The Church Compared to a House

    THE CHURCH COMPARED TO A HOUSE

    "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God" &c. 1Ti 3:15.

    "But Christ over his own House, whose house are we" &c., Heb 3:6.

    THE Church of Christ is compared to a House; the great God, whose throne is above, hath also a dwelling-place here below.

    METAPHOR.

    I. A House is a habitation, a place built for some man or men to dwell in.[1]

    [1] See Vartae's Parallels, p. 400.

    PARALLEL.

    I. The Church is the habitation of the Holy Ghost: "I will dwell in them, and walk in them," &c., 2Co 6. "For he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you," Joh 14:17. "That good thing which was committed to thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us," 2Ti 1:14. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you," 1Co 3:16.

    METAPHOR

    II. A House is built by a wise builder, upon a sure and firm foundation; some are built upon rocks.

    PARALLEL

    II. The Church is built upon a sure foundation, viz., Jesus Christ, "Another foundation can no man lay," &c., 1Co 3:11. "Upon this Rock will I build my Church," Mt 16:18.

    III. A House is builded with, or doth consist of divers materials, as timber, stone, brick, &c., which are well hewed and squared before.

    PARALLEL

    III. So the Church doth consist of several members, who are called or compared to stones: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood," 1Pe 2:5. And these stones are also well hewed and squared, by the word and Spirit of God.

    METAPHOR

    IV. A House hath some main and principal parts appertaining or belonging to it, as pillars, beams, rafters, &c.

    PARALLEL

    IV. So the Church or House of God hath some famous pillars, beams, and rafters, as the Holy Ghost calleth them: "The beams of our House are cedars, and our rafters of fir," Song 1:17. The righteous are compared to cedars in Lebanon; these trees are tall and durable. Cedar was used in building Solomon's temple, a type or figure of the Church; which denotes the strength, usefulness, beauty, and excellency of the saints, or some among them, who are called pillars, Ga 2:9, "And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars," &c. And Christ saith, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God," Re 3:12.

    METAPHOR

    V. In a House, pillars, beams, and rafters are of great, though of different use; all are to support, strengthen, perfect, and complete the building: the least material is needful, and cannot be wanting.

    PARALLEL

    V. So in the House of God, the prophets, apostles, pastors, deacons, &c., are of great use, though of different offices; and all for the support of every part of the spiritual building; and the least member cannot be spared, Eph 4:7,12. Some are strong and some are weak; some have five talents, and some but two; yet one ought not to despise the other, Mt 25. As in a material House, beams, and rafters, though divers in strength and use, yet all have a firm connexion amongst themselves, to make up one complete structure: even so in Christ's Church, though they be divers members, severally gifted and placed, as we see in the body natural, yet, as the apostle there shows, verse 25, "There should be no schism in the body," 1Co 12:24; but such a conjunction of one another, as they have of themselves; a holy sympathy in supporting, suffering, and rejoicing.

    METAPHOR

    VI. The House of a prince, when built, is furnished, and most richly adorned, that it may become a meet habitation, according to the degree, glory, and grandeur of him who is to dwell therein.

    PARALLEL

    VI. So the Church and temple of God, being built for the glorious Prince of heaven and earth, is most richly and curiously adorned with the precious gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost: for as the materials of this House are silver, gold, and precious stones; so its ornaments or furniture doth infinitely excel, it being the king's palace: "The king's daughter is all glorious within," Ps 45:13.

    METAPHOR

    VII. A house is a place of security; it defends from many dangers, which those are exposed unto, that are harbourless, and forced to lie without doors; besides, some houses have walls about them.

    PARALLEL

    VII. So the Church is a place of security, God having made such a blessed wall about her: "And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place in Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all her glory shall be a defence. I will, saith God, encamp about mine House, because of the army, because of him that passeth by," &c. He hath promised to be "A wall of fire round about her," Ec 2:5.

    METAPHOR

    VIII. A House is a place of repose, a resting-place; it is hence greatly desired, by every one that belongs to the family that dwells therein.

    PARALLEL

    VIII. The Church of God is a sweet place of spiritual repose. Sion is called a peaceable habitation, and sure dwelling, and a quiet resting place, Isa 32:20.

    METAPHOR

    IX. A House hath a way that leads to it, and a door that openeth into it, that so those who are strangers, may be readily directed how to find it.

    PARALLEL

    IX. So the Church, or house of God, hath a way that readily leads to it. In a strict sense, Christ is both the way and the door. If any enquire more directly, how they may find the way into the Church, if they take the counsel of the Holy Ghost, they cannot miss. "Thus saith the Lord, stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein," &c., Jer 6:16. This good old way is the way of repentance, faith, and baptism; the saints of the primitive time walked all in this way, and knew no other door into the Church: "And they that gladly received the word, were baptized; and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls, Ac 2:41.

    METAPHOR

    X. A House is a place of devotion; there a man reads, prays, meditates, and instructs his family.

    PARALLEL

    X. So the Church of God is the principal place of public devotion: there prayers are made, the word is preached, and the sacraments are duly administered.

    METAPHOR

    XI. A House is a subject to go to decay, and therefore needs often to be repaired. "By the slothfulness of the hands the house droppeth through."

    PARALLEL

    XI. So the church of God will soon decay, if it be not often repaired by a wise and careful discipline.

    METAPHOR

    I. An earthly House in which men dwell, is the work of mens' hands.

    DISPARITY

    I. But the church, or House of God, is called God's building; the choice preparing of the matter, and the framing and jointing every part, as to the manner, is of God.

    METAPHOR

    II. A House is built with such materials as are without life.

    DISPARITY

    II. But this spiritual House consists of believers who, though they were once without life, yet now are quickened, who are therefore called "living stones, built up a spiritual house," 1Pe 2:3.

    METAPHOR

    III. Some Houses are left desolate without inhabitants, and so go to decay, and at length fall.

    DISPARITY

    III. But it is impossible that ever the House of God should be without inhabitants: "For the Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever, here will dwell, for I have desired it," Ps 132:13-14. And as for sanctified ones, they are not only dwellers in it, but the very materials of it: so that it can never be without them. It being also founded upon a rock, cannot fall. "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Mt 16:18.

    METAPHOR

    IV. Other Houses are liable to be destroyed, either by fire, or razed by an enemy, so that one stone may not be left upon another.

    DISPARITY

    IV. But the House of God hath stood ever since it was erected, notwithstanding the many plots and designs of Satan, and his instruments, by one means or other, if possible, to have destroyed it, so as that there might not have appeared so much as the dust or stones; no, nor so much as any sign left in any part, or among any people in the world, whether there had been such a building or no. But blessed for ever be Jehovah, that it may yet be said, "Walk about Zion, and go round about her, tell the towers thereof, mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following: for this God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death," Ps 48:12-14.

    INFERENCES.

    I. This calleth aloud upon all the members of God's House, to strive more and more not only to be a meet habitation for God, but to beautify and adorn this house by their holy and heavenly conversations. Holiness becometh thy House, Lord, for ever.

    II. Let all take heed how they defile or deface this House, either by plucking out a stone or a pin, or touching a hair of the head of any that are of this building.

    III. Let all God's people examine what their zeal is for God's House, or whether they do truly prize the very dust and stones thereof.