home and be converted but also that we be preserved unto his heavenly Kingdom Joh. 17.15 He prays that we should be kept from the evil Hence sometimes Believers are kept from being tempted But if they be tempted they are either kept from falling by temptations or if they fall from lying in their falls 4. Suppose you meet with troubles oppositions and persecutions from the world Let the world speak evil of us yet Christ speaks well of us or rather for us to his Father and then what need we fear See Isai 51.7 8. 5. Thy Prayers are full of weaknesses and imperfections but the Prayers of Jesus Christ have no weakness and imperfection going along with them Quest But how may I know that Christ prays for me Answ Thou maist know it by two things 1. If thou hast a heart to pray for thy self thy Prayers are the eccho of his Intercession if Christ hath taught thee to pray for thy self Christ intercedes and prays in Heaven for thee Rom. 8.27 2. Hath the Lord taught thee to prize the Prayer and Intercession of Jesus Christ for thee if so it is a sign he is interceding for thee Heb. 7.25 Vse 2. This also makes against the Papists who plead for Mediators of Intercession though not of Satisfaction beside Christ This cannot be for his Intercession is founded in his Satisfaction the Scripture makes him the only Mediator of Intercession Rev. 8.3 It is true the Saints do pray or intercede for one another but yet they are not Mediators because it is not their own Incense nor their own Blood but it is his Incense it is his Blood that makes their Prayers effectual They do not pray in their own name but in his but he prays in his own name by the merit of his own Blood THE GOSPEL of the ARK and its Appertainances in the HOLY of HOLIES Jan. 3. 1668. Hebr. 9.4 5. THe Ark with its appertainances was another of the holy vessels belonging to the Holy of holies and it was the chief of all their holy things as appears in sundry respects as for instance 1. It had many glorious appertainances that related to it many other vessels belonging to this as the Cherubims c. 2. The place of it was the Holy of holies 3. Solomon though he made all other things new in the Temple yet he did not make a new Ark but only introduced the same which Moses had made with great solemnity into the Oracle the place which he had prepared for it 2 Chron. 5.7 Whatever changes and varieties there may be in other things whereby God dispenseth himself unto and amongst mankind other utensils may be made new there may be new Ordinances new Administrations but there is no new Christ Never look for any new or further Administration in this respect as there is no new God so there is no new Christ but Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. It is a blind and blasphemous delusion to speak of Christ as an Administration that is to pass away when the Saints have passed under it for a while 4. In that the Providences about it were very great and glorious and full of teaching and instruction The Ark of God led them through the Wilderness We are to follow the Guidance of Christ through the world It was carried with Bars so is Christ upon the Ministry of the Gospel from one place to another As the Levites did carry the Ark so Preachers may be said to carry Christ to bear his Name among the Gentiles so Paul Act. 9.15 Many great things were done by it Jordan was divided by it so by Christ all obstacles are removed out of the way The Walls of Jericho fell by it so by Christs coming the strong holds of Satans Kingdom are cast down It was the downfall of Dagon So is Christ of Satan and Idolatry While the Ark was amongst the Philistines they were plagued but Obed-Edom was blessed while it was at his House so Christ in the Gospel to some brings wrath being refused to others Salvation Eli and his Daughter died when the Ark was taken and the Bethshemites rejoyced exceedingly when they saw it so the presence of Christ brings comfort but his absence grief and sorrow The Bethshemites were punished for prying into the Ark. It is a dangerous thing to search into inscrutable Mysteries Be wise unto sobriety The Ark after many travels was brought at last to a place of rest in Solomons Temple so Christ after many wearisome journies on Earth was at length taken up into Heaven a place of rest where he sits at the right hand of God But as to this glorious Utensil it self we may observe these things 1. The Ark was the Throne of God on which he did appear sitting on his Throne of Grace and Glory and from whence he spake and gave forth Answers and Oracles Hence we read of a Throne of Grace Heh 4. ult This Throne of Grace is that Mercy-seat that covered the Ark on which God sate and where he is said to dwell between the Cherubims Psal 80.1 1. Here he gave upon special occasions visible appearances of his Glory This is that Shechinah which the Jewish Rabbins speak of And they have it from the Scriptures and