The Types Unveiled, Chapter 27
CHAP. 27. Of the Tabernacle coverings.
I Come now to ſpeak of the out-ſide coverings of the Tanacle which comprehended all the reſt.
Now the coverings were of two ſorts, which we may call the inward or the outward coverings.
Firſt, the inward covering, and that was very glorious.
Secondly, the outward covering, and that was as mean and uncomely.
As for the inward covering you may read what is ſaid of that, Exod. 36. 8. And every wiſe-hearted man amongſt them that wrought the work of the Tabernacle, made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue purple, and ſcarlet, with Cherubims of cunning work made he them: you may likewiſe ſee the outward coverings of the Tabernacle which ſeems to be as uncomely as the other are comely and glorious, Ver. 14. with 19. And he made curtains of Goats hair for the tent over the Tabernacle, ver. 19 And he made a covering for the tent of Rams skins dyed red, and a covering of Badgers skins above that. Suitable to which coverings is the ſtate and condition of the Church of God, is it relates either to God or this world.
Firſt as it relates to God, ſo the covering that is upon the Church is very beautiful & glorious, which anſwereth to the coverings about the Tabernacle made of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and ſcarlet, with Cherubims of cunning work, Exod. 36. 8. Which holds out to us the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt with which the Church is cloathed withall; which covering makes the Church truly beautiful and glorious in the eyes of God, when this bleſſed covering of Chriſts Righteouſneſs is put upon and hanged about the Church, then doth the Church look fair in Gods account, ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, Col. 2. 10. And yea are complete in him who is the head of all Principalities and Powers: That is, when the Church is cloathed upon with this covering of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, then are you complete (who are of that Church) in Gods ſight, not elſe.
2. Beſides the Tabernacle covering agrees to the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt (I mean the Inner of the two coverings) if we conſider the obſcurity of the Tabernacle covering, it was not what was to be ſeen by every beholder, for this covering was hid from the beholder by reaſon of another covering which was made of Rams skins, and caſt over it: Read Exod, 36. 14. with ver. 19. So it is in the caſe of the Churches greateſt glory in this life, the Churches greateſt glory and beauty doth conſiſt of a being cloathed with the Garments of Chriſts Righteouſneſs. But its a glory veiled up from the eyes of the moſt of men, there is a covering of Rams skins drawn over it, which keeps the ſight of this glory from men; there is nothing but an eye of Faith can diſcern this, therefore is the glory of the Church ſaid to be a hidden glory from the world; men as men, ſee little into it or know little of it, Pſalm 45. 13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within, all her cloathing is of wrought Gold. But however, though in the account of men the Church of Chriſt ſeems to be poor, and mean, and worthleſs, yet becauſe of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt with which ſhe is cloathed, ſhe is very beautiful, and glorious, and lovely in Gods eyes, Cant. 1. 9, 10. I have compared thee, Oh my love, to a company of Horſes in Pharoahs Chariots, thy cheeks are comely with rows of Ienels, thy neck with chains of Gold; So ver. 15. Behold thou art fair my love, behold thou art fair, thou haſt doves eyes; So Iſa. 43, 34. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Iſrael thy Saviour, I gave Egypt for thy ranſome, Ethiopia and Sheba for thee, ſince thou waſt precious in my ſight thou haſt been honourable and I have loved thee, therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. And hence it is the Saints are Gods Jewels, Mal. 3. 17. by all which you may perceive what great reſpects God hath for the Church, becauſe of that glorious Tabernacle covering of the Righteonſneſs of Chriſt which is put upon them.
Uſe 1.
O then how ſhould the thoughts of this wonderfully raiſe and comfort the hearts of the people of God, eſpecially in two ſeaſons.
Firſt in doubting ſeaſons, when a poor Soul lieth burthened under the ſence of his perſonal vileneſs and pollutedneſs before God, which oftentimes weakens the ſouls confidence in God, and keeps the ſoul at a diſtance with God, who thinks that as he ſeems in his own eyes, ſo he doth in the eyes of God; Oh ſoul remember the Tabernacle covering, that glorious wrought piece wch had the Cherubims wrought in it, which Cherubims were the Emblems and Signs of mercy; in which covering God looks upon all Believers, not as they are in themſelves but as they are and do appear before him in the righteouſneſs of his Son, which covering hides all thy filth, and iniquity, and infirmities.
