14, This evasion being of no use, something more satisfactory must be inquired after, something wherein the glory of the latter house must excel that of the former. That they may not be utterly silent, the masters of the present Judaical infidelity fix upon two things, which they would persuade us this glory might consist in:—. First, they say the structure itself, either as built by Zerubbabel, or at least as restored by Herod, was higher, as more capacious, than that built by Solomon; and the glory of it was increased by the great riches of the nations, that were brought into it in the days of the Asmonzans and of Herod, when that was accom- plished which was here foretold, that the riches of the nations should come to that house. So Kimchi: “‘I will shake.’ This is an allego- rical expression,” saith he, “of the great glory and good that God would bring to Israel in the days of the second temple. And when’
_ SECT. 13, 14.] THE MESSIAH TO BE COME. 293
was this?” ‘pwn 2 mn Ht;—“It was in the days of the Asmo- neans,” Dyn jor Sy Ww, “or in the time of Herod;” for which he re- fers us to the book of Joseph Ben Gorion, the plagiary of the true Josephus. And this also is repeated by Jarchi and Abarbanel. For the glory of the house itself, the same man tells us that his masters, of blessed memory, were divided, some referring it unto the time of the standing of the second house, of which afterwards; some, to its greatness. And for its greatness, he informs us the second house, DITA AAW pIIh 8D py yD ADY TDD *” sata ansy ys. pan 5y93 A wD AND Dw pa ody my xdb,’”—“in the structure of it, was great; as it is written in the words of our rabbins of blessed memory, anid in the book of Joseph Ben Gorion, namely, that there was no build- ing in the whole world to be compared with that structure which Herod built, for beauty and excellency.”
But there are not many of this opinién, and those that pretend themselves so to be speak contrary to their own science and con- science. They know well enough that the latter temple was in nothing to be compared unto the former. And this Abarbanel ac- knowledgeth in the entrance of his exposition of this prophecy, affirm- ing that the people were troubled at the remembrance of the house built by Solomon, which was great and high, filled with multitudes of vessels of pure gold and precious stones, whereas that which they were building was small, according to the command of the king of Persia, and without treasure, because of the poverty of the people; and though this house was built higher by Herod, yet it was not at all enlarged by him, but erected precisely on the old foundation. But, not to enter at present into consideration of the measures of the for- mer structure, let the latter temple be thought as wide and long as the former, and some cubits higher, doth this presently give it a greater glory than the other?—a glory so much greater as to be thus eminently promised and intimated to be brought in with the shaking of heaven, and earth, and sea, and dry land? Can any thing more fondly be imagined? It were endless to reckon up the particular instances wherein it came short of the glory of the first house. Let but the heads of the beauty and magnificence thereof above re- counted be run over, and this will quickly appear. In a word, not- withstanding the imaginary greatness pretended, it had not the hundredth part of the glory of Solomon’s house, which also these masters on all occasions acknowledge; for besides all the glorious golden vessels and ornaments of it, besides all the treasures de- posited in it, besides sundry of the most magnificent parts of the building itself, they generally acknowledge that there were five things wanting in the last, wherein the principal glory of the first house consisted. These are diversely reckoned up by them, but in general they all agree about them; and they are given us by the
294 OTHER TESTIMONIES PROVING [ EXERC. XII.
author of Aruch in the root 725 in this order: IN 33) NN. PN, —“The ark, propitiatory, and cherubims,” one; that is, the whole furniture of the sanctuary. ‘3¥ n32Y,—‘“ The Divine Majesty or Pre- sence,” the second. It entered not into the house in that glorious and solemn manner that it did into the temple of Solomon. wrpnr nn woby nian simv,—* The Holy Ghost, which is prophecy,” the third ; all prophecies ceasing under that house from the days of Malachi unto John Baptist. ‘y'20 on) OM YS,—“ Urim and Thummim,” the fourth thing. ‘wron Dnwn ji WN,—“ Fire from heaven,” to kindle the everlasting fire on the altar, the fifth thing. They that acknow- ledge all these things to have been wanting in the second temple, as the Jews generally do, and the Talmud in N19", chap. v., expressly, cannot well compare the glory of it with the glory of that temple wherein they were, and whereof they were indeed the chiefest glory and the most eminent pledges of the presence of God therein.
15. The pretence about the glory of this house from the riches of the Asmonzans and Herod is no less vain. That which amongst the Asmoneans had the greatest appearance of glory was their high priest (who also came irregularly unto that office), assuming the royal power and titles. But this, as themselves confess, was a sinful disorder, and their whole race was quickly extirpated before Herod the Great. It is well they are on this occasion reconciled unto him, whom elsewhere they execrate as an usurper, cruel tyrant, and slave to the Romans ;—all which he was indeed. Little glory came to the temple by his rule and sovereignty. Besides, during his reign and the rule of the remainder of his race, the high priests were thrust in and out at the pleasure of brutish tyrants; no order in their succession, no beauty in their worship, being ob- served or sought after. Hence, comparing the nwmber of high priests under the second temple with that of them under the first, which it trebly surmounts, they apply unto it that of Solomon, “Because of the wickedness of the people, the rulers are many.” To seek for the glory mentioned among these things and persons is assuredly vain.