Zerobabel others afterwards with Ezra and others lastly with Nehemiah So is the Reformation out of Popery The first Reformers were not infallible therefore could not reform all things at once 2. It met with much opposition and was carried on through great difficulties and of all their Enemies the Samaritans did most obstruct them of whom you read 2 Kin. 17. that they served the Lord and other Gods and Ezra 4.1 2. When rejected then they brake out into open opposition and again in the New Testament Joh. 4.9 whereby it appears that they did believe and expect the Messiahs coming as well as the Jews Joh. 4.20 and again Rev. 3.9 they are there described The Sum is they had a kind of mongrel Religion made up partly of Judaism and partly of Paganism So now when the Church of God under the New Testament is coming forth out of spiritual Babylon There is a mongrel Generation risen up whom some have fitly called Calvino Papistas Calvinian Papists who are for the Protestant Doctrine and for Popish Worship I refer it to every ones Conscience to judge whether it may not be fitly applied to our late Innovators who are for a Linsey-woolsey Religion a mixture of sound and wholsome Doctrine with Antichristian popish worship their Wine is mixt with Water the Protestant Faith with popish Ceremonies and Superstitions they build Hay and Stubble upon the Foundation The Foundation of our Church is right which is Jesus Christ and Justification by Faith in his blood but the Superstructure they build upon it is humane Inventions and Superstitions which is not Gold and Silver pure Worship and wholesome Discipline but Hay and Stubble and the day will discover it 1 Cor. 3. 2. Typical vengeance and destruction upon the Enemies of his people For as the Jews were a typical people and did prefigure and represent the whole Church of God under the Gospel So the neighbour Nations with whom they had to do were also Typical of Gospel Enemies to the Church and their Sins and Judgments did prefigure and shadow forth something Analogous under the New Testament I shall refer them to 2. sorts Typical Prefigurations 1. Of Rome and 2. Of Hell it self 1. Types of Rome There be 5. places and people in the Old Testament that seem to be Types of Rome and Antichristian abominations 1. Sodom Rev. 11.8 for their monstrous Lusts and unnatural filthiness and uncleanness 2. Egypt for their Idolatry and cruelty to Gods People Therefore the Plagues of Rome are described with allusion to the Plagues of Egypt Rev. 16. Here is noisome boyles and Rivers of blood and darkness and Locusts c. 3. Jericho Hence that Curse of Joshua upon the Rebuilders of it Josh 6.26 27. This City was the first that stood out against the People of God which Curse was not in vain 1 Kin. 16.34 This seems to have had a further meaning to hold forth the irreparable ruines and everlasting destruction of all the implacable Enemies of God and his People and especially Rome and Antichrist which is to perish like a Milstone cast into the Sea never to rise more Rev. 18. Vid◠on Joshua among the personal Types This Curse of Joshua will come upon all such as shall attempt to Rebuild Rome and restore Popery when the Lord hath cast it down 4. Edom and Bozra the chief City thereof that is Italy and Rome therefore the same expressions which belong to Babylon and are spiritually understood of Rome Isa 13.19 21. are also used concerning Edom. Isa 34.11 and vers 4. The ruine of Idumea is set forth with expressions like unto those Rev. 6.12 13. The land shall become burning Pitch vers 9 10. the meaning is dreadful vengeance hideous indignation Isa 63.1 Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed Garments from Bozra Christ is there set forth as cloathed with Garments dipt in the blood of his Enemies 5. Babylon For this the Scripture is express Rev. 17.5 and vers 18. From all which we should learn both to know and to take heed of Antichrist seeing the Lord hath so many ways declared and foresignified him unto us Shall we look back toward Sodom Remember Lots Wife Shall we return into Egypt again Shall we Rebuild Jericho Would we be found in Bozra or Babylon in the day of the Lords fury 2. Types of Hell For as they had Types of Heaven and spiritual Glory so they had likewise of Hell and spiritual Torment and Misery They had all things taught and represented to them by things outward and visible And the visible expressions of divine vengeance upon Wicked Men of old led the People of God further to see and take notice of that eternal Wrath that is to come I shall instance therefore in 4. Prefigurations of Hell 1. The Deluge or destruction of the Old World by Water The Apostle parallels this and the destruction that shall be by Fire at the great Day together 2 Pet. 3.6 7. Hence Hell is called in the Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quahal rephaim Coetus Gigantum