The Temple of Solomon Portrayed, History · Chapter 9 · Section 1
SECT. I. Concerning the Myſteries af the Covered Temple, and its included Rooms.
AS to the management of this preſent Section, I ſhall crave leave to treat in the firſt place of the Myſtical ſignifications of the Temple in general; and afterward to deſcend to the moſt material particulars of the covered Building, whereof it may be requiſite to diſcourſe more largely.
In general, the holy Scriptures do frequently inſinuate the Typification of three things by the Temple, when taken in a more laxe and ample ſignification: as for example, Our bleſſed Lord himſelf perſonally conſidered. Secondly, the Church or body of Chriſt myſtical: And thirdly, every Saint alſo in particular. At leaſt (I hope) it may be ſafely ſaid, that the ſacred writings do in all theſe 3 reſpects frequently allude to the antient Temple of Solomon: it being no unuſual thing for the ſelf ſame Type to hint at various Myſteries under the Goſpel, as may more amply and evidently appear out of the divine pages of Scripture by this enſuing diſcourſe.
1. Some would have the Temple in general to prefigure and Typifie the bleſſed body of our Lord and Saviour, grounding their apprehenſion upon that famous place, where our Lord ſpeaking concerning the deſtruction of the Temple in three dayes, is interpreted by the Evangeliſt John (who was the beloved Diſciple, and lay in his boſome)(d)Ioh. 2.19, 21. to have meant it of his own body. Upon which account, Tertullian, (e)Hieron in Script. Eccleſiastic. Edit. Eraſm. Ludg. 1530. Tom. 1. p. 287.who lived under the Emperous Severus and Antoninus Caracalla, and is placed by Ierome in his Latine tranſlation of Enſebius his Chronicles as flouriſhing(a)P. 172. Edit. Scallig. 1658. in the 208th year of our Lord) expounding that noble place of the(b)Iſa. 2.2. Prophet Iſaiah, treating of the mountain of the Lords Houſe, whereunto all Nations ſhould flow in the dayes of the Goſpel, reflects upon our bleſſed Lord in theſe following words, [(c)Contr. Marcion. l. 3. p. 348. Ed. Par. 80. 1566. Uti que Chriſtus Catholicum Dei Templum, in quo Deus colitur] Chriſt is the Catholick Temple of God, wherein he is worſhiped. Athanaſius moreover, citing this very place of holy John, affirmes that our Lord Chriſt was the(d)Contr. Arianos. Orat. 5. p. 323. Edit. Commelin. 1600. foreign, that true houſe or building, and that therefore Solomons ſtructure being but the foreign, the image or Type of this ſpiritual Temple was deſtroyed, to manifeſt it to have bin but a meer Type, when as this true Temple had once appeared. In this point likewiſe doth holy & learned Ierom concurre aſſerting as much in theſe words [(e)Ad Marcellam. Tom. 1. 126. ideò Templum Subrutum, ut typica historiae tollerentur] that therefore the antient Temple was ruined, that ſo the typical Hiſtories might be taken away. Neither is Origen herein to be left our, ſpeaking ſomewhat to this very purpoſe in his 7th Book againſt Celſus. (f)P. 349. quarto Edit. Cantabr. 1658.foreign, &c. He deſtroyed the City, and the Temple & the worſhip of God, conſiſting in ſacrifices, and other conſtituted ſervices in the Temple, &c. to that end that the Goſpel & its more divine ſervices thereby ſignified might be more firmely eſtabliſhed. But to what purpoſe ſhould I bring in a heap of Authors ſetting their ſeals to this antient truth: Seeing 'tis every where obvious in the writings of the Antients, attended likewiſe generally with the ſuffrages of modern times, eſpecially of ſuch, who delight not in carping at the Fathers. Wherefore according to the 6th Canon, before laid down in this Chapter, let the Temple be accomodated to our Saviour under the notion of an excellent Type. For as our bleſſed Lord is declared by holy John, (g)Ioh. 1.14.foreign, to pitch his Tabernacle and dwell among us: So the fulneſſe of the Godhead is affirmed by the Apoſtle Paul (h)Col. 2.9.foreign, to inhabite bodily in Jeſus Chriſt, as in a Temple: The(i)John Gregory notes in Scrip. c. 31. Edit. Oxen. Shecinah of the divine preſence, being unſpeakably manifeſt in the Meſſiah.
