God is merry and goodness in himself, yet | A particular application or attraction of that we cannot find nor apprehend him so to us grace to ourselves, which is as the drawing but only looking through that medium, the those breasts of consolation, Isa. lxvi. 11, Mediator.

namely, the promises contained in the Old That main point of the goodness of God and New Testament. 3. There is a sense of in the gospel, that is so sweet to a humbled the sweetness of that grace, being applied or sinner, the forgiveness of sins, we know we drawn into the soul, and that is properly this cannot taste of, but in Christ, Eph. i. 7, In taste. No unrenewed man hath any of these whom we have redemption. And all the in truth, not the highest kind of temporary favour that shines on us, all the grace we believer; he cannot have so much as a real receive is of His fulness; all our acceptance lively assent to the general truth of the prowith God, taking into grace and kindness mises; for had he that, the rest would folagain, is in him, ver. 6, He made us ac-low; but as he cannot have the least of these cepted in the Beloved. His grace appears in both, as it is there expressed, but it is all in Christ. Let us therefore never leave Him out in our desires of tasting the graciousness and love of God: For otherwise, we shall but dishonour Him, and disappoint ourselves.

in truth, he may have the counterfeit of them all, not only of assent but application, yea, and a false spiritual joy arising on it; and all these so drawn to the life, that they may resemble much the truth of them: And to give clear characters of difference, is not so easy as most imagine; but doubtless the true living faith of a Christian hath in itself such a particular stamp, as brings with it its own evidence, when the soul is clear, and the light of God's face shines upon it: Indeed, in the dark, we cannot read, nor

The free grace of God was given to be tasted in the promises before the coming of Christ in the flesh; but being accomplished in his coming, then was the sweetness of grace made more sensible; then was it more fully broached, and let out to the elect distinguish one mark from another; but world, when he was pierced on the cross, and his blood poured out for our redemption. Through those holes of his wounds may we draw, and taste that the Lord is gracious, says St. Augustine.

2. We may consider the relish of the goodness of the Lord, expressed by the word taste. There is a tasting of temporary believers spoke of, Heb. vi. 4. Their highest sense of spiritual things, (and it will be in some far higher than we easily think), yet is but a taste, and is called so in comparison of the truer, fuller sense that true believers have of the grace and goodness of God, which, compared with temporary taste, is more than tasting. The former is tasting, rather an imaginary taste than real; but this is a true feeding on the graciousness of God, yet called but a taste in respect of the fulness to come; though it is more than a taste, as you distinguish it from the hypocrite's sense, yet it is no more but a taste, compared with the great marriage-feast we look for.

when a Christian hath light, to look upon the work of God in his own soul, although he cannot make another sensible of that by which he knows it, yet he himself is ascertained, and can say confidently in himself, This I know, that this faith and taste of God I have, is true; the seal of the Spirit of God is upon it; and this is the reading of that new name in the white stone, that no man knows but he that hath it, Rev. ii. 17. There is in a true believer such a constant love to God, for himself, and continual desire after him, simply for his own excellency and goodness, that no other can have. On the other side, would an hypocrite deal truly and impartially by himself, he would readily find out something that would discover him more or less to himself; but the truth is, men are willing to deceive themselves, and thence arises the difficulty.

One man cannot make another sensible of the sweetness of divine grace; he may speak to him of it very excellently, but all he says in that kind is an unknown language to a natural man, he heareth many good words, but he cannot tell what they mean. The natural man tastes not the things of God, for they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. ii.

Jesus Christ being all in all unto the soul, Faith apprehending him, is all the spiritual senses: it is the eye that beholds his matchless beauty, and so kindles love in the soul, and can speak of him as having 14. seen him, and taken particular notice of him, Cant. v. 10. It is the ear that discerns his voice, Cant. ii. 8. It is faith that smells his name poured forth as ointment, faith that touches him, and draws virtue from him, and faith that tastes him, Cant. ii. 3, and here, If ye have tasted, &c.

A spiritual man himself doth not fully conceive this sweetness that he tastes of; it is an infinite goodness, and he hath but a taste of it: the peace of God is a main fruit of this his goodness; it passeth all understanding, says the apostle, Phil. iv. 7, not only all natural understanding, as some There must be, 1. A firm believing the modify it, but all understanding, even the truth of the promises, wherein the free grace supernatural understanding of those that enof God is expressed and exhibited to us. 2. joy it; and as the godly man cannot con

ceive it all, so that which he conceives he cannot express it all, and that which he doth express, the carnal mind cannot conceive of it by his expression.

and evil; and this engages a Christian to further desire of the word.

