there God acts in a way of grace towards us Exod. 25.17 18 19 20 21 22. 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 these Waters but only of the Mount on which and the Materials with which the King did Build it Yet it seems to me that in that Mount and there too where the Temple was Built there was a Spring of Living Water This seems more than probable by Ezek. 47.1 where he saith He brought me to the Door of the House and behold Waters issued out from under the Threshold of the House East-ward for the fore-front of the House stood toward the East and the Waters came down from under from the right side of the House at the South side of the Altar So Again Joel 3.18 And a Fountain shall come forth of the House of the Lord and shall Water the Valley of Shittim Nor was the Spring where-ever was the first appearance of these holy Waters but in the Sanctuary which is the holyest of all Ezek. 47. v. 12. where the Mercy-seat stood which in Revelations is called The Throne of God and of the Lamb Chap. 22.1 2. This also is that which the Prophet Zechariah means when he says Living Waters shall go forth from Jerusalem half of them toward the former Sea and half of them toward the hinder Sea c. Zech. 14.8 They are said to go forth from Jerusalem because they came down to the City from out of the Sanctuary which stood in Jerusalem 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 suppose used in and about Temple Worship 'T was with this I think that the Molten Sea and the Ten Lavers were filled and in which the Priests washed their Hands and Feet when they went into the Temple to do service and that also in which they washed the Sacrifices before they offered them to God Yea I presume all the washings and rinsings about their Worship was with this Water This Water is said in Ezekiel and Revelations to have the Tree of Life grow on the Banks of it Ezek. 47. Rev. 22. and was a type of the Word and Spirit of God by which both Christ himself sanctified himself in order to his Worship as high Priest And also this Water is that which Heals all those that shall be Saved and by which they being Sanctified thereby also do all their works of Worship and Service acceptably through Jesus Christ our Lord. This Water therefore is said to go forth into the Sea the World and to Heal it's Fish the Sinners therein Yea this is that Water of which Christ Jesus our Lord saith Whosoever shall drink thereof shall live fer ever Ezek. 47.8 9 10. Zech. 14.8 LXV Of the Chains which were in the Oracle or Inner Temple AS there were Chains on the Pillars that stood before the Porch of the Temple and in the first House so like unto them there was Chains in the Holiest here called the Oracle These Chains were not Chains in shew or as Carved on Wood c. but Chains indeed and that of Gold And they were prepared to make a Partition before the Oracle within 1 King. 6.21 2 Chron. 3.16 I told you before that the Holiest was called the Oracle not because in a strickt sence the whole of it was so but because such answer of God was there as was not in the outward Temple but I think that the Ark and Mercy-seat was indeed more specially that called the Oracle for there will I meet with thee said God and from above that will I commune with thee When David said I lift my Hands toward thy holy Oracle he meant not so much towards the Holiest House as toward the Mercy-seat that was therein Or as he saith in the Margin Toward the Oracle of thy Sanctuary Psal. 28 2. 1. When therefore he saith before the Oracle he means These Chains were put in the most Holy place before the Ark and Mercy-seat to give to Aaron and his Sons to understand that an Additional Glory was there For the Ark and Mercy-seat were preferred before that holy House it self even as Christ 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 Psal. 113.4 So then the Partition that was made in this House by these Chains these Golden-Chains was not so much to divide the holy from the place most holy as to shew that there is in the Holiest House that which is yet more worthy then it The Holiest was a type of Heaven but the Ark and Mercy-seat were a type of Christ and of the mercy of God to us by him and I trow any man will conclude if he knows what he says that the God and Christ of Heaven are more excellent then the House they dwell in Hence David said again Whom have I in Heaven but thee For thou art more Excellent then they Psal. 73.25 For though that which is called Heaven would serve some yea though God himself was out on 't yet none but the God of Heaven will satisfie a truly Gracious Man 'T is God that the Soul of this Man thirsteth for 'T is God that is his exceeding Joy Psal. 42.2 Psal. 63.1 Psal. 143.6 Psal. 17. ult Psal. 43.4 These Chains then as they made this Partition in the most holy Plaâ—â— may teach us that when we shall be glorified in Heaven we shall yet even then and there know that there will continue an infinite Disproportion between God and us The Golden Chains that are there will then distinguish the Creator from the Creature For we even we which shall be saved shall yet retain our own Nature and shall still continue finite beings yea and shall there also see a disproportion between our Lord our Head and us for though now we are and also then shall be like him as to his Manhood yea and shall be like him also as being glorified with his glory yet he shall transcend and go beyond us as to Degree and Splendor as far as ever the highest King on Earth did shine above the meanest Subject that dwelt in his Kingdom Chains have of old been made use of as notes of Distinction to shew us who are bond men and who free Yea they shall at the Day of Judgment be a note of Distinction of bad and good even as as here they will distinguish the Heavens from God and the Creature from the Creator 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. Mat. 22.13 True They are Chains of Sin and Wrath but these Chains of Gold yet these Chains even these also will keep Creatures in their place that the Creator may have his Glory and receive those acknowledgments there from them which is due unto his Majesty Rev. 4. and Chap. 5.11 12
