faned, the Gates burnt up, Shrubs and Grafs growing in the Courts of the Temple, they rent their Clothes, fell down upon their Faces, and made great Lamentations, with humble Cries to Heaven.

8 Q. Had they Power and Time to repair the Temple, and reffore the Worfhip of God?

A. Yes; they applied themselves to the Work with all Diligence, they fought out Priefts of blameless Converfation to cleanfe the Sanctuary; they pulled down the Altar of Burnt-offerings,becaufe the Heathens had defiled it; they built a new Altar, as the Law directs, with whole Stones; they made new holy Veffels, the Altar of Incenfe, the Table, and the Candlesticks, all of Gold, which they had taken from their Enemies; and they fet all the Parts of divine Worship in order again, and offered Sacrifice according to the Law. 9 Q. How did they kindle the facred Fire on the Altar?

A. Having loft the Fire which came down from Heaven, which was kept burning on the Altar at Jerufalem before the Babylonish Captivity, they truck Fire with Flints, and fo kindled the Sacrifices and the Lamps, 2 Marc. x. 3.

Note, We do not read, that the fecond Temple ever had this facred Fire: The Story of Jeremiah's hiding it, in 2 Macc chap. i. is counted a mere Fable.

10 Q, Was there any Thing remarkable in the Time or Day of this Reftoration of Temple-Worship?

A. That very Day three Years wherein the Heathen had profaned the Altar by the offering of unclean Beafts on it, it was dedicated with Songs, and Harps, and Cymbals, and Burnt-offerings of God's Appointment, and that for eight Days to

gether.

gether. This was two Years after Judas had the chief Command, and three Years, and a half after the City and Temple had been laid defolate by Apollonius.

11 Q. What lafting Memorial was appointed for this Reftoration of the Worship of God in the Temple?

A. Judas and his Brethren, and the wholeCongregation, ordained that the fe Days of the Dedication of the Altar fhould be kept yearly with Mirth and Gladness.

12 Q. Did the Worfhip of God continue longhere after this Solemnity?

A. We are told by Hiftorians, that it conti- nued from this Time without any Interruption. from the Heathens till the Destruction of the Temple by the Romans; though Jerufalem and the Temple were often in the Hands of the Heathens. Note, Some fay this was that very Feaft of Dedica tion, which our Saviour honoured with his Prefence at Jerufalem: Though others think it was the Dedication of Solomon's Temple. Yet the Seafon being Winter, it rather agrees to the Time of Maccabeus's Dedication,

13Q Were not the Jews at all annoyed or x disturbed by the Enemy in this pious Work?

A There was ftill that Fortress built by Apollonius remaining in the Hands of the Heathens and apoftate Jews; it ftood on Mount Acra, a rifing Ground over-against the Mountain of the Temple, and rather higher than that Mountain, whence: the Jews received fome Annoyance in going to the Temple.

14 What farther Care, did Judas and his People take for their own Security A. When

K 4

A. When they could not drive out the Enemy at once, they built up Mount Sion, with high Walls and ftrong Towers, and put a Garrison there to keep it, and as far as poffible to fecure the Priefts and People when they went to worfhip, and to prevent the Gentiles from treading down the Sanctuary again.

15 Q. Did Judas and his People continue to enjoy Peace?

A. Though they maintained the Temple-Worfhip, yet they were ftill engaged in War: For all the Nations round about them were much dif pleased that the Sanctuary was restored, and they attacked the Jews on every Side; but God gave Judas and his Brethren the Victory in many Battles; and they returned to Jerufalem, and gave Thanks to God in Sion for his remarkable Protection of them, that they had not loft one Man, i Macc. v. 54.

16 Q. Did Judas make any more Expeditions against his Enemies?

A. He led forth his Forces again?t Gorgias, one of Antiochus's Generals, and against theldumeans, who had been very vexatious to the Jews; and though feveral of the Jews were flain, yet Judas renewing the Courage of his Army by finging Pfalms with a loud Voice, and rufhing upon their Enemies, put them to flight.

17 Q. What remarkable Crime was found among the Jews that were flain?

A. When they came to bury their Dead, they found Things confecrated to Idols under the Garment of every Jew that was flain, whereupon the People praised the Lord, the righteous Judge of Men: But, without any Encouragement from Scripture, they offered Sacrifices and Prayers for the Pardon of the Dead, 2 Macc. xii. 34, &c.

Note, It is from this Place, in the fecond Book of Maccabees, that the Papifts borrow their Prayers for the Dead.

18Q. Where was Antiochus the King all this while?

A. He was gone to Perfia, not only to receive his Tribute, as 1 Macc. iii. 31. but to plunder the Temple of Diana (who among the Perfians is called Zaretes) which Temple ftood at Elymas, and had incredible Riches of Gold and Silver, and golden Armour, which were laid up there.

19 Q. Did he fucceed in this Enterprize? A. The People of the Country, having Notice of his Defign, joined together in Defence of that Idol's Temple, and beat him off with Shame.

20 Q. How did he receive the News of the Defeat of his Generals and Armies in Judea?

A With the utmoft Rage and Indignation, as well as Grief of Mind; but he refolved to make hafte thither, and threatened to make the City of Jerufalem as one Grave for the Jews, where he would bury the whole Nation.

21 Q. What followed upon this infolent Speech of Antiochus the King?

A. He was immediately fmitten with an incurable Plague in the Midft of his Journey, his Bowels were seized with grievous Torment, his Chariot was overthrown, and he was forely bruifed, and forced to be confined to his Bed in a little Town on the Road, where he lay languishing under foul Ulcers of Body, and fharp Terrors of Mind, till he died.

Note, It hath been obferved by Hiftorians, that fuüch a Sort of Death by foul Ulcers hath befallen many Perfecutors, both in former and later Times. 22.Q. Had he any Regret upon his Confcience, particularly

K.5

particularly for his Cruelty and Wickedness practifed upon the Jews?

4. Both Jews and Heathens give us an Account of the dreadful Anguifh of Mind which he then fuffered; and though the Heathen Hiftorian attributes it to the intended Sacrilege and Robbery defigned upon the Temple of Diana, yet the Jewish Hiftorians acquaint us, that Antiochus himself imputed his Calamities to the horrid Impieties and Cruelties that he had been guilty of against the God of Ifrael and his People, and bitterly repented of them with inward Horror on his Death-bed.

Note, This Antiochus Epiphanes, having been a great Oppreffor of the Jewish Church, and the Type of Antichrift, there is a larger Account of him in Daniel's Prophecy than of any other Prince. The XIth Chap. ver. 11-45. relates wholly to him, as. well as fome Paffages in the VIIIth and XIIth Chapters, the Explication and Accomplishment of which may be read in Dr Prideaux's Connection, Part II. Book iii. And the Accomplishment is fo exact, that Porphyry, a learned Heathen in the third Century, pretends that it is mere Hiftory, and that it was written after the Event.

23 Q. What became of the Garrifon. of the Syrians in the Tower of Acra, which so much molefted the Jews in Jerufalem?

A. Judas Maccabeus befieged them, whereupon Antiochus Eupator, the Son and Succeffor of Epiphanes, brought a vast Army against Judas, confifting of a hundred thousand Foot, twenty thou-fand Horfe, thirty-two Elephants, and three hundred armed Chariots of War.

24 Q. What could the Jews do against so great an Army?

As Judas having given this Watch,word, Vice sory is of the Lord, fell upon them in the Night,,