things are to be secured; "if we hold fast our confidence firm unto the end." The duty itself relating to the manner of our retaining these things, is" to hold them fast." The state of them wherein they are to be retained, is "firm," or stedfast, and their duration in that estate, is" to the end."

The first is expressed by the word xarxa, which signifies a careful, powerful holding any thing against opposition. Kal χειν το πληθος, is effectually to retain the multitude in obedience when in danger ef sedition. And xalxur Peoveais, to hold, retain, or keep a place with a guard. As in Latin, Oppidum præsidio tenere. Two things therefore are represented in this word. First, That great opposition will arise against this duty, against our firmitude and constancy in profession. Secondly, That great care, diligence and endeavour is to be used in this matter, or we shall fail and miscarry in it. Because of the opposition that is made against them, because of the violence that will be used to wrest them from us, unless we hold them fast, that is, retain them with care, diligence and watchfulness, we shall lose them or be deprived of them.

Secondly, They are to be kept firm, Bißaia. The meaning of this word the apostle explaineth, chap. x. 23. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering," say, that is ax, without declining from it, or shaking in it. It is not

enough that we keep and retain, yea hold fast our profession, but we must keep it up against that uncertainty and fluctuating of mind, which are apt to invade and possess unstable persons in a time of trial.

Thirdly, Herein must we continue sis to tiλos, “ unto the end," that is, while we live in this world, not for the present season only, but in all future occurrences, till we come to the end of our faith, or the end of our lives, and the salvation of our souls. The observations from these verses ensue.

IV. The building of the church is so great and glorious a work, as that it could not be effected by any but by him who was God. "He that builds all these things is God." To him is it ascribed, Acts xx. 29. 1 John iii. 16. And it requires God to be the builder of it.

First, For the wisdom of its contrivance.-When God appointed Bezalecl to the work of building the tabernacle, he says, that he had" filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and knowledge and understanding," Exod. xxxi. 3. And none were to be employed in the work with him, but such as were "wise hearted, and into whom God had put wisdom," ver. 6. And yet this was but for the building of an earthly tabernacle, and that not to contrive it, but only to make and erect it according to a pattern which God himself did frame; this they could not do, till they were filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom."

What then must needs be required to the contrivance of this glorious, mysterious, spiritual, heavenly house of God? Nothing could effect it but infinite wisdom. Yea, "the manifold wisdom of God" was in it, Eph. iii. 10. "All the treasures of his wisdom and knowledge," Col. ii. 3. In this eternal wisdom of God was the mysterious contrivance of this building hid from the foundation of the world, Eph. iii. 9. and its breaking forth from thence in the revelation of it made in the gospel, was accompanied with so much glory, that the angels of heaven did earnestly desire to bow down, and "look into it," 1 Pet. i. 12. We have a very dark view of the glories of this building, and where it is mystically represented to us, as Isa. lx. Ezek. xliii. xliv. xlv. Rev. xxi. xxii. We may rather admire at it than comprehend its excellency. But when we shall come to see how the foundation of it was laid, at which "all the sons of God shouted for joy;" how by the strange and wonderful working of the Spirit of grace, all the stones designed from eternity for the building of this house, were quickened and made living in all ages and generations, and how they are from the beginning of the world to the end of it, "fitly framed together to be a temple to the Lord," and what is the glory of God's inhabitation therein, we shall be satisfied that divine wisdom was required thereunto.

Secondly, For the power of its erection.-It is the effect of divine power; and that whether we respect the opposition that is made to it, or the preparing and fitting of the work itself. Those angels who left their first habitation, had drawn the whole creation into a conspiracy against the building of this house of God. Not a person was to be used therein, but was engaged in an enmity against this work. And who shall prevail against this opposition? Nothing but divine power could scatter this combination of principalities and powers, and defeat the engagement of the world, and of the gates of hell against this design. Again, for the work itself; the sins of men were to be expiated, atonement for them was to be made, a price of redemption to be paid, dead sinners were to be quickened, blind eyes to be opened, persons of all sorts to be regenerated, ordinances and institutions of worship for beauty and glory to be erected, supplies of the Spirit at all times, and all ages and places, for its increase in grace and holiness, were to be granted, with other things innumerable which nothing but divine power could effect. Consider but this one thing; whereas all the parts of this house are subject to dissolution, the persons whereof it consists do, and must all die, he that builds this house must be able to raise them all from the dead, or else his whole work about the house itself is lost. Now who can do this but he that is God? They who think this is the work

of a mere man, know nothing of it; indeed nothing of God, of themselves, of the Spirit of God, of faith, grace, redemption, or of the reality of the gospel, as they ought. It is but a little dark view I can take of the wisdom and power that is laid out in this work, and yet I am not more satisfied that there is a God in heaven, than I am that he that built this thing is God. And herein also may we see, whence it is that this building goes on, notwithstanding all the opposition that is made to it. Take any one single believer from the foundation of the world, and consider the opposition that is made by sin, Satan and the world, in temptations and persecutions, to his interest in this house of God, and doth it not appear marvellous that he is preserved, that he is delivered? How hath it been in this matter with our own souls, if we belong to this house? That we should be called out of darkness into marvellous light, that we should be preserved hitherto notwithstanding our weakness, faintings, infirmities, falls, sins, &c. Is there not some secret hidden power, that effectually, in ways unknown to us, unperceived by us, puts forth itself on our behalf? Take any particular church in any age, and consider the persons of whom it is composed; commonly the poor, the weak, the foolish in, and of the world, are the matter of it. The entanglements and perplexities that it meets withal from the remainders of its own darkness and unbelief, with the reproach and persecution which for the most part it meets withal in the world, seem enough to root it up, or to overwhelm it every moment, yet it abides firm and stable. Or consider the whole church, with all the individual persons belonging thereunto, and that in all ages, throughout all generations; and think what it requires for its tion in its inward and outward condition, divine power shineth forth in all these things. Not one stone of this building is lost or cast to the ground, much less shall ever the whole fabric of it be prevailed against.

