and ward upon the walls of Jerusalem day and night and the rest of them to pay tribute to the Jews Upon a certain night came two and twenty thousand of these Edomites all good men of War against Jerusalem When Anani the Priest and the people that were with him heard the noise of the Edomites Army he went upon the walls and demanded of them what they were from whence they came and whither they would They answered We are Edomites and came out of Idumea to visit the Lord God and his Temple and to see in what case his people standeth for thus we come according to our accustomed manner as ever heretofore Anani answered You are dissemblers and not as your words do shew neither come ye to seek God and his Sanctuary nor yet to aid his people but rather to the supporting of Jehochanan grand Captain of Thieves Were it not better for you to assist the Sanctuary of God than these sinfull seditious persons that covet nothing els then to lay waste the House of God and to destroy his People They in the most holy City of God do shed the blood of Just Godly and Innocent men through whose wickedness the Romans have the upper hand of us because we have civil wars at home with the Seditious and external with the Romans Yea the wickedness of the Seditious is grown so far that the most part of us had rather be slain by the Romans than of our brethren the Jews If so be ye be come to maintain them ye shall understand that ye offend our Lord God exceedingly to help sinners and murtherers that tread the people of God under their feet like as men tread grapes in a wine-press and make the Temple of the Lord a dwelling-place of man-killers and wicked persons Ye say Ye come to seek the Lord how is it then that ye are thus in Arms after the manner of war Ye shall understand we shut not the gates of the Town because of you lest ye should come in after your accustomed manner but because of your armour and weapons that you have with you whâ—…ch are instruments of destruction a very unmeet fashion to come and visit the Lord You should rather have comeâ—…with offerings sacrifices confession and praise Notwithstanding if ye will enter into the Town for devotion sake ye are welcome but ye must lay away your weapons and so enter in peaceably The Edomites answered We marvell not a little at thee which art the high Priest our Lord and mediator and at the rest of the Priests of the Lord with the Elders and Judges of the people that be present with thee and your woâ—…ds seem strange in our ears For we understand you take us for your enemies and thereupon you stop us of our entrance into the City to visit the Lord God after our accustomed manner In that we be armed as ye object unto us Do ye not know that Vespasian draweth nigh to come to this holy City This we hearing of was the cause that we took our weapons with us to come to ayd you and keep the Town as we have been wont these many years But how should ye gather this that we come to support the wicked and seditious that be with you when as from the first day that ever we and our fathers were circumcised we never swarved fâ—…om the Law and commandments of the Lord Tell us if there be any commandmeâ—…t in the Law that biddeth a man to strengthen and maintain the power of the wicked to the which we are bound to hearken and to ayd these God forbid we should do this for we all both that be here and the other Edomites also be servants of the Lord and his people to maintain and defend the Law the people and the house of the Lord. Whiles they were thus talking together there arose up a great cloud and lightnings were seen with fire and darkness with mighty thunderâ—…claps and showers of hail that all that saw it were wonderfully afraid Wherefore the people fled wholly left not only the walls but Anani also for they could not abide to tarry any longer But Anani took heart unto him and abode it to mark those horrible signs of heaven which did appear that he might judge what they betokened The Figure of a fearful Comet And he gave his Judgment indeed but not according to the truth that the thunder and hail with darkness signified Gods help by the hope whereof they should defend the Sanctuary of the Lord. So likewise judged all the Elders that were with him without perceiving that all these signs betokened the evils that should come upon Jerusalem and all Israel When they that were shut in the Temple perceived that they that kept the Watch before the gate of the Temple were fled also for fear of the tempest they went and opened the doors of the Temple and in that darkness which although it was so great that one could not see another for the thickness thereof neither durst any of the Town once look out of his doors they were so afraid of those terrible signs of the Element yet came those desperate fellows the Seditious out of the Temple drew toward the walls without all fear with saws and other instruments to cut asunder the barrs of the gates And when the crashing of the thunder and hail was greatest then laboured they hardest in wresting asunder the locks and bolts of the gates lest they should be perceived And ever when the thunder clap was past then stayed they and left off till it came again Thus plaid they till they had broken and opened the gates and let the Edomites
he took a good heart unto him and valiantly brake through slaying whomsoever came in his way to lay hands on him and so he escaped If they had intended to have slain him they might have done it but being desirous to take him alive as he said they abstained from striking him and so they lost him And God did not deliver him into their hands that by him he might scourge Israel But the Jews seeing him to be thus escaped repented sore that they had not killed him saying one to another What meant we that we killed him not while we might it was ill done of us Therefore they pursued him huâ—…ling and shooting after him with Engins of war but they could not overtake him for God preserved him that he might afterward deliver Jerusalem into his hands So he returned to Ajelona and perceived the hearts of Kings to be in the hands of God The next morning brought Titus all his Army to Jerusalem determining to encamp himself upon the Mount Olivet wherefore he first spake unto his souldiers in this wise This day ye go to fight against a mighty Nation whose warriours be as strong as Lions valiant as Libards and nimble as Fawns that run in the Mountains to overturn Chariots and such as sit upon them Now therefore take good hearts unto you and be couragious for it behoves you Do not think them to be like the Nations that heretofore ye have had to do withall I my self have experience otherwise of their valiantnesse and sleights of war This said he marched in aray most strongly that they should not be scattered asunder and gave them charge especially to the Vangard to take heed of stumbling upon Wells and Cisterns whereby they might be hindred for as yet the day was scarce broken and besides this Titus had knowledge how the Jews fearing of his coming had digged secret trenches and pitfalls Wherefore to avoid them he led his host to Mount Olivet in which place it never came in their minds to dig Therefore when he came to the Mount Olivet he encamped there against Jerusalem right over against the Brook Cedron that ran between the City and the Hill and many times ran very â—…hallow Titus Camp was about six furlongs from the Town The next morning they of the Town seeing Titus to be encamped on the Mount Olivet the Captains of the Seditious with their Companies assembled together and fell to agreement every man with another intending to turn their cruelty upon the Romans confirming and ratifying the same attonement and purpose by swearing one to another and so there was peace amongst them Wherefore joyning together that before were three several parts they set open the gates and all the best of them issued out with an horrible noise and shout that they made the Romans afraid withall in such wise that they fled before the Seditious which suddenly did set upon them at unawares But Titus seeing his men flee rebuked them saying Are ye not ashamed of this timourous cowardliness when ye are so many and a hundred for one of them Whar ignominy is it so many to be repulsed of so few Wherewithall Titus stayed them and brought them manfully to withstand the Jews so that very many were slain on both sides But the Romans were not able long to abide the force of the Jews albeit that Titus with his choiâ—…est and most valiant souldiers did manfully keep their ground and never retreated Titus also laboured and encouraged the rest to sight but they were so dismayed that they wist not what to do For to forsake Titus they were ashamed and to resist the violence of the Jews they were not able Notwithstanding Titus and all his Company made his party good against the Jews who at length left the field and withdrew themselves towards the Town Then Titus being wroth with his souldiers that they had fled from the Jews said unto them Shall I not be revenged of these Jews Shall so few of them put us to flight not able to stand in their hands and will ye flee or retreat seeing me abide by it The next day Titus took all his Army save a few that he left in his Camp to keep his baggage and went down the Mount Olivet setting his men in battel aray even against the gates of the City Then exhorted he them to play the men and although they were come down the hill yet they should not fear the Jews concerning their Camp that they had left behinde them for the Brook Cedron saith he is between our Camp and the Israelites With these words they were encouraged and determined to encounter with the Jews under the walls hard to the gates of the City trusting to the safegard and defence of the Brook Cedron The Captains of the Seditious likewise used policy for they dividing their men sent one company to passe suddenly the Brook Cedron to invade and spoil the Roman Camp that was left in the Mount Olivet These therefore went and fought with the Romans upon the Mount and drove them out of their Camp Titus looking behind him and perceiving that the Jews had gotten over the Brook and were in hand with his men he was wonderfully afraid seeing himself environed with battels on every side They within the Town when they saw their fellows once at the Mount Olivet they opened the gates issued out with all their power that was left in the Town and encountred with Titus where he had set his men in array over against the gate where they made a great slaughter of the Romans which desirous to avenge the shame gotten the day before fled not but stoutly withstood their force Also the Jews took heart to them fought manfully and beat down the Romans so that at length they betook them to flight toward Mount Olivet and in their flight many of them were slain by the Jews that pursued the chase Upon this divers of Titus souldiers seeing themselves beset both before and behinde counselled Titus to flee with them to the Mountains to save his life lest he should be slain by the Jews and they all together with â—…m For thou say they art a great Lord of many Kingdoms and God shall one day bring thee to the Imperial Crown of our Lord thy father Now therefore if thou shouldest be slain of the Jews we are all but dead and what good should thy death do either to thy self or to others to be slain like one of us Titus would not be ruled by them nor receive their counsel but kept his ground boldly without once turning his face saying I will choose rather to die with honour than to live with shame And with that he rushed upon the Jews that were nigh him and compelled them to recoyl When the Jews that had environed the Roman Camp saw that they left the Romans and came flocking about Titus by routs assailing him on every side indeavouring also with all their might to overcharge him Where in
