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SECT. IV. Basins, Chargers, Dishes, &c. King Ptolemies and Queen Helens tables.

IT is not to be imagined that either the numbers, or the names, or the several fashions, or the several uses of all the Vessels in the Sanctuary should be given: it is ods there were but a very few Priests though they waited there, that were able to give a precise distinct account about these things: therefore our going about to speak of them, it is rather because we would not say nothing, than from any hope or possibility we have, to give an estimate or description of them any whit near unto the full.

Their number was so great, that they were reckoned to five thousand and four hundred in Ezr. I. 11. and ninety and three are averred by the Talmud to be used every day about the daily Sacrifice: and in the Treatise Joma it appeareth that there were special Vessels for the Service of the day of expiation, and that King Monobazes made golden handles to them; and so other peculiar Services had their peculiar Vessels, in so much that partly because of the multitude of employments of Vessels at some certain times, and partly because of the change of Vessels at special times, the number could not but be very great, nor is it to be supposed certain: the piety of one or other still offering one Vessel or other in devotion.

The several fashions and cizes of them are rather to be guessed at, than determined; and the uses to which they were put, must help us better towards such a conjecture, than either their names do, or any description we can find of them.

1. There were Basins in which the Blood was taken when the Beast for the Sacrifice was slain, as Exod. XXIV. 6. and these the Jerusalem Talmud thinketh to be those that are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Agartalin, Ezr. I. 9. Thirty Agartalin of Gold. R. Samuel bar Nachman saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 In it they gathered the Blood of Lambs. A thousand Agartalin of Silver: R. Simeon ben Lachish saith, It was that wherein they took the Blood of Bullocks.

2. There were dishes out of which the Blood was sprinkled on the Altar; and these are held to be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kephorim, in the place alleged out of Ezra: and to be the same with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mizrakim, of which word there is frequent mention in the Scripture: Kephorim (saith Solomon Jarchi) are Mizrakim, and they are called Kephorim, which betokeneth cleansing, because he that took the Blood in this Vessel wiped off the drops and Blood that stuck on his Hand, on the side of the dish: which action we have taken notice of in handling the manner of sprinkling the Blood on the Horns of the Altar: So that, in these Jews construction, Ezra reckoneth by name but the two sorts of Vessels that were first and most certainly used in the Service, namely the great Chargers or Basins in which they took the Blood, and the lesser dishes out of which they sprinkled it: And it may be the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that everyone of the twelve Princes offered at the dedication of the Tabernacle, Numb. VII. were these two sorts of Vessels: The Mizrakim are said to be before the Altar, Zech. XIV. 21.

3. There were great Voiders or Trays, as I may call them, of Gold or Silver, in which the inwards of the Beasts were taken and brought to washing, and brought when they were washed to the Altar: And dishes in which Salt was brought for the salting of all the Sacrifices. And dishes in which the Meat-offering was mingled, and other dishes in which it was offered. And it may be these that brought the Inwards or the Meat offering, were those that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 meaneth, if that word meaneth any Vessel at all, as it is thought it doth, in 2 Chron. XXIV. 14. Some think it meaneth Pestels (saith Kimchi) wherewith they pounded the spices for the Incense: But in mine opinion it was a little Vessel, wherewithal they took Wine out of the Hin for the Drink-offerings: And so it is used in the words of the Rabbins, The Maids of the House of Rabbi as he was teaching them in the Language of Wisdom, said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 go into the Tankard? That is, the little Vessel wherewithal they drew Wine out of the Tankard, &c. I shall not trouble myself nor the Reader about this Word nor about his Opinion; the Translation that our English hath made of it is not only very facile, but also very warrantable.

4. There were Vessels out of which they poured the Drink-offering, it may be those are they that Josephus calls Phialas, Vials, as he reckoneth the holy Vessels upon the place of Ezra before alleged, but nameth more kinds than he doth: let the Reader draw among all the names he useth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which may be the title of these Drink-offering Vessels that we are about; I should choose between the two last, and take Phialae the rather of the two: and the pouring out of the Vials in the Revelation may chance receive some illustration, by the Readers reflecting upon the pouring out of the the Vial of the Drink-offering.

5. There were Chafing-dishes to take Coals from the Altar for the burning of the Incense, and Dishes wherein to take Ashes from the Altar, and from the Altar of Incense, and Dishes for Frankincense, and the Dishes Teni and Coz, which they used about the Candles and Incense Altar: and Censer or Perfuming pans for the Incense, Dishes about the Shewbread, and such variety of Dishes, Basins, Vials, Cruses, Tankards and such like Vessels, that it were an endless labor to speak of them or seek after them particularly. To which may be added, the Axes, Knives, Flesh-hooks, Forks, Fire-pans, Tongs, Snuffers, Pots, Chaldrons, the Vessel Pesachtar (a word used by the Chaldee Paraphrast, Exod. XXVII. 3, &c.) and the Instruments of Music, of which we have spoken elsewhere, the Mortars for making the Incense; and when we have reckoned all we can, we are sure we cannot reckon all, and therefore must leave them to supposal and conjecture. And to the Discourse of them which I must leave thus imperfect, let me add two Utensils more, which indeed were not of the like nature with these that have been spoken of, yet may well come in mention with them, because they were all Furniture of the same House, and those were two Golden Tables, but of several natures and uses, bestowed by Ptolemy Philadelphus King of Egypt, and Helena, Mother to Monobazes.

Aristeas and Josephus after him, relating the story of Ptolemies sending for the Septuagint to come to him to translate the Bible, they tell what sumptuous bounty and gifts he bestowed upon the Temple and presented thither; and among other things that they spake of (as a great sum of money, certain Golden and Silver Goblets, and certain Golden Vials, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) they mention and describe a Golden Table, of that richness, cost and curious Workmanship, as the like hardly to fellow it in any story, as the Reader may peruse them in the places cited in the Margin, for I shall not spend time upon their description.

There is relation also in the Talmudic Treatise Joma, of a Golden Table of Queen Helens bestowing and devoting, but it was not of the fashion and nature of any Tables that we have mentioned hitherto, but it was of a form and quality far differing from them. It was not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mensa, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Tabula, and the Tradition concerning it is thus: Queen Helena, Mother to King Monobazes, made the Golden Candlestick that was over the Temple door; And she also made the Golden Table on which was written the Section of the Law concerning the suspected Wife; Numb. V. So that this was a written Table hanged upon a Wall, and not a Table with Feet standing upon the ground, as those were of which we have spoken. The Gemara of the Jerusalem Talmud informs us about it in these words: She made the Table of Gold on which was written the Section of the suspected Wife, and when the Sun rose, the beams sparkled on it, and so they knew that the Sun was risen. And what was written on it? R. Simeon ben Lachish in the name of R. Januai saith, Aleph Beth was written on it. But behold the Tradition is: As was the writing on the one side, so was the writing on the other: It was not thick nor thin, but a mean between both. As was the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that was on the one side so was the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that was on the other. As 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 on the one side, so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 on the other. R. Hosaiah saith, All the Section of the suspected Wife was written on it, and out of it he read and interpreted the whole Section. It seems this Table hung upon the Wall of the Gate of Nicanor, for in that the trial of the suspected Wife was made, the manner of which we have observed elsewhere.

As there were Tables and Candlesticks of Gold, 2 Chron. IV. 7, 8. in the holy place, so there were Tables and Candlesticks of Silver which were used in other places, 1 Chron. XXVIII. 15. as in the Courts and in the Priests Chambers.

SECT. V. The Priests Garments.

IT will not be much necessary to spend large Discourse upon this subject about the Garments of the ordinary Priests which they wore in the Service, since we have described the Vestments of the High Priest at large in another place, who wore all the same Garments that the other Priests did, but he wore other also, we shall therefore but briefly touch these particulars concerning them.

1. That the Garments wherewithal the Priests were arrayed when they were about Divine Service, were peculiar for that place and occasion, and differing from the Garments that they used in their ordinary wearing. Some Jews think there were such Priestly Garments before the Law, and they speak of such, bequeathed from Father to Son in the holy Line even from Adam to Isaac, and they think the Vesture in which Jacob obtained the Blessing was of this nature: but about this we shall not be inquisitive.

2. The Priests when they were come up in their courses to the Service, put off their ordinary wearing Clothes, washed themselves in Water, and put on the holy Garments: See Lev. VIII. 6. Yea whilst they were at the Temple and attending there on the Service, any of them that would sleep by Night, he slept not in the holy Garments, but in his own wearing Clothes, and in the Morning when he was to go to his Service, he put off his own Clothes, bathed himself in Water, and put on the Garments of the Priest-hood. These expressions in Scripture, Put off the old man, and be renewed and put on the new, Ephes. IV. 22, 23, 24. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. XIII. 14. Baptized into Christ, and putting on Christ, Gal. III. 27. Washed from our sins, and made Priests, Rev. I. 5, 6. Not unclothed but clothed upon, 2 Cor. V. 4. seem to allude to this custom.

2. The holy Garments of the Priests were of white Linnen, and they consisted of four parcels, whereas the High Priests Garments were of eight parcels, and they were of other Colours as well as white: And, as hath been observed elsewhere, every Priest was first tried by the Sanhedrin, whether he were right and fit, and being so found he had his white Garments put upon him, all which Garments were found at the public charge. The Man clothed with linen, with a writers Inkhorn by his side, Ezek. IX. 3. Walking with Christ in white, Rev. III. 4. Araying in white Robes, Rev. VII. 9, &c. do seem to refer to this holy Garb and Colour of the Priests.

