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 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

SPIRITUALIZED :

OR,

GOSPEL
GOS PEL - LIGHT

FETCHED OUT OF THE

TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM,

TO LET US MORE EASILY INTO THE GLORY OF

NEW TESTAMENT TRUTHS.

BY JOHN BUNYAN.

A NE. W EDITION.

EZEK . xliii . 10 , II .
Thou Son ofman , ſhew the house to the houſe of Ifrael
-fhew them the form of the houfe, and the fashion
thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings
in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the or
dinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all
the laws thereof.

W EDINBURGH :

Printed for A. BROWN, Bookfeller in Bridge- ftreet ;

AND
A. MEGGET, Bockfeller in Brifto ftreet.

M.DCC.LXXXVI
. 101. g. 271
.
 BI

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 TO THE

CHRISTIAN READER.

Courteous Chriftian Reader,

HAVE, as thou by this little book mayeſt ſee,
I adventured, at this time, to do my endeavour
to fhew thee fomething of the gofpel glory of So
lomon's temple : that is, of what it, with its uten
fils, was a type of ; and, as fuch, how inftructing it
was to our fathers, and alfo is to us their children :
The which, that I might do the more diftinctly, I
have handled particulars one by one, to the num
ber of threescore and ten ; namely, all that of them
I could call to mind : becaufe, as 1 believe, there
was not one of them but had its fignification, and
fo fomething profitable for us to know..
For though we are not now to worship God in
thofe methods, or by fuch ordinances as once the
old church did ; yet to know their methods, and to
understand the nature and fignification of their or
dinances, when compared with the gofpel, may, e
ven now, when themſelves ( as to what they once
enjoined on others ) are dead, minifter light to us.
And hence the New- Teftament minifters, as the a
poftles, made much ufe of Old - Teftament lan
guage, and ceremonial inftitutions, as to their fig
nification, to help the faith of the godly in their
preaching of the gofpel of Chrift.
I may fay, that God did in a manner tie up the
church of the Jews to types, figures, and fimili
tudes, and I mean to be butted and bounded by them
in all external parts of worship ; yea, not only the
Levitical law and temple, but, as it feems to me,
the whole land of Canaan, the place of their lot to
dwell in, was to them a ceremonial, or a figure.
Their land was a type of heaven * ; their paffage
over Jordan into it , a fimilitude of our going to
* Heb. iii. 5 , 6, 7, 8, 9 , ro, Lev. xix. 23. chap. xxvi .
34, 35, Exod. xii . 15. Lev. vi. 17. chap. xxiii. 17.
A2
iv To the Chriftian Reader.
heaven by death. The fruit of their land was faid
to be uncircumcifed, as being at their first entrance
thither unclean ; in which their land was alſo a fi
gure of another thing, even as heaven was a type of
fin and grace .
Again, The very land itfelf was faid to keep fab
bath, and fo to reft a holy reft , even when the lay
defolate, and not poff ffed of thofe to whom the
was given for them to dwell in .
Yea, many of the features of the then church of
God were fet forth, as in figures and fhadows, fo
by places and things in that land.
1. In general, fhe is faid to be beautiful as
Tirzah, (Song vi. 4. ) and to be comely as Jeru
falem.
2. In particular, her neck is compared to the
tower of David, builded for an armory, ( Song iv.
4. ) her eyes to fith-pools of Hefhbon, by the gate
of Bethrabbim , (chap . vi . 4. ) her nofe is compared
to the tower of Lebanon, which looketh towards
Damafcus, (chap . iv. 1.) Yea, the hair of her
heid is compared to a flock of goats, which come
up from Mount Gilead and the fmell of her gar
ments to the fmell of Lebanon , ver. 11 .
Nor was this land altogether void of fhadows, e
ven of her Lord and Saviour. Hence he ſays of
himfelf, I am the Rofe of Sharon, and the Lily of
the valleys, ( Song ii. 1.) Alfo the, his beloved,
faith of hm, His countenance is as Lebanon , ex
cellent as the cedars, (chap. v. 15. ) What thall I
fay ? The two cities, Zion and Jerufalem, were
fuch as fometi nes fet forth the two churches ( Gal.
v.) the true and the falfe, and their feed Ifaac and
Ishmael.
I might alfo here fhew you, that even the gifts
and graces of the true church were fet forth by the
fpices, nuts, grapes , and pomegranates that the land
of Canaan brought forth. Yea, that hell itself was
 To the Chriftian Reader. N
fet forth by the valley of the fons of Hinnom,
and Tophet, places in this country. Indeed the
whole in a manner was typical, and a figurative
thing.
But I have, in the enfuing difcourfe , confined
myfelf to the temple, that immediate place of God's
worship ; of whofe utenfils in particular, as I have
faid, I have fpoken ; though to each with what
brevity I could, for that none of them are without
a fpiritual, and fo profitable, fignification to us .
And here we may behold much of the richneſs of
the wisdom and grace of God ; namely, that he,
even in the very place of worthip of old, ſhould
ordain vifible forms and reprefentations for the wor
Thippers, to learn them to worthip him by. Yea,
the temple itself was, as to this, to them a good
inftruction . 管道
But in my thus faying, I give no encouragement
to any now, to fetch out of their own fancies, fi..
. gures or fimilitudes to worship God by. What God
provided to be an help to the weakness of his peo
ple of old , was one thing, and what they invented
without his commandment was another. For the'
they had his bleffing when they worshipped him
with fuch types, fhadows, and figures, which he
had enjoined on themfor that purpoſe * , yet he fore
ly punished and plagued them when they would add
to thefe inventions of their own. Yea he, in the
very act of inftituting their way of worshipping
him , forbad their giving, in any thing, way to their
own humours or fancies, and bound them ftrictly to
the orders of heaven .
Look, faid God to Mofes, their first great legif
Jator, " that thou make all things according to the:
pattern fhewed to thee in the mount," Exod . xxv.
40. Heb. viii, 5.

* Exod . xxxii. 35. Kings xvii. 16, 17, 18. Aus vii ,
38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43. A3
vi To the Chriftian Reader .
Nor doth our apoſtle but take the fame measures,
when he faith, " If any man thinketh himſelf a
prophet, or fpiritual ; let him acknowledge that the
things that I write unto you are the command
ments of the Lord, ( í Cor. xiv. 37.)
When Solomon alfo was to build this temple
for the worship of God, though he was wiler than
all men ; yet God, truited neither to his wildom nor
memory, nor to any immediate dictates from hea
ven to him how he would have him build it. No ,
he was to receive the whole platform thereof, in
writing, by the infpiration of God. Nor would
God give this platform of the temple, and of its
utenfils , immediately to this wife man , left perhaps,
by others, his wiflon fhould be idolized, or that
fome thould cbject that the whole fashion thereof
proceeded of his fancy, only he made pretenfions
of divine revelation, as a cover for his doings.
Therefore, I fay, not to him , but to his father
David, was the whole pattern given of it from hea
ven ; and fo by David to Solomon his fon, in writ
ing, " Then David, fays the text, gave to Solomon
his fon the pattern of the porch, and the houfes
thereof, and of the treafuries thereof, and of the
upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours
thereof, and of the place of the mercy feat,
1 Chron . xxviii , 11. And the pattern of all that he
had by the Spirit, of the courts of the houſe of the
Lord, and of all the chambers round about, and of
the treafuries of the houfe of God, and of the
treafuries of the dedicated things, (ver. 12. ) Alfo
for the courfes of the Priefts and Levites, and for
all the work of the fervice of the houſe of the Lord,
and for all the veffels of fervice in the houſe of the
Lord," (ver. 13:)
Yea, moreover, he had from heaven, or by di
vine revelation, what the candlesticks muſt be
made of, and alfo how much was to go to each ;
the fame order and commandment he alfo gave for
 To the Chriftian Reader.

the making of the tables , flesh-hooks, cups, baſons,

altar of incenfe ; with the pattern for the chariot
of the cherubins, &c . ver. 14, 15, 16 , 17, 18, 19.
All this, faid David, the Lord made me understand
by writing by his hand upon me, even all the work
of this pattern, (ver. 20. ) So I fay, he gave David
the pattern of the terple ; fo David gave Solomon
the pa tern of the temple, and according to that
pattern did Solomon build the temple, and no o
therwife.
True, all theſe were but figures, patterns, and
fhadows of things in heaven , and not the very
image of the things : but, as was faid afore, if God
was fo circumfpect and exact in thefe, as not to leave.
any thing to the dictates of the godly and wifeft of
men, what can we fuppofe he will now admit of
the wit and contrivance of men in thoſe things that
are, in compariſon to them, the heavenly things
themſelves ?
It is alfo to be concluded, that fince thofe fha
dows of things in the heavens are already com
mitted by God to facred ſtory , and fince that facred
ftery is faid to be able to make the man of God fo
perfect in all things, ( 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17. ) it is
a duty to us to leave off to lean to common under
ſtanding, and to inquire and fearch out by that ho
ly writ, and nought elfe, by what and how we
fhould worship God. David was for inquiring in
his temple, (Pfal. xxvii , 4-)
And although the old church-way of worſhip is
laid afide as to us in New-Teftament times, yet,
fince thofe very ordinances were figures of things
and methods of worship, now we may, yea, we
ought to fearch out the fpiritual meaning of them
becauſe they ſerve to confirm and illuftrate matters
to our underſtandings, Yea, they fhew us the more
exactly how the New and Old Teftament, as tothe
fpiritualness of the worship, was as one and the
Heb. viii. 5. chap. ix, 8, 6, 23. chap. &. I.
1
viii To the Chriftian Reader.
fame ; only the Old was clouded with fhadows,
but ours is with more open face.
Features to the life, as we fay, fet out by a pic
ture, does excellently thew the fkill of the artiſt.
The Old and New Testament had the fhadow, nor
have we but the very image ; both then are butem.
blems of what is yet, behind. We may find our
gofpel clouded in their ceremonies, and our fpiri
tual worship fet out foine what by their carnal ordi.
nances.
1 Now becauſe, as I faid, the re lies, as wrapt up in
a nyantle, much of the glory of our gofpel- matters
in this Temple which Solomon builded ; therefore
I have made, as well as I could, by comparing fpi
ritual things with temporal, this book upon this fub
{ 4
ject.
I dare not prefume to fay, that I know I have
hit right in every thing, but this I can fay, I have
endeavoured fo to do . True, I have not for the fe
things fished in other mens waters ; my Bible and
Concordance are my only library in my writings.
Wherefore, courteous Reader, if thou finde ft any
thing, either in word or matter, that thou halt
judge doth vary from God's truth, let it be count
ed no man's elle but mine : Pray God alfo to par
don my fault, do thou alfo lovingly pafs it by, and
receive what thou findest will do thee good.
And for 4 thy leafier finding of any particular in
the book, I have in the leaves following fet before
thee the chief heads, one by one ; and alfo in what
page of the book thou mayeft find them.

Thy Servant in the Gospel,.

JOHN BUNYAN,
 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

SPIRITUALIZED.

CHA P. I.

Where the Temple was built.

HE Temple was built at Jerufalem , on

Mount Moriah, in the threshing - floor of
T Arnon the Jebusite ; whereabout Abraham
offered up Ifaac ; there where David met the angel
of the Lord, when he came with his drawn fword
in his hand, to cut off the people at Jerufalem for
the fin which David committed in his diforderly
numbering the people. Gen. xxii . 3 , 4, 5. 1 Chron.
xxi. 15. xxii. 1. 2 Chron. iii . 1 .
There Abraham received his fon Ifaac from the
dead ; there the Lord was intreated by David to take
away the plague, and to return to Ifrael again in
mercy; from whence alfo David gathered, that
there God's temple muft be built. " This (faid he)
is the houſe of the Lord God, and this is the altar
of the burnt- offering for Ifrael, 1 Chron , xxi. 28.
xxii. 1. ii, 1.
This Mount Moriah, therefore, was a type of
the Son of God, the mountain of the Lord's houſe,
the rock againſt which the gates of hell cannot pre
vail.
CHA P. II.

Who built the Temple .

THE Temple was built by Solomon, a man

peaceable and quiet, and that in name, by na,
ture, and in governing ; for fo God had before
told David, namely , that fuch a one the builder
of the Temple thould be. 8 +
" Behold, faith he, a fon fhall be born unto thee,
10 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
3
who thall be a man of reft ; and I will give him reft
from all his enemies round about ; for his name
fhall be called Solomon, and I will give peace
and quietnefs to Ifrael in his days : he hall build
an houſe for my name , and he thall be my Son, I
will be his Father ." i Chron . xxii. 9, 10. Pial. Ixxii.
1, 2, 3, 4.
As therefore Mount Moriah was a type of Chrift
as the foundation , fo Solomon was a type of him
as the builder of his church , The Mount was fig
pal, for that thereon the Lord God, before Abra
ham and David, did difplay his mercy. And as
Solomon built this temple, fo Chrift doth build his
house . Yea, he fhall build the everlasting temple ,
and he fhall bear the glory." Hcb . i . 3 , 4. Zech
vi. 12, 13.
And in that Solomon was called peaceable, it was
to fhew with what peaceable doctrine and ways
Christ's house and church fhould be built. Ila. ix .
6. Micah vii. 2, 3, 4. ''I
CHA P. III.
How the Temple was built.
THE HE Temple was built, not merely by the dic
tates of Solomon, though he was wifer than
Ethan, and Heman, and Calo!, and Darda , and
all men , Kings iv. 31. but it was built by rules,
prefcribed by, or in a written word ; and, as fo
delivered to him by his father David , f
For when David gave to Solomon his fon a
charge to build the temple of God, with that
charge he gave him alo the pattern of all in writ
ing; even a pattern of the porch, houſe, cham
bers, treafuries, parlours, éc. and of the place for
the mercy-feat ; which pattern David had of God :
nor would God truft his memory with it. “ The
Lord: made me, faid he, understand in writing, by
his hand upon me, even all the work of this pat
tern. " Thus, therefore, David gave to Solomon
 SPIRIT
do UALIZED
. II
his fon the pattern of all ; and this Solomon his
fon built the houſe of God. See Ii Chron . xxviii,
9-20.
And answerable to this, Chrift Jefus, the builder
of his own houſe, whofe houfe are we, doth build
his holy habitation for him to dwell in ; even ac
cording to the commandment of God the Father.
For, faith he, " I have not ſpoken of myſelf, but
the Father which fent me, he gave me a command
ment what I fhould fpeak. " And hence it is faid,
" God gave him the revelation ;" and again, " That
he took the book out of the hand of him that fat
on the throne ;" and fo acted as to the building up
of his church. John xii. 49, 41 , Rev. i. 1. v. 7.

CH
с н A P. IV.

Of what the Temple was built.

which the temple was
built, were fuch with
as were in their own nature
common to that which was left behind ; things
that naturally were not fit, without art, to be laid
on fo holy a houfe. And this fhews, that thoſe
of whem Chrift Jefus defigns to build his church
åre by nature no better than others. But as the
trees and ftones of which the temple was built
were first hewed and fquared before they were fit
to be laid in that houfe ; fo finners, of which the
church is to be built, must firft be fitted by the word
and doctrine, and then fitly laid in their place in the
church.
For though, as to nature, there is no difference
betwixt thofe made uſe of to build God's houfe with,
yet by grace they differ from others ; even as thofe
trees and ftones that are hewed and fquared for
building by art, are made to differ from thofe which
abide in the wood or pit.
The Lord Jefus, therefore, while he freketh
materials wherewith to build his house, he findeth
12 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

them, " the clay of the fame lump that he rejec

teth, and leaves behind . Are we better than they ?
No, in no wife," Rom. ii. chap . ix Nay, I think,
if any be beft, t's they which are left behind. " He
came not to call the righteous, but finners to repent
ance," Mark ii. 17. And, indeed in this he doth
fhew both the greatnefs of his grace and workman
fhip ; his grace, in taking fuch ; and his workmanship,
in that he makes them meet for his holy habitation .
This the current of ſcripture maketh manifeft :
wherefore it is needlefs now to cite particulars ; on
ly we must remember, that none are laid in this
building as they come out of the wood or pit : but
as they firft pafs under the hand and rule of this
great Builder of the temple of God,

CHA P. V.

Who was to fell thofe Trees, and to dig thofe Stones

with which Solomon built the Temple.

S the trees were to be felled, and ſtones to be

As digged, fo there was for that matter felect
workmen appointed.
The fe were not of the fons of Jacob, nor of the
houſe of Ifrael : they were the fervants of Hiram,
King of Tyre, and the Gibeonites, namely, their
children that made a league with Jofhua, in the day
that God gave the land of Canaan to his people.
Joshua ix. 22.-29. 1 Kings v 2 Chron . xxvii . 28 ,
And theſe were types of our gofpel -minifters,
who are the men appointed by Jefus Chrift to make
finners, by their preaching, meet for the houſe of
God . Wherefore, as he was famous of old , who
was ftrong " to lift up his ax upon the thick boughs,
to fquare wood for the building of the temple ;" fo
a minifter of the gofpel now is alfo famous, if much
tifed by Chrift for the converting of finners to him
 SPIRITUALIZED . 13
felf, that he may build him a temple with them,
Pfal. vii . 4, 5, 6. Rom. xvi . 7.
" But why, may fome fay, do you make fo home.
ly a comparison ? I anſwer, becauſe I believe it is
true ; for 'tis grace, not gifts, that makes us fons
and the beloved of God. Gifts make a minifter ;
and as a minifter, one is but a fervant to " hew
wood, and7 draw water, for the houfe of my God . "
Yea, Paul, though a fon, yet counted himfelf not
a fon but a fervant, purely as he was a minifter, a
fervant of God, a fervant of Chrift, a fervant of
the church, and your fervant for Jefus fake, Tit. i.
1. Rom, i . 1. 2 Cor. iv. 5.
A man then is a fon, as he is begotten and born
of God to himſelf, and a fervant as he is gifted for
work in the houſe of his Father ; and tho' it is truth
the fervant may be a fon,. "yet he is not a fon be
cauſe he is a fervant. " Nor doth it follow, that
because all fons may be fervants, therefore all fer
vants are fons : no, all the fervants of God are not
fons ; and therefore , when time fhall come, he that
is only a fervant here fhall certainly be put out of
·
the houfe, even out of that houfe himſelf did help
to build. " The fervant abideth not in the houte
for ever:" the fervant, that is, he that is only fo,
Ezek. xlvi. 16, 17. John viii . 35.
So then as a fon thou art an Ifraelite, as a fervant
a Gibeonite . The confideration of this made Paul
ftart ; he knew that gifts made him not a fon, 1 Cor.
xii. 28, 29, 30, 31. chap. xiii . i, 2.
The fum then is, a man may be a fervant and a
fon ; a fervant, as he is employed by Chrift in his
houfe for the good of others, and a fon, as he is a
partaker of the grace of adoption ; but all fervants
are not fons : and let this be for caution and a call
to minifters to do all acts of fervice for God, and
in his houfe, with reverence and godly fear. And
with all humility, let us defire to be partakers our=
felves of " that grace we preach to others," 1 Cor.
ix. 25. B
14 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
This is a great ſaying, and written perhaps to
keep minifters humble : " And ftrangers fhall ſtand
and feed your flocks, and the fons of the alien fhall
be your ploughmen, and your wine.dreffers, " Ifa.
Ixi . 5.
To be a ploughman here is to be a preacher, and
to be a vine dreffer here is to be a preacher, Luke
ix. 59, 60, 61 , 62. and 1 Cor. ix. 27. Mat. ii, 1. 2 ,
3, 4, 8. chap. xxi , 28. 1 Cor. ix. 7.
And if he does this work willingly he has a re.
B
ward ; ifnot, " a difpenfation of the gospel was com
mitted to him, and that is all. " 1 Cor. ix, 17.

CH A P. VI ,

In what Condition the Timber and Stones were when

brought to be laid in the Building ofthe Temple .
HE timber and ftones with which the temple
THE
was built, were fquared and hewed in the wood
or pit ; and fo there made every way fit for that
work, even before they were brought to the place
where the houſe ſhould be fet up : " So that there
was neither hammer nor ax, nor any tool of iron
was heard in the houfe while it was building." I
Kings vi. 7.
And this fhews, as was faid before, that the ma
terials of which the houfe was built, were (before
the hand of the workman touched them) as unfit to
be laid in the building , as were thole that were
left behind ; confequently that themſelves, none o
therwiſe, but by the art of others, were made fit to
be laid in this building.
To this our New- Teftament temple anfwers ; for
thoſe of the fons of Adam who are counted worthy
to be laid in this building, are not by nature, but
by grace, made meet for it ; not by their own wif.
dom, but by the word of God. Hence he faith,
I have hewed them by the prophets ." And again,
29 minifters are called God's builders and labourers
 SPIRITUALIZED. 15
even to this work, Hof. vi. 5. 1 Cor. iii . 10. and
2 Cor. vi. 1. Col. i. 28.
No man will lay trees as they come from the
wood, for beams and rafters in his houſe ; nor
ftones, as digged in the walls. No, the trees muſt
be hewed and fquared, and the ftones fawn and
made fit, and fo be laid in the houſe.
Yea they must be fo fawn, and fo fquared , that
in coupling they may be joined exactly, elfe the
building will not be good, nor the workman have
credit of his doings.
Hence our golpel church, of which the temple
was a type, is faid to be fitly formed, and that there
is a fit fupply of every joint for the fecuring of the
whole, i Pet. iii . 5. Ephef. iv . 20, 21. chap. iv.
16. Col. ii. 19.
As they therefore build like children that build
with wood, as it comes from the wood or foreft ,
and with ftones as they come from the pit ; even
ſo do they who pretend to build God an houſe O
unconverted finners, unhewed, unfquared , unpoliſh
ed : wherefore God's workmen , according to God's
advice, prepare their work without, " and make it
fit for themſelves in the field, and afterwards build
the houſe." Prov. xxiv. 27.
Let minifters therefore look to this, and take
heed, left, instead of making their notions ftoop to
the word, they make the fcriptures ſtoop to their
notions.

CHAP . VII.

Ofthe foundation of the Temple.

H E foundation ofthe temple is that upon which
it ftod ; and it was twofold ; firſt, the hill Mo
riah, and then thofe great ftones upon which it was
erected . 1 his hill Moriah, as was faid afore, did
more properly typify Chrift. Hence Moriah is called
the " Mountain of the houſe," it being the rock on
which it was built. Thoſe great ſtones called found
B 2
16 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
ation -ftones, were types of the prophets and apoftles,
Matth. xvi. 18. Ephef. i 20, 21. Heb. xi . 10.
Wherefore thefe ftones were ftones of the biggeſt
fize, ftones of eight cubits, and ftones of ten cubits,
1 Kings vii. 10.
4
Now, as the temple had this double foundation ,
fo we must confider it refpectively and diftinctly ;
for Chrift is the foundation one way, the prophets
and apoftles a foundation another. Chrift is the
foundation perfonally and meritoriously ; but the
prophets and apoftles by doctrine, minifterially.
The church then, which is God's New Teſtament
temple, is faid to be built on Chrift the founda
tion ; fo none other is the foundation but he, I
Cor. iii. 11, 12. But as it is faid to be built
upon the apoftles, fo it is faid to have twelve
foundations, and muſt have none but they, Rev.
xxi. 14.
What is it then ? why we must be building upon
Christ , as he is our prieft, facrifice, prophet, king,
and advocate ; and upon the other, as they are in
fallible inftructors and preachers of him ; not that
any may be an apofle, that fo fhall efteem of him
felf, nor that any V other doctrine be adminiftred
But what is the doctrine of the twelve ; for they
are fet forth as the chief and laft. Theſe are alfo
they, as Mofes, which are to look over all the build.
ing, and to fee that all in this houſe be done accord
ing to the pattern fhewed to them in the Mount,
Exod . xxxix . 43. John xx . 21 , 22, 23 , 1 Cor. iii .
9. chap. iv. 9 .
Let us then keep theſe diftinctions clear, and not
put an apoſtle in the room of Chrift, nor Chrift in
the place of one of thofe apoftles . Let none but
Chrift be the high priest and facrifice for your fouls
to God ; and none but that doctrine which is apof
tolical be to you as the mouth of Chrift, for inftruc
tion to prepare you, and to prepare materials for
this temple of God, and to build them upon this
foundation .
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 17

CHA P. VIII.

Of the Richness of the Stones which were laid for

the Foundations ofthe Temple.

THESE foundation - ftones, as they were great,

were coftly as
of themſelves of no more worth than they are of
their nature that were left behind . Their coftlinefs
therefore, lay in thoſe additions which they received
from the King's charge .
Firft, In that labour which was beftowed upon
them in fawing, ſquaring, and carving : for the fer
vants, as they were cunning at this work, fo they
bestowed much of their art and labour upon them,
by which they put them into excellent form, and
added to their bignefs, glory and beauty, fit for
ftones upon which fo goodly a fabrick was to be
built.
Secondly,Thefe ftones, as they were thus wrought
within and without, fo, as it feems to me, they
were inlaid with other ftones more precious than
themſelves inlaid, I fay, with ftones of divers
colours. According as it is written, " I will lay
the foundations with fapphires," Ifa . liv. 11. Not
that the foundations were fapphires, but they were
laid, inlaid with them : or, as he faith in another
place, " They were adorned with goodly ftones and
gifts," Luke xxi 5.
This is ftill more amplified, where it is written
of the New Jerufalem (which is ftill the Teftament
church on earth, and fo the fame in fubftance with
what is now) ; " The foundations of the wall ofthe
city, faith he, were garnished with all manner of
precious stones," Rev. xxi . 19. True, the fe there
are called the foundations of the wall of the city ;;
but it has reſpect to the matter in hand ; for that
which is before called a temple, for its comparitive
fmallness, is here called a city, for, or becauſe of
its great increafe and both the foundations of the
" B. 3
 18 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
wall of the city, as well as of the temple, " are the
twelve apoſtles of the Lamb, Rev. xxi. 14.
For theſe carvings and inlayings, with all other .
beautifications, were types of the extraordinary
gifts and graces of the apoftles. Hence the apostle
calls fuch gifts, figns of apoftlefhip, Rom. xv. 19 .
2 Cor. xii. 21. Heb. ii. 4. For as the founda.
tion ftones of the temple were thus garnished , fo
were the apoftles, beautified with a call, gifts, and
graces peculiar to themfelves. Hence he fays, firſt
apoftles, for that they were firft and chief in the
church of Chrift, 1 Cor. xii . 28.
Nor were theſe ftones only laid for a foundation
for the temple ; for the great court, the inner ccurt,
as alfo the porch of the temple, had round about
them " three rows of thefe ftones for their founda
tion," 1 Kings vii. 12 .
Signifying, as feems to me, that the more out.
ward and external part, as well as that more inter
nal worship to be performed to God, fhould be
grounded upon apoftolical doctrine and appointments,
1 Cor. iii. 10, 11 , 12. 2 Theff. ii . 15. chap. iii . 6.
Heb. vi.1.5.
CHAP. IX .

Which Way the Face or Front of the Templeſtood.

