A Pisgah-sight of Palestine and the confines thereof with the history of the Old and New Testament acted thereon / by Thomas Fuller ...

CHAP. VI. Objections to the contrary answered.

§ 1. HAving thus brought our beliefe (not over forward in it self) to answer the spur,* 1.1 in what Iosephus reports, we confess not∣withstanding, many shrewd objections may be alleadged to the contrary, which we shall endevour to satisfie in order, as fol∣loweth.

§ 2. Ob. It is utterly improbable,* 1.2 that God who refused Davids tender to build him a Temple, meerly because he was a mana 1.3 of bloud, would ac∣cept of such a Tyrant as Herod was, for the same purpose. Who had murthered Hircanus his patron, Ioseph his own uncle, Aristobulus his bro∣ther-in-law, Mariamme his wife, Aristobulus the younger, Alexander, and Antipater his sons. In a word, unlikely it is, his service should be employ∣ed in building the Temple of God, who endevoured to destroy theb 1.4 God of that Temple.

§ 3. Ans.* 1.5 Gods ways are in the deep, past mans finding, or fathoming out: who, to shew the fulness of his power, and freedome of his pleasure, useth variety in his own working. That shall be sometimes a bar to one, which otherwhiles shall be no hinderance to another. Who knowes not, but Cyrus was a cruell man, the manager of mighty wars, who came to a wofull and violent death? Witness, whenc 1.6 Tomyris the Scythian Queen, having cut off his head, and put it into a vessell of bloud, Satia te (saith she) sanguine quem semper sitisti, Cloy thy self with bloud which thou hast always thirsted after. And yet God accepted of the service of Cyrus, not onely to be a benefactour unto, but founder of his Temple, thed 1.7 expences thereof being given out of his own house. Why then might not the same God make use of Herod, for the rebuilding of his Temple, when in continuance of time, much run into dilapidations?

§ 4. Ob.* 1.8 The Temple extant in our Saviours time, was forty six years in building, as thee 1.9 Iews did avouch; now, this cannot be applied to He∣rods Temple, who reigned in all but thirty seven years; it must there∣fore belong to Zorobabels, the building whereof was so long suspended, through the frequent opposition of their enemies.

§ 5. Ans.* 1.10 It cannot well be applyed to Zorobabels, but exactly fits Herods Temple; for Zorobabels it falls out too large, which makes expositours take refuge at severall shifts, as we have formerlyf 1.11 observed. It is ade∣quate unto Herods Temple, the Greek being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the first Aorist passive, that is, it hath been in building. For, from the time that the first foundation was laid by Herod, untill the present instant of the Iews their speech, the sum of forty six years was exactly compleated, all which time (though the main of the fabrick was finished in the first eight years, and an half) workmen were constantly employed in trimming, polishing, and perfecting the out-buildings thereof.

§ 6. Ob.* 1.12 The Prophetg 1.13 Haggai foretold, that the glory of the second Temple should be greater then the first, which was accordingly accom∣plished in the coming of our Saviour, gracing it with hish 1.14 presence, and preaching therein. Now, if the Temple extant in our Saviours time, were not the same numericall, individuall Temple, which Zoro∣babel built, but another new one of Herod his erection, the Prophesie of Haggai took no effect, and missed of the due performance thereof.

§ 7. Ans.* 1.15 Haggai his prophesie found the full accomplishment thereof, in our Saviours preaching in Herods Temple, which was no distinct, but in all essentialls the self same with Zorobabels. The holy riddle in the Revelation is very hard to be understood, how the beasti 1.16 was the eight, and yet one of the seven. But here it is obvious to any apprehension, that this was the third, and yet the second Temple, set up in the same place of the for∣mer.

§ 8. Ob. Zorobabels,* 1.17 or the second Temple may as properly be termed the first, and avouched the same with Solomons, as this third of Herods building may be called the second Temple, and maintained the same with Zoroba∣bels. For, it was erected on the same Area, or floor, and had, though less limbs (smaller dimensions) the self same vitals, all the essentiall Utensils of the first Temple, restored unto it.

§ 9. Ans.* 1.18 Not so, for, not a foot of stone, or inch of timber used in Solo∣mons, was found in Zorobabels, which being all utterly destroyed, new materials were fetched from mountk 1.19 Lebanon. Whereas no doubt He∣rod made use of whatsoever was firm, sound, and undecayed in Zoro∣babels Temple. Besides, there was an interstitium, or distance of seven∣ty years, between the destruction of Solomons, and erection of Zorobabels Temple; whereas here no vacancy at all, the service, and sacrifices to God being continued without any interruption. As therefore that man, who, out of a desperate consumption, by Gods blessing, physick, and

good diet, recovers new flesh, remains still the same man: so Zoroba∣bels Temple, acquiring by Herods bounty more beauty, and bigness, continued the same Temple, Gods unintermitted service (the life and soul thereof) preserving the individuity, or oneness of this Temple with the former.

§ 10. Iosephus himself elsewhere confesseth (as learnedi 1.20 Grotius doth observe) that the Temple was never but twice demolished,* 1.21 first by Ne∣buchadnezzar, and finally by the Romans.

§ 11. Understand him (to reconcile him to himself) never but twice demolished in anger from enemies,* 1.22 whereas Herod destruebat animo re∣struendi, destroyed it with intent to rebuild it. As the Chirurgion, who, not out of cruelty, but pity, breaks an ill set bone, with full intent to set it better. Hence it was, that this third Temple, in some sense, is always accounted, reputed, and esteemed by the Jewish Rabbins, the same with the second.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Much may be alledged against Herods buil∣ding.
• * 1.2

  1. Objection.
• a 1.3

  2 Chr. 28. 3.
• b 1.4

  Mar. 2. 20.
• * 1.5

  Answer.
• c 1.6

  Instine lib. 1.
• d 1.7

  Ezra 6. 4.
• * 1.8

  ••Objection.
• e 1.9

  Ioh. 2. 20.
• * 1.10

  Answer.
• f 1.11

  Above cap. 3. § 5.
• * 1.12

  3 Objection.
• g 1.13

  Haggai 29.
• h 1.14

  Mat. 3. 1.
• * 1.15

  Answer.
• i 1.16

  Revel. 17. 11.
• * 1.17

  The same ob∣jection rein∣••orced.
• * 1.18

  And answered.
• k 1.19

  Ezra 3. 7.
• i 1.20

  Vid. ejus annot. in Mat. 24. 1. & Iohn 2. 20.
• * 1.21

  4 Objection.
• * 1.22

  Answered.