The Works of John Bunyan, vol 3, John Bunyan [ebook reader color screen TXT] 📗

Heb 4:3). (2.) Those chambers which were for hiding and security, were types of that safety which we have in Christ from the rage of the world (Isa 26:20). (3.) Those chambers which were for the reception of the treasures and dedicated things were types of Christ, as he is the common store-house of believers. ‘For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell’; ‘and of his fulness we all receive, and grace for grace’ (John 1:16; Col 1:19). (4.) Those chambers that were for solace and delight, were types of those retirements and secret meetings of Christ with the soul, where he gives it his embraces, and delights her with his bosom and ravishing delights. ‘He brought me,’ said she, ‘into his chambers,’

‘into the chamber of her that conceived me,’ and there he gave her his love (Cant 1:4, 3:4).

The chambers which were for durable dwelling-places were types of those eternal dwelling-places which are in the heavens, prepared of Christ and the Father, for them that shall be saved (John 14:1-4; 2 Cor 5:1-4). This it is to ‘dwell on high,’ and to be safe from fear of evil! Here therefore you see are chambers for rest, chambers for safety, chambers for treasure, chambers for solace, and chambers for durable habitations. O the rest and peace that the chambers of God’s high house will yield to its inhabitants in another world! Here they will ‘rest from their labours,’ ‘rest in their beds,’ rest with God, rest from sin, temptation, and all sorrow (Rev 14:13; Isa 57:1,2; 2 Thess 1:7). God therefore then shall wipe all tears from our eyes, even when he comes out of his chamber as a bridegroom, to fetch his bride, his wife unto him thither, to the end they may have eternal solace together. O these are far better than the chambers of the south!

XXXV. Of the stairs by which they went up into the chambers of the Temple.

There were stairs by which men went up into these chambers of the temple, and they were but one pair, and they went from below to the first, and so to the middle, and thence to the highest chambers in the temple (1 Kings 6:8; Eze 41:7).

1. These stairs were winding; so that they turned about, that did go up them. So then, he that assayed to go into these chambers, must turn with the stairs, or he could not go up, no, not into the lowest chambers.

2. These stairs therefore were a type of a two-fold repentance.

That by which we turn from nature to grace, and that by which we turn from the imperfections which attend a state of grace to glory.

Hence true repentance, or the right going up these turning stairs, is called repentance to salvation; for true repentance stoppeth not at the reception of grace; for that is but a going up these stairs to the middle chambers (2 Cor 7:10).

Thus, therefore, the soul, at its going up these stairs, turns and turns, till it enters the doors of the highest chambers. It groans, though in a state of grace, because that is not the state of glory.

I count then, that from the first to the middle chambers may be a type of turning from nature to grace. But from the middle to the highest, these stairs may signify a turning still from the imperfections and temptations that attend a state of grace, to that of immortality and glory (2 Cor 5:1-9).

For as there are turning stairs, form the lowest to the middle chambers, so the stairs from thence still turn, and so will do, till you come to the highest chambers. I do not say that they that have received grace, do repent they received grace; but I say they that have received grace, are yet sorry that grace is not consummate in glory; and hence they are for going up thither still, by these turning stairs; yea, they cannot rest below, as they would, till they ascend to the highest chambers. ‘O wretched man that I am!’

And ‘in this we groan earnestly,’ is the language of gracious souls (Rom 7:24; 2 Cor 5:1-3). True, every one doth not do thus that comes into the temple of God; many rest below stairs, they like not to go turning upward. Nor do I believe that all that bid fair for ascending to the middle chambers, get up to the highest stories, to his stories in the heavens. Many in churches, who seem to be turned from nature to grace, have not the grace to go up, turning still; but rest in that show of things, and so die below a share in the highest chambers.

All these things are true in the antitype, and, as I think, prefigured by these turning stairs to the chambers of the temple.

But this turning, and turning still, displeases some much; they say it makes them giddy; but I say, there is no way like this, to make a man stand steady; stedfast in the faith, and with boldness in the day of judgment. For he has this seated in his heart; I went up by the turning stairs, till I came to the highest chambers. A strait pair of stairs are like that ladder by which men ascend to the gallows; they are the turning ones that lead us to the heavenly mansion-houses. Look, therefore, you that come into the temple of God to worship, that you stay not at the foot of these turning stairs, but go up thence; yea, up them, and up them, and up them, till you come to the view of the heavens; yea, till you are possessed of the highest chambers! How many times has God, by the Scripture, called upon you to TURN, and told you, you must turn or die! and now here he has added to his call a figure, by placing a pair of turning stairs in his temple, to convict your very senses, that you must TURN, if you mean to go up into his holy chambers, and so into his eternal mansion-houses; and look that you turn to purpose; for every turning will not serve. Some turn, but not to the Most High; and so turn to no purpose.