I. HE temple was built with its face or front
TH
towards the eaſt, and that perhaps, be
cauſe the glory of " the God of Ifrael was to come3
from the way of the eaft unto it. " Ezek. xliii , 1.'
5. xlvii . 1. Wherefore in that its front ſtood
towards the eaſt, it may be to fhew, that the true
gofpel-church would have its eye to, and expec
tation from the Lord . We look, faid Paul, But
whither ? " We have our converfation , faid he, in
heaven, from whence our expectation is," 2 Cor .
* iv. 18. Phil. iii . 20, 21. Pfal . lxii. 5. .
2. It was alfo let with its face towards the east,
 SPIRITUALIZED. 19
to keep the people of God from committing idola
try, to wit, from worshipping the hoft of heaven,
and the fun, whofe rifing is from the eaft. For,
fince the face of the temple ftood towards the eaſt,
and fince the worshippers were to worship at, or
with their faces towards the temple, it follows, that
both in their going to, and worshipping God to
wards that place, their faces muft be from, and
their backs towards the fun. The thus building of
the temple therefore was a fnare to idolaters, and a
proof of the zeal of thoſe that were the true wor
hippers as alfo to this day; the true gospel- infti
tuted worship of Jefus Chrift is ; hence he is faid,
to idolaters , to be a fnare and a trap, but to the
godly, a glory, Ifa. viii 14. Chap. lx. 19.
3. Do but fee how God catched the idolatrous
Jews by this means in their naughtiness : And he
brought me, faid the prophet, into the inner court
of the Lord's houſe, and behold, at the door of the
temple of the Lord, even between the porch and
the altar, were about five-and-twenty men, with
their backs towards the temple of the Lord , and
their faces towards the eaft," Ezek. viii . 16.
It was therefore, as I faid, fet with its face to
wards the east, to prevent falfe worſhips, and detect
idolaters.
4. From the eaft alfo, came the moſt blafting
winds, winds that are deftructive to man and beaſt,
to fruit and trees and fhips at fea, Exod , x. 13.
Job xxvii . 21. Ezek. xvii . 10 , chap . xix . 12. Pfal.
xlviii . 7. Ezek. xxvii. 26 .
I fay, the eaft wind, or that which comes from
thence, is the most hurtful ; yet you fee, the tem
ple hath fet her face againft it, to fhew, that the
true church cannot be blafted or made to turn back
by any affliction . 'Tis not eaft- winds, nor none of
their blaftings, that can make the temple turn about.
Hence he faith, " That Jacob's face fhall not wax
pale ." And again, I have made thy face ſtrong
against their faces, and that the gates of hell fall
20: SOLOMON'S TPEMLE
not prevail againſt it, Ifa. xxix . 22. Ezek. iii . 8.
Matth. xvi. 18.
• 5. It might be alfo built with its face towards
the east, to fhew, that the true church looketh, as
before I hinted, for her Lord and King from hea
ven, knowing, that at his coming he will bring heal
ing in his wings : for from the eaft he will appear
when he comes the fecond time without fin unto
falvation, of which the fun gives us a memento in
his rifing there every morning. " For as the light
ning cometh out of the eaſt, and fhineth unto the
welt ; fo thall alſo the coming of the Son of man
be." Mal. iv. 2. Heb . ix. 28. Col. iii . 3. 2 Pet.
iii. I 14. Matth. xxiv. 27.
6. Chrift, as the north pole, draws thofe touch
ed with the load - ftone of his word, with the face
of their fouls towards him, to look for, and haften
to his coming. And this alfo is fignified by the
temple ſtanding with his face towards the eait.
CHA P. X.
Of the Courts of the Temple,
Perceive that there were two courts belonging
I to the temple. The firft was called the outward
court, Ezek. xl . 17. chap. xlvi . 21.
1. This was that into which the people of necef
fity first entered, when they went to worship in the
the temple, confequently that was it in and by
which the people did firft fhew their defires to be
worshippers of God. And this anſwers to thofe
badges and figns of love to religion, that people
have in face or outward appearance, Matth. xxv.
27. 2 Cor. x. 7.
2. In this, though here may fometimes be
truth, yet oftener lies and diffimulation ; wherefore
commonly an outward appearance is fet in oppo
fition to faith and truth, as the outward is in oppo
fition to the inner-court, and outward to the
inner man ; and that is, when it is by itſelf, for
 SPIRITUALIZED. 21
then it profits nothing, Rom , ii . 28. 1 Cor. xiii , 18
-3. 2 Cor. v. 12.
3. Hence, tho' the outward court was ſomething
to the Jews, becauſe by outward bodies they were
diftinguiſhed from the Gentiles ; yet to us it is lit
66
tle ; for now he is not a Jew who is one only
outwardly ;" therefore all the time of the beaft's
reign this court is given to be trodden under fost ;
for, as I faid, outward fhew will avail nothing
when the beaft comes to turn and tofs up profeſſors
with his horns , Rev. xi . 12 .
4. But as there was an outward, fo there was an
inner court ; a court that stood nearer to the tem
ple, and fo to the true practical part of worship,
than that outward court did , Ezek. x. 13. chap.
xlvi. 1. 1 Kings vi , 36.
5. This inner court is that which is called the
court of the prieſts, becauſe it was that in which
they boiled the trefpafs offerings, and in which
they prepared the fin offering for the people, 2 Cor.
iv .. 9. Ezek. xlvi . 20,
6. This court, therefore, was the place of prac
tice and of preparation to appear before God , which
is the first true token of a fincere and honeft mind.
Wherefore here, and not in the outward court,
ftood the great brazen altar, which was a type of
Christ, by whom alone true worshippers make their
approach with acceptance unto God . Alfo here
ftood the great brazen ſcaffold, on which the king
kneeled when he prayed for the people; a type of
Chriſt's prayers for his when he was in the world,
1 Kings ii . 2 Chron. vi , John xiii . 17.
7. Wherefore this court was a type of practical
worship, and fo of our praying, hearing, and eat
ing, before God . There belonged to this court fe
veral gates, an eaft, a fouth, and a north gate ; and
when the people of the land went into this court
to worship, they were not to go out at the gate by
which they came in , but out of the gate over againſt
it, to fhew that true Chriftians fhould perfevere right
22 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
on, and not turn back whatever they met with in
the way. " He that entereth in by the way of the
north-gate to worſhip ſhall go out by the way of
the fouth gate ; and that entereth in by the way
of the ſouth gate, he fhall not return by the way of
the gate whereby he came in, but thall go over a
gainst it," Ezek. xlvi. 9.
8. Theſe courts were places of great delight to
the Jews, as both feigned and fincere profeffion is
to thofe that practiſe therein . Wherefore when
the Jews did enter into thefe, they did ufe to do it
with praife and pipe, as do both hypocrites and
fincere ones. So then, when a man fhall tread in
both theſe courts , and fhall turn what he ſeems to
be, into what he would be in reality ; then, and
not till then, he treads them as he fhould , for then
he makes the outward court, and his treading there,
but a paffage to that which is more inward and fin
cere. But he that ſtays in the outward one, is but
fuch an one as pleafes not God, for that he wants
the practice of what he profeffes with his mouth.
CHAP . XI.
Ofthegreat brazen Altar thatſtood in the Inner-Court
of the Temple.
N the inner court ftood the great brazen altar
I which Solomon made : this is evident ; for that
when he kneeled upon the fcaffold there to pray,
he kneeled before this altar ; fee Exod . xl. 6, 29.
2 Chron . vi. 13. 2 Kings xvi . 14. Joel ii . 17.
2. This altar feems to be placed about the middle
of this court, over against the porch of the houſe :
and between it and the temple was the place where
Zachariah was flain. This altar was called the altar
of burnt offering ; and therefore it was a type of
Chrift in his dignity ; for Chrift's body was our true
burnt offering, of which the bodies of the facrifi
ced beafts were a type. Now that altar upon which
his body was offered, was his divinity or godhead ;
for that, and that only, could bear up that offering
 SPIRITUALIZED. 23
in the whole of its fufferings ; and that therefore,
and that only, was to receive the fat, the glory.
Hence it is faid, " He, through the eternal Spirit,
offered himſelf without fpot to God ," Heb. ix . 14.
3. For Chrift is prieft, and facrifice, and altar, and
all. And as a priest he offered , as a facrifice he
fuffered, and as God he fupported his humanity,
in that fuffering of all the pains it underwent, Gal.
i . 4. chap. ii . 20. 1 Pet. iii. 18. Heb . ix . 13 .
4. It was then Chrift's godhead, not the tree,
that was the altar of burnt offering ; or that by
which Chrift offered himſelf an offering and a facri
fice to God for a fweet finelling favour.
5. That it was not the tree is evident, for that
could not fanctify the gift, to wit, his body ; but
Christ affirmeth, That the altar fanctifieth the
gift :" and by fo faying, he affirmeth, that the altar
on which he offered his offering was greater than
the offering itſelf, Matth. xxiii. 19.
Now the body of Chrift was the gift ; for fo he
faith, " I give my flesh for the life of the world,"
John vi.
But now, what thing is that which is greater
than his body, fave the altar, his divinity on which
it was offered ; the tree then was not the altar
which fanctified this gift, to make it of virtue e
nough to make reconciliation for iniquity, John vi.
15. chap. xvii . 19. Heb . ix. 14. Col. i. 19. - 21 .
Now, fince this altar of burnt-offering was thus
placed in the inner-court, it teacheth us feveral
things.
First, That thoſe that come only into the out
ward court, or that reft in a bare appearance of
Christianity, do not, by fo doing, come to Jefus
Chrift ; for this altar ftands not there . Hence John
takes notice only of the temple and this altar, and
them that worship therein , and leaves out the out.
ward court, and fo them that come no farther , Rev.
xi, 1 , 2.
Secondly, This teaches us alfo, that we are to
24 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
enter into that temple of God by blood. The al
tar, this altar of burnt offering food as men went
into the temple : they must go by it, yea, there
they must leave their offering, and fo go in and
worship, even as a token that they came " thither
by facrifice and by blood."
Thirdly, Upon this altar , Solomon , at the dedi.
cation of the temple, offered thouſands, both of
oxen and of fheep, to fignify furely the abundant
worth and richnefs that would be in the blood of
Chrift, to fave when it fhould be fhed for us ; for
his blood is fpoken of with an how much more ;
" For if the blood ofbulls and goats, and the ashes
of an heifer ſprinkling the unclean, fanctifieth to
the purifying of the flesh, how much more ſhall
the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without fpot to God, purge your
confcience from dead works, to ferve the living
God ," Heb. ix. 14. 2 Chron. vii . 5, 9, 7 , 8. Heb .
X. 1, 12.
Let us then not dare to ftop, or ſtay in the out
ward court, for there is not this altar ; nor let us
dare, when we come into this court, to be careleſs
whether we look to this altar or no ; for it is by
blood we must enter ; " for without fhedding of
blood there is no remiffion." Let us always then,
when we come hither, waſh our hands in innocen
cy, and fo compafs this holy altar. " For that
by Chrift, who is the altar indeed, we are reconcil
ed to God ; " this is looking to Jefus," this is com
ing to God by him, of whom this altar and the fa
crifice thereon was a type.

CHAP. XII.
Of the Pillars that were before the Porch of the
Temple.
HERE were divers pillars belonging to the
T Temple . But in this place we are confined
to ſpeak of only two ; namely, thofe which ftood
before the temple.
 A

SPIRITUALIZED. 25
The pillars ftood before the porch or entrance
into the Temple, looking towards the altar, the
court, and them that were the worshippers there :
alfo they were a grace and a beauty to the front of
the houſe.
1. Thefe pillars ftood, one on the right hand,
and the other on the left, at the door of the porch
of the Temple, and they had names given them
(you may be fure) to fignify fomething. The namę
of that on the right hand was called Jachin ( God
fhall eſtabliſh :) and the name of that on the left
hand was Boaz, (in its ſtrength ) 1 Kings vii. 21 .
2 Chron . iii . 17 .
2. Theſe two pillars were types of Chrift's a
poftles, of the apostles of circumcifion , and of the
uncircumcifion. Therefore the apostle Paul alfo
calleth them pillars, Gal. ii . ; and faith, that that
pillar on the right-hand was a type of himſelf and
his companions, who were to go to the uncircumci .
fed, and teach the Gentiles the way of life. " When
James, Cephas, and John, faith he, who feemed to
be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto
me, they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hand
of fellowship, that we should go unto the Heathen,
and they unto the circumcifion, Gal . ii. 9.
So then theſe two pillars were types of thefe
two orders of the apoſtles, in this their divers fer
vice for God.
3. And that Paul and Barnabas were ſignified by
thoſe on the right hand, to wit, to be the apostles
of the Gentiles, he fheweth again , where he faith ,
" Lam the minifter of Chrift to the Gentiles, mi
niftring the grace of God, that the offering up of
the Gentiles might be acceptable, being fanctified
• by the Holy Ghoft," Rom. xi. 13. chap. xv. 16.
4. And fince the name of this pillar was Jachin ,
(God fhall establish,) as it fheweth that oppofition
hall attend it ; fo alfo, that God would blefs his
word preached by them to the Gentiles, to the con
с
26 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
verfion of numbers of them, maugre all 鼎 the op
pofition of the enemy.
5. This is further implied, for that they were
made of braſs : as he faith of the prophet, " I have
made thee a fenced brazen wall, an iron pillar ;"
and their fighting against thee fhall nothing at all
prevail. Wherefore Paul fays of hirfelf, I am
fet for the defence of the gospel, that the truth
thereof might continue with you,” Phil, i. 17. Gal.
Gi. 5.
CHA P. XIII.
1
Of the Height of thefe Pillars that thus stood before
the Porch of the Door ofthe Temple.
HE pillars were eighteen cubits high a piece.
THE
and that is as high, yea , as high again, as the
highest giant that ever we read of in this world ;
for the higheft of which we read was but fix cubits
and a ſpan .
True, the bedftead of Og was nine cubits long,
but I trow the giant himfelf was fhorter, Deut.
iii. 11. 2 Chron. iii. 15. But put the longeſt to the
longeft, and fet the one upon the ſhoulders of the
other, and yet each pillar was higher than they.
We have now, as I know of, but few that re
main of the remnant of the giants, and tho' they
boaft as if they were higher than Anak, yet theſe
pillars are higher than they.
Theſe pillars are the higheft ; you may equal
them, " and an inch above is worth an ell below. "
The height therefore of theſe pillars is, to fhew us
what high dignity God did put upon thoſe of his
faints whom he did call to be apoftles of the Lamb ;
for their office and call thereto is the higheſt in the
church of God. Thefe men, I fay, were made
thus high by their being caft in fuch a mould . Of
that which added yet further to their height, we
will ſpeak anon We only ſpeak now of the high
call, by which they, and only they, were made ca
pable of apoſtolical authority. The apoſtles were
 SPIRITUALIZED.` 27
fent immediately, their call was extraordinary,
their office was univerfal, they had alike power in
all churches , and their doctrine was infallible ; Acts
xxvi. 16. 1 Cor. ix. 1. Gal. i. r. 1 John i. 1, 2, 3.
John ii . 23.
And what can our pretended giants do or fay in
comparison of theſe? The truth is, all other men to
thefe , are dwarfs, are low, dark, weak, and beneath
them, not only as to call and office, but alfo as to
gifts and grace. This fentence , Paul an apostle of
Jefus Chrift, drowneth all . What now are all o
ther titles of grandeur and greatnefs, when compas
red to this one fentencé ? :
True, the men were but mean in themſelves ;
for what is Paul or Apollos, or what was James or
John ? Yet by their call to that office, they were
made higheſt of all in the church . Chrift did raiſe
them Deighteen cubits high, not in conceit, for for
there are many higher than they, but in office,
and calling, and divine authority .
And obferve it, thefe ftand at the door, at the
entering into the temple of God, at which they en
ter that go in thither to worship God, to fhew that
all right worship, and that which will be acceptable
to God, is by, or according to their doctrine .

CHA P. XIV.

Of the Chapiters of the Pillars of the Temple.

T
THERE were alfo two chapiters made for the
pillars of the Temple ; for each, one ; and
they were five cubits high a- piece . Thefe were
for the adorning of the pillars : and there fore were
types and thadows of that abundance of grace
which God did put upon the apostles after the re
furrection of our Lord. Wherefore, as he faith
here, the chapiters were upon the pillars ; fo it
faith, that great grace were upon all the apostles,
Acts iv . 33 .
Theſe chapiters had belonging to them, a bowl
C 2.
28 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
made pumil-fafhion, and it was placed upon the
head of them, perhaps to fignify their aptnefs to
receive, and largenels to contain of the dew of
heaven, that fhadow of the doctrine of the gofpel,
which doctrine the apoftles, as the chief, were to
receive, and hold forth to the world for their con
verfion. Hence, as the bowls were capable to re
ceive the dew of heaven, theſe are faid to receive
grace, an apoftlefhip, for obedience to the faith a..
mong all nations, for his name, Rom. i. 5. 1 Kings
vii. 16, 42. 2 Chron . iv. 33. Deut . xxxii. 1. Rom.
av. 29.
There was alfo upon theſe chapiters a net-work
er nets like unto checker work, which ftill addeth
to their luftre. Thefe nets were they which fhew
ed for what intent the apoftolical offices were or.
dained ; namely, that by their preaching, they
might bring many fouls to God. And hence Chrift
calls them fishermen, faying, " ye shall catch men ,'
Matth. iv. 19. Mark, i 17, Lake v. 10. and 2 Cor.
xii. 16.
The world is compared to a fea ; men to fiſhes ;
and the gospel to a net, Ezek. xlvii. 10, 11, 12, 13,
14. Matth. xii. 47, 48, 49, 50. As therefore men
catch fish with a net, fo the apoftles caught men by
their word, which word, as I told you, to me is fig
nified by this net work upon the top of theſe pil
lars. See therefore the mystery of God in the fe
things.
CHA P. XV .

Of the Pomegranates adjoined to thefe Nets on the

Chapiters.

THE HERE were alfo joined to thefe nets upon the

top of thefe pillars, promegranates in abun
dance, four hundred for the net -work. Pomegra
nates, you know, are beautiful to look on, pleafant
to the palate , comfortable to the ftomach , and
-chearing by their juice, 1 Kings vii . 42. Song iv.
3. viii. 2. iv. 13. vi. 11. vii . 12. There were to
 * SPIRITUALIZED. 292
be two rows of theſe pomegranates for one net
work, and fo two rows of them for the other.
And this was to fhew, that the net of the gospel
is not an empty thing, but is fufficiently baited with
fuch varieties as are apt to allure the world to be
eatched by them . The law is but a found of words,
but the gospel is not fo ; that is, baited with pome.
granates, with variety of excellent things. Hence
it is called the gospel of the kingdom, and the gof.
pel of the grace of God ; because it is, as it were;,
baited with grace and glory, that finners may be
allured , and may be taken with it to their eternal
falvation, $ Matth. xxiv . 14. Acts xx. 24. ›
Grace and glory, grace and glory ! theſe are the
pomegranates with which the word of the gospel
is baited, that finners may be taken and faved ›
thereby. The argument of old was, milk and ho
ney, that was, I fay, the alluring bait, with which
Mofes drew fix hundred thousand out of Egypt,
into the wilderness of old, Exod . ii. 8. But, behold,
we have pomegranates; two rows of pomegranates
grace and a kingdom is the bait of the holy gefpel,
no wonder then, if when men of ſkill did caft this
net into the fea, fuch numbers of fish have been.
catched, even by one fermon, Acts ii. They baited
their nets with taking things, things taking to the
eye and tafter
Nets are truly inſtruments of death, but the net -
of the gospel doth catch to draw from death, where.
fore this net is contrary, life and immortality is
brought to light through this. No marvel then,
if men are fo glad, and that for gladnefs they leap1
like fishes in a net, when they fee themſelves catch
ed in this drag of the holy gofpel of the Son of
God. They are catched from death, and helly
catched to live with God in glory :

C3

month an sband ba
30 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

CHA P. XVI.

Of the Chains that were upon thefe Pillars that stood

before the Temple .
pomegranates
As there were nets to catch, and
to bait, fo there were chains belonging to
thefe chapiters or thefe pillars. " And he made
chains, as in the oracle, and put them upon the
head of the chapiters," 2 Chron . iii . 16.
But what were the fe chains a type of? I anfwer,
they were (perhaps) a type of thoſe bonds which
attend the gofpel, by which fouls are taken and
tied faft to the horns of the altar. Gofpel -grace,
and gofpel-obligations, are ties and binding things ;
they can hold thofe that are entangled by the word .
Love is ſtrong as death : bands of love, and the
cords of a man , and chains take hold on them that
are taken by the gofpel, Hof. xi. Song viii. 6.
But this ftrength to bind, lieth not in outward
force, but in a fweet conftraint, by virtue of the
difplays of undeferved love, " The love of Chrift
conftraineth us," 2 Cor. v. Wherefore, as you
find the nets, fo the chains had promegranates on
them , " And he made a hundred pomegranates,
and put them upon the chains," a Chron. iii. 16.
The chains then had baits, as well as the nets, to
thew the bands of the gospel are unrefiftible good.
neffes : fuch with which men love to be bound,
and fuch as they pray they may hold faft by."
He binds his foal to the vine, his faint unto this
Saviour, Gen. xlix , 11. m
By thefe chains, there is therefore fhewed what
Arength there is in gofpel charms, if once the adder
doth butshear them : never man yet was able to
refift them that well did know the meaning of them.
They are mighty to make poor men obedient, and
that in word and deed.
Theſe chains were fuch as was in the oracle, to
fhew tnar gofpel- bonds are ftrong ; as the joys of
 SPIRITUALIZED. 31
heaven, and as the glories there, can make them
chains, as in the oracle, as in the moſt holy place.
Tis heaven that binds finners on earth, to the faith
and hope of the gospel of Chrift.

CHA P. XVII.

Of the Lily work which was upon the Chapiters that

were upon thefe Pillars ofthe Temple.

THefeHefe pillars were alfo adorned with lily- work,

as well as with pomegranates and chains ,
" Chapiters alfo which were upon the top of the
pillars were of lily work : fo was the work of the
pillars finifhed : fee 1 Kings vii. 19, 20.
This lily work is here put in on purpoſe, even
to fhew us how far off thoſe that were to be the
true apoftles of the Lamb fhould be from feeking
carnal things, or of making their preaching a ſtalk
ing horſe to worldly greatnefs, and that preferment.
There was lily work upon them : that is, they liv.
ed upon the bounty and care of God, and was con
tent with that glory which he had put upon them .
" The lilies, faith Chrift, they toil not, neither do
they fpin, and yet Solomon, in all his glory, was
not arrayed like one of thefe," Matth. vi. 28, 29.
Luke xii . 28, 29.
Thus, therefore, theſe pillars fhew, that as the
apoſtles fhould be fitted and qualified for their
work, they ſhould be alfo from cares and worldly
cumber, they ſhould be content with God's provid
ing for them, even as the goodly lilies are. And
as thus prepared, they were fet in the front of the
houfe, for all minifters to fee and learn , and take.
example of them, how to behave themſelves as to
this world in the performing of their office .
And that which gives us further light in this,
is, that this lily work is faid by divine inftitution
fi
to be placed over-againſt the belly ," the belly of
the pillars, a type of ours, 1 Kings vii . 20.
The belly is a craving thing ; and theſe things,
32 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
faith the text, were placed over against the belly, to
teach, that they fhould not humour, but put check
untothe defires and cravings of the belly ; or to fhew
that they need not do it , for that he that calls to his
work, will himſelf provide for the belly. It is faid.
of the church, " that her belly is as a heap of wheat
fet about with lilies," Song vii, 2. To thew, that
the fhould without covetoufnefs have fufficient, if
fhe would caft all her care upon God, her great
provider ; this the apostles did, and this is their
glory to this day.
So was the work of the pillars finiſhed. To live
lily lives, it feems is the glory of an apoſtle, and
the completing of their office and fervice for God.
But this is directly oppofite to the belly, over a
gainst the belly, and this makes the harder work.
But yet fo living, is the way to make all that is
done fweet fcented to thofe that be under this care.
Covetoufnefs makes a minifter fell frownifh, and
look more like a greedy dog, than an apostle of
Jefus Chrift. Judas has none of this hily-work, ~
fo his name ftinks to this day. He that grows
like the lily, fhall caft forth his fcent like Lebanon,
his branches fhall fpread, and his beauty fhall be as
the olive-tree, and his fmell as Lebanon ."
Thus lived Chrift, first ; and thus the apoftles,
next ; nor can any other, as to this, live like , or
be compared to them. They coveted no man's fil.
ver, or god, or apparel. They lived like lilies in
the world, and did fend forth their fcentas Lebanon .
Thus you fee of whom thefe pillars were a tha
dow, and what their height, their chapiters, their ·
bowls, their nets, their chains, their pomegra
nates, and their lily work did fignify, and how all
was most sweetly answered in the antitype. Theſe
were men of the first rate ; the apoftles, I mean,
were fuch.
 SPIRITUALIZED. 33

CHA P. XVIII.

Of the Fashion of the Temple.

F the length and breadth of the Temple I
fhall fay nothing : but as to the height there
of, there, methinks, I fee fomething . The Temple
was higher than the pillars, and fo is the church
than her officers ; I fay, confider them fingly as
officers (tho inferior as to gifts and office) for as
I faid before of minifters in general , fo now I fay
7 the fame of the apoftles, tho' as to office they were
the highest, yet the temple is above them. Gifts
and office make no men fons of God ; and fo they
are but fervants : tho' thefe were fervants of the
higheſt form . It is the church as fuch, that is the
lady, a queen, the bride, the Lamb's wife ; and pro
phets, apoftles, and minifters, &c. are but fervants,
ftewards, labourers, for her good, Pfal . xlv. 9 .
Rev. xix . 7. 1 Cor. iii. 5. iv. 1 , 2.
As there fore the lady is above the fervant, the
queen above the fte ward, or the wife above all her
husband's officers, fo is the church, as fuch, above
thefe officers. The Temple was higher than the
pillars.
2. Again, as the Temple was higheft, fo it en
larged itself fill upward ; for as it afcended in
height, fo it ftill was wider and wider ; even from
the lowest chambers to the top.
The first chambers were but five cubits broad,
the middle ones were fix, but the higheftwere feven
cubits, ( kings vi. 5, 6) . The Temple therefore
was round about above, fome cubits wider than it
was below. For there was an enlarging and af
cending about ftill upward to the file chambers,
for the winding about was fi upward round about
the houfe ; therefore the breadth of the houſe was
ftill upward, and fo increafed from the lowest
chambers to the higheft, by the midft, Ezck xli . 7.
And this was to thew us, that God's true gofpel
34 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE.
temple, which is his church, ſhould have its enlarg
ednefs of heart ftill upward, or most for fpiritual
and eternal things ; wherefore he fa th, " thy heart
fhall fear and be enlarged ; " that is, the most affect•
ed with things above, " where Chrift fitteth on
the right hand of God, Ifa . xl . 5. Col. iii . 2, 3°
Indeed, it is the nature of grace to enlarge itfeif
ftill upward, and to make the heart wideft for the
things that are above .
The Temple therefore was narroweft down
wards, to fhew that a little of earth, or this world,
fhould ferve the church of God, And having
food and raiment, let us be therewith content. "
But now, upwards, and as to heavenly things,
we are commanded to be covetous, as to them, and
after them to enlarge ourf Ives, both by the fashion.
of the Temple, as by exprefs words, 1 Kings iv.
29. If. Ix. 5. Phil . iii , 14 1 Cor. xii . 31. 1 Tim..
vi. 8. Pfal. cxix . 32.
Since then the Temple was wideft upward, let us
imitate it, and have our converfation in heaven..
Let our eyes, our ears, our hands, and hearts, our
prayers, and groans, be moft for things above. Let
us open our mouths, as the ground that is chapt
doth for the latter rain, for the things that are e
ternal, Job xxix. 23 , Pfal. lxxxi, 10,
Obferve again, that the lowest ports of the Tem
ple, were the narrowest parts of the Temple ; fo
thofe in the church who are neareft, or moft con
cerned with earth, are the most narrow fpirited as
to the things of God, * But now let even fuch a
one be taken up higher, to above, to the uppermoft
parts of the temple , and there he will be enlarged,
and have his heart ftretched out . For the Temple
you fee was wide ft upwards, the higher, the more.
it is enlarged . Paul being once caught up into pa
radife, could not but be there enlarged, 2 Cor. xiię
One may fay of the fathion of the temple, as
fome fays of a living picture, it fpeaks . I fay, its
form and fashion fpeaks, it fays to all faints, to all
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 35
the churches of Chrift, Open your hearts for hea
ven, be ye enlarged upwards. I
1. I read not in fcripture of any houfe, but this,
that was thus enlarged upwards, nor is there any
where, fave only in the church of God, that which
doch anſwer this fimilitude.
All other are wideft downward, and have the
largest heart for earthly things : the church only is
wideft upwards, and has its greatest enlargements
towards heaven.

CHAP . XIX .

Of the outward Glory of the Temple.

DO alfo think, that as to this, there was á

great expreffion in it : I mean, a voice of God,
a voice that teacheth the New Testament church
to carry even conviction in her outward uſages,
that, I fay, might give conviction to the world.
And, befides this of its enlarging upwards, there
was fuch an outward beauty and glory put upon it,
as was alluring to beholders ; the ftones was cu
riouſly carved , and excellently joined together ; its
outward fhew was white and glittering, to the daz.
zling of the eyes of beholders ; yea, the difciples
themſelves were taken with it, it was fo admirable
to behold . Hence it is faid, they came to Chriſt
to fhew him the building of the temple : " Mafter,
faid they, fee what manner of ftones, and what
buildings are here," Matth xxiv. 1. Mark xiii. 1 .
Luke xxi. 5. And hence it is faid , that kings, and
the mighty ofthe earth, were taken with the glory
of it ! Becauſe of thy temple at Jerufalem, fhall
kings brings prefents unto thee ;" as it is, Pfal.
Ixvili . 29, 31.
• Kings, Gentile kings, they fhall be fo taken with
the fight of the outward glory of it ; for they were
not fuff red to go into it ; no uncircumcifed were
admitted in thither. It was therefore with the out
 'S TEMPLE
36 SOLOMON
ward glory of it, with which the beholders were
thus taken .
Her enlarging upward, as that was to fhew us
what the inward affections of Chriftians fhould be,
Col. iii. 1 , 2 , 3 .; fo her curious outward adorning
and beauty was a figure of the beauteous and holy
converfation of the godly. And it is brave, when
the world are made to fay of the lives and conver
fations of faints, as they were made to fay of the
ftones and outward buildings of the temple : " Be.
hold, what Chriftians, and what goodly conver
fations are here ! I fay, it is brave, when our light
fo fhines before men, that they, feeing our good
works, fhall be forced to glorify our Father which
is in heaven," Matth. v. 16.
Hence this is called our adorning, wherewith we
adorn the gospel, and that by which we beautify
it, Tit. ii, 10.
This, I fay, is taking to beholders, as was this
goodly outfide of the temple. And without this
what is to be ſeen in the church of God ? Her in
fide cannot be feen by the world, but her outfide
may Now, her outfide is very homely, and with :
out all beauty, fave that of the holy life ; this only
is her vifible godliness . " This puts to filence the
ignorance of foolish men. " This allureth others
to fall in love with their own falvation, and makes
them fall in with Chrift against the devil and his
kingdom ,

CHAP. XX.

Of the Porch of the Temple.

WE E come next to the porch of the temple,
that is commonly called Solomon's..
1. This porch was in the front of the houſe, and
fo became the common way into the temple,
1 Kings vi. 3. Chron. iii. 4.
2. This porch ther fore was the place of recep
tion in common for all, whether Jews or religious
 SPIRITUALIZED. 37
profelytes, who came to Jerufalem to worship, Acts
iii. 11. v. 12 .
3. This porch had a door or gate belonging to it,
but fuch as was feldom fhut, except in declining
times, or when men put themſelves into a rage a
gainst thoſe better than themfelves, 2 Chron . xxix .
7. Acts xxi. 28, 29 , 30.
4. The gate of this porch was called Beautiful,
even the beautiful gate of the temple, and was that
at which the lame lay to beg for an alms of them
that went in thither to worship, Acts iii . 1 , 2 , 10 ,
Now then, fince this porch was the common
place of reception for all worshippers, and the place
alfo where they laid the beggars , it looks as if it
were to be a type of the church's bofom for charity ,
Here the profelytes were entertained, here the beg
gars were relieved , and received alms. Thefe gates
were ſeldom fhut ; and the houſes of Chriſtian com
paffion fhould be always open. This therefore beau
tified this gate, as charity beautifies any of the
churches. Largenefs of heart, and tender compaf.
fion at the church door , is excellent ; it is the bond
I
ofperfectnefs, 1 Cor . xii ult. xiii. 1. ii , 3, 4. Heb.
xii. 1, 2, 3. John v. 6, 7. Col. iii . 14.
The church-porch to this day is a place for
beggars, and perhaps this practice at firſt was bor
rowed from the beggars lying at the temple-gate.
This porch was large, and fo fhould the charity of
the churches be. It was for length the breadth of
the temple, and of the fame fize with the holiest of
all, 1 Kings vi. 3. 2 Chron . iii . 4 8.
The firit might be to teach us, in chority we
fhould not be nigardly, but, according to the breadth
of our ability, we fhould extend it to all the houfe ;
and that in our fo doing, the very emblem of hea
ven is upon us, of which the holieft was a figure ;
" As therefore we have opportunity , let us do good
to all," & c.
It is a fine ornament to a true church, to have a
D-
38 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

large church-porch, or a wide bofom for reception

of all that come thither to worship. This was
commanded to the Jews, and their glory fhone
when they did accordingly : " And it fhall come
to pafs , in what place the ftranger fojourneth, there
thall ye give him his inheritance, faith the Lord
God," Ezek. xlvii . 23 .
This porch was, as I faid, not only, for length,
the breadth of the temple, and fo the length and
breadth of the holieft ; but it was, if I miſtake not,
for height far higher than them both. For the
holy place was but thirty cubits high, and the moſt
holy but twenty ; but the porch was in height an
hundred and twenty cubits. This beautiful porch
therefore was four times as high as was the temple
itfelt , 1 Kings vi . 2 , 20. 2 Chron. iii. 4.
One excellent ornament, therefore , of the temple
was, that it had a porch fo high, that is, fo fa
mous for height ; fo high, as to be feen afar off,
Charity, if it be rich , runs up from the church like
a fteeple, and will be feen afar off ; I fay, if it be
rich , large, and abounds . Chrift's charity was bla.
zed abroad ; it was fo high, no man could hide it :
and the charity of the churches will be feen from
church to church, yea, and will be ſpoken of to
their condemnation in every place, if it be warm,
fervent, and high, Mark vii, 36. 2 Cor. viii . 24. ix,
2, 3, 14.

