lead him and bring him unto salvation but this is the condemnation Joh. 3.19 that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather then light because their deeds are evil I make no question but are all here pretend at least to be seekers of God Now enter into thy owne heart and tell me what is the end of all thy Religious actions are they not done for this purpose that thereby thou mayest gain and get a good opinion to and of thy self that thou hast served God in a way he commands and when thou hast done thinkest thou now art accepted is this thinkest thou the free-will offering that is in Jesus Christ wherein we serve him not as Slaves or as Servants but as Sons Sons that are begotten out of love and out of love serve him without fear all the dayes of our life Now I say Luk. 1.74 when thy Religious actions are onely made use of to hide over thy sin and to get a good opinion of thy selfe this is not the work of the spirit of God this is not a drawing to God but from God this is a drawing into thy selfe to depend on flesh and to feed on the dead ashes of thy own heart Esa 44.20 and not to know that there is a lye in thy right hand But now if thou didst but see thy owne sinne and thy owne evil heart thou wouldest not dare to speak of God but with much trembling but know if thou speak of him or of Divine things thou speakest as vainely and as dissemblingly as wickedly and hast nothing of Divine nature more then another then the world of men for all thy many words and large professions thou wilt not say We see for then thy sin remaineth But if thou goest out mourning and weeping over thine owne misery and over thy cursed heart to thee I say the Lord will draw thee and lead thee in the everlasting power so that thy own carnal heart and all the power of hell shall not be able to keep thee from Christ but thou shalt understand and find that it is the power of the Father onely that draws every man unto Christ And he will cause thy captivity to return as the streams in the South Psal 126.4.6 and thou shalt find that he that goeth forth weeping shall doubtlesse come againe with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him that so thou mayest rejoyce and magnifie him alone utterly renouncing thy selfe and all the power of man as having no hand in His Almighty work THE CLOUD taken off the TABERNACLE that the ISRAEL of God might journey Preached at Alhallows Lumbard-street EXOD. 40.36 37 38. And when the Cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle then the Children of Israel went onward in all their journeys But if the Cloud were not taken up then they journeyed not until the day it was taken up For the Cloud of the Lord was upon the Tabernacle by day and the fire was on it by night in the sight of all the House of Israel throughout all their journeyes THis Book out of which we have taken these words is called EXODUS that is the Book of the goâ—ng out or the Book of the goings forth for it shews the manner of the going forth of the children of Israel out of Egypt being brought out thence by a strong and mighty hand But Beloved if we look on the things contained in this Book of the goings forth or going out onely as an History of the Jewes going out of that Land of Egypt wherein they were inslaved in their cruel bondage we fall farre short of what the Holy Ghost intends For their going out is the type and representation of all the people of God in all generations and of their going forth from under the bondage of spiritual Pharach and out of the Kingdome of Darknesse When Moses as you may see had obeyed the command of God he shewing him the form of the Tabernacle and Moses setting up all things therein according to the pattern then 't is said Heb. 8.5 Ver. 34.35 in the preceding verses when Moses had finished the work then a cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle so that Moses was not able to enter in for the glory thereof Which Tabernacle was alwayes to be carried before the children of Israel and if the cloud was not taken up from off the Tabernacle then they journeyed not but sate still but if it was taken up then they were to arise and goe on upon their journey this rule they must observe and this was to be their Leader and their Guide in all their journyings Thus it is in the History and this is the Letter now if there were no more in it then so what advantage is it to us but onely to deduct and raise some moral observations and directions which every carnal man may do and be never the nearer the meaning of the Scriptures or to eat of the tree of life and of the Hidden Manna or knowing the mind of God and having no more we have but the Letter that kills Gen. 3.3 and is no other but the eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil whereof God hath commanded ADAM that is whole ADAM all Mankind not to eat thereof For to think that that eternal infinite and most spiritual and divine wisdom should have no greater depth nor no farther wisdom to imploy it self in then in relating Histories of an outward Tabernacle and of silken blew and purple curtains and of the Pot of Manna and of outward sacrifices and washings what depth of wisdom answerable to that infinite wisdom in the Almighty Jehovah were this in him To tell of Solomons State 2 Chro. 9. and his Throne and his Majesty of his Gold and Silver and of the magnificent stately Temple that he builded of the workmanship and great cost and the like what were all this if there were not more in it then the Letter and what every man by his study and reason and learning can finde out but without all question there is that Mystery and depth of wisdom and knowledge hid and covered in all these things which none can find or know with all their utmost endeavours unlesse we be anoynted with that holy anoynting which teacheth all things 1 Joh. 2.27 Mat. 19.11 neither can we ever know them except they be given us from above that so these things may be spoken out onely by that divine teaching in us And for that History for which this Book is called Exodus that we are now upon the Book of the goings forth without all question and to be briefe Satan in us is that true Pharaoh which keeps the true Israel in bondage which is here held forth by that external Pharaoh for what is that Pharaoh to us except we find in our selves all those things acted and done And Egypt there to us is no other thing
