men might hear him touching what he had received from the Father for them if they would come to him for it 2. Reason why Christ cannot withheld any supply of grace from the Lords people is because of these relations he stands in to the Saints 1. He is their friend Iohn 15. 15. Now a friend is so far from withholding what is due that he will rather add something of his own to what was given 2. He is their Husband Jâ—r 3. 14. Now is it usual for the Husband not to seek the good of his Wife 3. He is their head and they his body Eph. 5. 23. Can the head withhold any thing from any one of the members of the body doth he not give down his supplies to every part of the body freely truly no more can Christ withhold any supply of grace and mercy from his members which as their head he hath received for them Secondly How should this Qualification of faithfulness in Christ secure our hope and comfort against falling away totally from grace Oh how many poor souls are there in the world which are under tremblings about this thing Oh but I fear I may be cast totally out of the grace and favour of God Oh soul look up to Christ under this doubt if there be any Interest in heaven to be made against thy falling away from a state of grace thou maist be sure not to want it Soul remember will a poor mortal man when his Wife stands upon the trial of her life strive and tug and labour by Purse and Petition to make an Interest for his Wife both wâ—th Judge and Jury to save her life and dost thou think that Christ will fall short in this to thee who hast given up thy self to him as his Wife behold his interceding and advocating work in heaven for thee at this hour on purpose to preserve thee from this evil thou so much fearest and doth not the Apostle tell thee that he is heard in all he prayed for read these two places of Scripture Zach. 3. 1 2 3 4. 5. with Heb. 5. 7. And doth not our Saviour say that he is alwayes heard in heaven John 11. 42. Therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 13. 5 6. So that we may boldly say that the Lord is our helper and I will not fear what man can do unto me for he hath said I will never leave thee nor for sake thee Fear it not it can never be if ever he took thee into Covenant all the Devils in hell can never out thee more for he takes none into Covenant but such whom he loves and those whom he begins to love he loves to the end John 13. 1. And it s with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. It s true a Christian may lose the sense and sight of the love of God many days if not years But he can never lose the being of the love of Christ to his soul and as much as some talk of falling away from grace thou needst not trouble thy self much about that point but leave it to others that can better judge of the thing then thou canst besides if the notion were rightly understood by weak Christians viz. about falling from grace I think there would not be so many vain Disputations Doubts and Fears amongst them about it as there is Grace in Scripture is taken four manner of ways First For the state of grace into which a soul is placed through his believing in Christ by an indissolvable Covenant which is never to be violated or broken or altered more Psal 89. 34. This is the thing the Apostle is speaking of Rom. 3. 24. When he saith We are justified by his grace that is Believers are put into a justified state by the blood of Jesus Christ which we call a state of grace Rom. 5. 2. Secondly There is the means of grace that is all that provision which God hath provided in his word for the calling home of poor lost creatures to himself of this the Apostle speaks likewise 2 Cor. 6 1. Thirdly There are the habits of grace which are those divine dispositions or qualities of sanctifying grace placed in the heart at the time of our Conversion of which Iames speaks Iam. 4. 6 Fourthly There is the exercise or actings of this habitual grace which St. Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 3. Lastly now if by falling from grace men do intend by it grace in the second sense viz. from the means of grace so I say too and am so far an Arminian for our Saviour was of this Judgement Math. 13. 19 20 21 22. with Luke 14. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Of this judgment was St. Paul 2 Cor. 6. 1. with Heb. 2. 3. That men and women may enjoy the means of grace in common with others and yet have no benefit by it Again they may go farther with that in Heb. 6. 4 5 6. To have great enlightnings and great tasts of it and by the powerful convictions of it made with Herod to do many good things but our Saviour tells you that they were such as were never truly rooted hence it is that the word was never truly rooted in their hearts Math. 13. 21. Now to be truly rooted is elsewhere expounded a rooting in Christ by Election Math. 24. 24. Luke 18. 7. Rom. 9. 11. Rom. 11. 5. Peter 1. 1 2. Again There are the actings or there is the exercise of grace now in this sense a Child of God may fall from grace that is he may go downd the win for a time he may abate in the degree of his love to and zele for and faith in Jesus Christ Thus it was with David and St. Peter and the Spouse Cant. 5. 2 3. And with Ephesus Rev 2 4. 