In that they are called tables of hewn stone it may be to show that all this cruelty was acted under smooth pretences, for hewn stones are smooth. The tables were finely wrought with tools, even as the hearts of the Jews were with hypocrisy. But, alas! they were stone still—that is, hard and cruel-else they could not have been an anvil for Satan to forge such horrid barbarisms upon. The tables were in number the same with the lavers, and were set by them, to show what are the fruits of being devoted to the law, as the Jews were in opposition to Christ and his holy Gospel: there flows nothing but hardness and a stony heart from thence. This was showed in its first writing; it was writ on the tables of stone, figures of the heart of man; and on the same tables, or hearts, was the death of Jesus Christ | compassed.

One would think that the meekness, gentleness, or good deeds of Jesus Christ might have procured in them some relentings when they were about to take away his life; but, alas! their hearts were tables of stone. What feeling or compassion can a stone be sensible of? Here were stony hearts, stony thoughts, stony counsels, stony contrivances, a stony law, and stony hands; and what could be expected hence but barbarous cruelty indeed? "If I ask you," said Christ, "you will not answer me, neither will you let me see."

In that the stony tables were placed about the temple, it supposeth that they were templemen, priests, scribes, rulers, lawyers, &c., that were to be the chief on whose hearts this murder was to be designed, and by them enacted to their own damnation without repent

ance.

XL. Of the Instruments wherewith this Sacrifice was slain, and of the Four Tables they were laid on in the Temple.

The instruments that were laid upon the tables in the temple were not instruments of music, but those with which the burnt-offering was slain.

"And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt-offering: whereon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burntoffering and the sacrifice."

1. Here we are to take notice that the tables were the same, and some of them of which we spake before.

2. That the instruments with which they slew the sacrifice were laid upon these tables.

The instruments with which they slew the

sacrifices, what were they but a bloody axe, bloody knives, bloody hooks, and bloody hands? For these we need no proof-matter of fact declares it.

But what were those instruments a type of?

Answer. Doubtless they were a type of our sins. They were the bloody axe, the knife, and bloody hands that shed his precious blood. They were the meritorious ones without which he could not have died. When I say ours, I mean the sins of the world. Though then the hearts of the Jews were the immediate contrivers, yet they were our sins that were the bloody tools or instruments which slew the Son of God.

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He was wounded for our transgressions, he died for our sins." Isa. liii.

Oh the instruments of us churls, by which this poor man was taken from off the earth! Isa. xxxii. 7.

The whip, the buffetings, the crown of thorns, the nails, the cross, the spear, with the vinegar and gall, were all nothing in comparison to our sins. "For the transgressions of my people was he stricken." Nor were the flouts, taunte, mocks, scorns, derisions, &c., with which they followed him from the garden to the cross such cruel instruments as these. They were our sins, then, our cursed sins, by, with, and for the sake of which the Lord Jesus became a bloody sacrifice.

But why must the instruments be laid upon the tables?

1. Take the tables for the hearts of the murderers and the instruments for their sins, and what place more fit for such instruments to be laid upon? It is God's command that these things should be laid to heart, and he complains of those that do not do it.

2. Nor are men ever like to come to good until these instruments with which the Son of God was slain indeed be laid to heart. And they were eminently laid to heart even by them soon after; the effect of which was he conversion of thousands of them. Acts. ii. 36,

37.

3. Wherefore when it says these instruments must be laid upon the stony tables, he insinuates that God would take a time to charge the murder of his Son home upon the consciences of them that did the murder, either to conversion or condemnation. And is it not reason that they who did this horrid villainy should have their doings laid before their faces upon the tables of their heart, "that they may look

mourn ?"

4. But these instruments were laid but upon some of the tables, and not upon all the ten, to show that not all, but some of those so horrid, should find mercy of the Lord.

5. But we must not confine these tables only to the hearts of the bloody Jews; they were our sins for the which he died. Wherefore the instruments should be laid upon our tables too, and the Lord lay them there for good, that we also may see our horrid doings and come bending to him for forgiveness.

6. These instruments thus lying on the tables in the temple became a continual motive to God's people to repentance; for so oft as they saw these bloody and cruel instruments they were put in mind how their sins should the cause of the death of Christ.

7. It would be well also if these instruments were at all times laid upon our tables, for our tore humbling for our sins in every thing we do, especially upon the Lord's table when we

me to eat and drink before him. I am sure the Lord Jesus doth more than intimate that expects that we should do so, where he aith, "When ye eat that bread, and drink that cup, do this in remembrance of me"-in membrance that I died for your sins, and Consequently that they were the meritorious cause of the shedding of my blood.

To conclude: Let all men remember that these cruel instruments are laid upon the table of their hearts, whether they see them or no. "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron and with the point of a diamond upon the Lales of their heart."

