The Temple of Solomon Portrayed, Epilogue
The Epilogue.
HAving now finiſh'd the main Deſign through the merciful conduct of Providence; I might here add a diſcourſe about the Viſionary Temple, deſcribed by the Prophet Ezekiel exhibited to him in a Divine extaſie of ſpirit, during the Babylonian captivity, and take notice out of the moſt approved Writers, how far the building of Zorobabel did ſquare with it,Sherringham Jom p. 102. and wherein it diſſented; and therein ſpeak of the five memorable things wherein it fell ſhort of the glory of Solomon's Temple, viz. The Ark of the Propitiatory, the Cherubims, and the fire deſcending from heaven, as at the Dedication in Solomons days, The Oyl of Unction, in the room thereof others place the preſence of the holy Spirit, ſpeaking to the Prophets; and the anſwer by Urim and Thummim. I know that the Pſeudo-Hegeſippus relates concerning Pompey, Hegeſip. l: 1. c. 17. p. 42. &c. Edit. Colon. 1575.that when entering this ſecond Temple, he ſaw therein among other things, the Tables of the Teſtament, and the Cherubims ſtanding upon the Mercy-ſeat. But alas, this ſtory is built upon a very ſandy foundation; viz. that paſſage in the Author of the Macchabees, that the Prophet Jeremiah ſhould take with him the Tabernacle, the Ark, and the Altar of Incenſe, and hide them in a Cave in Mount Horeb, foreign.2 Macchab. 2.7. Until the time that God ſhall gather together the congregation of his people, and be merciful to them. Againſt which Jewiſh fiction,Pet. Galat. de Arcan. Cathol. Relig. l. 4. c 9. p. 211 Edit. Franc. 1612. ſome of their own Rabbies have plainly declared, in that they held the five afore-mentioned things to be utterly wanting in the ſecond Temple, as is atteſted out of their writings by Galatinus. Nay Joſephus, an Author to be brought againſt the Jews without exception, ſpeaks plainly of it in his time, foreign, treating of that part of the Temple called the Oracle, and by him in that place foreign, the innermoſt part of the houſe ſays it had nothing at all within it. Yet there were many excellent and coſtly ornaments wherewith it was beautified in a marvellous manner: As particularly it is related,Jos. de Bell. Judaic ſec. Gr. l. 5. c. 14. ſecund. Lat. Ruffin. l. 6. c. 6. p. 918. A. 3 Eſd. 8.14. That Artaxerxes the Perſian King gave all the gold and ſllver which was found in Babylon to it: A ſtrange ſtory, if creditable, but 'tis found in an Apocryphal Writer; foreign, &c. I might mention what gifts Alexander the great, Ptolomy Philadelphus, his ſon Evergetes did beſtow upon that Temple, or what was done by Antiochus the great, or his ſon Seleucus Philopater, by Simon the ſon of Ouias. I might treat of the reſtauration of that Temple by Judas Macchabeus, the valiant Captain of the Jews, after the profanation of it by Antiochus Epiphanes, or of what Helena the Queen of Adiabene did contribute: Concerning all which things, the Authors of the Apocrypha, and Joſephus in many places ſpeak amply, with high commendations: I might laſtly, if I would follow Joſephus, tell great ſtories of the building of a Temple from the very foundations by K. Herod in the ſpace of eight years, But yet ſays one, he gives in ſome couchant expreſſions, whence we may gather, that he did not build all the body of the covered Temple anew, but perhaps raiſed it higher, adorned and beautified it with many rare Porches, and other external buildings. As to this point, at preſent I ſhall enter no conteſt, though to me it ſeems very evident from cap. ult. Of his 15. book, that Joſephus doth directly aſſert it from theſe words, foreign. That taking away the foundations, he did ſubſtitute others in their room, upon which he raiſed the Temple] and then in the following words, plainly declares both the length and height of it, foreign for its length 100 cubits, and in height 20 more, that is above 100, being 120. in all. But how this will ſtand with the aſſertion of the Prophet Haggai, Hag. 2.9.that the glory of this latter houſe (ſpeaking of Zorobabel's Temple) ſhall be greater then the former: Why? Becauſe in that houſe the Lord promiſed to g…ve peace, which is plainly ſpoken of Chriſt,Luk. 2.14. Hieron. in Hagg. 2. Vol. 6. p. 279. who brought peace upon earth, eſpecially ſeeing the word in the Hebrew Text is foreign is by the 70. tranſlated foreign, by Paguine, and the Vulgar Latine as we have it, and the ancienter of Jerome himſelf in his own works ſet forth more purely; it is turned by Noviſſima, the laſt Houſe;Hag. 2.7. Mal. 3.1. and ſo the word will bear it. But not to lean upon any verſions; the ſeventh verſe ſpeaks plainly, that therein the glory of that Houſe ſhould conſiſt and excel that