Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n
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A30206
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Solomon's temple spiritualiz'd, or, Gospel-light fetcht out of the temple at Jerusalem, to let us more easily into the glory of New-Testament-truths by John Bunyan.
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Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.
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1688
(1688)
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Wing B5595; ESTC R2850
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92,582
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242
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Altar on which he Offered his Offering was greater then the Offering it self Mat. 23.19 Now the Body of Christ was the Gift for so he saith I give my Flesh for the Life of the World John 6. But now What thing is that which is greater then his Body save the Altar his Divinity on which it was Offered The Tree then was not the Altar which Sanctified this Gift to make it of Vertue enough to make Reconciliation for Iniquity John 6.51 Chap. 17.19 Heb. 9.14 Col. 1.19 20 21. Now since this Altar of burnt Offering was thus placed in the inner Court it teaches us several things First That those that come only into the outward Court or that rest in a bare appearance of Christianity do not by so doing come to Jesus Christ for this Altar stands not there Hence John takes notice only of the Temple and this Altar and them that worship therein and leaves out the outward Court and so them that come no further Rev. 11.1 2. Secondly This teaches us also that we are to enter into that Temple of God by blood The Altar this Altar of burnt-offering stood as Men went into the Temple they must go by it Yea there they must leave their offering and so go in and worship even as a token that they came thither by Sacrifice and by Blood. Thirdly Upon this Altar Solomon at the dedication of the Temple offered thousands both of Oxen and of Sheep to signifie surely the abundant worth and richness that would be in the bloud of Christ to save when it should be shed for us For his bloud is spoken of with an how much more For if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who thorow the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 2 Chro. 7.5 6 7 8. Heb. 10.1 12. Let us then not dare to stop or stay in the Outward Court for there is not this Altar Nor let us dare when we come into this Court to be careless whether we look to this Altar or no. For 't is by Blood we must enter for without shedding of Blood is no Remission Let us alwayes then when we come hither wash our Hands in Innocency and so compass this Holy Altar For that by Christ who is the Altar indeed we are reconciled to God. This is looking to Jesus this is coming to God by him of whom this Altar and the Sacrifice thereon was a Type XII Of the Pillars that were before the Porch of the Temple THere was divers Pillars belonging to the Temple But in this place we are confined to speak of only two Namely Those which stood before the Temple These Pillars stood before the Porch or entrance into the Temple looking towards the Altar the Court and Them that were the Worshippers there Also they were a Grace and a Beauty to the Front of the House 1. These Pillars stood one on the Right-hand and the other on the Left at the door of the Porch of the Temple and they had Names given them you may be sure to signify something The Name of that on the Right-hand was called Jachin God shall Establish And the Name of that on the Left-hand was Boaz in it is strength 1 King. 7.21 2 Chron. 3.17 2. These two Pillars were Types of Christs Apostles of the Apostles of Circumcision and of the Uncircumcision Therefore the Apostle Paul also calleth them Pillars Gal. 2. And saith That that Pillar on the Right-hand was a Type of himself and his Companions who were to go to the Uncircumcised and teach the Gentiles the way of Life When James Cephas and John saith He who seemed to be PILLARS perceived the Grace that was given unto me They gave unto me and Barnabas the Right-hand of Fellowship that we should go unto the Heathen and they unto the Circumcision Gal. 2.9 So then These two Pillars were Types of these two Orders of the Apostles in this their divers Service for God. 3. And that Paul and Barnabas was signified by those on the Right-hand To wit To be the Apostles of the Gentiles He sheweth again where he saith I am the Minister of Christ to the Gentiles ministring the Grace of God that the Offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Ghost Rom. 11.13 chap. 15 16. 4. And since the Name of this Pillar was Jachin God shall Establish as it sheweth that Opposition shall attend it so also That God would bless his Word Preached by them to the Gentiles to the Conversion of Numbers of them Mauger all the Opposition of the Enemy 5. This is further implyed for that they were made of Brass as he saith of the Prophet I have made thee a fenced brazen Wall an Iron Pillar And their fighting against thee shall nothing at all prevail Wherefore Paul says of himself I am set for the Defence of the Gospel That the Truth thereof might continue with you Phil. 1.17 Gal. 2.5 XIII Of the Height of these Pillars that thus stood before the Porch of the Door of the Temple THE Pillars were eighteen Cubits high a piece and that is as high yea as high again as the highest Gyant that ever we read of in the Word for the highest of which we read was but six Cubits and a span True the Bedstead of OG was nine Cubits long but I trow the Gyant himself was shorter Deut. 3.11 2 Chron. 3.15 But put the longest to the longest and set the one upon the shoulders of the other and yet each Pillar was higher than they We have now as I know of but few that remain of the remnant of the Gyants and though they boast as if they were higher than Agag yet these Pillars are higher than they These Pillars are the highest you may equal them and an inch above is worth an ell below The height therefore of these Pillars is to shew us what high dignity God did put upon those of his Saints whom he did call to be Apostles of the Lamb For their Office and Call thereto is the highest in the Church of God. These Men I say were made thus high by their being cast in such a mould of that which added yet further to their height we will speak anon we only speak now of the high Call by which they and only they were made capable of Apostolical Authority The Apostles were sent immediately their Call was extraordinary their Office was Vniversal they had alike power in all Churches and their Doctrine was infallible Acts 26.16 1 Cor. 9.1 Gal. 1.1 1 John 1.1 2 3. John 2.23 And what can our pretended Gyants do or say in comparison of these The truth is all other Men to these are dwarfs are low dark weak and beneath not only as to Call and Office but also as
