Zerubbabels encouragement to finish the temple. A sermon preached before the honourable House of…

Now as certain it is, that those Gods Magistrates, who under the times of the Gospel, especially in these last days, have ⟨p. 55⟩and shall assist the Reformation of the Churches from under those Samaritan superstitions, intermingled with their worship, and shall afford their countenance and aid to the finishing and perfecting the Temple, they are typified out by the Olive trees here, (which were then, Zerubbabel their chief Governor, and his Elders:) And accordingly we find as express an application of it by the holy Ghost himself, as Prophetically intended herein. Thus in the same book of the Revel. (in which Prophecy of the New Testament, the Holy Ghost borrows all the elegancies and flowers in the story of the Old, thereby to set out the story of the New in succeeding ages) in the 11. Chap. ver. 4. the Holy Ghost describes the Two Witnesses, that should oppose the Beast and his party in all (and especially the later) ages, saying, [These are the two Olive trees, and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the Earth.] Where by the Candlesticks are meant the Churches (as was shown before) and by the two Olive Trees the eminent Magistrates and Ministers that supply Oil, for the maintaining of these Churches light and glory now, as Zerubbabel and Jeshua the Priests did then. Yea the Holy Ghost deciphers them not only by the very same Hieroglyphic that is presented here in Zechariah, but also he useth the very same words which we find there in the interpretation of the Vision, [standing before the God of the earth.] And further, this vision of the Candlestick, & those two Olive Trees in Zechariah, did signify, as was shown, not so much (if at all) the first laying of ⟨p. 56⟩the foundation of the Temple, which had been done many years before, but was eminently (if not only to hold forth that work of finishing, and completing it, which remained then to be done; and to stir them up thereunto was that vision as there given. Therefore answerably now, the full analogy of the type must principally fall upon, not so much the first Reformation, or laying the foundation of the Churches Reformation; as upon a second work of the perfecting and finishing of them: And accordingly, as Zerubbabel there in Zechariah is seen with a Plummet in his hand, ver. 10. to measure out what remained unfinished for the building of the Temple, so here in the 1. ver. of the 11.

Now as certaine it is, that those Gods Magistrates, who under the times of the Gospel, especially in these last dayes, have