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And as God commanded Moses, that he should make all things according to the pattern shewed him in the mount, so Christ requires of his disciples, that they should "teach men to do and observe all things whatever he commanded,” Matt. xxviii. 20. which is therefore all that belongs unto the house of God.

Secondly, The second thing required unto the building of this house, is the providing of materials, and the framing and compacting of them into an house for God. Now this was a great work indeed, especially considering the condition of all those persons whereof this house was to be constituted. “They were dead in trespasses and sins," and the house was to be a "living house," 1 Pet. ii. 5. They were all enemies to God, strangers from him and under his curse. The house was to be made up of the friends of God, and such as he might delight to dwell with and among. They were dead stones, and the house was to be built of the children of Abraham. This then was a great and glorious work, and which none could perform but he that was unspeakably more honourable than Moses, or all the sons of men. The particulars of this work are many and great. I shall briefly reduce them unto four heads, such as were resembled and represented in the building of the tabernacle by Moses.

First then, Moses gathered the materials of the tabernacle by a "free will offering from among the people," Exod. xxxv. 4,5." And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying, Take you from amongst you an offering unto the Lord, whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord." By this means without force or compulsion or imposition were the materials of the tabernacle brought in. And so also doth the Lord Christ provide for the building of the church. He doth not gather men by force or violence, or drive them together unto the profession of the truth with the sword, as Mahomet and the Pope do to their idols. But he invites none, receives none, admits of none, but those that willingly offer themselves. Such as come unto him, and give up themselves to the Lord, and to the officers of his house, by the will of God he admits, and no other, 2 Cor. viii. 1. Rom. xii. 1. And herein he puts forth the greatness of his power, in giving them this will of coming; for they have it not in, nor of themselves, but he makes them "willing in the day of his power," Psal. cx. 3. And this work we could manifest to be great and glorious, might we insist on the particulars of it.

Secondly, The materials of the tabernacle being freely offered were wisely framed, and compacted together, and fashioned into

a sanctuary for an habitation of the Lord. This was the work of Bezaleel and Aholiab, by art, widom, and skill. But the fashioning of the real spiritual house of God by Christ in all ages, is a thing full of mysterious wisdom and holiness. The Apostle expresseth it in sundry places; we may touch on some of them. Eph. ii. 20-22. "Jesus Christ himself is the chief corner stone; in whom all the building framed together, groweth into an holy temple in the Lord: in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." The living stones being brought together by their own willing offering of themselves to the Lord, they are by him, as the tabernacle of old, fitly framed together into a holy temple or habitation for God. How this is done, as he says in general that it is by the Spirit, so he particularly declares, Eph. iv. 15, 16. "growing up into him in all things which is the head even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." And he expresseth it again to the same purpose; Col. ii. 19. There are various allusions in the words, both unto an artificial house, and unto the natural body of a man. The sum is, that in Christ the head of this body, the Lord and builder of this house, there is resident a spirit of life, which by him is communicated to every stone of the house, which gives it life, usefulness, union unto the head or Lord of the body or house; as also order and beauty in reference unto the whole: That is, being all alike united unto Christ, and acted in their places and order by one Spirit, they become one house unto God. In brief; the compacting and uniting of the materials of this house is twofold: First, physical and living. Secondly, legal or moral. The former is, as was said, by the communication of the same spirit of life unto them all, which is in Christ their head; so that they are all animated and acted by the same Spirit. The second is, their regular disposition into beautifully ordered societies, according to the rules and laws of the gospel.

Thirdly, That the house so built and compacted, might be a habitation unto God, it was necessary, that an atonement should be made for it by sacrifice, and that it should be purified and sanctified with the blood thereof. This our apostle declares, Heb. ix. 19-21. "For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves, and of goats, with water and scarlet wool, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament, which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled likewise with blood, both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry." This also was Christ to do in the build

ing of his church, as the apostle in the same place declares. He was to make atonement for it by the sacrifice of himself; and to sprinkle it wholly with his own blood, that both an atonement might be made for it, and likewise that it might be cleansed, sanctified, and dedicated unto God; which part of his work in building his house, the Scripture most largely insists upon.

Fourthly, The tabernacle being erected, and sprinkled with blood, it was also with all its utensils to be anointed with the holy oil; and it was so accordingly, Exod. xl. 9—11. “ Thou shalt, saith God, take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is therein, and all the vessels thereof, and it shall be holy. And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar, and it shall be an altar most holy." That this unction was a type of the Holy Ghost is known; he is the oil of gladness wherewith Christ himself, and all his, were to be anointed. This therefore the Lord Christ in an especial manner takes care for in the building of his house; namely, to have it anointed by the Holy Ghost: this he promised unto them, John xvi. 7. and this he performeth accordingly, 1 John ii. 27. This unction, with all the blessed and glorious effects of it, doth the Lord Christ grant unto this whole house of his. And these are the heads of some of the principal actings of Christ in the building of the house of God: all which are done by him effectually, and by him alone.

Lastly, Unto the completing of this house for an habitation to the Lord, the glorious entrance of his presence into it was required. And this also is accomplished by him according to his promise that he will be with us, among us, and dwell in us by his Spirit unto the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 20. 1 Cor. iii. 16. 2 Cor. vi. 16. Eph. ii, 19-22.

