Mather - Houston-Packer Collection BS478 .M3 1705

136 The Gofpel of the perfonal Types. Some allude thus upon there two Benefits they hadby the Cloud That Truth is as a Pillar of Fire to go before us ; and Peace as a Pil- lar of Claud to overfhadow and refrefh us. 3. This fiery Pillar was exceeding glorious. It was an honour r ~, a nlo- ry to them : So in the Church, Chrift is the Gloryof his Churd . see Ifa. 4.2. We would think, if we could fee a Company 4 Icings and Princes, and Nobles and Great Men walking together in the Ways and Ordinances of Chrift, this were glorious, Deus maximus in minimis. There is a Glory in themeane.ff ofthe Affemblies of his Saints, though becaufe 'his fpiritual, carnal Eyes are not able to difcern it. When you come to the Meetings and Affemblies of God's People, you fhould endeavour to fee this Divine Glory : You fhould by Faith difcern and fee a Pillar of Cloud and Fire over the Places where they mYet, and a Guard of Angels and fiery Chariots round about them : God is pre- fent there : In his Temple doth every one (peak of his Glory, Pfal. 29. 9. Thus the Pillar of Cloud and Fire did figure and exhibit them to the Benefits of Chrift ; Light and Dire&ion ; Safety and Proteaion ; Or- nament and Glory. 3. It figured alfo the Ordinances of Chrift ; and his Prefence in and with them : For the Ordinances are the outward and vifible Tokensof God's Prefence with his People ; as this fiery Pillar was of old. And therefore when the Tabernaclewas made and fet up, it refled upon the Tabernacle, Exod. 4o. 38. There be fome Duties are fecret, which the World fees not, nor may fee ; as Alms-deeds, and perfonal and fecret Prayer. But the Ordinances of Inftitution are things that ought to be prac &ifed with all the Publicknefs that may be: They are out- ward and vifible Tokens of God's Prefence particularly that great Or- dinance of Baptifm, as in this Chapter, i Cor. to. 2. The Cloud it Teems, had a refrefhing Moifture in it, to shade, refrefh, and cool them from the burning Heat: And they were bedewed with it, as we are with the Water of Baptifm ; whereby this legal Cloud became a Type ofGofpel-Baptifm. And fo you fee how it reprefented fomething ofCbrift himfelf, and fomething of his Benefits, and fomething of his Ordinances under the New Teftament. So much for this thirdTypical Thing, this Pillar of Cloud and Fire. Cor.,

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