5. Again Take grace in the habits of it now in this sense an Elected called soul can never fall from grace that is he can never lose the roots of his grace more they may be buried up with corruption as the fire is with its ashes sometimes but it can never be extinguisht or put out in the soul more but it will now and then appear as roots may lie many moneths in the Earth unseen in a Winter season but when the heat of the Sun draws near the Earth they will Spring again so though grace in the heart may have its Winter season and so lie hid under the clods of corruption for a time when Christ the Sun of Righteousness shall draw near the heart with his heating beams grace will then spring again Cant. 1. 12. When the King sitteth at his Table my spicknard sendeth forth the smell thereof I will give you one reason why grace in the heart can never be wholly extinguished because its a branch of the Covenant of grace which God hath made with the Elect in Christ Ier. 31. 33. But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my
beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth and of his fullness have we all received and grace for grace ver 17. For the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Christ is called the head of the body Eph 5 Whose Office it is to give down his supplies to the several members of the same for the mutual benefit of the whole body There was a stock of grace and holiness laid into Christ for this very purpose therefore is Christ called the Saints treasury or store-house Col. 2. 3. So saith our Saviour himself Iohn 17. 19. For their sakes I sanctifie my self that they all might be sanctified through the truth O therefore souls make to Christ for grace and holiness remember the Urim and Thimmim of all perfection both of Doctrine and holiness of life lieth in Jesus Christ on purpose to be given out to those that come for it Here it was David fled for sanctification under the decays of grace Psal 51. 7 10. Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Psal 36. 9. For with thee is the Fonntain of life and in thy light shall we see light Soul dost thou want grace purging grace sanctifying grace wouldst thou be more holy in thy life and conversation then thou hearest where the fountain is make out to him it s his desire to have thee come thou canst not please him in any thing better then to sue to him for grace and holiness therefore saith Christ If any man thirst let him come to me and drink John 7. 37. Therefore come with boldness to the throne of grace to ask grace and mercy to help in time of need Heb. 4. 16. Lastly We may draw out this from the Urim and Thummim upon the Priests heart for our comfort to help us in dark erronious times When the Doctrines of the Scripture are by men corrupted as that we cannot drink them any where should we travel from Sea to Sea there is not a Priest or Minister that stands up in the defence of truth but every one perverts and corrupts it I say should we fall into such a season that we cannot find a Minister with the Urim or Thummim upon his breast yet we may comfort our selves in this that our High Priest in heaven is not corrupted he hath the Urim and Thummim still as much upon his heart as ever who taketh care to feed his people with sound Doctrine and with wholesome food however it goes amongst the Priests here below yet this Priests lips shall preserve knowledge if you will seek the Law at his mouth Mal. 2. 7. In the greatest darkness that over-spread Egypt yet he provided a light for his people in Goshen Exod. 10. 23. So when the Anti-christian darkness spread the Roman Empire all over yet Christ took care that his people should have a place of nourishment provided for them Rev. 12. 14. So in the times of Israels Apostasie when all the shepherds were corrupted in Israel when they had trodden down the good pasture of truth and justice both in Church and State and had fould the remainders of it with their feet Ezek. 34. 18 19. Yet then see the care of this Gospel High Priest in those times that although others did perish for want of sound wholsome soul-food yet his people should be fed from himself with the finest of Wheat and Oil read Ezek. 34. 11 12 13 14 O therefore make use of Christ upon this account let him be your stay let errour fill all the publick places in the world yet thy High Priest will provide for the sincere though in holes and corners I will send you the Comforter saith Christ and he shall teach you all things John 14. 26. Men may shut up all thy sound Ministers from thy soul such who have fed thee with knowledge and understanding but be of good comfort they can never shut up from thee this Gospel teaching Spirit this will give thy heart a visit in the most secret places of the earth this was with the Spouse in the secret places of the stairs and in the clefts of the Rocks Cant. 2. 14. This soul teaching Agent is not straitned saith our Saviour its like the wind it bloweth where it listeth men may hear the sonnd of it but cannot tell from whence it comes Iohn 3. 8. There was likewise at the hem of this glorious Robe tied several Bells and Pomgranates a Bell and a Pomgranate a Bell and a Pomgranate round about the hem of the Robe Exod. 39. 25 26 with Exod. 28. 35. The Use of this may be several ways considered First It was for noise or sound when the Priest was to enter before the Lord for this purpose was the Bells for it would have cost the Priest his life if he should have gone in to the presence of the Lord without these Bells ringing at the hem of his Robe Exod. 28. 