length of the Temple-courts c. make 100. Cubits as Haffenrefferus exactly demonstrates Of the signification of this Temple Some make the Court belonging to it to represent the World and the Temple to represent Heaven It may be considered whether the Porch do not point out the common Professor the Temple true Saints who are Temples of the Spirit and the Sanctum Sanctorum the Saints in glory the condition of those made perfect The true representation of this Temple I take it is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ both his Body Natural and his Body Mystical viz. the Church 1. It 's a representation of his Natural Body Solomons Temple and Zorobabells or the 2d Temple was so Joh. 2.19 saith Christ Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up And why Ezekiels Temple should not type out Christ I see no cause There be many things wherein it fitly doth so 1. This Temple was holy vers 3. This is the most holy place hence it 's evident the other part of the Temple was holy The Hecal was holy though not so holy as the Devir and the body of Christ was holy Luk. 1.35 That holy thing c. Act. 13.35 Thou shall not suffer thine Hâ—ly one c. 1 Pet. 2.22 Chap. 1.19 Heb. 7.26 He was holy harmless undâ—filed separate from sinners 2. It was very lightsome and beautiful within it was adorned with Cherubims and Palm-trees vers 18.19 so the Lord Christ was full of light Col. 2.3 In him were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge He was adorned with all the graces of the Spirit He was full of grace and truth Joh. 1.14 Cant. 5.10 Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer then the children of men 3. By the Temple they came to know the mind of God one part of it was call'd Devir the Word or Oracle there God spake so by Christ we come to know the mind of God Joh. 1.1 He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word He brought the mind of God to us and declared it to the world Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Christ was an Embassador sent from God to acquaint us with the mind of the King of Nations and he did it faithfully Joh. 15.15 All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you 4. The Temple was God's delight it 's call'd an House for God dwelt in it and manifested his glory there Ezek. 43.4 5. The glory of the Lord came into the house yea the glory of the Lord filled the house And Psal 29.9 In the Temple doth every one speak of his glory There God's glory is seen Is not Christ such a Temple Did not God come into the Temple of his Body 1 Tim. 3.16 Col. 2.9 There the glory of God was seen fully Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Fathâ—r full of grace and truth The glory of God never appeared so evidently as in this Temple and God delighted therein Mat 3.17 This is my belâ—ved Son in whom I am well pleased See Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out And I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my Gâ—d which is New Jerusalem God is establishing and will establish New Jerusalem with Pillars daily more and more and therein is strength to be found not in the World or in Babylon 1 Tim. 3.15 5. There were Cherubims and Palm-trees in the Visional Temple vers 18 19 20 25 26. and in the Church of Christ there are Cherubims and Palm-trees These Cherubims may note the presence of the Angel in the Church 1 Cor. 11.10 There were Angels in the Church of Corinth And so in the Temple John speaks of Rev. 14.15 17. Each Cherubim had two faces one of a Man another of a Young Lion to signifie the wisdome strength and zeal of the Angels which are imploy'd for the good of the Church Or by Cherubims understand those Christians who were wise stout and zealous for the truth and cause of God such as loved not their lives to the death Rev. 12.11 But were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God Rev. 20.4 These Cherubims looked to the Palm-trees they were patient under all crosses afflictions in hope of certain victory Rom 8.35 36 37. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword c. Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors c. Their eyes were upon the Palm-trees And Rev. 9.7 they had Palms in their hands they were certain of victory whereof Palms and Palm-trees are emblems There be several things wherein the Saints do resemble Palm-trees 1. They are always green and growing so are the Saints Psal 92.12 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree They shall still bring forth fruit in old age 2 Palm-trees cannot endure dung Magnopere abhorrent à fimo they hate it So the Saints they hate Superstition Idolatry and all sin as dung they will dye rather then worship the Beast or his Image rather then receive his Mark in their foreheads or their hands Rev. 20.4 they watch and keep their garments undefiled 3. The Palm-tree bears up against all weight laid upon it and the Saints do the like in all their troubles and afflictions Paul met with sharp tryal's yet he fainted not but found more strength 2 Cor. 4.16 And Chap. 7.4 He saith I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation And Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulation 4. These Cherubims and Palm-trees were the ornament of the Temple and Christians who are wise couragious and patient under all tryals are the ornaments of the Church of Christ 5. This Temple with the Porch and Buildings belonging to it was great and large vers 12 13 14 and 15. 100. Cubits in breadth 100. Cubits in length So the Church of Christ is great and large In the Apostles times there were thousands of the Jews believed Act. 21.20 It was Prophesied in Isays days that all Nations should flow unto the Mountain of the Lord that is the Church Isa 2.2 And in Daniels days Chap. 7.14 That all people languages and nations should serve Christ And John in the vision saw it made good Rev. 7.9 I beheld a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kindred people and tongues which stood before the Throne and the Lamb. 2. It 's the representation of Christs Body Mystical and that in several things 1. All things in this Temple were measured as in the 40. also the 41 42 43 and 47. Chapters appears So in the Church the Mystical Body of Christ Ephes 2.21 Paul tells the Ephesians that the Saints are a
