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

First, the laying the Foundation of this Temple, it was done indeed by the power and might of Cyrus; but yet Ezra 1. and 2. it is added, The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus; and how, but by a mere act of fore-sight or providence afore-hand about it? God had an hundred years before his birth, by his Spirit written a Prophecy of him, and that by name, Isaiah 44. ult. which these Jews showing him, Gods Spirit stirred up his spirit thereby; for in his Proclamation himself says, The Lord hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, so ver. 2. of Ezra 1. And when he had thus given leave to the Jews to go and build it, yet still it was a great matter of self-denial to them, to leave their houses and gardens which they had built and planted at Babylon, Jer. 29. 5. Therefore it is further added in the 5. ver. of that 1. of Ezra, Then rose up the chief of the Fathers, and the Priests and Levites, with all them whose [spirit God had raised up] to build the house of the Lord. And then again, when it came to this second work, the Finishing of it, they were exceeding backward to it; but God ⟨p. 38⟩sent Two Prophets, who convinced them of their duty; and therefore Hag. 1. 14. it is expressly and on purpose put in, that The [Lord stirred up the spirit] of Zerubbabel, and the spirit of Jeshuah, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, and they came and did work in the house of the Lord their God. And again, whereas the Persian Kings had made Decrees against the building of it, (which was the greatest impediment of all the rest) God brought Darius his heart at last off to it, and that by so unexpected a way, as made all the people joyful: So it is expressly said, Ezra 6. 22. They kept the feast of unleavened bread with joy; for the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the King of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God. Yea and his heart was so much stirred in it, that he not only makes a Decree for it, ver. 8. but likewise against all those that should oppose it, under a capital punishment, ver. 11. yea, he curseth all that should put to their hand to alter it, ver. 12. so that the enemies that before opposed it, were now constrained to further it, ver. 13. All this was done, (as you see) Not by power, nor by might, but by Gods Spirit. Thus much for this instance in the Text out of the Old Testament.