that place was a sore and vehement fight and much people slain on both sides yea Titus escaped narrowly from being slain in that fight and had died indeed if certain of his valiant souldiers had not returned unto him and rescued him out of the Jews hands That day were the chief of Titus souldiers slain Then the Jews retired to their place at the walls side They also who went to the Mount Olivet returned homeward by the Brook Cedron the Romans seeing that pursued them whereupon the Jews returned again upon the Romans who fled by and by Thus the Jews put the Romans to flight thrice upoâ—… one day It came to passe then that the external wars paused and intestine civil wars returned most terribly amongst the Seditious at Jerusalem For upon the first day of the high solemn Feast of Passeover Captain Jehochanan and his men came into the Temple of the Lord where he was honourably received of the Priests and Elders with the rest of the commonalty And when they were within they cast off their upper garments under which they were armed with coats of fence and swords tyed to their thighs After that they beset the doors and laid hold of the Priests slew them and the people also their hearts were so cruelly bent against their brethren neither regarding the reverent countenances of old men nor inclining to the prayers of them that besought them without sparing women or children no not the sucking babes This done Jehochanan stood up and openly protested that neither Schimeon nor Eleazar nor any of the rest of the Captains of the Seditious nor any man else should have the soveraignty in that City but he The other hearing that Jehochanan had wrought such displeasure to the people of God in the Temple rose together and slew very many of Jehochanans part but in the mean season what of the one part and what of the other the Israelites went to wrack and were slain in great number Tydings came to Titus how the Jews were at odds among themselves and slew one another daily whereat he rejoyced greatly and came with his whole host to the Town where he found certain Jews without that had fled because of the rage of the civil wars When they saw Titus they came and besought him to enter the Town and deliver them from the cruelty of the Seditious and they would be his servants for these wars had made them almost weary of their lives Yet Titus gave little credit to their tale although they used many words to peâ—…swade him that it was true For he remembred that within three dayes afore he saw the Jews fight against him eagerly all with one accord so earnestly one rescuing and defending another that no discord appeared to be amongst them Wherefore he would not trust their words in that they required succour and offered to yield And as they were thusdebating the matter suddenly they heard an uprore in the Town and wonderful hurly burly some crying Open the gates let Titus come in other cryed Shut the gates and let not the Romans come in Then certain upon the walls called to the Romans speedily to come unto the Town and they would then open the gates that they might enter in requesting the Romans to deliver them from the tyranny of the Seditious lest say they we should be aâ—…l slain by the hands of these ravinous and cruel Seditious persons The Romans therefore ran to the gates and when they approached nigh to the walls and were come within danger the Jews hurled stones from the walls and shot arrows at them slaying very many of the Romans The other Jews also that were without the Town and had besought Titus to deliver them from the hands of the Seditious began again to assail the Romans that were gone to the walls with much force that many of them they slew the residue they put to flight and the Jews followed the chase almost to Ajelona Then the Jews mockt and flouted the Romans calling them fresh-water souldiers men of no experience and innocent fools that never saw the trains of war before clapping also their targets and shaking their swords against them in mockage The Roman Captains seeing these things they took great disdain at the matter and in great ire would have turned back upon the Jews again had not Titus caused the retreat to be sounded Upon this Titus assembled all his Counsellours Captaâ—…ns and Souldiers together and said unto them in this wise I have a sufficient trial and understand well enough your valiantnesse and courage most worthy men and souldiers which far passeth the strength and man-hood of all other Nations and not only in this most excellent vertue do ye excell but also in knowledge and sleights of war in wisdom and forecast ye have been chief of all other Now therefore brethren and friends I marvel not so greatly at the Jews subtilty and craft in their swearing to you for the perswading of a thing and after keep not their oath but this seemeth wonderful uâ—…to me that ye suffer your selves still to be deceived of them and to be slain by their wiles For all the wit ye have could not deliver you out of their snares but now yet again the third time ye have approached the walls and this is the third time ye have been put to the foyl for your labours And all this cometh because ye will not be ruled by me but transgresse your General and Lords commandment But now my Brethren take heed what ye do hereafter it becometh you not to disobey my words which ye have done often times Do you not remember a certain Nobleman of our Country in the wars of Augustus Caesar against the Persians how he put his own son to death because that contrary to his Fathers commandment who was grand Captain of the Army under Augustus he had fought with his enemies yea although he killed three Persians But what speak I of once Ye have oftentimes set light by my commandments skirmishing daily with the Jews and that without all discreâ—…on rashly and out of ordeâ—… whereby you may gather your enterprises have no good successe If you continue these manners it shall redound unto your own dishonours Wherefore it were better for you to leave off these doings and lay away your pride contumacy and stubbornnesse which if ye do things shall be in better safegard Much more spake Titus to his men rebuking them sharply not mentioned here but declared at large in the Volume that we writ unto the Romans When he had said these words his Princes and Captains fell every one prostrate to the earth and besought pardon of him for their rashnesse in that they had so unadvisedly and without order against his mind encountred with the Jews Then Titus taking pity of them pardoned them requestinâ—… them to beware hereafter that they commit nothing against his commandment neither in word nor deed and so doing they should have his favour and
Romans and are under their subjection at this day What should I speak of the people of the Philistines which heretofore alwayes have vexed and annoyed you Doth not the meanest amongst all the Princes of the Romans bear rule over them What hope then have you to escape when ye know the Philistines were ever stronger than you and you were oftentimes overcome of them As for example Saul your King was slain by them But you will say David the annointed of the Lord of Israel pulled them down and brought them into subjection Wote ye what then God looked upon you with a favourable countenance and fought your battels Himself but at this day He is in no wise present with you for he hath turned away his countenance of salvation from you Because ye have sinned against him And which of you can say he hath intelligence of the secret of the Lord or hath received any such watch-word as God gave at that time unto David When thou shalt hear a sound of mourning in the tops of Mulbery-trees then shalt thou set forward for then shall the Lord go before thy face smite the Tents and Camps of the Philistines 2 Sam. 5. Whosoever I say hath knowledge of any such token let him reveal it to his neighbour and I could well consent to follow it But seeing there is no such thing hearken unto me my dear brethren Come and serve the Romans in peace and tranquillity It shall be no dishonesty for you with the Kings of Persia to be subject to the Romans they that sometime were your Masters shall be now your fellows and companions But if you will persevere and stand in your opinion still I will enter into this discourse with you Tell me I pray you when were ever your ancestours free and when were they not entangled with the wars of the Gentiles and the Dominion of other Nations Had you not ever the victory from the time you came out of Egypt until the reign of Saul the son of Cis So long as the Lord was your King you were in bondage to no man you served God as your only King But after that your evil and corrupt desire stirred you to be irksome to the Lord and lest he should reign alone to chuse a man to have the Dominion over you according as the custom was in other Nations I mean Saul the son of Cis and the other Kings every one then served you him you and your sons and the chiefest of you became his servants your goodliest daughters were made his Confectionaries his Cooks and his Bakers After Saul reigned David of worthy