Part 6
First, Why is it called a world ? My brethren, you must know this : that
as God made this world for Adam, and put all things under him, though not under his feet, so God appointed a world for the second Adam Jesus Christ, and Adam s world was but a type of this world, Bom. v. 13, it is said Adam was the type of him that was to come ; answerably this old Adam s world, which now good angels, and bad angels, and sinful men rule, it is but the shadow of that world which is to come, prophesied of in the 8th Psalm, and mentioned in Heb. ii.
Yea, let me add this, that God doth take the same world, what was Adam s, and makes it new and glorious. This same creation groans for this new world, this new clothing. As we groan to be clothed upon, so doth this whole crea
tion; even as God takes the same substance of man s nature and engrafts grace upon it, so he takes the same world and makes it a new world, a world
to come. For the second Adam, for the substance, the same world shall be
restored which was lost in Adam ; this God will do before he hath done with
it, and this restitution of it is the world to come.
Now, then, why is it called a world to come ? It is called so. Though the foundation of it be now laid, and was laid then, when our Lord and Saviour was upon earth, the foundation of it is laid in the new creature. As the first
creation began the old world, so this new creature begins the new world ; and as the old world was six days in making, so this new world is not per fected at once : the new creature that is in your hearts, it is but the begin ning of it. . Mark in Heb. ii. how this new world is begun, and but begun, and when
: ver. 2, If the word spoken by angels was stedfast, how shall we
it began
escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at first began to be spoken of
by our Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him, God also
* For unto angels hath he not put into subjec tion the world to come, whereof we speak. It is plain, he speaks before of the preaching of the gospel, which was begun to be preached by Christ ; and
bearing them witness ? &c. ;
though the angels delivered the law, yet this gospel, which is the kingdom of
heaven, and the beginning of the world to come, whereof we now speak, this
gospel was not delivered by angels, this world to come was not subjected to them, they preached it not, neither shall they have to do in that world which the gospel begins ; so that you see this world to come began when Christ
: Re
began to preach, and therefore observe the language of the gospel
pent, saith John the Baptist, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ; the world to come is coming upon you ; so our Saviour, Mark i. 14, and Mat.
xvi. 28, There be some standing here that shall not die, saith Christ, and
yet all were dead that stood there long ago
: they shall not die, saith he,
4 till they see the Son of man come in his kingdom. The foundation of this world was laid by Christ in bringing in the gospel, and it was he that was prophesied of in Dan. ii. 44 :
* In the days of these
kings (whiles principalities and powers were standing, he that meant to reign in the world came stealing in upon it) In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, &c. This
EPH. I. 21, 22.] THE KINGDOM OF CHEIST ASSERTED. 95
new world began in the flourishing and height of the Roman monarchy. What did Christ when he came into the world, and afterwards went up to heaven ? He began this world. Before that time, the devil was worshipped as the god of this world, in all parts of it ; Christ he flings him down : Luke
x. 17, 18, I saw Satan fall down like lightning. Christ destroyed the devil
in all those heathen oracles whereby people were deceived ; when heathenism did not prevail, then did Jewism shew itself, and Christ he throws that down too by the preaching of the gospel. The apostle calls this a shaking of the earth. There was a great deal of the old world gone presently, and fell down before this new world. Jesus Christ he converted by the apostles millions of souls over all the world. In 2 Cor. v. 17, conversion is there expressed by the passing away of old things ; this is the first day s work, for the world
is yet to come ; this is but a delivering us out of this present evil world, and not a subjecting of it to Christ, as in Gal. i. 4. When Christ threw down heathenism and Jewism, it was but the first day s work, like a new nail that, being strucken in, puts out the old one by degrees. This kingdom of Christ s
shall break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms, Dan. ii. 44, this will eat out all the monarchies and glory of the world.
Now, after this first day s work of throwing down heathenism and Jewism, then came a night of popery, which was set up in the room thereof. What
will Christ do before he hath done ? He will have a second day s work, and
will not cease till he hath thrown down every rag, all that dross and defile ment that antichrist and popery brought into the world. We now are under the second day s work, we are working up still to a purer world ; it is still this new world, working up to its perfection ; and Jesus Christ will never rest till he hath not only thrown out all the dross of this world, both of doc
trine and worship, which conformity to the world hath brought in.
But for a second degree of this work. Jesus Christ will not rest till he hath
brought in the generality of men in the world to be subject to himself. The world (according to Scripture account) consists of Jews and Gentiles ; and how bitterly doth the apostle complain in his time of God s cutting off the Jews ; the generality of the nation was cast on" : and for the Gentiles, saith
he, Who hath believed our report? There was very few of them in com
parison that did come in to Christ ; but there will come a time when this new world shall have a further perfection, when the generality of mankind, Jew and Gentile, shall come in to Christ. The world was made for Christ, and he will have it before he have done : Bom. xi. 26, * All Israel shall be saved. There he tells us of a new world of the Jews; and for the Gentiles, he tells you they shall be cast in, the veil shall be taken from off all nations, Isa. xxv. 7. And that which is so much alleged for unity shall one day be
fulfilled, but it will be when Christ is Lord of all the earth, and not till then. Christians will not agree till then. Here will be a brave world indeed, that will be another degree of that world to come, one shepherd and one sheepfold of Jews and Gentiles, and that as large as all the world, John x. 16. This was never yet fulfilled, Jews and Gentiles were never yet one sheepfold together, but they shall be so one day. Bead the prophets, and you shall read there of strange things, of glorious times that shall be here upon earth, of all nations coming into the church, the mountains of the Lord s house
being set on the top of the mountains, and all nations flowing unto it, and of
great prosperity they shall have, which was never yet fulfilled ; and there are many fall in and acknowledge this much, that there shall be a glorious church on earth, when the Jews shall be called. But there is a third thing which is much controverted, which here folioweth.
The third degree of this new world is this, that when this glorious time
96 THE WORLD TO COME J OR, [EPH. I. 21, 22.
comes, that Jesus Christ, as we have said, will call home both Jews and Gen
tiles, and have a new world, in respect of the multitudes that shall come unto him. Christ will also make this new world more complete, he will
bring part of heaven down, too, to add to the glory of this state. I shall
briefly give you some grounds for what I say, such as for this twenty years I have not known well how to answer.