35. Here we see what little regard God hath to these silent Meetings in Worship as the Quakers and others dream of God loves a laudable sound in his Worship Aarons Bells were to make a sound in the Woship of God But some may say is God taken with Words and Voices I answer would not the same Objection have quarrelled with Aarons Bells would one think God should be taken with the ringing of a company of Bells in his Worship friends have a care you be not such as would be wiser then God let us keep close to the known rule of Worship if we cannot give a reason why we should do this or that or the other thing in the Worship of God let us remember God can And for the Saints meeting together in Scripture I find it was to speak often one to another Mal. 3. 16. And another private Meeting Iohn 20. 19. But our Saviour comes and speaks or preacheth a word of peace to them and in ver 26. Another private Meeting but our Saviour by his speaking keeps it from being a silent one Another private meeting held in Acts 1. 13 14. Where they continued in breaking of bread and in prayer but never read of any such silent meetings as the Quakers keep so likewise if we consider the exhortations which the Scripture gives to the Saints about their meeting together we find it was to provoke one another to love and good works Heb. 10 24 25. And that should spend the time away in their building up of one another in their most holy faith and praying together in the holy Ghost Iude 20. Now can this be done where there is nothing but silence will sitting an hour or two together only looking in the ground in our meetings fulfil these exhortations Alas Brethren God will be served with whole man soul and body the body as well as the soul for God made both for his glory and Christ Redeemed both for the Worship of God
young and lively is better then that which is old and feeble It was first to shew the High Priest under the Law that God expected he should be lively and strong for the Lord in all he did for him he was to consecrate the best of his years and the best of his time strength and abilities for the Lord that the worship of God called for the best of our all for its service therefore was he to be consecrated with a young Bullock not an old or feeble one 2. It shews us that time or age never enfeebles our great High Priest in heaven the Priest was to be consecrated with a young Bullock shewing you that the Priest Believers have in heaven grows never old he is not subject to tire or faint in his employment he is as lively and active in his work for his people now as at the first day he entred heaven as their Priest and so is it lookt upon by the Father that makes our High Priest still so prevallent upon the Heart of God he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Lastly We might make this use of it to perswade all young persons to dedicate themselves to God betime in the prime of their dayes when the marrow is warm in the bones A young Bullock not an old must be offered to God in sacrifice O so should it be with you my friends would you offer up your selves as an acceptable sacrifice to God O then let it be in your youth minde that exhortation of Solomon Eccles 12. 1. Remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt saâ— I have no pleasure in them It was Timoâ—hies honour and it is spoken to his great praise that that he had consecrated his soul and body to God in the time of his youth at a time when he was mostly capable to act for God 1 Tim. 4. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Alas Sirs when we live so long in sin as to spend the marrow of our bodies in the service of the Devil How do we think God should be pleased with the offering up of our old dry bones for a sacrifice upon his Altar There is nothing doth more ingage God to take care for a soul in old age then when a soul is careful to consecrate himself to God in his youthful dayes Then was Moses to take a vessel of oyl and pour it on the Priests head which was called the anointing of him Exod. 29. 7. The oyl of anointing poured forth upon the High Priest signified these three things First It signifieth the great endowments of the Priest with respect to the gifts of the Spirit which should be upon him as necessary to the work he was to do for the people for so is the anointing understood sometimes 1 Sam. 10. 1. 6. And Samuel took a vial of oyl and poured it upon the head of Saul and kissed him and said Is it not because the Lord hath annointed thee to be captain over his inheritance Now look into the 6. verse and there you shall see the gifts of the Spirit spoken of that should fit him for government an office unto which he was anointed And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophesie with them and be turned into another man And look you into the 10th verse and there you shall see the gifts of the Spirit upon him This shews us what infinite gifts of all manner of perfections fell upon Christ to fit him for the great work of the Priesthood saith Christ Isa 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me A Spirit of counsel that he might be able to give sound advice at all times to his Church Isa 9. 6 A Spirit of courage and strength that he might go through all oppositions for his people therefore is he called the mighty God Isa 9. 