Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 41
CHAP. XLI.
Ver. 1. AFterward] This Chapter is no leſſe dark and difficult then was the former: which made Hierom ready to deſiſt and give over commenting, but that he thought it better to ſay ſomething then nothing, and was brought to know and ſay that the greateſt part of thoſe things he knew, were but the leaſt part of that he knew not. What I do underſtand is good; ſo I think, is that I underſtand not, ſaid Socrates once of a certain dark Author. We may be ſure it is ſo here, and muſt mirari potius quàm rimari: waiting for more light, and praying to that purpoſe, as Epheſ. 1.17, 18.
He brought me to the Temple] Who had hitherto been held in the Porch. There was a new Church to be now erected by the preaching of the Goſpel: and this, the meaſuring of the houſe, chap. 40. of the Temple, 41. of the courts, 42. and of all the parts, noteth.
And meaſured the poſts] Or Fronts, or Frontispiece, as the Vulgar hath it.
Which was the bredth of the Tabernacle] Made of old by Moſes.
Ver. 2. And he meaſured the length there of] i. e. Not of the door, as Hierom would have it: but of the Temple, the body and Baſilike thereof, called the firſt Sanctuary, Heb. 9.2.
Fourty cubits] This noteth, ſay ſome, the long-ſuffering and patience of the Saints: like as the bredth twenty cubits, doth their charity.
Ver. 3. Then went he inward] Toward the Holy of Holyes.
And the door] Which in the ſecond Temple was but a veil, and rent at Chriſts Paſſion.
Ver. 4. And the breadth thereof twenty cubits] So it was a juſt ſquare, intimating the ſtability of the Kingdom of Heaven, a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken, Heb. 12.28.
This is the moſt holy place] The Holy of Holyes, the Oracle, the houſe of the ſoul wherein the only firm hope of Iſrael reſteth (ſo the Jews called it) the Adytum or inacceſſible place, whither none might come but the High Prieſt only, and that but once a year. Pompy and Heliodorus, for preſuming to preſſe into it, were heavily plagued.
Ver. 5. He meaſured the wall] With the counter-forts added to it for ſtrength, and ornament: theſe are commonly called Pilaſters.
Six cubits] ſc. In bredth.
Ver. 6. And the ſide-chambers were three one over another, Subſtructiones. Polan. Coſtae. Vatab.and thirty in order] i. e. Three ſtories, and thirty in each ſtory. Semblably, there is a threefold rank or order of the members of the Church; there are lowermoſt, midlemoſt and uppermoſt: theſe, as they have their ſeveral offices and gifts accordingly, ſo they muſt keep to their own ſtations, do their own buſineſſe, live in love, and wait till called unto an higher room.
Ver. 7. And there was an enlarging and a winding about ſtill upward] This might inmind Gods people of heavenly-mindedneſſe, whereby their hearts will be enlarged when got once above the world, as birds ſing ſweetly, when got aloft into the aire.
Went ſtill upward] Let there be continual aſcenſions in our hearts: Surſum corda.
Ver. 8. The foundations] Plus rei quam oſtentationis habebant: Oecol.The good ſoul rather ſeeks to be good, then ſeems to be ſo.
Ver. 9. And that which was left] Area pura, the void place.Piſcat.
Ver. 10. And between the chambers] Vulg. the treaſuries] In the Church much more rome is taken up by ſuch as are void of the treaſure of Gods grace, then by better men, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom of Chriſt.
Ver. 11. Toward the place that was le…t] Which ſerved the faithful, ſaith Hierom, for an Oratory, whither they went to pray.
Ver. 12. The ſeparate place] The Temple, or, at leaſt, ſome part of it.
Ver. 13. An hundred cubits] The Temple of Epheſus was 245 foot long, and 220 foot broad. Howbeit for ſpiritual employment, myſtical ſignification, none ever came near this edifice.
Ver. 14. Alſo the bredth—an hundred cubits] Whereas Solomon's Temple was but twenty cubits broad.
Ver. 15. An hundred cubits] See on ver. 13.
With the inner temple and the porches thereof] Summa & infima juxtà curat, Oecol.nihil aſpernatur.