Strange and uncouth is the fancy of Villalpandus (k)Templ. Solom. deſcrip. ex Villalp. per Cappell. pag. 20. in proaem. Bibl. Polyglott. Walton.ſtating the Temple's Typical ſimilitude in proportion to and with the body of our bleſſed Lord upon the Croſſe, with his armes ſtretcht out, and his legs conjoyned together in ſuch a manner: as that his head ſhould poſſeſſe the Sanctuary, his breaſt the Altar, his feet the Eaſtern gate: his two hands the two gates on the North and Southſide of the Temple. So that as the paſſage or way to the Altar and Sanctuary lay open through thoſe three principal gates: In like manner ſhould the path to the true Sanctuary be madk plain and eaſie, through the wounds of his feet and hands. Whence it is that the brazen Sea, which was ſituated on the Southſide of the Temple near the Altar, ſhould prefigure the water and blood iſſuing out of the right ſide of our bleſſed Lord, for the waſhing away of our ſins, and our ſpiritual ſanctification. But theſe things (ſaith Lud. Cappellus) though acutely and ingeniouſly invented by Villalpandus, yet are not a little ſtrained and forced, favouring more of the ſharpneſs and ſubtlety of humane wit, then of the ſolid wiſdome and teachings of the holy Spirit. Wherefore I ſhall ſeek to accommodate ſome principal parts of the ancient Temple unto Chriſt perſonal, by way of alluſion rather then by direct aſſertion, and afterwards remove to the next inquiry.
In as much then as the Temple is reported to have bin built with pure white marble: thereby may be ſhadowed forth the unſpotted purity, and Candid innocency of our bleſſed Lord; that, well might the heavenly Angel ſay of him to the Virgin Mary (l)Luk. 1.35.foreign, that Holy thing which ſhall be born of thee, ſhall be called the Son of God: So that when the Prince of this World came near to him in a way of temptation(a)John 14.30. he found nothing in him of impurity and unholineſſe as any fit matter or foundation for his malicious deſign againſt him. Who is declared by the Apoſtle Peter (b)1 Pet. 2.22.to have committed no ſin, neither guile to have bin found in his mouth.
We read further concerning the Temple, that it was adorned with Planks and Boards of Cedar; Firre and Olive which by their unctuous and reſinous matter do not eaſily yield to putrefaction. In like manner, the body of our Lord had ſuch an aequilibrium or excellent poiſe of the humours in its temperament and conſtitution, that he was never ſick in all his life, as generally is conceived from the ſilence of Scripture in that point: But that his body was in the ſame habitude of freedome from ſickneſſe and death, as the bodies of our parents in the primitive garden, by the free donation of God and his manutenency, or conſervation of them in ſuch a ſtate of equality, that the tetrachordon or the four ſtrings of the humours, being choiſely and divinely touched by the hand of heaven, ſhould warble forth the moſt pleaſant and melodious harmony of immortality. Now although our bleſſed Lord did undergo the pain of death, being (c)Iſa. 53.5.wounded for our tranſgreſſions not his own, yet did not the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt,(d)Pſal. 16.10. Act. 2.27. leave his bleſſed body under the power of the grave, nor ſuffer his holy one to ſee corruption.
Again, as all thoſe forementioned materials framed of the wood of choiſe trees, and being moſt curiouſly carved, were overlaid with the pureſt gold, the moſt incorruptible and precious among metals: So may we obſerve in holy Scripture many of the excellencies of Chriſt compared to Gold. Wherefore the inamoured ſpouſe deſcribing her beloved to the Daughters of Jeruſalem, conferrs his head with(e)Cant. 5.11. the most fine gold; which ſome referre to the divinity of Chriſt, others to his headſhip over the Church, eſpecially ſince John in his Revelation-viſions beheld the ſon of man ſitting on a Cloud, (f)Rev. 14.14.with a golden Crown upon his head, as being King over his myſtical body the Church.
