is the true Temple in which we must worship and the holy Altar upon which we must offer and they onely are owned and accepted that make use of him they are onely to be measured and taken notice of Now for all others of what profession or quality soever be their externall formes of worship and service never so glorious or amiable in the sight of men yet it is rejected cast forth and disowned if they worship not in the true Temple if they offer not upon the everlasting Altar that God hath appointed for all his Hence it is the Lord saith take measure of those that worship in the Temple these are they that I owne I take notice of none but these I will accept of no more These are they that serve me in truth and worship me in spirit and I will owne them and acknowledge them for my owne Sixtly and lastly for as much as 6 Observ Temple Altar and worshippers must be measured Observe That the Lord hath alwayes had a people that have been measuring of divine things John here did personate all Saints who in all ages and periods of time under the sury and rage of Antichrist have been ready to give in a testimony for Christ and his truth and have alwayes born witnesse against the man of sin the Son of perdition and against all his superstitious formes of worship alwayes casting off and rejecting his service and inventions Every one according to his measure hath been ready to stand up and give in their Testimonies for the truth of Christ against the falshood of AntiChrist So much for the first verse VERS 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy Citie shall they tread underfoot fortie and two moneths IN the former verse we had John◠call to measure the Temple of God the Altar and the worshippers therein Now here he doth receive a prohibition or a negative command not to measure the outward Court which was without the Temple because it was given as a portion to the Gentiles In this verse we are to take notice First what that is which must not be measured The Court which is without the Temple Secondly the prohibition it selfe Leave it out measure it not Thirdly The reason of this prohibition for it is given to the Gentiles Fourthly The use that the Gentiles make of the outward Court and the holy City They tread them underfoot Fiftly How long Fortie and two moneths First That which must not be measured is the outward Court so called as being distinct from the inward Court which was appropriate to the Priests in which was the Altar where they offered sacrifice which was also adjoyning to the Temple This outward Court is here spoken by an allusion to that mentioned in Ezek. 40. 17. which was far larger and bigger then the inner Court Therefore called The great Court 2 Chron. 4. 9. being wide and large enough to containe multitudes of people This was not hallowed as the inner Court and Temple was but was common for all people By the outward Court is meant all Antichrists worships and worshippers even the whole surface or superficiall part of things as all outward professions all externall formes of worship power order government wisdome art or whatsoever is without the Temple of God all that the Gentiles or carnall professors may take up and be exercised in these be all the outward Court The outward face of the visible Church was given to Antichrist to Gentiles to worldly Christians to use and enjoy while the true servants of the Lord are serving him in the wildernesse as in the inner Court of the Temple They were that inward and secret Temple with whom the Lord was present Secondly The prohibition it selfe Leave it out measure it not The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to cast forth as we use to cast things of no value out of doors As if he had said cast it forth as common and of no use account it not of the Temple nor of any part thereof but rather esteeme it as a portion for the Gentiles which they may enjoy and be exercised in therefore measure it not Now by measuring of the Temple Altar and worshippers he was to take a true dimention of the servants of God who worshipped him in Christ and served him in spirit who were the true invisible and secret Temple of God serving the Lord in the wildernesse Then by not measuring the outward Court is meant thus much That he should not measure or judge the true servants of the Lord by externall things for the outward face of the visible Church was to be given to the Gentiles and that Antichrist was to sit in the Temple of God and should exercise in all externall formes of worship order government he should exercise in all outward ordinances and in the highest acts of Religion as prayer preaching and expounding of the Scriptures and the like and therefore though these Gentiles or Antichristian professors should thus exercise themselves in formes of worship in Church-government in highest externall acts of Religion were called Christians possessing and injoying the outward face of the visible Church yet they were not to be accounted as the Temple of God to be of his structure or building as measured by the true reed or weighed by the ballance of the Sanctuary they were not to be accounted as Gods approved Church or to be the true Temple of the Lord. Thirdly The reason of this prohibition For it is given unto the Gentiles All worldly Christians and Antichristian professors are here called Gentiles by an allusion to those that were enemies unto the Jewes they were called Heathens and Gentiles as appeares in Psal 2. 