Prov. 21.16 Prov. 2.18 Isa 14.9 10. It stirreth up the Rephaims for thee God that hath overthrown the Gyants of the old World and cast them upon their backs in Hell Those men of Renown are now roaring and wailing under the Waters as the vulgar Latine reads that place Job 26.5 6. Gigantes gemunt sub Aquis he hath conquered those Gigantine Sinners who were cut down with a Flood as Job 22.16 He is able to deal with other Rebels Never any hardened himself against God and prospered Job 9.4 2. Sodom Therefore Hell is called the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 20.10 and 21.8 3. Egypt when under the ten Plagues especially that of darkness Exod. 10.21 22. For Hell is a place of utter darkness Mat. 25.30 In stead of darkness the Psalmist doth not mention that but saith He sent evil Angels amongst them Psal 78.49 A lively prefiguration of Hell wherein there is utter darkness but yet light enough to see affrighting apparitions of Devils and evil Angels 4. Tophet an horrid and cursed place wherein they were wont to Sacrifice their Children in the fire to Molech It was in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom Hence Hell is called in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi Vallis Hinnom This Tophet was a place every way execrable both for the hideous Wickedness there committed and for the hideous Plagues and Judgments there executed There they did Sacrifice their Children to the Devil with an hideous noise to drown their Crys and Skreetchings Vid. my Notes on the Creation Gen. 1. Mede Disc 7. For an external detestation whereof King Josiah polluted it and made it a place execrable ordaining it to be the place where dead Carcasses Garbage and other unclean things should be cast out for the consuming whereof to prevent annoyance a continual Fire was there burning Yea the Lord himself as it were Consecrated this
Asham though it is used for sin in general yet it seems to imply in a more special sense sins of an higher nature such as are committed with more deliberation or with more consent of will or against more light or with less of temptation or more of injury unto others sins of a more grievous and heinous nature for the same word signifies also desolation and laying waste Isai 24.6 therefore hath the Curse devoured the earth and they that dwell therein are desolate vajeshmu And in the same sense is this word used elsewhere e. g. Psal 5.10 destroy them O God desolato eos tanquam reos Buxtorf Moreover there be Instances given here in the Trespass Offering of gross sins against light and knowledg conscience-wasting soul-desolating sins as lying cheating perjury Cap. 6.2 3. And we may therefore render Asham piaculum The issue then is this That the Sin Offering relates to those involuntary infirmities which are unavoidable while there is a body of sin and death dwelling in us and which are consistent with assurance and sincerity But the Trespass-Offering to those greater conscience wasting and soul-desolating sins which are inconsistent with assurance and true Communion with God though it includes some lesser sins yet it extends to these also 2. The second Law of the Sin-Offering is this That there is a various matter of this Offering for four sorts of persons that sin and miss the way which indeed are the Analysis of this Chapter 1. For the anointed Priest a young Bullock vers 3. 2. For the whole Congregation a young Bullock vers 13. 3. For the Ruler a Kid of the Goats a Male without blemish vers 22. 4. For any particular person a Kid or else a Lamb a Female without blemish vers 27. And so the Chapter divides it self into these four parts 1. The Sin Offering for the anointed Priest is a young Bullock c. vers 3 to 13. There is some difficulty upon this Who is meant by the anointed Priest Some restrain it to the High Priest only because none but he was anointed with material Oyl The word in the Text is Hachohen hammashiach the Priest that is anointed vers 3. But if this be restrained to the High Priest only the question will be what shall become of the other inferior Priests Is there no Sin Offering Is there no Expiation for their sins and sailings Doubtless there is But we cannot well refer them amongst the common people of the Land the Priests and people being so continually distinguished every where throughout the Scripture Therefore it seems more congruous to conceive as some do that all the Priests are here included and that the word anointed intends no more but dedicated consecrated set apart unto that work and office or that it may refer to that first Consecration of them in Aaron their Fore-father Exod. 29.7 And thou shalt take the anointing Oyl and pour it upon his head and anoint him The Law is if he shall sin le ashamath hyam according to the sin of the people as our Translation renders it that is like one of the common people For the Priests