Part 24

Before mount _Zion_, towards the south, at the other side of the rivulet _Kidron_, lieth the mount of _Transgression_, in the fourth book of _Kings_, chap. 23. called _Mashith_; between this and mount _Olivet_ is a valley, through which goeth down the road by _Bethania_ to _Jericho_, &c. This is higher and steeper than any hereabout. There you see still some old walls of the habitation wherein the concubines of _Solomon_ did live, after whom the King ran in his old age; and they did so possess him, that they turned his heart from God Almighty after their gods, and so he did that that did not please the Lord God, as you may read in the first book of _Kings_, chap. 11. verse 4.

Underneath the mount was the valley _Benhinnom_, wherein the Kings of _Jerusalem_ did build a temple to the idol _Moloch_, and did worship him, _viz._ _Solomon_, _Ahaz_, _Manasseh_, &c. whereof we read in several places in the holy Scripture, _Levit._ 18. 21. ‘Thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to _Moloch_.’ And also _Jerem._ 7. 30. ‘And they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name to pollute it. And they have built the high places of _Tophet_, which is in the valley of the son of _Hinnom_, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart, therefore behold, the days come saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called _Tophet_, nor the valley of the son of _Hinnom_, but the valley of slaughter; for they shall bury in _Tophet_ till there be no place.’ And also 2 _Chron._ 18. 2. ‘_Ahaz_ made molten images for _Baalim_, and burnt incense in the valley of the son of _Hinnom_, and burnt his children in the fire after the abominations of the heathen.’ The holy Prophet _Amos_ doth also make mention of these abominable idolatries in his fifth chapter; which St _Luke_ in the seventh chapter, verse the forty third, of the _Acts_ doth thus explain: ‘Ye took up the tabernacle of _Moloch_, and the star of your god _Remphan_, _&c._’ which the holy Prophet calleth _Sicchuth_ and _Chiun_: But the heathen called them _Jupiter_ and _Saturn_, the Devourer of children, and so he is also painted. This statue was hollow within, of cast brass, whereinto they did put the children, and burnt them alive, and did believe they served God in it, as _Abraham_ when he would sacrifice his son _Isaac_; they had also kettle drums and other musical instruments which they played on, that the parents might not hear their children cry; wherefore _Christ_ gave unto hell itself, and it’s perpetual flames, the name of the valley _Benhinnom_, calling it _Gehenna_; to give us warning and exhortation, that we hate false and abominable idolatries, introduced contrary to his command, worse than the devil himself.

Besides this, there is little else seen hereabout, only above on the steepest and highest part of the mount many little tents and habitations, as if they hung at it, which in these times are not inhabited either by _Turks_ or _Moors_; in the valley you see the rivulet _Kidron_, where over they brought our Lord Christ bound as a prisoner, from mount _Olivet_; this proceedeth only from rain water near to the place _Gethsemane_, and runs without by the town from south to west. Beside this brook did King _Asa_ burn the images of _Priapus_ as _Josias_ and _Hezekiah_ the idols of _Baal_, all incenses and uncleannesses that are found in the temple of the Lord.

Farther towards the east you see from the top of mount _Zion_ the fountain and pool of _Siloah_ below in the valley, call’d by _Josephus_ _Tiropæon_, which divideth this and the temple mount, and becometh to be very narrow between them, and extendeth itself from the rivulet _Kidron_ towards the north to the place of skulls, where it groweth so large again, that the lower town of _Jerusalem_, (by _Isaiah_ in his tenth, and _Zachariah_ in his ninth chapter, call’d _The Daughter of Zion and Jerusalem_) was situated therein. Out of which near to the gate of the fountain of _Siloah_, which is now wall’d up, the way goeth up to the gate of _Zion_ into the upper town, thro’ which two our Lord Christ was brought a prisoner to the houses of _Hannas_ and _Caiphas_.

This valley hath been since the desolation so fill’d up, that no depth at all appeareth in our days; but only without the fountain-gate by the fountain _Siloah_, that is very rich of water, where is still the pool wherein the blind man wash’d his eyes, that were anointed with clay and spittle, St _John_ ix. 6. according to the command of our Lord, and did see.

Just by it are still the two hills whereof _Josephus_ maketh mention, with a very steep cliff, very rocky on both sides, one whereof towards the east, call’d the rock of the pidgeons, hath a great cave, out of which the fountain springs, and runs off immediately below through a channel, that goeth so strait and smooth through the rock, as if it had been made on purpose.