the Prophets Ezek. 1. last and cap. 9. and 10. The Glory of the Lord is said to appear and to remove and depart away by little and little There was still less and less of God among them till he was quite gone So Isai 6.1 Rev. 4.2.3 2. Hence the Lord spake with audible voice and gave forth his answers so he promised to Moses Exod. 25.22 so Numb 7. ult The mystery of all which is this that God is to be seen in Christ and that he speaks and reveals his mind to us only in and through Jesus Christ 2. The Mercy-seat which was upon the Ark was a Type of the passive Obedience and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ for our sins whom God hath set forth to be Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a propitiation 1 Joh. 2.2 he is the propitiation for our sins 3. The Law which was within the Ark is the active Obedience of Christ Psal 40.8 thy Law is within my heart 4. The Golden Pot of Manna is Christ in the Word Exod. 16. Joh. 6.48 49 50 51. He is the true Manna the true Bread of life 5. Aarons Rod that budded is the Ministry blessed with success for the good of Souls Numb 17.10 this was reserved before the Testimony for a token against the Rebels 6. The Cherubims upon the Ark are the Angels ministring to the Lord Ezek. 1. they are there described Is 6.2 they look towards the Ark they pry into the mysteries of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 held forth by the Church Eph. 3.10 The mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God being above their comprehension and their Subjection to Christ as Mediator being not included originally within the Law
all James 2.10 and so needs Christ and his Blood to make atonement even for the least Sins and those which are in some sort involuntary as the original corruption of Nature is and many actual Sins of meer infirmity and frailty 2. Sacrifices of Atonement even when they had fulfilled their Vow ver 13 to 21. It taught the secret and unseen Guiltiness which cleaveth to the most holy men in their best and most perfect works which without atonement by the Blood of Christ Ainsworth in loc cannot be pure and pleasing in the sight of God For though a man know nothing by himself yet is he not thereby justified 1 Cor. 4.4 When we have kept our Vows and done our Duty yet we need Atonement and Pardon 4. A fourth religious Order amongst them of old was their Prophets These also were Types of Christ and Christians Of Christ For as they taught the will of God so doth Christ For he is the great Prophet Deut 18.15 Acts 3.22 Joh. 1.18 no man knows the Father but he to whom the Son revealeth him Matth 11.27 But though there be a resemblance and analogy yet there is also a great disparity in this Type For all the Types as hath been often observed fell short of the Antitype in Glory and so in this for none teacheth like him Job 36.22 in regard of the Authority and Efficacy of his teaching 1. The Authority For the Prophets speak in the Lords Name Thus saith the Lord but Christ in his own Name and the Fathers as a Son over his own House Heb. 3.6 2. The Efficacy All the Prophets could not reach the Heart but Christ he teacheth inwardly and effectually for he sends his Spirit to bring the Truths to remembrance with power and efficacy Joh. 14.26 And as their Prophets were Types of Christ so likewise of all Believers for they are spiritually Prophets 1 Joh. 2.27 1 Cor. 2.15 the spiritual man judgeth all things They are said to prophesie as the Lords Witnesses Rev. 11. 5. A fifth religious Order in those legal times was that of Priesthood Their Priests and especially their High Priests were Types of Christ and Christians Therefore Christ is so often called a Priest and the High Priest Heb. 3.1 of our Profession The Analogy between Christ and them appears chiefly in two things 1. That as they offered Sacrifice and by Sacrifice made atonement so Christ Ephes 5.2 gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling favour 2. There was in them the shadow though but the shadow of an everlasting Priesthood because the Office was settled in the House and Family of Aaron and so though the persons died yet the Office was never vacant for the Son succeeded the Father and was sometimes invested during the Fathers life as Eleazer Numb 20.26 And though Melchizedeks Priesthood was of an higher Order and more illustrious than that of Aaron as the Apostle shews Heb. 7. yet in this also there was but a shadow of Eternity as hath been formerly shewed But Christ is indeed a Priest for ever he is often so called in the Epistle to the Hebrews He was made a Priest not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the Power of everlasting life Heb. 7. The Disparity between Christ and these typical Priests was manifold I shall instance in a few particulars 1. Theirs was but the shadow Christ the true Sacrifice and true Reconciliation with God 2. They offered Sacrifice first