The Gojpel vf the Golden Cändlej7icks in the Temple. 39 it Candle ; fo Difcipline and Cenfures cut off Corruption and corrupt Members. 4. The ?Iman, and Diflinthion of Churches; There were feveral Branches, and feven Lamps ; therefore diftin& : But all growing up- on one Shaft, and therefore one ; fo all Churches depend upon the fame Chrift, upon the fame Head, and they are all guided by the fame Rule, the fame Word, and influencedby the fame Spirit of Chrift, Vid. 4infw. in loc. 2. Thefe GoldenCandlefticks in the Temple were Type of the Mi- nifty in the Church : So Rev. i. zo. the feven Stars that fhine in the tops of the Candlefticks are the Angels of the liven Churches. Fer as the Candleftick doth fdpport the Lamp and the Light, fo doth the Church the Miniftry And as the Lamp or Candle Niles in the Candleftick, fo Moth the Miniftry in the Church. A Church without a Minifter, is a Candleftick without a Light. john is called a, burning and a fhining Light, Job. 5. 37. and to all Minifters are, or ought to be. 3. Thefe Golden Candlefticks typified alfo the Light of the Word, with which the Mi niftry fhines ; and the Scripture is compared to a Lamp and a Candle, Pfal.`119. 105. to a Light fhining in a dark Place, 2 Pet, 1. 19. to Gold andfine Gold, Pfal. 19. z o, which makes the A11u- fion yet more full; for thefe were Golden Candlefticks So the Word is Gold, yea, more precious then Gold. 4. Thefe Golden Candlefticks typified alfo tl,e Spirit ofGod For this the Text is exprefsRev..} g.' and there were /even Lamps of Fire burning before the Throne, which are the feven "Spirits of Cod. That this is meant of the Holy Ghoft, the third Përfon of the Trinity, appears by this ; that Yoh?: prays for Grace and Peace from the feven: Spirits of God, Rev, r. 4. but it had been impious to have prayed to any created Spirit for them. But why is the Holy Ghoft myftically expreffed fuck a Phrafe, the feven Spirits of God? Both in allufion to the Num- ber of Candleflicks, which were feven, in john's Vifon, ; Rev. I. 12.. and in allulion to the feven Lamps that wereon the topofeach Can- dleftick in the Temple ; And alfo to fignify the variety andperfeûi- on of his Gifts and Graces, and Operations in the Church, and in the ofhis People; for feven is a Number of Perfeäion. But you may fee the Analogy more fully in four Particulars. z . The Lamps of the Candleftick did Thine and give Light:: So the Holy Ghoft is a Spirit of Light and illumination, Eph: z. 19, 2. The Lamps were fed with Oil, they (hall prepare oil-olive beaten.. for the Lamps, Exod, 27. 20. Now this Oil is the. Spirit, Ifa.6z. T. Aaj
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=