In antient times, Gods majeſty was pleaſed to utter his divine Oracles from out of the moſt holy place within the Temple: But in theſe last dayes He hath (g)Heb. 1.2.ſpoken to us by his Son: who is expreſly called(h)Dan. 9.24. Rev. 19.13. the moſt holy by the Prophet Daniel, and was the perſon through and by whom the Father hath opened his minde to the World: For the onelyonly begotten Son, which is in the boſome of the Father, (i)Ioh. 1.18.he hath declared him. He is Ioh. 1.1. called the word of God, the Interpreter of the divine will in all ages; neither (k)Mat. 11.27.knoweth any man the Father, but the Son, and he to whomſoever the Son will reveal him. It was the (l)1 Pet. 1.11.ſpirit of Chriſt in the Prophets of old, teſtifying before hand of his ſufferings, and the glory that ſhould follow: By the ſame ſpirit (m)1 Pet. 3.19.he went and preached to the ſpirits of the old World, which are now in priſon, by which alſo he taught(n)2 Cor. 13.3. the Apoſtle Paul, and continues to inſpire the hearts of his faithful Embaſſadours to the end of the World, having upon his Aſcenſion-day(o)Eph. 4.8, 12, 13. given gifts unto men, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtery, and the edifying of his Body; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt. Wherby is evidently declared that the Goſpel-Miniſtery divinely taught by Chriſt the Supreme Prophet of his Church(p)1 Pet. 2.25. the Shepheard and Biſhop of our ſouls, ((q)Ioh. 7.46. who ſpake as never man ſpake) muſt endure till all the Elect be gathered and built up into a holy Temple in the Lord, which ſhall not be fully and compleatly finiſhed till the end of the World.
Moreover, As in the Temple of Solomon there was an Ark made of Shittim-wood, containing the Tables of ſtone, (whereon the ten Commandements were engraven) and preſerving them as a lively memorial of Gods Covenant, with the Children of Iſrael, to protect and defend them in caſe they kept and obeyed thoſe precepts of God. So Jeſus Chriſt our bleſſed Saviour is declared to have(a)Mat. 5.17. fulfilled the Law, not only as it became a juſt and righteous perſon ſo to do, but on the behalf of the elect, that ſo by the (b)Rom. 5.19.obedience of one many might be made righteous. Which he performed with ſo much alacrity and willingneſſe of ſpirit, that he ſpeaks of himſelf, that(c)Pſal. 40.8. he delighted to do the will of God, yea the Law was within his heart; as a more excellent Cabinet then that which lay of old within the Oracle.
To contract: As the curious vaile in the Tabernacle or Temple kept off the overcomming Majeſty of divine glory, from the eyes of thoſe perſons, who entred the Sanctuary: ſo the(d)Heb. 10.20. vaile of Chriſts fleſh was drawn over Him as a Curtain, to obumbrate and ſhadow the radiant divinity of his Godhead, that reſted in him in the daies of his Incarnation.
As the Golden Altar of Incenſe was the ſeat of thoſe fragrant Odours, which perfumed the holy of holies: So are the prayers of the Saints offered up by the Lord Jeſus upon the heavenly(e)Rev. 8.3. Altar of his interceſſion, which ſtands before the Throne, where our High Prieſt perfumes them in the golden cenſer of his own merit: and makes them acceptable to his Father.
As the Table of ſhew-bread did exhibite food to the Prieſts that miniſtred before the Lord, after the Cakes had ſtood their limited time within the Sanctuary: So the Lord Jeſus(f)Iohn 6.32. deſcending from heaven, is that true bread of Life, whereupon Saints do feed, who are conſecrated for(g)Rev. 1.6 Prieſts under the Goſpel unto God the Father.
