16. Wherefore, others of these masters, waiving these empty pre- tences, would have the glory of this second house to consist in its duration. So R. Jonathan in Bereshith Rabba, Jarchi on this place, and Kimchi, whose opinion is repeated by Abarbanel. Kimchi tells us that their masters are divided in this matter; and Jarchi, that it was Raf and Samuel that were the authors of this different opinion, the one affirming that the glory of this house consisted in its greatness, the other in its duration. And their dispute in this matter isin Perek Kama of Bava Bathra. m3 wy MN YIN pws m3 “wy ‘MND pris 2w;—“ The first house,” saith he, “continued four hundred and ten years, the second four hundred and twenty.” This
SECT. 15-18. | THE MESSIAH TO BE COME. 295
is their account, though in truth it continued longer, as did the first house also. But is this the “ glory” promised? What, was the condition of that house in those ten years, and almost half ten times ten years before? The whole nation during this space of time was shattered and wasted with oppressions, seditions, and miseries inexpressible ; and the house itself made “a den of thieves,” and, for the greatest part of the ten years they boast of, filled with cruel bloodshed and daily murders. And is it likely that a mere duration in that season, wherein, for what it was put unto, it was abhorred of God and all good men, should in this prediction of its state deserve that prophetical eulogy, of obtaining more glory than the house of Solomon was ever made partaker of? There is, then, nothing more evident than that these inventions are evasions of men who diligently endeavour to hide themselves from light and truth, not in the least answering either the letter of the prophecy or the intention of Him that gave it.
17. SECONDLY, It remaineth, then, that we inquire from the text what is the trwe glory promised unto this house, wherein it was to have the pre-eminence above the former. Now, this is expressly said to be the “coming unto it of the desire of all nations:” “The desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory; and the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former.” This is directly affirmed to be the glory promised, and nothing else is in the least intimated wherein it should consist. And there are three circumstances of this glory expressed in the text :—TFirst, The way whereby it should be brought in: “I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land: and I will shake all na- tions.” Secondly, The season wherein this was to be done: “ Yet once, it is a little while.’ Thirdly, The event of it: “ And in this place will I give peace, saith the Lorp of hosts.” All which are severally to be considered, and the intendment of the Holy Ghost in them vindicated from the objections of the Jews.
18. The first thing we are to inquire after, is the glory itself that is promised in these words, pyian-Pd NwOn 3NBi—_“" And the desire of all nations shall come.” The Jews by these words generally un- derstand the desirable things of the nations, their silver and gold,— which above all things are unto them most desirable. These, they say, the nations being shaken, did bring unto the temple; and therein the glory of it did consist. Herein all their expositors on this place, Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and others of them, whose judgments are repeated by Abarbanel, do agree. Aben Ezra briefly: “The nations shall be shaken, and shall bring ‘n'3> niniy,” “ gifts unto my sanc- tuary.” D>) 291 MWwn wa, “ And they shall bring the treasures of gold and silver,” saith Jarchi, as it is recorded in the book of Joseph Ben Gorion. Kimchi to the same purpose, somewhat largely :
296 OTHER TESTIMONIES PROVING [EXERC. XIII.
max) OID aan ADS %Soy oxi isyow nyo mat 55 pI we ada np’ ;—* As if it had been said, They shall bring in their hands all desirable things that are found in their lands, vessels of silver and of gold, garments, and precious stones.” And this, as I said, is their general sense.
But, first, It is directly contrary unto the context; for it is the plain design of the Holy Ghost to take off the thoughts of the people from that kind of glory which consisted in coacervation of ornaments of silver and gold; which being all of them always in his power, he could at that time have furnished them withal, but that he would have them look for another glory. Secondly, It is per- fectly false as to the event; for when was there such an outward shaking of all nations under the second temple as that thereon they brought their silver and gold unto it, and that in such abundance as to render it more rich and glorious than the house of Solomon? So to wrest the words, is plainly to aver that the promise was never fulfilled; for nothing can be more ridiculous than to make a com- parison between the riches and treasures of Solomon’s temple and those which at any time were laid up in the second temple. Besides, what was so, was but gifts and oblations of the people of the Jews; which the nations sometimes took away, but never brought any thing unto it. And therefore themselves which use this evasion dare not place the excelling glory of this house herein, though the text doth plainly affirm that it doth consist in what these words in- tend, but turn to other imaginations, of largeness and duration. Thirdly, Open force is offered unto the words themselves: for they are not, Nien pYan-PD wa" —“ And all nations shall bring their desirable things;” but, pran-73 non I82—“The desire of all nations shall come.” So woful is the condition of men rebelling against light, that they care not into what perplexities they run themselves so they may avoid it! Abarbanel having repeated all these exposi- tions, and seeing, no doubt, that they would not endure a tolerable examination, would have “The desire of all nations” to be Jerusalem, because they should all come up to war against it, with a desire to take it, in the days of the third temple, which he fancieth to be here intended! There are scarce more words than monsters in this sub- terfuge. It may suffice for its removal, that we have already de- monstrated that his figment of a third temple is devoid of any pretence to cover it from open shame.