for their own Sins but Christ had no Sins of his own to offer for and to make satisfaction for Heb. 7.27 3. All those Priests of old even Melchizedek himself they were but Priests they were not both Priest Altar and Sacrifice But Christ is all three He is Priest as God-man He is the Altar in regard of his Divine nature for this is that that sanctifies the Gift and makes the Sacrifice so infinitely efficacious and meritorious And Christ himself is also the Sacrifice in regard of his Humane nature His Humane nature suffered death and so was offered up as a Sacrifice unto God for us Thus in all things Christ hath the Preheminence I might also shew how all the Saints are Priests He hath made us Kings and Priests unto our God Revel 1. But there will be occasion to speak further of the Priesthood when we come to the Temple and the Temple Ministry 6. A sixth religious Order was their Kings of the House of David It is true Magistracy is a civil Ordinance belonging to the second Table But yet as God was pleased to annex a typical respect unto the Sabbath which is in it self a moral Duty and unto Adams Marriage with Eve which was a civil Relation so he did unto Magistracy or Kingship as stated and settled amongst that people Hence as in the business of Marriage and of the Sabbath the things themselves are not abolished but only the typical respects are taken off so here Kingship as amongst them was both a civil and a religious Order Non dubium est quin caelestis pater in Davide ejusque posteris conspici voluerit vivam Christi Imaginem Calvin Institut l. 2. cap. 6. sect 2. cap. 7. sect 2. See the Analogy in three things 1. In their Inauguration they were anointed with holy Oil Psal 89.20 with mine holy Oil have I anointed him This typified the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit the Spirit of Government Acts 10.38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost which Christ received above his Fellows Psal 45.7 not by measure but above measure Joh. 3.34 2. The Lord settled the Kingdom by an everlasting Covenant in a perpetual Series and Succession of persons in the House of David So with Christ he hath made an everlasting Covenant that his Kingdom shall endure for ever Isai 9.7 of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end 3. The moral work and duty of their Office had also a typical use to shadow forth what Christ doth spiritually in and for his Church 1. They made Laws for the people of Israel though they did it still in subordination to and pursuance of the Laws of God as all Magistrates ought to do not in opposition to them So Christ is the Law-giver of his Church Isai 33.22 the Lord is our Judge our King our Law-giver 2. They subdued the Enemies of Israel so did David the Philistines the Moabites c. So doth Christ subdue and tread down the Churches Enemies 3. It was their work to execute Vengeance upon Rebels as Solomon the peaceful King did on Joab Adonijah Shimei So doth Christ the Prince of Peace on Unbelievers and Hypocrites in the Church This King will say Bring forth these mine Enemies and slay them before my face Yet there was a great Disparity between Christ and those Kings His Kingdom is spiritual his Government infinitely better than theirs was 2 Sam. 23.4 5. some understand and render to this
shall bite them and upon occasion of their ungrateful murmurings against the Manna Numb 21.5 The Instruction we may learn and see in it is this That God le ts loose those fiery Serpents Satan and their Lusts to sting the Consciences and torment the Souls of Men for contempt of Christ and Gospel mercies When Manna hath been slighted when Christ is offered and rejected then the Serpent stings Psal 81.11 12. Because Israel would none of me therefore I gave them up to their own hearts lusts Have you never felt the truth of this Type by woful experience how sin hath raged and gotten more strength when the Gospel hath been slighted and offers of Grace despised So much of the Disease the deadly sting of these fiery Serpents for their murmurings Now 2. for the Remedy The Brazen Serpent That Christ is this Brazen Serpent himself declares Joh. 3. 1. It was made of Brass and in the shape and form of a Serpent yet not a real Serpent It was not made of Gold but only of Brass which though it be a strong and bright Mettal yet was contemptible in outward appearance and most unlikely to have attained such an end to work such a cure So is Christ strong and mighty and bright and glorious Rev. 1.15 16. The brightness of his Fathers glory Heb. 1.3 Yet a man and the Son of man Therefore low and mean in his outward appearance and despised of the world Christ crucified is to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness but to them that are saved the wisdom of God and the power of God 1 Cor. 1.23 24. Yea he condescended to appear in the similitude of sinful flesh for so the Apostle most accurately expresseth