Pſal. 32. 1. Bleſſed is the man whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered; So that you ſee there is that which doth cover tranſgreſſion, and hide iniquity, that it cannot appear before God to condemn the ſoul, Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to a ſoul in Chriſt Ieſus.
The Robe of Chriſts Righteouſneſs is ſuch a covering for, and to the Church, as that it doth not only hide ſin, pollution, and a thouſand times ten thouſand infirmities, but alſo it preſents the ſoul to God in its own dreſs, and ſo draws forth the love of God and the delight of God to the creature, as if the creature had never ſinned, Epheſ. 5. 26. 27. Husbands love your wives as Chriſt hath loved the Church and given himſelf for it, that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe it by the waſhing of water and the word, that he might preſent it to himſelf a glorious Church, not having ſpot, or wrinckle, or any ſuch thing, but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh.
Therefore the Spouſe in Cant. doth notably diſtinguiſh her condition in this caſe, as ſhe ſaw her ſelf in her ſelf, and as by faith ſhe ſaw her ſelf in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt.
Firſt as ſhe ſaw her ſelf in her ſelf, ſo ſhe crys out, ſhe was black as the tents of Kedar, which tents were made of black hair-cloth, ſo black, and worſe was ſhe in her own eyes by reaſon of ſin and corruption which dwelt within her, Cant 1. 5.
Secondly but as ſhe looked upon her ſelf in Chriſt covered over with his Righteouſneſs, ſo ſhe cryeth out ſhe was as comely as the curtains of Solomon, there ſhe knew ſhe was without ſpot or wrinkle in Gods ſight, and in the worſt of times could go with boldneſs to the Throne of grace to ask grace and mercy to help in time of need, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in Heb. 4. 16. here it was in his covering that Paul deſired to be found in above any place or ſtate in the world for juſtification: Phil. 3. 9. To be found in him not having mine own righteouſneſs which is of the La…, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith.
Oh ſoul, ſtudy this Tabernacle covering more and more, and labour by faith to ſee thy ſelf in it, then thy the doubts and fears will begin to leave thee, but not before.
Secondly, this will adminiſter great comfort to the ſoul in times of Perſecution, when the Church ſhall be buffeted, and ſlandered, and ſlighted and ſcorned, and caſt out as evil, and accounted the dung of the times, then may the people of God comfort themſelves in this truth, though men ſlight them, yet God doth not, though they ſee no beauty in us yet God doth, and he ſaith in all the reproaches we meet with we are honourable and precious in his ſight, Iſa. 45, 3, 4. What if Councils and Parliaments, Kings and Princes and Nations ſhall vomit us up out of the midſt of them, yet the Lord hath other thoughts of his people, and ſo long its well enough; the world thinks we are not worthy to live with their dogs, but God accounts one of his Saints worth a whole Nation of the wicked ones.
Uſe 2.
Oh then how ſhould this truth preſs upon men and women to get into this Tabernacle covering: Oh Sirs! whatever thoughts you may have of your ſelves, it may be you are rich and honourable in this life, you may have great names amongſt your Neighbours for your Wealth, Parts, Wiſdom, or Valour, but let me tell you, if you be not within this Tabernacle covering of the Lord Jeſus his Righteouſneſs, God accounts you more worthleſs then the dung of the ſtreets, Prov. 10. 20. The heart of a wicked man is little worth; They are the ſcorn of Heaven, Pſal. 2. 4. They are the burthen of the Earth, Rom. 8. 22. and to ſay no more, they are the delight and joy of hell.
This is thy condition ſoul, while thou art out of Chriſt, thou haſt no Tabernacle covering about thee to preſent thee faultleſs to God but art under the Law and Curſe, a poor, naked wretched ſoul; Oh therefore my advice to thee is to endeavour to get into this Righteouſneſs, O flie to Chriſt, give him no reſt untill he hath put this glory upon thy ſoul, that ſo thou mightſt not be found naked when the great and notable day of the Lord ſhall come.
