usalem is to be
ascribed, not to the power of the Romans, for God had often delivered it
from no less dangers; but to a special providence, which was pleased to
put it out of the power of human perversity to delay or respite the
extinction of those ceremonial observances. "As a physician," says that
father, "by breaking the cup, prevents his patient from indulging his
appetite in a noxious draught; so God withheld the Jews from their
sacrifices by destroying the whole city itself, and making the place
inaccessible to all of them." St. Gregory Nazianzen, Socrates,
Theodoret, and other Christian writers, are unanimous in what they say
of Julian's motive, ascribing to him the intention already mentioned, of
falsifying the scripture prophecies, those of Daniel and Christ, which
his actions sufficiently evidence. His historian, indeed, says, that he
undertook this work out of a desire of rendering the glory of his reign
immortal by so great an achievement:[17] but this was only an
after-thought or secondary motive; and Sozomen in particular assures us
that not only Julian, but that the idolaters who assisted in it, pushed
it forward upon that very motive, and for the sake thereof suspended
their aversion to the Jewish nation. Julian himself wrote a letter to
the body or community of the Jews, extant among his works,[18] mentioned
by Sozomen,[19] and translated by Dr. Cave, in his life of St. Cyril. In
it he declares them free from all exactions and taxes, and orders Julus
or Illus, (probably Hillel,) their most reverend patriarch, to abolish
the apostoli, or gatherers of the said taxes; begs their prayers, (such
was his hypocrisy,) and promises, after his Persian expedition, when
their temple should be rebuilt, to make Jerusalem his residence, and to
offer up his joint prayers together with them.

After this he assembled the chief among the Jews, and asked them why
they offered no bloody sacrifices, since they were prescribed by their
law. They replied, that they could not offer any but in the temple,
which then lay in ruins. Whereupon he commanded them to repair to
Jerusalem, rebuild {611} their temple, and re-establish their ancient
worship, promising them his concurrence towards carrying on the work.
The Jews received the warrant with inexpressible joy, and were so elated
with it, that, flocking from all parts to Jerusalem, they began
insolently to scorn and triumph over the Christians, threatening to make
them feel as fa