the threshing-floor of Araunah, and on that very spot, over which, the avenging angel was arrested, and GoD appeafed, he naturally concluded, that this was the appointed place of atonement; fo folemnly fet apart for facrifice and therefore he feared to refort to Gibeon of religion *. any more, for any purpose And there is no doubt but he was confirmed in his reafoning upon this point, by reflecting, that this was the place appointed by GOD himself for the facrificing of Ifaac; and where the faith of his father Abraham was fo amazingly tried, fo gloriously accepted, and fo nobly rewarded. ALL these concurring circumftances, and confiderations, fufficiently pointed out this, as the place of that temple, which was to be the glory of the whole earth. And accordingly David fet himself, from that moment, to prepare materials of all forts for it, with all imaginable application and zeal; as indeed he had done for many years before. *But David could not go before it (that is, the altar at Gibeon); for he was afraid becaufe of the fword of the angel of the Lord, I Chron. xxi. 30. : VOL. III. S AND AND indeed there was no doubt but it was at this time, that GOD inspired him with the plan of the whole work; with all its parts, dimenfions and utenfils: all which he himself exprefly affures us *, the Lord made him understand in writing by his hand upon bim. THAT the architecture of this temple was of divine original, I, for my part, am fully satisfied, from this paffage; and I am confirmed in this perfuafion by finding from Vilalpandus, that the Roman, at least the Greek architecture, is derived from this, as from its fountain: and in my humble opinion, even an infidel may eafily believe these to be of divine original; inafmuch as they are (at least the latter is) found perfect in the earliest models. Nor hath the utmost reach of human wifdom, invention, and industry, been ever able (although often endeavouring it) to improve or alter it, but to difadvantage, throughout the course of fo many ages. THAT David underflood what he was about, is evident from the nature of the thing; for if he had not been complete * Chron. xxviii. 19. I mafter master of the whole defign, he could not have directed the hewing of the stones, nor adjusted the exact weight of all the utenfils, as he certainly did, with great care, 1 Chron. xxviii. 12, &c. IN the first of these works he imployed all the frangers, that is, profelytes of the land; who, probably, were more skilled in works of that nature: or, poffibly, he chose not to take his own people from the culture of the ground, and the feveral pursuits of rural industry. HE prepared iron and brass in abundance, and without weight, for the joinings (fays the text); probably both of the stones and timber, which was all cedar; and fupplied him, in vaft plenty, by the Zidonians and Tyrians. He confidered, that the work was to be great and magnificent, beyond any thing yet known to the world; and therefore the preparations were to be proportionable. This the facred hiftorian fully informs us of, in 1 Chron. xxii. 5. And David faid, Solomon my son is young and tender; and the house that is to be builded to the Lord, must be excecding magnifical, of fame, and of glory, throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparations for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death: taking care, at the fame time, to inform his fon Solomon fully, of his whole purpose; and exhorting him, who was appointed by GOD to execute it, to pursue and accomplish it with diligence and vigour; adding, that he himself once had it fully in his intentions to build a houfe unto the Name of the Lord his God; but was exprefly forbidden to pursue his purpose, because he had been a man of war, and had fhed much blood upon the earth; but that GOD had affured him, at the fame time, that he would give him a fon, who should be a man of peace, and his name Solomon; and that he should build him an house. And upon this ground, he exhorts him to go on with the work: Now, my son, the Lord be with thee, and profper thee; and build the houfe of the Lord thy God, as he hath faid of thee. He then adds a most earnest exhortation to him, to ferve and to fear GOD, as he hoped for his bleffing upon his house and nation; and concludes with an earnest fupplication to GOD, to infpire his heart with wisdom, and a steady sense of duty to him, and to his people. THIS done, David next proceeds to tell his fon, what preparations he himself had made for the work: Now, behold, in my trouble, I have prepared for the house of the Lord, an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thoufand talents of filver; and of brass, and iron, without weight (for it is in abundance); timber also, and stone, have I prepared; and thou mayeft add thereto. Moreover, there are workmen with thee in abundance; bewers, and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men, for every manner of work. Of the gold, the filver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arife therefore, and be doing; and the Lord be with thee. DAVID's next care was, to engage all the great men of the realm to be aiding and affifting to his fon, in the carrying on of this great work. And to this purpose he laid his particular commands (as I apprehend) fingly, and apart, upon each of them. And *Is not the Lord your God with you? and hath he not given you reft on every fide? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand, and the land is fubdued before the Lord, and before his people. Now fet your heart, and your foul, to feek the Lord your God: arife S 3 there |