diction, that to them he shall bring with him when he shall return from thence. Wherefore he adds, "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

This therefore shows us the greatness of the work that Christ has to do at the right hand of God, for that he stays there so long. He accomplished all the first part of his priesthood in less than forty years, if you take in the making of his holy garments and all; but about this second part thereof he has been above in heaven above sixteen hundred years, and yet has not done.

This therefore calls for faith and patience in saints, and by this he also tries the world; so that they, in mocking manner, begin to say already, "Where is the promise of his coming?"

But I say again, "We must look and wait." If the people waited for Zecharias, and wondered that he stayed so long, because he stayed in the holy place somewhat longer than they expected, no marvel if the faith of the world about Christ's coming is fled and gone long ago, yea, and that the children also are put to wait, since a Scripture "little while" doth prove so long. For that which the apostle saith, "yet a little while," doth prove to some to be a very long while.

True, Zecharias had then to do with angels, and that made him stay so long. Oh, but Jesus is with God, before him, in his presence, talking with him, swallowed up in him and with his glory, and that is one cause he stays so long. He is there also pleading his blood for his tempted ones, and intereeding for all his elect, and waits there till all his be fitted for and ready to enter into glory. I say he is there, and there must be till then; and this is another reason why he doth stay the time we count so long.

And indeed it is a wonder to me that Jesus Christ our Lord should once think, now he is there, of returning hither again, considering the ill-treatment he met with here before. But what will not love do? Surely he would never touch the ground again had he not a people here that cannot be made perfect but by his coming to them. He also is made judge of quick and dead, and will get him glory in the ruin of them that hate him.

His people are as himself to him. Can a loving husband abide to be always from a beloved spouse? Besides, as I said, he is to pay

the wicked off for all their wickedness, and that in that very plat where they have committed it. Wherefore the day appointed for this is set, and he will and shall come quickly to do it.

For however the time may seem long to us, yet, according to the reckoning of God, it is but a little while since he went into the holiest to intercede. "A thousand years with the Lord is but as one day;" and after this manner of counting he has not been gone yet full two days into the holiest. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; he will come quickly, and will not tarry."

LXIX. Of the Cherubims, and of their being placed over the Mercy-scat in the Inner Temple.

There were also cherubims in the most holy place, which were set on high above the mercyseat. See 1 Kings vi.

1. These are called by the apostles "the cherubims of glory, covering the mercy-seat.' Heb. ix. 5.

2. These cherubims were figures of the angels of God, as in other places we have proved.

3. It is said these cherubims were made of image-work, and that in such a manner as that they could, as some think, move their wings by art, wherefore it is said they stretched forth their wings; the wings of the " cherubims spread themselves;" and that the "cherubins spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the staves thereof above.”

4. I read also of these cherubims that they had chariots and wheels, by which is taught us how ready and willing the angels are to fetch us when commanded unto the paradise of God; for these chariots were types of the bosoms of the angels, and these wheels of the quickness of their motion to come for us when sent. "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place." 1 Chron. xx. 48; Ezek. xvi. 9.

5. What difference, if any there is, between cherubims and seraphims, into that I shall now inquire, though I believe that there are diverse orders and degrees of angels in the heavens, as there are degrees and diverse orders among men in the world. But that these cherubimwere figures of the holy angels their bein thus placed in the holy oracle doth declare; for their dwelling-place is in heaven, though

6. It is said that these cherubims in this holy place did stand upon their feet, to show

1. That the angels of heaven are not fallen from their station, as the other angels are.

2. To show also that they are always ready, at God's bidding, to run with swiftness to do This pleasure.

3. To show also that they shall continue in their station, being therein confirmed by Jesus Christ, "by whom all things exist."

7. It is said their faces were inward, looking one to another, yet withal somewhat ascending, to show that the angels both behold and Wonder at the mysteries of grace as it is displayed to us-ward from off the mercy-seat. "The faces of the cherubims shall look one to another; toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubims be."

1. "Towards the mercy-seat." They are dirous to see it, and how from hence, I say, mercy doth look towards us.