CHAP .XXI .

Of the Ornaments of the Porch of the Temple.

Here were three things belonging to the porch,
THe befides its height, that was an ornament un
to it.
I. It was overlaid within with gold .
II. It had the pillars adjoined unto it.
III. It was the inlet into the temple.
First, It was overlaid with gold . Gold oft- times,
was a type of grace, and particularly of the grace of
 SPIRITUALIZED. 39
love. That in Solomon's chariot called gold , is yet
again mentioned by the name Love , Song iii. 9, 10 .
As it is in the church, the grace of love is as gold .
It is the greateft, the richest of graces ; and that
which abides for ever. Hence, they that thew
much love to faints are faid to be rich, 1 Tim. vi ,
17, 18, 19. And hence charity is called a treafure,
a treafure in the heavens, Luke xii . 33 , 34. Love is
a golden grace ; let then the churches, as the porch .
of the temple was, be inlaid with love as gold.
Secondly, It had the pillars adjoining to it, the
which, befides their ftatelinefs, feem to be there ty
pically, to teach example. For there was feen , by the
fpace of four cubits, their lily- work in the porch,
1 Kings vii. 19.
Of their lily-work I fpake before . Now, that
they were fo placed, that they might be feen in the
porch of the houfe, it feems to be for example, to
teach the church, that the fhould live without
wor'dly care, as did the apostles, the firft planters
of the church . And let minifters do this, they are
now the pillars of the churches, and they ftand be
fore the porch of the houfe ; let them alfo fhew
their lily-work to the houſe, that the church may
learn of them to be without carefulneſs as to
worldly things , and alfo to be rich in love and cha
rity towards the brethren.
A covetous minifter is a bafe thing, a pillar more
fymbolizing Lot's wife, than an holy apoftle of Je
fus Chrift ; let thean, fince they ftand at the door,
and fince the eyes of all the porch are upon them,
be patterns and examples of good works, 1 Tim.
vi, 10, 11 , 12. Tit . ii . 7. 1
Thirdly, Another ornament unto this porch was,
that it was an inlet into the Temple. Charity is it
which receiveth orphans, that receiveth the poor
and afflicted into the church. Worldly love, or that
which is carnal, huts up bowels, yea, and the
church-doors too, against the poor of the flock :
wherefore look that this kind of love be never
D. 2
 40 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
countenanced by you. Crave that rather which is
a fruit of the Spirit.
O churches ! let your minifters be beautified
with your love, that they may beautify yon with
their love, and alfo be an ornament unto you, and
to that gofpel they miniſter to you, for Jefus
Chrift'sfa ke !

CHA P. XXII.
Of the Afcent, by which they went up into the Porch
of the Temple.
1.THIS porch alſo had certain fteps , by which
they went up into the houſe of the Lord,
I know not directly the number of them ; tho' Eze
kiel fpeaks fomething about it, Ezek. xl . 38, 39.
Hence, when men went up to worship in the Tem
ple, they were faid, " to go up unto the houſe of
the Lord," Ifa . xxxviii . 22.
Thefe fteps which were the afcent to the Tem.
ple, were fo curioufly ft, and alfo finely wrought,
that they were amazing to behold . Wherefore,
when the queen of Sheba, who came to prove So.
" lomon's wildom, faw the hoafe which he had
built, and his afcent by which he went up into the
houfe of the Lord, the had no more fpirit in her."
She was by that fight quite drowned and overcome,
1 Kings x. 4, 5.
2. Thefe fteps, whether cedar, gold, or ftone,
yet that which added to their adornment, was the
wonderment of a queen . And whatever they were
made of, to be fure they were a fhadow of thoſe
fteps which we fhould take to and in the houſe of
God. " Steps of God," Pfal . lxxxv. 13. " Steps
ordered by him," Pfal. xxxvii . 23. " Steps order
ed in his word, Pfal . cxix 133. " Steps of faith,"
Rom . 4. 12. " Steps of the Spirit, " 1 Cor. xii.
(6
18. Steps of truth," 3 John, ver. 4. Steps washed
with butter, Job xxix . 6. Steps taken before, or
in the prefence of God . " Steps butted and bound
ed by a divine rule. Thefe are fteps indeed.
 SPIRITUALIZED. 41
: 3. There are therefore no fuch fteps as thefe to
be found any where in the world . A ſtep to ho
nour, a ftep to riches, a ftep to worldly glory,
thefe are every where ; but what are thefe to the
fteps by which men do afcend, or go up to the
houfe of the Lord. ༣
He then that entereth into the houfe of the Lord,
is an afcending man ; as it is faid of Moles, he
went up into the mount of God . It is afcending,
to go into the houfe of God . The world believe
not this ; they think ' tis going downward to go up
to the houfe of God ; but they are in a horrible
mistake.
The fteps then by which men went up into the
Temple are, and ought to be, oppofed to thofe
which men take to their lufts and empty glories ,
Hence fuch fteps are faid, not only to decline from
God, but to take hold of the path to death and hell,.
Plal. xliv. 18. Prov., . 18. v:i . 25, 26, 27.
The fteps then by which men went up to the
houfe of the Lord were fignificative of theſe ſteps :
which men take, when they go to God, to Heaven,,
and glory ; for thefe fteps were the way to God, to
God in his holy Temple.
But how few are there, that, as the queen of
the fouth, are taken with thefe godly ſteps ! Do
not.molt rather feek to push away our feet from ta
king hold of the path of life , or elfe lay fnares for
us in the way ? But, all theſe notwithſtanding , the
Lord guide us in the way of his fteps , they are
goodly fteps, they are the best..

CHA P. XXIII.

Of the Gate of the Porch of the Temple.

THE porch, at which was an afcent to the

Temple, had a gate belonging to it. This
gate, according to the prophet Ezek el, was fix
cubits wide . The leaves of this gate were double,,
D. 3
 42 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
"
on folding this way, the other folding that, Ezek,
xl. 48
Now , here fome may object, and fay, " fince the
way to God by thefe doors were fo wide," why
doth Chrift fay, " the way and gate is narrow ?""
Anfwer. The ftraitnefs, or the narrownefs, muft
not be understood of the gate fimply, but becauſe
of that cumber that fome men carry with them
that pretend to be going to heaven. Six cubits !
'what is fixteen cubits to him who would enter in
here with all the world on his back? The young
man in the gospel, who made fuch a noife for Hea.
ven, might have gone in eafy enough ; for in fix
cubits breadth there is room ; but, poor man, he was
not for going in thither unlefs he might carry in
his houfes upon his thoulder too ; and fo the
gate was ftrait, Mark x. 17.- 23.
Wherefore, he that will enter in at the gate of
Heaven, of which this gate into the Temple was a
type, must go in by himſelf, and not with his bun
dles of trash on his back ; and if he will go in thus,
he need not fear, there is room. The righteous
nation that keepeth the truth, they fhall enter in,"
Ifa. xxvi . 2.
2. They that enter in at the gate of the inner
court muſt be cloathed in fine linen ; how then fhalk
they go into the Temple that carry the clogs of
the dirt of this world at their heels ? Thus faith
the Lord, No ftranger uncircumcifed in heart , or
uncircumcifed in fleth , fhall enter into my fan&tu .
ary," Ezek. xliv. 19.
3. The widene therefore of this gate is for this.
cauſe here made mention, of,, to wit, to encourage
them that would gladly enter thereat, according to
the mind of God, and not to flatter them that are
not for leaving off all for God,
4. Wherefore, let fuch as would go in, remem
ber that here is room , even a gate to enter in at,
fix cubits wide. We have been all this while but
 SPIRITUALIZED.
43
on the outside of the Temple, even the courts of
the houfe of the Lord , to fee the beauty and glory
that is there . The beauty hereof made men cry
out, and fay, " How amiable are thy tabernacles,
" O Lord of hofts ! My foul longeth, yea fainteth
for the courts of the Lord : " and to fay, " A day in
thy courts is better than a thouſand, " Pfal. lxxxiv.
1, 2, &c.
CHAP. XXIV .
Of the Pinnacles of the Temple.
I. HERE was alſo feveral pinnacles belongs
1. TH
ing to the Temple. Thefe pinnacles ſtood
on the top, aloft, in the air, and were fharp, and
fo difficult to ftand upon : what men fay of their
number and length I wave, and come directly to
their fignification .
2. I therefore take thoſe pinnacles to be types
of thofe lofty, airy notions, with which fome men
delight themselves, while they hover like birds, a .
bove the fold and godly truths of Chrift. Satan .
attempted to entertain Jefus Chrift with this type
and antitype , at once, when he fet him on one of
the pinnacles of the Temple, and offered to thrust
him upon a falfe confidence in God, by a falſe and
unfound interpretation of a text, Matth. iv. 5, 6.
Luke iv. 9, 10, II .
3. You have fome men cannot be content to wor
fhip in the Temple, but must be aloft, no place
will ferve them but pinnacles, pinnacles ; that they
may be ſpeaking in and to the air, that they may
be promoting their heady notions, inftead of folid
truth ; not confidering that now they are where the
devil would have them be, they ftrut upon their
points, their pinnacles ; but let them look to it, there
is difficult standing upon pinnacles, their neck, their
foul is in danger. We read, God is in his Temple,
not upon thele pinnacles, Pfal . xi . 4. Heb . ii. 20..
4. It is true, Chrift was once upon one of thefe;
but the devil fet him there, with intent to have
44 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

dafhed him in pieces by a fall ; and yet even then

told him, if he would venture to tumble down he
" fhould be kept from dalhing his foot againſt a
ftone." To be there therefore, was one of Chrift's
temptations, confequently one of Satan's firata
gems ; nor went he thither of his own accord, for
he knew that there was danger, " he loved not to
clamber pinnacles ."
5. This fhould teach chriftians to be low, and
little in their own eyes , and to forbear to intrude
into airy and vain fpeculations, and to take heed
of being puffed up with a foul and empty mind,
CHA P. XXV.
Of the Porters of the Temple.
I. HERE were porters belonging to the
f Temple . In David's time their number
was four thousand men, Chron . xxiii . 5.
2. The porters were of the Levites, and their
work was to watch at every gate of the houfe of the
Lord. At the gate of the outer court, at the
gates of the inner court, and at the door of the
Temple of the Lord, 2 Chron. xxxv . 15.
3. The work of the porters, or rather the rea
fon of their watching, was to look that none, not
duly qualified , entered into the houfe of the Lord.
" He fet, faith the text, porters at the gates of the
houfe of the Lord, that none which was unclean in
any thing fhould enter in," 2 Chron. xxiii. 19.
4. The excellency of the porters lay in thefe
three things ; their watchfulnefs , diligence, and
valour, to make refiftance to thofe that as unfit
would attempt to enter thofe courts, and the houſe
of God, I Chron . xxvi. 6. Mark. xiii. 34
: 5. Thefe porters were types of our gofpel-mini
fters, as they are fet to be watchmen in and over
the church, and the holy things of God. There
fore, * as Chrift gives to every man in the church
his work, " fo he commands the porter to watch,
 SPIRITUALIZED. 45
Ifa, xxi, 11. Ezek. iii . 17. chap xxxiii . 7. Acts xx.
27, 28, 29, 30, 31. 2 Tim . iv. 5. Rev. iii. 2, 3 .
6. Sometimes every awakened Chriftian is faid
to be a porter, and fuch at Chrift's firſt knock open
unto him immediately, Luke xii . 36, 37, 38, 39.
7. The heart of a Chriftian is alfo fometimes.
called the porter, for that when the true Shepherd
comes to it, to him this porter openeth alſo, John
x . 3.
8. This laft has the body for his watch- houfe ;
the eyes and ears for his port-holes ; the tongue
therewith to cry, " Who comes there ?" as alfo to
call for aid, when any thing unclean fhall attempt
with force and violence to enter in to defile the
houfe.
CHAP. XXVI.

Of the Charge of the Porters of the Temple more

particularly.
I. HE charge of the porters was, to keep
ΤΗ their watch, in four fquare, even round
about the temple of God . Thus it was ordained by
David, before him by Mofes, and after himi by So
lomon his fon, 1 Chron , ix. 24. Numb . iii . 2 Chron ,
xxiii . 19. xxxv. 15
2. The porters had fome of them the charge
of the treaſure · chambers, fome of them had the
charge of the miniftring-veffels, even to bring them
> in and out by tale . Alfo the opening and fhutting
of the gates of the houfe of the Lord was a part
of their calling and office .
1. I told you the porters were types of our gof.
pel-minifters, as they were watchmen in and over the
houfe of God ; and therefore in that they were
thus to watch round about the temple, what is it,
but to fhew, how diligent Satan is to fee if he can
find a hog hole for that purpoſe.
2. This alfo fheweth, that the church of itſelf,
without its watchmen, is a weak, feeble, and very
helplets thing. What can the lady, or mistress do,
46 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
to defend herſelf againſt thieves, and ſturdy villains,
if there be none but the at home ? it is faid, when
the fhepherd is fmitten, the fheep fhall be fcatter
ed." What could the temple do without its
watchmen ?
3. Again, in that the porters had charge of the
treasure-chambers (as it is, i Chron . ix. 26. ) it is
to intimate, that the treafures of the gospel are with
the minifters of our God ; and that the church ,
next to Chrift, fhould feek them at their mouth.
" We have this treaſure in earthen veſſels , faith
Paul ; and they are ftewards of the manifold myf.
teries of God," 1 Cor. iv. 1. 2 Cor. iv. 7. Pet.
iv. 10. Ephef. iv . 11 , 12, 13.
4. Thefe are God's true fcribes, and bring out
of their treafury things new and old ; or, as he
faith in another place, " at our gates, that is where
our porters watch, are all manner of pleaſant fruit,
which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved,
Matth. xiii . 52. Song vii. 13.
5. Further, fome of them had charge of the mi.
niftring-veffels, and they were to bring them in
and out by tale , 1 Chron , ix . 18..
1. If by miniftring.veffels you underſtand gof.
pel ordinances, then you fee who has the charge
of them , to wit , the watchmen and minifters of
the word ; Luke i . 12. 2. Theff. ii . 15. 2 Tim .
ii. 2.
2. If by miniftring-veffels you mean the men
bers of the church, for they are alfo miniftring
veffels, then you fee who has the care of them, to
wir, the paftors, the gefpel-minifters.
Therefore " obey them that have the rule over.
you, for they watch for your fouls as they that
muft give an account ; that they may do it with joy,
and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for
you ;" Heb. xiii. 17.
2. The opening of the gates did alfo belong to
the porters, to fhew, that the power of the keys,
to wit, of opening and fhutting, of letting in and
 SPIRITUALIZED . 47
keeping out of the church, doth minifterially be
long to theſe watchmen, Matth. xvi . 19. Heb. xii ,
15.
4. The conclufion is, then, let the churches love
their paſtors, hear their paſtors, be ruled by their
paftors, and fuffer themſelves to be watched over,
and to be exhorted , counfelled , and, if need be, re
proved and rebuked by their paftors . And let the
minifters not fleep, but be watchful, and look to
the ordinances, to the fouls of the faints, and the
gates of the churches. Watchman, watchman !
watch.
CHA P. XXVII .
Of the Doors of the Temple,
OW we come to the gate of the temple ;
N namely, to that which let out of the porch
into the holy place.
1. Thefe doors or gates were folding, and they
openedby degrees. Firft a quarter, and then a half,
after that three quarters, and laft of all the whole .
Thefe doors alfo hanged upon hinges of gold , and
upon poſts made of the goodly olive- tree ; 1 Kings
vi . 33, 34. Ezek. xli . 23 , 24.
2. Thefe doors did reprefent Chrift, as he is thé
way to the Father, as alfo did the door of the taber
nacle, at which the people were wont to ſtand
when they went to inquire of God, " Wherefore,
Chriſt faith, I am the door, (alluding to this) by me
if any man enter he fhall be faved, and fhall go in
and out, and find pafture ." Exod xxxii. 9, 10.
xxxviii. 8. xl. 22. Lev. i . 3 , 4. viii . 3, 4, 13.
xv. 14. Numb. vi . 13 , 18. x. 3. xxv. 6, xxvii. 2.
1 Sam . ii . 22. John x. 9.
1. " I am the door. " The door into the court,
the door into the porch, the door into the temple,
the door unto the holeft, the door unto the Father.
But now we are at the door of the temple.
2. And obferve it, this door by Solomon was not
me fured, as the door of the porch was : for tho
the door into the court, and the door into the
48 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
porch were meaſured, to fhew that the right to or
dinances, and the inlet into the church, is to be ac
cording to a prefcript rule, yet this door was not
meaſured ; to fhew that Chrift, as he is the inlet to
faving grace, is beyond all meaſure, and unfearch.
able. Hence his grace is called unfearchable riches,
and that above all we can ask or think, for that it
paffeth knowledge, Eph . iii . 8, 19 20.
3. It is therefore convenient , that we put a note
upon this, that we may diftinguiſh rule and duty
from grace and pardoning mercy ; for, as I faid,
tho' Chrift, as the door to outward privileges, is fet
forth by rule and meaſure ; yet as he is the door to
grace and favour, never a creature , as yet, did fee
the length and breadth of him, Eph. iii. 17, 18, 19.
4. Therefore, I fay, this gate was not meaſured ;
for what should a rule do here, where things are be
yond all meaſure ?
5. This gate being alfo to open by degrees, is of
fignification to us, for it will be opening first by
one fold, then by another, and yet will never be
fet wide open, until the day of judgment, For
then, and not till then, will the whole of the
matter be open . " For now we ſee through a glaſs
darkly, but then face to face ; now we know in
part, but then firall we know even as we are
known," Cor, xiii. 2.
CHAP, XXVIII.
Of the Leaves of this Gate of the Temple.
HE leaves of this gate or door, as I told
T you before, were folding, and fo, as was
hinted, has fomething of fignification in them. For
by this means, a man, efpecially a young difciple,
may eafily be mistaken ; thinking that the whole
paffage, when yet but a part, was open, whereas
three parts might be kept undiſcovered to him , For
thefe doors, as I faid before, were never yet ſet
wide open, I mean in the antitype ; never man yet
faw all the riches and fulneſs which is in Chrift.
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 49.
So that I fay, a new comer, if he judgeth by pre
fent fight, eſpecially if he faw but little, might
eafily be mistaken ; wherefore fuch, for the moſt
part, are moſt horribly afraid that they fhall never
get in thereat.
How fayft thou, young comer, is not this the
cafe with thy foul ? fo it feems to thee, that thou
art too big, being fo great, fo tun-bellied a finner.
But, O thou finner, fear not, the doors are folding
doors, and may be opened wider, and wider again
after that; wherefore, when thou comeft to this gate
and imagineft there is not ſpace enough for thee
to enter, " knock, and it ſhall be wider opened unto
thee," and thou shalt be received , Luke xi 9. John
ix. 37. So then, whoever thou art," that art come
to the door, of which the temple-door was a type,
truft not to thy firft conceptions of things, but be
lieve there is grace abundant : thou knoweft not
yet what Chrift can do, the doors are folding doors.
He can do exceeding abundantly above all that we
can afk or think, " Ephef. iii , 20 .
The hinges on which thefe doors do hang, were,
as I told you, gold ; to fignify, that they both turn
ed upon motives, and motions of love, and alfo
that the openings thereof were rich . Golden hin
turn upon .
ges the gate to God doth
The pofts on which thefe doors did hang were
of the olive-tree, that fat and oily tree, to fhew
that they do never open with lothness or fluggish.
nefs, and as doors do, whofe hinges want cil.
They are always oily, and fo open eaſily and quick
ly to thoſe who knock at them. Hence you read,
that he that dwells in this houfe , gives freely ; loves
freely, and doth us good with all his heart. Yea,
faith he, I will rejoice over them to do them good,
and I will plant them in this land affuredly, with
my whole heart, and with my whole foul , Jer. iii.
12, 14, 22. Jer xxxii. 41. Rev. xxi . 6. xxii . 17.
Wherefore the oil of grace, fignified by this
E
 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE TEMPLE
50
oily tree, or thefe ollve pofts, on which thefe doors
do hang, caufes that they open glibly or frankly to
the foul.

CHA P. XXIX.

What the Doors of the Temple were made of. A

i. HE doors of the temple were made of fir,
T that is fo fweet -fcented , and pleaſant to
the fmell, 1 Kings vi . 34.
2. Mankind is alfo often compared to the fir
tree, as Ifa. xli. 19. lv. 13. lx . 17. and xiv. 8.
3. Now, fince the doors of the temple were
made of the fame , doth it not fhew, that the way
ino God's houfe, and into his favour, is by the
fame nature which they are of that thither enter,
even through the vail, his flesh ? Heb. x. For this
door, I mean the antitype, doth even ſay of him
felf, " I am as a green fir - tree, from me is the
fruit found, Hof. xiv 8.
4. This fir-tree is Chrift; Chrift as man, and fo
1 as the way to the Father. The doors of the tem
ple are alfo , as you fee here , made of the fir tree :
even of that tree which was a type of the humani,
ty of Jefus Chrift. Confider, Heb. ii . 14.
5. The fir-tree is alſo the houfe of the ftork,
that unclean bird, even as Chrift is a harbour and
fhelter for finners. As for the ftork, faith the text,
the fir tree is her houſe : and Chriſt faith to ſin.
ners, that fee their want of fhelter, " Come unto
me, and I will give you reft. He is a refuge for the
oppreffed, a refuge in time of trouble ," Deut. xiv .
18. Lev. xi. 19. Pfal. civ. 17. Pfal. Ixxxiv . 2, 3
Matth. xi. 27. 28. Heb . vi , 17,-21 ,
He is, as the doors of fir of the temple, the in
let to God's houfe, to God's prefence, and to a par.
taking of his glory. Thus God did of old by fimi
litudes teach his people his way,:
 SPIRITUALIZED. 51

CHA P. XXX.

How the Doors of the Temple were adorned.

AND Solomon carved upon the doors " cheru

bins, palm -trees, and open flowers, and o
verlaid them all with gold ," 1 Kings vi . 35. Ezek.
xli. 15.
" He carved cherubims thereon ."
Theſe cherubims were figures, or types of an
gels, and for as much as they were carved here up
on the door , it was to fhew,
First, What delight the angels take in waiting
upon the Lord, and in going at his bidding, at his
beck. They are always waiting fervants at the
door of their Lord's house .
Secondly, It may be alfo to fhew how much plea
fed they are to be where they may fee finners come
to God. " For there is joy in the prefence of the
angels of God, over one finner that repenteth, and
> comes to God by Chriſt for mercy," Luke xv. 10.
Thirdly, They may be alfo placed here, to be
hold with what reverence or irreverence, thoſe that
come hither to worship do behave themfelves .
Hence Solomon cautions thoſe that come to God's
houfe to worship, " that they take heed to their
feet becauſe of the angels " Paul alfo fays, wo
men must take heed that they behave themſelves
in the church as they fhould, " and that becauſe of
the angels," Ecclef. v. 1 , 2, 6. 1 Cor. xi . 14.
Fourthly, They may be alfo carved upon the
Temple doors, to fhew us how ready they are, fo
foon as any poor creature comes to Chrift for life,
to take the care and charge of its conduct through 1
this miferable world : " Are they not all miniftring
1 fpirits, fent forth to minifter for thoſe which ſhall
be heirs of falvation," Heb. i . 14.
Fifthly, They may alfo be carved here, to fhew
that they are ready at Chri's command , to take
vengeance for him upon thoſe that deſpiſe his peo
E 2
52 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
ple, and hate his perfon . Hence , he bids the world
take heed what they do to his little ones, " For
their angels behold the face of their Father which
is in heaven, and are ready at the door to run at
his bidding, Matth. xviii . 10 .
Sixthly, or laftly, They may be carved upon
thefe doors, to fhew that Chrift Jefus is the very
fupporter and upholder of angels, as well as the Sa
viour of finful man ; for as he is before all things,
fo by him all things confift : angels ftand by Chrift,
men are faved by Chriſt, and therefore the very
cherubims themſelves were carved upon thefe
doors, to fhew they are upheld and fubfift by
him , 1 Cor. viii . 6. Col. i . 17. Heb. i. 3.
Secondly, Again, as the cherubims are carved
here, fo there were palm- trees carved here alſo .
The palm-tree is upright, it twiſteth not itſelf
awiy, Jer. x. 5.
1. Apply this to Chrift, and then it fhews us the
uprightness of his heart, word, and ways with fin
ners. Good and upright is the Lord, therefore
will he teach finners in the way," in at the door to
liſe, Pfal . xxv , 8. xcii, 15.
2. The palm er palm- tree is alfo a token of vic.
tory, and as placed here, it betokeneth the conqueſt
that Chrift, the door, thould get over fin, death,
the devil , and hell, for us, Rom. vi . 24. viii , 37.
1 Cor. xv. 54, 55, 55. Rev. vii . 9, 10, 11 .
3. If we apply the palm-tree to the church, as
we may, for the alfo is compared thereto, Song
vii. 8, 9, 10. then the palm tree may be carved
here, to thew, that none but fuch as are upright of
heart and life fhall dwell in the prefence of God .
" The hypocrite, fays Job, thall not come before
him. The upright, fays David, thall dwell in thy
prefence, Job xiii , 16. Pfal . xxiv, 3, 4.
They are they that are cloathed in white robes,
which fignifies uprightnefs of life, that stand be
fore the Lamb with palms in their hands, Rey.
vii. 9.
 SPIRITUALIZED. 53
Thirdly, There were alfo carved upon theſe doors
open flowers ; and that to teach us, that here is
the fweet fcent and fragrant fmell ; and that the
coming foul will find it fo in Chrift, this door. " I
am , faith he, the Rofe of Sharon, and the lily of the
vallies." And again, " his cheeks are as beds of
fpices, and feveral flowers; his lips , likelilies, drop
fweet finelling myrrh, " Song ii. 1. v. 13.
Open flowers, open flowers are the fweeteft, be
caufe full grown, and becaufe as fuch, they yield
their fragrancy molt freely. Wherefore, when he
faith upon the doors are open flowers, he fetteth
Chrift Jefus forth in his good favours, as high as
by fuch fimilitudes he could ; and that both in
name and office ; for open flowers lay, by their
thus opening themfelves before us, all their beauty
allo moft plainly before our faces. There are va
rieties of beauty in open flowers, the which they
alſo commend to all obfervers. Now, upon thefe
doors you fee are open flowers, flowers ripe, and
fpread before us, to fhew, that his name and offices
are favoury to them that by him do enter his houſe
to God his Father, Song i. 1, 2, 3, 4-6
" All theſe were overlaid with fine gold. " Gold
is moſt rich of all metals ; and here it is faid the
doors, the cherubims , the palm-trees, and open
flowers, were overlaid therewith . And this thews,
that as theſe things are rich in themfelves, even fo
they should be to us
We have a golden door to go to God by, and
golden angels to conduct us through the world
we have golden palm-trees as tokens of our victory;
and golden flowers to fmell on all the way to hea
ven..
CH A P. XXXI.
Of the Wall of the Temple.
H wall of the Temple was " ceiled with fir,
T E
which he overlaid with fine gold ; and fet
thereon palm trees and chains , 2 Chron . iii . 5, 6, 7.
The walls were as the body of the house, unte
54 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
which Chrift alluded, when he faid, " Deftroy this
temple, and in three days I will raife it up," John
i . 19. 21.
Hence to be, and worship in the Temple, was a
type of being in Chrift, and worthipping God by
him ; for Chrift, as it was faid, is the great Temple
of God, in the which all the elect meet, and in
whom they do fervice to and for his Father.
Hence again, the true worshippers are ſaid to be
in him, to ſpeak in him, to walk in him, to obey in
him, 2 Cor. ii, 14. xii . 19. Col , ii. 6. For, as of old ,
all true worship was to be found at the Temple, fo
now it is only found with Chrift, and with them
that are in him . The promife of old was made to
them that worshipped within thefe walls : " I will
give, faith he, to them in my houfe and within
my wails," (to them that worship there in truth)
a place and a name better than that of fons and of
daughters, Ifa. v. 5, 6.
But now, in New- Teftament times, " all the pro
mifes in him are yea, and in him amen, to the
glory of God by us, 2 Cor . i, 20.
This is yet further hinted to us, in that it is faid,
thefe walls are ceiled with fir ; which , as was fhew
ed before, was a figure of the humanity of Jefus
Christ.
A wall is for defence, and fo is the humanity of
Jefus Chrift It is, was, and will be, our defence for
ever. For it was that which underwent and over
came the curfe of the law, and that in which our
everlaſting righteoufnefs is found. Had he not in
that interpofed, we had periſhed for ever. Hence,
we are faid to be reconciled to God in the body of
his flesh thro' death, Col. i. 19, 20. Rom . v. 8, 9, 10.
Now this wall was overlaid with fine gold, Gold
here is a figure of the righteoufnefs of Christ, by
which we are juftified in the fight of God; there
fore you read, that his church, as juftified, is faid
to ftand at his right-hand in cloth of Gold. Upon
thy right hand did ftand the queen in gold of O.
phir ; and again , her cloathing is of wrought gold,
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 35
Pfal. xlv. 9, 13. This the wall was overlaid with ;
this the body of Chrift was filled with. Men , while
in the temple, were cloathed with gold , even with
the gold of the Temple ; and men in Chrift are
cloathed with righteoufnefs, the righteoufnefs of
Chrift. Wherefore this confideration doth yet
more illuftrate the matter .
In that the palm -trees were fet on this wall, it
may be to fhew that the elect are fixed in Jefus,
and fo fhall abide for ever.
Chains were alſo carved on thefe walls, yea, and
they were golden chains. There were chains on
the pillars, and now alfo we find chains upon the
1 walls, Phil . i , 12, 13.
1. Chains were ufed to hold captives, and fuch
did Paul wear at Rome, but he called them his
bonds in Christ .
2. Chains fometimes only fignify great afflictions,
which God lays on us for our fins, Pfal. cvii . 9, 10,
11. Lam, i. 14. iii. 7.
3. Chains alfo may be more myſtically under
ftood, as of thofe obligations which the love of
God lays upon us to do and fuffer for him, Acts
XX. 22.
4. Chains do fometimes fignify beauty and come.
ly ornaments : " thy neck, faith Chrift to his
fpoufe, is comely with chains of gold : " and again,
I put bracelets upon thy hands, a chain about
thy neck," Song i . 10. Ezek. xvi . 8, 9, 10, 11 .
Prov. 1. 9.
5. Chains alfo do fometimes denote greatneſs
and honour ; fuch as Daniel had when the king
made him the third ruler in the kingdom, Dan. v.
7, 16, 29. 1
Now all thefe are temple-chains, and are put up
on us for good ; fome to prevent our ruin, fome
to difpofe our minds the better, and fome to
dignify and make us noble . Temple chains are
brave chains. None but Temple worshippers muſt
wear Temple chains.
56 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

CHAP. XXXII.
Of the garnishing the Temple with precious Stones.
66 %
ND he garnished the houfe with precious
A ftones for beauty," 2 Chron. iii. 6, 7.
1. This is another ornament to the temple of
the Lord ; wherefore, as he faith, it was garniſhed
with them ; he faith, it was garnished with them
for beauty. The line faith garnifhed, the margin
faith covered .
2. Wherefore, I think, they were fixed as ftars,
or as the ſtars in the firmament ; fo they were ſet
in the cieling of the houſe, as in the heaven of the
holy temple..
3. And thus fixed, they do the more aptly tell
us of what they were a figure ; namely, of the mi
nifterial gifts and officers in the church. For mini
fters, as to their gifts and office, are called ftars of
God, and are faid to be in the hand of Chrift, Rev.
i. 20.
4. Wherefore, as the ftars glitter and twinkle in
the firmament of heaven, fo do true minifters in
the firmament of his church. 1 Chron. xxix. 2.
John v. 35. Dan. xii . 3
5. So that it is faid again, thefe gifts come down
from above, as fignifying,, they diftill their dew
from above. And hence again, the minifters are
faid to be fet over us in the Lord, as placed in the
firmament of his heaven, to give a light upon his
earth. " There is gold, and a multitude of rubies,.
18
but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel, "
Prov . xx. 15.
Verily it is enough to make a man in this houfe
look always upward, fince the cieling above head
do thus glitter with precious ftones .
Precious ftones, all manner of precious ftones ;
ftones of all colours : " For there are divers gifts,
differences of adminiftrations, and diverfities of
operations but it is the fame God which workethis
all in all," Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6.
 SPIRITUALIZED. 57
This had the cieling of this houfe, a pearl here,
and there a diamond ; here a jaſper , and there a fap
phire ; here a fardys, and there a jacynth ; here a
Į fardonyx, and there an amythyft : " For to one is
given by the Spirit the word of wisdom , to ano
ther the word of knowledge ; to one the gift of
healing to another faith ; to this man to work
miracles, to that a ſpirit of prophecy ; to another
the difcerning of fpirits, to another divers kinds
of tongues," 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 10, 11.
He alfo overlaid the houfe, beams, pofts, walls,
doors, &c. and all with gold. O what a beautiful
houſe the temple was ! how full of glory was it !
and yet all was but a fhadow, a fhadow of things
to come, and which was to be anfwered in the
church of the living God, the pillar and ground of
truth, by better things than thefe.