it Rom. 8.3 He was counted a sinner but he was indeed without sin Heb. 4.15 As this brazen Serpent was like a Serpent yet had neither Venom nor Sting so Christ appeared like a sinner He came in the likeness of sinful flesh and yet knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 But though he was not sinful yet he was indeed under the curse due to sin as the Serpent was cursed Gen. 3. So Christ became a curse for us Gal. 3.13 2. This brazen Serpent was a Remedy and a Cure provided of God in meer Grace and sovereign Mercy for ungrateful and unworthy Rebels when some of them were stung to death and ready to perish for their contempt of Manna and others of them were dead and gone and past recovery for the same sin It was against the merit of their murmurings when they spake against him and against Moses in like manner doth God give his Son Jesus Christ of free and meer grace when we were enemies without and against our merit when so great a part of mankind perisheth without him in their own rebellions and especially for their contempt of the Gospel Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world it was a most intense love to give his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but have eternal life 3. The Serpent must be lifted up upon a Pole Numb 21. That all Israel might see it whether near or further off so Christ was lifted up Joh. 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that is upon the Cross Joh. 12.32 33. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me This he spake signifying what death he should die And in the preaching of the Gospel in the sight of all men Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Both to those that are near and farr of Ephes 2.17 4. This brazen Serpent must be also looked upon by the Israelites when stung Numb 21.8 So must Christ by the eye of Faith Joh. 3.15 Faith is often expressed unto us by that Metaphor of looking Look unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45.22 Isa 65.1 I said behold me behold me Faith looks with a fixed eye and with a mourning eye A mans Spirit is much seen and doth much discover it self by his eye 5. In this way it gave healing unto those that being stung did look upon it whom nothing else could heal Moses and his Law could not do it Numb 21.8 So Christ Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my Name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings Psal 103 who healeth all thy diseases And none but he can do it Act. 4.12 There is no healing of a wounded Conscience but by Jesus Christ alone as lifted up upon the Cross and beheld by the eye of Faith The brazen Serpents being lifted up was not enough but it must be looked upon so Christ must be believed on or else the soul cannot be healed Ignorant Souls that see not Christ or that despise him shall not be saved by him as if any of the people had said what virtue can there be in such a brazen Serpent to health and so would not look up to it Such they deservedly perish so do Unbelievers and Despisers under the Gospel Though they were but weak and dim-eyed blear-eyed dim-sighted c. yet looking up to the brazen Serpent they were healed so though Faith be weak yet being sincere it saveth Though in the utmost parts of the Camp some say it took up twelve myles Yet look unto me all the ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45.22 6. The brazen Serpent retained this virtue only while instituted by God for that end and therefore when the sacred Stamp of Institution was taken off we read no more of any Miracles wrought by it and Hezekiah brake it in pieces 2. Kings 18.4 Now this part of the History cannot be fitly accommodated to Christ himself but to his Ordinances thus That the very same things and actions which are good and useful when God appoints them are useless yea abominable if there be no stamp of Institution upon them Thus we may fitly apply it because the Types as hath been said relate to all Gospel Truths and the same Truth shines forth in all the rest of those ancient Types and Shadows The Lord then appointed ministring Garments for his Priests and Ministers but for Ministers to use sacred Vestments now is unlawful and abominable The Lord then appointed a kind of legal Hierarchy and spiritual Supremacy of the High Priest over all the rest of the Priests and Levites they were to act by the appointment of Aaron and his Sons Numb 4.19 But for one Gospel Minister to claim a supremacy of Jurisdiction over another Gospel Minister within his own Charge or Congregation This is that for which we justly call the Pope Antichrist The Lord then appointed the Feast of Tabernacles and the Passover and Pentecost But for us to keep these Feasts now under the names of Christmas Easter or Whitsuntide or the like as the Pope hath taught us to do it is a farr