other of Solomon's; becauſe the deſire of all Nations ſhould come and fill that very Houſe with glory; which by the Jews themſelves is interpreted of the Meſſiah: This as it is a moſt ſtrong Argument againſt the Jews, to prove that the true Meſſiah is long ſince come becauſe that Temple is long ſince ruin'd; ſo it ſeems alſo to evince, that Zorobabels Temple ſhould not be pull'd down before the coming of Chriſt: for how could he come into that very Temple, if it were pluckt up by the very foundations, as to its ſelf, and all its Buildings, and another more pompous built by Herod, before Chriſt appeared in the fleſh? Beſides, the Jews (who had little reaſon to maligne the glory of Herod, Joh. 2.20.as a great Benefactor to, and adorner of their land with ſumptuous Buildings) do plainly reply to our Lord concerning the Temple then extant in his days, that it was 46. years in Building, whereas Herod's by the teſtimony of Joſephus was but 8.Caſaubon in Baron. execr. 13. num. 38. p. 203. This I leave to be ſolved by others, as Tarnovius and Chemnitius cited by him, who think that the ſame Temple ſtood in its entire body, but ſumptuouſly repaired and adorned by Herod with great magnificence. Inſomuch that Joſephus, and the Jewiſh Author of the Cod… Middoth, do ſeem to aſcribe it wholly to K. Herod. So likewiſe Tacitus in the fifth book of his Hiſtories,Tarnov. in Joh. p. 223. cited by L. Empereur, ſeems to manifeſt, That the Temple which Pompey invaded, and Titus deſtroyed were the ſame: Although that learned Author in his Comment on Middoth thinks that Herod did build one anew from the very foundations:Tacit. l. 5. Hiſt p. 626. Edit. Lugd. Bat. 1640. but becauſe it was done with the free conſent of the Jews (to whom he makes an Oration extant in Joſephus) and for as much as the old materials were uſed in the frame of the work, they ſtill counted it one and the ſame Temple with the former of Zorobabels; and with him the learned Primate agrees.Uſſer. Anna. part. 2. Lat. p. 516. Though the former ſpeaks in concluſion ſomwhat dubiouſly in theſe words [Non deſt tuuntur argumentis, qui aſſerunt Templum ab Herode non de integro ex…ructum, ſed immutatum & auctum, veteri conſerva…o, fuiſſe] They want not arguments, who do aſſert the Temple not to have been wholly built anew by Herod, L'Empereur praefat. in Middoth, p. 20.but changed and augmented, the old being conſerved. But leaving this to the fuller diſquiſition of others, we are ſure that the laſt Temple (by who ever it was built) was deſtroyed by the Roman Army of Titus, who was that Prince propheſied of by Daniel, that ſhould come and deſtroy the City, and the Sanctuary, the end whereof ſhould be with a flood, and unto the end of the War deſolations were determined;Dan. 9.26. Sacrifice and Oblation was then utterly to ceaſe, when the over-ſpreading of abominations ſhould make all deſolate,v. 27. even till the conſummation, and that which was determined ſhould be poured upon the deſolate: when the ſhips of Chittim ſhould afflict Eber, Num. 24.24.and he ſhould periſh for ever; when God brought a Nation from far,Deut. 28.49. v. 53. Greg. Thol. Hiſt. Mir b. Vol. 2. p. 167 ex Babylon Talmud. Ezek. 11.23. from the end of the Earth, as the Eagle flyeth, (even under the Banners of the Roman Eagle) a Nation whoſe Tongue they knew not, and of a fierce countenance, ſo that they ſhould eat the fruit of their own bodies, by reaſon of that ſtrait ſiege wherewith they ſhould be girt in all their gates. A Propheſie moſt fully accompliſhed in the days of Jeruſalems final ruine, as is wofully and ſadly related by Hegeſippus and Joſephus, then the ten miracles finally ceaſed, ſuch as the Jews uſually relate concerning their Temple. Then the glory of the Lord indeed departed fully from the Temple, and ſtood upon Mount Olivet on the Eaſt ſide of the City, the place from whence Chriſt our Lord aſcended up into heaven: to ſhew to us, that upon Chriſt's Aſcenſion, that all the glory of an external Temple was then conſummated and fully ended.
Of theſe and the like matters I might have enlarged copiouſly; But when I reflect upon the Title of this Treatiſe, which leads me to ſpeak only of the Temple of Solomon, that being finiſhed [manum de Tabula] my poor labours muſt alſo receive their period, which I humbly commit to the bleſſing of God, whoſe gracious hand hath enlarged my life through his abundant mercy to arrive at length to the concluſion of this preſent work, for which, with all adoration of the Divine Majeſty, I give moſt humble and hearty thanks to his holy name, and freely ſubmit my ſelf, and all my endeavours, to the iudgement of pious, learned, candid, and ingenious breaſts.