Ver. 16. And the narrow windows — and the windows were covered] Here Hierom cryes out O the depth of the Wiſdom and Knowledge of God! Here be windows, but narrow and covered: which ſhews that we ſee not yet, nor can ſee into heavenly things, but obſcurely and obliquely. How little a thing doth man underſtand of God? The holy Place was without windows,Job. 26.14. only there burned lights perpetually: but in the moſt holy Place there was no light at all.
Ver. 17. By meaſure] Heb. meaſure. See on chap. 40.47.Preſſa ſub ingenti ceu pondere palma vireſcit: Sub crucefic florent dedita corda Deo. Plin. l. 13. c. 4.
Ver. 18. And it was made with Cherubims and palm-trees] Viz. Upon the partition-walls. This was to teach Chriſtians, who are the Temples of God, 1. To live like Angels for holineſſe. 2. To ſuffer as Palm-trees, any preſſures or pains for his ſake with invincible patience. By their piety in their lives, and patience at their death, the Primitive Chriſtians won much upon their their Perſecutors.
Ver. 19. So that the face of a man] See chap. 1.10.
And the face of a young Lion towards the Palm-tree] The Palm-tree as it grew beſt in Judaea, ſo it is probable that from the Temple at Jeruſalem it came at firſt, that the Heathens put the Palm for a ſign of victory, and that the picture of Victory amongſt them had in the one hand a Palm, and in the other an Olive branch. Wiſdom, (the praiſe of a man) and courage (the property of a Lion) zeal and diſcretion, as they make a good mixture, ſo they conquer and carry it.
Ver. 20. And on the wall of the Temple] Yet this is no warrant for the uſe of Pictures in our Churches; whether for worſhip as Papiſts, or for ornaments only as Lutherans. Mr. Burr. on Hoſ. vol. 1. pag. 465.At a conſultation held not many years ſince at Hamborough by Lutheran Miniſters concerning the cauſe and cure of Germanies calamities, they concluded it was becauſe their images were not adorned enough; which therefore they would procure done. A ſad buſineſſe!
Ver. 21. The Poſts of the Temple] i. e. Of the doors of the Temple, were not round or arched, but ſquare: as are at this day the doors of the Pantheon in Rome, ſaith Vilalpandus, built of old in honour of all Gods: and now conſecrated by the Pope to the honour of all Saints, with like ſuperſtition.
The largeneſs of this Altar above that of old ſheweth that the Saints under the Goſpel would make much more improvement of the Lord Jeſus in prayer, and make uſe of his mediation and interceſſion by Faith in their heavenly ſublimated ſupplications, then the Saints of old were ordinarily wont to do. Cobbet of Prayer. pag. 235.Ver. 22. The Altar] ſc. That for incenſe, whereof ſee Exod. 30.6. but here of a much larger ſize: See on chap. 40.1. This altar of wood and fourſquare was a Type of Chriſt (not of the Croſſe as Vilalpand doteth) in whom our prayers come before God as incenſe, and He is the propitiation for our ſins, 1 Joh. 2.2. See Exod. 30 1. Pſal. 141.2. Rev. 5.8.
This is the Table] One and the ſame Chriſt is All in All to his people, an Altar to ſanctify them and their offerings: a Table alſo to feed and feaſt them with the moſt precious proviſions: See Pſal. 23.5, 6. & 36.9 & 65.5. Prov. 9.1, 2. Iſa. 25.6, 7, 8.
Ver. 23. Had two doors] Underſtand hereby the Means of Grace, and Miniſters diſpenſing the ſame, whereby ſouls are brough home to Chriſt.
Ver. 24. Two leaves] There are variety of Ordinances.
Ver. 25. Cherubimes and Palm trees] Let Miniſters reſemble Angels, and they ſhall be victorious, and well rewarded. The Palm is a ſymbol of conſtancy, and of a crown.
Ver. 26. And thick Planks] i. e. The heads or ends of thick beam… or joyſes, ſupporting the rafters. We ſee what uſe there is of Architecture (among other Arts) in expounding Scripture. Vilalpand ſaith he beſtowed two and twenty years ſtudy upon this fabrike of the Temple here deſcribed.