the Spirit that is by his Deity raising him up again from death to life he must both dye and live again for us As to the Cedar Hyssop and Scarlet they were used in the Purification by the Red Heifer of which we spoke before and shall now add thereunto only thus much further That of these three it is conceived that there was a sprinkling Brush made namely the Brush of Hyssop the Handle of Cedar Wood and the binding of a thred of Scarlet dy The Apostle calls it Scarlet Wooll in Heb. 9.19 And as there seems to be a general respect had to the properties of these Plants as was formerly shewed so some do observe a particular sutableness between the Leprous Contagion and these means of Purification thus That as the Leprosie did corrupt and putrifie the body opposite to this was the Cedar-Wood which is commended for firmness and soundness against putrefaction And as the Leprosie was of a foul colour contrary to this was the fresh and fair colour of Scarlet And as the Leprosie had a very ill and unsavoury scent the sweetness of Hyssop was a Remedy against that So our Annotators on Lev. 14.6 Thus for the Materials of this purifying Sacrifice Now the purifying Ceremonies and Actions were of three sorts and all full of mystery some relating to the slain Bird some to the living Bird and some to the Leper himself Let me briefly open them unto you 1. The Ceremonies of the slain Bird were chiefly these three 1. It must be killed vers 5. You know the mystery of this in all the Sacrifices it was a prefiguration of the death of Jesus Christ the true Sacrifice Almost all things in the Law were purged by blood and without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 2. It must be killed over running Water or living Water That is Spring Water called Living because of the continual motion resembling life thereby that is it must be taken out of a Spring or a River not out of a Pond or Rain Water What this means our Saviour himself interprets Joh. 4.10 14. where he speaks of spiritual Living Water And the blood thus falling into and being mingled with the Water points us clearly to him who came to cleanse us and save us by water and blood 1 Joh. 5.6 For as water and blood here meet so there were Streams of both issuing out of his Side when he was slain for us Joh. 19. But this water and blood is the blood of Justification and the water of Sanctification both plentifully flowing from Christ our Purification There is an ever flowing Fountain of these Waters of life in and from the Lord Jesus Christ for the cleansing of sinful and leprous Souls 3. This must be in an earthen Vessel The like Numb 5.17 The sense of this part of the Allegory may be easily gathered from the former That Soul-cleansing blood and water issued out of his blessed body therefore his body was this earthen Vessel which was frail and brittle and accordingly broken by death at last and mean and contemptible amongst men as earthen Vessels use to be The Ministers of the Gospel also are compared to earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 God useth contemptible Instruments many times for the effecting of great things These are the Ceremonies relating to the slain Bird it must be killed and it must be killed over Living Water and this is in an earthen Vessel Now 2. The Ceremonies belonging to the living Bird they are also three 1. The living Bird must be dipt in the blood of the slain Bird vers 6. A most evident and excellent representation of the union of the divine and humane nature of Jesus Christ and the influence of that union into the concernments of our peace Had not the Deity supported and influenced the humane nature in its sufferings they could not have been available with God for us Upon the account of this divine union and dipping of the living Bird in the blood of the slain the Apostle calls the sufferings of the humane nature the blood of God Act. 20.28 2. The Cedar Scarlet and Hyssop must be dipped also with it vers 6. That is all the concernments of our Salvation they do all receive a tincture an influence from the blood of Christ Whether we refer the mystery of these Plants to the Graces and Excellencies that are in him as our Saviour or to the Graces we receive from him all must be considered with relation to his blood Take it in the latter all the Graces Virtues Excellencies we receive from him must be dipped in his blood to cleanse them and make them and us accepted of God 3. The living Bird must be let loose into the open field vers 7. This clearly represents not only Jesus Christ his escaping and deliverance from death to life after he had suffered and humbled himself unto death he did escape and live again and lives for ever But also the open publication and preaching hereof as it were in the open Firmament in the view of all men so that Phrase imports Rev. 14.6 flying in the midst of Heaven preaching the everlasting Gospel This respects also the setting of the Leper free from his restraint that was upon him before