Page:Jerusalem's captivities lamented, or, A plain description of Jerusalem (2).pdf/21

 people, and also the end of the most glorious city in the universe.

What is here chiefly remarkable is this, that no foreign nation ever came thus to destroy the Jews at any of their solemn festivals from the days of Moses till this time; but came now upon their apostacy from God, and disobedience to him. Nor is it possible, in the nature of things, that in any other nation such vast numbers should be gotten together, and perish in the siege of any one city whatsoever, as now happened in Jerusalem.

Thus was Jerusalem taken and utterly destroyed, in the 2d year of Vespasian, and on the eight day of the month Gorpieus; having been five times taken before, i.e. by Azchæus king of Egypt, Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria, Pompey, Herod, with Sosius, who did all preserve the city after it was taken. But Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, laid it waste 1365 years, 8 months and 6 days after the building of it.

The first founder of it was a Canaanitish prince called Melchizedec, which in the Hebrew language signifies a just king, for such was he in an eminent mariner. He first dedicated the city to God, erected a temple in it and officiated in the quality of priest, giving it the name of Jeursalem, which before was called Solyma.

When David, the king of the Jews, came afterwards to drive out the Canaanites, he planted his own people there; and in 477 ears, and 3 months after this, it was laid waste by the Babylonians.