The Glory of the Latter Temple Greater Than the Former

THE GLORIE OF THE LATTER TEMPLE Greater then of the Former.

W Orkes that are great, and good, ordinarily find great hindrances, great discouragements: Of all works, what greater then the building of the walls of the new Jerusalem, building the spiritual Temple of God? Now what hindrances, what discouragements this work is ever like to meet withal; we may see it typically shadowed out unto us in that history, recorded by Ezra and Nehemiah, whereunto the words of the Text have a special reference: No sooner doth Zerobabel and Joshua, the one a chief Prince, the other the chief Priest, with the rest of the children of the Captivity, after their return from Babylon, set upon the re-edifying of the material walls, re-building of the material Temple in the earthly Jerusalem, but presently stands up Sanballat and Tobiah, Rehum and Shimshai, Tatnai and Shetherboznai ( brethren in evil ) with the rest of their confederates and associates, to hinder the work. What plottings? what combinations? What secret underminings under color of furtherance? What writing and posting of letters, even to the King himself? What retaining of Counselors? What forging? what minting and coining of slanderous reports for the time past? What Panick fears pretended for the time to come? A rebellious people, and that upon record; a seditious work, fit to be stifled in the birth, or smothered in the cradle, for fear of further inconvenience likely to ensue. Such opposition they met with abroad. They wanted no discouragements at home. Amongst others, the Temple they were about to build was mean and despicable, a mean foundation, a homely building, in comparison of the former but as a Star to the Sun, coming far short of it in magnitude, in glory. The Glory of the former Temple had so dazzled the eyes of the ancient men who had before beheld it in the beauty of it, that they could not now look upon this without watering eyes, They wept when they saw it, saith the Text. Against this discouragement it is, that the Lord goeth about by his Prophet to comfort the people in this Chapter, whereof the Text is a part. The Sum and quintessence of that consolation you have it extracted in the words which I have now read. That which disanimated the people, was the meanness of the house which they were about to build: A man child was borne; But she called his name Ichabod. The foundations of the work were raised, the Temple was in some forwardness, but there was no beauty, no Glory in it; at least none in comparison of what once it was, and what God had promised, and they expected it should be. To animate them against this dis-heartening the Lord sends unto them by the hands of this messenger this Prophetical Promise, promising Glory, surpassing Glory to that work which now seemed so despicable in their eyes: that it should not only match and equalize, but surpass and transcend the former: The Glory of the latter house shall be greater then of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts.

In the opening unto you of this Prophecy, and that you may see how this promise was afterward accomplished, I shall present unto you only these two things. 1. The Glory of the former house. 2. The Glory of the latter house, wherein it so far surpassed and outstripped the former: The first was glorious, but the latter more glorious.

To begin with the first of these, the Temple of Solomon, the wonderment of the world whilst it stood. Glorious things are spoken of thee oh thou city of God: Glorious things are written of thee oh thou Temple of God: Canaan the glory of the earth: Jerusalem the glory of Canaan; this Temple the glory of Jerusalem: Suppose the whole world a ring, this Temple might well have been the jewel in it. The Glory of this Temple consisted principally in three things: the building, the furniture, other appurtenances.

1. For the building, we shall find it stately and magnificent: What the glory of this building was, we may guess at it by those infinite (had not the Spirit of truth recorded it) incredible masses of treasure exhausted in preparation of materials. That huge Army of Overseers, Workemen, Carpenters, Masons, Laborers, all employed about the cutting and hewing of wood, digging, and squaring, and caruing of stones, amounting in all to the number of one hundred and eighty three thousand three hundred men, besides other curious Artizans for working in gold, silver, brass, and the like, of all which we may read in that 1 King. 5. If ever Temple made with hands could have been worthy to entertain the God of heaven, it had been this.

2. As it was glorious in the structure, so no less glorious in the furniture: the inside answerable and suitable to the outside. I can but give you a glimpse of things. Do but look into the Sanctuary of God, what ever you touch, what ever you see, is pure gold: look upon the vessels, the table, the Candlestick, the Altar, the bowles, basins, spoones, ashpans, tongs, snuffers, all nothing but pure gold: Look upon the hangings, coverings, vestments, all other utensils requisite for that ceremonial service; behold them all as rich, as curious, as art and nature could make them.

