fign here given by your Lord Jefus; Deftroy this temple, and in three days I will raife it up. For explaining of this, you may remark,

I. "That our Lord Jefus here compares his body to "the temple: and, indeed, his body is the true temple, "of which that at Jerufalem was but a type." Why? for the following reafons.

(1.) Like the temple, it was built by immediate divine direction, 1 Chron. xxviii. 19. And thus Chrift fays, "A body haft thou prepared me," Heb. x. 5. This temple of Chrift's body, was indeed, a more curious edifice, a building of God, a mafter-piece of his work, by the power of the Holy Ghoft, in the womb of a virgin, and gradually built up to a perfect ftature.

(2.) Like the temple it was a holy houfe; and therefore called that holy thing, confecrated for the fervice of God; a living temple, for the living fervice of the living God, who fays, "Behold my Servant," Ifa. xlii. 1.

(3.) It was, like the temple, the habitation of God's glory here the eternal Word dwelleth, the true Shechinah: he is IMMANUEL, God with us; and "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," Col. ii. 9.

(4.) The temple was the place and medium of intercourfe betwixt God and Ifrael; there God revealed himfelf to them, and there they prefented themfelves and their fervices to him. Thus, by Chrift, God speaks to us, and we speak to him. True worshippers look towards that house, as you fee reprefented, 1 Kings viii. 30. 35. 38, &c. We must worship God with an eye to Christ; of whom, as the true temple, God fays, 2 Chron. vii. 15, 16.“ Now mine eyes fhall be open, and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place ; for, now I have chofen and fanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually." God's heart and eye is fet upon Chrift as the temple, whence he fhews himfelf precious to finners.

(5.) In a word, the temple was a visible, outward edifice, capable of being demolished and defiroyed by the hands of men; and accordingly was fo in the event: fuch a temple was the body of Chrift; it was a mortal

body

body fubject to death. This leads to another remark

here.

Remark 2. "That this temple of Chrift's body was "deftroyed, as far as the hands of men and devils "could deftroy it; even as the temple of Jerusalem "afterwards was." By this deftruction of the temple of Chrift's body, we are to understand the death of Chrift, who was actually crucified, dead, and buried, according to the hiftory thereof you have in the evangelifts Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The destroyers of this temple, inftigated by Satan, cried out upon the matter, Raze, raze it to the foundation, when they cried, "Crucify him! crucify him!" and fo accomplifhed the prediction of our Lord here, Deftroy this temple. Hence,

Remark 3. "That this deftruction or death of Chrift's "human body, was ordered of the Lord; he permitted. "it; yea, God determined it,Acts ii. 23. "Him, being "delivered by the determinate counfel and fore-knowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands "have crucified and flain." God had a holy hand in that wherein men had a finful, wicked hand. Defiroy this temple: it is not a command or allowance, but a prediction of what wickednefs they would commit; yet God defigned his death as man's Surety; therefore justice pursued him, and knocked down that temple: he died to fatisfy that threatening; "In the day thou eateft, thou shalt furely die." The deftruction of this temple was defigned for our deliverance. Therefore,

Remark 4. "This temple was raised up the third day "after it was thus deftroyed, according to the promise "and the type." This temple behoved to be repaired and rebuilt; and that in three days. This holy temple faw destruction, but it was not poffible it could fee corruption. "David foreseeing this before, speaks of the refurrection of Chrift, That his foul was not left in hell; neither his flesh did fee corruption," Acts ii. 31. compared with Pfalm xvi. 10. and Acts xiii. 35. Arife he muft, to fhew that he was the Son of God, Rom. i. 4.; that he was the living God, a living temple, not made with hands, as other temples.

Remark

Remark 5. "That Chrift, by his own power, raised up again this temple in three days: I will raise it up.” It is true, we are told, again and again, the Father raifed him; and that God raised him from the dead: but then it is as true, that, as God, he and his Father are one; and therefore, he arofe, by his own power, which was the power of God; for, he is God-man. Ile declared, that he had power to lay down his life, and power to take it again, John x. 18. And as Chrifl foretold it here, fo he actually rofe and Chrift is rifen indeed; the temple is raised up by his own power. And never was there a greater demonftration of the power of God, than was put forth in raifing this temple: it is called the power of his refurrection, Phil. iii. 1o. As Lazarus behoved to be dead, and buried for a time, that the power of Christ might be manifeft in raising him; fo here, the temple of Chrift's body behaved first to be destroyed by death, and interred, that his own divine power might be illuftriously difplayed in the revival of it again.