Stones called Foundation-Stones were Types of the Prophets and Apostles Matt. 16.18 Ephes. 2.20 21. Heb. 11.10 Wherefore These Stones were Stones of the biggest Size Stones of Eight Cubits and Stones of Ten Cubits 1 King 7 10. Now as the Temple had this double Foundation so we must consider it respectively and distinctly For Christ is the Foundation one way the Prophets and Apostles a Foundation another Christ is the Foundation personally and meritoriously but the Prophets and Apostles by Doctrine Ministerially The Church then which is Gods New-Testament Temple as it is said to be builded on Christ the Foundation SO none other is the Foundation but He 1 Cor. 3.11 12. But as it is said to be Builded upon the Apostles So it is said to have Twelve Foundations and must have none but they Rev. 21.14 What is it then Why we must be Builded upon Christ as he is our Priest Sacrifice Prophet King and Advocate and upon the other as they are Infallible Instructors and Preachers of him not that any may be an Apostle that so shall esteem of himself nor that any other Doctrine be Administred but what is the Doctrine of the Twelve for they are set forth as the chief and last These are also they as Moses which are to look over all the Building and to see that all in this House be done according to the Patern shewed to them in the Mount Exod. 39.43 John 20.21 22 23. 1 Cor. 3.9 Chap. 4.9 Let us then keep these distinctions clear and not put an Apostle in the room of Christ nor Christ in the place of one of those Apostles Let none but Christ be the High Priest and Sacrifice for your Souls to God and none but that Doctrine which is Apostolical be to you as the Mouth of Christ for Instruction to prepare you and to prepare materials for this Temple of God and to Build them upon this Foundation VIII Of the richness of the Stones which were laid for the Foundations of the Temple THese Foundation Stones as they were great so they were costly Stones Tho as I said of themselves of no more worth then they of their nature that were left behind Their costliness therefore lay in those additions which they received from the Kings charge First In that labour which was bestowed upon them in Sawing Squaring and Carving For the Servants as they were cunning at this work so they bestowed much of their Art and Labour upon them by which they put them into excellent form and added to their Bigness Glory and Beauty fit for Stones upon which so goodly a Fabrick was to be builded Secondly These Stones as they were thus wrought within and without so as it seems to me they were inlaid with other Stones more precious than themselves Inlaid I say with Stones of divers colours According as it is written I will lay thy Foundations with Saphires Isa. 54.11 not that the Foundations were Saphires but they were laid inlaid with them or as he saith in another place They were adorn'd with goodly Stones and Gifts Luk. 21.5 This is still more Amplified where it is written of the New Jerusalem which is still the New Testament-Church on Earth and so the same in substance with what is now The Foundations of the Wall of the City saith he were garnished with all manner of precious Stones Revel 21.19 True these 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 smallness is here called a City for or because of its great Increase And both the Foundations of the Wall of the City as well as of the Temple are the twelve Apostles of the Lamb Rev. 21.14 For these Carvings and Inlayings with all other Beautifications were types of the extraordinary Gifts and Graces of the Apostles Hence the Apostle calls such gifts signs of Apostleship Rom. 15.19 2 Cor. 12.21 Heb. 2.4 For as the Foundation Stones of the Temple were thus garnished so were the Apostles beautified with a Call Gifts and Graces peculiar to themselves Hence he says First Apostles for that they were first and chief in the Church of Christ 1 Cor. 12.28 Nor were these stones only laid for a Foundation for the Temple the great Court the inner Court as also the Porch of the Temple had round about them three rows of these stones for their Foundation 1 King. 7.12 Signifying as it seems to me that the more outward and External Part as well as that more Internal Worship to be performed to God should be grounded upon Apostolical Doctrine and Appointments 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12. 2 Thes. 2.15 Chap. 3.6 Heb. 6.1.2 3 4. IX Which way the Face or Front of the Temple stood 1. THe Temple was Builded with its Face or Front towards the East and that perhaps because the Glory of the God of Israel was to come from the way of the East unto it Ezek. 43.1 2 3 4. Chap. 47.1 Wherefore in that its Front stood towards the East it may be to shew that the true Gospel Church would have its Eye to and Expectation from the Lord. We look said Paul but whither We have our Conversation said he in Heaven from whence our Expectation is 2. Cor. 4.18 Phil. 3.20 21. Psal. 62.5 2. It was set also with its Face towards the East to keep the People of God from committing of Idolatry to wit from worshiping the Host of Heaven and the Sun whose rising is from the East For since the Face of the Temple stood toward the East and since the worshippers were to worship at or with their Faces towards the Temple it follows that both in their going to and worshiping God towards that place their Faces must be from and their Backs towards the Sun. The thus Building of the Temple therefore was a Snare to Idolators and a proof of the Zeal of those that were the true worshippers As also to this day the true Gospel instituted worship of Jesus Christ is Hence he is said to Idolaters to be a Snare and Trap but to the Godly a Glory Isa. 8.14 Chap. 60.19 3. Do but see how God catcht the Idolatrous Jews by this means in their naughtiness And he brought me said the Prophet into the inner Court of the Lords House and beheld 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 East Ezek. 8.16 It was therefore as I said set with its Face towards the East to prevent false Worships and detect Idolaters 4. From the East also came the most Blasting Winds Winds that are destructive to Man and Beasts to Fruit and Trees and Ships at Sea Exo. 10.13 Job 27.21 Ezek. 17.10 Chap. 19.12 Psal. 48.7 Ezek. 27.26 I say The East Wind or that which comes from thence is the most hurtful