memory who ruled over many Nations But he also brought you into bondage and put divers of you to death to satisfie his pleasure withal He being dead you served Solomon his son who no lesse than the other even as he listed exercised Dominion over you he also took up your sons and daughters and made them his slaves After this succeeded other most wicked Kings so that from that time your Country began to go to wrack and he that was the best amongst them was Rehoboam which said unto you My father corrected you with whips but I will scourge you with Scorpions And so did the rest of the Kings which reigned after him very few of them pleased God All the other wrought abomination not one of them did any good or reigned in the fear of the Lord. And in this manner remained the Empire long time with you until the Kings of Chaldea came and led you Captive into Babylon where you were kept until Cyrus time King of Persia who sent you again into your own Country with a wonderful deal of gold and silver with great honour which was counted unto him for righteousnesse After Cyrus death there rose against you the most wicked Kings of Greece who warring upon you gave you great overthrows until God stirred up the spirits of certain Sage Priests of the stock of Chasmonani that revenged your injuries At that time you were Brethren and Friends with the Romans and friendship grew betwixt you many years After that you fell from the stock of Chasmonani which had delivered you and chose one whose name was Herod who oppressed you grievously After him succeeded Archelaus his son he yet laid a sorer yoke upon you wherefore falling upon him ye protested never hereafter to serve the Kings of Juda. So going to the Romans willingly ye submitted your selves under their subjection to serve Augustus the Emperour who ordered you gently Him you served as other Nations did and it was to your praise because ye were under a good Governour Therefore now my Brethren and Children of my people What mean you at this present that you have determined to die and do not rather spare your selves and your children Consider I beseech you the things that grow upon the earth and all living creatures beasts worms that creep upon the ground fowls of the air and fishes of the sea Do you not see that ever the stronger hath the Dominion over the weaker neither is it any rebuke or shame for the weaker to give place and obey that which is stronger For the Oxe and the Goat are in awe of the Lyon the Ram and the Ewe of the Woolfe the Cow and the Lamb fear the Bear the Goat the Liberd the Hawk is afraid of the Eagle the Dove of the Hawk Weigh the manner of beasts and birds amongst their own kind you shall see ever the bigger and stronger to be master over the lesse and weaker And so in all other things the stronger set themselves before the weaker alwayes Wherefore ye mortal men learn by me Did not one God make all things and He himself hath Dominion over them all Notwithstanding all things are so knit together amongst themselves that no one thing can stand without another But he that holds up all things is the Blessed God who if he list can bring them all into dust again His Name be extolled for ever Take example I pray you from the parts of the whole World you shall see one part to be in subjection another to bear rule Be not then too stiffe-necked to pervert the natural courses of the World but rather let your election follow the causes and events of the same which if you do you shall be esteemed wise men Now my dear Countrymen never think it shame for you to serve the Romans it is time for you now to turn to the Lord with your whole heart and then you shall have the dominion over other Nations according to your desire this shall then come to passe when you follow your Lord God with all your strength Therefore never think that the Romans which have rule over you at this day are of lesse power than other people that heretofore have had dominion over you For they are a mighty Nation their Empire and rule over other people they have from above as I have proved to you by the similitudes
of brute beasts which according to nature bear rule one over another Notwithstanding in mankind it should never have come to passe that the bigger should so have dominion over the lesse unlesse for their sins for the the which they are so punished that one is compelled to bow his neck under anothers yoke Now therefore my dear people take humility and meeknesse unto you never covet to alter the law of Nature but rather receive my words and follow my counsell Obey the Romans prepared and ready to make league with you according to their bountifulnesse that ye may live and do full well CHAP. II. WHen Joseph had spoken these things in the hearing of the Citizens of Jerusalem they burst out and wept gnashing with their teeth and railed at Joseph over the walls hurling stones and darts at him to have killed him Therefore when Joseph saw they would not follow his counsel butwere so stiffe-necked he began to rebuke them crying unto them in this wise Wo to all froward people and such as rebell against the Lord God! What mean ye you wretches what have ye to leane unto that ye are so stubborn when neverthelesse the Lord is gone from you For you are wicked people and have sinned against him How can your sins be purged which you have committed in the Temple of the Lord by shedding of innocent blood without all mercy Ye are most guilty for ye have fought in the Temple and Sanctuary of the Lord ye have defiled it with dead bodies of them which ye have slain in the very midst thereof Besides ye have prophaned and unhallowed the Name of the Lord with making of Wars upon the Sabbath day upon your solemn and festival daâ—…es Tell me now ye froward rebels whether did ever your forefathers prevail against their enemies with spear and shield but rather with prayer pennance and purenesse of heart wherewith they served God and again he delivered them But you what have you to trust unto when as ye are unfaithful Your shelter and protection is departed from you and your Lord God aideth your enemies whose power he maintaineth to destroy you if you imaâ—…ine to be delivered with your swords and speares you are fouly deceived whereas God would not that ye should escape the hands of your enemies Open your eyes and see what David the annointed of the Lord said For the Lord will save neither by sword nor spear Call to your remembrance ye very fools Abraham your father which begot you by what means he overcame Pharaoh the King of Egypt who violently had taken away Sarah his wife from him surely none other way did he obtain the victory then by prayer to the Lord who stirred the spirit of Pharaoh and put him in mind to restore his wife Sarah clean and undefiled Abraham was quiet in his bed and at rest from all troubles but Pharaoh that great Lord and Ruler was punished in the mean season with great plagues because of Sarah whom he had taken to him by violence to deflower her which God would not suffer but rather uncovered Pharaohs flesh that he was fain to shew the secret parts of his body to Physitians to see if they could heal them But who can cure the infirmities which God sends or who knows his intents For who knew that Hezekiahs biles could be healed with a plaister of figs or Naman the Syrian's leprosie with the wâ—…ter of Jordan or the bitter water with wormwood Wherefore when as no man could cure Pharaoh he was fain to speak Abraham fair and to intreat him to pray to God to take away from him his plague and so by his prayer Pharaoh recovered Then Pharaoh apparelled Sarah in precious garments gave her gifts of Gold and Silver and precious Stones and sent her home honest pure and holy to Abraham living then at his own house â—…saac when he was driven out by Abimelech King of the Philistins and had with him the bond servants of his fathers houshold to the number of 800. and 18. with whom Abraham had discomfited five Kings beside many other more of his family so that he had been strong enough to have invadâ—… the Philistines yet he would not do it but with all meeknesse and humilâ—…ty he used himself towards the King of that Country Notwithstanding after he was driven out of the Land the Philistines came unto him and entreated him saying We perceive the Lord God is with thee c. as it is written in the Scripture What shall we say of Jacob when he fâ—…ed from the presence of his brother Esau he carried nothing with him but a bare staffe wherewith he passed ovâ—…r the River Jordan as it is wâ—…itten With my staffe passed I this Jordan His Ammunition that he took with him for his journey was prayâ—…r wherewith he made all his wars That was it for the which God assisted him when he went away to Laban and when he returned from him when also he was delivered out of the hands of his brother Esau who sought to kill him And this also he did bâ—… the way as he returned when he wrestled with a certain man that overcame him O Lord Who is able to number the mercies of the Lord and the marvels which he wrought with our fathers of worthy memory Abraham Isaac and Jacâ—…b What should I speak of Moses our shepherd the man of God that feared the cruelty of Pharoah until he writ in the Law that he had called the name of his son Eleazar for he said the God of his father helped him and delivered him out of the hands of Pharaoh And when he came before Pharaoh to deliver Israel out of his hands and to lead them out of Egypt With what things else overcame he the Tyrant withal then with prayer Did he not overthrow the pride of Pharaoh and his Charmers only with the Rod of the Lord which he had with him Wherewith also he smote Egypt with ten plagues aâ—…d divided the Sea into twelve parts And at the red Sea Moses resisted not Pharaoh and his host with force of Arms but with pâ—…ayer wherefore Pharaoh and all his were drowned in the bottom of the Sea But Moses sung a song of praise unto our God while the souldiers of the Egyptians perished that came against Moses and the people of Israel with weapons horses and chariots Notwithstandiug by Moses prayer they weâ—…e overwhelmed all in the Sea so that not one of them escaped Who is ignoraut of this that prayer is of more force than all instruments of war that it speedeth and hasteneth the help of the Lord and his saving health Do you not know when Joshua the minister of Moses passed over Jordan that he was a warlike man and had with him very many most valiant souldiers neverthelesse he destroyed not the seven walls of Jericho by force of War but only with prayer and with shouts and noise of the Priests of the Lord our forefathers Know ye not that