I do not say that Christ himself shall come down from heaven to reign here on earth ; but let it be understood that Christ shall still remain in hea
ven, and there to be his court, where he shall reign both over this world and
the world to come. Yet this I conceive, that part of heaven shall come down and rule this new world, to make the glory of it more complete, and that it may clearly put down old Adam s world. My reasons and grounds which
satisfies me in this are these.
If this be not so, I do not know how to understand that place which shall
be the foundation of the rest. In Rev. xx., the whole chapter, but specially the five first verses, you shall find, and such as know that book they do
acknowledge as much, that in the chapter going before both pope and Turk
* The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet, that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them
is destroyed. In chap. xix. ver. 20, it is said there,
that worshipped his image ; these both were cast alive into the lake of fire,
burning with brimstone. Here we see the beast and the false prophet is
gone. Where is the devil ? He is left still. Therefore in the beginning of the 20th chapter he tells us what becomes of the devil : I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain
in his hand; and he laid hold of the devil and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were
ended. The devil, though he now travel the earth up and down, and is ruler
over the world, yet here he is kept up that he may not deceive the nations. This was never yet fulfilled, it could not be fulfilled during the times of anti
christ ; for the devil never deceived the creatures more than he did in that time ; and we see how it follows in order, after the beast is taken and de
stroyed, then is Satan bound up. But we know the beast is not yet destroyed, therefore this thing is not yet come ; and it cannot be after the day of judg ment his binding up, for he is after his binding to be loosened a little season; and you shall find that after Satan is let loose a little while, then the day of
judgment follows, when all the dead shall rise to be judged, as in the llth,
12th, and 13th verses. Now, take notice, that when the devil is gone and thus shut up for a thousand years, what there is done in these thousand years, of that we read
* And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. Who are they that have this
in the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th verses:
judgment given unto them ? What is meant by judgment, but reigning and
authority, that such shall have ? And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and the word of G-od (which were the
martyrs in the primitive times, under the Roman emperors persecution) and
(saith he) which had not worshipped the beast, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands, which were such as had stood it
out in the times of antichrist, and had not defiled themselves. They lived, saith he, and reigned with Christ a thousand years, but the rest of the dead
lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first re
surrection. Now it is said by some that the first resurrection is a spiritual resurrection of men s souls from the death of sin ; such interpretations are
EPH. I. 21, 22.] THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST ASSERTED. 97
commonly put upon it. Now I desire you would consider with yourselves a
little, and weigh the place.
First of all, it is the body of men that are said to be dead ; that is plain, for they are said to be beheaded or slain with the sword, for the witness of
Jesus. It cannot be said so of the soul, that it is beheaded or slain with
the sword. And as the death is, such must be the resurrection ; but their death was a natural death, and their resurrection must be answerable. And, saith he, they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. This is not meant the glory of heaven, that they reigned with Christ only there, for
so they shall reign for ever with him, and so they had reigned from the first time that they were slain, they were with Christ in glory ; but this reigning
is upon their rising from the dead, for, saith he, the rest of the dead lived not again ; therefore this rising of theirs is a living again. This, saith he,
* is the first resurrection. Now, my brethren, consider further, where do
these reign ? It seems it is on earth by this argument, because why else is
the devil bound up ? He need not be bound up for their reigning in heaven ; but we see here, as a preparation to their reigning, the devil is bound. This
is a place I could urge multitude of things out of, but I must not enlarge ; I know not likewise how to answer another place, Rev. v. 10, where we have
* Thou hast made us kings and priests, and we shall reign on earth. They do not say we do reign, but we shall reign on earth, and then join with that what is said in 2 Peter iii. 13 :
the saints in John s time saying,
* We ac
cording to his promise look for new heavens, and a new earth, &c. We
apostles, we saints that live now, we look for it. How prove you that ? Be cause the use he makes of it shews as much, as in ver. 14, Wherefore, be
loved, seeing you look for such things, be diligent, that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. It could be no argument to them in those times to be holy and blameless, if they that lived in those times might not personally look for it. And what was it which, according to
his promise, the saints then looked for ? It is for a new heaven and a new
earth. If we take heaven properly, there is new heavens to be made, but the old heavens shall continue which was made from the foundation of the world, and where we shall ever be with Christ after the day of judgment. And how is there a new earth ? It shall be an earth wherein righteousness dwells ; because, as I said, it will be a new world, subject to Jesus Christ, when the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven. If you ask me what the
saints that rise from the dead shall do here in this new world, for that I shall
give you such considerations as shall take off the absurdity that seems to be
in the thing.
First, To tell you what they shall not do. They shall not eat and drink, nor marry, and give in marriage. So Christ tells us in Mat. xxii. 30, The children of the resurrection do none of these things. And therefore to
imagine a Turkish heaven here below, is the absurdity that hath been put upon it, and which indeed made the fathers, many of them, after the first three hundred years after Christ, to fly out so much against this subject ; for there was an opinion then that Christ should reign at Jerusalem, and that
they should abound in all several pleasures and delights, &c., and this the fathers were against.
I have told you what they do not, I will tell you what they do. He tells
ns, as I said before, that they shall be kings and priests, as in Rev. xx. 6 : Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. Why ? On
* the second death hath no power ; they are out of all dan
such, saith he,
ger of it, being in a celestial state. But, saith he, they shall be priests VOL. XII. G
98 THE WOELD TO COME ; OR, [EPH. I. 21, 22.
of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Here is both their reigning and their priesthood set out ; I would open it a little.
First, they shall be kings. You heard before out of Heb. ii. 5, that he hath not put this world to come in subjection to angels. The angels now
they are the thrones, and principalities, and great ones that rules this present world, but the saints shall be kings then. And for them to take the angels
places, to be as the angels now are, after their resurrection, there is no ab
surdity in it. Christ saith, after the resurrection, the saints they shall be as
the angels of God, and they shall be priests likewise. I shall take off what
absurdity there may seem to be in that by this. Our Saviour, when he took
up his body out of the grave, he continued forty days upon the earth. What
did Christ do all that while ? It is plain he performed the part of a priest and prophet ; he did instruct them in the worship of God, and speaking to them of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. So you read expressly in Acts i., the apostles had a brave teacher, Christ risen from the dead ; so he
began that new world, and he remained forty days here of purpose to do it. Now consider, is it any absurdity for the saints to be conformed to Christ
their Lord and Head, to run through the same states that he did ? He lived
in this world, was poor and miserable, so are you ; when he died, he com mended his spirit into the hands of his Father, and whither his soul went our souls go. So likewise when he took his body again out of the grave, he remained forty days upon earth instructing his disciples in the things concerning the kingdom of God. If the saints do so when they take up their
bodies again, in all this here is but a conformity to Christ : he ascended then
up to heaven, and so shall his, and be for ever with the Lord.