were not made infallible or impeccable by their Office and therefore had need to offer for their own sins as well as for the peoples Heb 5.2 3. It is not to be restrained only to such sins of his as wherein he seduceth and draws the people aside to sin with him or whereby he brings publick Judgments upon them as some have rendred it si delinquere fecerit populum and others si deliquerit in populi noxam For then here were no relief for him as to all his other failings in the discharge and execution of his trust and office in the house of God and in his own private and personal walkings Therefore it must be understood in the largest and most comprehensive sense for any sin or failing of weakness in any of the Priests Let him bring a young Bullock for his Sin Offering 2. For the whole Congregation a Bullock vers 13. the whole body of the people collectively taken the same that was appointed for the Priest though with some difference in the Rites There the Priest but here the Elders as in the name of the people being to lay their hands upon the Head of the Sacrifice 3. For the Ruler a Kid a Male vers 22. Nasi Princeps quasi elatus super alios from Nasa exaltavit tulit that is any Civil Ruler that is raised or lifted up above others The word is used not only concerning Kings and chief Magistrates as Ezek. 34.24 but concerning inferior Rulers also Exod. 16.22 And all the Rulers of the Congregation came and told Moses c. Numb 16.2 4. For any of the common people their Sin Offering is a Kid a Female vers 27. or else a Lamb a Female vers 32 to the end of the Chapter Now from this second Law of the Sin-Offering namely this various matter of it for so many sorts of persons that sin we may learn these Instructions before we proceed to the third Law 1. That the anointed Priest may err Therefore the Bishop of Rome if he were an Officer of Christ he might err and miss his Mark though being Antichrist it may be granted to him that he seldom errs from his Scope it being to promote the Devils Kingdom and to obstruct the Kingdom and oppress the Church of Christ I must confess I have wondred at this error of Popery that the Pope cannot err I wonder why he may not err in Doctrine as well as in life Why may he not deny God in words as well as in his works That he may and doth err in his life and that his works are evil themselves have not the impudence to deny therefore he may err in his Faith as well as in his life in his words as well as in his works And if you do but look into a weekly News book you will ever and anon find mention of the Popes Nephews what they do and what preferments he provides for them But who are these It is fit you should know the meaning of it The word Nephew it is an Italian Phrase of Speech for a Bastard and so indeed the Popes Nephewes is nothing else but the Popes Bastards this is he that cannot err Among the Papists Priests you know must not marry and the Pope is not so humble as to own others of his poor Kindred But yet we must believe in this unclean Beast and we must call him his Holiness forsooth whose Leprosy is written in his Forehead and who declares his sin as Sodom and hides it not as Gomorrah For they are not ashamed of all their uncleannesses and abominations having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron and yet this sinful doleful Creature cannot err when his Bones are full of the sins of his youth which shall ly down with him in the dust 2. The second Instruction is this That there are degrees of
before them to battel it was taken captive by the Philistines and Shilo was rejected of God and laid desolate for the wickedness of his people Israel The Story whereof you have recorded in 1 Sam. 4. A very instructing Providence to teach them to take heed of carnal resting in external Ordinances Yea Gospel Ordinances Baptism and the Lords Supper if thou art a wicked man will stand thee in no more stead than the Ark did them Jer. 7.12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shilo where I set my Name at first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel And after this it is observable that the Ark and the Tabernacle so far as it appears out of the sacred History never met again after this parting Which should teach such as pretend to be the Tabernacles of God in whom he dwells as every Christian is to take heed of decays and backslidings in your Christian course For it may be God and thou may part never to meet more We see sad examples of it in many Professors that after backslidings never recover their former Glory they never enjoy the Ark of his Presence any more as formerly What became of the Tabernacle after the Desolation of Shilo and after this departure of the Ark from it the Scripture is in a great measure silent Only this we find that it was at Nob in Sauls time 1 Sam. 21.1 and that it was afterwards at Gibeon in Davids time 1 Chron. 