preserva

V. The greatest and most honourable of the sons of men that are employed in the work of God in his house, are but servants, and parts of the house itself.-Ver. 5. "Moses verily as a servant." Moses himself, the great lawgiver, was but a servant. And if he were no more, certainly none that followed him under the Old Testament, being all inferior to him, (seeing

there arose not a prophet in Israel like unto him," Deut. xxxiv. 10.) were in any other condition. So did the principal builders of the church under the New Testament declare concerning themselves. Servants of JESUS CHRIST, was their only title of honour. And they professed themselves to be servants of the church for Christ's sake, 2 Cor. iv. 5. And on that ground did they disclaim all dominion over the faith or worship of the church, as being only helpers of their joy, 2 Cor. i. 24. "Not

as lords over the Lord's heritage, but as ensamples of the flock," 1 Pet. v. 3. all according to the charge laid on them by their Lord and Master, Mat. xx. 25-27. And this appears,

First, Because no man hath any thing to do in this house but by virtue of commission from him who is the only Lord and Ruler of it; this bespeaks them servants. They are all taken up in the market place, from amongst the number of common men by the Lord of the vineyard, and sent into it by him. Neither are they sent to rest or sleep there, nor to eat the grapes and fill themselves, much less to tread down and spoil the vines; but to work and labour till the evening when they shall receive their wages. All things plainly prove them servants, and their commission is recorded, Mat. xxviii. 18-20. which ought carefully to be attended to.

Secondly, It is required of them, as servants, to observe and obey the commands of their Lord, and nothing else are they to do, have they to do, in his house. It is required of them that they be faithful; and their faithfulness consists in their dispensation of the mysteries of Christ, 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2. Moses himself, who received such a testimony unto his faithfulness from God, did nothing but what he commanded him, made nothing but according to the pattern shewed him in the mount. were the builders under the New Testament, to teach the church to do or observe any thing in the house of God, but what the Lord Christ commanded them, Matt. xxviii. 20. This is the duty of a faithful servant, and not to pretend by his own power and authority, to ordain things in the house for its worship and sacred use, not appointed by his Lord and Master. There is a strange spiritual fascination in this matter, or men could not at the same time profess themselves to be servants, and yet not think that their whole duty consists in doing the will of their Lord, but also in giving out commands of their own to be observed. This is the work of lords, and not of servants. And if it be not forbidden them by Christ, I know not what is.

Thirdly, As servants, they are accountable. They must give an account of all that they do in the house of their Lord. This their master often and solemnly warns them of; see Matt. xxiv. 45-48. Luke xii. 42. An account he will have of the talents committed to them, of their own gifts, and of the persons or souls committed to their charge; of his sheep; an account of their labour, pains, diligence, and readiness to do or suffer according to his mind and will. An account they must give, Heb. xiii. 17. and that unto the chief Shepherd when he comes, 1 Pct. v. 4. It is to be feared, that this is not much in some men's thoughts, who are yet greatly concerned in it. They count their profits, advantages, preferments, wealth; but of the account they are to make at the last day, they seem to make no

great reckoning. But what do such men think? Are they lords or servants? Have they a Master, or have they not? Are they to do their own wills, or the will of another? Do they fight uncertainly, and beat the air, or have they some certain scope and aim before them? If they have, what can it be, but how they may give up their account with joy? joy, if not in the safety of all their flocks, through the sinful neglect and miscarriages of any of them, yet in their own faithfulness, and the testimony of their consciences thereunto.

Fourthly, As servants, they shall have their reward: every one his penny, that for which he hath laboured. For although they are but servants, yet they serve a good, just, great and gracious Lord, who will not forget their labour, but give unto them a crown at his appearance, 1 Pet. v. 4.

See hence the boldness of the man of sin, and his accomplices, whose description we have exactly, Matt. xxiv. 48, 49. "An evil servant who says in his heart, that his Lord delayeth his coming, and so smites his fellow-servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken." He pretends indeed to be a sERVANT OF SERVANTS, but under that specious title, and shew of voluntary humility, takes upon him to be an absolute Lord over the house of God. There are but two sorts of dominion: First, That which is internal and spiritual over the faith, souls, and consciences of men; and then that which is external over their bodies and estates. And both of these doth he, this SERVANT of SERVANTS, usurp in the house of God, and thereby sits in it, making ostentation of himself to be God. And two ways there are, whereby supreme dominion in and about things sacred may be exercised; one by making laws, ordinances, and institutions, religious or divine; the other by corporeal punishments and corrections of them who observe them not. And both these doth he exercise; what the Lord Christ commandeth to be observed in his church, he observeth not, nor suffereth those to do so who would. And what he hath not appointed. nor commanded, in instances innumerable he enjoineth to be observed. Wicked and evil servant! whose Lord in due time will call him to an account. Is this to be a servant or a tyrant?

Others also would do well to ponder the account they are to make; and well is it with them, happy is their condition, whose greatest joy in this world on solid grounds is, that they are in this work accountable servants.

VI. The great end of all Mosaic institutions, was to represent or prefigure and give testimony unto the grace of the gospel by Jesus Christ.-To this end was Moses faithful in the house of God; namely, to give testimony unto the things that were afterwards to be spoken. The demonstration of this prin