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means God would at times revenge the quarrel | and thirty broad, a spacious place, a large receptacle for any that liked to take shelter there. It was made of pillars, even as the house within was, or it stood upon pillars. The pillars, you know. I told you before, were to show us what mighty men, or what men of mighty grace, God would have in his church in the wilderness furnished with. And it is worth your observing here also we have pillars, pillars. And he made the porch of pillars, that is, of pillars of cedar, as the rest of the pillars of the house were.

of his church, even in this world, upon them that, without cause, should, for their faith and worship, set themselves against them. For here is a face of threatening revenge, they were storehouses, chariot-cities, cities of horsemen, with castles and towers. And they stood on the same ground that this house was builded upon, even in the forest of Lebanon. We know that in Israel God stirred up kings who at times suppressed idolatry there, and plagued the persecutors too, as Jehu, Hezekiah, Josiah, &c. And he has promised that, even in gospel times, kings shall hate the whore, - make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire.'

Re. xvii. 12, 16.

Here now are the store-houses, chariot-cities, cities of horsemen, with towers and castles, for the help to the house of the forest of Lebanon, for the help of the church in the wilderness, or, as you have it in another place, as the serpent cast floods of water out of his mouth after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.' Re. xii. 15, 16. Thus the Medes and Persians helped to deliver the church from the clutches and strong hand of the king of Babylon.

This Lebanon, therefore, was a place considerable and a figure of great things; the countenance of the Lord Jesus is compared to it, and so is the face of his spouse, and also the smell of her ment. Ca. iv. 11; v. 15; vii. 4. gar

CHAP. X.

OF THE PORCH OF THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF
LEBANON.

Solomon also made a porch to this house of the forest of Lebanon. He made several porches, as one for the temple, one for the house which he dwelt in, one for the throne of the kingdom, and this that was for the house of the forest of Lebanon, of all which this last is that mentioned.

And he made a porch of pillars, the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits; and the porch was before them, and the other pillars, and the thick beam were before them.' 1 Ki. vii. 6. This porch was famous both for length, and breadth, and strength, it was able to contain a thousand men. tower of David, otherwise called the stronghold, It was like that of the the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. 2 Sa.

V. 7. 1 Ch. xi. 5. Mi, iv. 8.

This tower of David was built for an armoury, whereon there hanged a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. It was fifty cubits long

space

I take it, an entering porch, less than the And the porch was before them.' That is, as within, so that the pillars, neither as to number nor bigness, could be seen without, until at least of the porch. And by this was fitly prefigured they that had a mind to see entered the mouth how unseen the strength of the church under persecution is of all that are without her. Alas! they think that she will be run down with a push, or, as they said, 'What do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burnt?' Alas! if a fox go up he shall even break down their stone wall.' Ne. iv. 2, 3.

the Jews now? No, no, their pillars were within, But do you think these men saw the strength of himself could not tell what judgment to make of and so were shadowed from their eyes. David the way of the world against the people of God, until he went into the sanctuary of God. Ps.lxxiii.16,17.

How then can the world judge of the condition of the saints? Alas, had they known the church's strength, surely they would not, as they have, so furiously assaulted the same. But what have they got by all they have done, either against the head or body of the same? She yet has being in the nations on earth should gather themselves together world, and will have, shall have, though all the against it. will make her cease to flourish. Alas, were she Nor is it the cutting off of not sometimes pruned and trimmed her boughs many that would stand too thick. Those therefore that are that the under branches may grow the better.' taken away with God's pruning-hooks are removed, But, I say, to extinguish her it is in vain for to hope for that. She stands upon pillars, on rocks, on the munition of rocks; stand therefore she must, any whether the world believes it or no.

