1662 THE CHURC-H TH£ TEMPL-E OF GOD. Book IV. A PARALLEL 13etween the fecond Temple, built in the Days of Nehemiah, and the Church of God built in the latter Days. M ET A PH OR. .I. THE Temple that was built in the Days of Nehemiah, was firfi defiroyed by the literal Bab)'lonians. IL The Temple was builr in a troublefomc Time; they wrought with one Bond, and held a Sword in the other. Ill. The Temple was rebuilt by fuch as ltad been t(Jr many Years in the Babylonian Captivity, N eh. iv. '3· IV. The BL1ilders of tbis feconJ Temple were looked upon as poor, weak, and contemptible P~rfons, in comparifon of Solomon, am! thole that built with him, Neh. iv. 2. If. The Builders of this Temple -were greatly mocked and jeered. There were Sanballat, Gejham, 'I'o– .biah, and others, who in reproach– ful Manner laid, What will theft feeble Jews do? Will they make an End in a Day ? If a Fox go up, he jhall even break down their Stone Wall, Neh. iv. 2, 3, 4· VL The Builders of this Tem– ple had much Rubbifh to remove, before they could go on with their Work, Neh. iv. 2. PARALLEL. I. SIGNIFYING the Church of God fhouJJ be greatly defaced and lpoik d, and the out– ward Courts trodden down by the my!I ical Baby– lonians, and afterwards rebuilr, or rather, rrpair– ed again, R ev. xi. 2, 3· II. Signifying, that the Church of G od fhoulcl be rebuilt in a rroublerome T ime, .and rhat great Oppoti,ian ihould be made againtt them. ·Ill. Signifying, that . the Rebuilding of God's Church fhould be by fuch as had been a long T ime in fpirituol Captivity, under the myfiical Babylo– uians, or Mother of Harlots. IV. Signifying, thlt thofe whom God wou!d railC up eo repair the wafl:e Places of Sion, i.n the .latter Days, fhould be poor, weak, ;nconliderable Perfons, very unlikely to perfect fo great a Work •> Reformation is. What was Luther, and others ' ·\vhom God employed, eo the holy Apofiles, "ho .were the firft Builders? V. So the Rebuilders in thefe latter Days ha"e been greatly reproached and contemned by the Enemies of Chrifi; thofe that are truly rdigious, called feeble, weak, and tooli01 Ones, &c. nay, Hereticks, Schifmat.icks, and many other reproach– ful Names have been, and fiill are daily given to them, and. their Work much llighted .and defpifed allo. 'VI. 'So the Builders of God's Church, in thefc latter Days, ha¥e had much ..Popifh Rubbifh to removL, much Filch of human Inventions, and Traditions of that Church being in their way,; :Rubbifh, and others ready to Stone of Baby/on. fame Stones being almofi quite loll: .amongfi this miflake, and inftead ot a Stone of Sio11, they tak~ a VII. The Builders of this Tem– ple were hindered, and for a Time the Work ceafed. VIII. Many People were very backward about rebuilding the Temple, in the Dqs of llaggai and Nebemiab, crying, The Time was not come that the Houle of the Lord fhould be built, Hag. i. 2. IX. Though many crue!Enemies -endeavoured to hinder the rebuild– ing of the Temple, yet tbe Work .went on, and wa1 f.ini01ed in fame Time, to the Joy of the Faithful. X. That Work was carried on, not by Mighr,nor by Power, but by U!e$pirit of the Lord, Zech. iv, 6. VIL So the Builders 0f God's Houfe, or Re– . forn1ers in Heligion, have often b:en hindereJ or oblhuCled in thtfc latter Days. . VliL So have many Souls been very backward about the 'vVork of Reformation, or Repairing the Houfe of God; they have dwelt in their cieled Houfes, and let the 1-Ioufe of God, as it were, lie wafie. IX. So the Enemies now, as in former Times, firive to hinder the Repairing of God's Houfe; yet the Work of Reformation !hall in due Tim' be .pedeCled, to the Joy of all tincere .Chrifiians• X. So the Work in thefe Days goes on, not fo much by the Power of Men, or human Help, as by rheJ>ower of God, and his Spirit. IX. So
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