new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take awaythe stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh O how excellent is that heart which is dedicated to the use and service of God that Lamp which was set apart for the service of the Tabernacle was worth a hundred Lamps elsewhere because the use and service unto which it was dedicated was both holy and honourable O so is a heart set apart for the Lord it s both holy and honourable its worth a hundred of other hearts in Gods account Prov. 10. 20. The heart of a wicked man is little wâ—rth Let men be never so noble great learned or wise in the worlds eyes yet if their hearts are not Vessels or Lamps dedicated to God for the use of Altar worship you may assure your selves that God values them no more then you value so many heaps of Dung the best service which comes from such unsanctified Vessels or hearts is abominable to God Prov. 15. 8 9. It s a sanctified heart which God calls for in Worship Pâ—ov 23. 26. My Sonne saith God give me thy heart By Son here we are to understand a soul whose heart is renewed by the graces of the holy Ghost Iohn 1. 12. These are the Lamps which God loves should be always flaming and burning before the eyes of his glory as it s spoken of the Lamps in the Tabernacle burning and flaming with love and affection to God with zeal for him with the flame of fervent prayer before him therefore is it sad Prov. 15. 8. The prayers of the upright are his delight Use 1. O therefore how should this teach the Lords people to look to their hearts that nothing but the true Oil of the spirit of grace be found in it you know the exhortation in Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee for its the pure in heart shall see God Mat. 5. 8 Therefore when Temptation Sin or Lust offers it self to thy soul for entertainment O banish it upon this very account O say to sin my heart is become a dedicated Vessel or Lamp to God set apart for Altar-worship and work prepared for better matter then sin is O therefore sin and corruption depart and get you hence here is no entertainment for you or for such filthy matter as you are saith David Psal 45. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter O so say to thy temptations My heart is inditing a good matter or better matter then sin lust or the world doth amount unto it s about heaven and heavenly things that my heart is now upon it s about God and Christ and glory to come which my heart is taken withall O therefore Sin and Satan the World and Temptation depart depart here is no entertainment for you for ever I have found better food to live upon and better objects to look unto then you are therefore farwel for ever farwel for ever Secondly By the Lamps or Vessels in the Tabernacle which did hold the Oil which was to give out the light in the Tabernacle I understand by them the Ministers or gifted men in the Church who are principally imployed to hold out the light of Gods holy will to the Church for the benefit and comfort of it this you may see more plainly set out unto you in Zachaiahs prophesie Zach. 4. 2. 3. I looked and behold a Candlestick of pure gold with a boulâ— upon the top of it and his seven Lamps thereon and his seven Pipes to the seven Lamps which were upon the top thereof and olive-trees by it one on the right hand and the other on the left side of the boul Here you see the Prophet puts a clear difference between the Candlestick and the seven Lamps the Candlestick and the Lamps are not one and the same thing Now by the Candlestick as have been shewed already is meant the Church of God and by the seven Lamps on the Candlestick must be meant the Ministers and gifted men in the Church which are gifted by the spirit of God for the accomplishing of the Worship and Service of the Gospel-tabernacle both as to Doctrine and Discipline for as the two Olive-trees Zach 4. 11 12 Standing on each side of the Lamps did convey their Oil through the seven Pipes into the seven Lamps to continue their burning always in the Candlestick so do Jesus Christ by his spirit for Christ is called the tree of life nd the apple tree and the tree in the midst of the Paradise of God constantly conveying the sap and oil of light and truth into his Lamps the Ministers through the Pipes of the Scriptures or the writings of the Prophets and Apostles for the information of the Candlesticks his Churches therefore saith St. Paul to Timothy 1. Tim. 4. 13. with 15. Untill I come give a tendance to Reading Exhortation and Doctrine meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profitting may appear to all Now if you compare Zach. 4. 2. with Rev. 1. 20. It will the more appear that the seven Lamps do intend the Ministers of the Church and such as are gifted for Church work they are called there the seven Stars of the seven golden Candlesticks that as Stars are fixed in the Firmament for the help of mankind in the absence of the Sun against temporal darkness so are the Ministers set in the Firmament of the Church to help men in the absence of â—hrist the Son of Righteousness against spiritual darkness therefore saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 20. We are Embassadours in Christ stead that is we as the lesser Lights are left with you in stead of Christ the great Light who is the Son of Righteousnesse so Eph. 4. 10 11 12 13. He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ untill we all come to the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Lastly They are said to be seven Lamps this number seven was given them or the reason why the Lamps were seven in number it s with respect to the plentifulness of the gifts of the spirit which the Lord Jesus doth pour out into his Church through these Lamps for the word or number seven was a note of perfectness amongst the Hebrews which they called a perfect number so that by the seven Lamps we understand such a plentiful measure of the spirit and through supply of gifts as that there shall not be any wanwant of it in the Church upon any occasion whatsoever either to enlighten guide comfort and strengthen it unto its journeys end therefore you have it Isa 27. 2 3. A vineyard of
thy pleasures And for all his Kingdom-glory here below in all the plenty and fatness of it yet upon the account of these tastes which he had had of the far exceeding fatness and richness and sweetness he found in the Pomgranate truths of the house of God he doth protest in the Psal 84. 10. That one day in the Courts of the Lord were better then a thousand and that he had rather be a Door-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of wickedness There was likewise a glorious girdle made for the Priest which was wrought with Purple Blue and Scarlet fine twined Linen this the Priest was to wear about his loins Exod. 39. 5. with Exod. 29. 5. This girdle of the High Priest doth hold forth these things to our consideration the girding up of the loins doth import these things to us 1. It denotes the resolution of the will to action Jer. 1. 17. Thou therefore gird up thy loins and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces least I confound thee before them 2. Sometimes it denotes the strength which God gives to his servants by which means they are enabled to perform that work he imploys them about Psal 18. 39. For thou girdest me with strength unto the battel thou subduest under me those that rose up against me 3. Sometimes it s put down in Scripture to denote the sincerity and faithfulness of the mind in the work a man sets about Eph. 6. 14. Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth Now all these considerations about the girding of the loins do all agree unto and meet together in the Golden girdle of our Gospel High Priest But first let me shew you that Jesus Christ our Gospel High Priest is set forth to you as the Anti type of the legal High Priest with respect to the garments which the High Priest was to wear and amongst which this of the Golden girdle is not omitted in Dan. 10. 5. 6. Then I lifted up mine eyes and looked and behold a certain man clothed in linen whose loins were girded about with a Golden girdle his body also was like the Beryl and his face as the appearance of lightning his eyes as lamps of fire and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished Brass and the voice of his words like unto the voice of a multude So Rev 1. 13. And in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks one like unto the Son of man clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a Golden girdle Now both Daniel and John had their Revelation from Jesus Christ and they both speak of him as the person who with his own hands gave it out to them And that it was he appears by the garb and dress in which they set him forth to you he was clothed in linen saith Daniel and clothed with a garment down to the foot saith Iohn which was as the High Priest did use to wear of which Christ was the Anti-type Now it can be none but Christ can be intended here by these two Prophets and that it was Christ it farther appears by Iohn who gives him the Title of the Son of man which Title was proper to Jesus Christ Besides both Daniel and Iohn tells you that the same person w ch gave out the prophesie to them which was clothed in linen and a garment down to the foot he was girt about the loins with a golden girdle Thus you see that Christ is set forth to you as a High Priest with respect to the garments which the High Priest did wear of which the girdle as you see was a part 2. I am to shew you that all the former considerations about the girding about of the Priests loins did all meet together in the Golden girdle of our Gospel High Priest First of all it denotes the resolution which was in Christ to the work of mans Salvation and Redemption Oh nothing could hinder the Lord Jesus from undertaking the thing although sin Satan the Curse of the Law the wrath of God Grave Death and Hell stood in the way yet he goes through all and makes his way thorow the highest difficulties that he might accomplish the thing he adventures soul and body glory happiness and all that was near and dear to him in order to the effecting it Luke 12. 