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faith the text, were placed over against the belly, to teach, that they fhould not humour, but put check unto the 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 fhew, that the fhould without covetoufnefs have fufficient, if the wou'd 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 apoftle, and the completing of their office and fervice for God. But this is directly oppofite to the belly, over against 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. Covetousness makes a minifter fmell frownifh, and look more like a greedy dog, than an apostle of Jefus Chrift. Judas has none of this lily-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 fcent as 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.

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F the length and breadth of the Temple I fhall fay nothing but as to the height thereof, 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 the fame of the apoftles, tho' as to office they were the higheft, 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 prophets, apoftles, and minifters, &c. are but fervants, ftewards, labourers, for her good, Pfal. xlv. 9. Rev. xix. 7. 1 Cor. iii. 5. iv. I, 2.

As therefore the lady is above the fervant, the queen above the fteward, or the wife above all her hufband'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 enlarged itfelf ftill 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 higheft were 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 fill upward to the file chambers, for the winding about was did upward round about the house; therefore the breadth of the house was ftill upward, and fo increafed from the lowest chambers to the higheft, by the midft, Ezek xli. 7. And this was to thew us, that God's true gofpel-"

temple, which is his church, fhould have its enlarg edness of heart stilk 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 itself ftill upward, and to make the heart wideft for the things that are above.

The Temple therefore was narroweft downwards, 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. lx. 5. Phil. i, 141 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 cars, 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,

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Obferve again, that the lowest parts of the Tem ple, were the narrowest parts of the Temple; fo thofe in the church who are nearest, or most concerned 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 widest upwards, the higher, the more. it is enlarged. Paul being once caught up into paradife, could not but be there enlarged, 2 Cor. xitę

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

the churches of Chrift, Open your hearts for heaven, be ye enlarged upwards.

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 anfwer 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.

CHA P. ΧΙΧ.

Of the outward Glory of the Temple.

IDO 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 ufages, 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 curiously 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 of the earth, were taken with the glory of it" Because of thy temple at Jerufalem, fhall kings brings prefents unto thee;" as it is, Pfal. ilxvili. 29, 31

Kings, Gentile kings, they thall be fo taken with the light 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

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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 should 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: "Behold, 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 fern in the church of God? Her infide 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 Christ against the devil and his kingdom..

WE

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E come next to the porch of the temple, that is commonly called Solomon's.

1. This porch was in the front of the houfe, 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 reception in common for all, whether Jews or religious

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