Serrn C LXXXVI. of the Chriftian `Religion, g 6g to have raved the City, were firft of all cut off by the Zealots 5 fo that there were none left to perfwade the people to moderate things. They provok'd the Romans againft them all manner of ways 5 their Sedi- tions among themflves continued when the Enemy was before their Walls and when in probability they might have held out fo long as to have wearied the Romans, by their own Scditions they burnt all their Granaries, and Pro- viGons of Corn, and Magazines of Arms, as if they had confulted the ad. vantage of the Romans againft themfelves : and which was very remarkable, yefephus tells us, that before the Siege, the Fountain of Siloam was almolt dryed up, and all the Springs about 7erufalem, fo that Water bore a great price 5 but as loon as Titus came before YeraJalem, the Springs brake our again, and there was never greater plenty ; which if it had not happened; the Reman Armies could very hardly have fublifted. And after the Temple was deftroyed, when Titus would have given yohn and Simon, and the rear of the Zealots their Lives, they would nor fubmir, but were all defitoyed by their own obftinacy. At Ma/ada, rather than yield to the Romans, 903 Men, Women, and Children, kill'd one anot er, fo that when the Romans enter'd the Cattle, they found them all dead, except one Woman and a Child, that had hid themfelves. PIniJlratus tells us, that when fome of the nearer Nations would have Crowned Thor for his Vi&ories over the yews, he refufed ir; laying, that he deferved nothing upon that account, for it was not his work, but God had made him the inftrument of his wrath againft that People. So that there were never greater acknowledgments of a Divine Hand againft any People, than at this time againft the yews. Never was there greater Cou- rage and Contempt of Death in any People ; and yet they were conquer'd by numbers much inferiour to them. Never was anySoldier fo Merciful as Titus was, and fo folicitous to have fpared the effufion of Blood 5 and yet he was neceffitated againft his Nature toexercife great Cruelties toward them. Many times be endeavoured by the moft revere Inhibitions to reflrain the Cruelties of the Soldiers toward them 5 and when he found that they ript open the Bowels of the yews who fled out of yeruJalem, in hopes to find Gold which they had (wallowed, he was much enraged againft the Soldiers, and would have put all to death that were ingaged in that Cruelty, but that he found them fo many ; and norwithfianding this, when he forbad the like Cruelty to be exerciftd for the future, under the molt revere Penalties; yet 7ofephiu Pays, that the Soldiers did not forbear privately to do it 5 and rho' in other Cafes, filch a levere prohibition would have taken place, yet Pays he, becaufe God had devoted that People to ruin, all the ways which Titus ufcd for the laving of them, turned to their Deftru&icn, Lib. 6. Cap. t5; Nay there was as much blood flied by the Dilfentions among themfelves, be. tween thofe who defired peace with the Romans, and thole that would not hearken to it, as by the Romans. So much reafon was there for that pallio- nate with of our Saviour's concerning yerufalem, 0 that thou hatIJI known, ist this thy day, the things which ¿slang to thy peace l but now they are hidfrom thine eyes. Never was any Nation fo infatuated ; never were the things that tended to peace, fo ftrangely hid from any People, as from the yews. IV. It mull needs be, that it was for fome very great Sin that God tent thole dreadful Calamities upon that Nation. Jofephus fays, that it was lure for fome greater Impiety than that Nation were guilty of; when they were carried away Captive to Babylon. Nay, he lays that the Sins of Sodom and Gomorrha, were but final! in comparifon of thole the 7etwr were guilty of 5 fo that he Pays, that they were fo ripe for Deftru&ion, that if the Roman Army had not come when it did, he did verily believe that either an Earthquake would have (wallowed up the City, or a Deluge overflown them, or Fire from
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