but otherwise we see them not. Therefore we are said to look, not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.' 2 Co. iv. 18. 4. The people of old were not to look into the holiest, lest they died, save only their high-priest, he might go into it. Nu. xvii. 13. To show that we, while here, must have a care of vain speculations, for there is nothing to be seen, by us while here, in heaven, otherwise than by faith in God's eternal testament. True, we may now come to the holiest, even as nigh as the first temple will admit us to come; but it must be by blood and faith, not by vain imagination, sense, or carnal reason. He. x. 19. 5. This holiest of all was four square every way, both as to height, length, and breadth. To be thus, is a note of perfection, as I have showed else where; wherefore it was on purpose thus built, to show us that all fulness of blessedness is there, both as to the nature, degree, and duration. So when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.' 1 Co. xiii. 8--10. Ile. x. 19-22. LVII. Of the veil of the Temple. The veil of the temple was a hanging made of blue and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen,' and there were cherubims wrought thereon. Ex. xxvi. 31. 1. This veil was one partition, betwixt the holy and most holy place; and I take it, it was to keep from the sight of the worshippers the things most holy, when the high-priest went in thither, to accomplish the service of God. Ex. xxvi. 33. 2 Ch. iii. 14. He. ix. 8. 2. The veil was a type of two things. (1.) Of these visible heavens through which Christ passed when he went to make intercession for us. And as by the veil, the priest went out of the sight of the people, when he went into the holiest of all, so Jesus Christ when he ascended, was by the heavens, that great and stretched out curtain, received out of the sight of his people here. Also by the same curtain, since it is become as a tent for him to dwell in, he is still received, and still kept out of our sight; for now we see him not, nor shall, until these heavens be rolled together as a scroll, and pass away like a thing rolled together. Is. xl. 22. Ac. i. 9—11; iii. 19–21. 1 Pe. i. 8. (2.) This is that veil through which the apostle saith, Jesus is, as a forerunner for us, entered into the presence of God. For by veil here also must be meant the heavens, or outspread firmament thereof; as both Mark and Peter say, He is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God.' Mar. xvi. 19. 1 Pe. iii. 22. 3. The veil of the temple was made of blue, the very colour of the heaven. Of purple and crimson, and scarlet also, which are the colours of many of the clouds, because of the reflections of the sun. But again, 4. The veil was also a type of the body of Christ. For as the veil of the temple, when whole, kept the view of the things of the holiest from us, but when rent, gave place to man to look in unto them; even so the body of Christ, while whole, kept the things of the holiest from that view, we, since he was pierced, have of them. Hence we are said to enter into the holiest, by faith, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. He. x. 19–22. But yet, I say, all is by faith; and, indeed, the rending of the veil that day that Christ was crucified, did loudly preach this to us. For no sooner was the body of Christ pierced, but the veil of the temple rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and so a way was made for a clearer sight of what was there beyond it, both in the type and antitype. Mat. xxvii. 50-53. He. x. 19, 20. Thus you see that the veil of the temple was a type of these visible heavens, and also of the body of Christ; of the first, because he passed through it unto the Father; of the second, because we by it have boldness to come to the Father. I read also of two other veils, as of that spread over the face of Moses, to the end that the children of Israel should not stedfastly behold; and of the first veil of the tabernacle. But of these I shall not in this place speak. Upon the veil of the temple there were also the figures of cherubims wrought, that is, of angels; to show, that as the angels are with us here, and wait upon us all the days of our pilgrimage in this world; so when we die, they stand ready, even at the veil, at the door of these heavens, to come when bid, to fetch us, and carry us away into Abraham's bosom. Lu. xvi. 22. The veil, then, thus understood, teaches us first where Jesus is, namely, not here, but gone into heaven, from whence we should wait for him. It also teaches us, that if we would even now discern the glories that are in the holiest of all, we must look through Jesus to them, even through the veil, 'that is to say, his flesh.' Yea, it teaches us that we may, by faith through him, attain to a kind of a presence, at least of the beauty and sweetness of them. LVIII. Of the doors of the inner Temple. 1. Besides the veil, there was a door to the inner temple, and that door was made of olive-tree; and for the entering of the oracle, he made doors of olive-tree. The two doors also of olive-tree, and he carved upon them - cherubims, and palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.' 