3. Besides the glory of the structure, and the glory of the furniture, there was yet a greater glory in the Appurtenances, some excellent rarities belonging and appertaining to this temple: of these the Hebrews reckon ten: I shall content myself with five, and that to name them.

1. The Ark of the Covenant, wherein were the Tables of the Law written with God's own finger: the rarest relicke that ever the world was owner of: Here was ( The glory: ) so we find it styled more then once: ( The glory ) is departed from Israel, saith the wife of Phineas: why? for the Ark of God is taken: To whom pertaineth the adoption and ( The glory ) saith Saint Paul concerning Israel: ( The glory, ) that is the Ark of the Covenant, a special token and witness of the gracious, nay glorious presence of God in that place where the Ark was, and therefore called The Glory.

2. Here was the sacred, the heavenly fire, that fire which Divines call diuino diuinus, altogether holy, not only in respect of the use, but in it self: the fire which came down from heaven at the dedication of that temple: an evident token of a special acceptance: God looked upon Abel and his sacrifice, saith the text: Aquila translates it, He set it on fire: Howeuer that be only conjectural, this we know for certain, that God did thus look upon this first Temple as he had done upon the Tabernacle before, with an eye of special grace and acceptance: the sacrifices that were offered up at the dedication of it, he set them on fire, consumed them with fire from heaven. And this fire was kept in and preserved in this Temple for the daily use of the sacrifices: In imitation whereof the Heathen (who in most of their ceremonies were but God's apes) kept in their Vestall fire which they falsely supposed came down from heaven.

3. Here was the Glory of the Lord himself: the glorious presence of God manifested in some clear and visible tokens; a Transient, a Permanent Glory: the former in the Cloud at the dedication of this Temple, which so soon as the Priests were come out of the Sanctuary, filled the house (as you heard even now read in that chapter selected upon the present occasion, so that they could not stand to minister before the Lord: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house; the Glory of the Lord, viz. a visible cloud full of light and brightness, a token of the glorious presence of God in that place. Besides this, there was also a Permanent Glory, the Glory of God dwelling, appearing continually betwixt the Cherubims, and that in some visible, glorious manifestation; insomuch that the high Priest (as the Hebrews tell us) when he went into the holy of holies, which was but once a year, he carried with him Inconse, and smoke to darken the place, that he might not behold the glory of the Lord, for no man shall see God and live: Glorious must that place needs be which was the habitation of divine glory, filled with the glory of God himself.

4. Here was the Urim and Thummim, an excellent ornament (as is generally conceived) in the breastplate of Aaron, by which as by an Oracle God himself did usually give answers unto his people. What this Urim and Thummim was, who made it, of what it was made, when it was made, how and in what manner God was wont to give answers to his people by it, they are things which God hath hidden, and therefore hidden that we might not know them. The Hebrew Doctors have troubled themselves and others with variety of conjectures and opinions, everyone differing from other, and it may be all from the truth. Of them all he spake best, and (if I may cast in my lot amongst them) truest, who ingenuously confessed that he knew not what it was: Certainly we do not find it reckoned amongst those things which were made by art, we may rather conceive it to be some excellent ornament made immediately by God himself, (as the two first Tables of stone were wherein the law was written) and given by him to Moses to put into the holy pectoral, as some collect it out of that Leu. 8. 8.

5. And lastly, here was also the gift of Prophecy; a continual succession of Prophets: the Holy Ghost enabling some continually by extraordinary means, by visions, dreams, secret inspiration, so making known the will of God to them, for them to reveal to others: Never was this first Temple without a Prophet: And here was the glory of this first house, this first Temple; it was glorious without, and glorious within: glorious in the building and structure; glorious in the vessels and furniture; glorious in the apurtenances, having in it the five greatest rarities of the world: the Ark of the Covenant: the Heavenly fire: the glory of the Lord in the cloud, betwixt the Cherubims; the Vrim and Thummim, with a continual succession of Prophets: Let those Romish Templars who pride themselves so much in the glory of their Temples show us their vast and magnificent buildings: their rich ornaments and furniture, their rare, precious and sacred relics, put them all together, what is all to the glory of Solomon's temple, and yet behold a greater then Solomon's is here: The glory of the latter house shall be greater then of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts.

That is the second thing to be unfolded, opened; I may well say opened. Sure I am, at the first hearing it is no less then a paradox, a mystery. What, the second Temple more glorious then the first? Wherein possibly can we conceive or imagine this transcendent glory to lie?

