and lastly in at the innermost gate, where the king and his palace, the high priest and the temple, were built so they that will go to the great King and High Priest of the heavenly Jerusalem, must first enter the uttermost gates, where all sorts of Christians are born into this world; and then be brought to the second, to be instructed by the ministers in the law of the Lord, and received into the church, and there nourished by the sacraments of God; which being diligently done, he may boldly enter at the innermost gate to the King's palace and temple, to make his humble suit, pray, and offer his body and lively sacrifice to God the Father by Christ Jesus, his Son, King of kings and Lord of the heavens, who also is our High Priest and Archbishop, that offered up that sweet sacrifice of his own blood for our filthy and stinking sins. For as the king and the priest dwelled both together in the innermost ward, and on the high hills; so our King and High Priest, Christ Jesus, hath taken unto himself the kingdom and priesthood, and by his Holy Spirit made us "a kingly priesthood" to God his Father: kings, that we might by him conquer the kingdom of Satan; and priests, to mortify and kill the filthy lusts of our flesh, and offer our souls a living and holy sacrifice to serve him. For as no sacrifice could be offered any where, but in this only temple of Jerusalem; so no prayer nor thankful sacrifices can be offered unto him, but in the name of Christ Jesus, his Son and our Lord. Lastly, as God of his justice for the wickedness and superstition both of the princes, priests, and the people, destroyed the kingdom, law, and priesthood of Moses, never to be built or restored again, though the Jews sundry times attempted it, and with great sums of money would have gotten licence to have yearly come and lamented the destruction of it; yet both the emperor Ælius Adrianus', to withdraw them from Niceph. iii. it, built a new city in another place, called it after his own name, and graved a swine and his own image over the gates to bring them in hatred with it, and commanded in pain of death they should not come thither; God also with earth [' Εἰς ἅπαν δὲ τὴν πόλιν ἀπομειώσας ἐπὶ τῷ σφετέρω ονόματι ταύτην ἐγείρει, καὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν αὐτῇ τοὺς Αἰλίαν ωνόμασεν ἐν αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ἀούτῳ τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἀνίδρυσεν εἴδωλον. ED.] сар. 24. 32, 33. quakes overthrew their doings, destroyed their tools, and Niceph. x. swallowed up the workmen': so in his mercy he hath built a new spiritual Jerusalem, given us the comfortable tidings of the gospel, sent his apostles to preach it through all the world, set up a new kingdom and ministery, not in a corner of the world, as it was then, but through all countries, that all which believe may be saved: and that, not in fear and threatenings, as the law was, but in loving-kindness and mercy, grace, peace and truth in Christ Jesus. Many of these things are well noted by Wolfius and other learned men: and because there is divers times occasion given in this chapter to speak of these figures and spiritual comparisons, I have once for all set them down, that I need not oft repeat them afterward; and they that list, may briefly here see all set together, and apply them afterward as occasion serveth. I will not in this chapter, as I have done in others, follow verse by verse, nor sentence by sentence, nor word by word, to examine them particularly, because it standeth most of names, wherein the unlearned should not take so much profit as labour in reading of them; (though the learned may with pleasure pick out good lessons of them by allegorical interpretation of the places, &c.) but I will briefly note such things here and there in some verses, as shall give occasion to help the simpler sort to further the building of these walls, for whose cause specially I have taken this labour. [' Τῇ ἐπιούσῃ ἐλθόντων ὡς ἂν τὸν πρῶτον θεμέλιον ὑποθήσωσι, σεισμόν φασι μέγαν ἐπιγενέσθαι, τῷ δὲ πολλῷ τῆς γῆς κλόνῳ ἐξ ἐσχάτων κρηπίδων ἀναδοθῆναι τοὺς λίθους, οὐκ ὀλίγους δὲ καὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων διαφθαρῆναι. Cap. 32. Δευτέρᾳ γοῦν πείρᾳ ἐπιχειρούντων, πῦρ ἐκεῖθεν λέγεται τῶν θεμελίων ἀναπηδήσαν, καὶ ἄλλο δὲ οὐρά νιον κατασκήψαν, καὶ πλείους ἢ πρότερον διαφθεῖραι. * * * * τοῦ δὲ πυρὸς, ὡς εἴρηται, κατασκήψαντος, αἵ τε σφύραι καὶ γλαρίδες καὶ πρίονες, οἱ πελέκεις τε καὶ τὰ σκέπαρνα, καὶ ὅσα πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἐπιτήδεια οἱ ἐργάται προσεπεφέροντο, θᾶττον εἰς χοῦν ἐλεπτύνοντο, του πυρὸς δι ̓ ὅλης ἡμέρας ἐπινεμομένου αὐτ τούς. Cap. 33. ED.] v. 1. Eliasib the high priest gat him up, and his brethren The text. the priests, and builded the sheep gate. 2. And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. AFTER that Nehemiah had so stoutly answered Sanballat and his fellows, and encouraged his countrymen to the building of the walls, all sorts of them pluck up their stomachs, and are no more afraid, but lustily fall to their work. And among other, Eliasib the high priest and the rest of the priests also gat them up, and took in hand to repair the sheep gate which went toward mount Olivet, and so the wall all along unto the tower Hananeel. Such goodness cometh by having a stout captain, where the people be faint-hearted. Aggeus complaineth in the building of the temple, that prince, priest, and people were fallen on sleep, until he came with message from the Lord to awake them, and then they fell lustily to work. So now here, after that Nehemiah came with commission