I come now to ſpeak unto the outward coverings, which covered or comprehended all the reſt of coverings or things in the Tabernacle, and this covering had very little or no beauty in it, there was nothing in it to delight the eye of the beholder at all, the materials of it are ſo mean and contemptible, for they did conſiſt of Goats hair, and Rams skins dyed red, Exod. 36. 14. with 19. which was ſo faſtned together by loops and tacks being coupled round about, that when the Tabernacle was carried from place to place there was nothing of the inſide beauty or glory to be ſeen at all: That which of the Tabernacle was diſcernable to the eyes of the beholders was matter of offence and ſcorn, rather then any way taking, to men. Juſt ſo it is with the Church of God which is Gods Tabernacle, for ſo in the New Teſtament is the Church of God ſtiled, Rev. 11. 1. Meaſure the Temple of God and them that worſhip therein, ſo Rev. 21. 3. A Temple or Tabernacle, for the uſe of both was alike, and therefore it had been all one if the Spirit had ſaid, Meaſure the Tabernacle and the Altar, and them that Worſhip therein: I ſay, look how it was with the Tabernacle in the wilderneſs, ſo it is with the Church of God, for the one was a Figure or Type of the other.
With what little out-ſide glory doth God cloath his Church in this world, the Church comes with little of obſervation, ſhe is not cloathed with the Pomp, Glory, Excellency, and worldly Felicities of this life; the great pomp of this world belongs to the Church of Anti-chriſt, not to Chriſts Church; the great Titles of Honour, great Places, and alſo to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi, dwells in the Cup of Fornication, which Myſtery Babylon hath, who is termed the Mother of Harlots, Rev. 17. 4. This is the reaſon that there be ſo many of the Learned Clergy of the Nations run into her ſo often as they have done all along, and have left the Tabernacle and Altar (viz.) the Church of Chriſt and worſhip of Chriſt, who in the very face of their Convictions to the contrary, have ſtruck in with the vanities of the Earth: Alas the reaſon is clear, the Tabernacle coverings are poor comtemptible things made of nothing but Goats hair and Rams skins dyed red, here is nothing that will take with the Learned wiſe-man; I confeſs were the outward covering of the Tabernacle, the Church, deckt with Gold, precious Stones, Velvet Hangings dyed in Scarled, carried up and down in a Chariot, and could it accommodate its Prieſts with Coaches, and ſettle each of them in four hundred a year, and ſet them far from oppreſſion, and make them the Lords and Rulers of the Earth, here might be ſomething done: But in ſtead of that, nothing but affliction, contempt, and perſecution attends the Tabernacle, loſs of Goods, Bloud, and Fire, Rams skins dyed red, a colour which doth very well fit the Church of God in this life, which is always in a perſecuted condition, dyed red with ſhowers of Martyrian bloud, hurryed up and down from place to place, baniſhed from Country to Country, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, we have no continuing City here, but we ſeek one to come; from hence men and women take offence at the Tabernacle, and think it a ſad uncomely thing, the very troubler of the Nations of the Earth; the Devil hath blinded the eyes of men as that they cannot ſee into the inſide glory of the Church of God, for if the Devil lets them ſee any part of the Church of God, it ſhall be but to ſtumble them, and ſet them at a further diſtance from it then before, they ſhall only ſee the out-ſide of the Church of God in her Goats hair covering, ſhews them the meanneſs of the Saints, and the mechanickneſs or ſervileneſs of the Miniſters and Servants of the Church of Chriſt, many of them not Learned but illiterate men, many hardly ever ſaw Oxford or Cambridge in their lives, not a Doctor to be found one amongſt twenty, ſilly Fellows, can hardly ſpeak ſenſe, many of them nothing but a little Goats hair, and the coverings of the Tabernacle are of Rams skins dyed red, who can delight in it, fleſh and bloud can never embrace the Tabernacle or the Church of Chriſt, becauſe they are always in bloud, nothing but ruine atends it from age to age. Thus the Devil ſhews his Kingdom what an uncomely thing the Church is, what a ſad covering it is covered withall, and tells ſouls that they judge of the inſide by the out-ſide of it: when alas all the beauty and glory of the Church of Chriſt lieth within; The Kings Daughter is all glorious within, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 45. 13. And if ever God comes to open the Tabernacle glory to the ſoul, and gives the ſoul ſpiritual diſcerning to ſee into it, O then the ſoul will quickly utter the words of David, Pſal. 27. 4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord, and that will I ſeek after, that I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple.
