Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A30206
|
Solomon's temple spiritualiz'd, or, Gospel-light fetcht out of the temple at Jerusalem, to let us more easily into the glory of New-Testament-truths by John Bunyan.
|
Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.
|
1688
(1688)
|
Wing B5595; ESTC R2850
|
92,582
|
242
|
this Man's snuff defile that Man's fingers as it doth Nor would the Temple of God be so besmeered with these snuffs and be-daubed as it is Ah Snuffs pull'd off lie still in the Temple-floor and there stink and defile both feet and fingers both the callings and conversations of Temple-worshipers to the disparaging of Religion and the making of religious worship but of low esteem with men And all I say for want of the due use of these Snuffers and these Snuff-dishes there Nay are not whole Churches now defiled with those very Snuffs that long since vvere plucked off and all for vvant of the use of these Snuff-dishes according to the Lord's Commandment For you must know that reproofs and admonitions are but of small use where repentance or Church censures are not thereto annexed When Ministers use the Snuffers the People should hold the Snuff-dishes Round reproofs for sin when they light upon penitent hearts then brave work is in the Church Then the Snuff is not only pulled away but carried out of the Temple of God aright c. And now the worship and worshipers shine like gold As an ear-ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear Pro. 25.12 Ministers it appertains to you to use the Snuffers and to teach the People to hold the Snuff-dishes right Acts 20.20 21. 1 Tim. 4.2 We must often be snuffed vvith these Snuffers or our light vvill burn but dimly our Candle vvill also vvaste Pray therefore O men of God look diligently to your People Snuff them as you see there is need but touch not their Snuff vvith your WHITE Fingers a little Smutch on you vvill be seen a great vvay Remember also that you leave them no vvhere but vvith these Snuff-dishes that the Temple may be cleared of them Do vvith the Snuff as the neat House-wife doth vvith the Toad vvhich she finds in her Garden She takes the Fork or a pair of Tongs and therewith doth throw it over the Pales Cast them avvay I say vvith fear zeal care revenge and vvith great indignation 2 Cor. 7.11 And then your Church your Conversation your Fingers and all vvill be kept vvhite and clean XLVI Of the Golden Tongs belonging to the Temple THere vvas also Tongs of Gold used in the Temple of old 1 King. 7.49 1. These Tongs vvas used about the Altar to order the fire there 2. They vvere used too about the Candlestick and are therefore called HIS Tongs 3. Perhaps there vvas Tongs for both these Services but of that the Word is silent But what were they used about the Candlestick to do Answ. To take holy fire from off the Altar to light the Lamps vvithal For the fire of the Temple vvas holy fire such as at first vvas kindled from Heaven and vvhen kindled maintained by the Priests and of that the Lamps were lighted Levit. 9.24 2 Chro. 7.1 Nor vvas there upon pain of death any other fire to be used there Levit. 10.1 These Tongs therefore was used to take fire from off the Altar to light the Lamps and Candlesticks withal For to trim the Lights and dress the Lamps was Aaron's vvork day by day Exod. 40.24 25. Levit. 24.2 3. Numb 8.3 He shall light and order the Lamps upon the pure Candlestick before the Lord and Aaron did so he lighted the seven Lamps thereof as the Lord commanded Moses What is a Lamp or Candlestick to us if there be not light thereon and hovv lighted vvithout fire and hovv shall vve take up Coals to light the Lamps withal if vve have not Tongs prepared for that purpose With these Tongs fire also vvas taken from off the Altar and put into the Censers to burn svveet Incense vvith before the Lord. The Tongs then vvere of great use in the Temple of the Lord. But what were the Tongs a type of The Altar vvas a type of Christ the fire of the Holy Ghost and these Tongs vvere a type of that holy hand of God's grace by vvhich the COALS or several dispensations and gifts of this Holy Ghost are taken and given to the Church and to her Members for her vvork and profit in this World. Tongs vve knovv are used instead of fingers vvherefore Aaron's golden Tongs vvere a type of Christ's golden fingers Song 5.14 Isaiah saith That one of the Seraphims 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 hand are put together Isa. 6. But the Prophet Ezekiel treating of like matters quite waves the type the Tongs and speaketh only of this holy hand And he spake to the man cloathed with linnen and said go in between the wheels under the cherub where the mercy-feat stood where God dwelt Exod. 2. Psal. 80.1 and fill thy Hand with Coals of fire from between the Cherubims Ezek. 10.2 Thus you see our golden Tongs are now turned into a golden hand into the golden hand of the man clothed in linnen which is Jesus Christ who at his ascension received of God the Father the Spirit in all fulness to give as his Divine wisdom knew was best the several Coals or Dispensations thereof unto his Church for his praise and her edification Matt. 3.11 Acts 2. 'T is by this hand also that this holy fire is put into our Censers 'T is this hand also that takes this Coal therewith to touch the Lips of Ministers that their Words may warm like fire And 't is by this hand that the Spirit is given to the Churches as returns of their holy prayers Luke 11.1 2. Rom. 8.26 Rev. 8.5 'T was convenient that the fire in the Temple should be disposed of by golden Tongs but the Holy Ghost by the golden hand of Christ's grace for that can wittingly dispose of it according as Men and things are placed and to do and be done in the Churches Wherefore he adds And one Cherub stretched forth his hand from between the Cherubims unto the fire that was between the Cherubims and took thereof and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with Linnen who took it and went out Ezek. 10.7 By this hand then by this man's hand the Coals of the Altar are disposed of both to the Lamps the Candlesticks the Censers and the Lips of Ministers according to his own good pleasure And of all this was the Tongs in the Temple a Type XLVII Of the Altar of Incense in the Temple THE Altar of Incense was made first for the Tabernacle and that of Shittim Wood but it was made for the Temple of Cedar and it was to be set before the Vail that is by the Ark of the Testimony before the Mercy-Seat that is at the entring of the Holiest but not within And the Priest was to approach it every Morning which as to the holiest he might not do Besides when he went in to make an Atonement he
