Zerubbabels encouragement to finish the temple. A sermon preached before the honourable House of…

This Observation but in general:¹ More particularly, a third Observation is this: That Temple-work especially useth to meet with opposition. You shall find the building and the finishing of this Temple in all the degrees of it, to have had many ⟨p. 22⟩contentions against it, all along accompanying it. Thus, when first that Altar was set up, Ezra 3. 3. it is said, that fear was upon them, because of the people of those countries. Again, when the foundation was laid, what interruption that met with, you heard before, out of the 4. Chapter. And lastly, when they came to finish it, Chap. 5. 2. at ver. 3. their enemies came and questioned them for it, Who hath commanded you to build this house? &c. and the devil was in it, in a pure opposition to the Temple; for they had suffered them to build their own houses, as appears Hag. 2. 4. and never stirred against them; but only now when they began to build the Temple. Thus in the New Testament, [Aedificabo Ecclesiam,] [I will build my Church,] hath and will always have the gates (or the power) of hell following it to oppose it. I could demonstrate it all along out of that story also; but it would be too long.

This Observation but in generall:¹ More particularly, a third Observation is this: That Temple-work especially useth to meet with opposition. You shall finde the building and the finishing of this Temple in all the degrees of it, to have had many ⟨p. 22⟩contentions against it, all along accompanying it. Thus, when first that Altar was set up, Ezra 3. 3. it is said, that feare was upon them, because of the people of those countryes. Againe, when the foundation was laid, what interruption that met with, you heard before, out of the 4. Chapter. And lastly, when they came to finish it, Chap. 5. 2. at ver. 3. their enemies came and questioned them for it, Who hath commanded you to build this house? &c. and the devill was in it, in a pure opposition to the Temple; for they had suffered them to build their owne houses, as appears