But the great objection is, that the souls of men that are now in heaven, and see the face of God, for them to come down and reign on earth, and do such service here below, it would be a disadvantage to them, or changing a
better estate for a worse, which seems to be a great absurdity.
For answer, consider, to take off the absurdity, that even this state I speak of will be a better state than what their souls are now possessed of, for other wise our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, when his body and soul was united
again at his resurrection, was not in a better state than his soul was in after
death, when it was separated from his body. Certainly his state after his
resurrection, whilst upon earth, was better than his state before his resurrec
tion. But you will say, They are now in heaven, where they behold the face
of God as the angels do, which they may lose by coming here upon earth. That doth not follow, for the angels came down here below, and yet Christ
saith, they always behold the face of their Father ; so may these saints on
earth behold the face of God. Stephen, though a mortal man, yet the hea vens were opened to him : he saw the glory of God, and Jesus sitting at the
right hand of his Father. My brethren, God hath eternity of time to reveal himself to his people in ; and he doth advance his favourites by degrees.
First, he glorifies their souls apart ; after, when soul and body is united, it
is in a better condition, simply considered, than the soul had before. How many ways God hath to manifest himself to his saints, and how many degrees they shall pass through, and how many worlds he will have to do it in, that
is known to himself; however, the more the better. If God shall lead you by degrees through this and that glory, from one to another, it will be to
your advantage ; as in a masque there are several shows, which adds to the
excellency of it. God hath eternity of time to make all these shows and re
presentations of himself to his children. And let me add this, that the will
that he fulfilled, which is prayed for in that we call the Lord s prayer, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is a time when the will of
EPH. I. 21, 22.] THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST ASSERTED. 99
God shall be done on earth as completely as in heaven, which is in that time of the first resurrection. My brethren, I have spoken these things as that which hath a great show of truth in it, and as that which is exceeding probable. I have told you my grounds for it, which I could never answer
myself.
Now, there is a fourth degree of this world to come, and that I am sure
will hold; and that is, that time during the day of judgment, strictly so taken, after the general resurrection both of just and unjust. Then, to honour this new world, not only shall the saints come down, but Jesus Christ himself
will come down and abide a long day here below. Therefore it is not ab
surdity for saints to leave heaven, when Christ himself shall do it ; neither
will it diminish anything from Christ s happiness, for he will come and bring all his glory with him. That we call the day of judgment will be a long day ; judge you yourselves whether it will be so or no. Do you think that
the accounts of all the world can be cast up in the twinkling of an eye ? Doth not Solomon say expressly, that God will bring every work to judg ment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil, in Eccles. xii. ? And doth not the apostle say in 1 Cor. iv. 5, that when the Lord comes he will
bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart ? Will not this require much time ? Surely it will be a
long day, when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will do that great work or service to God, the greatest that ever was, more than all his preaching, which is the examining the accounts of all the world, convincing all mankind of their evil, and sending them speechless to hell. Things shall be so there, that the saints shall be able to judge the world too, according to that in 1 Cor. vi. 2. Now, here this new world will be in its height and perfection, here is Christ and all his saints and angels about him. Yet, not that this world
shall be subject to angels, but they shall gather all the nations together, and
shall execute the sentence that Christ pronounceth against them, and fling them all to hell ; but the angels shall not sit as judges, they shall stand and not sit, whereas the saints are said to sit upon twelve thrones, and they are said likewise in 1 Cor. vi. to judge angels. And now shall this world to come be at its perfection ; that creature that hath groaned under man s lusts
shall then be fully restored to the glorious liberty of the sons of God ; the world will then be new hung. This is Christ s world to come, wherein he
shall have all things subject to him. For at this time shall all things be under Christ s feet, and never till then ; for the last enemy that shall be
destroyed is death ; and when all things shall be subdued to him, then shall the Son also himself be subject, then shall he give up the kingdom to the Father. And what that state is that shall come after Christ hath given up the kingdom to his Father, no man knows ; only the Scripture saith this of
it, that God shall be all in all, and that Christ himself shall then be
subject.
ZERUBBABEL S ENCOURAGEMENT TO
FINISH THE TEMPLE.
TO THE HONOUEABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT.
YOUR command giving me the opportunity, I took the boldness to urge and
encourage you to church reformation, which is the main scope of this sermon ; a subject which otherwise, and in all other auditories, I have been silent in, and am no whit sorry for it ; for I account it the most fit and happy season
to utter things of this nature unto authority itself, although the people like
wise are to know their duty. My comfort is, that what I have spoken herein, I have, for the general, and I have spoken but generals, long believed, and have therefore spoken.
You were pleased so far to own me, as to betrust me with this service, to be God s mouth in public unto you ; and also this sermon of mine, as to com mand the publishing of it. Wherefore, as in propriety it is now become
yours more than mine, or all the world s, so let it be in the use of it. If it
shall add the least strengthening to your resolutions to keep this purpose for
ever in the thoughts of your hearts, I have what I aimed at. Go on, worthy fathers and elders of this people, and prosper in, yea, by this work, without which nothing that you do will prosper. But the rest I shall speak to God
for you. Let me be known to you by no other thing than this, to be one whose greatest desires and constant prayers are and have been, and utmost endeavours in my sphere shall be, for the making up the divisions of the church in these distracted times with love of truth and peace. And therein, to use David s words, am,
Wholly at your commandment,
THO. GOODWIN.
ZERUBBABEL S ENCOURAGEMENT TO
FINISH THE TEMPLE.
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto
Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, great mountain ? before Zerubbabel thou
shalt becom-e a plain : and he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with
shoutings, crying, Grace, Grace unto it. Moreover, the ivordofthe Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this
house ; his hand shall also finish it ; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. ZECH. IV. 6-9.
