John Trapp on Haggai 2:3

Verſe 3. Who is left amongſt you that ſaw this houſe in her firſt glory?] Some ſuch there were amongſt them (as is here implyed) and theſe muſt needs be very old, ſixſcore at leaſt, ſome ſay more. Zorobabel might well be one of theſe; for he was a chiefetaine in the firſt yeere of Cyrus, Ezra 2.2. And Jehoſhuah the high-Prieſt might be another: for he came out of Babylon with Zorobabel at the ſame time Ezra 2.22. We ſee by experience, that mens lives are daily ſhortened. Naturall reaſons whereof may be theſe. 1. Untimely marriages. 2. Cloying our bodyes with variety of meates, and ſo digging our own graves with our own teeth. 3. Much eaſe and delicacy. The ſupernaturall reaſon may be, that ſo the world may ſooner come to an end. God maketh haſt to have the number of his Elect fulfilled, and therefore diſpatcheth away the generations, ſhorteneth life for his Elects ſake, fetcheth home his pilgrims, makes their dayes few though evill (Gen. 49.) takes them away from the evill to come &c.Bern. death being to them arumnarum requies (as Chaucers Motto was) yea janua vitae, porta coeli, the day-break of eternall brightneſſe.

and how do ye ſee it now?] It is a part of old mens prudence rightly to compare things long ſince paſt with things preſent, and ſo to conjecture at things to come. Thus the prudent perſon, by diſcourſe of reaſon, foreſeeth an evill and hideth himſelf, when the yong foole paſſeth on and is puniſhed.

is it not in your eyes] that is in your thoughts; for God taketh notice of the inward workings of the heart 1 Sam. 16.7. Pſal. 139.2. 1 King. 8.39. For he made the heart, and muſt therefore know all that is in it: as a watch-maker knowes all the wheels and motions of the watch. He alſo will bring every ſecret thing into judgement Ecleſ. 12.14. Therefore thought is not free (as fooliſh folk dote either from the notice of his eye (he had ſoon found out theſe Jows, when they did but deſpiſe the day of ſmall things in their hearts Zach. 4.10.) or from the cenſure of his mouth Heb. 4.12, 13. Rom. 7.14. (the law is ſpirituall and meets with involuntary motions to ſin, ver. 7.) Or laſtly, from the ſtroke of his hand which is a mighty hand 1 Pet. 5.6. and falls very heavy Deut. 29.19. even for a root of bitterneſſe, as it is there, for vaine thoughts Ier. 4.14. how much more for miſchievous, murtherous, covetous, vainglorious and adulterous thoughts &c. It were good therefore to write upon walles and windowes (yea would it were written upon the tables of our hearts) that ſhort Motto, which as ſhort as it is, yet our memories are ſhorter, Cave, Deus videt. Take heed, God looks on: for he is omnipreſent and omniſcient.

is it not in your eyes in compariſon as nothing?] A meer Non-ens or nullity? not fit to be named in the ſame day with the former Temple? For, firſt Cyrus appointed the full proportion of this ſecond Houſe, the height thereof threeſcore cubites, and the bredth thereof threeſcore cubites Ezra. 6.3. which was but one half ſo big as Solomous Temple. Herod indeed,Lib. 15. Ant. cap. 14. to curry favour with the Jews (which yet would never be) built upon Solomons foundation, and beſtowed a great deale of coſt, if we may beleeve Ioſephus. But ſo could not theſe Jews do, that returned from Babylon: for they were (ſecondly) but few, and thoſe alſo poor, and, though helped both by Cyrus and Darius, yet they were glad to build the Temple of common ſtone, and unpoliſhed, nothing like thoſe precious carved ſtones wherewith Solomon built 1 King. 6. Thirdly, God hereby would draw their minds from the legall ceremonies and ſervices; the Sun of righteouſneſſe being now ready to ariſe upon them, the day-ſpring from on high to viſit them. Howbeit, becauſe they could not have ſo glorious a Temple as the former, they ſlighted it in their thoughts, and would have neglected it: Learne hence, That men naturally account as nothing of Gods ſervice, if not accompanied with outward pompe and ſplendour. The Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe would needs have a calf, (as the Egyptians had) made of their Jewels and ear-rings. Ieroboam would have two, and thoſe of gold. Nebuchadnezzar dedicated a golden image with all manner of muſick Dan. 3. The people wept when the foundation of this Temple was laid Ezra 3.12. becauſe nothing ſo magnificent as the former. And the Papiſts explode our religion in compariſon of theirs, becauſe nothing ſo pompous and plauſible to the rude people, whom they deceive with apiſh toyes and trinkets, ſhewes and pageants. In their petition to King James they pleaded for their religion, that it was more pleaſing then ours, and more agreeable to nature. Iohn Hunt a Roman Catholike in his humble appeale to King James thus blaſphemeth:Chap. 6. the God of the Proteſtants is worſe then Pan God of the clownes, which can endure no ceremonies nor good manners at all. Many, like children, like that book beſt, that hath moſt babyes in it: neither will they eate their milk, but in a golden diſh. This proceedes from a blind underſtanding and carnall affection. The Church in its infancy was inticed with ſhewes and ſhadowes: but now God requires a reaſonable ſervice, he calls for ſpirit and truth.