1 Ki. vi. 81. 2. These doors were a type of the gate of heaven, even of that which lets into the eternal mansion-house that is beyond that veil. I told you before that the veil was a type of the visible heavens, which God has spread out as a curtain, and through which Christ went when he ascended to the right hand of the Father. 3. Now, beyond this veil, as I said, I find a door, a gate opening with two leaves, as afore we found at the door of the outward temple. These are they which the Psalmist calls to, when he saith, Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.' Ps. xxiv. 7, 9. 4. The doors of the temple were made of fir, but these, as you see, were made of olive: to show us by that fat tree, that rich type, with what glory we shall be met, who shall be counted worthy to enter at these gates. The olive tree has its name from the oil and fatness of its nature, and the doors that let into the holiest were made of this olive tree.1 Ro. xi. 16-18. 5. Cherubims were also carved upon these doors to show, that as the angels met us at the temple door, and as they wait upon us in the temple, and stand also ready at the veil, so even at the gate of the mansion-house, they will be also ready to give us a welcome thither, and to attend us into the presence chamber. 6. Palm trees also, as they were carved upon the temple doors, so we also find them here before the oracle, upon the doors that let in thither; to show, that as Christ gave us the victory at our first entering into faith, so he will finish that victory, by giving of us eternal salvation. Thus is he the author and finisher of our faith. For as sure as at first we received the palm branch by faith, so surely shall we wear it in our hands, as a token of his faithfulness in the heaven of heavens, for ever. Re. vii. 9. 7. Open flowers are also carved here, to show that Christ, who is the door to glory, as well as the door to grace, will be precious to us at our entering in thither, as well as at the first step we took thitherward in a sinful and miserable world. Christ will never lose his sweet scent in the nostrils of his church. He is most sweet now, will be so at death, and sweetest of all, when by him we shall enter into that mansion-house prepared for us in heaven. The olive wood is used, with ivory and mother of pearl, in ornamenting the most sumptuous apartments in oriental palaces. It is exceedingly durable and elegant. "The choosing olive out of every other kind of wood, for the adorning these sumptuous apartments, shows the elegance and grandeur of the taste in which Solomon's temple was built, where the doors of the oracle, and some other parts, were of olive wood. (Harmer, Scheuzer, Lady M. W. Montague.)-(ED.) 8. The palm trees and open flowers may also be a type of the precious ones of God, who shall be counted worthy of his kingdom; the one, of the uprightness of their hearts; the other, of the good favour of their lives. The upright shall dwell in thy presence; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, I will show the salvation of God.' Ps. cxl. 18. 9. Thus sweet on earth, sweet in heaven; and he that yields the fruit of the gospel here, shall find it for himself, and his eternal comfort, at the gates of glory. He overlaid them 10. All these were overlaid with gold, as you may say, and so they were at the door of the first house. True, but observe here we have an addition. Ilere is gold upon gold. Gold laid on them, and then gold spread upon that. with gold, and then spread gold upon them. The Lord gives grace and glory. Ps. Lxxxiv. 11. Gold and gold. Gold spread upon gold. Grace is gold in the leaf, and glory is gold in plates. Grace is thin gold, glory is gold that is thick. Here is gold laid on, and gold spread upon that: and that both upon the palm trees and the cherubims. Gold upon the palm trees, that is, on the saints; gold upon the cherubims, that is, upon the angels. For I doubt not but that the angels themselves shall receive additional glory for the service which they have served Christ and his church on earth. 11. The angels are God's harvest men, and doubtless he will give them good wages, even glory upon their glory then. Mat. xiii, 38, 39; xxiv. 31. Jn. iv. 36. 12. You know harvest men use to be paid well for gathering in the corn, and I doubt not but so shall these, when the great ingathering is over. But what an entrance into life is here? Here is gold upon gold at the door, at our first step into the kingdom. LIX. Of the golden nails of the inner Temple. I shall not concern myself with all the nails of the temple, as of those made of iron, &c. 1 Ch xxii.3. But only with the golden ones, of which you read, where he saith, And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold.' 2 Ch. iii. 9. These nails, as I conceive, were all fastened to the place most holy, and of form most apt to that of which they were a figure. 