A pen of iron will make letters upon a table de of stone, and the point of a diamond wil make letters upon glass. Wherefore in this saying God informs us that if we shall forbear to read these lines to our conversion, God will one day read them against us to our Condemnation.

XLI. Of the Candlesticks of the Temple. And he made ten candlesticks of gold, according to the form, and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left."

1. These candlesticks were made of gold, to show the worth and value of them.

2. They were made after the form or exact, according to rule, like those that were made in the tabernacle, or according to the pattern which David gave to Solomon to make them

these; and need there was of this hint, that men might see that every thing will not pass for a right-ordered candlestick with God.

These candlesticks are said sometimes to be ten, sometimes seven, and sometimes one: ten here, seven in Rev. i., and one in Zech, iv. Ten is a note of multitude, and seven a note of perfection, and one a note of unity.

Now as the precious stones with which the house was garnished were a type of ministerial gifts, so these candlesticks were a type of those that were to be the churches of the New Testament; wherefore he says, "The candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."

1. The candlesticks were here in number ten, to show that Christ under the New Testament would have many Gospel churches. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth," saith he, "will draw all men unto me;" that is, abundance. "For the children of the desolate" that is, of the New Testament Church-"shall be many more than they of the Jews were."

2. In that the candlesticks were set by the lavers and stony tables, it might be to show us that Christ's churches should be much in considering that Christ, though he was righteous, yet died for our sins; though his life was according to the holy law, yet our stony hearts caused him to die. Yea, and that the candlesticks are placed there, it is to show us also that we should be much in looking on the sins by which we caused him to die; for the candlesticks were set by those tables whereon they laid the instruments with which they slew the sacrifice.

3. The candlesticks being made according to form, seems not only to be exact as to fashion, but also as to work; for that in Exodus, with its furniture, was made precisely of one talent of gold, perhaps to show that Christ's true spouse is not to be a grain more nor a dram less, but just the number of God's elect. This is Christ's completeness, his fulness; one more, one less, would make his body

a monster.

4. The candlesticks were to hold the light, and to show it to all the house; and the Church is to let her light shine that they without may see the light.

5. To this end the candlesticks were supplied with oil-olive, a type of the supply that the Church hath, that her light may shine, even of the Spirit of grace.

sticks of the Temple.

To these candlesticks belonged several lamps, with their flowers and their knops. 2 Chron. v. 21.

1. These lamps were types of that profession that the members of the Church do make of Christ, whether such members have saving grace or not. Matt. xxv. 1-7.

2. These lamps were beautified with knops and flowers, to show how comely and beautiful that professor is that adorns his profession with a suitable life and conversation.

3. We read that the candlestick in Zechariah had seven lamps belonging to it, and a bowl of golden oil on the top; and that by golden pipes this golden oil emptied itself into the lamps, and all, doubtless, that the lamps might shine. Zech. iv.

4. Christ, therefore, who is the high priest, and to whom it belongs to dress the lamps, doth dress them accordingly. But now there are lamp-carriers of two sorts-such as have only oil in their lamps, and such as have oil in their lamps and vessels too; and both these belong to the Church, and in both these Christ will be glorified; and they should have their proper places at last. They that have the oil of grace in their hearts, as well as a profession of Christ in their hands, they shall go in with him to the wedding; but they who only make a profession, and have not oil in their vessels, will surely miscarry at last. Matt. xxv.

5. Wherefore, O thou professor! thou lampcarrier! have a care and look to thyself; content not thyself with that only that will maintain thee in a profession, for that may be done without saving grace. But I advise thee to go to Aaron, to Christ, the trimmer of our lamps, and beg thy vessel full of oil of him, (that is grace,) for the seasoning of thy heart, that thou mayest have wherewith not only to bear thee up now, but at the day of the Bridegroom's coming, when many a lamp will go out and many a professor be left in the dark; for that will to such be a woeful day.

Some there are that are neither for lamps uor oil for themselves, neither are they pleased if they think they see it in others. But they that have lamps, and they that have none, and they which blow out other folks' light, must shortly appear to give an account of all their doings to God. And then they shall see what it is to have oil in their vessels and lamps, and what it is to be without it in their

XLIII. Of the Shew-bread on the Golden Table in the Temple.

There was also shew-bread set upon a golden table in the temple. 1 Kings vii. 48.

The shew-bread consisted of twelve cakes made of fine flour; "two tenths deals were to go to one cake, and they were to be set in order in two rows upon the pure table." Ex. xxix. 33.

These twelve loaves to me do seem to he a type of the twelve tribes under the law, and of the children of God under the Gospel, as they present themselves before God, in and by his ordinances through Christ. Hence the apostle says, "For we being many are one bread," &c. For so were the twelve cakes, though twelve; and so are the Gospel saints, though many: "for we being many are one body in Christ."

