Dissertation Concerning the Antiquity of Temples, Title page – Errata
I DISSERTATION CONCERNING THE ANTIQUITY OF TEMPLES.
Wherein is ſhewn, That there were none before the TABERNACLE, Erected by Moſes in the WILDERNESS: FROM HISTORIES, Sacred and Profane.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide. 1696.
HONORATISSIMO Do. Do. GULIELMO TRUMBUL,
Equiti aurato.
Non minus virtutibus, quam titulis ornato.
Apud Regem Galliarum, necnon Imp, Turcicum, Olim Legato.
Nuper Quaeſtorum aerarij Socio: Nune Gulielmo M. Brit. Regi Ab Epiſtolis, & Sanctioribus conſilijs.
Itemque In conventu Ordinum Regni, Senatori integerrimo.
Hanc qualem qualem Diſſertationem, Quam humillimè, D. D. C. L. Mq JOSEPHUS HILL.
READER.
HAving a deſign to publiſh a few Diſſertations, concerning ſome Opinions, that have in the late Times been ventilated amongst us; I ſhall briefly ſhew to what Subjects they have relation: A long Preface being no ways congruous to a ſhort Treatiſe.
This Firſt is meerly Hiſtorical, referring to the Times of the Old Teſtament concerning the Antiquity of Temples. Of which Subject, many Authors have ſpoken by the by; but ſcarce any induſtriouſly and fully. Hoſpinian indeed hath ſaid ſomething thereof; but ſo little, and ſuperficially, in compariſon of his copious handling other matters, that 'tis next to nothing for ſatisfaction therein. And none in our own Language, that I have ſeen at leaſt, hath treated of this Argument. There is one R. T. that publiſhed a ſmall Tract in 12o. A. D. 1638. de Templis; wherein he diſcourſes of the ancient Manner of building, conſecrating, and adorning of Churches, according to the Mode of thoſe times, but nothing of their Antiquity. Concerning which, I have from ſacred and prophane Hiſtories, ſaid what I think ſufficient for this preliminary Diſſertation.
The Second hath reference to the Times of the Goſpel, concerning Artificial Churches; wherein the common Opinion of Proteſtants is defended. That the Primitive Chriſtians neither built, nor had any publick ſeparate Places, appropriate for the publick Worſhip of God, for above Two hundred Years after our Bleſſed Saviours Aſcenſion; but only ſuch private Places of reſort, as were moſt convenient, and ſecure in thoſe Times of Perſecution. Which is alſo the Opinion of the Ancient Fathers, and Hiſtorians generally, as ſhall in due place be manifeſted. In after Ages, when Superſtition and Popery prevailed, ſeveral Authors, the better to maintain the Holineſs of Churches, began to aſſert, That from the beginning Chriſtians had publick Places, dedicated and conſecrated to their worſhipping God; although, both then and ever ſince, all of this Opinion acknowledg thoſe Edifices were nothing ſo large, or ſtately, as the Temples of the Heathens, or the Churches of Chriſtians, in and after Conſtantine's time, when Chriſtianity was generally embraced. But I hope to make it apparent, that this Salvo will not ſerve their tarn, nor all the Arguments that Bellarmine and Baronius have brought; which ſome Learned Proteſtants of our Nation have made uſe of, more eſpecially Fuller in's Miſcellanies, and Mode after him, (though he mentions him not) who hath a large Diſcourſe on this Subject, yet not ſufficient to ſupport their Opinion.
A Third Diſſertation concerus the Holineſs of Churches. Which not only the Papiſts, but many good Proteſtants alſo contend for. Although our Saviour hath taken away all Diſtinction of Places under the Goſpel; as Dr. Sherlock in his Diſſwaſive from Popery, c. 4. hath ſufficiently proved. The foreign, or chief ground of their Miſtake is, in reſembling our Churches, to the Temple, which have only Conformity to the Jewiſh Synagogues, as many Learned Men have ſhewn. For there was but one Temple for all the 12 Tribes, and none entred into it but the Prieſts, and the High. Prieſt once a Tear into the Holy of Holies, on the day of Expiation; the People aſſembling only in the outward Courts: Whereas the Synagogues were for all the People's meeting therein, for the Moral Worſhip of God, on ſuch times as he had ordained. And as God's ſpecial Manifeſtation of himſelf, in any place, intitles it to a relative Holineſs for the time, Exod. 3.5. Joſh. 5.15. Acts. 7.33. and 2 Peter I. … 18. ſo by his more eſpecial Reſidence in the Tabernacle and Temple, they became holy, Exod. 40.9, 10, 11. and being typical of our bleſſed Saviour, hallowed the Service of his People, as he tells us, Matth. 23.17, 19, 20, 21. But where read we of God's dwelling in the Synagogues, or Chriſtian Churches, more than in other places where he is wor ſhipped? only of his gracious Preſence with his own Ordinances which hallow the Place for the time, not the Place them. For even the Elements of the Sacraments, conſecrated by Chriſt's Appointment, have no other relative Holineſs, but in their Sacramental uſe. And the Church of England in ſome caſes, admits their Adminiſtration in private Houſes, making no doubt of God's Acceptance thereof there, as well as in the publick Churches.
The laſt Task will be touching Prieſts and Altars: Shewing that theſe properly belong only to the Jewiſh, and not otherwiſe than improperly to the Chriſtian Religion; the former being never uſed otherwiſe in the New Teſtament, and the latter only once for our Saviour. And that moſt of the Allegations from Antiquity for their uſe, are either from ſuppoſititious Authors, or ſuch as fall ſhort of proving, that for which they are alledged.
INDEX.
OF Temples in general, Page 1-4.
Their Antiquity from the Old Teſtament, p. 5. §. 1-7.
And from prophane Hiſtory, §. 8.
Their Original, amongst
Ethiopians, §. 8.
Grecians, §. 9.
Italians, §. 10.
Pelaſgians, and other Grecians, §. 11, 12, 13.
Egyptians, §. 14, 15, 16.
Oſiris and Iſis, §. 17, 18, 19.
The Aſſyrians and Babylonians, §. 20.
The Concluſion, p. 46.
ERRATA.
Page 11. line 32. for horum read harum. P. 17. l. 20. for and read of. Ibid. l. 24. r. 2514. P. 18. l. 33. r. Tatianus. P. 21. l. 26. r. ademtis. P. 24. l. 23. r. Arcades. Ibid. l. 33. r. Lycaons. P. 32. l. 34. Lindus. P. 39. l. 34. Exod. 12.12.