16.39 And finally that the Vessels of it were removed to the Temple after the building of that by Solomon Not as the Jews suppose to be laid by there but rather to be used as occasion was together with the other Vessels of the Temple Some think the Tabernacle had a station once at Mizpeh which they gather from that phrase 1 Sam. 10.17 and Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh But this is not certain because they might be said to appear before the Lord elsewhere and not only where the Tabernacle was The places where the Ark came are more particularly recorded in the Scripture First it was carried from Shilo into the Field of Aphek against the Philistines 1 Sam. 4.2 where the Philistines took it captive and carried it from place to place to Ashdod to Ekron to Gath 1 Sam. 5. At last they sent it home into the Land of Judah First to Bethshemesh cap. 6. Thence it went to Kirjath Jearim Thence to the House of Abinodab cap. 7. Thence to the House of Obed-Edom 2 Sam. 6. Thence to the City of David ibid. ver 12. And finally it was placed in the Oracle in the Temple by Solomon 1 King 8.6 7. where it continued till the Captivity of Babylon at which time it was either destroyed in the burning of the Temple or else carried away to Babylon and restored amongst the rest of the Vessels of the Lords House by Cyrus Some indeed think it was never returned and that the second Temple wanted the Ark. But this to others seems improbable because the High-priest was annually to minister in the most holy place and that in reference to the Ark for he was to sprinkle the Mercy-seat with Blood of which hereafter But these various removals and travels of the Ark to and fro from place to place may teach us this lesson that God hath not tyed himself and his Ordinances and the tokens of his Presence so to any people but that if they prove unworthy he may remove them and seek unto himself another habitation Matth. 21.43 Rev. 2.5 I will remove the Candlestick 4. Hence fourthly among the holy places Jerusalem was very eminent as being the place of the Temple and Ark and all the publick Worship thereunto belonging Psal 76.2 In Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion Psal 87.2 The Lord loveth the Gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Jerusalem therefore is made in Scripture a Type of the Church both militant and triumphant Gal. 4.26 for Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all Therefore in that magnificent Description of the Church Catholick mystical Heb. 12.22 23. amongst other Elogies it is called heavenly Jerusalem So Rev. 21.2 the new Jerusalem that comes down from God out of Heaven as a Bride adorned for her Husband is the Church throughly reformed in the latter times both in Doctrine and Order and Worship Which Purity is begun here and perfected in another and an higher Glory in Heaven And throughout the Scripture the Elogies given to Jerusalem are very high and excellent It is called the City of God Psal 46.4 The Elect City or the City which God hath chosen 1 Kings 11.32 but he shall have one Tribe for my Servant Davids sake and for Jerusalems sake the City which I have chosen out of all the Tribes of Israel It is called the beloved City Gog and Magog compass the beloved City Rev. 20.9 The holy City Matth. 27.53 many bodies of Saints which slept arose and went into the holy City Rev. 22.19 God shall take his part out of the holy City The City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 It is called the Throne of the Lord Jer. 3.17 at that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord and all Nations shall be gathered unto it to the Name of the Lord to Jerusalem Quest What is the ground of this Holiness of these places and how are we to conceive of it Answ You heard in general before that it consists in this in the Lords separating of them for himself in a special and peculiar manner But there be four expressions in the Text the explication whereof will a little further clear it 1. The Lord is said to set his Name there 2. Thither shalt thou seek 3. Thither shalt thou come 4. Thither shalt thou bring thy holy things 1. The Lord is said to chuse these places to set his Name there and therefore they are called his Habitation even to his Habitation shall ye seek the meaning is his Name dwelt there What is Gods Name and how is it set in such a place Gods Name is any thing by which he is known the discoveries or manifestations of himself by which he is known amongst his people as a man is known by his Name He sets his Name in such or such a place when he constitutes or appoints it to be the place wherein he will give forth the discoveries and manifestations of himself unto his people There be five things here included 1. That here were the standing symbols and tokens of his Presence The Ark the Mercy-seat the Altar the Sacrifices here they had their abode and residence even in the places that God chose for that end 2. In these places were visible appearances of his Glory upon special occasions As when Moses had erected and reared up the Tabernacle Exod. 40.34 then a Cloud covered