Near to the fountain and gate of _Siloah_, stood the tower of _Siloah_, that killed eighteen men, as we read in St _Luke_, chap. xiii.

Without between the fountain and stream of _Kidron_, they shew a great mulberry-tree, fenced in below; this stands in the place where the holy Prophet _Isaias_ was buried, whom the King _Manasse_ ordered to be cut in pieces with a wooden saw, as being an Heretick.

This may suffice of mount _Zion_, it’s situation and some adjacent places.

As we went about, and came to one of the places, the Monks did shew the Pilgrims in each of them, the number of the years for the pardons laid there by his Holiness, as in some seven years and seven indulgences; but in some others, as in the place where the Holy Ghost was sent, where Christ did eat the Passover with his disciples, and wash’d their feet, and where he at several times appeared when the doors were shut; and where also, as _Nicephorus_ saith, the Virgin Mary, after the resurrection of Christ her dear child, did dwell for fourteen years, _&c._ full absolution and indulgences from all sins and facts for ever.

Now that all those that come there, may receive it more worthily, the monks exhort them to kneel down before every of such places, and to pray the Lord’s Prayer and Ave Maria with devotion; and that when they have done so, they need not to doubt, but that they have fully received the absolution that was given for that place by his Holiness. After they had thus pray’d in several places, some of our company rejoiced mightily, and confessed, that after it they were holy, and so innocent, that if they should die then, they were secure, that their soul should go immediately out of their mouth into heaven, and eternal life. To this I answer’d them: That I expected remission of sin no other ways but only in the name and for the merits, of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that I had not undertaken this pilgrimage as they did, to get any thing by it as by a good work; nor to visit stone and wood to obtain indulgence; or with opinion to come here nearer to Christ; because all these things are directly contrary to Scripture. As the Lord himself saith: ‘Time will come that you shall neither on this mount nor at Jerusalem worship the Father.’ And he also forewarneth us of those that say: ‘Lo Christ is here, Christ is there, he is in the desarts, he is in the chamber;’ that we should not believe them, nor go out, but rather confide on his promise, that he will be with us, to the end of the world; and where two or three are met together in his name that he will be in the middle of them. Wherefore our dear Lord Christ hath no need, because he is himself present with them that believe in him, of any Vicegerent, that should on earth usurp such power, and take such honour and glory to himself, as to give indulgence at his pleasure; because all these things belong only to God. When I saw, that they did not much mind this my discourse, I let them alone in their opinions, but yet I saw here and there all these places, and considered by myself what our Lord Christ had, by his bitter sufferings and death, by his glorious resurrection and ascension, procured us from his Heavenly Father. When the Pilgrims came to one of the above-mention’d places of mount _Zion_, and had said their prayers, they went into it, and contemplated it, fell down again before it, and kissed it with great submission and devotion; pull’d out several pieces, _viz._ beads and rosaries turned of the wood of the trees of the mount of Olives, some wrought points, laces, _&c._ tied together in bundles, to touch the holy place with it; they also knock’d off in some places (where they might) some small pieces, to take them along with them as consecrated sanctuaries, to distribute them among their friends at their return.

All the while that they were thus busy, I consider’d rather standing behind, what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ had suffered for us in these places, how he had humbled himself, and came down to us miserable sinners, to help us, and to extol us that were fall’n, and to make us free of the heavy burthen of our sins; how he was led before the seat of judicature of _Caiphas_, that we might not be led before the severe Judgment-seat of the Almighty God; that he suffer’d himself to be led captive and bound, to deliver us from the bands of the devil and death, and to save us from the jaws of hell; and as _Esaias_ saith in his fifty third chapter vers. 5. ‘He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are heal’d.’ But that our dear Lord Christ was delivered to the high Priest, and Scribes, _&c._ for our sakes, and that he was obedient to his Heavenly Father, unto death, even the death of the cross, to deliver us from the curse of God and eternal death. And to make us certain, that he had procured these his unspeakable benefits and heavenly treasures for us, and that we really should be partakers thereof; before his passion he did institute his holy Supper upon the mount, in the large upper room, wherein he doth not only communicate them to us, but giveth us also (if we receive the holy broken bread, and the blessed cup with true faith according to the institution) his real body and blood, to feed us to eternal life; where we then shall sit with our Lord Christ, and all the elected ones (after this life) as coheirs in the high upper room of his Heavenly Father, at his table, to eat and drink it with him anew. And that we might heartily comfort ourselves with these his unspeakable benefits, he also, after his ascension, sent us on the day of Pentecost his Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, to incline our hearts, to believe steadfastly all that he hath promised us in his holy Word and Sacraments. So the sending of the Holy Ghost, which was long before predicted by the holy Prophets was fulfill’d on this mount; whereof we read in several places of the holy Scripture, _viz._ _Joel_ ii. 28. ‘And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, _&c._ For on mount _Zion_ and in _Jerusalem_, must be a deliverance according to the promise of the Lord.’ And _Isaiah_ ii. 3. ‘Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, _&c._ For out of _Zion_ shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from _Jerusalem_.’ So that the preaching of Christ’s holy Gospel, and his kingdom did begin from _Zion_ and _Jerusalem_, and was afterwards spread abroad by his holy Apostles throughout the whole world.