1. Some of them represented Christ Jesus our Lord as fixed in his mediatory office in the heavens; wherefore in one place, when the Holy Ghost speaks of Christ, as he sprang from Judah to be a mediator, saith, 'Out of him came the corner,' the corner stone, out of him the nail.' Zec. x. 4. Now, since he is compared to a nail, a golden nail, it is to show, that as a nail, by driving, is fixed in his place; so Christ, by God's oath, is made an everlasting priest. He. vii. 25. Therefore, as he saith again, the nail, the Aaronical priesthood, that was fastened in a sure place, should be removed, be cut down, and fall; so he who has the key of David, which is Christ, Re. iii. 7, shall by God, as a nail, be fastened in a sure place, and abide; therefore he says again, And he shall be for a glorious throne,' or mercy-seat, to his Father's house.' And moreover, That they shall hang upon him,' as on a nail, all the glory of his Father's house, the off spring, and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.' Is. xxii. 20–25. According to that which is written, And they sang a new song' to the Lamb that was slain, saying, Thou art worthy,' &c. Re. v. 9-12. And therefore it is again that Christ, under the similitude of a nail, is accounted by saints indeed their great pledge or hope, as he is in heaven, of their certain coming thither. Hence they said of old, God has given us a nail in his holy place;' a nail, says the line, 'a pin, a constant and sure abode,' says the margin. Ezr. ix. 8. Now, this nail in his holy place, as was showed before, is Christ; Christ, as possessed of heaven, and as abiding, and ever living therein for us. Hence he is called, as there, our head, our life, and our salvation; and also we are said there to be set down together in him. Ep. i. Col. iii. 3. Ep. ii. 5, 6. 2. Some of these nails were types of the holy words of God, which for ever are settled in heaven. Types, I say, of their 'yea and amen.' Hence Solomon, in another place, compares the words of the wise God, to goads and nails, fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.' Ec. xii. 11. They are called goads, because, as such prick the oxen on in their drawing, so God's words prick Christians on in their holy duties. They are called nails, to show, that as nails, when fastened well in a sure place, are not easily removed; so God's words, by his will, stand firm for ever. The masters of the assemblies are first, the apostles. The one shepherd is Jesus Christ. Hence the gospel of Christ is said to be everlasting, to abide for ever, and to be more stedfast than heaven and earth. Is. xl. 6-8. 1 Pe. i. 24, 25. Hle. xiii. 20. Re, xiv. 6. Mat. xxiv. 35. The Lord Jesus then, and his holy words, are the golden nails of the temple, and the fixing of these nails in the temple, was to show that Christ is the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever; and that his words abide, and remain the same for ever and ever. He then that hath Christ, has a nail in the holiest; he that hath a promise of salvation hath also a nail in heaven, a golden nail in heaven! LX. Of the floor and walls of the inner Temple. 1. The floor of the oracle was overlaid with cedar, and so also were the walls of this house. 'He built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar. He even built for it within, for the oracle, for the most holy place.' 1 Ki. vi. 16. 2. In that he doth tell us with what it was ceiled, and doth also thus repeat, saying, 'for the oracle, for it within, even for the most holy place,' it is because he would have it noted, that this only is the place that thus was done. 3. Twenty cubits, that was the length, and breadth, and height of the house; so that by his thus saying he teacheth that thus it was built round about. 4. The cedar is, if I mistake not, the highest of the trees. Eze. xxxi. 3-8. Now in that it is said the house, the oracle, was ceiled round about therewith, it may be to show, that in heaven, and no where else, is the height of all perfections. Perfection is in the church on earth, but not such as is in heaven. (1.) There is a natural perfection, and so a penny is as natural silver as is a shilling. (2.) There is a comparative perfection, and so one thing may be perfect and imperfect at the same time; as a halfcrown is more than a shilling, yet less than a crown. (3.) There is also that which we call the utmost perfection, and that is it which cannot be added to, or taken from him; and so God only is perfect. Now, heavenly glory is that which goes beyond all perfection on the earth, as the cedar goes beyond all trees for height. Hence God, when he speaks of his own excellency, sets it forth by its height. The high God, the most High, and the high and lofty One; and the Highest. Ps. xcvii. 9; cxxxviii. 6. Ge. xiv. 19-21. Da. iii. 26; v. 18. Ps. xviii. 13; lxxxvii. 5. Lu.i. 32; vi. 35. Is. lvii. 15. Ps. ix. 2; lvi. 2; xcii. 1. Is. xiv. 14. These terms also are ascribed to this house, for that it was the place where utmost perfection dwelt. I take, therefore, the cedar in this place to be a note of perfection, even the cedar with which this house was ceiled. For since it is the wisdom of God to speak to us ofttimes by trees, gold, silver, stones, beasts, fowls, fishes, spiders, ants, frogs, flies, lice, dust, &c., and here by wood; how should we by them understand his voice, if we count there is no meaning in them? • And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers; all was cedar; there was no stone seen.' 1 Ki. vi. 18. Knops and flowers were they with which the golden candlestick was adorned, as you read, Ex. xxv. 33, 35; xxxvii. 