PART III. of gracious Afe5tions. The conftant and indiffoluble Conne&ion that there is between a chriftian Principle and Profeffion in the true Saints, and the Fruit. of holy Pra6tice in their Lives, was typified of Old in the Frame of the golden Candleftick in the Temple. 'Tis beyond Doubt that that golden Candleftick, with its feven Branches and feven Lamps, was a Type of the Churchof Chrift. The Holy Ghoft himfelf, has been pleafed to put that Matter out of Doubt, by reprefenting his Church by fuch a golden Candleftick, with feven Lamps, in the fourth Chap- ter of Zechariah, and reprefenting the feven Churches of llfia by fe- yen golden Candlefticks, in the firft Chapter of the Revelation. That golden Candleftick in the Temple was every where, throughout its whole Frame, made with Knops and Flowers ; Exod. 25. 3r, to the End, and Chap. 37. 17,- -24. The Word tranflated Knop, in the Original fignifies Apple or Pomegranate. There was a Knop and a Flower, a Knop and a Flower : Wherever there was a Flower, there was an Apple or Pomegranate with it : The Flower and the Fruit were conftantly conneaed, without fail. The Flower contain'd the Principles of the Fruit, and a beautiful promifing Appearance of it ; and it never was a deceitful Appearance : The Principle or Shew of Fruit, had evermore real Fruit attending it, or fucceeding it. So it is in the Church of Chrift : There is the Principle of Fruit in Grace in the Heart ; and there is an amiable Profeffion, fignified by the open Flowers of the Candleftick ; and there is anfwerable Fruit, in holy PraEtice, conflantly attending this Principle and Profeffion. Every Branch of the golden Candleftick, thus compos'd of golden Apples and Flowers, was crown'd with a burning, fhining Lamp on the Top of it. For 'tis by this Means that the Saints thine as Lights in the World, by making a fair and good Profeflîon of Religion, and having their Profeffion evermore join'd with anfwerable Fruit in Prad?ice Agreeable to that of our Saviour, Matth. 5. 15, 16. Neither do Men light a Candle, andput it under a Bufhel, but on a Candleflick ; and it `C me to take Heed of fevering Faith and Obedience ; I taught CC Juftification by Faith, but negleéted Obedience ; and there- fore is this befallen me. I have known Tome godly Men, cc whofe Comfort on their Death-Beds hath been not from the. CG inward A6ts of their Minds, which apart confidered, might. " be fubje& to Mifapprehenfions, but from the Courfe of Obe- `4 dience in their Lives, iffuing thence. Let Chriftians look to. " it, that in all their Converfation, as they ftand in every Rela- <c tion, as Scholars, Tradefmen, Hufbands, Wives, look to this, ac that when they come to die, they have been fubje& in all cc Things. This will yield. Comfort." Dr. PrOon'sChurch's Carriage. givetb il
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