The Figures or Types of Christ, Typological category 17
THE GOSPEL of the TWO BRAZEN PILLARS in the TEMPLE.
1 Kings 7.21, 22.Novemb. 8. 1668.
And he ſet up the Pillars in the Porch of the Temple: and he ſet up the right Pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he ſet up the left Pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz. And upon the top of the Pillars was Lillie-work: ſo was the work of the Pillars finiſhed.
SO much of the Houſe and the Courts. Now follows the Veſſels or Utenſils of the Temple, the ſacred Houſhold ſtuff or Furniture of this Houſe of God; they were many.
We read in Ezra 1.11. all the Veſſels of Gold and Silver were five thouſand and four hundred.
We may diſtinguiſh the Veſſels of the Temple into two ſorts.
1. Such as were of natural neceſſity and conveniency for the Worſhip that was there to be performed; as Knives, Pots, Fleſh-hooks, &c. which had not their particular myſtical ſignifications. But yet thus much we may obſerve from them, that the meaneſt inſtrument in the Church of God is of ſome uſe, and therefore not to be deſpiſed.
And of this ſort there were ſome larger Veſſels: as the Kings Scaffold, 2 Chron. 6.13. on which he ſtood when he came into the Prieſts Court, to preſent his Sacrifices before the Lord, or upon any other occaſion. For you muſt remember, that though none but Prieſts were ordinarily to reſide and attend there; yet others might come into it upon any juſt occaſion, as the Gibeonites did every day, to bring in Wood and Water, and every man that offered Sacrifice was to come wirh it, and lay his hand upon the head of it, &c. And ſo the King with his Sacrifices: and ſo Solomon did when he dedicated the Temple: For this inner Court ſeems to have been the place of this Brazen Scaffold. It was five cubits long, five cubits broad, and three cubits high: and there was a Pillar annexed, as it ſeemeth, to this Scaffold for the King to ſit or lean upon, where Joaſh ſtood at his Coronation, 2 Kings 11.14. with 2 Chron. 23.13. So Joſiah 2 Kings 23.3. when he made that Covenant before the Lord. Of this nature was alſo the Covert for the Sabbath mentioned 2 Kings 16.18. which ſeems to have been ſome Roof ſtanding upon Pillars, to be ſome ſhelter for the Prieſts from the Rain, when they were to officiate in the Court in Winter-weather.
It is noted as an act of profaneneſs in Ahaz to take it away, becauſe it was an utenſil of natural conveniency for the performance of the Worſhip, though not a ſacred veſſel of divine Inſtitution, and ſo not a part of Worſhip. Though it was not lawful for them to inſtitute, or alter any of the ſacred veſſels that were myſtical and ſignificant; yet they might make any thing that was of moral uſe, or natural neceſſity, or conveniency, for the better performance of the Worſhip: As for inſtance, Ezra ſtood upon a Pulpit of wood, Nehem. 8.4, 5. to have an Hourglaſs, or the like, to know the time of the day, it is a weak thing to ſcruple it.
2. But beſide ſuch Utenſils as theſe, there was a ſecond ſort that were myſtical and ſignificant, and they may be referred to two ſorts.
They were either without doors, or within.
Thoſe without the doors of the Sanctuary were of Braſs.
Thoſe that were within doors were of Gold.
Thoſe without doors were moſt of them ſub dio, in the open Court: as the other were ſub tecto, within the Houſe it ſelf.
We ſhall begin with the veſſels of Braſs without doors, and they were four.
1. The two Brazen Pillars.
2. The Altar of Burnt-offering.
3. The molten Sea.
4. The ten Lavers.
All theſe had their myſtical uſe and ſignification, as in each particular will appear.
1. The two Brazen Pillars, of which this Text ſpeaks.
And the Doctrinal propoſition is this.
D. That Solomon by Gods appointment made two Brazen Pillars at the entrance of the Temple, and called them Jachin and Bo-yas.