CHA P. XXXIII .

Of the Windows ofthe Temple.

ND for the houſe he made windows of
AN narrow lights," I Kings v . 4. here
were windows for this houfe, window far the
chambers, and windows round about, Ezek. iv. 16.
22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 33, 36.
Thefe windows were offeveral fizes, but all nar
row; narrow withour, but wider within ; they alſo
were finely wrought, and beautified with goodly
ftones, Ifa. liv . 14.
1. Windows, as they are to an houſe an orna
ment, fo alfo to it they are a benefit. Truly the
light is good, and a pleafant thing it is for the eye
to behold the fun, Ecclef. xi , 7. The window is
that which Chrift looks for th at, the window is that
which the fun looks in at, Song ii. 9.
2. By the light which fhines in at the window
we alfo fee to make and keep the houfe clean, and
alfo to do what bufinefs is neceffary, there to be
58 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
done. In thy light we fee light ;" light to do our
dury, and that both to God and man.
3. Theſe windows therefore were figures of the
written word, by and through which Chrift the ws
himfelf to his, and by which we alfo apprehend
him . And hence the word of God is compared to
a glaf , through which the light doth come, and by
which we fee not only the beams of the fun, but
our own fmutches alſo, 2 Chron. iii . 18. James i .
23, 24, 25.
4. The lights indeed were narrow, wherefore
we fee alfo through their antitype but dark'y , and
imperfectlyNow we fee through a glafs darkly,
or as in a riddle, now we know but in part,”
1 Cor. xiii. 12.
15. Their windows and their lights are but of little
fervice to thofe that are without. The world fees
but little of the beauty of the church by the light
of the written word, though the church by that
light can fee the difmal ftate of the world, and
alfo how to avoid it.

CHAP. XXXIV .

Of the Chambers of the Temple.

EN the Temple Solomon made chambers, 1 Kings
I vi. 5.
1. The chambers were of feveral fizes ; fome
little, fome large, fome higher, fome lower, fome
more inward, and fome outward.
2. Theſe chambers were for ſeveral ſervices :
fome for reft, fome to hide in, fome to lay up trea
fure in, and fome for folace and delight, 2 Chron.
ii. 9. Ezek . xl . 7. xli . 5, 9, 44. 2 Chron. xxxi.
11, 12. 2 Kings xi. 1, 2, 3, Ezra viii , 29.
1. They were for refting places : Here the
priests and porters were wont to lodge.
2. They were for hiding places . Here Jehofhe
bah hid Joash from Athalia the term of fix years.
3. They were alfo to lay the temple treaſure, or
 SPIRITUALIZED. 59
dedicated things in, that they may be fafely kept
there for the worshippers.
4. And fome of them were for folace and de.
light ; and I muſt add, fome for durable habitation.
Wherefore, in fome of them, fome dwelt always :
yea, their names dwelt there when they were dead .
1. Thofe of them which were for reft, were
types of that rest which by faith we havein the Son
of God, Matth. xi. and of that eternal reft which
we fhall have in heaven by him , Heb . iv . 3.
2. Thoſe chambers which were for hiding and
fecurity, were types of that fafety which we have
in Chrift from the rage ofthe world, Ifa , xxvi. 26.
3. Thoſe chnmbers which were for the reception
of the treafures, and dedicated things, were types
of Chrift, as he is the common ftore- houſe of be
lievers : " For it pleafed the Father, that in him
fhould all fulneſs dwell, and of his fulneſs we all
receive, and grace for grace," John i. 16. Col.
i. 19.
4. Thoſe chambers that were for folace and de
light, were types of thoſe retirements and fecret
meetings of Chrift with the foul, where he gives it
his embraces, and delights her with his bofom and
ravithing delight. " He brought me, faid the, in
to his chambers , into the chamber of her which
conceived me," and there he gave her his love,
Song i. 4. iii , 4.
5. The chambers which were for durable dwel.
7 ling- places, were types of thofe eternal dwelling.
places which are in the heavens prepared of Chrift
and the Father for them that fhall be faved, John
xiv. 1. -4. 2 Cor. v. 1 . -4.
This it is to dwell on high, and to be fafe from
fear of evil. Here therefore you fee are chambers
for reft, chambers for fafety, chambers for trea
fure, chambers for folace, and chambers for dura
ble habitations. O the reft and peace that the
chambers of God's high houfe will yield to its in
habitants in another world ! here they will reft from
 бо SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
their labours, rest upon their beds, reft with God,
reft from fin, temptation, and all forrow, Rev. xiv.
13. Ifa. lviii . 1 , 2. 2 Theff. i. 7.
" God, therefore, thenfhall wipe all tears from our
eyes," even when he comes out of his chambers,
as a bridegroom, to fetch his bride, his wife, unto
him thither, to the end they may have eternal fo
lace together.
O theſe are far better than the chambers of the
fouth !
CHAP. XXXV .
f the Stairs by which they went up into the Cham
bers of the Temple.
HERE were ſtairs , by which men went up
T
into theſe chambers of the Temple , and they
were but one pair , and they went from below to
the firft , and fo to the middle , and thence to the
higheft chambers in the Temple , 1 Kings vi. 8.
Ezek. xli. 7.
1. Thefe ftairs were winding, fo that they turn
ed about that did go up them. So then he that
affayed to go into thofe chambers must turn with
the ftairs, or he could not go up, no not into the
lowest chambers .
2. Theſe ftairs therefore were a type of a two
fold repentance : that by which we turn from nature
to grace, and by which we turn from the imperfec
tions which attend a ſtate of grace to glory . Hence,
true repentance, or the right going up thefe turn
ing ftairs, is called repentance to falvation ; for
true repentance ftoppeth not at the reception of
1 grace, for that is but a going up theſe ſtairs to the
Iniddle chambers , 2 Cor. vii . 10 ,
Thus, therefore, the foul, at its going up thefe
ftairs, turns and turns, till it enters the doors of
the highest chambers.
It groans, tho' in a ſtate of grace, becauſe that is
not the ftate of glory . I count then, that from the
Grft to the middle chambers may be a type of
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 61
turning from nature to grace . But from the middle
to the highest, theſe ftairs may fignify a turning
ftill from the imperfections and temptations that at
tend a state of grace, to that of immortality and
glory," 2 Cor. v, 1. - 10 .
For, as there are turning ftairs from the loweft
to the middle chambers, fo the ftairs from thence
ftill turn, and fo will do, till you come to the high
eft chambers. I do not fay, that they that have re
ceived grace do repent they have received grace ;
but I fay, they that have received grace are yet for.
ry that grace is not confummate in glory ; and hence
they are for going up thither ſtill by thefe turning
ftairs ; yea, they cannot reft below, as they would,
till they afcend to the higheſt chambers. O wretch
ed man that I am ! and in this we groan earnestly,
is the language of gracious fouls, Rom. vii. 20.
2 Cor. 1 , 2, 3.
True, every one doth not do thus that comes into
the Temple of God ; many reſt below ſtairs, they
like not to go turning upward. Nor do I believe,
that all that bid fair for afcending to the middle
chambers, get up to the higheſt ſtories, to his fto.
ries in the Heavens , Many in churches, who ſeem
so be turned from nature to grace, have not the
grace to go up turning ftil, but reft in that fhew of
things, and fo die below a fhare in the higheſt
chambers.
All theſe things are true in the antitype ; and, as
I think, prefigured by theſe turning ſtairs to the
chambers of the temple. But this turning, and
turning ftill, difpleafes fome much; they fay, it
makes them giddy. But I fay, there is no way like
this to make a man ftand steady, stedfaft in the
faith, and with boldnefs in the day of judgment ,
For he has this feated in his heart, I went up the
turning ftairs till I came to the higheſt chembers.
A ftrait pair of stairs are like that ladder by which
men afcend to the gallows ; they are the turning
ones that lead us to the heavenly manfion-houſe.
162 " SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
Look, therefore, you that come into the Temple
of God to worship, that you ftay not at the foot
of thefe turning ftairs, but go up thence, yea, up
them , and up them, and up them, till you come
to the view of the Heavens ; yea, till you are pof
feffed of the higheſt chambers. How many times
has God, by the fcripture, called upon you to turn,
and told you, you must turn or die ; and now here
he has added to his call a figure, by placing a pair
of turning ſtairs in his Temple, to convict your ve
ry fenfes, that you muſt turn, if you mean to go
up into his holy chambers, and fo into his eternal
manfion-houfes. And look that you turn to pur
pofe, for every turning will not ferve . Some
turn, but not to the Moſt High , and fo turn to no
*
purpoſe.
CHA P. XXXVI.
Cf the molten Sea that was in the Temple.

was alfo a molten fea in the

it was made of brafs, and contained three thou. #
fand baths, 2. Chron. iv. 2. - 9.
This fea was for the prieſts to waſh in, when they
came into the Temple to accomplish the fervice of,
God, to wash their hands and feet at, that they, "
might not, when they came thither, die for their
unpreparablenefs. The laver alfo which was in the
wildnernefs, was of the fame uſe there,Exod . xxviii,,
1. It was, as may be fuppofed, called a fea, for
that it was large to contain, and a fea of braſs, for
that it was made thereof. It is called in Revela
tions, a fea of glafs, alluding to that in the wilder.
nefs which was made of the brazen looking- glaffes ,
ofthe women that came to worſhip at the door of
the tabernacle, Rev. iv. 6 , xv, 2. Exod . xxviii . 8.
It was alfo faid to be molten, becauſe it was
made of that fashion by fire, and its antitype there .
fore faid to be a fea of glafs mingled with fire ;
Rev xv. 2.
2. This fea was a figure of the word of the gof
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 63
pel, in the cleanfing virtue of it ; which virtue then
it has when mingled with the fire of the Holy
Ghoft. And to this Chrift alludes, when he faith,
" Now ye are clean through the word which I
have fpoken unto you," John xv . 3 .
2. It was a figure of the word, without mixture»
of mens inventions . Hence it is called pure water;
having your bodies wafhed with pure water ;"
and again, he fanctifies and cleanfeth his church
with the washing of water by the word, " Ephef. v..
26. Tit. iii. 5:
All theſe places are in allufion to the molten fea,
at which of old they wathed when they went into
the Temple to worthip. Therefore, faith he, be
ing waſhed, "let us draw near to God," Heb. x. 22 . 1
3. This fea, from brim to brim, was complete
ten cubits, perhaps to shew there is as much in the
word of the gofpel to fave, as there is in the ten
words to condemn .
4. From under this fea round about, appeared
oxen," ten in a cubit did compafs it round about,"
2 Chron. iv. 3. Underſtand by theſe oxen mini.
fters, for to them they are compared in 1 Cor. ix.
9. And then we are taught whence true minifters
# come, to wit, from under the power of the gofpel ;
for this fea breeds gofpel minifters , as the waters
breed fish .
5. It is alfo faid in the text, that theſe oxen
were caft when the fea was caft ; infinuating, that
F when God ordained a word of grace to fave us, he
alfo in his decree provided minifters to preach it to
us to that end . Paul tells us, that he was made a
miniſter of the gofpel, " according to God's eter
nal purpoſe, which he purpoſed in Chrift Jefus our
Lord," Ephef . 9. 10, 11. Col. i. 25. 6
6. This fea is faid to have a brim , like the brim of
a cup, to invite as well to drink of its grace , as to
wash in its water for the word and Spirit, when
mixed, has not only a cleanſing, but a faving quality
F 2
64 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
in it, Chron. iv. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4, 5. 1 Cor. xv. 1 , 2.
7. This brim was wrought with lilies, or was
like a lily flower, to fhew how they fhould grow
and flourish, and with what beautiful robes they
fhould be adorned, who were waſhed and did drink
of this holy water ; yea, that God would take care
of them as he alfo did of lies, and would not fail
to bestow upon them what was neceffary for the
body, as well as for the foul, Matth. vi . 28. - 34

CHA P. XXXVII.

Upon what the Molten Seafood in the Temple. *

1. molten fea ſtood upon the backs of
twelve brazen bulls or oxen, 2 Chron. iv. 4.
2. Theſe oxen, as they thus flood , " looked three
towards the north, three towards the weft, three to
wards the east, and three towards the fouth ,"
3. Thefe twelve oxen were types of the twelve
apoftles of the Lamb, who, as thefe beafts, flood
looking into the four corners of the earth, and
were bid to go preach the goſpel in all the world,
4. They were compared to oxen, becauſe they
were clean, for the ox was a clean beaft. Hence
the apostles are called holy. They were compared
to oxen, becauſe the ox is ftrong, and they alfo
were mighty in the word, Prov. xiv. 4. 2 Cor . xii ,
12 .
5. The ox will not lofe what he has got by
drawing ; he will not let the wheels go back ; fo
the apostles were fet to defend, and not let that doc
trine go back, which they had preached to others ;
nor did they, they delivered it pure to us.
6. One of the cherubs, of which you read in the
vifion, had a face like an ox, to fhew that the apo.
ftles, theſe men of the firſt order, are moſt like ihe
angels of God, Ezek. i . 10.
7. In that they ſtood with their faces every way,
it was, as I faid, to fhew how the apostles fhould
2 SPIRITUALIZED. 65
carry the goſpel into all the world, Matth . xxviii.
19. Mark xvi .
8. And obferve, juft as theſe oxen were placed,
looking in the temple every way, even fo ftand
open the gates of the New Jerufalem, to receive
thofe that by their doctrine fhould be brought into
it. " And they fhall come from the eaſt, and
from the west, and from the north, and from the
fouth, and ſhall fit down in the kingdom of God ,"
Rev.xxi. 13 , 14. Luke xii. 29.
9. Thefe oxen bare this molten fea upon their
backs, to fhew, that they fhould be the foundation
workmen of the gospel, and that it ought not to
be removed, as was the molten fea of old, from
that basis to another..
10. It is alfo faid concerning thefe oxen that
thus did bear this moken fea, that all their hinder.
parts were inwards, that is, covered by that fea that
was fet upon their backs ; their hinder-parts, or,,
as the apoftle has it, our uncomely parts, 1 Cor..
xiii. 23, 24
11. And indeed it becomes a gofpel-minifter to .
have his uncomely parts covered with that grace :
which by the goſpel he preacheth unto others. As.
Paul exhorts Iimothy, to take " heed unto himſelf, 7
and to his doctrine , 1 Tim. iv. 6%,
12. But, alas ! there are too many, who, can
they but have their heads covered with a few gospel
notions, care not tho' their hinder parts are ſeen
of all the world. But fuch are falfe minifters, the
prophet calls them the tail. " The prophet that
fpeaketh lies, either by word, or with his feet, he :
is the tail, Ifa. ix, 15. Prov. vi. 12 , 13 .
13. But what a fhame is it to hide his head under
this molten fea, while his hinder parts hang out.
Such an one is none of Chrift's oxen ; for they,,
with honour to their Mafter, fhew their heads be
fore all the world, for that their hinder parts are
inward, covered.
F 3
 66 : SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
L
14. Look to thy hinder parts, miniſter, left,
while thy mouth doth preach the gospel, thy naked
edneſs and fhame be feen of thofe which hear thee.
For they that do not obſerve to learn this leffon
themſelves, will not teach others to believe the
word, nor to live a holy life ; they will learn of
them to fhew their fhame, instead of learning to be
holy.
CHAP. XXXVIII.

Of the Lavers of the Temple.

BEides this molten fea, there were ten lavers in

the Temple. Five of which were put on the
right- fide, and five alfo on the left , 2 Chron. iv. 6.
1. Of their fathion and their furniture, you may
fee I1 Kings vii. Thefe lavers, as the molten fea,
were veffels which contained water, but they were
not of the fame ufe with it. True, they were both
to wash in ; the fea to wafh the worshippers, but
the lavers to wafh the facrifice. " He made the ten
lavers, to wash in them fuch things as they offered
for burnt-offering, but the fea was for the prieſt
to wath in," 2 Chron. iv. 6.
2. The burnt offering was a type of the body
of Chriſt, which he once offered for our fins, and
the fire on which the facrifice was burned, a type
of the curfe of the law which feized on Chrift when
he gave himſelf a ranfom for us. " For therefore
that under the law was called the burnt-offering, be
caufe of the burning upon the altar, Lev. vi. 8. *
But what then mult we underſtand by thefe la
vers, and by this facrifice being wafhed in them, in
order to its being burned upon the altar ?
I anfwer, Verily, I think, that the ten lavers were
a figure of the ten commandments in the purity
$ and perfection of Chrift's obedience, to which he
became capable of being made a burnt- offering, ac
ceptable to God for the fins of the people, Chrift
was made under the law, and all his acts of obedi
ence to God for us, was legal ; and his living thus.
 SPIRITUALIZED. 67
a perfect legal life, was his wafhing his offering in
thefe ten lavers, in order to his prefenting it upon
the altar for our fins. The lavers went upon wheels,
to fignify walking feet ; and Chriſt walked in the
law, and fo became a clean offering to God for us.
The wheels were of the very fame as were the la
vers ; to fhew that Chrift's obedience to the law
was of the fame, as to length and breadth, with its
commands and demands to their utmoſt tittle and ex
tent, The inwards and legs of the burnt- offering
was to be waſhed in thefe lavers, Lev. i. 9, 13.
2 Chron. iv. 6. to fhew that Chrift fhould be
pure and clean in heart and life,
We know that obedience, whether Chrift's or
curs, is called a walking in the way, typified by
the lavers walking upon their wheels, But I mean
not by Chrift his wafhing of his offering, that he
had any filthinefs cleaving to his nature or obedi
ence yet this, I fay, that fo far as our guilt laid
upon him could impede, fo far he wiped it off by
washing in thefe lavers . For his offering was to be
without blemish, and without fpot to God . Hence
it is faid he fanctified himſelf, in order to his fuf
fering ; and being made perfect , he became the
author of eternal falvation to all them that obey
him ;" John xvii . 19. Heb . v. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
For albiet he came holy into the world, yet that
holine's was but preparatory to that by which he
fanctified himself, in order to his fuffering for fin .
That then which was his immediate preparation
for his fuffering, was his obedience to the law, his
washing in thefe lavers . He then firft yielded com
plete obedience to the law, on our behalf ; and then,
as fo qualified , offered his waſhed facrifice for our
fins, without fpot, to God.
Thus therefore he was our burnt-offering, wash
ed in the ten lavers, that he might, according to the
law, be accepted of the Lord.
" And he fet five of the lavers on the right-fide
of the houſe, and five of them on the left. Thus
 68 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
were the ten divided, as the tables of the law ; one
fhewing our duty towards our God, the other our
duty towards our neighbour ; in both which the
burnt-offering was washed, that it might be clean in
both refpects.
They might alfo be thus placed , the better to put
the people in mind of the neceffity of the fanctifi.
cation of Chrift, according to the law, in order ta
his offering of himſelf an offering to God for us .

CHAP. XXXIX.

of the Tables of the Temple.

10
" HE made alfo ten tables , and placed them in
the temple, five on the right hand, and
five on the left," 2 Chron . iv. 8.
Some, if not all of thefe tables, fo far as I can.
fee, were they on which the burnt offering was to
be cut in pieces, in order to its burning.
Thefe tables were made of ftone, of hewen
ftones, on which this work was done , Ezek, xl . 40,
41, 42, 43, 44.
Now fince the burnt-offering was a figure of the
body of Chrift, the tables on which this facrifice
was flain, muft needs, I think, be a type of the
heart, the ftony heart of the Jews : for, had they
not had hearts hard as an adainant, they could not .
have done that thing.
Upon thefe tables, therefore , was the death of.
Chrift contrived, and this horrid murder acted, e
ven upon thefe tables of ftone.
In that they are called tables of hewn ftone, it
may be to fhew, that all this cruelty was acted un
der fmooth pretences, for hewn ftones are fmooth,
The tables were finely wrought with tools, even as
the hearts of the Jews were with hypocrify : but,
alas! they were ftone ftill, that is, hard and cruel,
elfe they could not have been an anvil for Satan to
forge fuch horrid barbarifms upon. The tables were
尊 in number the fame with the lavers, and were fet
 SPIRITUALIZED . 69
by them, to fhew what are the fruits of being de
voted to the law, as the Jews were, in oppofition
to Chrift, and his holy gofpel : there flows nothing
but hardneſs and a ftony heart from thence . This
was fhewed in its firft writing, it was writ on tables
of ſtone, figures of the heart of man ; and on the
fame tables, or hearts, was the death of Jefus Chrift
compaffed.
One would think, that the meeknefs, gentlenefs,
er good deeds of Jefus Chrift, might have procured
in them fome relentings, when they were about to
take away his life ; but, alas ! their hearts were ta
bles of ftone ! What feeling or compaffion can a
ftone be fenfible of ? Here were ftony hearts, ftony
thoughts, ftony counfels, ftony contrivances, a fto
ny law, and ftony hands ; and what could be ex
pected hence, but barbarous cruelty indeed ! " If I
afk you, faid Chrift, you will not anſwer me , nei
ther will you let me fee," Luke xxii . 68.
In that the ftony tables were placed about the
Temple, it fuppofeth that they were Temple-men,
priests, fcribes, rulers, lawyers , &c. that were to be
the chief on whofe hearts this murder was to be de
figned, and by them enacted to their own damna
tion, without repentance .

CHA P. XL.

Of the Inftruments wherewith this Sacrifice was

E flain, and of the four Tables they were laid on
in the Temple.
HE inftruments that* were laid upon the ta
T bles in the Temple were not inftruments of
mulic, but thofe with which the burnt offering
was flain.
" And the four tables were of hewn -ftone for
the burnt offering ; whereon alfo they laid the in
1 ftruments wherewith they flew the burnt offering
J and the facrifice ," Ezek. xl . 42, 43 .
1. Here we are to take notice that the tables are
70 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

the fame, and ſome of them of which we ſpake be

fore.
2. That the inftruments with which they flew
the facrifice was laid upon theſe tables .
The inftruments with which they flew the facri
fices . What were they, but a bloody ax, bloody
knives, bloody hooks, and bloody hands ? For the fe
we need no proof, matter of fact decrlaes it .
But what were thofe inftruments a type of?
Anfwer. Doubtless they were a type of our fins:
They were the bloody ax, the knife, and bloody
hands, that ſhed his precious blood . They were
the meritorious ones, without which he could not
have died. When I fay ours, I mean the fins of
the world. Tho' then the hearts of the Jews were
the immediate contrivers, yet they were our fins
that were the bloody tools or inftruments which
flew the Son of God.
" He was wounded for our tranfgreffions, he
died for our fins," Ifa. liii . I1 Cor. xv. Gal. i.
Oh, the inſtruments of us churls, by which this
poor man was taken from off the earth, Ifa. xxxii .
7. Prov. xxx. 14
The whip, the buffetings, the crown of thorns,
the nails, the cross, the fpear, with the vinegar
and gall, were all nothing in compariſon of our fins.
" For the tranfgreffions of my people was he
tricken," Ifa , liii . Nor were the flouts, taunts,
mocks, fcorns, derifions , &c. with which they fol
lowed him from the garden to the crofs, fuch cruel
inftruments as the fe . They were our fins then,our
curfed fins, by, with, and for the fake of which,
the Lord Jefus became a bloody facrifice .
But why muft the inftruments be laid upon the
Cables ?
1. Take the tables for the hearts of the murder.
ers, and the inftruments for their fins ; and what
place more fit for fuch inftruments to be laid upon ?
It is God's command, that theſe things fhould be
 SPIRITUALIZED. 71
laid to heart, and he complains of thoſe that do
not do it, Ifa. xlii . 25. chap . lxvii . 11 .
2. Nor are men ever like to come to good, until
theſe inftruments with which the Son of God was
flain indeed be laid to heart . And they were emi
nently laid to heart, even by them, foon after ; the
effect of which was 4the converfion of thouſands of
them, Acts ii . 36, 37.
3. Wherefore, when it fays thefe inftruments
muſt be laid upon the ftony tables , he infinuates, that
God would take a time to charge the murder of his
Son home upon the confciences of them that did
that murder, either to their converſion or condem
nation. And is it not reaſon, that they who did
this horrid villany fhould have their doings laid be
fore their faces upon the tables of their heart ? " that.
they may look upon him whom they have pierced,
and mourn," Zech xii . 10. Rev. 1. 7 .
4. But thefe inftruments were laid but upon
" fome of the tables, and not upon all the ten ; to
thew, that not all, but fome of thoſe fo horrid
fhould find mercy of the Lord .
5 But we must not confine thefe tables only to
the hearts of the bloody Jews, they were our fins
for the which he died. Wherefore the inftru
ments fhould be laid upon our tables too, and the
•
Lord lay them there for good, that we alfo may fee
our horrid doings, and come bending to him for
forgiveneſs !
6. Theſe inſtruments thus lying on the tables in
the Temple became a continual motive to God's
people to repentance ; for fo oft as they faw theſe.
bloody and cruel inftruments, they were put in
mind how their fins fhould be the cauſe of the
death of Chrift.
7. It would be well alfo if theſe inftruments,
were at all times laid upon our tables, for our cre
humbling for our fins in every thing we do, eſpeci
ally upon the Lord's table, when we come to eat
and drink before him. I am fure the Lord Jefus
02 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
doth more than intimate, that he expects that we
fhould do fo, where he faith, " When ye eat that
bread, and drink that cup, do this in remembrance
of me ; in remembrance that I died for your fins,
and confequently, that they were the meritorious
caufe ofthe fhedding of my blood . " To conclude,
let all men remember, that theſe cruel inftruments
are laid upon the tables of their hearts whether
they ſee them or no. " The fin of Judah is writ
ten with a pen of iron, and with the point of a dia
mond, upon the tables of their heart," Jer. xvii. £ .
A pen of iron will make letters upon a table
made of ftone, and the point of a diamond will
make letters upon glaſs. Wherefore in this faying
God informs us, that if we fhould forbear to read
thefe lines to our converfion , God will one day read
them againſt us unto our condemnation .

CHAP . XLI.