King. 3.1 Chap. 6.1 2 Chro. 5.1 13. Chap. 7.2 The first house namely that which we have been speaking of was a type of the Church militant and the place most holy a type of the Church triumphant I say of the Church triumphant as it is now So then The house standing of these two parts was a shadow of the Church both in Heaven and Earth And for that they are joyned together by one and the same foundation it was to shew that they above and we below are yet one and the self-same house of God. Hence they and we together are called The whole Family in Heaven and Earth Ephes. 3.14 15. And hence it is said again that we who believe on Earth are come to Mount Zion to the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an invincible company of Angels To the general Assembly and Church of the first born which are writen in Heaven and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to God the Judge of all and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel Heb. 12.22 23 24. The difference then betwixt us and them is not that we are really two but one body in Christ in divers places True we are below stairs and they above they in their holy-day and we in our working-day cloaths they in harbour but we in the storm they at rest and we in the Wilderness They singing as crowned with Joy we crying as crowned with thorns But I I say we are all of one house one family and are all the Children of one father This therefore we must not forget lest we debar our selves of much of that which otherwise while here we have a right unto Let us therefore I say remember that the Temple of God is but one though divided as one may say into Kitchin and Hall above stairs and below or holy and most holy place For it stands upon the same foundation 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. 26.33 Levit. 16 2 12 15. Heb. 9.7 8. chap 10.19 Wherefore they are deceived that think to go into the holiest which is Heaven when they did who yet abandon and hate the holy place while they live Nay Sirs The way into the holiest is thorow the holy place the way into Heaven is thorow the Church on Earth for that Christ is there by his Word to be received by faith before he can by us in Person be received in the beatical Vision The Church on Earth is as the house of the Women spoken of in the Book of Esther where we must be dieted perfumed and made fit to go into the Bridegroom's Chamber or as Paul says made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Esth. 2. Col. 1.12 LVI Of the Holiest or Inner Temple THE most holy place was as I said a Figure of Heaven it self consequently a type of that where the most special presence of God is and where his face is most clearly seen and the gladness of his countenance most enjoyed Heb. 9.23 24. Exod. 25.22 Numb 7.89 The most holy place was dark it had no Windows in it though there was such round the Chambers the more special presence of God too on Mount Sina was in the thick Darkness there 1 King. 8.12 2 Chro. 6.1 Exod. 1â— 9 chap. 20.21 1. This Holiest therefore being thus made was to shew that God as in Heaven to us on Earth is altogether invisible and not to be reached otherwise than by Faith. For I say in that this House had no Windows nothing therein could be seen by the highest light of this World. Things there were only seen by the light of the fire of the Altar which was a type of the shinings of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 2. chap. And hence it is said notwithstanding this darkness He dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto none but the High Priest Christ 1 Tim. 6.16 1 Pet. 3.21 22. 2. The Holiest therefore was thus built to shew how different our state in Heaven will be from this 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 Lanthorn to our Path. But that place where there will be no written Word nor Ordinances as here will yet to us shine more light and clear then 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 darkness at all 1 Joh. 1.5 And in his light and in the light of the Lamb immediately we shall live and walk and rejoyce all the days of Eternity 3. This also was ordained thus to shew that we while in the first Temple should live by faith as to what there was or as to what was done in the second Hence 't is said as to that we walk by faith not by sight 2 Cor. 5.6 7 8. The things that are there we are told of even of the Ark of the Testimony and Mercy-Seat and the Cherubims of glory and the presence of Christ and of God we are I say told of them by the Word and believe and are taken therewith and hope to go to them hereafter but otherwise we see them not Therefore we are said to look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen for the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4.18 4. The People of old were not to look into the Holiest lest they died Numb 17.13 save only their High Priest he might go into it To shew that we while here must have a care of vain speculations for there is nothing to be seen by us while here in Heaven otherwise then by faith in God's eternal Testament True we may now come to the Holiest even as nigh as the first Temple will admit us to come but it must be by blood and faith not by vain imagination sence or carnal reason 5. This Holiest of all was four square every way both as to height length and breadth To be thus is a note of perfection as I have shewed elsewhere wherefore it was on purpose thus built to shew us that all fulness of blessedness is there both as to the nature degree and duration So when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13.8 9 10. Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. LVII Of the Vail of the Temple THE Vail of the Temple was a Hanging made of blue and purple and crimson and fine linnen and there were Cherubins wrought thereon Exod. 26.31 32. 1. This Vail was one partition 'twixt the