‘Grant then, O our dear Lord Christ, unto us, thy Holy Ghost; that he may keep us in the knowledge of thy holy Word, and that he may so strengthen and comfort us in it, that we may freely and without any fear confess it before the face of our enemies and adversaries; and if they offend and prosecute us, that we may overcome our crosses and persecutions with patience; that thy honour may be advanced, and our constancy appear. Grant us also that he may plant these thy graces in our hearts, that we may comfort ourselves with the hope and expectation of those treasures which thou hast by thy death and passion merited and purchased for us. So that we may abide in thy Tabernacle, and dwell in thy holy Hill for ever, _Amen_.’ _Psalm_ xv. 1.

CHAP. V.

_Of the mount ~Moria~ and the glorious temple of ~Solomon~._

Within the city near, to mount _Zion_ lieth another call’d _Moria_, divided from it by the valley of _Tiropæon_, which is now fill’d up and made even with the top, as I have said before, that hereabouts is hardly any depth or unevenness to be seen. This as well as the other meets with the rivulet or brook of _Kidron_ towards the north, and on both of them the town lieth on the sides or descent. This is very famous in the holy Scripture, as you read _Genesis_ xxii, That the pious Patriarch _Abraham_ was ready to offer his son _Isaac_ on this hill, for a burnt-offering to the Lord; whereon _Melchisedec_ the first founder and King of the town _Salem_, and Priest of the Almighty God, did first build a temple, and therefore named the city _Jerusalem_. So we read in the second book of _Chronicles_, chap. iii. That on the same holy mount King _Solomon_ did begin to build a house for the Lord, at _Jerusalem_, many years afterwards. This was formerly very high, surrounded with deep ditches and cliffs, so that it would make a man giddy to look down from the top into the depth. Wherefore _Pompey_ and _Titus_ took a great deal of pains before they could get upon it, to take and destroy that glorious and well-built temple, which was in the last desolation, as well as before in the first burnt by _Nabuchodonosor_, demolish’d and razed to the foundations, as Christ foretold them, _Mark_ xiii. ‘That there should not be left one stone upon another that should not be thrown down, because they did not acknowledge the gracious time of their visitation.’

And that all hopes might be taken away from the Jews to return and to build the temple again, to re-establish their worship; _Hadrian_ the Emperor to prevent all, order’d, in the year of Christ 134, all to be broken down that was left, and to root it up, to demolish all heights, to fill all ditches, to level cliffs, and to make the ground even all over; he did also alter the name and religion of the inhabitants, and instead thereof introduced the heathenish idolatry. In the place of the grave of Christ he built a temple for the idol _Jupiter_; on mount _Calvaria_ another for the idol _Venus_; and another at _Bethlehem_ to the idol _Adonis_; and at last in the place where formerly in the temple of _Solomon_ did stand the _Sanctum Sanctorum_, he erected his own image on a high column for his memory, which was still standing, in _Hieronymus_’s time. The height of this mount cannot be observed any where else now than without by the fountain _Siloah_, and in the valley of _Benhinnom_, and so it did remain desolate to the times of the great Emperor _Constantine_.