1. Look first upon the outside, the Building, we shall find it of rough and unpolished stones, every way falling far short of the former: In height, in length, in beauty: It was King Cyrus his special command to the Jews at their departure out of Babylon, (as M ^r . Calvin writing upon the Text observes) that they should not build this second Temple in the like pomp and state as the former was; A command directed no question by God himself, and that for a special reason, as I shall show you hereafter.

2. Look upon the inside, the furniture, we shall find (by the Hebrews own confession) many of the vessels imbased; many that were before of pure gold, now turned into brass: King Cyrus indeed restored some of the vessels belonging to the former temple, and that many, but many were yet wanting.

3. Make inquiry for the Apurtenances belonging to the former temple. 1. Where was the Ark of the Covenant? lost, perished, (as is generally supposed) in the Temples desolation: No mention made of the Ark after their return from Babylon. 2. Where was the fire that came down from heaven? put out, extinguished, not a spark of it left: It is but a Jewish fable which we find recorded in that Book of the Maccabees, that Jeremiah and some other of the Priests took the fire off from the Altar, before the destruction of the Temple, and hid it in a dry pit, where it was miraculously kept during the Captivity, and afterwards as incredibly renewed again at their return, at the command of Nehemiah by sprinkling water upon the Altar. Not only Apocryphal, but fabulous: such a passage as this we cannot conceive that Ezra that faithful Scribe, and Nehemiah himself would have passed over in silence. 3. Where was now the Glory of the Lord? His Glory in the Cloud? his glory betwixt the Cherubims? No glory: the glory of the Lord God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub, and that before that desolation, as the Prophet Ezekiel saw it in his vision. Here was no glory. 4. Where was the Urim and Thummim? Lost, perished, perhaps buried in those ruins: God gave no more answers now to his people by this oracle; sometimes indeed in this second temple they heard an Echo which the Hebrews called Bath Kol, filiam vocis, the daughter of a voice, a voice from heaven, whereby God did impart some passages of his will unto them; This was the voice (as is by some conceived) which gave that testimony unto our Savior at his baptism: Loe a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased: But as for that oracle whereby God did usually reveal his will to his people, it was ceased; the latter temple knew not what it meant. 5. And lastly, where was the succession of Prophe • s? Betwixt Malachi and John the Baptist there stood up no Prophet: A long vocation. No more visions, dreams, extraordinary inspirations of the Holy Ghost. After that the latter Prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were dead (say the Hebrews) the holy Ghost went up, or departed from Israel▪ it was true in respect of extraordinary inspiration or revelation. In which sense (as some Divines with some probability interpret the place) the D • sciples at Ephesus told Paul, that they had not so much as heard whether there was an Holy Ghost or not. These were the things which made the former temple glorious: what? not one of these to be found in the second temple, and yet more glorious? The reading of this riddle (as every prophecy is a riddle until it be fulfilled, and sometimes after) hath not a little perplexed and troubled not only the Hebrew Doctors, but even our own Interpreters: Amongst the Hebrews, some of them are brought hereby to dream of another imaginary temple to be built they know not when, by their Messias when he shall come: But that is but a dream. Others of them place the transcendency of this glory in the duration and continuance of the seco • d Temple beyond the former. The former temple (according to their computation) stood but four hundred and ten years, the latter four hundred and twenty. A small ground (if true) from so small a difference in time to raise so great a disparity of glory. Others amongst them, not knowing which way to turn them, against the evidence both of Sacred and Ecclesiastical Story, peremptorily affirm that this second temple built by Zerobabel and the rest of the children of the Captivity, was every way more stately and magnificent then Solomon's. But then, why should the ancient men weep? To leave them, and to plow with our own heighfers, to consult with our own Interpreters. Amongst them, some, and those not a few, and those none of the meanest, understand the place mystically concerning the Church of Christ under the Gospel. Thus Ambrose, Augustine, Cyril, with others, whose names I honor; Major erit Ecclesiae gloria quam Synagogae: Greater shall the glory of the Church of Christ under the Gospel be, then the glory of Solomon's temple, or of the state of the Church under the Law was. A pious truth, and perhaps here intended. But for my part, I have no great delight in hunting after mysteries, where a more literal sense is brought to hand. Not to hold you in suspense. For the true and full understanding of this place (as with submission to maturer judgments I conceive it) we must know that the Temple in Jerusalem was thrice built. First, by Solomon. Secondly, by Zerobabel. Thirdly, by Herod. In the third and last of these Temples was this promise fulfilled, this prophecy accomplished; in Herod's time built by him in the place of the second temple, about seventeen years before the birth of Christ.