10, 21. The candlestick was a type of the church, and the knops and flowers a type of her ornaments. But what! must heaven be hanged round about with the ornaments of saints! with the fruits of their graces! Well, it is certain that something more than ordinary must be done with them, since they are admitted to follow them into the holy place, Re. xiv. 13; and since, it is said, they 2 Co. iv. 16, 17. All was cedar; there was no stone seen.' Take stone in the type for that which was really so, and in the antitype for that which is so mystically, and then it may import to us, that in heaven, the antitype of this holiest, there shall never be anything of hardness of heart in them that possess it for ever. All imperfection ariseth from the badness of the heart, but there will be no bad hearts in glory. No shortness in knowledge, no crossness of disposition, no workings of lusts, or corruptions will be there; no, not throughout the whole heavens. Here, alas! they are seen, and that in the best of saints, because here our light is mixed with darkness; but there will be no night there, nor any stone seen. And the floor of the house was overlaid with gold.' 1 Ki. vi. 30. This is like that of which we read of the New Jerusalem that is to come from God out of heaven; says the text, 'The street of the city was pure gold;' and like that of which you read in Exodus, They saw the God of Israel, and under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.' Re. xxi. 21. Ex. xxiv. 10. All the visions were rich, but this the richest, that the floor of the house should be covered or overlaid with gold. The floor and street are walking-places, and how rich will our steps be then! Alas! here we sometimes fall into the mire, and then again stumble upon blocks and stones. Here we sometimes fall into holes, and have our heel oft catched in a snare; but there will be none of these. Gold! gold! all will be gold, and golden perfections, when we come into the holy place! Job at best took but his steps in butter, but we then shall take all our steps in the gold of the sanctuary. 501 that in him only, and not in the hand of Moses, 2. This ark, in this, was a type of Christ; for these tables were kept whole. Moses brake them, the ark keeps them. but that also called the ceremonial,' was put into 3. Not only that wrote on two tables of stone, the ark to be kept. the midst of the ark, to answer to this-thy law is The two tables were put into within my heart to do it. But the ceremonial was put into the side of the ark, to show that out of the side of Christ must come that which must answer that, for out thence came blood and water; blood, to answer the blood of the ceremonies; and water, to answer the purifyings and rinsings of that law. lodged in the side of the ark, to show that they yea, it was called the strength of God, and his this way and that, to show how Christ should be sence accompanying it, as had no other ceremony 6. The ark had those testimonies of God's preof his presence with him, as never had man either of the law; and Christ had those signs and tokens in law or gospel. This is so apparent it needs no proof. And now for a few comparisons more. when they were wont to come to inquire of him; (1.) It was at that that God answered the people, and in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son. 1 Ch. xiii. 3. 1 Sa. xiv. 18. He. i. 2. Jn. xvi. 23, 24. (2.) At the presence of the ark the waters of Jordan stood still till Israel, the ransomed of the LXI. Of the ark of the covenant which was placed Lord, passed over from the wilderness to Canaan; in the inner Temple. In the Word I read of three arks; to wit, Noah's ark, that in which Moses was hid, and the ark of the covenant of God. Ge. vi. 14. Ex. ii. 3, 5. the ark of the covenant of which I shall now speak. But it is The ark was made of shittim-wood, two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.' It was overlaid with pure gold within and without,' and 'a crown of gold' was made for it round about.' Ex. xxv. 10, 11. 1. This ark was called 'the ark of the covenant,' as the first that you read of was called Noah's,' because as he in that was kept from being drowned, so the tables of the covenant were kept in this from breaking. we pass over death, Jordan's antitype, from the and it is by the power and presence of Christ that wilderness of this world to heaven. Jos. iii. 15—17. Jn. xi. 25. Ro. viii. 37-39. 1 Co. xv. 54-57. down; and at the presence of Christ shall all high (3.) Before the ark the walls of Jericho fell towers, and strongholds, and hiding places for sinners be razed, and dissolved at his coming. Jos. vi. 20. Is. xxx. 25; ii. 10, 16. 2 Pe. iii. 10. Re. xx. 11—13. (4.) Before the ark Dagon fell, that idol of the Philistines; and before Christ Jesus devils fell, till all his enemies be put under his feet, and until those gods of all those idols. And he must reign they be made his footstool. 