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Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach

Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 7 · Part 4 – Part 5

A Parallel between the ſecond Temple, built in the Days of Nehemiah, and the Church of God Built in the latter Days.

Metaphor.Parallel.
THe Temple that was built in the Days of Nehemiah, was firſt deſtroyed by the literal Babylonians.SIgnifying the Church of God ſhould be greatly defaced and ſpoiled, and the outward Courts trodden down by the myſtical Babylonians, Rev. 11 2, 3 and afterwards rebuilt, or rather, repaired again.
II. The Temple was built in a troubleſom Time; they wrought with one hand, and held a Sword in the other.II. Signifying, that the Church of God ſhould be rebuilt in a troubleſom time, and that great Oppoſition ſhould be made againſt them.
III. The Temple was rebuilt by ſuch as had been for many Years in the Babylonian Captivity.Neh. 4.13.III. Signifying, that the rebuilding of God's Church ſhould be by ſuch as had been a long time in ſpiritual Captivity, under the myſtical Babylonians, or Mother of Harlots.
IV. The Builders of this ſecond Temple were look'd upon as poor, weak, and contemptible Perſons, in compariſon of Solomon, Neh. 4.2. and thoſe that built with him.IV. Signifying, that thoſe whom God would raiſe up to repair the waſte Places of Sion, in the latter Days, ſhould be poor, weak, inconſiderable Perſons, very unlikely to perfect ſo great a Work as Reformation is. What was Luther, and others whom God employed, to the holy Apoſtles, who were the firſt Builders?
V. The Builders, of this Temple were greatly mock'd and jeer'd. There were Sanballat, Geſham, Tobiah, and others, who in reproachful manner ſaid, What will theſe feeble Jews do? Neh. 4.2, 3, 4. will they make an end in a Day? If a Fox go up, he ſhall even break down their Stone-Wall.V. So the Rebuilders in theſe latter Days have been greatly reproached and contemned by the Enemies of Chriſt; thoſe that are truly religious, called feeble, weak, and fooliſh Ones, &c. nay, Hereticks, Schiſmaticks, and many other reproachful Names have been, and ſtill are daily given to them, and their Work much ſlighted and deſpiſed alſo.
VI. The Builders of this Temple had much Rubbiſh to remove,Neh. 4.2. before they could go on with their Work.VI. So the Builders of God's Church, in theſe latter Days, have had much Popiſh Rubbiſh to remove, much Filth of humane Inventions, and Traditions of that Church being in their way; ſome Stones being almoſt quite loſt amongſt this Rubbiſh, and others ready to miſtake, and inſtead of a Stone of Sion, they take a Stone of Babylon.
VII. The Builders of this Temple were hindred, and for a time the Work ceaſed.VII. So the Builders of God's Houſe, or Reformers in Religion, have often been hindred or obſtructed in theſe latter Days.
VIII. Many People were very backward about rebuilding the Temple,Hag. 1.2. in the Days of Haggai and Nehemiah, crying, the Time was not come that the Houſe of the Lord ſhould be built.VIII. So have many Souls been very backward about the Work of Reformation, or repairing the Houſe of God; they have dwelt in their cieled Houſes, and let the Houſe of God (as it were) lie waſte.
IX. Tho many cruel Enemies endeavoured to hinder the rebuilding of the Temple, yet the Work went on, and was finiſhed in ſome Time, to the Joy of the Faithful.IX. So the Enemies now, as in former Times, ſtrive to hinder the repairing of God's Houſe; yet the Work of Reformation ſhall in due time be perfected, to the Joy of all ſincere Chriſtians.
X. That Work was carried on, not by Might,Zech 4 6. nor by Power, but by the Spirit of the Lord.X. So the Work in theſe Days goes on, not ſo much by the Power of Men, or human Help, as by the Power of God, and his Spirit.
XI. God promiſed, that the Glory of the ſecond Houſe ſhould exceed the Glory of the firſt;Hag. 2.9. which ſome conceive was made good by Chriſt's coming, whoſe perſonal Preſence in the Temple greatly added to its Glory.XI. So the Church of God in the latter Day, will be far more glorious than it was ever yet ſince the beginning of the World, which will be accompliſhed, as will be ſhewed in reſpect of theſe things following. 1. God will deſtroy all the Enemies of his Church.1 Sam. 2.10. Pſal. 37.10, 11. The Adverſaries of the Lord ſhall be broken in pieces, out of Heaven God will thunder upon them; for evil Doers ſhall be cut off. Yet a little while, and the Wicked ſhall not be, but the Meek ſhall poſſeſs the Earth, &c. And all that lift up a hand againſt Zion, ſhall be torn in pieces. God will plead the Controverſy of his Church, and undo all that afflict her. The Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands, zech. 12.2. Dan. 2.34. ſhall ſmite the Image upon his Feet, that were of Iron and Clay, and break them to pieces: Then the Iron, and the Clay, the Braſs, the Silver, and the Gold, ſhall be broken together, and become as the Chaff of the Summer Threſhing-floor. 2. God will utterly deſtroy all Idolatry, and all falſe Worſhip, and by this means will reſtore his own Appointments, in the purity of them. Rev. 14.8. Rev. 18.1, 2, 3, 21. Iſa. 60.1, 2. & 25.6, 7. & 58.12. 3. God, to make her glorious, will unite all her Children together in Love: They ſhall ſerve the Lord with one Conſent; and no more Diviſions ſhall be amongſt them. Iſa. 11.13. Ezek. 37.16, 17, 19. Zeph. 3.8, 9. Zech. 14.9. There ſhall be one Lord, and his Name one. 4. God will enlarge her Borders. The Children of the Barren ſhall ſay again in my Ears, The Place is too ſtrait for me, give me Room that I may dwell. Iſa. 59.20. The Fulneſs of the Gentiles ſhall be brought in, they ſhall come like Doves to the Windows. Iſa. 60.3.4, 5. 5. The Jews ſhall be called, and both Jews and Gentiles ſhall make but one Sheep-fold: And there ſhall be one Sheep-fold, and one Shepherd. Ezek. 37.22. John 10.16. Iſa. 19.19, 20, to the end. 6. The Glory of the Church will be great in reſpect of Knowledg. All the Earth ſhall be filled with the Knowledg of the Glory of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea. Numb. 14.21. Iſa. 11.9. Hab. 2.14. 7. Her Glory ſhall be great in reſpect of the Abundance of Peace which ſhall be in the World in that Day: God will make Wars to ceaſe to the ends of the Earth; ſuch a Day never was in the World yet. Pſal. 46.8, 9. & 72.7. Iſa. 2.4. Mich. 4.3, 4. 8. The Mountain of the Lord's Houſe ſhall be exalted above the Mountains, Mich. 4.2. Iſa. 2.12. and lifted up above the Hills, and all Nations ſhall flow unto it. The Saints in that Day ſhall poſſeſs the Gates of their Enemies. Jer. 30.20. 9. The Glory of the Church will be great in reſpect of Holineſs. God will bring his People into the Fire, and make his Church very pure. Iſa. 1.25, 26, 27. Mal. 3.2. Pſal. 110.2, 3. Zech. 13.8, 9. There ſhall be no Canaanite in the Houſe of the Lord, no unclean Perſon ſhall dwell therein. 10. Her Glory ſhall be great by Chriſt's coming to her:Pſal. 2.6. Thine Eyes ſhall ſee the King in his Beauty. Iſa. 33.17. He ſhall be King over all the Earth. I have ſet my King upon my holy Hill of Sion. God will dwell with Men in a more glorious manner than he ever yet dwelt with them. 11. In that her Glory ſhall abide, and the Kingdom ſhall not be left to another People. Dan. 2.44. Dan. 7.27.