Mat. 5.15 He is the light set upon the Candlestick giving light to all that are in the House and Hee is the Hidden Manna to nourish us to eternal life Col. 1.19 2.9 and it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell even the fulness of the Godhead bodily Oh Beloved He is that true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man From this Tabernacle must the soul expect all its leadings all its teachings and not from the wisdom of man or the ordinances of man for here they are all taught of God and they shall no more teach every one his Brother Heb. 8.10 11. saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest And whosoever is not led by this light and by this Star onely to behold the Lord Jesus Christ as his only and true Guide if he look any other way he does the same thing that the Prophet said of old to them that followed the Tabernacle of Moloch and the Star of their god Remphan and followeth after lyes and the inventions of their own evil Adulterous hearts Acts 7 42 Amos. 5.25.26 figures which they have made to worship saith the Holy Ghost in the fifth Chapter of Amos and the twenty fifth and twenty sixth verses Now then you may hence see and take notice that until the cloud be removed by the Lord himself there must be no journying no going forward by any of the sons of men and t is the Lord and not man can remove it the children of Israel must wait the Lords time when he pleaseth man he is alwayes furnished and ready your time is alwayes ready saith our Saviour Joh. 7.6 but my time is not yet There are certain days and times while the Cloud is upon the glory of this Tabernacle and till the Lord remove it man can do nothing but wait he must sit still in his Tent And that is when all things are in darknesse in man both within him and without him and he sees himself lost as to all his own wisdom power endeavours in this case t is in vain for man to arise and think to create a light and a wisdome and a power to himselfe for then he goes on in his own power and light and not in the light and power of God Ye know the fire in the Tabernacle never went out there was alwayes light there Lev. 6.13 but if there be a Cloud upon it and thou canst not see it and yet wilt be journying and doing and acting this will be thy fall and stumbling and a curse will be upon thee and not a blessing and thou shalt not prosper When that fire kindled the word in the mouth of Jeremiah the Prophet then that word was a light to them a command to depart out of their Captivity and to return to their own land till then the cloud was upon their way and they were as in a waylesse wilderness where no man passed a land of desarts and of pits a land of drought and shadows of death where no man dwelt Jer. 2.6 as in that second chapter of Jeremiah While man is in this condition and in this night of blindnesse and darknesse and land of death and drought he knowes not his way until the Lord shew him a light till He remove the cloud there is no finding the place of rest nor any feeding on the Hidden Manna nor drinking at the Wells of Salvation Esa 12.3 When man is in this dark night how can he arise but if he sit still as to all his own powers really seeing his own weaknesse and utter inability then this light in due time will shine forth and if he ever stir before this day he arises and works and walks unto his own ruin and destruction It may be this Doctrin may seem harsh and very unwelcome to most men That they shall not be doing and going on and journying Phil. 2.12 and working out their own Salvation many are hereat much offended at which I do not wonder for they not being able to see the Mystery of the Scripture onely rest in the Letter and know not the teachings of the spirit and think they must do something by way of condition or else all is nothing And herein is the great mistake of most men who though never so highly esteemed by themselves and others Luk. 6.39 yet herein are no other but blind leaders of the blind and both fall into the ditch But those who are acquainted with these things in their own experience know and feel this mysticall interpretation to be the truth and all other in the Letter to be but resemblances and shadows under which the truth is hid and covered from all save onely such to whom it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdome Mat. 13.11 but to others in parables that seeing they may see and not perceive and hearing they may bear and not understand As in that seventh and eighth Chapter to the Hebrews where the Apostle speaking of the Law and of many particulars appertaining to that Priesthood he shews that the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw nigh unto God and so there by several arguments he proves that Jesus Christ alone was the true Priest and the true ORDINANCE Now in the first verse of the eighth chapter Heb. ch 7. 8. he applyes all that he had before spoken to Jesus Christ alone that perfect high Priest Ch. 7.19 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the summe And so he goes on and applyes it to Jesus Christ that true high Priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man which things serve but unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things Ch. 8.1 c. he having obtained a far more excellent ministry by how much he is made the mediatour of a better covenant and established upon better promises he is not a high Priest of a Temple or contained in any Temple made with hands 2 Chron 6.18 but he is such a one whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain And he offers not sacrifices but himself his own body And He and all his members are the true Tabernacle wherein the Lord is served and well pleased for the Law made High Priests which have infirmitie Heb. 7.28 saith the Apostle but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who only is consecrated for evermore But what shall we say then of all those things wherein Moses was commanded to be so exact and to make all things according to the pattern and here he calls Christ the true Tabernacle what was theirs a false one I Ibid. 8.2 it was in regard of Christ who is the
