Page:New historical catechism (1).pdf/11

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

11


Christian religion, died peacelly in his bed, who, for three hundred years before, few or none escaped divine vengeance, whose miserable deaths, a noble Christian, above a thousand years ago, wrote to shew that they all fell by the power of Jesus, besides Ju. lian the apostate, and Valens an Arian heretic, were inade instances of divine justice, for their detestable enormities.

Q. What befel the Jews for crucifying the Sari- cur of the wo:ld?

A: The Jewishi l-istorian relates such intolerable calamities and iniseries that befel them soon after our Saviour's ascension, as can hardly be imagined, first by lilate their governor; and then by Proternius, under Caligula, and several others afterwards, whiclı anade them at length rebel against the Romans, which hastened their utter ruin and extirpation by Titus Vespasian, with the burning of their temple, and destruction of Jerusalem, eleven hundred thou- sand of them being slain in the siege, twenty-seve: thousand taken prisoners, who were either put to death, carried in triumph, or sold for slaves in all parts of the world.

Q. What time is it said that this universal destrue. tion of the Jews happened ?

A. It is very remarkable, that their utter des. truction came upon them forty years after our Sa- viour's death, namely, at the feast of the passover, when the whole nation, out of all countries ani! tribes were assembled together, and that by the hards of the Roman Caesar, for whom they had re- jecied Christ, saying, we have no king but Casar. And as they apprchended Christ on mount Olivet, Titus planted his first battery for their destruction, upon that mount, and as they led forward Christ frore Caiphas to Pilate, so they were hauled up and