1. And the Psalmist complaines in Psal 79. 1. saying O God the heathen or the Gentiles are come into thine inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled they have layd Jerusalem on heaps c. This was the complaint of the Church of the Jewes unto the Lord against the most barbarous tyranny of the Babylonians when they raz'd Jerusalem polluted the Temple and murdered the people So here the sons of spirituall Babylon who most barbarously and cruelly torment the Saints and tread the holy City under foot these also are called Gentiles and heathen Now saith he the outward Court is not to be measured because it is given to the Gentiles it is a Gentiles portion a worldly Christian a carnall professor may take up use and be exercised in any of these externall things he may take up the highest forme of worship he may make the greatest profession of Godlinesse he may be exercised in the most eminent acts of Religion therefore measure not my true servants and Temple by these they are but the outward Court and the portion of Gentiles Fourthly What use doth the Gentiles make of these things They tread them under foot And the holy City
and spirituall presence by the coming downe of the new Jerusalem out of heaven which is nothing else but the light of the Gospel the glory of God the Spirit of Christ shining forth and dwelling in the hearts of Saints making them his Temple and Tabernacle Indeed Christ was the true Temple of God who was prefigured by the former Temple of the Jewes but the Saints being gathered up into Christ united to him in spirit joyned to him as members making up the fulnesse of his body they also together with Christ become the Temple of the living God Secondly the Altar doth represent unto us the true service and worship of the Lord. The Altar was that whereon the Priest was to offer sacrifice in the Temple or in the inner Court that joyned to the Temple which was the Priests Court and accounted part of the Temple it selfe both the Temple inner Court were holy appropriated unto the Priests onely but for the outward Court it was common for all people to come into it Now I say the Altar that was in the Court of the Temple doth signifie the true and reall service of the Lord the worship that beleevers tender unto him viz. all the prayers thankesgivings and praises they offer up all their parts gifts and graces that they imploy all their pains costs and endeavours all these I say are the sacrifices that the Saints do continually offer up to God by Jesus Christ the true Altar upon which they offer So that we have not onely Gods presence with his people making of them his Temple but here is also an Altar or the divine and spirituall worship of all beleevers in the Temple who are made an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ I Pet. 2. 5. Thirdly They that worship therein We are not onely to take notice of the worship but also of the worshippers not onely of the Temple but of those that serve in the Temple not onely of the Altar but also of those that offer thereon The true worshippers are those that worship God in spirit that draw nigh to him in faith and assurance that know whom they worship and worship him whom they know these know him that is true and they truly serve him Here is a distinction made between the false worshippers and the true between those that onely worship in the outward Court mentioned in the next verse that onely worship in the externall forme or superficiall part of things and those that are the true spirituall Priests of the Lord who enter into the inner Court and into the Temple of God and worship there These are they that the Lord doth take notice and accept of that he will owne for his true worshippers and servants namely those that worship in his Temple and offer upon his Altar The words being thus opened we come to take notice of some Observations that doe necessarily arise from them The first observation is this That I Observe the Lord doth suitably prepare his people to receive such things as himselfe doth impart unto them This is taken from Johns qualification when the Angel bids him arise to raise up his minde and affections from low meane and carnall apprehensions and objects and to fix them on those things that were divine and heavenly even to the understanding and knowledge of these heavenly mysteries that the Lord revealed unto him by the mouth of a mighty and strong Angel Suitable unto this is that in Revel 4. 1 2. When the Angel sounded his Trumpet the voice sayd Come up hither and I will shew thee things to come Now what did this voyce signifie by saying ascend or come up c. it is not meant of his bodily motion or change of his stâ—tion but a translation or change of his minde For saith John Immediatly I was in the Spirit That is he was in a heavenly rapture or heavenly extasie he was spiritually carried up into heaven The like expression we have in 2 Cor. 12. 