2. "They look one towards another," to show that they agree to rejoice in the salvation of our souls. Luke xx. 10.

3. They are said to stand above the mercyat, perhaps to show that the angels have not bred of those acts of mercy and forgiveness as have, who stand below and are sinners. They stand above it-they are holy. I do not

they have no need that the goodness of fd should be extended to them, for it is by that they have been and are preserved; but they need not to be forgiven, for they have ommitted no iniquity.

4. They stand there also with wings stretched cat, to show how ready, if need be, the angels are to come from heaven to preach this Gos4 to the world. Luke ii. 9-14.

5. It is said in this that, thus standing, their wing did reach from wall to wall, from one de of this holy house to the other, to show that all the angels within the boundaries of the Leavens, with one consent and one mind, are ready to come down to help, and serve, and do for God's elect at his command.

It is said also that their wings are stretched out on high, to show that they are only delighted in those duties which are enjoined them by the high and lofty One, and not inclined, no not to serve the saints in their sensual or fleshly designs. It may be also to show that they are willing to take their flight from one end of heaven to the other, to serve God and his Church for good. Matt. xiii. 48, 49; xxiv. 31.

of the Inner Temple.

The wall of the inner temple, which was a type of heaven, was, as I have already told you, ceiled with cedar from the bottom to the top. Now by the vision of Ezekiel it is said this wall was carved with cherubims and palm trees. "So that a palm tree was between a cherub, and every cherub had two faces; so that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side. It was made through all the house round about: from the ground to above the door were the cherubims and the palm trees made.”

1. As to these cherubims and palm trees, I have already told you what I think them to be figures of. The cherubims are figures of the holy angels and the palm trees of upright ones: we therefore here are to discourse only of the placing of them in the heavens.

2. Now you see the palm trees in the holiest are placed between a cherub and a cherub, round about the house, which methinks should be to signify that the saints shall not there live by faith and hope, as here, but in the immediate enjoyment of God; for to be placed between the cherubims is to be placed where God dwells, for holy writ says plainly, He dwells between the cherubims, even where, here it is said, these palm trees or upright ones are placed.

The Church on earth is called God's house, and he will dwell in it for ever, and heaven itself is called God's house, and we shall dwell in it for ever, and that between the cherubims. This is more than grace: this is grace and glory, glory indeed.

3. To dwell between the cherubims may also be to show that there we shall be equal to the angels. Mark, here is a palm tree and a cherub, a palm tree and a cherub. Here we are a little lower, but there we shall not be a whit behind the very chief of them. A palm tree and a cherub, an upright one between the cherubs, will then be round about the house; we shall be placed in the same rank; "neither can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels."

4. The palm trees thus placed may be also to show us that the elect of God shall there take up the vacancies of the fallen angels; they for sin were cast down from the holy heavens, and we by grace shall be caught up thither, and be placed between a cherub and a cherub. When I say their places, I do not

mean the fickleness of that state that they for want of electing love did stand in while in glory; for the heavens by the blood of Christ are now to us become a purchased possession; wherefore, as we shall have redeeming blood, we shall there abide, and go no more out, for by that means that kingdom will stand to us unshaken.

5. These palm trees, I say, seem to take their places who for sin were cast from thence. The elect therefore take that place in possession, but a better crown for ever. Thus "Israel possessed that of the Canaanites," and David, Saul's kingdom, and Matthias the apostleship

of Judas. Acts i. 22-26.

6. Nor were the habitations which the fallen angels lost, excepting that which was excepted before, at all inferior to theirs that stood; for their captain and prince is called son of the morning, for he was the antitype thereof. Isa. xiv. 12.

7. Thus you see they were placed from the ground up to above the door; that is, from the lowest to the highest angel there; for as there are great saints and small ones in the Church on earth, so there are angels of divers degrees in heaven, some greater than some; but the smallest saint, when he gets to heaven, shall have an angel's dignity, an angel's place; from the ground you shall find a palm tree between a cherub and a cherub.