6. A Spirit of wisdom that he might be able to out-wit his subtle adversaries in hell or on the earth 1 Cor. 1. 24. A Spirit of love and tenderness that he might not reject for but pitty his people under their temptations weaknesses and infirmities Heb. 2. 17 18. A Spirit of pardon that he might be able to pass by his peoples sins iniquities and transgressions Nehemiah 9. 17. A Spirit of faithfulness as not to neglect his people in any condition nor wanting in the giving out to them any supply to his people which the Father hath both given the Saints by promise and laid into Christ as their store-house of grace and wisdom for that purpose Psalm 36. 5. All this was in Christ the Head for the use of the Body mystical as the streams are in the fountain not onely to be imployed for them but to be given down to them into their souls according as they shall draw it out of this Well by the vessel of believing so saith the Church who made use of Christ upon this account Isa 12 2 3. Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and song and is become my salvation therefore saith Christ with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation Secondly It denotes the perfection of grace and holiness which was to dwel in Christ for so much may we understand by the pouring forth of the anointing saith the Apostle It pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1. 19. A fulness of grace and holiness that from him we might derive it for our use and benefit in this life Thirdly The anointing of the High Priest did signifie that legal right he had to administer in the Priests office above another man hence is that of the Apostle Heb. 5. 4. And no man taketh this honour upon him but he that was called of God as was Aaron Now this would afford great comfort to a soul if well considered that the Lord Jesus Christ was not only a Priest or an Advocate but he was an anointed Priest and Advocate one who had a legal right to the place he came not in the wrong way therefore no Thief or Robber we need not doubt no one can invalue Christs work when it s done for believers meerly for want of right to officiate you know if a Councellour at Law undertake to plead a mans case for him and should dispute it never so ably and should carry it in Law yet if this can be objected against the Councellour that he is not lawfully inducted to the place as a Councellour all will be invalued that hath been done and said and looked upon as of no force O therefore soul if Christ intercedes as a High Priest and pleads as an Advocate at the Throne of grace for thee thou needst not fear of thy Case there is not any enemy thou hast can hurt thee in this Case should the Law object the Justice of God object
Law in their inward parts and write it upon their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Now by that Law in the heart what can it be but the conveying of the sanctifying grace of the Covenant into the Souls of the Lords people at the hour and time of their Conversion Lastly There is grace in the state or that which we call a state of grace which is a souls being planted into Jesus Christ by faith from this men and women can never possibly fall away And for these three grounds First Because those that have been really planted into Jesus Christ they all receive from him eternal life and Christ saith that those which have received from him eternal life they shall never perish Iohn 10. 28. Now if some will assert such shall perish or may perish and Christ saith they shall not soul I leave thee to believe which of these two thou pleasest Secondly It cannot be they can fall from grace because they have Christs hand to defend them now Christ is God as well as man and all power in Heaven and Earth is given into his hand Math. 28. 18 Iohn 10 28. Thirdly It cannot be so because they are in the Fathers hand Iohn 10 29. They are in the Fathers hand by Electon and in the Sons by Redemption and Intercession and none can pluck them out of these infinite Divine hands how is it then that such a Doctrine can be true which says that true believers may fall from grace totally and finally But lastly this Qualification of faithfulness in Christ may afford a great deal of comfort in afflicting and persecuting seasons let the soul meet with never so great distress he may be sure to comfort himself in the faithfulness of Christ though friends may leave him and an estate may leave him saith Christ Isa 43 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee This the Prophet David could experience to be true at sundry times who saith that Christ had been with him in six yea in seven troubles who doth instance in some of his troubles how he had found Christ with him in these troubles one was this when his Father and Mother left hm then the Lord took him up Psal 27. 10. Another was this when his friends and acquaintance had withdrawn from him and did look strange upon him the Lord stood by him Psal 31. 11. So St. Paul could say likewise when all men forsook him yet the Lord stood by him 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. And therefore would comfort the distressed Corinthians 1 Cor. 10 13. That though no temptation had hapned to them but what was common to Saints yet Christ was faithful who would not suffer them to be tempted above what they were able to bear and would with the temptation make away for their escape Now St. Paul could speak this by experience for he had found it so Oh therefore live upon the faithfulness of Christ in a Gaol in a Dungeon any where for he hath said he will never leave thee nor forsake thee if thou art sick he will make thy bed in thy sickness Psal 41. 