Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
is shadowed ; yet because Jerusalem , the city of the living God , which the author maintains , in the second place , may more fitly be referred to signify the church , therefore by Mount Sion zoe may better understand heaven itself , or some spiritual mount , whose top is heaven , thc dwelling of everlasting blessedness ; for we read more frequentlthat ' heaven is si
y gnified by Mount Sion than the church . For as in one head of Mount Sion , which was called Moriah , the Temple of God was built , wherein God was said to dwell ; there was also , in another head of it , the palace of David , who was a type—a shadow of Christ , the king of God ' s people ; so in heaventrulyis the Temple of the most hih Godancl
, , g , there is also the place of Christ , our heavenly king ; therefore we say that in this place may be signified some spiritual mount , whose top is heaven , because by the heavenly Jerusalem the church may seem to be understood , as it is nowexistent upon earth . But the allegory will be more full , if by Mount Sion we understand not onlheaven itselfbut
y , conceive in our mind some spiritual mount , ichose top is in heaven , and his foot reacheth unto the earth , that , as of old , Jerusalem was seated at the foot , and forward upon the side of Mount Sion ; so also the church may be said to be built ou the side of a mount which has its top in heaven . We therefore are come to heaven itselfor to that iritual mount
, sp whose top is in heaven , as we are made neighbours unto heaven , and have a right and liberty to ascend it ; for from the church there is a near and open passage , even to the top of heaven .
" Hence it appears , that not only this mount whereto we Christians are come by the preaching of the gospel , and by our faith given unto it , is by infinite degrees , and without all comparison , far surpassing Mount Sinai ; but that our access also , or coming to it , doth far surpass the access or coming of the Israelites , who stood near to that mount , but had no right to ascend it , nor liberty to touch it , unless they would presently be overwhelmed with stones , or struck through with darts . " a
I have thought it necessary to be thus particular in showing that " the highest of hills" are only to be esteemed holy when consecrated b y the presence , or to the service of God , and that they retained their sanctity no longer than they continued to be the scene of sacred rites . Thus our Christian churches are very commonly situated on " the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
is shadowed ; yet because Jerusalem , the city of the living God , which the author maintains , in the second place , may more fitly be referred to signify the church , therefore by Mount Sion zoe may better understand heaven itself , or some spiritual mount , whose top is heaven , thc dwelling of everlasting blessedness ; for we read more frequentlthat ' heaven is si
y gnified by Mount Sion than the church . For as in one head of Mount Sion , which was called Moriah , the Temple of God was built , wherein God was said to dwell ; there was also , in another head of it , the palace of David , who was a type—a shadow of Christ , the king of God ' s people ; so in heaventrulyis the Temple of the most hih Godancl
, , g , there is also the place of Christ , our heavenly king ; therefore we say that in this place may be signified some spiritual mount , whose top is heaven , because by the heavenly Jerusalem the church may seem to be understood , as it is nowexistent upon earth . But the allegory will be more full , if by Mount Sion we understand not onlheaven itselfbut
y , conceive in our mind some spiritual mount , ichose top is in heaven , and his foot reacheth unto the earth , that , as of old , Jerusalem was seated at the foot , and forward upon the side of Mount Sion ; so also the church may be said to be built ou the side of a mount which has its top in heaven . We therefore are come to heaven itselfor to that iritual mount
, sp whose top is in heaven , as we are made neighbours unto heaven , and have a right and liberty to ascend it ; for from the church there is a near and open passage , even to the top of heaven .
" Hence it appears , that not only this mount whereto we Christians are come by the preaching of the gospel , and by our faith given unto it , is by infinite degrees , and without all comparison , far surpassing Mount Sinai ; but that our access also , or coming to it , doth far surpass the access or coming of the Israelites , who stood near to that mount , but had no right to ascend it , nor liberty to touch it , unless they would presently be overwhelmed with stones , or struck through with darts . " a
I have thought it necessary to be thus particular in showing that " the highest of hills" are only to be esteemed holy when consecrated b y the presence , or to the service of God , and that they retained their sanctity no longer than they continued to be the scene of sacred rites . Thus our Christian churches are very commonly situated on " the