8. And every cherub had two faces; so here, but I read in chapter x. that they had four faces apiece: the first was the face of a cherubim, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

9. They had two faces apiece; not to show that they were of a double heart, "for their

appearance and themselves was the same, and they went every one straight forward."

These two faces, then, were to show here the quickness of their apprehension and their ter ribleness to execute the mind of God. The face of a man signifies them masters of reason, the face of a lion, "the terribleness of their presence."

In another place I read of their wheels; yea, that themselves, their whole bodies, their backs, their hands, their wings, and their wheels were full of eyes round about."

And this is to show us how knowing and quicksighted they are in all providences and dark dispensations, and how nimble in apprehending the mischievous designs of the enemies of God's Church, and so how able they are to undermine them. And forasmuch also as they have the face of a lion, we by that are showed how full of power they are to kill and to destroy when God says, Go forth and do so.

Now with these we must dwell and cohabit, a palm tree and a cherub: a palm tree and a cherub must be from the ground to above the door, round about the house, the heavens.

"So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side."

By these two faces may also be showed that we in the heavens shall have glory sufficient to familiarize us to the angels. Their lionlike looks, with which they used to fright the biggest saint on earth, as you have it, (Gen. xxxii. 30; Judg. xiii. 15, 22,) shall then be accompanied with the familiar looks of a man. Then angels and men shall be fellows, and have to do with each as such.

Thus you see something of that little I have found in the temple of God.

OR,

COURTEOUS READER:

One reason which moved me to write and print this little book was, because though there are many excellent, heart-affecting discourses in the world that tend to convert the sinner, yet I had a desire to try this simple method of mine; wherefore I make bold thus to invite and encourage the worst to come to Christ for life.

I have been vile myself, but have obtained mercy; and I would have my companions in sin partake of mercy too, and therefore I have writ this little book.

The nation doth swarm with vile ones now, as ever it did since it was a nation. My little book in some places can scarce go from house to house but it will find a suitable subject to spend itself upon. Now, since Christ Jesus is willing to save the vilest, why should they not by name be somewhat acquainted with it, and bid come to him under that name?

A great sinner when converted seems a booty to Jesus Christ he gets by saving such an one: why, then, should Jesus lose his glory and the sinner lose his soul at once, and that for want of an invitation?

I have found, through God's grace, good success in preaching upon this subject, and perhaps so I may in writing upon it too. I have, as you see, let down this net for a draught;

the Lord catch some great fishes by it for the magnifying of his truth! There are some most vile in men's eyes, and some are so in their own eyes too; but some have their paintings to shroud their vileness under, yet they are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do; and for all these God hath sent a Saviour Jesus, and to all these the door is opened.

Wherefore, prithee, profane man, give this little book the reading. Come, pardon and a part in heaven and glory cannot be hurtful to thee. Let not thy lusts and folly drive thee beyond the door of mercy, since it is not locked nor bolted up against thee. Manasseh was a bad man, and Magdalen a bad woman, to say nothing of the thief upon the cross or of the murderers of Christ, yet they obtained mercy: Christ willingly received them.

And dost thou think that those, once so bad, now they are in heaven repent them there because they left their sins for Christ when they were in the world? I cannot believe but that thou thinkest they have verily got the best of it. Why, sinner, do thou likewise. Christ, at heaven's gate, says to thee, Come hither; and the devil, at the gates of hell, does call thee to come to him. Sinner, what sayest thou? whither wilt thou go? Don't go into the fire; there thou wilt be burned. Do not let Jesus

One word more, and so I have done. Sinner, here thou dost hear of love; prithee, do not provoke it by turning it into wantonness. He that dies for slighting love sinks deepest

The unbelieving and the abominable, who refuse to accept the loving invitation of the heavenly Charmer, the meek Lamb of God, now, will ere long be

remembrance of that evil, more than by the deepest cogitation of all his other sins.* Take heed, therefore; do not make love thy tormentor, sinner.

FAREWELL.

forced to endure his wrath, when he puts on the fierceness of a roaring lion at the great and terrible day of his appearing.