both from God and the king, they lingered their building no more, but boldly went on forward with it, though it had lien many years unlooked at; and now in the beginning they had many stout brags. Chabrias, as Plutarch doth write, was wont to say, that "a host of harts should be more feared if a lion were their captain, than a host of lions should be if a hart were their captain;" teaching what profit cometh by a stout captain: and so it fareth in God's cause too. St Paul, considering what a chargeable office was committed unto him, and how fearful a thing it was to preach Christ afore princes and wicked people, desireth the Ephesians to pray for him, that he might have "utterance given him, boldly and freely to do his message in preaching the gospel." He desireth the same thing of the Colossians and the Thessalonians. So that, Col. iv. where we see this boldness in preaching joined with wisdom and discretion, we may persuade ourselves that it is the gift of God in such a man, and above the nature of man to do it. 2 Thess. iii. This lesson is given to all good builders of God's spiritual house, that they should "not fear him that will kill the Matt. x. [Apothegm. T. 1. p. 744. ed. Wyttenb. Oxon. 1795. ED.] Rev. xxi. body, and cannot hurt the soul, but fear him that can cast both body and soul into hell." And St John saith in the Revelation xxi., that "those which be fearful shall have their part in the burning lake of brimstone, with murderers, adulterers, and idolaters." And by the example of Eliasib and the priests, which disdained not to be admonished and learn their duty of Nehemiah, coming from the court, we shall learn humbleness of mind, and not disdain to be admonished of our duty at mean men's hands. They are not offended at him, nor think him saucy to counsel and teach them, which were teachers of others, but are content to join in this work with him and the rest, yea, boldly to begin and give good example to the rest, as their duty was, and to encourage others. So no estate must disdain to be warned of his duty, and to be encouraged, though it be by mean men; for all sorts, high and low, learned and unlearned, are fearful and forgetful of themselves, until God stir them up by his word, Holy Spirit, and messenger. And reason it was, that as they were shepherds to the people, so they should build "the sheep-gate," which was at the east end of the city where the temple was, in the uttermost wall, where the sheep came in that were offered in sacrifice, and whereof they had their parts according to the law. This gate may well be compared to Christ Jesus, who sought the lost sheep, and was sacrificed as a lamb, and is the gate whereby only we enter, and his shepherds must be the builders of it, and bring the people into the fold. Many good lessons might be plucked out of the interpretation of the names herein contained, and what were signified by them; but those be meeter for the learned, which can by order of learning keep themselves in compass, and apply all things to the rule of faith, than to the unlearned which have not that judgment. And where the men of Jericho join with the high priest in this building, it teacheth that not only priests and citizens must build God's city, but also countrymen; yea, those that dwelt farthest off, and be least regarded, must put to their helping hand. It is commendable in both, that neither the priests refused their aid, and they that dwelt farthest off were the first that came to work. So must all that be of God's household help to build, even the simplest and basest as well as the best; for as he is God of all, so he will have all to serve and worship him. If either Nehemiah or any other had taken this work in hand alone, it would have been thought great arrogancy in them, and others would have disdained that they should have all the praise of so great a building alone. Common things would be done with common consent, and the common aid of them to whom it pertaineth would not be refused. Jericho was the first city that Josue overthrew for their wickedness, and it is now the first that cometh to help this building. So great a change cometh when God turneth the hearts of the people. Without this gate was that watering place or sheep-pool, whereof St John writeth in the fifth chapter, and where the sheep were washed that came to be offered. v. 3. The fish-gate builded the sons of Senaah; they covered The text. it, and set on the doors, locks and bars. 5. The great men of Thecoa put not their necks to the work of the Lord. This gate was at the west end of the city, where the fishers came in at the sea-coast with their fish to sell. If a man would stand on figures and allegories, this gate may well signify Christ, who made his apostles and preachers fishers of men, who by him brought and daily bring them into this spiritual Jerusalem; for he is only the door, whereby all must enter into the Lord's city. These men, like good builders, leave nothing undone that might fortify that gate; for they set on not only the doors, but also bolts and locks. So must God's church be made strong by laws, discipline, and authority, that ravening lions nor filthy swine rush not in, and disquiet or devour God's people: and the wholesome doctrine must be confirmed with strong arguments and reasons against false teachers. Much controversy there is now about discipline, which every man granteth to be necessary, and desireth to have; but whether this, that is so vehemently urged, be the right way to strengthen the Church, as stronger doors, locks and bars, that should keep out all ravening wolves and wild beasts, |