They are fantastical deluding tastes, that draw men from the written word, and make

But he that hath indeed tasted of his good-them expect other revelations. This graciness, O how tasteless are those things to him, that the world calls sweet: As when you have tasted somewhat that is very sweet, it disrelishes other things after it: Therefore can a Christian so easily either want, or use with disregard, the delights of this earth. His heart is not upon them: For the delight that he finds in God, carrieth it unspeakably away from all the rest, and makes them in comparison seem sapless to his taste.

Solomon tasted of all the delicacies, the choicest dishes, that are in such esteem amongst men, and not only tasted, but ate largely of them and yet see how he goes over them, to let us know what they are, and passes from one dish to another, This also is vanity, and of the next, This also is vanity, and so through all, and of all in general, All is vanity and vexation of spirit, or feeding on the wind, as the word may be rendered.

ousness is first conveyed to us by the word; there we taste it, and therefore there still we are to seek it, to hang upon those breasts that cannot be drawn dry; there the love of God in Christ streams forth in the several promises; the heart that cleaves to the word of God, and delights in it, cannot but find in it daily new tastes of his goodness; there it reads his love, and by that stirs up its own to him, and so grows, and loves every day more than the former, and thus is tending from tastes to fulness. It is but little we can receive here, some drops of joy that enter into us; but there we shall enter into joy, as vessels put into a sea of happiness.

VER. 4. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

VER. 5. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

3. We come, in the third place, to the THE spring of all the dignities of a Chrisinference, If ye have tasted, &c. then lay tian, and therefore the great motive of all aside all malice and guile, and hypocrisies his duties, is, his near relation to Jesus Christ. and envies, and all evil speakings, ver. 1: Thence it is that the apostle makes that the For it looks back to the whole exhortation; great subject of his doctrine, both to represure if you have tasted of that kindness and sent to his distressed brethren their dignity sweetness of God in Christ, it will compose in that, and to press by it the necessary duyour spirits, and conform them to him; it ties he exhorts unto. Having spoke of their will diffuse such a sweetness through your spiritual life, and growth in Him, under the souls, that there will be no place for malice resemblance of natural life, he prosecutes it and guile. There will be nothing but love here, by another comparison very frequent in and meekness, and singleness of heart: the scriptures, and therefore makes use in it therefore they that have bitter malicious of some of those passages of scripture, that spirits, evidence they have not tasted of the love of God: as the Lord is good, so they that taste it are made like him, Eph. iv. 32. Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Again, If ye have tasted, and then desire more, this is the truest sign of it; he that is in a continual hunger and thirst after this graciousness of God, has surely tasted of it. My soul thirsteth for God, (saith David, Psal. xlii. 2. ;) he had tasted before, ver. 4, he remembers that he went to the house of God with the voice of joy.

This is that happy circle wherein the soul moves: the more they love it, the more they shall taste of this goodness; and the more they taste, the more they shall still love and desire it.

But observe, if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious, then desire the milk of the word. This is the sweetness of the word, that it hath in it the Lord's graciousness, gives us the knowledge of his love; this they find in it, that have spiritual life and senses, and those senses exercised to discern good

were prophetical of Christ and his Church. Though there are here two different similitudes, yet they have so near relation one to another, and meet so well in the same subject, that he joins them together, and then illustrates them severally in the following verses: a temple and a priesthood, comparing the saints to both. The former in these words of this verse.

We have in it, 1. The nature of the building; 2. The materials of it; 3. The structure or way of building it.

1. The nature; it is a spiritual building. Time and place, we know, received their being from God, and He was eternally before both, and is therefore styled by the Prophet, The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, Isa. lvii. 15; but having made the world, he fills it, though not as contained in it; and so the whole frame of it is his palace, or temple; but after a more special manner, the higher and statelier part of it, the highest heaven; therefore it is called his holy place, and the habitation of his holiness and glory: And on earth, the houses of his public worship are called his houses; especially the