THESE words are part of the interpretation of a stately vision of a candle
stick, and two olive trees standing thereby and pouring oil into it, made to the prophet Zechariah in the 2d and 3d verses ; and the scope and matter, both of that vision and of this interpretation, is to encourage Zerubbabel
their prince, and with him the priests and elders of the Jews, to finish the
building, and make complete the ornaments of the temple, whereof the foun dation had many years before been laid, but was left imperfect, and was left
disfurnished. And this his scope is plainly, and without a parable, held
forth in the 9th verse, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house ; his hands shall also finish it. And, indeed, to stir him and them up unto this perfecting God s house, unto which work they had been
too backward (as appears by Hag. i. 2-4, The people say, The time is not come that the Lord s house should be built ), was the principal end why God sent unto them no less than two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, as two extraordinary ambassadors from heaven, on purpose to put them on upon
it (for the finishing of the temple is a business of that moment as is worth two prophets at any time). And this appears not only by both their pro
phecies, but also by the story, Ezra v. 1, 2, Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah in the name of the God of Israel. Then rose up Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and began to build
the house of God which is at Jerusalem : and with them were the prophets of God helping them. That same particle or circumstance of time, then, doth refer us to the story of those times, recorded in the book of Ezra, as
that which is necessary for the full understanding of their two prophecies, what is recorded there being the occasion of them ; but more especially for
ZECH. IV. 6-9.] ZERUBBABEL S ENCOURAGEMENT. 105
the nnderstanding of this piece of our prophet Zechariah, his prophecy, which I have read unto you, which wholly concerns the finishing of the
temple.
I must necessarily, therefore, as a preparative introduction to the exposi tion of these words, set you down in, and give you a prospect of, those times, and the occurrences thereof, which were the occasion of these words here, Who art thou, great mountain ? &c. And if Zechariah himself, a prophet, and that lived in those times, knew not at the first the meaning of the vision
* Knowest thou what these be ? And I said, No, my
in this chapter, ver. 5,
lord, much less shall we be able to know the interpretation thereof, and how fitted to this vision ; nor what this mountain here is, &c., without
being prepossessed of the knowledge of this story, which in brief is this : The Babylonian monarchy (Rome s type) had trod down the holy city, and laid waste the temple and worship of God for seventy years ; which
being expired, the Jews had liberty and authority from the first Persian king, Cyrus, to build the temple, and restore God s worship, according to their
law. This is the sum of the first and second chapters of Ezra. In the third
chapter you have an altar set up, sacrifices renewed, feasts kept, and the foundation of the temple laid (which was as true a type of that great refor mation from under popery). But after this work had been begun, and fairly carried on in all the fundamentals of it, there started up a company of Sama
ritans that were adversaries to the Jews (as we read, chap. iv.). Samaritans
they were, as appears by ver. 10, They were the nations seated in the city of Samaria, brought thither, ver. 2, in the room of the ten tribes ; a gene ration of men who were not heathens in their profession, for they professed the same religion with the Jews. So they allege for and arrogate to them
* We seek your God as you do ; and we sacrifice unto him, and have done so long,
selves in the aforesaid verse,
* from the days of Esar-haddon, who
brought us up hither ; and yet they were not true Jews neither, nor per
fectly of the same religion, but of a mongrel and mixed kind, between the
religion of the heathen and of the Jews, intermingling heathenish idolatries with Jewish worship. So 2 Kings xvii., ver. 38 and 41 compared, it is
said, These nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images after the manner of the nations. Yea, they expected the same Messiah that the Jews did :
* I know that the Messiah cometh, who is called Christ, saith the woman of Samaria,
* and he will tell us all things, John iv. 25. Now
these Samaritans were adversaries to the Jews (as they are called, ver. 1), and so unto their temple, and the finishing of it ; and yet at first they were but underhand adversaries, for they friendly offer to build with them :
* Let us build with you, ver. 2, but so as with an intent to have defiled and
spoiled the work. Zerubbabel and those other builders refusing them, they grew thereupon enraged, and openly professed their opposition, both weaken
ing and discouraging the hands of the people ; and also, when they could not altogether hinder it, then they troubled them all they could in building ; thus ver. 4. And they ceased not here ; but further, they incensed and made the court against them (they growing potent there), both by hiring coun
sellors against them, ver. 5, and also by insinuating to those mighty Persian
kings such suggestions as they knew would take with monarchs ; misrepre
senting these Jews unto them as of a rebellious spirit, opposite to kings and
monarchy ; calling Jerusalem that rebellious and bad city ; so ver. 12, hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that had of old time moved sedi
tion, so ver. 15 (for even thus old is this scandal), and that therefore these Jews must be kept under ; for if this city be builded, and the walls set up, and they once but get strength,
* then they will not pay toll, tribute, and
106 ZERUBBABEL S ENCOURAGEMENT TO [ZECH. IV. 6-9.
custom, but withdraw their allegiance, so ver. 13. But, on the contrary, for themselves, they profess that they are their faithful servants, ver. 11, and that which made them speak was only a tenderness of the king s honour. So ver. 14, Now, because we have maintenance from the king s palace (had their dependence wholly upon them),
* and it was not meet for us to
see the king s dishonour, therefore have we certified the king. And by these
their flatteries and misrepresentations, they raised up so great a mountain of
opposition (as it is here called), that they frustrated the Jews good purpose of perfecting the building (as the words are, ver. 5) ; and though they could not prevail so far as to throw down the foundation laid, yet they made them
* by force and power, so ver. 23. And thus
to cease building any further
the work did cease during all the days of Cyrus, and the reign of one or two
kings more, even until the second year of Darius, ver. 5 and 24 ; and then
it was that these prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, did prophesy unto the
Jews, as it follows in the very next words, chap. v. 1, 2 ; then, when they had thus been overtopped by so potent a faction for many years, and with
opposition wearied out, then it was that God stirred up our Zechariah to
put spirits into them to revive the work again, and among other visions gave him this (which is in this fourth chapter) of all the most eminent, to strengthen them thereunto. And so I have brought you to Zechariah again, and unto
the words of my text ; and now you shall see how necessary this story was
to interpret this his prophecy, for which simply I have related it. The words are (as was said) the interpretation of a vision ; and to under
stand either, we must take in both. Let us therefore first view the vision ; and, secondly, this the angel s interpretation of it, which are the two parts into which this whole chapter is resolved.