Of the Candlesticks ofthe Temple.

et >
made
cording to form ; and he of
theten fet them ac
in
the Temple, five on the right hand, and five on the
left," 2 Chron. iv. 7.
1. Theſe candleſticks were made of gold, to fhew
the worth and value of them.
2. They were made after the form , or exact,
according to rule ; like thoſe that were made in the
tabernacle, or according to the pattern which Da
vid gave to Solomon to make them by. Obferve,
there was great exactneſs in the fe ; and need there
was of this hint, that men might fee that every
thing will not pafs for a right ordered candleſtick
with God, Exod . xxv . 31.-47 . 1 Chron. xxviii .
15, 16.
Thefe candleſticks are faid fometimes to be ten,
fometimes feven, and fometimes one. Ten here ;
feven, Rev, i . and one in Zech. iv. Ten is a mote
 SPIRITUALIZED . 73
of multitude, and feven a note of perfection, and
one a note of unity.
Now, as the precious ftones with which the
houſe was garnished were a type of minifterial
gifts, fo thefe candleſticks were a type of thofe
that were to be the churches of the New Teftament.
Wherefore he fays, " the candleſticks which thou
fawelt are the feven churches, Rev. i. 12, 13 , 20.
1. The candlesticks were here in number ten, to
fhew that Chrift under the New Teftament would
have many gofpel churches. " And I, if I be lifted
up from the earth, faith he, will draw all men un
to me; that is, abundance : for the children of the
defolate, that is, of the New Teftament church,
fhall be many more than they of the Jews were,"
John xii. 32. Gal , iv, 27.
2. În that the candlesticks were fet by the lavers
and ftony tables, it might be to fhew us, that
Chrift's churches fhould be much in confidering,
that Chrift, tho' he was righteous , yet died for our
fins ; tho' his life was according to the holy law,
yet our ftony hearts caufed him to die . Yea , and
that the candleſticks are placed there, it is to thew
us alfo, that we should be much in looking on the
fins by which we caufed him to die, for the candle
fticks were fet by thofe tables whereon they laid
the inftruments with which they flew the facrifice.
3. Thefe candleſticks being made according to
form, feems not only to be exact as to fashion, but
alfo as to work ; For that in Exodus, with its fur
niture, was made percifely of one talent of gold,
perhaps to fhew, that Chrift's true fpoufe is not to
be a grain more, nor a dram lefs, but juſt the num
ber of God's elect . This is Chrift's completeness,
his fulness, one more, one lefs, would make his bo
dy a monfter. 1
4 The candlesticks were to hold the lights, and
to fhew it to all the house ; and the church is to let
her light fo fhine, that they without may fee the
G
74 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
light."Matth. v. 15, 16 , Luke viii . 16. chap, xi.33 .
chap. xii. 35.
5. To this end the candleſticks were fupplied
with oil-olive, a type of the fapply that the church
hath, that her light may thine , even of the ſpirit of
grace.
CHAP. XLII.
Of the Lamps belonging to the Candlesticks of the
Temple.
O thefe candlesticks belonged ſeveral lamps,
тоwith their flowers, and their knops, 2 Chron.
iv. 21 .
1. Thefe lamps were types of that profeffion
that the members of the church do make of Chriſt,
whether fuch members have faving grace or not,
Matth. xxv. 1. —7.
2. Thefe lamps were beautified with knops and
flowers , to fhew how comely and beautiful that
profeffor is that adorns his profeffion with a fuit.
able life and converfation .
3. We read that the candlesticks in Zecharias
had feven lamps belonging to it, and a bowl of gol
den oil on the top, and that by golden pipes this
golden oil emptied itſelf into the lamps, and all
doubtless that the lamps might fine, Zech. iv,
4. Chrift therefore, who is the high-prieſt, and
to whom it belongs to drefs the lamps, doth drefs
them accordingly. But now there are lamp-carri.
ers of two forts, fuch as have only oil in their
lamps, and fuch as have oil in their lamps and vef
fels too, and both thefe belong to the church, and
in both thefe Chrift will be glorified. And they
fhould have their proper places at laft, They that
have the oil of grace in their hearts, as well as a
profeffion of Chrift in their hands, they fhall go in
with him to the wedding ; but they who only make
profeffion, and have not oil in their veffels, will
furely mifcarry at laſt, Matth. xxv.
5. Wherefore, O thou profeffor ! thou lamp
 SPIRITUALIZED. 75
not thyfelf with that only, that will maintain thee
in a profeffion, for that may be done without fav.
ing grace. But I advise thee to go to Aaron, to
Chrift, the trimmer of our lamps, and beg thy vel.
fel full of oil of him, (that is grace ) for the iea.
foning of that heart, that thou mayeft have where.
with, not only to bear thee up now, but at the day
of the bridegroom's coming, when many a lamp
will go out, and many a profeffor will be left in the
dark, for that will to fuch be a woful day, Lev.
xxiv. 2. Matth. xxv.
Some there are, that are neither for lamps nor
oil for themselves, neither are they pleafed if they
think they fee it in others. But they that have lamps,.
and they that have none, and they which would
blow out other folks lights, muft fhortly appear to
give an account of all their doings to God. And
then they fhall fee what it is to have oil in their
veffels and lainps , and what it is to be without it in
their veffels, tho' it is in their lamps ; and what a
difmal thing it is to be a malignant to either but
at prefent let this fuffice.

CHA P. XLIII.
Of the Shew -bread on the Golden Table in the
Temple. 1
There was alſo ſhew- bread fet upon a golden ta
ble in the temple : 1 Kings vii. The
fhew-bread confifted of twelve cakes made of fine
flower ; two tenth deals was to go to one cake, and
to be fet in order in two rows upon the pure table,"
Exod. xxix. 33. Lev. iii, 31. chap. xxiv. 5, 6, 7,
8, 9.
1. Thefe twelve loaves, to me, do feem to be a
type of the twelve tribes under the law, and of the
children of God under the gofpel, as they prefent
themſelves before God, in and by his ordinances,
through Chrift. Hence the apoftle fays, " For we
being many are one bread," &c. 1 Cor. x. 17. For
ſo were the twelve cakes, though twelve, and fo
G..2
76 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
7
" For we be
are the gospel faints, tho' many.
ing many are one body in Chrift, " Rom. xii . 5.
2. But they were a type of the true church, not
of the falfe. For Ephraim, who was the head of the
ten tribes in their apoftacy , is rejected , as a cake not
turned . Indeed he is called a cake, as a falſe church
may be called a church ; but he is called a cake not
turned, as a falfe church is not prepared for God,
nor fit to be fet on the golden table before him,
Hof. vii. 8.
3. Thefe cakes or fhew-bread, was to have frank
incenfe ftrewed upon them, as they ſtood upon the
golden table, which was a type of the fweet per
fumes of the fanctifications of the Holy Ghoft ;
to which I think Paul alludes, when he fays,
" The offering up of the Gentiles is acceptable to
God, being fanctified by the Holy Ghoft," Rom.
XV. 16.
4. They were to be fet upon the pure table, new
and hot ; to fhew that God delighteth in the com
pany of new and warm believers. " I remember
thee, the kindnefs of thy youth ; when Ifrael was
a child, I loved him." Men, at first converfion,
are like to a cake well baked , and new taken from
the oven ; they are warm, and caft forth a very fra
grant fcent, efpecially when, as warm, fweet incenfe
is ftrewed upon them , Jer. ii. Hof. xi.
5. When the fhew-bread was old and ftale, it
was to be taken away, and new and warm put in
its place, to fhew that God has but little delight in
the fervice of his own people, when their duties
grow ftale and mouldy. Therefore he removed his
old, ftale, mouldy church of the Jews from before
him, and fet in their rooms upon the golden table,
the warm church of the Gentiles.
6. The thew -bread, by an often remove, and re
newing, was continually to ftand before the Lord
in his houſe, to fhew us, that always , as long as or
dinances fhould be of ufe , God will have a new,
warm, and fanctified people to worship him.
 SPIRITUALIZED: 77
7. Aaron and his fons, were to eat of the old
fhew bread ; to fhew that when faints have lived in ?
the world, as long as living is good for them, and
when they can do no more fervice for God in the
world, they fhall yet be accepted of Jefus Chrift,.
and that it fhall be as meat and drink to him, to
fave them from all their unworthineffes.
8. The new fhew -bread was to be fet even on
the Sabbath before the Lord . To fhew with what
warmth of love and affection God's fervants should :
approach his prefence upon his holy day.
CHA P. XLIV.
Of the Snuffers belonging to the Candlesticks and
Lamps of the Temple.
S there were candlesticks and lamps, fo there,
AS
were fnuffers alfo prepared for the fe in the
temple of the Lord. And the fnuffers were
fnuffers of gold," Kings vi . 50.
1. Snuffers. The ufe of fauffers is to trim the
lamps and candles, that their light may fhine the
brighter.
2. Snuffers, you know, are biting, pinching
things, but uſe them well, and they will prove, not
only beneficial to thofe within the houfe, but profit
able to the lights.
Snuffers, you may fay, of what were they a
type?
Anfwer, If our fnuffs are our fuperfluities of
naughtiness ; our fnuffers then are thoſe righteous
reproofs, rebukes, and admonitions, which Chrift
has ordained to be in his houfe for good ; or as the
T
apoftle hath it, for our edification ; and perhaps
Paul alludes to thefe, when he bids Titus to rebuke :
the " Cretians fharply, that they might be found
in the faith. " Tit. i. 12, 13.
As who fhould fay, they muſt uſe the ſnuffers of
the Temple, to trim their lights withal, if they
burn not well. The fe fnuffers therefore are of great
ufe in the Temple of God, only, as I faid, " they
78 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
muſt be uſed wifely. It is not for every fool to
handle fnuffers, at, or about the candles, left, per
haps, instead of mending the light, they put the
candle out. And therefore Paul bids them that are
fpiritual do it, Gal. vi. 1.
My reafon tells me, that if I uſe theſe fnuffers as
I should, I muft not only endeavour to take the fu
perfluous fnuff away , but fo to do it, that the light
thereby may be mended ; which then is done, if, as
the apoftle faith, " I ufe fharpnels to edification, and
not for deſtruction , 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. 2 Cor. xii . 10 .
Are not the feven churches in Afia called by the
name of candleſticks ? And why candleſticks, if they
were not to hold the candles ? and candles muft
have fuffers, therewith to trim the lights . And
Chrift, who is our true Aaron, in thofe rebukes
which he gave thofe churches, alluding to theſe
fnuffers, did it, that their lights might fhine the
brighter, Rev. ii . 3.
Wherefore, as he uſed them, he did it ftill with
caution to their light, that it might not be impair.
ed . For as he ftill thus trimmed thefe lamps, he
yet encouraged what he faw would fhine, if helped.
He only fnipt the fnuff away.
Thus therefore he came to them with theſe fnuf.
fers in his hand, and trimmed their lamps and can
dlesticks, Rev. ii. 4, 20. chap. iii , 2, 15.
This fhould teach minifters to whom it belongs,
under Chrift to uſe theſe fnuffers well . Strike at
the fnuff, not at the light, in all your rebukes and
adinonitions. Snuff not your lamps, of a private
revenge, but of a defign to nourish grace and gifts
in churches. Thus our Lord himſelf fays he did,
in his uſing of theſe fruffers about theſe candleſticks,
As many, faith he, as I love, I rebuke and chaften,
be zealous, therefore, and repent, Rev. iii . 19.
To conclude, watchmen, watch, and let not your
fnuffs be too long, nor pull them off with your
fingers, or carnal reasonings, but with godly admo
nitions, &c. Ufe your Inuffers graciouſly,, curb
 SPIRITUALIZED . 79
vice, nourish virtue, fo ye will ufe them well , and
fo your light will thine, to the glory of God .
"
CHA P.` XLV .

Of the Snuff dishes that were with the Snuffers in the

Temple.
S there were fouffers, fo there were alſo fnuff.
A diflies in the Temple . " And they were al
fo made of gold, Exod . xxv . 28. chap . xxxvil . 23.
Numb, iv. 9. The fnuff- diſhes were thofe in which
the fhuff were put when ſnuffed off, and by which
they were carried forth of the Temple. They,
therefore, as the fnuffers are, are of great ufe in
the temple of God .
1. By them the golden floor of the Temple is
kept from being daubed by the fauffs .
1
2. By then alfo the clean hands of thoſe that
worship there are kept from being defiled .
3. By them alfo the ftinks of the fnuffs is fooneſt
fuppreffed in the Temple, and confequently the
tender nofes of them that worship there preferved
from being offended .
Snuffs, ye know, are daubing things, ftinking
things, naufeous things ; therefore we must take
heed that they touch not this floor on which we
walk, nor defile the hands which we lift up to God,
when we come to worship him . But how muft this
} be done, but as we take them off with the fnuffers,
and put them in theſe fnuff-diſhes ?
Some are for being at the fnuffs with their fin
gers, and will caft alfo them at their feet, and daula
the floor of God's holy houfe, but ufually fuch do
burn as well as defile themſelves. " But is it not a
fhame for a man to defile himſelf with that vice
which he rebuketh in another ?" Let us then,
while we are taking away the ſnuffs of others, hate
even the garment spotted by the flesh, and labour
to carry fuch ftink with the fnuff- difhes out of the
Temple of God.
80 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
Snuff- diſhes, you may fay what are they ?
1 anfwer, If fins are the fnuffs, and rebukes and
admonitions the fnuffers, then, methinks, repent
ance, or in cafe that be wanting, the cenfures of
the church fhould be the fnuff d'fhes.
Hence, repentance is called a church- cleanfing
grace, and the cenfures of the church a purging
out " ofthe old leaven, and making it a new lump,"
I Cor. v. 2. 2 Cor. vii. 11 .
Ah ! were the fe fnuff dishes more of ufe in the
churches, we should not have this man's fruff de
file that man's fingers as it doth . Ner would the
Temple of God be fo befmeared with theſe fnuffs,
and bedaubed as it is.
Ah ! fnuffs pulled off lie ftill in the Temple.
floor, and there ftink and defile both feet and fin
gers, both the callings and converfations of Tem-
ple worshippers ; to the difparaging of religion, and
the making of religious worship but of low efteem
with men and all, I fay, for want of the due ufe
of thefe fnuffers, and thefe fnuff diſhes there.
Nay, are not whole churches now defiled with
thofe very fnuffs, that long fince were plucked off;
and all for want of the uſe of theſe fiuff dishes, ac
cording to the Lord's commandment. For you.
muft know, that reproofs and admonitions are but
of finall ufe, where repentance, or church- cenfures,
are not thereto annexed. When minifters uſe the
fnuffers, the people fhould hold the fnuff dishes.
Round reproofs for fin, when they light upon
penitent hearts, then brave work is in the church ::
then the fnuff is not only pulled away, but carried
out of the temple of God aright; &c.
And now the worship and worshippers fhine like.
gold . " As an ear- ring of gold, and an ornament
of fine gold : fo is a wife reprover upon an obedi
ent ear," Prov. xxv. 12.
Minifters, it appertains to you to ufe the fnuffers,
and to teach the people to hold the fnuff difhes
right, Acts xx. 20, 21. I Tim, iv, 2. We mult
 SPIRITUALIZED. 81
often be fnuffed with thofe fnuffers, or our light
will burn bat dimly, our candle will alfo wafte :
Pray therefore, O men of God ! look diligently
to your people, fnuff them as you fee there is need ;
but touch not their fnuff with your white fingers,
a little finutch on you will be feen a great way.
Remember alfo that you leave them no where, but
with thefe fnuff-dishes, that the Temple may be
cleared of them.
Do with the fnuff as the neat houfe - wife doth
with the toad when the finds it in her garden. She
takes the fork, or a pair of tongs, and therewith
doth throw it over the pales. Caft them away, I
fay ; with fear, zeal, care, revenge, and with great
indignation, 2 Cor. vii. 11. and then your church,
your converfation, your fingers and all will be
kept white and clean .

CHA P. XLVI.

Of the Golden Tongs belonging to the Temple.

THERE were alfo tongs of gold ufed in the

Temple of old, 1 Kings vii . 49.
1. The tongs were uſed about the altar, to or-
der the fire there .
2. They were uſed too about the candleſticks,
and are therefore called His tongs.
3. Perhaps there were tongs for both theſe fer
vices, but of that the word is filent.
But what were they uſed about the candleſtick
to do ?
Anfwer. To take holy fire from off the altar to
light the lamps withal. For the fire of the Tem
ple was holy fire, fuch as at firſt was kindled from
heaven, and, when kindled, maintained by the
priests, and of that the lamps were lighted, Lev.
ix, 24. 2 Chron . vii. 1 .
Nor was there, upon pain of death, any other
l fire to be uſed there, Lev. x. 1. The fe tongs there.
82 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
fore were uſed to take fire from off the altar, to light
the lamps and candlesticks withal. For to trim the
lights, and drefs the lamps, was Aaron's work, day
by day, Exod. xl . 24, 25,. Lev. xxiv. 2, 3. Numb.
vii, 3. He fhall light and order the lamps upon
the pure candlestick befor the Lord : and Aaron
did fo ; he lighted the feven lamps thereof, as the
Lord commanded Mofes. "
What is a lamp or cand'eftick to us, if there be
no light thereon ? and how lighted without fire ?
and how fhall we take up coals to light the lamps.
withal , if we have no tongs prepared for that pur
pofe ?
With theſe tongs fire alfo was taken from off the
altar, and put into the cenfers, to burn fweet in
cenfe with before the Lord. The tongs then
were of great ufe in the Temple of the Lord.
But what were the tongs a type of?
The altar was a type of Chrift, the fire of the
Holy Gholt ; and thofe tongs were a type of that
holy hand of God's grace by which the coals, or
feveral difpenfations and gifts of this Holy Ghoft,
are taken and given to the church, and to her mein.
bers, for her work and profit in this world.
Tongs, we know , are ufed inftead of fingers ;
wherefore Aaron's golden tongs were a type of
Chrift's golden fingers, Song v. 14.
66
Ifaiah faith, that one of the feraphims flew.
to him with a live coal in his hand, which he had
taken with the tongs from off the altar." Here
the type and antitype, to wit, tongs and hands,
are put together, Ifa. vi. But the prophet Ezekiel ,
treating of like matters, quite waves the type, the
tongs, and fpeaketh only of this holy hand, And
he fpake to the man cloathed with linen, and faid,
Go in between the wheels under the cherub,"
where the mercy- feat flood, where God dwelt,.
Exod. ii . Pfal. lxxx. 1. " and fill thy hand with
coals of fire from between the cherubims," Ezek.
X. 2.
 SPIRITUALIZED. 83
Thus you fee our golden tongs are now turned
into a golden hand ; into the golden hand of the
man clothed in linen, which is Jefus Chrift, who
at his afcenfion received of God the Father the Spi
rit in all fulness, to give, as his divine witdom knew
was beft, the feveral coals or difpenfations there.
of unto his church, for his praife, and her edifica
tion, Matth. iii . 11. Acts ii.
It is by this band alfo that this holy fire is put
into our cenfers. It is this hand alſo that takes this
coal, therewith to touch the lips of minifters, that
their words may warm like fire ; and it is by this
hand that the Spirit is given to the churches as re
turns of their holy prayers, Luke xi . 1. 2. Rom.
viii. 26, Rev , viii. 5.
It was convenient that fire in the temple fhould
be difpofed of by golden tongs, but the Holy Ghoſt
by the golden hand of Chrift's grace, for that can
wittingly difpofe of it, according as men and things
are placed, and to do and be done in the churches.
Wherefore he adds, " And one cherub ftretched
forth his hand from between the cherubims, unto
the fire that was between the cherubimms, and took
thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was
clothed with linen, who took it, and went out,"
Ezek. x . 7.
By this hand, then, by this man's hand, the coals
of the altar are difpofed of, both to the lamps, the
candleſticks, the cenfers, and the lips of minifters,
according to his own good pleaſure . And of all
this were the tongs in the temple a type.

CHA P. XLVII.

Of the Altar of Incenſe inthe Temple.

HE altar of incenfe was made firft for the
TH
tabernacle, and that of Shittim wood, but
it was made for the temple of cedar, and it was to
be fet before the vail, that is, by the ark ofthe testi
mony, before the mercy.feat, that is at the entering
84 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
of the holieft, but not within. And the priest was
to approach it every morning, which as to the ho
lieft he might not do . Befides, when he went in
to make an atonement, he was to take fire from off
that altar, to burn his incenfe within the holy place,
Exod . xxx. 4. - 11. Lev, xvi . 18.
1. It was called the golden altar, becauſe it was
overlaid with pure gold. This altar was not for
burnt offering, as the brazen altar was, not for the
meat-offering, nor the drink- offering, but to burn
incenſe thereon , ver . 7. which ſweet incenfe was a
type of the grace of prayer, Pfal. cxli. 2.
2. Incenfe, or that called incenſe here, was not
a fimple but a compound, made up of fweet fpices,
called Stacte, Onycha, and Galbanum ; theſe three
may anfwer to theſe three parts of this duty,
to wit, prayer, fupplication, and interceffion , Exod.
XXX. 34, 35, 46, 37. xxxvii. 29, 1 Tim ii 1 .
3. This incenfe was to be burned upon the altar
every morning, upon that altar which was called
the altar of incenfe, which was before the vail ; to
fhew, that it is our duty every morning to make
our prayer to God by Jefus Chrift before the vail ;
that is, before the door of heaven, and there to feek,
knock, and afk for what we need, according to the
word, Luke xi. 9, 10. 11 , 12 .
4. This incenfe was to be kindled every morn
ing, to fhew how he continueth interceeding for
us, and alio, that all true prai'e of men to God is
by the work, the renewed work of the Holy Ghoſt
upon our hearts, Rom. viii . 26.
5. Incenſe, as you fee , was made of fweet ſpices,
fuch as were gummy, and fo apt to burn with a
fmoke, to fhew, that not cold and flat , but hot and
fervent is the prayer that flows from the Spirit of
faith and grace, Zech . xii . 10. Jer. v. 16.
6. The fmoke of this incenfe was very fweet and
favoury, like pleafant perfume, to fhew how de
lightful and acceptable the very found and neife of
 SPIRITUALIZED. 85
right prayer is unto the noftrils of the living God,
becauſe it comes from a broken heart, Pfal. li . 17
Song . 14.
7. This incenfe was to be offered upon the gol .
den altar, to fhew us, that no prayer is accepted
'but what is directed to God in the name of his holy
and bleffed Son our Saviour, 1 Pet. ii . 5. Heb.
xiii . 15.
8. They were commanded to burn incenfe every
morning upon this altar, to fhew that God is never
weary of the godly prayers of his people. It alſo
fheweth, that we need every day to go to God for
fresh fupplies of grace, to carry us through this
evil world,
9 This altar, though it ftood without the vail,
to teach us to live by faith, and to make uſe of the
name of Chrift, as we find it recorded in the first
Temple ; yet was placed fo nigh unto the holieft,
that the fmell of the fmoke might go in thither, to
fhew that it is not diftance of place that can
keep the voice of true prayer from our God, the
God of heaven ; but that he will be taken with
what we afk for according to his word.
It ſtood, I fay, nigh the vail , nigh the holieft ;
and he that burnt incenfe there did make his ap .
proach to God . Hence the Pfalmift, when he
Ipake of praying, faith, " It is good for me to
draw nigh unto God, Pfal. Ixxiii . 20. Heb . x. 22.
10. This altar thus placed, did front the ak
within the vail ; to put us in mind, that the law is
kept therein from hurting us ; to let us know alſo,
that the mercy-feat is above, upon the ark, and
that God doth fit thereon , with his pardon in his
hand, to fave us . O ! what fpeaking things are
types, fhadows, and parables, had we but eyes to
fee, had we but ears to hear !
He that did approach the altar with incenfe of
1 old aright , ( and then he did fo when he approach,
I ed it by Aaron his high-prieft) pleafed God ; how
much more fhall we have both perfon and prayers
H
86 SOLOMON's TEMPLE
accepted, and a grant of what we need , if indeed
we come as we fhould to God by Jefus Chrift.
But take heed you approach not to a wrong al
tar, take heed alſo that you come not with frang
fire, for they are dangerous things, and caufe the
worshippers to mifs of what they would enjoy . But
more of this in the next particular.

CHA P. XLVIII .

Of the golden Cenfers belonging to the Temple.

THERE were alfo golden cenfers belonging
to the Temple, and they were either fuch as
belonged to the fons of Levi in general, or that
were for Aaron and his fons in fpecial, as Numb.
xvi. 16, 17, 18 .
The centers of the Levites were a type of ours,
but the cenfer of Aaron was a type of Chrift's .
The cenfers, as was hinted before, were for this
ufe in the Temple, namely, to hold the holy fire
in , on which incenfe was to be burned before the
Lord, Lev. x. 1.
Thefe cenfers then were types of hearts . Aaron's
golden one was a type of Chrift's golden heart,
and the cenfers of the Levites were types of other
worshippers hearts.
The fire alfo which was put therein was a type
of that Spirit by which we pray, and the incenfe
that burnt thereon a type of our defires .
Of Christ's cenfer, we read, Rev. viii . which is
always filled with much incenfe, that is, with con
tinual interceffions, which he offereth to Grd for
us, and from whence alfo there always goes a cloud
of fweet favour, covering the mercy-feat, Lev.
xvi. 13. Heb. vii . 25. Rev. viii . 3, 4.
But to fpeak of the cenfers, and fire, and incenfe
of the worshippers, for albeit they were all put
under one rule, that is, to be according to law ; yet
oftentimes, as were the worshippers fuch were the
cenfers, fire, and incenfe.
 SPIRITUALIZED.. 87
1. Hence the two hundred and fifty cenfers with
which Corah and his company offered, are called
the cenfers of finners ; for they came with wicked
hearts then to burn incenfe before the Lord, Numb.
xvi. 17, 37.
2. Again, as the cenfers of thefe men were cal
led the cenfers of finners, fhewing they came at
that time to God with naughty hearts ; fo the fire
that was in Nadab and Abihu's cenfers is called
ftrange fire, which the Lord commanded them not,
Lev. x . I.
3. This ftrange fire was a type of that range,
fpirit, oppofed to the Spirit of God, in and by which,
notwithstanding, fome adventure to perform wor
fhip to God.
4. Again, as thefe cenfers are called the cenfers
of finners, and this fire called ftrange fire ; fo the
incenfe of fuch is called alfo ftrange, and is faid to
be an abomination unto God, Exod. xxx. 9. Ifa.
i. 13. lxvi. 3.
Thus you fee, that both the cenfers, fice , and in
cenfe of fome is rejected, even as the heart, fpi
rit, and prayer of finners are an abomination unto
God . Ho . vii. 14. chap. iv. 12. chap. v. 4. Prov.
xxviii . 9.
But there were, befides thefe, true cenfers, ho.
ly fire, and fweet incenfe among the worshippers in
the temple, and their fervice was accepted by
Aaron their high- prieft ; for that was through the
faith of Chrift, and thefe were a type of our true
gofpel-worshippers , who come with holy hearts,
the holy fpirit , and holy detires before their God
by their Redeemer. Thefe are a perfume in his
nofe. " The prayer of the upright is his delight,
their prayers went up like incenfe , and the lifting
up of their hands as the evening facrifice," Exod
xv. 8. Pfal. cxli , 2.
Let them then that pretend to worship before
God in his holy temple, look to it, that both their
cenfers, fire, and incenfe, heart, fpirit, and de
H. 2
88 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
fires, be fuch as the word requires ; left, inftead of
receiving of gracious returns from the God of hea.
ven, their cenfers be laid up against them; leftthe fire
of God devour them , and their incenfe become an
abomination to him, as it happened to thofe made .
mention of before .
But it is faid the cenfers of Corah and his com
panions were hallowed.
Anfwer, So is God's worship, which is fo his by
his ordination ; yet even that very worship may be
Spoiled by man's tranfgreffions. Prayer is God's or
dinance, but all prayer is not accepted of Ged.
We must then diftinguish between the thing com
manded , and our uſing of that thing . The temple
was God's houfe, but was abufed by the irreverence
of thofe that worshipped there, even to the demo
Bithing ofit.
A golden cenfer is a gracious heart, heavenly fire
is the Holy Ghoft, and fweet incenfe the effectual
fervent prayer of faith. Have you thefe Thefe
Ged expects, and thefe you must have, if ever your
perfons or performances be of God accepted .

CHAP. XLIX .

Of the Golden Spoons ofthe Temple.