into the City Therefore Schimeon sent certain to fetch Amittai and his four sons unto him They that were sent brought Amittai and but three of his sons for one was fled to the Romans and came to Joseph When Amittai with the other were brought to Schimeons presence he besought him he might not live but to be put to death by and by lest saith he I should live to see the death of my children But Schimeon was hard-hearted and would not be intreated for it was Gods will that Amittai should be punished because he was the bringer of Schimeon into Jerusalem and therefore fell he into his hands which for good rewarded him with evil Schimeon commanded a sort of murderers to place Amittai upon the walls in the sight of the Romans and said unto him Seest thou Amittai Why do not the Romans deliver and rescue thee out of my hands thee I say which wouldest have fled away unto them Amittai answered nothing to this but still besought him before his death he might kisse his sons and bid them farewell but Schimeon utterly denied him Wherefore Amittai wept aloud saying to his sons I brought dear children I brought this thief into this Townâ—… wherefore I am counted now for a thief my self All the mischief which is come upon me and you it is mine own doing because I have brought this seditious villain into this holy City I thought then Peradventure he will be a help to the Town but it is proved contrary for he hath been a most cruel enemy to the same It was not enough for us to keep one seditious person Jehochanan I mean which took unto him Eleazar the first beginner of sedition but I must bring in also this wicked Schimeon which is joyned to our foes to destroy us Indeed I never brought him in for any love that I bare unto him but all the Priests and the whole multitude of the people sent me to fetch him notwithstanding I am worthy of this just judgement of God because I took upon me such an embassage What should I speak of thee thou most wicked Schimeon for whithersoever thou turnest thee thou bringest all things out of frame Indeed thou deaâ—…est justly with me because I have sinned unto God to his people and his City in that I have brought thee in to be a plague to it wherefore I am worthy to be stoned Notwithstanding it had been thy part thou wicked murderer to deliver me and my sons from the hands of the other Seditious for I have wrought them displeasure but to thee have I done good Howbeit our God will not alter nor change his judgements which is that I should fall into the sword of thy hand for that I made thee to enter into this City wherein I offended God grievously If I had purposed to flee unto the Romans could I not have done it before I brought in thee for at that time bearedst thou no rule over us and before we called in thee Jehochanan with his sedition was an offence unto this City Wherefore we perswaded all the Ancients of the Town that thou shouldest be an aid unto us to drive out our foes but thou in whom we put our trust art become our enemy yea thou hast been worse than they for the other put men to death privily thou dost it openly Who is he that hath strengthened the power of the Romans Art not thou he which hast killed the Souldiers of God in the midst of the City of Jerusalem for few have been slain without Titus would have made peace with us taking pity upon us but thou didst lett and hinder it every day moving new Wars and stirring new battels Titus gave charge to his souldiers to lay no hand upon the Temple but thou hast polluted and defiled the Temple of the Lord shedding blood without measure in the midst thereof Titus went back from us upon the holy day of the Lord and ceased from fighting saying Go and observe your holy Feasts in peace but thou unhallowedst the Feasts of the Lord and puttedst out the continual fire with innocent blood All these evils which thou hast committed thou murderer are imputed unto me because I brought thee into the Town Now therefore this vengeance is appointed to mine age by the Lord God and by thy hands shall I go to my grave with sorrow because I by my foolishnesse was an actor in this mischief that is wrought by thee Albeit now thou wicked Schimeon in this that thou killest me ere that mine eyes may see the burning of the Temple it pleaseth me very well But what needest thou murderer to put my sons to death before my face Why doest thou not spare mine age would God that as I shall not see the burning of the Temple so also I might not see the blood of my children shed before my face But what shall I do when God hath delivered me into the hands of a most wicked man We that were the ancients of Jerusalem abhorred Jehochanan because he murdered old men without all reverence but he slew no young men thou destroyest old and young great and small without any pity or mercy Jehochanan mourned for the dead and buried them also but thou playest upon instruments at their burials singest to the Lute and soundest the Trumpet Then spake he to Schimeons servant who was ready with a sword in his hand and an axe to kill him and to cut off his head sâ—…ying Go to now and execute Schimeon thy Master's commandment Behead the sons in the sight of their father and let me hear the voice of thy cruelty in my sons which notwithstanding I forgive thee for as I shall hear and see that against my will so I dare say thou killest them not willingly Would God that Schimeon would suffer me to kisse my sons and whiles I am yet living to embrace them ere they die But thou gentle minister in one thing shew thy pity towards me that when thou hast put my sons and me to Execution separate not our bodies neither lay their corps asunder from mine but so that my body may lie uppermost and cover theirs to defend them from the fowls of the air lest they devour my sons bodies for it so may come to passe that they may be buried I beseech thee also that my mouth and lips when I am dead may touch my sons faces that so I may both embrace and kisse them But what do I delay or linger any longer seeing the enemies deny me this to kisse them vvhiles vve are yet alive See thou therefore that our bodies be not severed and if Schimeon will not permit this that our bodies may be joyned in this world yet can he not lett our Souls to be joyned for after I shall be once dead I doubt not but I shall see the Light of the Lord. His sons hearing their fathers words began to weep very sore with their father who said unto them Alas my sons Why weepye What
avail tears Why do ye not rather go before me and I will follow as I may For what should I do now seeing God hath given me into the hands of a most cruel Tyrant who spareth neither mine age nor your youth But I trust we shall live together in the Light of the Lord And although I cannot be suffered now to see you enough yet when we shall come thither we shall be satisfied with beholding one another Go ye therefore my dear sons and prepare us a place O that I might go before you the Lord knoweth I would do it gladly But ye my sons marvel not at this that is chanced unto us for it is no new thing The like hapned before this in the time of the Chasmonanites when as Antiochus by his wickednesse put to death the seven brethren young men in the sight of their mother which was a righteous and godly woman who chanced to find this mercy at the Lords hands that she might â—…sse her sons and embrace them as they also kist one another before they died Although they were put to death by the cruelty of the uncircumcised King of the Macedonians yet obtained they that which is denied at this day to us that are put to death by Schimeon who haâ—…h â—…he name of an â—…sraelite who beareth also the Covenant of our father Abraham in his flesh And would to God that we might live in their â—…nne or place of rest which albeit it will not be granted yet we shall be their neighbours seeing that we also die for the Law of the Lord. Therefore be of good comfort my sons and lament not for my sake For I judge this my misery easier and not so great as the calamity of Zedekiah whose sons were first killed then his eyes put out by the King of Chaldea and he lived many years after we are so much the more happie in my mind because we shall die together Then said Amittai to Schimeons servant which should kill him Make speed I pray thee and kill me first before my children die then after kill them also that we may die together for it is more expedient for us than to see the Temple of the Lord turned into a butchery or slaughter-house to slay men in After cryed he to God saying I beseech thee O Lord God most High which dwellest in the Highest judge this Schimeon according to his works reward him according to his deservings For thou art the God Almighty and dreadfull Let not this Destroyer die therefore among the people of thy pasture but that his death may be severed from the death of other men Let him die a horrible and sudden death Let him have no time to confesse his sins and to return himself to thee that thou mayest receive him for thou wert wont to receive them which turn to thee by repentance for he is not worthy of repentance which hath spoiled and wasted many goodly things in thy Temple besides that hath murdered most holy men in the same To the intent therefore that thy judgements may be declared in him I beseech thee make him to be taken Captive of his enemies together with his wife children and family and all that ever love him Neither give unto his soul any part with the people of God nor let his portion be with the just men in thy Sanctuary for he is unworthy of them because he hath not only sinned himself but hath caused Israel to sin Wherefore let his judgement and sentence go forth from thy sight that he may see his Wife Children and his whole House led into captivity and bondage before his face Afterward let him die a strange death such as never man heard of Let him be killed by most cruel men which when they have smitten him may after quarter him also whiles he is yet alive and that he may see his children go into bondage Let him also be a curse before all that shall see him Moreover Let him perceive that my words and destiny is better than his when as I go unto Thee in that great Light which he shall be deprived of After these words Amittai said to the servant who was appointed to kill him I beseech thee Let me find so much favour at thy hands