They ſtood before the Houſe. 2 Chron 3.15. and before the Temple, ver. 17. ſome think without the Porch. But they ſeem rather to have ſtood within the Porch: ſo we render 1 Kings 7.19. —but without the doors of the Sanctuary. For the Porch ſeems to have had no Doors that could ſhut, but only Door-places which ſtood always open. Theſe Pillars were doubtleſs things of ſpecial remark and uſe, becauſe the Holy Ghoſt hath ſaid ſo much of them, and hath deſcribed them ſo largely, both in the book of Kings and Chronicles, and in the Prophet Jeremy, 1 Kings 7. v. 13 to 23. and again v. 41, 42. and 2 Kings 25.17. 2 Chron. 3. the 3 laſt verſes, and cap. 4.12, 13. Jer. 51. v. 17, 20, 21, 22, 23. And Ezekiel ſaw them in his viſionary Temple, cap. 40. ult. and it is ſaid concerning theſe Pillars, 1 Kings 6.22. ſo the work of the Pillars was finiſhed, which (as ſome have obſerved) ſeems to put a ſpecial emphaſis upon this above any other of the utenſils of the Temple: for it is not ſaid ſo concerning the Cherubims, or the Sea, or the Candleſtiks, or the Tables.
I ſhall ſum up very briefly what is written in thoſe Scriptures of Kings, Chronicles and Jeremy before quoted concerning theſe Pillars, as to the litteral deſcription of them. Not quoting the verſe for every particular: for you may read the places at your leiſure, ſave only where any phraſe needs explication.
The matter they were made of was Braſs: the height was eighteen cubits apiece, both of them amounting to thirty ſix; though there was but thirty five that did appear, one cubit being loſt and ſwallowed up in the conjunction of the Pillars and the Chapiters that did adorn the tops of them: the compaſs or circumference of each Pillar was twelve cubits, the diameter four: therefore ſome read the 19th ver. of 1 King. cap. 7. thus; And the Chapiters which were on the head of the Pillars of Lilly-work, were in the Porch four cubits, that is, did comprehend in their diameter ſo much as would take up four cubits in the floor of the Porch. Moreover, theſe Pillars were hollow in the middle, but they were four fingers thick of ſolid metal; the top of the Pillars was adorned with Lilly-work.
There were alſo on the top of theſe Pillars two Chapiters, as we tranſlate it, as much as to ſay, heads, becauſe they were on the tops or heads of the Pillars. The word is Kothereth Coronamentum; ſo Arias Montanus & fecit duo Coronamenta, duo Capitella, as Pagnin. two Coronets: it is from the verb Kitter cinxit, circumdedit inſtar Coronae: it is the ſame word that is uſed in Prov. 14.18. but the prudent are crowned with knowledge; which is derived from Kether, Diadema, Corona. Theſe Chapiters or Coronets were five cubits in height, and but four cubits diameter; and therefore in an oval form: and ſo the end of the Chapiter reſted in the hole which was at the top of the Pillar. Theſe Coronets were curiouſly adorned with nets of Chequer-work, and wreaths of Chain-work, a very artificial work, and with two rows of Pomegranates upon each Coronet, four hundred goodly Pomegranates in all, which were put upon chains in two rows; though but ninety ſix did appear upon a chain, the reſt being hid by the Wall. This Coronet or Chapiter upon the top of the Pillar was a curious and comely Crown upon the head of it: or (as ſome note) the Chapiter was like two Crowns joyned together.
The Pillar on the right ſide, he called Jachin, or rather Jakin, which ſignifies, he, that is, the Lord will eſtabliſh. Jakin is the conjugation Hiphil, from the verb Koun, ſtabilivit, firmavit.
The other Pillar on the left hand, he called Bo-yaz, in him is power, from Bo in it, or in him, and Yaz ſtrong or ſtrength, from the verb Yazaz roboravit.
Thus you ſee the literal or hiſtorical part of this Type, theſe two Pillars of the Temple, Jakin and Bo-yaz.
Now for the Significations.
Certainly theſe things are not without a myſtery, not without a meaning: for theſe Pillars were extraordinary, and very remarkable in four reſpects.
1. In their height, being eighteen cubits, that is, ſeven and twenty foot of our meaſure.
2. In their thickneſs and compaſs, being twelve Cubits, that is, eighteen foot in the circle round about.
3. In their curious and admirable Ornaments; the Lillies on the upper end of the Pillars, and the Coronets or Chapiters upon the tops of them, with the curious chains, and nets, and rows of Pomegranates round about theſe Crowns.