3. If thou art poor he will stick closer to thee then a Brother Prov. 18 24. If thou art tempted it shall be in his arms Heb. 2. 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour those which are tempted In a word he is so faithful as to bear a part with thee in all thy afflictions let them be what they will Isa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he is afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them Oh therefore make him thy High Priest live upon him for thee and thine in all conditions whatsoever intrust him with thy soul with thy body with thy relations with thy estate with thy all for he is the faithful and true witness Rev. 3. 14. CHAP 30. The Consecrated Garments of the High Priest in which he was to Minister for the people THe High Preists garments were twofold there was what was proper to his body from the neck downward to the feet and secondly there was what was proper to the head of the High Priest from the neck upwards Now in the garments which were proper to the body of the High Priest from the neck downward there were these things considerable First The long Robe it self which covered the whole body of the High Priest from the neck down to the feet we find it to be a very glorious thing as it will appear if we consider the matter of which it was made which was of Gold blue Purple and Scarlet and fine Linen Exod 27 4 5. This shews us or sets forth to us the glorious Robe of Christs Righteousness in which Believers only stand justified before God The body of the High Priest when clothed with his Priestly garments held out two things to an eye of faith First The head with its Crown and Miter upon it that held out Christ as the head of his Church therefore that had the Miter and the Crown upon it Secondly The whole body of the Priest below the head that signified the whole Church of Christ over whom Christ is head Now as the body of the Priest was wholly covered over in all the parts of it with this glorious long Robe so it shews us how the whole body of the Elect stand covered over with Christs Righteousness before God in which alone they are in person and performance presented complete before God Therefore when the Apostle is speaking of the Elects meeting in Christ and covered over with this glorious Robe of Righteousness saith in Col. 2. 10. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all Principalities and Powers That is when Believers have by faith put on the Righteousness of Christ about them as the High Priest did put on his garments then are they complete in Gods sight and not till then Hence it is when the Apostle speaks of the work of making Christ ours he delivered himself in such phrases as hold analogy with the High Priests putting on his long Robe that you may know the one was a Type of the other As in Rom. 13. 14. But ye put on the Lord Jesus Christ so Eph. 4. 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness so Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law That is to put him on as a Robe or to be found in him or his righteousness wholly covered over with it by faith as with a garment Thus you see how the Scriptures make the High Priests garments and the Righteousness of Jesus Christ to agree and harmonize together Use 1. Then this shews us the usefulness of the
7. And that if he hath begun any thing of the work of grace upon the heart of any poor soul they should not doubt of the success for he will as certainly finish and complete it Phil. 1. 6. 8. And that in the mean while what corruptions shall remain in the soul although he will not promise wholly to out them of the soul here in this life yet the soul may assure himself of this they shall not Rule and Reign over the soul as before so writes St. Paul of him Rom. 6. 14. 9. And as for the power of temptation which may so violently seize the soul as that the soul may think it will at last for ever undoe him Christ will certainly bear up the soul under them as that they shall not totally sink the soul and will as undoubtedly deliver the soul at last out of the hands of them all so writes St. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 13. 10. And for what duty he shall require and expect at his peoples hands he will look for no more nor require of them any farther service then he shall give them strength to perform it so saith St. Paul of him Rom. 8. 26. 27. So 2 Cor. 8. 12. 11. And that what infirmities and weaknesses your duties shall be clothed withall Christ will certainly over-look them upon the souls hearty and humble acknowledgment of them to him so writes the Apostle Heb. 8 12. with Chapter 9. 14. 12. And what ever the sin be which may be acted and committed by any of his people they should not despair at the matter for upon their hearty acknowledgment of it and endeavour to amend about it he would certainly pardon it and it shall be no breach about it so writes â—oel and Micha of him Ioel 2. 13 14. Mich. 7. 18 19. 13. You may assure your selves if ever you have carefully endeavoured to get into a covenanted condition with him he will take that care that nothing in heaven earth or hell shall ever work you out again so writes St. Paul Rom. 34. 