that when thou hast slain my sons thou wouldst kill me with the same sword while it is yet wet with the blood of my sons that our blood may be mingled and this may be a recreation to my soul. Kill me also in the fight of the Romans that they may avenge me and my sons upon this most cruel Schimeon they shall be witnesses against him that I was not their friend But would God my affaires were all in that state as they were before for then should they perceive me to be an enemy of Schimeons and a friend of theirs Would God I had withstood Schimeon at the first earnestly as I made War upon the Romans that I might have avoided his cruelty from the people of God When he had said all these things he prayed before God Almighty saying O God which dwellest in the Highest thou only art most mighty and fearful open now the eyes of thy judgements consider and judge betwixt me and seditious Schimeon whose malice is become unmeasurable upon the people of GOD that he which sheddeth the blood of them that fear thee in the midst of the Temple may be rebuked of thee with rebukings according to his works make speedy vengeance and prolong not and that for the deaths sake of thy Saints for thy judgements are the judgements of truth Then Schimeon gave commandment to four Cut-throats of his that three of them should kill Amittai's three sons before their Fathers face and the fourth should kill Amittai himself and so the blood of the sons was mixt with the blood of their father Afterward Schimeons servant took the body of Amittai and laid it upon the bodies of his sons as his desire was then tumbled them over the Walls After that Schimeon commanded that Chanacus the high Priest should be put to death whose body was cast unto the bodies of Amittai and his Sons Aristus also the Scribe one of the Noble men of Jerusalem was killed at the same time and â—…en just men more of his kindred and house because theâ—… mourned for the death of Aristus It hapned while Schimeon was killing of those ten certain substantial rich men passed by and were wonderfully amazed when they saw the thing saying one to another How long will God suffer the malice of Schimeon and will not search out the blood of just men nor revenge them Certain seditious persons hearing this told it unto Schimeon who commanded them to be apprehended and murthered the same day After this there passed by eleven of the Noble men of Jerusalem which seeing fourty two innocents to be put to death by Schimeon they lift up their eyes to the heavens and said O Lord God of Israel How long wilt
give over Do you not see every day how some of them issue out of their Town and boldly assail you not without jeopardy of their lives insomuch that oftentimes they die for it Which things they do for none other cause then to get them praise and renown for their great prowess When Titus had well debated these and such like things in the ears of his souldiers a certain valiant man named Sabianus said unto his fellows Who so dare go to assault these Jews let him come hither to me that we may fulfill the Command of Caesars Son our Lord and Captain And forthwith he took his Target and his drawn Sword in his hand made toward the Town with a eleven tall fellowes following him whose valiantnesse and courage Titus wondred at greatly The Jews kept their ward upon that part of the wall where the Romans had a repulse of late so when they saw Sabianus and his company draw fast toward them they began to assail them with stones and arrows but Sabianus setting light at them charged home upon the Jews Shortly one of the Jews met with him and gave him such a blow that he felled him to the ground yet he gat up again and fought for all that manfully and as one that had rather leave his life than the reputation of his valour he did fight till another Israelite came and â—…lew him out-right Three also of his fellows were killed fighting valiantly in that place the other 8. returned to the Camp so sore wounded that they died the next day every one Further other Romans seeing Sabianus act and studying to do the like the next night they took counsel about 20. of them and agreed to assault the Town This their enterprise when they declared to the Standard-bearer of Titus he and many other of the Romans went with them They all scaling together and clammering up the breaches gat up upon the wall sounding a Trumpet and gave a great shout The Jews being at their rest as men opprest with hunger and weariness and hearing this Alarum and shout of the Romans were wonderfully amazed not knowing what the matter was or how they should defend themselves Titus also heard the shout and when he had enquired the matter he chose out certain valiant men and drew towards the breaches with them In the mean season the day was broken and the Jews rising from their sleep espyed Titus upon the walls and marvelled thereat greatly The Romans therefore gathering toward Titus came very thick into the Town some by the breaches of the wall and other some through the vault whereby the Jews were wont now and then to make irruptions and to recover themselves within the Town again The Jews set themselves in aray against the Romans in the very entry of the Temple upon whom the Romans ran with their drawn swords for they had no other armour nor the Jews neither being so hastily taken at such a sudden The battel waxed very hard and wonderful vehement on both parties the like was never seen in Jerusalem nor heard of in any time for every man clave hard to his next fellow no man could flee on any side Wherefore the battel waxt strong with clamours and shouts on both parties now the joyful shouts of the vanquishers now the wailings on the other side of them that were put to the worse The Romans encouraged and exhorted one another to fight saying This is the day which we have long looked for The Jews again took heart unto them saying It boots not to flee hence but for the glory of the Lord and his Temple let us die â—…anfully as necessity constraineth us and so doing we shall be counted for sacrifices and offerings Which earnestnesse on both sides filled the entry of the Court of the Lord with blood that it stood like unto a pool or pond And that fight continued from the morning till that time four dayes Then a certain souldier of Titus's whose name was Golinus a valiant man as was ever amongst all the company of Kurtus seeing the Jews prevail and to have the upper-hand of the Romans which now had left off fighting and fled the Jews pursuing them in a rage he ran against them and met them at the wall which Herod builded called Antochia drove them back and made them to take the entrance of the Temple again where preasing into the forces of the Jews he was wounded of a certain Jew And when he perceived himself wounded he would have lept back but stumbled at a slone in the pavement of the Court of the Temple and fell down where he fought yet still till a certain Jew killed him out-right He fought indeed very boldly and valiantly but unwarily for he considered not his ground wherein he had to do with the Jews Titus waiting for Golinus return and hearing him to be slain would have gone himself to rescue the rest of his that were with him but his men would not suffer him fearing lest he himself should be slain The Jews therefore got the upper hand that day and slew very many Romans in that battel spoyling them also which were killed of their armour These were the names of the Jews that made the skirmish Of the Company of Captain Jehochanan Elasa and Iphtach of Schimeons Company Malchiah and Jaicob a Prince of the Edomites and Arsimon and Jehuda of the Company of Eleazar the son of Anani These with their Companies made this slaughter of the Romans in the entrance of the Temple and drove them back to Antochia where they kept them up that they could not get out Wherefore when Titus perceived that the Antochia was in the Romans way and hindred them he caused it to be razed and pulled down to the ground These things were done upon the fifth day of May the third moneth upon the even of the solemn Festival day of weeks which otherwise is called Pentecost and that was the 14th moneth from the beginning of Titus's siege against this City Shortly after upon the third day of the Feast of weeks the Jews as many as were at Jerusalem kept holy dayes and celebrated the Feast Titus taking with him Joseph the son of Gorion went into the house of the Sanctuary where the Seditious and souldiers of the Jews were gathered together and called unto Jehochanan and the rest of the Captains of the Seditious to whom he spake by the means of Joseph being his Interpreter in this wise What hath this Temple offended thee thou seditious Jehochanan Why hast thou brought upon it this great evil and mischief If so be thou trust so much to thy strength Come forth to us with thy men into the fields and we shall fight with thee thy fill Is not this your solemn Festival Day Why then will ye fight in the place where ye should offer your sacrifice Ye pollute and defile the Sanctuarie of your God and his Name and we spare it knowing it is the House of God