Uſe 3.
O then let this conſideration abundantly quiet the minds of Gods people under the undervaluings you meet with from the world; doth the world ſlight you, doth the world deſpiſe you; alas trouble not your ſelves about it, the world doth not ſee your glory, remember the Tabernacle was very uncomely in the out-ſide of it, nothing of any beauty in the Church, this is the reaſon the world crys, raſe her down, raſe her down to the ground; Alas they do not think the Church worth the ſtanding: Alas ſay they, what is there to be ſeen to take a wiſe-mans heart, nothing but a little Goats hair and Rams skins dyed red, not worth the looking upon it, much leſs the ſtanding of ſuch a deformed piece in the world, therefore let our eye look upon Sion, and let her be defiled; but let not this diſcourage the godly, but rather bleſs God that you ſee farther into things then they do, for Godlineſs is a Myſtery ſaith Paul; and all the things of God as to his Church and Worſhip, are Myſteries and Riddles to the world, is what is veiled up and hi…den from the moſt of men, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The carnal man receiveth not the things of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him, neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned: God muſt firſt give the man a ſpiritual ſeeing eye before he can diſcern a glory in the Church and people of God, ſo as to cloſe with them, delight in them, earneſtly to deſire after them, and heartily to reſolve with purpoſe of heart to cleave to them, to give up all and ſuffer with them, to live and die in the midſt of them; but bleſſed be the Lord that opened your eyes to behold the Tabernacle glory which is hid from men: you have infinite cauſe to bleſs God that hath raviſhed you with thoſe inſide glorious ſights of the Tabernacle. Oh how often have you been refreſhed in your ſouls in the opening of it in the Ordinances, how have you been made to cry out with Peter, Matth. 17. 4. Master it is good to be here; what bleſſed heart-affecting diſcoveries doth there come out of the Tabernacle ſometimes, therefore doth David ſo much prize the Tabernacle or Houſe and Church of God.
Pſal 84. 1, 2, 4. Oh how amiable are thy Tabernables O Lord of hoſts, my ſoul longeth, yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the living God, bleſſed are all they that dwell in thy houſe for they will be ſtill praiſing thee.
Why ſhould thoſe that live in the Tabernacle or houſe of God ſo much praiſe God? Anſwer, amongſt many reaſons ſo to do, this is not a ſmall one, becauſe of the exceeding glory God diſcovers to them in the Church, Oh what glorious gifts are there, what glorious Ordinances, what glorious Miniſters are there, what a glorious Goſpel, what glorious diſcoveries are there made of this Goſpel in the Church, what a glorious Spirit is there in the Tabernacle of the Church; Oh what glorious graces do there live in the hearts of the Materials of this Tabernacle, beſides the glorious name of God lives there, and all this covered over with Rams skins dyed red, and coverings made of Goats hair: But however let Believers comfort themſelves, God will have a time to remove the covering made of Rams skins and Goats hair, and then the world ſhall ſee and know the worth an… glory of the Tabernacle or Church.
There are many precious promiſes in the word of God about the removing of the Rams skin covering from the Church of God; take a few for all, one is in Pſal. 45. That where the Church of God (becauſe of her deformity on the out ſide) hath been the ſcorn of the Earth, yet the time ſhall come (when God ſhall remove her Rams skin and Goats hair covering) that the rich men of the Earth ſhall entreat the Churches favour, as ver. 12. of that 45. Pſalm. And the Daughter of Tyre ſhall be there with a gift, even the rich among the people ſhall entreat thy favour, Iſa. 60. 15. Whereas thou haſt been forſaken and hated, ſo that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many Generations: So Verſe 14. The Sons of them that afflicted thee ſhall come bending to thee, and all they that deſpiſed thee ſhall bow themſelves down at the ſoles of thy feet, and they ſhall call thee the City of the Lord, the Zion of the holy one of Iſrael; Verſe 13. The glory of Lebanon ſhall come unto thee, the Fir-tree, the Pine-tree, and the Box, together to beautifie the place of my Sanctuary, for I will make the place of my feet glorious: So Verſe 12. For the Nation and Kingdom that will not ſerve thee ſhall periſh, yea, thoſe Nations ſhall be utterly waſted: So Verſe 3. For the Gentiles ſhall come to thy light, and Kings to the brightneſs of thy riſing: So Iſa. 54. 11, 12. Oh thou afflicted and toſſed with tempeſt and not comforted, behold I will lay thy Stones with fair colours, and lay thy Foundation with Saphires, I will make thy windows of Aggates, and thy gates of Carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleaſant Stones: So Verſe 13. 14. All thy Children ſhall be taught of the Lord, and great ſhall be the peace of thy Children, in righteouſneſs ſhalt thou be eſtabliſhed, thou ſhalt be far from oppreſſion, for thou ſhalt not fear, and from terrour, for it ſhall not come near thee.
