1. Hence the two hundred and fifty cenfers with which Corah and his company offered, are called the cenfers of finners; for they came with wicked hearts then to burn incenfe before the Lord, Numb.

xvi. 17, 37.

2. Again, as the cenfers of these men were cal-. led the cenfers of finners, fhewing they came at. that time to God with naughty hearts; f the fire. that was in Nadab and Abihu's cenfers is called ftrange fire, which the Lord commanded them not, Lev. x. I.

3. This ftrange fire was a type of that Arange, fpirit, oppofed to the Spirit of God, in and by which, notwithstanding, fome adventure to perform worship to God.

4. Again, as thefe cenfers are called the cenfers of finners, and this fire called ftrange fire; fo the incenfe of fuch is called alfo ftrange, and is faid to be an abomination unto God, Exod. xxx 9. Ifa. i. 13. lxvi. 3.

Thus you fee, that both the cenfers, fice, and incenfe of fome is rejected, even as the heart, fpirit, and prayer of finners are an abomination unto God. Hol. vii. 14. chap. iv. 12. chap. v. 4. Prov. xxviii. 9.

But there were, befides these, true cenfers, ho. ly fire, and fweet incenfe among the worshippers in the temple, and their fervice was accepted by Aaron their high-priest; for that was through the faith of Chrift, and thefe were a type of our true gofpel-worshippers, who come with holy hearts, the holy fpirit, and holy detires before their God by their Redeemer. Thefe are a perfume in his nofe. "The prayer of the upright is his delight, their prayers went up like incenfe, and the lifting up of their hands as the evening facrifice," Exod, xv. 8. Pfl. cxli, 2.

Let them then that pretend to worship before God in his holy temple, look to it, that both their cenfers, fire, and incenfe, heart, fpirit, and de.

fires, be fuch as the word requires; left, instead of receiving of gracious returns from the God of heaven, their cenfers be laid up against them; left the fire of God devour them, and their incenfe become an abomination to him, as it happened to thofe made mention of before.

But it is faid the cenfers of Corah and his companions were hallowed.

Anfwer, So is God's worship, which is fo his by his ordination; yet even that very worship may be Spoiled by man's tranfgreffions. Prayer is God's ordinance, but all prayer is not accepted of God. We must then diftinguish between the thing commanded, and our ufing of that thing. The temple was God's houfe, but was abused by the irreverence of thofe that worshipped there, even to the demothing of it.

A golden cenfer is a gracious heart, heavenly fire is the Holy Ghoft, and fweet incenfe the effectual fervent prayer of faith. Have you thefe? Thefe Ged expects, and thefe you must have, if ever your perfons or performances be of God accepted.

CHAP. XLIX.

Of the Golden Spoons of the Temple. 3. THE golden spoons, belonging to the temple were in number, according to Mofes, twelve; anfwering to the twelve tribes. But when the temple was built, fuppofe, they were more, because of the number of the bafons, Numb. vii. 14, 20, 26, 32, 38, 40, 50, 56, 62, 68, 74, 80, 86.

2. The fpoons, as I fuppofe, were for the worfhippers in the temple to fup that broth withal wherein the trefpafs offerings were boiled. For which purpose there were feveral cauldrons hanged in the corners of that court called the prieft's, to boil them in, 1 Sam. ii. 13, 14. Ezek. xlvi. 19, 20,

3. Now in that he faith here were fpoons, what is it, but that there are alfo babes in the Temple

of the Lord? There was broth for babes, as well as meat for men, and fpoons to fup the broth withal.

4. True, the gofpel, being more excellent than the law, doth change the term, and inftead of broth, faith, there is milk for babes. But in that he faith milk, he infinuates, there are fpoons for children in the church.

5.

"I could not, faith Paul to them at Corinth, fpeak to you as unto fpiritual, but as unto carnal even as unto babes in Chrift. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able," I Cor. iii. 1, 2.

