This had the cieling of this houfe, a pearl here, and there a diamond; here a jafper, and there a fap. phire; here a fardys, and there a jacynth; here a fardonyx, and there an amy thyft: "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another 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 of the Temple.

ND for the house he made windows of

AND
narrow lights,"

I Kings vi. 4.

There were windows for this houfe, windows for the chambers, and windows round about, Ezek. iv. 16. 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 33, 36.

Thefe windows were of feveral fizes, but all narrow; narrow without, but wider within; they allo were finely wrought, and beautified with goodly tones, Ifa. liv. 14.

1. Windows, as they are to an houfe an ornament, 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 also to do what business is neceffary, there to be

done." In thy light we fee light;" light to do our dury, and that both to God and man.

3. Thefe windows therefore were figures of the written word, by and through which Chrift fhews 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 futches allo, 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 imperfectly Now we fee through a glafs darkly, or as in a riddle, now we know but in part,” Cor. xiii. 12.

5. 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 see the difmal ftate of the world, and alfo how to avoid it.

Of the Chambers of the Temple.

IN the Temple Solomon made chambers, 1 Kings

IN

I vi. 5i

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 treafure 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 Jehofhebah hid Joash from Athalia the term of fix years. 3. They were alfo to lay the temple treafure, or

dedicated things in, that they may be fafely kept there for the worthippers.

yea,

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 : 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 have in 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 of the world, Ifa, xxvi. 20.

3. Thofe chnmbers which were for the reception of the treafures, and dedicated things, were types of Chrift, as he is the common ftore-house of believers: "For it pleafed the Father, that in him fhould all fulnefs 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 delight, were types of thofe retirements and fecret meetings of Chrift with the foul, where he gives it his embraces, and delights her with his bofom and ravishing delight. "He brought me, faid the, into 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 dwelling-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. I.

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

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, then fhall 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 folace together.

: O these are far better than the chambers of the fouth!

CHA P.
Р. XXXV.

f the Stairs by which they went up into the Chambers of the Temple.

TH

HERE were stairs, by which men went up 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 turned 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 twofold repentance: that by which we turn from nature to grace, and by which we turn from the imperfections which attend a state of grace to glory. Hence, true repentance, or the right going up thefe turning ftairs, is called repentance to falvation; for true repentance ftoppeth not at the reception of grace, for that is but a going up thefe ftairs 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 ftate 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

turning from nature to grace. But from the middle to the higheft, thefe ftairs may fignify a turning till from the imperfections and temptations that attend 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 higheft chambers. I do not fay, that they that have received grace do repent they have received grace; but I fay, they that have received grace are yet forry that grace is not confummate in glory; and hence they are for going up thither still by these turning ftairs; yea, they cannot reft below, as they would, till they afcend to the highest chambers. O wretched 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 ftairs, 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 ftories, 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, ftedfast in the faith, and with boldness 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. F

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