50. I have a Baptism to be baptized with and oh how am I straitned untill it be accomplished which Baptism was not the Baptism with Water for in that sense he was baptized before Math. 3. 16. But it was the Baptism of his sufferings which he had so much a desire to finish and a resolution to go through Secondly He hath as great a resolution to bring forth sanctifying grace in the Saints by his Spirit as he had to bring forth justifying grace by his Death Zack 3. 4. And he answered and said unto those that stood before him take away the filthy garments from him and unto him he said behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass away from thee and I will cloth thee with change of garments This was spoken by Christ concerning his Church ver 1 2. But mark the resolution of Christ to the procuring of sanctifying garments which is that inward grace and holiness he fills them with which he sees his people stands in need of saith Christ I will do it It must and shall be so I am resolved as I have procured justifying grace for them so they shall be made holy I will give them sanctifying grace nothing shall cross my will in this matter Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. Then will I sprinkle you with clean water and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you a new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Mark the resolution of Christ to the sanctifying of his people he will do it take notice of the many Repetitions of his will there are in this place Thirdly So for the saying of his Church out of danger when begirt about with trouble Christ is resolved upon the business though sometimes the Devil and wicked men may think to make their Market upon the Saints that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against his Church and people saith Christ Psal 12. 5. For the oppression of the poor and for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith Christ and I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Mark how much the will and resolution of Christ lieth in this work of saving and delivering his Church out of the hands of men and Devils Use 5. O then how should this comfort and encourage
the divine graces of the Spirit or else it must be a holiness arising from a Church state and in this sence were the Jews called a holy nation and a peculiar people which arose from their being set apart by God to holy uses and purposes to God himself or if you will take it in St. Pauls terms 1 Cor. 7. 14. A holiness in opposition to uncleanness which uncleanness is elsewhere proved to consist of not being of a professed Church state to God read Isa 52. 1. with Acts 10. 14. For it could not be a holiness with which the whole body of Israel were made holy that consists of the divine qualifications of the Spirit of grace I think but few are of that opinion that the whole body of Israel were in such a sence holy then it must be a holiness arising from a Church State as if he had said If the first fruit be holy that is if Abraham with his Isaac and Ishmael together with the rest of his family who were first with all their succeeding little ones taken into a Church state and so became the first fruits of such a work to God The lump is holy that is then the whole body of that people is holy with reference to a Church state they need not call it in question But if they keep close to God certainly God accounts the issue of Abraham for many generations after as much in a holy state as to a Church state and as much a Church to himself both they and their little ones as ever he accounted it in the first fruits of it meaning in Abrahams time The lump saith Paul is also hâ—ly Then he comes to conclude that if the first fruits were holy which were the parent and the childe And if the lump be holy that is if God to this day have accounted the whole body of the Jews ever since in the same Church state which admitted of the parent and the childe then are the branches holy viz. The Gentile Churches which were ingrafted in upon the same stock then the childe as well as the parent being set on upon this stock as formerly are likewise hily still so that from what hath been spoken doth to me clearly warrant the congregational people the giving of their Children membership amongst them and consequently baptism Let not any mistake me I did not this to revive any part of the old contention or to beget any new quarrel between us and those Christians which dissent from us in this thing but as I conceived things lay so in my way that I must have leapt quite over a clear truth if I had left it and so passed by Object But some may say upon the same account will a national Church be proved to be lawful even the same way that the membership of Infants will come in I answer first I know no absolute necessity lying upon the thing so as that we must not dispute for or practice the one but the other must come in you see in the practice of the Congregational Churches both here and in New England that the connexion is not forcible but that we may give our Children Membership and Baptism amongst us and yet be far enough from building our Churches upon a National bottom But secondly And that which will lead me to the other consideration in the Candlestick which is this The candlestick you know had one stem out of which came six branches The stem of the Candlestick signifies the Jewish Church and the little Candlesticks which came out of that signifies the Gentile Churches under the Gospel the stem of the Candlestick was but one individual shewing that the Church of the Jews was to be national But the branches above in the Candlestick were several in number signifying that the Churches under the Gospel day should be no more national but congregational To this agreeth the two Prophesies of Zechariah and John who writing both about one and the self-same thing viz. about the two Witnesses Zach. 3. 3. with Rev. 11. 3 4. Onely Zachariah sayes That at that time when he writ about the two Witnesses belonging to the Jewish Church he saw but one Candlestick Zach. 3. 2 Because then the Church was national but when John writ of the Witnesses in the Gentile or Gospel Church he saw two Candlesticks or several Candlesticks Rev. 11. 4. Because now the Churches of Christ were no more to be national but congregational or many Churches in one nation There is one thing more to be spoken to about the Candlestick and I have done with it You may observe in reading Exod. 37. 18 19 20 21. This plain difference about the Candlesticks which is that the main Candlestick had four bowls with his knobs and his flowers belonging to it but the lesser Candlesticks which branched themselves forth of the great Candlestick had but three Bowls with their knobs and their flowers Now you must observe as hath been already said that the bowls knobs and flowers added to the Candlestick it was to set sorth the glory of it then where the most of the bowls knobs and flowers were there was the greatest glory but now the most of these things were about the great Candlestick which shews us thus much that although the Jewish Church did at first fall short of the Gentile Churches in glory and brightness yet the time shall come that the glory of the Jewish Church shall far excel all the Gentile Churches in the world Isa 54. 11 12. O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundation with saphires I will make thy windows of agats thy gates of carbuncles and all â—hy borders of pleasant stones This is a Prophephesie which relates to the latter day glory of the Church of the Jews when they shall be brought into Jesus Christ CHAP. 21. I now come to speak of the seven Lamps which with the Candlestick were placed in the Tabernacle THere were likewise seven lamps made of pure gold Ex. 37. 23. which Lamps were to be lighted and always to be kept burning before the Lord Exodus 40. 25. In which there are these things to be considered or it may put us in minde of these things First The vessel it self Secondly the oyl in the Vessel or Lamp Thirdly The light it gave out to the beholders First By the Lamp or Vessel it self it may put us in mind of this great mercy which by Grace Believers hath received at Gods hands and that is a sanctified heart into which God pours forth the holy oyl of his Spirit in the several graces of it by which means the heart is changed purged renewed and made fit for God Now in this sence every Believers heart may be said to be a Lamp therefore saith the Lord in the Prophesie of Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their hearts and write it in their inward parts so Ezek. 36. 26. A