3. Upon their Feet they wore nothing at all whilst they served, but stood in the Court barefooted, were it never so cold; nay though they were barefooted, yet might they not stand upon anything to keep their Feet from the cold pavement, but must stand barely upon that, were the Service never so long and the season never so sharp: The reason of their barefootedness was because of the holiness of the ground, as Exod. III. 5. Josh. V. 15. and the reason of their standing only on the bare stones, was to show their fervor and zeal to the Service.

4. Upon their Thighs and Loins they wore linen breeches to prevent the discovery of their nakedness, Exod. XXVIII. 42. either when they stood upright aloft upon the Altar, or when they stooped down to any work of the Service, either there or in any other place. And here I cannot but think of that ridiculous passage in Martial. in lib. 3. Epig. 24. which such a provision as this might have prevented: And of that passage in the Treatise Tamid where some of the Priests are said to be delivered to the Chazanim or Overseers, and they stripped them of their Garments, and left nothing upon them but their breeches.

5. Upon their Bodies they wore a linen Coat or Surplice which was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Exod. XXVIII. 4. by the Seventy 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 upon which Nobilius maketh this comment: Graecam dictionem retinet S. Hieronymus ad Marcellam. S. August. q. 114. habet cum cornibus, &c. Jerome retaineth the Greek word (Cosymbotam) Austin in quest. 114. Translates it with horns, and addeth that the Latin Interpreters thought it better, to call it the Coat with horns, than if they had said, with tufts. But others Interpret it strait and girt: which Interpretation seemeth not impertinent, seeing that afterward in this same Chapter Cosymbi and Cosymboti do signify knots. But others Translate it out of the Hebrew, Ocellatam, or checkered. And so it might be shown from the Original of the Hebrew word used, that it so signifieth, and this linen was wrought, Diaper-like, with checker or diced work, or some such kind of Workmanship, which set it out with neatness as well as it was white.

6. This Coat was girt to them with a long scarf, which went divers times about them like a swaddle, which was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and which both helped to keep them warm in their thin clothing, and to strengthen their Backs in their hard Service, which sometime they met withal, tugging with the Beasts that they were to slay, and lifting at them when they were killed.

7. Upon their Heads they had a Bonnet or a Mitre, which was a linen scarf often wrapped and wrapped about their Heads, after the manner of the Turkish Tullibants, as is more fully described in the Temple Service, Chap. 4.

In these four parcels of Vesture, the High Priests and the other Priests were alike, for the High Priest wore these as well as they, but he had four other parcels over and above which they might not wear, and by which he was singularly distinguished from them; and these were 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Coat of the Ephod: this the Seventy call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Ephod itself, which he put upon that Coat, and clasped it together over his Paps with a curious girdle. This helpeth to understand that in Rev. I. 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Brest-plate: in which were put the Urim and Thummim, Exod. XXVIII. 30. which in the Apostles application seem to signify Faith and Love, 1 Thes. V. 8. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Golden Plate upon his Forehead in which was written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The holy One of the Lord (compare Luke IV. 34.) which have been particularly spoken to in the Tract and Place cited a little above.

As the Priests Garments were provided at the Public charge, so when they were overworn they returned to the Public again; for their Coats and Breeches, &c. were ravelled to make yarn for the Lamps, and for the lights at the solemn nightly Festivity in the Feast of Tabernacles, and it is like, for the Priests Candles in their Chambers.

SECT. VI. The anointing Oil.

THE appointment and composition of anointing Oil is laid down, in Exod. XXX. 23, &c. where the Lord commanded thus, Thou shalt take unto thee principal Spices, of pure Myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet Cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fity shekels: and of sweet Calamus two hundred and fifty shekels: and of Cassia five hundred shekels after the shekel of the Sanctuary, and of Oil Olive an hin: And thou shalt make it a holy anointing Oil, &c. The Simples need not to be disputed of, only I cannot but observe and wonder at the conception of Rambam about one of them, who holdeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mor which our English hath very properly Translated Myrrh to be the congealed Blood of an Indian Beast: whereupon one of his Glossaries takes him up thus, It cannot enter into my Head, that they would put the Blood of a Beast into any holy composition, much less of a Beast unclean. But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mor is that that is spoken of in the Canticles, I am come into my Garden, my Sister, my Spouse, I have gathered my Myrrh.

For the making up of these Simples into the compound of the anointing Oil, the way and manner is recorded to have been thus; They were bruised everyone apart, and by themselves, and then were they mingled and boiled in clean Water, till all their strength was come out into that Decoction: which Decoction strained, and having Oil put to it, was again boiled to the height of an Ointment and so reserved.

This anointing Oil was only in use in the times of the Tabernacle and first Temple, and with it were their Vessels sanctified, according as was appointed in the place of Exodus even now cited, and described Levite. VIII. but there was no such Ointment under the second Temple, for there the Vessels were sanctified by their very use and serving in them: and so indeed was the Temple itself: For there was neither cloud of Glory to sanctify the House, nor divine Fire to sanctify the Altar, nor holy Oil to sanctify the Vessels, nor Urim and Thummim to honor the Priests, and yet was the Place and Service then as holy as it was before. God by this abatement of those external advantages and excellencies, and yet by the continuance of the honor of his Worship and Service, making way to the dignifying of the Spiritual Worship under the Gospel, when such external and visible appearances of his Presence were not to be looked for, and when all Ceremoniousness in holy things should be abolished and laid aside.

With the holy Oil whilst it was in use and employment, was the High Priest anointed, as well as other things, and when the use of the Oil ceased, then was he consecrated by the arraying of him in the Garments appointed for the High Priests wearing, and he was said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 consecrated by the vestments, as we have observed in another place. The manner of his anointing whiles that was used, is described by the Talmudists to have been 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 after the form of a Greek Chi: They anointed the Kings (say they) after the form of a Crown, but the Priests after the form of a Chi. What means, after the form of a Chi? R. Menasses the son of Gada saith, After the form of a Greek Chi. But what means this? R. Solomon saith, It was first poured on his Head, and then put between his Eyebrows, and drawn this way and that way with the Finger of him that put it there: which others express thus, One poured the Oil upon his Head, and it ran down this way and that way, like two pearling droppings upon his Beard, as Psal. CXXXIII. 2.

The Oil and anointing wherewith the Priests and the Vessels of the Lord's House were sanctified, did denote the Word and the Spirit of God, whereby he sanctifieth the Vessels of his Election, even persons of his Choice, to his Service, and Acceptance: Oil and anointing do signify the Word as well as the Spirit. And in that sense should I interpret the anointing, in 1 John II. 20. 27. Ye have an unction, that is the word, from the holy One, and ye know all things by it. And the anointing, that is, the Word, which ye have received of him abideth in you: and ye are not to seek for Teaching from any Man, for the same Word hath taught you abundantly of all things, &c.

SECT. 1. The state of the second Temple under the Persian Monarchy.

ALthough between the return out of the Babylonian Captivity, and the final desolation of Jerusalem, there might seem to be strictly and literally two Temples, that of Zorababel, and that of Herod, (for Herod began his Temple from the very Foundation) yet do the Scriptures, and all Jewish Writers so unanimously and generally own them but for one Temple, calling it the Second Temple all the time there was a Temple after its first building under Cyrus, that it would be but needless labor and unwarrantable curiosity to take up any other notion or distinction of it. For though the Temple built by Zerubbabel were pulled down to the very ground by Herod, when he built that Fabric that stood to the last fate of Jerusalem, yet since that demolition was not by destruction and ruin, but for reparation and for its bettering, there is no reason to reckon these as two several Temples, but as one Temple first built and then repaired to a more excellent and glorious condition.

From the first year of Cyrus (in which he Proclaimed Redemption to the Captives, and gave Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem ) to the death of Christ, were four hundred and ninety years, as they be summed by an Angel, Dan. IX. and from the death of Christ to the fatal and final destruction of Jerusalem were forty years more, five hundred and thirty years in all. In all which time it were endless to show every particular occurrence, and change of condition that befell the Temple, and it would require a large Story and Volume: I shall therefore only touch upon the chiefest, distributing the times into those several and remarkable periods that they fell into, and applying the Stories to the times accordingly.

The first parcel of this time was taken up by the Persian Monarchy, which how long it continued, and for how many Kings Succession, is a thing of as disputable and controverted a nature, as any one thing in Chronology: I will keep to the number and names of the Kings of that Throne that we find in Scripture.

In Dan. XI. 2. there are these words, Behold there shall stand up yet three Kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the Realm of Grecia. And a mighty King shall stand up, &c. And when he shall stand up his Kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four Winds of Heaven, and not to his posterity, &c. It is observable concerning this Prophesy and account about the Persian Monarchy.

