Page:Jerusalem's captivities lamented, or, The history of Jerusalem.pdf/11

 holy place, but the flames rushed through all parts of the temple in a moment, so that none could save it: the Jews seeing all go to destruction before their eyes, they then threw themselves into the flames, saying, why should we live any longer? Now there was no temple after the holy of holies was burnt Titus entered it, and saw the glory of it. and said, I well percieve that this is no other than the house of God, and the dwelling place of the king of heaven; the God of heaven, who is God of this house, take vengeance, on the seditious whose heinous deeds have brought this evil upon themselves, and this holy place.

On September the seventh Titus commanded all the lower city to be set on fire, and assaulted the upper city, breaking over the fences, and destroying all before them with fire and sword then commanded the city and temple to be raized to the foundation, and the ground to be forthwith plowed. And Jehonanen and Simon were sent prisoners to Rome, with seven hundred of the Jews: the book of the law, and the purple vail of the sanctuary were taken in triumph to Rome. About that time neither sun nor moon were seen for fifteen days, as Christ foretold, Matth. xxiv. 15,

St. Jerome writes, that in this time, on that day of the year wherein Jerusalem was taken by the Romans you might have seen aged men and women, and several other wretched people, but pitied by none who with blubbered cheeks and dischevelled hair, went howling and lamenting for the ruin of the temple and sanctuary, wearing and bearing in their habits and bodies, the sad characters of divine vengence, of whom the soldiers exacted a fee for liberty of weeping; and they who formerly sold the blood of Jesus, were now forced to buy their own tears.

The Roman soldiers being now quite spent with