a Candlestick to maintain and hold up the light of his holy truth in the world is by pouring forth upon their hearts the grace of his Spirit that so they might be enabled to suffer for it The Saints suffering for truth doth wonderfully tend to the confirming of truth in the earth and to the making of it acceptable amongst men in this world insomuch that in the first three hundred years after Christ the Churches sufferings for the truth occasioned this proverb That the blood of Martyrs was the seed of the Church Hence it is that the suffering Saints are called Gods witnesses therefore St. Paul tells you that the truth got great ground by his sufferings Phil. 1. 14. Use 1. O then how should this teach the Lords people to bestir themselves in the way of their duty O remember ye are God Candlestick and appointed by God for this purpose to keep up truth in the world O then how should this encourage the Lords people to appear in the defence of that glorious light of truth which God hath put into your hands and not to suffer it to be trodden down with so much ease as it is now in the world I do not mean nor say that the Lords people should betake themselves to any weapon besides faith tears prayers and sound arguments together with a bold standing up in the visible practice of the wayes and truths of God against all that is contrary to this truth These be the weapons that I mean and this is the contending that I plead for and as to this way of contending for the Faith what cause hath God to complain of his people as once he did of Israel of old No man is valiant for the truth O what little contending is there amongst Saints for the faith that was once delivered to them O what silly heartless dove-like spirits are the Lords people surprized withal who can sit and hear the truths of the Gospel rended in pieces before their eyes and in their hearing and not a word spoken for it or in the defence of it but instead thereof they out of a slavish fear do but too much comply with the wicked in it O brethren the precious truths of Sion are more worth then so more worth then not to have one word spoken for them O remember the Church is to contend for the faith and know that God will deeply charge home the neglect of this duty one day close upon your souls O therefore as you would avoid that judgement spoken of in the third of the Revelations ver 16. I beseech you brethren to labour to give up your selves to a holy contending for the faith O earnestly contend for the faith there is great reason so to do for the name of God is upon the Faith the Blood of Christ was shed for this faith the blood of all the Martyrs in all ages in the world hath been shed for this faith O the faith that was once delivered to the Saints is worth the contending for O that God would stir up your hearts to an earnest contending for the faith O set a work a praying spirit and a believing spirit O set on work your parts your pens your purses every way as you are able if the way be warrantable do you contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. Thirdly This Candlestick was made of pure gold this was to teach the Saints what they should and ought to be namely pure gold that is very sincere to God ward void of a heart full of guile and hypocrisie therefore saith our Saviour Mat. 5. 48. â—e ye therefore perfect as your heavenly father is perfect Fourthly This Candlestick was made of beaten gold which was to shew or set forth the glory and the excellency of the Church for as gold exceeds for glory and excellency Iron Lead Tinne or Brass so do the Saints all other men and women in the world Therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 16. 3. The Saints are the excellent of the Earth Though the blind world see no worth or excellency in the Saints in this life yet they shall know as Solomon once said that the Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour Prov. 12. 26. First The righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour for grace Secondly For their attendance for not gilded creatures but glorious Angels are the Saints servants Heb. 1. 14. Thirdly For the Saints food on which they live in respect of which all the dainties in the world or which the world lives upon are but husks and swines meat for the Saints live upon the Bloud and Flesh Word Spirit and promises of Christ John 6. 55. Fourthly The Saints are more excellent then others in point of inheritance for it s not an earthly Dunghil but an inheritance which is pure and undefiled which fadeth not away is the Saints birthright Pet. 1. 1 4. Fisthly The Saints are more excellent then others because they only can prevail upon the heart of God in prayer Prov. 15. 29. Sixthly It s so because its only amongst the Saints God delights to dwel 2 Cor. 6. 16. Psal 132 13 14. Use 1. O then what excellent Conversation should the Saints lead in this world what an engagement should this put upon the Saints to a strict holy walking that they should through grace be made of Gods pure golden Candlestick O therefore soul think with thy self when the Devil would at any time intice thee to sin against God or would draw away thy heart at any time from the Lord O say this to thy temptation O Satan I am one that belongs to Gods pure Candlesticks how should I dare to bespot my self with the least of impurities as Joseph answered his Mistress Gen. 39. 9. So do thou thy temptation How shall I do such a wickedness and sin against God Again As the Candlestick had three Bouls and Knops with their flowers upon it This was for Ornament to adorn the Candlestick that so it might the more appear in its glory and beauty to the beholder all which was to set forth the glory and beauty of the Church of God which by the righteousnesse of Christ and the Divine Graces of his Spirit is made more glorious then the gold of Ophir read Psal 45. 13 14. Isa 54. 11 12. Rev. 12. 1. The Churches glory is only discerned by an eye of believing a carnal understanding knows very little of this saith John 1. 3 1. The world knows us not certainly were not the glory of the Saints a hidden veiled up glory from the world its impossible but the Saints would be better intreated at the worlds hands then they are but however thou farest at the worlds hands let me advise thee to these two things First If the world shew thee and the rest of the Saints no favour yet pity them because they are held so much in a condition of darknesse as the Apostle speaks in 2 Cor. 4. 4. The God of
with their feet they drink up the best water and foul the residue with their feet But truly though men may joyn hand in hand in this thing yet they shall not go unpunished Use 5. What an ingagement should the thoughts of this doctrine of the lamps burning alwayes before the Lord put upon the hearts of all Ministers of the Gospel to look to it that there doctrine be sound and that which will hold weight before the Lord if Ministers doctrine do at any time carry more of their own water in it then Gods Wine certainly God will discover it the Ministers are Gods Lamps appointed for the Tabernacle and they are to burn before the Lord that is they never act but Gods eye is upon what they do and preach in his Worship to observe what comes from them his eye is upon them in the studying of their matter while in the composing of it and his eye is upon them in the Pulpit while they are preaching of it if there be iron and tin mixed with Gods gold and silver surely the pure eyes of Gods glory will try it of what sort it is therefore saith Paul in 1 Cor. 3. 12 13 14 15. If any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stones hay wood or stubble every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed or fire and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is if any mans work abide which he hath built thereon he shall receive a reward but if any mans work shall be burnt he shall receive loss yet he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire O if men were well acquainted with the strict eye that God exerciseth always over his burning lamps the Ministers with respect to their doctrine surely men would be more careful then they are both in their studying and preaching of them and would tremble to bring forth such sad stuff for doctrine as some do amongst us Paul â—ells you of a doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4 1. And sayes that some men which give heed to seducing spirits may be given unto therefore if men would be protected from being delivered up to the doctrine of seducing spirits let men labour faithfully to bring forth the doctrine of God Hence it is that Paul hath it in 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed unto thy self and to the doctrine continue in them for in so doing thou shalt both save thy self and them which hear thee CHAP. 22. I now come to speak of the Snuffers which did belong to the Lamps in the Tabernacle ANd there were Snuffers likewise made of pure gold which belonged to the Tabernacle as well as the Lamps and Candlestick Exod 37. 23. Now the use of that instrument you know it is to correct or to remove out of the way any thing that shall offend the burning of the light that so the light might shine with the more brightness and clearness Now if you observe the thing the snuffers are put together with the lamps Exod. 37. 