• 1. That this was told Daniel in the third year of Cyrus, Chap. X. 1. and so when he saith, There shall stand up yet three Kings, and the fourth, &c. he meaneth four besides Cyrus, the first beginner of the Kingdom; and therefore some of the Jews do make but a cross reckoning upon this place, who will have Cyrus which was the first, to be meant by this that is called the fourth.
• 2. The Prophesy speaketh of the length of the Persian Monarchy, till it brings it up to Alexander the Great, the destroyer of that Monarchy, of whom it speaketh plainly, verse. 3, 4. and of his Successors afterwards, verse. 5, &c.
• 3. There were therefore, by the account of the Angel here, but five Kings of Persia, namely, Cyrus, and four more.
• 4. These four are thus named in the Scripture, 1. Ahasuerus, Ezra IV. 6. 2. Darius, Ezra IV. 24. & VI. 1. &c. 3. Artaxerxes, Ezra VI. 14. 4. Darius, Neh. XII. 22. To which may be added for the confirmation of this account,
• 5. That Nehemiah lived quite through the whole length of the Persian Monarchy, being at Mans estate the first year of it, Ezra II. 2. and seeing Darius its last King, and probably his last times, Nehem. XII. 12. Nay Ezra who was born either before or in the first year of the Babylonion Monarchy, yet liveth near the expiration of the Persian: by which it is easy to conclude how far the Heathen Histories are out, who reckon fourteen Kings successively in the Persian Throne, and two hundred years of their rule, before its fall.

In the first year of Cyrus, the returned Captives out of Babel only built an Altar, and sacrificed thereon for seven months together, having yet no Temple: but in this second year, the second month of that year they lay the foundation of the House, Ezra 3▪ 8, &c. the progress of which work is soon opposed, and endeavored to be made frustrate by the Samaritans all the time of Cyrus, Ezra IV. 5. but in his time they prevailed not.

In his third year Artaxerxes cometh to the Kingdom, who is also called Ahasuerus, Ezra IV. 6, 7. he is persuaded by evil Counselors to interdict and prohibit the Temple building, and so it lay intermitted all his time, Dan. X. 1, 2, 3. Ezra IV. 23, 24.

Darius succeeded him, called also Artaxerxes, Ezra VI. 1. & VII. 1. &c. In his second year the building goes on again, and is finished in his sixth, Hag. I. Ezra VI. 14. And thus had the Temple lien waste and desolate just seventy years, from the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar, in which year it was fired, to the second of Darius, when it began to be wrought upon so as that it came to perfection, Zech. I. 12. & IV. 3, 5.

In the seventh year of this Darius, which was the year after the Temple was finished, Ezra cometh up, Ezra VII. 8. and thirteen years after, namely, in the twentieth year of this Darius (called also Artaxerxes) Nehemiah cometh up to Jerusalem, Neh. I. 1. and both help to repair, settle and rectify, Temple, City, and People, as their Story is at large in their own Books.

In the two and thirtieth year of this Darius, Nehemiah having finished what he had to do, about the building, beautifying, and settling of City, Temple and People, he returneth again unto the King, Neh. XIII. 6. and here ends Daniel's first parcel of his seventy weeks, namely, seven weeks, in which Street and Wall should be built, and that in troublous times, Dan. IX. 25. By seven weeks he meaneth seven times seven years, which amounts to nine and forty: and so there were hitherto; namely, three of Cyrus, fourteen of Ahasuerus, and thirty two of Darius.

After Darius there reigned Artaxerxes, commonly known in Heathen Stories by the name of Xerxes, the invader of Greece with his huge Army, &c. He was a favourer of the Jews at the least for a while, as it appeareth by that passage, in Ezra VI. 14. They built and finished according to the Commandment of the Lord, and according to the Commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes: where this Artaxerxes is set in parallel equipage with Cyrus and Darius for favoring the Temple: It is true indeed the work was finished in the time of Darius, as to the very building of the House, yet were the buildings about it still coming on and increasing, and this Xerxes did favor the work as well as those Princes had done before him.

Yet did there an unhappy occurrence befall in this Kings time in the Temple itself, which if it did not alienate and change his affection from well-willing to it, yet did it prejudice the Temple in the affection of him that was chief Commander under this King in those parts, whose name was Bagoses: The occasion was this, Jochanan who was then High Priest, upon some displeasure against his own Brother Jesus, did fall upon him and slay him in the very Temple: Bagoses favored this Jesus, and intended to have made him High Priest, and it is like that Jochanan smelt the design, and out of jealousy of such a thing, thought to prevent it by his Brothers dispatch: whatsoever was the cause of this his murder, the fruit of it was this: that Bagoses violently presseth into the Temple, which he might not have done, and layeth a mulct upon the People, namely, forty Drachmes upon every Lamb that was to be Sacrificed: Ezra and Nehemiah were both now alive, and do but imagine how their piety would digest a thing so impious.

The next in the Throne after this Artaxerxes mentioned in Scripture, was Darius, Nehem. XII. 22. the Man with whom the Empire fell under the victorious Sword of Alexander the Great. In his time another occasion from another Brother of an High Priest occurreth, which accrued not a little to the prejudice of the Temple and Nation; and that was this, Manasseh one of the sons of Joiada the son of Eliashib the High Priest, had married Nicasso the Daughter of Sanballat, for which being driven from the Altar and Priesthood, he betaketh himself to his Father-in-law to Samaria; and they betwixt them obtain a Commission from Danius, and get it confirmed also by Alexander the Great, to build a Temple upon Mount Gerizim, John IV. 20. which being built in affront to the Temple of Jerusalem, it proved no small disadvantage to it, and the Service there: for it not only caused a faction and defection in the Nation, but also it became the common refuge and shelter of all lawless and irregular despisers of discipline and Government.

In this Darius was the end of the Persian State and Kingdom, having continued for the succession of these Kings, but whether anymore, and how many precise years is not easily determinable; what times went over the Temple in their Reigns besides what is mentioned here, may be observed in the Books of Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

SECT. II. The occurrences of the Temple under Alexander.

ALEXANDER the Great, the Conqueror of Darius and overthrower of the Persian Kingdom, did in his own Person visit Jerusalem and the Temple, coming towards it like a Lion, but he came into it like a Lamb. He had taken indignation at Jaddua the High Priest, Nehem. XII. 22. because he denied him assistance at the Siege of Tyrus (for Jaddua had sworn fealty to Darius. ) Hereupon he cometh up towards Jerusalem breathing fire and fury against it, till he came within the sight of the City: There he was met by Jaddua in the High Priests garments, and by all the Priests in their vestments, and the People in white: whom when he came near, instead of offering them violence, he shown reverence to the High Priest and courteously saluted all the People.

When his Commanders wondered at such a change, he told them that in a dream in Macedon, he saw one in the very same Attire that the High Priest was in, who encouraged him to invade the Persian Empire, and promised to lead his Army and to make him victorious. So he goeth with them into the City, offereth at the Temple, is shown Daniel's Prophesy concerning himself, granteth favorable privileges to the Jews about their Religion, and so departeth.

It is held by some of the Jews, that in the very year that Alexander came to Jerusalem, Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi died, and the Spirit of Prophesy departed from Israel; which if we follow the computation of Heathen Stories is a thing of utter improbability, they prolong the Persian Monarchy to so large a time; but if we follow the account of Scripture, it makes the improbability a great deal less, as might be shown if we were following the pursuit of Chronology: And if it be questioned how it should be possible, that all Heathen Stories that handle the succession of the Persian Kings, should be so far wide as to double, nay, almost to treble the number of the Kings more than they were, these three things may be produced as those that either severally, or rather jointly might be the reasons of such a mistake.

• 1. Because everyone of the Persian Kings had a double, nay, some a treble name, and this multiplicity of Names might deceive the heedless Historian into an assertion of numerousness of Persons.
• 2. The Persian Kingdom was a double Kingdom, Media and Persia, the two Arms and Shoulders in Dan. II. now the King of Persia and the Viceroy of Media might be likewise misconceived in after-times for two differing Persian Monarchs.
• 3. It was the manner of the Persian Kings when they went into the Wars, to create a King to rule at home while they were absent, and this might cause the accounting of so many Kings and of so long a time. And so Herodotus beareth witness, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; when the King went to War, it was the Law of the Persians that he should appoint a King and so go his way on his expedition. And this custom was that that made Cyrus his third year to be accounted for Artaxerxes his first, though Cyrus was yet alive, because he left him King at home whilst he himself went to Wars abroad.

Alexander dying in the flower of his Age and Victories, his large Dominions obtained so suddenly by the Sword, were divided as suddenly again, in a manner by the Sword, amongst four of his chief Commanders, according as was Prophesied, Dan. VIII. 8. & XI. 4. Two of them were Seleucus Nicanor, who obtained Syria, and Ptolemy Lagus, who obtained Egypt, whose families ( the House of the North and the House of the South, Dan. XI.) being ill Neigbours one to another, did both of them prove ill Neighbors to Judea, and through and under them the People and Temple did undergo divers varieties of fortune, but most commonly the worst.

SECT. III. A Brief of the state of the Temple in the times of these Kings.

IF we were to write a Story of the City and People, as we are of the Temple, here were a very large field before us, for exceeding much of the Story of Jerusalem and Judea hath to do with the Story of these Kings: but since our confinement is to the Temple only, we shall make a shorter cut, because the peculiar relations that we find about that, are but few in comparison of the general Story of the City and Nation.

Seleucus Nicanor, (or Nicator as some do call him) the first of these Kings of Syria, was a great favourer of the Jewish Nation, for he infranchised them in his Syrian Cities, yea even in Antioch the Metropolis itself: and he bestowed benevolences upon the Temple, to an exceeding liberal and magnificent value.

But Ptolemy Lagus King of Egypt his contemporary, was as bitter to the Nation as he was favorable: He having his Army in the Country, took advantage one Sabbath day of the Jews strict resting on that da, and pretending to come into the City to Sacrifice, he surprised the City, and it is like the Temple sped but indifferently with him, and he carried exceeding many thousands away Captive.