2. where the Apostle sayth he was caught up into the third heaven Meaning thereby that he was in an exceeding high and heavenly rapture or spirituall transfiguration of minde and spirit that so he might heare those unutterable revelations of divine mysterie from the Lord. Thus Moses is taken up into the Mount with God when he receives the Law at his mouth Exod. 24. 12. So were the Apostles taken up with Christ upon the holy Mount to behold his glorious transfiguration as the Apostle relateth 2 Pet. 1. 18. Now by the Mount is resembled that high and heavenly pitch of a minde enlightned of affections raised of a heart spirituallized whereby the Lord doth suitably prepare his people to receive such things as hee doth discover unto them Now as the Lord doth suitably prepare his Saints to entertaine heavenly things by enlarging their capacities strengthening their knowledge and raising their affections so he doth also make them to be of the same nature and quality as his discovery is that he makes knowne unto them The creature is whatsoever the voice of the creator is unto him If the Lord speak to any onely by naturall things as by corne wine and oyle and the like Such unto whom the Lord comes in these and no more they are meerly carnall and naturall they heare God speaking in these and they cannot ascend higher And so if the Lord speak in the heavenly visions of divine glory through his Son unto any then these unto whom he thus speakes become gracious and heavenly suitable unto the voice that speakes unto them It is said in Heb. 1. 2. God hath spoken in these last dayes by his Son and how is it then the Apostle tells us in Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts So that when God speaks to us by his Sonne it makes us to be sonnes also and when we are sonnes then the Lord speaks to us by the spirit of his Sonne Whatsoever the voice of Christ is unto us such are our hearts such are our mindes and affections the whole frame and nature of our spirits is such as his discovery is unto us Therefore it is most unpossible the Lord should reveale heavenly mysteries and shew forth his visions of divine glory unto any but he must also raise up the minds affections of such unto some proportionable and suitablenesse of spirit to receive such revelations from his mouth Secondly Observe That the spirit 2 Observ of the Lord is the onely rule and standard of divine and heavenly things This is taken from Johns qualification enabling him to measure the Temple And there was given me a reed like unto a rod Which reed or rod doth represent unto us the Spirit of the Lord the true rule and measure of divine truth The word and spirit are all one for saith Christ in Joh. 6. 63. My words are spirit and life
of the Spirit that the Apostle doth intimate saying The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirits c. Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit doth seale adoption upon our hearts by witnessing to our spirits or with our spirits our spirits being renewed and witnessing to the truth of God his spirit doth concur and agree with our spirits in the same testimony Now the Father Word and Spirit that beare this heavenly record are not said to agree in one but they are one they are one in essence and nature but distinct in operation and discovery The father is the originall and fountaine of blessednesse and therefore called the father of lights Jam. 1. 17. As being the root of all wisdome and knowledge and every other good thing The Son is the very forme and appearance of divine excellency and therefore called the image of the invisible God Col. 1. 15. for in him we behold the glory of God as in a glasse or image which in it selfe is invisible and undiscernable The Spirit is that which doth make an irradiation or discovery of the Father and Son The spirit of truth saith Christ shall testifie of me Joh. 15. 26. Now these three are one in essence and being they goe forth together in one they give a single and pure testimony immediatly and without any medium coming between To this purpose observe a passage spoken by Christ when he saith If any man love me he will keepe my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Joh. 14. 23. But how is it that both the Father and the Son will come to abide and lodge in the cottage of the beleevers heart that is onely by the sending forth the spirit that Christ had promised as a Comsorter which was to be the Chariot of the Son and of the Father in one Here is the Trinity in unity viz. the Father and Son both coming forth in the Spirit and dwelling in the hearts of his people Now this testimony of the Father and the Son and Spirit in One is that divine and heavenly record that gives a sure evidence or evident assurance unto the heart of the riches and glory of God the love and goodnesse of Christ the light and truth of the Spirit whereby the soule of a beleever is made to sit downe in heavenly places with Christ and rejoyce in a pleorophery or full assurance of faith to triumph in the evidence of divine love to be satisfied in the true image of righteousnesse and heavenly life engraven in the heart Now accordingly as the Saints receive in this testimony so they demonstrate the same before the world as being alwayes ready to give forth what ever they receive from the Lord. Such as have received this heavenly witnesse are able to give out a far more glorious testimony of the truth