23. And he made seven lamps and his snuffers with his dishes of pure gold which gives us to understand that the snuffers were appointed for the use of the Lamps which Lamps as I have said signifies the light of truth which through the pourings out of the gifts of the Spirit into the hearts of the gifted men of the Candlestick the Church God intends by them to keep up in all ages of the world Now by the adding the snuffers to the seven Lamps we the better come to understand their property which is as I have said to correct all those superfluities which in cleaving to the lights of the Lamps are apt to hinder its shining This shews us the great care which God doth and will take to the keeping up of the purity of truth in its glory and lustre in the Church do what men and devils will to the contrary it shews us likewise the great provision which God hath prepared to his peoples hands for the removing out of the way any thing that might tend to the darkening or hindering the light from burning in his Churches and that is it which we are to understand by the Snuffers which were added to the Lamps Now here two things are to be noted First What it is which hinders the light of truth from shining in the Churches of Christ Seeondly What that provision is which as the Snuffers is given forth by God on purpose to correct it and remove it out of the way For the first what it is which offends the light of truth in the Churches of Jesus Christ First It s all that corrupt doctrine and unsound opinions which false teachers labour to usher into the Church of God and of Christ by the cunning craftiness of men which handle the word of God deceitfully of such the Apostle speaks of in his time who laboured to bring in damnable errours into the Church of God Jude 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained unto condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God into wantonness and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ Hence it is that Paul gives such a charge to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20. 28 29 30. Take â—eâ—d brethren unto your selves and unto the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you over seers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud for I know that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in amongst you not staring the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them so likewise do the Apostle shew us that it will be the portion of the latter ages of the world to be pestered in the Churches of Christ by men of very base and corrupt principles to the eclipsing and darkning of the Lamp lights of truth in the midst of them these are S. Paul words unto Timothy 2 Tim 3. 1. with ver 8. This know that in the last days perilous times shall come for there shall arise men such as Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses so shall these resist the truth Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith so Rev. 9. 1 2 3 4. And the fifth Angel sounded and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit and he opened the bottomless pit and there arose as make out of the bottomless pit like the smoke of a furnace and the Sun and the Air was darkned by reason of the smoke of the pit By the Sun and the Air here spoken of I understand the Lamp light of truth which did once burn in the Romish Church before its falling away for it is the condition of the Church of Rome which the holy spirit intends in this Chapter who intimates to you that as smoke darkens the Air as that
the Garments of Christs Righteousness But it s a glory veiled up from the eyes of the most of men there is a covering of Rams skins drawn over it which keeps the sight of this glory from men there is nothing but an eye of Faith can discern this therefore is the glory of the Church said to be a hidden glory from the world men as men see little into it or know little of it Psalm 45. 13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within all her cloathing is of wrought Gold But however though in the account of men the Church of Christ seems to be poor and mean and worthless yet because of the Righteousness of Christ with which she is cloathed she is very beautiful and glorious and lovely in Gods eyes Cant. 1. 9 10. I have compared thee Oh my love to a company of Horses in Pharoahs Chariots thy cheeks are comely with rows of Ienels thy neck with chains of Gold So ver 15. Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair thou hast doves eyes So Isa 43 34. For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Sheba for thee since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life And hence it is the Saints are Gods Jewels Mal. 3. 17. by all which you may perceive what great respects God hath for the Church because of that glorious Tabernacle covering of the Righteonsness of Christ which is put upon them Use 1. O then how should the thoughts of this wonderfully raise and comfort the hearts of the people of God especially in two seasons First in doubting seasons when a poor Soul lieth burthened under the sence of his personal vileness and pollutedness before God which oftentimes weakens the souls confidence in God and keeps the soul at a distance with God who thinks that as he seems in his own eyes so he doth in the eyes of God Oh soul remember the Tabernacle covering that glorious wrought piece which had the Cherubims wrought in it which Cherubims were the Emblems and Signs of mercy in which covering God looks upon all Believers not as they are in themselves but as they are and do appear before him in the righteousness of his Son which covering hides all thy filth and iniquity and infirmities Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered So that you see there is that which doth cover transgression and hide iniquity that it cannot appear before God to condemn the soul Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to a soul in Christ Iesus The Robe of Christs Righteousness is such a covering for and to the Church as that it doth not only hide sin pollution and a thousand times ten thousand infirmities but also it presents the soul to God in its own dress and so draws forth the love of God and the delight of God to the creature as if the creature had never sinned Ephes 5. 26. 27. Husbands love your wives as Christ hath loved the Church and given himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water and the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Therefore the Spouse in Cant. doth notably distinguish her condition in this case as she saw her self in her self and as by faith she saw her self in the Righteousness of Christ First as she saw her self in her self so she crys out she was black as the tents of Kedar which tents were made of black hair-cloth so black and worse was she in her own eyes by reason of sin and corruption which dwelt within her Cant 1. 5. Secondly but as she looked upon her self in Christ covered over with his Righteousness so she cryeth out she was as comely as the curtains of Solomon there she knew she was without spot or wrinkle in Gods sight and in the worst of times could go with boldness to the Throne of grace to ask grace and mercy to help in time of need as the Apostle speaks in Heb. 4. 16. here it was in his covering that Paul desired to be found in above any place or state in the world for justification Phil. 3. 9. To be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Laâ— but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Oh soul study this Tabernacle covering more and more and labour by faith to see thy self in it then thy the doubts and fears will begin to leave thee but not before Secondly this will administer great comfort to the soul in times of Persecution when the Church shall be buffeted and slandered and slighted and scorned and cast out as evil and accounted the dung of the times then may the people of God comfort themselves in this truth though men slight them yet God doth not though they see no beauty in us yet God doth and he saith in all the reproaches we meet with we are honourable and precious in his sight Isa 45 3 4. What if Councils and Parliaments Kings and Princes and Nations shall vomit us up out of the midst of them yet the Lord hath other thoughts of his people and so long it s well enough the world thinks we are not worthy to live with their dogs but God accounts one of his Saints worth a whole Nation of the wicked ones Use 2. Oh then how should this truth press upon men and women to get into this Tabernacle covering Oh Sirs whatever thoughts you may have of your selves it may be you are rich and honourable in this life you may have great names amongst your Neighbours for your Wealth Parts Wisdom or Valour but let me tell you if you be not within this Tabernacle covering of the Lord Jesus his Righteousness God accounts you more worthless then the dung of the streets Prov. 10. 20. The heart of a wicked man is little worth They are the scorn of Heaven Psal 2. 4. They are the burthen of the Earth Rom. 8. 22. and to say no more they are the delight and joy of hell This is thy condition soul while thou art out of Christ thou hast no Tabernacle covering about thee to present thee faultless to God but art under the Law and Curse a poor naked wretched soul Oh therefore my advice to thee is to endeavour to get into this Righteousness O flie to Christ give him no rest untill he hath put this glory upon thy soul that so thou mightst not be found naked when the great and notable day of the Lord shall come I come now to speak unto the outward coverings which covered or comprehended all the rest of coverings or things in the Tabernacle and this covering