The vision is made up of two things
First, A glorious candlestick all of gold, with a bowl or cistern upon the
top of it, and with seven shafts, with seven lamps at the ends thereof, all
lighted.
And, secondly, that these lamps might have a perpetual supply of oil, without any accessory way of human help, there are presented (as growing by the candlestick) two fresh and green olive-trees on each side thereof,
* empty out of themselves golden oil, ver. 12 ; that is, did
ver. 3, which do
naturally drop and distil it into that bowl, and the two pipes thereof, to feed
: a vision so clear and full of light to set forth the work then to be done by the Jews, that the angel wonders that at the first
the lamps continually
sight the prophet should not understand it.
First, This candlestick thus lighted betokened the full perfecting and
finishing the temple, and restoring the worship of God within it unto its full
perfection of beauty and brightness (as the psalmist speaks). And so the
angel interprets it, This is the word of the Lord, ver. 6 ; that is, this
hieroglyphic contains this word and mind of God in it, that, maugre all op
* bring forth the head or top-stone that should
position, Zerubbabel should
finish the temple, so vers. 7 and 9.
Secondly, The two olive trees betokened two eminent ranks and sorts of
persons that should give their assistance to this work.
First, Zerubbabel their prince, and the elders of the people with him.
Secondly, Jeshua the high priest, and the other priests with him ; and of both these the rabbi doctors have long ago expounded it.
And accordingly, both in the story, Ezra v. 2, and in these two prophets, we still find mention both of Zerubbabel and Jeshua as the builders of this house ; yet so as collective under Zerubbabel the elders, and under Jeshua
the other priests are to be understood as included and intended; and there-
ZECH. IV. 6-9.] FINISH THE TEMPLE. 107
fore, in the third chapter of this prophecy, ver. 8, when Jeshua is spoken to, the other priests his fellows are spoken to together with him, Hear,
Jeshua, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee. And in like manner, when Zerubbabel is here spoken to in the text to build the temple, the elders his
fellows are intended in him ; and accordingly, Ezra vi. 14, it is said that
the elders of the Jews builded and finished the temple. And so these, taken together, are the two olive trees.
Now concerning the first part of this vision, namely, the candlestick, with
all its lamps lighted, you may ask how this should come to be a fit hiero
glyphic to betoken this work of finishing and perfecting the temple ? I answer thus : the candlestick was one of the chief utensils and ornaments of
the temple, and therefore is still first mentioned, as in Exod. xxv. 31, and in
the 9th to the Hebrews, ver. 2, where all the sacred household stuff of the inner temple are specified. The candlestick, as being chief, is ranked first,
4 Wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread, and there
fore is here most aptly put for the bringing in all the rest into the temple, and of all those other best and aptliest served to represent the finishing thereof; for whilst the temple remained uncovered with a roof, there was no
bringing in the candlestick as lighted ; and till then, there needed no light to be brought into it, it being sub dio, under open air. But when the house
itself should once be reared according to the pattern, without the candlestick and its light, it would have been full of darkness (as some affirm, which I
will not now dispute) ; for however, the bringing in the candlestick argued not only the completeness of the edifice and building itself, but also, by a
synecdoche, the introducing all sorts of ordinances that were appointed for the
adorning of it. An altar would not so evidently or necessarily have supposed the temple perfected ; for, Ezra iii. 3, an altar was set up when yet not so much as the foundation of the temple was laid, ver. 6 ; but a candlestick, and that lighted too, supposes the house built, and completely furnished ; and therefore under the gospel their whole church state, and that, as in the
primitive times, under their full perfection, is set forth by seven golden candlesticks, so Rev. i. 13, which, ver. 20, are interpreted to be the seven churches of Asia. The difference is, that here is but one candlestick, be cause the church of the Jews was national, and but one ; but there are seven, for the churches under the gospel are many. And for that other part of the vision, the representing Zerubbabel and Jeshua by two olive trees, and those planted in God s court, so near the
candlestick, is no new or strange thing. For David being the ruler of the Jews, and a nursing father to the church, compares himself to a green olive tree in the house of God, Ps. Hi. 8, and the pillars of the doors of the
temple, and the cherubims therein, being made of that wood. The allusion
is less remote. And these emptied golden oil, that is, their estates and
pains, for the finishing this costly work ; and likewise because it was done in sincerity of heart, therefore it is called golden or pure oil. And further, seeing it was made the duty of every Jew to bring pure oil olive beaten, to cause the lamps to burn continually, as Lev. xxiv. 2, hence, therefore, to compare the eminent persons, the magistrates and priests of that church, to olive trees themselves, that for the first lighting of the candlestick did natu
rally afford it, was every way most elegant. And they are called sons of
oil, ver. 14, as being fruitful, and affording plenty of it. Thus, Isa. v. 1, a
1 fruitful hill, and a fertile soil, is in the original (as here) called a son of
oil. And thus much for the vision. Now for the interpretation of it in the words of the text. As it explains the mind of the vision, so it adds all encouragements unto them to set upon
108 ZERUBBABEL S ENCOURAGEMENT TO [ZECH. IV. 6-9.
this work. First, by assuring them that that mountain of opposition (which you heard in the story was raised up against it) should be made a plain before them ; namely, that Samaritan faction which was backed by many of
the people of the land, Ezra iv. 4. A mountain is a similitude frequent in Scripture, to note out high and potent opposition lying in the way of God s
: Prepare ye the way of the Lord ; every mountain shall be
proceedings
brought low, Luke iii. 5. And so the poets do express their feigned war of
the giants against the gods by heaping up mountain upon mountain.
And, secondly, whereas their doubting hearts might ask, how this was
possible, it being so great and so rooted a mountain, with such foundations ; where are the spades, the means that should remove it ? The angel an
swers, Not by might (or, as in the original, an army or multitude), nor
by power (of authority), that was in any human foresight, as yet like to countenance it, but by my Spirit ; and he that says it is the Lord of
hosts. By his Spirit, meaning both the Holy Ghost, inclining and strength
ening their hearts, yea, turning those of their opposites thereunto ; and by
Spirit also meaning many concurrent acts of providence, which fall in to the
ejecting of it : for there is said to be a spirit of life in the wheels of pro vidence, which moves them, Ezek. i. 20. Not but that God did use the
power and authority of the Persian monarchy ; for, Ezra vi. 8, Darius re
versed the former decree, and made a new one for the building of the house. But because that God, by his Spirit and own immediate hand, brought about
the power of that state to countenance it. Therefore it is said to be, not by power, but by the Spirit ; and for this he used not an army, as it is in the
margin ; there was no sword drawn, the state stood as it did, but by my
Spirit, says the Lord of hosts; that so it might appear, that although Zerubbabel s hand was in it, yet that God would bring it so to pass, that
nothing should be ascribed to them, but the glory of all unto God himself.