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Remark 6. "That this refurrection of Chrift, or the "raifing up of the temple of his body, was a fign and demonflration of his power and authority to raise and repair the temple of his church, his myftical body." The Jews here fought a fign of his authority for what he did; but feeing his works and miracles did not convince them that he was the true Meffias, he spoke in a figurative way of a fign, that fhould in itfelf be demonftrative of his being the true Meffias, the true God; and fhould declare that he was the Son of God with power, and the glorious powerful Head of the body of the church. This leads,

2dly, To offer fome remarks upon the thing fignified, namely, his power and authority to raise up the temple of his myftical body the church, or his repairing it when demolished and ruined by men. Concerning this we may remark,

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I.

1. "That as the human body of Chrift, fo his church "and myftical body, is comparable to a temple, and frequently in fcripture compared thereto. "Know ye not "that ye are the temples of God, and that the Spirit of "God dwelleth in you?" 1 Cor. iii. 16. Yea, their VOL. VII.

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"bodies

"bodies are called the temples of the Holy Ghoft, 1 Cor. "vi. 19. "What agreement hath the temple of God with "idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; and "God hath faid, I will dwell in them," 2 Cor. vi. 16. The church is a temple of God's building, as Chrift's body was; "The Lord hath founded Zion, he buildeth Jeru falem." It is alfo his holy temple, and called the mountain of his holinefs, Pfal. xlviii. 1. It is his habitation; yea, he hath defired it for his habitation, faying, “This is my reft for ever, here will I dwell, for I have defired it," Pfal. cxxxii. 14. And further, it is the place of intercourfe with God: there is no ordinary means of falvation but in the temple of his church, where his word and ordinances are difpenfed; for, as "There is no name given under heaven, whereby to be faved, but the name of Chrift," the only Saviour published in Zion; so, Where there is no vifton, the people perifh." This temple, indeed, hath both an outer and inner court; I mean, the church is either vifible or invifible. • The catholic or univerfal church,' fays our Confeffion of Faith, which is invifible, confifts of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or fhall be gathered into one under Chrift the Head thereof; and is the fpoufe, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, Eph. i. 10. 22, 23. V. 12. 27. 32. Col. i. 18.—The vifible church, which is alfo catholic or univerfal, under the gospel, (not confined to one nation, as before under the law) confifts of all thofe throughout the world that profefs the true religion, together with their children; and is the kingdom of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary poffibility of falvation.' *

Remark 2. "That as the human body of Chrift, when "in his state of humiliation, was liable to deftruction and "death; fo is the church militant, the myftical body of "Chrift, his temple, liable to deftruction and defilement; "and when it is profaned and defiled, it is faid to be "deftroyed; "If any man defile the temple of God, him "will God deftroy; for the temple of God is holy, which * Confeffion of Faith, chap. xxv. §. 1; 2. with the fcriptures there quoted.

"temple

1

"temple ye are:" It may be read, If any man deftroy the temple of God, him will God destroy," 1 Cor. iii. 17. To this purpose we fay in our Confeflion, in the forementioned chapter, That the pureft churches under heaven are fubject both to mixture and error: and fome have fo degenerated, as to become no church of Chrift, but fynagogues of Satan; tho' yet there fhall always bet a church on earth, to worship God according to his ' will.'* Thus we read, Rev. ii. ii. what errors the churches of Afia were filled with; and Mat. xii. 24, &c. what tares may grow up among the wheat. We read, Rev. xviii. 2. how the ancient famous church of R me is become a BABYLON, the habitation of devils, the hold of every foul fpirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. We read of the blafphemy of them that fay they are Jews and are not; but are the fynagogue of Satan, Rev. ii. 9. 1 Cor. xi. 19. "There must be herefies among you," fays the aptle, " that they which are approved may be made manifeft among you." Thus the apollle Paul alfo foretold, Acts xx. 29, 30. "I know this, that after my departing fhall grievous wolves enter in among you, not fparing the flock. Alfo of your ownfelves fhall men arife, fpeaking perverfe things, to draw away difciples after them."

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Remark 3. That fuch temple-deftroyers and de"filers are ordered of God in the vifible church by "his determinate counfel and fore knowledge, they put forth their wicked hands to this deftructive "work." God fays to them, providentially, not preceptively, as Chrift faid here, Deftroy this temple. When we fee the wicked hands of men, and condemn them that are thus employed, we are to fee the holy hand of God, and juftify him, faying, "Thou art holy, thou that inhabiteft the praises of Ifrael. Is there evil in the city, and I have not done it, faith the Lord?" Amos in. 6. See Ifa. xxii. 4, 5. "Therefore faid I, Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; labour not to comfort me, because of the fpoiling of the daughter of my people for, it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by

* Confeffion of Faith, chap. xxv. §. 5. with the feriptures cited.

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