men might hear him touching what he had received from the Father for them if they would come to him for it 2. Reason why Christ cannot withheld any supply of grace from the Lords people is because of these relations he stands in to the Saints 1. He is their friend Iohn 15. 15. Now a friend is so far from withholding what is due that he will rather add something of his own to what was given 2. He is their Husband Jâ—r 3. 14. Now is it usual for the Husband not to seek the good of his Wife 3. He is their head and they his body Eph. 5. 23. Can the head withhold any thing from any one of the members of the body doth he not give down his supplies to every part of the body freely truly no more can Christ withhold any supply of grace and mercy from his members which as their head he hath received for them Secondly How should this Qualification of faithfulness in Christ secure our hope and comfort against falling away totally from grace Oh how many poor souls are there in the world which are under tremblings about this thing Oh but I fear I may be cast totally out of the grace and favour of God Oh soul look up to Christ under this doubt if there be any Interest in heaven to be made against thy falling away from a state of grace thou maist be sure not to want it Soul remember will a poor mortal man when his Wife stands upon the trial of her life strive and tug and labour by Purse and Petition to make an Interest for his Wife both wâ—th Judge and Jury to save her life and dost thou think that Christ will fall short in this to thee who hast given up thy self to him as his Wife behold his interceding and advocating work in heaven for thee at this hour on purpose to preserve thee from this evil thou so much fearest and doth not the Apostle tell thee that he is heard in all he prayed for read these two places of Scripture Zach. 3. 1 2 3 4. 5. with Heb. 5. 7. And doth not our Saviour say that he is alwayes heard in heaven John 11. 42. Therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 13. 5 6. So that we may boldly say that the Lord is our helper and I will not fear what man can do unto me for he hath said I will never leave thee nor for sake thee Fear it not it can never be if ever he took thee into Covenant all the Devils in hell can never out thee more for he takes none into Covenant but such whom he loves and those whom he begins to love he loves to the end John 13. 1. And it s with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. It s true a Christian may lose the sense and sight of the love of God many days if not years But he can never lose the being of the love of Christ to his soul and as much as some talk of falling away from grace thou needst not trouble thy self much about that point but leave it to others that can better judge of the thing then thou canst besides if the notion were rightly understood by weak Christians viz. about falling from grace I think there would not be so many vain Disputations Doubts and Fears amongst them about it as there is Grace in Scripture is taken four manner of ways First For the state of grace into which a soul is placed through his believing in Christ by an indissolvable Covenant which is never to be violated or broken or altered more Psal 89. 34. This is the thing the Apostle is speaking of Rom. 3. 24. When he saith We are justified by his grace that is Believers are put into a justified state by the blood of Jesus Christ which we call a state of grace Rom. 5. 2. Secondly There is the means of grace that is all that provision which God hath provided in his word for the calling home of poor lost creatures to himself of this the Apostle speaks likewise 2 Cor. 6 1. Thirdly There are the habits of grace which are those divine dispositions or qualities of sanctifying grace placed in the heart at the time of our Conversion of which Iames speaks Iam. 4. 6 Fourthly There is the exercise or actings of this habitual grace which St. Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 3. Lastly now if by falling from grace men do intend by it grace in the second sense viz. from the means of grace so I say too and am so far an Arminian for our Saviour was of this Judgement Math. 13. 19 20 21 22. with Luke 14. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Of this judgment was St. Paul 2 Cor. 6. 1. with Heb. 2. 3. That men and women may enjoy the means of grace in common with others and yet have no benefit by it Again they may go farther with that in Heb. 6. 4 5 6. To have great enlightnings and great tasts of it and by the powerful convictions of it made with Herod to do many good things but our Saviour tells you that they were such as were never truly rooted hence it is that the word was never truly rooted in their hearts Math. 13. 21. Now to be truly rooted is elsewhere expounded a rooting in Christ by Election Math. 24. 24. Luke 18. 7. Rom. 9. 11. Rom. 11. 5. Peter 1. 1 2. Again There are the actings or there is the exercise of grace now in this sense a Child of God may fall from grace that is he may go downd the win for a time he may abate in the degree of his love to and zele for and faith in Jesus Christ Thus it was with David and St. Peter and the Spouse Cant. 5. 2 3. And with Ephesus Rev 2 4. 5. Again Take grace in the habits of it now in this sense an Elected called soul can never fall from grace that is he can never lose the roots of his grace more they may be buried up with corruption as the fire is with its ashes sometimes but it can never be extinguisht or put out in the soul more but it will now and then appear as roots may lie many moneths in the Earth unseen in a Winter season but when the heat of the Sun draws near the Earth they will Spring again so though grace in the heart may have its Winter season and so lie hid under the clods of corruption for a time when Christ the Sun of Righteousness shall draw near the heart with his heating beams grace will then spring again Cant. 1. 12. When the King sitteth at his Table my spicknard sendeth forth the smell thereof I will give you one reason why grace in the heart can never be wholly extinguished because its a branch of the Covenant of grace which God hath made with the Elect in Christ Ier. 31. 33. But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my
then can be numbred so Jer. 29 11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end so that you may perceive how the Scripture doth make the High Priests carrying the names of the Children of Israel upon his brest-plate and Christ our great High Priest carrying the whole of the conditions of his Church upon his heart now in heaven to agree and simbolize Use 1. Then comfort thy self O poor dejected soul remember what ever thy condition be in this life it hangs upon the heart of Christ in heaven what is it soul that troubles thee is it spiritual troubles is it the weight of thy sins look up this hangs upon the heart of Christ in heaven art thou violently tempted to blaspheme God and Christ or to make away with thy own life look up to Christ thy High Priest he bears this upon his heart in heaven art tempted to deny the faith and quit thy profession this is upon Christs heart too doth lust and corrupion press thee low and oftentimes carry thee away from God look up this is upon the heart of Christ too art thou complaining for the want of the comfortable shinings forth of the presence of God dost thou with David feel the want of the spirit of God the strength of it the light of it the life and comfort of it Psal 51. 10 11 12. Look up this condition likewise is upon the heart of Christ Doth duty seem burthensome and Ordinances seem dry and barren and sapless to thee O look up this is upon Christs heart too Is thy condition a condition of outward trouble or distress all hangs on Christs heart art thou weark and sickly much under pain this hangs on the heart of Christ likewise Is thy family smitten is thy Husband or Wife or Children or Parents or Servants smitten under the hand of God this hangs on the heart of Christ art thou afflicted under the loss of Relations art thou Wifeless Childless Friendless is thy Husband taken from thee by Death or Banishment and thou left with five or six small Children to the wide world and hardly bread to put into their mouths all these conditions Christ bears upon his heart art thou a Prisoner or banished from thy All dear Wife Husband Children Estate and all for thy Conscience sake Assure thy self all this lives upon the heart of Christ now in glory that he might be deeply affected with these conditions which this world affords his people O read that blessed place in Heb. 2. 17. Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour those that are temâ—â—ed This leads me to a second thing about the brest-place upon the High Priests heart which was this The Priest was to carry the names of the Children of Israel written upon the brest-plate before the Lord which shews us that Christ doth not as he is our High Priest only carry the sense of Believers conditions upon his heart but it seems it is to good purpose for he carrieth them in before the Lord Exod. 28. 