of the temple, as by express words. 1 Ki. iv. 29. Is. Ix. 5.

Phi. iii. 14. 1 Co. xii. 31. 1 Ti. vi. 8. Ps. cxix. 32.

Since, then, the temple was widest upward, let us imitate it, and have our conversation in heaven. Let our eyes, our ears, our hands, and hearts, our prayers, and groans, be most for things above. Let us open our mouths, as the ground that is chapt doth for the latter rain, for the things that are eternal. Job xxix. 23. Ps. lxxxi. 10.

Observe again, that the lowest parts of the temple were the narrowest part of the temple; so those in the church who are nearest, or most concerned with earth, are the most narrow-spirited as to the things of God. But now let even such a one be taken up higher, to above, to the uppermost parts of the temple, and there he will be enlarged, and have his heart stretched out. For the temple, you see, was widest upwards; the higher, the more it is enlarged. Paul being once caught up into paradise, could not but be there enlarged.

2 Co. xii.

One may say of the fashion of the temple, as some say of a lively picture, it speaks. I say, its form and fashion speaks; it says to all saints, to all the churches of Christ, open your hearts for heaven, be ye enlarged upwards!

I read not in Scripture of any house, but this that was thus enlarged upwards; nor is there anywhere, save only in the church of God, that which doth answer this similitude. All other are widest downward, and have the largest heart for earthly things. The church only is widest upward, and has its greatest enlargements towards heaven.

XIX. Of the outward glory of the Temple.

I do also think, that as to this, there was a great expression in it; I mean, a voice of God, a voice that teacheth the New Testament church to carry even conviction in her outward usages that, I say, might give conviction to the world. And besides this of its enlarging upwards, there was such an outward beauty and glory put upon it, as was alluring to beholders. The stones were curiously carved, and excellently joined together; its outward show was white and glittering, to the dazzling of the eyes of the beholders; yea, the disciples themselves were taken with it, it was so admirable to behold. Hence it is said, they came to Christ to show him the building of the temple. 'Master,' said they, 'see what manner of stones, and what buildings are here.' Mat. xxiv. 1. Mar. xiii. 1. Lu. xxi. 5. And hence it is said, that kings, and the mighty of the earth, were taken with the glory of it. Because of thy temple at Jerusalem, shall kings bring presents unto thee;' as it is. Ps.

Lxviii. 29, 31.

Kings, Gentile kings, they shall be so taken with the sight of the outward glory of it; for they

were not suffered to go into it; no uncircumcised were admitted in thither. It was therefore the outward glory of it with which the beholders were thus taken.

Her enlarging upward, as that was to show us what the inward affections of Christians should be, so her curious outward adorning and beauty was a figure of the beauteous and holy conversation of the godly. Col. iii. 1—3. And it is brave, when the world are made to say of the lives and conversations of saints, as they were made to say of the stones and outward building of the temple, Behold, what Christians, and what goodly conversations are here! I say it is brave when our light so shines before men, that they seeing our good works shall be forced to glorify our Father which is in heaven. Mat. v. 16.

ii.

Hence this is called our adorning wherewith we adorn the gospel, and that by which we beautify it. Tit. i 10. This, I say, is taking to beholders, as was this goodly outside of the temple. And without this, what is to be seen in the church of God? Her inside cannot be seen by the world, but her outside may. Now, her outside is very homely, and without all beauty, save that of the holy life; this only is her visible goodliness. This puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men. This allureth others to fall in love with their own salvation, and makes them fall in with Christ against the devil and his kingdom.

XX. Of the porch of the Temple.

We come next to the porch of the temple that is commonly called Solomon's. 1. This porch was in the front of the house, and so became the common way into the temple. 1 Ki. vi. 3. 2 Ch. iii. 4. 2. This porch therefore was the place of reception in common for all, whether Jews or religious proselytes, who came to Jerusalem to worship. Ac. iii. 11; v. 12. 3. This porch had a door or gate belonging to it, but such as was seldom shut, except in declining times, or when men put themselves into a rage against those better than themselves. 2 Ch. xxix. 7. Ac. xxi. 28–30. 4. This gate of this porch was called Beautiful, even the Beautiful gate of the temple, and was that at which the lame man lay, to beg for an alms of them that went in thither to worship. Ac. iii. 1, 2, 10.