Burdens Tributes and Taxes are laid upon people by oppressing Princes and Rulers when I shall break there the Yoaks of Egypt The Rulers of Egypt decreed unrighteous things opprest the men of Tehaphnehes suckt their blood by hard Rates and Taxes burdened them with difficult and dangerous Services and made them groan under their Yoaks as they did so do the Princes and Rulers of most Nations in the world but as they have their times to make and increase such yoaks upon the people so God hath his time to take them off Levit. 26.13 I have broken the bands of your yoak and made you to go upright The Jews were under the Egyptian Yoak a long time but at last he break the bands of the Yoak those Laws Decrees that kept them in Egypt held them to hard labor causing them to stoop and made them free so that they could go upright Bondage makes men to bow but Liberty to go upright Heavy burdens upon people make them sigh presse them down to the Earth and when they are eased they rejoyce and look up It s God breaks the Yoaks off whoever puts them on Isa 10.27 It shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulders and his Yoak from off thy neck and the Yoak shall be destroyed because of the anointing The King of Assyriâ—s Burdens and Yokes lay heavy and hard upon the Jewish State but for Hezekiahs sake or rather Christs who is called the anointing he would break the Yoaks and take off the Burdens Fifthly observe God makes some Nations exemplarie with his judgments Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt thus as becomes me a provoked God thus as an Idolatrous profane guilty Nation deserves thus as themselves and all Nations round about shall know that I am the Lord they shall see that in my Judgements which shall convince them that no hand but mine could do such things take such Strong Holds ruine so many Cities and lay waste such a land as Egypt was Some Lands are Theaters of Gods severe Judgements we have been made Monuments of Gods choice Mercies wonderfull Deliverances Let us fear the Lord and his Goodness least he turn our Mercies into Judgments Vers 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. And it came to pass in the Eleventh year in the First Month in the Seventh day of the Month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt and loe it shall not be bound up to be healed to put a Roler to binde it to make it strong to hold the Sword Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt and will break his Arms the strong and that which was broken and I will cause the Sword to fall out of his hand And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and will disperse them through the Countrys And I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and put my Sword in his hand but I will break Pharaohs Arms and he shall groan before him with the groaning of a deadly wounded man But I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and the Arms of Pharaoh shall fall down and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall put my sword into the hand of the King of Babylon and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and disperse them among the countries and they shall know that I am the Lord. THese seven Verses are the second general part of the Chapter and Treat of two great Kings Pharaoh King of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Concerning Pharaoh two things are threatned against him First Diminution of his power vers 21 22 24. Secondly Dispersion of his people vers 23.26 Concerning Nebuchadnezzar he is the instrument God will use and promiseth to strengthen in doing his work vers 24 25. and both these are illustrated from the Chronologie of this Prophesie Vers 20. In the Eleventh year in the First month the seventh day of the month That was in the Eleventh year of Jehoiakins Captivity the First month and the seventh day Ezekiel had this Prophesie given in it was three months and two days before the takeing of Jerusalem Jer. 52.5 6. for it was taken the Eleventh year the Fourth Month and the ninth day This Prophesie though it be set after that in chap. 29.17 yet was sixteen year before it The Penmen of the Scriptures do not exactly observe the order where every thing should come in among the Psalms you have the third Psalm which was made at that time when David fled from Absolom set before the 34 51 56 57 59 60. and others which were made before that as appears by their Titles Vers 21. I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt By Arme the forces and power Pharaoh had are intended Vatablus saith the Preter Tense is here put for the Future Tense I have broken that is I will break but Pharaoh had his arme broken before when the Babylonian forces beat him and his Army by the River Euphrates in Charchemish which was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim Jer 46.2 And at that time he took from him all that he had between Nilus and Euphrates 2 Kings 24.7 which was the breaking of his Arme and such a breaking as it could not be cured But notwithstanding this breaking Pharaoh got up forces again and when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem he came forth out of Egypt whereupon Nebuchadnezzar raised his Siege went to meet Pharaoh and caused him to retreat Jer. 37.5 7. as having a broken arm and not being able to encounter with him And loe it shall not be bound up to be healed c. That wound and loss which Pharaoh received by overthrow of his army he never could cure and recover neither his own people nor his Confederates could set him into his former condition he is here resembled to a broken Arme which cannot be bound up or if bound up not be healed so as to be usefull any more Pharaoh could never recover his strength and greatness again Vers 22. Behold I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt Here is the cause of Pharaohs breakings his not binding up and healing the Lord was against him not only the Babylonians and Cyreneans were his enemies but the Lord himself when he breaks in pieces who shall bind up when he wounds who shall heal when he is an Enemie who can stand before him The Loâ—d makes himself Author of all the Judgements fell upon Pharaoh And will break his Arms the strong and that which was broken Pharaohs Arms were Egypt and those Territories he had from Egypt to Euphrates His Arme was broken already by the Babylonians as you have it before One Arm yet remain'd and that is call'd a strong one viz. Egypt with all her strength This Arm God break by the