29. And Aaron shall bear the names of the Children of Israel in the brest-plate of judgment upon his heart when he goeth into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually But some may ask me what comfort will that afford a Believer that Christ was to carry their conditions before the Lord Answer O there is much in this Mystery and that in point of prevalency with God who is the great Lord of all the blessings that Believers do enjoy for there is not any special favour which comes from Christ to a Believer but Christ first draws it forth from the Father Iames 1. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights Now all this in the Type is to assure the Believer that without doubt if he hath hung up his condition upon the heart of Christ it must go well with it in heaven for God the Father is merciful enough in himself for he is called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort and consolation and one in whom the fatherless findeth mercy so that there is an aptness and readiness in God himself upon the knowledge of his peoples conditions to give out relief and supply to them O but when the wants necessities miseries and afflctions trials and temptationss shall be brought in before God by a High Priest one who was constituted and appointed by the Father for this very end this must needs be effectual otherwise God will render his work in the High Priest of no effect but God never made or set up any thing in vain but the sitting of the High Priest was Gods own act and ancient contrivance Exod. 28. 1. And the Priest was appointed on purpose by the Lord for this piece of work amongst the rest to produce the several conditions of his people before him in order to a supply surely this must amount to something on which Believers may depend for comfort but besides if we do but mind what the High Priest was to do when he was to carry the several conditions of the people before the Lord it will still add to our comfort and that was this he was in the same place to pour out strong cries to God that he would both look upon and take into deep consideration the Estates of the people now brought into his presence and that by a High Priest a man in office chosen by himself for the purpose to bear the names of the whole Israel of God before the Lord in order to supply Surely this must prevail in heaven for if the Lord was so ready to be moved with compassion at the cries of an Ishmael Gen. 21. 17. Surely much more will God hear the cries of a High Priest who hath the anointings upon him to make him every way prevailing upon the heart of God Exod. 29. 7. Surely methinks this should very much encourage Believers to wait upon God in dark times for supplies besides when this High Priest shall be the Son of God yea his only Son brought up with him from eternity Prov. 8 23. And when the Father shall see that Jesus Christ his Son brings in the wants distresses temptations afflictions of his people upon his heart giving assurance thereby that he hath made their conditions all of them his own for they live upon and in the heart of Jesus Christ as that their wants are his wants their pains are his pains and temptations his temptations for he sympathyzeth with them in all respects Isa 63 9. In all their afflictions he is afflicted And when he shall add to it his strong cries and tears poured forth
all pains of body or decrepidness of limbs Isa 35. 5 6. Revel 21. 4. Revel 22. 3. Lastly And that which will crown all will be this they shall be under the constant shinings of Gods face of glorious love and mercy which will never admit of any withdrawings more Rev. 22. 4 5. Object But some may say doth not our Saviour say That my kingdom is not of this world 1 John 18. 36. and that the kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation Luke 17. 20. and that the kingdom of God is within you ver 21. How is it which you say the kingdom of Christ shall be on earth in this world To which I answer That there is a three-fold kingdom which is attributed to Jesus Christ 1. A kingdom of providence or his providential kingdom 2. And a kingdom of grace 3. A kingdom of glory here on earth As for his providential kingdom of that I shall say but little But there is his kingdom of grace in the heart This Kingdom cometh not with observation indeed and this is not of this world for nothing in the world can procure or effect it in the heart of any creature The strongest Caesar or wisest Philosopher or richest Nabal in the world should they put all their strength and parts and riches together can do nothing in this case without the mighty power of God This kingdom of grace is within in the heart indeed and it affords no signs or fore-running tokens of it in the least but as the winde bloweth where it listeth so is the spirits coming upon a soul at the time of its conversion you hear the sound of it but know not from whence it is so saith our Saviour John 3. 7 8. But thiâ—dly There is his glorious Kingdom or Kingdom of Glory and that is what is of this world and that which cometh with signs and tokens of observation that Christ is to have a Kingdom in this world a Kingdom of external glory hath been the business which we have proved already but for better satisfaction take this Scripture Revel 11. 15. And there were voices in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lords and of his Christs And that the coming of this kingdom is with observation that is it s attended with its fore-running signes and tokens there is nothing more clear read Mat. 24. from the 1. ver to the 30. You shall meet with little else but matter of observation touching the coming of this kingdome into the world ver 30. So that Christ saying My kingdom is not in this world and my kingdom cometh not with observation and my kingdom is within you doth not in the least fight against this truth if we consider the various administrations of the Kingdom I grant all this to be properly applied to the kingdom of his Grace but not to the Kingdom of his Glory which he shall have here as he is the Son of man Further Now the Jews Canaan was an inheritance which God gave the people freely Deut. 19. 1. So is it in this case to have a right to this Kingdom or Gospel Canaan of rest and peace it is the free gift of God without any desert on our part at all take the kingdom as it is of grace here in the heart or of glory in the Nations or of ultimate glory above to have a portion in it it s of free gift therefore saith Christ Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome Likewise Canaan it was an inheritance which was divided to the children of Israel proportionably to every one by lot Numb 26 54 55 56. So is it in this case of the Gospel Canaan every true Israelite shall have his portion of grace and glory in this kingdom none shall say then that his field shall yield no meat or that his flock be cut off the fold no no but rather with David to cry out Psalm 16. 5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot the lines are fallen in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly heritage Again The Jews were to march in an armed state to their Canaan of old so should all the Saints get on about them their spiritual armour as the Apostle speaks in Ephes 6. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Wherefore take on thr whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and when you have done all to stand stand therefore having your loins girt about with â—ruth and having on the brest plate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace above all things take on the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be abâ—e to quench the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God praying alwayes with supplâ—cation in the spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints Without this armour on about you never think to march safe to this good Land take it either for the kingdom of glory here on earth or the kingdom of glory above with the Father Your enemies are worse then those which stood in Israels way to their Canaan saith Paul Eph. 6. 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but agaâ—nst principalities and powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spirital wickedness got into high places Likewise the Jews were to fight for the good Land they were not onely to put on their armour but they were to use it Deut. 7. 19 20 21 22 23 24 So must Christians not onely put on their spiritual armour but they must use it against the Devil sin and temptation Armour signifies but little if a man make no use of it therefore saith Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 6. 12. Fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art called Lastly They were to fight under their captain Joshua So this sheweth Christians under whose banner they should fight and who they should engage with them in the quarrel their spiritual Joshua in whose strength alone they are more then conquerors Rom. 8. 37. Nay in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us Saints your enemies are great and politick and truly they contend with you for things of a very great concernment it s for your souls things of more worth then the world and in your selves you are poor weak things but Christ is the power of God yea the Lion of the Tribe of Judah be sure if you intend to overcome and prevail get under the shadow of Christs wing set Christ before you make him the captain and he will fight your battle for you and make the necks of your stout enemies to lie under your feet CHAP. 37. Of their Cities of Refuge THese Cities were six in number