by reason of his uncleanness as appears by the Connexion He shall pronounce him clean and let the Bird loose into the open field These are the Ceremonial Actions relating to the living Bird. 3. The Ceremonial Actions in reference to the Leper himself these also are three 1. The Priest shall sprinkle upon him seven times and pronounce him clean Vers 7. This sprinkling of that typical blood and water upon him is nothing else but the application of the blood of Jesus Christ There must be a particular application of it to the Soul it must be sprinkled upon the Leper and then he is pronounced clean All the other Ceremonies would not make him clean without this though the Bird were killed and other Ordinances observed yet it must be also sprinkled The death and blood of Christ is not enough to the cleansing of our Souls unless the blood be sprinkled the death of Christ applied to us There must be a work of Application as well as of Redemption All the precious blood that Christ hath shed will not save a sinner unless this blood be effectually applied and sprinkled on the Soul Application is a great and necessary part of our Recovery and Salvation as well as the blood of Christ it self And it must be applied seven times both frequently and perfectly over and over again once is not enough suppose thou hast believed and laid hold upon Christ already and applied him by Faith to thy self in particular the blood must be sprinkled seven times over thou must apply Christ and lay hold upon Christ again And lastly the number seven is a number of perfection so it holds forth perfect cleansing as well as frequent application of the blood of Christ for
of the Light that shines there and now in other respects by the Shew-bread The analogy to this appears in four things 1. In that as many Grains make up one Loaf so many Believers make up one Church 1 Cor. 10.17 for we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread One person is not a Church how few and how small a number the Church may be reduced unto we need not here dispute In Noahs time they were reduced to 8 persons The first Church and the beginning and foundation of the Church in all after times was when God himself preached the Gospel to our first Parents in Paradise and then Adam and Eve and their Seed were the Church of God There must be divers there must be more then one to make up a Church 2. The analogy appears in the number for as there were twelve Tribes of Israel so there were twelve Loaves These twelve Tribes were often and divers ways represented as by the twelve Stones in the Brest-plate of the High Priest Exod. 28.21 and by the twelve Stones which Joshua did pitch in Jordan and the other twelve which he took out of Jordan and pitched them in Gilgal for a memorial of the 12 Tribes passing thorough Josh 4.9 20. so Canaan was divided into twelve parts that people coming of twelve Patriarchs to which answers the twelve Apostles of the New Testament and the new Jerusalem is built upon those twelve Foundations Rev. 21.14 so in these twelve Loaves there is the like mystery they represented both the Old and the New-Testament-Israel 3. These Loaves were to stand before the Lord all the week upon the Golden Table This was the chief action about them and which holds forth the principal scope of the Institution therefore called Panis facierum or Propositionis Matth. 12.4 which our Translators have fitly rendred Shew-bread The Apostles phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 24.6 thou shalt set them upon the pure Table before the Lord. This signified his continual eye and care over his people they are never out of his sight never out of mind his eye and his thoughts are continually upon them from one end of the week to another Isai 49.16 behold I have graven thee upon the Palms of mine Hands and thy Walls are continually before me Though he seems to forsake and forget them yet he remembers them still Jer. 31.20 for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him 4. There is Frankincense set upon the Loaves and offered up for a memorial before the Lord Lev. 24 7. This speaks the Lords remembrance of them with acceptance for the Incense made a sweet smell a savour of rest A man may remember a thing with hatred and abhorrence but the Lords remembrance of his people is with dearest affection with everlasting loving kindness he hath a precious remembrance of them These twelve Loaves the twelve Tribes of Israel are by Faith in Christ a sweet odour to him as 2 Cor. 2.15 And as the Lords eye is over upon them so should theirs be to the Lord and that continually See Psal 123.1 2. As the Lord saith of the Angels Matth. 