and glory of God then those that have received the former earthly testimony even as the Disciples were more enlarged by the testimony of the Spirit then they wereby their being present with Christ in the flesh Thus we perceive the ground why the Saints are called two Candlesticks First because they consisted of Jewes and Gentiles Secondly because they receive and consequently give forth a twofold testimony the first earthly the second heavenly Now lastly we are to enquire how Christ intimated here by the two olive trees should be joyned with the two Candlesticks and brought in as a witnesse in sackcloth in the severall ages and times of the raigne of Antichrist and seeing that all this hath been done since Christ left the earth Unto which I answer First Christ and his Saints make but one compleat body are joyned as head and members being knit together by one Spirit This the Apostle doth affirme in 1 Cor. 12. 12. For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ for by one spirit we are baptized into one body As it is in the naturall body so it is in the spirituall which consisteth of diverse members and they of different offices and operations yet they make but one body The Church is called the fulnesse of his body that filleth all in all Ephes 1. 23. as Christ is the fulnesse of all spirituall supply unto his Saints so his Saints are the fulness of his body both would be defective and as it were maiâ—â—d if they were seperated or disunited one from the other Now in as much as Christ and his Sâ—iâ—ts make but one and both make up but one body Hence it is that the testimony of the Saints is attributed to Christ he being joyned with them in prophesie even in the dayes of Antichrists â—â—igne Secondly though Christ be absâ—nt in body yet is present in spirit and by his spirit doth abide with his people continually and â—â—â—ble them to prophesie Christ himselfe gave forth nâ— other testimony then that he received from the Father for 〈…〉 â— of my selfe doe 〈…〉 as I 〈…〉 John 5. 30. Even so the Sâ—iâ—ts 〈◊〉 cannot beare witnesse unto the truth bat as they are enabled thereunto by the spirit of truth That which we have seen and heard saith the Apostle declare we unto you c. And this is 〈…〉 which we have heard of him 1 Joh. 1. 3. 5. So that the Saints receive their message and testimony from the spirit of Christ and accordingly they prophesse And in this respect Christ may also be sayd to prophesie in these latter times Thirdly the testimony of Christ and his Saints is one and the same The Saints of old gave forth their testimony in their appointed times and seasons they did beare witnesse to the truth of God against the same spirit of wickednesse that was acted in their dayes even as the witnesses in sackcloth have done under the powerfull raigne of the beast Thus did Mordicay and the Jewes testifie against the pride cruelty of Hammon Thus did Christ himselfe when he was present upon earth testifie against the hypocrisie and wickednesse of the Scribes and Pharisees And thus hath the Saints in all the dayes and ages of the man of sin given forth a faithful testimony for the truth of Christ opposing the falshood and deceit of all the wayes of the man of sin Thus we see that the very testimony of the Saints is the testimony of Christ it 's Christs cause and quarrell they are engaged in well therefore may Christ be brought in and joyned with the witnesses here Fourthly and lastly Christ doth not performe this here spoken of him in his person but in his members 't is not Christ immediatly and by himselfe but mediatly and by his Saints It 's Christ mystically that is alwayes opposing of Antichrist Suitable unto this is that passage in 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. speaking of Christ saith That he went by the spirit and preached unto those spirits now in prison having been disobedient unto the
it denotes unto us the great authority and power that Christ came forth in He doth not appeare low and meanly clothed in flesh or humane forme but doth as it were ride upon the wings of an Angel by the shining glory of an angelicall administration doth he declare this glorious mystery Thirdly into whose hands these truths are committed that is into Johns who was the beloved Disciple of Christ that leaned on his bosome as having much neernesse and intimacy with him This John was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine but not so much from dignity of office as from the superexcellency of his graces and annointings The Ancients did compare him to an Eagle because he soared aloft in the knowledge and understanding the secrets of divine truth This Apostle is honored above others in writing this propheticall booke of the Revelation Fourthly take notice of the forme of this booke it is cast into the forme of an Epistle containing things present past and to come Chap. 1. 19. The things that John had seen were the glorious appearance of Christ in the middest of the seven golden Candlesticks Chap. 1. 12 13. The things that were in being were those several messages both of praise and reprehension that he was to give forth to the seven Churches as appears in Chap. 2. and 3. The things to come were the prophecies that begin at Chapt. 