Reconciliation and Pacification then by Christ dost thou not read that the Father is only well-pleased in Christ because he is his beloved Son Math. 3. 17. Dost thou not read that he is the way the truth and the life to the Father as that there is no coming to the Father but by him Iohn 14 6. And that there is no other Name given amongst men whereby we can be saved Act. 4. 12. And that if we believe not in him we shall die in our sins Ioh. 8. 24. And the wrath of God shall abide upon us Iohn 3. ult Obj. But methinks I hear thee reply Oh but thou art afraid to come to Christ I pray thee tell me where the stick lieth what it is which hinders and keeps thee back from the greatest of mercies what is it Is it the greatness of thy sins Oh then come to Jesus Christ for he is a merciful High Priest filled brimful of bowels and tender compassion for such an one as thou art which have gone out of the way of God mark the phrase Heb. 5. 2. Who can have compassion on them that are out of the way Oh the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me saith Christ and the Lord hath anointed me to preach liberty to the captive and to open the Prison doors to them that are bound Isa 61. 1. Soul art not thou one of these captives art not thou a captive to sin a slave to Sathan a prisoner to thy own lustful wicked heart as that if the Devil and Lust bid thee to drink untill thou art dead drunk in the place thou must do it if it bid the commit Adultery Lie swear Blaspheme the worthy name of God if it bid thee Rob Kill thou must do it if it bid thee fight against the Gospel of thy Salvation speak evil of good Ministers for their faithful dealing with thy soul if it bid thee abuse and persecute the Lords people meerly for waiting upon him in his Ordinances if it bid thee seek and hunt out their Meetings untill thou hast tired thy self with thy wicked journey all this and more thou must do thou canst not help it thou art not thy own but Satans and Sins slave Now for thee was Christ anointed and with infinite bowels of grace and tender compassion filled that he might set thee at liberty from thy sin and lust and that he might preach the acceptable year of the Lord to thy soul O therefore come in come into Christ do not so much look upon what thou hast been in thy self as upon what Christ is anointed to be and to do for thee as a High Priest if thou wilt come in to him look not so much upon thy sins as upon the infinite compassions of Christ as a High Priest which was so made for them that go out of the way yea and for the ignorant likewise that should not discourage thee neither for if thou comest to Christ as a High Priest he will teach thee the fear of the Lord the knowledge of himself and the exceeding evil of sin which thou didst not know before Isa 29. 24. They also that erred in Spirit shall come to understanding and they that muâ—mured shall learn Doctrine Oh soul throw thy self upon him he will not reject thee for thy sins but pardon thee of them and pity thee under them Oh remember he is the High Priest which is full of compassion look up to him and hasten thy soul thither to the gate of his tender mercy and thou shalt find acceptance with him take his own word for it live upon it as surer then Bill or Bond from the tenderest faithfullest man in the world for it came from the lips of one who never spake an untruth in his life John 6. 37. He that comeâ—h unto me I will in no wise cast out Secondly As for those who have made their choice of Christ but still doubts of their condition Oh soul didst thou know how much comfort and satisfaction thou maist draw out of the Priestly office of Christ thou wouldst never doubt more I do confess that Satan labours to fill the minds of the people of God with great fears and doubtings but would they view this Qualification of compassion in their High Priest it would abundantly fortifie them against all Objections whatsoever Satan could make against them there be these five things which do ordinarily cause doubtings in the hearts of the Lords people First The guilt of sin Secondly The strength of corruption Thirdly The violence of Temptation Fourthly The weakness of Grace Fifthly Their backwardness in duty First If it be the guilt of sin which cometh in upon thee under all this look up to Christ let it not drive thee from but to Christ for he full of bowels and tender compassion on purpose to deal with thee under this distemper take his own words for it Art thou laden with thy sin as that thou canst not hold up thy head saith Christ then come to me and I will freely pardon it for my name sake though your sin be as red as Crimson and as Scarlet yet I will make them as white as snow and as wooll Isa 1. 18. Is it the power of sin troubles thee Oh then look up to Christ thy High Priest who is full of compassion filled up with it to out-vie thy corruption the Father was resolved to bring his elected ones to glory through the Priesthood of Christ therefore filled Christ with infinite affection towards his people that so he might pitty them and have compassion on them in all their distempers the people were in an ill case in the wilderness for want of greater measures of this in Moses who had undertaken the conduct of them Numb 11. 11 12 13 14 15. Moses crys out I am not able to bear all this people alone because it is too heavy for me Oh but it s otherwise with Christ for the Father was resolved to fill Christ with so much compassion as that he should never complain of his burthen in having to do with such corrupted ones as thou art Heb. 2. 17 18. For he was made a merciful High Priest in things pertaining to God that he might be able to succour those that are tempted mark that to succour the tempted or burthened not to reject them under it Oh then come to Christ bring thy corruption with thee lie down with it at the feet of Christ and he will unlade thy burthen for thee Math. 11. 28 29. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Oh burthened soul here is thy call what canst expect more at Christs hands then to be bid under this weight of corruption to come away to him But it may be thou wilt say but I am afraid should I come my corruption would stir up fury in my Lord Soul Christ gives answer to it what wilt thou have more and bids thee put him upon the trial for saith
Christ I am meek and towly in heart therefore come unto me Math. 11. 29. And also tells thee that fury is not in him Isa 27. 4. He means towards such as are burthened with corruption there is no fury in him against such but rather wounderful love and tender pity and compassion yea so much that Christ could and will bear the burthen himself rather then it should sink his poor people therefore if there be no other help or remedy to be had against the burthen of corruption we are by Christs word exhorted to cast the burthen upon his shoulders Psal 55. 23. Cast thy burthen upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved Is it the violence of temptation makes thee to doubt come to Christ look up to him he is merciful and full of compassion it s not thy temptations shall alienate Christs heart from thee but rather work his heart to compassionate thy condition Christ is so merciful as to distinguish between thy temptation and thy allowing of it and delighting in it as a tender-hearted Husband would do in the like case about his wife suppose a woman should be violently set upon by some wicked person and he should be too strong for her and get her under him and should abuse her body her Husband coming in the mean time and finds her in the act yet when he beholds her strugling and striving with the man to get from him and when he sees the tears which dropt from her eyes about it do you think that this Husband will put her away from him no no but rather embrace her in his arms with all tenderness and affection imaginable Take one comfortable instance for this in our Saviours carriage of old in the like case and assure thy self what he was in his carriage then he is the same ever since and ever will be to his people under their temptations For he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. The instance you have in Zach. 3. 