geration. We may well believe, however, that during the whole war 97,000 were taken prisoners. It is enough to know that the slaughter was immense, and that neither age nor sex afforded any protection. The destruction, as God's prophets had foretold it would be, was complete. The divine judgment was fulfilled to the uttermost, as it ever will be, whether it descends on individuals or nations. We have seen that both Simon and John attempted to save themselves in the subterranean works; but they were not successful. Hunger compelled both of them to come forth;-Simon, only after a theatrical trick by which he hoped to impose on the Romans; * John, almost immediately after the capture of the Upper City. John was granted his life, but kept in perpetual confinement; Simon, after figuring in the conqueror's triumph, was put to death. And thus was Jerusalem taken, in the year of our Lord 71, and in the second of Vespasian's reign. It was the sixth time that it had been captured, and the second that it had been destroyed. When it again rose from its ashes, it was peopled by Roman colonists. After a while, many a longing Hebrew ventured to return to its sacred precincts; but, though it * He contrived to rise, arrayed magnificently in white and purple, from the centre of the Temple platform. The awe or terror of the spectators soon abated when they saw, beneath the royal or priestly robes, the squalid features of their victim. Detected by a Roman officer, he was led bound to Titus.-(Merivale, after Josephus.) has undergone many vicissitudes-though it has twelve times been assaulted by hostile armies - though it has once been the seat of a Christian kingdom-and though it is still holy in the eyes of thousands and tens of thousands, it has never again become the capital of a Jewish king. It belonged, with all its wealth, and glory, and shame, and sin, to a past dispensation; and its work done, it fell. Who can say if ever it shall be restored to anything of its former power? Who can dare to conjecture what may be its future fortunes? Enough for us to know that every Christian must recognize in its awful catastrophe the fulfilment of prophecy, and a signal instance of the retribution which sooner or later overtakes the evil-doer (Matt. xxiv. 1-28; Isa. iii. 8, 11). V. CONQUEST OF JUDEA. O'er Judah's land thy thunders broke, O Lord! |