18.10 they do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven so the Saints even here below they should set the Lord alway before them And this is Happiness and Heaven begun 1 Kings 10.8 happy are thy Men happy are thy Servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy Wisdome The Lords eye upon them in a way of constant care and love and their eye upon him in a way of continual dependance This is a blessed condition Thus you see the first mystery of the Shew-bread how it was a Type of the Church 2. A second mystery of the Shew-bread is the Food and spiritual Provision that is in the Church of God that is Christ in the Word and Ordinances The Word is compared to Bread Amos 6.11 False Doctrine to leavened or sowred Bread Matth. 16.12 It hath the properties of Bread Psal 104.15 Bread which strengtheneth mans heart ver 16. the staff of Bread This Bread is Christ He is the Bread of Life as Joh. 6.48 Christ is typified also by the Manna and the Golden Pot thereof reserved in the Holy of Holies But some distinguish the mystery of these two Types thus That the Manna in the Oracle was the Type of Christ personal this Bread upon the Table in the Sanctuary was a Type of Christ doctrinal or Christ in the Word opened and applied to hungry Souls The analogy will appear further in these particulars 1. They were to set the Shew-bread upon the Golden Table in the Sanctuary every Sabbath Lev. 24.8 Every Sabbath shall he set it in order before the Lord continually that is in the Sanctuary which was a Type of the Church This then speaks thus much That the Ministers of the Gospel are to set Christ the Bread of Life as it were upon the Table every Lords day There is and ought to be a weekly provision of this Food in the House of God every Sabbath As every week there was new Bread so Christ is to be afresh held forth 2. The Priests were to feed upon this all the week after Lev. 24.9 And it shall be Aarons and his Sons and they shall eat it in the holy place so in the Church they that hear the Word and have Christ preached and held forth therein should live all the week long upon the Provision that is made upon the Sabbath Then the Bread is set before Lord but in the week time it is eaten It is a great neglect when the Bread is not eaten when the Word is not digested meditated fed upon But people think it is enough to come to some good Meeting and there to hear the Word But do you eat it and feed upon it all the week do you meditate and ruminate upon it 3. None but the Priests were to eat the Shew-bread It shall be Aarons and his Sons and they shall eat it Lev. 24.9 though in an extraordinary case others might as when David and his Men did to save their Lives in hunger 1 Sam. 21.6 which Christ allows and justifies Matth. 12.3 4. for ceremonial Rules must give place to Moral God will have mercy rather then Sacrifice But the ordinary Rule was none but Priests were to eat the Shew-bread And who are spiritual Priests under the Gospel All Believers they are a royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 This then teacheth us that none but Believers have a right unto Christ and to the Promises and do or can feed upon him Unbelievers do but intrude and usurp that which is none of theirs when they challenge a part in him They are but Dogs that snatch at Childrens Bread 4. It is the Priests that set this Bread in the Sanctuary and they eat it We may
conversation of their lives that is the true Gospel-Musick 3. These Trumpets and other musical instruments were used in time of War and appointed by God so to be Numb 10.9 the Trumpets were to sound to prepare and call them forth to the War to encourage their Faith in it that they should be remembred before the Lord and have success over their enemies sometimes visible success attending this Ordinance as in Jehosaphats time 2 Chron. 20.21 22. they sounded the Trumpet praising the Beauty of Holiness and when they began to sing praises the Lord set ambushments against Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir and then they were smitten 4. It was the Office of the Priests to sound these Trumpets as in Numb 10.8 the Sons of Aaron the Priest must do it To shew that the publick Dispensation of the Word and Gospel belongs to and is intrusted chiefly with the Sons of Aaron the Ministers of the Gospel they must sound the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel in the ears of the world 5. The matter they were made of some were of Silver and some of Horn Numb 10.1 and in 1 Chron. 15.28 The Cornet that is an instrument of Horn so in that 98. Psal 6. with Trumpet and sound of Cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord the King And Rams Horns did beat down the Walls of Jericho Josh 6. If God institute the Rams Horns they shall be as powerful as the Silver Trumpets To teach us that the meanest Gifts of any Godly Ministers if sincere are accepted and may be blessed of God for the good of Souls for the casting down of strong holds and for success and victory against our spiritual enemies Rams Horns may do it as well as Silver Trumpets 6. Their number at first was but two Numb 10.2 that is for the two Sons of Aaron Eleazar and Ithamar the Priests Numb 3.4 but in process of time David added many other musical instruments but he did it by authority and direction from God For so was the Commandment of the Lord by his Prophets 2 Chron 29.25 1 Chron. 