Ob. • y but (by the way) how can that temple be called this latter house? The word seemeth to point precisely at that particular building whereof they had then laid the foundations.

Ans. For the resolution of this, one Expositor (amongst the rest) instead of untying the knot, cuts it, peremptorily denying that ever there was such a Temple as this, which is supposed to have been built by Herod; confidently affirming (though against all evidence both of Scripture and History) that, that Temple which was standing in the time of our Savior was the same that Zerobabel and the Jews built after their return from Babylon: Thus Eckius, a bold, (to say no more) a confident Papist; for this very particular condemned by Ribera and others of his own coat, under the modest terms of rashness and singularity. Others to wave the scruple, they mince the matter; Herod (say they) did not erect a new Temple, build it from the ground, but only repaired and beautified that which was built. But we shall not need to seek a muse to creep out at, the way is open. The phrase here used in the text, hath no such propriety in it, that it must necessarily be restrained to that particular building, the second Temple, built by Zerobabel. Solomon's Temple was not the same with this second Temple, and yet we shall find it pointed out by this Prophet by y ^e name of this house, Who is there left amongst you that saw (this house) in her first glory, saith he in the fourth verse of this Chapter: This house, that is, the Temple of Solomon, in the place and stead whereof this second Temple was built. By the same reason this third Temple built by Herod in the place of this second Temple, may also be called This house, This latter house. Forty and six years was this Temple in building, say the Jews to our Savior. (This Temple.) Divines are at odds about the interpretation, which Temple it was that is there spoken of. Some understand it of Herod's Temple, which though it were but eight years in building, as Josephus testifieth, yet at this time, when this speech is supposed to have been used, viz. in the year of the Baptism of Christ, it had stood precisely forty six years; all which time it was still more and more adorned, and beautified, and perfected, and so might be said to be so long in building. Others, and that the greater number, refer the speech to this second Temple built by Zerobabel, which as the computation ariseth, was just 46 years in building. Herod's Temple was built in the place, instead of this second Temple, and that without any intermission of time, and therefore by the Jews there, and the Prophet here in a vulgar speech, and that not improperly called This Temple, This latter house. Ey, but the question still runs on. How was this latter house more glorious then the former? How was Herod's Temple more glorious then Solomon's? Here Expositors run two ways. Some tie themselves to the letter, to the history: interpreting the place of the structure, the building, the outward beauty and glory of this Temple: Herod's temple (say they) was of statelier building then Solomon's, higher, larger, fairer, richer; Ribera sperds a great deal of time in euincing and clearing of all these particulars. For my part, I am not altogether incredulous but that it might be so. To grant it (as if histories may be credited we must not deny it) yet where was the glory of the furniture? There too, (saith Ribera ) most of the vessels of Solomon's temple were restored by King Cyrus at their return from Babylon; and how ever many of them were afterwards taken away by Antiochus Epiphanes, yet they were renewed again by the Maccabees, and that as rich, as costly as ever, all of pure gold. Suppose this too; yet where were the apurtenances that belonged to Solomon's Temple? Where was the Ark of the Covenant? Where was the heavenly fire? Where was the Glory of the Lord? Where was the Urim and Thummim? And where was the succession of Prophets? All these (by the Hebrews own confession) were wanting in this third Temple, as well as in the second. What shall we then think, that the life of this promise lieth in the glory of the structure, and of the furniture? M ^r . Calvin, for his part, is loath in this particular to go along cum crassis interpretibus, with blunt interpreters, as he there calleth them. I shall spare both the persons and opinion; yet the argument which he there useth, seemeth to me more then probable. One main reason why God would not have the second Temple built in the like pomp and state with the former, was, that he might thereby take off the eyes of his people, and by little and little wean them from that Mosaical pedagogy; that they might not wholly rest in those external shadows of types, and ceremonies, but that they might fix their thoughts rather upon the Messias and the spiritual glory of his kingdom. If so; what then shall we judge of that pomp and cost which was bestowed upon this third temple by Herod? Surely as a subtlety of Satan (and perhaps of Herod himself, who was but a half-Jew, a Jew for his own advantage) that the eyes of the Jews being dazzled with this outward pomp and glory they might look no further, but that their thoughts might hereby be wholly taken off from looking for, or longing after the promised Messias. And if so, then was this cost bestowed upon this last Temple, rather a profanation then an adorning of it: and to the Jews rather a token of the vengeance of God upon them for their ingratitude, then a testimony of his grace and favor. Surely there was something else which made this Temple more glorious, then either the building or the furniture could make it: Why what was that? To hold you no longer in suspense, briefly, it was Christ himself: the Presence of Christ, the Preaching of Christ, the Revelation of Christ, his manifestation in the flesh, the publishing of the glad tidings of salvation, in, by, and through him. Here was the transcendent glory of this latter Temple. When Christ the desire of all nations (as the Prophet styleth him in the seventh verse of this Chapter) was come, come in the flesh, then was this house filled with glory. So it was foretold, and so it was accomplished. Then was this house truly glorious, when it entertained him who was the truth of all those types, the substance of all those ceremonial shadows which had made the former house (the temple of Solomon ) so exceedingly glorious: The time will not give me that liberty to unveil Moses his face before your eyes. That Temple was but a type of his body. Destroy this temple, saith our Savior to the Jews, He spake of the temple of his body, saith the Text; of which that temple was a type. What ever there was in that first Temple that made it so glorious, you shall find it all in this latter house, all epitomized in Christ. Here was the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark, wood within, ouerlayed within and without with pure gold. Christ, God and man; two natures in one person, the humanity assumed into personal union with the Divinity. Here was the heavenly fire; he that baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire, he through whom the Father is well pleased, he in whom all the sacrifices of the people of God find acceptance: Here dwelt the glory of God, and that after a glorious manner. In him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily, saith Saint Paul. Full expressions. Not a glimpse of Divine glory, as in the Cloud, and betwixt the Cherubims, but the fullness of the Godhead; and that did not lodge in him for a time, as in the Tabernacle, as in the Temple, but it dwelt in him, by an inseparable union, an everlasting inhabitation. It dwelt in him, and that not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not in types and shadows, not in clouds and ceremonies, as in the Temple, but in truth, in substance, really, essentially: Again here was the Vrim and Thummim in the breastplate of this high Priest of our salvation: light of knowledge, and perfection of holiness: In him were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; And lastly, here was the gift of prophecy, a prophetical spirit poured out after an eminent manner. Never prophet like this Prophet, the Father of the Prophets, unto whom God gave his spirit not by measure: He that was in the bosom of the Father from eternity, acquainted with all his secrets, his eternal purposes before the foundations of the world were laid. Behold all the glory of Solomon's Temple comprised in a little room. And if the type was so glorious, then what is the truth? If the shadow, what the substance? If the picture be so amiable, then what is the person whom it represents? Needs must that place be exceedingly glorious which was honored with the presence of him, whose presence maketh the heavens glorious. Christ was there manifested in the flesh; Ey and in the spirit too. There did he show his almighty power in convincing the Doctors, in whipping out the buyers and sellers, in working of miracles: More yet; there was he preached, there was he published, there were the glad tidings of salvation proclaimed and made known to the world, by Christ himself, by his Apostles and Disciples, men endued with eminent and extraordinary gifts for that purpose. This was the surpassing glory of this latter house, wherein it so far excelled the former; Christ was here revealed, manifested in the flesh, in the spirit, preached and published unto the world. And herein standeth the true glory of all our Temples and Synagogues under the Gospel, even in the presence and revelation of Christ. This is the kernel about which I have spent so much time in cracking of the shell. Now that I have it, I would be loath through straits of time to cast it away without some small improvement. I shall be brief, and only propound what my purpose was to prosecute.