His son and successor Ptolemy Philadelphus was again as favorable to the Nation, as he had been mischievous: He sent for the Seventy Elders to Translate the Bible, and sent exceeding great munificence to the Temple, which we have had some cause to speak of before.

In the time of Ptolemy Euergetes the successor of Philadelphus, the covetize of Onias the High Priest, had provoked the displeasure of that King, and was like to have brought mischief upon the place and people, but that it was wisely appeased by Joseph Onias his sisters son.

From the time that Ptolemy Lagus had so basely surprised Jerusalem, it was under homage to the Crown of Egypt, till Antiochus the Great released it, or changed it rather into subjection to Syria; whether it were of his goodness and devotion, or whether rather out of his policy to make sure the Jews to him in the great Wars that he had, especially with the Romans, he bestowed many favors upon the People, and liberal Donations and Privileges upon the Temple: And particularly this Edict in its behalf, That no stranger should come into the virge of the Temple prohibited; which it may be first occasioned those Inscriptions upon the Pillars at the entrance into the Chel that we have spoken of, that no stranger should come there upon pain of death.

After him succeeded Antiochus Epiphanes (save only that Seleucus Philopater reigned twelve years between) a Man or a Monster shall I call him? Of whom and of whose cursed actings are those Prophesies, in Dan. VII. 21, 25. & VIII. 10, 11, 12, 24, 25. & 11. 28, &c. & 12. 1, &c. and Ezek. XXXVIII. & XXXIX. and who performed according to those predictions to the utmost of wickedness.

He began his Reign by the account of the Book of the Maccabees in the one hundred thirty and seventh year of the Reign of the Seleucian family, 1 Mac. I. 10. And in the one hundred forty and third year, as both that Book and Josephus reckon, he came up to Jerusalem, being invited thither by a wrethed faction of Onias, who was also called Menelaus the High Priest, and he taketh the City by their means, and slew many of the contrary party, and took away many of the Holy things and much spoil, and so returned to Antioch. This was the beginning of those two thousand and three hundred days mentioned in Dan. VIII. 13, 14. or the days of desolation, when the Host and the Sanctuary were both trodden under Foot. Two years and some months after, namely, in the year one hundred and forty five he cometh up again, and under color of peaceableness obtaining entrance, he sacketh Jerusalem, plundreth the Temple, fireth the fairest buildings of the City, pulls down the Walls, slayeth even some of those that had invited him, taketh many thousands prisoners, and setteth a Syrian Garrison for a curb to the City and Temple. Here was the beginning of those one thousand two hundred and ninety days mentioned, Dan. XII. 11. The time that the daily Sacrifice was taken away, and the abomination of desolation was set up; which space is called a time, times and half a time: which was three years and an half, and some twelve or thirteen days.

The mischief that this Tyrant and Persecutor wrought to the Temple, Nation and Religion is not expressible: how he forbad Circumcision, abolished Religion, burnt the Books of the Law, persecuted the Truth, murdered those that professed it, and defiled the Sanctuary with all manner of abomination, insomuch that the Holy Ghost hath set this character upon those sad times, that that was a time of trouble, such as was not since they were a Nation even to that same time, Dan. XII. 1. And here began the Story and Glory of Mattatbias the Father of the Maccabean family, who withstood this outrage and villainy, but died in the next year, namely one hundred and forty sixth of the Seleucian Kingdom.

Judas Maccabeus succeeds him in his zeal and command, and prevaileth so gallantly against the Commanders appointed by the Tyrant, Apollonius Seron Gorgias and Lys • as, that in the year one hundred forty eight he and his people return and purify the Temple, erect a new Altar, restore the Service, and keep the Feast of Dedication for eight days, and ordain it for an annual solemnity, And from thence even till now (saith Josephus) we keep that Feast and call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ( Candlemas, if I may so English it) naming the Feast as I think from this, because such a restauration shone upon us unexpected. There is mention of this Feast, and it was honored with Christ's presence, Joh. X. 22. and what was the manner of its solemnity, especially by lighting abundance of Candles at it, I have shown in another place.

Both Josephus and the Book of Maccabeus make it but exactly three years between the time of Antiochus his defiling of the Altar, with abomination, and Maccabeus his restoring and purifying it again: Only the one of them saith, its defiling began on the 15 day of the month Cisleu in the one hundred forty and fifth year of the Seleucian Kingdom; and the other saith, it began on the five and twentieth day of the same month in the same year; but both agree that it was purified on the five and twentieth day of the same month, in the year one hundred forty and eight, which teacheth us how to distinguish upon that passage of Daniel forementioned, in Chap. XII. 11. namely, that the time the daily Sacrifice was taken away, was one thousand two hundred and ninety days, or three years and an half and some few days over; but the time that the abomination that maketh desolate was set up, that is, Idols in the Temple, and an Idol Altar upon the Lord's Altar, was but three years.

Antiochus died in Persia, within forty five days after the restoring of the Temple, as Dan. XII. 12. seemeth to intimate, when it pronounceth him blessed that cometh to one thousand three hundred thirty and five days, for then he should see the Tyrants death. His son Antiochus Eupator who succeeded him, was invited into Judea by some Apostate Jews to come to curb Judas Maccabeus, who was besieging the Syrian Garrison that was in Jerusalem: He cometh with a mighty power, forceth Judas into the Temple, and there besiegeth him: But being straitened for provisions, and hearing of stirrings in his own Kingdom, he offereth the besieged honorable conditions, upon which they surrender. But he entering and seeing the strength of the place, and suspecting it might be troublesome to him again, he breaketh his Articles and his Oath, and putteth down the Wall that encompassed the holy ground down to the ground. And thus poor Judas and the Temple are in a worse condition than before, for the Antiochian Garrison in Jerusalem that was ready upon all occasions to annoy it, is not only not removed, but now is the Temple laid naked to their will and fury.

This Antiochus put Menelaus the High Priest to death (and he rewarded him but justly for calling the Tyrant this Mans Father in) and he made Alcimus High Priest in his stead, one that was not of the High Priests line at all: which made Onias who was next to the High Priesthood indeed, to flee into Egypt, and thereby the favor Ptolemy Philometor, he built a Temple parallel to that at Jerusalem: And thus hath Jerusalem Temple two corrivals, a Temple on Mount Gerizim in Samaria on the North, and a Temple in Egypt on the South. Of this Temple built by Onias in Egypt the Talmudical Writers do make frequent and renowned mention. They speak in the Treatise Succah, of a great Synagogue or Sanhedrin here in the time of Alexander the Great, in which they say there were seventy golden Chairs, and a Congregation belonging to it of double the number of Israelites that came out of Egypt: And that Alexander destroyed them, to bring upon them the curse denounced by Jeremy against their going down into Egypt, Jer. XLIV. and the curse due to them for the violation of the command, Ye shall return thither (to Egypt) no more.

Yet would Onias venture to build a Temple here again, and that the rather, building upon that Prophesy, Isaiah XIX. 19. There shall be an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt, &c. Upon which passage take the Gloss of R. Solomon: We learn in Sedar Olam, that after the fall of Sennacherib, Hezekiah stood up, and let go all the multitudes, that he had brought with him from Egypt and Cush, and they took upon them the Kingdom of Heaven, and they returned to their own place, as it is said, In that day there shall be five Cities in the Land of Egypt, &c. They went and built an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt, and offered upon it an offering to God to fulfill what was spoken, In that day there shall be an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt, &c. But some of our Doctors in the Treatise Menacoth, do understand it of the Altar of the Temple of Onias the Son of Simeon the Just, who fled to Egypt and built there an Altar.

In the last Chapter of the Treatise Menacoth, the tract which our Rabbin citeth, the Talmudists have speech concerning this Temple of Oni • s, and particularly these passages, A man saith, Behold I undertake to offer a burnt-offering, he must offer it at the Sanctuary, and if he offer it at the Temple of Onias he is not discharged. If he say, I undertake for an offering in the Temple of Onias, he is to offer it at the Sanctuary, but if he offer it at the Temple of Onias he is discharged. If he say, I undertake to be a Nazarite, he is to poll his Head at the Sanctuary, and if he poll it at the Temple of Onias he is not discharged: But if he say, I will poll at the Temple of Onias, let him poll at the Sanctuary, yet if he do poll at the Temple of Onias he is quit: The Priests that serve at the Temple of Onias, shall not serve at the Sanctuary at Jerusalem: So that it appeareth that there were Sacrifices offered and other Temple-rites used in this Temple in Egypt as were in the Temple at Jerusalem, and it so stood in great glory two hundred years according to the opinion of Rambam: But it seems (they are the words of Juchasin) that it stood all the time of the Sanctuary: for Joshua the son of Perahiah fled thither, and so in the time of Hillel: and they were obedient to the wise Men of Jerusalem and brought offerings, and so they brought their Wives espousal writings to Hillel (for they said they were bastards) and he allowed them: And there was there a great Congregation double to the number that came out of Egypt, till after the destruction of the second Temple, when Adrian the Emperor came up against them and slew them all at the time of the destruction of Bitter: Think of this great plantation of Jews in Egypt when ye read Matth. II. 13, 14.

But let us return from this Temple in Egypt to the Temple at Jerusalem where our business lies. Alcimus the High Priest (whose illegal induction to that Office, had occasioned this Act of Onias ) as he was the Creature of the Antiochian family, so was he serviceable to it to his utmost, even to the mischief of that Religion and People, in and among which he took on him the High Priesthood: He assists Demetrius (though he had slain Antiochus who had so favored him) in the invasion of Judea, and attempteth to pull down the Wall of the inner Court of the Sanctuary: but is suddenly struck with a Divine stroke from Heaven, and so dieth.