XXXVI. Of the molten sea that was in the Temple.

There was also a molten sea in the temple; it was made of brass, and contained three thousand baths (2 Chron 4:2-10). [17] This sea was for the priests to wash in when they came into the temple to accomplish the service of God; to wash their hands and feet at, that they might not, when they came thither, die for their unpreparedness. The laver also which was in the wilderness was of the same use there (Exo 30).

1. It was, as may be supposed, called a sea, for that it was large to contain; and a sea of brass, for that it was made thereof. It is called in Revelation a sea of glass, alluding to that in the wilderness, which was made of the brazen looking-glasses of women that came to worship at the door of the tabernacle (Rev 4:6, 15:2; Exo 38:8).

2. It was also said to be molten, because it was made of that fashion, by fire; and its antitype therefore is said to be a sea of glass mingled with fire (Rev 15:2). (1.) This sea was a figure of the word of the gospel, in the cleansing virtue of it; which virtue then it has when mingled with the fire of the Holy Ghost.

And to this Christ alludes, when he saith, ‘Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you’ (John 15:3). (2.) It was a figure of the word, without mixture of men’s inventions; hence it is called ‘pure water.’ Having your ‘bodies washed with pure water.’ And again, He sanctifies and cleanseth his church ‘with the washing of water by the word’ (Eph 5:26; Titus 3:5). All these places are an allusion to the molten sea, at which of old they washed when they went into the temple to worship. Therefore, saith he, being washed, let us draw near to God (Heb 10:22).

3. This sea from brim to brim was complete ten cubits; perhaps to show that there is as much in the word of the gospel to save, as there is in the ten18 words to condemn.

4. From under this sea round about appeared oxen, ten in a cubit did compass it round about (2 Chron 4:3). Understand by these oxen ministers, for to them they are compared in 1 Corinthians 9:8-10.

And then we are taught whence true ministers come; to wit, from under the power of the gospel, for this sea breeds gospel ministers, as the waters breed fish.

5. It is also said in the text, that these oxen were cast when the sea was cast; insinuating that when God ordained a word of grace to save us, he also in his decree provided ministers to preach it to us to that end. Paul tells us, that he was made a minister of the gospel, ‘according to God’s eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Eph 3:9-11; Col 1:25).

6. This sea is said to have a brim like the brim of a cup. To invite us as well to drink of its grace, as to wash in its water. For the word and Spirit when mixed, has not only a cleansing, but a saving quality in it (2 Chron 4:1-5; 1 Cor 15:1,2).

7. This brim was wrought with lilies, or was like a lily flower; to show how they should grow and flourish, and with what beautiful robes they should be adorned, who were washed, and did drink of this holy water. Yea, that God would take care of them, as he also did of lilies, and would not fail to bestow upon them what was necessary for the body, as well as for the soul (Matt 6:28-34).

XXVII. Upon what the molten sea stood in the Temple.

1. This molten sea stood upon the backs of twelve brazen bulls or oxen (2 Chron 4:4).

2. These oxen, as they thus stood, looked three towards the north, three towards the west, three towards the east, and three towards the south.

3. These twelve oxen were types of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, who, as these beasts, stood looking into the four corners of the earth, and were bid to go preach the gospel in all the world.

4. They were compared to oxen, because they were clean; for the ox was a clean beast. Hence the apostles are called holy. They were compared to oxen, because the ox is strong; and they also were mighty in the word (Prov 14:4; 2 Cor 12:12).

5. The ox will not lose what he has got by drawing; he will not let the wheels go back; so the apostles were set to defend, and not let that doctrine go back, which they had preached to others; nor did they, they delivered it pure to us.

6. One of the cherubs of which you read in the vision had a face like an ox, to show that the apostles, these men of the first order, are most like the angels of God (Eze 1:10).

7. In that they stood with their faces every way, it was, as I said, to show how the apostles should carry the gospel into all the world (Matt 28:19,20; Mark 16:15-18).

8. And observe, just as these oxen were placed looking in the temple every way, even so stand open the gates of the New Jerusalem to receive those that by their doctrine should be brought into it.

‘And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from