2. But they were a type of the true Church, not of the false. For Ephraim, who was the head of the ten tribes in their apostacy, is rejected as a cake not turned. Indeed he is called a cake, as a false church may be called a church; but he is called a cake not turned, as a false church is not prepared for God, nor fit to be set on the golden table before him. Hos. vii. 8.

3. These cakes or shew-bread were to have frankincense strewed upon them as they stood upon the golden table, which was a type of the sweet perfumes of the sanctification of the Holy Ghost; to which I think Paul alludes when he says, "The offering up of the Gentiles is acceptable to God, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost."

4. They were to be set upon the pure table new and hot, to show that God delighteth in the company of new and warm believers. "I remember thee, the kindness of thy yath; when Israel was a child I loved him." Men at first conversion are like to a cake well baked and new taken from the oven; they are warm and cast forth a very fragrant scent, especially when as warm sweet incense is strewed upon them. Jer. ii.; Hos. xi.

5. When the shew-bread was old and stale it was to be taken away and new and warm put in its place, to show that God has but littl delight in the service of his own people when their services grow stale and mouldy. There fore he removed his old, stale, mouldy Church

of the Jews from before him, and set in their rooms upon the golden table the warm Church of the Gentiles.

6. The shew-bread, by an often remove and renewing, was continually to stand before the Lord in his house, to show us that always, as long as ordinances shall be of use, God will have a new, warm, and sanctified people to worship him.

7. Aaron and his sons were to eat the old shew-bread, to show that when saints have lived in the world as long as living is good for them, and when they can do no more service for God in the world, they shall yet be accepted of Jesus Christ; and that it shall be as meat and drink to him to save them from all their unworthiness.

8. The new shew-bread was to be set even on the sabbath before the Lord, to show with what warmth of love and affection God's servants should approach his presence upon his holy day.

XLIV. Of the Snuffers belonging to the Candle

sticks and Lamps of the Temple.

As there were candlesticks and lamps, so there were snuffers also prepared for these in the temple of the Lord. "And the snuffers were snuffers of gold."

1. Snuffers. The use of snuffers is to trim the lamps and candles, that their lights may shine the brighter.

2. Sauffers, you know, are biting, pinching things, but use them well, and they will prove not only beneficial to those within the house, but profitable to the lights.

Snuffers, you may say, of what were they a type?

My reason tells me that if I use these snuffers as I should, I must not only endeavour to take the superfluous snuff away, but so to do it that the light thereby may be mended; which then is done if, as the apostle saith, "I use sharpness to edification, and not for destruction."

Are not the seven churches in Asia called by the name of candlestick? And why candlestick if they were not to hold the candles? And candles must have snuffers therewith to trim the lights. And Christ, who is our true Aaron, in those rebukes which he gave those churches, alluding to these snuffers, did it that their lights might shine the brighter. Rev. ii. 3.

Wherefore, as he used them, he did it still with caution to their light, that it might not be impaired. For, as he still thus trimmed these lamps, he yet encouraged what he saw would shine if helped. He only nipped the snuff away.

Thus therefore he came to them with these snuffers in his hand, and trimmed their lamps and candlesticks. Rev. ii. 4, 20; chap. iii. 2, 15.

This should teach ministers, to whom it belongs under Christ, to use these snuffers well. Strike at the snuff, not at the light, in all your rebukes and admonitions; snuff not your lamps of a private revenge, but of a design to nourish grace and gifts in churches. Thus our Lord himself says he did in his using of these snuf fers about these candlesticks. "As many," saith he, "as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent."

To conclude: Watchmen, watch, and let not your snuffs be too long, nor pull them off with your fingers or carnal reasonings, but with godly admonitions, &c. Use your snuffers graciously, curb vice, nourish virtue; so you will use them well, and so your light will shine to the glory of God.

As who should say, They must use the snuffers of the temple to trim their lights withal, if they burn not well. These snuffers, therefore, are of great use in the temple of God, only, as I said, they must needs be used wisely. It is not for every fool to handle snuffers at or about the candles, lest perhaps, instead of mending the light he put the candle out. And therefore Paul bids them that are spiritual do it Gal. vi. i.

Snuffers in the Temple.

As there were snuffers, so there were also snuff-dishes in the temple; "and they were also made of gold." Ex. xxv. 28; xxxvii. 23; Num. iv. 9. The snuff-dishes were those in which the snuffs were put when snuffed off, and by which they were carried forth of the temple. They, therefore, as the snuffers are, are of great use in the temple of God.

1. By them the golden floor of the temple is kept from being daubed by the snuffs.

2. By them also the clean hands of those that worship there are kept from being defiled.