the wars of the jews-第107节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


he　next　day；　found　a　hundred　fourscore　and　five　thousand　dead　bodies；　and　when　he；　with　the　remainder　of　his　army；　fled　away　from　the　Hebrews；　though　they　were　　　unarmed；　and　did　not　pursue　them。　You　are　also　　　acquainted　with　the　slavery　we　were　under　at　Babylon；　　　where　the　people　were　captives　for　seventy　years；　yet　were　they　not　delivered　into　freedom　again　before　God　made　　　Cyrus　his　gracious　instrument　in　bringing　it　about；　　　accordingly　they　were　set　free　by　him；　and　did　again　　　restore　the　worship　of　their　Deliverer　at　his　temple。　And；　to　speak　in　general；　we　can　produce　no　example　wherein　our　　　fathers　got　any　success　by　war；　or　failed　of　success　when　without　war　they　committed　themselves　to　God。　When　they　　　staid　at　home；　they　conquered；　as　pleased　their　Judge；　but　when　they　went　out　to　fight；　they　were　always　disappointed：　for　example；　when　the　king　of　Babylon　besieged　this　very　city；　and　our　king　Zedekiah　fought　against　him；　contrary　to　what　predictions　were　made　to　him　by　Jeremiah　the　　　prophet；　he　was　at　once　taken　prisoner；　and　saw　the　city　and　the　temple　demolished。　Yet　how　much　greater　was　the　　　moderation　of　that　king；　than　is　that　of　your　present　　　governors；　and　that　of　the　people　then　under　him；　than　is　that　of　you　at　this　time！　for　when　Jeremiah　cried　out　aloud；　how　very　angry　God　was　at　them；　because　of　their　　　transgressions；　and　told　them　they　should　be　taken　　　prisoners；　unless　they　would　surrender　up　their　city；　neither　did　the　king　nor　the　people　put　him　to　death；　but　for　you；　（to　pass　over　what　you　have　done　within　the　city；　which　I　am　not　able　to　describe　as　your　wickedness　deserves；）　you　　　abuse　me；　and　throw　darts　at　me；　who　only　exhort　you　to　　　save　yourselves；　as　being　provoked　when　you　are　put　in　　　mind　of　your　sins；　and　cannot　bear　the　very　mention　of　　　those　crimes　which　you　every　day　perpetrate。　For　another　example；　when　Antiochus；　who　was　called　Epiphanes；　lay　　　before　this　city；　and　had　been　guilty　of　many　indignities　against　God；　and　our　forefathers　met　him　in　arms；　they　　　then　were　slain　in　the　battle；　this　city　was　plundered　by　our　enemies；　and　our　sanctuary　made　desolate　for　three　years　and　six　months。　And　what　need　I　bring　any　more　　　examples？　Indeed　what　can　it　be　that　hath　stirred　up　an　army　of　the　Romans　against　our　nation？　Is　it　not　the　impiety　of　the　inhabitants？　Whence　did　our　servitude　commence？　Was　it　not　derived　from　the　seditions　that　were　among　our　forefathers；　when　the　madness　of　Aristobulus　and　Hyrcanus；　and　our　mutual　quarrels；　brought　Pompey　upon　this　city；　and　when　God　reduced　those　under　　subjection　to　the　Romans　who　were　unworthy　of　the　liberty　they　had　enjoyed？　After　a　siege；　therefore；　of　three　months；　they　were　forced　to　surrender　themselves；　although　they　had　not　been　guilty　of　such　offenses；　with　regard　to　our　sanctuary　and　our　laws；　as　you　have；　and　this　while　they　had　much　greater　advantages　to　go　to　war　than　you　have。　Do　not　we　know　what　end　Antigonus；　the　son　of　Aristobulus；　came　to；　under　whose　reign　God　provided　that　this　city　should　be　taken　again　upon　account　of　the　people's　offenses？　When　Herod；　the　son　of　Antipater；　brought　upon　us　Sosius；　and　Sosius　brought　upon　us　the　Roman　army；　they　were　then　encompassed　and　besieged　for　six　months；　till；　as　a　punishment　for　their　sins；　they　were　taken；　and　the　city　was　plundered　by　the　enemy。　Thus　it　appears　that　arms　were　never　given　to　our　nation；　but　that　we　are　always　given　up　to　be　fought　against；　and　to　be　taken；　for　I　suppose　that　such　as　inhabit　this　holy　place　ought　to　commit　the　disposal　of　all　things　to　God；　and　then　only　to　disregard　the　assistance　of　men　when　they　resign　themselves　up　to　their　Arbitrator；　who　is　above。　As　for　you；　what　have　you　done　of　those　things　that　are　recommended　by　our　legislator？　and　what　have　you　not　done　of　those　things　that　he　hath　condemned？　How　much　more　impious　are　you　than　those　who　were　so　quickly　taken！　You　have　not　avoided　so　much　as　those　sins　that　are　usually　done　in　secret；　I　mean　thefts；　and　treacherous　plots　against　men；　and　adulteries。　You　are　quarrelling　about　rapines　and　murders；　and　invent　strange　ways　of　wickedness。　Nay；　the　temple　itself　is　become　the　receptacle　of　all；　and　this　Divine　place　is　polluted　by　the　hands　of　those　of　our　own　country；　which　place　hath　yet　been　reverenced　by　the　Romans　when　it　was　at　a　distance　from　them；　when　they　have　suffered　many　of　their　own　customs　to　give　place　to　our　law。　And；　after　all　this；　do　you　expect　Him　whom　you　have　so　impiously　abused　to　be　your　supporter？　To　be　sure　then　　you　have　a　right　to　be　petitioners；　and　to　call　upon　Him　to　assist　you；　so　pure　are　your　hands！　