the Arrows of the Bow the Shield the Sword and the Battel Psal 76.2.3 It is spoken of temporal Deliverance and may be applied to the Church there is a protecting Presence of God there But it is true in an higher sense concerning Christ Christ is the true Sanctuary from whence all our strength and help cometh Thou therefore my Son be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.1 Nay in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 This is the reason you conquer not but Sin and Lust prevails and you are worsted by Corruption and Temptation from time to time There is a secret distance by unbelief from Jesus Christ did you come to the door of the Tabernacle the Lord would send you help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion but men are loth to leave their own home or loth to break through difficulties they faint and tire by the way before they get thither and so never come to receive those blessed influences those reviving Soul-strengthening Soul-refreshing influences See Psal 84.5 6 7. It is a description to the people in their journeys to the Temple They went through thick and thin as we use to say through drought and heat till they came before God in Sion and there they found what they went for They met with God there ver 10.11 better a day there than a thousand elsewhere for there the Lord will give Grace and Glory Instruct 3. Remember that there is a Church-worship As there was a moral Worship which they were to perform every where for it was personal and not meerly publick so they had their publick Church-worship viz. their Sacrifices and other Institutions which were limited to the Tabernacle as it was a Type of the Church As no Service is to be offered out of Christ so some Services are not to be offered out of the Church for the Tabernacle as you have heard was a Type of the Church And therefore as Gods end in this Institution was to lead out their thoughts and desires and expectations to Jesus Christ and so to prevent Idolatry and Unbelief in that respect so likewise to prevent Schism and to keep them in the unity of that Church which he had then instituted and appointed So now in Gospel-times look that you partake of the Ordidances in Gospel-Churches for these are the New Testament-Tabernacles wherein God dwells and vouchsafes his blessed Presence It is often noted as a great corruption of Worship among the Jews that they sacrificed in the high places yea though they did it to the Lord their God only So in Manasseh's time 2 Chron. 37.17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places after some beginnings and degrees of Reformation yet unto the Lord their God only And the reason they were not taken away is sometimes noted to be the perversness of the people so in Jehosaphats time 2 Chron. 20.33 howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their Fathers Yea there were some good people in those times who were unconvinced of this truth that they ought to sacrifice only at the Temple and Tabernacle though they were against the Worship of Baal yet they were not against the high places so we have some in our days that are against Popery but they are not against mixt Communions They are not convinced that they ought to present their Services and Sacrifices their publick Worship unto God in Gospel-Temples that is in pure Churches and not among profane people It is strange to see the supine carelesness and scepticism of some mens spirits in this particular they regard not they care not with whom they join whether it be a true Church or a false Church whether a pure or an impure Church whether a Church or no Church Search the Scriptures and you will find no instance that ever the Lords Supper was dispensed but in Churches Gospel-Churches pure Churches The first Institution of that Ordinance was in the first gospel-Gospel-Church sounded by Christ himself the chief Pastor who did dispense this Ordinance himself to the twelve Apostles who were the Foundation stones of the first gospel-Gospel-Church at Jerusalem then again Acts 2.42 they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers Breaking of Bread is there mentioned amongst other Ordinances and therefore not to be understood of common but sacred Bread Acts. 20.7 it is said of the Church of Troas that they came together on the first day of the week to break Bread The same Ordinance also was observed in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 11. and whereas corruptions and corrupt members were crept in the Apostle spends a whole Chapter in exhorting them to purge out the old Leven 5. ch of 1. Epistle Professors