35 36 37 38 39. Ier. 31. 35 36. 14. And at any time if any of his people be called by him to adventure upon hard and difficult service they shall certainly have his company with them to assist comfort and refresh them foot by foot all along their work Matthew 28. 20 15. And if they shall be put upon sufferings at any time for him he will certainly be with them to help them and relieve them in that condition if it be with the three Children to march through the fire they shall not go one foot in the flames beyond or without Christ in their hand Isa 43 2. 16. And what charge they shall leave behind them in the storm to be cared for as Husband Wife Children Parents we need not doubt Christ will certainly take care for them in our room and better then we could had we staid amongst them so saith David Psal 37. â—5 The other consideration in the words to be observed is this Moses was faithful as a servant but Christ as son in his own house I shall say but little as to this you know what obligations with respect to interest do lay upon a Son beyond a servant to be faithful in his place Now if Moses a servant were faithful to the house and in the house then much more may this be expected from Christ I have only this to start about the High Priest girdle and I have done with it The last Use of the girdle it was to gird the Robes so securely about him as that they might not fall off his body no nor so much as hang loose to the body Thus do our Gospel High Priest deal by and with his Church he girds them all fast to himself by a girdle of Covenant that will never admit of their falling from him nor long hanging loose to Christ the people of God are very apt to hang loose to him and when they are awakened to it then they in the next place fear of falling wholly away from him for the one doth make way for the other if Satan can but get a soul a little loose from Christ he will quickly make the soul to call in question the whole of his condition and to think that now he is falling quite off from Jesus Christ but soul against such doubts look up to Christ thy High Priest and there thou shalt see thy self so fast bound to his loins by the girdle of an indisolvable covenant that thou canst never drop from him more thou maist be loose to him but fear not thou canst never fall finally unless Christ fall for thou art girded about his loins read these Scriptures for thy comfort Isa 11. 5. Ezek. 16. 8. Jer. 31. 3 4. Iohn 13. 1. Isa 54. 89 10. Rom. 8. 34 35 36 37 38 39 Rom. 11. 29. John 10. 28 29. And assure thy self if thou dost hang loose to Christ he will quickly be sensible of it and will tuck thee up and gird thee close to himself again as he did David and Peter But beware of that it may be such a gird as you may feel it in your bones many days after as David did in the like case read Psal 51. 8. I now come to speak of the Miter and the plate of Gold which was to be fastned on it before near upon the forehead As for the Miter it was to be put upon the Priests head when the holy garments were to be put on Exod. 39. 28 with Exod. 29. 6. Now this part of the Priests atire is what respected Christ as the Head of the body we have shewed you already how that the Robe it self with the things belonging to them were what did respect the Church the body of Christ And this atire viz. the Miter and Crown did more properly belong to Christ as the Head of the Church I shall begin with the Miter which was the Crown and glory if I may so express it of all the other attributes of Christ for if you look into the two first Chapters of the Revelations you shall find what ever comfort did run down upon the Saints thorow any Title given to God yet it did all Centre in the Priestly office of Christ to which the Miter belonged in Rev. 2 1. You have this Title given of Christ He hâ—ldeth the seven stars in his right hand ver 8. These things saith the first and last ver 12. The sword with two edges so Chap. 1. 5. The faithful and true witness the first begotten of the dead the Prince of the Kings of the earth ver 8. The Alpka and Omega Now do you but look into the 13. ver you may see the fountain of all these streams in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks I saw one like unto the Son of man clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a Golden girdle so that here it is from whence the Titles which are given
to be come in the flesh who is the Anti-Christ then think you The next thing we are to take notice of is the plate of Gold which was placed upon the fore-head of the High Priest fastned to the Mitre wherein was engraven in Letters these words Holiness to the Lord Exod. 28. 36 37. The purpose of this very plate with the Letters written in it was for the High Priest to take upon him all the failings imperfections and weaknesses of the peoples duties in the Worship of God The Plate was to bear upon it the peoples sins which they would contract in the Worship of God and the Letters engraven upon the Plate was to bear out the Priest before the Lord that he died not Exod. 28. 36. 