1. THE golden fpoons , belonging to the tem
ple were in number, according to Mofes,
twelve ; anfwering to the twelve tribes. But when
the temple was built, fuppofe, they were more,
becauſe of the number of the bafons, Numb. vii.
14, 20, 26, 32, 38, 40, 50, 56, 62, 68, 74, 80, 86.
2. The fpoons, as I fuppofe, were for the wor
fhippers in the temple to fup that broth withal
wherein the trefpafs offerings were boiled. For
which purpoſe there were feveral cauldrons hanged
in the corners of that court called the priefl's, to
boil them in, 1 Sam. ii. 13, 14. Ezek. xlvi . 19, 20,
3. Now in that he faith here were fpoons, what
is it , but that there are alfo babes in the Temple
 SPIRITUALIZED . 89
of the Lord ? There was broth for babes, as well
as meat for men , and fpoons to fup the broth withal.
4. True, the goſpel, being more excellent than
the law, doth change the term , and instead of broth,
• faith, there is milk for babes. But in that he faith
milk, he infinuates, there are ſpoons for children
in the church .
5. " I could not, faith Paul to them at Corinth,
ſpeak to you as unto fpiritual, but as unto carnal ;
even as unto babes in Chrift. I have fed you with
milk, and not with meat ; for hitherto ye were not
able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able ,”
.1 Cor , iii. 1, 2.
6. See, here were need of fpoons, milk is Ipoon
meat ; for here were thofe which could not feed
themſelves with milk, let them then that are men
eat the ftrong meat, For every one that uſeth
milk is unfkilful in the word of righteoufnefs, for
he is a babe. For ftrong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age, who, by reafon of ufe , have
their fenfes exercifed to difcern both good and e
vil," Heb. vi. 13, 14
7. Spoons, you know, are to feed us with weak
and thin food, even with that which beft fuiteth
with weak ftomachs, or with a babifh temper.
Hence, as the ftrong man is oppoſed to the weak,
fo the milk is oppofed to the ftrong meat.
8. So then , tho' the babe in Chrift is weaker than
the man in Chrift, yet he is not by Chrift left un
provided for : for here is milk for babes, and spoons
to fup it with. All this is taught us by the fp ons ;
for what need is there of fpoons, where there is
nothing to eat but ftrong meat ?
9. Babes, you know, have not only babiſh fto.
machs, but alfo babiſh tricks, and muſt be dealt
with as babes ; their childish talk, and froward
carriages, must be born withal.
10. Sometimes they cry for nothing, yea, and
count them their foes which rebuke their childifk
H: 3
go · SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
toys and ways ; all which the church muſt bear, be
caufe they are God's babes ; yea, they must feed
them too ; for if he has found them milk and
fpoons, it is that they may be fed therewith, and
live yea, grown minifters are God's nurfes, where
fore they must have a lap to lay them in, and knees
to dandle them upon, and fpoons to feed them
with .
11. Nor are the babes without their ufe in the
church of God ; for he commands that they be
brought to cry with the congregation before the
Lord, for mercy for the land, Joel ii. 16.
12. Incenfe, I told you, was a type of prayers,
and the ſpoons, in the time of Mofes, were pre
fented at the Temple full of it : perhaps to fhew
that God will, with the milk which he has provid
ed for them, give it to them as a return of their
crying to him, even as the nurſe gives the child the
teat and milk.
13. You know the milk is called for, when the
child is crying, as we fay, to ftop its mouth with
it. O babes, did you but cry foundly, God would
give you yet more milk.
14. But what were thofe golden fpoons a type
of?
I anfwer, if the milk is the juice and confolations
of the word, then the fpoons must be thofe foft
fentences, and golden conclufions, with which the
minifters feed their fouls by it. I have fed you
faid Paul, with the milk of the word : faith Peter,
even as you have been able to bear it ." Compare
thefe two or three texts, 1 Pet . ii. 1, 2, 3. 1 Čor
iii. 2. 1 Theff. ii. 7.
15. " And this is the way to ftrengthen the weak 1
hards, and to confirm the feeble knees. This is
the way to make them grow to be men, who now
~
are but as infants of days. Thus a little one may
become a thoufand, and a ſmall one a ſtrong nation .
Yea, thus, in time, you may make a little child to
joftle it with a leopard, yea, to take a lion by the
 SPIRITUALIZED.
91
head yea, thus you may embolden him to put his
;
hand to the hole of the afp, and to play before the
den of the cockatrice , Ifa. xi . 6, 7, 8. lx. 22.
Who is moft ftout, was once a babe : he that
can now eat meat, was fometimes glad of milk,
and to be fed with the fpoon. Babes in Chrift
therefore must not be difpifed, nor overlooked .
God has provided them milk, and ſpoons to fup it
with, that they may grow up to be men before
him.
CHA P. L.

of the Bowls and Bafons belonging to the Temple.

S there were ſpoons, fo there were bowls and
A bafons belonging to the temple. Some of
thefe were of gold, and fome of filver ; and when
they were put together, their number was four
hundred and forty. Theſe you read of, Ezra., i . 10.
The bowls or bafons were not to wafh in, as
were the fea and lavers of the Temple, they were
rather to hold the meffes in, which the priests , at
their holy feafts, did fo ufe to fet before the peo
ple. This being fo, they were types of that pro
portion of faith, by which, or by the meaſure of
which, every man received of the holy food for
the nouriſhment of his foul. For, as a man had a
thousand meffes fet before him, he eating for his
health, cannot go beyond what his ftomach will
bear ; fo neither can the child of God , when he
comes to worship in the Temple of God, receive
the good things that are there, beyond the pro
portion of his faith ; or, as it is in another place,
""" according to the ability which God giveth," Rom .
xii. 6. 1 Pet. iv. II.
And hence it is, at the felf-fame ordinance fome
receive three times as much as others do : for that
their bowl, I mean their faith, is able to receive it.
Yea, Benjamin's mess was five times as big as was
the mefs of any of his brethren ; and fo it is with
'92 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

fome faints, while they eat with their brother Jo

feph in the houfe of the living God.
There are three go to the fame ordinance, and
are all of them believers ; who, when they come
and compare notes, do find their receiving are not
of the fame quantity .
One fays, I got but little ; the other fays, It
was a pretty good ordinance to me ; the third fays,
I was exceeding well there . Why, to be fare, he
that had but little there, had there but little faith,
but great faith in him would have received more.
He had it then according to the largenefs of his
bowl, even " according to his faith, even as God
hath dealt to every man the meature of faith,"
Rom . xii. 3.
Mark, faith is a certain meafure, and that not
only as to its degree, but for that it can receive,
retain, or hold what is put into it.
So then, here it is no matter how much milk or
holy broth there is, but how big is thy bowl, thy
faith . Little bowls hold but little , nor canst thou
receive but as thy faith will bear : (I fpeak now of
God's ordinary dealing with his people . ) For fo hẹ
faith in his word, " According to thy faith be it 1
unto thee," Matth . ix. 29.
If a man goeth to the ocean for water, let
him carry but an egg fhell with him , and with that
he fhall not bring a gallon home . I know indeed
that our little pots have a promife of being made
like the bowls of the altar ; but ftill our meſs muſt.
be according to our meafure, be that fall, or be
it great. The fame prophet faith again, the faints
fhall be filled like bowls, as the corners of the al
tar ; which, tho' it fuppofes an enlargement, yet it
muft be confined to that meaſure of faith which is
provided for its reception, Zech. ix . 15. xiv. 2..
And fuppofe thefe bowls fhould fignify the pro
mifes, tho' the faints, not the promiles, are compa
red to them; becauſe they, not promifes, are the.
fubjects of faith, yet it is the promife by our mea
 SPIRITUALIZED. 93
fure of faith in that, that is nourishing to our fouls.
When Ahasuerus made a feaft to his fubjects,
theydrank their wine in bowls. They did not drink
it by the largeness of the vellel whence they drew
it, but according to their health, and as their fto
machs would fo receive it, Efther i.
Thy faith then is one of the bowls or bafons of
the Temple, by, or according to which, thou re
ceiveft thy mefs, when fitting feaſting at the table
of God.
And obferve, all the bowls were not made of
gold, as all faith is not of a faving fort. It is the
golden faith that is right, the filver bowls were of
an inferior fort, Rev. iii . 18.
Some, I fay, have golden faith ; all faith is not
fo. Wherefore lock to it, foul, that thy bowl,
thy faith be golden faith, or of the best kind. Lok,
I fay, after a good faith, and great, for a great
faith receives a great me fs.
Of old, beggars did ufe to carry their bowls in
their laps, when then went to a door for an alms.
Confequently, if their bowls were but little, they
oft-times came eff by the lofs, the the charity of
the giver was large. Yea, the greater the charity,
the larger the lofs, becaufe the beggar's bowl was
too little. Mark it well, it is oft- times thus in the
matters of our God ,
Art thou a beggar, a beggar at God's door, be
fure thou getteft a great bowl ; for as thy bowl is
fo will be thy mefs. " According to thy faith,"
faith he, be it unto thee," Math. ix, 29.

CHAP . LI.

Ofthe Flaggons and Cups of the Temple.

HE next thing to be confidered is the flag
THE gons and cups of the temple ; of theſe we
read 1 Chron, xxviii. 17. Jer . iii. 19.
Theſe were of great ufe among the Jews, efpe
cially on their feafting.days, as of their fabbaths ,
94 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
new moons, and the like, Lev. xxiii . 13. Numb.
xxviii . 7. 1 Chron. xvi , 3. Ifa . xxv. 6. Ixii . 8, 9.
For instance, the day that David danced before
the ark, he dealt among all the people, even to the
whole multitude of Ifrael, " as well to the women
as to men, to every one a cake of bread, a good
piece of flesh, and a flaggon of wine, ” ↑ Sam. vi .
19. 1 Chron. xvi . 3 .
" In this mountain," that is in the Temple typi
cally, faith the prophet, " fhall the Lord of Hofts
make unto all people a feaft of fat things, a feaft
of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow,
of wine on the lees well refined ," Ifa. xxv. 6.
The fe are feafting times ; the times in which
our Lord uſed to have his fpoufe into his wine
cellar, and in which he used to difplay, with de
light, his banner over her head in love, Song ii . 5.
The church of Chrift, alas ! is of herſelf a very
fickly puely thing, a woman, a weaker veffel ; but
how much more muft he needs be fo weak, when
the custom of women is upon her, or, when the is
fick of love ? Then the indeed has need of a draught,
for the now finks, and will not elfe be fupported :
" Stay me with flaggons, faith fhe, and comfort
me with apples, for I am fick of love, " Song ii . 4,5.
1
Thefe flaggons, therefore, were types of thoſe
feaftings and of thofe large draughts of divine love,
the Lord Jefus draweth forth, and giveth to his
fpoufe in thole days that he feafteth with them .
For then he faith, Drink, yea abundantly, O be.
loved ." This he does to chear her up under her
hours of fadnefs and dejection ; for now (6 new corn
makes the young men chearful, and new wine the
maids, Prov . xxxi . 6, 7. Pful , cxvi. 13. Jer. xvi.
7. Song. v. Zech. ix. 17 .
As there were flaggons, fo there were cups ; and
they are called cups of confolation, and cups of
falvation, becaufe, as I faid , they were they by
which Ged at his feaftings with his people, or when
he fuppeth with them, giveth out the more large
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 95
draughts of his love unto his faints, to revive the
fpirits ofthe humble, and to revive the hearts ofthe
contrite ones. At the fe times God made David's
cup run over. For we are now admitted, if our
faith will bear it, to drink freely into this grace, and
to be merry with him, " Pfal . xxiii. 5. Luke xv,
22. - -24. Song v. 1. vii. 11 , 12. John xiv . 23 .
Rev. iii . 20.
This is that to which the apoftle alludeth , when
he faith, " Be not drunk with wine, wherein is ex
cefs, but be ye filled with the Spirit ; fpeaking to
yourſelves in pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual
fongs ; finging, and making melody in your hearts
unto the Lord . "
for the cups, as to their uſe in the general, un
derſtand them , as of the bowls made mention of
before. For affurances are the blooms and flowers
of faith ; not always onit, though ufually on feaſt
ing days, it is fo. So the degree of the one is ftill
according to the meaſure of the other, Ephef, x
18. Jam. v. Rom . xv. 13.

CHAP . LII.

Of the Chargers of the Temple.

N the tabernacle they had but twelve of them,

ple they had in all a thousand and thirty. The thir

ty were made of gold, the reft were made of filver,
Numb. vii, 84.
Thefe chargers were not for ufes common or
profane, but, as I take it, they were thofe in which
the paflover, and other meat-offerings, were dreft
up when the people came to eat before God in his
holy Temple .
The meat, you know, I told you, was oppofite
to milk ; and fo are thefe chargers to the bowls, and
cups, and flaggons of the Temple.
The meat was of two forts, roaft, or boiled . Of
that which was roafted was the paſſover, and of that
 N'S TEMPLE
96 - SOLOMO
which was boiled were the trefpafs offerings . Where
fore, concerning the paffover, he faith, Eat not
of it raw, nor fodden at all in water, but roaft with
fire his head, with his legs, and with the purte.
nance thereof, Exod . xii. 9.'
This roaft meat was a type of the body of Chrift,
as fuffering for our fins, the which, when it was
roaft, was, and is, dreffed up in chargers, and fet
before the congregations of the faints.
But what were the chargers a type of ?
I alſo afk, in what charger our goſpel-paffover
is now dreffed up, and fet before the people ? Is it
not in the evangelifts, the prophets, and epiftles of
the apoftles ? They therefore are the chargers and
the crdinance of the fupper ; in thefe alfo are the
trefpafs- efferings, with what is fried in pans, my
ftically prepared for the children of the Higheft .
And why might they not be a type of goſpel fer
mons ?
I answer, I think not fo fitly ; for, alas ! the beft
of fermons in the world are but as thin flices cut
out of thofe large difhes. Our minifters are the
carvers, good doctrine is the meat, and the charg
, ers in which this meat is found are the holy ca
nonical fcriptures, &c . 5. Though , as I ſaid, moſt
properly, the New Teftament of our Lord and Sa
viour Jefus Chriſt.
In thefe is Chrift moſt truly, lively , and àmply
fet before us as crucified , or roasted at the fire of
Ged's law for our fins , that we might live by him
through faith feeding upon him, 2 Cor. iii. 12.
Gal. iii. 12. Acts iii. 18. 22. chap. xiii . 4 .
chap. xxvi. 22. 1 Pet. i. 10. Acts vii, 42. chap,
xv. 15. chap. xxviii. 23. Rom. xvi. 26. Rev. x. 7.
There is in thefe chargers, not only meat, but
fauce (if you like it ) to eat the meat withal ; for
the paffover there are bitter herbs, or found repent
ance ; and for others, as the thank-offerings, there
is holy cheerfulneſs and prayers to God for grace .
All theſe are fet forth before us in the holy fcrip.
 SPIRITUALIZED. 97
tures, and preſented to us thereby, as in the golden
chargers of the Temple. He that will fcoff at this,
let him fcoff. The chargers were a type of fɔme
thing ; and he that can fhew a fitter antitype than
is here propofed to confideration , let him do it, and
1 will be thankful to him.
Chriftians, here is your meat before you ; and
this know, the deeper you dip it in the fauce, the
better it will relish . But let not unbelief teach
you fuch manners, as to make you leave the beſt
bits behind you . " For your liberty is to eat freely
of the beft, of the fat, and of the fweet,

CHA P. LIII.
Of the goings out of the Temple.
S to the comings into the Temple, of them
we have fpoken already ; namely, of the cut
er and inner court, as alto of the doors ofthe porch
and Temple. The coming in was but one trait
courſe, and that a type of Jefus Chrift ; but the
goings out were many, John x. 9. chap . xiv. 6.
Now, as I faid, it is infinuated, that the goings
out are many, anſwerable to the many ways which
the children of men have invented to apoftatize in
from God. Chrift is the way in to, but fin the way
out of the Temple of God. True, I read not of a
defcription of the goings out of this houſe, as I
read of the comings in . Only when they had A
thaliah out thence, the is faid, " To go out by the
way by which the hortes come in to the King's fta
bles, and there the was flain, as it were upon the
horfe dunghill," 2 Kings xi. xvi. 2 Chron. xxiv , 15 .
When Uzziah alfo went out of this house for his
tranfgreffion, he was caft out of all fociety, and
made to dwell in a kind of peft- houſe, even to the
day of his death, 2 Chron . xxvi . 20, 21 .
Thus, therefore, though theſe goings out are not
particularly defcribed, the judgments that followed
them, that have for their tranfgreffions been thruſt
I
 8 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
out thence, have been both remarkable and tre
mendous ; for to die upon a dunghill, or in a
peft houfe, and that for wicked actions, is a fhame
ful, a difgraceful thing. And God will still be
fpreading dung upon the faces of fuch, no greatness
fhall prevent it : " Yea, and will take them away
with it, Mal. ii, I will drive them out of my houfe ,
Lys he ; I will love them no more," Hof. ix. 15.
But what are we to underſtand in gofpel.days, by
going out of the houfe of the Lord, for or byfin
1 anfwer, if it be done voluntarily, then fin leads
you cut ; if it be done by the holy compulfion of
the church, then it is done by the judicial judgment
of God ; that is, they are cut off, and caſt out
from thence, as a just reward for their tranfgref.
fions, Levit. xx, 18. chap . xxii . 3. Ezek. xiv. 8.
i Cor . v. 13.
Well, but whither do they go, that are thus gone
out of the temple or church of God ?
I anfwer, not to the dunghill with Athaliab, nor
to the peft houfe with Uzziah, but to the devil;
that is the first step, and fo to hell, without repent
ance. But if their fin be not unpardonable , they
may by repentance be recovered, and in mercy
tread thefe courts again . Now the way to this re
covery is, to think ferioufly what they have done,
or by what way they went out from the houſe of
God Hence the prophet is bid to thew to the re
bellious houfe, first the goings cut of the houfe,
and then the comings in. But, I fay firft, he bids
fhew them the goings out thereof, Ezek. xiii, 10,
II.
And this is of abfolute neceffity for the recover.
ing of the finner. For until he that has finned
himself out of God's houfe fhall fee what danger
he has incurred to himfelf by this his wicked going
out, he will not unfeignedly defire to come in thi
ther again. There is another thing as to this point
to be taken notice of. There is a way by which
God alfo doth depart from this houſe, and that allo
 SPIRITUALIZED. 99%
is by fin, as the occafion. The fin of man wil
thruft him out, and the fin of men will drive God
out of his own houſe. Of this you read Ezek .
xi. 22, 23. For thus he faith, I have forfaken
mine houſe, I have left mine heritage, I have given
the dearly beloved of my foul into the hands of her
enemies," Jer. xii . 7.
And this alfo is dreadful : The great fentence of
Chriſt upon the Jews lay much in theſe words,
" Your houſe is left unto you defolate ;" that is,
God has left you to bare walls, and to lifeless tra
ditions.
Confider therefore of this going out alfo. Alas !
a church, 2 true church is but a poor thing, if God
leaves, if God forfakes it By a true church I
mean one that is congregated according to out
ward rule, that has not finned God away, as he had
almoit quite done that was of Laodicea, Rev. iii.
He that fins himself out, can find no good in the
world ; and they that have finned God out, can find
no good in the church. A church that has finned
God away from it, is a fad lump indeed. You
therefore that are in God's church, take heed of
fining yourfelves out thence ; alſo take heed , that
while you keep in, you fin not God away, for
henceforth no good is there : " Yea, wo unto
them when I depart from them, faith God, Hof
ix. 12,

CHA P. LIV ..

Of the Singers belonging to the Temple.

HAVING thus far paffed through the Tem

ple, I come now to the fingers there. The
fingers were many, but all of the church, either
Jews, or profelytes. Nor was there any, as I know
of, under the Old-Teftament worship, admitted to
fing the fongs ofthe church, . and to celebrate that
part of worship with the faints, but they who, at
leaft, in appearance, were fo. The fong of Mofes,
of Deborah, and of thoſe that danced before Da
I 2
100 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
vid, with others that you read of, they were all
performed , either by Jews by nature, or by fuch
as were profelyted to their religion, Exod . xv. 1 .
Judg. v. 1, 2. 1 Sam. xviii. 6. And fuch worſhip
then was occafioned by God's appearance for them
against the power of the Gentiles, their enemies.
But we are confined to the fongs of the Temple,
a more diftinct type of curs in the church under the
gofpel
1. The fingers then were many, but the chief of
them in the days of David, were David himſelf,
Afaph, Jeduthun, and Heman , and their fons.
I.
1. In David's time the chief of thefe fingers
were two hundred threefcore and eight, 1 Chron,
XXV .
Thefe fingers of old were to fing their fongs
over the burnt- offering, which were types of the fa
crificed body of Christ, a memorial of which offer
ing we have at the Lord's table, the confummation
of which Chrift and his difciples celebrated with a
hynin, Matth. xxvi , 30,
And as of old they were the church that did
fing in the Temple, according to inftitution, to
God ; fo alfo they are by God's appointment to be
fung by the church in the new. Hence,
1. They are faid to be the redeemed that fing.
2. * The fongs that they fing are faid to be the .
fongs of their redemption, Rev. v. 9, 10.
3. They were and are fongs that no man can
learn but they.
But let us run a little in the parallel ,
1. They were of old appointed to fing, that were
cunning and fkilful in fongs. And anfwerable to
that , it is faid, " That no man could learn our
New-Teftament fongs, but the hundred and forty
and four thousand which were redeemed from the
earth, Chron. xv. 22. Rev. xiv. 3 .
2. The fe fongs were fung with harps, pfalteries,
fymbals, and trumpets ; a type of our finging with
 SPIRITUALIZED.. ICI
fpiritual joy, from grace in our hearts, 1 Chron .
xxv. 6. 2 Chron. xxix. 26, 27, 28. Col. iii . 16,
3. The fingers of old were to be clothed in fine
linen ; which fine linen was a type of innocency,
and an upright converfation . Hence the fingers
under the New-Teftament are faid to be virgins,
fuch in whofe mouth was no guile, and that were
without fault before the throne of God, Chron.
* . 27. and Rev. xiv . 1-6 . See alfo Rev. vii .
9,-16. Pfal , xxxiii , 1 .
4. The fongs fung in the Temple were new, or
fuch as were compiled after the manner of repeat
ed mercies that the church of God had received,,
or were to receive, and anſwerable to this is the
church to fing now, new fongs, with new hearts
for new mercies, Pfal. xxxiii. 3. xl. 3. xcvi. cxliv..
Rev. xiv. 3
New fongs, I fay, are grounded on new matter,
new occafions, new mercies, new deliverances , new
discoveries of God to the foul, or for new frames
of heart ; and are fuch as are moſt taking, moſt
pleafing, and moft refreſhing to the foul,
5.Thefe fongs of old , to diftinguish them from
heathenish ones, were called God's fongs, the
Lord's fongs ; because taught by him, and learned
of him, and enjoined to them , to be fung to his
praife. Hence David faid, " God had put a new
fong in his mouth, even praiſes to our God,"
1 Chron . xxv . 7. Pfal. xlvii. 6 , 7. cxxxvii. 4. Pfal..
xl. 3.
6. Thefe fongs alfo were called the fongs of
Sion, and the fongs of the Temple, Pfal. cxxxvii ,
3. Amos viii. 3. ·
And they are fo called as they were theirs to
fing there, I fay of them of Zion, and the wor
fhippers in the Temple : I fay, to fing in the church,
by the church, to him who is the God of the church,
for the mercies, benefits, and bleffings, which fhe
has received from him, Zien fongs, Temple-fongs
3
 02 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
must be fung by Zion's fons, and Temple-worship
pers.
" The redeemed of the Lord fhall return , and,
come to Zion with fongs, and everlaſting joy upon
their heads ; they fhall obtain,joy and gladnefs, and
forrow and fighing fhall fly away. Therefore they
fhall come and fing in the height, or upon the
mountains of Zion ; and fhall flow together, thither,
to the goodness of the Lord . Break forth into fing.
ing, ye mountains, and let the inhabitants of the
rock fing," Ifa. xliv. 23. chap. xlii . 11.
To fing to God, is the higheſt worship we are
capable of performing in heaven ; and it is much if
finners on earth, without grace, fhould be capable
of performing it, according to his inftitution, ac-,
ceptably. I pray God it be done by all thofe that
now a days get into churches, in fpirit and with
underſtanding.

CHA P. LV.

Of the Union of the holy and most holy Temple.

THAT commonly called the Temple of God

at Jerufalem, confidered as ftanding of two
parts, was called the outward and inward Temple,
or the holy and moſt holy place . They were built
upon one and the fame foundation , neither could
one go into the holiest but as through the holy
place, 1 Kings iii . 1. chap . vi . 2 Chron . v. 1 , 13 .
chap . vii . 2 .
The firft houſe, namely, that which we have been
fpeaking of, was a type of the church-militant , and
the place moft holy a type of the church-triumph
ant. I fay, of the church-triumphant as it is now.
So then, the houſe ſtanding of theſe two parts,
was a fhadow of the church both in heaven and
earth. And for that they are joined together by
one and the fame foundation, it was to fhew, that
they above, and we below, are yet one and the ſelf
fame houfe of God. Henge they and we together,
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 103
are called, " The whole family in heaven and earth,"
Ephef. iii. 14, 15.
And hence it is faid again, that we who believe,
on earth, " are come to mount Sion , to the city of
the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem ; and to an
innumerable company of angels. To the general af
fembly and church of the firſt-born which are writ
ten in heaven, and to the fpirits of juſt men niade
perfect, and to God the Judge of all, and to -Jefus
the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood
of fprinkling, that ſpeaketh better things than that
of Abel, " Heb . xii , 22, 23, 24.
The difference then betwixt us and them, is not
that we are really two, but one body in Chrift, in
divers places. True, we are below itairs, and they
above ; they in their holy-day, and we in our work.
ing-day cloathes : they in harbour, but we in the
ftorm ; they at reft, and we in the wilderness ; they
finging, as crowned with joy ; we crying, as crown
ed with thorns. But I fay, we are all of one houſe,
one family, and are all children of one father.
This therefore we must not forget, left we debar
ourſelves of much of that, which otherwife, while
here, we have a right unto. Let us therefore, I
fay, remember, that the Temple of God is but
one, though divided, as one may fay, into kitchen
and hall, above ftairs and below ; or holy and moſt
holy place . For it ftands upon the fame founda
tion, and is called but one, the Temple of God ;
which is builded upon the Lord our Saviour.
I told you before, that none of old could go into
the most holy, but by the holy place, even by the
vail that made the partition between, Exod xxvi.
33. Lev. xvi. 2, 12, 15. Heb. ix. 7, 8. chap. x. 19 .
Wherefore, they are deceived that think to go
into the holieft, which is heaven , when they die ;.
who yet abandon, and hate the holy place while
they live.
Nay, firs, the way into the holieft, is through
the holy place ; the way into heaven is through
104 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
the church on earth ; for that Chrift is there by his
7
word to be received by faith, before he can by us,
in perfon, be received in the beatifical vifion, The
church on earth is as the houfe of the women
fpoken of in the book of Efther, where we must þe
dieted, perfumed, and made fit to go into the bride.
groom's chamber, or, as Paul fays, " made meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in
light," Efth, ii, Col. i. 12 .

CHAP LVI.

Of the Holieft or Inner Temple .

THE moft holy place, was , as I faid, a figure

Τ of heaven itfelf, confequently a type of
that where the moſt ſpecial preſence of God is ; and
where his face is moft clearly feen , and the glad
nefs of his countenance moſt enjoyed, Heb. ix. 23 ,
24. Exod. xxv . 22. Numb. vii. 89.
The moft holy place was dark, it had no win◄
dows in it, tho' there were fuch round the cham
bers ; the more ſpecial prefence of God too, en
Mount Siani, was in the thick darknefs there,.
1 Kings viii. 12. 2 Chron, vi. 1. Exod . xix. 9. chap..
XX. 21.
1. This holiest therefore being thus made, was
to fhew that God, as in heaven , to us on earth is
altogether invifible, and not to be reached otherwife
than by faith. For I fay, in that this houſe had
no windows, nothing therein could be feen by the
highest light of this world, Things there were on
ly feen by thelight of the fire of the altar, which
was a type of the fhinings of the Holy Ghost,
I Cor. . And hence it is faid, notwithſtand
ing this darkneſs, " He dwelleth in that light which
no man can approach unto ; none but the High
Prieft, Chrift," 1 Tim. vi. 16. 1 Pet. iii . 21 , 22 .
2. The holiest therefore was thus built, to fhew
how different our ftate in heaven will be from this
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 105
our state on earth. We walk here by one light , '
by the light of a written word ; for that is " now a
light to our feet, and a lantern to our path. " But
that place, where there will be no written word,
nor ordinances, as here, will yet to us fhine more
light and clear than if all the lights that are in the
world were put together to light one man : " For
God is light, and in him is no darknefs at all ."
1 John i. 5. And in his light, and in the light of
the Lamb immediately, we ſhall live, and walk and
rejoice all the days of eternity,
3. This alfo was ordained, thus to fhew, that
we, while in the first Temple, fhould live by faith,
as to what there was, or as to what was done in
the fecond. Hence it is faid as to that, we walk
by faith, not by fight, 2 Cor. v. 9.
The things that are there we are told of, even of
the ark of the teftimony, and mercy-feat, and the
cherubias of glory, and the prefence of Christ,
and of God ; we are, I fay told of them by the
word, and believe, and are taken therewith, and
hope to go to them hereafter : But otherwife we
fee them not. Therefore we are faid to " look,
not at the things that are feen, but at the things
that are not feen ; for the things that are feen are
temporal, but the things that are not feen are eter
nal ." 2 Cor. iv. 18.
4. The people of old were not to look into the
holieft, left they died, ( Nunb. xvii . 13. ) fave only
their high priest, he might go into it to thew that
we, while here, must have a care of vain ſpecula
tions ; for there is nothing to be ſeen by us while
here, in heaven , otherwife than by faith in God's
eternal teftament : True, we may now come to
the holieft, even as nigh as the first Temple will.
admit us to cone ; but it muſt be by blood and faith,
not by vain imagination, fenfe, or carnal reaſon.
5. This holieft of all was four fquare every way,,
both as to heighth, length , and breadth. To be
thus, is a note of perfection, as I have fhewed elfe.
 6 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
where ; wherefore, it was on purpoſe thus built, ta
fhew us, that all fulneſs of bleffednefs is there, both
as to the nature, degree , and duration . " So when
that which is perfect is come, that which is in part
fhall be done away, Cor, xiii. 8, 9, 10. Heb . x. 19.
20, 21, 22.
CHA P. LVII.

Of the Vail of the Temple.