that lie amongst the Pots never joyning themselves as fixed members in any particular Church though they have opportunity for it do live in the neglect of a duty a known duty yea such a neglect as doth infer and carry along with it the neglect of many other duties also For how can Church-Discipline be exercised but in the Societies of Gods People therefore tnis neglect it exposeth the Ordinances of Christ to contempt and prostitution It is as great a sin to receive the Lords Supper in an Assembly of ignorant and profane people as it was to offer Sacrifices in the high places yea it is indeed the very same thing For let thy Conscience speak Are such Assemblies the Temples of the Holy Ghost Are they the Tabernacles of the most High Doth God dwell there Is this to go to the door of the Tabernacle with thy Sacrifice when thou knowest thou goest into a dunghill of Profaneness into a dungeon of Ignorance into an Assembly of wicked and ungodly men Art thou a Soul that desirest communion with Christ Then take his own direction for the obtaining of it Cant. 1.7 8. Go forth by the footsteps of the flock this is Church society Feed thy Kids by the Shepherds Tents Make use of the Ministry and Ministers of the Word who are set in particular Churches Instr 4. Labour every one that his own Soul may be an habitation for the Lord a Temple of the Holy Ghost For the Temple signified not only the whole Church in general but every Saint in particular as hath been shewed Let not thy own Soul be as it is said of Rome Rev. 18.2 It is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage for every unclean and hateful Bird. But let the Spirit of God dwell there be restless in thy self give God in Heaven no rest nor thy own Heart within thee any rest till thy Soul be an habitation of the Holy Spirit Say as it is said of David Psal 132.4 5. I will not give sleep to mine eyes nor slumber to
neglected and postponed God will blast and curse all the other works of your hands as he did theirs 5. Labour to see the Beauty of the Lord in his Temple This was Davids earnest desire Psal 27.4 One thing I have desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the Beauty of the Lord Psal 84.7 to appear before God in Sion Psal 63.2 to see thy Power and thy Glory in thy Sanctuary What do you come there for if you do not meet with God there Be in the purest way of Worship but rest not in it without God Get real visions and fruitions of God in his Ordinances to see the pleasant Beauty of the Lord in his Temple Quest But when is God real to the Soul in his Ordinances Answer When God is as real to the Soul to the eye of Faith as the external part of an Ordinance is to the eye of sense When you see Christ crucified in the Sacrament when you see his Body broken his Blood poured out as really as you see the Bread broken and the Wine poured out And if there be a real sight of Christ it will have real effects to subdue thy Lusts to keep the heart in ways of Holiness Quest But what of God are we to see in his Temple Answ All his Glory shines forth there especially his Power and his Grace 1. His Power Psal 63.2 To see thy Power and thy Glory 2. Especially the Glory of his Grace Zech. 4.7 Cry Grace Grace unto it from the foundation to the top-stone 2. Sam. 7.13 He shall build an House for my Name Nov. 1. 1668. and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever NOw of the parts of the Temple Taking the word in the largest sense for all the holy Buildings and the appertainances thereof so the parts of it were three 1. The House 2. The Courts and 3. The Vessels of the Temple I call them all parts for want of a fitter term to express it by for there is a penury of words from whence there is a necessity sometimes of tropes and figures and improprieties of speech 1. The House it self that is the covered Building called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inhabit as all the holy ground is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the whole place and all the Courts were holy As to this I mean the House it self we may consider 1. The common parts of it which belong to every House and so to this amongst the rest And here the Scripture takes notice of the Foundation the Walls the Doors the Windows the Floor and the Roof of the Temple Not that we should seek a mystery in every thing but only so far as we see the Scripture going before us we may safely follow when we find the Scripture allegorizing any thing and alluding to it in a spiritual sense we should mind and heedfully take out such lessons and instructions I must speak first to the Letter and History of them as parts of the material Temple and then consider what mystical application the Scripture makes of them This method I shall observe under every head 1. The Foundation of the House of the Lord it was of great costly hewn stone 1 Kings 5.17 But what is the Foundation in the Foundation in the spiritual Temple The Scripture often applies this to Jesus Christ Isai 28.16 behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone c. 1. Pet. 2 4-6 to whom coming as to a living stone disallowed indeed of men c. refused of the Builders Psal 118.22 the stone which the Builders refused is become the head of the corner A Scripture often interpreted in the New Testament concerning Christ other foundations can no man lay 1 Cor. 3.9 11. The Scripture often speaks of Christ under this notion as a Stone and a Rock and a Corner-stone Gen. 49.24 from thence is the Shepherd the Stone of Israel Dan. 2.25 a Stone cut out of the Mountain without hand Isai 26.