you doth mark it The continual sacrifice is already ceased a good while ago the annointed Priest is cut away and put down These things though they be most manifest yet your hearts cannot believe them And many other words spake Joseph full of admonition and consolation but the Jews refused to hear him When he had made an end therefore and the Seditious had so hardened their necks Titus turned him and departed out of Jerusalem saying Let us go hence lest their sins destroy us Wherefore he pitched his Tents without the City in the same place where he encamped at first For he was afraid both for himself and his Army lest they should be circumvented and closed in and slain cruelly in so great City as that was Certain of the Priests of that time and of the Nobles of the Town with other godly men did wisely provide for themselves and came forth to Titus submitting themselves to his mercy and were received of him peaceably with great honour whom Titus commanded to be conducted into the land of Goshen where in times past the Israelites dwelt in the dayes of Jacob their Father and Joseph Lord of Egypt Thither sent he them and gave it them in possession to them and to their heirs for ever after commanding a company of the Chaldees safely to conduct them till they came to the land of Goshen Titus directed his letter also to the Roman President which was set over Egypt to take pity of the Jews that he had placed in the land of Goshen to sustain and succour them and to see that no Roman nor other should do them harm or annoy them by any manner of means Many other also of the Jews coveted to go forth of Jerusalem but they were disappointed by the Seditious that they could not do as they intended And who can tell whether they were entangled with their own sins and destined to destruction with their seditious brethren when as their hands also were polluted with the cruelty and iniquity of the Seditious Wherefore the Seditious closed up all the walls about the Temple that none of the Jews which were in Jerusalem might get out to Titus When Titus knew that many of the Jews were desirous to flee unto him and could not because of the Seditious he went again to the place where he was before Joseph with him Whom when the people saw to be there with Titus they fell a weeping and said unto him We acknowledge our sins and the transgression of our fathers we have swerved out of the way against the Lord our God for we see now the mercy and gentlenesse of Titus the son of Caesar and that he taketh pity upon us but what can we do when it is not in our power to flee unto him because of the cruelty of the Seditious The Seâ—…itious hearing them talking with Joseph in the presence of Titus and that they spake reverenâ—…ly of him and honoured his father calling him Lord they ran upon them with their drawn swords to kill them Then crâ—…ed they unto Titus Dear Lord and Master rescue us The Romans therefore made speed to deliver them out of the hands of the Seâ—…itious So rose there a fray in the midst of the Temple between the Romans and the Jews The Romans fled into the place called Sanctum Sanctorum which was the holiest of all and the Jews followed after and slew them even there Titus standing without cryed unto Jehochanan and said unto him Hearest thou Jehochanan Iâ—… not thy 〈◊〉 yet great enough Wilt thâ—…u never make an end of mischief Where is the honour of thy God Is it not written in the Law of thy God of the Sanctum Sanctorum that no Stranger ought to come at it but only the high Priest and that but once a year because it is the holiest of all And now how darest thou be sâ—… bold to kill those that are escaped unto it And how dare you â—…ed the blood of the uncircumcised therein whom ye abhor and yet mix their blood with yours The Lord your GOD is my witnessâ—… that I would not have this House destroyed but your own wicked works and your own hands do pull it dâ—…wn And would God you would receive your peace which if it were once done we would honour this House of the Sanctuarie and Temple of the Lord yea we would depart away from you But your hearts are hardned like Iron and your necks and foreheads are become obstinate as Brasse to your own undoing For ye shall carrie your own sins and die in the Land of the Romans I and my fathers house are innocent and guiltlesse of your death as the Lord and his Temple in whose presence we stand shall bear us witnesse this day But when he saw that none of the Seditious gave any regard to his words he chose out of the Romans thirty thousand valiant fighting men and gave them commandment to take and occupy the entry of the Temple which is a holy Court and determined to go with them himself but his Nobles would not suffer him but willed him to remain upon a high place where he might behold his souldiers fight and when they see thee afar off their hearts shall be comforted and they shall fight according as thou wilt wish them but come not at the entry of the Temple thy self lest thou be destroyed amongst other Titus followed the counsel of his Captains and went not out at that time with his men to the battel He made chief Captains of that host of thirty thousand one Karilus and Rostius two great Commanders who had order to set upon the Jews that night when they should be asleep with wearinesse The Romans therefore doing after his commandment set upon the Jews but the Jews having intelligence of the matter kept diligent watch and withstood the Romans all the night But the Romans were not hasty to fight in the dark fearing lest it might turn to their own harm As soon therefore as it was day the Jews divided themselves and bestowed their Companies at the gates of the entrance and fought like men Karilus and Rostius beset the Temple round about that not one of the Jews might escape out and so the battel encreased between them for the space of seven dayes sometimes the Romans getting the upper hand of the Jews driving them within the entrance sometime the Jews encouraging themselves made the Romans retire and pursued them to the walls of the Antochia in this manner fought they these seven dayes Afterward the Romans turned back from the Jews and would not fight hand to hand with them any more Then Titus commanded the walls of the Antochia to be pulled down further that there might be place for all his host to enter The famine in the mean season grew more grievous so that no food was left For the Jews began now to issue out and steal Horses Asses and other beasts whatsoever they could catch even out of the Romans
his place where he lurked and came to Titus fell down before him and kissed his feet saying Save me O Lord King Titus commanded him to be fetâ—…ered with iron chains and when he had caused him to be carryed about the Camp so bound and to be mâ—…cked of all men by the space of seven dayes he commanded to hang him and so got he a just end and fit reward for his cruelty Afterward came Schimeon also forth of his den being driven to it with famine He had put on Kingly apparel and shewed himself afar off to the Roman host who seeing him were afraid to go to him but he called unto them and askt for some Captain Then one came forth and said unto Schimeon Tell me who thou art and I will not kill thee Schimeon answered therefore and told him I am Schimeon that Seditious Cap-tain of the. Jews which have made you so much ado now I beseech thee shew me so much favour as to bâ—…ing me to Titus thy Master which he did Titus therefore when he saw Schimeon he commanded him to be fast bound and to be led about the whole host that he might be derided and mockt Afterward he was put to a sore death first his head was striken off then he was cut in many pieces and cast unto dogs So he died an abominable death being punished for his iniquity The number of the Jews as well Citizens as others that came unto the Feast to Jerusalem which were slain partly by the Romans partly by the Seditious during the whole time of these Wars was known to be eleven hundred thousand besides them whose number was not known only they were counted which were slain and buried Besides them they also were not reckoned that after the death of Jehochanan and Schimeon died with Eleazar the son of Anani the Priest They that were led prisoners by Titus to Rome were sixteen thousand men So Titus with Joseph went to Rome leaving Bonian Josephs brother at Jerusalem who was appointed to be the chief Priest of them that abode there for Joseph did request it of Titus which he performed The Seditious were all slain in the battel which they took in hand for the peoples sake and the Temple of the Lord those also that Titus took prisoners were put to vile deaths for he reserved many to be mocking stocks in every City where he passed by in the way to Rome and in every Town he commanded some of them to be brought forth and cast unto the Lions till they were all consumed CHAP. V. THere were certain people at that time dwelling amongst the Mountains of Ararat that were called Alanites whose power Alexander King of Macedonia fearing closed them on every side This people although they had no knowledge of the use of Iron nor Armour yet this was their manner That one of them with a great pole burnt a little at the end would put to flight a hundred good souldiers were they never so well appointed and armed Until this year they were alwayes shut in but now being oppressed with a great dearth and famine throughout all the land they sent Embassadors to the people of Hurkan their neighbours requiring them that they would open thestraights of the Mountains that they might come forth with their wives children to seek them food The Hurkans granted their requests and opened them the entrances of the Mountains So they came forth wandering here and there spoiling divers Countries till at length they took their journey toward the Mountains of the Land of Madai where they found horses namely in the Desart of Madai amongst the people of Ararat They got those horses leapt upon them and â—…ntred the land of Madai The President oâ—… Ruler of the Country hearing thereof fled into the highest hills leaving his wife and children behind him for haste he was so afraid of the Alanites knowing their valiantnesse Straightway he sent unto them Embassadours to make peace with them and he would let them have victuals upon this condition that they would not spoil his Country They made answer If so be he would maintain them and let them have food for the space of one moneth till the corn in their own Country were ripe they would return home again at the moneths end for we desiâ—…e not say they thy gold or silver being men separaâ—… from all entercourse in traffick wiâ—…h other people nor any thing else than food do we seek This their request the Ruler granted them and let them have a certain Grain called Mill sodden with one kind of flesh or other The number of them was seven thousand one hundred and fifty and five thousand one hundred and forty persons When the moneth was ended and the Aâ—…anites understood the corn in their own Country was ripe they departed out of the land of Madai according as they had sworn and returned toward their own Country And as they were in their way homeward Mithridates King of Aâ—…arat came against them to annoy them minding to drive them from his coasts lest they should waste his Country Therefore while they marched through this Country going toward their own Mithridates made War upon them but his men were beaten down by the Alanites like as grasse falls upon the ground when a strong man treads upon it Then one of the young men of the Alanites in despight put a rope about Mithridates's neck and drew him after him unto his great shame Mithridates gat out his sword and cut asunder the rope and fled To whom the Alanites looking back said Go thy way get thee home and make no more war upon us hereafter for we were not minded to waste thy Land â—…or yet to kill thy people For if we had ever intended it Could we not have done it long ago when as nothing is betwixt us and you but the Mountains of Ararat But we were of this mind that we should greatly offend to kill men of our own shape and likenesse See now how Alexander which went about to subdue the whole earth and to declare his power closed us up within our land Why because he was afraid we should come out upon him But we laught him to scorn when he did it If we had listed we could have letted him from shuâ—…ting us in and to make no peace with him but we made no reckoninâ—… of his doings For it is our custom to keep us within our own Country we seek no other Land when as our own Land is better than any other It pleased us well that he inclosed us that the cruel wild beasts which are in the Mountains of Ararat could have no passage to us The cause we came out now was nothing else then that we were oppressed with a great dearth and we determined to be no longer from home then till our own fruits were ripe then to return as you see we do If we had been minded to win your Land had we not been able utterly to have