and whither they shall be led For in this case Esay 30.7.8 and under this dispensation they are not to walk or work but Their strength is to sit still But I know these things greatly offend some who are wise and strong in themselvs Yet saith the Lord vers 8. Write it before them in a Table and note it in a book that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever First we have shewed that the divine fire of this Tabernacle is that onely which guides and directs the souls of men in their way towards the spirituall and heavenly Canaan we have shewed thereupon the happiness of the soul that follows and keeps with this Tabernacle that alwaies sees and beholds this fire of the Altar that knows the fire that commeth down from Heaven that burns up all things but it self but that remains and abides for ever And this is the soul that in not a stranger unto the Lord and the Lord is his Guide Oh! happy is the soul that knows this waits upon it is onely led councelled and conducted by it We have likewise spoken of the misery of all men In offering strange fire upon the Lords Altar in seeking for another Star but not the Star of Jacob Levit. 10.1 c. but following the Tabernacle of Molech and the Star of their God Rempham Amos 5.26 Acts 7.43 Esay 50.11 and thinking to goe on in the light therof and shewing the misery of those men who are kindling fires of their own compassing themselves with their own sparks and thinking to goe on and walk in the light thereof yet this they shall have of the hand of the Lord to lie down in woe and everlasting sorrow The next thing we shall observe is concerning the Cloud that is over or upon the Tabernacle wherein in the first place this is apparent that the Tabernacle that contains all the Mysteries of life and mercy all the glory of life and eternal Salvation But this Tabernacle hath a cloud upon it that it cannot be seen till the Cloud be taken away and removed which all the power of man can never remove And secondly that the remover and taker away of this cloud is God and not man that God I say is he alone that draws and takes up the cloud from the Tabernacle and again lets it descend upon the Tabernacle when it pleaseth him T is the Lord that draws away the vaile and man with all his wisdom learning industry c. cannot pull it off of himself t is the Lord alone that opens the eys of the blind and not the holiest man can doe any thing in this work of himself T is the Lord that circumciseth the heart 1 Cor. 12.13 t is the Lord who baptiseth the spirits of men with the true baptism and all by one spirit into one body whether they be Jews or Gentiles and I have shewed that one man cannot baptize another as they undertake to doe in an Ape-like imitation of the thing for it is the Lords work only he alone can remove the cloud from off the Tabernacle and gives the true Baptism otherwise it abides and must remain thereupon and the soule is not washed nor baptized Thirdly take notice that no man naturally walks by a true guide and he that when the cloud is upon the Tabernacle offers to journey or move towards the heavenly Canaan I say when he offers or attempts any things in the way of God and Christ he acts but blindly and presumptuously and he cannot chuse but stumble and fall for when the cloud is not taken off the Tabernacle by the hand of the Lord then he ought to sit in his tent and abide in his habitation till the Lord remove the cloud and then is the time of his travel and day of his journey and not before First then it is clear that by the Tabernacle is meant the Mysteries of the Tabernacle for whether it be the pot of Manna the Censers or Rod of Aaron and the rest All these be the mysteries of Christ and all these have a cloud upon them so that none can see them or discern them or behold the glory that is in them till the cloud be taken away and removed In the beginning God made the heavens and earth Gen. 1.1 2. and the earth was without form and void and darknesse was upon the face of the Deep till God commanded the darknesse to withdraw and say Let there be light so till God make a separation between light and darknesse otherwise there is a darknesse on the whole depth the depth of HUMANITY or Creaturely nature there was and is a darknesse on it all till the Lord said Let there be Light and there is light there is a darknesse on all flesh till the spirit of the Lord blowes upon it and saith Come thou spirit of the four winds O Breath Ezek. 37.9 and breath upon these slain and dry bones that they may live When the Spirit of the Lord that blows every way and where it listeth comes and blows on these dry bones and they heare the word of the Lord then they are moved and finews and nerves and flesh come upon them and then they are joyned together and breath enters into them that they may live so that darknesse is upon the Deep and the cloud is over the Tabernacle none can remove it take it up or disperse it but the Lord alone When the Lord takes away the cloud from the Tabernacle then the Tabernacle and the MYSTERIES thereof appears otherwise they are hid and no mortall eye nor the sharpest understanding nor the greatest Scholler nor by the use of all externall Ordinances are they able to discern them Secondly when this cloud is removed then is the time for the souls of Saints to act and walk when the cloud is upon the Tabernacle then they should sit still and therefore saith James We ought not speaking of the Saints to determine this or that we will goe this way or that Jam. 4.13 c. threatning a woe to them that say To morrow we will goe to such a City or place and remain there a yeere and there we will buy and sell and get gain but we must from our soules say if the Lord will when we once come under the tuition and tutorage of the Sonne of God and come to be of the congregation of Israel then we goe not when we list or would but we are to attend the Lords hand in removing the cloud from the tabernacle and if he remove it not to day we are to stay till the next day and whensoever he removes it then is the day of our journey and going onwards Therefore the Apostle tels us of a Councellor and Leader they had and I know also the world tels of a guide and rule but it is a Rule which they themselves know not nor understand when it is crooked and when t is straight
