called the abomination, and the abomination of defolation, as it was to defolate and lay wafte Jerufalem and this army's befieging Jerufalem is called fanding where it ought not, as it is in St. Mark; (XIII. 14.) or standing in the holy place, as it is in St. Matthew; the city and fuch a compafs of ground about it being accounted holy. When therefore the Roman army shall advance to befiege Jerufalem, then let them who are in Judea confult their own fafety, and fly into the mountains. This counfel was wifely remembered, and put in practice by the Chriftians afterwards. Jofephus informs us, that when Ceftius Gallus came with his army against Jerufalem, (4) many fled from the city as if it would be taken prefently: and after his retreat, (5) many of the noble Jews departed out of the city, as out of a finking fhip: and a few years afterwards, when Vefpafian was drawing his forces towards Jerufalem, (6) a great multitude fled from Jericho Is Tv igen into the mountainous country for their fecurity. It is probable that (4) ηδη δε πολλοι διεδρασκον απο της πολεως, ὡς ἁλωσομενης alina. jamque multi ex civitate diffugiebant, ac fi continuo effet expugnanda. Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. Lib. 2. Cap. 19. Sect. 6. P. 1103. (5) πολλοι των επιφανων Ιεδαίων, απήνη ὥσπερ βαπλιζόμενης νεως, (6) Ibid. Lib. 4. Cap. 8. Sect. (7) Eufeb. 1 that there were fome Chriftians among thefe, but we learn more certainly from (7) ecclefiaftical hiftorians, that at this juncture all who believed in Chrift left Jerufalem, and removed to Pella and other places beyond the river Jordan: fo that they all marvelously escaped the general shipwrack of their country, and we do not read any where that fo much as one of them perished in the deftruction of Jerufalem. Of such signal service was this caution of our Saviour to the believers! He profecutes the same subject in the following verfes. Let him which is on the house-top, not come down to take any thing out of his houfe. (ver. 17.) The (8) houses of the Jews, as well as thofe of the ancient Greeks and Romans, were flat on the top for them to walk upon, and had ufually ftairs on the outfide, by which they might ascend and descend without coming into the house. In the eastern walled cities these flat-roofed houfes ufually formed continued terraces from one end of the city to the other, which terraces terminated at the gates. He therefore who is walking and regaling himself upon the houfe-top, let him not come down to take any (7) Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. 3. Cap. 5. cum notis Valefii. Epiphanius Adverfus Nazaræos. Lib. 1. Tom. 2. Se&t. 7. Vol. 1. Edit. Petavii. Idem. de Menf. & Pond, Se&t, 15. Vol. 2. thing (8) See Grotius on the place, and the Miracles of Jesus vindicated by Bp. Pearce. Part IV. p. 27, 28. (9) Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. Lib. 4. Cap. 9. Sect. 1. & 10. can. thing out of his houfe; but let him instantly purfue his courfe along the tops of the houses, and escape out at the city-gate as fast as he poffibly Neither let him which is in the field, return back to take his clothes. (ver. 18.) Our Saviour maketh use of thefe expreffions to intimate, that their flight must be as fudden and hafty as -Lot's was out of Sodom. And the Chriftians escaping just as they did was the more providential, because afterwards (9) all egrefs out of the city was prevented. And woe unto them that are with child, and unto them that give fuck in thofe days. (ver. 19.) For neither will fuch perfons be in a condition. to fly, neither will they be well able to indure the diftrefs and hardships of a fiege. This woe was fufficiently fulfilled in the cruel flaughters which were made both of the women and children, and particularly in that grievous famin, which fo miferably afflicted Jerufalem during the fiege. For as Jofephus reports, (1) mothers fnatched the food from their infants out of their very mouths and again in another place, (2) the houfes were full of women and children, who Edit. Hudfon. (1) μητέρες νηπίων εξήρπαζον εξ αύλων των κοματων τας τροφας. matres infantibus cibum ex ipfo ore rapiebant. Ib. Lib. 5. Cap. 10. Sect. 3. p. 1245: perished (2) και τα μεν τέγη πεπληρωτο γυναικων και βρεφων λελυμένων. ac tecta quidem plena erant mulieribus et infantibus fame enectis. Ib, Cap. 12. Sect. 3. P. 1252. (3) Ibid, perished by famin. But Jofephus still relates a more horrid ftory; and I make no queftion, that our Saviour with his fpirit of prophecy had this particular incident in view. There (3) was one Mary, the daughter of Eleazar, illustrious for her family and riches. She having been ftript and plundered of all her substance and provifions by the foldiers, out of neceflity and fury killed her own fucking child, and having boiled him devoured half of him, and covering up the rest preserved it for another time. The foldiers foon came allured by the fmell of victuals, and threatened to kill her immediately, if she would not produce what he had dreffed. But the replied that she had reserved a good part for them, and uncovered the relics of her fon. Dread and astonishment feised them, and they ftood ftupified at the fight. "But this, faid fhe, is my own fon, and this my work. Eat, for even I have eaten. Be not you more tender than a woman, nor more compaffionate, than a mother. But if you have a religious ahhorrence of my victim, I truly have eaten half, and let the reft remain for me." They went away trembling, fearful to do this one thing; and hardly left this food for the mother. The whole city was ftruck with horror, fays the historian, at (3) Ibid. Lib. 6. Cap. 3. Sect. 4. 3.4 this (4) Ibid. this wickedness; and they were pronounced bleffed, who died before they had heard or feen fuch great evils. So true alfo was what our Saviour declared on another occafion, when the women were bewailing and lamenting him, as he was led to execution; (Luke XXIII. 28, 29, 30.) Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourfelves, and for your children. For bebold, the days are coming, in the which they fall fay, Bleed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave fuck. Then shall they begin to fay to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. Proverbial expreffions to fignify their defire of any shelter or refuge; and fo very defirous were they of hiding themselves, that (4) some thoufands of them crept even into the commonfewers, and there miferably perished, or were dragged out to flaughter. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the fabbath-day. (ver. 20.) Pray that these evils be not farther aggravated by the concurrence of other natural and moral evils, fuch as the inclemencies of the feafons and your own fuperftitions. Pray that your flight be not in the winter; for the hardness of the season, the badnefs of the roads, the fhortness of the days, will all (4) Ibid. Lib. 6. Cap. 9. Sect. 4. (5) Jofephus |