1 2. Where you have Joshua the High Priest who personates the whole Church of Christ violently set upon by the tempter who was said to resist Joshua that is tempted him and strugled and strived with Joshua to have his pleasure of him to make him sin and transgress against Christ but did Christ reject Joshua for this and cast him off no sure but it rather wrought forth his heart towards him with the greatest pity and tenderness the bowels of Christ wrought toward Joshua all the while of the temptation and pray observe where and upon whom did our Saviour charge the guilt of the temptation was it not upon Satan the tempter or Joshua the tempted not a word spoken against Joshua but all the blows fell upon Satan ver 2. And the Lord said unto Satan the Lord rebuke thee Satan even the Lord which hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire But it may be you will say when Christ stood up so much for Ioshua it was at a time when Christ had nothing to accuse him withall he had kept his garments pure and unspotted but this is not my case I have my filth publickly upon me my temptations have made me very black and uncomely in his presence I answer its true Christ did not accuse him wiâ—h any thing that was the effect of his compassion as a High Priest but that he had nothing to accuse Ioshua withall you may read the contrary Verse 2 3. For first our Saviour was forced to confess that his temptations had made him as black as a brand pluckt out of the fire and you know when a brand is newly pluckt out of the fire it s then a sad thing to look upon it s then full of smoak and filth apt to stain any thing it toucheth Secondly he had then at the same time very filthy garments upon him a great deal of pollution enough to render him as bad in Christs sight as bad may be yet all this was buried up in the bowels of his Priesthood and then why shouldst thou not expect the same grace upon coming for it for all this was to shew the carriage of Christ to his Church for Ioshua was but a Figure of the Church then as it was newly come out of Babylon which came up to Ierusalem with abundance of pollution cleaving to her yet Christ undertakes with the Father that in time he will present it a more glorious Church For he wâ—uld cause her iniquity to pass from her and give change of garment to her and he would put a fair Mâ—ter on her head ver 5. Again is it the weakness of thy grace makes thee to doubt Oh look up to thy High Priest Jesus there is infinite compassion for thee under all this Was Davâ—ds Faith weak which sometime made him to cry out Psal 73. 26. My flesh and my heart fails me and at another time I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul and again when it drove him to feign himself mad to escape the danger which he feared might come upon him amongst the Philistians yet Christ had bowels for these weaknesses and this David could set to his seal that nothing of this nature had made a separation between him and Christ for Christ continued the same in bowels toward him as aforetime Ps 103. 2 3 4. Bless the Lord oh my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies who satisfieth thy soul with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles Was St. Peters grace of faith weak when he began to sink down in the water and had it not a compassionating hand held out to succour and help it Math 14 29 30 31. Was it weak when he denied his Master but was his Masters bowels so close shut up against him for it as to renounce him Oh the care that our Saviour takes to remove out of the way all the discouragements which Satan might throw in St. Peters way to the making any farther use of Christ as High Priest First before ever he came amongst his Disciples when after his Resurrection he sent them word of his rising he sends not the least hint to Saint Peter of his Apostasie or as if ever such a thing had been Iohn 20. 17. Again when he appeared in person amongst the Disciples what care did our Saviour take to prevent Saint Peters fears not one ill word could St. Peter hear from him or ill look could St. Peter discern in him but all his weaknesses forgotten because all forgiven infinite compassion at work for a weak Peter I have prayed that thy faith fail not Luke 22. 32. No no Christ cannot part with his people upon slight terms it s not weakness in grace will out a soul of Christs
Law in their inward parts and write it upon their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Now by that Law in the heart what can it be but the conveying of the sanctifying grace of the Covenant into the Souls of the Lords people at the hour and time of their Conversion Lastly There is grace in the state or that which we call a state of grace which is a souls being planted into Jesus Christ by faith from this men and women can never possibly fall away And for these three grounds First Because those that have been really planted into Jesus Christ they all receive from him eternal life and Christ saith that those which have received from him eternal life they shall never perish Iohn 10. 28. Now if some will assert such shall perish or may perish and Christ saith they shall not soul I leave thee to believe which of these two thou pleasest Secondly It cannot be they can fall from grace because they have Christs hand to defend them now Christ is God as well as man and all power in Heaven and Earth is given into his hand Math. 28. 18 Iohn 10 28. Thirdly It cannot be so because they are in the Fathers hand Iohn 10 29. They are in the Fathers hand by Electon and in the Sons by Redemption and Intercession and none can pluck them out of these infinite Divine hands how is it then that such a Doctrine can be true which says that true believers may fall from grace totally and finally But lastly this Qualification of faithfulness in Christ may afford a great deal of comfort in afflicting and persecuting seasons let the soul meet with never so great distress he may be sure to comfort himself in the faithfulness of Christ though friends may leave him and an estate may leave him saith Christ Isa 43 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee This the Prophet David could experience to be true at sundry times who saith that Christ had been with him in six yea in seven troubles who doth instance in some of his troubles how he had found Christ with him in these troubles one was this when his Father and Mother left hm then the Lord took him up Psal 27. 10. Another was this when his friends and acquaintance had withdrawn from him and did look strange upon him the Lord stood by him Psal 31. 11. So St. Paul could say likewise when all men forsook him yet the Lord stood by him 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. And therefore would comfort the distressed Corinthians 1 Cor. 10 13. That though no temptation had hapned to them but what was common to Saints yet Christ was faithful who would not suffer them to be tempted above what they were able to bear and would with the temptation make away for their escape Now St. Paul could speak this by experience for he had found it so Oh therefore live upon the faithfulness of Christ in a Gaol in a Dungeon any where for he hath said he will never leave thee nor forsake thee if thou art sick he will make thy bed in thy sickness Psal 41. 3. If thou art poor he will stick closer to thee then a Brother Prov. 18 24. If thou art tempted it shall be in his arms Heb. 2. 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour those which are tempted In a word he is so faithful as to bear a part with thee in all thy afflictions let them be what they will Isa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he is afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them Oh therefore make him thy High Priest live upon him for thee and thine in all conditions whatsoever intrust him with thy soul with thy body with thy relations with thy estate with thy all for he is the faithful and true witness Rev. 3. 14. CHAP 30. The Consecrated Garments of the High Priest in which he was to Minister for the people THe High Preists garments were twofold there was what was proper to his body from the neck downward to the feet and secondly there was what was proper to the head of the High Priest from the neck upwards Now in the garments which were proper to the body of the High Priest from the neck downward there were these things considerable First The long Robe it self which covered the whole body of the High Priest from the neck down to the feet we find it to be a very glorious thing as it will appear if we consider the matter of which it was made which was of Gold blue Purple and Scarlet and fine Linen Exod 27 4 5. This shews us or sets forth to us the glorious Robe of Christs Righteousness in which Believers only stand justified before God The body of the High Priest when clothed with his Priestly garments held out two things to an eye of faith First The head with its Crown and Miter upon it that held out Christ as the head of his Church therefore that had the Miter and the Crown upon it Secondly The whole body of the Priest below the head that signified the whole Church of Christ over whom Christ is head Now as the body of the Priest was wholly covered over in all the parts of it with this glorious long Robe so it shews us how the whole body of the Elect stand covered over with Christs Righteousness before God in which alone they are in person and performance presented complete before God Therefore when the Apostle is speaking of the Elects meeting in Christ and covered over with this glorious Robe of Righteousness saith in Col. 2. 10. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all Principalities and Powers That is when Believers have by faith put on the Righteousness of Christ about them as the High Priest did put on his garments then are they complete in Gods sight and not till then Hence it is when the Apostle speaks of the work of making Christ ours he delivered himself in such phrases as hold analogy with the High Priests putting on his long Robe that you may know the one was a Type of the other As in Rom. 13. 14. But ye put on the Lord Jesus Christ so Eph. 4. 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness so Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law That is to put him on as a Robe or to be found in him or his righteousness wholly covered over with it by faith as with a garment Thus you see how the Scriptures make the High Priests garments and the Righteousness of Jesus Christ to agree and harmonize together Use 1. Then this shews us the usefulness of the