8. Matth. 15.14 and say they have heard the word of the Lord and they have seen a vision when the Lord hath not spoken by them and they have seen nothing If the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the pit for he that comes out and saith that he can discover the Tabernacle or that any can remove the cloud from the Tabernacle but the Lord himselfe he is a blasphemer and a lyer But I know they will object and say Obj. 2 Indeed if we consider men naturally in their sinfull condition they are ignorant in the things of God and are even as the Heathens but we have the Scriptures given to us and they contain the mind of God And having this help we by our wits and learning and industry are able to know the mind of God for we know and understand the Hebrew and Greek and Syriack Languages Truly Answ if it were so that they did so it were well but that very word to which they appeale in the very Letter of it witnesses against them for the word witnesses that it is a sealed book Esay 29.11 12. Rev. 5.3 1 Cor. 12.3 2 Cor. 3.6 Luk. 8.10 Mark 4.11 Matth. 11.15 Mark 4.9 Luke 8.8 Luke 24.45 whether delivered to the learned or unlearned and none is found worthy to open it but the Lamb the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and that none can so much as say Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy ghost and again that the letter kils but the spirit gives life and to you it must be given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom or you cannot know them and when Christ spake with a lively and audible voyce and spake and preacht so as never man did yet said he very often he that hath eares to heare let him heare and so t is said of the Disciples that Christ opened their understandings when he was risen again although he himselfe had taught them the same things before his death yet t is said Luke 24.45 then opened he their understandings that they might know the Scriptures that it behoved him according as it was written in the Prophets and Psalms to suffer and rise again the third day So that hence it is clear there is not any wisdom learning or knowledge in the world that can unseale this book for though it be the declaration of the mind of God through those Saints and Apostles by whom it was written yet never can any man read the mind of God in it but by the same spirit that taught it and unless the same Spirit that raised up Iesus Christ from the dead doe quicken us Rom. 8.11 2 Cor. 6.14 Although the learnedest men in the world open it it will not raise up our mortall bodies nor be any savour unto life Now from hence let but the world judge who are the BLASPHEMERS and what is blasphemy if this be not We say none can truly teach the spirits of men but God himself and none can come to the Father but by the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reveale him And they say Matth. 11.27 the way to understand the Scriptures is to get learning and the tongues and to reform their lives to get into this or that fellowship I say this sharply reproves them that say they can open it with the WOODDEN and fleshly key of carnall wisdom and humane learning for we have shewed how there is a cloud upon the tabernacle to this day that none can remove but only God Himselfe not onely in regard of men but of Saints for though a Saint be brought to see into the Tabernacle and to behold the glory of the Lord yet when God pleaseth a cloud shall interpose it selfe that this Tabernacle shall be hid and covered again and again nay it shall be in hiding and opening continually unto the soule * Mark this for the glory of the Tabernacle would not be made out were there not a cloud to make it out by the strength of the Lord would not be made out were there not weaknesse to make it out by the light of the Lord would not be made out were there not darknesse to make it out by and therefore there is a cloud on the tabernacle and t is the Lord only that removes it that they may goe on in all their Journeys and when he doth it not they must sit still and he doth it for this very end that the glory of God may be more made out and that the soule of man might more fully more gloriously and more welcomly enjoy those discoveries Light cannot be made out in light and wisdom in wisdome but light in darkness and wisdom in folly and strength in weakness and fullness in emptiness and riches by poverty and grace by sin Alsufficiency by insufficiency and nothingness and even things that are high in things that are low one deep calls unto another the DEEPNESSE of that glory and FVLLNESS that is in God calls upon that DEEPNESSE and EMPTINESSE and nothingness that is in and upon the poor Creature and this is that Cloud that is still covering and removing from over the Tabernacle that the Glory of the Lord may be made out in and by that cloud that we may know and behold that glory that was hid from us and that we may know how pretious it is by the cloud that with-holds and covers it from us And again that we may know light is not in mans hand as Peter said Master let us be here and build three Tabernacles c. So I say Luk. 9.33 it is that man may not build a Tabernacle of his own least he should say he was Master of it and would think to give and carry the light where he pleased but with a Christian it is otherwise ordered that he might walk in darkness Esa 50.10 and stay himself upon his God so that the condition of a true Christian is not like the men of the world with their light for they are the Orderers and Masters of it But it may indeed be said of your ordinary formal Christians that they have a light never goes out in regard of their forms of Church-Government so that their candle is always burning and they are Masters of their own light and if it be out they can light it again and recover it by their own pains and industry but it is not so with those that truly fear God For when the light appears then they walk and journy but when their light appears not then they must stand still for they dare not go nor stir till the glory of the Lord appears and leads them and that the Lord Himselfe goes before them Further if this Cloud be removed onely by the hand of the Lord then I say First it shews plainly the vanity pride folly and uselessness of mens labouring to remove it in their taking upon them that which belongs to God and First I say it discovers
