n 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 transgress