60. XI. Of the great brazen altar that stood in the inner court of the Temple

1. In the inner court stood the great brazen altar which Solomon made. This is evident; for that when he kneeled upon the scaffold there to pray, he kneeled before this altar. See Ex. xi. 4, 28. 2 Ch. vi. 13. 2 Ex. xvi. 14. Joel x. 17.

2. This altar seems to be placed about the middle of this court over against the porch of the house; and between it and the temple was the place where Zechariah was slain. This altar was called 'the altar of burnt-offering,' and therefore it was a type of Christ in his divinity. For Christ's body was our true burnt-offering, of which the bodies of the sacrificed boasts were a type; now that altar upon which his body was offered was his Divinity or Godhead; for that, and that only, could bear up that offering in the whole of its suffering; and that therefore, and that only, was to receive the fat, the glory. Hence it is said be, 'through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God.' He ix. 14.

3. For Christ is priest, and sacrifice, and altar, and ell. And as a priest he offered, as a sacrifice he suffered, and as God he supported his humanity, in that suffering of all the pains it underwent. Ga. 1. 4; ii. 20. 1 Pet. ix. 14. He ix. 14.

4. It was then Christ's Godhead, not the tree, that was the altar of burnt-offering, or that by which Christ offered himself an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

5. That it was not the tree, is evident, for that could not sanctify the gift, to wit, his body; but Christ affirmet, 'that the altar sanctifieth the gift.' And by so saying, he affirmet that the altar on which he offered his offering was greater than the offering itself. Mc. 2:10. Now the body of Christ was the gift; for so he saith, I give my flesh for the life of the world. Ja. 1.

But now, what thing is that which is greater than his body, save the altar, his Divinity on which it was offered? The tree then was not the altar which sanctified this gift, to make it of virtue enough to make reconciliation for iniquity. Ja. 1. 51; xvi. 19. He ix. 14. Col. 1. 1-21. Now, since this altar of burnt-offering was thus placed in the inner court, it teaches us several things:

First, That those that come only into the outward court, or that rest in a bare appearance of Christianity, do not, by so doing, come to Jesus Christ; for this altar stands not there. Hence John takes notice only of the temple and this altar, and them that worship therein, and leaves out the outward court, and so them that come no farther. Re. xi. 1.

Second, This teaches us also that we are to enter into that temple of God by blood. The altar, this altar of burnt-offering, stood as men went into the temple; they must go by it; yes, there they must leave their offering, and so go in and worship, even as a token that they came thither by sacrifice and by blood.

Third, Upon this altar Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, offered thousands, both of oxen and of sheep, to signify, surely, the abundant worth and richness that would be in the blood of Christ to save when it should be shed for us. For his blood is spoken of with an 'how much more.' For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God! He ix. 13, 14; x. 1. 17. 2 Ch. vi. 3-5.

Let us then not dare to stop or stay in the outward court, for there is not this altar. Nor let us dare, when we come into this court, to be careless whether we look to this altar or no. For it is by blood we must enter; 'for without shedding of blood is no remission.' Let us always then, when we come hither, wash our hands in innocency, and so compass this holy altar: for that by Christ, who is the altar indeed, we are reconciled to God. This is looking to Jesus; this is coming to God by him, of whom this altar and the sacrifice thereon was a type.

XII. Of the pillars that were before the porch of the Temple.

There were divers pillars belonging to the temple; but in this place we are confined to speak of only two; namely, those which stood before the temple.

These pillars stood before the porch or entrance into the temple, looking towards the altar, the court, and them that were the worshippers there; also they were a grace and beauty to the front of the house.

1. These pillars stood, one on the right hand and the other on the left, at the door of the porch of the temple, and they had names given them, you may be sure, to signify something. The name of that on the right hand was called Jachin, he [God] shall establish; and the name of that on the left hand was磐石, in it is strength. 1 Kt. 6. 21. 2 Ch. vi. 17.

2. These two pillars were types of Christ's apostles; of the apostles of circumcision, and of the uncircumcision. Therefore the apostle Paul also calleth them pillars, Ga. ii., and saith that that pillar on the right hand was a type of himself and his companions, who were to go to the uncircumcised, and teach the Gentiles the way of life. When James, Cephas, and John, saith he, 'who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.' Ga. ii. 9. So then, these two pillars were types of these two orders of the apostles in this their divers service for God.¹

3. And that Paul and Barnabas were signified by those on the right hand, to wit, to be the apostles of the Gentiles, he showeth again, where he saith, I am 'the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.' Ro 11: 15, 16.

4. And since the name of this pillar was Jochin, God shall establish, as it showeth that opposition shall attend it; so also, that God would bless his word preached by them to the Gentiles, to the conversion of numbers of them, maugre the opposition of the enemy.

5. This is further implied, for that they were made of brass; as he saith of the prophet, I have made thee a fenced brazen wall, an iron pillar; and their fighting against thee shall nothing at all prevail. Jc 24: 22. Wherefore Paul says of himself, 'I am set for the defence of the gospel,' 'that the truth thereof might continue with you.' Pm. L 17. Ga. 8. 5.

XIII. Of the height of these pillars that thus stood before the porch of the door of the Temple.

The pillars were eighteen cubits high a-piece, and that is as high, yea, as high again as the highest giant that ever we read of in the Word; for the highest of which we read was but six cubits and a span. True, the bedstead of Og was nine cubits long, but I trove the giant himself was shorter. De in 11: 2 Ch 10, 15.² But put the longest to the longest, and set the one upon the shoulders of the other, and yet each pillar was higher than they.