that is in thee be darkness how great is that Darkness Are they repentings beleevings actings and workings if these be as thou thinkest the means to remove the Cloud off the Tabernacle is not this to trust in man Jer. 2.13 Ch. 17.5 in the power of man and to distrust the living God But is not this rather to repent and believe and trust in God to say Lord I am really blind open thou my eyes thou Son of David have mercy upon me why Luk. 18 39. now this soule seeing this it cryes to and waites upon none but God and then indeed is the heart fixed upon him where it should be from whom comes salvation and deliverance Psal 57.7 And whoever waited upon him that is faithful and strong and only can deliver and was not in due time delivered And from hence it appears when the soul walks in the light he knows full well it will be in vain for him to think to remove the cloud till the Lord remove it It may be the time hath been when thou hast felt the heat of the Divine displeasure and thy ear was then boared and thy uncircumcised heart circumcised and then light appeared and thou blessedest the Lord in that day But now there begins to come darknesse over thy eyes again and thou beginnest to see thy selfe lost again and the Cloud is upon the Tabernacle and thou art gotten into the pathless way Jer. 2.6 and alas thou sayst to thy self and concludest though I am out of my way I will up and be doing I will come to it again and I will recover it and so the poor man begins to wrestle and struggle it out now at this thing and then at that thing so that the poor Saint having lost the light he once had he runs through mire and dirt thinking to come to the light by his prayers and holinesse and so recover himself Then the poor soul thinks he is running to Canaan when indeed he is going back to Egypt And therefore it is clear to me both by the Scriptures and by the experience of the preciousest Saints I ever met with that in this condition its best to sit still For he that believeth maketh not haste Esa 28.16 but waits till the Lord will remove the cloud but if thou wilt turn from the Lord and go by another guide and captain and not by that Moses God hath sent and art going to make a Golden Calfe and and Idol to go before thee if so thou mayest expect that thy carkass shall fall in the Wilderness for thy unbelief Num. 14.29 and not waiting the good pleasure of the Lord for not one entred the promised Land but Caleb and Joshuah know this is the condition and disposition of a Saint that he only rejoyceth in the Lord all his expectations are from him who hath made light and darknesse I have learned saith the Apostle Phil. 4.11 in whatever state I am therewith to be content So that the happiness of a Saint is when he can glory in infirmities as Paul saith and rejoyce in darkness and misery 2 Cor. 12.9 10. for he sees this is his portion and he cannot remove the cloud and he is willing to sit still there till the day dawn and the Day-star arise in him 2 Pet. 1.19 Esa 50.10 Happy is the soule that can sit in darkness and when he hath no light can stay himselfe upon the Lord his God Happy I say is that soul though there be a cloud on the Tabernacle that can sit still and wait the Lords good pleasure and cry unto the Lord till he please to lead him onward towards Canaan And there was a cloud on it by day and a pillar of fire appeared on it by night Know this further from hence That in the time of a Saints greatest light there is stil a cloud upon the Lords Tabernacle at the greatest height of light liberty and enjoyments to his own feeling and apprehension even then there is some darknesse upon the Tabernacle especially immediately after such great light and glory When Paul was wrapt up into the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.7 there was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him least he should be exalted above measure there was again a cloud let fall over the Tabernacle when he was in the height of his joys a prick was sent him in the flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him and therefore he concludes in another place we walk by faith and not by sight T is so with every Christian in the day of his light 2 Cor. 5.7 and the time of his greatest shinings usually and then especially there is a cloud upon the Tabernacle why to let man know thus much that he must not live upon the GIFT but on the GIVER that man must not gather to day for ever but he is to gather to morrow and every day as the children of Israel in gathering Manna for if thou layest up store it will be dead the next time thou commest to feed on it it will all stinke and it will not nourish thee but wait still on the giver and then his mercy will be sweet fresh flourishing and green Lastly from this that the fire shined on the Tabernacle by night we shall onely note that when the Light of the Tabernacle shines upon the soules of men all things else become dark t is night in that soule to all things but the light of the Tabernacle in the night there was a fire and in the day a cloud now I say when the fire shined all things were dark round about it And herein observe these two things first when mans spirit is shut up and sees he no light then is the time for the appearing of this light And secondly this light never appears but when all things are dark in man for light discovers darknesse if any thing else be light to thee and all things else be not darknesse thou never yet discoveredst this light To this soule there is nothing in the whole creation that seems to be glorious and excellent but when the Sun of righteousnesse in him hath shined upon it then it appears to be all darkness when the light of the Tabernacle shines in the soule of man then riches honour pleasure preferments all things below God are darknesse Then the light of his reason wit moralitie and holy qualities that seemed to be a great light and shined before gloriously being compared one with another or with things inferiour Now when the light of the Tabernacle appeares then all these things appeare to be nothing but darknesse emptiness and blindness and are all as meer vapours before the Sun of righteousnesse as the Prophet saith Therefore thy goodnesse is as the morning dew and as the cloud that wears away so that I say Hos 6.4 whensoever the fire in the Tabernacle shines on man then this will be the sure effect in that soule