But the Queſtion wi…l be, when ſhall theſe Propheſies be made good?
I Anſwer, When Iſrael ſhall come to his good land, then it ſhall be, then ſhall God take away the Tabernacle covering made of Rams skins and Goats hair, which was upon the Tabernacle all the while of its being in the wilderneſs, and then will God ſhew the glory of the Tabernacle his Church to all the world: Iſa. 60. 3. The Gentiles ſhall come to thy light, and Kings to the brightneſs of thy riſing: Is a Metaphor taken from the riſing Sun, as that when the Sun riſeth upon the earth, all the earth is filled with the beams of its glorious light, ſo ſhall the world with the glory of the Tabernacle.
You know this covering upon the Tabernacle laſted but during their abode in the wilderneſs, for when they came into the land of promiſe and reſt, the covering was taken away in a great meaſure, and the glory of it ſuffered more to appear then formerly, as you may perceive when Solomon turned the Tabernacle into a moſt Magnificent Temple. Now this land of reſt, or the end of the wilderneſs journey, I find to be two ways held out in Scripture, either for the ultimate glory above, or for that Kingdom of glory which Chriſt calls his Kingdom, as he is the Son of man which he ſo often promiſeth his people as the reward of their ſufferings for him, for our Saviour makes a clear difference between the Kingdom of ultimate glory above, and the Kingdom of glory which Chriſt hath promiſed to give his people for their Faith, Love, and Conſtancy to him in ſuffering-times, pray read well and conſider that paſſage of our Saviour, Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to ſit with me on my Throne, even as I have overcome, and am ſet down with my Father on his Throne. Mark that there is the Fathers Throne of glory, and there is the Sons Throne of glory, mine ſaith Chriſt and my Fathers; now one of theſe Thrones or Kingdoms of glory hath Chriſt made the proper reward of the Saints ſufferings, and that is, what he calls his Kingdom, a Kingdom diſtinct from the Fathers, Rev. 3. 21. I will grant him to ſit with me upon my Throne; which is promiſed the Saints ſo often in the word of truth, Math. 19. 28. Rev. 2. 26, 27. Rev. 20. 4. Rev. 21. 2, 3. Now all theſe Scriptures relate to the Kingdom of Chriſt, this none will deny.
Secondly, That this Kingdom is held out to the Saints, and promiſed them as the reward of their ſufferings, it muſt alſo be granted.