THE vail of the Temple was a hanging made

of " blue, and purple, and crimfon, and fine
linen, and there were cherubims wrought thereon,”
Exod . xxvi . 31 , 32 .
1. This vail was che partition betwixt the holy
and most holy place. And I take it, it was to
keep, from the fight of the worshippers, the things.
moſt holy, when the high priest went in thither, to
accomplish the fervice of God, Exod . xxvi. 33
2 Chron. Hi. 14. Heb, ix, 8.
2. The vail was a type of two things.
1. Of thefe virble heavens, through which Chrift
paff d when he went to make interceffion for us.
And as by the vail the priest went out of the fight
of the people, when he went into the holiest of all,
fo Jefus Chrift, when he afcended , was, by the
heavens, that great and stretched- out currain , res
ceived out of the fight of his people here, Alfo,
by the fame curtain, fince it is become as a tent
for him to dwell in, he is ftill received, and fill
kept out of our fight : for now we fee hinr not,
nor fhall, until thefe heavens be rolled together as a
feroll, and pafs away like a thing rolled together,
Ifa. xl. 22. Acts i. 9, 10, 11. chap. iii. 19, 20, 21.
Pet. i , 8.
2. This is the vail, through which the apoftle
faich, Jefus, as a forerunner for us, entered into
the prefence of God, For by the vail here alfo
must be meant the heavens, or out fpread- firmament
thereof. As both Mark and Peter fays, " He is
 SPIRITUALIZED. 107
gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God."
Mark xvi. 19. 1 Pet. iii . 22 .
The vail of the Temple was made of blue,
the very colour of the heavens. Of purple, and
crimſon, and ſcarlet alfo , which are the colours of
many of the clouds ; becaufe of the reflexions of
the fun. But again,
4. The vail was alfo a type of the body of
Chrift ; for as the vail of the temple, when whole,
kept the view of the things of the holiest from us,
but when rent, gave place to man to look in unto
them; even fo, the body of Chrift, while whole,
kept that of the things of the holieft from that
view we, fince he was pierced, have of them :
hence we are faid " to enter into the holieſt, by
faith , thro' the vail, " that is to ſay, his fleth, Heb,
X. 19. 20, 21, 22.
But yet, I fay, all ' is by faith ; and indeed the
renting ofthe vail that day that Chrift was crucifi
ed, did loudly preach this to us. For no fooner
was the body of Chrift pierced, " but the vail of
the temple rent in twain from the top to the bot
tom " and fo a way was made for a clearer fight
of what was there beyond it, both in the type and
antitype, Matth. xxvii . 50, 51 , 52, 53. Heb . x. 19 ,
20.
Thus you fee, that the vail of the temple was a
type of thefe vifible heavens, and alfo of the body
of Chrift ; of the firft, becauſe he pafled thro' it
unto the Father ; of the fecond, becauſe we by it
have boldness to come to the Father.
I read alfo of the two other vails, as of that
fpread over the face of Mofes, to the end the chil
dren of Ifrael fhould not ftedfaftly behold ; and of
the firft vail of the tabernacle ; but of thefe I thall
not in this place fpeak.
Upon the vail of the temple there was alfo the
figures of cherubiins wrought, that is, of angels,
to fhew, that as the angels are with us here, and
 N'S
108 SOLOMO TEMPL
E

wait upon us all the days of our pilgrimage in this

world ; fo, when we die, they ſtand ready, even at
the vail, at the door of theſe heavens, to come,
when bid, to fetch us, and carry us away into A
braham's bofom, Luke xvi . 22.
The vail the , thus understood, teaches us, firſt,
where Jefus is, namely, not here, but gone into
heaven, from whence we fhould wait for him. It
alfo teaches us, that we ſhould even now difcern
the glories that are in the holiest of all, we muſt
look through Jefus to them, even through the
vail, that is to fay, his flesh. Yea, it teaches us,
that we may by faith, through him, attain to a
kind of prefence, at least, of the beauty and fweet
nefs of them.

CHAP. LVIII.

Of the Doors of the Inner Temple .

I. Efides the vail , there was a door to the inner

BE temple, and that door was made of olive .
tree ; " And for the entering in of the oracle he
made doors of the olive tree : the two doors alfo of
olive tree ; and he carved upon them cherubims ,
and palm · trees, and open flowers , and overlaid
them with gold, and fpread gold upon the cheru.
hims, and upon the palm trees," 1 Kings vi. 31 .
2. Theſe doors were a type of the gate of hea
ven , even of that which lets into the eternal man .
fion-houfe that is beyond that vail. I told you be
fore , that the vail was a type of the vifible hea
vens, which God has fpread out as a curtain, and
thro' which Chrift went when he afcended to the
‫کو‬
right hand of the Father.
Now beyond this vail, as I faid, I find a door, a
gate opening with two leaves ; as afore we found
at the door of the outward temple . Thefe are
they which the Pfalmift calls to, when he faith,
" Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them
 SPIRITUALIZED . 109
up, ye everlaſting doors, and the King of glory fhall
come in," Pfal. xxiv . 7, 9.
4. The doors of the temple were made of fir,
but thefe, as you fee, were made of olives ; to
fhew us by that fat tree, that rich type, with what
glory we ſhall meet who fhall be counted worthy
to enter at theſe gates. The olive tree has its
name from the oil and fatnefs of its nature, and the
doors that led into the holieft were made of this
olive tree.
5. Cherubims were alſo carved upon thefe doors,
to fhew, that as the angels meet us at the temple
door, and as they wait upon us in the temple , and
ftand alfo ready at the vail, fo even, at the gate of
the manfion-houfe, they will be alfo ready to give
us a welcome thither , and to attend us into the pre
fence chamber. "
6. Palm trees alfo, as they were carved upon the
temple doors, fo we alfo find them here before the
oracle, upon the doors that let in thither ; to fhew,
that as Chrift gave us the victory at our first enter
ing into faith, fo he will finish that victory, by gi
ving to us eternal falvation . Thus is he the author
and finisher of our faith . For as fure as at first we
received the palm branch by faith, fo furely fhall
we wear it in our hands, as a token of his faith
fulneſs in the heaven of heavens, for ever, Rev.
vii. 9
7. Open flowers are alfo carved here, to fhew,
that Chrift, who is the door to glory as well as the
door to grace, will be precious to us at our entering
in thither, as well as at the first step we took thi
ther-ward in a finful miferable world . Chrift will
never lofe his fweet fcent in the noftrils of his
church. He is moft fweet now, will be fo at
death, and ſweeteſt of all when by him we fhall
enter into that manfion-houſe prepared for us in
heaven
8. The palm-trees, and open flowers, may alfo
K
110 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
be a type of the precious ones of God, who ſhall
be counted worthy of his kingdom : The one: af
the uprightness of their hearts, the other of the
good favour of their lives. " The upright fhall
dwell in thy prefence ; and to him that ordereth
his converfation aright, I will fhew the falvation
of God," Pfil. exl. 13. Pfal. 1. ult..
9. 1 hus . fweet in earth, fweet in heaven ; and
he that yields the fruits of the gospel here, thall
find it for himfelf, and his eternal comfort, at the
gates of glory.
10. All thefe were overlaid with gold, as you
mav fay, and fo they were at the door of the firſt
houfe. True, but obferve, here we have an addition.
Here is gold upon gold, gold laid on them, and
then gold ipread upon that. He overlaid them with
gold , and then ſpread gold upon them. The Lord
gives grace and glory, Pfal. lxxxiv. 11. gold and
gold. Gold fpread upon gold. Grace is gold in
the leaf, and glory is gold in plates. Grace is thin
gold,glory is gold that is thick. Here is gold laid on ,
and gold fpread upon that. And that both upon the
palm -trees and the cherubims ; gold upon the palm
trees, that is upon the faints : gold upon the cheru
bims, that is upon the angels. For I doubt not,
but that the angels themfelves fhallreceive addition .
al glory for the fervices which they have ferved
Chrift and his church on earth.
11. The angels are God's harveſt men, and
doubtlefs he will give them good wages , even glory
upo their glory then, Matth. xiii, 38, 39. chap.
xxiv. 31. John iv, 36.
T 1. You know harveſt , men uſe to be paid well
for gathering in the corn, and I doubt not but fo
hall there, when the Lreat in gathering is over.
But what an entrance into life is here ! Here is
gold upon gold at the door, at our first step into
The kingdom .
 SPIRITUALIZED. FID

CHAP LIX.

Ofthe golden Nails ofthe Inner Temple,

Shall not concern myſelf with all the nails of

I
the temple , as of thofe made of iron, &c..
1 Chron, xxii. 3. but only with the golden ones,
of which you read 2 Chron . iii. 4 ; where he
faith, " And the weight of the nails was fifty
thekels of gold. ” Thefe nails, as I conceive,
were all fastened to the place moſt holy, and of
form moſt apt to that of which they were a figure..
1. Some of them reprefented Chrift Jefus our
Lord, as fixed in his mediatory office in the hea
vens ; wherefore, in one place, when the Holy
Ghoft fpeaks of Chrift as he sprang from Judah to
be a mediator, faith, " Out of him came the corn
er, (the corner tone, ) out of him the nails, Zech.
X. 4.
Now, fince he is here compared to a nail, a gold
en nail, it is to fhew, that as a mail by driving is.
fixed in his place, fo Chritt by God's oath is
made an everlating priest, Hub. vii . 25. There
fore, as he faith again, the nail, the Aaronical
priesthood, that was faftened in a fure place, should:
be removed, be cut down, and fall : fo he who has
the key of David, which is Chrift, (Rev. iii. 7.)
fhall by God, as a nail, " be faftened in a fure
place, and abide ;" therefore he fays again, " And
he thall be for a glorious throne, or mercy fear, to
his Father's houfe " And moreover, " That they
hall hang on him ( as on a nail ) all the glory of his
Father's houfe, the offspring, and the iffire ; all
veffels of fmall quantity, from the veffels of cups,
even to the veffels of flaggons," according to that
which is written, " And they fung a new fong to,
the Lamb that was dain, faying, Thou art wor
," &c, Ifa . xx. 22,
thy," -25. Rev. v. 9. 12.
K 2
F12 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
And therefore it is again that Chrift, under the
fimilitude of a nail , is accounted by faints indeed
their great pledge or hope, as he is in heaven, of
their certain coming thither : Hence they faid of
old, " God has given us a nail in his holy place a
nail, fays the line ; pin , a conftant and fure abode, ”
fays the margin, Ezra ix. 8. Now this nail in his
holy place, as was fhewed before, is Chrift ; Chrift,
as poffeft of heaven , and as abiding and ever living
therein for us.:
Hence he is called, as there, our head, our life,
and our falvation ; and alſo we are faid thereto to
be fet down together in him, Eph. i . ult. Col. iii.
3. Eph. ii. 5, 6.
r. Some of thefe nails were types of the holy
words of God, which for ever are fettled in hea
ven. Types, fay, of their Yea, and Amen.
Hence Solomon in another place compares the
words of the wife God, " To goads and nails faft
ened by the mafters of the affemblies, which are
given from one thepherd, Ecclef. xii. 11 .
7
They are called goads, becaufe fuch prick the
oxen on their drawing ; fo God's words prick Chri
t
flians on in their holy duties. They are called
nails, to thew, that as nails, when faftened well in
a fure place, are not eafily removed, fo God's
words by his will ſtand firm for ever. The maſters
3
of the affemblies are, ficft, the apostles, the one
fhepherd is . Jefus Chrift . • Hence the gofpel of
Chrift is faid to be everlaſting, to abide for ever,
and to be more stedfaft than heaven and earth , Ifa.
xl. 6, 7, 8. 1 Pet . ii . 6, 25. Heb. viii. 20. Rev.
xiv. 6. Matth : xxiv . 35.
The Lord Jefus then, and his holy words, are
the golden mails of the temple, and the fixing of
thefe nails in the temple was to fhew, that Chrift
is the fame to- day , yeſterday , and for ever : And
that his words abide , and remain the fame for ever
and ever. He then that hath Chrift, has a nail in
 SPIRITUALIZED. 113
"2 the holieft ; he that hath a promife of falvation,
hath alſo a nail in heaven, a golden nail in heaven..

CHA P. LX.

Ofthe Floor and Walls ofthe Inner Temple .

HE floor of the oracle was overlaid with
THE cedar, and fo alfo were the walls of this
houfe. " He built twenty cubits on the fides of
the houſe, both the floor and the walls with boards
of cedar. He even built for it within, for the ora
cle, for the moſt holy place, 1 Kings xvi. 2 ,
2. In that he doth tell us with what it was ciel
ed , and doth alfo thus repeat, faying, for the ora
cle, for it within, even for the moft holy place ; it
is becauſe he would have it noted, that this only is
the place that thus was done.
3. Twenty cubits, that was the length, and
breadth, and heighth of the houfe ; fo that by his
thus faying, he teacheth, that thus it was built
round about
21 5. The cedar is, if I miſtake not, the higheſt of
the trees, Ezek. xxxi. 3, -8.
Now in that it is faid the houſe, the oracle,
was ceiled round about therewith. It may be to
5 fhew, that in heaven, and no where elfe, is the
height of all perfections,
Perfection in the church on earth, but not fuch
as is in heaven.
I. There is a natural perfection, and fo a penny
is as natural filver as is a fhilling.
2. There is a comparative perfection, and fo one
thing may be perfect and imperfect at the fame
time ; as a half crown is more than a fhilling, yet
lefs than a crown .
3. There is alfo that which we call the utmost
perfection, and that is it which cannot be addedi
to, or taken from him : And fo God only is per
fect.
K3
 14 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
... Now heavenly glory is that which goes beyond
all perfection on the earth, as the cedar goes beyond
all trees for height. Hence God, when he speaks
of his own excellency, fets it forth by its height.
The high God , the moft high, and the high and
lofty one. And the highest, Pfal . xcvii. 9, Pfal. 1
cxxxviii. 6. Gen xiv . 19, 20 , 21. Dan. iii . 21. ↑ V..
18. Pfal. xviii . 13. Pfal. lxxxv. 7. Luke i. 32.
chap. vi. 35. Pfal. ix. 2. Pfal , lvi. 2 Pfal. xcii. L
Ifa . xiv. 14.
Thefe terms alfo are afcribed to this houfe, for
that it was the place where utmolt perfection
dwelt.
I take therefore the cedar in this place to be a
note of perfection, even the cedar with which this
houfe was ceiled .
For fince it is the wifdom of God to fpeak to us,
oft- times by trees, gold, filver, ftones, beafts, fowls,
filhes, fpiders, ants, frogs, flies, lice, duft, &c.
and here by wood ; how fhould we by them under
ftand his voice, if we count there is na. meaning in 1
them ?
And the cedar of the houſe within was carved
with knops, and flowers ; all was cedar : There
was no ftones feen, 1 Kings ix. 18..
Knops and flowers were they with which the gol
den candleftick was adorned, as you read Exod .
xxv. 33, 35. chap. xxxvii . 10, 21 .
The candlestick was a type of the church, and
the knops and flowers a type of her ornaments:
Buc what ! Muft heaven be hanged round abour
with the ornaments of faints with the fruits of
their graces ? Well, it is certain, that fomething
more than ordinary muft be done with them, fince
they are admitted to follow them into the holy
place, Rev. xiv . 13 ; and fince it is ſaid they ſhall
have a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory bestowed on them in the heavens, 2 Cor. iv..
16, 17.
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 115
All was cedar, there was no ftone feen. Take
ftone in the type for that which was really fo, and
? in the antitype for that which is fo myftically, and
then it may import to us, that in heaven, the anti
type of this holieft, there fhall never be any thing
of hardness of heart in them that poffefs it for e
ver all imperfection arifeth from the badness of
the heart, but there will be no bad hearts in glory.
No fhortnefs in knowledge, no croffuefs of difpofi
tion, no workings of lufts, or corruptions, will be
there, no, nor throughout the whole heavens.
Here, alas ! they are feen, and that in the beft of
faints, becauſe here our light is mixed with dark
nefs, but there will be no night there, nor any
ftone ſeen.
And the floor of the houfe was overlaid with
gold, 1 Kings vi. 30. This is like that of which
we read of the New Jerufalem, that is to come
from God out of heaven, fays the text ; the street.
of the city was pure gold ; and like that of which
you read in Exodus, They faw under the feet of
the God of Ifrael as it were a paved work of fap..
phire ftone, and as it were the body of heaven in
Its clearness, " Rev. xxi . 21. Exod . xxiv . 10 .
All the vifions were rich, but this the richeft,
that the floor of the houfe fhould be covered, or
overlaid with gold . The floor and ſtreet are walk
ing places, and how rich will our fteps be then ?
Alas ! here we fometimes ftep into the mire, and
then again ftumble upon blocks and ftones. Here
we fometimes fall into holes, and have our
heel often catched in a fhare ; but there will be
none of thefe ; gold ! gold ! all will be gold, and
golden perfections, when we come into the holy
place. Job at beft took but his ſteps in butter, but:
we then fhall take all our ſteps in the gold of the
fanctuary.
1 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

CHA P. LXI.

Of the Ark of the Covenant, which was placed in

the Inner Temple .
N the word I read of three arks, to wit, Noah's
ark ; that in which Mofes was hid ; and the
ark of the covenant of God, Gen. vi . 24. Exod.
ii. 3, 5. But it is the ark of the covenant of which
I fhall now fpeak.
" The ark was made of hittim wood, two cu
bits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit
and an half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and
an half the heighth thereof. It was overlaid with
pure gold within and without, and a crown of
gold was made for it round about,” Exod. xxv,
10, 11.
1. This ark was called the ark of the covenant ;.
as the first that you read of was called Noah's, be
caufe, as he in THAT was kept from being
drowned ; fo the tables of the covenant was kept
in this, from breaking.
2. This ark, in this, was a type of Chrift. For
that in him only, and not in the hand of Mofes,
thefe tables were kept whole : Mofes brake them,
the ark keeps them.
3. Not only that wrote on two tables of ſtone,.
but that allo called the ceremonial, was put into
the ark to be kept. The two tables were put into
the midft of the ark, to anſwer to this, " Thy law
is within my heart to do it," but the ceremonial
was put into the SIDE of the ark, to fhew, that
out of the fide of Chrift muft come that which
muft anſwer that ; for out thence came blood and
water ; blood, to answer the blood of the ceremo
nies ; and water, to anfwer the purifyings and rinf
ings of that law.
The ceremonies therefore were lodged in the
fide of the ark, to fhew, that they ſhould be an
 SPIRITUALIZED . 117
fwered out of the fide of Jefus Chrift, Exod . xxv.
16, 17. Deut. x. 5. xxxi . 26. Pfal . xl. 8. Joha
xix. 34. Heb. x. 7.
4. The ark had the name of God upon it ; yea,
it was called the ftrength of God, and his glory ;
though made of wood . And Christ is God, both in
name and nature ; though made flesh ; yea more, 蒙面
made to be fin for us, 2 Sam. vi . 2. 2 Chron. iv.
14. xiii. 6. John i, 14. Rom . ix. 5. 2 Cor . v. 21 ,
5. The ark was carried upon mens fhoulders this
way and that, to fhew how Chrift fhould be carried
and preached, by his apoſtles and miniſters, into
all parts of the world, Exod . xxv. 14. 1 Cor.
xv. 15. Matth. xxviii. 19 , 20. Luke xxiv. 46, 47.
6. The ark had thefe teftimonies of God's pre
fence accompanying it, as it had no other ceremony
of the law ; and Chriſt had thoſe ſigns and tokens
of his prefence with him as never had man either
4
in law or gofpel. This is fo apparent, it needs no
proof. And now for a few comparifons more.
1. It was at that that God anſwered the people
when they were wont to come and inquire of hiin ;
and in theſe last days God has ſpoken to us by his
Son, Chron. xiii , 3. 1 Sam . xiv. 18. Heb . i. 2,
John xvi. 23, 24.30
2. At the prefence of the ark the waters of
Jordan ftood still, till Ifrael, the ranfomed of the
Lord, paffed over from the wilderneſs to Canaán ;
and it is by the power and prefence of Chrift that
we pafs over death, Jordan's antitype, from the
wilderness of this world to heaven, Joh. iii . 15,
16, 17. John xi. 25. Rom. viii . 37, 38, 39. 1 Cor.
xv. 54-57.
* 3. Before the ark the walls of Jericho fell down,
and at the prefence of Chrift fhall high towers,
and ftrong holds, and hiding places for finners be
razed and diffolved at his coming, Ifa . vi . 20. xxx.
25. ii. 1. - 6. 2 Pet . iii, 10, Rev. XX. 11 , 12 , 13 .
 118 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
4. Before the ark Dagan fell, that idol of the
Philiftines ; and before Chrift Jefus devils fell,
thofe gods of all thofe idols ; and he must reign till
all his enemies be put under his feet, and until
they be made his footflool. u Sam. v.
4.
• Mark v. 12. 1 Cor . xv. 25. Heb. x. 13 .
5. The Philittines were allo plagued for med
dling with the ark while they abode uncircumcifed,
and the wicked will one day be moft feverely pla
gue for their meddling with Chrift with their uncir
cumcifed hearts , 1 Sam . v. 6. ——1 3. Pfal. 1. 16.
Matth. xxiv. 15. xxv. 11 , 12. Luke xiii. 25. - 29.
6. God's bleffing was upon thofe that entertain
ed the ark as they ſhould ; and much more is, and
will his bleffing be upon thofe who embrace and
entertain his Chrift, and profefs his name fincerely,
2 Sam, vi, 11. Acts iii , 26. Gal. . 13, 14. Matth.
xix. 27, 28, 19. Luke xxii. 28,. 29.
7. When Uzza put forth his hand to ſtay the ark,
when the oxen fhook it, as deſpairing of God's
protecting ofit, without a human help, he died be
fore the Lord ; even do will all thofe do ( withour
repentance) who fe unlawful means to promote
Chrift's religion, and to fupport it in the world,
1 Chron. xiii , 9, 10. Matth . xxvi. 52. Rev. xi. 16,
8. The ark, though this dignified, was of itſelf
but low, but a cubit and a half- high : Allo Chrift
tho' he was the glory of heaven and of God, yet
made himſelf of no reputation , and was found im
the likeness of a man, Exod, xxv. 21 , 12. Phil . ii.
6, to
9 The ark had a crown of gold round about up.
on it ; to fhew how Chrift is crowned by his faints
by faith, and fhall be crowned by them in glory,
for all the good he hath done for them ; as allo
how all crowns fhall one day ftoop to him, and be
fet upon his head. Thisis thewed in the type,
 SPIRITUALIZED. 119
Zech. vi, 11, 14 and in the antitype, Rev. iv. 10.
xix. 12.
10. The ark was overlaid with gold within and
without ; to fhew that Chrift was perfect in inward
grace, and outward life ; in fpirit and in righteouf
nefs, Johni . 12, 13 , 14. r Pet. ii , 22 .
11. The ark was placed under the mercy feat,
to fhew, that Jefus Chrift, as Redeemer, brings
and bears, as it were upon his fhoulders, the mercy
of God to us, even in the body of his flesh, thro
death , Exod. xxv. 21. Eph. iv. 23. v. 1, 2.
12. When the ark was removed far from the
people, the goldly went mourning after it ; and
when Chrift is hid or taken from us, then we
mourn in thofe days, 2 Sam. vii . 2 , Mark ii. 19,
20 Luke v. 34, 35. John xvi . 20, 21 , 22.
13. All Ifrael had the ark again , after their
mourning time was over: and Chrift, after his
people have forrowed for him a while, will fee
them again, and their hearts fhall rejoice, John
xvi. 1 , 2, 3 , 20, 21 , 22.
By all these things, and many more that might
be mentioned, it is moft evident, that the ark of
the teftimony was a type of Jefus Chrift ; and take
notice a little of that which follows ; namely, that
the ark at laſt arrived at the place most holy, Heb.
ix 3, 4,
That is, after its wanderings : for the ark was
first made to wander like a none inhabitant, from
place to place ; now hither, and then thither ; now
in the hands of enemies, and then abuſed by friends
yea it was cauſed to rove from place to place, as
that of which the world was weary. I need in
stance to you for proof none other place than the
5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of the firft book of
Samuel and anfwerable to this was our dear
Lord Jefus pofted. backwards and forwards, hither
and thither, by the force of the rage of his eng
mies.
120 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
1. He was hunted into Egypt ſo ſoon as he was
born, Matth . ii.
2. Then he was driven to live in Galilee, the
fpace of many years.
3.. Alfo when he fhewed himſelf to Ifrael, they
drove him fometimes into the wilderness, fome
times into the } defart, fometimes into the fea , and
fometimes into the mountains, and ftill in every of
the fe places he was either haunted or hunted by new
enemies.
And laft of all the Pharifees plot for his life,
Judas fells him, the priests buy him, Peter denies
him, his enemies mock, fcourge, buffet, and much
abufe him . My In fine, they get him condemned , and
crucified, and buried ; but at laft God commanded ,
took him to his place, even within the vail , and
fets him to bear up the mercy-feat, where he is to
this very day, being our ark to fave us, as Noah's
did him ; as Mofes did him ; yea, better, as none
but Chrift doth fave his own. $

CHA P. LXII.

Of the placing of the Ark in the Holieft, or Inner

*) Temple.
1. THE HE ark, as we have faid, as the text de .
clares, when carried to its reft , was pla
ced in the inner temple, or in the most holy place,
even under the " wings of the cherubims. And the
priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the
Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the houſe,
unto the most holy place, even under the wings of
the cherubims," Exod, xxvi. 33 xxxix . 35. 1 Kings
viii . 3. 2 Chron . v. 7.
2. Before this, as was faid afore, the ark was
carried from place to place, and cauſed to dwell in
a tent under curtains, as all our fathers did . To
fhew that Chrift, as we, was made for a time to
wander in the world, in order to his being poffeft
 SPIRITUALIZED . 121
glory, 2 Sam. vii . 1 , 2, 6. Heb , xi . 9. John i. 10.
xvi. 28. chap. iii. 13.
3. But now, when the ark was brought into the
holieft, it is faid to be brought into its place . This
world then was not Chrift's place, he was not from
beneath, he came from his Father's houfe ; where
fore, while here, he was not at his place, nor could
until he afcended up where he was before, John
viii. 23 , xvi . 28 vi , 26. iii . 13.
4. Chrift's proper place, therefore , is the holieft.
His proper place , as God, as priest, as prophet , as
king, and as the advocate of his people. Here,
with us, he has no more to do, in perfon, as me
diator. If we were on earth he should not be a
prieft, &c. His place and work is now above .
with his Father, and before the angels, Acts v. 31 .
1 Pet, iii. 22. Heb. iv . 14. vii . 4, ix . 24. 1 John
ii. 1, 2. Rev. i. 1, 2.
5. It is faid, the ark was brought to the oracle.
of the houfe , Solomon was not content to ſay,
it was brought into the holieft ; but he faith, His
place was the oracle , the holy oracle, that is, the
place of hearing , For he; when he afcended , had
fomewhat to fay to God on the behalf of his peo
ple. To the oracle, that is , to the place of reveal
ing ; for he alfo was there to receive, and from
thence to reveal to his church on earth fomething
that could not be made manifeft, but from this ho
· ly oracle . There therefore he is with the two ta
bles of teftimony in his heart, as perfectly kept :
he alfo is there with the whole fulfilling of the ce
remonial law in his fide, fhewing and pleading the
perfection of his righteoufnefs , and the merit of
his blood with his Father ; and to receive and to do
us good, who believe in him, how well pleafed the
Father is, with what he has done in our behalf.
6. Into the moft holy place . By thefe words
is fhewed, whither alfo the ark went, when it went
L
122 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
to take up its reſt. And in that this ark was a type
of Christ in this, it is to fhew, or further manifeft,
that what Chrift doth now in heaven he doth it
before his Father's face. Yea, it intimates, that
Chriſt even there makes his appeals to Ged con
cerning the worth of what he did on earth, to God
the judge of all : I fay, whether he ought not for
his fufferings fake, to have granted to him his
whole defire as priest and advocate for his people,
" Wilt thou, faid Feftus to Paul, go up to Je
rufalem, and there be judged of theſe things before
me ?" Acts xxv. 9. Why, this our bleffed Jefus
was willing, when here, to go up to Jerufalem to be
judged ; and being misjudged there, he made his
appeal to God, and is now gone thither, even into
the holy place , even to him that is judge of all,
for his verdict upon his doing ; and whether the
fouls for whom he became undertaker, to bring
them to glory, have not by him a right to the
kingdom of heaven.
7. Under the wings of the cherubims. This
doth further confirm our words, for having appeal
ed from earth to heaven ; as the ark was fet under
the wings of the cherubims, fo he, in his interced .
ing with God, and pleading his merits for us, doth
it in the prefence and hearing of all the angels of
heaven.
And thus much of the ark of the covenant, and
of its antitype ; we come next to ſpeak of the mer.
cy.feat.

CHAP . LXIII.

Of the Mercy-Seat, and how it was placed in the

holy Temple.

HE mercy-feat was made in the wilderneſs,

T but brought up by Solomon, after the tem
ple was built, with the rest of the holy things,
2 Chron. v. 2, A 10.
 SPIRITUALIZED. 123
The mercy · feat, as I have fhewed, of the ark,
was but low : Two cubits and an half was the
length, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof;
but the height thereof was without meaſure .
1. The length and breadth of the mercy-feat is
the fame with that of the ark ; perhaps to fhew
us, that the length and breadth of the mercy of
God to his elect, is the fame with the length and
breadth of the merits of Chrift, Exod. xxv . 10 .
17.
Therefore we are faid to be juſtified in him ,
bleſſed in him , even according to the purpofe which
God purpoſed in him .
2. But in that the mercy-feat is without mea
fure as to the height, it is to fhew, that would
God extend it, it is able to reach even them that
fall from heaven, and to fave all that ever lived on
earth, even all that are now in hell. For there is
not only bread enough for them that fhall be
faved," but bread enough and to fpare," Luke
XV. 17.
And thou falt, fays God, put the mercy- feat
above upon the ark. Thus he faid to Mofes, and
this was the place which David affigned for it, Exod.
XXV. 21. I Chron. xxvii. 11.
Now its being by God's ordinances placed thu ,
doth teach us many things.
1. That mercy's foundation to us is Chrift. The
mercy-feat was fet upon the ark of the teftimony,
and there it refted to us- ward . Juftice would not,
could not have fuffered us to have had any benefit
by mercy , had it not found an ark, a Chrift to reſt
upon. " Deliver hin, faith God, from going
down into the pit ; I have found a ranfom ," Job
xxxiii. 24.
2. In that it was placed above, it doth fhew al
fo, that Chrift was of Mercy's ordaining, a fruit of
mercy. Mercy is above, is the ordainer ; God is
love, and fent of love his Son to be the Saviour and
L2
 12.4 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

propitiation for our fins, John iii . 16 , 1 John iv.

10.
3. In that the mercy feat and ark were thus join
ed together, it alfo fhews, that without Chrift
mercy doth not act . Hence, when the prieſt came
of old to God for mercy, he did ufe to come into
the holy place with blood ; yea, and did ufe to
fprinkle it upon the mercy feat, and before it, feven
times. Take away the ark, and the mercy-feat
will fall, or come greatly down at leaft . So take
away Chrift, and the flood-gate of mercy is let down,
and the current of mercy.topt. This is true, for
fo foon as Chrift fhall leave off to mediate, will
come the eternal judgment.
4. Again, In that the mercy feat was fet above
upon the ark, it teacheth us to know, that mercy
can look down from heaven, though the law ftands
by and looks on ; but then it muſt be in Chriſt, as
kept there and fulfilled by him for us. The law
out of Chrift is terrible as a lion, the law in him
is meek as a lamb. The reafon is, for that it finds
in him enough to anfwer for all their faults, that
come to Godfor mercy by him. Chrift is the end
of the law for righteoufiefs, and if that be true,
the law for that can look no further, whoever
comes to God by him. The law did ufe to fen
tince terribly, until it was put into the ark to be
kept ; but after it was faid, It is there to be kept,
we read not of it as afore, 1 Kings viii, 9. 2 Chron .
V. 10. Rom . x. 4.
5. Let them then that come to God for mercy, be
fure to come to him by the ark, Christ . For grace,
as it defcends to us from above the mercy-feat, fo
that mercy feat doth reft upon the ark, Wherefore,
finner , come thou for mercy that way ; for there,
if thou meeteſt with the law, it can do thee no
harm ; nor can mercy , fhouldeft thou elfe where
1
meet it, do thee good.
Come, therefore, and come boldly to the throne
 SPIRITUALIZED . 125
of grace, this mercy-feat thus born up by the ark ,
and obtain mercy, and grace to help in time of
"
need," Heb . iv. ult.
*
Wherefore the thus placing of things in the ho
lieft, is admirable to behold in the word of God :
For that indeed is the glaſs, by and through which
we must behold the glory of the Lord. Here we
fee the reafon of things ; here we ſee how a juſt
God can have to do , and that in a way of mercy,
with one that has finned against him ; it is becaufe
the law has been kept by the Lord Jefus Chrift.
For as you fee the mercy- feat ftands upon the ark
of the covenant, and there God acts in a way of
grace towards us, Exod . xxv . 17. ———————— 23 .

