veral years; for upon his trial, this declaration, which it was impos sible for a Jew ever to forget or to forgive, was immediately alleged against him as big with the most atrocious guilt and impiety: they told the court they had heard him publicly assert, I am able to destroy this temple.* The rancour and virulence they had conceived against him for this speech, which they imagined had been levelled against the temple, were not softened by all the affecting circumstances of that excruciating and wretched death they saw him die: even as he hung upon the cross, with infinite triumph, scorn, and exultation, they upbraided him with it, contemptuously shaking their heads, and saying: Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself! If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 40.) (Matt. xxvii. The superstitious veneration, which this people had for their temple, further appears from the account of Stephen. When his adversaries were baffled and confounded by that superior wisdom and those distinguished gifts which he possessed, they were so exasperated at the victory he had gained over them, that they suborned persons to swear they had heard him speak blasphemy against Moses and against God. These inflaming the populace, the magistrates, and the Jewish clergy, the holy man was seized, dragged away, and brought before the Sanhedrin. Here the false witnesses whom they had procured, stood up and said: This person before you is continually uttering the most reproachful expressions against this sacred place,† meaning the temple. This was blasphemy not to be pardoned. A judicature composed of high priests and scribes would never forgive such impiety. Thus also, when St. Paul went into the temple to give public notice, as was usual, to the priests, of his having purified and bound himself with a religious vow along with four other persons, declaring the time when this vow was made, and the oblations he would offer for every one of them at his own expense when the time of their vow was accomplished, some Jews of Asia Minor, when the seven days prescribed by the law were almost completed, happening to see him in the temple, struck with horror at the sight of such apprehended profanation, immediately excited the populace, who all at once rushed upon him and instantly seized him, vehemently exclaiming, Men of Israel, help! This is the man that teacheth all men every where against the people, (the Jews) and the law, and this place; and, further, brought Greeks into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. They said this, because they had a little before seen Trophimus an Ephesian along with him in the city, and they instantly concluded he had brought him into the temple. Upon this the whole city was immediately raised; all the people at once rushed furiously upon him, and dragged him out of the temple, whose doors were instantly shut. Being determined to * Matt. xxvi. 61. "This fellow said, I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to build it in three days." Acts xxi. 28. † Acts i. 13. murder him, news was carried to the Roman tribune that the whole city was in a commotion. The uproar now raised among the Jews, and their determined resolution to imbrue their hands in the blood of a person who had spoken disrespectfully of the temple, and who they apprehended had wantonly profaned it by introducing Greeks into it, verify and illustrate the declaration of Philo; that it was certain and inevitable death for any one who was not a Jew to set his foot within the inner courts of the temple.* It only remains to add, that it appears from several passages of Scripture, that the Jews had a body of soldiers who guarded the temple, to prevent any disturbance during the ministration of such an immense number of priests and Levites. To this guard Pilate referred, when he said to the chief priests and Pharisees who waited upon him to desire he would make the sepulchre secure, Ye have a watch,† go your way, and make it as secure as ye can. Over these guards one person had the supreme command, who in several places is called the captain of the temple, or officer of the temple guard. "And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came unto them." (Acts iv. 1; v. 25, 26; John xviii. 12.) Josephus mentions such an officer.+ The site of the sacred edifice we have been describing is now occupied by the mosque of Al-Harem, or as called by Christians, the mosque of Solomon. This mosque is an octagonal building, with numerous windows, and surmounted by a dome, of the form of that of St. Paul's, in London, and about half the size. The whole stands in the centre of a large paved square, to which there are several entrances through arcades. Beyond these again is a large open space, surrounding the walls of the inner court, clothed in summer with a carpet of verdure interspersed with olive and cypress trees, and running fountains. The appearance of this edifice, with its courts and walls produces on the whole a most imposing effect, and relieves in a great degree the dull monotony of the rest of the interior view of the city, of which it is by far the most prominent object, from the space which it occupies, and the commanding situation it enjoys.§ It is said to contain some columns of the precious marbles within, but as no Christian is allowed to enter it on pain of death, no account of its interior can be obtained upon which reliance may be placed. [To be continued.] Θανατος απαραιτητος ώρισαι κατα των εις τους εντος περιβολους παρελJOVTOV-TWV Ovx' oμoεlvov. Philo, Legat. ad Caium. p. 577. edit. Mangey. + Matt. xxvii. 65. Exerɛ kovswdtav, Ye have a guard. See Lamy's Apparatus Biblicus, vol. i. p. 267. Tov sparnyov Avavov, Ananias, the commander of the temple. Antiq. Jud. lib. xx. c. vi. § 2. Bell. Jud. lib. ii, c. 17. § 2. Αφορωντες εις τον Ελεάζαρον τρα Tηyovra, having the chief regard to Eleazer, the governor of the temple. Bel. Jud. lib. ii, c. 17, § 2. edit. Hudson. Harwood's Introd. vol. ii, p. 166. 170. and Dr. Lardner's Credibility, book i, ch. xi. § 1. ch. ix. § 4.-Horne's Introd. vol. iii. P. jii. c. i. s. 2. § Buckingham's Travels in Palestine, &c. p. 205, 4to. Scripture Manual: Noticing the PRINCIPAL CONTENTS of the Old and New Testaments, in HISTORICAL order; accompanied with INCIDENTAL Illustrations, chiefly of a LITERARY and SCIENTIFIC cha racter. [Continued from p. 20.] "I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scriptures of Truth." PERIOD THE SECOND. FROM THE BUILDING OF BABEL TO THE EXODUS OF ISRAEL. ABOUT 750 YEARS. ᏟᎻᎪᏢᎢᎬᎡ 1. THE DISPERSION AND GENEALOGIES OF MANKIND. Sect. 1. The meeting and dispersion Gen. xI. 1—9. at Shinar. B. C. 23 20: 3. or The descendants of Ham, and 1770. The descendants of Shem, and x. 21-32. 2234. GEN. XI. 7.-This text is compared with Acts xix. 32; and illustrated in the Crit. Bib. vol. i. p. 312. CHAP. X. comes in this place, because it relates to the use of several languages, and therefore after ch. xi, 1-9.-Townsend. But does it not appear like a separate historical document, exhibiting a kind of Geographical Genealogy of the Postdiluvian Patriarchs; and certainly a most important Introduction to Universal History? Verse 21.-The phraseology of this verse is worthy of notice; as being different from that of verse 2, and 6, and as deciding the point of Japheth's seniority to Shem. Verse 32.-See some curious observations by the Rev. R. Patrick; who has furnished a Chart of the 10 Numerals in 200 languages; Class. Jour. vols. iv, and vi. GEN. XI. 10.-Whether this distinct amplified genealogy of Shem is to be attributed to Abraham, on the ground of family considerations; or has been preserved with a specific reference to the line of the Messiah, may admit of investigation. JOB.-The very satisfactory considerations given by Mr. Townsend, chiefly from Dr. Hales, have induced the placing of this unrivalled portion of Scripture in the present connexion.-Old T. arranged, &c. i. pp. 28, 29. A well known critic has justly remarked: "Nothing can be purer than its morality, sublimer |