Jewish temple in its time, having in it such | such as agrees with the nature of it, a spiria relative typical holiness, which others have tual beauty. In that psalm that wishes so not. But besides all these, and beyond them many prosperities, one is, that their daughall in excellency, he hath a house wherein heters may be as corner-stones, polished after dwells more peculiarly than in any of the rest, the similitude of a palace, Psal. cxliv. 12. even more than in heaven, taken for the This is the church that is called the King's place only, and that is this spiritual build-daughter, Psal. xlv. 13, but her comeliness ing. And this is most suitable to the na- is invisible to the world, she is all glorious ture of God, as our Saviour says of the ne- within. Through sorrows and persecutions cessary conformity of his worship to himself, she may be smoky and black to the world's God is a Spirit, and therefore will be wor-eye, as the tents of Kedar; but in regard of shipped in spirit and in truth, John iv. 24. spiritual beauty, she is comely as the curSo it holds of his house, he must have a spi-tains of Solomon: And in this the Jewish ritual one, because he is a Spirit. So God's temple resembles it right, which had most temple is his people. of its riches and beauty in the inside.

Holi

And for this purpose chiefly did he make ness is the gold of this spiritual house, and the world, the heaven and the earth,-that it is inwardly enriched with that. in it he might raise this spiritual building| The glory of the church of God consists for himself to dwell in for ever, to have a not in stately buildings of temples, and rich number of his reasonable creatures to enjoy furniture, and pompous ceremonies; these him, and glorify him in eternity; and from agree not with its spiritual nature. Its true eternity he knew what the dimensions, and and genuine beauty is, to grow in spirituaframe, and materials of it should be. The lity, and so to be liker itself, and have more continuance of this present world, as it now of the presence of God, and his glory filling is, is but for the service of this work, like the it as a cloud. And it hath been observed, scaffolding about it; and therefore, when this that the more the Church grew in outward spiritual building shall be fully completed, riches and state, the less she grew, or rather all the present frame of things in the world, the more sensibly she abated, in spiritual and in the Church itself, shall be taken away excellencies. But the spiritualness of this and appear no more. building will better appear in considering

This building is, as the particular design-particularly, ing of its materials will teach us, the whole 2. The materials of it, as here expressed, invisible church of God, and each good man To whom coming, &c. ye also as lively is a stone of this building; but as the na- stones are built, &c. Now, the whole ture of it is spiritual, it hath this privilege building is Christ mystical: Christ, together (as they speak of the soul,) that it is tota in with the entire body of the elect; He as the toto, et tota in qualibet parte: As the foundation, and they as the stones built upon whole church is the spouse of Christ, and him; He the living stone, and they likewise, each believing soul hath the same title and by union with him, as living stones; He dignity to be called so; thus each of these having life in himself, as he speaks, John stones is called a whole temple, temples vi., and they deriving it from him; He of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. vi. 19, though primitively living, and they by participation : taking the temple or building in a com- For therefore is he called here a living stone, pleter sense, they are but each one a part, or a stone of it, as here it is expressed.

not only because of his immortality and glorious resurrection, being a Lamb that was The whole excellency of this building is slain and is alive again for ever; but becomprised in this, that it is called spiritual, cause he is the principle of spiritual and eterdistinguishing it from all other buildings, and nal life unto us, a living foundation, that preferring it to them; and because he speaks transfuses this life into the whole building, immediately after of a priesthood and sacri- and every stone of it, In whom (says the fices, it seems to be called a spiritual build- apostle, Eph. ii. 21,) all the building is fitly ing, particularly in opposition to that mate- framed together. It is the Spirit that flows rial temple wherein the Jews gloried, which from him which enlivens it, and knits it was now null, in regard of its former use, together, as a living body; for the same and was quickly after entirely destroyed word vaquoλyouμvor is used, Eph. iv. 16, But when it stood, and the legal use of it for the Church, under the similitude of a stood in its fullest vigour, yet in this still it body. When it is there said, chap. ii. 20, was inferior, that it was not a spiritual house to be built upon the foundation of the Promade up of living stones as this, but of a phets and Apostles, it only refers to their like matter with other earthly buildings. doctrine concerning Christ; and therefore it The spiritual house is the palace of the is added, that He, as being the subject of Great King, or his temple. The Hebrew their doctrine, is the chief corner-stone. word for palace and temple is one. God's The foundation, then, of the Church lies not temple is a palace, and therefore must be full in Rome, but in heaven, and therefore is out of the richest beauty and magnificence, but of the reach of all enemies, and above the

