142 rvfn ExPOSITION ----------------------------------~---- ~ po!ition ofthis Vi!ion in that Chapter, is Zembbabel prefemed with a Plummet."' l A K r ll. bi< Hand, and a Meajitring Line, to meafure thiS Temple to be now fully fim!hd, l.~ (even as here Jolm is prefented with a Reed) and this Promifeis annexed, that in dtfpite ofthat Mountain ofOppo!ition raifcd by that SamaritJil Faction, "'~'· 7· Zcrubbabel's HtmdJ which had laid the Foundation ofthu Houfe, even His Hands jb.tUaljo fti!ijh it_: as you have it, · ver. 9· . . . . And all this IS made the meamng of that Hterogltphtck, there reprefented, m a Vifion ofTn·o Olive Trw and a Candleflich; for ver. 5· when the Angel fitid to Zerh.uy, K1rowejl thou1vhat theft be? (that is) knoweO: thou the meaning of this Vi!ion? And he faid No; the Angel anfw<rs, This i< the WrrdoftheLord (name– ly, his Mind in this ViGon) unto Zembbabel, CN. Namely, this which I before re– cited, about Zembhabe/'s and Jofl>~~ah's fini!hing the Temple, (.lS you may there read it interpreted by the Angel.) Now this is the very Type alluded nnto here : And how fitlly fuits it all our former Interpretations given, of Meajitri"g the Temple.? The Church having been long fine<: come out of Myltical 'Baby/on, hath fet up Publiclt Wor{ltip, and by the Authority ofPrinceshath begun the Foundation of the Temple; but bath been hindred from going on to full perfection of Difcipline intended and endea– voured, through the mixture ofa Samarittm Party, by whom they have been flill interrupted, from attaining that perfection which many have contended for. But in the end, God O:irs up many of the EnglijhSpirits (like ']ojhua and Zemb– babel) to finiili what was before left incompleat, and to begin to make a further and purer Edition ofChurches according to the Pattern. And fo, they O:and in this Age with a .Jiieajitring Line (as Zembbabel) or a Reed (as Jobn here) in their Hands; and (like thefe Two Olive Trees) do empty Oil out of them– fi.·lves, unto this VVork ; endeavouring to add unto this Temple fuch Ordinances as (though to the being ofa Church not abfolutely neceffary, (for they were Temples before) yet) are InO:itutions ofGod, and do tend (as the Candlellick then did) unto the Perfection, Beauty, Complement, and Glory of it. And though the Foundation ofthis Temple, laid in th(' firO: Reformation, is in this Allufion included; yet the Allufion principally falls upon thisfini!hing ofit. For that is the moO: proper and peculiar aim of r.he Vifion of the Olive Trees, as in Zechary it is prelented ; unto which the Allufion here is: the End of Zechary's Prophecy being to excite Unto the fini!hing ofthe Temple. Thefe Two Witneffesthe Holy GhoO: here calls the Olive Trees and the Candle– jlic0; which are the Churches themfi.lves, as Chap. x. laO: ver. So that both emi– nent Perfons and likewifeChurches thernfelves, (the purcO: ofthem) are the Wit– neffes again!! the f.1lfe Church, that are herefpokcn of. But fome would carry it thus; that the Witne!Tes are the Two OliveTrees [unto J thetwo Candleflic0, the Churches: For fo in the Vifion ofZeciJ<try they are men– tioned, as pouring Oil into the Candleflick. And befides, the Copulative [and] being in the Hebrew fometimes put for the PrepoGtion [unto J; according to this Hebraijin [xcxl] here fhould be fo taken. And the Churches now under theNew Teflament arc called [Two] Candleflic0; (whereas there in Zulwy is mention but of one CandleO:ick) becaufe now there is not one Church only, as the Jews then had; but they are mulnphed by particular Congregations. There are Si– fler-Churches now, and not one Mother-Church only. And you !hall fometimes in the Allufions to the Temple find in this Book the Proportion doubled to what it then was ; to !hew the encreafe of the Gofpel (as we obferved out of the 4th Chapter.) Now this New Reformation ofthe Church here typified out, thou"h it be as yet, but as their firfl: attempts to finifh the Temple then were, even a Day ofjiJia/1 thi11gs, (which who (a!moO:) defpifeth not?) yet it !hall go on and fpread, and at l<nt(th be perfell:ed (as that work then was); For it is ofGod, the God ofthe n>holc Eartb; which Attribute ofhis is here mentioned, to fhew the Power that backs thefe Builders ; and to !hew, that now the Work is not to be effected fo much by Power a11d Might, (as that fini!hing the Temple then, is laid to have been,)
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