4. and hold on to the end of the booke Fiftly we have presented to us the subject matter of this booke and that 's called a Revelation and that because it is not so much a doctrinall or historicall narration as it is a symbolicall and propheticall prediction containing such glorious mysteries and divine Revelations that did far surpasse the wisdome art or reason of any humane creature none but Christ himselfe and that by the mouth of a mighty Angel could bring to light or declare such unutterable visions of divine glory Sixtly and lastly observe unto whom this booke was directed and that was to the seven Churches in Asia Chapt. 1. 4. Seven is a perfect number seven days containe mans labour and rest seven times seven is the great Jubile of the Lord and rest of all things So that these Churches being set forth by the number of seven they are a compleat representation of all Churches and all Saints The perfect number of Churches and all beleevers are most lively deliniated and set forth by seven Churches Therefore whatsoever is here directed unto or spoken of the seven golden Candlestickes is both directed and spoken to all Churches and Saints in the world Thus much to be noted of the booke in generall Now to begin with the Chapter I shall not stand upon any curious artificiall Analysis of the whole Chapter that which is principally contained therein is the mystery of the two Witnesses holding forth a description of their persons and prophecie their time and acts their death and resurrection in the opening whereof we shall give much light to the whole booke and much discover the secret mystery wrapt up contained therein The two first verses of the Chapter doe prepare us for what doth follow and here I shall begin with the first And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying Arise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein IN this verse take notice of three things First Johns call to measure the Temple And the Angel stood saying arise and measure c. Secondly His qualification for that worke And there was given me saith he a reed like unto a rod. This was the instrument that John was to measure by Thirdly We have the things that were to be measured they are namely three First the Temple Secondly the Altar Thirdly the worshippers therein I shall first open the words and then give you some observations from them And the Angel stood saying arise In Johns call observe three things First the Messenger an Angel this denotes the eminent power and great authority that this Message was brought in unto John as wee hinted before Secondly the posture of this Angel he stood which doth shew his willingnesse and dexterity his preparednesse and readinesse to deliver his Message that is evidently implyed by his posture of standing Thirdly we have this Angels direction saying arise thereby to prepare John to receive his message Now this command or direction of the Angel saying arise doth not imply that John was sitting and thereby to meane a change of his posture or mutation of his bodily station but rather that he should stir up his minde and affections and raise up his thoughts and apprehensions to attend unto that glorious vision or revelation that the Angel was about to impart unto him As if the Angel had said arise lift up thy selfe far above thy carnall minde and earthly affections raise up thy thoughts and apprehension far higher then poore low earthly and carnall things to contemplate on things of a more spirituall and glorious of a more divine and heavenly nature So that t is not meant here a change of bodily motions but a translation of minde Secondly Consider Johns qualification for the worke in hand And there was given me a reed saith he like unto a red It was the use of many Nations to measure things with reeds or canes because they were hollow and light and so fit for that use This reed was like unto a rod which was also used in measuring Hence it was that the children of Israel were called the rod of Gods inheritance Psal 74. 2. So that by this reed like unto a rod we have a resemblance unto the instruments that the Nations did use or of their manner of measuring by which is signified the Spirit of the Lord the onely rule and standard of divine things that can give a true description and dimention of the Temple of God Thirdly We have the things to be measured and they are first The Temple secondly the Altar Thirdly the worshippers therein First The Temple of God doth represent unto us the divine presence of the Lord with his people which makes them his Temple and Tabernacle according to that in 2 Cor. 6. 16. For yee are the Temple of the living God saith the Apostle for God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them c. There is a cohabitation and a coambulation between God and his people they dwell together they walke together The Lord by his divine presence and in-dwelling of his spirit in their hearts doth make them his glorious Temple Suitable unto this is that in Revel 21. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them c. Which phrase is an allusion to the Tabernacle of old mentioned in Psal 15. 1. The Tabernacle was a solemne pledge signe of Gods presence with his people wherein was also the Arke of God kept which doth intimate unto us the Lords divine