Section 125
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94 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. Concerning the events, then, that befel the Jews after our Sa viour's passion, and those outcries in which the multitude of the Jews refused the condemnation of a rohber and murderer, but entreated that the Prince of Life should be destroyed, it is superfluous to add to the statement of the historian. Yet it may be proper to mention, also, what things occurred that show the benignity of that all-gracious Providence that had deferred their destruction for forty years after their crimes against Christ Dur ing which time the greater part of the apostles and disciples, James himself, the first bishop there, usually called the brother of our Lord, still surviving, and still remaining at Jerusalem, con tinued the strongest bulwark of the place. Divine Providence yet bearing them with long-suffering, to see whether by repent ance for what they had done, they might obtain pardon and sal vation ; fend beside this long-suffering, it also presented wonderful prodigies of what was about to happen to those that did not re pent ; all which having been recorded by the historian already cited, it well deserved to be submitted to the view of our readers.1 CHAPTER VIII. The signs that preceded the war. TAKING, then, the work of this author, read for yourself the account given by him in the sixth book of his history. " The wretched people," says he, " at this time were readily persuaded to give credit to the impostors and liars against God, but they neither believed nor paid regard to the significant and wonder ful events that prognosticated the -approaching desolation. On the contrary, as if struck with stupidity, and as if they had nei ther eyes nor understanding, they slighted the declarations of God. At one time, when a star very like a sword stood above the city, as also a comet that continued to be seen a whole year, at another, when before the rebellion and the commotions that preceded the war, whilst the people were collected at the feast