The glory of our Temples is the presence and revelation of Christ. How dreadful, how fearful is this place, (saith the Patriarch Jacob ) surely it is no other but the house of God, the gate of heaven. What was it that struck the holy Patriarch with such an awful dread and reverence of the place where he was, being but in the wide open field? Why, it was the presence and manifestation of him whom that ladder signified; the eternal Son of God the Mediator of the Covenant, whose office it is to reconcile things in heaven, and things upon earth, God and man, as that ladder united heaven and earth: He it was who was pleased at that time and in that place to manifest his presence by some visible tokens, and that manifestation it was which made that place (though in the open field) dreadful, fearful, glorious: It is this presence of Christ that maketh a place first to be the house of God, and then that house glorious. Ey but how is he present now upon earth whom the heavens must contain until all things be restored? How is Christ present in our Temples, our Synagogues, our Churches? Why he is present after a spiritual manner, in the midst of his public ordinances; in the Word, in the Sacraments. Where Christ is truly preached, there is he truly present: present with the Ministers, present with the people. With the Ministers: I will be with you to the end of the world, they are the last words of our Savior to his Apostles and their successors. With the people: Where two or three are gathered together in my name, &c. Christ is truly present in all places, but in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks he walks, he is present after a special manner, with special assistance, with a special evidence of his Spirit, a special declaration of his power, there is his arm revealed. As in the Word, so in the Sacraments, there is he present, though not locally, yet truly, yet spiritually, (pardon the word) really present to the faith of the receiver: And this is the glory of our Temples, a spiritual glory, consisting in the spiritual presence of Christ in the midst of his public ordinances.