Nicanor a Commander of this Demetrius forced Judas Maccabeus to betake himself to a Garrison in Jerusalem: and he himself going up into the Temple, and there entertained fawningly by the Priests, who clawed him by showing him the Sacrifices which they said they offered for his Lord the King, he taunted them; and threatened mischief to the place if Judas were not delivered to him: but ere long the proud boaster and threatner was overthrown and slain.

Jonathan the Brother, and Successor of Judas Maccabeus in his command, proved to be so in favor with Alexander the Successor of Demetrius, and Demetrius again the Successor of Alexander, and Antiochus that succeeded him, that though there were now and then some stirrings among them, yet the Temple, which is our scene that we are upon, did suffer little alteration or prejudice all his time; no more did it in the times of Simon his Brother and Successor: nay, he in his first year, obtains the people's liberties, dismantles the Antiochian Garrison in Jerusalem, purifies the place, and appoints that day for a yearly rejoicing, and restores the Land to entire peace and prosperity.

Hyrcanus the Son and Successor of Simon being straitly besieged in Jerusalem by Antiochus; at the Feast of Tabernacles, desires a cessation for the time and solemnity of the Feast: which he not only obtaineth, but many and costly Sacrifices also from Antiochus: which nobleness causeth Hyrcanus to seek for an agreement, and so the Siege is raised: He is reported to have heard a voice in the Temple whilst he was offering Incense there, which told of the victory of his Sons who were then in battle with Antiochus Cyzicenus, and when he came out he told so much to the people. Josephus sticks not to style him a King, Priest and Prophet: or at least he speaketh but little short of so much, when he saith, that God vouchsafed him the three greatest honors, the rule of the Nation, the honor of the High Priesthood, and Prophesy. He cast off the Syrian yoke and homage.

Alexander his Son proves an unhappy scourge to his own Nation, so much scorned and despised by them, that at the Feast of Tabernacles they pelted him with their Pomecitrons, whereupon he slays six thousand of them, and troubles the Land with a six years civil War. He railed in the Court of the Priests, that none but the Priests might come in there for fear of the people's disturbance.

Aristobulus and Hyrcanus the Sons of this Alexander quarrel about the rule, and call in foreign aid, as first Aretas King of Arabia, who besiegeth Aristobulus in the Temple: and then Pompey who cometh in, taketh the City, and Temple, bringeth the Nation under the Roman yoke, from under which it never delivered its neck, till City and Temple by that power was raked up in ashes.

SECT. IV. The state of the Temple under the Romans.

SO sad were the beginnings of the Temple under the Roman Power, that an Omen might have been taken from them, what would become of it, ere this Nation had done with it. Pompey coming up to Jerusalem had the Gates shut against him, so that he presently begirt it with a Siege: But the taking of the City cost him not much labor (saith Dion Cassius) for he was let in by the party of Hyrcanus: But the Temple which Aristobulus party had possessed, cost him some work. It was seated on a high pitch, and fenced with a Wall of its own. And if the defendants had guarded it all days alike, it had not been taken: but they intermitting to stand upon their defense on Saturdays (being their Sabbath) on which days they do no work, the Romans had opportunity on that day to batter the Wall. And when they had discovered this custom of the besieged, they did no great matter all the week long, till Saturday came again, and then they set upon them again; and so at the last the Jews not resisting were suprized and subdued. Great slaughter was made upon the Romans entrance, to the number of twelve thousand Jews, as Josephus reckoneth; and yet even whilst the Conqueror was killing as fast as he could, the Priests at the Altar went on in the Service as insensibly and fearlessly, by the same Authors relation, as if there had been no such danger and destruction at all, till the sword came to their own sides: Pompey being thus victor, he and divers other with him, went into the Temple, even into the most Holy place, and saw all its glory and riches, and yet was sparing of offering any violence to it, but caused the place to be purged and the Service to be set a foot again.

But what Pompey had spared, Crassus ere long seized upon, plundering the Temple of exceeding much wealth, as he went on his expedition into Parthia. That Parthian War was undertaken by him, as Dion tells us, more upon his covetousness than upon any other warrantable or honorable ground, and he sped accordingly, coming to a miserable end answerable to such principles and beginnings.

In the beginning of the reign of Herod (which was not very long after) the City and Temple was again besieged and taken by him and Sosius, and the Temple in danger again to be rifled, but prevented by Herod as much as he could: and now Antigonus the son of Aristobulus the last of Asmonean Rulers is cut off by Antony.

Herod in the eighteenth year of his Reign, beginneth to repair the Temple, taking it down to the very foundations, and raising it again in larger dimensions than it had been of before, and in that form and structure that hath been observed and surveyed in the foregoing discourse.

About some nine or ten years after the finishing of it, the Lord came to his own Temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant whom they desired, Mal. III. 1. being presented there by his Mother at forty days old, and owned by Simeon and Anna, Luke II. Twelve years after that, he is at the Temple again, set among the Doctors of one of the Sanhedrins, either in one of their Consistories or in their Midrash, and showeth his Divine Wisdom to admiration: It is needless to speak of the occurrences that befell in the Temple, about Christ and his Apostles, as his being on a Pinnacle of it in his temptations, his whipping out buyers and sellers at his first and last Passover, his constant frequenting the place whensoever he was at Jerusalem, and his foretelling the destruction of it as he sat upon Mount Olivet in the face of it, a little before his death: The Apostles resorting thither to the Public Service, and to take opportunity of Preaching in the concourse there, their healing a Creeple there, and converting thousands: Paul's apprehension there upon misprison of his defiling it by bringing in of Gentiles, and other particulars which are at large related by the Evangelists, that it is but unnecessary labor to insist upon them, since any Reader may fetch them thence.

As for the passages there, that are not mentioned in the Scripture, but by Josephus and others, as Pilate's imbezelling the holy Treasures of the Temple upon an aquaeduct, Petronius his going about to bring in Caligula's Image thither, a Tumult caused there by the base irreverence of a Roman Soldier, Arrippa's Sacrifices there, and Anathemata, Vitellius his favor to it and the people, a base affront and abuse put upon the place by the Samaritans, the horrid confusions there in the time of the seditious, the slaughter of one Zacharias in it, and at the last the firing of it by the Romans, and the utter ruin of it and the City, they would require a larger Discourse, than one Chapter or Paragraph will afford: It may be they will come to be prosecuted to the full in another Treatise, and therefore I shall but only name them here.

SECT. 1. The state of the second Temple under the Persian Monarchy.

ALthough between the return out of the Babylonian Captivity, and the final desolation of Jerusalem, there might seem to be strictly and literally two Temples, that of Zorababel, and that of Herod, (for Herod began his Temple from the very Foundation) yet do the Scriptures, and all Jewish Writers so unanimously and generally own them but for one Temple, calling it the Second Temple all the time there was a Temple after its first building under Cyrus, that it would be but needless labor and unwarrantable curiosity to take up any other notion or distinction of it. For though the Temple built by Zerubbabel were pulled down to the very ground by Herod, when he built that Fabric that stood to the last fate of Jerusalem, yet since that demolition was not by destruction and ruin, but for reparation and for its bettering, there is no reason to reckon these as two several Temples, but as one Temple first built and then repaired to a more excellent and glorious condition.

From the first year of Cyrus (in which he Proclaimed Redemption to the Captives, and gave Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem ) to the death of Christ, were four hundred and ninety years, as they be summed by an Angel, Dan. IX. and from the death of Christ to the fatal and final destruction of Jerusalem were forty years more, five hundred and thirty years in all. In all which time it were endless to show every particular occurrence, and change of condition that befell the Temple, and it would require a large Story and Volume: I shall therefore only touch upon the chiefest, distributing the times into those several and remarkable periods that they fell into, and applying the Stories to the times accordingly.

The first parcel of this time was taken up by the Persian Monarchy, which how long it continued, and for how many Kings Succession, is a thing of as disputable and controverted a nature, as any one thing in Chronology: I will keep to the number and names of the Kings of that Throne that we find in Scripture.

In Dan. XI. 2. there are these words, Behold there shall stand up yet three Kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the Realm of Grecia. And a mighty King shall stand up, &c. And when he shall stand up his Kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four Winds of Heaven, and not to his posterity, &c. It is observable concerning this Prophesy and account about the Persian Monarchy.

• 1. That this was told Daniel in the third year of Cyrus, Chap. X. 1. and so when he saith, There shall stand up yet three Kings, and the fourth, &c. he meaneth four besides Cyrus, the first beginner of the Kingdom; and therefore some of the Jews do make but a cross reckoning upon this place, who will have Cyrus which was the first, to be meant by this that is called the fourth.
• 2. The Prophesy speaketh of the length of the Persian Monarchy, till it brings it up to Alexander the Great, the destroyer of that Monarchy, of whom it speaketh plainly, verse. 3, 4. and of his Successors afterwards, verse. 5, &c.
• 3. There were therefore, by the account of the Angel here, but five Kings of Persia, namely, Cyrus, and four more.
• 4. These four are thus named in the Scripture, 1. Ahasuerus, Ezra IV. 6. 2. Darius, Ezra IV. 24. & VI. 1. &c. 3. Artaxerxes, Ezra VI. 14. 4. Darius, Neh. XII. 22. To which may be added for the confirmation of this account,
• 5. That Nehemiah lived quite through the whole length of the Persian Monarchy, being at Mans estate the first year of it, Ezra II. 2. and seeing Darius its last King, and probably his last times, Nehem. XII. 12. Nay Ezra who was born either before or in the first year of the Babylonion Monarchy, yet liveth near the expiration of the Persian: by which it is easy to conclude how far the Heathen Histories are out, who reckon fourteen Kings successively in the Persian Throne, and two hundred years of their rule, before its fall.