power of the gates of hell. Fear not, then, them so. All the stones in this building when you see the storms arise, and the winds are called God's jewels, Mal. iii. Though blow, against this spiritual building, for it they be vilified, and scoffed at, and despised shall stand; it is built upon an invisible, by men; though they pass for fools and the immoveable Rock; and that great Babylon, refuse of the world; yet they may easily di Rome itself, that, under the false title and gest all that, in the comfort of this, if they pretence of supporting this building, is work-are chosen of God, and precious in his eyes. ing to overthrow it, shall be utterly overthrown, This was the very lot of Christ, and thereand laid equal with the ground, and never fore by that the more welcome that it conbe rebuilt again. But this foundation-stone, forms them to him, and suits these stones as it is commended by its quality, that it is to their foundation. a living and enlivening stone, having life, And if we consider it aright, what a poor and giving life to those that are built on it, despicable thing is the esteem of men! How so is also further described by God's choos-soon is it past! It is a small thing for me, ing it, and its own worth, both opposed to says the apostle, to be judged of men, 1 Cor. men's disesteem; and therefore said here, to iv. 3. Now, that God often chooses for this be chosen of God. God did indeed from building such stones as men cast away as eternity contrive this building, and choose good for nothing, see 1 Cor. i. 26, &c.; and this same foundation, and accordingly in the where he says, Isa. lvii. 15, that he dwells fulness of time did perform his purpose; so in the high and holy place, what is his the thing being one, we may take it either other dwelling? His habitation in earth. for his purpose or performance, or both; yet Is it in great palaces and courts? No; but it seems most suitable to the strain of the with him that is of a contrite and humble words, and the place after alleged, of laying spirit. Now, these are the basest in men's him in Sion, and opposing the rejection of account, yet He chooses them, and prefers men, that we may take it for God's actual them to all other palaces and temples, Isa. employing of Jesus Christ in the work of our lxvi. 1, 2. "Thus saith the Lord, The redemption: He alone was fit for that work; heaven is my throne, and the earth is my it was utterly impossible that any other should footstool where is the house that ye build bear the weight of that service (and so of unto me? and where is the place of my this building) but He who was Almighty; rest? For all those things hath mine hand therefore the Spouse calls him the Select or made, and all those things have been, saith Choice of ten thousand, yet rejected of men! the Lord; but to this man will I look, even There is an antipathy (if we may so speak) to him that is poor, and of a contrite spibetwixt the mind of God and corrupt nature: rit, and trembleth at my word." q. d. “You the things that are highly esteemed with men cannot gratify me with any dwelling, for are an abomination to God; and thus we I myself have made all, and a surer house see here, that which is highly esteemed of than any you can make me, The heaven is God, is cast and disallowed by men. But my throne, and the earth is my footstool; sure there is no comparison; the choosing but I, that am so high, am pleased to regard and esteem of God stands, and by that, judge the lowly." men of Christ as they will, He is the foun- 3. We have the structure, or way of dation of this building. And he is in true building, To whom coming.] First coming, value answerable to this esteem: He is pre- then built up. They that come unto Christ, cious, which seems to signify a kind of in- come not only from the world that lieth in ward worth, hidden from the eyes of men, wickedness, but out of themselves. Of a great blind unbelieving men, but well known to God, many that seem to come to Christ, it may and to those to whom he reveals him. And be said that they are not come to him, bethis is the very cause of his rejection by the cause they have not left themselves. That most, the ignorance of his worth and excel- is believing on him, which is the very resignlency; as a precious stone that the skilful ing the soul to Christ, and living by him. lapidary esteems of great value, an ignorant" Ye will not come unto me that ye may beholder makes little or no account of. have life," says Christ, John v. 40. He

These things hold likewise in the other complains of it as a wrong done to him ; but stones of this building, chosen before time; the loss is ours. It is his glory to give us all that should be of this building are fore- life that were dead; but it is our happiness ordained in God's purpose, all written in that to receive that life from him. Now, these book beforehand, and then in due time they stones come unto their foundation; which are chosen, by actual calling, according to imports the moving of the soul to Christ, that purpose, hewed out and severed by being moved by his Spirit, and that the will God's own hand from the quarry of corrupt acts, and willingly; for it cannot act othernature: dead stones in themselves, as the wise, but as being actuated and drawn by rest, but made living, by his bringing them the Father, John vi. 65, "No man can to Christ, and so made truly precious, and come to me except the Father draw him :" accounted precious by Him tha hath made And the outward mean of drawing, is by

the word; it is the sound of that harp that [16,) importing, that the want of this much brings the stones of this spiritual building prejudices edification. together, and then, being united to Christ, they are built up; that is, as St. Paul expresses it, Eph. ii. 21, "they grow up unto a holy temple in the Lord."

