Solomons Temple Spiritualized, Chapter 59
LIX. Of the Golden Nails of the Inner-Temple.
I Shall not concern my self with all the Nails of the Temple, as of those made of Iron, &c. 1 Chron. 22.3. but only with the Golden ones, of which you read 2 Chron. 3.4. where he saith, And the weight of the nails was fifty Shekels of Gold: These Nails, as I conceive, were all fastned to the place most Holy, and of form most apt to that of which they were a Figure.
1. Some of them represented Christ Jesus our Lord, as fixed in his Mediatory Office in the Heavens; wherefore in one place, when the Holy Ghost speaks of Christ, as he sprang from Judah to be a Mediator, saith, Out of him came the Corner (the Corner-stone) out of him the Nails, Zech. 10.4.
Now since he is here compared to a Nail, a golden Nail, it is to shew, that as a Nail, by driving, is fixed in his place; so Christ by God's Oath is made an everlasting Priest, Heb. 7.25. Therefore as he saith again, The Nail, the Aaronical Priesthood, that was fastned in a sure place, should be removed, be cut down, and fall: So he who has the Key of David, which is Christ (Revel. 3.7.) shall by God, as a Nail, be fastned in a sure place, and abide; therefore he says again, And he shall be for a glorious Throne, or Mercy-seat, to his Fathers House: And moreover, That they shall hang on him (as on a Nail) all the Glory of his Fathers House, the Off-spring, and the Issue, all Vessels of small quantity, from the Vessels of Cups, even to the Vessels of Flagons. According to that which is written, And they sang a new Song to the Lamb that was slain, saying, Thou art worthy, &c. Isai. 22.20, 22, 23, 24, 25. Rev. 5.9▪ 12.
And therefore it is again, that Christ under the similitude of a Nail, is accounted by Saints indeed, their great Pledge or Hope, as he is in Heaven, of their certain coming thither: Hence they said of old, God has given us a Nail in his holy place: A Nail, says the Line, a Pin, a constant and sure abode, says the Margin, Ezra 9.8. Now this Nail in his holy place, as was shewed before, is Christ; Christ, as possest of Heaven, and as abiding and ever living therein for us.
Hence he is called, as there, our Head, our Life, and our Salvation; and also we are said there to be set down together in him, Ephes. 1. ult. Col. 3.3. Ephes. 2.5, 6.
2. Some of these Nailes were types of the holy words of God, which for ever are setled in Heaven. Types, I say, of their Yea, and Amen. Hence Solomon in another place compares the Words of the wise God, To goads and nailes, fastned by the Masters of the Assemblies, which are given from one Shepherd; Eccles. 12.11.
They are called Goads, because, as such prick the Oxen on in their drawing, so God's Words prick Christians on in their Holy Duties. They are called Nailes, to shew, that as Nails, when fastned well in a sure place, are not easily removed: So God's Words by his will, stand firm for ever. The Masters of the Assemblies are, firstly, the Apostles. The one Shepherd is Jesus Christ. Hence the Gospel of Christ is said to be everlasting, to abide for ever, and to be more stedfast than Heaven and Earth; Isa. 40.6, 7, 8. 1 Pet. 1.24, 25. Heb. 13 20. Revel. 14.6. Matt. 24.35.
The Lord Jesus then, and his Holy Words are the Golden Nailes of the Temple, and the fixing of these Nails in the Temple, was to shew, that Christ is the same to day, yesterday, and for ever: and that his words abide, and remain the same for ever and ever. He then that hath Christ, has a Nail in the Holiest, he that hath a promise of Salvation, hath also a Nail in Heaven, a Golden Nail in Heaven.