Thirdly, That this Kingdom thus promiſed to the Saints as the reward of their ſufferings cannot be applyed to the ultimate glory, will appear if we look into each Scripture, neither can men read theſe Scriptures ſo, without being guilty of putting meer Nonſenſe upon the face of Scipture; Pray let us look into theſe places, Math. 19. 28. And Jeſus ſaid unto them, Verily, Verily, I ſay unto you, that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration, when the Son of man ſhall ſit upon the throne of his glory, ye alſo ſhall ſit upon 12. thrones judging the twelve tribes of Iſrael. Now this very promiſe is again handed out by our Saviour (after his Aſcenſion) to John the Divine in the Iſle of Patmos, Rev. 3. 2. To him that overcometh I will grant to ſit with me on my throne; Look into Rev. 20 4. There you have the ſame promiſe applyed to his proper ſubjects, which were ſuffering Saints: and I ſaw thrones, and they that ſate upon them, and Judgement was given unto them, and I ſaw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witneſs of Ieſus, and for the word of God, and which had not worſhipped the beaſt, neither his Image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, nor in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Chriſt a thouſand years. Now the Queſtion will be, whether this Text do neither relate to the Kingdom of ultimate glory, taking its riſe from the general Judgment day mentioned Math. 2. 5. 31, 32. Or whether it relates to the ſetting up of Chriſts Kingdom here on Earth which is mentioned, Dan. 2. 44. And in the days of theſe Kings ſhall the God of heaven ſet up a Kingdom which ſhall never be deſtroyed, and the Kingdom ſhall not be left to another people, but it ſhall break in pieces and conſume all theſe Kingdoms, and it ſhall ſtand for ever. Now certainly it cannot relate to that Kingdom which takes its riſe from the general Judgment day, becauſe we find the general Judgment day pointed at by the Holy Ghoſt to be a thouſand years after this Kingdom begins, Rev. 20. Where you read after a thouſand years time ſpent in the management and ordering of the Son of mans Kingdom, then the general Judgment day takes its place, as appears from Verſe 11. 12, 13, 14, 15.
Secondly, Becauſe this Kingdom is to have an end before the other begins, Rev. 20. 7, 8, 9.
Thirdly, The great glory reſolves this into it ſelf, 1 Cor. 15. 24. Then cometh the end (meaning the end of the Son of mans Kingdom, which anſwereth to that in Rev 20. 7, 8, 9) When he ſhall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father, when he ſhall have put down all Rule, and all Authority, and Power.
Fourthly, Becauſe this glorious Kingdom of the Son of man promiſed to the Saints, as the reward of their faithfulneſs in holding out and ſuffering for him, is ſo far from being any part of the ultimate glory above (I mean ſo as to be enjoyed above that its what is expreſly ſaid to come down from that which is above, Rev. 21. 2, 3. And I John ſaw the holy City, the new Jeruſalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband, and I heard a great voice ſaying, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they ſhall be his people, and God himſelf ſhall be with them, and be their God. Another Text of Scripture which ſpeaks of the Son of mans Kingdom of glory here on Earth is in Rev. 2. 26, 27, And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the Nations, and he ſhall rule them with a rod of Iron, as the veſsels of a Potter ſhall they be broken to ſhivers, even as I have received of my Father.
Now Reader pray read well and conſider theſe words, then give thy thoughts whether any thing in them can be applied to the ultimate glory, not but that I believe the Saints ſhall enter there at laſt, but whether there be not a glorious Kingdom on this ſide that, for the Saints to enjoy as the reward of their ſufferings, which hath its foundation in the Scriptures Now obſerve in the aboveſaid words of John, its ſaid in ths Kingdom the Saints ſhall have power over the Nations ſo as to rule ſome, and to break others in pieces with rods of Iron: Now if this muſt relate to the glory of the Saints after the laſt and great general Judgment day, behold as I ſaid before, what Nonſenſe we put upon the Scriptures; for according to the Deſcription given of the great and general Judgment day, the wicked muſt immediately after ſentence given depart into hell, and the godly ſhall be taken up into heaven, where each party ſhall be to eternity, and ſhall never ſee the face of each other more, Math. 25. 33. with 41. Well then, according to that of Math. 25. The wicked and the godly ſhall be ſo totally ſeparated, as that they ſhall never ſee the face of one another more; then where be the Nations, and who are they that the Saints muſt rule over with Iron rods and break to pieces: Beſides, over whom ſhall the Saints rule in Heaven, for there only God ſhall be all in all, 1 Cor. 15. 28. Again, Iron rods notes ſeverity and bitterneſs; now what of this, do you promiſe your ſelves in Heaven, Heaven knows nothing of that in the leaſt, and to ſay any ſhall rule with Iron rods there, is to ſay that which the word doth not ſay: Therefore be content Chriſtian to travel to the end of thy appointed wilderneſs-journey, & when the time cometh that thou muſt enter into this good land and much promiſed Kingdom, then expect thy Spiritual Solomon to turn thy Tabernacle ſtate of deformity into a famous Temple of glory.