CHA P. LXIV .

Of the Living Waters of the Inner Temple.

Although in the holy relation of the building

of the temple, no mention is made of thefe
waters, but only of the mount on which, and the
materials with which the king did build it ; yet it
feems to me, that in that mount, and there too
where the temple was built, there was a fpring of
living water. This feems more than probable, by
Ezek. xlvii . 1..where he faith , " He brought me to
-the door of the houſe, and behold, waters ifled
1 out from under the threshold of the houſe eastward,
for the fore front of the houſe ftood toward the
08 eaft, and the waters came down from under, from
the right fide of the houſe, at the fouth fide of the
altar."
So again , Joel iii . 18. " And a fountain ſhall :
1
come forth of the houfe of the Lord , and thall wa
ter the valley of Shittim, " Nor was the fpring
wherever was the first appearance of thefe holy
waters, but in the fanctuary, which is the holieft of
all ( Ezek. xlvii, 12. ) where the mercy- feat ſtood :
L3
 126 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
which in Revelations is called " the throne of God,
and of the Lamb ," chap . xxii. 1 , 2 . S
This alfo is that which the prophet Zechariah
means, when he fays, " Living waters fhall go
forth from Jerufalem , half of them toward the
former fea, and half of them toward the hinder
fea," &c. Zech. xiv . 8. They are faid to go forth
from Jerufalem, becauſe they come down to the
city from out of the fanctuary which ftoed in Je
rufalem .
This is that which in. another place is called a
river of water of life, becauſe it comes forth from
the throne, and becauſe it was at the head of it, as
I fu pofed, ufed in and about Temple worship . It
was with this, I think, that the molten fea and the
ten lavers were filled, and in which the prifts
washed their hands and feet when they went into
the Temple to do fervice ; and that alfo in which
they washed the facrifices before they offered them
to God : Yea, I prefume, all the washings and rin
fings about their worship was with this water.
This water is faid, in Ezekiel and Revelations, to
have the tree of life grow on the banks of it, Ezek.
xlvii. Rev. xxii . and was a type of the word and
Spirit of God , by which both Chrift himſelf fanc
tified himself, in order to his worship, as high
priest ; and alfo this water is that which heals all
thofe that fhall be faved ; and by which they, being
fanctified thereby alfo, do all their works of wor
fhip and fervice acceptably through Jeſus Chriſt
our Lord .
This water therefore is faid to go forth into the
fea, the world, and to heal its fifh, the finners
therein ; yea, this is that water of which Chriſt
Jefus our Lord faith, " Whofover fhall drink there
of fhall live for ever," Ezek, xlvii . 8, 9, 10. Zech..
xiv. 8
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 127

CHAP. LXV.

Of the Chains which were in the Oracle, or Inner

Temple .
S there were chains on the pillars that flood
Asbefore the porch of the temple , and in the
fiift houfe ; fo , like unto them, there were chains
in the holieft, here called the oracle .
Thefe chains were not chains in fhew, or as
carved on wood, &c . but chains indeed ; and that
of gold ; and they were prepared to make a par.
tition before the oracle within, 1 Kings vi. 21 .
2 Chron . i . 16.
Itold you before, that the holieft was called the
oracle, not becaufe in a ſtrict fenfe the whole of it
was fo , but becauſe fuch an anfwer of God was
there as was not in the outward temple ; but I
think that the ark and mercy-feat was indeed more.
fpecially that called the oracle ; " for there will I
meet with thee, faid God, and from above that will
I commune with thee." When David faid , " I lift
my hands toward thy holy oracle ; " he meant not fo
much towards the holieft houfe, as toward the mer
cy - feat that was therein. Or, as he faith in the
margin, Toward the oracle of thy fanctuary,
Pfal. xxviii 2.
1. When therefore he faith, " before the oracle,'
he means thefe chains were put in the most holy
place, before the ark and mercy- feat, to give to
Aaron and his fons to underſtand, that an addi.
tional glory was there ; for the ark and mercy- feat
were preferred before that holy houfe itſelf, even
as Chrift and the grace of God is preferred before
the highest heavens. " The Lord is high above all'
nations, and his glory is above the heavens," Pfal.
cxiii . 4.
So then the partition that was made in this
R
houfe by theſe chains, thefe golden chains,
128 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
not fo much to divide the holy from the place moft
holy, as to fhew , that there is in the holieft houſe
that which is yet more worthy than it.
The holiest was a type of heaven, but the ark
and mercy feat were a type of Chrift, and of the
mercy of God to us by him ; and I trow any man
will conclude, if he knows what he fays, that the
God and Chrift of heaven are more excellent than
the house they dwell in. Hence David faid again ,
" Whom have I in heaven but thee ?" For thou art
more excellent than they, Pfal. lxxiii . 25.
For though that which is called heaven would
ferve fome ; yea, though God himſelf was out of
it, yet none but the God of heaven will fatisfy a
truly gracious man . It is God that the foul of this
manthirfteth for ; it is God that is his exceeding joy,
Pfal. xlii. 2. Pfal . Ixiii. 1. Pfal . cxliii . 6. Pfal. xvii.
ult. Pfal. xlii . 4
Thefe chains then, as they made this partition
in the most holy place, may teach us, that when
we fhall be glorified in heaven, we fhall yet, even
then, and there, know that there will continue an
infinite difproportion between God and us . The
golden chains that are there will then distinguish
the Creator from the creature .
For we, even we which fhall be faved , fhall yet
retain our own nature , and fhall ftill continue finite
beings ; yea, and fhail there alſo ſee a dispropor
tion between our Lord, our head, and us ; for
though now we are, and alfo then thall be like him ,
as to his manhood ; yea, and fhall be lile him alfo,
as being glorified with his glory ; yet he shall tranf
cend and go beyond us, as to degree and fplendor,
as far as ever the highest king on earth did thine
above the meaneft fubject that dwelt in his king
dom .
Chains have of old been made ufe of as notes of
diftinction, to fhew us who are bondmen, and who
free. Yea, they fhall at the day of judgment be
 SPIRITUALIZED. 129
a note of diftinction of bad and gool ; even as here
they will diftinguish the heavens from God , and
the creature from the Creator, 2 Pet . ii , 4. Jude,
ver. 6. Matth. xxii . 13 .
True, they are chains of fin and wrath, but
thefe chains of gold ; yet thefe chains, even thefe
alfo, will keep creatures in their place, that the
Creator may have his glory, and receive thoſe ac
knowledgments there from them which is due unte
his majeity , Rev. iv. and chap . v . II , —15 .

С НА Р. LXVI.

Of the High Priest, and of his Office in the Inner

Temple.

WHEN things were thus ordained in the

houfe moft holy, then went the high priest
in thither, according as he was appointed, to do his
office, which was to burn incenfe in his golden cen
fer, and to fprinkle with his finger the blood of his
facrifice, for the people, upon and above the mercy.
feat, Exod. xxx. 7 , 8, 9, 10. Lev. xvi. 11. - 15..
Now for this fpecial work of his, he had pecu.
liar preparations .
1. He was to be waſhed in water.
2. Then he was to put on his holy garment.
3 . After that he was to be anointed with holy
oil.
4. Then an offering was to be offered for him,
for the further fitting of him for his office.
5. The blood of this facrifice muſt be put, fome
of it upon his right ear, fome on the thumb of his
right hand, and fome on the great toe of his right
foot.
This done, fome more of the blood, with the a
nointing oil, must be fprinkled upon him , and upon
his garment ; for after this manner must he be cons
fecrated to his work, as high priest, Exod . xxix,
130 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

His being washed in water, was to fhew the pu

rity of Chrifl's humanity.
His curious robes were a type of all the perfec
tions of Chrift's righteoufnefs.
The holy oil that was poured on his head, was
to fhew how Chrift was anointed with the Holy
Ghoft unto his work, as priest.
The facrifice of his confecration was a type of
that offering Chrift offered in the garden , when he
mixed his fweat with his own blood , and tears, and
cries, when he prayed to him that was able to
fave him ; and was heard in that he feared," for
with his blood (as was Aaron with the blood of the
bullock that was flain for him) was this bleſſed
One befmeared from head to foot, when " his
fweat, as great drops or clodders of blood, fell
down from his head and face, and whole body, to
the ground, Luke xxii . 44 Heb . x. 20.
When Aaron was thus prepared, then he offered
his offering for the people, and carried the blood
within the vail, Levit, xvi. The which Chriſt
Jefus alfo answered , when he offered his own body
without the gate, and then carried his blood into
the heavens, and fprinkled it before the mercy-feat
Heb, xiii. 11, 12. ix, 11 , 12, 24.
For Aaron was a type of Chrift ; his offering, a 1
type of Chrift's offering his body ; the blood of the
facrifice, a type of the blood of Chrift ; his gar
ments, a type of Chrift's righteoufne fs ; the mercy.
feat, a type of the throne of grace ; the incenfe,
a type of Christ's praife ; and the fprinkling of the
blood of the facrifice upon the mercy. feat, a type
of Chrift's pleading the virtue of his fufferings for
us in the preſence of God in heaven .
" Wherefore,holy brethren, partakers of the hea
venly calling, confider the apoftle and high prieſt
of our profeffion, Chrift Jefus ; and ſeeing we have
great High Prieft, that is paffed into the heavens,
 SPIRITUALIZED. 131
Jefus the Son of God , let us hold faft our profef
fion, for we have not an high priest which cannot
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but
was in all points tempted as we are, yet with
out fin. Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need : for every high
prieft, taken from among men, is ordained for
men, in things pertaining to God, that he may of
fer both gifts and facrifices for fin, who can have
compaffion on the ignorant, and on them that are
out of the way, for that he himself alſo is compaſ
fed with infirmity."
" This then is our high prieft ; and he was
made fo, not after the law of a carnal command .
ment, but after the power of an endleſs life : for
Aaron and his fons were made prieſts without an
oath, but this with an oath, by him that faid unto
him, " The Lord fware, and will not repent ; thou
art a prieſt for ever after the order of Melchife
deck . "
" By fo muchwas Jefus made the furety of a bet
ter teftament ; and they truly were many prieſts,
because they were not fuffered to continue by rea
fon of death : but this man, becauſe he continueth
ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Where
fore he is able to fave them to the uttermoft that
come to God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make
interceffion for them."
For fuch an high priest became us, who is ho
ly, harnlefs, undefiled, feparate from finners, and
made higher than the heavens ; who needeth not
daily, as thofe high priests, to offer up facrifice ,
firft for our own fins, and then for the fins of the
people ; for this he did once, when he offered up
himſelf. For the law maketh men high priests
which have infirmities ; but the word of an oath,
which was fince the law, maketh the Son,. who is
confecrated for evermore."
 32 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
" Now of the things which we have fpoken
this is the fum : we have fuch an high priest, who
is fet down on the right hand of the throne of the
Majefty in the heavens : a minifter of the fanctua
ry, and of the new tabernacle, which the Lord
pitched, and not man. For every high priest is or
dained to offer facrifices, wherefore it is of necef
fity that this man have fomewhat a'fo to offer. For
if he were on earth, he fhould not be a high priest,
feeing that there are prieſts that offer gifts accord
ing to the law : Who ferve unto the example, and
fhadow of heavenly things, as Mofes was admo
nifhed, when he was about to make the tabernacle ;
for fee, faith he , that thou make all things accord
ing to the pattern fhewed to thee in the mount. "
" But Chrift being an high priest of good
things to come, by a greater and more perfect ta
bernacle, that is to fay, not of this building, nei.
ther by the blood of bulls and calves, but by his
own blood, he entered in once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if
the blood of goats, bulis, and afhes of an heifer
Iprinkling the unclean, fanctifieth to the purifying
of the flesh, how much more fhall the blood of
Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered him
felf without fpot to God, purge your confciences
from dead works, to ferve the living God ."
" For Chrift is not entered into the holy places
made with hands, which are the figures of the true ;
but into heaven itfelf, now to appear in the pre
fence of God for us . Nor yet that he fhould offer
himſelf often, as the high priest entered into the
holiest every year with the blood of others, for
then muft he often have fuffered fince the founda
tion of the world. But now once in the end of
the world hath he appeared to put away fin by the
facrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto
men once to die, and after this the judgment ; fo
Chrift was ence offered, to bear the fins of many,
 SPIRITUALIZED. 133
and to them that look for him fhall he appear the
fecond time, without fin, unto falvation, Heb. iii .
1, 2. chap. iv. 14, 15. chap. v. 1. 2. chap. vii, 16.
29. chap. viii. 1, 2 , 3, 4, 5. chap. ix. 10, to 29,

CHA P. LXVII.

Ofthe High Prieft's going into the Holieft alone.

Sit was the privilege of the high priest to go
A$ into the holieft alone, fo there was fome.
thing of myſtery alfo ; to which I fhall fpeak a li
tle; " There fhall, fays God, be no man in the ta
bernacle of the congregation when Aaron goeth
in to make antonement in the holy place, until
he comes out, and have made an atonement for
himſelf and for his houſehold, and for all the con
gregation of Ifrael," Lev. xvi . 17, &c.
The reafon is, for that Chrift is mediator alone ,
he trode the wine prefs alone ; and of the people
there was none with him to help him there, Iſaiah
Ixiii. 3.1 Tim. ii. 5.
Of the people there was none to help him to
bear his cross, or in the management of the first
part of his priestly office : why then fhould there
be any to fhare with him in his executing of the
fecond part thereof ? Befides, he that helps an in
terceffor, muft himſelf be innocent, or in favour,
upon fome grounds, not depending on the worth
of the interceffor. But as to the interceffion of
Chriſt, who can come in to help, upon the account
of ſuch innocency or worth ? Not the higheſt an
gel, for there is none fuch but one, wherefore he
must do that alone . Hence it is faid, he went in a
lone, is there alone, and there intercedes alone,
And this is manifeft, not only in the type Aaron,
but in the antitype Chrift Jefus, Heb . vi. 19, 20.
chap. ix 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 23, 24..
I do not ay that there is no man in heaven but
M
7134 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
Jefus Chrift ; but I fay, he is there to make inter.
ceffion for us alone. Yea, the holy text fays more.
" I go, faith Chriſt , to prepare a place for you;
and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and take you to myfelf, that where I am
there ye may be alfo," John xiv. 1, 2, 3, 4.
This text feems to infinuate, that Chrift is in
the holiest or higheſt heavens alone ; and that he
there alone muſt be until he has finiſhed his work
of interceffion ; for not till then, he comes again
to take us to himſelf.
Let us grant Chrift the pre- eminence in this, as
alfo in all other things ; for he is interceffor for his
church, and makes it for them in the holieft alone.
It is faid, he is the light that no man can approach
unto.
CHA P. LXVIII.

Of the high Prieſt's going in thither, butonce a

Year.

S the high priest went into the holieft, when

he went in thither alone ; fo to do that work,
he went in thither but once a year. Thou fhalt
not come at all times, faid God to him , into the
holy place, within the vail, before the mercy-feat,
which is upon the ark, that thou die not," Lev.
xvi. 2.
And as he was to go in thither but once a year,
fo not then neither, unleſs clothed and adorned
with his Aaronical holy robes. Then he was to be
clothed, as I hinted before, with the holy robes,
the frontier of gold upon his forehead, the names
of the twelve tribes upon his breaft, and the jing.
ling bells upon the fkirts of his garment ; nor
would all this do, unlefs he went in thither with
blood, Exod. xxviii . Lev. xvi .
Now, this once a year the apoſtle taketh ſpecial
notice of, and makes great ufe of it. Once a
year, faith he, this high prieft went in thither :
 SPIRITUALIZED. 135
once a year, that is, to fhew that Chriſt ſhould , once
in the end of the world, go into heaven itſelf to
make interceffion there for us. For by this word,
year, he fhews the term and time of the world is
meant ; and by once in that year, he means, once
in the end of the world.
" Not, faith he, that he fhould offer himfelf
often ; as the high priest entered into the holy
place every year with the blood of others : for
then muft he often have fuffered , fince the founda .
tion of the world. But now, once in the end of
the world, hath he appeared to put away fin, by
the facrifice of himfelt, Heb. ix.
And having thus once offered his facrifice with
out the vail, he is now gone into the holieft, to
perfect his work of mediation for us : Not into
the holy places made with hands, which are the
figures of the true, but into heaven itſelf ; now ap
pearing in the prefence of God for us.
Now, if our Lord Jefus is gone indeed, now to
appear in the prefence of God for us, and if this
now be the once a year that the type fpeaks of,
the once in the end of the world, as our apoftle
fays; then it follows, that the people of God fhould
all ftand waiting for his benediction, that to them
he fhall bring with him , when he fhall return from
thence . Wherefore he adds, Chrift was once of
fered, to bury the fins of many and to them that
look for him fhall he appear the fecond time, with
qut fin, unto falvation.
This therefore fhews us the greatness of the
work that Chrift has to do at the right hand of
God, for that he ſtays there fo long , He accom
plished all the first part of his priesthood in less than
forty years, if you take in the making of his holy
garments and all ; but about this fecond part there
of, he has been above in heaven above feventeen
hundred years, and yet has not done .
This therefore calls for faith and patience in
faints, and by this he alfo tries the world ; fo that
M 2
 N'S
136 SOLOMO TEMPLE

they, in mocking manner, begin to fay already,

Where is the promiſe of his coming ? ( 2 Pet . iii . 4. )
But I fay again, we muſt look and wait.
If the people waited for Zacharias, and wonder
ed that he ftaid fo long, becauſe he ſtaid in the
holy place fomewhat longer than they expected ;
no marvel, if the faith of the world about Chrift's
coming is fled and gone long ago ; yea, and that
the children alfo are put to wait, fince a fcripture
little while doth prove fo long ; for that which the
apoſtle faith, Yet a little while, doth prove to fome
to be a very long little, John xvi. Heb. x. 37.
True, Zacharias had then to do with angels, and
that made him ftay fo long. O but Jefus is with
God, before him, in his prefence, talking with
him, fwallowed up in him, and with his glory, and
that is one cauſe he ftays fo long . He is there alſo
pleading his blood for his tempted ones, and inter
ceding for all his elect, and waits there till all his
be fitted for, and ready to enter into glory : I ſay,
he is there, and there must be till then : And this
is another reafon why he doth ftay the time we
count fo long.
And indeed it is a wonder to me, that Jefus
Christ our Lord fhould once think, now he is there,
of returning hither again, coofidering the ill treat
ment he met with here before. But what will not
love do ? Surely he would never touch the ground
again, had he not a people here that cannot be
made perfect, but by his coming to them. He alfo
is made judge of quick and dead, and will get him
glory in the ruin ofthem that hate him.
His people are as himſelf to him. Can a loving
hufband abide to be always from a beloved fpoufe ?
Befides, as I faid , He is to pay the wicked off, for
all their wickedness, and that in that very plat
where they have committed it. Wherefore the
day appointed for this is fet, and he will, and fhalt
come quickly to do it.
For however the time may feem long to us, yet
 SPIRITUALIZE D. 137
according to the reckoning of God, it is but a little
while fince he went into the holieft to intercede .
A thousand years with the Lord is but as one day ;
and after this manner of counting, he has not been
gone yet two full days into the holieft. " The Lord
is not flack concerning his promife, as fome men
count flackness ; he will come quickly, and will not
tarry," 2 Pet . iii . Heb . x. 37.

CHA P. LXIX.

Of the Cherubims, and of their being placed over

the Mercyfeat in the inner Temple.

THERE were alſo cherubims in the moſt ho

ly place, which were fet on high above the
mercy feat. See 1 Kings vi. 23, 24, 25, 25, 27 , 28.
1. Thefe are called by the apoftles, " The che
rubims ofglory covering the mercy -feat, " Heb . ix . 5.
2. Theſe cherubims were figures of the angels
of God, as in other places we have proved.
3. It is faid, thefe cherubims were made of
image work, and that in fuch manner as that " they
could, as fome think, move their wings by art::
Wherefore it is faid, they ftretched forth their
wings ; the wings of the cherubims fpread them
felves ; and that the cherubins fpread forth their
wings over the place of the ark, and the ftaves there-
of above, 1 Kings vi . 27. 2 Chron. iii . 13. chap . v. §.
4. I read alfo of thefe cherubimas, that they had
chariots and wheels ; by which is taught us how
ready and willing the angels are to fetch us when :
commanded unto the paradife of God ; for thefe
chariots were types of the bofoins of the angels ; :
and thefe wheels, of the quickness of their motion
to come for us when fent, X " The chariots of God :
are twenty thoufand, even thouſands of angels ;
the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy
place," Chron, xx, 28. Ezek. xvi, 9, 15, 10, 18,,
M -3
 138 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
19, 28. 1 Kings vi , 17. Pfal. lxviii , 17. 2 Kings in.
11. Dan. ix . 20.
5. What difference, if any there is, between che
rubims and feraphims, into that I fhall not now en
quire ; though I believe that there are diverfe or
ders and degrees of angels in the heavens, as there
are degrees and diverfe orders among men in the
world. But that theſe cherubims were figures of
the holy angels, their being thus placed in the holy
oracle doth declare ; for their dwelling-place is
heaven, though they, for our fakes, are converfant
in the world, Heb . i.
6. It is faid, that theſe cherubims, in this holy
place , did ftand upon their feet, to fhew,
1. That the angels of heaven are not fallen from
their ſtation, as the other angels are.
2. To fhew alfo that they are always ready, at
God's bidding, to run with fwiftnefs to do his
pleafure.
3. To fhew alfo that they fhall continue in their
ftation, being therein confirmed by Jefus Chrift,
by whom all things confift, Col. i .
7. It is faid, their faces were inward, looking
one to another ; yet withal fomewhat aſcending,
to fhew that the angels both behold and wonder at
the myſteries of grace, as it is difplayed to usward
from off the mercy- feat. " The faces of the cheru.
bims fhall lock one to another ; toward the mer.
cy-feat fhall the faces of the cherubims be," Exod ..
xxv. 20. 2 Chron. iii . 13. 1 Pet. i. 12. Eph. i . 10.
1. Towards the mercy-feat : They are defirous
to fee it, and how from hence ( I fay) mercy doth
look towards us.
2. They look one towards another, to fhew that
they agree to rejoice in the falvation of our fouls,
Luke xv. 10,
3. They are faid to ftand above, the mercy feat,
(perhaps) to thew that the angels have not need of
thofe acts of mercy and forgiveness as we have ,
who ftand below, and are finners. They stand
 SPIRITUALIZED. 139
above it, they are holy, I do not fay, they have no 1
need that the goodness of God fhould be extended
to them, for it is by that they have been , and are
preferved ; but they need not to be forgiven, for
they have committed no iniquity.
4. They ftand there alfo with wings ftretched
out, to fhew how ready, if need be, the angels
are to come from heaven to preach this goſpel to
the world, Luke ii . 9,14.
5. It is faid in this, that thus ftanding, their wings.
did reach from wall to wall, from one fide of this
holy houſe to the other ; to fhew, that all the an
gels within the boundaries of the heavens, with
one confent , and one mind, are ready to come
down to help and ferve, and do for God's elect at
his command.
It is faid alfo, that their wings are ſtretched on
high, to fhew that they are only delighted in thoſe
duties which are enjoined them by3the high and lof
ty One, and not inclined , no not to ferve the faints
in their fenfual or fleshly defigns. It may be alfo
to fhew, that they are willing to 3 take their flight
from one end of heaven to the other, to ferve God
and his church for good, Matth. xiii . 48, 49. chap,
xxiv. 31, chap. xxv. 31. 2 Theff. i . 7, 8,
CHAP. LXX .

Of the Figures that were upon the Wall of the

inner Temple .

THE wall of the inner Temple, which was a

type of heaven, was, as I have already told
you, ceiled with cedar from the bottom to the top.
Now, by the viſion of Ezekiel, it is faid, this wall
was carved with cherubims and palm- trees ; fo that
a palm -tree was between a cherub, and every che
rub had two faces : fo, that the face of a man was
toward the palm-trce on the one side, and the face
of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other
fide. It was made through all the houſe round
140 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE
about, from the ground to above the door, where
the cherubims and palm-trees were made, Ezek .
xli. 17,-20.
1. As to theſe cherubims and palm trees, I have
9
already told you what I think them to be figures
of. The cherubims are figures of the holy angels,
and the palm-trees of upright ones : We therefore
here are only to difcourfe of the placing of them.
in the heavens.
2. Now you fee the palm-trees in the holiest are
placed between a cherub and a cherub, round about
the houfe ; which methinks fhould be to fignify,
that the faints fhall not there live by faith and hope,
as here, but in the immediate enjoyment of God ;:
for to be placed between the cherubims, is to be
placed where God dwells : for holy writ fays plain
Îy, He dwells between the cherubims, even where ,
here it is faid, theſe palm -trees , or upright ones,
are placed, 1 Sam. iv . 4. 2 Kings xix. 15. 1 Chron.
xiii. 6. Pfal. lxxx. 1. lf. xxxvii, 16.
The church on earth is called God's houfe, and
he will dwell in it for ever ; and heaven itſelf is
called God's houfe , and we fhall dwell in it for e•
ver ; and that between the cherubims . This is
more than grace, this is grace and glory, glory in
deed.
3. To dwell between the cherubims, may alfo
be to fhew, that there we fhall be equal to the an
gels. Mark, here is a palm - tree and a cherub . Here
we are a little lower, but there we fhall not be a
whit behind the very chief of them . A palm - tree
and a cherub, an upright one between the cherubs,
will then be round about the houfe ; we fhall be
placed in the fame rank ; neither can they die any
more, for they are equal to the angels, Luke xx. 36.
4. The palm trees thus placed, may be alfo to
fhew us, that the elect of God fhall there take up
the vacancies of the fallen angels : they for fin
were caft down from the holy heavens, and we by
grace shall be caught up thither, and be placed be
 SPIRITUALIZED. 141
tween a cherub and a cherub . When I fay their
places, I do not mean the fickleness of that ſtate
that they, for want of electing love, did ftand in ,
while in glory ; for the heavens, by the blood of
Chrift, is now to us become a purchaſed poffeffion ;
wherefore, as we fhall have their place in the hea
venly kingdom, fo, by virtue of redeeming blood,
we fhall there abide, and go no more out ; for by
that means that kingdom will stand to us unfhaken,
Heb. ix. 12. chap . xii. 22 , 23 , 24, 28. Rev. iii , 12
5. Thefe palm-trees, I fay, feem to take their
places who for fin were caft from thence . The
elect therefore take that place in poffeflion, but a
better crown for ever. Thus Ifrael poffeffed that
of the Canaanites ; and David Saul's kingdom ; and
Matthias the apoftleship of Judas, Acts i . 20, 11,
22, 23, 24, 25, 26.
6. Nor were the habitations which the fallen
angels loft, exepting that which was accepted be
fore, at all inferior to theirs that ſtood ; for their
captain and prince is called Son of the Morn
ing, for he was the antitype thereof, Ifa. xiv. 12.
7. Thus you fee * they were placed from the
ground up to above the door ; that is, from the
loweft to the higheſt angel there. For as there are
great faints and finall ones in the church on earth,
fo there are angels of divers degrees in heaven,
fome greater than fome ; but the falleft faint,
when he gets to heaven, fhall have an angel's dig
nity, an angel's place : from the ground, you find a
a palm tree between a cherub and a cherub ,
8. And every cherub had two faces ; fo here ; but
I read in chap. x. that they had four faces a-piece :
The firft was the face of a cherubim, the fecond
the face of a man ; the third the face of a lion,
and the fourth the face of an eagle,
9. They had two faces a piece, not to fhew that
they were of a double heart, " for their appear.
ance and themſelves was the fame, and the went
every one ſtraight forward, Ezek. x. 23,
 142 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE, &c.
Theſe two faces, then, were to fhew here the
quickness of their apprehenfion , and their terri
blenefs to execute the mind of God . The face of a
man, fignifies them maſters of reason : the face of a
a lion, the terribleness of their prefence, 1 Cor.
xiii, 12. Judges xiii. 6.
In another place I read of their wheels ; yea,
that themſelves, their whole bodies, their backs,
their hands, their wings, and their wheels, were
full of eyes round about, Ezek. i . 18. chap . x, 12.
And this is to fhew us how knowing and quick
fighted they are in all providences and dark difpen
fations, and how nimble in apprehending the mif
chievous deſigns of the enemies of God's church ,
and fo how able they are to undermine them. And
for as much alfo as they have the face of a lion,
we by that are fhewed how full of power they are
to kill and to deſtroy, when God fays, Go forth and
do fo.
Now, with theſe we muſt dwell and cohabit, a
palm -tree and a cherub ; a palm-tree and a cherub
must be from the ground to above the door, round
about the houſe, the heavens.
So that the face of a man was toward the palm
tree on the one fide, and the face of a young lion
toward the palm-tree on the other fide."
By thefe two faces may be alfo fhewed, that we
in the heavens fhall have glory fufficient to familia
rize us to the angels. Their lion - like looks, with
which they uſed to fright the biggeſt faint on earth,
as you have it, Gen. xxxii . 30. Judg. xiii , 15. 22.
fhall then be accompanied with the familiar looks
of a man. Then angels and men fhall be fellows,
and have to do with each as fuch,
Thus you fee fomething of that little I have
found in the Temple of God.

FINIS,
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