In the first year of Cyrus, the returned Captives out of Babel only built an Altar, and sacrificed thereon for seven months together, having yet no Temple: but in this second year, the second month of that year they lay the foundation of the House, Ezra 3▪ 8, &c. the progress of which work is soon opposed, and endeavored to be made frustrate by the Samaritans all the time of Cyrus, Ezra IV. 5. but in his time they prevailed not.

In his third year Artaxerxes cometh to the Kingdom, who is also called Ahasuerus, Ezra IV. 6, 7. he is persuaded by evil Counselors to interdict and prohibit the Temple building, and so it lay intermitted all his time, Dan. X. 1, 2, 3. Ezra IV. 23, 24.

Darius succeeded him, called also Artaxerxes, Ezra VI. 1. & VII. 1. &c. In his second year the building goes on again, and is finished in his sixth, Hag. I. Ezra VI. 14. And thus had the Temple lien waste and desolate just seventy years, from the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar, in which year it was fired, to the second of Darius, when it began to be wrought upon so as that it came to perfection, Zech. I. 12. & IV. 3, 5.

In the seventh year of this Darius, which was the year after the Temple was finished, Ezra cometh up, Ezra VII. 8. and thirteen years after, namely, in the twentieth year of this Darius (called also Artaxerxes) Nehemiah cometh up to Jerusalem, Neh. I. 1. and both help to repair, settle and rectify, Temple, City, and People, as their Story is at large in their own Books.

In the two and thirtieth year of this Darius, Nehemiah having finished what he had to do, about the building, beautifying, and settling of City, Temple and People, he returneth again unto the King, Neh. XIII. 6. and here ends Daniel's first parcel of his seventy weeks, namely, seven weeks, in which Street and Wall should be built, and that in troublous times, Dan. IX. 25. By seven weeks he meaneth seven times seven years, which amounts to nine and forty: and so there were hitherto; namely, three of Cyrus, fourteen of Ahasuerus, and thirty two of Darius.

After Darius there reigned Artaxerxes, commonly known in Heathen Stories by the name of Xerxes, the invader of Greece with his huge Army, &c. He was a favourer of the Jews at the least for a while, as it appeareth by that passage, in Ezra VI. 14. They built and finished according to the Commandment of the Lord, and according to the Commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes: where this Artaxerxes is set in parallel equipage with Cyrus and Darius for favoring the Temple: It is true indeed the work was finished in the time of Darius, as to the very building of the House, yet were the buildings about it still coming on and increasing, and this Xerxes did favor the work as well as those Princes had done before him.

Yet did there an unhappy occurrence befall in this Kings time in the Temple itself, which if it did not alienate and change his affection from well-willing to it, yet did it prejudice the Temple in the affection of him that was chief Commander under this King in those parts, whose name was Bagoses: The occasion was this, Jochanan who was then High Priest, upon some displeasure against his own Brother Jesus, did fall upon him and slay him in the very Temple: Bagoses favored this Jesus, and intended to have made him High Priest, and it is like that Jochanan smelt the design, and out of jealousy of such a thing, thought to prevent it by his Brothers dispatch: whatsoever was the cause of this his murder, the fruit of it was this: that Bagoses violently presseth into the Temple, which he might not have done, and layeth a mulct upon the People, namely, forty Drachmes upon every Lamb that was to be Sacrificed: Ezra and Nehemiah were both now alive, and do but imagine how their piety would digest a thing so impious.

The next in the Throne after this Artaxerxes mentioned in Scripture, was Darius, Nehem. XII. 22. the Man with whom the Empire fell under the victorious Sword of Alexander the Great. In his time another occasion from another Brother of an High Priest occurreth, which accrued not a little to the prejudice of the Temple and Nation; and that was this, Manasseh one of the sons of Joiada the son of Eliashib the High Priest, had married Nicasso the Daughter of Sanballat, for which being driven from the Altar and Priesthood, he betaketh himself to his Father-in-law to Samaria; and they betwixt them obtain a Commission from Danius, and get it confirmed also by Alexander the Great, to build a Temple upon Mount Gerizim, John IV. 20. which being built in affront to the Temple of Jerusalem, it proved no small disadvantage to it, and the Service there: for it not only caused a faction and defection in the Nation, but also it became the common refuge and shelter of all lawless and irregular despisers of discipline and Government.

In this Darius was the end of the Persian State and Kingdom, having continued for the succession of these Kings, but whether anymore, and how many precise years is not easily determinable; what times went over the Temple in their Reigns besides what is mentioned here, may be observed in the Books of Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

SECT. II. The occurrences of the Temple under Alexander.

ALEXANDER the Great, the Conqueror of Darius and overthrower of the Persian Kingdom, did in his own Person visit Jerusalem and the Temple, coming towards it like a Lion, but he came into it like a Lamb. He had taken indignation at Jaddua the High Priest, Nehem. XII. 22. because he denied him assistance at the Siege of Tyrus (for Jaddua had sworn fealty to Darius. ) Hereupon he cometh up towards Jerusalem breathing fire and fury against it, till he came within the sight of the City: There he was met by Jaddua in the High Priests garments, and by all the Priests in their vestments, and the People in white: whom when he came near, instead of offering them violence, he shown reverence to the High Priest and courteously saluted all the People.

When his Commanders wondered at such a change, he told them that in a dream in Macedon, he saw one in the very same Attire that the High Priest was in, who encouraged him to invade the Persian Empire, and promised to lead his Army and to make him victorious. So he goeth with them into the City, offereth at the Temple, is shown Daniel's Prophesy concerning himself, granteth favorable privileges to the Jews about their Religion, and so departeth.

It is held by some of the Jews, that in the very year that Alexander came to Jerusalem, Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi died, and the Spirit of Prophesy departed from Israel; which if we follow the computation of Heathen Stories is a thing of utter improbability, they prolong the Persian Monarchy to so large a time; but if we follow the account of Scripture, it makes the improbability a great deal less, as might be shown if we were following the pursuit of Chronology: And if it be questioned how it should be possible, that all Heathen Stories that handle the succession of the Persian Kings, should be so far wide as to double, nay, almost to treble the number of the Kings more than they were, these three things may be produced as those that either severally, or rather jointly might be the reasons of such a mistake.

• 1. Because everyone of the Persian Kings had a double, nay, some a treble name, and this multiplicity of Names might deceive the heedless Historian into an assertion of numerousness of Persons.
• 2. The Persian Kingdom was a double Kingdom, Media and Persia, the two Arms and Shoulders in Dan. II. now the King of Persia and the Viceroy of Media might be likewise misconceived in after-times for two differing Persian Monarchs.
• 3. It was the manner of the Persian Kings when they went into the Wars, to create a King to rule at home while they were absent, and this might cause the accounting of so many Kings and of so long a time. And so Herodotus beareth witness, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; when the King went to War, it was the Law of the Persians that he should appoint a King and so go his way on his expedition. And this custom was that that made Cyrus his third year to be accounted for Artaxerxes his first, though Cyrus was yet alive, because he left him King at home whilst he himself went to Wars abroad.

Alexander dying in the flower of his Age and Victories, his large Dominions obtained so suddenly by the Sword, were divided as suddenly again, in a manner by the Sword, amongst four of his chief Commanders, according as was Prophesied, Dan. VIII. 8. & XI. 4. Two of them were Seleucus Nicanor, who obtained Syria, and Ptolemy Lagus, who obtained Egypt, whose families ( the House of the North and the House of the South, Dan. XI.) being ill Neigbours one to another, did both of them prove ill Neighbors to Judea, and through and under them the People and Temple did undergo divers varieties of fortune, but most commonly the worst.

SECT. III. A Brief of the state of the Temple in the times of these Kings.

IF we were to write a Story of the City and People, as we are of the Temple, here were a very large field before us, for exceeding much of the Story of Jerusalem and Judea hath to do with the Story of these Kings: but since our confinement is to the Temple only, we shall make a shorter cut, because the peculiar relations that we find about that, are but few in comparison of the general Story of the City and Nation.

Seleucus Nicanor, (or Nicator as some do call him) the first of these Kings of Syria, was a great favourer of the Jewish Nation, for he infranchised them in his Syrian Cities, yea even in Antioch the Metropolis itself: and he bestowed benevolences upon the Temple, to an exceeding liberal and magnificent value.

But Ptolemy Lagus King of Egypt his contemporary, was as bitter to the Nation as he was favorable: He having his Army in the Country, took advantage one Sabbath day of the Jews strict resting on that da, and pretending to come into the City to Sacrifice, he surprised the City, and it is like the Temple sped but indifferently with him, and he carried exceeding many thousands away Captive.

His son and successor Ptolemy Philadelphus was again as favorable to the Nation, as he had been mischievous: He sent for the Seventy Elders to Translate the Bible, and sent exceeding great munificence to the Temple, which we have had some cause to speak of before.