And so we have briefly demonstrated the first thing expressed in the words, namely, that Christ was the builder of the house, whereof Moses was a part and a member only.

II. The second thing asserted is, That the Lord Christ, is worthy of all glory and honour upon the account of his thus building his church, the house of God.-This also is directly taught by the apostle, and included in the comparison that he makes of him with Moses, and his preference above him. He is worthy of much more glory and honour than Moses. What glory it is that the apostle intends, we must first inquire; and then shew, both that he is worthy of it, and also hath it; which things comprise what remains of the apostle's intention in this first argument.

First, The Lord Christ hath an essential glory, the same with that of the Father. This he had from eternity, antecedently pnto his whole undertaking of building the house of God,

"He and his Father are ONE," John x. 30.

Before his humili

ation he was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal to God, Phil. ii. 6. Equal in dignity and glory because of the same nature with him, which is the fountain of all divine glory and honour. This is the glory which he had with the Father before the world was, which being clouded for a season, in his taking on him the form of a servant, Phil. ii. 8. he desires the manifestation of again, upon the accomplishment of his work in this world, John xvii. 5. Rom i. 4. But this is not the glory intended. For the reason and cause of it, is not his building the house of God, but his divine nature from which it is absolutely inseparable. Had this house never been built, yet he would have been thus glorious to eternity.

Secondly, There is in Christ the glory and honour of the human nature, as glorified after its obedience and suffering. This nature was rendered glorious by virtue of its union with the Sen of God from his incarnation, as it is expressed by the angel, Luke i. 35. "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore so shall that holy thing which shall be born of thee be called the Son of God." But it received an inconceiveable addition of glory, when being made spiritual and heavenly, and every way glorified beyond what the understanding of man can reach unto, (for whereas our vile bodies shall be made like unto his glorious body, or we shall be made like unto him, it doth not appear, is not conceivable, what we shall be, 1 John iii. 2.) it was received triumphantly into heaven, Acts i. 9. there to continue until the times of the restitution of all things, Acts iii. 21. Neither is this as absolutely considered, the glory and honour here intended. For this glory is not merely that which he hath in himself, but that which is due to him from, and given to him by the church.

Thirdly, There is the honour and glory which he hath received in his exaltation, as the head of the church. What this glory is, and wherein it doth consist, or what are the effects of his exaltation, have been at large declared on chap i. 2, 3. &c. Mat. xxviii. 18. Eph. i. 20-22. Col. i. 15-18. In this last place both the nature and reason and consequents of it are expressed. The nature of it is in this, that he is the first born of every creature, ver. 15. or Lord, and heir of the whole creation of God; the head of the body, with an absolute pre-eminence in all things, ver. 18. And the reason which makes this exaltation reasonable, is taken from the dignity of his person absolutely considered, and the infiniteness of his power. For, in his person, he is the image of the invisible God,' ver. 15. Or, the express image of the Father,' as Heb. i. 3. And as to his power, by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in

earth,' ver. 16. as is at large declared, John i. 1-3. This made it equal, that having fulfilled the work assigned unto him, mentioned ver. 20-22. he should enjoy all the glory and honour insisted on; that is, that after he had built the house of God, he was thus exalted.

What this glory or honour of Christ is, with respect unto the church or the house built by him, shall be briefly declared; supposing, as was said before, what hath been already taught concerning it on the first chapter. And it may be considered,

First, In respect of the collation of it upon him. His glory as the eternal Son of God, was and is personal and natural unto him, even as it is unto the Father. For each person being possessed in solidum of the same nature, each of them being God by nature, and the same God, they have the same glory. But this glory of Christ, as the builder of the church, as mediator, is consequent unto, and bestowed on him by the will and actual donation of the Father. By him was he designed unto his work, and from him doth he receive his glory. "He raised him from the dead, and gave him glory," 1 Pet. i. 21. That is, not only rendered him glorious by his resurrection, as he was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead; as Rom. i. 4. that is, made known by that miraculous diviñe operation to be the true real Son of God, and his divine nature thereby manifested; nor only because he was afterwards received up into glory, 1 Tim. iii. 16. that is, gloriously and triumphantly in his human nature received into heaven; but because it was his will that glory and honour should be yielded, ascribed, and paid unto him. For so he speaks concerning the whole intellectual creation. As first, for angels; he saith, "let all the angels of God worship him," chap. i. 6. And for man; "the Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son, that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father," John v. 22, 23. So that this glory and honour is conferred upon the Lord Christ, as the builder of the church, by the grant, donation, and will of the Father.

Secondly, As to the nature of this glory, it consists in this; that he is the object of all divine religious worship; and the principal author of all the laws thereof, whereby it is outwardly and solemnly celebrated or performed. Hence there is a twofold duty incumbent on the church in reference to him who is the builder of it, our Mediator Jesus Christ. 1. That they serve him, trust him, believe in him, obey him with all religious subjection of soul and conscience. Hence saith he, ye believe in God, believe also in me, John xiv. 1. ; ye believe in God the Father who sent me, believe also in me who am sent, with the same divine faith and confidence. Commands and examples unto the same pur

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