Baruch and his whole society and they builded the second House Then after four years of the reign of Cyrus after the House was destroyed Ezra went from Babylon with forty thousand in his company and the Israelites were afflicted and vexed under Cyrus for the space of 33. years Then came Alexander the King of Macedonia and slew Cyâ—…us and when he had reigned tvvelve years he died After him came four Usurpers vvhich afâ—…licted the Israelites 158. years But after that the sons of Hasmonani came and slevv those Usurpers and taking the Dominion from them reigned themselves 103. years Then reigned one Herod the Servant to Chasmonani vvho killed his Masters and their vvhole family save one Maâ—…d vvhom he loved But she climbed up to the top of an house and said There is no body left alive of my fathers house but I alone so she cast her self headlong from the top of the house and died Herod did lay her in honeâ—… and preserved her for the space of seven years There vvere that said he had carnal copulation vvith her after she vvas dead Herod and Agrippa his son and Monazab his nephevv possessed the Kingdom one hundred and three years So hast thou four hundred and three years of the second House Then came Vespasian Caesar and Titus his wives son and wasted the second House carrying away Israel unto Rome This is the ninth transmigration Moreover Bitter remained after the desolation and wasting of the Temple fifty two years After that Aâ—…rianus who used superstition with bones made wars upon them and transported Israel from their Country after he had spoiled it conveying them into Spain This is the tenth Captivity This Adrian vanquished the Jews which rebelled the second time against the Romans with a final and utter destruction forbidding and not suffering them in any wise to enter into Jerusalem which he had began to fortify with very strong walls and caused it to be called Helius after his own name He caused also a Sow to be graven over the chief gate of the City and a Jew under her feet carved in stone in token of their subjection A Corollary THus the ancient Nation of the Jews which in former times might have been called the Favorite of God Almighty was utterly destroyed and their City demollished the famous City of Jâ—…rusalem which had been five times surprized and sacked before First Asocheus King of Egypt after him Antiochus then Pompey And after him Herod with Sosius took it yet did they not dismantle much less destroy it But before them the Kings of Babylon ruin'd it after they had possessed it 1300 years eight months and â—…ix daies after the building of it The first founder of it was one of the Princes of the Cananites â—…called in his own Language the just King and indeed he was so for he was the first Priest that sacrificed to God and dedicated a Temple there calling the City Solyma But David King of the Iews having driven out the Cananites gave it unto his people to be inhabited and after 464 years and 3. months it was destroyed by the Babyâ—…nians And from King David who was the first Iew that raigned there unâ—…ill the time that Titus destroyed it were 1179 years And from the time that it was first Erected unâ—…ill it was thus râ—…ed were 2177 years yet neither the Antiquiâ—…y nor riches nor fame thereof then spread over the world nor the glory of Religion did any thing avail to hinder this hard destiny Such was the end of besieging Ierusalem when there were none left to kill more or any thing remaining for the souldiers to get or whereon they should exercise their courage for they would have spared nothing that they could have spoiled Titus câ—…mmanded â—…hem to destroy the City and Temple only leaving standing certain Towers that were more beautifull and stronger then the rest viz Phasclus Hippiâ—…os and Mariamne with the wall that stood on the west side intending to keep a Garrison there and these were left to stand for Monuments of their strength and the Roman valour which had overcome a City so well fortified All the rest of the City they so flatted that they who had not seen it before would not believe it had ever been inhabited Eheu quà m tenui pendent Mortalia filâ—… And now for an upshot of all that hath been said take a short view of the whole Matter Together with a true Character of the JEWS as they are at this day With the hopes and desires of all good Men for their Conversion WHen the Jews had made the full measure of their sins run over by putting to death the LORD of LIFE Gods judgements as they deserved and our Saviour foretold quickly overtook them For a mighty Army of the Romans beâ—…ieged and sackt the City of Jerusalem wherein by Fire Famine Sword Civil discord and Forrein force eleven hundred thousand were put to death An incredible number it seemeâ—… yet it cometh within the compasse of our belief if we consider that the siege began at the time of the Passâ—…over when in a manner all Jâ—…ea was inclosed in Jerusalem all private Synagogues doing then their duties to the Mother-Temple so that the City then had more guests than Inhabitants Thus the Passeover first instituted by God in mercy to save the Israelites from death was now used by Him in justice to hasten their destruction and to gather the Nation into a bundle to be cast into the fire of his anger Besides those who were slain ninety seven thousand were taken captives And they who had bought our Saviour for thirty pence were themselves sold thirty for a peny The General of the Romans in this action was Titus son to Vespasian the Emperour A Prince so good that he was styled the Darling of mankind for his sweet and loving nature and pity it was that so good a stock had not been better grafted So vertuously disposed that he may justly be counted the glory of all Pagans and shame of most Christians He laboured what lay in his power to have saved the Temple and many therein but the Jews by their obstinacy and desperateness made themselves uncapable of any mercy Then was the Temple it self made a Sacrifice and burnt to ashes And of that stately Structure which drew the Apostles admiration not a stone left upon a stone The walls of the City more shaken with the sins of the Jews deâ—…ending them than with the baâ—…tering Raâ—…s of the Romans assaulting them were levelled to the ground only three Towers left standing to witnesse the great strength of the place and greater valour of the Romans who conquered it But whilest this storm fell on the unbelieving Jews it was calm amongst the Chrians who warned by Christ's predictions and many other prodigies fled betimes out of the City to Pâ—…lla a private place beyond Jordan which served them instead of a little Zâ—…ar to save them from the imminent destruction Threescore years after
therefore use to name them with no other Ceremony then at the six weeks end to have some young wenches lift up the Cradle with the child in it which she that standeth at the head giveth the name unto Of their Sabbath so extreamlâ—… doting that they have added to the superstitions left them by the Pharisees And herein they are so precise that if a Jâ—…w travel on the Friday and in the evening fall so short of his journey's end that it amounts to mâ—…re than 2000. cubits or six furlongs which they account a Sabbath-dayes journey there must he sit him down and keep his Sabbath though in a Wood or Field or the High-way side without fear of wind or weather of Thieves or Robbers or without taking order for meat or drink And so far have they gone in despight of Christ as to declare it unlawful to lift the Oxe or Asse out of a ditch permitted in the strictest times of Pharisaical rigour So pertinacious in retaining the difference of meats and drinks that they will by no means sit at the same Table with other men and so precise in the dressing of it that they will eat of no flesh but of their own killing only and that too with such cautions and reservations that if any of the entrails be corrupt or dislocated they wil sell the whole beast to the Christians for a very trifle beneficial in that only to the neighbouring Christians Wine they forbear except it be of their own planting not so much out of dislike of that liquor for they are generally good fellows and love their bellies as for fear the wine should be baptized A Ceremony much used in the Eastern parts Of the coming of their Messiah so full of hopes that there is no great Warriour stirring but they look upon him as the man till some sad Tragedy or other which suffer under that perswasion makes them see their errour promising to themselves whensoever he cometh a restitution of their Kingdom and such felicities therein in the literal sense of some Texts of Scripture which carry in them a more mystical and sacred meaning That in good time but Gods not theirs they shall be made partakers of the several blessings which those Texts do speak of is both the hope and wish of all pious men who cannot chuse but grieve to behold the natural branches so long dismembred and cut off from the Tree of Life And this they neither hope nor wish for but on some fair grounds presented to them by St. Paul who said expressely that when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is once come in that then all Israel shall be saved Rom. 11. 