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This is the second way whereby any thing was consecrated unto God.
III. The third way whereby the temple (as believers are peculiarly said to be " God's temple," in the text and other places) and taber- nacle were consecrated, was by inhabitation. God consecrated them unto himself by a glorious inhabitation, and dwelling in them. He came and dwelt in them. Thereby they became peculiarly his own. And this God did two ways: — 1. By an extraordinary sign of taking first possession of his house, and entering into it, that all might take notice that this was his house. 2. By ordinary constant pledges of his presence : —
1. He did it by an extraordinary sign of his taking possession of his house. When the tabernacle was built, and ready to be set apart for service, the glory of the Lord filled it, Exod. xl. It was a dark cloud; for then God dwelt in thick darkness. And, 1 Kings viii. 10, when the temple was built, God came by a glorious sign, and took possession of it. The glory of the Lord filled the temple. And this also was a cloud. God took possession of those houses — the taber- nacle and the temple — by a cloud, to signify those types and vails which the people were under, so that they could not see to the end of those houses ; which were to denote the coming of the Son of God to fix his tabernacle among us, by taking human nature upon him.
2. God did it by a visible pledge of his abode and residence. Now, this was the ark, and the mercy-seat, encompassed with the cherubims, which had the direct form of a throne. The ark being supported to such a height, the mercy-seat placed upon that, and the cherubims shading it as arms, had the direct appearance of a throne. Hence the ark is sometimes called " The glory of God." It is called " The King of glory," Ps. xxiv., " Lift up your heads, ye everlasting doors, that the King of glory" — that is, the glorious ark, which was the type and representation of God's dwelling gloriously in the taber- nacle and temple — " may come in." There are these two things re- quired to inhabitation : — a glorious entrance by an extraordinary sign ; and, a constant residence by an ordinary pledge : and both these were in the dedication of the temple and tabernacle. And two things ensued thereon : —
(1.) A special manifestation of God's glory. Where he dwells, there is a special manifestation of his glory. God is everywhere ; but is not said to dwell everywhere. He fills heaven and earth by his omnipresence; but God's "dwelling" signifies something more; — not only his being, his essential, eternal being, but the manifestation of that being also. So, heaven is said to be his dwelling-place and throne, because God doth most gloriously manifest himself to those creatures of light, his holy saints and angels, that come to the enjoyment of
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him. In the tabernacle, and in the temple, then? was such a mani- festation of God's glorious presence continually. This made them holy. And hence it is, that if all the men in this world should agree together to build a glorious fabric for the worship of God, — suppose at Jerusalem, — and when they had done, dedicate it to God with all the power they have ; they cannot make it holy, unless God come to take possession of it by a visible pledge of his presence, and appoint a token of his presence to be in the place. The very notion that some men have, though you may think there is little in it, that they can dedicate any thing to God, hath been the greatest ruin that ever befell religion in this world. It hath wholly cast out all apprehen- sions of God's portion from the minds of men, and erected another portion for God, which was never called, never anointed, never inha- bited by God himself. And that hath occasioned men, who contract the guilt of persecuting God's only dedicated portion, to put the notion of sacrilege upon tithes and titles, and I know not what, that God never dedicated, nor put his name upon, nor ever took possession of. There is no dedication to God, but it must be by these means. And, —
(2.) The special worship of God must by God himself be confined unto it. And truly we have great reason — considering what conflict's and contests are befallen us in these latter days, which only divine wisdom could foresee — to bless our dear Lord Jesus Christ for that good word of liberty he gave us : " The day cometh that neither at Jerusalem, nor in this nor that mountain, men shall worship God ; but he that worships God, let him worship him in spirit and in truth." This sets us at liberty from all ways, places, and forms of men's find- ing out and dedication.
That is the third way.
IV. There is one way more ; and that is, by special vow of things that are in our power, giving them up to God according to his mind. So did Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 22, " Of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Men are usually very tena- cious of what they have got ; they are loath to part with any portion of it, — no, not to God himself; therefore doth Jacob so well express it here, " Of all that thou shalt give me, I will give the tithe to thee." If ever Jacob had any thing God did not give him, that was all his own : and so he knew full well ; for when he comes to call over this business again, he remembers, that " with his staff he went over Jor- dan, but God had now made him two bands." When men gave to God according to his mind, of things in their own power, they were, under the law, made holy unto the Lord.