Inferences.

LEt us pray for the Day of Sion's Glory, and never give God reſt, until he hath made Jeruſalem a Praiſe in the whole Earth: Thy Kingdom come, &c.

2. Let not the Godly be diſcouraged, whatever Troubles they are now attended with; Clouds of Darkneſs ſhall ſoon flie away: At Even-tide there ſhall be Light.Zech. 14.7

The Church compared to an Olive-Tree.

Hoſea 14.7. His Branches ſhall ſpread, and his Beauty ſhall be as the Olive-Tree.

The Church of God is compared in this place to an Olive-Tree.

Simile.Parallel.
PArt or the Beauty of the Olive-Tree conſiſts in its Greenneſs, it is always green; few Trees that bear Fruit are like the Olive in this reſpect.SO the Church of God, and every ſincere Soul, is green and flouriſhing. Greenneſs notes Life and Sap to be in the Branches; the Branches of the Divine Olive, viz. the Saints, are never without ſpiritual Moiſture, or the Sap of Grace in their Hearts and Lives:Pſal. 1.3. His Leaves ſhall not fail. Hence David ſaid, He was like a green Olive-Tree in the Houſe of the Lord. Pſal. 52.8.
II. The Olive-Tree is renowned for Fruitfulneſs, it abounds mightily with Fruit. Pliny ſaith, If care be not taken, its Fruit ſo loads it, that it even breaks it down.II. The Church is fruitful now, but ſhall be much more fruitful unto God hereafter; her Beauty ſhall be as the Olive-Tree in this reſpect. She ſhall abound in Children, and abound in Grace, and true Holineſs.
III. The Olive-Tree beareth not only much Fruit, but alſo profitable Fruit. Olives are rare things. What Tree brings forth better Fruit than the Olive-Tree? Its Fruit is mollifying, feeding, ſtrengthning, healing; its Oil makes your Lamps to burn.III. So the Church brings forth good Fruit, not only a great quantity, but Fruit that excells in its Nature or Quality, viz. Faith, Love, Meekneſs, Patience, Charity,Gal. 5.22. &c. even all the Fruits of the Spirit, (or as they are in another place called, the Fruits of Righteouſneſs.Jam. 3.17.) Grace is of a mollifying, feeding, ſtrengthening, and healing Nature; Grace makes the Lamp of Profeſſion to burn clear, whereby others ſee, or have much Light. See Oil.
IV. The Branches of an Olive-Tree were formerly uſed to ſignify Peace.IV. A Saint is for Peace. They are Peace-makers; they deſire nothing more than Peace with God, and Peace with Men: I am for Peace, ſaith David. Pſal. 120.7 He that hath the Fruit of the Olive, viz. Grace, ſhall ſoon ſee the Dove, viz. the Spirit, bringing the Olive-Branch: but, as Noah's Dove did not bring the Olive-Branch, till the Waters were abated; ſo the Flood of Iniquity muſt be abated, the Waters of Wickedneſs ſink and be dried up, before a Man can receive a ſure Sign or Token of Peace and Reconciliation with God.

Inferences.

HEnce let Saints, who are planted in the Houſe of the Lord, labour to be like the Olive-Tree, not only to bring forth much Fruit as to quantity, but good and right Fruit, in reſpect to its quality.