In the time of Ptolemy Euergetes the successor of Philadelphus, the covetize of Onias the High Priest, had provoked the displeasure of that King, and was like to have brought mischief upon the place and people, but that it was wisely appeased by Joseph Onias his sisters son.

From the time that Ptolemy Lagus had so basely surprised Jerusalem, it was under homage to the Crown of Egypt, till Antiochus the Great released it, or changed it rather into subjection to Syria; whether it were of his goodness and devotion, or whether rather out of his policy to make sure the Jews to him in the great Wars that he had, especially with the Romans, he bestowed many favors upon the People, and liberal Donations and Privileges upon the Temple: And particularly this Edict in its behalf, That no stranger should come into the virge of the Temple prohibited; which it may be first occasioned those Inscriptions upon the Pillars at the entrance into the Chel that we have spoken of, that no stranger should come there upon pain of death.

After him succeeded Antiochus Epiphanes (save only that Seleucus Philopater reigned twelve years between) a Man or a Monster shall I call him? Of whom and of whose cursed actings are those Prophesies, in Dan. VII. 21, 25. & VIII. 10, 11, 12, 24, 25. & 11. 28, &c. & 12. 1, &c. and Ezek. XXXVIII. & XXXIX. and who performed according to those predictions to the utmost of wickedness.

He began his Reign by the account of the Book of the Maccabees in the one hundred thirty and seventh year of the Reign of the Seleucian family, 1 Mac. I. 10. And in the one hundred forty and third year, as both that Book and Josephus reckon, he came up to Jerusalem, being invited thither by a wrethed faction of Onias, who was also called Menelaus the High Priest, and he taketh the City by their means, and slew many of the contrary party, and took away many of the Holy things and much spoil, and so returned to Antioch. This was the beginning of those two thousand and three hundred days mentioned in Dan. VIII. 13, 14. or the days of desolation, when the Host and the Sanctuary were both trodden under Foot. Two years and some months after, namely, in the year one hundred and forty five he cometh up again, and under color of peaceableness obtaining entrance, he sacketh Jerusalem, plundreth the Temple, fireth the fairest buildings of the City, pulls down the Walls, slayeth even some of those that had invited him, taketh many thousands prisoners, and setteth a Syrian Garrison for a curb to the City and Temple. Here was the beginning of those one thousand two hundred and ninety days mentioned, Dan. XII. 11. The time that the daily Sacrifice was taken away, and the abomination of desolation was set up; which space is called a time, times and half a time: which was three years and an half, and some twelve or thirteen days.

The mischief that this Tyrant and Persecutor wrought to the Temple, Nation and Religion is not expressible: how he forbad Circumcision, abolished Religion, burnt the Books of the Law, persecuted the Truth, murdered those that professed it, and defiled the Sanctuary with all manner of abomination, insomuch that the Holy Ghost hath set this character upon those sad times, that that was a time of trouble, such as was not since they were a Nation even to that same time, Dan. XII. 1. And here began the Story and Glory of Mattatbias the Father of the Maccabean family, who withstood this outrage and villainy, but died in the next year, namely one hundred and forty sixth of the Seleucian Kingdom.

Judas Maccabeus succeeds him in his zeal and command, and prevaileth so gallantly against the Commanders appointed by the Tyrant, Apollonius Seron Gorgias and Lys • as, that in the year one hundred forty eight he and his people return and purify the Temple, erect a new Altar, restore the Service, and keep the Feast of Dedication for eight days, and ordain it for an annual solemnity, And from thence even till now (saith Josephus) we keep that Feast and call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ( Candlemas, if I may so English it) naming the Feast as I think from this, because such a restauration shone upon us unexpected. There is mention of this Feast, and it was honored with Christ's presence, Joh. X. 22. and what was the manner of its solemnity, especially by lighting abundance of Candles at it, I have shown in another place.

Both Josephus and the Book of Maccabeus make it but exactly three years between the time of Antiochus his defiling of the Altar, with abomination, and Maccabeus his restoring and purifying it again: Only the one of them saith, its defiling began on the 15 day of the month Cisleu in the one hundred forty and fifth year of the Seleucian Kingdom; and the other saith, it began on the five and twentieth day of the same month in the same year; but both agree that it was purified on the five and twentieth day of the same month, in the year one hundred forty and eight, which teacheth us how to distinguish upon that passage of Daniel forementioned, in Chap. XII. 11. namely, that the time the daily Sacrifice was taken away, was one thousand two hundred and ninety days, or three years and an half and some few days over; but the time that the abomination that maketh desolate was set up, that is, Idols in the Temple, and an Idol Altar upon the Lord's Altar, was but three years.

Antiochus died in Persia, within forty five days after the restoring of the Temple, as Dan. XII. 12. seemeth to intimate, when it pronounceth him blessed that cometh to one thousand three hundred thirty and five days, for then he should see the Tyrants death. His son Antiochus Eupator who succeeded him, was invited into Judea by some Apostate Jews to come to curb Judas Maccabeus, who was besieging the Syrian Garrison that was in Jerusalem: He cometh with a mighty power, forceth Judas into the Temple, and there besiegeth him: But being straitened for provisions, and hearing of stirrings in his own Kingdom, he offereth the besieged honorable conditions, upon which they surrender. But he entering and seeing the strength of the place, and suspecting it might be troublesome to him again, he breaketh his Articles and his Oath, and putteth down the Wall that encompassed the holy ground down to the ground. And thus poor Judas and the Temple are in a worse condition than before, for the Antiochian Garrison in Jerusalem that was ready upon all occasions to annoy it, is not only not removed, but now is the Temple laid naked to their will and fury.

This Antiochus put Menelaus the High Priest to death (and he rewarded him but justly for calling the Tyrant this Mans Father in) and he made Alcimus High Priest in his stead, one that was not of the High Priests line at all: which made Onias who was next to the High Priesthood indeed, to flee into Egypt, and thereby the favor Ptolemy Philometor, he built a Temple parallel to that at Jerusalem: And thus hath Jerusalem Temple two corrivals, a Temple on Mount Gerizim in Samaria on the North, and a Temple in Egypt on the South. Of this Temple built by Onias in Egypt the Talmudical Writers do make frequent and renowned mention. They speak in the Treatise Succah, of a great Synagogue or Sanhedrin here in the time of Alexander the Great, in which they say there were seventy golden Chairs, and a Congregation belonging to it of double the number of Israelites that came out of Egypt: And that Alexander destroyed them, to bring upon them the curse denounced by Jeremy against their going down into Egypt, Jer. XLIV. and the curse due to them for the violation of the command, Ye shall return thither (to Egypt) no more.

Yet would Onias venture to build a Temple here again, and that the rather, building upon that Prophesy, Isaiah XIX. 19. There shall be an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt, &c. Upon which passage take the Gloss of R. Solomon: We learn in Sedar Olam, that after the fall of Sennacherib, Hezekiah stood up, and let go all the multitudes, that he had brought with him from Egypt and Cush, and they took upon them the Kingdom of Heaven, and they returned to their own place, as it is said, In that day there shall be five Cities in the Land of Egypt, &c. They went and built an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt, and offered upon it an offering to God to fulfill what was spoken, In that day there shall be an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt, &c. But some of our Doctors in the Treatise Menacoth, do understand it of the Altar of the Temple of Onias the Son of Simeon the Just, who fled to Egypt and built there an Altar.

In the last Chapter of the Treatise Menacoth, the tract which our Rabbin citeth, the Talmudists have speech concerning this Temple of Oni • s, and particularly these passages, A man saith, Behold I undertake to offer a burnt-offering, he must offer it at the Sanctuary, and if he offer it at the Temple of Onias he is not discharged. If he say, I undertake for an offering in the Temple of Onias, he is to offer it at the Sanctuary, but if he offer it at the Temple of Onias he is discharged. If he say, I undertake to be a Nazarite, he is to poll his Head at the Sanctuary, and if he poll it at the Temple of Onias he is not discharged: But if he say, I will poll at the Temple of Onias, let him poll at the Sanctuary, yet if he do poll at the Temple of Onias he is quit: The Priests that serve at the Temple of Onias, shall not serve at the Sanctuary at Jerusalem: So that it appeareth that there were Sacrifices offered and other Temple-rites used in this Temple in Egypt as were in the Temple at Jerusalem, and it so stood in great glory two hundred years according to the opinion of Rambam: But it seems (they are the words of Juchasin) that it stood all the time of the Sanctuary: for Joshua the son of Perahiah fled thither, and so in the time of Hillel: and they were obedient to the wise Men of Jerusalem and brought offerings, and so they brought their Wives espousal writings to Hillel (for they said they were bastards) and he allowed them: And there was there a great Congregation double to the number that came out of Egypt, till after the destruction of the second Temple, when Adrian the Emperor came up against them and slew them all at the time of the destruction of Bitter: Think of this great plantation of Jews in Egypt when ye read Matth. II. 13, 14.

But let us return from this Temple in Egypt to the Temple at Jerusalem where our business lies. Alcimus the High Priest (whose illegal induction to that Office, had occasioned this Act of Onias ) as he was the Creature of the Antiochian family, so was he serviceable to it to his utmost, even to the mischief of that Religion and People, in and among which he took on him the High Priesthood: He assists Demetrius (though he had slain Antiochus who had so favored him) in the invasion of Judea, and attempteth to pull down the Wall of the inner Court of the Sanctuary: but is suddenly struck with a Divine stroke from Heaven, and so dieth.