We have now, as I know of, but few that remain of the remnant of the giants; and though they boast as if they were higher than Agag, yet these pillars are higher than they. These pillars are the highest; you may equal them; and an inch above is worth an ell below. The height therefore of these pillars is, to show us what high dignity God did put upon those of his saints whom he did call to be apostles of the Lamb: for their office and call thereto is the highest in the church of God. These men, I say, were made thus high by their being cast in such a mould. Of that which added yet further to their height we will speak anon: we only speak now of the high call by which they, and only they, were made capable of apostolic authority. The apostles were sent immediately,⁴ their call was extraordinary, their office was universal; they had alike power in all churches, and their doctrine was infallible. Ac xxv 16: 1 Co. x 1 Gs 1: 1 Jc 1: 1-3 Jn. 9: 25.

And what can our pretended giants do or say in comparison of these? The truth is, all other men to these are dwarfs, are low, dark, weak, and beneath, not only as to call and office, but also as to gifts and grace. This sentence, 'Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,' drowneth all! What now are all other titles of grandeur and greatness, when compared with this one sentence?

True, the men were but mean in themselves; for what is Paul or what Apollos, or what was James or John? Yet by their call to that office they were made highest of all in the church. Christ did raise them eighteen cubits high; not in conceit; for so there are many higher than they, but in office, and calling, and Divine authority.

And observe it, these stand at the door, at the entering into the temple of God, at which they enter that go in thither to worship God, to shew that all right worship, and that which will be acceptable to God, is by, or according to, their doctrine.

XIV. Of the chapiters (capitals) of the pillars of the Temple.

There were also two chapiters made for the pillars of the temple; for each, one; and they were five cubits high apiece. These were for the adorning of the pillars, and therefore were types and shadows of that abundance of grace which God did put upon the apostles after the resurrection of our Lord. Wherefore, as he saith here, the chapiters were upon the pillars; so it saith that great grace was upon all the apostles. Ac 16: 33.

These chapiters had belonging to them a bowl made pumme-fashion,⁴ and it was placed upon the head of them, perhaps to signify their aptness to receive, and largeness to contain of the dew of heaven; that shadow of the doctrine of the gospel; which doctrine the apostles, as the chief, were to receive and hold forth to the world for their conversion. Hence, as the bowls were capable to receive the dew of heaven, these are said to receive 'grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.' Ro 1: 8, 1 Ki 10: 16, 42. 2 Ch 10: 15. De xxxi. 10. Ro 24: 29.

There was also upon these chapiters a net-work, or nets like unto conquer-work, which still added to their lustre. These nets were they which shewed for what intent the apostolical office was ordained;

¹ 'There were two pillars, which some resemble to the two states of the church—Jewish and Christian—others understand magistracy and ministry.'—(Lee's Temple, 1659, p. 281.)—(Ed.)

² The height of these pillars was thirty-five cubits each, including the bow and chapter. The base, commented with lines or net-work, twelve cubits; the column eighteen cubits, and the chapter five cubits, making the height thirty-five cubits; while the column or pillar, cast by itself, was only eighteen. This reconciles the apparent discrepancy between 1 Ki vii. 15 and 2 Ca. ix. 15—(Lu.)

³ Immediately, or by Christ himself.—(En.)

⁴ Pummel, or pummel, round like an apple.—(Lu.)

namely, that by their preaching they might bring many souls to God. And hence Christ calls them fishermen, saying, 'Ye shall catch men.' Met. 1. 17. La. v. 10. 2 Ca. vii. 16. The world is compared to a sea, men to fishes, and the gospel to a net. Est. viii. 10-13. Met. xii. 47-50. As therefore men catch fish with a net, so the apostles caught men by their word, which word, as I told you, to me is signified by this net-work upon the top of these pillars. See therefore the mystery of God in these things.

XV. Of the pomegranates adjoined to these nets on the chapiters.

There were also joined to these nets upon the top of the pillars pomegranates in abundance; four hundred for the net-work. Pomegranates, you know, are beautiful to look on, pleasant to the palate, comfortable to the stomach, and cheering by their juice. 1 K. vii. 12. Ca. iv. 3, vii. 2, iv. 23, vii. 11, vii. 12. There were to be two rows of these pomegranates for one net-work, and so two rows of them for the other.

And this was to show that the net of the gospel is not an empty thing; but is sufficiently baited with such varieties as are apt to allure the world to be caught by them. The law is but a sound of words, but the gospel is not so; that is, baited with pomegranates; with variety of excellent things. Hence it is called 'the gospel of the kingdom,' and 'the gospel of the grace of God,' because it is, as it were, baited with grace and glory, that sinners may be allured, and may be taken with it to their eternal salvation. Met. xiv. 14. Ac. xv. 24.

Grace and glory, grace and glory! these are the pomegranates with which the word of the gospel is baited, that sinners may be taken and saved thereby. The argument of old was 'milk and honey;' that was, I say, the alluring bait, with which Moses drew six hundred thousand out of Egypt, into the wilderness of old. Ex. iii. 8. But behold we have pomegranates, two rows of pomegranates; grace and a kingdom, as the bait of the holy gospel; no wonder, then, if, when men of skill did cast this net into the sea, such numbers of fish have been caught, even by one sermon. Ac. ii. They baited their nets with taking things, things taking to the eye and taste.

Nets are truly instruments of death, but the net of the gospel doth catch to draw from death; wherefore this net is contrary; life and immortality is brought to light through this. No marvel, then, if men are so glad, and that for gladness they leap like fishes in a net, when they see themselves caught in this drag of the holy gospel of the Son of God. They are caught from death and hell, caught to live with God in glory!