25 26. The words are so plainly positive that they need no Commentary Or if they did we have the general consent of the Antients Besides the constant current of most Modern Writers who cherish the glad hopes of their Conversion to the Gospel which the Apostle doth there aim at Origen Athanasius Hierom Augustine Chrysostome for the Primitive times Beda and Hugo Cardinalis in the times succeeding Farrara and Thomas Aqâ—…inas for those of Rome Calvin Beza Bullinger and Peter Martyr for the Reformed Churches besides divers others of great note so expound that Text. Nor want there other Texts of Scripture to affiâ—…m as much which he that doth desire to see may find them with the expositions of most Christian Writers in a Book writ by Doctor Willet entituled De generali novissima Judaeorum vocationeâ—… And â—…hither I refer the more curious Reader Out of all I shall take these words De illorum salute spes supersit The Jews saith he are not so wholly fallen from the favour of God but that there still remain some hopes of their salvation Of their salvation then by the Gospel of Christ when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is once come in we conceive good hopes but whether there be any of their restitution to their temporal Kingdom is a farther question and not so clearly evidenced in the Book of God though there be somewhat in that Book which may seem to intimate it Thâ—…t the opinion of being restored by the Messiah to that temporal power which was taken from them by the Romans was prevalent as well amongst Christs Disciples as the rest of the Jews is as I take it clear enough in the Holy Gospel In such a Kingdom and no other do the two sons of Zebedee desire to sit on both hands of their Master And the same was it and no other which all of them expected as appeareth by the words of Cleophas Luke 24. 21. that Christ should have restored unto them We thought said he that This would have proved the man that should have redeemed From what from sin and Satan or the curse and bondage of the Law Not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from the yoke of vassallage which the Romans had so lately imposed on them say the Fathers rightly Touching the same it was that they moved him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom of Israel Act. 1. 6. In answer whereunto our Saviour makes them no denial as unto the thing nor tells them that they never must expect such a restauration but only puts them off as unto the Timâ—… and bids them rest themselves on the pleasure of God the Father in whose hand the disposing of all Kingdoms was It is not for you saith he to know the times and seasons which the Father hath in his own power ver 7. By which answer as it seems to me there is a possibility of restoring to their Kingdom also though not in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that very instant when they were most desirous to have it done or at any other time sit for them to know that being a secret which the Father hath reserved to Himself alone A Prayer Let the Consideration of these things be unto us as it was sometimes unto an Eminent Divine now with God an occasion of prayer unto God on their behalf saying with him in this or to the like effect O Lord who art righteous in all thy wayes and holy in all thy works we acknowledg and admire the justice of thy proceedings in binding and hardning the Jews as for their manifold impieties soespecially for stoning thy Prophets despising thy Word and crucifying the Lord of Life For which thou hast cursed them according to the prediction of thy Prophet to abide many daies without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim But thou O Lord how long How long O Lord holy and true How long Lord wilt thou be angrie for ever Thine anger is said to endure but a moment but Lord how many millions of millions of momeuts are contained in sixteen hundred years since thou hast first cast off thy first and antient people the Jews Remember Abraham Isaac and Jacob not for any merit in their persons which
of Israel Some interpreâ—…ed this of the King of Israel but the Priests said It is the King of the Romans The whole Roman Army being now come into the Temple and the Jews fled to Moâ—…nt Sion the Romans set up their â—…dols in the Lords Temple and railed at the Jews It happened that there came down to the Romans a little boy of the Priests from Mount Sion to a Captain of the Wall Keeper of the Temple desiring him to give him some water he taking pity on the boy gave him some the boy taking the vessel the water was in first drank himself then ran away with the rest the Captain made shew to run after him but let him go of puâ—…pose Once when the Romans were at their sacrifice with Titus some Priests came and besought him that he would not kill them he answered Why do you wish to live now and not rather dye with your brethren who have suffered death for Gods sake and for the sake of this House whereupon he commanded they should be all slain After Schimeon and Jehochanan sent to Titus for peace he answered This thing ye seek too late but how cometh it to pass that you beg your lives now being so few and that ye have wasted all things so desperately ye desire life and yet persevere in your malice still holding your swords in your hands have we not now taken your City Temple and the Sanctum Sanctorum What is there left for you to put hope in Therefore cast away your swords and lay down your armour and then if you come to me I know what I hâ—…ve to do peradventure I shall be gracious unto you Schimeon and Jehochanan answered We have sworn by the Lord our God who is God of Heaven and Earth thâ—…t we will never bear thy yoak nor serve thee or make any peace to be subject to thee therefore if it be thy pleasure to shew us mercy we will take our journey into the wilderness in granting this we will report to have found favour if not we will remain in this place to see what manner of death we shall dye Titus hearing this was much incensed and said remains the pride of your hearts and the hardness of your neck still with you though ye be Captives dare ye yet be so bold as to say ye have sworn not to endure our yoak Then Titus gave commandment to the Romans not to omit any opportunity to set upon the Seditious and by one means or other to destroy Schimeon and Jehochanan There was at that time a certain man of the Royall Blood whose name was Serach he accompanied with all his brethren and Sons that were there with him of the Kings blood came down from the Moâ—…nt Sion â—…o Titus who received them honorably and gently ordered them When Jehochanan and Schimeon understood that Serach and the reâ—…t were gone and had yielded themselves to Titus they went and set fire upon all â—…at was in the Kings Pallace that the Romans should have no â—…modity thereby From thence they went to the Temple where they found certain Commanders and Captains whom Titus had put in authority about the Temple of whom thâ—…ee were chief one Captain of the hoâ—…semen tâ—…e second of the Chariots and the third of the footmâ—…n him they killed and took hâ—…s companion alive One of them besought thâ—…m that had taken him that he might be bâ—…ought to Schimeon their Captain Let him saith he do with me as he list and in this one thing let me finâ—… favour at your hands They agreed and brought him to Schimeon who commanded his servants as soon as he was come to slay him But while he that was appointed to this business made delay and killed him not by and by he whipt down off the hill escaped and came to Titus who commanded him out of his sight being wroth with him that he had not fought unto death rather then to be taken alive But with the Jews was he wonderfully displeased that they had so despighâ—…ully ordered his men wherefore he commanded to kill all the Jews as many as could be found in the â—…ets of the City whom he would have spared before and caused proclamation to be made throughout all his Camp for their safety Then died many of the Jews â—…o that every place was full of dead bodies The men of War of the Edomâ—…tes which were with Schimeon perceiving how the matter went sent Embassadors to Titus to desire pâ—…ace and to save their lives which when it came to Schimeons ear he went unto them and slew the chief of them and their Noblemen the rest of the people of the Edomites fled unto Titus From that time forth Titus commanded his men to use no more cruelty to the Jews Soon after fled Jehochanan and Sâ—…himeon and hid themselves in certain caves The rest of the chief men of the Jews that were with them seeing them now to be fled came down from the Mount to Titus and fell down upon their faces before him upon the ground whom Titus received gently As for the Seditious that were witâ—… Schimeon and Jehochanan they fought till they all died together Then came forth unto Titus one Joshua a Priest son of Schaftai the High Priest bringing with him two Candlesticks of gold which were in the Sanctuary and the Tables of gold with other vessels of silver and gold and also the holy vestures decked with gold and precious stones all those he gave to Titus who made him chief Priest over them that remained next unto Joseph the Priest for Titus gave Joseph authority as well over the Priests and Leviâ—…es as over the whole people oâ—… the Jews Then was Gorion the Father of Joseph that writ this History brought out of prison with his wife and children among whom was one Bonian Josephs younger brother he was a very wise and godly Priest by whom God bestowed many benefits upon â—…e Israelites for Titus left him at Jerusalem and took him not with him as he did Joseph Josephs father lived after the City was taken twenty moneths and died They took also one Phineas a Priest who was keeper of the treasure-house he bewrayed and detected to the Romans all the Treasures of the Priests and their Vestments He gave also unto Titus a most precious oil with sweet odours and perfumes and garments also of purple which the Kings of the second Temple had given Wherefore both this Phineas and Joshua whom we mentioned before transgressed the Covenant of the Lord and offended God in that they deâ—…ivered his Jewels to the enemies of his people which they ought not to have done but rather to have died for the glory of the Lord as the other Priests did which cast themselves into the fire Thus was the City of Jerusalem taken with all the precious things that were therein And Tiâ—…us went up to Mount Sion took it and razed the walls thereof Three dayes after Jehochanan sore vext with hunger left