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength The word is the Rock of ages in which Rock Moses was hid Exod. 33.22 while my Glory passeth by I will put thee in a clift of the Rock And Elijah 1 Kings 19.9 13. He is that Stone Zech. 3.9 ingraven with seven eyes upon 〈◊〉 it And as Christ is the foundation-stone of the Church so the Apostles in regard of their Doctrine are also called the Foundations of it Rev. 21.14 Eph. 2.20.21 Look to it that you be built upon this foundation that you be not built upon the Sand but upon this Rock Matthew 7.24 For hence it is that the Church stands so safe because built upon this Rock therefore the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Matthew 26.18 The Papists make the Pope the Corner-stone of their Church but it is not the Pope it is not Peter himself as personally considered that the Church is built upon Many build upon the sandy foundation of their own Righteousness and their own strength and moral endeavours These are false foundations But if you be upon this foundation fear not whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded 2. The Walls of the Temple they were of Stone the inside was Cedar adorned with carved Cherubims Palm trees Flowers and overlaid with Gold and yet further adorned with precious Stones fixed and sparkling like Stars in fit places in the Wall 1 Kings 6.18 29 2 Chron. 3.6 The outside of the Wall was either white polished Marble as some think or overlaid with Silver as others conceive from 1 Chron. 29.4 For within it was overlaid with Gold Therefore this Silver as it seems was for the outside which could not but yield a very bright and glorious shew to the eyes of all spectators especially when the beams of the Sun did shine and sparkle upon it The thickness of the Wall of the Temple is not expressed in the Scripture but the least that can be allowed at the foundation is four cubits because there was a rebatement of three cubits in the thickness of the Wall for the side-chambers 1 Kings 6.6 and for the Wall in the highest story we may well allow one cubit and so there will be four at the bottom The Scripture appies this mystically to the new Jerusalem Rev. 21.12 it had a Wall great and high and again v. 17. and often the Walls are mentioned 1. The Walls of an House or City are the defence and safety of it so Isai 60.18 thou shalt call thy Walls Salvation And God is said to be a Wall of Fire Zech. 2.5 for I saith the Lord will be unto her a Wall of Fire round about and will be the Glory in the midst of her the Lord is for Walls and Bulwarks to his people Isai 26.1 2. The Stones in this sacred Building
of the Light that shines there and now in other respects by the Shew-bread The analogy to this appears in four things 1. In that as many Grains make up one Loaf so many Believers make up one Church 1 Cor. 10.17 for we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread One person is not a Church how few and how small a number the Church may be reduced unto we need not here dispute In Noahs time they were reduced to 8 persons The first Church and the beginning and foundation of the Church in all after times was when God himself preached the Gospel to our first Parents in Paradise and then Adam and Eve and their Seed were the Church of God There must be divers there must be more then one to make up a Church 2. The analogy appears in the number for as there were twelve Tribes of Israel so there were twelve Loaves These twelve Tribes were often and divers ways represented as by the twelve Stones in the Brest-plate of the High Priest Exod. 28.21 and by the twelve Stones which Joshua did pitch in Jordan and the other twelve which he took out of Jordan and pitched them in Gilgal for a memorial of the 12 Tribes passing thorough Josh 4.9 20. so Canaan was divided into twelve parts that people coming of twelve Patriarchs to which answers the twelve Apostles of the New Testament and the new Jerusalem is built upon those twelve Foundations Rev. 21.14 so in these twelve Loaves there is the like mystery they represented both the Old and the New-Testament-Israel 3. These Loaves were to stand before the Lord all the week upon the Golden Table This was the chief action about them and which holds forth the principal scope of the Institution therefore called Panis facierum or Propositionis Matth. 