As the Golden Candlestick did yield a beautiful light within the Temple continually before the Lord: Accordingly, doth our Lord Jeſus term himſelf(h)Ioh. 8.12. the light of the World, that whoever followeth him, and worketh by that light, ſhall not walk in darkneſſe; but enjoy the light of eternal life. The ſeven lamps likewiſe of that Candleſtick, did ſignifie the various and excellent graces(i)Rev. 4.5. of the holy Spirit, wherewith our Lord was adorned above his fellows, who took great delight in(k)Rev. 2.1. walking in the midſt of thoſe 7 golden branches.
As the brazen Altar received the ſacrifices which were offered up for the people's ſins, to make an atonement on their behalf before God: So upon the Altar of the Croſſe did the Lord Jeſus(l)Heb. 9.26. put away the ſins of his people by the Sacrifice of Himſelf.
As the Gate of the Temple gave admiſſion to the Prieſts into thoſe myſterious places, where they executed their offices, and performed ſervices acceptable unto God. So the Lord Jeſus is the door of the new Teſtament-worſhip, through which we muſt enter with our Goſpel-ſacrifices to performe our ſpiritual homage to his divine Majeſty. In all our prayers we muſt have a ſpecial eye to Chriſt and his mediation: Even as Daniel in the Land of his Captivity kneeling upon his knees, prayed when the(m)Dan. 6.10. windows of his Chamber were open towards Jeruſalem; and as Jonah, though(n)Ion. 2, 4, 7. caſt out of ſight, his ſoul fainting within him, yet looked towards the holy Temple: ſo muſt we in our deepeſt exigencies, and the moſt fainting fits of diſtreſſe look towards Chriſt our ſpiritual Temple, and through him only expect audience at the throne of grace.
In theſe and many other particulars, I might proceed to amplifie upon this point: but ſhall reſerve them to a more copious enlargement in the ſucceeding treatiſe.
2. Let us go on in the next place to ſhew briefly, how the Church alſo, the myſtical body of Chriſt was ſignified by that glorious building. Wherein I ſhall but ſuccinctly mention ſome few things, recommending the more large explication to their more proper and convenient places.
As the Temple was the material houſe, wherein God was worſhipped under the Jewiſh adminiſtration: So is the Church under the Goſpel, the ſpiritual(a)1 Cor. 3.16. Temple of God, wherein his holy ſpirit dwelleth. Nos enim ſumus Templa dei, & altaria, & luminaria, & vaſa. We are (ſaith(b)Tertul. de Cor. mil. p. 753. Edit. Par. 80. Tertullian) the Temples of God, the Altars, Lamps and Veſſels. [Every Christian Church (c)Dr. Ed. Reyn. on Hoſ. Ser. 5. p. 131. quar.(as a moſt Reverend and Learned Dr. of our own Nation) is the Iſrael of God, and every Regenerate perſon born in Zion, and every ſpiritual worſhipper the Circumciſion. Now Chriſt is crucified in Galatia, and a Paſſeover eaten in Corinth; and Manna fed on in Pergamus, and an Altar ſet up in Egypt: and Gentiles ſacrcified, and ſtones made Children unto Abraham, and Temples unto God.]
The Ark of old, contained the ſtony Tables of the Commandements; But now the Church of Chriſt preſerves within her boſome the holy Scriptures: God having graciouſly promiſed(d)Jer. 31.33. to put his Law in their inward parts, and to write it in the fleſhy Tables of their hearts.
To be ſhort, the Cherubins on the walls of the Temple ſignified the protection of Angels, who now(e)Pſal. 34.7. encamp round about them that fear the Lord, as commiſſionated Guardians for their comfort, preſervation, and deliverance,
The ſhewbread in the Sanctuary did ſet forth the bread of life under the Goſpel; the Lamps, the pure doctrine of the Church's Teachers; the Altar of incenſe, their ardent prayers; the Pillars in the Porch, their constancy and perſeverance; the Laver, the waſhing of Regeneration: and the brazen Altar with its appendant Rites, their confiſſion of ſin and expiation made on their behalf by the ſacrifice of Chriſt.