And the other pillars were before them, or, other pillars, that is, they more inward, those that as the margin has it, according to them.' The

church, and it produced an abundant harvest. That God suf-
1 Thus the blood of the martyrs was the seedtime of the
fered the choicest of his saints to pass through such dreadful
not our ways, but they are infinite in wisdom and mercy.—(ED.)
sufferings in their way to glory, is a proof that God's ways are

were in the body of the house. Christ doth not, | there. Ac. iv. 23. There we find the pillars, and as the poor world doth, that is, set the best leg have both solace and example. There, as Pombefore; the pillars that were more inward in the ponius said of his person, stands Christ Jesus in house were as good as those in the front. It is the front as Captain of the Lord's host, and round true some are appointed to death to show to the about him the old fathers, prophets, apostles, and world the strength of grace, not that he can help martyrs. This porch, therefore, I take to be a nobody to that strength but they. The most figure of those cordial and large affections which feeble of his flock, when Christ shall stand by the church in the wilderness has to all, and for and strengthen them, are able to do and bear all them that love the truth, and that suffer and what the strong have underwent. For so he are afflicted for the sincere profession thereof. saith.

And the other pillars and the thick beams were' according to thein; nay, before them.' Indeed, they that are left seem weak and feeble if compared to them that have already been tried with fire and sword and all the tortures of men. But that grace by which they were helped that have done such mighty acts already, can help those who seem more weak yet to go beyond them. God strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.' Or, as another scripture has it, The lame take the prey.' Is. xxxiii. 23. So that you see here is all substance. All here are pillars and thick beams, both in the house and in the porch.

Am. v. 9.

The conclusion therefore is:-The true members of the church in the wilderness are strong, mighty, being made able by the grace of God for their standing, and being also coupled and compacted together with the biggest bands or thickest beams that the Holy Ghost puts forth to bind and hold this church together. And there is reason for it. The church is God's tower or battery by which he beateth down Antichrist, or if you will have it in the words of the prophet, Thou art my battle-axe and weapons of war; for with thee (saith God) will I break in pieces,' &c. Je. li. 19, 20. Wherefore, since the church is set for defence of religion, and to be as a battery to beat down Antichrist, it is requisite that she should be made up of pillars of strong and staunch materials.1

This porch was bigger than that which belonged to the temple by much, to show that those that are made the objects of the enemies' rage most are usually most prepared with affection for them that are in the same condition. Fellow-feeling is a great matter. It is said of the poor afflicted people that were in Macedonia 'in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality;2 for to their power, - yea, and beyond their power,' they showed their charity to the destroyed church of Jerusalem. 2 Co. viii. 1–4.

And a porch in a forest, or a bosom in a wilderness, is seasonable to them that in the wilderness are faint and weary. Nabal shut up his doors against David, and therefore he died like a beast. Poor David! thou wast bewildered, but this churl had no compassion for thee. 1 Sa. xxv. 5–13, 25–39. Blest Obadiah, thou hadst a bosom, and bread, and hiding-places for the church, when rent and torn by the fury of Jezebel, and thou hast for it thy reward in heaven. 1 Ki. xviii. 3, 4. Mat. x. 42. Ebedmelech, because he had compassion on Jeremiah when he was in the dungeon, God did not only give him his life for a prey, but promised him the effects of putting his trust in the Lord. Je. xxxviii. 7-11; xxxix. 15-18.

And he made a porch of pillars. The porch is but the entrance of the house, whither many go that yet step not into the house, but make their retreat from thence; but it is because they are non-residents, they only come to see; or else, if they pretended more, it was not from the heart. pur-They went out from us,' said John, ‘but they were not of us; for if they had been of us they would, no doubt, have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.' 1 Jn. ii. 19.

The largeness of the porch was commodious; it was the next shelter, or the place whereunto they of the house of the forest of Lebanon, when sued, might resort or retreat with the less difficulty. Thus the church in the wilderness has her porch, her place, her bosom, whereunto her discouraged may continually resort, and take up and be refreshed. As Abiathar thrust in to David and his men in the wilderness, in the day when Saul had slain his father, and of his brethren, even fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.'

1 Sa. xxii. 17-23.

When the apostles were persecuted they went to their own company,' because the Lord was

And forasmuch as this porch was fifty cubits long, men may take many a step straight forward

2 How easily is this riddle resolved by those who visit the afflicted. The Christian poor beat the rich out and out in charity. The poor mother rises long before her usual time, and having fitted her own children for school, runs to her sick neighbour to do the same for her little ones, frequently sharing with them her own children's food; and then, like an angel of mercy, watches over and comforts her sick neighbour. Such 1 Consult Bunyan's admirable treatise, Of Antichrist and is the unostentatious Christian charity found among the Chrishis Ruin.-Vol. ii., p. 41.

tian poor. O that it may more and more abound.-(ED.)

therein and be but in the porch yet.1

Even as we have seen men go, as one would think, till they are out of view in the porch of this church in the wilderness, but presently you have them without the door again.