Now then, since this porch was the common place of reception for all worshippers, and the place also where they laid the beggars, it looks as if it were to be a type of the church's bosom for charity. Here the proselytes were entertained, here the beggars were relieved, and received alms. These gates were seldom shut; and the houses of Christian compassion should be always open. This therefore beautified this gate, as charity beautifics any of the churches. Largeness of heart, and

xiii. 1-3. Jn. v. 6, 7. Col. iii. 14.

The church-porch to this day is a coming in for beggars, and perhaps this practice at first was borrowed from the beggars lying at the templegate. This porch was large, and so should the charity of the churches be. It was for length the breadth of the temple, and of the same size with 'the Holiest of all.' 1 Ki. vi. 3. 2 Ch. iii. 4. The first might be to teach us in charity we should not be niggardly, but, according to the breadth of our ability, we should extend it to all the house; and that in our so doing, the very emblem of heaven is upon us, of which the holiest was a figure. 'As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all,' &c. Ga. vi. 10.

It is a fine ornament to a true church to have a large church-porch, or a wide bosom, for reception of all that come thither to worship. This was commanded to the Jews, and their glory shone when they did accordingly: 'And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God.' Eze. xlvii. 23.

This porch was, as I said, not only for length the breadth of the temple, and so the length and breadth of the holiest; 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 [oracle in] temple itself. 1 Ki. vi. 2, 20. 2 Ch. iii. 4.

One excellent ornament, therefore, of this temple was, for that it had a porch so high, that is, so famous for height; hence he says, This house that is so high,' that is so famous for height. So high as to be seen afar off. Charity, if it be rich, runs up from the church like a steeple, and will be seen afar off; I say, if it be rich, large, and abounds. Christ's charity was blazed abroad; it was so high no man could hide it: and the charity of the churches will be seen from church to church, yea, and will be spoken of to their commendations in every place, if it be warm, fervent, and high.

Mar. vii. 56-44. 2 Co. viii. 24; ix. 2, 13, 14.

XXI. Of the ornaments of the porch of the Temple.

There were three things belonging to the porch, besides its height, that were ornaments unto it. 1. It was overlaid within with gold. 2. It had

1 This is a valuable lesson to the ministers and members of churches, to be ever ready to welcome the returning prodigal. The porch is never to be shut against the poor fugitive; and the only proper inquiry as to opening the door of the church, is, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest freely enter.'-(ED.)

First. It was overlaid with gold. Gold ofttimes was a type of grace, and particularly of the grace of love. That in Solomon's chariot called gold is yet again mentioned by the name love. Ca. iii. 9, 10. As it is in the church, the grace of love is as gold. It is the greatest, the richest of graces, and that which abides for ever. Hence they that show much love to saints are said to be rich. 1 Ti. vi. 17-19. And hence charity is called a treasure, a treasure in the heavens. Lu. xii. 33, 34. Love is a golden grace; let then the churches, as the porch of the templo was, be inlaid with love, as gold.

Second. It had the pillars adjoined to it, the which, besides their stateliness, seem to be there typically to example. For there was seen, by the space of four cubits, their lily-work in the porch. 1 Ki. vii. 19. Of their lily-work I spake before. Now that they were so placed that they might be scen in the porch of the house, it seems to be for example, to teach the church, that she should live without worldly care, as did the apostles, the first planters of the church. And let ministers do this; they are now the pillars of the churches, and they stand before the porch of the house; let them also show their lily-work to the house, that the church may learn of them to be without carefulness as to worldly things, and also to be rich in love and charity towards the brethren. A covetous minister is a base thing, a pillar more symbolizing Lot's wife than an holy apostle of Jesus Christ; let them, since they stand at the door, and since the eyes of all in the porch are upon them, be patterns and examples of good works. 1 Ti. vi. 10–12, Tit. ii. 7.

