the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid; confider it, from this day will I blefs you." It is the best day's work that ever was done; and it is the beft day that ever you had in your life; for, from hence you may date your happiness, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid. Now, you are to remember that the temple was typi cal of Chrift; not only of Chrift perfonal, in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; as God dwelt in the temple of old fymbolically, towards which facred temple, Chrift Jefus, we are always to look for acceptance with God; and, like Jonah, to look again towards his holy temple; but alfo Chrift myftical was typified by the temple; that is, the church, which is the houfe of God, whereof Chrift is the living stone, the fure foundation; and all believers, as living flones, are built up a fpiritual houfe in him; as you have it explained, 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. Heb. iii. 6. Eph. ii. 20. 1 Cor. iii. 17. 2 Cor. vi. 16. Thus their building of the temple did fignify the reformation of the church, having laid the foundation, which represents the fecuring of the ground-work of re. ligion. Now, let us gather fome fpiritual leffon from this, that they were bleffed from the very day in which the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid in a literal fenfe. The fpiritual myftery here reprefented is the following doctrine, which I take from the words, confidered with their connection. OBSERV. That all faving bleflings do actually commence from the day the foundation of the fpiritual temple is actually laid. From this day will I blefs you; that is, from the day that the foundations of the Lord's temple were laid, I use the word actually in both branches of the doctrine, because I speak not of what was done decretively, in the purpose of God, from eternity; nor of what was done virtually, in the council of peace, and covenant of redemption; nor of what was done fundamentally and meritoriously, when Chrift died at Jerufalem; but rather of the actual fruits and produce of thefe, when they ac tually tually take place in a day of power: and therefore, I fay, my doctrine is, That all faving bleflings do actually commence, from the day that the foundation of the fpiritual temple is actually laid. See Eph. i. 3. and ii. 21. compared; where you fee all fpiritual faving bleffings do actually take place, from the time that the foul is united to Chrift, the fure foundation; which is the day wherein the foundation of the fpiritual temple is laid. But for the further clearing and confirming of this doctrine, I propofe the following method, namely, I. I would fhew what this fpiritual temple is. III. How this foundation is laid. IV. I would fpeak a little of the day in which the foundation is laid, and from which bleffings take their date. V. Shew what bleffings do commence from this day. VI. Prove, by fome particular arguments and reafons, that faving bleffings do actually commencé from that day. VII. Make application of the whole fubject. I. The first thing we are to do then, is, To fhew what this fpiritual temple is. We told you, that the temple was a type of Chrift myftical, and Chrift perfonal; and I defign to exclude none of them in the progrefs of my difcourfe. Now, the temple was a type of Chrift myftical; that is, of the church of God, and of particular.believers, in many refpects; who, therefore, are frequently called, the temple of God, and the temple of the Holy Ghoft; and the type and antitype agree in the fe, and the like following particulars. 1. The temple was a very ftately building; without, very fumptuous; and within, very glorious: built of many ftones, many materials; yet áll making up but one temple, upon one foundation; and having three principal partitions, namely, the outward court, for the people; the fanctuary, for the priests; and the holy of holies, into which the High-priest only entered once a-year, with the blood of the facrifice.-Well, fo it is here here with the fpiritual temple, the church. It is a stately building, a building of God; her vifible glory without is very fplendid, when rightly conftitute with refpect to doctrine, difcipline, worship, and government ; and her invifible glory much more; for, "The king's daughter is all glorious within." Chrift myftical, being made up of many materials taken out from among Jews and Gentiles; many lively ftones, built upon Chrift himfelf, who is the chief corner-ftone; in whom all the building fitly framed together, grows up into a holy temple in the Lord. In which fpiritual temple, there are, as it were, these three particulars, viz. the outer court of the visible church, including all profeffors; the fan&tuary of the invisible church, peculiar to the holy priefthood, namely, all true believers, who are made kings and priests unto God; and the holy of holies, heaven itfelf, wherein the fpirits of juft men made perfect are triumphant in the prefence of God and of the Lamb, that glorious High priest, that went into the holiest of all, with the blood of the facrifice, which he had offered of himfelf. 2. The temple was the fettled place of God's public worship, and folemn facrificings: there all the facrifices, oblations, and incenfe were to be offered to God; there God was folemnly prayed unto, and praised, and his ordinances adminiftred.