12.4 which our Translators have fitly rendred Shew-bread The Apostles phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 24.6 thou shalt set them upon the pure Table before the Lord. This signified his continual eye and care over his people they are never out of his sight never out of mind his eye and his thoughts are continually upon them from one end of the week to another Isai 49.16 behold I have graven thee upon the Palms of mine Hands and thy Walls are continually before me Though he seems to forsake and forget them yet he remembers them still Jer. 31.20 for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him 4. There is Frankincense set upon the Loaves and offered up for a memorial before the Lord Lev. 24 7. This speaks the Lords remembrance of them with acceptance for the Incense made a sweet smell a savour of rest A man may remember a thing with hatred and abhorrence but the Lords remembrance of his people is with dearest affection with everlasting loving kindness he hath a precious remembrance of them These twelve Loaves the twelve Tribes of Israel are by Faith in Christ a sweet odour to him as 2 Cor. 2.15 And as the Lords eye is over upon them so should theirs be to the Lord and that continually See Psal 123.1 2. As the Lord saith of the Angels Matth. 18.10 they do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven so the Saints even here below they should set the Lord alway before them And this is Happiness and Heaven begun 1 Kings 10.8 happy are thy Men happy are thy Servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy Wisdome The Lords eye upon them in a way of constant care and love and their eye upon him in a way of continual dependance This is a blessed condition Thus you see the first mystery of the Shew-bread how it was a Type of the Church 2. A second mystery of the Shew-bread is the Food and spiritual Provision that is in the Church of God that is Christ in the Word and Ordinances The Word is compared to Bread Amos 6.11 False Doctrine to leavened or sowred Bread Matth. 16.12 It hath the properties of Bread Psal 104.15 Bread which strengtheneth mans heart ver 16. the staff of Bread This Bread is Christ He is the Bread of Life as Joh. 6.48 Christ is typified also by the Manna and the Golden Pot thereof reserved in the Holy of Holies But some distinguish the mystery of these two Types thus That the Manna in the Oracle was the Type of Christ personal this Bread upon the Table in the Sanctuary was a Type of Christ doctrinal or Christ in the Word opened and applied to hungry Souls The analogy will appear further in these particulars 1. They were to set the Shew-bread upon the Golden Table in the Sanctuary every Sabbath Lev. 24.8 Every Sabbath shall he set it in order before the Lord continually that is in the Sanctuary which was a Type of the Church This then speaks thus much That the Ministers of the Gospel are to set Christ the Bread of Life as it were upon the Table every Lords day There is and ought to be a weekly provision of this Food in the House of God every Sabbath As every week there was new Bread so Christ is to be afresh held forth 2. The Priests were to feed upon this all the week after Lev. 24.9 And it shall be Aarons and his Sons and they shall eat it in the holy place so in the Church they that hear the Word and have Christ preached and held forth therein should live all the week long upon the Provision that is made upon the Sabbath Then the Bread is set before Lord but in the week time it is eaten It is a great neglect when the Bread is not eaten when the Word is not digested meditated fed upon But people think it is enough to come to some good Meeting and there to hear the Word But do you eat it and feed upon it all the week do you meditate and ruminate upon it 3. None but the Priests were to eat the Shew-bread It shall be Aarons and his Sons and they shall eat it Lev. 24.9 though in an extraordinary case others might as when David and his Men did to save their Lives in hunger 1 Sam. 21.6 which Christ allows and justifies Matth. 12.3 4. for ceremonial Rules must give place to Moral God will have mercy rather then Sacrifice But the ordinary Rule was none but Priests were to eat the Shew-bread And who are spiritual Priests under the Gospel All Believers they are a royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 This then teacheth us that none but Believers have a right unto Christ and to the Promises and do or can feed upon him Unbelievers do but intrude and usurp that which is none of theirs when they challenge a part in him They are but Dogs that snatch at Childrens Bread 4. It is the Priests that set this Bread in the Sanctuary and they eat it We may