Which is the third thing in this speech of the angel here, that when the house should be finished, signified by Zerubbabel s bringing forth the head stone thereof (as master builders use to do the first and last stone), they should, with many shoutings and acclamations of joy, cry, Grace, grace unto it ; that is, magnify God s mere free grace, and acknowledge this to have been the work of it alone ; and it was marvellous in their eyes. Thus much for the exposition of the words. I shall now raise some ob
servations out of them.
Obs. 1. Out of the recited story, and what is here said in the 9th verse, which doth put Jeshua upon finishing the temple, the first observation is this, that God carries on the building of the second temple after the coming out
of Babylon (which was a type of the reformation of our churches), not all at
once, but by degrees. The first temple under the Old Testament was at once erected perfect, so by Solomon ; and the tabernacle before him, by Moses, was quickly finished, according to the pattern of the mount, Exod.
xl. 43 ; but this second temple, after the captivity, received degrees of rearing of it. And thus, in the New Testament, those primitive churches were set
up perfect (as for matter of rules) by the holy apostles. And so it was meet
they should be, because the pattern was but once to be given in the model
of them. But antichristianism having laid that temple desolate, and defiled God s worship in all parts of it, and those ages, wherein it should be re
stored, wanting apostles immediately inspired, hence the restoration of them becomes a work of time : the Holy Ghost, age after age, gradually reveal
ing pieces of the platform of it ; the Spirit by degrees consuming and dispel
ling the darkness that antichristianism had brought in, by light shining clearer and clearer to the perfect day, which is the brightness of Christ s
ZECH. IV. 6-9.] FINISH THE TEMPLE. 109
coming, as 2 Thes. ii. 8. Compare we for this the type, the building of this second temple here, with this antitype under the gospel.
These Jews, when first they were come out of Babylon, and gathered to mount Sion (which was holy ground, where they might sacrifice), they erected an altar only, Ezra iii., and that in haste, the fear of the people of the coun
try being upon them, ver. 3, and so a poor and mean one, and (as it is
thought), but of earth, as in the law of Moses, direction was given, before the tabernacle was reared ; and accordingly, of this here it is said, As it is written in the law of Moses, ver. 2. They now began the world anew, and offered burnt sacrifices upon mount Sion, kept a few feasts ; but, says the 6th verse, the foundation of the temple was not yet laid. Then, in the 8th verse, it is said that the foundation of the temple was laid, but left im
perfect. But many years after, and after the succession of two or three
kings, the temple is said to be finished, chap. vi. 15.
Come we now to the antitype, the times of reformation from under popery
: in the story of which like gradual proceedings might easily be ob served out of ecclesiastical story, if it would not be too long to make such narrations. I will rather take it as it is briefly and at once presented by the Holy Ghost himself in that great prophecy of the New Testament, and the
succeeding times thereof, the book of Kevelation. In the 13th chapter throughout, you have the beast of Kome in one entire view presented in his
height, and as possessing all the European world as worshippers of him. And then, in the 14th and following chapters, you oppositely have Christ, and those that followed him ; and the story of their separation from, and the several degrees of winning ground upon, that beast, in the like entire view laid forth before you. In the 1st verse, the Lamb appears with his com pany, nakedly standing upon mount Sion, without the mention of any temple as yet built over their heads, even such as these Jews condition was when they came first to Sion. Some ordinances they had ; they
* harping with their harps, ver. 2, and sung as it were a new song, uttering some
* no man could learn that song, ver. 3; and they in a great part kept themselves
thing differing from the doctrine of those times, but so confusedly, as
virgins, and from being defiled with the fornications of the whore. And these are said to be the first fruits to God, ver. 4, that is, the first beginnings of a dislike of popery. But then, by degrees, the Lamb sends out three angels, to make a more open separation from Rome, the latter of which rises still higher than the former. The first, ver. 6, only preacheth the everlasting gos pel ; that is, salvation by Christ alone, and calleth upon men to fear and wor
ship God alone, who made heaven and earth, and not to worship saints and
angels (thus the Waldenses did). But then, ver. 8, an age or two after that, there follow others who proclaim with open mouth, and tell Rome to her face that she is the whore of Babylon (thus Wickliffe and Huss). And then, ver. 9, after these follows a third angel, who proceeds further, and preaches that all those who will cleave unto her doctrine and superstitions, shall drink of the wrath of God for ever ; and so urge a separation from her, upon pain of damnation. And then, at ver. 14, you have the Son of man crowned, the Lamb having overcome the kings, to profess and countenance the protestant religion with their authority. And then, ver. 15, you have mention of a temple, churches being in all these northern parts publicly erected by their allowance and commandment ; as the Jews did build the temple by the decree of Cyrus. And, chap, xv., the pourers out of the vials do come all forth of the temple, ver. 6. And if we consult the llth chapter (the main occurrences of which are evidently contemporary, and do sum up the story of the same time with the vials, as by comparing the one with the
110 ZEETJBBABEL S ENCOURAGEMENT TO [ZECH. IV. 6-9.
other, late interpreters have observed), this book running over two entire
prophecies of all times (each of them), whereof the first ends at the end of
chap. xi. Now in that chapter (which therefore contains the story of the
last times), there are three editions of that temple plainly intimated. The
first, supposed to be already standing when the vision is given, but imper fect in this, that it hath too great an outward court of an ignorant and pro fane multitude laid to it. And therefore John, bearing the person of the
godly of that age, is stirred up to set upon a second reformation of it, and
is bidden to measure that temple, altar, and worshippers anew, and to cast out that outward court that had defiled it. And then, ver. 19, there is a
third edition of an holy of holies, for therein the ark is said to be seen ; now
the ark stood only in the holy of holies : noting out a more perfect church
at last than all the former had been. A manifest allusion this is unto those
three parts of Solomon s temple, the outward court, the inward temple, and
the holy of holies.