Third. 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, shuts 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 ministers be beautified with your love, that they may beautify you with their love; and also be an ornament unto you, and to that Gospel they minister to you, for Jesus Christ's sake.

XXII. Of the ascent by which they went up into the porch of the Temple.

1. This porch also had certain steps, by which they went up into the house of the Lord. I know not directly the number of them; though Ezekiel speaks something about it. Eze. xl. 38, 39. Hence, when men went to worship in the temple, they were said to go UP into the house of the Lord.

Is. xxxviii. 22.

2. These steps, whether cedar, gold, or stone, yet that which added to their adornment was the wonderment of a queen. And whatever they were made of, to be sure they were a shadow of those steps which we should take to and in the house of God. Steps of God. Pa. lxxxv. 13. Steps ordered by him. Ps. xxxvii. 23. Steps ordered in his word. exix. 133. Steps of faith. Ro. iv. 12. Steps of the Spirit. 2 Co. xii. 18. Steps of truth. 3 J. 4. Steps washed with butter. Job. xxix. 6. Steps taken before, or in the presence of, God. Steps butted and bounded by a divine rule. indeed.

Ps.

These are steps

3. There are therefore no such steps as these to be found any where in the world. A step to honour, a step to riches, a step to worldly glory, these are everywhere; but what are these to the steps by which men do ascend or go up to the house of the Lord!

one

wide. The leaves of this gate were double, folding this way, the other folding that. Eze. xl. 48. Now here some may object, and say, Since the way to God by these doors were so wide, why doth Christ say the way and gate is narrow?

Answ. The straitness, the narrowness, must not be understood of the gate simply, but because of that cumber that some men carry with them, that pretend to be going to heaven. Six cubits! What is sixteen cubits to him who would enter in here with all the world on his back? The young man in the gospel, who made such a noise for heaven, might have gone in easy enough; for in six cubits breadth there is room: but, poor man, he was not for going in thither, unless he might carry in his houses upon his shoulder too, and now the gate was strait. Mar. x. 17–27. Wherefore he that will enter in at the gate of heaven, of which this gate into the temple was a type, must go in by himself, and not with his bundles of trash on his back;1 and if he will go in thus, he need not fear there is room. The righteous nation that keepeth the truth, they shall enter in.' Is. xxvi. 2.

2. They that enter in at the gate of the inner court must be clothed in fine linen: how then shall they go into the temple that carry the clogs of the dirt of this world at their heels? Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary.' Eze. xliv. 9,

The steps then by which men went up into the temple are, and ought to be, opposed to those which men take to their lusts and empty glories. Ilence such steps are said not only to decline from God, but to take hold of the path to death and hell. Ps. xliv. 18. Pr. ii. 18; v. 5; vii. 25-27.

The steps, then, by which men went up to the house of the Lord, were significative of those steps which men take when they go to God, to heaven, and glory for these steps were the way to God, to God in his holy temple.

But how few are there that, as the queen of the south, are taken with these goodly steps! Do not most rather seek to push away our feet from taking hold of the path of life, or else lay snares for us in the way ? But all these notwithstanding, the Lord guide us in the way of his steps: they are goodly steps, they are the best.

XXIII. Of the gate of the porch of the Temple.

1. The porch, at which was an ascent to the temple, had a gate belonging to it. This gate, according to the prophet Ezekiel, was six cubits

4. Wherefore let such as would go in remember that here is room, even a gate to enter in at six cubits wide. We have been all this while but on the outside of the temple, even in the courts of the house of the Lord, to see the beauty and glory that is there. The beauty hereof made men cry out, and say, 'How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! my soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord;' and to say, 'a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.' Ps. lxxxiv.

1, 2, &c.

XXIV. Of the pinnacles of the Temple.

1. There were also several pinnacles belonging to the temple. These pinnacles stood on the top aloft in the air, and were sharp, and so difficult to stand upon: what men say of their number and length I wave, and come directly to their signification.

1 Wealth and honours, when sanctified, are valuable aids to Christian usefulness; but unutterable woes will fall upon him who attempts to enter heaven with temporal or ecclesiastical pomps vain-gloriously carried upon his shoulders-(ED.)