Dr. John Jortin
(1698-1770)

Prelate of St. Dunstan's-in-the-East, 1751 ; Prelate of Kensington 1762 ; Archdeacon of London  1764 | William Warburton's Assistant Preacher at Lincoln's Inn

Remarks on Ecclesiastical History

"He is characterized by Dr. Knox as distinguished by simplicity of manners, inoffensive behaviour, universal benevolence, candour, modesty, and good sense."
Nichol's Lit. Anecd.

(On Josephus)
"I would not willing be imposed upon, or impose upon the reader ; but I leave it to be considered whether in all this there might not be something extraordinary, as both Vespasian and Josephus were designed and reserved for extraordinary purposes, to assist in fulfilling and justifying the prophecies of Daniel and of our Lord.  The same Providence which raised up and conducted Cyrus, and preserved the rash Macedonian  Conqueror from perishing, till he had overthrown the Persian Empire, that the Prophecies might be accomplished ; might take the ROMAN EMPEROR and the JEWISH WRITER under a singular protection for reasons of no less importance." (Remarks on Ecc. Hist. vol. 1.)

(On King Jesus)
"Christ foretold the total destruction of the city and temple; the coming of false Christs and false prophets; famines, pestilences, earthquakes, fearful sights and great signs from heaven; the persecution of the apostles, the apostacy of some Christians; the preservation of the faith; the spreading of the gospel through the Roman world; the Roman standards defiling the holy place; the city encompassed with armies, walls and trenches; the retiring of the Christians to the mountains; the greatest tribulation that ever was known; the time when these things should happen; the comparative happiness of the barren woman; wars and rumours of wars, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom; the dispersion of the captive Jews through all nations; the continuation of the desolation; a shortening the days of vengeance for the sake of the elect: all which came to pass. (Jortin's Remarks on E. Hist. vol. i.)

(On Matthew 24:2)
"The temple was so magnificent that it was esteemed for art and beauty one of the wonders of the world; whence it was natural to expect that the Romans according to their usual custom, amidst their conquests, would endeavour to preserve it safe and entire. And Josephus tells us that Titus laboured with all his power to save it, but that his soldiers, as if moved by a divine impulse, would not hearken to his positive and repeated orders, but set fire to every part of it till it was entirely consumed and the soil on which it stood was ploughed up and not one stone left on another." (Remarks on E. Hist. vol. i, p. 30.)

(On Luke 21:11 and the signs at the Destruction of Jerusalem)
"If Christ had not expressly foretold this, many, who gave little heed to portents, and who know that historians have been too credulous in that point, would have suspected that Josephus exaggerated, and that Tacitus was misinformed ; but as the testimonies of Josephus and Tacitus confirm the predictions of Christ, so the predictions of Christ confirm the wonders recorded by these historians." (Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, vol. 1, p. 41. )