Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/615

 their own  received  them  not. Though called  and called again,  men  turned  in  preference  to  their  farms and their  merchandise. So little,  indeed,  could  they brook interference  with  their  worldly  interests,  that they laid  violent  hands  on  the  prophets  of  old  and Apostles and  martyrs  of  later  days,  and  having treated them  contumeliously,  put  them  to  death. Aye, when  God  sent  even  His  only  Son,  hoping  they would revere  and  obey  His  commands,  the  world hung Him  as  a  felon  on  the  cross. Then it  was  that the anger  of  the  King  of  Icings  burst  forth. Mercy gave place  to  justice,  and  sending  His  army  He  destroyed those  murderers  and  burned  their  city. Thirty-seven years  after  the  Saviour's  Ascension, the Roman  legions  under  Vespasian  and  his  son Titus invaded  Palestine  and  besieged  Jerusalem. Not only  in  the  parable  we  have  read,  but  in  distinct prophetic words  the  Saviour  had  foretold  it  all — on that  memorable  day  when  standing  on  Olivet's  slope, turning His  streaming  eyes  to  Jerusalem,  He  said: "The day  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  thy  enemies shall  cast  a  trench  about  thee,  and  compass  thee round  and  straighten  thee  on  every  side,  and  beat thee  flat  to  the  ground  and  thy  children  who  are  in thee,  and  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  a  stone  upon  a stone,  because  thou  hast  not  known  the  time  of  thy visitation." When the  Apostles  boastingly  pointed out to  Him  the  beauties  of  the  Temple,  He  answered: "  Amen,  I  say  to  you,  there  shall  not  be  left a  stone  upon  a  stone  that  shall  not  be  destroyed." When on  the  march  to  Calvary  the  women  of  Jeru-