37 38. And thou shalt make a plate of pure Gold and grave upon it the engravenings of a signet Holiness to the Lord and thou shalt put it on a blue lace that it may be upon the Mitre upon the fore-front of the Mitre it shall be and it shall be upon Aarons forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hollow in all their holy gifts and it shall alwayes be upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. This still looks to Jesus Christ our Gospel High Priest and tells us what he is to do and doth do for Believers he takes upon him all the failings and infirmities of his peoples duties O what a blessed ground of comfort is this to a doubting soul I know some poor souls have had their backs bowed down with this kinde of guilt who when they have been in the Worship of God as in Prayer hearing of the Word or breaking of Bread when they have considered with what sad frames they have been in the Worship how hath that troubled them when they have minded the hypocrisie that appeared in their hearts while in the work those vain wandering thoughts that deadness and dull drowsie tiredness of spirit with which their work was mixed withal besides when they have considered with how much ignorance and little saith and want of love to God and his work in hand they were attended with O how hath this perplexed some poor souls and how deeply hath this sunk others into the pit of despair putting them upon resolving never more to hear the Word or Pray or receive the Sacrament O they never Worship God but they sin against him and make their case worse then it was before All this hath been for want of knowledge in this blessed mystery of the plate fastened upon the fore-front of the High Priests Mitre The Devil keeps them in suspence about this thing shews the soul his guilt but will not suffer him to see the plate upon the fore-front of the Priests Mytre which was appointed on purpose for them to lay up their gilt upon O therefore for thy comfort poor soul when ever thou comest into the Worship of God thou mayest come boldly without fear as to that what guilts thou either hast or shall contract upon thy soul in the Worship of God provided they are not wilful guilts there is a plate of Gold prepared to bear all thou shalt bear none of them thy self O bless God for this great mercy to thy soul and rejoyce in it as thy great favour make much use of it as thy best of priviledges study it as the highest of comforts and live up to the God of this mercy with the greatest of faithfulness and to the highest pitch of holiness Secondly This was to be a standing priviledge at all times for all Believers to such a continual sweetness and comfort from in point of acceptation with God for Aaron the Priest was to wear it alwayes upon the fore-front of the Mitre that they might be accepted before the Lord. This was not to be worn once or twice but alwayes before the Lord so that until Christ puts off his Mitre and layes aside his priestly work thou mayst assure thy self until then those sins of infirmity which will cleave to thy duties shall not render them or thee disacceptable before God if thou reliest faithfully upon this High Priest in this case We now come to speak of the Crown which this High Priest was to wear as well as this Mitre and the Crown was to be set upon the Mitre on the Priests head Exod. 29 6. And thou shalt put the Mitre upon his head and put the holy crown upon the Mitre The Crown upon the Priests head set forth to you the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ which springs from the Priestly office of Christ he is a King to rule in and over his Church because he is a High Priest to the Church therefore the Crown must stand upon the Mitre the Mitre doth keep up the Crown not the Crown the Mitre The Mitre being under the Crown shews you that the Kingly Office of Christ hath its foundation in the Priestly Office of Christ as was shewed you before from the first of the Revelations This shews first that Christ hath power to give out what Laws Rules Customes and Ordinances he please for his Church and people to walk by for he hath a Crown upon his head as well as a Mitre Secondly That all duty and subjection and obedience ought to be given to him both in soul and body for he is a King Psalm 2. 6. I have set my king upon my holy hill Sion We do not read that any of the Priests besides the High Priest did wear a Crown we read that they did wear Bonnets but not a Crown Exod. 28. 40. The Crown was only for the High Priest shewing us as the Priest was a Type of Christ that all Rule and chief Authority belongs to Christ its Christ onely can make or impose any Laws upon the consciences of his people so saith the Spirit Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And yet how common is it to see the inferiour sort of Priests that should content themselves with wearing the Bonnet to catch the High Priests Crown from off his head and to leave the High Priest nothing to wear but their Bonnets and given him to understand if he will not wear them he must sit bare headed before them I mean how do men who pretend to be the Ministers and Vicars of Christ pull his priestly Diadem from off his head and so rob him of his principle glory in arrogating a power to themselves of making and imposing spiritual Laws upon the consciences of his poor people as rules for them to walk by which customs and traditions the word of Christ never knew or spake of in the least O what greater indignity can there be offered to the Crown of Christ then this not onely so but if the poor Lambs of Christ who are as dear to him as