After that when the Jews undertook to re-build the temple at the charge of _Julian_ the Apostate, who would make Christ a liar, the Lord having said that their house should be left unbuilt, a great earthquake (when they had open’d the ground to lay the foundation) did move and shake the whole place to that degree, that every thing was turn’d upside down, and abundance of Jews did perish in it. But when the Jews did not matter this, but endeavour’d to go on with the work in hand, the next day flames of fire broke out of the ground, and fiery beams struck down from Heaven, which destroy’d more than the earthquake, and burnt all their tools, _viz._ saws, axes, shovels, hammers, &c. When the Jews would not leave their error for all this, the night following some small glittering crosses like stars fell down upon their cloaths, which they could not wash off the next morning, nor get out by any means; and an earthquake and such a violent hurricane came upon it, that it dissipated all their mortar and other materials into the air, so that frightened and full of fear, they were forced to confess, that Christ, whom their ancestors crucified, was the true and only Lord and God.

Seeing that the temple, together with the mount it stood upon, are razed and desolated, so that one can hardly now discern what they have been anciently, every one that goeth by, because the Lord did not favour his own house, where his name was sanctify’d, hath reason to be astonish’d at it, and to call to mind the strange anger of God against those that leave the Lord their God, and adhere to other gods, serve and adore them.

Now a-days the _Turks_ have taken possession of this mount, and all the ground whereon _Solomon_’s temple did stand, and have built a _Mahometan_ Mosque on it; which _Homar_ the third after the great Imposter _Mahomet_ built when he had taken the holy land and the city of _Jerusalem_. This is not very large nor high, but fine and cover’d with lead, hath a great court-yard about it, paved with white marble, and here and there orange and date-trees are planted in it, which is very pleasant; about the sides thereof are some high towers and gates, one whereof is vastly bigger than any of the rest, which is near to their Batzar or exchange, which is very old, high, and hath very good workmanship in it, wherefore the _Franciscan_ Monks shew it instead of the gate of _Solomon_’s temple, before which lay the man that was lame from his mother’s womb, that begg’d alms from _Peter_ and _John_, to whom _Peter_ said: ‘Silver and gold I have none, but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of _Nazareth_, rise up and walk.’

At the end of the gate of this yard, as commonly in all their church-porches, hung some lamps. I could have willingly gone in before them, to see the rock and fountain, whereof _Ezek._ in his forty seventh chapter maketh mention, together with the inward building, but because according to their _Mahometan_ laws, all those that are not circumcised are accounted to be unclean, therefore going into their churches is forbid to Christians: if any one is catch’d within, he is in danger of his life, or else he must deny his faith, and be made a _Mamaluck_ or _Renegado_.

In this court-yard is still another gate, call’d the Golden Gate by the _Franciscans_, but because it stands just over against the mount of Olives, therefore it is to be taken to be the gate _Sur_, or rather, as _Nehemiah_ iii. _Ezek._ xlvii. and 2 _Chron._ xxxi. say, for the gate of the stairs, which _Semia_, the son of _Sahamia_, the keeper of them did build; thro’ which our Lord Christ did go into the temple on Palm-day, to drive out the buyers and sellers. Now altho’ this is wall’d up in the new town wall, so that you cannot go either out or in; yet considering it’s ancient arches, it looketh rather like a church than a town-gate.

In the middle of the yard stands a _Turkish_ Mosque or temple, call’d the Rock; this is esteem’d very much by the _Turks_, and next to those of _Mecca_ and _Medina_ reputed to be the most holy. Because God Almighty hath wrought many great miracles there; and that there _Mahomet_, as they falsly write of him in their books, call’d by God to be the last and greatest Prophet, did ride from _Mecca_ to that of the holy Rock of the temple of _Jerusalem_, which is forty days journey, on a very swift beast call’d _Elmparae_, conducted thither by the Angel _Gabriel_, who at his arrival did help him off of his beast, ty’d it up, and then led him by the hand into the temple, where he found many Prophets standing together in a circle, which God had resuscitated for his honour, and to receive him, and to acquaint him with new good tidings, and what God had prepared for him, (I suppose ever burning flames of fire): Among the rest he did also find _Abraham_, _Moses_, and Jesus the son of _Mary_, each of them presenting him, first _Moses_ with a fatt of wine, _Abraham_ with a fatt full of milk, and Jesus with a fatt of water. Then a voice spake to him from heaven saying ‘If thou chusest the fatt with wine, thou and thy people shall perish; if thou chusest the fatt with milk, thou shalt also perish; but if thou chusest the fatt of water, thou and thy people shall be saved eternally.’