Son himself for not any of all those things the Jews themselves were to rest in though done exactly according to the Pattern But this MESSIAH was he that they should have eyed through and beyond all those figures and shadows for that Tabernacle was but pitched by man mark that though commanded by God but the true Tabernacle is pitched by the Lord himself So that the Apostle there we may clearly see expounds this last chapter of Exodus and reduceth all those shadows to the substance proving that Christ himself is the true Tabernacle and the true Ministry and the true Sanctuary and that those things are but the Patterns and Emblems of the heavenly things Now all things must be according to him for he is the true pattern and is that one and alone Sacrifice once ffered as in that ninth chapter of the Hebrews Heb. 9.11 c. and the eleventh verse and so on Christ being an high Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building and by his own blood he entered into the Holy Place and if the blood of Bulls and Goats sanctifyeth to the purifying of the stesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered up himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works c. Though all these things were done by Moses and all done according to the example and pattern yet saith he the things we speak of are not things done hy man not of this building that is not done by the wisdom power or will of man no nor those done by them according to the direction of God himselfe and in that sense commanded and unquestionable Ordinances yet these made not the commers thereunto perfect therefore saith he in the three and twentieth verse of that ninth chapter It was therefore necessary that the PATTERNS of the things in the Heavens should be purified with these Vers 23. but the Heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices 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 The Heavenly things themselves purified what 's that That is the soules of men which are of Heavenly natures and Immortal and if those External Sacrifices must be purified with blood it is much more necessary that that Heavenly and Immortal soul of man should be purified with the pretious blood of Jesus Christ Man having departed from God and defiled his soul by turning away from him and being gone down to earthly things to find himself a God and a Trust and a Refuge this departure is of that infinitness that nothing but this Eternal Priest and Mediatour could reconcile and bring together again the Majesty and Nature of God and polluted man thus at an infinite distance but He by himself and of his own mercy and good will hath reconciled us to his father 2 Cor. 5.20 Esa 63.3 and hath trod the Winepress alone and none stood by him and herein was the eternal and infinite love of Jesus Christ our alone Saviour seen And by the way let me mind you of one thing That when the Scripture speaks of Christ his Ascending and entring into the third Heaven and far above all Heavens and sitting down on the right hand of his Father Eph. 4.10 Heb 12.2 I would not have you so childish as to be deluded by those tricks and devices of the men of the Letter who not being able to see the mystery do take those things as spoken litterally as though Christ now had a material body flesh and bones the same which he had in the flesh when he was upon earth these are very fond inventions of men that Christ is in a local place and sits upon a Throne above in Heaven next his Father as upon his right hand or the like and when he comes to judgement he will set himself in the material Clouds and call all Nations before him just as Judges doe at the Sizes and there to sit in a Chaire of State above all or as Solomon upon a glorious Throne Truly the world hath been a long time deluded with these fancies Now as the Apostle saith plainly he is not entred into a place made with hands nor into any thing of this nature Heb. 9.24 nor of this building But we are when we speak of him to separate all our thoughts far from all carnal things and all creaturely beings For there is no tincture of the creature concernments in those heavenly and divine things but all those things are done spiritually and in a way far above the thought or comprehension of all creaturely conceptions But from all this which hath been spoken hence it is clear That the Tabernacle here spoken of is the glory wisdome power righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and whatever is HIMSELF who is nothing else but majesty purity glory wisdom love goodnesse fulnesse infinitnesse blessednesse and Alsufficiency and all good he alone is the Lord Mat. 6.13 he alone is King his is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and no creature can without blasphemy in the highest degree appropriate or assume any one or any part of these to himself Here now Beloved we have set before you the Tabernacle and the Fire in the Tabernacle This is that fire of the Lord which can never be put out nor extinguished Levit. 6.13 but is ever one and the same it can never decrease nor increase in regard of himself but onely in regard of manifestation to us and which cannot be procured one day sooner by all the Wisdom Learning Industry of man but onely when he is pleased to remove the cloud then have ye liberty to journey and walk and woâ—k and not before whatever the dark and blind and the poor deluded sons of men make you believe And further be assured that until you come to possess and enjoy in your selves these spiritual and divine things you cannot know what they mean and whatever you do and whatever you see or adore below these you adore nothing but the patterns and the images of them wherein no man ever yet had any other but a false rest and they lived in a false light and enjoyed not the things themselves nay though we should know and behold Christ after the flesh and look upon him in his Conception Life Death Crucifying Burial Resurrection Ascention yet all these things are but the patterns of the Heavenly things and of the Lord himself Heb. 9.23 which are to pass a way and be forgotten when that Christ himself is personally manifested Hence forth know we him no more 2 Cor. 5.16 saith the Apostle When the Eternal Majesty and Splendour of that which is the Truth comes in all the glory of all other things vanishes before its presence These are