True, this porch was made of pillars, and so to every one, at first entrance, it showed the power of the place; the church in the wilderness also is so builded that men may see it is ordained for defence. Men also, at their first offer to step over the threshold there, with mouth profess that they will dwell as soldiers there. But words are but wind; when they see the storm a-coming they will take care to shift for themselves. This house, or church in the wilderness, must see to itself for all them.

As the house therefore is a figure of the church in the wilderness, so, so great a porch belonging to it may be also to show that numbers may there be entertained that, if need be, will quickly whip out again. Although therefore the porch was made of pillars, yet every one that walked there were not such. The pillars was to show them, not what they were, but what they should be that entered into this house.

The church also in the wilderness, even in her porch or first entrance into it, is full of pillars, apostles, prophets, and martyrs of Jesus. There also hang up the shields that the old warriors have used, and are plastered upon the walls the brave achievements which they have done. There are also such encouragements there for those that stand, that one would think none that came thither with pretence to serve there would, for very shame, attempt to go back again; and yet, not to their credit be it spoken, they will forsake the place without blushing, yea, and plead for this their so doing. But I have done with the explicatory part, and conclude that from these ten particulars thus handled in this book, the house of the forest of Lebanon was a type, or figure, of the church in the wilderness.

Nor do I know, if this be denied, how so fitly to apply some of these texts which speak to the church, to support her under her troubles, of the comforts that afterwards she shall enjoy, since they are presented to her under such metaphors as clearly denote she was once in a wilderness, for instance, 1. Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it (that is, redeemed his servant Jacob from his sins and from the hand of the enemy): shout, ye lower parts of the earth (or church once trampled under feet): break forth into singing, ye mountains,

1 These home-thrusts at conscience, so constantly met with in Bunyan's works, should have the effect of exciting us to solemn self-examination. May we never be contented with -(ED.)

the porch, but euter and enjoy the riches of Divine grace.

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for the church under the name of a forest, that in O forest, and every tree therein (here is comfort which the house we have been speaking of was built): for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and say, can this text more fitly be applied, than to glorified himself in Israel.' Is. xliv. 23. the church in the wilderness, put here under the To what, I name of a forest as well as under the title of heaven? Yea, methinks it is cried here to her, O forest,' on purpose to intimate to us that the house in the forest of Lebanon was the figure of the church in this condition.

Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and 2. Again, 'Is it not yet a very little while, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of of obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the holy One of Israel. For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off.' Is. xxix. 17-20. but now she must be a fruitful field. Lebanon was a forest, What means cution, and the fruitful field? Mistress Babylon he here by Lebanon but the church under perseshall become as a forest, that is, as the church under distress. when the terrible one is brought low and the But when shall this be? Why, scorner is consumed, &c.

Lebanon, even the house in the forest of Lebanon, What can be more plain than this to prove that for that is here intended, was a figure of the church in the wilderness, or in a tempted and persecuted state.

fies the recovering of the afflicted church into a For to be turned into a fruitful field signistate most quiet and fruitful; fruitful fields are quiet because they are fenced, and so shall the church be in that day.

be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and 3. The wilderness and the solitary place shall blossom as the rose.' Is. xxxv. 1.

they be not a prophecy of the flourishing state of
What are we to understand by these words if
Christ's kingdom, who, in the days of her perse-
cution, is compared to a wilderness, to a desert,
and to solitary places. And she shall be glad
dragons, wild beasts, satyrs, screech owls, great
for them;' for what? for that she is rid of the
owl, and vulture, types of the beasts and unclean
birds of Antichrist. Is. xxxiv. 13—15.

away from her and placed far away, for then no
She shall be glad for them that they are taken
it is the habitation of dragons, where each lay,
lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast; yea,
shall be grass, with reeds and rushes, as it is,
hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the
Is. XXXV. And now the lame man shall leap as a

wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in which is more fully expressed by her repeated hallethe desert.' Read the whole chapter.