Only for a peroration of the whole work, give me leave to obſerve the admirable fulfilling of the Propheſie of our bleſſed Lord concerning the irreparable ruine of the laſt Temple: which although Julian the Apoſtate Emperour endeavoured with all his might to enervate and invalidate; yet his deſigne by the moſt juſt judgment of God, could never take effect. Two witneſſes whereof I ſhall alledge, the one of a heathen, the other of an Eccleſiaſtical Writer.
The former, becauſe precedent in time, I ſhall name firſt, and it is of Ammianus Marcellinus, Ammian. Marcel. l. 23 ad initium, p. 429. Edit. Lug. Bat. 1632,who relates this ſtory of Julian in theſe words [Ambitioſum quondam apud Hieroſolymam Templum quod poſt multa & interneciva certamina, obſidente Veſpaſiano, poſteaque Tito aegre eſt expugnatum, instaurare ſumtibus cogitabat immodicis, negotiumque maturamdam Alypio dederat Antiochenſi, qui olim Britannias curaverat pro praefectis. Cum itaque rei idem fortiter instaret Alypius, juvaretque Provincia Rector, metuendi globi flammarum prope fundamenta crebris aſſultibus erumpentes, ficere locum exuſtis aliquoties operantibus inacceſſum: hocque modo elemento deſtinatius repellente ceſſarit incoeptum.] He deſigned with exceſſive coſts and charges to reſtore the ſomtime moſt magnificent Temple at Jeruſalem. which after many fatal skirmiſhes in the ſiege of Veſpaſian, and afterwards of Titus, was with great difficulty won by aſſault. This buſineſs he had committed to be haſtned by Alypius of Antioch, who had formerly ruled Britain in the room of the Praefects. When as then Alypius did ſtrenuouſly ſet himſelf to the work, being aſſiſted by the Ruler of the Province, fearful balls of fire breaking out near the foundations with frequent aſſaults rendred the place unapproachable, the workmen being ſeveral of them conſumed; and in this manner the enterprize ceaſed through the reſolute oppoſition of that element.] So much from him.Niceph. Cal. list. Eccleſ. Hiſt. l. 10. c. 32. p. 74. vol. 2. Paris. 1630.
The other teſtimony of Nicephorus Calliſtus, is extant in chap. 32. & 33. of his Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, which for the Preſs ſake I ſhall not tranſcribe in Greek, but relate the principal things in Engliſh. Theſe are his words.
The Jews having got together as many as were skilful in the art of Building, & prepared materials for the ſtructure, and fully cleanſed the place, they provided ſpades made of ſilver, their charges being allowed out of the publique ſtock. With ſuch earneſtneſs and alacrity did they labour in the work, that the very women did carry away the rubbiſh in their laps, & whatſoever Jewels or other precious ornaments they had; they expended upon that buſineſs, &c. and when as they had dug up the remainders of the old building from the loweſt foundations and had cleared the ground,Luk. 21. ſo that now there was not a ſtone remaining upon a ſtone, according to the propheſie. The next day coming to the place to lay the firſt foundation, they ſay there was a great earthquake, inſomuch that the ſtones were caſt out of the foundation, ſo that many of the Jews were ſlain, who either came to ſee the work, or had the overſight of the Structure. The publike buildings alſo wch were neereſt the Temple were looſned, & falling down with great force, proved the Sepulchres of thoſe that were in them: Some that attempted to fly away, were found half dead; ſome loſt their legs, hands, and other members, according as the violence of that ſudden accident ſeized upon them, The Earthquake was ſcarce over, but thoſe that remained fell upon the work again,Cap, 33. &c. But when the ſecond time they attempted it, ſome fire violently iſſued out of the foundations, and [other] fire fell down impetuouſly from Heaven, and conſumed more then before. There is (he ſaith) ſome variations among Authors of the punctual time and manner of this accident of fire, but the main of the truth is without doubt. Moreover, the fire which came down from Heaven conſumed to aſhes the hammers, graving tools, ſaws, hatchets, axes, and all the other inſtruments which the Workmen had brought for their ſervice, continuing a whole day together, &c, when Cyril, who was at that time Biſhop of Jeruſalem, ſaw theſe things: He conſidered in his minde the word of the Prophet Daniel, to which Chriſt alſo had ſet his ſeal in the holy Goſpel: He told them all, that now was the time that the Oracle of our Saviour had its accompliſhment; which ſaid, That a ſtone ſhould not remain upon a ſtone in the Temple. And when he had ſpoken this, a ſore earthquake aſſailed the foundations, and caſt out all the remaining ſtones, and diſperſed them. Upon this, there aroſe a fearful ſtorm, and whirled into the ayr many thouſand buſhels of lime and plaiſter, and ſudden flames of fire flaſhing from beneath, burnt up in