It must needs be so. Glory (to speak properly) it is nothing else but an opinion of some excellency or worth, conceived by others to be in such, or such a thing: Now if glory be measured by opinion, then is this spiritual glory ( The Glory. ) It is so in the estimation both of God and his Saints.

First, For God himself, there is no Temple glorious in his eye where this Spiritual glory is wanting. Be the building, the outside, the inside what it will, he regardeth it not, he dwells not in it. So much in express words Saint Paul telleth those superstitious Athenians; where beholding their blind devotion in erecting of Altars, and such other ceremonial external observances; he tells them plainly, that God who made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, he dwelleth not in temples made with hands: Be the Temple what it will, if there be no more in it but the work of men's hands, God dwells not there, he delighteth not in it. True indeed, God did once dwell in a material temple betwixt the Cherubims, but wherefor was it? the Ark was there. God doth at this day dwell in the places of his public worship and service, but wherefor is it? Why, the Assemblies of his Saints, his public ordinances are there. It is this spiritual worship and service which God delighteth to be entertained w ^th . Time was indeed when external rites, and ceremonial observances seemed to be in great request with God. They were not only a means, but a part of his worship; under the Gospel it is not so. The time cometh, and now is (saith our Savior) when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit & in truth; for the father requireth even such to worship him. It is this Spirit & Truth in holy performances, the spiritual manner of worshipping God, that maketh services, persons, places to be accepted of him: And this it is that made not only this Temple, but every Synagogue in Jerusalem, nay that maketh every Temple under the Gospel more glorious in the eyes of God, then the Temple of Solomon was; Solomon in all his royalty is not as one of these (saith our Savior concerning the Lilies) his beauty was artificial, theirs was natural. Solomon • Temple in all the royalty of it was not as one of these, these Temples, these Synagogues, these Churches, where Christ is plainly and powerfully preached, published, offered, applied in the word & Sacraments. There was a Ceremonial, here is a spiritual glory.

And secondly, As in the eyes of God, so in the eyes of his Saints, this spiritual glory is ( The Glory ) what so glorious an object in the eyes of a Christian as Christ himself, especially when he is revealed? A light to be revealed to the Gentiles, and (the glory) of his people Israel; so old Simeon styleth him. This is ( the glory ) in the eyes of a Christian, when Christ is revealed to his soul powerfully, effectually in the public ministry of the word. So great is the glory of Christ crucified in the preaching of the word, that Saint Paul cannot but wonder, that his Galatians before whose eyes Christ had been thus crucified in his Preaching of him, should be so far bewitched as to look off from it, as to look after anything else, but Christ and the doctrine of Christ. O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you? Gal. 3. 1. No glory like unto this, when the veil is taken off, not from Moses his face, but from the face of Jesus Christ himself in the public Ministry of the word: This (blessed be God that we may speak it without either fear or flattery) is the glory of our Temples. Children it may be are in love with their books for the guilded covers, for the babies and pictures sake; it is the matter that men of understanding look at. Poor, blind, ignorant souls, whose devotion is nothing but superstition, may be in love with the Temple for the painting, caruing, gilding, decking, but that which maketh it truly glorious in the eyes of God, and his Saints, is the glory of the latter Temple, y ^• spiritual worship of God, the presence and revelation of Christ in his public ordinances. The time concludes me, I must obey. That w ^ch remains is a word of application.