Thus much perhaps might more clearly have been discovered in the story of the Keformation, but I judged it would better and more briefly be done
in this the prophecy of it.
Use. Let no church therefore think itself perfect and needing nothing (as bragging Laodicea did), especially when it hath but that first foundation which it had when it came newly out of Babylon, and more especially in
matters of worship and discipline. It is no dishonour unto those reformers
to say that they fully finished not this work, as it was not unto Zerubbabel here that he perfected not the temple at first. Blessed men ! It is evident
they purposed more than they did or could effect, because the people s hearts were not as yet prepared, as the phrase is, 2 Chron. xx. 33. In our veiy Common Prayer book there is an until the said discipline maybe restored, which argueth they aimed at more ; and besides, they were not apostles, to whom nothing might be added, as Gal. ii. 6 ; and God, raising up the
tabernacle that was fallen down, not by immediate inspiration (as at first by the apostles), but by his Spirit, renewing and begetting light in an ordinary way. Hence, therefore, the church s coming out of the darkness of popery must needs recover that fulness and perfection of light (which the apostolical times had) croXu/^gw;, by piecemeals and degrees. As for the great things of
the gospel, matters of faith or doctrine, they had so happy a hand therein
that there is to be found little if any hay or stubble therein ; but in matters
of order, which concern worship or discipline (for so the apostle distinguisheth Col. ii. 5, faith and order ), let it be inquired into, whether they were so
exact therein. Although this must be said, that God did take care for all fundamental ordinances of his worship, and it is a bitter error and full of
cruelty to say, We have had no churches, no ministers, no sacraments, but
antichristianal. God s first and chief care was to build up his church mys
tical, to make men saints, and he hath made glorious ones in their personal walkings with him ; and to that end he made a plentiful provision in matters
of faith, even from the very first. It fell out in this case as in a new planta
tion, which if men were to make in another world, and so to begin the world
anew, their first care would be to provide necessaries for their subsistence as
they are men ; to have corn for bread, cattle for meat, and the like ; but
matters of order and government they think of afterwards, and often fall into
the right by seeing their errors by degrees. Think not much, therefore, that men call for (as most men do) a reformation of some things amiss in matters
of worship and discipline, or an addition of some things ; perhaps a candle
stick or some other utensil or ordinance of church worship, is found wanting. You will wonder that all along during the reign of those good kings, both
ZECH. IV. 6-9. J FINISH THE TEMPLE. Ill
David, Solomon (who yet gave the pattern of, and also built, the temple), and those other reformers among the kings of Judah, there should something have been omitted about the feast of tabernacles until their coming out
of the Babylonish captivity. Yet we find it was so, as appears by Neh.
viii. 16, 17, The people went forth, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of God s house, and in the streets ; and since the days of Joshua the son of Nun, until that day, the children of Israel had not done so. This feast was
kept (as is thought) by Solomon, 2 Chron. vii. 8, and by these same Jews, Ezra iii. 4, yet not in this manner according unto the law ; and therefore
* They found it written in
at the 14th verse of that of Nehemiah it is said,
the law, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths, which before that
they had not done, although they might have kept that feast. But now they had learned by a sad experience to keep it aright with dwelling in booths, by having been lately strangers out of their own land ; to signify which, and
to profess themselves strangers, was the intent of that feast, and that rite of
it, the dwelling in booths. And this reason is intimated in the 17th verse :
* All the congregation that were come again out of the captivity made booths, &c. They did read also every day out of the law, ver 19, which before when
that feast was celebrated they had not done.
Obs. 2. A second observation, that in the greatest businesses, which most concern the good of God s church and his own glory, he ofttimes suffers mountains of opposition to lie in the way of them ; so here in the way to the
building and perfecting his church. To give another instance of it, and that the highest. The salvation of the sons of men, whom he hath chosen before
all worlds, is a business which of all other he most minded and effectually intended ; but doth he bring it about without rubs ? Never such mountains
lay in the way of any business. Adam, he sins, and in him all those whom God meant to save, whereby the way to their salvation was quite blocked up. Mountains of sins make a separation between him and them, Isa. lix. 2, and not all the power of men and angels can any whit move, much less remove, them, no more than straws can move a mountain. But then comes the Son
of God, who throws and buries all these mountains in the bottom of the sea. And when Christ had thus removed the guilt of sin, and would come into men s hearts to apply his death, there lie as high mountains in his way to
us, as before lay in ours to him : Luke iii. 5, Prepare ye the way of the
Lord, make his paths straight
: every mountain shall be brought low. There are high things and strong holds, 2 Cor. x. 4, that exalt themselves
against the knowledge of Christ ; but all these shall be brought low, and
shall be made a plain. And as this is found true in the salvation of the church by Christ, so in its preservation and growth. There is almost no
mercy, but some mountain or other lies in the way of it.
Reason. And the reason of this dispensation of God s is, both that his hand and power in bringing things to pass for his church may be seen and acknow
ledged, and that his enemies may be confounded. 1 put both these reasons
in one, because we find them mentioned together in one place, Neh. vi. 16 ; in which chapter you may read of the great opposition made in building the
city, as here the temple, which yet when God had carried on, It came to
pass, says that 16th verse, that when all their enemies heard thereof, and
all that were about them saw these things, they were much cast down in
their own eyes (there is one part of the reason), for they perceived that
this work was wrought by our God ; there is the other part. First, God s
power appears in carrying things through much opposition. If there were a full concurrence of all second causes, and a general suffrage of them, his
112 ZERUBBABEL S ENCOURAGEMENT TO [ZECH. IV. 6-9.
voice would then be lost and swallowed up among that crowd ; but when
there is a great canvas (as in colleges we call it) then the power of his casting voice appears. Thus, why is God said to
* bring Israel out of Egypt with a
strong hand, Exod. xiii. 30, but because it was carried on through much
opposition ? There lay no less than ten mountains in the way of it. Pha raoh s heart was hardened ten times, which God did on purpose to shew his
power, Exod. ix. 6. Secondly, he doth it to confound his enemies the more, which usually goes together with doing good unto his church :
* He renders
vengeance to his adversaries, and is merciful to his land, both at once, Deut. xxxii. 43. He often suffers them to have the ball at their foot, till
they come to the very goal, and yet then to miss the game, that so wherein
they dealt proudly, he might shew himself above them, which is Jethro s
reason, Exod. xviii. 9.