These stones, because they are living, therefore grow in the life of grace and spiritualness, being a spiritual building: So that if we find not this, but our hearts are still carnal, and glued to the earth, minding earthly things, wiser in those than in spirituals, this evidences strongly against us, that we are not of this building. How few of us have that spiritualness that becomes the temples of the Holy Ghost or the stones of it! Base lusts are still lodging and ruling within us, and so our hearts are as cages of unclean birds and filthy spirits.

In times of peace the church may dilate more, and build as it were into breadth; but in trouble, it arises more in height; it is then built upwards; as in cities where men are straitened, they build usually higher than in the country. Notwithstanding the Church's afflictions, yet still the building is going forward; it is built (as Daniel speaks of Jerusalem) in troublous times. And it is this which the apostle intends, as suiting with his foregoing exhortation; and this may be read exhortatively too; but taking it rather as asserting their condition, it is for this end, that they may remember to be like it, and grow up. For this end he expressly calls them living stones; an adjunct not usual for stones, but here inseparable: and there- spiritual temple! though they be hammered fore, though the apostle changes the similitude from infants to stones, yet he will not let go this quality of living, as making chiefly for his purpose.

Consider this as your happiness, and the unsolidness of other comforts and privileges. If some have called those stones happy, that were taken for the building of temples cr altars, beyond those in common houses, how true is it here! Happy indeed the stones that God chooses to be living stones in this

and hewed to be polished for it, by afflictions, and the inward work of mortification and repentance. It is worth the enduring all, to be fitted for this building. Happy they, beTo teach us the necessity of growth in yond all the rest of men though they be believers, they are therefore often compared set in never so great honours, as prime parts to things that grow, to trees planted in fruit- of politic buildings, states and kingdoms, in ful growing places, as by the rivers of water, the courts of kings, yea, or kings themselves : to cedars in Lebanon, where they are tallest, For all other buildings, and all the parts of to the morning light, to infants on the them, shall be demolished and come to nobreast; and here, where the word seems to thing, from the foundation to the cope-stone; refuse it, to stones, yet (it must and well all your houses, both cottages and palaces; doth admit this unwonted epithet) they are" the elements shall melt away, and the called living and growing stones. earth, with all the works in it, shall be con

If, then, you would have the comfortable sumed," as our apostle hath it, 2 Pet. iii. persuasion of this union with Christ, see 10. But this spiritual building shall grow whether you find your souls established up- up to heaven; and being come to perfection, on Jesus Christ, finding him as your strong shall abide for ever in perfection of beauty foundation: not resting on yourselves, nor and glory. In it shall be found no unclean on any other thing, either within you or thing, nor unclean person, but only they without you, but supported by Him alone; that are written in the Lamb's book of life. drawing life from Him, by virtue of that union, as from a living foundation, so as to say with the apostle, "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' Gal. ii. 20.

An holy priesthood.] As the worship and ceremonies of the Jewish church were all shadows of Jesus Christ, and have their accomplishment in him, not only after a singular manner in his own Person, but in a As these stones are built on Christ by derived way, in his mystical body, his faith, so they are cemented one to another by Church; the priesthood of the law reprelove; and therefore, where that is not, it is sented Him as the Great High Priest, that but a delusion to think themselves parts of offered up himself for our sins, and that is this building. As it is knit to Him, it is altogether incommunicable; neither is there knit together in itself through him; and if any peculiar office of priesthood for offering dead stones in a building support and mu-sacrifice in the Christian Church, but His tually strengthen one another, how much alone who is Head of it. But this dignity more ought living stones in an active lively that is here mentioned of a spiritual priestway to do so ? The stones of this building hood, offering spiritual sacrifice, is common keep their place; the lower rise not up to to all those that are in Christ; as they are be in the place of the higher. As the apos- living stones built on Him into a spiritual tle speaks of the parts of the body, so the temple, so they are priests of that same temstones of this building in humility and love ple, made by him, Rev. i. 6. As he was keep their station and grow up in it, edify- after a transcendent manner, Temple, and ing in love, (as saith the apostle, Eph. iv. Priest, and Sacrifice; so, in their kind, are