Did　your　king　＇Hezekiah＇　lift　up　such　hands　in　prayer　to　God　against　the　king　of　Assyria；　when　he　destroyed　that　great　army　in　one　night？　And　do　the　Romans　commit　such　wickedness　as　did　the　king　of　Assyria；　that　you　may　have　reason　to　hope　for　the　like　vengeance　upon　them？　Did　not　that　king　accept　of　money　from　our　king　on　this　condition；　that　he　should　not　destroy　the　city；　and　yet；　contrary　to　the　oath　he　had　taken；　he　came　down　to　burn　the　temple？　while　the　Romans　do　　demand　no　more　than　that　accustomed　tribute　which　our　fathers　paid　to　their　fathers；　and　if　they　may　but　once　obtain　that；　they　neither　aim　to　destroy　this　city；　nor　to　touch　this　sanctuary；　nay；　they　will　grant　you　besides；　that　your　posterity　shall　be　free；　and　your　possessions　secured　to　you；　and　will　preserve　our　holy　laws　inviolate　to　you。　And　it　is　plain　madness　to　expect　that　God　should　appear　as　well　disposed　towards　the　wicked　as　towards　the　righteous；　since　he　knows　when　it　is　proper　to　punish　men　for　their　sins　immediately；　accordingly　he　brake　the　power　of　the　Assyrians　the　very　first　night　that　they　pitched　their　camp。　Wherefore；　had　he　judged　that　our　nation　was　worthy　of　freedom；　or　the　Romans　of　punishment；　he　had　immediately　inflicted　punishment　upon　those　Romans；　as　he　did　upon　the　Assyrians；　when　Pompey　began　to　meddle　with　our　nation；　or　when　after　him　Sosius　came　up　against　us；　or　when　Vespasian　laid　waste　Galilee；　or；　lastly；　when　Titus　came　first　of　all　near　to　this　city；　although　Magnus　and　Sosius　did　not　only　suffer　nothing；　but　took　the　city　by　force；　as　did　Vespasian　go　from　the　war　he　made　against　you　to　receive　the　empire；　and　as　for　Titus；　those　springs　that　were　formerly　almost　dried　up　when　they　were　under　your　power　（18）　since　he　is　come；　run　more　plentifully　than　they　did　before；　accordingly；　you　know　that　Siloam；　as　well　as　all　the　other　springs　that　were　without　the　city；　did　so　far　fail；　that　water　was　sold　by　distinct　measures；　whereas　they　now　have　such　a　great　quantity　of　water　for　your　enemies；　as　is　sufficient　not　only　for　drink　both　for　themselves　and　their　cattle；　but　for　watering　their　gardens　also。　The　same　wonderful　sign　you　had　also　experience　of　formerly；　when　the　forementioned　king　of　Babylon　made　war　against　us；　and　when　he　took　the　city；　and　burnt　the　temple；　while　yet　I　believe　the　Jews　of　that　age　were　not　so　impious　as　you　are。　Wherefore　I　cannot　but　suppose　that　God　is　fled　out　of　his　sanctuary；　and　stands　on　the　side　of　those　against　whom　you　fight。　Now　even　a　man；　if　he　be　but　a　good　man；　will　fly　from　an　impure　house；　and　will　hate　those　that　are　in　it；　and　do　you　persuade　yourselves　that　God　will　abide　with　you　in　your　iniquities；　who　sees　all　secret　things；　and　hears　what　is　kept　most　private？　Now　what　crime　is　there；　I　pray　you；　that　is　so　much　as　kept　secret　among　you；　or　is　concealed　by　you？　nay；　what　is　there　that　is　not　open　to　your　very　enemies？　for　you　show　your　transgressions　after　a　pompous　manner；　and　contend　one　with　another　which　of　you　shall　be　more　wicked　than　another；　and　you　make　a　public　demonstration　of　your　injustice；　as　if　it　were　virtue。　However；　there　is　a　place　left　for　your　preservation；　if　you　be　willing　to　accept　of　it；　and　God　is　easily　reconciled　to　those　that　confess　their　faults；　and　repent　of　them。　O　hard…hearted　wretches　as　you　are！　cast　away　all　your　arms；　and　take　pity　of　your　country　already　going　to　ruin；　return　from　your　wicked　ways；　and　have　regard　to　the　excellency　of　that　city　which　you　are　going　to　betray；　to　that　excellent　temple　with　the　donations　of　so　many　countries　in　it。　Who　could　bear　to　be　the　first　that　should　set　that　temple　on　fire？　who　could　be　willing　that　these　things　should　be　no　more？　and　what　is　there　that　can　better　deserve　to　be　preserved？　O　insensible　creatures；　and　more　stupid　than　are　the　stones　themselves！　And　if　you　cannot　look　at　these　things　with　discerning　eyes；　yet；　however；　have　pity　upon　your　families；　and　set　before　every　one　of　your　eyes　your　children；　and　wives；　and　parents；　who　will　be　gradually　consumed　either　by　famine　or　by　war。　I　am　sensible　that　　this　danger　will　extend　to　my　mother；　and　wife；　and　to　that　family　of　mine　who　have　been　by　no　means　ignoble；　and　indeed　to　one　that　hath　been　very　eminent　in　old　time；　and　perhaps　you　may　imagine　that　it　is　on　their　account　only　that　I　give　you　this　advice；　if　that　be　all；　kill　them；　nay；　take　my　own　blood　as　a　reward；　if　it　may　but　procure　your　preservation；　for　I　am　ready　to　die；　in　case　you　will　but　return　to　a　sound　mind　after　my　death。〃　　　　CHAPTER　10。　　　　　　　　　　How　A　Great　Many　Of　The　People　Earnestly　Endeavo