Obs. 3. This observation but in general. More particularly, a third ob
servation is this : that temple-work especially useth to meet with opposition. You shall find the building and the finishing of this temple, in all the degrees of
it, to have had many contentions against it, all along accompanying it.
* fear was
Thus, when first that altar was set up, Ezra iii. 3, it is said, that
upon them because of the people of those countries. Again, when the
foundation was laid, what interruption that met with, you heard before, out
of the 4th chapter ; and lastly, when they came to finish it, chapter v. 2, at
verse 3, their enemies came and questioned them for it ; who hath com manded you to build this house? &c., and the devil was in it, in a pure
opposition to the temple ; for they had suffered them to build their own
houses, as appears, Hag. ii. 4, and never stirred against them, but only now when they began to build the temple. Thus, in the New Testament,
sEdificabo ecclesiam, I will build my church, hath and will always have the
gates (or the power) of hell following it to oppose it. I could demonstrate
it all along out of that story also, but it would be too long.
Reason 1. The reasons of it are,
First, There is nothing more contrary to Satan than the setting up of God s worship, and the purifying and completing of it. And therefore, whilst the devil is god of this world, and hath any power therein, he will be sure to
raise a head against that of all things else. So far as there are any aber
rations in worship, Satan is set up ; and so far as the worship of God is
perfected, God is set up, and Satan falls as lightning. Rev. iii. 9, false
* synagogue of Satan. Reason 2. Secondly, There is nothing more contrary to flesh and blood. When Paul came to set up evangelical and spiritual worship (which is called
worshippers are called the
a reformation, Heb. ix. 10), he met with opposition everywhere ; and that from such who were worshippers also. There is a natural and blind devotion
in men, that is most opposite to spiritual worship. Therefore, Acts xiii. 15,
* devout women raised up a persecution against Paul. And men are addicted
to their old customs, and what they were brought up in. Thus it is said of the Jews, though godly, that many thousands of them opposed Paul, out of
* Many thou sands of the Jews which believe, are all zealous of the law : and thereupon, at verse 27, we read that they stirred up the people, crying out, verse 28, Men of Israel, help
their zeal to the law they were brought up in : Acts xxi. 20,
: this is the man that teacheth everywhere against the
people, and this place (namely the temple, and the ceremonial worship of it).
Use. The use of both these points together is, not to be discouraged in, or think the worse of any business that is for God, because of difficulties and
interruptions. In the 4th of Nehemiah, when the Jews went to build the
walls of the city, the enemies mocked them, and said, What will these feeble
ZECH. IV. 6-9.] FINISH THE TEMPLE. 113
Jews do ? but still, verse 6, the people they went on, for they had a mind
to work; which when their enemies heard of, they then set upon them with
open force of arms, verse 8. Yet nevertheless, We, says he, made our
prayer to God, and set a watch day and night ; they doubled their care and
pains, and wrought both night and day, and did not put off thsir clothes, verse 21. And when Nehemiah heard that the enemy threatened to kill him, on purpose to dishearten him, yet, chapter vi., he would not flee, verse 11, neither was he at all disheartened, as knowing it was a sin to be afraid, verse 13.
Obs. 4. There is no mountain of opposition so great, that can stand be
fore Zerubbabel (or God s people), especially when he goes about to finish the temple. (I might have made two observations of it, but I put them both
together,) You see how contemptuously he here speaks of the opposition made :
* Who art thou, great mountain T though great in their own eyes, yet as nothing in his. He speaks as a giant unto a pigmy : Who art thou? I will name one place more suitable to this allusion : Isa. xli. 14, -15,
* Fear not, thou worm Jacob : I will help thee, saith the Lord. Behold, I
will make thee a new sharp thrashing instrument having teeth : thou shalt thrash the mountains, and beat them small, and thou shall make the hills as
chaff. He supposeth, in these his expressions, the church to be in the
lowest, weakest, and most contemptible condition that might be : a worm, which no man fears, for it cannot do the least hurt, and which no man loves; yea, thinks it no cruelty or oppression to tread upon and kill. On the other
side, he speaks of the enemies, all that might argue greatness, strength, and exaltation ; he calls them mountains and hills. And what an unequal match
is this, for worms to be set upon mountains to overthrow them ! Yet, says God, I will take this worm (for it must be his power must do it), and make
it as a new sharp thrashing instrument with teeth (with which kind of in strument those eastern countries did use to mash in pieces their rougher and harder fodder for their cattle), which shall thrash these mountains even as small as chaff, which is scattered with the wind, as verse 16. This is the
metaphor, the plain song you have in the llth and 12th verses, Behold, all
they that are incensed against thee shall perish ; and those that contended with thee be as a thing of nought. But this is especially found true when God s people go about to build the temple ; no mountain then can stand to hinder them. There stood in the way of laying the foundation of this
temple, the greatest mountain that was then (and well nigh that hath been
since) upon the earth, the Babylonish monarchy, by the power of which these Jews were detained captives, and they would never have let them go. And therefore, Isa. IviL 14, this phrase is used, Cast ye up, cast ye up, take the stumbling-block out of the way of my people ; and more expressly, Jer. li. 25, the prophet calls Babel a destroying mountain, I am against thee, destroying mountain ; and for strength of situation he compares it to a mountain seated upon a rock, which is a farther addition of fortification to it. Yet, says God,
* I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and make thee a burnt mountain, so as they shall not take from thee a stone for a corner, or for foundations, verse 26. Whereas thou didst unbuild Jerusalem and my temple, I will unbuild thee, so as not so much as a stone of thee shall serve for any other building, but my Sion shall be built again. For to what end was the mountain thus removed ? Even that poor Jerusalem, and God s temple there, might be built again. Thus Isa. xliv. 28, and xlv. 1st and 2d verses compared, Thus saith the Lord of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure ; VOL. XII. H
114 ZERUBBABEL S ENCOURAGEMENT TO [ZECH. IV. 6-9.
even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built ; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Cyrus and his army were the workmen whom God hired to cast up (as Isaiah s phrase is) or throw down (as Jeremiah) this rubbish that lay in his people s way, and of their building this temple. And all the victories that Cyrus obtained, and hidden treasures that through