Nicanor a Commander of this Demetrius forced Judas Maccabeus to betake himself to a Garrison in Jerusalem: and he himself going up into the Temple, and there entertained fawningly by the Priests, who clawed him by showing him the Sacrifices which they said they offered for his Lord the King, he taunted them; and threatened mischief to the place if Judas were not delivered to him: but ere long the proud boaster and threatner was overthrown and slain.

Jonathan the Brother, and Successor of Judas Maccabeus in his command, proved to be so in favor with Alexander the Successor of Demetrius, and Demetrius again the Successor of Alexander, and Antiochus that succeeded him, that though there were now and then some stirrings among them, yet the Temple, which is our scene that we are upon, did suffer little alteration or prejudice all his time; no more did it in the times of Simon his Brother and Successor: nay, he in his first year, obtains the people's liberties, dismantles the Antiochian Garrison in Jerusalem, purifies the place, and appoints that day for a yearly rejoicing, and restores the Land to entire peace and prosperity.

Hyrcanus the Son and Successor of Simon being straitly besieged in Jerusalem by Antiochus; at the Feast of Tabernacles, desires a cessation for the time and solemnity of the Feast: which he not only obtaineth, but many and costly Sacrifices also from Antiochus: which nobleness causeth Hyrcanus to seek for an agreement, and so the Siege is raised: He is reported to have heard a voice in the Temple whilst he was offering Incense there, which told of the victory of his Sons who were then in battle with Antiochus Cyzicenus, and when he came out he told so much to the people. Josephus sticks not to style him a King, Priest and Prophet: or at least he speaketh but little short of so much, when he saith, that God vouchsafed him the three greatest honors, the rule of the Nation, the honor of the High Priesthood, and Prophesy. He cast off the Syrian yoke and homage.

Alexander his Son proves an unhappy scourge to his own Nation, so much scorned and despised by them, that at the Feast of Tabernacles they pelted him with their Pomecitrons, whereupon he slays six thousand of them, and troubles the Land with a six years civil War. He railed in the Court of the Priests, that none but the Priests might come in there for fear of the people's disturbance.

Aristobulus and Hyrcanus the Sons of this Alexander quarrel about the rule, and call in foreign aid, as first Aretas King of Arabia, who besiegeth Aristobulus in the Temple: and then Pompey who cometh in, taketh the City, and Temple, bringeth the Nation under the Roman yoke, from under which it never delivered its neck, till City and Temple by that power was raked up in ashes.

SECT. IV. The state of the Temple under the Romans.

SO sad were the beginnings of the Temple under the Roman Power, that an Omen might have been taken from them, what would become of it, ere this Nation had done with it. Pompey coming up to Jerusalem had the Gates shut against him, so that he presently begirt it with a Siege: But the taking of the City cost him not much labor (saith Dion Cassius) for he was let in by the party of Hyrcanus: But the Temple which Aristobulus party had possessed, cost him some work. It was seated on a high pitch, and fenced with a Wall of its own. And if the defendants had guarded it all days alike, it had not been taken: but they intermitting to stand upon their defense on Saturdays (being their Sabbath) on which days they do no work, the Romans had opportunity on that day to batter the Wall. And when they had discovered this custom of the besieged, they did no great matter all the week long, till Saturday came again, and then they set upon them again; and so at the last the Jews not resisting were suprized and subdued. Great slaughter was made upon the Romans entrance, to the number of twelve thousand Jews, as Josephus reckoneth; and yet even whilst the Conqueror was killing as fast as he could, the Priests at the Altar went on in the Service as insensibly and fearlessly, by the same Authors relation, as if there had been no such danger and destruction at all, till the sword came to their own sides: Pompey being thus victor, he and divers other with him, went into the Temple, even into the most Holy place, and saw all its glory and riches, and yet was sparing of offering any violence to it, but caused the place to be purged and the Service to be set a foot again.

But what Pompey had spared, Crassus ere long seized upon, plundering the Temple of exceeding much wealth, as he went on his expedition into Parthia. That Parthian War was undertaken by him, as Dion tells us, more upon his covetousness than upon any other warrantable or honorable ground, and he sped accordingly, coming to a miserable end answerable to such principles and beginnings.

In the beginning of the reign of Herod (which was not very long after) the City and Temple was again besieged and taken by him and Sosius, and the Temple in danger again to be rifled, but prevented by Herod as much as he could: and now Antigonus the son of Aristobulus the last of Asmonean Rulers is cut off by Antony.

Herod in the eighteenth year of his Reign, beginneth to repair the Temple, taking it down to the very foundations, and raising it again in larger dimensions than it had been of before, and in that form and structure that hath been observed and surveyed in the foregoing discourse.

About some nine or ten years after the finishing of it, the Lord came to his own Temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant whom they desired, Mal. III. 1. being presented there by his Mother at forty days old, and owned by Simeon and Anna, Luke II. Twelve years after that, he is at the Temple again, set among the Doctors of one of the Sanhedrins, either in one of their Consistories or in their Midrash, and showeth his Divine Wisdom to admiration: It is needless to speak of the occurrences that befell in the Temple, about Christ and his Apostles, as his being on a Pinnacle of it in his temptations, his whipping out buyers and sellers at his first and last Passover, his constant frequenting the place whensoever he was at Jerusalem, and his foretelling the destruction of it as he sat upon Mount Olivet in the face of it, a little before his death: The Apostles resorting thither to the Public Service, and to take opportunity of Preaching in the concourse there, their healing a Creeple there, and converting thousands: Paul's apprehension there upon misprison of his defiling it by bringing in of Gentiles, and other particulars which are at large related by the Evangelists, that it is but unnecessary labor to insist upon them, since any Reader may fetch them thence.

As for the passages there, that are not mentioned in the Scripture, but by Josephus and others, as Pilate's imbezelling the holy Treasures of the Temple upon an aquaeduct, Petronius his going about to bring in Caligula's Image thither, a Tumult caused there by the base irreverence of a Roman Soldier, Arrippa's Sacrifices there, and Anathemata, Vitellius his favor to it and the people, a base affront and abuse put upon the place by the Samaritans, the horrid confusions there in the time of the seditious, the slaughter of one Zacharias in it, and at the last the firing of it by the Romans, and the utter ruin of it and the City, they would require a larger Discourse, than one Chapter or Paragraph will afford: It may be they will come to be prosecuted to the full in another Treatise, and therefore I shall but only name them here.

To the READER.

THE use and advantage of Indexes (or Alphabetical Tables ) to large and Elaborate Volumes, is great, even in the Judgment of the most Learned and Industrious; among which number, One that speaks the meanest, says, That an Index is the Bag and Baggage of a Book, of more use than honor, even to such as seemingly slight it, secretly using it, if not for need, yet for speed of what they desire to find. —The following Indexes, besides the common advantage and use of other Indexes,

• 1. Shew, where to find such Texts of Scripture, Hebrew and Greek words, as also such principal Matters or Things, as are not to be found by the Authors Titles, Chapters, Verses, &c. For as to Scriptures explained, It may be there is neither Chapter nor Verse, or but one of them, or not the words so explained, all which are supplied and made perfect in the Scriptural Index.
• 2. They put together such Scriptures, Words, and principal Matters or Things, as are explained or discoursed on in differing and far distant Places, so that at once all thats said to any one Place, Word, or Subject may be seen. This also everywhere presents the Reader with a Scheme or Body of Matter, Notions, or Explications, upon the same Topic put together; as in Antichrist, Apostles, Baptism, Christ, History, Kingdom of Heaven, Passover, Pentecost, Priest, Sabbath, Sanhedrim, Synagogue, Temple, &c.
• 3. These are much sooner read than the two Great Volumes; where the Reader may meet (as is in part intimated) with all the JEWISH Customs, Rites, Affairs, or History, &c. also with all the Chief Matters, concerning Christ, the Gospel, the Apostles, and the first Gospel Age and Church; And how great a help is this to them that have but little time, and cannot read the whole, much less put things of the same kind, which lie remote, altogether? Which was peremptorily necessary in order to knowledge, there being no Works or Writings in the World of the same kind beyond these for illustrating the Scriptures by Jewish Learning. Thus much for the Indexes.

Reader, I must further tell thee, That though this Learned Author seems several times to have the same Things over again, yet I think it is almost always with some improvement by adding new Matter.

I must also desire thee to correct the Errors of the Press, especially those that refer to the right Numbering of the Pages, which will be of high advantage and use referring both to the Book and the Indexes: Remembering that wherever a Star or Asterisk follows any Quotation, or Head in these Indexes, it shows it is to be sought for in the Postscript of the Temple, at the later end of the First Volume.

ERRATA.

IN the Harmony Chronicle and Order of the New Testament; at the second B. in the first Alphabet for Page 1. read 201. and so on to 205. at the first C. in the first Alphabet for p. 7. r. 207. and so on to 231. between p. 260. and 262. r. 261. at the second O. in the second Alphabet for p. 296. r. 297. and so on to 302. for five pages. At the second S. in the second Alphabet for p. 339. r. 329. and so on for the three following pages. In the Harmony of the Four Evangelists; at the first P. in the third Alphabet for p. 455. r. 487. at the second P. in the third Alphabet for p. 490. r. 489. at the second I. in the fifth Alphabet for p. 809. r. 811. In the Temple Service, at the second F. in the sixth Alphabet for p. 961. r. 971. and so 972, 973, 974. for three following pages.