1 Sa. v. 1-4. Mar. v. 12. 1 Co. xv. 25. He. x. 13. (5.) The Philistines were also plagued for medd ling with the ark, while they abode uncircumcised; | thither; now in the hands of enemies, and then and the wicked will one day be most severely plagued for their meddling with Christ, with their uncircumcised hearts. 1 Sa. v. 6-13. Ps. 1. 6. Mat. xxiv. 51; xxv. 11, 12. Lu. xiii. 25-29. abused by friends; yea, it was caused to rove from place to place, as that of which the world was weary. I need instance to you for proof hereof none other place than the fifth, sixth, and seventh (6.) God's blessing was upon those that enter-chapters of the first Book of Samuel; and, answertained the ark as they should; and much more is, and will his blessing be upon those that so embrace and entertain his Christ, and profess his name sin- | cerely. 2 Sa. vi. 11. Ac. iii. 26. Ga. iii. 13, 14. Mat. xix. 27–29. Lu. xxii. 28, 29. (7.) When Uzzah put forth his hand to stay the ark, when the oxen shook it, as despairing of God's protecting of it without a human help, he died before the Lord; even so will all those do, without repentance, who use unlawful means to promote Christ's religion, and to support it in the world. 1 Ch. xiii. 9, 10. Mat. xxvi. 52. Re. xiii. 10. (8.) The ark, though thus dignified, was of itself but low-but a cubit and a half high; also Christ-though he was the glory of heaven and of God-yet made himself of no reputation, and was found in the likeness of a man. Ex. xxv. 10-12. Phi. ii. 6-11. able to this, was our dear Lord Jesus posted backwards and forwards, hither and thither, by the force of the rage of his enemies. He was hunted into Egypt so soon as he was born. Mat. ii. Then he was driven to live in Galilee the space of many years. Also, when he showed himself to Israel, they drove him sometimes into the wilderness, sometimes into the desert, sometimes into the sea, and sometimes into the mountains, and still in every of these places he was either haunted or hunted by new enemies. And at last of all, the Pharisees plot for his life; Judas sells him, the priests buy him, Peter denies him, his enemies mock, scourge, buffet, and much abuse him. In fine, they get him condemned, and crucified, and buried; but at last God commanded, and took him to his place, even within the veil, and sets him to bear up the mercy-seat, where he is to this very day, being our ark to save us, as Noah's did him, as Moses' did him; yea, better, as none but Christ doth save his own. LXII. Of the placing of the ark in the holiest, or inner Temple. (9.) The ark had a crown of gold round about upon it, to show how Christ is crowned by his saints by faith, and shall be crowned by them in glory, for all the good he hath done for them; as also how all crowns shall one day stoop to him, and be set upon his head. This is showed in the type. Zec. vi. 11, 14. And in the antitype. Re. iv. 10; xix. 12. (10.) The ark was overlaid with gold within and without, to show that Christ was perfect in inward grace and outward life, in spirit and in righteous-under the wings of the cherubims.' 'And the priests ness. Jn. i. 14. 1 Pe. ii. 22. (11.) The ark was placed under the mercy-seat, to show that Jesus Christ, as Redeemer, brings and bears, as it were, upon his shoulders, the mercy of God to us, even in the body of his flesh, through death. Ex. xxv. 21. Ep. iv. 22; v. 1, 2. (12.) When the ark was removed far from the people, the godly went mourning after it; and when Christ is hid, or taken from us, then we mourn in those days. 2 Sa. vii. 2. Mar. ii. 19, 20. Lu. v. 34, 35. 1. The ark, as we have said, and as the text declares, when carried to its rest, was placed in the inner temple, or in the most holy place, 'even brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.' Ex. xxvi. 33; xxxix. 35. 1 Ki. viii. 3. 2 Ch. v. 7. 2. Before this, as was said afore, the ark was carried from place to place, and caused to dwell in a tent under curtains, as all our fathers did; to show that Christ, as we, was made for a time to wander in the world, in order to his being possessed of glory. 2 Sa. vii. 1, 3, 6. He. xi. 9. Jn. i. 10; xvi. 28; iii. 13. 3. But now, when the ark was brought into the holiest, it is said to be brought into its place. This world then was not Christ's place, he was not from beneath, he came from his Father's house; wherefore while here, he was not at his place, nor could until he ascended up where he was before. Jn. viii. 23; xvi. 28; vi. 62; iii. 13. By all these things, and many more that might be mentioned, it is most evident that the ark of the testimony was a type of Jesus Christ; and 4. Christ's proper place, therefore, is the holiest. take notice a little of that which follows, namely, His proper place, as God, as Priest, as Prophet, that the ark at last arrived to the place most holy. as King, and as the Advocate of his people. Here. He. ix. 3, 4. That is, after its wanderings; for the with us, he has no more to do, in person, as meark was first made to wander, like a non-inhabi- diator. If he were on earth, he should not be a tant, from place to place; now hither, and then | priest, &c. His place and work is now above |