or owne them before his Father Those that are ashamed to bear this testimony of him and to be Witnesses and Martyrs for him he will be ashamed of them He is not ashamed to own thee in thy blood and filthiness and shall we be ashamed to owne him and to ascribe that to him which is his due But in stead of giving testimony to the glory of HIS name thou studiest and contrivest which way thou mayest be something that thou mayest be esteemed and that Christ may be nothing that he may be debased but be assured In that day all these things shall be laid open And God is a jealous God and will not suffer his honour to be polluted Esa 42.8 nor will give his glory to any other Further from all this which hath been said it appears that t is in vain to seek for or expect any light to guide any of the sons of men any where else but from the Tabernacle T is in vain to follow any other Star but that which led the Wise men to Jesus Christ he that sets up any other Sun of righteousness to guide him Mal. 4.2 any other light any other rule to walk by that thinks he can teach himself or offer any sacrifices or prayers to be accepted with the Father but his alone or assumes any power to command himself in any thing this man is no other but a lyar a thief and a robber a blasphemer and a traitor for he robs God of his honour and denyes Jesus Christ to be King Priest and Prophet which is alone his right Beloved happy is that soule who hath forsaken himselfe and all other lights and minds onely this light from the Tabernacle that cannot follow any other counsel that knows the voyce of Christ and the light and life of Christ from all other Lights or Lives Joh. 10.5 and that will not follow the voyce of any stranger They know the Light and shinings forth of God from all other shinings These are the true Wise men the spiritual and true Magicians if they see any other Star any other false Meteor they can distinguish it and follow his Star alone they have found in experience where they have followed any other light or guide they stumbled and fell He knowes if he do he shall be led into the Land of darkness into a Wildernesse of sorrows and miseries where are Tygers Leopards and the Owles and the scrith Owles the Jims and Ziims of the desart or Night-Monsters as the Prophet esaiah excellenly and elegantly speaks And again saith he Ye shall kindle a fire and walk in the sparks thereof Esa 34.11.14 13.20 Ibid. 50 11. but this ye shall receive at my Hand ye shall lie down in sorrow Man naturally follows that light that he hath found out not regarding the fire of the Sanctuary and as with a Stone and a Steel he strikes fire for himselfe and gathers up some combustible matter Wood Hay 1 Cor. 3.12 and Stubble of his owne finding some things of his own getting together and here he makes himself a light and a fire and he thinks by his Wisdom and by his Learning to hammer beat and finde out the truth of the Scriptures Rom. 2.19 Esa 55.4 and he thinks that he can teach and he can counsel and he is a leader of the blind which is only Christs work and office and he can define out errours and restrain them by his rules and directions when alas poor blind man he never yet found the darknesse of his own heart he never yet saw the errours of his own heart are not these then blind leaders of the blind as our Saviour saith and both must needs fall into the ditch Mat. 15.14 This is the very same thing which Nadab and Abihu did to offer strange fire of their own before the Lord when thou bringest all thy duties Levit. 10.1 all thy parts all thy endeavours and though thou offerest them as pretended on the true Altar Jesus Christ yet if offered by thy self thou art that Nadab and Abihu there described And the fine of the Lord will break forth to thy utter ruin and destruction for never any thing ever pleased the Father but that one alone and Eternal sacrifice which is continually offered onely by himselfe he abhors that any of thy duties any of thy menstruous rags should be joyned in with his most perfect Esa 64.6 Deut. 22.11 yea onely righteousnesse This Garment of linsey-woolsey his people may not wear All things that are done in the world proceed but from two principles there is not one action of any of the sons of men but proceeds either from the power or wisdom of man or from Jesus Christ if from man as man its loathsome stinking abominable though never so refined though they bestow never so much labour industry learning all their Wits and Parts To put upon it the neatest cut and the finest dresse Jam. 3.15 Nah. 1.5 2 Pet. 3 20 they are all but earthly sensual and devilish which must to Hell and the earth with all the works thereof shall be burnt up for ever Every sacrifice that is offered in the world must be kindled with fire from Heaven by the fire of the Sanctuary offered on this Altar which alone is Jesus Christ and that alone perfect High Priest else t is kindled by this strange fire which is no other but devouring fire either t is of the earth earthly or else t is of the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15.47 if it be from Heaven it shall be raised up to heaven It is sown in weakness but t is raised up in power if it be from man t is from the bottomless pit it is from fin and weaknesse and thither it must return and in this state and condition are all the actions of the world even all the actions inventions forms in dustrys of men and they all tend to crucifie the Lord of life and power that so man and his doings Joh. 18.40 his contrivances his Idols may stand and be adored All the sons of men cry out for a Barrabas that so the wisdom of the flesh and the power of man may be established and that that everlasting righteous Son of God which would be working living raigning in man may be crucified and utterly destroyed This they may do and doe do and yet may talk much of an outward and external Christ which once dyed at Jerusalem and pretend much love to him Never any of the sons of men ever received that true Christ we speak of though much cryed up in the world for never any received him but to them he gave power to become the sons of God Never any received him nor followed him but he denyed himself Joh. 1.12 and took up his Cross which never any man did that is not emptied of himselfe made nothing in his own sight Luk. 14.7 that is not stript of
