'LiE CHURCH COM!'ARt:D TCJ .A :HOUSE. Do;;k lV. MET A PH 0 R. JY. A Houle hath fomc· main .and principal Parts ap1·crraining or belonging to ir, as Pillars, Beams, ,Rafters, &c. PARALLEL. IV. So the Church or Houle of God bath lame famous Pillars, Beams, and Rafrers, as the Holy Ghofl: calleth them: 'The Beams of our Houfe are Cedars, and our Rafters of Fir, Cant. i. '7· The Righteous are compared to Cedars in Lebanon; ·thefe Trees are tall and durable. Cedar was uled in building of Solomon's Temple, a Type or F igure of the Church ; which denotes the Strength, Ufefulnefs, Beauty, and Excellency of the Saints, or fomc among them, who are called Pillars, Gal. ii. And when James, Cephas, and John, who feemed to be Pillars, &c. Anci Chrifl: faith, Hi;;J that overcometb will I make a Pillar in the 'T£mple of my Gad, Rev. iii. 12. V. In aHoufe, l'illars, Reams, V. So in the Houfe of God, the Prophets, and Rafters are of great, though Apofl:les, Pafl:ors, Deacons, &c. are of great Ule, of different Ufe; all ore to fupport, though of different Otlices; and all for the Sup– ftrengthen, perfect, and corn pleat port of every Part of the lpiritual Building; and the Building: The lea!t Materi.!l the leafl: Member cannot be fpared. Ephej. iv.7-1 2 . is needful, and cannot be wanting. Some are flrong, and tOme are weak; iOme have five 'I'alents, and fame but two ; yet one oughr not to .defpife the other, Matt. xxv. As in a mattl ial 1-!oufe, Beams and Rafter<, thougi• divers in Strength and Ufe, yet all have a firm Connection amongfl: themfclves, to make up one compleat SrruClure; even fo in Chril\'s Church, though there be divers Members, fevera:Iy gifted anci placed, as we fee in the !lady n•tural, yet, as the · Apofl:le there !hews, Verfe 25. 'There (bould be no Schlfm in the Body, t Cor. xii24- but fuch a Conjunct;on or one another, as they have of thcmfelves a holy Sym– pathy in fupponing, fuffering, and rejoicing. · VL The Houfe of a Pnnce, VI. So the Church and Temple of God, being when built, is furni01ed, and mofl: built for the glorious Prince of Heaven and Earrh, richly adorned, that it may become is mofl: richly and curiouny adorned with the pre– ameetHabitation,accordingtothe cious Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghoft: For as Degree, G lory, and Grandeur of the Materials of this Houle are Silver, Gold, and him who is to dwell therein. precious Stones; fo its Ornaments or furniture doth infinitely excel, it being the King's Palace: The King's JlaugbJcris al!g!orious within, Pfal. xlv. '3· VIL A Houte is a Place of SeVll. So the Church is a Place ofSecurity, God .curity; it defends from many having made fuch a bldfed \Nall about her: And Dangers, which thofe are expoil-d the Lord will create upon e ..:;erJ Dwelling-Place in unto, that are huborlels, 2nd J'.1ount Zion, and upon her AJ!emblies, a Cloud and forced to lie without Doors; beSmoke b)' Day, and the /bining of a flaming Fire by ftdes, fomc lloult:s ha-1e Walls Night; for upon all her Glory jha/1 be a Defence. I about them. will, faith God, encamp about mine Houje, becaufe of the Arm)', becauje of bim that pajfeth b)', &c. He hath pro:niled to be a JVa/1 of Fire round about ber, Zech. ii. 5· Vl!L A Hoc:fc is a Pl"ce of VIII. The Church of God is a fweet Place of Repole, a l{efl.ing-Place; it is fpiritllal Repofe. Sion is called a peaceable Ha– hence greatly clt:Gred, by every one bitation, and fure Dwelling, and a quiet Rd\ing– that belong' to :he Family that Place, Ija. xxxii. I 8, 1 9· dwells therein. l X. A Houfe hath a Way that leads to it, and a Door that openeth into it, that fo thole who are Str,1l1gers, may be readily directed how to find it. IX. So the Church or Houfe of God bath a Way that readily leads to it. In a 1\rict Scnle, Chri(\ is both the Way and the Door. If any en– .quire more direClly, how they may find the Way into the Church, if they take the Counfel of the Holy Ghofl:, they cannot mifs. '1hw faith the Lord, Staud in the Wap, ar.d fee, and 8jk fer the old Paths, where is the good Way, and walk therein, &c. Jer. vi. J 6. This good old Way is the Way of Repentance, Faith, and Klptifm; the Saints of the primitive Time walked all in this Way, and knew no other Door into the Church: And they tbat gladly received the Word, were baptized; ,and the fame Day there were added to them about three thoufand Souls, A.'ls ii. 41, 42. X.. -1 Houle is a Place of DeX. So the Chu rch of God is the principal Place :votion; there a Man reads, prays, of public De¥.Q<ion; there Praycn are made, the Word
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