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

CHAP. XVIII. Objections against the Courts of Solomons Temple answered.

* 1.1

Philol.

IN your description of the Courts of Solomons Temple, I finde one∣ly four gates to the cardinall windes, but neither Parbar nor Asuppim Gate, though both of them eminently mentioneda 1.2 in the Bible.

Aleth.

I must confess my self utterly unsatisfied in the position of these places, whether or no they were in the first two Courts, as built by So∣lomon, or added in after ages, when the newb 1.3 or third Court was added to Solomons foundation: which latter I am most inclined to beleeve. For perusing the date of the first book of Chronicles, I finde it written long after the Iews return from the captivity of Babylon, as appears by reckoning up the grand-children ofc 1.4 Zorobabel, and therefore I suspend the describing of them till further information.

Philol.

At the entrance of the House of the Lord, youo 1.5 make horses, but omit the Chariots of the Sun, both equally mentioned inP 1.6 Scripture, and destroyed by Iosiah. Besides, you make them artificiall statues, which (no doubt) were naturall horses, sent out with riders every morning in a superstitious frolick, to give a welcome, or visit to the dawning-day, and to salute the Sun in the first arising thereof.

Aleth.

Chariots must be supposed there, though not expressed for lack of room. Sure they were no reall horses, which the [idolatrous] Kings of Israel had given to theq 1.7 Sun. For (except thereby be meant a successive breed, or race) such horses must be extremely old at this refor∣mation, after ther 1.8 eighteenth year of Iosia••, probably set up by Ahaz sixty years since. Besides, it is improbable, that living horses were kept so close to the Temple, and that noisome stables should be so near Gods house, generally set at some distance from mens dwellings. However, I had rather subscribe, then ingage in a controversie not worth the conten∣ding for.

Philol.

Yous 1.9 mention onely one Table of shew-bread, whereas David made preparation for thet 1.10 Tables thereof. And lest so plain a place of Scripture should be avoided, by the frequent figure of Enallage, Solomon is expresly said to have madeu 1.11 ten Tables and placed them in the Temple, and it is added not long after, whereon thew 1.12 shew-bread was set.

Aleth.

I am confident, there was but one principall Table for the presen∣tation of shew-bread, whereon, by Gods appointment, the twelvex 1.13 Cakes were set in two rowes, according to the number of the twelve Tribes of Israel. Now, if there were ten Tables provided for that purpose, the twelve Cakes could not be equally set upon them without a fraction. I conceive therefore the other nine, onely as side-cupboards, or Livery tables ministeriall to that principall one, as whereupon the shew-bread elect was set before the consecration thereof, and whereon the old shew-bread removed for some time, might be placed, when new was substituted in the room thereof.

Philol.

To proceed to the Altar. I approve youry 1.14 answer taken from the Celestiall fire thereupon, as satisfactory in relation to the Tabernacle, and Solomons Temple, that so many sacrifices were so suddenly consumed without any noisomeness. But, the difficulty still remains as touching the second Temple: where, by generall confession (in default of hea∣venly) the Priests were fain to make use of common, and ordinary fire.

Aleth.

Although I beleeve not in full latitude, what the Iewish Rabbins doe affirme; That the Pillar of smoak which ascended from the sacrifice, curled onely upwards in direct wreaths to heaven, without any scatter∣ing, or shedding if self abroad; yet for the main, we may be confident, it was no whit offensive to the Priests, or people thereabouts. This we impute to the providence of God, passing an Act of indemnity, that none should be impaired, either in health or wealth, by the performance of

any service according to his appointment. And, as the land of the Iews was secured from forein invasionz 1.15 during the appearing of all the males thrice a year at Ierusalem: so the same goodness of God ordered, that his people should sustain no damage or detriment, either in their purses, or per∣sons, whilest busied in his worship: the main reason that no infection did arise, no smoak, nor ill savor sented from the fat, offall, and excre∣ments of so many sacrifices offered in so short a time, and small a compass.

Philol.

You say something for the avoiding of noisomeness, but no∣thing in answer, that that common fire should so quickly devour so many sacrifices, though, I confess the offerings in the second Temple, nothing so numerous as those in Solomons.

Aleth.

We must totally ascribe this to the work of the Lord, who though not granting this second Temple the honour and use of Celestiall fire (al∣lowed to the former) yet, in approbation of his own ordinance, indu∣ed common fire with more then common activity. As, often in extre∣mities, when miracles are denied, ordinary means are blessed with extra∣ordinary efficacy in their operation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Objections a∣gainst Solomons Temple are whollyomitted, because the draught thereof is intirely taken out of Arias Montanus, and chargeable on his account.
• a 1.2

  1 Chr. 26. 17.
• b 1.3

  2 Chr. 20. 5.
• c 1.4

  1 Chr. 4. 21.
• o 1.5

  Pag. 385. §. 3.
• P 1.6

  2 King. 23. 11.
• q 1.7

  Ibidem.
• r 1.8

  Compare the foresaid place with 2 King. 22. 3.
• s 1.9

  Pag. 391. §. 2.
• t 1.10

  1 Chr. 28. 16.
• u 1.11

  2 Chr. 5. 8.
• w 1.12

  Ibid. ver. 19.
• x 1.13

  Levit. 24. 5, 6.
• y 1.14

  Pag. 394. §. 3.
• z 1.15

  Exod. 34. 24.