was to take fire from off that Altar to burn his Incense within the Holy Place Exod. 30.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Levit. 16.18 1. It was called the golden Altar because 't was over-laid with pure gold This Altar was not for burnt-offering as the brazen Altar was nor for the meat offering nor the drink-offering but to burn Incense thereon ver 7. which sweet Incense was a type of the grace of prayer Psal. 141.2 2. Incense or that called Incense here was not a Simple but a Compound made up of sweet Spices called Stacte Onycha and Galbanum These three and may answer to these three parts of this duty to wit Prayer Supplication and Intercession Exod. 30.34 35 36 37. Chap. 37.29 1 Tim. 2.1 3. This Incense was to be burned upon the Altar every Morning upon that Altar which was called the Altar of Incense which was before the Vail to shew that it is our duty every Morning to make our Prayer to God by Jesus Christ before the Vail that is before the Door of Heaven and there to seek knock and ask for what we need according to the word Luke 11 9 10 11 12. 4. This Incense was to be kindled every Morning to shew how he continueth interceeding for us and also that all true praise of Men to God is by the work the renewed work of the Holy Ghost upon our hearts Rom. 8.26 5. Incense as you see was made of sweet Spices such as were gumme and so apt to burn with a smoke to shew that not cold and flat but hot and fervent is the Prayer that flows from the spirit of faith and grace Zech. 12.10 Jam. 5.16 6. The smoak of this Incense was very sweet and savoury like pleasant perfume to shew how delightful and acceptable the very sound and noise of right Prayer is unto the Nostrils of the living God because it comes from a broken heart Psal. 51.17 Song 2.14 7. This Incense was to be offered upon the golden Altar to shew us that no Prayer is accepted but what is directed to God in the Name of his Holy and Blessed Son our Saviour 1 Pet. 2.5 Heb. 13.15 8. They were commanded to burn Incense every Morning upon this Altar to shew that God is never weary of the godly Prayers of his People It also sheweth that we need every day to go to God for fresh Supplies of grace to carry us through this evil World. 9. This Altar though it stood without the Vail to teach us to live by faith and to make use of the Name of Christ as we find it recorded in the first Temple yet was placed so nigh unto the Holiest that the smell of the smoke might go in thither to shew that it is not distance 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 ask for according to his Word It stood I say nigh the Vail nigh the Holiest and he that burnt Incense there did make his approach to God. Hence the Psalmist when he speaks of praying saith 'T is good for me to draw nigh unto God Psal. 73.20 Heb. 10.22 10. This Altar thus placed did front the Ark 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-Seat is above upon the Ark and that God doth sit thereon with his Pardon in his hand to save us O! What speaking things are types shadows and parables had we but eyes to see had we but ears to hear He that did approach the Altar with Incense of old aright and then he did so when he approached it by Aaron his High Priest pleased God how much more shall we have both Person and Prayers accepted and a grant of what we need if indeed we come as we should to God by Jesus Christ. But take heed you approach not to a wrong Altar take heed also that you come not with strange fire for they are dangerous things and cause the Worshipers to miss of what they would enjoy But more of this in the next particular XLVIII Of the golden Censers belonging to the Temple THere were also golden Censers belonging to the Temple and they were either such as belonged to the Sons of Levi in general or that were for Aaron and his Sons in special as Numbers 16.6 17 18. The Censers of the Levites were a type of ours but the Censer of Aaron was a type of Christ's The Censers as was hinted before were for this use in the Temple namely to hold the holy fire in on which Incense was to be burned before the Lord Levit. 10.1 These Censers then were types of hearts Aaron's golden one was a type of Christ's golden heart and the Censers of the Levites were types of other Worshipers hearts The fire also which was put therein was a type of that Spirit by which we pray and the Incense that burnt thereon a type of our desires Of Christ's Censer we read Revelations the viii which is always filled with much Incense that is with continual Intercessions which he offereth to God for us and from whence also there always goes a cloud of sweet savour covering the Mercie-seat Levit. 16 13. Heb. 7.25 Revel 8.3 4. But to speak of the Censers and fire and Incense of the Worshipers For albeit they were all put under one rule that is to be according to Law yet often times as were the Worshipers such was the Censers Fire and Incense 1. Hence the two hundred and fifty Censers with which Corah and his Company offered are called the Censers of sinners For they came with wicked hearts then to burn Incense before the Lord Numb 16.17 37. 2. Again as the Censers of these Men were called the Censers of sinners shewing they came at that time to God with naughty hearts so the fire that was in Nadab Abihu's Censers is called strange fire which the Lord commanded them not Levit. 10.1 3. This strange fire was a type of that strange spirit opposed to the spirit of God in and by which notwithstanding some adventure to perform Worship to God. 4. Again as these Censers are called the Censers of sinners and this fire called strange fire so the Incense of such is also called strange and is said to be an abomination unto God Exod. 30.9 Isa. 1.13 Chap. 66.3 Thus you see that both the Censers Fire and Incense of some is rejected even as the heart spirit and prayer of sinners are an abomination unto God Hos. 7.14 Chap. 4.12 Chap. 5.4 Prov. 28.9 But there was besides these true Censers holy fire and sweet Incense among the Worshipers in the Temple and their service was accepted by Aaron their High Priest For that was done thorough the faith of Christ and these were a type of our true Gospel-Worshipers who come with holy hearts the holy spirit and holy desires before their God by their Redeemer These are