16.42 2 Chron. 7.6 And in Solomons time we read of one hundred and twenty Priests that did sound with Trumpets at the Dedication of the Temple 2 Chron. 5.12 Also the Levites which were the Singers being arayed in white linnen having Cymbals aad Psalteries and Harps and with them one hundred and twenty Priests sounding with Trumpets And those Instruments of Musick which David made they are called the Instruments of Musick of the Lord for he made them according to the direction of the Seer All which shews the enlargement of the Church and its Joy and the improvement of the Worship of God in Gospel times here is one hundred and twenty Trumpets now whereas there was but two at first And as the number of Priests and Trumpets and musical instruments was much increased in Solomons time above what it was in the time of Moses so shall the Church and their spiritual Joy in the days of the Gospel under Christ who is the true Solomon They are increased now and shall be more and more in the later days Isai 60 and 61 chap. 7. And lastly but why was this Feast of Musick and Trumpets upon the first day of the seventh month why is that the appointed season for it Many accounts there are given by Interpreters which do all center in this because of the many great occurrences and dispensations of God in this month some whereof were past and were now to be remembred and some future which were now to be proclaimed and prepared for The World was created in this month which was at first the first month in the year until the account was changed upon occasion and in memorial of their deliverance out of Egypt This month shall be to you the beginning of months it shall be the first month of the year to you Exod. 12.2 intimating that it was not so before There was approaching the Feast of Atonement upon the tenth day of this month which is thought to relate to the Golden Calf and the Lords pardoning that Idolatry also the Feast of Tabernacles on the fifteenth day The Temple of Solomon was dedicated in this month and now also was the Birth of Christ at this time God assumed and appeared in our nature pitching his Tabernacle or Tent in our Flesh All which things put together gives some account of the season of this Feast and of the solemnity of the blowing of Trumpets on the first day of this seventh month And so much for the fourth of these annual Festivals namely the Feast of Trumpets Now take this inference namely the unwarrantableness of Musical instruments in the Worship of God now under the Gospel You see of old there was an Institution for it there is not so now 22 ae q. 91. 2. 4. It is a very late invention of the Church of Rome Aquinas speaks against them as not used in the Church in his time saying they are legal and prefigure something of Christ therefore are not continued under the Gospel Consider these three things 1. They were a Type that is evident and hereby is typified the Musick and melody of the Joys and Graces of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of Gods people and many other Gospel lessons and instructions were held forth by this ancient legal Ordinance And Types you know are ceased and Shadowes are vanished now that the Substance is come look therefore after the inward musick of a good Conscience and the witness of the Holy Ghost there this is the Gospel-musick 2. If we could not find out the mystery and the direct signification of them which hath been cleared to you yet however these things were a legal burthen and childish rudiments therefore not becoming the mature estate of Believers under the new Testament though they might be a fit solace for the childish estate of the Church under the Law 3. This Cathedral Musick introduceth into the Church of God a Rabble of Church-Officers which the Lord never appointed and which never came into his heart the Choristers and Singing men c. and that is a very great evil It is not in the power of men but it is the great Prerogative of Jesus Christ to appoint Officers in his Church who hath appointed none but Pastors and Teachers Elders and Deacons 5. And lastly the Feast of Expiation or Atonement and this was on the tenth day of this seventh month the Rules and Rites whereof are set down at large in Levit. 16. which because they are many and very significant and full of Gospel-mysteries therefore I purpose the Lord assisting to speak to it more at large in a distinct Discourse by it self having here only mentioned it in its place to which it doth belong Quest Were these then all their yearly Feasts had they no more but these five under the Law viz. the Passover the Feast of Pentecost the Feast of Tabernales the Feast of Trumpets and