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 against those better than themselves, 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 beggars were relieved, and received alms. Thefe gates were feldom fhut; and the houses of Christian compaffion fhould be always open. This therefore beautified this gate, as charity beautifies any of the churches. Largeness of heart, and tender compasfion at the church door, is excellent; it is the bond of perfectnefs, Cor. xii ult. xiii. 1. ii. 3, 4. Heb. xiii. 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,

8.

The firit might be to teach us, in charity 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 heaven 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

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 itfel, 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 famous 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.

The

to it.

Here were three things belonging to the porch, befides its height, that was an ornament un

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

9, 10.

love. That in Solomon's chariot called gold, is yet again mentioned by the name Love, Song iii. As it is in the church, the grace of love is as gold. It is the greateft, the richeft 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 treafere, a treasure 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 typically, to teach example. For there was feen, by the Space of four cubits, their lily-work in the porch, 1 Kings vii. 19.

Of their lily-work I fpike 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 before the porch of the houfe; let them alfo fhew their lily-work to the houfe, that the church may learn of them to be without carefulness as to worldly things, and alfo to be rich in love and charity towards the brethren.

A covetous minifter is a bafe thing, a pillar more fymbolizing Lot's wife, than an holy apoftle of Jefus 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.

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, fhuts up bowels, yea, and the church-doors too, against the poor of the flock: wherefore look that this kind of love be never

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 you with their love, and alfo be an ornament unto you, and to that gofpel they minifter 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.

HIS porch alfo had certain fteps, by which they went up into the house of the Lord, I know not directly the number of them; tho' Ezekiel fpeaks fomething about it, Ezek. xl. 38, 39. Hence, when men went up to worship in the Temple, they were faid," to go up unto the house of the Lord," Ifa. xxxviii. 22.

Thefe fteps which were the ascent to the Temple, 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 spirit 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 shadow of those fteps which we fhould take to and in the house of God. "Steps of God," Pfal. Ixxxv. 13. "Steps ordered by him," Pfal. xxxvii. 23. "Steps ordered in his word, Pfal. cxix 133. "Steps of faith," Rom. 4. 12. "Steps of the Spirit," 1 Cor. xii. 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.

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3. There are therefore no fuch fteps as thefe to be found any where in the world. A ftep to honour, 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.

He then that entereth into the houfe of the Lord, is an afcending man; as it is faid of Mofes, 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.

1

The steps 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, Pfal. xliv. 18. Prov,, . 18. vii. 25, 26, 27.

The fteps then by which men went up to the houfe of the Lord were fignificative of thefe fteps 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 fteps! 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 thefe notwithstanding, the Lord guide us in the way of his fteps, they arec goodly fteps, they are the best..

CHA P. XXIII.:

Of the Gate of the Porch of the Temple.

This

THE porch, at which was an afcent to the Temple, had a gate belonging to it. gate, according to the prophet Ezek el, was fix. cubits wide. The leaves of this gate were double,,