multiplied under his protection as birds and beasts do in and under a great Tree In this verse and the former be three words which signifie Boughs and Branches The first is Sargnaphah which signifies a heap or thicket of boughs The second is Saiph or Sagniph which notes a top bough The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parah or porah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adorn because boughs are ornamenta arboris the glory and beautifying of the Tree Vnder his shadow dwelt all great Nations Either they were under his Authority or his Protection many great Nations were commanded by the Assyrian and others put themselves under his protection Vers 7. Thus was he fair in his greatness The Hebrew is vaiijph Pulchrum fuit in magnitudine suae he was a goodly thing in his greatness The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was beautie in his heighth and greatness not only beautifull but beauty greatness and height make things goodly and fair And in the length of his branches Here is another word for Brâ—nches dalijoth which is from dalah to draw because they draw juice from the Roots or because they move upwards and so the word dalah also signifies The Branches of this tree were the Provinces as before which extended far and added to the greatness and glory of the tree For his Root was by great waters These words correspond with those in the Fourth Verse the waters made him great When a tree is fixed in the earth where there is no want of moisture it grows it spreads it becomes great and lovely So this King being planted among great waters in the midst of much wealth and power grew spread and became fair in his greatness Vers 8. The Cedars in the Garden of God could not hide him The highest Cedars that were in any Garden or in Paradise it self did not exceed this Cedar and so obscure the glory of it but this Kingdom for the wealth strength and greatness of it went beyond all others and was for admiration The Firr-trees were not like his boughs Firr-trees are tall and stately yet none of the Firr-trees were comparable to the boughs of this tree The Kingdoms of other Princes were not like to the Provinces of Assyria And the Chesnut-trees were not like his branches The Chesnut-tree is lower then the Firr-tree but more branchie and spreading yet none of the Chesnut-trees did equalize any branch of the Assyrian tree Not any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty The Hebrew is every Tree in the Garden of God was not like to him in his beauty that is no tree therein no tree in Paradise no tree in the whole earth did equalize this Metaphorical Assyrian tree in the bulk arms branches or beautie of it Vers 9. I have made him beautiful in the multitude of his boughs A Tree is much beautified that hath abundance of boughs shooting out from it the more boughs the more beauty This tree wanted not for boughs it had many Provinces and every one added to its beauty So that all the Trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him When other Trees that is Princes who were seated in pleasant rich and fruitful places saw how much the King of Assyria exceeded them in power wealth glory and greatness they envied him First observe It s the Lord who makes Kingdoms and Kings great and differences them from others The Assyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon exceeding all others in beauty branches height and thickness and how came he to be so ver 9. I have made him fair Whatever virtue glory excellencie inward or outward any Trees any Princes have it s all from the Lord. All Solomons greatness and wisdom was from him 1 Kin. 4.29 30 31. Secondly observe That as Trees have need of moisture and waters to make them grow and flourish so States and Princes have need of money to uphold their greatness they must have Revenues come flowing in like Rivers else they will soon wither The waters made him great the deep set him up on high the Rivers run round about his plants he had multitude of waters his Root was by great waters the Assyrian had great means which maintained his glory and greatness so Solomon had great means otherwise he could not have liv'd at that height he did 1 Kin. 4.22 23 26 27 28. Chap. 10.14 21 22 23. Thirdly observe Princes Monarchs States ought to protect those are their Subjects and to communicate good unto them This Cedar in Lebanon was a shadowing shroud all the Fowls of Heaven made their nests in his boughs under his branches did all the Beasts of the Field bring forth their young and under his shadow dwelt all great Nations All sorts had protection from the King of Assyria and not only so but those waters watered him were sent out unto all the Trees of the field he hoarded not up his wealth but it passed up and down for the good of all Isai 49.23 It s said of the Church Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers thy Nourishers that is they shall communicate good things unto thee as a Nurse doth milk unto the Child not only doth she protect the child from harm but see it want nothing that is good for it Fourthly observe Excellencie greatness transcendencie beget Envy This Assyrian Cedar excelled all the Cedars in the Garden of God none of the Firr-trees Chesnut-trees or any other did equalize him he out stripped all the Trees in bulk in height in branches in beauty and what then all the Trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him Envie is against Superiors and Contempt is of Inferiors When Daniel was made chief of the Presidents and Princes then they envied him and sought occasion to ruine him Dan. 6. It s a grief springing up from another mans prosperity Power Honor Strength Riches Greatness are the causes and occasions of it There is always a malignance goes along with it taking pleasure in hurting though it gaine nothing thereby Envy is most prejudicial to the partie it dwels in for its the rottenness of the bones Prov. 14.30 It eats out the marrow and moisture of them and makes them putrifie Hence say the Hebrews oculus malus ingredi facit hominem in sepulchrum Buxtorf florilegium Heb. an envious eye brings a man to the grave Vers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord God because thou hast lifted up thy self in height and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs and his heart is lifted up in his height I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the Heathen he shall surely deal with him I have driven him out for his wickedness And strangers the terrible of the Nations have cut him off and have left him upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen and his boughs are broken by all the Rivers