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But as God had defign'd Jerufalem for the Place of his Worship, David having, by divine Appointment, obtain'd the Crown, immediately set himself about driving the Jebusites out of that Cityrs And 2 Sam. v. taking the ftrong Hold of Zion, fortify'd it, and built a Citadel there, and call'd it The City of David; repairing, beautifying, and much enlarging the whole beyond its ancient Boundaries.

7.

Upon one Part of the Hill of Sion, (which confifted of feveral Mounts) he built the Royal Palace, and fet up the Ark of the Covenant; upon another, call'd Mount Moriah (even the fame on which Abraham was directed to offer up his Son Ifaac) he intended to build the Temple; but, being reftrain'd by a special Meffage from God, he left that Work for his Son and Succeffor Solomon to perform; who began and finifh'd it, accordingly, with great Magnificence: and, for the Defence of it, built a Fort upon a third Mount of the Hill; as Jofephus affures

us.

*

* V. Book of Wars. VII. of Antiquit.

SECT.

SECT. V.

The BABYLONISH Captivity.

However, in the fifth Year of Rebo- 2 Chron. boam, Son of Solomon, (one who forfook xii. 2. the Law of the LORD) Shishak King of Egypt came up against Jerufalem, with a great Force, and fack'd the City; and took away the Treasures out of the House of the LORD, and out of the House of the King.

xxxii. 5.

Afterwards, in the Reign of Hezekiah, Sennacherib, King of Affyria, fent a great Army and laid close Siege to it. Upon this, Hezekiah fortify'd and repair'd it; 2 Chron. and the Hand of the LORD being with him (for he was a pious, good King) the Affyrians, after a Time, were forc'd to raise the Siege, not being able to take the City. Yet, after this, it was taken and plunder'd three feveral times by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon; firft, in the Reign of Jehoiakim; again, in that of Jehoiachin, his Son; and a third time, in that of Zedekiah his Brother: when he burnt the whole City, demolish'd the Walls

and

and Fortifications of it, and carried away all the People to Babylon.

SE C T. VI.

Their Return to their own Land. |

Upon their being permitted to return by Cyrus King of Perfia, after they had remain'd in Captivity Seventy Years, Zerubbabel rebuilt the Temple, and Nehemiah the City; and Ezra, the Priest and Scribe, reftor'd the Law. And thus they stood, till the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, who plunder'd the City, burnt the Law, and profan'd the Temple.

But all was foon after fet right again by the valorous Conduct of Judas Maccabeus; and they continued in a flourishing Condition for many Years; 'till Hyrcanus and Ariftobulus, two Brothers, contending about the Crown, Pompey, who happen'd at that time to be at the Head of the Roman Army in Syria, took Advantage of this Diffenfion, and feiz'd the City; which Antigonus the Son of Ariftobulus, by the Affiftance of the Parthians, foon after recover'd,

From

From him it was prefently after taken: by the firft Herod; who, by the Favour of the Romans, and the Affiftance of their Proconful of Syria, was declared King thereof.

Thenceforward it continued in Subjection, fometimes to the Herods, but mostly to Governors fent from Rome, till, becaufe of the rebellious Difpofition of its Inhabitants, it was, as we before observ'd, together with the Temple, utterly deftroy'd and levell'd with the Ground, by Titus the Son of Vefpafian Cafar. After which, the Jews never attempted more to return to it.

CHA P. IV.

SECT. I. Their Religious Affairs.

T

HE LAW, as was obferv'd before, confifting of two Parts; one relating to the religious Worship of God, the other to the civil Duties of Man; it is but reafonable that we should treat of that Part,

in the firft Place, which refpects God; and then of the other, which regards our Neigh bour.

Now that Part of the Law which con-~ cerns the ceremonious Worship of God, may properly be confider'd under four Heads; as it relates to the four following facred Things; Places, Days, Rites, and Perfons. And it having been God's Will and Pleasure, to declare how he would be worship'd, for the greater Solemnity, in particular Places; upon certain ftated Days; by peculiar Rites; and by Perfons under certain Qualifications, confecrated and ordain'd for that Purpose; we fhall, for Method fake, confider each of these diftinctly; and take a View of them separately, and fucceffively, by that Light in which Divine Revelation exhibits them to us. It shall be the Business of this Chapter therefore to discourse of the Holy Places.

SECT. II.

PLACES of WORSHIP.

The Places fet apart and us'd for religi ous Worship, were several. First of all the

Taber

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