-So the church of God is the fpiritual temple, wherein all fpiritual facrifices are offered to God, by his royal priesthood; and all the ordinances of Chrift managed for the perfecting of the faints, for the edifying of the body of Chrift; and all believers are the receptacles of God's fpiritual inward worship, in heart and foul. 3. The temple of the Lord was holy, and not to be defiled with legal impurity.-So this fpiritual temple of God is holy, and not to be defiled with finful impurities: "If any man defile the temple of God, fays the apoftle, him fhall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy; which temple ye are," 1 Cor. iii. 17. The church invifible is holy not only by feparation from the unholy corrupt mass of the world, 2 Cor. vi. 16, 17. and by dedication to God, and his holy service; but alfo by jufti fication, fication, through the imputed righteoufnefs of Chrift, their Head, in whom they have a perfect holiness, or righteousness; being perfect through his comelinefs put upon them, Ezek. xvi. 14.; and by fanctification, and implanted holinefs; having the Spirit of Chrift in them as the principle of fanétification; and therefore, 4. The temple was a place of God's fpiritual prefence and refidence among his people: there were the fymbols of his prefence; there he dwelt between the cherubims; there he met with his people, and communed with them. So the church of Chrift, and all the true members thereof, are the habitation of God through the Spirit; they are the temples of the living God. God dwells in them; walks in them; manifefts himself to them; and affords them communion with himself. In a word, the temple was God's houfe: and fo are all believers, 1 Pet. ii. 5. they are built up a fpiritual houfe, which God poffeffes five ways. They are his dwelling-house, his pleasure-house, his treasure-house, his veffel-house, his magazine-house, and his banquetting-house. (1.) They are his dwelling-houfe. God dwells there in a special manner; "In Salem is his tabernacle, and his dwelling-place in Zion," Pfalm lxxvi. 2. It is a sweet promise, 2 Cor. vi. 16. "I will dwell in them." But, "Will God, in very deed, dwell with man upon earth?" Yes; "This honour have all the faints."God dwells in them by his holy Spirit, which he hath given them; and he dwells with them, fo as never, totally, to defert his manfion: when he takes up his residence in the foul, he says, 'I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee.' (2.) They are his pleafure-houfe: as he dwells there, fo he walks there; "I will dwell in them, and I will walk in them." He takes pleasure to walk in them: "This is the hill where God defires to dwell, Pfal. xlviii. 16. This is my reft, here will I ftay, for I like it well, Pf. cxxxii,14. The Lord takes pleasure in his people," Pfalm cxlix. 4. O wonderful! that God fhould take pleasure in any of the finful feed of Adam; yet, as a man takes pleasure in his house, his garden, his orchard, and planting, fo doth the Lord in believers, who are frequently called his garden, Song v. 1.; his vineyard, Ifa. v. 1.; his planting, Ifa. Ixi. 3.; "The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." Thus they are his pleasure-house. 3. They are his treafure-houfe. As God is the believer's treafure; fo believers are God's treafure: "The Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance," Deut. xxxii. 9. If you look upon them as they are in themselves, abftractly from the cornerftone, he hath but a poor treasure of them. God cannot be enriched with this treafure; but yet, in Chrift, he looks upon them as a treasure of jewels; They fhall be mine, faith the Lord of hofts, in the day that I make up my jewels," Mal. iii. 17. 66 (4.) They are his magazine-houfe: this fpiritual house and temple is built for an armory, Song iv. 4. there the church is compared to "The tower of David, built for an armoury, wherein hung a thoufand bucklers, all fhields of mighty men." God lays up his ftores of mili tary provifion in this houfe; infomuch, that every believer is fo well armed with the fhield of faith, and the fword of the Spirit, that he can encounter the strongest Goliath: yea, and do all things through Chrift ftrengthening him. God's church is his cafile; and, "Salvation hath God appointed for walls and for bulwarks." (5.) They are his veffel-houfe. The church is God's houfe, wherein all the veffels of mercy are hung up for ornament, as well as for ufe; and Chrift is the nail faftened in a fure place, on which all the veffels do hang: "I will faften him as a nail in a fure place; and they fhall hang upon him all the glory of his Father's houfe, all veffels of fmall quantity, from the veffels of cups, to the veffels of flaggons," Ifa. xxii. 23, 24. Believers, weak and ftrong, veffels of all forts and fizes. Neither are believers empty veffels, whatever they be in themselves; fɔr, (6.) They are his banquetting-houfe; "He brought me into the banquetting-houfe, and his banner over me was love," Song ii. 4. The church of God, I mean, the affemblies of his faints in ordinances, are his parlour, where he feeds; "He feedeth among the lilies, till the day break, and the fhadows fly away." He keeps a banquet among his people; and both he and they feed and fup together. |