4. In their uſe; which was not only for Ornament, but as it were to ſupport the Temple, as Pillars do ſupport an Houſe: not that they did ſupport or bear it up properly, as if they had been placed in the material Building, no more than the twelve Brazen Oxen did indeed carry the molten Sea to the four quarters of the world, 2 Chron. 4.4. but only as in an emblem or figure, as Abraham received Iſaac in a figure, Heb. 11.19. ſo here: For the Temple had no Pillars in it, for the Beams of the Roof reſted upon the Walls, as you have formerly heard, and not upon theſe Pillars: but they were an emblem or figure of ſupport.
Now the Temple is the Church of God; and we may apply this Type three ways.
1. To God and Chriſt.
2. To the Church.
3. To particular Saints.
1. As to God and Chriſt. Theſe Pillars ſpeak the ſupport of the Church of God, by the purpoſe of his Will, and by his almighty Power. Our Faith ſtands upon theſe two Pillars; theſe two do ſupport the Church, and the Churches Faith.
1. The faithful purpoſe of God, and good pleaſure of his Will. Jakin he will eſtabliſh, here is the reſolved purpoſe of his Will and Love. Heb. 10.23. He is faithful who hath promiſed. This includes, (1.) his Purpoſe, (2.) his purpoſe of Love, (3.) his Promiſe, (4.) his unchangable Faithfulneſs in all.
Thou ſaiſt, I am unworthy. True, but if the Lord will ſave, and will have mercy, who can reſiſt his Will? his purpoſe is unchangeable and immovable as Braſs; he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy.
2. The Power of Chriſt, his almighty Power; this is the other Pillar, Bo-yas, in him is power— 1 Pet. 1.5. kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation.
Thou ſaiſt, alas! I am weak, I can do nothing. But therefore depend, and reſt, and ſtay thy ſelf upon this almighty Power, which is able to do above what we are able to ask or think: as Abraham, Rom. 4.20, 21. who was ſtrong in Faith, being perſuaded that he was able to perform what he had promiſed.
This is of ſpecial uſe in difficulties, when difficulties and impoſſibilities do appear. Can the Lord pardon ſuch ſins, heal ſuch backſlidings? Yes; in him is Power. Take both theſe together: Love and good will withour Power is but lame to help us: Power without Love and good will is but deaf to hear us; but both put together is a ſupport firm enough, and ſafe enough for Faith to reſt upon; yea, if thou doubt of the one, improve the other, Matth. 8.2. if thou wilt thou canſt: here be both theſe Pillars; but he could not lean upon the one, he doubted of Gods Will; but therefore he relies upon the other, thou canſt, and Chriſt accepts this Faith of his; and therefore ſaith, ver. 3. I will, be thou clean: ſo do thou, lean and reſt upon both theſe Pillars, yea upon either of both and thou art ſafe enough. If thou art not aſſured of his purpoſe; yet then reſt and ſtay thy ſelf upon his Power.
2. Conſider them in reference to the whole Church; here is ſhadowed forth the impregnable ſafety of the Church: The Gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt it, Matth. 16.18.
3. Particular Saints are compared to Pillars in the Houſe of God, Rev. 3.12. eſpecially Miniſters, Gal. 2.9— Jer. 1.… I will make thee an Iron Pillar, and Wall of Braſs; therefore it is in vain to oppoſe them and contend with them.
There be two properties of a good Pillar, it muſt be ſtrait and ſtrong. It is a ſad thing when they that ſhould be Pillars in the Houſe of God are warping, and leaning, and bending this way and that way, when they ſhould ſtand upright and ſteady.
And there were two Coronets upon the tops of theſe Pillars ſo they that perſevere to the end ſhall receive the Crown of life 2 Tim. 4.7, 8.
Theſe Pillars were broken in pieces, and carried away to Babylon, but living Pillars in the ſpiritual Temple ſhall go out no more, Rev. 3.12. but abide in the houſe for ever, Joh. 8.35. A true Believer is (as one ſaith) Monumentum aere perennius, more durable then Pillars of Braſs. Would you be aſſured of the Crown of Glory? Is there this rectitude and ſtraitneſs, this ſtrength and firmneſs in the ways of God? thou art then a Pillar in the Houſe of God, and ſhalt go no more out.