6. See, here were need of fpoons, milk is Ipoonmeat; for here were thofe which could not feed themselves with milk, let them then that are men eat the ftrong meat, For every one that useth milk is unfkilful in the word of righteoufnefs, for he is a babe. For ftrong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, who, by reafon of ufe, have their fenfes exercifed to difcern both good and evil," Heb. vi. 13, 14

7. Spoons, you know, are to feed us with weak: and thin food, even with that which beft fuiteth with weak ftomachs, or with a babifh temper. Hence, as the ftrong man is opposed to the weak, fo the milk is oppofed to the ftrong meat.

8. So then, tho' the babe in Chrift is weaker than the man in Chrift, yet he is not by Christ left unprovided for for here is milk for babes, and fpoons to fup it with. All this is taught us by the fpoons; for what need is there of fpoons, where there is nothing to eat but ftrong meat?

9. Babes, you know, have not only babifh fto. machs, but also babifh tricks, and must be dealt with as babes; their childish talk, and froward carriages, muft be born withal.

10. Sometimes they cry for nothing, yea, and count them their foes which rebuke their childish

toys and ways; all which the church muft bear, becaufe they are God's babes; yea, they must feed them too; for if he has found them milk and fpoons, it is that they may be fed therewith, and live yea, grown ministers are God's nurfes, wherefore they must have a lap to lay them in, and knees to dandle them upon, and spoons to feed them with.

11. Nor are the babes without their ufe in the church of God; for he commands that they be brought to cry with the congregation before the Lord, for mercy for the land, Joel ii. 16.

12. Incenfe, I told you, was a type of prayers, and the fpoons, in the time of Mofes, were prefented at the Temple full of it: perhaps to fhew that God will, with the milk which he has provid. ed for them, give it to them as a return of their crying to him, even as the nurse gives the child the teat and milk.

13. You know the milk is called for, when the child is crying, as we fay, to ftop its mouth with it. O babes, did you but cry foundly, God would give you yet more milk.

of?

14. But what were thofe golden spoons a type

I anfwer, if the milk is the juice and confolations of the word, then the fpoons must be thofe foft fentences, and golden conclufions, with which the minifters feed their fouls by it. I have fed you faid Paul, with the milk of the word: faith Peter, even as you have been able to bear it." Compare thefe two or three texts, 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2, 3. 1 Čor iii. 2. 1 Theff. ii. 7.

15. And this is the way to ftrengthen the weak hards, and to confirm the feeble knees. This is the way to make them grow to be men, who now are but as infants of days. Thus a little one may become a thoufand, and a small one a strong nation.. Yea, thus, in time, you may make a little child to joftle it with a leopard, yea, to take a lion by the

-head; yea, thus you may embolden him to put his hand to the hole of the afp, and to play before the den of the cockatrice, Isa. xi. 6, 7, 8. lx. 22.

:

Who is moft ftout, was once a babe he that can now eat meat, was fometimes glad of milk, and to be fed with the fpoon. Babes in Christ therefore must not be difpifed, nor overlooked. God has provided them milk, and spoons to fup it with, that they may grow up to be men before

him.

CHA P. L.

Of the Bowls and Bafons belonging to the Temple.

A

S there were spoons, fo there were bowls and bafons belonging to the temple. Some of thefe were of gold, and fome of filver; and when they were put together, their number was four hundred and forty. Thefe you read of, Ezra.,i. 10.

The bowls or bafons were not to wash in, as were the fea and lavers of the Temple, they were rather to hold the meffes in, which the priests, at their holy feafts, did fo ufe to fet before the people. This being fo, they were types of that pro portion of faith, by which, or by the measure of which, every man received of the holy food for the nourishment of his foul. For, as a man had a thousand meffes fet before him, he eating for his health, cannot go beyond what his ftomach will bear; fo neither can the child of God, when he comes to worship in the Temple of God, receive the good things that are there, beyond the proportion of his faith; or, as it is in another place, "according to the ability which God giveth," Rom. xii. 6. 1 Pet. iv. 11.

And hence it is, at the felf-fame ordinance fome receive three times as much as others do: for that: their bowl, I mean their faith, is able to receive it. Yea, Benjamin's mess was five times as big as was the mefs of any of his brethren; and fo it is with