13 14. LXVI Of the High Priest and of his Office in the inner Temple WHen things were thus Ordained in the House most Holy then went the high Priest in thither according as he was appointed to do his Office which was to burn Incence in his Golden Censer and to sprinkle with his Finger the blood of his Sacrifice for the People upon and above the Mercy-seat Exo. 30.7 8 9 10. Levit. 16.11 12 13 14. Now for this special work of his he had peculiar preparations 1. He was to be washed in Water 2. Then he was to put on his holy Garments 3. After that he was to be Anointed with holy Oil. 4. Then an Offering was to be Offered for him for the further sitting of him for his Office. 5. The Blood of this Sacrifice must be put some of it up on his right Ear some on the Thumb of his right Hand and some on the great Toe of his right Foot. This done some more of the Blood with the Anointing Oil must be sprinkled upon him and upon his Garment for after this manner must he be Consecrated to his work as high Priest. Exo. 29. Chap. His being washed in Water was to shew the Purity of Christ's Humanity His Curious Robes was a type of all the Perfections of Christ's Righteousness The holy Oil that was poured on his Head was to shew how Christ was Anointed with the holy Ghost unto his work as Priest. The Sacrifice of his Consecration was a type of that Offering Christ Offered in the Garden when he mixed his Sweat with his own Blood and Tears and Cries when he prayed to him that was able to save him and was heard in that he feared for with his Blood as was Aaron with the Blood of the Bullock that was slain for him was this Blessed One besmeared from Head to Foot when his Sweat as great drops or clodders of Blood fell down from his Head and Face and whole Body to the ground Luk. 22.44 Heb. 10.20 When Aaron was thus prepared then he Offered his Offering for the People and carried the Blood within the Vail Levit. 16. The which Christ Jesus also answered when he Offered his own Body without the Gate and then carried his Blood into the Heavens and sprinkled it before the Mercy-seat Heb. 13.11 12. Chap. 9.11 12 24. For Aaron was a type of Christ his Offering a type of Christ's Offering his Body the Blood of the Sacrifice a type of the Blood of Christ his Garments a type of Christ's Righteousness the Mercy-seat a type of the Throne of Grace the Incense a type of Christ's Praise and the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ upon the Mercy-seat a type of Christ's pleading the vertue of his Sufferings for us in the presence of God in Heaven Wherefore holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and high Priest of our Profession Christ Jesus And seeing we have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our Profession for we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all points tempted as we are yet without Sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need For every high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things partaining to God that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for Sin who can have Compassion on the Ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity This then is our high Priest and this was made so not after the Law of a Carnal Commandment but after the Power of an Endless Life For Aaron and his Sons were made Priests without an Oath but this with an Oath by him that said unto him The Lord Sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec By so much was Jesus made the surety of a better Testament and they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death but this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Wherefore he is able to save them to the utter most that come to God by him seeing he ever-liveth to make intercession for them For such an High-Priest became us who is Holy Harmless Vndefiled Separate from Sinners and made higher than the Hâ—avens who needeth not daily as those High-Priests to offer up Sacrifice first for his own Sins and then for the Sins of the People for this he did once when he offered up himself For the Law maketh men High-Priests which have Infirmities but the word of an Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for evermore Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum We have such an High-Priest who is set down on the right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens A Minister of the Sanctuary and of the New Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. For every High Priest is ordained to offer Sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer For if he were on Earth he should not be a High Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer Gifts according to the Law. Who serve unto the Example and Shadow of Heavenly Things as Moses was admonished when he was about to make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all things according to the Pattern shewed to thee in the Mount. But Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle that is to say not of this Building Neither by the blood of Bulls and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Vnclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God. For Christ is not entered into the Holy Places made with hands which are the figures of the true But into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Nor yet that he should offer himself often 〈◊〉 the High-Priest entered into the Holiest every year with the blood of others for then must be often have suffered since the foundation of the World. But now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed unto men once to die and after this the Judgement So Christ was once offered to hear the sins of many And to them that look for him shall be appear the second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 3.1 2. Chap. 4.14 15. Chap. 5.1