never possessed. In general, however, the appearance of bodily strength or weakness in the people, formed the rule by which the factions were guided in their search for plunder. Provisions had become so scarce, that many of the wealthier Jews sold all they possessed for a single measure of wheat; and others of the poorer sort, on the same conditions, for a similar proportion of barley then shutting themselves up in secret, with whatever they had thus purchased, they proceeded to devour the corn either without grinding, or in a state of leaven; according as the importunity of hunger, or the fear of danger predominated.' Starving is of all deaths perhaps, the most deplorable; as it takes away the sense of shame, tenderness and respect. The bare supposition that food was in the possession of any individual created the most sanguinary conflicts, in which they who had formerly been bound by affection, forgetful of the ties of kindred or friendship, contended with each other for no greater object than a slender hoard of victuals. It was this corroding necessity that instigated husbands to snatch, without remorse, the food from the mouths of their wives; that children, forgetful of all claims to their respect, did the same with their parents; and what was still more unnatural; that mothers, losing every sentiment of tenderness and affection, forced away the sustenance from their own infants;

(1) Bell. Jud. 5, x. 2.

(2) They with avidity devoured shoes, girdles, the hides of beasts, and old hay, where they could procure it; for a handful of which they paid a sum equivalent to half a crown English.

Bell. Jud. 6, iii. 3.

FOR THERE SHALL BE GREAT TRIBULATION; SUCH AS WAS NOT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THIS TIME, NO, NOR EVER SHALL BE,

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Matt. xxiv. 21,

infants; depriving them of the very last support of life, even at a time when they lay expiring in their arms and no sooner had they robbed them of whatever accident had bestowed, or with what natural affection had previously supplied, than they themselves were plundered of the prey.' Wherever a house was seen shut up, it was concluded, that some were eating in secret; instantly the doors were forced open, and the food even though it were already masticated, was torn from the throats of any who happened thus to be discovered. Mercy was alike withheld from age and sex; whether sick or languid, tender or infirm, all were indiscriminately attacked, and suffered the same unhappy fate. Those who endeavoured to defend whatever provision they had previously retained, were regarded as presumptuous, and experienced more complicated

(1) THE MAN THAT IS TENDER AMONG YOU, AND VERY DELICATE, HIS EYB SHALL BE EVIL TOWARD HIS BROTHER, AND TOWARD THE WIFE OF HIS BOSOM, AND TOWARD THE REMNANT OF HIS CHILDREN WHICH HE SHALL LEAVE:BECAUSE HE HATH NOTHING LEFT HIM IN THE SIEGE, AND IN THE STRAITNESS WHEREWITH THINE ENEMIES SHALL DISTRESS THEE IN THY GATES.

Deut. xxviii. 54, 55.

The words of our Saviour foretelling the effect his doctrines, as opposed to Judaism, would have upon those of the same household, may, in their literal interpretation, be applied to the circumstances of this stage of the siege.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I am not come to send peace, but a sword; for I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against the mother; and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.—And a man's foes shall be those of his own house. Matt. x. 34, 35.

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(2) Bell. Jud. 5, x. 3.

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Here also might be applied the literal signification of the words spoken by David on another, very different occasion-" While the meat was yet in their mouths, the heavy wrath of God came upon them, and slew the wealthiest of them; yea and smote down the chosen men that were in Israel,” Psalm, lxxviii. 31.

plicated tortures. Women were dragged by the hair of their heads for attempting to keep or to conceal any article, however trifling or necessary to their existence; while infants were lifted from the ground, as they clung to the morsels they had gotten. In short, no species of brutality or outrage was left unpractised, where the remotest possibility existed of gaining the smallest quantity of nourishment. Every idea or sense of feeling was banished and forgotten; the maddening frenzy of the seditious carrying them on to the commission of acts, at the mention of which, humanity stands aghast, and which are too horrible and disgraceful to be recorded. Dreadful as is the contemplation of these scenes, no reflection is more painful, than that these savage tormentors were not instigated at that time, by the cravings of hunger to commit enormities of such a magnitude, for which necessity might perhaps, have been adduced as offering some degree of palliation; but it was purely a wanton exercise of inhumanity, as they themselves had six days provision in store. "But," continues Josephus, "it is impossible distinctly to relate every instance of the depravity of "this people. I shall, therefore, only candidly and briefly speak my mind; that no city ever suffered "such misery, nor did any age ever produce a genera"tion more replete with wickedness than this, from "the beginning of the world."

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66

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(1) As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she (Jerusalem) casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. Jer. vi. 7.

(2) Bell. Jud. 5, x. 3.

(3) Bell. Jud. 5, x. 5.

OH! WICKED AND PERVERSE GENERATION, WHO SHALL WARN YOU AGAINST THE WRATH TO COME? Matt. iii. 7.

Providence in mercy to mankind has so seldom visited them with famine, that happily it is difficult for us to conceive the extent of the wretchedness which is said to attend that grievous dispensation. That it gradually produces derangement of mind with the loss of animal strength, appears probable from reflecting on natural causes, as well as from the description of its effects, afforded us by the historian, in the dreadful instances to which he here bears such acknowledged testimony. That it should not in its earliest stage, have brought the Jewish sufferers to a just sense of their national and individual depravity, would surely have afforded subject of astonishment; were it not evident from this, and other indications, that "even as they "did not like to retain God in their knowledge; God gave them over to a reprobate mind," by which they were led no headlong to destruction.

CHAP.

CHAPTER VI.

THE JEWS DESERT TO TITUS....TERMS OF CAPITULATION AGAIN OFFERED, AND AGAIN REJECTED....THE ROMANS RECEIVE A CHECK.....A COUNCIL OF WAR CALLED....THE WHOLE CITY SURROUNDED BY A WALL....THE FAMINE AT THIS PERIOD DESCRIBED.... THE EXCESSIVE CRUELTY OF THE SOLDIERS TOWARDS

THE JEWISH DESERTERS....FORTIFICATIONS RAISED, AND THE WOODS AROUND THE CITY CUT DOWN.

DURING the time that Titus was carrying on the operations of this siege; the extreme wretchedness and distress of the Jews made many of them so desperate, that parties were found in the night wandering secretly around the Roman camp, in search of food and casual nourishment.' They were intimidated from desertion altogether, apprehensive that their absence and supposed escape might furnish the factions with a pretence for murdering their wives and children: that by such an example, others might be deterred from entertaining ideas of flight. On the other hand, it would have been difficult, and too likely to have betrayed their intentions, had they attempted to take their families with them.

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(1) GO NOT FORTH INTO THE FIELD, NOR WALK BY THE WAY, for the SWORD, AND THE ENEMY, ANd fear is on EVERY SIDE, Jer. vi. 25.

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