I might in the first place from this ground take a just occasion to discover and tax that childish superstition of the Church of Rome in their preposterous adornations of their Temples. Let none anticipate my intentions, or through prejudice either mistake my words, or misconstrue my meaning) I have nothing to say against the decent beautifying of the places of God's public worship. In this case I should rather make use of a spurr then a bridle, if the time would permit; It is the shame of our nation in many parts of it (if I could hide it, I would not discover it) the houses of God seem to lie neglected, waste, ruinous, as if neither God nor man dwelt in them, or had any reference to them; we may without any injury write upon the doors of them ( Ichabod ) there is no glory, no beauty, no decency, neither in the outside, nor yet in the inside. I would to God the foul mouths of the Romanists were not too justly opened against us in this quarrel; but yet our negligence is no plea for their preposterousnesse. What is it that they account the greatest glory of their Temples? Stately and goodly edifices, vast and magnificent buildings, built rather for the eye, then the ear; state then use; Rich and costly furniture, Curious pictures, Images, Crucifixes, Altars, Chalices, Vestments; rare apurtenances, shrines, monuments, relics. This is the glory which the eyes of the greatest part amongst them are dazzled with: Little account in the mean time do they make of this glory of the latter Temple, the Preaching of Christ. Perhaps a little in this season of the year, to which all their holiness is confined: The Passion of Christ shall be acted now and then in a pulpit, rather then preached. All the year after their Churches may preach to the eye (as indeed all their service is but eye-service ) but little to the ear, less to the heart. For our parts, far be it from us to envy them this their glory. If it must needs be so that the golden Chalices and the golden Priests must be divided, that they cannot go together, let them take the Chalices so we may have the Priests. They were Saint Augustine's three wishes to see Rome in her pride, Christ in the flesh, and Saint Paul in a pulpit; give us the two latter of these in a good sense in our Temples, let Rome still keep her pride to her self. Solomon's Temple I am sure might compare with the best of theirs in their own kind, and yet the glory of the latter house was greater, then of the former.

To leave them; a word for our selves, and but a word. We see wherein the true glory of our temples lieth: far be it from any of us, now that we have found out wherein the strength of Sampson lieth, to go about to cut off his lock: Now that the Lord hath made known unto us where it is that his glory dwelleth, far be it from any of us herein to imitate the high Priest of whom I spake even now, to carry smoke in our hands, to use or attempt any way or means for the darkening, for the obscuring of this glory. But Charity bids me hope better things of you. And therefore let me turn this Caution into a word of Exhortation. And that is briefly,

