The Temple of Solomon Portrayed, History · Chapter 9 · Section 3 · Part 8
In the Porch.
The two Brazen Pillars.
IN ancient times, Pillars were erected for the bounds of Countries: as Hercules his Pillars (one in Spain and another on the oppoſite ſhoar of Africa) for the boundary of his Labours and Empire: and ſo, near the River Euphrates we read of Pillars ſet up, for the limits of the Eaſtern part of the Roman Empire. A cuſtome likewiſe there was of ſetting up Pillars on the Tombs and other Monuments of famous Heroes: as thoſe of Trajan and Hadrian, to remember their glory and honour to poſterity.
In Temples the body of the building reſted upon Pillars, for ſecurity and firmity. In warr, when they erected Trophies, they ſet up Pillars, as Herodotus relates of Seſostris King of Egypt ſetting up ſome in Paleſtine: Lib. 2. c. 106Suidas relates in the word foreign, of a Pillar ſet up by Alexander in an Iſle of the Indian Seas among the Brachmans: Some Monuments of Alexander in India, Pag. 121. lib 5. Ed. Hen. Step. 1575. Lib. 5. c. 9. Tab. 2 Aſia.Arrian calls His twelve Altars, near the River Hypaſis. The like whereof (if they be not miſtaken for thoſe of India) are mentioned by Ptolomy to have been fixed by Alexander in the Aſiatick Sarmatia, and called foreign, the Pillars of Alexander, in the Longitude of 80 Degrees and Latitude of 51 30. Nay, that this was a frequent cuſtome for limits, is aſſerted by Strabo, who mentions ſeverall of the ſame kind, lib. 3. pag. 171. in his diſcourſe of Spain. But to come nearer home: The Seventy doe inſcribe the 16th Pſalm, (where the Hebrew hath Micktam) foreign, The Erection of David's Golden Pillar upon the conqueſt of his enemies. When therefore the People of God had their Territories moſt inlarged, as in the daies of Solomon, from the†1 King. 4.21.24. 2 Chr. 9.26. Deut. 1.7. River, &c. unto the border of Egypt; even*Deut. 11.24. Joſh. 1.4. from the River Euphrates, to the great Sea, or the Mediterranean. Now then, (when he built the Temple) at ſuch a time was it fit and proper to erect the Pillars, as Monuments of God's praiſe in the foreign, in the Mountain of his chief City. But why in the Temple? To note that it was God that gave him the power and dominion over all thoſe Nations, and had fulfilled his promiſe made to Moſes and to his people Iſrael.
But to what are theſe to be reſembled under the Goſpel? Some would have the Apoſtles to be thereby ſignified, as the Primipili, and the Defenſores fidei; The firſt magnanimous aſſertors of the Faith of Chriſt: They ſtood in the Porch or entrance of the Temple; the Apoſtles lived in the beginning of the Church.Gal. 2.9. Jer. 1.18. James, Cephas, and John foreign, they ſeemed to be Pillars in the Church: and the Prophet Jeremy God promiſed to make as an Iron Pillar againſt Judah. Miniſters, for their gifts and eminent ſite, are Pillars. Abſalom, 2 Sam. 18.18.being without Male Children, erected himſelf a Pillar in the King's Dale, to keep his name in remembrance. Saul is mentioned to have made himſelf foreign a Hand, 1 Sam. 15.12.the Vulg. fornicem triumphalem, a triumphant Arch: We tranſlate it a Place, and ſo the word being taken for monumental Trophy or Pillar, is mentioned in Iſaiah as a promiſe to ſuch as pleaſe God, that they ſhall have a Place and a name within his houſe;Iſa. 56.5. the word is foreign a Pillar erected for ſame. To which poſſibly the Spirit of God may allude in ſome meaſure in the Reve…tions; though both that and this may principally referr to Solomon's Temple:Rev. 3.12. For he that overcometh ſhall be a Pillar in the Temple, and ſhall go no more out, as theſe did into Babylon: Brazen Pillars may be broken in pieces, but Saints, as Sons, ſhall abide in the Houſe for ever, Joh. 8.35. they ſhall endure againſt all weathers: Every Saint is Monimentum aere perennius; no eating ſhowers, no bluſtering winds,Hor. Carm. l. 3. Od. 30. Pſal. 74.6. Jch. 10.28, 29. nor length of years ſhall impair him: Axes and Hammers may break down the carved work of the Temple, but Saints are Pillars in the hand of Chriſt, and of the Father: no man can pluck them down.
Pillars are Emblems of permanency and ſtability, of Ornament, of Victory, of ſtrength and ſervice, patience, fortitude and perſeverance: in all reſpects Saints are thereby ſet forth.
There were two Pillars in the Temple, which ſome reſemble to the two ſtates of the Church of God, Jewiſh and Chriſtian: I ſhall therein ſuſpend. The one ſignified preſent ſtrength, Boaz: the other Jachin, He will fortify; the promiſe of the Gentiles. They had no names written on them, but were called onelyonly by theſe names; and ſo Rev. 3. The Saints ſhall be called by the name of God's ſtrength. Others underſtand thereby the two ſtanding Ordinances, Magiſtracy and Miniſtry: or the two witneſſes, in alluſion to Moſes and Aaron, Joſhua and Eleazar, Elijah and Eliſha, *Zech. 9.Zerubbabel and Jeſhua; and ſo in the Revelation-prophecies. Chriſt ſent out his Diſciples by two and two. But this were foreign,Luk. 10 1. to hunt after too much nicety.
The Tops of the Pillars were curiouſly adorned:2 Tim. 4.8. to ſhew that thoſe who perſiſt to the laſt conſtantly ſhall be crowned. The Lilly work, the Emblem of Innocency: Pomegranates, of Fruitfulneſſe, there being many grains in one Apple: their Crown ſhall declare their Glory: As Crowns did vary according to the nature of the Service among the Romans; ſo ſhall every one be rewarded according to his works.