Thirdly and Laſtly, I come to ſpeak of the Typification of each particular Saint, as ſhadowed forth by that holy Temple: Even as the Apoſtle Paul doth expreſly declare, making it ſtrange that they ſhould be ignorant of this truth:(f)1 Cor. 6.19. What know ye not, that your body (ſaith he) is the Temple of the Holy Ghost? To which may be added the aſſertion of(g)Tom. 1. pag. 105. Jerom to Paulinus, [Verum Chriſti Templum anima credentis eſt, illam exerna, illam veſti, illi offer donaria, in illa Chriſtum ſuſcipe] that the ſoul of a believer is the true Temple of Chriſt, adorn and cloath that, offer gifts to that, entertain Chriſt in ſuch a building.
Wherefore craving leave to compare them by way of reſemblance, deſiring that theſe parallels may not be ſtrictly interpreted: The foundation of this Temple may be laid in humility & contrition of ſpirit, wherein the inhabiter of eternity(h)Iſa. 57.15. delighteth to dwell. We may referre the Porch to the mouth of a Saint: wherein every holy Jacob erects the(i)Gen. 28.18. &c. Pillars of Gods praiſe, calling upon and bleſſing his name for received mercies; when ſongs of deliverance are uttered from the(k)Pſal. 141.3. doors of his lips. The Holy place, is the renewed mind; and the windowes therein may denote divine illumination from above, cautioning a Saint to beware leaſt they be darkned with the ſmoak of anger, the miſt of grief, the duſt of vain glory, or the filthy mire of worldly cares. The golden Candleſticks, the infuſed habits of divine knowledge reſting within the ſoul. The ſhewbread, the word of grace exhibited in the promiſes for the preſervation of a Chriſtians life unto glory. The Golden Altar of Odours, the breathings, ſuſpirings and groanings after God ready to break forth into(l)Gal. 4.6. Abba Father. The Vaile, the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. The Holy of Holies may relate to the conſcience purified from dead works, and brought into a heavenly frame. The Ark to the heart of a Saint,(m)Rom. 7.22. delighting in the Law of God after the inward man: The mercy ſeat, to Chriſt dwelling therein(n)Col. 1.27. as the hope and foundation of glory. The two Cherubins to Faith and Love: from between whoſe wings the Father of mercies uttereth the glorious Oracles of aſſurance, by the(a)Rom. 8.16. witneſſings of his own Spirit. The pot of Manna may be reſembled to that food(b)Rev. ….17. of hidden joy, unknown to the World, which is the Quinteſſence of divine aſſurance laid by, for a Saint to feed upon and refreſh his ſpirits in his deepeſt and darkeſt agonies. The rod of Aaron budding and flowring within the Oracle of their hearts, ſhews the ardent affection which the ſoul beats to, and the profitable fruit it receives by the Goſpel-miniſtery; when having accepted the Law from the mouth of God by his Embaſſadors,(c)Iob …2.22. he layes up his words in the ſecret receſſes of his heart.
Finally the Laver is repentance: the brazen Altar is a broken and a contrite ſpirit, the fire holy zeal, the ſacrificing inſtrument is the two-edged ſword of the Spirit; and the beaſts to be ſlain, are the various luſts of the fleſh: which we are to drag before the Altar by holy confeſſion; to mortifie, by conſtant hatred; and offer up in a heavenly renewed converſation, as ſacrifices acceptable and well-pleaſing in the ſight of God. To which purpoſe in ſome meaſure doth that famous Maull of Pelagianiſm ſpeak in theſe words. [(d)Auſtin de Civ. Dei. l. 10. c. 4. & more c. 5. & 6. Ejus est altare, cor noſtrum, &c. et ſacrificamus hoſtiam humilitatis & laudis in areâ cordis igne fervidae charitatis.] Our heart is his Altar, &c. we offer up to Him the ſacrifice of humility, and praiſe on that Altar of the heart, with the fire of fervent Charity.
Thus farre may it ſuffice to have inſiſted on the more general ſignifications of the Temple, humbly craving a favourable pardon (of what infirmities have hitherto paſſed) at the hands of ſuch Learned and Ingenuous perſons: who may countenance my further endeavours after more clear ſatisfaction, in deſcending to the ſeveral particulars, which, by divine permiſſion, I ſhall proceed to handle.