the making of the tables, flesh-hooks, cups, basons, altar of incenfe; with the pattern for the chariot of the cherubins, &c. ver. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. All this, faid David, the Lord made me understand by writing by his hand upon me, even all the work of this pattern, (ver. 20.) So I fay, he gave David the pattern of the temple; fo David gave Solomon the pa tern of the temple, and according to that pattern did Solomon build the temple, and no other wife.

True, all these were but figures, patterns, and fhadows of things in heaven, and not the very image of the things: but, as was faid afore, if God was fo circumfpect and exact in thefe, as not to leave any thing to the dictates of the godly and wifest of men, what can we fuppofe he will now admit of the wit and contrivance of men in those things that are, in comparison to them, the heavenly things themselves?

It is alfo to be concluded, that fince thofe fhadows of things in the heavens are already committed by God to facred story, and fince that facred ftory is faid to be able to make the man of God sə perfect in all things, (2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17.) it is a duty to us to leave off to lean to common understanding, and to inquire and fearch out by that holy writ, and nought elfe, by what and how we fhould worship God. David was for inquiring in

his temple, (Pfal. xxvii, 4-)

And although the old church-way of worship is laid afide as to us in New-Teftament times, yet, fince thofe very ordinances were figures of things and methods of worship, now we may, yea, we ought to fearch out the spiritual meaning of them, because they serve to confirm and illuftrate matters to our understandings, Yea, they fhew us the more exactly how the New and Old Testament, as to the fpiritualnefs of the worship, was as one and the

* Heb. viii. 5. chap. ix. 8, 6, 23. chap. &. 1,

fame; only the Old was clouded with fhadows, but ours is with more open face.

Features to the life, as we fay, fet out by a pic ture, does excellently thew the fkill of the artist. The Old and New Teftament had the fhadow, nor have we but the very image; both then are butem. blems of what is yet behind. We may find our gofpel clouded in their ceremonies, and our fpiritual worship fet out foine what by their carnal ordi.

nances.

Now becaule, as I faid, the re lies, as wrapt up in a mantle, much of the glory of our gospel-matter's in this Temple which Solomon builded; therefore I have made, as well as I could, by comparing fpiritual things with temporal, this book upon this fub. ject.

I dare not prefume to fay, that I know I have hit right in every thing, but this I can fay, I have endeavoured fo to do. True, I have not for the fe things fished in other mens waters; my Bible and Concordance are my only library in my writings. Wherefore, courteous Reader, if thou finde ft any thing, either in word or matter, that thou shalt judge doth vary from God's truth, let it be count ed no man's elie but mine: Pray God alfo to pardon my fault, do thou alfo lovingly pafs it by, and receive what thou findest will do thee good.

And for thy eafier finding of any particular in the book, I have in the leaves following fet before. thee the chief heads, one by one; and alfo in what page of the book thou mayeft find them.

Thy Servant in the Gospel,.

JOHN BUNYAN,

SPIRITUALI ZE D.

T

CHA P. I.

Where the Temple was built.

HE Temple was built at Jerufalem, on Mount Moriah, in the threshing-floor of Arnon the Jebusite; whereabout Abraham offered up Ifaac; there where David met the angel of the Lord, when he came with his drawn fword in his hand, to cut off the people at Jerufalem for the tin which David committed in his diforderly numbering the people. Gen. xxii. 3, 4, 5. 1 Chron. xxi. 15. xxii. 1. 2 Chron. iii. 1.

There Abraham received his fon Ifaac from the dead; there the Lord was intreated by David to take away the plague, and to return to Ifrael again in mercy; from whence alfo David gathered, that there God's temple must be built. "This (faid he) is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altag of the burnt-offering for Ifrael, 1 Chron, xxi. 28.. xxii. 1. ii, 1.

This Mount Moriah, therefore, was a type of the Son of God, the mountain of the Lord's houfe, the rock against which the gates of hell cannot prevail.

CHA P. II.

Who built the Temple.

man

TH HE Temple was built by Solomon, a peaceable and quiet, and that in name, by na ture, and in governing; for fo God had before told David, namely, that fuch a one the builder of the Temple should be.

"Behold, faith he, a fon fhall be born unto thee,

who thall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name fhall be called Solomon, and I will give peace and quietnefs to Ifrael in his days: he hall build an houfe for my name, and he thall be my Son, F will be his Father." i Chron. xxii. 9, 10. Pial. Ixxii. 1, 2, 3, 4.

As therefore Mount Moriah was a type of Chrift as the foundation, fo Solomon was a type of him as the builder of his church. The Mount was figpal, for that thereon the Lord God, before Abra-' ham and David, did difplay his mercy. And as Solomon built this temple, fo Chrift doth build his house. Yea, he fhall build the ever laiting temple, and he fhall bear the glory." Hcb. ii. 3, 4. Zech vi. 12, 13.

And in that Solomon was called peaceable, it was to thew with what peaceable docrine and ways Christ's house and church fhould be built. Ila. ix. 6. Micah vii. 2, 3, 4.

THE

CHAP

III.

How the Temple was built.

HE Temple was built, not merely by the dic tates of Solomon, though he was wifer than Ethan, and Heman, and Calco!, and Darda, and all men, 1 Kings iv. 31. but it was built by rules, prefcribed by, or in a written word; and, as fe, delivered to him by his father David,

For when David gave to Solomon his fon a charge to build the temple of God, with that charge he gave him alo the pattern of all in writ ing; even a pattern of the porch, house, chambers, treafuries, parlours, &c. and of the place for the mercy-feat; which pattern David had of God: nor would God truft his memory with it. "The

Lord. made me, faid he, understand in writing, by his hand upon me, even all the work of this pat tern." Thus, therefore, David gave to Solomon

his fon the pattern of all; and this Solomon his fon built the houfe of God. See i Chron. xxviii, 91-20.

I

And answerable to this, Chrift Jefus, the builder of his own houfe, whofe houfe are we, doth build his holy habitation for him to dwell in; even according to the commandment of God the Father. For, faith he, "I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which fent me, he gave me a commandment what I fhould fpeak." And hence it is faid, "God gave him the revelation ;" and again, "That he took the book out of the hand of him that fat on the throne;" and so acted as to the building up of his church. John xii. 49, 41. Rev. i. 1. v. 7.

Of what the Temple was built.

THE materials with which the temple was built, were fuch as were in their own nature common to that which was left behind; things that naturally, were not fit, without art, to be laid on fo holy a house. And this fhews, that those of whem Chrift Jefus defigns to build his church åre by nature no better than others. But as the trees and ftones of which the temple was built were first hewed and fquared before they were fit to be laid in that houfe; fo finners, of which the church is to be built, must first be fitted by the word and doctrine, and then fitly laid in their place in the church.

For though, as to nature, there is no difference betwixt thofe made ufe of to build God's houfe with, yet by grace they differ from others; even as thofe trees and ftones that are hewed and fquared for building by art, are made to differ from thofe which abide in the wood or pit.

The Lord Jefus, therefore, while he feeketh materials wherewith to build his houfe, he findeth