light can discover these hidden deeds of darkness He that hath this true light and this true spirit he sees he is nothing nor cannot step one step in this work except the Lord goe with him not onely in words to say this that 's nothing but really from the light of God to know this Then hee durst not goe forth to speak of the things of God but in trembling and fear Nature it thinks it selfe alwaies ready its never unfurnished call him when ye wil he can preach he can pray he can fit you for mourning for rejoycing he is furnished for all occasions he can manage and order all his affairs and govern the very Church of Christ by his wisdome and learning John 7.6 and he is never to seeke but is alwaies ready as Christ saith These men are become Masters of their Religion I t is true for Religion was never yet Master over them But beloved t is not thus with the Saints of God nor with the Ministers of Christ but they see Christ the sole Master and the sole Orderer of the Church Cant. 2.7 and they dare not awake their beloved untill he please they know none other can furnish them nor Commission nor command them to goe forth but onely Him Mat. 23.9 10. they know there is no other Master no other Father no other Teacher but Christ alone They cannot think it enough that they have Vniversity learning that they have the most ORTHODOX Authors as they call them and sometimes Most excellent DIVINES but most blasphemously to rob Christ of his Honour For there can be no Divine but Christ Vers 7 8. no Teacher but Christ no Doctor but Christ They know they must have the inward teaching before they can open their mouthes the Coale from the Altar to touch their lips Isa 6.6 or else they dare not speak They know the spirit of their Father is an Almighty Eternall Free spirit like the wind which bloweth whether it listeth Man neither knows whence it commeth John 3.8 nor when Sometime the Cloud is removed when He pleaseth and then they may yea must goe forth then they may journey but when the day is cloudy and darke and the spirit of the Lord doth not speake in them then they must be content to sit still till the day that the Lord himself takes up the Cloud Man can never remove it no not one hour nor minute sooner but when the spirit listeth But in the day of light then they may goe forward nay then they shall go forth with power then they shall not speak as the Scribes and Pharisees but with Authority Then Mat. 7.29 they shall not regard the honour of men nor glory in those things that the foolish and vain heart of man doth As because they are sent forth by the Presbytery and they have gifts c. and they can speak and declare themselves and that they stand up in a Pulpit or high place above all their Brethren and they are in high esteem and the like All these things are banished in that soul when the Lord sends forth a messenger Far be it from me to think that I have Wisdome or Learning or Knowledge more then the meanest Saint among you what am I what is Paul what is Apollo but Ministers and your Servants and the Servants of Christ by whom ye believed for me to think because I stand in this High place therefore I am ever the better or have the more honour or more esteemed God for bid For I am nothing if Christ speak not out by me any yea every experience of the truth Therefore look onely at him Mat. 11.7 for what come ye out into the Wildernesse to see a reed shaken with the wind Oh look look not at the weak instrument but behold the Wisdom the Power the Majesty the Authority of the Almighty Rather then I should hide him let me be as I am nothing a vain and light shaken reed and I confesse a Hill or a Mountain in a Wilderness or a Stool were more fit for me or for any man Oh let no woman be heard in the Church but only the voice of Christ there every one speaks of and seeks his glory even the glory of him that sent him and that same is true Psal 26.9 Joh. 7.18 Psal 69.15 and there is no unrighteousness in him Let him encrease but let man and all the womanly weaknesse in man decrease and whatever is of man when ever he would have glory or be any thing let him be confounded and the pit shut her mouth upon him For t is not onely unseemly but a shame for The Woman to speak in the Church THE CLOUD taken off the TABERNACLE that the ISRAEL of God might journey SERMON II. Preached at Alhallows Lumbard-street EXOD. 40.36 And when the Cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle the Children of Israel went onwards in all their journies But if the Cloud was not taken up then they journied not till the day that it was taken up WE have beloved according as God was pleased in mercy to be present with us spoken concerning the meaning of these words wherein we have manifested that the Holy Ghost holds out higher and deeper and more mysterious things then is conceived of by the meer History and Letter we have shewed and held forth the same exposition that the Author to the Hebrews hath given of them That these things were but the patterns of Heavenly things Heb. 9.23 and this Tabernacle built by Moses was but a shadow similitude and type of the true Tabernacle which God did piteh and not Man and from thence we have shewed that the Tabernacle in the mystery is the Riches of that glory life mercy and immortality which God makes out to the sonnes of men And that Jesus Christ is that spiritual Moses that spiritual high Priest who hath once entred into this holy place even once for all And that the light in this Tabernacle which is as a fire by Night is that light and fire only that guildes and directs the souls of Saints in all their journeying through the desolate Wildernesse of their own dark and blind hearts and that this Tabernacle is covered with a cloud that the eyes of men nay nor of Saints cannot see or behold it till God himselfe withdraws and removes it And the souls of Saints are not to goe on but to abide in their Tents till the Lord remove this cloud as we may see expresly and fully commanded in Deu. 9. from vers 16 Deut. 9.16 c. to the end And we have shewed that in the day when he doth not remove it they are to sit still till the day and time he pleaseth to remove it and even then in the night in the darke when all other things are become darknesse then this fire this light is a lanthorn to them in all their journeys or waies wherein they shall goe