a moment an innumerable company of people, that were as yet either labouring in the work, or that came to behold it. Thus did Julian fulfil Chriſts predictions concerning Jeruſalem, which he deſigned to have made void, &c. Theſe prodigies are ſufficient to prove the truth of the Oracle: But what ſhall be now declared, being very wonderful, will further confirm it, which I ſhall report, as I have found in the Archives, and it is thus: When the foundations were a laying, as I have ſaid, there was a ſtone among the reſt, to which the bottom of the foundation was faſtned, that ſlipt from its place, and diſcovered the mouth of a cave which had been cut in the rock. Now when they could not ſee to the bottom by reaſon of its depth; the Overſeers of the building being deſirous to have certain knowledge of the place, tied a long rope to one of the Labourers, and let him down: He being come to the bottom, found water in it, that took him up to the mid-ancles, and ſearching every part of that hollow place, he found it to be four ſquare, as far as he could conjecture by feeling. Then returning toward the mouth of it, he hit upon a certain little pillar, not much higher then the water, and lighting with his hand upon it, found a book lying there wrapped up in a piece of thin and clean linnen. Having taken it into his hands, he ſignified by the rope that they ſhould draw him up. When he was pulled up, he ſhews the book, which ſtruck them with admiration, eſpecially ſeeming ſo freſh and untoucht as it did, being found in ſo dark and obſcure a hole. The Book being unfolded,John 1.1. did amaze not onelyonly the Jews, but the Grecians alſo, holding forth even at the beginning of it in great Letters [In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.] To ſpeak plainly, that Scripture did manifeſtly contain the whole Goſpel, which the Divine tongue of the Virgin-Diſciple had declared. This, together with the other miracles, which at that time were proclaimed from Heaven, did demonſtrate, that not any word of our Lord ſhould fall to the ground,Socr. Eccleſ. hiſt l. 3. c. 17. Theod. l. 4. c. 20. Sozomen. l. 5 c. 21. which had foretold the utter deſolation both of City and Temple.
For the truth of this ſtory, I am not bound to undertake: yet this I may ſafely ſay. that the main ſubſtance thereof concerning the miraculous fire, cauſing the work to ceaſe is true, being atteſted by grave and ſober Authors that lived not far from the times wherein it was acted.
One having declared briefly the ſum of the ſtory,Chryſ. ſer 2. contr. Jud p. 334. vol. 6. edit. Savil. goes on thus, foreign And now, ſays he, if you come to Jeruſalem, you will ſee the foundations naked and bare; and if you ask the reaſon, you ſhall hear none but this ſtory, and of this matter we are all witneſſes,A.C. vulg. 363. for theſe things hapned in our own age, not very long ſince.
But Julian that great and ſubtile enemy of the Chriſtians, preſently upon this went on his expedition againſt the Perſians, and there felt the direful weight of Gods judgements upon him for thoſe and other his enormous crimes acted againſt the Truth. Happy were it for the Jews, could they but diſcern the ſtrong and marvellous actings of Providence againſt them, when deſigning the re edification of the Temple, foreign,P. 337. ibid. ſaith the former Author in his third Oration againſt them: For once, twice, and thrice, under Hadrian, Conſtantine, and Julian they attempted it, but were beaten off the two former times by the Roman Souldiers, the laſt time, by fire flaſhing from the foundations. They have formerly talked of a third Temple under the Meſſiah. Their diſcourſes are accompliſhed at this day, but in a ſpiritual way, which they poor ſouls cannot yet diſcern, while the vail of Moſes is upon their hearts. 'Tis the Temple of the Church wherein Chriſt delights to walk: Let us who upon their caſting away, were reconciled to God, Pray for their reſurrection from the dead, that ſo the blindeneſs which is hapned unto Iſrael,Rom. 11.15. Verſ. 25: until the fulneſs of the Gentiles be come in, may be viſited with the Day-ſpring from on high, that even to them the Deliverer may come out of Zion, Verſ. 26. Hoſ. 3.4, 5.to turn away ungodlineſs from Jacob; that they who have continued many days without a King, and without a Prince, and without Sacrifice, &c. may ſeek the Lord their God, and David their King, and fear the Lord and his goodneſs in the latter days:Rev. 21.1. That ſo both Jew and Gentile having one Shepherd, and one fold, may worſhip him in the New Jeruſalem, that cometh down from above,3 Pet. 3.13. wherein dwelleth righteouſneſs, when the New Heavens and the New Earth ſhall be manifeſt, where there is no Temple to be ſeen:Rev. 21, 22. For the Lord Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it.
Ariſtot. Rhet. l. 1. c. 9.
foreign.
FINIS.