To stir up and excite every of us here now present before the Lord, that in our several places and stations, we would put to our hands to this work, to this beautifying, this adorning of the Temples of God. To erect, build, rebuild, repair, beautify Churches, is a thing that heareth well at all hands, and it deserves no less (I would to God there were more hands in works of this nature; so they may be free from vain ostentation, and as free from all opinion of merit; two leaves of Coloquintida, which in former ages were wont for the most part to embitter all these services) but yet whilst we have a pious respect to the outside, let us have a greater regard to the inside. The windows in Solomon's Temple were broad and narrow, saith the Text: broad within, narrow without, saith the margent of the new Translation (even as these are here before our eyes) Such should the light, the beauty, the glory of every Temple under the Gospel be, inward, greater within then without. Outward, external ornaments in the house of God, so they be decent, comely, not subject to occasion superstition in the beholder, or distraction in the hearers, they are not only lawful, but laudable. But the chief ornaments in which the glory of our Temples lies, are the special ornaments. Will you know what they are in particular, go along with me a little into the Sanctuary of God. There we shall find three principal pieces of furniture; A Table, an Altar, a Candlestick: A table for the show-bread, with twelve loaves upon it, signifying the twelve tribes of Israel presenting themselves before the Lord. An altar for the incense signifying the prayers of the Saints, which being offered up unto God in and through the mediation of Christ, ascend up as the incense, even a sweet smelling savor unto God. The Candlestick, signifying the Word, which is a lamp, a light for the guidance and direction of the people of God. Behold here the principal ornaments wherewith the Sanctuary, the house of God should be furnished, when the Tribes come up and present themselves before the Lord, when the people of God assemble together in a solemn manner: An Altar, a Candlestick: Prayer, The word: the word Read, Preached. For my part, I dare not take away the Altar from the Candlestick. Let none dare to go about to take away the Candlestick from the Altar. Prayer and the Word, God hath joined them together, let no man divorce or put them asunder. Other apurtenances there were; amongst the rest, the Pincers, the Snuffers. The one to pinch of the mould from the loaves; the other to snuff the lights. The Censures of the Church are also sometimes useful, needful, and that to be applied to the Ministers as well as to the people, as the loaves have need of the pincers, so the light of the snuffers, to make them burn the clearer. But the chief and the principal pieces of furniture in the house of God which are of continual use when the tribes meet together, are the Altar and the Candlestick; Prayer and the Word read, preached: To these two add but a third: viz. the seals of the Covenant, the Sacraments of the New Testament, the one of Initiation, the other of Confirmation; Baptism, the Supper of the Lord, rightly and duly administered according to Christ's own institution, then have we the house of God in respect of the spiritual ornaments compleately furnished. In these three lieth the glory of our Temples. And where these three are most purely, most powerfully administered according to Christ's own institution, though the building be of rough and unpolished stones, mean and despicable, though other accoutrements for pomp and state be wanting, yet there is the glory of the latter house, a glory far greater then the glory of Solomon's Temple. Let every of us then who desire to promote the glory of God upon earth, and to partake of his glory in heaven, sh • w our selves forward, earnest, zealous, for the upholding, establishing, enlarging, propagating of this glory. The exhortation reacheth to all. They that can do nothing else may yet help forward this glory with prayers, presence, countenance, maintenance. These, all of these, or some of these, God looketh for at the hands of every private Christian. For others, into whose hands God hath put any especial advantage this way in respect of place, authority, estate, friends gifts or the like, from them God expects according as he hath given to them, a double portion: double zeal, double courage, double resolution, double endeavor, double industry. All the people must put their hands to the building of the Temple of God, but Ieshua and Zerobabel, the chief Priest, and the chief Prince after a special manner. The Lord make every of us wise servants, faithful stewards in the improving of all those talents to the best advantage which our Master hath betrusted us with for this end. The time is past, let me only bring the text and the occasion together in a word, I have done. We are this day by the providence of God met together to the solemn dedication & consecration of a house unto God, a place for his public worship and service. A work of which Nazianzen saith, that it is not only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not only an ancient, but a laudable custom: the foundation of it being laid in God himself, who sanctified and consecrated the seventh day from the beginning; imitated by Moses at the dedication of the Tabernacle, by Solomon at the dedication of the first Temple, by Zerobabel and Joshua at the dedication of the second Temple, renewed again by the Maccabees after that it had been polluted and profaned by Antiochus; in memorial of which last dedication that solemn and anniuersarie feast of Dedication was instituted amongst the Jews, which Feast our Savior himself was pleased to grace and honor with his own presence. If any shall plead that this smells of Judaism; for their satisfaction, let them but consider that general rule of the Apostle • , Every creature of God is good, &c. and is sanctified (or consecrated) by the word and prayer. (Sanctified) that is set apart for that end and purpose for which it was appointed and ordained. This house being devoted and destinated unto the public worship and service of God, what could we do less then invite the word and prayer to the Consecration. That which remains, is only a request, a request not in mine own name, but in the name of God and his people; take it in a word, That, what is prophesied of here in the text, may be accomplished and made good in this house, this temple wherein we are now met together, viz that the glory of this latter house may be greater then the glory of the former. What the glory of the former house was when it was first erected, or when it was last used, I cannot certainly determine. The name and memory of the supposed Founder, I deservedly honor; yet the blind •• sse of those times gives too just cause of suspicion that it was dedicated and used in some sense as that Athenian a •• ar was, though to the true, yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to a God not clearly known or truly worshipped. To pass by those times of ignorance which God neglected, regarded not; God hath made known unto us what is the glory which he looketh for, and maketh so much account of in his Temples. As for bare walls, empty seats, dumb pulpits, he careth not for them, much less images, crucifixes, shrines, relics. It is the Incense, Altar, the Candlestick: Prayer, The Wordread, Preached, with the Sacraments rightly and duly administered, which must make this and all other Temples glorious in his eyes: Let this be the care of those whom this work principally concerns, to provide for those best ornaments. Then shall my prayers join with yours in the words of the Psalmist. The glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon them: Prosper thou the works of their hands upon them: O prosper thou their handy-work.